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A quick search of the internet throws up some strange phobias. There’s lutraphobia – a fear of otters; genuphobia – a fear of knees; and chionophobia – a fear of snow. A sufferer of all three should steer well clear of the famous knee-slapping otters of Alaska. My own weird phobia is of tickboxes, particularly those buried deep inside software. Maybe phobia is the wrong word – I’m not actually scared of these boxes (that would be odder even than fearing otters, one of the cutest animals). It just irks me that I have to wade through countless settings each time I install a program. But it has to be done because leaving some boxes unticked increases your chances of being hacked. I hope our Cover Feature helps to make…

Junk offender: FreeFileSync FreeFileSync 8.0 (www.freefilesync.org) almost made it to the lofty heights of this issue’s Best Free Software – until I met its grubby installer. It appealed to me because I find organising loads of photos, documents, and video and music files about as easy as herding ants (and much less entertaining). So I was excited to find a tool that would help keep them in sync across my PC, laptop and hard drives, without the need to shell out for a NAS drive. FreeFileSync is open-source, therefore completely free and regularly updated. PUP swamp Maybe it’s my dream program, but I don’t fancy wading through to the far side of its swamp of an installer to find out. Products from open-source software developers are a labour of love…

Phone & tablet compatibility Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) www.snipca.com/20005 BBC iPlayer www.snipca.com/19993 Canon printers www.snipca.com/20106 Chromecast www.snipca.com/19994 Dropbox www.snipca.com/20110 Epson printers www.snipca.com/20108 Firefox www.snipca.com/20003 Google Play store www.snipca.com/20000 HP printers www.snipca.com/20109 iOS 9 www.snipca.com/19997 Office 365 www.snipca.com/20001 Sky Go www.snipca.com/19992 Skype www.snipca.com/19995 WhatsApp www.snipca.com/19999 Windows 10 www.snipca.com/20004…

Now scammers pretend to be Financial Ombudsman Over the years I’ve received all the classic types of scam email. I’ve had requests to change my password from PayPal, Amazon and banks, and the promise of refunds from HMRC, Virgin Media and BT. I can now add the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) to that list. An email supposedly from the FOS said it needed info about my financial situation. I knew it was a scam. But I fear other people may fall for it. The FOS says that the scammers also target people by cold-calling them – there’s more info at www.snipca.com/20016. Anne Kendrick Warn your fellow readers about scams at letters@computeractive.co.uk…

Google Nexus 7 (2013) £100 from Argos www.snipca.com/19953 The sixth version of Google’s Android operating system – nicknamed Marshmallow – adds some features both to new tablets and those that can be upgraded, including better control over permissions and privacy. This 7in model may be three years old, but it runs the new software pretty smoothly and at £100 is an absolute bargain. Nvidia Shield Tablet K1 £149 from PC Specialist www.snipca.com/19957 As often happens with Android, Nvidia had a few glitches with the Marshmallow update, but the 8in Shield Tablet K1 is now ready to run it. It has only 16GB built in, so is well placed to take advantage of how Android 6.0 makes better use of storage on microSD cards. It may be marketed to gamers, but…

SPRING 2016 The MateBook is Huawei’s first stab at a Windows 10 tablet, and it looks great, with a narrow bezel around the 12in screen and a leather-backed snap-on keyboard. But it’s not cheap, with prices starting at just under £700. SPRING 2016 HP’s Envy 15z laptop is among those that use AMD rather than Intel processors. This year’s model, out soon from under £500, sticks with AMD and benefits from the company’s FreeSync technology, which gives smoother graphics and gaming on its LCD screen or external monitor. SPRING 2016 A good graphics card can help with tasks like video editing. You’ll find one in Lenovo’s 14in laptop-tablet hybrid. The Yoga 710 (around £705) will include an Nvidia GTX 940M, while an AMD Radeon R7 M460 is an option on…

Kaspersky AdCleaner Free iOS: www.snipca.com/20135 This brilliant new app lets you block all types of adverts and annoying pop-ups when you browse the web using Safari. There’s a specific setting that you need to enable on your device in order to use it. We’ll show you how to do this in a Workshop in our next issue, out Weds 27 April. MyPermissions Privacy Cleaner Free Android: www.snipca.com/20136 iOS: www.snipca.com/20137 You don’t always know which apps can access your personal details (contacts, emails) or mobile features (such as your camera, location, etc). This app scans all your other apps and gives you a summary of what data each one can access. You can also set real-time alerts to see which apps are trying to access your info. Photo Shader Free Windows…

While you can create and format tables in Word, Excel is a much better program for this. Once you’ve created your tables, you can simply copy and paste them from Excel into Word. However, there’s a useful feature that lets you paste tables that automatically update in your Word document whenever you make changes to the Excel data you copied. First, select the table within Excel that you want to copy into Word, then copy it (press Ctrl+C). Now open your Word document and place your cursor where you want to paste your Excel table. Next, click the Paste dropdown menu at the top left of the Home tab then select Paste Special. In the window that opens, you’ll see two buttons on the left (Paste and ‘Paste link’) and…

Paper feed not working If your scanner’s paper feed isn’t working, it could be down to faulty rollers. First, unplug the scanner, then open it so that you can see the rollers. Next moisten a clean, lint-free cloth (such as a microfibre cloth – see image right) with warm water and gently wipe the rollers with the cloth, rotating it with the cloth as you go, until you’ve covered its entire surface (being careful not to undo your good work by touching it with your fingers). Close the scanner’s case and plug it back in. Flaws appear on your scans Dust marks, fingerprints, ink smudges, grease stains and other irritating blemishes can all ruin an otherwise perfect scan. Thankfully, these can usually be easily removed. Before you do this, make…

Apart from dodging tax, technology companies like nothing more than winding each other up. They rarely miss an opportunity to ridicule products made by their rivals, usually with dig at the ‘poor, misguided’ people who use them. Microsoft has been guilty more often than most, but one company has always been worse: Apple. Remember its ‘Get a Mac’ advertising campaign 10 years ago (www.snipca.com/20088)? It starred the comedy duo David Mitchell and Robert Webb, with Mitchell portraying an uptight, stuffy PC, in contrast to Webb’s laidback, upbeat Mac. It was widely criticised for being smug and insulting. Apple’s latest attack on PC users came in March at its event to launch iOS 9.3, the iPhone SE and a new, smaller iPad Pro (see News, page 9). It was while announcing…

Is Currys’ care policy not fit for purpose? Q I bought an Acer Aspire E15 laptop from Currys in December 2014. I’ve had to have it repaired seven times for various faults. Three of these were traced to the security software that came with the laptop. But the latest repair was for a faulty keyboard and now Bluetooth won’t work. Currys won’t replace the laptop because my care policy only covers hardware and not software faults. Can you help? Kenneth McMaster A Kenneth should use his rights under the Sale of Goods Act (SOGA), arguing that the laptop isn’t of satisfactory quality and nor is the keyboard repair. Because SOGA covers faults caused by pre-installed software, it’s irrelevant that Currys’ care policy doesn’t. Anything that comes with a computer is…

BROWSER TOOL BrowserAddonsView www.snipca.com/20048 What you need: Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8/8.1 or 10 Browser extensions, or add-ons, are tiny programs that add new functions to your browser. They’re almost always free, and can be added to your installed browser with one click. For example, the free, open-source extension Adblock Plus (https://adblockplus.org) blocks banner adverts, pop-ups and even YouTube video ads, and can be installed with one click in Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer (IE) and other browsers. Most extensions are useful, but they have their downsides. Some (including Adblock Plus) use a lot of memory and slow your browser down, especially if you’re using an old PC. Certain websites are even counter-blocking users of advertblockers, because adverts pay the money that keeps these sites alive. But the main potential problem…

PC ❘ £600 from Palicomp www.snipca.com/20081 Like many desktop PCs we’ve reviewed, Palicomp’s i3 Aurora is not only good for gamers but also for anyone who wants a capable generalpurpose system with scope for future expansion. Its simple black cuboid case comes decorated with smokey swirls in red, blue or green, which makes a striking change, and is less distracting than LED lights. For convenience, there are two USB 2.0 and two USB 3.0 ports at the front, along with headphone and mic sockets. Around the back you get the same ports again, plus a small USB Type-C connector for the latest accessories, and two PS/2 sockets for an old-style keyboard and mouse. There’s also Ethernet for wired networks and the usual three audio jacks. The DVI-D and DVI-I video…

Find out what other products we liked. Buy our new 2015 Back Issue CD: £15 fromwww.snipca.com/19124 PRICE DROP 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. £199 from www.snipca.com/19436 PHONE Apple iPhone 6s £539 from www.snipca.com/18240 Tested: Issue 461 It may look like the 2014 model, but this update is stronger…

Handy hints and tips from your fellow readers Email us your tips: letters@computeractive.co.uk TIP OF THE FORTNIGHT Quickly attach files from Google Photos into Gmail I’ve been using Google Photos since it launched and really love it. I’ve even set up all my devices to automatically back up every photo I take to Google Photos. I like to email photos of my holidays to friends and family, but couldn’t find an obvious way to attach my photos and videos in Google Photos using Gmail on my PC. After a little research I found out how to do this. You first need to enable a hidden setting within Google Drive (which is where your Google Photos are stored). To do this, go to www.drive.google.com, log into your Gmail account, click the…

AGES 0-5 Montessori Numberland £2.99 www.snipca.com/20139 (iOS) Based on the Montessori method of learning through play, this app will teach your toddler the numbers 0 to 9 through simple activities and games. They’ll learn to write the number by drawing on screen. The games include counting objects and tapping hidden objects to find them. AGES 6-10 Ravensburger Puzzle £2.29 www.snipca.com/20140 (Android) *Free www.snipca.com/20141 (iOS) Ravensburger is the most popular European jigsaw puzzle maker. This app brings all its beautiful puzzles (in over 22 categories) to your kid’s device. They come in a range of difficulty levels, from 20 to 500 pieces. AGES 11-16 Prepare for Impact Free www.snipca.com/20142 (Android) Free www.snipca.com/20143 (iOS) Air travel is the safest mode of transport, but this game will test your children with different hypothetical…

Import bank statements Due to Microsoft ending online support for Money (or Money Plus Sunset Deluxe to give it its full title), the program no longer connects to bank accounts directly. However, rather than manually add every purchase, you can import online monthly statements. First, log into your bank account online and download your statements – all online banks should offer your transactions in OFX or QIF formats, both of which are compatible with Money. Importing these files is as simple as clicking File, then Import and Downloaded Statement. Your bank might also offer a Midata download option which should contain a full year of transactions in one file, though these will only be available as an Excel spreadsheet that you’ll have to convert (see next tip). Convert Excel spreadsheets…

Should I install my bank’s security software? Q When I log on to my account at The Royal Bank of Scotland, I receive a message telling me to install free security software called Trusteer Rapport. The website tells me that it shields my banking details from prying eyes, even if my computer has a virus. Is this legitimate and is it safe to download? Also, is it safe or wise to use it alongside my existing antivirus tools, and will it slow things down? My PC’s operating system is Windows 8.1 Keith Tingey A Rapport is legitimate and safe to use, and does provide a unique layer of privacy between your computer and your bank. It does this by using verification methods known only to your bank. If it helps…

UPDATE CALL-BLOCKING APP NOW TO STAY SAFE Users of the Truecaller app, which blocks nuisance phone calls, have been urged to update it after a security flaw was discovered. The flaw, which only affects Android phones, could have let hackers steal personal information. Up to 100 million phones are thought to be at risk. Read more info on Truecaller’s blog: www.snipca.com/20155. GOOGLE’S APRIL FOOLS’ HOAX BACKFIRES Google was forced to pull an April Fools’ hoax after people complained that it cost them their job. On 1 April Google launched a Gmail tool called Mic Drop (www.snipca.com/20154) that lets users exit an email thread by sending other people a GIF of a cartoon character dropping a microphone. It was meant to be amusing, but some people said they had accidentally sent…

Tell us what’s on your mind Email: letters@computeractive.co.uk Facebook: www.facebook.com/computeractive Twitter: @ComputerActive www.twitter.com/computeractive Windows 10 isn’t ‘free’ – remember the original cost I do wish people would stop referring to Windows 10 as a ‘free’ upgrade. The cost of it is actually the price you paid for Windows 7 or 8, because it is only people using those operating systems that can upgrade to Windows 10 without paying a penny. It’s a great marketing achievement by Microsoft to have persuaded the public that it’s free. Also, for many people running Windows 7 on old PCs with hardware that can’t cope with Windows 10, the real cost will be the price of a new computer. Geoff Deakin I only lasted a few days with Windows 10 Around 65 million years ago,…

PC World fixes reader’s computer after Windows 10 problems Our latest update shows that retailers are finally beginning to acknowledge that they can’t wash their hands of PC problems caused by software. In Issue 470, we reported how Computeractive reader Arthur Cooper’s Acer laptop stopped showing the Windows 10 startup screen four weeks after he bought it from PC World. After failing to fix the problem, PC World told Arthur that it wasn’t responsible for errors caused by software, which in this case was Windows 10. The company said he would have to pay £50 for a repair. But the ‘software isn’t covered’ excuse often used by retailers isn’t valid. If software, such as an operating system, came pre-installed on a PC, it forms part of the overall package that…

What’s the best online alternative to Word? Q I have a new PC with Windows 10 pre-installed, and was surprised to see a shortcut for Microsoft Office. But Office isn’t actually installed. I’m not actually bothered, because my new PC has an SSD and not much storage space, so I’m interested in looking at online alternatives to Word. Will I have to pay for an Office 365 subscription? I need support for DOCX files, PDFs and spreadsheets. Sheila Davies A As you correctly suspect, the most sophisticated alternative – Microsoft’s own Office 365 (https://www.office.com) – is not free. For £7.99 a month you can use Word, Excel, PowerPoint and many more, both online and installed on your PC. However it’s an unnecessary expense for non-business users. Word Online (www.snipca.com/20057), Excel…

SMARTPHONE ❘ £125 from Amazon www.snipca.com/19939 This is, according to its press release, ‘the world’s first V for Victory smartphone’. We can only admire the Dunkirk spirit that inspires marketing people to come up with this kind of Churchillian nonsense. Faced with the odds against finding something new to say about a phone – especially one assembled by a Chinese manufacturer from generic parts at a knock-down price – the truly heroic response is a strategic retreat into gibberish. What they’re trying to tell us is that the Cubot X17’s 8-megapixel wide-angle front camera constantly watches for you flipping the ‘V’ sign. When you do so, it takes a photo. This could be handy if you want to be absolutely sure you’re making a two-fingered gesture in every selfie. It…

Win 1 of 2 iiyama ProLite XB2481HS-BI PC monitors Winner of a Great Pick award in Issue 472, these ProLite monitors have an innovative new stand design that lets you raise the screen by over eight inches, while providing a good range of tilt. In our tests, black text looked exceptionally crisp, while images benefitted from one of the widest ranges of contrast you’ll find on any monitor. To enter, email your address to cacomp@dennis.co.uk with ‘prolite’ in the subject line by midnight 26 April. iiyama’s ProLite XB2481HS-BI PC monitors are available to buy now priced £130 from www.snipca.com/19950. For updates on iiyama’s products follow @iiyamaCo on Twitter and ‘like’ www.facebook.com/iiyamaCo.…

ANDROID & iOS Edit holiday albums that Google automatically creates Google Photos now automatically creates albums for you based on photos and videos you take on your holiday. The app (Android www.snipca.com/20130; iOS www.snipca.com/20131) recognises when you’ve taken a holiday (using GPS data) and automatically compiles your ‘best’ photos and videos. A few days after your trip, you’ll see a notification saying that Google Photos has created a new album from the photos and videos you took. Tap to open it. Tap the default album name if you want to change it. You’ll see your photos arranged in a grid that you can scroll upwards. To edit your album, tap the ‘+’ icon at the top of the screen. You’ll now see ‘x’ icons at the top of your photos…

WINDOWS 7, 8, 10 Use photos from the Hubble telescope as your desktop background Themes contain a series of desktop background images (also known as wallpaper) that change automatically after an interval of time. Microsoft has added two new space themes from NASA to its free Downloads website. They will turn your desktop into stunning photos taken by powerful space telescopes (including the Hubble, Spitzer and Galex). To download these themes, go to www.snipca.com/20064 and scroll down to NASA Hidden Universe and NASA Spacescapes. Click one to see the images it contains, then click the ‘Download theme’ button. Now simply open the downloaded ‘themepack’ file to set the theme as your desktop wallpaper. WINDOWS 10 Write and send emails using Cortana Windows 10’s personal assistant Cortana may not have caught…

Soon, you’ll be able to walk down the street without some smartphoneobsessed idiot bumping into you. Yes, yes – I know that sounds ridiculous. I know the very thought that these self-absorbed goons might glance up from their smartphones is preposterous. I know it’s too much to expect that someone might, you know, actually look where they’re going. I know all of this. “It bears repeating – someone has actually made a periscope gadget for smartphone zombies” So too did my Final Straw predecessor Stuart Andrews. That’s why a couple of years ago he complained about ‘smartphone zombies’. But what Stuart couldn’t have known is how technology would solve this problem for future generations. For Stuart ranted in quainter times. Stuart raged in an era before humanity’s ingenuity ascended to…