Computer Act!ve articles from May 2005

Computer Act!ve archives from May 2005

From The Editor.(Editorial)
May 12, 2005... Byline: Dylan Armbrust. The digital music phenomenon has arrived. It seems that wherever you go, you see people of all ages wearing headphones and listening to music from digital devices. They may be using a portable music player, a PC or...

PC World rues [pounds sterling]35k 'mistake'.[SO] COMACT; Store hit in the pocket after being found guilty of mis-selling computer equipment.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... [SH] Store hit in the pocket after being found guilty of mis-selling computer equipment. [PP] 6 [PL] UK Two 'mistakes' have cost PC World more than [pounds sterling]35,000 after it was found guilty of mis-selling computer equipment. ...

Digital divide still shows no sign of narrowing.(broadband connections in houses)(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Despite broadband rocketing in popularity to the point that the UK now houses seven million lines, there is still a significant digital divide. This was the finding of internet analyst Point Topic which has produced a map of England and...

AOL casts phishing net.(America Online Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... AOL has begun a major campaign against phishing attacks. The company has begun blocking its users from visiting websites that are flagged as being used by such criminals. It will also be conducting 24-hour-a-day searches for similar sites...

End in sight for DVD fight.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Consumers will be the winners if discussions between the two principal players developing the next generation of DVD players are successful. If agreement can be reached it will lead to cheaper products and clear up consumer confusion about...

Websites shutting out disabled users.(Disability Rights Commission)(standard for World Wide Web Consortium)(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... The Disability Rights Commission (DRC) wants people to tell it about websites that the disabled find difficult to use in order to improve accessibility. Although website design is standardised by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), many...

Netscape bug on the loose.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Users of Netscape 7.2 and 6.2.3 have been advised to abandon the software owing to a flaw in the way the browser handles images. The warning from Danish security company Secunia said the vulnerability occurs in the way the browser handles...

JARGON BUSTER - Techno babble demystified ... .
May 12, 2005... - Gb A measurement of storage capacity - usually for hard disks. - GIF A commonly used graphics file format popular for images displayed on websites. - Hackers People who break into other people's computers and networks. -...

Pirates face jail.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... People in the US who are found guilty of pirating music or movies now face up to three years in jail. The Family Entertainment and Copyright Act principally targets file-sharers who put copies of new songs and films online before their...

New PC threats.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Increasing awareness of internet security is forcing hackers to find other methods of attacking computers. Security company Kaspersky said vulnerable instant messenger systems were particularly popular. Other threats include botnets, which are...

Cleaning up.
May 12, 2005... Enterprising councillors have come up with a new way to raise money - selling abandoned cars on auction website eBay. The London Borough of Westminster has begun a six-month trial involving the sale of cars that are abandoned in the borough,...

A couple of weeks to Gio.(Gio Internet )(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Customers of Gio Internet have only a couple of weeks in which to find a new internet service provider (ISP). The troubled ISP has stopped signing up new customers and has told existing ones that their service will be stopped in less than a...

Bots to replace tots on camels' backs.(K-Team)(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Camel riding robots will be racing across the Qatari sands by the end of the year. A Swiss company called K-Team, has developed the camel-racing robots after calls to ban the use of boy jockeys because of the dangers involved. The ruling...

PSP launch near.(PlayStation Portable game)(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Sony has finally announced a date for the European launch of its PlayStation Portable (PSP) game and media console. On 1 September, gaming enthusiasts can head for their nearest outlet to stake their claim for one of the eagerly awaited...

JARGON BUSTER - Techno babble demystified ... .
May 12, 2005... - Broadband Refers to high-bandwidth internet connections, such as ADSL. - Gb Gigabyte. A measurement of storage capacity - usually for hard disks. - GHz Gigahertz. A measure of how fast the processor in your PC works. - Hard...

How clean is your PC?.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... AOL has taken it upon itself to help people clean up their PCs. The internet service provider has launched a service based on the TV show How clean is your house?. The programme's hosts, Kim and Aggie, offer advice on how to clean a PC of...

Apple displays price drop.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Apple has announced price reductions on its widescreen flat-panel Cinema Displays. The 20in model is now [pounds sterling]550 and the 23in High Definition model is [pounds sterling]1,050. Apple has also announced that the 2.7GHz Power Mac G5s...

New portable media player.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Sitecom has launched a portable media player, the MP-010, to add to its entertainment products. The compact device incorporates a built-in 40Gb hard disk on which users can save audio, video and image files from their PC. Users can then watch...

'Ignorant' parents fail kids.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Parents who don't understand how to use the internet properly are failing their children. That was the conclusion of a study by the London School of Economics, which said a divide is growing not just between children with or without...

Nokia smartens up 3G.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Nokia has launched its new N series mobile phones, which includes what the manufacturer claims is the world's smallest 3G phone, the N70. The first model, the N90, available this summer boasts a 2-megapixel camera. The company said while...

PlusNet extends broadband deal.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... PlusNet broadband services will all now be 2Mb. There will also be no activation or modem charges for residential customers. The ISP is offering three packages to take into account different user needs. Neither the [pounds sterling]15...

OpenOffice wide open.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... A security vulnerability has been discovered in free office suite OpenOffice. The problem could expose users to identity theft and let hackers steal information. The flaw potentially exposes information on a computer if the user opens an...

Not so dim.(Revoltec Lightboard XL keyboard )(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... A computer keyboard that glows in the dark has gone on sale. The idea behind the Revoltec Lightboard XL keyboard is to let people use their computers in low-light situations such as restaurants or nightclubs. The keyboard plugs into any PS2...

Win a year's subscription.
May 12, 2005... Fancy winning a year's subscription to Computeractive? If you do, why not take part in a survey looking at promoting internet training sessions in libraries for people aged 50 years or more. The survey is aimed at silver surfers and three...

Microsoft launches new XP.(Windows XP Professional 64-bit Edition)(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Microsoft has launched a new version of Windows, but it is only available to people who buy a new PC. Windows XP Professional 64-bit Edition is designed to work with the latest generation of processors, which use new technology to give...

Data-crunching is top of Intel's list.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Intel Corporation has launched its dual-core microprocessor that can crunch data faster than traditional chips. Dual-core chips allow the manufacturers to pack more computing power into a smaller space. This not only enhances a PC's...

Download movies for 99p.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... British music downloading service Wippit will be offering movies to its users from the summer. The company is in talks with three film distribution companies who will put movies online with prices starting from 99p per download. The...

JARGON BUSTER - Techno babble demystified ... .(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... - Bluetooth A technology that allows devices to communicate with each other wirelessly. - Gb A measurement of storage capacity, usually for hard disks. - Mb A measurement of storage capacity, usually for computer memory. - Mbit/s...

Demon picks up speed.(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Demon is taking part in BT's trials of an 8Mbit/s broadband service. Pilot tests for the internet service provider's (ISP) subscribers in Greater London and Strathclyde start this month. Higher speed services are being tried out because of...

See your past.(Google has added a 'My Search History' feature to its online search engine)(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Google has added a 'My Search History' feature to its online search engine. This allows users to view past searches and search inside the results to quickly retrieve a page they visited in the past. To prevent embarrassing results from popping...

Get personal.(Yahoo has launched a test version of its personalised search engine)(Brief Article)
May 12, 2005... Yahoo has launched a test version of its personalised search engine, My Web. Users will be able to create online folders to store copies of online documents such as receipts from shopping sites. It will also allow people to annotate stored web...

Consumeractive! - Get Some Answers!. Consumeractive sticks up for your rights. If there's an issue you want investigated, get in touch.
May 12, 2005... PROBLEM - Question Prevent future problems with a quick scan I bought two packs of blank CDs from Scan Computers. When they arrived I opened the first and the contents were fine. Six weeks later, when I had used all the discs in...

Cover Story - Manage your digital music - Your music, your way. Your computer can unlock the door to a whole new way of listening to and storing your music collection. We give you the key.(Cover story)
May 12, 2005... Byline: Anthony Dhanendran. Not so long ago we were told that people copying tapes for each other would kill the music industry, making such a huge hole in the finances of record companies that they wouldn't be able to make new music any...

Hot New Products - Hi-Grade DMS II 3400. A Media Center PC that lives by the adage that silence is golden.(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 12, 2005... Byline: Will Stapley. Whether or not you like the somewhat retro design of the new Hi-Grade DMS II 3400 is a matter of personal taste, but it certainly breaks from the norm when it comes to Media Center PCs. A dual-layer recordable DVD...

Hot New Products - Gericom 1st Supersonic PCI E. Short on style but power-packed and wireless too, this notebook is primed for the future.(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 12, 2005... Byline: Anthony Dhanendran. The Supersonic PCI E is perched between two types of computer. On the one hand, it incorporates Intel's latest Sonoma technology, which makes working on the move easier. On the other hand, it's a big notebook...

Hot New Products - Roku SoundBridge M1000. Wireless music-streaming for your very own home ... with tubular bells on.(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 12, 2005... Byline: Jonathan Parkyn. Tragically, many manufacturers of media-streaming devices seem to think they're producing networking kit for offices, rather than home entertainment units you'd be proud to display. Thank heavens, then, for...

Hot New Products - Vonage. Make internet telephone calls without using your PC at all.(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 12, 2005... Byline: Anthony Dhanendran. Vonage's internet telephony kit does two jobs - first, it gives you access to phone calls over the internet and second, it is a router and hub for your home network. We have been seeing an influx of internet...

Hot New Products - Opera 8. An excellent alternative to Internet Explorer.(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 12, 2005... Byline: Tim Smith. Opera 8 is a replacement internet browser and email application for both Internet Explorer and Outlook Express that is much easier to use and offers good protection from internet nasties such as spyware. Even better,...

Hot New Products - Topfield TF5800PVR. A Freeview recorder with two TV tuners that can transfer video to a PC.(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 12, 2005... Byline: Nigel Whitfield. Recording television programmes from Freeview can be a hassle. Unless you have two set-top boxes, you have to watch analogue TV while you record the digital channel. Not with Topfield's TF5800PVR though as it's got...

Hot New Products - Orlogix Wincleaner Complete PC Care. Time for a spring clean? Include your PC in the seasonal tidy to ensure it stays in good nick.(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 12, 2005... Byline: Rory Reid. No matter how fast your PC is, it needs significant maintenance if it is to run effectively. Wincleaner Complete PC Care from Orlogix is a multi-purpose program that is designed to optimise Windows, boost performance and...

Hot New Products - Batterylife Activator. Can a sticker give your notebook or mobile phone a new lease of life?(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 12, 2005... Byline: Tim Smith. If you've had your mobile phone or notebook computer for more than a year, you may have noticed its battery does not last as long as it once did. The batterylife Activator is a special gadget that claims to reverse this...

Hot New Products - Ricoh Caplio R2. A big screen and a good lens add up to an impressive camera.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 12, 2005... Byline: Anthony Dhanendran. The R2 looks remarkably similar to Ricoh's R1v, which costs [pounds sterling]200 (issue 184). Like that camera, this is a slim 5-megapixel model, with a decent-sized lens on the front. In fact, it's the same...

Hot New Products - PodGear PocketParty.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 12, 2005... Byline: Luke Peters. By their nature iPods are discreet music players, designed for one listener. However, many gadgets, such as the PocketParty have popped up allowing you to widen your portable listening experience. It connects to...

Hot New Products - Studio Line Photo 2.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 12, 2005... Byline: Tim Smith. As your digital photo collection gets bigger, image organisation software like Studio Line becomes indispensable. Importing images into Studio Line is simple - just drag and drop them onto the main screen. Images can...

Hot New Products - Sony Walkman NW-E407. A delight for the ears and eyes but not the pocket.(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 12, 2005... Byline: Emilie Martin. The launch of Apple's iPod Shuffle earlier this year saw things hot up at the miniature end of the digital music player market and now the fantastically styled NW-E407 places Sony in the middle of the fray. This...

Hot New Products - Nokia Digital Writing Solution.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 12, 2005... Byline: Tim Smith. The Nokia Digital Writing Solution is a versatile way of communicating with your computer and mobile phone without a keyboard or keypad. It's similar to the Logitech io Pen reviewed in issue 187 but has a few extra...

Hot New Products - Roxio MyDVD and Slideshow.(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 12, 2005... Byline: Tim Smith. There seems little point in owning a digital camera and then having to get the prints developed. MyDVD and Slideshow solves this problem by copying photos onto CD or DVD with professional-looking transitions and music...

Hot New Products - BNI Media Box. A combined portable hard disk and media player in one slick device.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 12, 2005... Byline: Anthony Dhanendran. The Media Box, as the name suggests, isn't just another portable hard disk. Although it has 40Gb of space to be filled, it will also play most media files you put on the disk, on a television. The BNI Media...

Feature - Web browser security - In safe hands. We show you how to train Microsoft's infamously weedy web browser to stand up to online threats.
May 12, 2005... Byline: Tim Smith. Microsoft's web browser, Internet Explorer, is often and rightly criticised for being open to attack by virus writers and other criminals but there are some simple ways to reinforce it. We will not hide the fact that...

Feature - Set up your own webstore - Open all hours. The internet is the perfect place to set up shop and ply your wares online. We show you how to build your own webstore and start making money on the web.
May 12, 2005... Byline: Lisa Barber. Setting up a small business or turning a hobby into a cottage industry used to be a complicated affair but the internet can be the perfect partner to help simplify the process of earning extra cash. Whether you're...

Feature - Forgotten games - Hooked on classics. Have a hankering for the games of your youth? No worries, we'll show you how to run those great classics on your PC today.
May 12, 2005... Byline: Rory Reid. Before the advent of the modern computer with its 3D graphics cards and lightning-fast processors, games were rather simplistic. Many would argue, however, that the titles preceding the early 1990s are superior to their...

On Test - Desktop sets - It's a set up. The corded keyboard and mouse set is dead. As more manufacturers wise up to the need for advanced desktop sets, we test six of the best.(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 12, 2005... Byline: Will Stapley. It's sad but true that computer manufacturers and retailers see the mouse and keyboard as being unworthy of special attention. Little is spent on them and the desktop sets supplied as standard match the free...

On Test - CD-Roms - Power play. From creating games to advising on health, a PC has the power to help you achieve many goals.(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 12, 2005... Byline: Martin James. The processing power of modern PCs is amazing, and with that increased power has come increased ease of use. As a result, your PC can act as a music teacher or encyclopaedia and even help you create your own games....

On Test - Games - GTR: FIA GT Racing Game. If you're not an expert car mechanic, you will be after playing this extreme simulation.(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 12, 2005... Byline: Eddie Henderson. There are racing fans who sit and watch Moto GP on a Sunday afternoon with a can of beer. Then there are hardcore racing fans - those that tour Formula One events dressed in Ferrari driving suits or brave rallies...

On Test - Games - Doom 3: Resurrection of Evil.(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 12, 2005... Byline: Eddie Henderson. Doom 3's moment in the limelight was brief following its release last summer, for it was quickly blasted out the way by Half Life 2. And while this expansion pack is unlikely to better Valve's masterpiece, it's an...

On Test - Games - Pippa Funnell: The Stud Farm Inheritance.(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 12, 2005... Byline: Eddie Henderson. Now this is a strange one. It's a cross between a horse-riding game and a stable management simulation, with some extra bits that almost turn it into a role-playing adventure. Whether you'll enjoy it or not will...

On Test - Games - Trackmania: Sunrise.(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 12, 2005... Byline: Eddie Henderson. This fun racing game is a dumbed-down version of the GTR driving simulation opposite. For here is a title where motor mastery means nothing and obscene speed and gravity-defying aerial leaps are the key to success....

On Test - Games - Games Top 10. Here are the top 10 games according to the official UK Leisure Software chart. [s15]ELSPA. Compiled by Chart Track.
May 12, 2005... 1 World of Warcraft [pounds sterling]35 (online role playing) Blizzard 2 The Sims 2: University [pounds sterling]20 (add-on pack for The Sims) EA Games 3 Championship Manager 5 [pounds sterling]35 (football management)...

Digital home - Media streaming - The stream team. You no longer have to be chained to a PC to enjoy your digital media collection. Take a walk with us as we take you on a guided tour of life in the stream world.
May 12, 2005... Byline: Niall Magennis. If you've got a computer in your home, there's a strong chance it's packed with different types of media files including photos from a digital camera, digital music files such as MP3s, and maybe even some home...

Net Chart - FREE Downloads. We've trawled the internet to test what you can get for free ...
May 12, 2005... D-FEND www.computeractive.co.uk/downloads/1162730 Make playing DOS games easy Designed for DOSBox (see the gaming feature on page 64) D-Fend makes it easy to revive old games. Type: Freeware Size: 1.1Mb Download at...

Net Chart - Site seeing ... As we approach 60 years since the end of WW2, it's time to reflect on the sacrifices made by so many.
May 12, 2005... Go to www.computeractive.co.uk to find quick links to all these featured websites www.victorythanks.org Run by the Royal British Legion, Victory Thanks is the official website to mark The Nation's Biggest Thank You, scheduled for 10...

Net Chart - Site of the fortnight - www.annoyances.org.
May 12, 2005... No prizes for guessing that the annoyances in question relate to Windows. Despite the name, this is a very positive site with lots of tips for improving Windows and finding help when it goes wrong. There are humorous articles to lighten your...

No Problem! - Q&A - Answers to ... PC problems. Our resident technical doctor is here to cure your PC ailments.
May 12, 2005... CUT AND PASTE Q: What is meant by Cut and Paste and what are they for? Brin Artifier, via email A: Cut and Paste refers to using the Windows Clipboard; you may also have heard of Copy and Paste. The Clipboard lets you copy text and...

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.
May 12, 2005... THE PROBLEM I'm trying to create a web page and want to add a marquee to some text, but when I try to do this marquee option is greyed out. Barbara Parkin, issue 187 YOUR ANSWER With no text selected click on the Insert menu...

Letters - Your say! We want your opinions! Write to us on any of the topics covered in Computeractive.
May 12, 2005... TURNING BACK TIME? Many years ago I used to turn on my radio and tape recorder, prop up the microphone next to the speaker and record the Top 20. If I had a particular favourite then I would buy the record. As time went by, the radio...

From the Editor.(importance of upgrading a computer)(Editorial)
May 26, 2005... Byline: Dylan Armbrust. For many people, upgrading a computer can be an intimidating prospect. From opening the case and adding or removing components to updating drivers, it can often feel like a technical nightmare. But it doesn't have...

Telewest users blacklisted. Anti-spam organisation calls for ISPs to take infected customers offline.(internet service providers, TeleWest Communications PLC)
May 26, 2005... Consumers whose PCs have been hijacked to send out spam should be taken offline immediately by their internet service providers (ISPs). This was the tough message from anti-spam organisation Spamhaus after news that ISP Telewest had been...

Online criminals look for other ways into your PC.(Brief Article)
May 26, 2005... Hackers have turned their attention to flaws in anti-virus software and media players like Apple's iTunes, according to security organisation the Sans Institute. The new vulnerabilities are being exploited because more Windows users are...

MSN search tool.(Brief Article)
May 26, 2005... Microsoft has launched a Desktop search tool, two months after the release of Google's Desktop Search 1.0. MSN Desktop Toolbar is biased towards Microsoft products, so it won't search email unless Outlook or Outlook Express is used. Desktop...

Information overload.(survey on elderly workers with low income)(Brief Article)
May 26, 2005... Older people and those on lower incomes are finding it difficult to get to grips with digital technology and the fault lies with the industry. These were the findings of a report from Ofcom's consumer panel, which said people were put off...

Schools could be open to cheaper software.(British Educational Communications and Technology Agency)(schools survey)(Brief Article)
May 26, 2005... Schools that ditch Microsoft software could halve their IT costs, according to the Government's leading agency for IT in education. However, the British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (Becta) said because cost wasn't the...

Active Home hits the streets.(Computeractive)(Brief Article)
May 26, 2005... If you are on the lookout for a plain-English, jargon-free guide to the latest digital home entertainment technology, look no further. The publishers of Computeractive have launched a new website and magazine called Active Home. Active...

Jargon Buster - Techno babble demystified.(definitions of technical terms)(Brief Article)
May 26, 2005... 3G: 3G phone networks support fast data transfer, making sound and video transmission possible. Broadband: Refers to high-bandwidth internet connections, such as ADSL. Gb: A measurement of storage capacity - usually for hard disks. ...

Doctor, doctor.(Spyware Doctor )(PC Tools )(Brief Article)
May 26, 2005... Spyware Doctor from PC Tools now includes a hijack guard to prevent the most recent forms of online threats. These hijacking programs can target users as they are shopping and change the web links that they click on. This can send them to spoof...

Firefox fixed.(Brief Article)
May 26, 2005... The Mozilla Foundation has issued a fix for flaws found recently in the Firefox browser. The first flaw fooled the browser into thinking software was being installed by a legitimate, safe, website. The second could let a hacker secretly launch...

Digital library.(Brief Article)
May 26, 2005... The contents of Britain's libraries and archives will be computerised and stored for posterity under new European plans. The European Commission has set up a fund of EUR96m (about [pounds sterling]66m) to allow the public to access the archived...

Christmas box.(Xbox 360 )(Brief Article)
May 26, 2005... Microsoft has said its next-generation Xbox will be in the shops for Christmas. Xbox 360 will have a DVD/CD player built in and will form a central part of Microsoft's Digital Home strategy. It includes USB 2 ports to allow music and images to...

Telly troubles for Ofcom.(Office of Communications investigate television industry)(Brief Article)
May 26, 2005... Consumers may have to police the taste and decency of television content delivered by the internet. Currently, complaints about a TV programme go to the regulator, Ofcom, which then investigates and takes action if a broadcaster is found...

Readers scoop top Silver Surfer awards.(Brief Article)
May 26, 2005... Two Computeractive readers have won awards in this year's Silver Surfers competition run by computer training organisation, Hairnet. Reader Graham Newman, who shares this year's Silver Surfer of the Year award with Stuart Davis, was a...

Take a faster route.(Brief Article)
May 26, 2005... Sitecom claimed it has given wireless networking a speed boost with the NitroXM range. The company said the new range can transfer files at the full 54Mbit/s, unlike other devices that can lose up to half this speed in action. The...

Jargon Buster - Techno babble demystified.
May 26, 2005... 3G: Third generation. 3G mobile phone networks support fast data transfer, making sound and video transmission possible. Broadband: Refers to high-bandwidth internet connections, such as ADSL. DVI: A high-quality, purely digital video...

Slightly offbeat.(Magnatunes)(Brief Article)
May 26, 2005... People who want to listen to less well-known musicians should go to online music service Magnatunes. With an album list covering classic music, New Age and World, there is a great variety of music, even without any big names. There are 190...

Supermarket movie sweep.(Brief Article)
May 26, 2005... Supermarket giant Tesco is planning to launch an online film download service. However, Tesco would not give a firm date beyond saying it would be 'as soon as possible'. No date has been given because Tesco is wary about its success saying most...

Faster graphics.
May 26, 2005... Info-Tek has boosted the memory available on its latest graphics card, the Gecube Radeon X800XL PCIe. The 512Mb card uses the latest connection technology inside a computer, which is known as PCI Express. The extra memory comes into its own...