Computer Act!ve articles from August 2008

Computer Act!ve archives from August 2008

Take notes from your favourite websites.
August 7, 2008... Byline: Rob Beattie Take notes from your favourite websites Google Notebook makes it easy to grab text, images and links from websites Anyone who's ever wished they'd kept a note - or better still a link - to a particular...

Workshops intro.(briefs)(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Byline: Scott Colvey take notes from your favourite websites Google Notebook makes it easy to grab text, images and links from websites p36 navigate easily through complex Word documents Build tables of contents and indexes to...

Plan events with the minimum of fuss.
August 7, 2008... Byline: Rob Beattie Plan events with the minimum of fuss Trying to get a group of people together can be frustrating. Find out how Doodle can help Getting a group of people together at the same time on the same day can turn...

Find your way around Word documents.
August 7, 2008... Byline: Paul Wardley Find your way around Word documents Build tables of contents to make it easier for readers to find their way around long documents Microsoft Word can be used to write anything from a quick memo to an...

Get to grips with Raw.
August 7, 2008... Byline: Cliff Joseph Get to grips with Raw Raw files offer ultimate control for those editing digital photos on a PC Digital cameras have become so affordable that they're almost now an impulse buy - something you can pick up at...

Hitting the buffers.(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Hitting the buffers As mentioned elsewhere in this Masterclass, our Olympus SP-570UZ was able to store both Raw and JPEG versions of the same photo, but a test picture saved as Raw gobbled up 14.4MB of storage space; the JPEG occupied just...

how to work with Raw files.(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... how to work with Raw files 1If you don't already have it, download Adobe's free DNG Converter from www.adobe.com/products/dng. This converts Raw files into the DNG format that is supported by a number of photo-editing programs. 2When...

WIN an iPod Touch and copies of Roxio Easy Media Creator 10.
August 7, 2008... Byline: Tim Smith WIN an iPod Touch and copies of Roxio Easy Media Creator 10 Organise and edit music and video, then enjoy it on the move with an iPod Easy Media Creator 10 enables you to make the most of a large and diverse...

Clocking off Q/I have two problems that may be connected. First, every time my computer starts a window appears saying my AVG anti-virus licence has expired. I also find that the date and time settings have changed to a date in 2006. When I correct the la.
August 7, 2008... Byline: Tim Smith, Anthony Dhanendran Clocking off Q|I have two problems that may be connected. First, every time my computer starts a window appears saying my AVG anti-virus licence has expired. I also find that the date and time...

Best of the web.(Website list)(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Byline: Tim Smith Create secure passwords, organise ideas, read Darwin's letters and make sure you don't oversleep Password Chart www.passwordchart.com Password Chart is a way to make passwords more secure without making them...

Video reviews online.
August 7, 2008... Byline: Tim Smith PC parts, how to cook up an old English favourite, arrange your thoughts and more on Thunderbird Building a PC: Part 1 Building a computer from scratch isn't difficult. This video shows all the parts needed to...

downloads.(Website list)(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Byline: Tim Smith Design a website, listen to your music collection away from your PC and back up your computer Template Shaker Templates are the best way to create a consistent website design: Template Shaker has six that are...

Add a Vista-style sidebar to Windows XP.
August 7, 2008... Add a Vista-style sidebar to Windows XP Spyderbar provides Windows XP users with many of the same features offered by Vista's Sidebar The Windows Vista Sidebar is a bar that runs down the side of the screen and is home to a...

Broadband Test it i?1/2 fix it i?1/2 boost it.
August 7, 2008... Byline: Nigel Whitfield Broadband Test it acents fix it acents boost it We show you how to diagnose and solve problems that affect the performance of your broadband connection When you're used to a high-speed internet...

Diagnosis checklist.(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Byline: Nigel Whitfield Diagnosis checklist 1. If you can't access pages, including your ISP's own home page, check the basics A- make sure the broadband modem or router is plugged in and switched on, that you can hear a dial tone on...

Prepare to complain.(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Prepare to complain If you suspect that you're not getting the performance you're paying for, you need to gather evidence carefully and make sure it's accurate A- it's much harder to reject a complaint that comes with supporting...

How to check your linei?1/2s capabilities.(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Byline: Nigel Whitfield How to check your line's capabilities 1Head to www.kitz.co.uk/adsl/frogstats.htm and select your router from the dropdown menu at the top of the page. This will explain how to obtain the information you need...

Creative Vado.(Product/service evaluation)
August 7, 2008... Byline: Andrew Zarkesh Creative Vado Video without tapes or discs The Creative Vado differs from conventional digital camcorders in that it doesn't use tapes or discs. Instead, up to two hours of video can be saved to its internal...

Serif Pageplus X3.(Product/service evaluation)
August 7, 2008... Byline: Cliff Joseph Serif Pageplus X3 Get yourself into print The last upgrade of Serif's veteran desktop publishing (DTP) program made it a bit of a jack of all trades. As well as the page layout features you'd expect, it also...

Kodak M1020.
August 7, 2008... Byline: Paul Lester Kodak M1020 Show off digital photos and videos The M1020 has the same 800x480-pixel resolution as the last Kodak frame we reviewed (issue 268) but it looks better. However, while colours were far more vibrant...

Flip Video Ultra.
August 7, 2008... Byline: Andrew Zarkesh Flip Video Ultra Tiny camcorder that's a hit in the US Smaller camcorders are increasing in popularity, and at the vanguard of this is the Flip Video camera, which is already a big seller in the USA. In...

Ability Office Business.(Product/service evaluation)
August 7, 2008... Byline: Andrea Vassou Ability Office Business Microsoft Office quality at a tiny price When most people hear the phrase 'office software' they think of Microsoft's ubiquitous Office suite. However, over the years cheaper programs,...

Oakley Split Thump.
August 7, 2008... Byline: Paul Lester Oakley Split Thump Digital music from a pair of shades Oakley's Split Thump is a digital music player built into a well-designed pair of wraparound shades. If you didn't know better, you wouldn't be able to...

Movie masters.
August 7, 2008... Movie masters You don't need expensive video-editing software to create great home movies. We look at how tools within Windows can help you put together a digital masterpiece You may think the software and skills needed to produce...

from Tape to DVD in four steps with Vista Home Premium.
August 7, 2008... from Tape to DVD in four steps with Vista Home Premium 1Connect your miniDV camcorder via Firewire and click 'Import video using Windows Import Video'. Follow the on-screen instructions and wait as your tape transfers. 2In Movie Maker,...

Format confusion.(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Format confusion There are dozens of conflicting digital video formats to contend with. As mentioned in the main article, different types of camcorder record to different types of storage in a range of digital file formats, not all of...

Microsoft Windows Live Onecare.
August 7, 2008... Byline: Anthony Dhanendran Microsoft Windows Live Onecare Protect your PC from everything As the name suggests, Onecare is one of the growing breed of software products that claim to offer what is called 'total' protection for...

User friendly.
August 7, 2008... Byline: Tim Smith User friendly Worried about someone else who uses your computer reading your files or emails? Setting up user accounts will stop them in their tracks Most computers are set up so that when Windows starts, the...

Save the day.(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Byline: Tim Smith Save the day If you don't have the password for a user account, Windows won't allow you in. This is usually a good thing, as it keeps your account secure, but if you completely forget your password, it could become a...

Making folders private.(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Byline: Tim Smith Making folders private 1User accounts keep private files out of the reach of other Limited Users, but they can still be read by the Administrator account. To stop this, the My Documents folder should be set as...

Take the easy route.
August 7, 2008... Byline: Paul Wardley Take the easy route In the second part of our series on moving around Word and Excel documents, we reveal some more techniques to help you find your way around In the previous issue we looked at simple ways of...

find it fast.
August 7, 2008... Byline: Paul Wardley find it fast In an ideal world, we'd all have a well-organised system of folders with a place for everything and everything in its place, but in real life we forget what we've called documents and where we've put...

how to name cells in excel.(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Byline: Paul Wardley how to name cells in excel 1The aim is to assign a name to the cell at the bottom of column F, which stores the balance owing on a credit card. Select cell F54 and then, on the Insert menu, click Name followed by...

the best of usb.(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Byline: Anthony Dhanendran the best of usb We take a look at some of the most useful and entertaining gadgets that connect to your computer's USB port 1 USB Missile Launcher Defend your desk from invaders with this handy USB...

Hauppauge WinTV-NOVA-S-USB2.(Product/service evaluation)
August 7, 2008... Byline: Paul Lester Hauppauge WinTV-NOVA-S-USB2 Get satellite TV on your computer Hauppauge's WinTV-Nova-S-USB2 is a USB device that gives access to satellite television channels through a computer. To use it you need a...

JVC Everio GZ-MS100.(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Byline: Anthony Dhanendran JVC Everio GZ-MS100 JVC's latest Everio camcorder is small enough to be held in the palm of the hand, but its picture quality is better than you might expect. It shoots at a resolution of 720x576 pixels,...

Xara Xtreme 4.(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Byline: Nigel Whitfield Xara Xtreme 4 There are two versions of Xara's Xtreme graphics software. The Pro version (around [pounds sterling]125) doesn't add much for home users, and the cheaper edition is comprehensive. Unlike a...

Iolo Search and Recover 5.
August 7, 2008... Byline: Chris Wiles Iolo Search and Recover 5 Locate and recover accidentally deleted files System requirements: Windows 2000, XP or Vista Download from: www.computeractive.co.uk/recover/index Registration:...

save 50 per cent on Iolo products Your copy of Iolo Search and Recover will expire 12 months after installation, but you can easily extend it: in the program, click the Options menu, then i?1/2Extend this Subscriptioni?1/2 to purchase another 12-month licence for.
August 7, 2008... Byline: Chris Wiles save 50 per cent on Iolo products Your copy of Iolo Search and Recover will expire 12 months after installation, but you can easily extend it: in the program, click the Options menu, then 'Extend this Subscription'...

PC Specialist fusion 780 X3.(Product/service evaluation)
August 7, 2008... Byline: Anthony Dhanendran PC Specialist fusion 780 X3 Plenty of power at a good price The PC Specialist Fusion 780 X3 uses AMD's triple-core processor. Halfway between the dual-core computers that are now common and the more...

how to get the most out of Iolo search and recover 5.
August 7, 2008... Byline: Anthony Dhanendran how to get the most out of Iolo search and recover 5 1Run the installation file and follow the prompts. You'll be asked what kind of installation to make: select 'I own Search and Recover and can enter my...

Print Area setup There is a quicker way of setting a print area in Excel than clicking on the File menu, then Print Area and then Set Print Area. Just set up an icon instead. Hover your cursor in the top part of the screen toolbar area, right-click and se.
August 7, 2008... Byline: Tim Smith Print Area setup There is a quicker way of setting a print area in Excel than clicking on the File menu, then Print Area and then Set Print Area. Just set up an icon instead. Hover your cursor in the top part of...

No blinking please Iti?1/2s a dreadful formatting trick but some people are still using blinking text to draw attention to words in websites. Thankfully, there is a way of stopping the Firefox browser from displaying text in this way, even if it is told to. J.
August 7, 2008... Byline: Tim Smith No blinking please It's a dreadful formatting trick but some people are still using blinking text to draw attention to words in websites. Thankfully, there is a way of stopping the Firefox browser from displaying text...

Ribbon guide If you struggle to locate commands in the new Ribbon in Word 2007, Microsoft has released a reference guide (www.snipurl.com/346jx), showing the old Word 2003 screen. Hover the mouse over an icon or menu option and a tooltip will appear with.
August 7, 2008... Byline: Tim Smith Ribbon guide If you struggle to locate commands in the new Ribbon in Word 2007, Microsoft has released a reference guide (www.snipurl.com/346jx), showing the old Word 2003 screen. Hover the mouse over an icon or menu...

Quicker Bookmarks.(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Byline: Tim Smith Quicker Bookmarks There's a quick way to add a website to your Favorites list in Internet Explorer. Left-click on the yellow star to the left of the window to open the Favorites Center. You may need to click on the...

EU to cap rip-off charges.(European Union)(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Byline: Ian Williams EU to cap rip-off charges The EU has announced plans to introduce price caps on the amount mobile phone operators can charge for sending text messages while abroad. EU Telecoms Commissioner Viviane Reding...

Technology knows what it likes.(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Byline: Robert Jaques Technology knows what it likes Scientists are using digital technology to help differentiate original works of art from forgeries. Researchers at the Pennsylvania State University Park used high-resolution...

Mould attacks VHS tapes Families could lose treasured memories as home movies stored on VHS tapes come under attack from mould, experts have warned. Transfer Video and Precious Voices have said a i?1/2tape mouldi?1/2, which has emerged during the wet summers of.
August 7, 2008... Byline: Andrea Vassou Mould attacks VHS tapes Families could lose treasured memories as home movies stored on VHS tapes come under attack from mould, experts have warned. Transfer Video and Precious Voices have said a 'tape...

EC bid to extend copyright.
August 7, 2008... Byline: Dinah Greek EC bid to extend copyright Musicians will retain copyright on sound recordings for 95 years if European Commission proposals become law. Although this means that ageing rockers will continue to cash in on...

nmozaic delivers full picture The Creative Zen Mozaic can play music and display videos and photos. It has a 1.8in colour screen, an FM radio with 32 presets, a voice recorder, an alarm clock and a calendar. The 2GB version stores up to 1,000 songs, the 4.(Calendar)
August 7, 2008... nmozaic delivers full picture The Creative Zen Mozaic can play music and display videos and photos. It has a 1.8in colour screen, an FM radio with 32 presets, a voice recorder, an alarm clock and a calendar. The 2GB version stores up to...

iTunes price cuts dropped Apple has dropped plans to cut the UK price of iTunes downloads, claiming that the rising euro has equalised prices across the EU. The company said in January that it would cut the price paid by UK consumers for music tracks, af.
August 7, 2008... Byline: Iain Thompson iTunes price cuts dropped Apple has dropped plans to cut the UK price of iTunes downloads, claiming that the rising euro has equalised prices across the EU. The company said in January that it would cut the...

ncrossword winners named Thanks to all those who sent in their solutions to the crossword published in issue 271. Congratulations to Mr S Ward from Warminster, Edward Nash from London and Roger Gilbert from North Shields, who each win a USB memory key cou.(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... ncrossword winners named Thanks to all those who sent in their solutions to the crossword published in issue 271. Congratulations to Mr S Ward from Warminster, Edward Nash from London and Roger Gilbert from North Shields, who each win a...

Readers to the rescue.(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Byline: Tim Smith Readers to the rescue Q|I had an add-on for Firefox 2 that worked like the new tab function in Internet Explorer with an icon to the right of the right-most tab. I have now upgraded to Firefox 3 and the add-on is not...

Facebook libel case could i?1/2set a trendi?1/2.
August 7, 2008... Byline: Andrea Vassou Facebook libel case could 'set a trend' People posting jokes or potentially embarrassing details about others on social networking sites could land themselves in hot water, according to a libel lawyer. The...

Move to end ringtone cons.
August 7, 2008... Byline: Dinah Greek Move to end ringtone cons Companies that sell mobile phone services such as ringtones will be shut down if consumers can't cancel subscriptions easily. The regulator, Phonepayplus, said it would take action...

Plan for local crime maps Every area in England and Wales is to have access to the latest local crime information through new interactive crime maps. The intention is that, by the end of the year, every police force area will produce crime maps that will.
August 7, 2008... Byline: Dinah Greek Plan for local crime maps Every area in England and Wales is to have access to the latest local crime information through new interactive crime maps. The intention is that, by the end of the year, every police...

Shops must take batteries.
August 7, 2008... Byline: Dinah Greek Shops must take batteries retailers will be forced to accept used batteries from the public free of charge, even if replacements are not being bought, from 26 September onwards. The requirement is stipulated...

Email database plan a i?1/2step too fari?1/2.
August 7, 2008... Byline: Dinah Greek Email database plan a 'step too far' Plans to store the telephone and internet communications of the entire population are a "step too far for the British way of life", according to the Information Commissioner. ...

nsky makes music universal Sky is to launch an online music service with music label Universal. A monthly subscription will give access to Universali?1/2s entire catalogue, which includes U2 and Luciano Pavarotti. Other music companies will be added, Sky said.
August 7, 2008... Byline: staff nsky makes music universal Sky is to launch an online music service with music label Universal. A monthly subscription will give access to Universal's entire catalogue, which includes U2 and Luciano Pavarotti. Other music...

Encryption i?1/2 the technology of privacy.
August 7, 2008... Byline: Anthony Dhanendran Encryption - the technology of privacy Encryption literally means 'hiding away'. In computing terms, this means scrambling files, emails or communications to make sure they can't be read by anyone who's not...

Spammers launch new e-card attack.
August 7, 2008... Byline: staff Spammers launch new e-card attack Security experts are warning computer users to be vigilant following a new round of fake greetings card attacks. The spam messages purport to be from cardmaker Hallmark, and inform...

Real corrects flaws in player.(briefs)(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Byline: staff nReal corrects flaws in player Real Networks has issued a new security advisory for four flaws affecting the Real Player multimedia player that could allow an attacker to install malicious code. Versions 10.5 and earlier...

Windows Watch No matter what you do, there will always be icons on the Desktop. Gabriel Radic has created wallpaper that helps organise them, and iti?1/2s available as a free download. The Internet Explorer Weblog has announced that the second test version o.
August 7, 2008... Byline: staff Windows Watch No matter what you do, there will always be icons on the Desktop. Gabriel Radic has created wallpaper that helps organise them, and it's available as a free download. The Internet Explorer Weblog has...

Bluejacker scare tactics the work of rogue callers.(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Byline: Dinah Greek Bluejacker scare tactics the work of rogue callers Rogue companies are attempting to scare mobile phone users into buying protection against Bluetooth hackers. According to a report in the Guardian, new...

File-sharing law on the cards.
August 7, 2008... Byline: Dinah Greek File-sharing law on the cards Government considering legislation, but 'three strikes' rule is unlikely Legislation to stop people downloading copyrighted music and movies is being considered by the Government....

Plans to fingerprint flyers.(Brief article)
August 7, 2008... Byline: Andrea Vassou Plans to fingerprint flyers UK travellers who use shared international and domestic departure lounges could be fingerprinted under plans from the UK Border Agency. The Home Office-run department has said it...

nCuil reception Cuil, a new search engine (pronounced i?1/2cooli?1/2), was launched last week by a start-up company led by former Google software engineers. Although it claims to search more pages than Google, Cuil has got off to a bit of a rocky start. Its firs.
August 7, 2008... Byline: Dinah Greek nCuil reception Cuil, a new search engine (pronounced 'cool'), was launched last week by a start-up company led by former Google software engineers. Although it claims to search more pages than Google, Cuil has...

Convert audio, video and document files.
August 21, 2008... Byline: Rob Beattie Convert audio, video and document files Can't open a file? Change it into something more accessible With so many different programs and devices available, it's no wonder that from time to time we discover...

Design your own email stationery.
August 21, 2008... Byline: Nick Peers Design your own email stationery Smarten up your emails by creating custom templates in Windows Mail or Outlook Express Bored with drab email messages? Then why not stand out from the crowd by designing...

Save paper and time when printing.
August 21, 2008... Byline: Mark Wilson Save paper and time when printing Combine several web pages into a single sheet to save paper and hassle The world's computer printers are responsible for a huge amount of wasted paper. So here's a good...

Personalise the look of Windows XP.
August 21, 2008... Byline: Rob Beattie Personalise the look of Windows XP There are hundreds of free visual styles and themes for Windows XP. Here's how to use them Fed up with how Windows XP looks? Normally it's necessary to pay good money to...

Distorted screen Q/In issue 273 you advised John Norman to purchase a 16:9 widescreen display for editing photos. I use a widescreen monitor with my recently purchased desktop computer. The problem is that the monitor distorts the image, making it too wi.
August 21, 2008... Byline: Tim Smith Distorted screen Q|In issue 273 you advised John Norman to purchase a 16:9 widescreen display for editing photos. I use a widescreen monitor with my recently purchased desktop computer. The problem is that the...

Online video reviews.
August 21, 2008... Byline: Tim Smith Marvel at a brilliant guitarist, stay up to date with the news and watch a hamster try out its new Lego lift Virtuoso Spanish Guitar playing It's not just rock guitarists that can amaze with their nimble fingers...

Downloads.
August 21, 2008... Byline: Tim Smith Organise your accounts, read Openoffice files in Microsoft and even build a bridge Buddi Keeping your accounts and budgets in order can be hard work, but not with Buddi. This application is excellent for basic...

WIN a high-definition JVC camcorder worth i?1/2549!
August 21, 2008... Byline: Tim Smith WIN a high-definition JVC camcorder worth [pounds sterling]549! High and standard-definition camcorders worth [pounds sterling]1,665 to be won Most digital cameras can record video, but the quality is never...

Best of the web.(Website overview)(Brief article)
August 21, 2008... Byline: Tim Smith View websites via email, back up a blog, organise your social life, all while listening to online radio Delicious www.delicious.com This website for saving, organising and sharing bookmarks has just been...

Boost your dis k space.
August 21, 2008... Byline: Paul Wardley Boost your disk space Squeeze more onto your hard disk by using NTFS disk compression in Windows XP or Vista Fancy boosting your hard disk space for nothing? Well, this Masterclass will show you how to do just...

Converting a disk to NTFS.(Brief article)
August 21, 2008... Byline: Paul Wardley Converting a disk to NTFS To convert a Fat 32 disk to NTFS in Windows XP, click the Start button, followed by Run. In the Run dialogue box, type in the following command: Convert DRIVELETTER:/fs:ntfs ...

/ Compress an entire folder.(Brief article)
August 21, 2008... Byline: Paul Wardley | Compress an entire folder 1 In Windows Explorer, right-click on an existing folder that you wish to compress and select Properties. Click on the Advanced button. Tick 'Compress contents to save space', then click...

20 Create your own toolbars.
August 21, 2008... Byline: Paul Wardley 20 Create your own toolbars 1You can pick and choose features from all of Word's toolbars to create your own super toolbar as follows: on the Tools menu, click Customize, select the Toolbars tab and click New....

Top of the charts.
August 21, 2008... Byline: Paul Wardley Top of the charts Excel can present information in a wide range of colourful and interesting ways A- we show you how to chart new territory with a spreadsheet In this visual age, charts and graphs are...

Create a graph quickly using Exceli?1/2s chart wizard.(Brief article)
August 21, 2008... Create a graph quickly using Excel's chart wizard 1 Select the data to be charted, including the labels for the rows and columns but excluding any totals. Click the Chart icon on the standard toolbar to start the Chart Wizard. 2In the...

charting the changes in office 2007.(Brief article)
August 21, 2008... charting the changes in office 2007 The charting tools in Microsoft Excel evolved only slightly in the six years between Office 97 and 2003, so the techniques described here work largely unchanged with any of them. Office 2007 takes a...

Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures.
August 21, 2008... Byline: Jonathan Parkyn Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures Indy's back - and this time he's a chip off the old block Info: www.legoindianajones.eu PEGI age rating: 7+ Also consider: Lego Star Wars: The...