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WELCOME
EDITORIAL
Content Director Marc Chacksfield
Group Editor Daniel Booth
From the Editor
Deputy Editor Robert Irvine
Production Editor Graham Brown Not all developers take 19 years to update advice in our Cover Feature. His 14 tips
Art Editor Katie Peat their software. That’s how long WinDirStat represent nothing less than a masterclass
Contributors Keumars Afifi-Sabet, Judith Batchelor, Dinah
Greek, Jonathan Parkyn, Nik Rawlinson, Andy Shaw users had to wait for a major new version in updating software so you’re always
ADVERTISING
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Advertising Manager Alexandra Thomas get significant updates every year or so, doing that you’re almost certainly running
MARKETING AND CIRCULATION with smaller releases in between to fix the best and safest version too.
Subscriptions Sheri Taubes flaws and add tools. The first eight tips involve Patch My PC,
PRODUCTION But how do you know when those which itself has just been updated. It’s one
Head of Production Stephen Catherall updates are available? You could keep of those powerhouse programs I’m happy
Senior Production Manager Lawrence Brookes
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THIS ISSUE IN NUMBERS HOW TO USE
Distributed by Marketforce
15% £2,300 SNIPCA URLs
Average sales, Jan-Dec 2023 52,670
copies per issue. Free space on How much you We use snipcas to turn long URLs
Windows that leads can ‘claim’ in post- that are hard to type into ones that
to a red-bar warning Budget scam – p11 are short and simple. They aren’t
– p67 websites themselves, which means
they won’t be recognised if you type
70 them into Google. Instead, you need to
Number of aircraft in the type them into your browser address
standard version of Microsoft bar, then press Enter. Doing this will
Flight Simulator 2024 – p9 take you to the correct website.

Issue 697 • 20 November – 3 December 2024 3

 Contents
20 November – 3 December 2024 • Issue 697

6 News Extend Windows 10 support for $30

– but just for one year

10 Question of the Fortnight Will TV

streaming kill off Freeview and the BBC?

11 Protect Your Tech

‘Claim £2,300 per month’ Budget stories

12 Letters BBC told me why iPlayer isn’t on

Google TV Streamer

14 Consumeractive
Can Amazon refuse to replace ‘lost’ goods?
p10
16 Grow Your Family Tree
Search Boer War records BBC against the stream

18 Best Free Software

LocalSend 1.16.1 GMKtec NucBox M7 Pro
21 Named & Shamed p22
Clean Planner’s scaremongering adverts

Reviews
22 GMKtec NucBox M7 Pro
Budget mini PC represents square deal

23 Asus ExpertBook P5
Non-Copilot+ laptop is a welcome arrival

24 Apple iPad mini

Apple’s small tablet makes big impression

25 Lenovo Legion R25F-30

Gaming monitor plays a blinder Apple
iPad mini
26 Anker Prime Charger 200W pxx
Charging station offers six ports of call p24

28 Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4

Portable speaker makes some noise
DeltaHub Carpio 2.0
Wrist rest takes the strain

29 Huawei Watch D2
Fitness watch ticks along nicely

30 Buy It/Competition
Win an EZVIZ BC1C 2K+ security camera

4 20 November – 3 December 2024 • Issue 697

 SAVE
Subscribe now! 35%
See page 58 for our special subs offer

Workshops & Tips Turn up the dial

p35
35 
How to… Increase volume of
videos without distortion

38 
Master Opera’s brilliant new
browser tools

40 R
 eaders’ Tips Block porn and
gambling sites on Windscribe VPN

42 Browser Tips Create a personalised

‘dashboard’ in Vivaldi

44 Phone and Tablet Tips

Get roadside assistance via satellite

46 Make Windows Better

See all the drivers installed on your PC

47 Make Office Better Never miss another CO

FEATVER

SOFTWARE
Change your keyboard shortcuts in Word UR
P50 E
48 In the Club

UPDATE
Create a newsletter template in Word

49 What’s All the Fuss About?

Russia fining Google
14 THINGS you
50 COVER FEATURE Never miss
another software update
should do from
Outdated programs can damage your PC’s today — and they’re 75%
performance and leave it at risk. Make sure
you’re always running the latest versions ALL FREE!
60 12 devices you must buy
on Black Friday

12
We run down the biggest deals on the best
tech products around
devices you
62 Ditch your SIM card
Why having an eSIM in your phone might be must buy on
Black
safer, cheaper and more convenient

64 Problems Solved

Friday
Can I ditch broadband for mobile data?

71 Reader Support
Why can’t I colour my emails in Outlook?

72 Jargon Buster p60

74 Easy When You Know How Robert The real deals

Irvine makes his PC look like Windows 12

Issue 697 • 20 November – 3 December 2024 5

 News The top stories in the world of technology

Extend Windows 10 support

for $30 – but just for one year
M
icrosoft has revealed for individuals, having
it will charge users previously provided it to
$30 to extend support businesses and organisations
for Windows 10 for one year using Windows 7.
after support officially ends on However, while businesses
14 October 2025. It hasn’t can pay for up to three
confirmed the price for UK years of extended support,
users, but it’s likely to be individuals can only secure
similar. one extra year.
It’s the first time Microsoft To get this support users
has offered extended support will have to sign up for
Microsoft’s Extended Security
WHAT WE THINK Update (ESU) programme,
which it said will be available
Finally, Windows 10 users “closer to the end of support
who can’t upgrade to 11 have in 2025”.
some clarity: buy a new This will deliver essential secure while one migrates to a “ensure you are well-prepared
computer before October monthly security updates newer, supported platform.” for the transition”.
2025 or pay around £30 until October 2026, but no Microsoft’s first ESU was for The $30 price is less than
to extend security support. new features or design Windows 7, which provided half the $61 (£47) Microsoft is
We were expecting it to changes. You also won’t be continued updates for three charging businesses for the
be nearer £50, so that’s a able to contact Microsoft for years from January 2020. It first year of extended support.
welcome surprise, though technical assistance on the didn’t offer ESUs after ending This increases to $122 (£94) for
it won’t stop campaigners operating system. support for Windows 8.1 in the second year of business
pushing for Microsoft to offer Microsoft describes the January 2023. support and $244 (£188) for
free support, or even prolong ESUs as a “last resort option It announced the price in a the third year, bringing the
it indefinitely. We sympathise for customers who need to blog post (www.snipca. overall cost to $427 (£329).
with that view, but the reality run certain legacy Microsoft com/52734) encouraging At the current exchange rate
is Microsoft is committed to products past the end of Windows 10 users to move to $30 is £23, but analysts expect
axing a system that by next support”. Windows 11, saying it wants to Microsoft to sell it in the UK
October will be over 10 years It adds: “They are not for around £30.
old. We’ll continue to explain intended as a long-term You can get extended
your options until then. solution, but rather as a support for longer than one
temporary bridge to stay year by subscribing to
Slovenian firm 0patch, which
plans to release “micropatches”
WINDOWS 10 CONTINUES TO SLUMP until 2030 – and even longer if
Windows 10’s market share yearly high of 69.89 per cent in demand is high. We explained
is continuing to fall as the end April, while Windows 11 use has how it works in Issue 693’s
of support looms. Figures for risen from 26.19 per cent in the Cover Feature ‘Windows 10 is
October show it’s running on same month to a new high of doomed’ – buy a back issue
60.95 per cent of Windows 35.58 per cent in October. This from www.snipca.com/52735
computers, down from 62.75 suggests Microsoft’s warnings (pictured left).
per cent in September. about the end of support are Will you pay to extend Windows
It has fallen steadily since a hitting home with users. 10 support? Let us know:
[email protected]

You’ll like this… but not this…

Microsoft Paint lets you make edits using Scammers are offering portable heaters
typed commands (www.snipca.com/52740) ‘made by Elon Musk’ (www.snipca.com/52737)

6 20 November – 3 December 2024 • Issue 697

Search the web in ChatGPT – IN BRIEF

though it’s not free yet ANKER TO RELEASE

USB-C CHARGERS
Anker is planning to release

C hatGPT has added online

search as it aims to attract
users away from Google,
five new chargers that
have USB-C slots only,
according to images
though for now it’s available leaked on Reddit
only in the paid-for version (www.snipca.
of the AI tool. com/52760).
Open AI, which runs online. They
ChatGPT, said the search 1 range from 30W
tool gives you “fast, timely to 240W, including
answers with links to relevant a four-port wall
web sources”. charger (pictured).
It added that getting answers 2 Anker hasn’t commented on
on the web using traditional the leak, so availability and
search engines “can take a lot plan a road trip along the need to open a new search prices are unknown.
of effort” and “often requires Amalfi coast in Italy ( 1 in tab or page.
multiple searches and digging our screenshot). This It’s available for users who PARAMOUNT+ ADDS
through links to find quality produces a numbered guide pay £19.99 a month to ‘BASIC WITH ADS’ PLAN
sources and the right recommending a possible subscribe to ChatGPT Plus Paramount has launched a
information for you”. route 2 , with links to more (www.snipca.com/52759), ‘Basic With Ads’ plan that
It claims ChatGPT’s search details. which also provides faster and gives full access to its
lets you “ask a question in a A follow-up question asking more accurate responses to content for £4.99 a month.
more natural, conversational where to eat in Positano questions when using the It’s now the cheapest
way”, and you can ask during your stay gives links to main AI tool. Paramount+ tier, letting you
follow-up questions that several restaurants. However, Open AI said it stream Full HD on one device
allows ChatGPT to “consider It also answers questions will make it free to all users at a time. To watch without
the full context of your chat to about the weather and the “over the coming months”. adverts you’ll have to pay
get a better answer for you”. best sights to see during the The search option is built £7.99 or £10.99 a month for
On its blog (www.snipca. holiday. All the questions and into www.chatgpt.com, as the Standard or Premium
com/52758) it gives the example answers are part of the same well as mobile apps and the tiers. Previously, Paramount
of a question asking how to conversation, so you don’t downloadable tool. offered just a single tier,
priced £6.99 for Full HD on
up to two devices.
Interpol warns patients about hackers
stealing NHS records TOMORROW’S
WORLD

I nterpol’s head of cybercrime

has warned that gangs are
to keep hidden,” he added.
Patients in the UK are at
HACKED This is robot ‘artist’ Ai-Da
standing in front of its
increasingly trying to steal particular risk because the portraits of computer pioneer
medical records from NHS is thought to hold the Alan Turing. Auction house
individuals. world’s largest amount of Sotheby’s has just sold the
Neal Jetton said it’s part of a health data, including painting on the right, called
30-per-cent rise in global contact details and National A.I. God, for £836,000.
cybercrime this year. There’s Insurance numbers, as well Sotheby’s said it “reflects
an attack every 39 seconds, as medical records. thousands of cancelled the growing intersection”
costing the world’s economy Unlike credit cards, this appointments at Guy’s, St between AI and the global
$18m (about £14m) a day. information can’t be easily Thomas’ and King’s College art market. It also reflects the
Talking at Interpol’s General cancelled and reissued if it’s hospitals, all in London. fact that some people simply
Assembly in Glasgow in early stolen, making it much more Four months earlier hackers have too much money.
November, he said protecting valuable to hackers than stole “a very large amount” of
medical records from hackers banking details. patient and staff data from
is “one area where people Several NHS trusts and NHS Dumfries and Galloway
need to work on to improve associated companies have in Scotland. The trust warned
their online safety”. been attacked in recent years. patients to assume that some
“The data that they are after In June, blood-testing firm of their data is likely to have
is something which hospitals Synnovis was hacked by a been published online
are, understandably, desperate Russian gang, causing following the hack.

Issue 697 • 20 November – 3 December 2024 7

 News
IN BRIEF Amazon’s first colour Kindle
TURN IMAGES INTO TEXT
USING POWERTOYS
suffers from yellow fever
You can extract text from
images and paste it where
you want, using version 0.86
A mazon has suspended
deliveries of its first
colour Kindle e-reader to fix
the yellow tint is
“incredibly noticeable
when the device is
of PowerToys, released in problems that are causing a supposed to be evenly
early November. It’s a new yellow tint on the screen. lit and coloured like a
option in the Advanced The company launched the piece of paper”.
Paste tool (pictured). If you Colorsoft by boasting it had Several buyers replied
already use PowerToys, “rich, paper-like colour” and to say their Colorsoft also
open it then click General on that it uses LEDs made from has a yellow tinge, while
the left, followed by ‘Check nitride to “enhance colour others said the tinge
for updates’ on the right. and increase brightness, all appears along a vertical
Alternatively, get PowerToys without washing out details”. edge too. Some have
0.86 from www.snipca. But some early buyers of instead reported dead
com/52713. the Colorsoft in the US have pixels in one corner

Credit: Reddit
complained about a yellowish of the screen.
tinge at the bottom of the screen. The buyers who had
One person posted a photo reported the fault to
on Reddit (www.snipca. Amazon said it had
com/52692, pictured) saying agreed to send a replacement. The problems have led to
negative reviews on Amazon
US and a rating of only 2.7
POCKETBOOK LAUNCHES
READ AI RECAPS ON PRIME VIDEO (www.snipca.com/52693).
FIRST UK E-READERS You can now read Amazon says it will need a
Swiss firm PocketBook has recaps of shows you’ve couple of weeks to fix the fault
launched its ebook readers in watched on Amazon before resuming deliveries.
the UK for the first time. Prime Video with a new It hasn’t said what’s causing
Prices start at feature called X-Ray the problems.
£94.99 for the Recaps (pictured). It The Colorsoft is due to go
Basic Lux 4 (6in uses AI to write the on sale in the UK on 26
black-and-white recaps, summarising episodes blog for details: www.snipca. November, priced £270
screen), rising to or entire series. Visit Amazon’s com/52712. (www.snipca.com/52709).
£489 for the InkPad Eo Mist We’ll review it soon.
Grey (10.3in colour screen,
pictured). See the whole
range at Laptops Direct: Scammers impersonate dentists
to con patients
www.snipca.com/52724.

THE WORLD’S
GONE MAD!

As well as engineers,
S cammers have been
posing as real dentists to
trick patients who find it hard
saying: “If you are struggling
to register with a dental
practice, we can help.”
doctors and lawyers, to book an NHS appointment. When you visit the fake
universities are now The British Dental sites you’re shown prices The scam has been reported
producing online influencers. Association (BDA) has warned from £26 for an ‘NHS Band 1 in County Durham, Devon,
South East Technological that fraudsters are using fake appointment’ to £319 for Essex, Lincolnshire, Merseyside,
University (SETU) in Carlow, websites and Facebook posts ‘Band 3’. You’re then asked to Norfolk, Suffolk and Devon.
Ireland, has launched a to ask for payments upfront fill in a booking form and Anti-scam campaigners
four-year bachelor’s degree before vanishing with their submit payment details. and the NHS advised patients
course in ‘Content Creation money. Some victims have lost A BBC investigation revealed to register with a dental
and Social Media’ (www. up to £300 in the scams. the scammers have operated surgery in the same way they
snipca.com/52718). Fifteen The scammers typically post under the name ‘The Dental do with a GP practice. They
students have enrolled, but links on Facebook community Surgery’, though both the added that you should never
we can’t confirm rumours groups that take people to name, website and the claimed pay a registration fee unless
that one is Mickey Mouse. their website (pictured). They location of the surgery has you’ve already been seen by
boast of “exciting news”, changed in recent weeks. the dentist.

8 20 November – 3 December 2024 • Issue 697

Channel 4 app arrives on Google IN BRIEF
Chromecast and TV Streamer BUY SKY GLASS FROM
CURRYS STORES

C hannel 4 has released

an app for Google’s
Chromecast and TV Streamer,
You can now inspect Sky
Glass TVs in Currys stores
and order the service in
though it doesn’t contain every person. It’s also available
show from the broadcaster. to order online from www.
It’s the first time any currys.co.uk. Once you’ve
Channel 4 app has been ordered, it will be delivered
available on either device, by Sky (not Currys) to your
though you have been able to home. Sky Glass comes
watch it on Android TVs that in three TV sizes: 43in
come with Freeview Play. (£699), 55in (£949) and
You’ve also been able to cast 65in (£1,199). You also need
shows from your phone to Sky’s Ultimate TV package,
your TV. catch-up service on other Amazon’s Fire TV Stick. priced £31 a month without
However, there’s still no devices and apps. To find the Channel 4 app a long-term contract, or £28
sign of BBC iPlayer being Channel 4 said it was on your Chromecast or TV a month across two years.
added to the Google TV “working hard to make our Streamer open the Google Read more at www.snipca.
Streamer, though like the full catalogue of content Play Store on your device and com/52677.
Channel 4 app previously you available on the Channel 4 app search for Channel 4.
can cast shows to your TV. on Google TV, but there are You can also upgrade to RASPBERRY PI RELEASES
Many of Channel 4’s most some specific films and shows Channel 4+ through the app. ITS OWN SSD
popular shows are available that aren’t yet available”. For £3.99 a month this Raspberry Pi has
through the app, including It added that all its shows removes adverts and gives you released
Gogglebox and The Great are on its website (www. early access to some shows. its own
British Bake Off. But it lacks
some programmes that are
channel4.com), its phone and
tablet apps and on other
• ‘BBC told me why iPlayer
isn’t on Google TV Streamer’
NVMe SSD
for the mini
part of the broadcaster’s streaming services, including – Letters, page 13 computer, in
256GB (pictured) and 512GB
capacities priced £27.70
Flight Simulator 2024 on sale with and £41.50 respectively
(www.snipca.com/52679).
125 aircraft and 160 airports It works with Raspberry Pi
5, though you’ll also need to

M icrosoft Flight Simulator

2024 is now available to
buy, coming with new planes,
(£129.99) and Aviator (£199.99).
The Standard version comes
with Xbox Game Pass and
buy a compatible HAT add-on
board, such as the HAT+
priced £11.50 from www.
missions, careers and a includes 70 aircraft and 150 snipca.com/52680.
Challenge League to play airports; Deluxe increases this
against other pilots. to 80 and 155 respectively; TRIPLE YOUR DATA
The game, which was Premium Deluxe goes to 95 ON VIRGIN MEDIA O2
released on 19 November, and 160; while Aviator has the Pay-as-you-go Virgin
has the “most detailed most – with 125 aircraft and Media O2 customers can
re-creation of planet Earth to 160 airports. increase their mobile data
date”, Microsoft says, with Computers running the by up to three times for no
500 cities and more than game will need a minimum extra cost until 5 February
100,000 square kilometres of 16GB of RAM, double the 2025. The deals are
countryside. requirement for the 2020 available on the Big Bundles
There are over 125 aircraft version. and Rolling Plans packages.
– more than 40 of which are However, Microsoft said the up less than 50GB of space on New customers will get
new – as well as 160 airports, recommended RAM is 32GB. your computer, much less it when they sign up, but
but which ones you get depends To play Flight Simulator at than the 150GB needed for existing customers must
on the edition you buy. peak performance you need the 2020 edition. text MORE to 2424. For
It comes in four editions: 64GB – which it calls the For more information and details visit www.snipca.
Standard (£69.99), Deluxe ‘Ideal Spec’. to buy Flight Simulator 2024 com/52681.
(£99.99), Premium Deluxe Despite this, the game takes visit www.snipca.com/52682.

Issue 697 • 20 November – 3 December 2024 9

 Questionof
Question ofthe
theFortnight
Fortnight
Will TV streaming kill off
Freeview and the BBC?
Both could be under threat as viewing habits change

O
fcom research published
this summer showed THE FACTS
that for the first time
less than half of 16 to 24-year- • The Government has set
olds watch traditional TV (live up a group to examine the
and catch-up programmes on future of UK TV as research
a TV set at home) each week. shows some households
The numbers for 45 to 54-year- will be excluded from
olds and over-65s have also streaming
dropped sharply in recent • New BBC chairman Dr
years. If those figures don’t Samir Shah has said
give new BBC chairman Dr reforming or replacing
Samir Shah sleepless nights, streaming is at the heart of a and have a disability. the TV licence are both
his mattress is too comfortable. new public forum set up by This poses a problem for possibilities
He addressed the future of the Government. Figures from both the Government and TV • Researchers predict that
the BBC in early November the TV industry and Ofcom companies. The former won’t by 2040 some 1.5 million
in an interview at Leeds will meet with Media Minister want to be held responsible households (five per cent)
Conservatoire, saying “reforming Stephanie Peacock MP to discuss for depriving vulnerable will still rely entirely on
the licence fee, replacing it, or how all viewers, including people from receiving TV, traditional broadcast TV
coming up with a whole new older people and those who and so will want to keep through an aerial
mechanism” are all possibilities. can’t get the internet on their Freeview running for as
long as possible. But as
more people switch to because 16 million households
As more people switch to streaming, streaming, broadcasters still use it. But at some point
broadcasters will find it harder to justify will find it harder to
justify the cost of
in the 2030s ministers may
have to consider a public
the cost of Freeview maintaining Freeview.
However, one key
awareness campaign
encouraging people to start
aspect of the report streaming – ahead of a
However, he rejected TV, can “continue to access suggests a solution. Its Freeview ‘switch off’.
introducing a subscription world-class British content as predictions are based on no By that time the BBC’s future
fee for the BBC or funding it consumer habits continue “intervention” from the might look less uncertain. Dr
through advertising. “Both to change”. Government (see www.snipca. Shah has called for a permanent
introduce a commercial agenda, It comes as the Government com/52764). In other words, Government charter so it
which means the priority released a report (www. those 1.5 million households doesn’t have to be renewed
becomes, not how you serve snipca.com/52766) predicting will only be excluded from every 10 years, but that will
British audiences, but how you that on current trends by 2040 streaming if ministers don’t prove a tricky sell when
profit from them,” he said. 95 per cent of households take action to prevent it. viewers are moving away
“And putting some or all will watch TV via the internet, This raises the question of from traditional TV.
BBC content behind a paywall leaving 1.5 million reliant on how the Government could It’s more likely that, despite
is simply not compatible with services such as Freeview make sure those households Dr Shah’s objections, rapidly
public service,” he added. broadcast to an aerial. switch off Freeview for changing viewing habits
“It prioritises the needs of The report says these streaming. It won’t largely be will force public service
the better off, and leaves viewers are more likely to be a technical problem because broadcasters like the BBC, ITV
behind the poorer, the more female and live on their own. by 2030 almost all homes will and Channel 4 to start charging
marginalised or digitally They’re also more likely to live have fast enough internet to separate subscriptions.
disenfranchised.” in rural communities in stream TV. Instead, it’ll be Freeview’s days are ultimately
The risk of poor and Scotland, Northern Ireland down to viewers’ reluctance numbered, but broadcasters
vulnerable people being left and the north of England; be to change. should survive as long as they
behind by the rise of TV in low-income households; Freeview is safe for now move with the times.

10 20 November – 3 December 2024 • Issue 697

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

‘Claim £2,300 per month’ Budget stories

What’s the threat?
Scammers have created websites showing
fake BBC News stories claiming changes
in the recent Budget means Brits can
claim regular income from taxes. The
headline reads: ‘By the order of Rachel 1
Reeves, UK residents will start receiving
income from taxes’ ( 1 in our screenshot)
and continues below with ‘The Chancellor
of the Exchequer highlighted that
everyone is entitled to payments of up to
£2,300 per month’ 2 . 2
It tries to create a sense of urgency
by claiming there are only 800 “free The scam is one of several we’ve seen while all Government pages start with
places” left on the scheme, and says you that refer to the Budget in October. ‘www.gov.uk’.
should register for an account “even if you Another fake website impersonates Also be aware that over the next few
haven’t decided yet whether you want to Gov.UK and asks for your name, phone months scammers will target you with
receive compensation from the state”. number, address and bank details in fake news and offers relating to changes
Doing this hands over your personal order to receive a £900 payment. in who can receive the Winter Fuel
details to the scammers. Another fake Payment. In Issue 696, we warned about
story on the payout quotes LBC presenter How can you stay safe? a text message prompting people to beat
Iain Dale saying, “I have no doubt that Always check the URL of a news website a deadline to sign up for the money.
this is legal, our lawyers have checked to make sure it’s genuine. All BBC news Scammers will keep extending this
everything”. pages start with ‘www.bbc.co.uk/news’, deadline to try to catch out more people.

New tools Proton’s VPN

for Apple TV
ScamWatch
Readers warn readers

Proton VPN has long been

Cheshire police
one of our favourite VPNs,
impersonator
In late October, I was phoned by a
even though it didn’t work
man who claimed to be from Cheshire
with Apple TV. That changed
Constabulary. I live in Cheshire, so this
in October with the launch
wasn’t a complete surprise, but he
of a version for Apple’s
then said a criminal had been arrested
streaming service. You’ll 1
for stealing a bank card that belongs
have to pay for it though:
2 to me. I quickly checked my wallet
it’s available on the Plus
and saw nothing was missing, so I
(from €4.49/£3.78) and
asked him which card he was
Unlimited (from
referring to. But he then asked me for
€7.99/£6.72) packages. Canada, France and Germany are
that same information! I burst out
To install it, search for and open shown as the main choices ( 1 in our
laughing at how blatant and inept this
the Proton VPN app on the App Store screenshot). Alternatively pick the
scam was, and he hung up. But these
on your Apple TV. Now visit www. fastest country 2 to let Proton decide.
vile scammers probably only need to
protonvpn.com/appletv then sign in Once done, you can watch shows from
get successful once in a hundred calls
with your Proton Account password other countries through Apple TV
to make it worth their while.
and username. You’ll then need to whether you’re at home or abroad. For
David Baxter
enter the code shown on your Apple more on what you can do with VPNs
TV. Now use your remote control to read Issue 692’s Cover Feature (buy a Warn your fellow readers about scams
choose a country’s server – US, UK, back issue from www.snipca.com/52654). at [email protected]

Issue 697 • 20 November – 3 December 2024 11

 Letters
Tell us what’s on your mind

When AI cuts jobs, workers Should Kaspersky be punished

will miss ‘drudgery’ because of Russia’s actions?
I can see how AI will bring Following your news story on
long-term benefits to society, but I Google removing Kaspersky from
shudder when I read Microsoft boss Satya its Play Store (Issue 695, page 8), since
Nadella boasting it will end the Russia invaded Ukraine I’ve been considering
“drudgery” of work (‘Question of the whether I should change to another
Fortnight’, Issue 696, pictured). I know antivirus software on principle. But should
he means the a Russian company be penalised for the
boring office tasks actions of its government? I’m happy Microsoft’s icons bad for
nobody wants to with the program and whether it’s under people with impaired vision
do, but drudgery the influence of Russian authorities In response to Issue 694’s
isn’t the way to doesn’t affect me as a private user. Unless ‘Question of the Fortnight’ (‘Will
describe it. That the Government tells us it’s a security Windows 12 really look this hideous?),
puts a negative spin risk I’ll renew my subscription in January. as a sufferer of amblyopia and corneal
on work, which is a Peter Ive dystrophy, which mainly affects my right
source of fulfilment eye, I think those potential Windows 12
in people’s lives. Microsoft should do more to icons (pictured above) would be
I always bear stop spam extremely unpopular for those of us
in mind the slippery slope argument. Your comments on the 24H2 with impaired vision.
Employees might start by introducing AI Windows 11 update were From my right eye only, the icons
as a way of reducing drudgery, but it interesting (Issue 695, page 6), but like appear almost completely invisible.
won’t be long until it’s used as a many people I’m of an age where I’m There’s no way for me to distinguish one
justification to cut jobs. When that interested only in Windows functionality icon from the next, let alone work out
happens, those made redundant will and not the ‘fluffy’ extra bits. what each is for. The chunky, childish
soon miss the drudgery of work. However, I do think Microsoft should colours and shapes bring nothing useful
Graham Shepherd put more energy into preventing spam to society, as young children don’t use
emails. While Gmail, which I use, is computers anyway. To elderly users and
We’ll all be using AI PCs soon extremely efficient at canning spam, I do those with reduced eyesight, these icons
Mal Lewington might not need an still report any I receive to SpamCop (and other abstract horrors that might
AI PC (Letters, Issue 696), but I’m (www.spamcop.net). This reveals the accompany them) could render the entire
prepared to bet the amount I’ve lost in source of the spam emails. I’ve found that operating system confusing and
winter fuel payments that the next some 40 per cent of spam comes from completely useless.
computer he buys will be described as Microsoft’s onmicrosoft.com URL, while At a time when simply opening a bank
one. He’s not wrong to say that most 20 per cent comes from Hotmail. I also account without a smartphone is a
people prefer the ‘small’ benefits of AI, get at least two email notifications a day ridiculous battle, inclusivity in technology
such as upscaling damaged photos or containing a “six-figure code to type in is more important than ever. Microsoft
‘writing’ letters with ChatGPT. But the for the access request to my Microsoft should reassess its definition of ‘inclusion’
technology that powers these tasks is account” which I didn’t ask for. before it even considers adding these
the same that will add AI functionality Nigel Amos icons to one of its operating systems.
to computers. There’s no real difference.
Within a few years even laptops costing
What’s the Issue…?
?
less than £500 will be marketed as ‘AI
powered’. This technology is now
everywhere, and it will improve our I’m thinking about cancelling Read it and the
lives in ways nobody can predict Amazon Prime. When did you feature above on our
accurately. debate the pros and cons of it? Back Issue 2023 CD:
Simon Fuller Dawn Ashbee www.snipca.com/48860.

Computeractive is a member of CA SAYS In Issue 650, page 62. I often need to make calls
the Independent Press Standards
Organisation (which regulates the without a phone signal. Didn’t
UK’s magazine and newspaper
industry). We abide by the Editors’ When did you recommend you explain how to do that recently?
Code of Practice and are committed to upholding the ways to improve the speed of Liz Anderson
highest standards of journalism.
your SSD?
If you think that we have not met those standards
and want to make a complaint please contact editor@ Max Carter CA SAYS Yes, in Issue 685, page 60.
computeractive.co.uk. If we are unable to resolve your
complaint, or if you would like more information about IPSO
Buy a back issue from www.snipca.
or the Editors’ Code, contact IPSO on 0300 123 2220 or CA SAYS In Issue 655’s Cover Feature. com/52624.
visit www.ipso.co.uk.

12 20 November – 3 December 2024 • Issue 697

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

Thankfully, I’m able to use my left eye to

read your excellent magazine, and for STAR LETTER
that I’m very grateful.
Alice Keyte
BBC told me why iPlayer isn’t on
CA SAYS Alice is one of several readers
who emailed us their concerns that
Google’s TV Streamer
Microsoft’s new icons will be difficult for You’re right to say the onus is on
people with sight problems to use. For a Google rather than the BBC to
company that prides itself on inclusivity, add iPlayer to the TV Streamer (Issue
this could be a massive own goal. It’s 696, page 6, pictured). I was looking
been over a month since Microsoft forward to the Streamer’s release so I
revealed them and our initial reaction could replace my ageing Chromecast,
hasn’t faded – they still look hideous but I couldn’t believe Google had
(www.snipca.com/52629). However, launched it without including iPlayer. I
perhaps other aspects of Microsoft’s next know the BBC’s viewing figures are
operating system will look more falling fast, but doesn’t Google realise So it sounds as if the fault lies with
attractive – see page 74. how popular iPlayer remains? Google. I sent the response I got from
I was perplexed by this decision, so the BBC to Google but haven’t received
Meaningless to describe I emailed the BBC for a response. It a reply. Perhaps it simply cares more
products as ‘Pro’ replied by saying: “Google need to about US-friendly TV streaming services
I noticed in Issue 693 (page 7) submit this model to us for testing such as Netflix and Disney+ than the
that Apple has launched a new before we certify the device. The UK’s iPlayer. Seems short-sighted to me.
edition of its iPhone Pro. I’d like Apple to certified Google devices for iPlayer are Bill Mundy
explain what is so special about this listed on our website linked below.
phone that it requires the name ‘Pro’. I When new devices get certificated, CA SAYS We share Bill’s frustration. It
find this one of the most overused and they will be added here.” was foolish and inept of Google to launch
meaningless marketing terms. Google The link it supplied was www.snipca. the TV Streamer before it was certified
also uses it to describe its most expensive com/52626. Sure enough, the webpage to work with iPlayer. But there is some
Pixel phones. I have a Pixel 7a, which shows a list of all the devices from good news: Channel 4 has finally
Google doesn’t add the Pro suffix to. I various manufacturers that support the released an app that works with the
don’t know if I should feel hurt by this. iPlayer, and it’s very long. Clicking the Chromecast and Streamer,
Am I not a professional just because I use Google section shows that only three albeit with a catch (see
this lowly device? Chromecasts are compatible. page 9).
A quick search on Amazon reveals
Microsoft’s Surface Pro laptop, Samsung’s The Star Letter writer wins a Computeractive mug!
990 Pro SSD, Dell’s Pro wireless mice
and Realme’s Pro phone. It’s simply
meaningless. soundbar to get decent sound output, but
Peter Stirling these need an HDMI connection (and,
more importantly, one that supports ARC).
CA SAYS Peter’s right that ‘Pro’ has Perhaps we’re a little extravagant in our
become vacuous through overuse. We’re household, but I use HDMI sockets for a
seeing ‘AI’ going the same way, with Sky box (for sport), a Freeview recorder, a
manufacturers claiming it’s responsible 4K DVD player and a soundbar (with ARC).
for every new feature they add, while in This uses up all four HDMI sockets, leaving
the past even the dumbest of devices no room for anything else. I think TVs
were called ‘smart’. The only time Pro is should come with either a dedicated This mast in Wombourne, near
really helpful is to distinguish it from a connection for a soundbar or five HDMI Wolverhampton (pictured above),
cheaper model, so at least Apple’s use sockets, at least one of which is ARC. has been in use for many years. But I was
makes sense. IM Williams puzzled when it first ‘grew’ above the
present tree line on a very wooded scarp
Four HDMI TV sockets Masts of disguise slope. I was sure it hadn’t been there
isn’t enough You recently asked for before, and it was strange that I hadn’t
I enjoyed Issue 694’s Cover photos of phone masts noticed it. It certainly fooled me, but not
Feature (‘Don’t buy the that have been disguised as for very long.
wrong smart TV’), but I would something else. Here’s one I Some crows and other birds were quite
question your suggestion that took in Phoenix, Arizona, of a happy to explore its leafy ‘branches’.
four HDMI sockets is plenty. For mast camouflaged as a palm Considering how obtrusive most masts
just about every television you tree (pictured left). look, I think this one does a good job.
mention you also say you need a John Steele Alan Stevens

Views expressed don’t necessarily reflect those of Computeractive Issue 697 • 20 November – 3 December 2024 13
 Consumeractive
We stand up for your legal rights

Can Amazon refuse LEAD Can bookmakers

CASE William Hill
to replace ‘lost’ goods? refuse to close
I bought a pair of my account?
Q headphones and a car-
battery charger from I’m having problems getting
Amazon that were being sold by
third-party sellers. However, I’ve
Q William Hill to delete my
online account because it won’t
never received them despite delivery accept my password. The company
tracking showing they’d been sent wants me to give the date I registered
out. Amazon has listed them as ‘may my account and the credit card I used,
be lost’ and is offering me a refund, but I can’t remember these details.
but I still want the items not a Can you help?
refund. Can it refuse to honour the sale? items. He’s understandably annoyed John Perkins
Ron Killick because they’re still listed for sale. He
won’t get any further with Amazon We’ll try, but it might be tricky

It’s not actually in Amazon’s

because it can’t know if the sellers
still have the stock.
A because William Hill has to
make sure John is who he
A power to refuse to honour the
sale. This responsibility lies with
If the sellers say there’s no stock left,
Ron should report them to Trading
claims to be – and not an imposter. He
should first check his bank statements to
the sellers of the items. Amazon is acting Standards via the Citizens Advice website see if it contains the payment card he
as the fulfilment agent in this case, which (www.snipca.com/52617), pointing out used on the account. He then needs
means it handles the payment, delivery, that the items are still being advertised. to ask William Hill to accept he’s
returns and refunds of the third-party This might count as breaking the Unfair forgotten the date he registered for the
seller. It calls this ‘Fulfilment by Amazon’ Trading Regulations, which includes account, but can provide it for the last bet
(FBA) and explains to retailers how this legislation preventing firms from he made. We’ll also ask the company
works at www.snipca.com/52619 misleading customers by listing items whether it will accept that as proof of
(pictured). Legally, Amazon has done they can’t supply. his identity.
what it’s being paid to do by the sellers Meanwhile, we’ve asked Amazon to John should also tell his bank he’s unable
and is required to do by law – ie, offer look at Ron’s case and consider removing to cancel the William Hill account that
Ron a full refund. the listing. We’ve also asked it to check his card is linked to. This should protect
Ron should, therefore, contact both with the courier for more information him from fraud should someone else
sellers and ask what has happened to his on the delivery. hack into the account.
CASE ONGOING CASE ONGOING

CASE UPDATE

Octaplus gives reader £150 to spend on Amazon

Broadband provider Octaplus obligations.
(www.octaplus.co.uk) has told He was on a 500Mbps contract, but his
reader Mustafa Muflehi he connection suffered from severe latency,
can cancel without paying a which is a measure of how quickly your
fee and has given him £150 to spend on devices can communicate with each other.
Amazon as an apology, after ombudsman He had tried to improve this using Wi-Fi increased the offer to £150, which he accepted.
CISAS ruled in his favour. boosters, and moving his router to different His success is a sign that being patient can
As we explained in Issue 695, Mustafa locations around his home, but nothing pay off. He went through the correct process
reported Octaplus to CISAS because worked. of asking Octaplus for a deadlock letter, though
the company provided a consistently Octaplus appealed against the ruling, the company ignored this for 14 months. He
unreliable service for more than a year, but also offered Mustafa £100 in Amazon then did the right thing by reporting Octaplus
thereby potentially breaking its contractual vouchers. When he refused this Octaplus to CISAS (www.snipca.com/52685).

14 20 November -3 December 2024 • Issue 697

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

Is UK Pet Chip Registry a scam?

I recently received an email from desire for companionship during the
Q a company called UK Pet Chip
Registry asking for a payment of
COVID-19 lockdown” (www.snipca.
com/52614). If you register with this
£19 to renew my dog’s microchip. I’m scam, you’ll lose your money and your
puzzled because I’ve never been asked to pet won’t be registered, meaning you
renew this before. Is this a scam and how could be fined £500.
does the sender have my details? Scammers also take advantage of the
Annette O’Connor fact there’s no single national microchip of options can confuse pet owners, giving
database for pets in the UK. Instead scammers plenty of uncertainty they can
Yes, it’s a nasty scam, and it’s you have the choice of 21 Government- exploit.
A been around for several years.
The Chartered Institute of
approved databases (www.snipca.
com/52613). Some require you to pay
Victims of this scam can apply to their
bank for a chargeback under the Visa
Trading Standards warned about it in a one-off fee, while others charge an (www.snipca.com/52615) or Mastercard
early 2021 saying scammers were annual subscription, along with additional fraud-protection schemes (www.snipca.
exploiting “increased pet sales due to the services such as pet recovery. This variety com/52616).
CASE CLOSED

Does the 14-day item bought online, but that deadline

will pass between purchase and
30 days to demand a full refund for
products that are faulty. After this time,
right to reject Christmas Day. Does the law make
allowances for this?
the retailer is allowed one attempt to
either repair or replace the item.
also apply to Sara Martin However, retailers realise at Christmas

Christmas gifts?
that customers need deadlines to be
No, the law doesn’t take Christmas longer than usual, and so often extend

I want to buy all my Christmas

A into account, though retailers
do. As Sara says, the Consumer
the 14 or 30 days. Make sure you ask the
retailer what their returns policy is,
Q presents during
November’s Black
Contract Regulations (CCRs)
give you 14 days to tell a
particularly if you think there’s a chance
your presents might be rejected by the
Friday sales, but I’m unsure retailer you want to return recipient. We’ve not come across many
how this will affect my an item. You then have retailers that won’t allow items to be
consumer rights. I know in another 14 days to return it. returned after Christmas. We doubt any
normal circumstances you have Under the Consumer that did refuse would stay in business
14 days to reject an unwanted Rights Act (CRA) you have very long.
CASE CLOSED

CREDIT WHERE IT’S DUE

Argos refunded me within 24 hours of complaining

I was wanting to upgrade my slot. I rang the Argos helpline and explained be in my account by Friday, but it actually
mobile phone to a Nokia XR21. the problem. I told them I was considering arrived on Sunday – just one day later. This
I had researched it and some returning the device because it was not as was a far better outcome than I expected.
reviews suggested it was advertised. However, I said I’d be happy to Hugh Gamble
capable of taking a microSD card, while keep it if they were willing to offer a discount
other reviews said it couldn’t. I noticed it was as compensation. Contact
reduced from £400 to £370 on Argos’s site, I was immediately offered a refund of £75,
so I checked the specifications and it clearly which I accepted. This was on a Saturday
Argos
stated you could expand the memory with afternoon and I was told the refund would • Phone 0345 640 2020
an microSD card. Has a company impressed you with its • Social media and virtual assistant
However, when the phone arrived I customer service? Please let us know: www.snipca.com/52612
discovered it didn’t have a microSD card [email protected]

Issue 697 • 20 November – 3 December 2024 15

 Grow Your
Family Tree
If your ancestors fought in South Africa at the turn of the
20th century, follow Judith Batchelor’s advice to...

Search Boer War records

I
n South Africa on 11 October 1899 the Page’ dropdown menu
Boers, refusing to submit to British to make results easier
rule, besieged colonial settlements, to browse ( 1 in our 2
leading to the Second Boer War. The British screenshot right). You
eventually declared victory on 31 May 1902, can also filter results by
but casualty rates were high on both sides surname, forename,
from disease as well as from combat. regimental number, 1
rank, notes and unit 2 .
Find soldiers on I searched for a soldier
AngloBoerWar.com called Albert Edward
One of the best places to research the Curtis, who was a private
conflict is AngloBoerWar.com (www. in the 2nd Battalion 3
angloboerwar.com), which has records of the East Surrey
on 753,000 soldiers, both British and Regiment. The notes for Search for over 750,000 soldiers on AngloBoerWar.com
Boer. It’s run by Dr David Biggins, author his entry show he
of four books on the Boer War, and is received the Victoria Cross for rescuing nurses. Type Boer in the ‘Campaign or
free to use. After registering, you can also Colonel Harris at Onderbank Spruit on Service’ box search field to filter the
post on the active forum, which has a 23 February 1900 3 . results, then click ‘View Images’ to see
dedicated genealogy section. the actual medal-roll records. The entry
To find an ancestor click ‘Name search’ Browse records at Ancestry for Curtis confirms he won the Victoria
at the top of the home page, then add as and Findmypast Cross too (see screenshot below). Also
much information as you can in the boxes. I also found Curtis in Ancestry’s ‘UK, search Ancestry’s ‘UK, Casualties of the
The default search finds any examples of Military Campaign Medal and Award Boer War, 1899-1902’ records (www.
the letters appearing in a surname - Rolls, 1793-1949’ records (www.snipca. snipca.com/52593) for information on
whether at the start, the middle or the com/52560). Like all British and colonial 54,000 soldiers who were killed or
end. For example, searching for ‘Ling’ soldiers who fought in the Second Boer wounded.
produces around 3,900 results, including War, he received the Queen’s South Findmypast subscribers should search
Lingard, Pocklington and Watling. Africa Medal. It was also given to civilians its ‘Anglo-Boer War records 1899-1902’
Increase the number in the ‘Records per employed in an official capacity, such as (www.snipca.com/52565), compiled
from sources including the medal and

Your Genealogy Problems Solved

clasp entitlements, casualty records and
lists of honours and awards. It also
contains a growing number of names
I know that William Harris married a was 42 years old, which ties in with linked to war memorials.
woman called Hannah, and had at least a rounded-down age of 30 in the 1841
five daughters baptised at St Mary’s census. Hannah was born in Middlesex, so
Church in Ealing, west London, in the probably married William Harris locally,
1830s and 1840s. How can I find out shortly before the birth of their eldest
Hannah’s maiden name? Without this I daughter. The most likely marriage is that
can’t progress my family tree. of William Harris and Hannah Steptoe in
Roy Hampson Hayes on 10 November 1834. I found this
by searching Middlesex records on both
Hannah Harris’s death was registered in Ancestry and Findmypast.
Brentford in the March quarter of 1850, so
Have a genealogy question for Judith?
it would be worth getting a certificate from Email [email protected] with
Gov.UK (www.snipca.com/52514). She ‘Grow Your Family Tree’ in the subject line. Ancestry’s medal roll confirms that Albert
Edward Curtis won the Victoria Cross

16 20 November – 3 December 2024 • Issue 697 Next issue: Find missing birth records
 Best Free Software
Robert Irvine recommends new programs that won’t cost you a thing
FILE-SHARING TOOL

LocalSend 1.16.1
www.snipca.com/52690
What you need: Windows 10 or 11 , macOS, Linux, Android or iOS

Sharing photos, videos, documents and other files between receiving device, click or tap Accept to
your PC and phone usually involves either sending them as complete the transfer, and save the shared
email attachments or uploading them to an online-storage item to your Downloads folder or media library.
service. LocalSend offers a much easier solution by letting you The latest version of LocalSend improves the transfer
share files directly across your Wi-Fi network, without using speed at the sending device’s end and adds a button to
an intermediary service. retry failed transfers. It also lets you receive only files from
It works in the same way as Apple’s AirDrop feature and ‘favourite’ devices when the Quick Save feature is active.
Google’s Quick Share, but is cross-platform, which means This prevents strangers from sending you items if they
it works across Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS somehow access your network. To enable the new option,
devices. LocalSend is completely free to use and you don’t click Settings and – in the Receive section – switch on
even need to sign up for an account. ‘Quick Save for Favorites’.
Simply download the Windows program from www. Another improvement affects the Auto Finish feature,
snipca.com/52686, and install the LocalSend app for Android which automatically closes completed transfers so you
(www.snipca.com/52687) or iOS (www.snipca.com/52688) can send more files. This now only works when a file is
on your phone. Provided the devices are connected to the successfully received (or declined) at the other end.
same network, they will recognise each other’s codenames, Additionally, you can now show or hide LocalSend’s
which are themed around fruit and vegetables. ‘Advanced settings’. These let you change the displayed
You can then send files and folders from your PC to your device type and disable encryption (not recommended),
phone – and vice versa – with a single click or tap. On the among other tweaks.

3 1

1 LocalSend will automatically 2 Click one of the buttons 3 Go into LocalSend’s 4 If the LocalSend app on your
detect devices with its app under Selection to choose Settings to configure how phone can’t detect your PC,
installed and open, provided the type of item you want the program looks and you probably need to tweak
they’re connected to the to share. As well as sending works. You can change its the Windows firewall. Click
same Wi-Fi network. Add files and folders to nearby colour scheme, switch it to ‘Troubleshoot’ then ‘Fix
these trusted devices as devices, you can click Text dark mode, set it to run on automatically’ and LocalSend
favourites by clicking the to send a message or Paste Windows startup and enable will allow incoming
heart icons next to their fruit- to copy content from the its Quick Save and Auto connections through the
and-veg-themed names. Windows clipboard. Finish options. required firewall port.

18 20 November – 3 December 2024 • Issue 697

COMPRESSION TOOL
SHOULD I PAY FOR…?
PeaZip 10 Choose the right version of software
www.snipca.com/52676
What you need:
Windows 7, 8.1, 10 or 11, macOS or Linux TreeSize Personal
www.snipca.com/52683
PeaZip 10 expands Price: €25.95 (£21.77)
the number file types Free trial: 30 days
supported by the What you need: Windows 10 or 11
compression tool to
234, and gives it a Similar to WinDirStat (www.snipca.com/52543 – see Issue
fresh – but not radical 696, page 18), TreeSize is a disk-space analyser that reveals
– new design. This which files and folders take up the most room on your PC.
tidies up the menus, Unlike that program, it offers a choice of Free, Personal and
simplifies the Professional editions, with the latter aimed at businesses.
program’s icons, Unsurprisingly, TreeSize Free is the simplest to use,
makes the interface look less cramped and updates its automatically scanning your main hard drive to detect how
themes. The default theme is a rather dull grey affair, but you much space files and folders are consuming. It displays its
can change this by clicking the three-dot icon in the top-right results as both a list of items (from largest to smallest) and a
corner and choosing Settings, then Theme. The most notable ‘tree map’ that presents the information visually in the
new feature is the ability to scan files for malware using form of proportionately sized blocks – click the View tab
VirusTotal.com, to stop dodgy downloads infecting your PC. then Show Treemap Chart to see this.
Right-click an item and select ‘File tools’ then ‘Search In contrast, TreeSize Personal offers a choice of modes:
SHA256/VirusTotal’ (see screenshot) to upload the file to Expert, Normal and Simple (which is closest to the free
VirusTotal and check whether any antivirus engines flag it as version). Choosing ‘Normal’ opens a list of options that
malicious. PeaZip itself triggers a SmartScreen warning, but are only available in the paid-for edition. These include
it’s safe to use, so just click ‘More info’ then ‘Run anyway’. showing the largest 100 files on your PC, scanning for
duplicate files and folders (see screenshot), and finding
PRIVACY TOOL and deleting temporary files. You can also choose which
drive or folder to scan – including an online-storage or
Wise Folder Hider 5.0.6 network drive.
www.snipca.com/52675 The results are
What you need: Windows 7, 8.1, 10 or 11 much more
detailed than in
Wise Folder Hider TreeSize Free,
lets you hide which is useful
sensitive files, for forensic
folders and even analysis of
entire USB sticks disk-space usage,
from prying eyes. but also makes
You can also lock the interface
items, so they’re still rather cramped
visible but can’t be and confusing.
opened without a Tools such as
password, and add them to an encrypted locker – though the ‘Send by email’, ‘Create snapshot’ and ‘Schedule this scan’
free version limits you to encrypting 50MB of data. The latest are surplus to requirements, when you just want to find
update adds the option to stop locked EXE files running, until and remove space hogs.
they’re unlocked through Wise Folder Hider. When you lock a
program file, tick the Block box in the Prevent section (see OUR VERDICT: Don’t pay for it
screenshot) before clicking OK. If someone tries to run the The free version of TreeSize is more than sufficient for
EXE, they’ll see an error message saying: ‘The specified path detecting and deleting large files and folders. The Personal
does not exist’. Another new feature lets you unhide and version has several handy extras, but some – such as
unlock items in Wise Folder Hider simply by double-clicking duplicate removal – are available for free from rival tools
them. The software itself is protected with a password to WinDirStat and WizTree (www.snipca.com/51297).
prevent unauthorised access.

Issue 697 • 20 November – 3 December 2024 19

 Best Free Software

What should I download?

We advise you which software and apps to use
Can I display my film collection
How can I search text as a virtual DVD shelf?
across multiple PDFs? Q
I’ve bought
and
I need to search for specific keywords across downloaded
Q hundreds of PDFs stored in about 20 folders.
What’s the most efficient way to do this?
hundreds of films
and want to find an
Simon Grays attractive way of
displaying them on my
The free version of Adobe Acrobat Reader (www. PC. I don’t want a list,
A snipca.com/52520) searches all PDFs within a
folder. It would make sense to organise each of
but something like a
virtual ‘shelf’ of film
those folders within a larger parent folder, if possible, and posters or DVD boxes. Do any programs offer this?
use that as the directory through which you want Reader Russell Cormack
to search. If that’s not possible but the PDFs are in sub-
folders of Documents, search your Documents library. Yes, try Eric’s Movie DataBase (EMDB, www.emdb.eu,
Likewise, if they’re in the Downloads folder, make that
the target location instead.
A pictured), which shows DVDs as posters on a shelf.
Click Add, type the title of the movie, then Search
Launch Acrobat Reader, click Menu top left, then hover IMDb (the popular internet movie database) and choose
over Search and click ‘Advanced search’. At the top of the from the results. EMDB will then add the DVD cover, actor
box that appears, click ‘All PDF Documents in’, then click information, release date and more.
the dropdown menu and select the folder you want to
search.
If the folder doesn’t appear in the list, click ‘Browse for
location…’, then navigate to the folder in the window that
Can I record from vinyl to CD?
appears. Follow our advice above about selecting your I have a sizeable collection of vinyl records and would
folder or, if you’re not sure where the documents are,
choose your user folder, which should be pre-selected
Q like to create a much smaller collection of CDs to
provide compilation recordings. I can already create
when the window appears. Click OK. compilation cassette recordings from LPs via an integrated
Now type the search term you want to use on the line amp, but now want to create CDs. Which software does the job?
below ‘What word or phrase would you like to search for?’, Peter Doling
then click Search. Acrobat Reader will work its way through
all the PDFs in the folder you specified, plus any sub-folders First, you need to transfer your vinyl audio to your
it contains.
Click any result
A computer. Connect your turntable, via your amp, to
your computer. The precise method depends on the
and it will open in connectors on your amp. You might be able to use a jack-to-jack
the neighbouring cable, or a phono (for the amp) to jack (PC) lead. Then use
window while its Audacity (www.snipca.com/52521, pictured) to record the
entry in the list of audio as you play the records it on your turntable. Import
results (see the recording to Windows Media Player, which is a free
screenshot) will download from
expand to show www.snipca.
every mention of com/52522
your word or (if it’s not
phrase within it. already on
Click these your PC), then
mentions to skip burn it to CD
directly to them in using a built-in
the open document. or external
optical drive.

20 20 November – 3 December 2024 • Issue 697 Email us your questions at [email protected]

Named & Shamed
Keumars Afifi-Sabet puts the boot into tech villains,
jargon-spouting companies and software trying to trick you

SOFTWARE WARNING!
Clean Planner’s scaremongering adverts
1 2

S
earch for ‘cleaner’ Clean Planner …and when that
in Google’s Play first claimed didn’t work, lied
Keumars’ about it being
Store and you’ll be phone had “infected with
inundated with icons been hacked… viruses”
bearing the hallmark brush against a
variety of background colours. Clean
Planner (www.snipca.com/52650) is no
different, though its brush looks more
like something Tom Sawyer would use to
whitewash a picket fence than anything
you’d find handy in a messy kitchen.
It has plenty of positive reviews and
has shot into Google’s top 20 free tools.
It also claims to be “the faithful butler of
your mobile phone”, which made me
wonder whether Ask Jeeves was making trying to convince me my phone had
a comeback. I decided to give it a go, but been hacked (see screenshot 1 ). Such I noticed the solution was to download
was underwhelmed by its main tool, the scare tactics are shameful. a different tool called Cleaner Toolbox.
Junk Cleaner, which found a measly I then ran the antivirus scanner, but If you want to wipe junk from your
167KB of data to remove. instead of showing me a result it socked phone, just look in its settings. You don’t
But before I even had the chance to me with another warning: that my need a butler – and certainly not one
proceed it blasted me with a full-screen “Samsung is has been infected with that falsely claims you’ve been burgled
advert for Norton 360 antivirus. That viruses” (see screenshot 2 ). Once I’d every time he delivers your morning
wasn’t so bad, but much worse was an ad digested the gruesome grammar mistakes newspaper.

WHAT ARE THEY KEUMARS’ VILLAIN OF THE FORTNIGHT

TALKING ABOUT?
Google
WHAT THEY SAY
Microsoft www.snipca.com/52627 When Adam and Shivaun Riff filter because it took data
“Copilot is your AI assistant – it works launched their price-comparison from other sites to compare
for you – and Copilot Studio enables website Foundem (pictured) in 2006 prices.
you to easily create, manage and they were dismayed to see it plummet One convenient side effect of this
connect agents to Copilot. Think of agents down Google’s search results. People for Google was that its own price-
as the new apps for an AI-powered just couldn’t find it, which meant comparison tools now appeared at the
world. Every organisation will have a nobody visited it. The reason is that top of results. This always seemed
constellation of agents – ranging from Google placed Foundem in its spam dodgy to me and in 2017 the European
simple prompt-and-response to fully Commission ruled that Google had
autonomous. They will work on behalf illegally promoted its own services.
of an individual, team or function to Google has now lost its appeal over
execute and orchestrate businesses the ruling, and faces a fine of €2.4bn
process.” (£2bn). The Riffs closed Foundem in
2016 and will now launch a civil-
WHAT THEY MEAN damages claim against the tech giant.
Think of agents as another excuse for us Listen to their story on BBC Radio 4’s
to mangle the English language in the The Bottom Line: www.snipca.
name of progress. com/52642.

Issue 697 • 20 November – 3 December 2024 21

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

MINI PC | £560 from Amazon www.snipca.com/52552

GMKtec NucBox M7 Pro

Holds all the cards

If our current favourite mini PC – the

£899 Geekom A8 from www.snipca.
com/51157 (see page 32) – is beyond
your budget, this GMKtec NucBox M7
Pro is a decent compromise.
Like the A8 it comes with an AMD
Ryzen 9 processor, though its 6950H
chip is a couple of generations older than
the A8’s 8945HS model. In 2022, the
6950H was top of the range, so while it
doesn’t have the latest AI technology
or graphics hardware built in, it can
still provide a solid foundation for
2 1
running everyday Windows tasks. The
configuration we tested has a generous
32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD.

the PC. It offers a generous collection connect to the OCuLink port via a cable.
A flexible and of connections, for example, with two This arrangement wouldn’t be as

low-cost mini PC with USB-C ports – one at the front, one on

the back. These support the USB 4.0
fast as a built-in graphics card, but
it will provide a significant improvement
plenty of connections standard, so are suitable for video transfer
and just about anything else you’d like to
over the built-in Radeon 680M graphics
hardware built into the 6950H processor.
and a design that makes pass through them. The power comes Note, however, that such a dock is likely
through a separate port so you don’t lose to cost you around £100 and you’d
room for expansion one when you plug it into the mains. still need to fork out for a suitable
It also has two USB 3.2 ports on the graphics card.
These sensible choices meant the M7 front (pictured below left) and two USB We like the flexibility on offer here.
Pro performed well in our benchmark 2.0 ports on the rear (pictured above 1 ). While we’d still recommend the newer
tests. It runs at around 75 per cent of the There is also one HDMI and one processor in the Geekom A8 if your
speed of the Geekom A8, but the gap DisplayPort socket, and two 2.5Gb budget can stretch to it, the GMKtec
closed when we ran graphics benchmarks, Ethernet ports. On the front you’ll also NucBox M7 Pro makes for an affordable
which showed how well it runs games find a headphone jack and a more alternative that combines power and
and video- and image-editing software. uncommon OCuLink port 2 . flexibility.
Here, it was only around 12 per cent The latter connects directly to the
behind the A8. At over £300 cheaper, motherboard’s PCIe hardware, which is
that’s. great value for money. where you’d normally plug in internal VERDICT An older Ryzen 9 processor
Despite its slightly older processor, expansion hardware such as graphics contributes to its lower price, but it’s
there’s nothing outdated about the rest of cards if this were a desktop PC. It means still a capable mini PC with more
you could connect an external dock with upgrade options than most
a PCIe slot, which could accommodate a
graphics card. The dock would then
★★★★★
ALTERNATIVE Geekom A8 £899
SPECIFICATIONS Still our favourite mini PC
Eight-core AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 6950H processor • because it’s powered by a
32GB RAM • AMD Radeon 680M graphics • 1TB SSD more modern processor,
• Wi-Fi 6 • Bluetooth 5.2 • 2x 2.5Gb Ethernet ports • but it’s significantly
1x OCuLink port • 1x HDMI port • 1x DisplayPort • 2x
USB-C ports • 2x USB 3.2 ports • 2x USB 2.0 ports •
more
Windows 11 Pro • 43x111x123mm (HxWxD) • One-year expensive
warranty www.snipca.com/52552

22 20 November – 3 December 2024 • Issue 697

 HOW WE TEST
Computeractive is owned by Future PLC,
LAPTOP | £1,000 from Asus www.snipca.com/52564 which employs a team of specialist
technical reviewers. You’ll often read

Asus ExpertBook P5 references to our benchmark testing,

which is a method of assessing products
using the same criteria. For example, we
Ultra fast 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.
Most laptops we’ve reviewed Future PLC also owns the magazines
recently have been Copilot+ models Maximum PC, PC Pro and T3, and the
with Qualcomm Snapdragon X websites Laptop Mag (www.laptopmag.
processors. This ExpertBook P5 com), TechRadar (www.techradar.com)
from Asus returns to a more and Windows Central (www.windows
traditional component – the Intel central.com). This means we can test
Core Ultra 5 226V. This is newer thousands of products before choosing
than the Core Ultra 7 155H inside the most relevant for Computeractive.
our current favourite laptop
– the Dell Inspiron 14 Plus FAIR AND IMPARTIAL
(see page 30). However, it has Our writers follow strict guidelines to
only eight cores – half the number of battery lasted 11 hours 32 minutes, ensure the reviews are fair and impartial.
the Ultra 7. Would this harm its chances which is reasonable, but pales next to The manufacturer has no involvement in
of ousting the Ultra 7 as our favourite? several Copilot+ laptops we’ve tested our tests.
– many of which managed over 19 hours.
Connectivity is well catered for, with OUR AWARDS
A great all-round two USB-C, two USB 3.2 and one HDMI We award every product
that gets five stars our
port. It has Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.3
laptop with decent for wireless connections. Buy It! stamp of approval.
It means we were
This is very much a modern business
connections, battery laptop, ultra-slim and light for easy extremely impressed by the product, and
portability. There’s quite a bit of flex we think you will be too.
and screen in the lid when you apply pressure on
Every product that gets a
the corners and twist, but the hinge and
four-star review is given the
And the answer is: yes. The Inspiron’s base feel extremely solid. If you tend to
Recommended award. We
Ultra 7 processor still rules the roost, be clumsy or like to work with a cup of
highly recommend these
with its additional cores giving it a coffee on your desk, you might also be
products, although they just fail to meet the
significant edge in our tests. The P5 is grateful for the spill-resistant keyboard.
high standard of our Buy It! winners.
marginally faster in basic tasks, but But the overall design is hardly
when we pushed all cores to their revolutionary and you get an IPS rather PRICES
limits, the Inspiron ran nearly 30-per- than an OLED screen, though this is a Our reviews contain a link to the best price
cent faster. decent 14in panel with a QHD+ resolution we found online at the time of press.
The P5 is near-silent while running and an impressive 144Hz refresh rate.
standard productivity tasks, with the fans We measured a high maximum
only kicking into action when it’s taking brightness level of 490cd/m2, and its
on more intensive tasks. matte finish makes it usable both inside VERDICT An Intel-powered laptop
In our video-playback tests the P5’s and out. It’s not, however, the best that gives the latest Copilot+ models
choice for serious image editing given a run for their money, but it isn’t good
it’s capable of recreating only 89 per enough to topple our current favourite
cent of the sRGB colour standard and
just 67 per cent of DCI-P3, but that won’t
★★★★★
hold you back in office work. ALTERNATIVE Dell Inspiron 14 Plus
£799 A cheaper laptop with an older
SPECIFICATIONS but more powerful processor
Eight-core Intel Core Ultra 5 226V processor • 48
TOPS • 16GB of RAM • Intel Arc graphics • 14in
2560x1600-pixel 144Hz IPS screen • 1TB SSD
• 2x USB-C ports • 2x USB 3.2 ports • 1x HDMI
port • Wi-Fi 7 • Bluetooth 5.3 • Windows 11 Home
• 16.4x312x223mm (HxWxD) • 1.29kg • One-year
warranty www.snipca.com/52564

Issue 697 • 20 November – 3 December 2024 23

 Reviews
TABLET | £499 from Apple www.snipca.com/52573

Apple iPad mini 7

Small world

The iPad mini 7 isn’t a revolutionary measuring just 490cd/m2 instead of

update of the mini 6 (released in 2021 520cd/m2. That said, it’s hard to tell the
and reviewed in Issue 617), but its difference, even with the two tablets
under-the-bonnet improvements make it side by side.
a significantly better tablet. At first glance Colour accuracy has improved, though,
it looks and feels pretty much identical, with the mini 7 displaying 76 per cent of
with the same four speakers, volume the DCI-P3 standard, which improves on
buttons, a lone USB-C port and a power the mini 6 by a couple of percentage points.
button/touch ID sensor, while measuring Inside, the tablet is now powered
195x135x6.3mm and weighing 293g. That by Apple’s A17 Pro processor, which
makes it small and light enough to carry is the one used in the iPhone 15 Pro and
around with ease, though still larger Pro Max. This is powerful enough to
than a smartphone. Build quality is as keep the mini 7 running smoothly even
high as you’d expect, with a rigid when there’s plenty going on. We tried
aluminium case that can’t be flexed. it with 12 Chrome tabs open and a that, podcasts, TV shows, radio and films
YouTube video playing, and it didn’t all sounded great.
slow down or stutter once. iPadOS 18 comes installed, but the
It keeps the best In fact in our tests it performed iPadOS 18.1 update will arrive soon. It’s
bits from previous better than the iPhone 15, and is
significantly faster than the iPad mini 6.
a significant one because it will add
several new AI tools that Apple calls
models, while upping This means it can easily handle the
latest games, running even complex 3D
‘Apple Intelligence’. We’ve tried these in
the beta version and the best is Writing
the performance and titles at a steady 30 frames per second. Tools, which helps you improve your
It’s also now easier to edit photos and writtten work by proofreading it,
storage levels videos on this tablet. suggesting changes and altering the
In our battery test, which simulates tone when necessary. It can also create
The screen measures 8.3in across the continuous web surfing over Wi-Fi, it summaries and extract key points from
diagonal and offers the same 2266x1488- kept going for an impressive 10 hours longer documents.
pixel resolution as the previous version. 34 minutes. That’s a slight drop on the
That’s a sensible choice because – like mini 6, which had an additional 20 SPECIFICATIONS
the mini 6’s screen – it’s a joy to behold, minutes in the tank, but it’s still enough Six-core Apple A17 Pro processor • 128GB, 256GB
with an extraordinary level of detail on to last you most of a day. or 512GB storage • 8.3in 2266x1488-pixel IPS
screen • 12-megapixel rear camera • 12-megapixel
photos and video. It works well with Another step up sees storage doubled front-facing camera • Wi-Fi 6E • Bluetooth 5.3 • iOS
the Apple Pencil (pictured below), to 128GB. If you have an older iPad that 18 • 195x135x6.3mm (HxWxD) • 293g • One-year
which costs an additional £79. keeps running low on space because of warranty www.snipca.com/52573
There are a few tweaks to all the films, TV series and games you’ve
the screen, however. The downloaded, this could be the answer
mini 7’s panel was slightly to your prayers. VERDICT This update of Apple’s
dimmer in our tests, The stereo speakers produce decent smallest tablet hasn’t revolutionised the
sound quality. We tested it by playing look and feel, but it’s a big improvement
several genres of music. Unsurprisingly, on the inside
bass sounds aren’t replicated as well as
you’d find on a dedicated speaker, but
★★★★★
otherwise the detail in the mid and high ALTERNATIVE Apple iPad 10.9in
frequencies is pretty impressive. Besides (2022) £320 It’s now two years old,
but at a new
discounted price
of £320 this
remains our
favourite iPad –
see page 30

24 20 November – 3 December 2024 • Issue 697

PC MONITOR | £189 from Very www.snipca.com/52618
CHOOSE THE RIGHT SPECS
Lenovo Legion R25F-30
OCuLink
Game on
What does it do?
OCuLink is a type of port found on a
There are a lot of specifications you mini PC and some laptops, connecting
need to take into account when buying directly to the PCIe section of the
a new monitor, including screen size, motherboard, where you’d typically
resolution, refresh rate and colour find internal graphics and other
accuracy. The Lenovo Legion R25F-30 expansion cards on a desktop PC. By
is a reasonably priced monitor aimed at connecting a PCIe dock – such as the
gamers rather than everyday Windows Minisforum DEG1 (£95 from www.
users, so it doesn’t prioritise size and snipca.com/52622, pictured) – to the
resolution, but focuses instead on it’s great for editing photos and videos, OCuLink port using a compatible cable,
refresh rate and colour. though you won’t necessarily get to see you can connect a graphics card to a
The screen measures 25 inches across full details without zooming in. PC that wouldn’t normally be able to
the diagonal and has a 1080p (1920x1080 Unusually for a gaming monitor, the accommodate one.
-pixel) resolution. If you mostly use your design is understated. The stand offers Most desktopOCuLink ports because
PC setup to work on large spreadsheets plenty of adjustment options, including it’s easier to make the necessary
and long documents, or to edit high- lift, tilt and pivot, as well as the ability to upgrade internally.
resolution photos, then a larger screen swivel into portrait mode. It has two
with a higher resolution might be more built-in 3-Watt speakers but, while these
appropriate. are fine for Windows sounds and
On the other hand, if you like to play watching YouTube videos, they’re not
games such as Microsoft Flight Simulator, immersive enough for games or movies.
then the 280Hz maximum refresh rate Power comes through a port that
will make busy graphics appear smooth connects directly to a mains socket, so
and realistic. Add to this its ability to there’s no power brick to hide. It also
recreate 99 per cent of colours in the has a single DisplayPort, two HDMI
sRGB standard and 90 per cent of DCI-P3, ports and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
and you have games that look pretty Some USB ports would have been nice, How does it work?
much exactly as their creators intended. but we weren’t expecting such luxuries Unlike USB ports, which need controller
We tested it with several titles and they at this price. hardware inside the devices to manage
all looked fantastic. the flow of power and data in and out
For gaming, its relatively low resolution SPECIFICATIONS of the port, OCuLink bypasses this
is less important than its higher frame 24.5in VA LCD screen • 1920x1080-pixel resolution requirement, which makes it faster at
rate. And unless your PC has a decent • 280Hz refresh rate • 0.5ms response time • HDR10 communicating with your PC.
• AMD FreeSync Premium • 2x 3-Watt speakers • 2x
graphics card, then 1440p or 4K gaming HDMI ports • 1x DisplayPort • 1x 3.5mm headphone
is probably out of the question anyway. jack • 499x557x259mm (HxWxD) • 5.5kg • Three- What are the specs?
Granted, if you use your PC for year warranty www.snipca.com/52618 OCuLink is currently on version 2. This
Windows work, you won’t be able to fit as is capable of transfer speeds of up to
much on screen as you would with a 64GT/s (gigatransfers per second). That
higher-resolution monitor, but for VERDICT Colour accuracy and fast beats the current fastest USB standard
writing documents and web browsing it refresh rates make this a bargain for (Thunderbolt 4.0 delivered through a
isn’t a problem – text still appears sharp gamers, though everyday Windows USB-C port) of 40GT/s. It isn’t as fast as
and clear. Its colour accuracy also means users might prefer a higher resolution an internal PCIe slot, which can handle
up to 256GT/s, but this is far more than
★★★★★ any current graphics card can manage.
ALTERNATIVE Philips 27E1N1600AE
£200 This larger 1440p Can I change it later?
screen costs You can’t change the port but you can
more but it’s change what’s connected to it – ie, the
better for non- dock and graphics card, which means
gamers looking it’s easier to upgrade the graphics
for good Windows hardware in a compatible mini PC or
performance laptop than it is in most desktop PCs.

Issue 697 • 20 November – 3 December 2024 25

 Reviews
CHARGING STATION | £80 from Amazon www.snipca.com/52608

Anker Prime Charger 200W

Power sharing

Most of us have some kind of charging and everything in between.

stations in our homes, even if it’s only However, the total power provided
an extension lead with a row of power across all ports can’t exceed 200W, so
blocks plugged into it. This neater while it could provide the maximum of
alternative can power up to six devices, 100W each if only two of the USB-C
though you’ll still need to provide the ports were being used, if you have more
cables for each one that you want to devices drawing power, it will share the
connect to it. available charge across all ports. We think the omission of a display
We put it to the test by plugging in six is a worthwhile compromise. And that’s
devices and the Prime Charger coped the real draw here – you’re getting a
A neat way to charge perfectly well. One of our devices was a no-nonsense, speedy, high-quality
Samsung smartphone that draws 25W charging station at a price that’s very
multiple devices at once in its fast-charging mode, and it went reasonable.
in no time at all from a flat battery to fully charged in
the usual 90 minutes.
In terms of design the Prime Charger VERDICT An affordable charging
The front panel has six ports (pictured looks slick, with a striped, textured station that can charge up to six devices
above right) – four USB-C and two USB silver casing, while the power cable is at once from a single wall socket
3.0. It’s worth noting that, unsurprisingly, detachable, which makes it easy to pack
you don’t get the same amount of charge the whole thing away neatly if you want
★★★★★
from each of the ports. The USB 3.0 ports to take it on your travels. ALTERNATIVE Anker Prime Charger
provide a maximum power of 22.5W, The one thing it lacks is a screen showing 250W £180 Anker’s alternative can
while all the USB-C ports are capable of information on how much power is being output more power
100W. This does mean it can charge all used. If that’s important to you, consider and has an
types of devices – from phones to laptops Anker’s 250W version, which provides informative
even more power and shows power-usage screen, but
SPECIFICATIONS
Max 200W power output • 2x USB-C ports • 4x USB
data on its built-in LCD display. It’s a lot it’s more
3.0 ports • 35x112x76mm (HxWxD) • 563g • Two- more expensive, though, at £180 from expensive
year warranty www.snipca.com/52608 www.snipca.com/52609.

WHAT SHOULD I BUY? We solve your buying dilemmas

Which PC would you recommend for making music?

Do you have any advice on While it seems like a key With that out of the way, almost
Q which reasonably priced
PC I should buy for music
A requirement, you shouldn’t
really worry about the USB
any modern desktop PC should
meet your criteria, as long as it can
production? I’m looking for one with a ports. You might find a PC with enough accommodate connections from two
fast processor, a minimum 8GB RAM if you shop around, but it’s probably monitors.
and plenty of storage room. more sensible to find a PC that fits all The Wired2Fire Ultima WS Home
The main stipulation the other criteria, then buy a USB hub Office Workstation (£656 from www.
is that it has a large that can accommodate the number of snipca.com/41500) would fit the bill,
number of USB ports to ports you need. as long as one of your monitors
connect instruments A good example is the TP-Link USB 3.0 connects via HDMI and the other by
and mixers. At present I 7-Port Hub (£22 from www.snipca. either DisplayPort or DVI. And as a
have seven USB devices com/52611, pictured), which should let desktop PC, it’s easy to increase the
that plug into ports. I’d you connect all seven of your internal storage if you need more
also need to connect instruments and mixers to than the supplied 1TB.
two monitors. a single USB 3.0 port on Do you need advice on what you should buy?
Ian Tunstall whichever PC you buy. Email us at [email protected]

26 20 November – 3 December 2024 • Issue 697

 Reviews
PORTABLE SPEAKER | £90 from Amazon www.snipca.com/52610

Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4

Take notes

The Ultimate Ears brand also survive falling on to harder

is owned by Swiss firm surfaces from heights of up to
Logitech, renowned for its 1.5 metres.
wireless keyboards and Sound quality is excellent.
mice. But they also produce Bass output has no business
impressive speakers and the being so punchy for such a
Wonderboom 4 is a portable small speaker, while both
Bluetooth unit that’s small clarity and separation of
enough to carry with you frequencies are impressive at VERDICT A hardy portable speaker
wherever you go, but pumps out reasonable volumes. Only when you with excellent audio quality for both
surprisingly punchy audio. push up the decibel levels is there a music and spoken word, and a 14-hour
Its compact size is reflected in its noticeable loss of detail. battery life
modest £90 price tag, which makes this New to this fourth version of the
an affordable option if you’re looking for speaker is Podcast Mode, which adjusts
★★★★★
decent audio both around the house and the sound settings to provide improved ALTERNATIVE Soundcore Boom 2
beyond. Its IP67 ingress rating means it’s spoken-word audio, which worked well £120 An eye-catching
completely waterproof, and if dropped when we tried it. Bluetooth speaker
into water will float to the surface. It will We were also very impressed with the with a chunky
battery life. Ultimate Ears quotes 14 hours carrying
SPECIFICATIONS from a single charge, but we routinely handle and
86dBC maximum sound level • 14-hour battery life
• USB-C charging port • IP67 ingress protection •
bettered this during our testing. When flashing
Bluetooth 5.2 • 104x95x95mm (HxWxD) • 420g • used for just a couple of hours a day, it lights
Two-year warranty www.snipca.com/52610 only needed charging once a week.

WRIST REST | £30 from DeltaHub www.snipca.com/52605

DeltaHub Carpio 2.0

Moving support

We’re used to seeing fixed wrist rests the usual position of laying your palm to be held at a more comfortable angle,
built into keyboards and attached to some flat on the desk. It’s available for both might be a better option.
mouse mats. The DeltaHub Carpio 2.0 left-handed and right-handed people
is a standalone, ergonomic rest that in two sizes.
moves with your wrist. It’s made of soft The point of the device is to reduce VERDICT Provided some relief from
plastic and sits on Teflon runners that the risk of repetitive strain injuries. The wrist strain initially but then simply
allow it to glide over your desktop or Carpio certainly felt comfortable and moved the pain to our palm and we’ve
mouse mat. moved smoothly over our desktop. had better results from ergonomic mice
The idea is that it sits beneath the seat However, after a couple of weeks of use
of your thumb in your palm, and then it started to produce a slight pain in the
★★★★★
you reach for your mouse as you palm of our hand, as though it might be ALTERNATIVE Logitech Lift Vertical
normally would. Initially it felt a bit odd, taking the strain from the wrist by adding Ergonomic Mouse £54
but it wasn’t long before we got the hang extra pressure elsewhere. This mouse keeps
of it. It ensures a more natural angle than Another downside is the £30 price tag. your hand in a more
Paying more for an ergonomic mouse natural position
SPECIFICATIONS
Moulded plastic base • Teflon runners • Replaceable
like the Logitech Lift Vertical Ergonomic without needing a
wrist rests • 96x40mm (WxD) • Two-year warranty Mouse (£54 from www.snipca.com/41687, supplementary rest
www.snipca.com/52605 reviewed in Issue 631), which is designed

28 20 November – 3 December 2024 • Issue 697

 Reviews
SMARTWATCH ❘ £350 from Huawei www.snipca.com/52630
DO I REALLY NEED...
Huawei Watch D2 A £100
Feel the pressure mouse mat?
What is it?
Smartwatches and fitness bands are Razer’s
great at measuring your heart rate and Firefly V2
counting how many steps you’ve taken, Pro is a new
but they’ve been less reliable at gauging illuminated
more complicated medical data mouse mat
such as blood pressure. This watch that’s made
from Chinese manufacturer Huawei of plastic
changes that. The company has focused and costs
on making blood-pressure measurement £99.99 (www.snipca.com/52640,
a primary feature and has developed pictured).
wrist-mounted technology that brings
medical-level monitoring to the device. D2 sometimes struggled to take a What does it do?
To perform this feat, the Watch D2 has reading and we had to position it more It has an ultra-smooth surface marked
an airbag strip that runs along the inside accurately on the wrist. This gets easier with a minuscule pattern that helps
of the strap. At first we thought this with practice, though, and the D2 is the make the mouse more accurate. It
might feel uncomfortable and get in the only device we’ve seen that claims to also has 15 zones of RGB lighting that
way, but it sits unobtrusively under the provide medically reliable readings. illuminate the entire mat, so you can
strap and, if anything, provides an extra While blood-pressure monitoring is change its colours to suit your taste or
layer of cushioning. excellent, Huawei seems to have cut mood.
The watch inflates the airbag to back on other features. We missed a
take a reading, then deflates it again few of the useful options found on What’s the catch?
when it’s finished. You can take other smartwatches, such as making There may be more expensive mouse
one-off readings or set the watch to contactless payments, listening to music mats available, but we’ve never seen
make regular measurements over a via Spotify and hearing messages from one. This is certainly a high-quality
24-hour period. Note that you will feel WhatsApp at times when getting your product, but you’re paying a lot of
the bag inflate when it takes a reading, phone out would be inconvenient, such money for some mood lighting.
however, so night-time monitoring is as when exercising.
likely to wake you up. Otherwise, the D2 is attractive and So can I do without it?
In our tests, blood-pressure results well designed, with a 1.82in AMOLED Yes, it’s a lot of money to pay for what
were reliable and accurate (we measured screen that’s bright and vibrant. Both text feels like a gimmick.
it in other ways to check), although the and graphics look sharp, thanks to
its 480x408-pixel resolution. The display
is surrounded by a black or gold case, NEXT ISSUE
which frames it nicely. However, the
watch is quite thick, so it may not sit On Sale Weds 4 Dec
easily under a shirt sleeve.
Geekom GT1 Mega
The processor in
VERDICT Not the best smartwatch, this mini PC may
but if you’re looking for a device that can outperform our
measure and track your blood pressure current favourite
over time, it’s second to none
★★★★★ Amazon Kindle
Paperwhite
ALTERNATIVE Fitbit Charge 6 £140 Amazon’s new ebook
A cheaper fitness band reader is larger, faster
for those who don’t and longer lasting
SPECIFICATIONS need blood-pressure
1.82in AMOLED touch display • 480x408-pixel monitoring but would like These and much more...
resolution • IP68 ingress resistence • NFC • Bluetooth
5.2 • Six-day battery life • 48x38x13.3mm (HxWxD
to measure and record Subscribe to Computeractive at
excluding strap) • 40g without strap • Two-year other health statistics www.getcomputeractive.co.uk
warranty www.snipca.com/52630

Issue 697 • 20 November – 3 December 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

Dell Inspiron 14 Plus Palicomp AMD Cobra Apple iPad 10.9in

£799 from www.snipca.com/51831 £400 from www.snipca.com/43515 £309 from www.snipca.com/51839
Tested Issue 683 Tested Issue 643 Tested Issue 646

This laptop has the same processor

(Intel Core Ultra 7 155H) as our previous The price of the 10th-generation iPad,
favourite (Acer Swift Go 4), but manages This fast PC is a mouth-watering released in 2022, has fallen far enough
to squeeze more speed out of it. It also bargain, with 16GB of RAM, a 2TB SSD to make it better value than earlier
comes with 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD and a six-core processor – though it models. If the Amazon price above has
and a 14in 2240x1400-pixel screen. lacks USB-C ports and built-in Wi-Fi. expired, get it for £349 on Apple’s site.
Excellent value overall.
ALTERNATIVE Wired2Fire Ultima WS ALTERNATIVE iPad mini 7 The 2024
ALTERNATIVE Acer Swift Go 14 Still a Home Office Workstation Blisteringly version of the mini improves the colour
fast and powerful laptop, with a great fast PC, powered by an overclocked accuracy on the 8.3in screen and has a
14in screen. £1,099 from www.snipca. eight-core processor and 1TB SSD. more powerful processor. £499 from
com/49733 £656 from www.snipca.com/41500 www.snipca.com/52573

ANDROID TABLET APPLE iPHONE ANDROID PHONE

Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Apple iPhone 16 Google Pixel 7a

£799 from www.snipca.com/50039 £799 from www.snipca.com/52317 £343 from www.snipca.com/46332
Tested Issue 667 Tested Issue 695 Tested Issue 660

With a much brighter screen than our

previous favourite – the Galaxy Tab S8
– this is perfect for watching TV. It also
has a faster processor, so tasks feel This is the best new iPhone for years, A cheaper version of Google’s flagship
smoother, even with several windows boosted by a processor that’s as fast as phone, this uses AI to add clarity to
open. £799 will get you the 128GB more expensive models. The screen is photos, and lasts an impressive 10
version. If you want 256GB you’ll need excellent, while the new Camera Control hours. Has a fast processor and 8GB
to spend around £100 more. button gives lots of ways to take photos. RAM to supercharge performance.

ALTERNATIVE Lenovo Tab P11 Pro It’s ALTERNATIVE iPhone 14 Now ALTERNATIVE Nothing Phone 2a Don’t
slower than the Tab S9 and the screen discounted to £599 (128GB), this be put off by the odd name. This has a
is duller, but has a detachable keyboard remains a speedy phone with great distinctive design, superb camera and
so you can use it as a laptop. £350 from features and an impressive camera. decent battery life. From a UK company
www.snipca.com/45244 £599 from www.snipca.com/52411 too. £349 from www.snipca.com/49930

30 20 November – 3 December 2024 • Issue 697

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

Geekom A8 Kobo Libra Colour Norton 360 Premium

£899 from www.snipca.com/51157 £199 from www.snipca.com/50192 £19.99 from www.snipca.com/33247
Tested Issue 689 Tested Issue 683 Tested Issue 629

This tiny machine (37x112x112mm) Norton has always performed

doesn’t have much room for ports, strongly in our antivirus tests,
but makes up for it with a 2TB SSD, a Kobo’s first colour e-reader, with an regularly making the top three.
fast processor and an SD card slot for E-Ink Kaleido 3 screen that supports Owned by US firm NortonLifeLock,
adding storage. It comes with 32GB 4,096 tones, making illustrations and it’s available at a discount on our
RAM, as does a slightly slower model photos leap out at you. You can also Software Store. Use the link above
that’s around £250 cheaper and has make notes using a stylus, though that for a 10-device, two-year licence.
only a 1TB SSD. Take your pick. costs £70 extra. It has 32GB storage Other versions are available, including
and Bluetooth for playing audiobooks. Norton 360 for Gamers.
ALTERNATIVE GMKtec NucBox M7 Pro
Has an older processor, but comes with ALTERNATIVE Amazon Kindle This low- ALTERNATIVE Bitdefender Total
plenty of ports and room to add a cost option is a good choice, especially Security Another top performer that
graphics card. £440 from www.snipca. now it has 16GB of storage. £105 from we’re offering at a discount. £29.99
com/52658 www.snipca.com/52548 from www.snipca.com/41141

WEBCAM PC MONITOR SOLID-STATE DRIVE

Logitech C925e Business Philips 27E1N1600AE Corsair MP600 Pro LPX 1TB
Webcam £200 from www.snipca.com/51687 £85 from www.snipca.com/52658
£55 from www.snipca.com/50751 Tested Issue 692 Tested Issue 630
Tested Issue 608

Despite the name, this webcam is also An affordable 27in monitor with a In our tests, this M.2 SSD hit speeds
great for home users. Its standout sharp resolution, impressive image of 7,364MB/s and 6,870MB/s when
feature is automatically adjusting itself quality and a sturdy build. It has an reading and writing data – astonishingly
to keep your picture looking sharp. It HDMI port, a USB-C port and two USB fast scores. It’s compatible with the
offers a 78-degree field of view, which 3.0. The hefty base means you can new PCIe 4.0 standard, which is twice
is fine for everyday video chats with one raise and tilt the monitor easily using as fast as PCIe 3.0. The 1TB model
person in front of the camera. just one hand. costs £85; 2TB costs £172.

ALTERNATIVE Creative Live Cam Sync 4K ALTERNATIVE Asus ROG Strix XG27ACS ALTERNATIVE Crucial MX500 500GB
Affordable 4K webcam with high- Another excellent 27in monitor with As fast as an SSD can get in the
quality video that can also capture 1440p resolution and a fast refresh rate traditional 2.5in SATA format, this
voice from a distance. £38 from aimed at gamers. £249 from is a great-value upgrade. £45 from
www.snipca.com/51577 www.snipca.com/49898 www.snipca.com/37304

32 20 November – 3 December 2024 • Issue 697

 Buy It

COMPETITION

Win 1 of 3…
EZVIZ BC1C 2K+
security cameras
The EZVIZ BC1C 2K+ security camera lost. What’s more, integrating a PIR and talk to any visitors, whether at
is a 100% wire-free camera with up to sensor and person-shape detecting home or elsewhere.
270 days of battery life and crystal- algorithm, the camera can distinguish To enter this competition, answer the
clear 2K+ video quality. Extremely human movement from other moving question at www.snipca.com/52512
easy to install, it has 32GB of storage, objects, keeping you safe while also and submit your details by midnight
so you won’t need to buy a separate reducing unwanted notifications. Tuesday 3 December. Good luck!
expensive storage card. Alternatively, Upon detection of a moving person,
you can save videos online with a the camera will set off a loud siren You can buy the EZVIZ BC1C 2K+
EZVIZ CloudPlay service subscription. and flash two spotlights for immediate security camera for £89.99 from
Thanks to two built-in spotlights, the deterrence. Via the EZVIZ app www.snipca.com/52513. For more
BC1C can render vivid colour imaging, homeowners can record a personalised information on EZVIZ’s products
even in the dark, allowing you to see greeting message and features two- visit www.ezviz.com and ‘like’
every detail that might otherwise be way audio so that users can see, hear www.facebook.com/ezvizuk.

PRINTER SMART TV ROUTER

Epson EcoTank ET-2830 Amazon Fire TV 50in Asus RT-AXE7800

£250 from www.snipca.com/51715 Omni QLED £105 from www.snipca.com/52410
Tested Issue 676 £480 from www.snipca.com/52542 Tested Issue 665
Tested Issue 694

This has recently risen in price from A fantastic 50in QLED screen with 4K This £105 offer from Argos is
£180, but it’s still better value than the resolution that produces vibrant tones in outstanding, but might not last long. It has
ET-1810 because it adds copying and bright, sunlit images and pale, subtle Wi-Fi 6E, so will be capable of the fastest
scanning to its functions for £79 more. shades in more atmospheric scenes. It speeds on the 6GHz network. It has five
Print quality is great, especially for provides access to all the streaming Ethernet ports and also a USB 3.0 port to
photos, which have crisp details, vivid services you need, and offers voice connect a hard drive or NAS drive.
colours and realistic skin tones. control through Alexa.
ALTERNATIVE Synology WRX560
ALTERNATIVE Epson EcoTank ET-1810 ALTERNATIVE Samsung Q60B Our previous favourite remains an
Not the fastest printer, but comes with Excellent colour reproduction in excellent choice, delivering speeds of
enough ink for 4,500 mono and 7,500 well-lit scenes and the picture is up to 791.5Mbps. Add more units to
colour pages. £170 from www.snipca. wonderfully sharp, especially in 4K. set up mesh Wi-Fi. £211 from
com/52191 £490 from www.snipca.com/51020 www.snipca.com/52051

Issue 697 • 20 November – 3 December 2024 33

Computeractive 2023
Back Issue CD & USB Stick
Both the CD and Stick contain all 26 issues from 2023

LE NOW!
ON SA

SOLD
OUT!

Buy the CD from us at Buy the Stick from us at

www.snipca.com/48860 www.snipca.com/48861
 Pull Out
& Keep

Workshops & Tips Issue 697

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

35 I ncrease the volume 40 Readers’ Tips PLUS
of videos 44 Phone & Tablet Tips 47 M
 ake Office Better
42 Browser Tips:
38 M
 aster Opera’s brilliant Create a personalised 46 M
 ake Windows 48 In the Club: Create a
new browser tools ‘dashboard’ in Vivaldi Better newsletter template

HOW TO...
Increase volume of videos
without distortion by Nik Rawlinson

What you need: Clipchamp, OpenShot or VideoLouder Time required: 30 minutes

A
good-quality video needs two fast moving. compelling videos, you need to make
things: well-exposed images and A muffled or quiet sure what people hear is as impactful
clear sound. The latter is more soundtrack can mean a as what they see. But how do you do
important than you might think because viewer is focusing more on that if the original recording was too
poor audio can have a negative impact on trying to work out the quiet? Here, we’ll explain several
the viewers’ perception of the video as a dialogue than on enjoying the ways to boost a video’s audio track
whole video, particularly if the action is images. If you want to create without distorting it.

Edit your audio ( 1 in our screenshot below left), then there’s a small speaker icon at the start
1 in Clipchamp
We’ll start by explaining how
navigate to and select the video you want
to work with 2 . Click Open, and your
of the film strip on the timeline ( 1 in our
screenshot below left). This indicates
to edit your audio in Clipchamp, which video will be added to the media sidebar. that, even though it’s not shown, there’s
comes with Windows. If it’s not installed You can import several media files a soundtrack attached to the video.
on your PC, download it for free from simultaneously if you want to combine Right-click that icon, then hover over
the Microsoft Store at www.snipca. them and edit the volume of each in turn. Audio and click Detach 2 on the menu.
com/52583. Start by clicking ‘Create a Drag the first of your files on to The soundtrack will appear on a separate
new video’ at the top of Clipchamp’s the timeline and it will appear in the timeline layer 3 , and be added to the
home screen. Now click ‘Import media’ playback pane above it. Notice that panel on the right as a piece of separate
media 4 . Be careful not to inadvertently
drag the audio layer from where it sits
1 on the timeline, or it will be out of sync
4 with the video file.
2 Now click the timeline’s audio layer.
It will assume a green border to indicate
it’s the layer you are editing. Click the
2 Audio button on the right and you’ll see
1 a volume slider set to 100 per cent. To
3 increase the volume of your audio, drag
this to the right, to somewhere between
Click ‘Import media’ at the top left, then find Detach your audio from the clip before its current position and the maximum of
your video in File Explorer adjusting its volume 200 per cent. We’ve set it to 160 per cent

Issue 697 • 20 November – 3 December 2024 35

 Select your speakers or headphones so OpenShot knows where to
Drag the Audio button to the right to increase volume send any audio you’d like to preview

in our example (see screenshot above) professional (but free) programs you If your clip doesn’t fill the timeline,
You could alternatively drag it to can use. DaVinci Resolve (www.snipca. look at the blue bar between the timeline
the left to reduce the volume if you com/52584) is one option, but it can be and the preview window ( 1 in our
wanted to record a separate voiceover daunting for beginners. Instead we’ll screenshot below). This shows how
and make sure it was clearly audible explain how to use OpenShot (www. much of the timeline is visible within the
above the existing audio track. Play openshot.org), which neatly balances program window. Inside it you’ll
back your video to see whether your advanced tools and simplicity of use. see a shorter block representing your
tweaks have improved matters. If not, Launch it and make sure it’s set to use video clip. Click and hold on the oval
try again. your preferred audio output device when blob at the far right of the blue bar and
When you’ve made the necessary previewing videos, otherwise you won’t drag it towards the end of your video
changes, click the Export button at the hear any audio when making changes. clip. As you do this, the scale on the
top of the window and select a quality To do this, press Ctrl+Shift+P to open timeline will change so that the clip
option. You can save at up to 1080p OpenShot’s preferences, then click the takes up more of the visible section.
resolution with the free version of Preview tab and select the speakers This will help you to more accurately
Clipchamp. To go any higher you’ll need or headphones you want to use from place the play head if you need to make
to upgrade to the Premium tier, which the Playback Audio Device menu (see fine edits.
costs £9.99 a month or £99.99 a year screenshot above right). Click Close and, The play head is the red marker 2
(www.snipca.com/52621). if you’ve made a change to the original on the scale at the top of the timeline,
As you’ve made changes to your setting, quit and restart OpenShot so the and the red bar that reaches down
original video, it would be a good idea change takes effect. from it straddles the video tracks. Click
to save it under a different file name so Press Ctrl+F to import your video file. the rewind button 3 to make sure it’s
you can always start afresh with your Select it in the File Explorer window positioned at the first frame of the
unedited footage should you want to use that appears and click Open. As with video, then right-click the video on the
it in another video edit later. Clipchamp, it will be added to a media timeline and click Properties on the
Before we move on from Clipchamp, container, which in this case is the menu that appears.
a note about what you’ve just done: Project Files column. Click, hold and drag A full list of settings that relate to the
although you opted to ‘detach’ your audio the clip on to the timeline. clip will appear in the left-hand sidebar.
from the video clip, what you actually
Change the
did was duplicate it on to a separate layer. Volume
The original audio remains on the clip, box in
but has had its volume reduced to zero, OpenShot
as you can see if you click the timeline’s to the level
you want
video layer while keeping the Audio tab
open. The reason we suggested detaching
the audio is because doing so lets you
quickly roll back any changes you made
by simply deleting the ‘detached’ clip,
3
then restoring the volume on the audio
clip to 100 per cent.
1
Use more advanced
2 editing in OpenShot
If you want to take your video
4 2
editing to the next level, there are several

36 20 November – 3 December 2024 • Issue 697

 Increase volume of videos without distortion

Scroll through this list until you get to

How I edit my videos

Volume near the bottom. As you’ll see,
the default volume is 1.00. Double-click
the box and change it as appropriate.
Increasing the figure from 1.00 to 1.50 When I edit videos on my computer, I tend to use Clipchamp. As
will increase it by 50 per cent. Taking most of what I make is intended for sharing on social media or
it up to 2.00 4 will double it, and sending to friends and family to show how things work, speed is
increasing to 10.00 will make it 10 my primary consideration. If I’m editing on my phone, which
times louder. happens more often than PC-based editing, I use CapCut (www.
Be sure to play through your video capcut.com), which is a versatile editor for Android, iOS, Windows and online use.
every time you make a change, being There’s a paid-for version with advanced tools, but the free edition is enough for me
careful not to play it at a volume that and should be for most people.
could harm your hearing. Listen out Nik Rawlinson
for distortion as you do so. Raising the How do you edit your videos?
volume too much could cause it to break Please let us know: [email protected]
up. Only increase the volume if you can
do so without making it sound worse.
course, it helps to understand how for whispering – 30dB – yet if a concert
Use an online tool to decibels work when deciding whether was only four times as loud as a whisper,
3 increase decibels
If you don’t want to download
3dB is sufficient.
The threshold of human hearing is
it would be inaudible in the back row.
The reason that this isn’t the case
a video-editing tool like Clipchamp or 0dB (zero decibels), although obviously is that decibels are measured on a
OpenShot, you can instead use an online allowances will have to be made for logarithmic scale, so each increment is
tool to adjust the audio level in your video different hearing abilities between a ratio of the measurements either side
by a specified amount. people and the fact that your hearing of it, rather than a linear increase or
The aptly named VideoLouder may deteriorate as you age. Whispering decrease as you move from one to the
(www.videolouder.com) can increase or is about 30dB, conversations are about other.
decrease the volume of audio in any 60dB, and a concert would be somewhere Moreover, the lower the value, the
video file that’s 500MB or less. Just click in the 120–130dB range. bigger the effect will be when moving
Browse ( 1 in our screenshot below), As you may have noticed from these to the next increment. Increasing the
select your video, and choose the examples, decibel measurement is not volume of an audio track from 1dB
adjustment you want to make from the straightforward. Look at the volume of to 2dB, for example, would double it.
‘How many decibels (dB)’ menu 2 . The the average rock or pop concert: 120dB. However, increasing from 10dB to 11dB
recommended adjustment is 3dB. Of That’s only four times the measurement would hike it by only around 26 per cent.
You can visualise this if you relate
decibel measurements to our perception
of the human lifespan. When we’re
young, it seems to take ages to go from
one birthday to the next but, when we’re
older, the gaps between them seem to be
much smaller.
That perception may be explained by
the fact that when you’re one going on
two, you’re doubling the number of years
you’ve been alive. The following year,
you’ll only add half as much again and,
the year after that, just an additional
per cent. As each birthday rolls around,
1 that identical one-year increment
increases your lifespan by a smaller
and smaller ratio until, when you’re
50 going on 51, you’re only adding an
extra 2 per cent .
2 Increasing the volume of your audio
by 3dB should double it, so sticking with
the default when using VideoLouder is
a sensible first step. As the processed
video it sends you can be saved under a
different name, you can always go back
and try again if the effect is too strong or
VideoLouder uses decibel increments to specify the change in volume insufficient.

Next issue: Beat restrictions to upgrade to Windows 11 Issue 697 • 20 November – 3 December 2024 37
 Workshop
Master Opera’s brilliant
new browser tools
What you need: Opera (version One R2)
Time required: 20 minutes

T he Opera browser is
approaching its 30th birthday,
but it’s still innovating. Its latest
shows two web pages side by
side and a pop-out player that
plays music and videos in the
version, Opera One R2, was background. Here, we’ll explain
released in October, and has how to set up the latest version of
several excellent new features, Opera and make the most of these
including a split-screen view that fantastic new tools.

STEP Download Opera One R2 for free

1
1 from www.opera.com. When
prompted to share your usage
information, click Options, then untick
‘Help improve Opera by sending feature
usage information’ 1 . We’ve also unticked
the option to ‘Run when my computer
starts’ 2 . Click ‘Accept and Install’ 3 and
Opera will ask about data sharing again. If
you still don’t want to do this, click 3
‘Configure in settings’ and untick all four
options for processing and using your data,
then click ‘Confirm choices’. When Windows’
Settings appears, click the ‘Set default’ button
next to ‘Make Opera your default browser’.
2
Follow the onscreen instructions, choosing
your preferred options.

2
3

1 1

STEP We’ll now explain how to use the split-screen function. STEP You’ll notice that the tabs for the two web pages are

2 On the browser’s home page, go to a web page you’d

like to view. When it’s opened, press Ctrl+T to open a
3 linked on the tab bar 1 . If you click on either of them
(even if you’re viewing a single web page on a separate
new tab, then visit another website of your choice. When the tab), you’ll return to the split screen view. Pressing Ctrl+W
second page has loaded, click and hold its tab, then drag it down closes the split-screen view. If you only want to close one, you
into the browser window 1 , which will then split in half. You need to first break the link between the tabs. To do this, click
can now drag and drop the second tab beside the first web page. the three vertical dots between the web pages 2 , then click
The two will be displayed side by side. ‘Exit split screen’ 3 on the menu that appears.

38 20 November – 3 December 2024 • Issue 697

 2 1

1
3

STEP Another new feature shows you how recently you

4 looked at tabs. As you can see from our screenshot, the

YouTube tab 1 has a thick black line below it indicating
it’s the tab we opened most recently. The Airbnb tab 2 has a STEP If you need to get on with some work while also
slightly lighter line as it’s the one we opened before YouTube.
ITVX 3 is slightly lighter again, and so on. By default, this
5 keeping an eye on the news, a football match or your
favourite programme, Opera One’s pop-out player lets
feature (which tracks your five most recently opened tabs) only you separate the video stream from the web page it’s on. Hover
works after you’ve opened 30 tabs. To change this, press Alt+P over the video window and a pop-out button 1 will appear.
to open Opera’s settings, search for traces 4 and change the Click it and the video stream will be displayed in its own
option next to ‘Show traces on most recently used tabs’ to window. You can then reposition and resize this new window
Always 5 . however you want.

1
2

1
3

STEP To do the same with audio, click the music-player icon in the left- STEP You can add other shortcuts to the sidebar –

6 hand sidebar and choose your preferred music service from

options that include Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music. Log
7 for Instagram, Facebook Messenger,
WhatsApp, Telegram and more. Click the
into your account with your preferred service, then start playing the music three dots at the bottom of the sidebar 1 to open its
you want to listen to. You can pop out the player so it floats above the settings, then select the service you want to use by
browser window by clicking the pop-out button at the top of the panel 1 . clicking the buttons 2 beside each one. At the
You can also switch between services by clicking the icon of the service bottom, there’s also a slider for turning off the
you’re currently using 2 and selecting an alternative from the menu. sidebar entirely if you prefer.

Next issue: Use AI to add subtitles to your videos Issue 697 • 20 November – 3 December 2024 39
 Readers’ Tips
TIP OF THE FORTNIGHT

Block porn and gambling on Windscribe VPN

Issue 692’s Cover Feature on VPNs ( 1 in our screenshot right) then click
came at just the right time for me the sliders so they turn green 2 . 1
because I’d been wondering for The other Windscribe setting I’d 2
several months which tool I should use. recommend is ‘Cookie Go Away’ in
I chose Windscribe because I liked its Chrome browser extension (www.
the sound of its R.O.B.E.R.T. system snipca.com/51764). You’ll find this by
for blocking unsavoury elements clicking the browser extension’s icon
online. then the top-left menu (three horizontal
You mentioned it blocks adverts and lines). Now click Blocker, then scroll
online trackers, but there are also down and click the ‘Cookie Go Away’
options to block porn and gambling slider (see screenshot right).
websites. These are available at www. This stops those irritating ‘we use
windscribe.com once you’ve created an cookies’ banners on websites.
account. Click the R.O.B.E.R.T. heading James Schofield

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

APPS and zoom around. Numbers in 1

See Wikipedia entries circles tell you how many entries
on a phone map there are in that area. Once you’ve
While on a recent weekend break zoomed into street level you’ll see the W
in Wales I discovered that the icons ( 1 in our screenshot below left),
Wikipedia app on my phone though look out for photos too of
shows a map with places of theatres, pubs, museums and so on.
interest indicated by a ‘W’ Tap a W or photo and you’ll see
icon. Tapping one brings up options at the bottom to read the
2
the entry for that place. article on Wikipedia’s site, save it
If you haven’t installed the to a list or share it 2 . 3
Wikipedia app, do so for Richard Stanley
either Android (www. 1
snipca.com/52449) or iOS WEBSITE
(www.snipca.com/52450). Find the halfway point one, I’ll stick with the website
It’s completely free. Now tap between two destinations WhatsHalfway (www.whatshalfway.
the More button (bottom I’ve searched in vain on com). Type two destinations in the boxes
right), followed by Places. various map apps for a tool at the top ( 1 in our screenshot above)
You’ll now see a map that 2 to find a halfway point between then click the Submit button and select a
you can swipe in and out of two destinations. Until I discover category of venue, such as cultural,

Why I stopped using…

eBay always been free to list items.
I read with interest the news that After these bad experiences on eBay I
eBay had scrapped fees for sellers decided to only sell items in cash to
(Issue 695, page 9). I fear this is too little, people who come to my door to collect.
too late. The site has lost millions of That’s where Gumtree excels. You send
users over the years, and I’m one of them. messages directly to the buyer and
arrange a time. You don’t have to give
And what I use instead... your address until you’ve agreed the deal.
I was getting fed up with all the It’s like a local car-boot sale, but online.
timewasters and scammers on eBay, so There probably aren’t as many buyers as
I now sell only on Gumtree (www. on eBay, but they’re more genuine and
gumtree.com, pictured). It’s not as slick certainly nicer to talk to. Tell us why you stopped using a website, app
or professional-looking as eBay, but it’s Sharon Miller or program: [email protected]

40 20 November – 3 December 2024 • Issue 697

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

accommodation, food and drink or

shopping 2 . You’ll then see the result Reader recommends…
presented on the map 3 .
You can also calculate a halfway point AOC CQ27G2S/BK PC monitor
in terms of time taken to travel from one £175 from Currys www.snipca.com/49800
destination to another. This is usually
close to the halfway distance, but rarely I love the 2020 version of
exactly the same place. Microsoft Flight Simulator, and
Ryan Cole can’t wait for the 2024 edition in
November. Ahead of its release I
APPLE decided to buy a new monitor to make
Take screen recordings using Siri the most of gaming. Looking back
Following Michael O’Donnell’s through your reviews, this AOC model
tip on speaking to Siri to take with its curved screen seemed the best
screenshots on his iPad (Issue 695), it also bet (Issue 681, page 25).
responds to spoken requests to record I bought it in September for £175,
your screen. You have to be very precise which is £24 cheaper than when you
with your request, though: say “Hey Siri, reviewed it. You said curved screens and withstands the occasional knock
start screen recording” and “Hey Siri, stop can give a “thrilling, immersive” when I get a bit too animated flying.
screen recording”. If you say something experience when playing games, and I The headphone jack is useful. You
similar but not exactly right, it usually agree. It adds a panoramic dimension could almost imagine you’re talking to
takes a screenshot instead. to Flight Simulator, capturing some air traffic control. I’ve not played any
This was added to iOS 16.5 in 2023, so of the awe and wonder of flying an other games on it, but they’d probably
you need to make sure your iPhone or aeroplane. The screen is superbly be just as spectacular.
iPad has been updated to this version. sharp too. Bobby Howells
Peter Campbell There’s a clamp on the back for
Want to recommend hardware or software
attaching it to a wall, but I’m happy to fellow readers?
OFFICE with it on my desk. The frame is sturdy Email [email protected]
Change number of recent files
in LibreOffice
In Issue 696’s Make Office Better be 25 – I’ve reduced it to 10). around with the default
(page 47) you explained how to Click OK three times to settings for the keyboard’s
change the number of files Microsoft close the boxes you have function keys, so you might
Office displays in its ‘Recent’ list. I open, and that’s that. need to press CTRL+Fn+F4
switched from Office to LibreOffice a few Incidentally, to see your instead.
years ago, and have discovered how to recent files either click Files, Jim Barton
make a similar change. Recent Documents, or click
I think you have to do this in every the dropdown arrow next PHONES
LibreOffice tool you use, ie Writer, Calc, to the Open icon at the top Get your landline calls
Impress and so on. First, click Tools then left of your document, down the pub
Options (or press the keyboard shortcut spreadsheet or presentation. David Eaglesham
Alt+F12). Now click LibreOffice at the Alex Hope wrote in Issue 693’s
top followed by Advanced ( 1 in our Letters that you can’t take
screenshot below), then the Open Expert BROWSERS your landline down the
Configuration button on the right. Close tabs with pub. I beg to differ.
Next, type PickListSize into the search keyboard shortcut A couple of years ago, I
bar at the top 2 , then click Search. Now In Issue 694’s Browser Tips (page ported my existing BT number to a VoIP
click History 3 and in the box that 43) you explained how to close tabs provider. Since upgrading to a FRITZ!Box
appears type how many recent files you in Microsoft Edge by double clicking router, I’ve been able to use both my
want to appear 4 (the default appears to them. A simpler solution that doesn’t DECT phone and my mobile phone
require changing any settings is (via the FRITZ!Fon app, www.snipca.
1 to press the keyboard shortcut com/52529) for landline calls when
Ctrl+F4. This closes the current tab I’m at home. When I’m out and about
2 you’re viewing, and if you’ve got – even at the pub! – I use my Android
just one tab open it closes the whole smartphone with the MizuDroid app
browser. (www.snipca.com/52530, pictured above)
It should work to close the active to make and receive landline calls.
tab for any program that uses tabs, I’ve always preferred the clarity of
3 and in other browsers not just Edge. landline calls over mobile, and this setup
4 Just be aware however that PC ensures I never miss any.
manufacturers have mucked John O’Hare

Issue 697 • 20 November – 3 December 2024 41

 Browser Tips
CHROME appear when you copy a link or image
Disable the new ‘toast’ to your clipboard, and add a tab to your
notifications reading list ( 1 in our screenshot below),
Aside from killing off the popular with more coming soon.
content blocker uBlock Origin (see Although you may find these
our news story in Issue 696, page 7), confirmation messages helpful, their
Google has made some odd decisions intrusive size, solid blue colour and the
with Chrome this year. It removed the fact they linger for several seconds can
side-panel button just as most users also make them distracting. Thankfully,
had grown accustomed to the feature; it’s possible to disable the new toast
relocated the ‘Search tabs’ button to pop-ups if you don’t like them.
the less convenient top-left corner; and Type chrome://flags in the browser’s VIVALDI
– as we reported in Issue 696 (page 42) – address bar and press Enter to load the Create a personalised
replaced its ‘Search image with Google’ Experiments page. Find the entry Top ‘dashboard’
option with Google Lens. Chrome Toasts 2 , click its dropdown Vivaldi 7, released in October, is a
Google’s latest wheeze is to show pop-up menu and select Disabled 3 . major new version the company
messages, known as ‘toast notifications’, Click ‘Relaunch’ to restart Chrome describes as a “whole new browsing
when you perform certain actions in without the notifications. You can experience” (www.snipca.com/52562).
Chrome. Introduced in version 130 re-enable them later if you fancy some The browser’s interface has been
(released in October), they currently toast after all. redesigned to make it less cramped,
with larger, widely spaced icons, and
‘floating’ rounded tabs instead of tightly
packed rectangular ones.
1 If you find the new layout too spacious,
click the ‘V’ menu button top left and
choose Settings, then Appearance.
Select ‘Compact’ in the User Interface
Density section to revert Vivaldi to its
previous appearance.
Looks aside, the big new feature in
Vivaldi 7 is the Dashboard. This serves as
an ‘all-in-one control centre’ for your
favourite browser features and websites,
and can be customised using widgets
2 3 and background images to suit your
needs and taste.
To access the feature in Vivaldi 7, click
the Dashboard tab (see screenshot above)
at the top of a New Tab page or your Start
Page. Default widgets include a calendar,

WORKSHOP Customise your Dashboard in Vivaldi 7

1 1
2 3
1

2
2

1 Click the ‘Add a Widget’ button 1 at the

bottom of the Dashboard to add tools
such as Feeds 2 (RSS feeds you subscribe
2 To add a website to your Dashboard, click
the ‘Webpage’ button on the ‘Add a New
Widget’ toolbar. Enter the URL of the site 1
3 To customise your Dashboard’s
appearance, click the Settings cog in
the top-right corner and choose a different
to), Privacy Statistics 3 (which tells you and click Done to turn it into a Dashboard background image 1 . You can apply one
how many trackers Vivaldi has blocked) widget. Adjust its size by clicking the three of your own by clicking the Select Image
and Latest Emails (from your Vivaldi Mail horizontal dots in the top-right corner and button 2 and choosing a picture from your
account). choosing Widget Size 2 . hard drive.

42 20 November – 3 December 2024 • Issue 697

 Secret settings and the best extensions

BEST EXTENSION FOR… Reopening closed tabs

Undo Closed Tabs Undo Closed Tabs maximum number of tabs the add-on
Chromium makes things much easier displays, click the ‘Open options’ cog, enter
www.snipca.com/52569 by listing the last 25 tabs a new number in the box (see screenshot)
One of the most useful keyboard you closed. Simply click its and click Save.
shortcuts in any web browser toolbar button and select
is Ctrl+Shift+T, which instantly the title of a tab to reopen If you don’t like that, try…
reopens the last tab you closed. it. Usefully, the extension Undo Close Tab
You can also right-click your shows favicons next to Firefox
browser toolbar and choose each entry, so you see www.snipca.com/52574
‘Reopen closed tab’, but neither which websites the tabs This similarly named Firefox extension
method tells you the title of the page relate to, and lets you reopen all the listed works in the same way and also lists your
you’re reopening. pages with a single click. To change the 25 most recently closed tabs.

sticky notes, Speed Dial shortcuts to sites down-arrow icon and choose ‘Remove from deepfake scams. Hiya Deepfake Voice
and a dictionary. See our Workshop Toolbar’ ( 1 in our screenshot below left). Detector (www.snipca.com/52567) uses
opposite to find out how to customise Alternatively, you can move the ‘List “advanced AI” to verify if the voice you
your Vivaldi Dashboard. all tabs’ button somewhere you’re less are hearing in an online video or audio
likely to click it accidentally. Right-click clip is authentic or computer-generated.
FIREFOX the toolbar, select Customize Toolbar 2 It’s free to use, though you need to
Remove or move the and drag the button to another area in sign up for a (free) Hiya account and
‘List all tabs’ button Firefox, such as the top-left corner. You verify your email address. Once this
Two years ago, Mozilla added a ‘List can drag it back to the original location is done, start playing video or audio
all tabs’ button to Firefox, which if you change your mind. content on a website, then click the
– as its name suggests – lists all your open extension’s toolbar button and click
tabs when you click its down-arrow icon. CHROMIUM ‘Start analyzing’. Deepfake Voice Detector
It’s a potentially useful feature, especially Identify AI-generated voices will display an ‘authenticity score’ (out of
for closing duplicate tabs (see Issue 686, in online videos 100), and tell you whether the voice has
page 42), but not everyone likes its position AI technology been faked using AI.
in the top-right corner of the browser. is increasingly We tried the tool on a notorious scam
This location means it’s easy to click being exploited by scammers and video purporting to feature money-saving
the ‘List all tabs’ button accidentally pranksters to create deepfake videos and expert Martin Lewis (www.snipca.
when you’re trying to access other audio recordings. This fake content com/52568). Though the cloned voice
toolbar options. To make matters worse, typically clones the voice and appearance sounded convincing to our ears,
in Firefox 131 (released in October), of politicians, celebrities and other public Deepfake Voice Detector gave it a 10 of
Mozilla made the button larger and figures to use them as AI-generated 100 authenticity score, and correctly
more prominent, prompting a backlash mouthpieces for false information. said it was “likely a deepfake” (see
from some users. To combat this growing problem, screenshot below). The extension gives
In response, Mozilla updated the voice-security company Hiya has created you 20 credits to use every day – each
browser again to revert the ‘List all tabs’ an extension that helps you avoid analysis requires one credit.
button’ to its former size and position,
and added the option to remove it
altogether. To do so, simply right-click the

Issue 697 • 20 November – 3 December 2024 43

 Phone and Tablet Tips
iOS of problem you’re experiencing, such as
Get roadside assistance Locked Out, Flat Tyre or Vehicle Does
via satellite Not Start (see screenshot below). These
A year after it launched in the US, details, as well as your location, are then
Apple has made its ‘Roadside passed to the roadside assistance company.
Assistance via Satellite’ emergency You can also use the Messages app on
feature available in the UK – slightly your iPhone. Start a new message, enter
too late for our ‘10 apps that could save the recipient as ‘Roadside Assistance’ and
your life’ feature in Issue 695 (page 60). follow the instructions to get connected.
This allows you to contact Green Flag A free two-year subscription for
when when you’re having trouble with ‘Roadside Assistance via Satellite’ is
your car and can’t get a reliable mobile offered to Green Flag members when
or Wi-Fi signal. activating a new iPhone, while non-
As the name suggests, ‘Roadside members can pay per use.
Assistance via Satellite’ works by
connecting your iPhone to a satellite so ANDROID
you can make calls and send messages. Create a new circuit
You must be outside “with a clear view in Tor Browser
of the sky and horizon”. As we explained in our ‘Why you
To use the feature, you need an iPhone must use Tor’ Cover Feature in
14 or newer, running Issue 695, Tor Browser (www.
iOS 17 or later. To snipca.com/52284) connects
access it, swipe down you to websites via a series
from the top-right of nodes – or relays – known so you can request a new circuit when
corner of your screen as a circuit. This protects browsing privately on your phone or
to open the Control your privacy by hiding your tablet. Simply tap the three-dot icon in
Centre, tap the Mobile real IP address and location. the bottom-right corner of the browser
Data button and If you suspect your and choose ‘New circuit’ in the menu
select Satellite. anonymity has been that opens (see screenshot above). This
Alternatively, open compromised, or you’re will instantly reset your circuit and
the Settings app and having trouble loading a reconnect you to a site through a new
choose Satellite. site, you can reset the circuit series of relays.
Follow the on-screen and connect through a Note that, unlike the desktop browser,
instructions to connect different set of nodes. which lists the nodes in a circuit when
to a satellite, then tap Tor has now made this you click its Tor Circuit button, the Tor
Roadside Assistance option available in its Android app for Android doesn’t provide details
and specify the type app (www.snipca.com/52285), of individual relays.

BEST NEW APPS What you should install this fortnight

The Boring Mode Poundland Perks Adobe Fresco

Free Free Free
Android www.snipca.com/52587 Android www.snipca.com/52590 iOS www.snipca.com/52589
iOS www.snipca.com/52588 iOS www.snipca.com/52591 Adobe has made its painting and drawing
This quirky app from Heineken Poundland’s updated Perks app lets you earn app Fresco available for free, unlocking
downgrades your smartphone to a ‘dumb’ loyalty points when you options you
one to make you pay shop at its high-street previously had to
more attention to the stores and website. pay for. These
world around you. Scan its barcode at the include more than a
It blocks selected checkout and purchase thousand extra
social-media, email products marked brushes for creating
and streaming apps; with ‘Perk alerts’ to digital art using an
switches your keyboard maximise your rewards Apple Pencil, stylus
to a basic one; and and convert points into or your finger. The
reduces your camera digital vouchers. You newly free brushes
to taking low-quality can also win prizes span categories
snaps. The only fun you by playing the app’s including charcoal,
get is a game of Snake. ‘Spin to Win’ game. pastel and spatter.

44 20 November – 3 December 2024 • Issue 697

 Brilliant things to do on your device

Previously, the YouTube Launch the miniplayer by

miniplayer – which pops swiping down on a video or
out when you swipe down tapping back, then press its
on a video or tap the back floating window in the
1 button on your device – was bottom-right corner of your
limited to a horizontal bar screen. Drag it to another
across the bottom of your corner and release your
screen. It now works more finger to leave it there.
like a picture-in-picture Tap the ‘X’ in the top-right
mode, within its own corner of the miniplayer
floating window. However, (see screenshot left) to
this differs from YouTube’s close its window.
official Picture-in-Picture To enlarge the miniplayer,
feature, which continues reverse-pinch its floating
playing videos when you close the app and window until it reaches the desired size.
is only available to Premium subscribers. Pinch the player to shrink it again.

2 BEST APPS FOR... Gift cards

ANDROID Prezzee
Listen to articles from Chrome Free
in the background Android www.snipca.com/52598
One of the most useful recent iOS www.snipca.com/52599
additions to the Chrome app for Prezzee makes it easy to buy, store and
Android is the ability to listen to web send eGift cards on your mobile device.
pages read aloud. As we explained in You can either choose a card for a specific
Issue 688 (page 45), you can activate this brand – such as Argos, Boots or Just Eat –
option by tapping the three-dot menu or Prezzee’s own Smart eGift Card, which
in the browser’s top-right corner and spans over 200 retailers. Cards can be
choosing ‘Listen to this page’. customised with photos and videos, and
The feature has now been updated so delivered by email or text message.
that Chrome continues to read pages Best For Buying and sending gift cards
aloud in the background when you
switch to another app or lock the screen Amazon Shopper Panel
of your phone or tablet. You can pause, Free
resume, rewind and fast-forward Android www.snipca.com/52600
playback, by swiping down from the top iOS www.snipca.com/52601
of the screen to access basic controls. Earn £5 Amazon gift cards by signing up
However, to change the playback speed for its Shopper Panel and answering short
and voice, you’ll need to return to surveys about brands and products. You
Chrome and tap those options in the can boost your earnings by sharing receipts
audio player. from purchases made outside Amazon
To add a shortcut to the feature to the and by watching ads, though there are
browser’s toolbar, open the three-dot waiting lists for these options.
menu and choose Settings then ‘Toolbar Best For Earning Amazon gift cards
shortcut’. Switch on the ‘Toolbar
shortcut’ option ( 1 in our screenshot JamDoughnut
above) and select ‘Listen to this page’ 2 to Free
add a one-tap ‘play’ button to the toolbar. Android www.snipca.com/52596
iOS www.snipca.com/52597
ANDROID & iOS This cashback app works differently to
Move and resize services such as Quidco and TopCashback.
the YouTube miniplayer Buy a digital gift card for one of the app’s
YouTube has updated the partners – which include Tesco, Currys and
‘miniplayer’ in its mobile app, to B&M – to earn instant cashback when you
let you move it around your screen and shop in-store or online. Once you’ve
make it larger or smaller as required. accumulated £10, you can trade your
This makes it easier to keep watching earnings for cash or another gift card.
videos while you browse other content Best For Getting cashback on gift cards
in the app.

Issue 697 • 20 November – 3 December 2024 45

 Make Windows Better Expert tips for every version

WINDOWS 11 INSIDER
WINDOWS 10 & 11
Copy and paste whatever
Narrator says
Microsoft has added a keyboard See all the drivers installed on your PC
shortcut to Narrator that copies
whatever it last read to your You can use Device InstalledDriversList (32-bit)’ or
clipboard, so you can paste it as text Manager or Command ‘Download InstalledDriversList
elsewhere. The option is available in Prompt to see all the (64-bit)’ depending on whether your
Preview Build 26120.2130 to Insiders drivers on your computer, but NirSoft’s computer is 32bit or 64bit.
signed up to the Dev Channel. To turn it program InstalledDriverList shows When it launches you’ll see drivers
on, first press Windows key+I to open them in a way that’s easier to presented in alphabetical order. To
Settings, then click Accessibility on the understand. It’s recently been updated make these rows easier to distinguish
left followed by Narrator on the right. to work with Windows 11 24H2. To click View at the top followed by Show
Now make sure the sliders for both install it, visit www.snipca.com/52604 Grid Lines ( 1 in our screenshot) and
Narrator and ‘Keyboard shortcut for then scroll down and click ‘Download Mark Odd/Even Rows 2 .
Narrator’ are switched on.

Next, scroll down and click the

Narrator dropdown menu and choose
Caps Lock or Insert as your shortcut
key – or leave the default as either (see
screenshot above). Now press Windows
key+Ctrl+Enter to make Narrator read
what’s on screen.
To copy what’s been read, press Caps
Lock or Insert (depending which you
chose) together with X – so that’s either
Caps Lock+X or Insert+X. You can now
press Ctrl+V as normal to paste it. You’ll see your phone’s battery level position items in photos, or your face
( 1 in our screenshot below left), in video calls. To use it, search for and
WINDOWS 11 whether it’s connected (Bluetooth in our open the Camera app, then click the
See your phone information screenshot 2 ), and recent messages and Settings icon (cog) at the top left.
in Start menu calls 3 . Microsoft says Phone Link will Next, click the ‘Camera settings’
If you’ve linked your Android support iPhones soon. dropdown menu followed by the
phone to Windows using ‘Framing grid’ dropdown menu.
Microsoft’s Phone Link tool WINDOWS 10 & 11 This gives you four options: ‘Rule of
(explained at www.snipca.com/52592) Use the Camera app’s thirds’, ‘Golden ratio’, Crosshairs
and you’ve installed the 24H2 update, framing grid and Square ( 1 in our
you’ll see that some of your phone’s The Camera app in screenshot below). You’ll
information is now shown in a panel on Windows has a framing see a preview of what this
the right of the Start menu. grid that helps you looks like on the right 2 .
1
2

3 1

46 20 November – 3 December 2024 • Issue 697

Make Office Better Top tips for the best office programs

MICROSOFT WORD

Change your keyboard shortcuts

You can alter the keyboard
shortcuts in Word so they
better suit your needs. Click
File at the top left, then Options at the
bottom of the left-hand menu. Now
click Customize Ribbon on the left 1 2
followed by Customize next to ‘Keyboard
shortcuts’ at the bottom in the centre.
Now click a category on the left ( 1 in
our screenshot) and a command on the
right 2 , then look in the ‘Current keys’
box 3 to see the shortcut that’s used for 4
it (not all commands have one).
To change the shortcut, click in the
3
‘Press new shortcut key’ box and hold
down the keys you want to use. In our
example, we’ve chosen Alt+H to insert
a hyperlink 4 . Check it’s not already
being used for another command 5 , 5
then click Assign, Close then click OK.

ONLYOFFICE between them. We also clicked the View

Set your own columns in tab, then Fit To Width to create more 1
documents document space.
By default, OnlyOffice gives you
five column options to lay out LIBREOFFICE WRITER
text in a document – you’ll see Instantly add quotes and 2
these by clicking Layout at the top, then brackets to text
the Columns dropdown menu. If none of LibreOffice 24.8, released in
them suit your purposes, click ‘Custom August, has a quick way to add
columns’ to create your own. brackets (curly and square) or
In the box that appears choose the quotation marks to selected text in
number of columns ( 1 in our screenshot documents. First, check the option is
below) then their width 2 and how much switched on. Click Tools followed by MICROSOFT EXCEL
space you want between them 3 . You can Options (or press Alt+F12), then open the Repeat columns and rows
also choose to have equal column widths LibreOffice Writer menu in the menu on when printing
and a line dividing the columns 4 . Click the left. Now click Formatting Aids ( 1 in If you want to print a
OK to confirm. our screenshot below) then make sure spreadsheet that spans many
In our example, we highlighted the text ‘Enclose with characters’ is ticked under pages, you may want to repeat
to select it, then choose four columns of ‘Auto complete’ 2 . certain rows at the top and columns
equal width, with 0.56 centimetres Click OK to close the box, then at the left. This will ensure vital
highlight some text to select it. Now click information appears on every page.
a bracket key on your keyboard, or quote Open a spreadsheet then click Page
1 marks, and they’ll instantly appear at Layout at the top. Now click Print Titles
2 either end of the selected text 3 . in the Page Setup section, then the Sheet
tab in the box that appears ( 1 in our
screenshot above).
1 Now add the reference of the rows and
columns to repeat in the ‘Rows to repeat
3 2 at top’ and ‘Columns to repeat at left’
boxes. You do this using the dollar ($)
sign. For example, if you want to print
3 rows or columns one to three on each
4 page, type $1:$3 2 . You can click Print
Preview to check, or OK to confirm.

Issue 697 • 20 November – 3 December 2024 47

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

Create a newsletter template in Word

T here’s no shortage of ready-made
templates you could use for your club
newsletter, but creating your own gives
you much more control over how it looks.
Microsoft Word provides everything you
need, as we’ll explain. 2

Choose columns and spacing

1
First open a document in Word then
choose a layout. Do this by clicking
Layouts at the top then Columns. Word
gives you five options: one, two or three
columns equally spaced, or two columns
with the left wider than the right and Choose the text box then drag it into the document to make it as big as you like
vice versa. You can customise your
columns by clicking More and changing write your newsletter or cut and paste the
the width and spacing (also see the tip on text into your document. We’d be wary of
page 47 to do the same in OnlyOffice). writing directly into the document,
For our newsletter, we’ve chosen the however, because when you save it, Word
Left option, which gives us two columns will copy your text into the template.
with the right column wider than the 2
left. You’ll notice that the page doesn’t Add a header or banner
really look any different yet, even though Now that you’ve designed and filled your
you’ve changed the layout. You’ll need to columns, you can add a header or banner 1
make the rulers visible and add some text to your newsletter. For a header, click the
to see the effect of the layout. top of the document and choose Insert
To reveal the rulers, click View and tick then Shapes. Now choose the text box Choose a text-wrap option, then move the
the ‘Ruler’ box. You should now see a in the Recently Used Shapes ( 1 in our image around
ruler at the top of the page showing the screenshot above) or Basic Shapes
width of your columns ( 1 in our section, and drag it into the document, Change the design and add images
screenshot below). Now you can use an making it as big as you want 2 . You can change the theme, font and
old publishing trick: type =lorem() into To create a banner instead, choose a colour of your template by clicking the
each of your columns and press Enter. rectangle box and add this to the top of Designs tab and choosing a style. You
This will fill your columns with dummy your newsletter. Whichever option you may also want to add an image to break
Latin text 2 , so you can see what the choose, click inside it to add a title and up the text – click Insert then Pictures
newsletter will look like. You can now select your font and text size. and locate the image on your computer.
To ensure the image sits neatly in
the text, right-click it then select Wrap
Text and choose an option. You can see
how each will look by hovering over it.
We chose ‘Top and Bottom’ ( 1 in our
1 screenshot above) so the text sits above
and below the image. Click and hold
2 the image to move it around 2 , and
click and drag the circles at the edge
to change its size.
When you’re happy with your
newsletter, click File, then ‘Save As’.
Choose ‘Word Template (*.dotx)’ then
click Save. Remember where you’ve saved
your template so you can use it to create
Tick the ‘Ruler’ box to see rulers at the top of your document, then enter dummy text your future newsletters.

48 20 November – 3 December 2024 • Issue 697 Next issue: Create club logos with Canva’s new AI tools
What’s All the
Fuss About...
Russia fining Google
It’s gonna need a bigger cheque book

What’s happened?
A Russian court is upset with Google and
has demanded it pays rather a large fine:
$20,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,
000,000,000.

How many zeroes is that?

Thirty four. It’s a trillion times a trillion
times a trillion – also known as a
decillion (yes, we had to look it up).

What has Google done wrong?

It started to remove several Russian state
media channels from YouTube in 2020,
and banned more following Russia’s
invasion of Ukraine in 2022, accusing
them of “denying, minimising, or
trivialising” the war. It affected leading
outlets like Russia Today (RT, pictured)
and Sputnik, and initially applied only block content that Russia called Russian authorities and individuals to
in the EU, before covering all countries. “extremist”. The closest it came to a use out-of-date versions. Amazon, Dell,
statement was in its earnings report for Intel, Nvidia, PayPal and Samsung have
Can Google afford it? the third quarter of 2024 when it said also all suspended some of their
Nobody can afford it. The fine is more “ongoing legal matters” in Russia won’t business.
than the amount of money available in have a “material adverse effect” on its
the world, estimated to be $110 trillion. business. Has Russia actually
Alphabet, which owns Google, may be banned Google?
the fourth biggest company on the planet Has the fine got anything to No. Russians can still search Google
(behind Apple, Microsoft and Nvidia), do with Google removing and watch YouTube, but the ‘internet
but its value is ‘only’ $2 trillion. Soon the Kaspersky from the Play Store? sovereign’ law allows authorities to
fine might get even bigger. No, except as a further sign of Russia’s remove content deemed harmful to
deteriorating relationship with tech the state, such as political dissent and
Why’s that? companies in the West. As well as blocking discussions of human rights. Russia has
Because if it’s not paid in nine months it TV channels, Google has stopped Russians however banned over 200 VPNs in an
will double every day. We’d soon need an making money from online adverts. attempt to prevent citizens from getting
entire issue to fit in all the zeroes. Apple has stopped releasing new devices their news from sources overseas.
in the country, though Russian retailers
But surely Russia knows have been able to import them to sell to Doesn’t it all make Russia
Google can’t pay it? the public. Microsoft no longer sells new look a bit silly?
Yes. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov licences for Office or Windows, forcing We reckon so. And besides, if it wanted
called the fine “symbolic” and said it’s a more potent symbolic fine it should’ve
designed to encourage Google to “pay demanded Google pay the amount its
attention” to the problem and restore the founders named the company after – a
channels. “I actually can’t even googl.
pronounce this figure, but it is rather
filled with symbolism,” he said. Is that an even
bigger number?
Has Google responded? Oh yes. It’s a one followed by 100
No. It’ll probably ignore the fine and zeroes, and is bigger than the number
continue banning the channels. It of atoms in the observable universe.
has already ignored a 21.1bn rouble Search for Kaspersky on Google Play Store We’d type it, but we don’t want to wear
(£301m) fine issued in 2022 for failing to and you’ll only see its rival antivirus firms out the 0 key on our computer.

Issue 697 • 20 November – 3 December 2024 49

 COVER FEATURE

Never miss another

SOFTWARE
UPDATE
Don’t let outdated programs
compromise the security
and performance of your PC.
Robert Irvine explains how
to ensure you’re always
running the latest and
safest versions 7 5%

M
ost of us are aware of the 10 support ends next October). The same that option. This typically entails going
importance of keeping applies to antivirus software, which into the About section of the Help menu
Windows up to date, to quietly downloads new malware or Settings to see if a new version is
protect us against the latest definitions in the background. available, then downloading it manually.
security threats and fix newly identified Sadly, many of the other programs on Outdated software poses a major
bugs. This task is generally handled well our PCs aren’t as efficient or reliable at security risk because hackers can exploit
by Windows Update, which means we updating themselves automatically. Even vulnerabilities that haven’t been patched
don’t need to worry about installing those that promise to check for updates to steal our data, infect our systems with
updates ourselves (at least until Windows don’t always install them until we choose malware and remotely take control of our
PCs. Less urgently, it also means missing
out on useful new tools and performance
WHAT YOU CAN DO improvements.
Thankfully, there are several ways to
•D
 etect and update all outdated software •P
 revent software updates from ensure you never miss an essential
on your PC failing to install update again. In this feature, we reveal
•A
 utomatically install the latest versions •D
 ownload thousands of free tools the best free programs that check for,
of programs without any junk download and install updates, to
•S
 chedule software to update at a •G
 et notified as soon as new versions guarantee you’re always running the
convenient time are available latest, fastest and safest versions of your
favourite software.

50 20 November – 3 December 2024 • Issue 697

 Never miss another
SOFTWARE
75%
UPDATE
UPDATE YOUR SOFTWARE USING PATCH MY PC
Patch My PC Home Updater (www.
snipca.com/52607) has long been our 1
favourite free software for updating other
free software. With its smart, simple
interface, it provides a safe and hassle-
free way to install the latest versions of
hundreds of popular programs.
At the end of October, Patch My PC
was itself updated to version 5 – the
first major release for two years. This
redesigns the interface to make it even
easier to use, with clearer options, a
less cramped layout and an eye-friendly
dark theme. It also improves the
program’s search tool and its detection
of installed software.
Patch My PC Home Updater 5 drops
the 32bit and portable editions, so is 2
now exclusively available for 64bit
Windows 10 and 11 systems. Here’s how
to use it to ensure you never miss another
software update. You can either update outdated software individually or everything in one go

1Scan your PC for

outdated software
When you launch Patch My PC Home
items require updating 3 .
Note that Patch My PC Home Updater
only checks for software from its list of
down the page below the large
screenshot).

Updater, it will automatically scan the

software you have installed on your PC to
verify the version numbers. If a newer
more than 500 supported programs.
This means it might not detect every
program installed on your PC, particularly
2Update outdated software
with one click
Patch My PC Home Updater offers two
version of a program is available, it will new tools and software from independent ways to manually update your outdated
be marked with a red ‘Outdated’ button developers. software. You can either click the red
( 1 in our screenshot below). However, it covers a wide variety of Outdated label for each program to
All outdated software is listed popular applications, including web update it individually or click the
alphabetically at the top of the My Apps browsers, media players, image editors, Start Updater button on the right
tab, while programs running the latest system cleaners, office software, privacy ( 1 in our screenshot above) to update
versions are marked with green ‘Up to and security tools, and much more. everything in one go.
date’ labels and displayed below 2 . The You can view the full list by clicking the You should try the first method
Summary panel on the right-hand side of View Supported Applications button at before the second to confirm Patch My
the Apps screen tells you how many www.snipca.com/52607 (about halfway PC is working properly. It will show
the new version of the software as
‘Downloading’ then ‘Updating’ 2 ,
before moving it from the Outdated list
to the ‘Up to date’ area below.
This should only take a few seconds,
depending on the size of the update.
You can also click several Outdated
buttons to install multiple updates one
3 after the other.
When you click the Start Updater
button to ‘update all’, the process
1 inevitably takes longer, with the updates
shown as ‘Pending’ until their downloads
begin. Click ‘Cancel Updater’ to stop
the updates and perform them later or
separately.
2 Once all updates are complete, click
the Re-Scan link in the Summary box –
or press F5 on your keyboard. Patch My
PC should now show that all programs on
Patch My PC Home Updater scans your PC to identify outdated software your PC are up to date.

Issue 697 • 20 November – 3 December 2024 51

 Schedule
3 Patch My PC
to update your
2 software at
a time that’s
convenient
for you
1
1

2
3
4
Patch My PC lets you exclude specific programs from automatic
updates

3Control automatic
software updates
Once you’ve updated all your software to
4Schedule regular
software updates
Rather than open Patch My PC every time
and check for updates even when you’re
not logged into your computer. Make sure
you switch on Task Enabled 3 before you
the latest versions, Patch My PC Home you want to check for new versions of click the Save Schedule button 4 . To
Updater will automatically do so every programs, you can schedule its updater to delete the update schedule, click the Off
time you launch it – so you’ll never miss run automatically in the background. By button then Delete Scheduled Task.
another important update. To ensure this choosing a quiet time when you’re not
function is enabled, click Settings in the
left-hand toolbar ( 1 in our screenshot
above) and switch on the option ‘When
using your computer, you’ll prevent large
downloads from slowing your internet
connection and hogging system resources.
5Install
at speed
updates silently
Patch My PC Home Updater offers the
opening Patch My PC, automatically start To set up a schedule, select Scheduler useful option to update software
updating outdated applications’ – in the left-hand toolbar ( 1 in our ‘silently’. This means you don’t need to
assuming it isn’t already active. screenshot above right) and click the On click any confirmation prompts, select
Conversely, if you’d prefer that some button to activate the feature 2 . Click your preferred language or configure any
programs aren’t updated automatically – ‘Load Recommended Settings’ to make other settings when it installs new versions.
perhaps so you can learn about their new Patch My PC create a schedule for you – To activate this option, click Settings
versions before deciding whether to by default, this runs the updater at 7pm and, in the Technical Options section,
install them – you can exclude them from every day. switch on ‘Silently install and update
Patch My PC’s updates. On the My Apps Alternatively, select your preferred time applications’ (see screenshot below left)
tab, either click the Disable Auto Updating to check for updates, and how frequently – if it isn’t already enabled. When the
icon (which looks like a prohibition sign) to do so – from once a day (which will be option is disabled, updates are more
on the program’s tile or click its three-dot the best option for most users) to once a laborious because you need to click
menu and choose the option there 2 . If year (not recommended). You can also through the installers for each program.
you change your mind, click either icon create a one-off schedule that doesn’t To override silent updating for software
again then select Enable Auto Updating. repeat, if you want to update software you want to configure, click its three-dot
You can also stop Patch My PC checking automatically while you’re away or busy. menu on the My Apps tab and choose
for new versions of specific software, by Other options let you run the updater Disable Silent Installation. Note that some
clicking the three-dot menu and immediately if it missed the scheduled programs open confirmation prompts
choosing Disable Scanning 3 . time (because your PC was switched off), even during silent updates.

6Prevent
Install software
updates botched
silently to avoid software updates
having to click Another notable setting in the Technical
confirmation
Options section lets you set Patch My PC
prompts
to automatically close the software it’s
currently updating. This ensures all files
are correctly updated when it installs
the latest version.
To activate this option, select ‘When
updating an application, automatically
close the application’ – or leave it disabled
to stop software restarting.
You can also create a system restore
point before performing updates, in the
unlikely event that the new version of a
program causes problems on your PC.

52 20 November – 3 December 2024 • Issue 697

 Never miss another
SOFTWARE
75%
UPDATE
INSTALL NEW SOFTWARE USING PATCH MY PC

7Install new software

without the junk
As well as updating programs already
1
Patch My PC
lets you install
more than 500
programs from
present on your PC, Patch My PC Home its approved
Updater lets you install new ones. This list
saves you having to visit different
developers’ sites and allows you to
download software quickly and safely
without accidentally clicking ads. 2
Additionally, because all programs are
from Patch My PC’s list of approved tools,
you can be assured they don’t contain 3
malware or bundled junk.
Click the App Library tab ( 1 in our
screenshot above right) to choose which one after the other, versions. Because these programs aren’t
software to install from Patch My PC’s By default, most tools are installed actually installed on your computer,
library of more than 500. To make silently (see page 52), so you shouldn’t this is a particularly clever feature, but it
programs easier to browse, click the need to click anything else, though in only works for portable software you
three-line icon top right 2 to switch some cases their installers will still open. download through Patch My PC.
from the tiled view to an alphabetical If you want to configure setup options, The updater won’t detect the EXE and
list. You can search for specific software click the Disable Silent Installation (pause ZIP files of portable tools you download
using the improved search tool above button) icon before you click Install. yourself, as it will for installable software
the Summary box. from its approved list. Portable programs
Programs you already have installed
will be labelled as such, while others
have an Install button 3 you can click to
8Update portable tools
on a USB stick
One of Patch My PC’s most notable
are saved to a special Portables Location
folder on your PC – or a USB stick, if you
prefer. This makes it easy for Patch My PC
get them. As with updating software, options – which you don’t find in other to find and update them.
clicking multiple Install buttons will software updaters – is the ability to To see which portable tools are
download and install selected programs update portable tools to their latest available through Patch My PC, click the
All Apps dropdown menu and choose
Keep portable
software Portable Apps ( 1 in our screenshot left).
updated by These are all labelled Portable and
installing it via 1 include Computeractive favourites such
Patch My PC as AllDup, NirLauncher, O&O ShutUp10,
3 Rufus 2 and Ultimate Windows Tweaker.
Click the Install button to download a
portable program’s EXE or ZIP file to the
Portables Location folder.
To change the location of this folder to
a USB stick, click the pencil icon next to
Portables Locations 3 in the bottom-right
corner and select the relevant drive.
2 Patch My PC will now detect and update
portable tools stored in this folder when
you insert the stick into your PC.

Uninstall unwanted software

Patch My PC automatically uninstalls old toolbar and select Installed Apps to view
versions of software when it replaces a list of software installed on your PC. You
them with the latest ones. It also includes can either remove programs individually
a dedicated uninstaller that lets you by clicking their Uninstall buttons or tick
remove unwanted programs manually the boxes next to multiple entries and click
– and not just those from its approved Uninstall Selected (see screenshot).
library. This helps to free up space on Although the feature is quite basic – it
your hard drive and make room for new doesn’t tell you the size of programs and software. Click the ‘Export CSV’ button in
software and updates. relies on their own uninstallers – it offers the the top-right corner to save the details in
Click ‘Uninstaller’ in the left-hand useful option to save a list of your installed a spreadsheet.

Issue 697 • 20 November – 3 December 2024 53

 READER OFFER! ADD A
DISC FOR
£5.95

Upgrade to Windows 11
Pro for just £49.99!
Your PC almost certainly came with Windows 11 Home. But did
you know it’s easy to upgrade to Windows 11 Pro to get advanced
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There’s no need to install a new version of Windows – just take
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To upgrade, visit www.snipca.com/50563
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It’s a lifetime licence for one computer.
 Never miss another
SOFTWARE
75%
UPDATE
UPDATE SOFTWARE USING A PACKAGE MANAGER
Patch My PC Home Updater is the easiest software to your PC, and install it
way to update software automatically, but using your preferred method (see
it limits you to the 512 programs in its next tip).
approved library. To install updates for Any entries marked with a blue
virtually any software installed on your tick are already installed on your
computer, you should use a package computer, while those with a
manager. blue up-arrow icon have new
Packages are ‘pure’ versions of software versions available. To make things
provided by developers, which means easier, click the Software Updates
they don’t contain any junk or malware, tab ( 1 in our screenshot below
and let you quickly update programs to left) to view a list of outdated
the latest versions as soon as they’re programs, including their current
available. Windows has a built-in package and new version numbers. Updating software as an administrator can solve
manager called WinGet, but this requires Select all the tools you want to installation problems
you to type commands into Command update and click ‘Update selected
Prompt or PowerShell, so is far from packages’ 2 – or tick the box below this the Package Managers section.
straightforward (see page 56). button to update them all at once. Click Ensure that WinGet is switched on,
A much better option is the free ‘Yes’ to allow UniGetUI to make changes click the down arrow next to it and tick
program UniGetUI (www.snipca. to your device. the box ‘Always run WinGet operations
com/52620), which provides a graphical The progress of your software updates with administrator rights’. Do the same
user interface for WinGet and other is shown at the bottom of the UniGetUI for Chocolatey, then restart the program
package managers. It’s not as simple as window, where you can cancel them if to apply the changes.
Patch My PC, but it has a few advantages necessary.
over that updater. Here’s how to make
the most of UniGetUI.
10 Bypass update restrictions
UniGetUI gives you a wider choice
11Get notified when updates
are available
Another advantage UniGetUI has over

9 Update thousands of
programs
UniGetUI lets you install and update
of update options than Patch My PC.
Right-click a program and choose
between updating it as an administrator
Patch My PC is that it notifies you when
new software versions are available, so
you can install them immediately.
thousands of Windows programs and (if it requires administrator privileges), Go to Settings then ‘Notification
Microsoft Store apps through its an interactive update (which displays preferences’ and ensure the options
supported package managers (WinGet confirmation prompts) or a standard ‘Enable UniGetUI notifications’ and
and Chocolatey are the main ones to use). update (to avoid clicking anything). You ‘Show a notification when there are
Click its Discover Packages tab, type the can also uninstall the current package available updates’ are both ticked ( 1 in
name of the software and click the search before installing the new one, skip the our screenshot below). These notifications
button to view matching results. As long latest release and ignore future updates. appear even when the program is closed.
as the developer has provided a package If your software updates keep failing, Select ‘Updates preferences’ to specify
(which most do), you should find the choosing ‘Update as administrator’ how often UniGetUI should check for
tool you want. (see screenshot above right) should updates. You can either click the ‘Update
Select a program or app – or choose solve the problem. To set this as the all’ button in its pop-up notification 2
several – and click the ‘Install selected default method, click the Settings to install the latest updates, or save time
packages’ button on the toolbar. button in the bottom-left corner of the by ticking the box to install them
UniGetUI will then download the UniGetUI window and scroll down to automatically 3 .

3
1

UniGetUI detects which installed software has updates available UniGetUI can notify you when software updates are available

Issue 697 • 20 November – 3 December 2024 55

 MORE WAYS TO KEEP YOUR SOFTWARE UPDATED

12Create a custom software

updater using Ninite
The free tool Ninite (www.snipca.
WinGet
lets you
install new 1
versions of
com/52623) offers a speedy way to software
install multiple software updates using
Command
simultaneously, so you can be confident
Prompt
you’re using the latest versions. However,
it’s more limited than Patch My PC Home
Updater and UniGetUI, and works with a
smaller selection of popular programs.
To use Ninite, you first need to create a 2
custom installer/updater. Pick the tools
you want to update from the categories
on its homepage. These include web
browsers such as Chrome, Firefox and
Brave; media players and editors such as
VLC and Audacity; image editors
IrfanView and Paint.net; office software
LibreOffice and SumatraPDF; and the
Windows search box and click ‘Run as
administrator’ below Command Prompt
(it also works in PowerShell). When
14Update all your software
from one website
Some software-download sites provide
system tools WinDirStat and WizTree. Command Prompt opens, type winget their own updaters for installing the
and press Enter to see a list of WinGet latest versions of programs they host.
commands. This isn’t as safe as downloading ‘pure’
If the ‘winget’ command isn’t packages (because some sites bundle
recognised, download the latest version junk with downloads), so it’s important
of the Windows Package Manager from to choose a service you can trust.
www.snipca.com/52625. If you’re prompted The Filepuma Update Detector (www.
to agree to ‘all the source agreement snipca.com/52631) is one of the most
terms’, press Y (for Yes) to continue. reliable options. It scans your PC for
Next, type winget upgrade to list all outdated software then opens a web
software on your PC that has new page listing the results. You can then
versions available. To update a specific download the new version of each
program, type winget upgrade again, program directly from Filepuma. Go into
Ninite automatically updates selected followed by its ‘App ID’, which you’ll find the detector’s Settings to specify whether
software through a custom installer
in the Id column ( 1 in our screenshot it should run on Windows startup.
Once you’ve ticked all the relevant above). For example, to update PowerToys, The excellent download site
boxes, click the Get Your Ninite button type winget upgrade Microsoft.PowerToys MajorGeeks.com also has a software
(see screenshot above) to create and 2 . Winget will then download and install updater (www.snipca.com/52632). This
download your custom installer. Run its the latest version of that program. checks for and installs updates for a huge
EXE file to install your selected tools – or Alternatively, you can update all number of programs (see screenshot
update them if they’re already installed. outdated software in one go. Typing below) – including tools from small
Every time you run Ninite’s installer, winget upgrade --all will identify all developers that other updaters miss – but
it will check for new versions of each programs with new versions available it’s somewhat bloated by news stories
program and update them automatically. and attempt to install them. and articles from MajorGeeks.
Ninite removes bundled junk, and selects
The
the correct language and builds of MajorGeeks
software (32bit or 64bit) for your PC. software
updater

13Update software from detects and

updates a
the command line huge number
As we mentioned on page 55, using the of programs
Windows Package Manager – better
known as WinGet – to update software
isn’t as straightforward as using Patch
My PC or UniGetUI. But this command-
line tool saves you having to download
and run a dedicated updater, and – once
you’ve mastered it – provides a quick way
to check for and install new versions of
your favourite software.
To access WinGet, type cmd into the

56 20 November – 3 December 2024 • Issue 697

 Never miss another
SOFTWARE
75%
UPDATE
WORKSHOP: Subscribe to RSS feeds for software updates

Another way to ensure you never miss another software update The best way to subscribe to RSS feeds is to install a feed-
is to subscribe to the RSS feeds of developers, download sites reading extension in your browser. Our favourite is Feeder’s RSS
and software-news sources. These will notify you when a new Feed Reader, which is available for Chromium browsers (www.
version of a program is released, so you can either click through snipca.com/52634) and Firefox (www.snipca.com/52633). This
to the website to install it or use the update option in the software lets you follow up to 200 feeds for free – which should be enough
itself. for most people – and checks for new content every 30 minutes.

1 To get started,
install the
Feeder extension
2 You can
either find
feeds by typing
in your browser keywords into the
1
and pin its button search box or by
2 1
to the toolbar for entering their
easy access . 1 URLs – we’ve 2
Click this button 3 provided some
and choose either shortened links
‘Create an account’ in the box at this
2 to sign up with bottom of the
Feeder, or ‘Continue without account’ 3 to try the service first. page. Click the Search button 1 to display matching results, then
Feeder will now open your homepage, where you can search for the Follow button 2 to subscribe. The feed will now be added to
feeds to subscribe to. your Feeder Library, and to the list of feeds on the left of your
homepage.

3 Click the name

of a feed to
view the latest
4 When Feeder
detects new
content, it will
content from that display a number 1
site, then select a on its toolbar
post and click button 1 . Click
‘Read more’ 1 . this followed by
Click ‘Add feed’ 2 the name of the
to find and follow 2 1 feed to list the 2
more feeds. On latest posts from
some websites, that site. Select
you can subscribe to RSS feeds simply by clicking their buttons or an item to click through to the website and read the full article. To
links. Select ‘Feeder’ in the ‘Follow this Feed with’ menu and click manually check for new content, click the three-dot icon next to a
Follow to subscribe. feed and choose ‘Reload feeds’ 2 .

10 RSS feeds for software updates

• Firefox Release Notes • Tor Project Blog
• Google Chrome Releases •M
 icrosoft Windows Blog www.snipca.com/52643 www.snipca.com/52645
www.snipca.com/52638 www.snipca.com/52646 • PortableApps.com • WiseCleaner Updates
• MajorGeeks - All New & •S
 oftpedia – Free Windows www.snipca.com/52639 www.snipca.com/52644
Updated Downloads Downloads • O&O Tools • Neowin - Software News
www.snipca.com/52636 www.snipca.com/52637 www.snipca.com/52647 www.snipca.com/52641

NEXT ISSUE On sale Wednesday 4 December

ON SALE
Weds
4
PLUS Dec

BEST FREEPayDOWNLOADS •W
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FOR 2025 apps,£0films,

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57
 12 devices you
must buy on
Black
Friday
With the annual Black Friday
and Cyber Monday sales events
almost upon us, Robert Irvine
predicts a dozen of the best bargains
to expect, plus five you should avoid

Amazon Fire TV (43in, 4-series) 16GB of storage, 25 per-cent-quicker page winter by buying a
www.snipca.com/52655 turns and up to three months of battery smart plug in the
RRP £430 life. To get a colour screen, too, you can sales. In our ‘Why
Expected discount price £230 (£200 saving) buy the new Kindle Colorsoft Signature you must use
In our ‘Don’t buy the wrong smart TV’ Edition (www.snipca.com/52651). This smart plugs’ Cover
Cover Feature in Issue 694, we costs £270, but we expect a big discount Feature in Issue 676
recommended the for Black Friday. (get it from www.snipca.
Amazon Fire TV as com/52657), we recommended
the best budget set for Apple AirPods 4 the Meross Smart Plug Mini with
under £500. This deal www.snipca.com/52653 Energy Monitoring. This tracks how
isn’t the same Omni RRP £129 much electricity connected devices are
model – it lacks Expected discount price £119 (£10 saving) using, and is compatible with all Matter-
built-in Alexa voice control (this is still Apple products usually become more enabled smart-home systems. In its last
available on the remote control) and is expensive with each Black Friday sale, Meross offered a
LED rather than QLED – but similarly new model, but its 25-per-cent discount on the twin pack,
offers all the main streaming apps and AirPods 4 earbuds and we expect to see a similar saving
free-to-air channels in 4K Ultra HD (where – which went on this year.
available). The price of this 43in TV (50in sale in September
and 55in versions are also available) – currently cost less Fire TV Stick 4K
dropped to £230 at the start of October, than the AirPods 2 www.snipca.com/52660
and could be even lower on Black Friday. (2019) and AirPods 3 RRP £60
(2021). They have a Expected discount price £40
All-new Kindle Paperwhite USB-C connector instead of Lightning (£20 saving)
www.snipca.com/52652 and offer spatial-audio technology and Amazon always slashes the
RRP £170 (without ads) voice isolation for clearer calls. The price of its Fire TV Sticks
Expected discount price £130 (£40 saving) AirPods 4 Pro, which cost £50 more, also during sales events, so we
Amazon usually cuts the price of its feature active noise cancellation. Don’t expect to see a big saving on
Kindle e-readers for Black expect huge Black Friday discounts, but the latest 4K model. This
Friday, and this should both new models should still be cheaper features Wi-Fi 6 connectivity, 2GB of
include its latest than the old ones. RAM and a 1.7GHz processor. Other Fire
Paperwhite. TV devices should be similarly discounted.
Described as the Meross Smart Plug Mini
“fastest Kindle ever”, (2-pack) Dell Inspiron 14 Plus
it’s available in black, www.snipca.com/52656 www.snipca.com/52662
jade (pictured) or RRP £38 RRP £1,049
raspberry, features a Expected discount price £28 (£10 saving) Expected discount £799 (£250 saving)
7in glare-free display, Save money on your energy bills this Our current favourite laptop (see our

60 20 November – 3 December 2024 • Issue 697

 Five devices you should NOT buy Sonos Ace headphones
£449 from www.snipca.com/52673
Google TV Streamer Sony TVs often appear in Black Friday Sonos has had a bad 2024, with its www.
£99 from www. sales, but this 32in set is one to avoid. Its snipca.com/52685 mobile app ‘bricking’
snipca.com/52670 screen is poor quality with a 1366x768-pixel users’ devices. And its first pair of wireless
Still lacking support resolution that’s not even Full HD, let alone headphones offered disappointing sound
for BBC iPlayer (see our 4K. quality at a very high price.
news story in Issue 696, page 6), Google’s
new streaming device (pictured) will need Huawei MateBook D16 Apple iPhone 16
to be heavily discounted to make us trade From £530 from www.snipca.com/52672 From £799 from www.snipca.com/52674
in our Chromecasts. Although Huawei has cut the price of its It’s very unlikely there’ll be big savings on
latest laptop, it’s still hard to recommend. Its Apple’s latest (underwhelming) iPhone
Sony Bravia KD-32W800 battery life and audio quality are poor, and its this Black Friday. Beware of pay-monthly
£298 from www.snipca.com/52669 keyboard is unpleasant to type on. ‘deals’ that will actually cost you more.

review in Issue 683 early, with big discounts on Galaxy Tab times. The latest model also includes a
and page 30) offers tablets. The S9 FE has a 10.9in screen, ‘head-to-toe’ fish-eye view, which covers
everything you 128GB or 256GB of storage, and a 2.4GHz 150 degrees horizontally and vertically.
need from a processor, and comes with Samsung’s The Pro version offers higher video
modern machine, S Pen Stylus. If you’re happy with an quality, noise cancellation and 3D motion
including 16GB older, cheaper model, check for Galaxy detection, but costs £100 more.
of RAM, a 1TB Tab deals at Currys, Amazon and Argos.
SSD and a Copilot+ keyboard. The Crucial X9 Pro
Inspiron 14 Plus with a 10-core Google Pixel 8 Pro www.snipca.com/52666
Snapdragon processor costs considerably www.snipca.com/52664 RRP From £118
less than the 16-core Intel CPU version, RRP £899 Expected discount price
and we expect it to be even cheaper on Expected discount price £499 From £78 (£40 saving)
Black Friday. (£400 saving) PC-storage specialist Crucial hosts its
Google’s Black own Black Friday
Acer 514 Chromebook Plus Friday event began and Cyber Monday
www.snipca.com/52661 on 12 November, deals at www.snipca.
RRP £449 and its ‘sneak com/52667, but
Expected discount price £249 (£200 saving) peek’ of deals you’re likely to save
The Acer 514 Chromebook Plus is the included £400 even more by buying
ideal lightweight laptop for use on the off its Pixel 8 from Amazon. The
move. Its 14in screen is complemented Pro smartphone. Crucial X9 Pro
by 8GB of RAM, 128GB of Although this has portable SSD, which we recommended in
storage and an Intel i3 been superseded in terms of our ‘Why you must buy external drives’
processor, with a battery specifications by the Pixel 9 series (which Cover Feature in Issue 696 (page 55), is
life of up to 9.5 hours. You will be discounted by £100), it’s only just likely to be discounted – as is its even
also get a 12-month over a year old and features a 6.7in screen, faster sibling, the X10 Pro.
subscription 12GB of RAM, from 128GB of storage, four
to Google One high-resolution cameras and 24-hour Garmin Vivoactive 5
AI Premium. Currys battery life. www.snipca.com/52668
has been selling the Chromebook for a RRP £250
bargain price since October, so grab one New Ring Battery Video Expected discount price £198 (£52 saving)
now while stocks last. Doorbell This highly rated GPS
www.snipca.com/52665 smartwatch was an early
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE RRP £100 Black Friday deal on
www.snipca.com/52663 Expected discount price £80 (£20 saving) Amazon and Argos.
RRP £449 The Ring Battery Video Doorbell offers With a colourful
Expected discount price £369 (£80 saving) lots of useful features, including mobile display and up to 11
Samsung started its Black Friday deals alerts when its button is days of battery life, it
pushed or motion is helps you understand
detected, two-way audio the best times to
and do-not-disturb exercise and rest, by
measuring your heart rate,
analysing your sleep habits and tracking
your physical activities. It even has a
wheelchair mode that tracks movement
as pushes rather than steps.

Issue 697 • 20 November – 3 December 2024 61

 Ditch
Your
SIM card
Is it time to eject that little plastic chip
from your mobile once and for all?
Jonathan Parkyn explains how to
save money by switching to an eSIM

S
IM cards have been with us for example, the thieves won’t Most networks let you activate
almost as long as mobile be able to access or clone an your eSIM by scanning a QR code
phones themselves. They store eSIM like they currently
information about your network can with a traditional physical SIM. This could be
account, including your phone number SIM card. Also, disabling useful if, say, you wanted to
and your subscriber identity. eSIMs or replacing an eSIM have your work phone
(short for embedded Subscriber Identity usually requires some kind number and a personal
Module) perform exactly the same of authorisation procedure, phone number on the same
function, except that the data is making it much harder for physical device.
programmed into a chip that’s already crooks to resell stolen devices But where this really comes
soldered on to the circuit board inside and providing you with more into its own is when you’re
your mobile device, rather than coming time to track or wipe your phone travelling abroad, because it lets
printed on a physical SIM card that needs remotely. you switch to a local 4G/5G network at
to be slotted into your phone. Convenience is another key advantage. your destination, to get the cheapest deal
eSIMs are far from new – in fact, Most networks let you activate eSIMs by for the country you’re visiting – and avoid
they’ve been available for about a decade. scanning a QR code (pictured above), so paying expensive roaming charges.
And now they’re surging in popularity as there’s no need to wait for a physical SIM
more manufacturers and networks start card to be delivered. You’ll never need to Are there any drawbacks?
supporting the technology – and the worry about getting the correct size of There are a few minor issues to bear in
consumers become wise to the fact that card for your device either, and you won’t mind. You usually need an internet
eSIMs can slash your mobile-data bills. have to fret about losing or damaging any connection to activate an eSIM, and
We touched upon eSIMs back in our cards when swapping to a new phone. moving it from one device to another
Cover Feature in Issue 690 (‘Cancel your But the chief reason why eSIMs are isn’t as simple as popping out the
phone contract’ – buy a back issue from growing in popularity is because they let physical card from your old phone and
www.snipca.com/52700), but here we’ll you switch between mobile networks and slotting it into your new one. If you still
go into more depth, explaining what they data plans on the go, without having to have access to your old phone, you may
are, why you should consider one and spend time swapping out SIM cards. Most be able to transfer its eSIM wirelessly
how to get the best deals. We’ll also eSIM-compatible phones let you store during your new device’s initial setup
explain how to convert your current multiple eSIM profiles on your device – process. But if your old phone is lost or
physical SIM card into an eSIM. up to eight, in some cases – so you can stolen, you may need to contact your
switch between them within just a few network and ask them to transfer the
What are the advantages swipes. eSIM for you.
of eSIMs? What’s more, many devices also offer If you’re switching from your current
The benefits of using a digital SIM instead dual-SIM capability, letting you maintain phone contract to a new eSIM deal, you’ll
of a physical one might not be instantly two phone numbers or separate data also need to make sure the network
obvious, but there are some notable plans simultaneously on the same phone you’re moving to supports number
advantages. If your phone is stolen, for – one on an eSIM and the other on a porting (see Issue 696, page 60). If you’re

62 20 November – 3 December 2024 • Issue 697

looking to use an eSIM for international You’ll find plenty of deals on
travel alongside your current UK mobile comparison site SIM Only Finder - visit Should I convert
contract, you won’t have to worry about
porting, because your phone number will
www.simonlyfinder.co.uk then tick
‘Show eSIM deals only’ (see screenshot
my card to an eSIM?
remain with your original contract. bottom left). You can also filter results by Unless you’re switching to a cheaper
voice, text or data allowance as well as or more suitable deal, converting from
Is your phone contract length. However, it a physical card to an eSIM probably
compatible? only shows deals from its isn’t worth the effort. But we can think
Currently, the biggest partners, which are the main of several scenarios where it’s a good
downside to eSIMs is the networks and MVNOs. It idea. If your existing phone’s SIM tray is
fact that not all devices and excludes other great deals, broken, for example, you could convert
networks support them, including the ones we found to an eSIM without having to pay for an
though adoption is growing below. expensive repair or replacement. Or if
rapidly, and most phones sold your mobile supports dual-SIM mode,
within the last few years BEST OVERALL eSIM you may decide
should be compatible. Airhub you want to free
To check whether your www.airhubapp.com up your current
device is, look to see if it has This is a great one-stop shop SIM tray for a
an EID number. EID stands for international travellers secondary line or
for Embedded Identity looking to get the best eSIM existing regional
Document – the serial deal for their needs. You can SIM card.
number for the eSIM chip On Android look for your buy a prepaid local eSIM The process of
installed. This is usually EID by tapping ‘About contract for the country you’re converting your
phone’ then ‘SIM status’
displayed somewhere in your visiting or opt for a regional current SIM to
phone’s Settings app – on an iPhone, tap deal if you’re planning to travel, say, an eSIM varies,
General, About then scroll down. On across multiple countries within a depending on
Android phones the EID location can continent. There are ongoing monthly your phone model, mobile network
vary, but on our device (a Moto G54) we plans to consider if you’re planning a and other factors. In some cases, you
found it by tapping ‘About phone’, then longer trip, or global deals if you want may be able to begin the process from
‘SIM status’ (see screenshot above right). completely unrestricted use. Prices are within your phone’s own Settings
very competitive. Currently, for example, app. Users of compatible iPhones,
How to get the best deals you can get a 7GB data-only deal for 30 for example, can tap Settings, Mobile
eSIMs are available through the big four days’ use in the US for just $5 (£4, Service and look for a ‘Convert to
networks (EE, O2, Three and Vodafone). pictured below). eSIM’ option in your mobile-network
Several popular UK MVNOs (Mobile settings (see screenshot). However,
Virtual Network Operators – companies some networks and devices require
that provide mobile services using you to contact your network provider’s
another mobile network’s infrastructure) support team in order to begin the
also support eSIMs, including Giffgaff, conversion.
Lyca Mobile, Sky Mobile and Tesco Mobile.
As with choosing any mobile deal,
you’ll need to weigh up costs with Airhub is offering a 7GB data-only deal for your network what it offers for travellers
30 days in the US for $5
contract lengths, data limits, cancellation before you sign up for an eSIM. Most UK
fees and so on. If you’re looking for an BEST eSIM FOR DATA-ONLY PLANS providers, including Three and Sky
eSIM deal for travel, you’ll also need to FlexiRoam Mobile, let you use your current
factor in which countries or regions are www.flexiroam.com contract’s voice, text and data allowance
covered, whether you want a data-only Like Airhub, FlexiRoam provides local, within the EU for a nominal fee – usually
plan, and how easy it is to manage your regional and global eSIM plans but a couple of pounds, charged daily. This
account (usually done via an app). specialises in data-only deals. They aren’t often works out cheaper than signing up
always the cheapest, but FlexiRoam adds for a separate eSIM deal and some
some perks, including the option to share providers, including O2 and Giffgaff,
your data allowance with others, either don’t charge any EU roaming fees at all.
by tethering or by using its own Flexi There are still lots of reasons to
Share feature. This is great if you’re consider an eSIM in Europe, though –
travelling in a group, because it lets especially if you’re planning a lengthy
everyone pool their resources. FlexiRoam trip or you think you’re going to be
also offers cheap plans for shorter journeys. relying on mobile data a lot while you’re
out and about. Holiday eSIM offers some
BEST eSIM FOR TRAVELLING great deals for travellers to the EU. At the
IN EUROPE time of writing, this includes a prepaid
Holiday eSIM deal for £17 that provides 12GB of data,
Tick ‘Show eSIM Deals Only’ on the SIM Only https://holidayesim.com unlimited calls within Europe and 30
Finder comparison website If you’re travelling within Europe, ask minutes of worldwide calls.

Issue 697 • 20 November – 3 December 2024 63

 Problems Solved
Our experts solve all your tech problems

PROBLEM OF THE FORTNIGHT

Can I ditch broadband for mobile data?

Sky’s broadband service 2
Q provides me with a VoIP
landline and download speeds
of around 75Mbps, which is ample for
my needs. I also have a Samsung
Galaxy A14 phone supplied by Tesco
Mobile. I’m wondering if it’s possible to
get reasonable broadband speeds using
just my mobile connection.
I only use my computer and iPad
for general web browsing and the like.
If this is possible, what equipment
would I need and how much is it likely
to cost?
Alan Bell
Use Tesco Mobile’s coverage checker to see what its service offers in your area
If you mean you’d like to ditch
A Sky and your VoIP phone and
rely on your mobile phone and
Tesco Mobile is what’s known as a mobile
virtual network operator, or MVNO. That
Give your
Wi-Fi
3
network a
its internet connection instead, that’s means it doesn’t have its own physical name and
certainly possible – and it might even network of phone masts, relying instead password,
be cheaper and faster. on antennas built and maintained by O2. then switch
You wouldn’t actually need any new Unless you live in a remote area, on the ‘Use
Wi-Fi
equipment because your smartphone network coverage is unlikely to be a hotspot’
would act as a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot. problem, but you can check what signal slider
In this mode, your Galaxy A14 can strength you can expect by using Tesco’s
support up to 10 connected devices coverage-checker website, at www.
(see screenshot 1 ). You say you have snipca.com/52430 (see screenshot 2 ).
only a laptop and iPad, so it should be This will also tell you whether you have
more than up to the job. access to 3G, 4G or 5G connectivity. Your
However, the phone would need to Galaxy A14 can connect to the fast 5G
be at home and switched on whenever network, and O2 says this can provide
any of your other devices needed to speeds of up to 200Mbps.
connect. You’d also need to keep your As for cost, that’s something you’ll
phone plugged in and charging because need to discuss with Tesco, because it
its battery would run down quickly might offer you a deal. However, as a
when using it as a hotspot. guide, its standard price for 5G with
The speeds you can expect depend unlimited data is £25 a month (www.
on your network and local conditions. snipca.com/52431). We don’t know unless you’re already on an unlimited
how much you currently pay Sky for deal.
1 broadband and VoIP, but the two together To do this, launch the Settings app
are likely to be more than this. then tap Connections followed by
So, all things considered, you could ‘Mobile Hotspot and Tethering’ and
end up with a faster connection for a then Mobile Hotspot. Give your new
lower cost, but with the disadvantage Wi-Fi network a name and set a password,
that your smartphone would be on then switch on the ‘Use Wi-Fi hotspot’
constant duty at home. If you want to try slider (see screenshot 3 ) Now simply
it out, you can probably do so using the connect your computer and iPad to this
Your mobile phone can support up to 10 data that comes with your existing Tesco new Wi-Fi hotspot and try it out to see
devices plan – just don’t overdo the downloads how it goes.

64 20 November – 3 December 2024 • Issue 697

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

Why are my Edge browser tabs fading out?

Something strange has Disable Edge’s ability to put
Q happened to my Edge browser.
It’s not causing me a problem as
tabs to sleep or tweak its
settings so it works the way
you want
such, but I’d like to know what’s going
on. It’s hard to explain exactly, but
sometimes some of my tabs look faded.
Which tabs are faded and which aren’t
seems fairly random. If I click one of the
faded ones it returns to its normal
colours for a while, although others
might fade in the meantime. The only
practical problem with this is that I find
the faded tabs a little harder to see, but The feature was introduced in 2021 so sleeping tabs’ (see screenshot), simply
I’d like to stop it happening anyway. Have it’s not particularly new, but we suppose enables or disables the feature, so if you
you any idea what’s causing this? a recent update might have enabled it on just want it to stop putting your tabs to
Eric Fortune your computer when previously it was sleep, switch this off.
switched off. Otherwise, use the options below to
Yes – this is a feature in Edge, It’s easy to disable, but you can also modify how it works. If you switch off the
A not a fault. Microsoft’s browser
puts inactive tabs to sleep after
tweak this feature so it works in the way
you want. First, click the Edge menu
‘Fade sleeping tabs’ slider, for example,
Edge will continue to put tabs to sleep,
a set period of time to free up system button (three dots, top right) then but without fading their colours. You
resources. How this affects you in your Settings. Next, on the left, click ‘System can use the menu below this to choose
daily use depends on your computer and and performance’. On the right, under how long Edge waits before putting
how many tabs you tend to keep open. It the Optimise Performance heading, tabs to sleep, or click the Add button
could speed up a slow PC, but it can take you’ll see four sliders that let you next to ‘Never put these sites to sleep’ to
an extra second or two for a sleeping tab choose how sleeping tabs behave. create exceptions that Edge will keep
to wake up after you click it. The first, labelled ‘Save resources with awake at all times.

How do I fix my laptop’s broken audio jack?

I mostly use my laptop on a Use a DAC
Q desk at home, where it’s
plugged into a set of
to plug
any audio
device with
speakers. I also have a half-decent a standard
pair of headphones that I use with the 3.5mm
laptop while on the train. However, the connector
into a USB
laptop’s 3.5mm audio connection, port
which I use for both, has become
increasingly unreliable, and the audio
crackles whenever I move.
This isn’t a huge problem at
home, where both the laptop A cheap DAC
like this UGreen
and connecting cable are model can replace a
largely static, but on the train faulty audio jack
it’s annoying. I doubt it’s worth
getting this laptop repaired because There are plenty of headphones Instead of new headphones, you
it’s quite old, but I don’t really want to
buy a new one just because of the
A that connect over USB, and these
days they don’t even need
could buy a USB-to-3.5mm digital-to-
audio converter (DAC), like the pictured
audio jack. Could I buy a pair of setting up – just plug them in and UGreen model (£11 from www.snipca.
headphones that connect through the Windows does he rest. However, in your com/52432). This in effect turns a USB
USB port? Do they need any special case we’d recommend a fix that’s likely to socket into a 3.5mm audio jack and,
setup? What would you recommend? be cheaper than new headphones and like USB headphones, requires no setup
Michael Robinson also works with your desktop speakers. – just plug it in and off you go.

Issue 697 • 20 November – 3 December 2024 65

 Problems Solved
Will I need a new graphics card
How does to keep up with my new monitor’s
Google know refresh rate?
where I parked?
In 2019, I bought a Dell XPS
This isn’t a problem as such, Q 8930 desktop PC with an
Q but I hope you’ll have an
answer to my question
Intel Core i7 processor and an
Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 6GB graphics
anyway. I’ve noticed that whenever I card (pictured right and below). I kept
drive anywhere, Google Maps shows my ViewSonic VP2365 24in monitor,
me where I’ve parked. This has been which has a 1920x1080-pixel resolution
useful on a couple of occasions, so and a 60Hz refresh rate, because it
I’m not complaining, but I’m curious worked perfectly well.
to know how it works. I don’t Recently, however, it has caused a
remember setting this up, although I few problems with various office and
do use Google Maps on my iPhone design tasks, so I thought I’d replace it
for directions when driving. I’ve with a new 24in 1920x1080-pixel
looked through the app’s settings, monitor. As most of these monitors seem
but I find them confusing. to have refresh rates of around 100Hz,
Damian Foster will my graphics card be able to keep up, Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 2060 graphics card will
have no trouble working with a 100Hz monitor
or will I need to upgrade that too?
Google Maps is one of Mike Murphy
A those apps that’s both
incredibly useful and The RTX 2060 actually
from this high-end refresh rate. So the
simple answer to your question is yes,
horribly messy, so we don’t blame
you for getting lost in its settings.
A supports much faster refresh
rates than 100Hz – it can
your existing card will happily work with
a 100Hz monitor or higher.
To find the option you’re looking manage up to 240Hz through its HDMI You didn’t mention games, but if you’re
for, first tap your user icon (or initial) 2.0 or DisplayPort outputs. Realistically, a gamer, bear in mind that the RTX 2060
at the top right of the Google Maps though, at least for gaming, the card can’t really push much beyond 120fps at
app, then Settings. Next, under probably wouldn’t be able to deliver a maximum capacity, so there would be
the Getting Around heading, tap quick enough frame rate (measured in little point in buying a 144Hz or 165Hz
Navigation (see screenshot 1 ). frames per second, fps) for you to benefit screen, for example.
Finally, swipe down to the Parking
section and, once there, tap the The RTX 2060’s
frame rate is
‘Save parking location’ slider 2 to its more limiting
On or Off position, depending on than its refresh
what you want. rate, especially
when playing
The feature works by monitoring games
your smartphone’s overall motion, so
the app knows when you’ve stopped
driving. It then makes the reasonable
assumption that this location is your
parking spot.
1 2

Q: How do I pay for parking with a

smartphone?
A: Issue 660, page 64 – find it on
our 2023 Back Issue CD
Open Google Maps’ …then switch on/off
settings and tap the ‘Save parking Buy it from
Navigation… location’ option www.snipca.com/48860

66 20 November – 3 December 2024 • Issue 697

 How do I cast photos from my phone to my TV?
Is there a way to cast photos 1 Swipe down 2 Wait for

Q from an Android phone to a

smart TV as I can with
on your
Android
your
phone to
find your
phone’s
YouTube videos? There doesn’t seem screen to TV, then
find the tap to
to be an obvious way to do it from the
‘Screen cast’ connect
photo gallery. It would be a lot more option to it
convenient than loading them to a
USB stick or SD card.
William Robertson

It sounds as if you’re already

A successfully casting video
from the Android YouTube
app to your TV. So we can assume you
have a TV with built-in screen-
mirroring features, or you’ve added
them by attaching a device such as a
Chromecast via an HDMI port.
That being the case, we were struck
by your use of the phrase ‘photo
gallery’, which makes us think
you’re using the Google Gallery app
rather than Google Photos. There’s option. So one solution is simply to To do this, swipe down from the top
nothing wrong with that, especially switch to Google Photos instead, and use of your smartphone screen to open the
if you like to view and organise the Cast icon in that app. Quick Settings pane, then swipe down
your photos offline on your phone Alternatively, you can use the Android- again to expand it. You may need to
rather than within Google’s online- wide ‘Screen cast’ option to cast whatever swipe from right to left to see the
storage services. is on your phone’s screen to your TV – ‘Screen cast’ icon (see screenshot 1 ).
However, unlike Google Photos, which would include Gallery when you Tap this, wait for your phone to find
Gallery doesn’t have a built-in casting have the app open. your TV 2 , then simply tap to connect.

Why do my A red bar

indicates that

two drives have

a drive has
less than 15
per cent of its
different colours total capacity
remaining
in File Explorer?
I have two main drives in my
Q Windows 10 Pro PC, one called
System, the other Video. When I
view these in File Explorer, the System
drive’s bar is red while the Video drive’s
bar is blue. Can you explain why this is?
Stuart Hillier

You sent us a portion of a running out of space. The red bar is because it seems that your Windows
A screenshot that was too small for
us to print, but it showed that
simply File Explorer’s way of warning
you at a glance that a drive’s free space
installation is on your C drive, while your
data is on I. There’s no shortage of space
your System drive (C) had 7GB of its has dropped below 15 per cent of its total on drive I, and once Windows is installed
119GB capacity remaining, while the capacity (see screenshot). and running, it doesn’t need a lot of
Video drive (I) had 522GB of its 931GB That’s all there is to it, so other than additional space. However, if you routinely
free. your hard drive potentially running out install new programs to your C drive, you
Those statistics explain what’s going on of space, there’s nothing to worry about. may soon find that it’s completely full, so
here, which is that your System drive is We say ‘potentially’ for good reason, choose drive I for that instead.

Issue 697 • 20 November – 3 December 2024 67

 Problems Solved
Why does my
friend’s laptop
keep crashing?
My friend’s Lenovo V15 ADA
Q laptop keeps crashing to the
blue screen of death. I’ve had to
reset it three times because it won’t
reboot after a crash. I’ve tried numerous
tests. Sometimes it runs normally for a
few hours or even days before it goes to
the blue screen. I’ve run out of things to
try. Can the excellent Computeractive
team offer a way to resolve this continual
crashing of an otherwise good laptop?
David Clowes

Intermittent faults like this are

A
Removing and cleaning you laptop’s fan – as detailed in Lenovo’s service manual – may help if
notoriously difficult to diagnose you’re experiencing frequent crashes
down. While we’ve had to edit
your message for space reasons, we know – while typing, say. Alternatively, it could www.snipca.com/52433, then turn to
you’ve tried lots of things – most of which just be a dust-clogged fan that can’t page 51 (confusingly labelled page 56 in
we would otherwise have suggested. provide sufficient cooling, which is the PDF – see screenshot) to learn how to
Sadly, that leaves the likelihood that causing your CPU or GPU to overheat. access the fan assembly. Remove it and
this is a hardware fault. It could be A damaged motherboard is more or use a can of compressed air to give it a
something as drastic as a cracked less irreparable, but you can certainly good clean. We’d advise doing the same
motherboard, which could result in open up the laptop to look for a jammed with any other components that look
catastrophic crashes if the slightest fan. Download the laptop’s service dirty, as well as pushing in each and
pressure is applied in the wrong place manual from Lenovo’s support site at every connector you come across.

Can I unplug my PC from the mains during hibernation

and reopen it in the state I left it?
Now that the Government
Q has removed my winter
fuel payment, I’m having to
watch every penny even more closely.
I have an ageing Windows 10 desktop
PC that I tend to put into hibernation
overnight rather than shutting down.
I prefer this because it starts up a bit
faster from hibernation the next day.
Can I switch off the mains power while
it’s in this state, or do I have to perform 2
a full shutdown before switching off at
the mains?
Gregory Coleman

Choosing the Hibernate 1

A option from the Start menu
( 1 in our screenshot) tells the Hibernate mode remembers which apps you had open but requires no power
computer to save the contents of its
memory to its main hard drive or SSD. safely stored on your computer’s drive, it the mains plug, safe in the knowledge
The computer then shuts down requires no power to maintain. This that it’ll start up exactly as it was when
completely. As this hibernated ‘state’ is means you can switch off the computer at you told it to hibernate 2 .

68 20 November – 3 December 2024 • Issue 697

 ?? WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN...
2FA and MFA?
Whenever I set up a new these systems have become ubiquitous. Microsoft
Q online account these days,
I’m often asked to set up ‘two-
However, two-factor authentication –
or 2FA, as it’s often abbreviated – is
uses its own
Authenticator
app as part of
factor authentication’. I understand really just a subset of multi-factor its multi-factor
why companies do this, even if I find authentication (MFA). 2FA involves two authentication
process
it annoying. Recently, however, while means of authentication – typically
reading about Microsoft 365 I learned something only you know, like your
that this now uses ‘multi-factor password, and something only you have,
authentication’, and that sent my head such as your smartphone. The ‘factors’
into a spin. Does this mean Microsoft could be different, but with 2FA there
365 requires more than two forms of are only ever two of them.
identification? And if so, how many? That should give you a clue about
How does Microsoft’s system differ the difference between 2FA and MFA,
from others? Where will it all end? which is simply that the latter could (and
Derek Spencer often does) involve more than two
authentication factors. So as well as a
Let’s start with the basics, password and one-time code, a system
A which is that both two-factor
and multi-factor authentication
based on MFA might ask for a third or
fourth method of ID. This could be a
add extra layers of security to your face-recognition system, for example, or a screenshot). Most users will only be
accounts. So, rather than using just a fingertip pressed against a fingerprint asked for two forms of identification
password to log in, you might also need sensor. Some businesses even make their most of the time. However, Microsoft’s
to type a one-time code that the employees use physical security devices, system might sometimes ask for more
website sends to your phone as a text such as a smart card or USB dongle. if it suspects a dodgy login attempt,
message. It’s clear you already As for Microsoft 365, technically it for example.
understand this much from your uses MFA in that the service relies Want to know the difference between
experience, and most of your fellow on multiple authentication factors, technical terms? Email noproblem@
readers do too because, as you note, including its own Authenticator app (see computeractive.co.uk

Has my smartphone forgotten my Wi-Fi password?

I have a Samsung Galaxy A04s seems to be what’s happened here. It’s tapping the network name again, type
Q smartphone that’s a couple
of years old. When I tried to
possible that an Android update might
have caused this glitch. Your phone could
the password, then tap Connect. If you’re
not sure what your BT Hub’s password is
check the weather forecast recently, a have updated automatically overnight or – and assuming you haven’t changed it –
message appeared saying the password while you weren’t using it. you’ll find it printed on a sticker on the
to the router was incorrect. I’ve been We think the best option is to remove back or underside of the router, just
connecting my phone to our BT Hub 2 your phone’s connection with your BT below the network name. It’s typically a
router since I first got it, and it has always Hub 2 router and start again. To do this, long sequence of letters and numbers.
worked fine. I contacted my mobile first launch Android’s Settings app then
provider EE, but it just sent a link to a tap ‘Network & Internet’. Next, select ON SALE
web page, which didn’t help.
One suggestion I came across
Wi-Fi, then tap the name of
your network, which on a BT Next Issue Weds
4 Dec
was to tell the phone to router is likely to be something
‘forget the number’, but I like ‘BT-XYZ123’. Next in the • Can I connect headphones
can’t find out how to do this. ‘Network details’ page, under to my old TV?
I’d welcome any advice. the router’s name, tap Forget •H
 ow do I restore the full
Christine Moss (the dustbin icon – see right-click menu?
screenshot). •H
 ow do I unlock Bitlocker?
There’s no particular Wait a moment, then ...And many more
A reason why a
smartphone might
reconnect to the router by
Subscribe to Computeractive at
If your phone stops connecting
suddenly ‘forget’ a Wi-Fi to your router, try forgetting the www.getcomputeractive.co.uk
network password, but that network, then reconnecting

Issue 697 • 20 November – 3 December 2024 69

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Why can’t I colour my your version of Outlook, too. Simply

emails in Outlook? right-click a message, then click
In Issue 691’s Make Office Better Categorise ( 1 in our screenshot below
Q (page 47) you explain how to
organise emails in Outlook using
left) and select a category or colour 2 , or
click All Categories for further options 3 .
coloured categories. I followed the first
three steps in your screenshot, but after What’s the safest way
clicking the Settings icon, followed by to wipe USB sticks?
Accounts, my Outlook page doesn’t show In Issue 691’s Cover Feature
the five options you show. I run Windows
11 with a Microsoft 365 subscription.
Q (‘Make your USB sticks last
forever’), you recommend using
Select ‘English International’ when choosing
the system language in Rufus
Chris Edwards Disk Wipe (www.snipca.com/51691) to using’. Where did I go wrong?
permanently delete the contents from Dennis Riley
Unfortunately, Microsoft has a USB stick. In previous issues you’ve
A caused much confusion by using suggested using Eraser (www.snipca. We’re not entirely sure, but we’re
‘Outlook’ to refer to at least three
different email products. Not only is it the
com/52103), as well as Command Prompt
which is what I’ve used in the past. Do
A aware that the ‘Keep personal files
and apps’ option is sometimes
name of the new version of the email you know which is the most secure? unavailable in situations where you’re
client that comes built into Windows, Mark Lorimer installing a version of Windows with a
but it’s also the name of the (completely different system language to the version
different) email client that comes with its All three options offer perfectly you currently have installed.
Microsoft 365 and Office suites. And on
top of that, it’s the same name Microsoft
A valid ways to securely erase USB
drives. However, in this instance,
First, check the system language of your
current Windows 10 installation. Click Start,
uses for its webmail service. we opted to recommend Disk Wipe for a type cmd, right-click the Command Prompt
The reason you can’t follow our number of reasons. First, it’s free and icon and choose ‘Run as administrator’.
instructions is because the version of easy to use. It also detects USB sticks Now type DISM /online /get-intl, then
Outlook we referred to is the new Windows automatically, which made it particularly press Enter. Look under ‘Installed
built-in email client, while the version relevant to the topic of our Cover Feature. language(s)’ and make a note of what it
you’re using is the more advanced Microsoft Lastly, unlike Eraser, Disk Wipe is a portable says – most UK users will see ‘en-GB’.
365 program. Apologies for not making program, meaning you can run it without Now go back to our instructions in
this clear – we’ll make sure to stipulate having to install anything on your PC. Issue 693. When you get to the part
which version of Outlook we’re referring You could even potentially run it from where you use Rufus to download the
to in future. another USB stick, should you wish to. Windows 11 ISO file, make sure you select
The good news is that it’s possible to the language that matches what you have
apply coloured categories to emails in Why can’t I keep my files when installed. Usually Rufus will select the
upgrading to Windows 11? correct one for you automatically, but if
1 I read Issue 693’s instructions on not click the dropdown menu under
Q bypassing Microsoft’s system
requirements to upgrade from
Language and choose the right one. If you
saw ‘en-GB’ earlier, for example, then you
Windows 10 to 11 (page 51). I downloaded should select English International (see
the files on to a USB stick using Rufus 4.5 screenshot above).
2
(https://rufus.ie), and ran the ‘Setup.exe’ If that still doesn’t work, you could try
file. I followed the prompts, then reached following our steps on page 51 of the
the page with ‘Choose what to keep’. I was Cover Feature (under the heading
unable to tick the box to ‘Keep personal ‘Download Windows 11 from Microsoft’),
3 files and apps’ with ‘Keep personal files which outlines an alternative method of
only’. A footnote reads ‘Your files, apps downloading the Windows 11 ISO directly
and settings can’t be kept because you’ve from Microsoft. Again, make certain you
Right-click an email in Outlook, select chosen to install Windows 11 using a download the correct language when
Categorise then pick a category or colour different language than you are currently prompted to ‘Select the product language’.

Issue 697 • 20 November – 3 December 2024 71

 Jargon Buster
1080p High-definition video: Command line A way to control File path Shows the location of a LCD Liquid-crystal display. The
1920x1080 pixels. a computer by typing instructions file within Windows. technology used to create almost
one at a time. In Windows this is all flatscreen monitors.
1440p High-definition video: called Command Prompt. Fish-eye lens Wide-angled
2560x1440 pixels. lens that produces a distorted LED Light-emitting diode. An
Copilot+ An enhanced version circular image with extreme electronic device that emits light.
32bit/64bit A measure of of Microsoft’s Copilot AI tool. curvature. Gets its name from Used on almost all electronic
how much data a PC can process Also used to classify Windows the way it mimics the visual devices, and to provide the
at once. Most older computers 11 computers with a neural perspective of a fish. backlight for some LCDs.
are 32bit, more modern ones are processing unit (NPU) that can
64bit. perform over 40 trillion operations Fps Frames per second. Used to Lightning connector Apple’s
per second (TOPS). indicate gaming performance. own connector that connects
3G/4G/5G Technologies that iPhones and iPads to computers,
deliver faster mobile broadband. Core Units on a processor that Full HD Resolution of 1920x1080 monitors, chargers and more.
carry out program instructions. pixels.
4K Video with a resolution of at Malware definition A file
least 3840x2160 pixels. CPU Central Processing Unit. GHz Gigahertz. A measure of downloaded by an antivirus
Another term for a computer how many instructions a chip can program, giving it details of how to
Active noise cancelling processor. process per second. 1GHz is equal spot the latest malware threats.
Method for reducing unwanted to 1,000MHz.
sound by adding a second sound Dark mode Showing white text Matter Open-source standard that
specifically designed to cancel the on a black background. GPU Graphics Processor Unit. lets smart-home devices made by
first. A chip designed to create 3D different companies work together.
DCI-P3 A colour space that has a graphics, but which can also be
Administrator Someone who can wider spectrum than sRGB. used for other computing tasks. MicroSD card A small type of
make changes to a computer that memory card.
will affect others who also use it. DECT Digital Enhanced Graphics card A component in a
Cordless Telecommunications. computer that produces the image Mini USB A smaller version of
AMOLED Active-Matrix Organic A technology used by cordless shown on the monitor. USB designed for older mobile
Light-Emitting Diode. An digital home telephones. devices and external hard drives.
alternative technology to LCD for HAT Hardware attached on top.
creating flat-panel displays. Most Deepfake A video that Accessory boards for Raspberry Mirror To display on your TV
commonly used in smartphones, superimposes a fake voice over Pi mini computers that add extra what’s on your PC or tablet screen.
tablets and smartwatches. a clip of someone talking, a fake functions.
face on someone’s body, or makes NVMe Non-Volatile Memory
Antivirus engine The core a static photo move. The results HDMI High-definition media Express. An interface that lets
component of an antivirus are becoming increasingly realistic. interface. A type of connection that solid-state drives work faster.
program that detects malware. transmits high-definition video and
DisplayPort A socket for audio signals. OCuLink Connectivity standard
Architecture A set of rules connecting monitors. that allows high-speed data
and language that govern how Hotspot A public area covered by transfers between devices using
hardware and software work. DNS Domain Name System. a Wi-Fi network that allows you to PCI Express.
A technology that associates access the internet, either free or
ARC Audio return channel. A computers with their addresses on for a fee. OLED Organic light-emitting
feature on TVs that lets audio the internet. diode. A thin-film organic light-
signals travel both to and from the Hyperlink A clickable link that emitting diode used in computer
TV via a single HDMI cable. Driver A file that tells Windows takes you to a new document or displays and TV screens.
how to work with an external website.
Benchmarking Comparing device. Package manager A program
software and products with an Hz Hertz. Measures the frequency that helps automate the process
accepted standard. DVI Digital Visual Interface. A something happens: 1Hz equals of installing, updating, configuring
common type of display connector once a second. and removing software packages.
Beta A version of software that’s that can carry a digital signal.
being tested. Beta versions are IP address Internet Protocol PCIe Peripheral Component
often released so problems can be EXE A program file designed address. A unique set of numbers Interconnect Express. A faster
ironed out. to run in Windows. Has the file used to identify computers and version of PCI - a slot on the
extension .exe. websites on the internet. motherboard for expansion cards,
Blue screen of death Technically such as for sound and memory.
called a ‘Stop error’, this is shown False positive When an antivirus IPS A screen technology. Monitors
when your PC crashes. program wrongly detects a that use it have wider viewing Picture-in-picture Shows video
malware infection. angles and better, more accurate in a small moveable screen while
cd/m2 Candela per square metre. colours than monitors that do not you browse the web or watch TV.
Standard unit of brightness. Favicon A small icon for a website, use this technology.
usually appearing in the address Port To transfer your old phone
Client A program that acts as an and bookmark bars of a web ISO file A type of image file that number to a new network when
interface between PC and server. browser. contains data from a CD or DVD. changing providers.

72 20 November – 3 December 2024 • Issue 697

QHD Quad High Definition. Roaming charge Fee incurred System restore point The Upscale Creating a larger version
for using your phone to receive collection of system files stored of a photo without sacrificing
QR code Quick Response code. data through overseas mobile by System Restore on a given date clarity and detail.
A barcode that can be read using networks. and time to which Windows can
smartphones. revert if a problem occurs. USB 3.0 An even faster version of
RSS Really Simple Syndication. A the USB standard used to connect
RAM Random-access memory. simple format for automatically Temporary file Created by sites devices to a computer.
The computer’s working area, distributing news headlines and and software to store info for a
used for data storage while the PC other content from the web. specific purpose, but not meant to USB-C A new connector that’s
is switched on. be stored permanently. reversible, letting you plug it in
SD card Secure Digital card. A upside down.
Refresh rate Measured in Hertz popular type of memory card. Tethering Turning a phone into a
(Hz), the number of times per modem to give internet access to VoIP Voice over IP. The routing
second that the image on your Spatial audio A form of digital a computer. of voice conversations over the
monitor is redrawn. surround sound that allows the internet, which is cheaper than the
origin points of different sounds Thunderbolt A very fast port telephone network.
Refurbished A second-hand to envelop you from all directions. for connecting external storage
device that has been repaired by Spatial audio requires a supported to a computer. Can be used to VPN Virtual private network.
its manufacturer so that it can be device to immerse you in its 3D connect monitors, a network and Keeps all internet communication
resold and reused. sound. more. safe and private.

Registry key The Windows sRGB A standard RGB colour TIFF Tagged Image File Format. A Widget A small program such
Registry equivalent of a folder. space for use on monitors, standard file format used to store as a calendar that runs on the
printers and the internet. graphics images. Windows desktop.
RGB keyboard Advanced type
of LED backlit keyboard that SSD Solid-state drive. Storage that TPM Trusted Platform Module. Write Save data to a hard drive.
generates colours by projecting uses no moving parts. Faster but A computer chip that stores keys
simultaneous combinations of red, more expensive than conventional which encrypt data on your hard ZIP file A file that contains
green and blue lights. hard drives. drive. compressed documents or files.
 Easy when you
Know How
Hoping to get a preview of Microsoft’s next operating
system, Robert Irvine tries to…

Make his PC look like Windows 12

W
hat with Halloween, Bonfire Seelen UI let
Night and the imminent Black Robert move
the Windows
Friday (see our feature on page taskbar to the
60), I must have missed the celebrations left-hand side
for Windows 11’s third birthday. Can it of his screen
really be three years since this cutting-
edge operating system transformed our
lives with its impractical Start menu,
round-cornered windows and blue-
ribbony-thing desktop wallpaper?

If early leaks are true

I visited the GitHub page at www. to the right-hand side of my screen, then
and not just wishful snipca.com/52603 and clicked the the top and left (see screenshot), before
‘Microsoft Store (recommended)’ link to deciding it was probably best in its
thinking, Windows 12 download the Seelen UI app. There’s also customary location at the bottom. But by
looks quite nice an EXE installer, but this can apparently
trigger a false positive.
the time Windows 12 is released, I may
well have changed my mind.
The app installed without any problems Ignoring a tab called The Wall, which
and immediately gave my Windows 11 has nothing to do with Pink Floyd but
desktop an aesthetically pleasing makeover. lets you set up a wallpaper slideshow, I
The wallpaper was now a tasteful blue switched on Seelen UI’s App Launcher.
I won’t rant about my aversion to wavy design and, instead of the This lets you quickly find and launch
Windows 11, because I did that in Issue traditional taskbar, there was a macOS- programs simply by typing the first few
692 (page 74) and it’s now time to move style dock of shortcuts at the bottom of letters of their names – similar to
on. Preferably to Windows 12, which – if the screen. The shortcuts included the Microsoft’s PowerToys Run tool. It’s a
early leaks are true and not just wishful Start menu, File Explorer and the handy feature you can open and close by
thinking – actually looks quite nice (in programs I currently had open, as well as pressing Windows key+space bar.
terms of layout, at least – not the ‘Fluent’ a detachable audio player. Finally, I clicked the Window Manager
icons we called hideous in Issue 694, Other taskbar tools, such as the system tab, which – despite telling me that
page 10). tray, notification centre and Wi-Fi ‘Native Virtual Desktop Strategy’
I particularly like the ‘floating taskbar’, indicator were relocated to the top-right (whatever that is) wasn’t available for my
which can reportedly be displayed corner of the screen, which makes sense PC – allowed me to use Seelen UI’s Tiling
vertically down either side of your screen. when you think about it. Usefully, the Windows Manager. As its name suggests,
Unlike in Windows 11, where repositioning ‘Fancy Toolbar’ they sit on (Seelen’s term, this presents your open windows in a
the taskbar isn’t allowed because it might not mine) also displays the date and time. tiled layout, making it easier to multitask
confuse Copilot (or something). Seelen UI’s Settings panel opened on a large monitor.
So I was interested to read about a new automatically, enabling me to customise Seelen UI isn’t perfect – it froze several
free tool called Seelen UI, which applies a its appearance. I first clicked the General times during testing, it was slow to apply
new interface to Windows 10 and 11 that tab, which allowed me to apply a different changes and some of its options were
looks a bit like the leaked Windows 12 colour scheme using the Personalisation greyed out. But it certainly makes a change
design (see www.snipca.com/52602). settings in Windows. There were also two from Windows 11 and may point the way
The program’s developer makes no such themes – Bubbles and Rainbow – but for Windows 12, if Microsoft pays as much
claim, presumably to keep Microsoft’s neither was particularly interesting. attention to usability as it does to AI.
lawyers at bay, but I was impressed More useful was the Dock/Taskbar tab, Need help improving your Windows 11
enough by the screenshots to give Seelen where I was able to change the size and interface? Let us know: noproblem@
UI a try. position of the floating taskbar. I moved it computeractive.co.uk

74 20 November – 3 December 2024 • Issue 697 Next issue: Robert tries to create animated winter wallpaper

CAT697.know_how.indd 74 07/11/2024 12:13