The most recent articles from What PC?

The most recent articles from What PC?http://www.whatpc.co.uk/The most recent articles from What PC? (Generated on Thursday 8 January 2009 at 08:37:14)VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKCopyright © 1994-2009 VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKhttp://www.whatpc.co.uk/2009-01-08T08:37:14.205Z

The most recent articles from What PC?http://www.whatpc.co.uk/images/rss/wpc_logo.gifhttp://www.whatpc.co.uk/PC World Advent 8001http://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/hardware/2132806/pc-world-advent-8001Andy Gordon, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Friday 2 August 2002 at 10:31:39This Advent is a mover and a shaker - a smart little unit that concetrates on the basics.<content page="1"><html><body>This Advent notebook uses the latest mobile processor, so shoppers on a tight budget should look elsewhere.The 8001 is well-priced when compared to notebooks with similar specifications.At its heart is a 1.8GHz Intel Pentium 4 Mobile processor, the 'Mobile' suffix distinguishing the chip from the desktop equivalent.Intel's Mobile chips include a technology called SpeedStep, which reduces processor speed when a computer is not plugged into the mains. The 1.8GHz Pentium 4 Mobile drops to 1.2GHz, preserving battery life when on the move.The 8001 has 384MB of Ram and a large 40GB hard disk drive.This Advent is a mover and shaker, and it looks good. Inventive use of the available space produces a compact, well-designed, smart silver unit that is comfortably portable at 2.7kg.The dark-grey insides complete a pleasant two-tone finish, along with the silver-bordered touchpad controller. The keyboard is a bit small, but is well set out and comfortable to use.Serial and parallel ports, along with the floppy drive, have been dropped, but plenty of alternatives are dotted around the edge of the case. Three USB ports for peripherals reside on the left and right, along with a modem connection, networking port, VGA for an external display and PC Card slot, while mini-FireWire, infrared and short-cut keys reside on the front.The optical drive is a combined DVD-Rom and CD-RW. The 14in display replete with (basic) built-in speakers and headphone socket make movie-watching a possibility, and an S-video out is included for connecting to a TV.Price: £1,799 (inc VAT)<ul><li>1.8GHz Pentium 4 Mobile processor</li><li>384MB Ram</li><li>40GB hard disk drive</li><li>14.1in display</li><li>Weight: 2.7kg</li><li>Combination DVD-Rom, CD-RW drive</li><li>Dimensions (HxWxD, in mm): 35.3x312.5x257</li></ul>Contact:PC World: 0800 056 5732 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.pcworld.co.uk">www.pcworld.co.uk</a></body></html></content>http://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/hardware/2132806/pc-world-advent-8001Andy Gordon, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Friday 2 August 2002 at 10:31:39This Advent is a mover and a shaker - a smart little unit that concetrates on the basics.<content page="1"><html><body>This Advent notebook uses the latest mobile processor, so shoppers on a tight budget should look elsewhere.The 8001 is well-priced when compared to notebooks with similar specifications.At its heart is a 1.8GHz Intel Pentium 4 Mobile processor, the 'Mobile' suffix distinguishing the chip from the desktop equivalent.Intel's Mobile chips include a technology called SpeedStep, which reduces processor speed when a computer is not plugged into the mains. The 1.8GHz Pentium 4 Mobile drops to 1.2GHz, preserving battery life when on the move.The 8001 has 384MB of Ram and a large 40GB hard disk drive.This Advent is a mover and shaker, and it looks good. Inventive use of the available space produces a compact, well-designed, smart silver unit that is comfortably portable at 2.7kg.The dark-grey insides complete a pleasant two-tone finish, along with the silver-bordered touchpad controller. The keyboard is a bit small, but is well set out and comfortable to use.Serial and parallel ports, along with the floppy drive, have been dropped, but plenty of alternatives are dotted around the edge of the case. Three USB ports for peripherals reside on the left and right, along with a modem connection, networking port, VGA for an external display and PC Card slot, while mini-FireWire, infrared and short-cut keys reside on the front.The optical drive is a combined DVD-Rom and CD-RW. The 14in display replete with (basic) built-in speakers and headphone socket make movie-watching a possibility, and an S-video out is included for connecting to a TV.Price: £1,799 (inc VAT)<ul><li>1.8GHz Pentium 4 Mobile processor</li><li>384MB Ram</li><li>40GB hard disk drive</li><li>14.1in display</li><li>Weight: 2.7kg</li><li>Combination DVD-Rom, CD-RW drive</li><li>Dimensions (HxWxD, in mm): 35.3x312.5x257</li></ul>Contact:PC World: 0800 056 5732 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.pcworld.co.uk">www.pcworld.co.uk</a></body></html></content>VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKCopyright © 1994-2009 VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKAndy Gordon2002-08-02T10:31:39.000ZHardware Reviewsnotebooks-and-portablesCreative Nomad Jukebox 3http://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/hardware/2132800/creative-nomad-jukeboxJulian Prokaza, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Tuesday 2 July 2002 at 12:40:00Creative's MP3 player offers PC users an excellent way to listen to music on the move.<content page="1"><html><body>Hard disk-based MP3 players make good sense if you like to listen to a lot of music. Even basic versions have a capacity of a few thousand tracks, and that's enough for most people's entire CD collection.Until the Apple iPod appeared, though, hard disk players were big, heavy and had very short battery life.The snag is that the iPod is Mac only, and no PC peripheral manufacturer has anything like Apple's talent for style, although unofficial Windows software will be available soon for Apple's cigarette packet-sized player (visit www.mediafour.com for more information).Creative was the first to launch a hard disk MP3 player with the big and bulky Jukebox and, two years on, it's back with the markedly more svelte Nomad Jukebox 3. Actually, scratch that; the Jukebox 3 isn't that svelte.It is around a third smaller and lighter than the original Jukebox, but that still makes it the same size as a cheap CD Walkman and all but impossible to carry comfortably in a pocket. It also makes it considerably larger than an iPod, so the Jukebox 3's chances of success may appear slim.Where the Jukebox 3 scores, however, is with capacity. Its 20Gb hard disk can store 333 hours of music encoded at a near CD-quality sampling rate of 128Kbit/s.That means you could have it play non-stop for two weeks and not hear the same track twice. Getting all that music on there in the first place is also made much easier by the inclusion of both FireWire and USB ports.With FireWire, 100Mb of MP3s can be transferred in about a minute, but you'll need the patience of Job to transfer 20Gb of tracks over USB. The bad news is that, unlike the iPod, the Jukebox 3 doesn't recharge when it's connected to a PC's FireWire port so, if you're on the move, you'll need to carry the mains adaptor around to recharge the battery.The good news, however, is that the Jukebox 3's battery is a lithium-ion cell that will last for 11 hours. There's also a spare slot for a second battery.With 20Gb of music in your pocket (or, more probably, your bag), operating it could be a nightmare, but Creative has reworked the Jukebox 3's menu system to make it easier to use.There's now a wheel at the side of the unit for scrolling through tracks, but its stepped action does not allow you to spin it to quickly scroll through a long list.Tracks can be browsed by artist, album or genre, and play lists can be composed and even saved on the fly. There's still an awful lot of buttons to press, but one of them isn't 'hold'. This essential feature has been stupidly buried in a menu.The Jukebox is unusual in that it can also make recordings, either as WAV files or MP3s. There's a line-in socket that supports an optical connection, but there's no way to set or monitor the recording level.This limits the usefulness of the feature but, since the Jukebox 3 is flash-upgradable, it's an issue that may be addressed.Creative hasn't done much that's new to the bundled PlayCenter application, beyond adding a flexible track synchronise function. The application is easy to use, whether it's for managing your MP3 collection, ripping new tracks or sending them to the Jukebox 3, but it isn't well-executed.It also locked and crashed a number of Windows XP PCs in our tests, which didn't endear us to it, but a Jukebox 3-compatible version of the infinitely better Notmad Explorer (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.redchairsoftware.com">www.redchairsoftware.com</a>) should be available soon.Specifications:<ul><li>20Gb hard disk</li><li>Back lit LCD screen</li><li>FireWire and USB ports</li><li>11 hours playback from single lithium-ion battery, with a second battery slot</li><li>Two line-out sockets</li><li>Analogue/optical line-in socket</li><li>Supplied with PlayCenter MP3 management software</li><li>Size: 123 x 130 x 35mm</li><li>Weight: 298g without battery.</li></ul>Price: £350 (inc VAT)Contact: Creative 0118 934 4322 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nomadworld.com">www.nomadworld.com</a></body></html></content>http://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/hardware/2132800/creative-nomad-jukeboxJulian Prokaza, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Tuesday 2 July 2002 at 12:40:00Creative's MP3 player offers PC users an excellent way to listen to music on the move.<content page="1"><html><body>Hard disk-based MP3 players make good sense if you like to listen to a lot of music. Even basic versions have a capacity of a few thousand tracks, and that's enough for most people's entire CD collection.Until the Apple iPod appeared, though, hard disk players were big, heavy and had very short battery life.The snag is that the iPod is Mac only, and no PC peripheral manufacturer has anything like Apple's talent for style, although unofficial Windows software will be available soon for Apple's cigarette packet-sized player (visit www.mediafour.com for more information).Creative was the first to launch a hard disk MP3 player with the big and bulky Jukebox and, two years on, it's back with the markedly more svelte Nomad Jukebox 3. Actually, scratch that; the Jukebox 3 isn't that svelte.It is around a third smaller and lighter than the original Jukebox, but that still makes it the same size as a cheap CD Walkman and all but impossible to carry comfortably in a pocket. It also makes it considerably larger than an iPod, so the Jukebox 3's chances of success may appear slim.Where the Jukebox 3 scores, however, is with capacity. Its 20Gb hard disk can store 333 hours of music encoded at a near CD-quality sampling rate of 128Kbit/s.That means you could have it play non-stop for two weeks and not hear the same track twice. Getting all that music on there in the first place is also made much easier by the inclusion of both FireWire and USB ports.With FireWire, 100Mb of MP3s can be transferred in about a minute, but you'll need the patience of Job to transfer 20Gb of tracks over USB. The bad news is that, unlike the iPod, the Jukebox 3 doesn't recharge when it's connected to a PC's FireWire port so, if you're on the move, you'll need to carry the mains adaptor around to recharge the battery.The good news, however, is that the Jukebox 3's battery is a lithium-ion cell that will last for 11 hours. There's also a spare slot for a second battery.With 20Gb of music in your pocket (or, more probably, your bag), operating it could be a nightmare, but Creative has reworked the Jukebox 3's menu system to make it easier to use.There's now a wheel at the side of the unit for scrolling through tracks, but its stepped action does not allow you to spin it to quickly scroll through a long list.Tracks can be browsed by artist, album or genre, and play lists can be composed and even saved on the fly. There's still an awful lot of buttons to press, but one of them isn't 'hold'. This essential feature has been stupidly buried in a menu.The Jukebox is unusual in that it can also make recordings, either as WAV files or MP3s. There's a line-in socket that supports an optical connection, but there's no way to set or monitor the recording level.This limits the usefulness of the feature but, since the Jukebox 3 is flash-upgradable, it's an issue that may be addressed.Creative hasn't done much that's new to the bundled PlayCenter application, beyond adding a flexible track synchronise function. The application is easy to use, whether it's for managing your MP3 collection, ripping new tracks or sending them to the Jukebox 3, but it isn't well-executed.It also locked and crashed a number of Windows XP PCs in our tests, which didn't endear us to it, but a Jukebox 3-compatible version of the infinitely better Notmad Explorer (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.redchairsoftware.com">www.redchairsoftware.com</a>) should be available soon.Specifications:<ul><li>20Gb hard disk</li><li>Back lit LCD screen</li><li>FireWire and USB ports</li><li>11 hours playback from single lithium-ion battery, with a second battery slot</li><li>Two line-out sockets</li><li>Analogue/optical line-in socket</li><li>Supplied with PlayCenter MP3 management software</li><li>Size: 123 x 130 x 35mm</li><li>Weight: 298g without battery.</li></ul>Price: £350 (inc VAT)Contact: Creative 0118 934 4322 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nomadworld.com">www.nomadworld.com</a></body></html></content>VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKCopyright © 1994-2009 VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKJulian Prokaza2002-07-02T12:40:00.000ZHardware Reviewsnotebooks-and-portablesMustek gSm@rt Minihttp://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/hardware/2132792/mustek-gsm-rt-miniAndy Gordon, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Friday 31 May 2002 at 15:26:21An impressive amount of technology squeezed into a tiny frame.<content page="1"><html><body>The gSm@rt Mini digital camera is so diminutive that it could all too easily be dismissed as a novelty item, but some nifty features coupled with a keen price allow it to rise above this tag.We cannot remember seeing a smaller camera: the gSm@rt Mini resembles a fat credit card. Combine this with a weight of 40g and you have a gadget that could be carried comfortably on a key ring.The amount of technology squeezed into this minute frame is impressive. An 8Mb memory offers enough storage to hold 100 images taken at the camera's standard 640 x 480 resolution and, thanks to a 10-second timer, the photographer need not be excluded from shots.If necessary, the gSm@rt Mini's resolution can be dropped to 320 x 240, extending its capacity to 200 shots. Conversely, the camera can employ a mathematical technique called interpolation to artificially raise its detail level to a resolution of 1,024 x 768, reducing its storage capacity to 50 images.However, the charge-coupled device, the part of the camera that captures images, seems to have problems with subtle colours and performs badly in dim conditions.The camera's ability to record 10, 10-second video clips at 320 x 240 resolution is something that cannot be scoffed at for one so small. Clips and photographs can be transferred to a desktop computer using the supplied USB cable, which also acts as the recharger for the gSm@rt Mini's integrated battery.An excellent suite of software accompanies the camera. The Viewer presents a simple interface for speedy downloads of images via the USB cable, as well as displaying how many pictures there are, their size and a preview of each.For advanced manipulation Ulead PhotoExpress is straightforward enough, while Ulead Cool 360 is for creating wide-angle panoramas from multiple images. Finally, Ulead Photo Explorer helps organise images.Price: £70.50 (inc VAT)Specifications:<ul><li>640 x 480 maximum resolution (1,024 x 768 with interpolation)</li><li>8Mb memory</li><li>USB interface and integrated battery recharger</li><li>Captures short video clips</li><li>Dimensions (w x h x d, in mm): 69 x 47 x 11</li><li>Weight: 40g</li></ul>Contact: Cydine 0870 013 2017 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.mustek.com">www.mustek.com</a></body></html></content>http://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/hardware/2132792/mustek-gsm-rt-miniAndy Gordon, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Friday 31 May 2002 at 15:26:21An impressive amount of technology squeezed into a tiny frame.<content page="1"><html><body>The gSm@rt Mini digital camera is so diminutive that it could all too easily be dismissed as a novelty item, but some nifty features coupled with a keen price allow it to rise above this tag.We cannot remember seeing a smaller camera: the gSm@rt Mini resembles a fat credit card. Combine this with a weight of 40g and you have a gadget that could be carried comfortably on a key ring.The amount of technology squeezed into this minute frame is impressive. An 8Mb memory offers enough storage to hold 100 images taken at the camera's standard 640 x 480 resolution and, thanks to a 10-second timer, the photographer need not be excluded from shots.If necessary, the gSm@rt Mini's resolution can be dropped to 320 x 240, extending its capacity to 200 shots. Conversely, the camera can employ a mathematical technique called interpolation to artificially raise its detail level to a resolution of 1,024 x 768, reducing its storage capacity to 50 images.However, the charge-coupled device, the part of the camera that captures images, seems to have problems with subtle colours and performs badly in dim conditions.The camera's ability to record 10, 10-second video clips at 320 x 240 resolution is something that cannot be scoffed at for one so small. Clips and photographs can be transferred to a desktop computer using the supplied USB cable, which also acts as the recharger for the gSm@rt Mini's integrated battery.An excellent suite of software accompanies the camera. The Viewer presents a simple interface for speedy downloads of images via the USB cable, as well as displaying how many pictures there are, their size and a preview of each.For advanced manipulation Ulead PhotoExpress is straightforward enough, while Ulead Cool 360 is for creating wide-angle panoramas from multiple images. Finally, Ulead Photo Explorer helps organise images.Price: £70.50 (inc VAT)Specifications:<ul><li>640 x 480 maximum resolution (1,024 x 768 with interpolation)</li><li>8Mb memory</li><li>USB interface and integrated battery recharger</li><li>Captures short video clips</li><li>Dimensions (w x h x d, in mm): 69 x 47 x 11</li><li>Weight: 40g</li></ul>Contact: Cydine 0870 013 2017 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.mustek.com">www.mustek.com</a></body></html></content>VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKCopyright © 1994-2009 VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKAndy Gordon2002-05-31T15:26:21.000ZHardware Reviewsnotebooks-and-portablesUlead DVD Workshophttp://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/software/2132656/ulead-dvd-workshopBen Lewis, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Thursday 30 May 2002 at 11:53:06This latest application from Ulead makes creating DVDs easy and should satisfy beginners and more demanding users alike.<content page="1"><html><body>If you own or are thinking of buying a DVD-RW or a DVD+RW drive for your PC, you'll soon need some software to help you create DVD discs. Ulead's DVD Workshop offers just this, with its ability to capture and burn films, images and presentations onto DVD.DVD Workshop's five modes take you through the entire disc creation process. On the Start page you begin your new project or open an existing one for editing or burning. After this you move on to the Capture mode.The term 'capture' basically means that you acquire the footage from whatever video source you are using and transfer it to your PC. This program can take video straight from analogue or digital camcorders, digital stills cameras and webcams.A FireWire port is required for transferring digital video from a digital camcorder to a PC, or a USB port for stills and web cameras. If you want to grab footage from VHS tape, you'll need an analogue capture card.After transferring the film from your device, DVD Workshop sets about converting the file into the required format for your chosen burning media.You can burn onto DVD, the less common mini-DVD, VCD or Super VCD. You choose what media you want to burn at the start and the program captures and converts the files into the right format.For example, if you want to take a film from a digital video camera and make a VHS-quality VCD you'd first capture the data from digital video tape and then use DVD Workshop to convert the information to MPEG 1 format before burning it onto CD.The application makes this process easy and the simple interface should prevent even the greenest users from getting lost in the process.Moving on, the Edit page helps you fine tune a project's video, audio and image files. The main work you do here is on 'chapters'. Each chapter marks a point in your original footage. While reviewing a film you can pause and create a chapter by clicking and dragging the scene to the List section.DVD Workshop will also detect scenes shot at different times from your digital video camera and mark them out. Although it sounds complicated, the interface makes this process simple.Thumbnails in the column on the right of the screen list the chapters, and these can be reorganised with drag-and-drop actions. This allows the creation of professional looking front-ends for DVD discs to help viewers jump straight to a scene.With chapters and titles marked out, the Menu page is used to build an introduction screen. You can either start with a blank page or use one of DVD Workshop's large selection of ready made templates and buttons.There is a wizard to help you if you need it and the ability to set buttons and backgrounds in motion with one mouse click is a boon.This part of DVD Workshop is really well designed, and impressive menus can be created in a matter of minutes. The presentation opportunities this gives you are useful for putting a slick sheen on your project, ideal for creating promotional business discs or personal gifts.When the time comes to burn a disc, choose a drive and recording speed and away you go. The whole process is kept simple by the interface, with little that can go wrong.However, if problems do occur, Ulead's technical support sits at the end of a German telephone number, which will obviously cost more to call than a UK number. We're assured that this situation is only temporary, but you'd do well to check before buying.Price: £179.00 (inc VAT)Specifications:<ul><li>Capture MPEG direct from any source</li><li>Automatic scene detection system</li><li>Advanced file conversion feature</li><li>Large selection of menu templates</li><li>Burns DVDs, mini-DVDs, VCDs and SVCDs</li></ul>Minimum requirements: Windows 98 or higher; Pentium III 450MHz PC; 64Mb Ram; 150Mb hard disk space; 4Gb+ hard disk space for video capture and converting (13Gb hard disk space required for one hour of digital video).Contact: KL Associates 01327 844 880 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ulead.co.uk">www.ulead.co.uk</a></body></html></content>http://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/software/2132656/ulead-dvd-workshopBen Lewis, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Thursday 30 May 2002 at 11:53:06This latest application from Ulead makes creating DVDs easy and should satisfy beginners and more demanding users alike.<content page="1"><html><body>If you own or are thinking of buying a DVD-RW or a DVD+RW drive for your PC, you'll soon need some software to help you create DVD discs. Ulead's DVD Workshop offers just this, with its ability to capture and burn films, images and presentations onto DVD.DVD Workshop's five modes take you through the entire disc creation process. On the Start page you begin your new project or open an existing one for editing or burning. After this you move on to the Capture mode.The term 'capture' basically means that you acquire the footage from whatever video source you are using and transfer it to your PC. This program can take video straight from analogue or digital camcorders, digital stills cameras and webcams.A FireWire port is required for transferring digital video from a digital camcorder to a PC, or a USB port for stills and web cameras. If you want to grab footage from VHS tape, you'll need an analogue capture card.After transferring the film from your device, DVD Workshop sets about converting the file into the required format for your chosen burning media.You can burn onto DVD, the less common mini-DVD, VCD or Super VCD. You choose what media you want to burn at the start and the program captures and converts the files into the right format.For example, if you want to take a film from a digital video camera and make a VHS-quality VCD you'd first capture the data from digital video tape and then use DVD Workshop to convert the information to MPEG 1 format before burning it onto CD.The application makes this process easy and the simple interface should prevent even the greenest users from getting lost in the process.Moving on, the Edit page helps you fine tune a project's video, audio and image files. The main work you do here is on 'chapters'. Each chapter marks a point in your original footage. While reviewing a film you can pause and create a chapter by clicking and dragging the scene to the List section.DVD Workshop will also detect scenes shot at different times from your digital video camera and mark them out. Although it sounds complicated, the interface makes this process simple.Thumbnails in the column on the right of the screen list the chapters, and these can be reorganised with drag-and-drop actions. This allows the creation of professional looking front-ends for DVD discs to help viewers jump straight to a scene.With chapters and titles marked out, the Menu page is used to build an introduction screen. You can either start with a blank page or use one of DVD Workshop's large selection of ready made templates and buttons.There is a wizard to help you if you need it and the ability to set buttons and backgrounds in motion with one mouse click is a boon.This part of DVD Workshop is really well designed, and impressive menus can be created in a matter of minutes. The presentation opportunities this gives you are useful for putting a slick sheen on your project, ideal for creating promotional business discs or personal gifts.When the time comes to burn a disc, choose a drive and recording speed and away you go. The whole process is kept simple by the interface, with little that can go wrong.However, if problems do occur, Ulead's technical support sits at the end of a German telephone number, which will obviously cost more to call than a UK number. We're assured that this situation is only temporary, but you'd do well to check before buying.Price: £179.00 (inc VAT)Specifications:<ul><li>Capture MPEG direct from any source</li><li>Automatic scene detection system</li><li>Advanced file conversion feature</li><li>Large selection of menu templates</li><li>Burns DVDs, mini-DVDs, VCDs and SVCDs</li></ul>Minimum requirements: Windows 98 or higher; Pentium III 450MHz PC; 64Mb Ram; 150Mb hard disk space; 4Gb+ hard disk space for video capture and converting (13Gb hard disk space required for one hour of digital video).Contact: KL Associates 01327 844 880 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ulead.co.uk">www.ulead.co.uk</a></body></html></content>VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKCopyright © 1994-2009 VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKBen Lewis2002-05-30T11:53:06.000ZSoftware Reviewsnotebooks-and-portablesPalm m515http://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/hardware/2132787/palm-m515Cliff Joseph, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Wednesday 8 May 2002 at 12:09:57New top of the range Palm.<content page="1"><html><body>It can be a bit difficult to keep track of Palm's product range these days. There are now five different Palm PDAs on sale, excluding the wireless Palm 7 model that is only available in the US. The fact that they glory in nondescript names such as the m130, m500 and m515 doesn't really help.However, all you need to know about the m515 is that this is the new top-of-the-range Palm organiser. It has the same attractive, slimline design as its predecessor (the discontinued m505), measuring just three inches wide, four-and-a-half inches high and a mere half-inch in thickness.The weight is the same too, at a barely noticeable 4.9 ounces (138 grams), so it's small and light enough to carry in a jacket pocket with no trouble at all.Palm has made a few changes since the m505, though. The biggest problem with the m505 was that its colour screen was rather dark, so Palm has opted for a new 'ultra bright' display that provides much better visibility.The m515 has twice as much built-in memory as well, with 16Mb of RAM - enough to store thousands of names, addresses and perhaps a few colour pictures.Palm has also just released a new Bluetooth card that provides wireless connectivity to other Bluetooth devices such as mobile phones and notebook computers. You can buy the m515 with a Bluetooth card for £449.99.There are less expensive PDAs with colour screens and the Palm OS, such as the Visor Prism from Handspring. These other devices tend to be larger, though, and generally only have 8MB of memory. So, if you're looking for a really compact colour PDA, you'll find that the m515 is one of the best available.Specifications <ul><li>Handheld organiser using Palm OS 4.1</li><li>Built-in address book, calendar, to-do list</li><li>Colour screen displays 65,536 shades</li><li>Rechargeable li-ion battery</li><li>SD (secure digital) expansion slot</li><li>USB cradle for PC connectivity</li><li>Optional Bluetooth card</li></ul>Price £369.99 or £449.99 with Bluetooth (both prices include VAT)Contact Palm: 020 7365 9820 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.palm.com/uk">www.palm.com/uk</a></body></html></content>http://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/hardware/2132787/palm-m515Cliff Joseph, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Wednesday 8 May 2002 at 12:09:57New top of the range Palm.<content page="1"><html><body>It can be a bit difficult to keep track of Palm's product range these days. There are now five different Palm PDAs on sale, excluding the wireless Palm 7 model that is only available in the US. The fact that they glory in nondescript names such as the m130, m500 and m515 doesn't really help.However, all you need to know about the m515 is that this is the new top-of-the-range Palm organiser. It has the same attractive, slimline design as its predecessor (the discontinued m505), measuring just three inches wide, four-and-a-half inches high and a mere half-inch in thickness.The weight is the same too, at a barely noticeable 4.9 ounces (138 grams), so it's small and light enough to carry in a jacket pocket with no trouble at all.Palm has made a few changes since the m505, though. The biggest problem with the m505 was that its colour screen was rather dark, so Palm has opted for a new 'ultra bright' display that provides much better visibility.The m515 has twice as much built-in memory as well, with 16Mb of RAM - enough to store thousands of names, addresses and perhaps a few colour pictures.Palm has also just released a new Bluetooth card that provides wireless connectivity to other Bluetooth devices such as mobile phones and notebook computers. You can buy the m515 with a Bluetooth card for £449.99.There are less expensive PDAs with colour screens and the Palm OS, such as the Visor Prism from Handspring. These other devices tend to be larger, though, and generally only have 8MB of memory. So, if you're looking for a really compact colour PDA, you'll find that the m515 is one of the best available.Specifications <ul><li>Handheld organiser using Palm OS 4.1</li><li>Built-in address book, calendar, to-do list</li><li>Colour screen displays 65,536 shades</li><li>Rechargeable li-ion battery</li><li>SD (secure digital) expansion slot</li><li>USB cradle for PC connectivity</li><li>Optional Bluetooth card</li></ul>Price £369.99 or £449.99 with Bluetooth (both prices include VAT)Contact Palm: 020 7365 9820 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.palm.com/uk">www.palm.com/uk</a></body></html></content>VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKCopyright © 1994-2009 VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKCliff Joseph2002-05-08T12:09:57.000ZHardware Reviewsnotebooks-and-portablesHandspring Visor Edgehttp://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/hardware/2132784/handspring-visor-edgeCliff Joseph, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Thursday 11 April 2002 at 10:31:40Handspring's latest Visor is slimmer and lighter than ever.<content page="1"><html><body>When Handspring first bounced into the handheld market about 18 months ago, it gave the utterly dominant Palm its first real competition.Handspring had licensed the Palm OS as the basis of its Visor range of handheld devices, so strictly speaking, the Visor was a mere 'clone' of the Palm product range. However, Handspring seemed to have an edge over Palm thanks to its more innovative hardware design.Handspring adopted USB before Palm, and its Springboard expansion slot seemed to provide a wider range of options for clever add-ons such as digital cameras and even mobile phone modules. But with the release of the Visor Edge, Handspring looks like it might have, well, lost its edge.There's no denying that the Visor Edge is a very nice product. It's a mere 119 x 79 x11mm in size, and weighs just 136g. Our review unit was a restrained silver in colour, but you can also buy it in brash metallic red or blue if you prefer.It has all the standard Palm OS features, including calendar, address book, memo pad and to-do lists, so all the basic software you need is pre-installed and ready to use.It has 8MB of built-in memory, which will store thousands of items of information, and its 33MHz Dragonball processor makes it feel fast and responsive.On paper, then, it's a good match for its closest rival, the recently released Palm m500.However, there are a few niggling points that cause its techno-lust rating to drop slightly. A quick look at the specifications for the m500 show that it is about the same size as the Edge, but almost 20 per cent lighter.There are also a number of odd design decisions that spoil the Edge's streamlined appearance. On previous Visor models the writing stylus fitted into a slot that was recessed into the body of the device, preserving the tidy, slimline appearance of the unit. For some reason, Handspring has put the Edge's stylus on the outside of the unit, resting in a kind of clip on the right-hand edge. This looks rather untidy, and the clip mechanism can be a bit fiddly at times.Even worse from an aesthetic point of view is the ugly plastic hinge used to attach the flip-up cover to the unit. This fits into the expansion slot at the top, but having a big plastic hinge sitting right on top of this otherwise streamlined unit looks terrible. Maybe Handspring is hoping you'll buy a nice expensive leather case from its online store as a replacement, but the standard cover makes a really bad first impression that may simply send potential customers elsewhere.So too does the way the Springboard expansion slot has been integrated. The design of the slot means that it's a little too large for such a slimline device, so in order to plug in any Springboard add-on modules you first have to plug in a separate adaptor that doubles the thickness of the entire unit. It may be technically clever, but it's an aesthetic disaster and ruins the look and feel of the thing. In contrast, Palm has adopted the more compact secure digital expansion slot for the m500.It may seem unfair to judge the Edge on such superficial details, but if Handspring wants to market the Visor range as some sort of 'lifestyle' gadget, then these points do matter.To be fair, the Visor Edge does have all the features you need from an electronic organiser, and it's exactly the same price as the m500, so there's little to choose between them in terms of price and features.However, Handspring's hardware designers seem to have lost the plot slightly and the Visor Edge will have some real competition from the Palm m500 this time around.Specifications<ul><li>Handwriting recognition</li><li>33Mhz Dragonball processor</li><li>8Mb standard memory</li><li>Built-in calendar, address book, memo pad, to-do list</li><li>Springboard expansion slot</li><li>USB cradle for PC connection</li></ul>Contact Handspring: 020 7309 0134 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.handspring.co.uk">www.handspring.co.uk</a></body></html></content>http://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/hardware/2132784/handspring-visor-edgeCliff Joseph, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Thursday 11 April 2002 at 10:31:40Handspring's latest Visor is slimmer and lighter than ever.<content page="1"><html><body>When Handspring first bounced into the handheld market about 18 months ago, it gave the utterly dominant Palm its first real competition.Handspring had licensed the Palm OS as the basis of its Visor range of handheld devices, so strictly speaking, the Visor was a mere 'clone' of the Palm product range. However, Handspring seemed to have an edge over Palm thanks to its more innovative hardware design.Handspring adopted USB before Palm, and its Springboard expansion slot seemed to provide a wider range of options for clever add-ons such as digital cameras and even mobile phone modules. But with the release of the Visor Edge, Handspring looks like it might have, well, lost its edge.There's no denying that the Visor Edge is a very nice product. It's a mere 119 x 79 x11mm in size, and weighs just 136g. Our review unit was a restrained silver in colour, but you can also buy it in brash metallic red or blue if you prefer.It has all the standard Palm OS features, including calendar, address book, memo pad and to-do lists, so all the basic software you need is pre-installed and ready to use.It has 8MB of built-in memory, which will store thousands of items of information, and its 33MHz Dragonball processor makes it feel fast and responsive.On paper, then, it's a good match for its closest rival, the recently released Palm m500.However, there are a few niggling points that cause its techno-lust rating to drop slightly. A quick look at the specifications for the m500 show that it is about the same size as the Edge, but almost 20 per cent lighter.There are also a number of odd design decisions that spoil the Edge's streamlined appearance. On previous Visor models the writing stylus fitted into a slot that was recessed into the body of the device, preserving the tidy, slimline appearance of the unit. For some reason, Handspring has put the Edge's stylus on the outside of the unit, resting in a kind of clip on the right-hand edge. This looks rather untidy, and the clip mechanism can be a bit fiddly at times.Even worse from an aesthetic point of view is the ugly plastic hinge used to attach the flip-up cover to the unit. This fits into the expansion slot at the top, but having a big plastic hinge sitting right on top of this otherwise streamlined unit looks terrible. Maybe Handspring is hoping you'll buy a nice expensive leather case from its online store as a replacement, but the standard cover makes a really bad first impression that may simply send potential customers elsewhere.So too does the way the Springboard expansion slot has been integrated. The design of the slot means that it's a little too large for such a slimline device, so in order to plug in any Springboard add-on modules you first have to plug in a separate adaptor that doubles the thickness of the entire unit. It may be technically clever, but it's an aesthetic disaster and ruins the look and feel of the thing. In contrast, Palm has adopted the more compact secure digital expansion slot for the m500.It may seem unfair to judge the Edge on such superficial details, but if Handspring wants to market the Visor range as some sort of 'lifestyle' gadget, then these points do matter.To be fair, the Visor Edge does have all the features you need from an electronic organiser, and it's exactly the same price as the m500, so there's little to choose between them in terms of price and features.However, Handspring's hardware designers seem to have lost the plot slightly and the Visor Edge will have some real competition from the Palm m500 this time around.Specifications<ul><li>Handwriting recognition</li><li>33Mhz Dragonball processor</li><li>8Mb standard memory</li><li>Built-in calendar, address book, memo pad, to-do list</li><li>Springboard expansion slot</li><li>USB cradle for PC connection</li></ul>Contact Handspring: 020 7309 0134 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.handspring.co.uk">www.handspring.co.uk</a></body></html></content>VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKCopyright © 1994-2009 VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKCliff Joseph2002-04-11T10:31:40.000ZHardware Reviewsnotebooks-and-portablesACi Acclaimhttp://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/hardware/2132771/aci-acclaimDominic Bucknall, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Thursday 21 March 2002 at 11:58:33A good balance of features and build quality against portability and cost.<content page="1"><html><body>The classic sub-A4 notebook tends to exhibit three identifying characteristics: it's light, short on features and processing power, and heavy on your wallet.This is, of course, an opportunity for good design to succeed, and nicely ushers in the star of this review, namely the ACi Acclaim. The Acclaim is a proper sub-notebook, in that it is significantly smaller and lighter than a typical portable, with a 269x242mm (WxH) footprint and a modest weight of 1.9kg.ACi has solved the first problem that usually crops up with very small notebooks by making most of the case and lid out of magnesium alloy. This doesn't add too much to the weight, but it makes the machine much stronger and more resilient than a plastic machine.Slimmed-down notebooks often shed all drives bar the hard disk, but the Acclaim manages to squeeze in an internal 24-speed CD-ROM drive despite only measuring 25mm thick when closed. The drive is fixed rather than modular, but you can specify alternatives like DVD or CD-RW if you want something more than just plain CD-ROM on the optical side.The floppy drive is contained in a small external module weighing about 250g that plugs into one of the system's three USB ports. We were pleased to see the USBs, but we also noticed the parallel and serial ports have been omitted, which could cause problems for users with non-USB peripherals.ACi does sell a port replicator if you need one.The Acclaim has a VGA connector for running an external monitor, but there's no PS/2 port - desktop mice and keyboards will need to be USB, like everything else, unless you opt for the aforementioned port replicator.The machine is also kitted out with a FireWire port for a fast connection to digital cameras or camcorders.There's a Type II PC Card slot, for something like a GSM adaptor if you are serious about communications on the move. The Acclaim is already well equipped in this area, with a standard V.90 modem, a networking adaptor, and an internal wireless network adaptor that delivers a slow but functional 11Kbit/s radio frequency connection.Subnote keyboards can be too cramped for comfort and while the Acclaim doesn't have one of the best we've seen, it remains usable. Some keys like Backspace are too small for our liking, and PgUp and PgDn are mapped on top of the arrow keys, but with a bit of practice most people should get by.The screen isn't large either, but its 12.1in diagonal is just about enough to carry the 1024x768 default resolution, although text is fairly small. The screen isn't quite as bright as some and doesn't have a very wide viewing angle, but it's good enough to pass muster.Of the 192Mb system memory, the SiS 630 graphics chip borrows 8Mb but this doesn't cause too many problems. The SiS isn't a very fast chipset, but is fine for typical 2D business applications.Overall, the Acclaim was a moderate performer by the standards of 1GHz portables, though helped by having plenty of memory. Subnotes tend to be on the slow side, and by comparison with other small portables the Acclaim held up rather well.It also managed a reasonably sustained run on battery power, which can be another weak spot on such small machines. What you get will vary depending on what you are doing, but for normal, light use you should keep going for a good 2.5 hours and possibly longer, so you will actually get some work done before the dreaded low battery beeps start up.While it isn't perfect, the Acclaim does a good job of balancing features, performance and build quality against portability and cost. With a year's collect and return warranty plus lifetime labour and technical support, in the final analysis this notebook is good value.SPECIFICATIONS<ul><li>1GHz Pentium III Speedstep processor</li><li>192Mb of RAM</li><li>20Gb hard disk</li><li>Internal 24-speed CD-ROM</li><li>Integrated 56K modem and 10/100 fast network adaptor</li><li>Integrated 802.11b standard wireless network adaptor</li><li>Weight: 1.9kg (2.4kg including floppy drive and power supply)</li><li>Dimensions (W x D x H, in mm): 269 x 242 x 25</li></ul>Contact ACi: 020 8830 1958 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.aciplc.com">www.aciplc.com</a></body></html></content>http://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/hardware/2132771/aci-acclaimDominic Bucknall, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Thursday 21 March 2002 at 11:58:33A good balance of features and build quality against portability and cost.<content page="1"><html><body>The classic sub-A4 notebook tends to exhibit three identifying characteristics: it's light, short on features and processing power, and heavy on your wallet.This is, of course, an opportunity for good design to succeed, and nicely ushers in the star of this review, namely the ACi Acclaim. The Acclaim is a proper sub-notebook, in that it is significantly smaller and lighter than a typical portable, with a 269x242mm (WxH) footprint and a modest weight of 1.9kg.ACi has solved the first problem that usually crops up with very small notebooks by making most of the case and lid out of magnesium alloy. This doesn't add too much to the weight, but it makes the machine much stronger and more resilient than a plastic machine.Slimmed-down notebooks often shed all drives bar the hard disk, but the Acclaim manages to squeeze in an internal 24-speed CD-ROM drive despite only measuring 25mm thick when closed. The drive is fixed rather than modular, but you can specify alternatives like DVD or CD-RW if you want something more than just plain CD-ROM on the optical side.The floppy drive is contained in a small external module weighing about 250g that plugs into one of the system's three USB ports. We were pleased to see the USBs, but we also noticed the parallel and serial ports have been omitted, which could cause problems for users with non-USB peripherals.ACi does sell a port replicator if you need one.The Acclaim has a VGA connector for running an external monitor, but there's no PS/2 port - desktop mice and keyboards will need to be USB, like everything else, unless you opt for the aforementioned port replicator.The machine is also kitted out with a FireWire port for a fast connection to digital cameras or camcorders.There's a Type II PC Card slot, for something like a GSM adaptor if you are serious about communications on the move. The Acclaim is already well equipped in this area, with a standard V.90 modem, a networking adaptor, and an internal wireless network adaptor that delivers a slow but functional 11Kbit/s radio frequency connection.Subnote keyboards can be too cramped for comfort and while the Acclaim doesn't have one of the best we've seen, it remains usable. Some keys like Backspace are too small for our liking, and PgUp and PgDn are mapped on top of the arrow keys, but with a bit of practice most people should get by.The screen isn't large either, but its 12.1in diagonal is just about enough to carry the 1024x768 default resolution, although text is fairly small. The screen isn't quite as bright as some and doesn't have a very wide viewing angle, but it's good enough to pass muster.Of the 192Mb system memory, the SiS 630 graphics chip borrows 8Mb but this doesn't cause too many problems. The SiS isn't a very fast chipset, but is fine for typical 2D business applications.Overall, the Acclaim was a moderate performer by the standards of 1GHz portables, though helped by having plenty of memory. Subnotes tend to be on the slow side, and by comparison with other small portables the Acclaim held up rather well.It also managed a reasonably sustained run on battery power, which can be another weak spot on such small machines. What you get will vary depending on what you are doing, but for normal, light use you should keep going for a good 2.5 hours and possibly longer, so you will actually get some work done before the dreaded low battery beeps start up.While it isn't perfect, the Acclaim does a good job of balancing features, performance and build quality against portability and cost. With a year's collect and return warranty plus lifetime labour and technical support, in the final analysis this notebook is good value.SPECIFICATIONS<ul><li>1GHz Pentium III Speedstep processor</li><li>192Mb of RAM</li><li>20Gb hard disk</li><li>Internal 24-speed CD-ROM</li><li>Integrated 56K modem and 10/100 fast network adaptor</li><li>Integrated 802.11b standard wireless network adaptor</li><li>Weight: 1.9kg (2.4kg including floppy drive and power supply)</li><li>Dimensions (W x D x H, in mm): 269 x 242 x 25</li></ul>Contact ACi: 020 8830 1958 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.aciplc.com">www.aciplc.com</a></body></html></content>VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKCopyright © 1994-2009 VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKDominic Bucknall2002-03-21T11:58:33.000ZHardware Reviewsnotebooks-and-portablesFujitsu-Siemens Amilo D Serieshttp://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/hardware/2132768/fujitsu-siemens-amilo-seriesAndy Gordon, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Tuesday 19 March 2002 at 14:19:30Budget desktop replacement with a 1GHz Intel Celeron chip.<content page="1"><html><body>Continuing the trickle-down of technology from desktop to laptop, Fujitsu-Siemens' newest notebook uses the latest 1GHz Intel Celeron processor.The Celeron does not offer the same performance as a 1GHz Mobile Pentium III but it costs less, making machines like the Amilo worth considering as a budget desktop replacement.For the money, the Amilo's 128Mb of RAM and 20Gb hard drive seem attractive, but this has to be weighed against the slack performance of a basic processor: the Amilo's score of 61 in our SYSmark test is a significant 20 points off the worst Pentium III-based notebook.Talking of limited power, the Amilo's graphics facilities are particularly poor. The machine relies on an integrated graphics chip that shares memory with the main system, which is hardly conducive to fast performance.Having said all that, unless you're intending to go application crazy, the Amilo has more than enough features to justify its cost. It really looks the part, with a light-blue finish and good 14.1in display.There are two easily-accessible USB ports on the right-hand side and an S-Video port on the back. This allows DVD movies to be viewed through a standard TV courtesy of the 8-speed DVD drive; a step up from the CD-ROM and still not common at this price.The FireWire port around the back is another bonus and is ideal for downloading digital video images.Peripherals can also use the serial or parallel ports that sit next to the modem and network interfaces. Two PC Card slots round off the connection options.The well-spaced but spongy keyboard shares the bottom half of the machine with a responsive touchpad for mouse duties and function keys for running the DVD player and adjusting the volume.SPECIFICATIONS<ul><li>Intel Celeron 1GHz processor</li><li>128Mb of RAM</li><li>20Gb hard drive</li><li>8-speed DVD-ROM drive</li><li>14.1in TFT screen</li><li>IEEE 1394 (FireWire) port</li><li>Weight: 3.27kg</li><li>Windows Me</li></ul>Contact Fujitsu-Siemens: 01344 475555 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.fujitsu-siemens.co.uk">www.fujitsu-siemens.co.uk</a></body></html></content>http://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/hardware/2132768/fujitsu-siemens-amilo-seriesAndy Gordon, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Tuesday 19 March 2002 at 14:19:30Budget desktop replacement with a 1GHz Intel Celeron chip.<content page="1"><html><body>Continuing the trickle-down of technology from desktop to laptop, Fujitsu-Siemens' newest notebook uses the latest 1GHz Intel Celeron processor.The Celeron does not offer the same performance as a 1GHz Mobile Pentium III but it costs less, making machines like the Amilo worth considering as a budget desktop replacement.For the money, the Amilo's 128Mb of RAM and 20Gb hard drive seem attractive, but this has to be weighed against the slack performance of a basic processor: the Amilo's score of 61 in our SYSmark test is a significant 20 points off the worst Pentium III-based notebook.Talking of limited power, the Amilo's graphics facilities are particularly poor. The machine relies on an integrated graphics chip that shares memory with the main system, which is hardly conducive to fast performance.Having said all that, unless you're intending to go application crazy, the Amilo has more than enough features to justify its cost. It really looks the part, with a light-blue finish and good 14.1in display.There are two easily-accessible USB ports on the right-hand side and an S-Video port on the back. This allows DVD movies to be viewed through a standard TV courtesy of the 8-speed DVD drive; a step up from the CD-ROM and still not common at this price.The FireWire port around the back is another bonus and is ideal for downloading digital video images.Peripherals can also use the serial or parallel ports that sit next to the modem and network interfaces. Two PC Card slots round off the connection options.The well-spaced but spongy keyboard shares the bottom half of the machine with a responsive touchpad for mouse duties and function keys for running the DVD player and adjusting the volume.SPECIFICATIONS<ul><li>Intel Celeron 1GHz processor</li><li>128Mb of RAM</li><li>20Gb hard drive</li><li>8-speed DVD-ROM drive</li><li>14.1in TFT screen</li><li>IEEE 1394 (FireWire) port</li><li>Weight: 3.27kg</li><li>Windows Me</li></ul>Contact Fujitsu-Siemens: 01344 475555 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.fujitsu-siemens.co.uk">www.fujitsu-siemens.co.uk</a></body></html></content>VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKCopyright © 1994-2009 VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKAndy Gordon2002-03-19T14:19:30.000ZHardware Reviewsnotebooks-and-portablesCanon PowerShot S30http://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/hardware/2132766/canon-powershot-s30Chris Cain, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Friday 15 March 2002 at 10:16:28Clear, bright and detailed images from this excellent device.<content page="1"><html><body>Choosing a digital camera can be a tricky business. Not only do you need to weigh up the technical specifications, there's the physical aspects to consider.A big camera may be very easy to use but if it's too heavy you won't want to carry it around. But then if the device is too small a shaky hand is more likely to cause blurry photos.Canon seems to be thinking along the right lines with the PowerShot S30. At about the same size and weight as a traditional compact camera, its rugged casing should fit snugly in most hands. A thumb groove on the back sits where many digital cameras put their zoom control, adding to the comfort factor.The PowerShot places its own zoom slider just in front of the shutter button. It's awkward at first but only because it's not in the usual position. The lens offers a handy 3x optical zoom and a less useful 3.2x digital zoom, which simply crops into the picture.The camera moves smoothly from optical to digital, and the latter can be switched off. Canon claims a total of 10x digital zoom when combining the two. The lens retracts into the case when not in use and a sliding cover acts as both protection and power switch.The rear of the S30 has a standard viewfinder and an extremely clear 1.8in LCD display. The other controls are situated around the display and are surprisingly intuitive; we were happily snapping in different modes long before we needed a peek at the manual.At 3.2 megapixels, the S30 can take images at resolutions reaching 2,048 x 1,536 pixels, which provides enough fine detail for photo prints up to about 8 x 6in. What's more, the camera can be plugged into the CP-10 card printer for instant snaps.The supplied 16Mb Compact Flash card stores eight images in JPG format at the highest setting (or five in RAW format), but decreasing resolution and increasing compression boosts things considerably. At 2,048 x 1,536 with standard compression the figure doubles to 16, while 26 can be stored at 1,600 x 1,200 with medium compression. Either way, it's advisable to buy a larger card.Along with the usual automatic settings there are a total of 13 shooting modes (accessed via a wheel on the top of the camera or onscreen menus) including Portrait, Landscape, Night Scene, Fast Shutter, Slow Shutter, Colour Effects, Stitch assist (to blend photos together) and Movie.The latter can record a 320 x 240 pixel or 160 x 120 pixel video with audio at 15 frames per second. As the camera records audio, the zoom can't be used in movie mode due to motor noise.Keen photographers can use full manual exposure control or three Creative Zones to suit different situations and light settings. The S30 emulates film speeds up to ISO 800.The good news is that both indoor and outdoor shots on Auto were terrific with excellent colour balance and faultless overall detail. Even at medium resolution with compression applied, images were crystal clear.Also impressive is the speed between shots, and it's easy to review and delete pictures. A histogram option can be called up to check for proper exposure.The PowerShot S30 can send its pictures to a PAL or NTSC TV, or to a PC for viewing and editing via USB. Canon's supplied ArcSoft Camera Suite 1.1 software is simple and easy to use and provides basic editing and printing facilities.The only negative points in operation were that subjects often complained about the rather blinding beam used by Canon's auto-focusing mechanism.The other thing is that, during testing in temperatures slightly below zero, the LCD panel on our review model died. Whether the temperature does have an adverse effect is unclear but, if it does, this is a concern. Canon assures us it is a one-off but is going to investigate anyway.Specifications:<ul><li>3.2 megapixel CCD</li><li>1.8in LCD screen and optical viewfinder</li><li>3x optical zoom, 3.2x digital zoom</li><li>Built-in flash</li><li>Compact Flash II slot, 16Mb card supplied</li><li>Rechargeable Lithium battery</li><li>Shutter speeds 15-1/500 sec</li><li>ISO 50, 100, 200, 400 and 800</li><li>Dimensions: (W x H x D) 112 x 58 x 42mm; weight: 260g</li><li>Charger and AV cable supplied.</li></ul>Minimum requirements: PC - Windows 98 (inc. SE), Me, 2000, XP; Mac - OS 8.6 to 9.1.Contact: Canon 0800 616417 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.canon.co.uk">www.canon.co.uk</a></body></html></content>http://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/hardware/2132766/canon-powershot-s30Chris Cain, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Friday 15 March 2002 at 10:16:28Clear, bright and detailed images from this excellent device.<content page="1"><html><body>Choosing a digital camera can be a tricky business. Not only do you need to weigh up the technical specifications, there's the physical aspects to consider.A big camera may be very easy to use but if it's too heavy you won't want to carry it around. But then if the device is too small a shaky hand is more likely to cause blurry photos.Canon seems to be thinking along the right lines with the PowerShot S30. At about the same size and weight as a traditional compact camera, its rugged casing should fit snugly in most hands. A thumb groove on the back sits where many digital cameras put their zoom control, adding to the comfort factor.The PowerShot places its own zoom slider just in front of the shutter button. It's awkward at first but only because it's not in the usual position. The lens offers a handy 3x optical zoom and a less useful 3.2x digital zoom, which simply crops into the picture.The camera moves smoothly from optical to digital, and the latter can be switched off. Canon claims a total of 10x digital zoom when combining the two. The lens retracts into the case when not in use and a sliding cover acts as both protection and power switch.The rear of the S30 has a standard viewfinder and an extremely clear 1.8in LCD display. The other controls are situated around the display and are surprisingly intuitive; we were happily snapping in different modes long before we needed a peek at the manual.At 3.2 megapixels, the S30 can take images at resolutions reaching 2,048 x 1,536 pixels, which provides enough fine detail for photo prints up to about 8 x 6in. What's more, the camera can be plugged into the CP-10 card printer for instant snaps.The supplied 16Mb Compact Flash card stores eight images in JPG format at the highest setting (or five in RAW format), but decreasing resolution and increasing compression boosts things considerably. At 2,048 x 1,536 with standard compression the figure doubles to 16, while 26 can be stored at 1,600 x 1,200 with medium compression. Either way, it's advisable to buy a larger card.Along with the usual automatic settings there are a total of 13 shooting modes (accessed via a wheel on the top of the camera or onscreen menus) including Portrait, Landscape, Night Scene, Fast Shutter, Slow Shutter, Colour Effects, Stitch assist (to blend photos together) and Movie.The latter can record a 320 x 240 pixel or 160 x 120 pixel video with audio at 15 frames per second. As the camera records audio, the zoom can't be used in movie mode due to motor noise.Keen photographers can use full manual exposure control or three Creative Zones to suit different situations and light settings. The S30 emulates film speeds up to ISO 800.The good news is that both indoor and outdoor shots on Auto were terrific with excellent colour balance and faultless overall detail. Even at medium resolution with compression applied, images were crystal clear.Also impressive is the speed between shots, and it's easy to review and delete pictures. A histogram option can be called up to check for proper exposure.The PowerShot S30 can send its pictures to a PAL or NTSC TV, or to a PC for viewing and editing via USB. Canon's supplied ArcSoft Camera Suite 1.1 software is simple and easy to use and provides basic editing and printing facilities.The only negative points in operation were that subjects often complained about the rather blinding beam used by Canon's auto-focusing mechanism.The other thing is that, during testing in temperatures slightly below zero, the LCD panel on our review model died. Whether the temperature does have an adverse effect is unclear but, if it does, this is a concern. Canon assures us it is a one-off but is going to investigate anyway.Specifications:<ul><li>3.2 megapixel CCD</li><li>1.8in LCD screen and optical viewfinder</li><li>3x optical zoom, 3.2x digital zoom</li><li>Built-in flash</li><li>Compact Flash II slot, 16Mb card supplied</li><li>Rechargeable Lithium battery</li><li>Shutter speeds 15-1/500 sec</li><li>ISO 50, 100, 200, 400 and 800</li><li>Dimensions: (W x H x D) 112 x 58 x 42mm; weight: 260g</li><li>Charger and AV cable supplied.</li></ul>Minimum requirements: PC - Windows 98 (inc. SE), Me, 2000, XP; Mac - OS 8.6 to 9.1.Contact: Canon 0800 616417 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.canon.co.uk">www.canon.co.uk</a></body></html></content>VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKCopyright © 1994-2009 VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKChris Cain2002-03-15T10:16:28.000ZHardware Reviewsnotebooks-and-portablesSureThing CD Labeler Deluxehttp://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/software/2132644/surething-cd-labeler-deluxeKyle MacRae, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Thursday 14 March 2002 at 11:59:21Create label designs using a range of supplied backgrounds.<content page="1"><html><body>It's a simple enough premise: now that we're all churning out endless audio and data CDs on our computers, what we need is a simple, effective utility to label them. But is this it?The design element is fine: working with a CD label or jewel case insert template, you create designs using a range of supplied backgrounds, clipart, and symbols.You can also import digital images - TWAIN scanning is supported - and formatted text can be added and edited anywhere. It's basic desktop publishing, with the advantage that the program imports audio playlists and data file lists directly from the disc (so long as your CD burner supports CD text).The New CD Wizard and SmartDesigns tools offer a quick-start way to churn out brash but functional labels. Despite the misleading title, floppy disk, VHS cassette and many other labels can be designed and printed from templates.The application recognises paper media made by the likes of Avery and HP alongside several formats from its own stable, and it's possible - just about - to create a customised template where you specify paper size, the number of labels, and their positions relative to each other.However, we when we tried this - and believe us, we tried many times - we just couldn't persuade our designs to print with precision. Calibrating the printer made no difference.This 'Deluxe' edition includes two label applicators, one for standard labels and one for 'full-face' affairs that cover more of the disc. In fact, each is but a pitta bread-sized plastic patty with a central spindle on which you position a label, and then press on a CD with all the technological power of your fingers.Minimum requirements Windows 9x/2000, Pentium processor, 16Mb RAM (64Mb for Windows 2000), 64Mb hard disk space, printer.Contact The Thompson Partnership: 01889 564601 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ttp.co.uk">www.ttp.co.uk</a>Download a trial version of SureThing CD Labeler (standard edition) by clicking <a href="http://www.vnunet.com/Download/1121936">here</a>.</body></html></content>http://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/software/2132644/surething-cd-labeler-deluxeKyle MacRae, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Thursday 14 March 2002 at 11:59:21Create label designs using a range of supplied backgrounds.<content page="1"><html><body>It's a simple enough premise: now that we're all churning out endless audio and data CDs on our computers, what we need is a simple, effective utility to label them. But is this it?The design element is fine: working with a CD label or jewel case insert template, you create designs using a range of supplied backgrounds, clipart, and symbols.You can also import digital images - TWAIN scanning is supported - and formatted text can be added and edited anywhere. It's basic desktop publishing, with the advantage that the program imports audio playlists and data file lists directly from the disc (so long as your CD burner supports CD text).The New CD Wizard and SmartDesigns tools offer a quick-start way to churn out brash but functional labels. Despite the misleading title, floppy disk, VHS cassette and many other labels can be designed and printed from templates.The application recognises paper media made by the likes of Avery and HP alongside several formats from its own stable, and it's possible - just about - to create a customised template where you specify paper size, the number of labels, and their positions relative to each other.However, we when we tried this - and believe us, we tried many times - we just couldn't persuade our designs to print with precision. Calibrating the printer made no difference.This 'Deluxe' edition includes two label applicators, one for standard labels and one for 'full-face' affairs that cover more of the disc. In fact, each is but a pitta bread-sized plastic patty with a central spindle on which you position a label, and then press on a CD with all the technological power of your fingers.Minimum requirements Windows 9x/2000, Pentium processor, 16Mb RAM (64Mb for Windows 2000), 64Mb hard disk space, printer.Contact The Thompson Partnership: 01889 564601 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ttp.co.uk">www.ttp.co.uk</a>Download a trial version of SureThing CD Labeler (standard edition) by clicking <a href="http://www.vnunet.com/Download/1121936">here</a>.</body></html></content>VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKCopyright © 1994-2009 VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKKyle MacRae2002-03-14T11:59:21.000ZSoftware Reviewsnotebooks-and-portablesDiamond Rio Volt SP100http://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/hardware/2132748/diamond-rio-volt-sp100Cliff Joseph, What PC?, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Thursday 11 October 2001 at 16:53:43A nifty CD and MP3 player rolled into one.<content page="1"><html><body>The Rio Volt can play both ordinary audio CDs and CD-R or CD-RW discs containing MP3 or WMA (Windows Media Audio) files. The advantage is that you can cram several hours worth of MP3 files onto a CD-R/CD-RW, whereas most commercial audio CDs generally store just 45-60 minutes of tunes. Of course, you will need your own CD writer to create personalised CDs.There are a number of similar CD players available, so Rio has been a little slow jumping on the bandwagon. However, the Volt is a well-designed unit and its neatly laid out controls are easy to use.The control panel is nice and simple, with a petite screen that shows track information, and a small group of buttons to adjust the volume and navigate through the menus. There's a small remote control you can clip on your shirt while you're jogging or at the gym, and a carrying case with a belt loop, so the unit is completely portable.You can run the Volt with two AA batteries or use the supplied mains adaptor. The player has a two-minute 'shock buffer', which means it stores up to 120 seconds of music in memory so playback isn't affected if you bump or jog the player when you're on the move.Our only reservation is that it's made out of rather lightweight plastic and doesn't seem terribly robust. But at £169 it's quite reasonably priced, so it's worth considering if you like the idea of a combined CD/MP3 player.Specifications:<ul><li>Plays CDs and CD-R/CD-RW discs with MP3 and WMA files</li><li>15 hours playing time with two AA batteries (AC power supply also included)</li><li>Two-minute 'shock buffer'</li><li>Earphones and remote control included</li><li>Adjustable equaliser settings.</li></ul>Minimum requirements: Windows 9x, Me, 2000 or Mac OS 8.6 to install bundled MP3 software.Contact: Rio Digital Audio 0118 944 4477 <a href="http://www.riohome.com">www.riohome.com</a>.</body></html></content>http://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/hardware/2132748/diamond-rio-volt-sp100Cliff Joseph, What PC?, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Thursday 11 October 2001 at 16:53:43A nifty CD and MP3 player rolled into one.<content page="1"><html><body>The Rio Volt can play both ordinary audio CDs and CD-R or CD-RW discs containing MP3 or WMA (Windows Media Audio) files. The advantage is that you can cram several hours worth of MP3 files onto a CD-R/CD-RW, whereas most commercial audio CDs generally store just 45-60 minutes of tunes. Of course, you will need your own CD writer to create personalised CDs.There are a number of similar CD players available, so Rio has been a little slow jumping on the bandwagon. However, the Volt is a well-designed unit and its neatly laid out controls are easy to use.The control panel is nice and simple, with a petite screen that shows track information, and a small group of buttons to adjust the volume and navigate through the menus. There's a small remote control you can clip on your shirt while you're jogging or at the gym, and a carrying case with a belt loop, so the unit is completely portable.You can run the Volt with two AA batteries or use the supplied mains adaptor. The player has a two-minute 'shock buffer', which means it stores up to 120 seconds of music in memory so playback isn't affected if you bump or jog the player when you're on the move.Our only reservation is that it's made out of rather lightweight plastic and doesn't seem terribly robust. But at £169 it's quite reasonably priced, so it's worth considering if you like the idea of a combined CD/MP3 player.Specifications:<ul><li>Plays CDs and CD-R/CD-RW discs with MP3 and WMA files</li><li>15 hours playing time with two AA batteries (AC power supply also included)</li><li>Two-minute 'shock buffer'</li><li>Earphones and remote control included</li><li>Adjustable equaliser settings.</li></ul>Minimum requirements: Windows 9x, Me, 2000 or Mac OS 8.6 to install bundled MP3 software.Contact: Rio Digital Audio 0118 944 4477 <a href="http://www.riohome.com">www.riohome.com</a>.</body></html></content>VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKCopyright © 1994-2009 VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKCliff Joseph, What PC?2001-10-11T16:53:43.000ZHardware Reviewsnotebooks-and-portablesRio 800http://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/hardware/2132747/rio-800Cliff Joseph, What PC?, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Thursday 11 October 2001 at 16:29:05Extra memory makes this a much more attractive MP3 player.<content page="1"><html><body>Originally developed by Diamond Multimedia, the Rio has been one of the most successful MP3 players released in the last couple of years. In fact, it's been so successful that Diamond has capitalised on the Rio brand by changing its own name to Rio Digital Audio.But, like most MP3 players, the early Rio models had one major limitation. Their built-in storage capacity was pretty limited: just 32Mb or 64Mb for the existing Rio 600 model. You could buy additional memory modules if you wanted but these were still limited to 32Mb or 64Mb, which meant that you needed to carry several of them around if you wanted to store more than an hour or so of music.The Rio 800, however, has a much healthier 128Mb of storage as standard, which will allow you to store twice as much music as the previous version.The manufacturer claims you can store up to four hours of music, but that's a little optimistic. You'd need to compress your MP3 files pretty intensely to squeeze quite that much onto the Rio, and this would almost certainly cause noticeable degradation in the audio quality.Even so, you can still store two hours worth of music on it quite comfortably using a data rate of 128Mbps, and that level should produce pretty good sound quality. You might even manage three hours if you're happy to experiment with the compression settings. The other new feature is a small built-in microphone, which allows you to make voice recordings and store them on the Rio.At around £300 the Rio 800 is pretty expensive, but maybe you can pretend that you're using the microphone to dictate notes for work and then try and put it down on your next expenses claim. We're sure they'll understand.Specifications:<ul><li>Portable MP3 player</li><li>Also supports Windows Media Audio format</li><li>128Mb 'backpack' storage module</li><li>Rechargeable 10-hour battery</li><li>Built-in microphone for voice recording.</li></ul>Minimum requirements: Windows 98, Me or 2000, or Mac OS 8.6; USB port; 32Mb hard disk space.Contact: Rio Digital Audio 01189 444477 <a href="http://www.riohome.com">www.riohome.com</a>.</body></html></content>http://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/hardware/2132747/rio-800Cliff Joseph, What PC?, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Thursday 11 October 2001 at 16:29:05Extra memory makes this a much more attractive MP3 player.<content page="1"><html><body>Originally developed by Diamond Multimedia, the Rio has been one of the most successful MP3 players released in the last couple of years. In fact, it's been so successful that Diamond has capitalised on the Rio brand by changing its own name to Rio Digital Audio.But, like most MP3 players, the early Rio models had one major limitation. Their built-in storage capacity was pretty limited: just 32Mb or 64Mb for the existing Rio 600 model. You could buy additional memory modules if you wanted but these were still limited to 32Mb or 64Mb, which meant that you needed to carry several of them around if you wanted to store more than an hour or so of music.The Rio 800, however, has a much healthier 128Mb of storage as standard, which will allow you to store twice as much music as the previous version.The manufacturer claims you can store up to four hours of music, but that's a little optimistic. You'd need to compress your MP3 files pretty intensely to squeeze quite that much onto the Rio, and this would almost certainly cause noticeable degradation in the audio quality.Even so, you can still store two hours worth of music on it quite comfortably using a data rate of 128Mbps, and that level should produce pretty good sound quality. You might even manage three hours if you're happy to experiment with the compression settings. The other new feature is a small built-in microphone, which allows you to make voice recordings and store them on the Rio.At around £300 the Rio 800 is pretty expensive, but maybe you can pretend that you're using the microphone to dictate notes for work and then try and put it down on your next expenses claim. We're sure they'll understand.Specifications:<ul><li>Portable MP3 player</li><li>Also supports Windows Media Audio format</li><li>128Mb 'backpack' storage module</li><li>Rechargeable 10-hour battery</li><li>Built-in microphone for voice recording.</li></ul>Minimum requirements: Windows 98, Me or 2000, or Mac OS 8.6; USB port; 32Mb hard disk space.Contact: Rio Digital Audio 01189 444477 <a href="http://www.riohome.com">www.riohome.com</a>.</body></html></content>VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKCopyright © 1994-2009 VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKCliff Joseph, What PC?2001-10-11T16:29:05.000ZHardware Reviewsnotebooks-and-portablesItronix GoBook IX250http://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/hardware/2132742/itronix-gobook-ix250Dominic Bucknall, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Sunday 19 August 2001 at 23:00:00A shockproof notebook? Can it really work?<content page="1"><html><body>Just because notebooks can be carried around doesn't mean they can survive close encounters with the elements. In fact the reverse is true: show most portables anywhere a bit rougher than the average fleet car passenger seat, and they tend to die of fright.This is the problem Itronix has set about addressing with the GoBook. At a fundamental level, it's an ordinary enough notebook PC, modestly powered by a Celeron processor, but the works are wrapped in layer after layer of shock-resistant foam, rubber seals, watertight covers and die-cast magnesium alloy.Just in case anyone were to doubt the veracity of Itronix's various claims, the company subjected the GoBook to a truly barbaric set of tests drawn from the US Army's MIL-STD 810E specification, which is used to assess the hardiness of kit it may adopt for military use.The process involves things like spraying water at the notebook from all sides at a rate equivalent to a monsoon-style rainfall, and dropping the machine repeatedly from a height of three feet onto a concrete surface.Because it's designed for outdoor use, it comes with an internal radio antenna to send and receive data over a wireless network. You have to add appropriate hardware for the network you want - say a GSM modem in the UK - but once the correct PC Card is installed and you are set up on the network, you have a wireless communications system.You only get a hard drive as standard, with a multi-purpose bay for either a CD or DVDRom drive. Still, this is a remarkable machine, with features such as a touch-sensitive screen and a luminous keyboard for working in poor light.SPECIFICATIONS:<ul><li>600Mhz Intel Mobile Celeron processor with 128Kb of Level 2 cache</li><li>256Mb of SDRam (as reviewed)</li><li>20Gb IBM TravelStar hard disk</li><li>12.1in SVGA TFT touch screen</li><li>8Mb Savage/IX graphics</li><li>MiniPCI V.90 modem</li><li>Integrated RF antenna for wireless communications.</li></ul>Contact: Itronix UK 02476 653467 <a href="http://www.itronix.co.uk">www.itronix.co.uk</a></body></html></content>http://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/hardware/2132742/itronix-gobook-ix250Dominic Bucknall, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Sunday 19 August 2001 at 23:00:00A shockproof notebook? Can it really work?<content page="1"><html><body>Just because notebooks can be carried around doesn't mean they can survive close encounters with the elements. In fact the reverse is true: show most portables anywhere a bit rougher than the average fleet car passenger seat, and they tend to die of fright.This is the problem Itronix has set about addressing with the GoBook. At a fundamental level, it's an ordinary enough notebook PC, modestly powered by a Celeron processor, but the works are wrapped in layer after layer of shock-resistant foam, rubber seals, watertight covers and die-cast magnesium alloy.Just in case anyone were to doubt the veracity of Itronix's various claims, the company subjected the GoBook to a truly barbaric set of tests drawn from the US Army's MIL-STD 810E specification, which is used to assess the hardiness of kit it may adopt for military use.The process involves things like spraying water at the notebook from all sides at a rate equivalent to a monsoon-style rainfall, and dropping the machine repeatedly from a height of three feet onto a concrete surface.Because it's designed for outdoor use, it comes with an internal radio antenna to send and receive data over a wireless network. You have to add appropriate hardware for the network you want - say a GSM modem in the UK - but once the correct PC Card is installed and you are set up on the network, you have a wireless communications system.You only get a hard drive as standard, with a multi-purpose bay for either a CD or DVDRom drive. Still, this is a remarkable machine, with features such as a touch-sensitive screen and a luminous keyboard for working in poor light.SPECIFICATIONS:<ul><li>600Mhz Intel Mobile Celeron processor with 128Kb of Level 2 cache</li><li>256Mb of SDRam (as reviewed)</li><li>20Gb IBM TravelStar hard disk</li><li>12.1in SVGA TFT touch screen</li><li>8Mb Savage/IX graphics</li><li>MiniPCI V.90 modem</li><li>Integrated RF antenna for wireless communications.</li></ul>Contact: Itronix UK 02476 653467 <a href="http://www.itronix.co.uk">www.itronix.co.uk</a></body></html></content>VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKCopyright © 1994-2009 VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKDominic Bucknall2001-08-19T23:00:00.000ZHardware Reviewsnotebooks-and-portablesPDA software - pocket programs reviewedhttp://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/features/2133159/pda-software-pocket-programs-reviewedJ Mark Lytle, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Wednesday 16 May 2001 at 23:00:00Handheld computers, or personal digital assistants, are among the most exciting products we get to see at What PC?. This is partly because, like many people, we love gadgets, but mostly because they are such indispensable tools. Here's our review of the best software available for the main PDA operating systems.<content page="1"><html><body>In the mainstream, PDA reviews concentrate on the cutting-edge elements of the latest hardware or operating system. Whether it's Handspring's latest Springboard module or Microsoft's most recent tweak of the Pocket PC, it's these two factors that generally inform any buying decision. This is with good reason, as it's critical to get the right PDA for your needs.In the rush to find the latest and greatest hardware, however, it's all too easy to overlook software. Specifically, what is available for the machine and is any of it worth having?The three most popular PDA platforms are those running Palm OS, such as those made by Palm itself and the Handspring Visor range; Microsoft's Pocket PC; and those, mainly from Psion, using the EPOC operating system.All three have spawned vast communities of users and developers, and a consequent smorgasbord of software.This month we've examined the soft options for each to bring you a list of essential packages, divided into three categories: communications; office applications and utilities; and games. Many of our favourite applications are available either for download only or via the web. Where we've found a UK distributor, we've listed it, but some of the prices are in US dollars because that's how you're likely to be paying for your software.EPOC SystemsDeveloped by UK PDA manufacturer Psion, the EPOC operating system runs on all of its popular machines - current models are the Revo, Series 5mx and the Series 7.Acknowledging the fact that Psion's PDAs, unlike Palm and Pocket-PC-based devices, have keyboards, the company's PR staff are well known for claiming that "keyboards are for doing, while tablets are for viewing". The upshot has been that much of the Psion software on the market is for the business user, but there are some gems to be found with a little digging.COMMUNICATIONSEpocware FaxWhen the Psion Revo was launched, most observers were surprised to find that the company had chosen not to include any fax software. Epocware has stepped in to fill the gap with its elegant little Fax program.Fax is packed with features specific to EPOC, including the ability to save faxes in the native Psion Sketch format. It can both receive and send faxes, the first of which is often overlooked in lesser applications.The interface is clean and simple and, most importantly, the end results are clear faxes that could as easily have been created on a desktop PC.£24.95 (inc VAT) www.epocware.comPhoneMan ProPhoneMan Pro is one of those little programs that, once you've used it, will make you wonder how you survived without it. As the name suggests, it's designed to make your Psion talk to your mobile phone, with the biggest selling point being its SMS functionality. Although the Revo has a similar program built in, other Psion users will find PhoneMan essential.Sending and receiving text messages from a PDA really is a killer application, yet PhoneMan can also be used to back up and edit the names and numbers on the phone's SIM card and can handle uploading ring tones and logos to suitable phones.£15 (inc VAT) SGS Software: 020 7328 4484 www.sgsoftware.co.ukOFFICE APPLICATIONS AND UTILITIESNotepadAll Psion products come well equipped with a spread of office applications for word processing and spreadsheets, which leaves little room for third-party developers. However, Purple Software has managed to find a niche to exploit effectively.Notepad is an uninspiring name for an extremely useful tool that allows you to organise your most brilliant thoughts, notes and doodles in a hierarchical way and link them to other applications. For example, it can automatically pull in a contact from your address book and launch an email application to share project information with that person.£49.95 (inc VAT) Purple Software: 020 7387 7777 www.purplesoft.comEssential Disk UtilitiesUnlike lesser operating systems, EPOC rarely crashes, but that doesn't mean it has no need for a spot of spring cleaning once in a while. Essential Disk Utilities provides the sort of housekeeping applications that are found on desktop computers.The package is actually four programs designed to optimise your Psion 5's memory, examine it for physical and logical defects, recover lost data and squeeze more into your memory cards. It all sounds rather dull, but next time your Psion gets amnesia, don't say we didn't warn you.£39 (inc VAT) Widget UK: 01438 818800 www.widget.co.ukRMRArtOn the face of it, the Psion Revo and Series 5 machines are perfect for a spot of doodling - a touch-sensitive screen is ideal for the task. However, there are few decent complements to the built-in Sketch program.RMRArt is an awful name for a great little doodle pad, which sports professional-looking (and useful) toolbars and is capable of some surprisingly powerful image manipulation. It can handle animation and supports third-party plug-ins to expand its capabilities. RMRArt is very impressive and a snip at twice the price.£12 (inc VAT) www.rmrsoft.co.ukGAMESSimCityWe never thought we'd say it, but there is finally a game worth playing on the Psion other than good old Pocket Chess. SimCity is a licensed version of the PC classic based on building and running your own town. The handheld version has just as much action and intrigue as the original and makes a perfect way to while away a spare few minutes.One of the best features of this version is its ability to exchange city files with the PC version, so you can happily watch Godzilla destroy your version of Pleasantville at home and abroad.£39.95 (inc VAT) Purple Software: 020 7387 7777 www.purplesoft.comPOCKET PCsWhen Microsoft relaunched Windows CE for the umpteenth time last year, it wisely chose to ditch the Windows branding and name its new handheld OS Pocket PC. Consequently, the platform has finally taken off and it's now much easier to find good software than it was 12 months ago. Pocket PC machines include Compaq's excellent iPaq, Casio's E125 and the HP Jornada.COMMUNICATIONSGSM ManagerGSM Manager serves a very similar purpose to PhoneMan Pro for Psion machines, and as such is indispensable to the discerning PDA-freak. The interface is slick and looks excellent on a colour Pocket PC.It's very simple to operate and you'll soon be eschewing your phone's keypad in favour of GSM Manager for all your text messaging needs. As with its Psion-based counterpart, GSM Manager can also serve to back up and manipulate your phone's names and numbers, which, as anyone who's ever lost their mobile will testify, is a huge comfort.$29.95 (approx £21) www.sunnysoft.cz/gsmOFFICE APPLICATIONS AND UTILITIESHanDBaseDatabase software may not be top of your PDA shopping list, but it's certainly one of the things we wouldn't like to do without. HanDBase is the best of breed and has been available for Palm OS for some time now, but has only just appeared to fill one of the few gaps in the Pocket PC software market.The product is a powerful relational database, but the beauty lies in the fact that it's a breeze to use and that there are more than 600 useful databases available for free download. Everything from recipes to CD cataloguing can be yours for nowt.$24.99 (approx £17) www.ddhsoftware.comOne Cat DoodlerThe bizarrely named One Cat Doodler is a superb drawing program for Pocket PCs, but has more strings to its bow than simple squiggles. It manages to pack a lot in, including the ability to produce Powerpoint-style presentations (really!) and it even supports a library of commonly used drawings. It might not sound like much, but try finding those features on any other PDA program.While we were researching this piece, authors One Man And A Cat Software went to great pains to point out to us just how powerful Doodler is. It wasn't necessary - this is the best PDA vector-based (as opposed to bitmap-based) drawing package bar none.£29.99 (inc VAT) Widget UK: 01438 818 800 www.widget.co.ukeWalletIlium Software's eWallet appears to be the application that the term 'must-have' was created for. In principle, it's a very simple idea - it gathers together all the confidential data that you want to store on your PDA (passwords and credit card information, for example) and protects them in its own database with a single password as a padlock.Your data can easily be filed as you see fit, rather then in one big lump, so your passwords can be in one protected folder and your non-confidential data, such as your bank account number, in another. Additionally, the interface is clear and easy to use on both the desktop and Pocket PC, so the strongest encryption allowed by the law Stateside is pretty to look at too.£29.95 (inc VAT) www.iliumsoft.comHandyZip 1.52There can't be many home PCs without some form of compression software lurking on the hard drive, so why should their Pocket siblings be any different? That's where HandyZip comes in.It's a very straightforward compression utility for Pocket PC and is extremely useful for freeing up that vital few megs on your device, whether it be onboard or removable memory. It comes into its own when you have a previously unreadable compressed email attachment in your inbox.$19.95 (approx £14) www.cnetx.comGAMESZIOGolf 2In spite of the much faster processor speeds than other PDAs and commonplace colour screens, games still aren't the Pocket PC's strong point. By far the best we've come across is ZIOGolf 2 - an update of the original game that ships as a demo with many handhelds.Colour is very well used to recreate one of the best parts of the game - a nice walk in the countryside - and the gameplay is more or less as good as the best desktop PC golf games. Although small screens can feel a little cramped, the animation and realism of ZIOGolf is more than enough to keep you interested. New courses can be bought for around $10.$29.95 (approx £21) www.ziosoft.comPALM OSThe leading PDA platform in the world, there's little we can say about the Palm OS that you won't already know. Its elegant simplicity lends itself perfectly to independent developers coming up with everything from simple tweaks to multi-functional applications. Thanks to the latest additions to the family of organisers from Handspring, the user base is still streets ahead of the other platforms.COMMUNICATIONSIntelliSync (Pumatech)An efficient conduit between your handheld and PC is crucial to both data security and peace of mind. The long-established IntelliSync is now available for the Palm OS and does exactly what it says on the box - allows you to reliably synchronise data between your PDA and your PC-based PIM. The appeal of IntelliSync lies in the fact that it allows your Palm to share data with a wide range of applications.Those supported include Lotus Notes, ACT! and Outlook, as well as several less common ones, and all synchronise seamlessly. It is slightly expensive and can be slow, but if you rely on your PDA and need to use it with more than just Palm Desktop, it's worth a spin.£57.99 (inc VAT) www.amazon.co.ukOFFICE APPLICATIONS AND UTILITIESDocuments To GoThe Palm operating system may be simple to use, but it is lacking in decent office software. Dataviz's excellent Documents To Go is the perfect solution, providing the means to read and edit Word, Excel and other files on your PDA.Essentially, DTG is a collection of filters that translate desktop PC office files into versions suitable for the Palm OS. This is done through a desktop PC program much like Windows' own My Briefcase, which synchronises with the PDA-based equivalent at every HotSync. All the original formatting is retained and files can be beamed between organisers.£49.98 (inc VAT) Widget UK: 01438 818 800 www.widget.co.ukTealPaintFor some time now, TealPaint has been the most popular graphics application for Palm OS, and deservedly so. It works well, even on organisers with greyscale screens, and the range of textures available are most effective on those with 16-bit displays, such as the Visor Platinum. Naturally, colour gives even better results, now that support for it (on the Visor Prism and Palm IIIc) has been implemented.TealPaint has all the features you'd expect of a full-blown desktop PC application, including a range of drawing tools, zoom functions for detailed drawing, basic animation and dithered thumbnail views. TealPoint Software even offers a library of templates and clipart for free download. Don't just take our word that TealPaint is a corker - make like Tony Hart and take a gander at the user submissions in TealPoint's gallery.$17.95 (approx £12.50) www.tealpoint.comFlashProFlashPro is an ingenious little utility that magically gives your Palm organiser up to 40 per cent more memory without a hardware upgrade. It does this by providing access to the flash Rom that is present in Palm-branded organisers.The key here is that flash Rom is non-volatile (unlike Ram), meaning that applications and data can be safely stored within that part of the PDA without recourse to a desktop PC in the event of a system crash. The extra Ram freed up by moving applications is also very welcome, considering that devices like the Palm V can't be expanded easily. Be warned though, that the Handspring Visor series can't take advantage of FlashPro, as it has no flash memory.$14.95 (approx £10) www.trgnet.comHackmasterIf you follow our advice, we guarantee that Hackmaster will be the single most useful application you buy for your PDA. It is technically a 'system extension manager', which just means that it enables you to add extra bits to the Palm OS that aren't included out of the box. As it's an open standard, anyone can write plug-ins (or 'hacks') for it and be relatively confident that they won't conflict with those already in use.As an example of Hackmaster's usefulness, we are never without the following hacks: Battery Level Hack (shows your remaining battery charge as a percentage), Invert Hack (makes the PDA back light more visible) and QuietSync (switches off the annoying beep on HotSyncing). There are literally hundreds more third-party hacks, and if you can't find the one you need, you can always write it yourself.$5 (approx £3.50) www.daggerware.comGAMESV-RallyAt last, a half-decent game for the Palm OS! V-Rally, as coded by Infogrames, is available on either CDRom or as a Springboard module for the Handspring range. The game features a set of 20 courses, which can be raced in Practice, Arcade or Championship modes. It's all pretty self-explanatory, but represents a fun way to pass the time and a nostalgic tip of the hat to the simple fun of early 1990s gaming.£24.99 CD-ROM / £29.99 module (inc VAT) www.palmtopsoftware.com</body></html></content>http://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/features/2133159/pda-software-pocket-programs-reviewedJ Mark Lytle, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Wednesday 16 May 2001 at 23:00:00Handheld computers, or personal digital assistants, are among the most exciting products we get to see at What PC?. This is partly because, like many people, we love gadgets, but mostly because they are such indispensable tools. Here's our review of the best software available for the main PDA operating systems.<content page="1"><html><body>In the mainstream, PDA reviews concentrate on the cutting-edge elements of the latest hardware or operating system. Whether it's Handspring's latest Springboard module or Microsoft's most recent tweak of the Pocket PC, it's these two factors that generally inform any buying decision. This is with good reason, as it's critical to get the right PDA for your needs.In the rush to find the latest and greatest hardware, however, it's all too easy to overlook software. Specifically, what is available for the machine and is any of it worth having?The three most popular PDA platforms are those running Palm OS, such as those made by Palm itself and the Handspring Visor range; Microsoft's Pocket PC; and those, mainly from Psion, using the EPOC operating system.All three have spawned vast communities of users and developers, and a consequent smorgasbord of software.This month we've examined the soft options for each to bring you a list of essential packages, divided into three categories: communications; office applications and utilities; and games. Many of our favourite applications are available either for download only or via the web. Where we've found a UK distributor, we've listed it, but some of the prices are in US dollars because that's how you're likely to be paying for your software.EPOC SystemsDeveloped by UK PDA manufacturer Psion, the EPOC operating system runs on all of its popular machines - current models are the Revo, Series 5mx and the Series 7.Acknowledging the fact that Psion's PDAs, unlike Palm and Pocket-PC-based devices, have keyboards, the company's PR staff are well known for claiming that "keyboards are for doing, while tablets are for viewing". The upshot has been that much of the Psion software on the market is for the business user, but there are some gems to be found with a little digging.COMMUNICATIONSEpocware FaxWhen the Psion Revo was launched, most observers were surprised to find that the company had chosen not to include any fax software. Epocware has stepped in to fill the gap with its elegant little Fax program.Fax is packed with features specific to EPOC, including the ability to save faxes in the native Psion Sketch format. It can both receive and send faxes, the first of which is often overlooked in lesser applications.The interface is clean and simple and, most importantly, the end results are clear faxes that could as easily have been created on a desktop PC.£24.95 (inc VAT) www.epocware.comPhoneMan ProPhoneMan Pro is one of those little programs that, once you've used it, will make you wonder how you survived without it. As the name suggests, it's designed to make your Psion talk to your mobile phone, with the biggest selling point being its SMS functionality. Alt