From the Editor

Not all developers take 19 years to update

12 devices you must buy on Black Friday

With the annual Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales events almost upon us, Robert Irvine predicts a dozen of the best bargains to expect, plus five you should avoid

Make his PC look like Windows 12

Hoping to get a preview of Microsoft’s next operating system, Robert Irvine tries to…

Extend Windows 10 support for $30 – but just for one year

Microsoft has revealed it will charge users $30

Search the web in ChatGPT – though it’s not free yet

ChatGPT has added online search as it aims

PARAMOUNT+ ADDS ‘BASIC WITH ADS’ PLAN

Paramount has launched a ‘Basic With Ads’ plan

Interpol warns patients about hackers stealing NHS records

Interpol’s head of cybercrime has warned that gangs

ANKER TO RELEASE USB-C CHARGERS

Anker is planning to release five new

TOMORROW’S WORLD

This is robot ‘artist’ Ai-Da standing in front

TURN IMAGES INTO TEXT USING POWERTOYS

You can extract text from images and

POCKETBOOK LAUNCHES FIRST UK E-READERS

Swiss firm PocketBook has launched its ebook readers

THE WORLD’S GONE MAD!

As well as engineers, doctors and lawyers, universities

Amazon’s first colour Kindle suffers from yellow fever

Amazon has suspended deliveries of its first colour

Scammers impersonate dentists to con patients

Scammers have been posing as real dentists to

Channel 4 app arrives on Google Chromecast and TV Streamer

Channel 4 has released an app for Google’s

Flight Simulator 2024 on sale with 125 aircraft and 160 airports

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is now available to

BUY SKY GLASS FROM CURRYS STORES

You can now inspect Sky Glass TVs

RASPBERRY PI RELEASES ITS OWN SSD

Raspberry Pi has released its own NVMe

TRIPLE YOUR DATA ON VIRGIN MEDIA O2

Pay-as-you-go Virgin Media O2 customers can increase

Will TV streaming kill off Freeview and the BBC?

Both could be under threat as viewing habits change

‘Claim £2,300 per month’ Budget stories

What’s the threat? Scammers have created websites showing

New tools

Proton’s VPN for Apple TV

ScamWatch

Readers warn readers

Letters

Tell us what’s on your mind

Can Amazon refuse to replace ‘lost’ goods?

Q I bought a pair of headphones and

Can bookmakers William Hill refuse to close my account?

Q I’m having problems getting William Hill to

Octaplus gives reader £150 to spend on Amazon

Broadband provider Octaplus ( www.octaplus.co.uk ) has told

Is UK Pet Chip Registry a scam?

Q I recently received an email from a

Does the 14-day right to reject also apply to Christmas gifts?

Q I want to buy all my Christmas

Argos refunded me within 24 hours of complaining

I was wanting to upgrade my mobile phone

Search Boer War records

If your ancestors fought in South Africa at the turn of the 20th century, follow Judith Batchelor’s advice to...

LocalSend 1.16.1

Robert Irvine recommends new programs that won’t cost you a thing

PeaZip 10

www.snipca.com/52676 What you need: Windows 7, 8.1,

Wise Folder Hider 5.0.6

www.snipca.com/52675 What you need: Windows 7,

TreeSize Personal

Choose the right version of software

What should I download?

We advise you which software and apps to use

SOFTWARE WARNING!

Clean Planner’s scaremongering adverts

GMKtec NucBox M7 Pro

MINI PC | £560 from Amazon www.snipca.com/52552

Asus ExpertBook P5

LAPTOP | £1,000 from Asus www.snipca.com/52564

Apple iPad mini 7

TABLET | £499 from Apple www.snipca.com/52573

OCuLink

CHOOSE THE RIGHT SPECS

Lenovo Legion R25F-30

PC MONITOR | £189 from Very www.snipca.com/52618

Anker Prime Charger 200W

CHARGING STATION | £80 from Amazon www.snipca.com/52608

Which PC would you recommend for making music?

We solve your buying dilemmas

DeltaHub Carpio 2.0

WRIST REST | £30 from DeltaHub www.snipca.com/52605

Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4

PORTABLE SPEAKER | £90 from Amazon www.snipca.com/52610

Huawei Watch D2

SMARTWATCH ❘ £350 from Huawei www.snipca.com/52630

A £100 mouse mat?

What is it? Razer’s Firefly V2 Pro is

Buy It

Our pick of products that have won the Buy It award

HOW TO...Increase volume of videos without distortion

What Clipchamp, OpenShot or VideoLouder Time required:

Master Opera’s brilliant new browser tools

What you need: Opera (version One R2)

Readers’ Tips

Block porn and gambling on Windscribe VPN TIP

Browser Tips

Secret settings and the best extensions

Phone and Tablet Tips

Brilliant things to do on your device

Make Windows Better

Expert tips for every version

Make Office Better

Top tips for the best office programs

Create a newsletter template in Word

Run a club or society? Here's how your tech can make it easier

Ditch Your SIM card

Is it time to eject that little plastic chip from your mobile once and for all? Jonathan Parkyn explains how to save money by switching to an eSIM

Why do my two drives have different colours in File Explorer?

Q I have two main drives in my

Jargon Buster

1080p High-definition video: 1920x1080 pixels. 1440p

Russia fining Google

It’s gonna need a bigger cheque book

Never miss another SOFTWARE UPDATE

Don’t let outdated programs compromise the security and performance of your PC. Robert Irvine explains how to ensure you’re always running the latest and safest versions

Can I ditch broadband for mobile data?

PROBLEM OF THE FORTNIGHT

Why are my Edge browser tabs fading out?

Q Something strange has happened to my Edge

How do I fix my laptop’s broken audio jack?

Q I mostly use my laptop on a

How does Google know where I parked?

Q This isn’t a problem as such,

Will I need anew graphics card to keep up with my new monitor’s refresh rate?

Q In 2019, I bought a Dell XPS

How do I cast photos from my phone to my TV?

Q Is there a way to cast photos

Why does my friend’s laptop keep crashing?

Q My friend’s Lenovo V15 ADA laptop

Can I unplug my PC from the mains during hibernation and reopen it in the state I left it?

Q Now that the Government has removed

2FA and MFA?

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN...

Has my smartphone forgotten my Wi-Fi password?

Q I have a Samsung Galaxy A04s

Reader Support

Having a problem with our recommended software or expert tips? Email editor@computeractive.co.uk and we’ll do our best to help