Computeractive

computeractive

EDITORIAL Group Editor Daniel Booth Deputy Editor Will Stapley Production Editor Graham Brown Art Editor Katie Peat Contributors Adam Banks, Dinah Greek, Jane Hoskyn, Jonathan Parkyn, Nick Peers, Nik Rawlinson, Wayne Williams ADVERTISING Group Advertising Director Andrea Mason Advertising Manager Alexa Dracos MARKETING AND CIRCULATION Subscriptions Rachel Hare Marketing Production Manager Gemma Hills For subscription enquiries ring 0330 333 9493 PRODUCTION Group Production Manager Stephen Catherall Production Controller Sophie Griffin MANAGEMENT Managing Director Dharmesh Mistry MD of Advertising Julian Lloyd-Evans Commercial and Retail Director David Barker Interim CFO Martyn Hindley Chief Executive James Tye Company Founder Felix Dennis…

from the editor

I have 12,319 reasons to take notice of this issue’s Cover Feature: that’s how many emails I have squatting in my Sent folder. Some of them were short, urgent messages well suited to email, but many would have been better served through WeTransfer, Padlet or MediaFire, just three of the excellent email alternatives we recommend. Giving up email completely is unrealistic, of course. It’s still the best way for readers to contact me, for example (at the address below). But much email use is a result of habits learned two decades ago. Back then I used to email work to myself so I could pick it up at home, and transfer photos via a USB stick. I also recall email threads with friends, family and colleagues that grew chaotically long. These days…

this issue in numbers

9.6Gbps Theoretical top speed of Wi-Fi 6 - p10 99 per cent Proportion of cyberattacks that require action from the victim - p11 1,700 Number of TV clips in the BBC’s new online archive - p8 HOW TO USE SNIPCA URLs We use snipcas to turn long URLs that are hard to type into ones that are short and simple. They aren’t websites themselves, which means they won’t be recognised if you type them into Google. Instead, you need to type them into your browser address bar, then press Enter. Doing this will take you to the correct website.…

may update ready ‘for all’ four months after release

Microsoft has said the Windows 10 May Update is ready to be released to “all users” of the operating system, over four months after it started rolling out – and just days before the next major update. In a tweet in late September (www.snipca.com/32899) Microsoft confirmed that that the May Update (version 1903) is ready for “broad deployment”. This means that most people yet to receive the update should now be prompted to install it through Windows Update. Microsoft released the May Update on 21 May, staggering its availability so it arrived first on computers that were compatible with it. Figures released at the end of September show that 45 per cent of Windows computers now run the May Update, up from 33 per cent a month earlier. This is a higher proportion…

thomas cook scams promise refunds

Scammers are exploiting the collapse of travel company Thomas Cook by tricking people with the promise of refunds. They are emailing and phoning people, pretending to be ‘refund agents’ from the company or a bank, asking for bank details in order to process the non-existent refund. They appear to be randomly contacting members of the public, rather than focusing on people who had booked holidays with the 178-year-old firm. Citizens Advice also warned the public that scammers are trying to persuade frustrated customers to rebook their holidays through them. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps called the scams “absolutely disgusting”, adding that the Government has issued public warnings. For genuine advice on claiming a refund visit https://abta.com/thomascook. Check whether your flight or holiday is covered by ATOL protection at www.snipca.com/32898. You’ll like this… Virtual reality is being used to…

there’s nowt wrong with ebuygumm’s yorkshire name

Judges have ruled that British site Ebuygumm (www.ebuygumm.co.uk) is named after a well-known Yorkshire saying, and doesn’t infringe the copyright of eBay and Gumtree. The two sites argued that Ebuygumm, which claims it’s the “fastest growing site” for buyers and sellers in the UK, was confusing internet users and taking “unfair advantage” of their brands. They also claimed that it was based in Birmingham and had no connection with Yorkshire. But the head of Nominet, which governs the registration of website names in the UK, dismissed the case. Michael Silverleaf QC ruled it was “entirely plausible” that Ebuygumm had chosen its name “as a word play on the Yorkshire phrase ee bah gum”. He added that anyone who listens to cricket commentator Geoffrey Boycott (pictured) is likely to have heard the phrase. Mr Silverleaf…