Q&A about getting the most from your home technology

Yes please there is something which is really bothering me. When I use the touchpad on my laptop I keep doing something which causes a speaker ikon to appear on the screen with a slider control. It makes the volume go to maximum and disables the mouse. I stops eventually but is a long wait. I would like to know what I am doing to cause it and what I can do to get out of it when it happens please.

Many thanks

I have a new 9790 blackberry smart phone and apparently there is an echo when I ring people. How do I get rid of it please?

i was given a computer some years ago, i couldn't afford lessons so bought books and taught myself the basics and have since learnt how to do other stuff as i go along.i now have broadband but would like to connect to wireless without paying BT.can i do this myself? and how and what do i require.i don't have any family nearby to help so is this possible for a 70+ widow to do herself...Lillian

that keeps happening to me too! I look forward to learning of a solution!!

my message was in response to Movedalot - I forgot that messages don't indent here if they are a direct response - sorry!

Ditto Dolphin and Movedalot. On my ipad I would like to get Skygo. I know it has a monthl payment but as we cannot get Sky (conservation area and trees)can I circumvent this? A box? Cable?

It would be easier to become more proficient with the Internet, computers and I pads if Talktalk provided a reliable service and improved their customer service

I have more problems with the provider that I do with the tech items

I have TalkTalk YouView TV - every now and again it refuses to record something that I have programmed. The only way I can cure it is to switch it off and on again but in the mean time I have lost the programme I wanted to record Also every now and again I get a message on the screen telling me that YouView is going to shut down in 60 seconds unless I press OK - how can I stop this happening?

Talk Talk was the worse 'provider' I ever used. Wouldn't entertain using them ever again.

I recently was on a site and robot@alert came up, clicked on this by mistake, had an email from them, am now on change detection....has anyone heard of this, and could it be harmful to comp.

i am amazed i haven't read any comments about YOU TUBE on gransnet...i have spent hours on this sight being interested in Natural History i found stunning videos of Canada,USA, Britain also my latest viewing of Spain......the NASA site for astronomy is breathtaking seeing the pictures of the universe is mind bending.what ever subject you think of you will find it on YOU TUBE.gardens of the world, films, cookery it is endless.and you can learn so much about your favourite subjects.i just love it....Lillian.

I agree; you can disappear for hours on utube. Music, old races, even whole programmes that I've missed and are no longer on iplayer. Only problem is that mine sometimes goes stoppy starty [as do a lot of programmes on iplayer]. I'd like to ask [as a Talktalk customer] why my computer keeps crashing when I'm signed on whereas it doesn't do so when I'm on internet explorer. I can't help but feel that it's because of all of the advertising that keeps popping up when I'm signed on. I only have to google something once and I'm forever getting adverts for that and similar items. Can I stop this happening? Also how can I put a security device on my computer without slowing it down even more [and it's pretty slow now].

What is the best device for listening to audio books - laptop, smart phone or other? what are the best sites for audio books?

I have a Toshiba notebook pc, Samsung Galaxy S GT 190000 mobile phone, Acer EE Tablet and Kindle fire (plus normal Kindle). This may be an impossible question but can I get them all fully syncing to each other? The Tablet, Kindle Fire, mobile phone and Notebook, all do receive the same emails but the sent ones do not appear on every device. My main interest is the calendar feature can I get this to sync on devices, or at least on any of the devices? Thankyou.

Which is the most user friendly smart phone with easily viewed and decent sized numbers and keyboard. What is a realistic amount of data storage required for a non game, non utube user.

I have a TalkTalk SIM only contract including Internet. Why does my Samsung Tocco Lite not send or receive MMS on this service?. The phone is fully set up and MMS is activated but does not work. I had big trouble with TalkTalk in the first week of the contract even activating the SIM. I never had any trouble with MMS on Vodafone so I believe it is a SIM setup problem, your helpdesk is not very helpful, they just churn out generic solutions time and time again. I have tried everything they have suggested but to no avail. Please can you help?

I need help please with 'something happening' on my laptop.....From time to

time the pages of my Ebay keep shrinking from the sides, untill I have a HUGE

margin and just a wide column of tiny print down the centre!! I know this is

easy to rectify! and I have tried every key on the keyboard, but try as I might,

I just cant find the solution on my own. Not only am I a beginner, but I'm a bit

of a thicky where these pc's are concerned. Please can you (or anyone else) advise.

A magnifying glass?

Hi
Since we recently went to high definition tv and I retuned telly with built in Freeview, I have not been able to sort out my joint cd viewer and vhs player/recorder.

I have reread loading instructions but it says to tume to channel 22 with which it previously worked very well.Now, of course channel 22 is a tv channel. Can you advise me if it is possible to getmy cdpalyer cum VHS player/recorder to work with the new tv set up?
Regards
Lin

I've had a Smartphone since last autumn, but know very little about what it can do for me! I know how to use it for phoning, texting, taking photos (though I don't know howto upload them onto the computer) and for Facebook, but other than that I feel I'm missing out on a lot? Can you give me any advice, please?

Currently got a Toshiba Laptop running on XP. How difficult to load Windows 8 on myself, or would I have to get a tech person to do it ?

Hi Mr.Fofie, Two questions, both relating to my TalkTalk email. I use Chrome as a browser. 1) For no apparent reason, when I log into Webmail, my new messages aren't showing as such. They look as if they have already been read. This was fine until a couple of months ago. 2) How do I resize photos to send in emails? I have tried so many things with no success! Cannot find "advanced" tab in "Settings" for email. Many thanks in advance.

What is the best entry level i-phone for a beginner? I am currently on a pay as you go tariff but friends and children keep telling me I would be better with a contract deal.

Hi there. DS loves playing with the iPad, but I'm always a bit hesitant about leaving him to it, incase he presses random buttons and I end up with a huge bill! Is there parental control on the iPad? Or is there an app I can use?