Personal Computer World articles from December 2007

Personal Computer World archives from December 2007

Behringer Podcastudio.(product evaluation)(Product/service evaluation)
December 24, 2007... Byline: Clive Akass Behringer Podcastudio All the equipment you need to make high-quality podcasts with your PC Behringer's Podcastudio bundles all the software and hardware you need to produce podcasts on a PC or Mac. The...

Coolermaster Cosmos 1000.(product evaluation)(Product/service evaluation)
December 24, 2007... Byline: Simon Crisp Coolermaster Cosmos 1000 A heavyweight ATX case bursting with features The Cosmos 1000 is massive both in size and weight. Constructed from aluminium and finished steel, with an aluminium and black plastic...

Make your watermarks.
December 24, 2007... Byline: Tim Nott Make your watermarks Add background images to documents and find favourite features in Word 2007 Posh writing paper used to have - and may well still have, as it has been a while since I penned a real letter -...

making the move to 2007 If youi?1/2ve made the move to Office 2007 youi?1/2ll find some of this monthi?1/2s columns particularly useful. In Visual Programming, we explore how you can control the new office Ribbon interface, while in Word Processing you can find out h.
December 24, 2007... Byline: Nigel Whitfield making the move to 2007 If you've made the move to Office 2007 you'll find some of this month's columns particularly useful. In Visual Programming, we explore how you can control the new office Ribbon interface,...

Solve your relationship issues.(configuring relational databases)
December 24, 2007... Byline: Mark Whitehorn Solve your relationship issues We explain some of the basics of creating a database and planning relationships One of the joys of writing about databases is the number of places you get to visit; the...

Prepare to print your photos.
December 24, 2007... Byline: Ken McMahon Prepare to print your photos We look at how to make the best prints from your digital images Despite the huge advances made in colour printing technology in the last few years, the apparently straightforward...

Useful links.
December 24, 2007... Byline: Ken McMahon Useful links http://shop.colourconfidence.com/ Online shop for a range of colour profiling devices, including Spyder, Pantone Huey and GretagMacbeth (now X-Rite) Eye-One systems. http://tinyurl.com/y7lc5a...

Beyond photography.
December 24, 2007... Byline: Gordon Laing Beyond photography Modern digital cameras can do a lot more than just capture images Modern digital cameras are featuring more ways to connect to and work with PCs. Software-based remote control of cameras is...

GPS connectivity.
December 24, 2007... Byline: Gordon Laing GPS connectivity The WFT-E3's USB port can be used to connect compatible GPS units to record location details in the Exif headers of your images. According to Canon's manual, "the transmitter can be used with...

External storage.
December 24, 2007... Byline: Gordon Laing External storage The WFT-E3 features a full-size USB port for connecting to GPS units or external storage devices. Connecting the latter gives you a neat option of recording duplicate files simultaneously to...

Linux with guts.
December 24, 2007... Byline: Barry Shilliday Linux with guts We take a look at what's new in the Gutsy Gibbon release of Ubuntu Linux It doesn't seem all that long ago when we were talking about the new release of Ubuntu Feisty Fawn, but another six...

Taking remote control.
December 24, 2007... Byline: Alan Stevens Taking remote control It's easier than you might have thought to control another PC over your network I bought a new PC recently which, somewhat unexpectedly, came with two video interfaces - one digital and...

Relight my Firewire.
December 24, 2007... Byline: Gordon Laing Relight my Firewire We find out how well Firewire 800 works on the Mac Firewire has become a standard on most PC motherboards and is commonly used for connecting DV camcorders or external hard disks. In last...

How to change boot settings.(Brief article)
December 24, 2007... Byline: Nigel Whitfield How to change boot settings Linux QI wanted to try out Linux so I installed Ubuntu 7.10 as a dual-boot setup with Windows XP. I still need to use Windows XP most of the time and it is inconvenient that the...

Accessing faster queries.(Brief article)
December 24, 2007... Byline: Nigel Whitfield Accessing faster queries Databases QI have been using Access for years and it is very good. But I have now collected several million records in my main table and the queries that I run against it are...

Tuning in to FM synthesis.
December 24, 2007... Byline: Niall Magennis Tuning in to FM synthesis Take a trip back to the sounds of the 1980s - it's easier than you think In the late 1970s, pretty much all the synths on the market used analogue technology and subtractive...

The DX7.(Yamaha DX7)(Brief article)
December 24, 2007... Byline: Niall Magennis The DX7 The Yamaha DX7 was one of the first real digital synthesizers and the first mainstream synth to use Frequency Modulation. It was released in 1983 and proved to be a massive hit for Yamaha, partly because...

Managing your cashflow.
December 24, 2007... Byline: Stephen Wells Managing your cashflow Sort out your finances with the Excel Solver Add-In Glancing at this month's headline, don't assume that this column is solely for small business managers. It is just as important for...

Gardening angles.
December 24, 2007... Byline: Stephen Wells Gardening angles Rod Mason wrote to PCW to say how Excel has helped with his landscaping. He made some triangular wooden planters to go in the corners of his garden. But they're not isosceles triangles. Although...

Rock the Taskbar.
December 24, 2007... Byline: Tim Nott Rock the Taskbar With a little patience, you can tame the Taskbar and tweak Windows in other ways We've had several reports of obduracy on the part of the XP (and Vista) Taskbar. The principal complaint seems to...

Stepping up to the challenge.(Microsoft Windows Vista's accessibility features )
December 24, 2007... Byline: Tim Nott Stepping up to the challenge Tim Nott explores how Vista's Access Center makes Windows more user friendly Teenage gaming heroes apart, few of us are perfect when it comes to dexterity, sight and hearing. In...

Alternative input devices and software.
December 24, 2007... Byline: Tim Nott Alternative input devices and software Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) is concerned with helping people with difficulties communicate with others and with computers. This can take the form of software,...

Tomtom Go 720.(product evaluation)(Product/service evaluation)
December 24, 2007... Byline: Paul Lester Tomtom Go 720 Price [pounds sterling]309 Contact Tomtom +31 20 850 0800 www.tomtom.com Tomtom has been leading the way with in-car GPS for some time now, and when you look at the range of services and...

RAC Satnav 220.(product evaluation)(Product/service evaluation)
December 24, 2007... Byline: Paul Lester RAC Satnav 220 Price [pounds sterling]289.99 Contact RAC 08705 722 722 www.rac.co.uk RAC has quietly produced a small range of sat-nav devices over the years, with the high-end 220 model having the largest...

Navman S90i.
December 24, 2007... Byline: Paul Lester Navman S90i Price [pounds sterling]299.99 Contact Navman 01293 780 500 www.navman.com Navman introduced the Navpix feature to its range of sat navs in 2006 and it's still going strong. Put simply, it involves...

Navigon 7110.(product evaluation)(Product/service evaluation)
December 24, 2007... Byline: Paul Lester Navigon 7110 Price [pounds sterling]289.99 Contact Navigon www.navigon.com The 7110 is Navigon's top-of-the-range navigator yet it's short on features compared to many others. It's a simple-looking unit with a...

Mio 620t.(product evaluation)(Product/service evaluation)
December 24, 2007... Byline: Paul Lester Mio 620t Price [pounds sterling]269.99 Contact Mio www.mio-tech.be Mio's much anticipated 620t includes the new Miomap 8 software. As well as a traditional 3D mode, you'll now find digital elevation technology...

Medion E3410.(product evaluation)(Product/service evaluation)
December 24, 2007... Byline: Paul Lester Medion E3410 Price [pounds sterling]189.99 Contact Medion 01793 715 715 www.medion.co.uk Don't be fooled by the 3.5in display and the understated appearance of the Medion - this is one feature-packed...

Magellan Crossover GPS Europe.
December 24, 2007... Byline: Paul Lester Magellan Crossover GPS Europe Price [pounds sterling]299 Contact Magellan 0825 864 865 www.magellangps.com Magellan's Crossover GPS stands out from the crowd by combining three navigational maps in one device,...

The kings of the road.
December 24, 2007... Byline: Paul Lester The kings of the road Want a navigational aid that offers a bit more besides simple A to B routing? Paul Lester points you in the right direction Sat navs are firmly established as the must-have in-car accessory...

Garmin Nuvi 660FM.(product evaluation)(Product/service evaluation)
December 24, 2007... Byline: Paul Lester Garmin Nuvi 660FM Price [pounds sterling]369 Contact Garmin 020 8052 4000 www.garmin.co.uk Garmin's Nuvi 660 is the slimmest and most compact navigator on test, yet boasts a wide range of features to help get...

Satnav-Editor's Choice.(satellite navigation devices)(Product/service evaluation)
December 24, 2007... Byline: Paul Lester There's certainly no shortage of choice in the sat-nav market as this group test demonstrates, and those looking for a solid, good performing in-car sat nav will find a range of models to choose from. The features...

Satellite navigation on your mobile.
December 24, 2007... Byline: Paul Lester Satellite navigation on your mobile An alternative to buying a more traditional dedicated in-car device (also known as a PND - personal navigation device) is to use your mobile phone. If your phone has Bluetooth,...

Binatone Carrera X430.(product evaluation)(Product/service evaluation)
December 24, 2007... Byline: Paul Lester Binatone Carrera X430 Price [pounds sterling]199 Contact Binatone Carrera www.binatonecarrera.com Binatone Carrera is a relative newcomer to the sat-nav market. It has, however, produced some very capable...

Becker Traffic Assist 7927.(product evaluation)(Product/service evaluation)
December 24, 2007... Byline: Paul Lester Becker Traffic Assist 7927 Price [pounds sterling]199 Contact Becker www.mybecker.com The Becker 7927 is a particularly compact sat nav. When switched on, the menu offers navigation, music, video, pictures and...

Advice from our experts.
December 24, 2007... Advice from our experts PCW's experts solve your PC problems Digital Imaging Alternative archive Q As a video editor I regularly need to archive my work in an editable form (usually AVI or MPEG-2). I back up to external...

Master the Office 2007 Ribbon.
December 24, 2007... Master the Office 2007 Ribbon How to make your macros work with Office 2007 Microsoft Office 2007 replaces most of the menus found in earlier versions of Office with a new ribbon control. From the user's perspective, the ribbon cannot...

Paragon Hard Disk Manager Suite 2008.(product evaluation)(Product/service evaluation)
December 24, 2007... Byline: Chris Cain Paragon Hard Disk Manager Suite 2008 Protect, maintain and manage your data Backing up your PC's hard disk is obviously sensible, but it's only when one of your drives actually dies that the message finally hits...

MSI K9AGM2-FIH.(product evaluation)(Product/service evaluation)
December 24, 2007... Byline: Simon Crisp MSI K9AGM2-FIH A solid, good-value motherboard for Micro ATX cases AMD's 690G chipset has breathed new life to the Micro ATX format, allowing manufacturers to produce motherboards that are just what the home...

Bullguard Internet Security 8.
December 24, 2007... Byline: Chris Cain Bullguard Internet Security 8 Protection from viruses, spam, spyware and more Arriving a little too late for inclusion in our group test (PCW January 2007), Internet Security 8 is another suite designed to keep...

Agnitum Outpost Pro Security Suite 2008.
December 24, 2007... Byline: Chris Cain Agnitum Outpost Pro Security Suite 2008 A decent collection of tools to protect you online While the name may be less familiar than Norton or McAfee, Russian developer Agnitum is just as revered in security...

Abit Fatal1ty F-190HD.
December 24, 2007... Byline: Simon Crisp Abit Fatal1ty F-190HD A small yet feature-packed Radeon Xpress 1250 motherboard Built to conform to the Micro ATX form factor, the F-190HD is the smallest member of Abit's Fatal1ty range of motherboards....

Are you being served?
December 24, 2007... Byline: Paul Monckton Are you being served? Windows Home Server is now available to try or buy, so Paul Monckton explains just how to make the most of it on your home network With many homes having more than one PC, lots of us...

How to add and remove hard drives.
December 24, 2007... Byline: Paul Monckton How to add and remove hard drives Now you've set up Windows Home Server, discover how to increase the storage space available to you, by adding extra hard drives or using duplication 1Connecting an extra hard...

Hints and tips.(Brief article)
December 24, 2007... Byline: Paul Monckton Hints and tips The Windows Home Server Toolkit can help with connection problems. It runs a series of tests, evaluating network settings and configuration and gives you a list of problems and possible solutions....

Ensure a trouble-free installation.(Brief article)
December 24, 2007... Byline: Paul Monckton Ensure a trouble-free installation In this first release of Windows Home Server, there are a few issues to be ironed out. Here's a brief list of some of the most common pitfalls to ease installation. acents...

Expert movers.
December 24, 2007... Byline: Alan Stevens Expert movers Alan Stevens shows you how to ease the pain of moving all your information from a tired old PC to a shiny new one Replacing your PC with the latest and greatest the IT industry has to offer can...

Using Windows Easy Transfer.
December 24, 2007... Byline: Alan Stevens Using Windows Easy Transfer How to move your data from an XP PC easily with Vista's built-in tools 1Windows Easy Transfer is included in all versions of Windows Vista and can be used to migrate settings and...

Failure to prepare.(Brief article)
December 24, 2007... Byline: Alan Stevens Failure to prepare Don't assume you can just buy a new PC and transfer the contents of your old one in just a few minutes. The procedure is involved and the transfer itself will take time. If you've got a lot of...

Make it virtual.
December 24, 2007... Byline: Alan Stevens Make it virtual What if you want to run applications that simply can't be migrated to a new operating system or are only supported if you're prepared to upgrade, at a price, to a later version? If you're in that...

Moving apps the Microsoft way.
December 24, 2007... Byline: Alan Stevens Moving apps the Microsoft way Windows Easy Transfer can help with the migration of application settings, but not the software itself. Other packages can do this and Microsoft too is developing a tool to assist with...

Using cables to transfer data.(Brief article)
December 24, 2007... Byline: Alan Stevens Using cables to transfer data If removable media seems too fiddly and you don't have a network, you can buy special transfer cables to migrate data and settings from one PC to another. Most are designed to...

Resources.
December 24, 2007... Resources Ofice 2007 Custom UI editor http://openxmldeveloper.org/articles/customuieditor.aspx Documentation http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-gb/library/aa338202.aspx Code for download www.itwriting.com/wordmedia.php

Webroot Spy_workshop.(Webroot Spy Sweeper)(Brief article)
December 24, 2007... Byline: Mike Williams Gain even more PC security with these quick and easy tweaks 1 Webroot Spy Sweeper comes packed with interesting features and they're not all enabled by default. Would you like the program to try and detect...

Webroot Spy_upgrade.(Brief article)
December 24, 2007... Byline: Mike Williams Webroot AntiVirus with AntiSpyware and Firewall Protection New features Powerful anti-virus engine acents Rootkit detection acents Protect personal information acents Free product upgrades Upgrade from Webroot...

Webroot Spy.
December 24, 2007... Byline: Mike Williams Webroot Spy Sweeper 5.5 Protect your PC from spyware threats with this intelligent tool It's tempting to think you can escape spyware, by avoiding the seedy side of the internet, and only visiting respectable,...

Webroot firewall_upgrade.
December 24, 2007... Byline: Mike Williams Save 50 per cent on Webroot AntiVirus Upgrade from Webroot Desktop Firewall and Spy Sweeper and you'll benefit from the powerful and accurate Sophos anti-virus engine. The price of this all-round Internet security...

Webroot Desktop Firewall 5.5.
December 24, 2007... Byline: Mike Williams Webroot Desktop Firewall 5.5 Just about every firewall will filter outgoing and incoming internet connection but some of them are less than intelligent when it comes to deciding who can go online. After installing...

Steganos_upgrade.(Steganos Safe 2008)(Brief article)
December 24, 2007... Byline: Mike Williams Steganos Safe 2008 Steganos Safe One is ideal if you just want to encrypt a few documents, but once you've outgrown its two-drive, 1GB size limit then it's time to try Steganos Safe 2008. You'll then be able to...

Steganos.(Brief article)
December 24, 2007... Byline: Mike Williams Steganos Safe One You've bought a firewall, chosen an anti-virus tool and added a spyware detector for good measure, so it's not surprising that you feel your PC is secure. But perhaps there's something you've...

Ptoect, optimise and improve your PC in 3 easy steps.
December 24, 2007... Byline: Mike Williams Protect, optimise and improve your PC in three speedy steps 1Launch the program and you'll see a driver tree along the lines of Device Manager. Only it's a little more informative as by default it displays all...

Save i?1/25 on Driver Genius 7.(Brief article)
December 24, 2007... Byline: Mike Williams Save [pounds sterling]5 on Driver Genius 7 New features Full Windows Vista support Device diagnostic tool Driver download manager Tweak Nvidia graphics cards Improved user interface ...

Driver.(Driver Genius Professional 2006)(Brief article)
December 24, 2007... Byline: Mike Williams Driver Genius Professional 2006 Back up, restore or remove device drivers with this time-saving tool When Windows Safe Mode, System Restore and even the Recovery Console can't help get your troublesome PC...

AVG_workshop.(using AVG Anti-Virus 7.5 Professional Edition)(Brief article)
December 24, 2007... Byline: Mike Williams Getting the most from AVG Anti-Virus 7.5 Professional Edition 1AVG Anti-Virus has some interesting features that make it worth investigating the programs settings. Right-click the AVG system tray icon, select...

Save i?1/210 on AVG Internet Security.
December 24, 2007... Byline: Mike Williams Save [pounds sterling]10 on AVG Internet Security New features Flexible software firewall Real-time anti-spyware module Spam filter protects your Inbox Flexible, intelligent scanning ...

AVG.
December 24, 2007... Byline: Mike Williams AVG Anti-Virus 7.5 Professional Protect your PC from online threats, virus attack and more As an experienced PC user you almost certainly have an anti-virus tool, but does it really deliver the performance you...

Ashampoo_upgrade.(Ashampoo PowerUp 3)(Brief article)
December 24, 2007... Byline: Mike Williams Save 40% on Ashampoo PowerUp 3 The third incarnation of Ashampoo Powerup adds useful new modules including system diagnostics, benchmarking, and a console displaying information on the processes running on your...

Ashampoo Powerup XP Platinum 2.(product evaluation)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
December 24, 2007... Byline: Mike Williams Ashampoo Powerup XP Platinum 2 Just about every aspect of Windows XP can be customised to suit your needs. Assuming you know where to find the right setting, of course, and that's no easy task. An Options dialogue...

EQS AB1S-RS690MKM.(product evaluation)(Product/service evaluation)
December 24, 2007... Byline: Simon Crisp EQS AB1S-RS690MKM A cramped design, but a decent budget motherboard with HDMI support The AB1S-RS690MKM is a Micro ATX format motherboard built around AMD's Socket AM2 and RS690G chipset - the company's first...

Solwise DMP-1120w.
December 24, 2007... Byline: Will Stapley Solwise DMP-1120w One of the cheapest media streamers available, but at what cost? Media streamers aren't exactly in short supply these days, but few are as cheap as the DMP-1120w. As far as the physical...

Viewsonic VX2255.(product evaluation)(Product/service evaluation)
December 24, 2007... Byline: Emil Larsen Viewsonic VX2255 Price [pounds sterling]259 Contact Viewsonic 020 7921 2200 www.viewsoniceurope.com It's not uncommon for people to stack their LCD monitors on cardboard boxes in order to create a more...

Samsung 225UW.(product evaluation)(Product/service evaluation)
December 24, 2007... Byline: Emil Larsen Samsung 225UW Price [pounds sterling]330 Contact Samsung 01932 455 000 www.samsung.com Samsung did extremely well with its 226BW monitor, scoring full marks across the board in our last 22in group test. It...

Pixel policies.
December 24, 2007... Byline: Emil Larsen Pixel policies Every couple of months we see displays come into the PCW Labs with one or two faulty pixels, which is attributable to the fact that the manufacture of LCDs isn't a perfect science. These dodgy spots...

Philips 220WS8.(product evaluation)(Product/service evaluation)
December 24, 2007... Byline: Emil Larsen Philips 220WS8 Price [pounds sterling]189 Contact Philips 0870 900 9070 www.philips.co.uk When you set up the 220WS8 there appear to be no luxuries on offer. You get easy-to-access ports and a wide base that...

Mirai Chimei CMV 222H.
December 24, 2007... Byline: Emil Larsen Mirai Chimei CMV 222H Price [pounds sterling]269 Contact Mirai www.mirai.eu On paper, the CMV 222H has a fabulous feature set. Composite inputs let you connect, for example, a Nintendo Wii, component inputs...

LG L226WTQ.(product evaluation)(Product/service evaluation)
December 24, 2007... Byline: Emil Larsen LG L226WTQ Price [pounds sterling]185 Contact LG 0870 873 5454 http://uk.lge.com LG claims this monitor has a 'digital fine contrast ratio' of 3,000:1. This enhanced mode can take a dark picture, for example,...

A moment of clarity.(computer monitors)(Brief article)
December 24, 2007... A moment of clarity The quality of 22in monitors has improved recently, making them a worthwhile purchase for hard workers and game lovers alike. Emil Larsen put some of the best screens to the test For the last year, 22in...

Iiyama Prolite E2201W-B.(product evaluation)(Product/service evaluation)
December 24, 2007... Iiyama Prolite E2201W-B Price [pounds sterling]211.48 Contact Iiyama 0870 224 9595 www.iiyama.co.uk Like many of the monitors here, the contrast ratio Iiyama advertises is an enhanced mode, while the company admits the base figure is...

How we tested.(Brief article)
December 24, 2007... How we tested For our computer graphics-based tests, we set each panel to its native colour temperature and calibrated it using a Spyder3 Pro calibrator (www.spyder3.com). Using this device we ensured the displays were set up with optimum...

Hanns.G HG216DP.(product evaluation)(Product/service evaluation)
December 24, 2007... Hanns.G HG216DP Price [pounds sterling]179 Contact Hanns.G www.hannsg.co.uk It might sound odd, but this is the smallest 22in monitor in our group test. While Hanns.G proudly states 22in on the HG216DP's box, the small print reveals a...

TFT-Editor's Choice.(thin film transistor liquid crystal displays)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
December 24, 2007... Every monitor tested here is a TN type, an affordable display technology with adequate image quality. Bigger panels often use S-IPS panels, which are considered the best all-round panel type. S-IPS panels are more expensive, but offer better...

AG Neovo E-W22.(product evaluation)(Product/service evaluation)
December 24, 2007... AG Neovo E-W22 Price [pounds sterling]350 Contact AG Neovo 0870 242 4260 www.neovouk.com The E-W22 stands out by having a 3mm glass plate covering the LCD panel. This Neovo optical glass adds bulk and means the E-W22 is the...

Magix Mufin Musicfinder.(product evaluation)(Product/service evaluation)
December 24, 2007... Byline: Tim Smith Magix Mufin Musicfinder A playlist generator that doesn't need tags or even track names Playlist generators are a great way to make use of your music collection but are normally reliant on the tags given to music...

Save i?1/220 on Serif Page Plus X2.(Brief article)
December 24, 2007... Byline: Mike Williams Save [pounds sterling]20 on Page Plus X2 The latest version of Page Plus has a host of major new features, delivering more power and versatility than ever before. The new connector tools mean you can now draw...