Australian PC World articles from October 2006

Australian PC World archives from October 2006

View not so grand.(READERS' FORUM)(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2006... Vista is coming along slowly we hear. But after Windows ME (Microsoft Exploits) & Windows XP (Xpensive), I am sure Bill Gates is viewing Vista as another new horizon for bringing him even greater financial gains than its predecessors. STEPHEN...

Security a drag.(READERS' FORUM)(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2006... Surprisingly you did not mention [in the security suites review, PC World August, page 42] how much a slowdown some of these programs cause. I recently purchased a dual-core notebook that came with McAfee Security Center. This may be the most...

Best products debate.(READERS' FORUM)(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2006... The September feature, "The 100 best products of the year" (September PC World, page 38), does not mention Gmail. I have used Gmail for almost a year now and--even though it may still be considered a beta product--I have been very pleased with...

Missive of the month.(READERS' FORUM)(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2006... Congratulations to Stephen Conn, you are this month's winner of the ASUS AI Lifestyle Gaming Edition P5N32-SLI Deluxe motherboard valued at $399. ASUS' P5N32-SLI Deluxe delivers true SLI graphics performance by supporting dual PCI Express x16...

Vista's voice recognition stammers.(STARTUP: INDUSTRY NEWS)
October 1, 2006... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] If its performance during a demonstration at Microsoft's annual Financial Analyst Meeting is any indication, a voice-recognition feature in Windows Vista is not quite ready for prime time. Glitches amuse analysts...

Seiko develops super-thin pinkie sensor.(STARTUP: INDUSTRY NEWS)
October 1, 2006... Seiko Epson has developed a 0.2mm-thin sensor that can read fingerprints by picking up the tiny electrical currents coming from your pinkie. The company is touting the technology as a way to offer an extra level of security for items such...

Kazaa settles with record industry.(STARTUP: INDUSTRY NEWS)
October 1, 2006... In a dramatic close to the legal battle between file-sharing software developer Kazaa and the entertainment industry, Kazaa has agreed to pay at least $US100 million to four record companies and an additional amount to motion picture companies...

New claims: bios readers vulnerable.(STARTUP: INDUSTRY NEWS)
October 1, 2006... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Internet users who employ Web-based services such as Bloglines or Web browsers, such as Firefox to read Web site feeds and blogs, are vulnerable to embedded malicious code that can install spyware, log users'...

AMD still worth considering.(SWEET SPOT)
October 1, 2006... If you're looking for a PC that won't cost you an arm and a leg, yet one that is still powerful enough to play the latest games and comfortably lets you video edit on a big monitor, make sure you consult our Sweet Spot components table, where...

Intel patches wireless problems.(STARTUP: INDUSTRY NEWS)
October 1, 2006... Intel has issued patches for three vulnerabilities for its wireless hardware and software. Two problems affect certain versions of its Pro/Wireless Network Connection Hardware, part of its Centrino mobile platform, Intel said. The...

Local VoIP directory launched.(STARTUP: INDUSTRY NEWS)
October 1, 2006... Telecommunications research firm Market Clarity has launched a local consumer, business and wholesale VoIP directory. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The directory, called the Aussie VoIP List is free of charge and lists more than 170 VoIP...

Budget Core 2 Duo?(SWEET SPOT)
October 1, 2006... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Intel's Pentium D 805 CPU is currently the most affordable dual-core component on the market at around $160, and is excellent value if you are on a tight budget, but it's not a good performer. More powerful versions...

DDR2 takes over.(SWEET SPOT)
October 1, 2006... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The move to the AM2 platform for AMD CPUs has heralded the move away from DDR memory for AMD's Athlon 64 CPUs. For the first time, DDR2 memory can now be commonly used across both Intel's and AMD's platforms and the...

Temperamental translator.(STARTUP: QUICK TAKES)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... With a steady hand, the IRISPen Translator Executive scanner-pen will scan clear, printed lines of text from a large selection of languages and type it in any windows application verbatim--in most cases. Selecting the source language means...

Wireless share drive.(STARTUP: QUICK TAKES)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... The PX-100 Wi-Drive (available in 30GB, 60GB and 80GB) may just be the solution that some people have been looking for, but for a price. Not only is it a small 802.11b/g wireless share drive, but it can also run on its attached lithium polymer...

Display costs.(SWEET SPOT)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] If you want a computer for games, the most costly component next to the CPU will be your graphics card. We have chosen to go with cards based on the ATI Radeon X1600XT chipset as we think it provides decent...

Storage options.(SWEET SPOT)
October 1, 2006... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] We've opted to go with a 320GB Seagate Barracuda hard drive for our Sweet Spot this month, which priced at $171 offers phenomenal value at 57 cents per gigabyte (calculated using the 298GB formatted capacity of the...

Easy, stylish switching.(QUICK TAKES)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Many people need to use multiple computers simultaneously, but paying for a second mouse, keyboard and monitor is about as appealing as swapping the cables from one PC to the other. Belkin's Flip is a switching device, which allows you to share...

Clear and functional.(STARTUP: QUICK TAKES)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Although it's a little expensive, the Pinnacle PCTV Hybrid Pro Stick dual TV tuner (analog and digital) is a good package that performs well. It comes bundled with a remote control, mini antenna, Pinnacle's Media Center software and an...

Sweet spot components.(SWEET SPOT)(Statistical table)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... SWEET SPOT COMPONENTS PART MODEL PRICE AMD CPU Athlon 64 3800+ X2 $240 Intel CPU Core 2 Duo E6300 $330 AMD Motherboard ...

On the road again: Lenovo X60.(FIRST LOOKS)
October 1, 2006... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Taking the concept of an ultraportable notebook to new heights, Lenovo's X60 is light-weight (l.6kg without PSU), performs well and combines exceptional battery-life with a Vodafone 3G mobile Internet connection for...

Easy storage solution: Iomega storcenter 500GB.(FIRST LOOKS)(Product/service evaluation)
October 1, 2006... For small businesses, or those of us with home networks that are almost as heavily used, network sharing is an all-too-real necessity. The StorCenter from Iomega gives you quick and easy control over 500GB of network storage space, as well as...

Good in motion: NEC multisync 90G[X.sup.2].(FIRST LOOKS)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Though not the fastest LCD on the market, the 4ms response time of the NEC MultiSync 90G[X.sup.2] makes it highly suitable for gamers, or anyone who watches a lot of TV or video on their PC. This 19in, 1280x1024-pixel monitor features a...

Let your fingers do the talking: Mavis beacon teaches typing version 17.(FIRST LOOKS)(Product/service evaluation)
October 1, 2006... Being in the business of writing for a living, you'd think a proficient level of touch-typing would've been acquired, but after taking the Mavis Beacon typing test and being told I was at a beginner's level, this apparently isn't the case....

Learn to drive on your PC: L plates.(FIRST LOOKS)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Much as the name implies, L Plates is a program designed to assist young drivers in obtaining their learner's licence. Featuring tests, games and guides, L Plates is aimed at increasing a driver's general aptitude in addition to ensuring a...

Head to head: Intel vs. AMD: plus corporation stealth III gamer AM2 FX-62 and extreme X6800 core 2.(FIRST LOOKS)
October 1, 2006... Our latest benchmarks have shown Intel's Core 2 processors to be the current leaders where performance and heat management are concerned. But exactly how much faster than AMD's top-of-the-line offering is Intel's own topof-the-line model when...

LG updates popular burner: LG GSA-H10A DVD burner.(FIRST LOOKS)
October 1, 2006... Replacing the ever-popular GSA4167B is LG's GSA-HIOA Super Multi DVD burner, which can burn to the majority of media that are available on the market, including DVD-RAM media (without cartridge). The drive doesn't look any different from...

Stylish entertainment centre: HP Pavilion DV2000.(FIRST LOOKS)
October 1, 2006... One of the more stylish looking notebooks we've seen yet, the HP Pavilion dv2000 is designed as a mobile entertainment centre. The Pavilion integrates media keys, an imaginative stowaway remote control and good media connectivity, like a 5-in-1...

Big, powerful desktop replacement: Metabox D900K.(FIRST LOOKS)
October 1, 2006... The MetaBox D900K is to notebooks as a Humvee is to a sedan. This 5.8kg (without PSU) desktop replacement is far from mobile, but is conveniently portable and packs a lot of punch. It's a 64-bit capable notebook that runs a dual-core Athlon 64...

A brush with H1-Def: Canon XL-H1 camcorder.(FIRST LOOKS)
October 1, 2006... Canon's entry into the HDV (high-definition video) market is aimed squarely at professionals. It follows the modular template set by the XL1 MiniDV model, and is the only camera in its class with a detachable lens (not to mention detachable...

Plenty of gigs: Seagate 750GB pushbutton backup.(FIRST LOOKS)
October 1, 2006... Packing up can become a headache if you have hard drives that are 300GB or bigger installed in your system. A good external hard drive that can be plugged in using USB 2.0 or FireWire is the perfect solution for storing backups, and Seagate's...

Slim Ximeta NAS drive delivers: Ximeta NetDisk ND10.(FIRST LOOKS)(Product/service evaluation)
October 1, 2006... The slender Ximeta NetDisk enclosure turned in a stellar performance in our benchmarks. You can source your own hard drive or buy the enclosure with a hard drive installed. However, the enclosure will only support IDE hard drives, a...

Printing with LEDs: OKI C3400N colour printer.(FIRST LOOKS)
October 1, 2006... OKI's C3400n is an A4-sized personal colour printer that uses single-pass digital light emitting diodes (LEDs), instead of a laser, which direct light onto a drum, to produce good quality printouts for a reasonable money outlay. It's...

Multifunction device: Lexmark X2470.(FIRST LOOKS)
October 1, 2006... We've become used to printers replacing the universal colour cartridge with individual tanks, allowing you to replace one tank rather than having to junk the entire cartridge. The X2470, however, goes for the opposite philosophy: you don't...

Web Warner: McAfee SiteAdvisor.(FIRST LOOKS)
October 1, 2006... The glory days of carefree Web surfing are over thanks to the growing ranks of untrustworthy sites that bust your browser and drop ID-stealing malware onto your system. Fortunately, one free innovative service can help you surf the Web safely....

Manage your backup: Genie Backup Manager professional 7.0.(FIRST LOOKS)
October 1, 2006... Genie Backup Manager is a solid product. With the addition of disaster recovery and a little more attention to visual detail, it would have achieved better scores. But we like the blend of power and ease of use, as well as the Swift...

Genealogy software: family tree legends starter edition.(FIRST LOOKS)
October 1, 2006... Somebody once told us that if a given person worked out his or her family tree going back for 23 generations, it would have somewhere in the region of four million people in it. In other words, there's not a minute to waste if you want to...

Manage collaboration with Alexsys: Alexsys Team 2.(FIRST LOOKS)(Product/service evaluation)
October 1, 2006... Alexsys Team 2, a client-server-based software package, assists businesses in organising customer-service-oriented project teams such as help desks. This relatively inexpensive software is easy-to-set-up, but also offers depth and versatility...

Powerful video editing: Serif MoviePlus 5.0.(FIRST LOOKS)(Product/service evaluation)
October 1, 2006... If you're a confident and experienced video-editor Serif MoviePlus 5.0 will certainly suffice, but beginners may find the interface a little tricky to swallow. The basics are covered. Serif's MoviePlus series has always had a powerful and...

Voice-training software: SingingCoach unlimited.(FIRST LOOKS)
October 1, 2006... Singing at karaoke bars and in the shower is easy. But what if you could actually improve your singing abilities? SingingCoach is an easy-to-use program that listens to your vocal styling and displays the notes you hit. Once you know how far...

59 ways to make software do more: with these tips and tools, your everyday applications--from Office to IE, Firefox to ZoneAlarm--can become faster, more powerful, and easier to use.
October 1, 2006... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Software vendors would love it if we upgraded immediately to every new release of their products, but that's hardly necessary: there's plenty of life left in the programs we've been using for years. Here are 59 ways...

Running Windows Vista.
October 1, 2006... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Microsoft's new operating system is just months away, so now is a great time to take stock of your PC to see if it's ready for what the Seattle giant claims will be the best Windows yet. Here's our advice for getting...

Start talking! PC World tests the latest Voice over IP gear to help you chat for longer--for less.
October 1, 2006... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Using your computer and an Internet connection to make phone calls can help you save a lot of money, especially if you call people who are on the same VoIP network as you or if you need to make regular overseas...

Tame your system: get any PC, new or old, ready for everyday use--it's easy with our break-in tips.
October 1, 2006... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] If you break your brand-new PC in right, you can keep trouble at arm's length. During break-in, you'll set the system to standby or hibernate, schedule your backups and customise Windows' appearance to your specific...

AMD on the offensive: a chance to best Intel? Cheaper CPUs? Good news for NVIDIA? PC World takes a look at the possible implications of AMD's buyout of ATI.(Company overview)
October 1, 2006... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The pitched battle for supremacy in the chip-making market reached a critical phase recently with AMD announcing its decision to acquire Canadian graphics cards' manufacturer, ATI Technologies (ATI). The imminent...

New Web wrangle: so much news on the Web, so little time to read it all. These tools and sites can help make you an incredibly well-informed person--in a hurry.
October 1, 2006... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Technology advances quickly, but information grows at an even faster clip. The torrents of blog posts and news feeds on today's Internet hold way too much data to keep up with if you just browse the Web normally....

Build for the future.(BEST BUYS: TOP HADWARE, REVIEWED AND RATED)
October 1, 2006... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] With the onslaught of price cuts from Intel and AMD and the pending release of Windows Vista, now is probably the right time to build or buy yourself a new rig, especially if you're using a machine that's more than...

Helpscreen: most of us will have experienced difficulties with our PCs at some point. Helpscreen is dedicated to finding the answers to these problems.(HELPSCREEN: HERE'S HOW)
October 1, 2006... WINDOWS Windows 3.11 OLD SYSTEM, NEW PRINTER Q MY old Canon BJ-10ex printer failed, so I bought a BJC-85 to replace it. I use Windows 3.11 with many old favourite DOS programs and I can't load the driver that came with the...

Sure-fire fixes: tools to help your PC out of a bind, CMOS repair, and a trick to unfreeze your system.(HERE'S HOW: HASSLE-FREE PC)
October 1, 2006... Is your PC troubled? Maybe it has the blues (it wants to be a Mac). More likely, it's suffering from any of a dozen things, such as a corrupt file, a bad app, or even a moribund CMOS battery. Read on for PC therapy. The Hassle: My PC...

Excel holes: yet another door opens in Microsoft's popular office suite, plus WGA and iPod shuffle solutions.(HERE'S HOW: BUGS & FIXES)
October 1, 2006... Even though Microsoft has just delivered one of its largest batches of security patches ever--including one for a critical hole in Word--hackers and researchers have found three new (and as yet unpatched) holes involving Excel. Two of the...

A helping hand: being tech-savvy isn't much fun when you're constantly taking calls from the clueless, but at least you can help from the comfort of your own home.(HERE'S HOW: WINDOWS)
October 1, 2006... It's happened to all of us. If you use a PC, sooner or later, you're going to find yourself at one end of the following conversation: "I don't know what's the matter with this stupid program, but I just can't make it work!" "Hmmm. I think...

Speed and safety: get Dapper Drake running on slower systems and prepare your Linux installation for attack with this here's how.(HERE'S HOW: LINUX)
October 1, 2006... As a long-time fan of SuSE Linux, I somehow managed to miss the Ubuntu bandwagon. Now I know what I was missing. I recently replaced SuSE 10.1 with Ubuntu 6.06, also known as Dapper Drake, on my main PC in a matter of minutes, and am now...

Information etiquette: there are thousands of ways to throw data at people, but nothing beats a good old-fashioned table. Here's how to make them smarter than ever.(HERE'S HOW: OFFICE)
October 1, 2006... In Excel, cells define where information goes. In PowerPoint you can put a text box anywhere--just don't put the information in too small a font. Word will let you place text anywhere you want by double-clicking on the blank page, or you could...

Be more dynamic: cheap trick or valid post-processing technique? Laurence Grayson takes a look at the latest digital photography trend--HDR.(HERE'S HOW: IMAGING)
October 1, 2006... A lot of people have never heard of HDR (High Dynamic Range) photography, but those who have are often divided as to whether it's "true" photography, or just a cheap post-processing trick. While it's most definitely the wrong way to go about...

All-star cast: screencasting is hot news again. Here's how to give your presentations the red-carpet treatment.(HERE'S HOW: DIGITAL VIDEO)
October 1, 2006... From Lazarus to Leo Sayer, there's nothing quite like a good comeback. Over the past few months, we've been delighted at the return to popularity of screencasting--the process of recording your screen's output and turning it into a movie. ...

Backup plan: backing up your data is essential. But what if you spent all your money on world of war craft? Here's the low-cost alternative.(HERE'S HOW: NETWORKING)
October 1, 2006... You need to back up your data only once, they say: immediately before the hard disk crashes. But enough of my feeble humour. Backing up data is a serious business. You can always buy another hard disk--unfortunately, it won't have your...

CivCity: Rome.(BACKBYTES)
October 1, 2006... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Ahh, the tramp of sandals on paving, the glug of olive oil and the distant bleating of goats. This can only mean one thing; another Roman city game. But don't rush to get your toga back from the dry cleaners just...

Prey.(BACKBYTES)
October 1, 2006... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] With an engrossing story and innovative puzzles that employ some clever new angles, Prey has brought the adventure back to an aging genre. First person shooter (FPS) games have begun to rely heavily on the "wow"...

Go with Mylo.(BACKBYTES)
October 1, 2006... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Not a spelling mistake, but the latest Sony gizmo to hit the US. Short for "My Life Online", the Mylo is a personal communications and media player hybrid. Mylo was originally an unsuccessful wireless Internet...

The ship.(BACKBYTES)
October 1, 2006... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] If you're fed up with run-of-the-mill first-person shooters, you'll be pleased to hear that The Ship adds a thoughtful and effective spin to online deathmatch variants. Available via Valve Software's Steam...

Dummy search.(BACKBYTES)
October 1, 2006... During the design of a Web site, one of the most overlooked elements is optimisation for search engines. The site can be as beautiful as Jennifer Hawkins, but if no one can find it, what's the point? Search Engine Optimization for Dummies...

Age of pirates--Caribbean tales.(BACKBYTES)
October 1, 2006... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Imagine a game where you're surrounded by pirate ships bombarding you with cannons, the ocean is swirling angrily around you, and the music plays ominously in the background. That's Age of Pirates in a nutshell. In...

Whattawhat?(BACKBYTES)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... When a monolithic black box was delivered to PC World, it was hard to avoid looking around for the primeval apes that had obviously been missed from the delivery note. Rather disappointingly, all the disproportionate box contained was a...

Bytesback.(BACKBYTES)
October 1, 2006... Dr. Backbytes comes to the end of his quest for broadband. If you don't want to know the results, look away now. Those of you who read last month's missive have, no doubt, leafed straight through the magazine to get to this page, giddy with...