If your favourite site or whole connection stops working, don't panic. Here we explain how to survive website and internet outages.

There have been several major web outages, affecting big companies including Google, the BBC and Facebook, which proves that it's not just small sites that go offline because of "technical problems" or traffic surges. Losing the web - whether it's your whole connection going down or a specific website not working - can be very frustrating and inconvenient, especially when you don't know what's causing the problem. In this article, we reveal how you can get back online as quickly as possible, or at least continue with what you were doing before the internet failed. Below, we show you how to diagnose service problems, switch to another connection, adjust your browser settings and access cached content. By following our advice, you'll know exactly what to do the next time you lose your connection so you needn't let internet downtime get you down.

Diagnose Service Problems

1. Reboot your router
Hardware glitches are the most common cause of web problems, so if the Internet stops working, the very first thing you should do is reset your router. Unplug it, wait for 10-15 seconds, then plug it back in. It will take a while for the router to go through all its start-up checks, so be patient. If you still can't connect after five minutes, it's probably not the router that's at fault. In any case, you should reset your router fairly regularly to avoid problems.

2. Try a different Wi-Fi channel
Wi-Fi routers broadcast on channels, so it's possible that a lost or slow Internet connection may be due to too many of your neighbours' routers being on the same channel. To change to another channel, you'll need to go to your router's configuration page in your browser. The web address for this is usually 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1, or another IP address that should be on the bottom of the router. The username and password should either both be admin or the password should be password or blank. If not, try Googling your router's manufacturer and search for router login details. Once you're logged in, choose Setup. Wireless Settings (or similar), then choose a new channel from the drop-down menu and click Save. Hopefully, you'll find that switching to another channel restores your high-speed connection.

3. Find and fix PC problems
If you're having trouble accessing the internet wirelessly, try a wired connection (Ethernet) to identify whether it's the WI-Fi that's the problem. You can attempt to fix your wireless connection by right-clicking the network icon in the System Tray and selecting 'Troubleshoot problems'. Follow the steps in the Windows Network Diagnostics window. Some laptops have a sliding switch on the front that allows Wi-Fi to be toggled on or off. This can accidentally get knocked, which may be why you can't connect to the Internet. The old advice about turning your PC off and on again is also worth following.

4. Check that your cables are secure
Another potential reason for problems with your Internet connection is a cable coming loose from its socket. It sounds obvious, but you should check all the wires going in and out of your PC and router are properly connected. Unplug any Ethernet cables and then plug them back in, making sure they click firmly into place. It's surprising how many baffling technical faults are actually caused by loose cables and could have been resolved instantly!

5. Check for problems with your ISP
If your hardware seems to be plugged in and working correctly, it's likely that your lost connection is the fault of your Internet service provider. You can use your mobile phone, a wireless hotspot or someone else's broadband to check if there are any known problems in your area, by going to your ISP's service status page. For example, if you get your broadband from BT, you can check the status at www.bt.com/help/servicestatus. Click the 'Broadband and Email' tab and enter a valid BT telephone number. You can also browse the list of known problems across the UK. To deal with future problems, it's worth downloading BT's free troubleshooting tool, BT Desktop Help, which you can get for PC or Mac from.
If you're a Virgin Media customer, head to https://my.virginmedia.com/faults/service-status and enter your postcode, account details or Virgin Media phone number to view the current service status in your area. If no problems are listed, you can run a broadband test that will check your Virgin Media services and equipment. Sky broadband customers can get service updates from servicestatus.sky.com, while TalkTalk customers should go to my.talktalk.co.uk/servicecertre.

6. Find out if a site is really down
If a single website won't load, it's easy to assume there's a problem at the site owner's end, but that's often not the case. If a site won't work, you can check to see if other users are having the same problem. IsUp.Me (isup.me) is a simple tool that lets you enter the web address of any site to find out if it's down for everyone or just you. There's also a handy new website called Downdetector (downdetector.co.uk). It shows you if popular sites and services are experiencing any setbacks, based on tweets that mention problems with them. You can also report any technical difficulties you're experiencing, and view explanations and excuses from companies' customer-service teams.

Switch To Another Connection

1. Change the DNS server
DNS (Domain Name System) is used to translate site names into IP addresses, so that they can be understood by web servers and internet routers. If the DNS server you use is having problems, your browser won't be able to take you to a website when you enter its URL. Try using a site's IP address to load it instead. To find out this information, click Start, type CMD into the search box (Windows 8+ users can just type CMD at the Start screen) and hit Enter to open Command Prompt. Type ping web address, replacing 'web address' with the site name (ping facebook.com for example). Hit Enter to see the IP address for that site (31.13.90.17 in the case of Facebook). Type this into the address bar and see if you can access the website that way. If you can, consider changing your current DNS to a different one using a tool such as QuickSetDNS (www.nirsoft.net). You can always switch back to your original DNS server in the future.

2. Browse the web on your mobile
Even if you can't access your home broadband, you can still browse the web using your mobile phone's 3G or 4G connection. A lot of sites have special mobile versions which are optimised for viewing on the smaller screen and don't require as much bandwidth (and therefore won't chomp through any data allowance you have). There's also a chance that a mobile version of a site may work, even when the Desktop version is inaccessible. Similarly, if a website appears to be down, is possible that its app may still be working, so you may be able to continue browsing it from your phone. It's certainly worth installing the apps for big names such as Amazon, Facebook and eBay, just to give you an alternative way to connect if their sites go offline.

3. Tether your phone's 3G/4G connection
If your broadband isn't working, you can use your smartphone's cellular connection as a hotspot. Other devices, such as your tablet, can then connect to it to get online. On an iPhone, go to Settings, Personal Hotspot and turn the feature on. Connect to the new hotspot using the generated password. The process on Android phones varies depending on the make, model and version of the OS you're running. Try going to Settings, Wireless & Networks and open More Settings Select Tethering & Portable Hotspot, then Activate Portable Wi-Fi Hotspots. Remember that your mobile provider is likely to charge you for data access (unless you have a generous data allowance in your plan), so you should only use your phone's connection for simple tasks, such as checking email, and save downloading files for when your home connection returns.

4. Find free Wi-Fi nearby
You can find free wireless hotspots almost anywhere these days, including hotels, shops, cafes, pubs and restaurants, so you shouldn't have to stray too far from home in search of free Internet. If you're a BT, EE, Orange or T-Mobile customer, you can get free BT Wi-Fi. Use the Hotspot finder (www.btwifi.com/find) on your phone to view nearby hotspots on a map. There are more than five million in the UK. Sky customers get free access to The Cloud. Find your nearest hotspots by visiting www.hotspotfinder.thecloud.net/consumer. O2 also offers free Wi-Fi and you don't need to be an O2 customer to use its hotspots, which you can locate at www.o2wifi.co.uk/hotspots.

5. Ask your neighbours if you can use their Wi-Fi
Unless you live in a detached house some distance away from your closest neighbour, the chances are that when you search for local wireless networks, you'll see several options pop up. If you're on good terms with your neighbours, ask if they'll grant you temporary access to their connection (they can always change their password before and after) and offer to return the favour if they should find themselves in a similar situation. Obviously, you shouldn't abuse the privilege by downloading hefty files and you should expect the connection to occasionally drop if you're accessing their Wi-Fi from your own home, because the intervening walls will block it. Bear in mind that if your neighbours use the same ISP as you, they may also be without a connection.

Browse Cached Content

1. Use the Wayback Machine
The Wayback Machine (archive.org) stores copies of websites going back several years. Its archive includes more than 423 billion pages, which you can access if the site you want to browse isn't currently available. Enter a web address and click Browse History. On the calendar that appears, days with cached content are denoted with blue circles - the bigger the circle, the more versions of a page there are. Select a snapshot to view the site as it was then.

2. View Google's Cached Content

Google makes a copy of web pages as it indexes them. If the site you're searching for has gone down, you'll be able to view individual pages from this cache. Use Google to search for the site by name, click the down arrow next to the site address in the results and select Cached. Alternatively, go to http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://website.com - replacing 'website.com' with the site you want to view.

3. Check several cache sources
If you cant find the site or page you want in the Wayback Machine or Google's cache, don't give up - there are other places to try. Both ViewCached (www.viewcached.com) and CachedPages (www.cachedpages.com) let you search for a site and choose a cached source. Options include Google, Bing, Yahoo and Coral CDN (Content Distribution Network).

Adjust Your Browser Settings

1. Disable troublesome add-ons
Sometimes your web woes can be down to a misbehaving add-on. Try disabling any suspect ones. We've had problems on more than one occasion when a site wouldn't display properly because of Adblock Plus or other content-blocking add-ons. In Firefox, click the menu button (three lines, top-right) and go to Add-ons. In Chrome, click the menu button and go to Tools, Extensions to find and disable add-ons. You can also start your browser with add-ons disabled. In Firefox, click the menu button, click Help and select 'Restart with Add-ons Disabled'. In Chrome, simply open the browser in Incognito mode to disable all your add-ons.

2. Clear your browser's cache
When you visit a website, your browser stores content (such as HTML pages and images) to speed up loading on subsequent visits. A corrupted browser cache can cause problems, such as displaying pages incorrectly. You can easily remedy this by clearing the cache. In Firefox, click the menu button and choose Options. Click the Advanced panel, click the Network tab and select Clear Now in the Cached Web Content section. In Chrome, open the menu, go to Tools and select 'Clear browsing data'. In the window that opens, make sure 'the beginning of time' is selected, as well as 'Cached images and files', then click 'Clear browsing data'. In IE, open the menu, go to Internet Options and click Delete under Browsing History.

3. Reset your browser
You can fix most, if not all, browser problems by restoring the software to its default state. In Firefox, click the menu button, then click Help, Troubleshooting Information and click the Reset Firefox button. In Chrome, click the menu button, go to Settings, click the 'Show advanced settings' link, scroll to the bottom and click 'Reset browser settings'. In Internet Explorer, click the cog icon, choose Internet Options, select the Advanced tab, then click the Reset button. 

It May Seem Obvious, But...

1. Try refreshing the page
If a website is down, it may only be a very temporary problem. With that in mind, you might be able to access it by trying to reload the page. You can click the Reload button which you'll find near the address bar, but a quicker method is simply to press the F5 key on your keyboard. Don't hammer it though - if a website is trying to come back from an outage (particularly a Distributed Denial of Service attack), all its users repeatedly refreshing pages will just cause it further problems.

2. Try a different browser
Sometimes it's a problem with your browser, not the Internet, that's preventing pages from loading. You can check whether this is the case by trying a different browser. Many web users have more than one installed, and most have Internet Explorer on their PCs, even if they don't use it.

3. Try an alternative site
If a favourite website has gone down, it's the perfect opportunity to see if you can find an alternative that's similar and as good (if not better). It's very rare for Google search to go down but if it does, you can try Bing. If you can't access BBC News, try CNN.com instead. You can use Similar Site Search (www.similarsitesearch.com) to find the best alternatives. Enter the site you like, and it will return the closest matches.

Give up and go outside!
As inconvenient as the Internet going down can be, sometimes it's a blessing in disguise and will give you the opportunity to take a break from your screen(s) and go for a walk outside, to get some fresh air and a little exercise. It's certainly better than waiting around for the internet to eventually come back on. And you can always walk, cycle or drive to somewhere offering free Wi-Fi if you really need to get online.

Check out our article on New Ways To Block Irritating Ads

What happened?

Plans for ISPs to send letters to customers who download content illegally have been watered down, according to the BBC. Under the 2010 Digital Economy Act, the Government asked ISPs to set up a system to identify persistent pirates and send them letters warning them to stop illegally downloading copyrighted material. Four years on, the interested parties are still discussing how the system will work. A deal has not yet been reached, but the most recent documents seen by the BBC suggest the letters will be "educational" rather than "accusatory". They will simply remind customers that piracy is illegal and warn them against it, rather than threatening them with fines or cutting off their internet access, as had previously been suggested. Under the new deal, a maximum of four letters will be sent, but the recipient can simply ignore them and carry on downloading copyrighted material, because no further action will be taken. The deal also ditches plans to set up a database of suspected pirates, which copyright holders could have used to take legal action. Neither the database nor the provisions to use the information to sue are included in the updated plans. Reports from industry insiders suggest the changes follow pressure from ISPs that don't want to accuse their own customers of breaking the law and be forced to hand over their data. If a deal is reached between the government. ISPs and copyright holders. the 'educational' letters will start being sent out in 2015. The system is expected to cost more than £3 million to set up, and around £300,000 to run annually. As much as 75 per cent of this cost will be paid by rights holders, such as film and music companies.

How will it affect you?
If you've been downloading copyrighted material illegally, or someone that uses your computer has, you may receive a letter next year, but that's about the extent of the penalties customers will face. Your data won't be gathered and handed to music labels' lawyers, and your internet connection won't be turned off by your broadband provider. Of course, that doesn't mean pirates are safe to do as they please in the UK. Copyright holders can still take their own action against illegal downloaders, and courts can compel ISPs to hand over data if there's enough evidence of piracy. Additionally, professional pirate hunters are approaching UK waters: Rightscorp (www.rightscorp.com) has worked with ISPs and rights holders in the US to obtain cash settlements from accused pirates, and has recently come to the UK to see if the same could work here.

What do we think?
It seems like a toothless, pointless system and it's hard to see exactly who these letters are meant to target. Persistent pirates are already well aware that they're breaking the law when they download the latest episode of Game of Thrones, and they really don't need their ISP to tell them. The only people this plan could help are those who share a connection. For example, if your child is downloading illegally and you get a letter, it could help open up a conversation with your youngster about what's acceptable. However, if your child is already doing as they please online, there's a more important discussion about safety and avoiding inappropriate content that should probably take precedence. With so many excellent legal alternatives to piracy, such as the streaming services Netflix and Spotify, there's really no excuse to continue downloading copyrighted content illegally, and we certainly don't approve of copyright infringement. However, rather than shell out £3 million on a system to send ineffective letters, music and film organisations would do better to invest in improved digital distribution systems. The best defence against piracy is to make films and music as easy to get legally as they are to pirate, and for a reasonable price.

It's easy to be fooled by dodgy sites that overcharge you for government services, such as passports. Here we explain how to avoid and report them.

DO

Skip Google and start at Gov.uk Google may seem like the best place to find information about official documents and services such as the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), passport renewal, tax returns and driving test bookings, but it's actually the worst Adverts for 'shyster sites' (as MoneySavingExpert.com calls them) have long appeared above genuine government resources in Google's search results, giving the impression that they are the official services. Meanwhile other sites trick you with convincing names, web addresses and designs. For example, if you type !MC into Google, one of the top results is EHIC-UK (www.ehic-uk.org), which charges £49 for a first-time EHIC application. However as the real NHS page about the EHIC confirms, the card is "entirely free of charge" and always has been. Because Google fails to weed out many of these sites, you're better off bypassing the search engine altogether and starting at Gov.uk (www.gov.uk). This excellent portal brings together info and advice about every government department, and its search facility is fast and accurate. Most importantly, you can trust the links to external sites, such as the NHS page for the EHIC, to find out which documents and details you'll need, and how much you should pay.

DON'T
Pay inflated administration fees Although you need to pay to apply for or renew a passport or driving licence, don't be fooled by the extra charges dodgy sites attribute to "administration costs" for processing and checking your application, and to "additional benefits" such as customer support. Again, you should visit Gov.uk first for official information about current fees. For example. renewing or replacing your driving licence should only cost £20, and is free if you're over 70, but some sites charge up to £80 more for "services the government does not provide" (and that you don't actually need). It's true that the official application site is a little outdated - it's still on the old Directgov platform (direct.gov.uk) rather than Gov.uk - but at least you won't get ripped off.

DO
Look for the giveaway signs Aside from charges that are higher than any existing official fees, there are other ways to identify copycat websites. The more honest services clearly admit that they're "not affiliated" with the Post Office, DVLA, Passport Office, NHS or any other government department, and that you can save money by taking the official route. However, this disclaimer is often tucked away at the bottom of the page and doesn't stop misuse of the word 'official'. Copycat sites are not technically breaking the law because it isn't illegal to charge to check, forward and review applications. Which magazine's helpful article on this topic, entitled 'How to spot a copycat website', points out that you can't actually pay for a passport online, so you shouldn't trust any 'passport-processing' site that asks for your card details. If you do go through Google, use an ad-blocker such as AdBlock Plus to hide deceptive adverts. Also, don't be fooled by a site that contains '.org' in its web address; other than NHS resources, most official government sites have 'gov.uk' in their URLs. And, of course, as with paying for anything online, make sure you do so over a secure, encrypted server with an address that begins with 'https'.

DON'T
Think Bing and Yahoo are any safer Although Google is now working with the Government Digital Service to stop adverts for misleading services appearing above its search results (see sidebar for more info), Bing and Yahoo have yet to confirm how they plan to tackle the problem. When we looked for 'EHIC', 'driving licence application' and 'passport renewal', both search engines listed lots of copycat sites above and below the proper government resources. In Yahoo, the top result for driving-licence enquiries was an advert for a site called Driving Licence Application, which has "processing charges" two or three times higher than official fees, for example it asks for £60 to replace a lost or damaged licence. Next was an ad for an expensive DVLA helpline ("£1.53 per minute plus network extras"), providing advice you can get for free from Gov.uk. You can report your concerns about Bing adverts at http://advertise.bingads.microsoft.com/en-uk/report-spam-form. For dodgy Google adverts, fill in the 'Feedback on Ad Words Ads' form at https://support.google.com/adwords/contact/feedback/. The Government Digital Service suggests that reporting misleading ads to the search engine hosting them "may prove the swiftest and most effective way to fix this problem".

DO
Complain to and about the company If you do get tricked by a copycat site, it's worth trying to reclaim your money by contacting the company directly. Check the site's terms and conditions to see if it will refund you if you cancel your application before it's been processed. Unsurprisingly, the more devious sites make getting your money back as difficult as possible, with a common clause that "you agree and acknowledge that due to the nature of the service, the service charge shall be non-refundable". Try emailing the company before calling an expensive phone line, if that option is provided. MoneySavingExpert.com helpfully provides a Copycat Site Reclaim template letter, which phrases your refund request in firm but fair language. It's also suggested that you enclose as much relevant documentation as possible to support your claim. If the company refuses to refund or even reply to you, then report it. The Office of Fair Trading (www.oft.gov.uk) closed on 31 March, but you can still complain through Gov.uk (www.gov.uk/contact/govuk) and speak to the Citizens Advice consumer service (www.adviceguide.org.uk). If you were led to the site by an advert, other than reporting it to Google (or wherever else you saw it), you can contact the Advertising Standards Authority (www.asa.org.uk). The ASA recently issued a statement about copycat websites, saying that "a company should not imply they are offering an official service if that is not the case. We can and have taken action to have problem advertising amended". However, it also concedes that "there is no direct action which the ASA can take to prevent these websites from operating altogether". You can complain to the ASA online.

WHAT IS GOOGLE DOING ABOUT COPYCAT SITES?
In a blog post on 2 March, the Government Digital Service (GDS) said that following a "growing number of complaints" about copycat sites, it was working directly with Google to resolve the problem. Communications Minister Ed Vaizey has held talks with the search giant with the aim of removing from the top of search rankings "sites that don't add any value, cost people money and take their personal details". Google has complied by removing many adverts for government services from above its search results, although the copycat sites still appear high in the main list. We saw three that charge for the EHIC on the first page of results, and ads for paid-for tax-return services ("for a fixed fee of £70") appeared above and alongside 'tax return' results. Hopefully, the situation will continue to Improve, with Theo Bertram, Google UK's head of policy, saying its talks with the government have helped the search company "to better enforce our existing policies and protect users from misleading websites".

What happened?
Microsoft revealed its plans for future versions of Windows and reports suggest that the company is developing a free, cloud-based version of the operating system that will work in a similar way to Google's Chrome OS. Microsoft has long been rumoured to be working on a cheap or free version of Windows, to encourage people to update their machines and avoid the problems with ageing and insecure software such as XP. This would also allow manufacturers to sell PCs at a lower price, which should revive flagging sales. The latest leaks, as reported on the unofficial Microsoft news site WinBeta, suggest Microsoft's developers are working on a cloud-based version of Windows that will be free. As with Chrome OS, certain features in Windows Cloud (as it's been dubbed) would only be available when you're online, with limited functionality in offline mode. This would allow for a lighter operating system that will take up less space on your PC. However, it would also require a fast and reliable broadband connection.
Microsoft hasn't confirmed any details about Windows Cloud, and industry experts suggested it may be no more than an in-house experiment. Either way, it's certainly an intriguing rumour. As explained in our Essential Masterclass on page 6, Microsoft has just released an update to Windows 8.1 that makes the operating system easier to use. It has also confirmed that the Start Menu will return in a future version, although it's not yet clear if this will be Windows 81 Update 2, Windows 8.2 or Windows 9. Microsoft removed the Start Menu in Windows 8 in favour of the tile-based, touchscreen-friendly Modern interface (more commonly known as Metro). However, complaints from desktop and laptop users, who found the new interface difficult to use with a keyboard and mouse, have led to the standard Start Menu being reinstated. Microsoft is tweaking its Windows versions to better suit the device on which they are installed. The software will perform differently on tablets than on traditional PCs; for example, the Start menu will only be reinstated in desktop versions of the OS, while the Modern Start-screen tiles will be more prominent on a tablet. If the update follows the same pattern as previous releases, it will be free for existing users of Windows 8.1.

How does this affect you?
If you're using Windows 81, you should be automatically updated to the latest version of the operating system for free via Windows Update. The next round of updates is expected to arrive in the autumn. If you've been avoiding upgrading to Windows 8 - and, in turn, Windows 8.1 because you've heard it's harder to use on a standard PC, you may want to wait for the return of the Start menu before abandoning your current set-up. However, if you're planning to move on from Windows XP (as is wise, now that Microsoft has ended support for it), you may have no choice other than to switch to Windows 8.1, because virtually all new PCs and laptops now run that operating system.

What do we think?
Windows Cloud is an intriguing idea, although it's hard to see Microsoft releasing software that depends as heavily on a web connection as the rumours suggest. But we like the idea of a Chrome OS-style system that's simple to use and automatically updates. The full power of Windows is wasted on some users, who do little more than access the web and create the occasional Word document. A cut-down version that's less demanding of a PC's resources, cheap or free to get and easier to use would certainly appeal to many people. We hope Microsoft keeps working on Windows Cloud, because it's an idea with real potential. As for Windows 8.1, Microsoft seems stuck between a rock and a hard place. It's often accused of failing to innovate, but when it does push the boundaries of Windows, it angers and frustrates users who don't always welcome change and may resent being forced to learn how to use a new operating system. While Windows 8 wasn't ideal for desktop users, Microsoft deserves credit for trying something new, and it hasn't failed to address its users' complaints. Having got rid of the Start Menu, it's now set to reinstate it following popular demand. Microsoft might not get Windows right first time, every time, but at least it's happy to keep working to improve it.

A host of new devices were unveiled at the Mobile World Congress show in Barcelona. Here we select the cream of the crop.

SAMSUNG GALAXY S5
Why is it interesting?
As the successor to the Galaxy S4, the new high-end phone from Samsung is not a revolutionary step up, but it does enough to make it arguably the most desirable handset of 2014, so far. With a 16-megapixel rear-facing camera and a sharp 415ppi, 5.1in screen, the phone takes “inspiration” from its rivals, most notably an iPhonestyle fingerprint scanner that unlocks it and allows for touch-verified payments online and in high-street shops. The Galaxy S5 runs Android 4.4.2 (KitKat), is waterproof and dustproof, and has a talk time of 21 hours. Samsung has also been making a big noise about the phone’s health features, which include a heart-rate monitor and a fitness tracker.
When’s it out?
It’s due to go on sale in April.
How much will it cost?
At the time of writing, the price had yet to be announced but we expect the S5 to cost at least £500.
Do I really need one?
Yes, if you want to own the latest, most innovative Android phone available. But if you’ve just bought a Galaxy S4, it’s probably worth waiting until the S6 is inevitably released next year.

SAMSUNG GEAR SERIES
Why is it interesting?
Samsung also unveiled its Gear 2, Gear 2 Neo and Gear Fit wearable devices at Mobile World Congress (MWC), all of which you can strap to your wrist. Intriguingly, they don’t run Android, but use an open-source operating system based on HTML5 called Tizen OS (www .tizen.org). The Gear 2 smartwatch works in tandem with Samsung smartphones and allows for notifications to be displayed on its screen. It has a 2-megapixel camera, a heart-rate sensor, stress and sleep tools, and a pedometer. The Gear 2 Neo offers the same features except for the camera, while the Gear Fit is a sleeker, curved wearable device that’s primarily for fitness tracking.
When’s it out?
You should be seeing them on wrists from April.
How much will they cost?
We expect them to cost between £100 and £200.
Do I really need it?
Essentially, they’re accessories for Samsung phones rather than standalone devices. But the Pebble (getpebble.com) has proven there is a demand for smartwatches and they can be very useful, not to mention stylish.

HTC DESIRE 816
Why is it interesting?
With a 5.5in screen, the Desire 816 is edging into ‘phablet’ territory – a cross between a phone and tablet – and it’s as big on features as it is in size. It features a 13-megapixel rear camera (with an amazing 5-megapixel camera on the front), a whopping 8GB of storage, a speedy 1.2GHz Snapdragon processor and 1.5GB of memory. For a mid-range HTC device, it has certainly pulled out the stops with its high-end specifications.
When’s it out?
It’s already available in China, with a worldwide release planned for April.
How much will it cost?
Given its mid-range tag, we expect around £250.
Do I really need one?
The plastic case feels a little cheap but if you want a reasonably-priced phone with a larger than normal screen, which runs Android Kitt (albeit with a HTC Sense 6.0 skin), this is the handset to get.

NOKIA XL
Why is it interesting?
It’s good to have something different knocking around. Nokia has for a while pinned its fortunes on the Windows Phone OS, but with the Nokia XL, it has turned to Android (there were no flagship Windows Phones on show at this year’s MWC). Like the Nokia X, the XL uses the Nokia X Software Platform, which actually makes the handset look as if it is running Windows Phone. At the same time, it lacks a lot of the features you’d expect from either OS. It doesn’t have a lot of built-in storage (4GB) or offer much power, but it’s cheap and has an impressive 5in screen.
When’s it out?
You can buy the Nokia XL now.
How much will it cost?
A very affordable £90.
Do I really need one?
It’s a great spare handset and ideal for people who want some smartphone capabilities without the hefty price tag. It’s a decent, entry-level phone but don’t expect the moon on a stick.

YOTAPHONE 2
Why is it interesting?
The original YotaPhone had a dual display: a normal screen on the front and an E Ink, Kindle-style screen on the back for reading ebooks. The YotaPhone 2 increases the size of the front screen from 4.3in to 5in, but the biggest improvement is that the 4.7in E Ink display and has a battery life of up to 50 hours.
When’s it out?
It is due out toward the end of the year. However, the original Yotaphone was only available in Russia, Germany, Austria, France and Spain.
How much will it cost?
The price has yet to be confirmed.
Do I really need one?
If you like reading on your phone, the E Ink display reduces eye strain, and you needn’t fret about running out of power before the end of the chapter.

SONY XPERIA Z2
Why is it interesting?
The Xperia Z2 has lots to recommend it, from a waterproof case to a 5.2in screen. The stunning 1080p display uses Live Colour LED technology to produce colours that have “never been so real, more natural or so true to life”, and the speedy quadcore processor zips through tasks with ease. But for us, the incredible 20.7MP camera is what makes this handset really stand out. It has a 0.04in sensor, SteadyShot image stabilisation and can record in Ultra-HD.
When’s it out?
Like most other new phones, it should be out in April.
How much will it cost?
It will cost a wallet-busting £600 but then it’s intentionally high-end.
Do I really need one?
Yes, if you enjoy photography and recording video. The Samsung Galaxy S5 is a great cameraphone but this eclipses it for us.

UBUNTU MOBIILE
Why is it interesting?
Canonical has been trying to bring Ubuntu to mobile phones for a while, and at MWC it showed off the latest version on a Nexus 4. Two prototype devices were also on display, created by the Chinese company Meizu, and BQ of Spain. You’ll be able to plug the phones into a large screen, the idea being that they replace desktop computers.
When’s it out?
Sometime in 2014.
How much will it cost?
The price of the handsets has not been announced. Because Ubuntu is open source, it may be possible to run it on Android phones.
Do I really need it?
If you’re looking for an alternative to Android, Windows Phone and iOS, then Ubuntu Mobile could hold the answer. If not, the list of mobile operating systems is growing, including seeing Tizen, Firefox OS (bit.ly/firefox341), Sailfish (sailfishos.org) and many more.

TALKBAND B1
Why is it interesting?
Huawei showed off a ‘smartband’ that you can wear on your wrist. It lets you talk using a detachable Bluetooth headset, if you feel silly speaking to your arm, and pairs with your tablet or phone using an app. The Talkband also monitors your health and can keep going for two weeks on standby.
When’s it out?
It should be out this summer.
How much will it cost?
Indications are that it will be around £100.
Do I really need one?
The wearable market is about to become very crowded, so you might want to wait to see what else comes along.

Sometimes, rather than trying to explain how something works, it’s easier to show someone. Here we reveal how to record, save and share anything you do on your PC.

Grab and annotate screenshots
If you need to capture a single screen shot, Windows 7 and 8 offer a built-in Snipping Tool. This lets you grab what’s on-screen and add simple annotations, then either save the resulting image as a PNG, GIF or JPEG file, copy it to the clipboard or attach it to an email. To launch Snipping Tool in Windows 7 (Home Premium, Professional, Ultimate and Enterprise editions), go to Start, type snipping and press Enter. In Windows 8.1, type Snipping Tool into the Search box, then click or tap Apps. To capture more sophisticated screen grabs, including pictures with fixed frame sizes (useful for creating tiled wallpaper) that you can rotate and add frames to, check out the tiny free program MWSnap. It’s old, but it works with any version of WIndows and lets you set up timed captures. Alternatively, try PicPic (www.nteworks.com/picpick), which is free for home and personal use, and has some useful extras, such as the ability to capture whole web pages in scrolling browser windows.

Capture and share your Chrome tabs
The excellent Chrome extension Screencastify lets you record anything you do in the currently active browser tab. Just click the film-strip icon on the toolbar, set the video quality and choose whether to capture the sound from the tabbed window or your own voice via the microphone (you can’t do both). Click Start Recording, then Pause or Stop when you’re done. Screencastify records every mouse movement, opening of a menu, button click, playing of videos and music, and more. Once you’ve finished recording you can save or share the finished video with a friend – support for direct upload to Google Drive and YouTube is built in. The resulting files, which are saved in WEBM format, play fine in video software such as VLC Media Player and although a touch jerky, are adequate for demonstrating tricky web tasks to less tech-savvy friends and family members.

Record and share your own screencasts
If you want to capture and share something other than a browser window, there are various options for creating a ‘screencast’. Normally, we’d recommend the simple free online tool Screenr (www.screenr.com) but, at the moment, we and some other users are experiencing Java-related problems getting it to work. ScreencastOMatic (www.screencast-o-matic.com) is more or less a direct replacement, with a more generous 15-minute recording limit (Screenr allows only five) and the option to save your screencasts directly to YouTube or as Flash, MP4 or AVI files. It’s also worth trying Jing (www.techsmith.com/jing.html), which lets you draw a window around whatever you want to capture (or you can grab your entire Desktop) and record a voiceover to describe what’s happening. Recordings are limited to five minutes and saved as Flash files, but since these can be played back via any browser this isn’t much of a limitation, though you can’t edit them. Jing pushes you towards its own Screencast-sharing service (you get 2GB of space for free) and although it does support mainstream services including Twitter and Facebook, setting these up is a bit DIY for our liking. Still, it’s free and finished videos are smooth and the sound is good.

Record and share your PC problems
Windows 7 and 8 have a clever built-in feature called Problem Steps Recorder (just Steps Recorder in Windows 8), which you can use to get help with technical difficulties you’re experiencing. To access the tool, press the Windows key+R, type psr and press Enter. When the program window opens, click Start Record. Go through the steps to recreate the problem you’re experiencing, clicking Pause if necessary and Stop when you’re done. If a particular part of the process needs more explanation, click the Add Comment button, use the cursor to highlight the relevant area of the screen, then type an explanation into the box that appears. Click OK to close and continue. Your finished recordings are saved as a series of screen shots and compressed to a zip file to save space. They can be emailed to anyone who has offered to help you solve the problem.

Create photo-based how-to guides
Sometimes the thing you want to share isn’t on your PC’s screen at all; for example, you might want to connect an external USB headset or set up an audio hardware interface. If that’s the case, try Snapguide (www.snapguide.com), an iOS app and web service.This makes it a doddle to create a series of still photographs, annotate them with text and then share them via the Snapguide website. The guides can also be embedded in a blog or website, or shared on social-media sites. Snapguide is slick, simple and completely free.

Capture from a smartphone screen
Apple deliberately makes it difficult to record what’s happening on iOS devices. Individual screen captures are easy enough – hold down the Home key and press the power button – but capturing a sequence requires some serious hoop-jumping. If you must, try installing Apple’s free XCode developer suite (developer.apple.com/xcode), which includes an iOS simulator you can use to record from your Mac’s screen. Alternatively, UX Recorder (www.uxrecorder.com) lets you record 30-second videos from mobile websites (but not apps) for free. Android users are more fortunate, thanks to an app called Recordable, which lets you create MP4 videos directly from the device to share with friends. The free version is limited to 4fps (frames per second) and also displays the author’s logo, but the full version is only 99p, and you don’t have to ‘root’ your phone or tablet to use either one. To capture single screen grabs, just press the volume-down and power buttons at the same time on your phone or tablet.

Record your Skype video calls
If someone at home is going to miss an important overseas call from one of the family, you can use DVDVideoSoft’s Free Video Call Recorder for Skype to record both sides of the conversation so they can enjoy it later. The program has simple record, pause and stop controls, and saves videos as MP4 files to your Videos folder. Playback isn’t particularly smooth but the program works fine – just be careful to choose the Custom option when you’re installing it to decline any unwanted extras. Bear in mind, too, that it’s illegal to share Skype calls (whether phone or video), unless you have the other person’s consent.

Make a video with system sound and a voiceover
If you want to show someone how to use a music program or anything that requires sound, check out Apowersoft Free Screen Recorder, which can simultaneously record both system audio (so you can hear music and dialogue) and a voiceover (so you can describe what’s happening). Make sure you download the free version (the Pro one costs around £24) and, once it’s loaded, open the Audio Input drop-down menu and select ‘System sound and microphone’ to record both the PC audio and what you’re saying. Finished videos are saved as WMV (Windows Media Video) files.

Looking for a new router? Here we test a powerful model that can effortlessly bring Wi-Fi to your dead spots.

A router's job is to receive your Internet connection and create a network around your house, so you can access the web on your various computers and tablets. Our test house has just had a new ADSL Internet connection installed by Sky, which we've left running with the ISP's router to provide a baseline for comparing any extra benefit gained from a replacement model. We performed our usual tests with the Fritz Box 7490, using NetStress (www.nutsaboutnets.com) to see how fast the wireless network was. We tested it both unobstructed in the same room, and across the house at a distance, where walls and ceilings interfere with the signal. In the same room, using our laptop's built-in Wi-Fl, we found the two routers provided similar network speed, with Sky's router getting 17.98Mbps and the Fritz Box being slightly slower at 17.94Mbps. However, moving across the house and up a floor, the ISP router only managed 8.9Mbps, and occasionally lost the network completely. The Fritz Box, on the other hand, barely registered that we'd moved, maintaining a steady network speed of 16.58Mbps, which is an impressive result. The router can use the 802.11ac Wi-Fl standard, so if you've got compatible equipment, you can expect even faster speeds.

The Fritz Box comes with ADSL and VDSL (fibre broadband) hardware built-in, so it can connect directly to most non-cable broadband connections. If you have a cable connection, you can use your exisiting Ethernet router as a modem and plug it into the first of the Fritz Box's four Ethernet ports (you'll have to configure the port to receive, rather than distribute, your Internet connection). This entails losing one of the Fritz Box's wired network ports, but it means you'll be able to take advantage of its superior Wi-Fi. It also effectively makes the Fritz Box future-proof These options appear in the configuration, which you access by typing http://fritz .box into your browser. The interface isn't particularly slick, but the initial set-up uses simple multiple-choice options that even network novices will find very easy to understand and use. Once the Fritx Box is set up, you'll find a wealth of advanced features, from guest networks to configuring the two USB 3 ports (which can be used to store, share and stream files, or share printers). A quirk of many Fritz Box routers is that they also include telephony tools. The 7490 can be used as the base station and answerphone for up to six standard digital cordless phones or with an internet telephone service. This feature isn't likely to be of much use to most UK customers, who usually have phone services bundled with broadband. It might also make you wonder how much extra you're paying to include this feature in what is already a very expensive router.

SPECIFICATIONS
• ADSL, ADSL2+ and VDSL compatible
• 802.11ac/n/g/b/a Wi-Fi
• 4 x Gigabit Ethernet
• Browser-based access to all files in the network, wherever they are stored
• 2 x USB 3 ports

FOR
• Superb Wi-Fi signal at a distance
• Future-proof

AGAINST
• Expensive
• Includes phone features that many won't need

OUR VERDICT
This is a top-of-the-range router that provides excellent performance. It's primarily configured for ADSL and fibre users, but will still work with other types of connection, so it won't need replacing if you switch services.