A real change is occurring in the PC market. Laptops are becoming more popular. In 2007 sales of laptops, or notebooks as they are sometimes called, was expected to be 40% of all machines sold.

Laptops, are more versatile, you can use them anywhere. With a desktop, you’re stuck sitting in front of the screen, wherever you have it placed. No going out into the garden on nice days, and writing that novel in the fresh air. We are becoming a more mobile population. Cell phones have enabled people to be contacted easily and quickly. This mobility is now being extended to the computer. People want to be able to read their email, or favourite blogs, anywhere. Laptops provide this roaming.

The increase in processor power has seen a growth in functionality available with laptops, that would normally be described as having low-end specifications. Manufacturers have discovered that people are buying the lower-end laptops. The buyers are not concerned that Microsoft’s Vista operating system is not available, or in some cases won’t run on these machines. Vista is considered to be too bloated for some of these less powerful laptops, and therefore the manufacturers are having to look elsewhere. Some of the companies building laptops have stayed with Windows XP, others have taken a slightly different route, and are releasing machines with the Linux operating system installed on them.

Recently a small machine has become available in New Zealand. It is the Asus Eee PC, is about the size of a paperback book, and uses a version of the Linux operating system called Xandros. It also comes packed with some interesting features. It has a microphone, speakers, and webcam built-in. WiFi is also provided. The real innovation is the use of a 4GB flash drive, similar to those used in iPods. There are no moving parts, so this allows fast access to the data, and makes the device rugged. There is only 512MB of memory, and it runs on a 900 MHz Intel Celeron processor, which has been fixed to run at a top speed of 630 MHz. These are not impressive specifications, but by using Xandros, Asus have made available a machine that users can surf the web, process email, use Skype, work with digital cameras, and write documents and spreadsheets in OpenOffice.Org. Admittedly the screen is small only, 7″ (about 18CM), and users will need to practise on the small keyboard before becoming adept. It is the size, and the price, under $600, that make it attractive.

Other manufacturers are taking a different route. Acer have started selling a laptop, the Aspire 4315-100508Ci, which comes preloaded with Ubuntu Linux. There is nothing unique about this laptop’s specifications. The manufacture must have realised the potential in the market for a laptop in the $600 price range, and have reacted to consumer demand.

Apple have also announced a new laptop in the USA, called the Macbook Air. This is billed as the world’s thinnest notebook. At .76″ (19.30 MM) thick, it comes with a 13.3″ (33.78CM) screen and a 80GB hard drive, and is 12.8″ (35.51CM) wide and 8.95″ (22.73CM) deep. The only problem with this device is that, true to Apple, the price is high, US$1,799.

In the middle of last year I wrote about Dell releasing Ubuntu Linux machines, but not making them available in New Zealand. Now it seems that there is a rush to provide Linux laptops, and I can’t wait to see what develops latter in the year.

• Arstechnica – Notebook mania leads to revised PC market projections
• Arstechnica -2008 could be the year laptop sales eclipse desktops in US
• Information Week – Linux PC Models Multiply As Vista Struggles
• Seattle Post-Intelligencer -Simple, tiny computers forcing Microsoft to make changes
• eWeek – Has Microsoft Disavowed Vista?
• Asus Eee PC
• Wikipedia – Asus Eee PC
• Geekzone – Acer laptops with Ubuntu Linux available now
• CNET – Five reasons not to fear a (US)$200 Linux PC
• Apple Macbook Air
• Macworld – MacBook Air’s tradeoffs
• Macworld – Apple introduces MacBook Air
• CNET – MacBook Air: Not the thinnest notebook ever
• The Far Side Of Tech – Apple Air versus Asus Eee: A Comparison
• eStuff – Dell Releases Ubuntu PCs – Or Do They?
• Register Hardware – Everex follows Asus Eee to announce 9in sub-notebook
• Computerworld – Dell offers another Ubuntu Linux laptop

Buying a PC used to be a bit of a mission. It wasn’t so much the buying, as what you had to do when you got all the packages home. In times past the software would be sold separately, so when you got the boxes home, you would have to install all the software yourself.

Microsoft, and PC manufacturers, realised that in order to get more computer consumers, a better “out-of-the-box experience” would be required. Microsoft also realised that, by having its software installed on all manufacturers PCs, it would shut out all other software companies. The consumer would not even know that there was a choice, and Microsoft’s revenue would increase. That’s why, today, PCs come with Windows, and other Microsoft products, pre-installed.

I don’t use Windows, I haven’t done so for years. When I want a new desktop PC, I buy all the bits, and assemble the PC at home on the dining-room table. I have an understanding wife. I then install the Linux operating system and applications, my current flavour of Linux distribution is Ubuntu.

Things are bit more difficult when it comes to laptops. To my knowledge you can’t get all the pieces required to do it yourself. I have been toying with the idea of owning a laptop for sometime, but of course I don’t want Windows, or other software, installed. Trying to find a model that fits my requirements is proving impossible. So it was with some joy, that I read that Dell is making machines available pre-loaded with Ubuntu. Not only a Linux laptop, but my Linux of choice. Joy of joys, all I had to do was wait for them to be announced.

The wait was over a few weeks ago. Ubuntu Linux is now available from Dell, in the USA, on a variety of desktops, and laptops, at a considerable saving over the same machines, with Windows installed.

I rang Dell, and asked them what options are on offer in New Zealand with Ubuntu installed. I was told that none of the models of PCs are available here. When I asked when they would be available, the answer was that no date has yet been announced. On the off chance, I asked if I could buy a machine without Windows installed. The answer to that was an emphatic no, I can’t even get a refund if I uninstall Windows, and put my own operating system on the PC. I should imagine that replacing Windows with Linux would also void the warranty, thus making me use an operating system, I don’t want, until the warranty expired.

Call me picky, but I object to paying Microsoft for something I’m not going to use. It’s like buying a dining-table, and being told you have to buy a canteen of cutlery, that you don’t want, as well.

It is not that I can sell the unwanted software, because unlike the good old days, you don’t receive the software packages. It is all pre-installed for your “ease of use”.

Naturally I made no purchase but, went on the Internet, and joined the petition to ask Dell to release the Ubuntu PCs in countries other than the United States. Over 20,000 people have added their names so far. All over the world people are being forced to pay for something they don’t want, and the money goes straight into Microsoft’s coffers. It’s time to end this Microsoft Tax.

• Sign The Petition – Sell Linux PCs Worldwide – not only the United States
• Watch a video from Dell about Ubuntu – “Linux 101: What’s All The Fuss”
• Dell’s own blog on the release of Ubuntu PCs – With video interviews with the people involved
• Dell’s Ubuntu Offerings
• Restricting Dell Ubuntu to US a huge mistake
• Dell pressured to extend Ubuntu PCs outside US
• Pressure mounts on Dell over Linux PCs
• Dell Won’t Preinstall Ubuntu Linux On Small-Business Computers
• Will HP Follow Dell With Ubuntu Linux PCs?
• Michael Dell: Linux Coming to SMBs, Europe Soon

Do you drink vintage champagne everyday? No, I thought not! However, if you use your printer everyday you may be paying more for ink, than for a glass of vintage champagne.

A study carried out by “Computeractive Magazine“, found the price of inkjet printers in the UK, has dropped to as little as £30 ($88), but it could cost up to £1,500 ($4,400), in running costs, over an 18-month period. “Which?” magazine, produced by UK Consumers’ Association, report that printer ink can cost more than that vintage champagne.

I have always used the services of Cartridge World, a refill shop, to recharge my cartridges, but I had a shock recently, when the colour cartridge for my Lexmark printer couldn’t be refilled. To buy a new one would cost $84.95. Over twice the cost of a refill, and just under the cost a new Lexmark, at $99. Investigations revealed that cartridge costs for the $99 printer were just as astronomical. I don’t use colour that often, so I haven’t renewed my cartridge, and will use a copy shop for colour printing in future.

Another method of getting value for money from your printer cartridge, is to refill it yourself. A few years ago printer-ink refill kits were advertised on TV, and you can still buy them from companies like Toner Express, and Inkjet Refill.

Some printer manufacturers have realised that allowing people to refill the cartridges lost them money. They have come up with subtle ways to thwart this. One is the voiding of warranties for damage caused by a refilled cartridge. This has led to companies that refill your cartridge, to offer their own guarantees against damage.

Another method, is to install a chip on the cartridge. Printer software on your computer reads data from the chip. It tells you when the cartridge is empty, which is not always when it is actually empty. Some cartridges have a ‘use-by date’ on the chip. If you haven’t used all the ink by this date, the software reports this, and stops you using the cartridge. The cartridges can also have a serial number, the software remembers this number. If you refill a cartridge that the software has previously reported as full, the software will not let you use it.

For those with heavy printer use, Inksaver, software, can be installed to reduce your ink consumption. It costs US$35. “PC World” ran a test of Inksaver, and concluded it “is convenient and works well enough to justify its $35 purchase price, with some caveats.”

If you want to reduce the money you spend on printing, it may also pay to read “Make Your Ink Cartridges Last Longer” and a printer FAQ from Mwords.

“I believe this is the first machine of its kind in New Zealand.” Er, no, actually. The JVC HM-HDS1EU has been out for well over a year and, for a video recorder, offers way more features. Like the Samsung, it has a 40GB hard drive, but includes a video cassette recorder as well. Furthermore, there is the Sony HARD1000. While not offering the video side of things, its same-sized hard drive will record up to 600 hours of audio, and will hook up to a PC. I’m not too familiar with this product, though.

The major negative point of the Samsung is that it does not do away with the need for a video tape recorder. For purposes of archiving, storing of unwatched films, and transcribing TV programmes or home movies to video tape for others to watch, you must have a second VCR and the ability to hook them up.

Not so with the HDS1. It offers up to 35 hours recording on its hard drive, plus a further nine hours on a 180 video cassette, in normal or S-video mode. While the hard-drive offers the same live recording pause and time-shift mode, it also allows transfer to the VCR.

It seems to me that the Samsung is purely transitionary in that the DVD player will change to a DVD recorder before long, making it a proper substitute for a VCR. I still wouldn’t be interested in it, though. Not until it includes a Blu-ray Disc recorder with its five and a half times greater recording capacity than a DVD.

Now that’s progress!

Regards

Chris

The ULEAD video editing software that comes with the Leadtek is full current version stuff. Combined retail cost of the s/w alone is > than the cost of the TV card

Cheers
David

Can you watch the resulting signal on a TV
rather than a PC monitor?

[You] Can watch on a TV screen if the video card has TV out. My son’s PC’s do,
but the son who currently has a TV card has never bothered & I am sure the
other one wont either. A 17″ monitor is not “large screen” viewing, but
$1,600 or thereabouts is simply not an option for them (apart from which,
the largest TV in the house is only 21″).

The son currently with the TV card often has chat sessions running at the
same time, or is using a drawing / 3D modelling program, so has the TV in a
window (but does have it full screen for “more serious” TV watching). BTW
full screen output from this older card is OK, but not as good as a good TV
set, so he does watch some programs on the TV rather than on his PC (the
more somewhat comfortable seating in the lounge, may be a factor though).

The main “selling point” for the other son, is the time-shifting / Live TV
capability & easy recording – has a few favourite programs that he does not
like missing / having interrupted. However, in both cases, the PC /
internet is normally a higher priority! (fwiw – ages are 18 &16).

David

Can you comment briefly ?

Many thanks
Mike

All signals for TV, in New Zealand, are still analog, despite the fact
that some devices accept digital input/output. This facility is provided
for those people who have digital cameras, and DVD equipment.

You should find on your video camera, output sockets for audio/video, I
presume that this will take the RCA plugs I mention. You plug these into
the line inputs on the Samsung DVD-H40A that are RCA inputs.

The editing functions provided are basic and may not provide the full
range of function that you could be looking for. It may be better to use
a PC based editing system, assuming you have a suitable PC for the task.

Saturn Box Connections With A VCR

I assume that you have the
same model as we do, a Jerrold ICFT-2000. My box is connected in the
following way.

The incoming cable connection, of course, goes to the set-top box.
On the back of the set-top box are three outlets:

One is marked “TV set” and has a rather large adapter thing plugged into
it. A coax cable from the TV aerial socket on the wall is plugged into
this adapter. Coming out of the adapter is a cable that is plugged into
the RF input socket (where the old TV aerial would have gone) on the
VCR.

Another is marked “Video”, and is an RCA plug this has a cable that is
plugged into the “video in” (may be marked “ext in” or “line in”) on the
VCR.

The third one is marked “Audio”, and is an RCA plug that is connected to
the “audio in” on my VCR. (Note my VCR is not a stereo model) The audio
output from this socket on the set-top box is mono only. Stereo sound is
only possible from the “TV set” socket. I will ignore this stereo sound
problem for now.

The TV is connected to the VCR by the usual RF sockets, and also has an
RCA connection from the “Video out” socket on the VCR to the “Video In”
socket at the back of the TV. The “Audio Out” RCA socket on the VCR is
connected to my stereo amplifier using a special cable that splits the
mono signal into two signals thus giving a signal for the left and right
channels (Note this is in mono only).

The VCR is tuned to the normal TV channels 1,2,3,4,7 and Prime. One
extra channel is tuned into the signal that come from the Saturn set-top
box via the RF signal. This is somewhere in the UHF band. The RCA cables
from the set-top box provide a signal to the, what is described by my
VCR as, external (EXT) channel. This may be described a “Line 1″ etc on
your VCR.

The TV is tuned into to channels 1,2,3,4,7,and Prime as normal with an
extra channel for the signal from the VCR (0), and another for the
signal from the set-top box (6).

When we watch TV we normally watch by switching the TV to channel 6 and
changing the channels via the set-top box.

When we record a programme on the VCR we will set the VCR programme
timer to 1,2,3,4,7, or Prime if that is where the programme is on. If
the programme is one of the Saturn-only channels, say SKY1, we will set
the VCR programme timer to “EXT” and then use the Saturn set-top box VCR
timer functions that are available by pressing the menu button on the
remote control,see the instruction book for more help. The menu guide
shown on the TV screen is self explanatory. To tape from the Saturn box
does require the setting of both the VCR timer and the set-top box
timer.

What does all this allow us to do.

1. We can watch TV (1,2,3,4,7 and Prime) using the TV channel selector,
   while taping any channel.
2. We can tape any channel, be it free-to-air or cable, on our VCR.
3. We can watch a Saturn channel as long as we do not want to tape
   another Saturn channel. i.e. We can’t watch SKY1 and tape SKY Movies.
   But we can tape any free-to-air channel, while watching a Saturn
   channel. We can also watch any free-to-air channel while taping any
   Saturn channel, or watch any free-to-air channel while taping any
   free-to-air channel.
4. We can playback the VCR through the stereo system, giving a false
   stereo sound, by using the TV set to “AV”.

Saturn Box without the adapter.

Saturn Box with the adapter.

DHR or Digital Hard drive Recorder is Samsung’s term for a new device they have just released. The DVD-H40A is the same size as a VCR but contains a DVD player and a 40GB hard drive. You record your TV programmes to the hard drive, thus dispensing with video tapes. I believe this is the first machine of its kind to be released in New Zealand.

After test-driving one of these machines I can truthfully say they will change the way you watch television. Samsung are really on to a winner with the DVD-H40A. Having said that, there are several things that they need to correct or include in future DHRs.

Switching on this device the first thing you notice is the noise caused by the hard drive and cooling fan. Initially distracting, you get used to this after a while.

Setting up this magical machine was not easy. If you have trouble getting to grips with a VCR, get the help of someone who knows what they are doing.

After plugging the TV aerial, Sky decoder or Saturn box into the antenna input, you then have to decide how you are going to connect the DHR to your TV. You can choose from a normal RF (aerial) connection, S-Video, Component, RCA or digital connections via coax or optical. This allows you to make full use of the NICAM stereo, Dolby Digital and DTS sound.

Tuning in the TV channels is not as simple as it sounds. There is an automatic station finding option, but you end up with TV One on something like channel 7. Renumbering the channels is possible, but not easy. There is a facility allowing the naming of each channel, eg ONE, TV2 etc, but when you are programming the timer, or changing channels, this name is not used. There is no channel display on the front of the machine, which makes it difficult to know what channel you are viewing.

Operation of the CD/DVD function is fairly straightforward. Put the disc in the drive and it starts playing automatically. You control play via a panel on the machine, or the supplied remote control, and on-screen menus. Sound and picture quality seemed perfect. Both CD-Rs and CR-RWs played with no problems. The playing of MP3 CDs was easy, following the on-screen menus. Using the same functions it is also possible to view photo album CDs.

It is the addition of the hard drive that makes this machine interesting. You can either have 40 hours of video, 250 MP3s and 10,000 JPGs (photos); or 30 hours of video, 2500 MP3s and 10,000 JPGs. No function is provided to convert your CDs to MP3s for storage onto the hard drive. To get MP3s and JPGs onto the hard drive you have burn them to CD-R or CD-RW on your own PC and then copy them to the DHR’s hard drive. There is also no way to connect a digital camera allowing direct copying of your photos. Once you have your JPGs and MP3s on the hard drive you can use the photo album and jukebox features to view or play them.

There is no way of backing up the hard drive. So if it fails you would loose your precious photos and MP3s, so keep the CD-Rs you used to make the transfer.

It would be simpler if the machine connected to your own PC and the Internet to allow for an easier transfer of MP3s and JPGs. An Internet connection would allow several more functions to be added, for instance the titles of CDs and their songs titles could be downloaded from the CDDB or FREEDB databases.

Lets turn to the TV and video funtions provided.

There are two RCA line connections allowing connection of video cameras and VCRs so that home videos can be transfered between the camera, VCR and hard drive. Editing features are also available allowing you to combine recordings into one, split a recording up into multiple ones, and delete parts of, or the whole recording.

Recording of TV programmes is possible, directly to the hard drive, using the timer feature. You can set the timer to record up to 15 programmes, either on a one-time, weekly, or daily basis. This procedure is made easier by the G-code facility.

A programme-naming feature allows you to keep track of your recordings. However you can only enter the name of the programme once it has finished recording. It would have been nice to do this at the time you set the timer.

Ever missed what an actor has said, or the action in a game and want to see it again? This is where Live-TV, as Samsung call it, comes in. It is the best feature of all in this machine, and it will change your viewing habits.

By setting the Live-TV buffer to 30, 60, 90, or 120 minutes, you watch the programme slightly delayed. While you are watching, the DVD-H40A records the programme in real time. As it records, you can rewind, play in slow motion, or pause the play, without affecting the recording process. With enough programme recorded in the buffer you can even watch a whole nights TV, fast-forwarding through all the adverts. Using Live-TV, and watching after the buffer had recorded one hour of the programme, it was three hours before playback caught up with the live broadcast.

When you get nagged to mow the lawn while you are trying to watch the cricket, you can just leave Live-TV recording while you pause the playback. Come back after you have finished, press play, and miss none of the action.

I would like to be able to set a timer so that Live-TV could start at a specific time. So, if you are still struggling home on Tranz Metro while the news at six is on, the timer would start recording for you. When you arrive home, just fast-rewind to the start, and press play.

Live-TV is very different from recording a programme to video tape. You don’t have to wait for the recording to finish before you start watching. The Live-TV buffer works like a tape loop. Visualise a piece of video tape in a loop on which you record the programme, and then start to watch before the beginning of the programme gets recorded over.

It would be nice to be able to watch via Live-TV and set the programme timer to record another channel normally. I realise that this function would only be available by the addition of a second tuner, but I believe that Live-TV is the biggest attraction in this player.

Should you rush out and buy one of these machines?

If you have trouble working out how to program a VCR, you will certainly have problems driving the DVD-H40A. It took sometime for me to become familiar and comfortable with using it. It would have been made easier if the manual had been translated into English correctly, and had enough clear, concise information on all the functions.

If your VCR is on its last legs and you’re thinking of replacing it with a DVD player or player/recorder, I would definitely consider purchasing the Samsung DHR. The price is under $1600, which makes it attractive when compared to DVD recorders, and think of the money you’ll save on blank tapes.

Comments from readers about this review.

The birds are singing, the flowers are budding, the bees are buzzing, the lambs are gambolling. Spring is here. Traditionally spring is the time to clean the house after the dust, and grime of winter has built up. So what an excellent time to clean your computer!

First, gather together the cleaning materials. You will need:

• Two lint-free cloths
• Cleaner (I use Spray & Wipe, never use a solvent cleaner)
• Glass cleaner & cloth (Anti-static, anti-mist lens’ cleaner from an optician)
• Air in a can (Dick Smith)
• Floppy disk cleaner kit (for example)
• CD-Rom cleaner (I use a Philips CD Lens Cleaner SBC3510)
• Long-stiff-bristled brush

Power up the computer and follow the instructions on both the CD-R and floppy cleaning kit. Once completed, switch off your computer.

Disconnect the monitor from the power and the computer. Spray some of your cleaner onto a lint-free cloth. Never spray the cleaner straight onto any part of the computer. Now wipe the case of the monitor with the cloth. I find that a second, dry, lint-free cloth is required to dry the case.

To clean the actual screen use the glass cleaner. Spray some directly onto the glass and wipe clean with the glass cleaning cloth. I would not use window/mirror cleaner because there may be solvents present that will destroy the anti-glare coating of your screen. Leave the monitor disconnected.

Disconnect the keyboard from the computer. Spray some more cleaner onto your cloth and wipe down the keyboard. Wipe each key and in between them. Don’t forget to dry them off. Take the long-stiff-bristled brush and brush between the keys. If you have a very dirty keyboard turning it upside down, and brushing it, helps to remove the fluff and stuff. If you have an extremely dirty keyboard, you can remove the keys, and brush out under them. Be careful to remember which key goes where when you put them back. Do not reconnect the keyboard yet.

Disconnect the mouse. On the underside of the mouse is little plate that holds in the mouse-ball. Twist it and the mouse-ball will come out. You now have access to three rollers inside the mouse. A dirty mouse has a small line of dirt in the middle of the roller. Use a finger and finger nail to remove as much as possible. Do not reconnect the mouse just yet.

Now to the computer case. Disconnect all remaining cables and the power. Take your lint-free cloth and spray some cleaner onto it. Wipe down your case and dry it. Now we need to open your case, but first check your warranty to ensure that opening the case doesn’t void it. Every computer I have ever seen has had a different way to open it, so you may need to see your instruction book.

Once open, place any screws in a safe place so you will be able to close the case again. You will see dust collected in various places. Point the “air-in-a-can” at the dust, but in a direction that will blow the dust away from the computer. Give it a woosh. Repeat until clean, or your air runs out. It is not recommended that you use a vacuum cleaner, you could damage the components by touching them with the nozzle, or even suck up small “switches” called jumpers. Definitely don’t use a brush, or blow your moisture-laden breath over the sensitive components. The $20 for canned air is well worth it.

To clean your scanner and printer, you should check the user manual for instructions.

Now reconnect everything. Looks brand new now doesn’t it?

As the price drops, and features increase, the popularity of digital photography is growing. According to CNET, in the first half of this year, US sales of digital cameras are up 50% over the same period in 2001.

Digital photography does away with the need for film by capturing the image as a series of bits, zeros and ones, on some form of memory in the camera. Here’s the real plus, as far as I am concerned, you don’t have to wait for the film to be processed to see the results. After the photo is taken, you can view it on a small screen built into the camera, and decide, then and there, to erase and take another, or to keep the photo you have. When you get home you are able to transfer the photographs to your computer. The photos can then be uploaded to your web site, or emailed, to share with family and friends, and/or burnt to CD to keep for posterity. You can even select some for printing, either on your own printer, or at one of the growing number of photo shops that provide a printing service.

Not only can you take still pictures using this technology, but you can also make movies using digital video cameras. Vodofone’s PXT, and Telecom’s Photo Messaging, are the latest innovations using a camera embedded, or attached to your mobile phone, to take a still digital picture, which you can then email to someone.

Like most acquisitions, you should decide exactly what you want to achieve with a digital camera before completing your purchase. Do you want to create a photo web page, burn CDs, or just print the photos? There are, of course, enumerable websites that can help you with your decision.

Photo.net provides a short guide to choosing a digital camera. This article was written some time ago, but is still relevant despite the technological advances made with these cameras. You can read a guide on choosing digital cameras from Shortcourses.com and they also provide anther on digital video cameras.

Once you have mastered the jargon and technology, you then have to decide which make of camera is for you. Once again the web provides a wonderful starting point for your research.

pcphotoreview.com has information and reviews on a wide range of digital cameras. Steve’s Digicams provides comprehensive reviews of cameras. Digital Photo Review is a large glossy site with reviews to match.

Most professional photographers will steer well away from digital cameras because they are not yet able to render a picture with the same quality available from film. A digital camera’s ability to take clear crisp images is measured in pixels. These days high-end digital cameras can be purchased that are able to take pictures in the 6 megapixel range. Apparently 16 megapixels are required to achieve 35mm film quality.

Using my 2.3 megapixel camera set at low quality, and standard resolution, I obtain pictures of good enough quality to upload to the web, or burn to CD. I am able to store 196 images, at that quality, on the camera’s 16MB memory card. That’s plenty for the holiday snaps isn’t it?

You can’t argue with sales of 9 million Playstation 2s in Australia/New Zealand. Sony have the number 1 gaming machine and rightly so. But did you know that it is capable of much more?

Sony kindly loaned me a Playstation 2 so I could see for myself what was possible with this versatile machine.

Playing a CD is easy, and the sound very acceptable. Having plugged the PS2 into my stereo system it was a simple matter of inserting the CD into the drawer and, using the games control, select the tracks I wanted to play.

Settling down with the family to watch a DVD, we found the controls a little more difficult. Using the games control to make selections from the DVD menu is best described as “not intuitive”. This could probably be overcome by the purchase of the $60 remote control. With this comes upgraded DVD drivers allowing 3 speeds of fast forward and reverse, 4 additional play options, and whole lot more.

I wanted to see if the PS2 could act as a cheap Internet access point. Sony provide a Linux kit which includes everything you need to get going except for a monitor to do the install, and an 8Mb PS2 memory card. You can connect the PS2 to your own network using the adaptor provided, otherwise you would have to use an external modem.

The system installs on to both the hard drive and the memory card. To boot an installed Linux system you are required to insert the memory card, and one of the two CDs provided with the kit.

If you intend to use the Linux system I recommend installing via a custom install and ensure that you choose package groups and add KDE. This will give you the software you require to read your email, surf the web, and office applications.

The age of the supplied software was a concern. The Linux kernel (2.2.1) is an old and insecure one. Updates are available to the kernel from the Playstation 2 Linux web site, and I would recommend that you do download these. This would allow you to upgrade the application software, the supplied release of KDE is 1.1.2, the latest available is 3.0.2.

The Playstation 2 web site quite plainly says “Linux (for PlayStation 2) is a tool for Linux enthusiasts and programmers only.” and I would have to agree with them. This is certainly not a kit that the ordinary PS2 owner would want to install.

The Linux kit retails at $599.95, add the cost of a monitor ($400) and an external modem ($120) and the PS2 at $499.95 you can see that it is not the cheap computer option I had hoped for.

The Playstation 2 should be used to play games and watch movies on DVD, not as a computer. It is disappointing that cheaper computing for those that just wish to surf and send emails, using the TV as a monitor, is not an option. Maybe Sony will pull it all together in the Playstation 3.

More PS2 Links :-

• PS2 Specifications
• Explains what all the cables are for
• Forum for discussing PS2 Linux
• A technical and personal view of the PS2 Linux

Wait! Before you get rid of that old computer. Read this.

Does your partner keep nagging you to get off the computer so they can use it? Do your children fight for the right to get online? Perhaps you want to play network games like Quake and Doom? That old computer may be the key to family harmony.

By building a home computer network and sharing your printer and/or your modem,two people will be able to surf the net at the same time, or you will be able to write to Aunty Mabel while the kids do their homework on the other machine.

Before you get started on this project make sure that you read all of the web sites listed below. You must understand what you are doing before you rip off the case to your computer. If you have any doubts – don’t. Find someone who does and ask for their help. Sorry I’m not available.

A basic home network built around the Ethernet protocol consists of just two computers. You will need to put a Network Interface Card (NIC) in each machine, at a cost of about $40 each. Then connect the two computers with a cable.

The cable you require is called “UTP Cat 5 10/100Mbps crossover RJ45.” Explanation:UTP stand for Unshielded Twisted Pair and describes the wire. Cat 5 or category 5 is the type of cable. 10/100Mbs tells us the network speeds the cable can handle. RJ45is the name of the connector on the end of the cable. Crossover means that you will be able to connect to two NIC’s directly without an intermediate hub. Cable costs anywhere between $20 (1 M) and $42 (10 m) depending on the length.

Connecting more than two computers will require a hub, which does the “crossover”,and “UTP Cat 5 10/100Mbps RJ45″ cable. A small 5 port hub would cost about $91,an 8 port hub – $113.

If the computers are in separate rooms cabling gets tricky, unless you don’t mind cable running along the floor, or suspended from the ceiling by paper clips. You will have to buy surface mount connectors (about $13 each) to fit to your wall and run Cat 5 cable between them. In this case a computer is plugged into a hub, the hub plugged into the wall socket, an underfloor/through ceiling cable to another wall socket, and the second computer is plugged into that socket.

Once the computers are connected Windows will need to be setup correctly to allow sharing of the modem and the printer. This is documented in the Microsoft links below.

Now, if you still want to get rid of that computer, don’t bin it. Consider giving it to theComputer Access NZ Trust. CANZ recycle your old computers and make them available to schools, community groups and the Computers In Homes project.

Links for the home computer network

• Homepcnetwork written by people who have done it.
• How Stuff Works explains it step by step.
• PC World describe it with pictures.
• Microsoft and
• Microsoft tell you how to do it with Windows 98.
• Microsoft explain printer sharing.
• Microsoft Windows ME
• Microsoft glossary If you’re still confused by the terminology

Site Of The Week

Find out what you always wanted to know.Useless Knowledge explains it all. From why we have eyebrows to why fizzy drinks bubble more in plastic cups.