Your adblocker may not be very effective. Clicking the link below will test it with 150 ads and trackers. The percentage blocked will appear in the circle at the bottom of the page.

The top three adblockers are:
1st place uBlock Origin
2nd place AdGuard
3rd place Ghostery


Adblockers to avoid are:
1. AdBlock
2. Adblock Plus

Click below to test your adblocker with Test Ad Block: https://bit.ly/3YzYmb7

BT is testing whether the old copper-based street cabinets can be converted to charge electric vehicles. If the tests are successful, about 60,000 of its cabinets may be suitable.

If you usually only look in on the usual loop(s), then, if you don't explore Scooploop, or don't know how to, you may be missing the latest loops. If you browse loops on the website, you can see all loops with 2 or more members. However, if you use the app, you will be able to see newly formed loops with only 1 member.
To browse all loops on the website, click on the eyes icon on the menu bar, then click 'Browse Loops'.
To browse all loops on the app, tap 'Loops' in the menu, then 'All'.

Here is a link to all the loops visible on the website by using the menu bar:
https://bit.ly/3skoHKJ

Wondering if I need a new one
Fully charged but after about 3 hours gone down to 70%
is that usual ? I always used to keep it plugged in before.

DuckDuckGo now has a Windows version of its DuckDuckGo web browser. It was previously only available on Mac, iOS and Android.

Features include:

Duck Player which blocks YouTube adverts.

Blocks hidden trackers like Google and Facebook.

Cookie Pop-up Management, which automatically selects most private cookie options on a website.

You cannot yet install extensions

You can download the browser below. It will install the setup file in your downloads folder. The opening window will explain. It is still in beta (a version being tested), so there may be some bugs.



https://bit.ly/44a4lFN

To hide your email address and stop email trackers, click three dot menu, then 'Email Protection', then 'Enable Email Protection'.

Be aware, that they are requesting the donor's name and address.

' Thunderbird’s mission is to give you the best privacy-respecting, customizable communication experience possible. Free for everyone to install and enjoy!

Accomplishing that mission means maintaining expensive servers, fixing bugs, developing useful new features, and hiring talented engineers to improve the software.

Thunderbird is proud to be funded exclusively by our community, not by selling personal data or displaying ads in your inbox.

So today we’re asking for your help to keep Thunderbird alive and thriving. If you get value from using Thunderbird, please consider giving a donation to support it!'

https://bit.ly/3Ye4WE1

DDG has a built-in YouTube player that can block ads. It also does not have the distractions that Youtube has, as it shows only the video that is playing.

To always use the player, go to Settings and tick 'Always open videos in Duck Player'. If you wish, you can switch to using YouTube by clicking the 'Watch on YouTube' at the bottom right of the Duck Player.

You can download the DDG Windows browser here: https://bit.ly/3Ou7Lh0

Part 5 will be about how to use DDG to hide your email address and stop it being tracked.

What you can see and do on Scooploop depends on whether you use a computer or a phone/tablet. One example is seeing new loops. The loops listing on a computer only shows loops that have 2 or more members, whereas the App will show new loops which will have one member. Here is the latest loop, which is for Sony Xperia users, and is not listed on the website:


https://bit.ly/3Dxpw8R

For the benefit of anyone with Virgin broadband who may not yet have received the adaptor, here's what to expect.

Instead of dismissing cookies, which allows them to track you, it automatically selects the most private setting with the fewest cookies without you having to click anything. When you first visit a website that has cookies, DDG will offer to deal with them for you, so click 'Manage Cookie Pop-ups' in the window that appears. It currently blocks cookies on 80% of the top 250 sites in the UK.

Part 4 will be 'Watching YouTube without the adverts'.

DuckDuckGo browser is devoted to privacy, there is no need for a private tab as all activity can be removed with one click using the fire button, which is at the top right of the browser's window. Clicking this will:

Close all open tabs
Delete browsing history
Delete cookies
Delete cached images
Delete file downloads

Should you want to keep your data for particular websites, you can do so by using the option 'Fireproofing'. You do this by right-clicking the tab concerned, and choosing Fireproof this site'. Right-click again if you decide to reverse the choice.

Should you forget to use the fire button when closing the browser, you can prevent someone seeing the tabs you had open, by doing the following:

1. Click three dot menu
2. Click Settings
3. In the 'On Startup'section, untick the box 'Restore windows and tabs from previous session'.


Part 3 soon.

Suddenly I cannot get this on my fire tablet, was okay before and works perfectly on my phone.

There are many different browsers, and if you limit yourself to using the same one, you may be missing out on a feature that may be of use to you. For example, when I want to read a lot of text on a website, I have Edge read it to me. If I want to watch a YouTube video without the adverts, I use Brave.
If you always use Chrome, then everything you do is tracked, results in searches are the ones Goole wants you to see, and you must watch Youtube adverts. If you have an old computer, Chrome uses a lot of memory.
I am currently posting information on the new DuckDuckGo browser which is devoted to privacy.
https://bit.ly/43BCLjA

https://bbc.in/46N2t7H

DuckDuckGo's Windows web browser blocks all trackers automatically. It includes 3rd Party Tracker Loading Protection which prevents trackers from loading in the background. Other browsers load them and then restrict what they can do.

It also blocks ads without you having to install a blocker.

It will remove all the adverts and display just the text on a website, which is particularly useful when viewing newspaper links - copy the link and paste it into DuckDuckGo to see the difference.

https://bit.ly/44a4lFN

If you have either of these Android apps, you should remove them immediately:

File Recovery and Data Recovery

File Manager

https://bit.ly/3rxH9Tz

BT Line Rental Saver Discount will no longer be available after the 21st July. Your existing deal will continue until your contract expires. Thereafter you will have to pay the full price:

https://bit.ly/3Oi5SnO

Password test and advice:

https://bit.ly/3XLV97X

You may not be aware that there is an AI loop. If you are interested in AI, I have posted there how you can detect AI text and images. Click below to join the loop.

https://bit.ly/41gM4Wd

Need a new mouse, wired any make recommendation or what speed? Thanks

Several months ago I had trouble with my Gmail account on my laptop, it still doesn't work properly and says no new mail but, it works okay on my tablet.
Had new mail come through today on tablet but not on laptop.
Anyone understand what could be the problem ?
I have already cleared the cache.

Even with the phone speaker switched on and at full volume, my husband is having difficulty hearing what quietly spoken people are saying.

I've got a bluetooth speaker which we use to play music from the phone and I hoped it would work with phone calls but it doesn't.

Is it possible or not to use it in that way and if I can then what am I doing wrong?

Any info would be appreciated.

If you have any photos or videos stored in a Google Album Archive, you must download them before 19th July. The Album Archive was created to store photos and videos that were previously saved in defunct services such as Picasa and Google Hangouts.
To download your content, go to the link below, deselect everything, then tick Album Archive.

https://bit.ly/44jJEar

A portable router is a small device that enables you and others to connect to the Internet wherever you are by WiFi, provided you have a phone signal.

At home, this will enable you to use your laptop or tablet during a power cut.

https://bit.ly/43iVWPe

When your copper cable landline is removed/disconnected, if there is a power cut, you will be unable to use your landline to make phone calls*. This is because your phone will be connected to your router, and your router requires power to work. 2025 is when the process will be completed, not when it will happen. Many people have already had their landline switched to their router. To overcome the problem, you will need a battery backup. Google your provider for information. If you are BT user, they may supply you with a backup supply.

Having a backup power supply will enable you to use a laptop.

*A mobile phone will overcome this problem (if you can get a signal!), so make sure you keep it charged.

https://bit.ly/3PG0cVE

A recent update on some Android phones is causing them to call 999. This has resulted in many silent calls. A silent call can tie-up a line for up to 20 minutes. If your phone makes a call, you should stay on the line to explain.
Google is advising users to disable the feature until they fix it. Disable the feature as follows:

1. Go to Settings.
2. Go to Safety & Emergency.
3. Slide Emergency SOS button to off.

How do I get a photo from my fire tablet or my laptop into my Android phone ?

A common annoyance with iPhones is ending a call by mistake by touching the Lock button. You can prevent this by doing the following:
1. Open Settings app.
2. Select Accessibility and tap Touch.
3. Switch on the option 'Prevent Lock to End Call'.

If you are looking to buy a new or your first Android Smartphone, then the Motorola Moto G13 is all you need. It has been tested by a tech magazine, and was given 5*. It is currently available at John Lewis with a 2 year guarantee for 139.99. It has a 50MP camera, 128GB of storage, and a microSD card slot to add more memory.
It is Android 13, and can be updated to Android 14 when available. It will get 3 years of security updates from January 2023.
If video quality is important, then you need to spend more.

In August, Google Drive will stop working on all 32bit Windows 10 computers. If you have Windows 8 or 8.1, it will also stop working on 64bit PCs.

To find out if you have 32bit or 64bit, do the following:

1. Press Windows key+i to open Settings.
2. Click 'System'.
3. Click 'About' bottom left.
4. Then on the right, look next to 'System type'.

You will still be able to use Google Drive through your browser.

You may have noticed your fan going constantly in this hot weather. The more you have running, the louder it will get and the hotter your laptop and room will get. So don't leave it on if not necessary.

There is no need to worry, as Google Chrome updates automatically:
'Does the browser update automatically?
By default, Google Chrome automatically performs system and security updates. This happens when the browser is closed and an update is available for you. It never takes long, and chances are you’ll never notice when the browser updates in the background unless something huge changes.'


https://www.scooploop.com/thread/google-chrome-browser-51402

The average user has no need of high broadband speeds, so, unless you are given the opportunity of a higher speed for no extra charge, then it is a waste of money. You may even be able to change to a lower speed and save money.

If you are the sole user of the Internet, then a high speed is of no benefit to you. Downloading emails, viewing webpages etc., does not require a high speed. Having a high speed will not make a website such as Scooploop work faster, as it will only show it to you after Scooploop's system has completed all the necessary operations to be able to show you what you want to see.

Even viewing iPlayer does not require not much speed. What do you think the requirement is? Netflix is the same. The answer is here: https://bit.ly/45Tl6X9

The copper-off was announced as long ago as 2017, but it still needs publicity. The subject has been covered in this loop; see the link below. A summary of important points is below.

1. If your landline phone is connected by the old copper cables it will be disconnected.
2. If you have a router, you may be able to plug your phone in to a socket on the back. You may need an adapter. If your router does not have a phone socket, you will have to get a new one.
3. If you do not have broadband, you will have to get it so that you can continue to use your phone. You may be able to get a special broadband device for this purpose, but you cannot use it to connect to the Internet.
4. If there is a power cut you will be unable to use your phone. If your circumstances warrant it, you may be able to get a free backup battery which will last an hour.
5. In the event of a power cut, if you are a vulnerable person, you must have a charged mobile phone.
6. If you, or someone you know, have a telecare alarm or sensor, you should check that it will continue to work.
7. If your burglar alarm uses your landline you need to contact the provider.

https://bit.ly/3i92u1d

You can now only share your password with people in the same house. If you wish to share your password with people outside your house, you will have to pay 4.99.

If you have a dormant Google account, which you may use for storage of photos etc., or for some other purpose, then unless you log in and use it in one of the ways below, it will be deleted on or after 1st December 2023:

1. Reading or sending an email.
2. Using Google Drive.
3. Watching a YouTube video.
4. Sharing a photo.
5. Downloading an app.
6. Using Google search.
7. Using 'Sign in with Google' to sign in to a third-party app or service.

The BBC has started to close down its SD (Standard Definition) channels. To continue to view BBC channels you will need to have an HD (High Definition) box. Visit channel 799 to find out if you need a new box.

Here is an example of why you might need this feature.

https://bit.ly/3oHLRwL

Apparently the last successful update was on 17/6/22. All later ones are saying failed. I have just broadened the timing span from 9.00 to 17.00 to 9.00 to 19.00 but that's as far as my abilities go and I don't think it will make any difference. Is there any simple way to correct this, please, or did I inadvertently press a wrong button nearly a year ago. Reason I looked is because I received a message about updates.

https://bit.ly/3qelvTA

Please take the time to read the posting guidelines; you are more likely to get help if you follow them: https://www.scooploop.com/thread/posting-guidelines-please-read-before-posting

I need to pick your brains agsin. My husband has a new laptop. Hus old one has Photoshop and Word etc. How can he transfer the programmes to his new laptop?
I would like to do it myself or get someone trusted to do it while l'm there, not leave them with just any high street shop.

Any advice would be most appreciated.
Thanks.

Depending on your email provider, you may have two spam folders. The one you may have in your email program, and one on the email provider's website. Its contents may be automatically deleted after so many days, so it may be responsible for the emails that you said you never got!

To go back to a previously viewed page, you do not have to continuously click until you get there. All you need to do is right-click the arrow, you will then see a list of all the pages you have visited, you can then click the one you want to take you straight there.

To avoid having to navigate to a previously viewed page to compare an item when shopping for example, instead of clicking a link, if you right-click, you can choose to open the link in a new tab; you can then click to instantly go to the page.

By intentional, or bad design, clicking the back arrow does not always work.

The Scooploop Android app is now available on Google Play:
https://bit.ly/3MvcjBP

Dear Subscriber,

Why are email accounts so important?
Your emails contain a lot of information about you, so it’s crucial you make your email password strong. If criminals get into your email account, they could access personal information that could be used to scam you or others. To make it harder for them, always use an email password that you haven’t used elsewhere.

Your email inbox can also act as a ‘gateway’ to your other accounts. Once they can access it, a criminal could use the ‘forgot password’ option to request emails enabling them to get into other accounts, such as your social media.

How to secure your email account

Your email password.
Using a combination of 3 random words creates passwords that are long enough and strong enough. Avoid words that can be guessed, like your pet’s name or birth month. Adding numbers and symbols is a good way to make your password even harder to guess.



Turn on 2-Step Verification (2SV) for your email.
2-Step Verification (2SV) gives you twice the protection so even if cyber criminals have your password, they can't access your email.

2SV works by asking for more information to prove your identity. For example, getting a code sent to your phone when you sign in using a new device or change settings such as your password.

You won't be asked for this every time you check your email.



Hot to turn on 2-Step Verification (2SV)

· Turn on 2SV for Outlook
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/account-billing/how-to-use-two-step-verification-with-your-microsoft-account-c7910146-672f-01e9-50a0-93b4585e7eb4


· Turn on 2SV for Gmail
https://myaccount.google.com/signinoptions/two-step-verification/enroll-welcome?pli=1

· Turn on 2SV for iCloud
https://support.apple.com/en-il/HT204915

If you are using an email service that does not offer 2SV, please consider switching to an email provider that does.

How to check if one of your online accounts may have been compromised
Services such as www.haveibeenpwned.com can tell you if your personal information or any of your account passwords have been made public in a major data breach.

If you have been affected by a data breach, you can find some useful information here from the National Cyber Security Centre on how to how to protect yourself from the impact of data breaches.

For more advice on how to stay secure online, please visit www.cyberaware.gov.uk

(If you have found this information useful, please forward it to friends, family members and colleagues)

Message Sent By
Action Fraud
(Action Fraud, Administrator, National)

Please keep an eye on your members, especially as some loops are admitting anyone. We currently have someone displaying an obscene image, and there is no one on duty to deal with it.

Every key on the keyboard has a code; this is known as an ASCII code. There are 255 of them. The code for (Carriage)Return/Enter key is 13, and is named Carriage return. The key may be marked enter, return or have the carriage return symbol on it i.e. move down one line and go to the beginning of the next line down. When typing text on Scooploop, its function is carriage return. This is the symbol you may have on your key. However, when you are typing a PM on Scooploop, if you tick the box at the bottom of a PM, you can turn it into an enter key, which will send the PM when pressed.
The function of the key on a computer depends on the program using it.

When you switch on, you may see a full-screen notification that says that Windows 11 has been unlocked, and that you are eligible to upgrade to Windows 11. If you do not want Win 11, click 'Keep Windows 10' in the bottom left-hand corner.