Australian PC World articles from June 22 2008

Australian PC World archives from June 22 2008

How-to.(VIDEO ON-DEMAND)(installation of DVD drives)(Brief article)
June 22, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Vinyl to CD, Makin' copies, Learning to play piano, Pimp your rodent, Add memory (PC World Back2Basics), Retrieve a lost Windows password, Retrieve a deleted file, Recover a crashed hard drive, Reset your Internet...

News archive.(VIDEO ON-DEMAND)
June 22, 2008... LCD with built-in scanner; Thin is in; Methanol-fueled media player; 4X High-Def; Cell phone travel updates; QVGA on OLED chip; Smile you're on Okao vision!; DoCoMo ePaper phone; iPhone clone; MP3 sunglasses; The revolution is here; Gifts for...

QuarkXPress 5 Windows.(DVD Contents)
June 22, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] QuarkXPress is a powerful layout application with a versatile interface so anyone can combine writing, editing, and typography with colour and pictures to produce final output for print and Web. PLUS try the...

Paragon Drive Copy Version 8.0 SE.(DVD Contents)
June 22, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Copy an entire hard drive or just an individual partition with just a few clicks using Paragon Drive Copy. There's no need to reinstall any Application--easy, fast and reliable automatic data transfer from your old...

Hot game: 1.8GB.(ALSO ON THE DVD ...)
June 22, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Crysis--the US and North Korea join forces to battle an alien menace. With hope rapidly fading, you must fight epic battles through amazing landscapes, and finally into the heart of the alien ship itself for the...

Adobe Photoshop Elements 6.(ALSO ON THE DVD ...)
June 22, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] This software combines power and simplicity so you can make your photos look their best, share them in imaginative ways, and easily find and view all your photos and video clips. 373MB trial: Save yourself the...

Ashampoo Magical Uninstall.(DVD Contents)
June 22, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Ashampoo Magical Uninstall offers an easy-to-use interface that monitors a your computer for newly installed software. If you then decide to uninstall any application, Magical Uninstall ensures that no trace is left...

MuveeNow 2 SE.(DVD Contents)
June 22, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In just minutes you can create pro-looking photo movies from your photos and videos, muveeNow comes with different styles that allow you to give your home movies and photo slideshows different looks.

Security.(PLUS ...)
June 22, 2008... Ad-Aware 2007, Avast! Antivirus Home Edition 4.7, CCleaner 2, ClamWin Free Antivirus, Comodo Firewall 2.4, Spybot Search and Destroy 1.5

Tech@Work.(PLUS ...)
June 22, 2008... 7-Zip, Adobe Reader 8.1, Cobian Backup 8.4, IZArc ZIP 3.81, OpenOffice 2.3, PC Inspector File Recovery 4, PDF Creator, TrueCrypt, UltraVNC

Trial software.(PLUS ...)
June 22, 2008... Adobe Photoshop Elements 8.0 trial, FileMaker Pro trial (with Business Productivity toolkit), QuarkXPress 7 trial

PC Pow-R-Tech.(PLUS ...)
June 22, 2008... CDCheck 3.1.13, CPU-Z, fleepBurner 1.8, Drivelmage XML 1.21, Gnome Partition Editor, JDiakReport, PC Wizard 2008, PUTTY, Sisoft Sandra Lite 2008, SpeedFan

Audio.(ALSO ON THE DVD ...)
June 22, 2008... Audacity 1.2.6, Audiograbber 1.83, Jet Audio 7, Juice 2.2, MediaCoder, SharePod 3

Broadband and Internet.(ALSO ON THE DVD ...)
June 22, 2008... Azureus 3, Buyertools Reminder 1.6, FeedReader 3.10, FileZilla 3, Firefox 2, Flash player, Free Download Manager 2.5, GMail Drive, NetStumbler, Opera 9.2, Pidgin, Skype 3.5, Thunderbird 2

Digital.(ALSO ON THE DVD ...)
June 22, 2008... DivX 6.7, Gimpshop, Inkscape, IrfanView 4, Paint .NET, Videora iPod Converter 3

Updates.(ALSO ON THE DVD ...)
June 22, 2008... Dotnet Framework Runtime 2.0, Sun Java Runtime Environment (JRE) 6

Using the DVD.(ALSO ON THE DVD ...)(Brief article)
June 22, 2008... The PC World DVD should load automatically: If not, load "index.html" from the root directory of the DVD. Damaged DVDs: PC World is unable to replace cracked cases, but if you have a damaged DVD, e-mail pcworld_cd@idg.com.au. No DVD...

From 'Tabazine' to 'Webazine'.(Editorial)
June 22, 2008... PC World has been a trusted technology title in Australia for over 23 years, And for over 10 years PC World's Web site has been the leading personal computing online site in the Australian market. This issue marks our evolution from a print...

Full CMS reviews online.(MISSIVE OF THE MONTH)(Letter to the editor)
June 22, 2008... I would like to find the direct link to the Full Reviews and Test Cards of the CMS (Content Management System) as indicated in your Australian PC World December 2007 Article, titled "Value in Open Source CMSes" from page 66. Can you please...

Vista experiences.(MISSIVE OF THE MONTH)(Letter to the editor)
June 22, 2008... I am an experienced user of PC's and Microsoft Windows. Experienced enough to know how much I don't know about PC's and Windows I have read accounts of problems with Windows Vista both online and in the printed media. Here is my version....

Seeking portable DAB radio.(MISSIVE OF THE MONTH)(Letter to the editor)
June 22, 2008... I have just been on your Web site and I am interested in the Imagination Technologies Pure Digital Move portable DAB radio. I can't find any info about where this radio can be purchased from, nor the price. Can you e-mail me both, please?...

Vinyl to digital.(MISSIVE OF THE MONTH)(Letter to the editor)
June 22, 2008... I have been a subscriber for years and remember a piece of software that would record from turntable to PC (LP Recorder) from years ago--I seem to remember that it came out again on DVD in the last year or so--cannot seem to find it--do you...

BOClean task bar icons.(MISSIVE OF THE MONTH)(Letter to the editor)
June 22, 2008... Having loaded BOClean I find that it only has an Icon in the task bar. Is this correct? The Icon also changes colour from black to green to blue and back to black. Can you give me any pointers on this, and have I done anything wrong in the...

Seize the Web: 39 ways to put yourself on the Web: whether you're interested in blogging, making music, shooting videos, publishing your novel, or starting your own social network, these great services can help--in many cases, for free.
June 22, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Web is not a spectator sport. Sure, you can watch videos and do countless other low-brainwave activities online, but the Web's outlets for self-expression and creativity are boundless. In fact, the medium doesn't...

Google releases Android SDK: Google releases its Android SDK and announced it will award up to $US10 million in prizes to developers.(Broadband & Internet: OPEN SOURCE)
June 22, 2008... Google has released an SDK (software development kit) that programmers can use to create mobile phone applications for the company's Android mobile platform. In addition, Google will award $US10 million to developers whose applications are...

Innovative features, good range.(Broadband & Internet: WIRELESS ROUTER)
June 22, 2008... ****1/2 Belkin N1 Vision [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] It looks slick, but mediocre performance and a high price tag disappoint. How can something so hip also be disappointing? Belkin's N1 Vision Wireless Router has style, a slick user...

I do: 'virtual marriages' by 2015: bride and groom will fall in love, marry and never meet.(Broadband & Internet: SOCIAL NETWORKING)
June 22, 2008... Will marry me (in Second Life)? A Gartner analyst is predicting that per cent of US citizens will get married in virtual worlds by 2015 to people they have never met, and may never meet even after they are married. These online virtual...

Easy-to-use, high level security.(Broadband & Internet: SECURITY SUITE)
June 22, 2008... ****1/2 BitDefender Total Security 2008 [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] This very-well specified utility bundle does seem to have most threats to your PC covered. Topping out BitDefender Total Security 2008's veritable laundry list of features...

Solid choice for family networks.(Broadband & Internet: SECURITY SUITE)
June 22, 2008... Solid choice for family networks Symantec Norton Internet Security 2008 [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] The latest version of the ever-popular Norton Internet Security brings some much-needed updates and improvements to a first-rate product...

Ticks the boxes, plus bonus features.(Broadband & Internet: SECURITY SUITE)
June 22, 2008... ****1/2 Trend Micro Internet Security Pro [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Trend Micro's Internet Security Pro is the latest suite to hit the market, and this release, which drops the 'PC-Cillin' tag and brings with it an exhaustive feature...

Easy to set-up, fast wireless.(Broadband & Internet: WIRELESS ROUTER)
June 22, 2008... ****1/2 D-Link DIR-615 [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] This wireless router can capably distribute the Internet connection from an ADSL or cable modem over its 4-port, 10/100 Ethernet switch and 802.11b/g/n wireless access point. It's a...

iiNet DSL gets naked: broadband and VoIP capabilities without the need for landline rental.(Broadband & Internet: VOIP)
June 22, 2008... Perth-based iiNet launched its naked DSL broadband service, making it the first Australian ISP to offer the service nationally through its ADSL2+ network, according to the company. Naked DSL provides high speed broadband access without the...

Aussie scientist super-charges ADSL: copper that runs at 100Mbits/s now possible.(Broadband & Internet: ADSL DEVELOPMENT)
June 22, 2008... An Australian researcher claims he has come up with a way to boost broadband speeds on ordinary ADSL lines by up to ten times. The University of Melbourne's Dr. John Papandriopoulos outlined an algorithm to reduce the crosstalk interference...

Faster speeds using Telstra's Next G.(Mobile: 3G MOBILE PHONE)(Samsung A711 )(Product/service evaluation)
June 22, 2008... ***1/2 1/2 Samsung A711 [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] In upgrade of the previous A701, Samsung's A711 now delivers even faster HSDPA network speeds of up to 3.6Mbps. Although it's a similar handset to its predecessor aesthetically, an...

Excellent voice, comfortable design.(Mobile: MOBILE PHONE ACCESSORY)(Sennheiser VMX 100 )(Product/service evaluation)
June 22, 2008... **** 1/2 Sennheiser VMX 100 [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] The first Bluetooth headset featuring VoiceMax dual-microphone technology, Sennheiser's VMX 100 certainly packs in plenty of features. Its dual-microphone system--one to emphasise...

Home multimedia notebook.(Mobile: ALL-PURPOSE NOTEBOOK)
June 22, 2008... *** 1/2 Sony VAIO VGN-CR13G/W [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] A stylish all-purpose notebook that is ideal for a number of uses, the Sony VAIO VGN-CR13GW is a solid, if not outstanding, machine that counts integrated AV buttons and a Motion...

Business design, not highly portable.(Mobile: ULTRAPORTABLE NOTEBOOK)
June 22, 2008... *** 1/2 Lenovo 3000 V200 [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] The Lenovo 3000 V200 is a typical business notebook. Although slightly bulky for an ultraportable unit, its solid feature set and attractive price tag should see it satisfy the majority...

Entertainment-rich, poor battery life.(Mobile: ALL-PURPOSE NOTEBOOK)
June 22, 2008... *** 1/2 Toshiba Qosmio F40 (PQF46A-00C004) [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] If you've already eyed the Toshiba Qosmio G40 (PQG40A-00Y014), but your latest bank statement says "not going to happen", then consider the Toshiba Qosmio F40...

AMD-based budget notebook.(Mobile: ALL-PURPOSE NOTEBOOK)
June 22, 2008... *** Hewlett-Packard Compaq Presario V6503AU (GN410PA) [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The HP Compaq Presario V6503AU (GN410PA) is our second look at HP Compaq's new notebook design. This AMD-based notebook provides enough power for the average...

Everyday device, SideShow built-in.(Mobile: ALL-PURPOSE NOTEBOOK)(LG R200-R (CB50A) )(Product/service evaluation)
June 22, 2008... **** LG R200-R (CB50A) [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Stylish and sleek, the new LG R200 is one of the few notebooks about that has a SideShow device built in. Perfect for business users, but also useful for everyday and entertainment...

Budget notebook for simple tasks.(Mobile: VALUE NOTEBOOK)(MSI MegaBook S430)(Product/service evaluation)
June 22, 2008... *** MSI MegaBook S430 [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] The MegaBook $430's biggest draw-card is its price. It's an affordable notebook with some decent features, such as 802.11g Wi-Fi and a DVD burner, but its performance has been sacrificed in...

Fully-fledged, PDA sized PC.(Mobile: ULTRAPORTABLE NOTEBOOK)
June 22, 2008... *** 1/2 OQO E2 [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Barely any larger than a PDA, the OQO E2 (configuration 1) is actually a fully fledged PC with Windows Vista Ultimate installed and functioning. Not only can it handle standard Windows...

Best for road trips and in-car DVD.(Mobile: PORTABLE DVD PLAYER)
June 22, 2008... ** 1/2 Panasonic DVD-LS80 [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] The Panasonic DVD-LS80 is a portable DVD player with an 8.5in LCD screen. It offers basic functionality, as well as the ability to play back DivX files, but the image quality is fairly...

Test-to-speech features and more.(Mobile: GPS UNIT)(Navman S80 )(Product/service evaluation)
June 22, 2008... **** Navman S80 [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] The $80 is the third model in Navman's S-Series range, utilising text-to-speech technology, NavPix, a large 4.3in widescreen display and handsfree calling with Bluetooth connectivity. ...

New safety feature, great value.(Mobile: GPS UNIT)(TomTom ONE (3rd Edition) )(Product/service evaluation)
June 22, 2008... **** 1/2 TomTom ONE (3rd Edition) [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] The TomTom ONE 3rd Edition is very similar to its predecessor, the inclusion of the "Help Me" safety feature is an excellent addition. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] TomTom's...

VOIP industry: guilty as charged: plus, 10 nasty questions to ask your VoIP supplier.(Tech@Work: VOIP SECURITY)
June 22, 2008... We in the IT security industry are collectively guilty for allowing a fundamentally insecure system such as VOIP to be launched into the market. We've known for years that only "secure out of the box" should be the default. Yet VOIP is not...

ABS: broadband soars: high speed Internet access, e-commerce and innovation on the rise.
June 22, 2008... An Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) report has found a 20 per cent increase in the proportion of businesses with Internet use, and broadband connectivity as the main connection type, which stands at 82.5 per cent of Australian businesses...

Enhanced graphics, easy-to-use.(Tech@Work: LINUX)(Ubuntu 7.10 Desktop Linux )(Product/service evaluation)
June 22, 2008... **** 1/2 Ubuntu 7.10 Desktop Linux [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Getting Linux right on the desktop, has always been a challenge--and that is why Ubuntu caused such a buzz when it first appeared three years ago. Ubuntu version 7.10,...

Feature-packed, but feels unfinished.(Tech@Work: LINUX)
June 22, 2008... **** Novell OpenSUSE 10.3 Oesktop Linux [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] OpenSUSE 10.3 is the fourth stable release from the OpenSUSE project, the online community founded by Novell to further develop the SUSE Linux operating system. It ships...

Excellent addition to Walkman range.(Tech@Work: 3G MOBILE PHONE)
June 22, 2008... **** Sony Ericsson W910i [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Sony Ericsson's W910i introduces a couple of nifty music features. SensME technology and 'Shake it!' should keep music lovers busy, while other features certainly haven't been...

Built-in GPS, small and stylish device.(Tech@Work: SMARTPHONE)
June 22, 2008... **** RIM BlackBerry Curve 8310 [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] An upgrade to the Blackberry Curve 8300, the 8310 adds built-in GPS to an already excellent smartphone. Exclusively available on the Vodafone network in Australia, the Curve 8310...

Sharp pictures, fast response time.(Tech@Work: LCD MONITOR)(Acer AL2616WD )(Product/service evaluation)
June 22, 2008... ****1/2 Acer AL2616WD [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] With the increasing proliferation of PCs as full featured entertainment devices, the demand for larger, widescreen displays continues to grow. Fitting in nicely between the standard 24in...

Toughened business notebook.(Tech@Work: ULTRAPORTABLE NOTEBOOK)
June 22, 2008... ***1/2 Panasonic Toughbook CF-W5 [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The toughest of the tough, Panasonic's Toughbook CF-W5 is one of the only notebooks where its ability to withstand torture takes precedent over power and style. [ILLUSTRATION...

iSCSI array, flexible deployment.(Tech@Work: REMOVABLE STORAGE)(Dell PowerVault MD3000i )(Product/service evaluation)
June 22, 2008... ****1/2 Dell PowerVault MD3000i Dell has added a new iSCSI storage array to its portfolio: the PowerVault MD3000i--a fully redundant enclosure that can pack dual-power supplies, dual-RAID controllers and 15 SAS (serial attached SCSI) drives...

Lightweight and easy-to-use.(Tech@Work: PORTABLE PROJECTOR)
June 22, 2008... Lightweight and easy-to-use. ***1/2 Panasonic PT-LB51E [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Panasonic's PT-LB51E is a lightweight, slim business projector with a 4:3 aspect ratio and resolution of 1024 x 768. Designed primarily for portability, the...

Top performance across all modes.(Home Entertainment: LCD TELEVISION)
June 22, 2008... **** Sony Bravia KDL46D3100 The Sony Bravia KDL46D3100 is a 46in LCD television with a native resolution of 1366x768. It is part of the new MotionFlow 100Hz range which is designed to avoid motion stutter while panning across an image....

40in LCD: leap into HD video.(Home Entertainment: LCD TELEVISION)(Samsunq LA40N81BD)(Product/service evaluation)
June 22, 2008... **** Samsunq LA40N81BD Past Samsung 1080p models haven't greatly impressed us, so we were eager to see what the company's latest offering, the LA40N81BD had in store for us. It was a definite improvement. There were some noise and aliasing...

Good quality 37in TV.(Home Entertainment: LCD TELEVISION)(Sharp AQUOS LC37PD5X)(Product/service evaluation)
June 22, 2008... ***1/2 Sharp AQUOS LC37PD5X The Sharp AQUOS LC37PD5X is a 37in LCD television with a native resolution of 1366x768 and an integrated HDTV tuner. It sits at the low end of the Sharp line up which means that while it is still quite a good...

Top download device, PVR tools.(Entertainment: SET TOP BOX)(DVico TViX PVR M-4130SH)(Product/service evaluation)
June 22, 2008... **** DVico TViX PVR M-4130SH The DViCO TViX PVR M-4130SH is a hard drive-based media player with basic HDTV PVR support. It can play back every major file format and many obscure video-phile and audiophile formats as well. By connecting an...

Exceptional PC sound quality.(Home Entertainment: PC SPEAKERS)
June 22, 2008... **** Bose Computer MusicMonitors When it comes to high quality audio, Bose certainly knows what it is doing. The Bose Computer MusicMonitors are a compact speaker system designed to give high fidelity sound without the need for a separate...

Get rid of that ugly date stamp.(Digital Image: TUTORIAL)
June 22, 2008... Before digital cameras became popular, that date stamp was almost ubiquitous, since many 35mm point-and-shoot cameras burn the date onto your photos when you press the shutter release. Thankfully, those days are largely behind us. Digital...

Make your photos pop with colour.(Digital Image: TUTORIAL)
June 22, 2008... Surely you've seen television commercials in which everything is rendered in black and white except for one item--a person, perhaps, or the featured product--that appears in full colour. The trick is effective because your eyes are drawn to the...

Top shooter for enthusaist users.(Digital Image: COMPACT CAMERA)(Canon PowerShot G9 )(Product/service evaluation)
June 22, 2008... **** Canon PowerShot G9 [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] If regular digital cameras just aren't built strongly enough for you, perhaps you need to take a look at Canon's latest PowerShot, the G9. It is built like a rock and has a bevy of manual...

10Mp sensor, live view and more.(Digital Image: DIGITAL SLR CAMERA)(Olympus E-510 )(Product/service evaluation)
June 22, 2008... ***1/2 Olympus E-510 [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Olympus is a relatively new company to the SLR space, but it is fast gaining a reputation for differentiating themselves by packing unique technologies into its models. Its latest unit and...

Slim, touch screen camera.(Digital Image: COMPACT DIGITAL CAMERA)
June 22, 2008... ***1/2 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T70 [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] It seems like touch screens are everywhere these days. Having just finished looking at Sony's latest Cyber-shot digital camera, the T200, complete with touch screen, we moved on to...

Share photos using wireless tool.(Digital Image: COMPACT DIGITAL CAMERA)(Nikon CoolPix S51c)(Product/service evaluation)
June 22, 2008... *** Nikon CoolPix S51c [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Nikon's Coolpix S51c is a basic 8.1-megapixel point-and-shoot camera which has the added bonus of Wi-Fi connectivity. The wireless feature is nifty, allowing you to easily share pictures...

High-definition hard disk camcorder.(Digital Image: DIGITAL CAMCORDER)(JVC Everio GZ-HD7 )(Product/service evaluation)
June 22, 2008... ***1/2 JVC Everio GZ-HD7 [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Always at the foray of hard disk-based camcorders, JVC's Everio GZ-HD7 was, at the time of release, the first full 1080i camcorder. On past units, JVC has always struggled a little to...

Create stylish home movies.(Digital Image: VIDEO EDITING)
June 22, 2008... **** Adobe Premiere Elements 4.0 [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Now that we are firmly planted in the digital age, it has become easier for regular folk to make their home movies look stylish and cinematic. Unfortunately, most of the basic...

Budget Photoshop performance.(Digital Image: PHOTO & iMAGE EDITING)(Adobe Photoshop Elements 6 )(Product/service evaluation)
June 22, 2008... **** Adobe Photoshop Elements 6 [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Digital Photography has seen a massive boom in the last few years and as a result people have hundreds of photos on their PCs. If they are anything like us, they tend to exist in...

Frequently asked photo questions: take better banquet photos, recover deleted photos, improve your action shots, and more.(Digital Image: HELPSCREEN)
June 22, 2008... Banquet photography Q I am often asked to take photos at conferences in hotel banquet rooms. I get a lot of bad shots that are blurry or dark. Do you have any advice? DARCI SEARS A This sort of photography is especially hard, Darci,...

Crysis.(PC Pow-R-Tech: HOT GAME)
June 22, 2008... Crysis ****1/2 [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] When Crysis was first formed, Crytek was a little known European developer with big dreams and aspirations. But unlike other upstart companies, they had an ace in the hole: a powerful and...

Four on the floor plus Blu-ray.(PC Pow-R-Tech: POWER NOTEBOOK)
June 22, 2008... **** ASUS Lamborghini VX2s (AK039G) [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] This is the latest iteration of the Lamborghini, ASUS's sports car for the tech savvy. There's little to dislike about this machine beyond its price tag. This model, the...

Feature packed, plus HD-DVD/Blu-ray.(PC Pow-R-Tech: DESKTOP PC)(HP Pavilion Elite m9090a PC (GQ564AA))(Product/service evaluation)
June 22, 2008... ****1/2 HP Pavilion Elite m9090a PC (GQ564AA) [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] The HP Pavilion Elite m9090a PC is the second PC we've tested that includes a combination HD-DVD and Blu-ray drive, allowing you to play movies from either format,...

Great choice for LAN gamers.(PC Pow-R-Tech: GAMING PC)(Altech Shuttle XPC Prima )(Product/service evaluation)
June 22, 2008... ***1/2 Altech Shuttle XPC Prima [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Altech has used Shuttle's XPC Prima case to create a funky small form factor gaming PC, which is ideal for LAN gamers who regularly need to move their PC around. It's a far cry...

Mid-range gaming rig.(PC Pow-R-Tech: DESKTOP PC)
June 22, 2008... *** 1/2 Dell XPS 420 [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Dell's XPS range has been built for garners and is at the high end for performance and price alike. The XPS 420 is Dell's midrange XPS, if such a thing exists, and offers some new features...

Cool and stylish, hybrid PC.(PC Pow-R-Tech: DESKTOP PC)(NEC PowerMate P5010)(Product/service evaluation)
June 22, 2008... ***1/2 NEC PowerMate P5010 [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] The NEC PowerMate P5010 is a me-too iMac wannabe that stops just short of pilfering its fruit-shaped logo. From the bold and creamy aesthetic to the integrated hard drive and monitor,...

Solid AMD Phenom platform.(PC Pow-R-Tech: MOTHERBOARD)(Giqabyte GA-MA790FX-DS5 )(Product/service evaluation)
June 22, 2008... **** Giqabyte GA-MA790FX-DS5 [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Based on AMD's new 790FX chipset, this Gigabyte platform is perfect for use with any of AMD's AM2 and AM2+ based CPUs, including Phenom. The 790FX is a high-end chip, yet this board...

Best performance available.(PC Pow-R-Tech: GRAPHICS CARD)(EVGA GeForce 8800 Ultra KO)(Product/service evaluation)
June 22, 2008... **** EVGA GeForce 8800 Ultra KO [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] While the industry eagerly awaits NVIDIA's upcoming 8900, for now the 8800 Ultra is still the most powerful card available. We took a look at an 8800 Ultra from EVGA to see how it...

Multi-format DVD, Blu-ray playback.(PC Pow-R-Tech: DVD BURNER)
June 22, 2008... **** ASUS BC1205PT [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Adding high-definition video-playing capability to a PC is easy with the ASUS BC-1205PT. As well as being a multi-format DVD burner, it can also play back Blu-ray movies and read Blu-ray data...

Low power consumption.(PC Pow-R-Tech: HARD DISK DRIVE)(Western Digital Caviar GP )(Product/service evaluation)
June 22, 2008... ****1/2 Western Digital Caviar GP [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Western Digital's Caviar GP (Green Power) drive is a cut above the competition as far as power consumption is concerned. It takes advantage of an improved seek method for data,...

Adjustable fans, funky style.(PC Pow-R-Tech: CASE)(XClio CS-A+380 Twin Engine)(Product/service evaluation)
June 22, 2008... **** XClio CS-A+380 Twin Engine [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] There is no doubt about it, this case commands a second take; another glance just to make sure you saw what you think you saw. The XClio CA-A+380 Twin Engine would not be the...

AMD's new Phenom CPU won't scare Intel: our first tests of AMD's Spider desktop platform reveals impressive technology but disappointing results. Can AMD compete if its high-end chip is slower than a $US230 Intel CPU?(PC Pow-R-Tech: QUAD-CORE CPU)
June 22, 2008... After months of anticipation, AMD is launching its Phenom desktop processor and "Spider" platform for desktop PCs. Its new Phenom chips feature a native quad-core design, a 65-nanometer manfufacturing process, and enhanced power management...

Building a PC beast.(PC Pow-R-Tech: UPGRADE)
June 22, 2008... We've been building our beast PC for seven months now, and it's amazing how much performance we've gained over the initial, now rather modest, configuration. A gain of 45 per cent has been made in office and video rendering applications, a gain...

How to be a tech hero: when something goes wrong with your girlfriend's computer, you're the one she calls. So here's how to impress her and have some fun doing it.(PC Pow-R-Tech: TUTORIAL)
June 22, 2008... You want to be nice. When friends or family call you with computer trouble, you try to help them. But no matter how much you know about PCs, correcting a problem can be a challenge when you're talking to someone who doesn't know a task bar from...