Personal Computer World articles from January 2007

Personal Computer World archives from January 2007

Assessing high-definition video processing.
January 1, 2007... Byline: Emil Larsen Assessing high-definition video processing While DirectX 10 has stolen a lot of the limelight surrounding the latest generation of graphics cards, high-definition video processing has improved considerably too. ...

All in the cards.
January 1, 2007... Byline: Emil Larsen All in the cards There's plenty to get excited about with the latest generation of graphics cards, writes Emil Larsen Moore's Law states that the number of transistors in a processor will double roughly every...

Asus EAH2400Pro.(product evaluation)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Byline: Emil Larsen Asus EAH2400Pro Price [pounds sterling]32.89 Contact http://uk.asus.com Overall HHHHH There's no doubt that Radeon HD 2400 Pro cards aren't as powerful as 2400XTs, and they consistently languish at the bottom...

Sapphire Radeon HD 2400 XT Silent.
January 1, 2007... Byline: Emil Larsen Sapphire Radeon HD 2400 XT Silent Price [pounds sterling]49.34 Contact www.sapphiretech.com Overall HHHHH Sapphire's HD 2400 XT isn't based on the reference design, which has an L-shape, but instead takes a...

PNY Geforce 8400GS 256MB.(product evaluation)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Byline: Emil Larsen PNY Geforce 8400GS 256MB Price [pounds sterling]39.99 Contact www.pny.com Overall HHHHH In tests, PNY's Geforce 8400GS 256MB graphics card is over one-third slower than the 8500GT in most situations. But then...

Palit Geforce 8500GT Sonic.(product evaluation)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Byline: Emil Larsen Palit Geforce 8500GT Sonic Price [pounds sterling]49.49 Contact www.palit.biz Overall HHHHH Palit's Sonic range of graphics cards run a lot faster than Nvidia's specifications, pushing the 8500GT core to...

Sapphire Radeon HD 2600 XT Ultimate.
January 1, 2007... Byline: Emil Larsen Sapphire Radeon HD 2600 XT Ultimate Price [pounds sterling]82.24 Contact www.sapphiretech.com Overall HHHHH Sapphire's Ultimate range of cards features a well-designed copper and aluminium heatpipe and...

MSI NX8600GTS-T2D256EZ-HD.
January 1, 2007... Byline: Emil Larsen MSI NX8600GTS-T2D256EZ-HD Price [pounds sterling]116.33 Contact www.msicomputer.co.uk Overall HHHHH Mid-range 8600GTS cards trounce AMD's DirectX 10 midrange offerings on performance and MSI's silent version...

Gainward Bliss 8600GT GS GLH.(product evaluation)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Byline: Emil Larsen Gainward Bliss 8600GT GS GLH Price [pounds sterling]91.64 Contact www.gainward.com Overall HHHHH Gainward's Bliss 8600GT 256MB GS Goes Like Hell sounds like it's overcompensating for something. It lives up to...

Asus EAX1950 Pro.
January 1, 2007... Byline: Emil Larsen Asus EAX1950 Pro Price [pounds sterling]93.99 Contact http://uk.asus.com Overall HHHHH ATI's X1950 Pro has been around for over a year now and is still available. It can't do DirectX 10, but cards that can...

Foxconn FV-N88SMCD2-ONOC.(product evaluation)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Byline: Emil Larsen Foxconn FV-N88SMCD2-ONOC Price [pounds sterling]195 Contact www.foxconnchannel.com Overall HHHHH We wouldn't bother with the 640MB version of the 8800GTS, because the performance difference is slight and you...

EVGA 8800 Ultra Superclocked.(product evaluation)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Byline: Emil Larsen EVGA 8800 Ultra Superclocked Price [pounds sterling]487 Contact www.evga.com Overall HHHHH The 8800 Ultra Superclocked features a silicon revision that gives better power usage and more headroom for...

Win a Shuttle Blu-ray entertainment PC.
January 1, 2007... Byline: Emil Larsen Win a Shuttle Blu-ray entertainment PC This month PCW and Shuttle are giving away a brand new entertainment PC, worth [pounds sterling]1,100. One lucky reader will win Shuttle's latest XPC G5 3101M, which comes...

4Team Corporation ShareO.
January 1, 2007... Byline: Alan Stevens 4Team Corporation ShareO Share Outlook folders using email with this add-in If you want to share Outlook folders without having to buy into Microsoft's Exchange Server, there are plenty of products available,...

Group test graphics cards.
January 1, 2007... Byline: Emil Larsen As always, there are huge changes in the way the latest generation of graphics cards operate, the biggest being the shift to using unified shaders. In the past, graphics programmers could perform only a very specific...

Editor's choice.(product evaluation on graphic cards)(Product/service evaluation)
January 1, 2007... Byline: Emil Larsen First off, we wouldn't recommend that you buy a graphics card purely on the basis of DirectX 10 functionality; performance doesn't appear too hot on current cards and there are also very few games available that make...

Asus EN8800GTS.(graphics cards)(Product/service evaluation)
January 21, 2007... Byline: Emil Larsen Asus EN8800GTS A high-end card for gaming enthusiasts and Vista The Asus EN8800GTS is the latest graphics card we've seen to sport Nvidia's 8800GTS processor. The chip may be one step down from the king of the...

Formac Gallery 1900 TNX.(flat panel displays)(Product/service evaluation)
January 24, 2007... Byline: Paul Monckton Formac Gallery 1900 TNX Looking for something a little different? This 19in TFT might be right up your street Despite its name, this Formac monitor is equally at home on a PC, albeit with a decidedly Mac-like...

Meebo.(instant messaging software)(Product/service evaluation)
January 24, 2007... Byline: Paul Lester Meebo Access your IM accounts from a single web page More and more people are using Instant Messaging (IM) as a fast and cheap way to communicate, and with a range of clients now available many people sign up...

Pathologic.(computer role playing games)(Product/service evaluation)
January 24, 2007... Byline: Jonathan Parkyn Pathologic From Russia with strangeness comes this unusual and unsettling flawed gem It's possible that many people will more readily associate Russia with vodka and furry hats than video games. That is, of...

Medieval II Total War.(computer strategy games)(Product/service evaluation)
January 24, 2007... Byline: Jonathan Parkyn Medieval II Total War Lay siege to your PC and social life with this highly sophisticated strategy game War: what is it good for? Absolutely nothing -- except for inspiring an awful lot of computer games,...

Panasonic Toughbook CF-W5.(laptop computers)(Product/service evaluation)
January 24, 2007... Byline: Emil Larsen Panasonic Toughbook CF-W5 A durable and highly portable laptop for those with deep pockets The CF-W5 is Panasonic's latest attempt to woo the corporate elite and those with deep pockets into buying a tougher...

What not to store.(music piracy regulations)
January 25, 2007... Byline: Mark Whitehorn What not to store The database solution to a copyright conundrum explained James Rufton wrote in with an apparently simple question. He is a publisher who acquires song copyrights (sounds like an interesting...

Which operating system to choose.(Brief article)
January 25, 2007... Byline: Gordon Laing Which operating system to choose The choice of operating system and software for a media server depends entirely on what you want it to do. If you want to record TV shows, then you'll need an operating system that...

Putting the boot in.(comparing Linux and Microsoft Windows)
January 25, 2007... Byline: Barry Shilliday Putting the boot in Linux partitions explained, and find out how to dual-boot with Windows For most people new to Linux, their biggest concern will undoubtedly be how to install it alongside Windows. Most...

Grub problems solved.(comparing Linux and Microsoft Windows)(Brief article)
January 25, 2007... Byline: Barry Shilliday Grub problems solved Dual-booting is normally configured to work automatically, and our typical example is one where little or no knowledge is needed to get everything up and running. There are, however, some...

Common Linux device names.
January 25, 2007... Byline: Barry Shilliday Common Linux device names Primary master hda Primary slave hdb Secondary master hdc Secondary slave hdd First Sata/USB sda Second Sata/USB sdb

Lock down your router.(broadband router secure from passwords to encryption)
January 25, 2007... Byline: Alan Stevens Lock down your router How to keep your broadband router secure, from passwords to encryption I'm always being asked questions about network security, so in this month's column I decided to address some of the...

Delivering the goods.(RAID(redundant array of independent disks) controllers)(Promise Fast Trak TX4310 versus Promise Supertrak EX83500 )(Product/service evaluation)
January 25, 2007... Byline: Gordon Laing Delivering the goods Find out how software and hardware-based Raid controllers perform In recent Performance columns, we compared the features and performance of several popular Raid technologies using up to...

Ready and waiting to be built.(upgrading (Computers))
January 25, 2007... Byline: Various Ready and waiting to be built HARDWARE Q I'd like to build a Core 2 Duo PC and have my eye on the Asus P5W DH Deluxe board as it's supposed to be good for overclocking. I'm sure I read somewhere you have to update...

Hands on Question time.
January 25, 2007... Byline: Various Databases On the edge Q Is there an easy way to get the text boxes and their labels to line up to the margin from the left or right edges of a form? I'm using Access and building lots of forms with lots of text...

The sound of music.(using Cubase's automation features to take the strain out of mixing)
January 25, 2007... Byline: Niall Magennis The sound of music Using Cubase's automation features to take the strain out of mixing Sometimes it can feel as if you need the arms of an octopus to control everything in your home studio when you're trying...

Hardware help.(hardware controllers for record automation data)(Brief article)
January 25, 2007... Byline: Niall Magennis Hardware help If your keyboard's knobs and sliders send out Midi data, you can often map these to the controls of softsynth and effects in Cubase. Once the knobs and sliders are mapped to the proper controls, you...

Overlaying automation.(automation to build up complex mixes)(Brief article)
January 25, 2007... Byline: Niall Magennis Overlaying automation When putting a mix together, you don't have try to do everything in one go. You can always record the automation for one channel on one pass, and then rewind the track and start recording...

Lookout for lookup tables.(search through data using Excel's lookup functions)
January 25, 2007... Byline: Stephen Wells Lookout for lookup tables Search through data using Excel's lookup functions I've been chivvied into this month's subject from both ends of the spreadsheet experience spectrum. David Shaw asks, "Would it be...

Microsoft goes cross-platform.(Windows Presentation Foundation/Everywhere, developer tool)
January 25, 2007... Byline: Tim Anderson Microsoft goes cross-platform We explore Microsoft's cross-platform runtime for Windows Presentation Foundation Microsoft has released the first preview of Windows Presentation Foundation/Everywhere (WPF/E), a...

Codegear gets started.(application lifecycle products, high-end project management software)(Brief article)
January 25, 2007... Byline: Tim Anderson Codegear gets started Last year Borland first announced that it would sell off its development tools, and then nine months later said it would keep them after all, in the form of a wholly owned subsidiary called...

Microsoft's Expression and the platform wars.
January 25, 2007... Byline: Tim Anderson Microsoft's Expression and the platform wars WPF/E is another piece in Microsoft's efforts to win over designers and developers to its platform. It is part of the battle for the next generation of applications that...

Border control.(word processing software)
January 25, 2007... Byline: Tim Nott Border control Take a look at borders, and gather some useful word processing tips Reader Brian Tunbridge, using Word 2000, found that typing three asterisks between paragraphs produced a row of small squares when...

Mobile Net Switch.(network management software)(Product/service evaluation)
January 25, 2007... Byline: Alan Stevens Mobile Net Switch One-button setup of network and Windows settings Changing your network settings every time you need to work from home or at another office can be a complicated, tedious and ...

Log Me In Hamachi.(network security software)(Product/service evaluation)
January 25, 2007... Byline: Alan Stevens Log Me In Hamachi Build secure networks quickly, simply and for free Log Me In Hamachi enables you to build a secure private network quickly and easily, linking PCs together over the internet. But there are...

HP Compaq dc7700.(desktop computers)(Product/service evaluation)
January 25, 2007... Byline: Alan Stevens HP Compaq dc7700 A family of desktops that ticks all the right boxes It doesn't have to offer the ultimate in performance, but a business PC does need to be reasonably quick. It also needs to able to run a...

D-Link Web Smart Switch DES-1228.(network switches)(Product/service evaluation)
January 25, 2007... Byline: Alan Stevens D-Link Web Smart Switch DES-1228 A switch with a light touch when it comes to management D-Link's DES-1228 is part of the company's lightly managed family of Web Smart Switches, offering much of the...

Copyright matters.(Brief article)
January 25, 2007... Byline: Karl Foster Copyright matters If the material you've recorded is your own creation, you own the copyright as soon as it's committed to disk. The problems come when incorporating the work of others into your production. A...

Mixing it.(to preparing an audio mix, check for unwanted noise)(Brief article)
January 25, 2007... Byline: Karl Foster Mixing it When preparing an audio mix, check for unwanted noise. While balanced connectors may have been used for the microphone, it's still possible to find hiss and hum in the background, with 50Hz (or 60Hz in...

Sound software.(Brief article)
January 25, 2007... Byline: Karl Foster Sound software Most video-editing packages have reasonable audio capabilities and, for simple soundtracks, could be all you need. However, if you want more sophistication, you should consider a dedicated audio...

Sensational soundtracks.(capture and create the perfect soundtracks)
January 25, 2007... Byline: Karl Foster Sensational soundtracks It's not that difficult to capture and create the perfect soundtracks on your PC. Karl Foster explains the ins and outs, from software to mixing Whether you're creating a video,...

Standards for trusted computing.(Department of Defense's Trusted Computer System Evaluation Criteria)(Brief article)
January 25, 2007... Byline: Jon thompson Standards for trusted computing While Microsoft continues to promote its Trustworthy Computing initiative, the idea of 'trusted' computing has a more formal meaning. Organised and administered by the US Department...

Food for thought Those of a creative bent will find plenty of food for thought this month, with a look at how to automate mixing in Niall Magennis' Sound column, and tips for creating realistic lighting effects from Ken McMahon in Digital imaging. Boy (an.
January 25, 2007... Byline: Nigel Whitfield food for thought Those of a creative bent will find plenty of food for thought this month, with a look at how to automate mixing in Niall Magennis' Sound column, and tips for creating realistic lighting effects...

Linksys Wireless-G PTZ WVC200.(webcams)(Product/service evaluation)
January 25, 2007... Byline: Alan Stevens Linksys Wireless-G PTZ WVC200 Keep an eye on your business with this professional-quality internet camera If you want to see who's in reception, monitor the car park or keep an eye on the stock room from home...

secure in the knowledge The PCW business section this month contains the usual eclectic mix of new technologies and products designed for use particularly by the small organisation, albeit with something of a security theme running throughout. With Window.
January 25, 2007... Byline: Alan Stevens secure in the knowledge The PCW business section this month contains the usual eclectic mix of new technologies and products designed for use particularly by the small organisation, albeit with something of a...

A ray of light.(digital effects can bring natural light to your images)
January 25, 2007... Byline: Ken Mcmahon A ray of light How digital effects can bring natural light to your images Lighting is one of the most important factors in photography. Most of the time, it's provided by the sun, but that's not to say you...

Become a media mogul.
January 25, 2007... Byline: Gordon Laing Become a media mogul How to create your own media server step by step If you have a growing collection of digital music, photos and videos, a Media Server can help you make the most of them. In this month's...

NTFS revisited.(New Technology File System )(Brief article)
January 25, 2007... Byline: Tim Nott NTFS revisited Make the most of your hard drive with NTFS We've dealt with the pros and cons of the NTFS file system compared with Fat32 in the past: to recap, NTFS wins all round. It can deal with larger disks,...

Avanquest Small Business Manager.(business management software)(Product/service evaluation)
January 25, 2007... Byline: Alan Stevens Avanquest Small Business Manager Integrated modules for accounts, invoicing, customer management and more Aimed at companies with up to 50 employees, Avanquest's Small Business Manager 2007 is something of a...

Vista migration.
January 25, 2007... Byline: Jon thompson Vista migration Small businesses will need to plan carefully for a migration to Microsoft Vista to ensure a smooth transition and that they remain secure, explains Jon Thompson It's a sure bet that hackers...

UAC -- The implications.(User Account Control)(Brief article)
January 25, 2007... Byline: Jon thompson UAC -- The implications Vista defends against malicious code partly using a mechanism called User Account Control (UAC). This ensures that no accounts have any privileged access, and that administrators must...

Tracking down the data thieves.
January 25, 2007... Byline: Peter Kraft, Jorg Geiger Tracking down the data thieves Your personal details are at risk from keyloggers. Peter Kraft and JA[paragraph]rg Geiger help track down the parasites Data thieves are making increasing use of...

Mac and Linux keyloggers.(Brief article)
January 25, 2007... Byline: Peter Kraft, Jorg Geiger Mac and Linux keyloggers If you think that running an operating system such as Mac OSX or Linux will keep you safe from keyloggers, you're wrong. Viruses and Trojans with keylogger functions are...

Six steps for dealing with keyloggers.(Brief article)
January 25, 2007... Byline: Peter Kraft, Jorg Geiger Six steps for dealing with keyloggers If a keylogger has found its way into your system, it's not the end of the world. Here are some tips to solve the problem. Step 1 Assume the worst -- that your...

By the (Mac)book -- the Apple alternative.(Apple Macbook)(Product/service evaluation)
January 25, 2007... Byline: Cliff Joseph By the (Mac)book -- the Apple alternative Apple has always had a reputation for high prices, but its latest Macbook model (www.apple.com/uk) compares favourably with any of the PC laptops reviewed here -- and with...

How to maximise your laptop's battery.
January 25, 2007... Byline: Cliff Joseph How to maximise your laptop's battery The point of a lightweight laptop is that you'll use it on the move a lot -- on planes, trains and other places where you may not have easy access to a mains power supply....

Laptops GT editor's choice.
January 25, 2007... Byline: Cliff Joseph This is a strong group of products and we were impressed to see lightweight, portable designs based on the latest processors selling for well under [pounds sterling]1,000. Ironically the lightest laptop in the...

Evesham Lightbook.(laptop computer)(Product/service evaluation)
January 25, 2007... Byline: Cliff Joseph Evesham Lightbook Price [pounds sterling]999 Contact Evesham www.evesham.com Evesham's Lightbook lives up to its name. With its external power adapter it only weighs about 1.7kg, making it the lightest model...

Fujitsu-Siemens Amilo Si 1520.(laptop computer)(Product/service evaluation)
January 25, 2007... Byline: Cliff Joseph Fujitsu-Siemens Amilo Si 1520 Price [pounds sterling]699 Contact Fujitsu-Siemens www.nice-pc.co.uk At [pounds sterling]699 the Amilo Si 1520 from Fujitsu-Siemens is one of the least expensive laptops in the...

HP Compaq nc6400.
January 25, 2007... Byline: Cliff Joseph HP Compaq nc6400 Price [pounds sterling]880 Contact HP www.hp.com/uk HP's focus with the Compaq nc6400 is obvious, as it comes equipped with security features that are clearly aimed at business users. ...

Lightweight laptops.(Brief article)
January 25, 2007... Byline: Cliff Joseph Lightweight laptops Wallet, keys, phone... can we add laptop to the list? Cliff Joseph tests the notebooks that claim true portability Laptops once fell into two main categories. There were 'desktop...

Mesh Pegasus S271.(Product/service evaluation)
January 25, 2007... Byline: Cliff Joseph Mesh Pegasus S271 Price [pounds sterling]799 Contact Mesh www.meshcomputers.com In many ways, the Pegasus is a resolutely unremarkable laptop. Its price, performance and battery life are all fairly average for...

Packard Bell Easynote GN Skype Edition.(Product/service evaluation)
January 25, 2007... Byline: Cliff Joseph Packard Bell Easynote GN Skype Edition Price [pounds sterling]699.99 Contact Packard Bell www.packardbell.com It's not the most powerful laptop in this group, but Packard Bell's Easynote provides excellent...

Samsung NP-Q35T006/SUK.(laptop computer)(Product/service evaluation)
January 25, 2007... Byline: Cliff Joseph Samsung NP-Q35T006/SUK Price [pounds sterling]1,056.32 Contact Samsung www.samsung.com Samsung's Q35 is a powerful yet lightweight laptop that also boasts impressive battery life. However it is also the most...

Sony Vaio VGN-C1S/W.CEK.(laptop computer)(Product/service evaluation)
January 25, 2007... Byline: Cliff Joseph Sony Vaio VGN-C1S/W.CEK Price [pounds sterling]999 Contact http://shop.sonystyle-europe.com Sony's Vaio VGN-C1S has no outstanding features but it strikes a balance between performance, portability, screen...

Imprivata Onesign.(network computer)(Product/service evaluation)
January 25, 2007... Byline: Alan Stevens Imprivata Onesign Replace your Windows passwords with something stronger Passwords are a far from foolproof way of authenticating users but they are reasonably easy to manage. Two-factor authentication...

Eliminate spam.(preventing junk emails)
January 25, 2007... Byline: Nigel Whitfield Eliminate spam The war on junk email is never-ending, but Nigel Whitfield offers some anti-spam tips At the start of 2004, Bill Gates made a rash promise: with Microsoft's might, the problem of spam could...

Implementing SPF on your server, step by step.(Sender Policy Framework)(Brief article)
January 25, 2007... Byline: Nigel Whitfield Implementing SPF on your server, step by step Adding an SPF record to your own domain is very simple. Here's how to do it. Note, that for the final step, the exact details will depend on the software you use to...

How greylisting can reduce the spam.(Brief article)
January 25, 2007... Byline: Nigel Whitfield How greylisting can reduce the spam One technique that many mail administrators are using is greylisting. So far, it's proving surprisingly effective at rejecting a lot of spam and, unlike other solutions,...

Email marketing? Just say no.(leading to increase in spam)(Brief article)
January 25, 2007... Byline: Nigel Whitfield Email marketing? Just say no Among the many spams received in the mailboxes of PCW staff have been some promoting what looks like reputable software products or well-known mail-order companies. The small print...

Symantec Norton Save & Restore.(Product/service evaluation)
January 25, 2007... Byline: Terry Relph-Knight Symantec Norton Save & Restore Price [pounds sterling]46.99 (download), [pounds sterling]54.04 (CD) Contact Symantec www.symantec.co.uk Symantec is a well-established software company with a wide range...

Runtime Software Drive Image XML.(Product/service evaluation)
January 25, 2007... Byline: Terry Relph-Knight Runtime Software Drive Image XML Price Free Contact Runtime Software www.runtime.org/dixml.htm Runtime's Drive Image XML isn't the prettiest of programs, but it's free to download, although to some...

R-Tools R-Drive Image 3.0.(Product/service evaluation)
January 25, 2007... Byline: Terry Relph-Knight R-Tools R-Drive Image 3.0 Price [pounds sterling]29.99 (download only) Contact R-Tools www.r-tt.com We reviewed Canadian company R-Tools' R-Studio, a good but complex data recovery tool, in our March...

Paragon Hard Disk Manager 8.(disk and file management software)(Product/service evaluation)
January 25, 2007... Byline: Terry Relph-Knight Paragon Hard Disk Manager 8 Price [pounds sterling]50.47 (download price), [pounds sterling]57.25 (CD) Contact Paragon www.paragon-software.com Paragon, founded in 1994, is an international software...

An image is worth a thousand files.(Brief article)
January 25, 2007... Byline: Terry Relph-Knight An image is worth a thousand files Disk-imaging applications can help protect your precious data, so Terry Relph-Knight takes a tour of the top five packages Your personal data, and the digital working...

Disk imaging GT editors choice.
January 25, 2007... Byline: Terry Relph-Knight Once a very niche category, some of these disk-imaging products are now taking over more of the functions of traditional backup software. This means your choice will be determined very much by your specific needs...

Working with disk images.(backup software)
January 25, 2007... Byline: Terry Relph-Knight Working with disk images With hard disks today commonly offering between 80 and 500GB, disk images are large awkward things to manage. Some of the imaging software in this group test offers an almost...

Acronis True Image 10 Home.(Product/service evaluation)
January 25, 2007... Byline: Terry Relph-Knight Acronis True Image 10 Home Price [pounds sterling]39.94 (download), [pounds sterling]48.37 (CD) Contact Acronis www.acronis.com Acronis is gaining a growing reputation in the field of disk imaging...