Australian PC World articles from January 2006

Australian PC World archives from January 2006

Live it. Love it. Video it: we've pulled out all stops this month to bring you the best gear launched in the last few weeks. We've tried and tested 61 new products, plus plenty of great gift ideas, and 20 pages of top tips and tutorials. Plus, tonnes of great freebies. Everything you need to kick off a sensational summer.
January 1, 2006... Happy-snappers have evolved. Video recording is the hottest new high tech hobby, as digital camcorders get smaller and cheaper. When we polled our readers last year, more than three-quarters of you put "digital video camera" in the high...

Movie maker limits.(READERS' FORUM)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2006... Thank you for writing some terrific articles in PC World. I teach at a local primary school and this year we have been videoing all assemblies, excursions etc using a Sony Handycam video camera. Since the Education Department has subsidised...

eBay account hijack.(READERS' FORUM)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2006... I have a problem with eBay that has been ongoing since mid-July 2005. At that time, I had received an e-mail purporting to be from eBay, asking for confirmation of account name and password, stating that if this was not supplied within seven...

The show must go on.(READERS' FORUM)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2006... In Here's How HelpScreen, Nov issue, under the question "The show won't go on", your advice is to go into the Registry Editor and modify the PowerPoint Viewer so you can open up ".pps" files attached to e-mails in Outlook Express. However, you...

Power of 2 GPUs on 1 card ASUS EN7800GT dual scores 11,138 on 3DMark05.(graphics processing unit)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... The latest VGA (video graphics acceleration) platforms such as Nvidia's SLI (Scalable Link Interface) and ATI's CrossFire have taken 3D gaming by storm, offering powerful video processing with systems that support simultaneous operation of two...

Digital library irks authors.(START UP: LATEST REVIEWS, INDUSTRY NEWS)
January 1, 2006... In the thousands of years that humans have been producing written works, we've amassed quite a collection of them. However, most of us have little or no access to, or even knowledge of, most of that collection because it is scattered in bits...

Microsoft to add VoIP to Office.(buys media-streams.com)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Microsoft is acquiring a Swiss software company that specialises in Voice over IP (VoIP) applications, with a view to adding the technology to its Office products. The world's largest software maker will acquire media-streams.com, a...

BigPond slashes broadband bundles.(START UP: LATEST REVIEWS, INDUSTRY NEWS)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... BigPond is attempting to curb its competition by halving the cost of its broadband contracts for customers who sign combined telephone and mobile deals. Telstra managing director Justin Milne said the offer would be available to all new...

Chipset shortage easing.(PROCESSING NEWS)
January 1, 2006... A shortage of computer chipsets should be nearly over, component makers and analysts say, ensuring that lack of these vital parts does not hurt PC sales during the important holiday buying season. The global PC industry ran short of...

Sony silences DRM code.(digital rights management)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Just one day after hackers released malicious software that used controversial Sony BMG Music Entertainment copy-protection software to attack computers, Sony stopped shipping the product. Sony temporarily suspended the manufacture of CDs...

Vodafone takes on big guns with 3G.(START UP: LATEST REVIEWS, INDUSTRY NEWS)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Vodafone is the latest major telecommunications carrier to step into the 3G arena, joining Telstra and Hutchison's 3 in offering video, voice and data over the one connection. Metropolitan Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra are now officially...

Cinema at home gets top billing.(QUICK TAKES)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... The Panasonic ET-LAE900 is a significant upgrade of the PT-AE700 with plenty of new features and improved technology. The contrast rating has been boosted from 2000:1 to 5500:1, a 10 per cent increase in brightness to 1000 ANSI lumens and a...

Sony's heavyweight 'hybrid' impresses.(Sony Cybershot DSC-R1)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... Sony's pleasingly plump Cyber-shot DSC-R1--with its fixed Carl Zeiss 24mm-120mm zoom lens and its 10.3Mp image sensor--is a cross between a point-and-shoot and an SLR (Single Lens Reflex). But unlike current digital SLRs, this $1799 unit has a...

High tech you can take home.(SHOW HIGHLIGHTS)(National Home Entertainment Show)
January 1, 2006... Visitors to the recent National Home Entertainment Show enjoyed the visual feast of the hottest new home entertainment and consumer technology so much, they walked away with the exhibits! The mammoth three-day show, at Sydney's Darling...

Ultra-fast virtual 'hard drive'.(Gigabyte iRAM)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... Gigabyte receives full marks for innovation with the new iRAM drive. This card slots straight into your PCI slot and connects to your SATA port to allow you to run added RAM sticks as another "hard drive". The benefits mostly derive from the...

Neo pushes the power matrix.(Antec Neo HE550)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... Antec's new power supply unit (PSU), the Neo HE550 (High Efficiency 550 Watts) has made some significant improvements in efficiency and design over the company's previous models. Antec is pushing the environmentally friendly angle with its Neo...

Ahead of the pack: Cowon A2.(FIRST LOOKS)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... It may lack the marketing momentum or iTunes integration of Apple's new video-capable iPod, but Cowon's new A2 still has plenty to attract those who want a leading-edge personal media player (PMP). Unlike the iPod's cramped 2.5in, 4:3...

Now it's movies in your pocket too! Apple iPod (fifth generation).(FIRST LOOKS)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... Given the brouhaha surrounding Apple's latest player, one might assume its name is the Video iPod. Think again: it's simply the iPod, the fifth generation of the device since its introduction four years ago. And that's probably the best...

Sony keeps finger on the pulse: SONY VGN-BX168GP VAIO.(FIRST LOOKS)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... Set to be the next in the latest range of Sony VAIOs is the BX168B. The most notable improvement on previous VAIOs is the biometric fingerprint scanner which is becoming more of a standard part of the next generation of notebooks. The...

Gaming notebook with grunt: Alineware Area-51 m5700.(FIRST LOOKS)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... The Alienware Area-51 m5700 is a very distinctive-looking desktop replacement that exudes prestige. Following the look of its desktop brothers, this notebook has the trademark Alien head on the back of the screen, with neon-glow Alien eyes. ...

When the going gets tough: Toshiba Tecra S3.(FIRST LOOKS)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... Toshiba has put a lot of thought into the development of the Tecta S3, which is claimed to be the world's first notebook compliant with ROHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances). Whilst it doesn't cut the most dashing figure, it certainly...

Notebook with world's fastest LCD: BenQ Joybook R53 V14.(FIRST LOOKS)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... The BenQ Joybook R53 V14 is a value notebook, delivering good performance at a decent price. Proving its worth as a business and gaming tool, it scored 11899 in 3DMark 2001SE and 84 in WorldBench 5. The new game standard, FEAR, played very well...

Go crazy for solid ink colour: Fuji-Xerox Workcentre C2424.(FIRST LOOKS)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... Medium-sized businesses with relatively large printing and copying needs will benefit from Fuji-Xerox's new WorkCentre C2424, which is a full-colour, solid ink workgroup printer, with scanning and photocopying ability. It costs $4275, but...

Affordable digital TV tuner card: Compro DVB-T200a.(FIRST LOOKS)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... Plenty of features and a competitive price tag make the DVB-T200A a worthy choice for any PC that requires digital TV functionality. It displayed standard-definition and high- definition channels in pristine quality during our tests and...

Stylish bargain for gamers: Pacstar Powerhouse Gaming PC.(FIRST LOOKS)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... The Pacstar Powerhouse Gaming PC is a great looking machine with a core objective of good gaming at a low price. At a mere $1500, this machine comes packed with an Intel Pentium 4 630 3GHz CPU and an Xpertvision 6600GT graphics card. Right now,...

Office-ready ThinkTank: Lenovo ThinkCentre M52-G210-D1M.(FIRST LOOKS)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... Lenovo's new ThinkCentre comes tailored for your office right out of the box. For all of its business acumen, though, office applications are notably absent from its software suite. Included software from Lenovo concentrates on recovery,...

DVDs with speed to burn.(FIRST LOOKS)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... ASUS DRW-1608P2S If you are looking for fast dual-layer burning, then the buck stops with the ASUS DRW-1608P2S. It is the fastest double-layer and single-layer DVD burner we have had through the Test Centre, and it comes with support for...

New spin on disc-burning suites: Nero 7 Ultra Edition and Roxio Easy Media Creator 8.(FIRST LOOKS)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... Disc burning is still easy, but it's no longer basic. Take, for example, Roxio's new Easy Media Creator 8 and Nero's latest, Nero 7 Ultra Edition. At $US100 apiece, each of these suites targets users who want to do more with a DVD writer than...

On-the-go apps in your pocket: U3 TravelDrive.(FIRST LOOKS)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... It's the ultimate convenience for travellers without their own computer--a new USB drive lets you run apps on any PC without leaving your data on the host machine. The applications (which must be U3-compliant) all reside on the portable...

Image edges out Ghost: Norton Ghost 10; True Image 9.(FIRST LOOKS)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... Disk-imaging software lets you create sector-by-sector copies of hard-drive partitions, including boot information--so when disaster strikes, system recovery is a snap. Symantec and Acronis take different approaches to this crucial task in the...

Adobe's new video powerhouse: Adobe Premiere Elements 2.(FIRST LOOKS)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... Straight out of the camcorder, my videos are pretty boring--just clips of my kid staring at the dangling lens cap and drooling. But with the help of Adobe's new Premiere Elements 2 video editing software, I can prevail upon even the most jaded...

Next generation PCs: what will the everyday PC of tomorrow look like? Probably a lot like these super systems, all packing an array of cutting-edge technologies--and all available right now.(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... The pace of PC innovation continues to quicken, and today's high-end systems contain technologies that few people could have imagined even a handful of years ago. From speedy dual-core desktop processors to 64-bit operating systems and...

Small-screen heroes: find the perfect camcorder to match your budget, and compare the video quality for yourself.(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... If market research is anything to go by, a video camera is pretty high on people's wish lists these days, probably because moving pictures are more... well, moving. But whether you're looking for something to record your baby's first steps,...

All we want for Christmas is ... in the spirit of Christmas giving (ahem, getting) PC World staff pull out their wish-lists and pick their top must-have high tech pressies. We've been good, Santa. We promise!
January 1, 2006... amanda: I try to future proof my PC splurges--to ensure maximum grunt for as long as possible--but the time has come for me to invest in a new notebook PC. And Toshiba's Tecra S3 caught my eye during its recent stint in the Test Centre....

Big drive backup: you have lots of data. You need to keep it safe. We'll tell you how to do it quickly, easily, and inexpensively.(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... You press one button to pop popcorn in the microwave. You press one button to close your garage door. You press one button to start up your PC, and you press one button to sync your PDA with your PC. One button is easy to understand; one...

Squeeze more out of Windows: these 10 free programs put Windows on its best behaviour and teach the old OS useful new file and interface tricks.(Free Windows add-ons)
January 1, 2006... The best thing about Windows is the amazing programs that developers outside of Microsoft create to make the OS better. Here's our list--in no particular order--of the 10 best Windows freebies out now. Shrink your files If your Web...

Love that trickle-down.(BEST BUYS: TOP HARDWARE, REVIEWED AND RATED)
January 1, 2006... Putting high-powered computer systems through their paces this month was a blast (page 39), but it makes you wonder: how soon will it be until all this high-end technology becomes affordable for the mainstream user? The good news is, it may...

PCs.(BEST BUYS)(Buyers Guide)
January 1, 2006... PCs SUB-$1500 FEATURES AND SPECIFICATONS [1] Hello Computers Mercury AMD Athlon 64 3000+ (Socket Price: $1000 939), NVIDIA nForce4 chipset, Phone: (02) 9567...

Notebooks.(BEST BUYS)(Buyers Guide)
January 1, 2006... NOTEBOOKS SUB-$2500 FEATURES AND SPECIFICATONS [1] BenQ Joybook S52 v54 Intel Pentium M 740 (1.73GHz), Price: $2399 Intel 915GM chipset (2nd generation Phone: (02) 9352...

TV tuners.(BEST BUYS)(Buyers Guide)
January 1, 2006... TV TUNERS MODEL FEATURES AND SPECIFICATIONS [1] Nebula DigiTV PCI PCI interface; SDTV, HDTV; DigiTV Price: $239 software, BDA driver in development; Phone: 08 8381...

DVD burners.(BEST BUYS)(Buyers Guide)
January 1, 2006... DVD BURNERS MODEL CD SPEEDS DYD SPEEDS [1] ASUS DRW-1608P2S CD-ROM 40x DVD-ROM 16x, DVD+R DL Price: $79 CD-RW 32x 8x, DVD-R DL 8x, DVD- Phone:...

Wireless routers.(BEST BUYS)(Buyers Guide)
January 1, 2006... WIRELESS ROUTERS WI-FI SPEEDS MIMO ROUTERS WI-FI SECURITY [1] Netgear RangeMax WPN824 11Mbps, 54Mbps, 108Mbps Price: $214 Phone: 1800 502 061 ...

19in LCD monitors.(BEST BUYS)(Buyers Guide)
January 1, 2006... 19in LCD MONITORS PANEL TECHNOLOGY RESPONSE TIME INPUT MODEL DOT PITCH SPEAKERS [1] PolyView V293 MVA *...

Inkjet multi-function devices.(BEST BUYS)(Buyers Guide)
January 1, 2006... INKJET MULTI-FUNCTION DEVICES PRINT RESOLUTION 2-SIDED PRINTING MODEL FUNCTIONS INPUT TRAY...

Motherboards.(BEST BUYS)(Buyers Guide)
January 1, 2006... MOTHERBORADS AMD MOTHERBOARDS CHIPSET CPU SUPPORT [1] ABIT AN8 NVIDIA Athlon 64, Athlon 64 FX Price: $149 nForce4 53 and up, Athlon 64 X2 Distributor:...

Lost post.(retreiving lost mails in Windows XP)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Q After upgrading from Windows 98 SE to XP I have lost all my e-mails. My mail folders are empty although my address book is intact. is there any way to retrieve them? --Mike Sherry A Use the Windows Search tool to search for files...

What a pane.(viewing files and folders in Windows XP)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Q I would like to be able to see my files and folders in Windows Explorer in the two-pane view without having to click the "Folders" button every time. Is this possible? --Carl Hughes A Yes, it is. If you right-click a folder and...

Lopped off.(fast user switching in Windows XP)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Q MY system running Windows XP SP 2 had a bad infestation of lop.com. I did eventually get rid of it, but now I can't use Fast User Switching. If I open more than two accounts I can no longer switch between them, and at shutdown Windows hangs...

Picking a good spyware remover.(TOP TIP)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... When choosing software to protect your computer from viruses and spyware, it makes sense to choose a product that's really effective. The best way to do that is choose a product that receives a good review in the magazine, or gets mentioned in...

Poxy proxy.(proxy server and internet access)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Q When I try to get updates from Windows Update I receive the message: "Windows Update has encountered a problem. Error Failure No. 0x80244018". Can you help, please? --David Grant A This error code suggests you're accessing Windows...

Simple network.(SECURITY)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Q We have a single desktop PC, connected to the Internet by broadband. We're thinking of buying a media centre PC and would like to connect it to the desktop for Internet access and file transfers. Wireless routers seem to be popular, but...

Done a runner.(SECURITY)(installing F-Secure)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Q On startup I receive a warning "Runner Error", which says "Invalid BackWeb Application ID4476822". Spybot found two entries named BackWebLite, but was unable to remove them. I am also receiving an F-Secure spam malfunction warning and we...

Missing file.(SECURITY)(CoolWebSearch spyware causes browser to give error)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Q When I start Internet Explorer I receive a message: "Cannot find file: ///C:/windows/ s.htm." The same address is in Internet Properties for my home page. How can I get rid of it? --Ron Allport A This is a common problem, Ron, and...

Foxed by Firefox.(MISCELLANEOUS)(using web browsers)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Q I tried Firefox, but uninstalled it because I didn't like it. Now I cannot access Favorites from the Start menu. I receive a message that says: "Windows cannot find Firefox.exe. This program is needed for opening files of type 'URL: Hypertext...

DVD database.(MISCELLANEOUS)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Q Can you recommend a free database in which to store details of my DVDs? --Clive Norman A We'd recommend trying MovieTrack from www.movietrack.net or on the cover disc. It's impressively fully featured, but it's still free--see...

Unwanted branding.(TOP TIP)(Internet Explorer)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... If your ISP has placed its brand all over your copy of Internet Explorer it can be annoying--particularly if you've moved to another provider since acquiring your PC. But you can remove it--in fact you can replace it with your own logos,...

Share your dreams: as a pc world reader you've probably achieved all four ambitions but, just in case you haven't here's how to make all four dreams come true. Really.(HERE'S HOW: INTERNET)
January 1, 2006... Ever found that you're constantly writing lists of things to do, but never actually completing them? Not little things like doing some washing before you run out of clean clothes or taking out the rubbish before the bin really starts to smell,...

Compare & contrast: want to view different versions of the same document? Here's how to make office easier.(HERE'S HOW: OFFICE)
January 1, 2006... It's easy to end up with two slightly different versions of the same document--whether it's saving a copy to try out some changes or getting suggestions from people you work with. It's not as simple to work out which version is the version you...

Easy, breezy badger: unable to stay away from his favourite flavour of Linux, Matthew Newton checks out Ubuntu 5.10--the breezy badger.(HERE'S HOW: LINUX)(Product/Service Evaluation)(Column)
January 1, 2006... I'm writing this column on my trusty IBM Thinkpad, which has been running the newly released Gnome 2.12 for a few weeks now. This is thanks to Ubuntu Linux, which has gotten so much praise in my recent columns, a colleague suggested I should...

Free radio Donnelly: if you think you can beat commercial radio at its own game, then why don't you give online radio a try?(HERE'S HOW: AUDIO)
January 1, 2006... If you're anything like me, you think commercial radio is about as interesting as a bowl of bran fibre, with bad content, secret sounds, and constant reports that traffic is backed up in a district you don't care about. Well, if you think you...

Go for the burn: film burn is a popular "film-like" video effect. Here's how to achieve it without having to shell out for expensive plug-ins.(HERE'S HOW: DIGITAL VIDEO)
January 1, 2006... When you consider how much care is usually taken to avoid exposing cinefilm to dust, heat, light and mishandling, it's amazing how much effort we put into making our digital productions look like they've just been pulled out of an attic after...

Virtual privacy: out on the road and need to access your office LAN? Worried about security? Fear not, Roger Gann can show you the way.(HERE'S HOW: NETWORKING)
January 1, 2006... Remote access is now more of a necessity than a luxury for business users who need to access files on an office network when they're on the road or working from home. If the remote PC has Internet connectivity via modem, broadband or through a...

Colour by numbers: if you're looking for an example of a fine art, forget the likes of monet and try getting your monitor and printer to display the same colours.(HERE'S HOW: HERE'S HOW)
January 1, 2006... Matching on-screen and print output is tricky simply because they use different ways of creating colours. When the four individual colourants in a printer (cyan, magenta, yellow and black) are mixed, the inks darken--this is CMYK or subtractive...

Quake IV.(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... Picking up where Quake II left off--Quake III Arena didn't really have a story to follow on from--Quake IV wastes no time in throwing you to the Stroggs. Your dropship is hit during entry and crash-lands (again!) in the combat zone, placing you...

What's the buzz?(BACKBYTES)(CAMSMAC Proprietary Ltd.)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Get buzzing with the latest hardware/software combo for the PlayStation 2. Buzz! The Music Quiz tests you and your friends' knowledge of all things musical. Four buzzers are included, allowing you to play against yourself or up to three others,...

That's 'UX' as in '00' ...(BACKBYTES)(notebook bags )(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... Notebook bags are great, but anyone who bikes to work will know that they have a nasty tendency to slide off of your back when you get moving. Not only that, but if you like to stuff some gym gear or a change of clothes into your bag as well as...

Kingdom of Loathing.(PC/MAC/LINUX)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... Kingdom of Loathing (KoL) is a unique HTML-based Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game (MMORPG). While most great MMORPGs end up costing you time and money, KoL will only cost you the former, because it is absolutely free and utterly...

Fahrenheit.(PC)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... Fahrenheit is the first game to come close to delivering on the concept of the "interactive movie". At its heart, it's an adventure game, but the twist is an innovative control method. Rather than pointing and clicking objects to determine...

Keep pace with the lost.(BACKBYTES)(Navman Wireless)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2006... In a break from its normal range of in-car navigation, marine electronics and global positioning systems (GPS), Navman has launched a range of new lifestyle products called Sport Tools. Rugged, water-resistant and relatively light, the...

X-Men Legends 2: Rise of Apocalypse.(PC/PS2/Xbox)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... Rise of Apocalypse, the action-packed sequel to X-men Legends, is sure to entertain even the most fair-weather comic fan. Arcade action meets role playing game (RPG), in a stylised dungeon crawler with lots of gnarly flashes and huge...

Lay back and feel the power.(Pyramat PM 550 Sound Lounge)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2006... The eternal struggle to blur the line between gamer and gameplay takes another significant step with the Pyramat PM 550 Sound Lounge, a lounge and surround sound system in one that makes each explosion, motor rev and panicked scream sound like...

Bytesback: Dr. Backbytes casts his good eye over the world's weird and wonderful goings on.(videi games)
January 1, 2006... If I had a dollar for every time someone forwarded me a collection of blonde jokes or an oh-so-amusing video of an animal doing something bizarre to a human (or vice versa), I'd probably not be here writing my usual monthly missive. Instead,...