Australian PC World articles from June 2003

Australian PC World archives from June 2003

Batten down the hatches. (Editorial).
June 1, 2003... Despite an increased use of robust security to protect businesses and end users from security assaults, we're still on red alert--with viruses like Klez continuing to spread one year on. Where does the responsibility lie for PC security? ...

Intel, VIA settle cases. (News Analysis).
June 1, 2003... Intel and VIA Technologies have reached a settlement that resolves all pending patent infringement lawsuits between the companies relating to chipsets and microprocessors, the companies have announced. The chip makers had been fighting 11...

Customers cash in on IBM pricing blunder.
June 1, 2003... Australian and New Zealand buyers took advantage of a pricing blunder on IBM's Australian Web site, landing ThinkPad notebooks at 10 per cent of their normal price. The company advertised ThinkPad R40 notebooks on the site for $201. The...

Apache release fixes DOS vulnerability.
June 1, 2003... A new release of the popular Apache 2.0 Web server fixes a number of security vulnerabilities including an as-yet-undisclosed flaw that could be used to launch a denial of service (DOS) attack against machines running Apache, according to...

SETI@home fixes hole. (News Analysis).
June 1, 2003... Providing further proof of the adage that "No good deed goes unpunished", the SETI@home screen saver contains software vulnerabilities that could allow attackers to execute malicious code on machines running the popular program, according to an...

Regional telcos band for Wi-Fi service.
June 1, 2003... Five major Asian telecommunications carriers have joined forces to create a group called the Wireless Broadband Alliance which will integrate 8600 Wi-Fi hotspots in five countries under a single service, the carriers said in a statement. ...

Hacker pleads no harm. (News Analysis).
June 1, 2003... Police in New South Wales have scored a pyrrhic victory over the hacking of Internet service provider OptusNet with a Bankstown, Sydney man proven guilty of two counts of unauthorised modification of data with intent to cause impairment before...

LCDs to overtake CRTs. (News Analysis).
June 1, 2003... Sales of LCD (liquid crystal display) monitors will top $US20 billion in 2003, overtaking revenue from sales of conventional CRT (cathode ray tube) monitors this year, according to research released by IDC. The worldwide PC monitor market...

Australian domain name registrar cautioned.
June 1, 2003... Domain name registrar Melbourne IT has been slapped on the wrist by the Australian Domain Authority (auDA) for resorting to improper business practices. The Australian Stock Exchange (ASX)-listed company has found the market tough since it...

Yahoo aims at Google with new search engine.
June 1, 2003... Yahoo has rolled out an updated search engine in a bid to regain its place in the competitive search market, which has been dominated recently by the presence of rival Google. Among the improvements, Yahoo Search has been redesigned for a...

No limits on new DSL. (Broadband).
June 1, 2003... A new wholesale DSL product from network provider Comindico that promises ISPs access to unlimited bandwidth capacity has resulted in a throng of unlimited ADSL broadband service offerings being launched across the country. Comindioo's new...

Primus Wi-Fi goes global. (Broadband Briefs).
June 1, 2003... Building on its Wi-Fi service offerings, Primus is teaming up with iPass to offer customers access to more than 1000 wireless hotspots around the world. The agreement will enable roaming wireless access at selected airports, hotels and...

Broadband users up, but take-up rates down. (Broadband Briefs).
June 1, 2003... Australia's broadband take-up continues to rise, but the rate of users signing up to high-speed services is in decline, according to a new industry report. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's (ACCC) latest quarterly...

Loungeroom media centre: Xperian.
June 1, 2003... The Hi-Grade Xperian looks gorgeous--more like an LCD TV than a PC, and not much bigger. This device deserves a place in the lounge where it can be shown off, rather than tucked out of sight in a back room. It has a feature called Instant...

Shrinking form factors: Dream PC. (First Looks).
June 1, 2003... Styled with acrylic and best orientated vertically, the pre-production Dream PC we saw packs all of the functionality expected of a mid-tower PC, plus the mobility, but without the expansion possibilities. Pioneer Computers has taken...

Light and slender slate: Versa T400. (First Looks).
June 1, 2003... NEC is the latest convert to the Tablet PC cause with its Versa T400. We saw a pre-production model of NEC's take on Microsoft's new platform. Tablet PCs largely fall into two categories: convertibles and slates. Convertibles combine...

Leader of the pack: 3D Prophet 9800 Pro. (First Looks).
June 1, 2003... Last month we saw the latest graphic card offerings from the NVIDIA stable and this month we test the rebuttal from outright performance leader, ATI. Continuing the trend, our 9800 (in the form of a final release Hercules 30 Prophet 9800...

Inexpensive TV timeshifting: TV@nywhere. (First Looks).
June 1, 2003... If your life is dominated by the television and its programs, MSI's new card is here to rescue you. In addition to normal viewing, TV@nywhere promises timeshifting (pausing live TV), scheduled recording plus the ability to stream TV over a...

PDA/mobile phone hybrid: Tungsten W. (First Looks).
June 1, 2003... People call PDA/mobile phone hybrids 'smart phones' for a reason: you have to be smart to use them. That's certainly the case with the Palm Tungsten W. A glance at the feature map in the manual reveals that this is not a simple Palm PDA: the...

A Nikon for the masses: Coolpix 3100. (First Looks).
June 1, 2003... Nikons have a reputation of being cameras for the hard-core photographer, but the company's new Coolpix models are targeted at the neophyte. I looked at a pre-production version of the $849 Coolpix 3100, a small, light and nicely designed...

Photo editing: quick fixes or manual manipulation? Paint Shop Pro 8, Photosuite 5 Platinum. (First Looks).
June 1, 2003... If you're a wretched digital photographer--or even a good one--Jasc's Paint Shop Pro 8 and Roxio's PhotoSuite 5 Platinum can help you fix your pics. The difference? Paint Shop Pro 8 takes some work to learn but gives ample help, whereas...

Video-editing and authoring: PowerProducer, PowerDirector Pro 2.5. (First Looks).
June 1, 2003... Only a few years ago, turning your PC into a movie-editing suite was a fairly ambitious enterprise. Now, however, in this world of DVD, FireWire, rocket-powered processors and gargantuan hard disks, video-editing is much less of a niche market....

Create professional interactive multimedia: Director MX. (First Looks).
June 1, 2003... Long before Flash and Dreamweaver, Director was Macromedia's premiere application for multimedia, providing extensive tools for designing animation and interactive programs that could be distributed on CD-ROM and, later, across the Web. ...

Hitachi DVD camcorder. (New camcorders).
June 1, 2003... Camcorders have entered the world of DVD, with Hitachi introducing a range based on an 8cm Mini-DVD disc. The latest Hitachi DVD camcorder range now writes to DVD-R discs as well as DVD-RAM, and transfers video to the PC using a USB connection....

Canon 600 series camcorders. (New camcorders).
June 1, 2003... Canon's MV600 range replaces its MV500 series of DV camcorders. The entry-level MV600i features a Canon 18x zoom lens and 360x digital zoom as well as a 2.5in colour LCD and colour viewfinder, seven recording modes and a night mode. The...

New designs from Sony. (Quick Takes).
June 1, 2003... The compact DCRTRV19 offers a nice combination of features for a camcorder in this price range, with USB streaming video, a 10x optical Carl Zeiss zoom lens and sharp 2.5in LCD screen. The Sony DCRTRV22 MiniDV has all of the features of the...

Interactive GuitarCoach. (Quick Takes).
June 1, 2003... Budding bedroom guitarists who can't afford face-to-face lessons and find books a poor substitute can use this interactive CD-ROM that provides all you need for self-based learning. Billed as offering key skills for beginners and those in...

Speedy DVD writer. (Quick Takes).
June 1, 2003... The fight for supremacy in the DVD writer market has taken another twist with the release of Teac's latest drive. The DV-W50EK boasts 4x DVD-R capabilities, making it (on paper at least) one the fastest drives we've seen yet. The drive also...

Multimedia desktop replacement. (Quick Takes).
June 1, 2003... The C2210 is the first Fujitsu notebook to offer a DVD-R/RW drive--write and rewrite DVDs now, as web as CDs. The slightly hefty weight (3.6kg without power supply) is offset by a great feature set packed into a great-looking metallic silver...

VideoWave movie creator. (Quick Takes).
June 1, 2003... VideoWave was originally launched by MGI in the late 1990s and is now available under the Roxio umbrella. Roxio has cottoned on to the growing interest in rediscovering footage on analog videotapes, so there's as much emphasis on transferring...

Paperless office a reality? (Quick Takes).
June 1, 2003... PaperPort Pro 9 Office, a new business version of PaperPort Deluxe, is a total solution for creating, organising and sharing paper, PDF and digital documents. Typical scenario: one user can scan documents or create PDFs from applications such...

Fight the hackers. (Quick Takes).
June 1, 2003... Designed to keep unwanted noses out of your system while it's online, Kaspersky Anti-Hacker monitors the connection between your PC and the Internet. If it spots anything unscheduled going on, Anti-Hacker stops it, alerting the user to what's...

PDF creation alternatives. (Quick Takes).
June 1, 2003... Do you only occasionally need to convert a single document to PDF? Try a program such as PdfEdit995, which is available free (with banner ads) from www.pdf995.com or our April issue cover disc. If you regularly send files that need to be...

Antivirus offering. (Quick Takes).
June 1, 2003... Aimed at businesses and professional users, Panda Antivirus Platinum 7.0 brings the package in line with the competition by including a quarantine area, a fully integrated firewall, daily automatic updates via the Internet, script blocking, and...

Red Hat Linux 9 reviewed. (Linuxworld).
June 1, 2003... Within months of the release of Red Hat Linux 8.0, Red Hat has introduced a new major distribution update, Red Hat Linux 9.0. Traditionally, Red Hat has produced several minor point releases (e.g., 7.1, 7.2) refining a distribution before again...

Easier PC video. (Readers' Forum).
June 1, 2003... I think the concept of a virtual VCR on my PC is really attractive (April First Looks, Watch and record TV, page 22), as I never get to use our conventional VCR (I have three daughters!). Sadly, however, I found SnapStream Personal Video...

Bigger is better. (Readers' Forum).
June 1, 2003... Just got the May issue of PC World, where I saw the promotion for the Iomega USB drive competition. It says that we can win an 8MB USB drive, but when I checked the Iomega Web site it appears that they only make 64MB and 128MB drives. I...

Putting a kybosh on KaZaA. (Readers' Forum).
June 1, 2003... I'm sure you will get plenty of thank you e-mails this month from system administrators all over Australia for pointing out that KazaaHttp can be used for file sharing instead of the normal KaZaA file sharing application (May 2003 Here's How In...

Missive of the month. (Readers' Forum).
June 1, 2003... Congratulations to Mike Lowe! You are this month's winner of a year's subscription to PC World worth $59.40. We are pleased to receive your letters, but please keep them to less than 300 words. We reserve the right to edit letters for...

Dilbert.
June 1, 2003... I'M TRYING A LITTLE EXPERIMENT TONIGHT. I'LL ATTRIBUTE A STUPID OPINION TO YOU... THEN I'LL AGGRESSIVELY MOCK YOU WHILE YOU SIT THERE SAYING NOTHING. SO ACCORDING TO YOU, THE INTERNET IS A PASSING FAD. YOU MORON! LOOK AROUND...

Web help for weaving a family tree: if you think a few good Net searches is all it takes to find your roots, read on for a real look at how the Web can help trace your family tree. (Web & You).
June 1, 2003... Ever wondered if one of your great grandparents came to Australia on a convict transport? Or witnessed the coronation of Queen Elizabeth I? Or became involved in a scandalous liaison and was ostracised by the family clan? Genealogy, or the...

Dance to the digital tune: take your place on the digital music dancefloor. Buy an MP3 player and use our guide to load it up with music, and you'll be ready to groove. Plus, we look at the ongoing battle over digital.
June 1, 2003... HOW TO BUY AN MP3 PLAYER A portable digital audio player sets your music free so you can easily mix and match songs in any order and take the tunes with you. MP3 players offer three types of storage: hard drive, flash memory, or recordable...

Build your own PC part 2: with base components chosen and fitted, PC World now shows you how to install the hard disk, optical drives and multimedia cards, and the operating system. Finally, we'll look at how you can ensure your freshly constructed machine performs at its best.
June 1, 2003... LET'S GET ON WITH IT! Building your own PC gives you the chance to create the customised system you've always dreamed of. After all, there's no compromise when you're calling the shots. Putting together your own computer is easier than you...

Installing the drives.
June 1, 2003... With the case open, you'll see a series of metal cages behind the front panel. These are where you can slide in and secure the various drives. The narrower cages in the lower half are for the 3.5in-wide hard disks and floppy drives, while the...

Connecting the data cables.
June 1, 2003... Take the narrow ribbon cable we mentioned earlier and connect one end to the back of the floppy drive and the other to the floppy connector, located in the top right-hand corner of both motherboards. This connector will only fit in one way...

Fitting the power supply.
June 1, 2003... The last component to be added to our system is the all-important power supply. Unscrew the aluminium panel from the back of the case at the top and position the power supply so the mains connector will be in the top left-hand corner. While...

Connecting the power cables.
June 1, 2003... Now it's time to attach the cables from the power supply unit so that the PC and each of the drives can operate. The Enermax power unit comes with more than sufficient connectors--even if you want your PC to have a separate CD writer as well as...

Configuring the BIOS.
June 1, 2003... Once your PC is powering up correctly it will stop after a few seconds and state there's an 'invalid system disk' or 'missing system'. This is because you've not yet installed an operating system on the hard disk, in our case Windows XP....

Installing drivers.
June 1, 2003... After installing Windows, you need to install the software drivers that make your various devices work properly. The most important drivers are for the chipset on your motherboard, which allow your PC to perform at its best. Insert the CD...

Installing graphics other drivers.
June 1, 2003... After installing your motherboard drivers you can go about getting all your other devices working properly. The best place to start is your graphics card, which has a driver CD. After installing this and restarting your PC, you'll be able to...

Setting up an internet account.
June 1, 2003... A PC without Internet access is unthinkable these days. Without the communication, information and technical support the Web affords you, you're really not making the most of your machine. The first step in getting online is choosing an ISP....

Resources for building your own PC.
June 1, 2003... Want to know more about building a PC as well as upgrading various components? In addition to the stories and advice in PC World, you'll find several other publications available to help you in this mission. Build Your Own PC Minibook ...

Insider secrets for PC buyers: 50 smart tips for getting exactly the right machine at a price you'll like.
June 1, 2003... Before you buy a car, you probably talk to your trusted mechanic about which models are really reliable. If you're planning to invest, it's great to have a friend working in the share market who will help you find some winners. At PC World, we...

Memory matters. (CPUs & RAM).
June 1, 2003... HYPER-THREADING HYPE: sales reps may pitch you on the multitasking virtues of Hyper-Threading, a technology found in the newest Pentium 4 chips. PC World tests indicate that you won't see significant benefits from Hyper-Threading in many...

Focus on rpm and cache. (Hard Drive).
June 1, 2003... SPEED CHECK: for best performance, pick a hard drive with a rotational speed of 7200rpm, instead of one rated at 5400rpm. Visit the drive maker's Web site if the PC vendor's list of components doesn't specify the speed. [ILLUSTRATION...

PC choices. (Type & Design).
June 1, 2003... POSSIBLE NOTEBOOK PITFALL: several computer makers--particularly those that sell in retail stores--put desktop CPUs into notebooks. These chips run quickly, but they're also hot and noisy, burning more power and requiring bulkier cases than do...

CRT for graphics. (Monitor).
June 1, 2003... SPECS TO IGNORE: vendors measure dot pitch in one way for CRTs and in other ways for various types of LCDs, so you often can't make useful comparisons. Specifications for luminance, stripe pitch, and contrast ratio don't match up for precise...

DirectX 9 delivers. (Graphics).
June 1, 2003... TOP GUNS: if you want the best graphics, look for a card that offers hardware (instead of software) support for DirectX 9--Microsoft's latest application programming interface. Hardware support helps the card achieve the best speed, lighting...

Better buy two. (Optical storage).
June 1, 2003... DOUBLE DIP: having two optical drives permits the most convenient copying, because you avoid copying large chunks of data to the hard drive. So get both a CD-RW drive and a rewritable DVD drive when you buy a PC. Plus, it's cheaper overall to...

Look beyond watts. (Sound System).
June 1, 2003... DVD SUPPORT: if you want to play DVD-Audio discs (whose fidelity exceeds the quality of standard CDs), you need a sound card that supports two channels of 24-bit/192KHz audio or six channels in 24-bit/96KHz. If the PC configuration list doesn't...

Suite prices. (Bundled Software).
June 1, 2003... TO OFFICE OR NOT TO OFFICE: is it cheaper to purchase Microsoft Office with the PC or to buy it separately? Buying it with the PC usually saves money. Office XP Professional runs to about $600 with a Dell Dimension desktop, for example, but...

Retail, online or both? (Where To Buy).
June 1, 2003... RETAIL VS. ONLINE: retail shopping has its advantages, such as the comfort of being able to drive the PC back to the store and deal with a human in case of trouble; the chance to touch and feel the machine before buying; and walking out the...

Deals galore. (Generic PC).
June 1, 2003... THINK CHEAPLY, SHOP LOCALLY: a local store is the smartest place to buy a white-box computer--a no-name, built-to-order system. Buying a PC from independent retailers also gives you access to store owners, many of whom have earned a reputation...

Easy to void. (Warranty).
June 1, 2003... HOW TO KILL YOUR WARRANTY: if you reformat your PC's hard drive or take the computer to a local store for repairs, you can void your system's warranty. Read the details in the warranty agreement before you buy the system. [ILLUSTRATION...

Should I buy a generic PC? (Quiz).
June 1, 2003... (1) When it comes to buying, I get: a) exactly what I pay for--nothing else. b) a good deal, with or without frills. c) brand names. (2) I am comfortable researching PC components on the Web: a) regularly. I speak fluent geek....

Money back or bust. (Returns).
June 1, 2003... REFUND ROUNDABOUT: many companies will do almost anything to avoid returns for refunds. The safest thing to do is to find a vendor that offers a money-back guarantee and no restocking fee. Make sure you understand the return policy--especially...

Resources galore. (PC Shopping).
June 1, 2003... Whether you're planning to build a new computer yourself or have a local retailer put it together, the resources here will point you toward the most reputable manufacturers and help you refine your hardware selection. Also, don't forget PC...

Find the right local store.
June 1, 2003... Thinking of going the local route? Word-of-mouth advice is a good place to start. Then follow these tips to help you home in on the best store. DO visit recommended stores in person--just to chat. Ask to meet the owner, and trust your gut...

A lifeline for money matters: accounting software can help you manage your money better--whether it's dealing with your mortgage and credit cards or a flourishing small business. Read on for details of software ready to keep you afloat. (Accounting).
June 1, 2003... The days of doing books by hand are well and truly behind us--or, at least, they should be. However, ATO statistics suggest that of 3.5 million registered businesses in Australia, only 750,000 of them are using accounting software. For the...

Master digital moviemaking.
June 1, 2003... MAKING MOVIES ON YOUR DESKTOP IS A REWARDING EXPERIENCE BUT IT TAKES A GREAT DEAL OF PRACTICE BEFORE THE RESULTS BEGIN TO MATCH YOUR EXPECTATIONS. PC WORLD PROVIDES A QUICKSTART GUIDE FOR NEW FILM-MAKERS PLUS EXPERT TIPS FOR SEASONED PROS...

Good value for digital video tools. (Great Catch).
June 1, 2003... DV capture card kits Editing home videos on a PC has never been easier or more affordable. If you have a DV camera, all you need is a FireWire connection on your PC and some editing software, and you're set. But if you don't have FireWire,...

New chips make a meal. (Tech.Files).
June 1, 2003... The introduction of a new P4 platform from Intel and DirectX 9.0-compatible graphics chips from NVIDIA and ATI herald movement at the high end of these component lines. They're pricey and desirable, but are these cutting-edge PC parts worth it?...

Component stability equals big savings. (Sweet Spot).
June 1, 2003... As mentioned in last month's Sweet Spot, a considerable number of new processors, motherboards and graphics cards are being released. Although their impact was not really felt in last month's Sweet Spot, it has definitely become cost...

Over $3500. (Best Buys).
June 1, 2003... Plus Corporation Astra H31 [1] The Astra H31 from Plus Corporation has dark, chic styling and luminous lights within the case. This system would definitely appeal to the gamer, audio enthusiast or digital video buff, and the included...

$1500-$3500. (Best Buys).
June 1, 2003... Infocom Gaming Beast [1] NEW Although this machine shares the same name as a long-standing system in PC World's Best Buys, it's a brand new PC that aggressively targets the gaming market by increasing portability. A Pentium 4 2.67GHz...

Sub-$1500. (Best Buys).
June 1, 2003... Trinity International P4 Dream Pack [1] NEW The P4 Dream Pack continues to showcase TI's ability to produce affordable PC systems. Without having to break the bank, solid 2D and 3D performance can be achieved with cost-effective...

PCs: sub-$1500. (Best Buys).
June 1, 2003... MAKE/MODEL VALUE BENCHMARK REAL WORLD RATING SCORE TEST OVER $3500 (1) Plus Corporation 161 292 3m2s Astra H31 14840...

Over $4000. (Best Buys).
June 1, 2003... Dell Inspiron 8500 [1] Leapfrogging the UltiNote M6600 back into the number one position due to a price reduction, our 8500 used a Pentium 4-M processor running at 2.4GHz together with 512MB of DDR SDRAM (from a 2GB limit). It has a 15.4in...

$2500-$4000. (Best Buys).
June 1, 2003... Dell Inspiron 5100 [1] The Inspiron 5100's strengthened grey magnesium alloy casing has areas of blue in its design (like the Inspiron 8500) and can be personalised with kits that change the colour scheme on the display lid. Inside...

Sub-$2500. (Best Buys).
June 1, 2003... Hi-Grade Notino 4400 [1] This notebook has been bolstered with the addition of an 8x8x8x24x DVD-ROM/ CD-R/RW drive. The 4400 continues to utilise an Intel Pentium 4-M processor running at 1.8GHz, coupled with 256MB of DDR SDRAM and a 20GB...

Notebooks: over $4000, $2500-$4000, sub-$2500. (Best Buys).
June 1, 2003... NOTEBOOKS: OVER $4000, $2500-$4000, SUB-$2500 VALUE BENCHMARK MAKE/MODEL RATING SCORES REAL WORLD TESTS OVER $4000 (1) Dell Inspiron 83 199 1m50s 8500 ...

DV capture card kits. (Best Buys).
June 1, 2003... Digital Video (DV) cameras are all the rage these days due to their superior visual quality (which does not degrade over time or during editing), compact form factors and versatile feature sets, and editing video from these devices on a PC is...

ADS PYRO 1394DV. (Under $500).
June 1, 2003... HARDWARE: The FireWire card supplied in this kit has two FireWire ports on its mounting bracket and one on its circuit board that can be accessed from inside the computer case and routed to a front-loading port, if your case has provision for...

ADS PYRO 1394DV for notebooks. (Under $500).
June 1, 2003... HARDWARE: For people who want to do some video editing on their notebook computer, but don't have a FireWire port, this package is worthy of consideration. A Type II PCMCIA card is supplied and a cable that plugs into it provides a mini-DV port...