Who’s talking about you online?

Nobody likes being talked about behind their back but it’s useful to know if it’s happening. Robert Irvine reveals how to find out whether and where you’ve been mentioned online

Unlock the Web’s Secret Content

Some of the web’s most interesting and useful content is buried beneath the surface. Wayne Williams reveals how to access hidden gems that few people know about

The web has so much great free stuff that it might seem greedy to want even more, but if you dig below the surface you can uncover all manner of delights. Some of the most interesting online content isn’t immediately visible to the casual browser because it’s either still being tested, is supposed to have been removed, isn’t prominently flagged on the site’s homepage or can’t be found for some other, more mysterious reason. In this feature, we reveal the web’s best-kept secrets. Over the following six pages, we show you how to access content that’s no longer available, unlock hidden tests and experiments, reveal secret tools and forbidden sites, and much more.

We also reveal some of the latest Easter Eggs concealed in your favourite websites and software, from the cute cat that’s hidden in Android Nougat to Google’s secret stock of animal noises.

Tips & Tricks (April 2017)

01 [Windows] Delete non-executed print commands from the printer memory

It is already annoying enough when Windows does not print a document but it gets even worse when the print job cannot be deleted. You can bring this issue to order with some manual intervention. First, terminate the service "Print queue”. Open the "Run” window using the shortcut [Win] + [R] or via the Windows Start menu and type "services.msc”. In the "Services” windows, search for "Printer Queue”, right click on it and go to the command "End”. Subsequently, delete the file to be printed, from the printer memory. Open the path "C:\Windows\system32\spool\PRINTERS” and delete the files in this folder. Thereafter, restart the "Print Queue” service. For this, open the Windows services as described above, where you type the command "services.msc” in the "Run” window. Right-click again on the service "Print Queue" and click on "Start” in the context menu.

The Best Wireless Network Tips

There are many benefits when you tune up your home network, such as more bandwidth, a more stable network and secure connections. We did some research and tried out the best tips

In the old days, the grey PC was the only device that could access the internet and it had to use a cable. Today, WiFi networks are dominating the scenario. According to a survey, there are about 21 million internet users in Malaysia alone. Furthermore, each home network contains an ever-increasing number of devices that are transmitting via radio, such as TVs, notebooks, tablets and smartphones. Some households even use NAS, radios, speakers and devices like Google’s Chromecast. The number of devices is set to rise even further in the future, with Smart homes beginning to integrate lamps, heaters, cameras and refrigerators into the home network.

Windows 10 Tamed

Lock screen ads, mandatory updates and hardly any data protection. Microsoft’s latest OS calls for the need of strict control

Aggressive - this is the term which Windows 10 would use to describe the system. This began from the update with the annoying upgrade requests. Meanwhile, the chief of marketing at Microsoft, Chris Capossela, has acknowledged that the company has advanced forcefully to bring the new system quickly to the people. A billion PCs in a maximum of three years is the target and all this was ‘for the benefit of the users’. ‘‘We want maximum number of users to use Windows 10 for security reasons,” he claimed. But data security does not come under security. Windows 10 digs deeper into privacy than any other older Windows version and it also provides many users with complete facts. Data is collected via a default setting that automatically runs updates without asking and advertisements are displayed on the lock screen. Microsoft bets on the fact that many users are happy with Windows 10, since there are no alternatives. Are you? For some, maybe, but we think Windows 10 should be even more user-friendly. In this article, we’ll show you how you can tame the operating system so that your privacy is safeguarded.

Master the PowerShell

Discover how to get started with Microsoft’s powerful scripting tool, with Nick Peers

At first glance, the Windows PowerShell looks to be a facsimile of the Command Prompt, but to dismiss it as such leaves you missing a huge trick. In fact, PowerShell is a platform designed to automate many Windows tasks through a clever scripting language. It’s based on the .NET Framework, which gives it lots of flexibility and scope, particularly when you access it through the PowerShell ISE (Integrated Scripting Environment) program, which provides even more useful tools and shortcuts — such as syntax highlighting and IntelliSense tab completion — to help you build the perfect script to achieve what you want.

How to control Kodi from any web browser

Kodi has a fantastic built-in web server you can use to control it remotely from any browser. David Ludlow explains how to use it

The Kodi smartphone app is a great way to get all the features of a remote control for Kodi (and a little more). However, the media software also has a built-in web server that gives you even more control over Kodi from any device that has a web browser.

For example, you can use the web interface to browse all your audio and video content and select what to watch or listen to. There’s currently no support for photos, but that’s the only thing that’s missing.

Secret hacks for Google Play

Google Play just celebrated its fifth birthday, but there’s always something new to learn about the app-and-entertainment store. Robert Irvine reveals its best secrets

Earn credit towards Play purchases

You don’t get something for nothing in this world, but thanks to Google Opinion Rewards (bit.ly/rewards420) you can make easy money for very little effort. Just answer a few quick questions about shops you visited recently or similar topics and the app will reward you with credit, which you can save up to spend on Google Play.

The information you provide in the short, simple surveys about your views and habits is collected anonymously, and you can trade your credit for Android apps, music, films, TV shows and books in just a couple of taps.

There’s usually at least one threequestion survey per week, with rewards ranging from 6p to 60p.

Our guide to WebAssembly

WebAssembly is being touted as the future of the web but you’d be forgiven for wondering what on Earth it is. David Crookes explains all

What is WebAssembly?

WebAssembly (webassembly.org) is a relatively new web standard that has the potential to revolutionise how we use high-performance applications such as games, video players and imageediting software. Rather than making us download and install these resource-heavy apps, WebAssembly offers the potential to run them in your browser with full functionality. Developers say this will make computing far more convenient, with some going as far as calling it the dawn of a new web era.

Kodi: New TV Streaming Sensation

Kodi is one of the most powerful media players that’s ever been released for Windows – and it’s also one of the most controversial. David Ludlow explains how to use it legally

Few programs in recent years have proved as controversial – or as popular – as Kodi. On one level it’s a brilliant music and video player, letting you stream content between computers. If you connect your laptop to your TV with an HDMI cable you’ll also be able to access and watch everything on the big screen of your television.

Kodi – known as XBMC until 2014 – also excels at online streaming. It gives you access to all kinds of add-ons that expand its basic features, so you can watch YouTube, iPlayer, out-of-copyright movies and a whole host of other video content straight from one convenient location. In addition, you can listen to hundreds of radio stations from around the world, view all your photos and stream podcasts.

Start afresh in Windows 10

If you upgraded to Windows 10 from a previous version your PC will probably be bloated with old apps and programs. Mike Plant explains how to restart Windows 10 with a clean installation

How did you install Windows 10? If, like the vast majority of Windows 10 users, you installed it over the top of a previous version – such as 7 or 8.1 – you’ve probably never enjoyed a full and clean version of Windows 10. That’s because installing one operating system over another is similar to wiping a whiteboard with an eraser. Most of what you scrawled on there has gone, but look close enough and you’ll see remnants of what was written there before.

The good news is that Microsoft’s new Refresh tool is there for users looking to make their version of Windows 10 as fresh as if it had come pre-installed on a new computer.

Here, we’ll take you through the process, starting with making a backup of all the important files and information on your PC, before explaining how to refresh Windows 10 and then get it off to the best possible start.

Centralise your storage with a NAS

NAS drives take the pain out of backing up and sharing files across your PCs. Jonathan Parkyn explains why you might need one and how to set it up

Network attached storage (NAS) devices used to be costly and complicated to set up. But prices have dropped to the point where some models aren’t much more expensive than a standard external drive – Western Digital’s 2TB My Cloud, for example, can be bought for around £110 (www.snipca.com/23561). User-friendliness has also drastically improved, and many NAS devices are now simpler than ever to configure. But what is a NAS? Do you need one? And, if so, how do you go about setting one up? Read on to find out.

Complete guide to digitising your old photos

Scanning photos doesn’t have to be an organisational nightmare. Jane Hoskyn explains how to digitise and sort whole albums of photos for free

You might assume that turning your dusty old photo prints into digital photos is a right palaver. And, until recently, you’d have been right. You had to fork out for an expensive flatbed scanner, then spend days, weeks and months using the infernal thing to churn out massive files with meaningless names like ‘1931304_47829780167_8088_n.TIFF’ – not the most charming title for an image of your wedding day.

But things have changed fast, thanks to powerful scanning and tagging tools that make this once-Herculean task quick and easy. Here, we reveal the best new ways to capture entire albums of prints, then organise them using tags so your favourite scanned photos are even easier to find than when they were in albums on your bookshelf - and it won’t cost you a penny.

Access hidden Netflix categories

Get more from streaming-TV services Netflix and Amazon Prime Video with our expert hacks and secret tips

Netflix offers thousands of movies and TV programmes to watch, which it organises into categories or genres. When you click the Browse link on the homepage, it displays around 20 categories. There are actually many more – hundreds, in fact – but you can’t see them. Luckily, there are several websites that provide links to them.

Visit bit.ly/genre418 and you’ll see a list containing dozens of categories. Click the link at the top to view the extended list, which contains many more. Not every link works because Netflix sometimes deletes categories, but many still function and contain fascinating movies you might otherwise miss. You’ll find an alternative source of Netflix categories at netflixcodes.me. These category links are a great way to discover different films and TV series.

Your Complete Guide to Staying Anonymous

You’re never alone on the web – there’s always someone or something watching you. Jane Hoskyn, Edward Munn and Robert Irvine explain how to beat the snoopers and be completely invisible online

Spammers, scammers and other snoopers have devious ways of tracking your every online move. Google knows more about what you’ve been up to than you do, and eavesdroppers have become adept at piecing together your so-called digital ‘fingerprint’ or ‘footprint’ from even your most mundane web activity – then using it to work out who you are, what you do and even where you live.

Fortunately, there are ways to dodge these spies, without sacrificing the pleasure and convenience of life online. We’re not about to tell you to delete your Facebook account, stop using Google tools altogether or turn to the Dark Web – well, you can if you want, but these extreme measures aren’t the only ways to guard your identity.

WLAN Beats LAN

The 802.11ad wireless standard makes wireless networks faster than Gigabit LAN cables and fibreglass. We tried out the high-speed technology

The importance of WiFi speeds has never been more important than it is now. With the emergence of 4K videos, the quantities of data that we need to transfer between devices or download via high-speed fibre internet are on the rise. Furthermore, there are more and more tablets, smartphones and compact laptops with fast – but small – SSD storage. The real-time streaming that becomes necessary overwhelms the current ‘n’ and ‘ac’ WLAN (wireless LAN) standards, which are already struggling to output the required bandwidth using the available 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequency bands. Compatible routers can only attain peak values of up to ‘5300 Mb/s’ under theoretical conditions, which only happens if you could simultaneously use multiple WLANs on a router.

Full Speed For Every SSD

Whether it’s SATA or NVMe SSD, getting the best performance out of your drives comes down to having the optimal settings. In RAID-Combine, two SSDs can achieve unprecedented speed

The ascendancy of the SSD is in full swing. Much has been spoken about the flash memory storage drive technology in the past, specifically about its limited capacities. But now, capacities of up to 1 TB have become available and becoming affordable. Also, midrange and top class SSDs have proven their durability, further reinforced by the manufacturers via their long warranty periods. Does this mean it’s time for you to setup, install the OS of your choice and start using it? Well, it’s not as simple as that. To achieve optimal performance and lifespan for an SSD, the correct settings are required. Therefore, in the first part of this article we will be showing you the settings for the common SSD types.

Tips & Tricks - March 2017

01 [Windows 10] Deactivate the Touch function and related components

If the Touchscreen function of Windows 10 is not important to you, then you can disable it in a few steps. For this, use the shortcut [Windows] + [R] to open the "Run" window, type "services.msc" and confirm with OK. In the window "Services", search for the "Tablet PC Input", then select it and open the "Properties" by right-clicking on it. You can set the Touchscreen function to "Off" or set the Start type to "Deactivate", either one works. Save the change by clicking on OK.

Teach your old spellchecker new tricks

Do you worry that you and your spellchecker aren’t speaking the same language? Mike Plant explains how to wrestle back control and get even tougher on typing errors

If Word has a nasty habit of rephrasing your split infinitives, or you’re left tearing your hair out whenever your email client fails to catch a spelling slip, you’re not alone. The built-in spellcheckers of your favourite programs can seem to throw the rules of English grammar out of the window at times, but there are things you can do to get them under control. Here we’ll explain how to replace or expand your spell-checking options to produce error-free documents and emails.

Get a faster & safer home network

It’s time to put an end to slow and unreliable home networks. Jonathan Parkyn explains how to speed up your Wi-Fi, boost your broadband, protect your privacy, share your files safely and more

If you have two (or more) computers at home working off the same router, then you have the raw ingredients of a network. You’ve probably got a combination of laptops and desktop PCs; connected to your router by a cable or via Wi-Fi; they may even all be running different versions of Windows. It doesn’t matter – they can all form elements in a home network that interact pretty much seamlessly.