Computer Act!ve articles from September 2006

Computer Act!ve archives from September 2006

20 free programs you must have.
September 14, 2006... Byline: Tim Smith 20 free programs you must have Could you be getting more from your computer? Find out by looking at our collection of essential software that won't leave a hole in your wallet A computer with no software is like...

Getting the signal through.(Brief article)
September 14, 2006... Byline: Scott Colvey Getting the signal through Sometimes, a wireless network's coverage may fail to reach a particular part of the home or office, or otherwise be unreliable in its availability in particular spots. There are many...

Save money with second-hand kit?(Brief article)
September 14, 2006... Byline: Scott Colvey Save money with second-hand kit? We understand that buying everything required for wireless networking can be a costly endeavour, especially in office environments where there may be many PCs needing...

Get better results with Google.
September 14, 2006... Byline: Paul Wardley Get better results with Google If it's on the web, Google can find it, but can you find it in Google? We explain how Like all internet search engines, Google indexes billions of web pages to make it easier for...

Fast web downloads with BitTorrent.
September 14, 2006... Byline: Paul Wardley Fast web downloads with BitTorrent Find out how BitTorrent can improve the efficiency of downloading stuff from the internet BitTorrent is a downloading technology that sometimes gets a bad press because it is...

Calendar whirls.(Microsoft Works)(Brief article)
September 14, 2006... Byline: Scott Colvey Calendar whirls When two or more people are using Works, it is possible for them to maintain their own separate calendar. However, there are times when it is necessary to check the schedule of more than one person...

Quicker by keyboard.(shortcuts)(Brief article)
September 14, 2006... Byline: Scott Colvey Quicker by keyboard Use the menu shortcut system in Windows to close down your computer without using the mouse. Menu shortcuts work by pressing the alphabetical keyboard button matching the underlined letter in...

Feeling a bit pasty.(pasting text from website into Microsoft Word)(Brief article)
September 14, 2006... Byline: Scott Colvey Feeling a bit pasty When copying and pasting text from a website into Microsoft Word, instead of simply pasting the text in as usual, open the Edit menu and select Paste Special: this opens the Paste Special...

A good hiding.(hiding text in Word)(Brief article)
September 14, 2006... Byline: Scott Colvey A good hiding Being able to hide columns or rows of information in spreadsheets is one of Excel's useful facilities, but did you know you could do much the same thing in Word? First, select the text you'd like to...

Add shared folders to your network.
September 14, 2006... Byline: Scott Colvey Add shared folders to your network Make more of a computer network by making selected folders available for sharing by other users If you've read the wireless networking feature on page 16 of this issue,...

Make free calls with broadband.
September 14, 2006... Byline: Nigel Whitfield Make free calls with broadband services Free calls aren't limited to people using the same VoIP service. We explain how to call any VoIP phone for free Broadband phone services, like VoIPtalk (explored last...

Discover what's inside your computer.(computer hardware listed)
September 14, 2006... Byline: Paul Wardley Discover what's inside your computer Use a free program to find out what's inside your PC, without even opening the case PCs are wonderful until they go wrong and you have to deal with telephone technical...

Video Deluxe SE.
September 14, 2006... Byline: Martin James Video Deluxe SE With ever larger hard disk capacities, computers are better suited to storing and editing digital video than ever before. There are plenty of programs around for doing this, and at [pounds...

PhotoImpact XL SE.(image editing software)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 14, 2006... Byline: Martin James PhotoImpact XL SE Ulead's Photo Impact image-editing software has always impressed us, with its mix of powerful features at an attractive price. This XL SE version brings the price down further, but at the...

Imagine this.(Music Clean, Select Photo Studio 2.0, Video Deluxe SE)
September 14, 2006... Byline: Martin James Imagine this With a little imagination and software, it's possible to get more out of your music, pictures and video. Here's what's out there This issue we look at software to help you be more creative,...

Select Photo Studio Second Edition.(image editing software)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 14, 2006... Byline: Martin James Select Photo Studio Second Edition The title of this program is slightly misleading, as it is actually a rebadged version of Serif's PhotoPlus 8. As such, it is a good compromise between the current version 10,...

Music Clean.(music software)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 14, 2006... Byline: Martin James Music Clean The larger your collection of digital music, the more likely you are to have experienced the frustration of different file formats, volume levels and sound quality from one song to the next. Music...

Printmaster Platinum 16.(desktop publishing software)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 14, 2006... Byline: Martin James Printmaster Platinum 16 With access to more than a quarter of a million images and 17,000 templates, even the most active of imaginations will surely be satisfied with Printmaster Platinum 16. The program...

The also-rans.
September 14, 2006... Byline: Tim Smith The also-rans Comprehensive as this list might seem, there are still lots of programs out there if you are prepared to spend a little money. You can find a large collection on our website at www.computeractive.co.uk/...

Google Pack.
September 14, 2006... Byline: Tim Smith Google Pack Google is far more than a search engine with excellent utilities. With the Google Pack, a selection of programs is gathered together with an updater to make sure you always have the latest version. The...

Windows tips.(Microsoft Windows XP)(Brief article)
September 14, 2006... Windows tips Windows XP has other tricks up its sleeve to make using a computer easier. To increase the size of the font that Windows uses for icons, dialogue boxes and menus, right-click anywhere on the Desktop and select Properties from...

Alternative offerings.
September 14, 2006... Byline: Jacqueline Williams Alternative offerings While the speech recognition tool in Office 2002 onwards is free to use for those who already have the software on their computer, it's by no means the only voice recognition program...

Unwanted interruptions.(microwaves distort video signals)
September 14, 2006... Byline: Scott Colvey Unwanted interruptions On the whole, video senders do an acceptable job of zapping television signals around the average home. Do remember, though, that they work using radio waves and, as with any radio...

Buffalo Nfiniti.(wireless router)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 14, 2006... Byline: Anthony Dhanendran Networking >> [pounds sterling]92 Buffalo Nfiniti Although wireless networking is fairly new, manufacturers are working on the next version, which will be even faster. It's called 802.11n, and products...

Sonic Gear i-Steroid.
September 14, 2006... Byline: Luke Peters speakers >> [pounds sterling]160 Sonic Gear i-Steroid Add extra warmth to your music collection This unusual-looking speaker system also boasts some unusual technology. The i-Steroid is, in fact, a...

Samsung SCX-4200.
September 14, 2006... Byline: Simon Williams Samsung SCX-4200 A laser printer with built-in scanner Most multifunction devices come with colour inkjet printers, while the SCX-4200 uses a mono laser printer. This should provide faster results, albeit...

Netac A200.
September 14, 2006... Byline: Paul Lester portable media player >> [pounds sterling]70 Netac A200 Broadcast your tunes to an FM radio Although it's been possible for years to buy an FM transmitter that will allow you to listen to tunes from a music...

O&O Defrag.(utility software)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 14, 2006... Byline: Marc Delehanty Utility software >> [pounds sterling]30 O&O Defrag V8 Unclutter your hard disk Software such as Defrag V8 Professional helps alleviate the clutter that builds up on a computer's hard disk. This is known...

Groovy Shapes.(children's educational software)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 14, 2006... Byline: Tim Smith education software >> [pounds sterling]70 Groovy Shapes Groovy Shapes is a a good way of getting children interested in music. Aimed at children between the ages of five and seven, it is a well-designed...

Ability Turbo Backup.
September 14, 2006... Byline: Anthony Dhanendran utility software >> [pounds sterling]30 Turbo Backup Turbo Backup is designed for home users, so it comes with settings to back up music, internet favourites, contacts, emails, photos and other...

Kaspersky Internet Security 6.
September 14, 2006... Byline: Jonathan Parkyn Kaspersky Internet Security 6 The PC protection equivalent of a Russian doll Computer users looking to keep the various bugs, hackers and other nasties away from their PCs will probably be more familiar with...

Samsung NV3.(digital camera)(Product/service evaluation)
September 14, 2006... Byline: Gavin Stoker Samsung NV3 A three-in-one device masquerading as a digital compact camera Samsung cameras usually represent good value, but they haven't set the world alight for style. Looking to change that is the slim, yet...

Intempo Buddy.(navigation system)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 14, 2006... Byline: Will Stapley Intempo Buddy Pretty in pink, this sat nav device has a certain target audience Aware that there are more than a few women drivers, Intempo has given its Buddy satellite navigation (sat nav) system a pink,...

Ulead VideoStudio 10 Plus.
September 14, 2006... Byline: Simon Williams Video-editing software >> [pounds sterling]53 Ulead VideoStudio 10 Plus You'd think it'd be difficult to offer much new at version 10 -- VideoStudio has no problems VideoStudio is probably the best...

Pentax Optio T10.(digital camera)(Product/service evaluation)
September 14, 2006... Byline: Gavin Stoker Pentax Optio T10 A Stylish digital compact camera boasting touch-screen operation Apart from the branding on the front, the majority of digital compacts are similar; so when a manufacturer comes along with...

Hawking HWPS12UG.(printer servers)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 14, 2006... Byline: Anthony Dhanendran Networking >> [pounds sterling]110 Hawking HWPS12UG Many of us now have home networks, and the ability to share a printer over the network is a bonus. It's easy to share a printer that's connected to a...

Sims 2: Glamour Life Stuff.(computer simulation games)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 14, 2006... Byline: Eddie Henderson Sims 2: Glamour Life Stuff Another Sims pack arrives offering more tat for the ever-expanding virtual world. While this might not be the most exciting news of the summer, there are some fun items here that will...

Madden NFL 07.(sports game)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 14, 2006... Byline: Eddie Henderson Madden NFL 07 For years, the John Madden series was the dominant American football video game. Now challenged by NCAA Football on the consoles, the big gun is back with Madden 07 -- the 17th in the...

Broken Sword: Angel of Death.(adventure game)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 14, 2006... Byline: Eddie Henderson Broken Sword: Angel of Death Coming out solely on the PC, this fourth in the Broken Sword series improves on some of the major flaws of the previous incarnation, which was the first to move into a 3D...

The Ant Bully.
September 14, 2006... Byline: Eddie Henderson The Ant Bully With more bugs than an ant colony, this is shoddy gaming fare Like most movie fables aimed at children, The Ant Bully has an important message hidden behind the famous actors voicing the...

Site seeing.(websites about gardening)(Website list)(Brief article)
September 14, 2006... Byline: Anthony Dhanendran Find out how autumn and winter can be good for growing food and other plants www.rivercottage.net Run by Channel 4's Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, rivercottage.net is a mine of information on growing and...

Medion MIM 2220.
September 14, 2006... Byline: Luke Peters Medion MIM 2220 Cheap as chips and lacking in power but this Media Center notebook will still cope with most things users throw at it The latest budget marvel from Medion to hit the shelves -- of Woolworths and...

Gateway MX6923b.
September 14, 2006... Byline: Anthony Dhanendran Gateway MX6923b This Toys 'R' Us notebook computer special isn't just for laughs Gateway, the well-known direct sales computer company, is back on our shores, having been forced away for years after the...

No problem.(answers to software related problems)
September 14, 2006... Byline: Tim Smith Anthony Dhanendran Missing icon QI have downloaded the test version of Internet Explorer 7. I used to click on the email icon in Internet Explorer 6 but cannot find it in this newer version. Alan Bennett ...

Box clever.(Apple MacBook, MSI Megabook S262)
September 14, 2006... Byline: Rob Beattie Box clever For computer users, setting up the machine can be a bit daunting. We take a Mac and a PC out of the box and take you through the process Computer reviews rarely mention what it is like to unpack a...

Mac Vs PC Your stories.
September 14, 2006... Byline: Rob Beattie Your stories Do you own a PC or a Mac? If so, tell us which you prefer and why. Also what was your first PC experience like? Did the two of you run off into the sunset metaphorically holding hands? Did it mark the...

Mac vs PC help sites.
September 14, 2006... Byline: Rob Beattie Help sites Most manufacturers have some sort of helpline to get new users over any early hurdles; some of these are free, some are not. However, one of the best sources of information are the informal support forums...

Readers to the rescue.(using word processing software)
September 14, 2006... Byline: Anthony Dhanendran The problem I have created an information pack in Word with each of the 36 pages as a separate Word document. Is there any way to compile them so they are all in one 36-page document? Scott Lambert ...

ConceptDraw MindMap 4 Personal.(mind mapping software)(Brief article)
September 14, 2006... Byline: Chris Wiles ConceptDraw MindMap 4 Personal Plan changes in life through mind mapping A mind map is best described as a snapshot of thoughts and ideas and how other people and situations influence them. Think of mapping as...

Paragon Partition Manager 2005.(Brief article)
September 14, 2006... Byline: Chris Wiles Paragon Partition Manager 2005 Resize and manage your drive partitions Most modern PCs will be supplied with a large hard disk -- generally over 200GB -- with Windows and other applications pre-installed. The...

Web surfing made safer.(Browzar)(Brief article)
September 14, 2006... Byline: Dinah Greek Web surfing made safer A new internet browser is promising users a way to surf the internet while protecting them against the risk of identity theft. Browzar is a project by Freeserve founder Ajaz Ahmed, who...

Easing the home chain strain.
September 14, 2006... Byline: Anthony Dhanendran Easing the home chain strain The Land Registry is testing a system that will allow homebuyers and sellers to see how many other people are involved in chains that might affect their sale. Most property...

Consoling the sick.(forthcoming Playstation 3)(Brief article)
September 14, 2006... Byline: Martin Lynch Consoling the sick The forthcoming Playstation 3 is to be recruited into a distributed-computing project that is seeking a cure for Alzheimer's and other diseases. The Folding at Home project by Stanford...

Internet crucial to teaching.
September 14, 2006... Byline: Dinah Greek Internet crucial to teaching Almost half of UK teachers (49 per cent) want to make more use of the internet in lessons, but feel constrained by a lack of skills and equipment. This was the conclusion of a...

Nibs.
September 14, 2006... Byline: Staff New Olympus camera Olympus has expanded its Mju digital camera range with a 10-megapixel model. The Mju 1000 retains the weatherproof, stainless steel body of its predecessors, and features a Fine Zoom feature to 5x, at...

Google offers literary gems.
September 14, 2006... Byline: Dinah Greek Google offers literary gems Google has launched a service that lets people download and print out-of-copyright books free of charge. Google Book Search includes many of the world's well-known books. But...

Sporty Walkman Sony has introduced a series of Walkman music players with a range of features for sports enthusiasts. Sony said the NW-S200 series is the first music player to be totally water-resistant. A sensor in the player counts steps, distance trave.
September 14, 2006... Byline: staff Sporty Walkman Sony has introduced a series of Walkman music players with a range of features for sports enthusiasts. Sony said the NW-S200 series is the first music player to be totally water-resistant. A sensor in...

Media centres Commodore is set to introduce a range of media devices called Gravel. The Commodore Gravel In Home is an entertainment centre that accesses content from video-on-demand, Replay TV and streaming music services. It comes with an integrated 80G.
September 14, 2006... Byline: staff Media centres Commodore is set to introduce a range of media devices called Gravel. The Commodore Gravel In Home is an entertainment centre that accesses content from video-on-demand, Replay TV and streaming music...

DVD format war enters next phase.
September 14, 2006... Byline: Dinah Greek and Luke Peters DVD format war enters next phase The battle between Sony and Toshiba to dominate the market for next-generation DVD players has reached its next phase as the first models go on sale in the UK...

MSN service to report abuse.
September 14, 2006... Byline: Anthony Dhanendran MSN service to report abuse Users of Microsoft's MSN Messenger service will soon be able to report suspected child abusers with a 'report abuse' icon that will link the user to online police...

Nibs.(NTL Inc.'s free digital tv service)(Lite-On Communications Inc. combines DvD writer )(Philips USA to launch internet telephone)(Brief article)
September 14, 2006... Byline: Staff Cable provider to offer free TV NTL Telewest is taking on BT and Sky by giving a free digital TV service to anyone signing up to its home phone service. Customers will get all Freeview channels, Sky One and...

Wikepedia to limit edits.(Brief article)
September 14, 2006... Byline: Tim Smith and Dinah Greek Wikipedia to limit edits Online encyclopaedia Wikipedia is to trial a new system in Germany to cut down on inaccurate or malicious edits to articles. In the trial, changes will not be published...

Wifi blackspots.
September 14, 2006... Byline: Paul Allen Wifi blackspots Like all forms of radio, Wifi can be the victim of interference. The relatively low-power signal also struggles when faced with thick interior walls and other sources of radio waves, such as microwave...

Government breaches its own copyright.
September 14, 2006... Byline: Anthony Dhanendran Government breaches its own copyright The Cabinet Office's first foray into the brave new world of online video has proved somewhat embarrassing for the Government because it breached copyright law. Two...

Crooks nail web DIY tactics.
September 14, 2006... Byline: Dinah Greek Crooks nail web DIY tactics The number of phishing attacks has surged to an all-time high thanks to the growing problem of 'crimeware' kits being sold online. This was the warning from the Anti Phishing Working...

Double sting in the tail.(new rootkit attack, Zcodec)(Brief article)
September 14, 2006... Byline: staff Double sting in the tail Security company Panda has warned of a new rootkit attack, Zcodec, which is hidden in an application that claims to support some multimedia formats. If someone tries to install this...

Nibs.
September 14, 2006... Byline: staff ID theft Travellers who lose mobile devices such as phones and notebook PCs at UK airports face real security risks, warns a new study. Pointsec Mobile Technologies, which offers security software for mobile devices,...

Nibs.
September 14, 2006... Byline: Dinah Greek No such thing as a free lunch Price-comparison service Uswitch has launched a service that should help demystify some of the latest 'free' packages offered by internet service providers (ISPs). As the competition...

Deaf charity calls for iPod warning.
September 14, 2006... Byline: Dinah Greek Deaf charity calls for iPod warning portable music players should carry clear warnings of the damage they pose to the user's hearing if played at high volume. The Royal National Institute for the Deaf (RNID) is...

Battery recall with test makers' green credentials.
September 14, 2006... Byline: Dinah Greek Battery recall will test makers'green credentials Greenpeace has said that a mass recall of faulty batteries used in Apple and Dell notebook PCs is the first big test for manufacturers to show they are able to...

Web giants face privacy ire.
September 14, 2006... Byline: Dinah Greek and Clement James Web giants face privacy ire Government regulator to investigate claims that citizens cannot delete online accounts Internet giants Amazon, Friends Reunited and Ebay have come under fire...

Sendsational.(set-top box)
September 14, 2006... Byline: Scott Colvet Sendsational Want multi-channel television on multiple TVs but only have one set-top box? Perhaps a video sender is the answer In this age of multi-channel television more and more of us have access to tens or...

Say the Word.
September 14, 2006... Byline: Jacquelyn Williams Say the Word Dictation can be easier than typing text into a document and Microsoft has made its technology more accommodating, so now could be the time to start speaking There are plenty of reasons why...

Olympus Mju 750.(Product/service evaluation)
September 28, 2006... Byline: Gavin Stoker Olympus Mju 750 All-weather compact promises well-exposed images, rain or shine, day or night In time for autumn showers comes Olympus' latest weatherproof compact, boasting a 7.1 megapixel resolution plus ...

Artistes wanted for PodShow BT wants budding movie makers and artists to submit audio and video content to a British version of successful US podcast series, the PodShow Network. The BT PodShow will provide another internet outlet for creative individu.
September 28, 2006... Byline: Dinah Greek Artistes wanted for PodShow BT wants budding movie makers and artists to submit audio and video content to a British version of successful US podcast series, the PodShow Network. The BT PodShow will...

Upwardly mobile.
September 28, 2006... Byline: Clive Akass Upwardly mobile The Ultra Mobile PC has arrived. We take a look at what this new technology offers and how it could evolve to stage a technology revolution in the future Early computers were as big as a...

Making history.
September 28, 2006... Byline: Clive Akass Making history Samsung's Q1 Origami device provides a computer you can use on the move without feeling like you are carrying a couple of bricks around. It weighs just 779g and is just a little wider than its...

IdeasMap.(children's educational software)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 28, 2006... Byline: Scott Colvey IdeasMap Turning thoughts and ideas into graphical 'maps' using computers rather than paper isn't new, with perhaps the most well-known application being Mindjet's MindManager. However, at [pounds sterling]200, it...

The Encyclopedia Of Great Artists.
September 28, 2006... Byline: Scott Colvey The Encyclopedia Of Great Artists It's probably a good job this isn't an encyclopaedia of great English, otherwise we would take issue with the title's spelling. Still, this isn't supposed to be about words,...

Pay attention.(review of some CD-Roms with an educational bent)(Brief article)
September 28, 2006... Byline: Scott Colvey Pay attention Computers aren't all about having fun -- there's learning to be done! We review some CD-Roms with an educational bent In days gone by, education might have meant six of the best. However, we only...

New Oxford Thesaurus Of English.(Product/service evaluation)
September 28, 2006... Byline: Scott Colvey New Oxford Thesaurus Of English This has to be one of the sparest applications we have ever looked at in the CD-Rom pages. The program's interface comprises a single text-entry box -- and that's it. This box...

O-Generator.(children's educational software)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 28, 2006... Byline: Scott Colvey O-Generator This is great -- a comprehensive music-composition system that provides clear and structured music lessons that even our tone-deaf team could get to grips with. We should point out that this...

Letts KS3 English.(children's educational software)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 28, 2006... Byline: Scott Colvey Letts KS3 English As laid bare by the KS3 in the title, this particular Letts disc is pitched at 11- to 14-year-olds, which pitches it above the English language proficiency possessed of the average Computeractive...

Olivetti Anyway Photo Wireless.
September 28, 2006... Byline: Simon Williams Olivetti Anyway Photo Wireless A piece of sleek Italian style, but is this print, scan and copy device as functional as it looks? Olivetti was one of the first companies to see the potential of...