• Tag Archives PC World

  • PC World (November 1988)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    PC World was probably the best general PC specific magazine (though I preferred Boot/Maximum PC when it came along much later). The late 1980s and early 1990s were probably peak for PC World, at least in terms of page count. The November 1988 issue of PC World includes:

    Review

    • LAN E-Mail: Power to the Work Group – A look at four LAN e-mail packages including cc:Mail 1.2, The Network Courier 1.0, InBox/PC 1.24, and Da Vinci eMail 1.2.
    • In Search of Forgotten Text – A look at four programs for searching for text on your hard drive including ZyIndex Professional 3.0, Memory Lane 2.0, SearchExpress 2.30, Gofer 1.0, and The Text Collector 1.5.
    • Project Management – For Professional Only – A comparison of five project management packages including SuperProject Expert 1.1, Time Line 3.0, Micro Planner 6, Harvard Total Project 2.0, and Microsoft Project 4.0.
    • Multitasking Without OS/2 – A look at four operating environments that are alternatives to OS/2 for multitasking. They use the virtual 8086 mode of the 80386. These operating environments include Windows/386 2.1, Desqview 2.01, VM/386 1.1, and PC-MOS/386 2.10.
    • The Hardware Shelf – Reviews of: The Micro 1 Tower 386-20MHz featuring a 20 MHz 386 CPU, 2 MB RAM, and 110 MB hard drive for $4424; SnapShot, an “image processing system” capable of capturing images from video sources such as video cameras, VCRs, live TV broadcasts, etc.; HP PaintJet (a color inkjet printer), Zoom HC 2400 (internal 2400bps modem), and Panasonic KX-P4450 Laser Printer.
    • The Software Shelf – Reviews of: Sprint 1.0 (word processor), VP-Planner Plus 2.0 (spreadsheet), PFS: First Publisher 2.0 (desktop publishing), GrandView 1.0 (personal information manager), EasyCAD 2 2.05, and HB-Browser (utility for previewing spreadsheet and word processor files).

    News

    • Top of the News – Clone makers challenge IBM’s micro channel architecture with EISA; IBM introduces 386 based PS/2 Model 30; postscript capabilities to be added to HP’s LaserJet; Ashton-Tate releases dBASE compiler; Compaq introduces laptop and the smaller footprint Deskpro 386/20E; and more.
    • Preview – A first look at new 386 and 286 based laptops including the NEC ProSpeed 80386, ProSpeed 80286, and UltraLite, Compaq SLT 286. Plus an early looks at the Compaq 386/20E.
    • Industry Outlook – Oracle’s SQL; more PS/2 clones unlikely; Peachtree reintroduces accounting software; and more.
    • Product Outlook – A look at new products including SuperCalc (spreadsheet), Fast Talk (communications program), The Picture File (art program), SmallTalk/V 286 (programming), Paragon 286V (PC), 386 Motherboard/AT (386 motherboard upgrade from Hauppage for PC ATs) and more.
    • Briefly Noted – A brief look at new machines from Tandy including the 3000 NL, 1000 TL, and 1000 SL.

    Feature

    • Beyond E-Mail: The Groupware Potential – A new type of network software includes features such as conference calls, electronic meetings, and more.
    • OS/2 Extends Its Reach – OS/2 Extended Edition adds additional networking and communications features.
    • Buyers’ Guide: Accounting Tools of the Trades – A round-up of a ton of accounting software packages including one specialized for point-of-sale, construction, medical, and more.

    How To

    • How Hard Is Your Money Working? – A guide to determining your return on investment and if your investments are performing sufficiently.

    Perspectives

    • Richard Landry – The industry standard EISA bus strikes back against IBM’s proprietary MCA architecture.
    • Letters – Letters from readers about IBM’s licensing, shareware, the future of computers, PagePerfect problems, Epson dot-matrix printers, and more.
    • David Bunnell – The customers’ relationship to software companies.
    • Stewart Alsop – A look at the various GUIs available with an emphasis on Microsoft’s Presentation Manager.
    • On IBM – A look at what IBM can learn from its “successes”, including the PS/2.
    • Another Angle – Cutting through the jargon of the PC industry.

    Departments

    • Consumer Watch – Even back in the day, unscrupulous vendors would misleadingly overclock systems. For example, it was not uncommon for a vendor to sell 25 MHz 386 that was really an overclock 20 MHz part.
    • The Upgrade Path – A look at a device called the Chargecard that plugs into the CPU socket between the CPU and motherboard of a 286 based system to allow it to address up to 16MB of RAM.
    • The Help Screen – Answers to questions about tape backup drives, twisted pair cables, keyboards and the cent symbol, .BAK files, cleaning floppy drives, and more.
    • Tech Notes – A guide to how multitasking works in OS/2.
    • Sourcebooks – Reviews of Alfred Glossbrenner’s Master Guide to CompuServe and Peopleware: Productive Projects and Teams.

    …and more!


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  • PC World (April 2010)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    By 2010 PC World and computer magazines in general were already in a state of decline. The Internet was taking over. PC World still had some decent content but the page court was barely over 100 pages. The April 2010 issue includes:

    Features

    • Fantastic Freebies – A look at some of the best free software in various categories. Includes things like desktop customizations, web browser enhancments, productivity, and more.
    • Find Your Windows 7 Desktop – A look at some of the latest Windows 7 ready PCs in various categories. This includes Core 2 Duo and early Core i5/i7 machines in a variety of form factors including all-in-ones, towers, small form factor and others.
    • The Subscription Trap – How people are tricked into signing up for subscriptions. I hate subscriptions in general.

    Departments

    • Techlog – The difficulty of choosing a new smartphone from the vast sea of choices. It really does seem like there was a much greater variety back in the day.
    • PCW Forum – Comments from readers about the upcoming Apple iPad, Windows 7, Botnets, portable hard drives, and more.
    • The Back Page – A Commodore 64 desktop theme, a fan boy chart, and more.

    Forward

    • 3G Wireless Speed Tests – AT&T finishes at the top in this round of 3G speed testing.
    • Beta Watch – A look at some of the latest beta software.
    • GeekTech – An examination of nVidia’s new Optimus switchable GPUs. These were only briefly popular and tended not to be well supported in later versions of Windows.

    Consumer Watch

    • Do Kodak Printers Save Cash – HP challenged Kodak’s claims of cheaper operation. I had a Kodak printer for a while and liked it. Ink was definitely cheaper and seemed to last as long as in other brands. Of course, that all changed when Kodak discontinued their printers.
    • Skeptical Shopper – Six mobile apps that will help you save money.
    • On Your Side – Problems with the Dell XPS 730 and shipping via FedEx.

    Business Center

    • Switching to the Cloud – Advantages and disadvantages of using the cloud and a look at Microsoft’s upcoming Azure cloud-computing platform.
    • Net Work – How to analyze network problems with Wireshark.
    • Tech Audit – A use case in which an old business server was virtualized.

    Security Alert

    • Guard Data On Portable Drives – Options for encrypting portable hard drives.
    • Privacy Watch – Theft by hacking now the top cause of company data losses.

    Reviews and Rankings

    • Ten Essential Android Apps – Apps in this list include AppManager, Astrid Task/Todo List, Google Sky Maps, Google Voice, Last.fm, and more.
    • Bookeen Cybook Opus – This E-Reader beats out Sony’s latest.
    • Top 10 Ultraportable Laptops – At the top of this list is the Sony VGN-Z598U/B featuring a 2.53 GHz Core 2 Duo SP9500 CPU.
    • Lenovo ThinkPad Edge – The ThinkPad Edge features a 1.3GHz Core 2 Duo SU7300 and 4GB of DDR3-1066 for $799.
    • Top 10 Solid-State Drives – At the top of this list is the Crucial RealSSD C300 256GB drive for $800.
    • Top 10 Color Laser Printers – The top color laser printer this month is the Dell 5130cdn for $1549.
    • Canon SD940 IS – This compact $300 12 megapixel digital camera gets a decent review here.
    • Download This – A look at some downloads that will customize your desktop including GleeBox, YoWindow, and Download Statusbar.

    Here’s How

    • Tech Support Survival Tips – Tips for getting the best results when talking to tech support.
    • Answer Line – How to reduce Windows Vista user account control messages.
    • Rick Broida’s Hassle-Free PC – Tips for creating a system-repair disk, removing crapware from your new PC, and keeping your PC secure.

    …and more!


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  • PC World (May 1998)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    By the late 1990s, PC World and PC Magazine were the dominant PC magazines in the U.S. Of those two, I think I generally preferred PC World. This issue is from about 5 months after I got my second Gateway 2000 PC which was a 333 MHz Pentium II. The May 1998 issue of PC World includes:

    Features

    • How Much PC Do You Need – A detailed guide to choosing the best PC for your needs when your budget isn’t unlimited.
    • Streetwise – A comparison of travel planning and street atlas software. These are categories of software wiped out by MapQuest and later Google Maps and others. Titles here include Expedia Streets 98 Deluxe Edition, Street Atlas USA 5.0, StreetFinder Deluxe 1998 Edition, Road Trips Door-to-Door Pro, AAA Map’n’Go 1.0, Expedia Trip Planner 98, and TripMaker Deluxe 1998 Edition.
    • The Complete Guide to Investing With Your PC – A look at various investment resources including research websites, trading info, portfolio tracking, investment clubs, and more.
    • No-Hassle Hookups – A test of various USB peripherals to determine how plug-and-play they really were. Various keyboards, joysticks, scanners, video cameras, speakers, and other devices were tested.

    Special Reports

    • No Easy Fixes – In order to fight buggy software, a new category of software was available…software update utilities. However, for the most part, these didn’t work all that well.
    • The Best of the Web: The 1998 Webby Award Winners – The best web sites of the year in various categories. Some winners include Entropys (art), The Well (community), Starchild (education), Bezerk (games), Babycenter (home), The Internet Movie Database (film), Mayo Clinic Health O@sis, and many others. A few are still around. Many are long gone.

    Top of the News

    • Intel’s Celeron 266: Cheap, But Will It Fly in Sub-$1000 PCs? – This was one of the original “Covington” Celerons and performance was terrible mainly because they had no L2 cache. In these tests, the Celeron 266 was even slower than the Pentium 200 MMX. The next generation “Mendocino” versions had 128k of on chip cache which made them much faster and more popular.
    • AOL Rate Hike Ignites Internet Service Price War – AOL raises monthly subscription fee from $19.95 to $21.95.
    • Lotus Smartsuite Millennium: Practical, Not Pioneering – A Microsoft Office competitor back when such things used to exist.
    • Pentium II Portables: Speedy But Power Hungrs – A look at five different Pentium II based notebooks including the Gateway Solo 9100LS, IBM ThinkPad 380XD, Dell Inspiron 3200 D266XT, IBM ThinkPad 600, and Quantex H-131. All systems have 64MB of RAM and 512KB L2 cache. A laptop wouldn’t have fit in my budget at the time but I would have chosen the Gateway if I could. I was still a Gateway fan then. But not for $4300.
    • Finally, An Easy Web Speedup That Works – Sometimes – A look at Quick Web, software that uses compression and caching to speed up the web.

    New Products

    • HP Laserjet 3100, Canon MultiPass L600 – A look at Canon and HP’s latet all-in-one laser printers.
    • Compaq Presario 2240 PC – This machine had a somewhat unique design and wasn’t a bad value for the time. However, it was quickly made obsolete. It wasn’t very expandable and its biggest problem was that the RAM maxed out at 48MB. That’s not even enough for Windows XP to install when it came out. The Pentium II based Gateway I got five months earlier could be expanded to 384MB.

    • 3Com Palm III – Before smartphones, PDAs were a common accessory. For a long time, Palm Pilots were the best and the Palm III was their latest flagship model.
    • Cross Pen Computing Cross Pad, Jasc Paint Shop Pro 5 – The CrossPad is a device designed to send handwritten notes on paper to your PC. Paint Shop Pro was my favorite image software around this time.
    • Brooklyn North Email Postal Software, The Paperless Office Network Edition 2.0 – An expensive e-mail list manager and a document management system designed to eliminate paper from the office.
    • Mustek Plug-n-Scan 1200 III EP, Microtek ScanMaker X6 Scanner – A look at these two low cost 36-bit flatbed scanners.
    • Micrografx Picture Publisher 8, Corel Venturay 8 – Photo and desktop publishing software.
    • Positive Support Review Zinnote 5.0, Symantec Act 4.0 – Zinnote is a tool for generating reports based on data from different sources while Symantec ACT is a personal information manager with mapping capabilities.
    • Mijenix PowerDesk Utilities 98, Aladdin FlashBack – Various desktop utilities for Windows 98 and a program for keeping track of file revisions.

    Top 100

    • Power Desktops – If I remember correctly, the Gateway G6-300 in this list was very close to the machine I had at the time. It features a 300 MHz Pentium II (mine had a 333 MHZ PII), 64 MB of RAM and an STB Velocity 128 AGP video card.
    • Budget Desktops – CPUs in the budget list include the Pentium II-266, AMD K6-266, Pentium MMX-200, Pentium MMX-233, AMD K6-200, AMD K6-233, and Cyrix Cx6x86MX-PR200. At the top of the list is the Gateway G6-266b. It’s not much different than the machines in the power list except for a lower end version of the PII, less RAM (32 MB) and smaller hard drive.
    • Notebooks – The top power notebook is the Micron Transport XKE 266 featuring a Pentium MMX-266 and the top budget notebook is the Micron Meridian featuring a Pentium MMX-166.
    • Home PCs – The top power home system (not really sure what the distinction is here) is the Micron Millennia XKU 266 while the top budget home system is the Dell Dimension XPS D233c.
    • 17-Inch Monitors – The top 17-inch (CRT) monitor this month is the Mitsubishi Diamond Pro 87TXM for $575.
    • Graphics Boards – At the top of the list this month is the ATI 3D Pro Turbo PC2TV. The STB Velocity 128 which I had at the time comes in at number 6.
    • Modems – The top modem this month is the IBM 56K Modem Internet Kit. Frankly, I don’t see how the 3Com Courier V.Everything 56K Internal isn’t number one (it’s number 3 here).

    Here’s How

    • Answer Line – Questions answered about buying a PC at a local store, defragging, tracking income in Quicken, making .wav files, and more.
    • Windows Tips – Tips to keep Windows running like new, emptying trash from any window, centralizing font storage, and solving printer problems.
    • Internet Tips – Putting your spreadsheet on a web page, finding jobs online, plug-ins for your browser, and more.
    • Hardware Tips – Repartition your hard drive, avoiding seeing spots, and more.
    • Upgrade Guide – Upgrading to a 56k modem.

    @Home

    • @Home Products – A look at new products including the Ricoh RDC-300Z and Epson PhotoPC 550 digital cameras, Canon BJC-7000 printer, and more.
    • Home Office – Testing satellite internet speeds. Here the author downloads a zip file at 57kb/sec.

    Departments

    • Up Front – The new era of $1000 (and less) PCs.
    • Letters – Letters from readers about leasing PCs, Windows 98 vs. Windows 95. HAM Radio, warranty cards, and more.
    • Consumer Watch – The dangers of online auctions. This was before eBay dominated.
    • Got A Problem? – Resolving issues that cause your PC to run more slowly.
    • Bugs and Fixes – The infamous Zip Drive click of death, security issues with AOL Instant Messenger, and more.
    • Full Disclosure – Software license restrictions for you to accept flaws, no matter how severe.

    …and more!


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