Personal Computer World articles from September 2006

Personal Computer World archives from September 2006

Core Duo facts and figures.(Intel new multiple core processor)(Brief article)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Gordon Laing Core Duo facts and figures Intel's Core Duo (codenamed Yonah) processor replaces the Pentium M (Dothan), and the biggest difference between them is two cores instead of one. Core Duo's Level 2 cache remains at...

Dust dos and don'ts.(safety tips for cameras usage)(Brief article)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Ken McMahon Dust dos and don'ts Do l Prevent dust entering the camera. Use (clean) lens back caps and camera body caps and keep the time the lens is off the camera to a minimum. l Switch off the camera before changing...

Name calling.(Formula to create a shorthand word for a frequently used value on a spreadsheet )
September 21, 2006... Byline: Stephen Wells Name calling Discover the benefits of giving names to formulas, values and ranges Ever wanted to create a shorthand word for a frequently used value on a spreadsheet like tax, commission, discount or assets?...

The formatPage function.
September 21, 2006... Byline: Nigel Whitfield The formatPage function function formatPage( $pageInfo, $where ) { // format the text with appropriate CSS and HTML tags // we use @@ to indicate end of para // links are formatted with WWW:site...

Core Duo reigns supreme.(Intel Core 2 Duo, multiple core processors)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Gordon Laing Core Duo reigns supreme How Core Duo mobile chips look promising for DIY desktop use The PC processor market has become a lot more interesting recently, with Intel wiping its architectural slate clean for the...

Making Ubuntu even easier.
September 21, 2006... Byline: Barry Shilliday Making Ubuntu even easier How to use the automated options in Ubuntu, and a quick look at Kubuntu Last month we saw how to update a fresh Ubuntu Dapper Drake installation to make it more desktop and...

Start Windows faster.
September 21, 2006... Byline: Artur Hoffman, Jorg Geiger Start Windows faster We all know how long it takes Windows to launch. You don't have to wait for the promised improvements when the Vista operating system appears, because Artur Hoffman and...

How to disable autostart with Autoruns.(Brief article)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Artur Hoffman, Jorg Geiger How to disable autostart with Autoruns 1 Select the autostart item After Autoruns has detected all the components started with Windows, right-click on the entry about which you require further...

Actinic Business 8.(Product/service evaluation)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Alan Stevens Actinic Business 8 Small-business ecommerce made even easier with some great new features Now some 10 years old, Actinic is a mature and comprehensive ecommerce application that not only lets you design and...

Crash-free Windows.
September 21, 2006... Byline: Artur Hoffman, Jorg Geiger Crash-free Windows If Windows XP crashes or suddenly reboots, badly written drivers are almost always the cause. Artur Hoffman and JA[paragraph]rg Geiger share their tips on foiling unexpected...

Bypassing XP's driver protection.
September 21, 2006... Byline: Artur Hoffman, Jorg Geiger Bypassing XP's driver protection Windows XP's driver protection function runs continuously in the background. It is supposed to ensure system stability by preventing drivers known to be problematic...

Passing the Microsoft driver tests.(Brief article)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Artur Hoffman, Jorg Geiger Passing the Microsoft driver tests Before a piece of hardware can use the 'Designed for Microsoft Windows' label, it must undergo two testing procedures, the Hardware Compatibility Test (HCT 12.1) and...

Core curriculum.(processor micro-architecture)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Peter Jackson Core curriculum Peter Jackson digs deep inside Intel's newest processor micro-architecture to see exactly how it works Intel's new Core micro-architecture, which powers the Core 2 processors, has a long...

A blog of your own.
September 21, 2006... Byline: RA1/4diger Pein A blog of your own If you thought keeping a blog would take up too much of your time, RA1/4diger Pein has the solution. Follow our guide on how to create a professional blog free of charge, in three steps ...

Controlling your home.(Brief article)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Nigel Whitfield Controlling your home A home network can open up more possibilities than just security and monitoring; you can remotely control just about every device in your home -- though you can't do it using traditional...

The Slug -- Linksys' little marvel.(Linksys NSLU2, network management system)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Nigel Whitfield The Slug -- Linksys' little marvel When you start looking around the internet for DIY projects that are network related, one of the devices you'll find mentioned time and time again is the Linksys NSLU2,...

Setting up video on demand with VLC.(Brief article)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Nigel Whitfield Setting up video on demand with VLC When VLC is used as a streaming server, it usually streams immediately, but it's not too tricky to set up an on-demand video stream, which starts playing when someone asks for...

The ultimate home network.
September 21, 2006... Byline: Nigel Whitfield The ultimate home network A properly configured home network can offer you a lot more than you might have imagined, as Nigel Whitfield explains With many people -- and probably the majority of PCW...

Viewsonic VG2021m.(Product/service evaluation)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Paul Monckton Viewsonic VG2021m A 20in, budget TFT costing less than many 19in models Having much in common with typical low-cost LCD monitors, Viewsonic's VG2021m incorporates a TN panel with a 500:1 contrast ratio and a...

Mio C710.(Product/service evaluation)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Paul Lester Mio C710 A high-end satellite navigation device that's packed with features In our review of Mio's C210 (www.pcw.co.uk/2159933) we were critical of both the small screen and confusing menu structure. The C710...

Hanns.G HW191.(Product/service evaluation)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Paul Monckton Hanns.G HW191 A superb value-for-money, 19in TFT that performs well A relative newcomer to these shores, Hanns.G is part of the panel manufacturer Hannstar, and makes a range of low-cost LCD monitors. The...

Fujifilm Finepix F30.(Product/service evaluation)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Will Stapley Fujifilm Finepix F30 A pocket digicam with a range of features, including an ultra-high ISO 3200 setting Fujifilm's latest entry in its Finepix range, the F30 has a 6.3megapixel CCD. A mode dial sits on the...

Dell XPS M2010.(Product/service evaluation)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Marc Delehanty Dell XPS M2010 An innovative entertainment PC weighing in at more than 8kg Dell, better known for developing sturdy, functional and rather mundane notebooks, has taken us aback with this visually stunning...

Civcity Rome.(Product/service evaluation)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Jonathan Parkyn Civcity Rome Build it and they will come. Or not, as the case may be City builders are curiously addictive little games that cast the player in a role somewhere between a god and a civic town planner....

Storage.(computer networks)
September 21, 2006... Byline: ALan Stevens Storage demystified Choosing the right storage technology is hard, but there are small-business solutions that are easy to install and help comply with important legislation. Alan Stevens explains There was a...

A little bit of Raid.(Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks)(Brief article)
September 21, 2006... Byline: ALan Stevens A little bit of Raid Storage performance and reliability can be enhanced using Raid (Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks), where data is distributed or striped across two or more disks in an array, rather than...

An Apple with four cores.(plans for launch system with Core 2 Duo processor)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Cliff Joseph An Apple with four cores As well as looking forward to testing these Core 2 Duo PCs, we have been keeping a keen eye on Apple in recent weeks. Now that it uses Intel processors in all its Mac computers -- and even...

Identifying Core 2 Duos.(Brief article)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Cliff Joseph Identifying Core 2 Duos Intel hasn't done itself any favours with the naming and numbering system that it has come up with for the Core 2 Duo range of processors. Each processor in the Core 2 range has a five-digit...

Chillblast Hardcore 6600 OC.(Product/service evaluation)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Cliff Joseph Chillblast Hardcore 6600 OC Price [pounds sterling]1,499.99 Contact www.chillblast.com Like Scan (reviewed on page 100), Chillblast has used a Core 2 Duo E6600 in this PC, but has overclocked the processor to...

PC GT Editor's choice.
September 21, 2006... Byline: Cliff Joseph The performance of these five Core 2 Duo PCs was thoroughly impressive. Even the slowest performer in the group achieved a score of almost 90fps when running our Far Cry tests -- a score that leaves previous...

Evesham Solar Plus.(Product/service evaluation)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Cliff Joseph Evesham Solar Plus Price [pounds sterling]1,399 Contact www.evesham.com Evesham hasn't taken the overclocking route favoured by rivals such as Scan and Chillblast, but its choice of a Core 2 Duo E6700 running...

PC Nextday Zoostorm 5-7402 Edge PC.(Product/service evaluation)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Cliff Joseph PC Nextday Zoostorm 5-7402 Edge PC Price [pounds sterling]1,399 Contact www.pcnextday.co.uk It's not the fastest performer in this group, but the Zoostorm 5-7402 Edge PC could hardly be described as a slouch,...

Scan 3XS C2D-OC.(Product/service evaluation)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Cliff Joseph Scan 3XS C2D-OC Price [pounds sterling]1,499.99 Contact http://3xs.scan.co.uk Scan's 3XS C2D-OC stands out in a number of ways -- not least because of the cool blue neon glow emanating through its see-through...

The power of Core 2 Duo PCs.(Brief article)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Cliff Joseph The power of Core 2 Duo PCs Intel is boasting impressive performance for systems using its Conroe processor. Cliff Joseph tests five systems to the limit to help you decide which one fits the bill For the past...

Mesh Elite E6600 PCW.(Product/service evaluation)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Cliff Joseph Mesh Elite E6600 PCW Price [pounds sterling]1,449.99 Contact www.meshcomputers.com Its plastic-looking silver and grey front panel will not win any beauty contests, but the Mesh Elite E6600 PCW provides good...

Call of Juarez.(Product/service evaluation)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Jonathan Parkyn Call of Juarez Is this Wild West-themed shooter good, bad or just plain ugly? First-person shooter fans who have become blasA[c] about blowing holes in Nazi helmets or desensitised to drilling alien scum...

Sharp XV-Z3000.(Product/service evaluation)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Will Stapley Sharp XV-Z3000 Project high-definition video from a variety of sources with this stylish DLP model If you like the idea of a big, high-definition screen but don't fancy having a massive plasma or LCD TV...

Brother MFC-8860DN.(Product/service evaluation)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Paul Monckton Brother MFC-8860DN Fax, copy, print and colour scanning combined in a mono laser multifunction device Ranging in price from [pounds sterling]279.99 to [pounds sterling]479.99, the 8000 series from Brother...

Enermax Aurora.(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Simon Crisp Enermax Aurora Price [pounds sterling]58.37 Contact www.overclock.co.uk Overall HHHHH Better known for its power supplies, Enermax has turned its attention to another everyday peripheral that people take for...

Ridings Slimplug.(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Marc Delehanty Ridings Slimplug Price [pounds sterling]14.99 Contact www.slimplug.com Overall HHHHH The Slimplug isn't the most groundbreaking of products, but it has its uses. The three pins fold away, saving 2.2cm and...

Acer Aspire 5652.(Product/service evaluation)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Will Stapley Acer Aspire 5652 A fast notebook with high-speed mobile internet, but not suited to those on the move Acer's latest notebook combines a sturdy chassis, reasonably powerful Core Duo T2300 processor and...

Nuance Dragon Naturally Speaking 9.(Product/service evaluation)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Paul Lester Nuance Dragon Naturally Speaking 9 Versatile package that boasts 99 per cent accuracy This latest release of Dragon Naturally Speaking voice recognition software claims 99 per cent accuracy, a 20 per cent jump...

Darkstar One.(Product/service evaluation)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Jonathan Parkyn Darkstar One Shoot first, trade later with this stylish, action-packed spacehopper If you went back in time 20 years and spoke to a computer games geek, he (or she, but more likely he) would almost...

Panasonic Toughbook CF-74.(Product/service evaluation)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Marc Delehanty Panasonic Toughbook CF-74 It's got a Business Ruggedised badge, but just how tough is it? The Toughbook CF-74 looks like a notebook ready for battle with its reinforced case, shielded ports and sturdy LCD...

ALK Copilot Live 6.(Product/service evaluation)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Will Stapley ALK Copilot Live 6 The popular Windows Mobile satellite navigation software makes the transition to Symbian Previously known for its Pocket PC GPS applications, Copilot has branched into the wider-reaching...

Ipswitch WS_FTP Professional 2007.(Product/service evaluation)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Marc Delehanty Ipswitch WS_FTP Professional 2007 Fully featured FTP client with enhanced backup capability WS_FTP Professional 2007 from Ipswitch is a sophisticated FTP client aimed at power users who rely heavily on the...

Pinnacle Mobile Media Converter.(Product/service evaluation)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Paul Lester Pinnacle Mobile Media Converter A video conversion tool aimed at iPod and PSP users Mobile Media Converter from Pinnacle is a small video conversion tool designed to shift movie files or DVDs to a video iPod or...

Nike + iPod Sport Kit.(MP3 player)(Product/service evaluation)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Luke Peters Nike + iPod Sport Kit Get running motivation from your iPod and trainers Running isn't everyone's cup of tea, but two of the biggest names in consumerism have joined forces to get more people onto the track....

AIS DVB Viewer Pro 3.5.0.(Product/service evaluation)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Paul Monckton AIS DVB Viewer Pro 3.5.0 A feature-rich application that lets you get the most out of your digital tuner Most TV tuner cards on the market come bundled with software, but more often than not you will be left...

3D Fuzion Geforce 7600GS.(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Simon Crisp 3D Fuzion Geforce 7600GS Price [pounds sterling]75.20 Contact www.novatech.co.uk Overall HHHHH 3D Fuzion may be a new name to some, but it's a subsidiary of the better known BFG Technologies. Aimed at the...

Smart PC Professional.(Product/service evaluation)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Paul Lester Smart PC Professional A simple-to-use utility, but its tools are rather thin on the ground Smart PC Professional attempts to simplify the process of tweaking your PC by using a straightforward interface with...

How we tested.(evaluate the monitors by different test patterns )(Brief article)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Paul Monckton How we tested For computer graphics-based tests, we set each panel to its native colour temperature and calibrated it using a Datacolor Spyder2 Pro calibration system. Using this device ensures that the displays...

TFT GT editor's choice.(Thin-Film Transistor liquid crystal displays)(Samsung SM205BW, Sony MFM-HT205, Dell 3007WFP)(Product/service evaluation)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Paul Monckton Given the vast differences between the displays in this round-up, making a definitive Editor's Choice is even more difficult than usual. All of them have unique features which may make any one of them the best match...

Viewsonic VP2330wb.(Product/service evaluation)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Paul Monckton Viewsonic VP2330wb Price [pounds sterling]1,056 Contact www.viewsoniceurope.com/uk Unlike Samsung's SM215TW and Sony's MFM-HT205, the Viewsonic VP2330wb does not try to be anything other than a...

Sony MFM-HT205.(Product/service evaluation)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Paul Monckton Sony MFM-HT205 Price [pounds sterling]675 Contact www.sony.co.uk Certainly the most distinctive looking display in this round-up, Sony's MFM-HT205 is in the truest sense a multimedia monitor. Its physical...

Samsung SM215TW.(Product/service evaluation)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Paul Monckton Samsung SM215TW Price [pounds sterling]474 Contact www.samsung.co.uk A big step up from the SM205BW, the SM215TW adds a whole lot more than an extra inch of screen diagonal. With the same native resolution...

Samsung SM205BW.(Product/service evaluation)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Paul Monckton Samsung SM205BW Price [pounds sterling]323 Contact www.samsung.co.uk At only [pounds sterling]323, the 20.1in Syncmaster 205BW is the most cost-effective HDCP monitor in this round-up. Most of us don't want...

Dell 3007WFP.(Product/service evaluation)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Paul Monckton Dell 3007WFP Price [pounds sterling]1,471 Contact www.dell.co.uk Part monitor, part wall, Dell's 3007WFP immediately sets itself apart by being huge. The step up to a 30in diagonal makes such a difference...

How HDCP works.(High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Paul Monckton How HDCP works High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) is one of those buzzwords that's currently shrouded in rumour, misinformation and a fair bit of needless scare-mongering. As its name suggests,...

The HDCP chain.(high-bandwidth digital-content)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Paul Monckton The HDCP chain To gain entry to the HD party it's likely you'll need to upgrade more than just your monitor. Both ends of the connection must be HDCP-compliant for the system to work. To watch a Blu-ray or...

Vista-ready TFT monitors.(high-definition video)(Thin Film Transistor)(High bandwidth digital content protection)(Brief article)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Paul Monckton Vista-ready TFT monitors As Vista approaches, the need to possess an HDCP-compliant monitor to watch high-definition video content on your PC is coming into focus. Paul Monckton sits through five screen tests...

Mobile on Desktop is alive and kicking.
September 21, 2006... Byline: Gordon Laing Mobile on Desktop is alive and kicking Core 2 Duo brings cool running to the desktop, but Gordon Laing finds that mobile chips still have a key role to play in media PCs It might be traditional to knock the big...

Sky Broadband tips market over the edge.
September 21, 2006... Byline: Barry Fox Sky Broadband tips market over the edge Sky's arrival has shifted the balance of power back in customers' favour, says Barry Fox, with firms desperate to retain business Remember when Freeserve started offering...

FSP Booster X3.(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Simon Crisp FSP Booster X3 Price [pounds sterling]60.97 Contact www.overclockers.co.uk Overall HHHHH One problem with running a multicard graphics setup is that it often means splashing out on a bigger PSU to cope with...

Mesh Matrix Quad FX.(Product/service evaluation)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Marc Delehanty Mesh Matrix Quad FX A powerful system, but quad SLI performance is disappointing at present In releasing this gaming PC, Mesh has kept faith with AMD by fitting the Matrix Quad FX with an Athlon 64 FX-62....

Evesham Voyager C720DC.(Product/service evaluation)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Marc Delehanty Evesham Voyager C720DC Next-generation dual-core processor debuts in this mobile gaming powerhouse The Evesham Voyager C720DC is one of the first notebooks released to feature Intel's next generation of...

A football-themed Shuttle XPC G 2100B PC.(Product/service evaluation)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Anna Lagerkvist A football-themed Shuttle XPC G 2100B PC The World Cup may be over and done with this time around but there is still plenty of Premiership and European football action to keep up to date with. Shuttle has...

Panda.(Panda Antivirus 2007)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Mike Williams Panda Antivirus 2007 In a world packed with do-everything security packages, it's great to see Panda Software take a back-to-basics approach with its new Antivirus 2007 package. You won't find a firewall, spam...

Panda upgrade.(Panda Antivirus 2007)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Mike Williams Extend your Panda Antivirus 2007 licence Install Panda Antivirus 2007 and it'll go to work immediately, keeping your PC safe from malware of all kinds. Then you'll have a full three months of protection to decide...

Mcafee.(McAfee Personal Firewall Plus)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Mike Williams McAfee Personal Firewall Plus Keep hackers, worms and other menaces out of your PC The release of Vista early next year will finally see Windows equipped with a firewall that can trap outgoing as well as...

Mcafee upgrade.(Network Associates Inc.)(Brief article)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Mike Williams Save on other McAfee programs Powerful anti-virus tools Comprehensive security suite Free your inbox from spam Detect and block spyware Protect your home network Clean and remove junk files...

Mcafee workshop.(internet security)(Brief article)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Mike Williams Learn more about internet security with these useful firewall features 1 Most firewalls quickly build a list of applications with permission to go online (or not), but some of these are named so cryptically that...

Disc Magix.(Magix Goya Base)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Mike Williams Magix Goya Base Manage your files with this do-everything multimedia suite Magix is well known for its versatile multimedia suites, and Goya Base is an excellent addition to the range. It probably delivers...

Magix upgrade.(Magix Goya Easy Media)(Brief article)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Mike Williams Magix Goya Easy Media Record analogue/digital TV Effects-packed video editor Record and edit music Import more audio/video formats Online backup and restore Hard drive/network backup ...

Magix workshop.(Brief article)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Mike Williams Build a stylish online photo library in minutes 1 Launch Goya Base, then click Photos > View photos to launch Photo Manager 2006. Browse the left-hand Explorer pane, click the folder containing the images you'd...

Driver upgrade.(Driver Genius Professional Edition 2006)(Brief article)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Mike Williams Driver Genius Professional Edition 2006 The latest version of Driver Genius includes an improved driver update function, supporting more hardware. Driver backup can be automated through the command line and many...

Driver.(Driver Genius Professional Edition)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Mike Williams Driver Genius Professional Edition When Windows Safe mode, System restore and even the Recovery console can't help get your PC working again, there's probably only one alternative; reinstalling Windows from...

Backup4all workshop.(Brief article)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Mike Williams Take the hassle out of backups with the Backup4all wizard 1 Click to launch the Backup4all new backup wizard and give the job a name that'll help you identify it later. You can also add a detailed description if...

Backup4all.(Backup4all 3.3 Lite )(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Mike Williams Backup4all 3.3 Lite Protect your data from harm with this award-winning software After equipping your PC with a firewall, anti-virus tool, spam blocker and spyware detector, you might think your most valuable...

Backup4all upgrade.(Brief article)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Mike Williams 20% off Backup4all Professional Back up to network, FTP, CD/DVD Full differential, incremental backups Protect backups with AES encryption Schedule unattended backups Configurable email...

Ashampoo upgrade.
September 21, 2006... Byline: Mike Williams Ashampoo Photo Commander 4 Move to the latest version of Photo Commander and you'll benefit from a redesigned screen capture wizard (resize or add drop shadows and effects as you capture). A new Image Adjustment...

Ashampoo.(Ashampoo Photo Commander 3)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Mike Williams Ashampoo Photo Commander 3 Launch Ashampoo Photo Commander 3 for the first time and you could be fooled into thinking it's just another image organiser. After all, it has the classic ingredients: Explorer-like...

Agava.(Agava Antispam Servant 2.1.7.42 )(Product/service evaluation)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Mike Williams Agava Antispam Servant 2.1.7.42 As the tide of spam rises to a time-wasting 92 per cent of all emails, keeping your inbox free of junk has never been more vital. But which spam filter is best for you? We think...

Agava upgrade.(Agava Antispam Servant)(Brief article)
September 21, 2006... Byline: Mike Williams Get an unlimited Antispam Servant licence This is the full and very latest version of Agava Antispam Servant, giving you a great chance to see exactly how well its filtering technology can protect you from junk...