Table of contents for 671 in Computeractive

I felt anger and confusion when Google announced in May that it would close accounts that had been inactive for two years. I thought it would catch out many people who’d see their precious videos and photos vapourised. The average Google executive probably signs into his account before getting out of bed each morning. They couldn’t comprehend going two hours without logging in, let alone two years. But the rest of us have busy lives that often mean we forget accounts and passwords, or where we stored important files. I suspect most readers won’t even know what Google’s planning – or when it starts – which is why our Cover Feature is so urgent. Robert Irvine begins by answering key questions, then explains how to download your files from Google.…

www.snipca.com/48116 Sharing passwords generally isn’t a good idea, especially if you do so by email or text, or via a messaging app. A safer alternative is to use the new password-sharing service from privacy-focused Swiss firm Proton, which lets you send them using end-to-end encryption (E2EE). It works with Proton Pass (https://proton.me/pass), which is the company’s password manager. First, choose the password or vault (which can contain other sensitive details, such as credit-card numbers) to share, then enter the email address of the person you want to share it with (see screenshot). Once they accept your invitation and create a Proton Pass account, they can see what you’ve shared. You can prevent them from accessing the passwords at any time. If you use Proton’s free service you can share passwords…

When did you explain how to hide passwords on secret desktop sticky notes? Terry Machin CA SAYS In Issue 662, page 62 – buy it from www.snipca.com/48111. I want to boost my free online storage. Didn’t you explain tricks to do this recently? Ian Meredith CA SAYS We did, in Issue 663, page 62 – buy it from www.snipca.com/48112. Have you explained how to deal with letters peeling off a keyboard? Kevin Tuck CA SAYS Yes, in Issue 634, page 62 – read it on our 2022 Back Issue CD: www.snipca.com/44660.…

Currys has refunded reader Paul Taylor after he bought two £50 Nintendo game cards for his grandson who was visiting from Australia (see Issue 665). When his grandson returned home, he was unable to redeem the cards because they weren’t valid there. We’re delighted by this outcome because Currys didn’t have to give Paul any money. It’s perfectly legal for manufacturers and retailers to restrict certain products to specific regions of the world. Currys had initially refused to help Paul because it claimed his grandson had tried to use the card’s validation code. Despite this, we asked Currys for a goodwill gesture. It was an honest mistake from Paul – he had no idea the card wouldn’t work in Australia. Happily, it refunded him in full. We had also asked…

FILE MANAGER Files 3.0 www.snipca.com/48213 What you need: Windows 10 or 11 Although Microsoft has made several improvements to File Explorer in 2023 – in Windows 11, at least – we still prefer the open-source file manager Files. This brilliant free tool is packed with useful options you won’t find in File Explorer and the latest version adds even more. Files 3.0 updates the program’s interface to give it a more modern look. The main files area has been given Windows 11-style rounded corners; the left-hand sidebar is better organised; and folders you pin to your Favourites list now have distinct icons. When you move or copy and paste large files and folders between drives on your PC, you’ll now see a progress graph that includes details of the file…

Apple’s ‘standard’ iPhone 15 doesn’t get the same new features that the more expensive iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max get. But it does catch up with the features those phones introduced in their previous generation, including the A16 Bionic processor, a 48-megapixel camera sensor and the dynamic island that hides the selfie camera. However, in other areas, the iPhone 15 is holding its own next to those top-of-the-range models. It has the same quality OLED screen, which can now reach a stunning brightness level of 2,000cd/m2. It also finally ditches the Lightning port in favour of the much more versatile USB-C standard. But it’s the screen that is this phone’s major selling point. Its colour reproduction is brilliant, while its contrast measurement of 2,000,000:1 is second to none. Its…

The Logitech Wave Keys keyboard is the company’s latest attempt at making a decent keyboard that’s comfortable to type on and easier on your wrists (thus reducing the risk of repetitive strain injury), while not breaking the bank. And we think Logitech has succeeded. While ergonomic split keyboards are fine for touch typists, this undulating design and more standard layout is also aimed at those who tend to prod their keyboards with two fingers. It’s a wireless unit that can connect via Bluetooth or USB dongle, so it’s a breeze to set up. The curved design and built-in wrist rests make it extremely pleasant to work on. These ensure your wrists sit at a perfectly natural angle, and the memory foam offers a perfect balance of give and firmness. This…

USB sticks I was interested to read that ValiDrive (www.grc.com/validrive) found numerous examples of USB sticks failing to offer as much storage as claimed (Issue 669, page 19). And what I use instead… I stopped using USB sticks long ago and now only use SD cards. They are just as versatile as memory sticks and are also less bulky to carry. Prices are very reasonable even for those with high capacity. So far, no card has ripped me off with inflated claims about storage capacity. I use SD cards for all my backups, and keep them in various burglar-proof places both in the house and outside. I’ve never had problems with the kind of error messages USB sticks can produce. These usually require you to reformat the sticks and transfer…

Soothing Sounds Free* Android www.snipca.com/48168 This updated app helps you drift off to sleep or relax after a hard day by playing calming sounds. Its expanded selection includes rain, windchimes, lapping waves, white noise and – somewhat bizarrely – hair salon. You can create mixes of sounds, set a switch-off timer and pay 99p to remove the annoying ads. Vivaldi for iOS Free iOS www.snipca.com/48160 Vivaldi has updated its new iOS app with the ability to pin important tabs (see screenshot) so they aren’t closed when you exit the browser. You can also now assign nicknames to search engines to make them easier to switch between – just type the nickname into the address bar then your search query. JustFix Free Android www.snipca.com/48164 iOS www.snipca.com/48165 Promising to let you book…

The Moment 4 update for Windows 11 has changed the Settings Home page so it shows important options in boxes – or ‘cards’ as Microsoft calls them. This makes it quicker to access certain settings. Press Windows key+I to open the Settings Home page, or if you’re already in Settings click the Home icon at the top left. The cards you see will change based on how you use Windows. In our screenshot you can see ‘Recommended’ settings for options you use often 1; how much OneDrive storage you’ve used 2; the option to add a recovery email 3; and Bluetooth settings such as turning it on/off and adding a device 4. Other potential cards include settings to change your wallpaper or theme, and to sign into your Office tools.…

Fire TV Stick 4K Max £69.99 www.snipca.com/48200 Amazon’s most powerful streaming stick yet includes AI-powered search, support for Wi-Fi 6E, 16GB of storage and a new Ambient Experience option, which lets you create a custom home screen containing artwork, photos and widgets. Motorola Moto G73 5G £269.99 www.snipca.com/48201 Discounted to £199 at the time of writing, Motorola’s latest 5G smartphone has a 6.5in screen, 256GB of storage and 8GB of RAM, but is most notable for its superb battery life. See our four-star review in Issue 666 (page 29) for more information. Fire Max 11 £249.99 www.snipca.com/48204 Tablets have made a resurgence in 2023 and Amazon’s new, top-of-the-range device is cheaper than the latest models from Google and Samsung. It has an 11in screen, 64GB of storage, 4GB of RAM…

1440p High-definition video of 2560x1440 pixels. 4K Video with a resolution of at least 3840x2160 pixels. 5G The latest generation of mobile networks. Administrator Someone who can make changes to a computer that will affect others who also use it. ADSL Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line. A technology that converts a standard phone line into a broadband internet connection. AI Artificial intelligence. Intelligence demonstrated by a machine rather than a human being. Often used to describe technology that can perform human-like tasks. AMOLED Active-Matrix Organic Light-Emitting Diode. An alternative technology to LCD for creating flat-panel displays. Aspect ratio A measurement of the shape of a screen. Traditional PC screens are 4:3. Widescreen displays are 16:9 or 16:10. Bandwidth A measure of how much data can be transferred through a connection at one…

Microsoft’s bosses are having ongoing discussions about whether to extend support for Windows 10 beyond October 2025, company sources have told our sister site Windows Central. It comes as Microsoft plans to add more of Windows 11’s new tools to Windows 10, despite having previously said that it wouldn’t be adding any more new features to the operating system. This would mark a significant change in strategy that suggests Microsoft accepts millions of Windows 10 users are never likely to upgrade to 11. The most significant addition to Windows 10 will be the new AI tool Copilot, insiders said. Microsoft brought Copilot to Windows 11 in September as part of the Moment 4 update. It has added only a few of that update’s tools to Windows 10, so it was…

Microsoft has removed the Maps and ‘Movies & TV’apps from Windows when performing a clean install of the operating system. It announced their removal in the blog post confirming the release of the Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 25987 (www.snipca.com/48259). It doesn’t affect any other version of Windows, nor if you upgrade to Build 25987. Microsoft didn’t say whether it’s closing these apps, and said they’ll continue to be available to install from its store. However, the move could suggest that Microsoft will soon axe the apps completely. It doesn’t update the apps regularly, and recently even removed the option to download maps to view offline. You can uninstall the apps yourself by searching for them on Windows, then right-clicking them and selecting Uninstall (see screenshot). Removing them frees up…

Facebook buyer tried PayPal scam I tried selling a digital clock radio on Facebook Marketplace and suspected a scam when a potential buyer said they wanted to pay by PayPal. When I challenged them they replied rudely and terminated all contact, which was fine with me! I then received an email claiming to be from PayPal saying I had a payment of £65 but it was ‘pending’ because there had been a problem crediting my account. It wanted me to click a link to expand my limit and receive the payment. This is a well-known scam, so I hope you can warn fellow Marketplace sellers to look out for it. Warn your fellow readers about scams at letters@computeractive.co.uk…

I was greatly interested in Issue 670’s Cover Feature on why passkeys are safer than passwords (pictured). I share some of your enthusiasm for them, having used Windows’ face recognition to sign into my PC for the past year. It’s never failed me – yet. But like most new advances in technology, I suspect it will take much longer to catch on with the public than experts think. The main problem isn’t the technology, but people’s behaviour. I remember the novelty of creating my first password for our company’s shiny new computer system back in the early 1980s. Since then I must have created hundreds of passwords. It became a habit that you never questioned. That habit has been with most computer users for at least a couple of decades,…

I had often been tempted to sign up to a pay-as-you-go deal with Giffgaff, but their lack of phone support put me off. I eventually gave it a go after friends told me the site’s online support and forums are excellent. My experience since singing up confirms this. For help, start at Giffgaff’s Community page (pictured). The best forum is ‘Help and support’ (www.snipca.com/48077), where you can post questions and search past answers. I’ve asked questions relating to PayPal payments, swapping SIM cards, transferring old numbers and topping up my account, and they’ve all been answered within minutes. I’m not always sure whether the helpers are Giffgaff staff or other customers, but their advice has never let me down. Sometimes I’ve had to ask clarifying questions, but I’ve never needed…

What can I use instead of Macrium Reflect? Q Macrium Reflect is closing at the end of year, so I have two questions. Is it safe to use afterwards? And if not, what should I use instead? I use it regularly to make system images of the three drives in my PC, because their contents are continually changing and I would be devastated to lose anything. Alan Turk A Macrium says that it’s only axing support for the free version of Reflect, though the software will continue working “in perpetuity” (to read its policy visit www.snipca.com/48066 and scroll down). That said, if it’s not being updated with security fixes, you shouldn’t keep using it. This is true of any software. You could switch to the paid-for edition, called Reflect Home. Macrium…

In this issue we test two of the biggest smartphone launches of the year. If you’ve bought previous iPhones, then you’ll probably want to turn the page and read our review of the iPhone 15. In the Android corner, however, for £100 less, we have the latest Google Pixel 8. This model is the cheaper and smaller of two Pixel 8 devices, though this and the Pro version share some of the same features. These include a 50-megapixel camera (that’s two million more pixels than the iPhone 15), Google’s new Tensor G3 processor, and Android in its purest form – exactly as Google intends it, which is an absolute joy to use. Powerful new camera features and a processor to match Likewise, the screen is significantly smaller than the Pro’s,…

While there are plenty of impressive smartwatches now flooding the market, we have a soft spot for simpler, cheaper fitness-tracker watches. This new addition to Fitbit’s Charge range is a great example. It won’t do everything an Apple Watch can do, but it offers basic smart functions, while also doing a good job of monitoring your health and fitness regime – from keeping track of your step count to recording how well you sleep. “Offers a vibrant screen, lightweight design, long battery life and easy-to-use apps” One huge advantage over the typical smartwatch is the Charge 6’s durable battery life. While testing, we kept it on our wrist for six days (and six nights for sleep tracking), before it needed recharging. By comparison, most standard smartwatches last a working day,…

Signify has launched its new WiZ Indoor Camera, which has all the features you need to secure your home. It lets you see and control what’s happening in your home at all times, and can notify you of any suspicious sounds and movements. As soon as you receive a notification, just open the app to see what’s going on – live and in full HD. A night-vision mode activates automatically when the light level is low, using infrared to illuminate the space so you won’t miss any details. The camera also picks up sudden loud noises and sends notifications when it hears breaking windows and smoke alarms. There’s an SD card slot for storage, and a 120-degree viewing angle to catch everything that happens. If you subscribe, you can unlock…

IMAGE EDITING Change aspect ratio in Google Photo Editor I’ve found a quick way of changing the aspect ratio of a photo without using software. You can do this inside Google Photo Editor (https://photos.google.com). Just click to open a photo, then click the Edit icon (looks like three horizontal sliders). Next, click the Crop icon (1 in our screenshot below left) and you’ll see several aspect ratios below. The default setting is ‘Free’, which lets you move the sliders to change the ratio. For landscape choose 16:9; for portrait choose 9:16. For anything in between, choose one of the other options. I’ve always liked 5:4, as shown in the photo 2. Click ‘Save’ 3 to save the photo in the aspect ratio you’ve chosen. Kath Myers APPS Use FBReader to read…

Lenovo L32p-30 monitor £339 from www.snipca.com/46430 As an outnumbered male in the house, I usually end up watching TV on my computer by myself. It’s either that or watch the rubbish on Netflix that my wife and daughters claim to like. But my computer’s puny 15in monitor hardly served as a TV substitute. I decided to double it by buying Lenovo’s L32p-30 monitor. It’s a 31.5in beauty, with a 4K screen that’s wonderfully sharp. I placed it side by side with my old 2K monitor (that was attached to another PC) and the difference was noticeable. It’s only when you upgrade to something better that you question why you put up with something so inadequate for so long. Your review of the monitor (Issue 661, page 24) mentioned controlling it…

Reading mode Free Android www.snipca.com/48175 Google’s ‘Reading mode’ app helps people with poor vision and dyslexia read online content more easily. Tap its floating shortcut when viewing an article in your mobile browser or another app to remove everything but the text and enlarge the words. Adjust the size and font as required. Best For Making web content easier to read Magnifying Glass + Flashlight Free* Android www.snipca.com/48173 iOS www.snipca.com/48174 This app uses the camera on your phone or tablet to magnify small text on objects in front of you, such as books, restaurant menus and medication instructions. You can easily adjust its zoom level and brightness, take photos of what you’re reading and activate your device’s torch when using the app in the dark. Best For Magnifying text on…

WATCH OUT FOR… Fake DPD drivers taking packages What’s the threat? A devious new scam sees fraudsters dress as DPD drivers and take back packages deliberately delivered to the wrong person. First, the scammers order an item – normally an expensive phone – using stolen bank details, then give the delivery address of another innocent person. They then track the delivery, wait for the item to be handed over by a genuine DPD driver (example pictured), then turn up later to say it was delivered by mistake. They ask to take the package back so it can be dropped off at the ‘correct’ address. But this address doesn’t exist, and instead they keep the item. If DPD investigates, its records will show that the item was successfully dropped off –…

Netflix has stopped supporting my old TV – what are my rights? LEAD CASE Q I’ve got a Samsung TV, which I admit is getting on a bit, but it still works well. I’ve found out that Netflix is going to stop supporting old models, and I think mine might be affected. I pay for a Netflix subscription, so can I get any money back for compensation? Hilary Foster A No, Hilary won’t be able to get any compensation. Companies are allowed to stop supporting services on devices they believe are too old. She might have had a valid claim if she had paid for an annual Netflix subscription and was now unable to use the service, but Netflix only offers monthly subscriptions. Many other companies do offer annual subscriptions though,…

SOFTWARE WARNING! Microsoft Edge begs you not to ditch it for Chrome When it comes to browsers, Microsoft has a huge inferiority complex. Its Edge browser is just as good as Google’s Chrome, but its market share is a measly five per cent, far below the latter’s 63 per cent. But that doesn’t excuse its increasingly irritating attempts to keep you using it. In the past few weeks trying to download Chrome while using Edge has brought up a survey asking why you had the nerve to try another browser. “We love having you!” it pleads (1 in our main screenshot), before offering you options, including you don’t like its news feed and you can’t search Google easily 2. These options appear on the right, in the Edge sidebar, which Microsoft…

This business-like laptop offers few frills and is designed for people who just want to get on with their Windows work. For that reason, Dell opts for an IPS screen instead of the kind of OLED panel you’d find on a laptop intended for gaming or watching movies. Its resolution of 1920x1200 works out to 170 pixels per inch across its 13.3in screen. It’s certainly bright enough, with peak levels reaching 471cd/m2 in our colorimeter tests. Colour accuracy is also impressive, measuring 97 per cent of the sRGB standard and 75 per cent of DCI-P3. “This workhorse lacks frills but offers great battery life, keyboard and connectivity” The benefit of IPS screens is that they require less power. On a laptop, that means the battery lasts longer – and the…

What does it do? You’re probably familiar with 2.4GHz and 5GHz radio bands used by standard Wi-Fi devices, but there’s a recent third option – 6GHz. This provides a new frequency, largely free of internet traffic, which can provide compatible devices with an extremely fast connection to your router. How does it work? Data is sent between devices using radio waves, so transmitting from one Wi-Fi device to another is just like sending and receiving audio through a walkie-talkie. The 6GHz frequency works in exactly the same way as 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi, except it has more bandwidth to provide greater speeds and can handle an increased number of devices. What are the specs? At the moment you’ll only find the 6GHz frequency on devices rated as Wi-Fi 6E, though…

Everything was better in the olden days – even the games. To prove it, UK retro-gaming brand Hyper Mega Tech has launched a console that looks a lot like the original Nintendo Game Boy and has configured it to play Evercade cartridges (www.snipca.com/48142). Evercade is a fully licensed system of cartridges that lets you play hundreds of classic arcade and home-computer games. These are affordable and widely available online and on the high street. From Space Invaders to Street Fighter, the cartridges are much easier to use than tricky emulators and safer than downloading from questionable sources. There are 45 cartridges available, containing over 500 games. The device itself, measuring 78x25x12.5mm (HxWxD), fits in your pocket. It has smooth, rounded corners, a responsive D-Pad controller, and springy, tactile buttons on…

CHROME Improve your address-bar searches In our Protect Your Tech section in Issue 670 (page 11), we explained how Chrome can now protect you from ‘typosquatting’ attacks by suggesting legitimate URLs when you mistype a web address. However, that isn’t the only improvement to the browser’s address bar. You can now search your Bookmarks folders directly from the address bar. This saves you having to open a folder manually to access a bookmarked web page you want to revisit. Simply type the name of the folder in the address bar, then start typing the title of the page and Chrome will find matching entries in that folder. Select one to open the relevant page. In another change, Chrome will now suggest popular sites when you start typing their names, even…

ANDROID Delete 2FA verification codes automatically One of the main downsides to using two-factor authentication (2FA) for your online accounts is that your text-messaging app becomes cluttered with verification codes. Also called one-time passwords or passcodes (OTPs), these are sent to your phone by the website or app you’re trying to sign into, and expire once you enter them or after a set time (usually 15 minutes). Google’s Messages app for Android (www.snipca.com/48170) lets you prevent your SMS inbox from getting clogged up with expired OTPs by deleting these messages automatically after 24 hours. Tap your profile picture in the top-right corner of the Messages app and choose ‘Messages settings’. Select ‘Message organisation’ and switch on ‘Auto-delete OTPs after 24 hrs’. If you don’t see those options, the auto-delete feature…

WINDOWS 10 & 11 Use Lively Weather to replace Windows Weather app Microsoft redesigned its Weather app earlier this year, but many people now think it’s too cluttered (1 in our screenshot below). If you agree, try the new, unofficial app Lively Weather instead 2, which has received praise for having a cleaner design (read the comments at www.snipca.com/48125). Download the app from the Microsoft Store (www.snipca.com/48124), then add your location when prompted. You can add more locations by typing them into the address bar and selecting them. Click the top-left menu (three horizontal lines) to switch between your saved locations, or remove them from your list. Note that the app is still in beta, so it may not work perfectly. But it comes from respected developer Dani John, whose…

In Calc and Excel you can click a cell to see its formula in the bar at the top (1 in our screenshot), but you can also see every formula in your spreadsheet by pressing the Ctrl+` keyboard shortcut. Note, this is the back quote character (pictured above) normally found at the top left of your keyboard, below Esc. The formulas will appear in the cells they’re assigned to. In our example, pressing the shortcut shows a =SUM formula in C9 2 and =AVERAGE in C10 3. Your cells will also resize to show the formula in full. Tap the shortcut again to restore Excel to your default view, including normal cell sizes.…