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ISSUE 71 JULY 2012

ULTIMATE

“The ultimate media centre!” – page 22

MEDIA CENTRE

Master free Windows tools for the best TV, movie & music experience

10

quick and easy ways to make your PC more secure ESSENTIAL GUIDE

WINDOWS 8 IS COMING!

Discover how Microsoft’s new software will transform your PC

ULTRABOOKS SUPERTEST

DO ALL THIS AND MORE… • Create home videos • Clean up your PC • Play fun games

Laptops that combine the ultimate in power and style

See p114 for more info

Windows tutorials

New things to do

Buying advice

Help & support

JULY 2012

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22 The ultimate media centre

Master free Windows tools for the best TV, movie and music experience

68 Organise your life

Your Windows PC and smartphone make staying organised a cinch

74 Make your PC more secure Your whole life is on your computer so we show you how to keep it safe

REGULARS

8 Discover Avoid a DIY disaster, new tech, facts and figures and more

20 Windows Mail Send us your questions and comments

EXPLORE The best PC tutorials

39 Next month Find out what’s coming up in our August issue

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42 Subscriptions Save money and

get a copy of MAGIX Rescue Your Data

52 Reader offers See what great

computing offers we’ve got here for you

77 Overseas reader? Save money

and get your issue delivered to your door

78 Six pages of help, including technical queries and Windows Watchdog |

36 Manage your Google Docs using gExplore

54 Create a photo collage with Microsoft Surface collage

40 Synchronise your Office settings across all you PCs

58 Efficiently manage and remove programs

44 Get the Metro interface in Windows 7

60 Turn on your computer remotely

48 Clean up your hard drive for free with Drive Purge

64 Control your PC using mouse gestures

On your free disc

50 Stream media using Windows Media Player 12

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Quickly and easily edit your movies with our pro Video Toolkit – page 114

Plus Manage apps with Comodo Programs Manager – page 58

22 Turn your TV into a cornucopia of digital delights

UPGRADE

ON THE COVER

86 Hardware news New iPad launch,

ORGANISE YOUR LIFE

plus getting to grips with Google Play

88 Reviews Six new products poked, prodded and reviewed

92 Mini test Upgrade to a solid state drive – the fastest thing in storage

68 Do more with email and calendar so you can save yourself time and never miss a birthday or an appointment again

94 The big test Ultrabooks: laptops that combine power and portability

110 We recommend Our buyer’s

guide helps you to shop with confidence

112 Play these We review three

great (or not so great?) new PC games

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74 We show you how to keep your files and photos safe

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7

YOUR LETTERS...

Points Talking

WIN!

Your chance to tell us what you’ve been up to! If your letter’s printed, we’ll send you a Patons pattern book and a pair of Millward 4mm needles from Coats Crafts. Don’t forget to tell us where to send your prize!

32 Simply Knitting August 2012

PERFECT YARN

I really loved the ‘In the Mood’ cardigan from issue 79 when I saw it. Some time later I found the perfect wool, ‘Patons Moorland Tweed’, at a car boot sale. I have now finished my cardigan and I thought you would like to see it.

Debbie Howitt, via email That’s a beautiful piece of knitting, Debbie – the tweed yarn looks great, and the shape and colour suit you perfectly. I bet you get lots of compliments from people when you wear it.

Issue 79, Spring 2011, is no longer for sale from our back issues service, but the pattern is still available as Sirdar leaflet 9410 (contact Sirdar on 01924 231682, sirdar.co.

Perfect colour, uk, to find your perfect fit… it’s nearest Sirdar just perfect! stockist).

WIN!

Carol’s purse-friendly alternative to pricy ceramic yarn bowls.

BOWLED OVER If, like me, you love the knitting bowls, but find them a bit pricey… make your own. I used Kirstie McLeod’s pattern from January’s free booklet. I used Life Chunky but you could just use two spare 100g balls of DK wool together to make up the thickness. I used a nine-inch diameter plastic cake container for the bowl and did a row of running stitches under the top cuff to stop it slipping down.It easily holds a 100g ball of wool.

I hope this may be of use to someone else.

Carol Partridge, via email Carol, I’m sure it will help other people. A knitting bowl is a great, and attractive, way to keep your yarn clean while you knit.

Issue 90, January 2012,which the ‘Cosy Homes’ booklet came with, is

Le tter of the month!

available from our back issues service. Visit myfavourite magazines.co.uk or call 0844 848 2852 to order a copy.

SPACE TO KNIT I am attaching a picture to show how some of us on the other side of the ocean spend our time. I am just putting the finishing touches on the Fiona Morris’ shawlcollared jacket, from April 2012 issue, made for my daughter. I am sitting in a rocking chair on my deck, overlooking 160 acres that we own. I could wish you were all here, but I actually love the quiet and the fact my nearest neighbor is half a mile away.

At my feet is the other project I am now working on, the ‘Cutie Pie’ dress by Amanda Jones, from the same issue. I have also bought the material for Alan Dart’s ‘Tea

OUR LETTER OF THE MONTH WINS A PRIZE FROM CRAFTY YARN This issue our Letter of the Month writer has won a Bergère de France toy dog kit, a Bergère de France Creations 11/12 pattern book and some exciting yarn.

Visit crafty-yarn.co. uk or call 01409 221699 to find out all about Crafty Yarn’s products.

Time Tilly’. I guess the April 2012 issue has me hooked.

Sandra Peters, Valleyview, Canada Sandra, that looks utterly blissful! Are you sure you don’t want the team to come over and join you?

Issue 93, April 2012, is is available from our back issues service. Visit myfavourite magazines.co.uk or call 0844 848 2852 to order a copy.

OFF THE PAGE Here is our Alan Dart Mother Goose Display in the Children’s Room at the Everett Public Library, Everett, Washington, USA. We are hosting World Wide Peace and a place to knit: blissful!

simplyknitting.co.uk

The Library Knitters’ fab display of nursery rhyme knits.

Over to you Got a great pattern to sell, looking for a certain yarn, or want to make some new friends? Ask our readers!

Knit in Public Day on June 9th, 2012 and wanted to have a knitting display. When we received the March 2012 issue of Simply Knitting we knew right away that The Old Woman Who Lived in A Shoe was perfect!

The Library Knitters also made Humpty Dumpty from the April 2011 issue. Alan Dart’s patterns are fun to knit and turn out great.

Kim Payne, Darlene Tanis, Kathy Moen-Harrower, Chris Cooper, Sue Combelic-Ghaly, Everett I bet the library’s patrons loved seeing that display, ladies. Hopefully it will have inspired a few of them to pick up their needles as well as some new books!

Issue 92, March 2012, has sold out in print but is available as a digital

magazine via Apple Newsstand and Zinio.com. Issue 78, April 2011, is not available as a back issue, but you can buy the Humpty Dumpty pattern from Alan Dart’s website at alandart.co.uk PATRIOTIC PLEASURE I made this cushion cover, which I made in time for the Jubilee,

SIMPLY WANT TO SELL ■ Yarns All new and packaged: 10 x 50g (500g) Sirdar Supreme Mohair – Colour Copper Beech (red), £10; 10 x 50g (500g) Sirdar Supreme Mohair, Colour Wild Honey (gold), £10; 20 x 50g (1000g); Stylecraft Milan, shade 5157 Lisbon (blue/green/pink mix), £25; New: 18 x 50g (900g) Sirdar Blur with Kid Mohair, shade 0703 (plum), £30 Sarah, sarah@baldwin.orangehome.co.uk 01726 823867 (evening/weekends)

TWEET US TODAY! ■ Casting on for a pair of baby ugg boots with my Millward needles from @ SimplyKnitMag @laaareeen knits Thanks for writing to us!

One cushion, two flags!

KNITTING AROUND THE WORLD My husband and I live in Washington State in the US. In May we headed for the Pacific Ocean and stopped in the city of Forks.

Anyone who is a fan of the Twilight books will recognize Forks as the home of the Swan family and the vampire family, the Cullens.

Barbara Anderson, Seattle

WIN!

Forks, USA

We’d love to see more pictures of you with Simply Knitting (or even just your knitting!) in foreign lands. The sender of every letter we print will receive a brilliant mini knitting kit from Coats Crafts UK.

Get in touch and tell us what you’re knitting!

SIMPLY NEED TO FIND ■ Noro Kureyon Sock Has anyone got one ball of Kureyon sock yarn S95 lot no D? Rosemary Bishop, rabishop@live.co.uk ■ Thomas the Tank Engine cardigan pattern I’m looking for a pattern for a cardigan showing Thomas the Tank Engine with the Fat Controller. I lost the one I had.

Ellen Massey, 01952 289286 51 Woodcroft, Telford, Shropshire TF7 5NE ■ Sirdar Country Style DK in Qual I am knitting my boyfriend a jumper with wool my Nan had in one of her cupboards and it isn’t going to be enough. Does anyone have one or two balls of Sirdar Country Style DK in Qual? I will cover postage expenses.

Charlotte Bacon miss_bacon@btinternet.com 4 Denroyd Court, Hazelwick Mill Lane, Crawley, West Sussex RH10 1SU ■ Glitter needles/ carrot buttons I’m looking to buy glitter size 4 knitting needles and carrot shaped buttons online.

I’m looking for delivery to Ireland so if anyone knows a website I could buy from could they please email me.

Katie, lehanekatie@gmail.com.

■ Pattern for girl’s poncho Has anyone got a knitting pattern for a girl’s poncho, with or without buttons and with slits for the arms? Will pay all costs.

Miss P. Coppock, 3 Dean St, Padiham, Burnley, Lancashire BB12 8PL SIMPLY LOVE WRITING LETTERS ■ Hi, my name is Vicky. I’m 41 and I love knitting. I’m knitting a lacy scarf at the moment. I also enjoy cross stitch, card making, reading, cooking and gardening.

UK and USA pen pals wanted.

Vicky, 91 Helston Drive, Strelley, Nottingham NG8 6LA SEND US YOUR AD - IT’S FREE!

Email simplyknitting@futurenet.com or write to the usual address. Please do not ask for photocopies or electronic copies of patterns as copying is often illegal.

August 2012 Simply Knitting 33

YOUR LETTERS...

Email us at simplyknitting@futurenet.com

Editor-in-Chief Debora Bradley debora.bradley@futurenet.com Senior Art Editor Louise Day Deputy Art Editor Nicola Mayers Operations Editor Helen Spedding Production Editor Miriam McDonald Commissioning Editor Kirstie McLeod Technical Assistant Cara Medus Web Editor Judy Darley Contributors Philippa Bunch, Rhian Drinkwater, Robert Eyres, Jenny May Forsyth, Jennifer Storey, Liz and Claudia Taylor, Veuf Tricot, Rosee Woodland, Nevs Model Agency, MOT Model Agency Photography Joseph Branston, Neil Godwin, Philip Sowels, Jesse Wild FIND US AND FOLLOW US! Web simplyknitting.co.uk Twitter @SimplyKnitMag Facebook facebook.com/SimplyKnitting Next issue on sale Wednesday 8 August 2012 ADVERTISING Call 01225 442244 Senior Advertising Manager Penny Stokes Account Manager Rachael Hawkins Sales Executives Kirsty Whelan, Sarah Cartlidge Sales Director Clare Coleman-Straw MARKETING & SUBSCRIPTIONS Marketing Manager – Creative Lyndsey Mayhew Marketing Executive Samantha Book Senior Product Manager Elizabeth Davies CIRCULATION Trade Marketing Manager Liza Austin International Account Manager Rebecca Hill Trade Marketing Director Rachael Cock PRODUCTION Production Coordinator Vivienne Turner Production Manager Mark Constance LICENSING Senior Licensing & Syndication Manager Regina Erak regina.erak@futurenet.com Tel +44 (0)1225 442244 Fax +44 (0)1225 732359 PUBLISHING Group Senior Editor Julie Tolley Group Art Director Matthew Hunkin Creative Director Robin Abbott Editorial Director Jim Douglas Group Publisher Kerry Lawrence Group Publishing Director Stuart Anderton UK Chief Executive Mark Wood SUBSCRIPTIONS Call 0844 848 2852 or subscribe online at www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk

Future Publishing Ltd, 30 Monmouth Street, Bath, BA1 2BW Chief Executive Mark Wood | Non-executive Chairman Peter Allen Group Finance Director Graham Harding Future plc is a public company quoted on the London Stock Exchange (symbol: FUTR) www.futureplc.com

ABC 42,373 Jan-Dec 2011

A member of the Audit Bureau of Circulations.

COMPETITION RULES By taking part in a Competition, you agree to be bound by the Competition Rules which are summarised below but can be viewed in full at www.futuretcs.com. Late or incomplete entries will be disqualified. Proof of posting (if relevant) shall not be deemed proof of delivery. Entries must be submitted by an individual (not via any agency or similar) and, unless otherwise stated, are limited to one per household. The Company reserves the right in its sole discretion to substitute any prize with cash or a prize of comparable value. Unless otherwise stated, the Competition is open to all GB residents of 18 years and over, except employees of Future Publishing and any party involved in the competition or their households. By entering a Competition you give permission to use your name, likeness and personal information in connection with the Competition and for promotional purposes. All entries will become the property of the Company upon receipt and will not be returned. You warrant that the Competition entry is entirely your own work and not copied or adapted from any other source. If you are a winner, you may have to provide additional information. Details of winners will be available on request within three months of the closing date. If you are a winner, receipt by you of any prize is conditional upon you complying with (amongst other things) the Competition Rules. You acknowledge and agree that neither the Company nor any associated third parties shall have any liability to you in connection with your use and/or possession of your prize.

We are committed to only using magazine paper which is derived from well managed, certified forestry and chlorine-free manufacture. Future Publishing and its paper suppliers have been independently certified in accordance with the rules of the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council). © Future Publishing Limited 2012. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be used or reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. Future Publishing Limited (company number 2008885) is registered in England and Wales. The registered office of Future Publishing Limited is at Beauford Court, 30 Monmouth Street, Bath BA1 2BW. All information contained in this magazine is for information only and is, as far as we are aware, correct at the time of going to press. Future cannot accept any responsibility for errors or inaccuracies in such information. Readers are advised to contact manufacturers and retailers directly with regard to the price of products/services referred to in this magazine. If you submit unsolicited material to us, you automatically grant Future a licence to publish your submission in whole or in part in all editions of the magazine, including licensed editions worldwide and in any physical or digital format throughout the world. Any material you submit is sent at your risk and, although every care is taken, neither Future nor its employees, agents or subcontractors shall be liable for loss or damage. Please note, we will not be able to return photos.

h with us via Faceboo k and uc to in t ge so al n ca u Yo GE T MORE CHAT ers there too. lf you ha ve itt Kn ly mp Si r he ot to lk ta n Ravelry, and you ca l us. always best to phone or emai s it’ , gh ou th , iry qu en nt ge an ur from your Jubilee booklet. I decided to make the back a St George’s Cross as an alternative.

My husband was very pleased with it and keeps it on his chair all the time as he is very patriotic.

Now my son and daughter want one each, so I will be kept busy.

Susan Long, Felixtowe Your cushion will make a comfortable souvenir of the Jubilee, Susan. I’m not surprised other members of the family want ones of their own as well!

The Jubilee supplement came with issue 93, May 2012, which is still available from our back issues service. Visit myfavourite magazines.co.uk or call 0844 848 2852 to order a copy.

TERRIFIC TOYS You have made my life harder, but in a happy way, because I am an OAP and have to buy Simply Knitting every month for my sister Penny, who lives in Portugal. I post it to her and she knits the toy pattern within hours of receiving the magazine. Some of her toys are in this photo – taken before we found Simply Knitting.

I don’t knit much myself, just the occasional plain and purl.

(Wish you had the occasional vintage jacket or cardigan.)

Jacky Thorne, Birmingham Your sister’s going to love this month’s Hippie Hamsters, I

Hasn’t Shirley chosen a stunning colour combination?

TWEET

TIME!

■ Looking at crochet block book inspiration for @SimplyKnit Mag Refuge blanket campaign.

Want to make a few this year so maybe keep it simple! @teatoastjam We look forward to seeing your blanket!

An incredible display of knitted toys made by Jacky’s sister.

think, Jacky! There are five to make, plus she can invent more of her own.

We tend to print modern patterns in Simply Knitting, but our sister magazine The Knitter occasionally features vintage designs or ones with vintage inspirations – visit theknitter.co.uk to see what’s in their current issue.

We are sorry, but we are unable to provide information about where Jacky’s sister’s patterns come from.

CABIN FEVER Here is the log cabin throw that I knitted from your February 2011 issue. I changed the colours to suit my décor and the result is fabulous.

This is not the only project I have done in the past year. My sister, a friend and I knitted a blanket for Refuge and took it to the Knitting & Stitching Show at Alexandra Palace last October.

Shirley King, Salisbury Shirley, I do like the colours you’ve chosen. That design is always popular, I think it’s the combination of clear pattern and not too much sewing. And thank you so much for supporting our campaign last year – you can find out what

SHOW US

your snaps!

Look at these kids’ knits! In issue 98 we want animal projects – knitted animals, or knitted for animals. Head your envelope or email ‘Furry Tails’.

C

th is k nitte d nie. n a m l i Sa ra h G it for son, Vin b e a r su

Fiona and the staff’s eyecatching Jubilee window display.

we’re doing for Refuge this year on page 20.

Issue 78, February 2011, is not available as a back issue.

WIN-DOW DISPLAY This is our window display, which won second prize in a competition to celebrate the Jubilee. All of us who work in the shop knitted the figures for the Royal Wedding last year. Kate just needed a new outfit, and your Congratulations bunting just made the window.

We’ve never had so many comments about a display!

Fiona Ness, The Workbasket, Blairgowrie Congratulations to all the staff, Fiona – that’s a fab Jubilee display.

WRITE to

us!

We love hearing from you. If you’d like to get in touch, you can write to us at ‘Talking Points’, Simply Knitting, Future, 30 Monmouth Street, Bath BA1 2BW or email us at simplyknitting@futurenet.com.

When you include a photo, please make it as clear as possible, and take it somewhere with plenty of light so your knitting really looks its best.

Please don’t resize or edit the photo before sending it to us – we can make your pictures smaller here, but we can’t make them larger, so if you make it too small we won’t be able to use it.

We’re sorry, but we can’t guarantee to return photos, so please don’t send us anything irreplaceable.

Sarah Gilman also made a pretty dress for her daughter, Erin.

ndson Val Va rley’s gra h is h at! ke Ch a rlie didn’t li

Hanna granddauh, Patsy Taylor ’s ghte r, lo ok s swe e t.

Katie Walker knitted leg warmers for her daughter Jasmine.

A lovely soft hat for Elisa Benson’s son Toby.

Simply

LOVING IT! Mee t Sue Spe ech le grandson Rufus!y’s

We love to see your gallery photos; unfortunately there are no prizes, only fame!

❤