Australian PC World articles from September 2006

Australian PC World archives from September 2006

List-mania: let the debate begin! This month's PC World features our list of the 100 best products of the year. This huge list ranking our picks for the most innovative and essential products is sure to have heads nodding and shaking in equal numbers.
September 1, 2006... Feel free to quibble with the choices in our 100 best products of 2006, starting on page 38. That's part of the fun. We know our readers are just as passionate about technology as we are and we're sure you will have your own opinion of what...

Score one for SuSe.(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2006... I had the same problemas Paul Mellor in August PC World, page 101. I blew the motherboard then the OEM edition of Windows XP wouldn't accept the product key when a new board was installed. Then a friend introduced me to SuSe 10.1. What a...

Affordable DVDs, less piracy.(READER'S FORUM)
September 1, 2006... The music and film industries have been posting record profits each and every year. We consistently hear that piracy is hurting these industries and stealing from artists. That is utter nonsense. The RIAA and MPAA are two of the wealthiest...

More Linux, please.
September 1, 2006... I have renewed my subscription to PC World for yet another year. I was very disappointed, however, after receiving the August issue that the Here's How-Linux pages have been omitted. Please reassure me that this omission is only temporary....

Paper chase.(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2006... I've been subscribing to PCW for nigh on eight years now. I've seen it change and evolve over the years but it's always remained an excellent magazine. I look forward to my monthly escape from the computer screen to lie in the sun or in...

Phisher add VOIP to arsenal.(voice over Internet Protocol)
September 1, 2006... A new kind of identity theft scam, with thieves using easy-to-obtain VOIP (voice over Internet Protocol) telephone numbers to trick Internet or telephone users, is beginning to pop up, said a cybersecurity vendor. Related to phishing...

Google helps dig up malware.(teamed with Websense for uncover thousands of malicious Web sites)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... A little-known capability in Google's search engine has helped security vendor Websense uncover thousands of malicious Web sites as well as several legitimate sites that have been hacked, the company said. Websense researchers Googled for...

Hardware on the way for Vista.(Microsoft developing wireless to acess Windows Live services for Windows Vista)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Microsoft's hardware division is developing a slim wireless keyboard that will make it easier for users to access Windows Live services and features in its Windows Vista OS. A Windows Live Call button will provide one-touch access to a list...

Intel's Core 2 Duo blazes ahead.
September 1, 2006... With this chip line, which was released on 27 July 2006, Intel decisively reclaims the power desktop crown from competitor AMD. We showed you some preliminary results last month (page 19) using a sample CPU, but this month we bring you official...

Rumours fly of Microsoft iPod rival.(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Microsoft is reportedly readying an iPod killer set to hit retail shelves in time for the end-of-year Christmas shopping season. Microsoft's portable music and video player is rumoured to include wireless connectivity, enabling users to...

MRAM memory chips arrive.(McAfee.com acquired SiteAdvisor.com)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... McAfee has purchased Web-site rating company SiteAdvisor. Founded by a group of Massachusetts Institute of Technology engineers in April 2005, SiteAdvisor develops automated software that tests Web sites to see whether they install nasty things...

Precision gaming.(A4Tech X-750BF gaming mouse)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... The makings of a good mouse for games hang somewhere between functionality and simplicity. We tested the A4Tech X-750BF and were quite happy with the results. The mouse-wheel was smooth but also had good resistance. It was lightweight and...

Good sound, not silent.(Altec Lansing AHP812, noise cancelling headphone)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Altec Lansing's AHP812 noise-cancelling headphones reduce external interferences, but don't quite create the silent audio environment that you might be expecting. The speakers produce clear high-tones and excellent bass, which can be heard and...

Webcam in motion.(Creative Labs WebCam Live!)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... If you're an animated person then people receiving your webcam images are likely to see you blur in and out of the screen. Creative's Live Motion webcam frees you up with a screen-mounted camera that can pan and tilt. Using the "WebCam Center"...

Motomouth.(Motorola S805 Bluetooth headphones)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Like the Jabra BT620S (August, p30), Motorola's S805 can pair up with two A2DP/AVRCP-compliant Bluetooth devices like mobile phones or stereo adapters, letting you switch from your music to a phone call and back again. The headphones are...

Out of the Blu-ray: Sony Vaio AR18GP.(Product/service evaluation)
September 1, 2006... The powerful and attractive new Sony Vaio AR18GP is the first notebook to include a Blu-ray high-definition optical drive. Blu-Ray discs come in both 25GB and 50GB capacities: so as a backup medium even the data volume on larger hard drives...

HP's robust tablet not cheap: HP Compaq tc4400 tablet.(Hewlett-Packard Co.)(Product/service evaluation)
September 1, 2006... A convertible tablet PC with a thoughtful design and long battery life, the HP Compaq tc4400 should please tablet users in the market for a robust system. However, its steep price may deter some people. Using the included stylus in tablet...

Google Mini is mighty: Google Mini.(Product/service evaluation)
September 1, 2006... Google brings all the searching power of its Web based search engine to your office network with the Google Mini. We tested the latest version of the Mini on our network at PC World and found its indexing speedy and its searches nearly...

Load with care: Windows Vista public beta.(FIRST LOOKS)
September 1, 2006... With the public release of its second beta version, Windows Vista is beginning to fulfil Microsoft's promise of a handsome and secure operating system filled with forward-looking features for work and leisure. But our experience with the new...

Four-drive RAID: Altech GameForce Commander.(Product/service evaluation)
September 1, 2006... Upon first glance you may scoff at this machine's appearance,--its case looks awful--but beauty does lurk beneath the surface in the form of a powerful and well-put-together configuration for gaming and multimedia pursuits. The machine...

Packs a lot of power: Pacstar AMD Gaming No. 1.(Product/service evaluation)
September 1, 2006... At first the Pacstar AMD Gaming No. 1 looks plain, but it has a lot of grunt and you don't have to pay through the nose for it. This machine packs an AMD 4200+ dual core and also comes with a GeForce 7900GT for boosted performance. It...

Core 2 Duo mobo: ASUS P5W DH Deluxe.(Product/service evaluation)
September 1, 2006... Based on the Intel 975X chipset, the ASUS P5W DH Deluxe is the company's first motherboard to support the latest Core 2 Duo processors. Its LGA775 CPU socket can also support Pentium 4 and Pentium D processors. The board has a large array...

New customisable mid-range printers from Ricoh make document workflow easier.(Ricoh MP C2500, Ricoh MP C3000)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Perfect for any mid-sized office, the Ricoh MP C2500 and MP C3000 printers have everything you'll need for superior printing and document distribution. You can produce high impact colour documents that can be sorted and finished at the push of...

Lightweight lightshow: BenQ CP220.(Product/service evaluation)
September 1, 2006... BenQ's new CP220 data projector promises a number of attractive features for corporate presenters, but falls short of expectations. Designed for the mobile professional, this XGA (1024x768-pixel) unit weighs around 2kg with the supplied...

Portability over power: Fujitsu LifeBook Q2010.(Product/service evaluation)
September 1, 2006... When mobility is more important than grunt, the Fujitsu LifeBook Q2010 is ideal. But it doesn't come cheap. It weighs only 1.1kg with its standard battery and is less than 2cm thick with the lid down. A 1.2GHz Intel Core Solo U1400 CPU...

Good price, ultraportable: Acer TravelMate 3010.(Product/service evaluation)
September 1, 2006... Good things do come in small packages, at least in the case of Acer's TravelMate 3010, which has all you need for a reasonable price. It's lightweight (1.6kg without power supply and with standard battery) but sturdy, though the screen...

Security suite targets malware: Kaspersky Internet Security 6.0.(Product/service evaluation)
September 1, 2006... When it comes to the Internet, you can never take security too seriously. Thankfully, Kaspersky Internet Security 6.0--a suite of antivirus, firewall, antispyware, antispam and Web-protection tools--is superb at detecting malware. We...

Camera with zoom: Ricoh Caplio R4.(Product/service evaluation)
September 1, 2006... With a price that puts it up against Canon's Ixus, the R4 is in for a tough battle for market share--particularly with its flimsy battery- and memory-card covers, and lacklustre finish. The flash is positioned just above the main grip,...

Slim camera has double vision: Kodak EasyShare V610.(Product/service evaluation)
September 1, 2006... With a long-range 10x optical zoom, Kodak's EasyShare V610 can bring the farthest subjects into full, detailed view. Unfortunately, this dual-lens camera also has a propensity for blurred photos at its highest zoom levels, plus disappointingly...

Not a winning score: Sony Cinescore 1.0.(Product/service evaluation)
September 1, 2006... Few video producers have the budget for a custom musical score, or the time/equipment/musical skill to create one themselves, so Sony has released Cinescore 1.0. Like SmartSound's QuickTracks, Cinescore lets you pick a theme and...

Great buy for amateurs: Serif DrawPlus 8.0.(Product/service evaluation)
September 1, 2006... Another year, another edition of Serif DrawPlus--we're now on to version 8.0 of this affordable alternative to high-end, high-priced professional drawing packages. The first thing that strikes you on booting up Serif's vector-based drawing...

Smallest TV tuner: AverMedia AverTV DVB-T Volar.(Product/service evaluation)
September 1, 2006... If you want an external digital TV tuner for your notebook, AverMedia's AverTV DVB-T Volar is the smallest we have seen, but it fails to satisfy in many areas. Physically, it's a USB 2.0 device, around the size of a lighter. After...

Digital audio player: Samsung YP-Z5.(Product/service evaluation)
September 1, 2006... The YP-Z5 from Samsung offers similar storage and a similar-looking chassis to the iPod Nano, with a price tag that's not far from its Apple rival. While there's no contacts database, games or calendar and initially the YP-Z5's control system...

The 100 best products of year.
September 1, 2006... You know how many new-product pitches we get every year? Thousands, each declaring that the item is the best in its category. Though many of the companies making these claims are clearly delusional, some creations do stand as superbly designed...

One PC, two brains: think that dual-core PCs are too pricey? We lab-tested four economical desktops that deliver plenty of power.(Altech Gameforce X2)(Pacstar Dual Core Gaming D940)(Plus Inspire 930D)(TI Computers Deluxe Dual Core 3.2)(Product/service evaluation)
September 1, 2006... If you've yearned for a dual-core desktop system but have held off buying one because you were deterred by high prices, now is the time to take the plunge. The cost of dual-core processors from AMD and Intel has dropped significantly since they...

Best case scenario: to build a pc you need to start with the basics: something to house it. to help you choose the best one for your system, we lab-tested six cases with a range of features, as well as home theatre options.(Antec NSK6500)(Cooler Master Praetorian PAC-T01)(Lian-Li PC-101)(Lian-Li PC-S80)(Thermaltake Eureka VC8000SWA)(Themaltake Matrix VD200BNS)(Product/service evaluation)
September 1, 2006... Not all cases are created equal. Variances in build quality, expansion, features and cooling methods means prices can range from under $100 with a power supply to over $500 without one! The differences between an expensive case and a cheap...

Cheap notebook tweaks: maximise your notebook.
September 1, 2006... If pink is the new black, and 50 is the new 40 (and I really hope it is), are notebooks the new desktops? I'd have to say yes. With the right upgrades, enhancements and accessories, many notebook PCs match their desk-bound counterparts all the...

10 biggest security risks you don't know about: hackers, scammers and identity thieves are constantly coming up with new ways to attack your PC and your privacy. Here are the newest perils--and how to foil them.
September 1, 2006... I always patch my system and run regular scans with updated antivirus and antispyware scanners. But while researching this story, I got hit by a Trojan horse (Trojan.Winloginhook.Delf.A) that was too new for my antivirus program to catch....

Double the fun.
September 1, 2006... Dual core is all the rage this month as Intel has finally released CPUs that not only hold a candle against AMDs latest offerings, but in fact surpass them in all of our benchmarks. The new chips--Core 2 Duo--make use of an improved...

PCs.(personal computers)(Buyers guide)(Table)
September 1, 2006... BEST BUYS PCs pc world TEST CENTRE FEATURES AND $1500-$3000 SPECIFICATIONS 1 Altech Gameforce Commander AMD Athlon X2 3800+ CPU Price: $2899...

Media centre PCs.(personal computers)(Buyers guide)(Table)
September 1, 2006... MEDIA CENTRE PCs pc world TEST CENTRE FEATURES AND MODEL SPECIFICATIONS 1 Claritas CLT-302 Intel Pentium D Price: $2999 ...

Notebooks.(Buyers guide)(Table)
September 1, 2006... BEST BUYS NOTEBOOKS pc world TEST CENTRE FEATURES AND SUB-$2500 SPECIFICATIONS 1 HP Pavilion DV1610 Intel Core Duo Processor Price:...

Wireless routers.(Buyers guide)(Table)
September 1, 2006... BEST BUYS WIRELESS ROUTERS pc world WI-FI SPEEDS TEST CENTRE MIMO ROUTERS WI-FI SECURITY 1 Netgear RangeMax WPN824 11Mbps, Price: $199 ...

ADSL2 modems.(Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line 2)(Buyers guide)(Table)
September 1, 2006... ADSL2 MODEMS BEST BUYS pc world TEST ADSL CENTRE ADSL2 MODEMS STANDARDS 1 Dynalink RTA1025W ADSL; ADSL2; Price: $199 ADSL2+ ...

19 in LCD monitors.(Buyers guide)(Table)
September 1, 2006... BEST BUYS 19 in LCD MONITORS PANEL TECHNOLOGY pc world RESPONSE TEST TIME INPUT...

Graphics cards.(Buyers guide)(Table)
September 1, 2006... GRAPHICS CARDS pc world TEST CENTRE MID-RANGE GRAPHICS CARDS SPECIFICATIONS 1 PowerColor X180OGTO Radeon X1800GTO chipset; pc world Price: $329 ...

TV tuners.(Buyers guide)(Table)
September 1, 2006... TV TUNERS pc world TEST CENTRE MODEL FEATURES AND SPECIFICATIONS 1 DViCO FusionHDTV PCI; USB 2.0; HDTV; SDTV; pc world DVB-T Dual Digital Dual DVB-T...

Projectors.(Buyers guide)(Table)
September 1, 2006... PROJECTORS pc world TEST CENTRE PROJECTION TECHNOLOGY/ PROJECTION ...

Unsuccessful recovery.(problem in booting operating system after disk formating in Sony notebook PC )(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... QI have a Sony notebook PC that became infected with a virus. I was advised to use recovery discs to make a fresh start and used those from a friend's Acer. After rebooting, it displayed a message about hardware/software changes and Windows...

Disabled hotkeys.(to control the volume for Sony Vaio notebook)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Q The hotkeys that control the volume and mute on my Sony Vaio notebook have been disabled. I can adjust and mute the volume using the Windows control panel, but how can I enable these hotkeys again? A These hotkeys will work only if their...

Laid out.(to arrange the desktop icons setting in Microsoft Windows XP OS)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Q Since reinstalling XP my desktop icons regroup on the left-hand side of the screen, regardless of the setting in "Arrange Icons By". A You probably have the Auto Arrange option ticked. Ensure that "Lock desktop items" is unchecked--see...

Event log errors.(when internet conection is enable)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Q On checking my system event log, I see that every time the PC starts up there are four error messages: "DCOM got error: The service database is locked" for each of netman, stiSVC, winmgmt and MCVRte. Are these errors important, or should I...

Burning issues.(disc-burning problems)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... A lot of the questions Helpline receives relate to disc-burning problems. In most cases, nothing appears to be wrong with the setup and we can only suggest using better-quality media. If a brand is recommended by the manufacturer, use it....

Get the picture.(unable to open JPEG picture file)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Q I have received an e-mail with several JPEG picture attachments, but am unable to open any of them. Windows describes them as an Unknown File Type and when I try to open them, I receive the message: "This file does not have a program...

Turn-off.(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Q My notebook PC keeps turning itself When it restarts, I send a report to Microsoft. It replies to me with the message: "Virus alert: A virus has been detected on your computer". I have Norton AntiVirus on my system and have now downloaded...

Trojan attack foiled.(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Q While on the Internet, my firewall icon started flashing a warning that there was an incoming attack by a Trojan, which had been blocked. I disconnected and then checked the firewall log, which recorded 12 intrusion attempts and the option...

No row numbers.(APPLICATIONS)
September 1, 2006... Q The row numbers in Microsoft Excel have disappeared from the screen, although they appear on a printout and the column letters still show as normal. Because of this I can't select, insert or delete a row. A Click on Tools-Options and...

Macros disabled.(determine how to enable macros for Microsoft Word )(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... Q When starting and closing Microsoft Word, a message box appears headed Microsoft Visual Basic, which states "The macros in this project are disabled. Please refer to the online help or documentation of the host application to determine how to...

Blunderbird.(Mozilla Thunderbird 1.5 e-mail software for e-mail management)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... There's a possible problem with Thunderbird's inbox and we thought we'd pass on a tip that you can use to avoid it. The first symptom is that, instead of downloading mail, Thunderbird displays in the status bar "Building summary file for...

On the cover DVD.
September 1, 2006... HELPSCREEN * Layout.exe * IrfanView * Pixia * The Gimp for Windows * Nero InfoTool * flOw * FlashPlayer 8.0.24 * QuickTime Player 7.1 * Firefox - 1.5.0.4 HERE'S HOW * Cinescore demo *...

E-mail issues: Steve Bass comes up with three new fixes for common e-mail aggravations, and two more ways to waste your time.(HERE'S HOW: HASSLE-FREE PC)(Column)
September 1, 2006... Do associates e-mail you humongous attachments? Do dopey friends not know how to blind-copy e-mail to protect your privacy? I have a few ways for you to be less annoyed--and less annoying. The Hassle: I'm still on dial-up (I'm out in the...

Media player dangers: as if computing wasn't risky enough. Stuart J Johnston shows how media players can compromise your security.(BUGS & FIXES: HERE'S HOW)
September 1, 2006... Media players are a necessary part of today's digital entertainment world, but they also give crooks another entryway into your system. Cases in point: critical holes found in Adobe's Macromedia Flash Player and in Apple's QuickTime media...

Feeling remote: suffering from two-pc syndrome? Access files on one computer from another with this stunningly useful bit of software.(HERE'S HOW: WINDOWS)(Remote Desktop Connection)
September 1, 2006... My partner in marital crime recently decamped for several weeks to the US to gather stock footage for a documentary film. After a few days of single parenthood, I decided to regroup with our two miniature troops to my parents' home and enjoy a...

Real virtuality: virtual computing is the flavour of the moment. Scott Spanbauer lets you in on the best ways to keep your OS at arm's length.(HERE'S HOW: LINUX)
September 1, 2006... Though you can never have too much speed, modern PCs are more than equal to the task of running basic productivity programs and Web browsers in a Linux-based graphical user interface. If your PC has untapped RAM, disk space and CPU horsepower,...

Message mastery: outlook 2007 offers plenty of options that help you tame your inbox and to-do list, but you can take control right now.(HERE'S HOW: OFFICE)(Microsoft Office Outlook 2007)
September 1, 2006... In outlook 2007 any e-mails that look like they're part of the same conversation get a pair of tiny arrows at the top. This allows you to quickly jump back to the original e-mail or the previous message in the thread. This system is less...

Sketch in time: SketchUp, a quirky, minor cad program, has suddenly made it to the big time. The answer may have something to do with Google ...(SketchUp 5.0)
September 1, 2006... Until this month, few CAD (computer-aided design) users had heard of AtLast's SketchUp 5.0 (www.sketchup.com)see June, p22 for Damien Donnelly's First Look. Autodesk has long dominated the technical illustration field, particularly when it...

Sounds interesting: a good video can be made or broken by the soundtrack. So what's the best way to legally add audio to your moving pictures?(HERE'S HOW: DIGITAL VIDEO)
September 1, 2006... Ten years of videoing friends' weddings for free have left Laurence a bitter and twisted man. He complains constantly and is far too tall for his own good. Just be thankful you don't share an office with him. One of the simplest ways to...

Remote control: RDC is an extremely useful tool for the network admin. Roger Gann gives you some tips on setting it up properly.(Remote Desktop Connection)
September 1, 2006... Career dead-ends aside, for the past decade or so Roger has earned his crust as an IT journalist. He's now a freelancer, writing about all manner of IT subjects. He also likes to fix other people's networks when he can. One of my favourite...

Hitman: Blood Money.(Product/service evaluation)
September 1, 2006... [PC/PS2/Xbox/360] As if to outdo the opening scene of Hitman: Contracts, which had Agent 47 staggering into a seedy hotel to have bullets removed by a backstreet doctor, Blood Money starts with our favourite bald assassin's funeral--though...

Micro Machines V4.(Product/service evaluation)
September 1, 2006... [PC/PSP/PS2/DS] Originally a school-ground collecting fad, Micro Machines has become a small-time gaming phenomenon and its latest instalment V4 has quite a reputation to live up to. Sadly, little has changed to modernise the game from its...

Not a Nano.(SanDisk Sansa e260)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... No, the Sansa e260 isn't a Nano. OK, it's slightly Nanoesque, but it's not quite as small, it doesn't sync with iTunes, and it's definitely not as classy. But then again, the casing doesn't scratch when you breathe on it, it can tune into FM...

Heroes of Might and Magic V.(Product/service evaluation)
September 1, 2006... [PC] The Heroes of Might and Magic series has been delighting gaming strategists for more than a decade now with its turn-based fantasy warfare. The latest in the series takes us back to the land of Ashan where the Griffin Empire is...

Turned on, tuned in.
September 1, 2006... Timothy Leary would have liked the Belkin Tunecast Auto. The '60s counterculture icon's exhortation to "turn on, tune in, drop out" would be an ideal slogan for this in-car FM transmitter for the iPod. In this case, however, "drop out" means...

Over the hedge.(computer game)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 1, 2006... [PC/PS2/Xbox/NGC] If your brood is still clamouring for more of their favourite characters after seeing Over the Hedge the movie (RJ the raccoon, Verne the turtle, Hammy the squirrel and Stella the skunk), then this game will give them...

Bin there, done that.(BACKBYTES)(Dvico TViX M-5000A personal media players)(Product/service evaluation)
September 1, 2006... Looking more like a high-tech pedal bin than a standalone digital media player, Dvico's new TViX M-5000A can handle almost any format you can throw at it (or in it, if you want to stretch the bin metaphor a little further). This includes DVDs...

Bytesback: in which Dr. Backbytes finds himself wishing that he wasn't dealing with Optus and reaffirms his dislike for call centers.(BACKBYTES)(Column)
September 1, 2006... I should be more sympathetic to call centre workers--though it pains me to admit it, I used to be one myself (1)--but they're a deceitful bunch. If my own sordid experiences as a call handler are anything to go by, call centre employees usually...