Australian PC World articles from September 2002

Australian PC World archives from September 2002

Singing up a storm. (Editorial).
September 1, 2002... There is no denying that the revolution of digital music online has shaken the music industry, especially in regard to the release and distribution of music. Of course, it took some time following the rise of music file sharing for the...

MS plans security chip. (Analysis News).
September 1, 2002... Microsoft wants to change the fundamental architecture of the PC, adding security hardware to a future release of its Windows operating system. The company wants future PCs to contain a security technology called Palladium, and is in discussion...

3GHz Pentium coming. (Analysis News).
September 1, 2002... Intel will be dramatically cranking up the speeds of its chips in the second half of this year and plans to deliver the 3.0GHz Pentium chip by year's end. "Our manufacturing execution continues to be excellent, and we're very pleased the...

iPod comes to Windows.
September 1, 2002... A Windows-compatible version of Apple Computer's popular iPod digital music player has been unveiled. Apple has also doubled the capacity of its portable player, taking the top-end model to 20GB. iPod is available in three sizes: 5GB, 10GB and...

Dell chastised over ads.
September 1, 2002... The Federal Court has ruled that direct computer vendor Dell breached the Trade Practices Act in several ads it ran prior to November 2001. The vendor was investigated by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) for not clearly...

Symantec goes on spending spree.
September 1, 2002... Symantec has announced three high-profile acquisitions. It will acquire SecurityFocus, Riptech and Recourse Technologies for a total of about $US355 million in cash. Symantec currently sells antivirus software, personal firewalls, security...

Notebooks sales soar. (Analysis News).
September 1, 2002... Although PC sales are down from the heights of several years ago, consumers appear to be lapping up notebooks. Figures from research firm Inform show the notebook sector experienced its biggest level of growth ever in May. In fact, notebook...

Free audio released. (Analysis News).
September 1, 2002... When it comes to digital audio over the Internet, the score has been music industry 1, consumers (and artists) O. However, this is set to change with the release by the Xiph organisation of a new open source audio compression format called Ogg...

DVI deal to bring 3D to the desktop.
September 1, 2002... Korean company GTT will be the first manufacturer of desktop monitors that use Deep Video Imaging's (DVI) Multi-Layer Display (MLD), a technology which gives a 3D look to PC displays. GTT expects to launch an 18.1in LCD (liquid crystal...

Forgent claims JPEG patent.
September 1, 2002... JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) image compression technology may no longer come free after Forgent Networks claimed recently that it holds the patent for both colour and black and white images, and intends to license it to a variety of...

Feel the nForce. (Analysis News).
September 1, 2002... After its first successful foray into the chipset business last year with nForce, NVIDIA hopes to tempt PC performance hounds yet again with nForce2. Supporting Advanced Micro Devices' (AMD) Athlon and Duron microprocessors (NVIDIA has yet to...

Xbox online gaming coming soon.
September 1, 2002... Level 3 Communications will be providing the broadband infrastructure for Microsoft's Xbox Live online game service in North America and Europe when it is unveiled later this year, the company said. An Australian provider has yet to be named,...

ACCC: DSL gains ground. (Broadband).
September 1, 2002... Although cable continues to boast the most subscribers, DSL has experienced the highest levels of growth in Australia's broadband market, a report has found. According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's "Snapshot of...

New self-installation packages for BigPond ADSL. (Broadband Briefs).
September 1, 2002... Telstra has announced a new range of self-installation packages following the decision to hike prices for its professionally installed BigPond ADSL services. The release of Telstra's self-installation packages follows the telco's recent...

Microsoft unveils Corona beta launch details. (Broadband Briefs).
September 1, 2002... Microsoft has announced that its next-generation Windows Media platform, until now known by the codename Corona, will be launched in public beta in early September and carry the official name Windows Media 9. The software is based around a...

Cards on the table. (Tech.Files [right arrow] Graphics Chips).
September 1, 2002... BY PC WORLD TEST CENTRE Users will always be interested in new graphics cards--and you are sure to find something to suit your needs at a reasonable price in the cards we've tested this month. At the high end of the market is Matrox's new...

PCI-X 2.0, PCI Express specs released. (Tech.News).
September 1, 2002... Specifications for two new interconnect technologies have been released by the PCI-SIG (Peripheral Component Interconnect--Special Interest Group): PCI-X 2.0 for servers, and PCI Express for PCs, the group said in a release. PCI-SIG has...

HyperTransport lands new backers. (Tech.News).
September 1, 2002... Eleven new companies have joined the HyperTransport Technology Consortium, bringing the total of participating companies to 51 in just under a year since Advanced Micro Devices formed the group to promote its HyperTransport interconnect...

Photoshop frolics. (Alt.Net [right arrow] Photoshop).
September 1, 2002... For some time, Photoshop has had a reputation as the definitive graphics package--widely credited as the tool used in many Internet hoaxes and satirical sites. Now, Photoshop users are turning the software into a legend. This status has...

Banks, news sites well trafficked. (Online News).
September 1, 2002... Online banking and keeping abreast of the news appears to be the most popular reasons for young Australians to use the Web, according to figures by Web measurement firm HitWise. For men and women in the 18 to 34 age group, just under half...

AlltheWeb.com searches for skin. (Online News).
September 1, 2002... AlltheWeb.com is adding a feature that allows users to create and share their own skins to change the appearance of the Internet search engine. Fast Search & Transfer, the company behind AlltheWeb.com, hopes the new feature will spawn a...

eBay hits users with double charge. (Online News).
September 1, 2002... About 91,000 sellers on eBay.com got a rude surprise when they found that the online auctioneer had double-billed them for auction fees recently. eBay spokesman Kevin Pursglove said the problem affected sellers who had signed up for eBay's...

Yahoo re-evaluates its mail filters. (Online News).
September 1, 2002... Yahoo has cleaned up filters used to protect users of its Web-based e-mail service from malicious scripts embedded in HTML-format messages, and in so doing has put an end to one of the strangest of Internet neologisms. According to a...

Pinnacle PCTV Pro: TV and FM tuner card. (First Looks).
September 1, 2002... Recently, there seems to have been an influx of computer TV tuner cards hitting the market that also have FM radio tuning capabilities. In July we reviewed the LifeView FlyVideo 3000 and this month we tested the Pinnacle PCTV Pro, a card that...

Panasonic SV-AV10: multifunction digital camera. (First Looks).
September 1, 2002... Panasonic's SV-AV10 squeezes masses of functionality into its tiny shell. This digital camera measures 27x88x50mm and weighs 98g, but it can capture still and moving images and voice recordings, as well as acting as an MP3 player. With its...

Canon Digital Ixus V2: digital camera. (First Looks).
September 1, 2002... Canon was the first manufacturer to combine designer chic and photographic versatility for compact digital cameras with its Ixus range. Many have followed suit, but Canon continues to develop the series to keep the Ixus name at the forefront of...

iFinger 2.0: electronic reference tool. (First Looks).
September 1, 2002... It's fair to say that iFinger is one of those tools that you never knew you needed. And once you start using this electronic reference utility, it will become either invaluable or infuriating, depending on the nature of your work. It's a simple...

Kaspersky AntiVirus Personal Pro 4.0: antivirus software. (First Looks).
September 1, 2002... Those helpful Russians at Kaspersky Labs have been protecting our PCs from viruses since 1997. However, the company's products have a reputation for user interfaces that are about as self-explanatory as a tax return form. This Personal Pro...

PowerQuest Drive Image 2002: utilities. (First Looks).
September 1, 2002... Drive imaging, the best way to back up your entire hard drive for disaster recovery, used to require rebooting to DOS. Now you can do much of the chore in Windows. For Drive Image 2002, PowerQuest substantially overhauled its predecessor,...

Lycoris Desktop/LX Amethyst Update 2: operating system. (First Looks).
September 1, 2002... The $US30 Desktop/LX distribution from upstart Lycoris demonstrates that Microsoft's monopoly on friendly OSes for the PC could be coming to a close. I looked at a late beta version of Desktop/LX Amethyst Update 2. Installing a copy on my...

Hewlett-Packard DVD200e: external DVD+RW drive. (First Looks).
September 1, 2002... In the July issue, we reviewed the Pioneer DVR-A04 DVD-RW drive, the first to market with -R writing capabilities. Now Hewlett-Packard, a member of the rival DVD+RW alliance, has released its competing DVD200e external DVD+RW drive (pictured)...

Matrox Parhelia: graphics card. (First Looks).
September 1, 2002... This graphics card is aimed at gamers (as well as business professionals) with screen real estate, image quality and performance in mind. The Parhelia sports two independent DVI-I connections on its mounting bracket. These can be used to drive...

Bang & Olufsen BeoSound 2.
September 1, 2002... Bang & Olufsen is known for audio equipment with a sharp focus on style and aesthetics. This digital audio player is a solidly built unit encased in a polished stainless steel exterior. It features minimal yet well laid-out control buttons, but...

Adobe adds to elements.
September 1, 2002... Most image editing applications fall into one of two categories: lousy and not worth the money, or Adobe Systems' $1395 Photoshop. But one, Adobe's $179 Photoshop Elements, does a very good job without breaking the bank. I looked at a beta...

17in iMAc. (Quick Takes).
September 1, 2002... It's iMac upgrade time. The new $4395 high-end iMac features an 800MHz PowerPC G4 processor, 256MB of SDRAM, 32MB DDR NVIDIA GeForce4 MX graphics controller, a DVD-R/CD-RW SuperDrive and a hefty 80GB hard drive. Other features include two...

Creative webcam.
September 1, 2002... Some users who are not familiar with webcams may be a little overwhelmed by the different types that are available on the market and wonder which one will suit the individual user. This small webcam is one of the latest offerings from...

Sanyo PLV-30 home theatre projector.
September 1, 2002... Retailing for $4995, the compact PLV-30 LCD projector weighs 2.5kg, has a brightness of 500 ANSI lumens, features high contrast for deeper blacks and has a maximum resolution of 800x600 with a projection size up to 200in diagonally. The...

Xenon Metro 500 LCD-PC.
September 1, 2002... Say goodbye to messy cables and cumbersome computer setups with this all-in-one PC from Xenon, The Metro 500 occupies very little desk space compared to full blown desktop systems, yet features plenty of grunt and good connectivity options...

Shirt-pocket PC.
September 1, 2002... The 255g 0Q0 Ultra-Personal-Computer--about the size of a deck of playing cards--is a full-blown Windows XP Pro PC with a 1GHz Transmeta Crusoe chip, a 4in LCD monitor, 256MB of RAM, a 10GB hard drive, IEEE 1394 and USB ports, and built-in...

Attached to AskSam.
September 1, 2002... AskSam is the rare database that handles structured and unstructured copy gracefully. I examined a preproduction copy of the new AskSam 5. AskSam allows you to store complete documents in their original form rather than requiring you to...

iRiver ChromeX iMP 150.
September 1, 2002... The ChromeX is a less expensive alternative to the highly rated iRiver SlimX, but still has enough buttons and functions to keep everybody happy. Like the SlimX, the ChromeX offers a multiple range of supported codecs including MP3, WMA,...

Sony DCR-IP55 Mini DV video camera. (Quick Takes).
September 1, 2002... For $4499, early adopters and those enamoured of all things miniaturised will love the 430g retro-styled, pistol-grip Sony DCR-IP55 Mini-DV video camera. The camera is capable of night vision, Internet access and storing video on media that...

FileMaker 6. (Quick Takes).
September 1, 2002... More than any competing database product, FileMaker's FileMaker is suitable for end users who need simple data storage and retrieval, as well as for people who have the scripting skills needed to automate more-complex processes. I looked at a...

A look at GNOME 2.0. (Linux World).
September 1, 2002... GNOME is one of the most popular desktops for Linux. Following 18 months development, the latest version of GNOME, 2.0, is now available. This month we examine what's new, what's improved and what's missing from this milestone release for the...

Hyundai looks to resolve PC issues. (Readers' Forum).
September 1, 2002... We read with interest your articles on Hyundai computers [Australian PC World http://pcworld.idg.com.au: "Channel stoush erupts over Hyundai PCs" by Gerard Norsa 10 July 2002, and "Hyundai enters PC market, confronts fraud" by Gerard Norsa, 25...

Life support. (Readers' Forum).
September 1, 2002... I am writing to thank your magazine for saving me tonight. My computer's memory was getting low, so I was doing a little tidying up and accidentally deleted my browser. Then I remembered that the November 2001 edition of PC World allowed people...

Dilbert[R].
September 1, 2002... WE HAD FIFTEEN SYSTEM FAILURES WITH THE PREVIOUS SOFTWARE YOUR DATA AREN'T ACTIONABLE. WHAT? YOUR PRESENTATION HAS NO PRACTICAL VALUE. WELL, IF THAT'S SUDDENLY A CRIME THEN CALL ME GUILTY! NOW THE MEETING FEELS AWKWARD....

Food fight: suffering from trolley rage? The Net offers a way to skip the whole supermarket experience--but will you pay for the privilege? We compare some leading contenders for ease of use and value for money. (Web & You).
September 1, 2002... How many times have you found yourself pushing a trolley down supermarket aisle after aisle and thought "there must be a better way!"? For most people, the weekly shop is a chore they'd like to avoid. When e-commerce started to boom a few years...

Shopfast. (The Sites Compared).
September 1, 2002... This bright and busy site can be a bit confusing at first--there are so many icons and its initially unclear where to get started--but is easy to navigate once you get the hang of its structure. There are different methods for finding products,...

GreenGrocer.com.au. (The Sites Compared).
September 1, 2002... GreenGrocer.com.au began, as the name suggests, by selling fresh fruit and vegetables and later adding groceries--and it shows. Of the 18 products in our shopping list, we had to substitute seven, while we couldn't find frozen beans or ice...

Woolworths HomeShop. (The Sites Compared).
September 1, 2002... We expected to find a large range of items at Woolworth's online store, given it's one of the leading supermarkets in Australia--and for the most part, we did. We had to make a couple of substitutions, however: a larger size of low-fat shredded...

Coles Online. (The Sites Compared).
September 1, 2002... Coles Online performed as well as Woolworths in replicating our real-world shop (Shopfast was the best, with no substitutions). We only needed to substitute macadamia ice cream for our rum and raisin, a different Lean Cuisine and a different...

Learning from 11 September: twelve months on we are still feeling the aftershocks of the 11 September attacks on the United States. As well as the horrific personal cost of the tragedy, the event has focused attention on the role technology can play in maintaining security. But at what cost of our privacy and freedom?
September 1, 2002... On 11 September 2001, all eyes were on New York City as the twin towers of the World Trade Center collapsed. A year later, the ripples of the attack are still being felt. It's not just the skyline of Manhattan that has been altered; our basic...

2GHZ notebooks get set go: Intel's P4-M processor for notebooks now clocks in at 2GHZ. stand back as we take some of the first of these speedy offerings for a spin.
September 1, 2002... Last year, Intel's Pentium III-M processor (with M standing for mobile) advanced mobile computing by allowing notebooks to take full advantage of features like SpeedStep, an initiative designed to prolong battery life. Now, the Pentium...

Compaq Evo N1000v. (2GHz notebooks get set to go).
September 1, 2002... This Compaq Evo is geared towards business users. Our review unit featured a 2GHz Intel Pentium 4-M processor, 256MB of DDR RAM (expandable to 1024MB), a 30GB hard disk and a 15in active TFT display capable of a maximum resolution of 1024x768....

Dell Latitude C840. (2GHZ notebooks get set to go).
September 1, 2002... Featuring an Intel Pentium P4-M 2GHz, our tested model uses 256MB of DDR RAM from a maximum of 1024MB, a 20GB hard disk (up to 60GB 5400rpm drives are available) and an 8x CD-RW drive. The C840 ships from Dell with a left-side fixed optical...

Hi-Grade Notino R5400-2000. (2GHZ notebooks get set to go).
September 1, 2002... This is the first notebook we've seen from Hi-Grade, a company not as well known here as it is in the UK. The notebook's ruggedised, silver casing is made of magnesium alloy to protect against impact and vibration, and a leak-proof keyboard has...

Digital Star PowerNote CL10-2000. (2GHZ notebooks get set to go).
September 1, 2002... The smart metallic chassis of the CL10-2000 houses an Intel Pentium 4-M processor, 512MB of DDR RAM, a 30GB hard disk and a modular 8x 8x8x24x CD-R/RW/DVD-ROM combination drive (an external 3.5in floppy drive is optional). A native...

Tiny notebooks adds talk. (2GHZ notebooks get set to go).
September 1, 2002... At just 2kg (and only 3.3kg when combined with its external 8x4x24 CD-R/RW and 3.5in floppy disk combination device), the Vnote 1800 GPRS is ideal for people who do business on the road. The drawcard of this notebook is its integrated...

Protac Excel ECO 731. (2GHZ notebooks get set to go).
September 1, 2002... The first of the notebooks we looked at to feature an Intel Pentium 4 desktop processor, the ECO 731 runs at 2.2GHz, comes with 512MB of DDR RAM and features a 20GB hard disk. This model's 15in active TFT display has a native resolution of...

Digital Star PowerNote CR10-2400. (2GHZ notebooks get set to go).
September 1, 2002... Like the Protac, this notebook has quite a large footprint--in this case, partly due to the use of a 2.4GHz Intel desktop Pentium 4 processor. It would best be geared towards desktop replacement use so it's good to see that a bright 15.1in...

Take a tablet for mobile computing. (2GHZ notebooks get set to go).
September 1, 2002... Notebook users may soon have another option for mobile computing as Microsoft prepares to launch Windows XP Tablet PC Edition--and hardware makers are quickly gearing up for the launch. ViewSonic showed a prototype of its Tablet PC 1100, a...

Musical shares. (Dance to the digital tune).
September 1, 2002... On 7 January, hundreds of people assembled in an airy hall at Georgetown University on the outskirts of Washington, DC. A casual visitor would have been struck by the unusual sight of skateboarders with orange hair mingling with lawyers in...

Easy as MP3.
September 1, 2002... For many people, the ultimate music format used to be the cassette tape: cassettes were portable and easy to use, and tape players were cheap. Then along came compact discs, which were just as simple and portable as tapes, but sounded better....

Tools for trouble-free computing: whether your PC is brand new or showing its age, the best utilities will keep it in tip-top shape.
September 1, 2002... Utilities--applications that maintain and repair your system--help your PC run better and more dependably, We tested 22 utilities and grouped them according to task: programs designed for setting up a new or updated system; apps for...

Scan a good deal: scanners can be a vital piece of office equipment, bridging the gap between the paper and digital cultures. (Scaling).
September 1, 2002... Over the past few years, scanner prices have fallen dramatically. Once the preserve of high-end print production houses, fast, accurate devices can now be picked up for the price of a couple of theatre tickets. However, this is not due to lack...

Scan-tastic: scanners for all. (Best Buys).
September 1, 2002... Capable of high-resolution scanning at great bit depth, today's low-end scanners provide more hardware grunt than the majority of end users will ever need. In fact, only the pricier graphics packages are able to take full advantage of most $150...

Over $4000 home. (Best Buys).
September 1, 2002... Altech Computers Redstorm 2.2GHz [1] The 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).
September 1, 2002... Altech Computers Red Cyclone 2.2GHz [1] This machine (previously called Business P4 2.2GHz) is perfect for graphics endeavours and any demanding Internet content creation tasks, and ships with a big 19in monitor and a 10/100 network adapter...

$2001-$4000 home. (Best Buys).
September 1, 2002... Altech Computers Blue Wind 2GHz [1] Altech has created a system (previously known as the Home P4 2GHz) for the enthusiast and garner based on a huge full-tower ATX case. Its size is such that, ideally, you will place the unit on the floor....

$2001-$4000 business. (Best Buys).
September 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).
September 1, 2002... TI AMD Deluxe Pack [1] NEW 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).
September 1, 2002... AcerPower Sd [1] Built in a small microtower 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).
September 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) RAM (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).
September 1, 2002... Dell Inspiron 8200 [1] Our test 8200 came with 256MB of DDR RAM from a maximum 1024MB. Graphics are delivered courtesy of an NVIDIA GeForce4 440 Go graphics controller with 64MB of DDR memory, which returned an astounding score of 5028 in...

Sub-$3000. (Best Buys).
September 1, 2002... Digital Star PowerNote 240MDT [1] Featuring an Intel desktop Pentium III 1GHz processor, 256MB of SDRAM, a 20GB hard disk, a 14.1in display and an SiS 630 graphics chipset (which can share a maximum of 64MB with main memory), the 240MDT...

Scanners. (Best Buys).
September 1, 2002... Scanners aimed at the nonprofessional segment of the market have a very heavy emphasis on user friendliness and functionality. All of the scanners we tested had one-touch launch buttons, software bundles that allowed image manipulation and, in...

BenQ S2W 4300U. (Scanners).
September 1, 2002... DESCRIPTION: BenQ has provided the lowest priced scanner in the review, at $119. It is a 36-bit entry-level colour scanner for the Web (i.e., a low-end scanner that is not required to scan at high resolutions), capable of 1200x600dpi optical...

BenQ S2W 5300U. (Scanners).
September 1, 2002... DESCRIPTION: The new S2W 5300U is a single-pass colour flatbed reflective scanner capable of scan areas up to 216mmx297mm. It's the only scanner under $200 to provide an optical resolution of 1200x2400dpi. There are five one-touch launch...

Canon CanoScan D1250U2F. (Scanners).
September 1, 2002... DESCRIPTION: It's chunkier and twice the price of its stablemate the N676U, but the price difference is well justified by the 1200x2400dpi capability, 48-bit colour input, built-in film adapter in the lid and USB 2.0 connectivity. The...

Canon CanoScan N676U. (Scanners).
September 1, 2002... DESCRIPTION: The N676U is the lightest, slimmest and most easily transportable of all the scanners in the review. Ideal for the travelling executive, this scanner is based on LIDE Technology that uses three LEDs for red, green and blue and has...

Epson perfection 1660 Photo. (Scanners).
September 1, 2002... DESCRIPTION: At the top of this review's price pile along with the HP Scanjet 5400C is this latest offering from Epson. The 1660 Photo takes up where the 1650 Photo has left off, providing a host of features including USB 2.0 connectivity,...

Genius ColorPage-HR6X. (Scanners).
September 1, 2002... DESCRIPTION: The Genius distinguishes itself by being the only scanner priced under $200 with a built-in transparency adapter that lets you scan film and slides at no extra cost. It is a flatbed A4 colour scanner capable of up to 48-bit colour...

HP Scanjet 2300C. (Scanners).
September 1, 2002... DESCRIPTION: The USB 1.1, PC- and Mac-compatible, slim, two-tone Scanjet 2300C is one step above the entry level of Hewlett-Packard's range of scanners. It boasts 48-bit colour depth, 600x1200dpi optical resolution, two one-touch launch buttons...