Solve problems using hidden menus

There’s more to your favourite software than meets the eye. Wayne Williams reveals secret options in programs and apps that unlock new features and fix problems

Access the hidden Windows Start menu

There’s a second Start menu in Windows 8.1 and Windows 10, which offers instant access to several useful features. To open it. you just right-click rather than left-click the Start button. From here, you can quickly access system tools such as Power Options, Device Manager, Disk Management and Command Prompt (regular and admin mode versions), and also launch the Task Manager, Control Panel, File Explorer, Search and Run functions. You can shut down Windows from here, too, or go straight to the Windows Desktop, minimising all open windows in the process.

Festive Protection

Keep others out of your online accounts

Sitting in a coffee shop or walking down the road it is evident that we live in a mobile, connected world. Whether it is a smartphone, a tablet, or a notebook, our lives are evolving to be more digital. But with us relying on the internet for everything from online banking to chatting with friends, how many have given thought to protecting their digital identities from malicious users?

Cooler Master Xornet II Gaming Mouse

How you hold your mouse is a matter of personal preference and gaming style, not to mention which you’re the most comfortable with. Those that prefer the claw grip sometimes run into issues with your average gaming mouse, simple because the size of the device doesn’t quite agree with the grip style. That’s where a device like Cooler Master’s Xornet II enters the picture.

Raidmax Cobra 240 All-in-One Liquid CPU Cooler

Things certainly have changed since the first time I reviewed a water cooling system. Back then, it was a case of carefully putting it together, checking every system, filling the external coolant reservoir, turning on the PC and praying just a little that I didn’t miss a leak or connection. These days, though, thanks to devices like the Raidmax Cobra 240, using a liquid cooling system in your PC couldn’t be simpler or safer. And when it comes to cooling high performance systems, there are few ideas that work better than liquid cooling.

Plantronics RIG 500 Stereo PC Gaming Headset

There are a number of things to consider when it comes to headsets, but possibly one of the most important factors is comfort. If you’re going to spend a lot of time wearing a headset, you don’t want a heavy, clunky device putting all kinds of nasty pressure on your ears and the top of your head. If you could get a headset that was extremely comfortable and light weight, yet still managed to deliver great sound and chat quality, it really would be a no brainer, wouldn’t it?

Razer Diamondback Gaming Mouse

When Razer first started reworking apparently their entire product range with Chroma functionality, they told you about it boldly and extremely directly. Peripherals were renamed to carry the word “Chroma” in their actual designations. But as Chroma becomes a more common in their devices, their enthusiasms seems to have settled down a bit. Consequently, the reworked Razer Diamondback is not called the Diamondback Chroma. It’s just the Diamondback.

Plantronics Gamecom 788 PC Surround Sound Gaming Headset

Plantronics isn’t a name that is immediately associated with gaming, despite the fact that they have been working with headset solutions for the pro-gaming circuit for many years. But that is likely to change, thanks to a number of new products that address the gaming market directly. And when you try these products out, the experience gained by military, aviation and even space program audio solutions is very apparent.