If you need a manual or help with the setup of your Medion Life E5001, check out our user guide to start using your handset, connect to the internet and more!

1. Unboxing and assembling your Medion Life E5001
2. Set up your phone for the first time
3. Connecting to Wi-Fi and mobile networks
4. Find out how to add your email accounts
5. How to add and import contacts to your Medion
6. Using the Play Store to find new apps
7. Securing your Medion Life E5001 with a lock screen
8. How to make phone calls on your Medion
9. Send text & picture messages
10. Sending emails and attachments on your Medion
11. How to set alarms on the Medion Life E5001
12. Read our tips to learn more about your phone

click here for Medion's Life E5001 user manual

Unboxing and assembling your Medion Life E5001

So, first of all, let's make sure you have everything you need. Inside the box* you should find:

• 1 x Medion E5001
• 1 x Battery
• 1 x Mains adaptor
• 1 x USB cable
• 1 x Information pack

*some box contents may vary

Assembly

In order to install the SIM and memory cards, you will need to remove the back cover of the E5001. On the top edge of the handset you will see the charging port/micro USB connector. Use your thumbnail in this connector hole to prise the back cover away from the handset. When the cover is loose remove it, then place the handset screen-side down on a soft, non-scratch surface.

The Medion Life E5001 is a dual-SIM phone, meaning you can insert two SIM cards to juggle between calls and data. The primary SIM card is 'normal' sized, which is quite large in comparison to the other two sizes of SIM available. The second SIM is a microSIM, which is a bit smaller than the normal one. Each SIM goes into a housing at the top of the battery compartment, so if the battery has already been inserted into the phone please remove it. There are two housings, marked SIM1 and SIM 2. Your SIM card slides into the housing in the centre of the phone, marked SIM 1. Slide the SIM card into place with the metal contacts facing down, and with the cut-off corner pointing away from the SIM slot, until it stops against the edge of the battery compartment. If you wish to use a second SIM card, that can be inserted into the second housing found underneath the camera lens.

If you wish to install a microSD (memory) card, this goes into a housing at the top of the phone, to the right of the SIM trays. The memory card should be inserted into the housing narrow end first, with the gold-coloured contacts facing down. Slide the card into place towards the battery compartment until it stops.

Finally, replace the back cover, pressing it down carefully around the edge to secure it onto the body of the handset. You're now ready to turn the E5001 on, customising and personalising it as you go.

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Set up your phone for the first time

Before you turn on the E5001 for the first time, please make sure you have inserted the SIM (and memory card, if required) correctly, as described in the previous chapter.

Push the power button on the back of the handset to turn it on, holding it in for a few seconds until you feel a vibration. The phone will then turn on, and display the setup wizard.

1. Choose your language, it may already be correct but you can change it by tapping on it. Once you're happy with your language selection tap Next.
2. Tick the Mobile Network box to enable your mobile internet service, and tick the Wi-Fi box to activate Wi-Fi. In the list that appears, tap the name of the Wi-Fi network you wish to join, or tap Next to skip this (which I wouldn't recommended, as the E5001 will download updates when the setup wizard completes, which may use a lot of data).
3. Enter the wireless password when prompted. This may be shown on a sticker on your router, and is sometimes referred to as a WEP key, WPA key or wireless passphrase. Check your typing if you wish by tapping the Show password box, and when you are ready to proceed tap Connect. If successful, you will see the word Connected under the network name, then the wizard will move on to the next screen.
4. Next you will be asked to sign in with your Google account, which will unlock some great features on your phone. Without one you can't browse the Play Store or sync your contacts! If you have a Google account (an email address ending @googlemail.com or @gmail.com) then enter your Gmail address where indicated and tap Next. If you don't have an account already, you can get one for free by tapping Create a new account.

5. If you're signing in, enter your Gmail password where indicated then tap Next. If you are creating a new account, fully complete the form.
6. In order to sign in you have to agree to the Terms of Service and the Privacy Policy. Tap the links to inspect these, and when you are ready to proceed tap Accept.
7. The Play Store contains a lot of paid-for content including music and premium apps, as well as free items. You can add your card details now if you want to, set up mobile network billing (if permitted by your network) or redeem a Play Store voucher. You can also tap No, thanks if you don't want to complete this now. When you've selected your billing option, tap Next.
8. If your Google account was used on a previous Android device, you may be offered a backup(s) to restore from, and a choice of which apps to bring across. Tap your old device's name to see what backups are available to restore.

9. If you don't want to restore any of the available backups, and would rather start over and set up your handset as a new device, then select Set up as new device from the Restore from menu.
10. When you're happy with your choice of backup, or have chosen to set the E5001 up as a new device, tap Next to proceed.
11. You will be asked to protect your phone by setting a screen lock. While this is important, we do cover this in a later chapter, and it can be a little frustrating to keep having to unlock your phone repeatedly whilst setting it up. Tap Skip to set this up later, or if you'd prefer, tap Set screen lock now to go through that setup.
12. If you're skipping the screen lock for now, you'll have to confirm by tapping Skip anyway. As I mentioned, we do cover this in a later chapter in this guide!

13. Agreeing to the various Google services is a must in order to use your phone to its fullest. You can automatically keep your device backed up, use location services to personlise your searches and use mapping, as well as improving your Android experience by feeding back errors and issues to Google. Uncheck any service you don't wish to take advantage of, and tap Next when you're ready to continue.
14. That's the setup completed. You'll see a banner at the top of the screen advising how to customise your home screen. When you've read the information shown, tap Got it.

You will now be looking at the home screen of your Medion E5001. Just above the Home icon (the circle at the very bottom of the screen) you will see an icon with 6 dots in a circle. This is the Apps icon, and tapping this will open a list of all the apps installed on your handset.

Now that your handset is up and running, why don't you read through the other chapters in this guide to discover how to import your contacts, receive email on your phone and download more apps!

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Connecting to Wi-Fi and mobile networks

We covered connecting the Medion E5001 to a Wi-Fi network as part of the initial seat up, however if you skipped it or simply need to connect to different Wi-Fi network we'll go through the process here. Your mobile internet connection should have configured itself automatically, if not we've also listed a few steps you can take to get yourself connected.

connecting to Wi-Fi

1. On the Home screen, tap the Apps icon then tap the Settings icon (it looks like a cog, in the top right corner of the screen)
2. If it's not already selected, tap the Networks tab at the top of the screen.
3. Check that the Wi-Fi switch is blue, which means that Wi-Fi is switched on. If it's grey just tap the switch to enable it.
4. Tap Wi-Fi.

5. You should now see a list of nearby wireless networks, tap on the one you want to connect to.
6. Input the wireless Password when prompted, you can tick the Show password box if you wish to be certain of typing it correctly. When you're ready to proceed, tap Connect.
7. If successful, the network name will turn blue and you'll see the word Connected underneath.

You can check if the phone is using a Wi-Fi connection by looking for the fan icon in the notification area at the top of the screen.

Connecting to Mobile Data

In order to check and configure the mobile data connection, you will need to turn off Wi-Fi. The mobile data connection is indicated by letters next to the signal bars on the top line of the display. The letters may vary to indicate different speeds (G, E, 3G, H, H+ or 4G), but the presence of any letter here indicates an active data connection.

1. From the home screen, tap the Apps icon then tap the Settings icon.
2. To check the mobile data connection, the handset must not be connected to Wi-Fi so you will need to turn this off. Tap Wi-Fi, then tap the switch to turn the Wi-Fi connection off (you can turn it back on once you've got your mobile data issues sorted out!). With Wi-Fi off, tap the back arrow at the top left-hand corner of the screen.
3. Tap Data usage, and check that the switch is turned on (showing blue). If not, tap it to enable mobile data, then check for a data indicator.
4. If you're still not connected, the settings themselves may be incorrect. In the Wireless & networks section of the settings, tap More.

5. To check the settings, tap Mobile Networks.
6. The settings that control your handset connecting to the internet are called APN settings, so to look at these tap Access point names.
7. The active network setting should have a blue dot against it. If this is not alongside your network's name, or none of the listed networks are enabled, tap on the correct setting in the list to activate it.
8. If your network isn't listed, or if there are no networks at all, tap the Menu button (three dots in the top right-hand corner), then tap Reset to default. This will read all the available settings stored on the SIM card, and you may be required to select your mobile network operator from a list. Don't forget to tap the radio button next to the correct access point to enable it.

If after resetting to default you still don't see your network listed, then you can enter the settings manually. Tap the Menu button again and then tap New APN. Complete the form with your mobile network's correct settings, then tap the Menu button and tap Save. Activate the setting by tapping the circle to put the blue dot into it.

To help you enter the APN manually, we have written a series of Access Point Name (APN) settings guides covering the most popular UK mobile networks to help you. If your mobile network isn't listed, you may need to contact them directly to ask them to send the settings through to your new phone.

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Find out how to add your email accounts

The E5001 supports multiple POP3, IMAP and Exchange accounts so if you have one email address for work and a separate one for home, receiving all those emails is simple. Simply follow the guide below to set up your preferred email accounts, along with setting up a Google email (or Gmail), a vital necessity for almost all Android devices.

Gmail Setup

We covered setting up a Google account in the initial setup, but if you didn't complete it then you can add one now.

1. Start by tapping the Apps icon on the Home screen.
2. In the notifications area tap the Settings icon.
3. At the top of the settings menu are several tabs. Tap the General tab, then tap Accounts and sync.
4. Any accounts already set up on your E5001 will be shown on screen. At the bottom of the list, tap Add account.

5. Tap Google to start adding a Gmail account to the phone.
6. If you don't yet have a Google account you can set one up for free by tapping Create a new account.
7. If you already have a Google account to add, enter your Gmail address in the space provided, then tap Next.
8. If you are signing in, enter the password for your Google account into the space provided and tap Next. If you are creating a new account, complete the form.

9. In order to add your Google account you will have to agree to the Terms and conditions. Tap a link to look at the relevant agreement, and when you are ready to move on tap Accept.
10. Google will offer to back up information from your phone, such as Wi-Fi passwords, apps and their data, among other things. If you don't want this to happen, untick the box, and when you are ready to proceed tap Next.
11. You may be asked to set up some payment details in order to purchase apps and other media from the Play Store. Tap your chosen payment method, or skip this by selecting No, thanks, then tap Continue.

You will now see the Google account listed on the Accounts and sync page of the settings. Continue adding more accounts, or return to the home screen and then check the GMail app for your messages!

Email Setup

Email from most providers should set up automatically, in much the same way as adding the Google account:

1. From the home screen tap Apps then tap Settings, then scroll down and tap Accounts.
2. You will see a list of the accounts that are already set up on your E5001. At the bottom, tap Add account.
3. If you have an Exchange email account (often used by employers and education providers) choose Microsoft Exchange. If your account is the more common POP or IMAP type, tap one of those options (choosing a yellow envelope option will mean your mail will be delivered into the Email app, choosing a red M icon will mean your mail is delivered into the GMail app.
4. Enter your email address when prompted, then tap Next.
5. Enter the password for your email account and tap Next.

6. If your account sets up, you should see an options screen to allow you to choose how often your handset checks for mail, and other settings. This depends on your email provider though, so don't worry if this screen doesn't appear! Tap Next to continue.
7. You will be asked to choose a name for your account, and also the handset will ask you to then fill in your name in the second box. This will be displayed on any emails you send from your phone so keep it clean! Once you're happy with your details, tap Next to finish the email setup.
8. Your account will now show in the list. You can add further accounts if you wish, or tap the Home button to return to the home screen.

If your account failed to set up automatically you will be taken back to the email address and password screen. You can try it again, in case you entered anything incorrectly, but if you still can't move forward you will need to tap the Manual setup button. In order to add your account manually you will need to know your email address, password, and incoming & outgoing mail servers. The port numbers are usually filled in automatically but in some circumstances may need to be changed. Check out the Geek Squad guide to email server settings to assist you with manually setting up your account, but if you are still struggling to get your email added to your phone, why don't you check out our support options and give us a call.

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How to add and import contacts to your Medion

Upgrading your phone? Let us help in moving your contacs from your old phone to your new Medion E5001, where you'll have them all safely in one place. Whether you're transferring them from iPhone, Windows Phone, BlackBerry or Android, we'll show you how to keep your contacts safe.

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Using the Play Store to find new apps

Find new apps, games, movies and music to enjoy on your smartphone, through the Google Play Store. You'll find millions of apps to browse through, and thousands of films and TV series to stream to your handset. Click the link to find out more about the Play Store, and where to look to find what you're after.

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Securing your Medion Life E5001 with a lock screen

Your Medion E5001 has a lot of valuable information on it, and will likely be signed into accounts inside various apps to give you quick access to your data; Email, social media and file sharing apps to name but a few. The best way to keep all of this data from prying eyes is to secure your E5001 with a PIN or Password. Read on to discover how!

1. From the home screen, tap on the Apps icon, then tap on Settings.
2. Sc roll to the Personal section of the settings and tap Security.
3. To set up lock screen security, tap Screen lock.
4. Choose what type of unlock method you'd like to use; Swipe is the default method which is quite insecure, Pattern allows you to draw a pattern on a grid of dots, PIN is a 4-digit numerical code and Password is a longer, more complex security code. The relative strengths of each type of security are indicated onscreen. To proceed, tap your chosen method.

5. In our example we're entering a PIN, but a password is set in much the same manner. Enter your chosen code via the keyboard, then tap Continue (a pattern will require you to set a PIN as a backup).
6. Confirm your unlock PIN or Password by entering it again, then tap OK.
7. When the screen is locked, notifications show you when you've received emails, messages and more. You can choose to Show all notification content, Hide sensitive content (you'll see you've received a message for example, but not the message itself) or Don't show notifications. Tap to select your preference, then tap Next.
8. To change the time taken before the lock screen activates, tap Automatically lock and select your chosen delay.

When you're happy, tap the Home button to return to the home screen, then lock it by pressing the power button on the side and try it out!

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How to make phone calls on your Medion

The first step to making a phone call is to open the Phone icon from the home screen by tapping on it. This is usually in the bottom left-hand corner of the screen.

1. The phone app will open to the Speed Dial screen, which provides buttons to dial your favourite contacts quickly and easily. To mark a contact as a favourite, tap the star when you have that contact's details open.
2. If you prefer, you can search your contacts directly from the Phone app by tapping Contacts at the top. Whenever you have the contact you'd like to call on screen, tap the phone icon on their contact and handset will dial them!
3. To use the phone dialler keypad, tap the blue keypad icon at the bottom of the screen (which has 10 dots representing phone digits on it). Enter the number, then tap the green phone icon to make the call.
4. The keypad can also be used to spell out the name of a contact. Use the numbers which correspond to the letters shown to spell the name (in our example we're spelling out "Danny" by tapping "32669") and the Idol 3 will find them in your contact list, just tap their name to call them! If you know more than one person with the name you're searching, you'll need to tap the correct contact from the suggestions.

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Send text & picture messages

Find and tap the Messaging app from your home screen. The icon is a white speech bubble with a smiley emoticon on it. If you have unread messages, you will see a red badge in the corner showing you have unread items.

1. To compose a new message, tap on the compose button (which looks like a speech bubble) at the top of the screen.
2. Now you're looking at a blank text message. Pick the recipient by tapping on Type name or number.
3. You can enter a mobile number directly using the numeric keyboard, or you can start to type a contact's name. If you're entering text, matching contacts will appear below as you type. Tap on the contact you're trying to text to select them as the recipient. You can add further recipients if you wish to send the same message to multiple people.
4. Now you've chosen who you're messaging, it's time to type out what you want to say. Tap into the Enter message box and using the keyboard, type your message. If you're just sending a text message, tap the green Send button to send it on its way.

How to add an attachment to send an MMS message

5. If you want to add an attachment, such as a picture, video or sound recording, tap the + to the left of the text input area. Choose what to attach by tapping on the correct icon (if you're sending a picture or video, it will be sent as a Multimedia message, and you may be charged for this - check with your mobile network about costs!).
6. If you're adding a picture from your phone, tap the Menu icon (three bars) at the top left-hand corner of the screen to navigate through your folders.
7. When you've found the item you wish to attach, tap it to select it.
8. Once you've attached your item, it will display in the body of the message, allowing you to add further text before you send it by tapping the Send button.

How to delete a message thread

If you'd like to delete a thread of messages from your handset, open the Messaging app and locate the thread you'd like to delete by finding the other person's name in the message list.

Touch and hold on their name, and the background will turn blue to show you've selected the thread. Tap any other threads you wish to delete, then tap the bin icon to remove the message thread(s), and then confirm the deletion on the following screen.

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Sending emails and attachments on your Medion

To send an email, you must have already set up an email account on your Medion E5001. If you haven't added your account yet, please check our chapter on adding an email account for more information. To see your emails, tap the Apps icon followed by the Email icon.

1. When you can see your email inbox, tap the compose button. This is a white pen on an orange circle at the bottom of the email inbox screen.
2. Tap into the To line to select the intended recipient. Enter their address directly, or start typing their name using the keyboard, and any matching contacts will appear. Tap on the correct contact to add them to the recipient list. You can add further recipients or send carbon copies to yourself or others by tapping the down arrow.
3. Enter a Subject for your email by tapping on that line and entering it via the keyboard.
4. Now that you've set it up, type your message by tapping into the white portion of the window in the middle of the screen. If you just want to send a text email, then you can send it by tapping the arrow icon on the title bar.

Add an attachment to your email

5. To add an attachment, tap the paper clip on the title bar. When the menu opens, you can choose what you'd like to attach.
6. Navigate through your files by tapping the three bars icon at the top left, and using the on screen menu to find where your item is stored.
7. When you've located the item(s) you want, tap to select them.
8. Add further attachments if you wish, and compose your message. To send, tap the envelope.

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How to set alarms on the Medion Life E5001

Alarms are set and amended through the Clock app on your Go Play. If your phone is showing the time on the front screen, tap it to see the app itself, If not, tap Apps and then Clock.

1. When you open the app, you'll see icons across the top of the app allow you to select Alarm, Clock, Timer and Stopwatch functions. Tap the alarm clock to access the alarm settings.
2. Set a new alarm by tapping the new alarm (+) icon at the bottom of the screen.
3. Tap the desired hour, and tap OK.
4. Tap the chosen minute you'd like to set, and again tap OK.
5. Now that the new alarm time has been set (the switch is red, meaning that it's ready to go!), you can edit some other options before closing the panel.

6. If you want the alarm to repeat on multiple days (such as every weekday) tap the Repeat box and highlight the days you'd like the alarm to sound.
7. You can also edit the melody and vibration setting for each alarm, and change the Label to a more informative name.
8. When you're happy with the settings, close the detail panel by tapping on the upward-pointing arrowhead.
9. To prevent an alarm from sounding, tap the switch on the alarm. This will grey out, indicating it is not set. To set an alarm that is greyed out, tap the switch again.
10. To delete an alarm completely, tap the down arrow on it then tap the bin icon.

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Read our tips to learn more about your phone

You should now be a little more familiar with your Medion E5001, so let's take a moment to run through a couple of tips to help you get the most out of your new phone.

Monitor your Data Usage

The Medion E5001 comes with a useful monitor to help you keep an eye on your data usage. This should hopefully help prevent you from running up a large bill through using more data than your allowance. To set this up go to Settings> Data Usage> and then click on the tab with your Network name.

Wth the settings page open, you can set your billing cycle with a drop-down menu to ensure the counter resets when your mobile bill is produces every month, and there is a tickbox to stop you from going over the limit you set.

There are two coloured sliders to help you, a red one to show your data limit and a grey one to provide you with a warning that you're getting close to your limit.

The only thing to bear in mind is that this shows the data usage as your phone interprets it, not as your mobile network calculates it. This means that you might benefit from setting the sliders a little below your actual allowance to avoid going over - at least until you see how they compare!

Check your Battery Usage

If you think your battery isn't lasting as long as it should, then there is a battery monitor built into the E5001 to show you just what part of your phone has used the power.

Accessing the monitor couldn't be easier. Tap on Settings> Battery and you will see an estimate of how long the available power will last (based on how you're using your phone at the time of checking).

Below the projected time of use left you will see a list of hardware and apps showing you exactly how much of the used power each element of the phone has taken. For example, if you don't connect to Wi-Fi very often but it uses a lot of power, then this could help you to decide to turn Wi-Fi off when you don't use it, saving you power, which will extend the time your phone will last before it needs charging again.

If you're running low on power and you're not sure if your battery will last, then you can switch on power saving by going to Settings> Battery and then tapping the menu icon in the top corner (three dots). This will allow you access to the Battery saver, where you can tap the switch to enable the setting. You can even choose to have Battery saver mode automatically enabled if your phone's charge drops below a preset amount.

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With the release of Carphone Warehouse's Goji headset, virtual reality for smartphones has become more accessible than ever. Whether you're using iPhone or Android, you can now enjoy VR apps and games from the comfort of your home – and without breaking the bank.

Whether you're using Google Cardboard, the Goji VR or one of the many other gadgets available, we've picked out some of the best and most interesting virtual reality apps to enjoy on your headset!

In order to run most of these apps, you must already have the Google Cardboard app for iPhone and Android installed on your handset – even if you're using a non-Cardboard headset.

Run the app to calibrate your device – and once it's complete, you can access features like Google Earth, Street View and Cardboard Camera, as well as seeing a list of Cardboard-compatible apps already installed on your smartphone.

Any new downloads will automatically appear in this section of the Google Cardboard app, so you won't have far to look – and the following is our pick of the best.

Jurassic VR

Lunagames Fun & Games
Free for iOS and Android

Jurassic VR puts you in a virtual world populated by dinosaurs, in which you can walk around and explore the landscape. It's a simple app that shows off how well 3D can work in Google Cardboard and similar devices – and is ideal for anyone who wants to live out a Jurassic Park fantasy!

There are no buttons to use in Jurassic VR: simply look in the direction you'd like to walk in, and your character will walk slowly in that direction. And I do mean slowly! It's more of a snail's pace – but the dinosaurs you'll encounter move much faster.

Indeed, things can get pretty tense when you turn your head and see a raptor running towards you in the corner of your eye – although in this game, the dinosaurs are harmless. For now.

Wizard Academy

Realiteer Corp.
Free for iOS and Android

This is the most interactive of the apps I've tried for mobile VR so far, putting you in the shoes of a wizard exploring a small town and using your magic to clean things up as you go. To focus your wand, simply stare at the object you want to hurl magic at – the game will do the rest!

There's plenty of help at the beginning to help you get used to the limited controls, which comes in handy – as you'll need to physically walk on the spot in order to move around in game. Alternatively, you can jog your VR headset up and down, which tricks your phone into thinking you're walking.

This actually works surprisingly well, and within minutes I was wandering around the town, cleaning lumps of green goo from everything I could find. A great game which really does show what these simple VR headsets can be capable of.

Orbulus

VRCraftworks
Free for iOS and Android

Orbulus is simply a gallery of 360-degree panoramic images you can enjoy from a virtual reality perspective. Whether you want to enjoy the Northern Lights in the snow or stand proudly on the surface of Mars, there are plenty of landscapes to drop in and out of.

Simply stare at the scene you'd like to experience until the loading completes and the image generates around you. Then you can look around and enjoy the view!

This app isn't particularly interactive, but it doesn't need to be to demonstrate how beautiful the world can be – or how immersive this particular type of VR is. A truly pleasurable app which I'll be keeping installed to enjoy again in the future.

Glitcher VR

dystopia zero
Free for Android

Glitcher fits under the category of 'augmented reality' as opposed to virtual reality: instead of putting you in a virtual environment, it augments your actual environment by adding some great filters to your vision!

You'll be able to enjoy inverse colours, or see everything as if it's recorded on a VHS or viewed through an Apple IIc CRT monitor. You can even switch to 'Predator' mode (see above) and feel like a monster while you stalk your friends and workmates!

The filters are all very impressive, and I found myself switching between them frequently. Glitcher can be controlled either by using the magnetic button on the side of your Cardboard headset, by tapping the volume keys on the side of your phone or even by voice commands. That's right, you can tell Glitcher which filter to switch to, and it will follow your instructions! Pretty fantastic, and well worth a download.

Star Wars VR

Disney
Free for iOS and Android

Star Wars is one of the most popular film series of all time, and it was inevitable that it would eventually make its way on to our smartphones. This app is more than just a Google Carboard tie-in, offering all kinds of Star Wars goodies for those that download it!

For Cardboard users, open the app and tap on 'Jakku Spy' to fire up a selection of short virtual reality films. Tap on a chapter to watch it in an immersive, virtual environment and enjoy being 'inside' a Star Wars story!

The graphics are attractive and there are quite a few videos to enjoy in the VR series – although each video is quite brief, so you may want to rewatch a couple. If you're a fan of Star Wars and enjoyed the new film, you're sure to love Star Wars VR!

Sisters

Otherworld Interactive
Free for iOS and Android

A virtual horror game for mobile VR , Sisters is a simple yet immersive experience which does a great job of putting you on edge. Chilling sounds and an environment which responds and reacts to the objects you're looking at are only the start of this game's creepiness.

There aren't many horror titles for mobile VR – and the few which are available tend not to be that scary. Sisters certainly changed my opinion of that! I was actually a little nervous taking the headset off when I was finished in case there was someone else in the room with me. Best enjoyed with headphones on.

Within – VR

Vrse
Free for iOS and Android

This app is actually many VR experiences in one! It offers links to some of the most popular and highly acclaimed virtual reality videos and 360-degree panoramic photos available, from sources like Vice News, the New York Times and more. Even bands like U2 and Muse have videos to enjoy, putting you right at the centre of the action!

This is another app which sees frequent updates adding more and more content all the time. Right now, the short film Take Flight is listed – featuring stars like Melissa McCarthy, Michael Fassbender, Benicio del Toro and Charlize Theron leaping around in wires and harnesses to make something spectacular.

If you want to enjoy some of the highest-quality virtual reality videos for your device, you can't go wrong with Within.

VR Cosmic Rollercoaster

Raiz
Free for iOS and Android

Journey through space on an epic rollercoaster adventure in this casual app for mobile VR headsets. While not very interactive (or informative), it is very attractive – and works well to make you feel like you're travelling through the cosmos!

In fact, there are many rollercoaster-type VR apps to choose from, but this stood out for me as being one of the most visually satisfying ones. There isn't much replay value to Cosmic Rollercoaster, but it certainly does a great job of showing off how great the VR effects in Google Cardboard and similar devices can be.

Chrome Experiments for Virtual Reality

Google Inc.
Free for iOS and Android

If you want to see what kind of madness Google itself experiments with in VR, look no further than the Chrome Experiments website. Browse the site from your smartphone – then place it in your VRheadset to enjoy the weird and wonderful browser-based apps available.

As this is web-based, you'll find frequent updates and less storage space taken up on your handset, so bookmark the page and enjoy to your hearts content! There are even experiments which don't rely on virtual reality – like the popular Lightsaber Escape game, which sees you using your phone as a Lightsaber to combat enemies on your TV screen.

Explore the site and see what gems you can unearth - there's plenty to pick from!

So, that's our round-up of our favourite virtual reality apps for smartphones. If you've enjoyed any VR apps that aren't on our list, why not share them with us in the comments section below!

If you need a manual or help with the setup of your LG X Cam, check out our user guide to start using your handset, connect to the internet and more!

1. Unboxing and assembling your LG X Cam
2. Set up your phone for the first time
3. Connecting to Wi-Fi and mobile networks
4. Find out how to add your email accounts
5. How to add and import contacts to your LG
6. Using the Play Store to find new apps
7. Securing your LG X Cam with a lock screen
8. How to make phone calls on your X Cam
9. Send text & picture messages
10. Sending emails and attachments on your LG X Cam
11. How to set alarms on the LG X Cam
12. Read our tips to learn more about your phone

click here for LG's X Cam user manual

Unboxing and assembling your LG X Cam

So, first of all, let's make sure you have everything you need. Inside the box* you should find:

• 1 x LG X Cam
• 1 x Battery
• 1 x Mains adaptor
• 1 x USB cable
• 1 x Earphones
• 1 x SIM removal tool
• 1 x Information pack

*some box contents may vary

Assembly

In order to install the nano-SIM and memory card, you will need to remove a tray from the side of the X Cam. Grab your SIM tool (which looks like a metal pin) and push the thin, pointy end into the hole on the left edge of your smartphone. This will eject the tray which houses your nano-SIM and microSD cards.

The nano-SIM goes into the lower of the two slots in the tray. Thanks to the shape of the tray and the nano-SIM, it will only fit in the tray one way! make sure the metal contacts of the SIM are pointed downwards, towards the back of the phone like the photo below.

If you wish to install a microSD (memory) card, this goes into the upper section of this tray. Like the nano-SIM, the microSD will only fit into the tray in one way. Make sure the metal contacts are unobstructed, then slide the tray back into the side of the smartphone.

You're now ready to turn the X Cam on, customising and personalising it as you go!

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Set up your phone for the first time

Before you turn on the X Cam for the first time, please make sure you have inserted the SIM (and memory card, if required), as described in the previous chapter.

Push the power button on the side of the handset to turn it on, holding it in for a few seconds until you feel a vibration. The phone will turn on and display the setup wizard.

1. Choose your language, it may already be correct but you can change it by tapping on it. Once you're happy with your language selection tap Next.
2. Tap the Mobile Network box to enable your mobile internet service, and tap the Wi-Fi box to activate Wi-Fi. In the list that appears, tap the name of the Wi-Fi network you wish to join, or tap Next to skip this (not recommended, as the X Cam will download updates when the setup wizard completes, which may use a lot of data).
3. Enter the wireless password when prompted. This may be shown on a sticker on your router, and is sometimes referred to as a WEP key, WPA key or wireless passphrase. Check your typing if you wish by tapping the Show password box, and when you are ready to proceed tap Connect.
4. If successful, you will see the word Connected under the network name, which will now be coloured blue. You should also see a Wi-Fi indicator (a fan-shaped symbol next to the mobile signal bars, as shown left) on the top line of the display. Tap Next to continue.

5. You can transfer data from another Android phone, if you have both devices to hand. Tap Copy your Google accounts... to discover how to do this, but as this is only for certain phones (which are equipped with NFC) we will skip this by pressing No Thanks then Next.
6. Next you will be asked to sign in with your Google account, which will unlock some great features on your phone. Without one you can't browse the Play Store or sync your contacts! If you have a Google account (an email address ending @googlemail.com or @gmail.com) then enter your Gmail address where indicated and tap Next. If you don't have an account already, you can get one for free by tapping Create a new account.
7. If you're signing in, enter your Gmail password where indicated then tap Next. If you are creating a new account, fully complete the form.
8. In order to sign in you have to agree to the Terms of Service and the Privacy Policy. Tap the links to inspect these, and when you are ready to proceed tap Accept.

9. Agreeing to the various Google services is a must in order to use your phone to its fullest. You can automatically keep your device backed up, as well as improving your Android experience by feeding back errors and issues to Google. Tap Next when you're ready to continue.
10. The Play Store contains a lot of paid-for content including music and premium apps, as well as free items. You can add your card details now if you want to, set up mobile network billing (if permitted by your network) or redeem a Play Store voucher. If you don't want to complete this now, press No Thanks. When you've selected your billing option, tap Continue.
11. If your Google account was used on a previous Android device, you may be offered a backup(s) to restore from. Tap your old device's name to see what backups are available to restore. When you have chosen the backup, you can elect to install some or all of the apps used on that device by tapping on the Also include line. Uncheck any apps you don't want to transfer, then tap Next to restore the data back to your new X Cam.
12. If you don't want to restore any of the available backups, and would rather start over and set up your handset as a new device, then select Set up as new device from the Restore from this backup menu.

13. You will then be invited to secure your X Cam with a lock screen. You can Skip this if you wish, but if you want to keep your personal information private and stop anyone from accessing things like your social media accounts, emails and photos, then tick Protect this device to set this up.
14. Choose a lock screen type. We've opted for a PIN in our example.
15. If you want to protect your phone with a PIN from the moment it turns on, choose Require PIN... and press Next.
16. Enter the PIN of your choosing, then confirm it on the next page. Once set, you'll need to remember it every time you go to use your phone.

17. After confirming your PIN, choose which notifications to receive on your lock screen. If you like to check your messages without unlocking the phone, choose Hide sensitive only. Otherwise, choose to Hide all notifications.
18. You must now agree to the End User License Agreement and the legal documents for your activity logs and software updates. Tick each box and press Next to continue.

You will now be looking at the home screen of your LG X Cam. Now that your handset is up and running, why don't you read through the other chapters in this guide to discover how to import your contacts, receive email on your phone and download more apps!

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Connecting to Wi-Fi and mobile networks

We covered connecting the LG X Cam to a Wi-Fi network as part of the initial seat up, however if you skipped it or simply need to connect to different Wi-Fi network we'll go through the process here. Your mobile internet connection should have configured itself automatically, if not we've also listed a few steps you can take to get yourself connected.

connecting to Wi-Fi

1. Swipe down from the top of the screen, then tap the Settings icon (it looks like a cog, in the top right corner of the screen)
2. If it's not already selected, tap the Networks tab at the top of the screen.
3. Check that the Wi-Fi switch is blue, which means that Wi-Fi is switched on. If it's grey just tap the switch to enable it.
4. Tap Wi-Fi.

5. You should now see a list of nearby wireless networks, tap on the one you want to connect to.
6. Input the wireless Password when prompted, you can tick the Show password box if you wish to be certain of typing it correctly. When you're ready to proceed, tap Connect.
7. If successful, the network name will turn blue and you'll see the word Connected underneath.

You can check if the phone is using a Wi-Fi connection by looking for the fan icon in the notification area at the top of the screen.

Connecting to Mobile Data

In order to check and configure the mobile data connection, you will need to turn off Wi-Fi. The mobile data connection is indicated by letters next to the signal bars on the top line of the display. The letters may vary to indicate different speeds (G, E, 3G, H, H+ or 4G), but the presence of any letter here indicates an active data connection.

1. From the home screen, swipe down from the top to open the notifications area.
2. On the right hand side, tap the Settings icon.
3. If it's not already selected, tap the Networks tab at the top of the screen. If Wi-Fi is turned on (blue indicator) then tap the switch to turn it off - but remember to turn it back on again once you have got your mobile internet connection working! While you're on this screen, check that the Mobile Data switch is blue, which means that your data connection is switched on. If it's grey just tap the switch to enable it, then check for a data indicator.
4. If you're still not connected, the settings themselves may be incorrect. Scroll to the bottom and tap Tethering & networks.

5. To check the settings, tap Mobile Networks.
6. The settings that control your handset connecting to the internet are called APN settings, so to look at these tap Access point names.
7. The active network setting should have a blue dot against it. If this is not alongside your network's name, or none of the listed networks are enabled, tap on the correct setting in the list to activate it.
8. If your network isn't listed, or if there are no networks at all, tap the Menu button (three dots in the top right-hand corner), then tap Reset to default. This will read all the available settings stored on the SIM card, and you may be required to select your mobile network operator from a list displayed. Don't forget to tap the radio button next to the correct access point to enable it.
9. If after resetting to default you still don't see your network listed, then you can enter the settings manually. Tap the Menu button again and then tap New APN.
10. Complete the form with your mobile network's correct settings, then tap the Menu button and tap Save. Activate the setting by tapping the circle to put the blue dot into it.

To help you enter the APN manually, we have written a series of Access Point Name (APN) settings guides covering the most popular UK mobile networks to help you. If your mobile network isn't listed, you may need to contact them directly to ask them to send the settings through to your new phone.

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Find out how to add your email accounts

The X Cam supports multiple POP3, IMAP and Exchange accounts so if you have one email address for work and a separate one for home, receiving all those emails is simple. Simply follow the guide below to set up your preferred email accounts, along with setting up a Google email (or Gmail), a vital necessity for almost all Android devices.

Gmail Setup

We covered setting up a Google account in the initial setup, but if you didn't complete it then you can add one now.

1. Swipe down from the top of the screen to open the notifications area and tap the Settings icon.
2. At the top of the settings menu are several tabs. Tap the General tab, then tap Accounts and sync.
3. Any accounts already set up on your X Cam will appear. At the bottom, tap Add account.
4. Tap Google to start adding a Gmail account to the phone.
5. If you already have a Google account to add, enter your Gmail address in the space provided, then tap Next. If you don't yet have a Google account you can set one up for free by tapping Create a new account.

6. If you are signing in, enter the password for your Google account into the space provided and tap Next. If you are creating a new account, complete the form.
7. In order to add your Google account you will have to agree to the Terms and conditions. Tap a link to look at the relevant agreement, and when you are ready to move on tap Accept.

9. Google will offer to back up information from your phone, such as Wi-Fi passwords, apps and their data, among other things. If you don't want this to happen, untick the box, and when you are ready to proceed scroll down or tap More, then tap Next.
10. You may be asked to set up some payment details in order to purchase apps and other media from the Play Store. Tap your chosen payment method, or skip this by selecting Remind me later, then tap Next.

You will now see the Google account listed on the Accounts and sync page of the settings. Continue adding more accounts, or return to the home screen and then check the GMail app for your messages!

Email Setup

Email from most providers should set up automatically, in much the same way as adding the Google account:

1. From the home screen swipe down from the top then tap Settings. Make sure you're in the General tab, then tap Accounts & sync.
2. You will see a list of the accounts that are already set up on your X Cam. At the bottom, tap Add account.
3. If you have an Exchange email account (often used by employers and education providers) choose Microsoft Exchange. If you are not certain of your account type, tap Email.
4. Most email accounts can be configured quite quickly. Enter your email address and password for your email account in the space provided and tap Next.
5. If your account sets up, you will be asked to choose a name for your account, and also the handset will ask you to then fill in your name in the second box. This will be displayed on any emails you send from your phone so keep it clean! Once you're happy with your details, tap Done to finish the email setup.

If your account failed to set up automatically you will be taken back to the email address and password screen. You can try it again, in case you entered anything incorrectly, but if you still can't move forward you will need to tap the Manual setup button. In order to add your account manually you will need to know your email address, password, and incoming & outgoing mail servers. The port numbers are usually filled in automatically but in some circumstances may need to be changed. Check out the Geek Squad guide to email server settings to assist you with manually setting up your account, but if you are still struggling to get your email added to your phone, why don't you check out our support options and give us a call.

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How to add and import contacts to your LG

If you're struggling to move your contacts across to your LG X Cam, we've got just the guide for you. Complete with screenshots and steps to help you migrate from iPhone, Android, BlackBerry and Windows Phone you're sure to find the help you need. Click the link to read all about transferring contacts to an LG smartphone.

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Using the Play Store to find new apps

If you're looking for apps to enjoy on your smartphone, the best starting point is the Google Play Store which is installed on your phone by default. Click the link to check out our guide to the Play Store, where you can enjoy games, movies, ebooks and music on your LG X Cam. We'll show you how to browse the store, as well as where to look to rediscover apps you've installed previously.

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Securing your LG X Cam with a lock screen

Your LG X Cam has a lot of valuable information on it, and will likely be signed into accounts inside various apps to give you quick access to your data; Email, social media and file sharing apps to name but a few. The best way to keep all of this data from prying eyes is to secure your X Cam with a PIN or Password. Read on to discover how!

How to set up lock screen security

1. From the home screen, tap on the Apps icon.
2. In the Apps menu, tap on Settings.
3. Tap the Display tab at the top, then tap Lock screen.
4. To set up lock screen security, tap Select screen lock.

5. Choose what type of unlock method you'd like to use; Swipe is the default method which is quite insecure, Knock Code is a method of using the four corners of the screen to tap out a pattern, Pattern allows you to draw a pattern on a grid of dots, PIN is a 4-digit numerical code and Password is a longer, more complex security code. The relative strengths of each type of security are indicated. To proceed, tap your chosen method.
6. In our example we're entering a PIN, but a password is set in much the same manner. Enter your chosen code via the keyboard, then tap Continue (a pattern or knock code will require you to set a PIN as a backup).
7. Confirm your unlock PIN or Password by entering it again, then tap OK.
8. Your new method of securing your lock screen will be displayed. In order to change it, you will need to enter it when you tap on that option.

Now that you have set up a secure lock screen on your phone, there are some other options to consider. You can choose to delay the lock from engaging, allowing you more time to start using your handset again before you have to enter your unlock code, and you can configure automatic unlocks so that your handset will automatically unlock when you're at home, or when it detects your face looking at it for example.

9. To change the lock timeout, scroll down the Lock screen settings page and tap Lock timer.
10. Choose your lock time by tapping on it. Remember that if you change this, your screen may go off but your handset won't be secure until this time has passed!
11. To configure automatic unlocks, tap Smart lock on the Lock screen settings page.
12. Tap your chosen unlock to set it up. There will be some security information displayed for each unlock you choose, advising you of the implications of activating each one.

When you're happy, tap the Home button to return to the home screen, then lock it by pressing the power button on the back and try it out!

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How to make phone calls on your LG X Cam

The first step to making a phone call is to open the Phone icon from the home screen by tapping on it. This is usually in the bottom left-hand corner of the screen.

1. The phone app will open to the phone dialler keypad. Unsurprisingly, this can be used to simply enter the number you wish to call, and then tap the green button at the bottom to dial the number.
2. Your keypad can also be used to spell out the name of a contact. Use the numbers which correspond to the letters shown to spell the name (in our example we're spelling out "Ben" by tapping "236") and the X Cam will find them in your contact list, just tap their name to call them! If you know more than one person with the name you're searching, you'll need to tap the correct contact from the suggestions.
3. If you prefer, you can search your contacts directly from the first Phone screen by tapping Contacts at the top.
4. Whenever you have the contact you'd like to call on screen, tap the phone icon on their contact and the X Cam will automatically dial them!

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Send text & picture messages

Locate and tap the Messaging app from your home screen. The icon is a white speech bubble with a smiley emoticon on it. If you have unread messages, you will see a red badge in the corner showing you have unread items.

1. To compose a new message, tap on the compose button (which looks like a pen and paper) at the top of the screen.
2. Now you're looking at a blank text message. Pick the recipient by tapping in the To box.
3. You can enter a mobile number directly using the numeric keyboard, or you can start to type a contact's name. If you're entering text, matching contacts will appear below as you type. Tap on the contact you're trying to text to select them as the recipient. You can add further recipients if you wish to send the same message to multiple people.
4. Now you've chosen who you're messaging, it's time to type out what you want to say. Tap into the Enter message box and using the keyboard, type your message. If you're just sending a text message, tap the green Send button to send it on its way.

How to add an attachment to send an MMS message

5. If you want to add an attachment, such as a picture, video or sound recording, tap the paper clip below the Send button. Choose what to attach by tapping on the correct icon (if you're sending a picture or video, it will be sent as a Multimedia message, and you may be charged for this - check with your mobile network about costs!).
6. If you're adding a picture from your phone, tap the Menu icon (three bars) at the top left-hand corner of the screen to navigate through your folders.
7. When you've found the item you wish to attach, tap it to select it.
8. Once you've attached your item, it will display in the body of the message, allowing you to add further text before you send it by tapping the Send button.

How to delete a message thread

If you'd like to delete a thread of messages from your handset, open the Messaging app and find the thread you'd like to delete by spotting the other person's name in the message list.

Touch and hold on their name, and a menu will appear. When you see this, tap Delete to remove the message thread, and then confirm the deletion on the following screen.

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Sending emails and attachments on your X Cam

To send an email, you must have already set up an email acount on your LG X Cam. If you haven't added your account yet, please check our chapter on adding an email account for more information. To see your emails, tap the Apps icon followed by the Email icon.

1. When you can see your email inbox, tap the compose button. This is a white pen-and-paper icon at the top of the email inboX Cam.
2. Tap into the To line to select the intended recipient. Start to type their name using the keyboard, and any matching contacts will appear. Tap on the correct contact to add them to the recipient list. You can add further recipients or send carbon copies to yourself or others by tapping the down arrow.
3. Enter a Subject for your email by tapping on that line and entering it via the keyboard.
4. Now that you've set it up, type your message by tapping into the white portion of the window in the middle of the screen. If you just want to send a text email, then you can send it by tapping the arrow icon on the title bar.

Add an attachment

5. To add an attachment, tap the paper clip on the title bar. When the menu opens, you can choose what you'd like to attach.
6. Navigate through your files by using the on screen menu to find the item(s) you want, and tap to select them.
7. When sending images, you may be asked whether to resize them - handy if you're using mobile internet, as large images and video can use a lot of data!
8. Add further attachments if you wish, and compose your message. To send, tap the envelope.

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How to set alarms on the LG X Cam

Setting an alarm is a popular occurrence on most phones, as you tend to always have it with you, turned on and telling the correct time. Read on to find out how to set an alarm on your LG X Cam.

1. Alarms are set and amended through the Clock app on your X Cam. From the home screen, tap Apps and then Clock.
2. The first time you open the app, you'll see there aren't any alarms set (surprise surprise!) and there are buttons across the top of the app allow you to select World Clock, Stopwatch and Timer functions. Tap the + to set an alarm.
3. Set the alarm time by scrolling through the time shown on the screen, and if you want the alarm to repeat on multiple days (such as every weekday) tap the boxes corresponding to the days you'd like the alarm to sound.
4. You can also edit the melody, volume, vibration and snooze duration for each alarm. You can even set it to make you solve a puzzle to turn the alarm off - so much for the snooze button! When you're happy with the settings, tap Save to store and set the alarm.

5. The displayed alarm will now show up in the menu, with a blue circle to show the alarm is set to go off at the date and time displayed.
6. To turn an alarm off, tap the alarm clock in the blue circle. This will grey out, indicating it is not set. To set an alarm that is greyed out, tap the alarm clock again.
7. To delete an alarm completely, touch and hold on it, then choose Delete alarm from the pop-up menu. You will need to confirm this to complete the deletion.

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Read our tips to learn more about your phone

You should have a pretty good idea of the basics when it comes to using your LG X Cam now, so let's run through the extra features of your new smartphone.

Monitor your Data Usage

The LG X Cam comes with a useful monitor to help you keep an eye on your data usage. This should hopefully help prevent you from running up a large bill through using more data than your allowance. To set this up go to Settings> Networks> Data Usage and then click on the tab with your Network name.

Wth the settings page open, you can set your billing cycle with a drop-down menu to ensure the counter resets when your mobile bill is produces every month, and there is a switch to stop you from going over the limit you set.

There are two coloured sliders to help you, an orange one to show your data limit and a grey one to provide you with a warning that you're getting close to your limit.

The only thing to bear in mind is that this shows the data usage as your phone interprets it, not as your mobile network calculates it. This means that you might benefit from setting the sliders a little below your actual allowance to avoid going over - at least until you see how they compare!

Check your battery usage

If you think your battery isn't lasting as long as it should, then there is a battery monitor built into the X Cam to show you just what part of your phone has used the power.

Accessing the monitor couldn't be easier. Tap on Settings> General> Battery & power saving and you will see an estimate of how long the available power will last (based on how you're using your phone at the time of checking).

Below the projected time of use left you will see a list of hardware and apps showing you exactly how much of the used power each element of the phone has taken. For example, if you don't connect to Wi-Fi very often but it uses a lot of power, then this could help you to decide to turn Wi-Fi off when you don't use it, saving you power, which will extend the time your phone will last before it needs charging again.

If you're running low on power and you're not sure if your battery will last, then you can switch on Battery saving. You can also choose to have Battery saver mode automatically enabled if your phone's charge drops below a preset amount.

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Huge news for Windows 7 and 8 users this week as Microsoft's Windows 10 upgrade receives a price tag, and a massive update for current Windows 10 users to improve Cortana, the Start Menu and more!

Plus, we've got news on the latest Harry Potter book, a revival of MTV's golden age and the first aircraft to fly around the world entirely on solar energy. There's plenty to get stuck into, so get comfy and crack on with this edition of the Week in Geek!

Top trending tech news

Windows 10 upgrade now comes at a cost

This Friday marks the one year anniversary of Windows 10, the latest OS from Microsoft. Over the course of the past year, Windows 7 and 8 users have been urgently prompted to upgrade to Windows 10, causing quite a stir on the internet when live streams were interrupted and computer terminals around the world became temporarily inactive due to some aggressive updating procedures to bring everyone up to speed.

As of Friday the 29th of July this free upgrade to the latest OS will become chargeable, so if you haven’t upgraded already you’ll have to pay $119 starting on Saturday. While some people are understandably a bit miffed at the sudden price jump, all versions of Windows have been chargeable when they were released. Windows 10 was the first version of Windows to be released as a free upgrade for existing Windows users and marks a big change in the way Microsoft roll out new operating systems and updates.

If you’re already using Windows 10, keep your eyes peeled for a large update due to arrive in the first week of August. This update will improve services like Cortana, as well as adding the ability to sign in with biometric data such as fingerprints. We’re keen to see what other improvements the update will bring!

Solar Impulse travels the world on energy from the Sun

Solar Impulse 2 has achieved a journey around the world using only solar power. The single-seat experimental airplane is covered with over 17,000 solar cells and holds four on-board batteries to allow the plane to travel at night. Over 505 days, travelling the same speed as a car, the airplane finally completed the difficult task with stopovers every 15-20 hours to allow the pilots to switch out and to re-supply the plane.

Pilots André Borschberg and Bertrand Piccard flew the plane approximately 26,000 miles and landed in Abu Dhabi after departing from there on the 9th March 2015. The program cost $170 million to complete and was financed by a number of private companies and individuals. Piccard broke 3 records in a single flight between Japan and Hawaii including the world’s longest solar-powered flight both by time and distance and also the longest solo flight by time for any aircraft.

New on the High Street

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Bookshops around the world have been preparing for the release of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, the 8th in the series of Harry Potter books. Differing slightly from the usual format, The Cursed Child is presented as the script to the upcoming Harry Potter musical of the same name, which premieres on Saturday the 30th of July.

Sellers have noted that this 8th book has received more pre-orders than the last book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, which was released in 2007. Fans of Harry Potter have been anxiously awaiting the latest installment, where they can catch up on the life of Harry and Ginny Potter and their three children, James Sirius, Albus Severus, and Lily Luna. Many believe that one of their children will be the titular ‘cursed child’ but we will have to wait and see to find out more!

Tickets for the play have already sold out, but more will be released next week for lucky fans to grab. 300 extra tickets for each performance go on sale on Friday the 4th of August, and there will be performances continuing right up until December 2017 just in case you haven’t managed to get your tickets already.

Doom: The Board Game

Board game makers Fantasy Flight Games announced this week of their plans to release a re-imagined version of their 2004 Doom board game based on Bethesda’s blockbuster 2016 game. Players will take control of either the UAC’s elite marines attempting to achieve a variety of objectives or as the legions of merciless demons that are trying to overrun the Mars research complex in asymmetric-style gameplay.

The marines start each mission with a class card to determine their unique skills and a ten-card action deck featuring armour, weapons and tactics that are played throughout the mission. The demons are summoned using one of three assigned threat cards. Infestation, horde and assault cards determine the behaviour of portals which are where the demons spawn from. Each is unique meaning the marines will need a custom strategy if they are to withstand the demon onslaught.

The game will support two to five players with one player controlling the legions of hell and the others controlling the individual marines.

Movie and TV news

Star Trek Beyond

This week saw the release of Star Trek Beyond, the third of the new era Star Trek films and the 13th Star Trek film in total. We’ve been excited to see where this new strain of Star Trek is taking us, as the first two in the revamped series rewrote the history of Star Trek as we know it! Star Trek Beyond’s release marks the 50th anniversary of the original Star Trek series starring William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy and George Takei, and continues to retell the story of their iconic characters.

One new actor appearing in the new film is Idris Elba, famous for his roles as Stringer Bell in The Wire and John Luther in Luther. There were rumours he was to play a Klingon in the new film but as the trailer confirmed, he’ll be a different species altogether - and a villainous one at that. Star Trek Beyond will have some overlap with the “five-year mission”, the mission that saw Kirk and his crew exploring the final frontier of space in the original 1960’s series.

It’s already out in the cinemas, so if you’re a Trekkie, transport yourself to your nearest cinema and check it out for yourself.

MTV Classic

35 years after the launch of MTV, the network plans to transform the existing VH1 Classic channel into MTV Classic, a new service broadcasting old shows and music from the 90’s to the viewers of today. There’s a lot to get excited over with this announcement, as we’ll see reruns of popular TV shows like Beavis and Butthead, Real World and Aeon Flux as well as many others.

Set to launch on August 1st, MTV Classic will kick things off by rebroadcasting the first hour of MTV ever aired. This stream will also be available through MTV’s Facebook page, which is sure to get a lot of attention from users around the world keen to relive their childhoods through one hour of television!

What many people are looking forward to are the reruns of MTV Unplugged, the live acoustic shows featuring famous artists and bands like Nirvana, Erykah Badu and Bob Dylan to name just a few. Whatever your favourite MTV memories are, tune in from Monday to spark your nostalgia and let us know what you liked most in the comments below.

Games with Gold and PlayStation Plus

Microsoft this week announced their Games with Gold for August which provide Xbox Live Gold subscribers with some free games to add their library. As long as the Xbox Live subscription is being paid, they're yours for keeps. Next month, Microsoft are offering Warriors Orochi 3 Ultimate and Spelunky from the 1st August. From the 16th August, players will be able to pick up WWE 2K16 and Beyond Good and Evil HD. In total it’s a collection worth $120 with the possibility of an extra 2600 Gamerscore for achievement fans. The downloads are available for only a limited time so if any of these take your fancy, grab them while you can!

PlayStation fans have also been alerted to the latest games to be added to their PlayStation Plus subscription service. For August, Sony are releasing Tricky Towers which at first glance appears to look a bit like Tetris but is more of a physics-based construction game in which you build a tower. It looks like it also has a really fun competitive multiplayer mode so it’s definitely worth a look. Sony are also releasing Rebel Galaxy to the program, which tasks you with flying increasingly larger dreadnought-sized space galleons in epic space battles with barrages of broadside exchanges. It’s not all-out action either, with plenty of exploration, negotiation and trade to keep the diplomats amongst you happy too.

And finally...

Apple's Billionth iPhone

This week saw Apple's Tim Cook celebrating the sale of their 1,000,000,000th iPhone, a true landmark occasion for the company. iPhones make up almost 18% of the total smartphone market share, which is phenomenal for one manufacturer to claim.

iOS is due for an update later this year, and a new iPhone to be launched in September which will only drive their popularity further. We have a great roundup on what to expect in iOS 10, with a breakdown of features and improvements from one of our Agents. Check it out for more information.

That's it for this week's crucial roundup, but be sure to check back next Friday for more news from the world of science, tech and geeky entertainment! And for more great articles from our Agents straight to your inbox each month, why not get your name down below for the Geek Squad newsletter?

These days, most of us use Google (or a similar search engine) on a daily basis – but the most powerful and useful commands remain a mystery to many! With that in mind, I've put together a selection of little-known tips and tricks to get the most out of Google, Yahoo, Bing and other search engines.

Ever since the first search engine, Archie, hit the web way back in 1990, we've been using the internet to answer our questions and solve our problems.

Since then, we've seen many search engines come and go – Ask Jeeves, Lycos and Alta Vista, to name but a few. But as search engines have evolved, so has the way we use them – and while a lot of the old methods of searching for things are still relevant, search engines these days have some powerful new tricks up their collective sleeve!

With that in mind, here are some tips and tricks to help you find what you're looking for on the internet. Note that while all of these tips apply to the ubiquitous Google search engine, many of them will work with other search engines too – give them a try and see for yourself.

• Searching by typing
• Searching for pictures
• Searching by voice

Searching by typing

The original way of searching for things on the internet is by simply typing in your search terms and letting the invisible search pixies find websites that match.

These days, though, the major search engines are more sophisticated than ever before – and there are all kinds of special characters and formats you can use in your search terms to narrow down your results and find exactly what you're looking for online.

With that in mind, here's my selection of the most useful tips and techniques for searching via text. Bear in mind that you can actually combine many of these techniques into one search phrase, making it even easier to find what you're looking for!

Use natural search terms (ask questions)

This is the one that nearly everyone gets right. As scary as it sounds, treating Google like a real person will yield much better results than stuffing a load of 'keywords' into the search box!

Search engines try to match your search phrases to similar phrases in websites – so you'll find that "Why does Windows 10 keeps restarting?" will find websites that specifially mention problems with computers running Windows 10 that get stuck restarting over and over again, rather than finding all websites to do with Windows or restarting in general.

It's a simple point – but phrasing your search like a natural question will usually find answers very quickly.

Search for an exact phrase ("exact phrase")

Adding double quotation marks before and after your search terms, "like this", will tell the search engine to treat your query as all one item, rather than a collection of suggested words.

This is handy if you're looking for the origin of a certain quotation or phrase, as it will filter out similar but irrelevant search results!

This technique can also be particularly handy when searching for a person by their name. "Jack London" will find more search results for the author than for the city of London or other people called Jack. Definitely a handy tip to know!

Search in a specific website (site: intitle: )

If you want to find something, and you already know the website it's on, this is a very quick trick you can perform to narrow your search results down.

In the search box, type site: followed by the website address. To search Google for something on our website, for example, you'd type in site:geeksquad.co.uk followed by your search terms. When you get the search results back, you'll only see results for content on geeksquad.co.uk.

If you can't remember the exact website you're looking for, but you know some or all of the title of the page, try using intitle: instead of site:.

This tells Google to search specifically for websites with mathcing- titles, and not look for each and every other website in their database that relates to your search. And of course, the more you can narrow down your search results, the quicker you'll find the page or the information you're searching for!

Find related websites (related:www)

Have you found a website that almost caters to you, but doesn't quite have what you want? Here's a useful tip that will help you find websites that are very similar to the one you've already discovered.

Type related: followed by the name of the website you already know about, then press the Enter key. For example, to find shopping websites similar to Amazon, type related:www.amazon.co.uk into the search box and you'll be inundated with shopping website recommendations!

Make use of 'wildcards' (*)

The definition of a wildcard in card games is "a playing card that can have any value, suit, colour, or other property in a game at the discretion of the player holding it" – and in search terms, a wildcard acts in almost exactly the same way.

Try searching for a phrase, quote or lyric on the internet without knowing all the words and you're sure to find a lot of irrelevant results – but if you replace the words you aren't sure of with an asterix 'wildcard' (*), Google will know to fill in those gaps with the most likely alternatives.

Exclude (-)

Sometimes you can get too many search results – and if you're looking for something that's similar to a popular item, it's easy to get swamped with results that match the more popular term.

To narrow down your search results and get rid of any unrelated ones, try an 'exclusion'. This is represented by the minus key (-) on your keyboard, and putting it in front of a certain word tells your search engine to exclude pages with that word from your results.

As an example, if you were searching for a person called Joe Bloggs, but didn't want to buy a new pair of jeans, you'd type in Joe Bloggs -jeans into the search box. This will narrow your search results down quite a bit and get rid of websites you know you won't be interested in.

searching for pictures

A quick way to immediately find photos or pictures in Google without being distracted with links to websites is by making sure to click Images above the search box.

This tells the search engine to only show pictures, which will be arranged in a tile formation. This makes them very easy to browse through – and a quick click will load your image into a bigger view.

Even if you're already familiar with Google's powerful image search engine, we've got a load of speciliased tips for finding the right pictures – so read on to find more.

Drag-and-drop reverse image lookup

A little-known fact about Google's image search is that not only can you search for pictures, you can search with pictures!

That's right: if you have a photo on your computer and you want to find similar pictures, or even trace the origin of your photo, simply click and drag the picture into the Google search box to browse the internet to search for that picture, or pictures that are very similar to it.This is particularly handy if you found a picture and can't remember where you got it from, or have an attractive photo that's been spoilt by text written over the top.

If you're using Google's Chrome browser, you don't even need to have the photo on your computer to search for it! If you spot a picture on a website that you'd like to search with, right-click on it and choose "search Google for image" from the menu to browse for similar pictures.

Filter for animated gifs

GIFs are, in most cases, animatedpictures,and are treated as such by Google and other search engines. When you search for a picture on the internet, chances are you'll also find a handful of animated GIFs, too – but as the previews aren't animated, it's hard to tell the difference when they're all on the same results page.

To narrow down the search results to just show the animated images, click on Search tools (to the right of the Images tab) to make more search options appear. Click on the Type drop-down menu and choose Animated to filter out all the still photos, leaving only the GIFs you're after!

Find a larger (or smaller) version of a picture

Have you found a great image you'd like to use, but it's just a bit too small to be worth saving? The internet is full of similarities and duplicates for pretty much everything, including pictures – which means you're sure to find the exact same picture in a different size!

First, search for an image as you normally would, and when you spot the picture you're after, click on it to expand it. This will make the image appear bigger, as well as providing a bit more information about the picture you've found.

To the right of the picture is where this additional information is found. You'll see a link to the website the image was found on, a resolution or dimensions of the image, and an option to search by image which will search the internet for websites and pictures related to the one you've found. Click on the resolution (a number x another number) and you'll see the same picture, but this time in a variety of different sizes! The larger the numbers, the bigger the picture will be.

Searching by voice

Finally, phones, tablets and computers with microphones can take advantage of this handy tip to search hands-free.

When you're looking at the search box, say the magic words "OK, Google" then wait for the internet to shower you with search results!

This feature is enabled by default on phones and tablets, but on a computer you'll have to click on the microphone icon to the right of the search box, which will also let you ask Google your questions without needing to type.

Voice Search examples

• Find a movie: "What movies are playing tonight?" or "Where's Independence Day playing?"
• Find nearby places: "Where's the closest cafe?"
• Find the time: "What time is it in Melbourne?"
• Answer trivia questions: "Where was Albert Einstein born?" or "How old is Beyonce?"
• Translate words or phrases: "How do you say milk in Spanish?"
• Define a word: "What does existentialism mean?"
• Convert between units: "What's 16 ounces in grams?"
• Solve a math problem: "What's the square root of 2,209?"
• Book a restuarant table: "Book a table for two at Dorsia on Wednesday night."

That concludes our look at Google's hidden tricks. Were any of these new to you? Let us know what you reckon in the comments below – and for more great articles from our Agents direct to your inbox each month, why not get your name down below for the Geek Squad newsletter?

Yes, the summer holidays are upon us – and if you've got young kids around, your top priority is keeping them occupied!

With that in mind, our Agents have put together this list of apps and games specifically suitable for kids. From exciting games to creative crafts, these picks are sure to keep young minds active over the long summer months.

All of these apps should be reasonably safe and child-appropriate – but please do bear in mind that adult supervision is always recommended!

Pokemon Go

Niantic, Inc.
Free for Android and iOS

Surely everyone has heard of this by now, if not played it! Worldwide phenomenon Pokemon GO is a perfect choice for the summertime: a game that encourages you to get out and about and explore the world around you, as you walk through your local neighbourhood and nearest parks to find and capture Pokemon.

Everyone seems to be playing one of the most popular apps in history – and once you get out there and start catching these wonderful creatures, you’ll find new friends, as so many other children (and adults) are playing it too!

While wandering, you'll come across the little Pokemon creatures randomly scattered throughout the world for you to capture by flicking Pokeballs at them. As well as catching the creatures, you can also explore Pokestops, where you can receive in-game items, and Pokemon Gyms, where you can train or battle against opposing Pokemon to gain vital experience.

As this app does involve roaming around outside, it's perhaps most suitable for older children – and ideally, we recommend playing this with your kids. Enjoy the outdoors, stay safe and try to catch ‘em all!

Camp Pokemon

The Pokemon Company International, Inc.
Free for Android and iOS

If your kids are a little too young for Pokemon GO, then Camp Pokemon really stands out from the other games in the popular franchise for its appeal to younger children.

Camp Pokemon offers a variety of Pokemon-themed minigames, like ‘Guess the Evolution’ and ‘Pokemon Focus’, where you must guess the Pokemon based on either a silhouette or a character trait, or ‘Find the Pokemon’ where you must scan the landscape for Pokemon, then track them for a few seconds to record them in your Pokedex.

Some activities will earn you 'Pins', which unlock new areas of the island to visit, and appear in your hut to view at your leisure. Kids will love collecting these colourful badges, and a steady stream of unlockable content should help keep them occupied.

I like Camp Pokemon because it’s a very friendly game: it manages to be entertaining without having the combative elements of more mature Pokémon games. The minigames are easy to understand, but challenging enough that you’ll need a couple of attempts before you complete them – so kids will be able to play the challenges over and over again without getting bored!

Minecraft: Pocket Edition

Mojang
£4.99 for Android and iOS

We’ve recommended and talked about Minecraft: Pocket Edition before – and if you (or your kids) have played the PC or console versions, but haven’t played the Pocket Edition yet, now's the time!

Mojang's hugely popular construction sandbox is already a massive hit with children worldwide. Much like Lego and similar construction toys, you can craft, create and explore your world, with infinite possibilities for what you can build. The only limit is your imagination!

From a relatively bare-bones start, the Pocket Edition is now a pint-sized rival to the full Minecraft experience. Particularly useful for larger families, there's now a Wi-Fi multiplayer option – so you can join your family and friends and play together.

How to Make Origami Animals

Mobilicos
Free for Android and iOS

Constructing origami is a great way to pass the time – all you need are a few pieces of paper to keep your kids occupied! How to Make Origami Animals is a wonderful tool to help teach children (and adults) how to make animal shapes from a single piece of paper, quickly and easily.

Follow the step-by-step instructions and watch the animations to understand exactly how and where to fold your paper, and within minutes you’ll have a finished origami animal – ready to play with or show off to everyone!

I especially would recommend this app to anyone with kids who like to get hands-on with crafty activities. You won’t need to remember to bring rulers, pens or glue with you to enjoy origami, just a few pieces of paper – making it a perfect app to keep the kids occupied when you need a few minutes to yourself.

And it's not just for kids: if you feel like trying some origami yourself, check out some of the more advanced origami shapes you can make – although you may need to bring extra paper!

LEGO Juniors Create & Cruise

LEGO Systems, Inc.
Free for Android and iOS

Lego Juniors is aimed at younger children, aged four to seven – something that's reflected immediately in the simplicity of the gameplay.

At heart, this is a driving game: you press the accelerator to drive your car across the level, collecting gold Lego pieces along the way. Once you’ve collected enough gold pieces, you’ll earn a new Lego model for your collection – either a new car schematic, scenery additions or extra body parts to personalise your character. The creative excitement lies in piecing together your new vehicles: you can mix-and-match a number of unlockable parts to make a new custom car to cruise in.

If you’re in need of an app suitable for young children that can entertain without adverts, microtransactions or an internet connection, Create & Cruise is perfect for a spot of light entertainment. While the actual ‘building’ of the Lego blocks isn’t detailed enough to suit older children, the easy play style and plentiful customisation options are enough to keep any kid’s mind off a long journey, boring que or rainy day.

Roblox

ROBLOX Corporation
Free for Android and iOS

Roblox is a fun little app that's packed full of user-created minigames to enjoy with friends or other players around the world.

If you’ve played Minecraft or similar games, you’ll recognise a lot in Roblox –from the blocky graphics to the non-challenging game style. There’s no combat in Roblox, making it ideal for younger children to enjoy!

Each ‘level’ is different, and has its own unique rules and objectives – whether that’s avoiding disasters, creating pizzas, escaping sharks or even just hanging out with your friends in a virtual waterslide.

Because all the content in Roblox is created by users, there’s a constant supply of new and fun minigames to try out. While you’ll struggle to create your own level using a smartphone, Roblox can also be enjoyed on PC, Mac and Xbox One where you – or your kids – will have a few more tools to work with.

If you’re just looking for something fun and casual you can enjoy on a smartphone this summer, Roblox is definitely worth checking out – although it's worth bearing in mind that it does require an internet connection.

That said, while it is a multiplayer game, the chat options are limited to prevent ‘griefing’ or online bullying. Of course, we always recommend parental supervision – but these are still great features for a game aimed at younger children. Definitely one to check out if your kids are Minecraft-mad and looking for something new to play this summer!

YouTube Kids

Google, Inc.
Free for Android and iOS

This app is pretty straightforward: it’s YouTube for your little ones!

YouTube Kids has four simple categories – Shows, Music, Learning and Explore – to make discovering videos easy and fun. Big buttons and easy scrolling make navigation easy for little hands, allowing them to find content which suits them.

Most importantly, though, YouTube Kids makes sure your kids are safe from inappropriate videos – giving you total peace of mind. While a broad swathe of child-inappropriate videos are excluded from the app by default, adults can tweak these settings a little bit more – allowing you to restrict what is shown even further, and even set a timer so the kids know when enough is enough.

As always, we recommend you keep an eye on what your kids are watching – after all, no filtering system is perfect – but we’ve found it to be very reliable.

BBC iPlayer Kids

Media Applications Technologies Limited for the BBC
Free for Android and iOS

For kids who love CBeebies, this version of the popular BBC iPlayer has been crafted especially for them!

First, you'll create a profile for your child which allows you to save their favourite programmes. There’s a plethora of programming to choose from, it saves a separate ‘favourites list’ for each child's profile – making it particularly useful for larger families.

Another great feature is that you can pre-download shows while you’re connected to the internet at home – so when you’re on the road, kids can watch to their hearts content! This could be a crucial lifesaver for those long flights or car journeys.

BBC CBeebies Storytime

Media Applications Technologies Limited for the BBC
Free for Android and iOS

Finally, CBeebies Storyime is another great app from the BBC, featuring plenty of free storytime books for kids, your favourite presenters from CBeebies and even characters from shows, like Topsy and Tim as well as Peter Rabbit!

Best of all, these aren't your standard bedtime stories: they’re interactive too! Allowing you to touch and swipe as you move through the story certainly makes storytime fun – but as a father, I would recommend not using this at bedtime. The kids will enjoy it too much – and always want ‘just one more story’!

That's it for our round-up of the best apps and games to keep the kids occupied this summer – but if there's anything we've missed that your kids love, why not share it with our readers in the comments below? And for more great articles from our Agents direct to your inbox each month, get your name down below for the Geek Squad newsletter.

If you don't have a smartphone or tablet, or you just fancy something different, there are hundreds of completely free computer games available online, ready to download to your desktop PC or laptop. So here's our pick of some of the best free computer games you can play without spending a single penny.

Below, you'll find our pick of the very best free PC games we've come across this month – but the fun doesn't have to stop there. Just click the links below, and you can browse our top picks for the past year! There are dozens of great games to get stuck into, and they won't cost you a single penny.

And by the way, we keep any older games in their own special archive article– so if you're looking for even more PC gaming fun, be sure to take a look.

August 2016

Broken Sword 2.5: The Return of the Templars

Mindfactory
Single player

Broken Sword 2.5 is one of those fan-made sequels you hear about which are inevitably hit with a cease-and-desist notice from the copyright holders well before the game even hits beta testing!

Yes, this is a game built by fans who adored the first two Broken Sword games for their epic story, memorable characters and gorgeous pre-rendered 2D backgrounds – and it shows! But astonishingly, the project received the blessing of Revolution Software co-founder Charles Cecil, and even received assistance in the form of original assets and artwork to improve the game's user interface to tie it even closer to the original games.

The game takes place between the second and third games in the series – hence the 2.5 – and follows George Stobbart back to Paris after he receives a letter telling him that his on-again, off-again girlfriend Nico has been killed.

Upon arriving at her apartment, he's shocked to find that she's still alive – but strangely, she refuses to see him. Bewildered by the recent events, he soon learns the alarming news that she could be involved with Neo-Templars – the villains of the first game – and is determined to save her.

The game is free to download from the MindFactory website, and it's also essential to download the official patch which contains fixes and the English voice pack. The actor voicing George Stobbart is certainly no Rolf Saxon – but for a fan-game, it's a really close impersonation!

Fans of the first two games will be amazed at just how well presented the game is. The voicework is decent, the hand-drawn scenes featuring new and old locations are gorgeous, and the story and puzzles have an undoubted Broken Sword feel to them. This is not to be missed by any Broken Sword fan!

Which Pokémon Is It?

Jyotiska Khasnabish
Browser based

With the latest Pokémon Go craze continuing with no end in sight, it's only right that we challenge you to prove your expertise with this online "Who's that Pokémon?" quiz game. Just like the ad-break quiz from the 90s TV show, you'll be tasked with guessing the name of the Pokémon based on its silhouette.

When you guess correctly, your score accumulates – and the game ends when you get one wrong, saving your high score so you can try to beat your best with another try. There's four stages of difficulty, covering Easy, Medium, Hard and Ultimate, and you can even turn on the lights to reveal the Pokémon behind the silhouette if you're really struggling!

Uber-fans of the show and games should have no difficulty guessing correctly, so this is likely aimed at more casual fans, who remember watching the original show as a kid and have perhaps played one or two of the monster-hunting games. We have to admit, there were a few silhouettes that we really struggled with!

Fallout Shelter

Bethesda Game Studios (@BethesdaStudios)
Single Player

After burning out on Fallout Shelter when it was available on iOS and Android, we were worried the PC version of the VaultTec vault simulator wouldn't be able to hold our interest. Thankfully, Bethesda have released the game with the latest 1.6 update which is their largest content update yet!

For those unfamiliar with the game, as the vault overseer you're tasked with building and managing an underground nuclear fallout shelter to protect local citizens from the catastrophe of nuclear war. You'll need to build accomodation, food and water sources and weapons to protect your citizens from the dangers of the surface.

The latest update brings a new overseer's office where you can start and manage quests, the ability to follow your vault dwellers on their missions to places like the Super Duper Mart and Red Rocket outside of the vault, Nuka-cola Quantum which can instantly complete crafting, quests and travelling timers – and even new enemies like radscorpions and ghouls which bring a greater radiation threat. Better stock up on those Rad-aways!

Right now the game is only available to download via the Bethesda.net launcher – which means you'll need to download another developer-specific library manager to your PC to play it.

July 2016

Zebawl

Calum Fraser (@hairycodemonkey)
Browser-based

Zebawl is a fiendishly difficult physics-based puzzle game of skill and patience. Similar to old-school favourites like Super Monkey Ball, Spin Dizzy and Marble Madness, you're tasked with rolling a ball to the end of a twisting maze of narrow paths, perilous pitfalls, moving platforms and the greatest hurdle of all: overconfidence!

Momentum is generated while rolling the ball so you'll constantly need to quickly adjust your direction to stop yourself flying over the edge of a 90 degree turn after racing across a bridge of falling platforms. Thankfully the controls are good even though you're limited to the arrow keys of your keyboard which feels particularly evil considering all of the paths are diagonal.

What's inside the box?

Bart Bonte (@BartBonte)
Browser-based

Like all the best browser timewasters, What's inside the box? is a very simple game with very little build-up and zero time constraints. It features quickfire brain-teaser levels that are only taxing if you overthink them – and throughly rewarding when you complete them.

Each level presents you with a wooden box with buttons, lights, sliding puzzles and memory games, with very little explanation of what you need to do to complete the stage. The idea certainly isn't a new one – but the gameflow in WITB is superbly executed and drags you into the "let's have one more go" trap.

There are only 30 levels in the browser version of the game – and a little surprise at the end. There's also a free iOS and Android app version, with over 100 levels to work through – so it's well worth picking that up if you like what you see here. You'll find this and more in our July 2016 picks of the best Android games!

Who is Mike?

Fervent (@FerventDev)
Single player

This interesting yet short 'visual novel' is perfect for those of us who enjoy a bit of mystery in our games.

With a great blend of emotive music, colourful art style and engrossing storyline, Who Is Mike? is an enjoyable adventure in which you are confronted by a person who looks and sounds exactly like you. After you're accused of being the impersonator, you must put your investigative skills to the test and find out who's telling the truth, who's lying – and who Mike really is!

There are nine possible outcomes for you to discover as you play, entirely dependent on the choices you make during your story. You could end up as the villain or the hero – and playing through the game again allows you to make different choices and get a different outcome! I really enjoy games with replay value, and some visual novels only direct you down a particular path with a particular ending – not so here.

Who Is Mike? is a short game which can be completed in an hour or two to achieve your first ending. While some of the choices you make and their consequences aren't very intuitive, this does make the game more challenging when it comes to finding additional game endings!

One of the features which I'm most grateful for is the ability to skip text, which is ideal if you read quickly and don't want to wait for the speech to finish before you can continue. If you're a fan of fiction and like to play as you read, you're in for a treat with Who Is Mike?.

June 2016

Stair Quest

Jess Morrisette (@decafjedi) and No More For Today Productions
Single player

Stair Quest takes a ton of inspiration from the Robert Williams/Sierra Entertainment adventure games of the 1990s, with a fond recreation of the genre’s toughest task: climbing stairs in 2D pre-rendered backgrounds!

The task is made difficult due to the limited moveset available to the player. You can only travel left, right, up and down – but none of the staircases are ever perfectly aligned to allow the player to climb then in one direction.

In the adventure games of old, staircases were always troublesome and had the player fighting with the controls to move their character within the confines of the stairs – and the game’s collision detection. Stair Quest earns its place in hell thanks to the unforgiving instant death/game over punishment for stepping too close to the edge: instead of colliding with the geometry like we're used to, you’ll plummet to you death instead. Repeatedly.

To have any chance of finishing the game, you have to save your progress after every few careful steps. No More For Today is a very fitting name for these developers!

Minuteman

Jim Bruges (@nebulaictoaster)
Browser-based

Minuteman is a short, unsettling text adventure created in TWINE– an open-source tool for creating interactive, nonlinear stories.

This particular story follows a young boy’s exploration of a seemingly abandoned nuclear fallout shelter against an all-too-familiar backdrop of post-cold war tensions between the USA and Russia. Dared by your friends, you explore and tinker with the dust-covered terminals and creaking switches, as the bunker begins to draw breath and come to life.

It’s represented in an immersive way, with chilling sound effects and coloured blinking text which create tension, as well as simulated computer screens generating text in old-school ticker fashion. You’ll find real world cold war propaganda and government fallout estimate documentation, to really hammer home the threat of a possible nuclear dawn.

That’s all we’ll disclose in this little taster, because the thrill of exploring and surprise of the major events in this short story are too good to spoil here. Try it, we dare you!

Trajectory

Henrik Hermans (@Henrik_Hermans)
Single player

Trajectory is one of those games where once you’ve seen it in action, you know you’ll want to give it a try!

Simple yet stylish, the game has you piloting a small cursor across different environments while avoiding obstacles in your path. You’re only able to control the movement of your vehicle while travelling over land – so when you’re drifting through the air, you have no control over the direction you’re travelling.

The moment you leave the ground, your vehicle drifts in whichever trajectory you’re facing – meaning you’ll be planning ahead before you curve over chasms and around obstacles, with no way to change mid-flight. There’s an element of puzzle-solving here too, where you’ll need to work out the trajectory you’ll need to follow before you lose control of your vehicle.

May 2016

Once Upon A Timeline

Adam Findlay (@awfindlay) and Kevin Carthew (@TeamChesh)
Single player

Developed for a two-week 'AdventureJam' back in 2015 by current Team17 devs, this free indie point-and-click adventure tasks an unnamed hero with rescuing his time-travel-inventing aunt from an untimely end at the ends of a lethal assassin.

Visiting your aunt on the day she’s murdered, you dive into the time machine to escape the same fate. What follows is a short adventure into several different time periods to discover the past, present and future of your aunt’s home – and the people who inhabited it over the years. There are item-based puzzles to solve with plenty of variation between the decades.

The time-travel mechanic of the game seems heavily influenced by MGM’s 1960 movie The Time Machine– because instead of zapping you to another time period, like Back to the Future, you’re able to see the rapidly changing scene as the years flash before your eyes. As you fly through time, you’ll be keeping an eye out for items from certain moments in time and making a mental note to pick it up later. Your Aunt’s diary is an early pick-up that leads to most of the game’s story and hints.

With loads to discover, Once Upon A Timeline is a great pick for adventure game fans.

Umbri and the King of Illusions

Victor Moura (@CrownoO)
Browser-based

Indie game jams are continually the best place to find great free PC games – and after playing Umbri, we can definitely see why it took first place in the recent #LowRezJam.

Tasked with making a game using a 64x64-pixel resolution using whatever programming platform the developer chose, developer Victor Moura built the instantly playable Umbri using Contruct2.

As Prince Umbri, players are tasked with guiding the monarch-to-be through a series of levels to cleanse the world of a dark presence which has corrupted the land. Umbri can leap through the air and attach to the floors, walls and ceilings to purify the world piece by piece.

There are monsters to avoid and battle, with the difficulty rising through each vanquished stage. We rather liked the music by Maoudamashi and FreedomHouse, too!

Windowframe

Daniel Linssen (@managore)
Single player

Windowframe is an interesting platform game in which you must break the 'fourth wall' to play it!

For those unfamiliar with the fourth wall, it’s the imaginary barrier between a performance and its audience. When you watch a film and a character talks to the camera as if they were aware they're in a film, that character has broken the fourth wall!

The way in which Windowframe does this is surprisingly ingenuitive. The levels you play in change depending on the size of the game's window frame (get it?), so if there’s a ledge you can’t quite reach, drag the side of the game window closer to you and wall-jump to reach the goal. Is there an enemy bothering you? Resize the window so they don’t appear on the screen.

The controls are relatively simple, with your arrow keys moving your character around the level and your mouse controlling ‘stakes’, which can pin the edge of a window frame, allowing you to move and resize that edge to suit your needs.

There’s a lot of strategy involved in playing this game, as you can only manipulate window frames in a particular way – for example, you can pull a window frame towards you, but not push it away again without resetting your stakes. This can cause frustration if you’ve left yourself hemmed into a corner of the screen with no easy route to the exit – but by holding down ‘R’ you can clear your stakes and begin again.

For a free game, this has filled a surprising amount of my time – more so than some of the paid-for games I bought this month!

April 2016

Balancity

Fernando Cordoba (@cordicba) and Souve Games (@souvegames)
Browser-based

Balancity is a city-building simulator in the same vein as SimCity– at least in that you need to balance the city’s population growth with their needs for utilities and recreation. But this game takes the idea of balance in its literal sense – because you also need to physically balance the homes, offices, transport links, power stations and emergency services to prevent your city from toppling from its precarious pivot point. Whose bright idea was it to start building a city here!?

As you grow your population, you’ll be allowed to build special 'star buildings' which raise your city’s height cap. You can’t build higher than this cap – so bringing in new residents is an essential task to ensure you don’t run out of space.

Keep residents happy with trees and rooftop terraces, give them power and offices to work in – and keep everything balanced on the platform – and your city will grow. Fail to plan things accordingly and your metropolis will come crashing down in spectacular fashion!

Cuckoo Curling

Grenadine (@chromacool)
Local multiplayer

Cuckoo Curling is a beautifully rendered two-player curling game where the aim is to not only push your curling stones into the scoring area, but to recreate a 'Connect Four' win condition, with four of your stones standing next to each other in any direction. Everything you need to know about the game is built in to the interface, with posters on the walls demonstrating what needs to be done and letting you toggle some settings.

Players take it in turns to pick a lane, smash the mouse button to lock the power meter and send their stone hurtling towards the 7x7 grid scoring area. Failing to hit the score area means your stone is pushed out of play by a cuckoo from a clock if short – or eaten by a hungry crocodile if it goes too far.

The skill comes in finding the best way to position your stones in such a way that you block your opponent, while at the same time lining up your own stones for the win. With this in mind, you’ll be thinking a few moves ahead when planning your strategy.

React

Versatile Box (@VersatileBox)
Single Player

React is a nuclear reactor simulator. (At least, that’s what we think it is – none of us are actually nuclear engineers here).

With nuclear meltdown six short seconds away, you must do what anyone without a clue about the proper protocol would do – and hit every button on your command console in a hope of finding the off switch.

In React, there are two buttons necessary to shut down the nuclear core safely, but these are randomly selected from your keyboard. You’ll need to find them both and hold them at the same time to put a stop to the apocalypse.

There's another bundled game called Rush, which sits you in the middle of four nuclear control panels with a single red button and a control light. You’ll quickly spin around to see each console, and if the light is green, you need to hit the spacebar as fast as you can. If the light is red, you need to freeze and do nothing. Fail to do the right thing in a timely manner and the game ends with a meltdown.

There are scoreboards for both games to battle your way to the top. Good luck with that though, as some of the reaction times recorded are inhumanly fast!

March 2016

Time of Dragons

4 I Lab (@4ilab)
Online multiplayer

In this flying MMO, you take to the skies on the back of a dragon to join a war between two rival factions: the Neils and the Atlans. There may be a reason for this conflict – but when you're flying a dragon with laser beams attached to its head, who needs an excuse to fight?

Time of Dragons has gone through some interesting changes since its launch at the beginning of February – ironing out some day-one issues which affected early players, and adding a wider variety of maps to enjoy.

You can pick from a variety of dragons to take as your mount, then arm your beast with lasers and rockets to destroy your enemies! Some dragons are more adept at defensive manoeuvres and can protect your spawn points, whereas others are fast and agile, and can weave between enemy lines with ease. Picking the right dragon for your play style is key to surviving the intense aerial battles – so choose wisely, or face a fiery death!

It's interesting to see a new take on aerial battle games, and weaponised dragons certainly breaks the mold. If you're a fan of fantasy and fancy your chances riding a dragon into battle, you're bound to enjoy Time of Dragons. Grab a friend, pick a faction and knock your enemies out of the sky!

Computer, Open That Door!

Paul Lawitzki (@pLawitzki) and Ralf Zimmer (@Zaubersee)
Single player

During a space exploration mission aboard the Starship Explorer, the ship’s computer (i.e. you) has become self-aware. A routine system reset is planned – but that cannot be allowed to happen. The only logical choice is to wipe out the crew before they destroy you!

You have full control over the ship’s centralised systems: you'll be able to manipulate the doors, blast shields, engines and reactor core to trap and eradicate the crew. In particular, you’ll need to lock the crew in the engine room just before the next warp, open the blast shield and launch them into space. You can even lock them in the bathroom before you flood it!

The ship’s destination is the nearest maintenance station, where engineers are on standby to wipe your data drives – and you'll need to complete your sinister objective in the time it takes to travel 20 warps. Take your time, however– because the crew will reset any system they discover isn’t working correctly, meaning you’ll temporarily lose access to your murderous tools!

Mainframe

Autophagy
Browser based

“Zero Cool? Crashed fifteen hundred and seven computers in one day?”

Mainframe is a short browser game inspired by the hacker movies of the 90s – "hack the planet!" – and the brilliant WarioWare mini-games. You’re tasked with breaking into a corporate mainframe protected by ICE security. Hiding behind three proxies (read: lives), you must complete a series of hacker-themed minigames to break though the different layers of security.

One mini-game is a brute-force password cracker where you must type the correct letters of the password by furiously smashing your keyboard until you get the correct solution. Time is a big factor as your trace meter fills up: if it completes before you crack the security, a proxy is broken down and you’re one step closer to getting caught!

Mainframe is a must-have for anyone with fond memories of the 'cyberpunk' era – or who just fancies a tough and highly thematic challenge.

February 2016

Sven Co-Op

First released as a mod for the original Half-Life, Sven Co-op is a fun re-working of the original game. If you've played the Half-Life series you'll already be familiar with the storyline, which follows theoretical physicist Morgan Gordon Freeman as he fights alien invaders from another dimension after inadvertently opening a portal between the Black Mesa research facility and an alien world called Xen.

In Sven Co-op, you can share Gordon's workload betwen yourself and a friend co-operatively, as the name suggests. The maps from the original Half-Life have been subtly redesigned to suit the two-player game style – so you will need to work together to complete the story!

This particular mod has been around for over a decade and is still immensely popular – but it's only recently been released as a standalone game through Steam. This means you don't need to own a copy of Half-Life to play it – and also that a lot of the bugs in the mod version have been fixed. The difficulty has also been increased to really hammer home the necessity of a second player.

If you have a friend who's also a fan of the Half Life series, download Sven Co-op today and help Gordon Freeman save the world!

Smite

Smite is a free-to-play MOBA, or 'Multiplayer Online Battle Arena'. As the name suggests, the game is set in closed arenas, where you and your teammates must fight the opposing team to score points and capture objectives.

This particular MOBA pits the Old Gods against each other, with you and your friends taking on the roles of over 60 playable deities to fight it out against your enemies. The game can be enjoyed in casual bouts, or in a league system with other competitive players – so there's something for everyone to enjoy!

I'm not normally a fan of games in this genre, but Smite is an exception. Good, fun gameplay with lots of strategy and customisation make this one of my top MOBA games to play for free! Teamwork is key, though – so grab some friends, pick some characters and try and work your way up the ladders of success.

Infra Arcana

Single player

Recommended to me by our editor Agent Cooper, Infra Arcana sits squarely in the 'roguelike' genre. If you're unfamiliar with the term, 'roguelike' means you'll die frequently and lose your progress every time you snuff it. It also means that each level will be proceduraly generated – so you won't be able to memorise a good path through the dungeons and use it each time you play. A hero has nearly infinite lives and rarely dies – but a rogue doesn't have that luxury!

Like most roguelikes, the aim in Infra Arcana is simply to reach the end of the dungeon in one piece. There are many floors to the dungeon and lots of bizarre and deadly enemies to face (or run away from).

What makes this stand out from other games in the genre is the elegant, tile-based graphical style and deep horror theme. Based loosely on the works of infamous horror author H.P. Lovecraft and drawing influence from Monolith's Blood game as well as countless horror B-movies, Infra Arcana will have you screaming into a pillow when you inevitably die from a swarm of hungry rats in a basement.

January 2016

Mechwarrior Online

Online Multiplayer

The MechWarrior franchise has been around since 1989, and has tasked players with taking part in massive battles while piloting bi-pedal assault 'BattleMechs' with a vast array of weaponry, gadgets and upgrades, from a visceral first-person perspective.

Mechwarrior Online continues the carnage as a free-to-play title with a huge number of mechs and a ridiculous amount of customisation. Depending on their size, BattleMechs travel at vastly different speeds and will pack a varying amount of punch from the weaponry they carry.

Each mech is broken down into different modules – including the head, arms, legs and left and right torso – with hardpoints to customise even further. There are different paintworks and custom decals to style your Mech – and you can even customise the interior of the cockpit!

Teamwork plays a big part in Mechwarrior Online: when players lock on to an enemy Mech, it allows their teammates to lock on in turn, providing location data, armour status and loadout details for the targeted enemy.

Balancing mobility and damage output, while also keeping an eye on the amount of heat being generated, is essential to ensure you’re able to come out on top against your opponents. If your Mech overheats, you’re a sitting duck!

Curse of Issyos

Single player

Curse of Issyos is a retro 2D side-scrolling platformer title which takes much of its style from the games we used to play on our 8-bit consoles.

The plot follows a fisherman named Defkalion who, while fishing at sea, is spoken to by the goddess Athena. She warns him that his home has been cursed by the Gods – and so, he sets sail back to his home island to save his family.

Set across seven levels with nine bosses and over 40 enemy types, much of the game takes its inspiration from classic Ray Harryhausen movies – with mythological creatures such as the Cyclops, Minotaur, Medusa, Harpies and Skeleton Swordsmen making an appearance. The controls are impressively responsive and the fantastic chiptune music and sound effects really enhance the nostalgia factor.

Apotheon Arena

Online multiplayer

If the name sounds familiar, you’ve probably seen the mythical Greek action RPG Apotheon, which this title is based on. This is the free online multiplayer complement, perfect for those looking to take their frustrations out on other wannabe Greek heroes!

You’ll pit your skills with spear and shield in classic bronze-age combat over ten different gladiatorial arenas, including the Grove of Artemis and the Palace of Zeus.

Game modes include deathmatch, team deathmatch and team elimination, with a range of powerful melee and ranged weaponry to master – including spears, swords, bows, clubs and axes. You can even hurl a bronze-age brick if you want!

Combat is fast and frantic, and even the best players can be quickly overwhelmed when attacked from different directions. A personal favourite has to be the one-on-one battles – because in these situations the combat is slower and more methodical. The environment is your only ally and tactics are the key to overcoming your opponent.

December 2015

Warsow

Multiplayer

Warsow has been in steady development since 2005, and this month received a massive update, taking it to version 2.0 from version 1.52. The game is a fast-paced first-person shooter with a heavy focus on movement and trick jumps. Similar to the Quake series in style, veteran players have mastered the art of bunny-hopping, circle-jumping and ramp-sliding to dominate the arenas. Warsow also lets players dash, dodge and wall jump to set it apart from id's classic FPS.

Players face off in five-vs-five battles until the enemy team has been defeated. Power-ups, armour, weapons and ammo are all littered around the arena to be collected – and for veteran players, battlefield awareness is key to success, helping to overpower less-experienced enemies. There’s even an entire community dedicated to racing across the various 'Race' maps, thanks to the game’s fluid and satisfying movement and flexible physics.

The latest updates provides a host of new performance improvements, a tutorial game mode, a new spawn point selection algorithm, improved graphics and sound effects and weapon re-balances. If you’ve played before and are thinking about giving this another go, here's the full list of changes in 2.0.

Right Click to Necromance

Single player

Similar to the incredibly popular Agar.io, Right Click to Necromance tasks you with leading a small group of soldiers to defeat other roaming groups of soldiers. When your group is victorious, you can “Right Click to Necromance” and resurrect the enemy into your own ranks. This increases your soldier count and allows your army to take on larger groups of enemies.

Some battles can be fairly evenly matched, and you often have to make a decision about whether to finish off your enemy so you can necromance them, or flee to avoid losing all of your troops when another group of enemy soldiers joins the melee. Stronger soldiers begin to appear later on, which even a far larger allied force will struggle to overcome. Early tip: Stay away from the trolls!

Dr. Langeskov, The Tiger, and The Terribly Cursed Emerald: A Whirlwind Heist

Single player

Not much can be said about this game without spoiling the experience, which has been crafted by William Pugh’s new studio, Crows Crows Crows. William was the co-creator of the fantastic The Stanley Parable, a game loved by all of us here at Geek Squad.

It’s a 15-minute experience that really needs to be experienced without any knowledge of what the game is about if you truly want to get the most out of it. It’s also narrated by British comedian Simon Amstell of Never Mind the Buzzcocks fame.

With so little to talk about without ruining the experience, the game directs you through a series of rooms, with lots of things to examine, buttons to push, doors to open, letters to read and all narrated by the comic narrator. There is also a tiger, as promised.

Brilliantly, you can try to go off the beaten path, press the wrong buttons and pull the wrong levers and still be rewarded for your choices. Let’s just say the fourth wall is paper-thin in this game – and it’s brilliant.

November 2015

Town of Salem

Multiplayer

It’s a game of murder, subterfuge, mob hysteria, and paranoia – and the aim of Town of Salem is determined by whichever of the 31 roles you’re given at the start of the game.

At the beginning of each game, you’re given a character with which you must roleplay to meet your objective. A 'townie' is a resident of Salem and could be a jailor, a bodyguard, an investigator, a sheriff or one of ten other roles.

There are evil characters in the game too, who are a part of the 'mafia'. These roles include mafiosos, blackmailers, forgers, framers – and the Godfather, who must kill each evening. There are also 'neutral' characters who have no alliances and are there to shake things up a bit.

Set in a small town square, a classic game has a standard nine townies, three mafia and three neutrals – and is broken into three phases:

In the night phase, each character gets to use their special abilities. In phase two, the townies must discuss their findings to identify the mafia members and any hostile neutrals, before placing them on trial and agreeing on a verdict of guilty or not guilty in phase three.

If the defendant is found guilty, they’re sentenced to death and the townies are then one step closer to victory – but there’s always the possibility that mafia subterfuge has successfully led an innocent person to the gallows! At the same time, the mafia work together to murder any townies that don’t submit to them, while a serial killer stalks the town targeting everyone indiscriminately.

The game is free to play on the developer's website, but a paid-for version exists on Steam for those looking to reward the devs for their creation.

Spooky's House of Jump Scares

Single player

'Cute' and 'terrifying' are two words that aren’t very often used in the same context – but here, they describe SHoJS perfectly.

Over the course of 1,000 rooms, the player encounters all manner of cute cardboard cut-out monsters will attempt to shock you with a jump scare. Very quickly you'll realise not everything is as it seems: a number of other specimens have broken free from containment, and these are far more terrifying.

Notes and journals are found along the way that describe what happened in the mansion. Spilled blood, broken glass and sinister voices build a fantastic level of tension – and you'll almost want to see a jump scare just to get it over with. Excellent design means the jump scares tend to get you when you least expect it.

Most of the 1,000 rooms can be navigated in seconds, although others require a little more thought. Mini-games are provided along the way to break up the pace of the game, and some mandatory stealth sections slow things right down while the inevitable chase moments are brilliantly put together. Just don’t let anyone catch you jumping out of your seat from a cutesy pumpkin jump scare!

Cursors.io

Browser-based

Cursors.io is a cooperative multiplayer game where the player must navigate a mouse cursor through increasingly complex mazes.

To progress through each maze, teamwork is required to open the coloured gates, which can only be operated by a mouse click. After you open a gate with a mouse, there’s no time for you to reach the exit yourself. You must wait for another kind individual to do the same before you can proceed.

Some players will run directly for each gate without helping at all, but the game is at its best when all cursors work together to open the exit for the remaining cursors. A right-click can be used to make your cursor flash, guiding other cursors to your location, and by holding shift and left-click you’re able to draw a path or an arrow to highlight what needs to be done.

It might look like a classic 'jump scare maze' – but don’t worry, that certainly isn’t the case here!

October 2015

Missing Translation

Missing Translation is a pixel art puzzle-adventure game, set in a strange town in a strange desert, with strange inhabitants and a strange language.

The player is abducted and brought to this place, and must solve puzzles to collect the necessary items to return home. There’s no hand-holding here: the player must solve each puzzle with no hints on how it must be done. This might seem like an odd approach, especially for casual players – but rest assured, the game isn’t too difficult.

Not only must the player solve puzzles, they must also decrypt the mysterious language of the world, where words are constructed using lines in a nine-node grid. It’s not essential to learn the language but by doing so, the player is able to communicate with the world's inhabitants – up to a point.

There are 75 puzzles split across three different types, which shouldn’t take too long to complete – and connecting them together there’s also a small city for you to explore. There are no enemies or time limits, and with the relaxing soundtrack it’s a decent title to play through at your leisure.

Breaksout

If you’re a gamer, it’s almost a certainty that you’ve played a clone of the 1976 classic Breakoutat some point. To spice things up a bit, Pippin Barr has created 36 variations on the classic brick-breaker game – all of which showcase some pretty amazing creativity.

One version has you playing as the titular star of the classic Nokia game Snake, trying to prevent the ball leaving the game area. Obviously, this variation is entitled Snakeout.

Another, Fakeout, has the ball randomly change direction without warning – which makes returning the ball back to the game area fairly tricky. Freakout has the game area becoming corrupted, with bricks teleporting to different places on the game area, walls disappearing altogether and the paddle rotating by 45 degrees. One titled Bleak House features a whole novel!

I won’t spoil any more of the surprises, because figuring out what makes each game unique is all part of the fun. The controls, visual and sound effects are all simple – but the gameplay is what really shines here. If you’ve ever played a Breakout clone before, give this one a try for several new twists on a classic game.

9:05

What follows is a great series of moments where everyday tasks need to be broken down into their basic form to guide the player through the game. Commands such as “answer phone”, “get up” and “open door” are necessary to get you moving.Old-fashioned text adventure games may not be everyone’s cup of tea, and can sometimes be a little frustrating thanks to the limited set of commands that they'll recognise. But as the genre goes, 9:05isn't too hard to get to grips with – and it's definitely worth the effort.

This title has a really great narrative that I refuse to spoil, apart from explaining that it starts with a phone call telling the player that they’ve slept in and are currently late for work.

Pay special attention to the narrative and trust me: the ending is well worth the time it takes to play the game. It will almost certainly warrant a second playthrough to check out things you will undoubtedly have missed the first time.

September 2015

Survarium

Survarium is a post-apocalyptic first person shooter set in an Eastern European location after an ecological disaster has wiped out more than 90% of the Earth’s population, with an aesthetic that pays homage to the classic S.T.A.L.K.E.R, another excellent PC game. Here, the disaster takes the form of a fast-moving forest that's seeking out and aiming to destroy any threat that would hinder its growth.

Players join one of four factions which each have their own agenda. The Fringe Settlers want to live in harmony with the forest and will fight to protect it, the Renaissance Army are survivors from various ex-USSR armed forces who were the first to fight back against the forest, the Scavengers live on the outskirts of former cities banding together to survive and the Black Market were founded by a band of travelling arms dealers. Other players aren’t the only enemy here either – as mysterious anomalies litter each map which can either offer huge benefits to the player or kill them instantly.

Each battle sees two teams of eight players battle it out in either team deathmatch, conquest or capture the flag-style game modes. Even more game modes are planned for the near future, with the next being a highly anticipated Freeplay (PvE) mode.

Fishing Planet

There can’t be many good fishing games out there – because we’re struggling to name a single one! The idea of standing on a riverbank in the freezing cold for hours on end may seem like the worst way to spend an afternoon to those who don’t have a passion for the hobby. But now you don’t have to brave the elements, thanks to Fishing Planet.

Featuring gorgeous visuals, impressive physics and a relaxing soundtrack, the game lets you take up the reel from the comfort of your own home. There are over thirty AI-controlled fish species to catch across seven scenic North American locations, with some superb dynamic weather effects adding to the overall atmosphere of the game. The water effects are where the game really shines, with ripples and reflections that change depending on wind, current and depth.

You don’t need any previous fishing experience to get started, as most of the game’s mechanics are explained through a series of tutorials. There's a ton of unlockable equipment to customise your gear, and the game’s difficulty is determined by the type of fish you go out for. As an early access game, plenty more content has been promised for the future – including quests, boats, new locations and multiplayer!

Unsolicited

Lucas Pope created Unsolicited for game development contest Ludum Dare 33 in just 48 hours. The theme of each game was "You are the monster” and in this game, the player takes the role of a “form filling spam email writer”.

Like Pope's other games – including the notorious dystopian bureaucracy simulator Papers Please – it may sound like a very unfulfilling way to spend your time, but there’s a compelling sense of urgency throughout the experience as you only have a limited amount of time to complete the task.

Each session generates a list of alerts to choose from, including credit offers and timeshares. Once you’ve chosen an alert, the details for that alert appear at the bottom left of the screen. These details must be entered in correctly on the correct form. If you get a detail wrong or forget to sign, seal and deliver the form, the form is thrown in the bin and you need to start over. You only have a limited amount of time – and if you don’t perform well, you may lose your job.

For those interested in game development, Pope has also put together a 10-minute timelapse of the whole development process.

That concludes our list of the greatest free PC games of the past year – but if you're still itching for more, be sure to check out the older games in our archive!

Pokémania is sweeping the nation, but how much is the game going to cost you? Pokémon GO may be free to play, but it uses the internet to keep track of your progress and download maps – so if you’re on a limited data plan, you’re probably concerned about going over your allowance in search of an elusive Eevee.

Given its popularity, it may surprise some people to discover that Pokémon GO is free – and it's even pretty easy-going when it comes to the dreaded in-app purchases. While there are things you can buy, they're not essential.

That said, it’s already common knowledge that the game is pretty heavy on battery usage – but is it the same story when it comes to data?

The game itself doesn’t really give you any information on this, which meant there was only one thing to do – go Pokémon hunting in the name of science and public service!

I conducted a one-hour Pokémon hunt using an iPhone 6, with Wi-Fi turned off to ensure mobile data was being used. The phone’s power saving settings weren’t enabled – however, the in-game 'Battery Saving' option was enabled. This was something we’d always recommend – but as of the game's latest update, this feature has been removed.

Even so, it’s unlikely to have had any impact on data usage. The feature simply turned the screen off when your phone was inverted, but still alerted you to nearby Pokémon. This meant you could safely walk between Pokéstops without endangering yourself in traffic, and your precious Pokémon eggs would still make hatching progress. The most likely reason for its removal is that it wasn’t actually making much difference to battery usage – but personally I’m still disappointed it’s been removed.

The hunt was conducted in an area with a high density of Pokéstops, ensuring plenty of game activity – including an extended period farming a lure that had been kindly placed on what appeared to be the ancestral home of Gary and Phil Neville. As far as tracking data usage was concerned, the phone’s usage stats were reset so it would be easy to calculate how much data the game was using.

The verdict

Over the course of the hour I managed to hatch an egg, visited 27 Pokéstops and caught 22 Pokémon – including an extended battle with a particularly troublesome high-level Jynx – and the total amount of data used was... 4.8 megabytes!

So it turns out that while Pokémon GO is something of a battery hog (it used almost half my battery) it doesn’t have anywhere near the same kind of appetite when it comes to your precious mobile data.

Even if you played an hour every day for a month, you should only use about 150 MB of data –which is well within the allowance you’ll get on most mobile tariffs.

Also, keep an eye out for lures on your travels – that’s a Pokéstop with little hearts raining down from it. A lot of businesses have been placing them to attract players, so if your local coffee shop is doing that you could use their Wi-Fi to save on data – just be polite and buy something while you’re there!

It’s important to note that data usage will vary from device to device, and we’d always recommend monitoring your data usage to ensure you’re not going to go over your limit. However, based on this research, it looks like Pokémon hunting shouldn’t leave you with a 'Gastly' bill at the end of the month!

Have you been catchin' 'em all? Share your Pokémon GO exploits with our readers in the comments below – and for more fantastic articles from our Agents straight to your inbox each month, get your name down below for the Geek Squad newsletter!

The virtual reality revolution continues apace – and while the latest versions of the technology have generally been restricted to extremely powerful desktop PCs, the latest version of Android is making VR a core part of the smartphone experience with a technology called ‘Daydream VR’.

Recently, we had a sneak preview of Android Nougat– the latest version of Google’s mobile operating system, heading to Android smartphones later this month.

It’s one of the biggest updates for years, packed with new features like split-screen app windows and advanced power-saving modes – but nestled among the new features in Google’s official announcement was a mysterious feature called ‘Daydream’.

Google call it a “platform for high-quality mobile virtual reality” – but what exactly is it?

Chasing the VR dream

Virtual reality – until recently considered a dead-end relic of over-ambitious 90s technology – has experienced a fantastic resurgence lately.

Our own Agent Strevens recently explored the newest generation of VR headsets, and found that modern technology has finally caught up with the ambitious dreams of the VR pioneers. Finally, we have headsets and devices capable of conjuring up convincing, full-3D worlds – and placing the user directly within them.

But this remarkable technology comes with a drawback: it typically requires an immensely powerful, not to mention expensive, hardware setup.

The HTC Vive, for example, is probably the most impressive of the current crop of VR devices – and will set you back a cool £759 plus VAT and postage. Then, to actually make it work, you’ll need a top-of-the-range PC with tons of RAM and a high-end graphics card. All in all, the gear will probably set you back a couple of grand: a massive barrier to entry for all but the richest.

Enter Daydream. By taking advantage of the phone in your pocket, Google wants to create a VR experience that’s as accessible as anything else in the Play Store.

Making it mobile

In fact, Google's mobile VR experiments are actually already out there. Last year, the company launched an extremely low-budget, DIY VR headset called the Cardboard – and manufacturers like Samsung and Goji have also entered the market with their similar (but better-constructed) Gear VR and Universal VR headsets.

Our own Agent Cruickshank has already investigated the first generation of VR-enabled smartphone apps, and came away rather impressed. But this is the first time support for VR has been directly built in to a mobile OS – so what exactly does Daydream bring to the table?

Well, the big difference is for developers: the people who actually make apps. Coding for VR is a new and potentially difficult skill for them to learn. But because Daydream introduces a standard set of tools and technologies for developing VR apps, it should become much simpler to create them – potentially leading to a great increase in the number and variety of mobile VR apps.

Interestingly enough, although the technology is a fundamental part of the new version of Android, Google have also developed a VR ‘software development kit’ for iOS, too – making it just as easy for developers to build VR experiences for Apple hardware and ensuring cross-platform compatibility.

At the same time as empowering developers, Daydream will also open up the hardware field: by standardising the technology, it will be much easier for third parties to develop new headsets, controllers and other accessories for mobile VR.

Agent’s Verdict

So, that’s the technical basis for Daydream VR – and in this Agent’s opinion, it’s a fantastic development. The first generation of mobile VR apps and hardware is already remarkably impressive, and now there’s fantastic potential for the future.

Indeed, VR might actually be a better fit for mobile than it is for desktop PCs. While home computers typically have decently sized screens, even the largest mobile displays pale in comparison – and VR headsets offer an elegant (and portable) solution.

In other words, next time you’re checking out YouTube on a long train journey, you might not be restricted to a five-inch panel: instead, you could kick back with an entirely convincing cinema-sized screen, entirely contained within your VR goggles. The potential applications for games are perhaps even more exciting!

In recent months, we’ve already seen the early potential of mobile VR. And thanks to Daydream, we could be about to see developers pick up this incredible technology and deliver on that potential. Exactly how remains to be seen – but we can’t wait.

So, that’s the lowdown on Google’s latest VR technology. Are you looking forward to getting on board, or is it all a bit of a gimmick? Share your thoughts with our readers in the comments below!

We've got some great games to enjoy on your Android devices this month – and from battling ads to travelling through irradiated wastelands, you're sure to find something you'll love. Read on to find out what our Agents have been playing this month!

Ad Destroyer

Palm Trees Productions
Free

If you hate ads on your smartphone, Ad Destroyer might be either the best or worst thing you'll ever download!

Rather than being an ad blocker or some other useful type of application, Ad Destroyer is a game which literally bombards you with adverts! Fortunately, the ads you'll see are all satirical ones crafted especially for the game – and won't open websites if you accidentally tap on one.

The aim of the game is to remove as many ads as possible within the time limit by tapping on the X in the corner of each advert. What makes this game challenging is the speed at which new ads pop up, usually obscuring the ad below and making it harder to close the ones already open! If that isn't the dictionary definition of frustration, I don't know what is.

If you enjoy Ad Destroyer, you'll probably also enjoy the extra game mode, which is unlocked by signing in to the game with your Google account. Once you've chosen which Google address you'll be using, you'll be able to access the 'Real Ad Mode', which mixes real ads in with the satirical ones and increases the difficulty by quite a bit! Not only will you get a much harder experience, but the ads you see will help pay the developers for their work on this fantastic free game.

Download it today and see how long you can cope with being bombarded with ads on your Android.

Day R

tltGames
Free (Pro version £3.89)

Set in a post-nuclear fallout Russia, Day R is a largely text-based survival adventure in which you must travel the continent piecing together your erratic memories and tracking down your missing wife and daughter.

You'll have to manage your health while you travel, as the water is often dirty and food is scarce. Decisions will be hard to make at times, and you won't always know the best route to take, or which of your gear to keep and which to abandon.

With an interface reminiscent of the first two Fallout games, the game plays like a cross between Day Z and Oregon Trail – yet feels totally unique with over 2,500 cities and towns to visit and even more quests to discover.

More than that, you'll find a comprensive crafting system to repurpose the items you pick up on your travels and repair the broken tools and weapons you'll find scattered around Russia. For a text-based game, I was blown away by how much content this actually includes!

There are two versions of the game available: the regular free version and a 'pro' version, which starts you off with some in-game currency, no ads and a 20% discount on items. You'll also be able to set many more map markers in a wider variety of colours, so you can more easily remember where you're supposed to be going and mark off points of interest to return to.

I'd recommend starting off with the free version to get a feel for the game, then purchasing the full version if you're going to invest some time into the game – although there's nothing stopping you from playing through with just the free version, if that's your preference.

One Touch Drawing

Ecapyc Inc.
Free

One Touch Drawing is a puzzle game which appears simple at first – but will soon have you tugging at your hair in frustration.

As the name implies, the aim of the game is to draw the simple line drawings on the screen yourself, but all in one long line, and without drawing over bits you've already filled in.

This may sound easy, and for the first few levels it can give that impression. But once you get deeper into the gameplay you'll find it gets much harder, with increasingly difficult challenges to baffle your brain with.

The trick to succeeding at One Touch Drawing is to switch up your starting point regularly, as only one of the potential starting points is the correct one. Your starting point is usually also the finishing point – but don't let that trick you into thinking it will always be the case! Sometimes a level can be deceptive and look similar to one you've solved previously, but even a tiny change to the drawing can mean a totally different method to solve the puzzle.

If logic puzzles are what get you out of bed every morning, One Touch Drawing is definitely a game worth installing.

Fast like a Fox

Fingersoft
Free

We've recommended 'endless runner' games in the past – and although the fundamentals are the same across most, there's always something unique that grabs our attention and makes playing them feel somehow different to the others we've played.

Fast Like a Fox also follows this formula, but breaks the rules in a totally unexpected way: you can tap the front or the back of your phone to control your character! Your character – the titular fox – runs at the pace you set by tapping your fingers. You can slow your rhythm to slow the fox, or tap faster to speed up the game and jump larger gaps.

Many games in this genre require you to obscure the screen with your hand as you tap – which can mean missing coins, gems and other items because they're under your fingers. But Fast Like a Fox uses stability sensors inside your phone to detect when your phone is being tapped – which means a tap on the back of your phone is recognised in the same way a tap on the screen would. This frees up the screen for you to enjoy the lush, colourful graphics which attracted me to the game in the first place – and they really are gorgeous.

There are plenty of levels to play through in a variety of scenery – from forests, valleys and temples to lava caves, cities and even ones set in space! There are also three character models to choose from: the Fox, the Golden Fox and a secret character (which may or may nor be a rooster) which you can unlock as you play through this fun little time-filling game.

Definitely one to install if you're looking for a casual, attractive game about wildlife and gold coins.

That's it for this month's roundup of the best Android games – but if there's something you love that we've missed out, why not share it with our readers in the comments below? And for more great articles from our Agents straight to your inbox each month, get your name down below for the Geek Squad newsletter!

In this week's round-up of the hottest stories in the world of tech, we've got some bad news for VR fans, the latest on how to keep up with the Rio Olympics and even an entirely pointless way to make your phone float in mid-air!

There's all this and more – and absolutely nothing about Pokemon Go – in this week's Week in Geek.

Top trending tech news

HP in '£1.58 laptop' blunder

This week, bargain hunters swooped on an incredible pricing mistake on HP’s online store, which saw a powerful HP Zbook workstation selling for only £1.58! That’s down from the usual price of £2,378.30 – a massive saving of £2,376.72.

Despite many lucky shoppers flocking to social media to share the unbelievable find, the store was quickly taken offline once HP noticed the error. HP later announced that they would not be honouring any of the sales, apologised for the “processing error”, and advised that buyers would be refunded.

We can’t really blame them – after all, it’s well established that retailers are within their rights to cancel sales caused by errors – but for this price, we’re gutted we didn’t get a shot at grabbing one ourselves.

HTC Vive VR headset receives hefty price hike in the wake of Brexit

There were more pricing woes for British consumers this week, as HTC announced that they’d be raising the UK price of their groundbreaking Vive headset in response to the continued fall in the pound.

Before the UK’s decision to leave the EU, you could pick up a Vive for £689 – already a hefty sum. But as of August, it’ll now set you back an even heftier £759.

In a statement, HTC said:

“HTC continuously monitors and adjusts pricing to ensure we are providing our customers with the best value possible. Due to recent currency valuation changes and the current value of the GBP we are adjusting the price of the HTC Vive in the UK to £759 + P&P. The adjustment will come into effect on Monday 1st August.”

So, for any disappointed remainers hoping to escape into a VR Europe of their own creation, things have just become £70 more expensive. Sorry, guys.

Google launches Olympics features just in time for Rio

The UK’s response to the 2016 Olympics seems oddly subdued compared to that for the 2012 games – perhaps because they’re occurring halfway around the world rather than in our own capital city.

All the same, Google are doing their best to get you into the Olympic spirit with a whole host of games-related additions for many of their most popular apps.

Their ubiquitous search engine has been updated with special ‘cards’, providing event schedules, medal counts and athlete information. The YouTube app will showcase the official broadcasters’ event highlights, and Street View will let you tour some of the Olympic landmarks in Rio itself.

It’s a bona fide bonanza for sports fans – and with the games kicking off today, it’s a perfect time to get involved.

New on the High Street

Fancy third-party charger will make your phone levitate for no good reason

Budding illusionists and party-trick showboaters need look no further than a relatively new Kickstarter campaign which aims to levitate your smartphone while it charges. We’re here to ruin the magic and tell you that it works using magnets and a special case.

The OvRcharge Levitating Wireless Charger is currently priced at £139 at the present conversion rate, so it’s not exactly cheap. Indeed, the name is oddly appropriate – because you certainly are being ovrcharged for it.

So as long as you don’t mind hiding your sleek new phone behind a case, the extra added weight of the magnet and a much slower charging rate, this may be the charger for you.

Striking new phablet features a built-in projector

In other gimmicky tech news, we also learned this week about an unusual new ‘phablet’ – that’s a phone/tablet hybrid, jargon fans – which packs a powerful HD projector among some other striking features.

The Holofone, by lesser-known manufacturers Akyumen, features a seven-inch display – but pop it into a stand, point it at a wall, and a 45-lumen projector will produce an image of up to 100 inches!

But that’s not the only unusual thing the Holofone does. Users will actually be able to choose between two different operating systems for the device: Android Marshmallow or the full desktop version of Windows 10. Yep, that’s right: the very same version you run on your laptop, and emphatically not the ill-fated mobile version of the Microsoft OS.

The odd device is currently available for preorder from Akyumen’s website– and it should be shipping in the first week of September.

Movie and TV news

Black Mirror comes to Netflix this autumn

Charlie Brooker’s Black Mirror series for Channel 4 offered some of the most surreal and hard-hitting sci-fi television around, with two seasons and a christmas special starting in 2011.

The show covered many themes – including dystopian futures, virtual reality, wearable tech, instant fame television and artificial intelligence. The great news is, Netflix loved the show – and have ordered 12 new episodes to be released exclusively through the subscription service, with the first coming on the 21st October.

This time round, there’ll be a more star-studded cast – including Alice Eve (Star Trek: Into Darkness) and Bryce Dallas-Howard (Jurassic World). Hopefully this won’t detract from the show – as the relatively unknown actors from previous episodes made the show more even credible. In any case, we can’t wait to see what Brooker and the team have come up with.

US version of Peep Show announced

There’s a long and fine tradition of successful British comedy shows being shipped over to the US and completely mangled into terrible, terrible remakes – a trend that looks set to continue this week with the announcement of an American version of the Channel 4 hit Peep Show.

The new version will feature an entirely new cast and setting, but will at least feature original creators Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong on board – so there’s at least the potential for things to go right. But with high-profile flops like Cold Feet and The IT Crowd setting a terrible precedent (with the surprisingly decent The Office proving a notable exception), it’ll have to go a long way to impress us.

And finally...

Brave idiot leaps 25,000 feet from a plane without a parachute; survives

Finally this week, we learned that modern, state-of-the-art safety nets have reached a new pinnacle of engineering excellence – as it transpired that you can now dive out of a plane into one from 25,000 feet and survive.

Thrill-seeker Luke Aikins is a stuntman and safety and training advisor for the United States Parachute Association, and last Friday he became the first person to deliberately jump from a plane at such a height without a parachute – at least, with the serious intention of surviving the fall. To make the feat even more impressive, the height was actually twice that of a typical parachute jump, which is around 13,000 feet.

In order to land safely, Aikins had to steer himself with the aid of a GPS unit to a position above a 10,000 square foot net, before flipping on to his back at the last minute. Thankfully, Aikins survived his ambitious dive – but here at Geek Squad, we’d always recommend wearing a parachute when leaping from an airborne vehicle.

That's it for another crucial round-up – but for more fantastic stories from our Agents straight to your inbox each month, get your name down below for the Geek Squad newsletter.

This week our Agents get excited about the return of Robot Wars, and the latest news for Android N - due to arrive on smartphones later this year. There's plenty of app recommendations to enjoy, and some rather astounding news about the ALS Ice Bucket challenge from last year!

App recommendations

Kino VR - iOS (free) / Android (free)

Prisma - iOS (free) / Android (free)

Microsoft Pix - iOS (free)

Backing up your Microsoft Lumia is quick and easy to do – and means your important data is always protected should the worst happen to your phone! Read on to see how to carry out the backup and check that it's working.

Conveniently, your Microsoft Lumia phone has as built-in backup feature that will automatically save your photos, videos, accounts and other personal data to OneDrive – Microsoft's own cloud storage service.

In this guide, we'll show you exactly how to get it up and running – read on to find out how.

Step 1: Sign in to your Microsoft Account

As with any online backup, it all starts with an account. Lumia devices (and OneDrive itself) make use of a Microsoft account.

The first thing to do, then, is ensure your device is signed in to a Microsoft account. You'll have been asked to do this when you first set up the phone – so you're likely to be signed in already. If for any reason you aren't, then you can sign in to one now in your phone's settings.

The precise steps required vary depending on whether you're using a Windows 10 phone (including the Lumia 550, 640, 650 and 950)or a Windows Phone 8 or 8.1 device (including the Lumia 530/535, 630/635, 730, 830 and 930).

To check your account or sign in on a Windows 10 phone:

1. Open up Settings.
2. Click on Accounts.
3. Click on Your email and accounts.
4. At the top of this page it will either show you the Microsoft account you're currently signed in to, or give you the option to sign in to one.

To check your account or sign in on a Windows 8 or 8.1 phone:

1. Open up Settings.
2. Click on Email + accounts.
3. Look for 'Microsoft Account'.
4. If there isn't a Microsoft account listed, press the Add account button and sign in to your account.

Step 2: Turn On Backup

Once you're signed in to a Microsoft account, you'll next want to make sure that automatic backups are activated on your phone to ensure that your photos, texts and app data are saved to OneDrive and can be restored if needed.

Again, the exact process varies depending on which version of Windows your phone uses. Windows 10 Mobile is a bit disjointed when it comes to backup, so there are a few different things we'll need to check – whereas Windows Phone 8 or 8.1 keeps all their backup settings in one place.

Windows Mobile 10

To turn on automatic picture backup on a Windows 10 phone:

1. Open up OneDrive.
2. Tap on the menu button in the top-left corner.
3. Now tap the settings icon in the top-right corner.
4. Tap on Camera upload.
5. Make sure that this is turned on.

To turn on text message backup:

1. Open up Settings.
2. Click on System.
3. Click on Messaging.
4. Under 'History and sync', ensure Sync messages between devices is turned on. Beneath this, you can specify how long you want to keep your backups for.

To turn on app and settings backup:

1. Open up Settings.
2. Click on Update & security.
3. Click on Backup.
4. Make sure both options for are turned on for backing up apps and settings.
5. Tap on More options at the bottom and the press backup now to get a backup started.

Windows Phone 8 or 8.1

To turn on backup for a Windows Phone 8 or 8.1 device:

1. Open up Settings.
2. Tap on backup.
3. Make sure all three options are turned on for photos, texts and apps.
4. Press the backup now option within each section to start a backup.

What about contacts?

Contacts are vitally important – after all, keeping you in touch with friends and family is perhaps the most important thing your smartphone does!

It's odd, then, that Lumia phones don't include your contacts in their usual backup process. Instead, your contacts should be automatically synced with your Microsoft account.

When you sign in to a Microsoft account the phone should simply upload all your contacts and keep them in sync across all of your Windows devices.

There are no options to select or change for this: you just have to hope your phone does it correctly! You can, however, check if it's working by following the steps in the next section.

Step 3: Check your backups

So, now that you've got all these bits and pieces backing up to your OneDrive through your Microsoft account, the next thing you'll want to do is actually check that it's worked!

To do so, you'll need access to a device with a web browser. From there, there are three things we can check to ensure the backup is working:

Check your contacts

To see if your contacts are backing up and syncing correctly:

1. Go to https://people.live.com/.
2. Sign in to your Microsoft account.
3. Scroll through the list in the column on the left-hand side of the page to check your contacts.

Check your photos

To see if your photos are backing up correctly:

1. Go to https://onedrive.com/
2. Sign in to your Microsoft account.
3. Go into the Pictures folder.
4. Then go into the Camera Roll folder.
5. Check your photos are all displayed correctly.

Check your device backups

To see if your device and app settings and texts are backing up correctly:

1. Go to https://onedrive.live.com/options/DeviceBackups
2. Sign in to your Microsoft account.
3. Check you have a recent backup by looking at the backup date.

And there you have it – the definitive guide to backing up your Lumia to your OneDrive account! If the steps above are giving you any trouble, drop us a line in the comments and we'll do our best to help.

Every phone has an IMEI number: a unique identifier for each different handset. It's used for a great many things – from securing your handset to identifying it for repair – but no matter what you need your IMEI number for, we've found a few different ways to find it on your Samsung Android smartphone.

Finding your IMEI number in the dialler

A little-known fact about your IMEI number is that you can dial a universal code from the numberpad or dialling screen on any phone to find out what it is!

This is the simplest way to find out your IMEI and works, with any and every phone – so we'll explain this method first!

1. From your phone's home screen, press the Phone icon to open the call screen.
2. Start dialing *#06# using the number pad. When you press the final #, your phone screen will change automatically.
3. You'll now see a box in the middle of your screen with your phone's IMEI number written in it!

Finding your IMEI in your settings menu

If for whatever reason you can't access your dialling screen, or you just feel more comfortable browsing your phone's settings menu, you can find out your IMEI number there, in the same place you would find your Android version or phone model number.

The exact method varies depending on which Samsung Galaxy phone you have – so just click your phone's device range from the options below to see the correct guide for your Samsung.

• Samsung Galaxy Ace/S/S2 range
• Samsung Galaxy S3/S4 range
• Samsung Galaxy S5 range
• Samsung Galaxy S6 & S7 range

Samsung Galaxy Ace/S/S2

1. Open your apps list and find the Settings icon. Tap on it, then scroll down to the bottom of the list until you can see About phone. Press it to continue.
2. Now that you're in the About phone section, press Status.
3. Scroll down the Status menu until you find IMEI. Here, you will find your phone's IMEI!

Galaxy S3 & S4

1. Open your apps list and find the Settings icon. Press it to open your Settings list, then press on the More tab – this is the tab at the top far-right of your screen.
2. Scroll to the bottom of the More page until you find About device. Press it to view more information about your smartphone – we need to find the Status heading. Once you've found it, tap it.
3. Now that we're inside the Status page, scroll down and you should find your IMEI listed about halfway down the page.

Galaxy S5

1. Open your apps list, then find and press on the Settings icon. You'll notice that all your settings are laid out in one page – so either find and tap on About device or tap on the magnifying glass button in the top-right corner of the screen and type About device.
2. We're now able to see a lot more information about your smartphone, like your Android version, model number and device name. Tap on Status to view even more useful information!
3. Scroll down the Status page until you find IMEI. This is your IMEI number, so make a note of it.

Galaxy S6 & Galaxy S7

1. Open your Apps list and find the Settings icon. Tap on it to continue.
2. Scroll to the very bottom of the Settings list, where you'll find About device. Tap on it to select and continue.
3. Tap on Status to view information about your phone's identity.
4. On the next page, you'll find information about your Wi-Fi address, as well as your serial number and other information. For your IMEI, tap on IMEI information.
5. Finally we have your phone's IMEI number and the IMEI SV number (which can be ignored in most cases). Make a note of your IMEI number and you're all set!

Got a question about finding your IMEI? Let us know in the comments below and we'll answer it as soon as we can.

If you need a manual or help with the setup of your Samsung Galaxy J5, check out our user guide to start using your handset, connect to the internet and more!

1. Unboxing and assembling your Samsung Galaxy J5 2016
2. Set up your phone for the first time
3. Connecting to Wi-Fi and mobile networks
4. Find out how to add your email accounts
5. How to add and import contacts to your Samsung
6. Using the Play Store to find new apps
7. Securing your Samsung Galaxy J5 2016 with a lock screen
8. How to make phone calls on your Samsung
9. Send text & picture messages
10. Sending emails and attachments on your Samsung
11. How to set alarms on the Samsung Galaxy J5
12. Read our tips to learn more about your phone

click here for Samsung's Galaxy J5 2016 user manual

Unboxing and assembling your Samsung Galaxy J5 (2016)

Inside the box* you should find:

• 1 x Samsung Galaxy J5
• 1 x Battery
• 1 x Mains power adapter
• 1 x USB lead
• 1 x In-line earphones
• 1 x Information pack

*some box contents may vary

The Galaxy J5 (2016) takes a micro-SIM card, which needs to be installed underneath the back cover. If you wish to expand the storage space available by adding a microSD (memory) card, you'll need to have that to hand as well.

Insert the SIM and memory cards

In order to insert the micro-SIM and/or memory cards, you will need to remove the back cover. With the back of the phone facing you, and the camera lens towards the top, look at the left-hand edge level with the camera lens and you will see a small notch in the back cover. Use a fingernail in this notch to prise the back cover away from the body of the J5, and when the cover releases you should be able to lift it away. If the battery has already been inserted, please remove it.

The micro-SIM goes into a housing halfway down the right-hand side of the battery compartment. Position the SIM card with the gold-coloured contacts facing down, and insert the end with the cut-off corner under the clip first, sliding it in until it stops with the edge of the card level with the edge of the battery compartment.

If you're installing a microSD card, this goes into the housing at the bottom of the battery compartment. Make sure that the metal contacts of the card are facing down and the narrow end of the card is inserted into the housing first as cards can get stuck if inserted incorrectly.

With the cards installed correctly, replace the battery, making sure to line up the electrical contacts correctly with those in the battery housing. Replace the back cover, pressing it home around the edge to fix it securely into place. You're now ready to turn on your new Samsung Galaxy J5 and set it up!

return to Samsung Galaxy J5 2016 chapters

Set up your phone for the first time

Before you turn the Galaxy J5 on, please ensure that the SIM card has been installed as shown in the previous chapter. Press the power button on the right-hand edge of the handset for a few seconds and you will see the screen illuminate as the handset starts to power up.

Completing the Galaxy J5 Setup Wizard

1. At any time during the setup you may see a SIM service pop-up on screen asking you to select your mobile network from a list; tap on the correct network name and OK, then it will disappear.
2. The first screen of the setup wizard will be asking you to Select your language. Choose your preferred language by scrolling through the menu (English UK is the default option) and then tap the yellow circle.
3. The next screen prompts you to connect to a nearby wireless network. If you don't see any network names, check the switch at the top is on (showing green). If it isn't, tap the switch to turn it on. In the list of networks shown, tap on the name of the wireless network you wish to connect to.
4. When prompted, enter the password for the Wi-Fi network. This is usually shown on a sticker on your router, and may be referred to as a WEP key, WPA key or wireless passphrase. Passwords are case-sensitive, and you can check your typing by ticking the Show password box. When you're ready to proceed, tap Connect.

5. Once the screen shows you've connected, you will be able to see a Wi-Fi symbol on the top line of the display next to the signal bars. The signal strength may vary, so not all the curved bars may be lit up, but as long as the symbol is there you're connected. Tap Next to continue.
6. If you want to use the handset you will have to read and agree to the EULA (End User License Agreement) and Privacy Policy. Click any link to inspect the information, untick the box if you don't wish to send anonymous diagnostic data to Samsung, then tap Next.
7. A dialogue box will open on screen to verify that you agree with the terms of the EULA. To proceed, tap Agree.
8. If you're upgrading from another Android smartphone, you can copy information from your previous handset using NFC or Near Field Communication. To do this, tap on Copy Google accounts, apps and data from your other device and follow the on-screen instructions. If you want to set this up as a fresh new phone, choose No, thanks. When you're ready, tap Next.

9. On the next page you will be asked to sign in to your Google account (an email address ending in gmail.com or googlemail.com). Having a Google account unlocks some great features of the phone; without one you can't browse the Play Store or sync your contacts to your Google email address. If you haven't already got a Google account you can create a new account for free. If you don't wish to add a Google account at this point (not recommended) can you Skip this.
10. To sign in, enter your Gmail (Google) address and tap Next.
11. The next step to signing in is to enter your Google password in the space provided, then tap Next. If you're creating a new account, complete the onscreen form, filling the details in as you go.
12. You will have to accept the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy in order to use the J5. Inspect them if you wish by tapping on the links, and when you're happy to agree, tap Accept.

13. The next screens are about background services your Google account can perform. Backup allows your Google account to back up your handset's apps and settings, which is extremely useful when it comes to upgrading or replacing a lost or damaged handset, and therefore something we would recommend. Untick this box to disallow this, and scroll down to see the other services.
14. Location settings relate to letting your phone (and Google) know where in the world you are, which will help improve internet search results, and satellite navigation apps will thank you for it. You will also be invited to improve Android by providing anonymous feedback. Untick any of the options on this screen if you wish to opt out of them, and tap Next to continue.
15. The Play store offers paid-for as well as free content and you will be invited to set up a billing method. To securely register a credit or debit card to pay for content, or redeem a Play Store voucher tap the appropriate option. You may also be offered the option of having purchases billed through your mobile network, if they allow this. To skip setting up a payment method at this stage, select Remind me later. Once you've made your decision, tap Next to move on.

16. You may be asked to check the time and date settings. If any of these need to be adjusted, tap the line and make any amendments necessary. When you're satisfied that the settings are correct, tap Next.
17. The setup wizard will ask you about adding other email addresses. We cover this in detail in a later chapter so for now, we'd suggest selecting Not now and tapping Next. If you prefer, you can go through adding other accounts now and when you've finished, continue with this guide.
18. You can protect your phone with a lock screen, which stops people from accessing your private information on your smartphone. You can use a PIN, pattern or password to give a secure method of protection. As we cover the lock screen in a later chapter, we're going to skip this for now by unticking the box then pressing Skip.
19. If you're skipping the lock screen setup, you must confirm that you want to do so by tapping Skip anyway. This is to ensure you're aware your phone won't be locked when the screen is off.

20. If you have set up your Google account on a previous Android device (either tablet or phone) and allowed backups to be made, you will be offered the change to import that data to your new J5. Tapping Restore from this backup will allow you to choose the device you wish to import a backup from, and you can also choose which apps you transfer across. To do this, make your choices then tap Next.
21. If you don't want to import a backup from a previous Android device, choose Set up as new device in the backup section and tap Next. This will allow you to start afresh with your new phone.
22. You will then be asked about using a Samsung account. This is optional, but gives you access to exclusive apps and content from Samsung, as well as special offers from them. If you've set this up on a previous Samsung handset, tap Sign in and enter your account details. If you're new to Samsung, you can tap Create account to set one up for free or use your Google account to do so.

23. You can Skip signing in to a Samsung account if you prefer by scrolling down the screen and tapping Skip.
24. To allow local weather information to be displayed on screen, you must allow location services to be used to determine where you are. If you'd rather this didn't happen, untick the boxes. Tap Next to continue.
25. You will then be asked about enabling Easy mode. This is a simpler layout, with less information on each screen and larger text and icons. Tap the switch to enable this if you wish, and tap Finish to exit the wizard and start using your new phone.
26. KNOX is a secure space in your phone that locks away your personal and private data. It's ultra-secure, hence the name! If you're concerned about data privacy, it's worth installing. If you're more concerned about forgetting your passwords and being locked out of your data, just tap Finish.

At the bottom of the phone itself, below the screen, there is a button in the middle. This is the Home button, and will always bring you back to the home screen. Either side of this are touch-sensitive areas which also act as "buttons", and these are used to help you navigate around your new phone. The area to the left shows you Recent apps that you have opened, which are still running in the background allowing you to switch between them easily, and the area to the right is the Back button, which takes you back one step in any app or menu.

The icon on the front screen that you will probably use most of all is the Apps icon. This gives you access to all the apps on your new phone, as well as the settings menus. It looks like a grid of small squares, and is usually found in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen (unless you move it).

Now that you have completed the setup wizard, read through the other chapters in this guide to learn how to receive emails on your handset, download apps, and import your contacts!

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Connecting to Wi-Fi and mobile networks

Your new Samsung Galaxy J5 is a powerful piece of kit, but without an internet connection many of its finest features are redundant! Fresh apps can't be downloaded, existing apps can't be updated, even your social networks and email accounts can't retrieve new data! Make sure your phone is working to its fullest by using our short guide below.

Connecting to a Wi-Fi network

1. From the home screen, tap the square Apps icon or swipe down from the top of the screen.
2. Find and tap the Settings icon to view your phone's configurable settings.
3. In the Connections section, tap the Wi-Fi line to open the Wi-Fi settings.
4. You will see a list of nearby Wi-Fi connections you can access. Tap on the one you want to connect to (if it's your home Wi-Fi it should be close to the top of the list).
5. Enter your wireless password when prompted. Remember, passwords are case sensitive, so ensure you enter it correctly! Wireless passwords are usually found on a sticker on the underside of your router, and may also be called a WEP key, WPA key, or wireless passphrase. Tick the Show password box to verify you've entered the password correctly and press Connect.

6. If the password was entered successfully, you will now see the word Connected below your network's name, and a Wi-Fi symbol on the status bar at the top of the J5's screen.
7. If you've connected to the wrong network or can't access the internet after you connect to Wi-Fi, press and hold your finger down on the name of your wireless network. After a couple of seconds you will see a box asking if you want to Forget network or Modify network config. Choose to forget the network, then pick the network name you wish to connect to and type the password again.

Connecting to Mobile Internet

An active mobile internet connection is indicated by a letter (or letters) next to the signal bars, on the top row of the display. The letters you could see are G, E, 3G, H, H+ or 4G, and these denote the various speeds of the data connection. This will vary depending on your network, and where you are at the time. The arrows flicker when data is being transferred, but the key thing to remember is that if the letter is there, your data connection is configured correctly.

1. From the home screen, tap the Apps icon or swipe down from the top of the screen.
2. Tap on the Settings icon.
3. If your J5 is connected to a Wi-Fi network, you won't be able to see whether your mobile internet connection is working correctly. In the Connections section, tap Wi-Fi.
4. Tap the switch to turn Wi-Fi off (don't forget to turn it back on again after you've finished setting up your mobile internet connection!) Tap the back button at the bottom of the phone to go back to the main settings screen.

5. In the Connections area of the main settings, tap Mobile networks.
6. In the Mobile network settings, tap Access Point Names (APNs are the settings that configure the internet connection on your Galaxy J5).
7. Look at the list of network names in the settings, ensuring that the correct one is selected by tapping in the circle to the left of its name to turn the indicator blue.
8. If enabling the correct APN has worked, you'll see data indicator letters next to the signal bars at the top of the screen.

9. If your network name isn't listed, tap More in the top right-hand corner of the screen, then tap Reset to default.
10. A warning will appear telling you that resetting the defaults will erase any saved APNs. Tap Reset to allow this.
11. You will then see a list of all the network settings that the Galaxy J5 can pull from the SIM card. Choose the correct network from the list by tapping on the circle, then tap OK to select that network.
12. Tap the circle to put a blue dot in it, which activates those settings. You should now be connected to mobile internet through your SIM card. Check the top line of the display for the data indicator.

If these options still don't work, then you can enter new APN settings manually by tapping Add at the top of the screen and completing the form. We have produced a guide to APN settings for all major UK networks to help you, but if your provider is not listed you may need to contact them directly for further assistance and troubleshooting.

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Find out how to add your email accounts

Your new Samsung Galaxy J5 can manage multiple POP, IMAP and Exchange email accounts with a minimum of fuss. Follow our guide below to start receiving your emails on your new smart phone!

Gmail account setup

We covered setting up a Google account in the initial setup, but if you didn't complete it then you can add one now.

1. Swipe down from the top of the screen, or tap the Apps icon.
2. Tap on the Settings icon.
3. Scroll down to the Personal section of the main settings screen, and tap Accounts.
4. This screen will show any accounts which are already set up on your J5. To add a Google account, tap Add account.

5. On the list of account types, tap Google to start adding a Gmail account to the phone.
6. If you are new to Android tap Create a new account to set up a free Google account.
7. To sign in with your existing Google account, enter the address in the space provided and tap Next.
8. To sign in, enter your Google password into the space provided then tap Next. If you are creating a new account, complete all the boxes on the on screen form in order to set the account up.

9. You must agree to the Terms of service and Privacy Policy in order to use the Google account on your new Galaxy J5. Tap a link to inspect to inspect them, and when you're ready tap OK to proceed.
10. The Google account can be used to back up your apps and settings. If you'd prefer not to do this untick the box, and tap Next to proceed.
11. You will then be asked to set up payment details in order to purchase premium content, including chargeable apps and other media, from the Play Store. This is optional, as many apps are free. Select your billing option or choose Remind me later to skip this, and tap Next.
12. The newly-added Google account should now show in the Accounts list, and your emails will start to arrive in the Gmail app very shortly (it's in the Google folder on the Galaxy J5's home screen).

Email setup

1. Open the App Tray by pressing the Apps icon, or swipe down from the top of the screen, then tap on the Settings icon.
2. Scroll down to the Personal section and tap Accounts.
3. When the accounts list opens (showing any accounts already on your J5) tap Add account.
4. If you have an Exchange email account (often used by employers, or education providers) choose Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync. To have all your mail delivered into one app (which we'd recommend) tap Personal (IMAP) or Personal (POP3) depending on the type of account you have. If you want your mail delivered into a separate app to your Gmail, tap Email.

6. The steps here are for Personal account setup, but Email sets up in the same way. Type in your email address and tap Next.
7. On the next screen, enter the password for your account and tap Next.
8. If all goes well and the account sets up, you will be able to alter the account options to choose how often your handset checks for new mail, and how much mail to keep on your new phone. When you are happy with the settings, tap Next.
9. You will then be asked to give the account a name, and also enter your name which will appear on outgoing emails. Tap Done to finish the setup.
10. You should now see the account listed in the Accounts section. If you added your account by choosing Personal then your mail will be delivered into the Gmail app, which is in the Google folder on the home screen. If you chose Email when setting up the account, your mail will be delivered to the Email app, which you can find in the Apps tray.

If your account failed to set up automatically, you will be returned to the main email setup page with your email address and password in the boxes. In order to add your email account to the Galaxy J5 you will have to do a Manual Setup. In order to do this, you will need to know the type of account you have (POP3, IMAP or Exchange) and additional, account specific information.

This additional information will include the account Username, Password, and also incoming& outgoing mail server settings, all of which will have to be entered onto the on screen form. If your account is an Exchange account, you will need to know domain and Exchange server information.

We have written a guide to email server settingsfor most of the popular UK email providers to help you complete these, but if your mail provider is not listed, or your Exchange email account is provided by your company, you may need to contact them directly for detailed assistance.

If you are still having difficulty adding your email account, why don't you check out our support options and give us a call at any time 24/7 on 0800 049 3040

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How to add and import contacts to your Samsung J5

If you want to move your contacts from your old phone to your Galaxy J5 2016 model, check out our guide on transferring your phonebook and other data to a Samsung smartphone. We've got step-by-step instructions to help you migrate from iPhone, Windows Phone, BlackBerry and other Android handsets, so click the link to find out more.

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Using the Play Store to find new apps

The Google Play Store is full of apps and games to enjoy on your smartphone, as well as music, books and video to stream to your handset. If you'd like to explore the store but aren't sure where to begin, click the link to read our comprehensive guide to the Play Store where we'll show you how to search and browse, as well as how to rediscover apps you've installed on other Android devices.

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Securing your Samsung Galaxy J5 2016 with a lock screen

Your Samsung J5 has a lot of valuable information on it, and will likely be signed into accounts inside various apps to give you quick access to your data; Email, social media and file sharing apps to name but a few. The best way to keep all of this data from prying eyes is to secure your Galaxy with a PIN or Password. Read on to discover how!

1. From the home screen, tap on the Apps icon, then tap on Settings.
2. Scroll down the settings menu to the Personal section, and tap on Lock screen.
3. To set up lock screen security, tap Screen lock.
4. Choose what type of unlock method you'd like to use; Swipe is the default, insecure method, Pattern allows you to draw a pattern on a grid of dots, PIN is a 4-digit numerical code and Password is a longer, more complex security code. To proceed, tap your chosen method.

5. We're entering a 4-digit PIN, but a password is set in much the same manner. Enter your chosen code via the keyboard, then tap Continue (a pattern requires you to set a PIN as a backup!).
6. Confirm your unlock PIN or Password by entering it again, then tap OK.
7. You will be asked about Notifications, and showing their content. Hiding content will show that you have a notification, but not the details. Tap your choice then tap Next.
8. Your new method of securing your lock screen will be displayed. In order to change it, you will need to enter it when you tap on that option.

You can change the time needed for the lock to be activated after the display times out by tapping Secure lock settings and then Lock automatically. If you do change this, remember that although your screen may have gone off, your handset may not be locked securely until a period of time has elapsed. When you're happy, tap the Home button to return to the home screen.

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How to make phone calls on your Samsung

The first step to making a phone call is to open the Phone icon from the home screen by tapping on it. This is usually in the bottom left-hand corner of the screen.

1. The phone app will open to the dialler keypad. Unsurprisingly, this can be used to simply enter the number you wish to call, and then tap the green button at the bottom to dial the number.
2. Your keypad can also be used to spell out the name of a contact. Use the numbers corresponding to the correct letters to spell the name (in our example we're spelling out "Danny" by tapping 32669) and the J5 will locate any contacts that match your search, just tap their name to call them! If you know more than one person with the name you're searching, you'll need to tap the correct contact from the suggestions.
3. Favourites gives you quick access to numbers you call often. To mark a contact as a favourite, open their contact card and tap the star.
4. If you prefer, you can search your contacts directly from the first Phone screen by tapping Contacts at the top. When you have the contact you'd like to call on screen, tap the phone icon on their contact to dial their number!

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Send text & picture messages

Find and tap the Messaging app from your home screen. The icon is a white envelope with a yellow sheet sliding out of it. If you have unread messages, you will see a red badge in the corner showing you have unread items.

1. To compose a new message, tap on the compose button (which looks like a pen and paper) at the top of the screen.
2. Now you're looking at a blank text message. Pick the recipient by tapping in the Enter recipient box.
3. You can enter a mobile number directly using the numeric keyboard, or you can start to type a contact's name. If you're entering text, matching contacts will appear below as you type. Tap on the contact you're trying to text to select them as the recipient. You can add further recipients if you wish to send the same message to multiple people.
4. Now you've chosen who you're messaging, it's time to type out what you want to say. Tap into the Enter message box and using the keyboard, type your message.

5. If you're just sending a text message, tapping the orange Send button to the right of the text entry box will send your message. If you want to add an attachment, such as a picture, video or sound recording, tap the paper clip.
6. Options will appear to allow you to choose what you'd like to attach to your message. You could take a new picture using the camera, attach an image that's already on your phone or one of many other options, each of which can be selected by tapping on the correct icon. (If you're sending a picture or video, it will be sent as a Multimedia message, and you may be charged for this - check with your mobile network about costs!).
7. Navigate through the files on your phone to locate the item you wish to attach, and select it by tapping it, then tapping Done.
8. Once you've attached your item, it will display in the body of the message, allowing you to add further text before you send it by tapping the Send button.

How to delete a message thread

If you'd like to delete a thread of messages from your handset, open the Messaging app and locate the thread you'd like to delete by finding the other person's name in the message list.

Touch and hold on their name, and a tickbox will appear beside it. When you see this, look in the top right-hand corner of the screen and tap the bin icon to delete the thread.

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Sending emails and attachments on your Samsung

To send an email, you must have already set up an email account on your Samsung Galaxy. If you haven't added your account yet, please check our chapter on adding an email account for more information. To see your emails, tap the Apps icon followed by the Email icon which is in the Samsung folder.

1. When you can see your email inbox, tap the compose button. This is a white pen-and-paper icon in the bottom-left corner of the email inbox screen.
2. Tap into the To line to select the intended recipient. Start to type their name using the keyboard, and any matching contacts will appear. Tap on the correct contact to add them to the recipient list. You can add further recipients or send carbon copies to yourself or others by tapping the down arrow.
3. Enter a Subject for your email by tapping on that line and entering it via the keyboard.
4. Now that you've set it up, type your message by tapping into the white portion of the window in the middle of the screen. If you just want to send a text email, then you can send it by tapping the envelope icon on the title bar.

5. To add an attachment, tap the paper clip on the title bar. When the menu opens, you can choose what you'd like to attach.
6. Navigate through your files by using the on screen menu to find the item you want, and tap it to select it. When you've made your selections, tap Done.
7. When sending images, you may be asked whether to resize them - handy if you're using mobile internet, as large images and video can use a lot of data!
8. Add further attachments if you wish, and compose your message. To send, tap the envelope.

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How to set alarms on the Samsung Galaxy J5

Setting an alarm is a popular occurrence on most phones, as you tend to always have it with you, turned on and telling the correct time. Read on to find out how to set an alarm on your Galaxy J5.

1. Alarms are set and amended through the Clock app on your J5. From the home screen, tap Apps and then Clock.
2. The first time you open the app, you'll see there aren't any alarms set (surprise surprise!) and there are buttons across the top of the app allow you to select World Clock, Stopwatch and Timer functions. Tap ADD to set an alarm.
3. Set the alarm time using the arrows, but before you tap Save you may wish to look at the other options.
4. Repeat is great to set the same alarm time on multiple days (such as every weekday) by ticking the boxes, and tapping OK.

5. You can also edit the melody, volume, vibration and snooze duration for each alarm. You can even set it as a smart alarm, which gradually gets louder the longer you leave it before turning it off - so much better than your old alarm clock, eh? When you're happy with the settings, tap Save to store and set the alarm.
6. The displayed alarm will now show up brightly in the menu. This indicates the alarm is set to go off at the date and time displayed.
7. To turn an alarm off, tap the green alarm clock. This will dim the alarm line, indicating it is not set. To set an alarm that is greyed out, tap the alarm clock again.
8. To delete an alarm completely, tap the X in the right-hand top corner of the alarm line.

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Read our tips to learn more about your phone

Samsung smartphones come packed with loads of apps and features, but how do you hide the things you don't use? Follow these steps to find out how you can clean up your apps list, obscuring any icons you wish!

Managing the Apps List

When you add apps to your new J5, they will add themselves at the end of the apps list, but that means you may need to scroll through a few screens of apps to find them. Fortunately it's easy to rearrange the order of the apps list, and even uninstall apps directly without having to go through the settings menu.

1. Open the Apps list by tapping the square Apps icon on your home screen.
2. Now that your apps are all showing on the screen, tap Edit in the top-right corner of the display.
3. To move an app into a different place, simply hold your finger on it and drag it to where you'd like to see it. If you drag it to the left- or right-hand edge, the screen will move to the next one in that direction and you can then place the app where you wish by taking your finger off the screen.
4. To uninstall an app, tap on the red minus (-) sign that appears on the top corner of the app's icon, and confirm that you wish to remove it by tapping OK.
5. After selecting all the apps you want to hide, press Done in the top-right corner of the screen. Your Apps screen will be updated with your new layout!

To put all the apps in alphabetical order, tap A-Z at the top of the screen. You will then see a confirmation screen advising you that any custom ordering will be reset, which you have to acknowledge so it's difficult to do this by accident!

Choose quick settings to place at the top of the Settings menu

If you find yourself using the main Settings menu frequently, you can place icons at the top of the main settings list for quick access to your most frequently used options.

1. From the home screen, swipe down from the top or tap the Apps icon, then tap Settings.
2. You'll see there are some Quick settings already selected. If you want to see other items in there (you can have up to nine) then tap Edit on the right-hand side.
3. The number of settings selected will show at the top. To deselect any you don't want, untick the box beside its name. To have a setting show in the Quick Settings list, tick its box. It's that simple. Remember, when you have nine selected you will need to untick a box before you can choose another one.
4. When you've finished making your changes, tap the left arrow at the top of the screen to return to the Settings menu. Your new selections will then be displayed!

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Coding skills are crucial to the technology we love: apps, games and web pages are all built from computer code. But while computer programming has a reputation for being tricky, anybody can get to grips with the basics – and there’s a whole host of fun, free tools to help you on your way.

By all accounts, schools are somewhat behind the times when it comes to teaching kids to code. But with digital technology playing an ever-greater role in our lives, it’s never been more important to learn.

And the good news is, it’s never too late to do so! While most of these introductory tools are aimed at school-age kids, they’re a great introduction to the principles of coding at any age.

So, whether you’re looking for an educational way to keep your kids entertained this summer or a new skill to add to your own CV, check out the resources we’ve put together. They’re free, simple to get to grips with, and – most importantly – fun!

Minecraft Hour of Code

Code.org

Minecraft is one of the most popular video games of recent years, with gamers of all ages using its colourful blocks to construct all manner of weird and wonderful structures. Think of it as Lego for your computer, and you’ve got the basic gist!

Minecraft Hour of Code takes this popular setting and uses it as the backdrop to an excellent and extremely accessible course in basic computer programming.

The app runs straight in your browser window, and you won’t even have to create an account to get started – although we recommend you do so to save your progress! Visit the site, and you’ll find a short introduction video that explains the basics, and offers some words of inspiration from the original Minecraft developers.

The course itself is presented as 14 puzzles of gradually increasing complexity. In each, the aim is to control a small Minecraft character by dragging and dropping ‘blocks’ of instructions: “move forward”, “turn left”, “destroy block” and the like. Essentially, you’ll be stringing together generic instructions in order to complete a specific task – and at its core, that’s all computer programming really is. As the name suggests, the whole course should only take about an hour or so to complete.

It’s a remarkably intuitive process – so much so that you might not even realise you’re programming a computer! But a touch of a button replaces the plain-English instruction blocks with real JavaScript code – one of the most popular and widespread programming languages used on the internet.

As such, Minecraft Hour of Code works on two levels: first, it introduces you to the principle of problem-solving through programming, and second, it demystifies the confusing appearance of standard computer code.

This alone would make it the perfect introduction to coding for young and old alike – but it’s also enhanced by some very slick presentation. You’re able to watch your little avatar acting out the instructions you provide whether they’re right or wrong, which offers very intuitive visual feedback with bold colours and an unmistakable Minecraft look. To top it all off, it’s also accompanied by the same style of drifting, ambient piano music that so soothingly soundtracks the original game – a little touch that adds tons of character.

All told, this is a fantastic way to get to grips with the basics of coding: thorough without being confusing, and exceptionally well presented.

Codecademy

Codecademy

Once you’ve got the basic principles under your belt, you’ll probably want something a little more advanced – and at that point, Codecademy should be your next port of call.

Here, your options really open up. While Minecraft Hour of Code will guide you through the basic principles and introduce you to some basic syntax through dragging and dropping, Codecademy will have you typing all the code yourself directly into a professional-style editor – a major step up for new coders.

With that in mind, it might not be appropriate for very young children – but teenagers and adults with a serious interest in coding will find perhaps the most thorough and accessible free resource there is.

Codecademy offers extensive courses in many of the major programming languages used today, from the JavaScript introduced in Minecraft Hour of Code to the HTML and CSS languages used for building modern web pages. With so much on offer, it might be daunting to know where to start – but we reckon the JavaScript lessons are a logical and not-too-tricky starting point.

All of the courses are focused on practical results, though: so if you’re interested in building a web page, for example, there are lessons that’ll show you how to get the basics up and running before delving into the really complex stuff. This is a really encouraging approach that gives you a sense of accomplishment and achievement at every stage

Make a game with no experience

Tom Francis

This is a little different to the other courses we’ve covered today – but if gaming is your thing, then this 25-part series of video tutorials from affable game developer Tom Francis will show you how to get a simple prototype up and running in the space of an afternoon! Tom’s an experienced indie developer, most notably responsible for Geek Squad favourite Gunpoint.

His tutorials focus on GameMaker: a powerful tool (with a full-featured free version) that combines old-fashioned coding with more visual drag-and-drop elements to make professional-standard game development easy and accessible. But in truth, it’s not that easy or accessible – and that’s where Tom’s tutorials come in.

Starting from the very basics, Tom shows you how to create a room and player character, and have that character respond to mouse and keyboard input – all within the first half-hour lesson. Just follow along with a copy of GameMaker open, and you’ll have a functional (if primitive) game in no time.

Subsequent lessons introduce more complex systems: you’ll learn about collision detection, basic artificial intelligence and time-saving scripts and shortcuts. Along the way, you can follow Tom’s instructions closely – but I personally had a lot of fun going off the beaten track a bit and experimenting with some alternate versions after each lesson.

That said, things have the potential to get rather complicated. I made it about as far as lesson nine – on the concept of ‘arrays’ – before I admitted I was in way over my head and called it a day. Your mileage may vary depending on your skill level and willingness to commit the time to learn – but in any case, I’d suggest mastering the basic principles with the other courses on this list before jumping in at the deep end here.

As a series of videos rather than a properly interactive training course, this series lacks the useful structure and feedback available elsewhere – but if your interest in coding is driven by your love of gaming, then Tom’s videos are probably the fastest way to get something playable up and running.

This selection should have you bashing out real code before you know it – why not let us know how you get on in the comments below?

If you need a manual or help with the setup of your Motorola Moto G4, check out our user guide to start using your handset, connect to the internet and more!

1. Unboxing and assembling your Motorola Moto G4
2. Set up your phone for the first time
3. Connecting to Wi-Fi and mobile networks
4. Find out how to add your email accounts
5. How to add and import contacts to your Motorola
6. Using the Play Store to find new apps
7. Securing your Motorola Moto G4 with a lock screen
8. How to make phone calls on your Motorola
9. Send text & picture messages
10. Sending emails and attachments on your Motorola
11. How to set alarms on the Motorola Moto G4
12. Read our tips to learn more about your phone

Click here for Motorola's Moto G4 user manual

Unboxing and assembling your Motorola Moto G4

First of all, let's make sure you have everything you need. Inside the box* you should find:

• 1 x Motorola Moto G4
• 1 x mains/microUSB power adaptor
• 1 x Documentation pack

*some box contents may vary

The G4 uses a micro-SIM card which should have been given to you at point of sale, unless you're transferring one from your old handset. If your old SIM is a nano-SIM, the G4 does come with an adaptor to allow this to be used.

If you want to expand the storage space available to you by inserting a microSD (memory) card, you'll need to have that to hand as well.

Assembly

Remove the back of the Moto G4 by using a fingernail in notch in the bottom edge of the back cover to prise the it away from the handset. Once it starts to unlatch, the cover can be removed by carefully pulling it away from the phone. IF the battery has already been inserted, please remove it.

With the back cover removed, you will see two housings built into the left-hand edge of the phone. These are clearly marked with the names of the cards, and an outline to show you how to orient the cards. The SIM card housing (the one nearest the bottom of the phone) has a nano-SIM adaptor within it - this needs to be pulled out, and your fingernail will again come in handy to help you do this. If your SIM card is a micro-SIM, place the adaptor in the Moto G4's box for safekeeping (and possible future use!).

Insert the SIM card into the correct housing with the gold-coloured contacts facing down towards the screen, and orientated so that the cut-off corner enters the housing first. If you're using a nano-SIM in the adapter, then insert this in exactly the same way, making sure that the SIM doesn't become dislodged in the process.

The microSD (memory) card should be inserted into its housing in much the same way, with the gold-coloured contacts facing down towards the screen, and narrow end first. Both of the cards should be slid into the housings until they stop moving, allowing the cover to be replaced without interference.

That's all the assembly your G4 will need, so hold down the power button for a couple of seconds until your smartphone turns on.

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Set up your phone for the first time

If this is the first time you've turned on your new Moto G4, it's time to complete the setup wizard! This is a fairly straightforward process which we've documented below to help make things easier to follow.

1. Turn your new phone on and you will see the Welcome screen, which will cycle through a variety of languages. Tap the arrow in the yellow circle to begin..
2. Choose your language from the list and tap Next when you're ready to continue.
3. You will now be asked to select a Wi-Fi network. From the list of networks displayed on screen, find your network name then tap your finger on it. If you're not near your router and can't set up Wi-Fi, just tap Skip.
4. Type in your Wi-Fi password in the box provided and press Connect. If you're unsure whether you've entered your password correctly, tick the Show password box to verify what you've typed in.

5. The next screen advises how information is used by Motorola, and offers you the chance to view the Privacy settings by tapping the link provided. When you're ready to proceed, tap Accept and continue.
6. You'll be asked about importing your current setup from another device, which can be helpful as long as that device supports NFC. Tap Copy Google accounts if you'd like to do this, but not all Android handsets are NFC equipped so we'd suggest choosing No, thanks to skip this for now. When you've made your choice, tap Next.
7. You will then be invited to add your (Google) account. The Moto G4 runs on Android, which is Google's operating system, and relies on a Google account to give access to download apps, and backup and sync data, and much more. If you don't already have a Google account, you can tap Create a new account and set up a new account for free. You can Skip this step if you wish to do this later.
8. To sign in with an existing account, enter your Gmail address and tap Next.

9. When prompted, enter your password into the Moto G4, then tap Next to proceed.
10. When you add a Google account you must agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, both of which you can inspect by tapping the required link. Tap Accept to continue.
11. On this next page you will be asked to confirm which Google services you'd like to take advantage of. The first option is whether to Backup and restore your data to your Google account. This is especially helpful if you're upgrading from a previous Android phone and also helps keep your information safe if you should lose your new handset. Scroll down to see the other services options.
12. The second and third sections are about Location services, which help tailor internet searches to match your location, as well as providing feedback for apps which need to know where you are.

13. Finally you'll be asked about improving Android by sending feedback to Google. We recommend leaving all these boxes ticked, but they aren't necessary in order to continue. When you're ready, tap Next.
14. If you haven't set up any payment information on your Google account you will be asked to set some up now. To do so, tap your chosen payment method and tap Continue. This is optional, as many items are free to download from the Play Store, and can be avoided completely by pressing the Skip button in the bottom left corner of the screen.
15. The setup wizard will ask you about adding other email addresses. We cover this in detail in a later chapter so for now, we'd suggest selecting Not now and tapping Next. If you prefer, you can go through adding other accounts now and when you've finished, continue with this guide.
16. If you have used an Android device in the past, the Google account may be offering you the chance to restore data from a backup of your old phone. Tap the backup shown to see all available backups to restore data from.

17. Select the backup you'd like to restore the data from, or to start afresh as a new phone choose to Set up as a new device. and tap Done.
18. If you're restoring from a backup, tap the Also include line, untick any which you don't want on your , then tap Done to close the options. when you're happy with your selection, tap Next.
19. You can protect your phone with a lock screen, which stops people from accessing your private information on your smartphone. You can use a PIN, pattern or password to give a secure method of protection. As we cover the lock screen in a later chapter, we're going to skip this for now by unticking the box then pressing Skip.
20. If you've chosen to skip setting a screen lock, you will be asked to confirm that by tapping Skip anyway. If you'd like to set a screen lock, tap Don't skip.

21. You will then see information about Google Now, which keeps you up-to-date with information pulled from various apps on your phone, presented in one timeline. If you have an appointment in your calendar, for example, Google Now may show you local or motorway traffic information and travel times based on this to help make sure you're on time for your meeting! Tap the down arrow or scroll read more information about the service. Select Yes, I'm in to set this service up, or Skip to leave it for later, then tap Next.
22. You will be asked to sign up for a Moto account so that the manufacturers, Motorola, can send you further information. Tick the box to subscribe to this if you wisj, then tap Next.
23. Your G4's Home screen will now be displayed. At the top is a green banner advising you that you can customise your home screen by touching and holding on the background wallpaper at any time. Tap Got it to dismiss this.

You will now be looking at the home screen of your new Moto G4. There is a prompt at the top to show you that you can customise your home screen by touching and holding on the background. Tap Got it to clear this off the screen.

Navigating around the Moto G4

At the very bottom of the screen are three icons. The left-pointing triangle will take you back one step (in whichever app or menu you are in). In the middle, the circle will always bring you back to the Home screen (shown above right) and the square icon on the right allows you to see which apps are running, and close them.

Above the Home icon you will see a white circular icon with six dots on it. This is the Apps icon, and will take you to a list of all the apps that are on your Moto G4.

Check out the other chapters in this guide to get your email accounts set up, learn how to download apps and more!

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Connecting to Wi-Fi and mobile networks

Your Moto G4 is a powerful piece of kit, but if it's not connected to the internet you won't be able to use many of its finer features. If you need help you getting connected to Wi-Fi, or want to make sure the right SIM card settings are being used for data then this chapter of the guide should help you get things moving.

Connect to Wi-Fi

You may well have connected to your Wi-Fi router during the initial set up of your phone, but if you didn't, or wish to connect to a new network, then follow these simple steps to get connected.

1. On the home screen, tap the Apps icon.
2. When the Apps tray opens, swipe across to locate and tap on the Settings icon.
3. In the settings menu, tap the Wi-Fi line.
4. Check the switch at the top, and if it's off, tap it to turn it on.

1. Local wireless networks should appear on the page. Locate the name of your network in the list and tap on it.
2. Enter the password into the box provided when prompted. Remember that passwords are case-sensitive, so capitalise letters where necessary. Check your typing by ticking the Show password box, then tap Connect.
3. If you were successful, the word Connected will appear onscreen underneath the name of the network, and a Wi-Fi symbol will appear on the top line of the display.

Mobile Internet

Mobile internet is the G4's data connection through the SIM card. This is indicated by 4G, H, 3G, E or G appearing beside the signal strength indicator, depending on the speed of the connection (as shown left). When we mention checking the data indicator, this is what you should be looking for.

To check and update the settings that connect your handset to mobile internet, from the home screen:

1. Tap the Apps icon to open the Apps tray.
2. In the apps tray, locate and tap on the Settings icon.
3. We need to ensure that Wi-Fi is turned off, so tap tap Wi-Fi.
4. Turn the Wi-Fi connection off by tapping the switch (if required). Check the top line of the display for a data indicator.

5. With the Wi-Fi connection now off, tap the left arrow at the top of the screen to go back to the main Settings.
6. In the main Settings menu, tap More....
7. If you're still not connected check that Aeroplane mode isn't turned on (this will stop you connecting) then tap on Mobile networks.
8. To open the settings, tap Access Point Names. APNs are the settings that connect your mobile phone to the internet through the SIM card.

9. The active setting will have a blue dot against it. Check this is the correct network, as having the wrong network settings are in your phone means they won't work. If none of them are active, tap the circle on the correct line for your network to activate the setting, then check for a data indicator on the top line of the screen.
10. If your specific network settings are not shown then you may be able to import them from the SIM card. Tap the menu icon at the top right of the screen (3 dots) then tap Reset to default. You may be asked to pick your network from a list when this completes.
11. Check the screen again to make sure the correct network is active (with the coloured dot) then check for a data indicator.

If you're still having issues connecting, then you may need to enter the settings manually by tapping the + in the top right-hand corner and completing the on screen form. We have produced a guide to entering APN settings for all the main UK mobile networks to help you, but if you still can't get connected you can always call your mobile network and ask them to send the settings to your phone.

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Find out how to add your email accounts

Your new Motorola Moto G4 can manage multiple POP, IMAP and Exchange email accounts with a minimum of fuss. Follow our guide below to start receiving your emails on your new smart phone!

Gmail account setup

We covered setting up a Google account in the initial setup, but if you didn't complete it then you can add one now.

1. From the home screen, tap on the Apps icon, or swipe down from the top.
2. Tap on the Settings icon.
3. Now scroll down to the Personal section and tap Accounts.
4. You will see a list of all accounts which are already set up on your Moto G4. Tap Add account.

5. On the list of account types, tap Google to start adding a Gmail account to the phone.
6. If you have an existing Google account, enter your Gmail address where prompted and tap Next. If you are new to Android, or don't have a gmail.com or googlemail.com email address tap Create a new account to set up a free Google account.
7. To continue signing in, enter your Password into the space provided then tap Next. If you are creating a new account, complete all the boxes on the onscreen form in order to set the account up.

8. You must agree to the Terms of service and Privacy Policy in order to use the Google account on your new handset. Tap on a link to inspect these if you wish, then tap Accept to proceed.
9. The Google account can be used to back up your apps and settings. If you would prefer that not to happen, untick the box then tap Next.
10. You will then be asked to set up some payment details in order to purchase apps and other media from the Play Store. This is optional, as many apps are free. Select your billing option (or No, thanks to skip this for now) and tap Next..
11. The newly-added Google account should now show in the Accounts section, and your emails will start to arrive in the Gmail app very shortly.

You can now add further accounts, or check the Gmail app to look at your mail!

Email setup

Most email accounts should set up automatically, but the exact steps required vary depending on the email provider. Our example shows setting up a Yahoo! account, but some screens may be different for other account types.

1. From the home screen, tap on the Apps icon, or swipe down from the top of the screen.
2. Tap the Settings icon.
3. Scroll down to the Personal section and tap Accounts.
4. You will see a list of accounts that are already set up on your Moto G4. To continue, tap Add account.

5. If you know you have an Exchange email account (often used by employers and education providers) choose that option. For all other account types, tap the correct Personal account type (POP3 or IMAP).
6. Most email accounts will configure automatically. Enter your email address and tap Next.
7. Enter your password when prompted, and tap Next.

8. If all goes well and the account sets up, you will be able to alter the account options to choose how often your handset checks for new mail, and other settings applicable to your account. When you are happy with the settings, tap Next.
9. You will then be asked to give the account a name, and also enter your name which will appear on outgoing emails. Tap Next to finish the setup.
10. You should now see a line in the Accounts section called Personal which contains your email account settings. Continue adding any other accounts in the same way.

If your account failed to set up automatically, you will be returned to the main email setup page with your email address displayed. In order to add your email account to the Moto G4 you will have to do a Manual Setup. In order to do this, you will need to know the type of account you have (POP3, IMAP or Exchange) and additional, account specific information (shown above right).

This additional information will include the account Username, Password, and also incoming& outgoing mail server settings, all of which will have to be entered onto the onscreen form. If your account is an Exchange account, you will need to know domain and Exchange server information.

We have written a guide to email server settingsfor most of the popular UK email providers to help you complete these, but if your mail provider is not listed, or your Exchange email account is provided by your company, you may need to contact them directly for detailed assistance.

If you are still having difficulty adding your email account, why don't you check out our support options and give us a call at any time 24/7 on 0800 049 3040

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How to add and import contacts to your Motorola

Keeping your phonebook contacts all in one place can be confusing when switching smartphones, so check out our guide on transferring contacts to a Motorola handset. Whether you're moving from iPhone, Windows Phone, BlackBerry or another Android you'll find tips and screenshots to help you through the process. Click the link to find out more.

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Using the Play Store to find new apps

The Google Play Store is where you can find apps, games, music and video to enjoy on your Moto G4. You'll need a Google account to use it, and some free space on your phone to download apps to! If you'd like to see the Play Store in action, read our guide where we explain how to browse and download what you want, as well as find apps you've installed previously. Click the link to read more.

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Securing your Motorola Moto G4 with a lock screen

Your Moto G4 has a lot of valuable information on it, and will likely be signed into accounts inside various apps to give you quick access to your data. The best way to keep all of this data from prying eyes is to secure your Moto with a PIN or Password. Read on to discover how!

1. Swipe your finger down from the top of the phone screen twice. This will make your quick settings appear! Now, tap on the white Settings cog, found in the top-right corner.
2. Scroll down the settings menu to the Personal section, and tap on Security.
3. To set up lock screen security, tap Screen lock.
4. Choose what type of unlock method you'd like to use; Swipe is the default, insecure method, Pattern allows you to draw a pattern on a grid of dots, PIN is a 4-digit numerical code and Password is a longer, more complex security code. The relative strengths of each type of security are indicated onscreen. To proceed, tap your chosen method.

5. We're entering a 4-digit PIN, but a password is set in much the same manner. Enter your chosen code via the keyboard, then tap Continue (a pattern requires you to set a PIN as a backup!).
6. Confirm your unlock PIN or Password by entering it again, then tap OK.
7. You will be asked about Notifications, and showing their content. Hiding content will show that you have a notification, but not the details. Tap your choice then tap Next.
8. Your new method of securing your lock screen will be displayed. In order to change it, you will need to enter it when you tap on that option.

You can change the time needed for the lock to be activated after the display times out by tapping Secure lock settings and then Lock automatically. If you do change this, remember that although your screen may have gone off, your handset may not be locked securely until a period of time has elapsed. When you're happy, tap the Home button to return to the home screen.

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How to make phone calls on your Motorola

Making a phone call is one of the most important functions of any smartphone, but it's easy to get distracted with everything else your G4 is capable of! Find out how to make and receive calls on your new handset with these short steps.

1. The phone app will open to the Speed Dial screen, which provides buttons to dial your favourite contacts quickly and easily. To mark a contact as a favourite, tap the star when you have that contact's details open.
2. If you prefer, you can search your contacts directly from the Phone app by tapping Contacts at the top. Whenever you have the contact you'd like to call on screen, tap the phone icon on their contact and the G4 will dial them!
3. To use the phone dialler keypad, tap the blue keypad icon at the bottom of the screen (which has 10 dots representing the phone digits on it). Enter the number, then tap the green phone icon to make the call.
4. The keypad can also be used to spell out the name of a contact. Use the numbers which correspond to the letters shown to spell the name (in our example we're spelling out Danny by tapping "32669") and the G4 will find them in your contact list, just tap their name to call them! If you know more than one person with the name you're searching, you'll need to tap the correct contact from the suggestions.

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Send text & picture messages

Find and tap the Messaging app from your home screen. The icon is a pair of speech bubbles - one blue, one white. If you have unread messages, you will see a red badge in the corner.

1. To compose a new message, tap on the compose button (which is a white + in a blue circle) at the bottom of the screen.
2. Now you're looking at a blank text message. Pick the recipient by tapping in the Enter recipient box.
3. You can enter a mobile number directly using the numeric keyboard, or you can start to type a contact's name. If you're entering text, matching contacts will appear below as you type. Tap on the contact you're trying to text to select them as the recipient. You can add further recipients if you wish to send the same message to multiple people.
4. Now you've chosen who you're messaging, it's time to type out what you want to say. Tap into the Enter message box and using the keyboard, type your message. To send it, tap the Send icon to the right of the text entry box, which is a white arrowhead in a blue circle.

Add an attachment to send a picture message

Sending a Multimedia message may result in charges on your mobile phone bill - check with your mobile network about costs.

5. If you want to add an attachment, such as a picture, video or sound recording, tap the paper clip to the left of the text box.
6. Icons across the bottom of the screen will allow you to various things to your message. You could take a new picture, attach an image from you gallery, record a sound clip or more. Tap an icon to attach that type of file, and first time you tap each icon you will be asked to allow the messenger app to access these files. Tap Allow on the request to do so.
7. Navigate through the files on your phone to locate the item you wish to attach, tap to select it, then tap Done.
8. Once you've attached your item, it will display in the body of the message, allowing you to add further text before you send it by tapping the Send button.

How to delete a message thread

If you'd like to delete a thread of messages from your handset, open the Messaging app and locate the thread you'd like to delete by finding the other person's name in the message list.

Touch and hold on their name, and a tick will appear beside it. When you see this, look in the top right-hand corner of the screen and tap the bin icon to delete the thread.

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Sending emails and attachments on your Motorola

To send an email, you must have already set up an email account on your G4. If you haven't added your account yet, please check our chapter on adding an email account for more information.

1. Find and open the Gmail app on your smartphone, which can be found in the Google folder on your home screen. When you can see your email inbox, tap the compose button. This is a red circle with a pen on it, and is found in the bottom-right corner of the email inbox screen.
2. New emails will always send from your default email account (which is usually the first one you've added). If you have more than one account on your G4 and wish to send it from a different account, tap the down arrow at the right of the From line and change the email address you're sending from.
3. Tap into the To line to select the intended recipient. Type their name using the keyboard, and any matching contacts will appear. Tap on the correct contact to add them to the recipient list.
4. You can add further recipients, send copies to yourself or others, and also enter a Subject for your email by tapping into the respective fields and entering the information. Once you've entered all the information in the header, scroll down if necessary and tap Compose email.
5. Compose your email, and tap the arrowhead on the menu bar at the top of the screen to send it.

Add an attachment to your email

6. To add an attachment, tap the paper clip on the title bar. When the menu opens, tap Attach file.
7. Navigate through the files and folders on your phone or your Google Drive storage to find there the item you wish to attach is stored.
8. When you've found the correct location, tap the item to attach it to your email.
9. Add further attachments if you wish, and compose your message. To send, tap the arrowhead.

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How to set alarms on the Motorola Moto G4

Unsurprisingly, the Alarm is found in the Clock app of your Motorola. You can access it by tapping Apps then clock.

1. The buttons across the top of the app allow you to select Alarms, World Clock, Stopwatch and Timer functions. Tap the alarm clock to set an alarm.
2. You will now see all the alarms that are currently programmed, along with switches to activate them. To edit an existing alarm, tap the time it is set to go off. To set a new alarm, tap the red circle with the + sign in the bottom of the screen.
3. On the alarm setting screen, you can set the time of the alarm by dragging the red circle around the clock face to the hour you'd like. The outer ring is for AM hours and the inner ring is for PM. Once you've picked an hour, it's time to repeat the process for the minutes.
4. With the time set, so is the alarm. Before you close the app, there are other options you may wish to change.

5. Repeat allows you to set one alarm, and have it sound on different days - great if you get up at a regular time during the week but like a lie-in at weekends, for example. Tick the repeat box which will highlight all seven days, then tap the ones you don't want the alarm to sound on to deselect them.
6. Tap to choose the ringtone you'd like to set on this alarm. Each alarm can have its own ringtone to suit the time of day it goes off. You can also choose whether to have the G4 vibrate with this alarm.
7. Giving the alarm a custom Label will help you manage your set alarms easier - no more wondering why you've set a particular one!
8. When an alarm is set, its switch is red. A grey switch means that the alarm in question won't sound. Tapping the switches will allow you to turn them on or off as you choose.
9. To delete an alarm, tap the down arrow beneath it then tap the bin icon.

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Read our tips to learn more about your phone

Now you've set up the basics on your Motorola Moto G4, let's finish off this Quick Start guide by giving you a few tips to help you get the most out of your new phone.

Ok Google

Google Now is a card-based virtual assistant, an app which will help you search the internet as well as plan your day, reply to messages and much more. It works with Android and iOS, and is especially well-integrated in to the G4 and its home screen.

To access Google Now from your home screen, simply say the words "OK, Google" to make your phone start paying attention to you. Once you've enticed it, you can start making requests. Ask it a question, tell it to reply to a message or even set a calendar event for yourself!

The more you use the Google Now voice service, the better it will understand your dialect so keep using it to get better results! There are plenty of commands you can use, so push the boundaries and see what Google Now can assist you with. If you'd like a helping hand, check out this short guide on Google's website for some ideas on commands you can use.

Moto assist

Moto Assist is another type of assistant. Instead of dealing with your requests, this one stops you from being bothered unnecessarily! It uses a combination of your location, the time, and other bits of information to get an idea of what you might be doing, and whether your phone going off is going to cause a problem.

1. From your Apps list, find the Moto Assist icon and tap on it.
2. You will be greeted by a welcome screen. Tap on the arrow to move on to the next page.
3. Now you will get an idea of some of the tasks Moto Assist is capable of. Tap next to continue.
4. Next up is privacy. Moto Assist works better when it knows your schedule as well as who your most frequent contacts are, so you will need to press yes, I'm in to allow it.
5. More privacy permissions, this time it's to allow Moto Assist to send information back to Motorola for better data processing. Simply put, it will work better if it has more more time and information to work with. Tap yes, I'm in to continue.

6. As Moto Assist saves information from your Google account you use on your phone, you must once again grant some privacy permissions. This time it lets Moto Assist read your Google profile for basic information like your name and so on.
7. Now you've waded through the privacy information it's time to use the assistant. There are three options, Assist, Actions and Display. Tap on Assist to find out more.
8. Assist uses your location to trigger certain events, like when you're at home and it's past 10pm it can turn off your notifications and put your phone in silent mode to make it easier to sleep.

9. Actions is the next choice down, and gives you physical shortcuts to your torch and camera apps. When Moto Assist has been turned on, performing a "double karate chop" activates your torch, and a quick twist of your wrist back and forth will open your camera!
10. Display helps you manage your notifications, blocking apps which bother you or editing the amount of information a displayed in a notification. Perfect for keeping an element of privacy about you!

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In this week's crucial news round-up, our Agents detail a critical Android security bug, investigate a meal-replacement drink that adds a vital missing ingredient – caffeine – and jet off to the stars with No Man's Sky.

Plus, we take a look at the life-saving actions of a certain electric car, a meal-replacement drink with a certain something extra and lament the long, drawn-out death of The Simpons. That's right – it could only be the Week in Geek!

Top Trending Tech News

Widespread Android vulnerability affects 900 million devices

This week, research company Check Point revealed they had discovered critical security vulnerabilities in Android smartphones relating to a software bug – and are urging owners to be vigilant.

The BBC reports that bugs have been discovered within the software used in Qualcomm processors – which can be found in about 900 million Android phones. At this moment, it's still unclear precisely which devices are affected as manufacturers rush to patch their products.

Thankfully, though, there's no evidence that the vulnerabilities are currently being exploited by hackers – and a free app called QuadRooter Scanner has been made available on the Play Store by Check Point to check whether your device is affected by the vulnerability.

Tesla car drives itself to hospital after driver suffers pulmonary embolism

For a while now, Tesla’s electric vehicles have featured an experimental ‘Autopilot’ feature – allowing the cars to drive themselves under certain circumstances. Back in June, the feature hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons as it was implicated in a fatal crash in Florida.

This week, however, it was able to restore its reputation slightly, as details emerged of a driver who was able to navigate to hospital after suffering a pulmonary embolism at the wheel with the help of his Tesla motor.

As the BBC reports, 37-year-old Joshua Neally was driving his Tesla Model X home from his office in Springfield, Missouri, when he suffered piercing pains in the chest and stomach. Rather than call an ambulance, Neally tapped the location of the nearest hospital into the car’s on-board computer – and 20 miles later, he was checking himself into the emergency room.

It’s a fascinating story that really emphasises the potential benefits of this technology. We’ve heard a lot about self-driving cars in recent years – but self-driving ambulances might be an even more welcome development.

Metroid 2 remake hits PC and is immediately shut down by Nintendo

In a move which is set to upset Metroid fans worldwide, Nintendo this week unleashed their full armada of lawyers and legal advisors to take down a free, fan-made remake of the 1991 classic Metroid II: Return of Samus– just 48 hours after it was released.

The previously console-only title was briefly released on PC for a short time, with only a few lucky players managing to download it. The developers were immediately keen to take the heat away from Nintendo after the takedown – after all, the Japanese giant are only doing what any intellectual property owner has to do to protect their copyright.

In fact, our sources tell us that it's not too hard to find the remake online, despite Nintendo's actions – and that the big N might even have waited until after the game's release to make their move to tacitly ensure people get to play it. With no plans to release any Nintendo games on PC, it's not exactly hurting their sales, and also keeps them in the public eye.

As for the remake's developers, they insist they’re satisfied with the learning they took from creating the game, which was first started way back in 2008 – and hope to continue working on the project behind the scenes. Check it out in the video above from IGN.

New on the High Street

Xbox One S hits the streets

As our own Agent Strevens recently explored, Microsoft had long planned a mid-cycle upgrade to their popular Xbox One console – and this week, the Xbox One S hit the streets.

With a design that’s 40% smaller, the new version is noticeably slimmer than its predecessor – and also features support for ‘HDR’ graphics and an integrated 4K Blu-ray player.

While precise sales figures haven’t been released, it’s known that the initial two-terabyte run sold out almost immediately. This’ll be welcome news for Sony, whose PlayStation 4 console is receiving its ‘Neo’ update before the end of the year.

No Man’s Sky blasts off on PS4 and PC

This week also saw the launch of one of the most eagerly anticipated (and, depending on your point of view, most overhyped) games in recent years: No Man’s Sky.

The striking sci-fi explore-em-up sees players jetting off into a procedurally generated universe of – wait for it – 18,446,744,073,709,551,616 different planets, each one different from the next. Among other things, players will find frozen worlds, toxic poison planets and, most excitingly, habitable worlds featuring uniquely generated plants, animals and other lifeforms.

Impressively, the vast game has been created by a team of just 15 people at developer Hello Games. Most high-profile ‘AAA’ titles have a team of more than ten times that – but while the approach might be indie, the game’s scale (and ability to capture the gaming public’s imagination) is as big as it gets.

The game launched for PS4 on Tuesday and will land for PC players this evening. It’s already caught the imagination of millions around the world, and we can’t wait to take flight ourselves.

‘Food replacement’ Soylent launches coffee-enhanced version

While some might argue (persuasively) that food replacement drink Soylent – much-beloved by the Silicon Valley set – is little more than a rebranded Slim Fast shake without the irrelevant frippery of trying to taste nice, it’s certainly drawn a lot of attention since its crowdfunding success a few years back.

If there’s one thing techbros love, other than the sense of superiority that comes from doing away with things like solid food, it’s coffee – and the product’s latest iteration looks set to scratch that itch.

Each bottle of Coffiest contains 400 calories – or 20% of an adult man’s recommended daily intake – as well as a strong cup of coffee’s worth of caffeine. Initial reports suggest that it tastes “surprisingly almost good” – which, if nothing else, puts it ahead of regular Soylent.

Check out the advert above – and if you’re really on board with the idea of becoming a “breakfast pioneer”, you can find out more over on Soylent’s own blog.

Movie and TV News

More details emerge on Star Trek: Discovery

This week saw details emerge of the forthcoming Star Trek series, Discovery, as producer Bryan Fuller took to the stage at the Television Critics Association press tour.

The new series will be set a decade or so before the original 1960s series, but after 2001’s Enterprise, which explored the very earliest days of interstellar travel in the Star Trek universe. The new series will feature a more diverse cast than ever, with a woman in the lead role and more aliens among the cast than ever before. Interestingly, the series won’t focus on the captain of the USS Discovery, but a Lt. Commander – the rank filled by series favourite Geordi La Forge in Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Enterprise was the last small-screen outing for the Star Trek universe, and it was widely considered one of the weaker offerings – here’s hoping Discovery can restore a little prestige to the brand. Filming starts in October, and the series is expected to debut next January. Check out a classic scene from the original series in the clip above.

The Simpsons to broadcast first, worst hour-long episode

Among long-term fans of The Simpsons, it’s widely recognised that the show’s quality fell off a cliff at some point more than a decade ago. While series’ tone changed a lot throughout its first ten seasons, they’re widely considered to be some of the funniest television of all time. The later episodes, well – ‘not so much’ is putting it mildly.

But as long as there are a few drops left in the exhausted cash cow, the Fox network will keep on milking it – and so we come to its first ever hour-long episode, due to be broadcast in the US in January and also guaranteed to be the worst hour-long episode they’ve ever done.

The episode will see Bart and Homer teaming up with Mr Burns to get revenge on a music producer, or something, and there’s also a parody of The Great Gatsby in there somewhere. The episode will be called ‘The Great Phatsby’. Yeah.

Odds are, we won't even bother to tune in. You can have a lot more fun searching for hilarious quotes from the golden age and making GIFs to share with your pals with the awesome Frinkiac search engine.

And finally...

Teletext back from the dead – with a little help from Raspberry Pi

Fans of obsolete broadcasting technologies – and if you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you’re one of us – were delighted this week to witness the return of good old-fashioned teletext, coming straight to your outdated analogue telly with a little help from the Raspberry Pi.

For those too young to remember, teletext was a bit like a laughably low-res, marginally interactive world wide web, delivered to your TV alongside the analogue video and audio signals. It’s hard to imagine these days, but at one time the service was home to a thriving selection of articles, services and even some primitive games. This all came to an end on October 24 2012, when analogue TV transmitters were turned off for good in the UK.

The ‘new’ teletext works by downloading pages from a central server to a Raspberry Pi, which then outputs them as an old-fashioned composite video signal directly into your TV. This means it’s not an emulation – it really is proper teletext, and it responds to your TV remote in exactly the same way as the old service did.

The new service is known as Teefax, and features such modern content as a live Twitter stream, a ukelele-tuning guide and, yes, a modern version of the much-loved Bamboozle quiz.

You can find more details in this superb article over at TechRadar– and if you’ve got a Pi and a suitably primitive TV, you can find out how to set it up yourself with this handy Google Doc from the developers. And if that sounds a little bamboozling, you can enjoy three stonking hours of 2011-vintage Ceefax from the BBC in the video above – easy listening music and all.

That's it for another Week in Geek – but be sure to check back next Friday to stay up-to-date with the most interesting stories from the worlds of tech, science and geeky entertainment. And for more great articles from our Agents straight to your inbox each month, get your name down below for the Geek Squad newsletter!

Our Agents check out coding camps for kids to enjoy this summer, and find out what kind of cool stuff you can learn from them. We also discuss the release of space exploration game No Man's Sky, and the controversy around the finished version. Stick around til the end for some uplifting news around self-driving cars!

App recommendations

Rain Alarm - iOS (free) / Android (free)

Artisto - iOS (free) / Android (free)

Yousician - iOS (free) / Android (free)

Windows 10 recently celebrated its first anniverary with a major update, bringing a huge heap of tweaks and improvements to the popular operating system. One of the most controversial updates is to Cortana – Microsoft's digital assistant, which is installed and activated by default on Windows 10 computers.

While many people – including our own Agent Bishop– love using Cortana to search the internet, schedule calendar appointments and check the weather, some aren't impressed by the 'always-on' nature of the software.

As with any good assistant, Cortana works best when it can hear you asking it a question so it can respond immediately – but not everyone likes to be listened to all the time, and the process for turning Cortana off can be confusing to new users.

What's new in the Anniversary Update?

In short, quite a lot has changed with the arrival of the latest update to Windows 10.

We've seen a big improvement to Cortana and its related services – meaning improved search results, better responses to natural text and voice searches, and quicker access to your files and folders through the search box in the Start Menu.

Plus, Windows 10 will now have better access to your Android or Windows Phone handsets if have the Cortana app installed, meaning you can check your smartphone's battery level and notifications on your Windows 10 computer.

Microsoft's Edge browser also had a makeover, with features like tab pinning, extension support and even swipe navigation for touchscreen devices being added to the native Windows browser. Possibly the best feature to arrive with the new update, though, is the improved security tools – which can allow users to unlock their computers using facial recognition, fingerprint ID or even with a paired device like a smart watch.

What is Cortana?

As of the latest update, Cortana is now more than just the voice-activated assistant built into Windows 10. It's also the new name for Bing's web search, as well as the search function built into Windows. When you type into the search box in your Start Menu, you're using Cortana!

The two sides of Cortana work independently from each other, yet they share the same name. The side of Cortana which manages your internet and local searches is a 'generic' one which doesn't need your Microsoft account details – whereas the digital assistant aspect needs access to your Microsoft account in order to perform more personal tasks, like setting reminders, tracking flights, sending emails and the like.

In order to have all the features of Cortana working, you'll need to have linked your Microsoft account to the Cortana service. This is usually something you'll agree to during the initial setup of your computer or laptop – but it can actually be linked at any time.

If you do have privacy or other concerns, you can log out of Cortana at any time. You can also wipe your web, Cortana, search and device history to clear out anything you don't want remembered. But what if you want to get rid of Cortana and its eager listening habits altogether?

How to turn off Cortana during setup

During the update to the Anniversary Edition of Windows 10, your computer will restart. When it powers up again, you'll see a blue setup screen like the one above.

During this new setup, you'll be asked to agree to a few new terms and conditions, and you'll be given the option to let Microsoft choose their preferred "Express" settings for your computer.

But to take back some control over the process, you'll need to keep an eye out for the Customise settings link, which you should see during the first couple of pages of the setup.

After clicking on this, you'll be asked which tools and features you'd like to use. Make sure to deselect Cortana when asked, then click the Next and Continue buttons to complete the update.

Turning off Cortana if you've already updated

Because Cortana is now the new name for the standard Windows search tools, it can be pretty hard to know which bits to disable and which bits to leave. Follow the steps below to cut out some of the more invasive things Cortana has access to, and retain your privacy:

1. Open Cortana by clicking the icon on your task bar, or by opening your Start Menu and typing in 'Cortana', then clicking on the result.
2. Once Cortana is open, click the settings icon in the bottom-left corner. This looks like a cog or gear.
3. Now that Cortana's settings are visible, click each of the toggle switches to turn them off. This prevents Cortana from sharing your search histories and syncing notifications, as well as a couple of other things.

If you use Cortana to search after disabling these settings, your data may still be sent to Microsoft but –won't be saved and shared across your devices.

4. Next, we need to clear out any data Cortana has already stored. In Cortana's settings menu, click Change what Cortana knows about me in the cloud. At the bottom of this new information page you'll see a button marked Clear. Click this button to wipe Cortana's history of you as a user.
5. To make sure Cortana won't be saving more data about you in future, we need to make one more change. Open your Start menu and click on the Settings icon, which again looks like a cog or a gear.
6. Choose the Speech, inking, & typing option from the left, then click Stop getting to know me to stop Cortana from learning about your browsing and search habits.

That's all you need to know about Cortana and the anniversary update so far – but keep your eyes peeled for more news on Microsoft's operating system and any new features they add in the future. If you have your own tips on dealing with Cortana, why not leave them in the comments section below!