Australian PC World articles from October 2002

Australian PC World archives from October 2002

We're a weird mob: for a mobile phone aficionado to switch off the device is tantamount to the death of a much-loved pet. Yet there is a growing group of mobile users who don't want to have sports updates, stock prices, or pics of their friends at Thredbo sent to them. Are we out of step with our global brethren? (Editorial).
October 1, 2002... Australians are often told that we are the fastest, earliest adopters of technology, per capita. Well, sometimes the Kiwis beat us... but I won't renew any rivalry across the Tasman, especially with the cricket season around the corner. ...

Debates rise over CPUs. (News Analysis).
October 1, 2002... Debate over the use of desktop processors in notebook computers has heated up. A class action lawsuit overseas is making PC vendors rethink how they design and market such machines. In July, Toshiba America was hit with a class action...

E-tax service a hit.
October 1, 2002... The number of tax payers who lodged their tax returns via the Australian Taxation Office's (ATO) e-tax software package has skyrocketed compared to last year. The ATO estimated almost 250,000 Australians as of 31 August had lodged their...

British PC brand lands in Australia.
October 1, 2002... Hi-Grade, one of the UK's largest computer assemblers, is bringing its PCs and notebooks to Australia through a distribution agreement with QDI Interactive Computers. Hi-Grade began its life in the UK as a small reseller-cum-assembler of...

Dell eyes new markets. (News Analysis).
October 1, 2002... Not content with a flourishing PC and server business, Dell Computer has announced that it will join the printer and personal digital assistant (PDA) fray. Chief executive officer Michael Dell confirmed the company will sell printers and...

Sun: Linux on desktop? (News Analysis).
October 1, 2002... Sun Microsystems has indicated that it is turning its sights to Linux on the desktop. Scott McNealy, chief executive officer at Sun, was very cagey regarding information at the recent LinuxWorld conference in the US: "Linux is doing very well...

SiS chipset supports faster Rambus memory.
October 1, 2002... Silicon Integrated Systems (SIS) has rolled out a long-expected chipset for Pentium 4-based PCs and workstations that supports dual-channel PC1066 RDRAM (Rambus dynamic RAM), the SiS R658. The chipset is the first from SiS to support RDRAM. ...

Asustek to enter PDA market.
October 1, 2002... Asustek Computer is gunning for a slice of the PDA market with the long-awaited launch of it MyPal A600, based on Microsoft's Pocket PC 2002 software and a 400MHz XScale processor from Intel. Asustek, in Taipei, is best known as one of the...

New ISP guideline. (News Analysis).
October 1, 2002... The Australian Communications Authority (ACA) has announced a new Internet Service Provider (ISP) Industry Guideline, designed to help ISPs deliver clear and comprehensive knowledge on their service offerings and equip consumers with tools for...

Sony loses chip case. (News Analysis).
October 1, 2002... The Federal Court recently ruled that content companies that apply region coding to prevent games, music or videos produced in one region from being played on a console manufactured for a different region have no protection under Australian...

MMS makes tracks in Australia.
October 1, 2002... Telstra and Optus have both made moves into the multimedia messaging service (MMS) market and recently announced the launch of two new packages. MMS is a multimedia version of SMS (short messaging service) that allows users to send...

Intel draws plan for portable media player.
October 1, 2002... Intel, in an effort to further expand its business beyond computers, is developing a blueprint for a portable media player that relies on Intel hardware. The plan is for a $US400 device about the size of a paperback book that can play...

ACCI questions benefit. (Broadband).
October 1, 2002... Despite the Federal Government's efforts to increase take-up, broadband Internet offers little at present for Australian small business, claims the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI). The National Office for the Information...

Telcos talk up broadband numbers. (Broadband Briefs).
October 1, 2002... Leading telecommunications companies and ISPs Telstra, Optus and OzEmail have all released statements to the market indicating increased subscriber numbers for broadband Internet services. Telstra has announced that it has signed up more...

Music to your ears. (Tech.Files [right arrow] Surround Sound).
October 1, 2002... The term `surround sound' is commonly used to describe multichannel audio technologies that come primarily from Dolby Laboratories. The bulk of development has been in the field of films, but the fruits of this work are now well entrenched in...

Pinball's last gasp. (Alt.Net [right arrow] pinball).
October 1, 2002... Cheaper computers and game consoles are rapidly becoming the entertainment focus of many homes. No longer do people head to their local pinball parlour or Timezone for an hour of stress relief, One casualty of this shift in behaviour is the...

auDA smacks Internet Registry into apology. (Online News).
October 1, 2002... The Australian Domain Authority (auDA) has forced Internet Registry into issuing an apology after sending false and misleading notices to domain name customers. Internet Registry is no longer an authorised domain name reseller, let alone a...

Trading sites take a hit. (Online News).
October 1, 2002... Online traffic to investor trading sites has taken a beating. Latest figures from market analyst RedSheriff show an overall decline in unique visitors from May to June. The CommBank Web site was Australia's best-performing online trading...

iRiver iDP-100: personal MP3 player. (First Looks).
October 1, 2002... The iRiver iDP-100 digital media player introduces to the market yet another medium for playing your music files while on the move: a media format named DataPlay. This optical medium is a tiny, encased, double-sided disc with a total capacity...

Sony Vaio PCG-GRX3P: desktop replacement multimedia notebook. (First Looks).
October 1, 2002... The first notebook we've seen in the Test Centre to sport a massive 16.1in active TFT display, the GRX3P supports resolutions up to 1600x1200--and the image quality is superb. It falls (heavily) into the desktop replacement category with a...

Juzt-Reboot PCI-NT: data recovery solution. (First Looks).
October 1, 2002... Has your operating system ever been so trashed that it was irreparable? Whether you're plagued by a virus, worm, bad code or a resource hogging application, potential bad result can be the same: large amounts of data loss and the standard...

VIA P4PB 400: Pentium 4 motherboard. (First Looks).
October 1, 2002... Based on VIA's own P4X400 North Bridge and VT8235 South Bridge chipsets, this Pentium 4 motherboard will accept processors of the 400MHz or 533MHz front side bus distinction. It has a wealth of features built into it, including 10/100 LAN (with...

Encarta Premium Suite 2003: reference software. (First Looks).
October 1, 2002... Justifiably an excellent tool for students of all ages, Encarta is also the perfect antidote to the know-it-all. Have a dispute? Let's ask Encarta. Don't believe me? Let's see what Encarta has to say about it A weekend spent in this manner...

HP Photosmart 812: digital camera. (First Looks).
October 1, 2002... The $1299 Photosmart 812 digital camera's compact design, silver skin and Pentax lens combine with 4-megapixel picture quality to deliver a camera that appeals to both the enthusiast and the casual snapper alike. Specifications include 3x...

Creative Nomad MuVo: personal MP3 player. (First Looks).
October 1, 2002... Recent MP3 players have tended to confuse novice users with their advanced functions and finicky controls. Creative's latest device, the Nomad MuVo, is the complete opposite in design and functionality. This hybrid player doubles as an MP3...

Intel 2.8GHz Pentium 4 CPU.
October 1, 2002... Intel chip speed has leaped from 2.53GHz to 2.8GHz with its latest release, which is sure to please ultimate performance seekers and early adopters. Apart from the speed increment, the chip is identical to the previous releases of the Pentium...

Macromedia studio MX.
October 1, 2002... An essential for any Web developer's tool belt is Macromedia's Studio MX--a $1999 suite incorporating the most significant releases to date of the company's Web design, server and client apps. Studio MX includes Macromedia Flash MX, Dreamweaver...

Fujitsu lifebook S6010. (Quick Takes).
October 1, 2002... The thin and light A4-sized S6010 is Fujitsu PC Australia's latest addition to its S series range. Weighing just 2.3kg with power supply and 2kg without, the S6010 comes in two variations. Both feature an Intel PIII-M processor, a 13.3in active...

Linux kit for playstation 2.
October 1, 2002... The $449 kit comprises a non-IDE 40GB drive, video cable, USB scrolling mouse, black USB keyboard with mouse socket, custom 10/100BaseT network card and two CDs. You will need to supply some bits yourself: the PS2 (obviously), 8MB memory card,...

Opera v6.05.
October 1, 2002... Opera is smaller than Netscape and IE, yet it has some great features the others are missing. Chief among these is the ability to open multiple windows, even at startup, without running out of memory. You can zoom in and out of pages, as...

Beyond SMS with Sony Ericsson.
October 1, 2002... If you find texting old hat and are looking for something with a bit more of the wow factor, take a look at the new phones from the Sony Ericsson joint venture. The company released two new phones recently, and gave a preview of a...

Acer TravelMate 100 tablet device.
October 1, 2002... Over the past few issues we've reported that Fujitsu, HP/Compaq, Toshiba and Acer are all preparing their new tablet-style portable computing devices featuring Microsoft's Windows XP Tablet operating system. PC World managed to get a hands-on...

Acer unveils new handhelds.
October 1, 2002... Acer has recently entered the PDA market with two new devices. The s series uses the Palm OS and the n series uses the Pocket PC OS, making Acer the first IT vendor to offer both alternatives to its customers. The s50 model (pictured, right)...

Nokia launches multimedia application developer kit.
October 1, 2002... The application development arm of Nokia Mobile Phones, Forum Nokia, has made its MMS toolkit freely available for download at www.Forum.Nokia.com/tools. The software enables development of MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) applications for...

Kodak EasyShare CX4200 Digital Camera. (Quicktakes).
October 1, 2002... The first of a forthcoming new range of Kodak digital cameras, the entry-level 2 megapixel (1632x1232) CX4200 is aimed at people wishing to explore digital photography. It enables the production of photo prints up to 8x10in. Featuring 16MB of...

BenQ HT480W widescreen digital projector. (Quicktakes).
October 1, 2002... Home theatre enthusiasts will be pleased to know they have a wider selection of DLP (Digital Light Processing) projectors with the arrival of the BenQ HT480W, capable of providing a 152cm wide picture at a distance of only 200cm. Compatible...

CSE HTML Validator Professional 5.5 beta 3: HTML Validator. (First Looks).
October 1, 2002... An HTML validator--also known as a syntax checker--can save some seriously frustrating hours in front of the computer as it runs through your Web pages to discover any potential coding errors. CSE HTML Validator Professional, a $US129 tool,...

ZoneAlarm 3.1: personal firewall. (First Looks).
October 1, 2002... Here's a quick community announcement: update your antivirus definitions, install Microsoft security patches, and get yourself a personal firewall. ZoneAlarm 3.1, on this month's cover CD, is a well-designed firewall that provides peace of mind...

Mozilla 1, Netscape 7, RapidBrowser XP: internet browser. (First Looks).
October 1, 2002... There's more to browsers than Internet Explorer. Three new major alternatives are here: Mozilla 1, Netscape 7 and RapidMedia Networks' RapidBrowser XP. (A fourth alternative is Opera; see Quick Take review, page 32.) Mozilla 1 Mozilla...

Strydent Inksaver: ink saving software. (First Looks).
October 1, 2002... Printers may be coming down in price, but the cost of keeping these peripherals stocked with ink can be expensive. Messy ink refill kits have been on the market for some time, but Strydent has decided to take a different approach. Inksaver...

Free office suites. (Linuxworld).
October 1, 2002... A lack of quality Linux office suites has long been one of reasons that some Linux users have decided to switch back to Windows. For many people functionality similar to, and compatibility with, Microsoft Office is an essential requirement for...

Rescue me. (Readers' Forum).
October 1, 2002... With the recent hype about Microsoft requiring registration of XP and the more recent discussions about not being able to legally copy copyrighted discs, even for backup, I have found a new twist on this subject which is causing me some concern...

Memory lane. (Readers' Forum).
October 1, 2002... Thanks for your trip down memory lane with ASCII art (July PC World page 20). I first came across ASCII art in 1969 when I worked in the message switching industry, which was then used by airlines for their worldwide communications. Late at...

Dilbert[R].
October 1, 2002... CATBERT * EVIL H.R DIRECTOR VIDEO CAMERAS HAVE BEEN INSTALLED IN ALL WORK AREAS. THEY'RE NOT RESISTING. THEY'RE READY FOR PHASE TWO. EMPLOYEES MUST WEAR I.D. BADGES AROUND THEIR NECKS. PREPARE TO BE PERMANENTLY MARKED BY...

Call waiting suppression. (Readers' Forum).
October 1, 2002... I would like to submit some advice, and if you could share it with other readers it would be greatly appreciated. For those of you that are still using an ordinary dialup connection and are constantly having to turn on/off your call...

Turning trash into treasure: over 30 tips for using online auction sites to sell your unwanted stuff (or buy new stuff!)--safely. (Web & You).
October 1, 2002... If you're like a lot of people, you have a garage full of things you've been meaning to get rid of for years. And the strange truth is that someone would probably give anything--or at least a few bucks--to own your Charles and Diana wedding...

Find hidden auction deals. (Web & You).
October 1, 2002... If you're looking to buy at an online auction, no matter which site you use or how well you search, you're still going to miss lots of items you could bid on. Although searching and browsing auction sites will turn up hundreds of examples of...

Stay abreast of auctions. (Web & You).
October 1, 2002... Constantly searching specific categories for just the right stuff? Although there are utilities that help you manage ongoing auctions, it's tougher to stay on top of the new goods. Several strategies work; here's just one. Check out My...

Proxy power! (Web & You).
October 1, 2002... When bidding on items in an Internet auction, proxy bidding lets you make one bid and then forget about the auction until it ends. A proxy bid is the maximum amount you're willing to pay for an item. As others bid, the auction site tracks bids...

25 ways to get the PC you always wanted: at no cost and with just a bit of time, a few adjustments will let you personalise your computer and boost its efficiency. With a little more time and a modicum of investment, you can get close to creating your perfect PC. We show you how to get the system that's just right for you.
October 1, 2002... Free customisation Simple downloads Fast upgrades There's a lot you can do to improve your PC and customise its features to better fit your workload. It doesn't need to cost you any money, either. By investigating Windows and...

The straight story on search engines: want unbiased, accurate results? Choose your search site carefully. From the big guys to the undiscovered gems, we find the sites you can trust.
October 1, 2002... Let's say you're interested n digital cameras. You search for exactly that--`digital cameras'--on MSN (http://search.msn.com). When the results come back, you find yourself saying, "What is all this stuff?" One set of matches at the top of the...

Suite smell of success.
October 1, 2002... Almost everyone uses an office suite, but few of us make a conscious decision about which one. After all, just about every Windows PC comes with a preinstalled or bundled copy of an office suite, comprising a word processor, spreadsheet...

Perfect for PDAS.
October 1, 2002... PDAs (personal digital assistants) were originally designed to provide basic information functions, such as contact books, diaries, to-do lists and maybe the odd scribbled note. This all changed when Psion began packing core office applications...

The professional image management system that grows with your needs.
October 1, 2002... Any photographer would agree that a fast and powerful image archiving and retrieval system is essential. And FotoWare delivers that and more, with a complete, advanced digital asset management system built around its professional "digital...

Picture perfect photos: the average digital camera comes with a range of knobs and dials to help you capture great shots. These don't always guarantee fault-free photos, but you can ensure the pictures you take end up looking their very best by administering a few tweaks with an image editor.
October 1, 2002... The flirtation was drawn out and the romance only rumoured for years, but at last it can be openly revealed: Australia is in love with the digital camera. The popularity of digital isn't surprising, considering its clear advantages....

Getting started.
October 1, 2002... In this section we show you how to use Adobe Photoshop Elements to tweak your digital photo. Selecting the right resolution If you've ever clogged up your friends' and relatives' PCs with a 20MB picture of your baby, you'll appreciate...

Setting up your camera.
October 1, 2002... With a little effort, image-editing programs can repair flaws, but it saves time and heartache if you can avoid many of the common pitfalls when you take a photograph. Some flaws, such as red-eye, can fixed easily but an out-of-focus original...

More manipulations!
October 1, 2002... You can make your digital photographs more impressive if you use a photo-editing package to touch up minor imperfections and apply filters to create particular effects. In this section, we use MGI PhotoSuite 4.0 to tackle some touchup tasks....

Photograph your pets.
October 1, 2002... STOOP TO THEIR LEVEL The best pictures are often shot at the subject's own eye level. When I photograph dogs and cats, I usually lie down on the floor. The problem? If you lie down, your dog is likely to rush over and start licking your...

Sound check: sound systems. (Best Buys).
October 1, 2002... This month we extensively tested computer speaker systems and mind-boggingly feature-rich sound cards to bring you the latest and greatest from the world of audio reproduction. Most vendors were able to submit new products for this round-up,...

Over $4000 home. (Best Buys).
October 1, 2002... Altech Computers Redstorm 2.2GHz [1] This machine's grunt comes from a Pentium 4 2.2GHz CPU, which sits in an ASUS P4S333 motherboard featuring an SiS 645a chipset. Previously named Home P4 2.2GHz, it is based on DDR SDRAM technology and...

Over $4000 business. (Best Buys).
October 1, 2002... Altech Computers Red Cyclone 2.2GHz [1] Directed towards the business community this machine is perfect for graphics endeavours as well as intensive Internet content creation tasks and ships with a big 19in monitor. On the inside, a...

$2001-$4000 home. (Best Buys).
October 1, 2002... Infocom Gaming Beast [1] NEW Perfect for the user looking for a fast and fully-featured PC, the $3350 Gaming Beast is a well-built monster that can be used for home theatre as well as gaming endeavours due to the inclusion of a 5.1 channel...

$2001-$4000 business. (Best Buys).
October 1, 2002... Acer Veriton 7200D [1] Boasting an extremely rich configuration, the Veriton 7200D topped our productivity benchmarks and managed to produce hefty results in all our 3D tests. Running under Windows XP Professional and utilising the less...

Sub-$2000 home. (Best Buys).
October 1, 2002... TI AMD Deluxe Pack [1] For under $1900, it's hard to go past this machine if you're after a well-featured system that can play DVD movies and burn CDs as well as play games. It features an AMD Athlon XP 2000+ CPU at the helm of an MSI...

Sub-$2000 business. (Best Buys).
October 1, 2002... AcerPower Sd [1] Built in a small micro-tower enclosure, this 2GHz Pentium 4 system performed on par with other 2GHz Pentium 4 systems we have seen (refer to the table) and should be adequate for users who are looking for a quick, yet...

Over $6000. (Best Buys).
October 1, 2002... IBM ThinkPad T30 [1] Our review T30 (model number 2366-42M) featured a 1.8GHz P4-M processor, 256MB of DDR (double data rate) SDRAM (of a maximum 1GB), a 40GB hard disk and an 8x DVD-ROM drive. An ATI Mobility Radeon 7500 with 16MB of DDR...

$3001-$6000. (Best Buys).
October 1, 2002... Dell Inspiron 8200 [1] Our 8200 shipped with 1.7GHz P4-M processor and 256MB of DDR SDRAM, from a maximum 1024MB. Graphics are delivered courtesy of the new NVIDIA GeForce4 440 Go graphics controller with 64MB of DDR memory, which returned...

Sub-$3000. (Best Buys).
October 1, 2002... Acer TravelMate 223X [1] NEW Acer touts it 220 series as a cost-effective all-in-one option and the position achieved by the 223X we tested may just be testament to that. Running from an Intel Mobile Celeron 1.13GHz processor together with...

Best buys.
October 1, 2002... This month, the Test Centre turns to making noise with your PC; we compared 22 speaker systems and nine sound cards, plus other examples that you'll find highlighted in boxes. The products are aimed at various segments of the market to give you...

Aego2. (2.1 Setups).
October 1, 2002... Aimed more at users who want a chic type of speaker system, and not necessarily PC users, the Aego2 system comprises two satellites and a subwoofer. Coloured in a silver and grey combination (but also available in black), our review package...

Altec Lansing 2100. (2.1 Setups).
October 1, 2002... This small, stylish and powerful system comprises a subwoofer and two satellites and has a continuous power rating of 26W. The subwoofer is of a ported design and features two 4in woofers that produce a smooth deep sound, although some...

Altec Lansing 621. (2.1 Setups).
October 1, 2002... Consider this the little brother to the powerful 641 speakers, featured in the 4.1 section of this round-up. It is not as powerful as the 641, maxing out at 100W as opposed to 200W, and it obviously has two fewer satellites and a smaller...

AOpen Titanium GT. (2.1 Setups).
October 1, 2002... Wonderfully designed and relatively small in stature, these $199 speakers from AOpen provide good all-round sound for games and music. The two cylindrically shaped satellites are uniquely designed--their two 2in drivers are positioned opposite...

Creative Labs SBS2200. (2.1 Setups).
October 1, 2002... For budget buyers who want above-average sound, this system is well worth considering. It features a wooden, ported subwoofer enclosure that accentuates low frequencies nicely yet is small in stature, and the supplied satellites reproduce a...

Hercules XPS 210. (2.1 Setups).
October 1, 2002... The XPS 210 is a three-speaker system that is extremely portable and easy to set up. The dual satellites can be twisted up to 90[degrees] to provide optimal listening and to increase the sound field. All the necessary connections are located at...

TDK S-40. (2.1 Setups).
October 1, 2002... The TDK S-40 will not provide you with the loudest sound, and nor should it be expected to--the system is a tiny unit comprising a 10W amplified subwoofer and two 5W satellites (40W peak power, 20W continuous power). They are perfect for users...

Yamaha YST-MS50. (2.1 Setups).
October 1, 2002... The YST-MS50 comprises two satellite speakers with a 0.5in dome tweeter, 3in cone mid-range driver and a 6.5in cone woofer housed in the subwoofer. Single satellites are rated at 20W and the subwoofer at 40W, rounding out with a total...

Altec Lansing 4100. (4.1 Setups).
October 1, 2002... The 4100 (around $400 contains four classy looking satellites with two 1in micro drivers mounted vertically. The wooden cabinet subwoofer houses two 5.25in long throw woofers that produce a deep, thumping bass. The 4100's satellites are a...

Altec Lansing 641. (4.1 Setups).
October 1, 2002... The 200W 641 is an absolute Goliath when it comes to sound reproduction and dimensions. Its subwoofer design is dual-ported and contains two 6.5in woofers whose building-shaking ability is undeniable--just ask the other members of the PC World...

Cambridge Soundworks FPS 1600. (4.1 Setups).
October 1, 2002... The FPS 1600 is the standard, unexciting beige colour that is both loved and hated by PC users. Powered by 41W RMS, the cube-shaped satellites rate at 6W and the wood-housed subwoofer at 17W. An improved design on previous FPS models, the...

Creative travelsound stereo speakers. (Portable Sound).
October 1, 2002... These slim, palm-sized speakers measure just 154x65x50mm and weigh 320g. They incorporate 'wide-effect stereo' for improved audio quality. A power adapter is supplied and the device is stated to run from four AAA batteries for up to 35 hours of...

TDK Ultra Portable Laptop Speakers. (Portable Sound).
October 1, 2002... TDK sent us a pre-production sample of their Ultra Portable Laptop Speakers (not an official product name at the time of writing), which should be available around the end of November. They feature TDK's NTX technology for wide dimensional...

Creative labs Inspire 4.1 4400. (4.1 Setups).
October 1, 2002... The Inspire range from Creative has been around for some time and remains among the leaders in budget and high-end speaker systems. The 4400 is targeted at gamers and is lacking a centre channel/speaker. With a power rating of 41W RMS,...