Computer Act!ve articles from July 2008

Computer Act!ve archives from July 2008

Create a professional website for nothing.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Rob Beattie Create a professional website for nothing A free version of an advanced website creation tool? That's got to be worth a look Fancy creating a website using professional software for free? Then Fusion...

Safeguard your files with Driveimage XML.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Mark Wilson Safeguard your files with Driveimage XML Create a complete PC backup with ease using this powerful free software Backing up data is a vital element of owning a computer. However, commercial backup...

Workshop intro.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Scott Colvey Safeguard your data with DriveImage XML Create a complete backup of your PC with ease using this powerful free software p36 Create a website with fusion If you fancy creating a website using free,...

Take your first steps with Office 2007.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Sheila Hill Take your first steps with Office 2007 Microsoft Office has a completely new interface. Find out how to use it Office 2007 has an entirely different look to previous incarnations. Rather than majoring on a...

Prepare internet video clips free.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Cliff Joseph Prepare internet video clips free Putting videos on the web doesn't require costly editing software. Find out how There are plenty of commercial video-editing programs that do a great job of managing very...

Recording with Audacity Q/I have an Asus F3F notebook PC running Vista Home Premium Service Pack 1 with a built-in web cam and microphone. I want to transfer some old tapes to CD using Audacity from a tape deck through the microphone jack (which doubles a.(briefs)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Tim Smith, Anthony Dhanendran Recording with Audacity Q|I have an Asus F3F notebook PC running Vista Home Premium Service Pack 1 with a built-in web cam and microphone. I want to transfer some old tapes to CD using Audacity...

Downloads.(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Tim Smith Download a fast, secure browser and let your small children loose on the PC without doing any damage Opera 9.5 USB Edition The Opera browser is small, fast and secure. As a portable version, bookmarks, emails and...

WIN one of 20 copies of Serif Webplus X2, each worth i?1/260.(Brief article)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Tim Smith WIN one of 20 copies of Serif Webplus X2, each worth [pounds sterling]60 Website design software worth [pounds sterling]1,200 to be won Geeks may boast of writing websites with nothing more than a simple text...

Best of the web.(Website overview)(Brief article)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Tim Smith Put measurements in context, match colours to perfection and improve your touch typing Ning www.ning.com Ning is a website where you can build a social network on any subject you like. Networks can have...

The key to success.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Martin James The key to success You use it every time you switch on the PC A- now it's time to give your keyboard the attention it deserves The keyboard is an essential part of every computer. It helps us keep in touch...

Type casting.(Brief article)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Martin James Type casting If you weren't taught to type in school, bad habits can be easy to pick up and hard to shed. There is plenty of software that can help, and probably the best regarded is the Mavis Beacon series. ...

Made to measure.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Paul Wardley Made to measure Standard tools and settings might not suit you, especially if you are a senior citizen. We show you how to tailor Windows to your needs Computing is an activity suitable for people of all ages,...

More help when you need it.(Brief article)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Paul Wardley More help when you need it A number of organisations can provide help with computing for people who have more debilitating conditions. Some of these are: RNIB A- 0845 766 9999 www.rnib.org.uk The Royal...

Build your own PC.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Emil Larsen Build your own PC Fancy making your own computer? Here's our guide to picking the right parts The days when building your own PC meant making big savings over buying a ready-made computer are gone. It's...

Online advice.
July 10, 2008... Online advice There are thousands of types of components that can go into a PC, creating an infinite number of possible permutations. With this in mind, it is entirely likely that you will want more help deciding on one or more...

Protect and preserve.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Jonathan Parkyn Protect and preserve Backing up your computer needn't be a bore. We show you some simple, practical ways to protect the files you'd hate to lose in the event of a disaster It might not have happened to you...

cunning ways to create backup copies.(Brief article)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Jonathan Parkyn cunning ways to create backup copies Do you need to back up some files both quickly and safely? Here are a few cunning ways to make useful backup copies simply and easily. 1 Back up photos online A...

make sure your backup is reliable.(Brief article)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Jonathan Parkyn make sure your backup is reliable Your backup is only as good as the media that it is archived on, so you need to make sure that your storage media of choice is as reliable as possible. We would point out...

the ultimate way of safeguarding your data.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Jonathan Parkyn the ultimate way of safeguarding your data Regularly sending copies of your most important files to an online backup service is, in many ways, the ultimate way of making sure your data stays safe. ...

Magellan Maestro 4200.(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
July 10, 2008... Magellan Maestro 4200 Magellan's new satellite navigation products are being sold as the thinnest such devices around. We believe that - the 4200 looks great, with unspoiled lines and a slimline design - but looks aren't everything. ...

Belkin N1 Vision.(Product/service evaluation)
July 10, 2008... Belkin N1 Vision This router can monitor your network and broadband speeds The N1 Vision is a rather unusual home network router. In addition to the usual network ports and wireless network aerials, it has a 3in monochrome screen on...

Webroot Parental Controls.
July 10, 2008... Webroot Parental Controls A simple way to monitor and restrict how your PC is used The sheer variety and amount of sites on the internet A- along with the addictive quality of modern games A- make monitoring children's computer use a...

Mirai DTL-722P 302.
July 10, 2008... Mirai DTL-722P302 A monitor and high-definition TV in one The DTL-722P302 is something of a hybrid: It's a fully functional high-definition flat-screen television with all the basic features you would expect, but it's also a PC...

Logitech Dinovo Mini.(Product/service evaluation)
July 10, 2008... Logitech Dinovo Mini A portable keyboard A- but is it a gimmick? Logitech made quite a fuss over its release last year of the Dinovo Edge keyboard, saying it was the most advanced keyboard in the world. It was admittedly an...

Paragon Partition Manager 9 Personal.
July 10, 2008... Paragon Partition Manager 9 Personal Manage and optimise hard disk space All computer hard disks are arranged into partitions to make allocating space on the hard disk easier. For most people, one disk equals one partition, but if your...

Ion iED05 USB Digital Drum Kit.(Product/service evaluation)
July 10, 2008... Ion iED05 USB Digital Drum Kit Learn to play the drums without disturbing the neighbours While drums are a very fun instrument to play, a conventional kit takes up a lot of space and is too loud for discreet practice. The Ion iED05 is...

how to Create a puzzle with Eclipse Crossword.(Brief article)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Paul Wardley how to Create a puzzle with Eclipse Crossword 1Run Eclipse Crossword, then click the Options button. In the Options dialogue box, select the Printing tab and remove the tick from the option labelled 'Print an...

Free puzzles online.(Brief article)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Paul Wardley Free puzzles online Ready-to-solve crosswords can be found in the online versions of the Times (www.timesonline.co.uk), the Telegraph (www.telegraph.co.uk) and the Guardian (www.guardian.co.uk). All three papers...

Give us a clue.(Brief article)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Paul Wardley Give us a clue Computers can be good for solving puzzles as well as creating them. For general help on tackling cryptic crosswords read the extensive Wikipedia article at www.snipurl.com/2L32q and the guide to...

Tomtom XL Regional Traffic.(Product/service evaluation)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Andrea Vassou Tomtom XL Regional Traffic A redesigned update to the XL sat-nav range The main selling point of the new Tomtom XL is that it comes with an attached windscreen mount that folds flat onto the device when...

Save 70 per cent on East-tec Eraser 2008 The latest version of East-Tec Eraser 2008 brings it up-to-date with the ability to delete Windows Vista shadow copies, the previous versions of files maintained by some versions of Vista. It can also clear your tr.(Brief article)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Chris Wiles Save 70 per cent on East-tec Eraser 2008 The latest version of East-Tec Eraser 2008 brings it up-to-date with the ability to delete Windows Vista shadow copies, the previous versions of files maintained by some...

East-Tec Eraser 2007.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Chris Wiles East-Tec Eraser 2007 System requirements: Windows 98SE, Me, 2000, XP or Vista Download from: www.computeractive.co.uk/easttec/index Serial code: Click the Free Registration tab in the program ...

Mass Effect.(Product/service evaluation)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Jonathan Parkyn Mass Effect A space-age, role-player with mass appeal Info: http://masseffect.bioware.com/ PEGI age rating: 12+ Also consider: Elder Scrolls IV Oblivion; Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic ...

Free online games.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Anthony Dhanendran Free online games Wee War This war game pits you as a commander against three opponents. It's turn-based, so you move your units and click to end the turn, then your opponents take a turn. Games can take...

Mesh Elite Q9300 PRO.(Product/service evaluation)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Andrea Vassou Mesh Elite Q9300 PRO Power and performance at a fair price Desktop PCs are fast being replaced in homes by smaller and more portable notebook models. Many such notebooks now offer proper audio and video...

Games news.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Anthony Dhanendran Games news family games from Southpeak Several new family titles are on the way from game studio Southpeak. Ninjatown on the Nintendo DS pits players against attacking monsters. Roogoo on the PC and Xbox...

Linksys WAG160N.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Will Stapley Linksys WAG160N Sleek looks and a fast wireless link Looks-wise, routers aren't very exciting. More than most, they tend to be stuck behind a cupboard, so there's no need for them to look good. Recent...

Emprex D250PE.(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Anthony Dhanendran Emprex D250PE Emprex's D250PE Mobile Storage Drive is a casing for a hard disk A- the idea is that you buy a 2.5inch hard disk (normally intended for notebook computers), slot it into the case and use it as...

US Robotics 56K USB Modem.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Anthony Dhanendran US Robotics 56K USB Modem Most of the UK's internet-connected population now uses broadband, but there are still times when it's handy to h ave a modem for making an old-fashioned dial-up connection. ...

Buffalo Drivestation Combo4 500GB.(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Anthony Dhanendran Buffalo Drivestation Combo4 500GB The Drivestation Combo4 is so-called because it has four connection options. You can attach it using USB, two versions of Firewire (which use different speeds) and the latest...

The role of the Internet Watch Foundation.(Company overview)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Paul Allen The role of the Internet Watch Foundation The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) is a charity that works with the police, the internet industry and Government to help block illegal content online. Established in 1996,...

how to get the most out of East-Tec Eraser 2007.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Anthony Dhanendran how to get the most out of East-Tec Eraser 2007 1The first time you start the program you'll see the registration reminder screen. Click the key icon Free Registration. On the web page that appears, type your...

Better desktop backgrounds In response to Ron Harti?1/2s query in Issue 269, about using his pictures for the Desktop background. I have found it best to crop the picture using Paint.NET (www.computeractive.co.uk/2170101). Click on the Select tool at the top.(Brief article)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Tim Smith Better desktop backgrounds In response to Ron Hart's query in Issue 269, about using his pictures for the Desktop background. I have found it best to crop the picture using Paint.NET...

Browsing in full If you want to make the most of available screen space when browsing with Firefox, try pressing the F11 button. This changes Firefox into a full-screen mode. Not only does this hide the Windows taskbar but the Firefox menus are hidden as.(Brief article)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Tim Smith Browsing in full If you want to make the most of available screen space when browsing with Firefox, try pressing the F11 button. This changes Firefox into a full-screen mode. Not only does this hide the Windows...

More speeddial shortcuts A simple change to settings file can add more websites to the Opera Speeddial page, the page of nine shortcuts that appears whenever a new tab is opened. First find the folder where Opera keeps its settings file. Type about:Opera.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Tim Smith More speeddial shortcuts A simple change to settings file can add more websites to the Opera Speeddial page, the page of nine shortcuts that appears whenever a new tab is opened. First find the folder where Opera...

Advanced rounding.(Brief article)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Tim Smith Advanced rounding If you want to be more specific as to whether a cell figure is rounded up or down in Excel, there are two extra formulas that can be used rather than Round. Type this formula in to the cell:...

New law threat to stop unlawful file sharing.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Andrea Vassou New law threat to stop unlawful file sharing The Government has repeated its threat to force internet service providers (ISPs) to control illegal file sharing. It first warned of new laws in February, but last...

Computer mimics the brain.(Brief article)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Guy Dixon Computer mimics the brain Scientists have created a computer that mimics the brain so they can find out the effects of a stroke. The computer copies the speech and language patterns developed by those who...

Eurocrats demand cheaper mobile phone calls.(Brief article)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Andrea Vassou Eurocrats demand cheaper mobile phone calls The EU is behind a move to give consumers cheaper mobile phone calls. EU telecoms commissioner Viviane Reding has said she wants to regulate and reduce mobile phone...

Register dot anything The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (Icann) has approved a plan to allow users to register generic domain names. Currently, there are 21 so-called top level domains (TLDs) available. The suffixes, such as .com,.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Dinah Greek Register dot anything The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (Icann) has approved a plan to allow users to register generic domain names. Currently, there are 21 so-called top level domains...

Home Watch on the web.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Andrea Vassou Home Watch on the web A WEBSITE promoting Neighbourhood Watch schemes (NWS) has been created by the Home Office and Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO). The number of people setting up or maintaining...

Awards for silver surfers People who have used IT knowledge to connect with others are to be recognised in the 2008 Silver Surfer awards. The awards recognise people aged over 50 using the internet to connect with others. It is hoped this will stop them.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Andrea Vassou Awards for silver surfers People who have used IT knowledge to connect with others are to be recognised in the 2008 Silver Surfer awards. The awards recognise people aged over 50 using the internet to...

Readers to the Rescue.(Brief article)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Tim Smith Readers to the Rescue Q|When I try to load an audio book on to my portable music player, the order of play appears to be random A- it doesn't start at chapter 1 then run through in sequence. Is this common with all...

Ebay will protect refunds.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Guy Dixon Ebay will protect refunds Ebay is giving US buyers using its Paypal service the right to a full refund if a transaction goes wrong. Previously, Ebay would only protect sales valued up to [pounds sterling]1,012...

New features for browsers Mozilla Firefox and Opera are giving Internet Explorer (IE) a run for its money. The two companies have released new versions of their browsers, which have features designed to make the web faster and more secure to use. Mozilla.
July 10, 2008... New features for browsers Mozilla Firefox and Opera are giving Internet Explorer (IE) a run for its money. The two companies have released new versions of their browsers, which have features designed to make the web faster and more...

npeeping parents concern kids Parents are embarrassing their children with their internet habits. Research by Barnens Ri?1/2tt i Samhi?1/2llet, a charity that runs a childreni?1/2s helpline in Sweden, said growing numbers of youngsters are worried by their parentsi?1/2 u.
July 10, 2008... npeeping parents concern kids Parents are embarrassing their children with their internet habits. Research by Barnens RA[currency]tt i SamhA[currency]llet, a charity that runs a children's helpline in Sweden, said growing numbers of...

nvideo rental deal with paypal Video rental chain Blockbuster has announced a deal with online payment service Paypal. The partnership will allow customers to purchase subscriptions for Blockbusteri?1/2s online film rental service. As part of the promotion, B.
July 10, 2008... nvideo rental deal with paypal Video rental chain Blockbuster has announced a deal with online payment service Paypal. The partnership will allow customers to purchase subscriptions for Blockbuster's online film rental service. As part of...

nEbay lobbies euro mps Ebay is lobbying the European Parliament to outlaw what it calls a culture of i?1/2digital protectionismi?1/2 in Europe. It said consumers are losing out on i?1/2870m worth of savings because traditional retailers and brand owners use anomalies.
July 10, 2008... Byline: staff nEbay lobbies euro mps Ebay is lobbying the European Parliament to outlaw what it calls a culture of "digital protectionism" in Europe. It said consumers are losing out on [pounds sterling]870m worth of savings because...

Microsoft extends XP support period.
July 10, 2008... Byline: staff Microsoft extends XP support period Microsoft has caved in to customer pressure and will extend support for Windows XP until 2014; three years longer than is usual. This means XP users will continue to get security...

Windows Watch An update for Open Office that has just been released, version 2.4.1, includes a security fix. The easiest way to update in Open Office is by clicking on the small icon with a green arrow pointing down at the top-right of the screen. This st.(Brief article)
July 10, 2008... Byline: staff Windows Watch An update for Open Office that has just been released, version 2.4.1, includes a security fix. The easiest way to update in Open Office is by clicking on the small icon with a green arrow pointing down at...

nie6 vulnerable, experts warn Security experts have warned of a new vulnerability in Microsofti?1/2s Internet Explorer 6 browser. The flaw allows attackers to steal cookies and personal data. While there is no fix currently, Firefox and IE7 are protected from.
July 10, 2008... Byline: staff nie6 vulnerable, experts warn Security experts have warned of a new vulnerability in Microsoft's Internet Explorer 6 browser. The flaw allows attackers to steal cookies and personal data. While there is no fix currently,...

Net safety plan to cost i?1/29m.(Brief article)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Andrea Vassou Net safety plan to cost [pounds sterling]9m The Government is to spend [pounds sterling]9m on a child internet safety initiative. The money will be used to set up the UK Council for Child Internet...

Government to scramble important information.(Brief article)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Dinah Freek Government to scramble important information All Government departments will have to encrypt important information held on computers and other media. Staff will have to undergo annual training to ensure they comply...

Ebay fined over fake goods.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Dinah Greek Ebay fined over fake goods Ebay has been fined nearly [pounds sterling]31m by a French court for not doing enough to stop counterfeit goods being sold on its site. The online auction site has been ordered to pay...

OFT jumps on video system.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Iain Thomson and Andrea Vassou OFT jumps on video system The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has referred the Kangaroo video-on-demand system to the Competition Commission amid fears about a lack of competition. Kangaroo is a...

Police investigate online store.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Dinah Greek Police investigate online store Force begins interviewing in a bid to find out identity of company owner Police are investigating online retailer Zavvi Direct for suspected fraud and identity theft. The...

nworm growth starts to slow The explosive growth of malicious software on the web may be starting to slow, according to experts. The good news for internet users comes from Toralv Dirro, a researcher for security company, McAfee. He said in a recent blog.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Dinah Greek nworm growth starts to slow The explosive growth of malicious software on the web may be starting to slow, according to experts. The good news for internet users comes from Toralv Dirro, a researcher for security...

Refund difficulties for customers.(Brief article)
July 10, 2008... Refund difficulties for customers Computeractive has found out that many Zavvi Direct customers, especially those who paid by debit card, are having serious difficulties getting their banks to give them a refund. However, if this is proved...

Web of riches.
July 24, 2008... Web of riches There are dozens of free products and discount deals online A- so grab a bargain today! It's ironic that the people most likely to get a freebie in the world are those most able to afford to pay A- celebrities,...

Safety first.(Brief article)
July 24, 2008... Safety first While there are plenty of genuine freebie and competition sites, their success has inevitably attracted fraudulent copy sites that attempt to extract financial information or con you into lengthy and expensive contracts for...

Mystery shopper i?1/2 Be a supermarket spy.
July 24, 2008... Mystery shopper A- Be a supermarket spy Mystery shopping, also known as secret shopping, involves posing as a regular customer to evaluate the goods and services a business provides. Your findings are reported back to the client and used to...

Share online finds with friends and family.
July 24, 2008... Byline: Mark Wilson Share online finds with friends and family Use Awesome Highlighter to share text found on the web Sending links to websites via instant message or email is easy enough, but it can be difficult to point...

Use free software to burn CDs and DVDs.
July 24, 2008... Byline: Mark Wilson Use free software to burn CDs and DVDs Burning discs needn't require expensive software. Discover a great free disc-burning tool Windows XP and Vista both include disc-burning utilities but these are...

Create a professional website for free.
July 24, 2008... Byline: Rob Beattie Create a professional website for free The second part of our guide to an advanced website-creation tool that doesn't cost a penny Last issue in Workshops, we introduced you to Fusion Essentials from...

workshop intro.
July 24, 2008... Byline: Scott Colvey Attach extra information to digital photos Use Microsoft's free Pro Photo Tools to add useful information to digital snapshots p36 burn CDs and DVDs using free software Burning discs needn't require...

Attach extra details to digital photos.
July 24, 2008... Byline: Mark Wilson Attach extra details to digital photos Use Microsoft's free Pro Photo Tools to add a wealth of useful information to digital snapshots Is a picture worth a thousand words? Perhaps, but it can also be very...

Which spyware killer is right? Q/I installed the latest subscription-paid versions of Zonealarm Security Suite, PC Tools Spyware Doctor and Ad-aware on my computer, and they all open on startup. I understand from reading reviews that theyi?1/2re all good, but.
July 24, 2008... Byline: Tim Smith, Anthony Dhanendran Which spyware killer is right? Q|I installed the latest subscription-paid versions of Zonealarm Security Suite, PC Tools Spyware Doctor and Ad-aware on my computer, and they all open on startup. I...

Video reviews.
July 24, 2008... Byline: Tim Smith Find out how to put up a tent without embarrassing yourself and watch Kung Fu Panda in glorious HD Get started with Thunderbird Mozilla Thunderbird is a great alternative to Outlook Express and Windows Mail. It...

Downloads.(Brief article)
July 24, 2008... Byline: Tim Smith Everything from photo editing to checking your music files are correctly tagged Paint.NET 3.35 An excellent photo-editing program that is also completely free. Its tab-based interface makes it easy to edit...

Win a Shuttle mini desktop computer worth i?1/21,200.
July 24, 2008... Byline: Tim Smith WIN a Shuttle mini desktop computer worth [pounds sterling]1,200 One small but powerful Shuttle XPC P2 3500G computer up for grabs Shuttle has consistently proved that smaller computers don't have to sacrifice...

Best of the web.(Brief article)
July 24, 2008... Byline: Tim Smith Plan for a new room, ride a bike and share family tree information with other relations Totspot www.totspot.com Totspot is a place for parents to share photos and achievements of their children online with...

Take a shortcut.
July 24, 2008... Take a shortcut Discover how to move around and select text in Word and Excel using the keyboard A- and get your free keyboard shortcuts guide They used to say the surest way of speeding up a computer without spending a penny...

handy commands.(Brief article)
July 24, 2008... handy commands Some keyboard commands are common to all well-written Windows programs, and there's no way that using a mouse and menus can compete with these timesavers: l Ctrl + P (Print) l Ctrl + S (Save) l Ctrl + C (Copy)...

Build your own PC.
July 24, 2008... Byline: Emil Larsen Build your own PC You've bought the parts A- now here's how to make your own computer In the last issue of Computeractive, we guided you through the parts needed to build your own PC. In this issue, we're going...