Table of contents for October 2015 in Windows Help & Advice

It’s looks like Windows 10 is off to a great start, with its initial uptake flying past the last free operating system update from Microsoft – Windows 8.1. Like many others who made the switch at the end of July, I’m now settled into the new system and am enjoying the new way of working and its ease of use. In fact, I think it’s time to start looking under the bonnet to see what settings I can find to make my PC use even better. In case you’re feeling the same way, we’ve commissioned a special feature showing you how to go further in Windows 10. Turn to page 12 to see how right now. Don’t miss the lovely new Lenovo Thinkpad Yoga 15 we’ve reviewed on page…

Epson Ecotank Has Epson started making cars? Don’t be silly. Despite the fact ‘Ecotank’ sounds like an environmentally friendly fuel system, it’s actually a new inkjet printer from the Japanese electronics company. And it’s one that comes with a completely revolutionary feature… It doesn’t sound like it’s trying to destroy itself when you turn it on? No. Although, it probably still does that. But the Ecotank’s sea change in the world of printers is that it comes with a huge ink tank. Epson reckons it’s capable of printing two years’ worth of family newsletters, smartphone pictures and school essays. How is that revolutionary? Similar to the situation with razors and contract mobile phones, inkjet printers are typically sold very cheaply so that companies can make their money back on extortionately…

There is no such thing as a free lunch. There are, however, free operating systems, and with Windows 10 Microsoft has delivered just that – a fully fledged version of its most famous software available at no cost to users of Windows 8 and 7. The fact that it’s free is obviously its biggest boon, but how is the rest of the operating system shaping up? The press has been largely enthusiastic about Windows 10. The return of the Start Menu after its conspicuous absence in Windows 8 has been universally praised, as has its in-depth Settings app. Its Edge browser has been singled out for its speedy performance, while the Cortana voice-detecting personal assistant brings Windows in line with Google’s Android and Apple’s iOS operating systems. However, to keep…

Packed with informative tutorials Every issue, we guarantee to pack the magazine with great tutorials teaching you all the best things you can do with your PC. Each article features step-by-step instructions to make learning new skills fast and enjoyable. Customise Windows to work your way We all know how to do the basics but getting the most from Windows isn’t always easy. Our dedication to the operating system means you get the very best tips and tricks for all versions of Windows. Get more from your favourite websites We all have our list of favourite sites but often we miss out on great features because they’re difficult to use or hidden from sight. We’ll show you how to do more online, for a more satisfying web life. Discover new…

Your guide Mayank Sharma says… “Windows 10 allows you to easily customise your PC to suit the way you work” At a glance… SKILL LEVEL Anyone can do it Straightforward Tricky in parts TIME TAKEN 25 minutes SUITABLE FOR Windows 10 Windows 8.1 Windows 7 Most of us spend a lot of time using Windows, either at home, or at work, so it makes sense to personalise our Windows experience to suit us and the way we work, or play. From small tweaks that minimise eye-strain to enabling quicker access to your favourite apps across multiple desktops, the latest Windows 10 has more productivity enhancing features than previous systems. Among the new changes, Windows 10 introduces a Personalisation section in the Settings app to let users customise various visual aspects…

Your guide Matt Hanson says… “Microsoft has removed the ability to play DVDs in Windows 10, but don’t worry you can download a free program to play them instead” At a glance… SKILL LEVEL Anyone can do it Straightforward Tricky in parts TIME TAKEN 5 mins SUITABLE FOR Windows 10 Windows 8.1 Windows 7 Previous versions of Windows included a program known as Windows Media Player. This enabled you to play DVDs without having to install additional software. However, with Windows 10, Windows Media Player has gone. This means if you put a DVD into your computer, instead of the latest blockbuster film you’ll be faced with an error message – which is less thrilling. Thankfully, you can add DVD playback by downloading and installing 5KPlayer. With this free software,…

Your guide Christian Hall says… “Decent photo editing is not only in the realm of expensive high-end tools such as Photoshop” At a glance… SKILL LEVEL Anyone can do it Straightforward Tricky in parts TIME TAKEN 20 minutes SUITABLE FOR Windows 8.1 Windows 7 Most of us don’t have the time to spend fiddling around and editing photos until they’re perfect. Therefore, a quick and easy photo editor is handy, particularly as images taken on modern cameras and smartphones don’t need too much tweaking. With Microsoft Photo Gallery, rotating, resizing and cropping are just a click away, and when it comes to fine-tuning your images, you can reduce the ‘noise’ (tiny grainy spots that appear on photos shot in low-light conditions), adjust the colour temperature, or even convert to black…

You can trust our reviews Our expert reviewers are 100 per cent independent, with years of experience in the world of computing. Our rigorous testing procedures mean that only genuine, high-quality products are awarded high star ratings. Further, very few are handed our Best Value or Best on Test Awards. If you see an item of hardware bearing one of these marks, you can be confident that it is an excellent product. Always check when the award was given, to ensure it is still up-to-date. We choose the best products Thousands of new products for your computer are released every year and choosing between them can sometimes be an impossible task. Our experts select only the best hardware and software to feature in this magazine, making your decision on which…

Alongside Windows 10, Microsoft has released a brand-new music service. Dubbed Groove, it’s a successor to the company’s previous Zune and Xbox Music platforms, but completely rebuilt to run on non-Microsoft platforms, such as Android and iOS phones. Getting in the Groove is easy. You can upload your existing music to Microsoft’s OneDrive cloud storage and it’ll be available to stream via the Groove app and its website. With 15GB of free storage there’s enough room for a virtual jukebox of 3,000 songs. Where Microsoft wants to carve its own groove is with Music Pass. Like Spotify, Google Play Music All Access and Apple Music, this subscription-based service will play an unlimited amount of songs from the Groove catalogue. And, like its competitors, Groove will charge you £9.99 a month.…

Windows 7 DPI Scaling Hooking a Windows computer up to a projector or a large-screen TV is one of the best ways to view your media. However, it can be a squint-inducing experience, especially when you’re navigating Windows Explorer or changing fiddly program options. There’s a solution in the form of DPI scaling, which increases the size of on-screen text and icons without distorting them. To turn it on, right-click in a blank portion of the desktop, and then choose ‘Screen resolution’. Now click ‘Make text and other items larger or smaller’. Here you can switch between 125 per cent scaling and 150 per cent. Windows 10 Start Menu Heaven One of the best things about Windows 10 is the return of the Start Menu, which was sorely missed from…

1 Which isn’t a Google social network? A) Google Connect B) Google Buzz C) Google+ 2 What does the DogSync app do? A) Allow dogs to compose emails B) Keep track of your canine’s activities C) Help pups plan important meetings 3 What from Back to the Future 2 has Lexus brought to life? A) The time-travelling car B) The hoverboard C) Jaws 19 4 What has Microsoft invested $100 million in? A) Derek Johnson’s 12-seater minibus B) Tesla C) Uber 5 What is the protagonist from EA’s upcoming game Unravel made of? A) Wire B) Wool C) Sellotape 6 What is Intel and Micron’s 3D Xpoint? A) A 3D-printing method B) A new type of memory C) An artificial intelligence system…

Your guide Matt Hanson says… “The improved Maps app brings lots of new features. Here’s how to make the most out of it” At a glance… SKILL LEVEL Anyone can do it Straightforward Tricky in parts TIME TAKEN 10 minutes SUITABLE FOR Windows 10 Windows 8.1 Windows 7 Microsoft’s Maps app is present and correct in Windows 10, and it’s been given a big overhaul. You can now easily find directions to locations, share your discoveries and much more. Cortana, the new virtual assistant that’s included with Windows 10, is tightly integrated with the app, letting you search the globe with just your voice. Maps is more powerful, easier to use and better than ever before – you’ll never get lost again thanks to the brilliant direction tools, which take…

Your guide Cat Ellis says… “Whether you’re hosting a party or requesting sponsorship for a charity event, a custom email campaign is a great way to spread the word” At a glance… SKILL LEVEL Anyone can do it Straightforward Tricky in parts TIME TAKEN 30 minutes SUITABLE FOR Windows 8.1 Windows 7 Email newsletters aren’t just for businesses – they’re also great for sending party or wedding invitations, raising money for charity, or sharing good news with friends and family. But how do you make sure your email catches the recipient’s attention rather than sailing into the spam folder? The answer is a custom campaign using stylish templates fine-tuned for your audience. CampaignMonitor lets you take your pick from a range of stylish email templates, tweak and twist it as…

Your guide Nick Peers says… “Get rid of all the clutter on your desk and let your Windows PC organise your notes – for free” At a glance… SKILL LEVEL Anyone can do it Straightforward Tricky in parts TIME TAKEN 15 minutes SUITABLE FOR Windows 10 Windows 8.1 Windows 7 Suffering from information overload? You need Microsoft OneNote, which is a clever tool for recording your notes and putting them into order. OneNote makes it easy to capture random musings and to-do lists, as well as photos, scanned documents and interesting web links. Once you’ve made your notes, OneNote makes it easy to organise them into sections and notebooks (see opposite), providing you with all the tools you need for finding, viewing and adding to your thoughts. OneNote also works…

Buying a new computer should be exciting, prompting all manner of exciting questions when you eagerly unbox it, such as, “What amazing new tricks can it perform?” Sadly, you may also find yourself asking some other questions, such as “Who stuck all those icons on my desktop?” as you boot up your new PC. And: “What’s with all the pop-ups?” and then “Why is everything so slow?” Welcome to the less than wonderful world of malware – that is all the software on your new PC that you didn’t ask for. Be ware-y In a crowded, competitive market, PC manufacturers operate with thin margins, so they’ll do anything to make a few more pennies – and software firms are happy to fork out to stick a few programs on your…

Here on Windows Help & Advice, we love new tech, but that’s not to say we’ve forgotten about our traditional tech, too! On page 88, we review the HP ProDesk 405 G2 – a solid desktop PC ideal for the home office. But, when we’re on the go, we’ll be picking up the Dell Inspiron 13 7000 – a great 2-in-1 that pushes the boundaries even further. Elsewhere, we’ve kept it old-school with six wired sports earphones to keep you company as you run. At home though, we like to stay wireless – so we take a look at the latest BT Wi-Fi extender. Read our review on page 84 for an honest opinion. Until next time!…

Playlists are the lifeblood of music streaming services. We’ve got one set up for exercising, one for when we’ve got friends over for a meal, and one for housework. But one of the most off-putting things about switching to a new streaming service is you have to manually rebuild all your playlists, a task which could take hours. Fortunately Soundiiz (soundiiz.com) is at hand to quickly transfer music between all the services.…

Deep Dream http://psychic-vr-lab.com/deepdream One of the weirdest things to come out of Google recently is its Deep Dream algorithm. It’s based on Google’s own image-recognition system, which uses computer code to detect faces and buildings in photos and give you relevant results when you plug keywords into its image search system. A little like a behavioural psychiatrist studying a machine, Deep Dream attempts to understand how exactly the machines are seeing the images they scan. By uploading a secondary image, an insight into the machine’s thought processes is revealed. A simple image of a cloud, for example, can become a dog, or a pig-snail, or a camel-bird. It’s deeply odd, beautiful but nightmarish, and you can try it with your own images. Upload your image to the site above and…

Whether you’re stuck for inspiration or want to become a master of your Windows computer, our Explore section is the place to come. Each month we pack it with tutorials covering a range of subjects suitable for all levels of expertise. This month, Mayank shows how to customise Windows 10, while Cat explains how to make your emails look polished, and Christian reveals how to edit photos like a professional. There’s never been a better time to see how your PC can make your life easier than ever! Your guide Mayank Sharma says… “It makes sense to change Windows 10 to suit the way we work and play” graham.barlow@futurenet.com…

Your guide Nick Peers says… “Keep your Android, Windows or iOS phone in sync with your Windows 10 PC and access Cortana with the help of the Windows Phone Companion” At a glance… SKILL LEVEL Anyone can do it Straightforward Tricky in parts TIME TAKEN 20 minutes SUITABLE FOR Windows 10 Windows 8.1 Windows 7 These days juggling multiple devices, from PCs and laptops to phones and tablets, is the norm. And in the past they used to exist in isolation to each other, but now a range of apps and services exist to tie them together, making the transition from one to the other seamless. Microsoft’s cloud-based services include OneDrive.com, Office 365 and Outlook.com, and the good news is there are free apps for your mobile – including Android…

Your guide Mayank Sharma says… “Master the File Explorer on Windows 10 to access the different types of content on your PC” At a glance… SKILL LEVEL Anyone can do it Straightforward Tricky in parts TIME TAKEN 25 minutes SUITABLE FOR Windows 10 Windows 8.1 Windows 7 Windows 10’s File Explorer used to be known as Windows Explorer in earlier versions of the operating system, and as with previous versions, it’s still the main tool you use to navigate your PC. File Explorer is accessible from the taskbar on the Windows desktop and is intuitive to use. File Explorer helps you find, organise, share and work with documents, media files and documents that you have archived or are currently using. Furthermore, in addition to locally available data, it can also…

Your guide Richard Cobbett says… “Never open a file in the wrong application again. Make sure Windows knows which programs you like to work in, and point it in the right direction” At a glance… SKILL LEVEL Anyone can do it Straightforward Tricky in parts TIME TAKEN 10 minutes SUITABLE FOR Windows 8.1 Windows 7 File extensions don’t just help you identify the contents of each file, they also tell Windows what to do when you double-click on them. It needs to know that a JPG file, for instance, is an image that you want to look at, and that an MP3 contains music that you want to play. By default, Windows handles a wide assortment by itself, and is capable of performing a suitable action for each one. As…

When you buy a new PC, it usually behaves very well. Your preinstalled Windows system boots and runs quickly, programs install without any problems and it all works just as you’d expect. But things don’t always stay simple. Your computer will probably slow down. Odd things will happen occasionally – features stop working, for instance. Some of your applications – and maybe Windows itself – may begin to display cryptic error messages, or perhaps crash completely. Some people say this is normal – it’s just the way PCs are, and you have to put up with it – but we say no. Poor performance, desktop problems, misbehaving software? They’re challenges to overcome. And you don’t need weeks of spare time and a degree in computer science to solve these issues,…

How we review One of the key tenets of our review philosophy is that hardware should be compared against like products wherever possible. It is only when you pit the finest products of a certain type against one another – at the same time – that you can really come up with a definitive verdict as to which is the very best in that category. The pace of development in computer hardware means that it is very difficult to compare scores from today with those from, say, six months ago. Magazines and websites that review a new product on its own run the risk of confusing or misleading. We guarantee to test every piece of hardware rigorously and thoroughly, using only acknowledged experts to establish the worth of a product.…

£187 | $460 www.hp.com Anyone in the business sector will know desktop computers are still the norm, as a permanent PC is often preferred to a laptop for practical and financial reasons. Sure, laptops can be more versatile but they’re also more expensive, have fewer expansion capabilities and are often more difficult to repair. The market is currently dominated by HP and Lenovo, with ultra-small form factors becoming increasingly popular. HP’s ProDesk range is part of the company’s ambitious plan to reinvent itself meaningfully. The firm did well with the HP 260 G1, a great-looking, keenly priced device that impressed a lot of people. Here though, we’re looking at another model from that family: the ProDesk 405 G2, a micro-tower desktop computer. The ProDesk 405 G2 reminds us of the…