Australian PC World articles from March 2005

Australian PC World archives from March 2005

Deluged! Back from the holiday hiatus to face e-mail overload and a mass-mailer worm posing as a tsunami aid appeal--yet another year of spam, spyware and worms. It's time to take action and enjoy trouble-free Net access.(Editorial)
March 1, 2005... Returning from the New Year break, most of us spent some serious time on our PCs, simply wading through the e-mails that flowed in--important e-mails from colleagues and clients intermingled with the general spam. It's tedious, but this sorting...

Aussies arrested in phishing scam.
March 1, 2005... Four teenagers have been arrested for helping a global phishing gang steal millions of dollars from online bank accounts. The four, aged between 16 and 17 and all from Australia, are alleged to have allowed their own bank accounts to be...

Study: mobiles affect DNA in isolated cells.
March 1, 2005... Radio frequency radiation from mobile phones can damage DNA in laboratory conditions, European researchers said in a recent study. The study, called REFLEX, was a four-year, $5million-plus research project majority-funded by the European...

Trojan targets taxpayers.(News Analysis)
March 1, 2005... E-mail scammers have shifted their sights from a staple diet of banks, betting shops and auction sites to government agencies, with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) calling in Federal Police over a spam deluge that tries to send taxpayers...

Spam volume stable.(News Analysis)
March 1, 2005... The volume of e-mail made up of spam has stabilised, according to figures from Symantec's Brightmail unit. December's figures, culled from traffic travelling through its servers, showed that 67 per cent of e-mail is now spam, identical to...

IBM pulls plug on PCs.(News Analysis)
March 1, 2005... IBM's personal computer business racked up $US965 million in losses between 1 January 2001 and 30 June 2004 the company said in a filing to the US Securities and Exchange Commission. The filing detailed the planned sale of the business to...

AMD names mobile chips Turion.
March 1, 2005... Turion is the name of AMD's new low-power notebook processors. The Turion processors will consume 35W or less of power, said Bahr Mahony, a marketing manager in AMD's Mobile Business Segment. They are based on the same architecture as AMD's...

No Windows XP for Itanium.
March 1, 2005... Microsoft has pulled the plug on a version of Windows XP for Intel's Itanium 2 processor. The move marks the end for Itanium 2 in Windows-based workstations and comes after major hardware vendors abandoned the 64-bit chip for use in...

Socket to me.(News Analysis)
March 1, 2005... Internet downloads at over 100 times current speeds by plugging into a power socket may shock even the biggest Broadband buffs, but a trial using household powerlines has made it closer to a reality. A new 200Mbps technology called...

Fast Wi-Fi at a price.(News Analysis)
March 1, 2005... Sydney Wi-Fi provider BigAir has launched a 10Mbps residential broadband service, the fastest in the country, but with a significant price tag attached. The 10Mbps service, available to some apartment buildings in Sydney's east, costs...

JVC develops dual Blu-ray DVD discs.
March 1, 2005... JVC has developed prototype read-only discs that can contain data stored in both the DVD and high-capacity Blu-ray Disc formats. They are the first that are able to contain data in both formats, the company claims. The discs contain three...

Yahoo to launch desktop search product.
March 1, 2005... Yahoo has became the latest search engine to provide a product for searching hard drives, following similar launches by rivals Google, Ask Jeeves and Microsoft. Desktop search tools are designed to help users find information stored on...

ASUS DVD burners enable 16X burning with 8X discs.(ASUS Advertorial)(Advertisement)
March 1, 2005... Although DVD burning technology has progressed to 16X, the supply of disc media supporting this new high-speed standard remains low. Even if you are one of the lucky few that is in possession of these expensive discs, you still have to worry...

The choice of expert gamers: ASUS Gamer Edition cards deliver big bang for the buck.(ASUS Advertorial)(Advertisement)
March 1, 2005... The launch of new titles such as Lineage II and Doom 3 should propel a wave of system upgrades among serious gamers, since more powerful video performance is needed to smoothly run the latest 3D games. Taking into account that many gamers...

Aliens have landed: Aurora 7500.(First Looks)
March 1, 2005... Florida-based Alienware has been building its definitive PC and notebook solutions since 1996. After starting out with predominantly high performance gaming PCs, the company has broadened its range to all sorts of high-end offerings. These...

Widescreen display does TV: W1900 LCD TV.(First Looks)
March 1, 2005... The good old television continues to be the centrepiece of many a lounge/living room's entertainment area, but we're slowly moving away from regular tube sets. Increasingly we seek higher quality, flatter and larger displays with extra...

Next generation Centrino: Inspiron 6000.(First Looks)
March 1, 2005... Intel has launched the next generation of its Centrino technology (codenamed Sonoma) which includes the latest Pentium M processors and improved wireless capabilities. The new Centrino platform brings key technologies afforded to desktop...

HDV out of the box: Liquid Edition 6.(First Looks)
March 1, 2005... Liquid Edition 6 is Pinnacle's video editing package for the studio professional or serious video hobbyist. Although undeniably powerful, it's previously been criticised for poor usability but Pinnacle has taken steps to improve this situation...

Latest, fastest LCD monitors: Syncmaster 913n, FP71E+.(First Looks)
March 1, 2005... While many of us would like an LCD monitor, they're often a poor choice for playing games or watching video on due to their relatively poor response times when compared to conventional CRT monitors (see A speedy response). However, that's set...

Spy infection? Call the Doc! Spyware Doctor 3.1.(First Looks)
March 1, 2005... Many Internet users understand just how annoying and increasingly prolific spyware can be. Even if you use the Firefox browser and antivirus software, programs such as Ad-aware SE Personal Edition, Spybot Search & Destroy or even Microsoft's...

Apple slims down Mac, iPod.(Quick Takes)
March 1, 2005... Although there's still no word of the iTunes online music store being launched in Australia, this year's MacWorld San Francisco event saw Apple introduce a range of new products. The diminutive Mac Mini is the cheapest Mac computer ever,...

Stylish camera phone.(Quick Takes)
March 1, 2005... The most striking thing about the S700i is its design--from one side it looks like a camera, from the other it looks like a phone. Unlike most camera phones, where the picture-taking part is an application in the main menu, the S700i...

FireWire high-definition TV tuner.(Quick Takes)
March 1, 2005... FireDTV is an external digital TV tuner that connects to your PC through a 6-pin FireWire connection. This supplies enough bandwidth to display high-definition channels on your PC's monitor along with standard-definition channels, and it also...

Colour laser revolution.(Quick Takes)
March 1, 2005... When you see a colour laser printer claiming a 20ppm (pages per minute) print speed, cynicism tends to kick in--because colour printing is notoriously slow. But the Magicolor 5430DL can really knock out the sheets. This high-end colour...

Money manages usable upgrade.(Quick Takes)
March 1, 2005... Overseas, Microsoft's latest Money 2005 package rivals Quicken 2005 in the personal finance software stakes. Problem is that in Australia, some of Money's big drawcard services like remote online access to your information through an MSN money...

A better PaperPort, mostly.(Quick Takes)
March 1, 2005... Scansoft's PaperPort--when paired with a document scanner--has long provided an elegant means for turning stacks of paperwork into easily organised digital documents. Version 10 adds solid features to the mix. PaperPort allows you to...

Full-featured snapper.(Quick Takes)
March 1, 2005... This digital camera has a surprisingly full feature set for the cash, while catering for point-and-shoot photography. Its oversized grip and compact dimensions make the E500 ergonomically easy (as long as you're righthanded) and it's...

Running on auto.(Readers' Forum)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2005... An excellent article in PC World about Autoruns (December 2004 issue, page 130). Just what I wanted to know, but it's a pity you didn't put in a couple of lines about icons. After much mucking around burning and re-burning CD-RWs to test mine,...

BPL's shocking results.(Readers' Forum)(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2005... I recently read with interest your article online about Energy Australia's BPL trial in Newcastle, and also read with some amusement the comments from Mr Budde (See News Analysis, page 12). What Mr Budde did not mention was that the radio...

Missive of the month.(Readers' Forum)
March 1, 2005... Congratulations to Martin Howells! You are this month's winner of a year's subscription to PC World worth $66. We are pleased to receive your letters, but please keep them to less than 300 words. We reserve the right to edit letters for...

Viennese gondolas.(Readers' Forum)
March 1, 2005... Vienness gondolas: The world famous Giant Ferris Wheel (Riesenrad), in Vienna's Prater, was erected in 1897 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the reign of Emperor Franz Joseph I. (Photo: PID/Kullmann). Featuring 15 giant gondolas, it has...

Do more with digital photos: fix, manage, share, print, shrink, and stitch: these 22 tools let you get more than ever out of your digital snapshots. You don't even have to be a tycoon to afford them or a photo pro to use them.
March 1, 2005... Avid digital photographers are passionate about more than just cameras. They crave powerful tools to organise, edit, and share their pictures. Luckily, today's consumer photo software is more sophisticated than ever, and about $200 gets you a...

Edit photos for free: having forked out for a digital camera, you don't need the added expense of a program to tweak your images. Here are Rosemary Haworth's tips for improving your snaps without denting your pocket.
March 1, 2005... However dramatically digital cameras may have dropped in price--3.2Mp entry-level digital cameras start at $299--they still represent a significant outlay. So having got your hands on a shiny new snapper, the last thing you want to do is...

Unwanted guests.(All Windows)
March 1, 2005... Q Other family members keep installing software--some of it undesirable --on the PC that all of us share. How do I stop them? --Daniel Otten A Short of disabling your CD drive and Internet link, or keeping your PC to yourself, there's...

Standby disabled.(Windows 98)
March 1, 2005... Q MY computer runs Windows 98 SE. It can no longer enter standby via the keyboard and this mode has also disappeared from the Shut Down Windows option. --B Carr A Windows disables standby if it detects that problems have occurred when...

Boot on the other foot.(Windows XP)
March 1, 2005... Q I'm running a dual-boot system with Windows XP and Windows 98. I no longer want to use 98. What steps do I take to remove the dual boot? --George Nowotny A To kill the "Please select the operating system..." menu that comes up...

Windows XP SP2 FAQs.(Top Tips)
March 1, 2005... Q After installing SP2 my startup screen no longer says Windows XP Professional. Has SP2 downgraded my system? A No, this is by design. Go to My Computer-Properties to see which version you have. Q Why does my system seem to be running...

Transfer apps to XP?(Windows XP)
March 1, 2005... Q I inherited an old computer which I have upgraded to Windows 98. I am planning eventually to upgrade to Windows XP. The trouble is, I don't have the original discs for any of the applications on the system, including Microsoft Office and...

Go home.(Internet)
March 1, 2005... Q Recently I decided to alter my home page via Internet Options-Internet Properties. However, I found that this area was greyed out and could not alter it. No matter what I do, I cannot seem to change this setting. I have arrived at a...

Make Outlook Express less protective.(Internet)
March 1, 2005... Q I use Outlook Express 6, and I can't open any e-mail attachments. Is there a way around this block? --Stephen Brown A To protect against e-mail borne viruses, Outlook Express 6 blocks many (sometimes it seems like most) attachments...

Spam control.(Internet)
March 1, 2005... Q More than 90 per cent of my e-mails are spam, most advertising porn sites or improvements to part of my anatomy. I have tried various anti-spam programs with limited success. Surely it wouldn't be too hard to write a program that scans for...

Error objects.(Internet)
March 1, 2005... Q When using Internet Explorer 6.0, I often see the message: "Problems with this Web page prevent it from being displayed properly or functioning properly". It gives a line and character number, a URL and an "Error object required" message....

Spybot oversight.(Security)
March 1, 2005... Q After using Ad-aware for some time, I decided to try Spybot Search and Destroy instead. It found five Registry entries described as "data source object (DSO) Exploit" which Ad-aware apparently missed. But it finds the same five problems if I...

Violated system.(Security)
March 1, 2005... Q Some program has installed itself on my computer, bringing up unwanted pornography. I have tried to remove it, but it keeps on reappearing. What can I do? A First, check Windows' System Configuration Utility to see whether the uninvited...

Stolen identity.(Security)
March 1, 2005... Q When I tried to log on to my Yahoo mail account, a message appeared stating that my password wasn't valid. The options for retrieving a forgotten password didn't work, either. I also can't log on to my eBay account (where, coincidentally, I...

Save me.(Applications)
March 1, 2005... O I'm using Microsoft Office 2000. I installed the AutoSave add-in to ensure that I don't lose any data when working in Excel. But it always asks if I want to save the worksheet every time. If I deselect "Prompt before saving", the setting only...

Insert here.(Applications)
March 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 this? A In Word, just click on Insert-Picture-From File (see FIGURE 8). A dialogue box...

Share your Outlook data.(Applications)
March 1, 2005... Q How can two people use Microsoft Outlook to share data across a network? A This technique doesn't keep one person's data separate from the other's, and it doesn't work between Outlook 2003 and older versions of the program, but it's...

Purchase concerns.(Hardware)
March 1, 2005... Q Is it safe to buy a second-hand PC? Would it be possible, for instance, to check before buying it whether it had been used to view pornographic material? --F DeHavilland A Even if the seller had reformatted the hard disk and...

BIOS blues.(Hardware)
March 1, 2005... Q I upgraded my system's BIOS and it seemed to go well. I also went into the BIOS setup, but only to disable a logo. When I tried to boot up, Windows hung. I tried reinstalling Windows, but when the system rebooted after installation, it hung...

Saving space.(Hardware)
March 1, 2005... Q Is there a way to control two or more PCs with one keyboard, one mouse, and one monitor? I currently have two complete systems on my desk--meaning two keyboards, two mice, and two monitors--and I'd like to add another keyboard, mouse, and...

Copy drive contents.(Hardware)
March 1, 2005... Q MY hard drive is becoming full and I'd like to replace it with a larger one but I'd prefer to avoid a complete reinstall. Can I just copy everything from my hard drive to the new one? If so, will the new drive come with the software to do...

Art of noise.(Hardware)
March 1, 2005... Q The music CDs I burned with my new PC play on the computer but not in my hi-fl or car audio system. Is the fault with the CDs or the PC? --Jack Long A It's more likely to be your CD-Rs rather than your PC that's causing this...

Removal worries.(Miscellanous)
March 1, 2005... Q When I uninstall software using Add/ Remove Programs, I usually receive a message saying that not all parts of the software could be deleted and they should be removed manually. Where will I find these parts? --Peter Berry A...

Windows XP photo printing wizard.(Miscellaneous)
March 1, 2005... Q I use Windows XP Home Edition and have tried to find a way to get Windows XP Photo Printing Wizard to start in any other folder than My Documents/ My Pictures. I have searched Microsoft TechNet and Support options and can only assume a...

Recover files from corrupt drive?(Miscellaneous)
March 1, 2005... Q While installing a program I received a message that Windows couldn't write to the E drive. I was surprised because I wasn't using the drive at the time. When I rebooted, Windows XP said that the drive had to be checked. It then reported that...

Picks & pans: from the Consumer Electronics Show 2005: from really big big-screen TVs to snow in Las Vegas, here's what we loved (and a few things that left us less than impressed) at this year's show.
March 1, 2005... Computer trade shows have gotten smaller over the years, but not CES--the Consumer Electronics Show is bigger than ever. With everything from the biggest (102 inches, anyone?) flat-screen TVs to iPod accessories everywhere you look, CES offers...

Mini PCs are cute but can they cut it?(Carry-On Computing)
March 1, 2005... Ever since Shuttle released their first Mini PC in 2001, the popularity of these shrunken systems has grown immensely. This is primarily due to their small size and relatively quiet performance compared to a mid-tower PC. You can now find many...

17in LCDs dip below $400.(Sweet Spot)
March 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...

GeCube Radeon X700 Pro.(Sweet Spot)
March 1, 2005... Those of you who are on the lookout for a decent pixel-pusher for a new-generation PC should take note of GeCube's Radeon X700 Pro, which is a PCle-based graphics card that hits the sweet spot between good performance and a reasonable price...

Over $3500.(Best Buys)
March 1, 2005... Plus Corporation Altera FX-55 [pc world BEST BUYS] [1] 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)
March 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 swingable door on the front can be locked with a key at...

Sub-$1500.(Best Buys)
March 1, 2005... i-Tech AMD Athlon XP Award series [pc world BEST BUYS] [1] A full PO 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)
March 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) 2m38s...

Over $4000.(Best Buys)
March 1, 2005... Pioneer Power Notebook 870P [pc world BEST BUYS] [1] This $4699 870P model has very similar specs to the number three-ranked $4059 Millennia 7201 and suffers from similar weight and battery issues. Its features include (big breath here) a...

$2500-$4000.(Best Buys)
March 1, 2005... Dell Inspiron 9200 [pc world BEST BUYS] [1] The Centrino-based Inspiron 9200 was Dell's first 17in widescreen notebook. Our model featured the glossy and ultra sharp WUXGA 1920x1200 resolution display option and a 2.1GHz Pentium M...

Sub-$2500.(Best Buys)
March 1, 2005... Protac Excel G900 [pc world BEST BUYS] [1] NEW At 4.9kg, this large desktop replacement may not be overly portable but it managed a worst case scenario battery life of 72min and packs some power. The Excel G900 has a 3.2GHz Mobile...

Notebooks: over $4000, $2500-$4000, sub-$2500.(Best Buys)
March 1, 2005... VALUE MAKE/MODEL RATING BENCHMARK SCORES REAL WORLD TESTS OVER 4000 (1) Pioneer 78 (A) 323 (D) 17s Power (B) 11454 (E) 4m30s Notebook ...

Mini PCs.(Best Buys)
March 1, 2005... Mini PCs are compact--some might even say "cute"--but they can still pack a wallop! Also known as small form factor PCs, they are fully-featured computer systems built around a small motherboard, so they can be shoehorned into a smaller casing....

Transfer request.(Windows 98)
March 1, 2005... Q MY system is running Windows 98 SE and has two hard drives. The primary drive is starting to fail with the occasional disk boot error. The secondary has 39GB of free space. Is it easy to transfer the contents of the primary drive to the...

Unwanted reboot.(Windows XP)
March 1, 2005... Q I was called away from my computer while working on a project. I didn't get back to it for several hours. When I did, I found that Windows Update had installed an automatic update and rebooted my computer, causing all the work I had done to...

Identity crisis.(Windows XP)
March 1, 2005... Q After I installed the Windows XP SP2 upgrade on my new Sony Vaio I found that all my messages had disappeared from Outlook Express and the address book was empty. Fortunately, I had taken your advice to create a Restore point and was able to...

Watch your PC's pulse.(Top Tip)
March 1, 2005... Is your PC tired, overworked and perhaps a little torpid? The first step in diagnosing the cause of a pooped PC is to monitor its CPU, RAM and virtual memory as it performs various tasks. The Cool Beans System Info utility does just...

Make better MP3s.(Top Tip)
March 1, 2005... If you use Nero Wave Editor to edit their MP3 files, saving them by clicking the Save button will store them in 80Kb 24KHz format no matter what the original quality, resulting in a dull sound. The solution is to choose File, Save As on the...

That proxy desktop.(Windows XP)
March 1, 2005... Q The last time I tried to shut down my computer, I was informed that Proxy Desktop would not close. I don't have a program called Proxy Desktop and I am worried that it is some kind of spyware. But neither Spybot nor Ad-Aware can find...

Shoot the messenger.(Applications)
March 1, 2005... Q I receive an error message whenever I disconnect from Outlook Express, it says: "The instruction at Ox77f52109 referenced memory at 0x008044c8. The memory could not be written". When I click on OK, nothing untoward happens. How can I stop the...

Internal affairs.(Miscellaneous)
March 1, 2005... Q I have a Netgear DG834G Modem/Router/ Firewall to which I have connected two PCs, one using a wireless connection. The Internet works perfectly, but I can't get the PCs to communicate with each other. The wireless system is shown by the...

Making jpegs safer.(Security)
March 1, 2005... Q Windows Update recently installed the GDI+ Security Update. This informed me that I had Microsoft software with a security vulnerability and asked whether I wanted to update it. What is this tool? If I have vulnerable software, how do I...

Installing Windows XP on older PCs.(Top Tip)
March 1, 2005... When Windows XP is run on an older computer, you may experience problems such as failure to power off at shutdown or errors when waking the system from +standby. These problems may arise because the computer apparently does not support ACPI...

Hard drives: if your PC is running out of storage space, you might want to add a new hard drive. Back to basics shows you how.(Back To Basics)
March 1, 2005... These days, our PCs are being used for a much wider range of tasks, all of which take up more and more space on our hard disks. Whether you're working with digital video or storing your music collection, a high-capacity drive is fast becoming...

The third dimension: you don't always need a 3D package to cover a solid object with custom textures. Here's how to do it with Adobe Photoshop elements.(Imaging)
March 1, 2005... Texture mapping is the process of colouring the surface of a 3D graphic with an image. Typically, this picture might be a repeating or "tiled" texture to make the object look like wood, or stone, or anything else that takes your fancy. It could...

Cutting remarks: are you getting the best from your timeline? Laurence Grayson picks out some key techniques for the aspiring video director.(Digital Video)
March 1, 2005... Anyone can stitch a few clips together on a timeline and add a bit of background music, and that's fine. But, if you want to add a little more depth to your project, it helps to have a broader understanding of editing techniques and shot...

Control freaks: part 2: after dipping our toes in the sea available music controllers last month, it's time to plug-in, play and tweak away.(Audio)
March 1, 2005... As I've already mentioned, MIDI controllers in all their various shapes and forms are a fun and effective way to maintain musicality and a human element in your computer-aided music endeavours. No more painstaking programming of notes by mouse...

Knoppix in your pocket: this month, Alastair Cousins installs Knoppix onto a USB key drive, making it even more portable.(Linux)
March 1, 2005... USB keys have become a really cheap method of storage, and have reached sizes up to 2GB. In this month's column, I'll show you how to install Knoppix--a distribution of Linux that runs entirely from CD--on a USB Key drive, making it even more...