Computer Act!ve articles from November 2007

Computer Act!ve archives from November 2007

Telly on.
November 1, 2007... Telly on a stick Catch up with your favourite shows and turn your computer into a Personal Video Recorder in less than five minutes by plugging in a USB TV tuner With the ability to display DVDs and games, computer monitors now...

On a scroll.(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Byline: Scott Colvey On a scroll Fed up with giant icons on the Windows Vista Desktop? You can reduce their size by holding down the Ctrl (Control) key on the keyboard while turning the scroll wheel on your mouse in a downward...

Typing tutor.(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Byline: Scott Colvey Typing tutor A few months ago another reader wrote in with a tip for quickly completing .com web addresses in Internet Explorer (ie, just type in any word and then hit Ctrl and Enter to have the web browser...

Rename pain.
November 1, 2007... Byline: Scott Colvey Rename pain The ability to rename files and folders is useful for managing the ever-growing collection of information on your computer. The traditional method of doing this in Windows is to click once on the...

Fast driver.(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Byline: Mark Wilson Fast driver In Vista, it is possible to increase the performance of many hard disks by enabling a feature called write caching. Launch the Device Manager by clicking Start, typing devmgmt.msc and pressing Enter....

Workshop intro.
November 1, 2007... Byline: Scott Colvey Find files quickly with Windows Vista Windows Vista's search feature finds folders and files in a flash. Here's how to use it p40A Share a book collection online Discover a free online service to...

Share a book collection.(using Library Thing website)
November 1, 2007... Byline: Rob Beattie Share a book collection online Discover a free online service to catalogue, review, discuss and share books Library Thing is a website for printed-word enthusiasts who want to hook up with other bookworms....

Let Windows XP and Vista keep you.
November 1, 2007... Byline: Rob Beattie Let Windows XP and Vista keep you notified The Notification Area is a useful but often neglected part of Windows. Here's how to use and customise it Consistently misnamed as the System Tray, the...

Find files quickly with.
November 1, 2007... Byline: Rob Beattie Find files quickly with Windows Vista Windows Vista's search feature finds folders and files in a flash. Here's how to use it Although Windows XP has a search feature, it is a palaver to use. It's a...

Samsung Syncmaster SM226BW.(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Byline: Gavin Stoker Samsung Syncmaster SM226BW A large, stylish screen Samsung's latest Syncmaster 22in widescreen flat panel monitor is primarily aimed at those on a budget who don't want to compromise on quality. With a...

Genius G-Shot DV1210.(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Byline: Tim Smith Genius G-Shot DV1210 The Genius G-Shot DV1210 is a very affordable digital camcorder, but is it worth its low cost? The G-Shot looks the part and it doesn't lack any features. We're not really sure of the benefit...

OQO e2.(Product/service evaluation)
November 1, 2007... Byline: Tom Royal Oqo e2 A complete Windows PC in your pocket Handheld computers have been around for a while now, but Oqo makes the most unusual ones we've seen. Most handhelds run a special, simplified operating system that...

Apple iLife 08.
November 1, 2007... Byline: Simon Williams Apple iLife '08 The new suite is very capable, but how many Macs will be able to run it? Apple's new collection of multimedia software for Mac computers, iLife '08, contains five parts: iPhoto, iMovie,...

Magix Xtreme Photo, Video & Graphic Suite.
November 1, 2007... Byline: Simon Williams Magix Xtreme Photo, Video & Graphic Suite Four photo and video applications in one box Magix is a German software supplier best known for its sound and music software. With the acquisition of UK company Xara...

Content Barrier X4 Dual Protection.(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Byline: Paul Lester Content Barrier X4 Dual Protection Parental control software is nothing new, but Content Barrier X4 DP is unique in that it works on both Apple Macs and Windows PCs. It comes in two parts - Content Barrier for...

Run CD software from the.
November 1, 2007... Run CD software from the hard disk Eliminate disc-swapping by copying CDs and DVDs to the hard disk. Here's how to do it Some programs, notably games and reference titles like encyclopaedias, need to be run directly from CD or...

Serif DrawPlus X2.(Product/service evaluation)
November 1, 2007... Byline: Simon Williams Serif Drawplus X2 Useful additions to an old favourite The vector graphics editor DrawPlus has been around for some time now. You might think it would be hard to add new features and functions for what is...

Olympus E-510.
November 1, 2007... Byline: Gavin Stoker Olympus E-510 A digital SLR for beginners, that eliminates camera-shake The Olympus E-510 is the bigger brother of the world's smallest digital SLR, the E-410. It has largely the same specification but is...

iRiver B20.(Product/service evaluation)
November 1, 2007... Byline: Paul Lester iRiver B20 iRiver has added a DAB radio to its arsenal This relatively new Dab digital radio standard offers higher-quality radio stations and a greater range of channels, but it usually comes with quite a...

Benq FP222W.(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Byline: Anthony Dhanendran Benq FP222W The Benq FP222W is what you might call a no-nonsense monitor. It has a plain silver bezel, with a blank front - there are no buttons or controls on the front panel, only a discreet logo at the...

World in Conflict.(Product/service evaluation)
November 1, 2007... Byline: Jonathan Parkyn World in Conflict The Cold War hots up for this action-oriented strategy game Real-time strategy games tend to be somewhat Marmite-like in terms of the response they elicit: either you love them or hate...

And now for the weather...
November 1, 2007... Byline: Mark Whitehorn And now for the weather... Don't get caught without your umbrella again - we show you how to monitor the weather with your PC The British have long been obsessed with the weather. If you're fed up...

Values of weather.(weather instruments)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Byline: Mark Whitehorn Values of weather Wind direction is measured with a wind vane, which is often combined with an anemometer that measures wind speed. An anemometer typically has little cups that catch the wind and spin, and the...

Where to put the sensors.
November 1, 2007... Byline: Mark Whitehorn Where to put the sensors Given the limitations of the average garden, meeting the criteria for placing sensors can be difficult. However, the data you collect will still reflect what's happening. Ideally, an...

Wipe out 25 web problems.
November 1, 2007... Byline: Mark Wilson Wipe out 25 web problems Get back to enjoying the internet with our guide to the most common online problems and explanations on how to solve them The internet is a valuable resource for work, entertainment...

Music to.
November 1, 2007... Byline: Rob Beattie Music to your ears With a vast array of sounds and samples available, creating your own compositions couldn't be easier with the help of a PC These days, anyone with a home PC and some freely available...

downloads.(Website list)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Byline: Tim Smith Professional Template pack www.computeractive.co.uk/2200747 Add templates to Openoffice The templates that were once only available with the paid-for Staroffice can now be added to Openoffice at no cost. ...

netchart.(Website list)
November 1, 2007... Byline: Tim Smith Impress your chemistry teacher by mastering the periodic table and print a spoof to catch them out www.dayah.com/periodic/ This is a masterpiece of information and web design. This Periodic Table covers just...

How do audio and Midi differ?(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... How do audio and Midi differ? Midi files are instructions that record the details of a passage of music: the notes, when they start and stop, how loudly they're played and so on. It's best to think of them as sheet music for the computer....

Music workshop.
November 1, 2007... Make your own music with Sony Acid Xpress Start by going to www.sonycreativesoftware.com/ products/acidfamily.asp and click the download Acid XPress link. At the next page, download Acid XPress and the Sample Projects by clicking on...

HP Pavilion HDX.
November 1, 2007... Byline: Andrea-Marie Vassou HP Pavilion HDX Replace your DVD player and hi-fi with this monster The HP Pavilion HDX Entertainment Series notebook - to give it its full name - is the sort of computer that's designed to appeal very...

Ricoh Caplio R7.(Product/service evaluation)
November 1, 2007... Byline: Andrew Zarkesh Ricoh Caplio R7 Wide angle lens and powerful zoom in a small package Compact digital cameras with large zoom lenses are now fairly common, and the Caplio R7 is the latest such product from Ricoh. Its...

Lexmark X6570.
November 1, 2007... Byline: Paul Lester Lexmark X6570 A wireless printer and scanner that connects to a PC wirelessly After hearing about Lexmark's new range of multifunction devices we were keen to get our hands on the X6570, a colour inkjet printer...

Doni?1/2t forget the aerial.(using TV tuner cards)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Don't forget the aerial Like your TV or digital decoder in the front room, a PC TV tuner requires an aerial. In areas where analogue or digital signal strength are high, you might get away with using a free-standing indoor television...

Shrinkmytunes.(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Byline: Anthony Dhanendran Shrinkmytunes As the name suggests, Shrink My Tunes squeezes MP3 music so that it takes up less space and more songs can be fitted on a hard disk or a portable music player. We tested it with six sample...

Linux we like.
November 1, 2007... Byline: Tim Smith Linux we like Ubuntu may be one of the best known Linux versions (know as distributions) but there are others that are worth looking at: Damn Small Linux is ideal for older computers and cuts out unneeded...

Recycle an old computer.
November 1, 2007... Byline: Tim Smith Recycle an old computer Because Linux demands less processing power than Windows, it is ideal for breathing new life into an old PC. It is also an excellent alternative to Windows 98 and Me now that Microsoft is no...

Out of the box.
November 1, 2007... Byline: Tim Smith Out of the box with a Linux PC Don't get lost with a new Linux computer. We'll show you how easy it is to get on the web, send emails and organise your digital photos In the past, if you didn't want to buy a...

Adobe Premiere Elements 4.
November 1, 2007... Byline: Cliff Joseph Adobe Premiere Elements 4 A useful update but compatibility problems remain Our biggest complaint about Premiere Elements has always been that it is very temperamental about the type of PC it requires and...

Iolo AV UPGRADE.(anti-virus)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Byline: Chris Wiles AA upgrade offer Save 50 per cent on the retail price of System Mechanic 7 Iolo System Mechanic 7 takes the anti-virus features and adds a firewall to keep hackers away. But it isn't just about internet...

Iolo AntiVirus.
November 1, 2007... Byline: Chris Wiles Iolo AntiVirus Protect up to 3 PCs with this Vista-compatible anti-virus tool information Download from: www.computeractive.co.uk/antivirus/index System requirements: Windows 98, ME, 2000, XP or...

Consumeractive lead.
November 1, 2007... Byline: Dinah Greek PROBLEM Why software poses a problem I bought a Toshiba G20 notebook PC from PC World a few months ago running XP Media Center edition. I decided to upgrade to Vista and used the Microsoft compatibility...

Iolo AV tutorial.(anti-virus)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Use Iolo AntiVirus to scan your computer 1 Once Iolo Antivirus is installed it should update itself with the latest virus definitions, so click 'Perform a full system scan' on the welcome page. It will take some time to finish, so leave it...

Five in our drive.
November 1, 2007... Byline: Scott Colvey Five in our drive Another selection of CD-Roms to suit all tastes This issue, we've got more new CD-Rom reviews than you can shake a stick at. Well, another five anyway, starting with Fifi and the Flowertots...

Online PC Backup.
November 1, 2007... Byline: Scott Colvey Online PC Backup We've all heard horror stories about computer users losing entire hard disks worth of data, which is why we should back up important files and folders regularly. However, doing so can be quite a...

CD/DVD Label Maker.
November 1, 2007... Byline: Scott Colvey CD/DVD Label Maker Creating CDs and DVDs at home is hardly a new pastime, but for many people the end results are often marred by the difficulty of producing good-looking disc labels and case inserts. This is where...

Scooby Doo 2 Monsters Unleashed.(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Byline: Scott Colvey Scooby Doo 2 Monsters Unleashed Hey, didn't we review the Scooby Doo game just three issues ago? Yes, we did. But there's no mystery behind this latest review: Scooby Doo 2 Monsters Unleashed is a different game...

Typing Tournament.(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Byline: Scott Colvey Typing Tournament You can probably guess that this is a typing tutor, but what Typing Tournament's title doesn't tell you is that it is one of the best keyboard-coaching tools available. Developer EdAlive...

Fifi and the Flowertots Activity Pack.(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Byline: Scott Colvey Fifi and the Flowertots Activity Pack Ten years on from its launch, Channel Five still struggles to capture the kind of audience shares enjoyed by some other channels. However, Five's Milkshake children's strand...

Recording lectures QI want to be able to record lectures at university in a form I can use on my PC, but doni?1/2t want to have to take a notebook computer with me. Ideally, the gadget should be small enough to fit into my pocket or bag and have an excellent.
November 1, 2007... Byline: Tim Smith, Anthony Dhanendran Recording lectures QI want to be able to record lectures at university in a form I can use on my PC, but don't want to have to take a notebook computer with me. Ideally, the gadget should be small...

Watchdog changes spots.(Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of Telephone Information Services)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Byline: Dinah Greek Watchdog changes spots Premium-rate phone services regulator Icstis has changed its name to Phonepayplus. The rebrand is designed to make it more visible and relevant to consumers, as the organisation battles to...

RTTR.(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Byline: Tim Smith The Problem If I try to download a PDF document, Internet Explorer freezes for a while, displays an error message, then shuts down. Whaig, Issue 252 Your Answer Try installing Foxit Reader to read PDF...

The Archers to go digital.
November 1, 2007... Byline: staff The Archers to go digital Popular BBC radio soap The Archers is about to join the 21st century as a daily podcast on the Radio Four website. The Archers podcast contains the latest episode in full, and was made...

Rival music to bite Apple Universal Music may be preparing a rival to iTunes after its public falling out with Apple. Reports suggest the music giant has already received a commitment from Sony BMG to become its partner on the initiative. Relations betwee.
November 1, 2007... Byline: staff Rival music to bite Apple Universal Music may be preparing a rival to iTunes after its public falling out with Apple. Reports suggest the music giant has already received a commitment from Sony BMG to become its partner...

BBC joins forces with The Cloud The BBC has signed a deal with wireless network operator The Cloud to offer its customers online services over Wifi free. Customers with any Wifi-enabled notebook PC will be able to surf the BBCi?1/2s website in all 7,500 of T.(Website overview)
November 1, 2007... Byline: staff BBC joins forces with The Cloud The BBC has signed a deal with wireless network operator The Cloud to offer its customers online services over Wifi free. Customers with any Wifi-enabled notebook PC will be able to...

Chameleon-like ink alters colour.(Opalux's P-Ink)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Byline: clive akass Chameleon-like ink alters colour A Canadian company has developed a form of electronic ink that changes colour according to the applied voltage. Displays using the ink, called P-Ink, are like paper in that they...

Data merger fears grow.(General Register Office and Identity and Passport Service)(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Byline: andrea vassou Data merger fears grow The forthcoming merger of the General Register Office (GRO) and Identity and Passport Service (IPS) has been called a "sinister ploy" by privacy experts. Ross Anderson, professor of...

Ofcom backs inflight calls.(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Byline: Dinah Greek Ofcom backs inflight calls Passengers on UK flights will be able to use their mobile phones as early as next year under proposals from Ofcom. For a number of years, some airlines have offered customers...

Law and order Google-owned Youtube has launched a beta of a video ID system to help content owners identify their work on the site. The organisation has come under attack for allowing users to access copyright material. The company said the new tool i?1/2goes.
November 1, 2007... Byline: staff Law and order Google-owned Youtube has launched a beta of a video ID system to help content owners identify their work on the site. The organisation has come under attack for allowing users to access copyright material....

Ask anything Mobile phone software company Handmark has launched a new application for smartphones; what it calls a i?1/2mobile conciergei?1/2 service. The Pocket Express software will be available in three versions. A free version will provide BBC News, sport ne.
November 1, 2007... Byline: Tom Royal Ask anything Mobile phone software company Handmark has launched a new application for smartphones; what it calls a 'mobile concierge' service. The Pocket Express software will be available in three versions. A...

Data chips to force up cost of passports.
November 1, 2007... Byline: Andrea Vassou Data chips to force up cost of passports The cost of a passport is set to increase "substantially" over the next five years, according to a report by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC). The parliamentary...

Charger fan Boffins have created a small fan-based charger that can help boost the battery life of consumer technology goods. The Hymini USB charger is the brainchild of Arthur Huang, an architect and engineer trained at Cornell and Harvard universities.
November 1, 2007... Byline: staff Charger fan Boffins have created a small fan-based charger that can help boost the battery life of consumer technology goods. The Hymini USB charger is the brainchild of Arthur Huang, an architect and engineer...

Crowd surfing A new online service has been launched to help UK shoppers make better informed purchase decisions based on the advice and recommendations of others. Currently, around nine out of 10 people conduct online research before making a purchase, e.
November 1, 2007... Byline: staff Crowd surfing A new online service has been launched to help UK shoppers make better informed purchase decisions based on the advice and recommendations of others. Currently, around nine out of 10 people conduct online...

Online DNA testing helps find genetic relatives.
November 1, 2007... Byline: Dinah Greek Online DNA testing helps find genetic relatives People trying to track down their family connections can now add DNA testing to the list of tools they can call on, courtesy of Ancestry.co.uk. Part of the...

Get our Ultimate Guide to Facebook.
November 1, 2007... Byline: Dinah Greek Get our Ultimate Guide to Facebook If you have ever wondered what the fuss over social networking sites such as Facebook and Youtube is all about, flick through our latest Ultimate Guide to see what the internet...

Global problem A US court has thrown out legal action from Canadian firm Global Royalties, against a website run by Arizona-based Xcentric Ventures. Global, a broker in gemstone investments, sued Xcentrici?1/2s Ripoffreport.com website. The site invites consu.(Website overview)
November 1, 2007... Byline: Dinah Greek Global problem A US court has thrown out legal action from Canadian firm Global Royalties, against a website run by Arizona-based Xcentric Ventures. Global, a broker in gemstone investments, sued Xcentric's...

page 7 - nibs.
November 1, 2007... Byline: staff Real flaw Online criminals are exploiting an unpatched vulnerability in the Real Player application, security firm Symantec has warned. The vulnerability lies in the way a Real Player component handles ActiveX. ActiveX...

Data breach law tabled.(Brief article)
November 1, 2007... Byline: Dinah Greek and staff Data breach law tabled The deputy information commissioner has called for a data breach notification law in the UK - on the condition that it is easy to enforce. A similar law is in force in 40 US...

Windows watch Lots of snippets about updates and warnings have been added to our Windows Watch blog lately. Many Windows users will be surprised to find an advert for Openoffice when asked to update Java. Iti?1/2s not a hoax but we doni?1/2t like the practice of.
November 1, 2007... Byline: Dinah Greek Windows watch Lots of snippets about updates and warnings have been added to our Windows Watch blog lately. Many Windows users will be surprised to find an advert for Openoffice when asked to update Java. It's not a...

Safety scheme aims to protect kids from online abuse.
November 1, 2007... Byline: 253 Safety scheme aims to protect kids from online abuse Children as young as eight years old are the focus of an online safety programme launched by the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre. The UK...

Gloves off in Virgin-Sky fight.(Virgin Media Group Ltd. and British Sky Broadcasting Group PLC)
November 1, 2007... Byline: Dinah Greek and Andrea Vassou Gloves off in Virgin-Sky fight Virgin admits defeat in pay-TV but experts cast doubt on broadband claims Virgin Media has decided to open up a new front in its ongoing battle with Sky. ...

Medion MD96480.(Product/service evaluation)
November 15, 2007... Byline: Emil Larsen Medion MD96480 A widescreen notebook with plenty of power Notebooks have risen in popularity not only because of their falling prices, but also because they offer great simplicity. There's no need to plug in a...

Doni?1/2t just sit there.
November 15, 2007... Byline: Paul Allen Don't just sit there Wireless hotspots open the door to the web from more than 10,000 locations around the country. We show you how to connect People just can't sit still these days. If they're not rushing...

Some Wifi hotspot providers.
November 15, 2007... Some Wifi hotspot providers Free hotspots are ideal for anyone who cannot receive or does not want broadband. Many public libraries offer free wireless and your local council website should be able to provide more details. Now you have...

Hotspots for handheld PCs.
November 15, 2007... Hotspots for handheld PCs A growing number of handheld PCs now include Wifi. For the traveller, a device that slips into a pocket is a better bet for mobile hotspot access than even the lightest notebook PC. The majority of handhelds in...

Forgotten heroes.(using handheld computers)
November 15, 2007... Byline: Nigel Whitfield Forgotten heroes In danger of being overshadowed by sophisticated mobile phones, handheld computers still have their uses. Discover how to unlock their potential Gadgets come and gadgets go. Not so...

Buying a handheld.
November 15, 2007... Byline: Nigel Whitfield Buying a handheld Thanks to auction sites like Ebay, it's easier than ever to pick up older equipment, and if you're lucky, you might even find some of it given away on mailing lists such as Freecycle...

Vintage handhelds to look for.(Brief article)
November 15, 2007... Vintage handhelds to look for There is a wide range of handheld PCs available, but here are some of our suggestions. Handspring Visor Prism. This is the colour version of the Visor, complete with Springboard socket - which is handy if...

Corel Painter Essentials 4.
November 15, 2007... Byline: Cliff Joseph Corel Painter Essentials 4 The pro-painting program gets much easier to use Corel's Painter is a professional program that lets designers reproduce the effects of natural art media, such as oil paints and...

Chips with.
November 15, 2007... Byline: Tom Royal Chips with everything It can be hard to understand processor jargon. We explain what the specifications mean and how to pick the right one Ever since the first personal computers appeared, manufacturers have...

Make cheap.
November 15, 2007... Byline: Iain Thomson Make cheap calls online Find out how to save money on calls with our guide to combined internet phone handsets When the technology to make voice telephone calls over the internet was created and started...

Internet telephone providers.
November 15, 2007... Internet telephone providers Now that internet telephony is taking off, there are a variety of online options. Skype (www.skype.com), for example, will allow free person-to-person calls to other Skype users, or paid calls to other lines...

Optimise and customise.
November 15, 2007... Byline: Nick Peers Optimise and customise Windows Vista Discover how to improve the Windows Vista experience without getting your hands dirty In Windows Vista, some settings are optimised for stability and compatibility...

Control your computer.
November 15, 2007... Byline: Mark Wilson Control your computer from anywhere Take control of another PC using the powerful remote access tool UltraVNC Many people now have access to more than one computer at home and they're often linked together...