Skip to main content

Full text of "Smart Computing Volume 16 Issue 11"

See other formats 


Compare Media Players p. 



nFax Pro vs. SnappyFax 



lb. I 



Bfl ^0R ^ smartcomputing.com 

ffiiTflii ComDutina 

HSMMtWMMWW I In Plain Fnnlkh *J 



In Plain English 



Solve The 





External 
DVD Writers p. 



PCFim 



i-Fighting 

Computer p.44 

Online Mapping 

Services: 

Which Is The Best? 



PC Project: 



MinllffiK 



' A 5iit)diillb 
ftjiilkditou 




To Your PC p.80 




Use Bluetooth Headsets &Mher Devices 



ll 25274 ll 77294 , 




Hamu To Avoid & Deal With 

Identity The 



Great theater deserves a great setting 




Plasma TVs are really making waves. So how do you choose a mount worthy of the splendor of a plasma TV? Easy. Choose a 

VisionMount™ flat panel TV wall mount from Sanus. Its simple elegance gives you one of the strongest, most durable mounts.. .with 

installation completed in just minutes. And the Virtual Axis™ mechanism allows you to adjust the tilt with an effortless fingertip 

touch. ..even if your TV weighs 175 pounds. So wherever your plasma TV is destined to be, VisionMount can easily handle your 

installation and positioning needs, and you can spend your time reflecting on the real beauty of your home theater. 



ANU 



Y 



IV1 




VisionMount™ model VMPLb 
shown. Fits virtually any flat panel 
TV from 32" up to 60". Available 
in black and silver. 



THE UNION OF FORM AND FUNCTION 



800.359.5520 www.sanus.com 




Great theater deserves a great setting. 






*m 




___ 


^ 




^pHL 


i 


: 

n 

1 


1 




£3 

1 

i 

s 
i 

s 


9^R0p 


- ■ 


1 


.^Bfcw** 


Iggp 





The sleek, free-flowing lines of Sanus Platinum furniture reflect the beauty of today's digital televisions. 

And the newest addition, model PFFP flat panel TV stand, opens up possibilities to mount a flat panel 

television anywhere. An extruded aluminum column extends rigid strength from the steel-framed base 

to handle flat panel TVs up to 50". The Virtual Axis™ tilting system provides smooth motion with the touch 

of a fingertip. And features like a hidden cable channel, an adjustable glass shelf and a custom blended 

silver finish provide the perfect finishing touches to this innovative flat panel TV stand. So if your 

home theater is short on wall space, your options are now wide open. 



ANU 



Y! 



I\/I 



THE UNION DF FORM AND FUNCTION 



800.359.5520 www.sanus.com 



^■P — smartcomputing.ee 

Computing 

I In Plain Fnnlkh *J 



® 



In Plain English 



Volume 1 6 . November 2005 . Issue 1 1 



This Month's Cover Story: 



The Wireless Puzzle 

Make Sure All The Pieces Fit 




62 The Wireless Wave 

The Present Perspective & Beyond 

66 Free From Wires 

Install 8c Configure A Wireless Network 

70 Hotspot Heaven 

Find & Use Free 8c For-Fee 
Wireless Access Points 



72 Wireless Network Security 

Protect Your Air From Freeloaders 8c Intruders 

75 The Bluetooth Buzz 

Put Wireless In The Palm Of Your Hand 



78 Communications Convergence 

The Technologies Behind Treo, 
BlackBerry 8c Other Mobile Devices 




Reviews 

16 TechMates 

Paint The Town Red 

Each month, Sandy Berger pairs 
up a couple of products to show 
you how to make the most of 
what's on the market. 

17 Tech Diaries 

Our Smart Computing colum- 
nists spent some quality time 
with computers and computer- 
related hardware to get beyond 
the benchmark scores, statistics, 
and marketing hype. Find out 
what they liked and disliked 
about their choices. 

22 Let The Music Play 

We compare a few of the best 
media players to see which one 
is best at handling the audio and 
video needs of the average con- 
sumer. Considering that all 
three of the players we reviewed 
are free applications, we must 
say we were impressed with 
the results. 

26 Software Reviews 



Multimedia: 

iView MediaPro2 


26 


Security: 

Vanquish Anti-Spam 3.1 


27 


Writing: AbiWord 2.2.9 


27 



28 Side-By-Side Review 
WinFax Pro vs. SnappyFax 

See which of these PC-based 
faxing apps will work best for 
you. 

30 Impulse Items 

Each month, we take a look at 
several useful gadgets and pro- 
grams you can get for $25 or less. 





GrapeBerry 
Organizer/Phone 



Copyright 2005 by Sandhills Publishing Company. Smart Computing is a 
registered trademark of Sandhills Publishing Company. All rights reserved. Reproduction 
of material appearing in Smart Computing is strictly prohibited without written permission. 
Printed in the U.S.A. GST # 123482788RT0001 Smart Computing USPS 005-665 (ISSN 
1093-4170) is published monthly for $29 per year by Sandhills Publishing Company, 131 
West Grand Drive, P.O. Box 85380, Lincoln, NE 68501. Subscriber Services: (800) 424- 
7900. Periodicals postage paid at Lincoln, NE. POSTMASTER: Send address c 
to Smart Computing, P.O. Box 85380, Lincoln, NE 68501. 



TABLE OF CONTENTS NOVEMBER 2005 



Windows Tips & Tricks 



#/ 



Tech Support 




32 Windows XP: Alternative Browsers 

Internet Explorer isn't necessarily the be-all and end-all; perhaps there's a 
different browser that'll better suit your needs. 

35 Windows 98: Windows 98's Windows Report Tool 

This handy little applet can help tech support techs help you. 

36 Windows 2000: Adjust Windows 2000 Mouse Properties 

Get your unruly mouse back on the straight and narrow with these quick tips. 

General Computing 

38 How Did They Do That? 
Eagle Eyes Of The Law 

Learn how license plate scanners can help police catch drivers with infrac- 
tions on their records. 

40 No Tools Required 

External DVD burners can add a lot of functionality to your PC. 

44 Silicon Superheroes 

As with most everything else, fighting crime has gotten a boost from digital 
technology. 

Plugged In 

46 Mr. Modem's Desktop: Yes, It's Another Turkey 

In which Mr. Modem, author of several books — none of which has won the 
Pulitzer Prize — and co-host of the weekly "PC Chat" radio show, gives 
thanks for readers' tips. 

48 Sally Forth 

Finding your way is all the easier with mapping and driving directions from 
Web sites. 

52 A Tale Of Two Thefts 

Having your identity stolen or compromised is a harrowing experience: 
Learn how to protect yourself. 

56 Site Guide: View Creation From The Inside 

Chicago's Museum Of Science And Industry is home to exhibits sure to 
satisfy engineering enthusiasts, science fanatics, history buffs, and the 
generally curious. 

58 Web Tips 

59 Find It Online 



PC Project 



80 Faster Than A Speeding Bullet 

Adding Fire Wire ports to your older PC can help speed along your com- 
puting experience. 



Each Month 



97 What To Do When . . . 

Your Computer Continuously Reboots 

Learn how to fix this irritating problem. 

98 Examining Errors 
100 Fast Fixes 

102 Q&A/FAQs 

You have questions. We have answers. 
The Smart Computing staff responds to 
your queries. 

107 Action Editor 

Can't seem to get a response from a 
vendor or manufacturer? If you need 
help, we're here for you. 



Quick Studies 



82 Browsers 

Add A Spell Checker To Firefox 
& Internet Explorer 

83 Microsoft Excel 2002 

Using Templates 

84 Intuit Quicken 2005 Premier 

Benefits Of A Balanced Budget 

85 Online 

Bring Online Info To Your Desktop 
With Widgets 

86 Jasc Paint Shop Pro 8 

The Histogram 

87 Microsoft PowerPoint 2002 

Using Diagrams 

88 Quick Tips 



SmartComputing.com 



90 SmartComputing.com: 
Looking For Help? Look 
Here First 

When you have a computer-related 
problem, don't panic. Check out the 
Solutions Knowledgebase at 
SmartComputing.com. 



7 Technology News & Notes 
82 Quick Studies 



97 
108 



Tech Support 
Editorial License 



Tidbits 



94 Backup Devices 

Protect your computer and its data by 
backing everything up. These new de- 
vices make it fast and easy, so you just 
lost your last excuse. 



Editor's Note: We started working on this issue in 1896. 

Well, OK, so technically that's not true. But 1896 is the year in which Guglielmo Marconi demon- 
strated wireless telegraphy to a group of skeptical folks at the English telegraph office. From 
Marconi's invention to today's PC-related wireless connectivity (in the form of smartphones, PDAs, 
Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and the rest) is really only a short hop, and things started . . . well, hopping, right away: 
Only two years after Marconi amazed the English telegraph office, a wireless telegraphic connection be- 
tween England and France was established. And three years after that, Marconi successfully transmitted a 
signal across the Atlantic Ocean. Eight years later, Marconi was awarded the Nobel Prize for physics. 

Then came radio, television, and on and on. And the ball that Marconi started rolling hasn't stopped yet. 

All of which brings us to you, dear reader. Here you are reading a computer magazine, so you're obviously 
interested in bytes and gigabytes, floppy and hard drives, CPUs, PSUs, RAM, ROM, URLs, and a host of 
other arcane abbreviations and acronyms. You've pretty much got that stuff down: You're a whiz with 
Word, expert at Excel, competent at Quicken, adept at Adobe. No one has to tell you to back up your data, 
defrag your hard drive, and keep the family cat off of your keyboard. In short, you're capable, proficient 
users of computing technology; even the novices among you know more than they think they know. 

So here's our theory You were starting to get too comfortable with computers. That would never do, 

so the Powers That Be got together late one night and someone among them came up with a brilliant idea: 
"Hey," said he (or she — some Powers That Be are female, as it happens), "let's throw a whole bunch of 

wireless technology at them! New abbreviations, acronyms, technologies to try to master It'll drive 

them crazy!" 

And so they did, and now there's all kinds of new stuff to learn. It maybe frustrating, but there are also ad- 
vantages to be gained by having learned it. This issue will help you foil the Powers That Be by explaining in 
plain English how the new wireless technologies work and how you can use them to your advantage. 
That'll show 'em. 



&^A~8X— 



Rod Scher, Publication Editor 




Now Available On Newsstands 



Computer Power User * Massive Utility Guide 

Hardware is all well and good, but it's software that makes your PC all it can 
be. Toward that goal, we present more than 100 programs that will let your 
PC do more than you ever imagined. Did we mention that several of these 
apps are free? 

PC Today * Stop Mobile Tech Headaches 

The November PC Todays cover story articles discuss how to protect your note- 
book when connecting to a wireless network, how companies and users can 
combat notebook theft, and how to keep your data intact when you're on the road. 
You'll also find a guide to hassle-free air travel. 

CE Lifestyles * Digital Cameras 

When it comes to CE favorites, digital cameras are at the top of the list. What other 
device can let you get so creative with your special memories? And with profes- 
sional-level technology and lower prices, a high-quality camera is within almost 
everyone's reach. This month, we'll tell you what to look for in a digital camera, 
and we'll also give you tips on how to buy one for a friend or family member. 

Reference Series * Guide To Using Google 

Lots of folks know about Google's excellent search engine; it's the most popular 
search site on the Web today. And you've probably heard about the company's 
Gmail Web email service, as well. But did you know that Google has a mapping 
service, photo organization and editing tools, and an instant messaging program, 
and they're all free? Find out about these features and more in this special guide to 
one of the Web's most popular destinations. 



llJfe 



ED 





Sandhills 
Publishing- 



Customer Service 

(For questions about your 
subscription or to place an 
order or change an address.) 

customer.service 
@smartcomputing.com 

(800) 733-3809 
Fax:(402)479-2193 

Smart Computing 

P.O. Box 85380 
Lincoln, NE 68501-5380 

Hours 

Mon. - Fri.: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. (CST) 
Sat.: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (CST) 
Online Customer Service and 

Subscription Center 
www.smartcomputing.com 

Web Services 

(For questions about our Web site.) 

webhelp@smartcomputing.com 

(800) 368-8304 

Authorization For Reprints 

REPRINT MANAGEMENT SERVICES 

Toll Free: (800) 290-5460 

(717) 399-1900 ext. 100 

Fax:(717)399-8900 

Email: SmartComputing@ 

reprintbuyer.com 
www.reprintbuyer.com 

Editorial Staff 

editor@smartcomputing.com 

FAX: (402) 479-2104 

131 W.Grand Drive 

Lincoln, NE 68521 

Subscription Renewals 

(800) 424-7900 

FAX: (402) 479-2193 

www.smartcomputing.com 

Advertising Staff 

(800)848-1478 

FAX: (402) 479-2104 

131 W.Grand Drive 

Lincoln, NE 68521 



ft 



The 

Audit 

Bureau 




y$$m. 






/3fte)0©@(? tym? 00@QW®Q$i) 





TM 



Idfffil Lomputinq I 

Spy Catcher 

Spyware silently tracks you online, 
allowing hackers and thieves to access 
your financial information, and even your 
passwords. SpyCatcher 3.5 provides 
comprehensive protection: 

©Auto-updated database detects and 
disables thousands of spyware, and more 



Spyware att 



Reinstali Shield prevents aggressive 
spyware from reinstalling after deletion 



© 



Tiebri 

icorpor 

Patent-pending anti-phishing technology 
prevents online identity theft 

tenebrH.com/spycatcher 




SpyCatcher™ 

SpyCatcher Enterprise adds a state-of- 
the-art management console, enabling 
you to protect your network from one 
central location. Its simple interface and 
advanced features allow you to: 

Jpk Schedule scans and updates for specific 
\^) workgroups or entire networks 

Q 



Create custom fingerprints that detect and 
shut down unwanted programs remotely 



Q Generate reports and view real-time 
statistics on network vulnerabilities 



TABLE OF CONTENTS NOVEMBER 200. 



November Web-Only Articles 

Smart Computing subscribers may read the following articles at SmartComputing.com. 

Hardware 

For all the latest product reviews, visit the Hardware Reviews & Comparison Charts 
area at SmartComputing.com (www.smartcomputing.com). 

PC Operating Instructions 

Linux: Track Your Accounts With KMyMoney 

Keep tabs on your money and investments with Linux. 



Quick Studies 



Microsoft Access 2002 

Transfer Access Data 
To Word Processing Files 

Adobe PageMaker 7 

Export Text & Graphics 

Security 

Squash Spam 

Microsoft Word 2002 

Identify Pages With Headers & Footers 

Broderbund Print Shop 20 Deluxe 

Hot Shots Viewer Is Hot New Feature 

Corel WordPerfect 11 

Go Grammatik 

Adobe Photoshop 6.0 

Extract An Object From A Photo 

Email 

Diagnose Email Relay Errors 

Roxio PhotoSuite 7 Platinum 

The Label Creator, Revisted 

Microsoft Works 2005 

Plan Your Route 

HTML 

Create Complex Tables The Easy Way 



. — 3^ HQ . 






NEWSLETTER — 




L-^^H .^m 




p<— ■■■ I *- I 


ZZlm ~^i 






« m» 1 



Adobe PageMaker 7 






■ ■ ." :. ' ■. ■ ■■■■■. ■■'■'' 



FTurn on Norton AntiSpam 

'■: ■ ' •' ■'■■ ::: ' ■ '• -'-:. 



• ■ ■:.,':': !:!■. : '. :. ■'..:::'.. 

_ ; M -! ■ 



::r^ 



| Default Level | 



r^i 



Security 




Adobe Photoshop 6.0 




Sandhills 
Publishing- 



Editorial Staff. 

Ronald D. Kobler / Rod Scher / Kimberly 

Fitzke / Sally Curran / Sam it Gupta 

Choudhuri / Corey Russman / 

Christopher Trumble / Calvin Clinchard 

/ Katie Sommer / Katie Dolan / Blaine 

Flamig / Raejean Brooks / Rebecca 

Christensen / Michael Sweet / Nate 

Hoppe / Jennifer Suggitt / Trista Kunce / 

Sheila Allen / Linne Ourada / Liz Dixon / 

Joy Martin / Brian Weed / Marty Sems / 

Chad Denton / Nathan Chandler / Kylee 

Dickey /Josh Gulick / Andrew Leibman / 

Vince Cogley / Sam Evans / Jennifer 

Johnson 

Web Staff: 

Dorene Krausnick / Laura Curry 

Customer Service: 

Becky Rezabek / Lana Matic / Lindsay 
Albers 

Subscription Renewals: 

Liz Kohout / Connie 

Beatty / Matt Boiling / Patrick Kean / 

Charmaine Vondra / Miden Ebert / Kathy 

DeCoito / Stephanie Contreras 

/ Nicole Buckendahl 

Art & Design: 

Lesa Call / Fred Schneider / Carrie Benes / 

Ginger Falldorf / Sonja Warner / Aaron 

Weston / Aaron Clark / Kelli Lambertsen 

/ Lori Garris /Jason Codr / Andria Schultz 

/ Erin Rodriguez / Lindsay Anker 

Newsstand: 

Garth Lienemann / Kelly Richardson 
/JeffSchnittker 

Advertising Sales: 

Grant Ossenkop / Cindy Pieper / Brooke 
Wolzen / Eric Cobb 

Marketing: 

Mark Peery / Marcy Gunn /Jen Clausen / 

Luke Vavricek / Ashley Hannant / Scot 

Banks 



Technology News & Notes 

Compiled by Christian Perry 
Illustrated by Lori Garris 



DESKTOPS & LAPTOPS 



Notebook Sales Up, Prices Down 



As notebook computers continue 
to shrink in size, weight, and 
price, and yet increase their level 
of performance, their popularity is 
skyrocketing. In fact, according to 
Current Analysis, notebooks recently 
outsold desktop computers for the 
first time over the course of an entire 
month, notching 53.3% of the entire 
PC retail market in May, up from 
45.9% in May 2004. The research 
firm attributes several factors to the 
recent success of notebooks. 

"The past few months have seen 
an increase in the number of retail 
notebook players, with lesser 
known players Acer and 
Medion 



gaining shelf space at major retailers 
such as Best Buy, Circuit City, and 
CompUSA," says Sam Bhavnani, 
Current Analysis' Senior Analyst of 
Mobile Computing. "Moreover, 
Wi-Fi is no longer considered a 
luxury, but rather a necessity for 
today's mobile users. One year ago, 
over 20% of retail notebooks did 
not include wireless. Today, that 
number is less than 5%." 

Bhavnani also points to a contin- 
uing trend toward rock-bottom 
prices, with several vendors and re- 
tailers now selling low-end note- 
books for less than 
$500. Acer, in partic- 
ular, is pushing hard 
to become a major 
player in the note- 
book realm, recently 




claiming it expects to sell 10 mil- 
lion units in 2006. But even though 
Acer touts a wide selection of low- 
cost notebooks, the company isn't 
alone, as other notebook behe- 
moths such as Dell and HP are also 
selling ultra- affordable models. 

Perhaps surprisingly, these cheap 
notebooks aren't bad, spec-wise. If 
you spend about $500 with Dell, 
you'll get an Inspiron notebook with 
a 1.3GHz processor, 258MB of 
RAM, a 14.1 -inch display, a 30GB 
hard drive, and a 24X DVD/CD-RW 
drive. Although a model like this 
isn't exactly a desktop replacement 
(or anywhere close), it can still de- 
liver the basic computing necessities. 

If you're considering jumping on 
the low- cost notebook bandwagon, 
beware of a few catches. Retailers 
often advertise notebooks with 
amazing low prices, but that's the 
cost after several rebates. Even if you 
plan on taking advantage of those 
rebates, be sure to read the fine 
print and submit them exactly as 
requested because even a slight di- 
version from the instructions and 
deadlines can disqualify your rebate. 

Also, don't be fooled by adver- 
tising terms such as "widescreen" 
because a notebook is what it is, re- 
gardless of any buzzwords used to 
sell it. For example, a certain retailer 
sells Toshiba "widescreen" note- 
books that actually have 14-inch 
displays. If you see this note- 
book in person, you 
might notice that its 
case size is similar to 
those of notebooks with 
larger screens, but the plastic 
bezel around the screen is larger. I 



TECH NEWS 



STORAG E 



Sideways Storage 



We've been hearing about perpendicular drives for 
months, but now the hype is finally a reality, as 
Toshiba recently began shipping a 1.8-inch, 40GB per- 
pendicular drive, which will appear in Toshiba's new 
Gigabeat F41 MP3 player. 

Most of today's hard drives use longitudinal recording, 
which aligns data bits horizontally. PMR (perpendicular 
magnetic recording) technology aligns data bits vertically, 
allowing for more data to fit on the disk. To envision how 
these technologies differ, imagine taking a pumpkin pie and 
pushing a quarter into the side of the crust so that the flat 
side of the coin is parallel with the table on which the pie 
sits. If you followed that quarter with more quarters until 
the original quarter poked out the other end of the crust, 
you might fit 10 to 12 quarters into the pie. Consider this 
longitudinal recording. 

If you grabbed another pie from the windowsill, ducked 
to avoid Grandma's broom handle, and stuck the quarters 
vertically into the pie from the same crust edge (used to 
demonstrate our longitudinal recording example) to the 
opposite side of the pie, you could fit far more quarters into 



the pie. This is the concept that will allow companies such 
as Toshiba, Hitachi, and Seagate to create tiny physical hard 
drives that boast huge storage capacities. 

Other PMR products on deck include a 2.5-inch, 160GB 
notebook drive from Seagate and 1TB desktop drives from 
Hitachi, though those massive desktop drives may not see 
store shelves until 2007. I 



(•* gigabeat 

~\c 



Future models of Toshiba's Gigabeat 
media player will feature the 
company's new perpendicular 
hard drive, which integrates more 
storage than traditional drives. 



DISPLAYS 



Plasma On The Upswing 



Got plasma? If you're in the market for a widescreen tele- 
vision, the stats say you might get plasma soon. 
According to DisplaySearch's Quarterly Global TV Shipment 
And Forecast Report, plasma TV shipments reached 1.13 
million units in Q2 2005, up 24% over the previous quarter 
and up a whopping 89% over the same quarter last year. 

That puts plasma televisions at a 2.9% unit share world- 
wide. The news isn't as good for RPTVs (rear-projection 
televisions), whose unit share dropped from 2.9% to 2.5%. 
But even though plasma televisions now sell higher than 
RPTVs everywhere outside North America, RPTVs still 
sell more here, thanks to their lower prices. However, 
DisplaySearch indicates that a majority of consumers who 
replaced their RPTVs in Q2 did so by buying a plasma TV. 

With more money flowing into the plasma market, manu- 
facturers certainly aren't shying away from high-end models. 
Samsung recently revealed three models geared for specialty 
A/V retailers that feature 549 billion displayable colors, built- 
in HD (high-definition) tuners, and CableCARD- compatible 



technology. Also included is Samsung's DNIea (Digital 
Naturallmage engine), which analyzes signal elements to 
produce a higher- quality image. The new 42-, 50-, and 63- 
inch displays carry bank account-draining price tags of 
$4,199, $5,699, and $12,999, respectively. I 




Even while cheaper 
RPTVs (rear-projection 
televisions) still 
outpace plasma 
televisions sold in 
the United States, 
companies such as 
Samsung are 
bringing high-end, 
high-dollar plasma 
sets to the market. 



8 November 2005 / www.smartcomputing.com 



Lutron @ : personalize 
one-touch dimming 
for your entire home 

Integrate all your lighting into 
one-touch keypads that are as 
personalized as your home w 
a HomeWorks® total lighting 
control system. 

You can also integrate Sivoia QED TM 
quiet, electronic shade control to 
bring electric and natural light into 
one seamless system. 

For over 40 years Lutron has been 
the brand preferred by lighting 
designers and contractors. 

Discover more about HomeWorks and 
the full array of lighting control options 
at www.lutron.com or call us 
toll free at 866.546.4556. 





[« 



C*£i*> 



« 



/ 


\ 


A Cooking 




• 


^Dining 


jj 1 -a+ci Minht 


•| 




4 ., 




^ • 


J 





Actual size: 



LUTRON 

Lutron controls your light.. 



TECH NEWS 



PRINTERS & PERIPHERALS 



A Smarter Keyboard 



Logitech appears determined to push keyboards to the 
next level of usefulness. In 2003, the company released 
the diNovo Media Desktop, which featured a keyboard with 
a detachable keypad complete with an LCD (liquid-crystal 
display). Now Logitech has integrated a similar display di- 
rectly into a keyboard to deliver a streamlined approach to 
information management. 

Logitech's new Cordless Desktop MX 5000 Laser ($149.99; 
www.logitech.com) aims to clear not only the wires from 
your desk but also the clutter from your monitor's screen. 
The integrated LCD can provide in 
stant notification of new email and 
instant messages, along with the 
current state of your Yahoo! Mes- 
senger or MSN Messenger ac- 
count. Bundled software even 
lets you specify which contacts 
you'd like to receive notifica- 
tions for on the display. 

But that's not all. The LCD 
can display smart key assignments, 



playlists, radio stations, the volume level, and the view per- 
centage when you zoom in or out of an image or document. 
An integrated calculator lets you crunch numbers com- 
pletely on the keyboard, and if you need the results, you'll 
find them saved in the Windows Clipboard. 

The default LCD shows the battery level, the room tem- 
perature, the account name of the current Windows XP 
user, and other information. The MX 5000 also includes a 
cordless, rechargeable laser mouse and a Bluetooth hub. I 



The keyboard included with 

Logitech's new Cordless 

Desktop MX 5000 supplies 

a wide range of useful 

information directly to 

an integrated display. 




CPUs, CHIPS & CARDS 



Intel Ramps Down Power 



When you see the words "less power" and "CPU" in 
the same sentence, there's not usually cause for 
wild celebration. But that didn't stop Intel from 
announcing at its Developer Forum in 
August that less power will be joining 
higher performance to form a future 
line of chips that cut electricity costs 
and deliver longer battery life. 

Intel CEO Paul Otellini says the 
company will be redesigning the 
architecture of its chips, focusing 
more on multicore componentry in- 
stead of high clock speeds. With a 
shift away from the intense heat gener- 
ated by single-core chips running at high 
speeds, the new multicore design will help 
manufacturers create smaller computers that still 
feature high performance. Intel plans to implement the new 
architecture in mobile, desktop, and server platforms. 




Although Intel currently markets dual-core chips, the 
new generation of Intel CPUs should take far more ad- 
vantage of the dual-core design, sharing infor- 
mation efficiently between the two cores 
(something that current Intel dual- core 
chips don't do). However, because 
most applications and games still can 
use only a single thread, or process, 
at one time, dual-core processors 
remain largely unnecessary for 
many computing tasks. That should 
change in the future as more appli- 
cations are programmed to accom- 
modate multiple threads. 
According to Otellini, the new chips 
will cut the power consumption of desktops 
to 65 W (watts), servers to 80W, and notebooks 
to about 5W. Intel expects to release the chips in the second 
half of 2006. I 



10 November 2005 / www.smartcomputing.com 



TECH NEWS 



DIG ITAL M ISCELLAN EA 



Glitches Due To Revamped Daylight-Saving Time? 



As you probably already know, an energy bill 
passed earlier this year will extend day- 
light-saving time by four weeks starting 
in 2007. But how will this affect our 
computers and other devices? 

For starters, let's get one thing 
out of the way: This change 
doesn't have the potential to 
be as severe as the year 2000 
glitches, which weren't even 
that severe, thanks to the tire- 
less work of programmers 
who fixed outdated code. But 
you can expect a wide variety 
of irritations, almost all of 
which will be fixable by simply 
changing the time. 

Most predicted irritations may not 
even crop up, as long as you're diligent 
about addressing them before the time changes 
arrive. Developers of major software products will 




provide patches for their programs so that they 
continue working correctly, but like most 
patches, you'll probably need to down- 
load and install some of them your- 
self. Other devices with clocks, such 
as VCRs, ovens, and watches, also 
will need manual adjusting, un- 
less you're the type who leaves 
the default "12:00" on display, 
regardless of the actual time. 

We'll also have to hope 
that service and utility com- 
panies, such as mobile phone 
service providers, set their 
clocks properly, too. If they 
don't, we might get bashed with 
peak hour rates when we're not 
actually using peak hours. But even 
scenarios like these are unlikely because 
everyone — including service and utility com- 
panies — has plenty of fair warning. I 



COOL TOOLS 



Easily Code Features Into Apps 



Ever wanted Windows Explorer-like file browsing 
within your applications but didn't want to deal with 
the monumental hassle of coding it? Sky Software has a 
solution for you. 

Using the company's Shell MegaPack, you can easily 
create a Windows Explorer clone to insert directly into GUI 
(graphical user interface) forms and dialog boxes, and the 
best part is that it requires only two lines of code. With ver- 
sions supporting both ActiveX and .NET, this suite of GUI 
components supplies every feature that you'll find in 
Windows Explorer. 

For example, you can integrate views such as Thumbnail, 
Details, and Group. You also can implement such features as 
drag and drop, context menus, virtual items, and infotips. In 
fact, you can go beyond Windows Explorer-like features and 
add item filtering, item checkboxes, customized columns, 
customized context menus, overlay icons, and more. 

Controls included in the MegaPack include FolderView, 
File View, ShComboBox, and ShellObjects, and each control 



includes samples in various programming languages. These 
controls are available separately, but by buying the MegaPack, 
you'll save $125 over the price of purchasing the controls in- 
dividually. The price for Shell MegaPack starts at $295, and 
users can download the package from www.ssware.com. I 



Q My Documents 
• My Computer 
+ .54 3^ Floppy (A:) 
1 !^> WinXPsfC:) 
wslFree Space: 538 MB 
Total Size: 5.72 GB 



i & MEDIA (R) 

+ t^)MEW(G:) 

t Ci)NEW(H:) 

+ O Control Panel 

+ t-i Shared Documents 

Vj My Network Places 
sj Recycle Bin 

_J New Folder 



With Sky Software's Shell 
MegaPack, you can create 
a Windows Explorer-like 
environment that provides 
all the same browsing 
features (and more) in 
your applications. 



Smart Computing / November 2005 11 



TECH NEWS 



THE TECH GRAPEVINE 



Here are some of the rumors making the rounds in the tech world: 



^^% ^^k — ^^ ^^V I ^^k O nce a blip on the 

^al I J ^^k^Jm^J technology news 

radar, Google now 
spawns legions of speculators who try to predict the com- 
pany's next move. One of the more interesting rumors is that 
Google is making a major move toward the wireless space. 

Of course, part of this story is fact, as Google recently pur- 
chased Android, a secretive California-based company that 
apparently develops software for mobile phones. According 
to BusinessWeek, the company might have been working on a 
mobile phone OS (operating system) at one time or another, 



but another source claims that a venture capitalist researched 
Android as a possible investment and saw a presentation on 
an OS for digital cameras. The OS design would converge 
cameras with popular media software such as iTunes and 
hardware similar to iPods. 

Although Google isn't revealing anything about the 
Android acquisition, it's possible that the company is going 
to pare down its powerful search engine for use on mobile 
phones. Another possibility is that the company will use 
Android's technology to improve Picasa's compatibility with 
mobile devices and software. 



Microsoft 



According to Transmeta 

CEO Arthur Swift, 30 

Transmeta engineers are 

working with Microsoft 

on a secret project, possibly to create a portable media 

player or even a portable Xbox. Other speculation points to 

Microsoft actually teaming with Transmeta to release chips. 



Transmeta has struggled to compete in the processor 
world with AMD and Intel, even though it redesigned its 
chip architecture to deliver more performance. Linux icon 
Linus Torvalds left Transmeta in 2003, a move that some 
insiders felt left the company ripe for a takeover by AMD 
or Microsoft. We haven't seen that yet, but who knows 
what the future holds? 




BfiA-rayOfsc 



Blu-ray, the next-gen- 
eration disc storage 
technology that fea- 
tures storage capacities 



up to 54GB, is on the way, and it's going to cost you 
dearly. Insiders say the first Blu-ray recorders on the U.S. 
market will run about $1,500, and PC drives will be 
roughly $500. 




Google has been 
looking into pub- 
lic Wi-Fi networks, 
prompting some to 
speculate that the 
search giant is plan- 
ning to unveil a national Wi-Fi network. Business 2.0 
states that it "has learned from telecom insiders that 



Google is already building such a network, though osten- 
sibly for many reasons. For the past year, it has quietly 
been shopping for miles and miles of 'dark,' or unused, 
fiber-optic cable across the country from wholesalers such 
as New York's AboveNet. It's also acquiring superfast 
connections from Cogent Communications and WilTel, 
among others, between East Coast cities including 
Atlanta, Miami, and New York." 



DULY QUOTED 



"Wow, you're a smooth talker." 

-This message indicates you're truly engaged in your phone conversation and appears in 

Jerk-O-Meter, software that analyzes phone speech patterns and voice tones. 

Other messages include: "Don't be a jerk!" and "Be a little nicer now." 

(Source: Associated Press) 



12 November 2005 / www.smartcomputing.com 



Don't let misfortune take you down. 
Stay safe with Casper XP. 




Recovering from a hard disk disaster doesn't get any easier! 

Use Casper XP to maintain a bootable backup hard disk and 
you'll never have to worry when disaster strikes! 



C Creates a fully bootable backup of your 
Windows XP hard disk! When disaster strikes, 
simply use the backup as a complete and 
immediate replacement for your original hard 
disk. It's that easy! 

C Runs entirely within Windows! No need to 
reboot! No need for special rescue media! 

C Easy-to-use wizards quickly guide you through 
the process step by step! 



New Version 3.0! Faster and more convenient than everl 

New! Exclusive SmartClone™ technology dramatically 
reduces backup times 

New! 1-Click Cloning™ and enhanced scheduling make 
anytime the right time for a backup 

Purchase CASPER XP 3.0 before November 30th and SAVE $5.00* 
Use coupon code SC1 1 for Instant savings at www.casper-xp.com 



Backup Solution 



©2005 Future Systems Solutions, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Casper XP, the Casper XP 
logo, SmartClone and 1 -Click Cloning are either registered trademarks or trademarks of 
Future Systems Solutions, Inc. Other product and company names may be trademarks 
or registered trademarks of their respective holders. * Offer expires November 30, 2005. 



Future Systems Solutions, Inc. 

0420 S 500 East 

Bluffton, IN 46714 

U.S.A. 

Visit us at www.fssdev.com 



With Wi-Fi 
phones, such as 
this Siemens 
GigasetS35,you 
can use VoIP 
(Voice over 
Internet Protocol) 
over a wireless 
connection to 
avoid expensive 
long-distance 
calling rates. 




TECH NEWS 



CONVERGENT TECH: PDAs & SMARTPHONES 



Wi-Fi, VoIP Phones Prepare Invasion 



Even though only 2% of VoIP 
(Voice over Internet Protocol) 
subscribers worldwide currently use 
dual-mode smartphones, In-Stat 
predicts that number will jump to 
73% by 2009. 

In a recent report, the research 
firm indicated that dual-mode 
smartphones, which support 
both cellular and Wi-Fi sig- 
nals, will be the catalyst 
for mass VoIP adoption 
among consumers. The 
firm also estimated that 
more than 66 million such 



phones will be in operation by 2009 
and that Europe will be the largest 
initial market. According to an In-Stat 
survey, more than 80% of businesses 
are interested in the technology, even 
though mass production isn't ex- 
pected until 2007. 

Wi-Fi phones operate using stan- 
dard Wi-Fi signals to transmit voice 
data using the VoIP protocol. Dual- 
mode smartphones can be a highly 
attractive option for most mobile 
phone users because current (and 
presumably, future) VoIP calling 
plans cost far less than cellular calling 



New Products Hardware 



Quick takes on the latest hardware and software to hit the market at press time. Manufacturers 1 
and publishers' release dates are subject to change, so some products may not be available when 
you read this. (Logos indicate products compatible with either Windows or Macintosh only.) 



512MB microSD 

SanDisk 
$69.99 



(866) 726-3475 
(408) 542-0500 



www.sandisk.com 



TransFlash-compatible flash memory 
with an SD adapter 



flu Cordless Desktop 

S 510 Media Remote 

Logitech • $99.99 



(800)231-7717 
(510)795-8500 



www.logitech.com 



Wireless keyboard and mouse combo 
that comes with a media remote control 
for your PC 



Global Executive 
Deluxe Case 
(#TET005US) 

Targus- $109.99 



(877) 482-7487 
(714)765-5555 



www.targus.com 



Notebook case with a removable disc 
sleeve, retractable blue light, water- 
bottle holder, airline-ticket holder, and 
file compartment 



TransPod for 
iPod shuffle 

DLO (Digital 
Lifestyle Outfitters) 
$59.99 



(866) 800-4763 



'. 


miniCase 

difusi 
$129 


(816)361-4054 


www.difusi.tv 


A case with reinforced gel-foam padding 
for a Mac mini or 12-inch PowerBook 




Mixx 256MB 

Iomega • $59.95 


(800) 697-8833 
(412)690-2100 


www.iomega.com 


A small flash-based MP3 player with FM 
radio and voice-recordingfunctions 




My Little Genius 

MyLittleGenius.Net 
$39.95 


(202) 362-3605 


www.mylittlegenius.net 


A kids' keyboard and mouse set 
designed for tiny hands 




www.dlodirect.com 



Snap your iPod shuffle into this com- 
pact FM transmitter for playback in 
your vehicle 



Wireless G Travel 
Router (#F5D7233) 

Belkin • $79.99 



(800) 223-5546 
(310)898-1100 



www.belkin.com 



A portable router for creating a wireless 
network when you travel 



jjiJ Wireless Optical 
Desktop 

Microsoft -$104.95 



(800) 426-9400 
(425) 882-8080 



www.m icrosoft.com 



Wireless keyboard and mouse that 
come with PhotoCenter, which adds 
image-editing tools to the keyboard 



14 November 2005 / www.smartcomputing.com 



TECH NEWS 



plans. Thanks to the architecture of 
IP, long-distance calls don't cost any 
more than short-distance calls. For 
example, Vonage offers a premium 
monthly calling plan for $24.99 that 
allows for unlimited calls anywhere in 
the United States and Canada, and the 
service includes a wealth of free fea- 
tures such as voicemail, caller ID, call 
waiting, call forwarding, and others. 

The biggest stumbling block for Wi- 
Fi phones at the moment is the lack of 
Wi-Fi saturation around the country. 
To use the Wi-Fi mode on a dual- 
mode phone, you need to be within 



range of a wireless hotspot, which for 
the most part limits users to homes 
and businesses that have Wi-Fi in- 
stalled. Herein lies the beauty of two 
modes because users can theoretically 
use a cellular signal wherever a Wi-Fi 
signal isn't available. 

A bright spot for Wi-Fi phones and 
VoIP is the continuing talk of munic- 
ipal Wi-Fi. Several towns and cities 
across the nation are currently con- 
ducting experiments to provide city- 
wide wireless access to residents. As 
this technology matures and delivers 
a more pervasive Wi-Fi presence in 



areas other than homes, businesses, 
and coffee shops, the prospect of 
ditching expensive landline phone ser- 
vice will grow ever more viable. 

Nonetheless, we don't expect tradi- 
tional phone companies to sit idly by 
as VoIP makes major inroads into 
their business. Although there are al- 
ready several carriers that provide Wi- 
Fi calling plans, companies such as 
Verizon, Qwest, and BellSouth have 
the capital (and likely, the expertise) 
to develop their own technologies that 
can help revolutionize the communi- 
cations industry even further. I 



New Products Software 



88 



AJC Directory 
Synchronizer 2.1 

AJC Software 
$29 



sales@ajcsoft.com 



www.ajcsoft.com 



Sync your notebook and desktop 
computer 






® 



CodedColor 
PhotoStudio 4.2 

1 STEIN 
$39 



info@codedcolor.com 



www.codedcolor.com 



Image editor with one-click photo 
correction, organizational tools, and 
batch processing 



Sg 


Easy Website Pro 2.0 

Photon FX Software 
$69.95 


www.photonfx.net/form 
.php?todo=other 


www.photonfx.net 


Use templates to design your own Web 
page, even if you don't know any HTML 


Sg 


Fax4Word 

Addins40ffice.com 
$39.95 


info@addins4office.com 


www.addi ns4office.com 


A plug- in that lets you send faxes 
through Microsoft Word 


sg 


HDDIifePro2.5 

BinarySense 
$29 


info@hddlife.com 


www.hddlife.com 


Monitor your hard drive's status, 
including information about individual 
partitions 



MixBrowser (My 
internet experience 
Browser) 1.7 

Intemalsoft • $29 



support@internalsoft.com 



www.internalsoft.com 



View Web pages, flash animations, and 
other online content when you're not 
connected to the Internet 



Sg 



Mylnfo 3 

Milenix Software 
$49.95 



www.milenix.com/contact.php www.milenix.com 



PIM to organize projects, documents, 
and other reference material 



ZsDuplicateHunter 
2.2 Professional 

Zizasoft 
$39.95 


(303) 638-9235 


i_ — "" ~:::~ " 


www.zizasoft.com 


Locate and remove duplicate files from 
your computer 




, 





Smart Computing / November 2005 15 



TechMates 



Paint The Town Red 



Most children enjoy ex- 
pressing themselves 
with pencils, crayons, 
and finger paints. Growth and 
lack of talent made most of us 
relegate that pleasure to the back 
burner as adults, but now your 
PC and the latest digital tools can 
restore that youthful delight. 

Drawing, painting, and editing 
digital photos can be great fun 
with the Wacom Graphire3, an 
electronic tablet. While the tradi- 
tional mouse is a great input tool, 
it is very restrictive for some tasks 
such as drawing and painting. The 
Wacom tablet solves that problem. 
It comes with a pen-like stylus that 
is used on the tablet. The elec- 
tronic pen is pressure- sensitive, so 
when working with a compatible 
drawing program, pressing harder 
gives you a wider paintbrush or a 
darker stroke. It allows you to go 
from thin and light to dark and 
heavy smoothly and easily. The 
pen is so realistic that it even has a 
pressure- sensitive eraser on top. 

Setup is easy. Install the software 

drivers, plug the tablet into a USB 

port, and draw. A tutorial walks you through the basics. You 
can configure the Graphire3 to your own preferences. Not 
only is this way of working intuitive, but it also makes many 
tasks such as drawing, painting, and editing photos easy. 

The pen stylus is only slightly thicker than an ordinary 
pen, and it is ultra light. You can tap the stylus on the pad to 
simulate a mouse click. Tap twice for a double- click. The 
rocker button on the side can also be used for clicking, or it 
can be reassigned for your personal use. I don't want to give 
the impression that I make a lot of mistakes, but I have pro- 
grammed mine to be an undo button. Besides the stylus, the 
Graphire3 also comes with a wireless mouse. 

The Graphire3's pen excels when working in drawing pro- 
grams, but you can use it in just about any program. The pen 
puts no stress on the wrist, so it's a nice mouse substitute for 
those with wrist problems. 

Happy Little Trees 

Wacom hits the bull's-eye with its included software: Adobe 
Photoshop Elements 2, Corel Painter Essentials 2, and nik 




Graphire3 

4-x5-inch, $99.95;6x8, $199.95; 6x8 with Bluetooth, $249.95 

Wacom 

(800)922-9348 

www.wacom.com 

Painter Essentials 

Only available with purchase of tablet 

Corel 

(800)772-6735 

www.corel.com 



Color Efex Pro 2 GE. Photoshop 
Elements has good photo tools, 
and the Color Efex program has 
excellent photo enhancements. 
Corel Painter, however, is the 
most fun to use with the tablet. It 
includes more than 50 pressure- 
sensitive brushes and myriad pa- 
pers, nozzles, and patterns. You can 
use it to edit your photos or create 
your own works of art. When I first 
tried the Painter program with the 
Wacom tablet, I felt like a kid with 
the largest ever box of crayons. I was 
truly excited to try out the large va- 
riety of textures, colors, and special 
effects. There were even brushes 
that simulated palette knives, air- 
brushes, acrylics, chalk, and oils. 

The tablet takes some getting used 
to. The hardest part was learning to 
deal with the tablet's positioning. 
Wherever you place the pen on the 
tablet, the pointer jumps to the cor- 
responding point on the screen. 
Also, as with any drawing software, 
there is a lot to learn about the pens, 
brushes, and drawing tools. It took 
me a few weeks of practice before I 
created my first masterpiece. Al- 
though it will never hang in an art gallery, it is on display in the 
transparent photo frame that covers my Wacom tablet. I am 
proud of my Picasso-like creation and hope to find more time 
to play. 

Painter Essentials can also be used for serious photo and 
graphics work. Although the Essentials program will keep me 
busy for quite awhile, more advanced users may want to up- 
grade to the full version, Corel Painter IX ($299, full version; 
$199, upgrade), for even more tools and special effects. 

The Wacom tablet and pen and the Painter Essentials pro- 
gram make digital art fun. They may be just the high-tech tools 
you need to recapture the artistic zest of your childhood. II 

by Sandy Berger 



Sandy Berger is a nationally respected technology author and 
computing expert. Sandy's aim is to convey to others in easy-ti 
understand language what they need to know to take advanta t 
today's technology. Visit her fltwww.compukiss.com or ema\ 
at SandyB@smartcomputing.com. 



16 November 2005 / www.smartcomputing.com 



Tech Diaries 



No Ordinary Keyboard 



Joshua Gulick 

Send your comments to 
joshua@smartcomputing.com 




Cordless Desktop MX 3100 

$149.95 

Logitech 

(800)231-7717 

(510)795-8500 

www.logitech.com 



The MX 3100 Oozes Luxury 



Until recently, my wife's keyboard was a 
sturdy-but-ancient slab that migrated 
from her office to our house when the com- 
pany gave its older computers and acces- 
sories to employees. We were planning to 
build her a computer, so the keyboard was a 
welcome gift — at first. The board didn't look 
particularly dirty (I cleaned each and every 
key with disinfectant — you never know what 
lurks on a keyboard), but I was surprised 
that she wanted to stick with this fossil (the 
keyboard, that is) when she picked out the 
rest of the PC's components at a 
local shop. She pointed out 
that aside from lacking 
media buttons (which con- 
trol your media player soft- 
ware), it was just as good as 
any other keyboard. 
And for several years, it was. But 
when the keyboard finally died and my wife 
bought a new, feature-laden keyboard, she 
couldn't believe she'd missed so much. For 
one thing, she loved being able to change 
the computer's volume without reaching 
for the mouse. But she also noticed that the 
keys offered less resistance than the pre- 
vious board's sticky keys. Her new key- 
board (a Microsoft Multimedia Keyboard) 
proved that higher- end keyboards don't 
simply jack up the price; they really do 
(usually) offer a better experience. With 
that in mind, I reviewed one of the more 
expensive keyboard/mouse packages 
around: the $149.95 Logitech MX 3100. 

Button Madness 

If you insist on a steering wheel that 
boasts volume control buttons when you 
shop for a car, you'll love the MX 3100's 
wireless keyboard. I counted 28 extra but- 
tons, and that's not including the F keys, 
each of which offers a second function 
when you press the F MODE key. Despite 
the slew of features, I found my way around 
the keyboard easily; Logitech groups the 



buttons by category. The section that han- 
dles communication features, for example, 
includes an oversized E-Mail button, which 
opens your email program. It also has a 
button that activates a Webcam (assuming 
you have one) and two IM (instant message) 
buttons. I wasn't surprised to see that one of 
the buttons starts your IM application, but 
the other button caught me off guard: It 
changes your online IM status to Away. 

I also like the scroll wheel on the left side 
of the board, which lets you browse Web 
pages without using the mouse. The key- 
board's keys don't stick, but they don't 
drop to the keyboard when you touch 
them, either. Although each user has his 
own key- resistance preferences, I doubt 
that any typist would complain about the 
MX 3100's keys. My only gripe about the 
keys is that the CAPS LOCK key is smaller 
than the TAB key above it. My finger 
missed it a few times before I got used to it. 

Super Mouse 

The wireless MX Laser mouse uses 
Logitech's latest laser technology to move 
your pointer with great accuracy. Web 
surfers probably won't appreciate the 
mouse's pinpoint accuracy as much as 
gamers and 3D developers, but anyone who 
likes buttons will love this mouse. In par- 
ticular, I like the mouse wheel, which tilts 
side to side. The mouse wheel also has two 
buttons that let you scroll quickly without 
dragging your finger across the wheel. The 
mouse also has small LEDs (light- emitting 
diodes) that indicate battery strength. 

Too Cool For Casual 

Without a doubt, the MX 3100 is a better 
keyboard/mouse combo than many inex- 
pensive alternatives. But although feature fa- 
natics will love the MX 3100's quality extras, 
casual users don't require this souped-up 
mouse and might get lost among the extra 
buttons. Customers who are unwilling to 
spend more than $100 on a keyboard/mouse 
combo, but don't want to miss out on this 
board's special features, should take a look 
at Logitech's MX 3000 Laser. This $99.95 
package includes a similar keyboard and 
not-quite-as-fancy mouse. II 



Smart Computing / November 2005 17 



Tech Diaries 



Put Data In The Spotlight 

LaCie's silverscreen External Hard Drive 



Chad Denton 

Send Chad your opinions at 
chad@smartcomputing.com 




silverscreen 

$279 

LaCie 

(503) 844-4500 

www.lacie.com 



I may have too many computers. Between 
the notebook and desktop I have at work 
and the notebook and desktop I have at 
home, it's not unusual for me to interact 
with four computers a day. Perhaps that ex- 
plains my infatuation with external hard 
drives. I love being able to access important 
data regardless of which PC I'm using. 

LaCie has a reputation for making sharp - 
looking external drives, and LaCie's silver- 
screen is a particularly interesting external 
drive because it lets you play back stored 
media files on a television. 



First Impressions 

LaCie's silverscreen is remi- 
niscent of a PDA (personal digital 
assistant), only thicker and a bit 
heavier. It's not going to fit into a 
jacket pocket, but it's easy enough to carry 
around in a notebook case. The drive is 
wrapped in silver casing protected by a clear 
plastic coat. 

Over a USB 2.0 connection, the silver- 
screen's 5,400rpm hard drive managed to 
transfer 4.48GB of data in about three min- 
utes. LaCie ships the drive preformatted 
with Microsoft's FAT32 (file allocation 
table, 32-bit) file system (which Mac OS X 
can access, as well). FAT32 is also compat- 
ible with Windows 98SE, but Win98 users 
will need to load the drivers from the in- 
cluded CD-ROM before using the drive. 

The drive can power itself from the com- 
puter's USB port. If for some reason the 
drive can't draw enough power, you'll need 
to use the included USB Power Boost 
Adapter. The adapter plugs into the comput- 
er's USB port and lets you power the drive 
using the included AC adapter. Obviously, 
this is less than ideal for a portable drive, but 
I had no problems with any of the systems I 
used. In fact, the instructions claim that 
Windows XP users running Service Pack 2 
need to use the Power Boost Adapter, but I 
didn't find this to be true. 



Data On The Move 

I loaded up the 80GB drive with pictures, 
music, and a few videos (being sure to place 
each file into its proper folder). Although 
you can store any file on the drive, it will 
only playback supported files. For instance, 
all pictures need to be in JPEG format and 
must be smaller than 8 megapixels. Audio 
files must be in WAV, MP3, MPEG-4 (also 
known as ACC, although Apple's protected 
ACC music files are not compatible with 
this drive), and ACE (Dolby Digital). 
Supported video types include MPEG-1, 
MPEG-2 (in AVI, VOB, or ISO formats), 
and MPEG-4 (in AVI, DiVX 3.11, 4.x, and 
5.x, and XviD formats). 

We downloaded a number of DiVX video 
files to test our drive and had no problems 
playing them back. Some clips, however, are 
not available in a supported format. You 
can either play these videos back on a PC or 
use third- party applications to convert 
video to a supported format. (I was disap- 
pointed that video -conversion software 
wasn't included on the CD-ROM.) 

Our silverscreen came with a composite 
A/V cable that included the standard RCA 
jacks. The cable also included an S -Video 
connector you can use in place of the yellow 
RCA jack. A coaxial SPDIF cable lets you 
connect the drive to your home theater 
system. LaCie offers other cables, as well, in- 
cluding a high- end component video cable. 

The interface is easy to navigate, but make 
sure you give your files recognizable file 
names. The included remote control lets you 
navigate the menu from across the room and 
select files to play back (although you can't 
move any files using the interface). 

I liked the speed of the drive, and it was 
nice to be able to connect the drive to my 
home stereo and play back MP3 files. The 
video feature wasn't as cool as I had hoped 
because there just isn't a lot of good content 
available for download online. If you work a 
lot with digital video, however, you'll love 
the ability to save the video on the drive and 
connect the drive to a television to preview 
your work. These features, however, do 
come at a price. The $279 price tag is more 
than $100 more than the company's stan- 
dard USB 2.0 Mobile Hard Drive (which is 
also smaller and lighter). II 



18 November 2005 / www.smartcomputing.com 



Tech Diaries 



When You Get A Lemon 

The Internet's Vast Vehicle Resources 



Kylee Dickey 

Send your comments to 
kylee@smartcomputing.com 



This past year, I discovered that my car 
hated me. With less than 35,000 miles on 
it, my car turned into a rattling, cash- 
consuming, tow- truck- reliant beast. After 
spending four months towing my car, dri- 
ving rental cars, and paying for costly re- 
pairs, it was obvious that something was 
horribly wrong. I'll spare you the long, 
drawn-out saga. Suffice it to say that it was 
one bizarre problem after another. As one 
of my editors put it, "Kylee, your car's 
problems sound like they came from an 
episode of 'Seinfeld.'" 

I decided it was time to trade in my 
car. Last time, I bought a new car, but 
this time, I wanted to buy a used car. I 
knew very little about buying a used ve- 
hicle, but luckily, today there are many 
online resources for car buyers, sellers, 
and owners. 



Before you sell a car or buy a used car, 
research the value of the vehicle. Some of 
the most popular sites for value estimates 
are Kelley Blue Book (www.kbb.com) and 
Edmunds (www.edmunds.com). I found 
these sites very useful because I wanted to 
buy a car that held its resale value well. It 
was also important to me that my next car 
be safe. My last car felt like a tiny death trap 
and had only one-star side-impact ratings. 
By searching the IIHS (Insurance Institute 
for Highway Safety) site (www.iihs.org 
/ve hicle_ratings/ratings.htm) and the 
NHTSA's (National Highway Traffic Safety 
Administration's) Safercar.gov site 
(www.safercar.gov), I identified vehicles 
that had crash ratings of four and five stars, 
a huge improvement over my previous 
car's ratings. 

Finally, I browsed Samarin's.com 
(www.samarins.com), a site that has infor- 
mation about buying and owning a vehicle. 
You'll find tips for selecting a car, haggling 
for a price, researching a car's history, and 
troubleshooting problems. My favorite fea- 
ture of Samarin's.com was a checklist of 
things to do while test- driving a used car. 



Tricks Of The Trade 

The first thing I wanted to know was 
how to get a good deal on a car. My 
previous car-buying experience was an 
embarrassment. I didn't know what I was 
doing, and the price I paid for my car re- 
flected that. 

You can find many Web sites with tips 
for buying cars by typing buying a used 
car or buying a new car in a search engine 
such as Google (www.google.com) or 
Yahoo! (www.yahoo.com). You may find 
the FTC's (Federal Trade Commission's) 
tips at www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/autos 
/usedcar.htm and www.ftc.gov/bcp/con 
line/pubs/autos/newcar.htm useful. The 
BBB (Better Business Bureau) also has tips 
atwww.bbb.org/alerts/article.asp?ID=432 
andwww.bbb.org/alerts/article.asp? 
ID=433. Finally, at www.carbuyingtips 
.com, you'll find information about 
common tricks and techniques sellers may 
use during negotiations. You'll also find 
strategies you can use to haggle for the 
best price. 



Fuel Your Knowledge 

Even if you aren't buying a new car, you 
can find many useful vehicle resources on- 
line. Before I traded in my old car, I spent a 
lot of time searching Car Talk (www.cartalk 
.com) to troubleshoot my various car prob- 
lems. This is indeed the same Car Talk that 
you may listen to on NPR (National Public 
Radio). The site has answers to car prob- 
lems and links to general information 
about owning and, more importantly, 
maintaining a car. Best of all, the informa- 
tion on Car Talk is in plain English and 
easy for even a nonmechanic to under- 
stand. If you have a little more automobile 
knowledge, you may want to use a search 
engine to find a variety of car- enthusiast 
sites and forums, many of which are brand- 
or model-specific. 

The information I found online helped 
me find a car that was perfect for me. I also 
learned enough about haggling to easily ne- 
gotiate the price I wanted for both my new 
car and my trade-in. Now if only the Web 
could help with the rising price of gas II 



Smart Computing / November 2005 19 



Tech Diaries 



Digitized Digits 

Biometric Security On Your Keyboard 



Nathan Chandler 

Send insights and insults 

to Nathan at 

nathan@smartcomputing.com 




K4000Verifi Keyboard 

$159 

Zvetco Biometric 

(407)681-0111 

www.everifi.com 




Microsoft Optical Desktop 

With Fingerprint Reader 

(bundled with wireless 

optical mouse) 

$84.95 

Microsoft 

(800) 426-9400 

(425) 882-8080 

www.m icrosoft.com 



The more we rely on our PCs for day- to- 
day activities, from online banking to 
email, the more important security be- 
comes. That's why biometrics products 
continue to garner a lot of interest. 

With biometrics -based security, a hard- 
ware device uses part of your body as a clue 
to your identity. The most commonly 
scanned features are, of course, fingerprints, 
and a number of consumer keyboards and 
mice now integrate fingerprint scanners. 

Fingers Are Handy 

I tested two products: 
Microsoft's Optical Desktop with 
Fingerprint Reader and Zvetco 
Biometrics' K4000 Verifi Keyboard. 
Though these keyboards both have 
fingerprint readers, they have little else 
in common. 

The Optical Desktop has smooth lines, an 
elegant black- and- gray color scheme, and 
oodles of special functions buttons, and it's 
bundled with a wireless optical mouse. 
With its bland aesthetic appeal, the K4000 
projects a no-nonsense aura of efficiency 
and function; fitting, because Zvetco con- 
structed this keyboard for business use. 

Microsoft's version includes Digital- 
Persona Password Manager software 
that helps set up the fingerprint 
scanner. With this program, I pro- 
grammed a logon routine for my 
Gmail account. To do so, I loaded the 
Web page in Internet Explorer, 
pressed the finger sensor, and entered my 
login name and password. From then on, 
every time I wanted to access my Gmail ac- 
count, all I had to do was touch my finger to 
the sensor. 

You can use this keyboard to log in to just 
about any program that requires a username 
and password. One problem is that for Web 
site logins, you'll have to use IE, as the soft- 
ware doesn't work with alternative browsers 
such as Netscape or Firefox. 



Serious Business 

The K4000 integrates AuthenTec's well- 
regarded AES4000 sensor, which uses e- 
field scanning technology. In short, these 
kinds of sensors project a magnetic field 
onto your finger to read the sublayer of fin- 
gerprint skin, a technique that's supposed 
to be more secure and more accurate than 
older optical sensor technology. 

I installed the Verifi ID Manager soft- 
ware (sold separately for $34.95) and con- 
nected the K4000 without any difficulty. I 
proceeded to register my fingerprints. Or I 
tried. This process was more difficult than I 
anticipated, requiring me to press and re- 
press my finger to the sensor. 

Once I set up the software, I tried to log 
on to my PC using my print and a password. 
Again, the sensor rejected my print multiple 
times before it recognized me, a problem 
that persisted throughout my tests. 

On the other hand, the Verifi ID Manager 
software is more powerful than the program 
included with the Optical Desktop. Like the 
Microsoft product, you can use ID Manager 
to consolidate your slew of passwords and use 
just a fingerprint (or a combination of your 
fingerprint and another factor) to log in to 
Web sites, certain areas of your hard drive, or 
just about any program. The software is easy 
to use, although security novices might be 
confused by some of technical lingo. 

End Around 

The software I used with both products 
prevented mischievous users from discon- 
necting the keyboard and replacing it. Of 
course, if your fingerprint- activated key- 
board breaks, it would be hard to access 
protected files, a reason both companies 
guide you through a setup process that re- 
quires either a fingerprint or a password so 
you can still access your PC without of- 
fering your print. 

I liked the the K4000's software and 
promises of tight security. But its finger- 
print sensor frustrated me to no end. 
Microsoft's product is much simpler and 
not as secure, but it's also much more con- 
venient, and if it's convenience you're 
looking for, the Optical Desktop is a hands- 
down winner. II 



20 November 2005 / www.smartcomputing.com 




Because the way your environment looks is often more important than the way it 
sounds, music and movie lovers often sacrifice performance for aesthetics. 

Problem solved! 

ARTCOUSTIC brings both high performance sound and style together in one 
harmonious and elegant solution. 

ARTCOUSTIC loudspeakers and subwoofers are THIN - as slim as 2.5 inches 
- and hang on the wall like pictures. 

Interchangeable, acoustically transparent front screens are covered in a choice 
of elegant fabrics, or can also be printed with artwork or photography to com- 
plement any decor. The cabinet frames come in a choice of finishes, as well. 

Explore the world of ARTCOUSTIC - 14 different speaker & subwoofer models, plus 
thousands of screen choices - and discover what interior designers, architects, and 
audio lovers have in common - www.ArtcousticUSA.com 




GROUP Exclusive North American Distributor - 8 77-588-00 75 

Tec hno I ogq far Designed Environments www.stjohngroup.com | info@stjohngroup.com 



AS! D 

industry 
partner 



Software 
Head-To-Head 

Media Players 



— »—«" -■—'-— /I— >- _J 




- 


r 








^ 



Let The Music Play 

Top Media Players For Audio & Video 



You've done most of the work. You 
downloaded and/or transferred those 
awesome tunes and treasured home 
movies onto your PC, so you have just one 
more task to complete before 
you can click Play: Choose the 
best media player for your 
needs. Media players are essen- 
tial to playing and organizing 
your audio files, and finding the 
right media player is the final 
but crucial step to fully enjoying 
them. And getting just the right 
software won't cost you a thing 
because there are several free, 
well- designed, and robust appli- 
cations to choose from. 



Buying Tips 

Sure, the best things 
in life may be free, but true 
audio and video enthusiasts 
may want to skip right over 
the free versions we mention 
here and invest in paid pro- 
grams for access to enhanced 
content and features. But be- 
fore you do, we recommend 
that you try out the free 
version first to make sure the 
interface and features suit 
your personal style and needs. 



RealPlayer 10 



RealNetworks was one of the pioneers in 
Internet audio (the company was the first 
one to popularize streaming audio over the 
Web), so you might suppose that the latest 
version of its media player, RealPlayer 10, 
has all-inclusive audio capabilities. Well, 
you'd be right. The player supports practi- 
cally any audio file type you can think of, 
including MP3, WAV (Wave audio file, a 
standard PC audio file format Microsoft 
developed), and WMA (Windows Media 
Audio), and copying these files from your 
PC's hard drive into the player is as simple 
as clicking a couple of buttons and waiting a 
few moments for thousands of clips to load 
into the RealPlayer library. Once you finish, 
you can instruct the player to watch for new 
clips arriving on your hard drive and auto- 
matically import them into the library. 

The player plays other audio clips, as 
well. Play audio CDs — even burn them to 
discs if you'd like — or sync up your iPod or 
other portable media player to hear those 
songs. Listen to a variety of rock, classical, 
blues, and news radio stations from within 



the player. Or, preview thousands of songs 
in the music store and download them 
for 99 cents each (or $9.99 per album). 
Playback quality features 5 -channel audio, 
high bit-rate encoding for copying CDs, 
and RealNetworks' TurboPlay technology 
for speedy audio streaming over a variety 
of Internet connection speeds. 

The high-quality and near-universal 
playback extends to video, as well. Playback 
is crisp and clear, and the player can read 
QuickTime, MPEG, and DVD files, among 
others. When viewing streaming video, the 
LivePause feature lets you pause, rewind, 
and fast- forward through a clip while you 
play it. Put RealPlayer into Theater Mode 
to view a full- screen display, adjust audio 
controls such as equalizer or crossfade as 
you watch a video, or surf the Web at the 
same time with the built-in browser. 

The software is all wrapped in an inter- 
face that makes it relatively easy to find 
what you want. We were slightly confused 
when we first tested the software until we 
realized that the full player is composed of 
two windows, one called RealPlayer and the 
other called Media Browser, but once we 
understood how the two work together, it 
was easy to organize files, listen to music, 
and watch DVDs (provided you have a 
DVD drive) and other video. And if you 
don't like the appearance of the default in- 
terface, simply change it by downloading 
the House Of Flying Daggers skin or any of 
the hundreds of other skins. 

If you're willing to spend a little money 
on your media player, you might want to 
take advantage of RealPlayer's premium 
services. Upgrade to RealPlayer Plus 
($19.99) for features such as advanced 
video controls; SuperPass ($12.99 per 
month) for games, ad-free radio, and short 
films from iFilm; and Rhapsody Unlimited 
($9.99 per month) for unlimited access to 
more than a million songs. 



Winamp 5.09 



If media players were rated solely on a 
hipness scale, Winamp 5.09 would be at the 
top of the list. This media player has atti- 
tude — and lots of it. From the aristocratic, 
headphone-wearing llama on the home 
page to the 1950s All- American family 
gracing other pages throughout the site, the 



22 November 2005 / www.smartcomputing.com 



Reviews 




Buying Tips 

In our ever-increasingly 
portable world, it's critical to 
make sure the media player 
you select for your PC interacts 
with your portable music de- 
vice. You may love the ease of 
use of Windows Media Player, 
for instance, but if you own 
an iPod, you'll probably be 
frustrated when the software 
won't allow you to download 
songs from your library onto 
your portable device. Check 
the device manufacturer's site 
for compatibility listings. 



Winamp site lets you know 
that you've arrived at the 
home of, in its words, 
"super-hot-uber-geeks." 

That attitude is backed up 
by a media player with a 
cool feature set. This player's 
strength lies in its audio ca- 
pabilities. Once you've 
copied songs from the hard 
drive into the player's li- 
brary, you can sort accord- 
ing to a number of tags, including artist, 
title, album, length, genre, year, and when 
you last played a song. If you don't know 
some of that data, click a Search button to 
search online for additional information 
from such sources as news articles, fan sites, 
and biographical data. In addition, you can 
perform a search of your hard drive to look 
for tracks to add to your library. 

Another key component of the Winamp 
player is the playlist feature. Drag and drop 
songs from either the library or Windows 
Explorer into a playlist, and move a song 
within the list with just a couple of clicks. 
Other management tools include the ability 
to import or export playlists, sort playlists by 
title and file name, and send playlists to a 
CD burner. Not only can you burn CDs at 
speeds up to five times the speed of play- 
back, but you also can use the software to rip 
CD tracks onto your hard drive (keeping in 



mind the legalities surrounding owning and 
copying songs, of course). And when you 
need a change from your own music, tune in 
to any of the more than 4,000 Internet radio 
stations you can access via the software. 

Internet "TV" stations also are available 
to users. Sure, you can watch movie 
trailers, but the most interesting content, in 
our opinion, is the music video clips. 
Nullsoft, the makers of Winamp, claims to 
possess the world's largest music video 
archive. At last count the archive numbered 
10,922 items, and updates are added each 
day. If you have a hankering to watch 
Aerosmith perform "Dude Looks Like A 
Lady" or check out videos from alternative 
groups such as Collective Soul and the 
Deftones, this is the place to be. 

And when you watch those videos, be 
sure to look through all the different skins 
that can surround them. The Winamp site 
presents 18 categories of downloadable, 
free skins, and you can download themes 
from Super Mario World to Dukes Of 
Hazzard to Old Mac-OS, the latter of which 
is reminiscent of bygone computing days. 

Winamp also comes in a Pro version. 
For $19.95 you can upgrade the player to 
include such features as MP3 encoding, 
which lets you rip your music CDs to create 
MP3 files; unrestricted CD burning, which 
lets you burn your CDs at up to five times 
the speed that's available in the free 



Software Information 


Price 


Company Contact Information 


URL 


RealPlayer 10 Free 

Winamp 5.09 Free 

Windows Free 
Media Player 10 


RealNetworks (800) 444-801 1 
(206) 674-2700 

Nullsoft N/A 

Microsoft (800) 642-7676 
(425) 882-8080 


www.real.com 

www.winamp.com 
www.microsoft.com 




Scorecard 




Performance 


Ease Of Use Installation Documentation 


Price 


Overall Score 


RealPlayer 10 5 

Winamp 5.09 4 

Windows 4.5 
Media Player 10 


4.5 5 5 
4.5 5 4 
4.5 5 4.5 


5 
5 
5 


4.9/5 


4.5/5 


4.7/5 







Smart Computing / November 2005 23 



Reviews 




Buying Tips 

Do you rely on your media 

player solely for audio 

purposes? If so, don't limit 

your options to the three 

media players profiled here. 

There are several free, 

high-quality applications 

on the market that focus 

only on audio playback, 

including Sonique 1.96 

(sonique.lycos.com). 



V- , 



version; and unrestricted CD ripping, 
which lets you quickly take your CD music 
files and convert them into digital files. 



Windows Media Player 10 



More than 10 years ago, we wrote an ar- 
ticle in Smart Computing about how you 
could join the "multimedia revolution" by 
playing audio and video files on your PC, 
thanks to Media Player. Windows 3.1 users 
with a sound card could take advantage of 
their computer's ability to play MIDI 
(Musical Instrument Digital Interface) files, 
WAV files, and audio CDs, with a little bit 
of knowledge and work. 
How times have changed. 
Yes, Microsoft still pro- 
vides a built-in media 
player, but its latest ver- 
sion, Windows Media 
Player 10, is much, much 
easier to use. 
Yes, you can use the player to listen to 
your favorite audio CDs, but Windows 
Media Player 10 handles more file types, in- 
cluding, of course, MP3 files. Copy audio 
files into the library, where you can sort by 
title, artist, album, rating, genre, and more. 
And not only can you listen to the files, but 
you also can organize them into playlists, 
copy them to CDs, create them by ripping 
CDs, or download them to portable media 
devices. Windows Media Player currently 
supports more than 70 portable players, 
and you can sync your files manually or au- 
tomatically. (If you aren't sure if Windows 
Media Player is compatible with your 
portable media device, you can find out by 
visiting www.playsforsure.com.) 

One of our favorite features is the library's 
organizational tools. You can configure the 
player so that it monitors your hard drive 
and automatically updates the library's con- 
tents accordingly. You can quickly search 
media files and rate songs as favorites, 
making them easy to find. The Advanced 
Tag Editor lets you manually add all sorts of 
information to incomplete files, including 
artist names, lyrics, pictures, and comments, 
and the player will automatically gather 
whatever missing information it can from 
the Internet via the Auto Info option. 

Windows Media Player also offers third- 
party audio content. The Radio button 



features more than 3,000 radio stations. 
You can rate the music you hear, and 
Microsoft will take those ratings and create 
recommendations that you like. (This 
feature requires an MSN [The Microsoft 
Network] account.) Or, click the Music 
button to check out the music store, which 
carries what Microsoft calls the world's 
largest music collection. Here, you can 
preview songs or purchase them to down- 
load at 99 cents apiece. 

Windows Media Player offers significant 
video-related features, as well. The Guide 
button links to a Web site that presents 
video clips — watch a comet or view zany 
antics from StupidVideos.com — and the 
Video button lets you watch nearly 900 
music videos. Another plus is Windows 
Media Player's ability to act as a DVD 
player; with a DVD drive on your PC, you 
can view full-screen movies. Plus, all of 
these video and audio features are placed 
into a simple, streamlined interface. 

And The Grammy Goes To . . . 

Even though all three of the media players 
we reviewed for this article are high-quality 
applications, we were particularly impressed 
with RealPlayer 10's crisp playback, rich fea- 
ture set, and widespread portable device 
support. Therefore, we're awarding it this 
month's Smart Choice award. II 

by Heidi V.Anderson 






November 2005 

Smart Choice 



RealPlayer 10 



24 November 2005 / www.smartcomputing.com 







Getting sir I us 1k ? Going ™ :: t .:s li " ? 

Do It Times 3! 




Three Doors Dow 
playing here 




SRX-3 



XM-3000 



Looking at adding satellite radio? With the huge variety of professionally programmed 
music, sports and entertainment channels, there's a lot to choose from. The real challenge becomes 
ref ereeing the battle of who gets to listen to what. Only now you don 't have to ! 

Introducing TripIePlay, the only satellite radio receivers to offer XM or SIRIUS listeners the 
option of playing three radio stations simultaneously. So whatever your families listening tastes, 
now you can have up to three different radio stations playing to different rooms over your whole- 
home audio system at the same time. 

So whether Jr. wants to listen to his favorite sports team, you want to listen to your favorite 
classic rock-n-roll, or your daughter wants to hear the latest from Ashley Simpson, nobody has to 
compromise. TripIePlay is the solution you've been looking for. 

To find out where you can get a TripIePlay near you, call Antex at 1-800-338-4231 

or look us up at www.antex.com 



>— ANTEX 
yi5 ELECTRONICS 

1125 West 190th Street, Gardena, CA 90248 
ph 310.532.3092 • fax 310.217.8479 



Software Reviews 



Multimedia 



iView MediaPro 2 



iViewMediaPro2 

$199.99 ($49.99 

for standard version) 

iView Multimedia 

info@iview-multimedia.com 

www.iview-multimedia.com 



i 




- iView Media Pro 

Media management made easy 



Scorecard 



Performance 5 
Ease Of Use 4 
Installation 4 
Documentation 3 
Price 3 
Overall Score 3.8 / 5 



f you are a digital media buff with a 
rapidly growing library of poorly orga- 
nized files, you are a prime candidate for a 
media organizer. iView MediaPro 2 and its 
lighter-weight cousin, iView Media 2, give 
you a lot of muscle to flex. 

With iView Media or iView MediaPro, 
you can quickly import and catalog an array 
of file formats, including images, audio, 
and video, from digital cameras, hard drives, 
CDs and DVDs, or even Web sites. Import- 
ed files display in a grid format similar to 
what you'll find with the thumbnail display 
mode in Windows XP. A second tabbed op- 
tion lets you switch to List view, which lists 
cataloged files by name with pertinent infor- 
mation such as file size and pixel height and 
width (images) or duration (audio or 
video). A third tab switches you to Media 
view, which generates a large display (for file 
types with a visual component) of the cur- 
rently selected file. 

iView's import feature is much faster 
than those of some competitors. In our 
tests it imported more than 300 high-reso- 
lution files from a CD (nearly 300MB total) 
in less than two minutes. iView owes its 
import speed to the fact that it doesn't 
physically copy or move the files in folders 
you import. Rather, 
it creates a single file 
that holds information 
about the entire im- 
ported collection. 
Users with large li- 
braries of files on CD or DVD will love this 
feature, as it lets you catalog those media 
without consuming precious storage space 
on your hard drive. You can open any cat- 
alog — including those created from media 
no longer present on the system — and scroll 
through the file list or view any available 
thumbnails. (To view or edit an individual 
image, you must have access to the original 
storage medium.) With a few clicks, you can 
also copy a group of cataloged files to a new 
location, and iView will give you the option 
of deleting or saving the originals and of 
changing the catalog pointer (from the orig- 
inals to the new copies) or leaving it intact. 



Both iView Media and iView MediaPro let 
you automate the creation of PDF (Portable 
Document Format) files, slideshows, movies, 
Web galleries, and other presentations from 
your files. You can also batch rename or resize 
files (handy for sharing images over email or 
on the Web), play back audio or video files 
from within iView, and perform advanced 
searches based on default or custom criteria. 

iView has a few quirks that are irritating 
at first, but not insurmountable. When you 
import a folder, iView automatically im- 
ports files from subfolders, as well, but 
without maintaining the organizational 
structure. For example, if you import a 
folder called IMAGES containing 10 sub- 
folders with files categorized by event, iView 
will automatically dump all the files from 
every subfolder into a single catalog, leaving 
you to reorganize them. 

Additionally, iView imports files into any 
currently open catalog rather than asking 
you where you want the new thumbnails 
stored. To keep your images properly cate- 
gorized, it's best to close open catalogs be- 
fore you start a new Import session. A final 
issue is that the Help utility is Web-based 
and not very helpful. You'll get more benefit 
by downloading the User Manual (PDF 
format) from the Support area. 

The differences between iView Media and 
iView MediaPro may be negligible to the av- 
erage user. Power users, however, may see a 
benefit with Pro. It supports import of a wider 
array of files than does iView Media. These in- 
clude RAW (uncompressed), Adobe Acrobat, 
postscript, and font files. It also offers a batch 
file-format conversion tool. Furthermore, 
iView MediaPro lets users filter the import 
function by criteria (such as file type, size, or 
creation date) to restrict the import process. 

A final advantage of Pro is the inclusion of 
a limited-function image editor. However, 
users interested in Pro will likely have a more 
robust image-editing program already. Both 
versions offer a free, limited trial version, so 
give Pro a spin before you decide which ver- 
sion is right for you. II 

by Jennifer Farwell 



26 November 2005 / www.smartcomputing.com 



Software Reviews 



Vanquish Anti-Spam 3.1 

$24.95 (one-year subscription) 

Vanquish 

(508) 486-9040 

www.vanquish.com 



iff WV M 








TOO HAVE TO k 1 

WOHaTABOOT.r 

SPAM 

IS HO LONGER 

ONE OP 
THEM* 


* 
2i\ 


mm?\Z 


j 


BMAte^J 




Security 

Vanquish Anti-Spam 3.1 

With spam at an all-time high, PC users' 
desire to tame this beast is reaching the 
point of desperation. One company that takes 
an unconventional but effective approach to 
spam control is Vanquish Labs. 

At its core, Vanquish Anti-Spam is a chal- 
lenge-based solution, whereby an unknown 
sender must respond to a reply challenge be- 
fore you will receive his email. Vanquish adds 
a twist called Bonded Email. If a Vanquish 
user sends a message to another Vanquish 
user, he puts up a 5 -cent bond asserting the 
message is legitimate. (Vanquish gives new ac- 
counts a small balance.) If the recipient deter- 
mines the message is not legitimate, he keeps 
the nickel. If he accepts the message, the 
sender receives a Trust Bond and pays no 
more. The concept is intriguing, but one won- 
ders how many spammers would sign up for a 
service that may cost them. 

Even without Bonded Email, Vanquish 
Anti-Spam can be highly effective. To protect 
your accounts, you configure the email client 
to forward all mail to Vanquish. (Alternately, 



you can provide your server information to 
Vanquish, but it prefers the former option.) 

Vanquish uses your Address Book to create 
an Allowed List of senders that will get 
through to you without challenge. If someone 
not on your Allowed List sends you a mes- 
sage, Vanquish blocks the message and sends 
a challenge. If the sender replies to the 
challenge, Vanquish delivers the message. 
Vanquish can expand your Allowed List with 
the address of anyone to whom you send mail 
as well as anyone who responds to challenges. 

If a sender doesn't respond to a challenge, 
you never see the original message. To reduce 
the incidence of erroneously blocked mes- 
sages, Vanquish allows through emails that 
match the subject matter of your most recent 
sent messages, as well as any coming from se- 
cure Web sites you visited. The stringent ap- 
proach of Vanquish may be overkill for some 
users. Take advantage of the 15-day free trial 
to decide if it is right for you. II 

by Jennifer Farwell 



Writing 



AbiWord 2.2.9 AWWOfd 2.2.9 



Free 

N/A 

abiword-user@abisource.com 

www.abisource.com 



QfeHaS^xrft/ie SIG](P «Ql= 3fl> 



AbiWord 2-0-ThflNaxt Step 



New feature* in 2,0 





•**•*«*■• •"'"-a— • 


'— 1 b^*d*- 


*,.„,: 














-,......,,•... 1 




Ufa* 1 





Scorecard 



Performance 4 
Ease Of Use 5 
Installation 5 
Documentation 2 
Price 5 
Overall Score 4.2 / 5 



Do you chafe at the hold Microsoft has on 
the office productivity market? If so, 
you join a growing core of users who want 
an alternate option. A large group of 
programmers have banded together to 
create AbiWord, a free word processor. 
Before you jump with joy, consider 
the limitations of such a product. 
AbiWord is a GNU Free Software pro- 
ject, which means volunteers developed 
it. Anyone can download and use it 
and even customize and redistribute it. 
However, there is no company to which 
you can appeal for support. 

AbiWord has garnered a lot of posi- 
tive press and has an enthusiastic user 
community, so we're not suggesting you will 
have problems. Rather, we want you to un- 
derstand the rules before you play the game. 
AbiWord is comparable to Microsoft Word 
in functionality and even includes advanced 
features such as Mail Merge, footnoting, ta- 
bles, and more. It also has a built-in spell 



checker, although some users have reported 
that it is not as accurate as Word's. It is com- 
patible with numerous word processing for- 
mats, including Word, WordPerfect, and 
OpenOffice, as well as rich text and HTML 
(Hypertext Markup Language) formats. 

Another benefit of AbiWord, especially for 
users with older systems, is its minimal system 
requirements (Windows 95 or later; 486 or 
later processor; 16MB of RAM, and 20MB 
hard drive space). Yet, you can customize and 
expand it with a variety of add-ins. 

AbiWord has an interface that is similar to 
Word, so it won't confuse Microsoft users. 
Unlike many open-source programs, it installs 
from a wizard-driven EXE (executable) file. 

The biggest drawback is the lack of a struc- 
tured support system. However, you can 
download a User Manual, peruse the FAQ 
and Knowledge Base, and join a helpful user 
group at www.abisource.com/support. II 

by Jennifer Farwell 



Smart Computing / November 2005 27 



Software 
Reviews 



The Fax Of Life 

Snappy Fax 2000 vs. WinFax Pro 10.0 



If you're not quite ready to give up faxing documents, 
but would really love to gain desk space by getting rid of 
a device, consider using PC-faxing software. Snappy Fax 
2000 ($19.99; www.snappysoftware.com) comes at a 
very reasonable price, and you can try it free for 30 days. 



Its user interface is a bit cluttered, but you can access 
nearly all of its functions from any screen using small 
icons near the top of the screen. WinFax Pro 10.0 
($99.95; www.symantec.com), on the other hand, has a 
cleaner user interface Outlook users will find familiar. 



Snappy Fax 2000 



Home Screen & View Previously Sent 




Manage your Snappy Fax address book by adding or removing contacts. 
You can also import or export your contacts to keep this address book in 
sync with your address book from Outlook or another program. 

Regardless of which view you are in, you can initiate a manual send or 
manual receive of a fax. 



In addition to creating new documents to fax, Snappy Fax lets you scan 
existing documents (using a compatible scanner) and fax them. 

Design and edit custom cover pages with the Cover Page Designer tool. 

View a list of all previously sent faxes, along with information on whether 
they were successfully sent. 

View a previously sent document one page at a time. Double-click a doc- 
ument to edit and/or resend it. 



Compose & Send A Fax 






j» m & IS D l^mS Capture Models Off & ?. SJ - % - App 


ication Files "2W - 


fi£ H & Q Receive Mode i S Off % ? 


§g Sent(Fl) |3g Received ( F2 ) [■§[ Virtual Faxes ( F4 ) 




Bring up the Send dialog box and enter the recipient's information or 
choose a recipient from an address book. 

Add pages to your fax from documents on your computer. 



Easily switch among composing a fax, viewing previously sent faxes, re- 
ceived faxes, or virtual faxes. 



View a large picture of the fax you are about to send. 

Use these buttons to insert edit marks on your fax. You can highlight text, 
include notes, stamp a document, remove speckles, and much more. 

Recognize the text in an image using OCR (optical character recogni- 
tion), so you can edit it as regular text. 

See ordered thumbnail pictures of each page of the fax you are composing. 



28 November 2005 / www.smartcomputing.com 






Both programs can send faxes to email, but WinFax 
Pro can also double faxing capabilities by using two 
modems and two phone lines to send or receive faxes. 



by Jennifer Johnson 




WinFax Pro 10.0 



Home Screen & View Previously Sent Faxes 




^Outbo* 

& Receive Log (1 












V 










^N 




Fax: 4792104 


Details: 


0of4page( S ) 5 ent 










min 10 sec at 

Call cancelled on last attempt 




: :■ 


S3»e(s), unread 




H|| Mault 


|lO:44AM 



Switch among your Outbox, Receive Log, Send Log, Cover Pages, 
Phonebooks, and attachment list using this static navigation bar. 



Create a new fax in this screen. 

Open the highlighted message in its own window or run OCR on the 
text. 

The View status lets you see which faxes were successfully sent. 

Sort and view a list of all faxes you've previously sent. 

View and create various cover pages to match the tone of your fax. 

Glean additional information about a particular fax via three views: 
Details, Fax View, and Thumbnails. The Details view gives you a 
quick text summary of when the fax was sent, its recipient, and the 
number of pages associated with that fax. Fax view lets you see the 
fax in full size. The Thumbnails view presents small thumbnail pic- 
tures of each page. 



Compose & Send A Fax 




Send, preview, or email your fax or attach additional documents to 
the fax you are preparing. 



Select a recipient from one of your phonebooks, including phone- 
books that are shared across the network. 



Enter the name, number, and company of your recipient here or se- 
lect an existing contact from a phonebook. 

Edit and preview the fax you are preparing to send. 

Choose from numerous cover pages to find one that fits your fax. 

View thumbnails of your fax and reorder the pages by dragging and 
dropping the pages. 



Smart Computing / November 2005 29 



IMPULSE/ v ITEMS 



Compiled by Joshua Gulick 

See it, like it, buy it. 
Impulse Items are 
products that 
quicken your pulse 
and capture your 
attention but won't 
make you dig too 
deep into your 
wallet. Check these 
pages each month 
for the latest 
interesting and 
inexpensive 
computing items 
we've run across. 



Absolut 

BEGiNNER's 

Guide 

Microsoft 

Windows XP 

Second Edition 





Cool Stuff For $25 Or Less 



m 



Circuit T-shirt 



We love motherboards. We test 
them by the dozen for our sister 
publication PC Modder, and we 
even devoted an entire Reference 
Series issue to motherboards (or 
mobos, as we affectionately call them) 
last year. So it's no surprise that we couldn't 
take our eyes off Computer Gear's brand-new 
Circuit T-shirt (www.computergear.com), 
which features a circuit design. If you've seen 
the dark- and light-green pathways that can- 
vas a green, silicone motherboard, you'll rec- 
ognize this pattern right away when you see 
the tee. The shirt is available in medium, 
large, and XL for $24.95 and XXL for $26.95. 
Find the Circuit T-shirt in Computer Gear's Techie T-Shirts section. 




GrapeBerry Organizer/Phone 

We rarely get excited about PDAs (personal digital assistants) for 
are toys rather than functional devices. But Sakar's GrapeBerry 
Organizer/Phone (www.sakar.com) is unusual; it works. 
The device has a (tiny) keyboard and a small screen 
that displays text. Kids can keep a schedule and 
store their friends' phone numbers and email 
addresses in the GrapeBerry, but we doubt they'll 
like this feature as much as the built-in phone. 
That's right; the GrapeBerry connects to a phone 
wall plug via an included telephone cord. Kids 
can use the phone by attaching the device's ear- 
piece/microphone. Sakar doesn't sell the GrapeBerry from 
its Web site, but it's available at KB Toys and Wal-Mart for about 



children because most 




$20. 



Absolute Beginner's Guide 

This book isn't nearly as wordy as its title. "Absolute Beginner's Guide To Microsoft Windows XP 
Second Edition" ($19.99; www.quepublishing.com) has tons of screen shots that let users see rel- 
evant dialog boxes and icons as they read about basic computing tasks. As the title of her book 
implies, Shelley O'Hara assumes her readers have never used Windows XP (or any other 
Windows operating system). She starts by identifying the Desktop's basic features and then 
shows how to start programs. The book steadily guides readers through the simple activities, 
such as protecting a PC from viruses and working with pictures. Experienced PC users won't 
enjoy this book (unless they want a quick confidence boost), but newbies will keep it next to 
the keyboard, right next to the latest issue of Smart Computing. Find it by clicking the Bookstore 
tab and then clicking Series and Absolute Beginner's Guide. 



30 November 2005 / www.smartcomputing.com 




CD/DVD Repair & Clean 

CDs and DVDs are pretty tough: If you drop one, it probably won't break and may not even 
scratch. But they're not completely scratch resistant, which means that sooner or later, you're going 
to find that your favorite music CD skips. You can fix many of these scratches with TDK's CD/DVD 
Repair & Clean (www.tdk.com), a kit that includes special disc-friendly polishes and a cleaning 
cloth. We like the DVD-case that stores the polishes; you can slip it into your DVD collection, so 
you don't lose track of it. TDK doesn't sell the cleaning package from its Web site, but you can find 
it at online electronics retailers, such as B&H (www.bhphotovideo.com), for about $8.95. 




o 




TuneJuice 

Every once in awhile, we 

find a product 

name that is more 

interesting than 

the actual product. TuneJuice 

($1 9.99; www.griffintechnology.com) 

could be (should be) a band or an exotic 

drink served during a concert. But the 

TuneJuice handles a very mundane (if not 

unimportant) task: providing backup power to iPods. 

The iPod, by the way, is the little, portable, digital music 

player that gave the Walkman a firm kick out the door. 

It comes in various sizes (including the iPod mini), but 

all iPods can store hundreds, if not thousands, of songs. 

Not surprisingly, users run out of battery power long 

before they can listen to their entire music collection. 

According to the whizzes at Griffin Technology, the 

TuneJuice (which uses a 9-volt battery) connects to the 

iPod and the iPod mini and adds four to eight hours of 

battery power. 



Electronics Pouch 

Mobile phones, cameras, portable 
digital music players, video games, 
PDAs — kids carry more gadgets 
today than they used to. If your 
favorite techie loses those expen- 
sive gizmos too often, take a look 
at Bytes n' Grins' Electronic Pouches 
($8.95; stores.yahoo.com/bytesngrins). ' 
bags feature a plush animal head and soft I 
that won't scratch sensitive electronics. Each bag 
has a drawstring top and adjustable backpack straps, but don't 
mistake this for a full-sized book bag; this satchel won't hold many 
textbooks. Bytes n' Grins offers the bag in three styles: Cheetah, 
Puppy, and Tiger. You can find the bags in the site's Computer 
Theme & Novelty Wearables section. 




CD Holders 

Never lose your favorite music or data CD again. Bytes n' Grins 
(stores.yahoo.com/bytesngrins) offers a variety of CD and 
DVD holders that can handle as many as 10 CD or DVD 
jewel cases (the flat, plastic containers that shield discs 
from minor scratches). Some stand vertically, such as 
the Ladybug Princess Fairy, while others carry your 
precious cargo horizontally on their backs. You can buy 
any holder for $13.95. Find these funny little CD hold- 
ers in the Desk & Office Stuff section of the Web site. 
If you don't see the model you want on the Web site 
(the girl CD holder instead of the boy CD holder, for 
example), call Bytes n' Grins at (800) 594-1369. 




Smart Computing / November 2005 31 



^/jWindows ™ 



* 




& TRICKS 



WinXP & Alternative Browsers 



SIjc jXrtu JJork Sunt* 



It's common to find freeware 
that adds functionality to 
Windows XP. It's a lot less com- 
mon to find even one freeware 
app that improves upon one of 
Windows' built-in applications. 

So it's truly serendipitous 
that there are three excellent, 
even preferable, freeware alter- 
natives to Microsoft Internet 
Explorer, the built-in browser 
most WinXP users opt for. 

Each of the alternative brows- 
ers we'll cover — Firefox 1.0.6, 
Netscape 8.0, and Opera 8 — in- 
cludes convenient features you 
can't get in IE without upgrading 
to WinXP Service Pack 2 or 

downloading specialized freeware plug-ins. Each offers 
tabbed browsing that lets you open and easily switch 
among multiple Web sites within the same browser 
window (instead of opening separate instances of the 
browser for each new site, as IE requires). Each will let you 
download free upgrades, at least for the foreseeable future, 
whereas you won't be able to get the next version of IE 
without purchasing the next version of Windows, Vista, 
scheduled to be released sometime late next year. And 
each offers the significant advantage of not being IE and 
therefore not the primary target of malware authors and 
online poachers. 

Mozilla Firefox 1.0.6: Basic, Secure Browsing 

Don't let the release number fool you: Firefox has 
been around for a while. It began in 1998 when Net- 
scape launched Mozilla.org, an open-source software 
project. Mozilla. org's first browser engine, Gecko, 
powered Netscape until AOL Time Warner purchased 
Netscape and cut Mozilla.org loose. Since then, 
Mozilla.org evolved Gecko into Firefox, which powers 
Firefox and the current version of Netscape. 

At first glance, Firefox looks like IE with different but- 
tons; the only obvious visual difference is the Google 
search tool built directly into Firefox's toolbar. Once you 
start surfing, you'll notice the convenience of Firefox's 
tabbed browsing. The pop-ups you get will probably 
have decreased, thanks to the rock-solid pop-up blocker. 





Firefox, the most secure but barest of the freeware 
browsers, includes tabbed browsing and pop-up 
blocking but can't display ActiveX components 
(such as the missing Markets graph in the top-right 
corner of The New York Times home page). 



But it's an intangible fea- 
ture — security — that has users 
flocking to Firefox. The brows- 
er blocks all ActiveX or VB 
(Visual Basic) scripts, which 
are spyware and virus writers' 
two favorite mechanisms for 
infiltrating your computer. The 
only drawback to this script 
blocking, which you cannot 
override, is that you won't 
be able to see or use legiti- 
mate ActiveX features. In most 
sites that utilize such features, 
though, ActiveX is limited to 
graphics or drop-down nav- 
igational menus, which are 
rarely essential. 
It's no surprise, then, that corporations, which have 
had about all the malware they can stand, are pushing 
users toward Firefox — one big reason that Firefox is 
currently the alternative browser making the biggest 
dent in IE's market share. Of course, the more popular 
Firefox becomes, the more likely it is that malware au- 
thors and online scammers will start devising ways to 
attack it. Even as we went to press, Mozilla.org had just 
identified a potential security hole and issued a patch. 
But by eliminating the two biggest weapons from these 
miscreants' arsenals, Firefox figures to remain the safest 
browser for some time to come. You can download 
Firefox at www.mozilla.org. 

Netscape 8.0: More Bells & Whistles 

Netscape, as you may have guessed from the histor- 
ical synopsis above, is a much more polished version of 
Firefox, packed with toolbars, buttons, and other fea- 
tures that can save you time. Take, for example, 
Netscape's My Sidebar feature: It gives you access to 
the key capabilities in sites such as WeatherBug 
(www.weatherbug.com) and MapQuest (www.map 
quest.com) without having to actually visit those sites. 
And if you're concerned about privacy, you'll love 
Netscape's eraser button, which lets you clear your 
Address Bar, cache (temporary Internet files), cookies, 
or all of the above with two clicks. (And without bur- 
rowing through a multitabbed Options dialog box.) 



32 November 2005 / www.smartcomputing.com 








Netscape's interface is packed with timesaving 
features, including a sidebar with shortcuts to 
Web features such as MapQuest and single-click 
buttons for clearing your Web tracks. 



Netscape isn't as inflexible 
about security as Firefox; it 
doesn't block ActiveX and VB 
scripts by default. Instead, like 
IE, it strives for the best pos- 
sible mix of browsing fidelity 
and security, so you can see 
sites as they were intended to be 
seen, while minimizing your se- 
curity risk. 

The good news is that Net- 
scape does a much better job 
than IE. Rather than forcing you 
to configure a Restricted zone 
and manually assign suspicious 
sites to it, Netscape maintains 
and continually updates its own 
blacklist of sites known to dis- 
tribute spyware or viruses or to 
phish (trickery used to glean 
vital information from users for 
nefarious purposes) for Social 
Security or credit card numbers. 
Surf to one of these sites, and 
Netscape blocks it by default. If 
you override the block, Net- 
scape refuses to let you live dan- 
gerously, blocking any ActiveX 
or VB scripts or cookies the site 
has to offer. Even better, when 
Netscape encounters a site de- 
signed primarily for IE, it will 

actually use the IE engine to open the site — but only if 
the site is on Netscape's built-in, automatically updated 
whitelist of approved sites. The result is simpler security, 
and the simpler security is, the less likely you are to 
make mistakes that leave you vulnerable. 

About the only thing Netscape doesn't have is a built- 
in RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feeder. (IE doesn't 
have one either, but Opera, covered in the next para- 
graphs, does.) But you can download an RSS reader easily 
enough (a quick Google search will provide a multitude 
of download options). You can download Netscape at 
browser.netscape.com/ns8/download/default.jsp. 



■39 



She Mrtii JJotjk Sunt? 




I. ill. -:i '_ > ••! 
-., ..I! ■-!., lilj 

:■ y.:-.:::-i: olackm^ .-.■:--■=- 



r««Hi«, tattf f hM(P nil hf id»riji n p*rr, A l*M M™- in K,.™ 

*K-"" "■■—•■' n-.n,, i . 













!'.■■.!.■; -V; .•■■,,!- •■ ,. ■■,- 








_j!rwp 




^||a lirauUl t>k lt t 1 ..._ J n^u^uji,... j 


a 


Links - * * 


«■-«-.-. CI «n» ■ - 


* 


a^Qs-.- 


££? glje Jfrtu Jlo rk Eimes f 


■mMi 


w« 


£££ 


sl nHH ~" ,'^zr m ""^ ian i 


W 






**" 




.mm B115I1 Appoint; mm^ ™- ™*. iu*,ti 


Q]^^H Bullcn as 1 ".N. 1 1 .« vxm .- jMa , 


Ufa 


!£h«hjh 


•■it- ■-":■ Bypassing LnKcHL ^fci 1 "■*- — ** 






r! . .. ' ' L^kBk ^N ^^^*^P 




ma 


iiiffiju ^^BF- uK 1 ^™ ia " , ' : ^^ 




pros 


HlliS™ Tn-F»r-« W^JI^B |H 'JMHtWlWSa. 












i, ■-F-n-in.n- monJu-taB! t| '^jafc al ?«"!" 




(DnOPUALSfWED 


■„,." mdUcnUc OiulU; »f H.ird work 

1 Denwcrill. S»fta;.i:t.i:it:.i-.:-!v'i.i **■■■■■ 








TVftttfon, 


HB^., 



Opera's Fit To Window can save scrolling; it can 
scale the page to fit in the available window, a 
real plus for users with small screens. 



But Opera's ads are hardly in- 
trusive: The graphical ads barely 
stand out from the rest of the 
ads on a typical Web page, and 
you have the option to replace 
them with Google text ads. As 
for the support, most people 
don't need support for browsers 
very often. 

Opera can improve your on- 
line experience. It's the only 
browser that has a zoom view 
of Web pages, reducing or mag- 
nifying text and pictures and 
everything else from 20% to 
1,000% of their actual size. 
Opera also has a Fit To Window 
feature that reduces the size of a 
page so you can view all of it in 
any size window. 

Opera has its own RSS reader, 
and it's neatly integrated into the 
browser. If a site offers RSS feeds, 
an RSS button appears next to the 
site's name in the Address bar. 
Another unique convenience is 
the Links sidebar, which lists 
every link on the current Web 
page and is a fast way to navigate 
home pages of newspapers and 
other publications that tend to 
have an abundance of links. 
Opera is the only browser we know of that has a notepad 
so you can type notes. And only Opera lets you search, 
look up, or translate any word on a Web page by double- 
clicking it and choosing an operation. 

Opera's Web site claims the browser will keep you free 
from viruses and spyware, but doesn't explain how 
(though the program's Help file gives some tips). 
Opera's main security advantage is that it's not popular 
enough yet to be a malware target. But don't try Opera 
for its security: Try it because it's a truly different 
browsing experience. Download the free version of 
Opera at www.opera.com. 



Opera 8: Like No Other In Many Ways 

Opera gets an undeserved short shrift in head-to-head 
comparisons of freeware browsers because the free ver- 
sion of Opera includes an advertising bar (which disap- 
pears when you pay $39 for the full version) and offers no 
technical support. 



Try Them All 

These browsers represent a rare plenitude of freeware 
riches. Try them all: You should be able to run all of 
them, as well as IE, without any adverse effects. II 

by Mark Scapicchio 



Smart Computing / November 2005 33 




Let the music find * 



Anywhere in your home, indoors or out, there can be music. Or sports. Or news. 
A Russound multiroom audio system is affordable, easy to use and easy to DO. 

It's the kind of home improvement that brings you pleasure every day. 
Just ask your Russound design specialist for a solution that meets your needs and budget. 



All you need to know is Russound. 




"INET 9 

RNET is a proprietary platform that allows 

Russound components to communicate with each other. 



Founded in 1967, Russound is a global leader in A/V solutions that set 
the standard for performance and ease of use, ©2005 Russound, Inc. 

www.russound.com I tel 800.638.8055 



URussound 



W?T 



inaows 



W 





TIPS & TRICKS 



Windows 98's Windows Report Tool 



The follo'A'ing files and mf 



•■ ' ;.i-- :i ' 



, . :: 

,b ■ In ;-h 
0PERSYSVER=4.1 0.2222 
OPERSYSTEM=Wirdows: 
CPUTYPE=15 
COMPSPEED=2347MHz 
MEMRAM=512Mb 
J 



Over two dozen system files are included 
with report data. 



When trying to diagnose a 
technical issue in Windows 
98, or any other operating system, 
the person providing support can 
never ask enough questions or 
have enough information to trou- 
bleshoot and fix the problem. 
However, Win98 includes a util- 
ity called the Windows Report 
Tool that can help streamline the 
information-gathering process. 

The Windows Report Tool as- 
sists support personnel by col- 
lecting data about a system and 
the problems it's having. It does 

this in two ways: One is by taking snapshots of various 
system files, and the other is by prompting the user to 
provide a detailed narrative of the circumstances sur- 
rounding the problem. 

The Windows Report Tool was designed to automati- 
cally submit the information it gathered to the vendor in 
question via that company's Web site. By using an 
ActiveX control and scripting functions, a vendor can 
start up the Windows Report Tool on a user's PC and 
have the diagnostic data sent back. 

Although we tried to determine whether Microsoft or 
any other vendor utilizes this particular automation ca- 
pability, Microsoft wouldn't provide any information re- 
garding this feature. Therefore, chances are slim you'll be 
able to access the Windows Report Tool from a vendor's 
support site. 

In spite of this, you can still launch the utility and 
send the results to a vendor via email. To manually 
launch the Windows Report Tool, click Start and Run, 
type winrep, and press ENTER. 

Once you've started the Windows Report Tool, 
you'll need to provide specific information concerning 
your problem. The utility provides three fields to do 
this: Problem Description, Expected Results, and Steps 
To Reproduce The Problem. In each of these areas, it's 
important that the descriptions you provide be as spe- 
cific and detailed as possible. Also include the content 
of any error messages you received. 

After entering data, you can modify the amount 
of data the Windows Report Tool will include in 
the report. When you click Options and Collected Infor- 
mation, you'll see a list of about two dozen system files the 




r 

r 

r 



City: 

7 ■ ' ' 

!*;.: : : 

'■■:''. '77-./ 



.".; 7" r. ' :: 



I ' .!■■!. 



Cancel | 



So techs working on your problem have a 
way to reach you, add contact information 
to the report. 



Windows Report Tool will include. All of the files are in- 
cluded by default, though you can omit any of them from 
the list by clearing the checkbox next to it. Conversely, if 
there's a file you want to include that isn't on the list, you 
can make sure it gets sent by clicking the Add button and 
then selecting the file. (Due to its size, the Registry isn't 
part of the data the Windows Report Tool collects.) 

Below the file selection area you'll also see a list of 
system settings that will also be included in the report. 
This information can help support personnel under- 
stand the hardware environment of your system and 
reproduce it if necessary. 

None of the files or settings the Windows Report 
Tool deals with contains any identifiable information, 
and that's usually a good thing. But it can present an 
obstacle if you're expecting someone to get in touch to 
resolve your problem. Therefore, you have the ability to 
include contact information. Click Options and User 
Information. Entering this information into the Win- 
dows Report Tool ensures it stays paired with your diag- 
nostic data, so anyone on a support team who's working 
on your problem has the means to contact you. 

After you've written your descriptions, selected 
system files, and provided contact information, click 
Next. You'll be prompted to save the file. Windows will 
name the file and save it in C:\WINDOWS\HELPDESK 
\WINREP, but you can change the default file name 
and location. The Windows Report Tool saves all the 
data within a Windows CAB file, which you can email 
to tech support. II 



by Joseph Moran 



Smart Computing / November 2005 35 




^Windows* 



* 




TIPS & TRICKS 



Adjust Windows 2000 Mouse Properties 



Buttons | Pointers | Motion) Hardware | 



^figuration 

:■• I'RightTi'andedi ■ U- , ■ _ 



Left Button: 

- Normal Select 

- Normal Drag 



Double-click sfieed — 



y- 



A one-time marvel, the modern 
mouse has almost become an 
afterthought. You move the mouse; 
the pointer follows. But even the 
most mature technologies sometimes 
need a helping hand. If your mouse 
starts acting up, Windows 2000 can 
help get it back on track. 

Though we'll explore a variety of 
potential problems, many mouse ad- 
justments happen in one place. In 
the Control Panel, double-click the 
Mouse option. If your mouse isn't 
working at all, press the Windows 
logo key (or CTRL-ESC) on your key- 
board, navigate to the Control Panel 
option (under Settings) in your Start menu using the 
arrow keys, press ENTER, navigate with the arrow keys to 
the Mouse entry, and press ENTER again. Either method 
will launch the Mouse Properties dialog box. 

Pointer Problems 

The most serious mouse malady is an on-screen 
pointer that's missing or immobile. Without a moveable 
pointer, you can't use the mouse at all. Disconnect and 
reconnect the mouse cable, checking for a firm fit into 
the appropriate port. If you have a wireless mouse, 
make sure the receiver is firmly connected to the appro- 
priate port and that the mouse has a good battery. 
Wireless mice often have a button on the bottom for re- 
establishing the connection between mouse and re- 
ceiver — press it. Nonoptical mice with the little rubber 
ball in the bottom need cleaning every once in awhile: 
Twist open the cap and clean both the ball and the 
mouse's internal rollers. Clean with a pencil eraser 
and/or a cotton swab dipped in a little rubbing alcohol. 
Be sure to let everything dry thoroughly before putting 
the mouse back together. 

If that doesn't solve the problem, reboot your system. 
Access the Mouse Properties dialog box and use the 
TAB key with the Right and Left arrow keys to view the 
Hardware tab and make sure Windows recognizes your 
mouse. If not, reinstall the software that came with your 
mouse. (You did keep the disc, right? If not, you may be 
able to download the software from the manufacturer's 
Web site.) If all else fails, the mouse itself has probably 
called it quits and needs to be replaced. 



«D 



Right Button: 

- Context Menu 

- Special Drag 



■ 




■-■ ;,•:. !■■■;.■■ " : '' : . :. 

L-!^J P Double-click to open an 


t to select] 


click to select) 



Motion Sickness 



The Windows 2000 Mouse Properties 
dialog box is key for adjusting settings, 



If your pointer is moving too 
quickly or slowly, or jumps around 
randomly, head to the Mouse Prop- 
erties dialog box. For pointer speed, 
navigate to the Motion tab and adjust 
the slider in the Speed section to a 
more appropriate level. 

If you're experiencing erratic point- 
er motion, clean the undercarriage 
mechanism (for nonoptical mice) or 
check your underlying surface. Also, 
look at the Move Pointer To The 
Default Button In Dialog Boxes op- 
tion under the Motion tab in the 
Mouse Properties dialog box. The "feature" moves your 
pointer to the default button in any dialog box, which can 
be quite disorienting. Uncheck the box to return pointer 
action to normal. 

Not Clicking On All Cylinders 

If you're having trouble double- clicking, go to the 
Buttons tab in the Mouse Properties dialog box and ad- 
just the slider in the Double- Click Speed section to re- 
quire faster or slower click sequences. 

If your left- and right-click options are backward, check 
the appropriate Right-Handed or Left-Handed box in the 
Button Configuration section under the Buttons tab. 

Style Pointers 

You may find that your pointer's color makes it diffi- 
cult to view, or you may just want to experiment with 
other pointer options. Open the Mouse Properties dialog 
box and navigate to the Pointers tab. Scroll through the 
various default schemes and find a scheme that works for 
you. You can also replace each action's pointer in a 
scheme by selecting either the Use Default button or 
using the Browse option to find a cursor more in keeping 
with your style. 

Depending on your mouse model, your Mouse 
Properties dialog box might display additional tabs and 
settings options. Explore these for options related to 
pointer motion, click behavior, or pointer style. II 

by Gregory Anderson 



36 November 2005 / www.smartcomputing.com 



For the most authentic 
movie experience... 




: 




put your speakers 
behind ClearPix™ 



Thx 



John Dahl thx Ltd. 



No screen we've tested to date 
matches the acoustical transparency 
of the Screen Research ClearPix2 
fabric. Now more home theater 
enthusiasts will be able to enjoy the 
benefits of proper behind-the-screen 
placement of the center loudspeak- 
er, with no degradation of audio or 
video performance. 



S3" 



Joel Silver isf 



We welcome Screen Research to 
an elite group of color scientists 
who boldly engineer screens with a 
focus on Home Theater! The folks 
at Screen Research should be com- 
plimented for supplying a screen 
that has not compromised acoustic 
transparency or sacrificed 
visual accuracy for gain - something 
that is increasingly rare these days. 



Exclusive No. American Distributor: 

Sri ' 



www.stjohngroup.com 



Do you know that most movie sound - and 
not just dialogue - plays through the center 
speaker? 

Thanks to ClearPix™ by Screen Research, now you can 
put this most critical speaker in the right place - behind 
the screen and at the same height as the left and right 
speakers. 

Although common "perforated" screens allow sound 
through, they cause audio problems (comb filtering) and 
suffer from visual distortions (moire) when used with to- 
day's digital projectors. As a result, installers resort to solid 
screens and reluctantly place the center speaker above or 
below the screen - a fundamental no-no. 

Problem solved: The revolutionary ClearPix screen 
passes full-frequency sound and does not cause moire. 

Screen Research offers a complete line of fixed and motor- 
ized screens as well as professional-grade masking sys- 
tems. When you want the most out of your home theater 
system, insist on ClearPix by Screen Research. 



in 



Home Theater Systems 



RESEARCH 

www.screenresearch.com | toll-free 877.588.0075 

©2004-05 St John Group, Inc. Alt rights reserved, ClearPix is a trademark of Screen Research, Inc. 
St John Group is a member of CEDIA and an ASID Industry Partner, 



How Did Thev Do That? 



General Coi\ 



Compiled by Kyle Schui 
iphics & Design by Jason Codr 








Eagle Eyes Of The Law 



The Ins & Outs Of License Plate Recognition 



Automated license plate recog- 
nition systems are giving po- 
lice and other governmental 
entities the ability to find vehicles be- 
longing to those who have broken the 
law or failed to pay fines and taxes, 
all with very little human interaction 



... at least until the system discovers 
an offender's license plate. 

In this theoretic look at how a li- 
cense plate recognition system works 
(on the whole, the systems are still 
being tested), we've combined some 
of the features of two of the main 



systems currently in use, GLAVID 
and Mobile Plate Hunter 900. This 
graphic isn't exactly reflective of ei- 
ther system, but shows some of the 
key components each system can 
offer (or will offer in the future). 



o 



As a law enforcement officer patrols, the license plate recognition system scans for license plates. The officer doesn't 
have to be an active participant in this process; he's free to perform other job duties. 




38 November 2005 / www.smartcomputing.com 



Cameras mounted on the police car capture the 
image. The camera has built-in features that can 
suppress headlights and deal with low-light situa- 
tions to enhance the image. When capturing the image, 
the camera can increase or decrease the contrast as neces- 
sary to create as clear an image as possible. 



© 




© 



A license plate database, which is regularly up- 
dated a control desk's main computer, is also 
stored on the in-car computer. (A GSM [Global 
System For Mobile Communications] modem is some- 
times used to make emergency updates to the license plate 
database. Officers can also use their radios to contact their 
station for more information if need be.) The recognition 
system uses it to match license plate numbers to drivers 
with warrants, unpaid tickets, and other infractions. 




<>«&■ 




The recognition system's in-car computer contains the 
OCR (optical character recognition) software necessary 
to identify the letters and numbers on the license plate. 








When a match is found, the system alerts the officer 
so he can pursue the matter in an appropriate fashion. 




Privacy Concerns 



If the license plate recognition systems become more commonly used, they might receive greater scrutiny from privacy 
protection groups. 

However, initial reaction from a couple of groups indicates little opposition to the systems, as long as they're used for the 
intended purpose. When asked about the system in use in Arlington, Va., representatives from both the American Civil 
Liberties Union in Virginia and the Electronic Privacy Information Center told The Washington Post that the initial plans for 
the devices don't worry them. Officers are simply using the devices to check plates that appear in public places, such as on 
roadways and in parking lots. 

In addition, police already are able to run license plate checks manually, so privacy advocates don't see the license plate 
recognition systems as additionally infringing on peoples' freedoms. 

Those who steal cars for a living, though, might see it differently. I 




Smart Computing / November 2005 39 



General Computing 



No Tools 
Required 

Burn DVDs With External DVD Writers 




One of the benefits of the 
personal computer is its ex- 
pandability. As new tech- 
nology and devices are introduced, 
computer users can usually upgrade 
their systems to accommodate the 
latest and greatest equipment. With 
the advent of external DVD writers, a 
user doesn't even have to crack open 
his PC's case to install the new drives. 
We'll help guide you through the 
array of available drives, so you can 
shop with authority. 

Why A DVD Writer? 

Most computers sold today arrive 
with a CD-ROM drive. Higher-end 
models may come with a CD drive 
that can burn CDs or a DVD-ROM 
drive that can play DVDs. Some even 
come with the pinnacle of optical disc 
technology, the DVD writer. 

DVD writers give users the ability 
to record vast amounts of data on a 



single DVD. CD-ROMs are con- 
strained to approximately 640MB. As 
more users record digital video and 
capture digital stills, the need for 
larger storage capacities arises. These 
vendors responded with DVD drives 
that can store up to 4.38GB of data on 
a disc. Since their initial introduction, 
this capacity has been pushed as high 
as 8.5GB. Combine this storage ca- 
pacity with the ability to reuse discs, 
and you have a cost- efficient way to 
store vast quantities of data. 

Benefits Of External DVD Writers 

External DVD writers differ from 
their case-mounted brethren in sev- 
eral ways. They usually connect to 
your computer via USB or FireWire 
connections and often rely on a 
power adapter for electricity. Exter- 
nal DVD writers are also a bit bulkier 
than the internal models. This is usu- 
ally the result of having to enclose 



the drive with a protective casing 
containing both the drive and a 
power supply. 

Despite the extra bulk of external 
DVD writers, the advantages they 
possess more than make up for the 
lost desk space. If your computer 
doesn't have space for any more 
drives, you can easily add an external 
DVD writer without any problem. If 
you have multiple computers in your 
house, you can share an external 
DVD writer with ease. 

External DVD writers are also per- 
fect for those who have a phobia 
about working on their computer's 
innards. Because plugging them in is 
all that's required, there's no need to 
break out screwdrivers, manuals, or 
your local PC guru. DVD writers can 
also replace your old CD burner, as 
most models support writing to both 
CD-R (CD-recordable) and CD-RW 
(CD-rewriteable) formats. 

Key Features 

When you shop for an external 
DVD writer, you'll be barraged with a 
variety of specifications that can be 
overwhelming. However, there are 
only three elements that really mat- 
ter: media compatibility, drive speed, 
and the type of interface the drive 
supports. 

Media. DVD drives support a wide 
array of formats, typically denoted by 
"DVD" followed by an extension of 
either R or RW, separated by a + or - 
symbol, or both. The most common 
media formats are DVD±RW and 
DVD±R. Some drives support mul- 
tiple formats, while others are re- 
stricted to just one. The latest format 
is DVD±R DL (for dual layer). We'll 
talk about the new dual-layer tech- 
nology in our "Dual-Layer Wonders" 
sidebar. 

One format we recommend avoid- 
ing is DVD -RAM. This format uses a 
cartridge-encased disc that can store 
over 9GB of data. Unfortunately, it's 
incompatible with all of the other 
DVD drives on the market and will 



40 November 2005 / www.smartcomputing.com 



General Computing 





likely be supplanted by dual-layer 
DVD drives. 

Choosing a media format depends 
on whether you have to maintain 
compatibility with an existing DVD 
burner and whether you wish to 
rewrite data on the same discs. If you 
plan to just create one-time copies 
(write once) of your data, a DVD±R 
drive would suffice. If you want to 
continually backup (rewrite) your 
data on a single disc, you'll need to 
purchase a DVD±RW drive. Our rec- 
ommendation is to purchase a drive 
that supports DVD±RW, as well as 
DVD±R. Drive prices have plum- 
meted recently, and there's no reason 
to limit yourself to one format. 

Prices for discs vary depending on 
the format you select. Typically, 
DVD±Rs are cheaper than rewrite- 
able discs. We recommend using the 
cheaper DVD±Rs for one-time copies 
whenever possible and saving the 
more expensive DVD±RWs for use in 
daily backups or other instances when 
you'll need to rewrite data. 

Speed. DVD vendors love to tout 
the speed of their drives. The speed of 
a given drive is usually expressed as 
4X, 8X, or 16X. Purchase the fastest 
drive you can afford. With the vast 
amount of data you can store on a 
DVD, you'll appreciate the time the 
faster drives save. 

Interface. External drives usually 
use either USB 2.0 or FireWire cables 
for connecting to your computer. 
Hi-Speed USB 2.0 can transfer 
data at rates approaching 480MBps 



Dual-layer drives 
can store up to 
8.5GB of data on 
a single disc. 



(megabytes per 
second), and Fire- 
Wire 800 can transfer 
data at up to 800MBps. 
FireWire devices don't require 
any CPU power, whereas USB re- 
quires your computer to handle all 
the data transfer. The end result is 
that FireWire devices don't tax your 
system as much as USB devices. 

If your computer has a FireWire 
interface, go with that. However, 
most computers sold in the last few 
years include USB interfaces. In our 
experience, the difference in perfor- 
mance between the two interface ar- 
chitectures isn't worth adding a 
FireWire port to your computer. 



Bonus Features 

In addition to the aforementioned 
features, several other features may 
push you toward a particular ven- 
dor. These vary from LightScribe 
support to case design and soft- 
ware bundles. 

LightScribe. LightScribe is a tech- 
nology developed by HP and li- 
censed to various DVD vendors. 
With a LightScribe-enabled drive, 
you can create monochromatic 
labels directly on your DVDs. In- 
stead of using messy stick-on labels, 
or writing on your discs with a 
marker, you can create professional- 
looking discs. 

LightScribe drives work by 
using a special laser that 



activates a dye coating on your disc. 
Because it uses a precise laser, the 
LightScribe drive can create silk- 
screen-quality graphics. And unlike 
ink or paper labels, you won't have to 
worry about your text and images 
smearing, peeling, or fading over 
time. You simply burn your data onto 
the disc and flip it over to print. 

LightScribe does have several dis- 
advantages, however. You'll need to 
use LightScribe compatible disks that 
cost more than traditional media. 
You can expect to pay approximately 
$1 per disc for LightScribe compat- 
ible media compared to 25 cents per 
disc for DVD±R. In addition, you're 
limited to either black-and-white or 
grayscale images for printing. Finally, 
LightScribe printing isn't very fast. 
Our experience has been that a 
simple text label can easily take 20 
minutes to print. 

Software. Most DVD drive vendors 
bundle a copy of Nero (www.nero 
.com) or Roxio's Easy Media Creator 
(www.roxio.com). However, these 
are often 30-day trial versions. Our 
experience has been that you can't go 
wrong with Nero. Nero is an intuitive 
yet powerful application that makes 
the most complicated disc-burning 
tasks simple. If you can find a full 
version of Nero 6 bundled with your 
drive, you've got a winner on your 
hands. However, don't pay too much 
of a premium for this package. Nero 
6 currently retails for $79.99. 

Style. It's a fact: Some compu- 
ter hardware is designed by clever, ar- 
tistically inclined folks. And some 



Plextor's top-of-the-line 
PX-716UFwasthe 
fastest at burning 
dual-layer discs. 




Smart Computing / November 2005 41 



General Computing 



hardware is designed with sheer func- 
tionality in mind. With most com- 
puter components, the aesthetic 
design is of minimal importance, but 
with a DVD burner, you don't want 
something that looks like it was pulled 
out of a junkyard sitting on top of 
your computer. Your burner will usu- 
ally sit in a prominent location on 
your desk, and having an eyesore in- 
stead of an art piece will be annoying. 

But you don't have to settle for an 
ugly burner. There are many vendors 
that specialize in designs that are 
beautiful in their own right. One of 
our favorites is LaCie (www.lacie 
.com). LaCie prides itself on its 
drives designed by F.A. Porsche. 
However, as with most things, there's 
no such thing as a free lunch: The 
best-looking drives tend to cost more 
than spartan designs. 

Our Roundup 

To help you sort through the wide 
array of drives that are currently on 
the market, we've gathered three 
that are typical of what you'll find 
online or at your local electro- 
nics superstore. 



Dual-Layer Wonders 




The bargain-priced 
dvd640e lacks a 
software bundle, 
but boasts 
LightScribe support. 



Sony DRX-800UL. Sony's flagship 
DRX-800UL ($199.99; www.sony 
.com) is stylish, affordable, and fast. 
The DRX-800UL supports DVD±RW 
and DVD±R, as well as dual-layer ca- 
pability. In addition to its broad 
media support, the DRX-800UL fea- 
tures both FireWire and USB 2.0 
interfaces. The DRX-800UL can burn 
DVD±Rs at 16X and dual-layer DVD- 
Rs at 4X. With Nero 6 included, 
the DRX-800UL is a bargain. 

Plextor PX-716UF. Plextor ($239; 
www.plextor.com) has a well-earned 
reputation for excellent optical 
drives, and the PX-716UF continues 
in this tradition. Like the Sony DRX- 
800UL, the PX-716UF supports both 
DVD±R and DVD±RW, as well as 
dual-layer discs. The PX-716UF has 



Although 4.7GB 
seems like a huge 
amount of data to store 
on a single disc, it didn't 
take long before users 
were chafing at size con- 
straints of single-layer 
DVD burners. However, 
there's hope with the 
new dual-layer format 
that's becoming the 
new standard for 
DVD burners. 

How Does It Work? 

Traditional DVDs 
have a single layer of 
organic dye held as a 
substrate between two 



pieces of polycarbonate. 
When struck by a laser, 
this dye changes phase 
and can be read by a 
second laser. This is the 
basis of both CD and 
DVD writing. A single- 
layer DVD can hold ap- 
proximately 4.7GB of 
data, roughly two hours 
of video. 

Dubbed DVD+RDL 
(for dual layer) as the 
name implies, dual-layer 
discs use two layers of 
sensitive dye embedded 
into the plastic of a 
DVD. This additional 
layer effectively doubles 



the capacity of the disc 
up to 8.5GB. When the 
first layer is completely 
full, the drive's laser ad- 
justs its intensity. 

Currently the 
format is only 
write-once, 
but it should 
eventually 
support 
rewriteable 
discs, as well. 
And although the 
current write speeds are 
capped at 6X, there's no 
reason that future drives 
won't be able to support 
faster speeds. I 




both FireWire and USB interfaces, 
as well as four optional colors to 
choose from. Bundled with the PX- 
716UF is Roxio's Easy Media Cre- 
ator 7. Where the Plextor separates 
itself from the competition is in 
dual-layer burning speeds. With up 
to 16X speeds, the PX-716UF was 
the fastest DVD writer we reviewed. 

HP DVD Writer dvd640e. If you 
are looking for a LightScribe DVD 
writer, HP's DVD640e ($159.99; 
www.hp.com) is just the ticket. 
Combining dual-layer support with 
LightScribe labeling, you'll be set for 
high capacity storage with stunning 
graphics. The DVD640e supports all 
of the major disc formats, but is the 
slowest of the drives for burning 
dual-layer discs. At 2.4X, you'll want 
to be sure that you have plenty of 
time when starting a burning ses- 
sion. Although its retail price is the 
lowest of all three drives, it lacks any 
bundled software with the exception 
of HP's own utilities. 

Professional Results 
For Personal Projects 

The ability to burn DVDs 

is within the reach of 

anyone with a reasonably 

modern computer. And 

with today's external DVD 

drives, there's no need to 

worry about opening your 

computer's case. Simply connect 

the drive, and you're ready to burn 

DVDs with aplomb. II 

by Chris Jackson 



42 November 2005 / www.smartcomputing.com 




The New Faux-Croc 
Portfolio Collection™ 

Available now in all the 
hot fashion colors! These 
semi-rigid, compression- 
molded Portfolios will carry 
laptops up to 1 5.4" to the boardroom 
or classroom in style! 



Free Ground Shipping on Portfolios! Use coupon code ' CEL95" when ordering. 



Mobile Edge leads the pack in the combination of form and function, style and 
practicality. Our goal is to offer premium computer protection and mobility 
combined with a sense of fashion and style. 



Our Exclusive Women's line offers an attractive alternative to the standard "black 
case" and our backpacks, briefcases and messengers offer an upscale style sure 
to compliment anyone's individual taste. 



Visitwww.mobileedge.com or call 866-577-7774 
for more information. 



Laptop Backpacks / Briefcases /Messenger Bags / Totes 

MOBILE3DGE 

Bring It On. 




General Computing 



Silicon 



Superheroes 

Crime Fighters Solve Cases Using Digital Tech 



Popular TV shows such as "CSI: 
Crime Scene Investigation" il- 
lustrate for millions of viewers 
the kind of high-tech work law en- 
forcement agents perform. In real life, 
some technology-powered police work 
is glamorous and edgy — a lot more of 
it isn't television-worthy. But there's 
no question that computer technology 
has completely altered the way cops 
pursue criminals and gather the evi- 
dence that puts them behind bars. 

Computers and other digitally pow- 
ered tools help authorities find perpe- 
trators and bring them to justice for 
crimes that would've been unsolvable 
just a few years ago. Thus, today's 
crime fighters don't need a super- 
hero's cape and boots. Instead, they 
need massive, searchable databases; 
computer-aided dispatching; digitized 
crime scene tools; and other high-tech 
equipment. 

Faster Communication 

To see just how much technology 
has altered the landscape of crime 
fighters, it helps to see the world 
through the eyes of a 24-year veteran. 
Wes Sossamon is chief deputy sheriff 



in Clark County, Ark., and he recalls 
pre-PC advances in the office. 

"I can remember when we got our 
first IBM Selectric electric typewriter. 
I thought then we had reached the 
zenith of technology," said Sossamon. 
"Then, technological 
evolution brought us 
a word processor — 
again, sheer amaze- 
ment. As computer 
technology began to 
become the norm 
rather than the rare 
exception, we started 
to realize the great po- 
tential it had to assist 
us in just about every 
facet of our business." 

When PCs became 
standard equipment 
in law enforcement 
agencies around the 
country, more and 
more information 
wound up on hard 
drives and in databases. That digitized 
information includes criminal inves- 
tigative files, arrest and detention 
files, offense reports, and much more. 



searches to find the information they 
need in a matter of seconds or min- 
utes instead of waiting hours or days. 

In addition to databases, police also 
need efficient communication tech- 
nologies. Sossamon said the officers 
in his department are so busy that 
they have to budget their work time, 
so the faster they communicate, the 
better. His officers use email and in- 
stant messaging programs to quickly 
exchange text and images, which 
means they can immediately send in- 
formation instead of waiting for the 
comparatively sluggish process of de- 
livery via courier or mail. 

For officers in the field, communi- 
cations centers use computer- assisted 
dispatching to increase efficiency and 
cut down on radio traffic. Some of 
these systems are so sophisticated that 
when they're combined with GPS 
(global positioning system) capabili- 
ties, they can track every patrol car on 
the street, pinpoint each unit on a dis- 
patcher's digital map, and recom- 
mend a specific unit to send to a call, 
among dozens of other capabilities. 




Digitized 
Investigations 

Digital technology 
has revamped the way 
investigators perform 
crime scene analysis, 
too. Sossamon said 
that one of the most 
important benefits of 
the computer age is 
the ability to instantly 
view photographs at 
the crime scene. Inves- 
tigators use the color 
monitors on digital 
cameras to make sure 
each photo is properly 
exposed, and they 
transfer those images 
to notebook computers at the scene. 

Using a notebook PC, investigators 
verify that each photo is clear and ana- 
lyze these images to determine if they 
Because of this, officers now run a few I should take additional shots. Getting 



Tiny PDAs (personal digital 
assistants) are valuable at crime 
scenes. Investigators can log 
evidence and even create 
diagrams of the scene to better 
preserve crucial information. 



44 November 2005 / www.smartcomputing.com 



General Computing 



all the right photos is critical because it 
helps officers capture the crime scene 
before other workers alter it. 

Many investigators also pack a PDA 
(personal digital assistant) to log evi- 
dence data or create 3D models of the 
scene. To create a model, the officer 
may use a tape measure or laser device 
to determine room and window sizes, 
as well as the distance between various 
objects in the scene. With the right 
software, a PDA can analyze these 
kinds of data and immediately conjure 
a basic reproduction of the scene. 

At the crime lab. Digital cameras 
and their resulting images are also 
very helpful back at the office. For ex- 
ample, Sossamon said, "[Digital cam- 
eras] allow us to furnish crime scene 
photos to the forensic pathologist for 
review at autopsy in death cases." 
Armed with all pertinent photos on a 
CD, the pathologist can repeatedly re- 
view photos during an examination 
and create more effective reports. 

Other imaging technologies in the 
lab enhance and clarify fingerprints, 
footprints, and bite marks. Using ad- 
vanced imaging software, investigators 
can render crash and crime scenes in 
2D or 3D, and they can map bullet 
trajectory, too. Other programs help 
crime lab technicians examine rifling 
marks on a spent shell and then match 
that shell to the gun that fired it. 




"In some of the specialty disciplines, 
such as bloodstain-pattern analysis 
and shooting reconstruction, innova- 
tive experts have developed programs 
that greatly cut down on the time it 
takes to make complicated mathemat- 
ical calculations," said Sossamon. 
Those programs produce detailed 
graphics from those calculations, and 
they're often so detailed that an experi- 
enced investigator can completely re- 
construct a 3D crime scene on a PC. 
These digital reconstructions come in 
handy during investigations, as well as 
during a trial when an attorney wants 
to provide visual representation of a 
complex scene to a jury. 

And, of course, crime investigators 
still pursue fingerprints for the valuable 
clues they provide. As a matter of rou- 
tine, investigators take random latent 
prints from crime scenes and use the 
print to search records, looking for the 
person who left the print behind. 

"The advent and technological evo- 
lution of the capabilities of the AFIS 
(Automated Fingerprint Identification 
Systems) have greatly impacted the 
searching of previously unsearchable 
huge image databases," said Sossamon. 
"It has revolutionized the criminal 
identification process." And in a testa- 
ment to ever-evolving investigative 
processes, police investigations now 
also use DNA databases that work in 
the same manner. 



Crimes Of The Times 

Although PCs are 
indispensable, author- 
ities recognize that 
many criminals use 
technology to their ad- 
vantage. So many law 
enforcement agencies 
have computer crimes 
divisions staffed with 
officers versed in ways 
to combat digital de- 
pravities. 



"The majority of computer crimes 
that we investigate involve illegally 
possessed visual images of child 
pornography," said Sossamon. "More 
often than not, these are collateral 
materials uncovered during the 
course of an assault investigation." 
Sossamon recounted one case in 
which a specially trained investigator 
recovered illegal materials from one 
offender's hard drive by restoring im- 
ages that the perpetrator deleted. 
Those images corroborated the testi- 
mony of a young victim and created a 
much stronger case for prosecutors. 

As other computer-related crimes, 
such as those involving fraud and iden- 
tity theft, continue to rise, more investi- 
gators will learn to counter the tactics of 
criminals who commit sins via silicon. 
With better computer forensics, the po- 
lice will be able to catch more high-tech 
criminals and deter such crimes. 

Digital Detectives 

Police forces never rest. They track 
perpetrators, create criminal histories 
and suspect evaluations, log evidence, 
and keep tabs on information re- 
garding vehicles and stolen and recov- 
ered property. Investigators have to 
find correlation among various pieces 
of evidence, develop leads, organize 
and analyze data, and prepare critical 
documents for court. If that sounds 
like a lot of work, it is, but digital tech- 
nology helps with these tasks and more. 

"My detectives and I were holding a 
discussion the other day about a new 
computer program that we got," said 
Sossamon. "And the general consensus 
was: 'How did we ever get anything 
done before we had all this stuff?'" The 
good news for law-abiding citizens is 
that police have these tools and that 
they're always fine-tuning them, har- 
nessing digital power to track down 
criminals and keep us safe. II 

by Nathan Chandler 



In his 20-plus years as a police officer, Wes Sossamon has witnessed firsthand the 
crime fighting power of many digital technologies. 



Smart Computing / November 2005 45 



Mr. Modem's Desktop 



Yes, It's Another Turkey 



Time to wake the kids and call the neighbors! No, it's 
not time for the Smart Computing Swimsuit Edition. 
It's time for Mr. Modem's "It's Another Turkey" 
Thanksgiving column, in which I give thanks for a few of my 
favorite tips submitted by beloved readers throughout the 
year. Readers whose submissions were selected for publica- 
tion by our distinguished panel of judge (OK, so it's just me) 
received a nutritious, high-protein, low-carb Mr. Modem 
mouse pad. A similar treat awaits you, so if you have a fa- 
vorite computing tip or Web site, I want to hear about it. 

Send Email By Keystroke 

Instead of clicking the Send button, keep both hands 
safely on the keyboard and use one of the following key- 
stroke combinations: In Outlook Express, press ALT-S; in 
Eudora, press CTRL-E; in Netscape, press ALT-D; and in 
Firefox, press CTRL-ENTER. 

Windows XP Tour 

Step right up and discover XP features if^ 
you never knew existed! Your personal es ' ' 
cort is standing by, so to begin the tour, 
click Start, Programs, Accessories, and 
Tour Windows XP. A dialog box will 
appear that asks if you would like the ani- 
mated or nonanimated tour. Nonanimated? 
Puleeeze! Pour yourself a cold one, select 
the animated tour, and then sit back and 
enjoy the show. 

Power Surfing 

If you have several Web sites you 
want to visit quickly, enter the Web site 
address for the first one and let your 
browser begin loading it. While it's busy 
doing that, open a new browser window (click 
File and New Window or CTRL-N) and enter the URL for 
your second site, and so on. When all the pages have down- 
loaded, you can jump from one to another quickly by 
switching between windows, each of which will appear as a 
Taskbar button. 

One-Screen Scrolling 

When you're looking at a document or Web page that 
spans more than one screen, you can move through the text 
by clicking the Up arrow or Down arrow, or by sliding the 
scroll bar that appears on the right side of the screen. But if 
you want to scroll one screen at a time, click above or below 
the sliding scroll bar to scroll in either direction, precisely one 
screen at a time. This applies to any Windows application. 



Icons Be Gone! 

A favorite photo or graphic can be fun to use as your 
Desktop wallpaper, but isn't it a shame to have it covered 
with icons? Of course it is. If you're using Windows XP, you 
can hide unsightly icons by right- clicking a blank area of 
your Desktop, pointing to Arrange Icons By, then clicking 
the Show Desktop Icons option to remove the check mark. 
Presto! No more icons. 

Outing XP's Clipboard Viewer 

The Windows Clipboard is a short-term storage area 
where data resides between the time you cut or copy and the 
time you paste. The Clipboard Viewer is useful if you want 
to know what data is currently saved on the Clipboard. 

XP has an integrated Clipboard Viewer, but unlike previous 
versions of Windows, it's in hiding, so for ease of access, let's 
create a Desktop shortcut to it. Right- click a blank area of 
your Desktop, click New and Shortcut. In the Location field, 
type C: WINDOWS\system32\clipbrd.exe\. (Bonus Tip: To 
create a similar shortcut, Win98 users can type C:\WIN 
DOWS\clipbrd.exe; In Win2k, use C:\WINNT 
\SYSTEM32\clipbrd.exe.) Click Next and 
give the new shortcut a name. I went 
crazy and named mine Clipboard 
Viewer. I don't know what I was 
thinking, but you only live once, 
so why not? After naming the 
shortcut, click Finish. Any time you 
want to see what's on the oP Clip- 
board, just double-click your new 
Desktop shortcut. 

Coming next month: I'm 
hearing sleigh bells again, which 
means it's either holiday time or 
time to increase my meds. Assum- 
ing the former, I like to close out every 
year by presenting my personal list of favorite Web sites of 
the past year. Until next month, from Mrs. Modem and 
our furry, feline family, we wish you a safe, happy, and 
healthy holiday season. II 

by Mr. Modem 



Mr. Modem (Richard Sherman) is an author, syndicated 
columnist, radio host, and publisher. "Mr. Modem's Weekl 
Newsletter" provides personal responses to subscribers' com} 
and Internet questions, plus weekly computing tips, Web sit 
recommendations, virus alerts, hoax warnings, and more. 
For additional information, visit www.MrModem.com. 




46 November 2005 / www.smartcomputing.com 



« ^VTDTA 




High Tech should Not 

Always Mean High Price! 

y Motherboards 



GIGABYTE SL 1 








AMD I |AMD I I AMD 



^Du^Co^m Ql j 



K8 Triton™ series 

GA-K8N PrO-SLI NVIDIA nForce4SLI Chipset 



■ 






K8 Triton™ s.... 
GA-K8N-SLI 






NVIDIA nForce4 SLI Chipset 




% fff=M 






r*--n> 



GV-NX66256DP 



NVIDIA GeForce 6600 VPU 



bo Force Edition 



nction and HDTV 



Available Through: 



liiWMMtMiil '::: 



\>AS, 



ITT3T1 °^.dandh.com ITeADErHH!! 1 

| '^\ i || Phone:800-340-1001 |__^J|jj|| F 



For other regional distributors, please contact GIGA-BYTE TECHNOLOGY (U.S.A.) 



IGABYTE 



Plugged In 



Sally Forth 

Online Mapping Services Guide The Way 




If your car is filled with a mess of 
unfolded maps each time you 
take a road trip, consider 
switching to an online service 
to get point-to-point driving di- 
rections instead. But with so many 
choices out there, it's sometimes diffi- 
cult to know which one to use. Each 
service has its own niche, so different 
services are better for different users. 
We obtained directions to five loca- 
tions using five free mapping services 
to see how they stacked up. 

Google Maps 

Google is notorious for leaving its 
new services in beta (a prerelease ver- 
sion) for a while, and Google Maps 
(maps.google.com) is no exception. 
Although it's still in beta, Google 
Maps operates well and has a few fea- 
tures that set it apart. 

Google Maps can display a Map, 
Satellite, or Hybrid view of any loca- 
tion you've mapped. The Hybrid view 
combines a satellite image with street 
names for ease of use in finding a par- 
ticular location. For more detailed 
satellite views along with additional 
local information and driving direc- 
tions, users can install the free version 
of Google Earth (earth.google.com). 

When printing a map from Google, 
you'll notice that the directions are 



concise — many will print on just one 
piece of paper. Part of the reason the 
map and directions fit on just one page 
is because Google does not display 
small maps showing the start and end 
points. Instead, you get one big map 
showing an overview of your route. If 
you'd like to see small maps of any 
stage of your trip, click a step. 

In our tests, Google Maps didn't al- 
ways provide the shortest route, but it 
did guide us to our destination. Google 
furnished a slightly longer route in two 
of the five tests. In one of our five tests, 
Google Maps could not find the actual 
destination address, though it could 
find the street in a rural town. 

It's helpful to know if there are mul- 
tiple names for a road you'll be trav- 
eling on. With Google Maps, we were 
only given one street name and no 
aliases. When a road name changes, 
Google Maps calls attention to it by 
noting Continue On To. Although 
we'd like to see alternative names listed 
with each street, this is still helpful 
when navigating, especially when a 
road changes names midway through 
your trip. To make its maps easier to 
read in the car, Google formats street 
names and turn directions in bold. 

MapQuest 

MapQuest (www.mapquest.com) 
has become one of the more recog- 
nized names in online mapping ser- 
vices, probably because it's been a 
long-time player. A MapQuest user can 
send a map to his phone, download it 
to a PDA (personal digital assistant), or 
email it for easy viewing later. To send 
a map to a phone, you'll need to have a 
compatible phone and service pro- 
vider. The first time you send a map to 
your cell phone, you'll need to install 
the application software on your phone 



and register your phone number with 
MapQuest. To download a map to 
your PDA, you'll need the free Avant- 
Go service. 

One handy feature of MapQuest is 
that it remembers previously viewed 
addresses (provided you're using the 
same computer) without any registra- 
tion or sign-in process. When getting 
directions for print, you're sure to no- 
tice the handy icons that MapQuest 
includes on its maps. These icons tell 
you which direction to turn and in- 
clude signs to show road and exit 
information. This is an especially 
helpful feature for anyone reading a 
map while en route because you're 
not always required to read the full 
text of the directions. None of the 
other services we compared had a fea- 
ture quite as nice as this. 

The default print layout of maps 
from MapQuest includes a pictorial 
view of the full route and smaller 
maps of the start and destination 
points. Also, it's possible to get turn- 
by-turn directional maps by clicking 
the appropriate link in each step. 

MapQuest provided accurate re- 
sults in each of our five tests, though 
one route used a road that may not 
have been the fastest due to traffic 
and stop lights. MapQuest alerts you 



Google ^. - i^nr 



is? si ea .,- ™ (ft- » "*". EMM—- 



Google stuck with what works — simplicity— 
in its easy-to-use Google Maps. 



48 November 2005 / www.smartcomputing.com 



Plugged In 




limi'llfl.iv 



E ;. E ,, : :, ,.• 




a- 

(J ea y.^ H-.- ^'^^'(iasl!.^ Angelas 

, .. ■ -■ .- 

„ : [ "EtfS.. 




■•■ ■ - ■■ ■ - ■ ■ 



Send directions to a PDA (personal digital 
assistant) or a Web-enabled cell phone using the 
links near the top of the MapQuest interface. 



MSN Maps & Directions features a LineDrive 
feature that lets you view only the route 
you've mapped. 



With Yahoo! Maps you can use your Yahoo! 
username and password to save location 
information for future maps. 



when a road changes names with 
language such as Superior St Be- 
comes NW 1st St. 

MSN Maps & Directions 

MSN Maps & Directions (mappoint 
.msn.com) has been around for a little 
while now, but MSN recently launched 
its newest mapping service called 
Virtual Earth (virtualearth.msn 
.com). Although Virtual Earth is cur- 
rently a separate system from MSN 
Maps & Directions, it still offers some 
fun services for single-point mapping 
information. Whereas MSN Maps & 
Directions does not include satellite 
imagery, Virtual Earth can display a 
satellite or hybrid image of a specific 
location. Once you've found a specific 
location, get directions to or from that 
location using a shortcut to MSN Maps 
& Directions. 

Although the features and satellite 
imagery at Virtual Earth are impres- 
sive, anyone looking for point-to- 
point driving directions will want to 
use MSN Maps & Directions. While 
MSN Maps & Directions doesn't have 
all of the bells and whistles some of 
the other sites have, it does have the 
ability to send a map to a PocketPC. 
In addition, a feature unique to MSN 
Maps & Directions is the LineDrive 
feature that displays a map with only 



the information about your particular 
route. (To access this feature, click 
the LineDrive radio button on the 
Directions tab.) This is helpful if you 
just want to see a route without the 
clutter of other roads. 

In our tests, MSN Maps & Direc- 
tions wasn't able to find the actual lo- 
cation of one of our destinations, 
though it could find the street. 
Additionally, three of the five tests 
didn't always take the most direct 
route, though routes were still accu- 
rate. One of the nice features of MSN 
Maps & Directions is that it clearly 
notes both which direction to turn, as 
well as which cardinal direction. 

RandMcNally 

When it comes to maps and direc- 
tions, Rand McNally (www.randmc 
nally.com) has been a familiar name 
since its first maps were printed in 
1872. In fact, Rand McNally has inte- 
grated its online driving directions 
with its print Road Atlas by including 
2005 Road Atlas page and grid infor- 
mation with each online map. 

Like MapQuest, one of the handiest 
features of Rand McNally's driving di- 
rections is its ability to remember your 
previously viewed addresses without 
having to sign in or register with the 
site (on the same PC, of course). 



If you have a Rand McNally Road 
Atlas, register at Rand McNally's Web 
site to receive additional benefits, in- 
cluding exclusive access to road con- 
struction information and the ability to 
save maps, directions, and personalized 
trip plans. 

An additional service available at 
Rand McNally's Web site is the ability 
to plan a road trip from start to finish, 
even including stops and places to see 
along the way. Registered users gain 
the ability to create and print a cus- 
tomized trip guide with in-depth city 
profiles, road construction informa- 
tion, and city and transit maps. 

Although Rand McNally doesn't in- 
clude pictures to denote which way to 
turn at each step of the directions, you 
can get printable mini maps for each 
step. The default printout shows a map 
of the full route and a large destination 
map along with textual directions. 

In one of our five tests, Rand 
McNally took a slightly longer, though 
still accurate, route. This alternative 
route was six miles longer (increasing 
the trip from 128 miles to 134 miles) 
and kept the driver on the interstate for 
a longer stretch of road. 

Yahoo! Maps 

Yahoo! offers a smorgasbord of 
options. One of these services is Yahoo! 



Smart Computing / November 2005 49 



Plugged In 



Maps (maps.yahoo.com). While any- 
one can use Yahoo! Maps sans regis- 
tering or signing in, users will want 
to sign in to access additional fea- 
tures, such as the ability to name and 
save locations. 

With Yahoo! Maps, you can send a 
map to certain Web-enabled cell 
phones. Should you choose to print a 
map, you'll receive directions that in- 
clude a circled L or R denoting what di- 
rection to turn at each step. You'll also 
notice that street names are printed in 
bold text. Yahoo! includes an overview 
map and a smaller map of your desti- 
nation on each printout. 

One helpful Yahoo! Maps feature is 
that it tells you which side of the road 
you'll find your destination on. In ad- 
dition, Yahoo! Maps alerts you when a 



road changes names with a phrase such 
as Superior St Becomes NW 1st St. 

With regard to accuracy, Yahoo! 
Maps fared well against the competi- 
tion. It was able to find all of our test 
destinations, and while one route was 
slightly longer, it was still accurate. 

In our tests we noticed that Yahoo! 
Maps doesn't always give directions as 
to how to navigate from your current 
location to the first road where direc- 
tions start. While this may be a minor 
detail, it's still helpful know whether 
you're supposed to be heading north 
or south to begin your trip. 



Are We There Yet? 

Although each mapping service has 
its own unique features, we particularly 



liked the icons denoting turns and 
roads with MapQuest. We also liked 
the satellite imagery views available 
with Google and MSN Virtual Earth. 
Judging solely by length of route, 
Yahoo! Maps won by just a few miles. 
It's important to note, however, that 
the total difference between Yahoo! 
Maps and MSN Maps & Directions 
(the service with the highest mileage) 
was only 6.2 miles. No service was per- 
fect either: Each one provided at least 
one route that wasn't the most effi- 
cient. If you're looking for a map 
without the added features of satellite 
imagery, go with MapQuest — you'll 
appreciate the icons that paint a pic- 
ture as to where to go. II 

by Jennifer Johnson 





Google 
Maps (Beta) 


MapQuest 


MSN Maps & Directions/ 
Virtual Earth 


Rand 


McNally 


Yahoo! Maps 


Efficiency 
Ranking 
(considers 
total miles 
and directness 
of routes) 


4 


2 


5 


3 




1 


Maps Shown 
In Default View 


Large overview 


Large overview, 
medium starting point, 
medium destination 


Large overview, 
small destination 


Large overview, 
large destination 


Large overview, 
small destination 


Ability To 
Recall Previous 
Addresses 


None 


Yes 


None 


Yes 




Only if you 
register 
and sign in 


Ability To 
Search For 
Nearby Hotels, 
Restaurants, Etc. 


A local search 
feature is 
available, but 
it doesn't integrate 
with the driving 
directions feature 


Yes 


A City Guide for 
the destination is 
available, but users 
can't map hotels 
alongside driving 
directions 


Yes 




Yes. Also 
includes traffic 
information for 
certain cities 


Availability 
Of Turn-By- 
Turn Mini Maps 


Yes. Can only 
show one mini 
map at a time 


Yes 


Yes 


Yes 




Yes 


Satellite Imagery 


Map, Satellite, 
and Hybrid 
views are available 


None 


Available only through 
MSN Virtual Earth with 
Satellite and Hybrid views 


None 




None 


Ability To Send 
Directions To 
A Cell Phone 


None 


Yes. Must install 
software and 
register phone 


None 


None 




Yes. Not available 
with Verizon 
Wireless service 


Ability To Send 
Directions 
To A PDA 


None 


Yes, via AvantGo 


Yes, PocketPC only 


None 




None 


Ability To Send 
Directions 
Via Email 


Yes 


Yes 


Yes 


Yes 




Yes 


Additional 
Features 


Map scrolling using 
the mouse 


Arrows and road 
signs walk you 
through directions 


LineDrive feature 


Gives page and 
grid information 
to find location 
in 2005 Road Atlas 


Denotes which 
side of the road 
you'll find your 
destination on 



50 November 2005 / www.smartcomputing.com 



Speakers should be heard, not seen. 
Thaf s why we put them in the screen. 




Introducing the 

Da-Lite Acoustical Imager 

Designed for your decor and engineered for your senses. This 
revolutionary home theater system combines the clarity of a fixed 
Da-Lite screen with the harmony of a JBL 5. 1 audio surround sound 
system. The Da-Lite Acoustical Imager is simple to set up. The left, 
right and center speakers are integrated into the screen's frame. 
The compact surround sound speakers bring up the rear while the 
subwoofer delivers the bass for a truly remarkable home theater 
experience. Choose between a Video or an HDTV screen. 
Available in eight projection surfaces. Or have Da-Lite custom build 
a screen for your home theater. 



Three speakers integrated into the frame, 
two surround sound speakers and a 
subwoofer complete the system. 



DA-LITE 



HOME THEATER SCREENS 



* 



£ 



^ 



Us! 



For a free Home Theater Catalog and screen 
recommendations, call toll free or visit us online. 

1-800-622-3737 

www.da-lite.com • ©2005 da-lite screen company, inc. 



Plugged In 




Thomas Jefferson said the price of 
freedom is eternal vigilance. So, 
too, apparently, is the price of 
protecting your identity and good 
credit rating. 

Ellen, a teacher (and recent college 
grad), applied for her first apartment. 
The leasing agency resurrected a bad 
debt Ellen thought she'd resolved years 
ago. In 1997, Ellen left a Gap dressing 
room for mere minutes, and someone 
stole her wallet from the back pocket of 
the jeans she'd briefly left. She says, "I 
thought I'd lost only $15 and my dri- 
ver's license — an inconvenience but 
not a big deal." Unfortunately, Social 
Security numbers appeared on Illinois 
drivers' licenses at that time. Armed 
with Ellen's name, SSN, and date of 
birth, a thief opened at least six credit 
cards in her name in 2000, and they're 
still causing problems for her today, 
eight years later. 

The End Of Innocence 

In 2002, she had her first inkling that 
something was wrong when her par- 
ents received a letter from a collection 
agency saying she'd failed to pay her 
Fingerhut account. Ellen didn't know 
what Fingerhut was, but there was a 
$500 balance in her name. 

Although Fingerhut was then out 
of business, the bank that managed its 



credit accounts held open the out- 
standing account in Ellen's name. The 
collection agency gave Ellen the ac- 
count number, date opened, and 
other information, so she could dis- 
pute the account with the bank and 
the three credit reporting agencies 
(Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion). 

Ellen says "I spent hours upon hours 
upon hours during the middle of the 
day — probably for a week straight — 
contacting companies and credit re- 
porting agencies. As a college student, I 
missed about a week of classes to 
pursue this." 

She received copies of her credit re- 
ports showing the activity, most of 
which she hadn't initiated. A family 
friend, who is a lawyer, helped her 
write letters to the banks, companies, 
and credit agencies. By November 2002 
all of the bogus accounts were removed 
from her credit reports, and she got a 
letter from Fingerhut absolving her of 
responsibility for the $500. 

Then, in November 2004, Ellen got 
a letter from a second collection 
agency for the Fingerhut account. 
Despite the letter from Fingerhut, the 
first collection agency had sold her 
name to a second collection agency, 
which was attempting to collect. She 
went through the entire process again, 
once again removing the debt from 
her credit reports. 



This year, when Ellen applied for 
her apartment, her Experian credit re- 
port listed the $500 Fingerhut debt be- 
cause a third collection agency bought 
the list with that old debt and sub- 
mitted it to the credit reporting agen- 
cies again. At about the same time, out 
of the blue, a collection agency for 
Dell called to let Ellen know the 
$2,000 computer she supposedly 
bought in December 2000 had never 
been paid for. Ellen never bought a 
computer, so she began contacting 
credit reporting agencies again. 

Susan Henson of Experian says that 
should not be happening; all of the 
debts should appear as paid on Ellen's 
credit report. Henson explains that 
sometimes it's a fluke because with 215 
million consumers, situations occasion- 
ally arise where someone needs a little 
more attention. Typically, says Henson, 
after a consumer has filed a dispute, 
Experian has 30 days to contact the 
creditor to find out if the account 
owner can be verified. The creditor has 
to produce proof documents, which 
will show whether the customer's claim 
is accurate or inaccurate. If documents 
prove the customer did not open the 
account, it's removed from report and 
should not ever reappear. 

Many Happy Returns 

ID theft tends to be a crime of op- 
portunity. If a thief can get his hands 
on your SSN, bank statement, or an- 
other form of ID, he'll probably use it. 
What about a copy of cancelled check 
from an online account? Can a thief 
use that to open accounts in your 
name? And what's a law-abiding cit- 
izen to do in that situation? 

Jean, a law-enforcement officer, re- 
cently submitted a request for an 
image of a check from her online ac- 
count at Wells Fargo. The bank sent 
her an email, instructing her to click a 
link to see her check. Jean clicked the 
link, but the check wasn't hers. It be- 
longed to a woman whose name bore 
no similarity to Jean's and who lived 
in a different city; the check numbers 



52 November 2005 / www.smartcomputing.com 



Plugged In 



and account numbers were com- 
pletely different from Jean's. 

Although it was early evening, Jean 
called the online banking customer ser- 
vice to let it know about the error and 
find out what happened to her check. 
Jean asked to speak to a manager, who 
was completely unconcerned during 
their 45-minute phone call. He said 
he'd get back to her within 24 hours to 
let her know what happened to her 
check, but he didn't offer to change her 
account numbers. 

To demonstrate why she was con- 
cerned, Jean told the manager that 
using the information from that wom- 
an's check, she had gone online to the 
local county assessor's office and was 
looking at pictures of that woman's 
house. The manager said it wasn't his 
fault the assessor's office posted that 
kind of information. He then asked her 
to fax a copy of the woman's 
check to an 800 number, which 
probably meant several more sets 
of eyes would see it. Jean refused. 

Jean asked if the bank planned 
to notify the woman whose 
check she'd inadvertently re- 
ceived, and the manager said no, 
the bank would not notify her. 

So, Jean called the woman, 
which she says was a somewhat 
awkward phone call. But she 
wanted this woman to know what 
had happened, so she could 
change her account number if she 
wanted to. 

The next day, Jean took the copy of 
the woman's check and went into a local 
Wells Fargo branch. The manager there 
was far more receptive and helpful. She 
explained to Jean that the bank has an 
"escalation team" that looks into prob- 
lems with online banking. She herself 
wasn't familiar with how the process 
worked, but she promised to find out 
what happened to Jean's check. 

She also explained Wells Fargo's 
Lost Or Stolen Program, where it rolls 
compromised accounts to new num- 
bers. It took minutes on the bank's part 
to change Jean's numbers, but it took 
hours to sort everything out on her 



end. She pays bills online, and she had 
to notify all of the creditors that she 
had changed her account numbers. 
Jean also had to fill out forms notifying 
her employer because her checks are set 
up for automatic deposit. 

And the experience cost her finan- 
cially: Jean had just bought four boxes of 
new custom checks, which she could no 
longer use and had to shred. The bank 
gave her only one free box of generic 
checks in compensation. In addition, 
because the bank immediately changed 
her account numbers, her original re- 
quest for a copy of her check was de- 
nied. She had to call again and talk to a 
customer service representative, who 
walked her through requesting the 
check again. This time, Jean says, there 
were additional security steps. 

In the meantime, the bank manager 
has assured Jean her check didn't go 



expenaii* 



Q 3 Bureau Online 
Credit Report 



:. .in- - 




Free Experian credit 
report and score 

. Get a free credit report and store* 

..■'.' ... ;. "■ • • 

" ■'.'.' ■ • ' ' • • ■■;■; ■.■!•: . . 

- ■■ .. -:■'.' 

m f--.nl inur riji .. : 
i. ":..'•'-'■ e*'ywy:«-J ].'■■:■;>[■• ' -;.• •,-.: ■,-, ■■■■:-i, 

■ ' ■• '• ' ■ '":":"• ' ' " ' • ■':•: 

■■■:■■■■. . 



^ 



Preventing fraud 

» Steps to take if yoi 



Consumer alerts 



; .:- • 






65 tl 



account numbers. Experian's Henson 
says if Jean's check had gone to another 
consumer, that person would have the 
routing number of her checking ac- 
count, name, address, and phone num- 
ber. In spite of that, Henson doesn't 
think anyone could perpetrate identity 
theft without backup ID. And trying to 
withdraw funds directly from Jean's ac- 
count would be impossible now that 
she's changed her account number. 

Henson adds, "Now that point-of-sale 
technology scans checks immediately, 
any attempted transaction would be de- 
nied because the account is closed." 

Be Vigilant 

To protect yourself, keep track of 
the information on your credit re- 
ports. Obtain free copies from each of 
the three consumer reporting agencies 
once a year. Go to Annual 
CreditReport.com (www. annual 
reditreport.com). You may call 
(877) 322-8228, but you'll give 
the same detailed personal in- 
formation over a phone that 
you would have over a secured 
Web site. 



. 



3 Bureau Credit Re|>oiT SM with fiee a 

_ See your credit files from all 3 bureaus. 

. . . ■ ' • ' • .' 



i E:<( i I i 



On the Experian home page, scroll along the right side for 
information on preventing fraud. 



anywhere, but Jean's not confident this 
is true. Jean was also told the bank 
couldn't tell her who received her 
check because of security reasons! 

Although her experience was less than 
satisfactory, Jean says, "I honestly think 
that the fact I mentioned I'm in law en- 
forcement opened a few doors a little 
faster. I know to ask questions and con- 
tinue asking until I get some answers." 

Although it's a hassle and an added 
expense, if you know or suspect 
someone has your bank account and 
bank routing numbers, change the ac- 
count numbers as soon as possible. 

The potential threat to Jean's iden- 
tity is small now that she's changed her 



Act Immediately 

If you see accounts you didn't 
open or charges you didn't 
make, the FTC (Federal Trade 
Commission) recommends tak- 
ing the following steps immediately. 



i 



Contact any of the three credit 
agencies to place an Initial Fraud 
Alert on your record. The agency you 
contact must notify the other two. An 
Initial Fraud Alert places a warning on 
your accounts and prevents anyone 
from opening new credit accounts 
using your name and personal informa- 
tion for 90 days. During this time, cred- 
itors will have to verify your identity, 
too, in order to protect you, and you 
may experience delays when applying 
for credit. For longer protection, file an 
Extended Fraud Victim Alert, which 
helps protect you for seven years. 



Smart Computing / November 2005 53 



Plugged In 



ID theft tends to be a crime of opportunity. 

If a thief can get his hands on your SSN, bank statement, 

or another form of ID, he'll probably use it. 



2 Contact your local police, make a 
report, and obtain copies of the re- 
port to file with the ID Theft Affidavit 
(next step). 

3 Close all accounts you didn't open 
(and any you suspect someone's 
made unauthorized charges to) and 
dispute the accounts/charges. To dis- 
pute them you must file an ID Theft 
Affidavit, and you'll find the form at 
the FTC's ID Theft page (www.con 
sumer.gov/idtheft). Scroll down to the 
Hot Links box and click the link for 
ID Theft Affidavit. The form is seven 
pages long, and you'll need detailed 
personal information to complete it. 
Print the form and send copies of it to 
all banks, retail stores, and utilities 
you believe have opened accounts 
with stolen information or allowed 
charges you did not authorize. 

4 File a separate complaint with the 
FTC. Do not send the FTC a copy 
of the affidavit. Instead, fill out and 
submit the detailed, online complaint 
form. The form is on an SSL (Secure 
Sockets Layer) -encrypted site, so your 
information won't be compromised. 

Your Rights 

What happens if someone gets his 
hands on your debit card and PIN 
and uses your card to withdraw or 
transfer money from your account or 
charge purchases in person, over the 
phone, or online to your account? 
Regulation E, a set of regulations es- 
tablished by the Federal Reserve that 
cover electronic transactions, says if 
you notify your bank within two busi- 
ness days of the loss of your card or 
PIN (or the unauthorized use of ei- 
ther), your liability is $50. 

If you're like most people, it takes 
more than two days to notice the ac- 
tivity and notify your bank. As long as 
you do so within 60 days, you may be 



liable for up to $500. After 60 days, 
however, you're responsible for any 
charges, and you probably won't be 
able to recover any of the spent funds. 

The best way to protect yourself is 
to call your bank (get a name and 
note the date and time you called) 
and send a certified letter, so you have 
proof of the date you notified your 
bank in case it challenges your claim 
of loss. Obviously, act immediately 
upon noticing any unauthorized ac- 
tivity on your account. 

Your bank must look into your 
claims within 10 days, and if it hasn't 
settled the problem within that time, it 
has to issue provisional credit to your 
account to cover the disputed amount, 
less the $50 you're responsible for. 

Once you've filed the necessary pa- 
perwork (the ID Theft Affidavits, po- 
lice report, etc.), you have a right to 
quite a bit of information. In addition 
to everything in your files at the credit 
reporting agencies, you have a right to 
the documents (bad checks, forged 
credit card applications, etc.) that 
businesses have regarding the fraudu- 
lent transactions. You'll have to prove 
your identity and provide a police re- 
port and an ID Theft Affidavit. Debt 
collectors have to give you the name 
of the creditor and the amount of the 
debt. And in certain instances, you 
may ask a consumer credit reporting 
agency to block the information re- 
garding the bad debts (as you're 
sorting them out), so the debt may not 
be sold, transferred, or sent to collec- 
tions. Finally, you may ask businesses 
not to report the bad debt (the debt 
from the fraudulent transactions) to 
the consumer reporting credit agen- 
cies, assuming you spot the fraud be- 
fore it appears on your credit report. 

Customer Service 

Banks offer their own guarantees 
and protections, so read the fine print 



in your bank's online security section. 
For instance, Vice President of Wells 
Fargo Online Michele Scott says, 
"Wells Fargo stands behind our 100% 
security guarantee (it's free) even in the 
case of phishing, key logging, and 
pharming, as long as customers pro- 
vide notification within 60 days." This 
is far longer than the Regulation E 
guarantees, so be sure to check with 
your bank. 

Also, most banks warn their cus- 
tomers that they will never send emails 
requesting information or updates 
concerning their usernames, pass- 
words, PINs, accounts, or personal in- 
formation. Further, they warn cus- 
tomers not to click the links or call the 
phone numbers in those emails and 
definitely don't reply to them. 

To help protect yourself, keep track 
of your bank accounts, order copies of 
your credit reports, and quickly dispute 
any suspicious activity you see on your 
bank statements or credit reports. II 

by Kathryn Dolan 



Contact Info 

For The Big Three 

If your identity has been compro- 
mised in any way, contact one of 
the credit reporting agencies (it will 
notify the other two) to put an 
Initial Fraud Alert on your credit re- 
port. Call or visit one of the Web 
sites. Susan Henson of Experian says 
you waste valuable time by writing 
to one of the agencies; you need to 
act immediately, and the phone or 
Web site is the fastest way to do so. 

Equifax 

(800) 525-6285 
www.equifax.com 

Experian 

(888) 397-3742 
www.experian.com 

TransUnion 

(800) 680-7289 

www.transunion.com 

Fraud Victim Assistance Division 



54 November 2005 / www.smartcomputing.com 



j 1 



z/teuicv 





In the Mood? 

Entertaining? Relaxing? Romancing? Whatever life brings, 
Vantage automation is the solution to set the mood! 

v 

VANTAGE 

Your in Automation & Lighting Control 

800.555.9891 e www.vantagecontrolsxom 




Nearly a century ago, Julius 
Rosenwald, then chairman of 
Sears, Roebuck, and Co., vis- 
ited an interactive science museum in 
Germany and decided that his home- 
town, Chicago, would benefit from a 
similar institution. He garnered sup- 
port from city officials and residents, 
and in 1933, the Museum of Science 
and Industry opened its doors, housed 
in the only remaining building from 
the 1893 Columbian Exposition. 

The museum's Web site, www.msi 
chicago.org, reflects this history — it's 
chock-full of exhibits past and present 
and gives visitors a chance to virtually 
experience some of its riches. And 
when you've absorbed all the site has to 
offer, it'll help you prepare for a per- 
sonal visit to one gem of a museum. 

The Main Attraction 

The highlight of any museum is its 
exhibits, of course, and the Museum of 
Science and Industry doesn't disap- 
point — nor does its Web site. Arguably 
the most engaging section of the site is 



the Exhibits page. From here, you can 
access much of what the museum has 
to offer. Click the Exhibits link at the 
top of any page to start your tour. 
The page is broken into five main sec- 
tions: What's New; Favorites; On-Line 
Exhibits; Museum Exhibits; and 
Exhibit Archives. 

What's New. As you've probably 
gathered, this section is composed of 
new exhibits. For example, at press 
time, this site section featured the 
BODY WORLDS exhibition, which in- 
cludes more than 200 human speci- 
mens preserved through plasination, a 
process that replaces fluids and fat. 
(However, BODY WORLDS' run at 
the museum was nearly complete.) 
Also included in this area is the World 
War II-era U-505 submarine. Although 
the museum has had this specimen in 
its collection since 1954, the sub re- 
cently was moved underground to new 



climate-controlled digs. Let's click U- 
505 Submarine for a closer look. 

Along the top of the U-505 Sub- 
marine page are several links. If you 
click History, you'll be presented with 
three sections about the craft and how 
Allied forces captured it and used it to 
unlock some of the Nazis' secrets. Click 
The Exhibit link, and you can learn 
about how U-505 was restored and 
some of its artifacts, as well as how a 
submarine works. The Virtual Tour 
link allows you to hop onboard with 
the assistance of an abundance of pic- 
tures and QuickTime clips. 

Favorites. Back on the main 
Exhibits page (click Exhibits in the 
upper-right corner), under the Fav- 
orites category, are four of the muse- 
um's most popular exhibits. For 
example, the Fairy Castle link will 
whisk you to every little girl's dream 
come true: a 9-square-foot castle built 
in the late 1920s and early 1930s, 
complete with electricity and running 
water. And we can't forget the silver 
bathtub (the spigots are dolphins that 
spit water) or platinum chairs set with 
diamonds and emeralds. Click the 
Room Tour and Castle Map links for 
a closer look. The History link leads 
to more details about the actress who 
commissioned the castle. 

On-Line Exhibits. Every exhibit in 
this category gives you a more in- 
depth look than some of the exhibits 
in other categories — you'll be treated 
to more of a firsthand view. 

All Aboard The Silver Streak details 
an exhibit about the Pioneer Zephyr, 
a streamlined passenger train con- 
structed of stainless steel dating from 
the mid- 1930s. Its trip from Denver 



The Museum of Science and Industry is 

home to one of only five remaining U-boats 

in the world. Learn about the sub and its 

role in World War II. 




56 November 2005 / www.smartcomputing.com 



Plugged In 



SITE GUIDE 




Learn what keeps your heart pumping with 
a trip through a model of a human heart — 
a person would have to be 28 stories tall to 
need a heart this big. 



to Chicago in 1934, which took a 
mere 13 hours, was a highlight of that 
year's Century Of Progress world's 
fair. Learn about how it was built and 
why, as well as take a QuickTime vir- 
tual tour and send an ecard from the 
Railway Post Office. 

Genetics: Decoding Life is an in- 
depth look at a wide array of issues, in- 
cluding cloning, genetic engineering, 
and mutation. If you click Exhibit 
Tour, the Tour link in the bottom- 
right corner, and then See Chicks 



Tips For Using 
The Museum 
Of Science And 
Industry Web Site 



• Get to know the neighbors. The 

museum is nestled in Chicago's 
Hyde Park, one of the city's most 
historic neighborhoods. Click the 
Sitemap link at the top of any 
page and then click Hyde Park 
Neighborhood under General 
Information to catch a glimpse of 
all that this area— which covers 
the grounds of the Columbian 
Exposition of 1893— has to offer. 

• Fly me to the moon. Several 
crafts from Apollo missions are 
on display at the museum, in- 
eluding a Lunar Module trainer 
that astronauts used in prepara- 
tion for moon landings. Climb 
inside the module for a 360- 
degree view (you'll need 
QuickTime to view it) by clicking 
Exhibits, Apollo 8 Command 
Module, and Lunar Module. 



Hatch, you'll have a bird's-eye view of 
the Chick Hatchery, where baby chicks 
break out of their shells and spend 
their first few days of life. Click Exhibit 
Tour to see the rest of the display. 

Museum Exhibits. On the whole, the 
links in this category provide only brief 
overviews of exhibits. Nonetheless, 
you'll still get a good idea of what each 
has to offer. 

Body Slices are sections of one 
man and one woman (both died of 
natural causes in the 1930s) that give 
visitors an inside view of the human 
body. It may be a bit creepy, but it 
certainly makes you think about 
anatomy in a whole new light. 

Out To Lunch is a collection of 500 
toys from fast-food children's meals 
dating from the late 1970s. And it's 
even educational: You can learn how 
these toys are made. Then, when 
you're finished thinking about fast 
food, go back to Museum Exhibits and 
click the Walk-Through Heart link for 
information on a giant heart that visi- 
tors can walk through to learn how, 
among other things, the human heart 
pumps blood through our bodies. 

Exhibit Archives. In order to make 
room for new, timely exhibits, some 
displays have to be removed, but that's 
where the Exhibit Archives come into 
play. Take a peek at exhibits from the 
past, including Titanic: The New 
Exhibition, where you can learn about 
the Titanic's ill-fated journey, and 
Under The Big Top, in which you'll 
learn, among other things, all sorts of 
superstitions about circus life. 

One final note about the Exhibits 
page: On the left side is a link to the 
Personal Planner that can help you 
plan a visit to the museum. Input your 
interests, where you're visiting from, 



and how you plan to get to the mu- 
seum, and you'll get recommendations 
on exhibits suited to your interests and 
directions to the museum. 

It's Great To Learn 

One aim of every museum is to ed- 
ucate its visitors, and the Education 
section does just that. When you click 
the Education link at the top of the 
home page, you'll land on a page with 
three buttons: Teachers, Parents, and 
Students. The Teachers button takes 
you to a form that's designed to help 
educators find resources for their 
classrooms. The Parents and Students 
sections are similar; each has links to 
various activities and programs avail- 
able both online and at the museum. 

Along the left side of the Educa- 
tion page are links for educators and 
the public, such as Exhibit Guides and 
information for Girl Scouts. 

No Cobwebs Here 

There's much more to discover at 
the Museum of Science and Industry's 
Web site, including details about its 
Omnimax theater and show times, 
museum membership, and visitor in- 
formation. This site serves as a good re- 
minder that not all museums — or the 
sites they're affiliated with — are filled 
with (virtual) dusty cases visitors can't 
touch. Head to Chicago's Museum of 
Science and Industry's site and get your 
hands dirty. II 

by Sally Marek Curran 



Use the site's Personal Planner to plan 
a trip to the museum. 




Smart Computing / November 2005 57 



Plugged In 



WEB TIPS 



Enhance Your Time Online 



Put Your Pounds 
In Perspective 



Problem: With Thanks- 
giving coming up, I've been 
thinking about my weight. 
I'm not as slim as I could be, 
but I don't feel horribly 
overweight. Where can I go 
online to get perspective on 
how healthy/unhealthy my 
body size is? 

Solution: We all know that 
obesity is a growing con- 
cern. This focus on fat has 
turned folks on to health 
indexes, such as body fat 
percentage, water weight 
percentage, and body mass 
index. Of these three mea- 
surements, body mass is 
easy to figure out using 
one of many online calcula- 
tors such as the one at 
the National Institute of 
Health's site (nhlbisupport 
.com/bmi/bmicalc.htm) . 
Enter height and weight, 
and you'll get your BMI. 
It's fairly well recognized 




(feet) (inches) 



Your 
Weight: 



(pounds) 

( Compute BmT) 



Before you stuff yourself with 
turkey, take a second to calculate 
your body mass index. 



that this calculation may 
overestimate body fat in 
well-built athletes. Still, if 
you're concerned that your 
holiday pounds might be 
pushing things into the un- 
healthy zone, this is a great 
first check. 

The Great American 
(Speed) Novel 

Problem: I'm an aspiring 
writer and know I have a 
novel in me. But I just can't 
seem to finish one. I feel I 
need some help or some 
guidance — perhaps some 
kind of challenge? 
Solution: If you want to 
be a novelist and are 
looking for a challenge, 
then November is your 
month, because it also hap- 
pens to be National Novel 
Writing Month (humor- 
ously NaNoWriMo for 
short). The concept is 
simple: Write 50,000 words 
(approximately 175 pages) 
in 30 days. Sign up on the 
site (www.nanowrimo.org) 
after Oct. 1 for moral sup- 
port from other speed nov- 
elists. Last year, over 42,000 
people signed up, but fewer 
than 6,000 actually crossed 
the finish line. A book 
written that quickly prob- 
ably won't be all that great, 
but getting your ideas on 
paper is a good first step. 

Tags, You're It 

Problem: Bloggers are be- 
come more and more nu- 
merous. Is there a way to 
keep on top of all these 
various voices in the so- 
called blogosphere without 
reading thousands of indi- 
vidual posts? 



Currently tracking 14.4 million sites and 1.3 billion links. 



Sign Up! Already a member? Sign In. 



12 Technorati 



Technorati brings you what's happening on the web right now. 



What are people talking about right now? 
Opinions, events, reviews, your company, you! Search 
for it, it's there. Learn more. 



Personalize Technorati. Tell us what's on your n 
- we'll search around the clock and report back t< 
you with a Watchlist. Sign up! 



Search 14.4 million blogs for the latest on: 








Top searches This 


Hour 




1. Novak 

2. "Sigur Ros" 

3. "Robert Novak 

4. Hiroshima 

5. Novak Video 




6. "John Roberts" 

7. Ipod 

8. Baidu 

9. "Air America" 
10. "Current Tv" 



Find out what the bloggers are blogging about. 



Solution: Technorati 
(www.technorati.com) is 
doing specifically for blogs 
what Google, Yahoo!, and 
other search engines did 
for the Internet in general. 
However, simply thinking 
of Technorati as a search 
engine for blogs misses its 
greater power. By moni- 
toring content tags, this 
site shines an interesting 
spotlight on what's hot 
among bloggers. 

An Alternative To RSS 

Problem: With blogs, news- 
groups, and subscription 
emails, I have way too 
many places to click around 
every morning. I need 
something simpler. 
Solution: RSS (Really 
Simple Syndication) feeds 
make the process of 
checking multiple blogs 
much easier. But if your 
daily fix includes more than 
blogs, you might want to 
sign up for a free account at 
Bloglines (bloglines.com). 
More than a great aggre- 
gator service for RSS, 



Bloglines also tackles 
email-based services such 
as DailyCandy.com or 
SingleShot.net. And by 
using Bloglines to sign up 
for email subscriptions, you 
help protect your personal 
email address from spam. 

Your Birthday Is Special 

Problem: I already believe 
that my birthday is my 
special day, but I'm 
looking for more statistics 
to make my case. 
Solution: In preparation of 
your birthday, even if it's 
months away, make a quick 
visit to Paul Sadowski's site 
(www.paulsadowski.com 
/birthday.asp). His delight- 
fully wacky birthday calcu- 
lator will tell you everything 
from how old you are (in 
years, months, weeks, days, 
minutes, and seconds) to 
other assorted trivia such 
as your astrological sign, 
birthstone, birth tree, the 
moon's phase on the day 
you were born, and how 
many BTUs the candles on 
your cake will produce. 



58 November 2005 / www.smartcomputing.com 



Plugged In 




Compiled by Joshua Gulick 
Illustrated by Lindsay Anker 



Set Your Sights 
a, A New House 



On 



123 Movers.com 

www.1 23movers.com 

Thanks to the Internet, many 
phone books have become permanent 
booster seats for young children and 
vertically challenged drivers. We 
don't blame users for favoring the 
£ Net — it's one of the best tools 
around for finding local services and 
collecting quotes. 123 Movers.com 
is a great example of Internet-as- 
digital-negotiator: If you're planning 
to move, you can collect quotes from 
local movers without having to hunt 
down and contact the individual 
companies. Once you enter your ZIP 
code and select the state to which 
you're moving, the site displays local 
moving companies and a Get Free 
Quotes button. You'll need to enter 
your contact information to get the 
quotes, so be sure to check the Pri- 
vacy Statement you can access via 
the link that sits at the bottom of 
every page. 

FCIC 

www.pueblo.gsa.gov 

The Federal Citizen Information 
Center puts U.S. citizens in touch 
with government Web sites and pro- 
grams and provides a variety of arti- 
cles about consumer-related topics, 
such as cars, computers, health, 
housing, and money. Although many 
Web sites require users to buy sub- 
scriptions before reading articles, we 
rarely see sites that charge the reader 



per article, as the FCIC's site does. 
However, many of the articles are 
free. Some articles let you choose 
between HTML (Hypertext Mark- 
up Language) and PDF (Portable 
Document Format) documents. The 
HTML versions display well in your 
Web browser, but PDFs let you print 
the information in a brochure format 
(on standard 8.5- x 11-inch paper), 
provided you have Adobe Reader or 
Acrobat on your system. 

Homestore.com 

www.homestore.com 

This site has plenty of digital treats 
for fixer-uppers, prospective home- 
buyers, renters, and backyard gar- 
deners. Visitors can skip over topics 
that don't interest them by clicking 
the band of tabs at the top of the 
main page, but home buyers will find 
great information as soon as they ar- 
rive. The page has links to articles 
about selling and buying homes, as 
well as tips for people who plan to 
move without professional movers. 
The left side of the page has tons of 
tools, including a mortgage calcu- 
lator, which removes some of the 
guesswork from creating a home- 
buying budget by giving you ballpark 
figures. If you don't know where you 
want to move but absolutely have to 
get out of whatever town you're 
in, take a look at the City Match- 
maker tool. 

HUD 

www.hud.gov 

The U.S. Department Of Housing 
And Urban Development doesn't 
waste much space on eye candy; this 
site is jam-packed with articles that 
cover the ins and outs of buying or 
selling a house. You can learn about 



HUD's goals, lodge complaints, 
or read about landlord and tenant 
rights. If you're looking for informa- 
tion specific to your state, be sure to 
select it from the drop -down menu at 
the top of the main page. The site 
also hosts live Web casts on tax and 
other topics. 

PrivateForSale.com 

www.privateforsale.com 

Although the site has a section 
that helps visitors find agents, Pri- 
vateForSale.com devotes most of its 
corner of the Web to for-sale-by- 
owner listings. You can control your 
listing's information when you put 
your house up for sale, and when you 
plan to buy a new house, you can flip 
through listings for more than 37,500 
homes. Listings often display multiple 
pictures of homes and have in-depth 
descriptions that offer much more in- 
formation than the tiny descriptions 
that crowd so many listings. If you're 
looking for books, check out the 
Buyer and Seller Resources areas. 

RealEstate ABC 

www.realestateabc.com 

If you're looking for a housing 
agent and haven't picked up any 
leads from friends or billboards, surf 
your way over to this online agent di- 
rectory. The site lets you search for 
real estate agents by state and offers 
an ABC's Of Real Estate section that 
includes articles, a real estate glos- 
sary, and tips. Some of the articles 
cover the site's take on real estate 
news, while other articles offer advice 
on buying and selling. The site also 
offers online calculators that help you 
determine what kind of pay to expect 
when you move to a new position 
in a different city. If you're a renter 
thinking about buying a house, take a 
look at the Rent vs. Own Calculator. 
This site also has information for real 
estate agents. 



Smart Computing / November 2005 59 



That's 

News 

To You 

Finding the appropriate Usenet discus- 
sion group to match your interests 
can be a monumental task. So each 
month, we scour tens of thousands of 
newsgroups and highlight ones that 
delve into popular topics. If your ISP 
(Internet service provider) doesn't carry 
these groups, ask it to add the groups 
to its list. This month we ask friends 
and strangers for home-buying advice. 



chi.forsale 

Users here sell and buy all kinds 
of merchandise, so don't expect 
to see house listings right away. 
That said, if you keep an eye on 
this group, you'll find occasional 
advertisements for homes and 
users who need roommates in 
the Chicago area. 



misc.consumers.house 

Need advice about fixing your 
bathroom floor before you sell? 
Check out this group, which 
covers house buying, selling, and 
fixing questions on a daily basis. 
Users discuss housing codes and 
offer advice about finding and 
working with contractors. 



seattle.forsale.housing 

Some users here trade moving 
tips and tricks, but many simply 
post ads for Seattle-area housing. 
If you're looking to rent or buy a 
house or condo, check out these 
for-sale-by-owner ads. As always, 
approach any online seller with 
caution. Moves sometimes 
lead to awkward situa- 
tions: As the cat that 
was offered free (via 
this group) will tell 
you, those moving 
trucks fill up fast. 



Some of the best apples in the online orchard are the free (or free to try) 
programs available for download. Each month we feature highlights from 
our pickings. This month, we grab our favorite apartment-hunting gadget 
and rustle up some deals. 

PDA Home Buying Guide 

www.apthand.com 

If you've shopped for a house before, you probably already know that 
a buyer's agent can help you navigate the complex world of home 
buying. Although your agent will meet you to handle bids, closings, and 
the occasional walk-through, she probably won't follow as you search 
house after house every weekend. That's where the AptHand.com PDA 
(personal digital assistant) Home Buying Guide comes in. This tiny pro- 
gram, which loads onto your Palm OS-based PDA, offers a slew of fea- 
tures for home buyers. 

You can ditch the awkward notepad on your next house-hunting trip; 
PDA Home Buying Guide's House List lets you keep track of a number of 
home details, including asking price, address, and names of local schools. We 
like this list because it creates a database of the homes you've seen and lets 
you quickly compare benefits when you're trying to weed out homes that 
don't have important features. You won't need to devote much time to 
note taking, as most of the list's fields have drop-down menus that let you 
select the number of bathrooms or foundation type with just a few taps. 

The House List feature organizes its list by price, which lets users quickly 
spot the houses that fit within (or blow past) their budget limits. 

The Mortgage Calculator is straightforward but handy, particularly if 
you're standing in a house that would stretch the limits of your budget. 
Simply enter the home's price, the length and amount of your loan, and a 
few other factors; then click the Recalculate button. If you're stuck in 
traffic, you can brush up on the ins and outs of home buying by reading 
the Backgrounder. This section, which resembles an ebook, offers very brief 
and basic information, but if you're buying for the first time, you may learn 
some things you didn't know before. You'll find articles about hiring an in- 
spector and negotiating a home's price, as well as a glossary. The Apt Info 
section lets users flip through four house buying tips. If you like a tip and 
want to know more about the topic, you can tap Background at the 
bottom of the page to view the related Backgrounder section. 

Download PDA Home Buying Guide and try it free for 10 days or buy it 
for $19.95. Keep in mind 
that this software supports 
only PDAs that run Palm 
OS; PDAs that run Micro- 
soft Windows Mobile won't 
support the program. 



60 November 2005 / www.smartcomputing.com 






Comments: 

Kitchen Cnd: 

Carpet Cnd: 

List Note: 

Fireplaces: 

Island: 

Brkfst Bar: 

Hdwd Firs: 

Wet Bar: 

Basement: 

Laundry: 

Done 


▼ Unfiled 
mountain view in back 'r 
bask 


new carpet 




▼ 2: 

▼ Yes: 1 

▼ Yes: 

▼ Yes: I 
▼ Unknown: 

▼ Unfinished: 
"*■ Downstairs: 




□ 3:43 P g #i<]")OfcixYx^ 



Purchase Price: 250000 
Down Payment: 50000] 



Loan Amount: 200000 
Interest Rate: 7.000 
Loan Length: 30 



Monthly P/l: 1 330.60 
Insurance: 300 
Taxes: 3000 
Monthly Pmnt: 1605.60 



~l v-"i 



Calculate mortgage payments on the fly and 
compare features when you house-hunt with the 
PDA Home Buying Guide. 



Demand the Best in High Performance, Custom Built Computer Systems for: 



High Performance Gaming • Digital Home Media Centers • Digital Enterprise Computing 




We Custom Build the Best High Performance Computers featuring: 

SLi - NVIDIA® Dual GPUs • Dual Core Processors • 64-Bit Computing 



EXPERIENCE FULL THROTTLE HIGH PERFORMANCE COMPUTING AT 



WVIDIA. 





COMPUTERS 



http://www.planetcomputers.com/CPU 

Toll Free: (866) 486-4959 

ighl © 2005. PlanetComputers.com, Inc. All trademarks and images are Ihe properly ol their respective owners. I 



cover story Wireless 



Contents 



Free From Wires 
p. 66 

Hotspot Heaven 

p. 70 




Network Security 



Bluetooth Buzz 



Communications Convergence 




The Present Perspective 
& Beyond 



62 November 2005 / www.smartcomputing.com 



WIRELESS 



The widespread availability of inexpensive Wi-Fi 

networking products, such as Belkin's High-Speed Mode 

Wireless G Router ($89.99; www.belkin.com), makes 

setting up a wireless network a more viable option. 





he phrase "go wireless" means 
different things to different 
people. For a home-based bus- 
iness owner, it means laying 
out a LAN (local- area network) 
without drilling holes in the 
walls. For a student, it repre- 
sents an easy way to upload data files 
from a PDA (personal digital assis- 
tant) to a portable printer. And for a 
traveling executive, it's all about 
downloading sports scores and stock 
quotes to a cellular phone. 

The fact is that the wireless revolu- 
tion has had an impact on many 
fronts, each of which is represented 
by a particular technology, including 
wireless Ethernet, Bluetooth, and mo- 
bile wireless. Recognizing the differ- 
ences among these technologies is a 
necessary part of understanding what 
it really means to go wireless. 

Wireless Ethernet 

Also referred to as Wi-Fi, wireless 
Ethernet refers generically to any device 
that conforms to the family of 802.11 
wireless networking specifications 
developed by the IEEE (Institute of 
Electrical and Electronics Engineers). 
The most popular 802.11 specifica- 
tions today are 802.11a, 802.11b, and 
802. llg. These specifications operate 



via radio waves on either the 2.4GHz or 
5GHz band and support data through- 
put at rates of 1 1 to 54Mbps (mega- 
bits per second) over distances of more 
than 150 feet. 

Such capabilities accommodate the 
typical demands placed on a tradi- 
tional LAN and explain why Wi-Fi has 
become the de facto standard for 
computer-based wireless data net- 
works found in numerous homes, 
small businesses, and departments 
within larger organizations. For more 
information about securing your wire- 
less corner of the world, see "Wireless 
Network Security" on page 72. 

But Wi-Fi has at least one significant 
benefit that extends beyond the LAN: 
Wireless users can share Internet ac- 
cess with relative ease. Because Wi-Fi 
certification ensures compatibility 
among devices produced by a variety 
of manufacturers, all that's needed for 
shared access is a centrally located 
wireless router hooked up to a broad- 
band Internet connection. Anyone 
who operates a Wi-Fi-compliant de- 
vice within the hotspot (the viable 
range of a wireless access point) can 
surf the Web, check email, and access 
public data files on an open network. 
Many cities, businesses, libraries, 
and universities have implemented 
Wi-Fi hotspots as a free service to their 



constituents, patrons, and students. 
See "Hotspot Heaven" on page 70 for 
more information about how you can 
find and access a wireless hotspot. 

Bluetooth 

Developed by Ericsson and named 
after a Danish king, Bluetooth relies 
on shortwave radio frequencies in the 
2.4GHz spectrum to transmit data at 
rates of 1Mbps over distances of ap- 
proximately 30 feet (though greater 
distances are supported in some 
cases). Its throughput and range may 
seem weak in contrast to Wi-Fi, but 
Bluetooth proves hardy enough when 
put to use carrying small bits of in- 
formation among personal electronic 
devices. Indeed, the technology has 
become a common fixture on the 
latest generation of cell phones, plus 
it's built in to PDAs, portable printers, 
headsets, PCs, and other equipment. 

There are good reasons for its pop- 
ularity as a PAN (personal-area net- 
work) technology. For one thing, you 
don't have to configure Bluetooth de- 
vices each time you want to share data 
between them. Each device emits a 
steady low- voltage radio signal that 
enables it to recognize other Bluetooth 
devices and automatically establish 
communication with these devices as 



Smart Computing / November 2005 63 



WIRELESS 



soon as they come within range of one 
another. Moreover, the technology 
can be built into a small form factor, 
consumes very little power, and is in- 
expensive to produce. Bluetooth also 
is significantly faster than the wired al- 
ternatives, such as serial and parallel 
cables. For more information, see 
"The Bluetooth Buzz" on page 75. 

Mobile Wireless 

The wireless trend really began 
with mobile telephony. Those first 
cell phones proved that it was both 
technically possible and economically 
feasible to transmit individual streams 
of data to handheld devices. Today, 
mobile communications devices are 
ubiquitous; Gartner predicts global 
sales of 779 million mobile phones in 
2005 alone. That's a new phone for 
one out of every eight people cur- 
rently walking the planet. 

One factor driving the popularity 
of mobile devices is the development 
of 2G (second-generation) and 3G 
(third-generation) data communica- 
tions services that support relatively 
high throughput rates and digital data 
delivery. These services, which typically 
operate over radio waves at frequencies 
between 800 and 1,900MHz and at dis- 
tances measured in the tens of miles, let 
users transmit Web content and data 
files among digital devices, including 
mobile phones, smartphones, PDAs, 
and messaging appliances. Unfor- 
tunately, the various competing and 
largely incompatible technologies make 
for a chaotic marketplace, which is 
why services are usually identified by 
brand — such as Sprint, Verizon, or T- 
Mobile — rather than technology — 
such as GPRS (General Packet Radio 
Service), EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates 
for Global Evolution), CDMA2000 
(Code Division Multiple Access 2000), 
and UMTS (Universal Mobile Tele- 
communications System). 

At the present time, consumers who 
want to get the most from mobile wire- 
less technology should focus their ef- 
forts on understanding the differences 



among the physical devices and not the 
intangible acronyms. For more infor- 
mation, see "Communications Con- 
vergence" on page 78. 

Everything Else 

Wireless Ethernet, Bluetooth, and 
mobile wireless garner most of the 
attention these days, but they're 
certainly not the only wireless tech- 
nologies on the scene. Several wireless 
alternatives have been proposed to fill 
unique niches in today's tech-heavy 
environment. Some have succeeded, 
others have not. 

Infrared. Infrared is an old wireless 
standby that has been standardized by 
the IrDA (Infrared Data Association) to 
carry data at rates as fast as 16Mbps 
across bands of invisible light. Despite 
its required line-of-sight visibility and a 
range that extends no further than an 



o m 


Q2|3l4| 


3 


Documents 






m 


Photos & Videos 




® 


Music 
Versa M nil 






Web 






Bluetooth 






t? J 


QuickTour 


ll '1 1 11 





Palm's Tungsten T5 device 
($349; www.palm.com) 
boasts built-in Bluetooth 
technology for effortlessly 
sharing data files with 
other Bluetooth-enabled 
hardware. 



arm's reach, the IrDA protocol has 
proven quite popular as a communica- 
tions channel because it is both inexpen- 
sive to manufacture and very secure. 

HomeRF. A wireless networking 
technology that Proxim developed, 
HomeRF (home radio frequency) 



promised throughput rates of 1.6Mbps 
over distances of 150 feet. The stan- 
dard was dealt a death blow when 
Microsoft built support for Bluetooth 
into Windows XP. It was essentially 
abandoned in 2003. 

BPL. The concept of transmitting 
data over standard electrical powerlines 
has long been promoted as a potential 
alternative to wireless communica- 
tions. BPL (broadband-over-power- 
line) technologies can carry data at 
rates up to 200Mbps, but throughput 
declines significantly when the wires 
enter a home or a business. Complaints 
that the technology interferes with 
radio waves have limited its acceptance. 
Now, after years of hype, it appears that 
powerline communications most likely 
will be limited to home automation 
applications such as XI 0. 

WiMAX. Representing the future 
of wireless in the United States, 
WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability 
for Microwave Access) represents the 
next-generation standard for broad- 
band wireless networking capabilities. 
Also known as IEEE 802.16, WiMAX 
employs the 2 to 66GHz frequency to 
deliver a throughput of more than 
70Mbps over a range of more than 30 
miles. The protocol won't replace Wi- 
Fi, but it will supplement it as an op- 
tion for delivering fast Internet access 
to remote users. Consumers should 
not confuse WiMAX with HiperMAN 
(High Performance Radio Metro- 
politan Area Network), which is a 
similar wireless broadband technol- 
ogy under development in Europe. 

The Future Of Wireless 

Considering everything we've cov- 
ered, one thing is for certain: Wireless 
technology remains in its infancy, 
so consumers can expect significant 
developments in wireless network- 
ing and mobile wireless technologies. 
The demand is there, and it's only a 
matter of time until developers are 
able to meet that demand. II 

by Jeff Dodd 



64 November 2005 / www.smartcomputing.com 



On such a nice day, 

don't you want to go outside and play? 




Boston Acoustics Voyager® Speakers and Subwoofers — 
designed to bring The Boston Sound™ to the great outdoors. 



www.BostonAcoustics.com 


Boston 

Boston Acoustics 


Your Sound Solution™ 





: -2005 Boston Acoustics, Inc. All rights reserved. Boston, Boston Acoustics, the Boston Acoustics logo, Voyager, are registered trademarks, 
and The Boston Sound is a trademark of Boston Acoustics, Inc. 




EE 



Install & Configure A Wireless Network 



If you're starting to dream of 
pencil-thin, light-blue anacondas 
slithering through your front 
door and filling all the rooms in 
your home, it's time to ditch the 
wires and build a wireless net- 
work. By equipping your home 
or office with an access point and a few 
wireless cards, you'll have the freedom 
to use the Internet and other network 
resources anywhere. Want to take your 
notebook to the kitchen and browse 
stock quotes? Go ahead. Check sports 
scores on the porch? No problem. 
Freedom from wires means less mess 
and less chaos — at a cost that isn't 
much more than a wired network. 

Installing and configuring a wireless 
network isn't difficult, but under- 
standing the basic wireless components 
and where they fit in the network can 
help you determine how to build your 
network. In this article, you'll discover 
the parts you'll need, how to install 
them, and how to get them communi- 
cating in a cable-free environment. 



Harness The Hardware 

The two basic components in a wire- 
less network are the access point and 
the wireless adapter that communicates 
with that access point. The access point 
serves as the base station for your net- 
work, emitting data signals that other 
computers on the network can receive 
and return. Each computer connected 
to the network needs its own wireless 
adapter to connect to the base. 

Although we won't delve into the 
technical specifics of the different wire- 
less standards here (see the "Sifting 
Through Standards" sidebar for more 
information), keep in mind that de- 
vices using different standards gener- 
ally won't perform as well as devices 
using the same technology. 

For example, although 802.11b 
adapters will work with 802.1 lg access 
points, older 802.11b cards can reduce 
the speed of the network. Therefore, if 
you have an 802. llg access point, it's 
better if you use 802. llg adapters. 
Access points come in a variety of 



flavors, from plain access points to 
gateways to wireless routers. For secu- 
rity and flexibility, we recommend a 
gateway or a router because plain ac- 
cess points won't let you share your 
connection and won't provide firewall 
features that you'll find in gateways and 
routers. (In this article, we use a router 
to build our wireless network.) 

The wireless adapters you need de- 
pend on the devices connected to the 
network. A desktop computer requires 
a wireless PCI (Peripheral Component 
Interconnect) expansion card, whereas 
a notebook needs a wireless PC Card — 
or you can use a USB wireless adapter 
to connect either a desktop or 
notebook computer. Thanks to 
their more robust antennas, 
PCI cards and PC Cards tend 
to offer better reception than 
small USB adapters, but some 
USB adapters include a wire 
that lets you move the antenna to a lo- 
cation that delivers efficient reception. 

Some notebooks and handheld de- 
vices include integrated wireless tech- 
nology, so check your equipment 
before paying for hardware you may 
not need. If your handheld device 
doesn't include built-in wireless sup- 
port, see if the manufacturer offers a 
flash memory-based wireless adapter. 

Be sure the adapter you're consid- 
ering will work with your PC and OS 
(operating system); you can check the 
adapter's box for its system require- 
ments. Keep in mind that mixing and 
matching adapters and access points 
made by different manufacturers gen- 
erally isn't a problem, but you can 
avoid potential headaches if you choose 
equipment from the same manufac- 
turer. Some, such as D-Link, integrate 
speed-enhancing technologies and 
other features that work only within 
their device family. (And if something 
does go wrong, life is simpler when you 
have only one tech support line to call.) 



66 November 2005 / www.smartcomputing.com 



In addition to a router (or gateway) 
and wireless adapters, you'll also need 
an Ethernet cable, a Phillips screw- 
driver, and an antistatic wristband 
(available at electronics stores). You 
also need your username and password 
for your Internet connection. 

Perfect Placement 

The next step is determining where 
to place the access point. The ability of 
PCs to connect to an access point is di- 
rectly affected by several factors, in- 
cluding distance, obstructions, elec- 
tronic interference, and the strength of 
the equipment's antennas. Although 
some devices claim to deliver ranges up 
to 300 feet or more indoors, your ac- 
tual range could be much less, espe- 
cially if the signal needs to travel 
around or through walls or if your de- 
vices are competing with radio signals 
from a microwave or cordless phone. 

An ideal wireless network features a 
centrally located access point that de- 
livers an effective signal to all devices. 
But placing your access point in a cen- 
tral location may not be convenient or 
even necessary. If you plan on con- 
necting your broadband Internet con- 
nection to the network, you'll need to 
place your access point and your DSL 
(Digital Service Line) or cable modem 
(assuming your access point doesn't al- 
ready include a built-in modem that 
works with your Internet service) near 
a phone jack or a cable wall outlet. 

Because the lights on a modem are 
good indicators of your current DSL or 
cable status, it's helpful to keep that 
modem near your primary computing 



Sifting 

Through 

Standards 



When shopping for 
wireless home 
networking equipment, 
you're likely to encounter 
more than one standard 
(or set of guidelines) on 
which manufacturers base 
the design of their equip- 
ment. Most of today's 
devices use one of the 
various flavors based on 
the 802.11 standard, but 
you should understand 
some differences before 
you pull out your wallet. 

The two most common 
standards are 802.1 1 b and 
the newer 802.1 1g, both of 
which use the 2.4GHz fre- 
quency to transmit wire- 
less signals. Devices such as 
microwaves and cordless 
phones also use this fre- 
quency, which could lead 
to interference with your 
wireless network, though 
you can decrease this in- 
terference by placing your 
network equipment far 
from these competing 



devices. The 802.1 1 b stan- 
dard features speeds up 
to 1 1Mbps (megabits per 
second), and considering 
that most broadband con- 
nections deliver far lower 
speeds, this standard is 
more than adequate for 
Internet use across your 
network. The 802.1 1g 
standard is backward- 
compatible with 802.1 1 b 
and features speeds up to 
54Mbps, though actual 
speeds can decrease with 
the presence of older 
802.1 1 b equipment in the 
network. Further, interfer- 
ence can affect high-speed 
802.1 1g transmissions 
more easily than slower 
802.1 1 b transmissions. 

Another standard, 
802.1 1a, offers speeds sim- 
ilar to 802.1 1g, but it uses 
the 5GHz frequency and 
has less range than 802.1 1 b 
and 802.1 1g. Products 
using 802.1 1a aren't com- 
patible with products 
using these other stan- 
dards, plus they are more 
expensive and generally 



harder to find. Users that 
receive too much interfer- 
ence from 2.4GHz-based 
devices might find 802.1 1a 
equipment useful, but 
their options are limited. 
New to the standard 
scene is 802.1 1 n, which 
boasts speeds of up to a 
whopping 540Mbps and 
potentially has a better 
range than other existing 
standards. Although 
802.1 1 n isn't officially cer- 
tified as a standard yet, 
rival groups currently 
working on the tech- 
nology recently agreed 
to join and submit a final 
version of the standard 
for certification, possibly 
in November. In the 
meantime, several "pre-N" 
products are available 
that use 802.1 1n tech- 
nology, but with a certi- 
fied standard so close, 
it's best that you either 
wait for certified pro- 
ducts or use equipment 
based on a tried-and-true 
standard such as 802.1 1 b 
or 802.1 1g. I 



station. Further, an access point and 
modem aren't likely to blend in with 
the rest of your home decor, whereas 
they will blend in just fine with your 
existing computer equipment. If you 
plan to connect only stationary desktop 
PCs to your wireless network, and 
those PCs are relatively close, you don't 



need to worry about the range in the 
rest of your home. However, a wireless 
signal won't magically stay within the 
confines of your external walls. The 
closer your access point is to your ex- 
ternal walls, the better chance someone 
outside those walls will have to access 
your network (but not necessarily be 




November 2005 67 



WIRELESS 



able to break in; we'll cover security 
later in this article). 

Choosing a spot that doesn't end up 
working well isn't a big deal because 
moving your access point after in- 
stalling your network isn't that diffi- 
cult. Besides, if you're set on obtaining 
the best signal possible, it's actually a 
good idea to consider such a move. 

Get Down To Business 

After finding a spot for your access 
point, you can configure it. For our ex- 
ample, we'll describe the process for 
configuring a D-Link wireless router 
and a broadband modem, but if you 
have a different type of access point or 
don't have a modem, follow the in- 
structions included with your devices. 

For the configuration phase, you'll 
need to connect your primary PC di- 
rectly to the access point, but you can 
connect wirelessly after the configura- 
tion is complete, assuming you have a 
wireless adapter for that computer. 

To begin, shut down your PC and 
switch off the power to your broad- 
band modem. (The power switch is 
usually on the back panel.) Locate the 
Ethernet cable connected between the 
modem and your PC, disconnect the 
end attached to the PC, and attach it to 
the router's WAN (wide-area network) 
port. Connect another Ethernet cable 
to the Ethernet port on the back of 
your PC and connect it to a numbered 
port on the back of the router. 

Next, switch on the power to 
your modem and wait a minute or 
so for it to initialize. Connect the 
router's power adapter to the back 
of the router, plug it in, and check 
to see that the power light on the 
front panel is on. Turn on your PC 
and check the router's front panel 
to ensure that the WAN light and 
the corresponding LAN (local-area 
network) port light are both on. (If 
you plugged the second Ethernet 
cable into LAN port 1, the light for 
LAN port 1 should be on.) If either 
of these lights isn't on, double- 
check your cable connections. 



68 November 2005 / www.smartcomputing.com 




To install a wireless adapter inside your PC case, find an empty PCI (Peripheral Component 
Interconnect) slot on the motherboard and push the expansion card firmly into place. 



T 



At this point, you'll need to either 
install the software that came with your 
access point or type an address in your 
browser's Address field to access a con- 
figuration screen. The D-Link equip- 
ment requires the user to perform the 
latter option, which displays the 
router's configuration page and a setup 
wizard. First, the wizard asks the user 
to set an administration password, 
choose a time zone, and select the 
Internet connection type. Most DSL 
accounts use PPPoE (Point-to-Point 
Protocol over Ethernet), but it's pos- 
sible that your connection might use a 
dynamic or static IP (Internet Proto- 
col) address instead. If you're not sure 
what to select, ask your ISP (Internet 
service provider). Also, the wizard asks 
you to type in the username and pass- 
word for your Internet connection, so 
in the future it can automatically log in 




to your broadband account each time 
you turn on your computer. 

Another step within the wizard asks 
you to enter an SSID (Service Set 
Identifier) name and a channel. You 
can keep the default channel that the 
utility recommends, but you should al- 
ways use a unique SSID name to avoid 
potential security problems. Also, select 
the highest available WEP (Wired 
Equivalent Privacy) encryption pro- 
tocol your hardware offers — or better 
yet, enable WPA (Wi-Fi Protected 
Access) encryption if your hardware 
includes it. You'll need to enter a string 
of characters to enable these encryption 
methods and then use that same string 
when configuring adapters on other 
PCs, so write down the key exactly as 
you entered it and save it for later. 

These are the basic steps for config- 
uring the router, but you can access the 
main configuration page to enable 
other features. For example, you 
can enable DHCP (Dynamic Host 
Configuration Protocol) to ease 
the configuration of any future IP 
address changes in the future. 
Wireless routers also include fire- 
walls that you can tweak with spe- 
cific rules that allow or disallow 
certain types of traffic. In addition, 



Always check that the antennas on your 
access point and wireless adapters are 
firmly attached. You can rotate an 
antenna to aim it for better reception. 



WIRELESS 



you can (and should) disable SSID 
broadcasting to prevent outsiders from 
rinding your network. 

Adapters Ahoy 

After configuring your access point, 
it's time to install the wireless adapters 
on whichever computers in your net- 
work you don't intend to connect to 
the router with Ethernet cables. Just 
like access points, wireless adapters 
vary in their installation requirements, 
so always check the instructions in- 
cluded with your device before in- 
stalling it. Most adapters require you to 
install software, but check whether you 
should install the software before or 
after physically installing the adapter. 

Installing a USB adapter is as simple 
as plugging the device into a free USB 
port on a PC or a notebook and in- 
stalling any drivers, if necessary. The 
process is similarly easy for a PC Card: 
Just slide the card into a free PC Card 
slot on your notebook. Installing a PCI 
adapter in a desktop PC is a little more 
complicated because you have to open 
your PC's case. To do so, shut down 
and unplug your PC (as well as any pe- 
ripherals), remove the case's cover, and 
put on your antistatic wristband (to 
prevent static electricity from dam- 
aging internal components). Locate an 



O Dynamic IP •• ; : ss 
O Static IP 
® PPPoE 

PPTP 

BigPond 



Channel |e [v]| 



empty PCI slot on 
your motherboard, 
remove the screw 
holding the protec- 
tive slot plate on the 
back of the case, and 
pull out the plate. 
Slide the card firmly 
into the slot, replace 
the screw, and prop- 
erly close the case. 
Turn on your PC. 

Your adapter's 
software will walk 
through the configu- 
ration. When you 
see the security con- 
figuration area, in- 
put the WEP or WPA code you prev- 
iously wrote down. After installing and 
configuring the adapter, you'll be able 
to access the Internet and take the 
steps needed to configure file and 
printer sharing throughout the net- 
work to share resources. 

No More Snakes 

After your network is up and run- 
ning, don't be afraid to dig into your 
router's configuration menus to see 
what options are available. Although 
some tools included with routers and 
other devices are designed for advanced 



Select Internet Connection Type (WAN) 

Select the connection type to connect to your ISP. Click Next to con 



Choose this option to obtain an IP address 
automatically from your ISP. (For most 
Cable modem users) 
Choose this option to set static IP 
information provided to you by your ISP. 
Choose this option if your ISP uses PPPoE. 
(For most DSL users) 
PPTP Client 
BigPond Cable 

Back Next Exit 



Set 802.1 1g Wireless LAN Connection 

:.':.'• .'■■'.'■:"::'■:■■■.:...'.• 

k Next to continue. 



Back Next Exi 



In order for the router to 
properly configure your 
Internet connection, it 
needs to know what type 
of connection you use. 
Check with your ISP 
(Internet service provider) 
if you're not sure. 

Never leave the default 
SSID (Service Set Identifier) 
name on your access point; 
change it immediately to 
a name that isn't obvious, 
and then change it every 
month or two afterward. 



users, others are useful for anyone. For 
instance, some routers include parental 
controls that let you block certain 
URLs or domains. You also can find 
cable status utilities that tell you what 
cables are connected (or not con- 
nected) to your device. 

But if you're the hands-off type, 
rest assured that wireless networks 
require no maintenance once you 
properly configure them. Day in and 
day out, you'll be able to count on a 
dependable connection that's sub- 
limely wire -free. II 



by Christian Perry 



Troubleshoot Your Network 



Although nightmares of 
home networks past 
continue to haunt many 
users, you'll be pleased to 
find that installing and con- 
figuring a wireless network is 
much easier nowadays. Of 
course, even though the 
wizards included with most 
devices are thorough and in- 
tuitive, problems can occa- 
sionally crop up. Luckily, it's 
not too difficult to find and 
fix such problems. 

If you encounter trouble, 
first check that all of your 



cables are secure, both in the 
access point and the modem. 
Even if a cable looks like it's 
attached, it might be jutting 
halfway out, so do a push 
check on all your cables. Also, 
check that your network 
adapters are inserted and 
functioning on the networked 
computers. Most adapters 
have lights that shine when 
they're functional. 

If you're getting a signal, 
but it occasionally drops off 
or disconnects altogether, 
you're probably not receiving 



adequate signal strength. This 
problem can occur if com- 
puters are located too far 
from the access point or if 
there's interference from 
other devices using the same 
frequency. First, check that 
the antenna on your access 
point and on any adapters is 
firmly attached, and if so, try 
angling the antenna(s) in dif- 
ferent directions to obtain a 
better signal. If that doesn't 
work, consider moving your 
access point closer to your 
computers, or move your 



computers closer to the ac- 
cess point. Also, move your 
equipment away from things 
such as microwave ovens and 
cordless phones. 

Relocating equipment isn't 
always an option for everyone, 
and for those users, a stronger 
antenna can help solve poor 
signal problems. See if your 
equipment has removable an- 
tennas; if this is the case, check 
online for high-gain antennas 
that have a higher decibel 
rating than the antennas in- 
cluded with your equipment. I 



Smart Computing / November 2005 69 





HERUI 



Finding & Using Free & 
For-Fee Wireless Access Points 



It's official: Wi-Fi (wireless fi- 
delity) is everywhere. Wi-Fi, of 
course, refers to the 802.11b 
standard that's become so pop- 
ular for setting up wireless net- 
working in homes, offices, and 
businesses — from fast food 
joints to hipster coffee shops. To find 
Wi-Fi near you, all you have to do is 
look for hotspots. 

Hotspots are locations where you'll 
find wireless access points, and 
hotspots blanket even some of the 
smallest towns in America. To some 
people finding hotspots is something 
of an art form. There are online guides 
that list some hotspots, but we'll point 
you to some of the less obvious ways 
you can find and use both fee-based 
and free hotspots. And because not all 
wireless networks are perfectly secure, 
we'll also warn you about some poten- 
tial hazards you'll face while using 
public wireless networks. 

White Hot 

A few years ago, most public 

hotspots sprang up in places like coffee 

shops, where the technologically adept 

arrived with notebook PCs, 

cell phones, and PDAs 




(personal digital assistants), gathering 
for late-night work sessions. Now 
you'll find hotspots at airport termi- 
nals, McDonald's and KFC restau- 
rants, libraries, and even your local 
Laundromat, among many, many 
other places. 

It's usually easy to find Wi-Fi ac- 
cess points. Most businesses that set 
up these networks also advertise them 
with signs inside and outside their 
buildings to attract more customers. 
Barnes & Noble, for instance, posts 
signs inside its stores so that book 
browsers know they can browse on- 
line, too; this chain of bookstores has 
more than 600 stores with hotspots. 

But if obvious sources such as book- 
stores and coffee shops don't seem to 
have hotspots in your area, you can go 
online and use directories such as Wi- 
Fi FreeSpot (www.wififreespot.com), 
which provide lists of locations with 
free Wi-Fi access. Using these types of 
online directories, you can pinpoint 
free hotspots in airports, hotels, RV 
parks, and other locations. 

Fire it up. Once you find a hotspot, 
it's generally very easy to connect and 
begin your surfing session. All you 
need is your computer and a wireless 
adapter that's compatible with the 



If your notebook PC doesn't have a built-in wireless adapter, 
you can buy one that will work via a PC Card slot such as 
D-Link's DWL-G680 AirPremier ($79.99; www.dlink.com). 



802.11b standard. Some notebooks 
have built-in adapters; if yours 
doesn't, all you have to do is buy a 
wireless adapter and slide it into one 
of your PC Card slots. 

Then start your computer and wait 
for it to finish loading all of your 
startup programs. Most wireless 
adapters load an icon in the System 
Tray (the area on the far right end of 
the Taskbar). If you aren't sure which 
icon represents your wireless adapter, 
Windows should provide a descrip- 
tion of individual icons as you hover 
your mouse pointer over each one. 
Once you find the appropriate icon, 
double- click it to see a list of connec- 
tion options. 

The menu or dialog box that ap- 
pears will display an option called 
Available Wireless Networks or some- 
thing similar. Select this option, and 
in a few seconds, you'll see one 
or more networks in your area. 
Sometimes these networks have ob- 
vious names, such as "Joe's Coffee 
Shack," and sometimes the names 
look more like gibberish. Connect to 
one of the networks and then launch 
your Web browser. 

Free or fee? What happens next de- 
pends primarily on if you're using a 
free or fee-based access point. If you 
used a directory such as Wi-Fi Free 
Spot, you'll know in advance that you 
won't have to pay the provider to use 
the wireless connection. However, 



70 November 2005 / www.smartcomputing.com 



many businesses do charge a nominal 
fee before you can use their hotspot. 

If your browser loads Web sites 
normally after you connect, you're 
using a free hotspot. But if your com- 
puter indicates that you have to reg- 
ister personal information and a 
credit card number before you can 
surf, you'll have to pay to play. If your 
computer says you need a login name 
and password before you can log on, 
check with the business's customer 
service desk for this information. 

Most hotspots let you pay per hour; 
for example, Barnes & Noble charges 
around $4 for a two-hour session. 
Depending on the location and access 
provider, you also might be able to 
buy larger blocks of time, such as un- 
limited use for a month. In some 
cases it might be worth your money 
to pay for access, especially if you use 
a system such as SBC FreedomLink 
(www.sbc.com/gen/general?pid=59 
49). Even though this is the company 
that provides Web access at Barnes & 
Noble bookstores, SBC FreedomLink 
also works at thousands of locations 



Wi-Fi 
Detectors 



Serious Wi-Fi lovers 
don't depend solely 
on online directories to 
help them find hotspots. 
Instead, some of them in- 
vest in Wi-Fi detectors. 
These detectors are cheap 
($30 or less) and easy to 
obtain from online elec- 
tronics retailers. Insert a 
couple of batteries, turn 
on the detector, and it 
will tell you if there are 
any wireless networks 
nearby, as well as indicate 
the strength of the signal. 

Why bother? Well, if 
you're in an area where 
you think there's a public 
access point, but you're 
not sure, you can use a 



detector to confirm a sig- 
nal. This process is much 
faster than taking the time 
to pull out and start up a 
notebook PC or PDA (per- 
sonal digital assistant) in 
order to detect a hotspot. 
And, of course, you can 
use a detector to find un- 
advertised, publicly acces- 
sible hotspots — the type 
of usage that stirs up con- 
troversy. It's not un- 
common for enterprising 
PC enthusiasts to walk or 
drive through neighbor- 
hoods "hunting" for 
hotspots. If these people 
find unsecured wireless 
networks, they can use 
them for their own 
surfing and downloading 
purposes, thereby slowing 



down network traffic. 
Wireless freeloaders also 
can try to hack into PCs 
connected to a particular 
hotspot and steal or 
damage data on the 
users' hard drives. 

Unless you're an ex- 
tremely mobile profes- 
sional that needs 
continuous Internet ac- 
cess, you probably don't 
need a detector. On the 
other hand, if you have an 
unsecured wireless net- 
work, you should defi- 
nitely take steps to 
defend it and your data 
against mischievous users 
who routinely use detec- 
tors to find unprotected 
hotspots they can use for 
nefarious purposes. I 




The Wi-Fi FreeSpot Web site lists hundreds of places — 
such as airports, hotels, and restaurants — that have free 
wireless access points. 



across the country. Pay a $19.95 
monthly fee, and you'll have unlim- 
ited access to all of these hotspots. 

Security Concerns 

No matter where you tap into a 
hotspot, you should always keep in 
mind that wireless networks aren't 
entirely secure. If you use an access 



point at Barnes & Noble, for instance, 
you'll immediately see indicators of 
wireless network vulnerabilities. Even 
the company's information brochure 
includes a disclaimer 
stating that data secu- 
rity is your responsibility 
and not the company's. 
If you're not careful, a 
cracker might damage or 
steal data stored on your 
PC. So, be sure to take the 
proper precautions when 
you use public hotspots. 
At the very least, you 
should use a basic firewall 
program to protect your 
PC. If you aren't ready 
to spend money on this 
kind of software, you can 
download a fully functional version of 
ZoneAlarm (www.zonelabs.com), 
which is free and will protect your PC 
from many threats. This well- regarded 
program is easy to use and takes only a 
few minutes to configure. 

Just as important, you'll want to 
protect your computer by disabling 
the Windows file- sharing capability, 
which will go a long way toward 



preventing unauthorized access to 
your hard drive. If you're using 
Windows 98 or Windows Me, open 
the Control Panel, double-click the 
Network icon, click File And Printer 
Sharing, and then deselect both of the 
checkboxes. Click OK to confirm 
your changes. In Windows 2000 and 
Windows XP, right-click the My 
Network Places icon and click 
Properties. Right- click the Local Area 
Connection icon, click Properties, 
deselect the checkbox next to File 
And Printer Sharing For Microsoft 
Networks, and click OK. 

Wi-Fi Heaven 

Wi-Fi hotspots are still multiplying 
throughout the country, making it 
easier and cheaper for you and mil- 
lions of other users to stay connected. 
In order to put those hotspots to use, 
all you need is some basic know-how 
and a willingness to take fundamental 
security measures and then you'll be 
able to hit the Web no matter where 
you roam. II 

by Nathan Chandler 



Smart Computing / November 2005 71 




UIIF3EL 

W/A 




NETWDRK 



How vulnerable is an un- 
protected wireless net- 
work? Well, open the 
window and yell. Any- 
one who hears your 
voice could access an 
unprotected network in 
your home with little more than a 
wireless adapter and a laptop. The fact 
is that wireless network security — or a 
lack thereof — is a serious issue users 
must address if they want to maintain 
privacy and protect their data. 

Why It's Vulnerable 

Of course, every network has its vul- 
nerabilities, but what makes a wireless 
network particularly susceptible to in- 
trusion is that it has so many points of 
entry. Unlike a wired network, which 
has a finite number of access points, 
a wireless network is built around a 
range — typically several thousand 
square feet — of unlimited connectivity, 
and data thieves have devised a number 
of methods for exploiting this range. 

Wardriving. Also referred to as 
drive-by hacking, wardriving is a 
relatively simple maneuver by which 
a cracker with a laptop, packet- sniffing 



Protect Your Air 
From Freeloaders & Intruders 



software, and an omnidirectional an- 
tenna drives slowly through a neigh- 
borhood or business park. When the 
car is within range of a wireless net- 
work, the antenna detects the presence 
of an access point, and a message ap- 
pears on the cracker's computer screen. 
The driver notes the location and keeps 
moving. The driver then may return to 
the location to Web surf for free or 
poke around the network for poten- 
tially valuable information, such as 
usernames, passwords, or account 
numbers. The driver also may publicize 
the network's location so that other 
crackers can take advantage of it. 

The evil twin. If wardriving is like a 
wireless mugging, the evil twin is akin 
to full-scale wireless embezzling. This 
sophisticated method of network intru- 
sion refers to the creation of an unau- 
thorized access point (referred to as a 
rogue access point) that appears legiti- 
mate but is really just within range of a 
legitimate wireless network. The rogue 
access point not only expands the net- 
work range but also provides illegiti- 
mate users with around-the-clock 
access to login information and net- 
work content. An evil twin may be cre- 
ated intentionally (such as by a cracker 



or a disgruntled employee) or acciden- 
tally (by an ignorant employee or a 
next-door neighbor). 

The Solutions 

Short of erecting a steel dome over 
your property, there is no single 
method for securing your wireless 
network. Consequently, your best bet 
is to embrace a variety of digital secu- 
rity methods, including the following. 

Encrypt the data. As the first line of 
defense for a wireless network, data 
encryption protects your wireless 
transmissions by converting mean- 
ingful content into secret code. Only 
those individuals who possess the 
corresponding key can translate the 
code back into meaningful content. 

The original encryption standard for 
wireless communications was the WEP 
(Wired Equivalent Privacy) protocol. 
WEP delivered 40-bit and 104-bit 
encryption and was endorsed by the 
IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Elec- 
tronics Engineers). Unfortunately, it 
also proved to break down quite easily 
when challenged by encryption experts 
and mischievous crackers. A stronger 
system of encryption was needed, and 
so the WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) 
protocol was born. Developed by the 
Wi-Fi Alliance, WPA and its successor, 
WPA2, employ several advanced en- 
cryption technologies to provide a so- 
phisticated system of key creation and 
management capabilities. 

You can protect your system by ac- 
tivating the best encryption protocol 



72 November 2005 / www.smartcomputing.com 



WIRELESS 



available for your wireless networking 
hardware. Start by configuring your 
wireless router or gateway first and 
then set up the various network 
adapters, one at a time. The process 
varies from one device to the next, so 
refer to your users manual for de- 
tailed instructions. Activate the WPA- 
Personal or WPA2-Personal option, 
if available. If a device does not have 
native support for WPA, visit the 
manufacturer's Web site to determine 
whether a WPA update is available. 
Hopefully, one will be. If your net- 
work hardware doesn't support WPA 
encryption, at least activate WEP 
functionality. 

Set up a MAC filter. Another effec- 
tive method of preventing unautho- 
rized intruders from accessing your 
wireless network is to set up a MAC 
(Media Access Control) address filter. 
A MAC address is a 12-digit hexadec- 
imal code (such as 00-01-03-28-A4- 
Cl) that identifies each access device 
in a wireless network. If your wireless 
software supports MAC address fil- 
tering, you can configure your wire- 
less access point to recognize only 
those devices that carry a recognized 
MAC address; all other devices will be 
refused access to the network. 

All you have to do is locate the 
MAC address for each device. You're 
likely to find it printed on a label 



:- | Link Status | Statistics 

Site Monitor Diagnostics li 

Belkin Wireless LAN Utility 



-Hardware Details — 

: : 



'•:: D7010 Rev 4.5 
B CM 4306 /B CM 2050 

r : :::: -.:■ 



::; .!.' . ■ I . 7 






Driver Version: 


3.10.38.0 




Driver Date: 


1-20-2003 




Provider: 


r Corporation 




Copyright: 


38-21 .2, Belkin Corporatio 
Reserved. 


n All Rights 



I 



]_ 




A MAC (Media Access Control) 
address filter lets you specify 
which particular devices can access 
your wireless network. The MAC 
address may be printed on a label 
attached to the device or listed in 
the network setup program. 

attached to the device itself; consult 
the users manual for assistance. Write 
down the MAC address of each de- 
vice, double-checking the addresses 
to ensure they're correct, and then 
follow the instructions outlined in the 
users manual to enable MAC address 
filtering for your network. Remember 
to update the MAC filter when you 
add devices to or remove devices 
from the network. 

Specify a unique SSID. Whereas 
the MAC addresses identify the indi- 
vidual components that consti- 
tute a wireless network, the SSID 
(Service Set Identifier) identifies 
the network as a whole. Every 
device that is part of your net- 
work must be configured to rec- 
ognize this unique alphanumeric 
code. Most manufacturers con- 
figure their wireless devices with 
a generic default SSID, such 
as "linksys" or "netgear," that 



A personal firewall, such as 
ZoneAlarm Wireless Security 
($19.95; www.zonealarm.com) 
from Zone Labs, monitors incoming 
and outgoing network traffic for 
unauthorized intruders. 



provides little protection against 
crackers wanting access to the network. 

You can optimize security by reset- 
ting the SSID, which may be referred 
to as BSSID (Basic SSID) or ESSID 
(Extended SSID), depending on your 
system. Either way, choose a long 
name — on most systems, an SSID may 
include as many as 32 characters — that 
incorporates both letters and numbers. 
Refer to the documentation that came 
with your wireless router and adapter 
cards to configure the SSID for each 
device in your network. Make sure 
every device is set for the same SSID. 

While you're at it, disable the SSID 
broadcasting feature if it is activated. 
When this feature is activated, a wireless 
device will continuously emit a signal 
publicizing the SSID name to any other 
wireless device that comes within range. 
The point of SSID broadcasting is to 
facilitate convenient access to a wireless 
network, which is fine when you're 
connecting a new computer to the net- 
work but not so acceptable when you 
want to keep unwanted intruders away 
from your confidential data. Follow the 
instructions provided with your wire- 
less hardware to disable the feature. 

Deploy a firewall. Any network — 
wired or wireless — will benefit from a 
firewall. A firewall not only filters out 
unwanted incoming traffic but moni- 
tors outgoing traffic, as well. Fortun- 
ately, most wireless gateways and 
routers come bundled with firewall 
functionality. Refer to the product 
documentation for specific instruc- 
tions on activating and configuring 
the firewall for your wireless access 
point. You can further augment this 
protection by running a personal fire- 
wall on each networked computer. 
Invest in a third-party product, such 
as McAfee Personal Firewall Plus 
($39.99; www.mcafee.com) or Zone- 
Alarm Wireless Security ($19.95; 
www.zonealarm.com), or take advan- 
tage of the free Windows Firewall 
deployed by default in Windows XP 
SP2 (Service Pack 2). 

In addition to a firewall, make sure 
you install an up-to-date antivirus 



Smart Computing / November 2005 73 



WIRELESS 



utility, such as Norton Antivirus 
($49.95; www.symantec.com) or 
McAfee VirusScan ($39.99; www 
.mcafee.com), and antispyware util- 
ity, such as Ad-Aware SE Personal 
(free; www.lavasoft.com) or eTrust 
PestPatrol ($29.95; www.ca.com), on 
every computer that is part of your 
wireless network. These utilities will 
catch the malicious programs that can 
infiltrate a system and harm the in- 
tegrity of your network. 

Be careful. Finally, you can protect 
your system by engaging in good oP 
fashioned common sense. Position 
the wireless access point in the center 
of your home or office, for instance. 
This ensures optimum connectivity 
where you need it and limits access on 
your property periphery. Wardrivers 
will have a hard time breaking into 
your network if its range of connec- 
tivity peters out before reaching the 
street. You also should get in the habit 
of turning off your network devices 
when you aren't using them. Doing so 
removes any possibility of an unwar- 
ranted break-in by after-hour snoops 
or overnight intruders. 

Another worthy habit is to save 
your private data, including financial 
account information and medical 




Security Soup 



Users who want to learn 
more about wireless 
security must navigate a 
veritable alphabet soup of 
acronyms. There's WEP and 
MAC, WPA and WPA2, SSID 
andESSIDandBSSID.And 
that's just for starters. Here 
are other wireless-related 
terms you should know. 

8011U The IEEE (Institute 
of Electrical and Electronics 
Engineers) protocol that dic- 
tates stringent security stan- 
dards for 802.1 1 wireless 
networks. Only those prod- 
ucts that claim support for 
the WAP2 protocol meet the 






ame (SSID): 

■■■A -.:. i ':. H-tl: :■ jW " 

This network requires a key for the following: 

'■■■■' : : ;^^ i sm^5 ; i:n i NA;;' i .t: l ;:^!";iJ| 

'. Mf/cwo;k Auii K::-.i!':.::cir;i'i iSh.JiRji! m-.r.i::} 
Network key: 
Key {ormat: 
Key Jength: 

■ :.; j ■: ■ . . 

S? The key i: | 



1 104 bits [2S digits) ^ 



J. 



| Apply 



It's important to disable the 
ad-hoc networking option before 
logging into a hotspot. Wily 
crackers can exploit this feature 
to tap directly into your computer 
and steal your data. 



records, in a password-protected 
folder that isn't part of a shared drive. 
A second hard drive is cheap com- 
pared to the cost of recovering from 
identity theft or consumer fraud. And 
while you're at it, make sure you dis- 
able the ad-hoc networking option in 
your wireless setup program. Crackers 
can exploit this option, which allows 
two or more network cards to bypass 



the access point and communicate 
with one another, to tap directly into 
your system. Refer to the documenta- 
tion that came with your wireless 
hardware for assistance. 

It's a good idea to pay attention to 
system performance, too. If a for- 
merly speedy broadband connection 
suddenly starts delivering content like 
a dial-up modem, you may have 
unauthorized traffic on your network. 
Try rebooting the system as an initial 
response. If that doesn't work, scan 
your system for unwanted guests and 
then activate WPA, change the SSID, 
and implement a MAC filter. That 
ought to resolve the matter. 

Set It Up 

As you've probably figured out by 
now, securing a wireless network is a 
rather complicated task that requires 
a good deal of technical know-how 
and plenty of time spent reading users 
manuals. The effort is worth it, 
though. Even so, you can make things 
easy on yourself by purchasing wire- 
less hardware that supports the secu- 
rity technologies we described and 
then implementing the protective 
measures during the setup process. II 

by Jeff Dodd 



full list of 802.1 1 i require- 
ments. In contrast, the WAP 
protocol represents a middle 
step between the easily 
cracked WEP protocol and 
the robust security of 802.1 1 i. 

AES (Advanced Encryp- 
tion Standard). A reliable 
encryption technology that 
employs the Rijndael algo- 
rithm and 1 28-, 192-, or 
256-bit keys to encrypt 
data in 128-bitblocks.lt 
was adopted by NIST (Na- 
tional Institute of Standards 
and Technology) in 2001 as 
the official U.S. government 
encryption standard. The 



802.1 1 i protocol is based on 
the AES encryption standard. 

EAP (Extensible Authen- 
tication Protocol). A basic 
protocol on which network 
authentication (the process 
of verifying a computer's 
identity) is based. The WPA 
and WPA2 protocols support 
five variations of EAP: EAP- 
MD5 (Message Digest 
Algorithm 5), EAP-TLS 
(Transport Layer Security), 
EAP-TTLS (Tunneled TLS), 
LEAP (Lightweight EAP), 
and PEAP (Protected EAP). 

RC4(RivestCipher4).A 
popular encryption algorithm 



that encrypts data one bit at 
a time rather than in blocks. 
RC4 (pronounced "arc-four") 
is the encryption algorithm 
employed by the WEP and 
WPA protocols. It lacks the 
robust strength of the AES 
encryption standard but re- 
mains in common usage. 

TKIP (Temporal Key 
Integrity Protocol). A wire- 
less security standard that 
protects data transmissions 
by mixing encryption keys 
within each packet of data. 
TKIP augments the RC4 en- 
cryption algorithm in the 
WPA protocol. I 



74 November 2005 / www.smartcomputing.com 



I I I 




Put Wireless 

In The Palm Of Your Hand 



Near the end of the 
first millennium 
A.D., King Harald 
Blatand of Denmark 
united several war- 
ring tribes to briefly 
consolidate much of 
Scandinavia. So why is this little his- 
tory lesson appearing in a computer 
magazine? The English translation 
of "Blatand" is "Bluetooth," and 
when engineers developed a tech- 
nology intended to let previously 
separate electronics devices such as 
cell phones and printers communi- 
cate directly with one another, they 
branded it with Harald's last name. 

If you haven't heard about Blue- 
tooth technology yet, you probably 
don't use a PDA (personal digital as- 
sistant), cell phone, or one of the 
numerous other devices that incor- 
porates this increasingly popular 
wireless standard. This popularity 
stems from the fact that Bluetooth 
transmitters are extremely cheap and 
power-efficient compared to faster, 
longer-range wireless standards, and 
also from the fact that Bluetooth 
works very well for a diversity of data 
communications chores. It isn't per- 
fect — or even particularly fast (yet) — 
but once you know a bit about how 
the technology works and what it can 



do for you, its benefits become im- 
mediately apparent. 

Bluetooth Basics 

Bluetooth is a protocol, which is a 
language that electronic devices can 
use to communicate. Protocols work 
much like the languages we speak, 
where devices must support the same 
protocol to be able to "talk" with one 
another. The main difference be- 
tween Bluetooth and other wireless 
protocols is that the others are de- 
signed to shout, but Bluetooth is 
designed to whisper. 

A typical wireless protocol such as 
802.11b (also called Wi-Fi) is created 
to let users connect to a WAN (wide- 
area network) or a LAN (local-area 
network), sending data over the 
longest possible distances. This re- 
quires powerful radio transmitters to 
send data (the more powerful, the 
stronger the signal), which aren't ideal 
for mobile devices because they con- 
sume a lot of battery power. Receiving 
signals from a long range also requires 
bulky antennas that aren't ideal for 
small mobile electronics devices, such 
as cell phones and PDAs. 

Bluetooth is designed around the 
concept of a PAN (personal-area net- 
work), where devices in relatively close 



proximity can share data with one an- 
other. Although the theoretical max- 
imum range of a standard Bluetooth 
transceiver is 100 meters, in practice 
most devices can communicate only 
when they are within a few meters of 
one another. This helps reduce inter- 
ference from other Bluetooth devices 
in the area, decreases the amount of 
energy needed to power the Bluetooth 
hardware, and diminishes the need for 
a bulky antenna. 

A Bluetooth PAN is called a 
piconet, which consists of one 
master device that connects simulta- 
neously to as many as seven other 
slave devices. The master device can 
only send data to and receive data 
from one slave device at a time, 
but if multiple slaves are connected 
at once, the master device can re- 
peatedly cycle through them until 
they are all through transmitting. 
This means no one transmission 
must be complete before another 
one is started, but it also means that 
data transfer rates become slower as 
more actively transmitting devices 
are added to the piconet. 

Eight devices on a network may not 
sound like a lot, but that limitation is 
just for active devices. As long as they 
are not transmitting or receiving data, 
as many as 255 slave devices can be 



Smart Computing / November 2005 75 



WIRELESS 



"parked" on the piconet, lying dor- 
mant but still connected, so the 
master device can make them active 
at a moment's notice. 

Arguably, the main benefit Blue- 
tooth offers is automatic, configura- 
tion-free connectivity between two 
or more devices. As long as the de- 
vices are set to some type of "Dis- 
covery mode," they will immediately 
sense any other Bluetooth devices in 
range, establish a connection, and 
prepare to transfer data. This caused 
security concerns in fledgling ver- 
sions of Bluetooth, but newer ver- 
sions of the technology allow for 
encryption to protect data as it is 
being transmitted. They also let 
users set up their devices so that they 
only connect with so-called "trusted 
devices," letting users assign pass- 
words and only connecting with de- 
vices that have the password. 

Bluetooth Spotting 

Bluetooth uses standards called 
profiles to handle many different 
types of files. Bluetooth uses A2DP 
(Advanced Audio Distribution Pro- 
file), for example, to stream digital 
stereo audio between Bluetooth de- 
vices, whereas it uses BIP (Basic 




Several PDAs (personal digital 
assistants), including Dell's Axim 
X50v, support Bluetooth. 



Imaging Profile) to transfer images. 
There are dozens of these profiles, 
and they make Bluetooth useful for 
a number of devices. 

You can expect to find Blue- 
tooth integrated into several leading 
PDAs, including Palm's Tungsten 
T5 ($349; www.palm.com/us) and 
Dell's Axim X50v ($424 and up; 
www.dell.com). If you have an older 
PDA, there likely is a Bluetooth 
expansion card available such as 



Belkin's Bluetooth PDA & PC 
Adapter Combo Card ($109.99; 
www.belkin.com) . 

Most modern mobile phones, 
including Nokia's 6670 ($379.99; 
www.nokiausa.com), also have inte- 
grated Bluetooth that works with such 
peripherals as wireless keyboards and 
lets the phones communicate with 
PCs and printers. Imagine sending 
pictures from a camera phone to a 
PC or uploading music from the 
PC to the phone wirelessly — all 
without having to establish any net- 
work settings. And while we're at it, 
we should mention that the most 
popular Bluetooth accessory is wire- 
less headsets for phones. 

Bluetooth also is appearing in cars, 
where HFP (Hands-Free Profile) lets 
a mobile phone transmit audio to a 
car's stereo system. This feature lets 
people talk without taking their hands 
off of the wheel — and without even 
having to fumble around for their cell 
phone — as long as the phone is within 
range of the car's receiver and is con- 
figured for HFP transfers. 

Computer users can benefit from 
Bluetooth, as well, because it can be a 
great alternative to USB for con- 
necting peripherals such as mice, key- 
boards, and printers. Microsoft, for 



Add Bluetooth To A PC 


K A ost ^ s don't come 

1 VI with integrated 


USB interface. These are easy 


www.dlink.com), but we 


with attached hardware de- 


to install because they don't 


chose the adapter that ships 


vices), and if you plug the 


Bluetooth hardware, but 


require opening the comput- 


with Microsoft's Optical 


USB adapter in before 


adding a third-party card or 


er's case, and they have the 


Desktop Elite For Bluetooth 


Windows has the proper 


a USB Bluetooth transceiver 


added benefit of being able 


kit ($104.95; www.micro 


driver installed, your PC may 


is a snap. Setting up the hard- 


to work with both a laptop 


soft.com/hardware), which 


not recognize the adapter or 


ware after installing it is a 


and a desktop PC. You can 


includes a cordless mouse 


regard it as a different type of 


little more involved, but this 


even install the same adapter 


and cordless keyboard that 


device. You also run the risk 


step-by-step tutorial contains 


on both computers and 


communicate with the PC 


of losing access to certain 


all of the information you 


simply swap it between them 


via Bluetooth. 


features if you don't install 


need to add Bluetooth con- 


whether you are working at 




a driver ahead of time, so 


nectivity to your computer. 


home or on the road. 


Step 2: Install the software. 


be sure to insert the driver's 




There are a number of USB 


Before plugging in the USB 


disc in your optical drive and 


Step 1: Buy the hardware. The 


Bluetooth adapters on the 


adapter, make sure you 


follow the setup instructions. 


first order of business is pur- 


market, including the D-Link 


install the adapter's driver. 




chasing an adapter, and we 


PersonaLA/'r Wireless USB 


Windows uses drivers (soft- 


Step 3: Add the hardware. 


recommend one that uses a 


Bluetooth Adapter ($34.99; 


ware used to communicate 


Because we opted for a USB 



76 November 2005 / www.smartcomputing.com 



WIRELESS 



example, offers an Optical Desktop 
Elite For Bluetooth kit ($104.95; 
www.microsoft.com/hardware) that 
comes with a wireless keyboard, 
mouse, and Bluetooth adapter. 

The Evolution Of Bluetooth 

As with most wireless protocols, 
Bluetooth has adapted in order to 
change with the times, and there are 
several enhancements on the horizon 
that should make this great tech- 
nology even better. The newest Blue- 
tooth, version 2.0, uses technology 
called EDR (Enhanced Data Rate) to 
transfer data at speeds up to 2.1Mbps 
(megabits per second), which is three 
times faster than was possible using 
the previous versions. 

Bluetooth version 2.0 chips con- 
sume more power than the older 
chips do, but because they transfer 
data so much faster, they can shut 
down more often, effectively cutting 
power consumption in half when 
compared to the previous chips. 
Very few products currently use 
Bluetooth 2.0 technology, but by 
next year, the newer standard should 
become more common, and it is 
backward-compatible with earlier 
versions of the technology. 



n^ 


lenu 






1 a 

| Messaging 


m 

Contacts 

fl©5P 

Camera 

(# 

i.'vtb 


Log 
RealPlayer 

Calendar 

Exit 


Gallery 

3d 

Movie 

options 



J 



1 



■ u 


2 3lX 


def 3 J 






A ghl 


5 Jki 


"■"°6J 


_7pqfs 


8*u, 


wxyz 9j'j 


* + 


g 


! HI 1 



5 jkl mno6 / *-j 



To keep up with consumer 
demand, an increasing number of 
cell phones now have Bluetooth 
support including the Nokia 6670. 



In addition, future Bluetooth 
versions promise to support improve- 
ments on piconets known as scatter- 
nets, which combine two or more 
piconets into one by letting some de- 
vices simultaneously act as masters 
and slaves to bridge the networks. 
This has the benefit of letting users 



have more than seven active slave de- 
vices on the same network. 

Although it seems to go against 
the original spirit of the technology, 
Bluetooth's range also is increasing. 
Companies such as Belkin already 
have products available that com- 
municate with other Bluetooth de- 
vices at ranges up to 100 meters, and 
some enterprising people have even 
created high-powered Bluetooth 
radios that can connect with other 
Bluetooth devices at ranges ex- 
ceeding one-half mile. 

Finally, and most importantly, the 
Bluetooth SIG (Special Interest 
Group), which develops Bluetooth 
standards, also announced in May 
2005 that it is working to incorporate 
ultrawideband data transfer capa- 
bilities into a future version of Blue- 
tooth, boosting maximum data 
transfer speeds from 100Mbps to 
200Mbps (or even faster). This 
would eliminate Bluetooth's major 
shortcoming and allow for quickly 
transferring large files, such as video, 
across a piconet. So, if it seems like 
Bluetooth is turning up everywhere 
nowadays, just wait until its potential 
is fully realized. II 

by Tracy Baker 



adapter, installing the hard- 


"Discovery mode" (check each 


automatic or manual passkey 


Devices tab, select a device, 


ware is as simple as plugging 


device's documentation be- 


(which is an 8- to 16-digit 


click Properties, and make 


the adapter into an available 


cause this procedure differs 


code), select the appropriate 


the necessary adjustments. 


USB port. If you properly in- 


from device to device) and 


radio button and enter the 


Choose the Options tab 


stalled the driver, Windows 


use the adapter to add the de- 


passkey (if necessary). You also 


to change the USB adapter's 


will recognize the device 


vices to a piconet (a Bluetooth 


can select the Don't Use A 


settings. Select the Turn 


and automatically install it. 


PAN [personal-area net- 


Passkey option, but we don't 


Discovery On checkbox to let 


If your computer didn't 


work]). To do this, right-click 


recommend this for security 


your other Bluetooth devices 


come with USB ports, you 


the Bluetooth icon that ap- 


reasons. Click Next to com- 


automatically detect and 


can purchase a USB adapter 


pears in the System Tray (far 


plete the process of adding 


connect to the computer. 


card — such as the Belkin 


right end of the Taskbar) and 


the device. 


Select the Allow Bluetooth 


Hi-Speed USB 2.0 5-Port 


click Add A Bluetooth Device. 




Devices To Connect To This 


PCI (Peripheral Component 


When the wizard opens, select 


Step 4: Additional configura- 


Computer checkbox to allow 


Interconnect) card ($44.99; 


the My Device Is Set Up And 


tion options. To establish 


connections and select the 


www.belkin.com) — that adds 


Ready To Be Found checkbox 


new settings or to change 


Alert Me When A New 


several ports to a computer. 


and click Next. Wait for the 


existing settings, right-click 


Bluetooth Device Wants To 


After you install a Blue- 


scan to finish, click the device's 


the Bluetooth icon in the 


Connect checkbox if you 


tooth adapter, you can set 


name to highlight it, and click 


System Tray and click Open 


want to grant permission on 


your Bluetooth devices to a 


Next. If you want to use an 


Bluetooth Settings. On the 


a device-by-device basis. 1 



Smart Computing / November 2005 77 




plplOODIOli 



^□MMI_IIMia=ITinM! 




The Technologies Behind 

Treo, BlackBerry 

& Other Mobile Devices 



ot long ago, the only 
thing we demanded 
from our cell phones 
was the ability to make 
a voice call from any- 
where. Today things 
are different. We want 
Internet access. We want ringtones. 
We want all manner of digital data 
files that those early mobile phones 
weren't designed to handle. 

Fortunately for all of us, the latest 
digital mobile phones allow for the 
type of technology that can deliver 
data at ever-increasing speeds. Up- 
coming 3G (third-generation) mobile 
products promise to send and receive 
data at speeds comparable to those of 
good broadband Internet connec- 
tions, but until then, we have tech- 
nologies such as GPRS (General 
Packet Radio Service) to tide us over. 

Although GPRS isn't the only data 
transmission technology used in to- 
day's cell phones and other Internet- 
enabled mobile devices, it is one of 
the most supported and widely avail- 
able technologies. You are likely to 
run into it when comparing devices 
such as Palm's Treo 650 ($399 and 
up; www.palm.com) and RIM's 
BlackBerry 7100 series ($299.99 and 



up; www.blackberry.com), so it's im- 
portant to understand the pros and 
cons of GPRS. 

Inside GPRS 

Understanding how GPRS works 
and how it applies to you requires un- 
raveling an alphabet soup of other 
acronyms. Using GPRS requires a 
GSM (Global System for Mobile 
Communications) device, which is an 
all-digital cellular phone network tech- 
nology. GSM was developed in the early 
1980s and is seen as a 2G (second-gen- 
eration) mobile phone service, but the 
fact that it is digital has helped the stan- 
dard evolve over the years to accom- 
modate data transmission technologies 
that are competitive with the initial 
iterations of 3G cellular technologies. 

GPRS is one of the standards that a 
GSM phone can use to transmit and 
receive data, from downloadable ring- 
tones to Web pages. Technically, 
GPRS qualifies as a 3G data transmis- 
sion technology because of the rela- 
tively high data transfer rates it 
supports, but GPRS is often referred 
to as a 2.5G (second-and-a-half-gen- 
eration) technology instead because it 
operates on a 2G network. 



On its own, GSM supports data 
transmission speeds of only 9.6Kbps 
(kilobits per second) or 14.4Kbps, de- 
pending on the network. These speeds 
are tremendously slow and good for 
little more than sending text messages 
or browsing simple Web pages. GPRS, 
however, achieves a theoretical max- 
imum speed of 171.2Kbps, which is 
more than three times as fast as a 
standard 56Kbps dial-up modem. Of 
course, it's not even close to the 
speeds most people can achieve using 
broadband access through a cable 
or DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) 
modem, but it is adequate for trans- 
mitting the small pictures, com- 
pressed music, and tiny video streams 
most cell phones and other small 
mobile devices can play and display. 

Older, slower GSM data transmis- 
sion technologies required a connec- 
tion between the sending and re- 
ceiving devices before they could 
share data. This type of connection is 
called circuit switching, and it isn't 
ideal for data transmissions because 
there's only a single path for the data 
to flow through. If that path is 
blocked or disconnected, the connec- 
tion must be reestablished, and all the 
data must be retransmitted. 



78 November 2005 / www.smartcomputing.com 




GPRS solves most of 
these problems using a 
technique called packet 
switching to transmit data, which 
works much like the technology used 
to send data back and forth across the 
Internet. This method chops trans- 
mitted data up into small units called 
packets, which are each tagged with 
headers containing the unique ad- 
dresses of the transmitting device and 
the receiving device. The packets then 
stream out of your phone and across 
the cellular network, with each 
node in the network handing off 
packets to the next node down the 
line — until they all arrive at their 
destination. Once there, the pack- 
ets are reassembled into the orig- 
inal data file, regardless of whether 
it's a text message, a picture, or 
something else. 

Packet switching is superior to 
circuit switching for transmitting 
data for several reasons. First and 
foremost, there is no direct path 
that the data must take to arrive at 
its destination; it's free to pass 
from any node to any other node. 
Second, if a packet ends up mis- 
sing, the sending device can simply 
retransmit the missing packet so 
that the device at the other end can 
assemble an exact copy of the orig- 
inal data file. And third, a GPRS 
device is always connected to the 
network, so there's no need to dial 
up or otherwise establish a con- 
nection manually — making it ideal 
for receiving email while you're on 
the go because you receive all in- 
coming data immediately. 

Unfortunately, GPRS can't always 
access all of the bandwidth it needs to 
live up to its potential. All cellular net- 
works have a limited number of chan- 
nels that all connected users must share, 
and GSM uses TDMA (Time Division 
Multiple Access) to slice each channel 
into eight time slots, allowing up to 
eight simultaneous calls per channel. 
Therefore, when you make a call, send 
data, or receive data, the information 
jumps around among channels and 



time slots, depending on what portions 
of the radio spectrum are available at 
any given time, and it is rarely possible 
for GPRS to use all eight of the time 
slots on a channel to achieve its max- 
imum theoretical speed. In many cases, 
GPRS runs at one-eighth to one-fourth 
of its maximum speed because only one 
or two time slots are available. 

Because of these limitations, plain- 
vanilla GPRS is being supplanted by 
more advanced technologies such as 
EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for Global 

The Treo 650 combines a cell phone with a PDA 
(personal digital assistant) in 
one of the sleekest packages 




BlackBerry devices 

are designed for 

exchanging email 

on the go, and the 

GPRS (General Packet Radio 

Service) data-transmission technology gives the 7100 

series a serious edge. 



Evolution). EDGE enhances the basic 
GPRS technology to provide speeds 
that are two to three times the real- 
world data transfer speeds of GPRS, 
plus the original technology still has the 
support of a variety of products. 

GPRS In Action 

Several devices support GPRS, but 
the two we mentioned previously — 
Palm's Treo 650 and RIM's Black- 
Berry 7100 series — are the ones that 
really show off what the technology 
can do for people on the go. 



WIRELESS 



The Treo 650 combines a cell 
phone, Palm handheld, email client, 
Web browser, and organizer into one 
incredibly sleek package. The large, 
backlit color display is ideal for dis- 
playing videos and images captured 
using the device's digital camera. If 
you live in an area served by a GSM/ 
GPRS network, you can buy a GSM/ 
GPRS version of the Treo 650 and 
send those images and videos to other 
people using the same wireless net- 
work you use to make voice calls. 

BlackBerry devices are known 
for their integrated keyboards 
and email-anywhere function- 
ality, but the 7100 series adds 
even more versatility. The device 
has slimmed down to mobile- 
phone proportions, and (much 
like the Treo) it supports voice 
calls, email, organizer software, 
as well as wireless data transfers 
via GPRS. The device comes in 
many different styles, but the 
only ones available for use in 
the United States are the 7100t 
(from T-Mobile) and the 7100g 
(from Cellular One, Cincinnati 
Bell, Cingular, Dobson, and 
SunCom Wireless). 

Planning For The Future 

You should make sure any GSM/ 
GPRS equipment you buy supports 
your local network's frequency be- 
cause GSM can operate at 850MHz, 
900MHz, 1, 800MHz, or 1,900MHz, 
depending on where you are and what 
provider you use. If you already have a 
GPRS product and are worried that 
you should have saved your money for 
a 3G device, don't fret; 3G networks 
are rolling out at a slow pace because 
of all the required upgrades and stan- 
dards that are still being hammered 
out. Thus, most people are better off 
enjoying the benefits of GSM/GPRS 
and GSM/EDGE right now instead of 
waiting for something else to materi- 
alize down the road. II 

by Tracy Baker 



Smart Computing / November 2005 79 




Most add-on 

FireWire cards 

require Windows 

98SE or later and 

a PC with a 

266MHz processor 

and at least 32MB 

of memory. 



PC Project: 

Faster Than A 
Speeding Bullet 



Ignite Data Transfer With FireWire 



If you have an older PC, trying to transfer digital im- 
ages, audio, and video is a frustrating experience at 
best. If you have a USB port, it likely complies with the 
USB 1.1 specification, which transfers data at a maximum 




of 1.5MBps (megabytes per second). 
That's not bad for 3MB songs or pic- 
tures (two seconds per file), but for a 
2GB video, it will seem an eternity. If 
you have been relying on a serial con- 
nection (the small, 9-pin connector on 
the back of your PC), you've been lim- 
ited to an even more dismal transfer 
rate — about 15KBps. At that rate, 
transferring a single 3MB file would 
take over three minutes. 

You can reduce your wait time by 
installing an internal, add-on card that 
gives your PC a high-speed FireWire 
(also called IEEE 1393 or i.Link) port. 
A FireWire port will increase your dig- 
ital media transfer speed by 30% to 
300%, depending on your current 
method. Many newer digital cameras, 
MP3 players, and digital camcorders 
have FireWire ports. If yours does 
(check the documentation to make 
sure), you are in luck. 

The Belkin card we installed 
offers both FireWire |j£ $ r 

and USB ports. 



>"W 




Why Play With Fire? 

FireWire is not the only kid on the 
high-speed block. Its chief competitor 
is USB 2.0, which offers data transfer 
rates of 60MBps. The original FireWire 
standard (1394a) supports data transfer 
at 50MBps; the newest standard, 
1394b, can transfer data at lOOMBps. 
However, both USB and FireWire con- 
nections are limited by the capabilities 
of the connected device (camera; MP3 
player) and your PC, so you may expe- 
rience lower transfer rates (usually 20 
to 40MBps), even if you purchase a 
1394b card. 

USB 2.0 is also backward-compatible 
with USB 1.1, so users can connect new 
USB devices to their older, USB 1.1- 
compliant machines (without gaining 
the speed advantage). However, Fire- 
Wire offers two advantages over USB 
2.0. While both theoretically support 
daisy-chaining (connecting multiple 
devices like pearls on a necklace), in 
practice, USB devices often work best 
through hubs. 

FireWire devices can also eliminate 

the need for power cables by 

borrowing power from the 

PC. (Some notebooks do not 

support this capability, and users of 

older computers should limit their use 

of nonpowered FireWire devices to 

avoid overloading the power supply.) 

Like USB, FireWire is hot-pluggable, 
so you don't need to restart the PC to 



80 November 2005 / www.smartcomputing.com 




If you have a notebook, 
you can opt for an insertable card 
and avoid an internal upgrade. 

connect or disconnect. Cable lengths 
can be up to 14 feet, about the same as 
for USB devices (without a powered 
hub extending them). 

If you're thinking these specifica- 
tions suggest the choice is a wash, you 
are correct. Fire Wire and USB 2.0 are 
very close in most respects. The main 
reason to install FireWire is because 
you have a FireWire-compatible de- 
vice. In particular, digital camcorders 
commonly offer FireWire connectivity. 

Examine Your Options 

If you don't yet know whether you 
will install FireWire or USB, you can 
install a card that sports both port 
types. The PCI (Peripheral Component 
Interconnect) card we install here, the 
Belkin Hi-Speed USB 2.0 And FireWire 
Card F5U508 ($89.99; www.belkin 
.com), offers two FireWire and three 
USB 2.0 ports. (The newer version of 
this card, which bears the same part 
name, provides three of each port.) 

We chose the Belkin card because it 
is easy to install and users report that it 
works well. Several manufacturers, in- 
cluding LaCie and Adaptec, also make 
FireWire cards. If you have a notebook, 
making it difficult to add internal com- 
ponents, you can probably install a 
FireWire adapter. LaCie's Combo PC 
Card ($69; www.lacie.com) adds two 
FireWire and two USB 2.0 ports. 

Get Down To Business 

Most add-on FireWire cards re- 
quire Windows 98SE or later and a 



PC with a 266MHz processor 
and at least 32MB of mem- 
ory. You must have an 
open PCI slot. PCI is a 
high-speed data trans- 
fer standard used on 
PCs after 1993. Virtually all 

PCs manufactured after 1995 have 
the second, faster PCI 2.1 standard. 

The instructions that follow install 
this card on a Windows XP machine 
with Internet connectivity. If you are 
installing it under an earlier version of 
Windows or are installing a different 
card, the hardware installation will be 
similar. However, you should refer to 
the instructions that came with the 
card for software installation specifics. 

Disassembly. Shut down Windows 
and turn off your PC. Unplug all power 
cords and device cables and place the 
main computer box in a well-lit area. 
Remove your computer's case. The en- 
tire case may slide off, or your PC may 
have a side panel that slides off or pops 
out to reveal the internal components. 

Touch something metal to dis- 
charge the naturally occurring static in 
your body. If you leave the immediate 
area, do this again, or you risk frying 
your system's circuit boards. 

Slot identification. Look on the 
motherboard (a flat circuit board that 
covers the bottom or side panel) for 
card slots. You'll see several plastic 
cards with circuitry inserted into 
shallow (about a half-inch tall) con- 
nector slots. A few of these slots 
should be empty. PCI slots have 
two connectors, placed side by 
side, with the first connector much 
shorter than the second. They are 
approximately 3. 5 -inches long and 
are usually white or cream. 

It's possible that you may not 
have an available slot. Ethernet 
cards, older video cards, and a host 
of other system upgrades use PCI 
connections. If not, see if you have 
unused cards installed. You may also 
be able to upgrade your video card to 

Interior access on our test unit was through 

a side panel that slid off; some PCs have 

side panels that drop down or case covers 

that come completely off. 



AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port) to 
free a PCI slot. Check the documenta- 
tion that came with your PC or any 
cards you have installed for assistance 
removing or upgrading cards. 

Card insertion. Adjacent to each slot 
is a metal cover screwed over the case 
opening where a card's external con- 
nectors appear. Remove both the screw 
and the metal cover. Remove the new 
PCI card from its packaging, holding it 
only by the edges, and match up the 
connectors to insert it into the open 
slot. Press firmly but gently, rocking the 
card slightly if necessary to seat it. 

Final steps. Use the screw from the 
metal cover to attach the card at the 
same spot on the PC's box. Replace 
the PC case and tighten the screws. 
Return your PC to its original location 
and reconnect all peripherals. 

Make the connection. Plug in your 
PC and start it up. Depending on your 
version of WinXP, the OS may detect 
the new card and install drivers. If it 
does not, connect to the Internet and 
initiate the New Hardware Wizard. 
(Select Control Panel from the Start 
Menu, click Switch To Classic View, 
and double click Add Hardware.) 
Follow the instructions. Be sure to select 
the Install The Software Automatically 
(Recommended) option when it is of- 
fered. Plug in your FireWire device and 
you are ready to go. II 

by Jennifer Farwell 




|November2005 81 



Browsers 



Quick Studies 



Beginner 



Add A Spell Checker To Firefox & Internet Explorer 



Firefox & 
Internet Explorer 



The ieSpell 

add-on for 

Internet Explorer 

checks your 

spelling as you 

enter information 

on Web pages. 




For better or for worse, we rely on spell 
checkers. We also type a lot of text on various 
types of Web pages — Web forms, online forums, 
shopping sites, and the like — that don't include 
built-in spell- checking capabilities. (OK, you can 
surely see where this article is heading.) 

Fortunately, you can add spell- checking capabil- 
ities to browsers such as Firefox and Internet 
Explorer. Then, whenever you finish typing some- 
thing on a Web page, you can click an option here 
and there to find out whether you're about to post 
an embarrassing spelling error or typo. 

And even when you're using a Web form that 
includes its own spell-check feature, some browser 
spell- check tools provide other advantages. First, 
they're faster than any Web page spell checkers 
we've seen. Second, storing the dictionary on your 
own computer means you can add custom words 
that the program uses wherever you feel 
the need to turn on its spelling prowess. 

For Firefox Users 

To add a spell checker to Firefox, you'll 
need to download a specialized extension 
or third-party component that provides 
new features for the browser. In this case, 
the extension we recommend is Spell- 
Bound. The SpellBound extension wasn't 
accessible through the standard Firefox ex- 
tensions gallery when we checked; instead, go to 
spellbound.sourceforge.net/install, choose your 
browser version (likely Firefox 1.x), select your OS 
(operating system) from the drop-down menu, 
and click Install. You'll probably see a security no- 
tice at the top of your Firefox window, along with a 
special Web page describing how Firefox blocks 
potential security threats. Follow the instructions to 
assure Firefox that the download is safe. You'll 
need to restart Firefox to complete the installation. 
Next, load a dictionary for the spell checker to 
use. A wide range of languages is available, in- 
cluding five varieties of English. Go to diction 
aries.mozdev.org/installation.html and click a lan- 
guage. If you see a security notice at the top, click 
Edit Options and then click Allow. Click OK and 
click the language link again to reattempt the in- 
stallation. In the Software Installation box, click 
Install Now. You soon should see a small dialog 
box confirming the installation. 



Test out your new spell checker by browsing to a 
page that includes a form — even the simple search 
field at Google. Type a misspelled word, but before 
you submit the form or perform the search, right- 
click and choose Check Spelling. A standard spell 
check window appears with suggestions for you to 
consider when replacing the misspelled word. 

For Internet Explorer Users 

IE doesn't have the same fancy extension capa- 
bility that Firefox boasts, but there are plenty of 
extension-like add-ons available. Our favorite in 
the spelling realm is ieSpell, which is free for per- 
sonal use. Go to www.iespell.com and look for the 
download link on the page's left side. After in- 
stalling ieSpell, you might need to restart IE. 

After typing a few words into a page's field or 
form, you can launch ieSpell by selecting ieSpell 
from the Tools menu or clicking the ieSpell button 
on the main toolbar or right- clicking the field and 
choosing the ieSpell command. Like SpellBound, 
ieSpell presents a familiar spell check window. You 
can choose to replace the word with one of ieSpell's 
suggestions, tell the program to ignore the word, or 
add the word to your dictionary. 

Another Option 

The add-ons we described aren't the only ones 
available for adding spell- checking capabilities to 
your browser. For instance, the Google toolbar 
(toolbar.google.com/firefox for Firefox; toolbar 
.google.com/index_2 for IE) now includes a spell 
check function. Just click the Check button after 
typing a word or phrase in a Web page's field or 
form, and possible misspelled words will appear 
underlined in red. Click a word to see the spelling 
suggestions that the Google toolbar displays in a 
small drop-down menu. Pick one of the proffered 
alternatives, and it automatically takes the place of 
the word you typed. The Google toolbar also lets 
you add new words to the dictionary or ignore all 
instances of a particular word. Even so, Google's 
spell checker requires the use of the Google toolbar. 
So, if you don't want another toolbar on your 
browser window, just remember that SpellBound 
and ieSpell stand ready to help. II 

by Alan Phelps 



82 November 2005 / www.smartcomputing.com 



Quick Studies 



Spreadsheet 

Intermediate 

2002 for 

Win9x/NT 

4.0/2000/XP 



Microsoft Excel 2002 

Using Templates 




Start every 

workbook 

with settings 

customized for 

your business 

by creating 

templates. Save 

the templates in 

folders to keep 

them on tabs in 

the Templates 

dialog box. 



Sometimes getting in a rut isn't all that bad. 
When you find a setup that works for your 
Excel worksheets, there's nothing wrong with 
sticking with it. Don't think of it as being boring as 
much as being efficient. If most of the workbooks 
you work with tend to be set up in a few common 
ways, streamline your work by giving up on man- 
ually formatting each workbook. Instead, use a 
template to ensure that each workbook starts its 
life with all of your preferred settings in place. 

The idea of templates is 
familiar to Office users, 
but you may not have 
used them much in Excel. 
While most PowerPoint 
documents start life as a 
template, the typical Excel 
user creates everything 
from the blank slate of a 
plain, unformatted work- 
book. Although you may have never used them, 
Excel does come with a few built-in templates. To 
see them, choose File and New. In the task pane 
on the right side of the screen, click General 
Templates. The dialog box's Spreadsheet So- 
lutions tab includes five templates for common 
workbooks such as an expense statement, sales 
invoice, and timecard. Double-click one to start a 
new document based on the template. (If you've 
never used the templates, Excel may tell you to 
insert the Office CD so it can install them.) 

If you'd like more options in templates, jump 
online and download a few. You'll find them 
for free download at the official Office website 
(office.microsoft.com). Plus, you'll find plenty 
more available online with a Google search. 

Keep in mind that building a document around 
a template doesn't change the template itself. 
When you start modifying a new workbook, the 
template remains unchanged, so you can repeat- 
edly use it to create new files. 

Create Your Own 

Most of the time, you'll prefer customized work- 
books to anything someone else provides. Excel 
makes it easy to save your own. Modify a work- 
book to reflect the settings you want for details 
such as column widths, colors, fonts, formulas, 
and text that appears in certain cells. 



The secret is in the saving. While your properly 
modified workbook is open, choose File and Save 
As. Give it a name such as Acme Expense Template 
and then click the arrow beside the Save As Type 
drop-down list and choose Template (*.xlt). Excel 
should automatically switch the active directory to 
the Templates folder, which is where you should 
save all templates for the easiest access. 

Now when you click New and General Tem- 
plates, you'll see your Acme Expense Template on 
the General tab in the Templates dialog box. 
Double-click it to start a new workbook with your 
preferred expense report settings in place. When 
you save your new workbook for the first time, be 
sure to choose the right folder. Excel will probably 
try to save it in the Templates folder by default. 

You can organize your custom templates by 
creating folders within the Templates folder with 
names such as Travel and Payroll. When you 
choose File and New and click General Templates, 
you'll see a tab for each of the subfolders you've 
created, along with their corresponding templates. 

Any template can be modified at any time. 
Remember that modifying the template does not 
affect any existing workbooks you built around 
the template. The changes will appear only in files 
created in the future. 

Set A Default Template 

Some Excel users perform nearly all their work 
in a single kind of workbook. In those situations, it 
might be a real time-saver to set up your own tem- 
plate as Excel's default. When you do this, every 
document you create with a quick click of the New 
button on the Standard toolbar will feature all of 
the settings you put in the default template. 

You can make any template the default. Format 
a workbook as you like it and save it in the XLStart 
folder as Book.xlt. (You should find XLStart within 
your overall Office folder.) Once it's saved there, 
you can open and modify this template just as you 
would any other Excel workbook. Each time you 
save the template, all new workbooks built with it 
will show the same changes. If you decide you want 
a different template for default documents, save a 
new document with the Book.xlt name or delete 
BooLxlt to revert to Excel's defaults. II 

by Trevor Meers 



Smart Computing / November 2005 83 



Intuit Quicken 2005 Premier 



Quick Studies 



Personal Finance 

Intermediate 

2005 for 

Win98/Me/ 

2000/XP 



Benefits Of A Balanced Budget 



To make your 

budget more 

manageable, 

try removing 

some expense 

categories that 

you don't use or 

need to track. 




If unexpected expenses are continually throw- 
ing a wrench into your financial plans — such as 
when gas prices jump a quarter per gallon over- 
night — creating a flexible budget can help you stay 
on track. 

Quicken 2005 Premier has plenty of budgeting 
tools to help you stay on track with even the most 
unorthodox budget situation. 

Start A Budget 

To start the budgeting process, click Planning 
and Budget. Quicken will open the Budget 
window and help you set up a budget. 

Setup (Automatic). In the Setup portion of the 
Budget window, you can choose whether to auto- 
matically or manually create your budget. If you 
have been entering your financial transactions in 
Quicken for a couple of months, select Automatic 
and click Create Budget. This is the easiest and 
fastest way to start working with a budget in 
Quicken. The software will use your previously 
entered data to set the budget amounts. 

After selecting Automatic, Quicken will ask 
how you want to set up the 
budget's parameters. Click 
the Categories button if 
you want to remove some 
categories from your bud- 
get. After making all of 
your selections, click OK. 

Setup (Manual). If you 
have no financial transac- 
tions entered elsewhere in 
Quicken, you probably 
will be better off selecting Manual. (Better yet, 
you may want to wait to create a budget until 
you've entered at least a couple of months' worth 
of financial data into Quicken, which will help 
you create a more accurate budget.) 

Regardless of which option you choose, you 
can always edit the values during or after the 
budget-creation process. For the remainder of 
this process, we'll assume you're using the 
Automatic option. (Special instructions for 
Manual budgets will appear in parenthesis.) 

Income. The list of income categories will ap- 
pear in the main window. (If you are using a 
Manual budget, click the Choose Categories 
button. Then select the income categories you 



want to use and click OK.) To edit the amounts, 
highlight an income category and enter the data 
on the right side of the window. 

Choose the budgeting method you want to use: 
Average, Monthly Detail, or Quarterly Detail. 
Average will spread the budgeted amount evenly 
over 12 months. Monthly detail allows different 
amounts each month; quarterly detail allows dif- 
ferent amounts each quarter. Then enter the 
amount(s) to use and click Apply. (In the main 
portion of the window, though, Quicken will al- 
ways show the monthly average.) 

Expenses. When you've finished with the 
Income portion, click the Expenses tab, and the list 
of expense categories will appear. (For those using 
a Manual budget, click the Choose Categories 
button, select the categories you want to use, and 
click OK.) 

To edit amounts in each category, follow the 
same procedure as with the Income portion. The 
only difference is you can set an alert when your 
actual spending exceeds the budgeted amount in 
a particular category. 

If you're using an Automatic budget and you 
don't want to use some of the categories listed in 
the Income or Expenses portions of the Budget 
window, click the Choose Categories button to re- 
move categories from your budget. (You can add 
extra categories using the same procedure.) 

Savings. After completing the information in the 
Expenses portion, click the Savings tab, where you 
can track any money you regularly save or invest. 
Click the Choose Accounts button to select savings 
or investment accounts from within Quicken to in- 
clude in your budget. After clicking OK, highlight 
an account and enter the amount you regularly add 
to that account. Then click Apply. 

Summary. Click the Summary tab to see a table 
listing all of your budget data, divided by month. 
To see additional detail in one of the months, 
highlight the amounts in a particular month and 
click Details. 

Quicken also will create a pie chart that shows 
what percentage of your expenses are devoted to 
each category. To change the look of the pie 
chart, click the Top Yearly Budget Items menu 
and select either Discretionary Spending or 
Mandatory Spending. II 

by Kyle Schurman 



84 November 2005 / www.smartcomputing.com 



Online 



Quick Studies 



Intermediate 
Online 



Bring Online Info To Your Desktop With Widgets 




Konfabulator, 

recently acquired 

by Yahoo!, 

includes widgets 

that scrape 

sites to bring 

current online 

information to 

your Desktop. 



Yahoo! Widgets (widgets.yahoo.com) scrape 
and gather Web page information and display 
that info in colorful little packages where you're 
most likely to see it: on your Windows Desktop. 

Widgets are free, shiny, and something new to 
fiddle with besides your screen saver. Basically, 
these small programs display simple data — the 
weather, how many emails you have, traffic condi- 
tions, and the like — either on top of or underneath 
your other open windows. Once known as Konfab- 
ulator, the software that makes widgets possible re- 
cently was gobbled up in an acquisition by Yahoo!. 
Sure, you can access the same type of info via 
your browser; after all, it's not that hard to look up 
the weather forecast. If you have the screen space, 
though, a little widget or two can turn your boring 
Desktop into an always-on readout of useful data. 

Widget Basics 

Visit the Yahoo! Widgets home page to 
download the latest version. Yahoo! in- 
cludes a few widgets with the installation 
package that will get you started. Some wid- 
gets, but not all of them, load by default. 
For instance, you'll soon see an analog clock 
(complete with a second hand), a weather 
forecast, and the Picture Frame, the latter of 
which is a small image viewer that cycles 
through photos on your Flickr (www.flickr 
.com) account or on your hard drive. 

To see what other widgets you already have, 
open My Documents and My Widgets. Double- 
click a widget icon to load it. Any widget you 
leave open when you shut down your computer 
will automatically load when you restart your PC. 
Each widget has its own customizable settings. 
To select an individual widget's options, right-click 
the widget and choose Widget Preferences. 
Although widgets are different, they all have at least 
the Window options in common; this is where you 
choose whether widgets should float on top of 
other windows, always appear below everything 
else on-screen, or act like typical windows that can 
be in the foreground or the background, de- 
pending on what you click. Another control, 
Opacity, determines if you can "see through" the 
widget when it overlaps another screen element. 

Depending on a particular widget's settings, you 
might be able to right-click a widget only when in 



Konspose mode, which darkens everything on- 
screen except widgets. Yahoo! might change this 
option's name, but you can probably still toggle it 
on or off by pressing F8. When in Konspose mode, 
you can move widgets around, select widget op- 
tions, or just stare at them for hours on end. 

More Shiny Things 

After you get started down the widget road, 
you'll likely want even more widgets. You can find 
them in the widget gallery at www.widgetgallery 
.com. (If this Web address doesn't work, check the 
Yahoo! Widget home page for a link.) The gallery 
includes a list of categories on the left side of the 
page and widget descriptions on the right. As of 
this writing, the gallery includes more than 600 
widgets, and all of them are free for personal use. 

If you want to browse through the gallery's wid- 
gets, scroll down and click Older to see the widgets 
in reverse order of when they were submitted to the 
gallery. If that sounds tedious, select a category to 
narrow your search. If you come to a widget that 
sounds interesting, click Download. When your 
browser asks where to save the file, browse to the 
My Widgets folder in My Documents. Some wid- 
gets are compressed into zipped files, so you'll need 
to extract those before you can use those widgets. 
When a download is complete, go to My Widgets 
and double- click the new widget's icon. 

The more widgets you have, the harder it will be 
to find space for them all. This is one area where 
the Konspose mode can come in handy. You can 
set up some widgets so they appear on your 
Desktop all of the time; then, you can set up the 
other, lesser widgets to appear only when you 
toggle into Konspose mode. That way, you don't 
need to make room on your Desktop for every- 
thing, but your widget collection will be easy to ac- 
cess at any time by pressing F8. 

The Widget Shuffle 

Widgets aren't the end all, be all; you might even 
grow tired of them and decide that your former 
clean screen has a greater appeal. But with new 
widgets continually popping up, you never know 
when one will strike your fancy. II 

by Alan Phelps 



Smart Computing / November 2005 85 



Jasc Paint Shop Pro 8 



Quick Studies 



Image Processing 
Advanced 



The Histogram 



8 for Win98SE/ 

Me/NT 4.0/ 

2000/XP 



(NOTE: Corel 

acquired Jasc 

Software, so the 

most recent 

version, Paint 

Shop Pro 9, may 

list Corel as 

the developer) 




The Histogram is 

a fun tool you 

can use to 

correct a photo's 

contrast, 

brightness, and 

color balance. 




The Histogram 

Adjustment 

dialog box makes 

it easy to 

perform subtle 

contrast 

modifications. 



Whether you're a hobbyist or a professional 
image editor, you've likely used Paint Shop 
Pro's one-step color and contrast adjustment tools. 
If you fall into the latter category, however, you 
may have found that the One Step Photo Fix com- 
mand and other tools, such as the Automatic 
Contrast Enhancement command, don't give you 
the exact amount of control over a photo that you 
need, especially if your PC's display is less than per- 
fect. That's where the Histogram comes in handy. 

The Histogram is a graph that displays the dis- 
tribution of various image values: red, green, blue, 
greyscale, hue, saturation, and lightness. Not only 
does it let you see specific values for each compo- 
nent, but it also lets you adjust a photo's color and 
contrast in precise ways. There's a lot to the tool, 
so in the limited space of this article, we had to 
narrow our focus and cover only con- 
trast and brightness adjustments. 

Get Acquainted 

Before you begin, it's important to un- 
derstand what the graph shows. Launch Paint Shop 
Pro, open a photo, and make a selection within it. 
(We recommend selecting a small portion of a 
photo the first time you use the Histogram to make 
it easier to understand what you're seeing.) Then, 
open the View menu, select Palettes, and click 
Histogram. No matter what photo or selection you 
chose, you'll likely see a colorful, confusing chart 
with many spikes within it. The chart initially dis- 
plays all the selected channels, and a different color 
represents each channel. Pick just one — for ex- 
ample, Green — and deselect the others. 

The horizontal axis shows you the amount of 
green ranging from (no color) to 255 (full 
strength). The vertical axis shows you the number 
of pixels that reside at each color strength. Place 
your pointer at any spot along the graph, and you'll 
see that color's strength by looking at the values on 
the right side of the Histogram window. For in- 
stance, in our chart, we see a large spike at the value 
of 157, which tells us that in our selection, there are 
many pixels with a green value of 157. 

Greyscale also ranges from to 255, but rather 
than showing the amount of gray, this value repre- 
sents a range from black (0) to gray (about 127) to 
white (255) and indicates how bright or luminous 
a selection is. You can use the Histogram to learn 



more about a photo's hue, saturation, and light- 
ness, too. If the selection is undersaturated, when 
you select the Saturation checkbox, you'll see a ma- 
genta spike on the left side of the chart. If the selec- 
tion is overly saturated, you'll see more values and 
spikes toward the right side of the chart. Another 
way of analyzing saturation is to think of it as the 
level of gray added to the hue, or the actual color. 

In addition, the Histogram can tell you about 
hue values, which correspond to the values on a 
color wheel. The selection we chose as our ex- 
ample has a range of reds and oranges, and not 
surprisingly, when we select the Hue channel, we 
see a large spike at the value 30, which lies be- 
tween red (0) and yellow (43). 

Final Adjustments 

OK, now that you understand a little bit about 
what a Histogram can tell you, what can you actu- 
ally do with that data? One key correction you can 
make is to adjust a selection's contrast. From the 
Adjust menu, choose Brightness And Contrast and 
click Histogram Adjustment. In the dialog box, 
select the Luminance radio button and then select 
Default from the Presets drop- down menu. 

If the contrast is a bit "off," the darkest pixels in 
the selection aren't black and the lightest pixels in 
the selection aren't white. If the data doesn't reach 
both ends of the horizontal axis, click and drag the 
Low slider to the far left end and then click and drag 
the High slider to the far right end. This effectively 
stretches out the data, and you can see the differ- 
ence this adjustment makes by comparing the two 
selections in the preview window. If the overall 
image is too dark or too light, move the Gamma 
slider to the right or the left, respectively. Click OK. 

To use the automated Histogram tools, open the 
Adjust menu, select Brightness And Contrast, and 
select Histogram Equalize to "spread out" the se- 
lection's brightness (distribute the pixels' lightness 
values more evenly). Or, for another type of effect, 
select Histogram Stretch (from the Brightness And 
Contrast submenu of the Adjust menu) to increase 
a selection's contrast. Granted, these last two tools 
aren't as fun as the Histogram Adjustment tools, 
but sometimes a one-step process will do the trick 
if you're in a hurry. II 

by Heidi V.Anderson 



86 November 2005 / www.smartcomputing.com 



Microsoft PowerPoint 2002 



Quick Studies 



Presentation 
Advanced 



2002 for 

Win9x/NT4.0/ 

Me/2000/XP 



Clarify your 

abstract ideas 

the fast way: 

Turn them into a 

Pyramid Diagram 

or one of the 

other diagrams 

PowerPoint 

helps you create. 



Using Diagrams 




No good business presentation goes by with- 
out a few charts and diagrams. With Power- 
Point's Diagram Gallery, you can add preformatted 
conceptual illustrations and fill them in with your 
specific points. 

Types Of Diagrams 

Click the Drawing toolbar's Diagram Gallery 
button to produce a dialog box with options for 
six types of diagrams. 

Organization Chart. These charts show who 
reports to whom in a company. They're great for 
showing new employees how many middle 
managers are above them or for explaining 
corporate reorganizations. 

Cycle Diagram. Maybe you need to teach 
a bunch of third-graders about the circle of 
life. Or perhaps you just need to show man- 
agers how employees revert to a low perfor- 
mance level without training and feedback. 
Use a cycle diagram whenever you're illus- 
trating a continuous or looping process. 
Radial Diagram. Like a hub and spokes, this 
diagram illustrates how multiple elements all re- 
late to a central person, idea, or office. 

Pyramid Diagram. When you can't accomplish 
step two without solid results from step one, illus- 
trate the idea with a pyramid diagram. This shows 
relationships built on successive foundations. 

Venn Diagram. Who knew there was a name for 
these things? Think of all those charts you've seen 
where several circles with names such as Market 
and Idea touch each other, and the shaded overlap 
areas indicate a special area such as Opportunity. 
Venn Diagrams help you illustrate how concepts 
combine to form special situations. 

Target Diagram. This one's universally recog- 
nized. Place results on this diagram to instantly 
see how close you are to reaching the goal. 

Editing Diagrams 

In the Diagram Gallery, double- click the type 
of diagram you want to add, and PowerPoint 
drops a basic version of it onto the active slide. 

The Diagram toolbar appears on-screen with 
controls for working with your new illustration. 
One of your earliest concerns may be sizing the di- 
agram to better fit your slide. Click the Layout 



button and choose Scale Diagram from the drop- 
down menu. Now you can drag the sizing handles 
around the diagram to enlarge or reduce it. 

Each diagram type comes with text boxes in 
different places. Organization charts, for example, 
have text boxes on each shape. Venn Diagrams 
place the boxes just outside each circle. To add 
your own text to any box, just click it and start 
typing. Format the text by highlighting it and 
using the usual array of buttons and drop -down 
menus for items such as font, color, and size. 

The individual elements that make up diagrams 
are AutoShapes just like those you would manually 
insert. That means you can click them and use var- 
ious tools on the Drawing toolbar to adjust their 
look. To put a red circle in the center of a Target 
Diagram, for example, click the center circle, click 
the toolbar's Fill Color button, and choose red. If 
you want a 3D look for an entire pyramid dia- 
gram, hold down the SHIFT key as you click all 
the pieces. Then use the Drawing toolbar's 3-D 
Style button to get the look you want. (If all the 
editing options are grayed out, right- click the dia- 
gram and uncheck the Use AutoFormat selection.) 

PowerPoint's diagrams often won't have all the 
parts you need to tell the story, but you can add 
more. Click the element you want the new one next 
to and click Insert Shape on the Diagram toolbar. 

You can move one element elsewhere in the dia- 
gram. Click the element and use the Move Shape 
Backward and Move Shape Forward buttons to 
slide it through each position in the diagram. 

New Looks Fast 

PowerPoint offers predesigned styles to help 
you create good-looking diagrams. Restyle a dia- 
gram by clicking the AutoFormat button on the 
Diagram toolbar. The dialog box offers 10 looks. 

You can even switch diagram styles in mid- 
stream if you decide a Cycle Diagram, for example, 
would make your point better than a Radial. Click 
the Change To button on the Diagram toolbar and 
choose the type of diagram you want to switch to. 
PowerPoint moves text into the appropriate boxes 
when you convert styles, but you'll lose any special 
formatting. If you decide switching styles was a bad 
idea, press CTRL-Z to go back. II 

by Trevor Meers 



Smart Computing / November 2005 87 




Quick Tips 

Secrets For Succeeding In Common Tasks 



by Stephen J. Bigelow 



Outlook 



I can't spell to save my life, and I'm al- 
ways sending emails with embarrassing spelling 
errors in the text. Can I check spelling on the fly 
without having to do it manually each time? 

Answer: Email clients such as Microsoft Outlook 
2000 can be configured to automatically check 



your spelling before each message is sent. With 
Outlook running, click Tools and Options, click 
the Spelling tab, and then select the Always Check 
Spelling Before Sending box. Now click Apply 
and OK to save your changes. 



Laser Printers i: Why is there a dark black line all the 

way down every page that comes out of my laser 
printer, and how can I stop it? 

Answer: Laser images are formed when a laser 
beam discharges points on an electrically charged 
drum. However, the drum must receive a uni- 
form electrical charge to begin with, and this is 
typically accomplished by applying a high voltage 
across a bare wire (called the primary corona) lo- 
cated along the drum surface. Sometimes, dust 
or other foreign matter can accumulate on the 
wire (attracted by the high voltage), preventing 



I always forget to request read receipts 
(or make timely responses to receipt requests). 
Is there any way to automate handling read re- 
ceipts for email? 

Answer: Email clients such as Microsoft Outlook 
2000 allow you to automate receipts. With Outlook 
running, click Tools and Options, click the E-mail 
Options button on the Preferences tab, and click 



the wire from precharging that point on the 
drum. As the drum rotates, toner is always at- 
tracted to the uncharged spot, resulting in a solid 
line that runs the length of each page. You can 
usually fix this problem by turning off the 
printer, allowing 10 to 15 minutes for the unit to 
cool and discharge, and cleaning the primary 
corona wire with the little wiper that is usually 
included in the development cartridge. Check the 
users guide for your printer for specific cleaning 
instructions. If you cannot clean the wire (or the 
problem persists), replace the electrophoto- 
graphic cartridge. 



the Tracking Options button. If you routinely need 
read receipts for your outgoing mail messages, se- 
lect the Request A Read Receipt For All Messages I 
Send box. Now each time you send an email, a read 
receipt is automatically requested — you won't need 
to manually specify a receipt. If you must respond 
to regular receipt requests, select the Always Send A 
Response button at the bottom of that dialog box. 
Be sure to click OK to save your changes. 



Outlook can be 
configured to 
automatically 
check spelling 
each time you 
click the Send 
button. 



Preferences | Mail Delivery Mail Format Spelling | Security j Other | 



General options — 

■■ .'. . ... ' •■ •■ . . 

•/ Always ched spelling before sending 
r Ignore words in UPPERCASE 
Ignore words with numbers 
17 Ignore ' or forward 

im dictionary 
ab'gf Add, ch i 



Language: | English (U.S.) ~^\ 



Tracking Options 

allow email users to 

attach read receipts 

and manage read 

receipt requests 

without manual 

intervention. 



Tj ::'■. J-JJj.-;. 0' ],' [J'jJj.. ^I^JLJI 


Options 






00 


. .. 
7 Process reflue ;es on arrival 




•* Process receipts on arrival 




After processing, move receipts to 


iDeletedltems Bro.se... j 






117 Request a read ecr messages I send 




Use this option to : ;o respt quests for read 




♦ Always send a response 




end a response 




f Ask me before sending a response 


OK | Cancel | 





88 November 2005 / www.smartcomputing.com 



Quick Tips 




I've had a CRT (cathode-ray tube) for 
years, and it's recently started to flicker briefly 
(accompanied by a slight crackle), but it always 
returns to normal. Is the CRT on the way out? 

Answer: Your CRT monitor is probably in the 
early stages of a high-voltage circuit failure. It 
takes up to 30,000 volts to operate a CRT (some- 
times a bit more for large CRTs). As the monitor 



Scanners Why do my scanned images have dirty 

spots on them? 

Answer: Chances are good that your glass scan- 
ning bed is dirty. Over time, it's almost inevitable 
that dust, pet hair, paper fibers, or other debris 
may accumulate on the glass bed. This usually ap- 
pears in subsequent scans as dirt or splotches. 



Embedding Question: I circulate lots of documents among 

Fonts my co-workers, but I often find that some folks 

can't properly view the documents because 
fonts are missing. Does everyone need to install 
the same fonts? 

Answer. That's certainly one solution, but there 
may be an easier alternative: Simply opt to 
embed the fonts along with the document. If 
you embed the fonts with the document file, 

Embedding fonts with your Word document 
ensures that recipients can view your document 
exactly as prepared. 




ages, the high-voltage insulation starts to break 
down, allowing for occasional, brief short cir- 
cuits that can momentarily darken the monitor. 
There's no immediate danger — the monitor 
won't explode or catch fire — but you might shop 
around for a repair facility that specializes in your 
monitor and weigh those repair costs against the 
purchase cost of a new CRT or LCD (liquid- 
crystal display) monitor. 

The best solution is prevention — periodically 
dust the glass with a dry, lint-free cloth. Avoid 
wetting the cloth unless you're trying to remove a 
stubborn stain or mark. If you must apply a 
cleaner such as Windex, be sure to dampen the 
cloth. Never spray directly onto the glass bed. 
Also remember to gently wipe down the white 
plastic coating on the scanner bed's lid. 

each recipient can view the document exactly as 
you prepared it, regardless of the fonts actually in- 
stalled on each system. For example, with Word 
2000 running, click Tools and Options, select the 
Save tab, and then check the Embed TrueType 
Fonts box. Now each time the document is saved, 
a copy of the fonts represented in the document 
will also be included with the document. However, 
saving a large number of fonts can make the 
overall file significantly larger. If you want to be a 
bit more frugal on overall file sizes, you can also se- 
lect the Embed Characters In Use Only box, which 
will only add data for the font characters that you 
actually use (rather than the entire font file). 



Program Confrol 



Internet i: How can I tell which programs are 

communicating across the Internet? 



Answer: If you're using a firewall, the firewall 
utility will list the executable files that are commu- 
nicating between your PC and a remote location 
(usually somewhere on the Internet). Open 
your firewall's control panel and look for the 
Program List. For Norton Internet Security, 
the list is accessible via the Programs tab. 
Scroll down the list to see every application 




Use your firewall as an early warning system to 
identify suspicious programs communicating 
from your PC. 



that is communicating (and the authority that 
each application is issued). 

This list often provides a handy early warning of 
spyware activity. If you notice a program that 
you don't recognize, you can opt to block it 
(preventing communication) or remove the pro- 
gram from the list entirely. The firewall should 
warn you if that program attempts to communi- 
cate again. Of course, if you later realize that a 
particular program is actually something that is 
needed, you can always re-enable or repermit 
communication. If you find unexpected applica- 
tions trying to communicate from your PC, it's 
worth running an antispyware utility to scan for 
malicious software. 



Smart Computing / November 2005 89 



SmartComputing.com 



Your Computer's 

Online Lifeline 



SmartComputing.com is not only what you need to keep your computer running smoothly, it's also where you 
can go when your computer's in need of a tune-up. We'll help you diagnose the problem, treat it, and get your PC 
back up and running. Here are just a few of the benefits of subscribing to Smart Computing: 



Article Search By Topic 

Visit www.smartcomputing.com and click 
Search All Articles. Use the three-step de- 
tailed search to find the computing infor- 
mation you need, when you need it! 

Q&A Board 



You've got questions, we've got 
answers! Visit www.smartcom 
puting.com, select Q&A Board, 
and post a question for around- 
the-clock, user-to-user computing 
help. Plus, you'll be notified via 
email every time your question re- 
ceives an answer! 



Free Technical Support! 

Ever seem like your PC's operating system 
needs to go to the operating room? Well, 
browse through our Tech Support Center at 
www.smartcomputing.com to get your PC 
functioning the way it should. Or call (800) 
368-8304 to talk to a live representative for 
free! Phone support is available 7 a.m. to 
8 p.m. CST, Monday through Friday. 



Were your OHC-Stop Shop for 

computer problem-solving. 



» Support Center, call us up anJwi'll w? f uu ll.iiu.jh Ihe problem. 

Visit our 1 ■; c r'l jLflcor: Ler!6- . 



Log on today to take advantage of these and every 
thing else Smart Computing has to offer. Your com- 
puter will thank you with its performance. 



90 November 2005 / www.smartcomputing.com 




Find More Online 



Find Answers 



My Personal Library 



We can't possibly fit every helpful tip, tweak, or troubleshooting tidbit in print. That's 
why you'll find a wealth of resources at our Web site, www.smartcomputing.com. 
Here are some tips for using our Web site to find more information about 
the articles in this month's print issue. 



Search Articles Online 



If you're looking for more information on 
wireless technologies, visit SmartComputing 
.corn's extensive archive of articles. Simply 
click the Search All Articles link in the blue 
left-hand side menu. Search the latest issue of 
Smart Computing or check out previous is- 
sues. For a more detailed search, scroll to the 
bottom of the page and enter a term (e.g., 
Bluetooth, Treo, or BlackBerry) and find 
even more information! 



PC Today. 

Your Mobile Authority 

Be sure to check out PCToday.com, 
SmartComputing.com's sister site, which of- 
fers even more information on wireless tech- 
nology. PCToday.com provides online 
articles, Technology Guides, and other mo- 
bile information. Log on to PCToday.com 
and scroll the left-hand side blue menu to 
find links to all of these great articles! 



JComputing. 



>IF«.MWJTO^|JffW|M 



Search Options 



Foi a solution to .1 ipedfk problem, we snomjly smjijest yon visit out r?cfo ^nj-j" 

Browse; 

Latest Issue af Smart Comoamxf 

Biowse All Issn**: 

SrrmtGwwfiinqimb ALL Computing ft Consume' Efeelrcmcs Fubkatrons 



Blows* All Ankles: 
Smart tfompm JfWQply , 



f'E'e;lr°".'t$Pvfrl'Ca1ians 



3-Step Detailed Search: 






Smart Computing, including 
PC Novice Reference Series, 
Gwrfe Series, and Lssming 
Series 


General computing: tips, tutorials, 
troubleshooting, hardware, and 
software 


D 


Comfufi » Power Wwr (CPU) 


High- end personal computing 


□ 


PC Today 


Mobile Phone 4 PDA Tips, W 9 b Site ft 

Online Service Guides. Office Software 
Tutotisls 


□ 


CG Lifestyles/ CE Tips 


Consumer electronics 


□ 


Processor 


Business/ Enterprise c ampul ing 



Step <2> ** Pick An Aiticte Type: 



O Tui oiials on i n stalling . upg lading , rep la c i ng , optimising . etc . 

O General information 

<5 Search ALL (may return many results) 

i 3 ■ » Finally, click ,1 category fioni rlie list !■■■!■ ■■--.■... 




Search All Articles 

Read Hardware Review 
Create Comparison Che 

Read Software Reviews 

Web-Only Articles 

Q&A Board 

Computing Chat Room 

'irectory Of Web Sites 

mputing Dictionary & 



ily Tip Archive 



Web Log Archive 
Subscribe & Shop 
User Groups 
Advertising 
About Us 
Extras 



SmartComputing / November 2005 91 



SmartComputing.com 



Solutions Knowledgebase 

Can't find answers to your common computer issues and frequently asked questions? Take a look at our Solutions 
Knowledgebase in the SmartComputing.com Tech Support Center. Here you will find answers to many Common 
Problems and Frequently Asked Questions, all with helpful translations and solutions. Browse or search this useful 
knowledgebase and find answers quickly and easily! 



IGo to www.smartcomputing.com and click 
the link to the Tech Support Center on the 
home page. If you're a subscriber, be sure to log in 
first on the home page. 



2 Once in the SmartComputing.com Tech 
Support Center, scroll down and click the links 
in the Solutions Knowledgebase area to search or 
browse the Common Problems and Frequently 
Asked Questions. 




/ 



Tiy 3 Issues of Sm,?rf 
Computing, RISK -FREE: 



First Name: 

Last Name: 

Address: 

City: 

State: 

ZIP: I 




rech Support Center new! Chi 



Were your Olie-StOp Shop for 

computer problem-solving. 



SmartComputing.com Daily 



^ Computing; 



TrteMi 



Tip: 

Worried About 
_ Bluetooth 
fi:--,. 

•gflVPS Discoverable 
^■*~~™ Mode 

Term: 



Wei) Site: 

Center for 
Photographic Art 



OSA: 



Fun Facts ;; 

TiVo Me! 



Next Month's 
Articles Online 
How: 



cameras. Don't includi . blems or malfunction ortype in long phrases. 

Use one- or two-won: . e windows 

■ ...'. ■ "■."''' • ■ .: i ■■: . . : '■ ■ . 

Top Sis 
Ente i a subject to seaich by: 1 Seme 

2. RedX 
3. 

4. Hard Drive 

5. Startup Menu 



L~ 



[ Search | 



Error Messages 

If you're gettin age, this is the place to start. 

(Try this first.) ^Kj 

Search By Eiioi Message Text ^Q 

Basic Troubleshooting Articles: 

fr , .... . L,.,.. ..... 

Big. Bad St Blu - Undei n of Death" 

- Debuggers Let You Record 



Solutions Knowledgebase 

Solutions to the issues we hear about the most. 



Biowse A List of Common F'loHems & Fie<|nen» 
To | > 25 



Q 



\ 



mnrmmmm 



■■.■■■■■ . . :■: ':'..■ 

. ■■:<:'. :: . ' -■:.:':■ 



View ALL B i tfag Anicles 



Security & Privacy 



Computing, 


risk-free: 


First Name: 




I 


Last Name: 




ZD 






I 


City: 
State: 

Zip: 
Email: 




I 




itate 


I 




Mdg|ili!il5l:ffir3r>«Miiilfllillgrai 


Canadian resident clid< here 


AM otherforeian 


residents here 




Post it to our 
reader-response 
Q&A Board . 

iafure is 
s aiiai !e on!}? to paid 
subscribers.) 

Still Can't Find A Solution? 

i j time bet n 

and 8 prn, CST, Monday - 
Friday at (800) 368-8304 to 

- I _i j irt afi ii H 

all the 
details. (Note: We 

t iit I 

.' ■ 

■:•-' e a FREE 



Give us your thoughts on 
the Tech Suppoit Center 



92 November 2005 / www.smartcomputing.com 



3 If searching the list, enter the word or phrase to search for and click 
Search. If browsing the list, you can click the link at the top to the com- 
ponent you are looking for or scroll down the page to view the listings for 
each category. 



Common Problems and Frequently Asked Questions 




Computer 



Common Pi- 






'.. .:.■■•■■:. •■' '■..:..■■ ■-..■•.:-'.:':■':' 

. ; ■ .'-;:■■ 



Search Common Problems / FAQs 



Entei a woid 01 nhi.ise to $e<iich l>y: 



<^ 



O ALL Word- 'photography 1 ) 

©ANY Words ('digital' OR 'photography) 
C'E :act Mat 



■ 



4 Once you find what you're looking for, click the link for the appro- 
priate problem, and the resulting page will offer a translation and solu- 
tion to your problem! Subscribers, be sure to save these helpful listings 
using the Add To My Personal Library link in the upper right of each 
common problem or frequently asked question. 




General Site Tips 

Do it yourself! Troubleshoot your way 
through all of your computer problems 
with Smart Computing.com's Basic 
Troubleshooting Articles. This com- 
prehensive list of articles is comprised 
of topics from operating systems and 
software to security and spyware. Each 
article starts at square one and quickly 
helps you through all fundamental 
checks and tests. Find the entire list of 
articles in the Tech Support Center at 
SmartComputing.com 

Your daily dose of Smart. Start your 
day off right with the SmartComputing 
.com daily section! Receive fun facts, 
news, and general tips on everything 
computer related. Don't forget to 
check out Next Month's Articles 
Online Now and get a sneak peek at 
next month's issue. Check it out at 
SmartComputing.com today! 

Help is on the way! Still having diffi- 
culty finding answers to your ques- 
tions? At SmartComputing.com, we 
can help you renew your subscrip- 
tion, solve change of address issues, 
offer tech support, and so much 
more. Just click the Customer Service 
link located at the top-right corner 
of the site and find phone numbers, 
email addresses, and other useful 
information. 






SmartComputing / November 2005 93 



Compiled by David B. Whittle 
Graphics & Design b 1 ** "-• r ^ 




Backup Device 



^ M 



Safety Made Simple 



Almost everyone understands the importance of 
making regular data backups. However, most of us 
don t back up our work nearly as often as we know 
we should — historically speaking, backing data up has 
been inconvenient and intimidating. However, there are 
now specialized devices and software that make the task of 
maintaining backups simple, fast, and painless. This new 
generation of backup devices has been enabled by sophisti- 
cated software coupled with the simplicity and speed of 
USB 2.0, which lets Windows quickly recognize and 
configure an external device. 



Maxtor OneTouch II 

300GB FireWire/USB 2.0 drive 
($279.95; www.maxtor.com) 

The OneTouch II is a comprehensive, easy, 
and inexpensive backup option. You can 
purchase a variety of drive sizes with USB 
2.0 interfaces. There's also the option of 
adding FireWire. When used with its 
accompanying Dantz Retrospect Express 
HD software, this handy drive provides one- 
touch convenience for full or incremental 
backups. You can then restore your entire 
system or individual files as necessary. 



These devices can turn even the most recalcitrant 
procrastinator into a smiling advocate of regular backups. 
Consider whether one of the following devices might help 
you join the ranks of those who could recover quickly from a 
computing calamity. 





EZDigiMagicDM-180 

20GB USB 2.0 drive with multicard reader (20GB, $349; 40GB, $429; www.expnp-usa.com) 

This portable, palm-sized battery-powered backup device is great for keeping backups of individual 
files, such as your photos, music files, and documents. It's also perfect for copying or moving photo 
files from your digital camera to a small and easily portable storage device. 

Because of its relatively small capacity, however, it's not well-suited for backing up entire drives unless 
they're smaller than the capacity of the EZ DigiMagic. 



94 November 2005 / www.smartcomputing.com 




DIY: External Hard Drive 
& Software 

80GB Western Digital Essential USB 
2.0 external drive 
($89.99; www.wdc.com) 

Acronis True Image 8.0 
($49.99; www.acronis.com) 







■ 



One choice is to purchase an external 
hard drive and the appropriate 
software, such as the ones we mention 
above, and simply do it all yourself. 
This, however, requires time, 
knowledge, research, and patience, 
which is the reason a number of 
companies have developed products 
that make it even easier. 



Kanguru PC-Clone Kit 

80GB PC Clone Kit ($119.95; www.kanguru.com) 

This kit represents a cost-effective approach for those unafraid of getting down 
to the bare essentials: It includes an IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics) hard 
drive, power supply, and software. Just install the included Acronis Easy Migrate 
software, plug the module's two connectors into the hard drive, create a clone 
of your system drive, and put it in a safe place. Restoration is as easy as it gets: 
Just replace the failed drive with the backup drive, and your computer starts 
right up at the same point where you last backed up. 





Iomega REV 

35GB removable drive system ($399.99; www.iomega.com) 

Iomega sports a long tradition of removable, cartridge-based, high-capacity storage 
and backup options, so it's no surprise that it offers a system that lets you maintain 
multiple backups on relatively inexpensive removable media. With compression, each 
disk ($59.99) can hold up to 90GBs of data. 



SWISSMEM0RY USB Victorinox 

1GB USB 2.0 flash drive with Swiss Army knife ($220; www.victorinox.com) 

For the ultimate in file-by-file backup for gadget lovers, there's not 
much better than a flash drive combined with a genuine Swiss 
Army Knife. It's the ultimate merger of classic convenience and 
modern technology. It's very cool, but obviously not 
designed for complete system backups. 




Smart Computing / November 2005 95 





DLA-HD2K 1920 x 1080p Projection System 



A stunning performance that's 
earning rave reviews. 

As one of the world's most 
highly acclaimed directors, 
Francis Ford Coppola has 
truly redefined the art 
of moviemaking. That's 
why he chose the one 
projection system 
that is redefining 

the art of home cinema performance 
from JVC. Here's why: 
• Our D-ILA based system 
features today's most advanced 
LCOS technology 
3 patented D-ILA chips 
produce stunning, "movie-like" 
picture quality 

• 1920 x 1080p Native High 
Definition delivers razor- 
sharp resolution 

• Compact, lightweight units allow 
for more flexible installation 

• No "screen door" or 
"rainbow" effect 

For a preview of our award-winning 

projection systems, . 

talk to the Pros 

at JVC. Call 

1-800-582-5825 

for our FREE Home 

Cinema Design 

software, or visit 

us at www.jvc.com/pro/HD2K 




JVC 



The Perfect Experience 



www.jvc.com/pro 



/ 



Tech Support 




What To Do When . . . 



Your Computer 
Continuously Reboots 



A PC with bad memory, con- 
tinuously rebooting, sounds 
like the punch line to a bad 
joke. Judging from readers' 
calls and emails, though, it's 
is no laughing matter. If your com- 
puter reboots continuously, you may 
have a bad memory module. We'll 
help you identify the source and fix the 
problem. If only stupid humor were so 
easily eliminated. 

How can memory, also often known 
as RAM, go bad? Most commonly, 
memory modules (thin sticks slightly 
larger than a piece of gum) can work 
loose in their slots. Aging, overheat- 
ing, capacity overloads, or electrostatic 
shock can also damage the modules in 
minor or major ways. Similarly, some- 
times other problems (motherboard 
defects, CPU or power supply mal- 
functions, or corrupted software) can 
create system failures in resulting from 
the way they use memory. 

How can you distinguish memory 
problems from other sorts of mechan- 
ical maladies? Well, system instability 
(especially rebooting repeatedly) is a 
telltale sign. And if your PC tends to 
crash and reboot during memory- in- 
tensive operations, odds are good 
you're looking at a memory issue. If 
your PC won't start up at all, crashing 
and rebooting over and over, put 
memory at the top of your suspect list. 

To check memory, start by opening 
the case of your machine. (Unplug 
the power cord first.) Remove and re- 
seat each memory module, making 
sure you have clear and firm connec- 
tions. If you're still having trouble, 
use software to verify that your 
memory is at fault. Download a free 
utility such as memtest86+ (www 
.memtest.org) or DocMemory (www 
.simmtester.com), read the instruc- 
tions, create a startup diskette or CD, 



and boot into the utility. Run the 
tests, and if you find memory errors, 
move on to troubleshooting the mod- 
ules themselves. You probably won't 
know exactly which memory stick has 
gone bad (unless you have just one), 
so remove them and test each one to 
find the offender. When you have 
a bad module, you'll need to get a 
replacement — either via a warranty 
or by purchasing a new one from a 
trusted computer retailer. Be sure to 
buy RAM that's compatible with your 
motherboard and that matches your 
existing memory. (A mismatch will 
only cause more trouble.) 

Other Possibilities 

If memory troubles aren't to blame, 
there are several other culprits that 
could be causing similar problems. 




Use special memory-checking utilities to 
identify bad memory modules. 



Viruses. Foremost among other 
possible problems are viruses or other 
forms of malware. Install and run an 
antivirus app to make sure you're 
system gets clean and stays clean. 

WinXP settings. If you're a Win- 
dows XP user, the operating system 
may be causing part of the problem. 
The option to Automatically Restart 
on fatal errors doesn't give you a 
chance to collect error information on 
a BSOD (Blue Screen of Death) crash. 
To turn off the feature, right- click My 
Computer, select Properties, click the 
Advanced tab, choose the Settings 
button under Startup And Recovery, 
and deselect the Automatically Restart 



option. Restart your computer, and at 
least you'll be able to troubleshoot 
more effectively. 

Bad software. Software incompati- 
bilities can also cause system instability 
and continuous rebooting. If your 
problems arise during or immediately 
after installing new applications or 
drivers, try to roll your system back to 







V.,Ti,M„dR M (,-,, 


To troubleshoot 


»ZZZ,^-: 


more effectively, 


y.Tr*L>ds0*klI<*epirlUairfllMI: 30 J SKOWh 


stop WinXP from 


T<>«fe!t>t4«tu><v<l«Kfk.mrailh<fch£dt. | C* | 

w***. wi; to 9* sntpn \a) 


automatically 
rebooting 


(BfHimtrHfitaMt 


whenever it 


feSvMnAKC^Ufeafcn) 


encounters a 
fatal error. 


Sl-^l 









a previous state. If that doesn't work, 
you may need to reinstall drivers or 
use your Windows installation CD's 
Repair option. 

Bad hardware. Problems with other 
components can manifest themselves 
in ways that work through (or at least 
look like) memory issues. Damaged 
motherboard capacitors or memory 
caches, overloaded CPUs and power 
supplies, and faulty expansion cards 
can create chronic system instability. If 
memory fixes get you nowhere, work 
through each of the other possibilities. 

Tighten That Steel Trap 

Whatever the source, system insta- 
bility and continuous rebooting are no 
fun. There's a good chance you're just 
suffering from a little bit of faulty mem- 
ory. It happens to the best of us (and 
our machines) as we age. Thankfully, 
the computer version of the problem 
has a relatively easy solution. II 

by Gregory Anderson 



Smart Computing / November 2005 97 



Tech Support 



Examining Errors 



by Jeff Dodd 



Problem: A reader wants to 

eliminate an error message he 

receives each time he boots his 

PC running Windows XP. 

Error Message: "Generic Host 

Process for WIN32 Services has 

encountered a problem and 

needs to close. We are sorry 

for the inconvenience." 



Solution: Assuming the reader uses 
an up-to-date antivirus utility, this 
error most likely indicates a problem 
with an HP printer or scanner. 
The fastest solution is to 
turn off the computer, 
disconnect the hardware 
in question, reboot the 
PC, and reinstall the HP 
devices one at a time. 
Unfortunately, the reader 
didn't indicate whether 
he has an HP printer 
or scanner, so we can- 
not be certain if this 
solution will address 
his problem. 




For that reason, the reader should 
attempt one more corrective maneuver. 
This solution involves opening the 
Control Panel, selecting the Perfor- 
mance And Maintenance category, 
clicking Administrative Tools, 
and double-clicking Compo- 
nent Services. In the dialog 
box, he should click Services 
(Local) and locate the 

7WIA (Windows Image 
Acquisition) entry in the 
resulting list. He then 
should right- click the WIA 
entry and select Stop. Finally, 
rebooting the PC ought to fix 
this problem for good. I 



Problem: A reader recently began 

receiving an error message whenever 

he restarts WinXP or tries to install 

software. He traced the problem to the 

removal of spyware on his system. 

Error Message: "16-bit MS-DOS 

Subsystem. C:\Windows\ 

System32\Command.com. 

C:\Windows\System32\Autoexec.nt. 

The system file is not suitable 

for running MS-DOS and Microsoft 

Windows applications. Choose 

'Close' to terminate the application." 




Solution: As this message suggests, 
the problem is due to faulty Autoexec.nt 
and Command.com files. A spyware 
program probably altered these files — 
both of which enable WinXP to run 
DOS-based programs — while installing 
its malicious code on the PC. When the 
reader's antispyware utility excised the 
spyware, it failed to restore these system 
files to their rightful configuration. The 
solution is to replace Autoexec.nt and 
Command.com, along with Config.nt. 

To start, the reader should insert his 
WinXP installation disc in the optical 
drive and then open the Start menu, 
choose All Programs, open the Acces- 
sories submenu, and click Command 
Prompt. When the Command Prompt 
window appears, the reader should type 
the following commands (where D: is 
the letter representing the optical 
drive), pressing ENTER after each line: 

expand D:\i386\config.nt_ c:\win 
dows\system32\config.nt 

expand D:\i386\autoexec.nt_ c:\win 
dows\system32\autoexec.nt 

expand D:\i386\command.co_ c:\ 
windows\system32\command.com 

exit 



After rebooting, he should try rein- 
stalling the software he was trying to 
add. The error message shouldn't ap- 
pear this time, but if it does, the next 
step is to replace the Autoexec.nt and 
Config.nt files with duplicates that are 
already on his system. 

The reader can do so by opening My 
Computer and navigating to the C:\ 
WINDOWS\REPAIR folder. He should 
find the Autoexec.nt and Config.nt files 
and, while holding down the CTRL key, 
click each of them. He then should re- 
lease CTRL, open the Edit menu, and 
select Copy. Next, he should navigate to 
the C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32 folder, 
right- click the white space within this 
folder's window, and select Paste. If 
prompted, he should verify that he 
wants to replace the existing files of the 
same name. When healthy copies of 
Autoexec.nt and Config.nt are in the 
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32 folder, he 
should right- click the Autoexec.nt file 
and click Properties. From the dialog 
box, the reader should select the Read- 
only attribute and click OK. He should 
repeat this process to enable the Read- 
only attribute for the Config.nt file. 
The last step is to reboot the PC. I 



98 November 2005 / www.smartcomputing.com 



Tech Support 



Problem: Each time a reader tries to 
connect to the Internet in WinXP, she 
receives an error message. She can 
close the error message, but it imme- 
diately appears again. The reader 
suspects that the problem lies with 
her ISP (Internet service provider). 

Error Message: "Rh.exe has encoun- 
tered a problem and needs to close. 
We are sorry for the inconvenience. If 
you were in the middle of something, 
the information you were working on 
might be lost. For more information 
about this error, click here." 




Solution: 

The reference 
to Rh.exe clearly 

identifies the source of this problem as a 
piece of spyware called DownloadWare. 
The best way for the reader to eliminate 
the error is to get rid of Download- 
Ware. The easiest way to do so is to 
install antispyware — such as Spybot 
Search & Destroy (free; www.safer- 
networking.org) and/or Ad- Aware SE 
Personal (free; www.lavasoft.com) — 
and see if one or more of these antispy- 
ware programs finds and eliminates 
DownloadWare. 

If antispyware can't do the job, the 
reader's next course of action is to man- 
ually uninstall the spyware. Her first 
step is to open the Control Panel and 
click Add Or Remove Programs. The 
reader should look for DownloadWare 
among the list of installed programs. If 
she finds it, she should select it and click 
Remove. She also should uninstall any 
of these programs from the Add Or 
Remove Programs dialog box: Media- 
Loads; NetworkEssentials; PAgent; 
Vegas Palms, Royal Vegas, KFH, MLH, 
or other casino games; and WinEME. 
She should reboot after each uninstall. 



Next, the reader should edit the 
Registry. But before doing so, she needs 
to make a backup of her system because 
incorrectly modifying any Registry set- 
tings could leave her system inoperable. 
Then, she can access the Registry by 
opening the Start menu, selecting Run, 
typing regedit in the Open field, and 
clicking OK. In the Registry Editor, the 
reader should access HKEY_LOCAL_ 
MACHINE\SOFTWARE\MICRO- 
SOFT\WINDOWS\CURRENTVER- 
SION\RUN and scan its contents for 
references to DownloadWare, Media- 
Loads, PAgent, or SESync. If she finds 
any, she should right- click the key or 
value and select 

f 1 111 1 W^ Delete - Then ' she 

' ill It W can open HKEY - 

■ilililJ CURRENT. 
USER\SOFT- 
WARE and delete any keys that refer to 
DownloadWare or Weblnstall. 

After rebooting, the reader should 
choose Run from the Start menu, type 
msconfig in the field, and click OK. In 
the System Configuration Utility, the 
reader should peruse the listings on the 
Startup tab and deselect any that refer 
to the following programs: 

ad-aware.exe 

alp2plib.exe 

astart.exe 

autoupdate.exe 

auto_update_install.exe 

bpc.exe 

bw.exe 

cg.exe 

counter.exe 

dw.exe 

dwcg2.exe 

dwe.exe 

fsg.exe 

fsg_4104.exe 

getkey.exe 

idhost.exe 

install.exe 

instal~l.exe 

logonui.exe 



monpop.exe 

popsrvl84.exe 

rh.exe 

scbar.exe 

webinstall.exe 

After deselecting these programs, the 
reader should click OK and reboot. 
When the PC restarts, she needs to un- 
register any bad DLL (dynamic-link li- 
brary) files poisoning her system, so she 
should open the Windows Search utility 
via the Start menu and search the 
Windows drive for Activeinstall2.dll, 
Btiein.dll, Cd_clint.dll, Gr03.dll, 
Gr0ck03.dll, Im64.dll, and Rh.dll. She 
should note which files are on her 
system and the full path name (such as 
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\Rh.dll) 
where each is located. She then should 
close the Search utility open the Com- 
mand Prompt window, and type the 
following commands, pressing ENTER 
after each line: 

cd.. 
cd.. 
cd windows\system32 

At the prompt (which should look 
like: C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32>), she 
should type regsvr32 /u followed by the 
location (in quotation marks) of one of 
the aforementioned DLL files (such as 
regsvr32 /u "windows\system32\rh.dll") 
and press ENTER to unregister the file. 
She can repeat these steps for each of 
the bad DLL files on her system. When 
she finishes, she should type exit and 
press ENTER to close the window. 

Finally, the reader should open My 
Computer and scan the C:\PROGRAM 
FILES folder for the presence of these 
subfolders: DownloadWare, Down- 
loadWare Engine, MedCh, Movie- 
Networks, Popcorn.net, Real-Tens, 
Recommended HotFix, or SED. If she 
finds any of these subfolders, she should 
delete them and reboot her PC to put 
DownloadWare behind her forever. I 



Have questions about an error message you've seen? Send us your message (errormessages@smartcomputing.com), and 

we'll try to decipher it. Tell us what version of Windows you're using, give the full text of the error message, 

and provide as many details in your explanation as possible. Volume prohibits individual replies. 



Smart Computing / November 2005 99 



Tech Support 



Fast Fixes 



Security Update For Windows 2000 

Problem: Microsoft pinpointed a 
problem with the Color Management 
Module in Win2000 that could let 
a cracker steal or damage data on 
your computer. 

Solution: Download and install 
this 567KB update to prevent a 
cracker from exploiting this flaw. To 
download the update, type the URL 
we listed below in the Address field 
of your browser window. After 
Microsoft's Download Center page 
loads, type KB901214 in the Key- 
words text box and click Go. Click 
the link named Security Update For 
Windows 2000 (KB901214), and on 
the next page, click Download. When 
the file transfer is complete, double- 
click the file (Windows2000-KB901 
214-x86-ENU.exe) and then follow 
the on-screen prompts to complete 
the installation. 

www.microsoft.com/downloads 



Windows XP Update 

Problem: After you install the 
MS05-012 security update, you don't 
see the file attachment names in 
email messages featuring Rich Text, 
or you see a "Generic Host Process" 
error message. 

Solution: Microsoft states that 
these problems occur after you install 
the MS05-012 security update (listed 
as KB87333 at the Download Center) 
for WinXP, and you can solve these 
problems by installing another up- 
date. To download the 2MB update, 
type the URL we listed below in 
the Address field of your browser 
window. After Microsoft's Download 
Center page loads, type KB894391 
in the Keywords text box and click 



Go. Click the link named Update 
For Windows XP (KB894391), and 
on the next page, click Download. 
When the file transfer is complete, 
double-click the file (WindowsXP- 
KB894391-x86-ENU.exe) and follow 
the on-screen prompts to complete 
the installation. 

www.microsoft.com/downloads 



Security Update For Internet Explorer 
(For WinXP Service Pack 2) 

Problem: Microsoft identified 
problems that could let a cracker 
manipulate your copy of IE and then 
take control of your computer. 

Solution: Download and install this 
4.1MB update for IE to protect your 
computer. To download the file, type 
the URL we listed below in the Ad- 
dress field of your browser window. 
After Microsoft's Download Center 
page loads, type KB896727 in the 
Keywords text box and click Go. Click 
the link named Cumulative Security 
Update For Internet Explorer For 
Windows XP Service Pack 2 (KB89 
6727), and on the next page, click 
Download. After the file transfer is 
complete, double-click the file (Win 
dowsXP-KB896727-x86-ENU.exe) 
and follow the on-screen prompts to 
complete the installation. 

www.microsoft.com/downloads 



Another Security Update For 
Win2000 

Problem: The Plug And Play feature 
in Win2000 has a bug that could let 
a cracker take control of your PC. 

Solution: Download and install 
this 504KB update to prevent a 



cracker from exploiting this vulnera- 
bility. To download the file, type the 
URL we listed below in the Address 
field of your browser window. After 
Microsoft's Download Center page 
loads, type KB899588 in the Key- 
words text box and click Go. Click 
the link named Security Update 
For Windows 2000 (KB899588), and 
on the next page, click Download. 
After the file transfer is complete, 
double-click the file (Windows2000- 
KB899588-x86-ENU.exe) and follow 
the on-screen prompts to complete 
the installation. You might have to 
restart your computer after you install 
this update. 

www.m icrosoft.com /down loads 



Fix Of The Month 



Security Update For WinXP 

Problem: Microsoft discovered a 
flaw in WinXP's Print Spooler ca- 
pability that could let a cracker take 
control of your computer. 

Solution: You can stop potential 
attackers by downloading and in- 
stalling a 551KB update from 
Microsoft. To download the file, 
type the URL we listed below in the 
Address field of your browser 
window. After Microsoft's Down- 
load Center page loads, type 
KB896423 in the Keywords text 
box and click Go. Click the link 
named Security Update For Win- 
dows XP (KB896423), and on the 
next page, click Download. After 
the file transfer is complete, 
double -click the file (WindowsXP- 
KB896423-x86-ENU.exe) and fol- 
low the on-screen prompts to 
complete the installation. You 
might have to restart your com- 
puter after you install this update. 

www.microsoft.com/downloads 



100 November 2005 / www.smartcomputing.com 



am your jwnmvf 4 

MTIfPYWARf PROGRAM 
TIM TO RIACT. 





my o;jj 




Anti-virus and anti-spyware providers do 
an excellent job of protecting you 
against known threats. With new or 
unknown threats, however, they need 
time to create the antidote. They can't 
protect you until they've developed a 
new signature file that recognizes the 
threat and you've downloaded and 
installed the necessary update. 

RedWall stops new threats WITHOUT 
needing new signature files, so you're 
protected even against brand new 
threats. RedWall Secure File Viewer is 
always one step ahead, giving your 
anti-virus and anti -spy ware time to react, 




MOACTffi Z£(?0 MYPHOnCTfON 

Know your company data is protected 
even when the latest virus definition files 
have not yet been released. 

BLACtt BOX PMffltfM Safely preview 
files in a "quarantined" no-risk environment 
to ensure they contain legitimate data and 
not viruses or other malicious code, 

• BOOfT PRODttCTflffTY Instantly preview any file without taking 
the extra time necessary to launch the application which created 
it. RedWall's previewing is often 300% faster than opening the 
same file with its associated program. Even preview multiple 
email attachments in one step - no more wasting time launching 
multiple applications. 



Download your free trial at http://www.novatix.com/OneStepAhead 

OV31 IX Novatix Corporation Tel: 303-51 6-1 800 ext 1 04 Email: info@novatix.com www.novatix.com 

© 2005 Novatix Corporation. All rights reserved, RedWall is a registered trademark of Novatix Corporation, 



Tech Support Q&A 




Need help with your hardware or software? Looking for simple 
explanations on technical subjects? Send us your questions! 

Get straight answers to your technical questions from Smart Computing. Send your questions, 
along with a phone and/or fax number, so we can call you if necessary, to: Smart Computing Q&A, 
P.O. Box 85380, Lincoln, NE 68501, or email us at q&a@smartcomputing.com. Please include all 
version numbers for the software about which you're inquiring, operating system information, 
and any relevant information about your system. (Volume prohibits individual replies.) 



tin 

Windows 



Ql am using Windows XP with SP2 (Service 
Pack 2), a system that I upgraded from 
Windows 98, but there isn't a Backup utility avail- 
able in my System Tools submenu (via my Start 
menu). Can you tell me why this utility is missing 
and how I can get it? 

A You don't mention which version of 
WinXP you're using, but we're assuming 
it's the Home Edition because unlike WinXP 
Professional, the Backup utility isn't installed 
by default in WinXP Home, nor does it ap- 
pear on the Add Or Remove Programs list for 
WinXP Home. However, you will find the 
Backup utility in the VALUEADD folder on 
WinXP Home's installation CD-ROM. 

Insert WinXP Home's installation CD- 
ROM in your system's optical drive and use 



Windows Explorer to find the Ntbackup.msi 
file. Assuming the optical drive is assigned 
to drive letter D, for example, you'd navigate 
to D:\VALUEADD\MSFT\NTBACKUP to 
find Ntbackup.msi. Double-click the file 
to start a wizard that will install the Backup 
utility. Follow the wizard's instructions and 
click Finish to complete the process. 

Note that the Automated System Recovery 
Wizard feature that Backup uses in WinXP 
Pro isn't supported in WinXP Home. In the 
event of a catastrophic failure that requires 
complete restoration, you must recover man- 
ually using a recent full system backup cre- 
ated by the Backup utility. For more details 
see the Microsoft Knowledge Base article at 
support.microsoft.com/kb/302700/EN-US. 




Online 



QLast week, a friend received a virus-con- 
taining email message listing my primary 
email address (using a mindspring.com domain) 
as the sender. Only one person received the mes- 
sage — not a bunch of people in my address 
book. This week, my secondary email address 
(also using a mindspring.com domain) theoreti- 
cally sent a virus-containing message to my "map 
society" email address (has a cummingmap 
society.org domain), which also downloads to 
Outlook Express, and the virus and email were 
automatically deleted by my Norton Antivirus 
application. I am running WinXP with SP2 and 
Norton Internet Security, which includes Norton 
Antivirus (and is updated regularly). In addition, 
Norton Antivirus screens all of my incoming and 
outgoing email from Outlook Express. I have per- 
formed a full system scan twice, and the software 
didn't detect any viruses. 

I know miscreants can send emails and make 
them look like they are from me, but I'm won- 
dering where the latest two messages came 



from. It seems peculiar that both were made to 
look like they were from me and sent to 
someone I know (to a friend in the first case and 
to myself in the second case) rather than to one 
of the other 6 billion people on the planet. And 
if these messages did originate from my soft- 
ware, why didn't they go to lots of the email ad- 
dresses listed in my Address Book? Is there 
something I can or should do to prevent this 
from happening again? After the first instance, I 
confidently told my friend that the message 
didn't come from my computer. But after the 
second instance, even though I still don't think 
the message originated from my computer, I 
can't say so confidently. (Unfortunately, we were 
unable to check the message headers in either 
case.) Can you offer an explanation? 

A There are a couple of possibilities that 
come to mind regarding your email prob- 
lems. The first is that someone could be 
sending out virus -infested emails using random 



102 November 2005 / www.smartcomputing.com 



Tech Support 



Q&A 



return addresses from Mindspring. Because 
Mindspring is a large, well-known ISP (Internet 
service provider), this explanation is certainly 
plausible. Many spammers forge sender ad- 
dresses using familiar domain names. 

The other possibility is that someone with a 
virus on his system has your email addresses in 
his Address Book, and the virus is randomly 
choosing from the addresses on this system 
when picking one to use as a "sender." This 
isn't the most common methodology used by 
virus writers, but it isn't unheard of, either. 
Because both emails were sent to accounts 



familiar to you, our suspicion is that this is the 
most likely case. 

Viruses (and forged spam) can cause quite a 
few problems, especially when it appears to 
your friends that you're responsible. However, 
there isn't a foolproof way to determine who 
sent whom an email message, and email forgery 
is trivial for those with the inclination for mis- 
chief. As long as you have antivirus software 
running on your computer, and you update 
your virus definitions routinely, we think you 
can sleep soundly in the knowledge that you're 
not spreading viruses. 




Software 



QMy PC runs Windows Me. (And yes, I like this 
OS [operating system], regardless of its reputa- 
tion.) The problem is that although I keep deleting 
the My eBooks subfolder in My Documents, it 
keeps reappearing. How do I permanently delete it? 

A The My eBooks subfolder isn't a default cre- 
ation of Windows (regardless of the OS ver- 
sion); it's a feature from Adobe that appears when 
you install Adobe's Acrobat Reader program (ver- 
sions 5.0 and newer). The solution: Open 
Windows Explorer and navigate to C:\PRO- 
GRAM FILES\ADOBE\ACROBAT 6.0\READER. 
Note that if you've installed Acrobat Reader 
somewhere else, or if you're using version 5.0, the 



path may be slightly different. If there isn't a 
folder called C:\PROGRAM FILES\ADOBE\AC- 
ROBAT 6.0\READER\OPTIONAL, create one. 
Now select the Plug-ins folder at C:\PROGRAM 
FILES\ADOBE\ACROBAT6.0\READER\PLUG- 
INS, select the Ebooks.api file, and then drag and 
drop it to the Optional folder. Next, navigate to 
C:\MY DOCUMENTS and delete the My eBooks 
subfolder. The subfolder shouldn't appear again 
after following these steps. 

If you ever do decide to use Acrobat Reader to 
read ebooks, you can move the Ebooks.api file 
back from the Optional folder to the Plug- ins 
folder. Otherwise, if you're sure you'll never need 
My eBooks, you can delete the Ebooks.api file. 



Windows 



Ql went to Gibson Research (www.grc.com), 
and the site advised me to use its tool to dis- 
able UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) from WinXP. 
So, I downloaded the tool, but every time I try to 
disable UPnP, my hourglass cursor icon appears 
and won't go away, so I had to push the CTRL- 
ALT-DELETE keys. I understand that Gibson 
Research is a reputable Web site, and it did send 
me a Zip file containing its UPnP disabling tool, 
but that didn't work, either. From its site informa- 
tion, I learned that the FBI requested that the 
UPnP file be disabled from WinXP but changed 
that request later on. Is UPnP an issue anymore? If 
so, what should I do about it? 

A Microsoft included UPnP in WinXP, but it's 
also available for Win98 and WinMe. The 
idea behind UPnP is to allow devices on a net- 
work to easily find each other. This means that if 
you connect a printer that supports UPnP to your 



network, your computer will automatically recog- 
nize and be able to use the printer. Other net- 
work-capable devices, such as scanners, also can 
take advantage of this technology. 

When Microsoft first released its implementa- 
tion of UPnP, there were flaws in it that would 
allow someone on your network to potentially 
take over your computer. Because this was a 
pretty serious vulnerability, coupled with the 
fact that UPnP was enabled by default, the FBI 
decided to issue a warning. However, despite 
some of the hyperbole about this vulnerability, 
we don't believe that it remains a serious issue. 

The first reason for our optimism is that 
Microsoft has already issued a patch for the vul- 
nerability. The patch corrects the flaw in 
Microsoft's UPnP implementation, while still 
allowing the UPnP service to function. The 
second reason for our optimism is that WinXP 
SP2 now includes a more robust software-based 



Smart Computing / November 2005 103 



Tech Support 



Q&A 



firewall. With either a software- or hardware- 
based firewall in place, outsiders wouldn't 
be able to attack your computer. And with 
Microsoft's patch in place, they would fail if 
they somehow were able to bypass your firewall. 
We're not sure why the utility you down- 
loaded failed to work on your computer. It 
might be having a conflict with an antivirus ap- 
plication or some security setting on your 
system. However, if you still feel that you want 
to disable UPnP, here are the steps that should 
do the trick: Open the Start menu, choose 
Control Panel, click Performance And Main- 
tenance, click Administrative Tools, and 
double-click Services. When a window opens 
displaying the services (programs that run con- 
tinuously) currently running on your com- 
puter, scroll down to SSDP Discovery Service 
and double-click it. Click the Stop button to 
stop this service, select Disabled from the 



Startup Type drop-down menu, and click OK. 
Next, select the Universal Plug And Play entry 
from the same list of services and stop it, as 
well. Select Disabled from its Startup Type 
drop-down menu and click OK. 

The only problem with disabling UPnP in this 
manner is that subsequent patches and service 
packs from Microsoft may re -enable the two ser- 
vices you just disabled. Our recommendation 
for any security concerns regarding Windows is 
to keep your system patched via Windows 
Update, install an antivirus application and keep 
it current, and set up a firewall either on your 
computer or between your computer and the 
Internet. You also might want to consider in- 
stalling and regularly updating an antispyware 
application. Although these safety suggestions 
won't prevent every type of attack, they will help 
you avoid the most common security issues that 
lurk on the Internet. 




Hardware 



Ql can't delete files that I have burned to CD- 
RWs (CD-rewriteables). When I try to delete 
a file on the CD-RW, I get an error message 
stating that the file is "Read-Only/' so I can't 
delete it, but I can add files to the CD-RW. Also, 
when I change the attributes in Properties, they 
all immediately change back. Isn't the purpose of 
a CD-RW to be able to rewrite the data on it? I 
have tried to use Microsoft's Writing Wizard and 
Nero 6.0 with the same frustrating results. 

A CD -RWs are intended for reuse, but not in 
the manner you describe. When you write 
data to a CD-RW, it creates a "session" that 
stores your data and then blocks off that portion 
of the disc. When you add new data to a CD- 
RW, it creates an additional session with the new 
data. Eventually, the entire disc becomes full, and 



you either use a new disc for storage or you erase 
all the sessions on the existing disc. If you choose 
to erase all the sessions on a CD-RW, you can use 
it as if it were a new disc. 

From your explanation, it seems like you want 
to use a CD-RW as you would use a floppy 
diskette or a hard drive. To do so, you'll need 
additional software that supports packet writing. 
The most popular packet-writing software is 
InCD. The latest version of Nero is Nero 6 
Reloaded, and this package includes InCD 4. 
Because you already own a copy of Nero 6, you 
can upgrade to Nero 6 Reloaded for free. Simply 
go to www.nero.com/eng/Nero_6.html and click 
the Update icon. You'll want to download all 
four of the update packages, and after installing 
them, you'll be able to use your CD-RWs just 
like you'd use floppies. 




Online 



QMy problem is that all of my incoming 
email messages are in duplicate. I'm using 
Outlook Express 6 on a WinXP computer, which 
has a 1.6GHz processor, 512MB of RAM, and a 
40GB hard drive. I have looked at various op- 
tions in Outlook Express, but I can't figure out 
how to avoid receiving messages in duplicate. 
How can I fix this? 

A Email has become such an integral part of 
our computer usage that problems like this 



can quickly exasperate the most patient users 
among us. Troubleshooting this problem will re- 
quire a bit of patience on your part, as well as the 
assistance of your ISP. You didn't specify what 
type of email service you're using, but we'll 
assume that it's POP (Post Office Protocol), the 
most common variety. 

The first step is checking with your ISP to 
see if you are receiving duplicate messages via 
the email server. If you find out that your 
mailbox on the email server has 10 messages, 



104 November 2005 / www.smartcomputing.com 



Tech Support 



Q&A 



for example, but you receive 20 messages 
when you download your email, your ISP is 
probably off the hook for this problem. 
However, if it looks like your ISP is receiving 
the duplicates before you even retrieve your 
email with Outlook Express, you'll have to 
depend on one of its employees to trou- 
bleshoot the problem. 

If the problem doesn't lie with your ISP, then 
it's probably due to a corrupted file that 
Outlook Express uses. When Outlook Express 
downloads your email, it also keeps track of 
which messages it has received and tells the 
email server to delete the original message. This 
file that Outlook Express uses to keep track of 
these details is Pop3uidl.dbx. 

Sometimes Pop3uidl.dbx becomes cor- 
rupted or damaged and requires that you 



delete the original file. To do so close Outlook 
Express and then search for Pop3uidl.dbx by 
clicking Start, Search, and All Files And 
Folders. After you type Pop3uidl.dbx in the 
All Or Part Of The File Name field, be sure to 
click the button next to More Advanced 
Options, so you can select the Search Hidden 
Files And Folders checkbox. When you finish, 
click the Search button. 

In the search results listed in the right pane, 
right-click Pop3uidl.dbx and click Delete. 
Then, restart Outlook Express, so it creates a 
noncorrupt Pop3uidl.dbx version that should 
prevent duplicate email messages from being 
delivered to your inbox. Depending on how 
much email you receive, you may have to pe- 
riodically re-create this file using the steps 
we've outlined. 



Windows 



Ql have a Compaq PC running WinXP Pro. I 
have checked Microsoft's site for update 
numbers given in Smart Computing and have been 
unable to find several of these updates. However, 
there are many updates dating back to February 
2002 and all are for the same problem. According 
to Microsoft, I need 41 updates. So what's with 
these updates that I can never find? Why doesn't 
the latest update supersede the early updates? 

A When Microsoft discovers a problem with 
Windows or receives notifications from 
customers about a problem, it has an elaborate 
process in place to create a patch for the 
problem. In many cases, it also will create a 
patch for the sake of adding features to 
Windows and other Microsoft applications. 

First, Microsoft's support staff has to eval- 
uate the scope of the problem and devise a 
strategy for rectifying it. Next, the staff has to 
develop a patch that fixes the problem. After 
developing the patch, the staff has to test it to 
see if it has any unanticipated side effects. If it 
does, staff representatives have to rewrite the 
patch and continue testing. 

Then, depending on the severity of the 
problem, Microsoft may still release a patch 
knowing that it might "break" other parts of 
Windows or other Microsoft applications. 
If the problem is a critical bug that might ex- 
pose millions of users to problems, Microsoft 
might decide that the collateral damage of any 



potential side effects is worth the trouble of in- 
stalling the patch. 

If a patch has side effects that cause too much 
trouble, Microsoft will revise the patch and re- 
lease a new patch. In the process, Microsoft also 
may make the old patch unavailable so that 
users don't experience the unwanted side ef- 
fects. This scenario accounts for a large number 
of out- of- circulation patches. 

The other reason why an update might be un- 
available is because Microsoft decided to incor- 
porate that particular update into a service pack. 
After all, Microsoft would rather have its cus- 
tomers update their computers with a specific 
service pack than worry about hundreds of indi- 
vidual updates. Although service packs contain a 
multitude of patches and updates, it's easier to 
perform testing for a service pack than to try and 
simulate all the various combinations that could 
be created with the individual updates. 

Our recommendation is to trust Microsoft's 
Windows Update Web site (windowsupdate 
.microsoft.com). If the site tells you that you 
need an update, go ahead and install the up- 
date. We routinely configure our system so 
that Windows Update automatically down- 
loads updates as they become available, and 
then we install these updates when we receive 
notifications about them. There are rare in- 
stances when an update is temporarily un- 
available, but that type of delay is usually 
resolved within a day or two. 



Smart Computing / November 2005 105 



Tech Support 



FAQ 




Questions 



Answers to users' most common questions about 

Hard Drive Upgrades 



p A ^v Is it better to add a second hard drive or just 
l/\ v/ shift my data to a larger hard drive? 

That's really a matter of personal preference because 
both choices provide certain advantages and disadvantages. 
Replacing an existing drive with a larger one often makes 
your "housekeeping" tasks easier because there are fewer 
drives to keep track of. However, replacing your hard drive 
also requires you to either duplicate your current OS (oper- 
ating system), applications, and files to the new drive first 
(using a disk- imaging utility such as Acronis True Image or 
Norton Ghost) or reinstall your OS and applications, as 
well as copy and transfer all your files. On the other hand, 
even though installing a second hard drive gives you an- 
other drive letter to manage, it is usually quicker and easier 
to get running because there is nothing to restore. 

In addition, installing a second hard drive can provide 
more overall space. For example, let's assume you want to 
install a 200GB hard drive. If you use it to replace your ex- 
isting 100GB hard drive, you'll end up with just 200GB. 
Alternatively, if you use the 200GB drive as your second 
hard drive and add it to your existing 100GB drive, you'll 
then have a total of 300GB. If you don't mind working with 
an extra drive letter, opt for the second hard drive. 

Q A ^v Someone told me that I'm not supposed to 
l/\ Vy put a hard drive and an optical drive on the 
same cable. Is that true? 

It's a matter of the internal ATAPI (Advanced Tech- 
nology Attachment Packet Interface) drive interface. Some 
years ago, PCs had a hard time switching interface speeds 
from the fast ATA/100 or ATA/133 scheme used for hard 
drives to the slow ATA/33 (or slower) interface scheme 
often used by optical drives at the time. The end result was 
that the interface would either "lock down" to the slower 
speed (reducing the performance of the hard drive) or it 
would "lock up" to the higher hard drive interface speed 



(resulting in data loss and an inability to "see" the optical 
drive). Today, most internal optical drives are compatible 
with high-speed ATAPI interfaces, and the PCs themselves 
are typically much "smarter" about switching speeds. This 
means you should be able to use a hard drive and an optical 
drive on the same controller channel, but it's not an 
arrangement we'd recommend. Because a channel can only 
read or write to one device at a time, it's still usually better 
to separate hard drives and optical drives, letting the hard 
drive use the first (primary) drive controller channel and 
letting the optical drive use the second (secondary) con- 
troller channel. By keeping these drives separate, you'll 
avoid communications problems and allow the PC to talk 
to both drives simultaneously. This is a huge benefit in sev- 
eral situations, including tasks that involve burning data, 
music, or video to discs from files on the hard drive. 

p A /~>k My current hard drive is only 80GB. Can I re- 
r/\ V^ place it with a huge 200GB or 250GB drive? 

You should. Most newer PCs running Windows XP 
under NTFS (NT file system) should tolerate a huge hard 
drive without any trouble. Some older PCs may require a 
BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) update, a new PCI 
(Peripheral Component Interconnect) drive controller 
card, or drive overlay software (such as Maxtor's MaxBlast 
utility) to fully support a larger hard drive. Thus, it's a 
good idea to contact your PC's manufacturer first or look 
for advice on the topic via its site. As with any hardware 
upgrade, you should compare the new hard drive's system 
requirements with your particular PC model and compo- 
nents before making a purchase decision. 

p A /~>k I installed a second hard drive, but Windows 
l/\ V^ doesn't see it. What am I doing wrong? 

Virtually all iterations of Windows 98 and newer OSes 
should recognize the presence of a new hard drive and re- 
port its drive letter. If an icon representing the new hard 
drive doesn't appear in the My Computer window, chances 
are good you missed an important step during the installa- 
tion and/or preparation process. Shut down your system 
and verify that you have installed the new hard drive cor- 
rectly alongside your first hard drive. In particular, check 
the 40-pin ATAPI signal cable and make sure the drive's 
jumpers are set correctly (usually, you'd set the second hard 
drive as the secondary or "slave" drive). SATA (Serial ATA) 
drives typically don't need jumpers set, so you should just 
make sure that the cable terminates at the correct SATA 
port on your motherboard. You also may need to change 
the system setup (via the BIOS) to recognize the presence 
of a new physical drive. (See your PC's documentation.) 

Plus, follow the drive manufacturer's installation instruc- 
tions to partition and format the hard drive for your OS. 
Recheck the documentation accompanying your new hard 
drive to make sure you've fully prepared the drive for use. 



106 November 2005 / www.smartcomputing.com 



Tech Support 




ACTION EDITOR 

Are you having trouble 
finding a product or 
getting adequate service 
from a manufacturer? If 
so, we want to help solve 
your problem. Send us 
a description of the 
product you're seeking 
or the problem you're 
having with customer 
service. In billing dis- 
putes, include relevant 
information (such as ac- 
count numbers or screen 
names for online ser- 
vices) and photocopies 
of checks. Include your 
phone number in case 
we need to contact you. 

Letters may be edited 
for length and clarity; 
volume prohibits 
individual replies. 

Write to: 
Action Editor 
P.O. Box 85380 
Lincoln, NE 68501-5380 

Or send email to: 

actioneditor@smart 

computing.com 

Or fax us at: 
(402)479-2104 



Return Policy Problems & 
Hard Drive Shenanigans 



/ ordered a new system from Dell, 
which finally arrived in June 2004. 
Unfortunately, I was hospitalized when 
the system arrived and was unable to set 
it up. I finally got around to configuring the 
system in September of that year, only to 
find that the computer wasn't working prop- 
erly. I called Dell immediately and inquired 
about the possibility of returning the system 
or getting a complete replacement. I was 
told the 30-day return period had long since 
expired, so my only option was to send the 
system in for repairs. Since then, the system 
remains unstable, and my frequent support 
calls to Dell haven't resolved the situation. 
The fact that I was hospitalized and could not 
test the system within the 30-day return period 
doesn't seem to be of any concern to Dell. 

Marc Soslow 
Pompano Beach, Fla. 



Because Marc's computer wasn't working 
at all, we called him for more information 
about his problem. We noted his Service Tag 
and Express Service Code and sent an email 
to our public relations contact at Dell. Dell's 
Advanced Support Team took a closer look 
at Marc's support record and decided to 
authorize a system exchange, thereby re- 
placing Marc's ailing system with a new one. 
Needless to say, Marc was more than happy 
with the outcome. 



/ work in a computer repair shop, and I'm 
having a hard time dealing with Gateway on 
behalf of a customer. The customer originally 
brought his computer to us because it refused 
to boot. We did some diagnostic work and 
discovered the motherboard was faulty. 
Because the system was still under warranty, 
we shipped the system to Gateway for repairs. 
While arranging to ship the system, I told 



Gateway that I planned to pull the hard drive 
out to help protect the data on the drive. The 
representative I spoke to convinced me to 
leave the hard drive intact so that Gateway 
could make sure the system booted properly. 
I reluctantly agreed to leave the hard drive 
installed, thinking it might expedite the 
process and help ensure that the system 
would be ready to go for the customer when I 
received it from Gateway. The representative 
noted on the work order that the hard drive 
was not to be touched. After receiving the 
system back from Gateway and returning it 
to the customer, I learned that none of the 
customer's applications or personal data was 
present. Gateway had completely reformatted 
the hard drive, leaving us without a recent 
backup. I've called Gateway several times 
about this, but its representatives just get 
defensive and claim that Gateway isn't 
responsible for data loss according to the 
terms of the company's warranty. 

Name Withheld Upon Request 



We contacted Gateway's public relations 
department and asked a representative to 
take a closer look at this issue. From a legal 
standpoint, Gateway may be correct in 
stating that it isn't responsible for any lost 
data, but reformatting the hard drive 
seemed a bit extreme for what was sup- 
posed to be a motherboard problem. A 
short time later, we heard back from our 
reader, and he said that his client received 
an apology from Gateway along with 
$250 in compensation. Of course, it's hard 
to put a price on your personal data, so 
that's why it's always a good idea to back 
up your system and data before sending 
your computer in for repairs (in addition 
to making backups part of your regular 
computing routine). 



Smart Computing / November 2005 107 



E d 



t o r i a I 



License 



King Of The Software Hill 




\-% 



So, there I was, peacefully 
eating my breakfast (strawberry 
yogurt topped with a delicious 
spoonful of Purina Editor Chow), 
reading my email, and calmly 
thinking about the day ahead. It 
wasn't going to be a very difficult 
day. I'm an editor, after all. How 
tough could it be? I mean, it's not 
like I actually work for a living. 

But then I run across the 
semiweekly let's-bash-Microsoft 
email. A reader notes (somewhat 
petulantly, I think) that Microsoft 
A) is too big, B) creates buggy soft- 
ware that's vulnerable to security exploits, 

C) has stomped all of its competition into the ground, and 

D) has sold 95% of computer users a bill of goods on an op- 
erating system that's mediocre at best. 

The reader has some excellent points, of course. Microsoft 
is a juggernaut, a monolithic presence looming malevolently 
over software and hardware developers alike. Much of its 
software is buggy, and much of it is vulnerable to crackers. 

But the thing is that all software is buggy. Subject any ap- 
plication to harsh, real-world use by millions of people run- 
ning hundreds of thousands of different configurations, and 
sooner or later, that software will misbehave. And complex, 
low-level software such as an operating system will misbe- 
have even more often and more spectacularly. 

Similarly, all operating system software is subject to mali- 
cious attack. Windows is probably not much more vulner- 
able than Linux would be if it were trying to buffer the user 
from the system's complexities as Windows attempts to do. 
Windows is simply more popular and therefore a much 
more inviting target. 

Still, one can certainly argue that Microsoft could — and 
should — do a better job of writing more stable, more secure 
software. And it's obvious that some of Microsoft's business 
and marketing strategies smack of tyrannical arrogance. 

But the idea that people have been bamboozled, tricked 
into buying an inferior, confusing operating system is just 
plain silly. Folks, Microsoft fought that war back in the 
1980s and early '90s. It won fair and square. 

Many of us were soldiers in that war. Remember the par- 
ticipants? Arrayed against one another in the first operating 
system battle were such valiant warriors as the Commodore 
PET, C64, and VIC 20; the Adam; the Apple Ile/c/g and the 
(eminently forgettable) Apple III; the Atari; the TRS 80; the 






TI 99/4a; and the "luggable" KayPro 
and Osborne machines. Out of all the 
participants, Microsoft (a small 
company at that time) won the 
hearts and minds (and wallets) of 
computer buyers all over the 
world with a command-line oper- 
ating system called MS-DOS. 

Then along came the great 

GUI (graphical user interface) 

battle. We know that Mac and 

Windows were the ones standing 

i>r-> at the end, but we forget that 

there were lots of contenders. 

There was IBM's OS/2 Presentation 

Manager; the Amiga Workbench; VisiCorp's 

VisiOn; Tandy's DeskMate; GEM from Digital Research; 

GEOS; the Acorn (whose GUI was, for some odd reason, 

called Arthur); and even Steve Jobs' own NeXTStep. 

People who bemoan the fact that Microsoft has no com- 
petitors tend to forget that, at one time, there were dozens 
of them. Microsoft beat them at their own game by pro- 
viding an elegant (for the time), functional, affordable user 
interface that ran on the largest number of machines. In 
other words, it won. Again. 

Will it win next time? Well, various implementations of 
Linux are definitely making inroads. Is this the year that the 
GUI championship belt will change hands? 

I don't think so. Linux is much easier to use than it was, 
but it's not yet ready for the masses. Joe User (and also Joe 
Columnist) would love to see someone provide some com- 
petition for Microsoft, but no operating system — no matter 
how secure and stable — will capture any sizable piece of the 
market so long as it takes a 140 -page manual just to explain 
how to install it. 

And A Quick Note Of Thanks 

Hundreds of you have written, called, and emailed to offer 
condolences on the loss of my daughter Rachel. (See 
"Editorial License" in the September issue.) Thank you all so 
very much for your kind words. The family and I appreciate 
them more than you know. II 

by Rod Scher 



Rod Scher \ 

teacher. He: 



vare develope 
cation editor 



nd a recovering Engh 



reads this column. Contact Rod at rod-scher@smartcomputing.com. 



108 November 2005 / www.smartcomputing.com 



20GB or 
40GB HDD 



To Go! 




EZPnP OffSF 




New designs and features that 
include: LCD display, file 
verification and disc spanning 

Choose direct transfer 
from your media 
card to either HDD, 
DVD, or CD 4 

Battery operated 
or AC adapter 

No computer needed! 






It's fast, it's easy, it's ... 

DigiMagiji 

1-800-828-6475 

www.ezpnp-usa.co 




CD BURNER 



EZPnP™ and EZDiaiMagic™ are trademarks of EZPnP Technologies Corp. 
All other trademarks mentioned herein are property of their respective owi 




Nero PhotoShow Elite 

Treasure your unforgettable moments with Nero PhotoShow Elite, the easy and com- 
plete photo experience. Capture, organize, manage and edit your photos. Make 
musical photo slideshows with multiple effects, Clip Art, captions and text. Share with 
your family and friends online or burn CDs or VCDs. Order custom photo accessories 
of your favorite photos. All this with unprecedented ease! 

WWW.NER0PH0T05H0W.COM 



Available online or at the participating retailers: 

Tn 



iri|'! 



amazon.com 



Buy.com