Australian PC World articles from February 2007

Australian PC World archives from February 2007

Great free tool to unzip files.(Letter to the editor)
February 1, 2007... I was reading through an earlier digest this evening and noted a comment by a disgruntled reader having to pay for the privilege of having to "unpack" ZIP files with the newer version of Winzip 10. I, personally, have been using "PowerDesk 6"...

POP activity query.(Post Office Protocol 3 (e-mail messages))(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... I have been getting some regular POP3 activity, even though I'm not sending e-mails... the antivirus scanner shows the messages attached. What are they and what's going on? Thank you kindly for any assistance you can give. ROHIT PC World...

Veridas collapse, causes customer grief.(Letter to the editor)
February 1, 2007... Like many, I was recently cut off from the Internet thanks to the Veridas collapse (To read more on this story visit "Veridas customers given final deadline" at http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/ index.php?id=688694050. I lodged a churn application...

Missive of the month.
February 1, 2007... Congratulations to Noel P Muller! You are this month's winner of the SONbuddy Wireless Network in a Box valued at $99.90. SONbuddy offers the simplest way for home users, students and even mobile workgroups to network, collaborate and interact...

AMD launches four-core motherboard.(Advanced Micro Devices Inc.)
February 1, 2007... AMD has launched a motherboard with four cores, targeting gaming enthusiasts in an effort to keep pace with the release of quad-core chips by rival Intel. AMD's Quad FX Platform includes two dual-core Athlon 64 FX-70 series chips and uses...

SideShow notebooks for Vista appear.(Asustek Computer developing duel screen laptop computer)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Asustek Computer has prepared one of the first notebook PCs to use SideShow, a small display on the outside of the case that works with Windows Vista to allow users to scan e-mails and other information without booting up the notebook. ...

Centrino to pre-802.11n Wi-Fi.(IEEE Globecom 2006 Expo)(Intel's plan to developed Centrino chips using Wi-Fi technology)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... During a presentation at the IEEE Globecom 2006 Expo, Alan Crouch, director and general manager at Intel's Communications Technology Lab told the audience to expect Intel to put a pre-standard version of IEEE 802.11n Wi-Fi into its Centrino...

NEC shows rugged notebook: Shield Pro survives dunking, dropping and extreme temperatures.(laptop computers)(Product/service evaluation)
February 1, 2007... NEC launched its latest notebook PC with a splash: executives poured a bottle of water over the computer while it was operating to demonstrate its toughness to harsh environmental conditions. The "Shield Pro" FC-N21S notebook is rated to...

Sony reports digicam glitch.(digital still cameras fault)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Problems with the image pick-up in eight models of Sony digital still cameras could mean the inability to take clear pictures or any photos at all, the company said, Sony has found the CCD (charge-coupled device) in eight of its cameras...

Bank moves to allay online fears.(Bank of Queensland Ltd. introduced a one time password and transaction signing services for internet banking security)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... The Bank of Queensland (BOQ) has introduced a one time password and transaction signing for its Internet security token. The features are based on the BOQ token which matches randomly generated codes to a customer's profile to verify...

Intel preps 45nm quad-core chips.(Penryn quad-core processors)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Intel has started to produce samples of a quad-core processor called Penryn that offers faster clock speeds and larger cache sizes, an executive said. "Our first Penryn chips are being fabricated right now and we expect them to come out of...

Hybrid camcorder: Hitachi DZ-HS303.(Product/service evaluation)
February 1, 2007... What do you do if you can't decide between the convenience of a DVD camcorder and the capacity of a hard disk model? If you're Hitachi, you stick them together to create the world's first hybrid DVD/HDD camcorder. The best thing about DVD...

BlackBerry a real gem: RIM BlackBerry Pearl 8100.(smart phones)(Product/service evaluation)
February 1, 2007... The BlackBerry has long been synonymous with business. Compared with today's multimedia-savvy phones, Research In Motion's addictive devices have had something of a staid image; but that is about to change with the impressive BlackBerry Pearl...

Top-notch graphics performance: ASUS 8800GTX.(graphics cards)(Product/service evaluation)
February 1, 2007... NVIDIA's 8800 is the next step in GPU architecture and it's the first card capable of using the DirectX 10 API (Application Programming Interface) that ships with Windows Vista. The new G80 chip, the successor to the G71 chip found on NVIDIA's...

The right iDea: Acer Aspire Idea 500.(multimedia systems)(Product/service evaluation)
February 1, 2007... With the iDea 500, Acer has taken some major steps in the right direction to making media centre PCs more accessible to regular buyers. They have ditched the PC tower for a case not unlike a set top box. Even though it now looks like a...

AM2 PC powerfully built: Plus Corp Atlas AM2 5200 PC.(personal computer)(Product/service evaluation)
February 1, 2007... Plus Corporation has a habit of sending us PCs laden with the latest, flashiest and most powerful hardware on the market and the Plus Corp Atlas AM2 5200 PC is no different. At the time of testing, the 2.60GHz AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core CPU...

Portable entertainment: HP Pavilion dv9018TX Entertainment Notebook PC (RL766PA).(laptop computers)(Product/service evaluation)
February 1, 2007... One of the upper tier Core 2 Duo notebooks in HP's newest selection of entertainment machines, the HP Pavilion dv9018TX Entertainment Notebook PC comes with a number of nice features that give this unit a distinct advantage over other desktop...

Powerfully processed: Lenovo 3000 N100 (0768GCM).(laptop computers)(Product/service evaluation)
February 1, 2007... Running one of the new Intel Core 2 Duo processors, Lenovo's N100 is quite a zippy machine. It offers fast performance suitable for a wide variety of tasks, an above average screen and a reasonable price tag. The N100 is powered by a...

Iomega's Rev outperforms DAT: Iomega USB 2.0 70GB Rev Drive.(data storage devcie)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... The handiest and most affordable desktop backup device is currently an external hard drive. But to back up critical workstations and servers, you need high-capacity removable media that you can rotate and secure off-site. Iomega's...

Little printer performs big: Canon Selphy CP730.(photo printers)(Product/service evaluation)
February 1, 2007... If the word 'printer' conjures up an image of an oversized bland plastic box, you clearly haven't caught up with the growing trend for compact photo printers. The Selphy CP730 offers a perfect education in everything that's chic and seamless in...

Great-looking video: Canon HV10.(camcorder)(Product/service evaluation)
February 1, 2007... Canon's new $2299 HV10, the company's first consumer-oriented high-definition camcorder, makes a strong debut. It produces impressive video and is easy to use, but suffers from a rather bulky design. The HV10 records high-definition video to...

Ultraslim delivers excellent images: Casio Exilim EX-S770.(digital cameras)(Product/service evaluation)
February 1, 2007... The new $699 Casio Exilim EX-S770 is a 7.2Mp (megapixel) addition to the company's Card series of ultra slim cameras. The svelte, stylish body comes at a cost, though, as the camera lacks many of the manual controls you'll find on similar...

Take the express lane: EMC Retrospect Express HD 2.0.(backup software)(Product/service evaluation)
February 1, 2007... With so many users backing up to hard drives, it's a wonder EMC didn't start selling its super-easy-to-use Retrospect Express HD 2.0 (as in hard drive) backup program sooner. Previously available only when bundled with Maxtor's OneTouch hard...

Convenient TV tuner: Compro U500.(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... A digital TV tuner for a PC offers greater convenience than a dedicated set top box when it comes to recording and archiving shows, and if you have a powerful enough system, you can even watch TV while still undertaking your regular PC...

Teeny shuffle: Apple iPod shuffle.(mp3 players)(Product/service evaluation)
February 1, 2007... Apple's first iPod shuffle was the smallest digital-music player around when released. Version two makes that model look cumbersome, weighing in at just 15g and at about the size of a CompactFlash card or tiny book of matches. It's teeny. ...

Music that's shaken not stirred: Sony Walkman NW-S205F.(Product/service evaluation)
February 1, 2007... Sony's new 2GB Walkman NW-S205F packs in more workout-specific features than any other music player we've seen. The player's cylindrical shape makes it look more like a test-tube, but the aluminium-clad NW-S205F feels solid as a rock, and could...

What's the best Internet security? AVG Internet Security 7.5, Panda Internet Security 2007, Sophos Security Suite SBE 2.0.(network security software)(Product/service evaluation)
February 1, 2007... With broadband becoming ubiquitous, Internet security is now a vital factor for any home or business user. Two of the three packages reviewed here, AVG Internet Security 7.5 (a trial version is on the Cover DVD) and Panda Internet Security...

Intuitive photo editing tools: Adobe Photoshop Elements 5.0 and Ulead PhotoImpact 12.0.(image processing software)(Product/service evaluation)
February 1, 2007... Adobe's Photoshop is the most widely used professional photo-editing software. It selects from the full range of its high-end expertise to create Photoshop Elements, a cut-down user-friendly version that's perfect for the home user. On the...

New encryption keeps data safe: Securstar Drivecrypt Plus Pack 3.5 and PGP Whole Disk Encryption 9.5.(encryption software)(Product/service evaluation)
February 1, 2007... You may not always be able to protect your laptop from a thief, but you can safeguard the data that it contains. Two new products--PGP Whole Disk Encryption 9.5 and DriveCrypt Plus Pack 3.5 from SecurStar--promise to protect your data so that...

Spell the right word: Macquarie WordGenius Reference Library.(Encyclopedias)(Product/service evaluation)
February 1, 2007... The Macquarie WordGenius Reference Library is a very handy tool when you're using an application that supports drag-and-drop, for example Microsoft Office. WordGenius is a dictionary, thesaurus and spellchecker on one disc that makes it quick...

Home entertainment gear guide.(Buyers guide)
February 1, 2007... A home theatre can do a remarkable job of mimicking the multiplex experience. DVD players and newer televisions can produce detailed high-resolution pictures, offering realistic portrayals of everything from the largest explosion to the...

Everything you need to know about Windows Vista: it's big, it's ambitious, and it's (finally) here. We give you the bottom line on what Vista does better than XP, where it needs improvement--and how to perform the upgrade, step-by-step.(Microsoft Windows Vista)(Product/service evaluation)
February 1, 2007... Has any operating system been so maligned and so praised during a painfully long development cycle as Windows Vista? The march to Vista's launch has sometimes seemed longer than the Hundred Years War. Now that Windows Vista is at hand, let...

Vista: the upgrade. Ready to make the Switch to Windows Vista? We'll show you what kind of system you'll need, which edition you should choose, and how to install Microsoft's latest OS.
February 1, 2007... Vista improves upon earlier versions of Windows in many ways (see "Everything you need to know about Windows Vista" on page 52 for more on its features). If your hardware is fairly new, but you're not satisfied with Windows XP, upgrading will...

AMD vs Intel: CPU showdown: the best processors for your PC: we test the latest models from Intel ans AMD to find out which ones are the best for your needs and budget.(central processing units, multiple core processors)(Product/service evaluation)
February 1, 2007... Whether you're buying a new PC or building one up from scratch, the CPU you choose will affect its performance, power consumption and price. If you need the absolute fastest CPU in order to complete your work quickly, then spending big dollars...

Ahead of the class: get ready for a new school year with these great products that make learning fun--or at least that little bit easier.(Buyers guide)
February 1, 2007... As well as shopping for new shoes and stationery supplies, getting ready for a new school year these days often means a tech wish-list. Whether your kids' school mandates a notebook, you're in the market for a new home PC, or a printer to add...

Processor possessed.(CPUs (Central processing units))(Product/service evaluation)
February 1, 2007... When it comes time to select a CPU for your new PC, the choices are vast and not always clear. Expensive CPUs may offer the fastest speeds and the most advanced features, but less expensive CPUs may offer similar performance at a much lower...

PCs.(personal computers)(Buyers guide)(Table)
February 1, 2007... PCs $1500-$3000 FEATURES AND SPECIFICATIONS 1 Pacstar X-AM2Duo AMD Athlon 64 X2 4600 Dual Core Price: $1999 AM2 Socket CPU; NVIDIA nForce 430 Phone: (02) 9868 6963...

Notebooks.(laptop computers)(Buyers guide)
February 1, 2007... NOTEBOOKS SUB-$2500 FEATURES AND SPECIFICATIONS 1 Acer Aspire 5634WLMi Intel T56001.83GHz Core 2 Duo Price: $1999 CPU; 1GB 533MHz DDR2 RAM; Phone: 1300 366 567...

Motherboards.(Buyers guide)(Table)
February 1, 2007... MOTHERBOARDS CHIPSET MEMORY SLOTS AMD-BASED CPU SUPPORT MAXIMUM MEMORY MOTHERBOARDS CPU SOCKET PCI EXPRESS SLOTS 1...

Graphics cards.(Buyers guide)(Table)
February 1, 2007... GRAPHICS CARDS MID-RANGE GRAPHICS CARDS SPECIFICATIONS 1 Gainward GeForce 7600GT GeForce 7600GT chipset; 12 pixel PCX ** pipelines; 5 vertex pipelines; Price: $235 ...

19in LCD monitors.(liquid crystal displays)(Buyers guide)(Table)
February 1, 2007... 19in LCD MONITORS PANEL TECHNOLOGY RESPONSE TIME INPUT MODEL DOT PITCH SPEAKERS 1 ViewSonic VX922 TN * ...

Inkjet-based multifunction devices.(Buyers guide)(Table)
February 1, 2007... INKJET-BASED MULTIFUNCTION DEVICES DIMENSIONS (WXDXH)/PAPER FUNCTIONS/ PATH/INTERFACE/...

ADSL2 modems.(asymmetric digital subscriber line)(Buyers guide)(Table)
February 1, 2007... ADSL2 MODEMS ADSL2 MODEMS ADSL STANDARDS NETWORKING 1 Dynalink RTA1025W ADSL; ADSL2; ADSL2+ 4-port switch; DHCP Price: $179 server; port- Phone: 1300 269...

Boot error.(Microsoft Windows XP Home SP2, Boot.ini File missing)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Q When I start my Toshiba laptop, running XP Home SP2, I get the message: "Invalid Boot.ini File. Booting from C:\Windows\". It doesn't seem to cause any problems.--George Wright A Click Start-Run and then enter the command "msconfig"....

Rootkit revealed?(RootkitRevealer, malware detecting software)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Q I ran RootkitRevealer. It found problems, but doesn't tell you how to solve them.--Ray Ryan A RootkitRevealer is just a tool to allow rootkits to be seen. RootkitRevealer looks for things using different methods, for example by using a...

Tahoma not present.(font file error while using Microsoft Office Service Pack 2)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Q My wife uses Word 2000 SR1. It worked fine until we installed SP2. Now whenever we open a Word document we receive the error "Tahoma font not present, click on help to repair" and Word won't open. The font is present in the Fonts folder, but...

Works compatible.(Microsoft Works compatible with Microsoft Office)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Q I want to buy a PC with MS Works preinstalled. Is this compatible with Microsoft Office, which I use at work, or will I need to buy Office?--Sarfraz Ahmed A Microsoft Works is more or less identical to Office as far as the word processor...

Slow starter.(computer system using Pentium II processor takes more time to load)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Q I have a Pentium II processor with 512MB RAM and an 80GB hard drive, of which 12GB is used. The system takes about five minutes to load, instead of the 45 seconds it took when I bought it.--Bryn Roper A If your PC has a Pentium II...

Booted out.(disk partition problem)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Q I installed Paragon Partition Manager and looked at its Boot Manager--at least I thought that's all I did. Now I can't load Windows. I get a text screen telling me to: "Boot from A:". Is there some way of recovering XP Media Center Edition...

Dealing with failed online purchases.(online software purchases contracts)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Consumer issues aren't strictly within HelpScreen's remit, but a couple of pleas for help regarding failed online software purchases found their way into the Inbox this month, so we'll make an exception. If you buy software on the Internet...

Network monitor.
February 1, 2007... Q I have a network of seven PCs at home. Recently, four were infected with the same virus and one was hacked and personal data stolen. Is there a piece of software I can install on a dedicated server PC to monitor other systems and network...

Access restore points from the recovery console.(restore a Registry backup)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Simon Scott passed on this excellent tip to restore a Registry backup from a restore point using the XP recovery console. It is useful in recovering from a corrupted Registry that stops the PC booting. Check the boot priority in the BIOS...

Free antivirus: restore your zapped Internet access and cancel a stuck print job.
February 1, 2007... Fed up with bloated commercial antivirus programs? Sick of the incremental payments for yearly renewals for the likes of Symantec's Norton AntiVirus and McAfee's VirusScan Plus? Yank these behemoths out by their roots and replace them with a...

Print here, there and everywhere.(PrinterAnywhere's document printing software)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Want to print a document directly on a pal's printer, anywhere in the world? If you're both online, you can do it with PrinterAnywhere (www.printeranywhere.com). The free utility installs on both PCs, and you can choose the PrinterAnywhere...

IE 7 proves buggy: it's safer, but security holes still affect the new browser. Plus, a worm in iPods.(Microsoft Internet Explorer 7.0)
February 1, 2007... Internet Explorer 7 (IE 7) for Windows XP is finally out. Because it tries to fix or prevent many of the numerous security flaws that hit IE 6, it's arguably the largest bug fix we've seen in quite a while. For that reason alone, I recommend...

New office holes.(Microsoft Office 2003 critical flaws reported)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Hackers are using a new batch of critical Office 2000 flaws to bite credulous openers of suspicious e-mail attachments. The holes are less dangerous, but still present, in Office 2003. Keep Office updated through Automatic Updates, or grab the...

More battery heat.(Sony is recalling laptop batteries)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Sony is recalling some 3.5-million laptop batteries worldwide, including those used in its VAIO notebooks, as well as those in models from Fujitsu, Gateway and Toshiba, because of a minute (but real) risk of overheating and fire. For a full...

Treat the cause to cure your slow PC: speed up your PC using tried and tested techniques.(personal computer)
February 1, 2007... Many is the letter or e-mail I've read from a reader in despair over how to fix a PC that used to run like clockwork and now chugs along like an old banger on its last legs. The crucial line has often been "even after I reinstalled Windows"....

Talking to your PC: talk to your workstation without receiving strange looks.
February 1, 2007... I've just got back from a break in sunny Majorca, where one of my favourite things was strolling around the marina ogling the super yachts and idly deciding whether I'd have mine fitted out with a step-off dive deck or an onboard Jacuzzi (both,...

Wi-Fi networking--the easy way: lose the cables and hook your house up to Wi-Fi.
February 1, 2007... One reason for the popularity of wireless networking is its reasonable cost. Wireless hardware is as cheap as chips these days, and you can save money by not running network wiring all over your house. You'll spend less on Internet connections,...

Clean browsers for better security: learn how to clear out unwanted files from three popular Web browsers.(HERE'S HOW: SECURITY)
February 1, 2007... Internet Explorer, Firefox, Opera and other browsers keep accurate records of your online activities, and not just in their history records. Clearing out the virtual breadcrumbs in your Internet cache and browser histories preserves your...

The future is online: sharing content online is now easier than it ever was.
February 1, 2007... These days, the Internet is where the most innovation seems to be happening. Whether in the form of the YouTubes and MySpaces of this world, or in collaborative online efforts such as Wikipedia and news blogs, it's largely shared applications...

Medieval II: Total War.(computer strategy games)(Product/service evaluation)
February 1, 2007... Medieval II: Total War is a strong successor to the critically acclaimed Rome. Bringing incremental additions to the winning formula that made Rome such a success, it extends the classic clash-of-armies strategy game with new campaigns,...

Seeing is believing.
February 1, 2007... Introducing video and image based communication to its Xbox Live service, Microsoft has released a new peripheral called the Xbox Live Vision Camera. Essentially a webcam, it unlocks a variety of new features including video chat, picture...

Cricket 07.(computer sports games)(Product/service evaluation)
February 1, 2007... Whether it's Boonie's international beer drinking record, Shane Warne's baffling leg breaks or Steve Waugh's stony resilience, the game of cricket has its heroes and legends. What it doesn't have though, is an awesome video game simulation....

Keepin' it cool.
February 1, 2007... While the Antec Spot Cooler would be a pointless tool for most people, it does come in handy for people who need to get better airflow onto a specific component. With three fan settings, you can set it to a low RPM (revolutions per minute) and...

Cringely capable.(Pam Anderson's online gambling site is shutting down due to anti-gambling legislation)(Microsoft Internet Explorer 7.0 evaluation)(Microsoft Office 2007 licensees)
February 1, 2007... Don't ask, don't Dell: A Cringester who prefers anonymity says he ordered multiple copies of Microsoft Office 2007 media from Dell, only to have the order mysteriously cancelled a few days later. His salesperson claimed Microsoft had...