PC & Tech Authority Magazine Issue: February, 2010
Select an Issue to view:
Or view all Back Issues

Issue: 147 | February, 2010

About PC & Tech Authority Magazine:

Australia's premier computer magazine, PC Authority gives you the facts, opinions and insight to make informed PC and tech purchasing decisions. Every issue is packed with the latest products, reviewed by an expert team of technical writers and guarantees more Aussie exclusives and first looks than any other Australian PC magazine.

Trusted for its reliable & objective product reviews, the foundation of the magazine is the comprehensive and thorough evaluations of every product tested by the tech team in our Labs. Its readers are both PC enthsusiasts at home and small-medium business decision makers at work.

The February, 2010 issue of PC & Tech Authority is available in the following formats:
iPad

Download our iPad app now and for $5.49 per month, you’ll receive all the content in the latest issue, plus more image galleries, extensive interactive features and additional content.

 
Digital

With the ability to zoom in and read in text only, you can use your tablet, PC, laptop or smart phone to view each issue of PC & Tech Authority for only $4.99 - wherever you are.

Subscription

Subscribe to PC & Tech Authority and you'll save money every month, have the magazine delivered for free and receive some great offers!

 

In the February issue of PC Authority, on sale now:

2010 Revealed: Breakthrough Tech
We predict the 20 technologies everyone will not only be talking about this year – but actually using in their day to day lives. From 3D Television to Superfast Broadband, Motion Control to Wireless Gaming.



Compact Battle: 16 Cameras tested
If you’re in the market for a new camera, we’ve looked at a massive 16 models. Today they pack in more features than ever before and we give you our verdict of the best available options.
 

Piracy Alert: the real risks of downloading
Illegal file-sharing is a debate with no middle ground. In this feature, Stuart Turton examines the issues surrounding illegal file-sharing and try to address the most common questions.


Big Battery portables
For anyone choosing between a netbook and a fully specced notebook, we look at a few options that provide the best of both world.



On the Disc: Microsoft Office 2010 Beta
60 day trial of the beta version of Office 2010; try out the new Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Office Mobile and more!
 


On the Disc: Ashampoo Slideshow Studio 2010
Ashampoo Slideshow Studio 2010 makes it a snap to turn your photos into impressive slideshows.
 


On the Disc: Microsoft Security Essentials
Free Protection for your PC – block viruses, spyware and other malicious software
 


 

Head to your nearest newsstand now and get your copy!

 

What's on the Disc?

Agnitum Outpost Antivirus Pro 6.7
Colin McRae: DiRT 2
Agnitum Outpost Firewall Pro 6.7
Process Capture 3.1.0.1
CCleaner

Articles in this issue

Acer Aspire's One D250 unveils Android OS and 7 hr battery life, but ...

Google’s Android OS provides a disappointing distraction from an otherwise average netbook

Apple's 27in iMac reviewed: should it be your next desktop computer?

Stunning one-piece design and a magnificent 27in screen, but the usual Apple foibles are there to drag it down

Canon's Powershot S90 features a G11 sensor in your pocket, for brilliant ...

It’s like having the excellent G11 flagship in a pocket version

Dell Inspiron 1470, a step up from a netbook without compromising on battery ...

What do you call a CULV laptop that doesn’t look like a CULV laptop? Meet Dell's thin and light Inspiron 1470.

Embrace your inner weird with the Korg Kaossilator for quirky musical ...

A fun way to create weird and wonderful loops, but with serious applications too

Fujitsu's Lifebook 8110, has excellent battery life but we prefer the Dell

It may look like a bit of a dinosaur design, but the nimble performance and excellent battery life make up for the looks

Get your inner DJ mixing with Numark's iDJ2 for Mp3 fun

It won’t replace vinyl decks and a dedicated mixer, but there’s plenty of power on offer for mixing MP3s

Google's Picasa 3.5 is by far the best version of the popular photo editor yet

Easy-to-use tagging capabilities, including effective face recognition, take Picasa 3.5 to the next level

HP's 2509p offers Full HD quality on a 25in LCD monitor

Big and beautiful, at a nice price, but it’s not quite the bee’s knees

HP's Envy 15 1015-TX is a powerful, attractive and solid performing notebook

WITH Luscious looks and great performance, this is an i7 laptop to drool over, but battery life lets it down

Hp's MediaSmart Server EX490 boasts powerful backup features for home and ...

A well-designed, premium appliance that stretches the limits of what a home server can do

Hp's Mini 311-1000 is a netbook on steroids for under $820

Fancy an upgrade from a netbook to a laptop, without the price? Try the 311 for the best of both worlds

HP's Touchsmart iQ600: is it time to step up to a touchscreen PC?

Touch enabled all-in-one that improves over the previous model and ticks almost all the boxes

It's no DSLR, but Panasonic's Lumix DMC-GF1 has manual features and high ...

A likeable high-end compact, but it’s expensive and can’t handle noise at high ISO

Lego Mindstorms NXT 2.0 not just for kids, inspires your inner creativity

An incredibly flexible kit that lets you create more or less any type of robot imaginable

MSI Wind U200, we review the littler Wind's bigger brother

The littler Wind's bigger brother, with better everything, to boot. As a cheap and functional all-day laptop, the MSI Wind U200 is very desirable

Nikon's Coolpix S1000pj will project your images and home movies - but the ...

A brilliant innovation, but image quality is below par and the price is too far above the average

Nokia's E55 boasts impressive 6-day battery life

Hardly sexy and the screen is small, but this thin and light phone is impressively powerful for the price

Panasonic's Lumix FZ-35: Neither compact, nor DSLR - but a great hybrid camera

A quality ultrazoom compact camera, with excellent image quality

Pinnacle's Studio 14, the new video editing suite reviewed

A few tweaks, a stop-motion capture utility, and animated titling have been added, but ease of use is its real asset

Preview: Asus Eee Top Et2203T boasts multitouch support and blu-ray specs

Asus’ latest all-in-one combines a 21.6in HD touchscreen with Blu-ray and some serious entertainment credentials

Preview: The RIM BlackBerry Storm2 9520 excels in the touchscreen department

A brilliant new touchscreen and RIM’s email excellence make the Storm2 an attractive device

Roxio Creator 2010 Pro, great for AVCHD clips and DVD burning

A hugely capable suite that’s full of useful tools, but under the skin it’s still a little messy

Samsung's 2233RZ is a 3D monitor with potential

With 3D monitors poised to become popular, Samsung have produced one of the first in Australia - the Samsung Syncmaster 2233RZ, a 22-inch 120Hz monitor capable of running in three-dimensions.

Samsung's HMX-U10 tries to 'out-flip' the pocket video competition with full HD

Ever since the Flip introduced a new catagory into the video camera market, other companies have been chasing similar designs. Is Samsung's any better?

Samsung's ST550 is great for a dual screen, less so as a camera

Viewed as a techno-gadget, the ST550 has few peers. However, as a camera, it’s less accomplished.

Samsung's WB500 is a compelling super zoomer on a budget

Not without its faults, but you’re buying a superzoom for the price of a standard compact

Sony VAIO VGN-Z56GG/B, the best ultraportable Sony has produced to date

Light yet powerful, gorgeous yet practical, the Sony VAIO VGN-Z56GG/B is the best all-round ultraportable Sony has produced to date

Sony's Cyber-shot DSC-W290 handles a big zoom with strong image results

A great-value Cyber-shot that no-one would regret buying

Sony's Sound Forge Pro 10 sound editor prompts better features, but let down ...

Tonium's musical Pacemaker keeps the digital beat

A fantastic device for mixing on the move, although the high price means it’s only for the serious DJ

Wacom's Bamboo Pen & Touch: part tablet, part touchpad

Combining a touchpad with a graphics tablet is a great idea, but in this first
attempt it isn’t perfectly realised

Wacom's Bamboo welcomes Mac users, doubles as multi-touch pad

Multi-touch comes to desktop Macs at last through this new series of graphics tablets

Why Altech's NRG Typhoon gets our A-list honours for gaming excellence

As an entry-level core i5 system, this kicks some serious butt in gaming and more

Your laptop screen now has 3D: Acer's Aspire 5738DG laptop reviewed

A lot of 3D movies have appeared on the big screen over the last year. Though some argue it's merely a gimmick, 3D is also now appearing on small screens - in this case, the Acer 5738DG 3D laptop.

From our Partners

PC & Tech Authority Downloads