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PC Authority Issue: January, 2006

Australia's premier computer magazine, PC Authority gives you the facts, opinions and insight to make informed PC and tech purchasing decisions.

Issue: 98  |  January, 2006

What's in this issue

Do you know where you’re going? With a GPS receiver you don’t need to. This month, PC Authority tests the latest and greatest GPS receivers on the market, from simple car navigators to fully featured PDAs. Not all devices are equal, and some may even get you more lost than you started. Don’t miss out on this essential guide to one of the hottest technologies for 2006.

Also in this issue, we have some hard core components for upgraders, with exclusive graphics cards tested, and a massive roundup of dual-core motherboards. Those wanting a visual overhaul are also catered for with our 20-inch LCD group test. Is Viewsonic still on top? Read on and find out.

This month also peels back the layers on Vista, where we look at the journey from its conceptual days as Longhorn, through to the latest beta versions and beyond. Think you’ve read it all? Don’t miss out on this in depth look.

And finally, PC Authority readers can now benefit from our brand new online shopping service. PC Authority Shopping should be your first stop when buying any tech product. Just head to www.pcauthority.com.au/shopping, where you can search by product or category and instantly access over one hundred stores to find the best deal online!



Articles in this issue

ABBYY FineReader 8 Professional Edition
A decent compromise between OCR value and features – especially as you can upgrade from the Sprint version.

Acer n35
The n35 is a complete navigation kit comprising a capable PDA with integrated GPS receiver (that folds down flush into the back), CoPilot Live 5 software, a sturdy windscreen mount and a cigarette lighter adaptor. At this price, it’s noticeably the cheapest PDA on test.

Apple iPod 60GB
After all the media speculation, Apple has finally dipped its toe into the world of mobile video with the launch of the new iPod.

Enspire AVR-200
A fantastic Media Center PC at an extraordinary price.

Garmin iQue 3600
Garmin is a brand that’s been synonymous with GPS navigation since the days when only mariners were using it. So it’s somewhat disappointing that the iQue 3600 doesn’t compare well to the competition here.

Garmin iQue M5
We were disappointed with the Que navigation software on Garmin’s iQue 3600, but the Pocket PC version is a step in the right direction.

GPS Kits
If you don’t have a car with built-in satellite navigation, the most cost-effective way to add it is by opting for a handheld device with a GPS receiver.

HP iPAQ hw6515 Mobile Messenger
When we first reviewed the hw6515, we were bowled over by how much HP has managed to cram into such a small device.

IRIS Readiris Pro 10
Excellent support for PDF files, an intuitive user interface and a low price make Readiris the best choice for the majority of people.

Mitac Mio 169
The thing that instantly hits you with the Mio 169 is that it’s designed to be
used primarily in landscape mode.

Navman PiN 570
The Navman looks and feels like a quality PDA.

Optima Centoris KN Series 5185
An excellent mid-range laptop for work, but not fun.

PCMarket SDS-G2 AMD Athlon64 Gaming Desktop Computer System
Back in November we wondered just what you could buy for $1500 and Modtech and PC Express showed us two near identical systems (the latter being A-Listed). This month’s submission from PC Market offered few surprises.

Quake 4
Is the mighty Quake franchise becoming tired and repetitive? Or is this the best one yet?

ScanSoft OmniPage Professional 15
A great choice for offices that need to recognise batches of documents, with its only real weakness being poor automatic zoning on complex documents.

Viewsonic VP730b and VP930b
We’re fans of ViewSonic’s stands.

What's on the disc

PC Authority Issue: 98

Desperados: Wanted Dead or Alive*


Introducing head-hunter John Cooper and his team of five outstanding friends debuting in the first wild west RTS game on PC. Desperados – Wanted Dead or Alive, combines a movie-like, storydriven atmosphere of an adventure-game with the intellectual challenge of a real time strategy tactic and infiltration game.
Set in New Mexico in 1881, in a time when the Bad really were bad and the Good did what they could, John Cooper and his posse have a job to do: haul in the train robbers – dead or alive.
Play the wild west game which will have you on the edge of your seat and using your wits and reflexes to see good triumph. Desperados is rated M15 by the OFLC for some scenes of mild violence. PC Authority recommends you read the readme file for complete gameplay instructions.


VANILLA BABY 1.0*


This handy app lets you capture and edit your home digital videos. Vanilla BABY lets you easily create Live and Ondemand video in real-time on your PC.


ACEBIT ACEBACKUP 2004 2.1.4*


AceBackup is a powerful tool to backup your data securely. It integrates with
Windows and lets you backup to local storage devices, across a
network, or even to an FTP server. If you like AceBackup, then why not try another program from the AceBIT range? To find more information on AceBIT’s
professional range of essential utilities, head to www.acebit.com


VCOM POWERDESK 6 LITE*


Need more control than Windows Explorer has to offer?
This is for you. PowerDesk is you one-stop high performance file manager.



NOVAPDF PROFESSIONAL*


The PDF format is one of the most
important document formats out
there. Create your own with this
handy piece of software.



*Online registration required

FREEWARE



  • EssentialPIM 1.6
  • FireTune 1.0.7
  • freeCommander 2005.09
  • IconDeveloper Free 1.2
  • Lookout 1.30
  • Media Catalog Studio Lite 4.3
  • NeoDownloader Lite 2.01
  • Parcel Tracker 1.6
  • Portello 1.05.0030
  • Visualizer Photo Resize (Free version) 3.91
  • WebFormDesigner 1.1.4
  • Whats Running 2.1.1


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Back Issues

November, 2009
Issue: 144
November, 2009

October, 2009
Issue: 143
October, 2009

September, 2009
Issue: 142
September, 2009

August, 2009
Issue: 141
August, 2009

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