Computeractive - April 2023

Lick your photos into shape – p38 Learn something new in every issue ENERGY ON YOUR PC USE LESS BEST BARGAIN From just £139! Page 24 CHROME SETTING PC MONITORS It saves RAM – but at what cost? Page 21 TURN OFF THIS New settings to SAVE POWER & CUT BILLS ISSUE 656 ❘ 26 APR – 9 MAY 2023 STOP USING WINDOWS TOOLS 16 built-in features you must replace with FREE SOFTWARE p50 PLUS AI TOOLS YOU’LL LOVE Remove more junk Faster search Organise files better Smarter email Hack the Start menu Open all formats Create free images and enhance photos p62 Make muffled dialogue clearer p60 p35 BOOST YOUR TV SOUND

3 WELCOME We use snipcas to turn long URLs that are hard to type into ones that are short and simple. They aren’t websites themselves, which means they won’t be recognised if you type them into Google. Instead, you need to type them into your browser address bar, then press Enter. Doing this will take you to the correct website. HOW TO USE SNIPCA URLs THIS ISSUE IN NUMBERS From the Editor Computeractive Printed in the UK Future plc is a public company quoted on the London Stock Exchange (symbol: FUTR) www.futureplc.com Tel +44 (0)1225 442 244 Chief Executive Officer Jon Steinberg Non-Executive Chairman Richard Huntingford Chief Financial and Strategy Officer Penny Ladkin-Brand EDITORIAL Group Editor in Chief Graham Barlow Group Editor Daniel Booth Deputy Editor Robert Irvine Production Editor Graham Brown Art Editor Katie Peat Contributors Keumars Afifi-Sabet, Dinah Greek, Jonathan Parkyn, Chris Paton, Nik Rawlinson, Andy Shaw ADVERTISING Advertising Manager Alexandra Thomas MARKETING AND CIRCULATION Subscriptions Juber Ahmed For subscription enquiries ring 0330 333 9493 PRODUCTION Head of Production Stephen Catherall Senior Production Manager Lawrence Brookes INTERNATIONAL LICENSING AND SYNDICATION Computeractive is available for licensing and syndication. To find out more contact us at [email protected] or view our available content at www.futurecontenthub.com. Head of Print Licensing Rachel Shaw ONWARD RESALE This publication may not be resold or otherwise distributed, whether at, below or above face value. Nor can this publication be advertised for sale, transfer or distribution. PERMISSIONS Material may not be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the publisher. Please address such requests to [email protected]. LIABILITY While every care was taken preparing this magazine, the publishers cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of the information or any consequence arising from it. All judgments are based on equipment available to Computeractive at the time of review. Computeractive takes no responsibility for the content of external websites whose addresses are published in the magazine. © Copyright Future PLC 2022. All rights reserved Images from Alamy and Getty Images Computeractive is a registered trademark. Neither the whole of this publication nor any part of it may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without the written permission of the publishers SUBSCRIPTION DELAYS We rely on various delivery companies to get your magazine to you - many of whom continue to be affected by Covid. We kindly ask you allow up to 7 days before contacting us about late delivery: [email protected]. Distributed by Marketforce Average sales, Jan-Dec 2022 59,617 copies per issue. 20 New Windows limit on what you can have open in Alt+Tab - p49 £249 Price of the five-star Sonos Era 100 smart speaker - p29 I must have dug into the Windows registry thousands of times during my years writing about computing, but its ‘tree’ structure still feels like a hellish alien landscape. Familiarity has also bred contempt with unwelcoming tools like Device Manager, File Explorer and Task Manager. So I’m grateful to Robert Irvine for suggesting free software to use instead. He recommends 16 programs in his superb Cover Feature. I’ve used many before, but always seem to forget to reinstall them when moving to a new computer or upgrading to a fresh version of Windows. One I hadn’t previously tried is the brilliant O&O RegEditor. It transforms the Windows registry from the database equivalent of Venus (475°C, acid rain) to something much more hospitable. Another I’ve started using is Microsoft’s PC Manager. It’s still in beta, but I’m beginning to think it might be the best junk-removing program I’ve ever used. Daniel Booth [email protected] •PS We’re now selling Computeractive binders (pictured above) – see www. snipca.com/45519 p50 p21 p60 p35 p62 p24 80 million Number of personal details stolen by Genesis Market scammers - p10 NEW! Issue 656 • 26 April – 9 May 2023

Contents 4 Reviews pxx 26 April – 9 May 2023 • Issue 656 26 April – 9 May 2023 • Issue 656 22 Lenovo IdeaCentre AIO 5i All-in-one PC carries all behind it 23 MSI Katana 15 Gaming laptop fails to reach next level 24 Best monitors for under £300 We compare and contrast five of the best budget PC monitors 26 Asus RT-AX59U Wi-Fi 6 router goes the distance 28 Trust Trezo Wireless Comfort Keyboard & Mouse Set Budget peripherals put you in control Sabrent Rocket V30 A2 MicroSDXC Memory Card 1TB microSD card carries heavy load 29 Sonos Era 100 Smart speaker sounds like fun 30 Buy It/Competition Win a Nacon gaming phone controller 6 News Amazon shares scam tips as it removes 20,000 sites 10 Question of the Fortnight Was your password sold on Genesis Market? 11 Protect Your Tech Scammers asking for WhatsApp code 12 Letters Crackdown on ‘sneaky’ sales tactics will lead to ‘spiteful complaints’ 14 Consumeractive Do I have to repair broken fuses myself? 16 Grow Your Family Tree Search Royal Air Force lists online 18 Best Free Software PDFgear 1.0.14 21 Named & Shamed Chrome’s ‘Memory saver’ default disaster Unfair exchange p10 Sonos Era 100 Lenovo IdeaCentre AIO 5i p22 p10 p29

5 Workshops & Tips Windows’ power tools Issue 656 • 26 April – 9 May 2023 Subscribe now! See page 58 for our special subs offer 49 What’s All the Fuss About? Alt+Tab 50 COVER FEATURE Stop using Windows tools The 16 free programs that do a better job than Microsoft’s built-in tools 60 Boost your TV’s sound Struggling to hear your TV? We reveal the settings you need to change and the kit that can make everything loud and clear 62 AI tools you must use How artificial intelligence can help you search faster, create images, improve your writing and clean up your photos 64 Problems Solved Will my new hardware break my Windows licence? 71 Reader Support Does SSD Fresh contain malware? 72 Jargon Buster 74 Easy When You Know How Robert Irvine prints texts from his phone 35 How to… Cut power consumption using Windows settings 38 Enhance your pictures with Icecream Photo Editor’s new tools 40 Readers’ Tips Add spam filters to Thunderbird 42 Browser Tips Switch to Chrome’s new design today 44 Phone and Tablet Tips Travel back in time with Google Maps 46 Make Windows Better Set File Explorer to open in Downloads folder 47 Make Office Better Make Word show fractions as you type 48 In the Club Present a free webinar to members p62 Take the AI road COVER FEATURE P50 p35 STOP USING WINDOWS TOOLS 16 built-in features you must replace with FREE SOFTWARE FREE GIFT!

News The top stories in the world of technology 6 26 April – 9 May 2023 • Issue 656 WHAT WE THINK but not this… Russian hackers have been linked to attacks on Nato (www.snipca.com/45707) You’ll like this… Wordle’s owners have launched a Countdown-style maths game (www.snipca.com/45699) Kodi closes forum after member details stolen Kodi has closed its user forum after revealing that the details of 401,000 people were stolen. It said that on 16 and 21 February hackers accessed users’ details through the account of a “trusted but currently inactive” member of the forum’s admin team (see www.snipca. com/45705). Once they gained access, the hackers downloaded backups of Kodi’s forum database multiple times. They then offered it for sale on the dark web. The stolen information includes all posts left on the forum and private messages sent between members, as well as usernames, email addresses and passwords. Kodi said that all users must assume that their forum passwords and private messages have been “compromised”. It added that the forum server was hosted in the UK, so it has notified the Information Commissioner’s Office of the breach, and also reported it to UK police. It’s planning to perform a “global password reset” and bring forward the launch of a new forum. Kodi has also Amazon shares scam tips as it removes 20,000 sites websites last year. The company also identified 10,000 fake phone numbers that were being used to scam people, and referred hundreds of suspected criminals to police forces around the world. It reported the figures in a newsletter to customers warning them about a rise in scams that impersonate the company. In one ongoing scam, fraudsters phone victims to tell them their Amazon Prime subscription is increasing in price or about to end. If you ask to cancel your subscription, you’re transferred to another scammer who attempts to persuade you to install software on your computer that allows them to access your machine. Amazon’s newsletter gave several tips on spotting scams, purchases, you should check the Your Orders page in your Amazon account. To do this, hover your mouse over ‘Account & Lists’ at the top right, then click Your Orders (see screenshot). On the next page you can see purchases you’ve made in the past five years, plus any orders you’ve made that haven’t arrived yet. Visit www.snipca. com/45709 for more details on identifying the authenticity of emails, texts and phone calls from Amazon. Amazon has shared tips on how to avoid online scams after revealing that it helped to take down more than 20,000 phishing emphasising the tricks fraudsters will attempt. One tactic is to persuade you to install apps or software in order to get help or a refund from customer support. Amazon says it will never ask you to do this. A second ploy is urging you to pay for services or products over the phone. Again, this is something Amazon doesn’t do. The only way it takes payments is through its website. If you’re ever unsure about your subscription or We commend Amazon for helping to take down so many dodgy websites, but the depressing truth is that they’ve probably all been replaced by new scams. Criminals love phishing because the attacks are so easy to set up, and the rewards so huge. But they can’t target you if they don’t know your phone number or email address, so it’s more important than ever to keep these private. We’ll reveal many new ways to stay anonymous online in our next issue – out on Wednesday 10 May. added the leaked email addresses to ‘Have I Been Pwned?’ (https:// haveibeenpwned.com). Search for your address on the site to see if it was stolen. The attack didn’t affect Kodi’s software, which remains safe to use. The latest version (20) adds advanced features to make subtitles easier to use – see Workshop in Issue 651, page 38.

7 IN BRIEF TOMORROW’S WORLD Using a mouse might come easily to you, but it’s incredibly hard for a robotic hand. However, scientists at Cambridge University have designed one that can grip not just mice but also more delicate objects such as chopsticks, plastic balls and fruit (pictured). Watch it at www.snipca.com/45691. US mulling stronger action against Russian firm Kaspersky Cyber Security Centre said more organisations should reconsider the risk of using Russian technology such as Kaspersky, though it remains safe for most individual users (www.snipca.com/45692). Kaspersky has always denied that it poses a risk to users and that it’s influenced by the Russian government. It didn’t respond to a request for a comment on the latest report. The US Government is planning to take “enforcement action” against Russian antivirus company Kaspersky, according to sources speaking to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ). It comes a year after the Federal Communications Commission declared Kaspersky a “national security risk” to the US following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In 2017 the US banned Kaspersky’s security products across the federal government over concerns that it could aid Russian spying, with or without the company’s knowledge and cooperation. Sources told the WSJ that action against Kaspersky could be used as a model for regulators to follow against Chinesecontrolled companies like video-sharing app TikTok. In March the US passed laws that would allow the White House to ban foreignbased technologies if it’s thought they pose a national security risk. It’s not known what kind of enforcement action is being considered, but authorities could ban Kaspersky software being used in any systems that are part of the country’s infrastructure. Last year the UK’s National Pressing the Print Screen (PrtSc/PrtScn) key in Windows 11 may soon open the Snipping Tool instead of automatically taking a screenshot. Microsoft has made the change in a preview build of the operating system, available to users signed up to the Windows Insiders Program (www.snipca.com/45695). Ever since it was added to keyboards in the early 1980s, the Print Screen key has copied a screenshot to your clipboard that you can paste into another program such as an image-editing tool. You can also set it to automatically send screenshots to a folder on OneDrive (see Microsoft’s instructions at www.snipca. com/45694). But the change means that by default the Snipping Tool will open when you press Print Screen, letting you edit the screenshot before the tool earlier this year (see Issue 653, page 6). However, in March it was forced to update Snipping Tool to fix a flaw that allowed other people to see parts of a screenshot you had cropped out. Microsoft is likely to assess user feedback before bringing the change to the full version of Windows 11. •See page 51 for our recommended alternative to Snipping Tool and 15 other built-in Windows tools. saving it. Microsoft confirmed this in its notes on the preview build (www.snipca.com/45693), saying that the option can be turned off by clicking Settings, followed by Accessibility, then Keyboard. It’s part of an effort to encourage more people to use Windows 11’s Snipping Tool, which replaces both the old version on previous systems and the ‘Snip & Sketch’ app. Microsoft added a screen-recording option to Print Screen key no longer takes automatic screenshot UPDATE BITWARDEN EXTENSION NOW Password manager Bitwarden has updated its browser extension to fix a five-year-old security flaw that allows people to steal your details. To download the latest version (2023.3.0), visit www. bitwarden.com/download and click the link for the browser you use. Check on the extension’s page that the version is 2023.3.0 or more recent. SEE WHAT’S TRENDING ON GOOGLE SEARCH Google has updated its Trends page so you can see more easily which searches are currently popular. Visit https://trends.google. com and you’ll see the UK’s ‘trending’ search terms appear in the box – it was ‘Grand National runners’ when we visited on 13 April, two days before the race (see screenshot below). Issue 656 • 26 April – 9 May 2023

News 8 IN BRIEF THE WORLD’S GONE MAD! If you can easily interpret this emotion*, you’re more likely to be a man than a woman. So say psychologists at the Milano-Bicocca University in Italy, whose research suggested that men are better at reading an emoji’s feelings than those displayed by real people. Apparently, men respond more strongly to fixed and unambiguous expressions. WATCH ALL BBC LOCAL TV IN HD ON SKY You can now access all the BBC’s 19 regional channels in high-definition (HD) on Sky Stream and Sky Glass. It means you can watch local news from any area no matter where you live. The channels are available between 951 and 969 on your remote control. They’re also available on Freesat and Sky Q. GET DOUBLE PAYG PHONE DATA FROM O2 O2 is doubling the data in all its ‘pay as you go’ (PAYG) ‘Big Bundle’ tariffs (£10-£30), and some ‘Rolling Plan’ (£10-£20) plans. For example, the £10 Big Bundle will give you 20GB, double the normal amount. All PAYG plans include unlimited calls and texts. The offer is available for both new and existing customers who sign up by 28 June. Whole of UK to get even faster 5G by 2030, Government says scheme that lets 35,000 of the UK’s most remote properties apply for funding that connects them to satellite broadband. It claims this will deliver speeds “up to ten times faster than what is currently available to them”. Trials with satellite broadband provider OneWeb are due to take place on the Shetland Islands, and on Lundy Island in the Bristol Channel, off the north Devon coast. All “populated areas” of the UK will be able to get standalone 5G by 2030, the Government has said. The ambition is part of the new Wireless Infrastructure Strategy (WIS), which aims to “blanket the country with the fastest, most reliable wireless coverage available”. Around 77 per cent of homes can already get basic 5G, with the figure expected to rise to 99 per cent by 2030. But current 5G services are hampered by their reliance on existing 4G hardware and systems. Ministers want to roll out faster standalone 5G – also called 5G+ – which uses end-to-end 5G technology to provide ultra-low latency and improved upload speeds. The Government is supporting the scheme with a £40m innovation fund to promote investment and adoption of 5G by businesses and public services. A press release said that this faster generation of 5G will “unlock new technologies that will change our lives and the way businesses operate”. It added: “From driverless vehicles, robots and drones on the factory floor to making our cities smarter, cleaner, and less congested; innovation is set to be supercharged.” Another £100m will be set aside “to shape and drive early-stage research into 6G”, which ministers say will help protect the UK’s security interests. The Government is also spending £8m to set up a All UK radio coming to Amazon and Google smart speakers Amazon and Google will have to make sure all UK radio stations are available on their smart speakers under new laws going through Parliament. It means you’ll be able to listen to all local and community stations on Amazon Echo and Google Home devices, as well as existing BBC and major commercial stations. The Government’s media bill is part of its aim to modernise broadcasting laws. It will also prevent Amazon and Google from charging radio stations to appear on their devices, and from playing their own adverts during programmes. Figures show that around a quarter of live radio audiences tune in online. More than half of online listeners access stations through their smart speakers, and it’s a trend that’s expected to accelerate. Commercial radio stations have called for new rules to ensure tech firms couldn’t block them and undermine their advertising business model. Matt Payton, head of commercial radio body RadioCentre, said the law “introduces safeguards for the future that will guarantee consumer choice and support the public value provided by UK radio services”. The bill will also regulate TV-streaming services for the first time, giving Ofcom the power to oversee content from the likes of Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon Prime. Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer claimed the measures would “level the playing field” by forcing streaming companies to “meet the same high standards we expect from public service broadcasters”. 26 April – 9 May 2023 • Issue 656 *Confused

9 IN BRIEF NEW BIG-SCREEN KOBO E-READER IS FASTER Kobo has released a new version of its big-screen Elipsa ebook reader to take on the Kindle Scribe. The Elipsa 2E (pictured) has a 10.3in screen like its 2021 predecessor, but Kobo has increased the resolution from 227 to 300ppi. It also has a more powerful processor for faster page turning and zooming, while the stylus is now rechargeable. You can buy it for £350 from www. snipca.com/45623. TESCO MOBILE TO CHARGE FOR DATA IN EUROPE Tesco Mobile will start charging for using phone data in Europe from next year, though you’ll still be able to make calls and send texts at no extra cost. It only affects customers who joined or upgraded from 16 June 2022, and only those signed up to a contract. Pay-asyou-go customers already pay per data in the UK and abroad. GET ADVICE ON COPPER PHONE SWITCH-OFF The Comms Council UK (CCUK), which represents the VoIP phone industry, has published advice for consumers to help them better understand the phone switch-off in 2025. It says that currently there’s “insufficient publicly available information” on the subject, and called for an awareness campaign. To read the document, visit www.snipca.com/45631 and click the link in the Customers section. Amazon is closing the Book Depository website after nearly two decades in business. An announcement on the site (www.bookdepository. com, pictured) confirmed that it would stop taking orders at midday on 26 April. It will continue to deliver purchases and provide support until 23 June. The site was founded in 2004 in Gloucester by former Amazon employee Andrew Crawford and his business partner Stuart Felton. Amazon bought the company in 2011. It had offices in London, Gloucester, Madrid, Cape Town and Chennai. Book Depository claimed it Amazon closes Book Depository website Ofcom delays its switching-broadband plan Ofcom has delayed a system that will make it easier to switch broadband because companies aren’t ready to implement it. In 2021, the regulator announced plans to introduce a ‘One Touch Switch’ scheme that would make the provider you’re switching to handle all aspects of the move. down” (www.snipca. com/45628). It added: “We take compliance with our rules very seriously, and have launched enforcement action to make sure companies get this up and running as quickly as possible.” Ofcom will now launch an “industry-wide enforcement programme” to push through the new rules, though didn’t say how long this would take. This already happens when moving between providers who are on the Openreach network, such as BT, Sky, TalkTalk and Zen. But Ofcom wants to make it easier to switch providers that are on different networks, such as from BT to Virgin Media – or vice versa. The rules mean providers must compensate you if you’re left without a service for more than one day after the switching deadline. Your current provider must also tell you whether you have to pay any early-termination fees. Ofcom said that companies have had “plenty of warning, plenty of time and plenty of support” to make the changes by the deadline, which was 3 April. It said that the delay is “extremely disappointing and frustrating, and providers have let their customers MORE COMPENSATION FOR BROADBAND The compensation internet providers have to pay you for loss of service and missed appointments has risen in line with inflation, Ofcom has confirmed. You’ll now get £9.33 a day for delayed repairs, £5.83 a day for a delay to the start of a new service, and £29.15 for a missed appointment. Issue 656 • 26 April – 9 May 2023 AUDIOBOOKS GET ADVERTS Audible is playing adverts in some audiobooks and podcasts as part of “limited testing” for non-subscribers. The Amazonowned company said a total of eight ads will appear within a 24-hour period. It added that it’s taken measures “to make sure that ads won’t be heard too frequently within a short time span”. However, it didn’t say whether it was definitely planning to launch a cheaper subscription package that contains adverts. Read more at www.snipca.com/45641. offered more than 20 million books with free delivery worldwide. Its vision was to provide “all books to all” by improving range, access and affordability of books. The closure is part of Amazon’s plans to cut 27,000 jobs worldwide in the largest redundancy programme in its history. Read the site’s FAQs for more information on the closure: www.snipca.com/45636

Question of the Fortnight Question of the Fortnight 10 THE FACTS 26 April – 9 May 2023 • Issue 656 Search the database of one of the world’s biggest criminal sites Was your password sold by hackers on Genesis Market? I f you want to get a sense of why scams are so rampant online, look no further than Genesis Market. Before international police action knocked the site offline last month, it was a thriving marketplace where thousands of criminals could buy and sell the online identities of two million people. Up to 80 million passwords and email addresses were available for as little as 56p a batch. In fact, buying stolen details from the site was so easy it was dubbed the ‘Amazon for crime’. Criminals didn’t need to visit a shadowy forum on the dark web. They simply searched for the site, created an account, then paid for a ‘self-starting’ kit to commit scams. These kits contained customers’ online fingerprints, which is data unique to a computer. Scammers used these to log into Facebook, Amazon, PayPal and Netflix accounts, as well as online banks. They also installed software on to victims’ computers to check when they changed their passwords. They even managed to evade detection on social media and shopping sites by mimicking the victims’ browsers. In effect this meant criminals could impersonate victims in order to trick friends, family and other contacts. Will Lyne, head of cyber intelligence at the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA), said Genesis Market served as an “enormous enabler of fraud” because it allowed criminals to make a first contact with victims. This business model proved incredibly lucrative. Rob Jones, director-general of the National Economic Crime Centre, said: “If you look at 80 million credentials and two million victims worldwide and do the maths, there are millions of pounds available to the criminals who are involved in this.” But any criminal trying to log on would now see the message ‘This website has been seized’, flanked by the logos for the US Department of Justice and the FBI (see screenshot above). The logos at the bottom of the image reflect the scale of the international action – called Operation Cookie Monster – that took down the site. Police from 17 countries were involved, including Australia, Canada, Germany, Netherlands and Sweden. As part of the operation, officers from the NCA carried out 31 dawn raids in the UK, arresting 24 users of the site under the Computer Misuse Act and for fraud offences (watch one such raid at www. snipca.com/45712). Police estimate that tens of thousands of victims are based in the UK. Globally, police searched over 200 properties and arrested 120 people. Once the raids were over, Dutch police launched a site where you can check whether your details were traded on Genesis Market. To do this, visit www.snipca.com/45710 then click the blue ‘Check your hack’ button. Now type your email address in the box ( 1 in our screenshot below) and click the blue Check button 2 . You’ll then see a message 3 telling you that you’ll receive an email notification only if your address is found in the database. If you don’t receive an email, your details weren’t for sale. You should also visit www. snipca.com/45713 and sign up for Have I Been Pwned?’s ‘Notify me’ service. It will send you an email if your account was listed on Genesis Market, or appears in any future security breach. Hopefully, you won’t get a notification, but that’s no excuse for complacency. The ringleaders behind Genesis Market remain at large. You can bet they’re already looking for another masterplan to scam millions worldwide. Type your email address here and you’ll be notified if your password has been stolen 2 3 1 • Police forces from 17 countries have taken down the Genesis Market website where criminals traded 80 million passwords and logins • Scammers could buy a person’s details for just 56p and evade online security to log into bank accounts • Authorities believe there are tens of thousands of victims in the UK

Protect your tech WATCH OUT FOR... New tools ScamWatch Readers warn readers 11 Warn your fellow readers about scams at [email protected] Scams and threats to avoid, plus new security tools Issue 656 • 26 April – 9 May 2023 Browser extension uBlock Origin has been popular with readers ever since we explained how it can block all those endless ‘accept cookies’ messages online (see Issue 609, page 38). Eagle-eyed users may have noticed its icon turning yellow in recent weeks (see screenshot 1 ). It does this when your browser opens, indicating that it’s loading its lists of filters – which is what it uses to block adverts, trackers and alerts. Exclamation marks in the icon mean it’s not blocking everything it can because of how your browser is behaving. Only when the icon has turned maroon is it working properly. It will then show how many elements it has blocked (see screenshot 2 ). UBlock Origin says it made these changes – part of version 1.48 – to show that Chrome is to blame for any adverts that sneak through. To install on Chromium browsers visit https://ublockorigin.com; for Firefox visit www.snipca.com/45582. To see what all the new coloured icons look like visit www.snipca.com/45583. uBlock Origin Scammers asking for WhatsApp code What’s the threat? Criminals are posing as friends on WhatsApp and tricking you into revealing a code that they can use to lock you out of your account. The scam starts when the fraudster gains access to another WhatsApp account that has you listed as a contact. They then send you a message that appears to be from your contact. This can be any kind of message – sometimes a simple ‘How are you?’. While chatting to you, the scammer has tried to register a WhatsApp account with your phone number. This will trigger WhatsApp to send you a text message containing a six-digit code to confirm your identity. The scammer will now try to convince you that they sent the code, and they need it to sign into their account. They’ll ask you to text the code to them. If you do so, they’ll sign into your account and lock you out. They’ll then use the same How can you stay safe? Never share any codes that WhatsApp sends you, whether by texting them or speaking them over the phone. To block a sender, press and hold a text bubble from the conversation, then tap Report followed by ‘Report and Block’ (see screenshot 2 ). For another layer of security switch on WhatsApp’s two-factor authentication – to do so follow the instructions at www. snipca.com/45584. tactic to trick more people in your contacts list. This scam has been around for a while, but Action Fraud has recently seen a rise in reports from people being targeted. ‘O2’ called from Swindon I get hardly any scam phone calls these days, so I absent-mindedly answered a call from 01793 540812. The caller told me he was “Peter from O2” and asked how I was today. I’ve never been with O2, so realised it was a scam and hung up. I then typed the number into Who-Calls.Me.UK, and saw that it came from Swindon. More than 4,600 people have searched for the number since calls began on 17 March – see the info at www.snipca.com/45579. Some people say that the caller claims to be from Carphone Warehouse and also from EE. Paul Goram 1 2 1 2

Letters 12 Tell us what’s on your mind ? What’s the Issue…? I think my phone’s been hacked. Didn’t you explain recently how to check? Tony Skinner CA SAYS Yes, in Issue 637, page 60. When did you review the best apps for detecting Wi-Fi dead spots? Phil Webb CA SAYS In Issue 635, page 56. Read this and the feature above on our 2022 Back Issue CD: www. snipca.com/44660. I’ve lost the issue where you explained how to colourise black-and-white photos. Which one was it? Sebastian McKean CA SAYS You’ll find that in Issue 651’s Cover Feature on restoring old photos and videos – buy it from www.snipca. com/45629. no doubt they’ll soon be after my business. People living on the outer edges of town can sign up to Wave Internet, which uses long-range microwave links to provide highspeed internet, primarily to rural areas. Then of course we have 4G and 5G home internet provided by various mobile-phone companies. And let’s not forget satellite broadband provided by Elon Musk’s Starlink. So by my estimate there’s around a dozen different technologies (not just companies) that are trying to provide me with high-speed broadband. I would describe myself as a fairly heavy internet user and yet I’m more than happy with 76Mbps. Is all this spending on building completely different networks and technologies really necessary? Michael Albin It’s all very well for Openreach to congratulate itself on making full-fibre broadband available to 10 million households (Issue 655, page 8), but the sceptical part of me wonders how long it will take for all those homes to actually sign up to faster speeds. I wouldn’t be surprised if in 10 years a quarter of homes are still shunning full-fibre because it remains too expensive. When I retired last year I downgraded from 300Mbps to 100Mbps, saving £15 a month. I’ve not noticed the difference one bit. Even when I’m streaming Netflix in the conservatory and my better half is watching Amazon Prime in the lounge, the connection is flawless. I can’t think of a single scenario where I’d need to return to 300Mbps, let alone upgrade to supersonic Gigabit. Simon Montague CA SAYS Reaching 10 million homes is a significant milestone, but Simon is right that persuading households to upgrade will prove tough. Recent figures from Ofcom show that while 12.4 million homes can now get a full-fibre connection (including services from Virgin and smaller companies), only a quarter have signed up to one. Three things need to happen to encourage more people to upgrade: prices will have to fall, new technologies will need to be introduced to make the most of faster speeds, and providers will have to improve their marketing efforts. Many customers remain unconvinced, though we expect a surge towards the end of 2025 ahead of the copper switch-off. Why I’ve stopped buying Chinese-made devices Just as in politics, there are some denials in business which you know mean the very I won’t ditch my Chromebook for ‘semiskimmed’ Windows I struggle to understand the logic of Microsoft building different operating systems for both basic and more powerful computers (‘Question of the Fortnight’, Issue 655, pictured right). If its strategy with a basic version of Windows is to take on Chromebooks, then I’m afraid it has already lost that battle. Chromebooks have millions of devoted fans who appreciate how Google has kept ChromeOS simple, fast and familiar. I use both my Chromebook and my Windows desktop PC every day. They compliment each other perfectly. The former is a great device for browsing the web. The latter is the best device ever built for running advanced programs like image and video editors. I’m not going to ditch my Chromebook in two years just because Microsoft has – in your words – released a “semi-skimmed” edition of Windows. Tom Norman CA SAYS We share some of Tom’s scepticism. Microsoft will find it extremely hard to persuade Chromebook users to ditch their device for a simpler version of Windows. In 2021, it abandoned the streamlined 10X operating system, choosing instead to incorporate its best features in Windows 11. It wouldn’t surprise us if it makes the same decision ahead of Windows 12’s release. Do we need so many high-speed services? I was a Virgin Media customer for years, but when it became too expensive I had a look around to see what else was available. I considered a company called 6G Internet, but in the end went with Plusnet. It was installed without problems, and I now get a rock-steady 76Mbps broadband speed. We’ve had more people locally working on BT’s telephone poles. I assumed that it was Openreach again, but no – it was a company called Brsk. They were installing their own gigabit network, so 26 April – 9 May 2023 • Issue 656

Email: [email protected] Facebook: www.facebook.com/computeractive Twitter: @ComputerActive www.twitter.com/computeractive Views expressed don’t necessarily reflect those of Computeractive 13 STAR LETTER Crackdown on ‘sneaky’ sales tactics will lead to ‘spiteful complaints’ I feel uneasy about the crackdown on so-called ‘sneaky’ tactics that encourage customers to make purchases on websites (Issue 655, page 7). I think it might easily lead to a surge in unjustified complaints by spiteful customers who end up hurting small businesses. Members of my family run a website selling highly specialised goods. I don’t want to go into details, but the items are legal, collectible and rare. When they advertise these goods, they use all the marketing methods that the Competitions and Marketing Authority (CMA) says it wants customers to report as being potentially misleading (pictured). For example, the site shows how many items have been sold in the past week. Many customers find this useful because they want to buy items that others also desire. As long as a website tells the truth, I don’t see how this could be considered as deceitful. The CMA also suggests that stating how many items are left can put unnecessary pressure on customers. But again, this can be useful information that, in my experience, some customers ask for. The items that my family’s website sells are impossible to mass-produce, so their loyal customers demand to know how many are left in order to make a reasoned and rational purchasing decision. Where the CMA might have some justification is in cracking down on ‘sale’ prices, where the more expensive price has been available for a short period of time, or to only a select group of customers. This is a common ruse to reduce a price and claim a large discount. But the other tactics count as useful customer information as much as marketing tactics. Regulators should therefore be wary of punishing small businesses that operate legally. Michael Goldsmith movement. I can see Microsoft being one of the biggest victims of this green crusade as new laws force tech companies to keep supporting systems for longer. Douglas Arnold Canon driver update rescued by old scanner In Issue 654’s Problems Solved (page 68), you suggest to David Phillip that he visit Canon’s driver website (www.snipca.com/45218) to update his Canon MP600 printer. I also visited the site for my old CanoScan LiDE 220 scanner and managed to update it. I hope that David also updated his printer through the site. Thank you for the tip. Lenny Webster know that would be unsafe, but they all perform specific offline tasks for me. I also had an XP laptop until January, but that finally joined the choir invisible. I think Terry would be impressed by how I’ve managed to keep these ancient machines running. It doesn’t take great technical expertise. It might dissuade him from the view that any computer older than 10 years has no right to exist. Chris Potts I think Terry Gilmore hasn’t realised that regulators around the world are increasingly clamping down on manufacturers’ waste. His claim that computers don’t need to last longer than 10 years goes against this environmental opposite. That’s how I interpreted the claims by Chinese phone makers OnePlus and Oppo that they had no intention of pulling their phones from the European market (Issue 655, page 7). It sounded desperate and made me think it would be just a matter of time before they’d perform a U-turn. I came to the conclusion about a year ago not to buy any more products made by Chinese firms. This wasn’t because I was scared of being spied on (I’m hardly important enough and have no plans to ever use TikTok), but that the threat of Western sanctions against China had increased to the point where relying on devices and updates from these companies would be too risky. My decision wasn’t based on dissatisfaction with the products themselves. I’ve had two OnePlus phones and one Huawei laptop, and liked them all. But when they come to the end of their natural lives I’ll probably switch to companies based outside China. Samsung springs to mind. Theo Saunders Third-party inks aren’t ‘gloop’ – I’ve used them for 20 years Ian Smith’s letter in Issue 655 makes it seem that printer users have to choose between manufacturers’ own-brand inks and compatible, poor-quality, printer-wrecking “gloop”. I’ve quite happily used compatible inks for over 20 years, printing letters, photos and the like without a hitch. The quality of these third-party inks has usually been very good. Out of the hundreds of cartridges I’ve used, I’ve only once had a problem – and that was minor. True, photos may not always be up to the quality delivered by manufacturers’ cartridges, but this has never led me to the point of buying any. I don’t have money to burn by buying own-branded ink that’s more expensive by volume than upmarket perfumes. Alan Thomas My computers have lasted more than 10 years In Issue 655 Terry Gilmore says that computers shouldn’t be expected to last more than 10 years, so I’d like to invite him to inspect my home setup. I still have one laptop running Windows 8.1, two running 7 and even two desktop PCs running XP. I don’t connect any to the internet because I Issue 656 • 26 April – 9 May 2023 The Star Letter writer wins a Computeractive mug!

Consumeractive We stand up for your legal rights LEAD CASE 14 CASE UPDATE CASE ONGOING CASE ONGOING IObit refunds reader after PayPal rejects case We’re pleased to say that IObit has refunded the £88.41 it took from reader John Wafford for automatically renewing its Advanced SystemCare software (see Issue 647). It’s a positive outcome, but it’s frustrating he had to contact IObit at all. John paid through PayPal, and it should have refunded John when he raised a claim. But it rejected his appeal and we don’t know why. To recap, John had spent £14.68 on his first year’s subscription to Advanced SystemCare, so was understandably shocked when faced with a bill of £88.41 for the second year. He told IObit within 14 days of the automatic renewal that he was cancelling, which under the Consumer Contract Regulations meant it had to refund him. He then made a claim through PayPal, sending it emails confirming he had cancelled. We contacted IObit and PayPal to investigate, but only got a response from the former, which acted quickly to issue a refund. Once this was sorted, we didn’t need a reply from PayPal, though we will ask again why it dismissed John’s case. If you’re unhappy with a PayPal ruling, you should fight it through the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). Although PayPal withdrew from the FOS voluntary jurisdiction scheme following Brexit, it remains tied by the Financial Conduct Authority’s Temporary Permissions Regime. This means PayPal remains subject to the Ombudsman’s compulsory jurisdiction for complaints about services in the UK on or after 1 January, 2021. Can Avira charge me after I’ve cancelled? Q In November 2021, I downloaded the free Avira Antivirus app, and 12 months later was told I’d be charged £29.99 unless I cancelled the renewal. I did this, but was still charged. Avira has just got back to me to say it’s too late for me to do anything. Is that right? Jim Farrar A No, it’s not. The Consumer Contract Regulations give customers 14 days to cancel a contract. Jim told Avira that he wanted to cancel as soon as he was told about the renewal, so he was well within the deadline. The only reason Avira could have for refusing this is if he has carried on using the software. Avira should know this, but we’ll remind it anyway. We receive many emails from readers frustrated that software companies make it so hard to cancel subscriptions. We hope that the more stringent guidelines and penalties under the Government’s forthcoming Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Bill will force companies to change their ways. One of the key points is that cancelling a subscription should be made as easy as signing up for one. Q I bought a 1400-watt grid tie inverter from an eBay seller, which came with a 12-month warranty. It’s made in China and all the three fuses have stopped working. The seller said I can have replacement parts but have to pay the postage. Do I have to repair it myself ? Roy Harrison A The only reason Roy would have to repair it himself is if the manufacturer’s warranty states this. But he doesn’t have to use the warranty to seek help. Under the Consumer Rights Act, retailers must refund, repair or replace products that are inherently faulty. However, because he’s had the device more than six months the onus is on him to show that the device is inherently faulty. If he paid for an inspection that proved this, the retailer would have to refund him the cost. It wouldn’t necessarily have to refund him for the device because it has the option to repair or replace first. Roy has left it too late for redress under Do I have to repair broken fuses myself? eBay’s Buyer Protection scheme, but if the seller refuses to help he may be able to get money back from his bank or credit-card company. Aside from this, we’re disappointed by the seller’s response. They should know that only a qualified electrician has the expertise to install fuses in a complex device such as a grid tie inverter. It converts direct current (DC) into an alternating current (AC) suitable for injecting into an electrical power grid. Roy doesn’t have the professional skills to carry out this work, and it’s wrong of the seller to assume he does. 26 April – 9 May 2023 • Issue 656

Email: [email protected] Please include your name, phone number and address. Contact us so we can investigate your case 15 Has a company impressed you with its customer service? Please let us know: [email protected] CASE ONGOING CREDIT WHERE IT’S DUE Contact IJT Direct • Phone 0800 083 4555 • Email [email protected]. CASE ONGOING Who’s responsible for a faulty promotional watch? In February I bought a refurbished Dell laptop from the Somerset-based company IJT Direct (www.ijtdirect. co.uk). However, I immediately had problems with the battery. It wouldn’t hold a proper charge, lasting just over one hour when playing games. When I phoned the helpline I felt like I was treated in a dismissive manner. I then wrote to the company, expressing my dissatisfaction with the laptop and the way I had been treated. I offered to make a contribution for a replacement battery. IJT replied quickly, stating that the battery did not meet their minimum-performance standard and it would be replaced. Two days later I received an original Dell battery. I was pleased with IJT Direct sent new battery for refurbished laptop it for a repair or sue Three under the Consumer Rights Act. Can you help? Tim Whitehouse A Samsung is complicating this issue by telling Tim he must approach Three for any redress under consumer law – which is what he must use now that the warranty is void. But the promotion Tim refers to was actually run by Samsung not Three, and therefore the watch is its responsibility. To explain, a contract is formed when you and a company agree to the terms and conditions of a promotion. This means Samsung remains liable under the Q I got a Samsung Galaxy Watch Active three years ago as part of a promotion when signing up to Three mobile. It’s now faulty after being submerged in a few centimetres of water in a hot tub while on holiday. I thought it would be able to survive this. Samsung says it’s out of warranty, so I have to pay Consumer Rights Act. The real problem here is that Tim has had the watch for more than six months, which means he’ll need to prove that it’s inherently faulty. He seems to have a good case because the watch is meant to withstand being submerged in up to 50 feet of water for 30 minutes. However, after three years of use Samsung might argue that fair wear and tear has damaged the seals that keep water out. Can Amazon seller refuse my returns? Q I bought what I expected to be a new WD hard drive from an Amazon reseller recently, but when it arrived I discovered it was actually made in October 2016. WD has since confirmed that the warranty has already expired. I immediately tried to return it, but Amazon refused to accept it. Are they allowed to do this? Martin Bottrill A It depends who the seller is. Only private sellers are allowed to refuse returns. These are usually people selling items they don’t want or no longer need. Even if the items are brand new and unopened, they’re still deemed to be second hand by law, and therefore the seller isn’t considered to be a professional trader. However, all companies selling on Amazon must abide by the Consumer Contract Regulations, which give you 14 days to reject an item for whatever reason – though you do normally have to pay for the return. There’s the worrying possibility that the seller is based outside of the UK, which will make it harder to get help. Martin said the listing on Amazon gave no indication of how old the drives were, which is never a good sign. It also means he can’t use the Consumer Rights Act for goods not as described. We’d always advise steering clear of listings that don’t state the product’s year of manufacture. Issue 656 • 26 April – 9 May 2023 this outcome despite my initial treatment. It shows that they have a customer-based ethos that can build trust, goodwill and repeat custom. Jeffery Judge

Family Tree Grow Your Your Genealogy Problems Solved 16 Have a genealogy question for Chris? Email [email protected] with ‘Grow Your Family Tree’ in the subject line. 26 April – 9 May 2023 • Issue 656 Next issue: Search for unusual surnames The 1901 Irish census entry for my great-grandfather James McComb lists him as an 80-year-old farmer, with his family and wife Rachel. They were all born in Co Armagh, Northern Ireland. I believe James spent some time in Scotland, but I can’t find where. How can I find this out? Robert Aubrey McComb Any records showing James’s presence in Scotland should be available on www. scotlandspeople.gov.uk. This includes two regular sets of records carried out nationally between 1841 and 1940, censuses (every 10 years from 1841-1921), and valuation rolls (every 10th year from 1855-1915, and every fifth year from 1920-1940). This document from 1942 shows Sir Arthur ‘Bomber’ Harris listed as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Search by name, then filter the results using various criteria, including publication date Pilot Officers in the Royal Air Force Voluntary Reserve. It also covers those in the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force, formed in 1939, plus Bomber Command and Fighter Command, the RAF in Northern Ireland, and overseas officers (Middle East, Malta, India and other locations). Explore Ancestry’s new records Ancestry has just released both sets of lists. To search, visit www.snipca.com/45564 then type an officer’s name ( 1 in our screenshot below), then decide how precise you want your match to be 2 . Below you can narrow your results by keyword, organisation, distinctions, military The Royal Air Force was formed on 1 April 1918 from airmen in the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Navy Air Service, instantly becoming the largest air force in the world. In February 1919, Her Majesty’s Stationery Office started publishing lists of people serving in the force. It could be bought at bookstores for one shilling and sixpence. These monthly lists ran until 1922, and included information on those serving in the Air Council, as well as Air Ministry staff and even as ‘Airship Officers’ and ‘Kite Balloon Officers’. Each volume shows when ranked officers were appointed, and those who had resigned, had relinquished their commissions, were made unemployed after leaving the service, or who had died. These early editions also list ‘Officers of Overseas Contingents serving with the Royal Air Force’, members of the Australian Flying Corps, and the original Women’s Royal Air Force (WRAF) disbanded in April 1920. The lists were revived between 1938 and 1945, starting off monthly, then every two months, and finally quarterly. RAF personnel are covered in detail, including wing commanders and squadron leaders, as well as RAF Pilot Officers and Acting branch and date. If you know the publication month and year of the list you’re looking for, select that on the right 3 . My search for Sir Arthur ‘Bomber’ Harris, who was in charge of Bomber Command between 1942 and 1946, produced 29 results. Selecting the first result took me to a document from July 1942 showing his rank as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief ( 1 in our screenshot above). You can zoom into documents using the slider on the right 2 , skip to other pages using the controls at the bottom 3 , and download them by clicking Save 4 . Search the National Library of Scotland If you don’t have an Ancestry account, you can browse the lists for free and without signing up at the Internet Archive’s National Library of Scotland (NLS): www.snipca.com/45563. The NLS also has equivalent lists for the British Army Lists and British Navy Lists collections. However, unlike Ancestry’s collection, you can’t search the NLS lists by date, making it much harder to find who you’re looking for. Still, it’s a decent free resource if you can spare the time and effort. Search Royal Air Force lists online If your ancestors helped the UK’s war efforts in the skies, follow Chris Paton’s advice to… 1 2 3 1 2 4 3

Best FreeSoftware Robert Irvine recommends new programs that won’t cost you a thing 18 PDF TOOL 1 The Hot Tools tab of the main PDFgear window gives you instant access to some of the program’s most useful options, including converting PDFs to and from Word format; merging, splitting and compressing files; and filling in forms. 2 Click the Edit Text button to edit the text in a document. Unlike other free PDF tools this option lets you delete text and rewrite it in the same font, as well as annotate and highlight it, so you can change anything you’re unhappy with. 3 Click the Extract Text button, select a section of text you want to extract from the PDF and click Done. A window will open that lets you copy the text to your clipboard or save it as a file. You can use OCR to extract text from images. 4 PDFgear’s new AI-powered chatbot summarises the content of the current PDF then suggests questions you may want to ask about the text. You can also submit your own questions, up to a maximum of 50 messages per document. There are plenty of ways to view and edit PDFs, including desktop software, online tools and options built into your browser, so you may question the need for another one. But PDFgear is the most impressive PDF program we’ve seen for a long time, not least because it’s completely free – with no features locked behind Upgrade buttons. This updated version adds an AI-powered chatbot, which may sound gimmicky, but is surprisingly useful. PDFgear’s simple tabbed interface makes it easy to open existing PDFs and convert them to formats including Word, Excel, RTF, JPEG and PNG – you can also convert files in those formats to PDF. Other options let you merge several PDFs into one file, split a PDF into separate pages and compress a PDF to reduce its file size. However, it’s when you open a PDF that you’ll see PDFgear isn’t your average free PDF editor. The main toolbar includes options to edit the text in PDFs and add your signature – features you have to pay for in software such as Adobe Acrobat. You can also extract the text from documents and images using OCR, and either copy it to your clipboard or save it as a text file in just two clicks – again, an option usually limited to ‘premium’ subscriptions. Standard PDF tools such as annotating and highlighting documents, rotating and cropping pages, and encrypting files with a password, are refreshingly easy to use, and you can share PDFs by email directly from the program. As for the AI chatbot, click the Chat Now button and it will summarise the current PDF, then let you ask questions about specific aspects of its content. The only thing we don’t like is that PDFgear sets itself as your default PDF viewer without asking first, though you can disable this in its settings. That said, after trying the software, you may wonder why you’d use anything else. www.snipca.com/45676 What you need: Windows 10 or 11 PDFgear 1.0.14 26 April – 9 May 2023 • Issue 656 2 1 3 4

Choose the right version of software SHOULD I PAY FOR…? If you need more space in Google Drive, or more image-editing options in Google Photos, a Google One plan could be the ideal solution. Those are just two of the benefits of a monthly subscription, and Google now includes a VPN – which was previously only available in the most expensive tier – in all its One plans. The cheapest option, Basic, costs just £1.59 a month – or £15.99 a year if you pay annually. It gives you 100GB of Google Drive storage, which you can share with up to five other people, and includes a handy ‘Clean up’ option (see screenshot) that frees up space by deleting junk. You can also back up photos, messages and other data from your phone or tablet (Android or iOS). Google Photos gains useful AI-powered tools including Magic Eraser, which removes unwanted people from pictures; Colour Pop, which ‘pops out’ the subject of your photos by making the background black and white; and Blur, which blurs the background. The Google One VPN, which you can use on your phone, tablet and PC, is very basic – there’s no choice of servers and it lacks configurable settings – but it lets you browse privately and securely, without slowing your connection. Like most Google products, you access Google One through your web browser or its mobile apps – there’s no desktop program, aside from the VPN. The more expensive plans increase the amount of Drive storage up to 2TB (for £20 a month or £200 a year) and give you discounts at the Google Store and several business-oriented features. OUR VERDICT: Pay for it We get so much from Google for free that paying a subscription may seem unnecessary, but the Basic plan is excellent value. The extra storage, photo-editing options, phone backup and simple yet effective VPN make it worth £1.59 a month. Google One www.snipca.com/45680 Price: £1.59 a month/£15.99 a year Free trial period: N/A What you need: Web browser, Google One app for Android or iOS 19 WEB BROWSER SYSTEM INFORMATION TOOL Mullvad Browser 12 www.snipca.com/45678 What you need: Windows 10 or 11, macOS or Linux Combining a VPN with Tor keeps you anonymous online, but it also slows your web browsing. To solve this problem, Tor has collaborated with the Swedish VPN company Mullvad to create this privacy-focused browser, which you can use with or without a VPN, depending on whether you want to hide your IP address. Like Tor Browser, Mullvad Browser is based on Firefox code, but it’s much faster and better suited to browsing standard websites, rather than those with onion addresses. It also lets you switch between Standard, Safe and Safer security levels (see screenshot) to get the right balance between functionality and anonymity. The browser blocks fingerprinting and uses private-browsing mode by default, so details of sites you visit aren’t stored. It includes the excellent content-blocking extension uBlock Origin and and lets you install further tools from the Mozilla Add-ons store. O&O DeskInfo 1.2 www.snipca.com/45671 What you need: Windows 10 or 11 This free tool displays useful information about your system in a panel on the right-hand side of your desktop (or on its background) so you don’t need to dig around for specifications. Details include your Windows version, the make of your processor and network adapter; your IP address; your current CPU and RAM usage; and how much space is available on your hard drives. Right-click the program’s system-tray icon to access further options, including changing the position and appearance of the info panel, and displaying warnings when unknown USB devices connect to your PC. The latest version adds the handy ability to see your Windows product key, in case you need it to reinstall or upgrade your operating system. Click the button to copy the key to your clipboard (see screenshot) so you can save and print it. Issue 656 • 26 April – 9 May 2023

Best FreeSoftware We advise you which software and apps to use What should I download? 20 26 April – 9 May 2023 • Issue 656 Email us your questions at [email protected] Q I may switch from a Microsoft 365 subscription to LibreOffice. However, I’ve got more than 150GB of data on my local server accessed via OneNote, synced across more than 13 laptops. Is there an alternative for OneNote in the same way that LibreOffice is a replacement for Office? Martin Coleman A Try Evernote (www.evernote.com), which is free for two or fewer devices. However, as you’re syncing across 13 laptops, you’ll need to have a Personal account (£7.49 a month), and you’re restricted to uploading 10GB a month. The Professional plan (£9.49) raises the maximum to 20GB. If most of your notes are text based, transfer them to Simplenote (www.simplenote.com, pictured), which is free and syncs between Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS and the web. This will reduce the data you need to upload to Evernote. Q I read with interest your recommendation of the Volume Master browser extension (www.snipca.com/45124) in Issue 653 (p43). However, it doesn’t manage the left/right mix. That’s what I need because I’m partially deaf in one ear. Ken Brown A This is one occasion where you don’t need to download anything because Windows can do it for you. On Windows 10, open Settings and click System, followed by Sound. Make sure your audio device is selected in the menu beneath ‘Choose your output device’, and click ‘Device properties’. Now use the sliders for L and R beneath Balance to adjust the bias (see screenshot), so the volume going into your partially deaf ear sounds similar to the other. If you’re using Windows 11, open Settings and click Sound, then make sure your preferred output device is selected beneath ‘Choose where to play sound’. Click the arrow to the right of its name to open its settings, then use the sliders beside ‘Left channel’ and ‘Right channel’ as appropriate. Is there a decent OneNote alternative? What can I use to control Can I watch left/right audio mix? camcorder footage via a Fire TV stick? Q I’d like to watch footage I’ve shot on my camcorder on my TV, via my Amazon Fire TV Stick. Which software will do this? Norman Donnell A You could download footage from your camcorder, then use ES File Explorer to transfer it to the Fire TV Stick. We explained how to do this in Issue 600 (page 35). However, the stick has limited space, especially if you’ve installed lots of apps. That means you’ll need to copy across and wipe your videos frequently if you want to watch different videos. It’s more efficient to install Plex Media Server on your PC, and the Plex app on your Fire TV, and then stream your video from the computer. Plex has significant flaws, as we explained in Issue 655 (page 60), but it’s worth using for this task. First, download Plex Media Server from the Microsoft Store (www.snipca.com/45602). Now look for the Plex app for Fire TV in Fire TV’s app store. Create an account using Plex on your PC, launch Plex on your Fire TV Stick, and make a note of the code shown on the screen. Now visit www.plex.tv/link on your PC and type the code to link the Plex app on your stick with the Plex account logged into on your PC. Next, click the spanner on the Plex toolbar, followed by Libraries in the Manage section at the bottom of the sidebar. Click ‘Add Library’ followed by ‘Other videos’, then Next. Now click ‘Browse For Media Folder’ ( 1 in our screenshot), navigate to the folder containing your videos, then click Add, followed by Add Library 2 . Now open Plex on your TV and find the videos using your remote control. 1 2

Named& Shamed SOFTWARE WARNING! 21 WHAT ARE THEY TALKING ABOUT? KEUMARS’ VILLAIN OF THE FORTNIGHT Issue 656 • 26 April – 9 May 2023 NHS Highland Chrome was using less RAM, but causing havoc with Keumars’ videos and online forms Keumars Afifi-Sabet puts the boot into tech villains, jargon-spouting companies and software trying to trick you Chrome’s ‘Memory saver’ default disaster Google Chrome’s new ‘Memory saver’ tool is a masterclass in how to execute a good idea terribly. As we explained in Issue 654 (page 42), it attempts to speed up Chrome by freeing up RAM from tabs it considers ‘inactive’ (ones you haven’t used for about 15 minutes). As someone who normally works with 60-plus tabs open, I was looking forward to this tool. Despite having a decent 16GB of RAM on my Dell XPS 15 laptop, browsing in Chrome can still be a struggle. But what I didn’t realise was Chrome had turned it on by default when I updated to version 110 in February. I’d been running it for two months and hadn’t noticed any difference. I then checked Task Manager in Windows and saw Chrome was using 6.5GB of RAM (see screenshot), which seemed like less than usual. I turned off ‘Memory saver’ to compare and – sure enough – Chrome’s RAM usage rose to 8GB. That sounds like a result, right? But there’s a price to pay, because what I (and many others) had noticed in the past two months was paused YouTube videos returning to the start, and lengthy online forms I was halfway through being timed out. Both were happening because Chrome was deeming these as idle background tabs, and snoozing them to save memory. I welcome Google’s efforts to make Chrome use less RAM, but this tool shouldn’t be turned on by default – it causes too many problems that are difficult to identify. Yes, you can tell it to ignore certain sites, but I disabled it completely by opening Chrome’s settings, then clicking the Performance tab followed by the slider. When your job involves sending sensitive emails to a group, selecting BCC (which hides details of other recipients) instead of CC (which doesn’t) comes high on the list of things you should never forget to do. So someone at NHS Highland needs to stick a reminder on their PC screen after 37 HIV patients received an email that included the address of every other recipient. NHS Highland’s mistake is a serious betrayal of trust. In March, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) said the error – which took place in 2019 – should be seen as a “crucial learning experience” for other HIV service providers (www.snipca. com/45590). Indeed. The ICO could have fined NHS Highland £35,000, but instead applied its “public sector approach” which is to work with NHS managers so they avoid repeating such blunders. Let’s hope they were all CC’d on that email. WHAT THEY SAY Mark Zuckerberg, Meta www.snipca.com/45577 “Our efficiency work has several parallel workstreams to improve organisational efficiency, dramatically increase developer productivity and tooling, optimise distributed work, garbage collect unnecessary processes, and more.” WHAT THEY MEAN We’re making thousands of people redundant – or should that be efficiently distributing them into the garbage?

New products tested by our experts 22 Reviews New products tested by our experts 26 April – 9 May 2023 • Issue 656 SPECIFICATIONS Twelve-core Intel Core i5-13500H processor • 8GB RAM • Intel Iris Xe graphics • 512GB SSD • 27in 2560x1440-pixel IPS screen • Ethernet port • 2x USB-C ports • 2x USB 3.0 ports • 1x USB 2.0 port • Wi-Fi 6 • Bluetooth 5.0 • Windows 11 Home • 615x474x188mm (HxWxD) • 9kg • One-year warranty www.snipca.com/45549 One of the biggest downsides of desktop PCs is that they take up so much room, either on your desk or below it. An all-in-one PC, on the other hand, puts all the computing components into the back of the monitor, cutting out the need for a space-hogging box entirely. The IdeaCentre AIO 5i is Lenovo’s take on the concept. The model we’re reviewing here includes a 27in screen and offers a choice of two processors: the Intel Core i5-13500H (£950) or the Intel Core i7-13700H (£1,250). We tested the former, which also comes with 8GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. It’s a decent specification for the price, particularly the generous screen size. It’s best suited for general Windows work, competently handling most everyday programs and tasks, such as video chats, music listening, video streaming, web browsing and general office or school work. It’s not ideal for playing games, however, because its Intel’s Iris Xe Space-saving PC offers everything you need for everyday Windows tasks VERDICT A convenient all-in-one PC with a decent specification and solid Windows performance ★★★★★ ALTERNATIVE ACER Aspire C24- 1651 £899 Marginally cheaper, but this allin-one comes with a smaller 23in screen and older Intel processor graphics hardware is built into the Core i5 processor, so it lacks the muscle to make complex 3D games such as Microsoft Flight Simulator run smoothly. The screen is held up via two metal poles that connect to the base. It can be tilted up or down, but the height can’t be adjusted. Still, the display sits at a sensible height, and pivoting it up or down should fix any viewing problems. It’s a touchscreen, letting you use your fingers to navigate or zoom in and out. The base doubles as a wireless charging station and phone stand. Assuming it’s compatible with wireless charging, you need to place your phone on the battery symbol to power it up. This is an incredibly convenient feature, especially when you’re planning to sit at your desk for hours on end. It comes with a wireless mouse and keyboard, which are relatively basic but perfectly reliable. Batteries are included for these devices, with the keyboard running off two AA batteries, while the mouse needs only one. The keyboard is very satisfying to use. It includes a number pad and a few function shortcuts for locking the computer and opening the Snipping Tool, Settings, Calculator and your default web browser. As is usual, there are shortcuts for audio controls, muting audio, adjusting volume, pausing, playback and deactivating the mic. There’s a webcam built into the top of the monitor. It’s a 5-megapixel camera that extends up from within and can be pushed down so it’s flush with the casing to hide it and ensure it isn’t on. Its visuals aren’t groundbreaking, but it captured clear footage when we tested it, with the auto-adjusting brightness and colour helping to show us in our best light. Meanwhile, the built-in 5W JBL dual speakers are located under the monitor and are good for video chats and Windows sounds, though you may want something better if you’re watching movies or listening to music. ALL-IN-ONE PC | £950 from Lenovo www.snipca.com/45549 Lenovo IdeaCentre AIO 5i Pole position

23 HOW WE TEST Computeractive is owned by Future PLC, which employs a team of specialist technical reviewers. You’ll often read references to our benchmark testing, which is a method of assessing products using the same criteria. For example, we 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. Future PLC also owns the magazines Maximum PC, PC Pro and T3, and the websites Laptop Mag (www.laptopmag. com), TechRadar (www.techradar.com) and Windows Central (www.windows central.com). This means we can test thousands of products before choosing the most relevant for Computeractive. FAIR AND IMPARTIAL Our writers follow strict guidelines to ensure the reviews are fair and impartial. The manufacturer has no involvement in our tests. OUR AWARDS We award every product that gets five stars our Buy It! stamp of approval. It means we were extremely impressed by the product, and we think you will be too. Every product that gets a four-star review is given the Recommended award. We highly recommend these products, although they just fail to meet the high standard of our Buy It! winners. PRICES Our reviews contain a link to the best price we found online at the time of press. The screen is the source of this laptop’s main problem. In our colorimeter tests it managed to reproduce only 46.1 per cent of the DCI-P3 colour standard, while its brightness goes up to just 248cd/m2. When gaming and watching movies, this made for a dull and lacklustre experience. The only way to improve this is to plug it into an external monitor. Another reason to keep it plugged in is the Katana 15’s battery life, which is disappointing. It lasted only three hours in our tests, so it’s better used plugged into a power socket than taking out and about. If you’re looking for a laptop for gaming on the go, this isn’t it. These compromises are a shame because otherwise there’s a lot to admire. We liked the design, which offers a backlit keyboard that avoids being too garish. It’s large and solid as laptops go (2.25kg), but that’s probably another reason why you won’t want to throw it in a backpack and take it out with you. However, it does at least accommodate plenty of ports – with one USB 3.0 and one USB 2.0 port on the left edge, and HDMI, USB-C, USB 3.0 and Ethernet ports on the right, along with an audio jack. VERDICT A fast performer, but the screen and battery life have been downgraded to keep the price down ★★★★★ ALTERNATIVE Chillblast Apollo 15.6 £849 A more affordable laptop that isn’t as powerful, but it runs games smoothly When you buy a laptop designed to do everything – suitable for Windows work and gaming – what are you really looking for? That’s the question you’ll need to ask yourself before considering the MSI Katana 15. Because while it’s a solid performer, it falls short in a few key areas. These may be deal breakers for some, but that depends on how you’re looking to use it. The Katana 15 is built around Intel’s Core i7-13620H processor, supported by 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. In processor benchmark tests it’s up there with the fastest laptops we’ve tested to date, so it’s a great choice if you want everything to run smoothly. The display work is done by an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 graphics card. This isn’t the fastest graphics hardware you can buy at the moment, but it’s a reasonable compromise that keeps the price down, and is more than capable at running games at the screen’s Full HD 1080p resolution, while maintaining a decent frame rate. LAPTOP | £1,199 from Currys www.snipca.com/45558 MSI Katana 15 Put a plug in it Issue 656 • 26 April – 9 May 2023 SPECIFICATIONS Ten-core Intel Core i7-13620H processor • 16GB RAM • Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 graphics card • 15in 1920x1080-pixel IPS screen • 1TB SSD • Wi-Fi 6 • 1x USB-C port • 2x USB 3.0 ports • 1x USB 2.0 port • 1x HDMI port • Windows 11 Home • 24.9x359x259mm (HxWxD) • 2.25kg • One-year warranty www.snipca.com/45558 A fast chip and plentiful connections are let down by its screen and battery

Reviews 24 26 April – 9 May 2023 • Issue 656 Best monitors for under £300 Monitor screen sizes may have been creeping up in recent years, but prices have stayed reasonably low. As our group test here shows, for £300 or less you can buy decent screens that are 27 inches (and more) across the diagonal. And while these may not come with the kind of extras you’d find on more expensive models, they have all the ports you need to connect your devices. Here, we compare and contrast five of the best budget monitors around, including a 29in Lenovo model whose width feels like having a second monitor. On the other hand, if you’d prefer something smaller, check out the 24in Dell monitor with a handy built-in webcam. What you don’t get at this price is the very latest screen technology. All the monitors here have backlit IPS panels, rather than the individually lit pixels of an OLED display. We were impressed, however, by each model’s results in our colorimeter tests, which measure how many colours each screen can produce. In this price bracket you won’t get 2K or 4K resolution, but you will get a very decent Full HD (1920x1080-pixel) screen across all models. How we test We use an X-Rite i1 Display Pro colorimeter with the display calibration and profiling software DisplayCal. These measure a screen’s minimum and maximum brightness in cd/m2, its contrast ratio and colour temperature, plus each panel’s ability to recreate colours in the sRGB and DCI-P3 colour standards. We also test backlight uniformity by measuring brightness, greyscale tracking and colour temperature across 25 points on the screen. Our testers also note any problems with features such as the on-screen display that controls the monitor. VERDICT ★★★★★ £139 from Currys www.snipca.com/45565 Acer Vero RL272yii You may be familiar with Acer’s eco-friendly Vero range from our past reviews – namely the TravelMate Vero (Issue 634) and Aspire Vero (Issue 624) laptops. This 27in monitor is the first product in the range that has 90 per cent of its plastic components made from recycled material. It’s also easy on the bank balance, being the cheapest option in our test. For such a low price, however, you can’t expect the best screen. It’s reasonable enough, reproducing 91 per cent of the sRGB standard in our tests, but only 67 per cent of the more demanding DCI-P3. Its maximum brightness is 250cd/m2 and resolution is 1920x1080 pixels. Connectivity is limited to two HDMI and one D-SUB port (for older devices). All this makes for a no-frills screen best reserved for general Windows work. VERDICT ★★★★★ £199 from Currys www.snipca.com/45566 BenQ GW2785TC If you were wondering how you were going to plug your USB-C laptop into the Acer Vero reviewed left, you might want to consider this 27in BenQ monitor instead. At this price you don’t get a USB hub, but it does have USB-C, HDMI and DisplayPort inputs, so you can attach almost anything to it. It’s a little more expensive than the Vero RL272yii but has a superior screen, covering 94 per cent of the sRGB and 71 per cent of DCI-P3 ranges. Its 270cd/m2 brightness level is also a minor improvement, but it’s still best for Windows work away from bright light. The improvements aren’t quite enough to make it overall better value than the Vero RL272yii, but if you need the USB-C port then it might just be the key feature that wins you over. Don’t put up with a small, cramped screen when you could upgrade to something larger without spending a fortune

Issue 656 • 26 April – 9 May 2023 25 £249 from Amazon www.snipca.com/45568 Lenovo ThinkVision E29W-20 VERDICT ★★★★★ If you need more screen space, you may want to consider a 29in monitor. This Lenovo model has a similar screen height to the 27in options reviewed here, but it offers a wide 21:9 aspect ratio, with a resolution of 2560x1080 pixels. It’s a bit like having a monitor and a half. As you’d expect from the price, the screen quality is superior. In our tests it achieved 100 per cent of sRGB and around 90 per cent of DCI-P3. Its default brightness is 300cd/m2, though you can increase this to 337cd/m2. And while it’s the most expensive model here it comes with few additional frills – just one HDMI port and one DisplayPort for connecting to your PC. Can you suggest a battery backup in case of power cuts? Q Have you ever recommended a battery backup, into which you can plug a router and landline that use regular three-pin plugs? I’d like it to be able to power my devices for as long as possible during power cuts. Peter Evans A You need a UPS (uninterruptible power supply). This is a black box that sits between your power socket and your devices, a bit like an extension lead. However, a UPS has a battery, which can keep your devices going when there are fluctuations in the mains power supply. How long it can power your devices depends on the power of the UPS’s battery and the draw of the devices connected to it. For relatively low-powered devices like modems and telephones, the CyberPower Brics series (www.snipca. com/41552, pictured) is a good option. There’s a choice of models depending on how much power you need – from a 700VA/420W unit for £94 to a 1200VA/720W model for £142. The more expensive the unit, the longer your devices will stay powered. CyberPower units have six sockets, though only three of these will run off the battery, but that will be enough for your telephone and router. WHAT SHOULD I BUY? We solve your buying dilemmas £225 from Box www.snipca.com/45569 ViewSonic VG2755 VERDICT ★★★★★ There isn’t much wrong with the ViewSonic VG2755, except that it offers similar specifications to the Acer Vero RL272yii while costing £100 more. It does have a USB-C port (along with HDMI, DisplayPort and D-SUB ports), so you can easily connect a laptop and charge it, and the stand is pretty good – with 130mm height adjustment and a handy 40-degree backward tilt so you can get it positioned just right. We’re just not sure that’s all worth £100, though. Unfortunately it covers less of the sRGB and DCI-P3 colour standards than the Vero, at 87 and 67 per cent respectively. Don’t expect high levels of brightness, either – it peaked at 255cd/m2 in our tests. £212 from Amazon www.snipca.com/45567 Dell C2423H Conferencing Monitor VERDICT ★★★★★ The Dell C2423H is the smallest monitor here at only 24in, but it stood out from the rest by providing the extra hardware you need for video chats with your friends and family. It has a 1080p webcam built in, which doesn’t match the best cameras around – its drab colours are a particular disappointment – but there’s plenty of detail and it’s good enough for most purposes. The screen is better, with 96 per cent sRGB and 74 per cent DCI-P3 coverage. It’s a bit dim, however, with a peak brightness of only 238cd/m2. Once again, this is best used for general Windows work rather than entertainment, but it’s only worth considering if you like the idea of a built-in webcam.

26 Reviews CHOOSE THE RIGHT SPECS 26 April – 9 May 2023 • Issue 656 ROUTER | £175 from Amazon www.snipca.com/45619 Asus RT-AX59U Full stretch VERDICT A smart Wi-Fi 6 router with solid performance and room to grow in the future ★★★★★ ALTERNATIVE Synology WRX560 £212 This is a little more expensive but offers even more features and is very easy to use SPECIFICATIONS Dual-band Wi-Fi 6 • Supports Wi-Fi speeds up to 4,177Mbps (5GHz network) • 4x Gigabit Ethernet ports (one required for connection to router) • 1x USB 3.0 port • 1x USB 2.0 port • 200x131x37mm (HxWxD) • 480g • One-year warranty www.snipca.com/45619 PC cooling system What is it? The components inside your PC generate heat as they work, particularly your main processor and the chips on your graphics card. There are two main methods of keeping these components cool – air flow or water cooling. How does it work? Air cooling uses heat sinks and fans to draw the hot air away from the surface of components. Heat sinks are attached directly to the chip and look like spiked combs made of highly conductive metal. This draws heat away from the component and uses the air around its prongs to dissipate the heat. These are often used in combination with fans – such as the DeepCool AS500 Plus (pictured) – to further increase air flow. Larger fans then vent the hot air out of the PC. Water or liquid-cooled systems work in a similar way, transferring heat from the PC’s components by flowing liquid over them. This is then piped elsewhere within the PC where it can cool before being sent back through the closed system to trap and dissipate more heat. What are the specs? Fanless PCs designed for basic work – such as mini PCs – don’t tend to overheat and can often make do with just a heat sink. Harder-working PCs will also need fans. Air cooling is usually sufficient for gaming PCs, though they may need more powerful (and noisy) fans. Liquid cooling is much quieter – even if you’re carrying out resourceheavy tasks. Can I change it later? You can with desktop PCs. Most cooling is added after the components are installed, so upgrading or adapting your cooling system is fairly straightforward. Laptops have less room for adding new, bulky components, so are harder to upgrade. network, or if you prefer to create two separate networks. You won’t achieve top-of-the-range speeds, but the RT-AX59U proved more than capable of handling anything that our 150Mbps broadband could throw at it. In the far-flung office at the back of our house, which usually relies on Powerline adapters because the signal from our usual router fails to stretch that far, the rates didn’t falter, maintaining transfer speeds of 150Mbps and download speeds of 19MB/s. This router from Asus isn’t the cheapest Wi-Fi 6 router around, but it comes with additional features that justify its higher price. One key benefit is that it’s what Asus describes as an “extendable” router. This means that should you find you need to boost your signal in future, you can buy another device that supports the company’s AiMesh standard and link the two devices as you would a mesh Wi-Fi system. Most Wi-Fi 6 routers have multiple antennas shooting out at various angles, but the Asus RT-AX59U has an unusually smart, upright design that takes up very little space – about the size of a hardback book. It still manages to squeeze in five internal antennas, using both 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz frequency bands, providing a theoretical top speed of 4.2Gbps. It has four Gigabit Ethernet ports, one of which is used to connect to your existing broadband modem or router. There are also two USB ports (one USB 3.0 and one USB 2.0) that you can use for attaching storage drives and any other devices you may want to share over the network. Asus’ mobile app makes it easy to get started – simply scan a QR code on the base of the router to connect to the new network. You’re then prompted to create a new user name and password, and asked whether you want to merge the two 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequency bands to create a single A smart compact device that takes Wi-Fi to the furthest reaches of your home

28 Reviews 26 April – 9 May 2023 • Issue 656 SPECIFICATIONS Full UK keyboard with number pad • Membrane switches • Programmable keys • USB 2.0 dongle • Batteries included • 44x436x182mm (HxWxD) • 752g • One-year warranty www.snipca.com/45599 KEYBOARD & MOUSE | £26 from Amazon www.snipca.com/45599 TrustTrezo Wireless Comfort Keyboard & Mouse Set Strong, silent type technology instead. This helps to keep it virtually silent while you type, without any of the clatter you typically get with more expensive models. The wrist rest is hard plastic rather than padded, however, so it’s not exactly comfortable. The mouse feels a little small in averagesized hands, so be warned if yours are on the larger size. That’s the only criticism we have, though, because it’s otherwise quick and smooth to use, and you can change its sensitivity level easily. As you might expect, there are no additional features – such as LED lights or extra buttons. However, both devices are more than adequate for regular Windows work. The kit comes with the AA batteries you need for the keyboard and AAA batteries for the mouse. These aren’t SPECIFICATIONS A2 and V30 performance standards • UHS Speed Class 3 • SDXC compliant • 11x15x1mm (HxWxD) • 0.2g • One-year warranty www.snipca.com/45600 VERDICT A fast microSD card offering plenty of storage for any type of data ★★★★★ ALTERNATIVE Samsung Evo Select 512GB £32 While there’s a premium on 1TB microSD cards, 512GB models with otherwise similar specifications like this one cost well under half the price MEMORY CARD | £120 from Amazon www.snipca.com/45600 Sabrent Rocket V30 A2 MicroSDXC Memory Card Thin and fast hit at least 30MB/s in sustained write speeds. In less technical terms, it’s fast enough to support 4K video recording on whatever device you slot it into. Additionally, it’s certified UHS-1, which means it will reach sustained speeds of up to 100MB/s on read tasks, meaning you can pull large chunks of data from it very quickly. We tested these claims using a laptop connected to a USB-C card reader, capable of transfer speeds up to 5Gbps, so more than fast enough to ensure there are no bottlenecks when moving data. In our file-transfer tests it maxed out at 77.1MB/s, which is a very respectable score. If you need a large-capacity card, a fast one like this is worth paying extra for. Don’t be sceptical when you see the incredibly low price tag of this keyboardand-mouse combination – given what you get for your money, it represents fantastic value. Setting up the two devices is simple because a single USB dongle is used to communicate with both. In fact, they are ready to go to work immediately after plugging the dongle in. The keyboard is slim and has a remarkably sophisticated design, with flat, well spaced-out keys. It doesn’t have mechanical switches, using membrane You might think one microSD card looks very much like another, but this little unit manages to squeeze an astounding 1TB of data into its tiny plastic case. It comes in a small box with a card adapter, and it’s completely blank with no bundled software installed. It has an A2 V30 rating, which is an industry performance standard for minimum speeds. In technical terms, A2 means it should achieve 4,000 IOPS (input/output operations per second) on random read tasks and 2,000 IOPS on write tasks. The V30 rating means it will However, if you can make do with half the size, 512GB cards currently offer much better value for money. VERDICT A silent and affordable keyboard-and-mouse set, which isn’t weighed down with gimmicky extras, but performs the basic jobs well ★★★★★ ALTERNATIVE Logitech K380 £32 More expensive and doesn’t come with a mouse, but this wireless keyboard can easily switch between three separate devices rechargeable, but the mouse batteries should last 12 months while the keyboard should be good for a few years.

Reviews 29 NEXT ISSUE These and much more... Subscribe to Computeractive at www.getcomputeractive.co.uk DO I REALLY NEED... A tempered-glass mouse mat? What is it? PC peripheral manufacturer Razer has designed this mouse mat – a large slab of strong, smooth, tempered glass – as the perfect surface to slide your mouse across. How does it work? Unlike many of Razer’s products, there are no flashing lights, just a high-quality, nicely finished piece of glass. It has a rubber base, so it won’t slip around your desk. It’s also micro-etched, which helps the lights on the base of mice work out where they are. What’s the catch? You need a large desk. Measuring 450x400mm, it takes up a lot of space. It’s also fairly expensive for a mouse mat, costing £100 (from Amazon at www.snipca.com/45647). So can I do without it? Yes, because you really don’t need to spend this much money to find a decent surface for your mouse. VERDICT This packs in an astonishing amount of music-streaming options and playback features alongside a satisfyingly pleasing sound that’s bigger, more detailed and more meaty than its predecessor ★★★★★ ALTERNATIVE Sonos One £172 The Era 100’s predecessor is still available, more affordable and includes Google Assistant SPECIFICATIONS Wi-Fi 6 • Bluetooth 5.0 • AirPlay 2 • USB-C port • Available in black or white • 183x120x131mm • 2.02kg • Two-year warranty www.snipca.com/45640 On Sale Weds 10 May Microsoft Surface Pro 9 Microsoft’s latest Windows 11 tablet is its best yet Dell Optiplex 7000 Micro A surprisingly powerful Windows PC in a tiny case SMART SPEAKER ❘£249 from Amazon www.snipca.com/45640 Sonos Era 100 A sound sequel is the first to host Sonos’s own voicecontrol system (for simple tasks like pausing or skipping tracks). Otherwise, you can use Amazon’s Alexa. Unfortunately there’s no support for Google Assistant, even though this was available on the Sonos One. The Era 100 takes everything we liked about the sound of the Sonos One – crisp, detailed and spacious audio with an impressively satisfyingly deep bass – and cranks it up a few notches. It sounds more detailed, deeper and more expansive, but it might alienate Google Assitant users by missing it out completely. This is the follow-up to the Sonos One, a brilliant standalone speaker launched in 2019 that remains one of the best options on the market, balancing very high quality with a reasonable price. With the Era 100 Sonos has redesigned the smart speaker from the ground up to create a worthy successor. Some new features have been added. This speaker now offers stereo output where the One was mono, and it’s added Bluetooth streaming to the Wi-Fi and app-based approach, so it’s easier for you and any guests to connect devices and play music. However, it costs £50 more than the Sonos One cost at launch. The speaker’s controls have been updated. Touch-sensitive buttons return for music playback and voice control, but there’s a new volume slider in the form of a ‘trough’ in the top panel. Sliding your finger along it changes the volume smoothly and at satisfying increments. Around the back, there’s a Bluetooth pairing button and a switch that turns the speaker’s mic on or off. While you can tap the speech-bubble icon to enable or disable voice control, Sonos has added this extra physical switch for full privacy and peace of mind for those who never want a voice assistant listening in to your conversation. The Sonos control app is where the speaker’s many functions and features are accessed. The app is smooth and sophisticated, letting you connect a large number of music sources – from all the major streaming services to hundreds of internet radio stations. The app lets you manage every aspect of the speaker: from setting its name and which room it’s located in to playback, multi-room grouping, voice control, EQ settings and more. The Era speaker Issue 656 • 26 April – 9 May 2023

Buy It Our pick of products that have won the Buy It award 30 Find out which other products we liked. Buy our new 2022 Back Issue CD: £17 from www.snipca.com/44660 Realme GT 2 £549 from www.snipca.com/41667 Tested Issue 631 ANDROID PHONE Apple iPhone 13 £749 from www.snipca.com/43498 TestedIssue 627 APPLE iPHONE Apple iPad 10.2in £369 from www.snipca.com/36178 Tested Issue 623 APPLE iPAD The 9th-generation of the basic iPad, released in 2021, is now the best-value Apple tablet. The 2022 version looks better and has a faster processor, but it’s not worth paying £130 extra for. ALTERNATIVE iPad Mini With an even better, but smaller, screen than the 10.2in iPad, the Mini also supports the Pencil and has 64GB of storage. £569 from www.snipca.com/33050 China’s Realme has made a phone with a powerful processor, excellent battery life, bright screen and a 50-megapixel camera that takes great photos. It’s more expensive than our former favourite (below), but its superior performance justifies this extra cost. ALTERNATIVEXiaomi Poco F3 This remains an excellent phone, with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage. The only phone under £400 that’s faster is the iPhone SE. £279 from www.snipca.com/44553 DESKTOP PC Palicomp AMD Cobra £400 from www.snipca.com/43515 Tested Issue 643 This fast PC is a mouth-watering bargain, with 16GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD and a six-core processor - though it lacks USB-C ports and built-in Wi-Fi. ALTERNATIVE Wired2Fire Ultima WS Home Office Workstation Blisteringly fast PC, powered by an overclocked eight-core processor and 1TB SSD. £672 from www.snipca.com/41500 Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 £749 from www.snipca.com/42211 Tested Issue 634 ANDROID TABLET Samsung has replaced its own Tab S7+ to become our favourite Android tablet. It’s fast with a stunning 11in screen, and has a longer battery life than the iPad. This model gives you 128GB – you’ll need to pay around £950 for 256GB. ALTERNATIVE Lenovo Tab P11 Pro It’s slower than the Tab S8 and the screen is duller, but has a detachable keyboard so you can use it as a laptop. £510 from www.snipca.com/45244 NEW! Now £30 cheaper than its 2021 launch price, the iPhone 13 has a superb screen, long battery life and an excellent camera - particularly for taking quick snaps without blurring. You could pay £100 more for the newer iPhone 14, but we’re not convinced it’s worth the extra money. ALTERNATIVE iPhone SE With a single camera and smaller screen but the same powerful A13 processor and 64GB storage as the iPhone 11, it’s great value. £449 from www.snipca.com/34773 LAPTOP Acer Swift 3 14in £799 from www.snipca.com/44367 Tested Issue 648 Comes with a powerful 12th-generation Intel processor and 1TB SSD to make Windows tasks feel incredibly fast. Also has a decent 2560x1440-pixel IPS screen and comes with plenty of ports, including two Thunderbolt 4-compatible USB-C. ALTERNATIVE Lenovo Yoga 6 Gen 7 Has a slower processor, and half the storage and RAM, but remains a good laptop for the price. £599 from www.snipca.com/44950 PRICE DROP 26 April – 9 May 2023 • Issue 656

Buy It Kobo Libra 2 £169 from www.snipca.com/40645 Tested Issue 624 Iiyama ProLite XU2492HSU-B1 £120 from www.snipca.com/39701 Tested Issue 618 Logitech C925e Business Webcam £72 from www.snipca.com/41104 Tested Issue 608 EBOOK READER PC MONITOR WEBCAM Norton 360 Premium £19.99 from www.snipca.com/33247 Tested Issue 629 SECURITY SOFTWARE Norton has always performed strongly in our antivirus tests, regularly making the top three. Owned by US firm NortonLifeLock, it’s available at a discount on our Software Store. Click the link above for a 10-device, two-year licence. Other versions are available, including Norton 360 for Gamers. ALTERNATIVE Bitdefender Total Security Another top performer that we’re offering at a discount. £19.99 from www.snipca.com/41141 32 Our pick of products that have won the Buy It award Synology WRX560 £213 from www.snipca.com/44696 Tested Issue 650 PRINTER Epson EcoTank ET-1810 £150 from www.snipca.com/41232 Tested Issue 628 ROUTER An inkjet printer that comes with enough ink to print 4,500 mono and 7,500 colour pages, making it exceptionally cheap to run. It’s not the fastest printer, but quality is good, especially on photo paper – we’ve never seen better on an inkjet. ALTERNATIVEBrother DCP-J1140DW Compact multifunction model with rare features at this price, including double-sided printing. £146 from www.snipca.com/43670 With a blistering top speed of 791.5Mbps, this is up there with the fastest routers we’ve ever tested. Even two rooms away, it managed an exceptional 375Mbps. You can add more units to set up mesh Wi-Fi around your home. ALTERNATIVE Netgear Nighthawk RAX80 Our previous favourite remains extremely fast, delivering speeds of 520Mbps. Has four spare Ethernet ports and two for USB. £200 from www.snipca.com/45102 A fantastic 7in screen, 32GB of storage and Bluetooth connectivity make this a rival to Amazon’s Oasis ebook reader, yet it’s much cheaper. Battery life is superb – we managed 54 hours of use per charge. It supports OverDrive, so you can borrow ebooks from libraries. ALTERNATIVE Amazon Kindle This lowcost option is a good choice, especially now it has 16GB of storage. £85 from Amazon www.snipca.com/44221 This 23.8in screen is superb value, with a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels. Colour is good, covering 88 per cent of the sRGB colour range. Connect your computer via HDMI, DisplayPort or VGA, and there’s a USB hub to connect your mouse and keyboard. ALTERNATIVEAOC 27P2C This also has a 1920x1080 resolution but it’s 27 inches, so pixel density is lower. But you’ll only notice if you look really closely. £231 from www.snipca.com/41609 Despite the name, this webcam is also great for home users. Its standout feature is automatically adjusting itself to keep your picture looking sharp. It offers a 78-degree field of view, which is fine for everyday video chats with one person in front of the camera. ALTERNATIVE Anker PowerConf C300 Good image quality, crisp audio and lots of features. £70 from www.snipca. com/41105 26 April – 9 May 2023 • Issue 656

Buy It 33 Corsair MP600 Pro LPX 500GB £60 from www.snipca.com/41547 Tested Issue 630 SOLID-STATE DRIVE In our tests, this M.2 SSD hit speeds of 7,364MB/s and 6,870MB/s when reading and writing data – astonishingly fast scores. It’s compatible with the new PCIe 4.0 standard, which is twice as fast as PCIe 3.0. The 1TB model costs £94; 2TB costs £153. ALTERNATIVE Crucial MX500 500GB As fast as an SSD can get in the traditional 2.5in SATA format, this is a great-value upgrade. £39 from www.snipca.com/37304 Google Nest Audio £90 from www.snipca.com/36475 Tested Issue 593 SMART SPEAKER TCL 55RP620K £299 from www.snipca.com/45341 Tested Issue 654 SMART TV This is a stunning 55in 4K TV with features and apps provided by Roku. Picture quality is incredible, and it has all the catch-up services you need. It’s a steal at under £300. ALTERNATIVE LG OLED42C2 LG’s 42in TV is three times the price, but unlike TCL’s model it has an OLED screen, boosting picture quality considerably. £964 from www.snipca.com/43718 COMPETITION Produces a rich, clear sound, and better understands your questions than Amazon’s Echo devices. You can use Google’s app to control audio from other units around your home (pair two of them for £130). The clever Ambient IQ tool increases the volume if it detects external noise, such as a hairdryer. ALTERNATIVE Amazon Echo (4th generation) The latest version of the Echo changes the shape from a cylinder to a ball, which improves sound quality – though the Nest’s is still superior. £110 from www.snipca.com/41111 COMPETITION PRICE DROP phones, which have army-themed skins with Soft Touch texture (pictured above); or the classic MG-X Pro design for iPhones (right). Both are designed for Xbox Game Pass. The rechargeable battery connects to your smartphone via Bluetooth and provides up to 20 hours of gaming. To enter this competition, answer the question at www.snipca. com/45591, tell us whether you’d prefer the Android or iOS controller, and submit your details. It runs until midnight Tuesday 9 May. Good luck! Win 1 of 4 Nacon gaming phone controllers Nacon’s gaming controllers give you the full gaming experience on your smartphone. Whether you’re in bed, travelling or on public transport, you can enjoy the familiarity of a controller to always stay at the top of your game. In this competition you can win the MG-X PRO Urban Camo for Android You can buy the Nacon MG-X PRO Urban Camo for Android and Xbox for €109.90 (about £96) from www. snipca.com/45595, and the MG-X Pro for iPhone and Xbox for €119.90 (about £105) from www.snipca. com/45594. For more information on Nacon’s gaming products follow @Nacon on Twitter. Issue 656 • 26 April – 9 May 2023

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14 pages of easy-to-follow workshops and expert tips Workshops & Tips HOW TO... 35 PLUS Issue 656 • 26 April – 9 May 2023 What you need: Windows 10 or 11 Time required: 30 minutes Cut your power consumption using Windows settings Microsoft included a new energysaving section in its ‘Moment 2’ update for Windows 11, released in March. It lets you apply quick fixes to cut your power consumption and, as a result, reduce your electricity bill. We’ll explain how to use these new options, and also reveal how to make similar energy-saving changes in Windows 10. And because we all do so 1 Save energy using Windows 11’s new settings You can access the new energysaving options by pressing Windows key+I to open Settings, then clicking System in the sidebar. Next, click Power in the main section of the window. Check the top of the next screen for any important messages from Windows. In our case, we’re warned that ‘Sleep is set to Never, which uses more power and results in higher carbon emissions’ ( 1 in our screenshot right). We can quickly fix this by clicking ‘Allow my device to sleep’ 2 . After applying these fixes, click the ‘Energy recommendations’ box 3 to access the new controls. Exactly which energy-saving features you’ll see depends on the hardware you’re using. Because some settings deal with batteries and built-in screens, they may not be applicable on a desktop PC running solely on mains power and sending pictures to an external monitor. We’ll therefore explore both setups here, all’ 1 or just Apply 2 beside each step you want to take. One reason you might want to avoid putting your computer to sleep after 10 minutes is if you’re sharing a printer across a home network. Likewise, if you were running background processes, you may not want to set the power mode for best energy efficiency as this could reduce the resources being used. When you click each Apply button, it starting with a desktop PC that shows options applicable to both desktop PCs and laptops. As you can see from our screenshot below right, Windows recommends that we make three changes to our setup. Specifically, we need to adjust the power mode, set the computer to go to sleep after 10 minutes (as recommended on the previous screen) and turn off the screen after three minutes. You can click ‘Apply Pull Out & Keep Issue 656 44 Phone & Tablet Tips 46 Make Windows Better 47 Make Office Better 48 In the Club: Present a free webinar 35 Cut power consumption using Windows settings 38 Enhance pictures with Icecream Photo Editor 40 Readers’ Tips 42 Browser Tips: Switch to Chrome’s new design today by Nik Rawlinson much online these days, we’ll also show you how two popular browsers can help you use less power, and extend the time between each laptop charge. Take note of quick fixes Windows suggests, such as changing Sleep if it’s set to Never You can apply all the changes Windows recommends or just specific ones 1 2 3 1 2

36 26 April – 9 May 2023 • Issue 656 On a laptop you may see more options, such as optimising brightness depending on what it’s showing disappears, to be replaced by an arrow. Click the arrow for more precise control over the energy setting to which it relates. For example, once you’ve clicked the button to switch off your screen after three minutes, clicking that box on the panel opens more screen and sleep settings where – using dropdown menus – you can specify how long the screen stays active when on mains and (if applicable) on battery power. So, if you did want to reduce the amount of time the screen was illuminated for, but for more than three minutes, you could select five minutes for each, or 10 for when you’re using battery power, and 20 when running on mains. We understand why you might not want to do this: it can be frustrating if you’re reading a lengthy web page and the screen blanks out. However, you should also bear in mind that every time you dial down the settings this way, you could be costing yourself money in the long run. A little inconvenience now and then can deliver savings and help reduce your carbon emissions. Our screenshot below shows more options, because it was captured on a laptop that has a broader range of components than a desktop PC, including the battery and integral display we mentioned earlier. So, this time Windows includes the option not only to turn off your screen after a specified period ( 1 in screenshot), but also to automatically optimise its brightness depending on what it’s showing 2 . This feature is officially known as content-adaptive brightness, and is a Windows 11 feature that works with some computers. It continually analyses what How do you save energy when using your devices? Please let us know: [email protected] How I save energy Whenever there’s an option to save energy, I’ll take it – at least in the short term. If I find that it’s interfering with my work, I may roll it back, but if it’s only sending my computer to sleep shortly after I walk away from it, I’d consider that a bonus. It doesn’t only save energy: it can also be a good security measure, as anyone who might try and wake my machine will need to enter a PIN before they can access my data. If it had still been awake, it would have been much easier for them to get their hands on my private files. Nik Rawlinson you’re viewing and reduces its settings as appropriate. As Microsoft explains on the associated help pages, “if you’re watching a video that has a dark scene, followed by a brighter scene (for example, one that shows a bright sunny day), the brightness and contrast may change”, assuring you that “this is normal”. It would be impossible to measure exactly what kind of a saving you would make by using this feature – it will be different for everyone. If you spent your whole time working with spreadsheets, for instance, it’s unlikely brightness would change much. However, where an option is available and it has the potential to save you a few pennies, we think it’s worth implementing, at least until you decide it’s definitely not for you. More importantly, because this option is available only on our laptop (not our PC), we’ll switch it on in the hope it helps our battery last a little longer. After years of faithful service, it’s no longer as good at holding its charge. 2 Save energy using Windows 10’s settings Windows 10 has fewer energy-saving settings, and it doesn’t recommend changes like its successor does, but they’re still worth using. Open ‘Settings’, then click System followed by ‘Power & sleep’. Here, you’ll find dropdown menus controlling how long the screen remains active when connected to the mains or running on battery power. To access Windows 10’s other power settings, you’ll need to switch to Control Panel by clicking the ‘Additional power settings’ link in the ‘Additional settings’ section. Click ‘Create a power plan’, then select the ‘Balanced (recommended)’ power plan ( 1 in our screenshot below) as your starting point and type a name for the new power plan you want to create in the ‘Plan name’ box 2 . Click Next. Initially, you can’t do much more than you’ve already done – that is, set how long the screen remains active before Use one of Windows 10’s existing power plans as a starting point, then give it a name 1 2 1 2

37 Cut your power consumption using Windows settings Next issue: Install Linux on an old laptop Issue 656 • 26 April – 9 May 2023 Edge’s Efficiency mode reduces power consumption by suspending background tabs In Windows 10’s advanced power-saving options you can pause background services like slideshows Opera’s battery-saver feature claims to extend your browsing time by up to 50 per cent going blank. So, set this, then save the power plan to return to the overall settings. You’ll now see your plan has been added ( 1 in our screenshot above) and, beside its name, there’s a link to ‘Change plan settings’. Click this, then click ‘Change advanced power settings’ 2 to open a second level of options. Here, you’ll find wider-ranging settings, including the ability to switch off the hard drive, put your wireless adapter into power-saving mode, pause background services like the desktop slideshow 3 , suspend USB ports, and optimise the quality of videos to extend battery life. The exact options on offer may vary depending on your hardware, so work your way through them, and implement any that are likely to extend your battery life or reduce energy consumption. If you make any changes that you later discover have a negative effect on your computer’s performance, you can always change them back – but a quicker and safer option would be to return to one of the preset power plans and delete the one you’ve just created (you can always create it again using different settings). To revert to an existing power plan, open Control Panel and click ‘Hardware and Sound’, followed by Power Options. Click the arrow to the right of ‘Show additional plans’, then select ‘Balanced (recommended)’. Now click the ‘Change plan settings’ link to the right of the new power plan you just created and, on the following screen, click ‘Delete this plan’. Click OK when Windows asks if you’re sure you want to delete the plan. 3 Use energy-saving modes in Opera and Edge The Opera web browser (www.opera.com) has a built-in battery saver, which it claims lets you carry on browsing for up to 50-per-cent longer by pausing plug-ins and animations on background tabs, rescheduling code that runs automatically and reconfiguring how it handles video. That means, if you’re running on battery power, you should be able to resort to the mains less frequently. This feature will offer to launch the first time you unplug your power cable by dropping down a box from the toolbar. If it doesn’t, turn it on by clicking the three horizontal lines at the far right ( 1 in our screenshot below), followed by ‘Go to full browser settings’ at the bottom. Now search for battery in the ‘Search settings’ box 2 , then click the slider beside ‘Enable battery saver’ so it turns blue 3 . Edge has a similar feature called ‘efficiency mode’, which minimises power usage by modifying background activity. It also puts background tabs to sleep if they’ve not been used for 30 minutes. This is good news if, like us, you open multiple pages at once and don’t return to them for some time. It automatically kicks in when you disconnect a laptop from the mains, but you can also set it to apply when connected to the power, which could help to reduce your energy bill. Open Edge’s system settings by typing edge://settings/system into the address bar ( 1 in our screenshot above) and pressing Enter. Now click the slider beside ‘Efficiency mode’ so it turns blue 2 . Notice that further down this page there’s an option to ‘Never put these sites to sleep’ 3 , where you can exclude specific pages from being suspended if they’ve been left running in the background for more than 30 minutes. Obvious candidates include any webmail services you might use or web-based messengers like WhatsApp (https:// web.whatsapp.com) for which you’d want notifications or tab-based status updates to still appear. To add a site to the exclusion list, click Add, then type the web address and click Add. 1 2 3 2 3 1 1 2 3

38 Workshop 26 April – 9 May 2023 • Issue 656 STEP 2 This picture of North Foreland Lighthouse near Broadstairs, Kent, was taken at sunset on a Google Pixel 5 phone. The setting sun behind the building casting it into shadow, so we need to brighten the lighthouse without losing the colours in the sky. Click the Image Enhancement button 1 , then drag the sliders to correct the problem areas. We’re working with the Contrast 2 , Highlight 3 and Shadow 4 sliders to dampen the brightest areas and lighten the gloomiest. We'll also use the Saturation slider 5 to increase the richness of the sky. STEP 3 If you have a lot of photos to work through and don’t have time to edit every aspect individually, you can instead apply a filter. Click Filters 1 , then select a filter from the sidebar and click Apply. Most of the filters are either on or off, but the strength of the Rusty filter can be adjusted by dragging the slider 2 left and right before clicking Apply 3 . Enhance your pictures with Icecream Photo Editor's new tools What you need: Icecream Photo Editor Time required: 30 minutes Taking pictures is fun, but editing them can be a chore if the tool you use is too complex. That’s not a problem you should have with Icecream Photo Editor, which is free to download from www.snipca.com/45607. It works with the most common photo formats, and its latest version (1.25) adds sliders to quickly and easily correct lighting, colour, framing and more. You can also use it to compile multiple images into a collage, which would be a great starting point for homemade greetings cards. STEP 1 Launch Icecream Photo Editor and click ‘Browse for images’ 1 . Navigate to the photo you want to work with, select it, and click Open. Although we’ll be using the software to edit less-than-perfect photos that we’ve already taken, you can also use it to create images from scratch by clicking ‘Create new image’ and selecting a background colour (by default it’s transparent) and size. There are preset dimensions on a dropdown menu but, if none of them suits, you can instead type a width and height yourself. 1 1 2 5 3 4 2 3 1

Issue 656 • 26 April – 9 May 2023 39 STEP 7 This collage would make a great birthday card. Click the Text tool 1 and add a greeting, then use the sidebar controls to set the font face 2 , size 3 , colour 4 and outline colour 5 . If you still think that’s too subtle, click the Shape tool 6 and drag out arrows, circles, squares, polygons or stars. You can use sliders to change the number of points on the star, and sides on the polygon and, in each instance, change the fill and outline colours. When you’ve finished, click ‘Save’ 7 . STEP 6 When you’ve finished editing your pictures, you can use Icecream Photo Editor to arrange them in an appealing collage. Click ‘Collage Maker’ 1 , then select a layout from the sidebar 2 . Now double-click in each of the frames in your document and select an image using the File Explorer menu. Optionally, change the background colour and frame width using the siders at the top of the sidebar 3 before clicking ‘Save collage’ 4 . STEP 5 If you take things too far, click Undo 1 . If you need to return your image to its last saved state, click ‘Reset all changes’ 2 . When asked if you’re sure that’s what you want to do, click Yes. We've done that here - so the photo you see above is what it looked like before we made any changes. It looks a lot darker than in Step 4, and poorly cropped. STEP 4 The biggest problem with any picture is often poor framing. Click the Crop 1 tool and drag the handles on the corners 2 and edges 3 of the box to place key elements within your picture on the guidelines that appear one third and two thirds of the way into and down the image. Where the lines intersect, for example at point 4 , are the most powerful positions in your picture. Cropping your photo to make important elements appear at those points will immediately draw the eye to them. Next issue: Take and edit screenshots using advanced tools 1 4 1 2 2 3 1 4 3 6 1 7 4 5 2 2 3

Readers’ Tips TIP OF THE FORTNIGHT 40 Tell us why you stopped using a website, app or program: [email protected] Why I stopped using… 26 April – 9 May 2023 • Issue 656 Add spam filters to Thunderbird and change the second to ‘contains’ 2 . Then, in the box at the far right, I type ***SPAM*** 3 . This is what my email provider adds to the subject line of any message it has identified as spam. In the ‘Perform these actions’ box specify what should happen to any message that matches your conditions. I’ve selected Mark As Read on the first menu 4 , then clicked ‘+’ to add a second action – which is Delete Message 5 . Eric MacLure Outlook’s Quick Steps are extremely useful, as you rightly claimed in Issue 655’s How To feature (page 35). But you can do something similar in Thunderbird. First, open its filters by clicking the top-right three-line menu, then Tools followed by Message Filters. Next, select the filtering conditions using the dropdown menus. For my example I want to block spam, so I leave the first condition as it is (with ‘subject’ selected – 1 in our screenshot) BROWSERS Print PDF pages in your browser In your answer to William Preston’s question (‘How do I save specific PDF pages?’, Issue 653, page 65), you explained how to use Windows’ built-in tool to print specific pages from PDFs. However, there’s an easier way – just right-click a PDF ( 1 in our screenshot below), then select ‘Open with’ 2 followed by your choice of browser 3 . You can then choose which pages to print. Incidentally, it’s also a better way to view the files. Terry Gilmour BROWSERS Stop Edge sharing search history with Windows Microsoft Edge is so tightly integrated into Windows 10 and 11 that it automatically shares your search history and other data with the search box in the taskbar. When you perform a search, Windows will suggest relevant files and web pages. It will also display bookmarks and terms you have recently searched for. To disable this, open Microsoft Edge and click the top-right menu button. Now click Settings and scroll down to select ‘Share browsing data with other Windows features’. The feature is on by default, so click the blue slider to disable it (see screenshot below). Ben Ward Chunky Ethernet cables I’m one of those Ethernet diehards that love the reliability and speed it brings. In the past few years I’ve run cables under the carpet, but eventually got fed up with their chunky designs being visible. And what I use instead... I switched to the flat design of Primewire’s 5m Cat7 cables (www. snipca.com/45468, pictured), buying five metres for £7.99. They produce less of a bulge under the carpet, running from my study across the landing and into my bedroom. They should be just as unobtrusive when running along a skirting board. I also like the sturdy design – the cores are protected by a foil-like material. I hardly notice them when shuffling around in my slippers. The Cat7 rating is a bonus. I don’t plan to upgrade to Gigabit broadband, but should the time ever come I know this cable will be up to the challenge of delivering super-fast speeds. Iain Forster Eric wins a copy of our 2022 Back Issue CD Buy it from us at www.snipca.com/44660 1 2 3 4 1 3 2 5

Handy hints and tips from your fellow readers Email us your tips: [email protected] 41 Reader recommends… Want to recommend hardware or software to fellow readers? Email [email protected] Issue 656 • 26 April – 9 May 2023 Sony WF-C500 earbuds £60 from www.snipca.com/45469 I enjoyed your ‘What not to buy for Christmas’ feature back in Issue 646 (page 60), especially your advice to avoid spending over £100 on Apple’s AirPods. I couldn’t agree more, though I didn’t buy your recommended EarFunAir buds (www.snipca.com/44153) because I had already purchased Sony’s WFC500 model for just £60. These sound great and battery life is impressive too. One 30-minute charge in the morning keeps them going for the rest of the day. Most days I listen to music stored on my Android tablet, which is easily done using Google’s Fast Pair feature. A tap on the buds pairs them via Bluetooth. You can also control them using your voice, though I haven’t quite mastered that yet. Also, unlike other earbuds I’ve used in the past, they don’t slip out whenever I slant my head. Mary Butler APPS Move the Music folder to transfer files from SD card For several years I’ve used the Musicolet app (www.snipca. com/45452) on my Android phones and Chromebooks. It’s a free and easy-to-use music player, although I recommend paying for the in-app purchases to take advantage of the added benefits. I recently bought a new Chromebook, installed Musicolet on it, and inserted the SD card containing the music from my old Chromebook. But I was faced with the error message: ‘Can’t use this folder. To protect your privacy choose another folder’. Nothing I did would make Musicolet play the music, even though I could see the files. I contacted the developer who replied in less than a day (exceptional service!), and said that because of “scoped storage” in Android 11 apps don’t have full access to all folders. This causes the problem I was experiencing. The developer suggested a solution, which was to keep your audio files (and their folders) inside the Music folder. You then need to add the Music folder to the ‘Folders to scan’ list (see screenshot above). You’ll find this by opening Settings, then clicking ‘Song library and tags’ followed by ‘Folders to scan’. This resolved the problem for me. Others might find the advice useful because the restriction may apply to other types of data and apps. Hopefully, a future update will fix the issue. Musicolet remains in my personal top-five software. Paul Denyer WEBSITE Link to a specific section in Wikipedia As a follow-up to your tip on linking to a specific section of a website in Chrome or Edge by right-clicking (Issue 654, page 63), there’s also an option within Wikipedia for doing this. I use it in every newsletter that I write – across several subjects, from birdwatching to caravans. You can’t link to any part of a Wikipedia page, only sections with content headings. You’ll see these listed down the left side of a page. Right-click the relevant content heading ( 1 in our screenshot below), then select ‘Copy link address’ 2 . Now paste the URL wherever you like, and whenever it’s clicked it will appear at the start of the section you chose. Matthew Gooden WEB DESIGN Find out the name of fonts As an amateur web designer, I’m always interested in trying new fonts to see what looks best online and in my newsletters. I’m not an expert though, so I use Font Squirrel’s Matcherator tool (www.snipca.com/45467) to discover the name of the fonts. You just need to drag and drop an image of the font, then click the ‘Matcherate It!’ button. It’ll then show you matching fonts below, starting with the most similar ( 1 in our screenshot below), and getting progressively less so. My example shows the results for this ‘April’ graphic 2 . Sam Palmer 1 2 1 2

Browser Tips 42 26 April – 9 May 2023 • Issue 656 1 Before you try picture-in-picture mode, ensure the feature is enabled in Firefox. Click the three-line menu and choose Settings, then General 1 . Scroll down to the Browsing section and tick ‘Enable picture-in-picture video controls’ 2 . 3The video will pop out into a floating window you can move around your screen. Use the controls to play/pause, fast-forward and rewind the video 1 , and mute the volume. To exit PiP mode, click the ‘Back to tab’ button in the top left 2 . 2To switch to picture-in-picture mode, hover your cursor over a video on a site such as YouTube and click the icon that looks like a big screen pointing at a smaller one 1 . Alternatively, press Ctrl+Shift+] (right square bracket) on your keyboard to activate PiP. EDGE Disable the new Discover button more easily In Browser Tips in Issue 654, we explained how to get rid of the annoying Discover button that now appears in the top-right corner of Edge. This looks like the Bing logo and gives you easy access to the new AI-powered Bing Chat, but it’s easy to trigger by accident when you move your cursor over it. Our removal method involved editing the shortcut you use to launch the browser, but thankfully there’s now a simpler way to ditch Discover. After users responded negatively to the new button, Microsoft has – as we predicted – added an option to Edge to disable Discover. Click the three-dot menu icon to the left of the Discover button ( 1 in our screenshot below) – or press Alt+F – and choose Settings, then Sidebar. In the ‘App and notification settings’ section, click Discover and switch off the option to ‘Show Discover’ 2 . This will instantly remove the Discover button from Edge while retaining the rest of the sidebar. If you want to hide the latter as well, switch off the option to ‘Always show sidebar’. FIREFOX Control the playback of picture-in-picture videos Firefox’s picture-in-picture (PiP) feature lets you pop out videos from sites such as YouTube into a floating player window, so you can continue watching them while you get on with other tasks. Version 112 of the browser, which was released on 12 April, adds new options to the PiP player that give you more control over video playback. These include a progress bar – or ‘seek bar’ – across the bottom of the pop-out window, which shows you the duration of the video and how much of the content you’ve played so far. As on YouTube, you can drag the slider to skip to a specific moment. There are also new Backwards and Forwards buttons, which let you rewind and fast-forward videos by five seconds per click, and a Fullscreen button that expands the player to fill your screen. See our Workshop below to find out how to use Firefox’s picture-in-picture mode. CHROME Switch to Chrome’s new design today It’s been a long time since Google updated Chrome’s interface, which is starting to look dated compared with rival browsers such as Edge and Brave. That’s set to change later this year, when Chrome will be given a Material You redesign. If you can’t wait that long, you can switch to the new look today. Type chrome://flags into the browser’s address bar and press Enter to load the Experiments page. Find the entry Chrome Refresh 2023 ( 1 in our screenshot above), select Enabled in the dropdown menu next to it and click Relaunch. When Chrome reopens, you’ll immediately notice some changes – background tabs will have a blue tint and their corners will be more rounded than before. In fact, rounded corners is the main theme of the refresh, which is particularly obvious when you click the ‘Bookmark this tab’ option – the box that opens 2 now has rounded edges, boxes and buttons. There isn’t much else new, but that may change before the redesign is officially rolled out. OPERA Enhance your browsing using AI features Following the integration of Bing Chat with Edge, Opera is the latest browser to add AI-powered features. WORKSHOP Watch videos in Firefox’s picture-in-picture mode 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 1 2

Secret settings and the best extensions Issue 656 • 26 April – 9 May 2023 43 BEST EXTENSION FOR… Earning cashback on purchases LetyShops Chromium www.snipca.com/45571 Firefox www.snipca.com/45572 With prices still rising, it’s useful to get some money back when you shop online. LetyShops lets you earn cashback from hundreds of retailers, including Boots, Currys, Expedia, Wish and Zavvi. Once you’ve signed up for a free account, the extension’s toolbar button will ‘blink’ when you visit a site that offers cashback. Click the LetyShops icon to view the cashback percentage, then choose ‘Activate cashback’ and make your purchase. You can also click the button on sites that don’t provide cashback to view the last offers from recommended stores (see screenshot). The money you earn can be transferred to your PayPal account once you reach the minimum withdrawal limit of £10. Note that you’ll need to disable your ad blocker, or add letyshops.com to its exceptions list, to use the LetyShops add-on. If you don’t like that, try… TopCashback Chromium www.snipca.com/45573 Firefox www.snipca.com/45574 TopCashback is one of the best-known cashback services, covering more than 4,000 retailers. Its extension helpfully tells you whenever there’s cashback to be claimed, but it’s less reliable than LetyShops. Wisely, these options – which are called AI Prompts – are disabled by default, so they don’t distract you if you’re not interested. However, they could potentially prove useful for looking up information and generating content. To try AI Prompts in the latest version of Opera (97, which was released in March), click the ‘Quick setup’ button in the top-right corner of the browser and switch on the ‘AI Prompts (Early Access)’ option ( 1 in our screenshot below). Now, when you highlight text on a web page, you’ll see a pop-up panel containing prompts such as ‘What’s the main point’ 2 , ‘Rewrite using synonyms’ and ‘Write a haiku’. Further options are available by clicking the new AI Prompts button in your address bar - these change according to the site you’re viewing. However, for the prompts to work you need accounts with the AI services that power them: ChatGPT and ChatSonic. You’ll be asked to sign up for these services the first time you click a prompt – both have generous free plans. Once you’re signed in, you can access ChatGPT and ChatSonic from Opera’s sidebar, and interact with their respective chatbots. See page 62 for more on the latest AI tools. CHROMIUM Explore the world from your New Tab page If you can’t afford a holiday this year, you can virtually tour the globe using a new extension called GeoTab (www.snipca.com/45570). This displays details of a random country every time you open a new tab, including a high-resolution photo, the national flag and plenty of interesting information. Click the map icon on the left-hand side of your New Tab page (see screenshot below) to view a map of the country – you can then zoom out to see its location on a world map. The thermometer icon at the bottom of the tab shows you the average temperature in that region throughout the year, while a panel in the top-right corner tells you the country’s land area, income group and population. Click the web-page icon on the right for links to the relevant Wikipedia article and subreddit. The extension even shows the current time in the country. When you install GeoTab, it requests permission to ‘Read and change your data on a number of websites’, but this relates to the sites it sources data from, so it’s not a privacy concern. 1 2

Phone and Tablet Tips 44 What you should install this fortnight Tesco Grocery & Clubcard Free Android www.snipca.com/45643 iOS www.snipca.com/45644 Following the closure of its Pay+ and Clubcard apps, Tesco has revamped its Grocery app to combine the features of all three. This means you can now collect and spend Clubcard points, in-store and online, and check stock at your local Tesco store – all in one place. Saved points and vouchers will be automatically transferred. BEST NEW APPS iOS Improve the sound quality of phone calls One of the best new features in iOS 16.4, which was released at the end of March, lets you improve the audio quality of phone calls you make on your iPhone. It’s called Voice Isolation and uses machine learning to remove background noise and block microphone interference so your calls sound clearer than ever. Previously, Voice Isolation was available for VoIP calls in apps such as FaceTime and Skype, but it now works for calls you make over your mobile network. However, the feature isn’t enabled by default and can only be switched on during a call – once it’s activated, it will remain so for future calls. To turn on Voice Isolation, start a phone call and once the other person answers, swipe down from the top of your iPhone’s screen to access the Control Centre. Tap the Mic Mode tile and select Voice Isolation (see screenshot below left) to enable the feature for the current call and all subsequent ones. You’ll also notice an option called Wide Spectrum, which enhances noise around you without affecting your voice, but this isn’t available for standard phone calls yet. If you find that the microphone quality is now almost too pristine and makes your voice sound unnatural, tap the Mic Mode tile again and revert to the Standard option. ANDROID & iOS Travel back in time with Google Maps Ever wondered how an area you’re visiting, or are planning to visit, looked five, 10 or even 15 years ago? You can find out using a new feature in the Google Maps app, which uses the service’s Street View imagery. Search for a location, then tap it on the map and press the Street View photo that appears in the bottom-left corner (this has a white roundabout icon in its own bottom-left corner). When Street View opens, a panel at the bottom of your screen will tell you when the current image was captured by Google’s Street View cameras. Tap ‘See more dates’ to explore imagery from earlier dates (see screenshot above right), so you can see how the place has changed over time. Google began capturing Street View photos in the UK in June 2008, following its launch in the US a year earlier, which means you can potentially travel back nearly 15 years – though many areas weren’t added until later. Note that Google shut down its separate Street View app on 31 March, so its features have now been incorporated into the Google Maps app – any other Street View-branded apps you come across are unofficial and potentially risky. ANDROID Delete the last 15 minutes of your Chrome activity Google has updated the Android version of its Chrome browser to let you delete the last 15 minutes of your browsing data. You can already clear the last hour, 24 hours, and seven days of activity, but the new option allows you to be more precise about the data you wipe – both from your phone or tablet and from Google’s servers. The feature is currently an experiment in the Chrome *Contains in-app purchases 26 April – 9 May 2023 • Issue 656 Hipstamatic Free* iOS www.snipca.com/45578 This popular camera app for applying retro-style filters to your photos has relaunched as a social network for avid photographers. Share your latest snaps with up to 99 followers, and vice versa, in a simple interface that’s free of adverts, videos and ‘influencers’. To unlock premium features, you need to pay £4.99 a month. Stario Launcher Free Android www.snipca.com/45648 Declutter your phone’s home screen using this minimalist new launcher, which replaces app shortcuts and widgets with a simple clock, battery indicator and search box. Swipe left to create notes to yourself, swipe right to add RSS feeds for your favourite sites and swipe up to browse and search your installed apps.

Brilliant things to do on your device 45 BEST APPS FOR... Decluttering your home *Contains in-app purchases Byebye Free* Android www.snipca.com/45649 iOS www.snipca.com/45650 Use this app to create an inventory of old clothes, gadgets, books and other items, including photos and (optionally) the purchase date and price. Add labels such as ‘barely used’, ‘essential’ and ‘sentimental’, and mark items as ‘favourites’ or ‘regrets’, to analyse your hoard and help you decide what to bin, sell or donate to charity. Best For Creating an inventory Tody Free*/£6.99 Android www.snipca.com/45651 iOS www.snipca.com/45652 Tody lets you create a cleaning schedule for your home – room by room, including tasks such as decluttering, dusting and sweeping the floor. You can specify how urgent each task is, assign tasks to other family members and even turn cleaning into a game. The iOS version is pricey, though. Best For Managing cleaning tasks Adobe Scan Free* Android www.snipca.com/45653 iOS www.snipca.com/45654 Reduce paper clutter in your home without losing important information by scanning receipts, bills, bank statements, appointment letters and other documents with Adobe Scan. The app saves its high-quality scans in PDF format, and lets you organise items into folders and upload them to an online-storage service. Best For Reducing paper clutter app that you need to enable manually. To do so, type chrome://flags into the browser’s address bar, press Enter and search for the entry Enable quick delete ( 1 in our screenshot above). Tap the dropdown menu below it, select Enabled and relaunch Chrome. When the browser reopens, tap the three-dot menu in the top-right corner and you’ll see a new option to ‘Delete last 15 minutes’ 2 . Select this and tap Delete to wipe the last 15 minutes of your browsing history, cookies and site data, as well as any cached images and files. We found the new option sometimes causes Chrome to crash, which is evidently why it’s still an experiment. The Google app for Android also offers this option. Tap your profile icon in the top-right corner of the app and choose ‘Delete last 15 minutes’. ANDROID & iOS Listen to Niche Mixes on Spotify Spotify has annoyed many users by adding auto-playing videos to the Home screen of its mobile app, which it’s currently not possible to turn off. However, it’s also added a more useful feature called Niche Mixes, which uses AI to generate personalised playlists based on specific themes. These are different from the existing playlists that group songs by genre, artist, decade or mood. To access the feature, tap the Search tab in the Spotify app for Android (www. snipca.com/45575) or iOS (www.snipca. com/45576), and choose Made For You. Swipe down to the new Your Niche Mixes section (see screenshot right) and you’ll see a selection of compiled playlists with names such as Morning Wake Up Mix, Walking Workout Mix and Driving Sing Along Mix. These combine songs from your Spotify library with relevant recommendations, so you can listen to familiar tracks and discover new ones. To access further Niche Mixes, tap the Search tab and type a theme followed by the word mix to see what comes up – for example, baking mix, quiet late night mix or cold rainy day mix. You can ‘Like’ mixes to add them to your Spotify Library. Issue 656 • 26 April – 9 May 2023 1 2

Make Windows Better Expert tips for every version 46 Set File Explorer to open in the Downloads folder With a registry tweak you can make File Explorer always open in your Downloads folder. First, press Windows key+R then type regedit and click OK. Now navigate to Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\ Software\Microsoft\Windows\ CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced, or copy it from our Pastebin page (www. snipca.com/45639) and paste it into the toolbar at the top ( 1 in our screenshot). Next, right-click the Advanced folder 2 , then select New, followed by ‘Dword (32-bit) Value’. Type LaunchTo to name it. Now double-click this entry and type 3 in the ‘Value data’ box 3 . Click OK to confirm the change. You don’t need to restart your computer for it to take effect. To reverse the change, just right-click LaunchTo, select Delete then click Yes to confirm. WINDOWS 11 Tap bigger taskbar icons in tablet mode Released in March, the ‘Moment 2’ update adds a new taskbar design to make it easier to use when you’ve got Windows 11 in tablet mode. On the left of the screenshot below is the ‘expanded’ mode, which shows bigger taskbar icons 1 . Windows 11 will automatically switch to this taskbar when you remove or fold back a keyboard on a laptop-tablet ‘2-in-1’ machine. A second new ‘collapsed’ mode removes the taskbar icons, leaving only the information on the System Tray at the bottom right, such as the time and battery status 2 . As well as freeing up more screen space, it means you won’t accidentally trigger the taskbar with your fingers while holding your device at the bottom. You can switch between expanded and collapsed modes by swiping up from the bottom of the screen. These modes are activated by default on laptop-tablet devices running Windows 11. To disable them, open Settings (press Windows key+I), then click Personalisation, Taskbar, ‘Taskbar behaviours’ and turn off the slider next to ‘Optimize taskbar for touch interactions when this device is used as a tablet’. Visit Microsoft’s site to see all the touchscreen commands you can perform when using Windows 11 in tablet mode: www.snipca. com/45633. WINDOWS 10 & 11 Make WhatsApp calls with more people WhatsApp has increased the number of people you can have chats with in the Windows version. You can now make video calls with up to eight people, and audio calls with up to 32. To do this, you’ll need to install the new version of WhatsApp from the Microsoft Store – visit www.snipca.com/45637 and click ‘Get in Store app’ (see screenshot right). If you have a previous version installed, search for and open Microsoft Store in Windows, then click Library at the bottom left. You’ll then see all your Store apps that need updating. Clicking ‘Get updates’ will do this simultaneously. WhatsApp claims the new app loads faster, and that it will increase the people limit “over time” (see www.snipca. com/45638). WINDOWS 10 & 11 Search for computers on your network If you often have to search for computers connected to your home network, memorise the keyboard shortcut Windows key+Ctrl+F. This will bring up the Find Computers box with the Computers tab selected. Change the network in the dropdown menu if you need to ( 1 in our screenshot below), then type the name of the computer you’re looking for 2 and click Find Now 3 . The results will appear in a panel at the bottom. 26 April – 9 May 2023 • Issue 656 WINDOWS 10 & 11 1 2 2 3 3 1 2 1

Make Office Better Top tips for the best office programs 47 Make Word show fractions as you type There are several ways to show complicated fractions in Word documents, including by using the Symbols menu and the Character Map in Windows. However, if all you ever need to type is ½, ¼ and ¾, you should set Word to do this automatically. Click ‘File’ at the top of a document, then select Options at the bottom. Next, click Proofing in the left-hand menu ( 1 in our screenshot) and select AutoCorrect Options on the right 2 . Now click the AutoFormat As You Type tab 3 and tick ‘Fractions (1/2) with fraction character (½)’ 4 , followed by OK. With this activated, typing 1/2 then pressing Space or Enter will automatically change to ½, 1/4 to ¼ and so on. Note that if you want to type a whole number before the fraction, such as 8½, you’ll need to add a space after it. MICROSOFT EXCEL Count the number of cells containing data The COUNTA function counts how many spreadsheet cells are not blank – which means those that contain any form of value or information. Cells that contain a zero are counted, as are those that show an error message. In our example, we want to count how many non-blank cells there are between A1 and E12. We click in the cell we want the answer to appear in (G1), then type =COUNTA(A1:E12) ( 1 in our screenshot above). This produces the answer 34 2 . The same function works in LibreOffice Calc and OnlyOffice. LIBREOFFICE Switch on dark mode manually Released in February, LibreOffice 7.5 was a major update that added several handy new tools, including a dark mode that automatically matched your system settings. So, if dark mode is switched on in Windows, LibreOffice would recognise this and turn dark mode on automatically. One month later, following feedback from users, LibreOffice released 7.5.1 which added the option to turn dark mode on and off manually. To see this, click the Tools tab at the top, followed by Options at the bottom (or press Alt+F12). Now click the LibreOffice menu on the left, then View ( 1 in our screenshot below), and select System, Light or Dark in the Appearance dropdown menu 2 . Finally, click OK. At the time of writing the latest version of LibreOffice is 7.5.2 – download it from www.libreoffice.org/download. Find out what the different numbered versions of LibreOffice mean on page 69. ONLYOFFICE Hide the left and right panels in documents Version 7.3 of OnlyOffice added a new option to remove the left and right panels from a document page, making it appear less cluttered. The left panel shows four options (Search, Comments, Headings and ‘Feedback & Support’) and the ruler for aligning text and setting margins. The right-hand panel has options for line and paragraph spacing, as well as indents and adding a background colour. If you don’t need these, click the View tab at the top of a document, then untick the Left Panel and Right Panel boxes ( 1 in our screenshot above). This will leave the horizontal ruler running along the top 2 – you’ll need to untick Rulers 3 to remove this. Issue 656 • 26 April – 9 May 2023 MICROSOFT WORD 4 1 3 2 1 2 1 3 2 1 2

48 26 April – 9 May 2023 • Issue 556 In The Club Run a club or society? Here's how your tech can make it easier Next issue: Design and order mugs with your logo Invite participants then click ‘Mute all’ and make sure ‘Allow attendees to unmute themselves’ is switched off Turn your own audio and video back on by clicking these icons Copy the 'guest URL' in Jitsi to paste later Present a free webinar to members Having a video chat with one or more people is technically known as video conferencing. In a conference all members can speak, interact and have equal access to whatever features the software provides. A webinar is different. It’s more like going to a virtual seminar. A single person does all the talking, and usually only their video camera is turned on. Only the speaker can choose who else can talk and when – to ask questions, for example. It’s an effective way to host an online presentation to club members. Because webinars are popular in the business world (sometimes people even pay to attend), it’s hard to find a service that will let you run one for free, though most offer free trials. Some of the most popular paid-for webinar providers are GoTo Webinar (www.goto.com), Zoho (www.zoho.com) and Livestorm (www. livestorm.co). You can also run a webinar with the Pro version of Zoom (£119 a year), or Google Meet if you pay for a Google Workspace account (starting at £5 a month). These paid-for packages let you record your webinar and save it online, so that people who can’t make it live can watch it at another time. You also get lots of useful features like adding quizzes and polls, and in some cases taking payments from attendees. Start a webinar in Jitsi Of course, if you’re offering a webinar to your club members, then you probably won’t want to charge them. You can host a free webinar by changing a few settings in the video-chat tool Jitsi, which we recommended in Issue 648’s In The Club as an excellent free alternative to Zoom. You can even record webinars, though they can be saved only to your PC, not online. The great thing about Jitsi is that you don’t even need to sign up for an account. To use it to run a webinar simply go to https://moderated.jitsi.net and click the blue ‘Get me a moderated meeting!’ button. You’ll see two URLs – one for your guests, the other for you. Make a copy of the guest URL to use later ( 1 in our screenshot below left), then click the ‘Join as moderator’ button 2 , confirm your name and click ‘Join meeting’. You should now see your webcam view being displayed full screen. Turn off attendees’ audio and video Now comes the clever bit – click the Participants icon at the bottom (it shows an outline of two people), followed by the ‘Mute all’ button in the box that appears ( 1 in our screenshot above). You’ll be asked if you want to mute everyone. Make sure the option for people to unmute themselves is turned off 2 , then click Mute 3 . Next, click the three-dots icon next to ‘Mute all’ and choose ‘Stop everyone’s video’. When asked if you really want to do this, make sure ‘Allow attendees to start their video’ is turned off and click ‘Stop video’. This automatically mutes your attendees’ audio and video (to stop them joining with their webcam) when they join your webinar. This will turn off your own microphone and video too, so you’ll need to turn them back on before you start presenting. Do this at the far left of the bottom toolbar by clicking the ‘Mute/ unmute’ ( 1 in our screenshot below) and Start/Stop camera’ icons 2 . 1 2 3 2 1 2 1

What’s All the FussAbout... 49 Microsoft wants to keep tabs on how many you have open see; selecting ‘Don’t show tabs’ means you’ll see only tabs open in Windows, not web pages you’ve had open in Edge. The options are a little different in Windows 10. Go to the Multi-tasking section as above, then look for the ‘Pressing Alt+Tab shows’ menu under the ‘Alt+Tab’ heading. Unlike in Windows 11, you have the option to show programs from Windows only (ie, none from Edge). Will the 20-tab limit come to Windows 10? Probably not. Microsoft has stopped adding new features to the operating system, ahead of ending support in October 2025. So stick with Windows 10 if you can’t kick your tabs habit. What is it? It’s the keyboard shortcut in Windows that lets you see which folders, programs and web pages (in Edge) you have open. You can easily switch between these by keeping the Alt key pressed, then pressing the Tab key. You can also press the arrow keys to switch. If ‘Tab’ isn’t marked on your keyboard, look for the two arrows pointing in opposite directions (pictured below right) and press that. It’s been a popular shortcut with users ever since Microsoft added it in Windows 2.0, way back in 1987. Yes, it’s very useful. Is Microsoft changing it? It seems so, but potentially for the better. Because Alt+Tab lets you instantly switch to programs and start using them, Windows needs to keep them running in your PC’s RAM. Therefore, the more programs you have open, the more strain you’ll be putting on your computer, making it slower. This isn’t much of a risk if you have only a few programs available to open as tabs, but Windows currently lets you have an unlimited amount. Just look at the ridiculous number we have open in our main screenshot above right. Don’t try that at home, folks. So what’s Microsoft doing about it? It’s planning on limiting the number of tabs you can have open to 20. You may think that still seems a lot, and we don’t recommend having that many open simultaneously, but it’s always good to have the option in certain circumstances. Microsoft introduced the limit in March in a preview build of Windows 11 available only to Windows Insiders (see screenshot below). When will it be added to the full version? We’re not sure, but possibly in the next ‘Moment’ release for Windows 11 – expected in May. You can already set some limits in the full versions of Windows, though only for the number of tabs you see from Edge. How can I do that? Open Settings (press Windows key+I) in Windows 11, then click System followed by Multi-tasking. Click the ‘Show Microsoft Edge tabs when snapping or pressing Alt+Tab’ dropdown menu and you’ll see four options: all tabs, five most recent tabs, three most recents and don’t show tabs. If you pick ‘All tabs’, there’ll be no limit to how many Edge tabs you’ll Alt+Tab Microsoft has a trick for cutting how much RAM your PC consumes Issue 656 • 26 April – 9 May 2023 Look for this button if you can’t find Tab on your keyboard

COVER FEATURE 50 26 April – 9 May 2023 • Issue 656 THE 16 WINDOWS TOOLS YOU SHOULD STOP USING 1 Snipping Tool 2 File Explorer 3 Windows Search 4 Windows Run 5 Task Manager 6 Registry Editor 7 Disk Clean-up 8 Start 9 Paint 10 Microsoft Photos 11 Media Player 12 Notepad 13 Mail 14 Device Manager 15 System Information 16 Disk Management Why stick with the tools that come with Windows when superior alternatives are available? Robert Irvine reveals the best free programs to replace Microsoft’s default apps Windows offers pretty good value for money - especially when you can upgrade for free from the previous version. As well as the main operating system, you get plenty of extra apps and tools for performing everyday tasks, so you don’t need to waste time downloading programs when you first set up your PC. However, there’s no reason you should stick with these default tools forever just extra features, faster performance and greater flexibility in how you use them. Also, in light of the recently discovered security flaw in Snipping Tool (see page 51), they’re less likely to be targeted by hackers. We haven’t included Edge in our suggestions for what to ditch, because deciding which browser to switch to is a feature in itself, but our choices cover loads of other tools you use every day – but shouldn’t any more. because they’re convenient to use. Some of the features built into Windows haven’t been updated for years, which means they’re starting to show their age, and virtually every tool installed by Microsoft has a superior alternative you can download for free. In this feature, we recommend the best free software to replace 16 tools that come with Windows 10 and 11. Our carefully selected programs let you do much more than Microsoft’s default apps, offering STOP USING WINDOWS TOOLS