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13 January 2011
ISSUE 257
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HOME PAGE
Stay safe in 2011
W
hen it comes to choosing anti-virus software, the question uppermost in your mind will be: “Is free software as effective as paid-for?” In this issue’s cover feature (page 46) we’ve set out to answer that with our biggest ever test of security software. What makes this test so effective is that we’ve exposed the software to real viruses that are currently causing havoc on the web, rather than artificial viruses that most other magazines use for test purposes. Therefore, you can be
confident that our results will show which anti-virus suites provide the best online protection for the web as you use it every day. Elsewhere in this issue, you’ll find 100 fantastic keyboard shortcuts, 23 superb new browser add-ons and eight expert Registry tips to make Windows faster.
Daniel Booth Acting Editor daniel_booth @dennis.co.uk
ISSUE 257 13 JANUARY 2011 GROUP TEST The best internet WEBSITES securityy suites pp46 12 Best New Websites
The best new and relaunched sites – reviewed and rated 30 Head to Head We compare two mapping services – Google Maps and Bing Maps 33 New weather tools Eight sites and apps for free forecasts
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SOFTWARE SO 22 PC and web shortcuts 100 keyboard shortcuts for websites, programs, PCs and Macs 34 Best browser add-ons for 2011 Boost your browser by installing our top 20 extensions 40 Best Free Software This fortnight’s top free software downloads 46 COVER FEATURE: Group Test: Internet security suites Our biggest-ever test of anti-virus software featuring 14 free and paid-for programs
HARDWARE 38 Double your gadgets’ battery life 15 tips for boosting the battery power of your devices
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13 January 2011
5
NEWS
[email protected] Reports, opinion and analysis on everything that matters
Skype failure: ‘Lessons will be learned’ The internet telephony firm promises that it will take steps to prevent a repeat of the service’s 24-hour failure in late December
S
ways in which we can detect problems Customer anger more quickly to potentially avoid such But some Skype users were unsatisfied outages altogether, and ways to recover by both the explanation and the the system more rapidly after a compensation. “After that lengthy compens failure.” explanation, which probably explan Skype’s free services 99.99 per cent of people will 99. include instant messaging not no understand, you are giving and free video calls your yo loyal customers a whole At peak times, between two computers $1 credit to compensate us for there are up to 23 with Skype installed. It the th outage. Wow – that’s million people also offers low-cost calls incredible! One whole dollar,” in using Skype’s to phones on conventionall commented a user at the end com services telecommunication of Ra Rabbe’s statement. networks worldwide. Other posts pointed out that the As compensation for the outage, outage problems co could have been avoided if Skype pre-pay customers were offered $1 computers running Skype had been (about 64p) of call credit and subscribers forced to update to the latest version, to were offered a free week of service. protect against bugs in older versions. “All this could have been prevented if Skype’s auto-update actually worked. Every How Skype’s network works update I’ve ever got for my Skype client Instead of using centralised servers to route calls between computers, Skype uses was through a manual upgrade check.” peer-to-peer (P2P) technology. Though P2P has become synonymous with illegal Many others, though, praised Skype file-sharing, it has numerous legitimate applications on the web and is perfect for and Rabbe for their honesty. “Thank you a system such as Skype. Any computer that runs Skype becomes a peer – or for acknowledging the problem, taking ‘node’ – in the Skype P2P network. This means that it could potentially play a small responsibility for it (although technology part in routing data from one Skype user to another, even if the computer in failure is impossible to avoid completely), question is idle at the time. By using this system, Skype doesn’t need to invest in and giving customers a credit voucher. It central servers to handle the masses of traffic sent over the network, but simply shows you remember who keeps you in spreads it out over all available ‘nodes’. However, if large numbers of nodes use business; a lesson some big companies out-of-date versions of Skype, as happened in this case, it can result in instability have yet to learn!” a customer wrote on and cause major problems for the entire network. the blog. http://blogs.skype.com/en
kype has insisted that it’s learnt lessons from the technical problems that brought the service down for more than 24 hours just before Christmas. The failure was caused by a bug in an out-of-date version of Skype that is still used by millions of people. The bug caused one of the telephony service's peer-to-peer (P2P) networks to become unstable, pushing large amounts of traffic onto parts of the network that hadn’t been affected by the initial crash and overloading them. On the company’s official blog, Skype’s chief information officer Lars Rabbe said: “We are learning the lessons we can from this incident and reviewing our processes and procedures, looking in particular for
6
13 January 2011
23 million
NEWS
In brief Firefox ‘most used browser in Europe’ Figures Fig from StatCounter St show that Firefox is now the most used use browser in Europe. Eur The analyst firm said that Internet Explorer’s market share shrunk to 37.5 per cent in December, while Firefox’s grew to 38.1 per cent. However, IE is still the UK's top dog, boasting a 50.4 per cent share, more than double Firefox’s 23.3 per cent. http://gs.statcounter.com Spam’s Christmas break Normally, spam levels are higher in the holidays than the rest of the year, but technology firm Cisco said the amount of unsolicited email in circulation dropped by a third between September and December 2010. Figures from rival firm Commtouch also showed a 30 per cent drop over the same period. Neither company explained why there had been such a sharp fall. www.cisco.com/uk www.commtouch.com BT’s Infinity winners The winners of BT’s Race to Infinity campaign, a competition to bring fibre-optic broadband to smaller communities in the UK, have been announced. More than 360,000 votes were cast via BT’s website, resulting in a six-way tie between the villages of Baschurch (Shropshire), Blewbury (Oxfordshire), Caxton (Cambridgeshire), Innerleithen (Scottish Borders), Madingley (Cambridgeshire) and Whitchurch (Hampshire). BT has pledged to connect the six communities to its super-fast broadband network by early 2012. www.racetoinfinity.bt.com
BT’s ‘two-speed web’ plans slammed
B
T has received criticism from supporters of net neutrality after launching its Content Connect service that lets ISPs using BT’s cables charge websites to deliver faster video. Opponents of the move claim that it creates a two-speed service which will severely harm competition and creativity on the internet and lead to the end of net neutrality – the principle that ISPs should treat all web traffic equally, not offer preferential treatment to companies who pay for it. Jim Killock from the Open Rights Group said
WHAT COULD THIS MEAN FOR USERS? An end to net neutrality could have serious consequences. If websites pay ISPs for a better service, they may pass on these costs to users, making previously free sites only available to paying members. Companies may also have to increase the amount of advertising on their sites to meet these costs. Opponents of net neutrality argue that surfers will benefit because ISPs will be able to spend the money received from websites on broadband infrastructure.
FIRST LOOK
T
wo tools that translate text from one language into another have been released for the iPhone. Word Lens (see image, above) is a free download from the App Store, but you need to spend £5.99 per language pack. Once installed, open the iPhone’s camera app and Word Lens will translate the text of a menu, road sign or
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that Content Connect represents a symbolic move away from the understanding that net neutrality is an integral cornerstone of the web: “It is essentially them [BT] saying: ‘Rather than delivering whatever content is on the internet as best we can, here are our services that we will deliver through our own network,” he said. However, BT defended the plans by saying that the service could actually speed up downloads across its network by easing congestion. A spokesman told Web User: “BT supports the concept of net neutrality, but believes that service providers should also be free to strike commercial deals, should content owners want a higher quality or assured service delivery.” www.contentconnect.bt.com www.openrightsgroup.org
Word Lens for iPhone http://bit.ly/wordlens257 TransLens for iPhone http://bit.ly/translens257 whatever else you point it at. TransLens (see image, bottom-right) works on a similar principle – point the camera at the text and the app will translate it. It costs £1.19, and you don’t have to buy any language packs, but you will need an internet connection to use it, which may incur big roaming costs. Word Lens and TransLens both require either the iPhone 3GS or the iPhone 4 to work – older iPhones lack the auto-focusing camera required for text recognition. However, the apps work with the latest iPod Touch, which has an auto-focusing camera. Both do a decent job and are easy to use. The price of TransLens – £1.19 for the app, with no further charges – is good if you travel a lot, but is let down by the need for an internet connection. It also boasts more languages – 16 at the last count. Word Lens
currently has four (English, German, French, Spanish), but more will be added. Word Lens is better if you just want translations for one language – you’ll rack up a big bill by downloading different packs at £5.99 a pop. But as you don’t require an internet connection for it to work, Word Lens can be used wherever you are.
13 January 2011
7
VIEWPOINT Our opinion on the latest web issues
We’ll all be watching YouView in 2011
This is the time of year when tech experts risk ridicule by predicting trends for the year ahead, so I hereby take the plunge: My big bet for 2011 is that the launch of YouView (www.youview.com) will finally bring the concept of watching the web on your TV into the mainstream. Many of you already use devices like the Boxee to watch the internet on your TV sets, but the majority of people will have been put off by the extra cost and perceived hassle. YouView set-top boxes might not be cheaper than what’s already available when the service launches later this year, but I think the EastEnders-watching masses will feel more comfortable parting with £200 for a service that is being backed by the major TV channels – specifically, the BBC. Despite regular whinges about repeats and dumbing down, the British public still loves and trusts the BBC and a service that comes with Auntie Beeb’s endorsement will convince the average web user – people who will watch the iPlayer but don’t feel confident enough to hook up a media-streaming device to their TV – that accessing the web on your TV has become safe, easy and reliable. In other words, it has become normal. Of course, feel free to email me this time next year if I’m proved embarrassingly wrong!
Daniel Booth Acting Editor
Christmas is better with the web As a kid in the Eighties, my Christmas Day involved all kinds of electronic gadgetry, from my beloved ZX Spectrum to my portable Frogger game. Now, my eight-year-old nephew looks back on that pre-internet age with the same pity I once reserved for Dickensian orphans happy with a satsuma in a Christmas stocking. Yet there’s still a sneaking feeling that using the web on Christmas Day is a bit, well, un-festive. As if by going online you’re deliberately sabotaging your family’s seasonal joy. This Christmas, a member of my family accused me of being anti-social, saying “Can’t you just turn off your laptop for five minutes?” as she settled down to watch the Doctor
Who special on her own. Why is television considered a hallowed piece of Christmas entertainment, but the web sneered at as being a bit sad? Perhaps my nephew’s generation will manage to rewrite Christmas tradition so it’s as much about festive messages on Twitter as it is about yet another Morecambe and Wise repeat.
No easy answer to net neutrality You might expect me to be strongly in favour of net neutrality and react with horror to BT’s new Content Connect service (see page 7), yet my feelings are actually rather divided. My web-loving side sees how a twospeed internet would create a conflict of interest between ISPs and websites, but the real-world pragmatist in me
wonders whether our broadband infrastructure might be better off if ISPs could invest revenue received from websites. I’m fascinated by the debate because it goes right to the heart of what the internet is for. Is it a utility that should be universally available? Is it a resource so uniquely important that it should be protected from market forces that affect other media? Does the web really “belong to the people”, or is that a flawed view that will hold back progress on the web? There’s no easy answer and I predict that the outcome will be an imperfect compromise – an “open internet” that will leave both sides unhappy.
Facebook friends aren’t all fools Time magazine’s decision to name Facebook’s founder Mark Zuckerberg its Person of the Year for 2010 set the media dinosaurs scoffing in disgust. The reaction of Giles Coren in The Times was particularly extreme, accusing Zuckerberg of impoverishing humanity and turning us into babbling idiots. It’s an old and tired argument: Facebook
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13 January 2011
transforms dazzling wits and raconteurs into prattling buffoons at one glimpse of an empty status-update box. This is complete nonsense. In my experience, people who bore their friends to distraction about The X Factor in face-toface conversation are just as annoyingly shallow on
Facebook. But friends who are funny, perceptive and cultured in real life are no less sharp and amusing on Facebook. Boring people are boring on Facebook. Interesting people are interesting on Facebook. It’s as simple as that. Maybe Giles Coren just needs to find a better class of friend.
NEWS
In brief Nintendo warns of 3D eye damage
Nintendo has warned that the eyesight of children under six years old could be harmed by its forthcoming Nintendo 3DS handheld device. The 3DS projects two images - one for the left eye, another for the right – to create a 3D effect. However, the 3D games should only be played in 2D mode by young children, Nintendo said. The Nintendo 3DS is due to be released in March 2011. www.nintendo.co.uk
One million kids have no web access
A million UK children have no access to the internet at home, according to the E-Learning Foundation. Citing figures taken from the latest government spending survey, the foundation said that children from the poorest families are two-and-a-half times less likely to have web access at home compared to those from well-off families. www.e-learningfoundation .com
Microsoft insists Hotmail glitch is fixed
M
icrosoft has announced that all emails that were accidentally deleted from some Hotmail users’ inboxes have now been restored. The problem, which began on 30 December, came to light when dozens of Hotmail users posted messages on Microsoft’s forums and Twitter complaining that emails were missing from their account. In all, there were 476 pages of complaints about missing emails in Microsoft’s forums. “This morning when I logged into my account, all my email is gone. There should be 1600+ messages in my account. I need it recovered ASAP. I have critical business information in my email. I have since then changed my password but I need my account recovered please,” wrote one angry Hotmail user. Microsoft acknowledged the problems but said in a statement that only a limited number of the 360 million active Hotmail accounts had been affected. The
company later insisted that the problems had been fixed, but did not elaborate on what had caused the loss of emails. “We have restored the emails to those who were effected [sic]. If you are still missing your emails, please post your issue here with as much detailed information as possible. We sincerely apologise and thank you for your continued patience,” a Microsoft employee called Roopa S wrote on the forum. https://windowslivehelp.com
How to recover deleted Hotmail emails You can submit a request to Microsoft to find out whether the company is able to recover any emails you may have accidentally deleted. However, there is no guarantee of success, especially if you deleted the messages more than 24 hours ago. Requests can be made at the URL listed above. Don’t forget thatt
Hotmail accounts become inactive if they haven’t been accessed for 270 days, so make sure you check your inbox frequently. Users with third-party email-filtering software installed should check that the settings aren’t so strict that some legitimate emails aren’t getting through.
SNAPSHOT DUAL-TOUCHSCREEN LINUX TABLET LAUNCHED
A
dual-screen tablet running Linux OS was one of the first new gadgets to be shown off at the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. Simply known as the Kno – pronounced ‘no’ – the device is aimed at the education and home markets. Both screens, which measure 14.1in each, are operated by the touch of either your fingers or a stylus. It weighs a hefty 2.5kg, though, which may limit its portability. Rather than running the Android OS, like many other recent tablet devices such as the Samsung Galaxy Tab and the Dell Streak, the Kno runs a version of the Linux operating system – Ubuntu 9.10. It comes with either 16GB or 32GB of flash memory, and
Discuss web news at www.webuser.co.uk/forums
ts $899 (around £580) in the US. A launch date for the UK costs has not been set yet. w.kno.com www.kno.com
13 January 2011
9
SECURITY
ALERT! Mozilla password blunder
The passwords of thousands of users of the Firefox Add-Ons website (https://addons.mozilla .org) were inadvertently revealed in December. The passwords were kept on an unencrypted public server and contained details of 44,000 inactive users of the site. Mozilla, creator of Firefox, insisted that the blunder “posed minimal risk to users”. www.mozilla.org
Malicious Android app warning
Users of Android-based smartphones have been warned to watch out for Geinimi malware, which has been spotted hiding in some game apps available via the Android Market. A Geinimi-infected handset will send personal data to cybercriminal gangs. http://blog.mylookout.com
Malware will target Macs in 2011
Devices running Mac OS and Apple’s mobile operating system iOS, such as the iPhone and iPad, will be targeted by cybercriminals this year. Security firm McAfee said that the rising popularity of Apple’s products made them a more attractive target for hackers. www.mcafee.com/uk
ISPs investigated over DDoS attacks
Two US ISPs are under investigation by the FBI on suspicion of aiding the DDoS (distributed denial-of-service) attacks organised by Anonymous, a pro-WikiLeaks group of hackers. Companies targeted in the DDoS attacks include PayPal, Mastercard and Visa. www.fbi.gov
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13 January 2011
ISPs unite against porn-blocking plans
I
SPs have criticised government plans to force them to block all online pornography from UK broadband connections unless customers specifically request access to the content. The proposals, outlined by Culture Minister Ed Vaizey in December, are designed to stop children either accidentally or deliberately accessing adult material online, but have been called impractical by critics. Vaizey said that the government didn’t want to introduce legislation, but instead hoped that ISPs would take the initiative. The Internet Service Providers’ Association (ISPA), which represents the interests of UK ISPs, argued that the definition of what constitutes pornography was fluid, meaning that the
government’s plans would leave ISPs with a lot of tricky decisions to make. “Child abuse content, which is illegal and widely regarded as abhorrent, is blocked by the majority of ISPs. Deciding on lawful pornography content to block is less clear cut and will lead to the blocking of access to legitimate content,” said Nicholas Lansman, secretary general of ISPA. The Open Rights Group (ORG), which campaigns for digital rights, added its voice to the criticism saying that such a system could provide a back door for government censorship. “If the government controlled a web blacklist, you can bet that WikiLeaks would be on it. This is not about pornography, it is about generalised censorship through the back door,” said Jim Killock, executive director of the ORG. www.culture.gov.uk www.ispa.org.uk www.openrightsgroup .org
Could the porn-blocking plans really work? As critics of the plan have pointed out, there is so much pornography on the web that blocking it all would be very difficult. If the system involved drawing up a massive blacklist of websites, pornographers could easily set up new sites to host the material. Critics also argue that an opt-in system,
where people have to specifically request access to adult material, unnecessarily stigmatises those who wish to view pornographic content that in most cases is perfectly legal. This could lead to legal challenges from both consumers and publishers of adult material.
Apple sued over ‘data-leaking’ apps
A
pple and the publishers of several popular iPhone and iPad apps are being sued for passing on data about users to third parties, such as advertisers, without consent. Two separate lawsuits have been filed in the US alleging that data that could be used to identify an individual was routinely being passed on by apps created by The Weather Channel, Dictionary.com and Backflip Studios. The lawsuits were filed after an investigation by the Wall Street Journal found that the practice was widespread among apps running on both Apple’s iOS platform and the Google-backed, open-source Android OS. Lawyers representing one of the claimants
allege that Apple does not do enough to enforce its privacy policy and said that they are considering bringing similar action against Google. “Consumers are paying with their information and not realising that,” said Dave Stampley, a lawyer at the KamberLaw firm. KamberLaw’s privacy action against Facebook’s Beacon system in 2008 was one of the key factors that lead to Facebook scrapping the controversial advertising feature the following year. www.apple.com/uk/iphone www.kamberlaw.com
NEWS
NEWS IN NE
NU NUMBERS
On Online shopping sho h in 2 2010
webometer w e dislike
like
2010’s online spend beats 2009’s 2010 was a good year for UK web retailers, with shoppers spending £8bn more online than in 2009. December 2010
£6.4bn
December 2009
£5.5bn
October to December 2010
£17.4bn
October to December 2009
£15bn
Overall online shopping total 2010
£49.8bn
£Bn
"
$
*All figures taken from the Interactive Media in Retail Group (IMRG), www.imrg.org
4.8 million
NUMBER OF THE FORTNIGHT The number of Brits who shopped online on Christmas Day 2010, according to IMRG estimates.
Busiest online shops at Christmas eBay received 12 per cent of all UK visits to retail websites this Christmas Day, according to Hitwise (www.hitwise.com). £153m was spent on 25 December, 2010, up from £120m in 2009.
12.08% 6.94% ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
eBay Amazon Argos Next Apple M&S All others
3.69% 1.88%
71.95%
1.78% 1.68%
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les Universal chargers for mobiles A group of mobile phone manufacturers including Nokia, RIM, Samsung and Apple have pledged to make chargers that can be used on any type of smartphone in the near future. Miles Jacobson OBE Jacobson, who created the hugely popular Championship Manager series of games, was one of the few members of the technology industry to be recognised in the New Year Honours list.
£57.8bn
Overall online shopping total 2009
WE LIKE...
WikiLeaks Task Force It’s not the CIA setting up a special force to investigate WikiLeaks he that we like per se. It is the name of the force that has us giggling, as the abbreviation – WTF – shows that even the CIA has a sense of humour.
WE DON’T LIKE... Google TV delays Google’s plans to launch software for specially built TV sets, reported in Issue 256 of Web User, have reportedly fallen behind schedule. Carphone Warehouse Carphone Warehouse recently claimed in an ad that its staff did not earn commission. However, the Advertising Standards Authority decided that this claim was dishonest and delivered a deserved slap on the wrist. Online abuse There’s no excuse for it, so make it a New Year’s resolution to remember your manners when online. If you are about to post a comment, first think to yourself – would I say this to someone’s face?
13 January 2011
11
BEST NEW WEBSITES We review this fortnight’s best new and relaunched websites
WEBSITE OF THE FORTNIGHT POLITICS
RELAUNCH
Whistle
www.whistle.co.uk Political websites are often dry and preachy so it’s a pleasant surprise to discover one as engaging as Whistle. The site’s aim is to make politics ‘open, clear and relevant’ by providing individual profiles for all MPs. These include a brief CV, contact details and links to blogs and social-networking accounts, giving you the means to interact with politicians directly and rate their performance. We particularly like the way you can find MPs using a Google map of the UK. Just click the name of a party to display its members on a map and click a person to view more information about them. Whistle also lets you discuss important issues in the Causes section, vote on the topics of the day in the Polls area and create your own polls. If you think you could do a better job than the politicians featured here, you can even use the site to start an election campaign. With its excellent design and great community tools, which reward you for participation, we think Whistle really works.
Our rating
★★★★★
MOTORING
NEW
Buymycardirect.com
www.buymycardirect.com
TRAVEL
Germany is Wunderbar
NEW
www.germanyiswunderbar.com If you’re thinking of taking a European holiday this year, Germany is Wunderbar could push you in the direction of Deutschland. The site has been launched by a British travel writer and a German journalist to promote this ‘overlooked and undersold’ nation and stress that there’s more to Germany than Berlin and Oktoberfest. You can explore each German region by type of holiday; find out how to travel to and around the country; and get details of relevant tour operators. There’s lots of useful information here, from blog posts by Germanophiles to a map of notable destinations, and it’s all presented in an interesting, insightful manner.
Our rating
12
13 January 2011
★★★★★
This site makes it easy to sell your car online and, unlike placing an advert in the paper, it won’t cost you a penny. Create your free advert, watch the offers come in, then accept the best one and meet the winning buyer. We love Buymycardirect.com’s smart, streamlined design and the straightforward sales system. The site’s network of buyers consists of car dealers rather than individuals but your advert is shared anonymously so that no one has access to your personal details. That said, we’d like to see some examples of recent sales.
Our rating
★★★★★
Reviews by Robert Irvine and Vicky Woollaston
BEST NEW WEBSITES RATINGS GUIDE 5
Superb. Impossible to fault in terms of design, content and features. Bookmark it now!
4
Very good. Combines a smart design with appealing content. Definitely worth a visit
3
Go Good. Lacks some functionality. Have a look if fun the subject interests you
Web User looks at hundreds of websites, but only those we award three stars or higher appear in Best New Websites
BOOKS
Any New Books?
NEW
www.anynewbooks.com Bookworms who want to stay on top of the latest releases will appreciate this service. Sign up with Any New Books?, then specify your favourite subjects from the available categories to be sent a weekly email with details of relevant new books. You can then click through to Amazon to purchase them. It’s hardly a revolutionary idea but we like that the books are chosen by a dedicated team and that you can browse previous recommendations and staff picks on the site. However, it would be good to have more editorial content to supplement the rarely updated blog.
Our rating
★★★★★
NEW
ENTERTAINMENT
SwisticMing
www.swisticming.com SwisticMing (a spoonerism of ‘Mystic Swing’) is an online entertainment guide for London, covering everything from pubs and clubs to concerts and literary events. SwisticMing aims to offer a personalised service delivering ‘wellresearched content and opinions with integrity’, and is updated daily. We like the lively, offbeat design, and the way that listings not only tell you the nearest Tube station to each venue but include a journey planner. You can easily find out what’s on over the next seven days and sign up for a SwisticMing discount card to save money on events across London.
Our rating
Tell us about your website via
[email protected] ★★★★★
SOCIAL
NEW
Resolution Revolution
www.resolution-revolution .org.uk
Even if you’ve already abandoned your New Year’s resolutions, this site could help get you motivated in 2011. Resolution Revolution has been launched by the British Humanist Association to encourage us to think about other people. The idea is to sign up to share a ‘social resolution’. Examples include volunteering for a local charity, giving blood and holding a street party. The site has a friendly design, but of course it’s still a lot easier to post a do-gooding resolution online than it is to stick to one offline.
Our rating
★★★★★
13 January 2011
13
WALKING
NEW
COMPUTING
RELAUNCH
National Trust Ancient PC Checker Tree Walks www.pcchecker.co.uk
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ ancienttreewalks
Nature lovers will love the new Ancient Tree Walks section of the National Trust site. This provides details of 10 short walks in the UK that will let you soak in the splendour of old oaks, maples, hornbeams and more, while spotting wildlife and enjoying some peace and quiet. Each walk is less than five miles long and is available as a PDF download with directions, maps and things to look out for. The scenic locations include Croft Castle in Herefordshire and Hatfield Forest in Essex, but it’s a shame there’s only 10 of them.
Our rating
★★★★★
TweetJockey
www.tweetjockey.co.uk
This site compares the prices of a wide range of desktop and laptop PCs. PC Checker covers all the big manufacturers, from Acer to Viewsonic, and lets you filter your search results by criteria such as amount of memory, hard disk size and screen options. Each computer is given a rating out of 100 based on the quality of its components, which is invaluable if you don’t know much about different makes and models. We also like the way that voucher codes are automatically applied when you click through to a retailer, and that you can instantly see the best deals at specific stores. If you’re looking for a new PC, start here.
Our rating
NEW
TWITTER
★★★★★
TweetJockey is a pointless but addictive site that lets you compare the popularity of Twitter search terms. Enter up to four words, separated by a space, and each will be assigned a racehorse. When someone posts a tweet containing one of your terms, the relevant horse will move forward. A word needs to be tweeted 50 times to cross the finish line and you can re-run a race if you’re not satisfied. It sounds silly but the results can be surprising. We watched London thrash Paris and Tokyo, ‘happy’ triumph over ‘sad’ and Apple beat Google by a nose. TweetJockey is harmless fun, provided you don’t start placing bets!
Our rating
BINGO
Bingo Loopy
★★★★★
RELAUNCH
www.bingoloopy.com
BOOKS
BetterWorldBooks.co.uk
NEW
www.betterworldbooks.co.uk
With recent concerns about literacy levels in schools, BetterWorldBooks.co.uk has picked a good time to launch its UK site. This ‘socially responsible online bookseller’ collects and sells books to raise money for literacy causes and libraries – when we visited, this totalled more than £135,300. You might expect a recycled-book store to be full of obscure titles, but there are loads of new releases, and all books are graded by condition. Because BetterWorldBooks.co.uk is based on a US site, you’ll notice a slight American bias but this is sure to change over time. We were impressed by the clean, well-organised design, friendly editorial content and free UK delivery.
Our rating
14
13 January 2011
★★★★★
Our favourite thing about this revamped bingo site is the ways the two eyes in the word ‘loopy’ follow your mouse cursor around the screen. Aside from that, it’s business as usual for online bingo, with a garish pink-and-purple design and plenty of games to play. The relaunched Bingo Loopy puts more emphasis on free games for those times when you want to play but don’t want to gamble. You need to register and provide your card details whichever games you play, but you get a generous £25 credit when you deposit your first £10. With lots of other promotions and a live-help facility, Bingo Loopy is worth a look.
Our rating
★★★★★
Tell us about your website via
[email protected] BEST NEW WEBSITES
GAMES
MSN Games
RELAUNCH
FILM
RELAUNCH
Ain’t It Cool News
http://games.msn.com
www.aintitcool.com
Microsoft has relaunched its online games portal to make it more sociable. You can sign in using your Facebook or Windows Live login, challenge your friends to beat you at your favourite games and compete to appear on the community leader boards. MSN Games also lets you see what your friends have been playing and connect your account to Windows Live Messenger. All this social stuff would be pretty pointless if the games were rubbish but there are plenty of good ones here including Bejeweled, Bloons and Monkey Kick Off, and competitive types will relish the ability to show off their high scores.
Movie-gossip site AICN has lost influence and popularity over the last decade and this redesign is unlikely to help. The new layout is tidier than the sprawling mess of old, with sections for film news, reviews and coaxial (home entertainment) articles, but the presentation remains poor. There’s too much white space, the text style is inconsistent, and pages seem to scroll forever. AICN has also kept its awful colour scheme while letting adverts slow down page-loading. Hopefully, webmaster Harry Knowles will take heed of the many negative comments and relaunch the site again soon.
Our rating
★★★★★
Our rating
★★★★★
CRIME
NEW
Drunken Disorderly Inn
www.drunkendisorderlyinn .com
Stay overnight or for the whole weekend at the Drunken Disorderly Inn and enjoy award-winning accommodation with wipe-clean mattresses and sturdy locks. This spoof site from Greater Manchester Police aims to discourage excessive drinking and anti-social behaviour. Check out the facilities – (CC)TV and telephone (one call per guest) – and the rates (up to £5,000). Or book a room for a friend (you grass). With its witty attention to detail – there are brochures of various ‘inns’ – this is a fun way of getting the message across.
Our rating
TRAVEL
★★★★★
NEW
National Geographic Traveller
www.natgeotraveller.co.uk
PROPERTY
TrustedHousesitters.com
NEW
www.trustedhousesitters.com
If you’re going away and want to keep burglars at bay, why not post photos of your home online, specify the dates you’ll be gone and get a complete stranger to look after the place? The concept sounds a bit dodgy but the keyword at this site is ‘trusted’. Would-be house- and pet-sitters are vetted and police-checked, and must pay £38.56 per year to advertise their services, while home-owners must also pay from £9.64 per month. The site benefits from a smart layout and a clearly explained system, along with simple tools for creating listings. There’s a system for rating sitters but we worry that too much information is publicly available about certain houses.
Our rating
Read more site reviews at www.webuser.co.uk/websites
★★★★★
The online home of National Geographic Traveller is a bit of a disappointment, considering the large amount of money behind the travel and lifestyle magazine, which has just launched in the UK. We were hoping to enjoy some exclusive pictures and videos, or engage in some discussions, but these elements have been relegated to the linked socialnetworking pages. On the plus side, the site features a 26-page e-zine of the current issue, which gives you a taste of its aspirational articles and stunning photography. More editorial content on the site itself would improve things.
Our rating
★★★★★
13 January 2011
15
BEST NEW WEBSITES
NEW
FOOD & DRINK
Asda – The Brewhouse
http://bit.ly/asda257
MOTORING
RELAUNCH
Pirelli
www.pirelli.co.uk This revamped website from tyre-manufacturer Pirelli makes excellent use of multimedia to create an interactive experience. To find the perfect tyre for your vehicle, you choose a (rather smug-looking) male or female avatar who asks you about your driving style, where you most frequently drive and your annual mileage. You then specify the make, model and version of your vehicle to get tyre suggestions, for which you can read reviews and even take a virtual test drive to see how they fare in different weather conditions. Pirelli has also packed this impressive site with videos, photos and details of its tasteful calendar of nudes.
Our rating
SOCIAL
Sedogo
★★★★★
NEW
www.sedogo.com Sedogo applies the concept of New Year’s resolutions to your whole life and, in keeping with current trends, makes the whole thing social. Register with the site and you can set yourself goals for the next few years and beyond – anything from holidaying in a dream destination to overcoming a phobia – and add them to a timeline. The fun comes from sharing your goals with the community so you can connect with others and achieve your dreams together. Sedogo has a simple, attractive design and lets you browse goals by category or timeline. It’s just a shame some members aim no higher than to “meet Cheryl Cole”.
Our rating
16
13 January 2011
★★★★★
INTERNET
NEW
Get Someone Online
www.get-someone-online .com This campaign has been launched by Microsoft in support of Race Online 2012, which wants to get millions of people in the UK online by 2012. You can do your bit by donating an old PC or laptop to an Age UK shop or training centre, or ‘gifting’ someone a new or refurbished web-ready PC. The site also suggests ways you can become a digital champion, such as sharing your skills with net newbies, taking part in training events and writing to your MP. There are videos of people describing their first time online, but we’d like to have seen more content and scope for interaction.
Our rating
★★★★★
Asda has launched this micro-site to promote the supermarket’s range of beers. The Brewhouse promises to be a one-stop shop for all you’ve ever wanted to know about beer and, although it falls short of that claim, it’s not a bad effort. We like the tasting notes and videos hosted by Asda’s ‘resident Brewmaster’, Kristy McCready. Although many familiar beers crop up, The Brewhouse is keen to highlight lesser-known ales and lagers, and suggests the best matches for specific meals. The site is integrated with the main store so you can browse for booze while you shop and there are plenty of special offers.
Our rating
SPORT
Skiclub.co.uk
★★★★★
RELAUNCH
www.skiclub.co.uk The Ski Club of Great Britain has relaunched its online home to give it more of a community feel. Although the site is a work in progress, there’s plenty to see and do, from checking the weather conditions at different resorts via webcams to watching video tutorials and reading resort guides. You’ll need to become a Ski Club member to get the most from the site – this costs from £56 per year and includes discounts on holidays, equipment and lessons, and access to the site’s forums. Even if you don’t sign up, you’ll enjoy the free content, which is presented in a swish, easy-to-navigate layout. }
Our rating
★★★★★
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INBOX
Share your views!
What you say... D
o you still use Yahoo’s services?
I pay for Yahoo Mail’s premium service to help support it. I hope Yahoo sticks around! Chris Armstrong I have used Yahoo Mail forever. Even though I have loads of other email addresses, I always automatically give out my Yahoo address. Gill Hodson I have an email address with them. But for searching, I prefer Google. Heather Husler I know almost everyone hates Yahoo, but it is probably one of the best email services around. Now that the beta has come out, it is even better. Matteo Paparoni Pizzaa
W
hat do you think of government plans to get ISPs to ask users to ‘opt in’ to receive pornography? Misguided. It’d be like shopping at Morrisons and asking for permission to use the world-foods aisle. Mark Woffenden Why is this an ISP issue? Browsers have parental controls. Aren’t there plenty of Net Nanny-type programs? As if ISPs haven’t got enough trouble just getting the ISP bit right. Mike Hudson Appalled at the government’s attempt to nanny the populace. Scientific evidence shows that limiting access to porn does more harm than good. Jason Feather What has this got to do with the government? They have no business sticking their nose where it does not belong! James McGinnis
18
13 January 2011
STAR EMAIL
Google Chrome rules
I
was delighted to see in the last issue of Web User that more people are using Google Chrome (News In Numbers, Issue 256). I’m one of those people, having moved from Firefox to Chrome (www.google.co.uk/chrome) a few months ago. I never thought that I would find a better browser than Firefox, but Chrome has so many features that make it a must-have browser. I love the simple-to-use interface, which makes you realise how cluttered other browser pages are. It’s typical Google – nothing is there unless it serves a specific purpose. The main reason I switched from Internet Explorer to Firefox a few years ago was because I was attracted by all the add-ons. Fortunately, Chrome also has loads of extensions. One of my favourites is the brilliant Google Mail Checker Plus (http://bit.ly/ chrome257), which lets you do loads of things with your messages in Gmail,
Praise for online forums
In Issue 255, Pete IDE was promoting his idea of licensing web users. What a ball some government department would have with that scheme! It would fit in nicely with the proposal to monitor all website connections, and of course every user would have to pay a license fee. He was also disparaging about forums, saying they were amateur and unprofessional. I use forums a great deal and recently found out how to repair a Ryobi chainsaw, my central-heating control system, a Dyson cleaner and various computer bugs. Any of the above problems would have cost a fortune for a professional to repair – £200 for a printed-circuit board for the heating controller as opposed to £2 for a replacement component, as diagnosed by an ‘amateur’! Who’s bothered by syntax and grammatical errors if the fix is
£25er
winn
such as setting sound notifications for new messages. For a bit of fun, I sometimes play the Virtual Piano extension, too (http://bit.ly/piano257). But probably the best thing about Chrome is how fast it is. When I first read about it, I couldn’t see how much difference a few seconds could make. But it really has transformed how I browse online, and it’s been a revelation to see how quickly photos load and how fast web pages appear. Which brings me to my last point – can we see more about Google Chrome in Web User please? It seems that you have loads of features on IE and Firefox, but I can’t remember the last time you did something on Chrome. Paul Spiller, via email Web User replies: We agree Paul that Chrome is an excellent browser and that many of our readers are switching to it. That’s why our next cover feature will be a Chrome special. We’ll look at ways you can unlock its full potential, making it work better and faster. Meanwhile, there are some Chrome extensions on pages 36 and 41 to keep you happy until the next issue.
good? Forums are one of the greatest assets of the web. Derek Minns, via email
Online shopping can’t beat the snow
I wonder if Mark Bethell enjoyed shopping online this Christmas as much as in previous years (‘It’s best to shop online’, Inbox, Issue 255)? At least when you struggle through the traffic on a Saturday you can physically buy and own presents, and don’t have to endure a nervous wait to see if they arrive in time for Christmas Day. This year, the failure of the postal system to cope with the snow completely put me off relying on Amazon for presents. I ordered a book on 27 November. It should’ve arrived four days later. It took two weeks! I swore to never again shop at Amazon until Britain was basking in tropical sunshine and all
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the snowmen had melted into slushy puddles. David Medlycott, via email
ON WEBUSER.CO.UK THIS FORTNIGHT WE ASKED…
Spoilt by Skype?
I was one of the millions of people who was frustrated with Skype on 23 December (see page 6), when it decided to collapse completely. I was chatting to my son in Australia, wishing him a merry Christmas, and it suddenly went kaput. It made me realise how much we take for granted in this era of fast broadband and speedy, seamless global communications. Just 10 years ago, I would’ve been amazed if someone showed me how I could speak to my son live on video. Now it’s something I do once a week, and it’s become such a regular part of my life that I find it incredibly annoying when it fails. Is that my fault or Skype’s? Am I spoilt, or should I now expect services like Skype to run without any glitches? Answers on a Skype video call, please. Fred Cromwell, via email
EDITORIAL Acting Editor Daniel Booth Features Editor Robert Irvine Technical & Reviews Editor Andy Shaw Staff Writer Vicky Woollaston Senior Designer Jenny Huynh Chief Sub Editor Miki Berenyi Editorial Tel: 020 3148 4327 Visit www.webuser.co.uk/forums for technical and buying advice ADVERTISING Tel: 020 7907 6000 Group Advertising Director Julie Price Advertising Manager Andrea Mason Sales Executive Lucy Reddin Online Advertising Manager Gary Rayneau ADVERTISING PRODUCTION Fax: 020 7907 6066 Group Production Manager Stephen Catherall, 020 7907 6054 Production Controller Kerem Kolcak, 020 7907 6059 MARKETING Marketing and Editorial Executive Emily Hodges Marketing and Editorial Intern Kathleen O’Farrell Subscriptions Manager Sarah Aldridge Marketing Production Manager Gemma Hills
Your Shout Which of these websites did you spend most time on in 2010?
BBC.co.uk .uk
33% 3%
7%
24% 14%
9% 10%
Facebook YouTube Amazon eBay Wikipedia Twitter
NEXT FORTNIGHT…
Which gadget would you most like to see launch in 2011? Vote online at www.webuser.co.uk
UK broadband a ‘rip off’
So rip-off Britain strikes again (‘British broadband is poor value for money’, News, Issue 255). It doesn’t surprise me at all to see that we’re 24th in the broadband league table for fair value – I pay £13.79 per month for a supposedly 12Mbps connection with BE Broadband (www.bethere.co.uk), but it rarely gets above 3Mbps. How does that represent fair value for money? It depresses me that countries with a worse infrastructure than the UK, such as Latvia and Romania,
MANAGEMENT Tel: 020 7907 6000 Deputy MD John Garewal Managing Director – Motoring and Technology Division Ian Westwood MD of Advertising Julian Lloyd-Evans Commercial and Retail Director Martin Belson COO Brett Reynolds Group Finance Director Ian Leggett Chief Executive James Tye Chairman Felix Dennis PHOTOGRAPHY Danny Bird SYNDICATION Syndication Manager Anj Dosaj-Halai Tel: +00 44 20 7907 6134 Email:
[email protected] SUBSCRIPTIONS Tel: 0844 322 1289 Email:
[email protected] Web User, the UK’s best-selling internet magazine, is bursting with easy-to-understand practical advice, the latest music and film downloads and brilliant new websites every fortnight. A subscription to Web User for one year costs £52 for UK subscribers, £102.87 for Europe and £107.10 for the rest of the world. Call 0844 322 1289 to get the next issue, delivered free to your door.
Air your views, write to us at
[email protected] should be able to offer their citizens much faster speeds for a better price. But short of emigrating to Riga or Bucharest, what can I do? Until we get higher speeds in Britain, we’ll always be paying over the odds for a substandard service. Andy Smith, via email
Hooray for silver surfers
I was delighted to see that the number of silver surfers is growing in the UK. I count myself as one (I turned 57 last year – some life left in the old dog yet), but so
INTERNATIONAL LICENSING Web User is available for licensing overseas. Licensing Manager Ornella Roccoletti Tel: +00 44 20 7907 6134 Email: ornella_roccoletti @dennis.co.uk PRINTING Printed by BGP, Bicester, Oxon Distributors Seymour 020 7396 4000 REPRINTS Web User operates an efficient commercial reprints service. For details contact: 020 7907 6620 PRODUCTS & EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS Web User welcomes all information on new and upgraded products for possible coverage within the news and reviews pages. However, the publisher respectfully points out that the magazine is not obliged to review or return unsolicited products. The Editor is always pleased to receive ideas for articles, preferably sent first in outline form, with details of the author’s background and, where available, samples of previously published work. We cannot, however, accept responsibility for unsolicited copy and it may take time for us to reply.
address such requests to: John Garewal Dennis Publishing, 30 Cleveland Street, London W1T 4JD LIABILITY While every care was taken preparing this magazine, the publishers cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of the information or any consequence arising from it. All judgments are based on equipment available to Web User at the time of review. ‘Value for money’ comments are based on UK prices at time of review. Web User takes no responsibility for the content of external websites whose addresses are published in the magazine. A DENNIS PUBLICATION Web User is published monthly by Dennis Publishing Ltd, 30 Cleveland Street, London W1T 4JD. Company registered in England. All material © Dennis Publishing Limited licensed by Felden 2010, and may not be reproduced in whole or part without the consent of the publishers. ISSN 1473-7094
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13 January 2011
19
INBOX does my mum, who finally went online a few months ago (aged 82!). It took me a while to persuade her of the benefits – talking to her grandchildren on Facebook, buying cheap books on Amazon Marketplace – but I can’t get her off it now. It’s incredible to see how she’s changed! In a weird way it reminds me of teaching my children to read – there’s a similar sense of pleasure and satisfaction watching her discovering new things. We should do more to encourage older people to get online. The government should emphasise more enthusiastically how online access can help bring people and communities together. The creation of a ‘big society’ in the real world will be boosted by a ‘big society’ on the web. Derek Thorne, via email
Weather websites
I agree with Andy Shaw that weather websites have been invaluable during the last two months (‘Online weather watching is a must’, Viewpoint, Issue 256). I live in remote Norfolk, and I’ve relied on the BBC’s excellent website (http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather) and the detailed advice from the Met Office (www.metoffice.gov.uk). By studying both websites every day, I’ve been prepared for the heavy snowfalls – buying shovels, wellies, etc. I recall
sthe dark old days of having to rely on radio weather reports, not knowing when they’d be broadcast. Give me immediate web forecasts any day. Simon Archibald, via email Web User replies: While the weather torments us further, we can happily point you to a round-up of the best weather sites and tools on page 33.
Bye-bye Hotmail
Right, that it’s – I’m leaving Hotmail. News of loads of emails going missing from Hotmail folders has made my mind up (see page 9). I’ve become very fed up with Hotmail since last year’s horrible relaunch. Now I’ll give Gmail a try. I don’t know what’s gone wrong at Microsoft. Hotmail has been a joke for ages now. I’ve been using it since I first start going online, because I used Internet Explorer and thought Hotmail would be more compatible. I’m not as naïve as that anymore. Microsoft can’t expect to mess around with Hotmail and not lose people as a result. There are so many alternatives out there. Gmail is just one. If I don’t like that, I’ll swap to another – maybe Yahoo Mail. Microsoft should realise that it doesn’t dominate the internet as it used to and should stop taking people for granted. One good thing that may come out of thousands of people abandoning Hotmail is that it will force Microsoft to look at what went wrong, and never make the same mistakes again. I’d consider going back to Hotmail, but it needs to convince me that it’s as safe and as easy to use as it was. Andy Purnell, via email
CAN YOU BEAT WEB USER? C Love
http://bit.ly/love257 In this game, you risk getting hurt to achieve happiness. Guide your white square as close as you can to the black spinning squares without actually touching them. If you do make physical contact, you’ll die. Can you beat our score of 935? If so, email the proof to robert_
[email protected] and we’ll honour the best in Issue 259. Congratulations to Dave Carter of Aylesbury whose 47 was the highest score we received for Catch the Presents (http://bit.ly/ catch255), the game featured in
20
13 January 2011
Issue 255. You can revisit previous Beat Web User games and high scores at www.webuser.co.uk/beatwebuser.
YOUR ONLINE
RIGHTS
Vicky Woollaston answers all your consumer questions
Always confirm hotel bookings directly
A
recent spate of complaints against hotel-booking websites has highlighted the rights of people whose bookings are not honoured or recognised. Increasing numbers of customers are arriving at hotels having booked and paid for a room through a hotel-booking site, rather than directly with the hotel, and are being turned away because the hotel has no record of the booking. This happens because the website fails to pass on the reservation to the hotel. In many cases, customers have even received a booking confirmation – only to be told when they arrive at the hotel that the reference isn’t valid. Citizens Advice Bureau (www. citizensadvice.org.uk) told Web User to always confirm reservations made with the hotel before you travel and to always check terms and conditions. But if you get to the hotel to find you don’t have a booking, you are covered by certain rights. Firstly, problems with accommodation have to be dealt with by the provider of the booking – in this case, the third-party site. It must refund you the full cost of your booking, or arrange somewhere else for you to stay, so you should contact the site immediately. Any alternative accommodation must be of a similar standard to the one booked. If you choose to accept an alternative but are not happy with it, you may be able to claim compensation. However, you’ll only win this if the new room doesn’t meet specific criteria clearly stated on the original booking, such as having wheelchair access or being near a specific location. Also, in order to be entitled to claim for compensation, you must make it absolutely clear you’re accepting the new accommodation ‘under protest’. However, you are only entitled to these rights if you pay upfront for the booking. If you don’t pay anything upfront, then the site has no duty to help you find an alternative or offer compensation.
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13 January 2011
21
100 BEST web & PC
keyboard shortcuts
Keyboard shortcuts let you speed up your daily web and computer activities while taking the strain off your mouse-clicking wrist. Wayne Williams presents a bumper collection of time-saving tricks
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WEB & PC SHORTCUTS
P
erforming common web and PC tasks with your keyboard instead of your mouse can save you a surprising amount of time. There are handy keyboard shortcuts available for everything from editing content to controlling programs and navigating web pages. For example, you can use shortcuts to save half-written messages in Gmail, add links to Word documents and bookmark interesting websites.
Aside from helping you get things done faster and more efficiently, keyboard shortcuts can also significantly reduce the number of mouse-clicks you need to make, so you’re less likely to develop repetitive strain injury (RSI). In this feature, we present 100 of the most useful web, PC and Mac shortcuts to save you time and effort when performing tasks at your computer. We also show you how to create your own shortcuts in our Mini Workshop on page 27.
ESSENTIAL WINDOWS SHORTCUTS Most of the following keyboard shortcuts are universal and will work in and across most Windows programs, as well as the different versions of Microsoft’s operating system. You’ll probably know some of these but it’s always handy to be reminded of their usefulness.
example, if you’ve added a file to a folder but the view hasn’t updated ffor some reason.
F10 Open menu options
F2 Rename items
If you undo an action using Ctrl+Z but then change your mind, press these buttons to replace what you’ve undone.
Ctrl+A Select all This function key activates the menu bar options. Press F10 followed by any underlined letter (T for Tools for example) to open that menu. Alt does the same thing.
Shift+F10 View right-click menu
Select a file or folder, and press this keyboard combination to view the context menu. It’s the keyboard equivalent of right-clicking an item.
Ctrl+C Copy content
Along with Ctrl+V, this shortcut is one of the most useful to know. Select anything – some text or a file on the Desktop for example – and hit these two buttons to copy the content to the Windows clipboard.
Ctrl+X Cut content Trying to rename items can often lead to launching them instead. Select a file or folder, press the F2 key and you’ll be able to rename that item instantly.
F5 Refresh your view
Refreshes the currently selected window or web page. Useful, for
When you make a mistake in an application, this keyboard combination will undo the last action. Keep hitting Z while holding down the Control key and consecutive actions will continue to undo.
Ctrl+Y Redo action
F1 Get help
If you need help in Windows, or assistance with a particular program, hit this key to bring up the relevant support option. The results vary depending on what program you’re using because some software doesn’t have dedicated help pages. If pressing F1 doesn’t do anything, make sure the Function lock on the keyboard is on.
Ctrl+Z Undo action
This works in the same way as Ctrl+C except it moves the selected item to the clipboard instead of copying it.
Ctrl+V Paste content
Used in conjunction with Ctrl+C/Ctrl+X, this shortcut will paste the copied content to wherever your cursor is positioned.
This shortcut will select all the items in a folder, or all the text/graphics in a document or on a web page.
Alt+Tab Switch between windows
Hold down Alt and hit the Tab key to open the Windows program switcher. With Alt still pressed, keep tapping Tab to move through the list of open windows. Let go of the keys when you reach the application you want.
Ctrl+Windows key+Tab Switch between windows in 3D Flip 3D is an alternative task switcher available in Windows 7 and Vista
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Ctrl+F4 Close window
Useful if you have several different documents open in a program and want to close one of them.
launch system features such as the Registry Editor (by typing in ‘regedit’ – without the quotes) and the System Configuration Utility (by typing in ‘msconfig’ – without the quotes).
Shift+Delete Delete file permanently
Bypass the Recycle Bin by holding down Shift when you delete an unwanted file or folder.
(provided you’re running Aero). Tap Tab to flick through the open windows in 3D.
Ctrl+Alt+Del Restart Windows
Known as the three-fingered salute, this shortcut can be used to restart Windows, launch the Task Manager, lock the computer, switch users and change your password.
Alt+F4 Close program
This shortcut saves you having to move your mouse to click the red ‘x’ in the top-right corner of the window.
Alt+F6 Switch between program windows
Lets you switch between multiple windows in the same program. If you have more than one instance of your web browser open, for example.
Alt+Enter View Properties
Select a file or folder and then use this combination to open the Properties box for it.
Windows key+R Launch Run
Opens the Run box, which lets you
Windows key+E Launch Windows Explorer
If your keyboard has a Windows key, pressing this combination will launch Windows Explorer.
Windows key+D View Desktop
A useful shortcut for when you need quick access to the Desktop. Press it once and Windows will instantly minimise all the open programs and folders. Press it again to restore them.
ADVANCED WINDOWS SHORTCUTS There are shortcuts for most Windows tasks, including plenty you may not even be aware of. Here are some of the lesser-known time-savers.
Ctrl+Shift+Esc Close programs
The Windows Task Manager gives you access to some useful information and lets you close unresponsive programs. You can launch it by right-clicking the Taskbar and selecting Start Task Manager, but this keyboard combination is a much quicker alternative.
Shift x5 Turn on Sticky Keys
Press the Shift key five times in quick succession to activate the Sticky Keys function. This feature is designed to make it easier to use the keyboard with
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one hand because key combinations can be entered one key at a time, rather than being held down simultaneously.
Alt+Shift+Num Lock Turn on Mouse Keys
Alt+Windows key+Enter Launch Windows Media Center Press these three keys together to launch the Windows Media Center in Vista or Windows 7. Press Alt+F4 to close the program and return to your Desktop.
Mouse Keys lets you control your mouse pointer using the numeric keypad on your keyboard. You can toggle the feature on or off using this shortcut.
Windows key+Shift+Left/Right Move between monitors This is a useful shortcut for anyone running dual monitors in Windows 7 or Vista. Select a window and press the shortcut to move it from one screen to the other.
WEB & PC SHORTCUTS WEB BROWSER SHORTCUTS Most of the following browser shortcuts will work in Internet Explorer, Firefox and Chrome and can significantly speed up your online tasks.
Ctrl+T Open tab
Opens a new tab in your browser.
Ctrl+W Close tab
every instance of it on the page. This only works in Firefox.
Ctrl+L Address bar/Open
This will add a preset (and possibly different) suffix. You can change the suffix in Firefox using the add-on URL suffix (http://bit.ly/url257).
Moves the focus to the address bar in Firefox and Chrome and highlights the current URL. In Internet Explorer, it will display the Open box.
Ctrl++ Zoom
Ctrl+I View bookmarks
Ctrl+Shift+P Browse in Private
Hold down Ctrl and press the ‘+’ key to zoom in. Press ‘-’ to zoom out again.
Automatically closes the current tab.
Turns on In Private Browsing in IE and Private Browsing in Firefox. This stops the browser storing your web activities.
Ctrl+Shift+T Reopen tab
Ctrl+F5 Hard refresh
If you close a tab by mistake, use this shortcut to open it again.
Ctrl+Alt+F4 Close all but one tab
This Internet Explorer-only shortcut closes all open tabs with the exception of the one you’re viewing.
Ctrl+Tab Switch tab
Jump from one open tab to another without needing to click each one individually.
Opens your Bookmarks in Firefox and Favorites in Internet Explorer. There is no equivalent shortcut in Chrome.
Ctrl+H View History
Opens your browsing history so you can access sites you’ve visited previously.
Ctrl+D Bookmark page
Lets you bookmark the web page you are viewing.
Ctrl+1-9 Select tab 1 to 9
Displays your open tabs in a list – useful if you’ve got so many open that you can no longer see which pages they contain.
Ctrl+F Find
If you’re looking for a word or phrase on a web page, this shortcut calls up the Find box. Enter your search term to find instances of it on the page. The same shortcut also works in Microsoft Office.
Esc Stop
Stops the current page from loading and freezes animated GIFs so you don’t have to wait for every element of the page to load when you only want to check a certain part.
Alt+Home Go Home
Hold down Ctrl and press the relevant number to jump to a specific open tab. For example, Ctrl+3 will open the third tab from the left.
Ctrl+Shift+Q View tab list
This causes your browser to reload a page and download all the elements again instead of simply pulling them from the cache. This means you get the most recent version of the page, with the latest content, rather than a stored one.
Loads your choice of browser homepage in the current tab.
Ctrl+J View downloads or feeds Space Scroll down
Press Space on a website to scroll down the screen one page at a time. Press Shift+Space to scroll upwards.
Ctrl+Enter Complete web address
Type a website’s name into the Address bar and hit the keyboard combo. This adds ‘http://www’ to the start of the address and ‘.com’ to the end of it. For another variation, try Ctrl+Shift+Enter.
Opens the download manager in Firefox and Chrome, or the RSS web feeds list in Internet Explorer.
F7 Launch Caret Browsing
Turns on Caret Browsing in Firefox and Internet Explorer (not Chrome). This means that instead of browsing web pages with your mouse, you can place a cursor on the web page and navigate around the text using the arrow keys on your keyboard. It’s particularly useful if you suffer from usability issues because it takes the pressure off your wrist.
Alt+N Find next
Once you’ve found a searched-for word with Find, this shortcut skips through
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GMAIL SHORTCUTS Google’s webmail service (http://mail.google.com) supports keyboard shortcuts. You can turn them on or off by going to Settings, checking Keyboard Shortcuts under the General tab and clicking Save Changes.
C Compose
/ Search
To find a message in your Inbox, hit the forward-slash key to jump to the search bar and then start typing a sender’s name, or part of the message subject or content.
! Send to Spam folder
Press the C key while in any mailbox to open the Compose Mail window.
If a piece of junk mail makes it through to your Inbox, select it and hit the exclamation mark key to move it to the spam folder.
Shift+C Compose in new window
S Star conversation
Use this shortcut to open the Compose Mail box in a new window. You’ll need to allow pop-ups for Gmail for this work.
Y Remove from view
R Reply
When you’ve finished reading a message, hit the R key to reply to the sender.
A Reply to all
Similarly, if Gmail promotes an insignificant message in Priority Inbox, you can demote its standing using the minus key.
# Delete
Select a message and hit hash to delete it. The key can also be used to remove unwanted contacts.
G+S Go to Starred
To star a conversation for later viewing, select it and press S. If you have the Superstars Labs feature enabled (you can find this in the Labs section), repeatedly tapping the key will cycle through the available star icons.
Select one or more emails and press Y to archive them (this removes them from your Inbox, but they’ll still be accessible in All Mail). The shortcut can also be used to remove a star when you’re in the Starred mailbox.
M Mute
If you’d prefer to reply to all, hit the letter A instead and your message will be addressed to everyone in the thread.
This mutes a conversation. It will archive the thread and prevent future replies appearing in the Inbox unless expressly sent to you.
F Forward
+ Mark
You can forward a message to someone by pressing F and then entering the recipients’ addresses in the To: box.
Unmark
If you’re using the Priority Inbox feature, you can use this shortcut to mark any email as important.
Press G and then S to go to the Starred mailbox. This will show all the messages you’ve marked with a star.
G+C Go to Contacts
This will display your saved contacts. You’ll be able to import, export or edit them.
Tab+Enter Send message
Once you’ve composed a message, press these two keys in sequence to send it.
? View shortcuts
There are loads more shortcuts for Gmail. To see them all, hit the questionmark button (shift+/) and they’ll appear in a smart overlay window.
GOOGLE READER SHORTCUTS Google’s RSS reader (www.google .co.uk/reader) also supports keyboard shortcuts. The following shortcuts make using the service, and sharing items with friends, much easier.
J/K Navigate items
These keys step you through items one at a time. J takes you to older stories and K up to newer ones.
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E Email item
When you see a story you like, press this key to email the summary and link to your friends. Just enter their addresses and an optional note.
Shift+S Share item
You can share an item that interests you through Reader. Anyone who is following you will be able to see and comment on it. You’ll be able to add a comment of your own too.
Shift+D Annotate and share
This combination lets you add a note to a story and optionally add it to your shared items (with or without tags).
WEB & PC SHORTCUTS MINI WORKSHOP ❘ Create your own keyboard shortcuts
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Windows lets you assign shortcuts to your favourite programs, folders and web pages, so you can launch and open them using your keyboard. To begin, we’ll show you how to do this with any program shortcut on your Desktop, but the steps will also work with items in the Start menu. Right-click a shortcut and select Properties. 1
The window should open on the Shortcut tab. 1 Click inside the ‘Shortcut key’ box 2 and press any letter on the keyboard. Make it something that relates to the program you’re launching – C for CCleaner, for example. The rest of the shortcut will be automatically filled in for you, avoiding potential conflicts with existing combinations.
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3
Click Apply and then OK. Now, when you press that keyboard combination, the program will start. To open a folder using your keyboard, first create a shortcut to it on your Desktop. Right-click the original folder and select ‘Send to’, 1 ‘Desktop (create shortcut)’. 2 Right-click the new shortcut, select Properties and repeat Step 2.
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4
To create a shortcut to a website, right-click your Desktop and select New, Shortcut. The Create Shortcut wizard will open. Enter the URL of the site 1 1
2
and click Next. Give the new shortcut a name, then right-click it and select Properties. Click the Web Document tab 2 and enter the shortcut key you want to use. 3
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OFFICE SHORTCUTS The following keyboard shortcuts work in the Microsoft Office (http:// office.microsoft.com) programs Word and Excel. Some will also work in OpenOffice.org (www.openoffice.org).
Ctrl+N Open new
Creates a blank document in a new window. This will use your default template settings.
Ctrl+O Open saved
Lets you open a previously saved document. Automatically opens the last folder you saved to.
Ctrl+S Save
Shift+F3 Change case
Select one or more words and use this shortcut to change the case, cycling through sentence, upper and lower case.
Ctrl+[ or ] Change size
Select some text and use this keyboard combination to increase or decrease the size of it in one-point steps.
Ctrl+Shift+E View changes
Turns on the revision marks feature so you can see what changes have been made to a document.
Ctrl+P Print
Saves the document you have open. If it hasn’t been saved before, you’ll be prompted to enter a name for the file. This keyboard shortcut also works in Gmail.
Ctrl+I Italicise
Select some text and then press this key combination to italicise it.
Ctrl+U Underline
Select some text and then press this key combination to underline it.
Ctrl+Space Remove formatting
Select some text and use this shortcut to remove any formatting from it (bold, italics, hyperlinks and so on). The text will also revert back to the default typeface.
Alt+Ctrl+S Split window
Splits the window so you can view different parts of a long document or complicated spreadsheet at the same time. To remove the split window, press Alt+Shift+C.
Ctrl+B Bold
Select some text and then press this key combination to bold it. Press it again to remove the formatting.
Select a word and then press these two keys to look it up in the program’s built-in thesaurus.
Ctrl+; Insert date Opens the print window. This shortcut also works in web browsers and any other program with a print feature.
Shift+End then Delete Delete section
A handy shortcut you can use to delete part of a line of text. Position your cursor at the point you want to keep and press Shift+End to select the unwanted section, and then hit Delete (or Backspace) to remove it.
F7 Spell check
Select a blank cell in Excel and press this keyboard combination to insert the current date.
Ctrl+Shift+; Insert time
As with the above shortcut, select a blank cell and press this keyboard combination to enter the urrent time.
Ctrl+9 Hide data
You can hide rows of data in Excel if you want to keep them private from anyone nearby with this simple keyboard shortcut. Just click on a cell in the row, and press the key combo. The data will still be there, just hidden.
Ctrl+K Insert link
Ctrl+Shift+9 Unhide data Hit this function key and Word will run a spelling and grammar check using the default dictionary. Use this keyboard combination to post a hyperlink into a Word document. You can choose the text to display.
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Shift+F7 Use the thesaurus
Once you’ve hidden a row, you may want to see it again at some point. Click and drag to select the rows either side of the hidden one (you can select as many rows as you like, which is useful if you can’t remember exactly where the hidden one is), then hit this shortcut.
WEB & PC SHORTCUTS MAC OS X SHORTCUTS Many of these Windows shortcuts will work on Macs – just use the Apple key (Command) instead of Ctrl. but there are also plenty of keyboard shortcuts specific to OS X.
Apple+Option+Y View photo slideshow
You can view photos on your hard disk in a full-screen slideshow by selecting them and hitting this shortcut. You’ll need to be running OS X 10.5 or later.
Apple+Shift +Option+Delete Empty Trash
If you want to empty the Trash, use this keyboard combination and it will clear out your unwanted files without prompting you for confirmation first.
Utilities folder. This contains such useful tools as screen-grabbing program Grab, voice-control tool Voiceover Utility and Activity Monitor.
Apple+Shift+Option+Esc Force quit
If you’re having problems with a misbehaving application that refuses to go quietly, use this keyboard shortcut to force it to quit, no confirmation required.
Apple+Shift+Option+Q Log out
Apple+Shift+U Open Utilities
You can initiate an immediate force log-out using this keyboard combo. You won’t need to confirm the action.
Use this handy shortcut to open the
LINUX SHORTCUTS The following shortcuts are all for Ubuntu – the most popular version of Linux for home users – but they will work in other distros of the open-source operating system, too.
Hit this key combination to open the Applications menu, which gives you access to all your programs, games and multimedia.
Ctrl+Alt+T Open terminal window
Alt+F1 Launch Applications
step your way through the four available workspaces.
Ctrl+Alt+Shift+Left/Right Move window Moves the selected window one workspace to the left or right.
Hit this key combination to bring up the Linux console so you can enter commands.
Alt+F10 Maximise window
Ctrl+Alt+Left/Right Navigate workspaces
This shortcut maximises an open window. You can restore it to its original size by pressing Alt+F5. }
This handy shortcut lets you quickly
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ESSENTIALS TIPS FOR GOOGLE CHROME We We reveal the best extensions, new n w features and hidden tools to you get the most from t help h Google’s brilliant browser Goo G
PLUS... RECOVER LOST PHOTOS Free ways to rescue images you’ve deleted by accident BOOST YOUR VOIP Cut the cost and improve the quality of your internet calls SPOTIFY SECRETS How to get to more from the free music-streaming service
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HEAD TO HEAD
Which is best? Google Maps vs Bing Maps
VS Google Maps is the most popular online mapping tool, but does Bing Maps actually offer a superior service? Scott Colvey takes a tour of the strengths and weaknesses of the two sites ROUND 1: EASE OF USE Both Google Maps (http://maps.google.co.uk) and Bing Maps (www.bing.com/maps) are flexible enough to perform all manner of mapping searches, from postcodes to precise geographic co-ordinates. If this round was based purely on simplicity and speed, the result would be a dead heat. However, for getting directions and finding nearby facilities, Google Maps is the better option. The problem with Bing is that the interface’s design doesn’t clearly distinguish between the different areas of the page or group its options sensibly: some controls are in the bottom-left of the page, others in the middle or above the map itself. To be fair, Google Maps is far from perfect on this score – sometimes displaying nothing but a drop-down menu when there’s an acre of white space floating below – but the links, controls and icons are generally easier to pick out, so Google wins this first round. WINNER: Google Maps
WINNER 20
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WINNER
ROUND : FEATURES In terms of basic cartography, there’s not a lot between the two services. Bing Maps offers a broader variety of map types and employs more intelligence in applying them. When displaying London, a colourful A-Z-style street map is used; for countryside excursions, you can view Ordnance Survey maps. Its Bird’s Eye view provides a raised-level perspective as captured by low-flying aircraft, so you can ‘fly’ around buildings and scenery. Bing’s transitions between the various view types are handled more smoothly than with Google Maps, yet the latter trumps all this with Street View. Drag the little orange pegman onto the map and where roads or locations turn blue, you get eye-level panoramic photography. This includes almost all UK roads and many other countries and cities. It’s a remarkable resource that secures Google Maps’ victory in this round. Bing Maps is testing a similar service, called Streetside (www.microsoft.com/maps/ streetside.aspx), but this remains in beta and has only a fraction of the imagery that’s available in Street View. WINNER: Google Maps
GOOGLE MAPS VS BING MAPS ROUND 3: PRESENTATION Bing Maps is consistently more attractive than Google Maps, with the latter exhibiting the search giant’s minimal, if familiar and functional, interface. Bing’s ‘What’s new?’ panel, for instance, brightens up the homepage no end. But being consistently more attractive does not equate to a consistent interface. And here, despite a recent overhaul, Bing Maps falls down. The mix of drop-downs, buttons and links is just confusing, with the compass dial being particularly hard to pick out from the background. Indeed, we’d go so far as to say that Bing’s new interface is actually worse than the one it replaced – not a good sign. However, Google Maps’ presentation leaves plenty to be desired: the maps themselves employ a lifeless colour scheme of pastel greens and blues, and white streets on beige backgrounds can be difficult to read. Despite its recent changes, we think Bing Maps has the aesthetic edge in this round. WINNER: Bing Maps
ROUND 4: INFORMATION
WINNER
ROUND 5: EXTRAS
WINNER
Google has access to so much information that it would be strange if its Maps service didn’t secure victory in this round – and so it does. Type a postcode into Google Maps, for example, and you’ll find information layers to show geographically relevant user-submitted photos, worldwide webcams, YouTube videos, Wikipedia articles, properties for sale and even traffic conditions on most major roads around the world. It also offers turn-by-turn navigation for GPS devices. Save for route directions – where it’s on a par – Bing Maps is sadly lacking: there’s a layer for the London Tube map, which is useful, but traffic information is only available in a few locations. Where possible or relevant, Bing Maps will plot search results on the map (but this is the least we expect from an online map). In short, this round is a hands-down win for Google Maps and Bing Maps has a very long way to go to before it has any chance of catching up. WINNER: Google Maps
pr Save for presentation, Google Maps is the clear winner of this Head to Head. This is because, whereas Micros has focused on style with Bing Maps, Head- d Microsoft Google Maps concentrates on usability – and is a e to-H the all better for it. T C VERDI Bing Maps has some innovative ideas, such as
Tell us what you think at www.webuser.co.uk/forums
As ever with Google, some of the best Google Maps extras are to be found by clicking the little green Labs phial at the top-right of the screen. These include a measuring tool and the ability to navigate maps by popular locations. Google Maps is also widely available for mobile devices. As well as being integrated into Apple iOS devices such as the iPad and iPhone, it has an app for BlackBerry, Android, Symbian and Windows Phone handsets. For its part, Bing Maps is available as a web app for use on most handsets, but this mobile browser-based version of the tool isn’t a patch on Google Maps’ various platform-specific apps. That said, the Bing Maps app for Microsoft’s own Windows Phone platform is very good. To its credit, Bing is adding new features all the time but Google Maps’ current line-up of functions and tools is simply better. WINNER: Google Maps
WINNER
the Bird’s Eye viewing mode, and Microsoft is working on some tools that should make the service a more attractive alternative to Google Maps. But, for the moment, the latter is your best choice for getting from A to B and beyond. WINNER: Google Maps
WINNER
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NEW WEATHER TOOLS
BEST NEW weather tools Stay on top of the weather this winter with the help of the web. Robert Irvine picks eight brilliant new weather tools that give you accurate forecasts for free HTC Home 2.0 www.htchome.org
If you’ve got an HTC handset, you’ll be familiar with the excellent clock-andweather app, which provides a five-day forecast based on your current location. HTC Home 2.0 brings the same at-a-glance functionality to your Desktop and, if you run Windows 7, the widget will also display the temperature in your Taskbar.
The Weather Land
www.theweatherland.com When you visit The Weather Land, the site will automatically detect where you are and generate a Google Map showing the current temperature, wind speed and precipitation. To find out how the weather will change over the next seven days, hover your mouse over one of the time periods at the top of the page and the map will adjust accordingly.
Earth Alerts
http://earthalerts.manyjourneys.com/web If the British weather isn’t interesting enough, log on to Earth Alerts to track natural-hazard events around the world. This new web version of the service uses Google Maps to show you cyclones, tsunamis and more, with details of how serious they are. Click the Update Map option to load the latest data.
AeroWeather
http://spikex.net This tool makes the Aero interface in Vista and Windows 7 change colour according to either the temperature or
the weather conditions in your location. For example, your windows will turn grey if it’s cloudy, blue if it’s sunny, white if it’s snowing and dark grey if it’s raining. There’s also a Night Mode that dims the Aero colours when the sun sets.
Weather Quickie www.weatherquickie.com
accurate overview of snowy Britain than you’ll get from the media.
AniWeather
Often you don’t need a full forecast, just whether it will be colder or warmer than yesterday. That’s exactly what Weather Quickie offers – though you can get full information from parent site Weather Underground (www.wunderground .com). An iPhone app is also available.
AccuWeather Weather App
www.accuweather.com This powerful and popular service offers all manner of ways to get your weather – from email alerts and RSS feeds to browser add-ons and Desktop widgets. The just-updated AccuWeather iPhone app version 4 (http://bit.ly/accu257) has interactive Google Maps, detailed 24-hour forecasts and general 15-day predictions.
UKsnow Map
http:// uksnowmap.com UKsnow Map launched during the heavy snow of early 2010, inviting Twitter users to tweet and rate their local snowfall. The relaunched site lets you include the depth of snow, a description (crunchy, slushy, slippy) and a photo in your tweet to create a more
Find more free software at www.webuser.co.uk/forums
www.aniweather.com AniWeather’s forecasts use ‘appealing animations’ that bring even the dullest weather conditions to life. It’s available as a browser add-on for Firefox and Chrome, and now as an iPhone and iPad app. You can get animated hour-byhour reports on 10-day forecasts.
What you say... Web User readers tell us about their favourite weather apps. The AccuWeather app shows my small town (Hedge End). Not sure it’s as accurate as it used to be. Jack8, via Webuser.co.uk/forums I use Metcheck.com (www. metcheck.com), but the forecast seems to change every time I look. Shirazee, via Webuser.co.uk/forums I check the BBC (http://news.bbc. co.uk/weather), pop my postcode into the box and a five-day forecast is provided for the nearest town. George, via Webuser.co.uk/forums BBC Weather and Metcheck.com, but neither were correct recently. Caroline Sharman, via Facebook I use the AniWeather extension on Chrome and the Met Office (www. metoffice.gov.uk) for confirmation. Iain Lewis, via Facebook
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BEST NEW BROWSER ADDONS FOR 2011
Boost your browser in the year ahead by installing the most useful new add-ons. Scott Colvey selects 20 essential extensions for Firefox, IE, Chrome and Opera
W
ith Firefox 4 and Internet Explorer 9 due to launch soon, the browser wars look set to rage on in 2011, with developers continuing to add and modify features. However, for many years the real browser battleground has been in add-ons and extensions – those handy extra functions and features that you can bolt on at will. There are thousands of add-ons available for Firefox, Chrome, Internet Explorer and Opera, ranging
FIREFOX Grooveshark Remote Control http://bit.ly/grooveshark257
If you’re a fan of free music-streaming service Grooveshark (www.grooveshark .com), which won the Gold Award in Web User’s music-streaming Group Test in September, then this new Firefox add-on is essential. It puts Grooveshark playback controls at the foot of your browser, so they’re accessible from any tab – not just the one displaying Grooveshark – and you can listen to music wherever you are on the web.
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from invaluable to worthless. Inevitably, many of us end up installing the same handful of add-ons that bubble around the top of the ‘most popular’ charts on the download pages, which means that interesting newcomers can be easily overlooked. In this feature, we hunt down the latest and greatest new browser add-ons for 2011. Turn to page 41 for three more must-try Chrome add-ons, bringing this issue’s total to 23.
Link Toggler
http://bit.ly/linktoggler257 Some web pages are littered with hyperlinks, which can make copying and pasting text from them something of a pain. One slip with your mouse and you’ll find you’ve launched another web page instead of selecting the item you want to copy. To avoid this, the new Link Toggler add-on temporarily disables all hyperlinks on a page, so you can copy and paste without annoyance.
Barlesque
http://bit.ly/barlesque257 One of the most interesting new features in Firefox 4 is the Add-on Bar,
which sits at the bottom of the browser window providing a place for add-ons to display useful icons. However, by default, this bar takes up the full width of the window, even if it only contains a couple of icons. While the Add-on Bar can be easily disabled, Barlesque more usefully shrinks it down so that the bar takes up minimum space, leaving more room to display web pages.
Save Your Facebook Content
http://bit.ly/savefacebook257 While it’s very easy to post photos, videos and web links on Facebook (www.facebook.com), it’s not so simple
BROWSER ADDONS FOR 2011 shows you how many times you’ve visited a particular page since you last cleared your history.
INTERNET EXPLORER Windows 7 Compatibility Search http://bit.ly/windows257 to save content from the social network for use elsewhere. The Save Your Facebook Content add-on puts a Save link alongside all Facebook posts and pictures that you view in Firefox, so you can grab stuff from the site with a single click. Then, just click the Saved Items button to manage your clippings. The add-on is also available for Chrome.
Prospector Instant Preview
http://mozillalabs.com/prospector
So new that th t it only onl works k with the th beta b t versions of Firefox 4, this add-on could prove a big time-saver if you upgrade to the latest version of the browser. Highlight a web address or search query in the AwesomeBar and the page will instantly be displayed in the main browser window without you needing to click the link. This means you can scroll through and view a long list of results without needing to open the individual sites. It’s similar in some ways to Google Instant.
Truth be told, the choice of add-ons available for Internet Explorer is very disappointing. Hopefully, this will change when Internet Explorer 9 finally comes out of beta later this year. For now, one of the latest and most useful add-ons for IE8 is the Windows 7 Compatibility Search. Basically, this add-on will tell you whether products you’re searching for will work in the latest version of Microsoft’s operating system.
Add to Amazon Wish List Button
http://bit.ly/amazonwishlist257 Very simply, this new add-on, which is also available for Firefox (http://bit.ly/ amazonff257) puts an Amazon button in the Internet Explorer toolbar. Whenever you’re viewing a product you’d like to buy – even if you’re not on the Amazon website – just click this button and the item will be added to your Amazon Wish List. The IE add-on version is designed for use with Amazon.com but hopefully an Amazon .co.uk version will be launched soon.
Diff-IE http://bit.ly/diffie257 This useful IE add-on lets you see at a glance which parts of a web page have been updated since your last visit. Diff-IE highlights sections of text, images, prices and anything else that’s different to the most recent version of the page stored in your browser cache. It will also show you which forum boards or threads have been active since you last viewed them. By default, the add-on indicates new content in yellow, but you can change this to the colour of your choice. You can also compare the current page to a cached version from a specific date.
FlashCatch Video Downloader
http://bit.ly/flashcatch257 Installing the FlashCatch Video Downloader into IE will give you the ability to download footage from any site with Flash video (including YouTube, obviously). The add-on is very easy to use – just start the video playing, click the FlashCatch button and choose your download option. You can even download an entire YouTube channel in one go.
History Deleter
http://bit.ly/history257 This handy add-on gives you more control over the history-deletion feature in Firefox. Rather than clearing your cache of all stored pages, it lets you re remove only en entries that co contain specific key keywords in their ti title, delete all pag pages from wit within a set time pe period and get ri rid of any dead li links the browser is storing. History De Deleter also
file-hosting sites such as RapidShare (www.rapidshare.com) and Megaupload (www.megaupload.com). Rather than visiting the host sites and then clicking to see if the links work, File Host Link Checker will do the job for you and alert you to any faulty links.
File Host Link Checker
http://bit.ly/filehostlink257 File Host Link Checker is a great add-on for keen downloaders that will save you time when following links that lead to
Find more add-ons at www.webuser.co.uk/forums
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BROWSER ADDONS FOR 2011 and so on. It’s a very useful and effective tool. Turn to page 41 for more Chrome extensions.
CHROME AppJump
http://bit.ly/appjump257 Chrome has a built-in extensions manager, of course, but AppJump improves and augments this by giving you one-click access to your favourite web apps. There’s also a community element to this new extension because it lets Chrome users create groups to manage a large collection of web apps and add-ons more easily.
Facebook Photo Zoom http://bit.ly/photozoom257 p://b y/p
OPERA pop-up. pop up Firefox users wanting similar functionality should check out the Gmail Notifier add-on (http://bit.ly/ gmailfire257). And, if you use Google Calendar, we’d also suggest installing the Google Calendar Checker extension (http://bit.ly/calendarchecker257).
You Yo may have ha used d the th revamped d Google Image search (http://images .google.co.uk), where larger versions of pictures appear when you hover your mouse pointer over a thumbnail. Well, this extension bestows the same magnifying magic onto Facebook photos. A similar add-on exists for Firefox, but by a different developer (get it from http://bit.ly/zoomfirefox257).
http://bit.ly/googlemail257 If you’re a Google fan and use GMail in Chrome, then you need Google Mail Checker Plus. Once installed, a button is added to your toolbar that will show a live count of unread emails and you’ll be alerted to new incoming messages via a
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ago, Since its launch a couple of years ago Remember The Milk has grown quickly to become the favourite scheduling and to-do list manager for millions of web users. This new extension for Opera puts Remember The Milk right in the browser, letting you view your schedule and add tasks with a click or two.
AdvancedPopup
http://bit.ly/advancedpopup257
Comment Save
Google Mail Checker Plus
http://bit.ly/rememberthemilk257
Chrome TV
http://bit.ly/chrometv257 Watching television via the internet isn’t exactly a new idea but the Chrome TV extension puts you within easy reach of over 3,000 worldwide channels, including plenty of UK stations. It’s easy to use, too, as no registration is required – just sit yourself down, install Chrome TV and start watching.
http://bit.ly/comment257 If you often post comments on web forums, blogs and social-networking sites, this Chrome extension could prove handy. Comment Save keeps track of everything you write and stores it locally for future reference, although you can delete specific comments if you want. It’s very useful if you ever go online after a few drinks and forget where you posted a comment and what you said!
Remember The Milk Tasks
Ozone
http://bit.ly/ozone257 Chrome’s Omnibar doubles up as a web address field and search box. The new Ozone add-on focuses search results on the services and sites you use the most, categorising the results as you browse. So, rather than simply producing a list of Google hits, a search query will lead to a list of results under headings such as Google, Amazon, YouTube, Facebook
browsers, In common with all ll modern d b Opera has built-in protection against unwanted pop-up windows. The AdvancedPopup add-on bolsters this by offering site-level control over pop-ups, including the option to override settings with keyboard shortcuts. This first version is a little tricky to use but it’s new, so certainly one to watch over the coming year.
Tab Vault
http://bit.ly/tabvault257
While tab tab-manager manager extensions are ten-a-penny, the new Tab Vault tool for Opera has an elegant simplicity. The add-on acts as a kind of bookmarks notepad, where tabs can be easily dragged, dropped, reordered, deleted and restored. }
15 WAYS TO
DOUBLE YOUR
battery life If your gadgets keep running out of juice, don’t despair. Robert Irvine recommends 15 ways you can significantly improve the battery life of your devices
MOBILE PHONE Only use 3G and Wi-Fi when necessary
Wi-Fi and 3G let you browse the web and download data quickly but they’re likely to run down your handset’s battery in a few hours if left on constantly. Turning one or both of these off in your phone settings until you need them could double your battery life. To turn off Wi-Fi and 3G on an iPhone, go to Settings and set Wi-Fi to Off, then go to General, Network and set the Enable 3G slider to Off. On an Android device, go into Settings, Wireless & Networks (or similar) and turn off Wi-Fi and 3G from there. Bluetooth is another big power drain so disable that, too, when not in use. If you’re in a low- or no-coverage area, you can use your phone’s Airplane Mode to cut all your connections instantly, although you won’t be able to make or receive calls.
Sync data less frequently
Certain mobile apps – particularly those for email and social networking – regularly (or even constantly) check for
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new data, which can significantly sap your phone’s power. Try changing how frequently these apps sync with their servers. For the Mail app on an iPhone, for example, go to Settings, press the Mail, Contacts, Calendars option, then go to Fetch New Data and tap either Hourly or Manually. On an HTC Android phone, go to Settings, Accounts & sync, turn off the ‘Background data’ option and set the sync frequency for your individual accounts.
Adjust your backlight
The brighter your phone’s backlight, the more power it consumes. Play around with the brightness settings to dim your screen while maintaining readability. The iPhone also has an Auto-Brightness option that adjusts the backlight according to your current lighting conditions. Go to Settings, Brightness and set Auto-Brightness to On.
Shut down third-party apps
Apps that continue to run in the background when you’ve finished with them are big battery hogs, especially on Android devices. Fortunately, you can shut down all background apps in one go using tools such as Advanced Task Killer and Battery Saver, which are both available for free from Android Market (www. android.com/ market).
LAPTOP Reduce your screen brightness
Most laptop displays are far brighter than they need to be and cause a bigger drain on your battery than anything else. Typically, the way to dim your screen is to hold down the Fn key in the bottom-left corner of your keyboard and use the down-arrow key to decrease the brightness. Press the up-arrow key to increase it again.
BATTERYLIFE TIPS Adjust your power scheme
DIGITAL CAMERA Use your viewfinder more Your camera’s display screen is a big battery guzzler so, where possible, use your optical viewfinder to frame shots instead. If you must use the screen, try dimming the brightness to make it consume less power. You should also reduce the length of time that the picture preview is displayed after you’ve taken a shot – one second will usually suffice.
You can maximise your battery life by turning off your screen and hard disk when they’re not in use. Right-click the battery icon in your System Tray and choose Adjust Power Properties to open the Power Options Properties box. On the Power Schemes tab, use the drop-down menus in the ‘Running on batteries’ column to select how long to wait before putting your monitor and hard disk into standby.
Play downloads instead of discs
If you like to listen to music and watch movies while on the move, you should play audio and video files that you’ve ripped or downloaded to your hard disk rather than CDs and DVDs. Optical drives consume more power and may use up your battery before you reach the end of the album or film.
Use Hibernate not standby
memory card – you can buy an 8GB SanDisk SDHC card from Amazon (www.amazon.co.uk) for less than a tenner.
IPOD Create playlists
It might sound obvious but skipping back and forth to find specific songs on your iPod, and browsing through long menus of artists and albums, can put a real strain on your battery. Conserve power by creating playlists of your favourite songs in iTunes (www.apple .com/uk/itunes) and syncing your iPod with your PC. You can also generate smart playlists that group tracks according to their artist, album, year, genre, rating, composer or other criteria. Just go to File, New Smart Playlist to compile one.
Keep your finger off the shutter button
Every time you press the shutter button halfway down, your camera goes through various processes – such as focusing the lens and warming up the flash – to prepare for a shot. If you then release the button without taking a picture, you’ve effectively wasted precious energy. Try to keep your finger off the shutter button until it’s time to capture the photo.
Turn off continuous focus
Continuous focus – which lets you keep your camera trained on a moving object – is a useful feature for capturing action shots – but it also drains your battery. Go into your camera’s settings menu to turn off continuous focus and switch to single focus instead.
Turn off the equaliser
Because your iPod’s equaliser functions need to adjust the sound for each individual track you play, they can eat up considerable battery power while you’re on the move. Unless you really need to apply Bass Booster or ‘Rock mode’ to your music, turn off the equaliser by going to Settings, EQ and selecting Off.
Wait to delete photos
If you’re not going to be using your laptop for a while, put it into Hibernate mode rather than standby. This completely shuts down your hard disk so that it won’t use any power at all. To activate this function, open the Power Options Properties box, click the Hibernate tab and select ‘Enable hibernation’.
Although it’s always tempting to review and delete shots while on the go, this consumes battery power you could be using to capture new photos. Wait until you’ve connected your camera to your PC to delete unwanted images. If you find yourself running out of space, invest in a largercapacity
Find more practical advice at www.webuser.co.uk/forums
Cut the backlight
As with phones and laptops, turning off your iPod’s backlight will substantially improve your battery life. On an older iPod, go to Settings, Backlight Timer and choose Off. On an iPod Touch, go to Settings, General. Alternatively, you can dim the backlight by going to Settings, Brightness and choosing the minimum brightness setting.
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BEST FREE SOFTWARE This fortnight’s top FREE software downloads
17 F
DOW SECURITY
REE
N LO
A DS
Microsoft Security Essentials 2 www.microsoft.com/security_essentials Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7 File size: 9.5MB Microsoft’s excellent free anti-virus program has been updated to make it even better at detecting and removing threats. While the previous release focused on recognised viruses, the addition of a heuristicsscanning engine means Microsoft Security Essentials can now identify unknown malware by its behaviour. The software offers real-time, on-demand and scheduled scanning, and is a lot lighter on resources than many similar programs. In the unlikely event that MSE does cause your PC to slow to a crawl during a scan, you can manually lower its maximum
processor usage to solve the problem. The Advanced settings let you configure the program to include removable drives when running a full sweep, and you can create a restore point before removing any potential threats. By default, all users can view quarantined items, but you can limit this to just those with administrator accounts, if you prefer. The software now integrates with Windows features to provide a greater degree of security. When you first install it, you’ll be prompted to turn on the Windows Firewall if it’s not
already active, and a PC running Internet Explorer will benefit from improved protection against webbased threats. The new networkinspection feature can detect and block network-based exploits, but you’ll need to be running Windows 7 or Vista
to use the feature because it requires the Windows Filtering Platform (WFP) and this isn’t available in XP. If you’re looking for a reliable, free anti-virus program, Microsoft Security Essentials should definitely be somewhere near the top of your list.
GAME
Invaders: Corruption
http://invaders.manuelvandyck.com Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7 or Mac OS X File size: 10.6MB Before you can begin playing this game, you’ll need to enter a combination of letters and/or numbers to act as a ‘core-seed’. This is used to generate the look of your ship and the incoming invaders, and also to determine their attack patterns. The object is simply to survive for as long as you can, defeating swarm after swarm of alien invaders with the aid of power-ups you collect along the way.
AUDIOMIXING TOOL
VirtualDJ Home
www.virtualdj.com Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7 or Mac OS X File size: 28.6MB VirtualDJ is a very polished audio-mixing program that lets you combine tracks, add effects, samples and loops, and save the finished results in MP3 format. To get started, simply drag your tracks onto the turntables. As well as mixing audio, the software can now handle videos.
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BEST FREE SOFTWARE THREE OF A KIND CHROME EXTENSIONS
Boomerang for Gmail
http://boomeranggmail.com Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7 or Mac OS X File size: 95.3KB This add-on lets you delay and schedule the sending of emails through Gmail, as well as redelivering (‘boomeranging’) messages back into your Inbox for whenever you actually need them.
PDF ALTERNATIVE PROGRAM
Save as WWF
www.saveaswwf.com/en Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7 or Mac OS X File size: 6.7MB The official WWF format is an environmentally friendly alternative to PDF that has been launched by the World Wildlife Fund. Files saved in the format can be viewed on screen, emailed and shared, but not printed – thereby avoiding paper waste. WWF documents can be opened using any standard PDF reader.
Disconnect
http://bit.ly/disconnect257 Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7 File size: 80KB Disconnect prevents websites including Facebook, Google and Twitter from tracking your activities. The add-on blocks cookies and requests from third parties, and shows you the results in real time.
CLOUD COMPUTING TOOL
Spoon
http://spoon.net Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7 File size: 3.7MB Install the Spoon plug-in and you’ll be able to run many popular applications directly from the cloud, without needing to have them installed on your hard disk. The apps available include Firefox, Chrome, VLC Media Player, Thunderbird and TweetDeck. The process is seamless and, although Spoon can take a little while to load a program, once the software is up and running you really won’t be able to tell that it’s being ‘virtualised’.
COMPETITION
BullGuard Backup 10 www.webuser.co.uk/win
WIN 1 OF 10 COPIES !
Available to buy now priced £16.95, BullGuard Backup 10 is the latest and much-improved version of the standalone back-up program. BullGuard Backup 10 is quick, easy, secure and flexible – it comes with an intuitive user interface, while boasting extremely high upload speeds. We’ve got 10 10GB copies (one year, five PCs) to give away in this competition. For more information about BullGuard Backup 10, visit www.bullguard.com.
Discover more free downloads at www.webuser.co.uk/forums
Cortex
http://cortexapp.com Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7 File size: 1.31MB Cortex provides a simple means of sharing links, videos, images and more with friends via social-networking sites. Just hold down your mouse button and select a sharing option from the circle that pops up.
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VIDEOEDITING TOOL
Lightworks
www.lightworksbeta.com Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7 File size: 15.3MB This powerful video-editing tool has an impressive pedigree – it’s won Academy and Emmy awards and has been used to cut hundreds of Hollywood films including Shutter Island, The Departed and Pulp Fiction. Now available for free, the software is packed with professional features, such as advanced trimming and media management, real-time audio and video effects, timeline sync, stereoscopic support and more. As you’d expect from such an advanced program, learning how to use Lightworks takes a little time and application, but the software is reasonably intuitive and the end result is certainly worth the effort.
TASK MANAGER
Task Coach www.taskcoach.org Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/ Mac OS X or Linux File size: 9.31MB Task Coach is a simple but effective opensource to-do tool that lets you keep track of ongoing projects and forthcoming events. Usefully, you can create sub-tasks – for example ‘buy card’, ‘buy present’ and ‘send text message’ within a birthday task – so that the main tasks can be marked as being partially completed where necessary. Task Coach colour-codes entries for easy reference, lets you specify a date, time and priority for each task, and offers categories for speedy organisation. You can even enter budget details and set up reminder alarms. Task Coach is also available in a portable version and as an iPhone app.
TWITTER TOOL
Lazyscope
www.lazyscope.com Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7, Mac OS X or Linux File size: 1.5MB This Adobe AIR-based app is a combined Twitter client and RSS feed reader. Lazyscope lets you view links and photos contained in tweets without leaving the stream. You can also reply, repost, retweet and star updates. The program flashes up a System Tray notification whenever a new tweet arrives, although you can turn this feature off if it gets annoying. You can import and view feeds from Google Reader, and subscribe to new sites. If you connect your browser to Lazyscope, you’ll be able to save pages for reading or tweeting later.
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BEST FREE SOFTWARE Mobile & iPad apps Inception http://bit.ly/ inception257 Minimum requirements: iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad, iOS 3.2+, headphones and microphone File size: 65MB This stunning, augmented-sound app is based on the blockbuster movie Inception. The app lets you unlock and experience a range of ‘dreams’ that mix effects and music with distorted versions of the sounds around you. Unlocking dreams involves inducing the dream world at the right time or place, or performing a particular action. The Sunshine dream can only be unlocked on a nice day, for example, while the Africa dream actually requires you to be in Africa.
EMAIL TOOL
EmailTray
www.emailtray.com Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7 File size: 9.8MB This smart email-notification tool can check multiple webmail and Outlook accounts and alert you when messages arrive. You can prioritise emails, so you’re only told about ones you care about, and it will let you send quick replies without needing to open your email client or browser. If you sign up for a free EmailTray account, you’ll enjoy extra benefits, such as improved mail sorting.
Google Maps for Mobile 5.0 www.android.com/market Min requirements: Android 2.0+ File size: 5.59MB The new version of the popular mapping application Google Maps has had several improvements made to it, most notably the introduction of dynamically drawn 3D buildings in more than 100 major cities. the map to see th them, and then rotate Tilt th the screen to get a different view. The app caches content now too, so you’ll be able to call up places you’ve visited previously, even when offline.
National Lottery Official App http://bit.ly/lottery257 Min requirements: iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad, iOS 3.1+ File size: 2.5MB This official app from Camelot lets you view the results and prize breakdowns for all National Lottery games for the past 180 days. It remembers your numbers and alerts you if you’re a winner, and can also tell you where the nearest lottery retailer is, as well as the next estimated jackpot.
GAME
Starfare www.starfare.eu Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7 File size: 26.9MB Starfare is a classy space-based real-time strategy (RTS) game that involves capturing and mining asteroids, constructing buildings and various types of ship, and battling rival nations for supremacy. There’s a tutorial level available, but anyone who has played an RTS game before will feel right at home. It’s great fun, if a little buggy at times.
READER RECOMMENDS “For me, Magix Audio Cleaning Lab (www. magix.com/gb) is the perfect program for converting vinyl to CD. It costs £29.99 to buy but you can download a free trial version from http:// magix-audio-cleaning-lab .en.softonic.com.” George, via Webuser.co.uk/ forums
Discover more free downloads at www.webuser.co.uk/forums
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AN INSTANT EXPERT GUIDE TO
Satellite broadband
Satellite broadband has hit the headlines recently following BT’s announcement that it will use the technology to provide web access to rural areas in Cornwall. Daniel Booth explains how it works
Q
A
WHAT IS SATELLITE BROADBAND?
Satellite broadband is internet access provided by satellites. To receive it, a special web-only satellite dish has to be installed on the front of your house. Once you log onto the internet, the signal is received by the satellite and is beamed back to a station owned by the satellite company. Your PC or home network is connected directly to the web via the satellite without the need for a telephone line, so you don’t need any extra wires or cables, nor any additional computer software. There are two types of satellite connection – one-way and two-way. In a one-way satellite connection, data is downloaded from the satellite and dish, while data is uploaded to the web via a dial-up connection. This is a very cost-
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effective option for customers who don’t need fast upload speeds. However, most Web User readers will need a two-way satellite connection, which uses the satellite and dish for both downloading and uploading. This is much faster but it’s also a lot more expensive.
Q
WHY WOULD I NEED IT?
Q
WHERE IS IT AVAILABLE?
A
It’s available across the whole of the UK, though you should only consider it if you can’t get wireless or fibre broadband. The three largest UK providers are Tariam (www.tariam.co.uk), Eutelsat (www.eutelsat.com) and Astra
A
The major benefit of satellite broadband is that you don’t need to be connected to the UK’s fixed-line network or within range of a mobile phone mast to receive it. This makes it an attractive option for people who can’t get broadband because they live in remote areas of the country. Industry experts estimate that 350,000 Europeans in broadband ‘not-spots’ would benefit from satellite broadband.
Satellite broadband provider Eutelsat is also a hub for the broadcasting industry
Get broadband advice at www.webuser.co.uk/forums
SATELLITE BROADBAND hopes to offer up to 10Mbps by the end of March, once its HYLAS 1 satellite completes its testing phase. Eutelsat also hopes to offer 10Mbp, following the successful launch on 27 December of its KA-SAT satellite. This service is expected to go live to customers from May 2011.
Avanti’s first super-fast broadband satellite, HYLAS 1, was launched last November
(www.ses-astra.com). However, the most high-profile new service is BT’s partnership with Avanti (www.avantiplc .com), which will provide surfers in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly with satellite broadband. The service is part of BT’s bid to get more customers connected to its high-speed broadband by 2014 – what it calls “the most ambitious rural broadband project in the world”. The aim is to connect 80 to 90 per cent of homes and businesses in the area to super-fast broadband, via a mixture of advanced copper, wireless and satellite broadband. Avanti’s services, provided from the HYLAS 1 satellite that launched on 26 November, will fill in the gaps where fibre can’t be provided.
Q
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
A
Satellite broadband tends to be more expensive than other forms of fast broadband. When it launches in March, Avanti’s broadband service will cost around £25 a month for a 2Mbps connection. Eutelsat’s and Tariam’s services starts at £24.99 per month for 3.6Mpbs. Prices increase quite rapidly for extra download allowances. Tariam’s Basic tariff, for example, costs £24.99 for a 2.4GB allowance, while its £39.99-permonth Bronze package gives you 4GB. However, increased competition in 2011 should drive these prices down. If you want 12GB you’ll have to sign up to Tariam’s £99.99-a-month Gold package. Installing satellite broadband can also be very expensive, with most companies charging between £500-£600 for installation and hardware, although it’s worth looking out for special offers. For example, some companies were providing installation for less than £200 as part of a 2010 Christmas offer. These fees come down a lot if you can install a dish yourself, but not many people will feel confident enough to do that.
Q
A
HOW FAST IS IT?
At the m oment, most satellite broadband services only offer speeds up to 3.6Mbps. However, Avanti
Q
HOW RELIABLE IS IT?
A
The biggest drawback of satellite broadband is its long latency time. This is the delay between the signal being sent and it being received by the satellite, which will be significantly longer than with fibre broadband because of the distances involved. Satellite broadband can suffer from delays of 1,000–1,400 milliseconds, which is long enough to make it unsuitable for advanced web activities such as multiplayer online gaming and using Skype. Another major drawback of satellite broadband is that its quality can be reduced by severe weather conditions. High winds and torrential rain can disrupt broadband, though snow is the biggest problem because it settles on dishes and weakens the signal. However, John Wakeling, BT’s head of alternative technologies and markets, told us that the company is working at making its satellite broadband more robust and reliable. One solution BT is looking at is to temporarily reduce the speed of the connection in order to make sure it doesn’t fail completely. After all, a slow connection is better than none at all.
The dish also needs to be placed in a complete line of sight to the satellite, without anything blocking the signal, such as very thick rain clouds or tall buildings. Small movements of the dish can also cause signal interruptions.
Q
WILL IT SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF BROADBAND ACCESS IN RURAL AREAS?
A
Many ISPs are selling satellite broadband as the best solution to poor coverage in remote areas, but some industry analysts remain unconvinced that it will ever be fast or cheap enough to offer a satisfactory internet experience. “It’s the best that can be offered to lots of the UK’s ‘not-spots’,” Seamour Rathore, senior editor at Consumerchoices.co.uk, told Web User. “But it has serious drawbacks such as expensive installation, slow speeds and small download limits. If you’ve never had the web before, then you’re likely to be happy with any service. But the more you use it and the more you see what’s available, the more you will get frustrated by the limitations. If all you want to do is surf the internet and use email, then great. But you can’t suddenly wave a wand and expect satellite broadband to provide a rich, multimedia experience on the internet.” Satellite broadband is considered by many experts to be a ‘last-resort’ technology that’s only recommended when all other options don’t work.
GOOGLEBACKED SATELLITE BROADBAND While satellite broadband is seen as a useful but flawed option for much of the developed world, it could be hugely beneficial to emerging nations that lack advanced broadband networks. One company aiming to bring broadband to poorer countries is O3b Networks (www.o3bnetworks .com), whose name stands for ‘other 3 billion’, referring to the number of people in the world who don’t have regular access to the web. In December, 2010, O3b secured $1.2bn worth of funding to proceed with the launch of eight satellites in the first half of 2013. HSBC and Google are among the company’s shareholders. O3b promises faster speeds than are currently available through satellite broadband because its satellites’ orbits will be four times nearer Earth than those of existing satellites. This will cut the latency time users endure
NEXT ISSUE: Instant Expert guide to DDoS attacks
when using the web via satellite. The company says it will offer its services to more than 150 countries spread across Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East. O3b says that its mission “is to make the internet accessible and affordable to those who remain cut off from the information highway. We will enable individuals, families, communities and nations to enrich their quality of life through greater interactivity with the global community”.
13 January 2011
45
GROUP TEST We test and compare the latest products
CO FEATVER U RE
BEST internet security suites for 2011 Andy Shaw analyses anti-virus software in Web User’s biggest and most accurate test of internet security software ever
WEB USER
AWARDS
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GOLD AWARD
13 January 2011
The best product/service in its category
HOW WE TESTED The Web User lab, which is a member of the Anti-Malware Testing Standards Organisation (AMTSO), uses real, live viruses found on infected websites. To test how well each suite fought against a threat, the products were installed and taken to the infected website within a 24-hour period of one another. Any changes made to the PC were meticulously logged. If a virus took hold, the PC was rebooted and manually scanned to see whether the software could remove it. We also tested each product for false positives – whether they mistakenly flagged safe software as potentially harmful.
SILVERD AWAR
Good, but just misses out on top billing
E BRONZD AWAR
Pretty good, but with some shortcomings
Find more anti-virus advice at www.webuser.co.uk/forums
Testing by Kat Orphanides
C
hoosing your internet security software is probably the most important PC decision you’ll make this year. As savvy web users, you’ll already have some form of malware protection on your computers, but how do you know whether you’ve got the best? And should you pay for your security software or is it enough to stick with free downloads? We’ve undertaken our most comprehensive test of internet security software to date to help answer those questions. Our lab has pitted 14 top security suites – including three free ones – against a barrage of problematic malware that’s out there, on the web, waiting to catch you out.
INTERNET SECURITY SUITES GROUP TEST AVG ANTIVIRUS FREE EDITION 2011 ❘ FREE
http://free.avg.com FEATURES ★★★
PERFORMANCE ★★★★★ EASE OF USE ★★★★★ VALUE FOR MONEY ★★★★★
AVG Free is one of the oldest and most popular of the current crop of free anti-virus software, and the high regard in which it’s held is fully justified. Free software, despite the obvious attraction, is often seen as something of a compromise and although AVG Free is antimalware only – so you’ll need to add a (free) firewall to get the full level of protection for your PC – its performance in our tests was phenomenal. As you can see from our charts (on page 52), AVG got a perfect score for detecting and dealing with viruses. In 28 of the 31 cases, AVG removed every trace of a virus from the system. In the other three cases, the threat was removed and neutralised, but there were remnants of the viruses left on the system. This isn’t a serious problem but it still means that your PC isn’t being kept totally clean. The software only faltered over one false positive. The built-in resident scanner that monitors what’s happening on your PC is part of the software’s excellent first line of defence and its performance is backed up by a clean, simple-to-use interface. The main screen shows exactly what the software is doing, and
you can click the icons to explore and configure the software further. Tabs along the side offer access to the software’s basic functions. Although AVG Free doesn’t have the full range of features that you get in paid-for programs, it does come with a handful of extras. The security toolbar for your browser (Internet Explorer or Firefox) flags up potentially dangerous websites, and the very handy LinkScanner searches links and pages in real time for malware, warning you of malicious sites before you click on them. That you get all this free of charge is a phenomenal proposition and earns AVG our coveted Gold Award.
GOLD AWARD
TREND MICRO TITANIUM INTERNET SECURITY 2011 £23 ❘ http://uk.trendmicro.com FEATURES ★★★★
PERFORMANCE ★★★★★ EASE OF USE ★★★★★ VALUE FOR MONEY ★★★★
While AVG Free’s test results prove that free software is perfectly capable of offering high levels of protection, Trend Micro’s results speak for themselves. The software stopped all 31 viruses thrown at it. Not a single one managed to get past the software’s defences, nothing managed to install and no signs of the viruses were left on the computer after it had finished its work. Quite simply, in our tests, Trend Micro protected our test equipment faultlessly, even managing to correctly determine that our legitimate software was safe. Performance aside, the decision to invest in paid-for internet security often rests on whether you’re happy to fork out for extra features and technical support. Alongside its amazing anti-virus system, Trend Micro provides a range of other tools, including suite basics such as anti-spam and a firewall. There’s a browser plug-in that particularly caught our attention, since it installs in Google Chrome as well as the usual Internet Explorer and Firefox. You also get parental control for managing time online and monitoring activity, and a Data Theft Prevention option that
effectively stops personal details going online. This version of Titanium sits in the middle of Trend Micro’s internet security range. Also available is an anti-virus-only package (Titanium AntiVirus Plus) if you’re not bothered about the extra features, or Titanium Maximum Security if you’d like to add secure back-up and PCtweaking options. All three use the same virus-protection system, so you can take your pick based on the features you’re looking for. Our best price: £23 for one year on covering three PCs, from Amazon (www.amazon.co.uk).
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SILVER AWARD
R COVE RE U FEAT
VERDICT ★★★★★ Despite being a free product, AVG Free’s virus-busting performance is extraordinarily good. It wasn’t the bestperforming product in all our tests but it was the best-performing free product. AVG Free’s results were only marginally behind its paid-for rivals, and it effe effectively neutralised eve everything we threw at it. The only slip was a single fals positive – an false anno annoyance but nothing that will compromise the secu of your computer. security It also simple to use. It’s Th only real downside is The that you’ll need to choose a free firewall to install alongside it.
VERDICT ★★★★★ In our tests, Trend Micro Titanium’s protection record is second to none. If you want to be sure you’re getting the best protection, this is the only option to go for. Surprising, then, that it doesn’t win our Gold Award. Trend Micro’s is after all the superior prod with better product, per performance and more fea features than AVG Free. How However, it comes at a pric and although it price outp outperformed AVG Free, the difference was only a hai breadth. As a result, hair’s AVG Free claims our top prize. If you’re willing to pay, however, Titanium Internet Security is worth every penny.
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SYMANTEC NORTON INTERNET SECURITY 2011 £32 ❘ www.symantec.co.uk
VERDICT ★★★★★
FEATURES ★★★★★ PERFORMANCE ★★★★★ EASE OF USE ★★★★★ VALUE FOR MONEY ★★★
Symantec’s Norton Internet Security suite has been solidly protecting PCs for years, and its reputation remains intact with this version. It staved off every threat, eliminating any problem it was exposed to. However, as with AVG, three of the 31 threats left traces of themselves on the PC, so while the computer was made safe and threats were neutralised, it didn’t manage a perfect clean-up job. It also failed one of our false-positive tests, flagging as unsafe a popular free program from a widely respected download site. But it still gave a solid performance and, if you’re one of Norton’s millions of satisfied users, there’s little reason to swap your protection. The software is the slickest of the products we tested. If you want to simply install and forget about the software, you can, but there’s also the option to get into the technical side and tweak settings. Most of what’s new in this version are feature tweaks rather than improvements on the core security system, which has been at the top of its game for the last couple of years and shows no sign of letting go. The program will now warn you if software is starting to hog your system resources, and there’s
protection for a range of extra threats, from fraud while you shop online to advice about downloads, based on the experiences of its massive user base. The only real downside is that it’s one of the most expensive products here and the ‘get what you pay for’ adage doesn’t apply, since it performed exactly as well as AVG Free. Still, Norton’s product remains a solid, easy-to-use option and it’s perfect if you want to be kept safe with as little fuss as possible. Our best price: £32 for one year covering three PCs, from Micom-Online (www.micomonline.co.uk).
BRONZ AWARDE
BITDEFENDER INTERNET SECURITY 2011 £38 ❘ www.bitdefender.co.uk
FEATURES ★★★★★ PERFORMANCE ★★★★★ EASE OF USE ★★★★★ VALUE FOR MONEY ★★★ Along with our Award-winning softare, BitDefender Internet Security also caught all 31 of the viruses that we exposed the suite to. This perfect score can’t be praised enough – it’s a superb performance. To add to its strengths, it also correctly identified all the safe software it was shown and didn’t fall for any false positives. However, it was the worst of the top four at fully cleaning up after itself. Of the 31 viruses, traces of 10 remained on the system. They were neutralised, but BitDefender’s failure to clear away the detritus cost it an award in our tests. There’s a good selection of features in the suite, from the usual anti-virus, email protection and firewall, through to parental controls, data encryption, network protection and instant-messaging security (as long as you restrict yourself to Yahoo or Windows Live). The software is controlled via a three-tier interface – Basic, Intermediate and Expert – which you choose according to your skills. The Basic version locks down the advanced settings, while still providing access to essentials like parental controls, games mode
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and the firewall. The Expert option offers a much broader overview of all the settings. However, this rather leaves the Intermediate option falling between two stools. If you want to set security software up on a PC for a beginner, BitDefender’s Basic setting could be just what you’re looking for. Its complete lack of false positives would make it ideal because it won’t bother an inexperienced user with unnecessary questions. Our best price: £38 for one year covering three PCs, from Amazon (www.amazon.co.uk).
As the current market leader, Norton is justifiably popular. While its results were beaten in this test by Trend Micro, it still comes in with a very solid performance score. That said, it only did as well as Gold Award-winning AVG and yet you’ll have to pay significantly more for it. Norton makes up for such shortfalls with extra fea features and slick pres presentation. The sof software is incredibly use user-friendly and lets you leav leave your security sof software to its own de devices while you get on with other things.
VERDICT ★★★★★ BitDefender’s reputation is enhanced with this latest version and, if it continues on this upward path, it could threaten the Award winners next time. Certainly, with its 100-per-cent detection and protection rate, BitDefender is a force to be reckoned with, though it isn’t quite as good at clearing viruses’ tracks as its chief rivals, which is why it failed to win an award. The software is strong on features but offers too many options options for different levels of users. Three interfaces is taking things a step too far – two is plenty and would serve the purpose better.
Find more product reviews at www.webuser.co.uk/products
INTERNET SECURITY SUITES GROUP TEST KASPERSKY INTERNET SECURITY 2011 £25 ❘ www.kaspersky.co.uk
FEATURES ★★★★
PERFORMANCE ★★★
EASE OF USE ★★★★
Letting through just one of the 31 viruses we tested the software against isn’t a crushing failure, but it’s an unfortunate result for Kaspersky’s Internet Security. It’s almost certainly true that, by the time you read this, that particular hole in the software’s defences will have been fixed, but had you visited the infected website at this point in time, with this software installed, you wouldn’t have been fully protected. The 2011 software has a tempting range of extra features that might appeal to you,though. New elements in this version include a system monitor that keeps an extremely close eye on your key system files (such as the Registry), a Norton-style cloud-based reputation engine that captures and re-uses security data from its users, and a Safe Run mode that offers extra protection when you’re banking online. The parental controls are visible and accessible immediately from the front page, which makes it an excellent choice for families. The interface is clear and polished, with an attractive, sensible layout. Any potential gaps in your security settings are flagged
VALUE FOR MONEY ★★★★
up, and there’s also simple access to the software’s basic features – the firewall, anti-virus, ad-blocking and anti-spam settings. Kaspersky’s program also has some handy low-resource features that will be popular with people who want maximum processing power reserved for gaming or prefer to scale resources down while working on a battery. For the £25 price tag we managed to find online, it offers good value for money. Our best price: £25 for one year covering three PCs, from Aria PC (www.aria.co.uk).
ESET SMART SECURITY 4 HOME EDITION £33 ❘ www.eset.co.uk
FEATURES ★★★★
PERFORMANCE ★★★
EASE OF USE ★★★★
Like the Kaspersky software, ESET Smart Security 4 Home Edition came very close to achieving a perfect score. However, it too let one of our viruses slip through the net. While this is a single failure of an otherwise solid program, it remains a significant flaw in its ability to protect your PC from online threats. What it didn’t do quite so well as Kasperksy was to ensure that traces of the viruses were totally blocked in the first place or fully removed after a scan. The software isn’t overloaded with features but it has enough of the important ones to impress, making it a good option if you’re looking for a pared-down suite. As well as anti-malware, it comes with a firewall, POP3 email scanning and spam filtering. If you’re looking for parental control or file encryption, you’ll have to look elsewhere, though the benefit with this software is that all these extras aren’t getting in the way if you don’t want them. The interface is simple but well-designed and comes in two versions, Standard and Advanced. In Standard mode, you can run
VALUE FOR MONEY ★★★
updates, manual scans and opt to turn your security options on or off. Advanced mode lets you make more significant tweaks, such as changing what’s let through the firewall. Given that this doesn’t have as many features as some of its rivals, we were a bit disappointed that we couldn’t find it at a lower price. Unless you’re specifically looking for fewer features, you could feel a bit hard done by since you’re effectively having to pay more for less. Our best price: £33 for one year covering three PCs, from Shop.co.uk (www.shop.co.uk).
Discuss security advice at www.webuser.co.uk/forums
R COVE RE U FEAT
VERDICT ★★★★ Kaspersky Internet Security has been a favourite of Web User for some time, but it failed to contain one of the viruses we sent to it during this test, which compromises its well-respected position. While its results were spotless in every other respect, including a clear record on our tricky false-positive test, it can’t compete with our award winners. It’s a shame, because its features and price are otherwise excellent.
VERDICT ★★★★ While this software has a clean, pared-down interface, it’s also quite short on features. For some users, this could be a good thing, but it would be much better if this was reflected by a cheaper price. The software’s performance was let down by allowing through a single virus in our tests. This wasn’t a terrible result but automatically put ESET out of the running for our awards.
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MICROSOFT SECURITY ESSENTIALS 1.0 BULLGUARD INTERNET SECURITY 2011 FREE ❘ www.microsoft.com/Security_Essentials £23 ❘ www.bullguard.com FEATURES ★★ EASE OF USE ★★★
PERFORMANCE ★★★ VALUE FOR MONEY ★★★★★
FEATURES ★★★★ EASE OF USE ★★
Security Essentials doesn’t have all the features you would expect from a full suite, but it is equipped to cover your basic security requirements. It has the benefit of being very straightforward to use, with a simple interface that’s easy to understand. The main screen is tabbed, containing the relevant status and scanning information. Further tabs are used for updating and tweaking the settings. The downside is that it didn’t stop all the viruses we exposed it to. Of the 31 viruses, it let four through, leaving behind traces (though neutralised) of another eight after scanning. It’s better than nothing but, if you’re looking for something more effective from your free internet security software, AVG Free did a better job of protecting our test PC than Security Essentials.
VERDICT
★★★
PERFORMANCE ★★★ VALUE FOR MONEY ★★
BullGuard’s performance fell into the lower end of our test results, letting through five of the 31 viruses we exposed it to. Part of the blame for this is that it asks too many questions of its users. Anti-virus software should override the firewall, but BullGuard’s Allow button effectively ensures that you manually let through malware that ought to have been stopped automatically. It also wasn’t great on false positives, asking us for advice before letting unknown programs install. There are some good extras, though, including 5GB of online storage for back-ups – a useful addition should disaster strike. However, the interface is at times unclear, with the red-on-white icons looking neat but a bit samey. Our best price: £23 for one year covering three PCs, from Amazon (www.amazon.co.uk).
★★★
VERDICT
Microsoft Security Essentials has done well in previous Web User tests but let four of our test viruses through this time. While that’s not terrible, especially for a free product, if you’re looking for a more secure free download, we would recommend going with AVG Free instead.
BullGuard fell foul of our testing procedure, partly because it asked more questions than its rivals, and this can be confusing for users. This confusion isn’t helped by the interface. While it’s clean and well-organised, the icons look too similar to one another to be useful at a glance.
FSECURE INTERNET SECURITY 2011
AVIRA ANTIVIR PERSONAL 10
FEATURES ★★★ PERFORMANCE ★★★ EASE OF USE ★★★★ VALUE FOR MONEY ★★
FEATURES ★★ EASE OF USE ★★
F-Secure missed three of the 31 viruses we exposed it to, with a further four leaving traces behind, although neutralised. However, it had no trouble with false positives. The interface is clean and simple. The main screen offers a simple at-a-glance guide to the software’s status, and you can click large, friendly buttons to delve further into the settings. If you’re a Google Chrome user, you’ll be pleased to know that your browser is supported by the software, alongside the expected Firefox and Internet Explorer. Most of the other key features you’d want in a security suite are here, including parental control and spam filtering. However, the program sits at the top end of the price scale. Our best price: £35 for one year covering three PCs, from Amazon (www.amazon.co.uk).
When it comes to the crunch, you want your security software to work with as little intervention as possible. While testing AntiVir Personal, we ran into problems with the automated update server, which failed to update the product. As a result, we were forced to manually update the product with virus definitions, which is far from ideal. The software failed to stop five of the 31 viruses. While it didn’t trip over any false positives, more than 50 per cent of the viruses either needed a further virus scan to eliminate all traces of them, or left traces behind permanently. It’s a shame, because the interface is clear and simple, though part of this lack of clutter is because it doesn’t have the wide-ranging features of the paid-for suites. It also lacks some essential elements, such as browser and email protection.
£35 ❘ www.f-secure.com
VERDICT
★★★
VERDICT
The biggest problem F-Secure Internet Security faced is that it let viruses through while we were testing it. The rest of the software is good, with some useful features and an interface that’s clear and concise, as well as being simple to operate and explore.
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FREE ❘ www.free-av.com
PERFORMANCE ★★ VALUE FOR MONEY ★★★★★
★★★
AntiVir Personal has a straightforward interface but there’s not much more going for this free download. It let through five of our viruses and wasn’t great at clearing leftover residue. It also failed to download updates automatically which, in the fast-moving world of viruses, could be a severe problem.
Find more product reviews at www.webuser.co.uk/products
INTERNET SECURITY SUITES GROUP TEST
R COVE RE U FEAT
PC TOOLS INTERNET SECURITY 2011 G DATA INTERNETSECURITY 2011 £40 ❘ www.gdatasoftware.co.uk
£25 ❘ www.pctools.com FEATURES ★★ EASE OF USE ★★★
FEATURES ★★★ EASE OF USE ★★★
PERFORMANCE ★★★ VALUE FOR MONEY ★★★
PC Tools’ Internet Security package is stripped down to the basics. There’s no parental control or online back-up, but it includes anti-virus, anti-spam, POP3 email scanning, browser protection and a firewall. This helps to keep a clean and simple interface, with four large buttons displaying everything you need to know about the basic status of the software. In tests, we found it a bit over-protective in areas. The software lost points for false positives by quarantining two reasonably well-known safe programs, although it was easy enough to retrieve these programs from the software’s quarantine area. It also let three viruses through, which isn’t disastrous but put it out of contention for an award. Our best price: £25 for one year covering three PCs, from Amazon (www.amazon.co.uk).
★★★
VERDICT
PC Tools is a nicely trimmed software suite if you’re not looking for all the extras you get with some of its rivals. However, it failed to spot a couple of our false-positive tests and let a small number of our viruses through to the system it was protecting.
PERFORMANCE ★★★ VALUE FOR MONEY ★
G Data InternetSecurity let three viruses through but didn’t fail any of our false positive tests. It didn’t do so well at halting the viruses before they hit the computer though, relying on a manual scan to remove problems retrospectively. The price is a problem, too. We shopped around for most of our other products, but G Data’s software can only be bought full price from its own web shop. At the full suggested retail price, this pushed the cost way above the competition. The software has plenty of features and a reasonable interface, but failing to compete on performance with its main rivals and coming in over the odds on price leaves it falling short of the pack. Our best price: £40 for one year covering three PCs, from G Data (www.gdatasoftware.co.uk).
★★★
VERDICT
With a high price tag and a less-than-perfect performance, the G-Data software failed to satisfy our particular requirements. The performance wasn’t bad, though it didn’t manage to keep the computer particularly clean, even after hunting down and neutralising the viruses with a scan.
WEBROOT INTERNET SECURITY ESSENTIALS MCAFEE INTERNET SECURITY 2011 £33 ❘ www.mcafeestore.com 2011 ❘ £34 ❘ www.webroot.com FEATURES ★★★ EASE OF USE ★★★
FEATURES ★★★★ EASE OF USE ★★
PERFORMANCE ★ VALUE FOR MONEY ★
Webroot protected our PC against all the viruses we tested it against. However, as we progressed through testing, the software’s over-zealous protection became apparent. This may have helped it catch all our viruses, but it also flagged up 10 false positives, which is far too many. As a result, the user has to frequently intervene and tell the firewall what is safe and what is not. Webroot comes with a good range of extra features, including a handy Sync & Share option that offers 2GB of online storage space. There are also tidying-up tools to help you securely erase files and clear your browser cache. Our best price: £34 for one year covering three PCs, from Amazon (www.amazon.co.uk).
VERDICT
★★
It’s all very well offering full protection, but if it only does it by locking down the whole PC, it’s not a particularly user-friendly way of going about it. The occasional false positive can be brushed over, but when a vast majority of software is flagged as untrustworthy, the program isn’t doing its job properly.
PERFORMANCE ★ VALUE FOR MONEY ★★
McAfee’s Internet Security 2011 has the dubious honour of being the suite that offered the least protection of the soft ware we tested. It let through six of our virus threats and, while it didn’t get stung by our false postitives, it wasn’t spectacular at clearing away the neutralised residue of the viruses it did manage to catch. The software has a dull but functional interface and plenty of features, including parental control, defragmentation, browser cleaning and secure deletion. It also comes with the full version of SiteAdvisor, which works with Internet Explorer and Firefox. However, it failed to warn us away from any of the infected sites we used to test the virus-scanners’ mettle. Our best price: £34 for one year covering three PCs, from Amazon (www.amazon.co.uk).
VERDICT
★★
You can have as many features as you like in a security suite, but if it doesn’t stop viruses you might as well not bother. In our tests, McAfee’s software proved to be the least effective when it came to stopping viruses. While parental controls and secure erasing are nice additions, the security software must do its job first.
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13 January 2011
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R COVE RE U FEAT
GROUP TEST INTERNET SECURITY SUITES
Basic malware protection
Complete remediation
The percentage of 31 viruses that each software protected against, whether by blocking the site hosting the virus, deleting it before it could act or neutralising it during a scan.
The percentage of viruses that left no trace after the security software had done its work, whether because it was blocked from performing any actions or the virus scan did a thorough job of cleaning an infection afterwards.
AVG
100%
Trend Micro
100%
Norton
100%
BitDefender
100%
Kaspersky
97%
ESET
97%
Microsoft BullGuard F-Secure Avira
87% 84% 90% 84%
97% 74%
ESET 61%
Microsoft
68%
BullGuard
77%
F-Secure Avira
G-Data
90%
G-Data
100%
68%
Kaspersky
PC Tools
81%
90%
Norton BitDefender
90%
McAfee
100%
Trend Micro
PC Tools Webroot
90%
AVG
48% 68% 61% 74%
Webroot McAfee
52%
Overall (including false positives) If a false positive is flagged, we treat it as if a virus was let through. This gives a new percentage score that’s more reflective of a product’s overall accuracy.
AVG
97%
Trend Micro
100%
Norton
97%
BitDefender
100%
Kaspersky
97%
ESET
97%
Microsoft
87%
BullGuard
84%
F-Secure
90%
Avira
84%
PC Tools
84%
G-Data Webroot
90% %
32%
McAfee
81%
OVERALL VERDICT Although it didn’t offer the absolute best defence, we gave the Gold Award to AVG because it came very close to the marginally superior Trend Micro software, but did so free of charge. If you want more protection and more features, Trend Micro Titanium Internet Security is the way to go, but you have to pay for the privilege. Market leader Norton
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Internet Security merits a solid third place, with slick features and security to match our Gold Award winner. Special mention ought to go to BitDefender, which was the only other product to offer complete protection against all 31 of our viruses, though it lost out by not being quite so good at cleaning up the residue. }
Discuss these results at www.webuser.co.uk/forums
COMPETITION
! N I W
ONE OF 6 SANDBERG SOUND BUNDLES
Sandberg has teamed up with Web User to offer readers the chance to win one of six audio bundles containing the Sandberg X-plosion Speaker Set 2.1, the USB Sound Box 7.1 and USB Surround Sound Headset 5.1
WORTH
£171
EACH!
The Sandberg X-plosion Speaker Set 2.1 offers powerful amplification, whether you want to boost the audio of your games and movies or party the night away. The 20-Watt output of the large subwoofer and 5.25in Monster Size Dome Speaker provide thundering bass, while the two 10-Watt table speakers produce an attractive and balanced treble. Volume, bass and treble are easily adjusted directly on the subwoofer.
Get top-quality sound on your computer! The Sandberg USB Sound Box 7.1 lets you connect speaker systems with up to eight speakers – you can even choose whether to use an analogue or digital connection. For recording purposes, you can connect two microphones, as well as one analogue and one digital audio source. You can easily check all connected devices via the userfriendly software provided, which offers a whole host of functions.
For more information visit: www.sandberg.it
The Sandberg USB Surround Sound Headset 5.1 is a revolutionary headset with built-in front, rear and central speakers as well as a subwoofer – just like a traditional surround-sound system. The headset feeds surround sound directly into your ears to provide an intense audio experience when gaming or watching movies on your computer. At the same time, you avoid disturbing those around you. The plug-and-play headset can be connected to any USB port.
Enter online now at www.webuser.co.uk/win 13 January 2011
53
Practical IN THIS SECTION... 56 Practical Feature
Upgrade video with Adobe Premiere Elements
58 Expert Tips
Explore and customise the Windows Registry
MEET THE WEB USER
EXPERT TEAM ANDY SHAW Technical & Reviews Editor PC and web journalist since 1993
59 Readers’ Tips
The best tips sent in by readers this issue
61
Web User’s Practical pages help you get the best out of the web. Find answers to common questions and learn new PC and internet skills
Workshops
• Manage all your contacts in one place • Transfer files and solve PC problems remotely
63 Ask the Experts
Our technical team answers your questions
64 Readers’ Helpdesk
WAYNE WILLIAMS Contributor
PC and web journalist since 1993
VICKY WOOLLASTON Staff Writer Web journalist since 2007
The best solutions posted on our reader forums
ROLAND WADDILOVE Contributor
66 Get the Most From… Windows Live Mail 2011
Computer programmer and PC journalist since 1981
68 How To…
Make your PC more energy efficient – Part 2
Upgrade your home videos to HD quality
Read newspaper content offline PAGE 59
Merge all your contacts lists PAGE 61
Use Microsoft’s free email service PAGE 66
Conserve energy on PC peripherals PAGE 68
PAGE 56 Get more practical advice at www.webuser.co.uk/forums
13 January 2011
55
Practical
WORKSHOP
Upgrade your video to HD Adobe Premiere Elements 9: www.adobe.com/uk/products/premiereel ❘
5 mins
I
f you’ve been making home video for any length of time, the chances are you’ve got hours of footage tucked away on digital tapes or on your hard disk. The trouble is, this may be 4:3 format rather than widescreen, and will almost certainly lack the definition of the HD footage you can get from relatively cheap cameras today. However, with a few simple tweaks you can update old video footage for the modern era. While you’re not going to magically get HD quality out of lower-quality footage, you can go some way to boosting the picture and the resolution to give more of an HD impression. The downside is that you’ll have to buy some digital video software to do the job. There are plenty of options, but we’ve plumped for Adobe Premiere Elements 9, which has all the tools you’ll need. Free video-editing options are fairly thin on the ground but there are tricks you can use to boost the appearance of standard-definition video for playing on HD screens – see our expert tip (above right, page 57) for something to try with Windows Live Movie Maker (http://explore.live.com/windowslive-movie-maker).
About Adobe Premiere Elements
Premiere Elements 9 (www.adobe.com/uk/products/ premiereel) is Adobe’s excellent, full-featured consumer video-editing software. It has a suggested retail price of £77.46, but shop around – at the time of going to press, we saw it widely available online for less than £60 (http://bit .ly/premiere257). You can also buy it in a bundle with Adobe Photoshop Elements 9 – this bundle was awarded four out of five stars in Issue 251 of Web User.
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From the File menu 1 choose New, Project (or select ‘new project’ from the intro screen). Give the project a name 2 and choose where to save it. 3 Click on the Change Settings button 4 and select HDV 720p 25. 5
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Import the file you want to edit by selecting the Organize tab. 1 Click Get Media 2 and ‘Files and Folders’. 3 Choose the file you want to upscale. If you want to use more than one video and edit them together, load all the videos now.
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Click and hold your video 1 and drag it down to the timeline bar towards the bottom of the screen. Drop it into the slot labelled Video 1. 2 You may get a warning that your formats are mismatched. Click No 3 because you want to upgrade your video.
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If you want to edit your video before upgrading it, now is a good time to do it. To cut sections from your video, go to the beginning of the section to cut and press Ctrl+K. Do the same at the end of the section you want to cut. Make sure the section is highlighted, 1 then press Delete.
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Practical
IMPROVE OLD VIDEO FOOTAGE EXPERT TIP ANDY SHAW says
If you haven’t got Premiere Elements, there are still tricks you can use to boost your video. You could save it to a higher resolution in Windows Live Movie Maker, though this doesn’t have any sharpening tricks. However, if you’ve got high-resolution photos of the event you’ve filmed, try adding them as a pan-and-scan slide show. The quality of the pictures will lift the presentation of the footage around it.
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If your video was shot on an older video camera, it may be in 4:3 ratio, while your new project will be 16:9 widescreen. Make sure your whole timeline is selected. 1 Click the Edit tab 2 and Effects. 3 Then click the Edit Effects button. 4
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Click the arrow next to Motion 1 and make sure the Uniform Scale box is ticked. 2 Drag the scale slider 3 to the right until the picture fills the screen. You’ll want a bit of overlap just to ensure that no black lines appear on the final video.
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This may harshly crop sections of video. Select a scene you want to adjust, making it into a clip with Ctrl+K if necessary. Hover your mouse over the vertical position 1 until the cursor turns to an arrow. Click and drag the number to adjust the position up and down. Click Done. 2
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Some special effects may improve the appearance of your video. Click Sharpen 1 then Apply. 2 Modern cameras also use image stabilisers to elim inate camera shake. You can add this retrospectively with the Image Stabilizer option.
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Click Edit Effects again. Click the arrows next to Sharpen 1 and Stabilizer 2 to adjust the settings. Increase the Sharpen Amount very slightly – don’t go over the top or it’ll be too much. Check the Stabilizer settings – the default should be OK.
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10
Click the Share tab. 1 Choose to either write the file to Blu-ray or DVD from the Disc option if you wish. Or, to save an HD file, click Computer. Choose MPEG, click the down arrow next to Presets and select ‘HD 720p 25’. Name the file and save it.
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EXPERT TIPS
Web User’s top tips Our team of experts show you how to explore, edit, tweak and back up the Windows Registry TOP TIPS FOR THE WINDOWS REGISTRY
What is the Registry?
W
hen you customise Windows and any of the programs it runs, the settings are stored in files collectively called the Registry. By tweaking the settings in these files, you can change elements of Windows that aren’t accessible
anywhere else on your PC. It’s a vital part of Windows and problems with it could prevent your computer from working, which is why you are sometimes warned not to meddle with it. But Registry problems are rare and, as long as you back-up as you go, changes can be easily undone.
Back it up
Regedit is the tool Windows uses to explore and modify the Registry. Click Start (then Run, in XP) and enter ‘regedit’ (without the quotes). The folders on the left are called keys and, when selected, show items on the right called values. There’s no Undo button in Regedit, but making back-ups is easy so, before you alter anything, right-click the key and select Export to create a back-up. Enter a filename and save it in a safe place. Right-click Computer at the top of the key pane to back up the whole Registry with all the settings. There are also downloadable tools for backing up the Registry, such as the free ERUNT (www.larshederer. homepage.t-online.de).
Explore it
Windows and other programs create keys and store settings in the values. Expand HKEY_CURRENT_USER and then Software, and you’ll see keys that have been created by programs you’ve installed. There may even be keys for software you’ve uninstalled. To remove these, right-click a key and select Delete. There are alternatives to Regedit. RegSeeker (www.hoverdesk.net) is a free tool that provides easy access to the most useful parts of the Registry. RegScanner (www.nirsoft.net) is also free and lets you search the Registry for specific information. Right-click it and select ‘Run as Administrator’. You can then double-click search results to open them in Regedit.
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Eusing Free Registry Cleaner (www. eusing.com). Clean just a few items at a time and make sure at each stage that Windows is working OK. If it is, clean a bit more. If not, undo the changes.
Optimise it
After removing redundant Registry entries with clean-up tools, there will be lots of empty space. To squeeze every last millisecond of performance out of your PC, optimise the Registry with a defragmenter. Programs like Simnet Registry Defrag (http:// simnetsoftware.com) and Auslogics Registry Cleaner (www.auslogics .com) are free.
Check each user
RegSeeker provides easy access to the Registry and contains some useful tools
Restore it
Double-clicking a back-up file puts everything back the way it was. It’s ideal for undoing any changes you’ve made. Another way to restore the Registry is to click Start, Accessories, System Tools, System Restore. Just follow the prompts to restore the system to an earlier time. If your PC is not working properly, turning back the clock to a time when it was functioning OK can solve some problems. ERUNT can restore the Registry too, but it works best with XP.
Clean it
A clean Registry is faster and causes fewer problems, so get Registry Life (www.chemtable.com), Wise Registry Cleaner Free (www.wisecleaner.com) or
Registry cleaners are useful, but use them with care and don’t delete too much
Some parts of the Registry apply to everyone that uses the computer, but each user account also has its own private section. After making a change to the Registry, log on as each user and repeat the procedure so everyone benefits.
Boost Memory and speed
If you have 4GB of memory, you can configure Windows to keep as much of its system code and drivers in memory as possible to boost the speed. Click Start (then Run, in XP), and type ‘regedit’ (without the quotes). Go to HKEY_LOCAL_ MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControl Set\Control\Session Manager\ Memory Management in the left pane and look for DisablePagingExecutive on the right. If it doesn’t exist, select Edit, New, DWORD Value (32-bit) and name it DisablePagingExecutive. Double-click the value and set it to 1.
No Task Manager
To prevent children and other novices accessing Task Manager and messing up the system, go to HKEY_CURRENT _USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows \CurrentVersion\Policies\System and find DisableTaskMgr. If it’s not there, click Edit, New, DWORD value and name it DisableTaskMgr. Double-click it and set it to 1 to disable Task Manager or 0 to enable it.
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Practical
READERS’ TIPS
Your top tips
Our pick of the best advice from our readers. To get help or offer it to others, visit www.webuser.co.uk/forums WINDOWS 7
Get a laptop power efficiency report
If you have a laptop that runs Windows 7, you can test how efficient it is by using the efficiency calculator. The calculator generates Right-click the Command Prompt to run it as an loads of administrator useful information about power consumption and can give you an idea of how to boost your battery life and overall performance. To get to the efficiency calculator, you need to open a command prompt as an administrator by typing ‘cmd’ (without the quotes) from the Start menu. When the cmd icon appears, right-click it and choose ‘Run as administrator’. Now type in ‘powercfg -energy’ (without quotes) and hit Enter. Windows 7 will now scan your system looking for ways to improve power efficiency. It will then publish the results in an HTML file, usually in the System32 folder. Just follow the path it gives you to find your report. Peter Morris, Portsmouth
ANDROID
Read the Guardian offline
This is a tip for Android Phone owners. I’ve recently discovered a brilliant free app called The Guardian Anywhere (http://bit.ly/yourtips2257) that lets you download the RSS feeds for that day’s
Read the Guardian even when you don’t have a wireless signal
£25 winner
TOP TIP WINDOWS 7
Add logos to Windows 7 Media Center guide I sometimes watch media through my PC on my TV. I’ve found that the Windows 7 Media Center guide can look a little stark and unappealing, especially if you are staring at it on a large screen. However, with My Channel Logos (http://mychannellogos.com) you can add logos for many of the listed stations. It is a free service but you can make a donation if you want. A full tutorial on how to install and run My Channel Logos can be found on
Guardian.co.uk, including images, so it can be read offline. If you have a long journey to work, on the tube for instance, you can now read Guardian content without the need for an internet connection. The app can be set to download the latest update during the night. You can also set it to download only via Wi-Fi, so it won’t break the bandwidth limit on your mobile connection. Dangermouse 75, via Webuser.co.uk/ forums
EMAIL
Adding personal folders in Outlook
I often get told that my Outlook 2007 mailbox is over its size limit but I don’t like deleting loads of emails in one go, in case I delete something I need. You can create a personal folder in Outlook to keep important emails, which makes getting rid of the rest easier. Plus it will free up space in your mailbox. Open Outlook, go to File and choose Data File Management. Then go to Add and choose ‘Office Outlook Personal Folders File (.pst)’. If you’ve got an older version of Outlook, it’s still the same method but you can choose ‘Outlook 97-2002 Personal Folders File (.pst)’ instead. Give
Send your tips to
[email protected] - win £25 for the best tip!
Add channel logos to improve the appearance Windows Media Center
the My Channel Logos instructions page (http://bit.ly/yourtips1257). The guide data looks much nicer and, on a larger screen, aids channel selection. You need to have a TV tuner installed and have gone through Live TV Setup, and it only works on Windows 7. Ezyduzzit, via Webuser.co.uk/ forums
You can add a Personal Folder to your Outlook mailbox to store important emails and clear space
the folder a name and a password, if you want to protect it, then click OK. Close the window and your Personal Folder should now appear in the sidebar. Laura Glancy, via email
FIREFOX
Find text quicker
You can press Ctrl+F to open the Find box on most programs if you want to search a page or document for a particular word or phrase. But you can do this even quicker in Firefox by just pressing the forward-slash key ‘/’. The cursor will automatically go into a Quick Find box, so you just start typing
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READERS’ TIPS
Use the forward-slash key to open the Quick Find box in Firefox
the word and the cursor will find the first instance of that word on the page and automatically jump to it. You can use this for links, too. Search for a word and, if it is within a link, press Enter and the link will open in a new tab. Luke Williams, via email
them on the Quick Launch area to add an icon. If you click Start and type ‘quick’ (without the quotes), then click Quick Launch in the Start menu, the folder opens that contains the shortcuts. You can add more shortcuts, delete them, rename them and so on. If you right-click a shortcut and select Properties, then click Advanced on the Shortcut tab, you can set the program to always start in Administrator mode, which can be useful for certain programs. Jake Payne, Reading
WINDOWS
Burn ISO files to disc
GENERAL PC
Add folders to Windows Live Essentials
VIDEO
Windows Disc Image Burner is built into Windows 7 and will burn ISO files
Skip to the good bits in YouTube
If you have been watching a video on YouTube and there’s a great scene or funny moment that you want to share with friends, the obvious thing to do is to copy the URL from the address box and post it in an email, or on Facebook or Twitter. You could tell people to skip to the good bit at 1 minute 14 seconds in, but there’s a better way. Right-click a video that’s playing and select ‘Copy video URL at current time’. Share this with your friends and when they click it, the video starts at the exact spot you want. Cool! M Harris, Southport
programs are hogging the processor, there’s a better utility in Windows 7. Click Start, type ‘resmon’ (without the quotes) and hit the Enter key. It’s really useful. Mark Jones, via email
Include pictures from additional folders in Windows Live Photo Gallery
I downloaded all the Windows Live Essentials software from www. windowslive.co.uk/essentials and I find the Photo Gallery really useful for keeping track of photos and other images on my hard disk. It automatically includes all the photos in My Pictures and Public Pictures, but it’s useful to know that you can add extra folders if you have photos stored elsewhere, such as on a USB drive. Right-click Pictures on the left and select ‘Include a folder in the gallery’. The folders currently included are listed and there’s a button to add more folders. Paul Sweeney, via email
If you’ve downloaded an ISO file, it must be written to a CD or DVD in a special way. You used to need special CD/DVDwriting software to do the job, but now it’s built into Windows 7. Right-click an ISO file you have downloaded and you can choose the software with which to burn it to disc. I got a ‘lite’ version of Nero that runs automatically when ISO files are double-clicked, but right-clicking and choosing Open With lets me select Windows Disc Image Burner instead. Steve Moore, via email
BROADBAND
Check connection quality
WINDOWS
Monitor your resources
Send YouTube video links that play from a point of your choice within the clip
If you regularly use Task Manager to check what programs are running, how much memory is being used and which
VISTA
Quick Launch quick tips
I’m still using Vista and despite the criticism it got, it’s still working OK for me. I like the Quick Launch area on the Taskbar, just to the right of the Start button. You can click and drag the icons around to rearrange their order. You can also click and drag your favourite programs from the Start menu and drop
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The Resource Monitor in Windows 7 shows you which programs are running
Test the quality of your broadband connection with Pingtest.net
A lot of us use speed tests to find out our internet speeds, but I’ve just stumbled across a sister site to Speedtest.net (www.speedtest.net). It’s called Pingtest.net (www.pingtest.net) and, rather than just testing upload and download speeds, it assesses the quality of your connection. Streaming media, audio, video communications and online gaming require more than just speed. When you run the test, the site gives your connection a graded rating. I did the test and my connection got a ‘B’. Papi11on, via Webuser.co.uk/forums
Visit the Hints & Tips forum at www.webuser.co.uk/forums
Practical
WORKSHOP
Manage all your contacts in one place
I
f your contacts are spread across your email, social networks and maybe even a spreadsheet list, it’s worth gathering them in one place. Google Contacts does this
brilliantly, making it easy to keep track of friends, family and colleagues. It also merges duplicate addresses and lets you create mailing lists.
Google Contacts www.google.com/contacts ❘
10 mins
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You’ll need to turn your different contacts lists into CSV (Comma Separated Values) files or vCards in the case of mobile phone contacts. Each provider works slightly differently but most can be created by going into Contacts and choosing Export. Spreadsheet lists can be saved as CSVs too.
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Import each CSV file into Google Contacts one at a time by clicking Import, 1 then Browse 2 or Choose File, then select your file from your personal folders. Choosing which group to add these into is optional. 3 Click Import 4 to finish.
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From My Contacts, click Find Duplicates. This will show any duplicate copies of people or contact details. Make sure the corresponding boxes are ticked, 1 then click Merge. 2 Click details 3 to see the addresses.
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Add individual contacts using the New Contact icon, 1 or add a group using the New Group icon. 2 Give groups a name in the dialogue box. 3 For new contacts, you can add emails, numbers, birthdays, websites and notes to the relevant fields. 4
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To add a batch of contacts to groups, tick the boxes next to the contact names you want to include, 1 then go to Groups. 2 Select the group you want from the dropdown list. 3 To remove certain contacts, select ‘Remove from... My Contacts’ 4 or ‘Delete contacts’. 5
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Groups can be used as mailing lists. To email everyone in a group, click the name of the group in the sidebar. 1 All contacts will be selected by default so untick the box for anyone you don’t want to include. 2 Click Email. 3
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WORKSHOP
Transfer files and solve PC problems remotely
R
emotely accessing a PC sounds complicated but free software TeamViewer makes it safe and easy. It’s especially useful if someone miles away needs PC
TeamViewer: www.teamviewer.com ❘
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support, or if you want to transfer files or large photos without having to email, zip files or share online. The software can be run straight from the download without having to be installed.
15 mins
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Both computers must have TeamViewer installed or running. Each PC gets a unique ID 1 and password. 2 To connect, type in your partner’s ID 3 , select whether you want remote access or file transfer, 4 click ‘Connect to partner’ 5 and enter their password.
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During remote access, you can edit all files and folders. The remote PC’s Desktop will appear in a new window. You don’t need extra permissions to make changes but the remote owner can enable or disable input. 1 This is visible but greyed out on the local PC.
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On the remote-access screen, a menu bar 1 lets you change the view, 2 control the audio and record the session. 3 In Actions, 4 you can hide your actions using a black screen. 5 If you want to use keyboard shortcuts, tick ‘Send key combinations’. 6
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Enable File Transfer from the connection screen or menu bar in the remote-access screen. To copy files, select the file from the right-hand side (remote PC), 1 the destination folder on the left (local PC) 2 and click Receive. 3 To send files, reverse the selections and click Send. 4
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For regular access to a PC, configure Unattended Access. You can then access that computer even if the other person isn’t there. From the start screen, click Connection 1 then ‘Setup unattended access’. 2 Follow the prompts and set a password. The other person has to accept the request.
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To end a session, click the red cross on the menu bar. 1 The owner of the remote PC can end the session by clicking the red cross in the session window on their Desktop. 2 This is visible but greyed out on the local PC.
Get more software tips at www.webuser.co.uk/forums
ASK THE EXPERTS
Practical
Ask the Experts
Web User answers your technical questions. Email us for help at
[email protected] BROWSERS
Lost downloads
Q
I’m running Windows Vista. Last week I started getting an error and now I can’t open URL links in emails. When I try to download a file from a site, it gets cancelled. If I right-click and try again, it appears to download but I cannot find it on my PC. I have disabled AVG and it made no difference. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Wilson Cowden, via email
A
Internet Explorer has somehow muddled up its settings. Resetting it back to its original state should sort it out. Start Internet Explorer and then select Tools, Internet Options. Go to the Advanced tab and click Reset. Tick the box to delete personal settings, but be aware that this removes any stored usernames and passwords, so make sure you know them. Then click the Reset button. Quit Internet Explorer, then click Start and type ‘Default Programs’ (without the quotes). Click the option when it appears on the Start menu and select Internet Explorer in the list of programs. Click ‘Set the program as default’. Everything should now be OK. Internet Explorer saves files you download to the last-used location. It’s easy to click through the dialogue boxes quickly when downloading something and then afterwards wonder where you saved it to. Always select the Downloads folder or the Desktop when downloading something and check that this is actually where it’s been saved.
SOFTWARE
OpenOffice has frozen
Q
OpenOffice.org has frozen and I can’t close it. I can’t type anything or scroll up and down, and nothing happens when I click on File, Tools, Help or any other button. Also, I can’t shut down my computer– it will only go to standby. I have a document that I am working on that I don’t want to lose, but I saved
BROWSERS
Recovering history in IE
Q
Could you tell me how to view deleted browser history, from about a year ago to the present? I am not very computer literate but have found recent items in the search menu. I have been told that the search menu refreshes every 20 days – is this true? Tina Lemon, via email
A
To see the websites that you have visited in Internet Explorer, click the Favorites button on the left and then click the History tab. You’ll see items such as Today, Last Week, 2 Weeks Ago and 3 Weeks Ago. Selecting one of these will show the sites you visited at that time. There is a limit to the number of days that are stored, though. To see
it when I last worked on it. Can you help? Nigel Burgess, via email
A
There is a chance you can recover it. Press Ctrl+A (select all), then Ctrl+C (copy). Press Ctrl+Alt+Del and select Task Manager. Find OpenOffice. org in the processes list (soffice.bin and soffice.exe), right-click it and choose End Process Tree. This closes the program. Restart it and it might just automatically recover the document. If it doesn’t, create a new document and press Ctrl+V (paste). With luck, your document should appear. If it doesn’t, there isn’t much you can do about it. If your computer won’t switch off, just hold down the power button for five seconds. It will then cut the power. Don’t do this unless absolutely necessary because it doesn’t allow programs to save documents, settings and so on before switching off. You’ll lose anything you were working on.
You can set the number of days you want IE’s website history stored
this, select Internet Options on the Tools menu and then click the Settings button in the Browsing History section of the General tab. At the bottom is the number of days to keep and the default is 20. The maximum allowed is 999 days, but unless you set this a year ago, the pages you visited will have been erased.
tell me how I can install a Flash player to watch BBC iPlayer on it? Or would it be better to have a Samsung Galaxy Tab as this has Adobe Flash Player? Does it work on BBC iPlayer and do both models have 3G? Ian Mckeand, via email
A
Although the Commtiva N700 (www.linx-av.com) uses the Android operating system, it isn’t compatible with Flash. A Samsung Galaxy is a better option if you must have Flash. All models have 3G and the iPlayer should work fine.
HARDWARE
Using Flash on a tablet
Q
I have a Commtiva N700 computer tablet running Android. Can you
Find more solutions to PC and web problems at www.webuser.co.uk/forums
The Commtiva is a decent 3G tablet that only costs £329.99, but it doesn’t run Flash
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Readers’helpdesk
Our pick of the best solutions posted on our reader forums. Visit www.webuser.co.uk/forums – it’s friendly and free!
WEB BUILDING
Buying a domain name
Q
I am looking for some advice regarding purchasing a domain name. I’ve identified a website address that I’d like to use for my consultancy business. Unfortunately, the domain name is already taken, although when I enter the www address, nothing comes up. I’ve got the name and address of the registered owner but I’m not sure what to do next. Is it possible to purchase a domain name? Davidinyorkshire, via Webuser.co.uk/ forums
If a domain name is taken, contact the owner or try an alternative suffix
A
If someone already owns the domain name you want, you have no choice but to ask the owner if they are willing to sell it to you. the seller can push the price as high as they like until you either agree or drop out of the market and buy a different domain name. Greysts, via Webuser.co.uk/forums
A
Are there perhaps other TLDs (Top Level Domains) available for the name that you want to register? For example, if .com has already been taken, you could try one of the following and see if they’re available: .co, .org, .co.uk, .org.uk, .net, .biz, .info. Mgmcc, via Webuser.co.uk/forums
SECURITY
Compromised email
Q
I’ve received a couple of emails that look as though they came from my son’s email address, but he hasn’t sent them. They have also been sent to a number of other addresses that are in his address book. There is no title and the email text just features a website address. I haven’t tried clicking on it in case it’s
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HARDWARE
Foot-controlled mouse
Q
My mouse is about to give up the ghost. Whenever I press the left button, it clicks more than once. So I’m in the market for a new one. However, due to my disability I need to kneel on the floor, support myself against the desk and stabilise my arm to use the mouse. Because I’m ge getting ng older, my knees get sore quicker cker and my back gets stiff. I was therefore thinking, because I have reasonable control in my left foot, is there ea mouse that I could use with that? Perhaps a track-ball mouse where here I just need to click the e buttons once to lock and click lick again to unlock. Does anyone e know if there
something nasty. How do I go about finding out what it is? Should he be worried about viruses? LittleWing, via Webuser.co.uk/forums
A
I think your son would be wise to scan his computer with an anti-virus program. He could also download, update and then scan with SUPERAntiSpyware Free Edition (www.superantispyware .com) and Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware (www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php). If you’re not opening the emails or downloading any attachments, you’re probably fine. But it wouldn’t hurt for you to run the anti-virus and anti-malware programs on your own computer, too. Heidi, via Webuser.co.uk/forums
is such a thing on the market? Clum111, via Webuser.co.uk/forums
A
Kensington makes a range of trackballs, such as the Kensington Expert Mouse – see http://bit.ly/ readhelp1257 for more information. It mig might also be worth looking outside the UK. The Micros Microspeed KIdTRAC Trackball by Cle Clearly Superior Technologies (http:// clearlysuper clearlysuperiortech .com) iis available from the US. W Smith, via Webuser.co.uk/ forums If you ha have disabilities, a trackball mouse may be useful
it. I am having to use Google Chrome with which I have also had freezes, though not so many. Does anyone have any suggestions please? smilerviv, via Webuser.co.uk/forums
A
Did you make any changes to your computer immediately before these problems began? If so, you could try doing a System Restore back to a time before you made them. The fact that you are having freezes on Chrome as well suggests it’s not just a Firefox problem.
BROWSERS
Firefox plug-in problem
Q
I am having terrible problems with Firefox. It freezes, gives a semiopaque whitish screen and I can’t click anywhere. I have to end the application in the Task Manager and then end the process on the Processes tab. I have disabled all the plug-ins because Windows 7 Action Center says I have a problem with the Mozilla Firefox plug-in container but it doesn’t tell me how to fix
Firefox’s plug-in container isolates each extension so if one crashes, it won’t take down the whole browser
Share your knowledge at www.webuser.co.uk/forums
READERS’ HELPDESK There are things that might be worth trying in Firefox as well though. You could try starting Firefox in Safe Mode (http://kb.mozillazine.org/Safe_ mode) and see if the problem goes away. You can get to Firefox Safe Mode by going to the Start menu and choosing Programs, Mozilla Firefox. If the problem goes away, that indicates a troublesome extension. You could try disabling all of them, and then re-enabling them one by one until the problem recurs. This will then show where the trouble is. Alternatively, you could create a new profile (http://bit.ly/readhelp3257) to see whether that works. Don’t delete your existing profile, though. Here are a couple of further links from Mozilla and MozillaZine you may find useful: ‘Plug-in container and out-ofprocess plug-ins’ (http://bit.ly/ readhelp4257) and ‘What is plug-in container?’ (http://bit.ly/readhelp5257). Madeline, via Webuser.co.uk/forums
WINDOWS
Reactivating Vista Premium
the hard disks, you should be OK. Mgmcc, via Webuser.co.uk/forums
SOFTWARE
Missing print options in Word
Q
When printing with Word 2003, I’m not getting the Print Dialogue box. It just goes straight to printing and I get no print options. If I want more than one print, for example, I need to keep clicking the print icon rather than being able to set the number of copies in the Print Dialogue. I can’t find the option to stop Word 2003 from printing automatically and I’m stumped how to enable the Print Dialogue box. Can anyone advise me please? Jonny555, via Webuser.co.uk/forums
which of these errors I can delete but I don’t really want to register my details. Can anyone recommend similar software that offers a free scan that also fixes errors automatically? Evertonic, via Webuser.co.uk/forums
A
That’s the default action when you press the print icon from the toolbar in Word, although some other programs will open the Dialogue box regardless of how you choose to print. Not only will it print one copy by default, it will also send to the default printer. If you want to print multiple copies or print on a different printer, you can either press Ctrl+P or go to File, then select Print. Mgmcc, via Webuser.co.uk/forums
A
GENERAL PC
A
Free Registry cleaning
Q You shouldn’t have any problems installing Windows Vista on a new hard disk
Q
I have just bought, installed and activated Windows Vista Premium. The problem I have is that my hard disk has died and I’m about to put in a new internal hard disk to replace it. Will I have to reactivate Vista Premium again once I have installed it? I’m concerned that it will reject the product key as I have already activated it on the previous hard disk. I don’t want to have to buy a new product key or lose Vista Premium. Tony044, via Webuser.co.uk/forums
A friend recently recommended a free Registry-scan website. I ran the scan and it found numerous errors. The thing is it then wanted me to register to be able to remove them. I don’t know
You can remove the entries with RegSeeker (www.hoverdesk.net/ freeware.htm). It’s very good and I use it to clean up every day because there are always a couple entries after using AIM, for example. All green entries are 100 per cent safe to delete. Entries marked in red should be treated with more caution. The first time I ran the scan, it removed over 850 keys, so it’s an excellent program. Dude 111, via Webuser.co.uk/forums The only free Registry cleaner that I would trust is CCleaner (www. piriform.com/ccleaner). Even then, accepting CCleaner’s offer of a Registry back-up before carrying out a clean-up is recommended. George, via Webuser.co.uk/forums
Changing file permissions
Q
In theory, if the only thing you’ve done is change the hard disk, you shouldn’t have any problems reregistering. If you do, a simple phone call to Microsoft explaining the situation should fix it. Greysts, via Webuser.co.uk/forums
A
A
At one time, I had Vista installed on two separate hard disks, which were used in the same PC, and I never had a problem with activation when swapping between the disks. Having only changed
CCleaner scans and removes errors for free
WINDOWS 7
I recently replaced my old hard disk as it was dying. I put Windows 7 on the new one and copied all the files over. I have a few files that won’t come over though. When I try to move them I get a message saying I need permission from the administrator. I thought I was the administrator so I’m assuming it means the old installation of Windows 7. The problem is that I can’t boot this version anymore. How do I get the files across? Glensumner, via Webuser.co.uk/ forums
A
Practical
You will almost certainly need to take ownership of the files. The simplest way of doing this in Windows 7 is to add a Take Ownership option to
Get more tips at www.webuser.co.uk/forums
T k ownership hi off Windows Wi d Take files that have been reinstated to a new disk
the menu that appears after you right-click on the mouse. To do this, you’ll need to download and open a special zip file. A thread from a Windows 7 support forum shows you how at http://bit.ly/readhelp6257. It is an option in Windows Vista as well. Mgmcc, via Webuser.co.uk/forums
13 January 2011
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Every issue we take a closer look at a website or program. Our subject this time is Microsoft’s free email service
Get st the Mo… From
Windows Live Mail 2011 http://explore.live.com/ windows-live-mail
T
he latest version of Windows Live Mail has had a major makeover. The ribbon interface found in most modern Microsoft programs places all the important features and commands within easy reach and tucks away lesser functions (such as folder management
and views) in relevant tabs along the top of the screen. To install the software, run the Windows Live Essentials downloader, choose the custom option and pick Mail from the list of programs. You can install other applications at the same time if you wish.
MANAGE YOUR EMAIL Windows Live Mail lets you access multiple POP and IMAP accounts from one location. Here’s how to use it.
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Adding accounts to Live Mail couldn’t be simpler. Enter an email address 1 and password, 2 and choose a display name for sent messages. 3 The software will recognise Hotmail and Gmail addresses, and fill in the settings automatically. You can manually configure the server settings for other accounts. 4
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The message headers will be shown in a strip on the left, 1 with the contents in the reading window on the right. 2 If the message contains images, you’ll need to either add the sender to your safe list 3 or click the ‘Show images’ link 4 to view them. Reply to a message or forward it using the buttons in the ribbon. 4
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The default layout is designed for widescreen monitors but you can change it by clicking the View tab. 1 Click ‘Message list’ or ‘Reading pane’, 2 and select the option you want to apply. ‘Calendar pane’ 3 toggles the calendar on or off. 4 ‘Compact view’ 5 reduces the left panel to icons. 6
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13 January 2011
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‘Quick views’ lets you filter your Inbox to just show unread messages, emails from contacts or unread feeds. You can toggle ‘Quick views’ on or off 1 (yellow means it’s on) and also add or remove filters by clicking the ‘Quick views’ button 2 and selecting the ones you want. 3 Click OK to update the views list.
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To set up and view web feeds, click the Feeds option, 1 followed by the Feed button. 2 Enter the URL of the site to subscribe to. 3 The list of feeds will appear on the left and you’ll be able to view all unread stories, 4 or browse the subscriptions individually. 5
Get more practical advice at www.webuser.co.uk/forums
GET THE MOST FROM...
Practical
JUNK Select a message and click this button to mark it as spam and remove it from your Inbox. Click the down arrow to access the safety options.
QUICK ACCESS TOOLBAR The most commonly used options can be accessed through the title bar menu. Click the down-arrow to choose which ones to display.
FOLDERS It’s easy to organise your Inbox – just create some folders and drag messages to them.
CALENDAR Click this button to open the Calendar full screen. You can add events by rightclicking a date, or by using the ‘Add to calendar’ button on the Home tab.
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You can send high-res photos to friends without overloading their Inboxes by using Windows Live SkyDrive as a holding area. Click the ‘Photo email’ button 1 and then sign in to Windows Live Mail using your Live ID. 2 If you don’t have one, click the link to sign up for a new account. 3
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Browse for the photos you want to add to the new message. The photos will be laid out in an album view. 1 You can edit the text, 2 change the layout and turn the expiration date option on or off. 3 When a friend receives the email, they’ll be able to view the photos in SkyDrive by clicking the thumbnails.
Get more email help at www.webuser.co.uk/forums
8
You can find any message in your Inbox by sorting or searching for it. Click the ‘Sort by’ arrow 1 and choose the criteria you want to order your Inbox by. 2 If you’ve picked a different view, you can just click the column header. Alternatively, type a sender name or some message text into the search box. 3
13 January 2011
67
... How To
Make your PC more energy efficient
Wayne Williams offers cash-saving tips for conserving the energy used by PC peripherals Part 2 ❘ Peripherals and other devices
I
t’s obvious that leaving your computer on overnight wastes electricity, but other devices – such as your printer, mobile phone charger and router – may also be consuming power unnecessarily. In the second part of this project, we’ll show you how to conserve power on your peripherals and look at some useful gadgets that can help you track and reduce your overall energy usage.
Turn off your printer
Your printer only needs to be on when want to print something, so try to get into the habit of turning it off after each
job completes. Always use the on/off button on an inkjet, rather than turning it off at the mains, as this will park the print heads and avoid the device having to go through a wasteful self-test and cleaning cycle the next time you turn it back on.
Unplug your router
Turning off your Wi-Fi router when it’s not actively connected to the internet can help save power and prevent hackers from gaining access to your network. Always remember to shut it down when you go on holiday. Your printer only needs to be on when you print, so turn it off when it’s not in use
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13 January 2011
Extend your battery life
Battery-powered devices such as laptops,
Part Two
iPods and mobile phones only use power when connected to the mains, so the longer you can make a charge last the better. One of the biggest drains is the backlight, so you should reduce the device’s brightness and decrease the length of time it has to be idle before the screen is dimmed. You should save heavy tasks – such as defragging your laptop’s hard disk – for a time when your hardware is connected to the mains. Bluetooth can sap your mobile’s battery life, so turn it off until you need it. Screensavers and animated wallpaper use a lot of power too, so get rid of them. Disable location services and push
Missed Part 1 of our Energy-saving How To? Download it at www.webuser.co.uk/255
HOW TO...
Practical
notifications when they’re not needed. Extreme temperatures can affect a battery’s lifespan, so avoid leaving a phone in your car’s glove compartment on a hot day. The timing of a battery charge can also make a difference. You don’t want to keep topping up the battery every time it drops a little way, nor do you want to leave it until it’s completely dead. It’s best to wait until the battery has drained most of the way down and then charge it fully. For more tips on increasing battery life, see our feature on page 38.
Unplug chargers
Despite what you may have heard, leaving a mobile phone charger plugged in when it’s not in use won’t consume a massive amount of power. The exact drain varies from model to model. That said, it certainly won’t hurt to get into the habit of unplugging it once it’s finished charging, as even small savings add up in the long term.
Google’s Powermeter is an online tool that keeps track of your home’s energy consumption
Monitor your energy use
Most of us have no real idea of how much electricity we use on a daily basis, which makes cutting down on waste much more difficult. Attaching an energy monitor to your mains-supply cable will let you see at a glance exactly how much power is being used at any given moment. You’ll even be able to work out how much electricity individual items require, simply by turning them on and off An energy monitor will and noting help you work out the the difference. energy use of individual Some energy devices suppliers provide free monitors with selected tariffs, so it’s worth checking to see if yours does and whether you’re eligible for one. If not, you can always buy an energy monitor, such as the Owl+USB Wireless Electricity Monitor (www. theowl.com). This costs £39.95 including free delivery.
Use Google PowerMeter
PowerMeter (www.google.com/ powermeter) is a free energy-monitoring
NEXT ISSUE
A monitor from Current Cost will let you use PowerMeter without switching supplier
service that lets you keep track of your home’s energy consumption online. To use it, you’ll either need to change your supplier to First Utility (www.first-utility .com) or purchase a compatible monitor from AlertMe (www.alertme.com/ products) or Current Cost (www. currentcost.com/powermeter). Once you’ve set up PowerMeter, you’ll be able to see how much energy you’re using, predict your costs and set up an energysavings goal. PowerMeter will show you how much over or under this target your energy usage is.
bed? The easiest solution is to add one or more energy-saving plugs to your set-up. These can be trained to recognise any button on a standard infrared remote control, which can be used to fully turn off the connected device and turn it back on again when needed. Until 21 March 2011, you can get a free LIME energy-saving plug worth £20 from www.freegreengadgets.co.uk. Other options worth a look include Bye Bye Standby (www.byebyestandby.com) and One Click Technologies’ IntelliPlug (www. oneclickpower.com). Note that these plugs are not suitable for fridges, freezers and entertainment devices that use timers to record TV programmes.
Banish standby
Putting a device on standby isn’t particularly energy efficient because although it looks switched off, it’s actually still consuming power. The best way to stem this wasteful flow is to unplug all your devices, but who can be bothered to do that every night before
Energy-saving plugs can turn your devices off at the mains via a remote control
How To... Solve PC emergencies
Get more hardware tips at www.webuser.co.uk/forums
On sale 27 Jan
13 January 2011
69
BEST BROADBAND
This fortnight’s top broadband deals
SUPERFAST BROADBAND DEALS Package name
Max speed
Download limit
Up-front costs
Contract length
Monthly charge
1st-year cost*
1
O2 The All Rounder (02 mobile customers only) www.o2.co.uk, 0800 198 1351
20Mbps
Unlimited**
None
12 months
£12.25
£110.25†
2
TalkTalk Broadband + Phone Plus www.talktalk.co.uk, 0800 049 7843
24Mbps
Unlimited**
None
18 months
£14.99
£179.88††
Virgin Media Broadband: XXL + Phone: M http://shop.virginmedia.com, 0800 840 7777
50Mbps
Unlimited
None
18 months
£12.50
£225.00†††
BE Pro www.bethere.co.uk, 0808 101 3241
24Mbps
Unlimited**
None
12 months
£22.44
£269.28 ††††
3
4
Terms & conditions apply – see ISP sites for full details Find the late *First-year cost excludes line rental broadband dea st ** Subject to fair usage † Discounted first-year cost includes three months free broadband offer that ends soon. Existing www.webuser. ls at co.uk/ customers only. b ro a d b a n d p ri †† Free connection available online only (otherwise £29.99). You must switch your line rental to ces TalkTalk for £12.30 per month. ia ††† Monthly cost is £12.50 for six months, £25.00 thereafter. You must switch your phone line to Virgin Media to take this package at £12.24 per month. Virgin Media-cabled areas only. †††† Price and speed dependent on postcode availability. Data supplied by Broadband Choices (www.broadbandchoices.co.uk). Correct as of 6 January 2011
Broadband News ■ Jersey gets 1Gbps broadband
KB/s DOWNLOAD SPEED
Residents in St Helier, Jersey, can now receive broadband speeds of 1Gbps – faster than any in Britain. At present, only people living in St Helier’s Castle Quay can access the service, though Jersey Telecom plans to extend it. www.jerseytelecom.com
■ Environmentally friendly broadband
Test your broadband speed How fast is your real broadband speed? Find out with our Broadband Speed Test! www.webuser.co.uk/ speedtest
Grass Roots and Opal Connect have launched an eco-friendly phone-and-broadband package called ECOminutes, which costs from £10 a month for 24Mbps speeds and a 40GB download limit and comes with a free
energy-efficient wireless router. ECOminutes offsets the equivalent of a ton of carbon for each customer who signs up. www.ecominutes.co.uk
■ Liverpool trials electric broadband Scottish Power and Plus Dane Homes are teaming up to use Power Line Communications (PLC) technology to trial up-to-200Mbps broadband in Liverpool. The plan is to get 1,000 homes connected in 2011 using National Grid power lines. Electricity and internet traffic are separated via different wavelengths over the grid so they don’t interfere with each other. www.scottishpower.co.uk
TOP BROADBAND TIP Install a microfilter Investing in a microfilter which splits your telephone line can prevent loss of connection on individual devices. If you use
Find broadband help at www.webuser.co.uk/forums
one for each phone socket on the broadband line where you have equipment plugged in, you’ll experience fewer connection problems with your broadband service.
13 January 2011
71
ESSENTIALS DIRECTORY
Our guide to the web’s best products and services (based on Web User reviews)
PRODUCT NAME
OURVERDICT
RATING
Excellenttoolwithaproventrackrecord Offersplentyofcustomisationoptions Simpletousebutusesmorememory
PRICE
REVIEW/URL
DATE
AWARD
★★★★★ FREE ★★★★★ FREE ★★★★ FREE
http://bit.ly/avggold http://bit.ly/avastsilver http://bit.ly/microbronze
03/06/2010 03/06/2010 03/06/2010
Gold Silver Bronze
★★★★★ FREE ★★★★ FREE ★★★ FREE
http://bit.ly/wotgold http://bit.ly/mcafeesilver http://bit.ly/finjanbronze
08/04/2010 08/04/2010 08/04/2010
Gold Silver Bronze
http://bit.ly/safehousegold http://bit.ly/truecryptsilver http://bit.ly/axcryptbronze
01/07/2010 01/07/2010 01/07/2010
Gold Silver Bronze
FREE ANTIVIRUS AVGAnti-VirusFreeEdition AvastFreeAntivirus MicrosoftSecurityEssentials
FREE WEB FILTERS WebofTrust McAfeeSiteAdvisor FinjanSecureBrowsing
Agreatproductwithmanybrowserplug-ins Veryusefultoolwithreliablefeatures Veryeasytouse,butlackssomefeatures
FREE ENCRYPTION SOFTWARE SafeHouseExplorer TrueCrypt AxCrypt
Offers2TBforeachencryptedvaultandiseasytouse ★★★★★ Offersextraprotectionforexpertusers ★★★★ Actslikeafile-encryptionbolt-onforWindows ★★★
FREE FREE FREE
PCs UNDER 600 Chillblast Fusion Rapier, £586 http://bit.ly/rapiergold Our rating ★★★★★ The Chillblast Fusion Rapier was the best performing PC in our tests. It came top of the group in Windows performance and, in the 3D-gaming test, came a close second. Its performance comes courtesy of an Intel Core i3-530 processor. While this is manufactured to run at 2.93GHz, Chillblast has overclocked the processor to run at 4GHz, significantly improving its performance. On the graphics side, it’s got an Nvidia GeForce GTS 450 graphics card. It’s not the most expensive card available, but it offers a good balance between price and power. The GTS 450 has 1GB of memory of its own, so it doesn’t eat into the PC’s 4GB of memory, which can be entirely devoted to running your applications. The unit has a 1TB disk – more than enough storage for a home PC.
The monitor is a 22in AOC F22+ that supports resolutions up to 1,920 x 1,080 pixels. The screen is decent quality, and offers good colour representation and sharpness. Also supplied is gi key a comfortable Logitech wireless keyboard-andse combination, and a set of mouse abyte speakers. Gigabyte Overall, the Fusion ier’s Rapier’s formance performance es it a makes at PC for great the price.
GOLD D AWAR
FREE PROGRAM LAUNCHERS Executor SlickRun Launchy
Comprehensive,customisableandunobtrusive Useofkeywordsreducesnumberofunwantedresults Easytouse,butlackscustomkeywords
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18/11/2010 18/11/2010 18/11/2010
Gold Silver Bronze
http://bit.ly/deligold 04/11/2010 http://bookmarks.google.com 04/11/2010 http://boookmarks.yahoo.com 04/11/2010
Gold Silver Bronze
http://bit.ly/execgold http://bit.ly/slickrun www.launchy.net
BOOKMARKING SERVICES Delicious GoogleBookmarks YahooBookmarks
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Themostpowerfulandextendableservicethereis ★★★★★ FREE Arefreshinglysimpleservicewithtaggingandsharing ★★★★ FREE Abasic,stripped-downservicewithveryfewfeatures ★★★★ FREE
13 January 2011
Sign up to our newsletter at www.webuser.co.uk/newsletter
ESSENTIALS DIRECTORY WEB USER
GOLD D AWAR
AWARDS
The best product/service in its category
SILVERD AWAR
Good, but just misses out on top billing
E BRONZD AWAR
RSS FEED READERS
FREE WEB FILTERS
Google Reader, free
Web of Trust, free
http://bit.ly/greadergold Our rating ★★★★ Google Reader offers a fantastic level of control over incoming news items, but it sometimes feels like the tool that time forgot. Although this makes it a little awkward to use, it’s definitely worth the effort. REVIEWED: 23/09/2010
http://bit.ly/wotgold Our rating ★★★★★ Web of Trust is an excellent filtering tool that relies on its community of users to examine and rank websites for content relevance and safety. It awards points in four areas – trustworthiness, privacy, child safety and vendor reliability. REVIEWED: 08/04/2010
PRODUCT NAME
GOLD D AWAR
OURVERDICT
Pretty good, but with some shortcomings
GOLD D AWAR
RATING
PRICE
REVIEW/URL
DATE
AWARD
★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★
FREE FREE FREE
http://bit.ly/groovegold http://bit.ly/spotifysilver http://bit.ly/jangobronze
21/10/2010 21/10/2010 21/10/2010
Gold Silver Bronze
Offersfantasticcontrolbutcanbeawkwardtouse Great,butseriousRSSfanswillwantaProaccount Worthtryingforitsnovelpick-and-mixinterface
★★★★ ★★★★ ★★★
FREE FromFREE FREE
http://bit.ly/greadergold 23/09/2010 Gold http://bit.ly/feedingosilver 23/09/2010 Silver http://bit.ly/netvibesbronze 23/09/2010 Bronze
Greatall-roundperformanceatagoodprice Notagamesmachine,butincludesaBlu-raydrive Solidperformanceandroomforcustomisation
★★★★★ ★★★★ ★★★★
£586 £579 £586
http://bit.ly/rapiergold www.wired2fire.co.uk www.palicomp.co.uk
16/12/2010 16/12/2010 16/12/2010
★★★★★ ★★★★ ★★★★
£500 £530 £544
http://bit.ly/acergold www.packardbell.co.uk www.dell.co.uk
02/12/2010 Gold 02/12/2010 Silver 02/12/2010 Bronze
★★★★★ ★★★★ ★★★★
£89.99 £91.99 £119.99
http://bit.ly/seagategold http://bit.ly/iomegasilver http://bit.ly/starckbronze
26/08/2010 Gold 26/08/2010 Silver 26/08/2010 Bronze
★★★★★ ★★★★ ★★★★
£119.99(2units) http://bit.ly/netgearavgold 15/07/2010 £129.99(2units) http://bit.ly/devsilver 15/07/2010 £37.24each http://bit.ly/solwisebronze 15/07/2010
MUSICSTREAMING SERVICES Grooveshark Spotify Jango
Clearandeasytouse,withahugelibraryoftracks Anexcellentservicebutburdenedbyalotofads Hassle-freelisteningfromasimpleservice
RSS FEED READERS GoogleReader Feedingo Netvibes
PCs UNDER 600 ChillblastFusionRapier Wired2FireVX-5 PalicompCorei3Blast
Gold Silver Bronze
LAPTOPS 500 550 AcerAspire7741 PackardBellEasyNoteTM99 DellInspiron15R
The17.3indisplaymakesthislaptopajoytouse Excellentbalanceofperformanceandbatterylife SolidperformanceandplentyofUSBports
1TB EXTERNAL HARD DISKS SeagateFreeAgentDesk IomegaeGoDesktop LaCieStarck
Afantasticall-rounderforagreatprice Keenpricing,goodsoftwarebundleandveryfast Impressiveperformancewithstylishexterior
POWERLINE NETWORK ADAPTERS NetgearAdapterXAVB2501 DevolodLAN200AVsmart+ SolwiseNET-PL-200AV
Notcheapbutthefastestspeedoverdistance UsefulLCDpanelbutexpensive Notparticularlyfastbutgreatvalueformoney
Web User Classified: Phone 020 7907 6672
Gold Silver Bronze
13 January 2011
73
WEBSITE DIRECTORY A-to-Z links to websites featured in this issue of Web User
SITE
URL
AccuWeather Adobe Premiere Elements 9 AdvancedPopup AeroWeather Ain’t It Cool News AlertMe Amazon Wish List Button Android Market AniWeather Any New Books? AppJump Asda – The Brewhouse Astra Auslogics Registry Cleaner Avanti AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 2011 Avira AntiVir Personal 10 Barlesque BetterWorldBooks.co.uk Bing Maps Bing Streetside Bingo Loopy BitDefender Internet Security 2011 Boomerang for Gmail British Gas EnergySmart BullGuard Internet Security 2011 Buymycardirect.com Bye Bye Standby CCleaner Chrome Chrome TV Clearly Superior Technologies Comment Save Commtiva N700 Cortex Current Cost Diff-IE Disconnect Drunken Disorderly Inn Earth Alerts EmailTray Energy Saving Trust ERUNT ESET Smart Security 4 Home Edtn Eusing Free Registry Cleaner Eutelsat F-Secure Internet Security 2011 Facebook Photo Zoom Facebook Photo Zoom Firefox File Host Link Checker Firefox Gmail Notifier First Utility FlashCatch Video Downloader Free Green Gadgets G Data InternetSecurity 2011 Germany is Wunderbar Get Someone Online Google Calendar Checker extension Google Contacts Google Mail Checker Plus Google Maps Google Maps for Mobile 5.0 Grooveshark Remote Control
www.accuweather.com www.adobe.com/uk/products/premiereel http://bit.ly/advancedpopup257 http://spikex.net www.aintitcool.com www.alertme.com/products http://bit.ly/amazonwishlist257 www.android.com/market www.aniweather.com www.anynewbooks.com http://bit.ly/appjump257 http://bit.ly/asda257 www.ses-astra.com www.auslogics.com www.avantiplc.com http://free.avg.com www.free-av.com http://bit.ly/barlesque257 www.betterworldbooks.co.uk www.bing.com/maps www.microsoft.com/maps/streetside.aspx www.bingoloopy.com www.bitdefender.co.uk http://boomeranggmail.com http://bit.ly/smart257 www.bullguard.com www.buymycardirect.com www.byebyestandby.com www.piriform.com/ccleaner www.google.co.uk/chrome http://bit.ly/chrometv257 http://clearlysuperiortech.com http://bit.ly/comment257 www.linx-av.com http://cortexapp.com www.currentcost.com/powermeter http://bit.ly/diffie257 http://bit.ly/disconnect257 www.drunkendisorderlyinn.com http://earthalerts.manyjourneys.com/web www.emailtray.com http://bit.ly/energy257 www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de www.eset.co.uk www.eusing.com www.eutelsat.com www.f-secure.com http://bit.ly/photozoom257 http://bit.ly/zoomfirefox257 http://bit.ly/filehostlink257 http://bit.ly/gmailfire257 www.first-utility.com http://bit.ly/flashcatch257 www.freegreengadgets.co.uk www.gdatasoftware.co.uk www.germanyiswunderbar.com www.get-someone-online.com http://bit.ly/calendarchecker257 www.google.com/contacts http://bit.ly/googlemail257 http://maps.google.co.uk www.android.com/market http://bit.ly/grooveshark257
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History Deleter HTC Home 2.0 Inception Invaders: Corruption Kaspersky Internet Security 2011 Kensington Expert Mouse Lazyscope Lightworks Link Toggler Love Magix Audio Cleaning Lab McAfee Internet Security 2011 Microsoft Security Essentials 1.0 Microsoft Security Essentials 2 MSN Games My Channel Logos National Geographic Traveller National Lottery Official App National Trust Ancient Tree Walks O3b Networks One Click Technologies’ IntelliPlug Owl+USB Electricity Monitor Ozone PC Checker PC Tools Internet Security 2011 Pingtest.net Pirelli PowerMeter Prospector Instant Preview Registry Life RegScanner RegSeeker Remember The Milk Tasks Resolution Revolution Save as WWF Save Your Facebook Content Sedogo Simnet Registry Defrag Skiclub.co.uk Speedtest.net Spoon Starfare SwisticMing Symantec Norton 2011 Tab Vault Tariam Task Coach TeamViewer The Guardian Anywhere The Weather Land Trend Micro Titanium 2011 TrustedHousesitters.com TweetJockey UKsnow Map VirtualDJ Home Weather Quickie Weather Underground Webroot Internet Security Essentials Whistle Windows 7 Compatibility Search Windows Live Essentials Windows Live Mail 2011 Wise Registry Cleaner Free
URL
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http://bit.ly/history257 35 www.htchome.org 33 http://bit.ly/inception257 43 http://invaders.manuelvandyck.com 40 www.kaspersky.co.uk 49 http://bit.ly/readhelp1257 64 www.lazyscope.com 42 www.lightworksbeta.com 42 http://bit.ly/linktoggler257 34 http://bit.ly/love257 20 www.magix.com/gb 43 www.mcafeestore.com 51 www.microsoft.com/Security_Essentials 50 www.microsoft.com/security_essentials 40 http://games.msn.com 15 http://mychannellogos.com 59 www.natgeotraveller.co.uk 15 http://bit.ly/lottery257 43 www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ancienttreewalks 14 www.o3bnetworks.com 45 www.oneclickpower.com 69 www.theowl.com 69 http://bit.ly/ozone257 36 www.pcchecker.co.uk 14 www.pctools.com 51 www.pingtest.net 60 www.pirelli.co.uk 16 www.google.com/powermeter 69 http://mozillalabs.com/prospector 35 www.chemtable.com 58 www.nirsoft.net 58 www.hoverdesk.net/freeware.htm 58, 65 http://bit.ly/rememberthemilk257 36 www.resolution-revolution.org.uk 13 www.saveaswwf.com/en 41 http://bit.ly/savefacebook257 34 www.sedogo.com 16 http://simnetsoftware.com 58 www.skiclub.co.uk 16 www.speedtest.net 60 http://spoon.net 41 www.starfare.eu 43 www.swisticming.com 13 www.symantec.co.uk 48 http://bit.ly/tabvault257 36 www.tariam.co.uk) 44 www.taskcoach.org 42 www.teamviewer.com 62 http://bit.ly/yourtips2257 59 www.theweatherland.com 33 http://uk.trendmicro.com 47 www.trustedhousesitters.com 15 www.tweetjockey.co.uk 14 http://uksnowmap.com 33 www.virtualdj.com 40 www.weatherquickie.com 33 www.wunderground.com 33 www.webroot.com 51 www.whistle.co.uk 12 http://bit.ly/windows257 35 www.windowslive.co.uk/essentials 60 http://explore.live.com/windows-live-mail 66 www.wisecleaner.com 58
Find a full list of this issue’s links at www.webuser.co.uk/forums
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streamline.net/easy or call: 0844 692 0111
Windows®. Life without Walls™. Dell recommends Windows 7.
Just try keeping your hands off it. With its all-in-one desktop design, the new Inspiron One will keep your family connected with one-touch access to their favorite photos, music and movies. You can tell it’s Dell.
Dell Inspiron One 23 Starting Price £549
699
£
Incl. VAT & Delivery, E-Value Code: PCPUK01-D00O2305
• Intel® Core™ i3-370M Processor • Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium • 4GB Memory & 750GB Hard Drive • Integrated 22.5” (57.15cm) 16:9 Display with multi touch screen • 1GB ATI Radeon™ HD 5470 Graphics Card
See the difference at Dell.co.uk/all-in-one or call: 0844 444 3064 McAfee™ + PROTECT WHAT YOU VALUE. Offers due to end 26/01/2011. Dell Products, c/o P.O. Box 69, Bracknell, Berkshire RG12 1RD, United Kingdom. Subject to availability. Prices and specifications may change without notice. Delivery charge is £20 Incl. VAT per system (unless otherwise stated). Consumers are entitled to cancel orders within 7 working days beginning the day after the date of delivery; Dell collection charge is £23 Incl. VAT for system purchases and £11.50 Incl. VAT for accessory purchases. Terms and Conditions of Sales, Service and Finance apply and are available from www.dell.co.uk. If you wish not to receive further marketing material via fax or direct mail please inform us via email:
[email protected]; post: Dell - Suppressions. PO Box 59, ROSS ON WYE, HR9 7ZS, United Kingdom; or fax: 0800 3283071. Delivery charges range from £5.75 to £14.95 incl. VAT per item for items purchased without a system. Dell’s general Terms and Conditions of sale apply and are available on www.dell.co.uk Dell Services do not affect customer’s statutory rights. They are subject to Terms and Conditions which can be found at www.dell. co.uk/consumerservices/termsandconditions. TRADEMARK AND COPYRIGHT NOTICES: Intel, the Intel Logo, Intel Inside, Intel Core, and Core Inside are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries. Microsoft, Windows and Windows Vista are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. ©2010 Dell Inc.
Ready for a PC that adapts to everything you want to do? Then step up to the fast, smart performance of a Dell PC powered by the Intel® Core™ i3 processor
