Help & support 100% jargon freeBuying adviceWindows tutorials New things to do

magic Word pc cHeckup geotag SNapSteSt your computer aNd fiNd itS faultS

BriNg your pHotoS to life WitH gloBal tagS

FREE DISC!

maSter tHe BaSicS of microSoft Word 2013

SPEED UPWINDOWS

maStER yOUR mUSIC COllECtION Ten definitive ways to organise, refine and play your entire audio collection for free

power up your files Discover a better way to organise your drive do all tHiS aNd more… • Enhance your email

• Try custom icons • Use hot corners turn to p98 now!

packed WitH 35 eSSeNtial appS

upgrade your pc with the best of windows 8try all the great features from the new operating system – without the hassle

your essential guide■ 30 quick tricks to boost your PC ■ Unlock hidden performance■ Bring an old machine back to life

AUGUST 2013 ISSUE 85

PRINTED IN THE UK £5.50

expert guide

plus essential tips for Windows 8, Vista & Xp

Window

s 7 Help &

advice

iSSue 85

au

gu

St 2013“B

oo

t your m

achine in seco

nd

s instead

of m

inutes!” – p

age 16

ww

w.faceb

oo

k.com

/win

do

wsm

ag

6 Discover The tech that will make the home of the future a reality

29 Next month Gaze into the future… What’s happening in September?

32 Subscriptions Save up to 37 per cent when you subscribe today 44 Reader offers We’ve a selection of money-saving offers just for you 65 Overseas reader? Get your mag for less with a subscription

66 Four pages of help, including technical queries and Windows Watchdog

ReGulaRS

FeaTuReS

SuppoRT

26 Benchmark your pC for top performance

30 Boost your file manager with Directory opus 10

34 use preme to manage your Windows desktop

38 Get started with Microsoft Word 2013

42 Choose desktop icons that suit your personality

46 add location tags to your favourite photos

50 add a memorable signature to your emails

52 Improve your pC’s audio quickly and easily

On your free disc

On your free disc

On your free disc

Your guide Adam Ifans says…“each month we include as wide a range of tutorials as possible, to help you use your computer more efficiently and inspire you to try new things.”

exploRe The best PC tutorials

Want more? Visit our website at www.facebook.com/windowsmag

16 30 ways to speed up Windows Get your computer working faster with tips and tricks for any version of the oS

56 Get Windows 8 features nowenjpy the new operating system’s best features on your Windows 7 pC

62 Top 10 music managers play, edit and organise your tunes with these amazing free tools

4 | Help & Advice | August 2013

Follow us on…

www.twitter.com/windowsmag

www.facebook.com/windowsmag

Speed up WindoWS

70 Hundreds of reviews and recommendations

16 Boost your PC, unlock hidden performance and bring an old machine back to life

CuT-PRiCe SuBS OffeR

on the cover

62 Ten definitive ways to play your entire audio collection for free

Master your music collection

on the cover

56 Try all the great features of the new operating system – without the hassle

72 Mini test our experts check out the best compact system cameras

74 Microsoft Surface Pro a tablet for anyone who needs to work on the go

78 Dell XPS 10 This laptop/tablet hybrid offers incredible battery life

82 Acer Aspire V5-571P a sleek, streamlined laptop packed with features

86 Huawei Ascend W1 The perfect introduction to Windows phone 8

88 Hotlist our roundup of the best laptops, tablets, phones and more

94 Play this Two great new games put through their paces, just for you

plus Tidy up your music collection with Mp3Tag– see page 66

Find out more on page 32 ON yOuR fRee DiSCTools to help you get more from your computer – see page 98

Save up to 37% – pay just £12.49 every three months

upgrade your pc With the beSt of WindoWS 8

on the cover upGRaDe

August 2013 | Help & Advice | 5

future home Add a splash of technology to your home

NEW THINGS TO DO amazING WEbSITES faScINaTING facTS

6 | Help & Advice | August 2013

Tomorrow’s world

with an infrared sensor, which can be programmed to power up your TV when you use your remote control.

A more advanced version of this is supplied by Home Easy (www.homeeasy.eu). Its system can be accessed via text message, and a huge range of accessories which can be controlled by the unit. These include sockets so you can turn appliances on and off, light dimmers to change the mood, and even an infrared signal that can be used to switch TV channels.If you’re feeling a bit more geeky, you can’t go wrong with Ninja Blocks (www.ninjablocks.com). This unit connects to the internet and lets you control just about

anything that works on a 433MHz frequency. While the initial outlay is quite high – a Ninja Blocks unit costs £130/$199

– accessories such as sockets and light dimmers can be picked up quite cheaply.

Ninja Blocks can also work with a USB webcam to provide a bespoke home security system, but if you want to keep things a little simpler it’s worth investing in a Wi-Fi security camera, such as the ones available from www.y-cam.com. These connect to your internet without the need for a computer so you can easily monitor your home from afar.

Ninja Blocks

Get an Owl You’ll find the Owl Micro+ in the shop section of its official site, www.theowl.com.

Save MOneY the Owl displays your current usage – try turning off appliances to see a difference.

InStallatIOn Plug some batteries into the Owl and it can be set up for your currency and tariff.

While not strictly part of an automated home, smart meters can still help you save money on your gas and electricity bills if you live in the UK. The government has promised to roll them out to every home by 2020, but you can get ahead of the energy-saving game by installing your own. The Owl is a simple unit that monitors your electricity use, so you can see how much you’re using on a daily basis. It costs £30, but it can cut up to 15 per cent or £35 off the average bill.

Here’s wHere to start Install a smart meter

B ack in the 1950s, forward-thinkers tried to imagine what the home of the future would look like. They came up with the idea of an

‘electric home’, in which everything was automated and controlled electronically. The lights would dim depending on the time of day, a video camera system would be used to identify visitors and heating would adjust itself automatically.

In many ways, we’re living in this technological abode right now. We have thermostats that switch on the boiler when it gets cold, video entry systems are commonplace, and even the humble light dimmer is a feature of many houses.

However, you can make your home even more electric with just a few simple additions – and it might even save you money on your energy bills, too.

The simplest way to get started is with a few accessories that plug into your existing sockets, and Energenie (www.energenie4u.co.uk) makes a variety of clever devices that do just that. Its PC standby extension lead includes four sockets that power down everything attached – such as printers or speakers – when you switch off your computer. For the living room there’s an extension lead

What happened to the other 359 consoles then?We’re not sure, but Microsoft’s new games console has been branded the One after speculation that it would be called the Xbox 720. It’s the successor to 2001’s Xbox and 2005’s Xbox 360, which have sold over 140 million units worldwide between them.

What does this one do that the Xbox 360 doesn’t?As you’d expect, it’s a big upgrade from its predecessor. It includes 8GB of RAM, and a more powerful processor and graphics chip. These new bits and bobs mean that it’s capable of displaying games and media in 4K resolution, which is the next big thing in high-definition entertainment.

I’ve never owned a console – why would I want this one?The Xbox One marks a move away from playing games and into a versatile all-round entertainment system. It includes a Blu-ray drive so you can watch movies, and it supports an HDMI input so you can connect your set-top box to it and watch TV.

What about games then?Of course, you’ll find a bevy of the latest titles for the Xbox One. Games such as Assassin’s Creed IV, Battlefield 4, Forza Motorsport 5 and FIFA 14 are all in development for the console.

When can I get one?Microsoft reckons you’ll be able to get your mitts on the One by the end of the year. Sony’s competing PlayStation 4 is scheduled for release this year too, and the two consoles seem very similar in terms of hardware, so those extra features and new games are more important than ever.

“In many ways, we’re already living in a

technological abode”

The Knowledge...

Xbox OneMake tHe HoMe of tHe future a realityAutomatically switch off lights, turn off your TV and monitor your home with our guide to making your home a technological haven

Discover Home technology

August 2013 | Help & Advice | 7