From the Editor

I used to suffer from mouse finger, caused

Will I still get the laptop I bought on Ebuyer before it went bust?

We stand up for your legal rights

Can sellers charge admin fee for returned goods?

Q I’ve come across a number of seemingly legitimate

Grain Connect says it won’t charge for engineers’ visits

Internet provider Grain Connect ( www.grainconnect.com ), which

I cancelled Office 365 so why is Microsoft still taking money?

Q I subscribed to Microsoft Office 365 a

Can I claim compensation for repeated internet outages?

Q Lately my Virgin Media broadband has been

Nextbase helped me to use dashcam’s iPhone app

You recently recommended a £20 kit for hardwiring

What’s All the Fuss About...

Direct to Device

BEST NEW TV APPS

Don’t limit your viewing to the same old broadcasters and streaming services. Robert Irvine recommends 22 new and updated TV apps to enhance your entertainment

WHY YOU NEED AN MP3 PLAYER

Streaming music on your phone is convenient, but MP3 players have bigger benefits. Robert Irvine explains why you should buy one and recommends the best devices

HOW WE’LL KEEP USING WINDOWS 10

We love Windows 11, but there are plenty of reasons why we also want to keep running its predecessor. Three Computeractive writers explain how they’ll do so, while one Linux convert jumps ship!

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

32bit/64bit A measure of how much data

Create a smart light switch

Looking for a lazy way to turn his bedroom light on and off, Robert Irvine tries to…

Tor launches its first VPN app but warns of bugs

The top stories in the world of technology

Test your web speed from Windows’ system tray

M icrosoft is testing a tool that lets

YouTube to suspend Family accounts shared outside household

G oogle is threatening to suspend the YouTube

Apple releases thinnest ever iPhone – at just 5.6mm

A pple has released a new iPhone model

WHICH? MAPS SIGNAL QUALITY ACROSS UK

Consumer group Which? has teamed up with network

TOMORROW’S WORLD

Following last issue’s badminton-playing robot ( www.snipca.com/56092 ),

17 TOWNS TO RECEIVE EE’S 5G BY DECEMBER

EE is rolling out its 5G network to

CHANGE YOUR PLEX PASSWORD AFTER LEAK

Plex has urged all users to change their

THE WORLD’S GONE MAD!

Meet Ava, who represents what social-media influencers will

2.5bn Gmail users hacked? Complete rubbish says Google

G oogle has denied reports online that it

Freely ‘to overtake Freeview by 2030’ as viewers ditch TV aerials

F reely will be more popular than Freeview

NOVA LAUNCHER APP SET TO CLOSE

Nova Launcher, one of the most popular Android

Sky facing £2bn claim for ‘not telling customers contracts were ending’

S ky is being targeted in a £2

ACER LAUNCHES GOOGLE TV STREAMING BOX

Acer has launched a streaming box running Google

Google won’t have to sell Chrome, but must share search secrets

A US judge has ruled that Google won’t have

FIREFOX TO RUN IN W7 UNTIL MARCH 2026

Firefox will work on Windows 7 computers until

MICROSOFT AXES SPELL-CHECKER

Microsoft is “retiring” its grammar-checking and spell-checking browser

Has Apple’s new iPhone Air killed off the SIM card?

It’s the first phone available worldwide that connects only by eSIM

PayPal scams from ‘genuine’ email address

WATCH OUT FOR

New tools

Microsoft Edge redirects you to HTTPS

New ‘Sky viewing card’ within three days

Scam Watch Readers warn readers I received

Letters

Tell us what’s on your mind

Search debtors’ prison records

If your ancestor was imprisoned for failing to pay their debts, follow Richard Holt’s advice to…

Files 4.0

FILE MANAGER

Vpnly 1.0

www.snipca.com/56250 What you need: Windows 10

QuickInstaller 0.4

www.snipca.com/56266 What you need: Windows 10 or

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!

Facebook’s AI is scanning your photos

GMKtec NucBox G10

Simple pleasure

LG gram Pro

Doesn’t pull its weight

Google Pixel 10

Hot shot

Huawei MatePad 11.5

Trouble in Store

HDMI 2.2

What is it? HDMI 2.2 was announced

Kioxia Exceria Plus G2

A quick read

Trust Keyra

Split the difference

Shokz OpenDots One

Clipped tones

GL-iNet Flint 3

A signal success

A monitor with a 720Hz refresh rate?

What is it? Acer’s Predator X27U F8

Buy It

Our pick of products that have won the Buy It award

Buy It

Our pick of products that have won the Buy It award

Win 1 of 4

Majority Naga 80 TV soundbars

HOW TO...

Synchronise files across your own home network

Workshop

Scan and edit PDFs on your phone for free

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

ANDROID & iOS Learn a new language

BEST NEW APPS What you should install this fortnight

Blur Text Free* Android www.snipca.com/56111

BEST APPS FOR... Rain and flood warnings

Rain Alarm Free* Android www.snipca.com/56127

Make Windows Better

Expert tips for every version

Make Office Better

Top tips for the best office programs

In The Club

Rehearse presentations in PowerPoint

Why does my laptop shut down when I'm gaming?

Our experts solve all your tech problems

Why doesn’t my laptop recognise my camcorder?

Q After many years stashed away, I decided

Can I add an NPU to my PC?

Q When certain operating systems or AI programs

Why are my Outlook contacts back to front?

Q When adding a new contact in Outlook

Can I rescue photos and documents from my dead laptop?

Q When I try to boot my Asus

How can I change hundreds of file names in one go?

Q As a prolific writer of short

How do I manage my Android phone’s backups?

Q I’ve had a basic Android phone for

Can I fit a TPM chip into my old laptop to make it compatible with Windows 11?

TPM chips, like this NewHail model, are available

Why does Alexa respond when I haven’t said anything?

Q I have an Amazon Echo Dot in

Drive letters in Windows?

Q The hard drive in my Windows desktop

Why are my desktop icons muddled up after startup?

Q Can you help me unscramble my Windows