Personal Computer World articles from July 2008

Personal Computer World archives from July 2008

Different types of nothing.(Column)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Mark Whitehorn Different types of nothing A debate about tables and multiple flavours of null In the December Databases column (see www.pcw.co.uk/2201983), I said nulls are used to represent missing data. As I wrote then,...

Automate common tasks.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Ken Mcmahon Automate common tasks Life doesn't have to be a chore - your photo editor can do plenty of the drudge work According to a UK bathrooms retailer, people spend more than a year and a half in the loo in a...

Script resources.(Brief article)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Ken Mcmahon Script resources Photoshop Actions Do a web search for Photoshop Actions and you'll find plenty. Here are a couple of places to get started: http://tinyurl.com/3dldtj Adobe Photoshop Exchange has...

TV around the home.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Gordon Laing TV around the home How to stream media content and cut recorded programmes down to size This month we're taking a look at streaming recorded TV shows throughout your home, revisiting the subject of padding on...

Freesat on your PC.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Gordon Laing Freesat on your PC Find out what you'll need to receive free satellite television on your computer The launch of the Freesat TV service (see our feature on page 84) will undoubtedly spark an increase in the...

Sulphur vs Hardy Heron.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Barry Shilliday Sulphur vs Hardy Heron Discover the differences between two of the most popular Linux distributions The spring of this year saw a number of interesting new releases for Linux. The major distributions do not...

Hardy Heron hassle.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Alan Stevens Hardy Heron hassle A significant bug that could affect many users impairs the latest Ubuntu release I use both Windows and Linux and have been a long-time fan of Ubuntu, which for those unfamiliar with it is...

Advice from our experts.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Various Advice from our experts PCW's experts solve your PC problems Databases Q How can I find all the jobs that have been finished in the last fortnight in Access? Andy Mott A Access comes with a raft of...

Create movies on single-layer DVDs.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Various Create movies on single-layer DVDs Digital Imaging QI am interested in recording movies across two or more standard 4.7GB DVDs instead of onto a dual-layer, Blu-Ray or HD DVD disc. I have several DVD creation...

Sorting the patients.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Stephen Wells Sorting the patients We stalk the mean streets of Excel for a solution that gives 20:20 vision Optician Patrick Willets has asked for help creating an application for sending out reminder letters to his...

Database dalliances.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Nigel Whitfield Database dalliances Find out what you need to take when moving to proper hosting for your website Last time round, I looked at what you'll need to get to grips with if you decide to treat yourself to a...

A Dim Outlook.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Tim Nott A Dim Outlook An Outlook printing problem solved and Vista's peculiar behaviour in folders We don't usually cover Outlook (as opposed to Outlook Express) issues, but since it doesn't have a Hands On home and this...

Creating columns and boxes.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Tim Nott Creating columns and boxes Make pages easier to read with columns and boxes, and a look at the OpenOffice beta Last month we looked at several DTP-like features in Word, including getting pictures precisely where...

GET YOUR HANDS ON INFO.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Nigel Whitfield GET YOUR HANDS ON INFO This month's Hands On section kicks off as usual with a selection of your problems and solutions from our experts. You'll find the email addresses for the team on page139 and we're always...

Data Basic.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Tim Anderson Data Basic Investigate the different ways of handling databases in Visual Basic Microsoft has come up with a seemingly endless stream of database libraries over the years and, although some are of high...

Should your next PC be a Mac?
July 10, 2008... Byline: Cliff Joseph Should your next PC be a Mac? What's stopping PC users from using an Apple Mac as a Windows PC? Not a lot, as Cliff Joseph discovers Apple wants you. It really does. After years of appealing mainly to an...

Installing Bootcamp and Windows on your Mac.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Cliff Joseph Installing Bootcamp and Windows on your Mac 1 To install Windows onto your Mac, you need to locate and launch the Boot Camp Assistant (Applications, Utilities), which will guide you through the installation...

Virtual reality.(Boot Camp and Parallel Desktop)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Cliff Joseph Virtual reality Boot Camp allows the Windows and Mac OSX operating systems to co-exist on one machine, but you still need to reboot your Mac to switch from one to the other. However, there is another option -...

A look at Leopard.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Cliff Joseph A look at Leopard Although you can install Windows onto any Intel-based Mac and use it as an ordinary PC, it makes sense to at least familiarise yourself with the Mac side of things. Apart from anything else,...

Heavy metal.(Mac Pro - Apple's professional desktop workstation)(Brief article)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Cliff Joseph Heavy metal We've mentioned that most Mac models are closed boxes that are not intended to be opened and upgraded by installing new graphics cards, hard disks or other components. The one exception to this...

Acer AL2416.(color display)(Product/service evaluation)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Paul Monckton Acer AL2416 Price [pounds sterling]269.08 Contact Acer 0870 853 1005 www.acer.co.uk Acer's AL2416 is an aggressively priced display that uses a bright, high-quality panel capable of displaying stunning...

Asus MK241H.(wide colour monitor)(Product/service evaluation)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Paul Monckton Asus MK241H Price [pounds sterling]343 Contact Asus 020 7631 2020 http://uk.asus.com The MK241H from Asus immediately stands out. Its styling is unlike any other monitor we've seen, with its straight edges...

Belinea o.display 4.(color monitors)(Product/service evaluation)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Paul Monckton Belinea o.display 4 Price [pounds sterling]299 Contact Belinea www.belinea.com Bearing more than a passing resemblance to Iiyama's B2403WS, Philips' 240BW and V7's D24W33, the Belinea o.display 4...

Benq G2400W.(computer monitor)(Product/service evaluation)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Paul Monckton Benq G2400W Price [pounds sterling]289 Contact Benq www.benq.co.uk Despite housing a 24in screen, the G2400W from Benq looks smaller than it should. Dwarfed by the competition, its tiny frame seems too thin...

Colour calibration.(computer color displays)(Brief article)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Paul Monckton Colour calibration The latest crop of Twisted Nematic (TN) TFT panels offer excellent value for money and bring larger screen sizes within the reach of most budgets. Specifications such as high brightness and fast...

24in TFTs-Editors Choice.(Product/service evaluation)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Paul Monckton The variety of features available across this range of displays could make your purchase decision a little more complicated than simply finding the 'best' monitor. Now that prices have fallen considerably, many types...

Iiyama B2403WS.(identical-looking monitors)(Product/service evaluation)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Paul Monckton Iiyama B2403WS Price [pounds sterling]299.60 Contact Iiyama 0870 224 9595 www.iiyama.co.uk One of three almost identical-looking monitors in this group, Iiyama's B2403WS offers a good balance of features and...

Dazzling displays.(Brief article)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Paul Monckton Dazzling displays Prices have plummeted so far that 24in TFTs can now be picked up for less than [pounds sterling]300, as Paul Monckton discovers Many of us will appreciate the added productivity and enjoyment...

NEC 2470WNX.(computer displays)(Product/service evaluation)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Paul Monckton NEC 2470WNX Price [pounds sterling]468.83 Contact NEC 020 8993 8111 www.nec-display-solutions.com If you make a living from the images you create on your PC, or you want the highest possible quality, then the...

Philips 240BW8.(color monitors)(Product/service evaluation)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Paul Monckton Philips 240BW8 Price [pounds sterling]309.95 Contact Philips 0870 900 9070 www.consumer.philips.com Although its external appearance is very similar to the Belinea, Iiyama and V7 models, the Philips 240BW8...

Samsung SM2493HM.(24in monitors )(Product/service evaluation)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Paul Monckton Samsung SM2493HM Price [pounds sterling]420 Contact Samsung 01932 455 000 www.samsung.com/uk Undoubtedly one of the most stylish 24in monitors we've seen, the Samsung SM2493HM's expensive looks come with a...

V7 D24W33.(computer monitors)(Product/service evaluation)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Paul Monckton V7 D24W33 Price [pounds sterling]279.99 Contact V7 www.v7-world.com Having scrutinised the competition from Belinea, Iiyama and Philips, it is with a sense of dA[c]jA vu that we turn our attention to the...

Coming sooni?1/2.(software downloads and promotions)(vnunet.com )(Brief article)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Kelvyn Taylor Coming soona[bar] Later this summer, vnunet.com (which powers the PCW Downloads section at www.pcw.co.uk/downloads) will be launching a new service to bring the latest software downloads and promotions to your...

Keep up to date.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Kelvyn Taylor Keep up to date Keeping your software updated can be a real chore, but there are free programs available to help you, as Kelvyn Taylor discovers One of the downsides of having always-on broadband connections...

Free satellite TV for all.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Nigel Whitfield Free satellite TV for all The arrival of Freesat raises the option of free satellite TV on your PC. Nigel Whitfield explains For many years, satellite television in the UK has been synonymous with one...

ITV HD on your PC.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Nigel Whitfield ITV HD on your PC Since ITV HD isn't broadcast as a channel, but as an H.222 data stream, you may need to tune it manually in your PC's tuner software. These are the details you'll need: Eurobird 1,...

Inside Freesat.(it is a broadcasting metadata )
July 10, 2008... Byline: Nigel Whitfield Inside Freesat Freesat's technical specification is largely based around the requirements of its electronic programme guide (EPG). To co-exist with Sky's systems, there had to be some co-operation with the...

Satellite basics.(add a PC Card or Freesat receiver)(Brief article)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Nigel Whitfield Satellite basics If you have a satellite dish already and want to add a PC Card or Freesat receiver, it's not quite as straightforward as splitting a terrestrial TV aerial. At the end of your satellite dish arm...

Web vaults.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Will Stapley Web vaults Online storage services are booming and you can get 50GB absolutely free. Will Stapley checks out six of the best services It wasn't so long ago that MSN Hotmail was considered generous in offering...

How we tested.
July 10, 2008... To test the transfer speeds of each service, we used a variety of files at different times of the day and recorded the average speeds. These figures show what we achieved, but they should only be treated as a rough guide. Factors such as the...

Online storage editor's choice.(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
July 10, 2008... If you have a large selection of files that you want backed up online, the 50GB of free storage offered by Adrive is difficult to ignore. Aside from the massive amount of storage offered, though, there aren't many other features and the...

HP Officejet Pro L7590.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Alan Stevens HP Officejet Pro L7590 Do it all with this small-business multifunction device Part of the HP Officejet family of small-business inkjet printers, the Pro L7590 is a professional-looking multifunction device...

Toshiba Camileo Pro HD.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Cliff Joseph Toshiba Camileo Pro HD A lightweight and affordable high-definition camcorder Toshiba's HD DVD format may have bitten the dust, but the company hasn't given up the ghost on other high-definition products. It...

Qnap NVR-1012.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Paul Monckton Qnap NVR-1012 This compact kit enables you to set up a video security system in minutes The NVR-1012 is a network-attached storage (Nas) device with some very specific added functionality. It can be used as a...

Oakley Split Thump.(MP3 player glasses )(Product/service evaluation)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Paul Lester Oakley Split Thump A pair of MP3 player glasses that actually look the part Oakley's Split Thump sunglasses are another attempt to combine technology with eyewear - in this case, a digital music player. It's...

Binatone T430.(satellite navigation tool)(Product/service evaluation)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Paul Lester Binatone T430 A new entry into the GPS market from Binatone, with an interesting feature With its range of fairly basic, but effective, navigators that perform very well on the road, Binatone has impressed in...

Ergo.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Cliff Joseph Ergo Enhance your online searches by categorising and previewing results Search engines have become such a core part of our daily lives that Google often gets transformed into a verb. However, the results you...

Give your PC wheels.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Nigel Whitfield Give your PC wheels Nigel Whitfield explores the fascinating world of in-car computing Browse through sales brochures for the latest new cars and some form of onboard computer will probably appear on all but...

Microsoft in your motor.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Nigel Whitfield Microsoft in your motor Car PCs aren't, of course, the sole preserve of the enthusiast, and Microsoft has been working for a while on in-car systems. In 2000, CitroA'n unveiled the Xsara Auto PC, a car equipped...

A winning installation.(areas in car entertainment and navigation)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Nigel Whitfield A winning installation Users of the Digital Car forums gathered over the late May Bank Holiday weekend in Lincolnshire for an annual rally. PCW went to take a look at some of the installations, which by and...

Multiplex wiring issues.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Nigel Whitfield Multiplex wiring issues Anyone who has ever looked at the wiring of an old car will be familiar with the mess of spaghetti that can make up the typical 'wiring loom', with big bundles of cables all looking...

How we tested.(color monitors)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Paul Monckton How we tested To evaluate each monitor's performance, we viewed a variety of sources, including photographs, text and video. These subjective evaluations were complemented by a full calibration procedure using a...

Acorah Software Taxcalc 2008.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Alan Stevens Acorah Software Taxcalc 2008 Get your tax returns in on time with this easy-to-use tool According to Benjamin Franklin, "In this world nothing is certain but death and taxes." There's not much IT can do to...

Spam Titan.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Alan Stevens Spam Titan Say no to spam with this virtual appliance There are plenty of anti-spam tools available, some software-based and others self-contained hardware appliances. Spam Titan uniquely bridges this divide...

Draytek Vigor 2820Vn.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Alan Stevens Draytek Vigor 2820Vn More than your average internet router Low-end broadband routers tend to be much of a muchness, offering little beyond basic Internet sharing, network ports and a firewall. Vigor 2820...

Adaptec Raid Series 2.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Alan Stevens Adaptec Raid Series 2 The latest in Raid technology - it's all in the cards Adaptec recently added a couple of new low-cost products to its line-up of unified serial adapters, designed specifically for use...

HP Mininote 2133.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Emil Larsen HP Mininote 2133 The corporate heavyweight wades in with an 8.9in laptop The success of the Asus Eee PC isn't in doubt and, with some businesses hoping to kit out their entire workforce with 1kg wonders, HP's...

Cyberlink Powerdirector 7 Ultra.(video-editing program)(Product/service evaluation)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Cliff Joseph Cyberlink Powerdirector 7 Ultra A welcome upgrade for this easy-to-use video-editing program Powerdirector's strong point has always been its ease of use. It might not have the sheer power of rivals such as...

Portable office.(Travelling desktops)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Alan Stevens Portable office Doing business on the move can be tough, but Alan Stevens investigates some of the options open to you As companies become more reliant on IT to do business, staff without a permanent base and...

out of the office.(portable office)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Alan Stevens out of the office A desktop PC, huge monitor and networked laser multifunction printer may be more than satisfactory when you're sitting at your desk. Take them out of the office, however, and you start to wonder...

Irex Iliad Book Edition.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Clive Akass Irex Iliad Book Edition This reader has an interactive epaper screen - but don't throw out your bookshelves just yet Book publishers have so far escaped the kind of disruption IT caused to the music and film...

Asus P5Q Pro.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Simon Crisp Asus P5Q Pro A board with Intel's latest chipset and plenty of overclocking potential The P5Q Pro is built around Intel's new mainstream chipset, the P45 Express. This chipset supports bus speeds up to 1,333MHz...

Creative X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty.(Product/service evaluation)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Niall Magennis Creative X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty This Soundblaster PCI Express card is designed specifically for gamers Although the latest gaming PCs are fitted with faster PCI Express card slots, most soundcards are still...

System Mechanic 8.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Mike Williams System Mechanic 8 Optimise and repair your PC with this system maintenance suite Trying to keep your PC in peak condition can seem like a hopeless task. No matter how long you spend removing clutter or malware...

Extend System Mechanic 8 with these powerful hidden features.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Mike Williams Extend System Mechanic 8 with these powerful hidden features 1System Mechanic comes with many useful features that aren't enabled by default, so it's well worth exploring the menus. Go to Tools > Individual Tools...

Extend your subscription.(Install System Mechanic)(Brief article)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Mike Williams Extend your subscription Install System Mechanic and it will keep your PC healthy for six months. If you've enjoyed the capabilities of the program and you want to continue to use it after that, you'll need to...

Acoustica 4.1.(Brief article)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Mike Williams Acoustica 4.1 The latest version of Acoustica includes more audio-processing tools capable of removing crackles or cleaning clipped recordings. There are several new integrated tools and effects, while support for...

Acoustica 3.3.(audio editor)(Brief article)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Mike Williams Acoustica 3.3 Acoustica 3 is a useful audio editor that's just packed with great features. At its simplest, you could use it to convert between audio formats (MP3, OGG, WMA and other popular file types are...

save 50% on 350 pages Standard.(Brief article)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Mike Williams save 50% on 350 pages Standard Move to the 350 Pages Standard account and you'll get more storage space (up to 250MB) and a generous 10GB monthly bandwidth allowance. You'll have access to more clipart, including...

350 Pages.(online website creator)(Brief article)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Mike Williams 350 Pages If you've ever tried an online website creator before, chances are you're not keen to repeat the experience: most are slow and lacking in features. But 350 Pages is different, and it doesn't take long...

PC Tools Internet Security 2008.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Mike Williams PC Tools Internet Security 2008 Keep your PC safe from spam, viruses and spyware for 12 months Every time your PC goes online, it faces a barrage of attacks from spyware, viruses, worms, hackers and more. But...

Save 20% across the PC Tools range.(PC Tools Internet Security 2008 )(Brief article)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Mike Williams Save 20% across the PC Tools range New features Clean and optimise the Registry Recover deleted files All-in-one system optimisation Guarantee your PC privacy Standalone spyware detection...

Use Onguard to protect your PC from the very latest malware.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Mike Williams Use Onguard to protect your PC from the very latest malware 1A PC Tools Internet Security 2008 scan detects most threats by matching software on your system to a known signature in its threat database. But if the...

Serif Webplus 8.(web development tool)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Mike Williams Serif Webplus 8 Build professional websites in minutes with this development tool Creating your own website can be a challenging experience, especially when you're just getting started. It's too easy to spend...

Save 25% on Serif AlbumPlus X2.(Brief article)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Mike Williams Save 25% on Serif AlbumPlus X2 features Organise, browse and search photos, movies and music Create slideshows, photo albums and more Albumplus X2 is an ideal tool for organising, browsing,...

Creating your first site with Webplus 8.(Brief article)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Mike Williams Creating your first site with Webplus 8 1Launch Webplus 8 and the Startup Wizard will lead you through your first options. (If you've turned the Wizard off, Click File > New) Click Use a Web Wizard, then scroll...

Tune Up Utilities 2007.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Mike Williams Tune Up Utilities 2007 Clean, tune, tweak and optimise your PC with this versatile suite Configuring Windows to behave the way you'd like isn't always easy. Just finding the setting you need can be...

Tune Up Utilities 2008.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Mike Williams Tune Up Utilities 2008 New features Speedy disk defragmentation Improve Windows boot times Free up disk space Improved one-click maintenance Tune Up Repair Wizard Clear and intuitive...

Three reasons you need Tune Up Utilities 2007.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Mike Williams Three reasons you need Tune Up Utilities 2007 1This program delivers easy access to all kinds of obscure Registry settings. Would you know how to tweak the cache that holds the configuration of all your Explorer...

Sony Vaio VGX-TP2B.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Anthony Dhanendran Sony Vaio VGX-TP2B Windows Media Center in a strange new shape It's fair to say that home-entertainment PCs tend towards an unorthodox design. They need to be able to fit in with people's hi-fi and...

Iti?1/2s the same old story for compatibilty.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Barry Fox It's the same old story for compatibilty As new media formats are introduced, consumers struggle to choose the right players. But do manufacturers know any better? Every new technology creates the same scenario....

Hanns.G HG281DJ.(high-quality display)(Product/service evaluation)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Paul Monckton Hanns.G HG281DJ A super-sized, high-quality display at an affordable price The first thing you notice about this display is its 28in size - not simply the physical dimensions of the screen, but also the...

Viewsonic VA2626wm.(Product/service evaluation)
July 10, 2008... Byline: Paul Monckton Viewsonic VA2626wm A large screen with good, but not exceptional, performance With a native resolution of 1,920x1,200 pixels, this display gives the same level of on-screen detail as a 24in monitor. However,...

Xara Xtreme 4.
July 10, 2008... Byline: Nigel Whitfield Xara Xtreme 4 Create logos, websites and more with this fast program This latest version of Xara's Xtreme graphics software builds on a solid foundation, adding some extra features while still remaining...