FREEVIEW HACKS BACK UP ONLINE

– BEST WAY EVER!

IS YOUR
USB
YOU MUST LEARN Why it’s easier using FTP p35
Make sure you get EVERY channel p62

STICK
RCH 2024
ISSUE 679 ❘ 13 – 26 MA

A FAKE?
Test it NOW so it
Learn something new in
every issue doesn’t wipe your
Don’t dr y this at home – page 49 files — page 38

MAKE

GREAT AGAIN
SECRET TRICKS to improve ChromeChrome,,
Gmail,, Search
Gmail Search,, Android
Android,, Maps & more p50

 Stop Chrome crashing  Share from Android to PC

 Remove Gmail adverts  Make Maps more precise
 Block spam Search results  Hide your private photos

DITCH YOUR
PLUS
RING DOORBELL
SYNC YOUR PASSWORDS Cancel NOW and switch –
IN DUCKDUCKGO page 74 beat the HUGE price rise p60
WELCOME
EDITORIAL
Group Editor in Chief Graham Barlow
Group Editor Daniel Booth
Deputy Editor Robert Irvine
From the Editor
Production Editor Graham Brown
Art Editor Katie Peat
I recall the time when nobody doubted excellent tools - and as Robert Irvine
Contributors Keumars Afifi-Sabet, Judith Batchelor, Dinah Google’s greatness. Chrome had ousted IE reveals in his Cover Feature, it doesn’t take
Greek, Jonathan Parkyn, Nik Rawlinson, Andy Shaw
as the browser of choice; its Search was an much to make them great again. Sometimes
ADVERTISING
Advertising Manager Alexandra Thomas
oracle of infinite wisdom; Gmail rescued this involves reversing annoying changes
people from Yahoo Mail; and Maps reliably Google has made. Other tricks require you
MARKETING AND CIRCULATION
Subscriptions Juber Ahmed stopped people getting lost. It often felt like to unlock buried settings or install
PRODUCTION Google and the internet were the same thing. third-party tools.
Head of Production Stephen Catherall But they’ve all gone downhill since. Google Robert’s tips don’t just improve Google’s
Senior Production Manager Lawrence Brookes
has added useless features, removed useful big hitters. He also explains clever ways to
INTERNATIONAL LICENSING AND SYNDICATION
Computeractive is available for licensing and syndication. ones, redesigned almost continuously, and use Android, Drive, Meet, Photos and
To find out more contact us at [email protected] or
view our available content at www.futurecontenthub.com.
crammed adverts everywhere. It’s no more. It’s nothing less than a complete
Head of Print Licensing Rachel Shaw wonder many have turned to innovative guide to restoring Google’s past glories.
ONWARD RESALE rivals like Brave and DuckDuckGo. Daniel Booth
This publication may not be resold or otherwise
distributed, whether at, below or above face value. Nor
At heart, though, they all remain [email protected]
can this publication be advertised for sale, transfer or
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p35
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Material may not be reproduced in any form without the
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While every care was taken preparing this magazine, the
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of the information or any consequence arising from
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Computeractive at the time of review. Computeractive
takes no responsibility for the content of external websites
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any means without the written permission of the publishers THIS ISSUE IN NUMBERS HOW TO USE
Distributed by Marketforce
$16.5m SNIPCA URLs
Average sales, Jan-Dec 2023 52,670
copies per issue. Amount Avast has We use snipcas to turn long URLs
been fined for selling that are hard to type into ones that
user data - p7 are short and simple. They aren’t
CR2032 websites themselves, which means
104 secs PC battery that they won’t be recognised if you type
How quickly a keeps the clock them into Google. Instead, you need to
developer installed ticking when the type them into your browser address
Windows 10 using mains power is off bar, then press Enter. Doing this will
special software - p9 - p66 take you to the correct website.

Issue 679 • 13 – 26 March 2024 3

 Contents
13 – 26 March 2024 • Issue 679

6 News Delete folder to fix stalled update,

Microsoft says

10 Question of the Fortnight Do you need

a Microsoft account to set up Windows?

11 Protect Your Tech

Fake Lyca Mobile ads on Google

12 Letters BBC axing iPlayer downloads?

Doubt I’ll renew TV licence

14 Consumeractive
How long should an iPad Air last? p10

16 Grow Your Family Tree Not on my

Search livery and guilds records account

18 Best Free Software

Malwarebytes 5 GMKtec NucBox K4
21 Named & Shamed
p22
Turbo PC Cleaner Pro’s ads and pop-ups

Reviews
22 GMKtec NucBox K4
Mini PC gives power to the people

23 Acer Swift X 14
Windows laptop offers dazzling view

24 Iiyama ProLite XUB3293UHSN-B5

PC monitor offers brighter prospects

25 Canon i-Sensys MF655Cdw

Laser printer goes into graphic detail Acer Swift X 14

26 OnePlus 12R p23

pxx
Mid-range phone dials things up a bit

28 Yale Smart Indoor Camera

Security camera for inside information
EarFun Air 2
Stylish earbuds go back to bass

29 JVC LC-32CR230
Budget TV gets with the programmes

30 Buy It/Competition Win a Canvio Flex

4TB Portable External Hard Drive

4 13 – 26 March 2024 • Issue 679

 Subscribe now – and save 30%!
See page 58 for our special subs offer

Workshops & Tips Cloud control p35

35 
How to… Back up files to multiple
online services

38 
Find out if your USB stick is fake

40 R
 eaders’ Tips
Export your system info as a text file

42 Browser Tips
View tabs from other devices on your
Chrome New Tab page

44 Phone and Tablet Tips View the

weather forecast in Google Maps

46 Make Windows Better Check whether

MAKE
you can install Windows 23H2 update CO
FEATVER
47 Make Office Better Use different UR
styles in the same paragraph
P50 E

48 In the Club Test your webcam and

mic before meetings

49 What’s All the Fuss About?

Uncooked rice

50 COVER FEATURE
Make Google great again
GREAT AGAIN
How to enhance, improve and repair
Google Search, Maps, Photos, Gmail,
SECRET TRICKS to improve ChromeChrome,,
Chrome and more Gmail,, Search
Gmail Search,, Android
Android,, Maps & more
60 Ditch Ring for a cheaper doorbell
The video doorbell’s subscription has Screen saver
rocketed in price – we assess your options
p62
62 Secret hacks for Freeview
With TV-streaming subscriptions on the rise
we explain how to make the most of the
best free service on your telly

64 Problems Solved
Can I edit my right-click menu?

71 Reader Support How can I tell whether

I’ve changed a stolen email address?

72 Jargon Buster

74 Easy When You Know How

Robert Irvine syncs his passwords privately

Issue 679 • 13 – 26 March 2024 5

 News The top stories in the world of technology

Delete folder to fix stalled

update, Microsoft says
M
icrosoft has suggested 1 2
a temporary solution
to the problem of a
recent Windows 11 update
refusing to install.
It acknowledged on its
‘Release health’ pages that the
update KB5034765, released
to all users on 13 February,
might fail to get past 96 per
cent when installing (see
www.snipca.com/49518).
This failure produces the
error message: ‘Something
didn’t go as planned. No need
to worry – undoing changes.
Please keep your computer on.’ error, which doesn’t affect vital to Windows working appears (see screenshot 1 ).
However, it took Microsoft Windows 10, might be shown properly. Next, click This PC on the
until 26 February – nearly two as 0x800F0922 in Windows But deleting left, then Local Disk and look
weeks after the update – to Event Viewer. You can find C:\$WinREAgent is safe in for C:\$WinREAgent. Right-
confirm the problem. and open this by typing event this case. Created by Windows click it, then click the Delete
Microsoft added that the in Windows search. during an update, it contains (bin) icon 2 .
It said that uninstalling temporary files that let you Even if the update KB5034765
WHAT WE THINK the hidden folder recover the operating system if does install, users say it’s
C:\$WinREAgent, then the update causes trouble. causing other problems, such
What makes this fault so restarting your computer To find it, you’ll need to tell as the taskbar disappearing
serious is that KB5034765 should fix the problem by File Explorer to show hidden and File Explorer crashing.
was Microsoft’s Patch forcing the update to install. items. Open File Explorer Microsoft hasn’t
Tuesday security update Folders that start with the (Windows key+E), then click acknowledged these complaints,
for February, and covers dollar sign are usually hidden View, followed by Show. Now but says it’s working on an
both supported versions of by Microsoft because they click ‘Hidden items’ at the update to permanently fix the
Windows 11 (22H2 and 23H2). contain functions that are bottom of the menu so the tick installation fault.
One of the flaws it fixes
allows hackers to bypass
Windows’ SmartScreen
WINDOWS 11 22H2 TO GET MORE NEW FEATURES
warnings when sending files Windows 11 users running feature updates at the end of
containing malware. With version 22H2 will receive February, but has announced
threats this severe, why did new features until 26 June, these will continue until the continue releasing security
Microsoft wait nearly two after Microsoft extended the summer. Microsoft calls these updates for 22H2 until 8
weeks before recommending deadline. It means any new ‘non-security preview updates’. October. The company is
a solution? Perhaps its features included in updates Microsoft said it made the now installing Windows 11’s
experts know that deleting for the latest version of decision after listening to “user 23H2 update automatically
C:\$WinREAgent was the Windows 11 (23H2) might also feedback” (see www.snipca. on computers still running
answer, but ordinary users be added to 22H2. com/49519). versions 21H2 and 22H2 –
won’t know that. It initially planned to stop After June, Microsoft will see page 46.

You’ll like this… but not this…

Microsoft adds new features and design to Netflix will “raise prices again” later in 2024
Sticky Notes (www.snipca.com/49520) (www.snipca.com/49521)

6 13 – 26 March 2024 • Issue 679

Avast to pay $16.5m fine IN BRIEF

after selling users’ data NEW EUFY CAMERA

RUNS ON SOLAR POWER
Eufy has released

U S regulators have
fined Avast $16.5m
for selling data that
can reveal “extraordinarily
sensitive information” -
everything from their
a 4K security
camera that
runs entirely
revealed which websites “romantic interests, on solar
users had visited – financial struggles, and power. The
despite claiming to block unpopular political views 4G LTE Cam S330
the very cookies that to their weight-loss efforts, (pictured) needs only
make this possible. job rejections, and two hours of sunlight to work
The US Federal Trade gambling addiction”. for one month, Eufy claims.
Commission (FTC) alleges the sites, including Amazon, “The FTC charges that It works over 4G as well
security company, based in Google and Netflix. The Avast’s conduct here was not as Wi-Fi, and comes with
the Czech Republic, gathered data was so detailed that it only deceptive, but also an a 32GB microSD card for
information through its could track what you bought unfair practice,” Khan added. storage. Buy it for £249 from
browser extensions and on Amazon, and at what “Because it is intrinsically www.snipca.com/49506.
antivirus software. precise time. sensitive, browsing data
It claims that between Before Avast closed warrants heightened AMAZON: WE’RE NOT
2014 and 2020 the amount of Jumpshot Mozilla had protection.” CLOSING FREEVEE
data collected came to eight removed four of the ​As well as paying $16.5m, Amazon has denied reports
petabytes’ worth – around company’s browser Avast will be banned from that it’s closing the free
8,000TB. extensions (Avast Online selling any browsing data TV-streaming service
Avast’s subsidiary Jumpshot Security, Avast SafePrice, collected using its products Freevee. A story in marketing
sold this data to over 100 AVG Online Security and for advertising purposes. publication Adweek claimed
advertising and marketing AVG SafePrice) from its Avast said it disagreed with it was likely to shut in the
companies, the FTC said. Firefox add-ons page after the FTC’s allegation and that second quarter of the year.
Avast closed Jumpshot in receiving reports they were it had already reached a Insiders said that Amazon
2020 after leaked documents tracking users. settlement with the FTC to doesn’t want to run both
showed that it was tracking FTC chair Lina Khan said resolve an investigation into Prime Video and Freevee,
users across more than 150 a person’s browsing history Jumpshot’s activities. especially now that the
former has adverts. Freevee
has always contained
Amazon selling Chinese doorbells adverts, which keeps it free.

that ‘can be hacked’ TOMORROW’S

WORLD
A mazon is selling
Chinese-made video
doorbells that US watchdogs
by colleagues, showing
how they could be
used to spy on people.
Until now, avoiding killer
robot dogs was as simple
say can be hacked because The doorbells also as closing the door on them.
they don’t use encryption. failed to hide the But this new breed has learnt
The warning comes from home IP address and how to open doors with one
non-profit organisation Wi-Fi network they’re leg while standing on the
Consumer Reports (www. connected to. other three. Created by Swiss
snipca.com/49538), which While Fishbot and university ETH Zurich, it can
said Chinese companies Tuck are present on Amazon’s Although they have different also perform less creepy
Eken and Tuck are using US site, only Rakeblue appears brands, the doorbells bought tasks such as moving crates
different brand names for the to be available on Amazon UK by Consumer Reports look and picking up bags. Watch
doorbell, including Fishbot (pictured). Searching for the almost identical, and all come it in action at www.snipca.
and Rakeblue. brand brings up two models, in a plain white box. Their com/49505.
To access live video through the T8-720P and M50-1080P, likeness suggests they are the
the doorbell you have to use priced £39.99 and £45.99 same product with just a few
Eken’s Aiwit app, which respectively. design changes or different
Consumer Reports says can However, searching for features.
be easily hacked into by ‘Aiwit doorbell’ on Amazon Consumer Report asked
strangers. UK showed several results for Eken and Tuck to comment
Researchers were able to models with obscure brand but didn’t receive a reply.
access video feeds of Fishbot
and Rakeblue doorbells used
names including Augot and
Eaula Videns.
• Ditch your Ring doorbell -
page 60

Issue 679 • 13 – 26 March 2024 7

 News
IN BRIEF UK leads operation to disrupt
HUMAX YOUVIEW BOX
AXES STREAMING
Russian LockBit hackers
Humax’s DTR-T1000
YouView box (pictured)
has stopped supporting all
U K authorities have led an
international operation
to take down the website of
streaming apps like BBC LockBit, thought to be run by
iPlayer and Netflix. The world’s largest ransomware
box was launched in 2012 group.
as a way of providing both The National Crime Agency
Freeview and online catch-up (NCA) said it has infiltrated
services, but axed the LockBit’s systems and
latter on 28 February. It still removed its data. LockBit’s
receives aerial signals, letting site now shows a message
you record live Freeview saying it is “under control
channels, but any feature of law enforcement”
that requires an internet (pictured), alongside flags
connection is now lost. of the countries that took services for several months. beyond the reach of the
part in the operation. It has also stolen military Agency and our partners”.
The gang is believed to be and defence material from Investigators have obtained
based in Russia and sells the HMNB Clyde nuclear over 1,000 decryption keys
ransomware kits to other submarine base, the Porton to rescue data hacked by
BUY NEW £150 ROKU TVs hackers. It was first detected Down chemical weapons lab LockBit, and will contact
AT CURRYS in 2019 and by 2023 was and a GCHQ listening post. UK victims to help them
Roku has announced a new responsible for almost half The campaign to take down recover it.
range of budget TVs available of all global ransomware LockBit, called Operation Previous operations to take
exclusively at Currys. The attacks, leading to losses Cronos, was the first of its kind down criminal gangs have
Logik TVs start at £149.99 totalling billions. to be led by the UK, with Europol been only partially successful
for a 32in Full HD set, and It has attacked over 200 and the FBI also involved. because they’ve re-emerged
there are also 40in, 43in and companies and organisations The NCA’s Graeme Biggar with new malware to sell. But
50in models with resolutions in the UK, including the NHS said the investigation shows the NCA hopes that LockBit’s
up to 4K Ultra HD. All TVs 111 service in October 2022, that “no criminal operation, credibility has been so badly
run Roku’s own operating and Royal Mail in early 2023. wherever they are, and no damaged that criminals won’t
system, while the remote Both incidents disrupted their matter how advanced, is trust it again.
control offers voice support.

THE WORLD’S
GONE MAD!
Google rolls out new sign-in page
Canadian judges have
just given
G oogle has redesigned its
sign-in page for logging
into your accounts.
AI-obsessed The company had been
companies a promising for several months
wake-up call. that “a new look” was coming
They decided soon, and was aiming to roll it
that Air Canada out to everyone by 4 March.
must pay a passenger It says the new page has a
hundreds of dollars in “more modern look and feel”
damages after its chatbot based on its Material Design
wrongly told the customer ‘design language’ (https:// centred – see screenshot. the old sign-in page if you
he could claim money back m3.material.io), which it Google says the new page use an older version of a
on a flight as a ‘bereavement introduced in 2014. “adjusts to your screen’s size”, browser.
discount’. Bizarrely, Air The steps for signing in making it look consistent on The change is permanent
Canada argued it shouldn’t remain the same – you still whatever device you use. and compulsory, so you can’t
be held responsible for its enter your email address and It adds that you’ll find the revert to the old page should
chatbot’s advice. Really? password. However, the words page whenever you sign into a you prefer that. Read Google’s
Then what’s the point of it? and boxes are now aligned to Google app or a service on a blog for more information:
the left-hand side, rather than web browser. You may still see www.snipca.com/49424.

8 13 – 26 March 2024 • Issue 679

World’s first desktop PC IN BRIEF
discovered in London home GET SKY STREAM FREE
FOR ONE MONTH

T wo editions of the
world’s first ever desktop
computer – the Q1 – have
It had 16KB of
memory, a processing
speed of 800 kilohertz
Sky is offering a free
one-month trial of its
Stream service, giving you
been found during a house (KHz) and a neon- access to over 150 channels
clearance. orange plasma display. including Sky Entertainment,
They were discovered Only a few Q1s were Netflix and everything
“buried under a hoard of ever brought to the on Freeview. The offer is
boxes” by home-clearance UK, and they were last open until 31 March to new
firm Just Clear. Boss Brendan used by oil-drilling customers and those who
O’Shea asked a computer companies. Only one haven’t signed up to any
historian to identify the other model is known to exist without the Q1 there would previous trial in the past
devices, and was stunned to – probably in Scandinavia, be “no PCs, no Macs, no Apple 12 months. Visit Sky’s site
learn of their importance. O’Shea said. or Android phones”. for details: www.snipca.
“I’m told that these models Just Clear donated the “We rely on computers com/49461.
are extremely rare, so to find computers to Kingston for our work, communication,
a pair of them is beyond University’s Computer productivity and entertainment, INSTALL NVIDIA UPDATE
exciting,” he said. Science Department, which but without the early FOR WINDOWS 7/8.1
The Q1 (pictured) was included them in a recent trailblazers none of this Nvidia has released a driver
launched in 1972 by US company exhibition (www.snipca. would exist,” he added. security update for Windows
Q1 Corporation, and is now com/49457) showcasing more Just Clear has yet to decide 7, 8 and 8.1 computers that
regarded as a major step than 60 influential computers what to do with the Q1s. have GeForce graphics
forward in computing because from the 1970s-1990s such as They may be auctioned or cards. First, in your PC’s Start
it was the first commercial Sinclair ZX81 and BBC Micro. sold privately. menu, search for and open
device to be powered by a Paul Neve, senior lecturer at What’s the oldest computer
‘Device Manager’. Now click
single-chip microprocessor – the university and co-curator you’ve worked with? Let us the arrow next to ‘Display
the Intel 8008. of the exhibition, said that know: [email protected] adapters’ and make a note
of what this shows. Now
visit Nvidia’s site (www.
Developer installs lightweight snipca.com/49460) and
click the Supported Products
Windows 10 in just 104 seconds tab. If your graphics card
appears there, click the green

A developer managed
to install Windows 10
in just 104 seconds, much
2.0 or Secure Boot.
These are among
Microsoft’s strictest
Download button.

EE SWITCHES OFF ITS

faster than the 20-30 system requirements for FINAL 3G MAST IN UK
minutes it takes most Windows 11, and have EE has now
people. prevented many people switched off its
The developer, called from upgrading. entire 3G network
NTDev, achieved this by Both programs have in the UK. It began
installing the lightweight become popular with turning off masts
version of Windows 10 users who want to install last July, and
that’s available in his Windows 10/11 on old completed the
software Tiny10. computers that might closure in Belfast last month.
NTDev created Tiny10 (free video of the installation on not be powerful enough to It switched off over 18,000
from www.snipca.com/49447) YouTube (www.snipca. run the full versions. sites in total. Both Three and
as a way for older and less com/49414, pictured), with a However, neither program is Vodafone aim to discontinue
powerful computers to install timer at the bottom right. supported by Microsoft, so 3G in 2024, while O2 will
the operating system. There’s also a version for won’t receive any official start phasing out its network
It removes most of Windows Windows 11, called Tiny11 updates, and there’s no in early 2025.
10’s built-in apps, which
means it needs less RAM and
(www.snipca.com/49448),
that lets you install the
guarantee it will continue
working in the future.
• Will the 3G switch-off kill
your smart meter? Read
storage to run than the full
version of the operating system.
operating system without
your computer needing to
• Should you install Tiny11?
See Issue 670, page 60 – buy
Issue 675: www.snipca.
com/49459
NTDev posted a “speedrun” have the security features TPM from www.snipca.com/49450

Issue 679 • 13 – 26 March 2024 9

 Questionof
Question ofthe
theFortnight
Fortnight
Do you need a Microsoft
account to set up Windows?
Elon Musk thought so – and wasn’t happy about it

I
f you want your complaint 1
about Microsoft to get THE FACTS
noticed, it helps to be the
richest person in the world • Elon Musk criticised
and to have 174 million Microsoft on X (Twitter) for
followers on X (formerly apparently forcing people
Twitter). It doesn’t harm your 2 to sign up for a Microsoft
chances if you also happen to account when setting up
own X and have a reputation Windows
for making impulsive • In the message, read by
statements that trigger debate. 93 million people, he said
Welcome to the world of he could no longer see the
Elon Musk, where life is never option to skip signing up for
dull - even when he’s trying a Microsoft account
something as mundane as • It is possible to use
setting up a new Windows 11 Windows with a ‘local’ rather
laptop. than Microsoft account,
The story began on 25 but it requires an obscure
February when Musk posted Command Prompt trick
on X that he was unable to By contrast, a local account connected to his local Wi-Fi
use his new laptop without is offline, and works only on network without password
creating a Microsoft account, the computer you create it access. This prevented him network’. Click ‘I don’t have
which also meant “giving their on. Many people prefer this from skipping the option to Internet’ 2 to continue, then
AI access to my computer” because it stores the password sign up with a Microsoft ‘Click Continue with limited
(www.snipca.com/49545). on your computer (not online) account. setup’. You’ll then be asked
His message, read by 93 and you don’t send any He also hadn’t learnt the to enter a username for the
million people, slammed this personal data to Microsoft. trick for disconnecting from computer. Type this, click
restriction as “messed up” The company can use this to the internet in order to set up Next, then type a password,
and that it wasn’t “cool” of monitor what you do both locally. So, for the benefit of followed by Next again.
Microsoft. Plenty of people inside and outside Windows tech billionaires everywhere, From there, just follow the
agreed: he received 40,000 in order to show you targeted here’s what he should’ve instructions to complete the
replies and 220,000 ‘likes’. adverts. You don’t have to be done. installation.
It turns out that Musk was as important, powerful or Follow the Windows 11 It sounds like Musk eventually
wrong – you can use your paranoid as Musk to want to installation process until you signed in with a local account,
laptop without a Microsoft keep your data private. see the ‘Choose a country’ but he was still annoyed. A
account. But we don’t blame What Musk didn’t realise is screen. Now press Shift+F10 day later on X he asked
him for getting confused, that his laptop had automatically to open Command Prompt, Microsoft boss Satya Nadella
because Microsoft makes it then type OOBE\BYPASSNRO to “allow people setting up a
far from easy. (see screenshot 1 ) and press new Windows PC to skip
First, let’s explain the Enter. Your computer will creating a Microsoft account”
difference between a Microsoft reboot and return you to the (www.snipca.com/49546).
and a local account. The same screen. Now press He then teased his followers
former is an online account, Shift+F10 again and this by suggesting it was time one
letting you use Microsoft’s time type ipconfig /release, of his companies started
online services, including followed by Enter. This turns making laptops. Some of his
OneDrive, Outlook.com off the internet. followers asked him to buy
and Skype. It also lets you Next, close Command Prompt Microsoft instead - currently
synchronise your settings and and continue installing valued at over three trillion
Elon Musk said it was “messed
preferences across different up” that he couldn’t set up his Windows until you see the dollars. He’s rich, but not
Windows devices. laptop without a Microsoft account screen ‘Let’s connect you to a that rich.

10 13 – 26 March 2024 • Issue 679

Protect your tech
Scams and threats to avoid, plus new security tools
WATCH OUT FOR...

Fake Lyca Mobile ads on Google

What’s the threat? Enter. Doing this means you’ll
Lyca Mobile has become the latest bypass Google’s search results,
company to be impersonated in and avoid fake results. For
fake adverts in Google search Tesco Mobile, the UK’s biggest
results. They were spotted by MVNO, type www.tescomobile.
researchers at security firm
2 com. For Giffgaff and Lebara
Marcode, who informed it’s www.giffgaff.com and
consumer group Which?.
1 www.lebara.com.
As Which? pointed out, the Better still, try a search
URL in the advert was correct engine that doesn’t show ads,
( 1 in our screenshot), but the such as Brave Search (https://
company below was listed as search.brave.com) – though
‘Lyc Mob UK’ 2 . Clicking the link this works only within Brave’s
actually took you to the URL browser. Alternatively, try
‘liyciad mophile.eu’, which DuckDuckGo (https://
imitates Lyca Mobile. It asks for duckduckgo.com) after turning
your payment-card details to sign up for How can you stay safe? off ‘Advertisements’ in Settings.
an account. These ads are the first fake ones we’ve Finally, make a mental note that
The scammers tricked Google into seen for mobile virtual network operators scammers have added MVNOs to their
believing they were a genuine company (MVNOs), which are services that repertoire, along with fake parking apps
by registering as ‘Vodafone Finance ‘piggyback’ on one of the four main UK (see Issue 674) and many programs

Credit: Which?
Management’ at Companies House. The networks. If you’re interested in Lyca including 1Password, 7-Zip, Audacity,
adverts had nothing to do with either Mobile, type www.lycamobile.co.uk into Bitwarden, CCleaner, LibreOffice and
Lyca Mobile or Vodafone. your browser’s address bar then press VLC media player.

New tools KeePass 2.56 ScamWatch

Readers warn readers

Bitwarden is our favourite free password

Life insurance emails
2 There seems to be a spate of scam
manager for storing passwords online,
emails selling life insurance at the
but if you’d rather store them on your
moment. The one I received claimed
computer you need a downloadable
to be from a company called
program like the excellent KeePass.
SelectQuote, which I’d never heard of.
The latest version (2.56) adds a few
It uses the tempting headline ‘Think
handy options that make it easier to
you’re paying too much?’. Well, of
use. Click Tools at the top, then
1 course I do! Who doesn’t? But the price
Options, and you’ll see a new search
was quoted in US dollars, which
bar at the bottom. Typing here lets you
triggered my built-in scam alert. The
quickly find an option you’re looking
‘Get a Free Quote’ button looks
for. In our example, we’re searching for
genuine, and everything except the
the option to ‘Clear clipboard when edit it, then click the History tab,
currency appears convincing. I even
closing KeePass’. Typing clear cl ( 1 in followed by the More button.
like the slogan it used at the bottom
our screenshot) is enough for KeePass You can get version 2.56 from
of the email: ‘We shop. You save.’ But
to recognise what we want – and www.snipca.com/49390 – choose the
don’t be fooled – it’s a con. See here
highlight it in yellow 2 . installable edition (top left) or portable
for proof: www.snipca.com/49351.
Another new tool lets you select or (top right). If you already use KeePass,
Reg Healey
delete all ‘historic entries’ in your click Help then ‘Check for Updates’.
KeePass history. To see these options, To see all that’s new in version 2.56 Warn your fellow readers about scams
open a password entry as though to visit www.snipca.com/49389. at [email protected]

Issue 679 • 13 – 26 March 2024 11

 Letters
Tell us what’s on your mind

Right for Microsoft to companies, who increase by Zen Internet. I used it first as a news
stop updates on old PCs ticket prices by above the rate service for local people when I was a
Microsoft doesn’t often of inflation every year knowing councillor, and then later for sharing
deserve to be defended, but passengers have no choice but information with U3A (www.u3a.org.uk)
there’s nothing wrong with its to suck it up. members.
decision to prevent computers Graeme McPherson I used SiteSpinner (www.sitespinner.
without POPCNT running updated com) for generating content and the FTP
versions of Windows 11 (Issue 678, Ring’s 43% price rise tool Terrapin (www.snipca.com/49463)
page 6). More or less every computer is ‘preposterous’ for uploading it. It was all very easy,
made in the past 15 years has got I don’t think Roy Maddison quick, efficient and reliable. Then last
POPCNT. At some point it’s perfectly needs to worry about Ring’s new November, I suddenly found that I
valid of Microsoft to draw a line and video-sharing feature being a ‘curtain- couldn’t access my website because Zen
demand that computers must meet twitcher’s paradise’ (Star Letter, Issue had taken it down without giving me any
certain modern standards. 678). Ring is bound to lose thousands warning. Their excuse was that it was
This isn’t progress for the sake of it. of customers after putting up its “outdated” and “not fit for purpose”, even
This is a balanced decision to make subscription by a preposterous 43 per though it had been working perfectly
sure modern operating systems run cent. I’m partial to a bit of curtain- during my 11 years as a customer. As
smoothly and safely. It’s highly unlikely twitching myself, but no way am I an alternative they offered a separate
to lead to millions of machines being accepting a price rise that’s about 10 hosting package called cPanel for an
chucked into landfill. times the rate of inflation. extra £100 a year.
Roger Shaw Ring might soon discover that even if As I’m now old and in poor health, I’ve
the odd person wants to share doorbell decided to abandon my website. This is a
Broadband firms must tell videos, they won’t find many other Ring shameful indictment of the abysmal level
you total and average price users to send them to. to which customer service has sunk.
I’m cautiously optimistic that Frank Rowlands Sam Boote
Ofcom will be firm enough to
ban mid-contract price rises linked to CA SAYS We agree that Ring’s price rise I’m quitting HP because
inflation (Issue 678, page 7), but it needs is ridiculously high. Turn to page 60 for of price rises…
to go much further. When you’ve signed cheaper alternatives. I was very pleased to see you
up to a contract, the provider should highlighting HP’s recent price
have to give you the total cost over the Zen scrapped my ‘outdated’ increase in printer ink in Issue 676
entire contract period, and also what the website without warning (page 62). For me this is the second
average cost is per month. They should In Issue 678’s 20-per-cent increase in Instant Ink in a
also have to tell you exactly when prices Problems Solved short space of time. On both occasions
will increase and by how much. (page 67) Rod Fielding there was no justification given, just a
An example of this would be wrote about internet statement that it was going to happen.
something like: ‘Your 18-month contract providers gradually It does HP no credit as a responsible
will cost you £30 for 12 months, and removing website hosting company that supports customers.
increase by 10 per cent to £33 on 1 April from their offerings. For over 20 years I It was not long ago that HP was the
2025 for another six months. You’ll had webspace (under my own domain company to get your printer from. They
end up paying £558 by the end of the name) provided first by Demon and then were sturdy, well-built units with reliable
contract at an average of £31 a month.
At the end of the contract you’ll be moved
What’s the Issue…?
?
to a £40 rolling contract.’
Without such detailed information it’s
impossible to compare services with any I want to switch to a free VPN. CA SAYS Back in
degree of confidence. When did you last review them? Issue 650, page 62.
Steve Jevons Robert Harmsworth
Did you give your annual
I’ve got bad news for anyone who CA SAYS We reviewed both free and round-up of software to
thinks that broadband firms paid-for VPNs in Issue 669, pages download in 2024? I must’ve missed it.
being banned from linking price rises to 24-25. Darren McIntosh
inflation means future increases will be
more affordable. Broadband is now such When did you explain how to get CA SAYS Yes, it was Issue 672’s Cover
a necessity – and switching is such a some benefits of Amazon Prime Feature – read it and the above features
hassle – that companies know they can without paying for it? on our Back Issue CD/USB Stick:
impose above-inflation rises without Dean Collingwood www.snipca.com/49364.
losing customers. They are the new train

12 13 – 26 March 2024 • Issue 679

 Email: [email protected]
Facebook: www.facebook.com/computeractive
(formerly Twitter): @ComputerActive
www.x.com/computeractive

software – and made in Bristol. Now

I find the units poorly built with STAR LETTER
questionable software. My next printer
will definitely not be from HP, and due to
the price rise I’ll be replacing my existing BBC axing iPlayer downloads?
model sooner than I had expected.
John Spiller Doubt I’ll renew TV licence
…But I’ll stay with HP – for now I’m disgusted by the BBC’s
As long as HP’s subscription decision to remove the option to
service doesn’t skyrocket to over download shows from the iPlayer to
£10 a month in the next year, I don’t computers (Issue 678, page 7, pictured).
object to some price rises. I bet it was decided by a young
Sadly, I had to throw out my last HP executive who has a fast and modern
printer – not because it had broken, but phone, or perhaps the latest expensive
because the cost of HP cartridges was iPad – probably bought on expenses. I
going beyond £45 each (if you could have neither because I can’t afford
find a shop that stocked them!). Spending them. And even if I won the lottery they completely relied on it and had no
close to £90 for ink three times a year tomorrow and bought a hundred new other choice – for a variety of reasons.
was unacceptable. devices, I live in a remote area with an I’ve long supported the BBC, but such
So a new printer/scanner with appalling mobile reception. short-sighted and arrogant changes
six-months free subscription and new Me and my wife often watch catch- make me wonder whether I’ll renew
cartridges sent out with a self-addressed up shows on our PC that we’ve my licence fee.
envelope for the old ones isn’t too bad. downloaded from iPlayer. The screen Paul French
But I will be watching future price rises. isn’t massive, but it’s big enough and
Morvyn Finch we’re hardly likely to start huddling CA SAYS Paul was one of many
around a tiny phone screen. readers to email us saying how angry
When CE means ‘China Export’ Perhaps it was based solely on they were by the BBC scrapping the
In Issue 676’s Cover Feature on usage: not enough people downloaded option to download from iPlayer to PC.
smart plugs you pointed out shows, so the tool was axed. But this is We don’t blame them – it’s a terrible
that people should check whether the wrong way to consider the tool’s decision. Thankfully there’s a clever
products have a genuine CE certification relevance. What matters is how useful way to continue downloading iPlayer
to confirm they meet required safety it is to the people who do use it, not shows to your computer, as we’ll
standards. how many use it. explain in our next issue
Readers should be aware that there It wouldn’t surprise me if it was used – out Wednesday 27
are two genuine CE markings; the first by less than 15 per cent of viewers, but March.
stands for ‘conformité Européenne’
(‘European conformity’), which is the The Star Letter writer wins a Computeractive mug!
marking you were referring to. The
second means ‘China Export’, which
means it has been produced in China for Left without TalkTalk the old copper connection. The landline
the export market and is no guarantee of broadband for months continued to work, but she lost internet
any standard of quality or safety. In Issue 678 (page 8) you quoted access. This persisted for several months
The CE markings on the item or Octopus Energy on choosing TalkTalk despite, again, hours on the phone to
packaging are almost indistinguishable, to take over their broadband (ex-Shell TalkTalk’s customer services.
(as shown in our image below). The only Energy) customers because TalkTalk “has As a stopgap I lent her a mobile hotspot
difference is that the letters are closer demonstrated great customer care”. That’s device using the EE network. In the end,
together in the ‘China Export’ version. the opposite of the experience of my friend. she gave up on TalkTalk and now has
It’s difficult to tell which is which First, emails to her TalkTalk mailbox both VoIP and internet access from BT,
without seeing them next to each other. started arriving or disappearing at random. keeping the same phone number. She
Ian Henderson Despite many hours on the phone to raised a complaint through CISAS (www.
TalkTalk’s customer services, they failed snipca.com/49464) and TalkTalk offered
EUROPEAN
CONFORMITY CHINA EXPORT to resolve the problem. On one call I made a payment, which she accepted.
on her behalf, the person at the other end In one final twist, although incoming
could not even understand the problem, let phone calls from some of her contacts now
alone resolve it. In the end, she switched come via the BT VoIP interface to her
Credit: Kimua Group

to a new mailbox on another domain. cordless phone base station, calls from
Then someone arrived to install FTTP some others (possibly TalkTalk customers)
broadband. For reasons unknown, this still come to two wired phones connected
was initially intended only for broadband to the old copper landline.
while her landline phone remained on Richard Mellish

Views expressed don’t necessarily reflect those of Computeractive Issue 679 • 13 – 26 March 2024 13
 Consumeractive
We stand up for your legal rights

How long should an LEAD Should I refuse

iPad Air last? CASE scam deliveries?
In Issue 671’s Protect Your Tech
An iPad Air 2020 (pictured) that Q (page 11) you explained how
Q I bought for £500 from John
Lewis stopped charging after
scammers are ordering items
such as mobile phones to be delivered to
two and a half years. The Apple store I random addresses, only then to retrieve
took it to said the charging point is faulty, the product soon after disguised as a fake
and they offered me a new one if I paid courier. If I suspect this is happening to
£459. John Lewis says I have to prove me, can I refuse to accept the original
the fault was inherent and offered me a delivery?
£100 refund. Surely a hardware failure Keith Seed
must be a problem with a component
that existed when I bought it? Yes, you can refuse delivery, but
Clare Kelly A first you should check whether
the courier has simply got the
Not necessarily. A hardware wrong address. If they insist it’s correct
A problem can also be caused by
accidental damage or even fair
and you’re certain you didn’t order the
item, then you should tell them to take
wear and tear. In these cases, it wouldn’t it back. If they refuse, you should ask to
be covered by the Consumer Rights Act see their official ID and say you plan to
(CRA). You’d have to pay to repair or another look and tell her exactly how this contact their company. Should they
replace the item unless you were covered hardware failure occurred. It’s not legally become aggressive, just close the door
by home or outdoor insurance. responsible for replacing the iPad or and phone the police.
John Lewis is also correct in saying that giving her a refund, but any insight it can It’s important to know that you’re not
Clare must supply proof that the fault is provide will help in her case against John allowed to keep items that you didn’t
inherent – ie, one that existed at the time Lewis – and might mean she won’t need order. If they’re left on your doorstep
of sale even if it took a while to become to pay to have the iPad examined. while you’re out you should return it
evident. This is because more than six If Clare can prove the iPad is inherently to the courier or Royal Mail, or contact
months have passed since purchase. faulty then John Lewis will not only the retailer.
To fight her case, Clare will need to have to repair or replace the iPad Whatever happens, you should report it
have the charging point inspected by but pay any expenses Clare incurs, to Action Fraud through its site (www.
professionals. This could cost up to £100, including the cost of having the the iPad actionfraud.police.uk) or by phoning
so we’ve suggested she asks Apple to take examined. 0300 123 2040.
CASE ONGOING CASE CLOSED

CASE UPDATE

Expert Telecom admits it overcharged reader by £28

Internet provider Expert increase by contrast was an Whatever the increase, if it’s
Telecom has admitted that it eye-watering 79 per cent! not in the contract, the provider
made a mistake by increasing Colin had wondered must give you 30 days’ notice.
Colin Sander’s monthly bill whether such a sharp If Expert Telecom hadn’t sent
from £35.77 to £63.97 (see Issue 673). It increase meant he this to Colin, then he could’ve
has apologised to Colin and credited £63 to could cancel his contract cancelled without paying a fee.
his account. It has also cut his ongoing bill to without paying an All the major providers have
slightly less than he was originally paying. early-termination fee. The answer would announced their price rises for 2024 (see
We thought the company had made an probably have been yes. Any terms in Expert News in Issues 677 and 678), and these will
error. Yes, providers hit customers with Telecom’s contract letting it nearly double be the final increases they can tie to inflation.
above-inflation increases last year, but these his bill would almost certainly have been Ofcom has proposed banning the practice
were around 14 per cent. Expert Telecom’s deemed unfair by a court. and is expected to give its verdict in April.

14 13 – 26 March 2024 • Issue 679

 Contact us so we can investigate your case
Email: [email protected]
Please include your name, phone number and address.

Can Jimdo charge me for a suspended account?

In May 2021, I opened an Keith might be liable for paying
Q account with website-building
company Jimdo (www.jimdo.
A some of this because he didn’t
officially close his account. But
com), paying £120 for a year of web it’s bad business practice for Jimdo to use
hosting. I liked the services, so I opened a debt collectors without telling the
second website with Jimdo later that year customer first. We’ve told Jimdo about
for two years hosting, costing £60. But this, pointing out Keith had already made hosting services. We’ve also asked him
then the price jumped to £220 last it clear he wasn’t prepared to pay £220 for which debt-collection agency is involved,
November, which I thought was too the hosting package. By ignoring his and to let it and Jimdo know the matter
much. I didn’t officially close the website, emails, Jimdo might bear some legal is being legally disputed. We’ve asked
but Jimdo did take it down. Now debt responsibility for not closing the account. Trading Standards if Keith may be liable
collectors are harassing me for the We’ve contacted Keith because we need for any payment to Jimdo because if
money and Jimdo is giving me the brush to know if this website has a separate domain he’s not using the website and its
off. Do I have to pay this? name. Sometimes the package includes services, we don’t see what loss Jimdo
Keith Boddey fees for re-registering this as well as the has incurred.
CASE ONGOING

Can a retailer A
No it can’t.
The Consumer
retailers must also refund
the original delivery cost –
refuse to refund Contract
Regulations make it clear
though they can charge you to
return the item. Also, if you
delivery costs? that if a product is faulty,
the retailer must refund
non-faulty return items having
used them, retailers can deduct
I ordered two pairs of trousers the original delivery cost, some money from the refund
Q online from Chums (www.
chums.co.uk, pictured) and had
as well as the price of the
item. You’re allowed to
of the purchase.
We’ll tell Chums that it
to return them both. One pair wasn’t as open an item’s packaging must refund Paul. What’s
described, and the plastic zip on the to check it’s working. If complicating matters is that
other pair broke. it’s faulty – or isn’t as described – retailers he has already received a full refund –
Chums has refunded me the £44 the can’t refuse a refund by complaining that including the £5.95 delivery – from his
trousers cost, but not the £5.95 delivery you’ve opened the packaging. credit-card company. He may have to
fee. Can it do this? If you’re simply returning an item return that refund in order to get one
Paul Preston because you’ve changed your mind then from Chums.
CASE ONGOING

CREDIT WHERE IT’S DUE

Fractal Design sent me new PC case for free

A few years ago I bought the When the case was first released you Considering my case is out of warranty,
Fractal Define R6 computer could get an optional front I/O panel with a this was excellent service.
case (£155 from www.snipca. USB-C connection. I thought this would Robert Aindow
com/49360, fix the problem so I tried to find one, but
pictured). It’s a great case to failed because they’ve been Has a company impressed you with its
build a PC in. But last year the discontinued. customer service? Please let us know:
[email protected]
power button started acting up. I asked Fractal whether they
Sometimes you have to press still sold this panel. Less than 24 Contact
hard on it and sometimes it will hours later they replied saying it’s
stick, so when Windows boots not sold separately, but they can
Fractal Design
up it assumes that the button has arrange one for me. It was sent to
been pressed and shuts down. me from Sweden for no charge.
• Online form www.snipca.com/49363

Issue 679 • 13 – 26 March 2024 15

 Grow Your
Family Tree
Ancestors who learned trades might have become freemen
to further their careers. Follow Judith Batchelor’s advice to…
Search livery and guilds records
T
radesmen who lived in provincial of London livery companies:
towns may have become a freeman 1 Gunmaker’s 1656-1936 (www.
of a guild or – if they worked in snipca.com/49337), Haberdashers
London – a livery company. These were 1526-1933 (www.snipca.com/49338)
established to regulate trades and crafts, 3 2 and Ironmongers 1511-1939 (www.
to promote the interests of members, snipca.com/49339).
and provide mutual aid. Once admitted For guild records outside of
as a freeman, a member was qualified to London, search ‘Norfolk, Freemen
be a master and could employ others. Judith found John (Johes) Whitford’s livery record on of Norwich 1317-1603’ (www.snipca.
There were several ways of becoming a Ancestry com/49335) and ‘Scotland Burgess &
freeman, such as serving an apprenticeship Guild Brethren Index’ (www.snipca.
(servitude), paying a fee (redemption) or Searching for my ancestor John com/49336).
gaining admittance through your father Whitford produced 26 results ( 1 in our
(patrimony). For family historians, the screenshot above), including the variants Look through the
most useful records are those that relate of Whiteford, Whatford and Watford. London Roll records
to apprenticeship and admission to the I found him listed as Johes Whitford You can search 11 more London livery
company, as they reveal family ties and (‘Johes’ is the Latin form of John 2 ), companies at www.londonroll.org.
biographical information. so clicked View Record 3 to see the Select a specific company from the
original document. dropdown menu ( 1 in our screenshot
Examine Ancestry’s It shows that he was admitted by below), or click ‘Select all’. Now enter a
London documents patrimony as a citizen of London on 27 name, occupation, place of residence and
Ancestry has a large collection of papers April 1725. He was described as the son of role (apprentice or freeman 2 ), then
associated with freeman applications William Whitford – a citizen and plasterer move the slide bar for dates to search 3 .
called ‘London, England, Freedom of the of London. The results also showed that On the results page, click the small
City Admission Papers 1681-1930’. Visit William was originally a plasterer from ‘Event Details’ link to see whether your
www.snipca.com/49334 then search by Evesham, Worcestershire – providing ancestor became a freeman through
name, location, date and keyword (such evidence about the family’s origins. servitude, paying a fee (redemption), or
as an occupation). You can also add a child Findmypast has records of apprentices gaining admittance through their father
or father to the results for more detail. and freemen for the following three City (patrimony). You can save any record as a
PDF by ticking its box then scrolling

Your Genealogy Problems Solved

down and clicking ‘Export selected’.

My great-great-grandmother Catherine 18-year-old pupil named Miguel Del Rio 1

Brown married a Spanish seaman Miguel in the 1871 census in a school in Greenock,
Del Rio in 1879 at Liverpool parish church. Scotland. It’s likely that’s your great-great-
They are recorded in the 1881 census as grandfather, though his place of birth is
living in Liverpool. However, while their recorded as the West Indies, rather than
daughters appear in the 1901 census, Spain.
Miguel doesn’t. I can’t find any trace of Perhaps you could take a DNA test to
him after 1881. Can you? see if you can find other descendants of
Ken Webster Miguel who might be able to tell you 3
what happened to him.
Like you, I can’t find Miguel Del Rio in the Have a genealogy question for Judith? 2
UK after 1881. He might have returned to Email [email protected] with
Spain or died on a ship. I did find an ‘Grow Your Family Tree’ in the subject line. London Roll lets you search 11 livery companies
– type a name and slide the bar to select dates

16 13 – 26 March 2024 • Issue 679 Next issue: Search old university admission records
 Best Free Software
Robert Irvine recommends new programs that won’t cost you a thing
ANTIVIRUS SOFTWARE

Malwarebytes 5
www.snipca.com/49517
What you need: Windows 7, 8.1, 10 or 11, or macOS

Nearly five years since the last major version was released Real-Time Protection isn’t available in the
(see Issue 567, page 18), Malwarebytes 5 has finally arrived. free version – though it is possible to check
The popular antivirus software has been ‘reimagined’ to that your browser and Windows are up to date
give your PC even more powerful protection against the The good news is you can still scan your PC for
latest security threats. malware for free, and quarantine and delete any threats the
When you open Malwarebytes 5, the first change you’ll program finds. Malwarebytes offers a choice of Quick and
notice is to the program’s Dashboard. The three tiles for Custom scans, which are now faster and more thorough
running the Scanner, viewing your Detection History and than ever, and it won’t clash with your existing antivirus
configuring Real-Time Protection are now grouped in a software. We also like the new scan reminders, which notify
Security section in the top-left corner, so they no longer you when you haven’t scanned your PC for a specified
dominate the interface. number of days, and prompt you to run a scan when new
This makes room for the new Trusted Advisor section files and programs are downloaded.
on the right, which provides a protection score for both When you install Malwarebytes, choose Personal as the
your current PC and any mobile devices you have the protection type and whether you want to add its Browser
Malwarebytes app installed on. It also lets you check that Guard extension to your browser to block ads, trackers and
all Malwarebytes’ privacy and security settings are correctly malicious websites. You get a 14-day trial to Malwarebytes
configured. You’ll need a Premium subscription, which costs Premium, with access to all features except the VPN, without
from £30 a year, to activate most of these settings, because needing to enter any payment-card details.

2 3

1 Before you run a Quick 2 Click the Settings tab 3 The Real-Time Protection 4 The new Online Privacy
or Custom scan with to specify whether options are only available section lets you activate
Malwarebytes, click the Malwarebytes should run with a Malwarebytes Malwarebytes’ VPN. This
three-dot icon next to the on Windows startup and subscription, but you can is only available in the
Scan button and choose how frequently it should use them during the 14-day Premium Plus plan, which
Settings. This provides check for ‘threat intelligence free trial to automatically costs from £70 a year, and
options to scan for rootkits updates’. You can also protect you against malware, annoyingly there’s no way to
and PUPs, scan within activate its new ‘scan ransomware, security flaws, hide the option – so it’s like a
compressed archives, and to reminders’ to prompt you to hackers and other threats. permanent advert.
use AI to detect threats. run regular scans.

18 13 – 26 March 2024 • Issue 679

SOFTWARE UNINSTALLER
SHOULD I PAY FOR…?
Uninstalr 2.1 Choose the right version of software
www.snipca.com/49500
What you need: Windows 7, 8.1, 10 or 11
WinRAR 7
You have to admire www.snipca.com/49514
the bravado of a Price: £34.54 Free trial: 40 days
relatively new What you need: Windows 10 or 11, macOS or Linux
program that declares
itself “the best Windows WinRAR has been around since 1995, and – rather
uninstaller”, and dubiously – claims to have over 500 million users
provides a table worldwide (more than Firefox and Edge combined, if true).
explaining why it’s It recently released its seventh version, but now that
better than Windows 11 can open RAR archives, do you really need to
Computeractive favourites BCUninstaller and HiBit install, let alone pay, for the program?
Uninstaller. Uninstalr has the advantage of letting you uninstall Although it’s best-known for letting you add files to
lots of unwanted software in one go, without prompting you and extract them from RAR archives, WinRAR works
to confirm each removal. Simply select what to get rid of and with most other compression formats, which you can
click Uninstall (see screenshot) then Start Uninstallation – associate it with during installation. It’s still the only
you can untick the box to reboot your PC afterwards. It’s also software that lets you create files in its own RAR format,
smaller than rival tools, at a mere 5.5MB (BCUninstaller is which offers superior compression to ZIP, but isn’t as good
140MB), offers standard and portable versions, and displays all as 7z, the format pioneered by WinRAR’s free rival 7-Zip
your installed programs in a single list – by default this (www.7-zip.org). This means that RAR no longer provides
excludes Microsoft apps. On the downside, it’s quite slow at enough incentive to buy WinRAR – you’re more likely to
scanning your system for programs and removing them, but see downloads in 7z format these days.
hopefully this will be fixed in a future update. In its favour, WinRAR is easier to use than 7-Zip, with
clearly labelled options, simple menus and a handy
FILE MANAGER Wizard (see screenshot) that makes packing and
unpacking archives very straightforward. It’s also
Files 3.2.3 impressively fast; lets you repair damaged files and scan
www.snipca.com/49504 them for malware; and has none of the unnecessary
What you need: Windows 10 or 11 features that now clutter WinZip.
Impressively, version 7 allows you to compress files up to
This brilliant free a total of 64GB in size, among many other improvements
alternative to File (see www.snipca.com/49516). It’s just a shame its price has
Explorer has been remained comparatively high.
updated yet again
with more great
features. The most
notable addition to
Files is a new List
View, which makes
it easier to browse
folders containing lots of files. Click the Layout button in the
top-right corner and choose List (see screenshot) to display
the contents of folders in a condensed layout spread across
several columns. Files has also added the option to edit the
album covers associated with audio files. Right-click a song,
click the ‘Open properties’ (spanner) button and select the OUR VERDICT: Don’t pay for it
General tab. Click the ‘Change album cover’ icon in the WinRAR is an excellent program, but – outside of its RAR
top-left corner, choose the picture you want to use, then click capabilities – there are free compression tools that do much
Save. Other improvements include higher-quality previews of the same job. You were previously able to continue using
image files, and better handling of large files. As ever, be sure the program once its 40-day trial had ended, but we can’t
to click the ‘classic installer’ link on the Download page to get confirm this still works in the newly released version 7.
the free version of Files.

Issue 679 • 13 – 26 March 2024 19

 Best Free Software

What should I download?

We advise you which software and apps to use
What task manager should I use?
What’s the best free I’ve been using Google Keep (https://keep.google.com)
alternative to Excel? Q as my personal task manager, but it’s limited. I also
used Monday (www.monday.com), but they removed
I’m a retired pensioner looking for a cheap or free the filtering options in the free version. What else could I use?
Q spreadsheet app. I did use Excel, but unfortunately
I can’t afford to renew it. Can you suggest a free
Jackson Eagleson

alternative? I’m using Windows 11. Microsoft To Do should fit the bill. You can download it
David Parnell A from the Microsoft Store (www.snipca.com/49309),
and it’s also available for Android, iOS and the web
Take a look at LibreOffice, which comprises a (https://to-do.office.com). Being available across multiple
A spreadsheet (Calc), word processor (Writer) and
presentation suite (Impress). It’s free from
platforms means you can take your lists wherever you go and
add to them through any device. Its ‘My Day’ view works like a
www.libreoffice.org and is regularly updated – the latest personalised daily planner (pictured below), letting you set due
release (24.2) arrived in February. We include tips for it in dates and make events recur. You can attach files of up to 25MB.
every Make Office Better – see page 47. Calc does look a
little different to Excel, but you’ll soon find your way
around. The formulas you use in Excel work pretty much
the same in Calc.
LibreOffice does have its own file formats, but can also
open and save Microsoft Office documents, so there’s no
need to convert your existing files. However, if you regularly
share your spreadsheets with others, you might want to
change Calc’s default format for saving to Excel. To do so,
create a new spreadsheet, then click Tools, followed by
Options. Click the ‘+’ beside Load/Save in the left menu,
then General ( 1 in our screenshot below). Select
‘Spreadsheets’ from the ‘Document type’ menu 2 , then
Can I play video clips as
open the menu beside ‘Always save as’ and select ‘Excel screensavers?
2007-365 (*.xlsx)’ 3 . Click Apply followed by OK.
Alternatively, this would be the perfect opportunity to Some years ago I had a
explore the online version of Excel, which is free to use
through Microsoft OneDrive. Log in at www.onedrive.com,
Q screensaver that played
all my mini video clips
then click the top-left ‘+ Add new’ button, followed by from my camera. I miss this, so I
‘Excel workbook’. If you already save your Excel documents wondered whether there’s a free
in OneDrive, you can open them directly from the My Files tool that does it in Windows 11?
list you’ll arrive at when you first log into OneDrive. Ric Cooper

Lively Wallpaper, free

A from the Microsoft Store
(www.snipca.com/49310), lets you set one of 12
2 animations as your desktop wallpaper, or create your own by
1 choosing a video file on your computer or entering the address
of a web page or online video. Once you’ve selected what you
want, visit Lively Wallpaper’s page on GitHub (www.snipca.
com/49311) and follow the instructions for downloading and
installing the Lively.scr extension to Windows’ built-in
3 screensavers. Once installed, search for screensaver in Windows
and click ‘Change screen saver’. Finally, select Lively (see
screenshot above) and you’re done.

20 13 –26 March 2024 • Issue 679 Email us your questions at [email protected]

Named & Shamed
Keumars Afifi-Sabet puts the boot into tech villains,
jargon-spouting companies and misbehaving software

SOFTWARE WARNING!
Turbo PC Cleaner Pro’s ads and pop-ups

M
icrosoft’s eagerly
awaited PC Manager
is a huge let-down 1
(see Issue 678, page 10), but 2 3
I’d sooner use it than the
hundreds of similar tools riddled with 4
adverts and annoying pop-ups. One 2
example is Turbo PC Cleaner Pro, which
actually came top of the list when I
searched for ‘PC Manager’ on the
Microsoft Store (see screenshot right).
Like all such tools, it claims to be an
“all-in-one solution for optimizing and
Incredibly, Turbo PC Cleaner Pro came
decluttering your computer”. Yet its 3.8 top when Keumars searched for ‘PC Turbo discharged: this multilayered mess is
user rating was somehow even lower Manager’ on the Microsoft Store what awaits you
than the abysmal CCleaner (4.4). Maybe
the reviews were unfair, so I installed it ‘Firm attitudes, warm oriented’. And pestered me when I clicked through the
to check. you have to sign up to its suspiciously menus. The result of all these messages
The first thing it did was open Chrome obscured terms and conditions. I read and pop-ups is the multilayered mess
without my permission ( 1 in our screenshot these but had no idea how thoroughly it shown in our screenshot above.
far right), then it launched the app itself would monitor my system, or where my I was left exasperated by Turbo PC
2 , followed by a pop-up 3 asking me to data would end up. Cleaner Pro, and astonished that the
sign into my Miracle Games Inc account. A few moments later another pop-up 4 Microsoft Store has it as its top
Miracle Games – which I’d never heard showed some of the main features – and I suggestion. For now, the best
of – turns out to be the Chinese owner of would have tried them had I not been PC-cleaning tool remains BleachBit
the app. Its baffling company slogan is driven to distraction by the ads that (www.bleachbit.org).

WHAT ARE THEY KEUMARS’ VILLAIN OF THE FORTNIGHT

TALKING ABOUT?

WHAT THEY SAY

Cieran McNamara
Onyx Boox on
ePaper Cieran McNamara posted contacted Cheshire
www.snipca.com/49412 these photos (and more) police. He was arrested last
“The E Ink display simulates the on dating sites to September, charged with
texture of paper, helping you enter a advertise his luxury four counts of fraud by false
flow state and ensuring eye comfort lifestyle, which he representation, and has now
for long-time staring. Within the claimed was paid for by been sentenced to seven
paperlike world, you can join the novel’s a high-value property years behind bars.
protagonist on amazing adventures, portfolio. In reality he was living out Detective Constable Victoria
unravel the intricately nested logic in of a suitcase, but he still managed to Hazlewood, who led the investigation,
academic viewpoints, and delve into the trick four women into relationships said McNamara “cannot tell the
complexities of a historical event.” and steal over £300,000 from them. difference between reality and
McNamara, 37, broke hearts and fantasy” (www.snipca.com/49421).
WHAT THEY MEAN ransacked bank accounts for 12 He better learn soon, because the
Spouting pretentious jargon is the only months from September 2022 before only dates he can look forward to will
“flow state” we’ve entered recently. one woman grew suspicious and be in the prison yard.

Issue 679 • 13 – 26 March 2024 21

 Reviews
New products tested by our experts New products tested by our experts

MINI PC | £514 from GMKtec www.snipca.com/49349

GMKtec NucBox K4
Ready, set up, go

This powerful mini PC is housed in a

surprisingly small case. It runs Windows
11 Pro powered by an an AMD Ryzen 9
7940HS processor, which has built-in
Radeon 780M graphics – a chip we last
saw in the impressive Minisforum UM790
Pro mini PC, reviewed in Issue 667 (page 22).

A space-saving, fast-
performing mini PC –
once you’ve updated reviewed in Issue 676 – see page 32). the front and back, including one for
its components While this costs over £200 more, it
comes with double the RAM (64GB). And
USB-C, three USB 3.0, one USB 2.0 and a
couple of HDMI sockets for connecting
while its processor – AMD Ryzen 7 two monitors.
We were certainly impressed with 7840HS – is less powerful, it’s still fairly If this all sounds like it should be a
the performance of the UM790 Pro, but impressive. Intel i9 chips typically have candidate for being our new favourite
we felt its price tag at the time (£829) was more cores than their i7 counterparts, but mini PC, there’s one small caveat. When
a little high for what you got. Look on the the same isn’t true for AMD chips, and setting it up we had to install a few
Minisforum website (www.snipca. both the NucBox K4 and the UM790 Pro updates to get the most out of its
com/49350) now and it’s available for a have the same number of cores (eight) components, including downloading and
more attractive £639 (32GB RAM/1TB and use the same Radeon 780M built-in installing the latest drivers from AMD.
SSD). However, the GMKtec NucBox K4 is graphics. This isn’t going to create a huge
even cheaper, with its 32GB RAM/1TB The Ryzen 9 processor is designed to challenge for the more tech-savvy among
SSD option costing only £515. run a little faster, however, and that was us, but it means you can’t just switch it
That said, the UM790 Pro performed confirmed in our processor tests, where it on and get working. This extra hurdle
slightly better in our benchmark tests, was four-per-cent quicker. In games tests, can be daunting for those who are less
but the difference is only around six per meanwhile, the UM780XTX’s extra RAM familiar with these processes. However, if
cent, so are there any other compromises gave it a slight edge, running around you don’t mind doing a little setup work
in a machine that costs significantly less? three-per-cent faster. before you’re up and running, this mini
It’s perhaps more instructive to The NucBox K4 has a sleek, compact PC is a bargain.
compare it with our current favourite chassis, measuring just 43x123x112mm
mini PC, the Minisforum UM780XTX (HxWxD) and weighing a mere 422g. It
(£729 from www.snipca.com/48917, feels robust and well constructed, but VERDICT A powerful mini PC for a
looks inconspicuous and understated. reasonable price, but you’ll need to
The inclusion of a VESA mount option is carry out some setup work to get the
a great touch and enables you to attach it most out of it
behind compatible monitors or TVs,
saving even more desk space.
★★★★★
It has a generous collection of ports on ALTERNATIVE Minisforum
UM780XTX £729 An inferior processor
SPECIFICATIONS and higher price, but performance is
Eight-core AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS processor • 32GB similar, it
RAM • AMD Radeon 780M graphics • 1TB SSD • offers more
Wi-Fi 6 • Bluetooth 5.2 • 1x 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet port RAM and
• 2x HDMI ports • 1x USB-C port • 3x USB 3.0 ports
• 1x USB 2.0 port • Windows 11 Pro • 43x123x112mm
no setup is
(HxWxD) • 422g • One-year warranty www.snipca. required
com/49349

22 13 – 26 March 2024 • Issue 679

 HOW WE TEST
Computeractive is owned by Future PLC,
LAPTOP | £1,299 from Currys www.snipca.com/49381 which employs a team of specialist
technical reviewers. You’ll often read

Acer Swift X 14 references to our benchmark testing,

which is a method of assessing products
using the same criteria. For example, we
Primary colours test the speed of every PC and the battery
life of every phone and tablet in exactly
the same way. This makes our reviews
authoritative, rigorous and accurate.
We last reviewed a 14in Acer Future PLC also owns the magazines
Swift laptop in Issue 677 – the Maximum PC, PC Pro and T3, and the
superb Acer Swift Go 14, which websites Laptop Mag (www.laptopmag.
costs £950 for the 16GB RAM com), TechRadar (www.techradar.com)
version on Acer’s web store at www. and Windows Central (www.windows
snipca.com/49324. It’s now our favourite central.com). This means we can test
laptop – see page 30. This Swift X 14 is a thousands of products before choosing
very different proposition, however. the most relevant for Computeractive.
For starters, it currently costs
£1,299 (down from an initial price of FAIR AND IMPARTIAL
£1,429). It comes with the same 16GB tests, the Swift X ran 75-per-cent faster Our writers follow strict guidelines to
RAM and 1TB SSD as the Swift Go, but than the Swift Go. For example, it ran ensure the reviews are fair and impartial.
has a slightly older processor, the 13th- Civilization VI with an impressive 96fps The manufacturer has no involvement in
generation Intel Core i7-13700H. But the when running at 1080p resolution. our tests.
main difference is that the Swift X is And it’s more than capable of making
fitted with a separate graphics card, in Microsoft Flight Simulator look terrific, OUR AWARDS
the form of the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050. with the graphical settings turned up. We award every product
The 14.5in OLED screen is on the that gets five stars our
small side, but it’s absolutely stunning. Buy It! stamp of approval.
Its OLED screen is It has a resolution of 2880x1800 pixels, It means we were
extremely impressed by the product, and
which makes everything razor sharp,
stunning with amazing and our tests revealed that it’s capable we think you will be too.
of displaying an incredible 195 per cent
colour accuracy and of colours in the sRGB standard and
Every product that gets a
four-star review is given the
138 per cent of the more demanding
high frame rates DCI-P3 standard.
Recommended award. We
highly recommend these
The port selection will serve most
products, although they just fail to meet the
The impact this has on its performance people’s needs, with two USB-C, two
high standard of our Buy It! winners.
is significant. When testing just the USB 3.0, one HDMI socket, a microSD
processor, there’s not a lot of difference card slot and a headphone jack. Battery PRICES
between the two, with the Swift X’s older life, however, didn’t stack up as well in Our reviews contain a link to the best price
processor running about three-per-cent our tests. It lasted seven hours 30 we found online at the time of press.
slower. When running everyday Windows minutes, while the Swift Go worked
software, you’re not going to see a great for nearly 10 hours.
deal of difference between them. We’d still recommend the Acer Swift
Start to use graphics software, however, Go 14 for most people. It’s better value for VERDICT A brilliant screen and superb
and the difference between the two money and almost as good in general performance in both Windows and
becomes stark. In gaming benchmark Windows use. But if you do need more gaming, but it’ll cost you
powerful graphics hardware to play
games or run demanding graphics
★★★★★
programs, the Acer Swift X 14 is an ALTERNATIVE Acer Swift Go 14
impressive – albeit more expensive – £949 Cheaper and just as capable
option. if you only
want to run
SPECIFICATIONS everyday
Fourteen-core Intel Core i7-13700H processor • 16GB Windows
RAM • Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 graphics • 14.5in software
2880x1800-pixel screen • 1TB SSD • 2x USB-C
ports • 2x USB 3.0 ports • 1x HDMI port • Wi-Fi 6E •
Windows 11 Home • 17.9x322x228mm (HxWxD) •
1.5kg • One-year warranty www.snipca.com/49381

Issue 679 • 13 – 26 March 2024 23

 Reviews
PC MONITOR | £388 from Ballicom www.snipca.com/49407

Iiyama ProLite XUB3293UHSN-B5

Bright idea

A lot of monitors try to be all things to

all people, with high refresh rates for
gamers, HDR for movie buffs and great
colour accuracy for photographers. This
isn’t the case with the Iiyama ProLite
XUB3293UHSN-B5, which is laser-
focused on those who just want to
carry out general computer work on
their PC, but want a reasonably sized
screen with a decent 4K resolution.
With slim bezels on three sides of its
32in screen, the monitor looks slick and
modern. It’s nicely put together, perched
on a robust stand with a full range of
adjustments, including the ability to
pivot into portrait mode.
If anything it probably looks a little too documents at the same time, or need the single cable and it will charge up as
business-like for our tastes, but that’s space to accommodate lots of apps and well transfer video. There’s also a
unlikely to be a deal-breaker for most. toolbars. In other words, multi-taskers standard USB hub and Ethernet available
will love it. to the USB-C port. With this monitor, you
The refresh rate, though, is limited to don’t need a separate hub to connect
High brightness 60Hz, and the response time is quoted your laptop to all your other devices.
at four milliseconds. This might sound Even better is that it includes a full
levels, plenty of detail pedestrian by today’s fastest standards, KVM switch. So you could, for example,
but it’s easily enough for general connect both a desktop PC using the
and lots of space for Windows work. What’s more, the DisplayPort or HDMI socket and the
multi-taskers sensible factory settings straight out of
the box mean you won’t need to make
USB 3.0 port, and a laptop via USB-C.
You’d then be able to share keyboard,
any serious adjustments to the screen mouse and other peripherals across
The screen uses IPS technology, so when you plug it in. the two computers.
can’t match the contrast levels of an OLED It fared well in our colour tests, but You could pay significantly more for a
panel. With a maximum lags behind more expensive models. The 32in 4K monitor. However, unless you
quoted brightness level of colour looks good to the naked eye and have fairly specific needs when it comes
350cd/m2 and no dimming can reproduce 99 per cent of the colours to refresh rates, contrast or colour
control, this can’t provide in the sRGB standard, but falls a bit short accuracy, you wouldn’t necessarily get
the intense blacks you’ll in the DCI-P3 standard. That’s fine for a lot more for your money.
find on an OLED display. general Windows work, but wouldn’t be
However, this maximum ideal for anyone looking to do accurate
brightness is plenty for image- or video-editing work, where VERDICT An impressive 32in 4K
all but the very sunniest colour accuracy is more important. monitor that’s ideal for general
outdoor conditions and The monitor has plenty of connectivity Windows work, particularly if you want
its colours pop out. Its options with DisplayPort, HDMI and to use it with more than one PC
resolution of 3840x2160 USB-C all present and correct. The latter
pixels gives everything a includes 65W of power delivery, so you
★★★★★
crisp feel, with plenty of can dock a laptop to the monitor with a ALTERNATIVE Iiyama ProLite
detail and very little XU2492HSU-B1 £138 A smaller,
pixelation, even if you get SPECIFICATIONS cheaper 24in
quite close. It also offers 31.5in IPS screen • 3840x2160-pixel resolution • 1080p monitor
plenty of space for your 16:9 aspect ratio • 60Hz refresh rate • 4ms response that’s a bargain
time • 1,000:1 contrast • 1x HDMI port • 1x DisplayPort •
work, which is ideal for 1x USB-C port • 2x USB 3.0 ports • 452x714x240mm
given its size
those who like to open (HxWxD) • 9.9kg • Three-year warranty and quality
multiple windows and www.snipca.com/49407

24 13 – 26 March 2024 • Issue 679

PRINTER | £272 from Cartridge People www.snipca.com/49451
CHOOSE THE RIGHT SPECS
Canon i-Sensys MF655Cdw Phone aspect
Laser focused
ratios
What do they do?
The aspect ratio of a screen indicates
Canon has tweaked the design of its laser the relationship between its width and
models to include front-loading multi- height. It’s expressed as two numbers
purpose trays, which add a new level of separated by a colon, usually quoting
convenience to this already easy-to-use width first, then height. The aspect ratio
multifunction colour printer/scanner/ of old squarish TVs used to be 4:3, but
copier. Because there’s no input trays at moved to 16:9 with the introduction of
the rear it means you can push the high-definition widescreen sets. PC
printer up against a wall and load monitors and smartphone screens also
envelopes or headed paper in the front typically used 16:9 screens for many
without having to stand up from your years, but as phones got larger, and
chair. It also has a 250-sheet paper tray prompts on its screen. Canon’s standard- more space was devoted to displays,
and a 50-sheet document feeder for size toner cartridges come pre-loaded, so aspect ratios have changed.
pushing pages through to its scanner. to start printing all we had to do was fill
the paper tray, and input the date/time How do they work?
and password for our Wi-Fi network. The The challenge for phone manufacturers
With its sensible 8.5in LCD provides a responsive interface, was to make larger screens without
so scrolling through the four-page menu making their devices too wide to hold –
design, this is easy to system was easy enough. and so they increased the height (when
Black text looks perfectly crisp and held in a portrait orientation). However,
use and produces crisp consistent on plain paper. Canon’s black when describing the aspect ratio of
and consistent prints toner doesn’t look especially bold, but it
is very precise, so even very small fonts
smartphones, we still tend to measure
it in landscape mode (ie, width:height),
are accurately rendered. because those numbers are more
Otherwise the i-Sensys has a fairly Results with mixed-colour documents familiar to us from our knowledge of
standard design. The colour touchscreen were even better. The i-Sensys produced TVs and monitors.
is mounted on a tilting arm so you can blocks of bright colour without banding
adjust and see it when standing or sitting, and our test brochure and London What are the specs?
and the USB port on the left of the front Underground map prints had a professional Nowadays, most modern phones use
panel is easily reached. The main paper finish. Photos didn’t fare as well – although screens with a ratio of 19.5:9.
tray at the front holds A4 paper and slides they came out quite sharp, the colours were These occupy most of the
out for easy access. It has an auto-duplex fairly muted, especially on plain paper. front of the device, and require
feature, meaning it can print on both The i-Sensys works well as a holes or notches cut into the
sides of a sheet of paper without you photocopier. The document feeder can panel so that the front-facing
having to reload. only scan single sides of a sheet, which is camera can see out. Samsung’s
Single-sided pages come out at a a little disappointing, but it produced Galaxy S series phones (like
reasonable rate of 21ppm (pages per bold, attractive duplicates. the S24 pictured right) and Apple’s
minute), while double-sided printing – as newer iPhones lead the way with this
you might expect – takes nearly twice as ratio, though you might come across
long. It’s faster than most inkjet printers VERDICT Faster than an inkjet and phones that take it even further
but is at the slower end of the scale for a offers high-quality text and graphics – models such as the Sony
laser printer. Maximum print resolution prints, but it’s not as good at photo Experia 5 V have a 21:9 ratio.
is surprisingly high at 1200x1200dpi. prints You can still get phones with
Setting up the machine is a simple case older 16:9 screens if you hunt
of peeling off all the orange transport
★★★★★ around, such as the iPhone SE
tape, plugging it in and following the ALTERNATIVE Kyocera Ecosys (pictured right).
P2235dn £195 Save
SPECIFICATIONS money on this fast Can I change it later?
3-in-1 printer, copier and scanner • Includes 4x toner laser model if you don’t No. The aspect ratio of a screen is fixed
cartridges (enough to print 1,350 mono pages and need colour printing or and any replacement screen for your
1,250 colour pages) • 250-sheet paper capacity
• 1200x1200dpi print quality • 600x600dpi scan
scanning and copying phone would have to be the same size
quality • USB or Wi-Fi connection • 360x451x460mm functions and shape as the original.
• 22.6kg • Two-year warranty www.snipca.com/49451

Issue 679 • 13 – 26 March 2024 25

 Reviews
SMARTPHONE | £649 from OnePlus www.snipca.com/49441

OnePlus 12R
Happy medium

Chinese manufacturer OnePlus recently battery OnePlus has put in any of its
launched two phones, the 12 and 12R, phones to date and lasted around eight
which is the model we’re reviewing here. hours with the screen turned on. This
The 12 costs £999 and is the flagship of means it should easily last for two days of
the OnePlus range; the 12R chops around light to average use. It also comes with a
£350 off that price by using older 100W charger that took it from empty to
components from the OnePlus 11 (£679 fully charged in just 30 minutes, which is
from www.snipca.com/45226, reviewed a phenomenal result and the fastest
in Issue 653). charging for a phone we’ve ever seen.
The 12R runs on the Qualcomm The screen is also impressive. The
Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, which was 6.78in AMOLED panel is protected by SPECIFICATIONS
cutting edge a year ago, but has since been Gorilla Glass Victus 2, with a whopping Eight-core Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor • 16GB
superseded by the Gen 3. It’s supported by peak brightness of 4,500cd/m2. That’s RAM • 256GB storage • 6.78in 120Hz 2780x1264-
16GB of memory and 256GB of storage. more than enough to keep everything pixel AMOLED screen • 50-megapixel rear camera
• 16-megapixel front-facing camera • Wi-Fi 7 •
With the same core components, it’s visible in even the brightest conditions. Bluetooth 5.3 • OxygenOS 14 (based on Android
no surprise that the 12R offers similar You might think this would be a drain 14) • 163x75x8.8mm (HxWxD) • 207g • Two-year
performance levels to the on the battery, but it saves energy by warranty www.snipca.com/49441
OnePlus 11. While this lags dynamically switching
behind more expensive to a suitable refresh rate,
contemporaries, it’s still cranking it down whenever VERDICT A decent mid-range phone
pretty competitive against possible – operating anywhere that strikes a sensible balance between
other mid-priced models. between 1Hz and 120Hz. quality and cost
It’s much faster than the The main 50-megapixel
£399 Google Pixel 7a, for camera produces decent
★★★★★
example, but then it is snaps, but some corners have ALTERNATIVE
significantly more been cut on the extras, such Google Pixel 7a £399
expensive. as its meagre 8-megapixel A cheaper model with a
Battery life is wide-angle camera, which slower performance but
outstanding. The 5,500mAh means the Pixel 7a is better better camera
unit is the largest-capacity for taking photos.

WHAT SHOULD I BUY? We solve your buying dilemmas

Is there a laptop with the benefits of a desktop PC?

Is there a laptop that has You’re right to assume that the i7-1255U in Issue 660 (£746 from www.
Q many of the benefits of a
desktop PC, such as easy-to-
A laptops with the largest cases
tend to be gaming laptops. The
snipca.com/46279, pictured), though
there are more recent configurations
access and removable internal extra space is required to accommodate available directly from Acer at www.
components for DIY upgrades, and extra components such as graphics cards snipca.com/49445.
enough room inside for the processor and cooling fans that stop everything The benefit of these Acer models for
to stay cool and operate at optimum overheating. However, if you aren’t your purposes is that they’re designed
efficiency? The laptop’s size playing games, most modern to be upgradable – even their screens
and weight would not be a laptop processors should be able are relatively simple to replace. They
problem. However, I’m to run efficiently without the don’t include as much cooling as a
reluctant to buy an need for additional cooling. typical gaming laptop, but the ability to
expensive gaming laptop, The most upgradable laptops recycle components when needed also
as I don’t play we’ve seen recently are in Acer’s means they’re more sustainable.
games. Aspire Vero range. We reviewed one Do you need advice on what you should buy?
Tony Watts 16in model with an Intel Core Email us at [email protected]

26 13 – 26 March 2024 • Issue 679

 Reviews
SECURITY CAMERA | £60 from Amazon www.snipca.com/49425

Yale Smart Indoor Camera

Home guard

The Yale Smart Indoor Camera is an ‘false positives’. Shadows were enough
inconspicuous way to keep an eye on to trigger a notification in the app at its
your house when you’re not there. It’s default settings, though you can decrease
small (115x70x70mm, HxWxD), has a the sensitivity level – which helps. You
square base, a long thin stand and the can also set movement zones, so you can
camera sits in a circular unit at the top. exclude areas where you’d prefer to
It can sit on a flat surface or be ignore motion.
mounted – using its stand – on a wall. The camera, which isn’t waterproof,
A USB-C port on the back powers the is quite pricey for what you get. It can VERDICT A good-quality indoor
device and the cable needs to be distinguish between humans and pets, camera that’s easy to set up and use,
permanently plugged into a wall socket. but you’ll need to pay for the Yale Home but there are cheaper alternatives for
The camera is simple to set up and Camera Plan (£3.50 a month) to get this what it offers
operate, and this is all done through feature. This also lets you store footage
the Yale Home app. It captures footage online for 30 days, but there is the option
★★★★★
at a resolution of 1080p and the video of storing limited footage (2-4 days) on ALTERNATIVE
quality is excellent. Unsurprisingly, the device for free. Blink Mini £25 A
the quality is better in daylight, but the cheaper option with
night vision is good enough to pick SPECIFICATIONS the same resolution
1080p resolution • 30fps • 154-degree field of
out facial features. view • Six-metre night vision • 8x digital zoom •
and many of the same
We were less happy with the motion 115x70x70mm (HxWxD) • 106g • One-year warranty features
detection, because it produced too many www.snipca.com/49425

EARBUDS | £50 from Amazon www.snipca.com/49426

EarFun Air 2
Sound investment

The EarFun Air 2 earbuds are proof that buds in a noisy environment, but
buying budget tech no longer means commuters and anyone who wants
settling for low-quality products that to immerse themselves and block
lack features, durability and overall out the outside world will miss it. The
quality. The design is fantastic – both touch controls are quite hard to use
buds and charging case are slick and and we much preferred using our
lightweight. The buds easily fit into our smartphone to control volume and
ears, and the case is small enough to skip songs.
fit into a pocket. More importantly, the audio quality VERDICT Decent earbuds at an
Unsurpringly, they have fewer features is impressive. The buds are better at affordable price, but it’s worth paying
than the most expensive models. You do higher frequencies than mid tones, more for noise cancellation
get some handy basics, such as an while the bass is punchy. One gripe is
app-based equaliser system, which lets that the maximum volume is fairly
★★★★★
you tweak the sound to your taste, and quiet, which is another downside to ALTERNATIVE Sony WF-C700N
the case can be charged wirelessly, which the lack of noise cancelling. £100 These earbuds are more
is an unexpected bonus. expensive, but they
Some absent or fiddly-to-use features SPECIFICATIONS cancel background
10mm drivers • 9-hour battery life (buds) • 40 hours
may put you off the Air 2 buds, though. battery life (case) • IPX7 • Bluetooth 5.3 • 13-day
noise and are easier
The lack of any noise cancellation won’t battery life • 48x62x25mm (case) • 45g (including to use
be a big problem if you never use your case) • One-year warranty www.snipca.com/49426

28 13 – 26 March 2024 • Issue 679

 Reviews
TV | From £139 from Currys www.snipca.com/49465
DO I REALLY NEED...
JVC LC-32CR230 A transparent
Cheap set laptop screen?
What is it?
The JVC LT-32CR230 is a Lenovo’s latest
budget 32in TV sold laptop concept
exclusively by Currys. It has an – the ThinkBook
HD Ready (720p) screen with Transparent Display
an LED backlight and comes with Laptop (pictured), which could be the
Roku as its smart TV platform. It’s also first model to have a 17.3in MicroLED
available in 24in (£129), 40in (£179) transparent screen.
and 43in (£199.99) versions, though
we think the 32in model would be What does it do?
perfect for a bedroom or spare room. The screen is borderless, so the image
Picture quality is a mixed bag. goes right to the edge. You can also see
Watching lower-resolution programs Video and Disney Plus. It also has all through it, both when it’s switched on
and live TV, the CR230’s picture quality the UK catchup TV apps including BBC and off. Why? Well, LG suggests it allows
was acceptable, although some textures iPlayer, ITVX and Channel 4. the laptop to “effortlessly integrate
looked slightly fuzzy. HD content has to The CR230 has a basic design – no naturally within its environment”. The
be downscaled to display properly on doubt intended to keep costs down. Its keyboard is also transparent and lets you
its 720p resolution. HDMI connections are at the bottom switch between a virtual keyboard and a
Because the screen lights up its and back of the screen (pictured below stylus-controlled drawing pad.
pixels from the back and the sides, this left), making them awkward to access if
makes dark areas look washed out. Solid you need to swap things around regularly. What’s the catch?
black sections, meanwhile, appear as We also found the supplied feet a little It’s only a concept at the moment. It
different shades of dark grey across the unsteady, even after they were firmly might be some time before we can buy
whole panel. Textures and detail were tightened. The remote control feels light one - assuming it’s affordable.
more acceptable, but still lacked and insubstantial in the hand, but has
definition. quick access buttons that are easy to So can I do without it?
It’s not all bad news, though. Brighter see and use. Easily. Consumers usually want
colours were nice and punchy, especially Price is the key factor here and £139 screens that are clear, bright and
in sunlit nature scenes. Snowy landscapes is fair. You can get better features and minimise reflective distractions. A
were also rendered effectively. superior picture quality by paying more, screen you can see through would be
Audio quality is fine, particularly given but if your budget is limited or you just none of these things.
how small and slim the TV is. We found it want a second TV, this is a good-value
carried the drama well in action scenes option.
and dialogue was clear. NEXT ISSUE
The built-in Roku system is the set’s SPECIFICATIONS
main selling point. It’s easy to navigate
720p 1280x720-pixel resolution • 32in LED screen
• Supports HDR10 and HLG • 3x HDMI ports • 1x
On Sale Weds 27 Mar
and all the major apps you’d expect are Ethernet port • 467x720x180mm (HxWxD) • 4.2kg •
present, including Netflix, Amazon Prime One-year warranty www.snipca.com/49465 HP DeskJet 2710e
A £60 printer with
six months of free
VERDICT A decent TV for the price printing
with Roku built in, but don’t expect
stunning visuals or a slick design PCSpecialist
★★★★★ Fusion Elite P
A budget desktop PC
ALTERNATIVE LG 32LQ6300 £199 with AMD’s brand new
This 32in model lacks Roku, but LG’s Ryzen processor
system is almost
as good, and
picture quality These and much more...
is significantly Subscribe to Computeractive at
better www.getcomputeractive.co.uk

Issue 679 • 13 – 26 March 2024 29

 Buy It Find out which other products we liked.
Buy our 2023 Back Issue CD:
£18 from www.snipca.com/48860

Our pick of products that have won the Buy It award

LAPTOP DESKTOP PC APPLE iPAD

Acer Swift Go 14 Palicomp Apple iPad 10.2in

£950 from www.snipca.com/49324 AMD Cobra £319 from www.snipca.com/48634
Tested Issue 677 £400 from www.snipca.com/43515 Tested Issue 623
Tested Issue 643

With the 32GB Swift Go (£1,300) out of The 9th-generation of the basic iPad,
stock, we’re recommending the 16GB This fast PC is a mouth-watering released in 2021, is now the best-value
model instead. It’s great value and has bargain, with 16GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD Apple tablet. The 2022 version looks
one of Intel’s Ultra processors, making it and a six-core processor – though it better and has a faster processor, but
the fastest laptop we’ve tested. Has an lacks USB-C ports and built-in Wi-Fi. it’s not worth paying £130 extra for.
OLED 14in screen and 1TB SSD.
ALTERNATIVE Wired2Fire Ultima WS ALTERNATIVE iPad Mini With an even
ALTERNATIVE Honor MagicBook X 16 Home Office Workstation Blisteringly better, but smaller, screen than the
2023 Has a 16in screen and is good fast PC, powered by an overclocked 10.2in iPad, the Mini also supports
value, though nowhere near as fast. eight-core processor and 1TB SSD. the Pencil and has 64GB of storage.
£700 from www.snipca.com/47868 £656 from www.snipca.com/41500 £569 from www.snipca.com/33050

ANDROID TABLET P APPLE iPHONE ANDROID PHONE

DRRIC
OP E
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Apple iPhone 13 Google Pixel 7a
£679 from www.snipca.com/49029 £599 from www.snipca.com/43498 £399 from www.snipca.com/46332
Tested Issue 667 Tested Issue 627 Tested Issue 660

With a much brighter screen than our

previous favourite – the Galaxy Tab S8 Now £200 cheaper than its 2021 launch
– this is perfect for watching TV. It also price, the iPhone 13 has a superb screen,
has a faster processor, so tasks feel long battery life and an excellent camera – A cheaper version of Google’s flagship
smoother, even with several windows particularly for taking quick snaps without phone, this uses AI to add clarity to
open. £799 will get you the 128GB blurring. You could pay £799 for the newer photos, and lasts an impressive 10
version. If you want 256GB you’ll need iPhone 15, but we’re not convinced it’s hours. Has a fast processor and 8GB
to spend £100 more. worth the extra money. RAM to supercharge performance.

ALTERNATIVE Lenovo Tab P11 Pro It’s ALTERNATIVE iPhone SE With a single ALTERNATIVE Xiaomi Poco F3 This
slower than the Tab S9 and the screen is camera and smaller screen but the remains an excellent phone, with 6GB
duller, but has a detachable keyboard so same powerful A15 processor and 64GB RAM and 128GB storage. The only phone
you can use it as a laptop. £430 from storage as the iPhone 14, it’s great value. under £450 that’s faster is the iPhone
www.snipca.com/45244 £429 from www.snipca.com/34773 SE. £259 from www.snipca.com/44553

30 13 – 26 March 2024 • Issue 679

 Buy It
Our pick of products that have won the Buy It award
MINI PC EBOOK READER SECURITY SOFTWARE

Minisforum UM780XTX Kobo Libra 2 Norton 360 Premium

£729 from www.snipca.com/48917 £170 from www.snipca.com/40645 £19.99 from www.snipca.com/33247
Tested Issue 676 Tested Issue 624 Tested Issue 629

Norton has always performed

This powerful machine costs only strongly in our antivirus tests,
£100 more than the Beelink SER6 A fantastic 7in screen, 32GB of storage regularly making the top three.
Pro, but has twice the memory, twice and Bluetooth connectivity make this a Owned by US firm NortonLifeLock,
the storage and a superior processor. rival to Amazon’s Oasis ebook reader, it’s available at a discount on our
These help it run PC tasks faster yet it’s much cheaper. Battery life is Software Store. Use the link above
and handle graphics more smoothly. superb – we managed 54 hours of use for a 10-device, two-year licence.
Ports include USB-C, USB 3.0, HDMI, per charge. It supports OverDrive, so Other versions are available, including
DisplayPort and Gigabit Ethernet. you can borrow ebooks from libraries. Norton 360 for Gamers.

ALTERNATIVE Beelink SER6 Pro ALTERNATIVE Amazon Kindle This low- ALTERNATIVE Bitdefender Total
7753HS Has 32GB RAM and a 500GB cost option is a good choice, especially Security Another top performer that
SSD for slick Windows performance. now it has 16GB of storage. £85 from we’re offering at a discount. £29.99
£629 from www.snipca.com/46416 www.snipca.com/44221 from www.snipca.com/41141

WEBCAM PC MONITOR SOLID-STATE DRIVE

Logitech C925e Business Iiyama ProLite Corsair MP600 Pro LPX

Webcam XU2492HSU-B2 500GB
£74 from www.snipca.com/41104 £120 from www.snipca.com/49491 £67 from www.snipca.com/41547
Tested Issue 608 Tested Issue 618 Tested Issue 630

This 23.8in screen is superb value, In our tests, this M.2 SSD hit speeds
Despite the name, this webcam is also with a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels. of 7,364MB/s and 6,870MB/s when
great for home users. Its standout Colour is good, covering 88 per cent of reading and writing data – astonishingly
feature is automatically adjusting itself the sRGB colour range. Connect your fast scores. It’s compatible with the
to keep your picture looking sharp. It computer via HDMI, DisplayPort or new PCIe 4.0 standard, which is twice
offers a 78-degree field of view, which VGA, and there’s a USB hub to plug in as fast as PCIe 3.0. The 1TB model
is fine for everyday video chats with one your mouse and keyboard. costs £99; 2TB costs £154.
person in front of the camera.
ALTERNATIVE AOC 27P2C This also has ALTERNATIVE Crucial MX500 500GB
ALTERNATIVE Anker PowerConf C300 a 1920x1080 resolution. It’s 27 inches, so As fast as an SSD can get in the
Good image quality, crisp audio pixel density is lower, but you’ll only notice traditional 2.5in SATA format, this
and lots of features. £70 from if you look really closely. £204 from is a great-value upgrade. £56 from
www.snipca.com/41105 www.snipca.com/41609 www.snipca.com/37304

32 13 – 26 March 2024 • Issue 679

 Buy It

COMPETITION

Win 1 of 2
Canvio Flex 4TB Portable
External Hard Drives
With 4TB of storage space, this It has a USB 3.0 interface, allowing
Toshiba Canvio Flex external hard it to deliver fast transfer speeds of up
To enter this competition, answer
drive offers ample storage for your to 5Gbps – so you can quickly and
the question at www.snipca.
important files, documents, photos easily transfer large files between
com/49305 and submit your details.
and videos – giving you peace of mind devices. It’s also compact and light,
It runs until midnight Tuesday 26
knowing that your data is securely so you can comfortably carry it with
March. Good luck!
backed up and always accessible. you wherever you go. It’s built to last,
It’s designed to work with a shock-resistant design that
You can buy Canvio Flex 4TB
interchangeably with most major helps protect your data from
Portable External Hard Drive for
device platforms and operating accidental drops and bumps.
£99.99 on Amazon (www.snipca.
systems. It’s preformatted for
com/49304). It’s also available in
Windows PCs, Macs and tablets,
2TB and 1TB capacities priced £70
so you can seamlessly access data
and £54 respectively.
and share between devices

PRINTER SMART TV ROUTER

Epson EcoTank ET-2830 Samsung Q60B Asus RT-AXE7800

£230 from www.snipca.com/48962 £395 from www.snipca.com/45083 £219 from www.snipca.com/47586
Tested Issue 676 Tested Issue 652 Tested Issue 665

This replaces the ET-1810 as our With our former favourite – the TCL This router has Wi-Fi 6E, so will be
favourite printer because it adds 55RP620K – out of stock, Samsung’s capable of the fastest possible speeds
copying and scanning to its functions 43in set is our new pick. It has excellent on the 6GHz network over the next few
for only £80 more. Print quality is colour reproduction in well-lit scenes, years. It has five Ethernet ports and also
great, especially for photos, which and the picture is wonderfully sharp, a USB 3.0 port to connect a hard drive or
have crisp details, vivid colours and especially in 4K. NAS drive.
realistic skin tones.
ALTERNATIVE LG OLED42C3 ALTERNATIVE Synology WRX560
ALTERNATIVE Epson EcoTank ET-1810 LG’s 42in TV is more than double Our previous favourite remains an
Not the fastest printer, but comes with the price, but unlike TCL’s model it excellent choice, delivering speeds of
enough ink for 4,500 mono and 7,500 has an OLED screen, boosting up to 791.5Mbps. Add more units to
colour pages. £140 from www.snipca. picture quality considerably. £800 from set up mesh Wi-Fi. £241 from
com/43670 www.snipca.com/47271 www.snipca.com/49161

Issue 679 • 13 – 26 March 2024 33

 Pull Out
& Keep

Workshops & Tips Issue 679

14 pages of easy-to-follow workshops and expert tips

35 B
 ack up files to multiple 40 Readers’ Tips PLUS
online services 44 Phone & Tablet Tips 47 M
 ake Office Better
42 Browser Tips:
38 F
 ind out if your USB Convert any web page 46 M
 ake Windows 48 In the Club: Test your
stick is fake into an ebook Better webcam and mic

HOW TO...
Back up files to multiple
online services by Nik Rawlinson

What you need: FTP Rush Time required: 30 minutes

F
ile Transfer Protocol (FTP) is as would switch to the Microsoft OneDrive.
old as the internet. It’s the process relevant protocol. This Once you’re logged in, you
– or protocol – by which websites would usually result in a can use it to transfer files from
are uploaded to servers and files can be login window appearing, those services to an FTP server
downloaded in return. because accessing a server or, of more benefit to most
It’s a very robust system that works via FTP typically gives the people, between different
on the principle of clients and servers. user more control over it cloud accounts or a cloud
Your computer is the ‘client’, which (and its contents) than when account and your computer.
manages all of the file transfers, while you access it using regular That makes it the ideal tool for
the remote machine is the ‘server’ web-browsing protocols. backing up your online files without
that acts on the client’s requests (or However, browser-based FTP is having to manually download each one
instructions) to retrieve, move, or becoming less common, with both through the browser. Or for keeping
store a particular file. Chrome and Firefox dropping support online sync software running from
It’s not only used for uploading the for it in 2021. That doesn’t mean FTP is startup to shutdown, during which it
contents of websites, either. You may going to disappear anytime soon, but it uses resources that could be better
have used FTP to download software does mean that anyone who uses it will employed elsewhere.
– perhaps without realising it – because need to revert to dedicated FTP software Here, we’ll show you how to log into
web browsers supported it. like the free FTP Rush. both Google Drive and Microsoft
Doing so was a simple matter of You might be wondering at this point OneDrive using FTP Rush, and use it to
replacing the http:// or https:// at the how this is relevant to you if you don’t back up your online files.
start of a web address with ftp://, which publish your own website, and have Alternatively, if you prefer, you can
the remote server would interpret as a never heard of – let alone used – FTP copy the files to your computer so you
request to access the content it hosted previously. It’s because FTP Rush is far can delete the online files to save space.
in a different way. more than just an FTP client: it can also That way you may be able to delay having
If it was configured to act as an FTP be used to log into popular online (cloud) to pay a subscription for more online
server as well as a regular web server, it storage services like Google Drive and storage.

Connect to Google Drive Framework 4.5+, which are Microsoft .NET Framework installed, but if for
1 Download FTP Rush from
www.snipca.com/49284, then
tools that developers can use to make
their software compatible with Windows.
some reason it’s been removed from your
machine you can reinstall it from www.
install it. You’ll see that it requires .NET Both Windows 10 and 11 come with snipca.com/49409.

Issue 679 • 13 – 26 March 2024 35

 Click the Protocol menu and select
Google Drive ( 1 in our screenshot below).
As you’ll see, you can also use FTP Rush
with Dropbox, OneDrive, regular FTP
How I use FTP
servers and Amazon’s Simple Storage I maintain several websites, and although I manage most of them
Service, although the latter will be more through the browser – including uploading and downloading
relevant to business users. the files that underpin the services that make them work – it’s
We’ll start by downloading files from always handy to have an FTP tool as backup. In future, that tool
Google Drive, and later use two online will certainly be FTP Rush, because it’ll save me from syncing
services simultaneously to transfer files every file from the cloud on every machine.
between them. Having selected Google Nik Rawlinson
Drive, click the Connect icon 2 . How do you use File Transfer Protocol?
This will switch you to your browser, Please let us know: [email protected]
which will load the familiar Google
login page. If you’ve previously logged
into several different Google Accounts Now turn your attention to the top- stored at a remote location, you can
through this browser, click the one you right pane, which shows the files on your hold down the Ctrl key and click to
want to use and enter your password if computer 3 . Use this to navigate to the select several files for copying. Or, to
prompted. folder containing the files you’d like to select a range, click the first file in the
If you’ve set up your account to use download from Google Drive. list, scroll to the bottom, then hold the
multi-factor authentication (MFA), you If you want to save them to your Shift key while clicking the last to select
may also need to complete additional Downloads folder, you can save yourself everything in between.
steps, like confirming your action in an a lot of clicking by typing its address
authenticator app, touching a security instead. Click in the address bar directly Copy files between
key like YubiKey, or typing a series of
numbers sent to you by text message.
above the pane, then delete the existing
text and instead type c:\Users\nik\
2 Google Drive and
OneDrive
Read through the list of processes FTP Downloads\ 4 . Replace nik with your So far, you’ve created local backups (ie,
Rush needs access to and, if you’re happy, user name. If you don’t know what this on your PC) of the files stored in your
click the box beside ‘Select all’, followed is, just type c:\Users\ and press Enter, Google Drive account, but you can also
by Continue. Then, when the request then double-click what looks like your copy between cloud services to create
page is replaced by a ‘Thank you’ screen, user name, followed by Downloads. a second online backup of each. We’ll
close your browser and return to FTP To download a file from Google Drive, show you how this works by logging into
Rush. The contents of your Google Drive navigate to it in the top-left pane and a Microsoft OneDrive account while still
will appear in the top-left panel. double-click it. A local copy will be connected to Google Drive.
At first, it will only show My Drive, created in whichever folder is open in Click the ‘Switch to server mode’ icon
‘Shared drive’ and ‘Shared with me’. the top-right pane. Alternatively, click ( 1 in our screenshot below) above the
Double-click My Drive to view the and drag a file from the Google Drive pane showing your local files, then select
more familiar directory structure you’ll pane to your desktop, or anywhere else Microsoft OneDrive in the Protocol menu
recognise from using Google Drive on your PC. at the top of the FTP Rush window 2 .
through your browser. Even though your original files are Click the Connect icon to the right of the

3 3
1
1

2
4

Click the Protocol menu and select an online-storage service, such as Switch to server mode and you can drag files between Google Drive
Google Drive and OneDrive

36 13 – 26 March 2024 • Issue 679

 Back up files to multiple online services

4
1

3 2

4 1

2 3

Use FTP Rush’s Site Manager to log into multiple online accounts Use the File Filter to colour specific files – making them easier to spot

window and, again, you’ll be taken to a Now that you’re logged into two cloud panel 4 . When you’ve finished defining
web page explaining what FTP Rush accounts from the same provider, you can your filters, click OK, then close the Site
wants to do to your OneDrive account. drag files between them, just as you did Manager.
If you’re happy with the request, grant when copying between rival services.
permission, and the contents of your Keep tabs on
OneDrive account will appear in the Add colours to 5 common folders
top-right pane, just as your Google Drive
files did in the left pane.
4 specific file types
You can leave the Site Manager
It makes sense to bookmark
folders that you need to visit frequently
Now, if you want to copy a file from now and start using your new connection so you don’t need to keep clicking
OneDrive to Google Drive, navigate to the by clicking OK. But before you do, you through a series of directories to find
folder containing the file in the top-right can highlight your most commonly them. Navigate to the folder you want
pane, and the folder on Google Drive used file types so they’re easy to find to tag in whichever pane is currently
where you want to save it in the top-left in future. Click the File Filter tab ( 1 in showing the service that hosts it, then
pane 3 , then drag the file from one to our screenshot above right), then type click the Bookmark button, followed by
the other. Doing the same in reverse lets whichever pattern matches the files you ‘Add current path to bookmark’ ( 1 in
you just as easily copy a file from Google want to work with. our screenshot below left).
Drive to OneDrive. We’re using the pattern *.docx to FTP Rush will suggest using the
match all Microsoft Word documents 2 . directory’s existing name for labelling the
Add more online You could also create a filter for *.doc to bookmark, but you can change this if you
3 accounts
You’re not restricted to working
identify older Word documents, and
*.xlsx and *.xls for Excel.
want. For example, although our
screenshot shows ‘Computer Active’ 2 ,
with just one Google Drive and one Use the Color menu 3 to select the which is logical, it could just as easily
OneDrive account. You can have several colour to highlight the files that match. have been ‘documents’ if there was a
of each – this is a good idea if you need to We’ve coloured our Word documents red, documents folder inside the Computer
access a mixture of personal, work and making them easy to spot in the top-right Active directory.
club-based online accounts. You can add It’s entirely conceivable that
further accounts to FTP Rush using its we might also have a documents
Site Manager. folder for other magazines we
Open this by clicking the book icon on 1 write for. In that case, we’d want
the toolbar ( 1 in our screenshot above), to tailor the bookmark name so
then the plus sign (‘+’) at the bottom it distinguished between the two
of the Site List 2 . Choose the cloud ‘documents’ folders and didn’t
service you want to use in the Protocol leave us guessing. Click OK
dropdown menu 3 on the General tab when you’ve finished editing the
to the right of the site list, then click bookmark name.
Connect 4 . 2 Whenever you want to
Your browser will load the login screen return to the folder you’ve just
for the online service you chose. Select bookmarked, simply click the
the account you want to use, log in if Bookmark button again and it
necessary, and confirm that you’re happy Bookmarking folders makes it easy to return to those will appear at the bottom of the
to grant access to FTP Rush. you use often pop-up menu.

Next issue: Access what’s stored on old hard drives Issue 679 • 13 – 26 March 2024 37
 Workshop
Find out if your USB stick is fake
What you need: ValiDrive; CrystalDiskMark
Time required: 10 minutes

H ave you recently bought a

large-capacity (1TB or more)
USB stick or drive for a price
amounts of storage – Windows
certainly thinks so should you
use it to check – but scratch
that seemed too good to a little deeper and you may
be true? Sadly, it may well turn find the actual capacity is
out to be. There’s a growing significantly smaller. Here, we
trend in fake sticks being sold explain how to test your stick
on Amazon and eBay. These using two free programs to
devices claim to have massive make sure it’s genuine.

STEP The first program we’ll be using is

1 ValiDrive, a tool that scans USB

sticks and drives to verify their
actual capacity. It does this by attempting
to write data to all parts of the stick, then
checks to see if the data has actually been
written to disk. Visit ValiDrive’s website at
www.snipca.com/49482 to read a
summary of what it does, then click the 1
green ‘Download now’ button 1 to save
the program to your computer.

2
1

1
2

STEP Once saved, double-click the ‘validrive.exe’ file to

2 launch ValiDrive (it’s a portable program, so no

installation is required). Click Yes when prompted by STEP After removing it, ValiDrive will display the following
the User Account Control box to grant it administrative access.
Next, click the ‘Check USB Drive’ button 1 and a window will
3 message: ‘A device removal was just observed. Please
connect the device you wish to validate’. Plug it in and
open informing you a USB scan is taking place. This will then the program will detect it and display its stated size 1 . Click
be replaced by a message asking you to plug in the stick/drive ‘Validate THIS drive’ 2 and the program will switch to its main
you want to scan 2 . If you’ve already plugged it in, you’ll need display and count down to the full scan. Once the scan starts, it
to remove it – use the eject tool in the taskbar notification will start to write data to different parts of your drive then read
area (click the small down arrow to open this) then select it. This should be a fairly quick process, but if it takes a while it
Eject USB Disk 3 . may indicate a problem with the stick/drive.

38 13 – 26 March 2024 • Issue 679

 1 3

2
1
3 2

STEP Within the window that appears you should now STEP If it’s able to complete a scan, ValiDrive will display a

4 see green dots appear all over the stick/drive 1 as

individual scans are completed. However, if its capacity
5 summary of its findings 1 . Unless everything is listed
in green and the ‘drive map’ 2 is completely green, the
is not what it claims, you’ll see lots of red dots, with just a few drive isn’t fit for use. If the drive map shows red squares, it may
green dots appearing along the first row of the scan 2 . This is be incorrectly reporting its capacity, or so badly made that it
typical with sticks that provide just 32GB or 64GB of actual doesn’t read or write data properly. Either way, you should
storage while claiming to provide 1TB or more. Other cheap 1TB contact the vendor to arrange a refund (don’t bother with an
devices may have the full capacity, but are put together from exchange – you’ll simply get another fake device) or raise a
poor-quality components. These will throw up a combination complaint through the service you bought it from (such as
of blue and/or yellow dots to indicate read and write errors Amazon or eBay). ValiDrive may freeze during the scan if the
respectively 3 . Scans on these low-quality sticks/drives will stick/drive is defective – in this instance, right-click your
take much longer to complete. taskbar and choose Task Manager, then select ValiDrive under
Apps 3 and click ‘End task’ 4 to force it to close.

STEP Another tell-tale sign of a fake device is poor

6 performance. Many so-called USB 3.0 sticks

are in fact USB 2.0 models, which means 2
you’re getting transfer speeds that are just 10 per cent
of those from a genuine USB 3.0 model. Test its speed
by using the free CrystalDiskMark benchmarking tool.
We recommend using the PortableApps version – go
to www.snipca.com/49397 and click the ‘Download
from PortableApps.com’ link 1 to save the
‘CrystalDiskMarkPortable_8.0.4c_Rev_3.paf.exe’ file 3
to your hard drive. Once done, double-click the file
and select a folder to install it in. Once that’s done, 1
tick ‘Run CrystalDiskMark Portable’ 2 in the window
that opens then click Finish 3 .

STEP Make sure your USB stick/drive is

1 7 plugged into a blue-coloured USB 3.0
or 3.1 port. Click the drive dropdown
menu 1 in the CrystalDiskMark window to
select your stick/drive, then click the All 2
3 button to start the test. Wait while a test file is
written to your drive – this can take some
time, but if it takes longer than five minutes it
probably means the your stick/drive is not
4 USB 3.0. Once the files are created, the tests
will be run and the results will be displayed.
Look for SEQ1M read results of around
2 125MB/s or better 3 on a genuine USB 3.0
drive. If results are significantly worse (just
7.34MB/s on our test drive 4 ) then the drive is
USB 2.0 or lower.

Next issue: Download BBC iPlayer shows to your computer Issue 679 • 13 – 26 March 2024 39
 Readers’ Tips
TIP OF THE FORTNIGHT

Export your system info as a text file

You left out one useful tip in your to open the file straight away as
otherwise comprehensive feature on a Notepad file 2 . Clicking ‘No’ 1
using Glow (Issue 677, page 62). Once simply saves the file on your
you’ve used it to show the details of computer. This contains all
your computer’s components, you can the information Glow has
2
export the information as a TXT file. uncovered, not just from the
First, download Glow (www.snipca. section of the program you
com/49138), then open it and click a currently have open.
section on the left to reveal system I’ve been using Glow since
information. Next, click Export last summer, and I save a file
Information ( 1 in our screenshot right) this way once a month to check
and decide whether to change the file everything is ticking over nicely.
name or leave it as random numbers. I’ve also asked a few relatives to diagnose any problems.
Now click Save then Yes if you want email me their files so I can try to Shaun Bowman

Shaun wins a copy of our 2023 Back Issue CD Buy it from us at www.snipca.com/48860

SOFTWARE have downloaded updated versions from to install the following dll files from
Download Quicken from US site time to time from its US website. It’s not my Quicken disc: mfc70.dll, msvcr70.dll
In Issue 676 (page 20), Charlie free, but the basic version – called and msvcp70.dll.
Gilkeson said he was worried that Classic Starter (www.snipca.com/49312, Chris Hodges
Quicken 2000 wouldn’t work in pictured below left) – costs $3.99 a
Windows 11. You recommended GnuCash month (around £38 a year). LANDLINES
(www.gnucash.org) as an alternative, but The advantage of sticking with Quicken Plug BT phone into Hub router
I’ve been using Quicken since 2007 and is that it compiles all your past data, Re Chris Lodge’s case in Issue 677’s
enabling comparisons over Consumeractive (page 14) about his
many years. Charlie could try BT phone never working. I had a similar
downloading Quicken, although problem but solved it by plugging the
he might need to use a VPN phone into the back of my BT Hub router,
with an IP address in America not the converter that came with the
for his initial download. phone. Now I can use my old landline
Guy Barker phone, three old BT cordless phones and
the new BT cordless phone. Also, my wife
I’ve been running Quicken 2004 and I can use the new BT phone and the
on various versions of Windows, old BT phones – or the landline phone –
including 11. The only issue I’ve at the same time on different calls.
ever had is occasionally needing Alan Thomassen

Why I stopped using…

Microsoft Edge recommended many times. It has a clean
Am I the only one who’s seeing design and is perfect for my needs. It’s
in increase in false information also effective at blocking adverts, and has
and blatant scams on Edge? Today I a great VPN (pictured right). This costs
counted 11 items that use celebrity $9.99 a month (about £7.95), though you
photographs to advertise products the can try it free for seven days.
celebrities wouldn’t touch with a barge I don’t know that it will remain my
pole, including cryptocurrency, favourite browser, but it certainly doesn’t
investment plans and so on. push spam or discredited stories. To
compete with Brave and other browsers,
And what I use instead... Edge needs to crack down on scams and
I switched to the Brave browser news stories that have been debunked. Tell us why you stopped using a website, app
(https://brave.com), which you’ve Peter Deeley or program: [email protected]

40 13 – 26 March 2024 • Issue 679

 Handy hints and tips from your fellow readers
Email us your tips: [email protected]

Reader recommends…
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+
£519 from www.snipca.com/49320

In Issue 675 (page 25) you

reviewed the Samsung
Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra tablet, giving it
five stars, and named the standard entertained, whether we’re playing
SMART HOME Tab S9 as your recommended games or streaming videos.
Use Alexa routines to set alarms, alternative. I’m wondering why you With its Armor aluminium frame
lights and heating didn’t mention the Galaxy S9 FE Plus, it’s a very sturdy tablet, and Samsung’s
In Issue 676’s Cover Feature on which I got for Christmas. It’s less than iconic S Pen stylus is included. You
smart plugs, you said the half the price of the Ultra, but is still can add 1TB of storage via an SD card,
popularity of Amazon Echo and Google an excellent tablet. and it has a silky-smooth refresh rate
Home smart speakers dipped when people It has a super-bright, super-sized of up to 120Hz.
ran out of things to say to them. I don’t 12.4in screen that immerses you in the Colin Coleman
think you could ever run out of questions! action. The ‘FE’ stands for ‘fan edition’,
Want to recommend hardware or software
That said, I mostly use Amazon’s Alexa in but ‘family edition’ would be more to fellow readers?
conjunction with my smart plugs to appropriate because it keeps us all Email [email protected]
trigger devices around my home.
For example, I’ve set up an Alexa
routine that lets me activate an alarm by use the Attack Shark X3 mouse (£44
saying “Wake Up Monday”. This sets an from www.snipca.com/49330, pictured
alarm that goes off in eight hours’ time, below left) on two PCs. It supports both
switches off the bedside light attached to Bluetooth and 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, and has a
my Tapo smart plug and sets the central small button on its belly that switches
heating attached to my Nest thermostat to between them. I use one setting for my
turn on in seven and a half hours. Then work computer and the other for my
when my alarm goes off in the morning, home PC. No software or cables needed
it switches on the bedside light. Two – I simply flick the switch.
minutes later it plays a Spotify playlist for Rob Sedgwick
the day of the week. Ten minutes later it
switches off the central heating attached WEBSITE
to the Nest thermostat. All that’s left for Search rare and expensive items
me to do is get out of bed, because I Here’s a fascinating website I came
haven’t found a way to automate that yet! across: https://rarest.org. It tells LANDLINE
Routines are not always easy to set up, you the rarest and most expensive items Use Virgin’s Hub 3
but they’re really useful. Amazon gives across a range of categories, including phone converter
instructions on using them at www. everything from coins to Lego sets to In Issue 676 (page 26) you
snipca.com/49332. You do it on your video games. You can type a keyword to told Ray Brown that he should
phone using Amazon’s Alexa app search ( 1 in our screenshot below), or buy a TP-Link Ethernet switch in
(pictured above). browse the categories at the top 2 . order to connect his landline phone
Mike Brown Apparently the most expensive mouse is to his Virgin Hub 3 router. He won’t
made by a Ukrainian art studio and is need this, however, because the Hub 3
HARDWARE decorated with diamonds (see www. includes an IP-to-analogue phone
Switch between PCs using mice snipca.com/49333). It’s yours for a mere convertor, and provides a dedicated
In Issue 676’s ‘Easy When You $35,000 (about £27,810). socket for your traditional phone
Know How’ (page 74) Robert Irvine Charles Welbeck (known as a 4P4C or RJ11 socket).
uses Microsoft’s PowerToys to control two The adapter that Ray
PCs with one mouse. As an alternative, I refers to is a short cable
with an in-line BT 431A
socket at one end – into
2 which you plug the
traditional BT phone –
and at the other end an
RJ11 plug that goes into
the Hub 3’s telephone
1 socket (pictured above).
Peter Watts

Issue 679 • 13 – 26 March 2024 41

 Browser Tips
CHROME click ‘Manage what you sync’ and either screenshot below left). If not, click the
View tabs from other devices switch on the ‘Open tabs’ option or ‘Sync Customise Chrome button in the
on your New Tab page everything’. bottom-right corner, switch on the
One of the most useful features A new experiment in Chrome 122, ‘Show cards’ option and select ‘Tabs from
in Chrome, and the other major released in mid-February, improves this other devices’ 2 .
browsers, is the ability to sync open feature by letting you access tabs you Turn to page 74 to find out how to use
tabs between devices. This allows you to have open on other devices from the the new sync settings in DuckDuckGo’s
continue reading a page on your phone or browser’s New Tab page. The tab titles private browser.
tablet that you’ve just visited on your PC are listed on a ‘card’, so you can click
– and vice versa – without needing to through to the relevant pages. FIREFOX
search for it or enter its web address. To activate the experiment, type Tweak your address-bar
Provided ‘Open tabs’ is selected in your chrome://flags into the browser’s address settings more easily
Sync settings, you can view tabs from bar and press Enter to load the Firefox 123, which was released on
other devices in the Chrome desktop Experiments page. Find the entry NTP 20 February, makes a small but
browser by clicking the three-dot menu, Cross Device Tab Resumption Module, significant change to the browser’s
choosing History and selecting a device. select Enabled in its dropdown menu Address Bar settings. Previously, these
In the Chrome mobile app, tap the three- and relaunch Chrome. were located in the ‘Privacy & Security’
dot menu followed by ‘Recent tabs’. If When the browser reopens, your section of Firefox’s Settings, where
no devices are listed, select ‘Sync and New Tab page should now have a card they were easy to miss among a host
Google services’ in Chrome’s Settings, listing tabs from other devices ( 1 in our of other options.
They’ve now been moved to a more
logical – and easier to find – position
in the Search section of the browser’s
Settings. The Address Bar options (see
screenshot below) let you control which
web pages Firefox suggests when you
2 start typing a URL into the address bar.
Depending on the boxes you tick (or
untick), these can include pages from
your browsing history, bookmarks
and open tabs; shortcuts to your most
1

WORKSHOP Block cookie-consent pop-ups in Firefox

2
1
2
1 1
2

1 To unlock Firefox’s new setting for

automatically blocking cookie-consent
banners, type about:config into the
2 Click the ‘Search preference name’ box
at the top of the page and search for the
preference cookiebanners.ui.desktop.
3 Open the ‘Privacy & Security’ section 1
of Firefox’s Settings, and you’ll see a
new heading titled Cookie Banner Blocker.
browser’s address bar 1 and press Enter. enabled 1 . Either double-click the Tick the ‘Automatically refuse cookie
Click the ‘Accept the Risk and Continue’ preference or click its Toggle button 2 to banners’ option 2 to stop most websites
button 2 to access Advanced Preferences. change its value from ‘false’ to ‘true’. displaying cookie-consent pop-ups.

42 13 – 26 March 2024 • Issue 679

 Secret settings and the best extensions

BEST EXTENSION FOR… Analysing your browsing habits

Webtime Tracker You can see the screenshot .

Chromium percentage of the total You don’t need to create an account
www.snipca.com/49341 browsing time you spend for the extension and because all its
Firefox on specific sites, your information is generated within your
www.snipca.com/49342 daily averages for those browser it won’t compromise your privacy.
Ever wondered which domains (see screenshot)
websites you waste the most and the all-time number If you don’t like that, try…
time on every day, and exactly of hours, minutes and TimeYourWeb
how long you spend there? seconds. Chromium
Website Tracker reveals this Website Tracker will www.snipca.com/49343
information, and much more, stop tracking a site after TimeYourWeb presents details of your
by providing a colour-coded 30 seconds of inactivity browsing activities in several formats,
‘doughnut chart’ of all the (increase or decrease including a spreadsheet, graph and pie
domains you visit and the this as required), and lets chart. However, its interface is ugly and it
length of time you viewed them for. you save your browsing data by taking a uses a lot of memory.

visited sites; and suggestions from search it manually. Type edge//flags into the
engines. address bar, press Enter and find the
Additionally, the ‘Privacy & Security’ entry Microsoft Edge Screenshot, select
section has a useful new option for ‘Enabled’ in its dropdown menu and
automatically blocking cookie-consent restart Edge.
pop-ups on websites. However, this When the browser reopens, either
is currently a hidden preference that right-click a web page and choose
you need to enable manually. See our Screenshot or press Ctrl+Shift+S on your
Workshop below left to find out how. keyboard. The first time you do this,
you’ll be asked whether to enable the
EDGE shortcut when Edge is in the background
Capture and annotate – click either Enable or ‘Not now’.
screenshots of any area As before, the Screenshot feature will
Microsoft has improved the highlight the current page and provide
screenshot feature in Edge to let Capture Web Area and Capture Entire
you capture and edit screenshots of Page buttons. But you can also click
anything on your screen. Previously, the outside the browser to select any other
browser’s ‘Web capture’ option limited area of your screen. This will open a
you to taking screen grabs of a selected toolbar that lets you annotate screenshots
area of a web page or the whole thing. with shapes, arrows, scribbles and text, such as Calibre (www.snipca.com/49296
But Edge 122, released at the end of and use the Mosaic option ( 1 in our – see Best Free Software in Issue 678,
February, not only changes the name of screenshot below left) to blur sensitive page 19). Instabook saves pages in EPUB
the tool to Screenshot but greatly information. format and removes all adverts and other
expands its capabilities. Click the Done (tick) button 2 to clutter, which makes articles easier to
As is common with new browser copy the annotated screenshot to your read by letting you focus on the text.
features, you currently need to enable clipboard or the Save (down-arrow) Cleverly, the extension uses the main
button to download it to image from the web page as a ‘cover’
your PC. for your ebook, which you can preview
before downloading.
CHROMIUM Simply click Instabook’s toolbar
Convert any web page button to convert the current page into
1 into an ebook EPUB format – you can also see how long
2 it will take to read. Click the Download
button (see screenshot above) to save the
A new extension called ebook to your PC.
Instabook lets you convert any Note that to transfer EPUB files to
web page into an ebook for a Kindle, you need to use Amazon’s
free. You can then read the file ‘Send to Kindle’ feature (www.snipca.
on your Kindle or other ebook com/49340) – you can’t copy them by
reader, or in ebook software connecting a USB cable.

Issue 679 • 13 – 26 March 2024 43

 Phone and Tablet Tips
ANDROID & iOS quotes using the chevron
Try WhatsApp’s new symbol > and inline code
text-formatting options (typewriter font) by must have sent you a direct
WhatsApp has added new enclosing text in straight message at least once before
options for formatting your quote marks 'like this'. and be following you on X.
messages, so you can make long blocks WhatsApp has You can control who is able to
of text easier to read. These complement helpfully created a table call you through the feature’s
the existing options for bold, italics and of its text-formatting privacy settings. Tap your
strikethrough, and are similarly easy to shortcuts (pictured profile picture, choose
miss unless you know what to type. below left), including ‘Settings and privacy’ then
The most useful addition is the ability *bold*, _italic_ and ‘Privacy and safety’ and select
to create bullet-pointed lists in your ~strikethrough~. ‘Direct messages’.
WhatsApp chats. Just enter a hyphen - Ideally we think it Here you can allow or
and press Space and it will turn into a should add a text- disallow audio and video calls
bullet point (see screenshot below) so formatting button to its keyboard, along from ‘People you follow’ (the default
you can start your list. Press Enter to with those for emojis, stickers and GIFs. setting), only verified users or everyone,
move on to the next point in the list, or else disable audio and video calling
or Delete to erase the bullet point and ANDROID & iOS altogether (see screenshot above left).
return to standard typing. Make and receive audio Another setting lets you enable ‘enhanced
Alternatively, to create a numbered list, and video calls in X call privacy’ to avoid revealing your
enter a number, followed by a full stop X, the social network formerly IP address during calls.
and a space, for example 1. Message. The known as Twitter, has added the
other new options let you insert block ability to make and receive audio and ANDROID
video calls to its mobile app. The feature Check your device is protected
was introduced last October for iOS users by Safe Browsing
with a Premium subscription, and in Google is rolling out a feature
January for paid-for Android users, and is called Safe Browsing, which
now available to everyone. alerts you to security threats such as
The call options are integrated with X’s links to dangerous and deceptive web
Direct Messages (DMs) function – press pages in certain Android apps. Safe
the envelope icon in the app to access Browsing is part of Google Play Services
your DMs, then tap the phone button in and will be added to your Android
the top-right of a conversation and phone or tablet automatically, and
choose ‘Audio call’ or ‘Video call’. You’ll switched on by default.
need to grant X permission to use your To check if it’s available yet on your
phone’s microphone and camera. device, open the Settings app and choose
To be able to call another user, they either Security or ‘Security & Privacy’

BEST NEW APPS What you should install this fortnight

Apple Sports Evernote Superlist

Free Free* Free*
iOS www.snipca.com/49449 Android www.snipca.com/49452 Android www.snipca.com/49456
Apple’s stylish new Sports app gives you iOS www.snipca.com/49453 iOS www.snipca.com/49455
easy access to the latest scores, fixtures Evernote has made a host of features that From the creators of the now defunct app
and statistics for your “favourite leagues were previously limited to its paid-for plans Wunderlist, Superlist offers a similarly
and teams’’, though available to all users simple way to compile, share and
it currently only for free. These include collaborate on to-do
covers the Premier exporting notes as lists, shopping lists,
League in the PDFs, converting playlists and more.
UK. Other leagues emails into notes Its friendly design
include the and vice versa, and lets you quickly add
Bundesliga, La scanning business tasks, attach notes
Liga and NBA cards into notes. You and photos, and set
basketball - can also now view up reminders, and
hopefully more a version history of it can be integrated
sports and teams saved notes via the with Gmail and
will be added soon. Evernote website. Google Calendar.

*Contains in-app purchases

44 13 – 26 March 2024 • Issue 679

 Brilliant things to do on your device

makes to alert you to new change anything, but

notifications. The traditional shouldn’t need to because it
alert sound was Tri-tone, but will still be set to use Tri-tone.
this was replaced with a softer Otherwise, open the Settings
noise called Rebound, which app and choose ‘Sounds &
many users found to be quieter Haptics’ then Default Alerts.
and more difficult to hear. In the Alert Tones section,
Although it was initially select the sound you want to
impossible to change the use for notifications, such as
default sound from Rebound, Cheers, Chord or Tri-tone
Apple has responded to (see screenshot left). To change
complaints by letting you the default noise for new
choose your own alert noise – provided messages, choose Text Tone on the ‘Sounds
you’ve updated your iPhone to iOS 17.2 If & Haptics’ screen. You can also customise
depending on the model. At the bottom your device is running an old (pre-iOS 17) the style of vibration by tapping Haptics
of this screen, you’ll see an Android Safe version of the operating system, you can’t then your preferred option.
Browsing option, if you have the new
feature. Tap this to confirm Safe Browsing
is active and set to use ‘live threat
BEST APPS FOR... Word-puzzle games
protection’ (see screenshot above).
Wordscapes Search
ANDROID Free*
View the weather forecast Android www.snipca.com/49468
in Google Maps iOS www.snipca.com/49469
Because Google owns Android, it Fans of word-search puzzles will love this app,
usually introduces new features in which offers more than 6,000, progressing
the Android versions of its apps before it in difficulty as you complete each level , plus
brings them to iOS. One exception is the daily challenges. The themed categories
ability to view the current weather for feature attractive backgrounds and soothing
locations in Google Maps, which has music, and the ads are infrequent – pay
been available on iPhones and iPads for £9.99 to remove them.
several years, but Best For Word-search puzzles
was curiously absent
on Android phones English Crosswords
and tablets. Free*
That oversight has Android www.snipca.com/49466
now been rectified, iOS www.snipca.com/49467
which means you This simple but addictive app offers more
should see a small than 450 crosswords, ranging from Easy
weather tile in the to Very Hard, as well as themed puzzles
top-left corner when on topics including animals, music and
you’re browsing technology. It isn’t stuffed with ads and
Google Maps on your you’re only prompted to pay to buy extra
Android device. This hints - which you can earn for free by
tells you the weather watching videos and completing puzzles.
conditions, temperature and air-quality Best For Simple crossword fun
index for the area you’re viewing. Tap this
tile to see the forecast for the rest of the Knotwords
day and further details such as the ‘feels Free*
like’ temperature (see screenshot above). Android www.snipca.com/49471
We’re not sure why it’s taken Google iOS www.snipca.com/49472
so long to add this feature to Maps for This ad-free game is like a cross between
Android, but we’re glad to have it now. Wordle and a crossword. Rather than solve
See our Cover Feature on page 50 for clues to deduce which words to enter, you
more ways to improve Google tools. guess them using the letters provided, and
make them interlock with other words in
iOS the grid. You can play one game for free
Change your iPhone’s every day, and any days you miss, or pay
notification sound £4.59 a year to unlock the full archive.
When Apple released iOS 17 last year, Best For More challenging puzzles
it changed the sound your iPhone
*Contains in-app purchases

Issue 679 • 13 – 26 March 2024 45

 Make Windows Better Expert tips for every version

WINDOWS 11 INSIDER
WINDOWS 11
Edit photos and screenshots
from your phone
Windows 11’s 22631.3227 build, Check whether you can install
available to Insiders, lets you edit
photos and screenshots you’ve
Windows 23H2 update
taken on your Android device. Open Microsoft is now installing information. It released the 23H2
Settings (press Windows key+I), click Windows 11’s 23H2 update version last September, but until now
‘Bluetooth & devices’ on the left, followed automatically on computers it has been optional. The update
by ‘Mobile devices’. Next, click the ‘Allow still running versions 21H2 and 22H2 prepares computers for Microsoft’s
this PC to access your mobile devices’ – see www.snipca.com/49428 for more forthcoming Moment 5 update.
slider so it turns on ( 1 in our screenshot If your computer runs 21H2
below). Windows 11 will download an or 22H2 you can manually
update to a program called Cross Device update to 23H2 rather than
Experience Host. 3 wait for Microsoft’s automatic
1 update. Open Settings (press
Windows key+I), then click
2 Windows Update ( 1 in our
screenshot) and make sure
‘Get the latest updates as soon
as they’re available’ is switched
3 on 2 . Now click ‘Check for
updates’ 3 and if 23H2
appears, click Download
1 and install it.

2 WINDOWS 10 & 11 typically have to go through the Start

Sync your iPhone or iPad menu. You can do this faster by clicking
When it’s installed, sign in with your with your PC a desktop shortcut.
Microsoft account. Next, in the ‘Manage As well as new Windows To create it, download the Switch User
mobile devices’ window, click ‘Add apps for accessing Apple Shortcut program (www.snipca.com/49437
device’ 2 and scan the QR code with TV and Apple Music (see – click Download Now in the box at the
your phone. This will send a six-digit Issue 678), the company has released its top. Now extract the files ‘Switch User’
code to your PC. Next, grab your Android new Devices tool to sync content from and ‘tsdiscon.exe’ from the ZIP file
device and install Microsoft’s ‘Link to your iPhone/iPad with your computer ( 1 in our screenshot below). If you’re
Windows’ app from the Google Play (these new apps are replacing iTunes). using Windows 10, copy ‘tsdiscon.exe’ to
Store (www.snipca.com/49431). Install Apple Devices by searching for it C:\Windows\System32 (you won’t need
Open the app then enter the code which on the Microsoft Store app or visiting to to this if you’re using Windows 11).
was sent to your PC. Once complete, tap www.snipca.com/49427. Click Open ( 1 Next, right-click ‘Switch User’, click
Done on your phone, then click Continue in our screenshot below left) then once Copy, then right-click your desktop and
on your PC. installed connect your iPhone/iPad 2 . click Paste so the program’s icon appears
Now, when you take a photo or 2 . When you double-click this for the
screenshot on your phone, a notification WINDOWS 10 & 11 first time, you’ll see an ‘Open File -
will appear in the bottom-right corner of Create a shortcut to switch user Security Warning’ box. Untick ‘Always
your PC. Click this and your photo or You can always switch ask before opening this file’ box 3 and
screenshot will open in Snipping Tool 3 , user on your PC without click Open. You’ll be taken to a screen
ready to be edited. signing out, but you’d where you can switch user accounts.

1
1
3 2
2

46 13 – 26 March 2024 • Issue 679

Make Office Better Top tips for the best office programs

MICROSOFT WORD

Use different styles in the same paragraph

You can set different styles in Word for different 3
elements of your document – such as the title or
body text. However, you can only use two different
styles within the same sentence or paragraph if you add the
Style Separator button to your Word toolbar. 4
To do so, click the Customize Quick Access Toolbar icon 5
( 1 in our screenshot), then ‘More Commands…’ at the bottom
1
of the menu. Now choose All Commands from the ‘Choose
commands from:’ dropdown menu 2 , then scroll down until
you see Style Separator. Select it, then click ‘Add >>’, and it’ll
move to the right-hand column 3 . Click OK. You’ll now see 2
the Style Separator icon in the Quick Access Toolbar 4 .
In our example, we wrote Main Title in the Title style 5 ,
then added sample text in the Normal style below that. We
placed our cursor after Main Title, then clicked the Style
Separator icon at the top. This moved the sample text up so it was next to Main Title rather than on a different paragraph.

ONLYOFFICE MICROSOFT POWERPOINT below left), then the Slide Size menu 2
Get suggestions for Change slide resolution to 16:10 followed by ‘Custom Slide Size…’. In
presenting your data By default the aspect ratio of the box that appears, click the ‘Slides
You can choose from several PowerPoint slides is 16:9, but sized for:’ dropdown menu and choose
options when creating charts in you may want to change it to ‘On-screen Show (16:10)’ 3 . Click OK
a spreadsheet, but it’s not always 16:10 because this is becoming more to confirm the change.
easy to know which would present your common on laptops, including our Because you are scaling to a new size,
data in the most appropriate way. current favourite the Acer Swift Go 14 PowerPoint will give you two options in
OnlyOffice 8.0, released in January, helps (see page 30). the next box. You can choose Maximize to
you by recommending the best charts First, click Design ( 1 in our screenshot increase the size of the elements on your
based on your data. slide, or Ensure Fit to make sure they all
In our example, we first created our 2 fit on to it.
table, then highlighted it ( 1 in our
screenshot below). We clicked Insert 2 , 1 LIBREOFFICE CALC
then Recommended Chart 3 . OnlyOffice Highlight the row
suggested our data would be best presented and column of a cell
as bar charts, line graphs or scatter 3 LibreOffice 24.2, released in
graphs 4 . We chose bar charts, clicked January, added a setting in Calc
OK, and it appeared in our spreadsheet 5 . that lets you highlight both the
row and column of an active cell. This
makes it easier to see at a glance.
To turn this on, click View ( 1 in our
3 screenshot below), then select Column/
2 Row Highlighting 2 so it appears ticked.
In our example, as soon as we clicked E9,
4 Calc highlighted both column E 3 and
row 9 4 in blue.
1 2
1

3
4

Issue 679 • 13 – 26 March 2024 47

 In The Club
Run a club or society? Here's how your tech can make it easier

Test your webcam and mic before

meetings move the ‘Input volume’ bar then click
‘Start test’ below, followed by ‘Stop test’.

I t’s common to hear the refrain “I can

hear you, can you hear me?” in group
video chats. If you’re trying to run club
Grant permission
Whichever video-calling software you
meetings online, you won’t want to waste use, it will need permission to access
valuable time trying to get everybody’s 1 your computer’s camera and
microphones and cameras working. 2 microphone. Open Settings again, then
Instead, you can send a message asking in Windows 10 click Privacy – or ‘Privacy
participants to check their video and & security’ in Windows 11.
audio feeds before the meeting starts. Scroll down to see ‘App permissions’
Here are some instructions that you (on the left in Windows 10; in the middle
and your members should follow. You can run a test to check if your microphone in Windows 11). Select ‘Camera’ and
is working properly make sure the top slider is switched on.
Check your webcam In Windows 10 this setting is labelled
There are two types of webcam: internal section and choose your preferred ‘Allow apps to access your camera’ ( 1 in
cameras that are built into a laptop microphone. In Windows 10 this will be our screenshot below). In Windows 11,
screen, for example, and external ones in the ‘Choose your input device’ menu. it’s called ‘Camera access’. Also make
that connect to a PC over a USB cable. In Windows 11, it’s in ‘Choose a device for sure the separate Camera app slider is on
To check that an internal webcam is speaking or recording’. The mic you 2 . Then scroll down and switch on any
working, type camera in Windows choose will become the default option. apps that need permission to use your
Search, then click Open. All being well, Next, in Windows 10, click ‘Device camera, such as Skype or Zoom.
you’ll see yourself on screen (pictured properties’, move the volume slider to a Next, go back to the ‘App permissions’
below). This is also a good way to check reasonable level, then click ‘Start test’ ( 1 menu and click Microphone, then repeat
that you look presentable. If you have an in our screenshot above). Speak for a bit, the steps above to give your apps access
external webcam, you’ll need to use its then click ‘Stop test’. You’ll see the result to your mic.
own software to check that it’s working. as a percentage of the total volume – you’re You should now be set up for your
looking for something over 50 per cent 2 . next video meeting. Bear in mind,
Adjust the volume if it’s less than that. If however, that your video-chat tool
you’re having problems, try clicking the has its own microphone and webcam
Troubleshoot button for a solution. settings, so make sure you’ve selected
In Windows 11, click the name of the the appropriate options inside the
microphone in the Sound page. Now program too.
Scroll down ‘App
permissions’ and
make sure these
sliders are on
1
Use the Camera app in Windows to ensure
that your webcam is working

Check your microphone

Now let’s test your microphone.
Most PCs have more than one mic, so
it’s worth checking that you have the
right one selected. There are minor
differences between Windows 10 and 11,
as we’ll explain.
First, in either version, open Settings
(press Windows key+I), then click System
2
followed by Sound. Look for the Input

48 13 – 26 March 2024 • Issue 679 Next issue: Use Excel to build a club leaderboard
What’s All the
Fuss About...
Uncooked rice Use it to dry your wet iPhone?
Pilau the other one!
What is it?
Rice that hasn’t been cooked. You don’t
have to be Jamie Oliver to know that.

True, but this is Computeractive,

not Cookingactive! Why is it in
the news?
Because Apple recently updated its advice
to warn customers against placing their
iPhones in bowls of rice.

Why would anyone

do that anyway?
To dry out their iPhone if it gets wet.
This has been a common method for
removing moisture from iPhones since
Apple released the first model in 2007. So why do people Italian competition regulator fined Apple
People choose rice because in the past it’s believe it is effective? €10m (£8.6m) because it said Apple’s
been used to keep camera equipment and Because it does work, just not for the claims apply only in laboratory conditions
films dry in tropical environments with reason they think. People usually turn off involving pure water, not in the real world
high humidity levels. their wet phone before placing it in rice where you encounter all kinds of liquid.
– and that’s what helps to dry it. Leaving
What’s the thinking behind it? their phone on, or charging it, may have So if not rice, what does Apple
That rice, like other grains, is hygroscopic led to permanent damage. Using rice is advise doing instead?
– meaning it absorbs and retains incidental. They may as well place their First, unplug any chargers and accessories
moisture. There’s just a slight problem phone in a bowl of corn flakes, pasta or from your iPhone, and don’t plug them
with this theory: it’s nonsense. Rice cheese-and-onion Hula Hoops. Indeed, in again until it’s completely dry. Next,
simply isn’t an effective desiccant. tests have shown that porridge oats, tap your device with the charging port
couscous and cat litter all absorb more facing down to allow water to trickle out.
An effective what? water from wet phones than rice. After that, leave your iPhone switched off
Desiccant: a substance that induces a in a dry area with some airflow. Wait at
state of dryness in the area where it’s But aren’t iPhones least 30 minutes, then try charging it.
placed. The most common examples are waterproof anyway? If it still doesn’t switch on, you’ll probably
silica gel packets in packaging for Well, Apple claims the latest models can see one of the two messages below left
electronic devices, as well as footwear, survive for up to 30 minutes in up to six – see also Apple’s site: www.snipca.
leather bags, medicine bottles and many metres of water, and withstand spills com/49444.
other products. But far from drying from drinks including coffee and wine. Any
phones, the starch in rice can actually water damage typically comes through What do they mean?
damage them. the charging port. However, in 2020 the Message 1 appears if liquid is detected
when you plug in a Lightning connector.
Water disaster! 1 2 …and this
Message 2 appears if liquid is detected
You’ll see this warning
warning if liquid if liquid is when you plug in a USB-C-to-USB-A
is detected detected cable. You should then disconnect the
when you plug when you cable immediately and leave your iPhone
in a Lightning plug in a
connector… USB-C-to- drying for up to a day, occasionally trying
USB-A cable to charge it. If your phone has dried out
but still isn’t charging, Apple advises
unplugging the cable from the adapter
and unplugging the adapter from the wall
(if you can) and try reconnecting. Should
that work, hug your iPhone tightly, say a
little prayer, and remember not to use it
as a cocktail stirrer again.

Issue 679 • 13 – 26 March 2024 49

 COVER FEATURE

MAKE

GREAT AGAIN
When you’re annoyed, disappointed or bored with
Google, there are always ways you can enhance
it. Robert Irvine reveals the best new tricks for
improving your favourite tools

D
espite its dubious privacy are slipping, at least in its search results.
WHAT YOU CAN DO policies and anti-competitive A year-long study by German researchers
business practices, the quality noticed “a trend toward simplified,
• Stop Chrome tabs using too much of Google’s products has rarely repetitive and potentially AI-generated
memory been in doubt. With their clean and friendly content”, which meant low-quality
• Remove annoying adverts from your designs, tools such as Chrome, Gmail, Maps, results were being pushed up its search
Gmail inbox Drive and Photos are easy – and free – to rankings (see www.snipca.com/49443).
• Improve the quality of Google’s use on any device, so it’s no wonder Thankfully, there are plenty of new
search results they’ve become so embedded in our lives. ways to restore Google to its former glory.
• Apply dark mode to Google Maps on But Google’s constant innovation has a In this feature, we reveal the hidden
your PC variable effect on the sites, software and settings you must tweak, the new features
• Hide your private photos and videos apps we use every day. Features are added you should try and the third-party tools
from Google and removed on a whim, some problems you can install, to improve your favourite
• Share files easily between your are fixed while others are ignored (or Google products and services. We haven’t
Android devices and PC created), and familiar options are included YouTube, because we covered it
• Scan paper documents directly to redesigned, renamed and relocated - for in depth in our ‘What you must change
Google Drive better or worse. on YouTube’ Cover Feature in Issue 675
Some experts believe Google’s standards (get it from www.snipca.com/49442).

50 13 – 26 March 2024 • Issue 679

 MAKE

GREAT AGAIN

IMPROVE GOOGLE CHROME

Restore Chrome’s classic Filebar
restores
download manager Chrome’s
The most controversial change Google downloads
made to Chrome in the last six months bar to the
was to relocate its download manager. bottom
of the
Previously, when you downloaded files browser
they were shown in a bar along the 1 window
bottom of the browser window, which let
you easily monitor and open your active
and recent downloads.
The download bar has now been
replaced with a ‘Downloads bubble’,
which appears on the toolbar in
Chrome’s top-right corner ( 1 in our
screenshot right) when you start
downloading a file. 2
Many Chrome users dislike the change
because it makes your downloads more
difficult to track. Frustratingly, Google Unlike the relocated download bar, this
has now blocked all the workarounds change can be reverted – at least until
2
that let you restore the download Google removes the fix in a future update
manager to its former position, and has to Chrome. Type chrome://flags into the
ignored the many complaints on its browser’s address bar and press Enter to
Chrome Help site. “Is Google trying to load the Experiments page. Find the entry
make Chrome unusable?” asked one of Chrome Refresh 2023 New Tab Button
dozens of similar threads on Reddit ( 1 in our screenshot right) and select 1
(www.snipca.com/49399). any option apart from Default in its
The best solution we’ve found is to dropdown menu – strangely, Enabled
install the extension Filebar (www. and Disabled do the same thing. Move Chrome’s ‘Search tabs’ button back to
snipca.com/49401). Although this doesn’t Click ‘Relaunch’ and, when Chrome the top-right corner of the browser
disable the Downloads bubble, it displays reopens, the ‘Search tabs’ button will
your downloads in a row along the now be back in the top-right corner of them hogging system resources. Go to
bottom of the browser, just like the the browser 2 . As before, you can either Settings, then Performance to switch
‘classic’ download manager. click the down-arrow icon to access the ‘Memory saver’ on or off.
The files are shown in pill-shaped search box and a list of your tabs, or press Unfortunately, as we reported in Issue
boxes 2 that include their name, size Ctrl+Shift+A on your keyboard. 656 (page 21), this memory-saving comes
and download status, and clicking them at a cost because the browser was often
opens your Downloads folder with the Improve Chrome’s releasing RAM from tabs it wrongly
relevant item selected. Click the ‘X’ at the ‘Memory saver’ feature identifies as idle. This causes YouTube
end of the row to clear all your downloads Chrome has often been criticised for its videos to restart and lengthy online forms
in one go, or the download button to excessive memory usage, which can to time out, and the only solution is to set
open Chrome’s Downloads page. cause your PC to slow down and even specific sites to ‘always stay active’.
Filebar isn’t perfect, because it doesn’t crash. So we were pleased when Google To stop this happening, go into
let you open files directly, but it should finally addressed the problem by adding a Chrome’s Experiments page (type
suffice until someone creates a better ‘Memory saver’ feature to Chrome. This chrome://flags in the address bar) and
alternative. Because it’s a new extension, frees up RAM from inactive tabs to stop enable the ‘Enable the multi-state option
Chrome may warn you that Filebar is for Memory Saver Mode’
‘not trusted by Enhanced Safe Browsing’, experiment. This adds two
but it’s safe to install. 1 options to ‘Memory saver’ – ‘Free
up memory based on usage’
Move the ‘Search tabs’ button (which deems tabs to be inactive
back to the right because you’re not using them)
A less annoying but equally pointless and ‘Free up memory based on
change was Google moving Chrome’s tab inactivity’ ( 1 in our screenshot
‘Search tabs’ button from the top-right left), which lets you specify how
corner of the browser to the top-left. This 2 long to wait before releasing RAM,
makes it less convenient to access when from five minutes to one day 2 .
you want to search the titles of open and Hopefully, Google will officially
recently closed tabs – especially if you’re Get more control over Chrome’s ‘Memory saver’ using a implement these settings in a
right-handed. hidden experiment future version of Chrome.

Issue 679 • 13 – 26 March 2024 51

 IMPROVE GMAIL
Apply a cleaner design to Gmail Minimalist
In February, Google removed the option Gmail simplifies
and speeds
to use Gmail in Basic HTML View (www. up Gmail’s
snipca.com/49410). This minimalist interface by
version of the webmail service lacks removing
features available in Gmail’s Standard clutter
view, but it was faster to load and easier
to read, thanks to clearer buttons and
message titles, and a less cluttered
design.
At the time of writing, you can still access
Gmail’s Basic HTML View by visiting
www.snipca.com/49408 and clicking
‘Not now’ – you may be prompted to
complete a security check to verify
your account. However, it’s unlikely shortcuts to Google Chat and Google (see screenshot below left). Click ‘Done’
Google will let you do this for much Meet in Gmail’s left-hand sidebar (if you and reload the page.
longer, and you can’t set the classic do use the latter, see the box below). To Google also includes Chat and Meet
view as your default. remove these tools – and the sidebar itself tabs in the bottom navigation bar of the
One workaround is to install the – click the Settings cog in Gmail’s Gmail mobile app. To hide these options,
Chrome extension Minimalist Gmail top-right corner, choose Customise below tap the three-line menu button in the
(www.snipca.com/49413). Although this ‘Chat and Meet’ and untick both options top-left corner of the app and choose
doesn’t replicate Basic HTML View Settings followed by your Gmail account.
exactly, it similarly streamlines your Swipe down to the General section and
inbox to remove all unnecessary tools untick ‘Chat – Show the Chat tab’. Swipe
and distractions, letting you find and read down again to the Meet section and untick
messages faster. There are no tick boxes ‘Show the Meet tab for video calling’. This
to select emails, but right-clicking them will also hide Gmail’s navigation bar to
allows you to reply, forward and delete give you more screen space.
(see screenshot above right), among
other essential options. Remove ads from your
If you use Firefox, you can permanently Gmail inbox
switch to Gmail’s Basic HTML View Last year, Google started showing adverts
by installing the add-on GHtmlMail in-between the messages in Gmail
(www.snipca.com/49415). inboxes, as well as in the traditional
position at the top of the page (see www.
Hide unwanted features in Gmail snipca.com/49416). These new ads are
Unless you work in an office or remotely Remove the Chat and Meet buttons from limited to the Promotions and Social
from home, you probably don’t use the Gmail and hide the sidebar too tabs, rather than the Primary section
of your Inbox, but they’re still invasive
and annoying.
Use Google Meet more easily on your phone To disable them on the Gmail website
and in the mobile app, go to the General
Google has updated its Meet section of Settings, scroll down to ‘Smart
app for Android and iOS, as well features and personalisation’ and switch
as the Meet feature in Gmail, to the option off. Note that this will also
make it easier to participate in meetings disable Smart Compose and Smart Reply.
from your phone, when you don’t have Alternatively, you can lose the
access to a laptop. A new ‘Companion Promotions and Social tabs – and the ads
mode’ (www.snipca.com/49417) lets you that appear in them – by merging all your
use features previously only available in messages into one Inbox. In the Inbox
Meet’s desktop version. section of Gmail’s Settings, untick the
These include sharing emoji reactions, boxes next to Promotions and Social and
raising your hand to indicate you’d like to click Save Changes. To remove these tabs
speak, turning on captions, exchanging from the mobile app, select ‘Inbox
messages with other meeting participants categories’ in Settings.
and zooming into shared content. To block other adverts in Gmail,
‘Companion mode’ is available to all waiting room before you join a meeting including those at the top of the page,
Meet users – you can select it in the (see screenshot). you’ll need to use an ad blocker such as
uBlock Origin (www.snipca.com/49379).

52 13 – 26 March 2024 • Issue 679

 MAKE

GREAT AGAIN

IMPROVE GOOGLE SEARCH

Remove AI-generated Remove
AI-generated
search results pages from
The advent of AI tools such as ChatGPT Google search
has noticeably decreased the quality of 1 results using
uBlacklist
Google’s search results. Unscrupulous
websites use AI to churn out articles that
scrape content from reputable sources
and draw traffic – and advertising
revenue – away from them. By targeting
popular search terms and employing SEO
tricks, these sites are able to fool Google’s
algorithms and get their pages ranked
highly in its results. 2
Google is also testing its own ‘generative
AI’ technology with an experiment called
SGE (Search Generative Experience, Hide sponsored links and
www.snipca.com/49353). This places adverts in results Follow your
answers to your search queries at the top
of the results page, to save you clicking
Google has always shown adverts in its
search results, but in the last few years
interests
through to other sites, but even Google ‘sponsored’ links (see Before screenshot in Google News
admits that “info quality may vary”. below) have become more common and Google News has added a new
SGE isn’t available yet in the UK, but numerous. Last August, some users Following tab to its
AI spam is a growing problem on most reported seeing five sponsored results at iOS app (www.snipca.
search engines. Google uses a system the top of the page, which is one more com/49418), which
called SpamBrain to determine if AI than Google sets as its limit. lets you follow topics
is being used to manipulate search These ads aren’t just annoying – they’re of interest, local news
rankings – “which is against our spam often often misleading too, and can even for your location and
policies” – but otherwise treats be dangerous because companies can pay specific sources. The
automatically generated articles in the for their dubious products and services to feature was already
same way as those written by humans, be given sponsored slots. Particularly available on the Google
stating that they’re “just content” concerning are fake adverts for popular News website and in its
(www.snipca.com/49359). software – a problem we’ve frequently Android app (www.snipca.com/49419),
Sadly, Google’s attitude makes it highlighted in our ‘Protect Your Tech’ and and helps to improve the relevance and
difficult to avoid the many AI pages that ‘Named & Shamed’ sections. Clicking these quality of stories you see every day.
bypass SpamBrain’s defences. Your best links may direct you to a phishing site or It differs from the ‘For you’ tab, which
option is to use the extension uBlacklist install a malicious script in your browser, shows content suggested by Google.
for Chromium browsers (www.snipca. in an attempt to steal your money and data. Search for a topic, location or source,
com/49361) and Firefox (www.snipca. The best way to hide these sponsored then click or tap the Follow button next
com/49362) to block specific sites that links is to use a reliable ad blocker such as to it (see screenshot) to view related
contain poor-quality content. Simply uBlock Origin. Not only will this protect headlines on the Following tab.
click the ‘Block this site’ link next to the you from scams, but it will also improve
URL of an unwanted search result ( 1 in Google’s search results by prioritising
our screenshot above right) to exclude all relevant pages over those that have paid browsers (www.snipca.com/49382) and
pages from that domain from future results. to be included. However, now that many Firefox (www.snipca.com/49383) removes
Select ‘Details’ in the confirmation box sites insist you disable your ad blocker all ads from Google search results,
that opens and click Block 2 . to access their content, you may prefer a without being detected and blocked by
Go into uBlacklist’s Options to view all lighter solution. other sites. Click its toolbar button and
the sites you’ve blocked, add further An extension called ‘Google Search Ad select Remove under Ad Settings (see
domains to exclude and remove entries if Remover And Customizer’ for Chromium After screenshot below) to hide sponsored
necessary. You can also choose to skip the
confirmation box and to subscribe to
BEFORE AFTER
filter lists that block pages automatically.
For example, to reduce the number of
AI-generated images in Google Images
results, install the Huge AI Blocklist filter
from www.snipca.com/49378. This
excludes more than 700 sites known to
contain AI pictures (though there are
now thousands), and can also be added to
uBlock Origin (www.snipca.com/49379). Remove sponsored links from Google’s results using ‘Google Search Ad Remover And Customizer’

Issue 679 • 13 – 26 March 2024 53

 links in your results – you may need to Restore the
refresh the page. useful option to
view archived
Because Google also displays ads in versions of
widgets – especially when you search for Google search
tech products - tick the options to remove results
the Side Bar Info and ‘People also search
for’ widgets too (plus images in results, if
1
you find them distracting).
Alternatively, you can make sponsored 2
links more obvious to avoid clicking them
accidentally. Choose either Stand Out,
which adds a big green Ad label to ads,
or Really Stand Out, which highlights
them with a pink background.

View archived versions But the decision has proved controversial the URL of the page.
of web pages among researchers who used cached pages Google said it eventually hopes to add
Google recently removed the ‘Cached’ to view past incarnations of sites. One user links from the Internet Archive’s Wayback
option from its search results, which on X (previously Twitter) called it “the Machine to results, if the non-profit
allowed you to see archived versions of most regressive thing Google has ever organisation agrees. In the meantime,
web pages. This was useful for accessing done. Possibly one of the most evil.” you can use the Wayback Machine‘s
content that had since been deleted or You can restore the ability to view extension for Chromium browsers (www.
changed, as well as any sites that had archived pages by installing the extension snipca.com/49391) and Firefox (www.
gone offline. Google said it ‘retired’ the Remote Cached Pages (www.snipca. snipca.com/49392) to view archived copies
option because “it was meant for helping com/49179). Just right-click a Google of pages. Right-click a search result and
people access pages when you often search result and choose Remote Cached choose Wayback Machine ( 1 in our
couldn’t depend on a page loading”. Pages then ‘Open Cached Page from screenshot above), then either Newest
It says these days, things have “greatly Google in New Tab’. Alternatively, type Version, Oldest Version or All Versions 2 ,
improved” (see www.snipca.com/49388). cache: in your address bar followed by depending on how far you want to go back.

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JUST SO YOU KNOW…
This offer can be used by one person only, and expires at midnight
on 26 March, 2024. It’s a lifetime licence for one computer.

54 00 – 00 Month 2023 • Issue xxx

 MAKE

GREAT AGAIN

IMPROVE GOOGLE MAPS

Pinpoint your location Apply dark mode to
more precisely Google Maps when
you’re viewing maps
Last year it was reported that Google at night on your PC
Maps was failing to accurately identify
users’ locations (www.snipca.
com/49394). Although Google fixed the to find your current
bug, some people are still finding that position and press the blue
Maps fails to precisely pinpoint their dot that represents you on
whereabouts, citing ‘low accuracy’. the map. If your location
This can affect the reliability of its accuracy is low, Google
information and even show you the Maps will prompt you to
wrong street in Street View. calibrate, but if it doesn’t
To solve this problem, try ‘calibrating’ tap the Calibrate option between ‘Share you’re navigating maps at night. But to
Google Maps using the compass in your location’ and ‘Save parking’. As apply dark mode to the Google Maps
Android phone. Tap the Location button instructed, tilt and move your device in a website, you’ll need to install an
figure-of-eight motion (see screenshot extension – we recommend Dark Reader
below left). Try this several times until (www.snipca.com/49420).
the accuracy improves, then tap Done. Available for all browsers, this add-on
On an iPhone, go to Settings, then automatically applies a dark theme to
‘Privacy & Security’ and tap Location every site you visit, but you can set it to
Services. Select ‘System Services’ and only work on Google Maps by clicking its
switch on Compass Calibration. ‘Site list’ tab and typing google.co.uk/
maps in its ‘Invert listed only’ box (see
View Google Maps in screenshot above) – ‘google.com/maps’ is
dark mode on your PC already suggested. Dark Reader’s subtle
Back in 2021, Google added a much- use of colour keeps roads, amenities and
requested dark mode to the Maps app for other map features clearly visible, and
Calibrate Google Maps using your phone’s Android and iOS, both to conserve you can fine-tune its brightness and
compass to improve its accuracy battery life and reduce eye strain when contrast on the Filter tab.

IMPROVE GOOGLE PHOTOS & LENS

Hide your private To set up Locked Folder in the Photos Translate foreign text
photos and videos app, tap the Library tab and choose using Google Lens
Google Photos has a useful privacy feature Utilities, then Locked Folder. Press the The Google Lens feature in the Google
called Locked Folder, which hides your ‘Set up Locked Folder’ button and use Photos app has lots of uses, from
private photos and videos from anyone your screen-lock method to protect the identifying mystery objects to extracting
peeking at your library and from Google folder, so that only you can open it. Tap text from screenshots, but one of its
itself – so it can’t include them in the ‘Move items’ button, select the photos lesser-known tricks is the ability to
Memories, Albums or your photo grid. and videos you want to hide, then tap translate foreign languages. Take a picture
Last August, Locked Folder was added Move – you can also swipe up on an item of an item containing foreign text – such
to the Google Photos website and iOS and choose ‘Move to Locked Folder’ (see as a street sign, restaurant menu or
app, two years after its Android debut, but screenshot below left). product manual – then press the Lens
many people still don’t know about it. On the Photos website, click Locked button and select Translate. Google Lens
Folder in the left-hand menu and sign will automatically detect the language
into your Google account to start adding and provide a translation. Tap ‘Listen’ to
items. hear the English version read aloud.
The Lens feature works even better in
Use the
Lens option the Google Translate app, because you
in Google can translate text without taking a photo
Translate first. Press the Camera button in the
to translate app and tap ‘Open camera’ to launch
text in real
time Google Lens. Next, tap the language
button on the left and choose ‘Detect
language’ (see screenshot left) then
point your camera at the object. The text
shown in your viewfinder will then
Hide private pictures from prying eyes by instantly transform to show the
moving them to your Locked Folder translated English version.

Issue 679 • 13 – 26 March 2024 55

 IMPROVE ANDROID & GOOGLE PLAY
Free up space by archiving apps
You probably have several apps on your
Android phone or tablet that you haven’t
used for a while, but can’t bring yourself
to uninstall in case you need them in
future. This can cause a dilemma when
you try to install a new app from the
Google Play Store and find you don’t
have enough room on your device.
To solve this problem, last year Google
introduced an ‘auto-archive’ feature,
which frees up storage (by up to 60 per
cent) from rarely used apps without fully
uninstalling them. Archived apps remain
in your ‘app drawer’ and on your home
screen, but they’re marked with a cloud
icon, which you can tap to re-download
the app. All your personal data is saved,
so you won’t need to register for a new Automatically archive your unused apps to
account or reconfigure your settings. make space for new ones
To activate the auto-archive option,
open the Play Store app, tap your profile Quick Share, for transferring files
icon and select Settings. Open the General between its Galaxy devices and laptops.
settings and switch on ‘Automatically The two features have now been Quick Share makes it easy to share files
archive apps’ (see screenshot above right). merged into a single service called between your Android devices
When your device starts running low on Quick Share, which began rolling out to
storage, Google Play will detect which Android phones and tablets in February app and tap ‘Connection devices’
apps you don’t use very often and archive – the Windows app has been renamed followed by ‘Connection preferences’.
them, so you can install new ones. accordingly (www.snipca.com/49438). Select ‘Quick Share’, tap ‘Who can
Quick Share works in the same way as share with you’ and switch on ‘Visible to
Share files between devices Nearby Share, but is even simpler to use. nearby devices’ (see screenshot above).
more easily Open a photo, document or other file You can choose to only allow your
Android has long offered a feature on your Android phone or tablet, and own devices to share files, or open
called Nearby Share, which lets you share tap the Share or ‘Send file’ option. Press sharing up to people in your contacts
files with other Android devices over the Quick Share button to view nearby or everyone (meaning, anyone nearby –
Bluetooth. Last year, Google introduced devices with Quick Share enabled. not advisable).
the ability to also share items with Select a device and Quick Share will
Windows PCs, using its Nearby Share app transfer the file. Disable notifications
– see our Workshop in Issue 664 (page To allow other devices to share files in the Play Store app
38). Samsung has a similar feature called with your current one, open the Settings The Google Play Store app is now
crammed with sponsored suggestions
(ads in other words), which can be
Access Keep notes from your home screen depersonalised but not removed. Tap
the three-dot button next to ‘Suggested
Google’s excellent (https://keep.google.com), for you’, tap ‘Customise more of the
free note-taking app not the apps for Android ads you see’, then tap ‘Personalised ads’
Keep has received (www.snipca.com/49439) and choose ‘Turn off’.
several useful updates in and iOS (www.snipca. Equally annoying are the ‘Notifications
the last year, after being com/49440). and offers’ that appear below the bell
neglected for a while. On Android, you can now icon in the top-right corner of the app.
For example, you can access Keep directly from Because these show a number on the
now bold up, italicise and your home screen using a bell, they give the impression of being
underline text in your notes widget. Long-press your important, but they’re usually just ads
by tapping the underlined screen, select Widgets and for apps and games.
‘A’ button in the toolbar. It’s also now choose one of the ‘Keep notes’ designs. To disable these notifications,
possible to view version histories of your QuickCapture lets you quickly create long-press the Play Store app on your
notes, if you want to see changes you’ve notes; ‘Note collection’ (pictured) gives you home screen and select ‘App info’ then
made over time - though this option is one-tap access to saved notes; and ‘Single Notifications. Switch off either the option
only available through the Keep website note’ adds a specific note to your screen. ‘Payments, deals and notifications’ or ‘All
‘Alerts’ notifications’.

56 13 – 26 March 2024 • Issue 679

 MAKE

GREAT AGAIN

IMPROVE GOOGLE DRIVE & DOCS

Scan documents directly
to Google Drive Schedule appointments in Google Calendar
Rather than take a photo of a physical
document, crop it in an image editor Arranging a two hours or a custom
then upload it to Google Drive, you can meeting can time, then select which
now scan and edit items directly in the involve a lot hours of the day you’re
storage service’s mobile app. of back and forth until available to meet (see
This option was added to the iOS you find a time and screenshot). Click
version of Drive (www.snipca. date all parties are ‘Next’ to choose how
com/49436) at the end of 2023, and free. A new feature and where to meet,
improved in the Android version. It’s in Google Calendar such as via video
handy for digitising letters, receipts, makes things much call or in person, and
tickets and other documents you want to easier by letting you create an (optionally) set up an email or calendar
store and share online. ‘appointment schedule’ that shows when reminder. Finally, click Save and share
To use the feature, open the Google you’re available, then share it with other your appointment schedule with
Drive app on your phone or tablet and tap people so they can pick a suitable time to the relevant people.
the camera icon. Frame the item you meet you. You can change a schedule by selecting
want to capture within your viewfinder Click the Create button in the top-left an appointment in Calendar and clicking
and press the shutter button to scan it. corner of Calendar and choose ‘Appointment the Edit or Delete icons in its top-right
Adjust the corners, crop and rotate the schedule’. Specify the duration of the corner. See www.snipca.com/49433 for
image as required, then tap Apply. slots you’re offering, from 15 minutes to more about appointment schedules.
On the Preview screen, use the Filter
option to enhance the colour and contrast
of the scan, and the Clean tool (see Send unwanted files
screenshot below) to remove stains, to your Spam folder
fingerprints and other blemishes. Press Google Drive makes it easy to share files
‘Done’ to convert the image to a PDF, then from Docs, Sheets and Slides with other
Save to upload it to Drive. users, but this also means that anyone
1
The Android app now lets you add a can share files with you. Spammers have
widget to your home screen that launches exploited this fact by adding unsolicited
the scanner with a single tap. Long-press items to Drive accounts that contain
your screen, select Widgets and drag the malicious or offensive content.
‘Drive scan’ widget to the desired position. To combat this problem, last year
Choose the Drive folder you want to upload Google added a Spam folder to Drive,
scans to, then tap Select. though you’d be forgiven for not noticing
it yet. When Google “strongly suspects” a
Scan and clean
up documents shared file harbours unwanted content, it
directly from will send the item to this folder, where it
the Google
2
will remain for 30 days before being
Drive app deleted (see www.snipca.com/49429).
You can also manually move items
from Drive, Docs, Sheets and Slides to Google Drive’s new Spam feature lets you
the folder. Simply drag a file to the block and report unwanted files
Spam label in the left-hand sidebar and
confirm what you’re reporting to Google sharing further items with you, then
– such as ‘Spam or fraud’ ( 1 in our click Report. If you change your mind,
screenshot above right) or ‘Disturbing or you can remove the file from the Spam
inappropriate content’. Ensure the Block folder by right-clicking it and choosing
option is ticked 2 , to stop the spammer ‘Not spam’.

NEXT ISSUE On sale Wednesday 27 March

ON SALE
Weds
27
Mar
Best new FREE apps 
PLUS
• Switch to mobile broadband

you’ll never stop using Fast speeds for less!


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Install them NOW on your phone and tablet It could kill your device

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Issue 679 • 13 – 26 March 2024 57

 DITCH YOUR
RING
DOORBELL
Angry Ring customers have condemned its
huge price hike as unfair and disgraceful.
Daniel Booth explains how you can ditch your
subscription, and what you should use instead

S
omebody should tell Ring that Ring hasn’t even tried to justify the time-stamped and will be downloaded as
inflation has plummeted over increase. It simply announced the ZIP files. You can open these as MP4 files
the past 12 months. The video “change” (not even calling it an increase) to watch individually.
doorbell and security camera without explaining why it was needed: To download videos from the Ring app,
manufacturer, owned by Amazon, www.snipca.com/49474. sign into your account, then tap the
recently clobbered doorbell customers menu (three horizontal lines), followed
with massive price rises. On 11 March Download your Ring videos by History. Now scroll to the video you
it increased the Protect Basic subscription Thankfully, Ring doesn’t make it difficult want to download, then tap More (three
from £34.99 to £49.99 per device to cancel your subscription and get a horizontal dots), followed by the Share
(annual payment), and from £3.49 to refund for unused days. Just follow the arrow. Finally, click the Download arrow
£4.99 (monthly). instructions in the box on the opposite and a pop-up screen will appear. Once
That’s an outrageous rise of 43 per cent page. But if you do cancel, Ring will your video has downloaded, it’ll be saved
– more than 10 times the current inflation “permanently delete” all your recorded in your iCloud or Photos album (iPhone)
rate. Following a 2022 rise of £10 to videos from its servers. You should or in your Files app (Android).
£34.99, this means Ring has doubled the therefore download them before closing
cost of subscription in under two years. your account. Record Ring videos
Paying for Protect Basic stores videos To do this online, log into your account, without a subscription
online for 180 days, though only for one then click History followed by Manage There is one way you can save Ring
device. To cover all your devices, you’ll ( 1 in our screenshot below). Now select a videos without a subscription: use
need to pay for Protect Plus (compare video you want to keep 2 , then click the screen-recording software on your phone
the plans at www.snipca.com/49479). Download arrow 3 . Videos are or PC. This will record the video as it’s
This costs £8/£80 a month/year, and isn’t appearing live.
increasing in price – at least, not yet. All iPhones with iOS 11
Perhaps that tells you what Ring’s (released in 2017) have
strategy might be. Does it want Basic screen recording. To use it,
customers to think their current open Settings, then tap
subscription no longer offers value 1 3 Control Centre, followed by
for money, and so they might as well the green plus (+) sign next
upgrade to Plus? to Screen Recording. Now
If so, it’s a risky move. The price rise swipe up from the bottom
has been widely criticised in the media, 2 of your screen and tap the
while a post complaining about it on grey Record button ( 1 in
Ring’s forum has been read 19,000 our screenshot above right).
times and received more than 900 Before cancelling your Ring account, sign in and download It will count down 3-2-1,
replies (www.snipca.com/49478). your existing videos then turn red and start

60 13 – 26 March 2024 • Issue 679

Recording 2
your iPhone
screen is Cancel Ring and
one way of
saving a Ring
get a refund
video without
paying for a To cancel your subscription, log into
subscription your account and select Protect Plan at
the top. Find your plan and click Cancel
Plan, then Continue. Now choose
whether you want to cancel your plan
with immediate effect, or when your
1 account is due for renewal. To get a
pro-rata refund, you’ll need to cancel
straight away. Finally, click Cancel
Ring Protect to confirm. If you have
any questions, phone Ring’s customer
support (01727 263 045) or chat live
TP-Link’s Tapo D230S1 is the best online: www.snipca.com/49480.
subscription-free video doorbell

recording. Tap the button again to stop inactivity. Be sure to check you’ve got the Sync Module (£70 from www.snipca.
and you’ll see a notification that it’s been enough drive space to store the recordings. com/49512) and insert a spare USB stick
saved in your Photos folder 2 . – see www.snipca.com/49513 for
It took until 2020 and the launch of Save doorbell videos instructions.
Android 11 for Google to add screen without a subscription Eufy’s Video Doorbell E340 spares you
recording, but many Android phones The best subscription-free doorbell isn’t the hassle of inserting microSD cards or
now have the feature. Swipe down from the cheapest, but at least it’s a one-off USB sticks. It stores up to 8GB of videos
the top of your screen and tap ‘Screen purchase. The TP-Link Tapo D230S1 internally – just open its phone app to
record’. If you don’t see this option, swipe (pictured above) has a RRP of £150, but watch them. We gave it a Buy It! Award in
right and look for it. If it’s not there, tap we’ve seen it for as low as £100 on Issue 676 (page 29) when priced £160. It’s
Edit and drag ‘Screen record’ to your Amazon (www.snipca.com/49494). an even better buy at the reduced price
Quick Settings. Choose what you want to Video quality is superb, especially at of £120 that we spotted recently: www.
record, then tap Start. Stop recording by night, and it comes with a chime unit snipca.com/48984.
swiping down from the top and tapping (you have to pay up to £50 for one to use
the notification. You’ll find recordings by with Ring: www.snipca.com/49498). Switch to a cheaper subscription
opening the Photos app, then tapping Best of all, you can save videos to a If you like the reassurance of storing your
Library and selecting Screenrecord. 512GB microSD card, which you slot into videos online, you’ll find many packages
You can also record doorbell videos on a hub that’s included (pictured below). cheaper than Ring Protect. Eufy (www.
your computer. If you’re near your If you’re on a tighter budget, consider snipca.com/49507) has the cheapest,
computer when Ring alerts you, log into the Ezviz DB1C (£55 from www.snipca. storing 30 days of videos for £2.38 a
your account, then click the still image of com/49497). It’s around half the price of month, or £23.90 if paid annually, for a
your camera. Now choose a way to record the Tapo D230S1 and accordingly its single doorbell.
your screen, such as the Snipping Tool microSD card has half the storage at Amazon’s own Blink is a fraction
(Windows 11 – Windows key+Shift+S) or 256GB. To record on Amazon’s Blink more expensive, offering 30 days’
the Xbox Game Bar (both 10 and 11 – doorbells you need to buy a model with recording for £2.50 a month per device,
press Windows key+G). or £24.99 a year (www.snipca.
The drawback to these methods is that com/49515). TP-Link’s TapoCare (www.
you need to notice Ring’s alert telling you snipca.com/49508) starts at £2.49 a
someone is at your door. If you miss it, month/£24.99 a year for a single doorbell
then you won’t realise you need to grab for seven days, though for 30 days this
your phone or boot your computer in rises to £2.99 a month/£29.49 a year.
time to record the video. Ezviz CloudPlay (www.ezviz.com/
A rather extreme solution would be to cloudplay) nudges prices higher, offering
sign into your Ring account, view your seven days of footage covering just one
camera’s live feed, then record the doorbell for £3.18 a month, or £31.87
screen using screen-recording software yearly. To increase this to 30 days, you’d
downloaded to your computer – our current pay £5.57 a month, or £55.67 yearly.
free favourite is OBS Studio: https:// That’s pricier than Arlo Secure (www.
obsproject.com. You can leave this running snipca.com/49510), which offers 30 days
while you go about your business. If you for £4.49 a month. As for Google’s Nest
need to watch a recording later, check Aware (www.snipca.com/49509), that’s
Ring’s alerts on your phone so you know even more expensive than Ring Protect,
where in the footage to look. This will The Tapo D230S1 comes with a hub for saving starting at £6 a month, or £60 a year, for
save you fast-forwarding through hours of videos on a microSD card 30 days’ storage.

Issue 679 • 13 – 26 March 2024 61

 Secret hacks FOR
Freeview
Cancel your streaming subscriptions
and get more from the free service on
your TV. Robert Irvine reveals how to
enhance and expand what you watch
on Freeview

W
ith Netflix, Amazon Prime your postcode again and Freeview will more fiddly procedure – see www.snipca.
Video and Disney+ raising check for transmission problems, and tell com/49492 for instructions.
their prices, many of us are you if a channel isn’t available in your
ditching our streaming area. Improve Freeview reception
subscriptions and sticking with free If you should be receiving the and picture quality
TV. Freeview has been around since channel(s) you specified, you’ll need to Retuning your TV can often fix problems
2002, and has many advantages over retune your TV. Freeview is supposed to with Freeview reception, such as a
paid-for services – you don’t need an prompt you to do this when it changes or picture that freezes, pixelates or shows a
account, it has loads of channels and updates something, but in our experience ‘no signal’ error, and loss of sound. The
it’s available on any TV with an aerial this doesn’t always happen. Freeview Channel Checker mentioned
and Freeview receiver. However, it’s also The retuning process varies between earlier, and the BBC’s Reception site
easy to take Freeview for granted and from one set to another, but generally (www.snipca.com/49486), will tell you
overlook some of its best features. Here, involves pressing the Menu button on if planned maintenance or a transmitter
we explain how to make the most of your remote control and choosing Setup, fault could be affecting your digital signal,
the service. Channels, Update or similar. If you’re but if not the cause may be closer to home.
prompted for a password, the default Restart your TV or set-top box, and
Ensure you’re getting all code is 1234 or 0000. Select ‘Auto Tuning’, ensure the power and aerial cables are
Freeview channels Auto Program, Channel Scan or similar to securely plugged in, and aren’t showing
The Freeview channels you get through update your Freeview channels and add signs of damage, such as bent pins, worn
your TV aerial depend on where you live any missing ones. parts or black mould. With a set-top box,
in the UK. Although Freeview promises Freeview helpfully provides video you should also check the HDMI lead
“over 100 channels”, this includes ‘+1’ tutorials (pictured below) explaining how that connects to your TV. You can buy
and HD versions of channels and radio to retune different brands of TV at www. replacement cables from Amazon or even
stations, so the real figure is closer to 85. snipca.com/49483. You can also try Poundland for under £10.
You can find out which channels you manually tuning your set, though as this If everything looks fine, the reception
should be getting by entering your involves switching the transmitter, it’s a problem may be caused by interference
postcode in the Freeview Channel from mobile services, particularly if you
Checker at www.snipca.com/49481. live near a 4G or 5G mast, or an area with
This will list all the channels available a weak digital signal. The frequencies
at your address, including those that used by some mobile services are close
require a Freeview HD or Freeview Play to those used by Freeview in the radio
TV or set-top box, and reveal which spectrum, which can lead to interference
transmitter serves your area. and affect your TV’s picture.
If you’re not receiving one or more of To fix this, you’ll need to contact
the listed channels, click ‘Help receiving Restore TV (www.snipca.com/49487),
your channels’, select the channel(s) Freeview’s website provides videos explaining which is run by Digital Mobile Spectrum
you’re not getting then click Next. Enter how to retune different makes of TV Ltd (owned by EE, Virgin Media O2,

62 13 – 26 March 2024 • Issue 679

Restore TV helps you to find out whether mobile signals are affecting You can watch on-demand content as well as live TV channels through
Freeview reception Freeview Play

Three and Vodafone). Visit channel 100 to browse and watch TV sets (see screenshot above).
Answer the questions on Restore TV’s shows and films on BBC iPlayer, ITVX, Freeview Play may eventually be
‘Diagnose your problem’ page (www. Channel 4, My5 and UKTV Play, as well as replaced by Freely (www.freely.co.uk),
snipca.com/49488, pictured above) to BBC Sounds, STV Player, PBS America which works in a similar way and was
determine whether mobile interference is and Watch Free UK (previously called developed by the same body of UK
likely to be responsible for your poor CBS Catchup), which includes content broadcasters – Everyone TV.
Freeview reception. If so, you should from AMC channels such as True Crime See our ‘Question of the Fortnight’ in
contact the company to request a filter and Legend. Issue 677 (page 10) for our thoughts on
that blocks mobile signals to your TV. Unlike standard Freeview channels, whether Freely means the end of Freeview.
See our ‘Stop 5G killing your TV’ which are only available through an
feature in Issue 651 (page 60, get it from aerial, Freeview Play uses the internet Access Freeview on your
www.snipca.com/49490) for more advice. connection to your smart TV or set-top mobile device
box. Its ‘live’ content is provided through Freeview’s app for
Stream on-demand content the relevant broadcasters’ apps, which Android (www.
on Freeview Play lets you rewind programmes you missed snipca.com/49476)
Most new TVs (except Samsung models) the start of, and access them on catch-up and iOS (www.
and many set-top boxes now include through Freeview Play’s electronic snipca.com/49477)
Freeview Play, which connects Freeview programme guide (EPG). You can search doesn’t directly
channels with their streaming apps, so for specific shows across the streaming stream TV to your
you can enjoy TV live and on-demand for services, save your favourites for easy phone or tablet – a
free (aside from the cost of a TV licence). access and binge-watch hundreds of box misunderstanding
that has led to lots
of negative reviews
Record live TV shows from Freeview on the app stores. Find TV shows to
Instead, it provides watch, live and
on-demand
Although Freeview Play lets The same applies to the a handy TV guide through Freeview’s
you catch up with shows from previous model, the Humax for all Freeview mobile app
the last 30 days (or however FVP-5000T, which was channels and lets
long they’re available to discontinued last year, and rival you watch shows that are on now in
stream), many Freeview channels device the Manhattan T3-R. the relevant broadcasters’ apps. It detects
aren’t available on-demand. A Freeview Some industry experts believe the whether you have iPlayer, ITVX, Channel
recorder gives you more flexibility by popularity of cheap streaming devices 4, My5, UKTV Play and STV Player
letting you record live programmes from (see Issue 678’s ‘Don’t buy a new TV’ installed on your device, so you can tap
any channel – and is useful if your TV Cover Feature) and the imminent arrival straight through to stream channels live
doesn’t have Freeview Play. of Freely TVs has reduced the demand for (if not, press Get to install each app).
The trouble is that Freeview recorders Freeview recorders – though neither of Particularly useful is the On Demand
seem to be disappearing from UK those options lets you record live TV. tab (see screenshot above), which –
stores. In recent months, shoppers have The good news is that a new device, the similar to Freeview Play – lets you browse
reported difficulty finding one of the most Manhattan T4-R (pictured), is set to go on content from all UK streaming services,
popular devices, the Humax Aura (www. sale in April, after being delayed from last plus Watch Free UK. The programmes
snipca.com/49493). All versions of this August. Priced from £170 for the 500GB and films are sorted into categories
Freeview Play recorder – from 500GB model, it lets you record, pause and rewind such as Comedy, Movies and Sport,
to 2TB – are currently out of stock on the all Freeview channels, and access on- and you can tap to watch them in the
Humax website, as well as stores such as demand content on Freeview Play. Sign broadcasters’ apps. Use the Search tab to
Amazon, Argos and Currys. up for updates at www.snipca.com/49496. search for shows across both the TV
schedule and catch-up services.

Issue 679 • 13 – 26 March 2024 63

 Problems Solved
Our experts solve all your tech problems

PROBLEM OF THE FORTNIGHT

Can I edit my right-click menu?

When I open the right-click This particular move has attracted 1
Q menu in Windows 11, the
items I use most – Rename,
a lot of criticism, so we imagine Microsoft
will eventually address it, but for now
Copy and Paste – are all hidden under there are a couple of workarounds. The
‘Show more options’. It’s frustrating simplest is to hold down the Shift key
that I have to click this before I can while right-clicking – this forces the
access those functions. I’d like to move context menu to show every available
some of the options I never use, such as option. That’s easy enough, but you have
‘Copy as path’ or ‘Compress to zip file’, to remember to do it every time and – as
to the ‘Show more options’ entry with clicking ‘Show more options’ – it First, open the registry editor by pressing
instead. Is it possible to edit the right- introduces an extra action that wasn’t the Windows key+R and type regedit…
click menu in Windows 10 or 11? necessary before.
Eamonn Colley The alternative is to apply a registry snipca.com/49181, then pasting it. Now
hack that returns Windows 11’s context right-click this new key and, again,
The right-click menu is key to menu to the way it was. We’ve published choose New followed by Key. Call this
A using Windows efficiently, so
it’s surprising how little
these instructions before, but we’re often
asked this question, so it’s good to recap
new key InprocServer32 3 . You’ll
need to restart your PC for the change
control Microsoft has given users over it. from time to time. This method is quite to take effect, but once it has, you’ll
To be fair, this is due in part to the safe but, as with anything related to the see that ‘Show more options’ has
way it works. Microsoft calls it the registry, you should work carefully and vanished and your right-click menu
context menu because different options back up your system before you begin. appears in full.
appear in it depending on what you First, press Windows key+R to open the We should mention that some
click, where and when. With so many Run box, then type regedit (see screenshot third-party tools, including NirSoft’s
variables, it’s hard to imagine a simple 1 ), press Enter and click ‘Run’. Next, in ShellMenuView (www.snipca.com/49182)
system that would let you edit the the left-hand pane, navigate to HKEY_ and ShellExView (www.snipca.
menu’s contents, although we think CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Classes\ com/49183), let you edit the right-click
Microsoft should find a way to let users CLSID. Now right-click this key and menu to some extent. However, be
tweak the essentials. choose New followed by Key 2 . Name the warned that the complexity of context
Even so, Microsoft’s decision to new key {86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8ba509- menus makes such tools difficult
relegate numerous important functions 50c905bae2a2}. That’s not easy to type to understand, so we wouldn’t
to the ‘Show more options’ sub-menu correctly, so we’d recommend copying it recommend experimenting with them
in Windows 11 was certainly misguided. from our Pastebin account, at www. unless you know what you’re doing.

2 3

…Find the correct registry key by navigating to CLSID in the left-hand …then right-click your new key, select the option to create yet
pane, then select New, Key and rename it… another new key and call it InprocServer32

64 13 – 26 March 2024 • Issue 679

 Email us your problem and we’ll try to help:
[email protected]

Why do these deleted email folders keep returning?

I recently reorganised some If that’s not possible, there are a couple
Q folders in Thunderbird to bring
a little order to my financial
of workarounds in Thunderbird. The first
is to ‘unsubscribe’ from the folders you
emails. I created a new folder called don’t want. To do so, right-click the account
Financial, with several subfolders inside, name in the left-hand pane and choose
such as MyNewBank. I then moved all Subscribe (see screenshot left). Then,
the emails from my original My Bank under Folder List, find the offending
folder into MyNewBank, within the folders and click to remove the ticks from
Financial folder. This worked, and as the their boxes. Finally, click OK. Although
original MyBank was now empty, I If you can’t delete a folder from your email the folders still exist on the server,
deleted it. However, it reappeared, and program, try unsubscribing from it first Thunderbird will no longer sync with
no matter how many times I try to delete them, so you should be able to delete the
it, it always comes back. I have a number may not be able to delete your folders local versions without them reappearing.
of similar folders that won’t go away. locally because not all servers accept Alternatively, you can temporarily
What can I do? IMAP requests for folder deletions, or adjust a setting to stop IMAP immediately
Peter Norman because the order of synchronisation resurrecting the deleted folders. Right-
means they’re immediately resurrected click the account name and choose
This is almost certainly happening after deletion. Settings, followed by Server Settings.
A because the folders are on your
email provider’s servers.
We don’t know which email provider
you use, but the easiest solution is to use
Then, in the right-hand pane, under
‘When I delete a message’, note the
When you connect to an email server a web browser to log into the webmail current setting (probably ‘Move it to this
using the IMAP protocol, as all modern version of that service (assuming it has folder’ and a Trash folder). Change this to
email services do, what you see in an one) and delete the folders there. They ‘Remove it immediately’ and click OK.
email program such as Thunderbird should then disappear from Thunderbird Now delete your folders, then return the
reflects exactly what’s on the server. You when you next open it and sync. Server Settings to the original option.

Are dynamic IP addresses causing my problems?

My old Plusnet copper
Q broadband service gave me a
fixed IP address, but I’ve
switched to BT’s Full Fibre package,
which uses dynamic IP addresses. As a
result, when I log into websites for
various companies, they ask me to
confirm my identity. Is this because I
no longer have a fixed IP address?
I’m having other problems, such as
needing to update my latest IP address
on the control panel of my web host
before I can upload files over FTP.
Do I need a business account if I want
a fixed IP address with BT?
Alan Hawkins
If you need a fixed IP address, you can hire one from a VPN service such as NordVPN
Yes, BT offers fixed IP addresses
A to business customers only.
That’s a choice the company
There are no quick remedies for these
either, but you can shop elsewhere for a
your IP address, but you can also
lease fixed IP addresses from them.
has made so there’s nothing any of us fixed IP address. We don’t necessarily We haven’t space here for a market
can do about it. mean switching from BT, though that is comparison, but the NordVPN service,
You’re also correct that some of the an option when your contract ends. for example, charges £3.39 a month
niggles you’re experiencing are due to We often think of VPN services as a for a fixed IP address (www.snipca.
the switch to a dynamic IP address. way to protect your identity by concealing com/49187 – see screenshot above).

Issue 679 • 13 – 26 March 2024 65

 Problems Solved
Why doesn’t my PC remember the time?
Can I use my old
2
AIO as a monitor?
I enjoy reading Computeractive
Q so I hope you can help me.
Recently, when I boot up my
My old Lenovo AIO 300 all- refurbished Dell PC, a message appears
Q in-one PC still works but is
showing its age, so I recently
saying ‘Time-of-day not set’, along with
some options – F1 to continue, F2 to
bought a Geekom Mini T13, which change setup and F5 to run diagnostics
you recommended (Issue 669, page (pictured below 1 ). I’ve tried pressing F2
23). I have a monitor for it, but I was and setting the time and date, but the
wondering if I could use the Lenovo message always reappears when I reboot.
PC as a second screen. I suspect Running the diagnostics tells me
there’s no way to isolate the screen nothing, so now I just press F1 to continue.
from the rest of the Lenovo PC, but It’s only a minor inconvenience, but
it would be nice if I could reuse it I’m curious as to why it happens and
rather than consigning it to the attic. how to resolve it.
Roy Robertson Fred Davidson Replace this battery on the motherboard, and
your PC will no longer forget the time and date
Not every all-in-one PC lets This perennial problem has
A you use its built-in screen
independently of the
A appeared on these pages many
times, but if you’ve never seen
up to replace the battery. It’s a CR2032
button cell (around £3.60 from www.
computer, but yours does, and it’s our previous advice, there’s no reason snipca.com/49184).
very easy. There are two HDMI ports why you’d know the cause or the fix. Just locate the old battery on the
on the back of your Lenovo PC, one The problem is that the little battery motherboard 2 , use a flat-edged tool to
for output and the other for input. inside your PC that keeps the clock pop the old one out, then slide the new
The HDMI-in socket is labelled with ticking when the mains power is off has one into place. Now when you fire up
an arrow pointing into a circle and, died. We don’t know the exact model of your PC, press F2 to set the time and date,
looking at the device from the rear, your computer, but you need to open it and this time it shouldn’t forget.
should be the one on the right-hand
side (pictured below 1 ). 1
Once you’ve connected a second
device, such as your new PC, to the
HDMI-in port, press the circular PC/
HDMI button on the right-hand side
of your AIO 2 to switch between the
built-in PC and the HDMI unput.

If you see this message every time you start your PC, it means your CMOS battery is flat
An HDMI-in port on the AIO 300 PC lets
you use its screen independently
Q: Can I remove my phone
2 number from Google?
A: Issue 667, page 64 – find it on
Press the PC/HDMI our 2023 Back Issue CD
button to switch
from the built-in
PC to an external
Buy it from
machine www.snipca.com/48860

66 13 – 26 March 2024 • Issue 679

 Why does my updated laptop not recognise my scanner?
I’ve had my Fujitsu ScanSnap
Q S1500 scanner (pictured
right) for many years.
Recently, my laptop received an
automatic Windows 10 update,
and I’ve been unable to use the
scanner since because it’s no longer
recognised. I can still use it with my
desktop PC, which also has Windows Fujitsu no longer supports the
10. It seems that the drivers have ScanSnap S1500
either disappeared or become corrupt. VueScan may be able to resurrect an old scanner that is no
According to the Fujitsu website, what always happens with longer supported by the manufacturer
the company no longer supports this older, unsupported hardware.
particular scanner, so I won’t be able The fact that there’s no fix from That’s not the end of the matter,
to reinstall the drivers that way. Can the manufacturer means your however, because a third-party tool
you or your readers suggest any way I scanner is among those unsupported called VueScan (see screenshot above)
might either reinstall the appropriate devices. When your desktop PC can help. We’ve mentioned this
software on my laptop, or identify all receives the same Windows update, paid-for program many times over
the relevant files on my PC and you’ll probably find that it no longer the years and it does the work that
transfer them to my laptop. recognises the scanner either. the manufacturers of abandoned
Stephen Brissenden The idea of transferring drivers scanners don’t want to do.
between PCs is unrealistic, because When we tried Hamrick’s
It’s deeply frustrating when their code is deeply woven into the compatibility-checker tool, at www.
A a Windows update you didn’t
ask for breaks something
Windows registry. Even if it were
possible, it seems the drivers are no
snipca.com/49185, it told us that
VueScan works with your scanner. It
that worked perfectly well. However, longer compatible with Windows after costs £24.95, but you can try it for free
the sad fact is that eventually this is the latest update. to make sure it does what you need.

How do I unblock
my IP address?
I own a QNAP network-
Q attached storage (NAS) device
and need advice from its
community forum to help me manage
my drive-storage space. However,
when I try to access the forum, a
message tells me I’m forbidden because
my IP belongs to a high spam-risk
network. It advises me to try again
without a VPN. This is confusing
because I’m not using a VPN on my
PC or router. My ISP is Vodafone, so I
assume the QNAP forum has something Using a VPN such as Windscribe can help you solve problems caused by your IP address
against Vodafone or my static IP address.
How can I fix this? So, the first step is to contact the Then whenever you need to access
Raymond Dalgleish company’s customer-support team at the QNAP forum, simply click the
https://service.qnap.com to see if they WindScribe icon followed by the
This restriction is something will add your IP address to a whitelist. On switch (see screenshot above),
A QNAP has chosen to implement.
The company evidently blocks
Alternatively, and counter-intuitively in
the circumstances, using a VPN tool
and your browser will appear to
have a different IP address.
access based on IP address (and perhaps a might actually be the solution here. We’d If it still doesn’t work, click the globe
few other criteria). For some reason, your suggest installing WindScribe, a free icon in the WindScribe panel to choose
IP address is on its blacklist, and only extension for Chrome, Edge and Firefox, a different location, and therefore a
QNAP can resolve this. from https://windscribe.com/download. different IP address.

Issue 679 • 13 – 26 March 2024 67

 Problems Solved
Why is my laptop
battery not
working?
The original battery in my
Q Acer Aspire 3 laptop died,
so I bought a replacement.
This worked perfectly well at first, but
after a few months the laptop said it
couldn’t identify the battery. It wouldn’t
charge when plugged into the mains,
although the laptop continued to
work until the battery finally ran out.
Pressing the battery’s own reset
button didn’t help, so I opened the
laptop’s case and disconnected the
battery from the motherboard.
When I reconnected it, the battery
started charging again, but this
problem keeps recurring. Any idea If your laptop no longer recognises your battery, try uninstalling its driver in Device Manager
what’s going on?
Henry Wood properly every now and then. There’s no cause. To do this, first press Windows
easy fix for a loose-fitting connector, key+X to open the Quick Link menu,
It’s hard to say for sure what’s although a small piece of strategically then choose Device Manager. Expand the
A causing your problem. It could
be a faulty battery, a problem
placed, non-conductive material, such as
card or folded paper, might help to hold
Batteries section, then right-click the
‘ACPI-Compliant Control Method Battery’
with the laptop’s electronics or a it in place. entry and choose ‘Uninstall device’ (see
connector that doesn’t fit quite as tightly If this doesn’t work, you could try screenshot). Windows will automatically
as it did with the manufacturer’s original, forcing Windows to reinstall the battery reinstall the battery when you next
which means it needs pushing in driver, although we don’t think this is the restart your laptop.

How can I stop this prolific spammer?

I’ve been receiving unwanted
Q spam emails from someone
called ‘Rob Jackson’. I use
Yahoo.com’s email service, but its
mail blocker doesn’t block spam
from this sender. I think it’s because
the email address continuously
changes, although the messages always
appear to come from ‘Rob Jackson’.
Is there any way to stop the spam 1
from this ‘person’?
Richard Watson
2
Yes and no. Spam is all but
A impossible to stop, but
because these messages
have the same display name, you Use filters to block emails from a specific sender, even if their email address changes
can create a filter that automatically
sends emails with that name to the ( 1 in our screenshot) and then, on the the ‘Type a filter value’ field, type
Deleted folder. right, click ‘Add new filters’. Type a Rob Jackson. Finally, under ‘Choose a
First, in Yahoo Mail, click the Settings description for the filter and then, under folder to move to’, open the ‘Select
cog at the top right followed by ‘More ‘Set rules’, click From followed by ‘Select folder’ menu and choose ‘Deleted
settings’. Next, on the left, click Filters a filter criterion’ and then ‘contains’. In items’ 2 . Click Save to finish.

68 13 – 26 March 2024 • Issue 679

 ?? WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN...
Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E?
Is it possible to upgrade the connecting the new router,
Q router that came with my
broadband package, or do I
opening its administration page
and then entering the sign-in
have to use the one supplied by the credentials for the account you
provider? Assuming I can change my hold with your broadband
router, can you tell me what the provider.
differences are between the latest As for Wi-Fi differences,
Wi-Fi standards? I see a lot about each new generation is
Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E, for example, generally faster than the
but I have no idea what either of these last, with better range and
means or whether it matters which capacity. Specifically, 6E introduces
one I get. a third band, allowing it to use 6GHz
My wife and I live in a small rural frequencies as well as the existing 2.4 and
bungalow, with a couple of laptops and 5GHz frequencies Wi-Fi uses. The key
phones. We’re thinking of upgrading benefit of this additional 6GHz frequency,
because we’d like to be able to get at least for the time being, is that it’ll
online in our large garden, and it’s a bit suffer little if any congestion from nearby
hit and miss with our current setup. devices, simply because it’s so new. 6E routers like the TP-Link AXE5400 add a
Bruce Carpenter To take advantage of this third band, third (6GHz) Wi-Fi band to your network
you’ll need a router such as the pictured
You didn’t tell us which TP-Link AXE5400 (£150 from www. anyway. So, while it’s often wise to buy
A broadband provider you’re
with, but the answer is you
snipca.com/49186). However, you’d also
need 6E-compatible devices, and it’s
devices that use the latest standard if
you can afford it, in your particular
can almost certainly replace the unlikely that your existing laptops and case we wouldn’t worry too much
supplied router with your own. How smartphones offer that. about it.
you do that depends on both the type What’s more, from your description Want to know the difference between
of router and your provider, but it’s of where you live, we doubt Wi-Fi technical terms? Email noproblem@
usually no more complicated than congestion is much of a problem computeractive.co.uk

How do I stop this annoying audio pop-up?

When I listen to audio on my followed by the Settings cog, then ‘Ease
Q PC, this black audio panel
(pictured right) pops up on top
of Access’. Next, in the left pane, click
Display and then, on the right under the
of everything else on my desktop. I can’t ‘Show notifications for’ heading, open
minimise it, move it or send it behind the menu and choose ‘5 seconds’.
other windows, and it persists after the To get rid of it completely, download
audio has finished. It’s very irritating, the free HideVolumeOSD utility from
because it obscures files and menus. I You can disable this annoying media panel by www.snipca.com/49188.
can’t find it in Task Manager, so the only changing a hidden setting in Chrome
way I can get rid of it is to close the app. ON SALE
I’d appreciate your help.
Ged Parker
panel, which appears whenever you play
audio or video while in Chrome. You can Next Issue Weds
27 Mar
disable this completely.
There a couple of things going First, in the Chrome address bar at the • Where’s my missing drive?
A on here. First, the volume
pop-up on the left-hand side is
top, type chrome://flags and press Enter.
Next, in the ‘Search flags’ box, type media
•H  ow do I recover my Google
Drive photos?
part of Windows. You can limit how long key, and then, in the Hardware Media Key •H
 ow do I open LibreOffice
it stays on screen, but there’s no official Handling section, open the menu and docs on an iPhone?
method for disabling it. choose Disabled. Restart Chrome, and ...And many more
The ‘extended’ version of this panel is you’ll no longer see the extended
created by a Chrome feature known as media panel. Subscribe to Computeractive at
Media Key Handling. It’s enabled by To reduce how long Windows’ volume www.getcomputeractive.co.uk
default and adds the extra information panel appears on screen, click Start

Issue 679 • 13 – 26 March 2024 69

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Email [email protected] and we’ll do our best to help

Why didn’t you mention Eufy’s Video Doorbell E340 is made next time you visit HIBP, you can
that Eufy is Chinese? by Chinese company Anker, but it’s eliminate them from its results.
safe to use
I enjoyed your review of
Q the Eufy Video Doorbell
E340 (Issue 676, page 29,
8GB storage. This saves footage
on the device only, and is
Can HP alter my printer to
block third-party cartridges?
pictured right), but I’m concerned protected by AES 128bit Following your article on
it didn’t mention that Eufy is
owned by the Chinese firm Anker.
encryption. And as for facial
recognition, Eufy says the AI
Q cancelling printer-ink
subscriptions (Issue 676,
This means when you use Eufy’s technology it uses is built into page 62), I’m concerned about the
doorbell, you’re using facial- the hardware itself, rather than repercussions of doing so. When I signed
recognition technology that could online. As such, we think you for HP Instant Ink last June, I remember
be sent to China. I think it’s can be assured this product is a section in my contract letting HP alter
important to tell readers when a safe to use. my printer’s firmware to prevent the use
company uses technology. I don’t of third-party cartridges. However, since
use Chinese and Russian software How can I tell whether I’ve reading your article, I can’t find that
because the servers could be based in a changed a stolen email address? clause in my contract – though I’m
country where there’s no regard for Regarding your news story certain I didn’t imagine it. If this change
privacy.
Guy Dewsbury
Q about 71 million stolen
passwords (Issue 676, page 6),
is permanent, it would negate the savings
of cancelling. Is this right?
I’ve used ‘Have I been pwned?’ Keith Willcocks
We understand your concerns, (haveibeenpwned.com, HIBP) for many
A and we aim to mention the years. But when it tells me that one of my There doesn’t appear to be any
product’s country of origin
where possible – especially if it’s from
email addresses has been compromised, I
wonder how new this information is. If it
A specific clause prohibiting the
use of third-party inks in HP’s
China – so we apologise for not doing so says it’s been found in 11 data breaches, current Instant Ink terms and conditions
in this instance. You’re right to assume for example, how can I know whether (www.snipca.com/49282). And even if
your data could end up on Chinese I’ve already changed the details for it? there was such a clause in your contract
servers, too. Eufy’s privacy policy (www. Keith Holman when you signed up, cancelling your
snipca.com/49280) states that it transfers subscription effectively terminates it,
“Personal Data to other countries that HIBP’s FAQ page (www.snipca. meaning you’d no longer be bound by
may have different laws and data
protection compliance requirements to
A com/49281) says that it
provides a record of breaches
any such restrictions.
That said, HP has a long history of
those that apply in the country in which regardless of whether the password has attempting to prevent its customers from
you are located, including China”. consequently been changed. This means using third-party inks via firmware,
However, one of the key benefits of the that, as you suspect, the information on whether or not you subscribe to Instant
Eufy Video Doorbell E340 (as we pointed HIBP is not updated to reflect any action Ink. There’s currently a class-action
out) is that you can use it without having you have subsequently taken to change complaint against HP in the US,
to pay for a subscription. That means the your password. You should keep your regarding a recent firmware update that
amount of private data collected by Eufy own record of changed passwords so that, blocks the use of third-party inks on
is relatively minimal. Checking under the certain printer models (see www.snipca.
‘Categories of Personal Data we Process’ com/49295). And in 2022, HP agreed to
section of its privacy policy, for example, pay more than £1m in compensation to
we couldn’t find anything beyond the European customers affected by its
standard type of information collected by infamous Dynamic Security feature,
most tech companies when you sign up which again blocked the use of third-
for an account – name, contact details, party inks. If your model is among those
data relating to basic usage and so on. listed at www.snipca.com/49283 and you
If you’re uneasy about video footage have updated its firmware manually or
Have I Been Pwned? highlights stolen email
being uploaded to overseas servers, you addresses, but not whether you’ve updated enabled automatic updates, then you may
can just stick with using the doorbell’s your password since be unable to use third-party inks.

Issue 679 • 13 – 26 March 2024 71

 Jargon Buster
1080p High-definition video: Core Units on a processor that FTTP Fibre-to-the premises. Fibre IP address Internet Protocol
1920x1080 pixels. carry out program instructions. broadband that goes straight to the address. A unique set of numbers
doorstep. Faster than FTTC (fibre- used to identify computers and
3G/4G/5G Technologies that Cryptocurrency A digital currency to-the-cabinet). websites on the internet.
deliver faster mobile broadband. not backed by any country. The
most popular is Bitcoin. Full HD Resolution of 1920x1080 IPS A screen technology. Monitors
4K Video with a resolution of at pixels. that use it have wider viewing
least 3840x2160 pixels. Dark mode Showing white text angles and better, more accurate
on a black background. GHz Gigahertz. A measure of colours than monitors that do not
720p A common resolution of how many instructions a chip can use this technology.
high-definition video: 1280x720 DCI-P3 A colour space that has a process per second.
pixels. wider spectrum than sRGB. LCD Liquid-crystal display. The
GIF Graphics Interchange Format. technology used to create almost
7z Also known as 7-Zip. A free, DisplayPort A socket for A type of image file often used all flatscreen monitors.
open-source file archiver. connecting monitors. on the web, but now largely
superseded by PNG. LED Light-emitting diode. An
AES 128 bit Advanced Encryption Domain These are used to electronic device that emits light.
Standard. An extremely secure identify one or more IP addresses. Gorilla Glass Victus The latest Used on almost all electronic
method of encrypting data. screen-protection material which devices, and to provide the
Downscaling Reducing a video’s its makers claim protects against backlight for some LCDs.
AI Artificial intelligence. quality so it can be played on a falls of two metres.
Intelligence demonstrated by a device with a lower resolution. Lightning connector Apple’s
machine rather than a human Graphics card A component in a own connector that connects
being. Often used to describe Driver A file that tells computer that produces the image iPhones and iPads to computers,
technology that can perform Windows how to work with an shown on the monitor. monitors, cameras, chargers and
human-like tasks. external device. more.
HD ready TVs that have 1280x720
Alexa routine A feature on Echo Dynamic IP address An IP pixels, and use processors to MicroSD card A small type of
smart speakers that lets you address that changes every time a reduce an image’s resolution so memory card. Can be converted to
trigger a series of actions using a device connects to the internet. they can show HD content. This is SD size using an adapter.
voice command. better than Standard definition, but
E Ink Electrophoretic ink. A not as sharp as Full HD. MP4 A type of digital movie file
AMOLED Active-Matrix Organic special type of ink used to display often used for portable players.
Light-Emitting Diode. An content in electronic devices. HDMI High-definition media
alternative technology to LCD interface. A type of connection that MVNO Mobile virtual network
for creating flat-panel displays. Emoji A small graphic that can be transmits high-definition video and operator. A mobile provider that
Most commonly used in inserted into a text message or audio signals. piggybacks on another network
smartphones, tablets and email. rather than its own. Lebara, for
smartwatches. HDR High-dynamic range. A example, uses Vodafone’s network.
End-to-end encryption camera that takes more than one
Benchmarking Comparing A way of encrypting messages photo with different levels NAS Network-attached storage. A
software and products with an so that the only people who of colour and contrast. These hard drive attached to a network
accepted standard. can read them are the sender images are then combined to that can be shared with other PCs.
and recipient. They cannot be create a better-quality image.
Beta A version of software that’s intercepted and read by a third OLED Organic light-emitting
being tested. Beta versions are party. Hotspot A public area covered by diode. A thin-film organic light-
often released so problems can be a Wi-Fi network that allows you to emitting diode used in computer
ironed out. EPUB A file format used by many access the internet. displays and television screens.
popular ebook readers.
cd/m2 Candela per square metre. HTML Hypertext Markup Phishing A form of internet
Standard unit of brightness. Firmware Basic software stored Language. The language used to fraud that tries to trick you into
on hardware, such as a processor, write most web pages. revealing personal details.
Chatbot A computer program to control its operation.
designed to recreate conversation Hz Hertz. Measures the frequency POPCNT Population Count. A
with human users, especially over Fixed IP address An IP address something happens: 1Hz equals method for counting the number
the internet. Typically used to offer that stays the same whenever a once a second. of ones in a binary number.
automated customer support. device connects to the internet. Typically used for encryption.
I/O panel Input/Output panel. Part
Code Programming languages Fps Frames per second. of a device – usually on the back PUP Potentially unwanted
used to create software. Normally used to indicate gaming or side – where input and output program. A program that may
performance. connections are located. not be desired, despite the user
Cookie A small text file stored consenting to it being downloaded.
on your computer by a website. FTP File Transfer Protocol. A IMAP Internet Message Access
Used to store browsing system for transferring files Protocol. A method for email that QR code Quick Response code.
preferences, website log-in between computers. Often used lets the user manage messages A barcode that can be read using
details and so on. when uploading websites. stored on a remote server. smartphones.

72 13 – 26 March 2024 • Issue 679

RAM Random-access memory. Rootkit Software that gives a Temporary file Created by sites VoIP Voice over IP. The routing
The computer’s working area, hacker administration rights and and software to store info for a of voice conversations over the
used for data storage while the PC access to a computer. specific purpose. internet, which is cheaper than the
is switched on. telephone network.
Script A short program that is Timestamp The time which an
Ransomware Malware run by stored on a web server to control event is recorded by a computer. VPN Virtual private network.
hackers who lock files on your PC part of a website. Keeps all internet communication
and demand a payment to release TPM Trusted Platform Module. A safe and private.
them. SD card Secure Digital card. A chip that allows your hardware to
popular type of memory card. perform security-related tasks. Whitelist A list of allowed websites,
RAR Roshal Archive. A format for email addresses and applications
storing compressed files. Secure Boot A security standard TXT A basic file format that used by security software to ensure
designed to make sure your PC contains nothing but text. you only visit safe websites and
Read To access data saved on a avoids malware when booting. download safe programs.
computer. Ultra HD Ultra high definition.
SEO Search engine optimisation. Resolution of 3840x2160. Wi-Fi 6 Wi-Fi standard with
Refresh rate Measured in Hertz Improving where your site appears speeds up to 10 times faster than
(Hz), the number of times per in search results to encourage USB 2.0/3.0/3.1 Faster successors 802.11ac. Also called 802.11ax.
second that the image on your more people to visit. to USB.
monitor is redrawn. Wi-Fi 6E Wi-Fi 6 extended to
sRGB A standard RGB colour USB-A The original type of USB include the 6GHz band.
Refurbished A second-hand space for use on monitors. connector, released in 1996.
device that has been repaired by Widget A small program that runs
its manufacturer so that it can be SSD Solid-state drive. Storage that USB-C A connector that’s reversible. on the Windows desktop.
resold and reused. uses no moving parts.
VESA Video Electronics Standards Write Save data to a hard drive.
Response time How fast a Switch Allows more than one Association. A standard mount for
coloured pixel turns to white and PC to be connected to a wired attaching monitors to stands, walls ZIP file A file that contains
back again. network. and PCs. compressed documents or files.
 Easy when you
Know How
Now that DuckDuckGo has added a much-needed
feature to its browser, Robert Irvine tries to…

Sync his passwords privately

T
o misquote an old proverb, you DuckDuckGo
can lead a duck to water but you now makes it
2 easy to sync
can’t make it sink. Similarly, bookmarks
until recently, you could download the and passwords
DuckDuckGo browser but you couldn’t between
devices
make it sync.
That was one of the missing features
that made me waddle away from the
private browser, after initially believing
it was the best thing since sliced bread
(which you’re not supposed to feed
ducks with any more).
In our Cover Feature in Issue 662 (get it 1
from www.snipca.com/49344), we called
DuckDuckGo a close competitor to Brave,
so I was disappointed that it then sat on
its feathery behind for eight months
without adding anything new. would only compromise my privacy. My phone was now listed under Synced
Intrigued by how this would work, I Devices 2 on my PC, and vice versa, so
opened the DuckDuckGo browser on my all that remained for me to do was to try
PC (get it from www.snipca.com/49346) syncing some data.
and updated it to the latest version – 0.67 To save time, I decided to import the
at the time of writing – while noting that passwords and bookmarks I already had
My passwords were it’s still in beta. To access the new sync stored in Chrome, rather than add them
feature, I clicked the three-dot menu to DuckDuckGo manually. I chose ‘More
protected with my button and selected Settings followed by tools’ then ‘Import bookmarks and
‘Sync & Back Up’. passwords’ in the browser’s three-dot
fingerprint to stop This presented me with a ‘Sync With menu and selected Google Chrome as
them being quacked Another Device’ button, which implied
that the whole process could be magically
the source. I ticked Bookmarks and
Passwords as the data to import and
achieved with a single click. Instead, the clicked Import followed by Done.
browser displayed a QR code and told When I opened the Bookmarks
me to scan it to connect. manager in the DuckDuck app on my
I grabbed my phone, opened the phone, I was delighted to see my Chrome
Happily, that’s now changed and, DuckDuckGo mobile browser and went bookmarks had already been synced
although it still won’t let you install to Settings, then ‘Sync & Back Up’. I between the two devices. The same
extensions, DuckDuckGo has introduced tapped Sync With Another Device, applied to my passwords, which were
the ability to sync your bookmarks and granted DuckDuckGo permission to protected using my fingerprint screen
passwords across devices. access my phone’s camera and scanned lock, to stop them being quacked (sorry).
This was exciting news for me, because the QR code displayed on my PC. I switched on the option ‘Save and autofill
I’m a big fan of DuckDuckGo’s Android This opened a Save Recovery Code passwords’ to speed up future logins in
app (www.snipca.com/49345), especially message on both devices, which advised the mobile browser.
its blocking of hidden trackers from other me to save the code provided in case I This seamless and account-free data
apps. Being able to sync my data between ever needed it to recover my synced data. syncing has convinced me to make
the desktop and mobile browsers – This sounded sensibIe so I duly clicked DuckDuckGo one of my main desktop
secured by end-to-end encryption – ‘Save as PDF’ ( 1 in our screenshot) in the browsers (again). If it can just add
would give me ample reason to use both. desktop browser to download the recovery support for extensions, the browser will
Best of all, DuckDuckGo claimed it could code. I then clicked Next and was notified really take flight.
perform this syncing without me needing that ‘Your data is synced’ which was Need help with syncing your passwords? Let
to create or sign into an account, which much easier than I’d anticipated. us know: [email protected]

74 13 – 26 March 2024 • Issue 679 Next issue: Robert tries to remove AI bloatware
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