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WELCOME
EDITORIAL
Group Editor in Chief Graham Barlow
Group Editor Daniel Booth
From the Editor
Deputy Editor Robert Irvine
Production Editor Graham Brown One of the most depressing trends in Feature, Robert Irvine recommends
Art Editor Katie Peat
Contributors Keumars Afifi-Sabet, Judith Batchelor, Dinah
software is companies using ‘bait-and- excellent programs that will almost
Greek, Jonathan Parkyn, Nik Rawlinson, Andy Shaw switch’ tactics to lure you with the promise certainly remain free forever. How can we
ADVERTISING
of a free tool, then – when you’re hooked be so sure? Well, they’re all made by
Advertising Manager Alexandra Thomas – moving it to the paid-for version. independent developers motivated not by
MARKETING AND CIRCULATION
LastPass is one of the worst offenders. In money, but by the technical challenge in
Subscriptions Juber Ahmed 2021 it changed its free plan to one type of building tools to make computing easier.
For subscription enquiries ring 0330 333 9493
device, triggering an exodus of users (I They all perform vital PC tasks, such as
PRODUCTION switched to Bitwarden and haven’t downloading YouTube videos, removing
Head of Production
Stephen Catherall
regretted it). CCleaner has tried similar duplicate files, updating drivers and more.
Senior Production Manager tricks, and there are many other examples. Please let me know your favourites.
Lawrence Brookes
It’s become such a problem recently that Daniel Booth
INTERNATIONAL LICENSING AND SYNDICATION we decided enough is enough. In his Cover [email protected]
Computeractive is available for licensing and syndication.
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Issue 664 • 16 – 29 August 2023 3

 Contents
16 – 29 August 2023 • Issue 664

6 News Brave now finds images without

relying on Google

10 Question of the Fortnight How long

until DVDs are removed from UK shelves?

11 Protect Your Tech

Rise in Microsoft impersonation scams

12 Letters T ook five calls over two hours

to cancel Virgin

14 Consumeractive Can I get more

cash from Pure if it stops a service?
p10
16 Grow Your Family Tree
Search for railway accidents Companies to eject DVDs

18 Best Free Software

FixWin 11.1 Lenovo Yoga 9i Gen 8
21 Named & Shamed MyCleaner’s ‘iPhone p22
Storage Full’ fake advert

Reviews
22 Lenovo Yoga 9i Gen 8
Sleek laptop-tablet puts it all on display

23 Minisforum NPB7
Mini PC makes powerful statement

24 Lenovo Tab P11 Pro (2nd Gen)

Tablet can’t ease performance pains

25 Honor 90
Phone offers a pixel-perfect camera Minisforum NPB7

26 Amazon Echo Pop p23

pxx
New smart speaker shapes up nicely

28 Ring Battery Video Doorbell Plus

Smart doorbell rings true
Wasserstein Bird Feeder Case
Camera case for filming feathered friends

29 Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED

65in Fire TV set puts heat on rivals

30 Buy It/Competition
Win an Arlo Pro 5 outdoor security camera

4 16 – 29 August 2023 • Issue 664

 Subscribe now!
See page 58 for our special subs offer

Workshops & Tips Print charming

p35
35 
How to… Print your photos as
cheaply as possible

38 
Share files between your
phone/tablet and PC

40 R
 eaders’ Tips
Make NirLauncher easier to use

42 Browser Tips
Search Google from the side panel

44 Phone and Tablet Tips Detect and

locate hidden Bluetooth trackers

46 Make Windows Better Change

cursor speed when using Mouse Keys
CO
FEATVER

BEST PC
47 Make Office Better Combine data
UR
from several columns into one P50 E

SOFTWARE
48 In the Club
Upload photos to Google Forms

49 What’s All the Fuss About?

X You’ll NEVER
50 COVER FEATURE Best PC software
you’ll never have to pay for
Avoid the lure of ‘free’ programs that will
Have To Pay For
charge you at a later date Fantastic programs that are 100% FREE!
No hidden fees No paid-for tools No restrictions
60 Redact your personal info
Blurring or pixellating personal info no

Switch your
longer guarantees your privacy – we
explain why you should redact it instead

62 Switch your ad blocker

ad blocker
Many of the most popular ad blockers have
let their guard down recently. We reveal the
best three options and ones you should avoid

64 Problems Solved Why is Thunderbird

forcing me to use Gmail?

71 Reader Support
Why can’t I launch DuckDuckGo?

72 Jargon Buster
p62
74 Easy When You Know How Robert
Irvine copies old audio CDs to his phone

Issue 664 • 16 – 29 August 2023 5

 News The top stories in the world of technology

Brave now finds images

without relying on Google
1

B
rave now lets you To achieve this, Brave’s
search for images developers built their own
and videos that don’t search indexes that don’t
rely on results from Bing or contain results provided by
Google, helping to make the Bing or Google.
search engine faster and Since launching in early
more private. 2021, Brave Search had relied
on finding images and videos
WHAT WE THINK from either of the two big 2
search engines. When you
These are good times for searched for an image or
anyone keen to go beyond video, you were asked
Google. First, DuckDuckGo whether you wanted to find
launches its long-awaited the result on Bing or Google
browser (see Issue 662, (see screenshot below).
www.snipca.com/47139), Brave claims that the
and now Brave inches closer move means it now offers
to full independence. Neither “comprehensive independent results, giving users a fully- country and safe search 2 .
tool is the finished article, fledged, privacy-preserving Brave said it will soon add
but they’re both excellent choice outside of Big Tech” advanced filters, including
privacy-focused alternatives (see www.snipca.com/47132). for aspect ratio and the
to the tech giants. Brave To search for an image or licensing rights of the
doesn’t collect any of your video, type your search term images and videos.
personal details when you into https://search.brave.com, The move follows Brave
browse the web, nor track press Enter, then select either ending its reliance on Google
what you search for and the the Images or Videos tabs at and Bing’s indexes for main
links you click. You’ll still the top ( 1 in our screenshot search results in April. When
see adverts, but these aren’t above). it launched about 13 per cent
based on a personal profile. There are only two search of its results came from the
filters at the moment – two leading search engines.

Microsoft starts to bid farewell to Cortana

M icrosoft is releasing a
Windows update that
confirms its decision to shut
Cortana in “late
2023”, but has
now brought that
Microsoft uses the
term ‘deprecated’
when it intends to
with Apple’s Siri, though it
has stopped developing it in
recent years as AI-powered
down Cortana. forward to August “remove a feature or chatbots have become more
The company announced (see www.snipca. capability in a major powerful.
in June that it was ending com/47129). future release”, It has already added Bing
support for the voice assistant, Once the update though the feature Chat to the Windows 11
as it focuses instead on is installed, clicking Cortana in question “will continue to search box, as well as to
building AI tools into the shows a black screen with work and be fully supported Edge and Skype.
operating system. the message ‘Cortana in until it is officially removed”.
At the time it said it would Windows as a standalone The company launched Will you miss Cortana? Let us
know: letters@computeractive.
start ending support for app is deprecated’. Cortana in 2014 to compete co.uk

You’ll like this… Google will soon warn but not this… Rats gnawed through
you when your details appear in search broadband cables, leaving thousands
results (www.snipca.com/47127) without internet (www.snipca.com/47128)

6 16 – 29 August 2023 • Issue 664

Over-65s switch off traditional IN BRIEF

TV in record numbers THUNDERBIRD DELAYS

EMAIL SYNC TOOL
Thunderbird

E lderly viewers are

switching from traditional
TV to streaming services at a
com/47117), which
surveys the “media
habits and preferences
has postponed
its syncing
feature that
record rate, Ofcom has found. of people across the was scheduled
It said that the viewing UK”. for version 115,
figures for over-65s watching It also found that the released in July.
broadcast channels such as average time a person The tool, which would let
the BBC and ITV fell by 10 per watches broadcast TV you sync Thunderbird data
cent in 2022. per day fell from two and settings with other
Overall, the proportion of hours 59 minutes to email clients, is now planned
people who tune in each week two hours 38 minutes. funeral and Platinum Jubilee for 2024. It blamed
was down from 83 per cent in The number of programmes – both 13.2 million. “technical blockers” for the
2021 to 79 per cent in 2022. attracting over four million By contrast, only 48 delay – see www.snipca.
The statistics come in viewers has more than halved programmes on streaming com/47124.
Ofcom’s annual Media Nations over the past eight years, services averaged more than
report (www.snipca. from 2,490 in 2014 to 1,184 four million TV viewers. BT STREET CABINETS
in 2022. Netflix accounted for most BECOME EV CHARGERS
Ofcom said these declines of these, and it remains the BT is testing whether it can
MOST POPULAR
reflect fewer people watching most popular streaming convert copper-based
STREAMING
SERVICES IN THE UK TV news and soap operas. service in the UK (see box). street cabinets into chargers
However, the most watched ITVX accounted for 10 per for electric vehicles (EV).
•• Netflix 59% of homes
Amazon Prime Video
shows in 2022 were all
broadcast on traditional TV.
cent of ITV’s total viewing in
the first half of 2023, up from
Work will start in Northern
Ireland in the autumn, before
45% England’s quarter-final seven per cent last year. being extended across
•• Disney+ 25%
Apple 7%
match against France in the
World Cup had the most
Programmes on BBC iPlayer
accounted for 18 per cent of
the UK over a two-year
trial period. The company
• Now 7% viewers with 16.1 million,
followed by the Queen’s
the BBC’s viewing, up from
14 per cent in 2022.
estimates that around
two-thirds of its 90,000
cabinets may be suitable for
upgrading to an EV point.
Russian spies pose as tech-support Read more at www.snipca.

help to hack governments

com/47119.

TOMORROW’S
R ussian spies targeted
governments around the
world by posting as
computer systems.
As well as government
departments, the spies
WORLD
Most robots fail if you ask
tech-support staff on attacked charities and them to perform a task
Microsoft Teams. companies in the IT services, they’re not programmed to
Microsoft said a campaign technology, manufacturing, do. But Google has trained
of “highly targeted social and media sectors. highly targeted cases, this one to adapt to new
engineering attacks” saw What made the attack advanced techniques to challenges, such as picking
Russia’s Foreign Intelligence significant is that the hackers compromise authentication up a toy it has never seen
Service (SVR) try to hack into sent messages that appeared mechanisms within an before. One of its key talents
around 40 organisations to come from Microsoft’s organisation to expand access is to analyse data from the
worldwide. genuine tech-support team, and evade detection”. web and translate it into
They chose to attack using an email address ending The company said that it robotic controls. Read more
through Teams because it’s in onmicrosoft.com. has “directly notified targeted at www.snipca.com/47115.
one of the most popular tools Microsoft said that since or compromised customers,
for work employees to chat 2018 Midnight Blizzard’s aim providing them with
with each other. has been to “collect information needed to secure
The hackers, which intelligence through their environments”.
Microsoft calls Midnight longstanding and dedicated Read more on Microsoft’s
Blizzard, managed to trick espionage of foreign interests”. site: www.snipca.com/47123.
victims into clicking links in
messages, giving them access
It added, “Their operations
often involve compromise of
• Sharp rise in ‘Microsoft
impersonation’ scams –
into the organisation’s valid accounts and, in some page 11

Issue 664 • 16 – 29 August 2023 7

 News
IN BRIEF Google reminds users that
UK 34TH IN BROADBAND
SPEED TABLE
it will close inactive accounts
The UK has risen one place to
34th in the global broadband
speed table as measured by
G oogle has sent
its second
reminder to users
Kricheli, Google’s vice
president for product
management, said
comparison site Cable.co.uk. that it plans to close extended periods of
Average speed in the UK is inactive accounts inactivity might indicate
now 93.62Mbps, up from from 1 December. that the accounts have
72.06Mbps last year. Jersey It has emailed been compromised.
is top with 264.52Mbps, accounts warning “This is because
followed by Liechtenstein that any which forgotten or unattended
and Macau. Afghanistan is haven’t shown signs of accounts often rely
bottom with 1.71Mbps. Read activity for two years on old or re-used
Cable’s full results for 2023 will be shut down, passwords that may have
at www.snipca.com/47083. and all content in been compromised,
them erased. haven’t had two-factor
Google first contacted sharing a photo, downloading authentication set up, and
users in May, when it outlined an app and using Google receive fewer security checks
criteria for deciding whether Search. by the user,” she said.
an account is active. These It says that security is the Google says it will take a
include reading or sending main reason for closing an “phased approach” to closing
WATCH 14 NEW an email, using Google Drive, inactive account. Ruth accounts, starting with those
CHANNELS ON VIRGIN TV “that were created and never
Virgin Media has added 14 used again”.
new channels to its TV 360,
NO MORE UPDATES FOR ANDROID KITKAT Before closing an account
Stream and V6 boxes at no Android 4.4 won’t receive and was promoted with Google will email a warning
extra cost. They are all any more updates, Google Kit Kat bars in the shape to it, so users have the chance
based on either single TV has said. The operating of the Android robot logo. to sign in and keep it active.
shows – including Great system, nicknamed KitKat, Fewer than one per cent of Visit Google’s site for more
British Menu, Homes Under launched in October 2013 Android phones now run it. details: www.snipca.
the Hammer (pictured) – or com/47096.
themes like history, crime
and wildlife. For details visit
www.snipca.com/47102. Sky forces ISPs to block
THE WORLD’S access to illegal content
GONE MAD!
If you thought human
‘influencers’ were annoying,
S ky has obtained a High
Court order to force
internet service providers
popular show.
Blocking will be carried
out by a third-party
wait until the AI versions (ISPs) to block access to group that looks for
become services illegally streaming its IP addresses and servers
popular. sports coverage and TV shows. to identify the source of illegal
This one, The order is similar to the streams. This information is
called Milla one granted to the Premier then passed to ISPs, who’ll across the UK in an operation
Sofia, is a League since 2019, but is use it to block access to the that saw four people arrested,
“24-year intended to block a broader sites on their network. preventing more than
old robot range of content. A Sky spokesman said the 500,000 viewers from
girl living in Sky will now be able to court order would “help limit watching pirated content.
Helsinki”. shut down individual pirate the supply of pirated Sky Experts regard preventing
Nothing she does is real, sites at specific times. It’s content”. access to pirated streams as
and yet for some reason expected to use this power In recent years the company one of the most effective tools
more than 100,000 people when it’s broadcasting a has increased its efforts to in tackling illegal content. Last
now follow her online. Is major sporting event, such as crack down on devices and season the Premier League
there really nothing better to a Premier League match or software that can illegally used its blocking order to
do on the internet? England cricket international, stream content. Earlier this block or take down over
or for a new episode of a year it worked with police 600,000 illegal live streams.

8 16 – 29 August 2023 • Issue 664

Sites will have to remove fake IN BRIEF
adverts ‘endorsed’ by celebrities VODAFONE SENDS 4G
FROM CHURCH BELLS

W ebsites will be forced

to remove fake adverts
that claim to be endorsed by
Vodafone is working with the
Church of England to install
4G base stations on top of
celebrities, under new laws 11 church bell towers in order
to clamp down further on to spread signals across
online scams. rural areas. Two of the first
The move has been welcomed locations are in Brompton
by MoneySavingExpert Regis, Somerset, and at
founder Martin Lewis, whose St Michael’s & All Angels
face has often been added to church in Ewyas Harold,
financial scams to make them Herefordshire. The rest,
appear legitimate. going live in the next few
In July, he warned about a months, are in Dorset, Essex,
deepfake video that appeared Norfolk and Wiltshire. Watch
to show him recommending Vodafone’s video at www.
an investment called snipca.com/47058.
‘Quantum AI’ that was
labelled as ‘Elon Musk’s new adverts to appear on sites, The UK already has an ASDA SELLS NEW
project’ (www.snipca. and ‘influencers’ on social advertising regulator – the 55IN ROKU TV
com/47062, pictured). media who get paid for Advertising Standards A new 55in 4K
Lewis said that it was promoting items. Authority (ASA) – but it Polaroid Roku
“weird and pretty frightening” As well as false celebrity doesn’t have the power to TV (pictured)
to have his face and voice endorsements, sites will tackle adverts made by is on sale now
imitated in the advert. have to take down adverts scammers. exclusively at Asda stores.
The new rules form part promoting illegal products, Creative industries minister Priced £349, it comes with
of the Government’s Online such as weapons, drugs, Sir John Whittingdale said most of the major streaming
Advertising Programme, knock-off designer clothes that as online advertising has services, including BBC
which place more and fake tickets. grown, the rules “have not iPlayer, ITVX, Netflix and
responsibility on tech They will also have to kept pace and so we intend to Amazon Prime Video, as well
companies to regulate adverts stop children seeing strengthen them to ensure as Spotify, Apple Music and
that appear on their sites. adverts for age-restricted consumers are properly Amazon Music. More models
It also covers advertising products, including alcohol, protected”. will be available later this
services such as Google Ads adult-rated films and Read more on Gov.UK: year. Read more at www.
that provide the software for gambling sites. www.snipca.com/47061. snipca.com/47063 and find
your nearest Asda at www.
snipca.com/47064.
AI cameras catch drivers DISCOUNT PC SITE FOR
using mobile phones PEOPLE ON BENEFITS
A new website sells

A police camera van has

used artificial intelligence
(AI) to detect people using
set at a shallow angle, can
detect a phone close to the
driver’s ear. The second camera Constabulary, said that the
discounted broadband
and refurbished Windows
10 PCs in order to “close
mobile phones while driving. uses a steeper view to see if a operation was a “great the digital divide”. Called
Hampshire and Isle of Wight phone is being used for texting. opportunity” to use the Get Online@Home (www.
Constabulary and Thames Once the AI software has latest AI technology. getonlineathome.org), it’s run
Valley Police carried out the identified the offences, humans “But the results we’ve had by Computer Recyclers UK in
operation between July 17 and check the footage before passing from just one week sadly partnership with Currys, and
21 on the A34 and A303. They it to the police. This ensures show how prolific these has support from the Digital
identified 86 motorists that only “clear offences, offences are,” he added. Poverty Alliance. Eligible
Credit: Hants Police

suspected of using a phone, which are reviewed by at least “We will continue to spread customers include disabled
and a further 273 of not two humans, are considered the message that distracted people and those on benefits.
wearing a seatbelt. for prosecution”, police say. driving kills, these offences Prices start at £99 for desktop
The van uses two cameras to Simon Gomer, head of the will be punished and social PCs and £199 for laptops.
capture the footage. The first, Safer Roads Unit at Hampshire habits need to change.”

Issue 664 • 16 – 29 August 2023 9

 Questionof
Question ofthe
theFortnight
Fortnight
How long until DVDs are
removed from UK shelves?
Disney’s move to stop selling them in Australia could be the final nail

T
he death of DVDs has
been long predicted THE FACTS
ever since Blockbuster
went bankrupt in 2010. • Disney will no longer
Apart from a brief respite release DVDs in Australia,
during lockdown, sales have leading some to predict
nosedived over the past it will stop selling them
decade. And Disney may have worldwide.
hammered the final nail in the • Global sales of DVDs
coffin by announcing that it have fallen from two billion
will no longer release DVDs in 2009 to under 300
and Blu-rays in Australia. million
It follows the company’s • Around 66 per cent of UK
decision to stop selling DVDs households subscribe to a
in some Asian and Latin streaming service, up from
American countries, and 20 per cent in 2015
industry analysts expect the
company to do the same in
the UK and US. now overtaken CDs, while
The move has huge Kodak says it can’t “keep up
implications because Disney is 300 million, as viewers turned but it’s catching up quickly. with demand” for
one of the world’s biggest in increasing numbers to Given such trends, Disney’s photographic film, less than a
media brands, owning the streaming services. decision to axe DVDs makes decade after the company
Star Wars, Indiana Jones and By 2019, only 51 per cent of commercial sense. It’s also filed for bankruptcy.
The Simpsons franchises, as UK households owned a DVD much easier for media There will always be some
well as National Geographic player (down from 75 per cent companies to manage people who prefer owning a
and the entire 20th Century in 2010), while hardly any international licensing for physical copy to streaming.
Fox back catalogue. new computers now come streaming content than Specialist vinyl websites
physical products like discs. have sprung up to meet this
There had been some demand from music fans.
Streaming is now the most small signs of a decline in But if companies as big as
streaming. Sixty-six per cent Disney stop making DVDs,
popular way to consume films, of households subscribing then there will be no new
music and games sounds impressive, but it’s
actually smaller than 2022’s
products for stores to sell.
Barring a ferocious backlash
peak of 68 per cent. in Australia, it’s easy to see
Disney’s last DVD down with a disc drive. According to However, this fall is more Disney stopping sales in the
under will be the superhero new Ofcom research, 66 per to do with rising inflation UK within the next year. But
film Guardians of the Galaxy cent of households subscribe squeezing family income than over time we expect fans of
Vol. 3. After that, all new to a TV-streaming service, up viewers turning away from the DVD to call for its return,
Disney releases will be from 20 per cent in 2015. The streaming. Indeed, streaming triggering a small revival.
available only through figure is 75 per cent in the US. is now the most popular way This probably won’t
streaming services, such as Disney+ is the third most to consume other types of match vinyl’s renaissance,
its own Disney+. popular service in the UK, media, including music and but it might be enough to
It’s a milestone in the earning a 25-per-cent market games. persuade Disney and others to
dramatic demise of DVDs. share since launching in 2020. It’s true that some physical backtrack a little and release
Every year between 2005 and UK revenue increased by products are making a DVDs in limited numbers. So
2009 around two billion DVDs 40 per cent in 2022 to £383 comeback. Sales of vinyl although these shiny discs are
were sold worldwide. But by million. That’s still some way records have increased for 17 at death’s door, don’t rule out
2021 sales had plummeted to below Netflix’s £1.61 billion, consecutive years and have a surprising afterlife.

10 16 – 29 August 2023 • Issue 664

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

Rise in Microsoft impersonation scams

What’s the threat? and have plausible subject lines
There’s been a surge in scammers referring to unusual activity on
sending emails that claim to be from your account. They also contain
Microsoft. The company was the world’s believable details of where and
most impersonated by fraudsters when the sign-in occurred 2 ,
1
between April and June, accounting as well as the operating system
for 29 per cent of scams, according to and browser used 3 .
research from US security company There’s usually a button at
Check Point. This was a rise from 12 per the bottom of the email to
cent in the first three months of 2023, report the user 4 , or review 2
when Microsoft was the third most- your recent activity. Clicking it
spoofed company worldwide, behind takes you to a malicious site
US supermarket Walmart and delivery that has nothing to do with
firm DHL. Microsoft. 3
Check Point said the increase in scams
might have been caused by a wave of How can you 4
‘Unusual activity’ emails, in which stay safe?
fraudsters try to trick you into thinking What makes these scams so effective is Microsoft’s site: www.snipca.com/47055.
someone unauthorised has signed into that Microsoft does email or text you Also, beware of similar emails that
your account. when it detects “a sign-in attempt from a impersonate Google and Apple, which
The most convincing of these emails new location or device”. Its emails come came second and third in Check Point’s
come from what sounds like a genuine from account-security-noreply@ recent research, accounting for 19 and
Microsoft email address (‘no-reply@ accountprotection.microsoft.com – so five per cent of scams respectively. See
microsoft.com’ – 1 in our screenshot) ignore any other addresses. Read more on the full list at www.snipca.com/47009.

New tools Save logins to correct

1Password account
ScamWatch
Readers warn readers

Having multiple accounts in your £300 bank ‘withdrawal’

password manager can be useful if you scam
regularly go online in different I received a call telling me £300 had
situations – such as at work and at been withdrawn from my bank
home – or if you need to keep personal account by card and that a banker’s
and family logins separate. But it can draft had been received for £1,100.
cause problems if your password They asked whether this was in order.
manager mixes up your accounts, I was taken by surprise, but gave
saving login details in the wrong one. nothing away. I spoke to an adviser,
1Password (https://1password.com) but he was almost unintelligible. I
aims to solve this by automatically asked him to repeat what he was
suggesting saving passwords to the saying, but the phone went dead. I
correct account based on the email dialled 1471 and was surprised to find
address you’re using at that time. So, if family account – as shown in the alert the call was from a mobile. I rang the
you’re signed in with your work email, at the bottom. If a password is saved in number on my credit card and
it will advise saving it in the 1Password the wrong place, 1Password will show discovered that no money had been
account you use at work. another alert (called a ‘Watchtower’) to taken. I then saw this scam reported
In the screenshot, 1Password uses the warn you. on BBC Breakfast.
example of someone saving a Netflix Read about these and other new tools, Ken Holt
password in their personal account, including passkeys, on 1Password’s Warn your fellow readers about scams
when they might prefer it saved in their blog: www.snipca.com/46956. at [email protected]

Issue 664 • 16 – 29 August 2023 11

 Letters
Tell us what’s on your mind

from networks just before boarding which costs £20 a month, is the fastest
would be the nudge they need. nationwide speed. Some local providers
Monica Ferguson offer 100-150Mbps.

Shell let me switch to DuckDuckGo browser

Gumtree also has social tariff without fee needs extensions
fake buyers It’s encouraging to see I installed DuckDuckGo’s new
You gave sound advice when Vodafone offering 73Mbps browser after reading Issue 662’s
warning your readers about on its social tariff broadband (Issue 663, Cover Feature (pictured left) and found it
criminal Facebook buyers who come to page 8). Fantastic speeds very easy to navigate. However,
your home then trick you into thinking like this will be a massive there’s one omission that’s not
they’ve transferred cash using an app help to those on benefits, easy to overcome – and that’s
(Issue 663, page 11). especially when applying not being able to add
I want to point out that fake buyers online for jobs. extensions. I use the Roboform
also exist on Gumtree, which might not It’s worth noting also Password Manager (www.
be as popular as Facebook Marketplace, that some broadband roboform.com), but because
but is used by many people in the providers will let you DuckDuckGo doesn’t support
Suffolk town where I live. switch to a rival’s social extensions I’m unable to use
My elderly neighbour was nearly tariff if they don’t offer Roboform’s taskbar at the bottom
conned a couple of weeks ago. She had one themselves. I speak of pages. I can only hope that
arranged to sell a tablet for a couple of from experience when, DuckDuckGo will allow
hundred pounds, and agreed with the about a year ago, I was extensions soon.
buyer that it should be paid for in cash. made redundant and asked Shell – my Phil Aylward
But when he arrived he feigned ignorance provider at the time – to release me from
of this agreement, and instead whipped my contract so I could take advantage of a CA SAYS Phil’s right that the biggest
out his phone and showed her an app social tariff elsewhere. drawback to DuckDuckGo’s browser
that appeared to be depositing money To Shell’s credit, they let me do this is its lack of support for extensions.
into her account. without paying an early-termination fee. However, it has many privacy tools built
Fortunately, my neighbour had the Shell has now introduced a social tariff in, so you don’t actually need to install
wherewithal to knock on my door to ask (www.snipca.com/47042), so perhaps extensions to block trackers and adverts.
for advice. She often turns to me for help they’d now move you to this, rather than DuckDuckGo says it will allow
with all matters of technology. let you leave. extensions “in the future”, but even
I couldn’t confirm that the buyer was Joe Kendrick without them it’s an excellent privacy-
scamming her, but it was certainly focused alternative to the likes of Chrome
suspicious. As soon as I asked to see the CA SAYS If you’re keen to switch to a and Edge. The browser downloads
app he was using, he told us to forget social tariff, visit Ofcom’s site for a full automatically from www.snipca.
about the purchase, and ran off. It was a list of available deals: www.snipca. com/46663. If you missed our Cover
lucky escape. com/47046. Vodafone’s new 73Mbps Feature on it, buy the back issue from
Philip Weeks package (www.snipca.com/47047), www.snipca.com/47044.

What’s the Issue…?

CA SAYS As Gumtree’s popularity grows,

?
scammers will inevitably target it more.
If you regularly buy and sell through the
site, read its advice on how to stay safe: My friend tells me anyone CA SAYS That was
www.snipca.com/47045. can install spyware on iPhones, Issue 655, page 60.
but I have a feeling you dispelled this Buy it from www.
Avoid roaming fees on flights fear recently? snipca.com/47005.
Ofcom is right to put pressure Alison Fletcher
on phone networks to remind When did you last explain how
customers about roaming fees (Issue CA SAYS We did indeed – see Issue to extend Wi-Fi throughout the
663, page 10). One place where these 658, page 67. Buy Issue 658 from home?
messages should be sent is at airports. www.snipca.com/47004. Robert Phillips
My son once had a £20 roaming bill while
flying to Egypt because his phone had In which issue did you CA SAYS That was in Issue 635’s
connected mid-air. recommend the best alternatives Cover Feature ‘Why Your Wi-Fi is Still
Most airlines do advise passengers to to Plex? Slow’ (read it on our Back Issue CD:
switch to airplane mode before take-off, Mick Dempsey www.snipca.com/44660).
but I bet many people never do. An alert

12 16 – 29 August 2023 • Issue 664

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

We’ve abandoned Amazon STAR LETTER

over its Prime ‘tricks’
Took me five calls over two hours
In Issue 662 (page 9) you asked
whether readers felt tricked into
signing up for Amazon Prime. Recently,
I found some cheap metal washers on to cancel Virgin broadband
Amazon, but when I came to pay I was I’m pleased to see that Ofcom is with you when you try to phone to
told: ‘We are giving you a free trial of investigating whether Virgin cancel. The people I had got through
Prime and Prime Video’. I had two Media has made it too difficult for to earlier presumably weren’t part of
choices: take both or just Prime Video. customers to cancel their contracts this team.
There was no option to go ahead without (Issue 663, page 9). It took me five I expect the staff paid to persuade
choosing either. phone calls spread over two hours to customers to stay are on a commission,
As they already had my credit-card cancel my Virgin account. so all calls to cancel must go to them.
details, there was no way I was going to Every time I rang I went through Ofcom should investigate this practice
touch either button. So instead I paid the menu to speak to the cancellation immediately. Ideally, they would insist
more and ordered from another supplier. team, but each time I somehow on all companies providing a ‘no
I’ve always used Amazon as it offered an ended up connected to the wrong negotiation’ phone number which
easy way to buy things at good prices, but department. They sounded sincere you can ring to cancel.
not anymore – I’m done with them. when they apologised and said they Every employee answering these
Richard Weeks would put me through to the right calls would have the authority to
people, but each time my call ended a process your cancellation without
When I first used Amazon I couple of minutes later. feeling pressured to put you through to
assumed I had inadvertently I eventually succeeded on the fifth another department. There could
selected the option to sign up to Prime. occasion, but even then the also be a separate ‘negotiation’
I immediately went through the drawn- customer ‘agents’ I spoke number for customers who
out cancellation process. Some time to tried to persuade me do want to haggle. This
later I tried again and carefully selected to stay with a variety of approach would end hours
Standard delivery to avoid signing up for offers. It then dawned of frustration and confusion.
Prime. But I was immediately informed on me why I’d had so Paul McDonnell
that the purchase qualified for Prime, and much trouble getting
it was confirmed by email. Once again I through earlier. Virgin
cancelled Prime and the order. must employ a special
A few weeks later Amazon emailed me team to negotiate deals
to say that my free trial was ending and
they were going to take £9.99 from my The Star Letter writer wins a Computeractive mug!
account. At the bottom of this email it
said ‘do not reply to this email’! Well, I
did reply, saying that if they dared to take but I’ve spotted a potential fraud
any money from my account I would see opportunity for all those villains so
to it that they got some very bad press. intent on relieving us of our hard-
Quite soon I had a reply stating that my earned cash. What’s to stop them from
account had been cancelled. So if anyone covering over the sign requesting
receives the same email, try replying to it. payment by phone with their own
Trevor Taylor number? They can then sit back and Freevee, which is available through
reap the rewards. Amazon Prime. It has a superb collection
What I hate about Amazon is that I’m all for technology, which is why I of films (www.snipca.com/47043), and I
when you put an item in your subscribe to Computeractive, but I do don’t mind my viewing being disturbed
basket, it will say ‘get free delivery when feel for people who are being left behind. every 20 minutes with adverts. But these
you sign up to Prime’. But then when you These people should be catered for, not ads appear slap bang in the middle of
do sign up, it sometimes says ‘this item forgotten. The amount of money made dialogue with no warning.
does not qualify for free delivery’. So are from parking could surely pay for a It’s not like adverts in films on ITV,
they conning customers into signing up single cash-payment machine, or another where they’ve been carefully placed to
for Prime? way to pay other than by phone. minimise disruption. You can often tell
Stevie Downs Shaun Drage when there’s an advert coming. Not so on
Freevee. One second you’re listening to
Can scammers steal Freevee’s ads are as Morgan Freeman speak, the next you’re
your parking money? bad as YouTube’s being sold household detergent. On the
Regarding your recent articles Readers who have complained plus side, though, there is a countdown
on paying for parking using a recently about YouTube’s intrusive showing you how long is left in the advert.
smartphone, maybe I’m a distrustful sort adverts should see how bad they are on Tim Bills

Views expressed don’t necessarily reflect those of Computeractive Issue 664 • 16 – 29 August 2023 13
 Consumeractive
We stand up for your legal rights

Can I get more LEAD I can’t access my

cash from Pure if it CASE Norton account –
can I get refund?
stops a service? Norton has taken £19.99 from

Some time ago I bought a Pure

Q my payment card, but I can’t
access my account. I keep being
Q One Flow radio (pictured)
specifically because it supported
asked for another payment method. Can
I get my money back and cancel any
the Flow internet radio service. Pure ongoing subscription?
axed this service on 9 May, telling us Ted Drury
only a few weeks earlier: www.snipca.
com/46933. I feel this has left me with a Yes, Ted can get his money back,
device that’s not fit for purpose. Pure is
offering a paltry £30 towards a new
A and cancel any rolling
subscriptions. We don’t know
device, or a 30-per-cent discount. what the problem is, but it makes no
Can I ask for more? difference because he hasn’t downloaded
David Taylor the antivirus software – which means
emerged, and they’re not supported by under the Consumer Contract Regulations
David can ask, but companies older Pure One Flow radios. he has 14 days to cancel.
A ending a service doesn’t
automatically mean that a device
When a technology becomes obsolete
is an open question. You could take a
However, because he can’t sign into his
account Ted is worried that he’s been
has become unfit for purpose. Under law, company to court for using this as an scammed. If the money has been taken
services aren’t expected to last forever. excuse for axing a service, but your from his debit or credit card, he should
Even the term ‘lifetime guarantee’ has no chances of winning diminish the more tell his bank that the transaction is
watertight legal meaning. Companies time has passed from the service unauthorised.
usually argue that ‘lifetime’ means for launching. We’d expect a judge to Although banks differ about how
how long a device can receive updates to consider that 12 years is long enough they implement refunds, under UK law
work properly. for a service to work before being Ted’s bank must stop any further
We don’t know when David bought the superseded by more modern technology. transactions. If he has problems, he
radio, but Pure released the device in 2011 Still, it’s worth David asking for more should ask the Financial Ombudsman
and launched the Flow service at the money from Pure. Any extra money he (www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk) to
same time. But since then superior audio gets would be only a goodwill gesture investigate. Banks must comply with its
technologies like HLS Streaming have though. decisions.
CASE CLOSED CASE ONGOING

CASE UPDATE

O2 says sorry for poor service and gives reader £20

O2 has paid £20 the problem was that his phone’s SIM money Judith bought as well as an extra £20
to a customer card was faulty. Judith then phoned from O2 to say sorry.
to apologise for O2, which told her that she should We’re satisfied by this outcome, even if
how badly he was never have used On Top Up. Staff we didn’t find out what went wrong initially.
treated by staff. It relates to Judith repeatedly hung up on her when she Our hunch is that the fault lay with the
Rowbotham’s case (Issue 662), in phoned back for clarification. system for crediting accounts rather than
which she paid £20 through the site On Top We’re still not sure what human error, though that doesn’t excuse the
Up (https://ontopup.com) to top up an old happened to the £20 that Judith paid. O2 inadequate customer service provided by O2.
Nokia phone owned by her cousin Tim. couldn’t find it on its system, but accepted As for On Top Up, we remain concerned
When this payment didn’t appear on Judith’s receipt which showed she had by its poor customer rating on Trustpilot,
his account, Tim visited O2’s store in bought it. It promptly credited the amount where 40 per cent of reviews are for one
Kensington, west London. Its staff told him to her cousin’s phone, so he now has the star (www.snipca.com/47088).

14 16 – 29 August 2023 • Issue 664

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

Can Currys insist on another laptop repair?

I bought an Acer Swift “a laptop must develop three this only once. Repeated repairs were
Q laptop from Currys for
£799. The keyboard
faults to trigger an alternate
solution”. Is this the case?
banned in 2015. If the first repair fails,
retailers have to refund the customer.
developed a fault after 70 Paul Fowler This must be a full refund within six
days, so Currys picked it up months of purchase, and can be partial
for repair. This had been No, it’s not the case. after that.
fixed when Currys returned
the laptop, but now the
A We have no idea why
Currys thinks that.
If ever a retailer tries to pull the same
trick with you, quote Chapter 2, Provision
speakers don’t work. I was offered Perhaps it has rewritten the CRA 24, section 5 (a) of the CRA: www.snipca.
a replacement, but I wanted a refund, without telling anyone. com/46932. We’ll send this to Currys and
which Currys refused. According to It’s true that Currys was entitled to ask why it got the law so wrong. We’ll
Currys’ complaints department, the attempt a repair once 30 days had passed also make it clear that it needs to refund
Consumer Rights Act (CRA) states that since purchase. But it was allowed to try Paul in full.
CASE ONGOING

Can I sue for A

Possibly, but Don first needs to
know who to sue for damages. It
were inherently faulty, then the retailer
would be responsible.
loss over faulty would be relatively easy to make
a claim if only one company was involved
Don also told us the company he reported
the fault to has a monitor for checking
solar panels? in selling and installing the panels. But if the performance of the panels. He wonders
two companies are involved, then he’d whether this means it should have picked
I had solar panels and have to prove that the installing firm up the fault earlier, potentially saving him
Q batteries installed on my
house and discovered
didn’t pay due care when carrying out
the service. Alternatively, if the panels
money in lost earnings. But we think it
probably can’t be expected to monitor
after six months that two of the panels around the clock and then
panels weren’t working. contact customers if it detects faults
Would I be entitled to pursue However, if Don can work out how
for lost earnings (from selling much this failure has cost him then
excess electricity to the grid) he’d be able to pursue a claim under
or for having to buy electricity the Consumer Rights Act because he
that the panels could have shouldn’t be out of pocket. The onus
provided? is on him to prove this and by how
Don Sellick much.
CASE CLOSED

CREDIT WHERE IT’S DUE

Zen kept me informed during Openreach delays

All companies make my broadband. But Zen didn’t shrug Once installed, Zen talked me through
mistakes, so I’ve its shoulders and expect me to deal setting it up. Again, they were helpful, patient
always judged their with Openreach alone. Its friendly and amiable. They even told me I was due
customer service on support team kept me fully compensation for the delays, without me
how they deal with these hiccups. informed when the installation asking for any.
I want honesty when they dates changed. They chased Matthew Gregory
explain the problem, no passing the engineers and stressed the
of the buck. So I’d like to applaud importance of connecting me (I’m
Contact
Zen Internet for how they dealt with a few considered a vulnerable customer).
problems at the start of my contract.
Zen Internet
Has a company impressed you with its
The fault for these lies with Openreach. customer service? Please let us know: • Phone 01706 902000
It cancelled several appointments to install [email protected]

Issue 664 • 16 – 29 August 2023 15

 Grow Your
Family Tree
If you think your ancestors were hurt working on the trains,
follow Judith Batchelor’s advice to…
Search for railway accidents
M
any of our ancestors worked in Untick ‘Select All’ then
dangerous occupations where narrow your search by
surname
health and safety was a low
priority. Those employed in the railway 50,000 incidents.
1
industry, who worked in a hazardous The information is 4
environment of shunting trucks and available to download
steaming locomotives, were particularly as an Excel spreadsheet 2
at risk from injury and even death. – visit www.snipca.
com/46875 and click
Narrow your search the green ‘Download
using dropdown menus Now’ button at the 3
If your ancestor was involved in an bottom. Sheet one
accident, search a new database recording covers the Railway
railway accidents in Britain and Ireland Inspectorate Reports ( 1 in our screenshot click a dropdown menu, so untick that to
from 1888 to 1939. Created by the below left); sheets two to seven are clear all the boxes below. You can then
University of Portsmouth, the National transcriptions of the different funds and tick those you want to search for. In our
Railway Museum and the Modern Railways union support given by the Amalgamated screenshot above, we clicked the
Centre at the University of Warwick, it Society of Railway Servants (ASRS) and the Surname menu 1 , then unticked Select
currently contains details of nearly National Union of Railwaymen (NUR) 2 . All (so a black square replaces the tick 2 ).
Sheet eight is a full transcription of the Searching for the surname Algar 3
contents of the ASRS’s legal book, which narrowed the results to just one entry –
records court cases and compensation a platelayer 4 who was injured at
won. The final sheet contains the full Chelmsford station in 1916.
details of workers injured and making
1 applications to the benevolent fund of the Look through
Great Eastern Railway Company between newspaper reports
1913-1923. Try searching newspaper reports for
2 Use the dropdown menu at the top of more details of an accident, or if you
The spreadsheet contains Railway Inspectorate each column to filter your search. You’ll think it happened before 1888. The most
Reports, and funds and union support see that ‘Select All’ is ticked when you comprehensive source is the British
Newspaper Archive (BNA), which costs

Your Genealogy Problems Solved

£12.99 for a month, or £86.04 a year
(www.snipca.com/46909). It’s free for
Findmypast subscribers.
My great-grandfather spent the 1890s An obituary may also contain some In my own family, there was a story of a
and early 1900s working in Spain, but I clues, so search the British Newspaper relative who had lost an arm. I thought it
can’t find out where. Is there a Spanish Archive (www.snipca.com/46840). If he may have been my great-great-grandfather,
census I can check? had any children while living in Spain, their Josiah David Bullock, who worked for
Rachel Marks births may have been registered with Great Western Railway. His employment
British authorities. Search the ‘British records show that he was off “ill” in
Most Spanish records are held at a local Armed Forces and Overseas Birth March 1888 while working at Maiden
level so you will need to know the Indexes’ on Findmypast: www.snipca. Newton station in Dorset. I searched for
province where he lived. Check whether com/46839. him on the BNA and found a newspaper
there are any letters, postcards or report explaining how his arm needed to
Have a genealogy question for Judith?
annotated photographs in the family that Email [email protected] with be amputated as the result of an accident.
might mention his whereabouts. ‘Grow Your Family Tree’ in the subject line. You can read more on my blog: www.
snipca.com/46874.

16 16 – 29 August 2023 • Issue 664 Next issue: Discover whether your Irish ancestors owned land
 Best Free Software
Robert Irvine recommends new programs that won’t cost you a thing
SYSTEM TOOL

FixWin 11.1
www.snipca.com/47106
What you need: Windows 10 or 11

You can fix many problems with Windows by tweaking the your administrator’.
registry or running special commands, but unless you know Before you click the Fix button to repair a
what you’re doing, you could further mess up your PC. problem, click the question-mark icon to learn
FixWin provides one-click repairs for dozens of common exactly what FixWin will do, such as delete a specific
issues and annoyances, in an attractive, easy-to-understand registry key or run a particular command. Fixes are applied
interface, and it works with both Windows 10 and 11. instantly, though you may need to restart your PC for them
The program’s Welcome screen provides handy shortcuts to take effect.
to run the System File Checker (SFC) and DISM commands, The Troubleshooters section gives you one-click access
which are often all you need to fix PC errors, as well as the to the various troubleshooters tucked away in the Windows
option to create a system restore point before you make any Settings app, including tools to fix problems affecting your
changes. If these don’t help, you can explore its range of printer, network adapter and PC sound. There are also quick
fixes, which are organised into logical categories, such as File fixes for resetting different aspects of Windows, such as your
Explorer, Internet & Connectivity and System Fixes. Windows Update history.
Rather than baffle you with jargon, FixWin uses plain FixWin couldn’t be easier to use and this latest version
English to explain problems you may be experiencing, fixes a few bugs in the program itself. Note that, because it
such as ‘Recycle Bin icon is missing from Desktop’, ‘Cannot makes changes to your PC, FixWin may trigger a Microsoft
connect to internet’ and ‘Start menu doesn’t open’, as well Defender SmartScreen warning, but it’s safe to use so click
as error messages like ‘Task Manager has been disabled by ‘More info’ then ‘Run anyway’.

1 FixWin automatically detects 2 Click ‘System Fixes’ to 3 The Troubleshooters section 4 In the Additional Fixes
your Windows version and browse a wide range of gives you one-click access section, you’ll find solutions
other system info so it can common PC problems, to 18 troubleshooting tools, to less common problems,
provide relevant fixes. To including tools that won’t to identify and fix problems such as corrupted icons and
view further details, such as open, updates that fail and with Windows software and Aero Shake not working.
your processor speed and specific error messages. hardware. You can download Click the Quick Settings tab
available RAM, click System Click the question mark additional troubleshooters to reset different Windows
Tools, then Advanced next to an entry for an from FixWin’s developer, tools including Microsoft
System Information. explanation, then click the TheWindowsClub. Defender and the Settings
Fix button. app.

18 16 – 29 August 2023 • Issue 664

SOFTWARE UPDATER
SHOULD I PAY FOR…?
UpdateHub 2.1 Choose the right version of software
www.snipca.com/47101
What you need: Windows 10 or 11
PrivaZer Pro
UpdateHub makes it www.snipca.com/47104
easier to keep all your Price: From £10
software updated, to Free trial: N/A
protect your PC from What you need: Windows 7, 8.1, 10 or 11
security threats and
performance bugs. PrivaZer is the one of the best free tools for safely deleting
Rather than update traces of your PC and web activities. But it also has a
tools manually or paid-for Pro version – alternatively known as the Donors
wait for automatic edition – which offers several extra features.
updates, click the ‘Check for update’ button (see screenshot) Unusually, PrivaZer Pro lets you decide how much you
to see which installed programs and Microsoft Store apps want to pay for it – the default amount is £49, but you can
have updates available. Click a tool’s Update button to go as low as £10. This buys you a licence key that you enter
download and install the latest version. The ‘Recently in the standard program to unlock its full range of tools.
Updated’ tab lets you keep track of which software has been The main advantage to upgrading is automatic cleanup
updated and roll back to the previous version if you have any of your data, to ensure nothing that could compromise
problems. UpdateHub itself is updated automatically and your privacy is ever left behind. Select ‘Automatic cleanups’
this release makes several improvements. These include in PrivaZer’s left-hand menu and tick the ‘Internet activity’
speeding up the search facility, fixing the Ignore button box (see screenshot). You can decide whether to wipe data
(which dismisses updates) and showing the download size for automatically when you close your browser or be notified
update files – go into Settings to enable this option. You can first. Tick ‘At PC startup’ and ‘Always run a cleanup’ to
also switch to dark mode with a single click. begin each Windows session with a clean slate. It’s not
difficult to scan for and delete this data manually, but these
BACKUP TOOL options provide a safety net in case you forget.
The other Pro-only options are less enticing. A year’s
SyncBackFree 11 worth of automatic updates is hardly an incentive when
www.snipca.com/47103 you can easily update PrivaZer yourself – indeed, it usually
What you need: Windows 7, 8.1, 10 or 11 informs you when a new version is available. Priority
support will only come in useful if something goes
This free backup seriously wrong with the program, and the ability to run
tool has been PrivaZer from the command line is a feature only tech
updated with a host boffins will appreciate.
of new options and
improvements that
make it easier to
back up and restore
files. Particularly
useful is the ability
to test the copying
process before you perform it properly, to ensure you’ve
selected the right files and folders. Simply right-click a
backup in your profile and choose Simulated Run (see
screenshot) – or Simulated Restore to copy in the other
direction. In the Differences window that opens, you can
filter files by name or extension to find specific items faster, OUR VERDICT: Don’t pay for it
and decide which action to take if two files are detected to be The free version of PrivaZer has all the tools you need to
identical, such as deleting the copy or ignoring it. erase your private data, so the only real reason to upgrade
SyncBackFree’s backup log now includes a bar chart showing to Pro is to support the program’s development. Automatic
how many files were copied in the previous seven runs, and cleanup is handy but it’s not essential, and probably not
you can set up a keyboard shortcut to instantly launch the worth a tenner.
program from the system tray.

Issue 664 • 16 – 29 August 2023 19

 Best Free Software

What should I download?

We advise you which software and apps to use
How do I use codecs?
Can I remove all traces I’ve just been sent loads of videos that I need to convert
of Kaspersky? Q so they’re no longer corrupted. I’ve been given a list of
codecs to use, but I don’t know what they are, nor
I’m finally planning to do something I should have which program I should use. Can you help?
Q done last year, which is remove all traces of
Kaspersky from my computer and switch to
Duncan Parker

Microsoft Defender. But I know that antivirus programs are Codecs are programs that shrink large video files while
very stubborn and have a habit of leaving files scattered on
your system. Is there a specialist tool for deleting it?
A ensuring minimal loss of quality. Try using VLC Media
Player (www.videolan.org) to convert them. Open its
Roy Heighway Media menu, then select Convert/Save and click the Add button.
Choose the video file, then click the Convert/Save button and
Yes, you should use Kavremover, which is choose a codec from the Profile dropdown menu (see screenshot).
A Kaspersky’s own tool for uninstalling the program.
Visit www.snipca.com/46911, then scroll down
Select a folder to save the file to, then click Start to convert and
hopefully repair the video.
and click the green Download button at the bottom. Once
you’ve clicked the kavremvr.exe file to launch the tool, it
will search for the specific Kaspersky program you have
installed. Select this from the dropdown menu ( 1 in our
screenshot), type the CAPTCHA code to prove you’re
human 2 , then click Remove 3 .
Once that’s done, double-check that Windows Security
is switched on. Press the Windows key, type security, then
click Windows Security. Click the ‘Turn on’ button beneath
‘Threat & virus protection’ and, when Windows asks if you
want to make changes to your device, click Yes.
Now click the ‘Threat & virus protection’ heading,
followed by the ‘Manage settings’ link beneath the
‘Virus & threat protection settings’ header on the following
page. Make sure each of the sliders on the subsequent page
How do I revisit images I look at
have been switched on, so they’re blue. Note that some online?
may be below the bottom of the window, so be sure to
scroll down to find them all. I enjoy
Q browsing
photos of
gardens and wildlife
online, but I forget to
2 bookmark sites I like.
Is there a program
that can jog my
1 memory, so to speak?
Harold Lynch

We don’t know any software that can remind you to

A bookmark sites as you browse, but NirSoft has a tool
called ImageCacheViewer (www.snipca.com/46883)
3 that scans your browser’s cache to keep a record of images you
look at online. To grab a picture from the list, right-click it and
choose Copy Image (see screenshot), or press Ctrl+M to copy it
to your clipboard and paste it into an image viewer.

20 16 – 29 August 2023 • Issue 664 Email us your questions at [email protected]

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

SOFTWARE WARNING!
MyCleaner’s ‘iPhone Storage Full’ fake advert

M
ost of us realise 1 2
adverts are a fact of
life and that they
help to keep services free
– or cheap enough to afford. I’ll tolerate
them and click the small ‘x’ where
possible to close them. But I was caught
out recently by an ad that was so
manipulative it could have been the
work of Hannibal Lecter. Keumars was tricked by this deviously
I had just installed the YouTube app on realistic advert
my partner’s iPhone 11 (with her
permission, naturally) when I saw a ‘unneeded’, and they certainly wouldn’t
message telling me that the storage was squeeze ‘photos’ and ‘videos’ so tightly
full (see screenshot 1 ). It looked like the either side of an ampersand.
genuine message Apple shows when You shouldn’t trust any app that uses
you’re out of storage, so I tapped ‘OK’. such misleading adverts, though even if
However, instead of seeing files I could you had come across MyCleaner simply
delete, I was taken to the Apple App Store by browsing the App Store there are
and a listing for MyCleaner (www.snipca. enough warning signs to steer well clear.
com/46851 2 ). Its listing says that it tracks you across
I’d been duped! That ‘storage full’ other apps and the sites you visit, and can
message was just a scarily realistic advert also see what you buy online. Tapping the ad took Keumars to the MyCleaner
designed to make you tap without It’s made by a company called Savva app, which he has no intention of installing
thinking. The words below give it away: Inc, which also lists MyWatch and
‘Delete unneeded photos&videos that ‘Remote TV & Universal Control’ on the Avoid them like a dinner invitation from
take up your iPhone storage’. I doubt store. Both have reviews from users Dr Lecter, particularly if liver and fava
Apple would ever use a word as clumsy as complaining about false advertising. beans are on the menu.

WHAT ARE THEY KEUMARS’ VILLAIN OF THE FORTNIGHT

TALKING ABOUT?

WHAT THEY SAY

Facebook scammer
Amber Steel, LastPass
www.snipca.com/46834
Aaron Carter
“True pervasive password[less] protection We warned you about showed them a phone
reduces reliance on passwords… By people like Aaron Carter in apparently transferring the
adopting passwordless login methods and Issue 663’s Protect Your money. When one victim
leveraging advanced password management Tech (page 11). This became suspicious, he was
solutions like LastPass, businesses can delightful 22-year-old was threatened with a knife.
enhance their security posture, protect part of a gang that used a The gang managed to get
against data breaches, and elevate the fake NatWest banking app their hands on £2,600 worth
employee authentication experience.” to ‘buy’ items being sold on of property, including designer
Facebook Marketplace. jackets, jewellery and a Gucci hat.
WHAT THEY MEAN They arranged to meet sellers in Carter won’t be wearing them around
Perhaps we should adopt a jargon[less] Keighley, West Yorkshire, persuaded town though because he’s now
posture instead. them to hand over their items, then serving 27 months behind bars.

Issue 664 • 16 – 29 August 2023 21

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

LAPTOP-TABLET | £1,293 from Lenovo www.snipca.com/46914

Lenovo Yoga 9i Gen 8

Screen star

This device looks stunning. It’s slim,

attractive, and available in a subtle
Oatmeal shade (pictured) or a more
subdued grey. It has a high-quality
OLED screen that easily matches the
quality of the overall design, and can be
flipped all the way back to convert into
tablet mode. Indeed, in terms of its
appearance it makes our current
favourite laptop, the Acer Swift 3 14in
(£1,049 from www.snipca.com/44367 –
see page 30), look positively humdrum.
filmmaker intended. laptops with OLED screens is that the
It can reproduce 200 per cent of the battery drains too quickly. Here, however,
A stunning device sRGB colour standard and 142 per cent we managed over 10 hours of general use

with a sleek design and of DCI-P3. It lacks a little in brightness,

only reaching 350cd/m2 in our tests.
from one charge, compared with only
eight hours with the non-OLED Swift.
one of the best screens However, the high contrast of the OLED
technology keeps everything crystal clear,
Both laptops should do a day’s work,
but the Yoga 9i’s battery will keep going
we’ve ever seen even on brighter days. afterwards.
The overall design is extremely high There’s a lot to be said for this laptop,
quality. The keyboard is lit from below then. If you can afford to spend the extra,
However, despite Lenovo fitting the and offers plenty of space, spanning then it’s probably worth it. The screen is a
Yoga 9i with an Intel Core i7-1360P the width of the laptop. It’s comfortable delight, the design is more flexible than
processor, which is a newer-generation and satisfying to type on, making it the Swift and the overall build quality is
chip than the Swift’s i7-1260P, ideal if you tend to work long hours at a superb. That said, its performance is only
performance levels were pretty similar. time. The trackpad is also decent – a tad better, so if you don’t want to pay
The newer processor ran only five per large, responsive, accurate and pleasant for its little luxuries, then the Acer Swift
cent faster in our benchmark tests that to the touch. is the laptop to choose. Keep in mind, too,
push the processor to its limits. To quickly sign into Windows there’s a that the price of the Swift is fluctuating
Interestingly, when it came to gaming, fingerprint scanner or facial recognition significantly at the moment, and has
the Yoga 9i actually fell behind the Swift. via the webcam. Both methods are fast dropped as low as £899 in recent weeks.
Again, the difference was small at just and responsive, and much simpler than Keep your eye on its price and you could
over four per cent, and poses the question typing a password. The built-in webcam grab yourself a bargain.
why should anyone spend almost £150 records at resolutions up to 1080p, and
more on this laptop than Acer’s. proved to be surprisingly good quality
One reason is its 14in OLED screen, on our test calls. VERDICT A laptop-tablet with a
which is one of the best we’ve seen in a We were also happy to see that the stunning screen and a very high build
laptop. It’s glossy and has a resolution of laptop come with a stylus, which you quality
2880x1880 pixels and a 90Hz refresh rate. can use to write directly on to the
It’s a wonderful screen for touchscreen to make handwritten notes,
★★★★★
watching watch films and TV sign documents or sketch pictures. ALTERNATIVE
and supports Dolby Vision, One problem we often encounter in Acer Swift 3 14in £1,049 A more
so what you’re seeing is as affordable model with
close as possible to how the SPECIFICATIONS similar performance
14-core Intel Core i7-1360P processor • 16GB RAM – watch for price
• Intel Iris Xe graphics • 14in 2880x1800-pixel falls that make it a
resolution OLED screen • 512GB SSD • Wi-Fi 6E • 3x
USB-C ports • 1x USB 3.0 port • 1x 3.5mm audio jack
real bargain
• Windows 11 Home • 15.2x318x230mm (HxWxD) •
1.4kg • One-year warranty www.snipca.com/46914

22 16 – 29 August 2023 • Issue 664

 HOW WE TEST
Computeractive is owned by Future PLC,
MINI PC | £609 from Minisforum www.snipca.com/46890 which employs a team of specialist
technical reviewers. You’ll often read

Minisforum NPB7 references to our benchmark testing,

which is a method of assessing products
using the same criteria. For example, we
Core blimey! 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.
The last Minisforum mini PC we Future PLC also owns the magazines
reviewed was the tall MC560 (£283 from Maximum PC, PC Pro and T3, and the
www.snipca.com/46260) in Issue 660. websites Laptop Mag (www.laptopmag.
This NPB7 model has a more traditionally com), TechRadar (www.techradar.com)
squat design – wider and deeper. Instead and Windows Central (www.windows
of an AMD Ryzen 5 processor, it has a central.com). This means we can test
current-generation Intel i7-13700H chip, thousands of products before choosing
alongside 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. the most relevant for Computeractive.

However, you may only notice this FAIR AND IMPARTIAL

Much quicker than if you carry out resource-intensive work. Our writers follow strict guidelines to
For more everyday tasks, such as web ensure the reviews are fair and impartial.
our favourite mini PC browsing and office activities, the test The manufacturer has no involvement in
results told a different story. In fact, our tests.
when carrying out perhaps because of its extra memory,
the SER6 Pro was faster when simply OUR AWARDS
resource-heavy jobs running Windows. We award every product
We wouldn’t recommend either PC that gets five stars our
This is closer in specification and if you’re serious about gaming, but our Buy It! stamp of approval.
price to our current favourite mini PC, tests showed the NPB7 was also better It means we were
the Beelink SER6 Pro 7753HS (£594 here – anything from between 10 to 30 extremely impressed by the product, and
from www.snipca.com/46416, reviewed per cent faster. we think you will be too.
in Issue 661), which has an AMD Where this PC stands out is in its
Every product that gets a
processor – the Ryzen 7 7735HS. The wide selection of ports. In total it has
four-star review is given the
SER6 Pro also has twice the memory three USB-C, four USB 3.0 ports, two
Recommended award. We
of the NPB7 – a compromise that HDMI (which makes it ideal for running
highly recommend these
allows the latter to squeeze in its more two screens at once) and two 2.5GB
products, although they just fail to meet the
expensive processor. Ethernet ports. The latter is arguably
high standard of our Buy It! winners.
This made for interesting results in overkill, but overall it probably has
the benchmark tests we use to compare more connection options than most PRICES
respective speeds. In terms of raw laptops and desktop PCs. Our reviews contain a link to the best price
processing power, the i7 in the NPB7 is It’s also very easy to access, if you we found online at the time of press.
significantly more powerful than the happen to be the tinkering type. It
SER6 Pro’s Ryzen 7, running almost comes with a host of useful accessories,
40 per cent faster when pushing the including a VESA mounting plate and
processor to its limits. This is largely screws (so you can attach it to the back VERDICT A powerful mini PC with a
thanks to its greater number of cores (14 of your monitor), an HDMI cable and a great selection of ports and easy access
as opposed to eight). selection of internal cables for installing to internal components, but cheaper
component upgrades, such as an alternatives outperform it in Windows
additional hard drive. The case lid lifts off
by releasing catches, without the need for
★★★★★
a screwdriver, and from here you can ALTERNATIVE Beelink SER6
access the RAM and storage. Pro 7753HS £594 A slightly more
affordable mini PC that actually runs
SPECIFICATIONS Windows faster
14-core Intel Core i7-13500H processor • 16GB RAM
• Intel Iris Xe graphics • 512GB SSD • 2x 2.5Gigabit
Ethernet ports • 3x USB-C ports • 4x USB 3.0 ports
• 2x HDMI ports • Windows 11 Pro • 56x128x126mm
(HxWxD) • One-year warranty www.snipca.
com/46890

Issue 664 • 16 – 29 August 2023 23

 Reviews
TABLET | From £549 from Lenovo www.snipca.com/46989

Lenovo Tab P11 Pro (2nd Gen)

Contrasting results

Given that most interaction with a

tablet is via its screen, it could be
argued that it’s the most important
element of the device. That certainly
seems to have been the reasoning
behind the superb screen of this Lenovo
Tab P11 Pro model. Its 11.2in screen
with a 2560x1536-pixel resolution uses
OLED technology, which means its
contrast is superb – providing very
deep, dark blacks and bright whites.

The best screen

we’ve seen on a tablet
OnePlus Pad (465cd/m2). That said, the devices to come with Android 13.
so far, but its battery life Tab P11 Pro makes films and TV series That leaves us with a device that at
look as good as we’ve seen on any tablet. first glance looked very promising but
and performance are a It’s powered by the MediaTek K1300T ends up leaving a lot to be desired. Of
huge letdown processor and has 8GB of memory and
256GB of storage. The two accessories
course, if all you’re likely to do is watch
TV and films, you may not be too fussed
you’ll want – the touchscreen stylus – the Tab P11 Pro has the best screen
We measured the accuracy of the and attachable keyboard – cost around we’ve seen to date for video streaming.
screen using a colorimeter and it £50 and £109 respectively. But, with its mediocre performance
reproduced 129.6 per cent of the DCI-P3 So, if the screen is so good, why have and dated version of Android, it lacks
colour palette on its Bright setting. we awarded only three stars? It comes the overall performance we’d expect
This is vastly superior to similarly priced down to three key failings. First, it’s just from a tablet of this price.
non-OLED rivals such as the latest basic too slow. In our benchmark tests it fell
iPad (72 per cent) and the OnePlus Pad behind rivals in this price range. It ran SPECIFICATIONS
(79 per cent). around 44 per cent slower than the Eight-core MediaTek K1300T processor • 8GB RAM
The brightness level was also fairly basic iPad, and around 17 per cent slower • 256GB storage • 11.2in 2560x1536-pixel resolution
OLED touchscreen • 13-megapixel rear camera •
impressive, managing an average of than the OnePlus Pad. There were similar 8-megapixel front camera • Wi-Fi 6 • Bluetooth 5.1 •
416cd/m2 on the default settings, but this results in gaming tests, where the Tab 1x USB-C port • 264x167x6.8mm (HxWxD) • 480g •
is lower than the iPad (504cd/m2) and P11 Pro averaged around 26 frames per One-year warranty www.snipca.com/46882
second (fps), well behind the iPad’s
47fps.
Second, its battery life is also VERDICT A brilliant screen that
disappointing, especially at its default outshines those on more expensive
settings, where it lags behind the iPad by tablets, but performance has been
a couple of hours. sacrificed and its ageing version of
However, the biggest letdown is that it Android is disappointing
comes installed with
Android 12 rather than
★★★★★
13, and Lenovo hasn’t ALTERNATIVE Samsung Galaxy Tab
released an update to S8 £599 More
bring it up to speed. At expensive but
this stage it seems a much better
unlikely that it ever all-round
will. While Android Android
12 is fine, we’d really experience
expect all new

24 16 – 29 August 2023 • Issue 664

SMARTPHONE | From £449 from Honor www.snipca.com/47060
CHOOSE THE RIGHT SPECS
Honor 90 Motherboard
size
Snap judgment
What is it?
The motherboard is the main circuit
With the same price, the Honor 90 is board in a computer and houses
gunning straight for our current favourite the processor, memory and all the
Android smartphone, the Google Pixel 7a other major components. Desktop
(£449 from www.snipca.com/46332, PC motherboards come in a range of
reviewed in Issue 660). The Honor 90 is a sizes, which are often determined by
sleek-looking device, weighing just 183g the size of the case used by the PC
and sliding easily into your pocket at just manufacturer.
7.8mm thick. This is 11g lighter and
1.2mm thinner than the Pixel 7a. How does it work?
Motherboards are crammed with
ports and connectors that the
A sleek, lightweight components plug into. The larger
boards are able to accommodate more
device with a large, expansion ports, RAM modules and
Instead, the Honor 90 has a Snapdragon storage devices.
crisp screen and 7 Gen 1 processor, albeit an overclocked
‘accelerated edition’. While we’d have What are the specs?
durable battery preferred to see the latest Snapdragon 8 Most desktop PCs will come with a
Gen 2 processor, this didn’t turn out to be Standard-ATX motherboard (pictured
In your hand, however, you can feel a deal-breaker for us as we managed to below), which measures 305x244mm.
that the rear is made from plastic. The keep several Chrome tabs open at once This is the largest size available and
touchscreen looks perfectly fine, but with no problems. It also ran our test has slots for four or more expansion
it doesn’t feel particularly responsive. As games pretty well. cards and
for the image, the large 6.7in AMOLED As usual, Honor has opted for its own four memory
panel offers a crisp 2664x1200-pixel MagicOS system (based on Android 13), modules.
resolution, with a 120Hz dynamic refresh but there’s little to distinguish it from Smaller
rate (beating the Pixel 7a’s 90Hz). Google’s operating system and it provides desktop PCs
At 1,600cd/m2 its impressive brightness access to the Play Store and all the most may have the
levels means it’s easy to see in all lighting popular apps. Micro-ATX board
conditions, and it performed well in our The impressive 5,000mAh battery (244x244mm or
colour tests. can be fast-charged using 66W, which 244x205mm),
Its headline feature is a 200-megapixel takes it from 0 to 20-per-cent charge in which has fewer
main camera. While that’s an impressive five minutes. In our video-playback tests, expansion
figure, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s it lasted for 13 hours 30 minutes from options – often
superior to cameras with fewer. For full, which is more than enough to get only enough room for a single graphics
example, it only has an x2 optical you through a working day. card, and a couple of RAM modules.
zoom, though the digital zoom can Mini PCs that follow Intel’s NUC
also help if you need to frame your specification use motherboards
pictures better. VERDICT A decent phone for the price, measuring just 101x101mm. They’re so
The camera on the Pixel 7a, on the with a larger screen than the Pixel 7a, small that there’s rarely much room for
other hand, uses features built into but it lacks the processing power to adding anything more than extra RAM
Google’s Tensa 2 processor to generate provide a smooth user and storage.
superior images – an option that the experience
Honor 90 lacks. Can I change it later?
★★★★★ You can change a PC’s motherboard, but
SPECIFICATIONS ALTERNATIVE because you’d need to remove – and
Eight-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 processor Google Pixel 7a £449 possibly replace – a good proportion of
• 8GB or 12GB RAM • 256GB or 512GB storage • Google’s basic phone your PC’s most important components
6.7in 120Hz 2664x1200-pixel AMOLED screen • has a smaller screen (including the processor and memory),
200-megapixel rear camera • 12-megapixel wide
camera • 50-megapixel front camera • MagicOS
but is slicker and more it often makes more sense to buy a new
(based on Android 13) • 162x74x7.8mm • 183g • responsive computer instead.
One-year warranty www.snipca.com/47060

Issue 664 • 16 – 29 August 2023 25

 Reviews
SMART SPEAKER ❘ £45 from Amazon www.snipca.com/46944

Amazon Echo Pop

Slice and easy

The Echo Pop replaces the Echo Dot from a phone or tablet.
as the most affordable device in As a smart-home device, the Pop
Amazon’s range of smart speakers. It’s offers a few pros and cons. On the
a decent alternative to the company’s plus side, it’s a responsive little smart
more expensive speakers, but the speaker, picking up voice commands
lower price means some compromise in accurately and quickly. And it’s easy
sound quality, which is fine at lower to set up, even for those who aren’t
volumes but starts to distort if you technically inclined.
turn it up. On the downside, it’s missing some
The new design looks like an Echo of the best features found in recent
Dot that’s had the front sliced off at an Echo devices – namely temperature
angle. Above the front-facing speaker sensors and motion detection. This
is a curved LED bar that lights up when omission won’t be a deal breaker if (Generation 5), which offers marginally
Alexa is active. Behind that are three you’re just looking for the basic Alexa superior sound and has all the latest
microphones for picking up voice experience. However, if you’re setting features. Plus, the Dot is regularly
commands and three buttons: volume up up more advanced automations that discounted to less than the price of
and down and a mute button. require temperature or motion triggers, the Pop.
The power socket is at the rear of the you’ll be better off spending slightly
unit and connects to the included power more on the Echo Dot.
supply. As with the most recent Echo Otherwise, the Echo Pop can do VERDICT A new shape for Echo
Dots, there’s no audio jack, but the device anything its stablemates can do, with devices and a wide selection of new
is Bluetooth enabled so can play music Alexa built in for answering your colours, but it’s not much cheaper than
questions. It will assist you around the an Echo Dot while lacking some of its
home with reminders, shopping lists and most interesting features
timers, and integrates effortlessly with
other smart devices.
★★★★★
At £45 it’s probably a little overpriced ALTERNATIVE Google Nest Mini
– it’s only £10 cheaper than the Echo Dot £49 The Nest Mini
is a similar device
SPECIFICATIONS that uses Google
49.5mm front-firing speaker • Compatible with
2.4GHz and 5GHz networks • Wi-Fi 5 • 91x99x83mm
Assistant instead
(HxWxD) • 196g • One-year warranty www.snipca. of Amazon Alexa
com/46944

WHAT SHOULD I BUY? We solve your buying dilemmas

Can you suggest an MP3 player that powers itself off?

I recently lost a no concern – 8GB would be snipca.com/46948, pictured). It has
Q Philips GoGear
SA3115 MP3
plenty.
William Hickman
32GB of storage space, and with
nearly 2,500 reviews it’s averaging four
player. One great feature of stars. We’ve checked the manual
this player was that it Sadly, Philips (which you can have a look at yourself
would power off at the end
off a CD. I liked this
A no longer makes
MP3 players,
at www.snipca.com/46951) and it
confirms that the M3 has a ‘single
because I used the device so you’ll have to look cycle’ playback mode, which should
to go to sleep. Could you elsewhere. For your ensure that it switches off at the end
recommend a sub-£40 budget, we like the look of an album.
replacement that also has of the Mechen M3 (£33 Do you need advice on what you should buy?
this feature? Capacity is of from Amazon at www. Email us at [email protected]

26 16 – 29 August 2023 • Issue 664

 Reviews
SMART DOORBELL | £160 from Amazon www.snipca.com/46930

Ring Battery Video Doorbell Plus

In full view

Breaking with Ring’s tradition of times better than previous models, so you
numbering its doorbells, the Battery won’t have to recharge it as often.
Video Doorbell Plus is the first addition to However, these upgrades mean that
the range since the Video Doorbell 4 was some features available on previous the idea of a subscription, the Imou DB60
released in 2021. products have been dropped. This (£110 from www.snipca.com/46127,
On the outside, this latest model looks includes pre-roll – which saves video for reviewed in Issue 659) is a decent
much the same as its predecessors, but it four seconds before motion is detected alternative with no additional fees.
has been significantly upgraded inside. – and compatibility with 5GHz Wi-Fi
For starters, it’s the first of Ring’s wireless networks.
doorbells to offer a full-width, head-to-toe The Doorbell Plus isn’t cheap, with VERDICT The best doorbell for those
view of visitors, with a 150-degree field of Google currently offering its rival wireless with Amazon Echo devices to connect
view vertically and horizontally. The doorbell for £130 (www.snipca.com/39474, it to, but it’s pricey and requires an
camera has a resolution of 2048x1536 reviewed in Issue 616). However, Ring is additional subscription
pixels and offers colour night vision for the best option if you have filled your
added clarity in the dark. home with Amazon Echo smart speakers,
★★★★★
Ring also claims the battery life is three rather than Google’s. ALTERNATIVE Imou
You’ll need a Ring subscription (£35 a DB60 £110 A cheaper
SPECIFICATIONS year), if you want to get the most from alternative that doesn’t
1536p video resolution • 2.4GHz Wi-Fi connectivity
• Removable rechargeable battery • Amazon Alexa-
the device, which is worth factoring in need a subscription to
compatible • 128x62x28mm (HxWxD) • One-year when you’re considering how much you access its best features
warranty www.snipca.com/46930 want to spend overall. If you don’t like

BIRD FEEDER | £66 from Amazon www.snipca.com/46929

Wasserstein Bird Feeder

Camera Case
Carrion filming
to be perfectly focused. The Blink camera
was marginally better at this, but this is
This is an intriguing proposition for bird don’t already have one of those cameras. more about capturing interesting footage
enthusiasts – a seed feeding tray that can That still works out more affordable than and identifying birds than high-quality
house an outdoor security camera (not rivals that come with cameras, such as the wildlife photography.
included) to provide you with a close-up £199 Netvue Birdfy Lite (www.snipca.
view of your garden’s winged visitors. com/46931).
The case can take a variety of square- It’s easy to put together. We installed a VERDICT A cost-effective way of
shaped cameras, with the manufacturer camera into the case in less than a minute. capturing footage of garden birds,
claiming full compatibility with the Blink We mounted it to a tree using the included especially if you can use a camera you
Outdoor Camera, Wyze Cam V3, Wyze strap, which was a simple process. A wall already own
Cam V3 Pro, Wyze Cam Outdoor and mounting bracket is also included.
Ring Stick Up Cam. You’ll need to factor Picture quality will depend on which
★★★★★
in spending another £80 or so if you camera you use. We tried it with Ring ALTERNATIVE Netvue Birdfy Lite
and Blink models, and both worked £199 An all-in-
SPECIFICATIONS reasonably well, relying on their own one system that
Compatible with some Blink, Wyze and Ring cameras apps to detect motion and send video comes with both
• Holds 750g of food • Additional protection for
outdoor cameras • Optional solar charger available
footage. Security cameras are designed to the feeder and a
• Bluetooth 5.2 • 229x178x203mm • 1kg • One-year capture people at a greater distance, and camera
warranty www.snipca.com/46929 we found the birds were a little too close

28 16 – 29 August 2023 • Issue 664

 Reviews
SMART TV | From £330 from Amazon www.snipca.com/47091
DO I REALLY NEED...
Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED A 98in TV screen?
Voice box
What is it?
Chinese TV manufacturer TCL has
made a giant
leap in the size
of its screens,
with a new
98in 4K TV,
called the P745
(pictured), due out in the UK by early
September.

What does it do?

This massive TV is significantly larger
than most 4K TVs, but is likely to cost
around £2,400. That sounds a lot, but
Amazon’s Fire TV devices usually convert microphones on the TV itself. These most similar-sized models cost well
non-smart TVs into smart models, or microphones can be turned off if you over £3,000. It runs version 11 of the
upgrade older smart TVs with improved prefer. Google TV operating system.
features. Amazon has previously produced Unsurprisingly, it has a more basic
sets with built-in Fire TV software in design than pricier models from What’s the catch?
collaboration with big-name TV Samsung or LG. However, its silver £2,400 is still a lot of money, even if it’s
manufacturers, but this is the first TV to plastic and metal construction looks cheaper than rivals. You also need the
be branded as an Amazon product. sleek, particularly when viewed from space to accommodate it – expect the
There are four models in the range – a across a room, and the colour-matching width to be well over two metres. It’s
43in model for £330, 50in (£430), 55in feet keep the design simple and clean. unlikely to fit on your existing TV stand
(£480) and 65in (£680). We reviewed the Picture performance also isn’t in the so you will definitely need to find an
65in set, which is already being heavily same league as top-range sets, but the expansive wall to hang it on.
discounted, having launched at £1,000. colour quality and balance is impressive
Having the Fire TV software built in for the price. Tones are vibrant and So can I do without it?
means you get an interface that’s easy to punchy when they need to be in sunlit Yes, unless your budget stretches to
use and a home screen that’s packed with scenarios, but subtle and pale in more it and you live in a house with a huge
apps. These include the usual streaming atmospheric scenes. living room that allows you to sit a long
suspects, such as Netflix, Disney+, Apple It doesn’t have the brightness levels way from your TV.
TV and Amazon Prime Video, along with that will do complete justice to the
slightly less common fare such as Now latest more spectacular films, but it still
and BT Sport. works well within its limitations. NEXT ISSUE
There are catchup apps for all UK However, while detail levels are decent,
terrestrial channels and a proper they could be better, even at this price. On Sale Weds 30 Aug
Freeview tuner for those who prefer to That deficit is exaggerated in darker
watch their TV the old-fashioned way. images, where picture information is
Thanks to the TV’s support for all current frequently lost in the shadows. Honor MagicBook
HDR standards (HLG, HDR10, HDR10+ X 16 2023
A 16in laptop that’s
and Dolby Vision), all apps deliver
fast, well-built and
high-quality content. VERDICT A thoughtfully designed TV affordable
As you might expect, Amazon’s Alexa that delivers decent pictures and all the
voice assistant is also included, and you smart TV apps you could want at an
can navigate the entire operating system affordable price Asus RT-AXE7800
using voice commands via the included Wi-Fi 6E router
Alexa Voice Remote or the far-field
★★★★★ with speeds up
ALTERNATIVE RCA RR32HD1 £132 to 7.8Gbps
SPECIFICATIONS A smaller, more
4K 3840x2160-pixel resolution • 65in QLED screen affordable TV with These and much more...
• Supports HDR10, HDR10+, HLG, Dolby Vision •
4x HDMI ports • 2x USB ports • 1x Ethernet port
Roku’s smart TV Subscribe to Computeractive at
• 853x1451x87mm (HxWxD) • 21.2kg • One-year technology built in www.getcomputeractive.co.uk
warranty www.snipca.com/47091

Issue 664 • 16 – 29 August 2023 29

 Buy It
NEW!
Find out which other products we liked.
Buy our new 2022 Back Issue CD:
£17 from www.snipca.com/44660

Our pick of products that have won the Buy It award

LAPTOP P DESKTOP PC APPLE iPAD
DRRIC
OP E
Acer Swift 3 14in Palicomp Apple iPad 10.2in
£849 from www.snipca.com/44367 AMD Cobra £369 from www.snipca.com/36178
Tested Issue 648 £400 from www.snipca.com/43515 Tested Issue 623
Tested Issue 643

Comes with a powerful 12th-generation

Intel processor and 1TB SSD to make
Windows tasks feel incredibly fast. The 9th-generation of the basic iPad,
Also has a decent 2560x1440-pixel This fast PC is a mouth-watering released in 2021, is now the best-value
IPS screen and comes with plenty bargain, with 16GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD Apple tablet. The 2022 version looks
of ports, including two Thunderbolt and a six-core processor – though it better and has a faster processor, but
4-compatible USB-C. lacks USB-C ports and built-in Wi-Fi. it’s not worth paying £130 extra for.

ALTERNATIVE Lenovo Yoga 6 Gen 7 ALTERNATIVE Wired2Fire Ultima WS ALTERNATIVE iPad Mini With an even
Has a slower processor, and half the Home Office Workstation Blisteringly better, but smaller, screen than the
storage and RAM, but remains a good fast PC, powered by an overclocked 10.2in iPad, the Mini also supports
laptop for the price. £549 from eight-core processor and 1TB SSD. the Pencil and has 64GB of storage.
www.snipca.com/44950 £604 from www.snipca.com/41500 £569 from www.snipca.com/33050

ANDROID TABLET APPLE iPHONE ANDROID PHONE

Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Apple iPhone 13 Google Pixel 7a

£749 from www.snipca.com/42211 £749 from www.snipca.com/43498 £449 from www.snipca.com/46332
Tested Issue 634 Tested Issue 627 Tested Issue 660

Now £30 cheaper than its 2021 launch

Samsung has replaced its own Tab S7+ price, the iPhone 13 has a superb screen,
to become our favourite Android tablet. long battery life and an excellent camera - A cheaper version of Google’s flagship
It’s fast with a stunning 11in screen, and particularly for taking quick snaps without phone, this uses AI to add clarity to
has a longer battery life than the iPad. blurring. You could pay £100 more for the photos, and lasts an impressive 10
This model gives you 128GB – you’ll newer iPhone 14, but we’re not convinced hours. Has a fast processor and 8GB
need to pay around £649 for 256GB. it’s worth the extra money. RAM to supercharge performance.

ALTERNATIVE Lenovo Tab P11 Pro It’s ALTERNATIVE iPhone SE With a single ALTERNATIVE Xiaomi Poco F3 This
slower than the Tab S8 and the screen is camera and smaller screen but the remains an excellent phone, with 6GB
duller, but has a detachable keyboard so same powerful A13 processor and 64GB RAM and 128GB storage. The only phone
you can use it as a laptop. £372 from storage as the iPhone 11, it’s great value. under £450 that’s faster is the iPhone
www.snipca.com/45244 £449 from www.snipca.com/34773 SE. £259 from www.snipca.com/44553

30 16 – 29 August 2023 • Issue 664

 Buy It
Our pick of products that have won the Buy It award
EBOOK READER SECURITY SOFTWARE WEBCAM P
DRRIC
OP E
Kobo Libra 2 Norton 360 Premium Logitech C925e Business
£169 from www.snipca.com/40645 £19.99 from www.snipca.com/33247 Webcam
Tested Issue 624 Tested Issue 629 £65 from www.snipca.com/41104
Tested Issue 608

Norton has always performed

strongly in our antivirus tests,
A fantastic 7in screen, 32GB of storage regularly making the top three. Despite the name, this webcam is also
and Bluetooth connectivity make this a Owned by US firm NortonLifeLock, great for home users. Its standout
rival to Amazon’s Oasis ebook reader, it’s available at a discount on our feature is automatically adjusting itself
yet it’s much cheaper. Battery life is Software Store. Click the link above to keep your picture looking sharp. It
superb – we managed 54 hours of use for a 10-device, two-year licence. offers a 78-degree field of view, which
per charge. It supports OverDrive, so Other versions are available, including is fine for everyday video chats with one
you can borrow ebooks from libraries. Norton 360 for Gamers. person in front of the camera.

ALTERNATIVE Amazon Kindle This low- ALTERNATIVE Bitdefender Total ALTERNATIVE Anker PowerConf C300
cost option is a good choice, especially Security Another top performer that Good image quality, crisp audio and
now it has 16GB of storage. £85 from we’re offering at a discount. £29.99 lots of features. £70 from www.snipca.
www.snipca.com/44221 from www.snipca.com/41141 com/41105

PC MONITOR ROUTER PRINTER

Iiyama ProLite Synology WRX560 Epson EcoTank ET-1810

XU2492HSU-B1 £233 from www.snipca.com/44696 £150 from www.snipca.com/41232
£109 from www.snipca.com/39701 Tested Issue 650 Tested Issue 628
Tested Issue 618

This 23.8in screen is superb value, With a blistering top speed of 791.5Mbps, An inkjet printer that comes with
with a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels. this is up there with the fastest routers enough ink to print 4,500 mono
Colour is good, covering 88 per cent of we’ve ever tested. Even two rooms and 7,500 colour pages, making it
the sRGB colour range. Connect your away, it managed an exceptional exceptionally cheap to run. It’s not
computer via HDMI, DisplayPort or 375Mbps. You can add more units to the fastest printer, but quality is good,
VGA, and there’s a USB hub to connect set up mesh Wi-Fi around your home. especially on photo paper – we’ve
your mouse and keyboard. never seen better on an inkjet.
ALTERNATIVE Netgear Nighthawk
ALTERNATIVE AOC 27P2C RAX80 Our previous favourite remains ALTERNATIVE Brother DCP-J1140DW
This also has a 1920x1080 resolution but extremely fast, delivering speeds of Compact multifunction model with rare
it’s 27 inches, so pixel density is lower. But 520Mbps. Has four spare Ethernet features at this price, including
you’ll only notice if you look really closely. ports and two for USB. £185 from double-sided printing. £145 from
£242 from www.snipca.com/41609 www.snipca.com/45102 www.snipca.com/43670

32 16 – 29 August 2023 • Issue 664

 Buy It

COMPETITION

Win 1 of 2
Arlo Pro 5 outdoor
security cameras The competition ends at midnight on
Winner of our Recommended award in via your Amazon Echo and Google Tuesday 29 August. Good luck!
Issue 662 (page 26), the Arlo Pro 5 Assistant smart speakers. The app
security camera records crystal-clear also gives you power-management You can buy the Arlo Pro 5 for £210
2k video, delivered straight to your options that let you prioritise battery from Amazon (www.snipca.
smartphone. Its powerful image sensor life or video quality, or go for an com/46658). For info on other Arlo
captures over 60 billion colours, even optimised mixture of the two. products, including video doorbells,
at night – that’s 100 times better than It connects to dual-band Wi-Fi routers and wall mounts, visit www.
the human eye. Its wide-angle (2.4GHz and 5GHz), and automatically arlo.com and follow @ArloEU on
160-degree field of view will leave no switches to the stronger network Twitter. Unlock premium access and
part of your home uncovered. for the best possible connection. features with an Arlo Secure
It has a powerful siren that can scare Battery life is 30-per-cent longer than subscription, including unlimited
away intruders, and a spotlight that previous models. Cloud Storage for a safer way to
illuminates faces from seven metres To enter this competition, answer save your videos and Theft Protection
away. You can view the video on your the question at www.snipca. Insurance – so if your camera is
phone using the Arlo Secure app, or com/46867 and submit your details. stolen we’ll replace it for free.

SMART TV SOLID-STATE DRIVE SMART SPEAKER

Samsung Q60B Corsair MP600 Pro LPX Google Nest Audio

£440 from www.snipca.com/45083 500GB £90 from www.snipca.com/36475
Tested Issue 652 £52 from www.snipca.com/41547 Tested Issue 593
Tested Issue 630

Produces a rich, clear sound, and better

understands your questions than
With our former favourite – the TCL In our tests, this M.2 SSD hit speeds of Amazon’s Echo devices. You can use
55RP620K out of stock – Samsung’s 7,364MB/s and 6,870MB/s when Google’s app to control audio from
43in set is our new pick. It has excellent reading and writing data – astonishingly other units around your home (pair two
colour reproduction in well-lit scenes, fast scores. It’s compatible with the of them for £130). The clever Ambient
and the picture is wonderfully sharp – new PCIe 4.0 standard, which is twice IQ tool increases the volume if it detects
especially in 4K. as fast as PCIe 3.0. The 1TB model external noise, such as a hairdryer.
costs £75; 2TB costs £155.
ALTERNATIVE LG OLED42C2 ALTERNATIVE Amazon Echo (4th
LG’s 42in TV is three times the price, ALTERNATIVE Crucial MX500 500GB generation) The latest version of the
but unlike TCL’s model it has an As fast as an SSD can get in the Echo changes the shape from a cylinder
OLED screen, boosting picture quality traditional 2.5in SATA format, this to a ball, which improves sound quality
considerably. £1,200 from www.snipca. is a great-value upgrade. £32 from – though the Nest’s is still superior.
com/43718 www.snipca.com/37304 £80 from www.snipca.com/41111

Issue 664 • 16 – 29 August 2023 33

Computeractive 2022
Back Issue CD & USB Stick
Both the CD and Stick contain all 26 issues from 2022

LE NOW!
ON SA
NEW!

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

www.snipca.com/44660 www.snipca.com/44976
 Pull Out
& Keep

Workshops & Tips Issue 664

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

35 Print your photos as 40 Readers’ Tips PLUS
cheaply as possible 44 Phone & Tablet Tips 47 M
 ake Office Better
42 Browser Tips:
38 S
 hare files between Search Google from 46 M
 ake Windows 48 In the Club: Upload
your PC and phone the side panel Better photos to Google Forms

HOW TO...
Print your photos as
cheaply as possible by Nik Rawlinson

What you need: Specialist photo printer or inkjet printer Time required: Depends on how much and where you print

W
e may live in a digital age, but the inkjet market is predicted to grow
photo-printing is far from dead. by more than 40 per cent in the next
In fact, the market is thriving, five years.
with numerous companies such as So if you still like to print and
Shutterfly, Moonpig and Photobox all display your favourite photos, you’re
eager to turn your digital images into far from alone. The question is,
glossy, colourful hard copies. should you be looking to print them
Sending your pictures to a printing for yourself, or is it better to send
service is one option, but current inkjet your pictures away for printing? Here
printers can produce stunning results at we’ll explain the most affordable
home. So perhaps it’s not surprising that options for both methods.

Make sure your photos image is 3,000 pixels across, it means you For office printing you can generally
1 look their best
If you want high-quality
can print it at up to 10 inches with no loss
in quality.
use any paper you like, as long as it’s
not too thin. But for photo printing
prints, your original images need to look Don’t think of 300dpi as a line that you should stick with the printer
good. As a rule, it’s best to apply a light can't be crossed, however. You can blow manufacturer’s recommended photo
touch when editing shots for printing: up the image to, say, 15 inches across, paper because it will have been
adjustments that look fine on a screen for an effective dot density of 200dpi. designed specifically to work with the
often look unnatural on photo paper. A picture printed at this resolution may manufacturer’s ink.
Think about dimensions. Typically, appear a little softer close up, but the
modern phones and digital cameras difference won’t be noticeable from a Print your own photos
capture enough megapixels that you can
print your images at any size you’re likely
typical viewing distance of a few feet
away, so it’s fine if you want to hang it
2 using an inkjet
There are several portable photo
to want. But if you’re working with small on a wall. printers on the market that output to
pictures – or want to make particularly Conversely, if you opt for smaller prints, snapshot-sized photo packs – see box
large prints – you’ll want to ensure that the effective resolution will be higher, on page 36. These produce prints that
your images don’t come out looking but in practice you almost certainly won’t are similar to the ones you used to get
pixelated. notice any benefit once you go beyond from the chemist, albeit often smaller.
The industry standard for top-quality 300dpi – the human eye just isn’t sharp Just be aware that these printers typically
prints is 300dpi (dots per inch), so if an enough to distinguish. use their own paper, locking you into a

Issue 664 • 16 – 29 August 2023 35

 particular manufacturer for the life of the
device.
If that doesn’t appeal, there’s nothing
stopping you from using a standard
How I print
printer – perhaps one you already own. I have two printers: an A4 HP device for documents and an A3
Laser printers aren’t suitable for photos Epson for photos and cyanotype transparencies. That means I
because their solid toner doesn’t lend need two different kinds of ink. So, rather than risk one running
itself to fine colour blending, and it out unexpectedly, I’ve signed up each to an ink subscription: HP
won’t print reliably on to glossy photo Instant Ink and Epson ReadyPrint respectively. That way, the
paper. Most inkjets, however, have the manufacturer can keep an eye on my levels and dispatch new
resolution, colour range and paper- cartridges when required. This helps with budgeting, as I’ve selected plans that should
handling capabilities you need. cover what I’m going to print each month.
Just bear in mind that a standard Nik Rawlinson
A4 printer obviously won’t be able to How do you manage your printing requirements?
produce poster-sized prints. Regular Please let us know: [email protected]
office printers are also rarely able to print
all the way to the edge of the page, so
you’ll need to trim your prints down if And if you only use the printer rarely colour pages a month over five years, for
you don’t want a white border around you may find that you waste a lot of example, will save you £598 compared
the edges. ink by having to repeatedly unclog with the cartridge-based Canon Pixma
Another option is to buy a desktop gummed-up nozzles. MG3650S. Per-page costs work out to
printer that’s designed to handle both You can reduce running costs by 0.2p and 0.6p for mono and colour
regular documents and high-quality choosing a device with an ink tank. respectively; on the cartridge printer it’s
photos. Our current favourite, Epson’s Rather than using disposable or 11.4p and 25.5p.
EcoTank ET-1810 (pictured below), is recyclable cartridges, these printers
an excellent choice. You can buy it for have integrated reservoirs that can be Choose dye or
£150 from www.snipca.com/41232 –
see page 32.
refilled when they run low. The refills
have fewer single-use parts, so are
3 pigment ink
To make prints last, you need
Whichever inkjet you buy, keep an eye cheaper to make and buy, and should to consider what sort of ink to use. With
on the running costs: the ink can quickly be less harmful to the environment. dye-based ink, the colour sinks into the
outstrip the purchase price of the printer. HP’s HP 31 yellow ink bottle costs upper layers of the paper, whereas with
£10.49 (www.snipca.com/46983), and pigment-based inks the colour is solid
should last for around 8,000 pages. and sits on top of the paper as it dries.
An HP 364 yellow ink cartridge, for This means pigment tends to dry faster,
comparison, runs for around 300 fades more slowly and can withstand
pages and costs £14.59 (www.snipca. damp and spills more effectively.
com/46984). Which one you use may depend on
Canon offers a ‘Total Cost of Ownership’ your choice of printer, but it doesn’t
(TCO) calculator (www.snipca.com/46878), have to be an either/or decision. Some
which highlights the savings you can printer manufacturers use pigment ink
Our favourite printer, Epson’s EcoTank ET-1810, make long term. Using an ink tank- to produce solid blacks, and combine it
is an excellent choice for printing photos based Canon Maxify GX3050 to print 150 with dye-based inks for cyan, magenta

BEST PORTABLE PHOTO PRINTERS

Fujifilm’s Instax
Mini Link 2
£100 from www.
snipca.com/46973
This is a battery-
powered pocket
device designed for Kodak Mini 2 HP Sprocket Plus
printing directly from £88 from www.snipca.com/46977 £130 from www.snipca.com/46979
a smartphone. It Prints larger than the Instax Mini Link 2, Produces photos measuring 86x58mm,
connects via Bluetooth, measuring 86x53mm. You can buy two with a sticky-back option for creating
and produces credit- media cartridges that last for 60 sheets, for instant decorations. The per-print price
card sized 62x46mm photos. Packs cost £23.99 (www.snipca.com/46981), which works out to around 65p, based on a cost
around 75p per print when bought online works out at a little under 40p per shot. of £12.99 for a 20-print pack at www.
(www.snipca.com/46976). Also available in white and black. snipca.com/46982.

36 16 – 29 August 2023 • Issue 664

 Print your photos as cheaply as possible

and yellow. Where the printhead and Install the Use Epson’s Smart
tank are an integrated unit, you may even HP Print Panel app to scan
Service and print through
have the option of switching between Plugin app the internet
them, as long as the driver caters for to use Wi-Fi
both. However, if the printhead and Direct on
an Android
ink chamber are separate components,
device
you’ll probably have to stick to a single
ink type: running pigment ink through a
printhead designed solely for dye-based
paper and ink could cause blockages.

Print wirelessly from

4 your phone or tablet
Another consideration is ease of
use. If you don’t want to edit and process
images on a computer, look for a printer
with support for Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or
Apple AirPrint, as this will let you print when you’re out and about. Epson Smart
directly from your phone. A media card Panel (www.snipca.com/46985, pictured and styles – and they’re normally much
slot can also be handy for quick printing above right) for Android and iOS, for cheaper. Some even offer a certain
from a dedicated camera. instance, lets you perform a wide range of number of free prints every month,
Another option is Wi-Fi Direct, a printing tasks from your phone or tablet, charging only for postage and packing.
feature found on many printers released such as scan documents or photos and Install the Snapfish app (www.snipca.
in the past 10 years. This lets devices use a range of artistic templates. com/46988), for example, and you’ll
connect to the printer as if it were a get 50 free prints a month for your first
wireless router, and then directly send Get photos printed year, with postage from £1.49. Photobox
images for printing. You can do this easily
on an iPhone or iPad, but if you’re using
5 on the high street
Home printing is convenient,
(www.photobox.co.uk/app) similarly
offers 50 free 6x4in prints a month
Android you may need a plug-in, such as but check out the high street for more through its app if you use the code
the HP Print Service Plugin app (www. options. Photo-printing shops such as 50FREE6X4 and pay the postage.
snipca.com/46879, pictured above right). Snappy Snaps still provide self-serve Choosing which service to use might
If you’re using a network-connected photo-printing machines, with slots come down to the number and size of
printer then you can normally print to it for all the most popular media card prints you’re looking for. See our table
from any device that’s connected to the formats, plus USB and Wi-Fi support below left for your options.
same network. And many manufacturers for phones and tablets.
support internet printing, so you can If you’re not in a hurry, online photo- Print traditional
send images to your home printer even printing services offer even more sizes 6 film photos
The vast majority of images
captured today are digital, but some
POPULAR PHOTO-PRINTING SERVICES enthusiasts still shoot on film – and there
are others who may want to create new
6 x 4in 7 x 5in 8 x 10in Postage prints from old, treasured negatives.
Asda Photo 1 to 99 – 11p 1 to 99 – 18p 95p £2 for up to Boots, once one of the biggest names in
100 to 499 – 9p 10 to 499 – 15p 99 prints high-street photo processing, still runs a
18p 34p n/a £3.99 film-printing service through its stores.
Bonusprint
The same-day service is long gone
Boots Photo 1 to 99 – 17p 1 to 19 – 22p £1.35 £2.25 for up though: nowadays your film will be sent
100 to 499 – 12p 20 to 199 – 18p to 49 prints; off to a central processing hub, and you’ll
collect in store have to wait up to nine days to collect
for £1.50 the prints. You can print up to 27 shots,
Jessops 22p 32p £1.39 £2.99 or collect costing £12.99 for 6x4in prints or £14.99
in store for free for 7x5in – see www.snipca.com/46945
1 to 59 – 19p 31p £1.59 From £3.49 for details.
Photobox
60 to 119 – 17p Timpsons is another high-street printing
service, though its 21-day turnaround is
Snapfish 11p 21p £1.25 From £1.49 for slower (www.snipca.com/46946). Snappy
one to 14 prints Snaps, in addition to its print-it-yourself
Tesco 1 to 25 – 55p 1 to 25 – 60p £4.50 From £4.99 or stations, still offers a one-hour film-
26 to 50 – 50p 26 to 50 – 55p collect in store processing service at selected stores
for free (www.snipca.com/46947), as does Max
Spielmann (www.snipca.com/46987).

Next issue: Make Thunderbird better using the best add-ons Issue 664 • 16 – 29 August 2023 37
 Workshop
Share files between your
phone/tablet and PC
What you need: Nearby Share; Phone or tablet running Android 6.0 or later
Time required: 30 minutes

T here are several ways to share files

between your phone/tablet and PC,
but few are as quick and easy as Google’s
attachments, or syncing via online storage.
All transfers are encrypted, and it also
works in reverse, so it’s just as easy to send
Nearby Share. Install it on your PC, and files from your PC back to your phone. A
you can use Android’s built-in Nearby recent update has moved it out of beta,
Share to send files to your computer and it can now estimate how long a file
without a cable. Neither will you need to transfer will take, as well as preview
use clumsy alternatives, like emails and images before sending.

STEP Download the Nearby Share program by clicking the ‘Get

2
1 started’ button at www.snipca.com/46969. Nearby Share
relies on broadband, Bluetooth and (optionally) a Google
account. Assuming you’re connected to your home network, check
that you have Bluetooth turned on. Click the Wi-Fi icon 1 on the
Windows 11 taskbar and, if the Bluetooth icon isn’t blue 2 , click it to
turn it on. On Windows 10, open Settings by pressing Windows
key+I, then click Devices followed by ‘Bluetooth & other devices’
and make sure the Bluetooth slider is set to On.

STEP You’ll also need to

2 enable Bluetooth
and Location
Services on your phone.
Swipe down from the top
of the screen, then tap the
cog to open Settings. Tap
1 ‘Location’, and make sure
the slider next to ‘Use
location’ is on (so it’s to the
right) 1 . Now swipe 1
down from the top of the
screen again and make
sure the Bluetooth chip is
illuminated to signify that
Bluetooth is on. If not, tap
it to enable it.
STEP By now, the Nearby Share installer will have thrown up

3 a login prompt. Click ‘Sign in’ 1 if you’d like to have

control over your sharing preferences. If you do, you’ll
be able to specify who can share items with your computer.
We’d recommend this as an additional security measure –
especially if you’re going to use your computer in a public
location like a coffee shop. Google will ask you to ‘Make sure
that you downloaded this app from Google’. If you did, click
‘Sign in’ again, then close the login window.

38 16 – 29 August 2023 • Issue 664

 1

2 1

STEP The Nearby Share program will now be running, even STEP Alternatively, you can limit sharing so only devices

4 though its window will be minimised to the taskbar.

Click it to open it. It will have already detected the
5 logged into the same Google account as your PC can
send files to the computer. To access these settings,
name of your PC 1 , but you can change this by replacing the click the blue box mentioned in Step 4, then change the pre-
text below ‘Visible to others as’. By default, any of your contacts selected menu item from Contacts to ‘Your devices’ 1 . Once
can share files with your PC if they’re also using Nearby Share. you’ve made the changes you need for Step 4 and/or Step 5,
To change this, click the blue box in the Receiving panel 2 . To click the left-pointing arrow at the top of the window 2 .
only be visible to specific contacts, turn off the slider beside Optionally deselect the option to automatically send usage info
‘Visible to all contacts’, then use the individual sliders beside and crash reports to Google if you don’t want to share this
each contact to only enable those you want. information. Finally, click Done.

STEP To send a file from your Android device to your STEP Transfers in the opposite direction are just as easy.

6 computer, open it on your device, or find and select it

by browsing in the Files app. Tap the Share button,
7 Click the ‘Select files’ or ‘Select folders’ link in the
Nearby Share program on your computer, then select
which looks like a < symbol with dots on each point. Android the item you want to transfer. The file or folder will shrink to a
will shrink the selected item or image to a thumbnail and place thumbnail and Nearby Share will search for available recipients.
a Nearby button below it. Tap this and it will search for devices Click the device to which you want to send it. To restrict who
with which it can share. When it finds your computer, tap its can send files to your Android device, swipe down from the top
icon 1 to start the transfer. The file will be sent to your PC’s of your tablet or phone, then swipe again to reveal the full set of
Downloads folder. options. Swipe from right to left, then tap Nearby Share. Select
Everyone, Contacts or ‘Your devices’ 1 , as appropriate.

Next issue: Use tab islands in Opera Issue 664 • 16 – 29 August 2023 39
 Readers’ Tips
TIP OF THE FORTNIGHT

Make NirLauncher easier to use

As a long-time user of NirLauncher Next, click Options and 3
(www.snipca.com/46479), I was select Show Description Text.
delighted by Issue 662’s Workshop This will bring up a pale
(page 38) revealing both new and yellow box at the top which
hidden tools in the program. explains what each program 2
Your tips were very handy, but I’m does when you click it 2 .
guessing you didn’t have time to I also create my own groups 1
explain ways to tweak NirLauncher’s to store NirLauncher’s
design to make it easier to navigate. software. One such group 4
Please allow me to do so instead! Once has the self-explanatory title
you’re running NirLauncher, click View ‘Updated since 2022’ 3 . To create a group, can now drag and drop a NirLauncher
and select ‘Mark Odd/Even Rows’. This click Launcher at the top then select Insert tool from your extracted
alternates the rows by white and grey New Group 4 . Name your group and it’ll folder to this new group.
( 1 in our screenshot). appear as a grey button at the top. You Julian Davison

Julian wins a copy of our 2022 Back Issue CD Buy it from us at www.snipca.com/44660

OFFICE Yes to confirm. It instantly reverted to they gave me a small adapter. At one end
Reset Outlook to the original view, which I’m now going it was Ethernet male (to plug into the
its original layout to stick with. router socket), with a female phone
I was feeling adventurous one day Thomas Lowe socket at the other.
and decided to resize the columns I was told my copper-based extension
in my Outlook inbox. I soon wished I BROADBAND sockets were dead and I would either
hadn’t – it just didn’t look right. I wanted Connect old and new have to move the base station to plug
to find a ‘go back to what you had before’ phone extension leads into the adapter near the router or
button, and after some speculative In response to your answer to Bob somehow install a new lead from the
clicking I located it in the View tab ( 1 in Evans (‘Would broadband replace adapter to the kitchen.
our screenshot below). Click this and my phone sockets?’, Issue 661, page 64), But I wasn’t keen on this idea, so
then click Reset View 2 in the ‘Current for once I beg to differ with your excellent instead I bought a short phone extension
View’ section. You just then have to click advice you give in the magazine. lead and cut the female socket off. Then,
I had a similar problem to Bob. once the phone supply had changed to
My broadband router is at the fibre phone and the copper connection
front of my house. My cordless was dead, I cut the extension cable wires
2
base station phone is on a wired coming out of the master socket.
extension in the kitchen at the Using chocolate block connectors (such
1 back. When my supplier (Virgin) as these at www.snipca.com/46801) I
changed to a fibre phone service joined both the new green and red

Why I stopped using… 2 1

Google Nearby Share That’s what attracted me to
I tried using Google Nearby Share Snapdrop (https://snapdrop. the Chrome browser on
to transfer files between my net). It all works online, my Windows PC – which
Android devices and my PC as Robert with nothing to download, Snapdrop names Salmon
Irvine suggested in Issue 658 (page 74), though your devices must be Smelt ( 1 in our screenshot).
but found the whole process too connected to the same Wi-Fi Use these names to check
fiddly. Also, I wasn’t keen on having to network for any files to be you’re connecting to the right
create a Google account. transferred. device. Snapdrop called my
When you’ve opened iPhone Azure Bobcat 2 .
And what I use instead... Snapdrop in your browser on Peter Hutton
I prefer services that work across both devices, you’ll see a small blue Wi-Fi
different operating systems and don’t icon on the screens. The screenshot shows Tell us why you stopped using a website, app
require you to sign up with an account. Snapdrop on my iPhone connecting to or program: [email protected]

40 16 – 29 August 2023 • Issue 664

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

extension leads to the old blue-and-white

cable. I had to take great care with this Reader recommends…
because the wires are very thin. I then
plugged the extension lead into the fibre MeLE PCG02 Mini PC Stick
phone adapter. The existing copper-based £220 from www.snipca.com/46820
extension sockets now all work.
Phil Solly In your answer to Dave Bancroft’s
question asking whether mini
PCs are noisy (Letters, Issue 663), you
recommended the Quieter3C model
from Chinese company MeLE (www.
snipca.com/46819). I’ve not seen it
myself and at £240 it looks like decent
value. But I’d like to recommend an
even smaller – and probably even
quieter – mini PC by MeLE: the PCG02.
It comes with Windows 11 Pro and Its makers seem to be marketing the
HARDWARE has a powerful Intel Celeron processor stick to businesses, though I think it’s
Buy refurbished BT 4600 phone that’s handled everything I’ve thrown an excellent choice for home users too.
Ethel Trueman is right to at it. RAM is 8GB and storage is 128GB, Just plug it into your monitor’s HDMI
recommend BT’s 4600 phone though there’s a slot for a microSD card slot and you’ll never notice it’s there.
(Letters, Issue 663). I bought one recently up to 1TB. It supports dual-band Wi-Fi Eric Bratby
and it seems to be blocking all my and connects seamlessly to my mice,
Want to recommend hardware or software
nuisance calls. But what Ethel and other keyboards and printers via Bluetooth to fellow readers?
readers may not know is that you can buy 4.2. There are also two USB 3.0 ports. Email [email protected]
a cheap refurbished (or ‘renewed’) model
from Amazon. I found one for just £30
from www.snipca.com/46802 (pictured tick the boxes for ‘Automatic *bold*...’ 1
above). I was slightly unsure about buying ( 1 in our screenshot below left).
it, but Amazon’s one-year guarantee The description in this line tells you
made up my mind. Until I came across it, how you need to type a word to apply the
I had assumed the only refurbished formatting. So to type something in bold
phones you could buy were smartphones. use an asterisk on either side of the word.
Richard Dunn To type in italics, add forward slashes –
for example, /italics/. The other two
OFFICE options are -strikeout- and _underline_.
Add formatting shortcuts In the screenshot you can see what you
for LibreOffice Writer need to type at the top 2 , and the result
While following your tip to disable when you do below 3 .
hyperlinks in LibreOffice Writer Dave Kenwright 2
(Issue 662, page 47), I noticed another
useful option in the AutoCorrect menu. INTERNET
You can use it to make words bold or Save your bookmarks OFFICE
italicised as you type, without having to in a spreadsheet Export Word documents
select these buttons in the top toolbar. I use several different browsers, to your Kindle
Start by opening a Writer document including Brave, Chrome, Edge, I liked Sam Hutton’s tip to email
then click the Tools at the top, followed Firefox, Internet Explorer, Opera and Word documents to your Kindle
by AutoCorrect, then Autocorrect Options. Vivaldi – plus other browsers on my and typing convert in the subject line
In the box that appears click the Options Android tablets. What’s frustrating is (Issue 663, page 40). Another option – if
tab, then in both the [M] and [T] columns there’s no way to sync all my bookmarks, you subscribe to Microsoft 365 – is to
so when I create one I add it to click File in a document then choose
an Excel spreadsheet. When I Export followed by ‘Send to Kindle’. On
want to visit that bookmark, I the next screen select ‘Like a Kindle
just copy and paste it from Excel book’ (so you can change the font size
2 into whichever browser I’m and page layouts – 1 in our screenshot
using at that time. I also sync all above) or ‘Like a printed document’
my devices to a folder on my (which keeps these elements the same as
Synology NAS drive. This your Word doc) 2 . At this point you may
3 1 contains a few other files as well also have to sign into your Amazon
as the bookmarks spreadsheet. account. Finally, click Send.
Brian Steer Chris Welby

Issue 664 • 16 – 29 August 2023 41

 Browser Tips
CHROME Another new feature in
Search Google from Chrome lets you disable
1
the side panel certain extensions on
Chrome 115, which was released in specific websites, if you
July, adds a couple of new features experience any problems
to the browser’s side panel. One of these loading them or you’re
is Reading Mode, which we wrote about asked to switch off your ad
in Issue 662 (page 42), and the other is blocker. This expands the
called ‘Google Search side panel’. experiment we wrote about
As you can guess from the name, this in Issue 658 (page 42), 2
lets you search Google directly from the which allows you to turn
side panel without needing to open a all your extensions on or
new tab or leave the web page you’re off in one click. See our
currently viewing. When you click a Workshop below to learn
result, it will load in the main browser how to use the new option.
window. keys you want to use to perform that
To use the feature, click the ‘Show side BRAVE action. Click ‘Save’ to confirm.
panel’ button on Chrome’s toolbar to Create your own You can remove an existing shortcut by
open the panel then choose ‘google.com’ keyboard shortcuts hovering your cursor over it and clicking
(see screenshot below). If you don’t see The latest version of Brave, 1.56 the minus sign 2 , though Brave lets you
the option, search Google in the main (released in July), adds the useful assign multiple shortcuts to the same
window, select a result and click the ability to modify the keyboard shortcuts command, so you shouldn’t need to.
‘Open search in side panel’ icon in the you use to control the browser. You can It will also warn you if your chosen
address bar – this looks like the ‘G’ in the also assign your own shortcuts to actions shortcut is already in use. Click ‘Reset’ to
Google logo. that don’t already have them. undo any changes you make and revert to
To view Brave’s current Brave’s default shortcuts.
range of keyboard
shortcuts, click the FIREFOX
three-line menu button Perform quick actions
and select Settings, then from the address bar
System. Click ‘Shortcuts’ Firefox 116, released 1 August,
at the top of the page to introduces a time-saving feature
view the full list. Click the called Quick Actions. This lets you
Add button next to a perform common tasks and access
command ( 1 in our specific features directly from the address
screenshot above right) bar, rather than digging into the browser’s
for example Reload, ‘New menus and settings.
tab’ or ‘New private Firefox suggests Quick Actions
window’, then press the automatically when you start typing a
key or combination of query into the address bar, preceded by a

WORKSHOP Disable Chrome extensions on specific sites

2 2

2
1
1

1 Type chrome://flags into Chrome’s

address bar and press Enter to load the
Experiments page. Search for the
2 When Chrome reopens, visit a website
you want to disable extensions on and
click the Extensions button on the toolbar 1 .
3 Alternatively, click the slider next to an
extension 1 to always disable it on the
current site. Click the Reload button to
Extensions Menu Access Control entry 1 , In the menu that opens, click the slider in refresh the page and save your changes.
select ‘Enabled’ in its dropdown menu 2 the top-right corner 2 to turn off all your Pin the extension to Chrome’s toolbar 2
and relaunch the browser. extensions in one go. to run it manually by clicking its button.

42 16 – 29 August 2023 • Issue 664

 Secret settings and the best extensions

BEST EXTENSION FOR… Downloading online videos

Video Downloader Simply choose your sometimes need to refresh the page to
Online preferred file format detect video content. Some users have
Chromium and size, then click also used the add-on to save clips from
www.snipca.com/46965 the blue Download Twitter and Facebook, but it didn’t find any
For obvious business reasons, button (see videos for us to download.
Google won’t allow extensions screenshot) to save
that download YouTube videos in the video to your If you don’t like that, try…
the Chrome Web Store, but there computer to watch Video Downloader Pro
are plenty of tools for saving offline. Although Chromium
videos from other sites. the extension www.snipca.com/46966
Our favourite is Video doesn’t work on This extension also scans web pages –
Downloader Online, which YouTube or Reddit, including Twitter – for videos and lets
automatically detects videos it’s compatible you easily download them to your PC.
on the page you’re viewing and lets you with other video sites including Vimeo, However, it often detects video previews
download them with a couple of clicks. Dailymotion and Instagram, though you and GIFs that aren’t proper clips.

The apparent reason for the relocation

1 is that the toolbar was becoming cluttered
2 with new options such as ‘Split screen’
and ‘Browser essentials’, but it’s likely
to confuse many users.
Thankfully, in this instance, Microsoft
has made it easy to undo this change.
Click the menu button and choose
3 Settings then Appearance, and switch off
the ‘Show profile icon in the title bar’
‘>’ (chevron/greater than) symbol and a EDGE option 2 . Click ‘Restart’ 3 and when Edge
space. For example, when you type >m, Restore your profile icon reopens, your profile icon will be back in
the feature will display matching actions to its original position its familiar position in the top-right corner.
including ‘Manage bookmarks’, ‘Manage Not content with making
extensions’ and ‘Manage passwords’. unnecessary changes to Windows CHROMIUM
Click the button for an action to jump (see our Cover Feature in Issue 663), Highlight paywalled sites in
straight to the relevant task or feature. Microsoft keeps messing around with Google search results
To view all the Quick Actions shortcuts, Edge. Its latest tweak to the browser, in It can be very
click the address bar to open its Edge 115 (released in July), is to move frustrating
dropdown menu, then click the new your profile icon from its traditional when you click through to a website only
Actions icon at the end of the ‘This time, position on the toolbar in the top-right to find that its content is locked behind a
search with:’ section (see screenshot corner to the title bar in the top-left corner paywall. To avoid such sites, and save
above). The options include Clear History, ( 1 in our screenshot above). This means yourself time and disappointment, install
Restart Firefox and ‘Print page’. that when you want to switch profiles or the new Chrome extension Paywall
If you’d prefer not to see Quick Actions manage your profile settings, you’ll no Sentry (www.snipca.com/46968).
suggestions, you can turn them off. Click longer find the icon in its usual place. This handy tool highlights Google search
Firefox’s three-line menu button and results that require you
choose Settings then ‘Privacy & Security’. to pay for a subscription
Scroll down to the Address Bar section or buy credits to view
and untick the Quick Actions box. their content. Sites with
If you can’t see Quick Actions yet, a ‘soft’ paywall (meaning
you can enable them manually. Type you can only read a
about:config into the address bar, press limited number of
Enter and click ‘Accept the Risk and articles for free) are
Continue’. Search for the preference marked with a ‘[!]’, while
browser.urlbar.quickactions.enabled those with a hard paywall
and click the plus button next to it. are marked with an ‘[X]’
Do the same for the preference (see screenshot left). You
browser.urlbar.shortcuts.quickactions can add further paywalled
then restart Firefox. websites to its list.

Issue 664 • 16 – 29 August 2023 43

 Phone and Tablet Tips
ANDROID option is switched on ( 1 you when an unknown AirTag
Detect and locate hidden in our screenshot below). appears to be moving with you.
Bluetooth trackers When you receive an
Bluetooth trackers such as Apple alert, tap the notification ANDROID & iOS
AirTags and Tile devices are a to learn more about the Record and send
handy way to protect your valuables. tracker and view a map video messages in
Stick one to your wallet, keys or bag, and showing its location. Tap WhatsApp
you’ll be able to find that item using ‘Play sound’ and the WhatsApp has long
Bluetooth if it’s lost or stolen. However, device will make a noise offered the ability to
these trackers can also be secretly to help you locate it send voice messages to your
attached to your belongings and used to without the owner of friends and family when you
stalk you without your knowledge, so the tracker knowing. don’t have time for a phone
Google has added new security features Once you’ve found it, call. It has now added the
to Android to keep you safe. bring the tracker near option to record and send
‘Unknown tracker’ alerts will now the back of your phone video messages too. These
notify you when a Bluetooth tracker is to see additional information such as clips can be up to 60 seconds long and
separated from its owner and detected the serial number or the last four digits are protected using end-to-end
to be travelling with you. The option of the owner’s phone number. You may encryption, so nobody but you and the
should be enabled by default on your also be able to disable it by looking up recipient can watch them.
Android phone, but it’s worth checking instructions online. To record a video message, open a
to make sure. To scan for nearby trackers WhatsApp chat and tap the microphone
In Android 12 without receiving an alert, button in the bottom-right corner to
or later, open the press ‘Scan now’ 2 under switch to video-recording mode (this
Settings app, ‘Manual scan’. Unknown changes the icon to a camcorder – see
tap ‘Safety & alerts are currently only screenshot above). Press and hold the
emergency’ and available for Apple AirTags, button to activate your phone’s camera
select ‘Unknown but Google plans to add and capture your message – the app
tracker alerts’. support for further devices usefully provides a three-second
In Android 11 soon. See www.snipca. countdown. You can also swipe up to
or earlier, open 1 com/47059 for more lock and record the video hands-free.
Settings and choose information. When you release the button (or press
Google then On an iPhone or iPad, it again in hands-free mode), your video
‘Personal safety’ you can scan for Bluetooth message will be sent to the other person
and select trackers through the ‘Find – or other people in a group chat. Videos
‘Unknown tracker My’ app. Press the Items tab will play automatically on mute when
alerts’. Ensure that 2 and select Items That Can they’re opened in a chat; tapping the
the ‘Allow alerts’ Track Me. Apple will notify video will start the sound.

BEST NEW APPS What you should install this fortnight

Artifact: Intelligent News ChatGPT Sky Go

Free Free Free
Android www.snipca.com/47066 Android www.snipca.com/47067 iOS www.snipca.com/47069
iOS www.snipca.com/47065 The official ChatGPT app is now available The Sky Go app for iOS now lets you
This personalised news app, which we first for Android devices, following the release of control your Sky Q box, by turning your
wrote about in Issue 657 (page 44), has the iOS version in iPhone or iPad into
added an AI-powered feature that lets you May (www.snipca. a remote control. To
listen to articles read com/47068). activate the feature,
aloud in a natural- Sign up for a free tap the settings
sounding voice. Tap OpenAI account to cog in the top-left
the play button on interact with the corner and switch
the toolbar and choose chatbot by asking on Sky Q Remote.
a voice, accent and it questions about Functions include
playback speed. any topic. You can Home, Search,
Voice options include also make ChatGPT Channel up and
actor Gwyneth generate content down, Play/Pause,
Paltrow and rapper based on text Rewind and Fast
Snoop Dogg. prompts Forward.

44 16 – 29 August 2023 • Issue 664

 Brilliant things to do on your device

£6.99-a-month Basic plan. why the service is

To give something back to making particular
viewers, the streaming recommendations.
service has redesigned its It’s a useful way to
mobile app with a new feature quickly revisit things
called My Netflix. you’ve previously seen or
This provides a dedicated saved on Netflix, though it
space for all the content you’ve could compromise your
accessed on Netflix, including privacy if someone else
films, TV shows and trailers picks up your phone or
you’ve watched; programmes tablet. The new My Netflix
you’ve downloaded; and series option appears in the
and movies you’ve added to bottom-right corner of the
your watchlist. My Netflix also app (see screenshot left),
keeps a record of which content replacing the old
iOS you’ve ‘liked’, so you can see Downloads tab.
Perform instant calculations
using Gboard
For obvious business reasons,
BEST APPS FOR... Monitoring air quality
Google’s own apps for Android
devices invariably have more features IQAir AirVisual
than their iOS equivalents. One exception Free
is the Gboard keyboard app for iPhone Android www.snipca.com/47073
and iPad (www.snipca.com/47070), iOS www.snipca.com/47072
which has just added a handy calculator If you’re concerned about pollution in your
function that isn’t available in the area, or at a place you plan to visit, you can
Android version. This lets you perform check the air quality using this app. IQAir
calculations directly from the keyboard uses locally sourced data to provide an
without needing to open a separate app. AQI (air-quality index) rating and weather
To use the new feature, you first need forecast for the next seven days, as well
to set Gboard as the default keyboard for as an area map, pollution-exposure graph
iOS. Open the Settings app and choose and AQI alerts.
Keyboard then Keyboards, and tap Add Best For Viewing air-pollution data
New Keyboard. Select ‘Gboard’, turn on
Allow Full Access then tap Allow. Open My Pollen Forecast
the standard keyboard in an app, then Free
tap the globe icon to switch to using iOS www.snipca.com/47075
Gboard. This app helps you reduce the severity
When you type a calculation, such as of hay-fever symptoms by providing a
86+44+77 or 283*52, Gboard will instantly pollen forecast for the next five days and a
display the answer on the toolbar above map of areas with high pollen counts. You
the keyboard (see screenshot above). Tap can track the types of pollen you’re most
it to enter the number in the message or allergic to and receive pollen-level alerts.
document you’re writing. Gboard can For Android, there’s the similar Klarify app
also convert measurements – for (www.snipca.com/47074).
example, type 115m and the app will tell Best For Tracking the pollen count
you the distance in feet and yards.
It’s unclear why Google is currently BreezoMeter
offering the calculator feature only to Free*
iPhone and iPad users, but hopefully it Android www.snipca.com/47076
will soon be added to Gboard for Android iOS www.snipca.com/47077
(www.snipca.com/47071). BreezoMeter combines air-quality data
– using the UK’s Daily Air Quality Index
ANDROID & iOS (DAQI) system – and pollen forecasts. We
Access your favourite particularly like its colour-coded maps of
Netflix content faster airborne hazards and how it details exactly
Netflix has made some which chemicals you’ll be breathing when
unpopular decisions this year, you go outside. Some features require a
including banning users from sharing £2.79-a-month subscription.
their passwords with people from outside Best For Avoiding breathing hazards
their household, and scrapping its
*Contains in-app purchases

Issue 664 • 16 – 29 August 2023 45

 Make Windows Better Expert tips for every version

WINDOWS 10 & 11
WINDOWS 10 & 11
End PC resources using the
Xbox Game Bar
The Xbox Game Bar is Change cursor speed when using
designed for gamers, but
it includes widgets that Mouse Keys
anyone will find useful. One of these is
the Resources widget, which shows how The ‘Mouse Keys’ the cursor using numbers 1-9 (except
much of your PC’s resources your feature in Windows 5), with each key corresponding with
running programs are consuming. lets you press number one of eight directions.
Seeing this info in the Game Bar is keys on your keyboard to move your Next, tick the ‘Hold the Ctrl key to
quicker than opening Task Manager. mouse cursor, but its speed might be speed up and the Shift key to slow
First, press Windows key+G to open the too fast or slow when you first use it. To down’ 2 box. Now move the sliders
Game Bar. If the Resources widget isn’t tailor its speed to your liking, first below to adjust both the cursor speed 3
already open, click the bar-chart icon search for and then open Mouse Keys, and its acceleration 4 – which is how
( 1 in our screenshot below) to activate it. then click the slider to On ( 1 in our quickly it starts and stops when you
From here, click the X button next to any screenshot). You’ll now be able to move begin to use Mouse Keys.
service to stop it running 2 . You can also
click ‘Show More’ to get more detail on
which resources your programs are
1
consuming under the headings CPU,
GPU, RAM and DISK. Click the Pin
button 3 to stick the Resources widget to
your desktop, so it remains there when
you close the Game Bar.
3
2

1
3

2
4

WINDOWS 10 & 11
Make your PC shut down down your machine. Prompt, and select ‘Update and shut
after installing updates One way to fix this bug is down’ to see if the fix has worked.
The easiest way to install by running the Windows
Windows updates is to Module Installer (WMI), WINDOWS 11 INSIDER
select the ‘Update and which helps to keep your 1 See more details in
shut down’ option from the Power button computer up to date. You’ll File Explorer
in the Start menu. But recently many need to do this in Command A recent preview version
users are reporting that their PCs reboot Prompt, so search for of Windows 11 (Build
once the update has been installed, ‘Command’, then click ‘Run 21361.2050), available to
rather than shut down. as administrator’. In the Windows Insiders on the Beta
This happens because Windows regards Command Prompt, type Channel, added more information
‘Update and shut down’ as a statement of SC config trustedinstaller to File Explorer when you preview
preference rather than an instruction, start=auto ( 1 in our your documents. To see this info,
and so sometimes may choose to boot screenshot below) and press Enter. select a document, then press the
you into the login screen, meaning you This will trigger WMI to run in the keyboard shortcut Shift+Alt+P and it
have to log back in and manually shut background and check for updates. will appear on the right.
You will now receive As well as existing info like file title and
the message [SC] size, you’ll see whether it has been shared
1 ChangeServiceConfig online ( 1 in screenshot above left), and if
SUCCESS 2 if the anyone has commented on the document.
command was entered To become a Windows Insider, sign up at
successfully. www.snipca.com/47105 – bear in mind
2 Now exit Command that preview versions will contain bugs.

46 16 – 29 August 2023 • Issue 664

Make Office Better Top tips for the best office programs

MICROSOFT EXCEL

Combine data from several columns into one

When making a table, you
may decide you want to 1
combine data from two
different columns into a new one.
Rather than spending ages typing your
text into a new cell, create a formula
to do the job using the ampersand (&)
2
operator.
In our example, we’re putting
together a guest list for a summer party.
We want to combine first names from
column A with surnames in column B.
We want these to appear in column C,
so we clicked in cell C4 and typed our first guests’ full name in column C4 2 . C4 and tapped Ctrl+C. We then
=A4&" "&B4 ( 1 in our screenshot). The If instead we wanted to list guests with their highlighted cells C5 to the bottom and
space between the quotation marks surnames first, we’d type =B2&", "&A2. pressed Ctrl+V to paste the formula
separates the two cells. This produces After typing the formula we selected into the whole of column C.

MICROSOFT WORD & ONLYOFFICE LIBREOFFICE

LIBREOFFICE WRITER Use radar charts as a Move objects more precisely
Hide white spaces in comparison tool You can use arrow keys to move
Print Layout mode When you have multiple an object, and the cursor to resize
If you’re writing in types of data to compare in a its frame, but the free PixelPosSize
Word’s Print Layout spreadsheet, consider showing (PPS) extension for LibreOffice adds a
mode, regardless of them on a radar chart. These are suitable pop-up window that lets you do both
whether you’re actually planning to print when you have multiple variables, – with more precision.
your document, your pages will always making it easier to see strengths and Download it by visiting www.snipca.
appear with white spaces at the top and weaknesses at a glance. Radar charts com/46803 then clicking ‘Download
bottom, and a grey gap between them. are one of the standout new tools in latest’. In any LibreOffice program, click
Sentences that spill over pages will be OnlyOffice 7.4, released 13 June. Tools then ‘Extension Manager…’. Now
divided by inches of empty space. In our example we want to compare click Add and find the PixelPosSize file
To hide these spaces, click File, then several criteria for three laptops we’re you’ve just downloaded. Click ‘Open’ to
Options to open the Word Options box. choosing between. Start by highlighting add the extension. This will add PPS to
Click ‘Display’ ( 1 in our screenshot the cells containing the data J3:O6 ( 1 in your toolbar ( 1 in our screenshot below).
below) then under ‘Page display options’ our screenshot below). Next, click Insert Once you’ve created an object, click
untick ‘Show white space between pages on the toolbar, followed by Chart 2 , then PPS then select PixelPosSize 2 to open
in print layout view’ 2 . The blank spaces pick one of the Radar options 3 . the controls. Use the arrows to move an
will now disappear, and pages will be There are three types of chart to object or change values in the X and Y
separated by a line 3 . choose – the basic Radar, ‘Radar with categories. To resize an object, change the
To do the same in LibreOffice Writer, markers’ or ‘Filled radar’. Selecting one values in W and H. If you have multiple
click View on the toolbar and select ‘Hide will turn your data into a radar chart 4 . objects, click the navigation icon 3 to open
white space’. Note that LibreOffice Writer You can then change its colours, font, text the Drawpage Navigator 4 . Here, you can
won’t show a dotted line to separate one size and title. Laptop B, represented by view all elements in your document, and
page from another – you’ll need to click the orange line, takes up most space in choose which you’d like to manipulate.
‘Show white space’ to revert to your the chart, so overall that’s our top choice. Press the Esc key to close PixelPosSize.
original view.

1 1 1
2

3 4
3 4 3
2 2

Issue 664 • 16 – 29 August 2023 47

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

Upload photos to Google Forms

O ne of the easiest ways of running a
photo competition is to ask club
members to upload their photos to
Select which
file types you
want members
to upload, and
Google Forms. To create a form you’ll the maximum
need a Google account. If you haven’t got file size 1
one, follow Google’s instructions at www.
snipca.com/47051, then visit https://docs.
google.com/forms. You’ll see some form 2
templates here that might be suitable for
your club, including event feedback and
order forms. But for uploading a photo 3
it’s better to start from scratch, so click
the ‘Start a new form’ option.
4
Set your questions
Now give your form a title – we’ve gone share this form with people you trust. top right. You can choose to email the
for ‘Upload a photo’ ( 1 in our screenshot When you view the responses to your form to members or share a link to the
below) – and enter a description below. form, you always have the option of form, which you can publish however
You’ll need to know the name and email viewing the folder where the files are you like – for example, by sharing it on
address of the person submitting the stored in Drive, so it’s easy to delete your Facebook group. Copy and paste the
photo, so call the first question ‘First and anything you don’t want to keep. link into a browser window if you’d like
last name’ 2 . Next, click the dropdown Click ‘Continue’ then type a heading to see how your finished form looks.
menu on the right and choose the answer such as ‘Upload file’ ( 1 in our screenshot
type as ‘Short answer’ 3 . This will allow above). Now you can set which file types Open uploaded files
members to type their responses. you’ll allow for submissions. As we’re To see what your members have submitted,
Now click the ‘Add question’ button at running a photo competition, we’re click the Responses tab at the top of the
the top of the menu on the right 4 and permitting only image files 2 . page( 1 in our screenshot below), then
add another question. This time call it Next, set the maximum number of files click the file at the bottom. You’ll see that
‘Email address’, and make it a ‘Short that members can upload 3 , and the the ‘Accepting responses’ slider is turned
answer’ again. maximum file size 4 . We’d recommend on 2 . Turn this off when the competition
Click the dropdown menu once more keeping the default 10MB, because the has finished to let members know not to
and this time choose ‘File upload’. You’ll next smallest size – 1MB – will probably upload any more photos.
now be asked if you’d like to give other be too small. We’ve shown you how to create a
people access to your Drive. Drive is the form in Google Forms, but the process
storage area in Google Docs, so you don’t Publish the form for doing this in Microsoft forms is
want just anybody uploading a file to Now you’re ready to go. To publish your essentially the same – just head over to
your personal area. Make sure you only form, simply click the Send button at the https://forms.office.com.
Click the
3 Responses
tab at the
top to
see what
1 files your
1 members
have
uploaded

2
4 2

Set questions on your form and make each

response a ‘Short answer’

48 16 – 29 August 2023 • Issue 664 Next issue: Master Zoom’s new ‘Continuous Meeting’ tool
What’s All the
Fuss About...
X Twitter is no longer Twitter, and
Larry is looking for a new nest

What is it?
It’s the new name for Twitter. The social-
media site’s owner Elon Musk announced
the change in late July, saying that the 24th
letter of the alphabet embodies “the
imperfections in us all that make us
unique”.

What did he mean by that?

Lord only knows. He has a habit of
making cryptic statements designed to
either provoke or confuse. He has also got
rid of the bird logo (nicknamed Larry) – it
has expired, ceased to be and joined the
choir invisible. The new logo is a stylised
X (pictured right). There’s a new URL too,
though for now typing www.x.com still
takes you to www.twitter.com.

Does that mean we no

longer send ‘tweets’? payments, a marketplace and public posts net), which gained 100 million users
Yes. The ‘Tweet’ button has been replaced in one tool. Musk wants X to be a Western within five days of launching in July,
by ‘Post’. But ‘to tweet’ has become so equivalent, and thought the ‘Twitter’ but had lost more than a half just a few
commonplace that many users will brand limited this ambition. He said the weeks later. By contrast, X has around
continue to use it. old name made sense when “it was just 350 million active users.
140-character messages going back and
Why so many changes? forth – like birds tweeting – but now you Will the name change
Musk wants X to become the “everything can post almost anything, including be successful?
app”, capable of performing all kinds of several hours of video”. Depends how you judge success. It
everyday tasks rather than simply posting has certainly generated plenty of
messages. He has previously praised the Why did he choose the letter X? publicity, both good and bad. On the
Chinese app WeChat, which combines He’s always been obsessed with it. In plus side, Apple has allowed X to have a
1999 he co-founded the online banking one-letter name in its App Store (www.
service X.com (it later became PayPal), snipca.com/47097) – previously all apps
and three years later formed the needed at least two letters.
spacecraft business SpaceX. On the negative side, Musk had to
Then, in 2015, he launched the Tesla X remove the flashing X logo from the
electric car. But his biggest act of love to top of the company’s San Francisco
the letter came in 2020, when he named headquarters following complaints from
his son X Æ A-Xii, with the first X locals. He’ll now be charged the cost of
representing the unknown variable in building permits for its installation and
algebra. When he announced Twitter’s removal, though as the world’s richest
name change, he proudly tweeted – sorry, person (worth $219bn/£185bn) he won’t
posted – the photo left, with his arms struggle to afford it.
crossed in an X.
So X is here to stay?
Is the change a reaction to Probably. Musk made such a big deal of
Meta launching Threads? the change that it would be humiliating
That seems unlikely. Musk had been to go back. However, X is such a less
planning to transform Twitter ever since distinctive name than Twitter that it
buying it for $44bn (around £34bn) last might not catch on. Don’t completely rule
Elon Musk loves the letter X so much he even October. He’s probably not losing too out a U-turn to rival Royal Mail’s
named his son after it much sleep over Threads (www.threads. disastrous interlude as Consignia.

Issue 664 • 16 – 29 August 2023 49

 COVER FEATURE

BEST PC
SOFTWARE
You’ll NEVER
Have To Pay For
Don’t get tricked by ‘free’ programs that will
eventually charge you. Robert Irvine recommends
the best truly free tools from independent
developers you can trust

I
t’s always annoying when one of £19.95 a year for the Pro edition. recommend the best programs that are
your favourite free programs Although companies are entitled to highly unlikely to introduce paid-for plans.
becomes ‘freemium’. This means you charge for their products, we think We’ve excluded open-source software
have to pay to use certain features, changing their policies once they’ve got you probably use already, such as
are restricted in what you can do with the you hooked is cynical and unfair. LibreOffice, VLC Media Player and
software and have to put up with nags to Thankfully, not all software makers are Mozilla Thunderbird, to focus on free
upgrade to the paid-for version. as devious or greedy. Many independent tools you may not have heard of but
A recent example is Icecream Video developers, particularly members of the we think you’ll love. Our criteria for
Converter (www.snipca.com/47056), open-source community, create free tools inclusion were that the programs must
which now adds a watermark to every for the love of doing so as well as to have been updated in the last year,
video you convert – unless you pay benefit other people. In this feature, we that they won’t disappear overnight
and that they don’t make money by
collecting and selling your data.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
• Because these tools are from small
• Find duplicate files and delete them restrictions or upgrade nags developers, they may trigger a
without paying •E
 dit and play audio files using SmartScreen warning from Microsoft
• Uninstall unwanted software and open-source software Defender (or your other antivirus
browser extensions •D
 elete text and images from PDF files software). We’ve checked all our
• Detect and update outdated device for free recommendations using VirusTotal
drivers for free •S
 ave online content without using your (www.virustotal.com) to ensure
• Download YouTube videos without browser they’re safe, so just click ‘More info’
then ‘Run anyway’.

50 16 – 29 August 2023 • Issue 664

 BEST PC
SOFTWARE
You’ll NEVER Have To Pay For

SYSTEM TOOLS YOU’LL NEVER HAVE TO PAY FOR

Find and remove
duplicate files on your PC
Freemium duplicate finders –
such as Easy Duplicate Finder –
are a particularly frustrating type
of software. After scanning your hard
drive for unnecessary copies of files, they
then limit the number and type of items
you can view and remove for free.
For a truly free alternative, try the
open-source tool Czkawka (www.snipca. Czkawka is a thorough duplicate finder that Defragment specific files and folders on your
com/47013), which searches faster and doesn’t charge you to delete files PC for free using WinContig
deeper than any duplicate finder we’ve
used. Add the folders or drives you want been neglected since Avast bought its ‘Defragment selected items’ (see
to scan, then select the ‘Check method’ developer, Piriform, and some features are screenshot above).
and click Search – ‘Hash’ finds files with only available in its Professional edition. To add this option to File Explorer’s
matching contents, or you can look for The best free open-source option for right-click menu, click the Tools menu in
items of the same name and/or size. recovering data is PhotoRec (www. WinContig and choose ‘Install the shell
Czkawka also lets you search for similar snipca.com/47017), which despite its extension’. The program supports FAT32
images (see screenshot above right), which name doesn’t only restore deleted photos. and NTFS file formats, and works with
you can preview in a panel on the right, It can scan hard drives, USB sticks and hard drives and SSDs (though items on
as well as videos and audio files, empty files memory cards for lost videos, documents the latter shouldn’t need defragging). It’s
and folders, and more. Duplicates can be and EXE files, and recover them even if the developer’s only program, and is
deleted or moved to another location. the device has been formatted. supported by donations rather than adverts.
Downloading the program is a little You need to download PhotoRec with
confusing – even by GitHub’s standards. its sister program TestDisk, which restores Completely uninstall
Visit the Releases page (www.snipca. lost partitions. Extract the contents of the unwanted software
com/47014), click ‘Show all 15 assets’ in ZIP file then double-click the ‘qphotorec. Finding the perfect free program
the Assets section for the latest version exe’ file – this adds a user interface to the to remove other software from
(6.0 at the time of writing) and select command-line tool and is only available your PC is trickier than you’d
‘windows_czkawka_gui2.zip’. Extract the in the latest version (7.2). think. Some tools, most notably Revo
contents of the ZIP file, and double-click Select the drive you want to scan in the Uninstaller, restrict useful features to
‘czkawka_gui.exe’ to run Czkawka. dropdown menu, then the relevant their paid-for versions – including Force
In case you’re put off by the program’s partition and specify whether you want Uninstall, cleanup of leftover files and
odd name, ‘czkawka’ is Polish for ‘hiccup’ to search only unallocated space or the removal of browser extensions.
– the developer was intrigued to hear how whole partition. Choose the folder you Others, such as the brilliant O&O
non-Polish speakers would pronounce it! want to restore files to, and click Search. AppBuster (www.snipca.com/46027)
PhotoRec will then find and recover all are very easy to use, but are owned by
Recover lost photos and files deleted from that partition – it’s companies that also sell commercial
documents for free extremely thorough, so the results may products, so there’s no guarantee they’ll
Most file-recovery tools restrict take you a while to sift through. always be free.
how much data you can restore We often recommend BC Uninstaller
without upgrading to their Defragment specific (www.bcuninstaller.com) as the most
paid-for versions. Recuva (www.snipca. files and folders powerful tool of its kind, but if you find
com/47016) is a notable exception, but as Although Windows has its own its feature-packed interface intimidating
we explained in Issue 662 (page 19), it’s tool for defragmenting your then HiBit Uninstaller (www.snipca.
hard drive, it restricts you to com/47008) might be a better choice.
defragging entire partitions, which can It’s friendlier and faster than BC
take a long time. Sometimes you only Uninstaller, letting you remove multiple
want to defrag a specific file, folder or programs in one go simply by ticking
program to consolidate its data, free up their boxes and clicking Uninstall
space and make it open more quickly. Selected (see screenshot top of page 52).
Defragging specific items was one of Many additional options are available
Defraggler’s most useful tools, but that in the Tools menu including Force
program was ruined when Avast bought Uninstall, Junk Files Cleaner and File
Piriform – it hasn’t been updated for five Shredder, as well as tools for removing
years. A much better option is WinContig Microsoft Store apps, Windows updates
(www.snipca.com/47011), which lets you and browser extensions. These are all free
Use PhotoRec to recover lost files without easily defragment files and folders by to use, with nothing locked behind an
paying for the privilege right-clicking them and choosing Upgrade button.

Issue 664 • 16 – 29 August 2023 51

 Snappy Driver
Installer Origin
offers a free way
to update your
device drivers

HiBit Uninstaller makes it easy to completely

remove unwanted programs

HiBit Uninstaller’s developer,

Mohammed Raee, has a couple of other
programs, including the equally useful
HiBit Startup Manager (www.snipca.
com/44640). However, he gives this one
the most attention and - unlike Piriform Keep your device drivers Rufus lets you
- we can’t imagine he’ll ever sell out to a up to date download and
boot Windows
big corporation. Driver managers are another type ISO files from a
of software that does half a job USB stick
Install and update multiple for free – scanning for outdated
programs at once device drivers – then charges you to do
When companies offer free the other half (actually updating them).
versions of their commercial Some, such as the dreadful IObit Driver
software for personal use, there’s Booster, also come bundled with junk
always a risk they’ll eventually ditch and adverts for the company’s other
them. Such is our fear over the popular products.
program updater Patch My PC (https:// One of the only driver updaters you can
patchmypc.com), which is free to home trust is the open-source Snappy Driver
users but costs from $1,499 (£1,160) for Installer Origin (SDIO, www.snipca. bootable USB drives and is frequently
businesses that want to keep all their com/47015), which is completely free updated to make it easier to use and to
employees’ software up to date. to use and free of junk and ads. Its bypass restrictions such as Microsoft’s
In fairness to Patch My PC, its free developer emphasises this fact on its strict requirements for running
Home Updater has been available for website, so don’t be fooled by similarly Windows 11.
12 years, but as a backup plan we named tools that ask you to pay - and We also like that the developer
recommend WingetUI (www.snipca. may contain malware. behind Rufus, Pete Batard, is very honest
com/46556). This free open-source tool SDIO was Computeractive readers’ about how he manages to keep the
allows you to install thousands of second favourite program of 2022, program free – and always will. On the
programs through the Windows Package following our Workshop in Issue 630 and Rufus website, he explains that he doesn’t
Manager and other package managers ‘Update your drivers’ Cover Feature in use a donations system like other
including Chocolatey and Scoop. Issue 639 (read them both on our 2022 open-source programmers, because it
As well as searching WingetUI’s Back Issue CD: www.snipca.com/44660). can be “guilt inducing” for users, and
massive software directory on its Discover If you’re unfamiliar with SDIO, you instead relies on revenue from the two
Packages tab, you can check for updates first need to install its 20MB indexes ads on the homepage (there are none in
for programs you already have installed, pack, which scans your PC to detect Rufus itself).
just like in Patch My PC. On the Software which drivers need updating. You can “The fact I have the freedom to
Updates tab, tick the ‘Select all packages’ then review the results and decide which develop free software in my spare time
box (see screenshot below) then click ones to update, before clicking the Install should indicate that I’m well-off
‘Update selected packages’ to check for button (see screenshot above) – make enough,” Pete says, thanking users for
and install updates. sure you create a system restore point first. their “continuing support and
Recommended drivers are highlighted in enthusiasm about this little program”.
bright green – ignore older and unsigned To use Rufus, download an ISO file
drivers that are shown in red. for an operating system from an official
source, choose ‘Disk or ISO image’ in the
Create a bootable version of ‘Boot selection’ menu and click Select to
Windows on a USB stick load it. Alternatively, click the arrow next
Keeping a portable version of to that button, choose Download and
Windows on a USB stick allows select the version of Windows you want
you to reinstall the operating to install (see screenshot above). Click
system if something goes wrong with ‘Start’ and, Rufus will erase and format
WingetUI offers a simple free way to install your PC. Rufus (www.snipca.com/47012) your USB stick, and burn the ISO file to
and update all your software is our favourite free tool for creating make the drive bootable.

52 16 – 29 August 2023 • Issue 664

 BEST PC
SOFTWARE
You’ll NEVER Have To Pay For

VIDEO & AUDIO TOOLS YOU’LL NEVER HAVE TO PAY FOR

Download videos from Convert videos to play
websites for free on different devices
‘Free’ video downloaders are Video converters are also
often too good to be true and notorious for restricting
hampered by hidden restrictions features to their paid-for
– unless you pay. Even the free version of versions, often without making
the excellent 4K Video Downloader this clear until you try an option.
(www.snipca.com/46993) limits you to We’ve already mentioned how
downloading 30 videos a day, one at a Icecream Video Converter
time. To unlock unlimited downloads recently started charging users to
and extra features, you need to pay £18 a remove its watermark. Other
year for its Lite plan or £24 for Personal. freemium tools, such as Any
What’s more, there’s now a new version Video Converter, limit the quality, HandBrake offers a completely free way to convert
called 4K Video Downloader+ (www. length and/or formats of the videos and will never charge you
snipca.com/46991), with a streamlined videos you convert.
design and ‘enhanced’ features. Although For a truly free video converter that To get all the benefits of Audacity
you can use this for free (with doesn’t charge you and never will, we without passing your data to the ‘Muse
restrictions), its paid-for editions require recommend HandBrake (www.snipca. Group family’, install Tenacity (www.
you to buy a new licence, even if you have com/46990). This versatile, open-source snipca.com/47002) instead. Last time we
one for the old version. The original 4K tool has been around for 20 years and wrote about this Audacity fork, it was still
Video Downloader will remain available was most recently updated (to version in beta, but it’s since released its first
but will no longer be updated. 1.6.1) in January. It can convert virtually stable version (1.3). Tenacity is based on
Saddened by 4K Video Downloader’s any video, including content from the last version of Audacity before it was
aggressive promotion of its commercial unprotected DVDs and Blu-rays, to the bought by Muse Group and looks almost
software, we’ve turned instead to Vividl widely used formats MP4, MKV and identical, with all the same options for
(www.snipca.com/46995). This new WebM, and includes handy presets for recording, editing and enhancing audio
open-source tool lets you download converting videos to watch on different files, but none of the privacy worries.
videos from hundreds of websites – devices. These include settings for To download Tenacity, visit www.
including YouTube – for free, with no Android, Apple and Amazon Fire, as well snipca.com/47003 and click one of the
limits on the number of daily downloads. as for email, social media and YouTube. ‘exe’ links under Downloads. The
Simply click the Add New Videos To use the program, click ‘File’ on the program opens in its default dark theme,
plus sign ( 1 in our screenshot below), Source Selection screen (click Open Source but you can change this by clicking
paste the URLs of the videos you want to if you don’t see this), choose a video and Preferences in the Edit menu (see
save and click Settings to specify the HandBrake will show you a preview of its screenshot below) and choosing a
download format 2 , such as AVI, MP4 contents. Click the Preset menu to choose different theme on the Interface tab.
or MKV. Click the Download tab to set a format and quality to convert to, specify
the maximum number of concurrent the folder where you want to save the
downloads (up to eight), then click OK converted video and click Start Encode
and the respective download buttons to (see screenshot above right).
save the videos.
Vividl isn’t as slick as 4K Video Record and edit
Downloader+, but it’s easy to use, audio files privately
downloads videos quickly and doesn’t In our ‘Switch to private versions
restrict any options to a paid-for version of software’ feature in Issue 649
– because there isn’t one. (page 62), we explained how
our favourite audio editor,
Audacity (www.audacityteam.
Tenacity is a customisable fork of Audacity
org), has raised privacy that isn’t owned by a data-gathering company
2 concerns since it was bought
by Muse Group in 2021. Play audio files
1 Also, although it remains and rip CDs for free
free and open source, Audacity The highly anticipated comeback
is now integrated with Muse of Winamp (www.winamp.com) in
Group’s audio-sharing platform April was a major disappointment.
Audio.com. This makes it easy Rather than release a new version of the
to share files with other popular audio player, which had only
people, but because you need been updated sporadically over the
to create a free account with previous 10 years, Winamp’s owner
Download web videos without restrictions using the open- the service, you’ll lose your Llama Group relaunched it as a streaming
source tool Vividl anonymity by doing so. service.

Issue 664 • 16 – 29 August 2023 53

 This lets you listen to radio stations, still in active development and
podcasts, audiobooks and music by supports all the main audio formats.
Winamp ‘creators’, but you can no longer Foobar2000 lets you play and rip
play audio files stored on your PC. You songs from CDs, stream internet
also need to pay €50 (£43) a year to radio stations (see screenshot below
subscribe. Although the most recent left) and tag tracks with information
version of the free desktop program from an online database. It’s not
(5.9.2) is still available from www.snipca. immediately obvious how to use all
com/47019, it may eventually be removed. its features, but you’ll find plenty of
Thankfully, there are two similar help in its wiki (www.snipca.
alternatives to Winamp that are com/47021) and subreddit (www.
guaranteed to remain free. One is AIMP snipca.com/47022) pages. OBS Studio is packed with features and is the best
(www.aimp.ru), but as this has a Russian free way to record and stream your own videos
developer you may feel more comfortable Record and stream
using Foobar2000 (www.foobar2000. videos for free video from a variety of sources, including
org). This open-source audio player has Software for recording and movies stored on your PC, content that’s
been around for nearly 20 years, but is streaming your own videos can playing in your browser and the live feed
be very expensive – for example, from your webcam. You can apply a wide
HitPaw Screen Recorder costs $50 (£39) variety of edits and effects; mix multiple
– so it’s amazing that OBS Studio sources into one broadcast and preview
(www.snipca.com/47023) won’t cost you them using Studio Mode (see screenshot
a penny. Maintained by open-source above); stream directly to YouTube,
volunteers, but far more professional- Twitch and Facebook Live; and save files
looking than your average GitHub in MP4, MKV or FLV format.
project, this powerful broadcasting tool Indeed, our only criticism of OBS
has no watermarks or other limitations Studio is that its many options mean it
and can be used commercially without has a fairly steep learning curve. Visit its
Foobar2000 lets you play your own music any restrictions. comprehensive Knowledge Base (www.
and internet radio stations for free OBS Studio lets you capture and stream snipca.com/47024) if you get stuck.

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54 00 – 00 Month 2023 • Issue xxx

 BEST PC
SOFTWARE
You’ll NEVER Have To Pay For

PHOTO & PDF TOOLS YOU’LL NEVER HAVE TO PAY FOR

Edit and enhance photos Open the JPEGView64 or JPEGView32
more easily folder (depending on whether you have a
There are plenty of free 64bit or 32bit version of Windows) then
image-editing programs for double-click the ‘JPEGView.exe’ file.
keen photographers who can’t Despite its name, it supports all the main
afford Adobe Photoshop. But some, such image formats.
as GIMP (www.gimp.org), have so many
advanced tools that they’re not easy to Edit PDFs by deleting and
use. Computeractive favourite Paint.NET adding text and images
(www.getpaint.net) is a slightly simpler JPEGView provides a simple free way to Free PDF readers aren’t hard to
alternative, but it’s not open-source and, browse and adjust your photos find these days, from the built-in
although its desktop software is free, its viewer in your web browser to
Microsoft Store app now costs £8.39. expand its capabilities by installing the open-source tool Sumatra PDF (www.
One image editor that strikes the right plug-ins (www.snipca.com/47026). snipca.com/47029). PDF editors, on the
balance between professional features IrfanView has been free for home users other hand, tend to be paid-for or
and ease-of-use, as well as being free and since its launch in 1996, but to use it for freemium, and we even have doubts
open-source, is PhotoDemon (www. commercial purposes you need to register about our new favourite free PDF
snipca.com/47025). This powerful, the program and buy a licence for $12 software PDFgear (see box on page 57).
portable program resists the urge to cram (£9.25), so it doesn’t meet the ‘never pay The best entirely free way to edit PDFs,
its toolbars with options you’ll never for’ criteria of this feature. which you’ll never have to pay for, is using
need, so editing and enhancing your JPEGView (www.snipca.com/47027) the open-source vector-graphics editor
photos is more intuitive than in GIMP or is a truly free alternative. Originally Inkscape (https://inkscape.org). Although
Paint.NET. It offers the same basic tools, developed through the open-source it’s aimed at illustrators and web
including layers, adjustments and a wide community SourceForge then taken up designers, this powerful program allows
range of effects, but applies them faster by a GitHub developer, this lightweight, you to delete images and text from PDFs,
and doesn’t make you hunt through portable image viewer offers a speedy and and add your own.
sub-menus to find them. minimalist way to browse and perform Install and launch Inkscape, click Open
basic edits to your photos. on the welcome screen and select a PDF.
Open a picture in JPEGView and all Leave the import settings as they are,
you’ll see is the image itself – there are no then click OK.
toolbars or menus. This is confusing at When the PDF opens, click the Selector
first, but hovering your cursor over the Tool (the arrow icon) at the top of the
photo or right-clicking it reveals options left-hand toolbar ( 1 in our screenshot
to zoom, rotate, display EXIF information, below), then select an object or block of
apply auto-correction, view other files in text in the document. Right-click and
the folder and more (see screenshot above). choose Cut or Delete 2 to remove the
Move your cursor to the bottom of the selected element, or left-click and drag it
PhotoDemon is free and easy to use, and has image to reveal controls for fine-tuning to a different position. You can’t edit
lots of useful image-editing tools its colour, brightness and contrast. Press existing text but you can replace a deleted
Ctrl+S to save your changes. section with a new text box by clicking
PhotoDemon 9.0, which was released To download JPEGView, click the the Text Tool (A icon) in the toolbar. To
last September, introduced a useful ‘JPEGView_1.2.45.zip’ link under Assets on insert images, click the File menu and
option called ‘Content-aware fill’. This its Releases page (www.snipca.com/47028) choose Import.
lets you remove unwanted objects and and extract the contents of the ZIP file. Inkscape’s busy interface can feel
people from your photos, and seamlessly overwhelming,
blend in the surrounding area to disguise but you’ll find
the deletion. PhotoDemon says the plenty
feature doesn’t “rely on ‘AI’ or other silly 1 of help in the
buzzwords”, and works offline. To use it, Beginners’
click the Elliptical Selection tool, select Questions section
the object you want to remove, then click of its community
the Edit menu and choose ‘Content- forum (www.
aware fill’ (see screenshot above). snipca.com/47030).
2
Browse photos in a
free image viewer
IrfanView (www.irfanview.com) Inkscape lets
is one of the best image viewers you edit PDFs
by removing text
available. It’s simple to use, and images and
includes lots of editing tools and lets you adding your own

Issue 664 • 16 – 29 August 2023 55

 INTERNET TOOLS YOU’LL NEVER HAVE TO PAY FOR
Monitor your Wi-Fi network your Wi-Fi – click the Options menu and
for intruders select ‘Beep On New Device’ (see
Fing Desktop (www.snipca. screenshot below left).
com/47032) offers a simple way See the opposite page for more brilliant
to monitor your home network free tools from software genius NirSoft.
and ensure that unknown devices aren’t
piggybacking on your Wi-Fi connection. Download online content
Sadly, many of its best features are limited without a browser
to its paid-for plans, which the free Download managers such as
version (that you need to register to use) JDownloader and Internet
constantly reminds you about. Download Manager are often DownZemAll downloads files quickly and
privately outside your browser
To monitor your network for free, bundled with junk or charge you to use
without being nagged to upgrade for them. Most of us now stick with our tick the box to allow an exception in the
extra tools, download Wireless Network browser’s built-in downloader, but this Windows Firewall to prevent it from
Watcher from NirSoft (www.snipca. compromises your privacy – even in being blocked.
com/47033) – click the ‘wnetwatcher_ incognito mode, Google can see which
setup.exe’ link below the Feedback files you download in Chrome. Protect your passwords for free
section two-thirds of the way down the DownZemAll (www.snipca. Even the best password managers,
page. This tiny free tool is only 512KB in com/47039) is a free, open-source such as Bitwarden (https://
size, compared with Fing Desktop’s download manager that lets you grab bitwarden.com), restrict some
bloated 96MB download, but gives you all anything you want from the web, without features to their paid-for versions, and
the information you need to identify using your browser. To save an individual there’s always the fear that – like LastPass
Wi-Fi intruders. file, right-click its download link and – they’ll change their business models to
Wireless Network Watcher lists all the choose ‘Copy link address’ then click the force free users to upgrade. You can be
devices connected to your network, blue plus sign on DownZemAll’s toolbar. assured that will never happen with
including their names, IP addresses and The program will automatically read the KeePass (www.snipca.com/47040),
the times and dates they were first and link from your clipboard, so you just need which makes a virtue of the fact it’s been
last detected. Usefully, you can set it to to click ‘Start’ (see screenshot above free for the last 20 years.
alert you when a new device hops on right) to download it. Far safer than storing website logins in
You can download YouTube your browser (see our ‘How not to save
videos and other audio and video your passwords’ feature in Issue 662, page
content by clicking the red 62), this open-source tool stores all your
Download Audio/Video Stream passwords in one offline database, which
button, then clicking the yellow is locked with your master key and
Download Page Content button to secured using powerful encryption. It’s
detect and download all the files worth printing an emergency recovery
on a web page – or just specific file sheet should you forget your master
types. DownZemAll is faster and password – click File, Print then select
more private than using your Print Emergency Sheet (see screenshot
browser, and lets you compile a below).
list of download links to save all The latest version of KeePass (2.54) fixed
Wireless Network Watcher monitors your Wi-Fi and their content in one go. a vulnerability that could allow hackers
alerts you to intruders When you install DownZemAll, to see part of your master password (see
Issue 661, page 11). Sadly, it didn’t improve
the program’s rather dated interface. If
Avoid open-source security tools you find this off-putting, consider using
the forked version, KeePassXC (https://
We’ve deliberately not recommended The best-known open-source antivirus, keepassxc.org), which has a smarter
open-source security software in this ClamWin, doesn’t even scan files in real design but the same tight security.
feature, even though there’s plenty time, and its website now displays a
available. It’s one area where it’s better security warning, suggesting it’s been
to have the program maintained by a discontinued.
reputable and well-funded company, Additionally, hackers can analyse the
rather than an independent developer, to publicly shared code for open-source
ensure it’s regularly updated to combat software to identify and exploit security
the latest threats. flaws. Your antivirus should protect you
Reliable anti-malware protection uses against this danger, but if the program
virus definitions hosted onlne, which most itself is compromised, your PC will be
GitHub projects won’t be able to afford. at serious risk. Store all your passwords securely in KeePass
– but click this to avoid getting locked out

56 16 – 29 August 2023 • Issue 664

 BEST PC
SOFTWARE
You’ll NEVER Have To Pay For

5 BEST FREE TOOLS FROM NIRSOFT

We’ve covered software from lots of
independent developers in this feature, Which free tools may become freemium
but none are as industrious or ingenious
as Nir Sofer – better known as NirSoft We’re currently anxious about the free PDF status is Icecream Photo Editor
(www.nirsoft.net). This prolific Israeli software PDFgear (www.pdfgear.com). (www.snipca.com/47053). It’s now
developer has created hundreds of tiny This fantastic new program (see Issue 656, the developer’s only tool not to have
free tools for performing specific tasks on page 18) offers so many useful tools for a paid-for Pro version, so it’s only a
your PC, which contain no junk, ads or free – including editing, converting, splitting, matter of time before a watermark or
upgrade nags. merging and annotating PDFs – that it other restriction is imposed on the free
In our Workshop in Issue 661 (page 38), surely won’t do so forever. program.
we explained how to use NirLauncher Indeed, the company says that “as We’re more confident that PowerToys
(www.snipca.com/46479) to run all we continue to innovate and develop (www.snipca.com/47054) will remain
NirSoft’s tools from a USB stick, but here advanced features, we will offer these free. Although Microsoft likes to lure
are our five favourite programs. at a reasonable price, ensuring PDFgear users with free trials before enticing
remains accessible to everyone,” them to subscribe, the fact it’s made
Recover lost Wi-Fi passwords which has ‘freemium’ written all over it. PowerToys open-source on GitHub
WirelessKeyView (www.snipca. Hopefully, it won’t lock any of the existing (www.snipca.com/47057) suggests
com/47048) reveals all the Wi-Fi options behind upgrade buttons. you’ll never have to pay for the system-
passwords stored on your PC, Another likely candidate for freemium utility suite.
which is useful if you’ve lost the written
record of those details. You can copy
individual keys to your clipboard (see
screenshot below) or export them all as a
text file. To extract the program from its
ZIP file, enter the password WKey4567#
when prompted.

BrowsingHistoryView lists pages you visited

in all browsers, giving totals for each page
USBDriveLog reveals which USB sticks have
been plugged into your PC
View your complete
browsing history PC, including the speakers, webcam
BrowsingHistoryView (www. microphone and system sounds. You can
snipca.com/47049) displays the increase or decrease their volume by one,
history from all your browsers in five or 10 per cent; and mute or unmute
WirelessKeyView reveals forgotten Wi-Fi
passwords stored on your PC one place. Click the Visit Time column to specific devices with a single click.
sort the list of web pages chronologically,
Detect nearby Bluetooth or Visit Count (see screenshot above) to Monitor your USB stick activity
devices see which sites you’ve been to most often. USBDriveLog (www.snipca.
BluetoothView (www.snipca. The tool was recently updated with the com/47052) lists all the USB
com/47041) monitors the activity of option to generate scannable QR codes sticks that have been inserted in
nearby Bluetooth devices such as for pages in your history. your PC, including their models,
phones, earbuds and laptops. As with manufacturers and capacities, and the
Wireless Network Watcher (see opposite Finely control your PC’s sound date and time they were plugged in (see
page), you can set it to beep when it SoundVolumeView (www. screenshot above). This lets you see when
detects a device, which NirSoft suggests snipca.com/47050) lets you view you last inserted a specific device, and
could alert you to the impending arrival and easily adjust the volume spot unauthorised use of your PC –
of a family member or neighbour. levels of different components on your including potential data theft.

NEXT ISSUE On sale Wednesday 30 August

ON SALE
Weds
30

NEVER PAY For PCs,

laptops,
£49
PLUS

• Stop using credit
Aug

FULL PRICE phones

& tablets 9 cards online
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• Don’t bin your DVDs
Your complete guide to buying refurbished devices Make them last for years

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Issue 664 • 16 – 29 August 2023 57

 HOW TO

Redact....Your..
Personal Info....
AI tools are now so powerful that they can reveal blurred and
pixelated information. Daniel Booth explains why you should
redact your personal data instead
Stop blurring and pixelating 3 completely. You can do this quickly
your info online by uploading an image to Inpaint
Blurring or pixelating your personal (https://theinpaint.com). Click the lasso
information is normally good enough to icon on the left, then draw around what
hide it from human eyes, but not from
1 you want to remove and click the green
advanced software. All you’re doing is 2 Erase button at the top. Inpaint is fast and
rearranging the data, not actually easy to use, though you have to buy
removing anything. Studies have shown credits to download in high resolution.
that AI tools can be trained to decipher
details that have been obscured in this 4 Redact multiple instances
way (see www.snipca.com/47108 for of the same word
proof). Cybercriminals will be delighted Cover sensitive details with blocks of colour LibreOffice Writer lets you redact
that they have another weapon with in MS Paint multiple instances of the same word in a
which to scam victims. document, then download it as a PDF.
Another technique to avoid is dropdown menu, select ‘Solid colour’ 2 , This is handy if you need to redact a piece
scribbling over text using digital marker then click the Colour 2 box 3 and select a of information that appears many times,
pens. These tools simulate actual markers colour for your blocks. Now draw over such as a name, address or phone
or highlighters, so the ‘ink’ is applied the details you want to hide – we’ve number.
with less than complete opacity. Anyone obscured our bank account details and Open a document in Writer, then click
seeing this image could download it, drag our current balance with red blocks 4 . the Tools menu at the top and select
it into an image editor, and use Make sure you save the redacted image Auto-Redact. Click ‘Add Target’ in the box
brightness/contrast controls to see the in a format that doesn’t have the option that appears ( 1 in our screenshot below
text pixels underneath. to see the edit history, and is ‘flat’ – left), then give the redaction a name, or
meaning it doesn’t support layers. Both just leave it as ‘Target 1’. Leave the Type
Redact screenshots PNGs and JPEGs are fine. set to Text, then enter the word you want
with blocks of colour You can also remove the pixels from to redact in the Content box 2 .
The safer way to conceal details is to your image, so the details disappear Click OK, then OK again, and
redact them using solid bars of colour.
This doesn’t expose anything that
software could use to ‘read’ what’s really 1
there. You don’t need sophisticated image 1
editors to do this – something as basic as
MS Paint will do. In our example above
right we’re using Paint to block sensitive
data in a screenshot of our bank account. 2
Open the tool, then insert the image. 2 3
Click the Home tab, then select a shape
that matches the area you need to
obscure – a rectangle in our screenshot Select words in LibreOffice Writer you want …then export to LibreOffice Draw and let it
above right 1 . Now click the Fill to redact… finish the job

60 16 – 29 August 2023 • Issue 664

 Blur your home on Google Street View
Google won’t let you slap a coloured our screenshot), zooming in if you
block over your home on Street View, need to 2 .
so you have no choice but to ask for it Once done, select ‘My home’ 3
to be blurred. The easiest way to do this and tick the box to confirm you’re the
is through a browser on your computer owner or tenant 4 . Google reminds
because it’s not an option in the Google you here that all blurring is “irreversible 1
Maps phone/tablet app. Visit https:// and cannot be undone”. Then, in the 3
maps.google.com, then type your box below, you need to add some
2
address in the top-left search bar and information about what you want to
4
press Enter. Now click the photo of your blur so Google can check whether your
home that appears and it’ll appear full- request is genuine. It’s a good idea here
screen in Street View. to mention what you can see in the
Check that it’s definitely your house photo, such as gardens, walls, trees,
and that it matches the address shown cars and so on. Google will now email you to confirm that
top right, then click the tiny ‘Report a You don’t need to select ‘What is wrong it’s reviewing your request and will contact
problem’ link at the bottom right. On the with this image?’, but you do need to enter you again when it has made a decision.
next page move the photo so the part you your email address and tick the reCAPTCHA. Make a note of the reference number at
want blurred is inside the red box ( 1 in Click the blue Submit button at the bottom. the bottom of the email.

LibreOffice will open the document in your text to XXXXXs is that it’s relatively you want to redact. When done, click
Draw, its vector-graphics editor. You’ll see easy to unmask words that have been ‘Save PDF’ at the bottom, then click the
shaded boxes over your redacted words covered by coloured bars in documents. Download button.
( 1 in our screenshot below left), and a
floating ‘Redaction’ toolbar. Click the Redact details in PDFs Blur photos quickly
black Rectangle Redaction icon in this PDF programs all have tools for redacting using websites
toolbar 2 , then the ‘Export Redacted PDF text, but again there are websites that let You can obscure faces using colour
(Black)’ button 3 . Now save your PDF on you do this quicker. Many have blocks, but this looks a bit ugly. Blurring
your computer, then open it to check the frustrating restrictions, like Xodo’s a face looks nicer because it blends better
redaction has worked. Redact PDF (www.snipca.com/47109), with the background, though bear in
Redacting in Microsoft Word is not as which limits you to one redaction per day mind that some software can reverse the
easy. Open a document, then press unless you upgrade to the paid-for effect to reveal the person beneath.
Ctrl+H and type the word you want to version. But we’ve not faced any
redact in the ‘Find what’ box. Next, in the restrictions using the online version of
‘Replace with’ box, type what you want to PDF24’s tool, which is free to use at
appear instead, such as XXXXX, then www.snipca.com/47110.
1
click ‘Replace All’. Drag a PDF into the ‘Choose file’ box,
You could leave it like this, but for the then click the ‘Free drawing’ pencil
full redacted effect you’ll need to add icon ( 1 in our screenshot below). You
2
coloured boxes. Click the Home tab at the now need to ‘draw’ over what you want
top, followed by the Text Highlight Color to redact, though there is a way to make Blur Photo Editor makes it easy to blur parts
dropdown menu in the Font section. this appear as a block of colour. Keep the of a photo
Choose a colour (preferably black) and ‘Brush type’ as Pencil 2 , then choose a
you’ll see a Highlighter icon next to your ‘Brush width’ (we increased it from the Any photo-editing software worth
cursor. Move this icon across the XXXXXs default 30 to 35) 3 , and a colour 4 . downloading has a blur tool, but it’s
and they’ll be covered in black. Next, select the ‘Straight line drawing quicker to use specialist websites. We
The reason you have to first change mode’ icon 5 and draw across the text recommend Blur Photo Editor, which lets
you upload, blur and download photos in
PDF24 lets you
redact PDFs a matter of seconds. Visit www.snipca.
online without any 5 com/47098, then browse and select your
restrictions photo, or drag and drop it into the white
4 ‘Choose photo to blur’ box.
Now click the photo to add small black
1 boxes that will connect to cover the area
2 3 you want to blur ( 1 in our screenshot
above). Make sure ‘Blur inside of
selection’ is selected 2 , then move the
slider across and decide how blurry you
want the area. When done, click the
Download Image button.

Issue 664 • 16 – 29 August 2023 61

 Switch your
ad blocker
The problem of online ads is getting worse
– and so are tools designed to block them.
Robert Irvine reveals the best ad blockers to
install in your browser, and which ones to avoid

A
d blockers improve your free to use (even refusing donations), it’s pop-up boxes and fly-out videos. You can
browsing experience by open-source to ensure bugs are quickly easily whitelist sites on which you’re
removing annoyances from fixed, and it can be configured to block as happy to allow ads.
web pages and making them much or as little content as you want. Although it’s slightly more technical
faster to load. Although some people say Click its toolbar button to see how many than some ad blockers, uBlock Origin
they’re unethical, because they deprive elements it’s blocked on the current page, works automatically and reliably, and
content creators of revenue, you’re more and in total since you installed it. looks set to survive Google’s proposed
likely to revisit sites when you can enjoy To improve uBlock Origin’s blocking changes to how ad blockers work (see
them without being bombarded with capabilities, click the ‘Open in dashboard’ box on opposite page).
distractions. icon (see screenshot below) then click the
Sadly, several popular ad-blocking ‘Filter lists’ tab. The extension’s built-in SILVER AWARD
tools are no longer very effective – they filters for blocking ads, trackers and AdGuard
charge users for premium features and ‘badware’ are enabled by default, and https://adguard.com
take ‘back-handers’ from companies to remove these elements from most sites – AdGuard provides both a paid-for
allow their ads through. Here, we including on YouTube videos. Windows program that blocks
recommend the ad blockers you should When we first tested uBlock Origin ads across your PC and a free
use (though you need to install only one), using Test Ad Block, it blocked 74 per cent ad-blocking extension for your browser.
and those you should avoid. of all the junk the test threw at us. But You don’t need the former (which costs
We tested the blocking efficiency of the after we enabled additional filters in the £23.90 a year) to use the latter, though
extensions using the online tool Test Ad Privacy, Annoyances and Multipurpose the add-on includes links to download
Block (www.snipca.com/47093), which sections, the extension’s success rate the desktop app.
attempts to load 150 different ads and soared to an incredible 92 per cent. Unlike uBlock Origin, AdGuard has a
trackers in your browser (you won’t Other useful features in uBlock Origin setup process that lets you choose what
actually see these). include an ‘element picker mode’ that you want to block (standard blocking is
permanently removes specific elements enabled automatically). These options
GOLD AWARD on websites, such as distracting banners, include blocking trackers, social widgets,
uBlock Origin malicious and phishing sites, adverts in
www.snipca.com/47086 search results and websites’
This ‘wide-spectrum ‘self-promotions’ – such as promotional
content blocker’ goes beyond banners on Amazon. You can apply more
removing ads from websites filters through the extension’s settings,
to block other annoyances as well. but AdGuard’s own extensive lists should
These include hidden trackers, be sufficient.
malicious domains, phishing We like that AdBlock tells you how
scams, cookie-consent pop-ups, many ads it’s blocked on the current
autoplaying videos, social-media page, the total number since you installed
widgets and analytics tools. it and its blocking history over time.
Unlike AdBlock and Adblock Plus There’s also a useful option to check the
(see opposite page), uBlock Origin security of a website, either by clicking
doesn’t allow ‘acceptable ads’ from the add-on’s toolbar button or by
companies who pay to be excluded right-clicking a search result.
from blocking, or nag you to With only its default settings enabled,
upgrade to its paid-for version to uBlock Origin blocks ads automatically and can be AdGuard blocked a disappointing 38 per
unlock extra tools. It’s completely configured to remove many other annoyances cent of ads and trackers in our Test Ad

62 16 – 29 August 2023 • Issue 664

 Will Google stop ad blockers working?
Despite widespread opposition and be restricted to using 30,000 filtering
numerous delays, Google is pressing ‘rules’ – most content blockers use at
ahead with its plan to drop support least 300,000. This means you’re likely to
for Manifest V2 extensions in Chrome suffer more ads and hidden trackers.
and other Chromium browsers. From To prepare for the change, our Gold
early next year, it will insist that add-on and Silver award winners have created
developers use its new Manifest V3 Manifest V3 versions of their ad-blocking
system, which will stop many ad blockers tools: uBlock Origin Lite (www.snipca.
working properly. com/47094) and AdGuard AdBlocker
Instead of being able to block whole MV3 (www.snipca.com/47095). You can
categories of unwanted web requests, try these now, but they’re no substitute
extensions will be limited to targeting for the full versions. Hopefully, Google will
Switch on AdGuard’s recommended filters to a blocklist of specific URLs. They’ll also modify its plan to address the problem.
boost its blocking capabilities

Block test. However, once we switched Ghostery doesn’t have additional filter
on all its recommended options (see lists to install, but instead lets you
screenshot above) this increased to match customise its built-in tracker database.
uBlock Origin’s 92-per-cent score. You can either choose which companies
to block, or select all the entries in a
BRONZE AWARD category – such as Customer Interaction,
Ghostery Social Media or Telemetry (advertising
www.ghostery.com and analytics are blocked by default).
Ghostery combines a strong set This system isn’t as comprehensive as
of features for blocking online uBlock Origin, but because Ghostery is
annoyances with a friendly open source its lists are constantly
design. Its Simple View tab shows you updated by members of its community.
the number of ads and trackers it has In our test, Ghostery blocked 63 per AdBlock allows ‘acceptable ads’ on websites
blocked on the current page, and lets you cent of ads and trackers. It also works unless you disable the option
easily whitelist sites, temporarily disable well on YouTube, though some users
its protection and choose whether to have recently reported a number of ads and includes extra options such as
allow cookie-consent pop-ups (see slipping through. Distraction Control, which blocks
screenshot below). newsletter pop-ups, floating videos and
For more information, click its Detailed AD BLOCKERS TO AVOID survey requests – a feature available for
View tab, which tells you exactly which AdBlock free in uBlock Origin.
advertising and tracking networks https://getadblock.com AdBlock generally does a good job of
Ghostery has blocked. Annoyingly, the With more than 60 million removing ads from web pages, including
Historical Stats option, which tracks the users, AdBlock is one of the most most within YouTube videos, but its
number of elements blocked over time, popular ad-blocking extensions, default policies make us suspicious about
is only available when you sign up for but it has far fewer settings than uBlock what happens in the background. When
a paid-for Contributor account, which Origin. By default it uses only three filter we tested the extension using Test Ad
also unlocks other tools. lists, though you can enable more and Block, it blocked a paltry 29 per cent of
subscribe to custom lists. ad networks and trackers.
Sadly, in the last few years,
AdBlock – which is now owned by Adblock Plus
Eyeo, the company behind AdBlock https://adblockplus.org
Plus – has gone downhill and is Once the best-known ad blocker,
more concerned with making Adblock Plus now makes you
money than blocking online upgrade to its Premium plan
annoyances. It allows ‘acceptable’ to get many essential features, including
and ‘non-intrusive’ ads, unless you blocking distractions such as newsletter
disable those options (see screenshot pop-ups. Acceptable and non-intrusive
above right), and prompts you to ads are permitted by default, its settings
“pay what you can afford” when offer little scope for configuration, and it
you install the add-on (close the uses a lot of system memory.
payment tab to use it for free). Like its stablemate AdBlock, it only
Worst of all, AdBlock displays blocked 29 per cent of ads and trackers
ads of its own, for its Premium in our test (suggesting they use the same
Ghostery blocks ads, trackers and cookie-consent plan and VPN. Premium costs data), though it blocked most YouTube
pop-ups on websites $20 (£15.60) a year or $2 a month, ads.

Issue 664 • 16 – 29 August 2023 63

 Problems Solved
Our experts solve all your tech problems

PROBLEM OF THE FORTNIGHT

Why is Thunderbird forcing me to

use Gmail? 1 Thunderbird has
the option to
buy a new email
address from
I wanted to set up a new email a selection of

Q address, distinct from my

Gmail account, but
providers

Thunderbird insists on using my

current Gmail address. Initially, I
thought this was for Mozilla to contact
me if needed, but it seems I can’t have
a different email address without
paying for one endorsed by
Thunderbird. I prefer to keep Gmail
and Thunderbird separate. I also have a
TalkTalk email address, but to use that
I need to first sign into the TalkTalk
website and then sign in again on the
email account. Imagine doing all that when you get over 80! I have tried to set new email address from a selection of
in Android just to send or read a one- up an email account with Mailbird providers (see screenshot 1 ). But if
sentence email. It was my fault (www.getmailbird.com) and others, but you don’t take up that option, then
originally for putting a name in my they all demanded my Gmail address. Thunderbird (or any other email client)
Gmail address that’s not my real name, What happened to freedom of choice? will ask for the email address that you
so it seems I am condemned to use it Jack Woods do want to use.
for the rest of my life! I also have an old With Thunderbird, you can
Hotmail address, but I’m unsure if it’s There’s a lot to unpack here, but synchronise messages from any email
a web-based or a standalone service,
like I assumed Thunderbird would be.
A we’ll start by outlining the
difference between email
provider, whether it’s Gmail, TalkTalk
or even Hotmail (or Outlook.com, as
Things seem to get more complicated services and email ‘clients’ – as this it’s now known). You could even set up
seems to be causing you some confusion. a brand-new Gmail account that
2 There’s plenty of overlap between these reflects your real name, and then use
two concepts, but suffice to say that Thunderbird with this new, preferable
Google (with Gmail) and TalkTalk are address. We think that’s actually the
email services. That means these right outcome for you, but that you
companies run server computers that didn’t realise it was an option.
administer the emails you send or receive. To do that, first visit www.gmail.com
Now let’s consider email clients. These and click ‘Create account’. If you don’t
are the programs or apps that interact want to sign out of your existing Gmail
with the email services. In this context, account in the Gmail web client, even
the web interfaces you use for both Gmail temporarily, then you’ll need to do this
and your TalkTalk account could be in a private tab – meaning Incognito
considered email clients of those services, mode in Chrome, an InPrivate window
albeit integrated ones. in Edge or Private mode in Firefox.
However, you are not limited to using Click ‘Create account’ followed by ‘For
these integrated web clients. You can use my personal use’ 2 and then follow the
standalone email clients such as prompts, clicking Next at each stage.
Thunderbird or Mailbird. It’s essential to With that done, you can set up
understand that these programs are not Thunderbird afresh with your new,
themselves email providers – they’re name-corrected Gmail address – and it
Click ‘Create account’ followed by ‘For my email clients. Thunderbird does muddy will operate separately from your
personal use’ matters by offering options for buying a existing Gmail account.

64 16 – 29 August 2023 • Issue 664

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

What’s this ‘IGCCTray.exe’ error message on my laptop?

Starting a few weeks ago, every
1 2
Q time my Windows 10 laptop
boots up a strange error message
appears on screen, referencing a file
called IGCCTray.exe – saying it had an
‘incorrect function’. I just close the
message and continue using my
computer and I’ve encountered no
problems, but it is annoying that I can't
get rid of this error. I’ve searched for the
file but can’t find it, even with hidden
files made visible. Do you know what By the Intel Graphics Command Center entry,
this is and how to resolve it? click Uninstall (1). If you want to reinstall it,
Allan Stapleton download IGCC from the Microsoft Store (2)

Yes, this is related to the Intel what caused this particular hiccup, but entry. Click the Uninstall button (see
A Graphics Command Center
(IGCC) app, which almost
uninstalling and reinstalling the app
should fix the problem.
screenshot 1 ) and then confirm by
clicking Uninstall again. Restart your PC.
certainly came pre-installed on your First, click Start followed by the Settings The error should now be gone. As noted,
laptop. It’s not essential but does offer cog, and then click Apps. Next, on the left, it’s not required, so you don’t have to
some functions that are useful when click ‘Apps & features’, and then, on the reinstall it. But if you wish to do so, it’s a
adjusting your the output of your right, scroll through the list of apps to free download from the Microsoft Store,
machine’s Intel graphics. We don’t know find the Intel Graphics Command Center at www.snipca.com/46784 2 .

Can I make Google’s map scales always visible?

Having retired, I find myself 1 2 3
Q using Google Maps quite a lot.
On my Windows 11 PC the
scale bar is always displayed at the
bottom right. I find this useful when
zooming in and out for keeping, well, a
sense of scale! However, I’ve noticed
that on Google Maps on my shiny new
iPhone 14 the scale bar only shows for
a few short seconds and then
disappears. I can get it to reappear by
adjusting the zoom a fraction, but sure
enough it vanishes again soon after. Is
this a bug? Or a feature? Or am I doing
something wrong? Whatever the
cause, I find it really annoying, and it
makes Google Maps less useful when
I’m out and about. Do you know if
there’s a fix?
Ronald Bennett
To make the Google Maps scale permanently visible (1), go to Settings (2), then Scales (3)
It’s a feature, not a bug – so no,
A you’re not doing anything
wrong. Fortunately, it can be
easiest things to find, let alone navigate.
First, at the right-hand side of the
‘Using Maps’ heading, tap Scales 3 .
Finally, under ‘Map scale’ tap to
remedied so that the scale is always Google Maps search bar, tap your user switch from ‘While zooming’ to
visible (see screenshot 1 ). However, icon. It’s here that the Settings option ‘Always’ and your little ruler will now
settings for Google Maps aren’t the lurks 2 , so tap that now. Next, under the always be there.

Issue 664 • 16 – 29 August 2023 65

 Problems Solved
Should I force Windows 11 on to my
Can I still switch incompatible laptop?
to Windows 10
for free? Q
I am a new subscriber to
Computeractive, so you may
processors are the minimum supported
for Windows 11, but your machine’s
have covered my question seventh-generation Core i7 processor
Microsoft says it’ll stop previously. Issue 659’s ‘Problem of the should run the latest operating system
Q updating Windows 10 with
anything other than
Fortnight’, regarding reader Alistair Bee’s
problematic Windows 11 upgrade,
just fine. However, the setup will never be
officially supported by Microsoft, so you
security updates until support ends, prompted me to wonder if I can update would proceed at your own risk – and, as
in October 2025. I use Windows 8.1 my HP ProBook 470 G4 laptop. The Alistair discovered, hiccups can occur.
and would like to update to Windows Microsoft PC Health Check app (www. Support for Windows 10 officially ends
10 (I’m not interested in Windows snipca.com/46934) shows it passes in October 2025, but we’re confident that
11). Can I can update free of charge? everything apart from the processor. unofficially Microsoft will maintain it for
Are there installation discs or can Performance is good and I don’t want a while – even if it’s just for urgent fixes.
Windows 10 be downloaded safely? additional Windows 11 features, but I’m As you don’t feel the need for Windows 11,
If so, from where? concerned about security updates after you shouldn’t be in a rush to upgrade.
Oliver Rogers Windows 10 support ceases. I have seen If you do decide to proceed, then
registry hacks to fool Windows 11 into first press Windows key+R to summon
We guess you’re aware that thinking a PC is compatible, but I’m not the Run menu, then type regedit and
A Windows 8.1 is itself out of
support, having ended in
sure that is a sensible route to follow.
Should I do nothing? Or force my laptop
press Enter.
Next, use the left-hand pane to navigate
January of this year – hence your to install Windows 11? to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\
desire to upgrade. But to answer your Robert Woolley Setup\MoSetup ( 1 in our screenshot) and
question, officially, the opportunity then, in the right-hand pane, right-click
to get a free upgrade to Windows 10 We have answered this plenty of the ‘AllowUpgradesWithUnsupported-
ended several years ago. However, as
we’ve mentioned in these pages,
A times, but many millions of
Windows 10 users are in the
TPMOrCPU’ value 2 , and choose Modify.
Note that if this value doesn’t exist, first
unofficially Microsoft has never same boat as you, and the same questions create it by right-clicking on a blank part
stopped anyone from doing so. keep bobbing up – so we’re happy to of the right-pane and choosing New,
So, the answer is yes, you can recap. Yes, you can use a registry hack to followed by ‘DWORD (32-bit) Value’. Now
upgrade. Just download Windows 10 force Windows 11 to install. You sent us a set the ‘Value data’ field to 1 and press
from Microsoft, at www.snipca. detailed list of specifications for your OK. Restart your PC and Windows 11
com/46785. Click the ‘Download tool laptop. Microsoft states ‘eighth-generation’ should install without complaint.
now’ button (see screenshot 1 ) to get
Navigate here in
the media-creation tool, launch it, the registry to fool
choose the ‘Upgrade this PC now’ Windows 11 into
option 2 and follow the prompts. thinking your PC is
compatible
1
2

2 Q: Can a Kindle Fire battery be

replaced?
A: Issue 629, page 65 – find it on
our 2022 Back Issue CD
To get Windows 10, click ‘Download tool Buy it from
now’ (1), then ‘Upgrade this PC now’ (2) www.snipca.com/44660

66 16 – 29 August 2023 • Issue 664

 Should I phone 159 to report scams?
I’m 85 now, have subscribed
Q to your excellent magazine for
almost 20 years and have just
renewed for a further two years –
hopefully, I will live that long! I’ve been
watching a BBC show called Scam
Interceptors (www.snipca.com/46786).
Towards the end of one programme
they advised victims to inform their
banks about scams by dialling 159. Can
you explain how this system works?
I presume it might work on a mobile
phone, if you use one for banking, but
how about traditional landlines? I If you suspect you're being scammed, hang up and dial 159 to report it to your bank
cannot see how it would work by
pressing 1 or 2. companies. It is entirely trustworthy – it than that, but the idea is that by
Doug Makinson and worth using. going through 159 you’ll definitely end
The idea is that if you suspect you’re up at your bank. Of course, you could
The 159 service is actually a being scammed during a call, you hang just dial your bank directly on its
A very simple idea that’s easy to
use, regardless of the kind of
up and then dial 159 (see screenshots).
Then, you do exactly what you consider
known number. However, 159 helps to
prevent people being further scammed
phone you have. It was set up and is isn’t possible: press numbers on your when using the likes of Google to
funded by an outfit called Stop Scams mobile or landline phone’s keypad to search for correct contact numbers – as
UK (https://stopscamsuk.org.uk), navigate to a menu system that will put scammers regularly try to manipulate
which is a broad coalition of big-name you through to a verified phone number search results in an effort to get scam
banking, telecoms and technology for your bank. There’s really little more to sites near the top of the list.

How do I reset the 1 Click the ‘Get started’

button (1), then
‘Remove everything’.
Windows registry? Next, select ‘Cloud
download’ to
download and
My PC has gone through
Q
reinstall Windows (2)
numerous versions of Windows,
up to Windows 10. It’s been a
good companion. I tend to try most of the
programs and ideas from your magazine.
These trials are mostly removed when I
have satisfied my curiosity, but they tend
to leave a lot of bits about the place. I’ve
used cleaning tools and formatted the
disks a few times, but I always seem to 2
get fragments popping up. I’m wondering
if it’s possible to return the computer
back to its original state, when it was first
built, with a clean registry? Memory is
another problem – does it accumulate your personal files and folders,
bits and pieces? Is there any way of incidentally, so back them up first. This is
cleaning it? a ‘nuclear’ option, but anything less will
S Barbero leave remnants in the registry.
You can do this from within Windows.
There’s only one way to ensure a First click Start, followed by the Settings ‘Cloud download’ 2 and then follow
A completely clean, or ‘factory
fresh’, Windows registry – and
cog, and then ‘Update & Security’,
followed by Recovery and then, under the
the prompts.
As for your computer’s memory,
that’s to reinstall Windows. Literally ‘Reset this PC’ heading, click the ‘Get nothing is stored by it long term and
everything on the PC will be wiped, and started’ button (see screenshot 1 ). Next, simply switching off your PC at the mains
you’ll have to start over. This includes all click ‘Remove everything’, followed by will ‘clean’ it completely.

Issue 664 • 16 – 29 August 2023 67

 Problems Solved
Can I darken 1 2

Microsoft Word?
Would you be able to answer me
Q a (hopefully) quick question?
I’ve been using Word 365 more
at night on my Windows 10 PC, as part of
an evening class I’m taking. As such, I’m
wondering if there’s any kind of ‘dark
mode’ for this program? I know lots of 3 4
smartphone apps have them these days,
but I have no idea if that applies to
Windows programs. Any ideas?
Alice Evans

Yes, all the Microsoft (originally

A Office) 365 apps have a dark
mode. Indeed, so does Windows In your Word 365 account (1) you can select
Dark Gray (2). You can also select Dark, Light
itself if you wanted to go the whole hog! or Custom for Windows 10 (3) and different
But let’s start with Word 365. modes for apps, such as Dark for Word (4)
First, click File followed by Account
(see screenshot 1 ). Next, under the settings we’re going to explain next. choose Dark 3 . If you want fine-grain
Office Theme heading, click to open the To set dark mode in Windows 10, first control, then instead choose Custom, and
dropdown menu and then choose either click Start, followed by the Settings cog, then use the options below to define how
Dark Gray 2 or Black, with the latter and then Personalisation, followed by Windows itself should look, and apps
being the darkest. Colours. Next, in the right-hand pane, independently (so you could use the Light
Alternatively, you can choose ‘Use under the ‘Choose your colour’ heading, theme for Windows, for example, and
system setting’ to have Word adopt the click to open the dropdown menu and Dark for apps, including Word 4 ).

Why won’t my Sainsbury's Nectar card scan?

The Tesco
I’m very far from a computer
Q
Clubcard
whiz, but I feel reasonably app uses a
confident with technology, QR code,
such that over the years I’ve managed which
can be
to set myself up with an Apple iPhone displayed
and Watch, which I find invaluable. on an
Recently, I decided to take my digital Apple
adventures one step further by Watch
enabling Apple Wallet. I was pleased
that this was pretty easy, and I’ve
even added my Tesco Clubcard and
Sainsbury’s Nectar loyalty card
(because I’m so loyal I need different
cards for different shops!). However,
while the Tesco tills will recognise my
Clubcard when I hold my Watch to the
reader, the Sainsbury’s machines will
have nothing to do with the Nectar iPhone or a Watch. By contrast, the of QR codes is better functionally
card. Do you know why this might be? Nectar app uses a barcode. The Nectar because the two-dimensional nature of
Robert Mason app will show this on an iPhone but not this system means the codes can be
on an Apple Watch, presumably because read on a smaller screen, such as an
This is down to the different the app designers have decided the screen Apple Watch. Until such time as Nectar
A ways the apps operate. The
Tesco Clubcard app uses a QR
is too small for the barcode to be clearly
deciphered.
changes its approach, the only solution
is to open the app on your iPhone – as
code, such as the one pictured far right, In both cases, this is a choice made by the barcode will be displayed on its
which can be displayed on either an the app developers. Clearly, Tesco’s choice larger screen.

68 16 – 29 August 2023 • Issue 664

 ?? WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN...
QR codes produced by different sites?
Is there a way of examining a 2
Q QR code’s contents? I notice
that QR codes I had created in
the Edge browser look different from
ones produced in LibreOffice, even for
the exact same website URLs. I wonder
why? This difference makes me
concerned that hackers will add
malware to codes.
Alan Thomas
You can use a
then be shown a table of the results 2 , 1 smartphone
Yes, you can decipher QR the content of which depends on the
A codes. Any modern
smartphone has this facility
content of the QR code.
The reason tools produce different
to read a QR
code and
display its
built in. Just point the camera at a code QR codes for the same website URL is web link
(1). ZXing
and you’ll get a summary of the its because the standard allows for 40 sizes Decoder
content. In some versions of Android, (resolutions), and four different error- Online
you need to tap the shutter button to correction levels. Two QR codes for the will also
capture the QR code. If it is a URL (they same content could be generated in 160 scrutinise
a code's
often are), tapping the displayed link different ways. content (2)
will open the destination in a web As long as all the ‘modules’ (pixels) are
browser (see screenshot 1 ). in the appropriate places for the code to
However, it sounds like you want to be recognised, the designer of a QR code
scrutinise QR codes on your PC. This is free to apply styles and colours to the
can be done with an online analyser, way it’s presented.
like the free ZXing Decoder Online at Finally, QR codes are ‘containers’ for
https://zxing.org. You can paste a link alphanumeric data, and can’t themselves
to a website that’s displaying a QR code, be malicious. However, they can contain Want to know the difference between
or click the ‘Choose file’ button to malicious URLs, so always think before technical terms? Email noproblem@
upload an image of the QR code. You’ll tapping. computeractive.co.uk

How do I wipe my old Amazon Echo Dot?

I treated myself to a new latest design. Setup was easy and Deregister (see screenshot).
Q Amazon Echo Dot because
I like the ball shape of the
so I packed away the old one.
Now I’m wondering how to erase
On the website, the process is
essentially the same, but you need to
any personal details it contains, so I click the Devices tab, followed by the
can pass it on. Could you advise? device name. There’s no need to click a
Sid Foster Settings cog.

Yes, deregistering your old

A
ON SALE
Echo Dot from your Amazon
account will have the effect Next Issue Weds
30 Aug
of factory resetting it – wiping all
memory of you. You can do it from • Is my password method
the Alexa app or the ‘Manage Your foolproof?
Content and Devices’ page at •H
 ow do I access old
www.amazon.co.uk/mycd. network-drive photos?
In the app, tap Devices, followed by •C
 an I switch off my Wi-Fi?
the relevant device name. Next, at the ...And many more
top right, tap the Settings cog.
Finally, scroll down to the ‘Registered Subscribe to Computeractive at
Click ‘Deregister’ to confirm that you want to To’ heading and tap Deregister, and www.getcomputeractive.co.uk
erase everything on an Amazon Echo Dot confirm by once again tapping

Issue 664 • 16 – 29 August 2023 69

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Problems Solved
Reader Support
Having a problem with our recommended software or expert tips?
Email [email protected] and we’ll do our best to help

Why can’t I launch or contains an incorrect value. To fix this,

DuckDuckGo? first search for regedit and open Registry
Reading Issue 662’s Cover Editor. Now navigate to HKEY_CLASSES_
Q Feature, I tried to download the
DuckDuckGo browser from the
ROOT\Directory\Background\shellex\
ContextMenuHandlers\New – or copy it
link you gave (www.snipca.com/46663). from www.snipca.com/47006 and paste
However, whenever I try to run it I see it into the address bar at the top ( 1 in
an error message saying “the app didn’t our screenshot below left).
start”. I still use Windows 10, so perhaps Now look in the pane on the right, and
this is too old. Do I need to upgrade to check what’s in the Data column 2 . It
Windows 11 to run the browser? should be {D969A300-E7FF-11d0-A93B-
David Edwards 00A0C90F2719}. If it’s different, right- Scroll down to the bottom of PowerToys’ Run
click Default and type it into the ‘Value Plugins folder to see Winget
DuckDuckGo’s new browser data’ box (or paste it from www.snipca.
A definitely works in Windows 10
and 11, so that’s not the problem.
com/47007) 3 . Now click OK, restart your
laptop, and hopefully the ‘New’ option
Can I view recommended
videos in SmartTube?
Instead, we think you might be missing would have returned. Many thanks for the recent
Microsoft’s App Installer tool, which
makes it easier to download certain Is there a problem
Q feature about blocking YouTube
ads using SmartTube (www.
programs. Install this for free from the unzipping Winget? snipca.com/46308). I followed the
Microsoft Store (www.snipca.com/46967). I enjoyed Robert Irvine’s instructions and it worked exactly as
Now restart your computer and attempt
to run DuckDuckGo once more.
Q column on using Winget to
install software using PowerToys
detailed – brilliant!
Just one question – YouTube seems to
(Issue 662, page 74). However, try as I know my preferences and recommends
Where’s ‘New’ in my might, I can’t get Winget to install. I’ve similar content whenever I open it,
right-click menu? directed it to be unzipped to the Plugins which is very useful. Is there any way
I’ve been trying to create the directory, but Windows says I’m not of configuring SmartTube to do the same
Q shortcut to boot into the BIOS,
as explained in Issue 662 (page
allowed to unzip it there. If I unzip it
elsewhere and try to copy and paste it, it
thing, please? I’ve had a look through
the settings, but couldn’t find anything
46). However, when I right-click my doesn’t appear in PowerToys. It feels like that might enable that.
desktop the context menu does not show I’m overlooking a simple solution. Mark Dawson
the ‘New’ option. This means I can’t then Martin Clift
click the ‘Shortcut’ option needed. Is To view personalised
there something missing from my We’re not entirely sure what’s A recommendations in SmartTube,
Windows 11 laptop?
Cyril Killen
A causing this problem, though as
you suggested there might be a
you’d need to sign into your
YouTube account. This would also
quick fix. The Plugins folder is listed mean losing the privacy benefits offered
The ‘New’ option can disappear alphabetically, so it’s possible that you by SmartTube as Google will be able
A from right-click menus when haven’t scrolled right down to the
your registry has been corrupted bottom, which is where you’ll find
to track your viewing habits.
SmartTube’s developer confirms this
Winget – below Window in the FAQ section of its GitHub page:
2 Walker in our screenshot “Recommended videos are defined by
above right. Alternatively, YouTube and not by the app, we cannot
try dragging and dropping change the algorithm. If you are logged
3 the Winget folder from the in, they are based on your watch history,
extracted ZIP file to the user profile data and whatever else
1 Plugins folder, rather than Google might use.”
copying and pasting it. If However, he also suggests that a future
Try this registry tweak to add the ‘New’ option to your right- neither of these work, let us SmartTube update may find a workaround
click menu know and we’ll reinvestigate. for this problem.

Issue 664 • 16 – 29 August 2023 71

 Jargon Buster
1080p Of the common types of Chatbot A computer program Dual-band router A Wi-Fi Hyperlink A clickable link that
high-definition video, this is the designed to simulate conversation router that operates on two takes you to a new document or
best quality: 1920x1080 pixels. with human users. bands: 2.4 and 5GHz. website.

32bit/64bit A measure of how Client A program that acts as an End-to-end encryption (E2EE) Hz Hertz. Measures the frequency
much data a PC can process at interface between PC and server. Ensures that messages that can something happens: 1Hz equals
once. Most older computers are be seen only by the sender and once a second.
32bit, more modern ones are Codec Short for Compressor/ recipient.
64bit. Decompressor. A file that tells a Incognito mode A browser mode
computer how to record or play a EXE A program file designed to that doesn’t save your internet
3G/4G/5G Technologies that type of media file. run in Windows. history, so other people using your
deliver faster mobile broadband. computer can’t see which sites
Colorimeter A tool for measuring EXIF Exchangable Image File you’ve visited.
4K Video with a resolution of at the colour accuracy of a monitor Format. A method for storing extra
least 3840x2160 pixels. by calibrating its brightness, information inside photo files. IP address Internet Protocol
contrast and colour. address. A unique set of numbers
AI Artificial Intelligence. Intelligence Expansion card A card that can be used to identify computers and
demonstrated by a machine rather Command line A way to control fitted inside a desktop PC to add websites on the internet.
than a human being. a computer by typing instructions extra functions or sockets.
one at a time. In Windows this is ISO file A type of image file that
Alphanumeric Data that uses called the Command Prompt. Factory reset Restoring a device to contains all data from a CD or DVD.
both letters and numbers, such as the manufacturer’s default settings.
‘1a2b3c’. Recommended in order Cookie A small text file stored on JPEG Joint Photograph Experts
to create secure passwords. your computer by a website. Used Far-field Audio technology that Group. A common type of image
to store browsing preferences, picks up sound further away from file created by most digital cameras.
AMOLED Active-Matrix Organic website log-in details and so on. the microphone, so you don’t have
Light-Emitting Diode. An to be sitting right next to it. Memory module A narrow
alternative technology to LCD for Cyanotype Photographic circuit board that holds memory
creating flat-panel displays. technique that involves laying FAT32 An old system used for chips.
an object on paper coated with formatting hard drives, and still
Aspect ratio A measurement of a solution of iron salts before used for some portable drives. MicroSD card A small type of
the shape of a display. Traditional exposing it to ultraviolet light. memory card. Can be converted to
computer screens are 4:3. Forked When developers take SD size using an adapter.
Widescreen displays are 16:9 or Dark mode Showing white text source code from software to
16:10. on a black background. make another related program. MKV Matroska. An open-source
type of video file. Matroska is a
AVI Audio Video Interleave. A DCI-P3 A colour space that has a GHz Gigahertz. A measure of container format so it can contain
type of video file. AVI is known as wider spectrum than sRGB. Used how many instructions a chip can many types of audio, video and
a container format, as it can hold by US film industry. process per second. 1GHz is equal even text for subtitles.
many types of audio and video. to 1,000MHz.
Deepfake A video that MP4 A type of digital movie file
Benchmarking Comparing superimposes a fake voice over GIF Graphics Interchange Format. often used for portable players.
software and products with an a clip of someone talking, a fake A type of image file often used
accepted standard. face on someone’s body, or makes on the web, but now largely NAS Network-attached storage.
a static photo move. superseded by PNG. A hard drive attached to a
Beta A version of software that’s network that can be shared with
being tested. Defragment To reorganise the Graphics card A component in a other PCs.
data stored on a hard drive so files computer that produces the image
BIOS Basic Input-Output System. are stored in one piece and can shown on the monitor. NTFS New Technology File
Software built into every PC that be accessed quickly. Sometimes System. A file system used by all
connects the vital components. It’s shortened to defrag. HDMI High-definition media recent versions of Windows.
visible for a few seconds when the interface. A type of connection that
PC starts. DISM Deployment Image Servicing transmits high-definition video and OLED Organic light-emitting
and Management. A command- audio signals. diode. A thin-film organic light-
Bootable Describes a device or line tool that can perform tasks on emitting diode used in computer
disc with system files on it so it can a Windows installation image. HDR10/10+ High-dynamic range displays and television screens.
be used to start up your computer. 10. Current industry standard for TVs.
Dolby Vision Dolby’s HDR Open source Software that can
Cache A temporary space for (High Dynamic Range) screen HLG A new high-definition TV be modified by anyone, rather
storing information. technology. format jointly developed by the BBC than just by the employees of the
and Japanese broadcaster NHK. company that created it.
CAPTCHA Distorted text you have Domain These are used to
to type to prove you’re a human. identify one or more IP addresses. HLS streaming Apple’s streaming Overclock Make a processor
technology for delivering live and work faster to boost performance
cd/m2 Candela per square metre. Driver A file that tells Windows how on-demand multimedia content at the cost of it getting hotter and
Standard unit of brightness. to work with an external device. over the internet. requiring more power.

72 16 – 29 August 2023 • Issue 664

Partition A large hard drive can be RAM Random-access memory. Spyware Software installed (usually Vector graphics Digital images
split into two or more partitions. The computer’s working area, surreptitiously) to monitor and report that can be resized without losing
used for data storage while the PC back on a computer’s use. quality.
Passkey A method for signing is switched on.
into accounts by fingerprint, facial sRGB A standard RGB colour VESA Video Electronics Standards
recognition or typing rather than a Refresh rate Measured in Hertz space for use on monitors, Association. A standard mount for
password. (Hz), the number of times per printers and the internet. attaching monitors on to stands,
second that the image on your walls and PCs.
Paywall A system used by monitor is redrawn. SSD Solid-state drive. Storage that
commercial websites that allows uses no moving parts. Virus definitions A database
access only to people who pay a Refurbished A second-hand of known viruses and other
one-off fee or a subscription. device that has been repaired by System restore point The malware used by an antivirus
its manufacturer so that it can be collection of system files stored program when scanning your
Phishing A form of internet resold and reused. by System Restore on a given date computer.
fraud that tries to trick you into and time to which Windows can
revealing personal details. Roaming charge Fee incurred for revert if a problem occurs. WebM Video file format supported
using your phone to receive data by major browsers and software.
Plug-in A small program that via overseas mobile networks. Two-factor authentication
adds extra features to software or A system that uses two different Whitelist A list of allowed websites,
to your web browser. SD card Secure Digital card. A means to identify the user. For email addresses and programs
popular type of memory card. example, a code sent to your used by security software to ensure
PNG Portable Network Graphics. phone in addition to a password. you only visit safe websites and
A format for images that shrinks SIM Subscriber Identity Module. download safe programs.
file sizes using compression but The smart card used by all digital USB 2.0/3.0/3.1 Faster successors
without discarding any data. mobile phones. to USB. Widget A small program that runs
on the Windows desktop.
QR code Quick Response code. Social tariff Discounted USB-C A new connector that’s
A barcode that can be read using broadband package available to reversible, letting you plug it in ZIP file A file that contains
smartphones. customers on benefits. upside down. compressed documents or files.
 Easy when you
Know How
With rising costs making him question his need for a
Spotify subscription, Robert Irvine tries to…

Copy old audio CDs to his phone

A
bout a year ago in this column Robert used the revamped
Windows Media Player to rip
(Issue 638 to be precise), I
tracks from his old CDs
complained that my landlord
had increased my rent by a ridiculous
amount, forcing me to cancel my
subscriptions to various streaming
services. He recently did it again, which
means I’m now paying 27 per cent more
than before the cost-of-living crisis
began.

If ripping old audio

CDs saves me money become very annoying, cluttering its
app with autoplaying videos, relentless
transfer’. This did the trick and my
phone was now shown under ‘Devices
then it’s groovy recommendations and stupid virtual and drives’ in File Explorer.
DJ features. I opened the Music folder where WMP
enough for me Although my PC doesn’t have a CD/ had created subfolders for the ripped
DVD drive, I’d fortuitously bought a songs, and dragged and dropped its
cheap external one for a feature last contents to the SD card drive on my
year (it was this drive, in case you’re phone. Usefully, this already had a
interested: www.snipca.com/42356). folder labelled Music, which seemed the
I’d also just installed the revamped logical place to copy the tracks.
I’m sure I’m not the only person in Windows Media Player (WMP, www. Once the transfer was complete, I
this financially precarious situation, but I snipca.com/46814), which offers audio- opened the brilliant ‘Files by Google’
am the only one living in a draughty flat ripping capabilities. I inserted a CD in app (www.snipca.com/46978) and
below a lead-footed neighbour who has a the drive, opened WMP and clicked selected my SD card. I then tapped
singing voice like a strangled parrot. ‘Rip CD’ (see screenshot above) to copy Audio and was pleased to see all the
So that’s it for me and overpriced all the tracks to my computer. This slow songs from my CDs listed there.
London, I’m outta here, and it’s also the but simple process made me feel It then occurred to me that I didn’t
end of the line for me and Spotify. Rather pleasantly nostalgic, as if I were back in have an audio-player app installed on
than pay its new price of £11 a month for the Noughties when a pint of milk cost my phone, having relied solely on Spotify
a Premium subscription, or suffer the ads 35p instead of a quid. for the last few years. I tapped a track
and restrictions of a free plan, I Once I’d ripped a few CDs anyway, to see (and hear) what would
thought I’d rip songs from my to my PC, I needed to figure happen, and amazingly it started playing
old audio CDs to listen to on my out a way to transfer the directly in ‘Files by Google’. It turns out
phone. Not only would this save files to my Android phone. the app has its own media player,
me money, but it would allow The easiest option was to complete with fast forward, rewind and
me to bin the discs – or donate connect the handset to my playback-speed controls, and even the
them to a charity shop – and computer with a USB-C option to set a song as your ringtone
have less junk to transport to cable. At first, it wasn’t (see screenshot left).
my affordable new home (once detected as a drive, so I Ripping old CDs and storing audio files
I find one). Besides, Spotify has swiped down from the top on a phone may sound old fashioned in
of the screen, tapped the streaming era, but if it saves me £132
‘Charging this device via a year then it’s groovy enough for me.
‘Files by Google’ has its own music
player and lets you set songs as USB’ and changed the ‘USB Need help ripping songs from your CDs? Let
your ringtone preferences’ setting to ‘File us know: [email protected]

74 16 – 29 August 2023 • Issue 664 Next issue: Robert tries to fake his browsing history
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