Table of contents for March 2016 in Windows Help & Advice

These days, you don’t need to pay a fortune for great software, as there are plenty of free programs that are equally as reliable, functional and good as their paid-for counterparts. Quite often you’ll need to go beyond the confines of the Windows Store to find them though, so it’s often just a matter of knowing where to look. To help point you in the right direction we have a great feature, starting on page 14 , which showcases the 50 best free Windows 10 apps for you. Here you’ll find some great ideas for everything from office suites to security software. Also, don’t miss our round-up of the best brain-training games starting on page 68 – they help keep your memory sharp! Enjoy the issue and we’ll see…

Razer Stargazer That’s a funny-looking telescope. That’s no telescope, I’m afraid, my friend. Despite its astronomical name, the Stargazer is, in fact, a webcam for Windows 10. This isn’t just any old webcam, though – Razer claims it’s the world’s ‘most advanced’. What’s so advanced about it? The webcam is built on Intel’s RealSense technology, which was introduced in 2014. This clever tech projects an infrared grid (which is invisible to the human eye) onto the scene. An infrared camera picks up this grid, and detects movement and depth information. What does that even mean? Basically, it’s a supercharged camera. It can recognise your face, and use it to unlock Windows 10. It can also pick up facial expressions and hand movements for use in games such as Nevermind and…

Online hack attacks hit the headlines on a frequent basis. In the past year or so, users’ details have leaked from sordid affairs site Ashley Madison, to British ISP TalkTalk, to tech toy manufacturer VTech. It seems that no one is safe from the legions of nefarious internet types. What makes these crimes more disturbing is that they’re apparently without motive and often don’t achieve a great deal – other than severe disruption, and a lot of headaches. Some are organised by criminal gangs, in order to find bank account details and extract funds. And some are perpetuated by bored teenagers – as young as 13 years old – honing their coding skills in their bedrooms. It’s compounded by the fact there’s little you can do to avoid your details…

01 Install, find app Download and install IOBit Uninstaller from http://bit.ly/1Y7xUQn – untick the option to install Advanced SystemCare then click ‘Run Now. Once installed, browse for the program you wish to remove, select it and click ‘Uninstall. 02 Remove main app Tick ‘Create Restore Point before uninstalling’, then click ‘Uninstall’. If prompted, follow the instructions to remove the program using its own uninstaller. Then click the ‘Powerful Scan’ button to search leftover files. 03 Review and delete When the scan completes you’ll see leftover files. Tick those you’re happy to remove and click ‘Delete. Move on to the next, or tick ‘Batch Uninstall’ to remove multiple apps. Switch to ‘Win Manager’ to delete Windows Store apps.…

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 Nick Peers says… “Notepad Next is a simple, but elegant replacement for the Windows text editor that fits in beautifully with modern and touch-friendly user interfaces” At a glance Skill level… Anyone can do it Straightforward Tricky in parts Suitable for… Windows 10 Windows 8.1 Windows 7 Everybody needs a good, simple text editor. For years Notepad has been the tool of choice for most people, but while other parts of Windows get updated, it remains as basic as ever. There are are plenty of great Notepad-replacement tools for the desktop if you need lots of features and power, but if you want an upgrade that’s as simple to use while fitting in with the new modern Windows user interface, then Notepad Next is for you. Notepad Next…

Your guide Tim Hardwick says… “Share the wired or wireless internet connection of your Windows 10 PC with other users and devices with one of these two methods” At a glance Skill level… Anyone can do it Straightforward Tricky in parts Suitable for… Windows 10 Windows 8.1 Windows 7 Have you ever found yourself away from home with access to only a single wired internet connection, but with various wireless devices that you and your family want to connect up? Perhaps you’ve stayed in a hotel room where Wi-Fi access is charged based on the number of users that log on. Or maybe you just want to temporarily extend your home network’s wireless range to the garden or another part of the house using your laptop. Windows 10’s facility to…

Your guide Christian Hall says… “Still using a single PC screen? A dual monitor set-up will allow you to take your productivity even further, and UltraMon is the perfect tool to help” At a glance Skill level… Anyone can do it Straightforward Tricky in parts Suitable for… Windows 10 Windows 8.1 Windows 7 Modern computing is all about multitasking. Do you use email, a web browser, Office and Twitter simultaneously? There’s no better way to see lots of data at the same time than with two – or even three – separate monitors. Having an extra monitor extends the scope of a single program. With email, for example, you can have your email client on one monitor and your browser in the other. If you have a web link in…

Gigabit Ethernet refers to the technology for transmitting Ethernet frames at a rate of a gigabit per second, or 1,000,000,000 bps. The standard, which has been with us since 1999, is 100 times faster than the original Ethernet. With the growth of cloud computing and the rise of huge data centres however, a massive strain has been put on gigabit Ethernet. That’s why the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) instituted a new standard in 2012 that will see Ethernet speeds ramped up to between 400 gigabits and 1 terabit per second in future. Consider that modern desktop computers’ Ethernet ports typically run at 100 megabits per second and you begin to see the potential speed gains around the next corner. Of course, most domestic internet users probably don’t…

This issue we’re all about getting the job done. However, we’ve found the thing that eases the pain of hard work is when you can do it just as well at half the price! We look at the budget Toshiba Tecra A50-C and discover if anything had to give to get its great price, and we also review the latest cash-saving printer from Brother with its low ink costs. However, if you do fancy splashing out, we put the Acer Predator 15 to the test on page 86. We also get listening to our favourite tunes on the Jaybird X2. Check out the the review on page 94!…

“They set themselves apart with Jaybird’s signature style and cleverly implemented features” KEY FEATURES Bluetooth Version Bluetooth 2.1 EDR Included accessories 3 pairs of EarFins, 3 pairs of foam ear tips, 3 pairs of silicone ear tips, USB charge cable, carrying case, cord clip Power Run time (up to) 8 hours; standby time 250 hours Battery Rechargeable (recharge time) 2 hours Microphone On-cable Remote Control answer/end, mute, volume £119 | $179 www.jaybirdsport.com Breaking into today’s headphone market is no easy feat. That’s mostly because a few household audio brands know how to hit all the right notes, making it difficult for newer brands to get noticed. Jaybird, however, has succeeded in making its mark. Still a fairly new company, Jaybird has carved out its niche making products aimed at fitness…

We hit font overload in the mid-90s, when every family newsletter and local event poster was written in flamboyant but barely legible text. Fortunately, typefaces have since calmed down, and it’s possible to find ones that are tasteful, unique and elegant. Font design is an art in itself. There are numerous factors that define how a font looks – notably serif or sans serif (with or without fine lines at the end of each stroke of a letter), weight (the broadness of the letter’s line), and size (measured in points, equivalent to 1/72 of an inch). The right font to use depends on the context. A bold, sans serif font draws attention and is easy to read from a distance, making it ideal for posters. A serif font is easier…

Windows 10 Recent items control Look under ‘Most used’ in Windows 10’s start menu and you’ll see a list of frequently accessed programs, together with an arrow to the right. Click this arrow and you’ll see recently opened files related to the program, such as Word documents or Spotify tracks. While this feature means you can get to relevant items quickly, you may not want people to see what you’ve been working on (or listening to, secret One Direction fans). To turn it off, click the Start button, then choose ‘Settings’, followed by ‘Personalisation’. Choose ‘Start’ to the right, and flick the toggles for ‘Show recently added apps’, and ‘Show recently opened items in Jump Lists on Start or the taskbar’. Windows7 Sticky notes If, like us, you need constant…

1 Which material is used in Mcor’s 3D printer? A) Paper B) Blu Tack C) Salt 2 Which video-streaming service produces TV series The Man in the High Castle? A) Netflix B) Now TV C) Amazon Video 3 Which of these anti-virus founders is not a real person? A) John McAfee B) Peter Norton C) Jim Symantec 4 What are Microsoft’s range of tablet computers called? A) iPad B) Surface C) Tab-O-Matic 5 What does the titular acronym of the X-Com games stand for? A) X-Ray Commerce B) Extraplanetary Cat C) Extraterrestrial Combat Unit 6 What number was the last version of Internet Explorer? A) 10 B) 8 C) 9…

Your guide Nick Peers says… “Revolutionise the way you consume audiobooks with the brilliant Audible Windows app” At a glance Skill level… Anyone can do it Straightforward Tricky in parts Suitable for… Windows 10 Windows 8.1 Windows 7 You can’t beat a good audiobook. Whether it’s a full-cast dramatisation, unabridged reading of a biography or novel, or comedy recording, audiobooks can make a major difference to our lives. They can take the tedium out of long-distance travel or provide instant entertainment at home. One of the best ways to experience audiobooks is through Audible. It boasts a huge catalogue of titles, available standalone or as part of a monthly subscription. Once purchased, your audiobooks can be consumed on any mobile device you own or via the brilliant Audible app for…

Your guide Nick Odantzis says… “Got a busy day ahead? I’ll show you how to keep pesky Windows 10 notifications under control so you can do more with your precious time” At a glance Skill level… Anyone can do it Straightforward Tricky in parts Suitable for… Windows 10 Windows 8.1 Windows 7 The brain is a wonderful thing, capable of memorising many things. Only, it doesn’t always work that well in practice – some of us are more forgetful than others! This is why Windows notifications are such a valuable thing to have – they warn us of upcoming events, such as appointments in the calendar, new emails that arrive throughout the day and it even tells us if our Windows machine needs some kind of maintenance or app action…

Your guide Ian Evenden says… “There’s more to Google than searching for words and phrases, try these tips for finding needles in haystacks” At a glance Skill level… Anyone can do it Straightforward Tricky in parts Suitable for… Windows 10 Windows 8.1 Windows 7 Type a word into Google’s search box and it searches the internet for it. Then it returns the results via the PageRank algorithm it paid patent holder Stanford University £336 million in Google shares for. This weights results based on their perceived usefulness and puts more useful ones nearer the top. And it works pretty well, but can return a torrent of information that’s hard to sift through. Type in ‘cheese’ or ‘socks’ or ‘fishmonger’ and you’ll get results on those topics, but sometimes it pays…

Your guide Nick Odantzis says… “In just a few minutes, you can customise the standard Windows 7 Start menu, making it quicker and easier to find your favourite programs” At a glance Skill level… Anyone can do it Straightforward Tricky in parts Suitable for… Windows 10 Windows 8.1 Windows 7 The Start menu in Windows 7 is quite similar to the old one from Windows XP and Vista, but Microsoft made some subtle, yet significant improvements to make it even more useful. As before, it’s divided into three different areas. The first of these is the top section, where you can pin your favourite programs so they are always easy to access when you want them. Below this – with a line separating it from the pinned programs area –…

Networking technologies can be separated into two basic groups. A local area network (LAN) is a fast way to connect multiple devices that are relatively close to each other, such as a school network. Wide area networks (WAN) on the other hand connect a small number of devices that can be many miles away from each other – a network of bank cash dispensers for example and are connected via the internet, over leased lines or special satellite links, but are generally slower than LAN. But both systems rely on the same physical method of cabling, known as Ethernet. The first Ethernet network was designed and tested in 1973 by Bob Metcalfe at Xerox PARC in Palo Alto. Metcalfe was working on a way to connect Xerox’s Alto computer to…

TIME TAKEN 10 minutes With Windows 10 you get a new-look desktop that combines the best bits of Windows 7 and Windows 8, so you’ll feel right at home. Because it’s so familiar you’ll be up and running with your new operating system in next to no time. Of course, there’s plenty that’s different, but Windows 10 is designed to make your computing life easier and even more streamlined than ever before. In this tutorial, we start the journey by looking at the new Start menu, and see what has changed and what you’ll find familiar from previous versions of Windows. Let’s get Started! 1 Pin an app to the Start Menu We’ll begin by adding programs to the new Start menu. If you’re familiar with how to do this…

You can trust our reviews Our 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. If you see an item of hardware bearing a high score, you can be confident that it is an excellent product. We choose the best products Thousands of new PC products are released every year and choosing between them can be an impossible task. Our experts select only the best hardware and software to feature in this magazine. Even better, our star rating system makes it simple to find the best products, giving you a fast, trustworthy guide. How we review Our expert reviewers guarantee to test every piece of hardware rigorously and thoroughly,…

The Universal Typeface Experiment’s goal is to create an accurate handwritten font by sampling the handwriting of every person on earth, and averaging them all out. It’s a lofty but fascinating goal – you can explore the way left- and right-handed people write, or see different handwriting styles from around the world. Download the Universal Typeface via the site, and if you have a smartphone we’ll show you how to add your own handwriting.…

Terms Service; Didn’t Read https://tosdr.org/ When you install a piece of software, or sign up for a website, you’re generally asked to agree to its terms of service. These documents, which often stretch to the same length as an average novel, are usually ignored so users can excitedly jump to their precious content. Admittedly, even we haven’t glanced at one in years. The kindly folks at Terms of Service; Didn’t Read have, though. The site includes succinct guides to items in terms of service which you should be wary of (Google can access your content, for instance) as well as anything which is actually beneficial (music-sharing site SoundCloud ensures you stay in control of your copyright). It’s definitely worth looking through to find sites and programs you frequently use.…

01 Check for infections Run a full scan with Malwarebytes Anti-Malware – if any potentially unwanted programs are found, they’ll be flagged as PUP. Malwarebytes should remove these – once done, reboot and run a second scan. 02 Prevent future installations Download and install Unchecky (www.unchecky.com). It will sit quietly in the Taskbar Notification Area and will alert you (as well as change program options during set-up) to prevent many PUPs from sneaking onto your PC. 03 Review protection To see what Unchecky has blocked over an extended period of time, double-click its taskbar icon in the Notification Area. Review the summary, or click ‘Activity log’ for a breakdown of which programs were blocked, and when.…

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 we offer several ways to get the most from Windows 10. Nick shares how easy it is to get listening with audiobooks on Audible, while Cat shows us the best way to get organised using Trello. There’s never been a better time to see how your PC can make your life easier! graham.barlow@futurenet.com Your guideMatt Hansen says…“Flex presents your media in an attractive and easy-to-navigate interface”…

Your guide Cat Ellis says… “Ditch the sticky notes and to-do lists – Trello puts you in charge!” At a glance Skill level… Anyone can do it Straightforward Tricky in parts Suitable for… Windows 10 Windows 8.1 Windows 7 When you have a major task on your plate – whether it’s planning a wedding, writing a novel or making over your garden – it can be difficult to know where to start. Paper to-do lists soon get out of hand when you have dozens of small sub-tasks to complete, and a wall full of sticky notes is impossible to transport – not to mention intimidating! That’s where Trello comes in. It’s a free online tool, so you can use it on any device with an internet connection (there are also…

Your guide Matt Hanson says… “Create your very own streaming media service with the excellent and easy-to-use Plex service” At a glance Skill level… Anyone can do it Straightforward Tricky in parts Suitable for… Windows 10 Windows 8.1 Windows 7 Paying extra for a streaming service such as Netflix or Spotify can seem like a waste if you already own plenty of films digitally or on DVD or Blu-ray. However, having this collection doesn’t mean you have to lose out on the convenience of streaming. Plex is an excellent home-theatre service that stream your films and music to a range of devices such as smart TVs, set-top boxes, games consoles and smartphones. It presents your media in an attractive and easy-to-navigate interface that also displays artwork, reviews and other information…

Your guide Matt Hanson says… “Balance your budget using Calc spreadsheets to help you see where your money is going” At a glance Skill level… Anyone can do it Straightforward Tricky in parts Suitable for… Windows 10 Windows 8.1 Windows 7 Saving money can often be a struggle. However, with a bit of careful planning using the Calc spreadsheet application in LibreOffice, you can keep an eye on regular incomings and outgoings, making it easier to identify areas of spending that you might need to cut back on. LibreOffice is free to download at www.libreoffice.org, and once you’ve set up a spreadsheet with the right figures and formulas, Calc will perform the arithmetic on the data you enter. You can also create graphs to give you a better understanding of…

Whether you’ve just installed Windows 10, or you’re still wondering if it’s worth the upgrade, then you’ve come to the right place. Windows 10 can be a leap into the unknown for some people, and we’re here to give you the confidence to take the initial steps. In this section, you’ll find advice on how to upgrade to Windows 10, as well as a short tutorial showing how it works and what you need to do first. And don’t forget to let us know how you’re getting on! Email us on windowsmagazine@futurenet.com.…

Settings The Settings tab is the new control panel, you’ll find many customisation options easier to change here. Resolution is key Setting up your screen correctly ensures you are as productive as possible, and save your eyesight as well. Multi-App View This little button makes switching between apps much easier. Space Saving Removing old programs frees up storage space and means Windows won’t have to load up as many programs on startup. Cortana Your personal assistant, ask her for anything and she’ll see if she can help, or just search the internet for an answer. Backup It’s always a good idea to create a backup of files and documents, so you don’t have to worry about losing your work. TIME TAKEN 1 hour When it comes to productivity Windows 10…