Australian PC World articles from February 2004

Australian PC World archives from February 2004

A bit more patience.(Editorial)
February 1, 2004... Our ongoing dialogue with Microsoft about its delivery of service packs and critical updates to our readers has been well covered in these pages. To sum up--Microsoft's delivery has been poor. The adage 'the customer is always right' is...

Microsoft retires NetMeeting.
February 1, 2004... Microsoft is retiring its six-year-old NetMeeting online conferencing application and instead will push Office Live Meeting, formerly known as PlaceWare, for online meetings. NetMeeting helped pioneer online conferencing when it was...

Opera fixes security holes.
February 1, 2004... A new version of the Web browser Opera, Version 7.23, closes two security holes which could allow someone to take control of a computer remotely, and incorporates a patch for the OpenSSL (Secure Sockets Layer) protocol, according to developer...

Sobig tops virus charts.(News Analysis)
February 1, 2004... The Sobig e-mail worm that clogged in-boxes last August was the most prolific virus of 2003, according to a Top 10 list of viruses published by antivirus software vendor Sophos. The company's analysis of the year's top viruses revealed that the...

SD card to add Wi-Fi to smart phones.
February 1, 2004... Chip design company SyChip is testing software for its SOlO (secure digital I/O) WLAN (wireless LAN) card so it can be used to add Wi-Fi capability to smart phones. With the card and the software, smart phones can use a WLAN to transmit...

UK tests biometric passports.
February 1, 2004... The UK Passport Service (UKPS) is scheduled to launch in January a six-month trial of biometric technology involving 10,000 volunteers, which the UK Government is billing as the first step in its compulsory ID card plan. The UKPS will test...

Intel chips let PCs run wireless nets.(News Analysis)
February 1, 2004... Desktop PCs with Intel's Grantsdale chipset, scheduled for release in the first half of 2004, will allow users to run wireless networks from their PCs, the company said. Grantsdale will incorporate support for DDR2 (double data rate)...

Anti-spam bill passed.(News Analysis)
February 1, 2004... The Australian Senate has given the final nod of approval to the Spam Act 2003 following a move to nix Labor and Democrat amendments in the House of Representatives. The amendments, which the Howard Government said created "loopholes for...

Microsoft targets SMBs.(News Analysis)
February 1, 2004... As part of its efforts to boost sales to small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), Microsoft is creating blueprints for complete IT infrastructures based on Microsoft products that its partners can sell and deliver to SMBs. The four IT...

Study: Linux thrives in Australia.
February 1, 2004... Linux continues to gain popularity amongst organisations in Australia and New Zealand, where the number of organisations using Linux servers has doubled since ]999, according to an IDC study of end users. The annual IDC user programs study,...

Computer analysis finds Turkish origin of English.
February 1, 2004... Two researchers using computer analysis of 87 past and present languages have concluded that the English language and the Indo-European language family of which it is a part originated in what is now Turkey, around 8000 years ago. Russell...

BigPond cuts ADSL wires.(Broadband Briefs)
February 1, 2004... BigPond has taken the wires out of its broadband service, launching a new wireless ADSL kit for home users. The kit, which was released in stores in December, includes a wireless ADSL modem, installation CD, wireless connections, wireless USB...

Byte Power chomps into broadband.(Broadband Briefs)
February 1, 2004... IT&T solutions company Byte Power has started its own national DSL broadband service, promising small, medium and large businesses access to unlimited downloads without Internet traffic restrictions. Byte Power Broadband will be available...

New terms for BigPond.(Broadband)
February 1, 2004... Telstra has implemented new terms and conditions and has revised its acceptable use policy for customers across its BigPond ADSL and cable broadband services in a bid to cut back further the level of spam hitting its network. The conditions...

iPrimus speeds dial-up.(Broadband)
February 1, 2004... Promising customers an alternative, cheaper solution to broadband, ISP iPrimus has released a high-speed service for its dial-up subscribers. Called iSpeed, the service uses special caching, compression and connection methods to accelerate by...

Total Rekall.(Linux World)
February 1, 2004... Linux has made big gains in office productivity software in recent years. There is now a range of high-quality word processors, spreadsheets and presentation tools available for Linux. Notably missing, however, is a graphical database similar...

Rescue remedy!(Readers' Forum)(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2004... I want to send you a BIG thank you for providing PC Inspector File Recovery 3 on the November 2003 issue of PC World (Australia). I have never had the need for a file recovery program before, until today. Upon booting my wife's PC this...

Moving to Mongolia.(Readers' Forum)(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2004... Thank you for the timely article on ADSL ("Telstra answers ADSL calls"--December 2003 issue page 18). My Telstra representative dropped in yesterday so I thought I would once again try for ADSL. Unfortunately, Telstra's hype does not match...

... Or maybe Canada.(Readers' Forum)(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2004... I'm currently living in North America. When I left Australia, DSL prices were at around $125 per month for 1.5MB/512KB stream. Since then those plans have been abolished and new plans with lower download and upload speeds have been introduced,...

Dilbert[R].
February 1, 2004... YOUR BUDGET IS WRONG. YOU FORGOT MAINTENANCE. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] WHY DO YOU ENGINEERS ALWAYS THINK YOU'RE RIGHT?! [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] I ANTICIPATED YOUR REACTION AND I CAME PREPARED. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...

Second-generation Tablet PC: Portege M200.(First Looks)
February 1, 2004... Targeting mobile professional, SME and educational and enthusiasts markets, the Portege M200 uses a convertible design: it operates as a regular clamshell-style notebook, or its display rotates and folds back on itself for tablet use. The...

One-handed wonder: VPC-C1EX Xacti.(First Looks)
February 1, 2004... With a side-mounted 38mm (110 kilopixel) swivel TFT screen, the C1EX can easily be used one-handed and all of the camera's function buttons are within reach of your thumb. It measures 69x34x108mm (WxDxH) and weighs approximately 175g (with...

Wi-Fi equipped mobo: K8V Deluxe.(First Looks)
February 1, 2004... ASUS has added another string to its motherboard bow with the inclusion of Wi-Fi capabilities via a plug-in module on its K8V Deluxe motherboard. Based on the 802.11b standard, the Wi-Fi module plugs straight into the board and utilises a...

Give photos new life: Perfection 3170 Photo, ScanJet 5530.(First Looks)
February 1, 2004... I tested Epson's $649 Perfection 3170 Photo and Hewlett-Packard's $599 Scanjet 5530. Both work with prints, slides and negatives. I discovered, however, that they weren't equally adept at image-fixing magic. For my tests, I assembled a...

Portable computer: B165V Desknote.(First Looks)
February 1, 2004... Notebook-style 'desknote' computers can match the speed of desktops but at an affordable price. The catch? To save costs, a power outlet is required (they can't run from a battery), and they can sometimes be quite large. AOpen's new B165V...

Fun keyboard combo: Prodikeys.(First Looks)
February 1, 2004... Combining a regular PC keyboard with a MIDI musical keyboard, the Prodikeys utilises a PS/2 connection and ships with software that lets you learn how to play or simply create your own melodic concoctions using the built-in rhythms and samples....

Digital photography software: Digital Image Suite 9.0.(First Looks)
February 1, 2004... Digital Image Suite 9.0 is Microsoft's answer to the digital photography revolution. It combines two products, Digital Image Pro and Image Library, which are supposed to cater for all your digital photography requirements. To help novices...

All-in-one graphics suite: Coreldraw Essentials 2.0.(First Looks)
February 1, 2004... The latest version of CorelDRAW Essentials includes CorelDRAW, PhotoBook, PhotoAlbum and the Quickstart Manager. Photobook is designed for retouching and editing photos and the PhotoAlbum is best used for the organisation and sharing of...

Anti-spam software: InBoxer 1.0.(First Looks)
February 1, 2004... Most spam filters work by applying a specific set of rules and lists to each incoming message, but InBoxer is different. It uses language-processing technologies to identify more accurately which messages are unwanted. The system works...

Xphone phone home.(Quick Takes)
February 1, 2004... As PDA's and mobile phones merge functions, different users approach the market with different perspectives. Veteran PDA users, for example, take quickly to using PDA/phones such as the XDA and Handspring (now Palm) Treo. Never used a PDA?...

Windows-based smart phone.(Quick Takes)
February 1, 2004... The MPx200's clamshell design allows a large screen and big, usable buttons. There's also an external display so you can see who's calling and direct unwanted calls straight to voicemail without opening up the device. Motorola has...

Impressive handheld.(Quick Takes)
February 1, 2004... This unit combines an organiser with Palm influences, a mobile phone, a keyboard, and a camera in a sleek, silvery 167g package that isn't much bulkier than less capable competitors. I looked at a preproduction GSM/GPRS model--a CDMA version is...

Sites for serious study (and not so serious): ah, the first day back at school: heaven for parents, hell for kids. Help your children make a great start to a new school year with these sites for students.(Web & You)
February 1, 2004... SITES FOR STUDENTS OF ALL AGES Education Network Australia This portal site covers a huge range of educational resources for Australians. You'll find information on all types of training--from school to vocational--as well as links to...

Tips for parents: who's watching your kids?(Web & You)
February 1, 2004... If the Web can be a dangerous place for responsible, savvy adults, imagine the risks for children. Here are several tips to ensure that your kids surf safely. SET LIMITS: restrict your child's time online, and be familiar with sites they...

Software secrets: however good you are at some aspects of computing, it's impossible to be an expert at each and every application. We asked industry insiders to share their most useful workarounds and shortcuts, designed to save keystrokes and recoup your time.
February 1, 2004... If you subscribe to public opinion, software secrets simply aren't what they used to be. In the days when every new application was accompanied by a manual the size of a small child, discovering an undocumented feature or secret key combination...

The best software you're not using: 35+ ways to get out of the (Microsoft) office and make the most of your PC, from under-appreciated system enhancers and business tools to graphics and audio editors.
February 1, 2004... AROUND THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC STICKIES Is your monitor covered with little sticky notes? Forget the paper: use virtual Post-its instead. Post-it Software Notes Lite by 3M works just like the real thing--and it's free. Click the...

Build your own robot: can't afford an Aibo? Build your own robot buddy! We show you how.
February 1, 2004... Robotics has broken out of the research lab and is gradually insinuating itself into our lives. Honda and Sony have recently been showing off their robotic bipeds, while Electrolux and Irobot have taken a more practical approach with vacuuming...

Take better digital snaps: digital photography is a rewarding pastime but it's frustrating when pictures don't turn out as you imagined. PC World looks at how to set up particular effects and cope with different lighting conditions, and at what to do when either your camera or your photo goes horribly wrong.
February 1, 2004... Have you ever felt your camera was plotting against you? You took a photo of a spectacular vista, colourful sunset or fabulous portrait, but your camera saw something completely different. Maybe the subject wasn't in focus, or perhaps the image...

Digital cameras impress with pixels: even if you put money before megapixels, you can find a digital camera that takes great shots. But if you really care how your pictures come out, invest in the best digital camera you can afford.
February 1, 2004... On a basic level, all digital cameras do the same thing: when you press a button, they capture a picture. Look closer, however, and you'll find that cameras vary tremendously in the quality of images they take. If you're not at all fussy about...

Changes in the line-up.(Old And New)
February 1, 2004... The Best Buys this month see some price drops in Sweet Spot components and notebooks, and a few interesting new entries to the PC and notebooks charts. And in Tech.Files, we turn our attention to keeping up with breaking news. Tech.Files...

All the news that fits on screen.(Tech.Files)
February 1, 2004... With the explosive growth of the Internet has come an information overload, and a Web format known as RSS, together with the appropriate software, can help you find the news you want more quickly and with less effort. It allows you to scan the...

AmphetaDesk 0.93.1.(Software)
February 1, 2004... www.disobey.com/amphetadesk Freeware, 2.2MB download Windows, Linux and Mac OS 7-9 and later There is no install application--for Windows, you have to unzip the package and its subfolders into a folder of your choice, then start the...

BottomFeeder.(Software)
February 1, 2004... www.cincomsmalltalk.com/Bottom Feeder Freeware, 7MB download Windows, Mac, Linux and some other platforms This reader has a two-pane (zoomed) and a three-pane view mode, as well as a slim mode. You can find and add new feeds using a...

NewsMonster 1.2.2.(Software)
February 1, 2004... www.newsmonster.org Freeware, 6MB download Windows, Linux and Mac OS X. Requires Mozilla or Netscape This aggregator looks really cool, tells you how much information it's downloaded when in operation, and has a reputation mechanism for...

SharpReader 0.9.3.2.(Software)
February 1, 2004... Freeware, 700KB download Windows, requires .NET Framework 1.1 (Free up to 30MB download) With this reader, you can create your own category folders and browse items individually or by category. You can also set refresh times globally, by...

Graphics card prices remain steady.(Sweet Spot)
February 1, 2004... The introduction of new high-end and enhanced graphics chipsets from vendors ATI and NVIDIA has yet to translate into major price reductions across mid-range graphics cards, despite the predicted popularity and demand by resellers. At the...

Over $3500.(Best Buys)
February 1, 2004... Plus Corporation Inspire P32 [pc world BEST BUYS *] [1] NEW Plus Corporation has once again regained the number one position in the Over $3500 category. The Inspire P32 is a great system for gaming, DVD viewing, and digital video editing,...

$1500-$3500.(Best Buys)
February 1, 2004... TI AMD Super Power Pack [pc world BEST BUYS *] [1] Running at 400MHz front side bus speed, the Athlon 64-bit 3200+ processor slots into a Gigabyte G8KNNXP motherboard based on the new nForce 3 chipset. The motherboard features Gigabyte's...

Packard Bell iMedia P810.(Best Buys)
February 1, 2004... The iMedia P810 from Packard Bell is a compact system with dark styling across all the components. Targeted at first-time buyers or families, the P810 bundles in some great software packages. The P810 features a Pentium 4 2.8CGBz processor...

Sub-$1500.(Best Buys)
February 1, 2004... Plus Corporation Aspect V27 [pc world BEST BUYS *] [1] NEW Plus Corporation has submitted another super configuration and takes top spot in the Sub-$1500 category. The Aspect V27 is not terribly flashy but proves that an excellent system...

Best buys.
February 1, 2004... VALUE SPEED REAL WORLD MAKE/MODEL RATING RATING TESTS OVER $3500 (1) Plus 200 325 (a) 3m54s (e) Corporation 17536 (b) 5m18s (f) ...

Over $4000.(Best Buys)
February 1, 2004... Acer TravelMate 803LCi [pc world BEST BUYS *] [1] Targeting people who work on the move, the TravelMate 800 series model we tested had a 15in active TFT (with a maximum resolution of 1400x1050) that looked great thanks to the 64MB DDR ATI...

$2500-$4000.(Best Buys)
February 1, 2004... Hi-Grade UltiNote M6600 [pc world BEST BUYS *] [1] The optical drive of the $3699 (down from $3825 last month) UltiNote M6600 can write DVD-R discs at 2x and rewrite at 1x, and write and rewrite CDs at 16x and 10x, respectively, in...

Sub-$2500.(Best Buys)
February 1, 2004... Mitac MiNote 8080 [pc world BEST BUYS *] [1] Although recording a SYSMark2001productivity benchmark score of 190, which is lower than its peers, in addition to just 1808 in 3DMark 2001, the MiNote 8080 more than offsets this with a...

Notebooks: over $4000, $25,000-$4000, sub-$2500.(Best Buys)
February 1, 2004... MAKE/MODEL VALUE BENCHMARK REAL WORLD RATING SCORES TESTS OVER $4000 (1) Acer TravelMate 104.5 226 (a) 3m30s (c) 803LCi 7354 (b) 4m33s (d) ...

Time to get stuck into a new year!(Holiday Memories)
February 1, 2004... Summer holidays usually mean lazy days but by now, as we head into the year, your thoughts are probably turning to activity rather than leisure. This month's Here's How has loads to get you started. Many readers may have received a new...

Improve your memory.(Upgrader)
February 1, 2004... If your computer is running a little slowly, now may be a good time to upgrade your memory, especially as prices are currently quite low (see Sweet Spot on page 85 for more information). Most software today is memory intensive --especially if...

Get more from your monitor.(In Depth)
February 1, 2004... The monitor is one of the most important components of your PC setup. It's the main interface with your system and you'll spend hundreds of working hours staring at it, irrespective of the applications you use. It's therefore vital that you...

Back up with offline files and folder redirection.(Windows XP Pro)
February 1, 2004... In last month's column, I wrote about the Offline Files feature which makes it easier to manage and synchronise data stored on computers that are not always connected to a network (such as notebooks). As I was working with setting up...

Using a DVD writer.(Linux)
February 1, 2004... Before you can start using your DVD writer with a Linux operating system, there are a couple of installation steps to be performed. If you are using an internal DVD writer, then you will need to make a small modification to the boot...

Mixxxing digital music.(Audio)
February 1, 2004... Now you can mix your own digital music at home with Mixxx, a free open-source virtual DJ program available for Mac OS X, Linux and Windows. The 7.5MB installation can be downloaded from http://mixxx.sourceforge.net and features include...

Preparing digital images for photographic printing.(Graphics)
February 1, 2004... Printing a digital image can be a frustrating affair. Unfortunately, there are many confusing aspects of this essential task that should be much simpler. There should be no need to keep apologising each time you show a printed image: "yes, this...

Panther's useful utilities.(MAC OS)
February 1, 2004... A wealth of new features has been introduced into OS 10.3, quite apart from the many upgraded bundled applications and user interface enhancements of Panther. Here we look at Fast User Switching and Apple's own bundled utilities for file...

Pattern matching with PHP: Part II.(PHP)
February 1, 2004... This month's PHP--Here's How's will continue to look at pattern matching in PHP. We saw last month how regular expressions (REs) could be used to greatly increase the ability to match patterns in strings. We will expand on this by looking at...

Effects to the rescue.(Digital Video)
February 1, 2004... Last issue we looked at how to get your video ready for end-of-year viewing by family and friends, and this month we take you through how to rescue your footage step-by-step with some time-honoured tools. Video editing applications provide...

Windows XP, 2000: what to do when Windows won't boot.(Windows)
February 1, 2004... Q Windows XP won't load on my computer. What should I do? --Ernest Kaufman A If Windows XP (or 2000) refuses to start, press right after you turn on your PC but before the Windows log-on appears (it may take a few attempts to get the...

Windows Me: Memory issues.(Windows)
February 1, 2004... Q I'm running Windows Me and have started to receive messages saying "Not enough memory". According to the statistics, 89 per cent of my memory is used. What is using it and how can I get some back? I have several imaging suites installed. ...

Beat a BIOS password.(Hardware)
February 1, 2004... A question we're often asked is how to access the BIOS settings when they have been protected by a forgotten password. There are several ways you can do this. One method is to disconnect the backup battery and wait 24 hours or more. This...

File version conflict.(Hardware)
February 1, 2004... Q My scanner stopped working after I tried to remove the extra programs that came with it. Now, even after reinstalling the bundled packages, the scanner still won't work. Whichever image-editing software I use, I receive the error "Pmxpower...

Edit surfing history.(Internet)
February 1, 2004... Q Is there a way to delete unwanted Web sites from the Internet Explorer address bar? After reinstalling my broadband connection I found that all the addresses had been wiped out. I began to enter some of my favourites but I made a few...

Secure your e-mails with folder lock.(Internet)
February 1, 2004... Graham Nelson wrote to share his solution to the problem of securing and backing up e-mails. The method uses an application called Folder Lock (go to www.newsoftwares.net/folderlock or see this month's cover disc). It's cheaper than alternative...

Clear passwords from IE's AutoComplete.(Helpscreen)
February 1, 2004... Internet Explorer's AutoComplete feature handily remembers the user names, passwords and other data that you need to enter repeatedly in online forms, so you don't have to type the data in every time. But what if a certain password you recorded...

Free PowerPoint viewer.(Miscellaneous)
February 1, 2004... I've never created a PowerPoint presentation in my life, and I don't have the program on my PC even though it has been in most of the editions of Microsoft Office I've bought. Nevertheless, someone occasionally asks that I review an important...

Improve your moves with Total Copy.(Miscellaneous)
February 1, 2004... If your system is interrupted while copying a large number of files and folders, it can be tough to tell the folders whose contents were completely copied from those that are incomplete. You have either to start over or open each folder...

Optimise your audio.(Miscellaneous)
February 1, 2004... Are your speakers and sound card cranking out the sound quality you expect from them? Find out with SoundCheck 2 from PassMark Software. This handy utility lets you unleash your inner audiophile with all kinds of tests. Discover what frequency...

Corrupt program.(Miscellaneous)
February 1, 2004... Q I have lost the ability to open JPG images in Microsoft Photo Editor. When I click on a JPG file I receive a message saying that "The file is not a valid Win32 application". I tried re-associating Photo Editor with the JPG file type but when...

The Healthy PC.
February 1, 2004... BY CAREY HOLZMAN We all know that exercise and good diet are requirements for a healthy life--and it's just the same with PCs. A little bit of maintenance and attention along the way could save you loads of time on the phone to support...

eBay Bargain Shopping for Dummies.
February 1, 2004... BY MARSHA COLLIER Publisher: John Wiley & Sons Price: $28195 Phone: 1800 777 474 URL: www.johnwiley.com.au SBN 0764540807 The popularity of eBay continues to grow--with good reason: everyone loves a bargain! This book aims to help you...

Teach Yourself Visually Office 2003.
February 1, 2004... BY RUTH MARAN AND KELLEIGH JOHNSON Publisher: John Wiley & Sons Price: $59.95 Phone: 1800 777 474 URL: www.johnwiley.com.au ISBN: 0764539809 If you're the type of person who likes to see something in order to really understand it,...

.NET training takes off.(Skills)
February 1, 2004... Microsoft's .NET technology is having an enormous impact on the training industry and courses are in high demand. Monash University got a jump on the rest of the academic world when it was asked to join a secret Microsoft research project...

Caloriesperhour.com.(Web)
February 1, 2004... Overindulged over Christmas? Want to shape up as a new year's resolution? Take a spin by Caloriesperhour.com. There's a simple recipe for losing weight--expend more energy than you take in--and this site makes it easy to work out how many...

IEEE Virtual Museum.(Web)
February 1, 2004... This site is perfect for parents fielding tricky questions from their kids or the just plain curious. Want to know how electricity came to be? Or, how microwaves were harnessed for cooking? This site, by the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and...

What brand are you?(Web)
February 1, 2004... How often have you seen a company spend millions on high-priced consultants to come up with some weird-sounding names that don't seem to mean anything? Now you can create one for yourself! This site pokes fun at those stupid names by coming up...

Latestbuy.com.au.(Web)
February 1, 2004... If you love gadgets or know someone who adores funny little gifts, take a look at Latestbuy.com.au. This site sells all sorts of paraphernalia from the serious (camcorders) to the absurd (Iraqi playing cards like the ones the US used to...