http://www.connect.co.za/Connect/Back_Issues_files/Connect%20Sep%20Printready by Brett Haggard

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SEPTEMBER 2009

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ISSUE #05

SEPTEMBER 2009

FEATURES 10 Don’t Cell Yourself Short! Our top 10 feature list of what to look for when buying a new phone

14 Sound Advice Choosing the best audio setup for your home.

18 Get the Blues Don’t be sad, we’re just talking about the wonders of Bluetooth!

Banish Your Mac Bashfulness We help ease the PC-to-Mac transition.

24 A Walk in the Clouds Using Microsoft Live Mesh to keep you info in sync across multiple PCs and Macs

28 Safe Surfing How to run a family-friendly PC and protect your kids online

REGULARS R 04 News 06 TTrouble-free Technobabble 08 Tamsin the Tech Tannie 72 Competition 74 Disconnect 76 Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Letter

REVIEWS 34 42 Monitors 43 Printers 44 Projectors 46 Cellphones 48 GPS 49 Cameras 50 Speakers 54 Gaming Accessories 56 Routers 58 Software 60 Books 64 Top 5

PCs

GAMING Reviews

PUBLISHER Brett Haggard brett@connect.co.za EDITOR Tiana Cline tiana@connect.co.za CONTRIBUTING Johann Barnard EDITOR johann@connect.co.za

TECHNOLOGY Deon du Plessis EDITOR deon@connect.co.za CONTRIBUTORS Peter Dawoud, Craig Ritchie, Tamsin Mackay, Adam Oxford ART DIRECTION Infiltrate Media www.infiltratemedia.co.za

SUBSCRIPTIONS subscriptions@connect.co.za ADVERTISING Dorothy Haggard dorothy@connect.co.za CONTACT Hypertext Media Communications (011) 783-7886 info@hypertext.co.za

Connect is a joint venture between Hypertext Media Communications and Incredible Connection

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lthough mobile phones have been around for a relatively short space of time, it is often hard to remember what we did before we were so connected. Being able to talk, send messages (or pictures) or browse the Internet is quite something when you consider how phones have changed to the point that they’re practically mini-PCs where you can do everything from editing photos to composing music to finding your way using in-built GPS. The phones available today have so many bells and whistles, the last thing you think about is if it makes calls, and purchasing decisions often come down to the extras. In our feature “Don’t Cell Yourself Short”, Deon du Plessis looks at all the different elements that make up the perfect phone so the next time you’re faced with an upgrade, you’ll be able to pick the perfect phone. One of these features, Bluetooth, is not only essential on a phone, it is (in fact) an essential technology that can transform your life. From a hands-free car kit – ladies, you can leave your handbag safely in your boot – to making everything around you accessible without pesky wires and cables cluttering everything up. For those who like a workspace which is fuss-free, Bluetooth can take you there. Read all about this highly versatile wireless technology in the September issue of Connect.

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Tips and technology tricks is exactly what you need for keeping up-to-date with all the current trends. And as trendy as a MacBook is, it can be quite an intimidating machine, especially if you’re coming from a PC place. In the issue, we’re once again giving you all the Apple advice you need if you’re keen to banish your Mac bashfulness. At the end of the day, it doesn’t make a difference what type of computer you have, as long as you love it, but you do need to know how to make it accessible for the entire family. The Internet can be an interesting place (to say the least) so if you’re looking at letting your kids online, there are a few simple steps you can take – such as making use of parental controls – to make your computer one that every one can use. There are so many fantastic software packages and websites which offer a mixture of everything you need and we’ll review them all here so you’ll know exactly what to buy your kids (Big Boet!) or yourself. The September issue is packed with great reviews you can use and we hope straight-forward buying advice encourages you to make smart technology decisions so you get exactly what you need, be it a printer, cellphone, camera or set of speakers. Keep reading! Tiana Cline

CHARL MALHERBE Charl has been mousing and doubleclicking on various magazines for close on 14 years now. His design expertise has been sought on everything from IT rags to art catalogues and everything in between. His age only shows when he sips old people whiskey.

JASON BRONKHORST Jason has darkened the door of many a publishing house, but now thankfully spends his time making coffee and doodling for publications. Sometimes he even hatches a layout or two.

ANDREW VAN RENSBURG Andrew, the youngest team member of Infiltrate, has a cat-like agility when it comes to layout and illustration. He continues to gain valuable experience and has more and more work featured in numerous publications such as Connect.

news Acer offers free Windows 7 upgrades Acerr South Africa has annnounced that customers who buy a qualifying Windows Visttabaseed Acer PC between Juune 26th this yeaar and January 31st 2010 will be able to get a free license for Windows 7 once it’s releassed. Too order their copy of Windows 7, Acerr customers that qualify simply need to visit http://www.acer.com/winndows7upgradee/ and follow thhe step-by-step instructions. Once Windows 7 is available, it will bee posted to qualifying customers by Mentor Media, Microsoft’s authorrised replicator for fulfilling Windows 7 upgrades. While the software licence itselff is supplied freee, there is a fee for postage, handling and materials.

New BlackBerry Curve 8520 aimed at social networking Research In Motion has announced the new BlackBerry Curve 8520 Smartphone, an incredibly approachable handset that features all of the standard BlackBerry refinements and a choice of three colours, namely black, violet and frost. Like other BlackBerry devices, the Curve 8520’s party piece is its easy mobile access to email, messaging and popular social networking sites, as well as a highly tactile full-QWERTY keyboard. The 8520 also features rich multimedia capabilities and gives users access to music, games and other mobile apps for entertainment on the go. The new handset is also WiFi-enabled, giving users access to fast Web browsing and extended data coverage. One new innovation present on the 8520 6 | CONNECT | SEPTEMBER 2009

is its touch-sensitive optical trackpad, which makes scrolling and selection smooth and easy. It is also the first BlackBerry smartphone to feature dedicated media keys – smoothly integrated along the top of the handset – giving customers an easy, convenient way to control their music and videos. As far as memory and performance is concerned, the new Curve comes with 256MB Flash memory and a 512MHz next generation processor for enhanced performance Memory can furthermore be expanded via a hot-swappable microSD/SDHC memory card slot and the device supports cards of up to 16 GB today and is expected to support next-generation 32GB cards when available. A 2GB card is included with the handset by default.

Nikon makes a camera with a built-in projector! Nikon recently announced the introduction of the world’s first camera with integrated projector as part of its brand new range of COOLPIX compact digital cameras. The innovative series also includes a camera with multi touch OLED screen, a compact shooter which is as fast as a D-SLR and an elegantly stylish, yet simple to use colourful compact. The new COOLPIX range has something for everyone but it’s the COOLPIX S1000PJ (where Nikon is set to shake-up the way that people share their photos and videos) which is a true world first – a compact digital camera with integrated projector. With a ground-breaking design incorporating an integrated projector to the compact device, the COOLPIX S1000PJ offers a

technological innovation at the forefront of the photographic industry. The projector enables users to share their photographs with friends and family like never before without the need for additional equipment or crowding round the camera LCD display. The COOLPIX S1000PJ also features Scene Auto mode, whereby the camera automatically selects an appropriate scene mode based on the contents of your shot, allowing picture perfect images at the touch of a button. In addition, five functions to reduce image blur and the Smart Portrait System ensure crisp photographs at all times. With a 2.7-inch LCD screen, wideangle 5x NIKKOR zoom lens, and offering 12.1 megapixels, the COOLPIX S1000PJ represents a brand new take on sharing photographs.

news

Windows Vista Home Premium users will be eligible to migrrate to Windows 7 Home Premium, while Window ws Vista Buusiness and Window ws Vista Ulltimate users will bee able to migrate to Windows 7 Professioonal and Windows 7 Ultimatee respectively. The Home Basic and Starter Edittions of Windows Vista, and all editioons of Windows XP are not eligible for the offer. Windows 7 is expectted to be avvailable worldwide on Octobeer 22 andd offers a range of improvements that make it easier to use, capable of delivering enhanceed performaance and stability, new and improved media features and more robuust securrity and management functionaality.

Apple now susceptible to rotten software

Logitech universal receiver de-clutters keyboard/mouse use Logitech has introduced a convenient and clutter-free way for notebook users to connect wireless keyboards and mice to their computers. Using Logitech’s new Unifying receiver – so small that it can stay in a laptop when mobile – up to six compatible Logitech mice and keyboards can be paired with a computer. This frees up valuable USB ports and enables users to mix, match and add peripherals to their existing setup, no matter where they are. The Unifying receiver is debuting with

New Google en-route What some people believe has been orchestrated by the need to compete with the noise Microsoft has created with Bing – its new search engine – Google has lifted the lid on its updated search engine, codenamed ‘Caffeine’. Google says the new revamped search engine (which can be tested out at www.sandbox. google.com) is the first step to improving the speed, accuracy and comprehensiveness of search results and that it will replace the current one after tests are complete. While most people won’t notice the change, the difference comes in the currency of the search results – fresher content will gravitate to the top of the pile.

four new products, namely the Logitech Wireless Keyboard K350, Wireless Keyboard K340, Marathon Mouse M705 and the Wireless Mouse M505. Setting the Unifying receiver up to work with other Logitech peripherals is a snap – users simply plug the receiver into their computer and their mouse or keyboard is recognised in seconds. When it comes time to add more devices, the Unifying software walks users through the steps required to get a new peripheral up and running. The new range is expected to be available from Q4 2009.

After years of claiming that its operating systems were immune to viruses, worms and other malware, Apple has conceded that its Mac computers are indeed susceptible to the threats, which permeate the Internet. According to Brad Stein, head of the Apple Mac division at Phoenix Software in South Africa, Apple’s popular Mac OS X was long considered to be outside the interests of the writers of viruses, Trojans and other malicious code. “However, as Apple computers grow in popularity, miscreants have recognised the opportunity which is presented by an almost completely undefended segment of the online population – the millions of Apple users,” he says. Finding a worm in your Apple has become a distinct possibility, one which even Apple itself has had to admit to. Stein says that despite initial (and lasting) reluctance to do so, the company has publicly recognised the virus and malware threat to its operating system. “This highlights the need to use the best antivirus software to protect computers running Mac OS X,” he notes. On the Apple website, the company states that ‘Mac OS X offers a multilayered system of defences against viruses and other dangerous malware,’ which ‘prevents malicious commands from finding their targets’. And beyond recognising the malware threat, Apple admits that the techniques it includes in Mac OS X aren’t enough to fully protect Macs from viruses and malware. The company provides security advice, saying, ‘since no system can be 100 percent immune from every threat, antivirus software may offer additional protection’. In light of this, Phoenix will be introducing Antivirus and Internet Security solutions for Mac to the South African market over the coming weeks.

WWW.CONNECT.CO.ZA | 7

techno jargon // BY DEON DU PLESSIS

TROUBLE-FREE

Technobabble This monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tech Jargon features words from a variety of technological fields, from cellular to photography to the world of computers.

8 | CONNECT | SEPTEMBER 2009

3G This is a mobile data transfer method that allows 3G-equipped cellular telephones to download data really fast, as long as you have good 3G coverage wherever you are. The benefit is that you can browse the internet or download e-mails faster and make video calls in all areas with 3G coverage. DIGITAL ZOOM Most camera phones use Digital Zoom instead of Optical Zoom when taking a photo. This is a method of “zooming in” to your subject that uses electronics to enlarge the image, displayed on the LCD screen, which the lens of the camera has captured. OPTICAL ZOOM This technique uses the physical properties of your camera’s lens to bring your subject closer. Due to advances in modern lens design, the results are far clearer than those achieved using a digital zoom. EXPANDABLE MEMORY The expansion of the amount of data a device can store, usually achieved through card readers that accommodate memory cards that vary by capacity and type. ONBOARD MEMORY Many phones or cameras have only a small amount of built-in memory. This is partly because it’s expensive to add more, but mostly because of the trend towards the widespread use of removable memory cards in devices like cameras, cell phones and laptop computers. GPRS This stands for General Packet Radio Service for Mobile Communications, and it is the data transfer technology that preceded 3G. It is far slower than 3G, providing data at crawling rates of between 56 and 116kbits/s. GPS Stands for Global Positioning Satellite. In gadget terms, it is the ability of your device to “know” where on earth it is currently situated, made possible through the use of satellites that orbit the earth. MEMORY CARD A Memory Card is a very small wafer-like card that you can use to expand the memory of your mobile phone or gadget. They can store as much as 32GB of memory and there are many different types of memory cards such as Micro SD or SDHC. Always be sure to check which type is supported by your device before buying. MP3 PLAYER MP3 was the first really popular music format that emerged in the mind-nineties, and is today the most common format, playable by any device that claims to be a music player. If someone refers to their MP3 player, it could be anything from an iPod to a Zune, and is likely hanging from their neck by a cord.

CDMA Code-Division Multiple Access. This refers to any of several protocols used in second-generation (2G) and third-generation (3G) wireless communications. CDMA2000 is the latest version, and is the wireless communication method preferred by Neotel. COMPRESSION A way of making files smaller. It involves some clever programming that basically removes parts of the file that appear more than once, and refers back to the original data whenever it appears again. COOKIE A small file stored on your computer that is specific to a website; this was initially done to remember your preferences whenever you return to that site, but more often than not cookies are used to track what ads you have or haven’t seen. They’re fairly harmless, so don’t panic if you see your PC full of them when you perform virus scans. EMOTICON The word is a combination of “icon” and “Emote”; to emote is to express an emotion and an icon is a graphical representation of something. They take the form of the cute yellow faces in various poses, seen mostly in Instant Messaging programmes and on Internet forum discussions. MIME No, not those annoying black and white made-up men that act out silent scenes using invisible props, this is the Multipurpose Internet Mailing Extension. It is the encoding system used to disguise graphics and video sent by e-mail as text so that they can be delivered by e-mail systems that were originally designed as text-only delivery mechanisms. PCI EXPRESS A specialised slot on the motherboard specifically designed to accommodate modern graphics cards. They can transfer bigger amounts of data, much faster than the old AGP (Advanced Graphics Port) standard; this is necessary to speedily process all the graphical data generated by today’s games. PEER TO PEER A network made up of computers that are connected directly to one another as opposed to being connected via a server. There is no central command point in a peer to peer network. BOT A “bot” is a semi-automated program that performs internet-based functions like web page indexing or sorting through e-mails. It’s a shortened version of “robot”. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) When a program exhibits signs of intelligence in the way it handles input from the user, this is referred to as Artificial Intelligence. A chess program anticipating and responding to its opponent’s moves is a good example of this. WWW.CONNECT.CO.ZA | 9

cellphones //BY DEON DU PLESSIS

10 | CONNECT | SEPTEMBER 2009

Cellphones are becoming as complicated as computers thanks to the ever-increasing number of features they’re being bundled with. Connect’s technical editor Deon du Plessis dials in to demystify the most common technologies so that you have a better understanding of what’s worth wanting in a phone.

Touch-screen Interface Camera All modern phones are equipped with cameras, ranging from two megapixels all the way up to eight. Don’t be fooled by high megapixel capabilities, however, as the overall quality of the lens is far more important in producing a decent image. The name behind the lens often makes the difference; well-known high-quality optics companies like Carl Zeiss (Nokia) and Schneider Kreuznach (LG) have lent their names and technologies to cellphone cameras. The main issue with

these cameras is they are seldom as good as a dedicated camera with the same megapixel rating, producing images that are far “grainier” and less vibrant caused by image noise due to inferior electronics. This is improving with the latest crop of 8MP cameras, though, so there is hope. WHY IT’S COOL: Having a camera with you wherever you go is the main attraction WHY YOU WOULDN’T MISS IT: The image quality is seldom as good as a dedicated camera with the same megapixel rating

One of the most exciting new technologies, touch-screen phones bring computer-like interaction to the cellphone arena. These displays are either pressure or heat sensitive and greatly enhance the experience, with the most famous touch-screen phone, Apple’s iPhone, leading the pack. WHY IT’S COOL: You don’t need to use the keypad to navigate your phone’s interface WHY YOU WOULDN’T MISS IT: Takes some getting used to; some phones aren’t as responsive as others

Accelerometer An accelerometer is a device that detects, well … acceleration. So, when you flip your phone onto its side it detects this motion and reacts accordingly, such as switching from a number pad to a QWERTY keyboard. Accelerometers usually consist of motion-sensitive electronics, which are affected by the movement of the phone. The different phone manufacturers apply different functions to the phone’s orientation, such as changing the screen from portrait to landscape mode to give you a wider view. This is particularly handy when surfing the Web from your phone. WHY IT’S COOL: Some tasks can be automated using movements WHY YOU WOULDN’T MISS IT: Movements can sometimes trigger functions you didn’t mean to activate

MMS What’s the use of a photo if you can’t share it? Which is why Multimedia Messaging Service, which allows you to send photos to any other cellphone, is so cool. MMS is more of a “fun” feature than a serious one that you can’t do without. If you absolutely have to have it, talk to your cellular service provider about phones that support it.

WHY IT’S COOL: You get to send your friends pictures via the cellular network instead of Bluetooth, which requires you to be standing close to them WHY YOU WOULDN’T MISS IT: If your needs are more business-like, the lack of MMS functionality shouldn’t bother you much WWW.CONNECT.CO.ZA | 11

cellphones Multi Mode Cellular phones work on various GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) frequencies, and a phone’s ‘band’ rating i.e. dual, tri or quad, determines which of these frequencies it works on. The preferred rating is ‘quad’, as this means it works on all four GSM frequencies: 850 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz and 1900 MHz. Since these are the most common frequency bands found throughout the world, particularly in North America and Europe, a quad-band phone can therefore be used in any location and is referred to as a “multi mode world phone”. WHY IT’S COOL: Because you can travel with it without worrying that your phone isn’t compatible with the cellular networks of the country you’re visiting WHY YOU WOULDN’T MISS IT: If you don’t travel, you’re paying for features you’re not using, and a dual-band phone should be more than sufficient for your needs

Memory Card Support Most phones don’t come with much on-board storage, and therefore depend on memory cards to increase their memory capacities. It is vitally important to know and understand what format your phone uses as there are a number of different types, and you don’t want to buy the wrong type. SD is a popular format, ranging in capacity from 1MB to 4GB, but it is different in its physical composition to miniSD, microSD, xD Picture Cards etc. If you already have a memory card, be sure to check the phone you are eyeing uses the same format, otherwise you’ll have to buy a new card. Capacities are increasing all the time, with SDHC (Secure Digital High Capacity) cards capable of a whopping 32GB of storage and a new format, SDXC (Secure Digital eXtended Capacity) can accommodate up to 1TB of storage.

E-mail

WHY IT’S COOL:There is no such thing as too much digital storage space. Store high-resolution photographs and thousands of songs with largercapacity cards. WHY YOU WOULDN’T MISS IT:You would. With only on-board storage, you will very quickly run out of space in all but the most expensive phones.

WHY IT’S COOL: Because you can send and receive ive e-mails wherever you have cellular network coverage rage WHY YOU WOULDN’T MISS IT: Because without ut it you’d be properly ‘out of touch’, can breathe a sigh of relief and actually get some rest for a change

Sending and receiving e-mails on your cellphone is a boon to workerss everywhere, and a rather importantt feature of business-oriented cellphones. Phones that offer e-mailil support all features that a PC e-maill client does, and interfaces with most st of the popular e-mail servers like POP3, OP3, IMAP and Microsoft Exchange. Some me phones even allow for the integration on of Gmail, Google’s web mail service,, for mobile communications that isn’t dependent on a business’s e-mail infrastructure.

Proprietary Connections One of the biggest complaints laid against phone producers is that they usually include their own version of power and headphone connectors so that your charger and headphone choices are rather limited. If it is possible, avoid these types of phones, and look for ones that can be charged using common USB connections, as well as phones with

12 | CONNECT | SEPTEMBER 2009

3.5mm headphone jacks used on almost all headphones. WHY IT’S COOL: It’s not. Proprietary connections force you to keep your charger handy all the time and your favourite set of headphones are unlikely to work with your phone WHY YOU WOULDN’T MISS IT: Because you’d now have no restrictions as to where and how to charge your phone, and you could use virtually any headphones

Operating Systems Google Services Google’s new ‘Android’ mobile phone operating system has integrated many of Google’s highly useful functions. Get access to native support for Gmail, Gtalk, Google Maps, Google Search and all the advantages each offer. A single Google account sign-in gives you access to all your contacts, calendar information and e-mails that are integrated into your Gmail account, which really

helps to synchronise your activities, especially if you are heavily reliant on your Gmail account. The big appeal is the seamless access to Google’s services and the ability to take them with you wherever you go. WHY IT’S COOL: Because Google offers so many useful services for a rather great price – free! WHY YOU WOULDN’T MISS IT: If you’re not a Gmail user, you won’t get as much functionality out of the services

Data In terms of data connections, HSDPA is the fastest at a theoretical maximum of 7.2mbps, followed by 3G and GPRS/ EDGE. If you’re looking for speed, HSDPA is by far your best bet, but if you’re not much of a web surfer on your phone, you’re much better off with the older GPRS/EDGE data protocols. The only catch is to find a phone with the features you want minus 3G, which is the most common method of data access.

The software that powers cellphones is referred to as the operating system. At the moment there are three popular choices: Windows Mobile, Symbian and Android. Windows Mobile offers familiar features and an interface that Windows users are accustomed to, but is not the most stable software. Symbian phones are very stable and perform well, but their interfaces can take getting used to. Android phones are relatively new, sporting software from Google that is as lightweight and useful as any of the services offered by the search giant. Our recommendation is to try them all out and make a decision from there; we’re personally quite fond of Android and Symbian phones. WHY IT’S COOL: Windows Mobile: Its similarity to Windows. Symbian: It’s incredibly stable. Android: It’s fast and lightweight and integrates many Google services WHY YOU WOULDN’T MISS IT: Windows Mobile: It’s not as stable. Symbian: Interface can take some getting used to. Android: If you’re not a fan of Google, Android phones aren’t for you

We hope these descriptions give you a better idea of what you should or should not be looking for when you go phone shopping.

WHY IT’S COOL: HSDPA and 3G connections are very fast WHY YOU WOULDN’T MISS IT: Cellular data packages in SA are still very expensive, and the faster your data connection, the faster the charges are racked up WWW.CONNECT.CO.ZA | 13

sound advice //BY CRAIG RITCHIE

SOUND ADVICE Connectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s primer for choosing the best audio setup for your home.

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ome entertainment has seen major strides being made in recent years, with many consumers enjoying full convergence of their satellite TV, videogaming console, music and video hardware into one handy place in the middle of the lounge, with one super audio setup handling the whole bang shoot. Gone are the days when we thought no further than the television set’s built-in speakers or those tinny little grey boxes on either side of our computer monitors. Rather, we need just the right tech to fully experience the banging, thumping ear-melting goodness that DVDs and Blu-Ray now offer, and we’re going to show you just what to look for.

Why multichannel 5.1 or 7.1? What’s wrong with just 2? The level of immersion you’re missing out on, that’s what. Multichannel audio is pretty much what the name suggests – it sends the sound through different audio ‘channels’ (front-right, centre, rear-left etc) to create the most immersive and captivating listening experience possible: bullets whiz past, footsteps creep up from behind, and symphony orchestras fill the room like never before. The titular 5 or 7 refers to the number of smaller speakers – known as satellites – that surround the viewer, or listener, as the case may be. The .1 refers to the subwoofer, which is the source of your bass for those deep rumblings and hard thumps that you can truly feel in your chest.

OK, so which do I choose? While 7.1 surround sound is slowly taking off as BluRay becomes more prevalent, 5.1 is still very much the standard and is supported on a much wider range of media. In fact, we’ll go so far as to say that a 5.1 kit is still the best value for money and is easily the perfect audio solution for nearly all home theatre setups. 7.1’s time will surely come, but it’s not here yet. First and foremost, if it’s great-quality sound you’re after, you’ll be looking for a good signal-tonoise ratio (SNR). Simply put, this is a measurement of sound clarity in relation to audible distortion, or ‘noise’. Measured in decibels, a SNR of 85dB or higher

will be very good, while 100dB and upwards will offer exceptionally clear sound. You probably don’t want to go below a SNR of 60dB if you can help it. Next up is what is known as Frequency Response. Essentially, good audio setups aim to reproduce as accurately as possible the range of human hearing, which is from around 20Hz for low sounds to 20kHz for very high pitches. We suggest looking for speakers that offer a range from 35Hz to 20kHz – this is a good standard and the best in terms of price to performance. The other factor to consider is the wattage of the system – generally, the higher the number of Watts, the louder the system – getting into the 500W RMS range is definitely enough to irritate your close neighbours, but will really fill the room and add impact to your movies and games. Be wary of any product using the rather misleading PMPO wattage rating system, which over-hypes the power of the system. We also advise that you look for systems that offer multiple inputs. That way, you can have an iPod dock, your DSTV audio, a DVD player and your videogames all permanently connected without having to fiddle with wires each time you want a different audio source. Finally, if you’re concerned about having wires and cables spread out all over the floor, bear in mind that there are speaker setups that offer wireless options for the rear satellites. These do require additional power, though.

Position, position, position As a general rule, you should mount the centre speaker immediately above or below your screen, ideally at ear height in your seated position. Venture too far and your brain notices the difference, breaking the illusion of being in the space you see on screen. Similarly, you’ll want your front and rear satellites situated at ear-height too, so look for good stands or a surround sound setup that includes mounts, or mount them on your walls if you can get adequate placing that way. The angle of your satellites is also very important. If the screen and the centre speaker can be considered at 0 degrees in front of you, the front left and right should be around the 30 degree mark, with the rear left and right slightly behind you at the 110 degree mark (see illustration). You should also point them at your ears, so the speakers face you, not straight out into the room. Of course, you want the sound to only go into your ears, not bounce off the walls. Curtains, couches and even staggered stacking of the books on your bookshelf can control unwanted echoes and improve the sound quality in your listening space. Note that bass is not directional sound and hence your subwoofer doesn’t have to be as carefully positioned as your satellites. What we suggest is to WWW.CONNECT.CO.ZA | 15

sound advice only have a PCI Express slot, and vice versa. There are even USB and Firewire sound card options for laptop owners. PC speakers have come a long way in recent years, with Logitech’s Z-5000 range and Creative’s GigaWorks offerings currently the cream of the PC audio crop. They’re easy to install and provide excellent results for games, movies and music.

ANGLES FOR 5.1 SPEAKER PLACEMENT

2 3 5

0º

26º 30º

I just want something for my head 26º

6’ -8’

30º

100º

100º 6

110º

try it in a few different positions in the space, such as on the ground near the screen or even over in the corner. And just remember: the ultimate guide to the perfect speaker setup is ALWAYS your own ears. Set up your speakers, put on a familiar song or DVD and then walk around the room until you find the ‘sweet spot’ where it all sounds perfect. Either situate the middle of your couch right there, or reposition your satellites accordingly.

But I don’t even have a TV! Regardless of the much-publicised hype and controversy surrounding illegal downloads of music and video, there is a growing abundance of legitimate online sources for entertainment media. More and more sporting events are webcast live, movies and TV shows can be streamed from various online sources and services such as iTunes are for many their primary source of music. As such, those who take their audio seriously will want something more than what their motherboard’s built-in sound chip can dish out. Entry level 5.1 and 7.1 sound cards start from as little as R200 - R300, but if you’re looking at a serious media centre PC, you’ll probably want a step-up. Sound Blaster, a well-established line from Creative Labs, offers a number of excellent options sitting around the R1000 mark that should please even the most demanding users. Of course, just make sure that you don’t buy a PCI card when you 16 | CONNECT | SEPTEMBER 2009

110º

CARE ABOUT YOUR ENVIRONMENT That awesome setup your friend has in his open plan dining room/lounge sounds incredible, but the exact same layout might turn out to be rubbish in your living room. There’s just no way around it: different spaces require different speaker sizes, powers and positioning, with the amount of carpeting and curtains, the height of your couch, and even the height and the material of your ceiling being among the considerations that can be factored in when installing your kit. Dolby, the pioneers of multichannel audio, have a great guide to get you started with properly positioning your speaker set up. HAVE A LOOK AT: http://www.dolby. com/consumer/home_ entertainment/speaker-setupguide/index.html

If you live in a shared house, a busy flat complex or perhaps enjoy late night gaming, listening or viewing while your significant other sleeps beside you, a good pair of headphones may be the way to go. Circumaural headphones are those that cover your ears completely and as a result tend to be larger and heavier, with the benefit being that they can produce excellent audio quality indeed. Supraaural headphones are characterised by a soft pad that sits on your ear, and while these may be good for call centre use or a bit of Skyping, we wouldn’t recommend them for audio enthusiasts – cheaper supra-aurals are not very good at sound isolation, whereas the high-quality units can cost in excess of R3000. Ear buds and in-ear headphones (known as canalphones) have seen great advances in recent years, and these small, lightweight alternatives can produce outstanding sound when fitted properly in the ear. Many now also offer noise-cancelling, a feature that was reserved for a long time only for their larger cousins. What’s more, a lot of the 3D audio used in games actually works much better with a good set of headphones as they make it easier to locate enemies out of one’s visual range or to properly place the sounds of events happening offscreen. There are even wireless options if you don’t fancy cords trailing across your living room, or want to wander your house with your music following you around.

What is noise-cancelling? Thanks to some fancy calculations that involve the number pi and some higher grade maths, noisecancelling headphones create ‘antinoise’ sound waves that effectively cancel out any ambient sounds that might otherwise reach your ears. As a result, they can block out the constant hum onboard an airplane, the roar of a car’s engines, or even just the general racket from outside if you live in the heart of a city. Noise-cancelling headphones are a great choice for frequent travellers and make a great gift for anyone who is serious about music on the go, plus they do a wonderful job of eliminating the humming and whirring of PC or laptop fans. Just be warned that many models require additional power (either by AA’s or a rechargeable battery) and this results in heavier, sometimes even bulkier headphones.

From watching sports and movies to playing games and browsing the web, the LG M94A TV monitor delivers the ultimate entertainment experience in one stylish package. Enjoy unrivalled sound quality from the integrated invisible speaker system and marvel at the breathtakingly clear images of the Full HD monitor. The LG M94A’s glossy black frame was designed to add an element of sophistication to any room. You can also connect Blu-ray players, game consoles, wireless Internet, MP3 players and more with the built-in HDMI to access a world of entertainment possibilities. Available in 23” and 27”.

BRINGING TWO WORLDS TOGETHER.

LG TV MONITOR LG M94A

www.lge.co.za Customer care 0800 LG LG LG Mon - Sat 08:00 - 17:00 Sun 08:00 - 13:00

bluetooth //BY DEON DU PLESSIS

BEAT THE BLUES:

Bluetooth 101 Bluetooth might sound like a disease suffered by sailors fighting off pirates and scurvy, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in fact a very handy and simple technology that can transform your life.

18 | CONNECT | SEPTEMBER 2009

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bluetooth

The magic of PANs Step, for a minute, into a world of fantasy … or is it? Let’s say you leave the office after a hard day. As you climb into your car, your Bluetooth-enabled car connects to your cell phone and automatically reroutes all calls to the car’s hands-free kit. When you arrive home, your car’s Bluetooth signal opens your Bluetooth-enabled electric gate and garage door,and sends them both a message to close once you turn off your car. Your Bluetooth-enabled front door unlocks as you approach it, and your pre-set “I’m home” preferences activate the lights, TV or radio. As you move through the house, Bluetooth sensors in the speakers embedded in the walls adjust the volume of the music so that sound follows you wherever you go. Bluetooth-enabled lights can even turn on and off as you move through the house. All of this can be set up and controlled from either a control panel mounted in your home, or via applications on your cell phone that effectively turn it into a remote control. WHAT DEVICES USE BLUETOOTH? Cell phones Laptops Printers Headphones Hands-free car kits COMMON USES OF BLUETOOTH: File transfers As the link between a cell phone and laptop Wireless headphones/keyboards/mice/Baby Monitors Remote control Hands-free car kits

espite its ease of use and application across practically the entire spectrum of digital devices, people still tend to react with a sllightly bewildered look when you mention ‘Bluetooth’. Once you see what it allows you to do, however, Bluetooth will definitely be your next best friend.

So what is it? Bluetooth is a technology that allows devices to “talk” to one another without needing cables and easily and seamlessly helps create “personal area networks” or PANs. A PAN is essentially a network that surrounds your person, allowing you to connect with devices in your immediate vicinity. Range is limited to about 100m.

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Security While this scenario poses some questions about security, the point here is that the possibilities that are opened up to you are potentially far-reaching. More than that, they’re just really, really cool. Security concerns, however, are a consideration and have largely held back wide use in these kinds of applications. What happens, for example, if someone gets hold of your phone? They would have complete access to your world, and nobody wants that. Hence, installations like the one described above are not very widespread, and remain the domain of the ultranerdy, ultra-rich, or people who have their homes secured in ways that make protect them from strangers waltzing in brandishing their Bluetooth devices.

THE BLUETOOTH SPECIAL INTERESTS GROUP that maintains and develops the Bluetooth standard comprises a number of companies that decided back in 1998 to create a standard that allows their devices to work with one another; this means nobody actually owns Bluetooth technology, and that it is more of an “open standard” with numerous contributors. THE ORIGIN OF THE WORD BLUETOOTH goes to the 10th Century when the Danish King Harald Blatand united several warring factions. The English translation of Blatand is, you guessed it, Bluetooth. The parallel is easy to make given Bluetooth’s ability to allow several differing technologies – cell phones, computers, printers, headsets, etc – to talk to one another using a single standard.

Everyday uses In reality, Bluetooth’s real-life applications are far more accessible. It can be used to connect your phone to a hands-free car kit, for instance, or to use your cell phone as a remote control for a Bluetoothequipped computer playing music. All you need to do is first “pair” the Bluetooth devices – a process that asks permission from both devices to interact with each other. This requires authorisation from their owners, after which seemingly futuristic features such as using a cell phone as a remote control can be enabled.

Common connections Most commonly, Bluetooth is used in wireless computer peripherals like keyboards and mice, as well as for file transfers between mobile devices. In this way, people can share photos between their camera-phones, send files to printers that support the feature and copy music between a PC and mobile phone. It is also used in audio applications as the connection between your sound source and headphones; Logitech’s Freepulse headset uses Bluetooth to great effect. Cell phones are also quickly and easily set up as broadband modems connected to laptops using a Bluetooth connection, which means no more cables! This is especially useful for those busy people who are constantly on the move.

Special interest The original idea behind Bluetooth was to create a wireless connection that replaced the need for cables and in that we believe the special interest group behind Bluetooth’s development has succeeded. So much so that the technology is used in some devices with no physical room for cables

to connect components; Bluetooth’s low power requirements make it ideal as a replacement for these awkward connections. The first Bluetooth version supported speeds of up to 1mb/s, with version 3.0 upping that to 3.0mb/s. That’s megabits per second so it’s not blindingly fast, but is at least faster than the average Internet connection here in South Africa and more than quick enough to share large files between devices.

Tech talk Bluetooth operates on short-wave radio bandwidth on the 2.4GHz frequency spectrum. It actually cuts up data into small chunks and broadcasts each chunk on its own frequency, using up to 79 different frequencies at the same time. Think of each frequency as an individual radio station; receiving data over a Bluetooth connection is like hearing sound snippets from 79 different radio stations broadcasting at the same time. The technical term for this type of data transmission is “frequency-hopping spread spectrum”, and is the reason for Bluetooth’s reliability and security. Broadcasting on multiple frequencies at the same time makes these signals difficult to intercept, and the pairing process of acquiring authorisation to communicate prevents unwanted connections. These technical details aside, your main concern will be to get the maximum out of your Bluetooth-enabled devices. Investigating the Bluetooth functions of your devices can be a lot of fun, and we encourage you to play around – the rewards are finding out just how cool technology can be, and just what’s possible if you get a little creative with your tech. Don’t expect your headset to interface with your printer, however. Happy Bluetooth-ing! WWW.CONNECT.CO.ZA | 21

mac 101 //BY JOHANN BARNARD

BANISH YOUR BASHFULNESS The wonderful world of the Apple Mac is unnecessarily intimidating for PC users, largely because theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re unfamiliar with the workings of these magnificent machines. In our continuing efforts to cut through these misconceptions we take another look at some of the cool features and workings of Mac OS X. 22 | CONNECT | SEPTEMBER 2009

Personalise icons There’s no greater way to personalise your Mac than changing the icons used to easily identify files, applications or drives. Best of all it takes hardly any thinking, no technical knowledge and only a couple of seconds to complete. If you don’t already have icons that reflect your tastes and personality, you can download tons of them from the Internet. Once you’ve done so, follow these steps to truly ‘own’ your Mac. Open Finder and locate the file, folder or application whose icon you want to change. Right-click on the file and select Get Info – or simply click Command+i. This will open a window showing the file properties. Leave this window open and return to the location in Finder where the appropriate icons are stored. Now, drag that icon file onto the icon in the Info window of the application, file or folder you recently opened. And, Voila! Your preferred icon is now the default image.

KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS Cmnd+M Minimises the Finder folder.

Back to the future Apple’s backup facility is the perfect example of the computer maker having taken a mundane function, pumped it full of stability and reliability and added a dash of cool. Appropriately named Time Machine, the Mac backup facility is seamless, unobtrusive and simply brilliant. Once you’ve plugged in your external drive, set it as your backup destination and activated it, Time Machine takes hourly snapshots of you system that allow you to return to any point in time to retrieve lost or original files.

If, for example, you made changes but need to retrieve an earlier version of that document, you simply enter Time Machine, locate the file you need, shift the slider back to the version you need and open it. Full search functionality is retained, meaning you can find that file in a matter of seconds. Ideally, you should backup up your whole system – including applications, system preferences, and so on – so that if you do suffer a failure you can recover your system in its entirety.

Cmnd+Q Quits active application Cmnd+K Connects to server Cmnd+I Opens Get Info window for selected item Cmnd+Shift+Del Empties Trash Cmnd+N New Finder window Cmnd+Shift+N Creates a new folder Cmnd+O Opens selected item Cmnd+Shift+A O pens the applications folder Cmnd+F Find Cmnd+Option+W Closes all Finder folders

Let your fingers do the walking

MacBook pro tips AMBIDEXTROUS TRACKPAD: The one perceived downside to Mac’s very cool trackpad – which is one large button as opposed to a pad and two clickable buttons – is the lack of an obvious right-click function. Apple has done away with discrimination against ambidexterity by enabling the right-click function by tapping on the trackpad while two fingers are placed on the pad. To set this up, go to System Preference > Trackpad and then select the ‘For secondary clicks, place two fingers on the trackpad’ button.

Cmnd+H Hides current application

OUT DAMNED SPOT: One of the most common and frustrating stumbling blocks for new Mac users is the lack of a forwarddelete button on Apple’s range of MacBook notebooks. The iMac desktop units, with larger keyboards, don’t suffer this. In fact, you don’t need to ‘suffer’ anything. You can’t really believe that people who make such great machines would overlook this – and they haven’t. To delete forward, simply hit Ctrl+D or Fn+Delete!

While the Mac is endowed with a plethora of keyboard shortcuts for common tasks, Windows users might be frustrated at not finding menu shortcuts – such as Alt+F to open the File menu, and Alt+T to access the Tools menu. Fear not, this functionality is there, all you need to do is hit Ctrl+F2 to have the Menus highlighted, from where you can navigate using the the arrow keys on your keyboard.

Cmnd+X Cut Cmnd+C Copy Cmnd+Z Undo Cmnd+V Paste Cmnd+A Select All Cmnd+Del Deletes item(s) Cmnd+Tab Rotate through and toggle to open applications Cmnd+E Ejects volume, server or media Cmnd+? Mac Help

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advanced computing //BY BRETT HAGGARD

A WALK IN THE CLOUDS Keeping your information in sync across multiple devices used to mean owning a gaggle of cables, a ton of patience and the help of an IT technician with a degree in astro-physics. With the advent of cloud services, all that is changing.

echnology has become such an important part of modern life that having quick and ready access to your personal information at any time and in any place is more important than ever. The only problem, however, is that synchronising all this data between the various devices in your life can be quite demanding, particularly if it relies on you remembering to plug one device into another and hitting the sync button. But what happens when you’re using more than one computer – one at the office and one at home – or worse than that, making use of more than one mobile device, depending on whether it’s a weekday or a weekend, or whether you’re at home or abroad? Throw the desire to synchronise pictures, videos and maybe your family’s finances across more than one user’s computer into the mix and you would normally have a recipe for disaster. But things are getting a whole lot easier as Google and Microsoft battle each other for dominance in the upcoming ‘cloud’ era of computing – and it’s us, the consumers who are benefiting. We’ve covered Google quite comprehensively over the past couple of issues, so we thought it was time to give Microsoft some of the limelight. And we found that what the so-called ‘Evil Empire’ has on offer has massive potential.

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Mesh it together Live Mesh (mesh.live.com) has been in beta phase for some time now. But, it’s become a viable service for end users to get stuck into since it’s taken a leap in stability over the past couple of months. Mesh deals with the issue of synchroniszing data across multiple computing devices – and offers a high level of customisation in terms of choosing which devices to synchronise with each other and, furthermore, what data you’d like to be synchronised.

Prerequisites Since the service we’re introducing resides online, you’ll be tearing your hair out and bashing your keyboard in frustration before you can say ‘web browser’ unless you have a decent connection to the Internet. So, start out by making sure you have a decent broadband Internet connection at home. We would recommend you have an ADSL connection

or a fast HSDPA wireless connection to get the most out of this service. Then, to use most of the service we’ll be working through, you’ll need a Microsoft Live identity. If you already have a Hotmail address or make use of MSN Messenger, you already have one of these. If you don’t, sign up for one at mail. live.com.

Multiple devices Mesh currently offers support for three kinds of ‘device’, with this list due for serious expansion if Microsoft’s most recent comments are to be believed. At present, it caters for Windows PCs, Apple Mac PCs and the Live Desktop, which is the 5GB of storage space “in the sky” that Microsoft makes available to users who access Mesh. Keep an eye on the service for the introduction of additional devices (phones and media players) that can be synchronised via it, never mind the untold new devices we’re due to see appear over the next couple of years.

most of this base data will exist on the PC or Mac it was created with, that’s the starting point. On a Windows computer this entails simply right clicking on the folder you want to synchronise and choosing ‘Add folder to Live Mesh’ from the context menu. It’s also wise to click on the little down arrow in the dialog that follows so that you can set any custom synchronisation options. These settings allow you to sync data only between certain devices and the Live Desktop, or only between devices and leave the Live Desktop out of the loop – something that conserves bandwidth rather effectively. It’s also worthwhile to note that when the Live Desktop is left out of the synchronisation and two devices (a PC and a Mac, for instance) are on the same wired or wireless network (such as at your office or in your home), they will synchronise using peer-to-peer technology and not draw on your Internet connection. That means it’s much faster and capable of conserving your Internet bandwidth expenses.

A word on Live Mesh for Mac

Setting up sync Setting the service up is a snap – simply sign in with your Live ID and click on the large orange ‘+’ to add devices to the ring – you will be prompted to download a small file that installs on the PC or Mac and adds it to the synchronisation mix. From there, you go about setting up folders and information you’d like to synchronise – and since

Sharing files from a Mac and setting custom synchronisation options is a little different, but nonetheless pretty easy. While the Live Mesh application is running on a Mac it creates a small icon on the system’s Menu bar, from which the application can be controlled with ease. Left click on this icon and a pull down menu will give you the same options available on a Windows PC, making it easy to add new folders to the synchronisation mix, change which devices synchronise with which, and lots more.

While the Mac version is still in early Beta, apart from the occasional crash, the service seems to work well on Mac OS 10.5.7 on the whole. It is, however, perfectly stable on Windows Vista and Windows 7. And because it’s free, there’s no reason to not use it – free backup and free file synchronisation over the Internet is something many companies charge a bomb for. The only thing to watch here is your bandwidth usage, as the initial synchronisation will incur a bandwidth cost directly proportional to the amount of data you’d like to keep synched. WWW.CONNECT.CO.ZA | 25

PRINTING

CALCULATING COST PER PAGE

uying a printer is a far more complex task than what it used to be. That’s because the cheapest possible printer from an acquisition cost perspective is not necessarily going to be the most cost effective option in the long run. Customers need to consider what type of documents they’re likely to be printing most of the time, how often they’re going to be printing and what the page coverage of the documents they’re likely to print most of the time will be. Only once a customer has been down the route of looking at their printing behaviour can they choose the right printer for their needs. This is something that’s broadly referred to as the total cost of ownership of their printing solution and something that’s measured in a unit called ‘cost per page’.

CHOOSING A PRINTER TYPE Broadly speaking, consumers won’t need a high volume laser printing solution if all they are printing are school projects, greeting cards and letters on an infrequent basis. A small business however will be best placed to consider a laser, since their volumes will exceed the level an inkjet printer is desigend to deliver on comfortably. Similarly, if they’re likely to print a great deal of photo content, they will in all likelihood need a photo printer. So decide between a mono laser or colour laser if volume is important, and a standard colour-capable inkjet printer or photo printer if you’re printing low-volumes of colour or documents respectively. You might also want to consider a multi-function device if you need to fax, copy and scan in addition to printing

documents out – colour and monochrome options that use either inkjet or laser technology are available, so you should be able to match your needs pretty closely. We took a close look at what’s on offer in last month’s Connect, so head back to that issue if you need more guidance.

LOOKING AT VOLUME Start by taking an honest look at what kind of documents you’re going to print – and try to accurately gauge your monthly volume of pages. Now add between 10% and 20% to that figure, because when you buy anything for the long term, you need to add some headroom for growth into the mix. Next, try to match that monthly volume to a printer the salesperson recommends in store. If you can’t find someone to answer this question, look at the consumables stand instore to get an idea of what kind of volume ink and toner cartridges are capable of. It makes little sense to buy an inkjet printer that uses consumables capable of lasting for 500 pages, when your volume is somewhere in the 700 to 1000 pages range each month – you’ll be headed into the store to load up on cartidges twice a month and that’s just plain inconvenient. At the same time, buying a laser printer that uses consumables capable of printing somewhere in the region of 3000 pages might be overkill if you’re a user that only prints 300 to 500 pages per month. While the upside is undoubtedly that you’ll only have to replace your consumables every six to seven months, it will be akin to buying all of the toner you’re going to need for a six month period, in advance.

HP PhotoSmart C4783 • Colour Photo Printing • Wireless Network ready • OCR Software • SMB/Home

HP OfficeJet Pro 8500 • Micro/Small Business • Wireless Network ready • Large Touch Screen • Duplex printing

HP Laserjet CM2320n • Colour laser • Network ready • Up to 21ppm black, colour • Multifunction

HP Laserjet M2727 MFP • Monochrome laser • Network ready • Up to 27ppm • Multifunction

BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER

CALCULATIONS

At this stage you should know what your technology and printer choice is going to be. All that remains is to choose a specific model based on the volume you’re going to print and work out what you’re in for over the long-term. Strictly speaking, you shouldn’t keep the same printer for longer than three years, since moving to a new unit every 36 months will ensure you’re able to benefit from improvements in print quality, as well as improvemnts in technology that deliver better cost efficiency. So start by dividing the acquisition cost of the printer by three, which will factor out the cost of the printer over the next three years. Call that figure ‘A’. Now look at the amount of ink or toner you’re going to require in order to carry on printing over the coming 36 months. If you’ve paired your printer to your needs perfectly, you shouldn’t have to replace your consumables more than four times a year. So take the current price of that consumable, multiply it by the number of consumables changes you’ll require this year and work out what the total cost of consumables per year will be. Call that figure ‘B’. Now, by adding the one-third of the acquisition cost (A) to the cost of consumables for a year (B), you’ll come to a figure that’s indicative of how much your printer costs you this year (C). And by escalting the cost of consumables for the first year by whatever the inflation rate is annually (call that ‘D2’ for the second and ‘D3’ for the third years of ownership), you should be able to work out what the printer will cost you in subsequent years. Want a montly cost? Just divide C by 12.

the acquisition cost of the printer, divided by three

the amount of toner or ink you’ll buy in one year, calculated on volume of pages

the total cost of owning your printer for the first year

the inflation rate between year one and two of ownership

the inlfation rate between year two and three of ownership

the total cost of owning your printer for the second year

the total cost of owning your printer for the third year

A+B=C A+(BxD2)=C2 A+(BXD3)=C3 C+C2+C3= the total cost of ownership of your printer over three years.

A QUICK WORD ON PAGE COVERAGE

oner cartridges offer a higher yield than ink cartridges do, but of course the economy of both depends heavily on the page coverage of each document. Page coverage refers to the amount of surface area covered with ink or toner, with text-only pages covering on average of between three and five percent of the page’s surface area. Prints that include images will obviously cover a greater area, leading to lower yield from colour cartridges and toners. For people that want or need colour printing and who are sold on the idea of ink, it is always a good idea to

purchase printers that take separate cyan, magenta and yellow cartridges instead of printers that only take one black and one colour cartridge. Popular colours will run out before ones less-used; individual cartridges mean users won’t have to replace a whole colour cartridge because they can no longer print, say, blue. Instead, they just replace the colour that has been depleted. Lastly, be sure to check the specifications of the printer you’re considering purchasing for the yield rating, as a printer that costs more up-front may end up being the more cost-effective purchase in the long run thanks to its cost-per-page.

home computing //BY TIANA ALSWANG WAN WA ANG NG

The Family

Friendly Computer

Top tips to make your home computer one the whole family can use!

very home today has a computer and it is easy to see why – they’re essential tools for living in a technologically driven world. From online banking to online shopping as well as social networking, easy communication and media storage, computers are a fundamental part of our homes, offices and schools. But as much good as technology offers there is the harsh reality that a computer, especially one connected to the Internet, can lead a new and unsuspecting generation of younger technology users to dangers. And while children reaching out to new sources of knowledge and cultural experiences can gain a lot, they may stumble upon explicit and dangerous material. This is why companies, like Microsoft and Google, offer tools that create a safer online environment for your children. And if your children already use the Internet at home, you know how important it is to help protect them from inappropriate content and contact.

28 | CONNECT | SEPTEMBER 2009

Opening and closing windows Windows Live Family Safety and the parental controls included in Windows Vista can help you create a safer online environment for your children. The parental controls built into Windows Vista are designed to help parents manage what their children can do on the computer. These controls help parents determine which games their children can play, which programmes they can use, and which websites they can visit and when. Parents can restrict computer use to specific times and trust that Windows Vista will enforce those restrictions, even when they’re away from home. The Parental Controls panel, part of the User Accounts and Family Safety Control Panel applet, centralises all of the key settings of the Windows Vista Parental Controls. From this one location, you can configure the parental controls for your computer and applications, setting appropriate limits on your children’s game playing, web browsing, and overall computer use. The Parental Controls panel provides a centralised

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home computing

location where you can turn parental controls on and off; block or allow specific programs, games, and websites; and set controls for every aspect of your child’s computer use. Third-party family safety software and service providers may also choose to have their products and services accessible from the Parental Controls panel in Windows Vista. Parental Controls does not work on domain-joined machines, such as in a business environment.

Mac moms and dads On an Apple Mac, parental controls help moms and dads manage, monitor and control how much time their children spend on the computer. It also looks at the websites they visit as well as the people they chat with – this is all managed in System Preferences by creating a new account for your kids. (Click System preferences> accounts> parental controls.) In the Parental Controls Preference pane, you can select options such as automatically limiting the Internet browser from accessing adult websites or creating an appropriate instant messaging list. If you’re looking at only allowing your child online at certain times of the day for a specific period of time, you can choose a time limit as well as a bedtime so the computer will automatically log-out when the restricted access period begins.

Operating alone Another great option is creating a web environment that doesn’t feel restrictive – KIDO’Z Kid’s Web is the safe, easy and fun way for young kids to surf their favourite sites, watch videos and play games. The content is contributed from parents from all over the world and then matched to each kid individually thanks to a smart content engine that takes into account age, gender, location, parents’ preference and more. Tons of top kids’ content is loaded into KIDO’Z by the KIDO’Z team. But what makes KIDO’Z special is the content added by the parents. You can personalise KIDO’Z for your kids by uploading new content, selecting user interface and content languages and enhancing security settings. Targeted at all ages, children navigating KIDO’Z can do so without needing to know how to read or write. The best part of this unique children-friendly operating system is that it is free. There are other great websites and software available to make the most of your child’s time on the home computer. From educational games to multimedia learning packages, there are numerous exciting options as long as you are smart about safety. 30 | CONNECT | SEPTEMBER 2009

Safety First! No matter how old your kids are, there are things to consider when going online… 1.

It’s never too early to foster open and positive communication with children. It’s a good idea to talk with them about computers and to stay open to their questions and curiosity. 2. Always sit with your kids between the ages of 2 and 10 when they’re online. 3. Set clear rules for Internet use. 4. Insist that your children not share personal information such as their real name, address, phone number, or passwords with people they meet online. 5. If a site encourages kids to submit their names to personalise the Web content, help your kids create online nicknames that give away no personal information. 6. Investigate Web filtering tools to help you engage with your kids and aid in parental supervision. 7. If you use family safety tools, create appropriate profiles for each family member based on their age. 8. Help protect your children from offensive pop-up windows by using the pop-up blocker that’s built in to Internet Explorer. 9. You can also help block pop-up windows that appear when you’re not surfing the Internet with Windows Defender. Windows Defender comes with Windows Vista. If you use Windows XP, you can download Windows Defender at no extra charge. 10. All family members should act as role models for young children who are just starting to use the Internet. (Source: www.microsoft.com)

PRODUCT REVIEWS // BY DEON DU PLESSIS

BARGAIN

HUNTING F

rom my own observations of what is happening in our local shops, it would appear that the South African consumer, already a discerning, priceconscious buyer, has gone to ground and is spending even less now than before. In response, many shops are having sales, reducing the price of items to levels not seen for many years, either in an effort to clear older stock or to simply stimulate their lagging sales figures. As a result, there are good deals galore to be had by serious bargain hunters, and strangely, this is a rather good time to hit the shops to see

what can be had for cheap. It seems rather silly, really, to be endorsing shopping sprees when money is so tight, but the truth is if you’re looking, you can unearth some really fantastic prices for goods you’ve been eyeing for a long time. So, while the economic reality is a rather harsh one these days, it’s not all bad news. Keep your eyes peeled; you just never know what some committed bargainhunting might unearth. Till next month, Cheers Deon

While we make every effort to ensure pricing is accurate before we go to print, sometimes through circumstances we have no control over, the prices in Connect may differ from those you’ll see on store shelves. In all cases, shelf pricing takes precedence.

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REVIEWS 34 PCs 42 Monitors 43 Printers 44 Projectors 46 Cellphones 48 GPS 49 Cameras 50 Speakers 54 Gaming Accessories 56 Routers 58 Software 60 Books 64 Top 5

EPISODE 5: GETTING CREATIVE

TOP

PRODUCT REVIEWS RELATED

PRODUCTS

SAMSUNG OMNIA The chief competitor to the N97, the OMNIA is the phone to consider if taking high-quality photos is your top priority. The N97 does have a superior screen and operates better as a media player, however.

Nokia N97 NEED TO KNOW • Widescreen Smartphone • Great-quality camera • Loads of internal storage for use with media player R7 999.95

CONVERGENCE is everywhere – in our living rooms as our computers become our TVs and music systems, in our offices as our printers, faxes and photocopiers meld into one device, and of course in our cellphones that are now fully-fledged mobile computers that allow us to doe more than simply make phone calls. This is pretty much what Nokia was going for with its latest Smartphone, the N97, and has done a pretty good job of it, too. As with other phones running the Symbian v9.4 operating system, the N97 is preloaded with the native browser that is navigated by finger dragging and zooming gestures. The N97 does sport a new inertial navigation feature, meaning you can scroll through long documents with one quick motion of the finger as though the movement had rolled a trackball or free-standing scroll wheel. This takes a bit of getting used to at first, especially if migrating from an older touchscreen phone’s browser, but soon feels normal. Another plus for this phone is that on top of the very responsive and accurate touchscreen is the slide-out QWERTY keyboard. Unlike most conventional slide-out keyboards, the N97 actually pops out on extending hinges so that the screen tilts at a very useful angle. The exposed keys are large enough even for those with thicker fingers, and produce a satisfying amount of resistance and feedback when pressed. The 16 million colour 360x640 pixel resolution screen produces bright, rich colours and the fact that the N97 has a widescreen means the machine has some great advantages as a media player, web browser and so on. The 5 megapixel camera has an extensive, if slightly clunky interface, offering plenty of options, shooting modes, manual white balancing and more. Photographs are definitely of a higher quality than the average cell phone camera, but perhaps not quite as good as the Samsung OMNIA (reviewed this issue). 34 | CONNECT | SEPTEMBER 2009

Unfortunately, as with a number of today’s Smartphones, the N97’s operating system is prone to occasional crashing and freezing. Sure, with added complexity comes more risk of things going wrong and programmes being buggy, but that really is no excuse. We have become very lax indeed if we’re happy to purchase incomplete products. After all, you wouldn’t buy a brand new car with a faulty engine that the salesman promised to fix up later, would you? Nokia needs to get a good firmware update out, and soon. In summation, this is a very good Smartphone, camera and media player combo that also brings decent Internet functionality to the table. It’s great that Nokia has opted to use a standard 3.5mm jack for headphones as well as a normal mini-USB port for connectivity. The shift away from proprietary connectivity hardware is long overdue and it’s good to see Nokia prioritising consumer convenience in this regard. If the operating system could see a few minor tweaks here and there, this could well be a 5-star product. NOTEWORTHY SPECS • • • • • •

5 megapixel camera 3.5 inch (8.9cm) touchscreen 434MHz processor Runs Symbian OS v9.4 Tri-band HSDPA up to 3.6Mbps Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity

PROS

CONS

• Great slide-out QWERTY keyboard • Excellent display • Massive 32GB internal storage • Great media player functionality

• Operating system still has some bugs • Built-in speaker quality is not as good as its predecessor • Limited auto-uploading of photographs

OVERALL RATING

NOKIA 5800 XPRESSMUSIC Great speakers, rich multimedia features and excellent battery life made this one of Nokia’s most successfull phones last year.

One feature that is impressive is that photos can be immediately uploaded to the Ovi or Vox services on the Internet. In the same breath, however, it’s pretty frustrating that more popular photo-sharing sites such as Facebook, Flickr and Picasa are not supported. Hopefully, Nokia will add functionality for these sites in future firmware updates.

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PRODUCT REVIEWS PERFECT COMPANIONS

Xbox 360 Microsoft’s gaming console puts out excellent graphics and doubles as a home media player. This HD screen is just the ticket to make your gaming experience even better.

Acer H233H 23” LCD Monitor NEED TO KNOW • 23” LCD Screen • Supports 1080p • HDMI Connector • High contrast ratio • Ideal for HD content and games R2 299.95

THIS screen is the first evidence of new LCD screens coming in at impressively low prices. Retailing at an astounding R2299.95, this is probably one of the best bargains to come along in recent years. Think about it – barely R2300 for a 23-inch LCD that can handle regular PC inputs (VGA, DVI) as well as high-definition input from Blu-ray players and gaming consoles – it has to be a fantastic deal. 24-inch screens will cost you at least R700 more, and those are generally the lower-end units that have cut quality corners to reach that price point. Which is what makes this screen such a delicious surprise – it packs tons of value in the way of good, useful features like HDMI connectivity, built-in speakers and both DVI and VGA ports, all the while displaying a clear, vibrant image with excellent contrast. Sure, the tiny 1.5W speakers aren’t going to impress anyone other than life-long deaf people who’ve only just been healed, but they are at least there, meaning you can play Xbox or PS3 games without needing additional speakers. Modern screens need HDMI ports by default, and it’s really nice to see one here for such a bargain price. About the only thing we’ve seen that might possibly put purists off is the small bit of backlight bleed that is visible when the screen is dark, but turned on. Since most, if not all LCD screens are guilty of this to some degree, it’s not the kind of bad mark that should put you off checking it out. It’s also a 16:9 screen, which may put a handful of people off due to not supporting a resolution of 1920 x 1200 that bigger screens (and some other 23-inchers) are capable of, so this is another minor mark against the H233H’s 36 | CONNECT | SEPTEMBER 2009

otherwise stellar score. Still, it is good enough for true 1080p high-definition video playback. That being said, it is noticeably wider than a 22” screen; if you’ve ever used one before, you will be sure to notice the extra screen space that appears on either edge of the H233H that makes the screen look even wider than a 22” does while retaining a similar height. For enthusiasts, there is no such thing as too much screen space; we’re confident even the average user will be immediately impressed by the extra room, and grow to accept nothing less over time. If you’re screen shopping, we highly recommend you take a good, hard look at the H233H from Acer. It has all the of features the average user needs of a screen for your PC, Xbox or PS3, and the price is extremely attractive considering it offers a generous 23 inches of widescreen viewing pleasure.

PS3 Sony’s mighty console does the same, but it also doubles as an inexpensive Blu-ray player. HD definitely looks best on a big screen, but for gamers on a budget a 23” LCD is a great compromise.

NOTEWORTHY SPECS • • • • • •

Contrast Ratio: 40 000:1 Native Resolution: 1920 x 1080 Brightness: 300 cd/m Horizontal/Vertical viewing angles: 160/160 Speakers: 2 x 1.5W (integrated) Response Time: 5ms

PROS

CONS

• 23 inches of widescreen viewing • Slight backlight bleed pleasure • 16:9 aspect ratio • Excellent image quality & contrast • Accommodates HD content of all kinds • Brilliant price OVERALL RATING

HDMI Cable You’ll need a decent HDMI cable to transmit all that HD data without losing image or audio quality. Pick up an HDMI cable from Sony for the best overall quality, just watch out for that price!

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PRODUCT REVIEWS

Canon CanoScan 5600F Scanner NEED TO KNOW • Aimed at photographers • Excellent-quality scans • Professional features at affordable price R1 999.95

DESPITE the digital revolution having taken the photographic world by storm, many professionals and dedicated hobbyists still prefer shooting on film for particular effects – for one, the artistry of a wellcrafted Polaroid transfer is nigh-on impossible with a digital camera, and some dedicated SLR photographers swear by the subtle differences in colour between certain brands of slide film. These images may still need to be digitised, however, and Canon’s CanoScan 5600F scanner could be the perfect choice. We particularly loved the 5600F’s Multi-Scan mode, which can scan multiple images at once and then differentiate and save each one to an individual file. It is capable of scanning as many as six shots on a strip of 35mm film, or four 35mm mounted slides, and produces excellent results from both negatives and positives. Those in need of Optical Character Recognition will also be very pleased with the 5600F, the scanner taking mere seconds to process an entire page into very clear and decipherable, albeit not absolutely perfect, text. Another thing we really liked is that because this scanner uses an LED as opposed to a bulb, there is zero warm up time – scanners of old could take an annoyingly long time before they were ready to get their scan on. What’s more, installation and setup were extremely easy. We simply installed the software, removed the scanner’s safety lock, plugged in the USB cable and then powered it up – and it worked like a dream from the get go. The scanner comes with all the required software, including ScanGear CS 10.2, CanoScan Toolbox 4.8 and ArcSoft PhotoStudio 5.5, providing users with a full suite of software because hey, let’s face it, not

PRODUCTS everyone can afford Photoshop. In terms of streamlining and added functionality, the 5600F has handy Scan, Copy and E-mail buttons conveniently located on top of the unit, as well as three buttons for colour, black and white or custom scanning to PDF documents. The ability to perform these regular scanning tasks at the push of a single button is a definite plus, and far more pleasing than the multi-step software route that is required on many other scanners. There is of course the standard TWAIN driver for those who want to fine-tune their scans, which means owners of the 5600F get to enjoy the full range from incredibly simple scanning to very specific tweaks and advanced pre-scan touch-ups. Overall, Canon has done a great job with the 5600F and we were absolutely blown away by the quality of scanning results. This is a brilliant device, and is a ‘budget’ scanner in name and price only. The perfect choice for photography enthusiasts.

CANON PIXMA MX860

This could be the perfect choice for those who want a scanner, but don’t need all the high end photography-specific features of the 5600F. It’s R1000 more, but you’re getting an all in one scanner, printer, copier and fax to justify the price.

NOTEWORTHY SPECS • • • • •

4800 x 9600 dpi resolution Six-line colour CCD scanning element 48-bit colour depth 216 x 297 mm scanning area Designed for both Windows and Mac OS PROS

CONS

• Requires no warm up time • Multi-Scan mode is great • Extensive software suite included • Outstanding results

• OCR is not 100% perfect, but then again, not even the best scanners get this right all the time • Scanning area ‘only’ A4 in size

OVERALL RATING

CANON CANOSCAN 4400F

The 5600F’s little brother, the 4400F offers the same resolution but is slower and doesn’t yield quite the same results with negatives and slides. However, if that’s not an issue and it’s purely an affordable photographic print scanner you’re after, you could do far worse than the 4400F.

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PRODUCT REVIEWS

PERFECT COMPANIONS

Mouse pad Despite advances in laser technology, in most cases a mouse pad is still the best surface to use a mouse on.

Logitech MX Air NEED TO KNOW • Wireless mouse • Works on desk and air • Uses a gyroscope • Good for presentations R1 299.95

THE Logitech MX Air is a regular laser mouse that continues to control your mouse cursor and action even if it isn’t resting on a surface. This is possible due to the internal gyroscope that senses how the mouse is being held when it’s not on a flat surface. It’s certainly a technique that takes some getting used to, but it only took two days of continuous use to get the hang of it. A key advantage of the MX Air over other motion-sensitive mice is that it always knows which way is up, and it doesn’t matter how you’re holding the mouse. If you have it angled off to the side, for instance, and you lift your arm straight up towards the ceiling, the mouse interprets that movement as an “up” command, and your cursor will travel directly up the screen instead of off at an angle. When not being wielded around the room, the ultra-sleek MX Air also functions as a regular wireless laser mouse, making it a great choice to take on your travels as well as a useful presentation tool. Its embedded media buttons like volume control, dedicated forward and back buttons and wheel-less scroll pad also make it suitable as a remote control for a Media Centre PC. This lets you sit in the comfort of your favourite armchair using the MX Air to control your Media Centre PC without having to find a flat surface to move it on. The buttons are all easily pressed when needed and bump-proof when not, and their location on the flat top of the mouse is intuitive and easy to get used to. This is an exceptionally attractive, well-designed mouse made of sturdy materials, which is what Logitech is best known for. Cursor movement 38 | CONNECT | SEPTEMBER 2009

is butter-smooth, too, which will please people who like their mice sensitive and responsive. Very appealing in a wireless peripheral, the MX Air is rechargeable and comes with its own recharge station. In typical Logitech style, the mouse even looks good while recharging thanks to the rakish angle at which it sits on the recharge station. If you dock it every time your computer session ends, you’ll never run out of battery power. If you don’t, you’re looking at an operational time of around 6 months between charges. If you’re looking for a mouse that can be used for changing presentation slides wirelessly, that works beautifully with or without a flat surface, you can’t go wrong with Logitech’s gorgeous MX Air. At over a R1000 it’s a little expensive for a mouse, but after only a few days of use we were hooked and convinced of its value, and we’re pretty sure you will be too if you give it a try.

Acer 5260I Projector Use Acer’s bright 5260I projector to put your wirelessly-controlled presentation on a wall for all to see. That way your audience will also notice how cool you are when wirelessly changing slides with your MX Air.

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS • • • •

Windows XP/Vista Mac OSX 10.3.9 or later USB Port CDROM Drive

PROS

CONS

• Beautiful design • Works in the air and on a desk • Uses rechargeable batteries • Good button placement

• Expensive for a mouse • Air control takes some getting used to

OVERALL RATING

Packard Bell iMedia PC What’s a mouse without a PC? A paperweight, that’s what. Get yourself a Packard Bell iMedia PC and swing that MX Air at it all day long.

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PRODUCT REVIEWS

PRODUCTS

HP Pavilion DV6-1299EA Artist Edition HP PAVILION DV6-1150EI

NEED TO KNOW

This is a very similar product to the DV6 we reviewed, only this one sports 3GB of RAM and is powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo processor running at 2.13GHz. This is the HP laptop of choice for those who prefer Intel over AMD.

• Artwork brings a unique look and feel • Powerful multi-purpose laptop • Excellent expandability options R10 999.95

THIS uniquely-designed laptop is the result of a competition run by Hewlett Packard for artists to submit their visions of a more attractive laptop computer. Young Japanese designer Hisako Sakihama was judged the winner, resulting in the new DV6 laptop sporting a colourful blue, green and black wave-like design on the top cover as well as the area in front of the keyboard. Regardless of your attitude towards the artwork, the list of specifications on this laptop is one area that will have everyone excited. With a powerful 2.2GHz Dual-Core AMD processor, 4GB of RAM that can be expanded up to 8GB, an ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4650 coupled with a brilliant 1366x768 display all make for a great entertainment-oriented machine. Gaming, videos and music are all well catered for thanks to the 3D Sound Blaster Pro compatible, 16-bit integrated audio system, while the speakers produce respectable sound output. Of course, it’s not as though the entertainment aspects in anyway inhibit productivity – far from it. The DV6 is a great multi-purpose laptop that packs more than enough power to operate all standard MS Office or Open Office tasks as well as graphic design and photo editing software. Indeed, with expanded RAM and a larger hard drive (up to 500GB) this laptop could also serve as a great portable video editing station. The only downside of packing all this hardware into a 15-inch laptop is the weight, and the standard DV6 comes in at just under 3kgs. This is not heavy per se, but may prove too much for those who are constantly on the move, especially when there are 15-inchers out there at literally half the weight of 40 | CONNECT | SEPTEMBER 2009

this machine. If weight is not an issue, though, you should seriously consider the DV6. You’re getting a lot of laptop for your money, and this is an excellent machine for all users – youth or otherwise. NOTEWORTHY SPECS • • • • • • •

2.2GHz AMD Turion X2 Dual-Core Mobile Processor RM-75 4GB RAM 320GB Hard Drive Built in 802.11 b/g Wifi adaptor ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4650 4 USB 2.0 ports 5-in-1 Media Card reader PROS

CONS

• Excellent performance • Very impressive specs • Decent built-in webcam • Versatile Media Card reader

• A little heavy for a 15-inch laptop • Artwork will likely not appeal to all

OVERALL RATING

COMPAQ PRESARIO CQ61-130EI

A slightly cheaper alternative to HP’s DV6, this Presario comes in at about R2 000 less and sports a slightly slower 2.0 GHz Intel Dual Core processor, 3GB of RAM and a 320GB hard drive. It also has a 5-in-1 media card reader and a decent NVIDIA GeForce G130M graphics processor with 512MB of dedicated video RAM.

PRODUCT REVIEWS

PERFECT COMPANIONS

NVIDIA 9800GT This respectable graphics card is priced right for anyone looking to enhance their games while not paying the earth for the privilege.

Packed Bell iMedia J6220SA NEED TO KNOW • Family-friendly desktop PC • Generous specifications • Includes a 20” LCD Monitor, keyboard & mouse R7 999.95

Logitech Cordless Desktop S520 If you’re looking for a different set of peripherals for this PC, check out Logitech’s contemporarystyled, great-quality S520 keyboard and mouse set.

Acer X233W 22” LCD Monitor 22 inches of widescreen viewing is a wonderful experience, and with Acer’s X233W it’s easily within reach.

FOR families interested in a PC that has everything, Packard Bell’s iMedia J6220SA is a good place to start looking. It is kitted out with generous, highquality parts that will keep the PC performing well, and it even comes with an included 20-inch widescreen LCD monitor along with a Packard Bell-branded keyboard and mouse set. At this price point, these factors make the J6220SA the kind of PC a price-conscious family should consider. The computer’s chassis is coated in an attractive black finish with silver highlights, catering for people looking to have more than just a boring box on their desks. On the top of the case’s front face are a media card reader as well as USB ports, headphone and microphone jacks for easy access. Anyone that has ever scrambled around the back of their PC looking for USB slots or audio ports will tell you just how handy having these within easy reach will prove to be in the long run. Inside the box, this iMedia is powered by a very capable Intel Core 2 Duo E7500 desktop processor, rated at a decent 2.93GHz. While this may not mean much to you, it translates to good performance on all applications that require some beefy number-crunching abilities. Intel’s Core 2 Duo processors are much sought-after for this reason, and this one will easily power Windows Vista Home Premium, work applications and even games without breaking a sweat. 4GB of system RAM will go a long way to keeping things smooth, too, and a very generous 750GB hard drive is there to store all your photos, videos, movies and more. The included video processor, an onboard NVIDIA G120 unit, is the only real letdown in the iMedia’s specification list. While it will let you browse the internet, work and read e-mails, it’s not well-suited to games, yielding only passable results with graphical details lowered. We recommend that if you

42 | CONNECT | SEPTEMBER 2009

intend to use this PC for any kind of 3D gaming, you consider an add-on video card which will make your games look better and perform faster. The included keyboard and mouse make a solid addition to the iMedia, and will feel similar in quality to the peripherals produced by Microsoft, not a bad thing at all. A nice touch is the widescreen LCD monitor with integrated speakers, which at 20 inches is a good compromise between size and price. With all this going for it, the iMedia J6229SA is a very good purchase for a family looking to invest in a home computer. Best of all, it comes with everything needed to get going already in the box. NOTEWORTHY SPECS • • • • • • • • • • •

Packard Bell iMedia J6220SA Desktop Intel® Core 2 Duo E7500 processor @ 2.93 GHz 4096MB RAM 750GB HDD DVDRW dual layer drive Integrated 10/100 LAN & memory card reader Windows Vista Home Premium nVidia G120 graphics with 1024MB dedicated video RAM Viseo 200W 20” LCD with integrated speakers MS Works 9 pre-installed & not supplied in retail packaging 1 Year collect, repair & return warranty PROS

CONS

• Widescreen 20” LCD monitor included • Great specifications • Keyboard and mouse are of good quality • Price

• Onboard video card won’t handle games well

OVERALL RATING

PERFECT P C COMPANIONS

Co Compaq Presario CQ71210ei Notebook 21 Sitting solidly in the Sit mid-level notebook range, m Compaq’s CQ71-210ei boasts Co a 117.6” LCD screen, 4GB of system RAM, a 250GB hard drive and Intel’s T4200 Pentium processor.

Samsung Syncmaster Lapfit LD220G USB LCD Monitor NEED TO KNOW • 22” low-profile LCD monitor • Connected by USB • Daisy-chainable • Intended for laptop use R2399.95

SAMSUNG’S Syncmaster LD220G Lapfit LCD monitor is a screen with a difference – instead of using a regular VGA connector to connect to a computer, it uses a USB connector. It also has a rather low profile that can easily match the height of your notebook’s screen, and its primary function is as a secondary screen for a notebook computer. It is even adjustable so that its angle matches that of your notebook screen. Why would you want this, you ask? For anyone who has ever tried to extend their notebook’s desktop to another monitor for all the awesome extra desktop space such a setup offers, the answer may be obvious: height. When using a second screen, there is a noticeable and somewhat jarring effect of having to raise ones’ eyes up a bit to see the second screen. With Samsung’s Lapfit monitor series, this inconvenience is a thing of the past as both screens are on the exact same level. It’s a cosmetic advantage, but a welcome one nonetheless. They key to the Lapfit’s success is the USB connector used to hook it up to a laptop or desktop computer. A brief, but necessary, software installation installs the driver and the user specifies which side of the computer the screen is located. From there, the computer automatically extends the desktop to the monitor, and you are free to use it as you would a regular desktop. The LD220G has three USB ports in total, one for input from a PC and two others that function as regular USB ports for flash drives, printers, cell phones etc, meaning you can connect other devices. This set of USB connectors also enables “daisy chaining” multiple screens

together. This means you can connect more than one Lapfit screen to the original one to create a true “surround” experience. The only concern is the relatively slow transfer speed of the USB standard, which means that data-intensive videos might not be as smooth on the lapfit monitor as on a regular screen. It’s the size and quality of Samsung’s Lapfit series of screens that makes this idea so cool. At 22 inches, the LD220G supports a true high-definition resolution of 1920 x 1200, and the brightness, sharpness and overall clarity, coupled with its 5ms response time means beautiful images, even when they are moving fast. Used either as a secondary screen or as your primary monitor via the included VGA port (using a regular VGA cable), the LG220G presents a very compelling argument for its purchase.

NOTEWORTHY SPECS

PRODUCTS

• Screen Size: 21.5” • Aspect Ratio: 16:9 • Brightness: 300 cdm2 • Contrast Ratio: DC 20 000:1 (1 000:1) • Native Resolution: 1 920 x 1 080 • Response Time: 5ms • Viewing Angle: 170° / 160° PROS

CONS

• Excellent-quality screen • High-resolution support • Low profile, angle-adjustable • Multiple USB ports

• USB is not the fastest connection method • Low profile not strictly necessary

OVERALL RATING

Sony Vaio VGN-CS26G Notebook Sony’s trademark power and style are both on offer here in this beefy mobile computer. The only thing more stylish than a Vaio, is a Vaio with two screens.

SAMSUNG SYNCMASTER LAPFIT L190G

If 22” seems a bit too big for you, consider Samsung’s 19” model that offers the same features, just with a slightly smaller screen.

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PRODUCT REVIEWS

PERFECT COMPANIONS

HP C6832HG Semi-Glossy photo paper This well-priced semiglossy 10x15cm paper from Hewlett Packard is a great accompaniment to the PhotoSmart C4583 and will let your family make quality prints of those everyday snapshots that they don’t want to have only in digital form.

PRODUCTS

HP OFFICEJET J4580

If you like what you’ve seen in the PhotoSmart C4583 but really need a device that can send faxes as well, the OfficeJet J4580 is a decent priced alternative to consider. It can’t match the PhotoSmart C4583 when it comes to photo printing, however.

HP PhotoSmart C4583 NEED TO KNOW • Printer, copier and scanner • Designed for home users • Connects to wireless networks R999.95

THE HP PhotoSmart C4583 is a very impressive midrange product from Hewlett Packard, bringing together the ability to print and photocopy colour or black and white documents, scan photos or forms that require e-mailing, and even has the ability to connect to your wireless network. In terms of all-in-one printers, the only thing that is missing from the PhotoSmart C4583 is the ability to send faxes, but as a home user oriented device, that shouldn’t be much of a problem. Print quality is very good both in black and colour, and when using the right combination of paper and ink the PhotoSmart C4583 can produce outstanding quality photos. We very much like the fact that it can use HP’s excellent Vivera inks for excellent long lasting photographs. Speeds are also noteworthy, coming in at close to some considerably pricier printers. HP has also included a memory card reader which allows printing of photos without having to even switch on your PC. Scanning is great for a home device, and although not the fastest scanner out there, the PhotoSmart C4583’s performance is acceptable. It

44 | CONNECT | SEPTEMBER 2009

has an optical resolution of 1 200dpi, which should be more than enough for most home, school or home-office uses. This is a well priced three-in-one device for home users. It is wellsuited to a family with children needing to work on school projects or the like, and we would even recommend it for office environments that either already have or do not need a fax machine. Definitely one to consider. NOTEWORTHY SPECS • • • • • •

Prints up to 30 pages per minute in draft, around 9 in normal quality 1 200dpi print quality 1 200dpi scanning 100 sheet paper input tray 3.8cm LCD display for working from memory cards Wireless network connectivity PROS

CONS

• Performance not far off high-end printers • Can use Vivera high quality photo ink • Great results for a home device • Works with MS Windows and Mac OS X

• Highest quality photos can take a while to print • Doesn’t have a fax

OVERALL RATING

PRODUCTS

HP OFFICEJET 6313

Canon PIXMA MX860 Wireless All-in-One Inkjet Printer NEED TO KNOW • Print, copy, scan, fax • Photo printer • Inkjet printer • Network printing • Card reader R2 999.95

PRINTERS described as “all in one” can usually print, scan, copy and fax, but are often not able to print photographs well enough to rival those produced by dedicated photo printers. Canon’s PIXMA MX860 is not one of these, and is instead a true “all in one” printer that can handle office-type print jobs while also producing high-quality photo prints. It has all the trimmings of a truly modern, cutting-edge printer: wireless connectivity as well as a wired network port, a 2.5” colour LCD to help with simple tasks, a 35-page automatic document feeder, a high-resolution (4800 dots per inch) scanner, a media card reader and even a duplexer unit for printing and copying on both sides of a sheet of paper. It is a very tricked-out printer indeed, made all the more attractive by the fact that it takes individual colour and black cartridges for some serious cost-savings in the long run. That Canon has also included a USB cable makes this a very thoughtful package. It is a bit slow, however. While not a deal-breaker, it is a deterrent to using the MX860 as an office printer in a busy environment. In a home office or a five-person office it should handle the load just fine, but any more than that and chances are jobs will start stacking up. This is because the MX860 prints at a rather leisurely pace, with first black and white prints emerging after an average of 23 seconds, and an average per-minute rate of 5 pages in standard quality. Printing in Fast mode, which uses less ink, adds an extra 3 pages per minute onto that. Colour prints are slightly slower at four pages per minute in normal quality and six in Fast mode, although this does hurt the overall picture

quality and is not recommended. Normal mode colour prints look brilliant, though, and the MX860 certainly does its PIXMA branding justice – this is a really good photo printer. As a further bonus, it is also very quiet, somehow managing to avoid the loud plastic clacking and whirring that many other printers are guilty of. With everything needed to qualify the MX860 as a competent printer, the only feature still missing is speed. Don’t let that stop you grabbing one, however, as its overall feature list and its stellar photo printing abilities fully justify the asking price. After all, as a true “all in one” solution it has a function for every print need you may have, making its output well worth the wait.. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS • • • • • • • • • • •

Fax Modem speed/compatibility: 33.6kbps Receipt memory capacity: 250 pages Dimensions (H x W x D): 226 x 491 x 437 cm Weight: 11.8 kg Printer engine: Inkjet LCD display: 2.5 inch Paper sizes: A4, A5, A6, B5, C6, C5 Print resolution (B&W): 9600 x 2400 dpi Print speed (B&W): 8.4 ppm (Official figure) Print Speed (Colour): 5.6 ppm (Official figure) Scanning resolution (native): 4800 dpi PROS

CONS

• Scans, copies, faxes, prints • Beautiful photo prints • Quiet operation • Included USB cable

• A little slow

OVERALL RATING

Multifunction goodness is on offer here from HP, but with no photo printing capabilities or individual ink cartridges. Scan, copy, fax, print at a very competitive price.

LEXMARK X9575 MFP

This is another ink-based multi-function printer that also offers scanning, faxing, printing and copying functions. No amazing photo printing, though.

CANON PIXMA IP4600

For a printer that specialises in photo printing, consider Canon’s PIXMA IP4600 and its ability to print photo-lab quality pictures with ease.

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PRODUCT REVIEWS

PRODUCTS

ACER K10 PICO PROJECTOR

While only rated at 150 ANSI Lumens, Acer’s K10 projector is minute and travels extremely well, but is best-suited to presentations in very dark rooms.

Epson EB-X6 LCD projector NEED TO KNOW • Business and home projector • Big screen without the big screen • Built-in speaker R6 999.95

EPSON’S EB-X6 is an affordable LCD-based business projector that looks good and produces a sharp, clear image. It’s housed in attractive white and grey plastic, and features a protective cover that slides to one side to reveal the lens, so you won’t have to keep an eye on a lens cap every time you use it. It’s not particularly small or light, weighing in at a rather hefty 2.7kg, but the advantage of this size is that it’s able to remain cool throughout use. This helps tremendously when packing it away after use. It comes with a remote control that mirrors the controls on the unit, and it has three separate video signal inputs: VGA, DVI and Composite. The buttons on the projector are well laid out and clearly labelled. While the EB-X6 features no wireless network connectivity, it does come with a USB port that allows it to interface with a desktop or notebook computer, which is perhaps the simplest method of hooking it up. The advantage of the USB connection is the remote control can be used to change slides during a presentation. At a brightness rating of 2200 ANSI Lumens, the EB-X6 projects a clear image even when used in naturally lit rooms. Don’t expect the image to remain visible in a brightly-lit room, though. For business presentations in darkened meeting rooms or gaming at night, the EB-X6 is a superb choice as its high brightness keeps the projected image crisp, and colours vibrant. Calibrating the projector’s image with the manual focus rings nestled above the lens takes some getting used to as they are quite sensitive, but good results were achieved nonetheless. We managed a beautiful 3m screen with the projector about 3m away from our chosen surface; this alone is worth the price of the unit itself, and for PC and console gamers, it’s

one of the cheapest ways of acquiring a large screen. The only downside is that you are restricted to a resolution of 1024x768, which is only sufficient for 4:3 720p gaming (so no widescreen), but the size of the screen to play on more than makes up for this. The projected lamp life of the EB-X6 is 3 000 hours, but this can be extended with the slightly less bright “Eco” mode, which drops the ANSI Lumens rating down to 1750. This adds another 1000 hours to the lamp’s life, but we recommend that the projector only be used in sufficiently darkened rooms to maintain its impact in this mode. Lastly, Epson has included a tiny 1W speaker, enabling it to play audio albeit at a rather muted volume. This is handy for presentations that have sound or movie clips, but of course it’s not all that wonderful for games and we recommend you make other plans for sound if you’re planning on gaming much with it.

Resolution: XGA (1024 x 768) Brightness: 2 200 ANSI Lumens Eco Mode: 1 750 ANSI Lumens Contrast ratio: 2 000:1 Inputs: DVI, VGA, S-Video, Composite, USB Projection System: 3LCD Weight: 2.7kg Speakers: 1 x 1W PROS

CONS

• Good brightness, vibrant colour • Eco mode extends lamp life • Useful remote control

• A little heavy • 4:3 aspect ratio limitation • Tiny speakers

OVERALL RATING

Weighing in at only 1.2kg and with a brightness rating of 2 000 ANSI Lumens, Acer’s P3150 is an excellent travel companion that won’t require as much darkness as the K10 to project a clear, bright image.

PERFECT COMPANIONS

NOTEWORTHY SPECS • • • • • • • •

ACER P3150 ULTRAPORTABLE PROJECTOR

Acer Aspire One Netbook For frequent business travellers, small and compact beats big and bulky when it comes to the equipment that accompanies business trips. The Aspire One can handle presentations with ease, making it a great travel companion.

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PRODUCT REVIEWS

PRODUCTS

Samsung OMNIA i900 NEED TO KNOW • Full-featured smartphone • Intuitive operation • Outstanding cameraphone R5 499.95

APPLE IPHONE 3G

Pretty much the most popular kid in school, the iPhone 3G has set the bar extremely high thanks to outstanding functionality, downloadable apps, screen quality and more. It’s one of the pricier phones out there, so is not an option for everyone.

HTC TOUCH DIAMOND

Another feature-rich smartphone, the HTC Touch Diamond offers a bit more in the way of functionality than the OMNIA, but sports a less impressive camera and has received some criticism for subpar voice quality. Still, it’s a very good organiser and mobile Internet device.

THE OMNIA is Samsung’s response to Apple’s iPhone and HTC’s Touch Diamond as a top-end smartphone, and while it has some outstanding features, it’s not without its flaws. The OMNIA runs the Windows Mobile 6.1 operating system, which allows for a wide range of applications and functions, both out of the box and downloadable. There are a number of interface options depending on user preference, with a ‘widget’ screen offering selectable icons that can be dragged on and off a task bar at will. These include links to a calendar with memo/appointment storing, games and programs, MP3 player, FM radio and so on. Another of the display options looks like a scaled down version of a traditional Microsoft Windows desktop (complete with Start button) and there’s also a variation on the tried-and-tested conventional cell phone display. It’s great that the latter two can be customised for the needs of each user, but it is disappointing that Samsung has not included the option for users to add custom widgets. The 3.2 inch (8.1centimetre) display supports 65 000 colours and has a resolution of 240x400 pixels – while better than most mobile phones, this still puts it pretty far behind the iPhone’s 262,000 colour 320x480 display. Furthermore, the OMNIA’s screen is barely viewable in direct sunlight. This comes as somewhat of a disappointment considering the power of the phone and the capabilities of its competitor’s screens, and should definitely be taken into consideration by potential buyers. Still, performance indoors or in low light is perfect and applications such as the excellent Opera Mobile 9.5 web browser look and feel great. Navigation around a webpage is handled by dragging your finger or thumb around the screen, and zooming is a simple matter of double-tapping the desired area. The OMNIA offers a number of input options to suit individual preference. Specifically, you can operate the touchscreen with a fingertip, with an included stylus, or use an optical mouse located at the bottom of the front panel between the two operation buttons. Control with your fingers can be a bit limiting, though, as certain display modes have relatively small icons or selection buttons (especially the letters in the alphabetised phonebook) meaning that stylus control is a must. Typing is via a number of virtual keyboard or keypad options, and combined with the functionality of T9 predictive text, writing messages and emails is quick, easy and soon feels natural.

48 | CONNECT | SEPTEMBER 2009

Those interested in photography will be very happy with the onboard 5 megapixel camera. Its operation is simple, adjusting settings is easy and intuitive and the results are easily amongst the best we have ever seen from a camera phone. Video is not quite as good, however, coming in at a jerky 15fps at 640x480 resolution. While a decent phone when looked at in isolation, the OMNIA unfortunately pales in comparison to the iPhone, a superior piece of kit that has justifiably become the smartphone de rigueur of the moment. All in all, the OMNIA is a good but not amazing phone that will most likely only see a devoted following among Samsung loyalists. NOTEWORTHY SPECS • • • • • • •

Quad-band phone 5 megapixel camera Runs Windows Mobile 6.1 Wi-Fi connectivity Supports GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, and up to 7.2Mbit HSDPA 8GB or 16GB internal memory depending on unit Built-in GPS receiver PROS

CONS

• Great Internet connectivity • Brilliant photo quality • Easy to operate and navigate

• Screen is disappointing • Can’t charge via standard mini-USB • Must purchase additional software to make full use of GPS

OVERALL RATING

Potential buyers should also note that the included rechargeable lithium-ion battery can provide up to four hours of battery life, meaning that the Nuvi 205 Wide can also be used as a handheld GPS for getting around on foot.

PRODUCTS

Garmin Nuvi 205 Wide NEED TO KNOW • Excellent widescreen GPS • Very user-friendly R2999.95

NEARLY all new or emerging technologies, no matter how helpful or innovative, need to have a few creases ironed out after their initial release. So too with global positioning system (GPS) satellite navigation devices, and this excellent offering from Garmin shows a number of great improvements over older models. First off, as the name suggest, the Nuvi 205 Wide is the big brother of the Nuvi 205, and now sports a widescreen display. Considering that the normal human field of vision is not a simple square, having a wider viewing area makes sense and Garmin have caught on to this. No doubt, we can expect other GPS manufacturers to follow suit. Functionality is of course our main concern, and this device does not disappoint. The touchscreen is very sensitive and the menus icons are large, making for extremely easy navigation. Choosing your route is very simple and can be done either by selecting from a list of pre-programmed destinations or keying in a new address. And if you miss a turn, rerouting is almost immediate as the Nuvi 205 Wide wastes no time in calculating the best way to get you back on track. There is also an extensive and very handy Points of Interest library for locating specific stops or services in your area, which is helpful if you’re in an unfamiliar city and need to find a hotel or an ATM, or you’re simply looking for the nearest parking lot. As is becoming more common on sat-nav systems, there is an SD card slot for viewing slideshows of your photographs. We have never quite considered the ability to browse photos as adding much value to a GPS device, so thankfully the Nuvi 205 Wide brings something new to the party. Many modern digital cameras have built in GPS receivers that allow them

to store the exact geographical coordinates when a photo is taken. Known as geo-tagging, the Nuvi 205 Wide is able to read this data from the images on an SD card and can then direct you to the exact spot where the photo was taken. It should be pointed out that if you want your GPS to also play MP3s, offer Bluetooth connectivity, download movies and wash the dishes you’ll have to look elsewhere. The Nuvi 205 Wide could be regarded as a ‘low frills’ GPS device, which is perfect if you want a first-rate satellite navigation system that simply focuses on doing its job. Our only concern is that you can get all that for considerably less than the near R3000 asking price of the Nuvi 205 Wide. Nonetheless, it is still an excellent, easy-to-use GPS device and we consider it an absolute must-buy if the Nuvi 205 Wide is within your budget.

GARMIN NUVI 205

Functionally, the Nuvi 205 is almost identical to its big brother except that it sports a smaller display, a Micro SD card slot and no option to use touchscreen QWERTY keys. Still a great choice, and R600 cheaper than the the Nuvi 205 Wide.

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS • • • • •

480 x 272 pixel widescreen display Touchscreen operation Garmin Lock security Up to four hours of battery life Includes Garmap Southern Africa Street Maps

PROS

CONS

• Clear and bright wide screen • Very simple to operate • Can be used as handheld GPS • Easily customisable journeys • Simple to add new ‘Favourite’ locations

• Possibly a little pricey for what you’re getting • No ‘extra’ features such as Bluetooth or MP3 playback – but this won’t matter to most

OVERALL RATING

TOMTOM ONE XL

Not as feature-rich, but still a very satisfying GPS device, the TomTom One XL also sports a wide touchscreen display, a very user-friendly interface and a decent, although not as extensive, Point of Interest library. It is slightly let down by a battery life of around only two hours.

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PRODUCT REVIEWS

As it only comes with 32MB MB of internal storage, you will need to buy b y an SD or SDHC card, so factor in the additional cost to the total price.

PRODUCTS

FUJI FINEPIX S2000HD

Pentax X70 NEED TO KNOW • Advanced point-and-shoot camera • Great wide-angle and telephoto lens • Feature rich, yet easy to operate R5 499.95

WITH the X70, Pentax has developed a high-end point-and-shoot camera that sits perfectly at the mid-point between entry-level cameras and full-featured digital SLRs. The most impressive attribute of this camera is its incredible 24x wide angle zoom lens. It is the equivalent of a 26-624mm lens, meaning that users can enjoy close-up macro imagery as well as impressive long-range shooting. Operation is straightforward, with the standard mode selection wheel located on top and the zoom controls located in a ring around the shutter release. The rear panel hosts the standard control and option buttons as well as the X70’s large LCD display. There is also a dedicated button for easily switching between the LCD display and viewfinder for image composition. The X70 also has three different shake reduction technologies on offer, meaning those ever-so-slight wobbles or shudders won’t result in blurred images. In terms of image quality, colours are rich, well balanced and natural and photos are crisp and sharp,, both at 26mm and at full telephoto zoom. Potential buyers should note though, that while results are excellent at lower ISO sensitivities, noise becomes quite an issue at around ISO800 and higher. 50 | CONNECT | SEPTEMBER 2009

Despite the occasionally slow autofocusing, some noise at high ISO settings and a surprisingly short battery life of around 100 shots, the Pentax X70 is still a very capable mid-range camera. It’s an excellent choice for those who want more than a simple point-and-shoot, but don’t want to invest in a pricey digital SLR setup.

With a 10 megapixel CCD and only a 15x zoom, this mid-range camera from Fuji is a definite step down from Pentax’s X70. Coming in at almost half the price, however, the FinePix S2000HD might be the way to go if you have a tighter budget.

NOTEWORTHY SPECS • • • • • •

12 megapixel CCD 24x wide angle zoom lens (26–624mm equivalent) From 100-6400 ISO 2.7 inch high-resolution LCD display 720p HD, 848x480, VGA, and QVGA resolution video capture Supports SD and SDHC memory cards

PROS

CONS

• Incredible high-quality zoom lens • Very satisfying image quality • Great shake reduction • Rechargeable battery • Impressive video capture

• Slow autofocus • Poor battery life • 720p HD video captures at a slow 15fps

OVERALL RATING

SAMSUNG WB500

This is a great mid-range choice if you want an excellent 24240mm wide angle lens, 10.2 megapixels and great image quality without having to give up the compact form factor of traditional point-and-shoot digital cameras.

Nikon Coolpix L19 NEED TO KNOW • Point and shoot camera • Good budget buy R1 399.95

Kodak Easyshare C913 Digital Camera NEED TO KNOW • Point and shoot camera • For the budget-minded buyer • 9.2MP image sensor R1199.95

KODAK’S Easyshare C913 camera is the kind of small, lightweight and inexpensive pocket camera that is ideal for someone with very basic photographic needs. Holiday snapshots, a night on the town, a braai with mates, these are the kinds of situations where point and shoot cameras are ideal. It’s not overly complicated, its specifications are solid and it takes decent photographs. It’s also small enough to fit your pocket, both literally and figuratively, and these are all useful attributes in this tough economic climate. It’s not on the cutting-edge of digital photography however, and there will be quality sacrifices made along the way to bring you this compact camera at an affordable price. Its megapixel rating of “only” 9.2MP is the first indication that you’re not buying a fancy camera, with the plastic feel of the casing being the second. More importantly, however, the image noise introduced by the camera’s attempts to compensate in lower light situations even at the relatively low ISO rating of 200 places this camera firmly in the “budget” realm. It’s not all bad, though – the menu is very easy to navigate and the buttons on the case are clearly labelled and easy to press. The 2.4” LCD screen is

clear, although it battles a bit in direct sunlight. It also shoots video, complete with sound, at VGA resolution (640x480), and has a Macro mode for taking close-up photos of subjects. So as a first-time camera for a young child or a going-out, holiday-snap camera that travels easily, this is a good choice. Just don’t expect too much from it in the way if image quality and performance, and you’ll be right as rain. NOTEWORTHY SPECS • • • • • • •

3x optical zoom 5x digital zoom 16MB Internal memory SDHC Card Slot Up to ISO1000 VGA video (640x480) Uses 2xAA batteries

NIKON’S Coolpix L19 is a point and shoot camera aimed at budget-minded buyers, and has been designed with ease of use in mind. It therefore suits people not keen on fiddling with every setting under the sun to get their pictures “just right”, and who are prepared to accept average image quality in exchange for the convenience factor. At this kind of price range, that’s exactly what buyers will get: an easy to use camera that takes pictures that professional shutterbugs would scoff at. The L19 has various scene modes that are easily accessed via the camera’s controls, with Standard Auto proving to be the most useful, producing the best overall results under various lighting conditions. Easy Auto, the mode that was designed to automatically select the best scene mode for our shots, often left images under- or overexposed and colours either washed out or too saturated. The Macro mode, used to shoot subjects up-close, was very impressive, managing to capture plenty of detail. The camera also allows for video shooting in Macro mode, a fun addition that encourages experimentation. It’s small and compact, comes with a 2.7” LCD screen for easy image and video viewing, has an 8MP image sensor and has 20MB of internal storage plus an SDHC card slot. The point of the L19 is to encourage carefree photography, and while image quality suffers a bit it certainly does take the hard work out of scene selection. This is another good budget buy for a beginner or someone that just wants a point-and-shoot for everyday use. It’s also a great replacement for a cell phone camera, as it takes much better images than mobiles can manage. NOTEWORTHY SPECS

PROS

CONS

• Affordable & compact • Easy to use and navigate • VGA video shooting

• Visible image noise at fairly low ISO levels • Build quality is not fantastic • Slightly lower megapixel rating

OVERALL RATING

• • • • • • •

Effective pixels: 8.0 million Image sensor: 1/2.5-in. CCD; total pixels: approx. 8.29 million Digital zoom: up to 4x Optical Zoom: Screen: 2.7” TFT LCD Sensitivity: Up to ISO 1600 Storage media: Approx. 20 M internal, SD/SDHC memory cards

PROS

CONS

• Fun Macro mode • Standard Auto image quality is good • Easy to use interface

• Only eight megapixels • Easy Auto not so useful

OVERALL RATING

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PRODUCT REVIEWS

Pentax Optio W60 NEED TO KNOW • Waterproof digital camera • Lightweight yet solid design • As good for the beach as it is for a night out R3 799.95

PENTAX’S Optio W60 is an upgraded successor to the slightly older W30 model released in 2007, and it’s quite a step up indeed. Being part of Pentax’s W-series, it is a waterproof digital camera and although considerably more pricey than its water-shy equivalents, the W60 nevertheless has quite a lot going for it. First off, we were very happy with the robust design, particularly the sturdy brushed aluminium frame and solid plastic buttons and trimmings – pretty much essential considering that this camera will be used outdoors, at the beach, underwater and in other areas where knocks, nicks and scratches may prove unavoidable. It’s sleek and stylish despite its sturdy composition, which is a nice edge that this model has over the average underwater camera. The lens is also nicely recessed without any protruding which means you don’t have to worry about sand or dirt wreaking havoc when you’re out and about. The W60 has a specific mode for shooting videos and photos underwater, but we must point out that the selection buttons and controls might be a little small to operate with gloved fingers. So, although it can be submerged for up to two hours at temperatures as low as -10 degrees, the diminutive controls leave us feeling that this is definitely more of a tropical or warm-water holiday camera than something you want to take shark-diving in the Atlantic. The W60 can handle a depth of up to 4 metres, which is perfect for snorkelling or surfing shots, but is not quite as well suited to scuba diving as the 10 metre capability of its closest competitor, the Olympus mju 1030 SW. The W60 does produce excellent photos underwater, but these unfortunately have to be shot on good faith, as it were, because the LCD display is rendered practically unviewable when submerged. It’s a pity, because with such good results the inability to have an accurate preview definitely counts against what would otherwise be a near-perfect underwater digital camera. Maybe the solution is to fire off multiple shots of everything you want to capture, or perhaps pull the zoom back slightly and then crop later on your computer. This little camera is no slouch out of the water either, with a variety of settings and shooting modes that will deliver great results in a full range of well and poorly lit environments. We also liked the fact that it can be set to the equivalent of 28mm for wide angle shooting of landscapes, beach line-ups, 52 | CONNECT | SEPTEMBER 2009

PERFECT COMPANIONS

and of course capturing the entire gang around the dinner table. The W60’s battery life is also incredibly good, lasting for up to a week of busy shooting on a single charge. Add to this the fact that it is sturdy as well as waterproof, and it becomes a top contender for the ideal camera to take on holiday. If you can get by without an LCD preview underwater, and you’ve got the budget for it, Pentax’s Optio W60 is an excellent purchase. NOTEWORTHY SPECS • 10 Megapixels 5x Optical Zoom HD, VGA and QVGA video recording 28mm-equivalent wide-angle shooting 2.5 inch LCD screen 24 different photographing modes Face detection and red-eye removal Supports SD and SDHC memory cards

PROS

CONS

• Great land and underwater picture quality • Excellent battery life • Solid and sturdy body • Lightweight and thin

• Controls possibly too fiddly to operate while wearing wetsuit gloves • Probably a little out of the casual shooter’s budget • At 15 frames per second, 1280x720 HD video is jerky and slow

OVERALL RATING

Sandisk SDHC 8GB Memory Card An 8 gigabyte SDHC holds enough space to store around 2000 photos shot at 10MP, meaning that just one of these beauties will be more than capable of storing all your snaps from a holiday away.

LowePro Rezo bag Industry leader LowePro has released an excellent ‘Rezo’ line of camera bags. The strong shoulder straps sport fully swivelling hooks to avoid any tangling, and the external pouches are perfect for holding extra batteries and memory cards.

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PRODUCTS

LOGITECH G51 SPEAKERS

While this setup may cost you over three times the price of the 2.2CH WoW set, the G51’s high-quality sound reproduction, bass and 5.1 surround capabilities more than justify the outlay.

Ozaki Woofer of Woofer 2.2CH Dual Bass Audio System NEED TO KNOW • Two speakers in the subwoofer • Two satellite speakers • High bass reproduction • Adjustable bass and treble R699.95

OZAKI is a Taiwanese manufacturer of various electronic goods; of interest to us is the company’s Woofer of Woofers 2.2CH Dual Base speaker set. This is mainly due to the strange addition of an extra subwoofer driver that in theory increases the bass output, but perhaps more engagingly, because the name itself seems a challenge of sorts. Is this set truly a ‘woofer of woofers’? Ozaki believes this may be the case due to its innovative approach to the traditional subwoofer: instead of a single speaker driver dedicated to low frequency sounds, the Dual Base set has, you guessed it, two bass drivers (speakers) housed in the same subwoofer enclosure. Each driver is housed in its own chamber within the enclosure to reduce any interference between the drivers that could lead to distortion. The objective is to increase the amount of bass while avoiding distortion that usually accompanies high volume, low frequency sound reproduction. Does the Double Power set succeed in this? Well, not entirely. While it certainly packs a punch at the lower end of the sound spectrum, it still distorts at very high volumes. It also doesn’t do a marvellous job with midrange sounds, which is especially noticeable in movie dialogue, but the high-end is nicely taken care of by the set’s very capable satellite speakers. If used intelligently, i.e. not at the highest volume, bass and treble settings, they deliver a rather pleasant sound experience, and one that the average gamer or music fan will certainly enjoy. 54 | CONNECT | SEPTEMBER 2009

LOGITECH X-230

These speakers also do very well in the looks department: Ozaki has not only crafted the speaker enclosures out of heavy wood, but they’ve also been engraved with an intricate, almost tribal-looking design that attractively offsets the polished black finish. The enclosure gives them a very pleasant heft when lifted, and makes them look rather classy when installed next to a PC. For six hundred bucks you’d be hard-pressed to find another speaker set that can deliver a comparable performance. While not quite the “woofer of woofers”, for gaming on your PC or Wii and for everyday listening, including music enjoyment, Ozaki’s 2.2 Double Power speaker set is a still very good buy.

If your heart (and wallet) are set on entry-level speakers that come with a subwoofer, also consider this basic 2.1 set from Logitech for around the same price as Ozaki’s 2.2CH set.

PERFECT COMPANIONS

NOTEWORTHY SPECS • • • • • • •

AMP Output Power: 17Wx2 + 8Wx2 Driver Output Power: 30Wx2 + 10Wx2 Driver Unit: Woofer 4”x2 + Satellite 3”x2 Frequency Response: 20Hz~20KHz Sensitivity: 400mV Dimension (Subwoofer): W260xH200xD260 mm Dimension (Satellite): W110xH170xD115 mm

PROS

CONS

• Beautiful design • Great value • Innovative 2.2 approach

• Distortion at high volumes • Mid-range is a bit weak

OVERALL RATING

Sansa Fuze 2GB/4GB/8GB Using a standard 3.5mm audio jack you can hook this neat MP3 and video player up to your speakers and share your music and videos with the world.

PRODUCT REVIEWS RELATED

PRODUCTS

PLAYSTATION 3 DUAL SHOCK 3 CONTROLLER

It’s not quite a MotionPlus add-on, but Sony’s motionsensitive controller has been motion-sensitive from the get-go, needing only the addition of vibration technology to make it the controller we know today.

XBOX 360 WIRELESS CONTROLLER

Wii MotionPlus NEED TO KNOW • Attaches to a Wii Remote • Adds further motion sensitivity • Gyroscope-based R349.95

WHEN the Nintendo Wii came out, it brought a new kind of gaming to the masses that involved the player far more physically than any other gaming console before it. This was thanks to the revolutionary controller that was sensitive to how it was being held or swung. As gamers got more and more ‘in’ to Nintendo Wii gaming, it become apparent that the original Wii Remote did not always accurately reflect the actions of its holder, and also that there was sometimes a tiny, but noticeable delay between a real-world swing and its on-screen reflection. Taking that to heart, Nintendo engineers have been hard at work correcting the problem, not with a brand-new Wii Remote, but with an add-on device that uses a gyroscope for more accurate and faster motion sensing. Dubbed the Wii MotionPlus, it’s a small device that attaches to the Nunchuk port on the bottom of a Wii Remote, and its effects in games that are programmed to take advantage of its new sensitivity are immediately noticeable. Herein lies the rub, however: The Wii MotionPlus only makes a difference in games that support it. Wii Sports Resort, for example, makes extensive use of the device, but older games won’t know what to do with it. This means you shouldn’t buy the Wii MotionPlus if you were battling to get Zelda to accurately do your bidding, or your bowling scores were low in the original Wii Sports. On the bright side, there are a lot of new games with out-the-box sup56 | CONNECT | SEPTEMBER 2009

port for the device, and many of them come in bundle packs that include the MotionPlus. EA’s Tiger Woods PGA Tour ’10 does, as does Wii Sports Resort and Virtua Tennis 2009, with other sports titles from EA planned for similar bundling in the future. As at the time of writing, there have been no reports of Nintendo releasing patches or fixes that will enable MotionPlus support in older games, which is a bit of a disappointment. The MotionPlus’s design extends the length of the original Wii Remote, but Nintendo has included a new Wii Remote Jacket that accommodates this for that much-needed protection. It also helps keep the MotionPlus securely fastened to the remote, as the connection without a Jacket feels a little loose. This is a great addition to an already brilliant control system; if you’re a Wii gamer, you are sure to get plenty of use out of the MotionPlus, and we can’t wait to see how future games adapt to take advantage of this new level of sensitivity.

In stark contrast to Sony and Nintendo’s offerings, Microsoft’s console controller offers absolutely zero motion sensitivity whatsoever. Never fear, though, Microsoft’s looming full-body motion sensor, dubbed “Project Natal”, should wow audiences soon-ish.

PERFECT COMPANIONS

NOTEWORTHY SPECS • Bundled with Wii Sports Resort • 12 new mini games PROS

CONS

• Improves Wii Remote’s accuracy • Very sensitive • Gyroscope-based

• Not all Wii games support it • Connection to remote a little loose • No patches for older Wii games planned

OVERALL RATING

Nunchuk No Wii Remote is complete without the extra Nunchuk. Grab one for a few hundred bucks and punch your way to gaming nirvana (and perhaps a slimmer you, too!).

Logitech Driving Force GT Wheel for PS3 NEED TO KNOW • Force-feedback steering wheel and pedal combo • Designed for Gran Turismo 5 but works with any driving game • Excellent feel and build quality R1 299.95

ANYONE serious about racing games or driving simulators knows that the traditional buttons and analogue sticks on a Playstation 3’s controller just don’t cut it when it comes to precision driving needs. As a result, such gamers have sought after and indeed created a market for dedicated driving controls that have seen great advances with each successive generation of the hardware. Now, Logitech has taken the next step by designing a steering wheel and pedal combination specifically tailored for what is arguably the most highly regarded racing simulator series of all time – the Playstation’s Gran Turismo series. Constructed from solid materials and encased in two forms of comfortable rubber, the steering wheel provides excellent grip and a very satisfying amount of resistance that truly delivers a realistic feel through each corner. The unit sports both a power shifter and a stick for changing gears, both of which are well positioned and easy to use. The force feedback is very satisfying and also customisable to individual preference, and serious gaming sessions can really give your arms a good workout. The Driving Force GT also sports a unique 24-position dial on the wheel for adjusting traction control, brake bias and a host of other settings in real time. This is a great feature and, while specially designed for Gran Turismo 5, other racing and driving games can easily make use of it too. The pedals are realistic both in size and resistance and this, coupled with the wheel’s realistic-feeling feedback easily immerses the player in the driving experience. Each pedal feels very true-to-life in that they react differently when pressed – while some older driving kits offer the same amount of resistance on both pedals, the Driving Force GT’s pedals feel noticeably different to one another when braking or accelerating. Potential buyers should note that the Driving Force GT is designed to be used while mounted on a desk, table or dedicated gaming station and as

such can not simply be rested on one’s lap with the pedals standing freely on the floor. Because they are constructed of relatively light (albeit sturdy) materials, the pedal unit can easily slide around on the floor with each push of the brake or accelerator. As such, it does need to be properly supported so bear in mind that you will need a suitable entertainment area in which to set up the Driving Force GT. Even if you’re just starting out with racers, you’ll find that this controller setup brings an immeasurable improvement to the overall experience. In fact, the shift from D-pad to steering wheel and pedals is arguably comparable to the difference between keyboard and mouse controls in PC gaming. Then again, if you’re serious about driving games, you’ll probably want to pick up a wheel and pedals rig anyway – and this is easily the best of the lot. Responsive controls, strong force feedback, solid build quality and a giant leap in driving control all combine to make the Driving Force GT an essential purchase for fans of the racing genre. Highly recommended.

Although designed specifically for Gran Turismo 5, the Driving Force GT works brilliantly with all driving and racing games on the Playstation 3.

PERFECT COMPANIONS

NOTEWORTHY SPECS • • • • •

28cm wheel 900 degree movement Power shifters and stick for changing gears Compatible with Gran Turismo 3 and 4 on PS2 24-position real-time settings adjustment dial

PROS

CONS

• Incredibly good control and handling • Full-sized accelerate and brake pedals • Greatly enhances racing games and driving simulators

• Wheel and pedals are not free-standing • Needs to be plugged into the wall for power • Uses cables to connect to he PS3, so does not have the range of a wireless controller

OVERALL RATING

Gran Turismo 5 Prologue As could be expected, this is the racing sim you’re going to want to have with the Driving Force GT, and is the perfect title to tide you over until the full GT5 is released in December of this year.

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PRODUCT REVIEWS

PRODUCTS BELKIN WIRELESS N+ ROUTER

The fastest of the fast. This is an enhanced draft-n router with exceptional speed and range, but it does cost a fair bit more than the G+ MIMO does.

Belkin G+ MIMO Router NEED TO KNOW • Wireless G connectivity • MIMO for better range • 4 wired Ethernet ports • Easy administration R1 499.95

BELKIN offers a wide range of routers, with this one, the G+ MIMO model, offering slightly better than middle-of-the-road performance and value. One of its major benefits is that it’s been specially-designed to amplify the usually short range of 802.11b/g network devices, which explains the G+ in the router’s name. At a lower price point than its Wireless-N siblings, but still offering decent transfer speeds and range, the G+ MIMO represents good value for money to price-conscious buyers. MIMO stands for “Multiple Input Multiple Output”, and is the term used to describe the technique that enhances the speed and range of the 802.11g wireless networking standard by increasing the number of antennae on both ends of the network connection. This allows for more data to be transferred by cramming more bits per second into each Hertz of bandwidth. While its full benefits are experienced when you have MIMO-enabled equipment on both ends of the network connection, having it only on one side – in this case the router – still manages to increase the speed and range of the network. Best of all, the router is supplied with software that all but clicks the mouse for you, making setup extremely easy, especially for beginners. Setting up security requires some fiddling with the router’s settings via a Web connection interface, and we advise you seek some help with this if you’re inexperienced setting up wireless security.. One downside, however, is that this router doesn’t support anything faster than the old 10/100 networking standard on its wired network ports.

PERFECT COMPANIONS For those unfamiliar with this, it’s the much-slower standard that is put to shame by the newer Gigabit networks that can transfer files much faster. Our biggest gripe with the G+ MIMO router is that with several walls and obstacles in the way, its transfer speeds drop significantly. We recommend you plan your home or work network layout accordingly to avoid disappointment and frustration. It is however a great replacement unit for existing 802.11b/g routers that are lacking in speed and range. For ADSL access, you will need a separate ADSL modem that has an Ethernet connector, which plugs into the green “Connection to Modem/ WAN” port on the back. While not the fastest router, Belkin’s G+ MIMO offers significant improvement on its non-MIMO rivals, and its attractive price is reason enough to consider it as a replacement for your old b/g router. For a more expensive router, but one with integrated ADSL connectivity, we recommend you consider Belkin’s Wireless N-series.

Belkin G+ USB Adapter To make the most of the MIMO technology in this router, we highly recommend using a G+ USB adapter on your notebook or desktop computer.

NOTEWORTHY SPECS • • • • •

Range: Up to 300m (under optimal conditions) Ports: 4 x 10/100, 1 x WAN Specifications supported: IEEE 802.11b , IEEE 802.11g , IEEE 802.3u 100Base-T Fast Ethernet , IEEE 802.3u 10Base-T Fast Ethernet Security: WPA, WPA2, 64-bit/128-bit encryption PROS

CONS

• Improved 802.11g range and speeds • Noticeable performance increase over other b/g routers • Easy setup process

• Not as fast as 802.11draft-n • Obstacles reduce signal strength • Only 10/100 wired LAN port speeds • No integrated ADSL router

OVERALL RATING

Belkin Universal Repeater For really large and cluttered homes and offices, this range extender is a great way to ensure that your network’s wireless signal is distributed throughout your premises.

58 | CONNECT | SEPTEMBER 2009

PC0

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N150 Enhanced Wireless USB Network Adapter Features:

R1 49900

USB 2.0 connection for desktop or laptop computers Protective cap for USB connection Enhanced wireless range and bandwidth over Wireless G Wireless Networking Utility Software Lifetime Warranty

R49900

Features: 4 Ethernet ports for reliable high-speed wired connections Easy Setup Assistant and troubleshooting with Network Status Display Security options include Wi-Fi Protected Setup, WPA/WPA2, and 64-bit and 128-bit WEP encryption Network Status Display Lifetime Warranty

PC00234 - Belkin IC New Products1 1

www.phatcat.co.za

N150 Enhanced Wireless Router

7/17/2009 2:25:21 PM

PRODUCT REVIEWS

PRODUCTS

Magix MP3 Maker 15 NEED TO KNOW • Audio player and ripper • Podcast and web radio player and ripper • Manage your audio activities centrally R499.95

MAGIX MP3 Maker 15 (MMM15) is an application that, among other things, helps arrange your music and allows you to record and convert audio into various formats and from various sources. Its most useful feature is its media player-like interface (albeit with a significant orange tint) that collects all your music data and presents it from a single location. It also has good audio recording capabilities that allow you to record to MP3 whatever you’re listening to. As long as it is DRM-free, that is. The installation is fairly easy, with no pesky SMSes to the distributors Edutain as with some of their other software; this time a quick connection to an Internet server does the honours of validating the programme. Once installed, you’re presented with an initially-confusing interface, but some deft brain work and some exploratory clicks should have the basics feeling familiar to you in no time at all. MMM15 lets you do most of the things Windows Media Player does, with the addition of editing your sound files using Magix Music Editor 2.0, managing podcasts and web radio station broadcasts. You can import your music folders for easy viewing, play music files and record them to other formats; MMM15 saves audio files in popular formats like MP3, FLAC, .AAC, .AAC Pro and others. Some of these require additional – and free – activation, although no clear reason for this is given. MP3 Pro, a format that takes up only half as much space as regular MP3s while maintaining quality, requires an additional purchase, as MMM15 only allows 20 free MP3 Pro recordings before demanding that you purchase the upgrade. This is no real train smash, though, as MP3 Pro’s advantages are not sufficiently enticing that you’ll kick yourself for not buying the extra functionality. Finding and listening to web radio stations is one of the package’s strongest points. Click the Webradio button, select the region or genre you’d 60 | CONNECT | SEPTEMBER 2009

like to search through, and MMM15 will present you a list of stations to choose from. You can even record whatever music is playing via web radio and save it to MP3 format, then open the file in Music Editor 2.0 and clean the file up so that it sounds like it was ripped directly from a CD. MMM15 appears to maintain a fairly extensive list of the available stations, and the quality of the streamed audio proved to be rather good, made even better when recorded to MP3, which is a bit odd. Podcasts don’t fare as well, with the Podcast button taking users to a sad looking page listing podcasts recorded only as recently as 2007. This means it’s up to you to add your favourite podcasts and then let the program do the rest, from streaming them to downloading them for later consumption. All in all, this is a fairly handy program if you’re looking to manage your audio activities from a central location on your PC. If you’re so inclined, however, the features provided by MMM15 can all be duplicated with legitimately free software that can be found with the help of Google and some appropriate search terms. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS • • • • • •

1GHz processor or higher 512MB RAM 400MB Hard Drive Space Sound Card CDROM Drive Windows XP/Vista

PROS

CONS

• Manage audio from one central location • Record audio from various sources • Easily locate and listen to Web radio • Edit audio filess

• Podcast page woefully out of date • Functions available for free elsewhere

OVERALL RATING

WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER

Play, organise and rip music with the free media player that ships with every copy of Windows.

WINAMP

Download Winamp for free off the Web and browse through this popular music player’s extensive list of functionality-enhancing plug-ins.

JUICE

Get this free podcast receiver with its own builtin list of podcast feeds. You can stream feeds directly to the app or download the files for later listening.

PERFECT COMPANIONS External 500GB USB Hard Drive The perfect companion to any dataintensive process, an external 500GB drive from reputable brands like Verbatim, Packard Bell, HP, etc. is the solution to your storage woes.

Pinnacle Video Transfer NEED TO KNOW • PC-less video digitisation • Composite and S-Video inputs R1 999.95

FOR anyone looking to easily capture video from analogue sources and store them in a digital format, Pinnacle’s Video Transfer product is just the ticket. It’s essentially a compact gadget that takes the video and sound from your analogue source and converts it to a digital format, playable on your PC, PSP and even iPod, without needing a PC. The process is a simple one, too. All that you need is a USB-based memory stick or hard drive, iPod or even a Sony PSP, to plug in your video source, select the overall quality using the Video Transfer’s Mode button, and to press Play on your media source and the REC button on the VT. The device does the rest, automatically creating the necessary directory on your storage device where it then stores the resulting video file. Quality is selected by using the Mode button to illuminate three small LED lights – one indicates Good quality, two is Better and three lit LEDs means you’re recording at Best quality. Best is recommended if you intend to view the resulting video on a computer screen; Good and Better are better-suited to viewing on your television, as the VT creates videos at those quality settings that are noticeably interlaced when played back on a PC. Playback devices that commonly use component and S-video connections are DVD and VHS players, video cameras, game consoles and DSTV decoders. Memory sticks and USB hard drives, Sony PSPs and some iPods can all be recorded to; unfortunately for the moment, the iPod Touch and iPhone are excluded from the list. The only issues we encountered with the Pinnacle Video Transfer

involved the inability to play back recorded videos on our test iPod; to resolve the problem, we needed to go into iTunes and move the recorded files around a bit, which was rather disappointing. Apart from that hitch, however, the VT proved to be an exceptionally easy and effective product. While there is no way to record high-definition footage using the Pinnacle Video transfer, we still highly recommend it to people looking to record digital video from standard-definition analogue sources who don’t want to use a PC to do it. NOTEWORTHY SPECS • Includes: RCA cable, power supply unit and quick-start guide • Video Output: High-quality MPEG-4 encoding up to 720 x 480 resolution • Inputs: 1x RCA (PAL-SECAM-NTSC) Composite Video, 1x S-Video, 2x RCA Stereo Audio • Outputs to: USB flash memory, USB hard drives (FAT16/32 only), Sony PSP • iPod Support: Apple iPod Video (FAT32 only, firmware version 1.2.1 or higher) Recharges iPod battery with optional cable • Capture format: H.264

PROS

CONS

• Very easy to use • Many output sources • “Best” quality is watchable on a PC

• Doesn’t work with all iPods • iPod output not entirely PC-less • No hi-def support

OVERALL RATING

Apple iPod 60GB Not just a music player, the iPod can play videos on the go, too. All you need to do is convert them to a format the iPod recognises, and you too can watch Grey’s Anatomy while on a plane to Hong Kong.

Sony PSP Sony’s portable game system is becoming far more than just that: you can also watch videos on it and even use it as a phone thanks to built-in wi-fi.

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PRODUCT REVIEWS

PRODUCTS

Serif PhotoPlus X3 NEED TO KNOW • Image editing software • Good for basic editing • Easy to use filters R499.95

SERIF’S PhotoPlus X3 is the kind of software intended for home users familiar with photo editing software but who aren’t looking for a professional-level editing suite that can do everything imaginable, and some. As such, it focuses primarily on what can be done to photographs to touch them up and make them the images initially imagined when the shutter was pressed. Users of Adobe photo editing software should feel quite comfortable with the programme’s interface, while newcomers may feel a little overwhelmed by all the options initially on display. Luckily, PhotoPlus X3 ships with a good few .PDF tutorials that should help new users grow accustomed to the interface, with only a few minutes of reading necessary to start with simple tasks. There is also an extensive help file system that can be searched by topic or keyword, in case users experience difficulty with a particular function and decide they need help. The “Quickfix Studio” is one of the most helpful features, offering users all the tools they need to correct minor imperfections in their images in one place. Red eye reduction, black and white filters, colour correction and even noise reduction are all here. While the results we achieved with the noise reduction tool weren’t perfect, we had more luck with the red eye reduction tool. Blemish removal worked wonders, softening areas of our subjects’ faces that they would otherwise have not liked to see on display. There are even options to whiten teeth and add fake tans, so with this suite of tools at your disposal, you can really go to town on your images to make them the best they can be. The best part is that all these tasks were very simple to perform, requiring only a few clicks to obtain pleasing results. We were pleasantly surprised by the available artistic filters, useful 62 | CONNECT | SEPTEMBER 2009

for turning photographs into oil paintings, pencil drawings, watercolour pictures and more. The programme also comes with some advanced editing tools, like cloning, which can be used to copy a section of an image somewhere else, and the ability to add, remove and edit additional layers of your images, so it’s not all basic stuff. More traditional image-manipulation tools are here, too, like resizing, cropping images to your selected area, a sharpening tool to tighten your images’ edges up and more, all designed with the user in mind. This truly is a powerful editing suite, and while it doesn’t have every feature imaginable, it has more than enough for the average photographer to get good value out of it. We rather enjoyed our time with PhotoPlus X3, and we recommend it to people looking for a photo editing package that won’t overwhelm, that has plenty of help available only a few clicks away, and who aren’t expecting a full PhotoShop-esque suite of editing tools.

PAINT SHOP PRO

Another entry-level image editing application that does much the same as X3 does, with a slightly different interface and some additional tools, Paint Shop Pro is another popular choice for beginners and enthusiasts alike.

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS • • • • • • •

Microsoft Windows XP or Vista Pentium Processor 128 MB hard RAM 328 MB hard disk space 800x600 (or higher) monitor resolution DVD/CD-ROM drive Mouse or other pointing device PROS

CONS

• Useful filters for easy editing • Few clicks required for good results • Lots of help available • Great for quickly touching up photos

• It’s not PhotoShop • Interface initially intimidating

OVERALL RATING

ADOBE PHOTOSHOP

The pinnacle of photo manipulation software, this is the most powerful image editing suite available today. It comes with a price to match its performance, however.

PRODUCTS

Big Boet Toddler NEED TO KNOW • Made in South Africa • Teaches language, maths, thinking, memory, creativity and perception • For kids age 3 to 5 • Includes Brain Teasers • English and Afrikaans R249.95

THE Big Boet series is South Africa’s answer to the American Jump Start series of educational software programmes. Big Boet Toddler aims to help English and Afrikaans-speaking South African toddlers develop the mental skills that will help them at school in the very near future. Upon installation, you will be asked to register the programme by SMSing the product code to Edutain, the programme’s distributor, and in return you will receive the necessary activation key that allows installation to proceed. It’s a fairly unobtrusive anti-piracy measure and quickly completed, even if a little annoying. As a bonus, Edutain’s Brain Teasers are installed along with some product demos. The main screen presents the choice of English or Afrikaans, and once the language has been selected, the programme kicks off with narration and instructions in the language you selected. Instructions are clearly and slowly read out, which is ideal for little ones. The interface is colourful and simple to navigate, and thus well-suited to the programme’s audience. Activities are the meat and potatoes of the game, and there are six categories to choose from: Language, Thinking, Maths, Memory, Creativity and Perception. Each category presents the child with challenges that help develop his or her mental skills. The language module shows the player pictures while reading out their descriptions, which they are then asked to identify by clicking the appropriate picture. Thinking challenges require players to make associations between objects that also help with motor skills, while the memory test consists of games

that involve remembering the location of certain objects on the screen. Maths helps kids learn how to count and work with numbers, creativity games are all about identifying shapes and colours and perception games challenge players to identify differences between images. Each activity is timed and offers “Gold Stars” for successful completion. They also have various levels of difficulty, so activities get more difficult the longer players play. An added bonus for parents is a reporting tool that tracks their child’s progress through the game, helping them to monitor how their children are faring with the game’s activities. Big Boet Toddler is quite comprehensive and extremely easy to use; you can play with your child or you can leave them to play on their own, confident that the software will truly live up to its name as a big brother, helping your child at every step. It’s just a pity that it’s only available in two of our 11 official languages.

JUMP START KINDERGARTEN ADVANCED

There is no beating the Yanks when it comes to production quality, and the Jump Start series shows this: it’s a comprehensive, value-packed range that looks and sounds more like a kids’ show than an interactive game.

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS • • • • • •

Pentium II Processor Windows 98/2000/XP/Vista 64MB RAM 800x600 Screen Resolution 200MB Hard Drive Space CDROM Drive PROS

CONS

• Extremely easy to use • Six categories of brain-developing, fun activities • Difficulty increases with use • Reporting tool for easy tracking • English and Afrikaans

• Interface could be more polished • Slightly annoying compulsory registration • No other Mzansi languages

OVERALL RATING

MY DIGITAL SCHOOL SERIES

Another South African product, the My Digital School series takes learners through the local syllabus, albeit in a fairly static, textbook-heavy fashion.

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book reviews

PCS FOR DUMMIES (11TH EDITION)

NETWORKING: A BEGINNER’S GUIDE (4TH EDITION)

NEED TO KNOW NEED TO KNOW

• By Dan Gookin • 408 pages

WHILE today’s children have never known a life without computers and for them PC use is second nature, there are still many adults for whom these desk-mounted boxes are nothing short of daunting and intimidating beasts – and this is the book for them. Dan Gookin – who has been writing Dummies books since the early 90s – starts off by introducing the simplest of computer concepts before guiding readers through everything from an introduction to using Windows and the basics of file operation to more advanced topics such as networking, PC power management, and even computer security. Along the way, readers are given a brief introduction to Internet connectivity and web/e-mail use as well as being shown all they’ll need to know about burning CDs and

• By Bruce Hallberg • 472 pages

DVDs. The book even shows how to use a PC as a media centre on which you can watch TV and connect to a home entertainment system. All in all, Gookin has put together another easy-to-read yet richly-packed title, and this book is a great accompaniment for anyone starting out with PCs.

DIGITAL SLR CAMERAS & PHOTOGRAPHY FOR DUMMIES

NEED TO KNOW • By David D. Busch • 352 pages

COVERING the basics of choosing a digital SLR camera as well as essential information on the technology involved, this book also provides readers with everything from beginner’s tips on basic image composition to advanced photographic techniques using different lenses, flashes and sequence shooting. Experienced author David D. Busch also dedicates more than 50 pages to image manipulation and it’s great to see that he has covered not only industry leader Adobe Photoshop, but also Corel’s Photo-Paint, Paint Shop Pro and Ulead’s PhotoImpact. Digital SLR Cameras and Photography for Dummies, shows all the signs of an experienced writer who knows how to clearly communicate everything from the most basic 64 | CONNECT | SEPTEMBER 2009

subjects to advanced topics at a very manageable pace. This book is easy to follow, rich in detailed information as well as handy tips and pointers. It’s the perfect choice for those new to photography as well as a great bridging read for experienced photographers who wish to make the shift from traditional film to the world of digital. An excellent resource and an essential purchase.

ONCE the sole domain of the business environment, the need for networking has now penetrated the smallest home offices and average home. With this book, newcomers to the world of networking will be given a solid grounding in the fundamentals of this essential aspect of contemporary computing. The opening chapters provide an introduction to basic networking principles, cabling and requisite hardware and are very accessible while still comprehensive enough to provide a genuine grounding in the subject matter. Hallberg goes on to cover the different network protocols, a thorough look at security and disaster recovery, and gives a great breakdown of the hardware required on both server and client machines. The book dedicates almost 200 pages to hands-on knowledge of setting up and managing a number of different Windows and Linux networking servers and as such provides readers with a broad base of knowledge rather than focusing only on one company’s server software. Networking: A Beginner’s Guide is a great entry point for those looking to become well versed in the world of networking and goes into enough detail of advanced topics to see it serve both as an introductory text as well as an indispensible desk reference.

POWERPOINT 2007 FOR DUMMIES

NEED TO KNOW • By Doug Lowe • 360 Pages

POWERPOINT 2007 is different enough from previous versions that many people, even PowerPoint veterans, might find it tough making the most out of the new “ribbon” interface. Taking this to heart and approaching the subject matter with some humour and clear, easily understood instructions, author Doug Lowe has written a wonderful companion to PowerPoint 2007 for beginners and intermediate users alike. Lowe devotes seven chapters to learning the basics, firmly establishing the reader’s understanding of the programme before moving on to the fun stuff. Learn how to create great-looking slides, and then use six chapters of embellishment advice to polish them further and ensure that your audience never grows bored. In

the fourth part, Lowe gives advice on how to work with others easily using PowerPoint’s collaboration tools and how to successfully get to grips with Microsoft SharePoint. The final section of the book is full of tips and tricks and things to watch out for. An invaluable reference tool for beginners and veterans alike, PowerPoint 2007 for Dummies is a brilliant buy for anyone looking to familiarise themselves with the latest version of the popular presentation programme.

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game reviews //BY TIANA ALSWANG AND PETER DAWOUD

Andy Strauss

Jimmy Anderson

Howzat! ASHES CRICKET 2009 Kevin Pieterson

R699.95

Phil Hughes

66 | CONNECT | SEPTEMBER 2009

NEED TO KNOW • All five Tests • Authentic venues • One Day Internationals • 20-over games and a series of challenge modes

WANT to play cricket like the pros? If you dream of having the most authentic cricket experience without having to don your whites, Ashes Cricket 2009 is it. For next-gen console owners, PC players and Wii addicts alike, this cricket game delivers all the exciting, athletic, skilful and technical elements of the sport. Carefully detailed from the initial coin toss (will you bat or field?) to the commentators updating you on weather conditions, the game’s comprehensive Ashes mode features all five Tests played out at carefully detailed recreations of each authentic venue. In the stadiums you’ll see vibrant crowds that are fluidly animated, even if you opt for a One Day International or the 20-over game that are attended by far more people. There is also a unique series of challenge modes to get into. Each squad contains 23 players, but your team’s composition changes depending on the type of game you’re playing – a 20-20 match is very different to taking on a Test, for instance, and will therefore require a team made

FUN FACT CT Brian Lara Cricket ‘99, one of the fifirst rst popular cricket titles, was known as Shane Warne Cricket in Australia and New Zealand.

RETRO RUNDOWN Test Match + One Day Cricket, published by CRL Group PLC in 1983 (for the ZX Spectrum) was one of the first cricket games! It was a cricket management game featuring one-day matches on side B and the full-length test matches (featuring two innings each, played over five six-hour days) on side A. By default the game featured England and Australia, although you could manually type in different team names.

>>COMING SOON<<

up of players stronger in the more short-term aspects of the game. All the official licensed kit is in Ashes 2009 – the game even has an exclusive license to use the official players and statistics of the Australian and English cricket teams. Every mode brings its own dynamic to the gameplay such as music when you hit boundaries in 20-20, along with a varying crowd size. Because of the customisation options, playing cricket can be a more serious experience if that is what you enjoy, made all the more authentic by having Shane Warne and Ian Botham in the game. The two famous cricketers also went into the studio to help Codemasters make the Legends mode. This is a great coaching tool that can help players not familiar with the game of cricket get to grips with the basic gameplay mechanics. More advanced strategies, like when you would go for a run and when you should be protecting your wickets, are taught later on. Looking at the controls, batting and bowling is not as simple as pressing a button. Once you’ve learned all the

basics, there are more advanced options. On the Nintendo Wii, batsmen will use the Wii Remote to drive, cut, slog and nurdle their way through an innings. When fielding, players will use the Wii Remote to polish the ball, set their field and bowl accurately, applying swing to their deliveries in order to take those all-important wickets. Offline, there is a fourplayer multiplayer co-op mode, supporting two people per team, two batsmen and two bowlers. Online you can play head to head against anyone in the world. All the new rules of cricket that have made their way into the game over the past few years – like power play and free hit – are included as well. Ashes Cricket 2009 also features a Scenario mode that will pit players against more than 50 match-defining moments, such as scoring vital match-winning runs, taking dramatic last-gasp wickets and seeing off the opposition’s danger men to succeed. If you dream of playing exciting night games under the floodlights with top cricketers like Pieterson, Anderson and Ponting, Ashes 2009 will have you enthralled!

FIFA 10 The best of real-world football, providing more sophisticated ball control and physical interaction between players who now move, behave and position themselves more realistically.

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game reviews

NEED FOR SPEED: SHIFT

NEED TO KNOW

THE Need for Speed franchise has had its ups and downs over the years. While it almost touched perfection with Wanted, it caused a three-car pileup with Undercover. It therefore comes as a rather pleasant surprise to find that EA have taken this arcade racer and moved it quite substantially towards the more realistic world of Sim Racers, much like the famed Gran Turismo series. Fans of the old, more arcade like racing have nothing to worry about because developers – Slightly Mad Studios – have taken great care to cater for all motor heads, whether a casual drifter or a hardened sprinter. The Career mode is rather involved and offers players every incentive to push on, unlocking new tracks, cars and paint schemes just when you need inspiration. Speaking of cars, Shift offers a rather healthy list of vintage and cutting edge wheels including the stunning Aston Martin DBR9, Pagani Zonda R

THE KING G OF S XII FIGHTERS

NEED TO KNOW • 3-on-3 team system with each fight consisting of up to five rounds • New “Guard Attack” feature allows a fighter to intercept and hit an incoming opponent’s strike damage free • Over 22 playable characters • Fun bonus modes as well as a gallery

68 | CONNECT | SEPTEMBER 2009

GI JOE: THE RISE OF COBRA and the legendary Nissan Skyline 2000GT-R. These beautiful cars are masterfully rendered in-game and bring tears to the eyes of petrol-heads. Add that to the boom of the engines popping out in outstanding surround sound and you have a formula for brilliance. But there is just one problem though. Shift, although a great game in its own right, is up against some rather tough competition; after all, it has to face the charges of Forza 3 and the Don of Sim racers Gran Turismo 5 over the next few months. So, smart buyers might want to hold out for the dust to settle on this race. Shift offers you a great package that will keep you smiling till you can afford to really sit in one of those amazing cars. R499.95 (PS3)

COMING >>SOON<<

• An all-new brutally disorienting crash dynamic • Accurate and accessible physics-based driving model • Feel every impact and every change of track surface • Driver profile impacts how a player unlocks cars, overall career progression and online matchmaking

Forza Motorsport 3 Experience the thrill of the world’s most exotic and exquisite cars – take the wheel of more than 400 of the mostbeloved cars on over 100 renowned real-world tracks.

WHEN you consider that King of Fighters has been mixing it up for close on 15 years now, it comes as a disappointment that this new edition offers little to no incentive for purchase. Sure, the console version offers breathtaking new 3D Sprites and the new gameplay dynamics add to the combat and the strategy during fights, but for offline players this 3 on 3 fighter feels like a rather weak lightweight. As has been the trend of late in the series, KFXII offers no story mode. This pretty much leaves a standard versus mode to keep players busy for offline play. That means, you can have your way with any of the 12 fighters present but other than that, the game offers nothing else for the offline players. Online doesn’t fair much better when you consider the lag that affects almost every match. That said once the game has been patched and online play becomes fully functional, the game starts to shine. To fans of the series, the additions in gameplay are truly masterfully. Fighters move with such fluid animation and although some fighters lack a huge move list, each has enough depth to make them worth mastering. If you are a fan of the series, you will enjoy the new game dynamics like the new “critical counter” and the return of dodging but until the net-code is sorted out, King of Fighter offers little to worth a buy just yet. R499.95 (PS3)

COMING >>SOON<<

Tekken 6 Jaw-dropping HD graphics, the largest character roster ever in Tekken gaming history and exciting online game modes – we can’t wait!

CONSIDER >>THIS<<

Street Fighter IV With 25 characters (including the original 12 street fighters), a blend of 2D and 3D graphics, and a new focus-attack system, Street Fighter has returned with a vengeance. It’s the perfect fighting title and a legacy to the history of the Street Fighter series.

NEED TO KNOW • Take on the infamous COBRA organisation • An exclusive storyline • Re-create and re-live the greatest moments from the film • Intense single-screen co-op action

IF history is anything to go by, games based on movies aren’t what we would call the cream of the crop. Sure they might have realistic look-a-likes of your favorite actors and maybe even a dab of great gameplay, but those are rather rare in a genre littered with average games. It therefore comes as little surprise that GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra is a rather average game. Don’t get us wrong, it’s far from bad, but one can’t help but feel that it wastes a lot of potential. The game picks up directly after the events of the movie allowing the player to control one of 16 Joes and Cobra agents. Fans of the series will be pleased to hear that series greats like Snake Eyes, Ripcord and even Cobra Commando will be included in the interactive version of this much loved series and the inclusion of co-op, albeit offline co-op, is a great touch. That said, the visuals disappoint with some blurriness here and there and some detail lacking from characters. The audio isn’t much better, but at least it doesn’t have you reaching to switch off the speakers. Honestly speaking you could do a lot worse than play GI Joe. It is fun and the constant action will bring a smile to your dull day, but you’ll have to work to find the true joy hidden deep within this title. R499.95 (Xbox 360)

COMING >>SOON<<

Alien vs. Predator Take the role of the three species (the Colonial Marine, the Predator or the Alien) in a story-driven single-player or a 3-way online multiplayer…

CONSIDER >>THIS<<

Ghostbusters Who you gonna call? Grab a proton pack and turn your ghostbusting fantasies into reality as the newest recruit to the Ghostbusters team.

game reviews

THE BEATLES: ROCK BAND

NEED TO KNOW • 45 songs • New three-part vocal harmonies in the gameplay • Hear previously unreleased recordings of John, Paul, George and Ringo chatting between takes

COOKING GUIDE: CAN’T DECIDE WHAT TO EAT?

NEED TO KNOW 12 albums the band released. The question at hand was never is The Beatles: Rock Band any good? The quality of the instruments are great (believe it or not, instruments from Guitar Hero World tour are compatible with this iteration of Rock Band) and we challenge anyone to take out the Beatles: Rock Band at a house party and not have fun. No, the real question here is do you like The Beatles. If you do, then the Beatles: Rock Band is simply a must buy, on the other hand, if you think the Beatles refers to a bug, then you have other things in life to worry about other than rocking along to the best UK-band ever! R599.95 (Xbox 360)

>>COMING SOON<<

>>CONSIDER THIS<<

DJ Hero

With an innovative, new turntable controller and the hottest music collection of original music, this is social music gaming experience that will thrill clubbers.

Dragon Age From the team that brought you the award winning Neverwinter nights and Mass Effect, Dragon Age promises a new RPG experience based on a brand-new fantasy world. We can’t wait to get questing!

70 | CONNECT | SEPTEMBER 2009

Guitar Hero Metallica

Sing with James, shred with Kirk, drum with Lars and pluck bass with Robert in a Guitar Hero tribute to the greatest metal act of all time!

Dark Void Vengeful gods hellbent on destroying the world have returned to exact revenge, can you stop these ancients and their villainous plans?

• Be guided through 250 recipes • Takes the wannabe chef through every stage of cooking • Recipes are enhanced with many demonstrational videos WHAT if you could use your Nintendo DS as a recipe book? Cooking Guide: Can’t Decide What to Eat is exactly this. It turns wannabe chefs into pros with the help of an interactive guide that takes you, step-by-step, through delicious recipes. It’s quite simple – you pick the dish, and the DS chef talks you through the rest from the utensils needed to essential ingredient information and even cooking technique videos. Because you’ll be using your hands to make the actual food, the recipes are divided into

stages where the chef-to-be simply speaks into the microphone. When looking for the perfect dish, it’s matter of searching a map (by country) to find regional cuisine or selecting options for low-calorie foods, specific ingredients or short cooking times. With a built-in timer and shopping checklist, this is the perfect cooking guide! R499.95

Use the stylus or simple voice commands to “turn the page.” A tap of the touch screen lets you adjust the serving size automatically. You can also write and save cooking notes, just as you would in a paper recipe book!

TOP TIP

IT seems odd talking about a Rock Band game being launched here in SA after the first Rock Band never saw the light of day on our sunny shores. That said however, The Beatles: Rock Band promises fans of the Beatles a trip down memory lane that should excite every musical bone in their body. Following a similar structure found in previous Rock Band games, The Beatles now allows for up to six players to pick up their virtual instruments and make sweet music. The standard lead and base guitarists return as well as the drummer, but now up to three singers can join the party. Speaking of party, all the greatest hits from the Beatles have returned including 45 master tracks covering

Alpha Protocol Makers of Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 2 plus Bourne Identity-like action and espionage can only spell one thing, Pure Win!

Alice 2 If the original Alice released back in 2000 is anything to go by, this sequel promises to be a rather interesting, if not slightly more disturbing. Anyone keen for a tea party?

Logitech: The Choice of Gamers Gamers have long endorsed Logitech as a premium peripheral provider. They like comfort, responsiveness and a high-quality feel to their peripherals, and these are the qualities that Logitech’s products have become well-known for. As gaming in South Africa gets bigger, Logitech’s relationship with local gamers is set to expand even further.

YOUR MOUSE, YOUR WAY

The new G9x Laser Mouse also offers major customisability, enabling users to change the body shape using the Wide Load and Precision interchangeable grips, adjust sensitivity on the fly from 200dpi all the way up to 5000, and select an LED colour to match their environment. Onboard memory stores control profiles, and a weight set lets you adjust the feel of the mouse to suit your preferences. The G9x is a new generation of laser mice, showcasing the kind of features that gamers need for that extra edge.

G IS FOR GREATNESS

The company’s new line of gaming peripherals look set to continue this trend, with emphasis placed on meeting the needs and wants of gamers everywhere. Starting with the new G19 keyboard, Logitech has built on the reputation earned by the previous versions of this ultra-smart, gamingcentric keyboard. The company has modified its looks, adding a full-colour LCD screen that does far more than just display statistics; the original key layout has been tweaked with extra function keys and macros and the keys can be back-lit for low-light situations with a variety of colours.

HEADSPACE

Logitech’s G330 headset features an adjustable, behind-the-head design that combats fatigue and discomfort caused by long hours of gaming. A silicon headband and pivoting ear pads provide further pressure-point relief by cushioning the parts of the headset that usually lead to the most discomfort. The noise-cancelling microphone reduces annoying background noise and pivots away from your mouth when not in use, and a USB connection and a 3.5mm jack are included for options as to how you’d like to connect them to your PC. For gamers that need to stay in contact, the G330 has them covered.

GET ADVANCED

The G13 Advanced Gameboard is a companion board for the G19 that expands the number of shortcut keys even further, and has been specifically designed for long gaming sessions. It is also backlit and has been contoured for comfort, sporting twenty-five programmable keys that can have complex functions assigned to them, turning keystroke-intensive operations into a single buttonpress. A mini-joystick, operable by thumb, is also included for ultimate control.

THE LEGACY CONTINUES

GRASSROOTS SUPPORT

The new G500 Gaming Mouse is the modern replacement of the ultra-successful G5 gaming mouse. Updates to the design include a jaw-dropping sensitivity level of up to 5700 dots per inch that is user-adjustable at the touch of a button, delivering fine, smooth control for all gaming situations. Other tweaks include a free-spinning scroll wheel and onboard memory that saves control profiles for individual games. Users can weight the G500 according to their preferences, too, adding up to 27g by using mini-weights that ship with the mouse, making this a highly configurable gaming mouse to suit the needs of even the most hardcore of gamers.

The peripherals giant often puts its money where its mouth is, and is a big supporter of the country’s premier gaming and computing exhibition, rAge, held annually at the Coca Cola Dome in Northgate. The company is there every year, demonstrating new products and giving people a hands-on experience of just how Logitech’s products have gained such a devoted following. At this year’s rAge event, Logitech will be accepting pre-orders at their stand for the new G9x Gaming Mouse, which is exclusively available through Incredible Connection. The exhibition opens on the 2nd of October and runs until the 4th.

ABOUT LOGITECH

Logitech is a world leader in personal peripherals, driving innovation in PC navigation, Internet communications, digital music, home-entertainment control, gaming and wireless devices.

tech tannie

Advice and sarcasm working hand in hand to create a tasty gourmet treat. If you have questions, gripes or just seek some solace, e-mail Tamsin, our friendly tech tannie at techtannie@ connect.co.za Information like Achar – hot, spicy and moerse painful on the way out.

72 | CONNECT | SEPTEMBER 2009

issue of the month: Q:

I want to upgrade my PC from Windows XP but I don’t understand the difference between Windows 7 and Windows Vista. Which one is the best operating system for me to use? Bewildered in Brakpan

Microsoft seems to release operating systems as often as Eugene Terreblanche changes his underwear so I’m not surprised you’re totally confused about which one is which and what does what. Simply put Windows 7 is the diet friendly version of Windows Vista. It has all the basic essentials that make up an operating system but without all the heavy hard drive eating and space-hungry features that Windows Vista had. With Windows 7 you get some massive improvements to security, a redesigned user interface, improved navigation, great new features like Jump Lists, Libraries and touch screen technology plus it delivers better performance compared to Vista. That said, as part of the plan to polish the operating system, Microsoft has removed a lot of excess – features that were part of

the reason Vista was so bloated. You won’t get an e-mail programme or Windows Movie Maker and other such features by default; these need to be downloaded separately. Using Windows Vista was a bit like snorkelling in a swamp, you could kind of see where you were going but stuff kept getting in the way, so Windows 7 is a marked improvement. If you’re planning on upgrading XP then Windows 7 really is the better option. Microsoft has basically put all of the extra features like e-mail, movie maker, calendar and so forth into their downloadable set of programmes known as Windows Live Essentials (http://get.live.com). It will take some time to download so set aside a night when you won’t need your PC, but they work perfectly in conjunction with Windows 7 and you get some nice extras like your own website and event planner as well. While Windows 7 is still in its infancy and problems are bound to crop up, it’s about as good an operating system as Windows XP and won’t be as great, or as disappointing, a leap as Windows Vista. And you’ll still have some space left on your hard drive to actually use your PC...

Is it really worth buying a GPS system? Surely the good old fashioned map works just as well, without me having to spend a ton of cash? Miserly in Magaliesberg

Actually you may find that a GPS system is an investment, not a treat. Think about it this way – you’re on your way to a business meeting somewhere in the bowels of Benoni and you’ve no clue on how to get there, chances are that you’re driving alone and that you’re going to have to actually stop and read your map every few minutes, or try and read it while you’re driving.

GPS is quicker and safer and far more likely to save you money in the long term. Shorter routes and avoiding major traffic delays will save your petrol and bank balance as well as your stress levels, and not reading while driving is likely to save your life (and someone elses). You can say farewell to arriving at your meeting harried and annoyed and hello to more time to do the things you need to do. Look, stop huffing at the page and try it out. Half the planet has GPS already so borrow one from a colleague or a friend and give it a try, I bet a million bucks you’ll have your own before the week is out. You can always use the good old fashioned map whenever you have a navigator, or on family holidays.

The other day someone was talking about calibrating their monitor. What does this mean and why should I do it? Detailed in Durbs

Monitor calibration is all about images – seeing pictures the way they are supposed to be seen, with all their vivid colours and contrasts, when viewed on a screen. If your monitor is not correctly calibrated you lose a lot of the subtleties of an image and, for people who work with images like designers and photographers, this is a very bad thing. As bad as a power failure at a Sandton hair salon. Most monitors come with pre-calibrated settings specifically for the working environment so if you’re planning on working with images a lot, then it’s likely you’ll need to fix these. There are several ways to do this – you can manually calibrate your monitor, use external hardware or you can use specialised software. Doing it manually is quite painstaking and needs a sharp, professional eye but if you want to give it a bash then here’s how. To start with let your monitor warm up for about

15 to 20 minutes (hell, we all need a cup of coffee to start the day). If you’re using an LCD monitor set it to its native resolution, otherwise adjust your monitor to the highest resolution you can tolerate (don’t set it so you have to whip out a magnifying glass to read miniscule text in other words). Then set your colour to 24-bit mode and position your monitor so it doesn’t sit in direct light. Reflections and glare will radically affect your viewing experience and should be avoided at the best of times anyway. Take a high-quality photograph, preferably one with lots of light and contrast, and print it out. Then compare the one you hold in your hand with the

one you see on the screen and adjust your brightness and contrast to match. This does require a good eye for colour and detail so if you’re not extraordinarily gifted in that department then the software calibration option is probably the path for you. Windows 7 has a software calibration tool built in but if you’re on a Mac, an older version of Windows, or just don’t trust Microsoft then why not try out Calibrize 2.0 (www.calibrize.com) or Adobe’s own calibration software, Adobe Gamme (www.adobe.com). Even if you’re not an image junkie you’ll appreciate the difference calibration can make to your online viewing. WWW.CONNECT.CO.ZA | 73

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COMPUTERS | GAMING | TECHNOLOGY

disconnect //BY ADAM OXFORD

T R A ST E TIM SES

S E R T S

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76 | CONNECT | SEPTEMBER 2009

Introducing

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