From the Editor

Robert Irvine’s mission this issue was to sneak

Will you need TV licence to watch Netflix and Prime Video?

Controversial move being considered to help fund the BBC

Fake security emails impersonating TotalAV

WATCH OUT FOR...

New tools

Bitwarden's improved Auto-fill

ScamWatch

Readers warn readers

Letters

Tell us what’s on your mind

Consumeractive

We stand up for your legal rights

Family Tree

Search records of mining accidents

Hasleo Backup Suite 5.0

BACKUP TOOL

SHOULD I PAY FOR…?

Choose the right version of software

What should I download?

We advise you which software and apps to use

SOFTWARE WARNING!

Avoid the utter uselessness of ‘PDF Viewer & Scanner’

What’s All the Fuss About...

DeepSeek

Don’t let Google fingerprint you

Google has made the controversial decision to let advertisers ‘fingerprint’ internet users. Robert Irvine explains this new privacy threat and suggests how you can avoid being tracked

Back up and print your text messages

Saving copies of messages and conversations, either as a digital backup or a printed hard copy, isn’t as simple as you might think. Jonathan Parkyn explains how it’s done

Problems Solved

Our experts solve all your tech problems

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

Jargon Buster

1080p High-definition video: 1920x1080 pixels. 32bit/64bit A measure

Switch to an ergonomic mouse

Worried that excessive pointing and clicking are turning his hand into a claw, Robert Irvine tries to…

Windows 11 now lets you make calls via iPhone

The top stories in the world of technology

YouTube insists unskippable adverts don’t last hours

Y ouTube says it’s not forcing viewers to

TalkTalk denies that 18.8m customers were hit in data breach

T alkTalk has denied claims that the details

DARLINGTON GETS UK’S FIRST AMAZON DRONES

Amazon has chosen Darlington as the first town

FACEBOOK UNBLOCKS LINUX DISCUSSIONS

Facebook has unblocked discussions about Linux after saying

TOMORROW’S WORLD

Sony has stopped making recordable Blu-ray discs, reminding

VERACRYPT ENDS SUPPORT FOR 32BIT

Encryption software VeraCrypt has released an update (1.26.18)

SKY MOVES VIEWERS TO PARAMOUNT+ BASIC

Sky has moved customers subscribing to the Cinema

THE WORLD’S GONE MAD!

This is Australian web ‘celebrity’ Jackson O’Doherty supposedly

Google to warn about companies that use fake reviews

G oogle will attach warnings to UK companies

Police arrest climate protestor for cutting broadband cables

T he City of London Police have arrested

O2’s AI granny has now spoken to over 1,000 scammers

O 2’s AI ‘granny’ Daisy (pictured) has now

Netflix raises US prices, with UK hikes likely to follow soon

N etflix has announced some of its biggest

UPDATE 7-ZIP NOW TO AVOID HACK

7-Zip has updated its software to fix a

OPENREACH AXES COPPER IN 163 AREAS

Openreach has announced another 163 phone exchanges across

FIX MORE LOGITECH PRODUCTS YOURSELF

Logitech has added more products to its Repair

PCSpecialist Nebula Goliath

PC | £2,399 from PCSpecialist www.snipca.com/53533

GMKtec NucBox M5 Plus

MINI PC | £229 from GMKtec www.snipca.com/53554

Motorola Moto G75

SMARTPHONE | £230 from Amazon www.snipca.com/53561

Onyx Boox Go 6

EBOOK READER | £237 from Amazon www.snipca.com/53616

Chromebook Plus

What is it? Created by Google in

Ugreen 40Gbps M.2 SSD Enclosure

SSD ENCLOSURE | £100 from Amazon www.snipca.com/53595

Tapo P110M Mini Smart Wi-Fi Plug

SMART PLUG ❘ £11 from Amazon www.snipca.com/53577

Logitech C920S Pro HD Webcam

WEBCAM ❘ £79 from Amazon www.snipca.com/53582

Bush 43UT24SB

SMART TV | £199 from Argos www.snipca.com/53637

On Sale Weds 26 Feb

Lenovo ThinkCentre M70s Gen 4 A desktop computer

A turbo-charged 2TB SD card?

What is it? Taiwanese manufacturer TeamGroup (

Buy It

Our pick of products that have won the Buy It award

HOW TO...

Create a mobile hotspot on your PC and phone

Sync your passkeys across all your phones and tablets

What you need: Chrome browser on a phone/tablet

Readers’ Tips

TIP OF THE FORTNIGHT Batch-edit photos in

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

Send event invites and manage RSVPs

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

BREAK WINDOWS’ WORST RULES

Take control of your PC by beating the restrictions that are imposed on every Windows user. Robert Irvine explains how to do what Microsoft really doesn’t want you to