From the Editor

I love that in the middle of an

Letters

Tell us what’s on your mind

Consumeractive

Why is Honor refusing discount sent after purchase? We

New law means fewer ‘cookie consent’ pop-ups

You’ll hopefully be pestered by fewer ‘cookie consent’

Plusnet credited me £368 for broadband delay

I recently decided to switch my broadband service

Named & Shamed

Keumars Afifi-Sabet puts the boot into tech villains, jargon-spouting companies and software trying to trick you

Stop Wasting Your USB STICK!

You can use your USB stick to do so much more than move files between PCs. Robert Irvine explains 14 superb new ways to get the most from its storage and transfer speeds

Use Wi-Fi in your car

Want reliable internet on the road? Jonathan Parkyn explains how to add Wi-Fi to any car – and avoid being taken for a ride by overpriced data plans

8 PROGRAMS WE REGRET INSTALLING

From subscription traps to upgrade nags, software has a habit of letting us down. Four Computeractive writers reveal the programs they wish they’d never installed – and what they now use instead

How do I connect my old speakers?

PROBLEM OF THE FORTNIGHT

Can I resurrect my locked DVD player?

Q Many years ago I treated myself to

Why won’t Apple replace my iPad Pro’s battery?

Q The battery life of my fourth-generation 12.9in

What’s causing my screen to go blank?

Q My home-built PC has an Asus Prime

Should I disable Secure Boot to run my laptop from a USB stick?

Q I’d like to boot my Acer Swift

Why doesn’t Google Maps show 3D buildings?

Q It occurred to me recently that Google

Can I avoid paying to submit company taxes?

Q My son has been running a very

Did Windows update break Outlook.com?

Q Since downloading the latest Windows 11 update,

BT and EE?

EE and BT are two parts of the

Why won’t my USB stick accept my photos’ data?

Q While loading photos to an old USB

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. 3G/4G/5G Technologies that

Charge his phone using the sun

Worried his phone’s battery will run out when he’s away from home, Robert Irvine tries to…

Freely TV box confirmed – but not on Amazon or Roku

The top stories in the world of technology

You’ll like this…

AI-powered cameras are being used to tackle fly

But not this…

Mum was scammed after AI cloned daughter’s voice

BT’s mid-contract price hikes to increase in 2026

B T is increasing its mid-contract price hikes

VPNs top app charts as users beat porn age block

V PNs have become the most popular free

BUY GIFFGAFF DATA ADD-ONS ABROAD

Giffgaff has launched new ‘add-ons’ that boost your

TALKTALK AXES EMAIL FOR EX CUSTOMERS

TalkTalk is turning off its free email services

TOMORROW’S WORLD

When Chinese firm Hengbot introduced its robot dog

AMAZON RELEASES 16GB COLOUR KINDLE

Amazon has released a 16GB version of its

PROTON LAUNCHES ‘PRIVATE’ AI CHATBOT

Swiss firm Proton has launched an AI chatbot

THE WORLD’S GONE MAD!

This isn’t a pop group, it’s an “artistic

New WhatsApp for PC to be slower and use more RAM

W hatsApp is replacing its Windows app with

Microsoft stops selling TV and films

M icrosoft has stopped selling TV and film

Force YouTube to promote BBC and ITV videos Ofcom says

Y ouTube should be forced to make it

Openreach updates postcode broadband checker 2 3

O penreach has updated its Fibre Checker tool

GET EXTRA AUDIOBOOK HOURS ON SPOTIFY

Spotify has launched Audiobooks+, giving Premium Individual subscribers

BRAVE BROWSER BLOCKS WINDOWS RECALL

The latest version of the Brave browser (1.81)

EE’S BRINGING 5G TO 38 NEW AREAS

EE’s 5G network will be live in 38

Can strangers see your ChatGPT chats on Google?

OpenAI has admitted to a major privacy blunder

‘Cancel subscription’ Amazon Prime emails

Scams and threats to avoid, plus new security tools

Search the GRO’s birth and death indexes

For serious research you need to know when your ancestors were born and died. Follow Richard Holt’s tips to…

Best Free Software

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

What should I download?

We advise you which software and apps to use

Lenovo Yoga AIO 32i

Power without tower

Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 Laptop

To have and to fold

Xerox C235dni

Fantastic four

Motorola Edge 60 Pro

High rola

Glossy and matte-finish monitors

What does it do? The finish on

Boox Note Air4 C

Positive inking

What’s the best 5G router for my home?

We solve your buying dilemmas

SteelSeries Rival 3 Wireless (Gen 2)

Scroll with it

OnePlus Buds 4

Silent treatment

Sharp 70GK4245K

Sound off

DO I REALLY NEED... a vase cam?

What is it? Security camera manufacturer Wyze

On Sale Weds 27 Aug

GMKtec NucBox K10 A powerful PC halfway between

Buy It

Our pick of products that have won the Buy It award

Win 1 of 4… Twelve South ButterFly SE chargers

COMPETITION

HOW TO... Create your own NAS drive using an SD card

Create your own NAS drive using an SD card

Workshop

Test your speed and check if your ISP is to blame for faults

Readers’ Tips

Handy hints and tips from your fellow readers

Browser Tips

Secret settings and the best extensions

AI Tips

Clever new tools and tweaks

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

In The Club

Use Teamup as your shared calendar

What’s All the Fuss About...

Qi2.2 Wireless charging should get much faster – but don’t ditch your cables just yet