Filthy keyboard

Lord knows I’m not the world’s tidiest man, and my desk would give most efficiency gurus the shivers. It’s crammed with paperwork, mysterious cables, numerous CDs and an abandoned mug of coffee that seems to have transformed into primordial ooze. It has several books open, face-down, and the small tin that has held USB sticks now hosts discarded chocolate bar wrappers. Yet there’s only one thing on my desk that I’m actually ashamed of, and that’s my keyboard.

iPad Fast Fixes

Access the App Store when you can't fix sudden slowdowns and make space for upgrades without deleting apps

Not enough space to update

It’s frustrating when you want the latest iOS but don’t have enough free space to install it. Deleting apps frees up space, of course, but just giving Safari a spring clean may give you the space you need. Tap Settings, Safari, and then ‘Clear History and Website Data’, followed by Clear to confirm.

Still not enough? You could clear your Reading List too, because this stores loads of data for offline viewing. In Settings, tap General followed by ‘Storage & iCloud Usage’, Manage Storage, then Safari. Next, tap Edit followed by the red minus sign next to Offline Reading List. While you’re here, tap through the other apps to see if they too have data you can delete without uninstalling the whole app.

Who's selling your data?

AVG isn't the only company selling your data. Jane Hoskyn reveals the trusted tools that share your secrets - and explains how to stop it

Security firm AVG admitted selling your data to advertisers, who then use this data to target you with adverts for products you may (or may not) want. When confronted about this abuse of customers’ privacy, AVG did the digital equivalent of a shrug. Everybody does it, they said - it’s the way free services work. That may be true in a cold business sense, but it’s an insult to customers. Sharing your secrets for financial gain betrays your trust.

We’ve covered AVG in detail in our article on troublesome security tools, so here we’ll focus on the other companies that hand out your data - and reveal what you can do about it.

Epson WorkForce WF-100W

Print anywhere, at a price

Portable printers are a strange breed. They’re generally simpler, flimsier and print less well than full-size models, yet they cost more. That’s partly because they’re aimed at business users who’ll cheerfully spend their boss’s money. It’s also because printer manufacturers don’t make money selling printers, they make money selling ink, and a portable machine is likely to get used less, bringing in smaller profits over its lifetime.

Palicomp Intel i5 Revolution

A speeded-up Windows 10 desktop

If this computer looks familiar, that’s because the case it’s built into, from South Korea’s Zalman Tech Co Ltd, is used by several British PC manufacturers. Between 120mm fans front and back, it has a generous amount of room for expansion inside - as you’ll see if you peep through the window in its side panel.

Security tools you should stop using

Security tools are powerful programs that can have serious side effects Jane Hoskyn reveals the tools and apps that aren't worth the hassle

Just because something calls itself a ‘security tool’, that doesn’t mean it’s going to keep you secure. It’s a bit like the building trade - anyone can call themselves a builder, then charge you the earth to mess up your house and cause you untold stress.

Adobe Photoshop Elements 14

Photo editing made simpler - but there's not much new

Photoshop Elements is related to Adobe’s top-end, image-editing program, but it’s not just a cut-down version. Instead, it focuses on introducing tools and techniques to beginners. That makes it worth considering if you’ve looked at more advanced software and felt lost. On the other hand, it’s expensive for a program you might grow out of.

Apple TV (2015)

The iPhone of television

Apple’s boss, Tim Cook, used to say Apple TV was a “hobby”. Now he calls it “the future of television”. That’s a pretty big step up. This new version is still a little black box that you plug into your telly to watch programmes from the internet. Plenty of other boxes do that without so much hype. So what’s new?