Australian PC World articles from January 2005

Australian PC World archives from January 2005

Stress tests.(Editorial)
January 1, 2005... For 15 years, PC World has been at the forefront of PC testing--developing industry standard benchmarks to ensure the gear we review is truly put through its paces, This month we announce WorldBench 5 as our newest benchmarking software,...

Fast drives [not equal] noisy drives: ASUS developed the world's quietest drives.
January 1, 2005... The rise of multimedia and entertainment applications has moved PCs into the living room. They now include functions such as Dolby Digital surround sound, opti fiber output, wireless networking and powerful video performance, turning them into...

Office by the (financial) numbers.
January 1, 2005... Continuing its push to grab larger chunks of the SMB (small and midsize business) markets, Microsoft says it is developing a low-end accounting package--code-named Magellan--with a new version of Office, and the two will work in concert. ...

Latest MyDoom may signal 'Zero-Day'.
January 1, 2005... A November 2004 version of the MyDoom virus sparked suggestions that the much-anticipated Zero-Day attack is near. Zero Day refers to an exploit, either a worm or a virus, that arrives on the heels of, or even before, the public...

Intel's Pentium 4 tops out at 3.8GHz.(News Analysis)
January 1, 2005... Intel has increased the clock speed of its Pentium 4 processor for possibly the last time as the company heads into a new era for its desktop processor designs. The Pentium 4 570 processor is a 3.8GHz chip with 1MB of Level 2 cache and...

Nigerian Internet scammer jailed.
January 1, 2005... The Australian mastermind behind a global Internet fraud, commonly known as the Nigerian or West African scare, has been sentenced to more than four years jail. Nick Marinellis pleaded guilty in the NSW District Court to 10 counts of fraud...

Aldi PC vendor signs OfficeWorks.
January 1, 2005... The PC vendor that put cut-price computers in Australian supermarkets has continued its mainstream push by signing OfficeWorks as a stockist. Medion, a $3 billion business in its homeland of Germany, first created local interest by selling...

MPAA starts movie-swapping lawsuits.(News Analysis)
January 1, 2005... The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) has started suing online file-traders, pursuing a strategy similar to one employed by the recording industry since 2003. The MPAA's member companies are suing people who have swapped digital...

Local IT jobs boom.(News Analysis)
January 1, 2005... The Australian IT job market has boomed in the last year with Java, Oracle and Unix experts topping the most-wanted list, according to a recent Ambit study. The Ambit Jobnet trend series measures the skills required for vacancies...

Telstra extends ADSL.(News Analysis)
January 1, 2005... Telstra's ADSL may soon be within the reach of 1000 customers currently cut off from the broadband service. The telco is conducting a national three-month field trial, hoping to extend delivery of ADSL residential broadband beyond the...

Firefox on the prowl.(News Analysis)
January 1, 2005... The Mozilla Foundation has released version 1.0 of its Firefox browser, an open-source product that has generated lofty expectations that it will offer real competition to Microsoft's Internet Explorer. The buzz surrounding Firefox has...

Google adds POP3 support to Gmail.
January 1, 2005... Google is in the process of rolling out POP3 (Post Office Protocol) support to Gmail users, who will be able to use the feature to download e-mail messages from Gmail servers to e-mail applications on devices such as PCs and wireless devices....

Microsoft trots out MSN Search beta.
January 1, 2005... Microsoft has unveiled a beta version of its new search engine, offering users an interface and a set of features that make the product begin to resemble established search engines from competitors Google, Yahoo and Ask Jeeves. The beta...

CPU speed blitz: Intel Pentium 4 Extreme Edition 3.46GHZ, AMD Athlon FX 64-55, AMD Athlon 64 4000+.(First Looks)
January 1, 2005... The upper end of the CPU market received a major jolt this month. Firstly, AMD released faster versions of its Athlon 64 and Athlon 64 FX processor products (Athlon 64 4000+ and Athlon 64 FX-55). Meanwhile, Intel announced a new motherboard...

Audio/visual control centre: VRS-N8100.(First Looks)
January 1, 2005... With computer vendors targeting the lounge room, it wasn't going to be too long until home theatre vendors hit back with their own products addressing the digital lifestyle trend. Kenwood's flagship VRS-N8100 control centre is one such...

Budget wireless A/V: Z400.(First Looks)
January 1, 2005... A video-capable wireless media adapter, the Z400 appears to have the proper credentials. It offers wireless and wired network connections (802.11g and 10/100Mbps Ethernet) and a comprehensive set of audio/video connectors at the rear. It's...

Video editor gets on track: Studio Plus 9.(First Looks)
January 1, 2005... Anyone familiar with Pinnacle Studio 9 will know that it's one of the most accessible consumer video editors available (see page 30, May 04), but has notably lacked key features found in competing products. These limitations have now (largely)...

Photoshop for the rest of us: Adobe Elements 3.0.(First Looks)
January 1, 2005... Photoshop Elements 3.0, Adobe's latest image editing package for the non-professional, has been given a substantial facelift. Besides the revamped interface, improved tools and new features have transformed Elements 3.0 into a substantial image...

Creative digital imaging: Ulead PhotoImpact 10.(First Looks)
January 1, 2005... Ulead PhotoImpact 10 provides some strong tools for digital still camera users, as well as refinements to existing tools. However, the most noteworthy improvement to the latest version is the interface, bringing pallet and menu controls into...

Get your fingertips flying: Mavis Beacon teaches Typing 16 Deluxe.(First Looks)
January 1, 2005... Providing you practice just 15 minutes daily, this package promises you can improve typing speed, accuracy and rhythm by 25 per cent in just two weeks --or your money back. The interface uses a classroom scenario. Options include speed...

Portable performance.(Quick Takes)
January 1, 2005... Dell's first 12.1in widescreen notebook, the Inspiron 700m, is a little performance powerhouse with a striking white and silver design. The 700m is targeted at professionals and students who need computing power without lugging a desktop...

Gmini Jilickers!(Quick Takes)
January 1, 2005... We recently had the chance to spend some quality time testing Archos' new Gmini 400, a personal portable multimedia player that also allows you to play video games. The $400 device also functions as a photo viewer and an audio and video...

New dog, new tricks.(Quick Takes)
January 1, 2005... Once you're over the disappointment that it's not the high-definition model many were predicting, you'll find Canon's XL2 a worthy successor to the successful XL1 and XL1s MiniDV camcorders. A quick scan of the exterior reveals several...

New Wacom tablet.(Quick Takes)
January 1, 2005... The Wacom Intuos 3 graphic tablet straddles the line between enthusiasts using the Graphire 3 and high-end professionals using Cintiq display tablets. The resolution of the Intuos 3 has doubled to 5080 lines per inch both horizontally and...

A class act.(Quick Takes)
January 1, 2005... Act! 7.0 is a major revamp including more than 50 new features for Interact Commerce Corporation's venerable contact management software. Its new interface is largely an evolutionary jump, but the new database underneath effectively makes this...

Portable storage, high price.(Quick Takes)
January 1, 2005... Removable media may be dropping in price, but hard drives are still more cost-effective. That's why Nikon has launched the CoolWalker, a portable digital storage device for digital photographers. With a 30GB hard disk, the PDA-sized...

Worth Ad-aware update.(Quick Takes)
January 1, 2005... Lavasoft's Ad-Aware SE is one of our favourite pieces of software: great for detecting and removing spyware that infects systems. So why pay $US27 for the Plus version? The reason: real-time protection. We installed Ad-Aware SE Plus,...

Falling quality.(Readers' Forum)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2005... In my opinion, it appears that the level of quality of products being developed/ managed by Symantec is very reduced from the high quality products Symantec delivered 5-6 years ago. There has been an outstanding issue with Norton Antivirus...

Shine a light.(Readers' Forum)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2005... I'm in the market for a projector and someone had mentioned that you had completed an excellent article on them just recently. I was so eager to read it I rang and spoke to Lyn (PC World subscriptions) and before long found myself on a train to...

Security aware.(Readers' Forum)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2005... I thought all your readers--and perhaps frequent Hotmail users--might like to know that the virus detecting system used on its Web site may not be as good as you think. A couple of days ago I received a bogus e-mail from a friend with the...

Dilbert.(Readers' Forum)
January 1, 2005... HERE'S YOUR SCRIPT FOR THE MEETING. SCRIPT? MY BOSS SEES ME ONLY TWICE A YEAR. I WANT EVERYTHING TO GO SMOOTHLY. IN ACT ONE, SCENE TWO, WHEN I PROCLAIM MY ADMIRATION FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP... WHAT'S MY MOTIVATION? ...

All gain no pain: PC chores don't have to be drudgery. We show you quick and easy ways to complete six essential tasks.(Quick & Easy Guides)
January 1, 2005... The common wisdom is that PCs, like your finances, require a lot of time-hogging good habits. That lengthy list of "shoulds" might make you weary enough to want to lie down. In sympathy, we've simplified six PC tasks, skipping all the...

Summer games shootout: we showcase the best games for 2005.
January 1, 2005... Take the phone off the hook, close the curtains and ready your supply of food and refreshments--it's going to be a long summer of intense gaming action. Whether you're behind the wheel in the larger than ever Need for Speed: Underground 2,...

One stop guide: digital music: what are today's top products and services for music lovers? We downloaded. We streamed. We listened. And here's what we found.
January 1, 2005... Remember going to a toy store as a kid? You went crazy from the sheer profusion of stuff--water guns, board games, cricket bats, Barbies. And all those action figures. The world of digital audio is like that now: a seemingly endless array of...

Sounds fantastic: sound cards are no longer the poor relations of PC components--we can now enjoy music via our PCs at full tilt. Robin Morris seeks out cards that'll do gamers and MP3 fans proud, and looks at tweaking settings and positioning speakers for optimum output.
January 1, 2005... Manufacturers are only too keen to lure us with blistering processor speeds, cutting-edge graphics cards and gargantuan hard drives. But the sound system is an area many PC makers feel they can relax their otherwise rigorous standards. To be...

Graphics grunt: best value, great performance.(Best Buys)
January 1, 2005... With the release of Doom 3 and Half-Life 2 in recent months, pixel-pushing power will be at a premium for those of us wanting to play these games at high resolutions, with high detail textures turned on. Current ATI Radeon 9800 and NVIDIA...

Take the PCI Express.(Sweet Spot)
January 1, 2005... Resellers are urging customers to upgrade their whole PC platform to take advantage of the release of new memory, processors and graphics technology. Plus Corporation managing director, Nigel Fernandes, said the plummeting price of PCI...

AGP graphics remain sweet.(Sweet Spot)
January 1, 2005... When constructing a PC it's worth looking out for hardware pieces that can offer the highest levels of performance without the heftiest of price tags. These components sit in what is called the sweet spot. The rule that we use to determine the...

Over $3500.(Best Buys)
January 1, 2005... Plus Corporation Altera FX-55 [pc world BEST BUYS*] 1 NEW A perfect system to meet all types of computing needs, the Altera FX-55 is feature-packed and boasts some great expansion possibilities for future upgrades. A black Coolermaster...

$1500-$3500.(Best Buys)
January 1, 2005... APUS Universe Pro 3500A9 [pc world BEST BUYS*] [1] A Thermaltake Tsunami case houses the components, is constructed wholly of aluminium and features various security features. A large swing-able door on the front can be locked with a key...

Sub-$1500.(Best Buy)
January 1, 2005... i-Tech AMD Athlon XP Award series [pc world BEST BUYS*] [1] A full PC package for under $1500 is a reality: fast, reliable systems can be used for business or at home, and the Athlon XP Award series from i-Tech is a good example. ...

PCs: over $3500, $1500-$3500, sub-$1500.(Best Buys)
January 1, 2005... VALUE MAKE/MODEL ADDING SPEED RATING REAL WORLD TESTS OVER $3500 (1) Plus Corporation 108 (A) 369 (F) 2m14s Altera FX-55 (B) 27913 (G)...

Over $4000.(Best Buys)
January 1, 2005... Toshiba Qosmio G10 [pc world BEST BUYS*] [1] NEW The Qosmio G10's (pronounced "Kozmio") $5999 price tag might seem a lot, but this audiovisual enthusiast's dream machine goes along way to justify the outlay. It's intended to be more...

$2500-$4000.(Best Buys)
January 1, 2005... Pioneer Power Notebook 470K [pc world BEST BUYS*] [1] Reduced to $3499 this month, the 470K is bundled with a digital (standard definition) TV tuner--an external USB Dreamvision unit with remote. Cyberlink PowerCinema 3 is supplied...

Sub-$2500.(Best Buys)
January 1, 2005... Optima Centoris G595 [pc world BEST BUYS*] [1] A multi-format (-/+) DVD writer, 802.11b/g wireless networking, four-in-one card reader and a great worst-case scenario battery life of 98min--all for $2199. The Optima Centoris G595 is...

Notebooks: over $4000, sub-$2500-$4000, sub-$2500.(Best Buys)
January 1, 2005... VALUE MAKE/MODEL RATING BENCHMARK SCORES REAL WORLD TESTS OVER $4000 (1) Toshiba 79 (A) 291 (D) 48s Qosmio (B) 12600 (E) 4m32s G10...

Graphic cards.(Best Buys)
January 1, 2005... Buying a graphics card is never an easy task, as we all try to juggle our budgets and wrap our heads around the latest technology news so we can get the best value pixel pusher for our money. There is glut of card manufacturers out there trying...

Give dual the boot.(Windows XP)
January 1, 2005... Q I recently tried to install XP Home SP2 and crashed the system. I've been told that I have to reformat and reinstall everything, but I solved that problem by installing Windows 2000 on a different partition, making it a dual startup machine....

Natural selection.(Windows XP)
January 1, 2005... Q I have a Windows XP PC and recently enabled single-click file opening. The trouble is, I can't remember how I did it, and now I want to go back to double-clicking on files and icons. Can you tell me where to look? --Brendan Watts A...

Backed up.(Windows XP)
January 1, 2005... Q Before installing Windows XP SP2 on my PC, I thought I should back up my system. I chose my E drive (CD Writer) for the backup media and received the message "The backup filename could not be used. Please ensure that it is a valid path and...

Startup inspector.(Top Tip)
January 1, 2005... A useful tool to help you decide what startup programs are needed and which can be disabled is Windows Startup Inspector (see www.windowsstartup. corn or grab it off of the cover CD). It lists the programs that your system runs at startup (see...

ZIP undone.(Windows XP)
January 1, 2005... Q I'm using Windows XP. I installed a ZIP file manager but decided to uninstall it afterwards. Now, when I try to open a ZIP file, I receive a message saying that Windows cannot find the ZIP file manager, instead of opening the ZIP file in...

Pass, friend.(Security)
January 1, 2005... Q Every time I log in to a Web site, Windows asks me if I want to save my passwords. I always click on Yes, but it doesn't save them. AutoComplete doesn't work, either. Why is this happening? --Michael Shaw A The Protected Storage...

Virus deletion.(Security)
January 1, 2005... Q I ran McAfee AntiVirus recently and it detected a virus in C:\System Volume Information\_restore and deleted it. At the same time, it found another in remadm-pskill.file a0008308.exe. It has been quarantined. Are these files important,...

Getting help.(Helpscreen Online)
January 1, 2005... If the answer you were looking for isn't here this month, don't panic. You can still find help if you go to PC World's online HelpScreen section (www.helpscreen. com.au/index.php). All you need to do is register with the site--which is free and...

Socket-sized.(Hardware)
January 1, 2005... Q For convenience, I'd like to be able to listen to music though headphones plugged into the socket on my CD drive, but I've never managed to hear anything through them. I have tried all positions of the volume wheel, and checked that the...

Key confusion.(Hardware)
January 1, 2005... Q I have a Sony VAIO SRX41P and recently set it up as a desktop system by plugging in my Logitech wireless keyboard and mouse via the USB port, which worked fine until I unplugged it. Now when I use my VAIO's keyboard, keys on the right-hand...

Insert here.(Applications)
January 1, 2005... Q I have a number of images saved in the My Pictures folder on my PC and would like to use them in a Word document that I'm creating. How do I go about doing this? --Philip Habib A In Word, just click on Insert-Picture-From File (see...

Graphics cards: if you want to play the latest games, you need the latest graphics hardware. Back to basics shows you how to install it.(Back To Basics)
January 1, 2005... Today's graphics cards are extremely complex, and take many of the tasks involved in image creation away from your CPU, freeing up valuable processing cycles for other things. But why do we need this kind of power? And what will you get from an...

Turn that noise down! Image noise can be caused by poor lighting, your camera, or even your photo editing software. But it needn't be the end of the world.(Imaging)
January 1, 2005... The unpleasantness of noise can affect more than your ears--it's a problem that frequently appears in photography, too. Digital image noise is the appearance of random changes to the colour of pixels. Unfortunately, even small doses are so...

It's all about the audience: there's nothing that spoils a video project more than badly-shot footage. Some errors can be edited out, but it's better to avoid making them in the first place.(Digital Video)
January 1, 2005... If your friends visibly pale at the mention of your holiday video, and even your gran won't watch the footage of little Timmy's first steps, then it's probably a sign that your techniques could use a little polish. Or possibly the video...

Music: non stop: new software for hand-held devices lets you get your music making fix on the move. Danny Allen sounds out some highlights.(Audio)
January 1, 2005... If you want to scratch your creative itches when they hit, but you're not into lugging your laptop everywhere, then stop! Don't hand down your old Game Boy to your little brother just yet. Despite its diminutive size, there's still enough life...

Everything but the kitchen sink: taking Linux and installing it on an alternative hardware platform may not be easy, but you can learn a lot from the experience.(Linux)
January 1, 2005... When Linus Torvalds first started writing the code that would become Linux, he did so on an Intel 386. Ever since, the x86 platform--which includes processors such as the Intel Pentium and AMD Athlon--has been the foundation for Linux...

You've got Gmail: despite the hype, Gmail still hasn't been launched. Or has it? Some of us have been using Google's web mail service for a while.(Internet)
January 1, 2005... This month I've been playing with the Internet must-have of the year--Gmail, Google's free e-mail service. By the time you read this you may be able to sign up for an account by logging on to www.gmail.com. Or maybe not, because Google is being...

Mixed business: this month, Scott Mendham clears out the questions that have been loitering at the bottom of his inbox for far too long.(CD & DVD)
January 1, 2005... Despite new technologies lurking on the horizon, CDs and DVDs will remain an essential part of any PC over the coming years. Understanding these established formats can make it easier to manage and use your PC. Even though it's getting easier...

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War.(PC)
January 1, 2005... Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War is based on the Games Workshop universe in which factions of Space Marines, Orks and others do battle in the 41st millennium. But even if you're not an anorak-wearing member of the Warhammer fraternity, there's...

Kill cable clutter.(Backbytes)
January 1, 2005... If you're the type of person consistently reconfiguring your PC hardware to make it bigger, better and faster; then this versatile unit may be right up your alley. This stylish power supply not only supports both Pentium 4 and AMD CPUs, but its...

In-car 3D navigation.(Backbytes)
January 1, 2005... Navman's new flagship in-car navigation system, the iCN635, has a bright 3.8in LCD and a rugged magnesium alloy chassis. It's also the only in-car system we've seen with a fan to stop its internals from frying in the Aussie summer heat. ...

Fable.(Xbox)
January 1, 2005... Fable, a landmark effort from Lionhead Studios, succeeds where many computer RPGs fail; namely, it makes you feel like you're participating in the creation of a great story. Though it contains many standard mythological archetypes, Fable...

Pocket rocket.(Back bytes)
January 1, 2005... Seagate's new 56B pocket hard drive isn't much bigger than some thumb drives, but holds a lot more data. The highly portable and eye-catching round shell is designed to protect the 3600rpm 1in hard disk, with 2MB cache, from bumps and shocks....

NBA Live 2005.(PC)
January 1, 2005... As a PC basketball game fan, and a huge basketball fan in general, NBA Live is the one title that I look forward to purchasing each and every year. Indeed, if you look at my bookshelf, you will not see too many books, but instead box packaging...

USB wireless adapter.(Backbytes)
January 1, 2005... Notebook users without in-built wireless networking can easily add wireless networking functionality using the convenient ASUS 882.11g adapter. It's not a PC Card adapter and it doesn't have any aerials to attach. It's simply a USB device...

Entertainment jukebox.(Backbytes)
January 1, 2005... The Mvisto is a stylish little silver USB 2.0 notebook hard disk/enclosure that acts as a TV-output jukebox for movies, music and photos. The built-in Sigma decoder chip supports AVI, MPG, VOB, DivX (including subtitles) and XVid movie...

Electric blue.(Backbytes)
January 1, 2005... This cool looking xRaider ATAK PACK includes a mouse pad ($39), optical mouse ($29) and illuminated keyboard ($69). The pad features a precision surface and dimmer switch on its USB power cord while the high performance optical mouse...

Seeing double.(Backbytes)
January 1, 2005... Now that most new graphics cards feature multiple monitor outputs, many have entertained the thought of using a second monitor to increase productivity. There's many benefits in stretching a window across both screens or opening separate...

Stop, or I'll mildly inconvenience you.(Bytesback)
January 1, 2005... The pages of this journal have never been backward in extolling the techno-military marriage. We love the way killing people and computers go together so neatly. So the Backbytes Ombudspersona was a little taken aback by the US war machine's...

The Apple Macintosh: the hardware that was.(From The Vault)
January 1, 2005... Mrs Backbytes, a career Mac user (bless her cotton socks), gets most shirty when your good Doctor refers to the fruity products of Apple Computer as "*#%#$*&^ Macs!". I'm afraid this spiel is unlikely to be unbiased. It's just that after years...

Everquest Companion: the Inside Lore of a Gameworld.
January 1, 2005... EVERQUEST COMPANION: THE INSIDE LORE OF A GAMEWORLD BY ROBERT B. MARKS In the world of Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games (MMORPG), there is no bigger game than Everquest. Since it was released about 4.5 years ago, Everquest...