Computer Act!ve articles from April 2005

Computer Act!ve archives from April 2005

From the editor.
April 14, 2005... Byline: Dylan Armbrust. For many of us, the word 'network' has become almost commonplace. We hear about the internet, the biggest network in the world, on a daily basis and many of us work in offices that have their own networks of PCs....

Gio goes after customers again. Second wave of debt letters leaves former customers fuming.(Gio Internet)
April 14, 2005... Gio Internet has hired another debt collection agency to pursue people for alleged non-payment of its internet services. Computeractive has been contacted by readers saying they have received letters from another agency, Outsourced Credit...

New online crime site keeps public better informed.(www.nhtcu.org, National Hi Tech Crime Unit )(Brief Article)
April 14, 2005... The National Hi Tech Crime Unit has revamped its website to act as a focal point for combating online crime. As serious organised hi-tech crime increasingly affects the general public, the website now has a section designed to meet the...

Trading Standards advice.(Public Notice)
April 14, 2005... The advice from Trading Standards for readers disputing these debt letters is to first contact OCM and Gio with their dispute. They should keep proof of bill payments and also any communications. If they can't resolve the situation, then they...

Play on words.(personal information, surveys lure people)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2005... Consumers have been warned to treat surveys with scepticism after researchers lured people into giving away key information that could be used to defraud them. People happily handed over personal information such as their mother's maiden name,...

Users baffled by buzzwords.(computer related terms)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2005... The computer industry's love of jargon hinders rather than helps consumers when they need it most - protecting themselves online. Internet users in the UK want plain English explanations of internet threats and not the buzzwords beloved of...

Further studies planned on safety of mobiles.(wireless telephones)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2005... Further research is being commissioned into the future of mobile phone technology and phone masts. The move follows growing public concern over the risks of using mobile phones and fears from people living near installations. The...

WEEE delayed.(Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment directive)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2005... The Government has pushed back making a key environmental directive law until next year. The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive, which will have a direct impact on consumers, was due to become law in August this...

Top gear.(television program clips for sale on Internet)
April 14, 2005... Channel Five is to begin selling excerpts from its programmes online. The broadcaster is the first to attempt to sell material to internet subscribers, and hopes that clips from the programme Fifth Gear will tempt consumers to pay [pounds...

XP tweaked.(Windows XP Home Edition N)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2005... Microsoft has unveiled another version of its operating system - this time with its arm twisted firmly behind its back. Windows XP Home Edition N is the same as the existing XP Home software except that it does not contain Windows Media Player....

RFID World Cup tickets.(soccer World Cup, Germany)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2005... Football's governing body FIFA is to use RFID chips to prevent ticket fraud at next summer's World Cup in Germany. Each ticket sold will permit only the purchaser to attend games, although the RFID chip will contain only booking, and not...

Jargon Buster - Techno babble demystified.(computer related terms)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2005... Phishing: Internet fraud that tries to trick user into revealing personal details. Rogue dialler: Malicious software that changes the number your PC dials to access the internet to a premium rate number. RFID: A wireless system using...

Learn more about phishing.(http://survey.mailfrontier.com/survey/phishing_uk.html. )(Brief Article)
April 14, 2005... UK consumers can help themselves learn how to recognise phishing scams thanks to a new website. With 13,000 new phishing scams reported last month alone, the Phishing IQ test developed by security firm MailFrontier contains examples of real and...

Closing the digital divide.(United Kingdom)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2005... The government has announced yet another initiative planned at tackling the digital divide. The proposed seven-point plan aims to overcome problems such the cost of broadband services and lack of training and confidence. Included is a...

Flexible broadband service launched.(Broadband Plus)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2005... Plusnet has launched Broadband Plus, a service that gives priority to light users at peak periods. At times when a lot of people use the network, the fastest connections will go to those using email or the web, as they don't put such a strain...

Passport problems.(biometric identification)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2005... The European Union has asked US President George W Bush to delay implementing plans that will force European travellers to hold a passport that contains biometric identification data. The US has set a deadline of October 2005 for visitors who...

Jargon Buster - Techno babble demystified.(computer related terms)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2005... Broadband: Refers to high-bandwidth internet connections, such as ADSL. Hackers: People who break into other people's computers and networks, often in an attempt to steal sensitive information. Kbit/s: Kilobits per second. A measure of...

Big bucks for bug hunter.(Mozilla Foundation)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2005... A German researcher has been paid $2,500 (about [pounds sterling]1,300) by Mozilla for pointing out five flaws in its browser. Mozilla's bug bounty programme rewards users who identify critical flaws in current versions of Mozilla software. It...

Mobile music.(Orange PLC)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2005... Orange has launched a range of handsets and services aimed at making itself the music lover's mobile provider. Customers will be able to research music and gigs, buy tickets to events and download singles with the new Find Music service. New...

Bigger warnings on games.(labeling)
April 14, 2005... Violent video games are to carry high-profile warnings to alert parents to the suitability of the content for children. From 1 May, the age restriction symbols on video game packaging will double in size and game boxes will carry a...

Shake-up for child protection units.(protecting children from online paedophiles, Centre for Child Protection )(Brief Article)
April 14, 2005... A unit specifically dedicated to protecting children approached by paedophiles online will be set up by April next year. As part of the Government's planned FBI-style investigation bureau - the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) - the...

Illegal downloads still a problem.(music downloads)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2005... People still continue to illegally swap music files despite the rise of legal download services. This was the finding of the Pew Internet & American Life Project which monitors web usage. It said people were using both old and new ways to...

Odds against young punters.(underage gambling)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2005... The problem of underage gambling online could be nipped in the bud as a leading online payment system employs an identity verification system. Datacash said a survey found that an underage child could bypass over 50 per cent of online gaming...

Look at that.(Google Inc.)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2005... Google will begin trialling a video blogging (or 'vlogging') service. There are already a number of sites that provide video clips with blogs and as web space becomes cheaper and digital cameras more sophisticated, vlogging is expected to...

Mobile video.(Microsoft Corp.)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2005... Microsoft mobile devices will soon be able to download and play news, music and feature programmes in a new service called MSN Video Downloads. The service will initially only be available in the US but Microsoft is working to license more...

It's an online emergency.(Internet Telephony Services Providers' Association)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2005... The internet telephony industry has developed a code of conduct to boost confidence in its services. Many people have been drawn to services offering cheap telephone calls over a broadband connection but doubts have emerged over a minority...

Politicians must face facts.(www.channel4.com/news/factcheck)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2005... Channel 4 is challenging politicians to tell the truth in the run-up to the general election - or face being un-spun. The television station promises to cut through the spin and lies and get to the facts behind policy statements, through...

Kiosk coppers.(virtual police station)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2005... Welsh Police have set up the country's first virtual police station. The multimedia kiosk in the foyer of Mumbles Police Station near Swansea provides the public with 24-hour a day, seven days a week contact with the police. When the...

Secure your Windows.(Info Cards by Microsoft Corp.)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2005... Future versions of Windows will include a new kind of security system, known as Info Cards. The cards technology stores users' personal data securely on their computers. Microsoft already has a security program known as Passport. It...

Jargon Buster - Techno babble demystified.(computer related terms)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2005... Broadband: Refers to high-bandwidth internet connections, such as ADSL. Gb: A measurement of storage capacity - usually for hard disks. Mb: A measurement of storage capacity, usually for computer memory. MP3: A standard for...

Show stopper.
April 14, 2005... Pinnacle has released a home media adapter, the ShowCenter 200. The ShowCenter connects to a home network, either wired or wireless, or directly to a PC. In addition to standard music and video formats, it also supports High Definition (HD)...

2Gb Gmail.(Google Inc.)(Brief Article)
April 14, 2005... Google has doubled the capacity of its Gmail service and added new features. Users now get 2Gb of storage, the ability to send up to 10Mb of photos in a message and free POP3 access. And Google has said it will increase the size further. The...

Get Some Answers! Consumeractive sticks up for your rights. If there's an issue you want investigated, get in touch.
April 14, 2005... PROBLEM - Question Red alert I am the manger of the Community Alarm Service in Hackney, London and wonder if you could help someone who is very vulnerable. Her name is Davina Paul and she has a serious illness. Miss Paul is...

Care to share? The quality and simplicity of wireless networks has improved drastically so now might be the time to take the leap yourself. We put six leading wireless broadband routers to the test.(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 14, 2005... Byline: Tim Smith. The entire PC industry is going crazy over the idea of wireless networking at the moment, claiming that being able to share material between devices will transform our lives. The truth as we see it is that wireless will...

Hot New Products - Asus W5343A-BH. If you've got a penchant for PC panache, look no further than this chic notebook.(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 14, 2005... Byline: Luke Peters. Sony is the only PC manufacturer that has ever come close to competing with Apple where style is concerned, though you will pay through the nose for its products. So we were pleased to see the Asus W5, a notebook...

Hot New Products - Apple iWork '05. Apple's alternative office software for the Mac.(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 14, 2005... Byline: Cliff Joseph. Apple's iLife software suite has proved popular with many Mac users, so Apple has extended its software line-up with a second suite called iWork. The iWork package contains two programs - KeyNote and Pages....

Hot New Products - Shuttle XPC G5 8300M. Enjoy your home entertainment in peace.(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 14, 2005... Byline: Tim Smith. Shuttle was instrumental in bringing about truly small computers long before Apple launched the Mac Mini. The XPC G5 8300M comes with Windows Media Center 2005 in a discreet computer package suited to sitting next to the...

Hot New Products - Sound Blaster Live! 24-bit External. Take control of your tunes and pump up the volume.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 14, 2005... Byline: Luke Peters. External sound cards are a great way to upgrade your computer's audio by doing nothing more than plugging in a USB cable and installing some software. The Sound Blaster Live! 24-bit External is a 5.1 sound card, which...

Hot New Products - Sony DRU-720A. DVD-R technology comes up to speed with this internal drive.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 14, 2005... Byline: Anthony Dhanendran. As most PC users are aware, there are two main formats for burning DVDs: DVD-R and DVD+R. These are used by different manufacturers, and use slightly different technology. Apart from causing confusion for...

Hot New Products - Logitech io Pen.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 14, 2005... Byline: Tim Smith. The Logitech io Pen looks like an oversized biro. While it writes like a normal pen, a tiny built-in scanner records your handwriting, which can then be uploaded to a computer. The pen is quite large but comfortable...

Hot New Products - Sonic BackUp MyPC Deluxe.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 14, 2005... Byline: Tim Smith. Backing up data on your PC should be a regular process and having decent software to do it with is important. BackUp MyPC provides one-click options for backing up and restoring files and folders. You can back up...

Hot New Products - Imation Disk Stakka. A carousel that catalogues your CD and DVD collection for you.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 14, 2005... Byline: Anthony Dhanendran. The Disk Stakka is an ugly blue-and-white plastic box slightly larger than a conventional CD storage box. The difference between the two is that this one has a USB connection on the back. Plug it into your PC...

Hot New Products - Trust SP-6300P.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 14, 2005... Byline: Tim Smith. If your PC didn't come with surround sound speakers the Trust SP-6300P's are a good choice. Setup is easy: just plug the colour-coded cables into your sound card and follow the labelling on the control box to...

Hot New Products - Magix Ringtone Maker.(Brief Article)
April 14, 2005... Byline: Anthony Dhanendran. Instead of paying unreasonable sums for mobile phone ringtones, why not make your own? That's the thinking behind Ringtone Maker, which helps you create your own melodies.You will need a phone that is compatible...

Hot New Products - HP DVD640i. HP's first go at a DVD writer that can burn labels straight onto the disc.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 14, 2005... Byline: Anthony Dhanendran. While CD burning has come a long way since its introduction in the mid-1990s, CD labelling hasn't really got any better. Most of us still use stick-on labels, or the trusty felt-tipped pen, while the lucky ones...

On Test - Online Grocers - What's in store? The weekly shop is no one's idea of fun, so why not forgo the queues and howling kids and browse virtual aisles in peace? We ordered from four stores and waited for them to come to us.(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 14, 2005... Byline: Emilie Martin. Doing the weekly grocery shop is rarely a stress-free experience - steering wonky trolleys and jockeying with other shoppers for pole position at the checkout can be a real headache. It needn't be this way, though,...

Feature - Organise your hard disk - All mapped out. Losing track of all your files? Worry not. We show you how to organise all your hard disk data with the best free utilities around.
April 14, 2005... Byline: Rob Hawkins. Before the capacity of computer hard disks became as large as it is today, most of us stashed our old record collections, photo prints from past holidays, bank statements and letters in lofts, cardboard boxes and...

Feature - Top tips to stop spam - Declare war on spam. Don't show spammers the white flag. Fight back with our guide to the best anti-spam tactics.
April 14, 2005... Byline: Emilie Martin. It's not big and it's certainly not clever but spam is an unfortunate by-product of digital communication that most email users will have to contend with on a daily basis. While it's hard to eradicate spam from your...

Feature - Election information online - Knowledge is power. Don't rely on newspapers and TV news reports to learn about the political issues of the day. Get online and get informed. We show you how.
April 14, 2005... Byline: Jonathan Parkyn. Election time should, in theory, be the perfect opportunity for us to witness the gleaming wheels of democracy in motion, as we go to the polls and vote for the men and women who we believe should represent us at...

On Test - CD-ROMs - New horizons. Finding the time to go to classes and learn new skills can be hard, so use your PC to learn them at your own pace at home.(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 14, 2005... Byline: Martin James. Modern computers allow you to do so much, from work and play to learning new skills. This issue we feature five pieces of software that help to illustrate just how diverse your computer can be. We start with the...

On Test - Games - Star Wars: Republic Commando. George Lucas's space saga gets the squad-based shooter treatment.(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 14, 2005... Byline: Jonathan Parkyn. As anticipation mounts for this summer's Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith - supposedly the fantasy franchise's final cinematic chapter - the video game arm of George Lucas' empire is currently helping to ramp up the...

On Test - Games - Settlers: Heritage of Kings.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 14, 2005... Byline: Anthony Dhanendran. The Settlers games have always been more about constructing an amiable community than a bloodthirsty army. While there have certainly always been military elements, the Heritage of Kings shifts the focus...

On Test - Games - Sims 2: University.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 14, 2005... Byline: Eddie Henderson. There are only three inevitabilities in life - death, taxes, and Sims expansion packs. University is the first add-on to be released for Sims 2, although we'd bet our own children that it won't be the last. As...

On Test - Games - Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 14, 2005... Byline: Eddie Henderson. Ubisoft's Splinter Cell series offers the closest most of us will ever get to experiencing a James Bond/Jack Bauer-type lifestyle, and this third instalment is every bit as atmospheric as its predecessors. You play...

Gadgets - The hip parade. Prepare to wow your friends and impress your neighbours. Here are our favourite must-have toys of the moment.(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 14, 2005... MAKE A SPLASH [pounds sterling]230 The OptioWP is a great choice if you're planning to take a digital camera anywhere near the water this summer. It has a 5-megapixel lens, 3x optical zoom and a 2in screen. Its biggest asset, though, is...

Net Chart - Site seeing. With a Royal wedding fresh in the memory, we call in on the Windsors online.(Brief Article)
April 14, 2005... Go to www.computeractive.co.uk to find quick links to all these featured websites www.royal.gov.uk The official site of the Royal Family contains information on the Royals past and present. There are sections referring to their art...

Net Chart - Site of the fortnight - www.london2012.org.(Brief Article)
April 14, 2005... The Olympic Games could be coming to the UK but London's bid needs support from the public to improve its chances. The website has comments of support from celebrities such as David Beckham and past medallists, as well as s. information on how...

Net Chart - Free Downloads. We've trawled the internet to test what you can get for free.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
April 14, 2005... PAINT SHOP PRO 9 DEMO - www.computeractive.co.uk/download/1154515 EDIT PHOTOS AND CREATE PICTURES Paint Shop Pro is a very powerful image-editing program with lots of tools for restoring photos. This is a 60-day demo of Jasc's popular...

No Proble4m! Q&A - Answers to ... PC problems. Our resident technical doctor is here to cure your PC ailments.
April 14, 2005... Wipe out the past Q: I understand that formatting does not entirely remove all data from a hard disk. Is it possible to completely wipe all traces of data before reinstalling Windows XP Pro? Ken Parker, via email A: It is sometimes...

Readers to the rescue. Can you help your fellow readers? Do you need a problem solved? Join our forum dedicated to PC trouble-shooting at www.computeractive.co.uk.
April 14, 2005... THE PROBLEM How can I move my address to the right-hand side of the page in Word 2000 without using the 'align right' option, as this looks wrong to me? Liz McCafferty, Computeractive forum YOUR ANSWER Select the address by...

Letters Your say! We want your opinions! Write to us on any of the topics covered in Computeractive.(Letter to the Editor)
April 14, 2005... Taxing times Surely it is time to simplify the whole process of paying for a TV licence. Almost all the population watches TV and many households have two or three sets. So the bureaucratic nightmare of collecting licence fees should be...

From the Editor.(Editorial)
April 28, 2005... Byline: Dylan Armbrust. As Computeractive readers will know, technology changes at a phenomenal rate. And with the changing face of technology comes a change in the way it weaves itself into our lives. In this issue, you'll see that we've...

Doubt cast on 'padlock' security. Row over accountability casts shadow over safety of online shopping.
April 28, 2005... One in four retail websites may not be safe because the identity of those running them cannot be verified, according to an internet security advisor. Retail websites depend on the golden padlock icon and use of 'https' in the address...

Online retailers told to install better security.(Brief Article)
April 28, 2005... Online retailers around the world must ensure they have secured their websites against security breaches and that customer data is safe by 30 June. The world's major credit card companies have imposed this deadline as they battle to stamp...

Stop it now.(Brief Article)
April 28, 2005... AOL is calling on the Government to strengthen the UK's anti-spam laws. The internet service provider said although the UK now is 10th in the tables for the world's worst spam offenders, no UK spammers have been fined or prosecuted since...

Nine in 10 UK take phish bait.(Brief Article)
April 28, 2005... Nine out of 10 email users fail to spot the tell-tale signs of phishing emails, according to an online survey. Worryingly, it showed that while people are increasingly aware of these attacks, they are still fooled by the simpler phishing...

Opera redoubles its efforts against spoofing.(Brief Article)
April 28, 2005... The latest version of the Opera browser, released last week, offers greater protection from fake websites. Opera users can now check the address bar for the name of the company that owns the security certificate, needed to display the...

Bogus Windows Update email.(Brief Article)
April 28, 2005... Users are being warned to watch out for a fake Microsoft security update. The email directs people to a spoof website that claims to host critical security updates. However, anyone downloading from the site will have a virus installed that...

Jargon Buster - Techno babble demystified.(Brief Article)
April 28, 2005... Domain name: The name used to identify a site on the internet, such as computeractive.co.uk Gb: A measurement of storage capacity - usually for hard disks. Hard disk: A high-capacity disk drive fitted in almost all PCs and used to...

Energy savers.(Brief Article)
April 28, 2005... Canon has released two new laser printers, designed for the home or small office. The company claims the LBP3000 and the LBP2900 are quieter and more energy-efficient than previous models. They print 14 and 12 pages per minute respectively,...

Through the keyhole.(virtual tours services)(Brief Article)
April 28, 2005... Google has bought a service that lets people take virtual tours of neighbourhoods around the world. Although most of the data is based on US locations, Keyhole 2 LT can also let users zoom into areas around London, although most UK rural areas...

Double up.(Brief Article)
April 28, 2005... Toshiba is to start mass-producing an enhanced version of its 0.85in hard disk for mobile gadgets, with the storage capacity doubling to 4Gb. The drive is used for mobile phones, handhelds and MP3 players and the increase in storage space will...

Blogs the latest target.(Brief Article)
April 28, 2005... Cyber criminals are taking advantage of blog sites to snare unsuspecting victims. According to security company Websense, weblogs are being used to harbour malicious code such as Trojans and keystroke loggers that can be used to steal...

Toshiba brings 3D television one step closer.(Brief Article)
April 28, 2005... Toshiba said it has developed technology that allows 3D images to be viewed on flat screens without the need for special viewing glasses. The company said looking at the display from an angle allows the user to experience 3D images that...

Meet the ancestors.(Brief Article)
April 28, 2005... The general public has been called on to participate in a five-year project aimed at creating the world's largest DNA bank. The idea is to create an idea of how the world was colonised and boost the data accessible to historians,...

Jargon Buster - Techno babble demystified.
April 28, 2005... Blog: Short for weblog. A frequently-updated website which can act as an online diary. Hackers: People who break into other people's computers and networks. Keystroke logger: A form of Trojan that records which keys have been pressed...

Sky's the limit.(BSkyB has launched the UK's first interactive TV credit and loyalty card)(Brief Article)
April 28, 2005... BSkyB has launched the UK's first interactive TV credit and loyalty card. SkyCard works like any other credit card in shops and cash machines worldwide but can also be inserted in the interactive slot on the Sky box. This lets customers manage...

BMW hotspots.(Brief Article)
April 28, 2005... BMW is now offering Wi-Fi internet access in its UK dealerships. Customers who bought cars from the manufacturer last year can surf the web, check emails and access their corporate network when visiting the showrooms while their cars are being...

The searchers.
April 28, 2005... The 192.com website has been revamped to offer a mixture of free and subscription-based services. Simple directory enquiries are free and the site retains its mobile phone tracking system but users who want more in-depth information on people...

Banks to boost online security.(Brief Article)
April 28, 2005... UK banks are planning to give consumers devices over the next 18 months that are expected to make it safer to bank and shop online. The devices, already used in some European countries, generate unique one-off codes that prove a customer's...

Parents hit by fines.(Brief Article)
April 28, 2005... Parents have could find themselves held responsible for hefty fines as the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) scales up its fight against illegal file-sharers. The BPI began legal proceedings in March against 26 people, all of whom have...

Icy hotspot.(Brief Article)
April 28, 2005... Tech-savvy polar explorers can now take advantage of wireless networking after two Intel employees on an expedition deployed what is thought to be the world's most northerly Wi-Fi hotspot. The wireless access point has been installed on the...

The Tiger's out.(Apple's new operating system for the Mac - code-named Tiger - is now available)(Brief Article)
April 28, 2005... Apple's new operating system for the Mac - code-named Tiger - is now available. While it does not make any radical changes to OS X, there are several improvements. There is a new Desktop search program called Spotlight that searches inside...

Skype on call.
April 28, 2005... A centralised contact list has been included into the latest version of the Skype broadband telephony software. Now people can access their contacts list when using Skype on a different PC and Skype can now import contacts from Microsoft...