Table of contents for 676 in Computeractive

The ‘home of the future’ as imagined in the 1950s never predicted that one of the most useful domestic gadgets would resemble an ordinary plug and need just standard sockets to work. These unassuming devices have done more to transform home life than most other ‘smart’ gear, yet rarely get much recognition. I hope this issue of Computeractive changes that. I’ve been a devotee of smart plugs ever since buying my first pair five years ago. My ambitions were simple at first – I used them to turn the lights on and off to thwart passing burglars. But since then I’ve set them to monitor my energy usage, reboot my Wi-Fi, turn on my radio and even boil my kettle. Robert Irvine, a fellow fan, explains how to do these…

BT will stop increasing prices based on percentages and the rate of inflation, following Ofcom’s proposal to ban the practice. It said from early summer it will introduce a pricing model that uses “a clear and simple view of any changes in ‘pounds and pence’”. BT added that it expects broadband to rise by £3 a month in future and that customers renewing their mobile contracts will pay £1.50 more. Marc Allera, head of BT Group’s Consumer Division, said this was “about the price of a takeaway coffee each month”. He added that in “real terms” people pay less for broadband than ever before, and get “much more” for their money (see www.snipca.com/48989). However, BT still plans to stick with the existing pricing model for the next price increases in…

LG will start releasing TVs this year with Google’s Chromecast feature built in, meaning you won’t need to stick the service’s USB dongle into the side of the set. It said that viewers will be able to “start a video on their phone or their Chrome browser and with just a tap of the Cast icon be able to start watching on the best screen in their house”. One TV to include Chromecast will be the M4 OLED (pictured above right), which LG claims is the first wireless 4K set with a frame rate of 144Hz. LG sets already come with Apple AirPlay built in, letting you show content from your iPhone or iPad on your TV. The company has also unveiled a ‘transparent’ TV, the 77in OLED Signature T…

‘Missing’ delivery address message I’ve received lots of fake delivery texts over the years, and most of them have asked for payment or promised to track a courier. I got a new variation recently when a text claiming to be from Royal Mail said I needed to update my address because it was “missing”. Missing where? And how? No idea. The instructions made no sense to me. I was asked to reply by texting ‘Y’ then close the message and reopen it to activate a link. What link? Again, no idea. I showed it to my postman, who said he’d never seen it before, but that it was definitely a scam. Warn your fellow readers about scams at letters@computeractive.co.uk…

Is Wowcher responsible for refunding return cost? Q I recently bought a refurbished HP Pro x2 12in laptop-tablet through a Wowcher deal from a company called Solatek (https://solatek.co.uk). The device was stated as having an Intel i5 processor, but it actually has an Intel M3-7Y30, which is less powerful. I went through Wowcher’s returns process and was told that I’d have to pay to send the device back and I wouldn’t be able to claim a refund for this delivery fee. However, I thought the seller must pay to receive goods being returned when they’re not as described. Is this true? And who is the seller – Wowcher or Soltek? George Smith A To answer George’s first question – yes, the seller must refund delivery costs if you return an…

Search Old Bailey criminal records The Old Bailey has been London’s central criminal court for centuries. Nearly 200,000 trials took place there between 1674 and 1913, and court proceedings were published regularly. Even if your ancestor didn’t personally stand trial, they may have been the victim of a crime or called to give evidence as a witness. The official site hosting these records has been revamped with more powerful search tools. We’ll explain how to use this fantastic (and free) resource. See your results as a ‘macroscope’ Visit www.oldbaileyonline.org, then click the Keyword button on the left of the search bar and choose a search category. Alternatively, keep Keyword selected. This is the default option and can be anything from one word to a complex phrase. For example, you might…

Will my old software work in Windows 11? Q I’m ready to upgrade to Windows 11, but I’m worried that my old versions of image editor Photoshop CS2 and accounting software Quicken 2000 won’t work. Do you know if that’s the case? And if not, what else could I use? Charlie Gilkeson A We think it’s unlikely they’ll work fully or smoothly in Windows 11. Photoshop CS2 turns 19 years old in 2024, while Quicken 2000 is even older. Adobe says that you can no longer reinstall Photoshop CS2, 3 and 4 even if you have the original installation discs because the “aging activation servers for those apps had to be retired” (see www.snipca.com/48892). Some users have suggested in forums that Photoshop might run on Windows 11, but only in…

PRINTER | £230 from John Lewis www.snipca.com/48962 Plenty in the tank This is an ink-tank printer, meaning you empty bottles of ink into built-in storage containers rather than the more traditional system of replacing disposable cartridges. This adds to the price of the initial purchase, but this does include enough ink to print around 6,000 pages – which should cover you for a year or two of light home use. “Photo prints have crisp details, vivid colours and realistic skin tones” The ET-2830 is similar to the Epson EcoTank ET-1810 (reviewed in Issue 628) except that it can also copy and scan without costing much more. There’s no screen, no USB port (so you can connect only via Wi-Fi) and no memory card slot. Instead, you get a few buttons…

Q I’ve been told by Virgin that my landline phone has to be connected to my Hub 3 router by May this year. Virgin says it will supply an adapter for the phone, but I think it will still need to be plugged into an Ethernet port on my router. All four of the ports on my router are currently occupied – two for desktop PCs and two for printers. I see there are many Ethernet switches on the market. Can you recommend one? Ray Brown A We’d recommend opting for a network switch. A five-port switch will use a port on both the Hub and the switch to link the two, so you’ll need to disconnect a device that’s currently connected to your Hub and plug it into the…

VIDEO DOORBELL | £160 from Amazon www.snipca.com/48984 Eyes down Eufy’s Video Doorbell E340 has two cameras, one to capture visitors and another directed downwards to check for packages that may have been left on your doorstep. Included in the box is a mounting bracket and the screws you’ll need to attach it to a wooden door frame. It also comes with wires to connect it to an existing doorbell’s wiring, or it can be operated wirelessly. In the latter case you’ll need to remove it for charging – the charging port is on the back of the unit. Eufy says a charge will last six months, though you can buy spare batteries and use them, so you can still use your doorbell while charging. “Wired or wireless, this unit offers…

Winner of a Recommended award in Issue 675 (page 28), Edifier’s NeoBuds Pro 2 use Advanced Wide-Band Multi-Channel ANC to deliver a deeper noise-cancellation experience. They extend the depth of noise cancellation to an impressive -50dB and broaden the noise-cancellation bandwidth to reach 5kHz. They produce robust bass, crisp mid-range and sparkling treble tones, while support for LHDC, LDAC and AAC audio codecs ensures you hear every nuance in exceptional detail. Choose from five distinct noise-reduction modes tailored to your preferences. Equipped with 4+4 built-in microphones and advanced AI algorithms, the NeoBuds Pro 2 effectively eliminate environmental and wind noise, while enhancing vocal clarity during calls. They also track your head movements, enveloping you in audio that dynamically adjusts as you move. To enter this competition, answer the question at…

What you need: Vividl  Time required: 30 minutes We recommended video converter Vividl in Issue 664 (page 53), but it later developed a problem that could only be fixed using Command Prompt. The good news is that a new version has recently been released that resolves the problem. Download this version for free from www.snipca.com/48919. There are installable andportable versions – we recommend the latter. Click the link beside ‘Portable zip’ in the Download section and, when it’s arrived in your Downloads folder, extract it and double-click the ‘Vividl.exe’ file to launch it. Here, we explain how to use Vividl to download audio-only files from YouTube videos to your PC’s hard drive STEP 1 In your browser visit the YouTube video from which you want to download the audio. Click…

ANDROID View documents using LibreOffice LibreOffice is one of the most popular alternatives to Microsoft Office 365, letting you create, view and edit documents, spreadsheets and presentations on your PC for free. But the LibreOffice app for Android phones and tablets was abandoned in 2020, due to “lack of maintenance”, and when it was revived last year you could only install it through the third-party app store F-Droid (www.snipca.com/48963). Thankfully, that’s now changed and LibreOffice Viewer is now officially available from the Google Play Store (www.snipca.com/48964). Incorporating more than 200 improvements, the revamped app works more efficiently and reliably with the latest versions on Android, which should help boost its poor user rating on the Play Store. LibreOffice Viewer uses the same technology as the desktop office suite, which means…

Use Google Meet’s Companion Mode Picture the scenario: you’ve been asked to present something for your next virtual club meeting. The problem is, the presentation is on your PC and you normally log into meetings using your phone or tablet. To solve this, use Google Meet’s Companion Mode. Simply join the meeting from your mobile device as normal – this will be your primary device – then log in from your computer in Companion Mode. This lets you present from a separate window, as we’ll explain. Set up your meeting To set up a meeting in your web browser, visit https://meet.google.com and click the blue ‘Sign in’ button. Once logged in, click the blue ‘New meeting’ button that appears alongside ‘Enter a code or link’. In the menu that appears…

One of the most common problems with setting up a smart plug is an incompatible Wi-Fi network. Virtually all plugs use the 2.4GHz Wi-Fi band rather than 5GHz, which may cause connection problems on dual-band routers that use both. This may sound strange – why use an older band when a faster one is available – but there’s a good reason for the restriction. Although 5GHz delivers higher speeds – up to 1,300Mbps compared with 600Mbps – the 2.4GHz band provides wider wireless coverage, and its low frequencies enable it to more effectively pass through solid objects and walls. This ensures you can connect to your smart plug when it’s on the other side of the house. You can solve the connection problem by disabling the 5GHz band on your…

2K A screen with 2048x1080 pixels. 3G/4G/5G Technologies that deliver faster mobile broadband. 4K Video with a resolution of at least 3840x2160 pixels. 720p/1080p/1440p Common types of high-definition video of 1280x720, 1920x1080 and 2560x1440 pixels respectively. 7z Also known as 7-Zip. A free, open-source file archiver. Administrator Someone who can make changes to a computer that will affect others who also use it. AES-256 Advanced Encryption Standard. A form of encryption based on a key length of 256 bits. Cracking it would take longer than the age of the universe. AI Artificial intelligence. Intelligence demonstrated by a machine rather than a human being. Often used to describe technology that can perform human-like tasks. Bandwidth A measure of how much data can be transferred through a connection at one time. Benchmarking…

Adblock Plus has admitted that a faulty update caused YouTube videos to load slowly, but said it will release a fix soon. It was responding to complaints from users online who suspected that Google, which owns YouTube, was deliberately slowing down videos for people using ad blockers. Google had acknowledged in November that people using ad blockers would experience “sub-optimal viewing” when watching videos. But in mid-January it released a statement saying it wasn’t responsible for the latest problems. Adblock Plus then said the fault was caused by version 3.22 of the extension, and that it would be fixed in version 3.22.1 (www.snipca.com/48997). Browsers update extensions automatically, so this fix will be applied without you having to do anything. In a message on X (formerly Twitter), uBlock Origin developer Raymond…

Virgin Media has apologised for the problems reader Neville Beynon was having with his @ntlworld email service, and added two months’ credit to his account. This follows Neville asking us why the company had blocked the account, which he had been using for 25 years (see Issue 673). When he spoke to Virgin, it told him the email address had been blocked, but didn’t give an explanation. He was angry that he hadn’t been warned about this, giving him no time to save important emails. When Virgin’s advice to change his password didn’t work, he turned to us for help. We contacted Virgin, and the matter has now been resolved, with Neville again being able to access his emails. It didn’t tell us what the problem had been. Like many…

FILE MANAGER Files 3.1.1 www.snipca.com/49009 What you need: Windows 10 or 11 Only two months after its last major version (see Issue 671, page 18), this brilliant alternative to File Explorer has been updated again with more new features and improvements. These include a ‘smart extract’ option for compressed archives, which makes it easier to unpack the contents of ZIP, RAR and 7z files. Right-click an archive and select ‘Extract here (Smart’) in the Extract menu, or left-click it and press Ctrl+Shift+E and the program will then choose the best way to extract the contents. If the archive contains only one item, Files will extract it to the current folder, but if there are lots of files, it will unpack them to a new folder. This saves you having to…

SOFTWARE WARNING! Microsoft’s AI rebranding of Edge Marketing teams love to add buzzwords to products to make them sound cutting edge. For years ‘smart’ was their term of choice until it became meaningless through overuse. It’s been replaced by AI, and that’s rapidly becoming just as cliched. Companies know customers think AI sounds futuristic and advanced, even if they don’t really understand how it works. This cynical practice of adding unnecessary words leads to some unwieldy labels. The latest culprit is Microsoft, which has renamed its Android/iOS Edge app ‘Microsoft Edge: AI Browser’ without actually appearing to have improved the app to justify this. It does have a Copilot button, but that was added some months ago – and I’m still not sure it works well enough for Edge to…

MINI PC | £729 from Minisforum www.snipca.com/48917 Easy, Tiger! This mini PC packs a powerful punch thanks to its AMD Ryzen 7 7840HS processor, 64GB of RAM and 1TB SSD. It’s so fast in fact that it replaces the Beelink SER6 Pro 7753HS (£629 from www.snipca.com/46416, reviewed in Issue 661) as our favourite mini PC, despite costing £100 more. It also has twice the memory, twice the storage and a superior processor. The better components showed their mettle in our benchmark tests. When testing the processor alone, the UM780XTX’s individual cores ran more than 50-per-cent faster than the SER6 Pro’s, and in multi-core tests it’s nearly 30-per-cent faster. For a mini PC it’s also impressive at handling graphics, running 16-per-cent faster. The graphics muscle comes from the processor’s built-in Radeon…

What is it? MU-MIMO (Multi User Multiple Input Multiple Output) is a technology that splits Wi-Fi traffic into multiple streams, so that devices can do more tasks simultaneously. It was introduced in Wi-Fi 5, though it’s been enhanced in later standards. You’ll find it on our current favourite router, the Asus RT-AXE7800 (£213 from www.snipca.com/47586, pictured – see page 33). How does it work? The first Wi-Fi networks used single streams to send information back and forth, and devices simply added their data to the back of a queue to be processed as and when it arrived at the front of the queue. MU-MIMO splits each data stream it receives into multiple streams, so more data can be processed at the same time. It’s a bit like opening more checkouts…

LAPTOP DOCK | £180 from John Lewis www.snipca.com/48935 Box office Most people buy a laptop because it’s easy to set up and use in several locations. While you may have a dedicated desk with a monitor that you sometimes plug your laptop into, there will be times when you need to use it elsewhere. If that sounds like you and you’d like a workspace on the go that doesn’t leave you hunched uncomfortably over your laptop, then the Logitech Casa is worth considering. When not in use this bundle of peripherals is designed to slip into your bag or sit neatly on your bookshelf. Unpack it, however, and it becomes a comprehensive mobile workstation. It comprises the case (which transforms into a laptop stand), a good-quality wireless keyboard and a…

What is it? Lenovo’s ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid (pictured) looks like a standard laptop at first glance, but the 14in OLED screen can be removed to become an Android tablet. What does it do? When the screen is attached the Hybrid can run Windows or Android, and you can switch between them at the touch of a button. As soon as you remove the screen it automatically switches to Android mode. What’s the catch? Being two devices in one it requires more components, with an Intel chip in the base for running Windows and a Snapdragon processor in the screen to run Android. This makes it expensive. It’s expected to cost $1,999 (around £1,580) when it’s launched later this year. So can I do without it? Yes. You can…

Email us your tips: letters@computeractive.co.uk TIP OF THE FORTNIGHT Import YouTube subscriptions to FreeTube I’ve been using FreeTube (www.snipca.com/48924) as a result of your recommendations. It’s a brilliant tool, and not just because it removes YouTube ads. It also makes it easy to import all your YouTube subscriptions. Sign into Google’s Takeout Manager (www.snipca.com/48925), then click ‘Deselect all’. Make sure all the boxes are unticked, then scroll to the bottom and tick ‘YouTube and YouTube Music’. Now click ‘All YouTube data included’, then untick all the boxes that appear except Subscriptions. Click OK. Click the blue ‘Next step’ button, make sure ‘Export once’ is selected, then click ‘Create export’. This file will now download – and Google will email you when it’s complete. Click the ‘Download your files’ button in…

WINDOWS 10 & 11 Use new on-screen pen gestures in OneNote Microsoft has launched a new ‘OneNote for Windows’ app (www.snipca.com/48947) that adds more features to the ‘Ink to Text Pen’ tool. You can, for example, use your digital on-screen pen – or a stylus – to delete notes by scribbling over them. First, select the Draw tab (1 in our screenshot below) and choose a pen from the Drawing Tools (note: this doesn’t work with highlighters). We chose the black 1mm pen 2, then wrote ‘notetaking’ and scribbled over it 3 to delete it (we pressed Ctrl+Z to go a step back so we could show the scribble in our screenshot). WINDOWS 11 INSIDER Add a custom voice shortcut Windows 11 Insiders on the Beta Channel (running build 22635.2915 or…

What is it? A new tool from Amazon that lets you ‘cast’ shows via Wi-Fi from the Prime Video app (www.snipca.com/48966, pictured right) on your phone or tablet to a smart speaker or TV. Is that the same as streaming shows? Not quite. When you stream a show, live video and audio is being transmitted over the internet to a device. This is what happens when you watch a show on Netflix or iPlayer, for example. When you cast, you’re actually sending content that’s playing on your own phone/tablet to another device in your home. Do I need to plug a dongle into my TV? No – it casts content directly from your phone/tablet to the device receiving the signal. You’re probably thinking of Google’s Chromecast dongle which, when plugged…

Email us your problem and we’ll try to help: noproblem@computeractive.co.uk PROBLEM OF THE FORTNIGHT Where have my Excel cell styles gone? Q I had Excel 365 set up to my liking, but a recent Microsoft update has messed things up. Previously, within my ribbon, I had a visible panel showing six cell styles – any one of which I could apply with a single click. These have now disappeared and been replaced by a Cell Styles button. Clicking this opens a dropdown menu, from where I can choose the style I want. However, this is more work than before. I wonder if Microsoft changed the original layout due to lack of space in the ribbon? I tried to remove items from the ribbon, some of which I don’t use, but without…

Hackers are able to access your Google account without using your password, researchers have found. Indian security firm CloudSEK said that the flaw lies in Google’s cookies, which remember your login details when you next visit a site. It added that hackers have worked out how to use these cookies in order to bypass the two-factor authentication (2FA) that you normally need to confirm your identity. They can even gain access if you change your password. The flaw was first revealed in October 2023 when a hacker explained it on the messaging service Telegram. CloudSEK said it “underscores the complexity and stealth” of modern cyber attacks. Google said it’s “taken action to secure any compromised accounts detected”.…

PLAY GAMES ON RETRO ATARI 400 PC You can now pre-order a modern edition of the Atari 400, which was first released in 1979. Made by UK firm Retro Games, the Mini 400 (pictured) contains 25 games, including Berzerk and Millipede, and comes with a new version of Atari’s CX-40 joystick. It costs £100 and is available from 28 March. For details visit www.snipca.com/48996. GAME STOPS TRADE-IN CREDIT SCHEME UK store Game will cease its trade-in scheme on 16 February, meaning it’ll no longer give you credit for your unwanted consoles, games or accessories. It will continue to sell pre-owned items while stock lasts. The decision leaves CeX as the UK’s main retailer selling second-hand games. TOMORROW’S WORLD This is the new version of Samsung’s robot Ballie demonstrating its standout…

Wi-Fi 7 has been approved by industry body Wi-Fi Alliance, making it the official current version of the technology. Like Wi-Fi 6E, it transmits data on a third frequency (6GHz), which is much faster than the existing 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequencies. This doubles the maximum channel bandwidth to 320MHz, meaning it can transmit more data. It also uses a new technology called Multi-Link Operation, which lets devices simultaneously send and/or receive data across different frequency bands and channels. This also allows Wi-Fi 7 routers to avoid congested channels and switch to a less crowded one. These advancements give Wi-Fi 7 – also called 802.11be – a theoretical maximum speed of 46Gbps, almost five times faster than Wi-Fi 6 (9.6Gbps). At this speed, it would be able to transfer a 4.7GB…

WATCH OUT FOR… Emails with fake Temu offers What’s the threat? Scammers are sending emails promoting offers that claim to be from Chinese-based shopping site Temu. In one scam, you’re urged to take a survey to win a ‘Temu Mystery box’ (1 in our screenshot). Clicking the button takes you to a site branded with the Temu logo, and using a URL similar to Temu’s genuine site (www.temu.com). It asks you to answer questions on your shopping habits and pay a delivery fee of between £1 and £2. In another common scam, you’re told to claim ‘brand new free Temu pallets’ containing items as a reward for being chosen to take part in a ‘loyalty program’ 2. It claims you just need to answer “a few questions” to win…

I never thought I’d be writing to Computeractive to defend telecom giants like BT and Virgin Media, but they’ve got a point in blaming telecare companies for confusion over the digital phone rollout (Issue 675, page 6). As a former engineer employed in installing telecare alarms, I’ve seen how these companies have wilfully ignored the coming copper line switch-off. When I addressed the problem to several executives, they said it wasn’t their problem and that either the Government or internet providers would end up paying for upgrading the alarms. I was dismayed by this complacent attitude, but changing it was above my paygrade. I also thought it was misguided because at some point the internet providers were always going to lose patience and shame the telecare firms into action. The…

About eight months ago, I bought a Mesh laptop from Amazon. But after a few months all my programs stopped responding. I reset the laptop to its factory settings, but had the same problem. Amazon told me it could return the laptop to Mesh, so I decided to email Mesh directly instead. I was contacted by a Mesh assistant called Rashmi who immediately arranged for the laptop to be collected and returned to the company. It was repaired, then returned to me – though the screen was damaged. I spoke to Rashmi again, who arranged for it to be collected a second time. A week later he told me they were waiting for a replacement screen. But when one arrived they couldn’t get it to fit. He then arranged for…

Glarysoft Malware Hunter Pro www.snipca.com/49011 Price: £22 per year Free trial: N/A What you need: Windows 7, 8.1, 10 or 11 The excellent reliability of Microsoft Defender Antivirus means you don’t need to install third-party security software, so Glarysoft describes Malware Hunter as a ‘great companion’ to the built-in Windows tool. It has the advantage of working on older versions of Windows, and also includes options to clean and speed up your PC. The free version of Malware Hunter lets you run quick, custom and full scans (see screenshot below), not just for malware but also dubious background services, outdated drivers and registry problems. To schedule scans and activate real-time protection, you need to upgrade to the Pro edition – whereas Microsoft Defender offers those essential functions for free. We…

HelloFresh has made a dog’s dinner of its marketing strategy. Between August 2021 and February 2022 the meal-delivery service sent UK customers 79 million spam emails and 1 million spam texts. Nearly 9,000 people complained, catching the attention of the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), which has fined it £140,000. The regulator said customers “weren’t told exactly what they’d be opting into, nor was it clear how to opt out” (see www.snipca.com/48977) – leading to a “barrage” of messages they didn’t want. Sneakily, the only place HelloFresh explained that customers would receive emails was in a statement asking them to confirm their age. The company even continued to send messages to people after they’d asked to stop receiving them. That must have left a nasty taste in the mouth.…

SMARTPHONE | £159 from Amazon www.snipca.com/48949 True colours When it was owned by Google, the Motorola Moto brand demonstrated just how well Android could provide amazing features on affordable phones. It lost some of that focus with the brand’s move to Lenovo, but the Moto G54 is a welcome return to form. Indeed at just under £160, the Moto G54 is an absolute bargain. A large 6.5in screen covers the front of the device, with a small punch hole camera in the centre at the top. There’s a small hump on the rear that houses the other two cameras (pictured below), though this is barely noticeable. A power button with built-in fingerprint sensor and volume controls are on the right-hand edge. The sensor activates the phone instantly around 90 per…

LAPTOP Huawei MateBook 16s 2023 £1,300 from www.snipca.com/47772 Tested Issue 669 In all our years of testing no laptop has ever performed Windows tasks as quickly as this. This breathtaking speed is down to the powerful Intel Core i9 processor. It also has a sharp 16in screen, 16GB RAM and long battery life. ALTERNATIVE Honor MagicBook X 16 2023 Also has a 16in screen and is good value, though it’s not especially fast. £700 from www.snipca.com/47868 ANDROID TABLET Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 £679 from www.snipca.com/49029 Tested Issue 667 With a much brighter screen than our previous favourite – the Galaxy Tab S8 – this is perfect for watching TV. It also has a faster processor, so tasks feel smoother, even with several windows open. £679 will get you the 128GB version.…

Although Windows Insider builds are experimental, I’ve run them in the past without problems. However, I’ve been quite cautious, and signed up for channels that push out less ambitious, close-to-completed editions – such as the Beta or the Release Preview. The closer you get to the Canary build, the greater is the risk that you’ll come across something that doesn’t work properly. How do you use Windows Insider? Please let us know: letters@computeractive.co.uk…

CHROME Block third-party cookies automatically As we reported in our ‘Question of the Fortnight’ column in Issue 675 (page 10), Google’s plan to eradicate third-party cookies by the end of 2024 has begun in earnest, with the introduction of its Tracking Protection feature in Chrome. This prevents websites from installing cookies in the browser so they can track your online activities. Tracking Protection is currently only available to one per cent of Chrome users, with everyone else getting the feature later this year. You can tell if you’re one of these early adopters by looking for a crossed-out eye icon at the end of the browser’s address bar. When you click this icon (1 in our screenshot above right), it will open the ‘Tracking protection’ panel and confirm that third-party cookies…

MICROSOFT WORD Rotate a table to print in landscape You may want to print an entire Word document in portrait mode, but tables are sometimes better suited to being printed in landscape. To do this, consider presenting your table on just one page and rotating it by 90 degrees. There are several ways to do this, but the easiest is to change text direction. First, highlight your table. Next, click the blue Layout tab (1 in our screenshot) at the top right, then click the Text Direction 2 button. Click it a second time. Your table will now be oriented so that you can print it in landscape mode 3. ONLYOFFICE Auto-complete months of the year Previously in OnlyOffice’s Spreadsheet Editor, when you typed months of the year in order you…

WHAT YOU CAN DO • Turn lights on automatically when you’re not home to deter burglars • Monitor your devices’ electricity usage – and cut your energy bill • Fix Wi-Fi problems by resetting your router remotely • Prevent your phone or tablet from overcharging • Control eight devices from a single wall socket • Switch appliances on and off using your voice Turning your home into a smart home is an intriguing idea in theory, but in practice it can prove more trouble and expense than it’s worth. Aside from smartphones and smart TVs, smart devices can be fiddly to set up, suffer frequent malfunctions and even pose privacy concerns. Rather than automate your life in a futuristic way, many smart gadgets often go unused once the novelty wears…

Why is my Brave browser so slow? Q You regularly praise the virtues of the Brave browser, especially its security and speed. Security I can’t comment on, but I’m not impressed by its speed. It recently took three minutes to launch, and then I had to wait 90 seconds for the BBC shortcut to open, with repeated ‘Page unresponsive’ messages. Opening a new tab can sometimes take 15 seconds. I’m getting very close to going back to Firefox as my default browser. Chris Prichard A Brave should feel snappy and responsive, assuming your broadband is fast enough. However, all browsers start to feel sluggish over time. When it becomes slow, Brave recommends disabling extensions one by one to see if any is causing problems. It’s also worth clearing the cache. Type brave://settings…