the FREE Computeractive ebook

Transcription

RR
NEWS
E-CRIME
Police to tackle cyber crimes
Fraud centre chief speaks frankly about how she plans to deal with internet fraud
IT IS only right that victims of cyber crime
should be able to report this to the police, said
the officer in charge of a new e-crime unit.
Detective Superintendent Charlie
McMurdie of the Metropolitan police said
that the National Fraud Reporting Centre
(NFRC) will give back to members of the
public the choice to inform police of online
fraud, taken away by Home Office changes
made in April 2007.
“If you are a victim of a crime, you report
it to the police. If you don’t, it doesn’t exist,
it doesn’t get tackled, and we don’t get
the resources in the future to fight it,” she said.
Speaking at a Parliamentary forum on cyber
crime, DS McMurdie, who is heading up the
Police Central e-Crime Unit (PCeU) said the
internet played a role in most crimes these
days. Although reports collected by the NFRC
will also be evaluated by another new
organisation, the National Fraud Intelligence
Bureau, one of the main tasks for the PCeU is
to work closely with the NFRC.
It will ensure that the authorities know
how much internet crime is taking place and
that data is collated in a format that the police
can use.
x
IN BRIEF...
I VIRGIN UPGRADES
BROADBAND
Virgin Media has announced it is
to upgrade all its 2Mbits/sec
customers to ‘up to 10Mbits/sec’
free of charge.The upgrade, and
a new 20Mbits/sec service, will
start in May.The company
announced the beginning of a
50Mbits/sec service last year,
which is due to be completed this
summer.The 10Mbits/sec service
costs £14 a month when taken
with an £11-a-month phone
service (including free weekend
calls).Virgin claims this total of
£25 a month is at least £5 less
than the cost of an 8Mbits/sec
ADSL+ service.
www.virgin.co.uk
6
She also said it was realised that the police
response to victims of e-crime needs to be
improved, as did their knowledge and training
of these crimes.
“There are 140,000 police officers around
the UK and most of them don’t know one end
of the computer from the other, other than
the PC they use on a day-to-day basis,” said
DS McMurdie
“If you went into your local police station
and said you had picked up some malware
they wouldn’t know what you are talking
about,” she added.
She was also frank about what the public
should expect. With resources tight and a
lot of training to be done, she stressed that
police will not be able to investigate all
incidents of online fraud.
“We won’t investigate every Ebay crime.
I only have a total of around 30 police
officers and support staff. There are two
main criteria that need to be met; crimes that
are low volume but high value or if they
constitute an attack on the UK,” she said.
This means crimes such as the Zavvi
Direct scam, which was followed by
Computeractive last year when more than
2,500 people were taken in by fraudsters,
would be exactly the kind of crime the
new NFRC could investigate alongside
the PCeU.
www.met.police.uk/pceu
PHOTOGRAPHY
Snap a copper, come a cropper
PHOTOGRAPHERS,
BOTH professional and
amateur, have denounced a
new law that could see
them arrested for taking
pictures of police officers.
The Counter-Terrorism
Act 2008,which amends the
TerrorismAct 2000,became
law last month.The new set
of rules under Section 78 of
the newAct and 58Aof the
2000Act target anyone who
‘elicits or attempts to elicit
information about
(members of armed forces,
constables and the Queen’s
guards) which is of a kind
likely to be useful to a person
committing or preparing an
act of terrorism’. Aperson
found guilty of this offence
could be liable to a fine and
www.computeractive.co.uk
5 - 18 March 2009
even imprisonment for up to
10 years.
Although there are no
legal restrictions against
taking photographs in
public places (see
www.computer
active.co.uk/2218571),
Computeractive’s sister
publication, the British
Journal of Photography
(BJP) said that this hasn’t
stopped police officers from
being overzealous.
In December 2008 it
said, freelance press
photographerJess Hurd had
been detained for more than
45 minutes under section 44
of the 2000Act while
covering the wedding of a
couple.The Metropolitan
police force told BJPthat
“any officer that suspects an
offence has been committed
has the right to detain you”.
The BJP said this type of
incident is not uncommon.
The Home Office admitted
in November last year that
“police had sometimes
acted inappropriately”.
www.bjp-online.com
RR
RR
NEWS
x
IN BRIEF...
I ROGUE ERRORS
WARNING
Security company Sophos has
warned that a new rogue
application, the so-called ‘error
check system’ is spreading
through Facebook.
A user is sent a message from a
friend who has been infected
claiming there are multiple ‘errors’
on the user’s Facebook page.The
message then directs the user to
the application’s download page to
correct the supposed errors.The
application is not believed to
perform additional malicious
activity, but security experts are
warning that its infection
method could harvest user data for
identity theft.
www.sophos.com
I CASH FOR SPAM
ON THE INCREASE
Messages
promising
cash savings
are becoming
increasingly
popular with spammers, security
experts have warned. McAfee
researcher Micha Pekrul said that
it had received reports of a new
attack that uses coupons to lure
users into downloading a
malicious software.The spam
messages contain a link claiming
to offer coupon bundles. On
clicking the link, the user is
directed to a page where they can
download an executable file
that actually installs malicious
software.
www.avertlabs.com
I UPDATES TESTED
FOR WINDOWS 7
Microsoft has released new
updates for PCs running the
Windows 7 beta (the next version
of Windows that is still in
development) to test its updating
system.The company said the
updates for Windows 7 do not
deliver new features or bug fixes
and would merely “replace
system files with the same
version of the file currently on the
system”. Users will need to
manually install the test updates
through Windows Update.
www.snipurl.com/cjutr
INTERNET
BLOG
ISPs failing to filter abuse
CHILDREN’S CHARITIES are calling on
the Government to force internet service
providers (ISPs) to do more to filter
access to child abuse websites.
Around 700,000 households in the UK
can still easily access these sites according
to the NSPCC because some ISPs have
failed to implement
the Internet Watch
Foundation’s (IWF)
block list.
The IWF is a
charity that works
with the police and
ISPs to remove
images of children
being sexually
abused, from the
internet – see
www.computeractive.
co.uk/2224248 for details of its work. It
produces a list of up to 1,200 websites,
which it updates daily. When used with
filtering software, this list can help ISPs
block these illegal websites.
As a result of the success the IWF has
had in monitoring these sites and getting
many taken down, in April 2006 the
Government asked all ISPs in the UK to
use the charity’s list by 31 December
Windows
Watch
The Government has said
that public services and
organisations such as
schools should avoid being
‘locked into proprietary
software’. It said that
open-source software,
which includes software
such as the Linux
operating system and
Open Office suite,will be
adopted“when it delivers
best value for money”.
Licences to use open-source
software are generally free of
charge and the code that
powers the programs can be
modified freely.
Also on the blog,we take a
look at what may be the
smallest ever USB key. It is
hard to see how you could
make any smaller than the
PNY Micro attaché.
One of the problems with
making them smaller is that
it is hard to know which way
the key should be put into
the socket.
2007 on a voluntary basis.
Now the NSPCC and other children’s
charities say the voluntary approach has
failed and the Government should now
make using the list mandatory. John Carr
chairman of the Children’s Coalition
said: “The Government needs to put its
foot down and say
the industry has two
months to sort itself
out, or it will
legislate.”
Zen Internet is
one of the ISPs not
currently using the
IWF list. A
spokesperson said
this was because it
had “concerns over
its effectiveness”,
and that its managing director would
meet with the IWF to discuss the issue.
Peter Robbins, chief executive of the
IWF said Zen was missing the point:
“The list won’t stop people looking for
sites containing images of child abuse;
this is a job for the police. But it will help
people accidentally stumbling across
these,” he said.
www.windowswatch.co.uk
www.iwf.org.uk
GOVERNMENT
JARGON
B U S T E R
Critics force action on data swap Bill
JUSTICE SECRETARY
Jack Straw has indicated
that he will make
changes to a controversial
plan to allow Whitehall
departments to swap the
data they hold
on individuals.
Criticism of the Coroners
and Justice Bill has been
voiced by MPs across all
parties. Privacy groups and
a growing number of
organisations including the
Information
Commissioner’s Office
(ICO) and the British
Medical Association (BMA)
have also voiced concerns.
Clause 152 of the Bill had
been criticised as taking
another step towards a‘Big
Brother’state.This would
give Government ministers
the right to raise what are
called Information
Sharing Orders that allow
them to access data
collected by an individual
Government department
or agency, the NHS or a
private company and use
or share it without
Parliamentary scrutiny.
Techno babble demystified...
Privacy organisation
No2ID said this would be a
major departure from the
principle of the Data
Protection Act.
An extreme example
could be sharing the DNA
samples taken from
newborn babies with the
national DNAdatabase
without consent.
The organisation said:“It
is a Bill to build the database
state, concealed under a
misleading name.”
The BMA said it would
“strip patients and doctors
of any rights in relation to
the control of sensitive
health information.” The
ICO said the powers are too
wide ranging.
www.snipurl.com/ck413
5 - 18 March 2009
EXE Launchable files.
Malware Software that
performs harmful acts.
Mbits/sec A measure of
data transfer speed.
Open source Software
that’s developed and
released to the public.
Operating system
Governs how hardware and
software in a PC work.
Universal Serial Bus
(USB) Allows quick
connection of external
peripherals to your PC.
For full definitions visit:
7
HOW TO
COVER
STORY
BURN OPTICAL DISCS
Burn after
reading
Optical discs are a great way to store backup files and videos – and the latest
Blu-ray discs can hold more than ever. We explain how
B
qBefore buying
blank discs,
make sure your
PC’s optical drive
can burn them
lank CD and DVD discs have been around
for some time and are great for storing
backups of important files or sharing home
movies among family and friends.
Something you might not be so familiar
with, though, is the relatively new format called Blu-ray,
which is designed with high-definition video in mind.
When it first appeared, the high price of both Blu-ray
discs and drives meant that very few could upgrade, but
both are now becoming affordable.
In this issue, we’ll take you through the various disc
burning options available, including Blu-ray, and detail
how much each one is likely to cost. We’ll also show
how to create your own movie disc that will play in a
standard DVD player. And, should
you decide to add Blu-ray to
your computer, our free online
video tutorial will guide you
through the whole process
from start to finish.
Burning basics
There are a variety of options when it comes to disc
burning but before shopping for blank discs first make
sure the optical drive installed in your PC will be able to
burn them. At the very least, most relatively new PCs
will have what’s known as a combo drive: one that can
read DVDs and both read and write CDs. More modern
PCs will have a DVD writer than can read and write
both DVDs and CDs. Very old models, however, may
only have a CD-Rom drive, which means it will only be
able to read data from CDs and nothing else. Optical
drives are incredibly cheap these days, with DVD
writers available for as little as £20 online, so if you do
need to upgrade it won’t cost too much.
You now need to decide what type of discs to buy.
CDs are the cheapest and come in two types: CD-R,
which can be saved to only once, and CD-RW, which are
writable many times. The exact capacity of both types
of CD varies, but is usually around 650 to 700MB. A
pack of 100 CD-R discs can be found for just under £10,
which works out at around 10p per disc, while CD-RWs
are more expensive at roughly 50p each. Thanks to their
low cost, CD-Rs are great for creating backups of
important files, such as documents and photos, as well
as storing a large amount of music. However, when it
comes to burning video to disc, it’s best to make the
switch to DVD.
DVDs are a great way to store loads of backup files or
home movies, but there are a few more choices to make
when buying DVD discs. Like CDs, DVDs are available
in both -R (writable) and -RW (rewritable) formats, but
you also have to decide whether to buy plus (DVD+R
and DVD+RW) or minus (DVD-R and DVD-RW) discs.
These two systems essentially do the same thing, and
14
11 - 23 December 2008
Image: Nick Palmer
Video killed the CD-R
BURN OPTICAL DISCS
HOW TO
JARGON
B U S T E R
most modern DVD writers can
use both.
You’ll also need to
choose whether to
buy single- or duallayer DVDs. With
capacities up to
around 4.7GB, a
single-layer DVD
disc can store the same
amount of data as around seven CDs. At 8.5GB,
dual-layer DVDs can cram in almost twice as much as a
single-layer disc but you can only write to them once.
The huge capacity of DVDs means they’re suited to
storing video, or for backing-up all your data onto just a
couple of discs. For a complete guide to the different
types of DVD available, check out our guide to disc
types at www.computeractive.co.uk/2202363.
One downside to DVDs is that the discs are more
expensive than CDs. Single-layer (4.7GB) DVDs cost
around 20p each when bought in bulk, while dual-layer
(8.5GB) discs are around 40p each. That said, when you
factor in the amount of storage you get for 20p a disc,
DVDs are actually very good value.
Thankfully, the majority of DVD drives will happily
accept all CD and DVD formats, but it’s worth checking
the manual or manufacturer website of your drive just
to make sure. For more information on the different
formats, head to www.computeractive.co.uk/2202363.
When buying discs, you’ll notice speed ratings such
as 4x, 8x and 24x on the packaging. This indicates the
maximum speed at which the discs can be written, and
your optical drive should have a similar rating to show
how quickly it can perform. In order to get the best
possible speed, you’ll need discs with a speed rating
that’s just as high as that of the drive, but don’t worry if
tDVD drives cost as
little as £20
your discs are slower:
the drive will slow itself
down a little to use them.
Blu is the colour
There’s also a relatively new type
of disc known as Blu-ray. This has
several advantages over CD and DVD
discs but at a price, so before making any upgrade
decisions it’s worth making sure you understand what
this new format has to offer.
Developed with high-definition (HD) video in mind,
Blu-ray discs come in single- and dual-layer formats,
offering a whopping 25GB and 50GB of storage
respectively. However, it’s not just movies that can
benefit from Blu-ray discs, and with such huge storage
capacities they’re also ideal for anyone who wants to
back up large amounts of data on a single disc.
Blu-ray discs are, however, much more expensive
than both CD and DVD. Write-once Blu-ray discs,
called BD-Rs, cost around £5 each for single-layer
(25GB) and £18 for dual-layer (50GB). Single-layer
rewritable BD-RE discs are £10, and dual-layer ones
R
Blu-ray A format that
delivers high-definition
video and games or up to
50GB of storage on
DVD-sized discs.
Burning The act of writing
data onto a CD or DVD.
Drag and drop Enables
users to move files around
by clicking on an icon, then
holding down the left-hand
button on a mouse.
High definition An HD
picture has a higher
resolution to that of normal
TV or video, therefore
showing more detail.
MB Megabytes. A
measurement of storage.
1MB is equal to
1,024KB (kilobytes).
UPGRADING TO BLU-RAY
If the thought of being able to create your own
high-definition discs has captured your
imagination, you’ll probably need to start
thinking about what steps to take to
upgrade your PC so that it supports Blu-ray.
Be sure to take a look at the video guide that
accompanies this feature, where we take
you through the whole process of adding a
Blu-ray drive to your existing PC, in simple
and easy-to-understand steps. You can view
the video online at www.computeractive.
co.uk/2228086.
11 - 23 December 2008
15
HOW TO
BURN OPTICAL DISCS
considerably more at £30
each. So as tempting as
they might sound, most
backup users would be
better off sticking with a
couple of cheaper DVD
discs for the moment.
If Blu-ray sounds
tempting, and especially if
you’re planning to play highdefinition movies using Bluray discs, it’s vital to make sure
your PC is powerful enough
before buying any new equipment.
Cyberlink provides a useful utility
that scans your PC and reports back on
what is needed to in order to be Blu-ray compatible.
Download the tool from www.snipurl.com/54wqg.
In order to use Blu-ray discs, a special Blu-ray optical
drive is required. Until recently these were
very expensive, but prices have finally begun to fall.
A drive that can read Blu-ray discs now costs around
£70, while writers such as LG’s GGW-H20L will set
you back around £140.
9Nero is capable of performing DVD burning within XP. The
package also comes with a variety of useful features
tCyberlink can scan your
PC for Blu-ray compatibility
If you do decide to
upgrade, take a look at the
box on page 15, where
you’ll also find a link to
our online video guide to
installing a Blu-ray drive.
Windows option
Windows comes with disc
burning software built in,
but what you can actually
do with it depends on the
version you’re running.
With Windows XP, it’s possible to burn CDs simply by
placing a writable CD into the drive, double-clicking the
drive’s icon from within My Computer and then dragging
and dropping files into the window. However, in order to
burn DVDs using XP, some extra software is required.
Nero 9 and Roxio Creator 2009 are both more than
capable of performing DVD burning within XP, and
include a huge variety of other features besides. There’s
also a selection of free software that lets you burn
DVDs and CDBurnerXP (www.cdburnerxp.se) is a
popular choice. The ability to burn both CDs and DVDs
comes as standard with all versions of Windows Vista,
and the process of copying files is almost identical to
the XP method: insert a blank disc, choose Burn files to
data disc, then drag and drop files onto the disc’s folder.
Unfortunately, burning videos that will play in a
standard DVD player attached to a television isn’t
simply a case of copying video files onto a DVD since
they need to be converted into a format that your DVD
player can understand. Thankfully, this isn’t a difficult
task, and if you’re running either the Home Premium or
Ultimate version of Vista you’ll already have a copy of
Windows Movie Maker that can do the job – see the
step-by-step guide below.
With all other versions of Vista, you’ll need to
purchase some extra software – again, the Nero
STEP BY STEP | HOW TO CREATE A DVD WITH WINDOWS MOVIE MAKER
1
Windows Movie Maker is included in the Home
Premium and Ultimate editions of Vista. Start it
by typing ‘movie maker’ into the Start menu search
bar and pressing Enter. To start your project, click the
Import Media button in the top-left corner. Now hunt
down all the video files you want to include in your
movie, adding them one at a time, or in a group.
16
2
With all your video clips imported, you now
need to drag them into the storyboard section
that’s stretched along the bottom of the window. This
dictates the order in which they will be played back –
if you want to change the order, simply drag the clip
in question to a new position. The window on the
right lets you preview the movie.
11 - 23 December 2008
3
You can spice up your video by adding special
effects. Click on the Effects option in the Tasks
pane to see what’s available. Now drag your chosen
effect onto the clip on the storyboard that you want it
applied to. The Transitions option lets you alter how
one clip should flow into the other – again, just drag
the chosen transition onto the storyboard.
TRIED&
TESTED
OUR STAR RATINGS
LAPTOP COMPUTER | £1,000
With every product we review, we tell it like
it is and give it Computeractive’s
authoritative star rating.
Here’s what those stars mean:
EXCELLENT
#####
WORTH IT
#####
OK BY US
#####
POOR
#####
AWFUL
#####
HP HDX16
A stylish, powerful entertainment PC
OUR STAMP OF APPROVAL
The Buy It! stamp
of approval is a
sign that a product
has exceeded our
high expectations
in both quality and
value for money. If you see the Buy It!
logo you know we were impressed with
the product and we think you will be
too. The Try It! Stamp is our equivalent
award for software and services that are
free of charge.
A list of products that we think are the
best available in various categories can
be found at the back of the Tried &
Tested section.
BUY IT!
ONLINE REVIEWS
If you are looking for reviews of a certain
kind of product, the best way to do so is
through our website, where you can read
reviews by category and type of product.
Go to www.computeractive.co.uk/products
PRICES
The prices we print are the suggested
retail prices set by the manufacturer.
Products can often be found much
cheaper on the internet or in shops.
For the latest keen prices on a range
of products go to
www.computeractive.co.uk/bestprices
TECHNICAL TERMS
AND JARGON
While we try to keep our reviews free
from technical language or jargon, it is
sometimes unavoidable. See the Jargon
Buster column for concise explanations
of highlighted words. For an in-depth
glossary, go to
www.computeractive.co.uk/jargon
HOW WE TEST
Computeractive’s reviewers follow strict
guidelines to ensure the opinions
expressed in the magazine are fair,
accurate and independent. Every
product or service we review is
thoroughly examined and tested by
experts. The manufacturer has no
involvement in our tests and is never told
the result of a review prior to publication.
Please note that our reviews grade
products, not customer service.
We welcome feedback on our reviews
– send us an email to
[email protected]
or discuss our reviews at
www.computeractive.co.uk/forums
16
BUY IT!
L
aptops now come in all
shapes and sizes – at one
end of the spectrum are
humble mini-notebooks,
while at the other end are
all-singing desktop replacements,
such as the HP HDX16-1010EA (to
give it its full name).
The computer’s dark
grey-coloured case is marked by a
series of silver and charcoal pen
lines, and the lid bears a silvered HP
logo that glows white when the
machine is switched on.The pen
lines extend to the palm rests in front
of the keyboard and even onto the
large touch pad, which is faced with
polished metal and is beautifully
smooth to use.There’s a
fingerprint reader to the right
of the pad for added security,
and the keyboard itself uses
full-size, metal-topped keys
and includes a separate number
pad. Behind the keyboard is a
silvered row of touch keys, including
a sliding volume control and a quick
button for accessing HP’s
Mediasmart entertainment
software, which can help to organise
your music, photos and videos.
The sound system includes a bass
speaker, which points down at the
desktop to enhance low tones. It
produced some of the best sound
we’ve heard from a laptop, with good
sound response at most levels.
The screen has a high resolution
of 1920x1080 pixels,which means
it can display full 1080p
high-definition (HD) video content
from Blu-ray discs – there’s a Blu-ray
reader built into the right-hand side,
which doubles as a DVD rewriter.The
screen is bright and very sharp,
though at its fullest resolution some
text can appear very small.Asingle
gloss sheet covers the screen,giving
it a hard surface and improving
contrast but also producing some
distracting reflections.
To support this media capability,
the HDX16-1010EA includes
additional sockets such as an
HDMI connector for high-definition
external monitors and eSata for
24 December 2008 - 7 January 2009
connecting new, fast external disks,
as well as the usual range of USB
and Firewire sockets.There is a
miniature remote control for
working with Windows Media
Center software, which clicks into a
slot in the side for storage. Media
Center can also use the built-in TV
tuner to display and record digital
TV in all its glory.
The high specification continues
inside the case, with an Intel Core
2 Duo processor, a generous 4GB
of main memory and a fast Nvidia
Geforce 9600M GT graphics card.
Internal storage is provided in the
form of a 350GB hard disk.
The HDX16’s general
performance returned some
impressive figures in our lab tests
and although the graphics
performance was not quite as
impressive, it was high enough to
ensure decent results in popular
recent games, particularly if you
keep the detail levels down.
In addition to the Windows
Vista Home Premium operating
system, the computer comes with
bundled software that includes
Microsoft Works and the HP
entertainment centre.
This is a laptop with top
entertainment credentials that
is also a great tool for the home
and for the office.
Simon Williams
DETAILS
Contact: HP 0845 270 4142
Info: www.hp.com/uk
Retail Price: £1,000
Buy: www.dixons.co.uk
ALSO CONSIDER...
Acer Gemstone AS6920G: £700
A good all-rounder, with perhaps not as much
style as the HP, but with good power and
performance. #####
www.computeractive.co.uk/2218717
WE SAY
If you’re after an entertainment PC,
this compact and stylish one has
everything you should need
GOOD POINTS: High-performance;
Blu-ray/DVD reader built in; fully HD
compatible; large widescreen display;
great looks
BAD POINTS: Battery life relatively short
OVERALL: #####
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Source: cce1
TRIED & TESTED RR
LAPTOP | £1,195
UTILITY SOFTWARE | £25
ZEPTO NOX A15
ISTUDIO 3
Style and substance, but at a cost
All the tools you need to convert music and
video for the iPod
Z
epto’s Nox A15 is quite a
stylish number, with more
than a little of the Apple
Mac about its design.The case
is sleek, compact and curvy at
the edges, with no extraneous
bulges and nothing to detract
from the clean lines.
It’s reasonably light, too, at
2.75kg – not as light as they get,
but certainly easily portable.The
model we looked at uses an Intel
Pentium P8400 processor, which
is in the middle of the range in
power terms, and 4GB of memory.
There’s a 320GB hard disk and a
DVD writer for further storage.
The Nvidia Geforce 9600M GT
graphics card with 512MB of
memory means it can hold its own
for recent games, albeit with detail
levels turned down a little. General
performance was also very
impressive – it’s more than capable
of dealing with office tasks and
photo and video editing.
The 15.4in widescreen display
is excellent, with clear, sharp text
and graphics, and bright colours.
Various screen options are available
– it’s possible to reduce the cost by
going for one with a lower
resolution than the 1,680x1,050
pixels on our test model.
It has an HDMI output for
connection to high-definition
screens (or to newer standard
monitors using an adapter) as
well as three USB ports, a
memory card reader, and network
connection (it also connects to
all wireless networks).
There is a 12-month warranty,
under which Zepto will collect
the computer if it breaks, and
return it by courier. If you’re a
Linux fan, you can also choose
to have it supplied without
an operating system,
and install Linux
yourself,
which cuts
the cost.The
one we looked at
came with Vista Home
Premium – it’s possible to select
Home Basic as well, but we would
recommend paying the £30
difference for the Premium version.
The fact is that £1,200 is a lot to
pay for this computer. It’s justified
in the computer’s looks and quality
build – it’s extremely well put
together. But if those things aren’t
the most important factors in a
computer, you’d be able to save a
good few hundred pounds by going
for a less good-looking model.
Anthony Dhanendran
DETAILS
Contact: Zepto 0845 602 0985
Info: http://uk.zepto.com
Retail Price: £1,195
Buy: http://uk.zepto.com
ALSO CONSIDER...
Apple Macbook: £1,149
A beautiful, powerful notebook, but again this
comes at a price. #####
WE SAY
An excellent performer, but you’ll be
paying extra for the admittedly great
design of this laptop
GOOD POINTS: Excellent design;
fairly powerful; good keyboard
BAD POINTS: Quite expensive for
what it contains
OVERALL: #####
G
etting video
onto Apple
devices can be
a pain because the
iPod, iPhone and
AppleTV require files to
be in a specific format
before they can be
viewed.The iStudio 3
software promises to
take the fuss out of the
process and in addition
to video, which it can
copy from some DVDs,
it can also extract audio from CDs
and internet radio stations.
Video can be dragged and
dropped onto the interface to make
a list of files to process.The software
supports the relevant formats and
resolutions for the standard iPod,
Nano,Touch or AppleTV and there’s
also the option to choose from three
levels of quality.
Rudimentary editing tools offer
the ability to select a specific part of
a clip by choosing start and end
points, which is a nice way to
eliminate credits or unwanted
sections. DVD ripping (for
unprotected discs only) involves
choosing a chapter to convert and in
both cases there’s a choice of
formats for newer and older devices
and the option to stretch edges to
remove black borders.
The conversion process is pretty
fast: in our tests it took just under 20
minutes to convert 300MB (an
hour’s worth) of video and this was
at the highest quality setting.
Unfortunately you then need to
transfer the files manually through
iTunes, but we were pleased by the
playback quality on the device.
In addition to video files the
software can extract audio from CDs
and DVDs. In the case of CDs this is a
simple ripping utility but the latter is
a useful tool, which retains the
clipping and preview features for
trimming files.
Finally the internet radio recorder
can record live music or talk
streams from the internet.There’s a
scheduler so you don’t miss your
favourite shows and the software
will split songs into individual tracks
labelled with the title and artist.
The main strengths of iStudio3
are its video conversion tools, which
are both fast and easy to use, and
produce good quality clips. Despite
some minor problems iStudio is a
capable product that certainly takes
the hassle out of filling an iPod with
usable video.
There may be free software that
does a similar job, but for ease of
use we’d recommend iStudio.
Paul Lester
DETAILS
Contact: PX Software, no UK number
Info: www.pxsoftware.co.uk
Retail Price: £25
Buy: www.computeractive.co.uk/bestprices
ALSO CONSIDER...
Magix MP3 Maker 12: £27
A whole host of conversion and music file
management tools, MP3 Maker supports
most formats as well as podcasts. #####
24 December 2008 - 7 January 2009
WE SAY
A good way for less advanced users to
prepare audio and video for an iPod
GOOD POINTS: Fast and easy; good
results; supports all of Apple’s devices
BAD POINTS: Won’t transfer content
automatically; free alternatives
OVERALL: #####
17
ISSUE 290
WORKSHOPS
Aspect ratio A measure of
the relative width and height
of a display.
Hard disk A high-capacity
disk fitted in PCs to store
applications and files.
Burning The act of writing
data onto a CD or DVD.
Icon A small image used by
Windows to identify a file.
Control Panel A tool in the
Start menu that enables you to
change Windows settings.
ISO A file that contains all the
information on a CD or DVD.
Cursor A flashing shape on
screen showing where the next
character you type will appear.
Network Connecting several
PCs and devices to share data.
Dialogue box A window that
pops up to display information.
Notification Area An area
on the bottom of a screen that
shows which programs are
running in Windows.
Disc image A file that
contains an exact copy of a hard
disk for backup purposes.
Pal Phase Alternating Line. The
broadcast TV standard used in
the UK and in much of Europe.
Double-click To click twice
quickly in succession on a
mouse button.
Paste To take a previously
copied item and insert it into
another program.
Drag The action of clicking on
something with the left mouse
button, keeping the button
pressed and moving the object.
Pixel The smallest part of an
image displayed on a monitor or
captured by a scanner.
Dropdown menu A list of
options that appears beneath a
menu bar when you select a
menu option.
Resolution The amount of
detail shown in an image.
Right-click Clicking the
right mouse button.
DVD-R A type of recordable
DVD. DVD-R discs are designed
to have data recorded to them
once only.
Scroll bar The section of a
window you use to move around
when the window’s contents
are too large to display at once.
EXE Executable files.
Launchable files with names
ending in .exe.
Shortcut A file that acts as a
link to something else.
Explorer A program supplied
with Windows that’s used to
browse files on your PC.
Font Letters, numbers and
other symbols in a certain style.
Frames In the context of web
pages, these are used to
segment content.
Taskbar The bar along the
bottom of the screen.
Thumbnail A small image that
is a preview of a larger image.
Toolbar A strip of icons across
the top of most applications.
Wizard A step-by-step process
that helps you choose settings.
For full definitions visit: www.computeractive.co.uk
In this Issue
HOW TO TYPE TEXT IN ANY LANGUAGE
Type international languages using a Windows computer with
an English keyboard p36
MAKE FREE DVD MOVIES
Find out how to make DVDs from video clips quickly, simply and
free of charge p40
FIND AND OPEN WINDOWS FOLDERS
MORE EASILY
PULL OUT & KEEP
JARGON
B U S T E R
Get lost in your Windows folders? Folder View is free and makes
it easy to find what you need p43
MANAGE ALL YOUR
INSTANT MESSAGING
CONTACTS EASILY
Got lots of friends who use different
instant messaging programs? Discover
how to keep in touch with them all p46
RUN OLD
PROGRAMS
IN XP OR VISTA
Find out how old
bargain-basement
software can be made
to run on modern PCs p48
R
WHAT THE WORKSHOP LEVELS MEAN...
1 2 3
Suitable for the most anxious novice, LEVEL 1 deals
with simple tasks that every computer user can try.
1 2 3
More involved, but simple enough for all to
complete, LEVEL 2 may introduce you to new
features in applications.
1 2 3
LEVEL 3 will bolster your existing knowledge and
help you to see how much your computer can do.
Clear but demanding.
RR
NEXT STEP: TURN OVER...
2 - 15 April 2009
35
WORKSHOPS
LEVEL 1 2 3
RUN OLD PROGRAMS
Run old programs
in XP and Vista
Find out how old bargain-basement software can be made to run on modern PCs
T
he older a software application is, the less it’s likely to cost and
in many cases you needn’t pay more than a couple of pounds,
be it from an auction website or the local car boot sale.
box (how could it be when it was invented after the program?), this
doesn’t mean the program won’t work properly or reliably; both
Windows XP and Windows Vista have the ability to run software
designed for versions going right back to Windows 95.Just make sure
the program is supplied on CD and not on floppy disks because most
modern PCs don’t have a floppy disk drive.
The cheapest programs are likely to be those that were originally
written for an earlier version of Windows but, just because your
computer’s current version of Windows isn’t named on a program’s
Step
INSTALLING A PROGRAM MEANS copying its files
from the CD it was supplied on and storing them on
the computer’s hard disk. In most cases this happens
automatically when a disc is inserted into the CD drive.
If it doesn’t, start Windows Explorer by holding down the Windows
key (the one with the flag on it) and pressing E. When Explorer starts,
double-click the CD drive in the list of drives on the left of the
screen to reveal the contents of the CD on the right. To install
the program, double-click the setup or setup.exe icon. e
1
Step
ONCE THE PROGRAM HAS been installed, there will
almost certainly be an entry for it on the Start menu and in
many cases an icon on the Windows Desktop. Try starting
the program by one of these methods to see what happens.
Many older programs run perfectly as soon as they’ve been installed,
others might appear to run fine at first, but with non-working features
that come to light at a later date, and in a very few cases the program
might not run at all. To tackle these problems you need the help of the
Program Compatibility wizard, seen here running in Windows XP. e
2
Step
TO OPEN THE PROGRAM Compatibility wizard in
Windows XP, click the Start button and point to All
Programs, then point to Accessories and click Program
Compatibility Wizard. In Windows Vista, click the Start
button and then Control Panel. When the Control Panel is displayed
click on Programs, and then in the Program and Features section click
‘Use another program with this version of Windows’. Before going any
further, locate the ‘system requirements’ listed on program’s packaging
or search for them using Google. Those shown here are for the 2001
version of Microsoft Works Suite. e
3
48
2 - 15 April 2009
WORKSHOPS RR
RUN OLD PROGRAMS
Step
THE CRUCIAL SYSTEM REQUIREMENT to
note is the recommended version of Windows.
Also important is the suggested screen mode,
both in terms of recommended resolution
(likely to be 640x480 pixels or higher) and the number of
colours (likely to be 256 or higher). Don’t worry about
processor and memory types. Armed with this information,
click the Next button on the opening screen of the Program
Compatibility Wizard. Select ‘I want to choose from a list of
programs’, and then click Next to see a list of what’s installed
on your computer. e
4
Step
CLICK TO SELECT THE program and then click
Next to pick a compatible version of Windows.
Those listed here are from the Windows XP
Compatibility Wizard; Vista also lists Windows
XP and Server 2003. Select the most recent version of
Windows mentioned in the system requirements and then
click Next. When asked to choose from a list of display
settings, ignore the request and simply keep clicking Next
until the program runs for the first time in compatibility mode.
If all is well, select ‘Yes, set this program to always use these
compatibility settings’ and click Next to close the wizard. e
5
Step
IF THE PROGRAM STILL doesn’t run properly,
select ‘No, try different compatibility settings’ and
then click Next. Select the same version of
Windows as you did in Step 5, followed by Next.
This time, on the display settings page select the 256 colors and
Disable visual themes checkboxes, and then keep pressing Next
until the program starts again with its new settings. If problems
remain, repeat the process, ticking every option on the display
settings page (three in Windows XP and five in Vista). These
settings should allow most older programs to run happily G
6
2 - 15 April 2009
49
NO PROBLEM!
OA
[email protected]
ANSWERS TO
PC PROBLEMS
&
STAR LETTER
Our team of experts solves your
computer, software & internet problems
JARGON
B U S T E R
Attachment A computer file, such
as a word-processor document or
spreadsheet, sent along with an
email message.
Dial-up A component of Windows
that allows PCs to connect to the
internet using a modem and a
telephone line.
DVD A type of disc able to store up
to 4.7GB of digital data, including fulllength movies, with excellent-quality
sound and pictures.
Format To prepare a disk for use.
GB Gigabyte. A measurement of
storage , usually for hard disks. 1GB
is equal to 1,024 megabytes.
Hard disk A high-capacity disk
fitted in almost all PCs and used to
store both applications and the
documents and files they create.
Imap Internet Message Access
Protocol. A system that allows email
users to manage messages stored on
a remote server.
Internet Service Provider
(ISP) A company that provides you
with an internet connection, either for
a fixed monthly fee or for the cost of
local call charges.
Motherboard The main circuit
board inside any PC into which every
other component connects.
NTFS NT File System. A file system
used by Windows NT, XP and Vista.
Continued on P62 q
You will notice that the only real
difference is that a comma is
used to separate the different bits
of information.
The only problem with adding
a space between the cells is if
there is already a space at the end
of the first cell. This is easy to
solve with the trim function that
is available in both Calc and
Excel. The final formulas for
Calc and Excel are
Bob Wishart
=TRIM(CONCATENATE(A6;"
There are a couple of
";B6)) and
concepts here with
=TRIM(CONCATENATE(A6,"
spreadsheets, neither of which
",B6)) respectively.
is difficult to overcome.
The second part of the question
The first is combining the
is about copying the combined
two cells. We’re assuming from
text as a value rather than a
what you say that they are text
formula. As far as Excel or Open
rather than numbers to be
Office are concerned, there’s no
added or subtracted.
need to do this as they will work
To combine the text in cells A4
the same with the contents of the
and B4 use the following formula
cell whether it is a formula or a
=CONCATENATE(A4;B4). You
direct entry. It also helps you to
may want to add a space between
update the spreadsheet.
the cells, in which case the
If you need to change a name
formula should be written as
in a list, all the names will be
=CONCATENATE(A4;" ";B4).
updated automatically. If the
There is a similar command in
chain of the formulas is broken,
Microsoft Excel, but it is written
you would have to do this
slightly differently. For the same
updating by hand, which takes
example the formula would be
more time and adds the potential
=CONCATENATE(A4," ",B4).
for mistakes.
If you are sure
you want to break
the links of
formulas, this is
done by copying
the range of
information and
then using a special
Paste command. In
Excel, select the
range of cells and
press Ctrl and C
together to copy it
to the clipboard.
Left-click on the
cell you want to
start the copied
range from, click on
the Edit menu and
then Paste Special.
Click in the circle
9Paste values if you don’t want to copy formulas
Q|
I have two sets of data in
an Open Office Calc
spreadsheet in two columns. I
would like to combine these in
column C. I am only interested in
the data not the formulas that
produced it. I want to copy the
data elsewhere, in the same page ,
or in another sheet, or transfer it
to another program. I don’t want
the underlying formulae.
A|
Download Transferring files onto
your PC directly from the internet.
60
Merging cells in Open Office
16 - 29 April 2009
labelled Values, then on OK.
Open Office works a little
differently. Select and copy the
cells in the same way and then
click on the Edit menu and Paste
Special. Click in the box labelled
Paste all so that the tick
disappears and the other options
below will become available.
Click in the Formula box so this
tick disappears as well, then click
on OK. The result of the formula
will then be pasted in the cell.
Where’s my disk gone?
Q|
I recently used Paragon
Drive Copy to make a
backup of my hard disk to a new
external hard disk. I have ended
up shrinking the total capacity
of my external hard disk to the
same as my existing hard disk –
140GB. Even if I try to format the
external hard disk I cannot regain
the lost capacity.
The problem could be down to
me as I tired of waiting for the
hard disk to be copied and
aborted the operation. Is there
any software I can purchase that
would solve this problem?
A|
J Ingram
Paragon Drive Copy makes
an exact copy of your hard
disk, which means that even if
the disk you’re copying to is
bigger than the one you’re
copying from, you’ll end up with
a second disk the same size as the
first, which is what’s happened.
For example, your main hard
disk is 140GB, but let’s say the
external one is 200GB. What
you’ve got after the copy is a
140GB external hard disk. The
extra 60GB hasn’t disappeared,
though, but it’s not allocated to a
disk drive letter, so Windows has
no idea it’s there.
You can rectify this by making
what’s called a new partition
using the disk management tool
built into Windows, but there’s
one thing to beware of: the tool is
capable of deleting an entire disk
with a single click, so make sure
you take extreme care and only
click on the external hard disk,
not anything else.
Open the Start menu and
right-click My Computer, then
select Manage from the menu
that appears. In Windows Vista
you may be asked to confirm this
action. You’ll then see the
Computer Management window.
NO PROBLEM! Q&A RR
SOLVING YOUR PROBLEMS
Our team of experts is on hand to help solve PC problems.
Read on to find out how
Please note that we can only reply through the No Problem page – we can’t reply
personally by email, telephone or letter. Before sending in your query, please
consider the following points as clear preparation helps us identify and resolve
problems much more quickly.
G Tell us which operating system you have and the model number of the PC
if known.
G Be specific about the problem – what exactly has gone wrong?
G Include details of anything that changed around the time that the fault
9Add a new partition to get your disk space back
Select Disk Management from
the list on the left. After a few
seconds you’ll see a display like
the one above, with a list of disks
on the computer at the top and a
graphical representation of
them below.
On the external disk, you’ll see
that part of it has been allocated to
a disk drive letter (probably D, E or
F) and there is some space either
before or after that marked as
Unallocated. Right-click this area
and select New Partition, then
click Next in the wizard that
appears and select Extended
Partition, then Next again.
In Vista the appropriate option
is called New Simple Volume.
Click Next to give the partition a
size, which should be the same as
the maximum disk space shown
on the screen. Click Next and
choose a drive letter from the
dropdown list.
Next you need to format the
partition. Select ‘Format this
partition with the following
settings’, choose NTFS for the file
system and Default for the unit
size. You can give the disk a name
if you wish. Click Next, confirm
that all the options shown are
correct, and click Finish. Follow
any prompts that appear.
Formatting the disk will erase
any data on it. Since we’re
creating a new partition (or new
volume in Vista) this isn’t a
problem, as there wasn’t
anything on it before. But that’s
why it’s important to make sure
you’ve selected the correct disk
in the steps above. Vista users
can find a step-by-step guide to
the above with pictures at
www.snipurl.com/elzm6.
Scroll down to ‘How to create
a new partition’.
Missing hard disk
Q|
My new hard disk appears
to have disappeared. I am
using Windows XP and have
tried two system restores, but
without success. When I start
restore there is a message to the
effect that drive G (the new HD)
won’t be affected by the restore
as it has been removed or
switched off.
In My Computer it is not listed
in the drives that appear, but if I
go into device manager and click
on hard drives it tells me that
Samsung HD103UJ (the new
disk) is working properly.
A|
Andy Aldridge
The description shows
that the problem is likely to
rest with the partition.
Partitions are areas of a disk
that have been prepared for use
with Windows (or whatever
operating system you happen to
be using). Normally, they fill the
whole disk, but there are times
when it is convenient to have
more partitions.
It is possible that the partition
has been deleted, although as the
process isn’t completed in a
couple of clicks, it’s surprising
that you hadn’t noticed. Just
like deleted files it may be
possible to recover the partition,
though sadly there are not any
free tools for this.
Paragon Partition Manager 9
Personal comes with the ability
to undelete partitions. You can
read a review at www.
computeractive.co.uk/2217773. If
the disk doesn’t appear in the
Windows Disk Management
tool, this suggests that the disk
itself i either disconnected or
broken. If so, check it is
connected properly.
developed – did you install new software or hardware or sign up to a new
service that might contribute to the problem?
G If you see an error message on the screen, make an exact note of its content
in your query.
G Include screengrabs to show us what you see on screen when the
problem occurs.
OTHER SOURCES OF HELP
While we can’t solve every individual problem, there are other ways
Computeractive can help. Our Readers to the Rescue online forum is free to use
– once you have signed up you can submit a question in the appropriate section
to see if other readers can help you solve the problem yourself. You can also
browse existing questions and answers for tips. The forum address is printed at
the bottom of this box.
Email: [email protected]
Write: Computeractive, Incisive Media, 32-34 Broadwick St, W1A 2HG
Forum: www.computeractive.co.uk/noproblem
No mix recording
Q|
When I followed the
instructions for recording
sounds from a computer using
the Stereo Mix from Issue 289,
I got the same icon as in the tip
but it was labelled ‘CD audio’
high-definition audio device,
not stereo mix, so I could not
record sounds.
My computer is relatively
new: it has Windows Vista
Home Premium, with on-board
sound and an Asus P5KPL
motherboard. Does this mean I
cannot record sounds, or is there
something I can do?
A|
G F Wheeler
The problem here is that
Windows Vista sometimes
disables the Stereo Mix option
and then decides not to display
disabled items in the Recording
Devices window. Click on the
Start button and then on Control
Panel. Left-click on the Hardware
and Sound title and then on
Manage Audio Devices in the
Sound section. Click on the
Recording tab.
Right-click in an empty part
of the white section and then left-
click on Show Disabled Devices.
The Stereo Mix icon should
appear, but it will be grey to
show that this input has been
disabled. Right-click on it, then
left-click on Enable. The icon will
now be in colour and you can
select Stereo Mix in recording
software such as Audacity.
Checking too often
Q|
My wife and I have email
addresses with the same
Talktalk account. Mine works
fine on Outlook Express, but all
she gets on her laptop is the
following message: “There was
a problem logging onto your
mail server. Your password
was rejected. Account:
“mail.talktalk.net: Protocol:
POP3, Server Response: ‘ERR
Login failed.’, Port: 110,
Secure(SSL): No, Server Error:
0x800CCC90, Error Number:
0x800C92.”
Talktalk has done tests and
claims it is not a fault in its
system. My wife can use her old
Freeserve email address OK.
What do these codes mean?
16 - 29 April 2009
John Haworth
61
BACK TO
BASICS
USE WINDOWS POWERTOYS
Improve XP
Microsoft’s Powertoys are simple
to install and improve Windows
XP immeasurably. They’re also
free, so what are you waiting for?
W
e’ve been running our Masterclass
section for over a year now and, while
we know many readers like the in-depth
nature of the features we publish here,
others still need help with the basics –
the simple, everyday stuff that just makes computing a
little bit easier and better. So, we’ve decided to alternate
the Masterclass section with the easy-to-read guides
aimed at less-confident users for which
Computeractive is renowned.
In this Back To Basics article, we’re going to look at
how to make Windows XP more personal using some
of the oldest tools around –
Microsoft’s Powertoys. Install
some or all of these freebies and
soon you’ll be working faster
and smarter in Windows. Here’s
how to do it.
code to make it work the way they want.
These bits of improvised code aren’t part of
Windows because they haven’t passed through the
endless testing processes that Microsoft requires
before a commercial release of the software. However,
Powertoys are the fruits of the after-hours’ labours of
various Microsoft engineers that have been made
available to the public, albeit with a caveat – there’s
absolutely no guarantee from Microsoft that they will
work, and absolutely no support if things go wrong.
Now, ordinarily that last bit might put off the
inexperienced PC user but when you hear that
Powertoys for Windows XP have been around for
seven years and are used daily by millions of people
without problem, then you’ll understand that really,
there’s no risk to using Powertoys – they’re tried,
tested and quite safe. And, as we said at the outset,
they’re free, quick to download and install and can
improve Windows in lots of ways.
Bring on the toys
Begin by visiting the Powertoys page of the Microsoft
website, which you’ll find at www.snipurl.com/
powertoys. At the last count, there were 14 tools in the
Powertoys kit bag, the majority of which have been
around for years and can be considered reliable – even
if Microsoft offers no guarantees.
Clearly, we don’t have the space here to work through
all of them in detail, so we’re going to concentrate on
the three that we consider to be the most useful and
Image: Spike Gerrell
What are Powertoys?
64
Unlike typical PC users, the
programmers behind
Microsoft Windows have the
ability to tweak the operating
system in pretty much any
way they want – because they
wrote the code that makes it
work. So, if there’s an aspect of
Windows that they don’t like,
they simply write some new
19 March - 1 April 2009
9Microsoft currently offers 14 Powertoys for free download but don’t expect support
BACK TO
USE WINDOWS POWERTOYS
prompted, ensure that a ‘Complete’
install is selected and then click Install
followed by Finish.
And that’s it – you’ve installed your
first Powertoy. To try it out make sure
you have at least a couple of application
windows open and then use the Alt and
Tab keyboard shortcut to switch
between them (in the unlikely event you
haven’t done this before, this means
holding down the Alt key while
repeatedly tapping Tab; when you
release the Alt key, the selected program
window will be brought to the fore).
9The Alt-Tab Replacement Powertoy shows preview icons when switching windows
Virtual Desktop Manager
BASICS
JARGON
B U S T E R
Desktop The background
area on screen where
Windows icons appear.
Dialogue box A window
that pops up to display or
request information.
Operating system
Governs the way the
hardware and software in a
computer work together.
Now follow the same procedure to
download and install the Virtual
Pixel Short for picture
Desktop Manager (this time right-clicking the
which are likely to have the broadest appeal – Tweak
element, which is the
‘Deskman.exe’ link on the Powertoys download page).
UI, Alt-Tab Replacement and Virtual Desktop Manager.
Once you’ve seen how to download, install and explore
The Virtual Desktop Manager (VDM) allows you to
smallest part of an image on
these three, the rest will seem straightforward.
work with four ‘virtual’ Windows Desktops, and switch
a monitor or captured by a
scanner or camera.
between them much as you would switch between
Alt-Tab Replacement
program windows.
We’ll start with Alt-Tab Replacement, which, as you
Pop-up menu A menu
So, for example, you could keep all your web
may guess, is an enhanced substitute for the existing
that can be displayed on the
browser windows on the first virtual Desktop, a
Alt-Tab windowscreen by pressing the
selection of Microsoft
switching system
appropriate key, usually
Word documents on
employed by XP.
displayed over material
the second,
already on the screen.
Rather than simply
spreadsheets on the
showing program icons
third and something
Right-click Clicking the
when using the Alt and
else of your choice
right mouse button to
Tab keyboard
on the fourth. The
display a pop-up menu.
combination to flit
point is, that VDM
between open program
offers four times the
Taskbar The bar that runs
windows, with Alt-Tab
workspace, virtually
along the bottom of the
Replacement installed
speaking – it is for you
screen in Windows.
in Windows will
to decide exactly how
display icons that
you want to use it.
Thumbnail A small image
actually include a
With VDM
used to give a quick preview
preview of what is
installed it needs to be
of a larger image.
displayed in the
switched on. To do
program window.
this, right-click on an
Toolbar A strip of icons
For example, instead
empty part of the
across the top of most
of a generic Internet
Windows Taskbar,
Windows applications. Used
Explorer icon, the
9With the Virtual Desktop Manager Powertoy installed, you can manage four choose Toolbars from
separate Windows workspaces with a virtual view of each screen
the pop-up menu
to provide quick access to
Alt-Tab Replacement
then click to place a
certain important features,
switching window will
tick alongside Desktop Manager. Four numbered icons
such as saving and printing.
show a thumbnail version of the website currently
displayed in the Internet Explorer window. It makes
will now appear on the Taskbar – each is a virtual
selecting the right application window more efficient.
Windows Desktop. Click a number to switch to that
To see this in action, download and install Alt-Tab
Desktop, or click the green window icon to see all four
Replacement. Scroll down the Microsoft Powertoys
Desktops at once.
website and look for the ‘Taskswitch.exe’ link on the
To tweak the way VDM works, right-click its toolbar
right-hand side of the page. Right-click it and select
in the Taskbar. To turn if off, once more right-click an
Open from the pop-up menu. When XP displays a
empty part of the Taskbar, choose Toolbars and then
security warning dialogue box, click Run (note that you
click to remove the tick from Desktop Manager.
can use the Save button to first Save the Powertoys to,
say, the Windows Desktop, but as they’re so small, it
POWERTOYS FOR WINDOWS VISTA?
barely matters). If your web browser displays another
It would be unfair to say that Microsoft has
system, due for launch later this year. Also, if
security warning, just click Run to allow the Alt-Tab
written off Windows Vista as a bad job but
Microsoft’s coders did make Powertoys for
Replacement installation to proceed.
certainly for a while now the focus of the
Vista, then Microsoft hasn’t shown any interest
Work through the installation, accepting the licence
company’s programmers has been fixed on
in making them available to the public, in the
agreement (which basically says that Microsoft cannot
Windows 7, the next version of the operating
same way it did with Powertoys for XP.
be blamed if this tool breaks your PC) and click Next
to move through the various dialogue boxes. If
R
19 March - 1 April 2009
65
INTERACTIVE
BEST OF THE WEB
What’s your favourite website?
Tell us at [email protected]
and we’ll print the best
Enjoy the great outdoors, find a restaurant and see what Jane Austen would have done with Facebook
Travelers notebook
www.wpclipart.com
A collection of images for use with word
processors, WP Clipart will also let you
download the entire collection.
www.landshare.net
Landshare puts people who want an
allotment in touch with people who
have land to spare.
www.much-ado.net/austenbook
We’ve heard of Shakespeare in mobile
phone text speak, so what about Pride
on Prejudice on Facebook?
www.chowhound.com
Chowhound is a place to share
restaurant tips and experiences. There
are lots of good recipes on the site too.
THE
SITE ONFIGHT!
FORT
www.thetravelersnotebook.com
This site is a must-read if you are planning a holiday, with plenty of
inspiration for both destinations and activities. Souvenirs are not forgotten
either. It is a good idea to go prepared if you want to buy something
expensive from a holiday.There are also ideas for sharing your holiday
experiences with other people with recommended blog templates and
advice for making a holiday journal more attractive with rubbings or maps.
THE BEST FREE TOOLS FOR YOUR PC
Make your own crosswords, recover deleted files and keep your documents locked away
GOOGLE
CHROME
This alternative browser has
now been released as a finished
project, with enhancements
that improve stability.
Songbird is a music and video
player that can play a wide
variety of formats, including
online music. It’s also available
for Mac and Linux computers.
Download from:
Download from:
Type: Freeware
File Size: 8.4MB
Overall: #####
www.computeractive.co.uk/
2225406
76
SONGBIRD
Type: Freeware
File Size: 11.8MB
Overall: #####
2165720
8 - 21 January 2009
ECLIPSE
CROSSWORD
RECUVA
PORTABLE
Make and edit your own
crosswords without organising
the boxes. Give it the words and
clues and it does the rest.
Recuva scans a disk for
deleted files that can be
recovered. This version runs
from a USB memory key.
This security program can keep
files and folders safe from
prying eyes, whether they are
on a hard disk, USB memory
key or optical discs.
Download from:
Download from:
Download from:
Type: Freeware
File Size: 48Kb
Overall: #####
2232286
Type: Freeware
File Size: 845KB
Overall: #####
2232473
FOLDER LOCK
Type: Function-limited demo
File Size: 2.8MB
Overall: #####
2129064
INTERACTIVE RR
COMPETITION
WIN one of 20 routers from
Billion worth £1,000
Don’t let downloads, or web surfing get in the way of
gaming with the Billion 7300G
N
ormally supplied as part of a
broadband deal, routers are
often ignored once set up.
But as the centre of the home
network they are very important,
and better routers mean better
performance and more control
over what people do.
Computeractive has teamed up
with Billion to offer 20 lucky
winners a Billion 7300G router.
The Billion 7300G is compatible
with ordinary ADSL connections,
as well as the faster ADSL2+, which
offers speeds of up to 24Mbits/sec
depending on the service and
distance from the exchange.
The Quality of Service (Qos)
technology prioritises how
WHAT YOU
CAN WIN
20 lucky winners will
each receive a Billion
7300G router, each
worth £50
information moves around
the network, stopping large
downloads from disrupting online
gaming or radio.
A firewall is built into the router
that protects the home network
from outside threats. It can work
without requiring any setup, or you
can configure content filters.
Specific computers can be denied
access to the internet
without blocking them from
resources on the home network,
such as a shared music folder.
No wires are required to connect
computers and other devices to the
network as the 7300G has built in
802.11g wireless networking built
in, along with support for WPA2, the
best type of wireless security.
For your chance to win this great
prize,answer the question shown on
the right by visiting our competition
web page at www.computer
active.co.uk/competitions before
22 January 2009.
For more information about the
7300G routers visit the Billion
website: www.billion.uk.com
Question
What wireless network
protection does the Billion
7300G use?
A. Cloak and dagger
B. QoS
C. WPA2
Enter Free at:
www.computeractive.co.uk/competitions
ONLINE VIDEO PICKS OF THE FORTNIGHT
Rock out to the latest party music game, control your children’s web activity and get a bird’s eye view
GUITAR HERO
WORLD TOUR
VISTA PARENTAL
CONTROLS
FLIGHT ACTIVITY
VIDEOS
SPACE SHUTTLE
LAUNCH
Could this be the best game of the year?
Guitar Hero World Tour lets you and
some friends play as a full band, with
drums, a microphone and a plastic
guitar added to the now familiar guitars.
The notes and words appear onscreen.
There’s no need to learn to read music
as the notes are coloured and match the
coloured buttons on the instruments.
The new guitar is better than the old one
and there are plenty of new songs.
Watch online at:
Keeping on top of what children are
doing on the family computer is a good
idea, but might feel like too much work
to set up. Windows Vista comes with
some powerful parental controls built
in. For example, you can set time limits
on using the computer and block
unsuitable websites. This video from
Microsoft explains the basic controls as
well as demonstrating what both
parents and children will see.
Watch online at:
Not one video here but five. The first
video shows the flight path of every
flight in the world over a 24-hour period.
A useful touch is that it shows day and
night so you can see the sheer volume
of early morning flights. It makes some
assumptions about speed and route so
it’s not an exact representation but
informative none the less. The other
videos show more detail of flights over
Europe and America.
Watch online at:
Ever wondered what happens to the
reusable rocket boosters on the Space
Shuttle? This video is taken from a
camera on board on of these rockets
from take off to landing. The first minute
does not show very much but it gets
very interesting once the booster
detaches from the Shuttle. The other
booster is clearly seen as they tumble
back down to earth. The launch clock is
in the upper left corner of the video.
Watch online at:
www.snipurl.com/89jc0
www.snipurl.com/88mgu
www.snipurl.com/88mld
8 - 21 January 2009
77
INTERACTIVE
GAMING
Silent Hill
Homecoming
Info:
http://uk.games.konami-europe.com
PEGI age rating: 18+
Also consider: Resident Evil 4;
Penumbra Collection
Overall: #####
Price: £30
Can the classic horror series survive another sequel?
S
thinner with every subsequent release.The
mediocre 2006 Hollywood movie adaptation did
little for the credibility of the series.
With the odds stacked against it, Homecoming
does pretty well.You play the role of Alex
Shepherd, a Special Forces soldier whose search
for a missing brother lands him a one-way ticket
to you-know-where. Core gameplay remains
largely the same as before: the player is required
to explore a series of sinister locations for clues,
objects, people and puzzles, a combination of
which will usually move the story
on. However, Homecoming
implements a number of
welcome improvements.The
controls have had a well-needed
rethink, for example.You can now
move your on-screen character
around and simultaneously
control the in-game camera as
you would in many other modern
third-person titles.
The combat system has
enjoyed a makeover, too.The
range of available weapons is
fairly familiar (shotguns, bits of
lead piping, etc) and Silent Hill’s
9Become part of the action in your struggle to survive in Silent Hill
ilent Hill is not the sort of place you’d want
to visit for a holiday. It’s a blood-soaked,
rust-encrusted nightmare netherworld
populated by faceless, shuffling monsters.
Homecoming is the sixth game in the longrunning series.The original Silent Hill was a
landmark survival horror game when it appeared
10 years ago, but time hasn’t been particularly
kind to the game.The control and combat
systems have felt dated for some time, and the
initially intriguing conceit has gradually worn
Games news
Free online games
FAMILY GAMING
PRICE
COMPARISON
LEGEND OF THE
GREEN DRAGON
DEEPLEAP
A new website promises a jargon-free
guide to modern gaming for families.
The Family Gamer site, run by the
Association of Family Gamers, advises
parents about the suitability of games
and has guides to modern themes. It
also intends to expand into a family
gaming community.
Find out more at:
Sccope is a price comparison website
targeting games players, with
promises that it can save over £100
on a range of top titles. The site lists
hundreds of games for less than £1,
on all current formats. It also offers
product price comparison listings in
other categories.
Find out more at:
This venerable role-playing game is a
tribute to a classic game from the
pre-internet age, in which players
dialled in to a server with their
computers in order to play. The action,
such as it is, is text-based, so all
combat and exploration takes place
without the benefit of fancy graphics.
Find out more at:
A simple but compelling word game,
Deepleap requires players to make
words from the 75 letters that drop
onto your screen. As letters fill the
nine-tile space, the value of unused
tiles on the left is deducted from your
score. The aim is to get as many words
as possible before all the tiles appear.
Find out more at:
www.familygamer.co.uk
78
ammunition supplies are as scarce as ever, but
Alex can now perform a series of counterattacks, combos and finishing moves, which
provides a little more action.
But while these changes are largely beneficial
from a gameplay point of view, the overall effect
seems to have diluted Silent Hill’s trademark
brand of weird, psychological horror. Gore and
violence appear to have been ramped up to
compensate, which rather cheapens things.
Despite some very atmospheric touches,
including a simply stunning use of sound design,
Homecoming is a mixed blessing. It’s easier to
play than previous versions, but it’s ultimately
less satisfying for it.
Jonathan Parkyn
www.sccope.com
30 April - 13 May 2009
www.lotgd.net
www.deepleap.org
INTERACTIVE RR
GAMING
Cryostasis
Looks like we’re in for a bit of a cold snap...
C
reated by little-known Ukrainian developer
Action Forms, Cryostasis takes place
almost exclusively within the frozen bowels
of a 1981 Soviet nuclear icebreaker, the North
Wind.This is, for some unexplained reason,
stranded in the Arctic Circle. In the game you play
Alexander Nestorov, who wakes up aboard the
icy wreck and sets about solving the mystery of
what happened to the ship and its crew.
Alexander has a useful trick up his sleeve.
Using‘mental echo’he is able to relive the past
through the eyes of people who died under
horrifying circumstances. Not only does this
provide you with monochromatic flashbacks,
Info: www.cryostasis-game.com
PEGI age rating: 16+
Also consider: Penumbra
Collection; Silent Hill
Homecoming
Overall: #####
Retail price: £30
offering clues to what has
occurred prior to the events of
the game, but it also allows you
to physically alter things in the
past in ways that can directly
affect the present.The solutions
to many of the game’s puzzles
can be found by using this timetravelling possession technique.
Another notable example of
the game’s innovation is its
equivalent of a health meter,
which is tied to your character’s
body heat.The sub-zero
9Work in sub-zero temperatures to solve the mysteries aboard the ship
temperatures in which you’ll be
operating most of the time can be bad for
strong point and enemy encounters can be
Alexander’s health, but heat sources – fires,
awkward and frustrating.
working machinery and even lightbulbs – can
The game is played from a first-person
warm him up and restore a little life.
viewpoint but, though it features some actionIn addition to battling against the harsh
type elements, this is, in many ways, more like a
environment, you’ll find yourself occasionally
3D evolution of the old point-and-click adventure
squaring up to the North Wind’s ghoulish
genre. It’s a brave, original and interesting game
occupants: former crewmates who have
but, despite a deliciously chilling atmosphere
somehow been transformed into abominable
and an intriguing storyline, Cryostasis never
snowmen.Their lumbering zombie-like attacks
quite manages to capitalise on all its good ideas.
aren’t hard to predict – combat isn’t Cryostasis’
Jonathan Parkyn
Sega Megadrive Handheld
Info: www.segretro.net
Overall: #####
Retail price: £30
Relive the games of yesteryear
T
his handheld games console
isn’t much like the Nintendo
DSi we’re reviewing on page
25. Instead of the DSi’s up-to-date
technology, the Megadrive
Handheld takes us back to the
technology of the early 1990s and,
as the name suggests, the original
Sega Megadrive console.
When that machine was new it
was state of the art and
required a tabletop and a mains
connection.The handheld version
does exactly the same thing but it’s
tiny, weighs hardly anything and is
powered by three AAA batteries
that lasted for hours.
Instead of playing games on a
cartridge like the original, this
tThe console is small
and light and has 20 games loaded
version comes with 20 games
loaded on to it (there’s a list at
2240501).Today’s kids are unlikely
to see the Megadrive Handheld as
any more than a novelty, so the
Megadrive Handheld has to appeal
to older gamers, which means that
if you don’t like the games it
contains, tough. It’s an interesting
selection, the best probably being
Golden Axe.
The handheld feels a little
plasticky, but it was certainly up to
our frantic button-pressing.The
screen is small but clear (and it
comes with cables to hook up to a
TV) and the built-in speaker is
impressively loud (there’s a
headphone socket if you’re playing
in public).
While the included games weren’t
the ones we’d have chosen, the
Megadrive Handheld was able to
sustain our attention for a long time
and, with its excellent battery life, is
a good alternative to more modern
handhelds. Our main problem was
that we were nowhere near as good
at Golden Axe as we remembered.
Anthony Dhanendran
30 April - 13 May 2009
79

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