Table of contents for 707 in Computeractive

I love my Eufy video doorbell. It has night vision, motion detection, delivery alerts and a hidden setting that replaces the default chime with a Leslie Phillips “ding dong” (www.snipca.com/54363). I may have dreamt that last one, but if Eufy’s technical chief is reading they can have the idea for free. They’ll certainly be delighted by Robert Irvine’s verdict on its latest models in his superb Cover Feature. He recommends the best models to buy, and explains why it’s better to pay more upfront to avoid expensive subscriptions. He also reveals expert ways to tweak them so they work precisely how you want. It’s easy to forget these devices were dismissed as expensive gimmicks when they arrived about 10 years ago. But features like two-way audio and improved video quality…

Troy Hunt, the owner of Have I Been Pwned? (HIBP?, https://haveibeenpwned.com), has fallen for a phishing attack that led to 16,000 records of his newsletter subscribers being stolen. The security expert launched HIBP in 2013 as a way for people to check whether their email address and password were contained in mass data leaks. But Hunt (pictured below) himself has now been caught out by a scam, leaving him feeling “enormously frustrated”. He received an email claiming to be from Mailchimp, which is the email service he uses to send his newsletter (www.troyhunt.com) to subscribers. The email said: “Your account has been flagged due to a spam complaint, and as a result, you are temporarily unable to send emails until this issue is resolved” (1 in our screenshot right). Soon…

A Norwegian man has filed a legal complaint against ChatGPT’s owners OpenAI after the AI chatbot falsely said he had murdered his children. Arve Holmen was given the false information in August 2024 after he asked ChatGPT ‘Who is Arve Hjalmar Holmen?’. In its response (pictured) it claimed he had “gained attention due to a tragic event”. It added: “He was the father of two young boys, aged 7 and 10, who were tragically found dead in a pond near their home in Trondheim, Norway, in December 2020.” ChatGPT also said he had been convicted of both murders and the attempted killing of his third son and was jailed for 21 years. Arve Holmen has reported the incident to the Norwegian Data Protection Authority and demanded it fines OpenAI. “Some…

Gmail has added an AI tool that searches your emails for ‘most relevant’ rather than most recent. This means it tries to guess what you’re looking for based on “click behaviour”, such as how often you’ve opened an email, or whether it’s from a person you often contact by email. Google claims it’ll mean the “emails you’re looking for are far more likely to be at the top of your search results – saving you valuable time and helping you find important information more easily” (see www.snipca.com/54296). But some users have complained that it’ll lead to Gmail inaccurately guessing what you’re looking for. They’re also angry that Google has made it the default option in Gmail. To change it back, click the ‘Most relevant’ dropdown menu at the top of…

In Issue 706, we explained how the new version of KeePass (2.58) gives you an “estimated quality” of how hard your password is to crack. Many people prefer its forked version KeePassXC, which looks more modern and works better across Linux and Mac as well as Windows. Version 2.7.0 of KeePassXC, released in March, lets you use both upper- and lowercase letters when generating passphrases, making them harder to guess. Passphrases are phrases of several random words, which many security experts recommend over passwords because they can be easier to remember. Download KeePassXC from www.snipca.com/54262, then click Tools at the top followed by Password Generator. Now click the Passphrase tab (1 in our screenshot) and select ‘MIXED case’ in the Word Case dropdown menu 2. Move the Word Count slider to…

When did Robert Irvine explain how to download YouTube videos to his phone? Stephen Naylor CA SAYS That was in Issue 699’s ‘Easy When You Know How’ column (page 74). I need to buy a new smart TV. When was your Cover Feature on the best models? Paul Nolan CA SAYS In Issue 694 – pages 50-57. I’m thinking about switching my files from Google to Proton Drive. Have you ever explained that? Adam Hook CA SAYS Yes, in Issue 690, page 35. Read it and the features above on our 2024 Back Issue CD: www.snipca.com/53433.…

New laws cracking down on fake reviews online came into force on 6 April, having passed Parliament last year. They’re part of the Digital Markets, Competition and Contracts Act, which boosts consumer rights in many critical ways. The law means retailers have strict liability over fake reviews. It’s illegal to post, pay for or host fake reviews without checks. This supports the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations, which lumped fake reviews alongside lots of other “misleading actions”, including bogus discounts, inaccurate specifications and dodgy adverts. The revamped law focuses more specifically on fake reviews. It’s not about whether a site “tricked” you; it’s about the site doing something that’s banned. If a retailer breaks the law the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) can force it to compensate consumers –…

I’m trying to find information on my aunt and uncle. I knew them as Rose and Nick Nicholls. My mother was Pearl Cohen (née Newman) and Rose was her sister. Nick was a cab driver. Larry Cohen The 1939 Register for England & Wales (www.snipca.com/54219), taken at the outbreak of war, records your mother living at 24 Grove Dwellings, Stepney. Within the same household is Israel (Nick) and Rosa (Rose) Nickelsberg. Israel’s occupation is recorded as taxi driver. Interestingly, the Register – which was renamed the NHS Central Register in 1952 and continued to be updated until 1991 – shows that Rosa changed her surname to Nicholls by filling out an NR230 form in 1948. The General Register Office marriage indexes show Rosa Newman and Israel Nickelsberg married in the…

What should I use when Microsoft scraps Publisher? Q I’m concerned that Microsoft is scrapping Publisher in October 2026 (www.snipca.com/54109) and won’t support it as part of Microsoft 365. Its suggestion that “many common Publisher scenarios” are available in Word and PowerPoint is nonsense. For people like me who have a large number of Publisher files, this is of little comfort. What free and paid-for alternatives can I use instead? Richard Malin A Our preferred alternative is Affinity Publisher (www.snipca.com/54183, pictured below), available for one-off fees rather than a subscription: £67.99 on Windows or Mac and £17.99 on iPad, or you can pay £159.99 and get licences for Publisher and its companion software, Designer (similar to Adobe Illustrator) and Photo (similar to Photoshop) for use across Windows, iPad and Mac. Publisher…

If you don’t like tech items cluttering up your home, the Samsung Music Frame may be just the thing for you. It’s a smart speaker that’s cleverly disguised as a picture frame. It comes with an attractive top-down view of a record player, but this can be replaced by any printed image that fits into the 8x8in space. Bear in mind, the front panel isn’t a digital screen, so it can’t double as a digital photo frame. It weighs 4.6kg, which makes it a relatively hefty item to hang on a wall, though it comes with a stand so you can simply place it on a worktop, desk or shelf. If you were to hang it on the wall, you still have to power it from a plug socket. The…

Majority’s Elias 2.0.2 soundbars deliver 160W audio power to create cinematic sound in your home. The 3D Dolby Atmos surround-sound system creates a wide soundstage with precise audio placement. The upfiring speakers envelop you in an overhead audio experience from every angle. It has all the connectivity you need, including HDMI ARC, optical, AUX, USB and Bluetooth. It offers unparalleled versatility and ease of use, making it perfect for the growing needs of modern-day entertainment – whether you’re watching movies, listening to music or playing the latest games. The included mounting bracket and fixings ensure a seamless, secure installation on your wall, while the convenient remote control lets you adjust settings with ease. To enter this competition, answer the question at www.snipca.com/54344 and submit your details by midnight of 22…

TIP OF THE FORTNIGHT Turn off sleep until video downloads finish I’ve had some success using 4K Video Downloader Plus (www.snipca.com/53999), which was your main program in Issue 705’s Best Free Software (page 18). But around half of the videos I was trying to download would fail halfway through. I was digging through the program’s settings looking for an answer, and found it with the ‘Prevent system sleep until downloads are finished’ option. I realised then that my downloads were being halted if my computer went to sleep during the process. This setting overrides sleep, and since activating it I’ve not had a single failed download. Turn it on by clicking the top-right Preferences icon (a 2 cog) then selecting Advanced on the left (1 in our screenshot) and moving…

WINDOWS 11 Share files from an app’s jump list Microsoft’s Windows 11 KB5053598 update, released on 11 March, adds the option to share files when you right-click an app’s icon on the taskbar. First, pin an app to the taskbar by right-clicking it and selecting ‘Pin to taskbar’. Next, right-click the icon to bring up the app’s jump list, then hover over the file you want to share and click the ‘Share this item’ icon (see screenshot below). Now choose how you want to share it – by email, Phone Link, Nearby Sharing, WhatsApp, OneDrive and so on. It only works with apps that have the option to share files, such as File Explorer, Microsoft Word and Snipping Tool. WINDOWS 11 Go back to the old Notepad Microsoft 365 subscribers…

What is it? A new image format (.jxl) that supports both lossy and lossless file compression, making it extremely versatile. What’s the difference between lossy and lossless? It comes down to how much image data is lost during compression. The lossy method shrinks files smaller than lossless, meaning you can store more files and share them faster, but it sacrifices some image quality in the process. Lossless keeps files larger, but it doesn’t lose any data, preserving every detail when restoring the image. Does that mean lossless is always better? Well, it always produces a better image, but it may not always be the best compression for your needs. For example, because lossy shrinks files smaller, it might be preferable when the size of your files is more important than…

We extolled the virtues of VPNs in Issue 692’s Cover Feature, and we haven’t changed our minds. They remain terrific tools for protecting your identity from websites you visit, encrypting your browsing data and blocking trackers. NordVPN (https://nordvpn.com) and Proton VPN (https://protonvpn.com) are among our favourites. However, getting the most from a VPN often means subscribing to the premium version, which can be costly – and this could be overkill for many users. One alternative is using a remote-desktop tool, which provides a secure way to access a PC remotely, via the internet. With Microsoft axing the Remote Desktop app soon, we’ve recommended our favourite replacement on page 35. And in this feature we’ll explain the other VPN alternatives – many of which won’t cost you a penny. Are VPNs…

1080p High-definition video: 1920x1080 pixels. 2K A screen with 2048x1080 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. 3G/4G/5G Technologies that deliver faster mobile broadband. 4K Video with a resolution of at least 3840x2160 pixels. 7z A format for compressing files into an archive format. Add-in Microsoft’s name for tools that can be added to Office software. AMOLED An alternative technology to LCD for creating flatpanel displays. Augmented reality Lets you view the real world on a screen and add virtual elements. AV1F AV1 Image File Format. An open-source image file format. Bandwidth A measure of how much data can be transferred through a connection at one time. Benchmarking Comparing software and hardware with…

MPs have called for internet providers to increase the duration of backup batteries it offers customers from four hours to six, to give vulnerable people more time to contact emergency services in the event of a power cut. Many of the telecare devices that vulnerable people rely on use the copper phone network. These will cease to work once the network is switched off in January 2027. Communications companies are currently upgrading telecare devices and phones to digital, so they can work over the internet instead. Because these upgraded devices require electrical power, campaigners have raised fears that vulnerable people won’t be able to contact anyone during power cuts. These concerns are why the switch-off was postponed from December 2025 to January 2027. However, most non-vulnerable customers will be upgraded…

‘Verify Apple ID info’ “Apple needs to verify my ID information,” said my wife as she was browsing her emails. “What should I tell them?”. I told her not to click anything because it was probably a scam. And so it proved. It began ‘We’ve Temporarily Restrict Your Apple ID Service’. Note the strange use of title case, and ‘Restrict’ instead of ‘Restricted’. It accused my wife of “violating” Apple’s “policy and terms of service”, which was pure fiction. I’m not even sure she would know how to violate it if someone asked her to! I told her to delete it and for once she obeyed me. Colin Mack Warn your fellow readers about scams at letters@computeractive.co.uk…

HP’s explanation for adding 15 minutes to callers stuck on hold is baffling (Issue 706, page 21). They wanted to nudge customers towards looking for help on their website, but the reason most people end up phoning in the first place is that they can’t find what they need online. I only phone companies for help as a last resort. And I really do mean a last resort. I try everything else first, including ‘talking’ to their chatbots (usually not much good), asking on their forums (much more helpful) and searching my 15-year collection of Computeractive Back Issue CDs. Only when that fails, and with gritted teeth, do I phone for help. But it’s no one’s idea of fun. HP has been rightly slammed for this short-lived policy, but how…

I recently bought some Anker Soundcore P20i True Wireless Earbuds (£25 from www.snipca.com/53026, pictured), which you recommended in Issue 699’s Cover Feature on ditching cables. I’m pleased with them, but emailed Anker with some questions about charging. They told me the earbuds don’t support fast charging and confirmed that a 10-minute recharge provides about one hour of playback. They also said the earbuds can last up to 10 hours 30 minutes on a single full charge, while with the charging case you’ll get a total of 30 hours of listening time. Talking of the case, they answered my question about its battery, saying it has a 700mAh capacity. This takes about 2 hours 30 minutes to fully charge. Anker’s responses were prompt and in plain English. They answered every question…

IMAGE EDITOR GIMP 3.0 www.gimp.org What you need: Windows 10 or 11, macOS or Linux GIMP – or the GNU Image Manipulation Program, to give it its full name – is commonly regarded as the closest free alternative to Adobe Photoshop. It’s packed with expert tools for editing photos, which can make it seem daunting at first, but it provides lots of online tutorials (www.snipca.com/54365) to help you get started. Incredibly, it’s been seven years since the last major GIMP release (2.10), but version 3.0 is finally here, following extensive beta testing. One of the biggest changes is to the program’s interface. While the layout remains familiar to long-time users, the design has been streamlined and optimised for high-resolution displays. This is a critical improvement, because older versions of GIMP…

SOFTWARE WARNING! Roku shows adverts before home screen I’ve not watched the 2020 film Happy Halloween, Scooby-Doo!, and doubt I ever will, but I don’t mind Roku advertising the movie on its home screen (pictured). Roku calls these ‘marquee’ ads (see www.snipca.com/54272), and they’re not too intrusive. If they help keep Roku devices affordable, then so be it. But recently Roku has been playing adverts before the home screen appears, annoying me and thousands of others. I kept seeing a trailer for the Disney film Moana 2. Soon the Reddit forum for Roku users was packed with people complaining. Many said they were considering ditching Roku as a result (www.snipca.com/54273). One poster summed up Roku’s dilemma: “I could accept the static ad on the side. Forcing a loud commercial is…

What is this monitor’s biggest selling point? Probably its price – the BenQ GW2490 is the cheapest 24in display we’ve ever reviewed. At just £90 we can forgive the fact that it offers few luxuries, but that doesn’t mean we weren’t impressed with what you do get. “For the low price, it offers a surpringly good screen and welldesigned controls” Putting the monitor together is a breeze. The basic, plasticky stand comes in two parts and simply slots together, clicking into place with no tools or screws required. There’s no height adjustment, but the stand tilts back and forth so you can secure the angle that suits you. The borders of the screen are black plastic, but it doesn’t feel flimsy or cheap, and the whole thing looks surprisingly attractive.…

Q The last mini PC I bought was the Minisforum MC560, which you reviewed in Issue 660 and has a built-in webcam. I’m looking to upgrade to a new mini PC, but I haven’t seen any with built-in webcams in your recent reviews. If I get one without a webcam, are they easy to add on, and what’s the best model to buy? John van Someren A Minisforum still makes a mini PC with a built-in webcam. We haven’t reviewed the AtomMan X7 Ti (£765 from www.snipca.com/54266, pictured), so can’t vouch for it, but it has a 1080p webcam built into the case. This can be used for video calls or signing into Windows using facial recognition. It’s easy to add a webcam to any mini PC, because they are compatible with…

Tracking devices such as Apple’s AirTag (£35 from www.snipca.com/54298, reviewed in Issue 607) and Androidcompatible Tile Pro (£24 from www.snipca.com/54295, reviewed in Issue 619) are a great way to keep an eye on your possessions. However, both require other users to be within Bluetooth range of the device you’re tracking, which is fine at an airport but less likely in more remote areas. “It offers more ways to track your possessions, but it’s too large for pocket-sized items” The GlocalMe KeyTracker takes this concept a few steps further, using GPS, Wi-Fi and mobile-phone networks to identify your missing item’s location and report back to an Android or iOS app on your phone. The KeyTracker is much larger than its rivals – more than four times the weight of an AirTag.…

CHROME Hear content read aloud in Reading Mode Chrome 134 (released in March) introduces a feature that Edge and Firefox have offered for years – the ability to hear text read aloud when viewing content in its Reading Mode. The option is already available in the Chrome app for Android, and now you can enjoy it in the desktop browser too. Reading Mode removes everything from web pages except the text and displays the streamlined content in Chrome’s side panel. Here you can change the font, size and background colour of the text to make it as easy to read as possible. The new Read Aloud feature lets you listen to it too, by clicking the Play button in the top-left corner of the side panel (1 in our screenshot…

MICROSOFT OFFICE Add free stock images from Pexels If you regularly need to add images to documents, presentations or spreadsheets, consider using the Pexels add-in. This provides access to Pexels (www.pexels.com), one of the best sites for free stock pictures (though it doesn’t provide any news photos). Click ‘File’ at the top left followed by ‘Get Add-ins’, then search for Pexels. Click the blue Add button next to the search result then tick the ‘terms and conditions’ box and click Continue. Now click Insert, then Open Pexels (1 in our screenshot) at the far right. Next, type what you want to find in Pexels 2 then press Enter. You can also choose a colour by clicking the paint-tin button 3. Click the photo you want to add, then select a…

It’s nearly 10 years since Ring launched the first video doorbell in the UK. Back then, they seemed like an ostentatious gimmick, installed by people who wanted to draw more attention to their luxury homes than to stop them being robbed. There were also concerns they could be used to spy on passers-by. Nowadays, video doorbells are almost as familiar a sight as the traditional ‘ding-dong’ chime style, and at least one of your neighbours probably has one. But if you’ve never been tempted to buy one, figuring that you’re perfectly capable of answering the door, you may not realise what you’re missing out on. Equally, you may have already bought a Ring doorbell, but been put off using it after Amazon hiked the price of its Ring Home (formerly…

Despite widespread opposition, Google has pursued its plan to end support for Manifest V2 (MV2) extensions in Chrome and other Chromium browsers (Brave, Edge, Opera, Vivaldi). It now insists developers use its new Manifest V3 (MV3) system and in June will stop MV2 extensions working altogether. We’ve previously explained why Google is doing this and what it means for your favourite browser tools – see our ‘Stop Google breaking your extensions’ feature in Issue 691 (page 60). Now the deadline is almost upon us, here we list six popular MV2 add-ons that will soon be blocked in Chrome and suggest what to use instead. 1 uBlock Origin www.snipca.com/54235 This excellent content blocker is the biggest casualty of Google’s crackdown on MV2 extensions, and surely its prime target. With more than…

Why is Scribus asking for my credit-card details? Q Recently you’ve recommended Scribus (www.scribus.net) as a replacement for Microsoft Publisher (Issue 703, page 20). You say it’s free, but when I’ve tried to download it, it asks for my credit-card details and shows a ‘free trial’ period. There’s no indication of the cost. Is this right? Vanessa Cheek ANo it’s not. Scribus is completely free, so you should never need to give your credit-card details. Go to www.scribus.net and click Download at the top of the page. There are lots of versions available, but we recommend the latest stable version (1.6.3, at the time of writing). There’s a link for Windows 32bit PCs and one for 64bit. Clicking the link under the version you need takes you to SourceForge, which is…

USE PROTON VPN WITHIN VIVALDI You can now use Proton VPN directly within the Vivaldi browser. Make sure you’re using the latest version of the browser (7.3) then click the VPN button in the toolbar (see screenshot). Now log into or create a Vivaldi account then move the slider. You can choose the free or paid-for version of Proton VPN – read more at www.snipca.com/54357. MISLEADING EE ROUTER ADVERTS BANNED The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has banned EE ads that claimed its Wi-Fi 7 router “makes every device work better, even yours”. However, Vodafone and members of the public complained that the ads, which ran last autumn, didn’t state that the device connecting to the router needed to be compatible with Wi-Fi 7 to get faster speeds. The ASA agreed…

WATCH OUT FOR… Free online converters with malware What’s the threat? The FBI has warned that websites promising to convert files for free are increasingly infecting devices with malware. These sites do actually convert your file, making it look legitimate. But they also infect the converted file with hidden malware, which sends personal information like bank details back to the criminals running the sites. This form of attack doesn’t affect your device’s performance, so the malware can lurk in the background. But some sites install ransomware on your computer, instantly locking your device until you pay the scammers a sum of money – usually in cryptocurrency. The warning, from FBI Denver (www.snipca.com/54255), gives as examples sites that claim to convert files – such as. doc to. pdf – and also…

LEAD CASE Can I get a refund for faulty replacement? Q In January 2024, I bought a Wolf Concorde pressure washer from ‘UKHS Tools to go’ (www.ukhs.tv). It came with a 24-month guarantee. Within three days it had broken, but the company refused to replace it. I sent it back for repair, but it came back damaged. I did eventually get a replacement, but the hose burst after nine months. The company said there are no replacements left, and now I can’t get through to anyone. There are no contact details on the website, because the site is being updated. Can you help? Terry McAlinden A We’ll try, because this company has messed Terry around from the start by refusing to send him a replacement after the first pressure washer broke…

Apple’s new iPad Air doesn’t change much on the outside. There’s a good reason for that – only last year it expanded the iPad Air to two sizes (11in and 13in – reviewed in Issue 686), moved the front-facing camera to the middle for best use in landscape orientation, tossed in support for the Apple Pencil Pro, and upgraded it to the M2 chip. “Its upgraded chip lets you work and play faster, and the battery lets you do it for longer” Less than 12 months later, Apple has kept the same prices and colours, but kits out the Air with a more powerful processor – the M3. The result is a faster yet refreshingly familiar experience, whether you want a tablet for work or play (or both). In our…

Find out which other products we liked. Buy our 2024 Back Issue CD: £19 from www.snipca.com/53433 LAPTOP Dell Inspiron 14 Plus £799 from www.snipca.com/51831 Tested Issue 683 This laptop has the same processor (Intel Core Ultra 7 155H) as our previous favourite (Acer Swift Go 14), but manages to squeeze more speed out of it. It also comes with 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD and a 14in 2240x1400-pixel screen. Excellent value overall. ALTERNATIVE Acer Swift Go 14 Still a fast and powerful laptop, with a great 14in screen. £699 from www.snipca.com/49733 PRICE DROP ANDROID TABLET Honor MagicPad2 £449 from www.snipca.com/53150 Tested Issue 700 With a larger screen (12.3in) than the Galaxy Tab S9 (below) and a similar performance for less money, Honor’s MagicPad2 is a superb new tablet. The OLED screen has a…

ANDROID & iOS Set ChatGPT as your default voice assistant Google Assistant has long been the default voice assistant on Android devices, but – as we explained in our ‘Complete Guide to AI’ Cover Feature in Issue 706 – it’s being replaced by Google’s AI tool Gemini. You now also have the option to make ChatGPT your default digital assistant, if you prefer OpenAI’s tool to either of Google’s. Provided you have the ChatGPT app (www.snipca.com/54204) installed on your Android phone or tablet, the change is easy to apply. Open the Settings app and tap Apps followed by ‘Default apps’. Select ‘Digital assistant app’ then ‘Default digital assistant app’ and select ChatGPT (see screenshot below left). Press ‘OK’ to grant the assistant the required permissions. You can now launch ChatGPT…

You can link Google Forms with Sheets so that answers to club surveys automatically appear in a spreadsheet. There are plenty of settings for customising your form, as we’ll explain. And you can do this in a personal Google account, without paying for Google Workspace. Create and customise your form Open Google Drive (drive.google.com) then click ‘+ New’ at the top left and hover your cursor over the arrow at the right of Google Forms. Now select a blank form, a blank quiz or a form template (the latter includes helpful forms like contact information and event registration). For our purposes of creating a survey we’ll choose a blank form. Do the same and you’ll see an ‘Untitled form’. Type over this with the title of your survey (1 in…