Australian PC World articles from December 2001

Australian PC World archives from December 2001

Tell them they're dreaming. (Editorial).
December 1, 2001... With December on my doorstep, I decided that this year I'd get the festive season under way by getting organised and embracing the girl giving spirit (as opposed to my usual bah-humbug approach). Here at PC World, we put pens to our wish list,...

Thanks for the memory. (news).
December 1, 2001... It has been a case of deep contrast. Memory chip makers have been hit hard by the sharp drop in memory prices, forcing them to sell memory chips below cost. For consumers, spending on memory has been perhaps the bargain of the year, arguably...

Microsoft discontinues NT server volume licences.
December 1, 2001... Microsoft is "ramping down" production of the five-year-old Windows NT 4.0 operating system and will no longer sell volume licences for the product. The OS will still be available through retail outlets, said a Microsoft spokesman, and volume...

Group lays claim to fastest camera.
December 1, 2001... Japanese, German and Dutch engineers have designed a digital video camera capable of recording at up to 1 million frames per second, the world's fastest, according to a statement from its developing group. The camera uses a special CCD...

Athlon XP snubs MHz. (news).
December 1, 2001... Megahertz is no longer the most telling indication of processor performance. This is the new cry from chip maker AMD. The company has been claiming for some time that there is more to performance than clock speed in its battle with Intel, and...

PS2 sales surge following price cut.
December 1, 2001... Fuelled by price cuts and the long-awaited release of Gran Turismo 3, Australian retail sales of PlayStation 2 consoles have gone through the roof, according to market researcher Inform. PS2 sales have totalled $15 million since Sony Computer...

Microsoft alters XP licences. (news).
December 1, 2001... Microsoft has bowed to end user pressure and eased up on a policy that previously permitted it to charge some of its customers twice to run the Windows operating system. Microsoft will now allow its customers to replace the Windows XP operating...

IBM, citizen update WatchPad wearable computer.
December 1, 2001... IBM is working hand-in-hand with Japanese watchmaker Citizen Watch Co. on new prototypes of IBM's WatchPad wearable computer. The WatchPad 1.5, a wristwatch-sized device measuring 65x46x16mm and weighing 43g, runs Linux on a 32-bit ARM...

HP to embrace DVD+RW.
December 1, 2001... Hewlett-Packard will begin phasing out off-the-shelf CD-RW (CD-ReWritable) drives as the company begins a shift toward more expensive and possibly more lucrative recordable DVD drives. HP aggressively pursued CD-RW technology from the beginning...

Napster progenies sued. (news).
December 1, 2001... Having successfully forced file-sharing service Napster into compliance with copyright laws, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), along with the major Hollywood studios, is now launching attacks against popular file-swapping...

Compaq recalls 1.4 million AC adapters.
December 1, 2001... Compaq is recalling 1.4 million notebook power adapters because they may overheat and pose a fire risk. The company is offering replacement adapters free of charge. Compaq says it shipped potentially defective AC adapters with multiple...

PDAs buck PC trend. (news).
December 1, 2001... The PC industry may be experiencing a slow-down and a general feeling of ill health, but the action in the PDA market has been a lot more sprightly. A slew of new products has been announced ahead of the Christmas rush. Although HP and...

Ergonomic, shmergonomic.
December 1, 2001... Most `ergonomic' computer products that claim to reduce the risks of repetitive strain injury do nothing of the sort, according to Dr Kevin Taylor, an expert in computer-related illnesses. "What is ergonomic about the Microsoft Ergonomic...

MSN gets video-on-demand. (broadband).
December 1, 2001... Microsoft has partnered with Intertainer, a provider of video-on-demand, to bring movies to broadband Internet subscribers from its MSN Web site. Intertainer will promote its video-on-demand services to PC users on a co-branded MSN Web...

Cable firm feels crossed out. (broadband).
December 1, 2001... The slow uptake of broadband services by residential customers is proving to be frustrating for the director of the Southern Cross Cable Network, Ross Pfeffer. Pfeffer said New Zealand and Australian relcos aren't making the most of the...

Excite no longer at home.
December 1, 2001... Optus has taken full control of its joint venture with US-based Excite@Home. Previously, Optus was involved in a 50-50 split with the US-based broadband Internet access business Excite@Home. However, this partnership took on a new dimension...

Streaming media ruled by porn.
December 1, 2001... The advances in compression technology and increased broadband IP services will help increase business applications of streaming media, but the delivery of pornography will continue to dominate in the short term, reveals research firm Ovum. ...

In search of fertility. (Surrogacy)(alt.net).
December 1, 2001... For couples who have unsuccessfully tried to conceive a child, the Internet provides a wealth of information about available treatments. Recently, many sites have moved from simply being a source of information to playing an active role in the...

Kournikova virus maker found guilty. (online news).
December 1, 2001... The maker of the Anna Kournikova e-mail worm that spread in February -- 21-year-old Jan de Wit of Sneak, the Netherlands -- was sentenced recently and given the option of doing 150 hours of community service or serving 75 days in jail. In...

Idee unveils visual search engine. (online news).
December 1, 2001... A search engine that can locate a wide range of visual images is making its debut shortly, as an added function for other applications or, perhaps, as an additional search function online. Idee is aiming for a beta release before year's end of...

US government seeks input to build its own Net. (online news).
December 1, 2001... The US Government revealed this week that it is looking into building its own Internet, dubbed GOVNET, to ensure the safe transmission of sensitive government communication. Just one day after Richard Clarke was appointed to the newly created...

Survey: web attacks doubled in last year. (online news).
December 1, 2001... Attacks on Web servers doubled in 2001 compared to 2000 and nearly 90 per cent of companies surveyed have been infected with worms or viruses, despite having antivirus software installed, according to the Information Security Industry Survey,...

New options for P4 memory. (tech.files).
December 1, 2001... Intel's Pentium 4 can finally be matched with SDRAM and DDR SDRAM, not just costly RDRAM modules. Don't be fooled: your best buy isn't necessarily the most obvious one. Previously, if you wanted Intel's Pentium 4 you had to buy a PC with...

Optics could push chips beyond 10GHz. (tech.news).
December 1, 2001... As chipmakers battle to increase processor speeds, they are quickly running into problems controlling the amount of heat generated by faster processors. US company Primarion is looking to solve the temperature issue with a futuristic approach...

ATI readies integrated chip for consumer devices. (tech.news).
December 1, 2001... Multimedia chip manufacturer ATI Technologies has announced its first system-on-chip (SoC) for digital devices including TV receivers and DVD players, designed to lower costs for device manufacturers. ATI is best known for its Radeon...

Samsung SyncMaster 170T TFT and ViewSonic ViewPanel VE170mb: 17in LCD monitors. (First Looks).
December 1, 2001... Monitor makers are bringing 17in LCDs into the mainstream by pushing their prices below $2500. Two 17in models now shipping from Samsung and ViewSonic make persuasive arguments for moving up to a big LCD. The overall quality of both...

Adobe Illustrator 10 beta: graphics software. (First Looks).
December 1, 2001... A new version of the widely used vector graphics program, Adobe Illustrator, is scheduled for Australian release by the end of 2001. Adobe says that v. 10 will integrate well its other graphics programs, such as Photoshop, After Effects and...

Adobe InDesign 2.0 beta: layout and design software. (First Looks).
December 1, 2001... Adobe's InDesign 2.0 is set to hit the streets within the first quarter of 2002, and it's got some new features and abilities that make this Quark XPress rival even more attractive. InDesign will run under WinXP and Mac OS X 10.1, plus earlier...

ViewSonic LiteBird PJ1075: projector. (First Look).
December 1, 2001... For those with a limitless budget or a Lottery win, the ViewSonic LiteBird PJ1075 projector is a good complement to any home theatre setup or professional business environment. Its 1200 lumens project a very bright picture, which can be viewed...

Acer S2W 5300U: flatbed scanner. (First Looks).
December 1, 2001... In the past, Acer scanners have had a reputation for high quality, matched by an equally high price. It looks as if they are trying to shake off this image with the S2W 5300U, as it sports a low price tag and still offers good results. The...

IBM MicroPortable Projector: digital projector. (First Looks).
December 1, 2001... IBM's MicroPortable Projector takes up little space, occupying just 215x169x51mm and weighing a mere 1.33kg, making it the smallest projector we've seen so far. Its Ansi lumens rating of 1100 is fair, but you'll need to draw the blinds if you...

Norton Internet Security 2002 Norton SystemWorks 2002: utilities. (First Looks).
December 1, 2001... If you don't have a utility suite on your PC, it's time to consider getting one, since Norton SystemWorks, the best package available, just got better. Why have a utility suite? It can keep your PC out of trouble by detecting problems early and...

Paint Shop Pro 7 anniversary edition: graphics software. (First Looks).
December 1, 2001... To celebrate Paint Shop Pro's 10th anniversary, Jasc Software has released a new edition of its popular image editing software -- version 7. This $239 shipping package is unchanged from the version we reviewed in the October 2000 issue, but it...

VideoFactory 2.0: video-editing software. (First Looks).
December 1, 2001... VideoFactory 2.0 is designed to help video-makers of all levels make home movies, Web videos, and educational material by following a series of simple steps. A Make Movie Wizard allows you to save movies to different formats, including DV...

PKZip Suite 4.5, WinZip 8.1: utilities. (First Looks).
December 1, 2001... Compressing files is even easier now, thanks to new versions of WinZip and PKZip. Both compress one or more files into .zip archives, and both restore archives. The beta version of WinZip 8.1 ($US29; free upgrade for registered users)...

Mac OS X 10.1: operating system. (First Looks).
December 1, 2001... OS X 10.1 update boasts strong native software support and a host of additional features. Two big features that Mac OS 9 users enjoyed but that were inexplicably left out of the original 10.0 release were DVD playback and the ability to...

Kyocera QCP3035: mobile phone. (First Looks).
December 1, 2001... Kyocera is commonly associated with its award-winning printers, often featured in PC World, but printers are not the products the company is launching locally. Reviewed this month is its latest mobile phone, the QCP3035, one of Kyocera's...

Acer DC300: digital webcam. (First Looks).
December 1, 2001... Acer's DC300 is a sleek-looking device, combining the functions of a digital webcam with a video and stills camera. It's incredibly light and thin, and the svelte 88x18x57mm proportions and 75g weight mean it really does slip into the pocket...

AI -- but not as we know it. (Opinions: industry watch).
December 1, 2001... For many years the laboratories of Apple Computer's Palo Alto headquarters were graced by a Macintosh front end plugged into a Cray supercomputer. Apple was trying to find out what people might do if they had that sort of power available at...

Let's get organized. (Opinions: the open source).
December 1, 2001... I have a theory about why we aren't recovering from the dotcom implosion as quickly as we ought to be. Perhaps it's just myopia, but I blame at least a portion of our economic woes on the disorganisation of information on the Web and the fact...

Step right up. (Opinions: read only).
December 1, 2001... It's late in the day and there's a knock at the door. It's a guy selling something. "Good afternoon sir, how are you today?" "Yeah, good." "Have you heard about the new phones from Orange?" "Yes, but I'm really not interested,...

WPA worries in Windows XP. (Readers' forum).
December 1, 2001... I am writing in reference to the Windows XP Upgrade Guide (PC World October 2001, page 90), and in particular the pros and cons of whether to upgrade or not to Windows XP. I feel one of the most salient points on whether to upgrade or not was...

Hardware upgrades and Windows XP. (Readers' forum).
December 1, 2001... I have just finished reading your article in the November issue of PC World about Windows XP {Windows XP Special Report, page 60}. I was thinking about getting the full home version, but now I'm not so sure after reading about the WPA REQUIRED....

Stranger than science fiction. (Readers' forum).
December 1, 2001... Please do excuse my uninformed and informal approach. I am not on the Internet -- the telephone charges are too dear and also the access speed is far too slow. But I am on e-mail here. Well, I have been going over the UFO Reports on your...

Back from the brink. (Readers' forum).
December 1, 2001... Just a quick note to thank all at IDG {PC World's publisher} and PC World magazine. My computer went crash in the biggest way imaginable. First it lost track of the VGA then just went from bad to worse! I ended up having to do the big no-no and...

Supersecure conspiracy. (Readers' forum).
December 1, 2001... I was somewhat intrigued by the PC World online story about the National Security Agency offering a supposed "supersecure Linux" download! As an ex-Sigint (i.e., signals intelligence -- what NSA, DSD, GCHQ and the rest undertake) operative...

Missive of the month. (Readers' Forum).
December 1, 2001... Congratulations Bert Visser! You are this month's winner of a year's subscription to PC World worth $66. We are pleased to receive your letters, but please keep them to less than 300 words. We reserve the right to edit letters for...

Living for the day. (Readers' forum).
December 1, 2001... I just read the note from David Bruggerman {Reader's Forum October PC World, page 56}, and could not agree more. The hassle to get information (up-to-date), as well as installing (although getting better since Red Hat Version 4, the first...

Speed up your internet connection: tools and tips to help you get more from your internet connection. (Feature: web and you).
December 1, 2001... Everyone wants faster Internet access, but getting more from your connection doesn't always mean having to pay for extra speed. These tips will help you squeeze every drop from your existing bandwidth without busting the bank. The term...

Mobile communications: dreaming of a wireless world. (Special Report)(Cover Story).
December 1, 2001... Mobile phone number portability may have all the telcos vying for your communications dollar, but the real story is the work going on around the world to create a new era of mobile communications. What will the wireless communications market...

Code deciphering: an introduction to programming. (Feature: programming).
December 1, 2001... If you're considering developing programming skills in preparation for a career change, or are just interested in how software -- from operating systems to games -- is created, read on! In this brief introduction to programming, PC World looks...

Who knew Windows could do that? Be your own Windows guru with our 32 unexpected, supereasy tips. (Feature: Windows tips).
December 1, 2001... "I really wish Windows could..." Well, guess what? Windows probably can. With the right shortcuts and speed tricks, you can cut much of the time you spend on many chores and eliminate others entirely -- all without editing the Registry,...

Home, sub-$2000 & business PCs. (best buys).
December 1, 2001... HOME PCs 1 Altech Custom This Altech Custom machine must have come straight from Texas, because everything about it is BIG! Its price tag has come down to $4705, helping to propel the system to the number one position on the chart...

Notebooks. (best buys).
December 1, 2001... POWER NOTEBOOKS 1 Dell Latitude C810 NEW Weighing almost 4kg with its power pack, the Windows 2000-driven Latitude C810 is a substantially-sized, dark-coloured notebook with a large 15in active matrix LCD screen. Its...

MP3 players. (best buys).
December 1, 2001... Ahh, it's the time of the year when many start to think about gifts, gizmos, grog and unfulfilled fitness resolutions. While not able to help with hangovers, MP3 players can indeed make great gifts for family and friends -- or even help you...

Gaming devices. (best buys).
December 1, 2001... A well laid out, well specified game controller can make a good game great. The major players in the gaming market all make an appearance to some extent in this review, all with USB devices which, for the most part, feature force feedback that...

Hacker distributions -- Slackware and Debian. (using Linux).
December 1, 2001... This month we look at two less publicised distributions of Linux -- Slackware and Debian -- which are commonly known as "hacker distributions". They get this reputation from the Linux community that builds and runs them: hackers and expert...

Bulk up your PC's RAM. (Here's how: upgrader).
December 1, 2001... For a low-cost, potentially dramatic boost to your system's performance, nothing beats adding memory. And there's never been a better time to do it: RAM prices are amazingly low (about $55 for 128MB at press time), and applications and...

The links toolbar. (windows 9x).
December 1, 2001... One of Windows' most versatile features is also one of the most underused: the Links toolbar. You can customise other Windows toolbars by adding shortcuts to launch applications, documents, folders, and Web sites (for Windows 95, doing this...

Portable tactics. (windows me).
December 1, 2001... When working on a notebook computer it's often hard to keep track of which changes have been made to which documents, or even to remember which documents need to be printed when you get back to the office. Or, maybe your primary concern is...

Time is of the essence. (windows 2000).
December 1, 2001... Accurate time-keeping is extremely important to Windows 2000, partly because the default authentication protocol, Kerberos, uses the system clock on the workstation to generate the authentication tickets. Even if your workstation doesn't...

Make tasks easier. (windows xp).
December 1, 2001... Windows XP is very helpful when it comes to getting things done. It aims to simplify things by making links to common tasks easily visible, and will even let you automate some procedures, such as opening a data CD to view its contents as soon...

Installing ZipSlack. (linux).
December 1, 2001... This month, to complement our LinuxWorld.com.au hacker shoot-out feature, we have provided the ZipSlack Linux distribution on the cover CD. The latest release, ZipSlack 8.0, contains the basic software of the Slackware 8.0 Linux distribution...

Making movies with iMovie 2. (Mac OS).
December 1, 2001... Shoot. Edit. Enhance. Share. So goes me Apple spiel regarding its movie-editing software for OS 9 and OS X, iMovie 2. Wary of the hype, I found the program was actually a snap to use. If your Mac didn't come with iMovie pre-installed, you...

Customising XP audio. (audio).
December 1, 2001... So you've installed Windows XP, and now you're beginning to notice the little things that have changed. Personally, I noticed this when I slotted in a CD to listen to while I worked and couldn't find the volume control. Where had they...

Slideshows on your TV. (graphics).
December 1, 2001... Last month, this column discussed various ways you can run slideshows on your computer. In many circumstances, it is possible to take the process one step farther and display your digital photos on a TV set. The trick is getting the images from...

Introduction to tables.
December 1, 2001... Tables are HTML structures that allow greater control over the positioning of elements in your Web pages. As an introduction, this column will explain how to specify the layout, cell dimensions, spacing, colour, and alignment of your tables. In...