Computer Act!ve articles from May 2008

Computer Act!ve archives from May 2008

/ How to partition a new vista hard disk.
May 1, 2008... Byline: Paul Wardley | How to partition a new vista hard disk 1The worst-case scenario for a new PC is that its hard disk contains a single massive partition for Vista. Fortunately, using the Disk Management options in the Computer...

make your old disk more efficient.(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Byline: Paul Wardley make your old disk more efficient We've harped on about the benefits of using NTFS, but what if your computer's hard disk is already formatted using Fat 32? You cannot reformat the drive to NTFS without destroying...

Cut disks down to size.
May 1, 2008... Byline: Paul Wardley Cut disks down to size Learn how to use Windows Vista's enhanced hard disk partitioning features Last issue, we explored how to partition the hard disk in a Windows computer. In this Masterclass, we turn our...

Boost your notebook PCi?1/2s battery performance.
May 1, 2008... Byline: Nick Peers Boost your notebook PC's battery performance Discover how to squeeze more life from your notebook's battery One of the biggest selling points for notebook computers is portability. Thanks to built-in...

Store sticky notes on a USB drive.
May 1, 2008... Byline: Mark Wilson Store sticky notes on a USB drive Discover a note-taking tool that can be run entirely from a USB memory key Sticky notes are an essential piece of office stationery and there are numerous computer...

WORKSHOPS intro_and_jargon.
May 1, 2008... Byline: Scott Colvey Use Windows SteadyState to protect your pc settings Find out how a free Microsoft tool can stop other users making changes to your PC p36 create and open xps files Sharing documents? The Microsoft XPS...

Make Office 2007 files more compatible.
May 1, 2008... Byline: Nick Peers Make Office 2007 files more compatible Discover how to open and save files in Office 2007's new file formats without upgrading If you try to open a file created in Office 2007 in an older version of...

Make your PC talk with Windows Narrator.
May 1, 2008... Byline: Paul Wardley Make your PC talk with Windows Narrator A package that makes Windows easier to use for the blind and partially sighted Windows Narrator is an accessibility tool that make it easier for blind or partially...

Use Steadystate to protect your settings.
May 1, 2008... Byline: Mark Wilson Use Steadystate to protect your settings Find out how a free Microsoft tool can stop other users making changes to your computer If you share a family PC, you'll know how infuriating it can be to take to...

Open and create XPS files.
May 1, 2008... Byline: Rob Beattie Open and create XPS files Sharing documents? The Microsoft XPS format offers an alternative to using Adobe PDF files Adobe rules the roost when it comes to distributing documents electronically. Its PDF...

Hot off the presses.
May 1, 2008... Hot off the presses We show you how internet publishing services make it easy to have your own book professionally printed and bound Computers and the internet now mean that everyone can publish whatever they want, just by creating a...

publish and be scammed?(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... publish and be scammed? While companies such as Lulu are well-known and reputable, there are companies that will try to take advantage of the unwary author, especially if you're trying to have a work of fiction published. Some pose as...

back it up.(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... back it up Whatever sort of book you're working on, it's likely to take you many hours and a lot of effort to get things right. Don't risk losing it because of a computer glitch or some other disaster. We recommend you take plenty of...

/ set up a word document for a novel using lulu.(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... | set up a word document for a novel using lulu 1 Download the template from Lulu. You'll find Lulu's Word templates at www.lulu.com/uk/ help/book_formatting_faq. Right-click on the appropriate one A- here we've chosen a 6x9in...

useful links for self-publishing.(Website list)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... useful links for self-publishing Tips about writing and being published: www.bbc.co.uk/blast/writing Amazon's own print-on-demand service: www.booksurge.com Help and tips on creating PDFs for Lulu and other printing...

Everything for nothing.
May 1, 2008... Byline: Paul Wardley Everything for nothing There's no need to part with your hard-earned cash for software when you can get something more versatile free of charge It comes as a nasty shock to first-time computer...

/ Upload a document to Buzzword.(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Byline: Paul Wardley | Upload a document to Buzzword 1 To copy a file to Buzzword, go to the website's home screen - if a document is already open, find this by clicking the yellow 'docs' icon on the far right. Next, click the...

/ Share a Google Docs Spreadsheet.
May 1, 2008... Byline: Paul Wardley | Share a Google Docs Spreadsheet 1This example shows how to share a Google Docs spreadsheet but the process is very similar for a text document. To get all the sharing options, log in to Google Docs and open the...

Panda Internet Security 2008.
May 1, 2008... Byline: Andrew Zarkesh Panda Internet Security 2008 Panda Internet Security 2008 claims it offers protection from viruses, spyware and spam in one suite. We had problems installing it on our test PC (running Windows Vista)....

Toshiba Tekbright PA3637K.(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Byline: Anthony Dhanendran Toshiba Tekbright PA3637K Toshiba's Tekbright PA3637K offers the best picture quality we've seen from any frame recently. Although its resolution is just 720x480 pixels (0.3-megapixels), similar to that of...

Logitech Squeezebox Duet.
May 1, 2008... Byline: Paul Lester Logitech Squeezebox Duet A popular music player gets a significant and compact upgrade Modern home audio streamers A- which take music from your computer, stream it over a home network and play it through a...

Sandberg USB to USB Transfer Link.(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Byline: Andrew Zarkesh Sandberg USB to USB Transfer Link An easy way to move from an old to a new PC If you have recently bought a new PC, transferring your existing personal files and program settings from your old one will...

Philips SB6102.
May 1, 2008... Byline: Andrew Zarkesh Philips SB6102 This set of Philips headphones is designed for listening to music wirelessly from a music player or mobile phone, and can also be used as a phone headset. The package consists of a pair of...

Medion P4425.(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Byline: Paul Lester Medion P4425 A feature-packed navigator to help find your way about Medion isn't nearly as well known for its satellite navigation devices as it is for its capable PCs. It has produced some impressive...

Kodak V1253.
May 1, 2008... Byline: Anthony Dhanendran Kodak V1253 Kodak's V1253 camera is slim and fairly small, but manages to include a large and wide 3in screen for composing pictures. There's no optical viewfinder, so the big screen, which takes up almost...

Genius DPF-A01.(Product/service evaluation)
May 1, 2008... Byline: Paul Lester Genius DPF-A01 A traditionally styled digital frame for the modern home There are quite a few digital photo frames that offer extra features in addition to displaying pictures. The 10.4in DPF-A01 from...

BenQ DC E1000.(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Byline: Andrea-Marie Vassou BenQ DC E1000 The E1000 is a 10-megapixel camera with a 3in screen that dominates the rear of its body. Alongside this sit the chunky zoom, playback and menu buttons, which despite their size sink into the...

Archos TV+.
May 1, 2008... Byline: Andrea-Marie Vassou Archos TV+ Play video and music, and record digital TV without turning on a PC Plenty of manufacturers, including big names such as Apple and BT, have launched devices that record live television and...

Zoostorm 3364-2354 Advanced Premium PC.
May 1, 2008... Byline: Anthony Dhanendran Zoostorm 3364-2354 Advanced Premium PC An impressive computer with loads of power This compact computer has a surprising amount of power. It also demonstrates the main reason for continuing to buy desktop...

AVG Internet Security 8.0.
May 1, 2008... Byline: Paul Lester AVG Internet Security 8.0 Advanced protection for your PC AVG has made a bit of a name for itself by becoming one of the most popular free virus checkers on the internet. For those who don't need additional...

Unreal Tournament III.(Product/service evaluation)
May 1, 2008... Byline: Emil Larsen Unreal Tournament III More guns, more vehicles, and more players than before Info: www.epicgames.com PEGI age rating: 18+ Also consider: Orange Box; Quake Wars Overall: HHHHH Retail price: [pounds...

Sony Vaio VGC-LT2S.
May 1, 2008... Byline: Will Stapley Sony Vaio VGC-LT2S A capable PC that is perfect for the lounge Microsoft's dream of having a PC in every living room isn't likely to come true any time soon, but Sony's Vaio VGC-LT2S certainly ought to give it...

Microsoft Wireless Laser Mouse 7000.
May 1, 2008... Byline: Anthony Dhanendran Microsoft Wireless Laser Mouse 7000 The Wireless Laser Mouse 7000 follows the elegant lines of many modern mice. Its ergonomic design does mean it's really only suitable for right-handed users, but for...

full version of Norman Security Suite Parental Control is only one module of the full Norman Security Suite. Others include a Sandbox, which enables you to install and test software without leaving a trace on your PC. You also get a Personal Firewall, roo.
May 1, 2008... Byline: Chris Wiles full version of Norman Security Suite Parental Control is only one module of the full Norman Security Suite. Others include a Sandbox, which enables you to install and test software without leaving a trace on your...

Norman Parental Control.
May 1, 2008... Byline: Chris Wiles Norman Parental Control System requirements: Windows 2000, XP or Vista Download from: www.computeractive.co.uk/norman/index Registration: Required; follow instructions below Manufacturer contact:...

HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF NORMAN PARENTAL CONTROL.
May 1, 2008... Byline: Anthony Dhanendran HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF NORMAN PARENTAL CONTROL 1Install Norman Parental Control by following the instructions above. Before you start, you should go to the Norman website and request a serial code by...

Stuck LPs Q/Following your recent article in issue 265, I decided to transfer some of my LPs to my computer. I recorded the music as 24-bit WAV files, but they woni?1/2t play in Windows Media Player 11. Therei?1/2s an error message saying a required codec is miss.
May 1, 2008... Byline: Tim Smith, Anthony Dhanendran Stuck LPs Q|Following your recent article in issue 265, I decided to transfer some of my LPs to my computer. I recorded the music as 24-bit WAV files, but they won't play in Windows Media Player...

downloads.(Website overview)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Byline: Tim Smith Add versatile paint software to your computer, keep track of passwords, stop junk emails and more Paint.NET Paint.Net is a free replacement for the Windows Paint software. It is more versatile and can be used to...

Be a family tree sleuth.
May 1, 2008... Be a family tree sleuth If you've run out of leads through the usual family tree research avenues, social networking websites could get you back on the right trail - we show you how Sometimes the information you'd like to know about...

Quick Outlook emails If youi?1/2re in a hurry and want to get straight to your email in Microsoft Outlook, it is possible to bypass the Today screen. First, click on the Tools menu and select Options. Click on the Other tab and then on the Advanced Options b.
May 1, 2008... Byline: Tim Smith Quick Outlook emails If you're in a hurry and want to get straight to your email in Microsoft Outlook, it is possible to bypass the Today screen. First, click on the Tools menu and select Options. Click on the...

Rotating the desktop If you have a monitor that rotates and you want to quickly rotate the Windows Desktop, there are keyboard shortcuts you can use with some graphics cards. These are normally disabled unless the rotate monitor option is enabled. Press t.
May 1, 2008... Byline: Tim Smith Rotating the desktop If you have a monitor that rotates and you want to quickly rotate the Windows Desktop, there are keyboard shortcuts you can use with some graphics cards. These are normally disabled unless the...

Read ODF files If you doni?1/2t want to download the large installation file or install extra software into Microsoft Office to read Openoffice documents, you can open them in Mozilla Firefox (www.computeractive.co.uk/ 2167200) and read them with the ODFReade.
May 1, 2008... Byline: Tim Smith Read ODF files If you don't want to download the large installation file or install extra software into Microsoft Office to read Openoffice documents, you can open them in Mozilla Firefox (www.computeractive.co.uk/...

Reduce file sizes.(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Byline: Tim Smith Reduce file sizes If your Office documents are getting too big, turning off a feature called 'Allow fast saves' can save a lot of space. If a slide in a Powerpoint presentation is deleted when this option is...

Video reviews online.
May 1, 2008... Byline: Tim Smith How to save power in XP, make better home videos and listen to a cover of a Beatles classic enable Hibernation in XP Hibernation is a clever way to save power without completely switching off your computer. In...

Best of the web.(Website overview)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Byline: Tim Smith A round-up of the sites that have impressed us this month tizmy www.tizmy.com Tizmy is an online time capsule for recording memories. These are a text description of an event that can be accompanied by...

Call to stamp out child abuse websites.
May 1, 2008... Byline: Dinah Greek Call to stamp out child abuse websites The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) has called on the world's governments to work together to wipe out websites that host images of child abuse. The charity, which helps...

What can Vista Service Pack 1 do for your PC?
May 1, 2008... Byline: staff What can Vista Service Pack 1 do for your PC? Microsoft has released its first Service Pack update for Vista A- but what does it do, and should you install it? Microsoft regularly releases updates for its Windows...

Problem programs.(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Byline: tom royal Problem programs Although most programs that work on Windows Vista will run without a hitch after installing SP1, a few have been found to cause problems. Forewarned is forearmed, so we recommend checking to see if...

When and how should I update?
May 1, 2008... Byline: tom royal When and how should I update? At the moment, Vista users are able to download and install Service Pack 1 when they want, either by downloading a huge file from Microsoft's website or by choosing to get the update via...

Child agency in cash plea.(Child Exploitation Online Protection Centre )(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Byline: Andrea Vassou Child agency in cash plea The Child Exploitation Online Protection Centre (CEOP) needs more resources to find children who have been sexually abused. According to Terry Jones, a member of CEOP's Victim ID team...

Start the day with Google People can now watch the sun rise over anywhere in the world, thanks to an update to Google Earth. Google Earth 4.3 has a 3D navigation system that allows people to move easily around features such as mountains and buildings. Th.(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Byline: Andrea Vassou Start the day with Google People can now watch the sun rise over anywhere in the world, thanks to an update to Google Earth. Google Earth 4.3 has a 3D navigation system that allows people to move easily...

nlG touchscreen mobile range LG Electronics is preparing to release a range of touchscreen mobile phones. The move follows the success of its Prada KE850 handset, which has been described as an i?1/2iPhone clonei?1/2. The company said: i?1/2[New products] with touchs.
May 1, 2008... Byline: Andrea Vassou nlG touchscreen mobile range LG Electronics is preparing to release a range of touchscreen mobile phones. The move follows the success of its Prada KE850 handset, which has been described as an 'iPhone clone'. The...

EU snubs i?1/2three strikesi?1/2 law.
May 1, 2008... Byline: Dinah Greek and Andrea Vassou EU snubs 'three strikes' law European politicians have rejected calls for internet service providers (ISPs) to disconnect users who persistently share copyrighted media files. The UK...

WIN D-Link home security webcams worth i?1/21,900.
May 1, 2008... Byline: Andrea-Marie Vassou WIN D-Link home security webcams worth [pounds sterling]1,900 10 sets of Homecamera software and D-Link wireless webcams to be won In today's world, it's good to have a bit more reassurance that your...

May the Force be with you Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has developed an intelligence-gathering application for Facebook. After users of the popular social networking site install the GMP application they can get a news feed plus links to a crime-repor.
May 1, 2008... Byline: Dinah Greek May the Force be with you Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has developed an intelligence-gathering application for Facebook. After users of the popular social networking site install the GMP application they can...

nbanks missing debt signs Many UK banks need to overhaul their IT systems so they can comply with new guidelines on consumer debt management, said technology consultancy Detica. The new UK voluntary Banking Code puts the onus on banks and building societi.
May 1, 2008... Byline: Dinah Greek nbanks missing debt signs Many UK banks need to overhaul their IT systems so they can comply with new guidelines on consumer debt management, said technology consultancy Detica. The new UK voluntary Banking Code...

Pit yourself against Moshi Monsters.(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Byline: Andrea Pit yourself against Moshi Monsters Moshi Monsters is a new online game developed by Mind Candy. Players adopt characters that live in an online world called Monstro City. Owners interact with their chosen...

Smile, youi?1/2re being tested Peoplei?1/2s smiles could soon be tested to see how genuine they are, according to a Japanese healthcare company. The Okao Catch, which means i?1/2face-catchi?1/2, has been developed by Omron to scan a video image to detect faces. It can fi.
May 1, 2008... Byline: Andrea Vassou Smile, you're being tested People's smiles could soon be tested to see how genuine they are, according to a Japanese healthcare company. The Okao Catch, which means 'face-catch', has been developed by Omron...

Roam Rome on a 3D tour.(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Byline: Andrea Vassou Roam Rome on a 3D tour Scientists at the Max Planck Institute have developed technology that takes people on a virtual tour through ancient Rome and Pompeii. Cybercarpet is a treadmill that moves in any...

Musicians want MP3 fee.
May 1, 2008... Byline: Andrea Vassou Musicians want MP3 fee The Music industry wants a charge put on portable music players. The Music Business Group (MBG) is calling for compensation for copyright holders if people transfer music to multiple...

nprinting in your pocket i?1/2 almost! The Canon Pixma iP100 is a mini portable printer that weighs 2kg and has a handle. It uses a five-ink system that Canon claims enhances photo quality and is said to print 10x15cm borderless photos in 50 seconds. It comes.
May 1, 2008... Byline: Andrea Vassou nprinting in your pocket - almost! The Canon Pixma iP100 is a mini portable printer that weighs 2kg and has a handle. It uses a five-ink system that Canon claims enhances photo quality and is said to print 10x15cm...

Nintendo brings BBC iPlayer to the Wii.
May 1, 2008... Byline: Andrea Vassou Nintendo brings BBC iPlayer to the Wii Nintendo wii and Sony Playstation 3 (PS3) games consoles can now play programmes from the BBC iPlayer on a TV. This month Erik Huggers, BBC future media and technology...

Paypal to ban old browsers.
May 1, 2008... Byline: Dinah Greek Paypal to ban old browsers Paypal is to block older versions of popular browsers such as Internet Explorer as part of a wide range of measures to combat phishing. Initially users of browsers such as Internet...

Viruses bypass every security brand.
May 1, 2008... Byline: Dinah Greek and Tom Royal Viruses bypass every security brand anti-virus (AV) programs are failing to protect people's PCs, according to security firm Panda Security. Research carried out by Panda found that nearly a...

nApple kills Safari bugs Apple has patched four security vulnerabilities affecting the Mac OSX and Windows versions of its Safari web browser. Two of the vulnerabilities could be used to install and execute malicious software on a Mac. Another flaw in the.
May 1, 2008... Byline: staff nApple kills Safari bugs Apple has patched four security vulnerabilities affecting the Mac OSX and Windows versions of its Safari web browser. Two of the vulnerabilities could be used to install and execute malicious...

Data breaches alarm ICO The UK information commissioner, Richard Thomas, said that the number of security breaches reported to his office in the past six months is i?1/2alarmingi?1/2 and i?1/2inexcusablei?1/2. Since the security breach at HM Revenue and Customs in Novemb.(Information Commissioner's Office )(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Byline: Dinah Greek Data breaches alarm ICO The UK information commissioner, Richard Thomas, said that the number of security breaches reported to his office in the past six months is "alarming" and "inexcusable". Since the...

No internet? No problem.(Brief article)
May 1, 2008... Byline: Tom Royal No internet? No problem Online applications like the ones described in this feature are great when working away from home but they do depend on one key thing: internet access. Having all your documents stored in...

build your website for nothing.(Website overview)
May 1, 2008... Byline: Tom Royal build your website for nothing Online applications aren't just handy for creating documents and spreadsheets on the internet - they can also be used to make a complete website. This is ideal if you want to create...

Privacy chief issues Phorm guide.
May 1, 2008... Byline: Dinah Greek Privacy chief issues Phorm guide Information commissioner orders Webwise to switch off targeted adverts by default The controversial advertising system Webwise must allow users to opt in and choose to...

nfinal XP service pack released Microsoft has started producing copies of Service Pack 3 for Windows XP. Current XP users can expect to see the service pack become available for download on 29 April. SP3 is expected to be the last major update for Window.
May 1, 2008... Byline: Ataff nfinal XP service pack released Microsoft has started producing copies of Service Pack 3 for Windows XP. Current XP users can expect to see the service pack become available for download on 29 April. SP3 is expected...

Official figures for online card fraud are i?1/2too lowi?1/2.
May 1, 2008... Byline: Dinah Greek Official figures for online card fraud are 'too low' Card-not-present (CNP) fraud is far higher than official figures suggest and is getting worse, according to card protection specialist The 3rd Man. The...

Rescue plan.
May 15, 2008... Byline: Scott Colvey Rescue plan If you have a problem with Windows XP, the Recovery Console can help - but inexperienced users should beware Windows XP is generally reliable and with technical safety nets such as System Restore,...

Add Recovery Console as a Windows startup option.(Brief article)
May 15, 2008... Byline: Scott Colvey Add Recovery Console as a Windows startup option Recovery Console can be added to Windows Startup so that it appears as an option on a menu when the PC is turned on. The advantage of doing this is that Recovery...

Suspend a suspect service or driver.(Brief article)
May 15, 2008... Byline: Scott Colvey | Suspend a suspect service or driver 1Recovery Console should start in the Windows directory. If it doesn't, use the 'cd' command to move to C:/Windows - type in cd windows, for instance. 2 Type type...

Protect PC drivers and locate updates.
May 15, 2008... Byline: Nick Peers Protect PC drivers and locate updates Installing hardware drivers can be irksome but we'll explain how to simplify the process Windows relies on special software called drivers to communicate with each and...

Workshop intro_and_jargon.(Brief article)
May 15, 2008... Byline: Rob Beattie Protect and update PC drivers Installing hardware drivers can be irksome, particularly after reinstalling Windows. Discover how to simplify the process p36 Edit and share photos with Picnik Before spending...

Turn online applications into Windows programs.
May 15, 2008... Byline: Mark Wilson Turn online applications into Windows programs Got a favourite online tool? Find out how to set it free from your web browser Loads of websites now offer services that could be described as online applications....

Edit and share photos with Picnik.
May 15, 2008... Byline: Rob Beattie Edit and share photos with Picnik Before spending money on a photo-editing program, first try a free online service like Picnik Photo editing remains one of the most popular pastimes for home PC owners....

Speed up startup with Windows Defender.
May 15, 2008... Byline: Andrew Sutcliffe Speed up startup with Windows Defender Use a handy Vista tool to speed up your computer's performance After installing a piece of software, it can be very annoying when the new program invites itself into...

Write smarter letters with Word templates.
May 15, 2008... Byline: Rob Beattie Write smarter letters with Word templates Stuck for the right word or turn of phrase? Solve the problem with free Microsoft Word templates Writing letters hardly warrants a Workshop, but there are occasions...

Belkin Network USB Hub.
May 15, 2008... Byline: Cliff Joseph Belkin Network USB Hub Connect USB devices to all your computers Lots of people buy USB hubs to add extra USB ports to their computers. This comes in handy when you need to connect several devices to a...

XPS what? Q/I read your article on XPS files in issue 266. But although I have a new computer running Vista, and XPS is installed, it does not work. I cani?1/2t save anything in XPS as that format is not showing anywhere. I tried saving a document in Notepad.
May 15, 2008... Byline: Tim Smith, Anthony Dhanendran XPS what? Q|I read your article on XPS files in issue 266. But although I have a new computer running Vista, and XPS is installed, it does not work. I can't save anything in XPS as that format is...

Video reviews online.
May 15, 2008... Byline: Tim Smith Make Vista more power-efficient, replace an iPod battery, grow vegetables and then relax with music save power with Windows Vista There are even more benefits to enabling hibernation made with Windows Vista than...

downloads.(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
May 15, 2008... Byline: Tim Smith Switch to Linux, write your own programs, resize photographs for emailing and more Ubuntu 8.04 LTS The latest version of this Linux operating system is committed to providing security updates. All office and...