From the Editor

Nothing ruins software like success. I remember when

Emergency fix lets W10 users enrol in extended updates

The top stories in the world of technology

Giffgaff offers eSIMs to customers though its website

G iffgaff now lets you sign up to

TalkTalk increases mid-contract price rises to £4 from next April

T alkTalk will increase its mid-contract price rises

First Freely box arrives in time for Xmas – priced £99

N etgem has released the first Freely streaming

TALK TO 20 PEOPLE IN CHATGPT

ChatGPT is introducing group chats for up to

HACKERS STOLE USER DATA FROM LOGITECH

Logitech has admitted that hackers stole data that

TOMORROW’S WORLD

This was the heart-warming moment Russia’s first humanoid

NORDVPN BLOCKS SCAM CALLS IN THE UK

NordVPN has launched its Call Protection feature in

Brits use 18% more phone data in 2025 (and hang up landlines)

B rits used nearly a fifth more mobile

Phone prices ‘to soar’ in 2026 – and AI is to blame

P rices of phones are set to soar

PLAY BOGGLE & PICTIONARY ON NETFLIX

Netflix will soon let you play Pictionary, Tetris

Couple slash heating bills by running data centre in their shed

A n Essex couple have cut their monthly

Watch Virgin’s FAST TV on-demand for first time

V irgin Media TV customers can now watch

KINGSTON LAUNCHES FIRST CABLE-FREE SSD

Kingston has released its first SSD without a

SMARTY COMBINES EIGHT PLANS IN ONE

Smarty has launched its ‘Everyone Unlimited’ package that

NETGEAR TO RELEASE £530 PORTABLE ROUTER

Netgear has announced its Nighthawk 5G M7 portable

Will BT start charging £50 for missed appointments?

It might be getting tough with absent-minded customers

Fake Captchas that install malware

WATCH OUT FOR

Letters

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Consumeractive

We stand up for your legal rights

Search photos of Victorian prisoners

Criminal mugshots are nothing new – they began over 150 years ago. Follow Richard Holt’s advice 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

SOFTWARE WARNING!

Drecov’s photo-recovery scaremongering

Buy It

Our pick of products that have won the Buy It award

Win 1 of 3 Cambridge Audio Melomania A100 earbuds

Winner of a Recommend award in Issue 721

Tech gifts we’re buying this Christmas

This year, get your loved ones presents they can use with their PCs and phones. Robert Irvine suggests 10 useful and quirky tech stocking fillers for under £20 (except one)

What’s being axed in 2026

Is your old tech living on borrowed time? Jonathan Parkyn reveals what’s destined for the digital scrapheap in the year ahead

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. 3G/4G/5G Technologies that

Add labels to his USB sticks

Fed up with plugging the wrong portable drive into his PC, Robert Irvine tries to…

Dell Tower Plus EBT2250

DESKTOP PC | £1,498 from Dell www.snipca.com/56981

OnePlus Pad Lite

Stream on If you’re looking for an attractive,

Medion Erazer Deputy P1

Game changer German manufacturer Medion’s latest gaming laptop

Lenovo Yoga U7 27in

Altogether now With its vibrant screen and slick,

Upscaling

What is it? It’s the technology that converts

TP-Link M8550

Sends the right signal TP-Link’s mobile 5G router

What’s a good laptop for CAD and 3D printing?

We solve your buying dilemmas

Apple Watch SE3

Wrist assured The Apple Watch SE3 gives you

Pure Classic Aura

Party piece This British-designed Bluetooth speaker comes with

Amazon Echo Show 8

Go fourth Amazon’s fourth-generation Echo Show 8 could

A SteamOS gaming PC?

What is it? Valve’s new Steam Machine (

On Sale Weds 17 Dec

Asus Chromebook CX1505KA Best ever non-Windows laptop under

HOW TO... Switch from Windows 10 to Zorin OS

What you need: External drive Time required: One hour (plus download time)

Restore damaged photos for free with Affinity Photo

What you need: Affinity 3.0, Windows 10 or 11 Time required: 40 minutes

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

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

Agentic OS

Microsoft’s new buzzword for Windows hasn’t gone down well

BEST NEW SOFTWARE for 2026

Don’t limit yourself and your PC to the same old programs for the next 12 months. Robert Irvine recommends 10 brilliant free tools to download over the coming year