Australian PC World articles from April 2004

Australian PC World archives from April 2004

Guaranteed to raise a smile: it's time to unfurl the streamers, put on the party hats and let the celebrations begin, as Australian PC World kicks off its 20th anniversary year.(Editorial)
April 1, 2004... It was 20 years ago today... Looking through the archives, 1984--complete with vaguely recognisable people, and an array of unusual artefacts--is now another world away. Along with the birth of the personal computing era came PC World,...

IIA launches national virus protection scheme.
April 1, 2004... In the wake of the recent MyDoom outbreak, the Internet Industry Association (IIA) has announced a national antivirus initiative that plans to provide all Australian Internet users with free trial antivirus software. According to IIA...

RealNetworks warns of media player security flaws.
April 1, 2004... RealNetworks' media player software contains vulnerabilities that could let an attacker take control of a PC on which the software is used to download multimedia files, the company has confirmed. Corrupt files posing as normal music and...

KaZaA raid causes stir.(Analysis)
April 1, 2004... Executives in the recording industry weren't the only ones cheering February's raid on the headquarters of Sharman Networks, which makes and distributes KaZaA peer-to-peer software. At least one chief executive officer of a peer-to-peer...

Mars rover's RAM glitch.(Analysis)
April 1, 2004... A shortage of memory on board the Spirit Mars rover is what caused it to become unresponsive on the Martian surface on 22 January, raising fears that the Martian mission might end almost before it began in earnest. Mike Deliman, a...

Ready for 600GB drives?(Analysis)
April 1, 2004... The standard desktop PC of 2007 will have a hard disk drive with capacity between 500GB and 600GB, according to Mark Geenen, managing director of research company TrendFocus. Notebook computers will be fitted with 300GB drives and small drives...

New IBM supercomputer to help with weather modelling.
April 1, 2004... IBM has built a supercomputer that will serve as a "virtual climate time machine" for researchers at the University of California who plan to use it to model the Earth's surface, atmosphere and oceans for up to 300 years into the future. ...

Windows XP beta for Athlon 64 released.
April 1, 2004... Microsoft has made a beta version of Windows XP available to the public that runs on desktops or workstations using AMD's Athlon 64 or Opteron processors, Microsoft said. A beta version of Windows XP for AMD's chips was made available to...

Red Hat, SuSE get on board.
April 1, 2004... Now that the 2.6 kernel has been finalised, Linux distributors will build it into their operating systems and bring it to market over the next few months. SuSE Linux, swallowed up by Novell late last year, claims that it expects to be...

Motorola licenses Opera browser for phones.
April 1, 2004... Motorola's Personal Communications Sector (PCS) division has signed a licensing agreement with Opera Software to use the Oslo company's browser on its phones. Motorola has not announced which phones will incorporate Opera, but the most...

Adobe gets on the grid.(Analysis)
April 1, 2004... Adobe is preparing a version of its After Effects Professional software that will be able to run across a group of computers in order to boost performance, bringing the concept of grid computing to a commercial desktop application for perhaps...

BigPond slammed, small ISPs commended.(Broadband Briefs)
April 1, 2004... A recent survey of broadband subscribers conducted by Whirlpool has shown that the vast majority of Telstra subscribers are less satisfied with their connectivity than customers of smaller ISPs. Conducted over four weeks in late 2003, the...

Swiftel pushes ADSL nationally.(Broadband Briefs)
April 1, 2004... ISP Swiftel will soon offer ADSL services in Adelaide and Darwin, allowing it to boast broadband coverage across all mainland capital cities in Australia except Canberra. "We would look to take on some 'beta test' clients for an initial...

Optus to offer DSL.(Broadband)
April 1, 2004... Optus's residential broadband portfolio looking a lot more complete following the launch of its OptusNet DSL service. Until now, the OptusNet Cable service had limited the company to subscribers in houses in metropolitan Sydney, Melbourne and...

Primus to acquire AOLI7.(Broadband)
April 1, 2004... Primus Telecom has announced it intends to acquire interactive media group AOLI7 in a deal worth just over $23 million. As part of the new agreement, AOL will grant Primus under licence the exclusive right to operate an AOL-branded ISP in...

Wireless networking.(Linuxworld)
April 1, 2004... Wireless networking has become necessary technology on new computers. As an experiment I purchased a generic PCI 802.11b card (which worked flawlessly with Linux using the built-in drivers) for my main PC and a Billion wireless access...

Notebook dual-boot.(Readers' Forum)(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2004... In your January 2004 issue (on pages 56 -60), you show how a PC can be dual booted. I was wondering if this process could also be done with a laptop? --Brennan (last name withheld) Elias Plastiras, Test Centre Manager responds: Dual...

A hardware tip.(Readers' Forum)(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2004... Your Hardware Helpscreen entry "Take a crash course in emergency PC recovery" (October 2003 issue) missed one important item for the troubleshooting checklist: check your (motherboard) battery. One day my computer was reduced to nothing...

Better safe than sorry.(Readers' Forum)(Letter to the Editor)
April 1, 2004... I installed Norton Internet Security as I am increasingly aware of the need for a firewall to protect my home Internet Access. While it seems a sound piece of software, I am slightly alarmed by the amount of supposed attacks it is flagging up....

Missive of the month.(Readers' Forum)
April 1, 2004... Congratulations to Brennan! You are this month's winner of a year's subscriptions to PC World worth $66. We are pleased to receive your letters, but please keep them to less than 300 worlds. We reserve the right to edit letters for...

Dilbert[R].
April 1, 2004... DO YOU WANT TO WATCH A NUMBING? YOU KNOW I DO! [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] WHERE IS IT? CUBICLE 15950. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ARE YOU GOING TO THE NUMBING? YOU KNOW WE ARE! [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] WHAT IS A...

Personal multimedia jukebox: Lyra PDP2860.(First Looks)
April 1, 2004... We've already taken a look at the first of the new generation of MP3/video-playing jukeboxes, the Archos AV320 (see December 2003, page 122), and here is Thomson's effort, the Lyra PDP2860. You can record TV directly to the 20GB hard disk...

New P4, same performance: Pentium 4 CPU (Prescott).(First Looks)
April 1, 2004... Intel's latest Pentium 4, codenamed Prescott, has a different make-up than its predecessor and is smaller. It is equipped with a larger 16KB Level 1 cache and a 1MB Level 2 cache memory buffer. The previous Pentium 4 chips, codenamed Northwood,...

Portable DJ sound card: DJ Console.(First Looks)
April 1, 2004... Hercules's new DJ Console is a unique 24-bit/96KHz multichannel external sound card with DJ controls that interact with virtual DJ software for mixing MP3 and WMA digital music plus CDs in real-time. It is powered by USB (2.0 or 1.1). The...

Unique conferencing PC: Nimble V5.(First Looks)
April 1, 2004... Nimble Microsystems' Nimble V5 is the most unusual mini PC we have seen in the Test Centre for some time. Besides its diminutive stature (it stands a mere 195mm tall, 52ram wide, and 195mm deep, and weighs just 1kg), the unit's most distinctive...

Wireless Super-G router: WGT624.(First Looks)
April 1, 2004... As Wi-Fi hardware rapidly becomes standardised and prices head floorwards, Wi-Fi vendors are always on the lookout for functions that will differentiate their kit from the common herd. Offering higher bandwidth is definitely one way of grabbing...

Inexpensive 5Mp camera: DC C50.(First Looks)
April 1, 2004... Aluminium and high-gloss plastic styling aside, the 5Mp CCD and low price are sure to bring the DC C50 attention. Power is supplied by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, and a 32MB SD card is bundled. The DC C50's top resolution of 2560x1920...

More bits to play with: Windows XP 64-bit Edition.(First Looks)
April 1, 2004... PC users with current 64-bit hardware, such as Athlon 64 CPUs, may not yet have had the opportunity to test out the hardware with a 64-bit operating system. Microsoft has made the evaluation version of Windows XP 64-bit Edition available for...

Scrapbook with PC help: My Scrapbook 2.(First Looks)
April 1, 2004... Forget quilting, embroidery, folk art or decoupage--there's a new kid in craft town: scrapbooking. Now, Ulead's My Scrapbook 2 brings this paper-based craft into the PC age. Instead of cutting out paper borders and punching motifs, My...

Genealogy software: Family Tree Premium 4.0.(First Looks)
April 1, 2004... Searching for long-lost family has become a somewhat involving pastime for many Internet users and a lot of programs have cropped up to cater to amateur genealogists. Some people soon give up when they realise they're unlikely to ever track...

Beyond 3D gameplay.(Latest Graphics Cards)
April 1, 2004... he consistent success of the All-in-Wonder range demonstrates that there is life beyond 3D gameplay. With this card you can capture and manipulate live video, listen to radio broadcasts--provided you buy a separate FM antenna--and watch...

Affordable alternative?(Latest Graphics Cards)
April 1, 2004... Thanks to Albatron's quiet triple-fan cooling system (a spare fan kicks in for extra protection when the chip temperature rises to extremes), an overheating graphics card shouldn't be an issue. The card may only have 128MB of memory but it...

Tiny 2Mp Sony.(Quick Takes)
April 1, 2004... It is hard not to like Sony's 2Mp Cyber-Shot U40. It measures 82.8x39x26mm and weighs a mere 108g with batteries which is and this size does not take away from quality or function. You can set the camera to two size settings: 2Mp (1632x1224)...

Contact management for SMEs.(Quick Takes)
April 1, 2004... This personal information management program offers an alternative to Lotus Notes and Microsoft Outlook for group contacts and calendaring. Meant to be quick and easy, the Now software sports an old-fashioned-looking but...

Remote viewing solution.(Quick Takes)
April 1, 2004... The Axis 205 is a palm-sized network camera which contains its own tiny Linux-powered Web server, and lets up to 20 users monitor live images over a local Ethernet or the Internet. It comes with a sturdy plastic stand and mounting screws, but...

Microsoft goes virtual.(Quick Takes)
April 1, 2004... If you frequently boot your PC into different versions of Windows to enable software compatibility or to support other computer users, Microsoft's $219 Virtual PC 2004 can simplify your life. The program allows you to install and run Windows...

Bluetooth for your ear.(Quick Takes)
April 1, 2004... Bluetooth headsets are truly a matter of personal taste--especially if, like me, you're fussy about hanging contraptions from your ear. PC World tested Logitech's Mobile Bluetooth Headset with a Bluetooth-enabled Sony Ericsson T610. The...

Digital KVM switch.(Quick Takes)
April 1, 2004... This handy little device allows you to control multiple PCs with only one set of Keyboard, Video (monitor) and Mouse--KVM. It's designed for SOHO users and anyone who needs access to various PCs. This device is available in a two-port or...

Big and beautiful 22in CRT.(Quick Takes)
April 1, 2004... Mitsubishi's Diamond Pro 2070SB, with its Diamondtron Aperture Grille picture tube, provides great colour and image quality. It boasts plenty of screen real estate, too, giving the user a viewable area of 20in at a recommended resolution of...

Video editing and effects.(Quick Takes)
April 1, 2004... It has only been a short while since Discreet attempted to move into the mid-range professional market with the first release of Combustion, a compositor and video-effects tool that offered many of the features available in Flame (the package...

APC offers safe PC power.(Quick Takes)
April 1, 2004... Power surges and outages can impair productivity and damage expensive equipment. APC's Back-UPS RS 800VA is a nicely designed, relatively inexpensive way to buy some insurance for the next time power problems strike. It features seven...

DIY net defence: go online without a firewall and you're asking for trouble. Why risk it? There are lots of products--including free software--out there that can help. Here's how to set one up.(Web & You)
April 1, 2004... Connecting your naked PC to the Internet is like leaving your house unlocked--eventually, someone will wander in, rifle your underwear drawer, and empty the jewellery box. To make your system's points of entry more Net secure, install one of...

Top time-saving tips: we share our favourite secrets for working faster, not harder--from file management shortcuts to photo editing tricks.
April 1, 2004... FOR DEVICES THAT CLAIM TO AID PRODUCTIVITY, PCS CERTAINLY WASTE A LOT OF OUR TIME. MENUS OF CUMBERSOME CLICK-THROUGH, FRUSTRATING SOFTWARE 'FEATURES', AND POKY PHOTO TRANSFER ARE JUST A FEW OF THE MANY TECH-RELATED TIME SINKS WE'VE ALL GROWN...

The Linux experiment: our intrepid reporter was fed up with Windows hassles--so he went on a Microsoft-free diet for four weeks. Here's what happened.
April 1, 2004... I knew I'd had it with Windows when I had a nightmare filled with those little yellow balloons from the System Tray, telling me that I had 3617 critical updates waiting to be installed. What's more, Trojan horses were prancing across my desktop...

Join the blogosphere: blogging--publishing an online diary--is now easier than ever with about a dozen sites offering hosting services. PC World outlines the steps involved in setting up your own weblog.
April 1, 2004... During the recent war in Iraq, few people in Baghdad had access to the most basic services, let alone the Web. But a lone user made Internet publishing history by writing an online diary about life before, during and after the conflict. The...

20 things you didn't know your PC could do: even after 20 years of PC World we're still surprised by new and inventive uses for our PCs! To celebrate our milestone birthday this month, we've got 20 ways to teach your old machine some new tricks--from the amazingly practical to the practically amazing.
April 1, 2004... TURN ON IN LESS THAN 30 SECONDS Each morning when I get into the office, I hang up my coat, drop my bag in a corner, and start the process of turning on my PC. Five minutes later, I'm ready to work after waiting for the machine to boot,...

LCD monitors reviewed.(Pixel Power)
April 1, 2004... For users who are still stuck with big old CRT monitors, the time to upgrade is now, and a popular upgrade path for many, it seems, is the 17in LCD screen. Occupying only a fraction of the deskspace, using much less power and emitting much less...

Motherboard settings.(Tech.Files)
April 1, 2004... One of the uses for the flash memory technology covered in last month's Tech.Files article is holding the Basic Input-Output Software (BIOS) for motherboards. This is a semi-permanent set of digital instructions that tells the motherboard how...

LCD monitor shortage affects local product pricing.(Sweet Spot)
April 1, 2004... A shortage of 15in LCD screens in the first few months of this year has seen Australian stockists scrambling for local supplies. First hinted at in November 2003's Sweet Spot, distributors including Ingram Micro and IT Wholesale have now...

Over $3500.(Best Buys)
April 1, 2004... Altech Computers GameForce Commander [pc world BEST BUYS *] [1] An excellent configuration, included components and attention to detail make this system a sure-fire winner. Definitely targeted at gamers or performance jockeys, this system...

$1500-$3500.(Best Buys)
April 1, 2004... i-Tech AMD Athlon 64 Award series [pc world BEST BUYS *] [1] NEW Another new vendor in the Best Buys this month, i-Tech has swept aside all competitors and taken the number one position from the strong Altech system seen last month. Ideal...

Dell Precision Workstation 650.(Best Buys)
April 1, 2004... With a black and silver system styling, the 650 oozes style and performance. Any user with this system means serious business. Promoted as a workstation, this system is targeted at industry professionals such as animators, CAD/CAM users, video...

Sub-$1500.(Best Buys)
April 1, 2004... TI P4 Deluxe Pack II [pc world BEST BUYS *] [1] NEW Trinity International continues to impress with yet another entrant into the Best Buys, and this system offers some fast components at an affordable price. Its beige and grey case...

PCs: over $35,000, $1500-$3500, sub-$1500.(Best Buys)
April 1, 2004... SPEED REAL WORLD MAKE/MODEL VALUE RATING TESTS OVER $3500 (1) Altech 208 338 (a) 3m32s (e) Computers 21009 (b) 3m30s (f) GameForce...

Over $4000.(Best Buys)
April 1, 2004... Pioneer Power Athlon64 8355 [pc world BEST BUYS *] [1] This notebook features some desktop PC-like components including 1GB of PC2700 333MHz DDR SDRAM, a new 60GB Hitachi 7200rpm hard disk, and a DVD burner that raced through a 4GB burn in...

$2500-$4000.(Best Buys)
April 1, 2004... Pioneer Power 0470 [pc world BEST BUYS *] [1] Pioneer achieves its second number one position this month by opting for a 3.06Hz Mobile Intel Pentium 4 processor and 512MB of PC2700 333MHz DDR SDRAM. Storage capabilities are delivered...

Sub-$2500.(Best Buys)
April 1, 2004... Mitac MiNote 8080 [1] The slightly below-par performance of the 8080 is offset by a combination of good pricing ($2399) and features. These include the ability to read Memory Stick, SmartMedia, Secure Digital and MultiMediaCard media, and...

Notebooks: over $4000, $25,000-$4000, sub-$2500.(Best Buys)
April 1, 2004... MAKE/MODEL VALUE BENCHMARK REAL WORLD RATING SCORES TESTS OVER $4000 (1) Pioneer Power 106 296 (a) 30s (c) Athlon64 8355 9812 (b) 4m42s (d) ...

LCD monitors.(Best Buys)
April 1, 2004... As one of the few components that will make the transition from an old computer to a new one when you upgrade, the monitor you buy has to be a good one that will meet your needs for a long time. It is, after all, the component into which you...

The right tools for the job.(Multimedia Manoeuvres)
April 1, 2004... Things kick off this month with PC World's Reviews Editor, Danny Allen, who draws on his experience to provide an In Depth look at the special considerations required when choosing components for a PC destined for music production. Now, you can...

Crank out a hit at home.(In Depth)
April 1, 2004... The latest songs in the charts may have been finessed in state-of-the-art studios, but your humble PC can become a Digital Audio Workstation for music production without a lot of expense. But where do you start? What parts of a PC are most...

Give XP Pro more Net nous.(Windows XP)
April 1, 2004... Microsoft was a latecomer to the Internet, something that is still apparent in the meagre arsenal of TCP/IP tools bundled with Windows XP. Whereas UNIX, Linux and *BSD users have a range of utilities to choose from that provide detailed...

Users and groups.(Linux)
April 1, 2004... Linux is designed as a multi-user operating system. Multi-user support allows each user of the computer to have their own desktop configuration and separate identities on the computer and, most importantly, it allows users to protect their...

Make free phone calls from your PC.(Audio)
April 1, 2004... Want to call friends and family interstate or overseas for free? You both need to be armed with just a PC, microphone, and an Internet connection (broadband for best results) and a great new piece of free software called Skype. We've included...

Make music with GarageBand.(Mac OS)
April 1, 2004... GarageBand is the latest addition to Apple's iLife '04 multimedia bundle and enhances the company's acquisition of Emagic (the developers of Logic Audio) to turn your Mac into a music recording studio. This column is the first of a two-part...

Understanding selection tools: Part II, the lasso.(Graphics)
April 1, 2004... There is more to image editing than cutting out a neat circle or trimming the outside edge of a photograph. But how do you select part of an image that is not a simple geometric shape like a square or ellipse? Many people will spend years...

Pattern matching with PHP: Part IV.(PHP)
April 1, 2004... Over the previous months, we've focused on regular expressions. The implementation in the extension follows the POSIX standard. An alternative and much more feature-rich implementation is found in the Perl scripting language. Perl-compatible...

Creating blockbuster titles.(Digital Video)
April 1, 2004... This month we will be looking at how to use your video as a background to be inserted within a title. This effect is really a simple process that can produce a nice result. We suggest as a starting point using your own footage taken at the...

FAT or NTFS?(Windows XP)
April 1, 2004... Q After upgrading to Windows XP I converted my hard disk from FAT32 to NTFS, having been advised that NTFS was better. I now find that the cluster size is 512 bytes instead of 4KB. How much of a performance disadvantage is that? Also, can I...

Disappearing D drive.(Windows XP)
April 1, 2004... Q I upgraded from Windows Me to XP and now my D drive often disappears; one day it works, the next day it doesn't. When it doesn't, I notice that the drive letter is missing from Explorer, although Device Manager claims that it is working...

Tinker with the Registry?(All Windows)
April 1, 2004... Q I recently used the Registry Editor for the first time to solve a problem with an application. I noticed names relating to programs I had uninstalled months ago. Is it safe to delete these items, and why weren't they deleted when I...

Perk up your PC with six quick and easy tweaks.(Tips)
April 1, 2004... TIPS It takes no time to give your PC its annual sprucing up. Here are six no-cost, no-hassle tune-up tips to keep your system purring. Prevent your disks from slipping: the venerable ScanDisk utility in Windows 98 and Me is reduced to a...

Why is my speedy PC s-l-o-w-i-n-g d-o-w-n?(Hardware)
April 1, 2004... Q All of a sudden my once-fast computer behaves as if a tonne of molasses took over its innards. How can I get my speed back? --Oded Degani A There are several possible causes for your PC slowdown--and as many solutions. First, back up...

Burn images directly from a media card.(Hardware)
April 1, 2004... Q If I create large folders of images, burn them to CD, delete them to the Recycle Bin and then empty the Recycle Bin, can the area on the hard disk that held these folders be reused or will the hard disk eventually fill up? Could I burn these...

Make Outlook Express less protective.(Internet)
April 1, 2004... Q I use Outlook Express 6, and I can't open any e-mail attachments. Is there a way around this block? --Stephen Brown A To protect against e-mail-borne viruses, Outlook Express 6 blocks many (sometimes it seems like most) attachments...

Disconnect dialogue.(Internet)
April 1, 2004... Q I'm using Internet Explorer 6.0 under Windows 98 SE. When I finish with the Web and close Internet Explorer and Outlook Express, I used to get a dialogue box asking if I wanted to disconnect. Alternatively, I could use the icon of two PCs in...

Block the Insert key.(Miscellaneous)
April 1, 2004... Q Is there a way to disable the key on my keyboard? For me, it's nothing but a nuisance. --Joel Hall A You could physically remove the key with a flat-blade screwdriver, but I advise this only if you have a cheap keyboard you can...

Acrobat upgrade not working.(Miscellaneous)
April 1, 2004... Q I have Adobe Acrobat Reader 4.5. I installed 6.0 but cannot get my PDF files to open in it. If I use Open With and browse to select the program acrord32. exe, the OK button blanks out. --Margaret Saw A Upgrading Acrobat Reader is...

How to Do Everything with Google.
April 1, 2004... BY FRITZ SCHNEIDER, NANCY BLACHMAN AND ERIC FREDRICKSEN If you think your Web searches are a little lacklustre and you're often frustrated by the results, How to Do Everything with Google has a bookload of tips to improve your skills. ...

Online! The Book.
April 1, 2004... BY JOHN C. DVORAK AND CHRIS PIRILLO WITH WENDY TAYLOR Publisher: Prentice Hall (Penguin) Price: $75.95 Phone: (02) 8204 3318 URL: www.penguin.com.au ISBN: 0131423630 Online! The Book tries to be so many things to so many different readers...

Macromedia Flash MX 2004 a Beginner's Guide.
April 1, 2004... BY BRIAN UNDERDAHL Publisher: Osborne (McGraw Hill) Price: $49.95 Phone: (02) 9900 1800 URL: www.mcgraw-hill.com.au ISBN: 0072229829 If you've seen those glamorous sites featuring Flash and want some of that magic for your own outpost on...

The Hidden Song Archive.(Web)
April 1, 2004... Ever left a CD playing and noticed that after a long period of quiet a song kicks in? This is a hidden track--a kind of Easter egg for music fans. Who knows what hidden gems are lurking in your music collection! Head to the Hidden Song Archive...

SMSPup.(Web)
April 1, 2004... SMSPup is a new Australian site that allows you to send free SMS text messages from the Internet to mobile phones and e-mail addresses. You need your own mobile in order to receive your activation code. You initially receive five SMSPup points,...

Timeanddate.com.(Web)
April 1, 2004... If you often go to Whitepages.com.au to check world times, you might want to take a spin by Timeanddate.com. This site has more advanced tools for just about everything to do with time. For instance, as well as helping you check out the time...