Google has made it possible to access your Windows desktop or your Mac from your phone, be that an Android phone or an iPhone. And it doesn’t have to be iPhone for macOS, you can mix and match – all you need is the Chrome Remote Desktop app running on both devices. Here we’re using an Android phone and Windows 10, but the process is the same for an iPhone and macOS....
If you own almost any kind of mobile phone, you’ll need a SIM card to access its full range of features. This allows you to make calls, send texts and use the internet while out and about – essentially, anywhere you can’t connect to Wi-Fi. It’s fundamental for a basic phone , but also necessary for nearly every smartphone owner. However, even after you’ve secured the phone and potentially got a great SIM-only deal , there’s one more crucial step: activation....
Nuisance calls are a daily annoyance but without Caller ID – which displays the number of the person calling – it’s difficult to know who’s on the end of the line until you answer it. But once you answer, it’s too late and you’re stuck talking to them. Happily, Ofcom has banned companies from withholding their number while making cold calls. How can I screen phone calls on a landline? BT customers BT has a free service – BT Call Protect – that helps avoid nuisance calls....
Cancelling a phone contract after it ends If you’ve reached the end of your existing contract and fancy a change or have grown displeased with the service you’ve received, it’s now incredibly easy to switch your provider. This is thanks to the recently implemented Text-To-Switch scheme in the UK. As the name suggests, there’s no need to call your current supplier’s help-desk and explain your reasons or face the retention teams that try to tempt you with new deals....
Casting from your Android device to a TV or monitor, can enhance the viewing experience by allowing you to enjoy photos, videos, games and other content on a bigger display. Whether you’re using a smart TV, a Chromecast device or other compatible hardware, casting from your Android phone or Android tablet is relatively straightforward. In this guide, we’ll walk you step-by-step through the process. How to cast your screen with a Chromecast (or Fire TV) Just like with Apple’s AirPlay standard, Google has its own way to mirror your phone screen on the TV....
Laptops have become an almost indispensable part of our modern lives. They’re many people’s go-to device for work, as well as being popular for online shopping, communication, watching TV and much more. However, all this regular interaction means dirt and grime can build-up very quickly, and before long your device is a haven of bacteria, which research shows can be up to 400 times dirtier than a toilet seat !...
Video file formats have a way of causing headaches. You can make your own home movies, download a video or spend years building up a library of movie favourites, only to find that they won’t play properly on your new smartphone or smart TV. The iPhone, for example, supports only a handful of video and audio file formats out of the box, so something that plays perfectly well on your PC may not even be recognised....
It might not be an everyday occurrence, but have you ever had a phone call from someone that doesn’t speak your language? We’re not talking about spam calls or anything like that. Perhaps you’ve booked a trip and the hotel is calling you to confirm, but they don’t speak your language. Or maybe you want to book a restaurant or order food while abroad. Whatever the reason, your Android phone can now translate in real-time....
Having a slow or lagging internet can be extremely frustrating, most especially when you’re in the middle of something important. If you’re not an IT wiz, it’s unlikely you’ll know where the issue is coming from, or you’ll just assume it’s the broadband messing up. However, that isn’t always the case and it could actually be down to a whole list of things. We’ve listed some expert tips to help you fix the problem quickly....
If you’re having problems with lag when playing games online – other players appearing, disappearing and constantly jumping around – it could be that your ping is too high. Ping is a measure of your connection speed or, more specifically, the latency of the connection. Here we’ll explain ping in more depth, including how to measure it and how to lower your ping to reduce lag in online games. What is ping?...
In recent months, Microsoft has made it clear that accessibility is a top priority. Alongside new Surface hardware in 2021, Microsoft released its first dedicated accessibility accessories. The Surface Adaptive Kit uses a few simple tools to make almost any laptop easier to use, while the upcoming Microsoft Adaptive Accessories focus on simplifying the keyboard and mouse experience. But making the software as simple as possible is just as important. Windows 11 has a dedicated accessibility section within Settings, but there are a few other options you might not be aware of....
There’s only so much Netflix and Disney Plus you can stream before your brain slides out your ears. If you’d rather spend that time learning about DIY techniques, current affairs, history, fitness, politics, gardening – or just about anything else – you might want to pick up a magazine subscription. Most subscriptions are also available digitally, so you don’t have to wait around for delivery. Here, we’re looking at a few ways you can save on a subscription or even access your favourite subscriptions for free through various trials or your local library....
Why is it that your phone’s battery seems to get worse over time? At first, it might have power to spare as you snuggle into bed at the end of the day, but as time goes on you find your battery is just half-full by lunchtime. Until we have new-fangled technologies such as smart clothes that optimize wireless performance, we must learn how to charge a battery that keeps it healthy for as long as possible....
If you’re not the sort of person who keeps backups, it can be a horrible feeling when you permanently delete photos and later realise you didn’t mean to. Maybe you accidentally deleted all your photos, or just binned a few: it matters not. The process of attempting to get them back is the same. It will depend upon which device you deleted the photos from, which apps or software you used to store the photos and how long it has been since you deleted them....
As Chromebooks are just like laptops, they all have trackpads – or touchpads if you prefer. One thing you’ll have noticed is that you Chromebook doesn’t have two buttons below it as you may be used to on Windows laptops. That can make it a little tricky to work out how to right-click (as well as some other functions). You might even be wondering if right-clicking even exists on Chromebooks. Well, it does, and here’s how you can do it, plus a couple of other useful tips....
Most Windows users know that when you delete a file it isn’t really deleted. In the first instance it is stored in the Recycle Bin, which gives you a reprieve on those occasions when you didn’t mean to delete it in the first place. If you empty the Recycle Bin, the files are ‘deallocated’ from your hard drive. Again, the files aren’t deleted: the space they occupy is merely marked as available to use....
If you’ve ever had to run a group or team then you’ll know that effective communication is very important. The normal way to ensure that these days is via an email list, where you send out news, dates for upcoming events, and any other ephemera relating to those involved. If you use Gmail, Hotmail, or any other web-based email service then your missives can look pretty bland, and it isn’t easy to know if people have opened new mails....
Lucky you! You have a new shiny Apple Watch ready to pair with your iPhone. You’re in for a treat, as the Apple Watch is one of our favourite smartwatches over at Tech Advisor, boasting one of the best smartwatch experiences around. As you might expect from Apple tech, it pairs pretty much seamlessly with an iPhone to give you an excellent wrist companion to your trusty Apple smartphone. Set up out of the box is a doddle, but for those unsure, here’s how to set up your new Apple Watch....
Torrents are often large files that would take a long time to download, but thanks to the peer-to-peer technology which shares pieces of the file between lots of different users the speeds can be very fast indeed. That being said, what can you do if torrents are taking longer to download than you think they should? Here are some simple ways to speed up one of the most popular download tools – uTorrent....
Instagram now has a feature called Live Room that lets you host a live video on your feed, which is a great way to announce things or even have stage a vlog straight from the app. Another useful element is that you can also have up to three other participants, all of whom will appear on the video. Want to start an video cast? Here’s how it’s done. Isn’t this just a video call?...
