Computer Act!ve articles from April 2009

Computer Act!ve archives from April 2009

Squeeze your sound.
April 2, 2009... Byline: Paul Wardley Squeeze your sound Discover how to squeeze 250 tracks onto a single CD for playback on your home or in-car audio system The day of the multi-disc in-car audio system is dead. Why pay a fortune for a CD...

/ i?1/2how to burn a compilation to disc using CDBurnerXP.
April 2, 2009... Byline: Paul Wardley | Ahow to burn a compilation to disc using CDBurnerXP 1From the opening Action Selection screen of CDBurnerXP select Data Disc, then click OK. This displays a Windows Explorer-like interface listing hard disks and...

Run old programs in XP and Vista.
April 2, 2009... Byline: Paul Wardley Run old programs in XP and Vista Find out how old bargain-basement software can be made to run on modern PCs The older a software application is, the less it's likely to cost and in many cases you needn't...

Make your own DVDs from video clips.
April 2, 2009... Byline: Mark Wilson Make your own DVDs from video clips Find out how to make DVDs from video clips quickly, simply and free of charge Saving video files to disc is a simple enough process, but if the files are treated like...

Find and open Windows folders easily.
April 2, 2009... Byline: Rob Beattie Find and open Windows folders easily Get lost in your Windows folders? Folder View is free and makes it easy to find what you need The folder system used by successive versions of Windows has been so...

Manage all your instant messaging contacts easily.
April 2, 2009... Byline: Paul Townsend Manage all your instant messaging contacts easily Got lots of friends who use different IM programs? Discover how to keep in touch with them all Between them the popular instant messaging programs, such...

Workshop intro.
April 2, 2009... Byline: Rob Beattie How to type text in any language Type international languages using a Windows computer with an English keyboard p36 Make free DVD movies Find out how to make DVDs from video clips quickly, simply and free...

How to type text in any language.
April 2, 2009... Byline: Paul Wardley How to type text in any language Type international languages using a Windows computer with an English keyboard The average PC user might need to type text that includes international and accented...

Readers to the rescue.(Microsoft Word)(Brief article)
April 2, 2009... Byline: Tim Smith Readers to the rescue Q|In Word, is it possible to draw a circle and then write text to follow the arc on the inside? Stevesold, Computeractive forum A|Click on the Insert menu, Picture and then Word Art....

Linking computers Q/I have a home network set up with a desktop computer running Windows XP and a laptop running Vista i?1/2 both connected by network cables to a BT Home Hub router. The desktop computer has a printer attached on a USB port. Is it possible fo.
April 2, 2009... Byline: Tim Smith Linking computers Q|I have a home network set up with a desktop computer running Windows XP and a laptop running Vista -- both connected by network cables to a BT Home Hub router. The desktop computer has a printer...

Video reviews.
April 2, 2009... Byline: Tim Smith How to add a sound card to a PC, make music using sand and follow Michael Jackson's glove Adding a sound card to a PC A new sound card offers better quality and sometimes new connections for surround sound or...

Downloads.(Shape Collage)(All in one Sidebar)(Openwith.org Desktop Tool)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
April 2, 2009... Byline: Tim Smith Quickly access bookmark details in Firefox, organise to-do lists and get creative with a photo collage Shape Collage Do something more exciting with your photos. Shape Collage can arrange them in many different...

Win one of 30 copies of Techsmith Snagit.(Brief article)
April 2, 2009... Byline: Tim Smith Win one of 30 copies of Techsmith Snagit Make online research and projects easier with this clever software Screenshots are useful for all kinds of reasons. Maybe you are researching a homework project or you...

Best of the web.(www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/wallpaper)(www.addictionary.org)(www.totalhotspots.com)(Website overview)
April 2, 2009... Byline: Tim Smith A reader finds wireless internet hotspots on the move and shares achievements with the world Ordnance Survey wallpapers www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/wallpaper Following the Workshop in issue number 285 about...

Getting crafty.
April 2, 2009... Byline: Lindsay Parish-Jones Getting crafty Computers can help out with some more traditional arts and crafts -- we show you how to get creative with a PC For many people, arts and crafts provide an outlet for creativity....

Create a unique knitting pattern with KnitPro.(Brief article)
April 2, 2009... Byline: Lindsay Parish-Jones How to create a unique knitting pattern with Knitpro 1 Choose a photograph, save it to your PC's Desktop and open your web browser. Go to www.microrevolt.org/knitPro. Choose a grid size from the three...

Find a forum for your craft.(Brief article)
April 2, 2009... Byline: Lindsay Parish-Jones Find a forum for your craft Forums are popular places on the internet to meet fellow enthusiasts, get involved in discussions and find useful websites. Here's our top 10 guide: Cross stitch/ ...

Banish printer problems.
April 2, 2009... Byline: Paul Wardley Banish printer problems Printing problems can have many causes -- we show you how to diagnose and solve them Inkjet printers produce superb results and are very reliable, but like every other product of human...

Premium or compatible inks?
April 2, 2009... Byline: Paul Wardley Premium or compatible inks? Ink cartridges for inkjet printers are expensive if you buy the manufacturers' recommended originals. Compatible cartridges from third-party suppliers are likely to cost less (sometimes...

Choosing the right printer.
April 2, 2009... Byline: Paul Wardley Choosing the right printer For home users the inkjet printer reigns supreme. It's a cheap all-rounder that can do colour and black-and-white documents, labels, photos, T-shirt transfers and just about everything...

How to flush the print queue.
April 2, 2009... Byline: Paul Wardley How to flush the print queue 1When there are documents being queued or printed, an icon appears in the Notification Area on the right of the Windows taskbar. Double-click this icon to view the documents in the...

Sony Vaio FW31ZJ.
April 2, 2009... Byline: Anthony Dhanendran Sony Vaio FW31ZJ Movie fan? Watch films in full widescreen Sony's Vaio laptops are often stylish, so it was a slight surprise to find that the FW31ZJ doesn't look particularly special from the outside....

Datawind PocketSurfer 2r.
April 2, 2009... Byline: Tim Smith Datawind PocketSurfer 2r Internet access on the move -- for a one-off fee There's been a lot made recently of mobile internet access but only a few mobile phones really make it seem worthwhile, and carrying a...

Creative Vado HD.(Product/service evaluation)
April 2, 2009... Byline: Anthony Dhanendran Creative Vado HD Keep a video camera in your pocket Last year we reviewed Creative's original Vado pocket camcorder and concluded that it was fine for fooling around and very easy to use, but...

Datz Music Lounge.
April 2, 2009... Byline: Paul Lester Datz Music Lounge Unlimited music downloads for a monthly fee The Datz Music Lounge is an alternative to download services such as iTunes. It differs from that one by offering a year's subscription, during...

Pioneer BDC-S02.
April 2, 2009... Byline: Anthony Dhanendran Pioneer BDC-S02 Like the Sony Blu-ray reader to the left, the Pioneer BDC-S02 can read but not write Blu-ray discs, so it's useful if you want to watch high-definition films on your computer. It has an...

Sony BDU-X10S.
April 2, 2009... Byline: Tom Royal Sony BDU-X10S Blu-ray discs are beginning to become affordable. Some films can be bought for less than [pounds sterling]10 -- a decent price given the great high-definition quality. Blu-ray players are still a little...

The pen is mightier than the mouse.(Brief article)
April 2, 2009... Byline: Lindsay Parish-Jones The pen is mightier than the mouse Some people prefer using a graphics tablet when creating digital drawings or paintings. The natural feeling of holding a pen and the responsiveness of a tablet makes this...

Picture this.(photo gallery)
April 2, 2009... Byline: Andrea-Marie Petrou Picture this Why spend more on software to organise your photos when Vista includes a great free tool? We explain what Photo Gallery can do Digital cameras have revolutionised the way we take pictures....

What about XP?(Microsoft Windows XP)(Brief article)
April 2, 2009... Byline: Andrea-Marie Petrou What about XP? Windows XP doesn't include Photo Gallery, but there is something similar: Windows Live Photo Gallery, which is free to download. This program lets you tag, rate and edit your photos in the...

Perfect every time.(convert file into PDF file)
April 2, 2009... Byline: Tim Smith Perfect every time PDF files look and print perfectly on any computer, so they're ideal for sharing documents. We explain how to create them with free software Having spent hours getting the appearance of a Word...

XPS i?1/2 The Microsoft Way.
April 2, 2009... Byline: Tim Smith XPS -- The Microsoft Way Microsoft recently announced its own equivalent of PDF files: XPS files. These documents work in much the same way, and can be easily created from Windows Vista. Windows XP users were not...

Buffalo Linkstation Live LS-CH500L.
April 2, 2009... Byline: Tim Smith Buffalo Linkstation Live LS-CH500L Storage with plenty of tricks up its sleeve If you have more than one computer at home, it makes sense to have a central disk that holds shared music and office documents for all...

Ad-Aware Pro Anniversary Edition.
April 2, 2009... Byline: Paul Lester Ad-Aware Pro Anniversary Edition The spyware remedy gets a shot in the arm for its 10th birthday Ad-Aware has been many people's choice of spyware protection for some time now, having gathered a loyal collection...

Codename Panzers: Cold War.
April 2, 2009... Byline: Harry Burrows Codename Panzers: Cold War Fight a fictional end to the Cold War Info: www.codename-panzers-coldwar.com PEGI age rating: 12+ Also consider: Command and Conquer Overall: HHHHH Price:...

Empire Total War.(Product/service evaluation)
April 2, 2009... Byline: Jonathan Parkyn Empire Total War Treat yourself to an entire century's worth of epic gaming Info: www.totalwar.com/empire PEGI age rating: 16+ Also consider: Sins of a Solar Empire; Medieval II: Total War ...

Concept Draw Mindmap 5.
April 2, 2009... Byline: Anthony Dhanendran Concept Draw Mindmap 5 System requirements: Windows XP 32-bit or Vista 32-bit Download from: www.computeractive.co.uk/mindmap/index Registration:...

Concept draw Mindmap 6 The latest version of Conceptdraw Mindmap can export mind maps as Powerpoint outlines or as slideshows for an easy way to create professional presentations. Iti?1/2s easier to create multi-paged mind maps, topics within a map can have m.
April 2, 2009... Byline: Anthony Dhanendran Concept draw Mindmap 6 The latest version of Conceptdraw Mindmap can export mind maps as Powerpoint outlines or as slideshows for an easy way to create professional presentations. It's easier to create...

Pure Digital Avanti Flow.
April 2, 2009... Byline: Anthony Dhanendran Pure Digital Avanti Flow Wake up to internet radio or an iPod Like Pure's recent Evoke Flow, the Avanti Flow combines internet, FM and digital (Dab) radio receivers, along with the ability to stream...

Sanyo VPC-HD2000.
April 2, 2009... Byline: Anthony Dhanendran Sanyo VPC-HD2000 High definition in your pocket In video, it's all about high definition (HD) these days. HD images offer greater clarity and sharpness, particularly when viewed on large flat-screen...

HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF concept draw mindmap 5.
April 2, 2009... Byline: Anthony Dhanendran HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF concept draw mindmap 5 1Download and install the program as instructed above. If you are using Windows Vista and find that the process fails, click Cancel and confirm that you want...

The Role of the Advertising Standards Authority.
April 2, 2009... Byline: Andrea Petrou The Role of the Advertising Standards Authority Most of us have seen adverts on television, radio or in print media that we have found offensive or misleading. Maybe you have considered them racist, sexist, or the...

Classical recordings put online.(Brief article)
April 2, 2009... Byline: Andrea Petrou Classical recordings put online Recordings of 1,000 classical music pieces have been put online. The British Library's Archival Sound Recordings project includes sinfoniettas from composers such as Bach. ...

Battery charge times cut.(Massachusetts Institute of Technology to develop new design for lithium-ion batteries)(Brief article)
April 2, 2009... Byline: Iain Thompson Battery charge times cut Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have developed a new design for lithium-ion batteries that could cut recharge times down to seconds. Traditional...

ncolour ebook reader launched Fujitsu is selling the first ever ebook reader to use a colour screen. The Flepia, has an 8in touch-sensitive screen capable of showing up to 260,000 colours at 768x1,014 resolution. As with all ebook readers, the screen only.
April 2, 2009... ncolour ebook reader launched Fujitsu is selling the first ever ebook reader to use a colour screen. The Flepia, has an 8in touch-sensitive screen capable of showing up to 260,000 colours at 768x1,014 resolution. As with all ebook readers,...

EU to increase IT investment The European Commission (EC) has announced plans to invest more money in technology. The ICT Research and Innovation Strategy says Europe should double its research investments in IT and innovation over the next 10 years. It.
April 2, 2009... Byline: David Neal EU to increase IT investment The European Commission (EC) has announced plans to invest more money in technology. The ICT Research and Innovation Strategy says Europe should double its research investments in IT...

Abbyy Lingvo X3.(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
April 2, 2009... Byline: Emil Larsen Abbyy Lingvo X3 Lingvo began as a Russian program for translating European languages so Russian speakers could read them. This 13th version is more suitable for use in western Europe, as it includes English, French,...

Tune Up Utilities 2009.(Product/service evaluation)
April 2, 2009... Byline: Paul Lester Tune Up Utilities 2009 Now that even fairly basic PCs run quite quickly there's less demand for programs that clean up and tweak the operating system's performance. Tune Up Utilities offers that and more, though....

DCS: Black Shark.
April 2, 2009... Byline: Tim Smith DCS: Black Shark Here comes the chopper Info: www.digitalcombatsimulator.com PEGI age rating: 12+ Also consider: Microsoft Flight Simulator X; Vietnam Med-Evac; Overall: HHHHH Retail price:...

All a Twitter.
April 2, 2009... Byline: Tom Royal All a Twitter Having read about the Twitter website in a recent issue of Computeractive, I decided to take a look. I was appalled. As far as I can make out, this Twitter nonsense allows people to list the inane...

New website sells legal advice.(Website overview)
April 2, 2009... Byline: Dinah Greek New website sells legal advice Consumers can get access to a range of legal services and lawyers at a new website. Mylawyer provides consumers and business users with 24-hour access to legal document services...

GPs slam web feedback plan.
April 2, 2009... Byline: Andrea Petrou GPs slam web feedback plan Doctors have criticised plans by the Government to allow patients to post feedback about GPs on the NHS Choices website. The Medical Protection Society (MPS), an organisation that...

Sky tracks job losses online Sky has launched a website that lets people see how the recession is affecting their area. The Sky News Job Map shows the number of job losses and gains from companies in the UK. According to Sky the idea is to let people know.
April 2, 2009... Byline: Andrea Petrou Sky tracks job losses online Sky has launched a website that lets people see how the recession is affecting their area. The Sky News Job Map shows the number of job losses and gains from companies in the UK....

ndell releases touch-screen pcs Dell has added a 18.5in touchscreen PC to its all in one desktop range. The Studio One 19 PC has an 18.5 inch multi-touch LCD screen, and an Intel Core 2 Quad processor, 4GB of memory and a 750 GB hard disk. It als.
April 2, 2009... ndell releases touch-screen pcs Dell has added a 18.5in touchscreen PC to its all in one desktop range. The Studio One 19 PC has an 18.5 inch multi-touch LCD screen, and an Intel Core 2 Quad processor, 4GB of memory and a 750 GB hard...

Free finance advice online.(Visa Inc. to offer service to help people manage their money)(Brief article)
April 2, 2009... Byline: Andrea Petrou Free finance advice online Visa and the Citizens Advice Bureau are offering a service to help people manage their money. Better Money Skills is a free financial education website designed to help people...

Medion Akoya P8610.(Product/service evaluation)
April 2, 2009... Byline: Anthony Dhanendran Medion Akoya P8610 Get tip-top sound from this Dolby-certified laptop Medion's Akoya P8610 notebook, available directly from the maker's website, is designed for entertainment but unlike most such...

Broadband speeds still unclear.
April 2, 2009... Byline: Dinah Greek Broadband speeds still unclear A voluntary code of practice (CoP) introduced by Ofcom last year to give consumers a clearer understanding of the speeds they can get from their broadband service does not appear to be...

napple releases itunes update Apple has released an updated version of its iTunes media player application, hot on the heels of the release of a new iPod Shuffle. The new version fixes a security vulnerability in the way the application handled podcasts.
April 2, 2009... Byline: staff napple releases itunes update Apple has released an updated version of its iTunes media player application, hot on the heels of the release of a new iPod Shuffle. The new version fixes a security vulnerability in the...

Philips recalls power adapters Philips has issued a recall of mains adapters supplied with some of its portable DVD players and one of its digital photo frames. The firm said in extreme cases the cover of these adapters may become detached, exposing live.
April 2, 2009... Byline: Dinah Greek Philips recalls power adapters Philips has issued a recall of mains adapters supplied with some of its portable DVD players and one of its digital photo frames. The firm said in extreme cases the cover of these...

Keep a computer log.(Brief article)
April 2, 2009... Byline: Tim Smith Keep a computer log I keep a log on my computer of what software I have installed and any important changes to settings with a clever trick for adding a date and time automatically. Click on the Start button, All...

Hotmail access If you have a Hotmail or Windows Live email address but want to use the Thunderbird email software, Microsoft has just allowed PoP3 access to accounts. Start Thunderbird, click on the Tools menu and then Account Settings. Click on the Add.
April 2, 2009... Byline: Tim Smith Hotmail access If you have a Hotmail or Windows Live email address but want to use the Thunderbird email software, Microsoft has just allowed PoP3 access to accounts. Start Thunderbird, click on the Tools menu and...

Quick Desktop shortcuts If you find the Favourites menu hard to access in Internet Explorer 7 there is an alternative that means saving the web links as shortcuts to the Windows Desktop. Then the website can be started just as you would a program. First g.
April 2, 2009... Byline: Tim Smith Quick Desktop shortcuts If you find the Favourites menu hard to access in Internet Explorer 7 there is an alternative that means saving the web links as shortcuts to the Windows Desktop. Then the website can be...

Find programs Herei?1/2s a quick way to find the folder that a program has been installed in. Locate a shortcut for the program, whether on the Desktop or in the Start menu, right-click on it and left-click on Properties in the menu that appears. Left-click o.(Brief article)
April 2, 2009... Byline: Tim Smith Find programs Here's a quick way to find the folder that a program has been installed in. Locate a shortcut for the program, whether on the Desktop or in the Start menu, right-click on it and left-click on Properties...

Printing and scanning.
April 2, 2009... Byline: Anthony Dhanendran Printing and scanning Print, copy and scan with our selection of the best printers and scanners available from [pounds sterling]70 1 Kodak ESP 7 This printer/scanner is a joy to use and quite cheap...

Fraud cost i?1/2609m in 2008.
April 2, 2009... Byline: Dinah Greek Fraud cost [pounds sterling]609m in 2008 The latest figures from the UK payments association Apacs reveal a dramatic increase in fraud in 2008. The organisation said total losses stood at [pounds sterling]609m,...

Explorer 8 now available The latest version of Microsofti?1/2s Internet Explorer web browser, Internet Explorer 8, is available to download from the companyi?1/2s website. New features include an i?1/2Inprivatei?1/2 mode that allows the user to surf the web without leavi.
April 2, 2009... Byline: Tom Royal Explorer 8 now available The latest version of Microsoft's Internet Explorer web browser, Internet Explorer 8, is available to download from the company's website. New features include an 'Inprivate' mode that allows...

ncredit crunch feeds web crime The economic downturn is fuelling a massive surge in online crime, according to security firm Scansafe. In its annual Global Threat Report, the security company revealed an explosive increase in malicious software in 2008 i?1/2.
April 2, 2009... Byline: Dinah Greek ncredit crunch feeds web crime The economic downturn is fuelling a massive surge in online crime, according to security firm Scansafe. In its annual Global Threat Report, the security company revealed an explosive...

ISPs to keep details of customer emails.
April 2, 2009... Byline: VNUnet ISPs to keep details of customer emails UK internet service providers now have to retain data about their customers' correspondence for a year. The requirement is part of the EU Data Retention Directive, which...

Stay secure on a Linux PC.
April 2, 2009... Stay secure on a Linux PC In some ways Linux can be easier to manage than Windows -- but security remains important. We show you how to stay safe Years of using Windows may have led you to expect to spend a fair amount of time...

Security schedule.
April 2, 2009... Security schedule Updates These should happen automatically but you could check manually if nothing has been updated for a week. And check for updates to any software not installed with Add/Remove or Synaptic. Browser health ...

BT names first areas to get 40Mbits/sec broadband.
April 2, 2009... Byline: Clive Akass BT names first areas to get 40Mbits/sec broadband BT has named the first 29 exchanges from which 40Mbits/sec internet access will be available from early next year. The locations are spread across the UK,...

Hackers cash in on safety fear.
April 2, 2009... Byline: Dinah Greek Hackers cash in on safety fear Rookie fraudsters scare internet users into buying fake security software An inexperienced hacker can make millions of pounds by getting people to buy bogus security software. ...

npatient record opt-out extended Patients can now use the postal service to opt out of having an electronic medical record, according to Gillian Braunold, clinical director of the NHS Summary Care Record Programme. The Summary Care Records scheme aims to.
April 2, 2009... Byline: Computing staff npatient record opt-out extended Patients can now use the postal service to opt out of having an electronic medical record, according to Gillian Braunold, clinical director of the NHS Summary Care Record...

Secure files stored on USB memory keys.
April 16, 2009... Byline: Mark Wilson Secure files stored on USB memory keys Create a hidden, encrypted space on a USB memory key to protect private documents Many people now carry a portable USB memory key to transport computer files. This is...

Delete files and folders forever.
April 16, 2009... Byline: Rob Beattie Delete files and folders forever Using Windows to delete files doesn't get rid of them for good. Zap them forever with Eraser Using Windows to delete a file or a folder doesn't actually remove it from the...

Workshop intro.
April 16, 2009... Byline: Will Stapely Print from any PC on your wireless network Leaving a PC switched on to share a printer is a pain. We explain a better system p36 Back up your email messages easily Don't get caught out. We show you how to...

Print from any PC on a wireless network.
April 16, 2009... Byline: Will Stapely Print from any PC on a wireless network Leaving a PC switched on to share a printer is a pain. We explain a better system Although Windows makes it easy to share a printer connected a networked PC, you'll...

Upload photos to Flickr with two mouse clicks.
April 16, 2009... Byline: Rob Beattie Upload photos to Flickr with two mouse clicks Discover a handy free utility that will help you put photos online in a flash Flickr (www.flickr.com), the free online library and photo-sharing service from...

Readers to the rescue.(using slide and negative scanner)(Brief article)
April 16, 2009... Byline: Tim Smith Readers to the Rescue Q|My computer is sufficiently old that it only has USB1 ports, but it does run Windows XP. I've been given an ION slide and negative scanner and the instructions say it can only be used with...

Video reviews.
April 16, 2009... Byline: Tim Smith We look at a new way to herd sheep, alienate you colleagues and text using a handy phone keyboard Extreme Shepherding Surely technology has no place in the centuries-old practice of shepherding? Well, this band...

Downloads.
April 16, 2009... Byline: Tim Smith Keep your word processor on a USB stick, convert handwriting into text, organise information and more Undo Closed Tab This essential add-on for Firefox adds a new menu that allows you to reopen any tab closed...

Win a Linksys networking bundle worth more than i?1/2500.(Brief article)
April 16, 2009... Byline: Tim Smith Win a Linksys networking bundle worth more than [pounds sterling]500 Store files in one place and access them through a wireless network with this complete kit Computeractive has teamed up with Linksys to...

Consumeractive.(Brief article)
April 16, 2009... Byline: Tim Smith Help with Microsoft Office programs, the periodic table of typefaces and learn to convert PDFs to Word Sam Knows www.samknows.com This is a useful site about broadband. There is an availability checker for...

Back up your email messages easily.
April 16, 2009... Back up your email messages easily Don't get caught out. Safely back up your email from all the popular email programs. The importance of making regular backups can't be stressed highly enough. Unfortunately, many of us don't...