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If there’s one thing that really gets my goat, it’s tools and devices that don’t do what they’re supposed to. The other day, I uninstalled a program from my PC and assumed it was gone for good. But later, I found a whole load of files and folders relating to the program that had been left behind to clog up my PC. Further investigation turned up yet more junk from other tools I thought I’d banished – and now I have no idea which ones are safe to remove and which ones aren’t. Nice one, Windows. Don’t get me wrong – I still believe that Windows is the best PC operating system around. But only a fully paid-up disciple of the Holy Church of Microsoft would suggest that the OS…

S Junk offender: Softpedia I’ve never installed any software using the listings site Softpedia (www.softpedia.com), but that doesn’t seem to have stopped Softpedia from dropping litter in my hard drive. The site dumped its junk in my PC’s trunk while I was just passing through. The discovery was surprising at best – it’s a bit like having a rubbish bin tipped over you by a passing car. Drive-by litter Software listings sites are a minefield of junk (see Named & Shamed, Issue 461). That’s why I’ve never installed anything via Softpedia. However, the last few times I’ve run the adware-scanning tool AdwCleaner (www.snipca.com/20850), it found Softpedia files in Chrome’s Local Storage folder and identified them as junk. I have to clean AdwCleaner each time to remove them, and a couple…

Acronis www.snipca.com/20616 Adobe www.snipca.com/20611 Avanquest www.snipca.com/20618 Avast www.snipca.com/20621 AVG www.snipca.com/20617 Bitdefender www.snipca.com/20622 Comodo www.snipca.com/20625 Corel www.snipca.com/20615 CyberLink www.snipca.com/20620 IObit www.iobit.com/en/refund. php Kaspersky www.snipca.com/20612 MAGIX www.snipca.com/20619 McAfee www.snipca.com/20623 Microsoft (Office and Windows) www.snipca.com/20613 O&O www.snipca.com/20624 Symantec www.snipca.com/20614 Symantec.…

Cold calls from TPS? I don’t think so I’ve had two phone calls recently from people purporting to be from the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) – the official register for opting out of unsolicited calls (ironically). I was suspicious because they didn’t quote my name or postcode correctly, so I ended the call. I contacted TPS (www.tpsonline.org.uk), who confirmed it was a scam and said they never contact users. The callers want to trick you into “updating” your registration by paying, so they ask for your debit-card details after checking your name and address. Warn your fellow readers about scams at letters@computeractive.co.uk…

Anker PowerPort Solar Lite £38 from Amazon www.snipca.com/20884 Not much bigger than a tablet when folded, this 18in solar charger lets you take advantage of sunny weather to charge up your phone (or one of the power packs we featured in Issue 476) while you’re away from the mains. It’s lighter and more efficient than rivals. Divoom Airbeat 10 £13 from Amazon www.snipca.com/20881 This tiny wireless speaker is great value at less than half of its original price. Available in several colours, it connects to Bluetooth phones, tablets, laptops, or any device with a 3.5mm jack cable, and comes with both a bike mount and suction cup that helps it to use whatever you fix it to – such as a table or window – as an extra resonator. Overboard…

HOME-SECURITY CAMERA ❘ £200 from John Lewis www.snipca.com/20874 With its golden metal finish, the Netatmo Welcome resembles the silver edition of the Canary (above, which also comes in black or white), but it’s slimmer. Again, it’s a mains-powered Wi-Fi motiondetection camera, but instead of storing video ‘in the cloud’ it saves it on a microSD card. That means there are no extra subscription charges to access your recordings. On the other hand, if someone steals your camera, you won’t have any evidence. Setting up the Welcome is slightly fiddly, but you use an Apple or Android device or PC’s web browser. Like the Canary, it shoots Full HD, with sound, and works in the dark using built-in infra-red LEDs. Netatmo’s software corrects the ‘fisheye’ effect of the wide-angle lens, which…

Find out what other products we liked. Buy our new 2015 Back Issue CD: £15 fromwww.snipca.com/19124 LAPTOP Asus UX305 £550 from www.snipca.com/19439 Tested: Issue 447 13.3in is a practical size for a laptop, and this light but sturdy ‘ultrabook’ has a smart and slim design that does justice to its capable performance. Upgradeable to Windows 10, it’s limited mainly by its 128GB SSD, which makes it work fast, but might leave you needing more space. ALTERNATIVE Toshiba Satellite C40-C This 14in Windows 10 laptop looks like it costs a lot more. It’s not the most amazing PC, but it’s fantastic for the price. £200 from www.snipca.com/20245 DESKTOP PC Mesh Elite Essential Skylake CA £499 from www.snipca.com/19822 Tested: Issue 471 This compact tower system spends your money wisely on an excellent…

What you need: Process Logger Service; Any version of Windows (XP to 10) Time required: 20 mins At any given time, there are several processes running on your PC (including many in the background), and Windows’ Task Manager isn’t great at explaining what these are. Process Logger Service is a free program that gives you detailed info on every process running on your PC (when it started, where it’s located, who created it and which program launched it). This makes it easier to find malware hiding on your PC and uninstall the program responsible. STEP 1 Go to www.snipca.com/20782 and click the Download Now button. Open the Zip file, copy the Service folder to your desktop, then open it. Next, open the 32bit or 64bit folder 1 (depending on your…

Handy hints and tips from your fellow readers Email us your tips: letters@computeractive.co.uk TIP OF THE FORTNIGHT Connect an old printer to Windows 10 I have an old printer that worked well with my XP PC, but failed to connect to my new Windows 10 laptop. Thankfully, I managed to resolve the problem after a little online research. It seems Windows 10 struggles to recognise some older printers and scanners without some tweaking. First, connect your printer to your PC. Next, open Windows 10’s Start menu, click Settings, Devices, then click ‘+ Add a printer or scanner’ at the top. Windows 10 detects most devices at this stage, but not necessarily older printers and scanners. If it doesn’t detect yours, click the ‘The printer that I want isn’t listed’ link.…

AGES 0􀀆5 Sarah & Duck: The Big Sleepover £2.49 www.snipca.com/20865 (Android) £2.49 www.snipca.com/20866 (iOS) This game from the BBC contains six fun activities to educate and entertain your toddler. Alongside puzzles and matching games, they’ll learn to make music and teach Sarah to dance. Our favourite was the game where both characters connect sections of railway tracks. AGES 6-10 Toca Blocks £2.49 www.snipca.com/20867 (Android) £2.49 www.snipca.com/20868 (iOS) Toca Blocks will let your child’s imagination run riot as they create worlds to play in. They can, for example, make a race track with obstacles – including ponds and mazes – before using the game’s characters to try to successfully complete the course. AGES 11-16 Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons £2.49 www.snipca.com/20869 (Android) £3.99 www.snipca.com/20870 (iOS) In this immersive game, your…

Pick the precise playback position The web version of iPlayer Radio for PCs and laptops has a simple slider that both indicates and lets you shift the playback position of the show you’re listening to, while the mobile apps replace this with a wheel. In the app, you can skip forwards or backwards by repeatedly tapping one of the ‘20 seconds’ arrows, but there is a more precise control. To use it, tap and hold any blank area inside the wheel to bring up an arc-shaped slider. You can now just move your finger to pick the exact point you want. Set an alarm or sleep timer The latest version of the iPlayer Radio mobile app lets you wake up to your favourite station or drift off to sleep listening…

ALMOST SOLD OUT! THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO WINDOWS 10 This 148-page book is the only guide you need on Microsoft’s new operating system. You’ll learn how to master all the new tools, lock Microsoft’s weak privacy settings and prevent future updates from wrecking your PC. It includes fixes for all the problems and bugs that have appeared in Windows 10 since it launched. Plus, you’ll discover how to make Cortana understand you, remove the apps you hate, fix the dreaded Reboot Loop problem, master the new Edge browser, and stop Microsoft sharing your personal info. BUY IT NOW FROM AMAZON at www.snipca.com/17716 THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO ANDROID If you use an Android tablet or phone, this book will tell you how to get the most out of your device. It…

‘Property loss’ warning when copying files If you’re copying content from your PC to a memory card, you may see a ‘Property loss’ message. This is because memory cards and hard drives tend to have different formats. For improved compatibility, memory cards are usually pre-formatted using the older FAT32 file system, but newer Windows hard drives use a system called NTFS. NTFS stores more metadata than FAT32, and the message is warning that you may lose some. Memory cards can be reformatted to NTFS, but that can stop them working with digital cameras or other devices. So, click Yes to let the copying process continue. If you want to check what metadata is lost, right-click the original file and choose Properties and then do the same on the FAT32 card…

Windows 10 countdown – upgrade for free after 29 June With just one month left before Microsoft’s upgrade offer expires, time’s running out for people who want a free copy of Windows 10. However, a potential loophole has emerged that could allow users to stay with their current operating system (OS) for now, then switch to Windows 10 for free any time that suits them after the 29 July cut-off date. As we reported in Issue 476, it seems increasingly unlikely that the company will announce a further extension to the free offer – Microsoft itself is urging “all customers to take advantage of it while it is still active”. There’s still time for the software company to change its mind. But in the meantime, those who don’t appreciate being…

Why won’t O2 replace my faulty phone? O2 Q I bought a Samsung Galaxy S7 phone from O2 at the end of March this year. After I installed a few apps the GPS stopped working, so I took it back to the O2 store. The sales assistant agreed that it was faulty and now wants to send it away for a repair. Surely if the phone is inherently faulty I’m entitled to an immediate replacement? John Pearson A We understand John’s frustration, but he isn’t entitled to a replacement. The Consumer Rights Act (CRA), introduced in October 2015, says that from 30 days after an item was bought the retailer has the right to attempt a repair first. Because John bought the phone in March, that 30-day deadline has passed.…

SYSTEM TOOL Win10 Wizard www.snipca.com/20655 What you need: Windows 7, 8/8.1 or 10 Whether you’re considering upgrading to Windows 10 for free before the end of July, or whether you’ve already upgraded and you’re looking to get it working the way you want it to, Win10 Wizard is one tool you’ll want on your side. Unlike other Windows 10 tweaking tools, you can install Win10 Wizard on a Windows 7 or 8 PC before you upgrade, then click Start Scan to check your PC for potential hardwareand software-compatibility problems that may need to be fixed. Run the tool again once you’ve upgraded, and you’ll be presented with a clean-looking dashboard featuring six different categories: Privacy, Location Services, Security, Themes, Reclamation, and Device & App Compatibility. Each category contains tools and…

PHONE ❘ £75 from Vodaphone www.snipca.com/20791 It’s not quite as cheap as the Smart Speed 6 (see our review, Issue 465), but the Smart Prime 7 is strikingly affordable for a smartphone with all the features you’d expect, including the latest Android 6.0 Marshmallow operating system. One of the best things about Marshmallow is that – unlike earlier versions – it lets you store apps (and their associated files) on a microSD card (available online from around £10). This means the meagre 8GB of internal storage on the Smart Prime 7 is no great problem. “A good phone for for this kind of price, with a crisp screen and good battery” The bottom-of-the-range Snapdragon processor is a more serious limitation. Apps opened quickly enough, but web browsing was frustratingly slow…

Which MFP is best for my needs? Q My multi-function inkjet printer has died and I need advice on a replacement. I do need scanning and copying, but I print less than 50 pages per month. This causes the ink cartridges to dry out, making printing very expensive. Black and white will be adequate for me, so I’m considering a compact all-in-one laser printer, but I’m concerned about running costs. My new machine must be wireless and compact. Esther, Dudley A You highlight a problem manufacturers tend to gloss over: each time you print, ink is left in the print head, and after this dries the printer flushes it out using yet more ink. This can mean you get far fewer pages out of a cartridge. Laser printers don’t suffer…

ROUTER ❘ £115 from Box www.snipca.com/20890 When we test wireless routers, the same few names come up again and again. Synology isn’t one of them: it’s best known for its NAS (network-attached storage) boxes, miniature computers that let you keep big collections of photos, music and other data where your PCs and devices can see them. There’s obviously some overlap between that idea and broadband routers, which let all your PCs and devices access the internet, and now Synology has made the leap from one to the other. “Set-up was simple and everything can be customised” The RT1900ac’s compact black plastic case looks functional, without the science-fiction styling of some fancier routers. Besides the three aerials on the back and a full row of winking lights on the front, the…

Win 1 of 6 Rock Jaw Alfa Genus V2 earphones Winner of a five-star ‘Buy It!’ Award in Issue 473, Rock Jaw’s Alfa Genus V2 earphones come with a set of three ‘tuning filters’ that adjust the audio reproduction to your taste, changing how music and films sound. The silver filter gives you an enhanced bass; the black filter provides more treble (good for audio books); while the gold filter offers a more balanced sound. To enter, email your address to cacomp@dennis.co.uk with ‘alfa’ in the subject line by midnight 5 July. Rock Jaw Alfa Genus V2 earphones are available to buy now priced £45 from https://rockjawaudio.com. For more information follow Rock Jaw on Twitter (@OfficialROCKJAW) and ‘like’ its Facebook page: www.facebook.com/ROCKJAWSONIC.…

What you need: Windows 7, Windows 7 installation disc Time required: 1 hour Anyone who has reinstalled Windows 7 on their PC – perhaps because they were unhappy with Windows 8.1 or 10 – will be familiar with having to download every update issued by Microsoft since February 2011. Windows Update does this one update at a time, so it can be incredibly time-consuming. To speed things up, Microsoft has released a new service called Windows 7 Convenience Rollup. This downloads thousands of important Windows updates (from February 2011 to May 2016) in one go, cutting your installation time in half. STEP 1 You first need to find out which version of Windows (32bit or 64bit) you’re using. If you’re downgrading from Windows 8 or 10, check your Windows 7…

WINDOWS 7, 8, 10 Change your taskbar colour By default, your taskbar and the borders of any open windows on your desktop are blue. However, you can easily change this colour. In Windows 10, click Start, type control panel, click ‘Appearance and Personalisation’, Personalisation, then Colour (in Windows 7 and 8.1, open Control Panel, type window colour in the search field at the top right, then click the ‘Change window glass colors’ link in the Personalization section). You’ll now see a grid of tiles of various colours (see screenshot below for Windows 7/8.1 version). Click a tile to preview how your borders and taskbar will look in that colour. Click ‘Save changes’ at the bottom to apply the colour you want. WINDOWS 10 Speed up Windows 10’s context menu Windows’…

Plex Pass Release date: May 2016 Format: iOS, Android, Windows Website: https://plex.tv Price: Free version available, iOS and Android apps require £3.99 activation fee or Plex Pass subscription (£3.99 per month, £31.99 per year or £119.99 lifetime). If, like me, your PC’s hard drive is crammed full of music, films and photos, then Plex makes a lot of sense. I love the idea of having my own, personalised alternative to Spotify, Netflix and other streaming services. As long as my PC is switched on, Plex lets me listen to my favourite music, watch TV shows or films I’ve bought, and browse my photos from just about anywhere, on almost any device. It certainly helps that Plex is easy to use, and offers a stylish interface. It automatically adds album cover…

Where did this random autofill entry come from? Q When adding new payment details via the Tesco Direct website, a box appeared offering me three names. Two were variations on my name, but there was a third male name that’s unknown to me. Tesco said it has not altered my account, and the name must be lurking in my computer. Any idea how this could have happened? Lynn Phennah A It’s a bit odd, but Tesco is right that the ‘problem’ is at your end – because this is autofill information saved by your browser. You sent us a close-up photo rather than a screenshot, so we’re not sure which browser, but it doesn’t really matter: this is the origin of the information. The most likely explanation is that the…

BANISH ROGUE CALLERS BY SENDING A TEXT A new ‘text-to-register’ service has been launched by the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) and Ofcom, aimed at reducing the amount of nuisance and marketing calls people receive. Only about 3 per cent of mobile-phone numbers are registered with the TPS, compared to 85 per cent of landlines. Mobile owners can quickly add their number to the UK’s official ‘do not call’ database by texting ‘TPS’ and their email address to 78070. US NUCLEAR ARSENAL CONTROLLED BY FLOPPY DISKS The Pentagon admitted that the US Strategic Automated Command and Control System relies on hopelessly outdated computer technology. According to a shocking report (www.snipca.com/20892), the system that “co-ordinates the operational functions of the United States’ nuclear forces” runs on a 1970s IBM Series-1 Computer and…

Tell us what’s on your mind Email: letters@computeractive.co.uk Facebook: www.facebook.com/computeractive Twitter: @ComputerActive www.twitter.com/computeractive Register with Avast? There’s really no need Jane Hoskyn stated in Named and Shamed (Issue 476, page 10) that you have to register and get a one-year licence when Avast Free Antivirus throws up the dreaded expiry pop-up. Well, I believe I’ve discovered a way to avoid this. When the pop-up appears, simply start to uninstall Avast and it immediately offers you the chance to renew free for a year without having to register. I’m guessing Avast would rather we all kept it installed on our PCs in the hope that one day we’ll surrender to its persistent nagging and buy the paid-for version. I’ve done this now on several computers and everything seems to work fine.…

We’re never happier than when companies respond to readers’ cases with goodwill gestures, so well done to Vodafone for refunding David Kay £227 for a premium-rate phone call he made accidentally. As we explained in Issue 470, David tried to block a nuisance caller, but unintentionally reconnected to the call. Without realising it, David was carrying out the kind of ‘line-blocking’ trick that scammers themselves use. David stayed on the line for over seven hours, ramping up a whopping bill of £213. He realised it was his mistake, but asked Vodafone to be lenient and lower the bill. The company refused, so David paid the bill. He then contacted us in the hope that we might catch Vodafone on a good day, and persuade it to knock some money off.…

Face- and voice-recognition technology has been used for years to scan you at airports and keep an eye on you at the supermarket. Some might say these technologies are intrusive and best left to the realms of science fiction, but others see them as a boost to national security and a welcome step up from passwords. You may forget your password, but you won’t forget your face. Free app AppLock uses similar technology to secure apps on your Android phone and tablet. Use a simple voice command to keep prying eyes off your Facebook app, for example; or set up TrulySecure mode – which uses data from both your face and voice (www.snipca.com/20789) – to lock extra-sensitive apps, such as your banking app. Install AppLock via the link above, accept…

What software can I use to replace 7-Zip? Q Until recently, I’ve been using a free program called 7-Zip to unzip files, but I’ve heard that this tool is unsafe. I’ve since uninstalled 7-Zip, but I need a replacement – preferably one that is safe! Greg Reade A 7-Zip is a popular open-source tool that lets you compress and uncompress different formats, including Zip, 7z, Rar and Tar. Security experts recently discovered two major vulnerabilities in the tool, which hackers can exploit to take remote control of your PC (see ‘Protect Your Tech’, Issue 477). 7-Zip has since released a new version that fixes these vulnerabilities. So one option would be to download the latest updated version of 7-Zip – make sure it’s version 16.0 or above – from www.7-zip.org.…

PHONE ❘ £459 from John Lewis www.snipca.com/20877 We’ve had the Xperia Z3, Xperia Z4 and Xperia Z5 – so what has Sony called its latest Android smartphone? Xperia X. Yes, just X. We don’t yet know if there’ll be an X2, but there’s already an XA (which is cheaper) and an XA Ultra (which has a bigger screen). The X is the new flagship model, even though – at a glance – you might mistake it for a Z5. Sony’s understated, squared-off styling is a distinctive antidote to Apple’s soap-bar iPhone 6s, even if its signature Lime Gold colour is just as sickly as it sounds (it comes in nice colours too). The side-mounted Home button/fingerprint sensor still works very well, and you might even be able to use it…

SUMMER 2016 As we predicted, AMD has announced a graphics card using ‘Polaris’ technology at a lower price than Nvidia’s GTX 1070 and 1080. The Radeon RX 480, on sale from 29 June, costs around $199 with 4GB of memory or $230 with 8GB (under £200 in the UK). SUMMER 2016 Samsung’s Galaxy Note 5 stylus phone failed to arrive in the UK, but the next version is definitely on the way, rumoured to be called Note 6 or 7. According to leaks, it could have a wraparound screen like the S7 Edge (pictured) and a Snapdragon 820 processor. AUTUMN 2016 We’ve heard about Apple’s new products from WWDC, its event for developers. However, iPhone 7, expected in the autumn but still under wraps, apparently won’t be a big redesign…

Spaces Free Android: www.snipca.com/20859 iOS: www.snipca.com/20860 Google’s new app lets you create a private group chat (called a ‘space’) with one tap. You can invite anyone to your group and then share your thoughts, photos and videos, as well as content from YouTube. In our next issue, we’ll show you how to set up a group for your family. Dark Sky £2 per year subscription after free trial Android: www.snipca.com/20861 iOS: www.snipca.com/20862 Famous for its up-to-the-minute weather forecasts, this long-time iOS-only weather app is now available on Android. It tells you exactly (in minutes) how long it’ll be before rain falls, for example. You can even schedule a daily weather forecast for a time of your choice. Garden Compass Free Android: www.snipca.com/20863 iOS: www.snipca.com/20864 This app will help you keep…

WORD Change the format of numbered lists It’s easy (and often very useful) to add numbers to a vertical list of items on separate lines. Simply highlight the list, click the Numbering dropdown menu (in the Paragraph section of the Home tab – see screenshot), then choose from one of the seven options. If you don’t like any of the default options, you can create your own. First, click the Numbering dropdown menu, then click Define New Number Format. Next, click the ‘Number style’ dropdown menu (see screenshot) to see a choice of numbered-list formats. The ‘Number format’ field displays how the first number in your new list will look. If you don’t like any of these, click the Font button. Here, you can select a new font type, style…

We love Windows, but that doesn’t mean it’s an operating system (OS) without flaws. Whether you use Windows 7, 8/8.1 or 10, you’ll come across any number of failings and quirks that can make doing simple things on your PC an infuriating experience. Because of the way Windows works, one accidental click here or simple mistake there can leave you with a hard drive full of duplicated files, or a computer that’s vulnerable to an attack by hackers. Core features and tools that we all use on a daily basis – such as its program uninstaller – simply don’t do their jobs properly, while Windows’ File Explorer is functional at best. Meanwhile, Task Manager is a bit threadbare, and Windows Defender barely puts up a fight. In many cases, there…

There’s an old saying in marketing circles which goes something like this: “Why settle for a single, simple brand that everyone knows when you could utterly bamboozle your customers by constantly renaming your most popular products, thus exhibiting the corporate equivalent of paranoid schizophrenia?” It’s an odd-sounding maxim, I’ll grant you. That’s probably because I just made it up. But that’s okay, because that’s what marketing people do all day long. “Why can’t Microsoft stick with product names for longer than it takes Windows to crash every day?” Here’s how they do it. They gather in expensive meeting rooms to stroke each other’s egos, sipping coffee that costs half their monthly wage, before getting down to the serious business of thinking up ridiculous ways to sell us things we don’t…