Table of contents for 554 in Computeractive

Sometimes you just have to admit defeat. I’ve got a prehistoric Windows XP that’s been gathering dust faster than a thousand Dysons. I’ve been determined to re-use it in some way, but when it stubbornly refused to turn on a few weeks back I said a little prayer and placed it on the recycle pile. It’s a rare setback. I’ve found so many uses for old devices that it feels like I’m running a charity for ageing tech that’s not yet ready for retirement. There’s a Windows 7 laptop that’s enjoying a second life as a monitor; a router that’s whizzing my Wi-Fi into unmapped corners of the loft conversion; and a printer that I set aside for printing everything other than paper. Those are lots of old dogs that…

Smartphone addiction may be bad for our mental health, but it might be good news for supermarkets. Researchers from Fairfield University in Connecticut found that shoppers who used their phones for non-shopping means, such as listening to music and checking emails, were more likely to buy “unplanned” items. Why? Because phones distract us. With 93 per cent of shoppers using phones, there must be thousands of unused lemon juicers and pepper grinders cluttering up kitchen drawers.…

TalkTalk has finished bottom for the third year running in Ofcom’s table of customer satisfaction for home broadband. The internet service provider (ISP) scored a rating of 79 per cent, up seven per cent from 2018, but still below BT (80), Sky (83), Virgin Media (85), Plusnet (86) and EE (87). Overall, 83 per cent of all customers were satisfied with their service in 2018, up three per cent from 2017. Thirteen per cent complained to their ISP, down from 15 per cent. TalkTalk’s customers were the most likely to be unhappy with the outcome of complaints. However, complaints from Plusnet’s broadband customers “more than doubled” in the final quarter of 2018, when it suffered problems with a new billing system. Ofcom’s third annual report (www.snipca.com/31477) aims to highlight the…

Awareness campaign will prevent driving with phones I completely approve of the police’s plan to flash warnings to drivers (pictured) if they detect them using their phones (News, Issue 553, page 9). I hope it spreads nationwide. But it won’t have any effect unless backed up by a public awareness campaign. Over the past few years I’ve been shocked by the number of people I know who didn’t realise it was illegal to use their phone while driving. These aren’t people who generally break the law, or irresponsible types who take perverse pride in being anti-social. They’re sensible, decent people who care about doing the right thing, but they’ve just not been made aware of the law. We need the Government to pay for a hard-hitting advertising campaign to warn…

LEAD CASE Do I have to wait three weeks for a TV repair? Q I bought a Hisense TV from the Argos store on eBay (www.ebaystores.co.uk/argos) last June, which now has a problem. Argos told me to contact Hisense directly and use its warranty, which I’ve done. But it’s going to take up to three weeks for a repair. I’ve read in Computeractive that the retailer should handle the problem, not the manufacturer. Is there anything else I can do? Jim O’Connor A Unfortunately, there’s nothing Jim can do to speed up the repair. The Consumer Rights Act (CRA) says repairs should be carried out within a “reasonable time”, and not unduly inconvenience the consumer, but these terms are open to interpretation. Opinions will vary, but it’s unlikely a judge…

Emigration is nothing new – our ancestors have been trying their luck on distant shores for centuries. Thanks to the bureaucracy of the period, all their moves have been diligently recorded. Those records have since started to appear online, and here we’ll reveal where to look for them. Look for ‘hints’ Start by investigating your family tree to see if there are clues of ancestors moving abroad. Look for gaps in the records that may be explained by a move away. When you sync a tree online with FindMyPast, FamilySearch or Ancestry, whether by uploading it manually or through a supported program (see Issue 552), the program will carry out background searches on each person, including of other people’s trees if they’ve been publicly shared. Any potential matches are then…

Will my laptop cope with Flight Simulator? Q I’m no ‘gamer’, but I enjoy flight simulators on my tablet. I’m thinking of buying Microsoft Flight Simulator, but am worried my laptop (bought last year) isn’t powerful enough. Is there software that will tell me? I don’t want to waste money on a game that won’t run! Peter Ford A Gaming performance is dictated by three factors: processor, memory and graphics. Microsoft Flight Simulator X (FSX) is an old game. Its requirement for a 2GHz processor and 2GB of memory shouldn’t trouble your new laptop (see system requirements at www.snipca.com/31565). If you want to be sure, run CPU-Z (free from www.snipca.com/31548 – click the Setup English button). In the CPU tab, the Name box shows your processor, with the number of…

Jonathan Parkyn puts the boot into tech villains, jargon-spouting companies and software stuffed with junk My Junk Offender this week comes courtesy of reader Tony Cook, who emailed to complain about the free version of MiniTool Partition Wizard (www.partitionwizard.com). I downloaded the latest version and, sure enough, the installer twice attempted to hoodwink me. First, it presented me with a pre-ticked box, opting me into its Customer Experience Improvement Program (see screenshot right), which gives the program freedom to take unspecified personal information and send it to its developers. Then, on the next screen I was faced with a notification about ‘recommended’ additional software – basically a PUP (in this case, Avast Free, see screenshot far right) – along with a confusingly worded, pre-ticked option designed to look like I…

TABLET | £399 from Apple www.snipca.com/18100 Small but Bionic It’s been nearly four years since Apple made any changes to its smallest tablet, and during that time it hasn’t even got cheaper. In fact, by removing options below 128GB of storage, they’ve made it more expensive, leaving the larger £319 iPad as the obvious choice. This 2019 edition still costs £399, and that now gets you only 64GB. So where’s the extra money going? Venturing deep into the Computeractive archives and blowing the dust off our 2015 review, we couldn’t help noticing that the rounded aluminium case is unchanged, with narrow borders on the long sides and gaps at the ends for the front camera and Home button, with its fingerprint sensor. Compared with this year’s brand new iPad Pro,…

What is it? It’s exactly what you’re afraid it is: a TV set that stands upright like a smartphone. It’s unlike a normal widescreen TV, or a projector screen, or the screen at the cinema, or any other screen ever. Introduced by Samsung as the Sero, it’ll cost £1,250, although so far it’s only available in Seoul. Would it be bad, we wonder, if it stayed there? What does it do? Puts your TV the same way round as your phone. Having “analysed the characteristics of the millennial generation”, Samsung designed a screen “optimised for mobile content”, which mostly comes “in the vertical form”. So when you drag your eyes away from your phone for five minutes, you can watch, er, the same thing, on a giant phone. What’s the…

What was it? Launched in 2008, a year after the iPhone, the Storm (pictured) was an attempt to settle the debate between button and touchscreen phones by making a phone with a screen that was a giant button, or maybe a giant button that was a screen. To open apps, select items or even type letters, rather than just tapping the 3.25in display you had to actually press it, like clicking a mouse. BlackBerry called this SurePress, advertising: ‘Press and be impressed!’ Why did it die? Nobody was impressed. The clicky screen just made the device less responsive, and problems with its design meant nearly all of the first million units sold had to be replaced at BlackBerry’s expense. The Storm had no Wi-Fi, meaning it could only get online…

What you’ll need: Cassette deck or turntable; VinylStudio Time required: 20 minutes to set up, plus the length of an album Are your records and cassettes gathering dust? True, vinyl is enjoying a resurgence in some quarters, but it’s largely confined to specialist markets and savvy artists cashing in on fans’ needs to complete their collections by buying every release on every format. Increasingly, less devoted listeners are turning to streaming services, and it’s easy to see why. They’re not only convenient and keenly priced; they also boast catalogues that would take decades to play from end to end (421 years and nine months by our calculation, based on Amazon and Apple each having more than 50,000,000 tracks in their streaming libraries, with the average track length, on iTunes at…

CABLES Check your system’s health using Dell SupportAssist With regard to the letter from Paul Martin in Issue 552’s Problems Solved (‘How do I check my BIOS version?’, page 64), I would suggest checking or replacing the Ethernet cable first. If the PC is “ageing”, as Paul says, it’s possible that the cable has deteriorated too. May I also suggest using the Dell SupportAssist tool (www.snipca.com/31440, see screenshot below left), which checks the health of your system’s hardware and software. It’s simple to use and has helped me with various updates. Don Palmer FILES Show which files you’re about to delete In Issue 552’s Problems Solved (page 66), Peter Wright asked how to delete duplicate files after reinstalling Windows 7. In addition to your answer, he may like to know…

Inmua USB Wi-Fi Dongle £17.99 from Amazon www.snipca.com/31445 I have a desktop PC upstairs, but the router is downstairs. My previous method of getting on the internet was via an Ethernet cable, using the household electrical system as recommended by BT when we changed the position of the router. The Wi-Fi in the house is fine. We watch Amazon Prime and Netflix with no problems. However, the PC upstairs kept dropping its connection, so I bought one of those Inmua Wi-Fi Dongles on your recommendation. The desktop connection actually works now, never dropping out. The weird thing is, sometimes when the connection dropped, I got it running again by just using CCleaner. God knows why, but it saved me rebooting the computer on many, many occasions. Lynn Sharpe Want to…

Moon + Reader* Free Android www.snipca.com/31504 Download, annotate and read ebooks in oodles of formats (EPUB, MOBI, PDF and more), and alter the display to suit your eyes. You can download free ebooks from sources such as Project Gutenberg, then add highlights, underlines and notes with a long-tap. Pro (£4.69) removes ads and lets you sync your reading across devices. Best for: Adding notes to favourite books Wattpad* Free Android, iOS www.wattpad.com/getmobile Wattpad is about writing and reading. As well as saving free ebooks to your online library and commenting on them (including ‘interactive inline comments’, effectively reading along with someone else), you can publish your own tome. Famous writers including Margaret Atwood and Paulo Coelho have published on Wattpad. Best for: Publishing your own ebook Aldiko Book Reader* Free…

MICROSOFT OUTLOOK Set up reply-to addresses in emails There may be occasions when you want to send an email, but have any replies to it directed to someone else – for example, if you’re sending the email on behalf of a friend. Alternatively, you might want any replies sent to you and one or more other people. To do this, compose your email, then in the Options menu at the top click the Direct Replies To button (far left of the toolbar). In the Properties window that opens, make sure the box next to ‘Have replies sent to’ is ticked (see screenshot below). Next, enter the email address you want to direct replies to (or multiple addresses, separated by semicolons), or click the Select Names button and choose people from…

What is it? A drone delivery service (main picture) that’s been given the green light by the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) in the US. This is significant because Wing (https://x.company/projects/wing), owned by Google’s parent company Alphabet, is the first drone service to be officially classified as an ‘airline’ in the US. But it won’t fly you to Benidorm, presumably? True, but this legal definition is important because it gives Wing permission to fly drones outside the line of sight of the person operating them, meaning they can deliver goods from shops to homes. It’s already dropped off more than 3,000 items in Canberra, Australia, and later this year will start whizzing through the skies of rural Virginia carrying food and medicine. Do cartons of eggs parachute out of it? That…

If you have more unneeded old kit, you could consider donating it to charity. Most charities will be wary about taking electrical items, as they may find themselves responsible if a buyer receives a shock. A few are able to perform safety checks, but they’re in a minority, so call ahead before turning up with old kit. Alternatively, check out Donate a PC (www.donateapc.org.uk), where you can list what you have to offer, so good causes can get in touch to arrange collection. ReCOM (http://recom.org.uk) also accepts laptops and tablets, which it uses to help improve computer literacy. It’s one of over 70 local and national organisations performing similar roles, for which you’ll find contact details at IT for Charities (www.snipca.com/31447).…

While some services, such as Office 365, let you share your subscription with other people, others are more stringent. For example, sharing your Netflix password or setting up an account for anyone outside your household contravenes the Netflix licence. However, Netflix CEO, Reed Hastings, told attendees at the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show that “we love people sharing Netflix… That’s a positive thing, not a negative thing.” Netflix later attempted to clarify this statement, saying, “We expect that Netflix is a household-level purchase, and that sharing with members of the household is a reasonable thing to do". Vague terms such as ‘we expect’ and ‘reasonable’ aren’t very helpful, though, and to date we’re not aware of any Netflix user getting into legal trouble for sharing their account. Part of the problem…

PROBLEM OF THE FORTNIGHT How do I make posters in Publisher? Q While catching up on a couple of unread issues recently, I spotted your reply to Tony Lunney in Issue 548’s Problems Solved pages, where you explain how to use Microsoft Paint to print an A3 poster. It was a nifty tip, and one I certainly didn’t know. You mentioned to Tony that if his Office package included Publisher, he could use that instead. However, you didn’t provide any specific instructions. I’m not complaining because I know you answered Tony’s question but, as an Office 365 user, I have access to Publisher 365, so your comment piqued my interest. Would it be quicker and easier to do the whole job in Publisher rather than switching between PowerPoint and Paint?…

1080p Of the common types of high-definition video, this is the best quality: 1920x1080 pixels. 3G/4G A set of technologies that delivers faster mobile broadband 4K Video with a resolution of at least 3840x2160 pixels. 32bit/64bit A measure of how much data a PC can process at once. Most older computers are 32bit, more modern ones are 64bit. 802.11ac A standard for wireless networks that allows for much higher transfer speeds than 802.11n. Add-on A program that adds extra features to your browser. ADSL Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line. A technology that converts a standard phone line into a broadband internet connection. AMOLED Active-Matrix Organic Light-Emitting Diode. An alternative technology to LCD for creating flat-panel displays. Aperture Opening that controls the amount of light entering a camera lens. APK Android Package…

You’ll soon be able to listen to podcasts directly from within Google search results, or save them to listen to later. Google is indexing podcasts in its search database, which means you’ll be able to search for episodes based on their content, not just their titles. It was one of several new search tools announced by Google at its I/O developers conference in early May in California. The company also confirmed that search results will include more details about news stories, using the ‘Full Coverage’ tool that Google added to its News section last year. This will show you how the story is being reported by different sources, as well as videos related to it and a timeline of how the story has developed. You’ll also see any podcasts covering…

Sainsbury’s has insisted that the opening of its first checkout-free store, which lets customers pay by app, won’t lead to job losses. It is running a three-month trial at a store in Holborn Circus, London. Customers scan barcodes on their phone using Sainsbury’s SmartShop app (www.snipca.com/31476, pictured), which they need to link to a Nectar loyalty card. They pay on their phone via their card, or using Apple Pay or Google Pay. To confirm payment customers scan a QR code, receiving an email receipt. However, customers can still pay by cash or card at a helpdesk. Products that require age checks, such as alcohol and cigarettes, won’t be sold via the app. More than 80 per cent of transactions in the Holborn store were already cashless, Sainsbury’s said. All major…

Finally, after years of neglecting users’ privacy, tech companies are beginning to realise that they cannot survive without public trust. Facebook has added more privacy tools than most (because it had more lost trust to regain), but Google is also taking action. Its latest move lets you schedule when to delete two types of data it collects on you: where you’ve been (location tracking) and what you’ve searched for online. To do this, you need to customise your ‘Activity controls’ in your Google Account. Go to https://myaccount. google.com, then click ‘Data & personalisation’ on the left. On the next page, scroll down a little and click the small, blue ‘Manage your activity controls’ link (see screenshot). You should then click ‘Choose to delete automatically’ under both Location History and Web…

At the bottom of Issue 553’s ‘Question of the Fortnight’ (‘How often do you need to change your passwords?’) you claim the password ‘j%hN5m!Th0o04’ would survive uncracked for three million years. You say the password manager Dashlane gave this estimate, which intrigued me. Can you tell me how I can use Dashlane to check my passwords? Do I need to be a Dashlane user? My passwords are nowhere near as complex as your ‘JohnSmith’ variation, so it wouldn’t surprise me if they could be hacked in three minutes! CA SAYS The good news is you don’t need to be a Dashlane user. Just visit https://howsecureismypassword.net and type your password. Happily, ‘j%hN5m!Th0o04’ is as strong now as it was last issue (see screenshot). But ‘123456’ would be cracked “instantly”. Passwords with…

This issue’s update is a case of two goodwill gestures. In Issue 552 we looked at the rights Mark Adams had for a refund from Slovakian company GoPass (www.gopass.sk, pictured), for a 170 euro ski pass he was unable to use because of injury. Its terms and conditions suggested he was entitled to a refund, and this has arrived, but the firm claims this was a goodwill gesture. We don’t want to get unduly annoyed by this – Mark got his refund after all. But we’ve never liked companies claiming they’re doing the customer a favour when they’re actually legally obliged to refund them. The second goodwill gesture shows the importance of complaining even if you’re not sure you’re entitled to a refund. When travelling on a DFDS ferry to…

My birth certificate is dated five years after I was born. I assume I was adopted (both my mother and stepfather are deceased). How can I get a copy of my original birth certificate? James Glithero We asked James for some additional information – his birth date, place and mother’s maiden name. We used this information to search FreeBMD (www.freebmd.org.uk) following our advice in Issue 551, and was able to track down an earlier birth index entry. Armed with the information it supplied, he can now order a paper certificate through the GRO website (www.gro.gov.uk). Have a genealogy question for Nick? Email letters@computeractive.co.uk with ‘Grow Your Family Tree’ in the subject line.…

If, like me, you often have lots of programs running simultaneously, you’ll probably also find switching between them a pain. The Alt+Tab function in Windows works fine with just a few open windows, but it quickly becomes too cluttered to use effectively. In 2017 Microsoft announced it was developing a new Windows feature called Sets. This would let you better manage your running programs by grouping them together as tabs within in a single window, much like tabs within a web browser. However, Sets failed to appear in the April and October 2018 updates, and it looks like Microsoft has now ditched the project. I’ve no doubt Microsoft will one day get its act together and release some form of tab feature for Windows, but I’m not holding my breath.…

Most of us have more or less accepted adverts on Google – search for ‘jeans’ and you’ll see ads for Levi’s. But promoting adverts for highly dangerous fake cancer cures is something else altogether. Nevertheless, that’s what Google has been doing, according to The Times (www.snipca.com/31590, behind a paywall), which recently discovered it was presenting users who searched for ‘black salve’ with adverts for a substance billed as a “natural” alternative treatment for cancers, warts and other skin conditions. What the adverts don’t say is that black salve contains corrosive ingredients that burn human flesh. It’s obviously immoral of the sellers to peddle such fake ‘cures’, but Google itself makes billions from advertising, so shouldn’t it be more vigilant when accepting what adverts to promote? Commercial TV channels such as…

PC | £1,600 from Palicomp www.snipca.com/31472 Stellar performance There’s something endearing in the way desktop PCs are still named with audacious hyperbole. In fact, it’s probably only a matter of time before we see one called the Audacious Hyperbole. For now, you’ll have to settle for the Supernova, perhaps an ill-advisedly explodey name for a chassis designed to keep its high-powered components safely inside. Thankfully, an effective water-cooling system comes fitted, with twinkly effects from the LED-lit fans. Our tests confirmed that despite having been rocket-boosted to warp speed – well, overclocked to 5.1GHz, from its usual 3.6 – the ninth-generation Intel Core i7-9700K processor in Palicomp’s system is unlikely to send a shock wave through the interstellar medium before collapsing into a black hole. Which is nice to know.…

MESH ROUTER | £250 from Amazon www.snipca.com/31527 More from less? Mesh routers, which use two or more boxes to spread the Wi-Fi signal around your home, have gone from niche to mainstream. That means there’s more choice now, which is nice, but tricky, because there’s no way to be sure how a wireless system is going to perform in your particular circumstances until you try it. So how much do you need to spend? “For a medium-sized household, this offers fast broadband and good features” TP-Link has several options in its range, and the M9 Plus sits at the top end: although you can find this kit online at a reasonable £250, that’s for just two boxes. One of these needs to be cabled to your broadband modem (it’s only…

PHONE | £129 from Tesco www.snipca.com/31547 Lack of star quality If Vodafone’s Smart X9 is an unexpected budget smartphone, Samsung’s J4+ is an entirely predictable one. It’s slightly bigger, with a 6in screen in the same shape, about twice as tall as it’s wide, again with borders at the top and bottom rather than the more fashionable camera notch. There’s no fingerprint reader and the plastic case – available in black, gold or bright pink – is susceptible to greasy marks. However, with its rounded shape and the square camera cut-out on the back this is a typical Samsung design that could be mistaken for pricier ones. Samsung’s legendary AMOLED technology is inevitably absent from the screen, which has pretty decent colour accuracy but meagre brightness and a relatively coarse…

LAPTOP HP Envy 13 £799 from www.snipca.com/29555 Tested Issue 539 The combination of an eighthgeneration quad-core i5 chip and MX 150 graphics makes this an excellent all-round laptop, let down only by the poor colour reproduction of its Full HD touchscreen. Seven-hour battery life is adequate, and it’s nicely made. ALTERNATIVE Dell XPS 13 This premium laptop starts at £1,200, but the best deal is with the brand new quad-core i7-8550 and QHD touchscreen. £1,450 from www.snipca.com/26796 ANDROID TABLET Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 9.7 £399 from www.snipca.com/30707 Tested Issue 501 Now discounted and with a stylus included, this full-size HDR tablet is a better deal than the new Tab S4 (see Issue 540). Apple’s faster £319 iPad with optional £89 Pencil is superior, but lacks microSD expansion. ALTERNATIVE Amazon Fire…

What you need: Android or iOS device; any remote control Time required: 20 minutes If you’ve paid good money for a B&B room or hired out an entire house, you’d hope the owner would have the sense not to secretly record you with hidden network cameras. However, although rare, it’s not unheard of – such as when a family discovered a hidden camera in their Airbnb rental in Ireland earlier this year (www.snipca.com/31483). In this Workshop, we’ll show you how to get some peace of mind by scanning for suspicious devices when you’re logged on to your rental property’s wireless network. We’ll also show how your phone’s camera can be used to detect network cameras. STEP 1 First, download the Fing app. You can get it for Android devices from…

In Issue 551 (page 13) I read with interest Dave Knight’s letter concerning Microsoft’s failure to support their older software on new operating systems, and his dual-booting solution. I had a similar problem (not of Microsoft’s making) concerning my long-term use of a CAD (computeraided design) program by AutoDesk, called AutoSketch. This is an excellent vector-based drawing program that I use to create precision electrical schematic and wiring diagrams, though it has now been discontinued. It will only run on 32bit Windows, so I’ve been using a ‘small footprint’ Windows 7 PC with a KVM switch. This lets me use a single cordless keyboard and mouse, and monitor, with both this PC and my main 64bit Windows 10 PC. This has worked well for years, but with Microsoft ending support…

ANDROID Change your default Android browser – at last! It’s always been a case of “you get what you’re given” with default mobile browsers. Apple forces Safari as the default on iPhones and iPads, and Google forced Chrome on Android devices – until now. Following pressure from industry regulators, Google has finally agreed to let you choose your own default. You’ll now see a ‘Make Your Default’ message when you install one of a handful of popular browser apps from the Google Play Store, such as DuckDuckGo (www.snipca.com/31501, see screenshot below) or Opera (www.snipca.com/31502). When you see the message, tap ‘Go to Settings’ to open ‘Browser app’ in the ‘Default apps’ section of Settings. Tap ‘Browser app’, then tap the app you want to make default. Chrome will duly be…

WINDOWS 10 Arrange your open windows better You may already be aware that you can use the snapping feature in Windows to make two programs appear side by side, each occupying exactly half of your screen (drag one window to the left edge, release the mouse button, then click the window you want to use alongside it from the selection displayed). There are, however, a couple of handy tricks you can use to adjust this arrangement to suit your needs. You can make one window bigger by hovering your mouse between the two windows until a shaded area appears, then clicking and dragging your mouse to the left or right. As one window shrinks, the other expands to fill the space. You can also have four equal-sized windows open. To…

If you have a complicated spreadsheet that uses several different formulas, it’s all too easy to get confused about which apply to which cells. LibreOffice Calc helps to clear things up with its Detective tool. First, highlight a cell in your spreadsheet that contains a formula. Next, click the Tools menu, Detective, then Trace Precedents (see screenshot). Alternatively, press Shift+F9. Calc will now display arrows from the cells using the formula to the cell that contains the final calculation. You can also use this tool to find out whether a specific cell is used in one or more formulas. Highlight the relevant cell, click the Detective option in the Tools menu, then select Trace Dependents (or press Shift+F5). If the AutoRefresh option in the Detective menu is ticked, Calc will…

Technology moves fast. Sometimes too fast. What was once cuttingedge technology can seemingly become redundant overnight, leaving us with a glut of devices that, so it feels, became obsolete overnight. In this feature, we take a look at the very best ways to make use of three much-used devices: your old router, laptop and printer. Even if you don’t have these lying redundant, the tips in this feature will show you some great ways to make more of the devices you’re currently using. Best of all, the majority won’t cost you a penny (and those that do won’t break the bank). We’ll show you how to use an old router to banish wireless dead spots, set up a wireless network just for guests, and let you connect more devices using…

In short, it depends how you use it. An old laptop running an outdated operating system will be more vulnerable to malware, for example. You might not think this matters if you don’t keep any personal data on it, but if it’s connected to your wireless network it would still provide a way in for hackers to access other machines on your network. If your laptop can’t run the latest version of Windows – or you don’t have a product key to activate it – follow our advice on installing CloudReady instead (see Tip 8). Printers and routers are less of a concern because they don't need regular security updates, though when resurrecting an old device you should check whether they require any. This is particularly the case for routers,…

Carl Samuels Q I often copy videos to a USB stick so I can watch them on my telly. Before adding new videos, I format the stick by rightclicking it and choosing Format. The ‘File system’ option is set to ‘FAT32 (Default)’ but Windows also gives me the option to use exFAT. However, when I formatted a hard drive recently, the only option available was ‘NTFS (Default)’. Why is there a discrepancy, and what’s the difference between all these formats? A FAT stands for File Allocation Table, which should give you a clue as to what it does. The various format options are electronic filing systems that tell the computer or device how and where on a drive to save (or ‘allocate’) a file – much like tabbed labels in…

If a picture speaks a thousand words, a video speaks at least, oh, two and a half million. Tech tips and PC problems are much easier to explain through screenshots than words, and a screencast – basically a video screenshot – epitomises the ‘show, don’t tell’ rule of explaining things. I’m talking myself out of a job here, aren’t I? So let me talk myself back into it by telling you, in words, how I created my own screencast. The task was triggered by my perpetual frustration over my computer’s failure to connect to the Windows Store. If I were to record the problem in action – along with associated error messages, settings, and futile efforts to fix it – then I could post it online and get people’s advice.…

Microsoft is planning a major revamp of File Explorer to show you suggested files as you type, making it quicker to find what you’re looking for. You’ll be able to open a file by clicking it within the suggestions box, or open the file location by right-clicking. Also, when you click the search box in File Explorer (or press CTRL+E), you’ll see your search history in a dropdown menu. It will make File Explorer work in a similar method to the search box next to the Start button, which already suggests results as you type. The results will include files you’ve stored online in OneDrive, Microsoft’s cloud-storage service. In an example given online (www.snipca.com/31589), Microsoft showed how typing microsoft pre suggests PDFs of several Microsoft Press ebooks (see screenshot). The…

FIREFOX UPDATED TO FIX ADD-ON PROBLEM Mozilla has released an update for Firefox (version 66.0.4) to partially fix a problem that prevented add-ons from working or being installed. Writing online (www.snipca.com/31538), it said it was trying to fix further problems with the browser. Firefox will update automatically, unless you’ve disabled this option. Check your version by clicking the menu (three horizontal lines), the question mark at the bottom, then About Firefox. NEW LAWS TO MAKE ‘SMART’ DEVICES SAFER The Government is proposing new laws to make web-connected devices around the home more secure. Fears have grown that these gadgets, often called the ‘Internet of Things’, don’t have the same level of security as computers and phones. Manufacturers would have to make sure devices come with unique passwords, and state for…

Every NHS hospital and GP surgery will get access to full-fibre broadband as part of the Government’s 10-year plan to modernise the service. This target builds on the ambition that by 2020 70 per cent of hospitals and surgeries will be using full-fibre broadband, also known as FTTP (Fibre-to-the-Premises). Announcing the plan, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said that around 40 per cent of NHS organisations are currently using internet so slow that they can’t offer the latest technology, such as online consultations by video. “Our NHS staff do amazing work – but too often they are let down by outdated technology,” he said. “It is unbelievable that one-third of NHS organisations are using internet that can sometimes be little better than dial-up.” The target underlines the Government’s vision of a…

TalkTalk account ‘blocked’ As a TalkTalk customer, I was alarmed when I received an email telling me my account had been blocked because of a “negative balance”. I pride myself on paying bills on time, so this seemed strange. I was just about to click the link in the email, but then the penny dropped – it must be one of the scams Computeractive is always warning us about! I phoned TalkTalk to confirm (0345 172 0088), and they said I was one of many customers who had been targeted. The email looked very similar to this warning from Action Fraud: www.snipca.com/31446. Warn your fellow readers about scams at letters@computeractive.co.uk…

It’s with an increasing sense of alarm that I’ve been reading the news in Computeractive about the forthcoming NHS app (Issue 553, page 9). What baffles me is why former Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt thought the app would end the “8am scramble” to book a GP appointment. If the app is meant to make it easier to book an appointment (otherwise what would be the point?), then surely more people will attempt to claim that coveted 8am slot. You may not be left waiting on the phone trying to get through, but you’ll be disappointed all the same. In your news story, you said patients testing the app found it difficult to book appointments, which hardly fills me with confidence. I think the NHS is fighting a losing battle with…

I am the proud owner of a desktop computer made to order by Punch Technology (www.punchtechnology.co.uk). I’ve been using it now for about seven months and have nothing but praise. After a long deliberation, I decided on this company from reviews and accolades by other users. When I first contacted them, I explained that I wanted a computer to do video editing and manipulation as a novice YouTuber who wanted a computer that would keep up without constant buffering. My maximum budget was about £1350. A member of their technical staff talked at length about the specification I had chosen and was very helpful in choosing the set-up. The company gave me a delivery date and it was delivered to the hour. On opening the box, I found that all…

PASSWORD MANAGER KeePass 2.42 www.snipca.com/31533 What you need: Windows 7, 8.1 or 10 In Issue 552’s Cover Feature (see page 57), we suggested users of the open-source password manager KeePass consider online alternatives, such as LastPass (www.lastpass.com), which automatically syncs your passwords across all devices. However, storing passwords online isn’t for everyone. If you prefer to keep sensitive data on your PC, KeePass still comes highly recommended. Version 2.42 introduces several new features, including three new menus (Group, Entry and Find) that make it easier to manage your password database. The Group menu lets you organise your passwords into specific groups (these are then displayed in the left-hand pane). In Entry you can add new passwords and change existing ones, while Find lets you search your password database and hunt…

Groupy isn’t without its faults. My biggest gripe is that the keyboard shortcut to switch tabs in a group is Windows+` (looks like a single quote mark, at the top left of some keyboards). You can change the second key in the settings, but the first has to be the Windows key. And if you want to cycle backwards through tabs (so that it goes right to left), you also need to hold down the Ctrl key - difficult if you’re not double-jointed. This could be solved with an option to completely customise the keyboard shortcut.…

New products tested by our experts PC | £999 from PC Specialist www.snipca.com/26306 A logical choice There’s a comfortable reassurance about things that are just good enough, without ever being more than that. Matalan clothes. A Greggs pasty. Newcastle United. And it’s in this zone of the satisfyingly average that the £999 PC plies its trade. You can always pay less. You can always pay more. But for a grand, you can expect a desktop system that’s reasonably priced without being a false economy; capable, but not overkill. “Adequate for any task you can throw at it, without costly extras you don’t need” PC Specialist has built this one using a new component that’s the epitome of ordinary: Nvidia’s GTX 1660 Ti graphics card. It takes the architecture of the…

Do I need a motorhome Wi-Fi kit? Q I have a static home on a site with Wi-Fi, but reception is poor: my smartphone gets a reasonable connection, but my laptop and tablet struggle. I’ve seen ‘motorhome Wi-Fi’ kits on Amazon (an example is pictured) that promise to boost the signal – what do you think? A We haven’t tested these kits, but they consist of a Wi-Fi receiver, with a high-gain aerial built in or attached, which mounts outside; and, linked to this by a cable, an indoor Wi-Fi router that connects wirelessly to your other devices. (Cheaper ones include only the receiver, with a USB cable to connect to a PC.) Most are 802.11n, covering only the 2.4GHz band, which makes sense when focusing on range rather than…

FITNESS TRACKER | £90 from Amazon www.snipca.com/31562 Band on the run Smart watches are still expensive, so if you just fancy something to show you the time and monitor your exercise, a basic fitness band may do the trick. The Inspire HR comes from one of the most established brands, and although it can’t run apps or connect to the internet, it’s comfortable to wear, consisting of a slim, narrow face and a buckled silicone band in black, white or lilac. As usual, you’ll need an Apple or Android phone to set it up and process the data. Fitbit’s list at www.snipca.com/31564 mentions a few Huawei and Xiaomi phones that won’t work with it. “Budget tracker focuses on neat design and essentials” ‘HR’ stands for heart rate, which is measured…

Winner of a ‘Great Pick’ award in Issue 551, TP-Link’s KC120 Kasa Cam keeps your home safe with sharp, clear, wide-angled 1080p video. Even when you’ve gone to bed, the camera’s Night Vision will detect activity 25ft (7.6 metres) away. You can store everything you record for free online for up to two days. You can watch the footage from anywhere, either live or recorded, on the Kasa Smart phone app. You can also stream video to your Fire TV or Google Chromecast. The app notifies you when the camera detects movement or sound. It has two-way audio, so you can communicate clearly with whoever you see on camera. Setup is easy – place it on a flat surface and start monitoring, or use the magnetic base to stick it…

My head for storing passwords Until 2013, I tried to remember all my passwords. This obviously meant that I forgot a lot of them. And what I use instead… In Issue’s 552 Cover Feature (‘What You Must Uninstall Now’), you recommended replacing KeePass (https://keepass.info) with LastPass. But I believe your criticism about it not easily syncing passwords across devices was unfair. I switched to KeePass six years ago, after reading a Computeractive Workshop. I use it with a password database on my laptop at home, and a USB stick that I use without admin rights. Additionally, if you visit the KeePass forums (www.snipca.com/31455), you can search vast databases of queries. If you don’t find what you are looking for, post a query and someone will get back to you. Marek…

QI GetFact* Free iOS www.snipca.com/31498 New from the makers of QI, this sister app for Qiktionary (free for Android and iOS, www.qiktionary.com) challenges you to fill in missing words in thousands of interesting facts. Includes offline mode, difficulty levels, and ‘hints’ that you need to earn. An Android version is coming “soon”. Download Navi Free Android www.snipca.com/31497 Control huge file downloads, such as videos and system updates, with this opensource download manager. It lets you pause and resume downloads; split files into chunks; and download multiple files in the background. It has no ads or in-app purchases, and you can tinker with its source code at www.snipca.com/31507. Skit Free Android www.snipca.com/31499 Discover more about your installed apps and system tools than Settings will ever tell you. Tap an app in…

Last year, Amazon launched a Windows 10 app that let you use its voice assistant, Alexa, without having to buy an Echo smart speaker. However, unlike an Echo, it wasn’t constantly listening out for the wake command (“Alexa”), which meant you had to press a button within the app or use a keyboard shortcut before it started listening. Thanks to a recent update to the app (available from the Microsoft Store at www.snipca.com/31583), you can now set the Alexa app to be always listening, allowing you to speak requests whenever your computer’s switched on. To use the new feature, select the ‘Turn on Hands-Free’ (see screenshot) option when installing the app. If you already have an old version installed and are upgrading to this new release, you can switch the…

Some of the tips in this section require you to access your router’s settings. To do this, open the Windows Start menu and type command, then click Command Prompt. In the Command Prompt window, type ipconfig and press Enter. If you’re using Wi-Fi, look through the results for a section headed ‘Wireless LAN adapter WiFi’ and copy the four sets of digits beside Default Gateway (you can copy them simply by highlighting the numbers with your mouse, then pressing Ctrl+C). In our case, the numbers are 192.168.1.254 (see screenshot). If you’re using a wired connection, copy the same set of digits from the ‘Ethernet adapter’ section. Next, open a web browser window, paste (Ctrl+V) the numbers into the address bar, then press Enter. You may need to enter a username…

Whether it’s TV, music, software or books, much of what you buy online can be shared, including your streaming services. As long as you comply with any terms and conditions – which sometimes means sharing only with people who live at the same address as you – it’s a great way to get more from your purchases or split the cost of ongoing subscriptions. Music Amazon, Google, Spotify and Apple all charge £9.99 a month for their individual streaming plans, and £14.99 for a family deal. If you already pay for Amazon Prime membership (in which case that ‘individual’ price is reduced by £2), it makes sense to upgrade the bundled Amazon Prime Music to Amazon Music Unlimited Family Plan, which also gets you 12 months for the price of…

Kingston is one of the few well-known storage companies to sell USB sticks larger than 512GB, with its 2TB stick ludicrously expensive at £1,378 (www.snipca.com/31519). However, a quick search on Amazon reveals 2TB sticks for less than £10 (such as this suspiciouslooking one at www.snipca.com/31520). Too good to be true? You bet. These are likely to be fakes, altered so that Windows shows them as 2TB drives, but the reality is that they’re likely to be much less – possibly just a few gigabytes. If you want to test the true capacity of a USB stick, use a simple tool called H2testw (download from Portable Freeware at www.snipca.com/31526). You need to first delete all files from the stick, so make a copy of any you want to keep. Next, run…