• Tag Archives PC World

  • PC World (March 2007)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Source: PC World – March 2007

    By 2007, PC World was probably the only major mainstream computer publication you would see on the shelves though there were other slightly more specialized magazines for power users and Mac users for example. I think 2007 is the year PC World really started going downhill though. A couple of months after this issue they went through one of their redesigns that magazines tend to do periodically and it just wasn’t a change for the better. The March 2007 issue includes:

    Cover Story

    • 35 Things Every PC User Should Know – Tips for diagnosing PC problems, surfing the internet anonymously, solving wireless connection problems, using your iPod with a PC, saving streamed media locally, creating keyboard shortcuts and much more.

    Features

    • Build the Perfect Browser – A look at various plug-ins to make Internet Explorer and Firefox more useful.
    • Jukebox in Your Pocket – A look at 21 of the latest MP3/media players. PC World ranked them in a couple of categories. The best small flash memory based player was the Creative Zen V Plus which gave you 2GB for $140. The Apple iPod Nano came in second. The best large/larger capacity device was the Apple iPod (30GB for $249) with the Creative Zen VisionM coming in second with the same capacity and price.

    Reviews & Rankings

    • High-Definition LCD TVs – A look at seven 32-inch HD LCD TVs. PC World’s “Best Buy” was the Dell W3207C which would set you back $1199 and only gave you 720p resolution (1366×768).
    • PDA Phones – Just called smartphones now, earlier such devices really were more of a mashup of existing PDAs and phones. The Treo 680 for instance was essentially the latest Palm Pilot combined with a phone.
    • Top Ten Inkjet Printers – The Canon Pixma iP4300 comes in at the top of the list for $100.
    • Digital SLR Camera – A look at the Nikon D40. A digital SLR camera with a 6MP sensor for $600.
    • Photo Service/Software – A look at Sharpcast Photos, a software and online service combo for editing and organizing your photos.
    • Photo Viewers – Devices for backing up and viewing digital photos while on the go.
    • Desktop PC – A review of the HP Pavilion Media Center TV m7690n which features a Core 2 Duo E6400 CPU, 2GB DDR2 RAM, 22-inch LCD monitor, a GeForce 7600GT and an HD DVD drive for $2080.
    • Blu-ray Disc Player – A blu-ray player from Philips for $899. This is one reason why PS3s were so popular initially. The PS3 (with blu-ray) would launch a few months late for $400 less.
    • Top 5 Blog Services – The top two services on this list are still around (Blogger and WordPress). Not sure about the others (TypePad, Tripod, and Squarespace).
    • LCD Monitor – A review of the Dell 2707WFP. A 27-inch monitor featuring a 1920×1200 resolution for $1399.
    • Notebook PC – A review of the Fujitsu LifeBook P1610. An ultraportable featuring 1.2 GHz Core Solo ULV U1400 CPU, 1 GB RAM, 1280×768 display, 80 GB hard drive, and Windows XP (Vista capable) for $2419.
    • TV Accessories – A look at two “place shifting” devices, the Hava Wireless HD and the Sony LF-B20 LocationFree Base Station, that allow you to view your TV service/DVR/etc. from other places.
    • VoIP Device – A cordless handset from Logitech designed to work with Skype.

    Departments

    • Techlog – A look at how browsers are evolving along with the Web. “The Best of Times Is Now” the headline says. Which was maybe true in terms of features/bloat trade-off compared to today.
    • Letters – Readers write in about Vista, photo services, telemarketing, and more.
    • Consumer Watch – Fighting back against spam, Internet Explorer 7 flaws, and more.
    • Hassle-Free PC – Free tools and add-ons to make Windows XP more like Vista. Though I don’t know why you would have wanted to do that.
    • Gadget Freak – A look at using Voice-over-IP to replace your legacy phone service. Specifically, a look at skype and some hardware to use with it.
    • Full Disclosure – A humorous look at the complexity of setting up a home theater system.

    News & Trends

    • Vista PCs Perform – A look at some of the first PCs to ship with Vista. Models include the CyberPower Gamer Infinity 7500, Dell Dimension C521, Dell XPS 410, Dell XPS 710, Gateway FX530XT and Shuttle G2-3200. The fastest and most expensive system was the Gateway featuring a 2.66-GHz Core 2 Extreme Q6700 and GeForce7950 GX2 for $4500.
    • Watch Out for Online Ads That Watch You – So I guess we can point to this time period as to when people started worrying about ad tracking.
    • Vista’s Promising Video Upgrade – The main improvement Vista brought along with it was DirectX 10.
    • Virtual Gold Could Draw Real Taxes – Congress wants to tax online game loot. But of course they want to tax everything so…
    • Plugged In – Blu-Ray DRM gets hacked, Wi-Fi in cars, bluetooth headphones, and more.

    Here’s How

    • Internet Tips – Avoiding Internet Explorer attack vectors and other online threats.
    • Windows Tips – How to sync music on your PC with Windows Mobile devices.
    • Hardware Tips – Upgrading your PC with Firewire-800, SATA, and more.
    • Answer Line – Questions answered about how to unfreeze your PC, synchronize outlook with multiple computers, and more.
    • Digital Photo Tips – Using windows Vista and various utilities to help organize your digital photo collection.

    …and more!


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  • PC World (January 1990)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Source: Computer & Video Game Magazines – PC World – January 1990 – – Cover

    PC World was one of the most widely read PC magazines in the U.S. In 1990, if you were buying a PC it would have probably been 386 based. A few years later I would be buying a 486 DX2-66. The January 1990 issue of PC World includes:

    Previews

    • HP’s EISA Breakthrough – HP’s Vectra 486 was the first PC to feature EISA slots. EISA was the first standard industry response to IBM’s Micro Channel. EISA was a 32-bit superset of ISA and ISA cards would work in EISA slots. However, EISA was relatively expensive and was never popular on consumer desktop PCs. They were mostly used for SCSI cards in servers. VLB and later PCI would eventually take its place. The Vectra 486 here featured a 25-MHz 486 CPU, supported up to 64MB or RAM, had room for six 5.25″ half-height drives, and included either a 150MB or 320MB 15ms SCSI drive. It would set you back between $13,999 and $16,999.
    • Super Servers – Several servers had been announced at this point that supported EISA including the Zenith Z-386/33E, the NEC 25-MHz 486 based PowerMate 486/25E, NEC 33-MHz 386 based PowerMate 386/33E, the multi-CPU Systempro from Compaq (a $15,999 machine but the article notes that it supports up to 256MB of RAM which cost about $176,000 at the time), the Deskpro 486/25, and more.
    • Can EISA Live UP to the Micro Channel’s Potential? – A comparison of the implementation and technical capabilities of EISA vs Micro Channel.
    • Breaking the Board Barrier – A look at the first wave of EISA boards. These mostly consist of drive controllers.
    • Word Meets Windows – A preview of Microsoft’s long awaited Word for Windows.

    Reviews

    • Micro Channel Clones Flunk the Test – A look at four non-IBM systems that support Micro Channel. Models looked at include the American Mitac’s MPS 22386 and NCR’s 386SX (featuring the 16-MHz 80386SX) as well as the Tandy 5000MCA and Grid’s 386MCA (featuring the 20-MHz 80386 CPU). The conclusion here is that they were a lot of extra money for not much extra benefit and often have compatibility problems.
    • Lotus’s Sensible Upgrade – A look at Release 2.2 of Lotus 1-2-3 which was an update to 2.01 that was lighter on resources and your wallet that release 3.
    • Fax Boards for Fast Times – Eventually pretty much all modems would have fax capability but at this time Fax boards were their own separate thing and some didn’t even have regular modem capabilities. Products reviewed here include the AT&T Fax Connection, The Complete Fax/9600, Datacopy MicroFax, GammaLink GammaFax CP, Intel Connection CoProcessor, and Panasonic FX-BM89 Plus 2. Prices range from $599 to $1295.

    News

    • Top of the News – Lotus debuts beta version of 1-2-3 for OS/2, Compaq launches high-end server with Micro Channel support, bugs found in early versions of i486 processor, and more.
    • Industry Outlook – A look at what vendors pay for PC parts, Lotus still dominates Spreadsheet Market despite Excel gains, desktop and laptop prices compared, and more.
    • Product Outlook – A look at new an upcoming products including the IBM Laserprinter 4019, NEC Intersect CDR-35 (first portable CD-ROM), NEC ProSpeed CSX (color portable), AST FASTboard 486/25 (upgrade your AST 386 based system with a 486), and much more. Except for color, the NEC Intersect CDR-35 looks exactly like the TurboGrafx-CD. Of course, they were both make by NEC so I guess that makes sense.
    • Update – The latest updates of existing software including Applause II, DynaComm 2.1, Micrografx Designer 3.0, XtreePro Gold, Lotus Spreadsheet for DeskMate, DeskMate Q&A Write, and Peachtree Complete III.

    Features

    • Software’s Next Wave: Putting the User First – The promise of intuitive applications in the age of high-powered hardware and easy-to-use interfaces.
    • Next: The Programmer’s Dream Machine – A brief look at the Next machine. It was not itself a commercial success but its OS would eventually morph into Apple’s OS X.
    • User-Friendly Programming: The Manager’s Perspective – Managers look for ways to reduce the burden of training and development.

    How To

    • Do-It-Yourself Menus with Norton Utilities – How to create custom menus with Norton Utilities.
    • Tips & Techniques – Command-line tips and tricks for DOS users, how to create better WordPerfect macros, various application tips and a primer on Paradox Application Language.

    Perspectives

    • Richard Landry – The difficulties of creating software that takes advantage of the latest power hardware while not leaving users of existing PCs behind.
    • Letters – Letters from readers expressing doubt about the necessity of the 486, Windows and excessive resource usage, Microsoft Word and mouse support, WordPerfect vs. WordStar, LAN E-Mail, and more.
    • Another Angle – How the PC represents a revolutionary advancement not in terms of its increasing power but in the applications that are written for it.

    Departments

    • The Help Screen – Questions answered about replacing the clock battery in an Epson Equity III+ (or any computer for that matter), configuring extra memory in an IBM PC, converting Word Perfect macros between versions, and more.
    • Windows Journal – In a battle of word processors for Windows, who will win? Samna’s Ami or Microsoft’s Word? I think we all know the answer to that…
    • Network Q&A – Questions answered about using a fax gateway vs. individual fax boards.

    …and more!


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  • PC World (February 1997)

    Posted on by Azrael Comment

    Source: PC World – February 1997

    PC World was one of the most popular PC magazines in the U.S. for a long time. It wouldn’t surprise me if the late 1990s were its biggest years as that was when the Internet was taking off and suddenly everybody needed a computer. The February 1997 issue includes:

    Cover Story

    • MMX Pentiums: Big Gain, No Pain – A test of a dozen of the first MMX PCs. Pentiums with MMX were faster than standard Pentiums in part because of the MMX instructions (though software had to specifically take advantage of those) but perhaps more significantly because of a doubling of the internal cache. At the time they were introduced, they were only slightly more expensive than their non-MMX counterparts (at least as part of pre-built systems). Desktop PCs from CLR, Compaq, Dell, Gateway, Micron, Packard Bell, Quantex, and Vektron with 166MHz and 200MHz MMX processors are compared with their non-MMX counterparts. Notebooks with 150-166MHz MMX processors are also compared. All systems come with 16-32MB of RAM.

    Features

    • Microsoft Office 97: What’s New – Office 97 was one of the longest lasting versions of Office. It really seemed like that version was in use forever. New features include various web features, a new interface, and the then brand new Outlook.
    • Best Routes to the Net: Top Internet Service Providers – A comparison of 12 Internet Service Providers (ISPs). Services looked at include America Online, AT&T WorldNet, CompuServe, Concentric Network, EarthLink Network, GTE Internet Solutions, IBM Internet Connection, MCI Internet, Microsoft Network, MindSpring, Netcom and SpryNet. None of these services offered broadband support at this time but most offered ISDN service. It’s interesting to note that most services offered some space to create your own web pages. I don’t really know if service providers do this anymore or not.
    • Beat Information Overload – Strategies for organizing your digital life.
    • Better Safe Than Sorry – A comparison of backup devices. Devices reviewed include various tape backup drives, and various removable disk drives like the Iomega Zip and Jaz drives as well as the SyQuest EZFlyer and a re-writeable optical drive from Panasonic.

    Special Report

    • No Privacy on the Net – The more things change the more they stay the same. Privacy on the Internet still takes work to achieve. While security on the Internet has been improved an a great many ways, so too have the ways to scrape your personal info.

    Multimedia

    • You Oughta Be In Pixels – A comparison of five video capture boards, each under $500. PC World gave the Best Buy to the Fast Electronics FPS/60 which could capture 320×240 resolution video at 30 and 60 fps. For only $499.
    • Title Reviews – Reviews of F-22 Lightning II from NovaLogic, Scorched Planet from Virgin, Titanic: Adventure Out of Time from CyberFlix/GTE, and Timelapse from GTE.
    • Hardware Reviews – A look at the best CD-ROM Drives and best Sound Boards. At the top of the list for CD-ROM drives is the Toshiba XM-5701B 12X. The top sound board is the Ensoniq Soundscape Vivo 90.
    • Q&A – Questions answered about playing games in DOS mode, the Gravis PC GamePad, and upgrades for Quake.

    Top of the News

    • Online Vendors: How Can You Tell the Good From the Bad? – Pyramid schemes, undisclosed membership fees and more are all potential rip-offs you’ll find online.
    • Cable Modems: Fastest Internet Access – A first look at Internet access via cable modem at speeds up to 10mbps. Availability was very limited at the time. I would get my cable modem about two years later and it was only 5mbps at first. Still, an always on connection at those speeds was massively better than dial-up. 56kbps modems were also just becoming available at this time which was a nice bump over 33.6 but nothing like broadband.

    New Products

    • Teac CD-512E and Toshiba XM-5701B 12x CD-ROM drives – The latest and greatest in CD-ROM tech. The Teac was cheaper but the Toshiba performed much better.
    • MicroWorks Speakers – A nice set of speakers with subwoofer from Cambridge Soundworks.
    • Juggeler e-mail and voice mail utility – A utility that lets your PC read e-mail and play voice messages over the phone.
    • BocaPro Video Phone Elite – A video conferencing system you can use over phone lines.
    • Fujitsu LifeBooks – A new line of Pentium based notebooks from Fujitsu at prices ranging from $2299 to $3999.
    • HP Network Kit – Featuring thre PCI 10Base-T network adapters, eight-port hub, and three 50-foot cables for $499.
    • Monorail Home PC – An all-in-one PC featuring an AMD K5 processor (Pentium-75 equivalent), 16MB of RAM, 1.08GB hard drive, 4X CD-ROM drive, 16-bit sound and integrated 10.4-inch dual-scan color LCD screen for $999.
    • Kiplinger TaxCut Deluxe Multimedia, Personal Tax Edge, TurboTax Deluxe – A comparison of tax software with TurboTax being rated the best.
    • Corex CardScan Plus 300 – A business card scanner for $299.
    • Pagis Pro 97 – Scanning software from Xerox.
    • CompuServe WinCIM 3.0.1, Prodigy Internet – CompuServe and Prodigy’s online software for their services.
    • Ibid electronic whiteboard – An early electronic whiteboard that puts what you draw on the board on your computer for $500.
    • Intuit QuickBooks 5.0 – The latest iteration of Intuit’s accounting software.
    • PEP Multimedia utilities – A utility that helps you add multimedia elements to your documents.
    • Corel Print & Photo House – A low budget desktop publishing package.

    Top 100

    • Top 20 Power Desktops – Dell machines take four of the top five spots with the top system this month being the Dell Dimension XPS Pro200n featuring a Pentium Pro-200 CPU at $3349. My choice at the time probably would have been the the system coming it at number 7, the Gateway 2000 P5-200XL featuring a Pentium 200, 32MB RAM, and a 3GB hard drive for $2704.
    • Top 20 Budget Desktops – A couple of Dells, a couple of Gateways and a Micron round out the top 5. These all feature Pentium 133 CPUs except one of the Gateway machines has a Pentium Pro 180. Most of these have 16MB vs. the 32MB of the Power Desktop list. I actually have a P5-133 from Gateway but the version I have features the larger case they use for the Pentium Pro in this round-up.
    • Top 20 Notebook PCs – Gateway 2000 takes the top spot in both the Power chart and the Budget chart for notebooks. the Gateway 2000 Solo 2100 P-133, described as breathtakingly fast, features a Pentium 133, 40MB RAM, 12.1″ Active Matrix Super VGA screen, 6X CD-ROM drive and 1.4GB hard drive for $4149. The Gateway 2000 Solo 2100 P-120 features a Pentium 120, 16MB RAM, 11.3″ Dual Scan Super VGA screen, 6X CD-ROM drive and 810MB hard drive for $2499.
    • Personal Printers – The Panasonic KX-P6100 laser printer takes the top spot for black and white printers for $399 while the Epson Stylus Color 500 ink jet is at the top of the color chart for $279.
    • 15-inch monitors – Wiht a 13.7-inch viewable screen, the Dell UltraScan 800HS takes the top spot for $399. 15-inch monitors were typical at this time. If you had a higher end system you might have a 17-inch monitor. Absolutely top of the line was 19 or 21-inch. At this time, $399 was considered a pretty good deal for a 15-inch monitor.
    • Graphics Boards – 3D accelerators were still relatively new. At the top of the charts this month was the STB Velocity 3D featuring 4MB of VRAM, 120-Hz refresh rate at 1024×768, and the S3 Virge/VX chip.
    • Modems – Virtually nobody had broadband at this point so your modem was important. The U.S. Robotics Sportster Voice 33.6 Fax-Modem tops the list. I always loved U.S. Robotics and really wanted a Courier but those were pricey (though you could get a deal as a BBS operator).

    Here’s How

    • Real Problem, Real Solution – Setting up telecommuting for work.
    • Answer Line – Questions answered about Windows 95 OSR2, managing multiple dial-up connections, and tracking modem performance with system monitor.
    • Windows Tips – How to get rid of unneeded Windows files and features, disabling automatic startup of apps, closing hidden programs, creating shortcuts within documents, and more.
    • Spreadsheet Tips – Linking formulas to web data in Quattro Pro 7.0.
    • Word Processing Tips – Creating vertical letterheads in Word, setting different column layouts on the same page, adding a background border in WordPerfect 7, and more.
    • Internet Tips – Filtering junk mail, using animated GIFs, protecting your PC from viruses, and more.
    • Hardware Tips – A general guide to BIOS settings.
    • Multimedia Tips – Using CU-SeeMe for videoconferencing and converting CD audio into .WAV files.
    • Upgrade Guide – A step-by-step guide to adding a new sound board to your system.

    At Home

    • At Home Products – A brief look at various products including a kids keyboard, a wine database on CD, Barbie Storymaker, and more.
    • Keeping Up – A look at interesting new websites including the then brand new Expedia, an online distance calculator, and a site for removing yourself from junk mail lists.
    • Top 5 Home PCs – At the top of the list is the Dell Dimension P200v featuring a 200MHz Pentium processor, 16MB RAM, 1.6GB hard drive, 8x CD-ROM drive, 28.8kbps modem and 15-inch monitor (CRT of course) all for $2349.
    • Home Office – A look at Microsoft’s new mouse.

    Departments

    • Up Front – An editorial on Internet privacy.
    • Letters – Letters from readers about Packard Bell’s low prices and getting what you pay for, worst CD-ROMs, excellent tech support from U.S. Robotics, Compaq tech support complaints, web directories vs. search engines, Juno e-mail, OS/2 Warp, and more.
    • Consumer Watch – Solving your own problems and getting help in the most efficient way possible.
    • PCW Advocate – ZIP drive rebate delays from Iomega, reader gets Micron system he didn’t order, and another praises APC’s service.
    • Bugs and Fixes – Windows NT problems on early versions of Cyrix’s 6×86 chips, false alarms with Norton Antivirus and new Sound Blaster drivers for Windows 95.
    • Full Disclosure – So-called “network computers” no threat to the PC. A criticism of the Sun Javastation.

    …and more!


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