Q Is there a way to have a more visible notification of newly arrived e-mails when using Outlook Express?

John Peters, Winchester

A Take a look at the PopTray program (from www.poptray.org ). This tiny free utility will monitor your e-mail accounts and notify you when messages arrive at your ISP mail server, even before you have downloaded them to your own machine. It also comes with a choice of voices that announce “You have mail” in a cheesily cheery mid-Atlantic drawl.

PATCHY SUPPORT

Q I have been unable to contact Symantec support to update my virus-protection program, and continually receive only an automated response. Can you help?

Alan West, Leicester

A Technical support nowadays can be pretty patchy, whether the company is large or small. In your case, the solution is simple: find another product, such as AVG (www.grisoft.com), or be prepared to jump through the tech-support hoops required by your supplier (in this instance, try calling Symantec on 020 7616 5600).

WORDS OF ADVICE

Q I have been diagnosed with motor neurone disease, which affects my ability to speak. Can you help me locate a suitable communication device?

Alan Stevenson, via e-mail

A The IconSpeak product (from www.bostock.com/IconSpeakInternational.htm) is a Pocket PC-based system that lets you use on-screen icons and text-to-speech software to conduct conversations. An alternative is The Grid text-to-speech software (from www.sensorysoftware.com/software/pocketgrid/index.html), which works on most Windows mobile devices.

VIDEO CROSSROADS

Q I recently upgraded to the Freeview digital television service, but cannot locate a VCR model with a digital tuner. Why?

A Levitski, via e-mail

A The video cassette recorder is a dying breed, and so is attracting little or no research investment. Television is in transition. Video on demand, time-shifting PVR machines and the changing face of 21st-century transmission and reception are transforming the landscape. Put any serious purchases on hold until the smoke has cleared and the analogue era has really started to fade away into a little white dot.

dontpanic@sunday-times.co.uk  

Clarification: Kaspersky Labs

In response to last week’s article “Virus-busters braced for invaders”, Kaspersky Labs has asked us to make it clear that the only contacts it has with hackers and virus-writers is through legal organisations, helping them to trace e-mails and logs back to a hacker’s home address.

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