techsmart 65, feb 08, gadgets and goodies

8/14/2019 TechSmart 65, Feb 08, Gadgets and Goodies

1/17

ISSN 1726

FRE

^

SAs Largest Technology Magazine

smart

techTM

getting smart with technologyISSU

February

visit us online www.techsmart.co.za

GO GO GADGETS

GADGETS & GOODIES ISSUE

Win great prizes!


2/17

ebruary 2009 www.techsmart.co.za

Gadgets & Goodies

` b~

Copyright 2009. All rights reserved. No material, text or photographsmay be reproduced, copied or in any other way transmitted without thewritten consent of the publisher. Opinions expressed are not necessarilyhose of the publisher or of the editor. We recognise all trademarks andogos as the sole property of their respective owners. TechSmartshallnot be liable for any errors or for any actions i n reliance thereon. Allprices were correct at time of going to print.

Student PCIntel Celeron 430, 1.8GhzFoxconn 45CMX, V+A+L512MB DDR2 667 Mhz MEMORYSAMSUNG 160GB SATA2 HDDATX CASE DVD WRITERMultimedia Keyboard, optical mouse, speakers

Under R2000*

Student PC (Pentium)Esprimo Edition Desktop PCIntel Pentium 4 HT 3.2GHz512MB DDR2 53380GB SATA2 HDD DVD-ROM SATAMicrosoft Windows XP Pro1 year Carry-In Warranty

Under R3000*

Entrepreneur ServerINTEL SNOW HILL SERVER E2180S3200SHV - SNOW HILL SERVER BOARDDUO CORE E2180 - 2.0GHZ 1M 800FSB1GB DDR2 667 MEMORY (2 x 512)160GB SEAGATE SATA DVD/RW500W ATX CHASSIS

Under R5500*

The Technology PeopleNotebook PC Server Network Multimedia Upgrades

Call 076 584 6881

*Subject to availability. All Prices Ex VAT, E&OE, Terms and Conditions ApplyBackground image courtesy DreamWorks 2005. CMart Retail (Pty) Ltd All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2009.

www.cmart.co.za

q=qp~=q~Publisher

Smart Publishing cc

Business Manager

George Grobler > 083-460-0402

[email protected]

ExecutiveEditor

Suzanne Grobler > 083-742-6370

[email protected]

Advertising

Anelda Strauss > 083-748-3413

[email protected]

Writing this editorial leaves me withfeelings of both sadness andexcitement. Sadness, because after beingthe editor ofTechSmart Magazine for fiveyears, Im now moving away to work on anew publication Smart Publishing islaunching hence the excitement! I amleaving TechSmartin the very capablehands of Mike Joubert, one of ourfounding members, who will head up theeditorial team. Welcome back Mike, andcongrats!

In this issue we report back to you on some of the mostinnovative technologies showcased at the CES show in Vegas,Thomas (our online editor), tells us about some of LGs brandnew products unveiled to him on a trip to China earlier thisyear, and we look at some extremely funky gadgets for guysand goodies for girls.

We reviewed some fantastic products for your home (andbusiness), like the brand new MacBook Pro, a ThermaltakeHTPC and two brilliant LAN over powerline products. Keepwell, until we meet again... [ED]

Suzanne Grobler

sponsors the ThinkPad R400

Notebookthat TechSmart

Editor, Suzanne Grobler,

uses. Phone Lenovo

SA on:

Designer & Layout

Brett Wilson [BW]

Contributors

Andrew Gould [AG], Mike Joubert [MJ],

Thomas McKinnon [TM], Kirsty Melville

[KM], Linda Pretorius [LP]

Accounts & Subscriptions

Ronel Keet > 012-362-2732

[email protected]

Online Editor

Thomas McKinnon

[email protected]

011-911-2000

TechSmart Magazine 65

m`=e~~HP Paviliondv5-1030ei

Apple MacBook Pro

NComputingX550 DesktopVirtualisation Kit

Edimax 200mbpsHomeplug EthernetAdapter

18

20

21

21

jSony Ericsson G705

Thermaltake DH 101Home Theatre PC

GTS 2minLAN andVideo on Demand

p~Double Driver

Windows 7 Beta

22

24

30

30

25

m`=d~Mirrors Edge

c~

e=i

31

o~LettersSmart Celeb >Sureshnie Rider

Tech News

Sci News

The DIY Dude >Backlit USB Keyboard

Eco News

Web Time Wasters

NetSmart >Create your ownPersonal StartPages

4

6

8

9

26

27

28

29

`Win a set of two GTS2minLAN Devices

Win 1 of 3 MirrorsEdge PC games

25

31

Gadgets for Guys

Goodies for Girls

LG product insight

10

12

14


3/17

www.techsmart.co.zaebruary 2009

Dear TechSmart... TechSmart Magazine 65

i

Send your email to [email protected]

Write to us and win this great t itle sponsored by

Dear TechSmart,Long time back when I was just a young matric student,the world of computing became visible to me for the firsttime. I was blinded and could see neither hardware norsoftware at the time. It was like living in the dark ages;not knowing that there existed a universe, let aloneearth. However, once I discovered that computers andcomputing devices do exist; that was the start of my bestfriends headaches. I knew that he owned a computer andhence I retrieved a large amount of information from him,sucking his poor brain dry in the process. But my hungerfor computing knowledge would not be satisfied. I boughtmy first desktop computer three years later and my firstlaptop a year after the desktop the desktop waspurchased as a result of many TechSmart publications.(Research I conducted earlier was from TechSmartpublications but TechSmart wasnt even in magazineformat yet it was a l arge poster sized page foldednumerous times!) As the days pass by, my earliertechdumbness dies one day at a time.

Im now a mechanical engineer and cannot imagine mylife without a computer! Hence, thank you TechSmart foreducating the nation, especially me, at no costwhatsoever.

PS: Have you guys tested Windows Beta 7yet? What are your opinions? There aremixed feelings on the web, as to whenWindows 7 will be released. Any info on itsexact release date will be muchappreciated.

Sheraton Singh

Letter of the Month

Hi Sheraton. Thanks for your letter andcongrats on winning GTA IVfor PCcourtesy of Megarom Interactive. Read the answer tothe next letter for more info on Windows 7. [ED]

Hello TechSmart,I bought a laptop about a year ago and it came withWindows Vista Home. I got along with Windows XP justfine, but Vista is very frustrating. At work I heard thatthere is a new Windows available as a free upgrade. Doyou know anything about it?

Carlos Wilson (Sandton)

Hi Carlos. You must be talking about the new Windows 7Beta. It is currently available free to download up until 10February, but it is not something we would recommend forthe casual user. This copy is not yours to keep foreverthough, seeing that your download will expire on 1 August2009. Check out our article on p30. [MJ]

Hello Suzanne,I read your magazine regularly but I am a long way awayfrom being TechSmart yet. I use Outlook Express andthe other day I tried to open one of my .dbx files out ofinterest. Big mistake!! I was asked what program I wantedto open this file with. I could not see Outlook Express andI foolishly clicked on Word. I could not undo this and ofcourse all my .dbx files are opening in Word and garbled.My Outlook Express is working OK but I just want to undowhat I did. Is there anyone in your expert team who couldhelp me?

Grace

Hi Grace. This is not a huge problem at all. Windows hasjust associated the .dbx files (the files that store emaildata) with Word. You can right click on any .dbx file andclick on Open With. IfOutlookdoesnt appear on the list,you can then click on Browse, which takes you to ProgramFiles. Then open the Outlook Program Folder and click onmsimn.exe (Microsoft Internet Mail and News OutlookExpresss old name). The .dbx files will now be associatedwith Outlook Express. Make sure to check Always use theselected program to open this kind of file. [AG]


4/17

Would you say that youre TechSmart or, well,TechStupid?Im a little bit of both actually, because technology is evolvingso rapidly, it sometimes takes me a while to get familiar withall the new items. Im not too bad actually, I work at 5FM with

some of the worlds most advanced radio studio equipment,and its really given me the confidence to take on newtechnologies without fear.

What up coming projects do you have to look forward toin 2009?Im working on two TV show ideas that are pretty awesomeand I currently host a radio show on the SAA internationalradio channel. Im trying to get going on my bicycle that wasmy bday gift from last year, but because I fell off a stationerybike, balance is my big issue. Im also working on an excitingproject to present for the Gautrain. So Im a bit of a busybunny this year!

Sushi! Is there more to the nickname than the fact thatits derived from your own name?You know I owe Ian F and Sasha Martinengo for that name. It

just became a cool derivative from my full name. I also atesushi for the first time on air, after Koula dared me to. I guessI might be like those cool fashion sandwiches, Im calm andcomplex with a lot of colour in my life.

What was the last big tech purchase you made?I think the Apple Macbook and the iTouch. Other than that theXbox 360 Elite.

Considering it is 2009, is a Valentines e-card goodenough to earn a guy some brownie points? Or is thecardboard equivalent still worth more in your opinion?Im a bit old fashioned and I do like the cards, but I know itgets thrown away. Im huge into scrapbooking so Id rather go

for an awesome photo card. You know there are so manymore creative tech savvy ways of impressing a guy. With thebrilliant Adobe Photoshop, you could really compile a serioushot photo album, or even better, make a music video of yourfavourite memories to impress him. [Also check out our WebTime Wasters on how to make a photo video clip -ED].

How is 2009 going to be a better year than 2008 foryou?I know this is my year. I did some aura cleansing before Ikicked off the new year. Ive written down my goal andintention sheet, and I feel so energised in making it happen. Ifeel more positive and more driven, and I plan to make it2000 and Mine :)

For the full interview with Sushi go to www.techsmart.co.za.

Sureshnie Rider, who

can be heard on 5FM

on weekdays from

22:00 to 01:00, as

well as on Sashas

show weekdays from

09:00 to 12:00 as the

newsreader, is

driven by passion

and is determined to

make every second

count.

www.techsmart.co.za

p~=`Sureshnie Rider6


5/17

R295 R

4 PoHub M

For all your noteboo

All repairs done

in our workshop

Notebook Sales:

New | Pre-owned | DemoModels (New and used)

Peripheral Sales:

Chargers | New Batteries

Notebook Support:

Repairs | Upgrades

R

RR120

2 Fan C3 Fan Cooling Pad

inclvat

Laptop Chargers

R340 exclvat R1

Laptop

from

Specialists in Laptop

HP, Acer, Compaq, IBM, Dell, Fujitsu Siemens

Asus, Toshiba, Packard Bell, LG, Lenovo, Prol

Apple Mac, BenQ, Sahara, and many more

www.locanet.co.z

Office: 012-663-91

Terms and Condions apply. S

Product may vary from pic

without noce due to

Notebook pack

inclvat

from

250 000 seats in South Africar

hare thef a single PC with many users

powerhare thea single PC with many users

X550

New!

PC device

costs less

an half the

rice of a PC

No moving

parts that

can break

down

Uses

1 watt of

power

We did an IT survey and obtained numerous quotes, NComputing

me out on TOP Financial Director

y IT hassles are a thing of the past, with NComputing I only load

y software ONCE, security is not compromised, less risk of theft,

s heat & noise, reduced infrastructure costs. The benefits are

itless IT Manager

ectricity savings alone paid for my NComputing devices in less

an 3 years Finance Manager

eal for: Business, Public Access and Education

LL: 011 465-7952 or contact us on [email protected] information go to www.ncs.co.za

Helping hands

Big stars

According to a study in aFebruary issue ofScience,love-struck mosquitoes (Aedesaegypti) have to hit the right notesif they, well, want to get lucky.Scientists placed the little suckersin a contained area, recorded theirflight sounds as they flew pasteach other and then measuredtheir physiological responses whenthey heard the mating calls of potential partners. By adjustingthe resonance of their thoracic box they launch into a passion-ate single-pitch duet of around 1200Hz shortly before mating.This pitch is a perfect multiple of the two insects wing-beatfrequencies, tuned at about 400Hz and 600Hz for females andmales respectively. The scientists hope to use this finding todevelop a strategy for interfering with mosquitoes matingcycle, and so help control population growth of the pesky littlebugs. And you thought corny love songs were for the birds.

Just a silly love song

An extra pair of hands alwayscomes in handy, especiallywhen youre working with delicatestuff. Enter the microgrippers.Scientists report in a recent issueof theJournal of the AmericanChemical Society, that they havedeveloped tiny chemically powereddelivery tools that can movethings around on platforms assmall as microchips. It looks almost like a six-fingered metallichand, which, when open, is about as big as a grain of sand. Abit of acetic acid dropped on the gold-plated nickel palmcauses the fingers to close, while adding some hydrogenperoxide lets them relax. In a demonstration the teammanipulated the tools to pick up small glass beads and tubes,which were then moved elsewhere using a magnet. Since theydont need any external power source or wiring, the tools canbe really handy for working in small, convoluted spaces. Noexcuse for having butterfingers in the lab anymore.

Centuries after Galileo firstlooked up to the skies, thestars still baffle us. Now a group ofastronomers say in ScienceExpress that they may have the

answer to a longstanding mystery.Scientists always thought that starmass is limited to about 20 timesthat of our own sun; yet biggerstars are often seen. Stars grow byattracting gas and dust around them. The bigger it grows themore light it produces, which in turn creates an outwardradiation force. Beyond a critical mass, the outward forceoutweighs the inward attraction force, and so effectively blowsaway the stars building materials. Using a 3D computermodel the researchers showed that a system of disks andchannels exist around the star. This diverts the radiation forcesomewhat from the surrounding building materials to create aradiation shield. As the star rotates, unbalanced gravitationalpull lets particles clump together, and eventually the clumpsall stick to the star core. [LP]

www.techsmart.co.za

Titbits

p=k98 Titbits

q=k

This massive event sees manufacturers, developers, andsuppliers of consumer technology hardware, contenttechnology delivery systems and related products and servicesfrom over 140 countries converge on the gambling capital ofthe world, Vegas. TechSmartbrings you the best of the show.

Tech News Special: CESThe annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES), held by

the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) gives

manufacturers of the tech stuff we so crave a chance to

show off their wares to the public for the very first time.

Palm always seems to get ahead of thetechnology curve only to end up laggingso far behind that they either end up almostgoing bust or start a product line fromscratch. Well they chose the latter this time

round, unveiling the Palm Pre. The Pre wasthe big surprise at CES this year. Witheveryone on the look out for an iPhone killer,it seems Palm, the most unli kely contender,has done it. It looks very similar to the

iPhone and has (stolen) many of its features. But Palm ishardly a knock-off shop. They have given the Pre aslide-out QWERTY keyboard and a host of brilliant featuresthat make even the most hardcore iPhone users quake intheir boots.

Show Stealer

Gesture Controlled TVs

The remote control has given relief tocountless millions by avoiding thelaborious task of having to get up tochange the channel. But it seems that wehave become so lazy that if the remoteisnt literally an inch or two away, we dont bother to changethe channel at all. Thankfully both Toshiba and Hitachi haveshown prototype hand-gesture controlled TVs at CES this year.A small infrared camera watches the viewers hand movementsand translates those into commands. So waving yourhands could turn it on and a circularmovement could change the channel.

Sony Cybershot G3

The new Sony Cybershot G3 is now

Wi-Fi-enabled and features aweb browser. The 10.1 megapixel camera with 4GB ofonboard storage lets users, near a Wi-Fi connection,upload their videos and images straight to applicationslike Picassa, YouTube and Shutterfly. The G3 is availableright now in the US for about $500.

Sony Flexible OLED

Aflexible colour OLED (organic light-emitting diode) screen for ultra-portabledevices was shown by Sony. The ultra-thin,2.5" screen is produced on a 0.2mm thinsheet of plastic and can be bent (gently).The prototype shown by Sony has a resolution of 160 x 120pixels and only weighs 1.5g. But its not likely to appear inproducts for at least the next few years.

www.techsmart.co.za

Bright Ideas


6/17

Tel: (012) 666-9066

www.cme.co.za [email protected]

3.0" TFT

Plays MP3, WMA, WAV

audio format

Plays AVI, MP4, MPG,

MPEG video format

Integrated Li-Polymer

rechargeable battery

Eight kinds of EQ

TV out connection

Integrated FM and FM

recording

E&O. This offer holds while stocks last. All prices Inc179 Koedoe St, Wierda Park Mall, Shop no 4, Wierda Park

Panel PCSPanel or free standing LCD display

with touch and integrated PC. LCD

sizes from 3.5" to 19" and PC up to

Core2Duo. Rugged IP65 units for

factory automation use and

aesthetic units for office/banking/

advertising use. Talk to us about

your Panel PC needs.

Embedded PCS

M800: R2295

Display Type: 1.3" TFT Touch Screen, 128 x

160p 260,000 pixels

128MB Built-in Memory

Built-in speaker and microphone

Touch Screen and Handwriting Recognition

Internet: GPRS, WAP Supported.

Message: SMS and MMS. Support SMS

group sending

Call Time: About 180 minutes

Stand By: 150-300 hours

Navgo SY885 portable GPS navigator

Car Mounting bracket

Car charger

USB cable

User's manual in the SD card

DIGINAV 2008

Southern Africa Maps

MP3 PLAYER

WITH RADIO

MP4 PLAYER 2.8" TFT colour display Flat

touch pad

Integrated 1.3 megpixel

camera

Plays AVI, MP3, WMA, music

Plays MTV video function

Support game function

Built-in external speaker

Integrated mini SD card slot Built-in rechargeable

Lithium-ion battery

Plays music and radio. Text LCD. Peg type clip for

attaching to clothes.

ADVANCED MP3

1.8" graphic LCD display. Plays ph

music.

MP3 PLAYER WITH TOUCH

TO PURCHASE, CONTACT FUSION IT ON: 087 808 2235

TEL: 0861 11

M800 WATCH

DMP606: 8G-R980

Plays music only. Easy to operate. Peg

type clip for attaching to clothes.

BASIC

MP3

PLAYER

DMP101:1G-R150, 2G-R180, 4G-R250

NAVGO GPS WITH DIGINAV

SOFTWARE

NAVGO GPS: R 1895

CENTURION MICRO ELECTRONI

Talk to us if you need a

very small PC for a

special application.

Units from Thin Clients

to CoreDuo PCs are

available. Options are

too numerous to

mention here.

DMP322: 2G-R215, 4G-R275

DMP847: 4G-R700

DMP826: 2G-R275, 4G-

WANT TO BE A RESELLER? Email [email protected]

The SONIN measuring tool is theDIY guys best friend, as the DIYguy no longer needs a best friendto hold the other end of themeasuring tape for him. The SONINcalculates distance extremelyaccurately by using a type of Sonar.Essentially the SONIN sends outsome very high frequency soundwaves, which bounce off the wall andis received again by the device. Thetime taken to get back to the device is converted into thedistance between the walls. The SONIN includes built-incalculator functions to help you record and calculate areas andvolumes accurately.

R999 from The G.A.D.G.E.T. Shop on 012-346-2726.

WE BUILD COMPUTERS

SA LES

UPGRA DES

REPA IRS

COMPONENTS

CONSUMA BLES

Specials while stocks last, E & OE, only 1 per customer

R70

KINGSTON 2GIG

FLASH DRIVE

Menlyn Park Shopping Centre

Tel: 012 348 4000 email: [email protected]

Menlyn Retail Park Shopping CentreTel: 012 348 8212 Fax: 086 650 9096

Specialists in building customised

computers for home, business and gaming

UNDERSTANDING SERVICE

Feature TechSmart Magazine 65

d~=C=d

o many gadgets, so little time and money. In this, the

onth of love, we searched high and low to bring you

ome gadgets worthwhile to spend

ome quality time alone with.

If you dont want thehassle of carrying andcaring for a dSLR but stillwant quality pictures,then lay your hands onCanons PowerShot G10.It comes with a massive14.7 megapixels, a28mm wide-angle lenswith 5x optical zoom lensand Image Stabilizer, and all the manual functionality you canpretend youll use. It is also rugged so theoccasional drop wont make you cry like a girl.

Get it for R7604 from www.take2.co.za.

Whether youre a wannabe sportsstar or a real athlete, Oregon makea range of seriously good sports

watches, pedometers and heart ratemonitors. We really like the OutbreakerSailing Watch. For starters you can showit to women and they will probablyassume you have a yacht or at least acanoe. It features a digital compass, with abearing tracking system, altitude calculator,barometric pressure gauge, weather forecast andtemperature gauge. R1849 from The G.A.D.G.E.T. Shopon 012-346-2726 or www.thegadgetshop.co.za .

If you are a cyclist or runnerwho is very much into theGreen thing and consistentlyfind yourself with a dead phone,iPod or camera, then the HyMiniwas designed specifically foryou. Uniross, the makers of allthings rechargeable, havelaunched their HyMini windcharger, a lightweight handhelddevice which allows you to charge your cell phone, camera orMP3 player via wind power or its own internal lithium-ionpolymer rechargeable battery, which can be charged via USB,a conventional plug or wind power.

R799 from Uniross on 011-312-0016, www.uniross.com.

www.techsmart.co.zaebruary 2009

Not satisfied with your phones batterylife? With Adapts Portable Emergencyhargers your frantic search for either yourharger or a power plug is finally over.heir ADP-1800 (R400) andDP-3600 (R520) are meant tocharge cellphones while thegger ADP-13200 (R1200) cancharge notebooks too. TheDP-3600 and ADP-1800 are charged

a your notebook or PC. Fully chargede ADP-3600 can provide an iPhoneth talk time of up to 16 hours

nd audio playback of up to 48ours. They are perfect to leave inour car or notebook bag in case ofmergency. Bye-bye badattery life.

Get the Adapt range from PDAShop on861-627-911.

dapt Portable Emergency Chargers

Canon PowerShot G10

Oregon Sailing Watch

Multi Measure Combo Pro

HyMini Wind Charger


7/17

Pleo, a one week-old baby Camarasaurusdinosaur, is a robotic marvel and the newestmember of your family! Pleo interacts with

you - moving organically, expressing emotion,autonomously exploring and responding tothe world around him. Pleo

can hear, see, sensetouch, and detect objects.

Pleo Dinosaur

R1599

Duel Pepper pistol

Forget pepper spray

use a Pepper Pistol to ensureyour security. Simple and

reliable, this is the ultimatepepper protection effective up to 40m.

The

R3999

VinTek Wine Thermometer

www.thegadgetshop.co.za

CamBall DVR Cam

Prices may change without notice due to Rand Dollar fluctuationsTel: (012) 346 2726

Email: [email protected]

Inside this golf ball size bal

activated camera and DVR. images at 30 FPS with aresolution of 320x240 and

can be used in variousapplications such asvehicle security, ports,

personal security oranything theuser can

dream up.

www.thegadgetshop.co.za

The Kestrel

4000 PocketWeather Meteris the first in the

next generationof Kestrel

Meters. It has allthe wind andweather

monitoringfunctionsavailable with

the Kestrel 3500Wind Meter, plus the distinct advantage ofdata storage, graphing functions, and

computer interface technology.

Kestrel 3000

Kestrel 4000

The NeoCube isan entertainmentdevice like noother in theworld. It iscomposed of 216individual high-energy rare-earthmagnets. This allowsyou to create andrecreate an outrageousnumber of shapes andpatterns.

Neocube

VALENTINES SPECIALS

With one of the mostpowerful infrared illuminat

onto the commercial markeable to hook up to a televisior monitor for an

incredibleobservationexperience.

Digital Night Visio

R

Tired of losing your keys,

those peskyremote controls,or your wallet?

Why not savetime looking forlost things, and

lose the stressinstead?

R269

R169

Keyfinder set

R499

Kestrel 4100

Kestrel 4500 R4549

R2999

R3899

R1849

R1049

Kestrel Wind Meters

Kestrel 1000

Never again lose the flavour or bouquet of

your wine by serving it at the wrongtemperature! Using advanced infrared

technology, VinTemp tells you the precisetemperature of the wine

inside the bottle, withoutpopping the cork. R369

Keyfinder

R199

Keep scoreon your key

ring with theamazing

Strokesaver.This

innovativefoursome

stroke countercomes in an elegant

aluminium gift box.

Golf Stroke Saver

Keyfinder - Wallet

2,8cm x

2,8cm x 2,8cm

R3149

Feature TechSmart Magazine 65

Video games andcooking do not blendwell. Unless you have aNintendo DS and PersonalTrainer: Cooking. Withmore than 245 recipesfrom over 40 countriesyou are sure to findsomething for even the

most discerning palette,or your boyfriend.Pictures and videos willshows all you need toknow, plus there is no

eed to get your sweet little DS grubby with your dirtyands just say turn page and the DS does the rest. Nigellaat your heart out.

Get it for R365.54 from www.have2have.co.za.

ersonal Trainer: Cooking for Nintendo DS

Acer One Netbook

VinTemp Wine Thermometer

T3 SecurityKey

Amazon Kindle

Omron HJ-151 Hip Pedometer for Aerobic Activity

If youre serious about your aerobics the OmronHJ-151 should be your weapon of choice. Sli pthis pedometer on your hip and let it countyour steps, during the day and at the gym. Itdisplays your regular steps and steps taken ata moderate pace separately, plus it also showsthe amount of calories burned and calculatesthe distance travelled. It also helps with makingdinner and washing up. Not!Get it for R440 from www.wantitall.co.za.

Paperbacks, who really needs them?Especially if you have R6658 lyingaround to buy the Amazon Kindle. TheKindle takes paperless to the next levelby storing all your Amazon boughtebooks onboard and having them readyto read before you can say Bill Bryson.The LCD screen displays the text just like areal book would, except of course for the

odd dog ear. Great to read in bed, but wewouldnt necessarily take it to the beach.

R6658 from www.wantitall.co.za.

www.techsmart.co.za

Alternatively email [email protected] for more info.

Contact Thinus on 071 375 6080 or visit our website for details

www.goingwireless.co.za

- Networking solutions

- Webhosting from

R15R15 per month*per month*

We also provide

Free assessment,

signal testing and quote

in the convenience of

your home

* Terms & Conditions Apply

per month*

Wireless Internetfrom R49Wireless Internetfrom R49

adgets have been for a long time now no longer

he exclusive domain of men. A fact which

ebsites like Shiny Shiny (shinyshiny.tv) can

ttest to. So whats a girl to get with her hard

arned money? TechSmart investigates.

Your favourite bottle of wineon Valentines day might nottaste like much if not served at the righttemperature. Be cunning and invest in a VinTemp winethermometer. All you have to do is place the VinTemp againstthe side of the bottle and press the button. Usinginfrared technology the VinTemp will calculate and display theexact temperature of the wine. The outside panel of theVinTemp will also give you the optimal serving temperature ofthe wine of your choice.

R369 from The G.A.D.G.E.T. Shop on 012-346-2726 orwww.thegadgetshop.co.za .

Some information is not forsharing. To keep your dataprivate you need the T3 Secu-rityKey. This small little dongleplugs into any USB port andallows you to create a datavault much like a folder, in which confidential data isencrypted and kept secure. Get the T3 for R649 (includes 12months global theft insurance) from Holton & Associates on011-789-6181.

d~=C=d

ebruary 2009

Notebooks as if carrying a purse isntenough. Well the slug is over thanks topetite netbooks, last years big thing. Acerslatest netbook, the One, weighs in at amere 1.26kg, and comes equipped with512MB RAM, a good 120GB of hard disk

space and Wi-Fi. The Acers ace up its sleeveis its built-in 3G, so no need for a separate

modem. The One comes in a range of colours, ofwhich at least one will match your favourite

lipstick. From R6100 with upgrade options available.www.acer.co.za


8/17

Eliminate driver

dishonesty andvehicle misuse

Get these measurabl

benefits immediately

You can set up your own custom

reports and maps to provide th

informaon you require to effe

manage your enre transport

Re

Tel: 011-4

info@act

Track one or mulple vehicles

simultaneously in real me on

maps and via Google Earth

Increased fleet efficiency

Reduced transport costs

Increased customer service

Enhanced vehicle and load security

Easy to use, fully guaranteed

The AV-580 system uses the latest GPS a

technology to provide you with an effici

effecve soluon that runs on any Wind

computer system. Our superior sowar

system lets you establish full control ov

your transport system.

www.activ.co

Install an Active Vision AV-580 GPS

management and tracking system f

R995 (excl VAT) with affordable mo

service fees.WIRELESS INTERNETService Provider

As best known independent

RELESS INTERNET CONNECTION

e are the one stop

y GOGGA Connect:No more land lines needed to surf the NetOnly pay for the data used and NOT the time onlineSAVE more than 20 times your normal dial-up costs

GGA Connect Benefits:We specialise in packets smaller than 500MB - withery competitive prices

National coverage (if you have a VODACOM signal,ou can surf)

GREAT monthly specialsNO Hidden costs

DPA, 3G, EDGE and even GPRS

odems available to suit your pocket

mpany with all inclusive packages,

nverting dial-up users to Wireless Internet

Call Center Tel: 08600 GOGGA (46442)Email: [email protected]

Website: www.goggaconnect.co.zaTerms & Conditions apply

AFFORDABLE WEBHOSTING

Graphic Design Support

Content Services

DIY Online Administration

Unlimited Mail

d~=C=d

The annual Consumer Electronics Show held in Las

Vegas, USA is arguably the premiere electronics show

on the planet. We were understandably rather

disappointed when we were unable to attend this year.

Worry not however; we were still able to get the scoop

on some of 2009s most exciting consumer

technologies, albeit on the other side of the planet.

LG product insight:Success at CES 2009

15

could be considered a major consumer draw card; all four inconcert spell a serious technological advantage.

We can expect to see many of these new sets as early asMay this year.

Smartphones

In the mobile space LG look set toraise the ante with the quality oftheir handsets over the next year.LG handsets have historically beencriticised for poor build qualityand/or a lack of functionality.

The LG Dare seeks to set therecord straight with its 3" touchscreen, impressive new conceptUser Interface with full drag-and-drop functionality, 3.2 megapixelcamera and HTML Web browsingfeatures. In fact, the Dare washonoured with the CES 2009 Bestof Innovations Award for cellularphones.

LG also have a few Androidphones (Adam and Eve), the

worlds first Windows Mobile 7handset and the LG Monaco with a

built-in Pico projector on the cards for release later this year.

Network Attached

Storage

Another of LGsimpressiveproducts due to bereleased in 2009, isNAS or NetworkAttached Storage.Although networkattached storage isnot a new concept,LGs NAS is the firstto be released with aBlu-ray Rewriter. Thiswill allow users toback up largeamounts of data toBlu-ray discs. The devicealso has the option to mountup to four hard drives, each with amaximum capacity of 1TB.

While fears, and the realities, of a global recession confrontus all it is promising that companies such as LG are still

investing heavily in R&D. Their new range of productscertainly suggest as much, with some remarkable newconsumer technologies andinnovations coming fromtheir labs. Other products tokeep in mind are their soonto be released Venus hometheatre systemfollowing on from thesuccesses of theChampagne range, as wellas their new high endnotebooks including the LGP510 which will be releasedwith an Intel Core 2 DuoT9800 processor.

www.techsmart.co.za

14

In January we were invited to join LG Electronics on theirMiddle East and Africa Marketing Conference held in Macau,China. Macau is fittingly described as the Vegas of the east andhas its very own intoxicating strip, the Cotai Strip.

While enjoying the thrills and spills of the Cotai Strip wewere most taken by the sights and sounds of LGs new 2009

product range. With an emphasis on Advanced Technology,Beautifully Hidden LGs range of new products seek to meetthe needs of the discerning consumer. And considering that LGreceived no less than 14 CES 2009 Innovations Awards,including the coveted CES 2009 Best of Innovations honoursin the wireless handset and home appliancescategories; the scene was set for ourvery own petite-CES2009.

High Definition Television

In the HDTV space LG look set to be ahead of the game overthe coming year. Many of its new premium sets feature FullHD 1080p via Uncompressed Wireless Transmission from amedia box, TruMotion 240Hz frequency, LED backlighting with

Local Dimming and a2000000:1 DynamicContrast Ratio.

The star of the show wasmost certainly LGs LH95which is also incidentally theworlds thinnest LED LCD TVat 24.8mm. Any one ofthese product innovations

d~=C=d

www.techsmart.co.za


9/17


10/17

Notebooks TechSmart Magazine 65

m`=e~~

good, as well it should be,this is the type of notebook

for users with a lot ofcomputing (or

gaming) to do. Itseems thatnotebookscreens are setto keep getting

better and better.

Every time we see one ofthese screens we have toremark that: This is probablythe best screen theyve comeout with so far. The 15.4"diagonal WSXGA+ high-definition HP BrightViewwidescreen display (1680 x1050) is truly superb and apleasure to work with, in alllighting conditions.

The dv5 also sports the

requisite amount of ports andinputs that youd expect froma consumer notebook, withthe addition of some youprobably wont find on yourrun-of-the-mill notebook.There are: 3 USB 2.0 ports, 1eSATA port/USB portExpressCard/54 slot, 1 HDMI1.3 connector, 5-in-1 multi-

card reader, microphone in, 2headphone/audio out ports, 1Expansion Port 3 DockingStation Connector, 1 LAN portand 1 VGA out. Get it forR10 785 (incl VAT) fromwww.hpshop.co.za.

HP offers a range of AMDand Intel processors with thedv5 models. Intel models areavailable from ComputerCorporation on 08616-08616.

The dv5 (dv5z) is the latest 15" notebook to come out of the HP

production line and it is right up there getting stuck in with the

competition. The dv5 features an AMD dual-core processor, some very

exciting graphics and a plethora of reasons to make you want one.

ts

easysee why

ou might wantne of these, justy having a glimpse ate specs. Ours (the

030ei) has an AMD 1.9GHzhlon X2 Dual-Coreocessor, 2GB RAM, ATIobility Radeon HD 3450raphics and 120GB SATAard disk. So there is not

reallyan awful lot

to sneeze athere.

On the design side ofthings HP has gone for a verymuch improved silver finishand an almost black lacquer-like feel to the lid. Thechassis build-quality is very

HP Pavilion dv5-1030ei Entertainment Notebook

Simply Screenalicous


11/17

Notebooks TechSmart Magazine 65

m`=e~~

date (we admit,begrudgingly). Asmall point on theconstruction thatis actually ratherannoying; theedges where yourwrists rest when typing areall sharp corners so after

typing for a while your armsstart to feel like theyve beenhit with a steel ruler a few toomany times.

The Pro comes in twostandard configurations, butwe tested the 2.4GHz IntelCore 2 Duo version and theperformance is excellent. Andapparently performance willbe even better when Appleeventually release their new

owards the end of last year Apple said that they were

bout to launch a brand new MacBook Pro, featuring an

l-new unibody aluminium construction and tapered

des, similar to those of the MacBook Air. We here at

he TechSmart office can, however, smell the hype a

ile away, so our skeptic-radar went on full alert .

pple MacBook Pro

When Hype is Right

But when the fabled 15"version of theacBook Pro finally arrived,e could do nothing otheran say: Sorry that we ever

oubted you, Apple. Peopleved about the old one ande just expected a fewcremental improvements,

ut the Apple design teamave done a sweepingumber of brilliant

mprovements on the Pro.The entire housing is

achined from a solid billetaluminium, allowing for affer, more durablenstruction. The new designalso very good looking,obably the best looking

otebook we have seen to

version ofOS X, as theMacBook Pro hardware hasactually been optimised to

run with software that has yetto hit the market.Probably the stand-out

feature of the new Pro is theglass trackpad, which makesdoing even basic scrolling,paging and zooming tasks areal pleasure. The trackpaduses the same type ofmulti-touch gestures that youfind on the iPhone. Wethought this was probably

more a gimmick thananything else, but we werevery wrong. Other

manufacturers will definitelybe scrambling to getsomething like this in theirmachines ASAP. The onlyquestion you do have to askyourself is: Do I really seemyself spending at leastR24 000 on a notebook?Well, do you?

If you do, call ComputerCorporation on 08616-08616for more info.

PC screen,keyboard and mouse

(all sold separately). All youstill need to do before otherscan start working is to set-upeach of the user accountswith the included vSpacesoftware. And there you have

it one PC turned into six.The X550 DesktopVirtualisation Kit is perfectfor small businesses, schoolsand Internet cafes, and it isalso an energy saver witheach access devicerunning at 1 watt per user.

Get it for R6828 (inclVAT) per set. Phone NCSolutions on 011-465-7952for more info.

For somethingso useful itsure has acomplexname. Sowhatexactly doesNComputingsX550 kit do? Well themost important thing is thatthe X550 kit can turn one PCinto six (up to 11 if you usetwo PCI-cards). How? Wellwhen you purchase the X550kit you receive a five-portPCI-card and five XD2 accessdevices. The PCI-card goes

into your existing PC. The PCmust constist of at least a2.4GHz processor and1024MB of RAM. This isimportant because this PCwill provide all the processingpower (and storage) to theother machines.

Once that is done you canconnect the access devices toyour main PC. Each accessdevice in turn connects to a

Terminal 21

www.techsmart.co.za

Ethernetm`=e~~

If youve ever tried to set up alocal area network for yourhome or office, you know it canbe a lengthy process.

Laying the Ethernet cablesis one thing, but trying to makethem neat and tidy is quiteanother. And what happens ifthere is another device onemonth down the road thatneeds connecting?

Edimaxs powerLineEthernet adapters are thethinking mans LAN solution toall these problems. It works byutilising the existing electrical

wiring in your home or office,thereby eliminating unsightly cabling.

For example, if you want to connect your Internet router toanother computer situated on the top floor, both have to havean Edimax homeplug Ethernet adapter plugged into a powersocket close to them and be connected to this adapter via theincluded Ethernet cables.

As simple as this, your device will show up on the network.Also included is software that will help you secure the

network and check the data rate quality of each connection.R2209 (incl VAT) for two Edimax homeplug Ethernet

adapters, from Miro Distribution on 086-123-6476.

Edimax 200mbps Homeplug Ethernet Adapter

LAN with a plan

m`=e~~

NComputing X550 Desktop Virtualisation Kit

How to turn 1 into 6


12/17

Available funconality:

Watch TV

Pause live TV

The HTPC can be fully integrated with your current DSTV decoder

The HTPC can be connected to any exisng home theatre receiver

Listen to your favourite FM radio staons

Time slip funcon with Windows Media Center

Record directly to your hard drive or DVD

Listen to you favourite music in 5.1 surround sound

Watch DivX movies in 5.1 surround sound Watch DVD in 5.1 surround sound

Browse the Internet and check your email

All in the comfort of your living room using only one device

What is an HTPC:

A Home Theatre PC (HTPC) or media PC is a convergence device

that combines the funcons of a personal computer and a digital

video recorder. It is connected to a television or a television-

sized computer display and is oen used as a digital photo,

music, video player, receiver and digital video recorder.

Home Theatre atyour fingerps

Phone: 083-709-9913 / 086-727-7899 Fax: 086-632-6303 Email:jean@ma

www.maraboei

The DH 101 that we tested camewith Windows Vista Ultimate,although Vista Premium and Linux systems

are also available. Inside youll find a 2GHzIntel Pentium Dual Core CPU E2180, 1GB RAM and

a 250GB hard drive (which is plenty of space to storeall of your pictures, movies and songs). It is HD compatibleand comes standard with an HDMI connection. Add to thispretty simple operation seeing that its really just like using anormal PC. The only really time consuming part is setting upall the wires.

Onboard youll find a CD/DVD RW drive, so not only canyou watch CDs and DVDs (rendering your current DVD playerunnecessary), but you can also burn both DVDs and CDs. Youcan also plug your 5.1 surround sound system directly intothe DH 101. The fact that it can also record your favourite TVprograms is one of the major benefits of the system. All youhave to do is set the channel, date and time the recordingshould take place. It also has two USB ports into which youcan plug your removable storage devices.

The DH 101 comes with the option ofiMEDIANsoftware.iMEDIANis a media centre which manages all multimediafiles and devices in your PC. With iMEDIANyou can use aniMON VFD remote control (included with DH 101) which willallow you to manage all the controls and settings from yourcouch. Alternatively you can use the HyperMedia Centre orthe Windows Media Centre software to organise all yourmultimedia files. Unfortunately with these programmes, youwont be able to use the remote for this.

Not only is the DH 101 ultra functional, its also verystylish and will add a real touch of class to any lounge. It haspiano mirror coating with an aluminium front panel design.

The very useful Media LAB LCD display rounds it offincredibly well.

Could home entertainment get any easier? We dont thinkso and thats why the Thermaltake DH 101 comes highlyrecommended.

You can contact Maraboe Information Technology Serviceson 083-709-9913/ 086-632-6303 or alternately you can sendan email to [email protected] to find out more abouttheir range of Media PCs.

e=i22 Multimedia

Thermaltake DH 101 Home Theatre PC

Simplifying your lifeThermaltakes DH 101 iHome Theatre PC combines many

or all components of a home theatre setup into one box.

It is basically a mix between a PC, a digital video

recorder and and a digital media player. So its designed

to make your life a whole lot easier and your lounge a lot

less cluttered.

www.techsmart.co.za

uality demo and refurbished laptops,

omputers, components, peripherals at a

acon of the cost.

MicroStarASSET RECOVERY MANAGEMENT

WWW.MICROSTAR.CO.ZA

R2995

ELL P4 COMPUTERS WITH

INDOWS XP PRO

CENCE INCLUDED from

R1695

Johannesburg: No 24, 14th St, Marlboro North, Sandton

Tel: 011-444-8533 / 087-805-7413

Potchefstroom: No 20, Owens Ave

Tel: 018-294-4382 / 087-805-9740

Cell: 082-318-3419 Email: [email protected]

Terms and conditions apply. All prices include VAT.

ELL CENTRINOAPTOPS WITH WINDOWS

P PRO LICENCE

NCLUDED from

eal for: all businesses and Trainingntres, Manufacturing, Internet Kiosks.

wide selection of brands available

VARIETY OF NEW LAPTOPS IS ALSO

AVAILABLE from as little as R4495Specialists in laptop repairs


13/17

We feel that mathat offer onboaaGPS should pronavigation softwmaps. Otherwishighly recommeseparate GPS u

SE managedof functionality without it growicomplex. We beG705 will set th

which all miphone

For a phone that is not asmartphone SonyEricssons (SE) G705 slidersure packs a lot of punch.Apart from the usualfunctionality it includes twofeatures that you will not findin many mid-rangephones Wi-Fi and aGPS.

Unlike regular GPS units,aGPS makes use also ofGPRS technology for alocation fix. The WayfinderNavigatorsoftware isgreat in assisting youwith turn-by-turnnavigation, butthe downside isthat you onlyreceive a trialversiononboard (69for 12 months or8.99 for one monthafter that for SouthAfricans). It feels a bit likeextortion to pay to use thefunctionality of your phone.

emarketing.sabest.co.za | [email protected] | 0860 SABEST(722378)

Products Search Engine Optimization Search Engine Marketing Facebook Marketing

SABest will help to make your website standout above the rest. Give us a call on0860 SABEST (722378)and we will arrangefor a consultant to visit you and discuss howyour website should be working for you.

Contact us on 079 501 9074 or on [email protected]

R1990 for a set of 2 devices, incl usive ofVAT, postage and packaging

No cabling needed - It works

over your electricity!

Super fast speed - 200Mbps!

Plug in and out anywhere in

your home!

vanced features including IP traffic priorisaon

network segmentaon

P HD TV ready!

Digital lifestyle TechSmart Magazine 65 e=i

package purchased (R1990)you receive two Ethernetadapters. Say for exampleyou want to connect the PCin your study to a printersituated in another room:What you need to do is plugone Ethernet adapter into thewall socket closest to yourprinter and connect it to theprinter via the includedEthernet cable. The otheradapter goes to the socketclosest to your PC, alsoconnecting it to your PC viaEthernet cable. And that is it.A LAN with no hassle or fuss.The same applies if you want

to link VoIP phones, securitycameras or a PC to a router.

For more information on2minLAN, call GTS on079-501-9074, or [email protected].

Video on Demand

Apart from the 2minLAN,GTS will also offer one of

TS 2minLAN and Video on Demand

Living the digital way

What is the easiest way tofit your home or officeth a fast and secure

etwork? One that does notvolve trying to lay meterscable from one point toe next? Welcome to theorld of GTS 2minLAN. By

ilising Power Lineommunication (PLC), theminLAN transmits your datarough your home or offices

xisting wiring via the powerockets.

Its not as complicated asou think. To betternderstand the workings auick breakdown of how apical set-up will look like isorder. With each 2minLAN

the first video on demand(VOD) offerings to SouthAfricans. VOD enables you todownload the latest moviesvia the Internet directly to amedia player device (whichcan be connected via a2minLAN). The movies canthen be watched on your TVat any time you want.Subscription to this serviceincludes 200 movies whichcan be viewed at noadditional charge this

catalogue is increased everymonth. It does not includeconnection to the Internet,but if you are connected tothe Net via GTS own net-works, downloads are free.Otherwise you would have topay for local broadbandusage.

You can search for filmsvia genre, title, actor ordirector, and once youve

made your choice the moviewill start downloading.Download speed of coursedepends on the type ofInternet connection youhave, but on the GTSnetwork you are looking atabout 30 minutes per movie.

Movies can either be rentedor purchased outright, withrented movies onlyremaining in your mediaplayer for a set amount oftime once youve pressedplay.

If you are not on the GTSnetwork yet and areinterested in the future VODoffering, contact GTS [email protected].

HOW TO ENTER

Send your name, surname, suburb and age [email protected] with GTS in thesubject line or enter on www.techsmart.co.za

Competition runs from 1 28 February 2009

WIN A SET OF TWO GTS 2MINLAN

DEVICES TO THE VALUE OF R1990

Courtesy of

Cellphones

j

Sony Ericsson G705

Expect a lot for


14/17

Titb

b=kTechSmart Magazine 65

Coca-Cola recentlyannounced thatthey will add 185more hybrid deliverytrucks to their current140-odd strong hybrid

fleet to deliver the Brrrr across North America this year. Thetrucks are equipped with a motor/generator and a set oflithium-ion batteries to power the vehicle when travelling up to60km/h. This reportedly reduces fuel consumption andassociated carbon emissions by up to 30%, compared toconventional trucks.

For those, especially in big European and American cities,

who have switched to electric cars, parking and chargingseems to be a bit of aproblem. In a (money-making?) effort to ease thepain and promote easyswitch-over, the national carpark provider in the UKlaunched a campaign toauction 50 charging bays inLondon last month. Thehighest bidder will beawarded use of a charging

Its a new year and it

looks like the green

wheels are ready to

roll in 2009.

Beware the charge of the electric cbay close to home or office for a year. Were not extra 50 available parking bays will really get youover, but it could just make your neighbours, uhmenvy in trend-crazy London. Every little bit helps.

If you thought electric cars all look like Postmtop speed of just more than 30km/h, think againBenz unveiled its BlueZERO electric concept car aMotor Show in January. It looks really spiffy and average 100kW and about 180Nm. You can choothree green models: battery-powered, battery/incombustion engine hybrid, or hydrogen fueled, woption allowing up to 600 guilt-free kilometres. Thopes to have some in production by 2010. [LP]

Backlit USB Keyboard26 q=afv=a

USB (Universal Serial Bus) is truly a marvellous thing.

What makes the USB standard so clever is that it

combines both the communication channel for a

device as well as the power that it needs to run. So

in effect any USB port is both a port (like a serial

port or parallel port) and a power socket. That is

why a USB mouse doesnt need batteries. It gets

power directly from the port.

HOW TO: Make Your Very Own Backlit USB Keyboard

www.techsmart.co.za

Knowing what I know about USB I decided to build my own backlit USB keyboard.Backlighting is great for low light conditions, andit looks hardcore too.

What you need: A keyboard A USB cable or old USB device you can take the

cable from

LEDs (Get about 50 x 3mm ones if you can,rated at about 1.7 V)

Some resistors (depending on the voltage ofyour LEDs)

Now I could just have bought a USB keyboard(which you could do), but I found an old PS/2connector type keyboard and an old USBmug-warmer that would make the perfect USBexperiment.

The first thing you need to do is to carefully stripout the USB cable from whatever device it camefrom. Make sure to note which wires in the maincable housing are for power and which are for data.

Now strip down the keyboard. This usuallymeans turning it upside down and removing about12 screws. Now carefully remove the back panelfrom the keyboard, ensuring not to spill thecontents all over the floor. You will probably findthat your keyboard, like mine, has a rubber matwith little bubbles that the keys depress when youpress them. These bubbles then press down on asensitive printed circuit board that executes thecommands you enter. Now carefully press out allthe keys, so that you are left with just the shell ofthe keyboard.

The next thing to do is to carefully mark outwhere you are going to place all your LEDS. Planyour layout so that you can tape all the wires downneatly in between the key spaces (unlike mine,which is a mess of wires). Once you have decided

the proper spacing, drill 3mm holes through theshell. Now glue your LEDS in place usingsuper-glue. I made a configuration of two LEDS inparallel with a resistor inbetween each, in order touse the 5V source from the USB port. I soldered allthe pairs together and then hooked them all up inseries so that each pair would now use the same5V source. I also had to hook up thecommunication wires from the old PS/2 connectorto those of the USB connector.

I tested it out and it worked first time. I thenconcluded that it was a miracle as nothing like thishas ever worked first time. All that was left was tocarefully tape down all the wires from the LEDSand carefully put it all back together again. [AG]


15/17

Websitkp~ TechSmart Magazine 65

What exactly are personal, orpersonalised start pages? Personalisedstart pages are a rapidly growing, and some-what competitive web phenomenon. The ad-vent of Web 2.0 brought with it a lot of promise in terms ofweb interactiveness (if thats even a real word), andpersonal start pages are now starting to lead this charge. Sowhat are they really? For the most part theyre homepageswhere you can put a lot of your most often used webinformation, gadgets and widgets all in one place. Things suchas your email, news feeds youre interested in, your favouriteradio station, notes, weather, Facebook info, the list goes on.The point being though that you have all of this stuff of yoursgathered in one place, on one website, instead of spread acrossa dozen. The nice part is that being web-based you get thesame experience of your information from any browser. The

biggest difference between this and old-style portals (thinkYahoo! or Hotmail from a while ago) is that you canpersonalise your start page to a much greater degree. You havemany more options in terms of what you can put on your startpage, it is far more interactive and it is almost certainly muchmore useful with the gadgets and widgets you can add in. Ontop of all of this functionality, superb quality Ajaxdevelopment is making more of these sites very similar to adesktop-type experience.

In todays much cluttered online world, the need for adecent start page is undeniable. For me the ability topersonalise and customise my own space saves me plenty of

time and hassle a lmost every day. These Ajax-bapages, with their drag-and-drop interfaces, are veuse, intuitive, customisable web pages, allowing ywith the latest news and add interactive content. few clicks you can add new news feeds, mail inboets, and then still drag your content around the plike how it looks. In some ways start pages are thsuccessors to the old-style portals, but they haveinto the real mainstream. However the promotionplayers like iGoogle and the presence of MyYahooget the concept more popular. Lets check out somones out there. You might find one that really wo

Netvibes www.netvibes.comNetvibes is a definite leader in this area. Usabibeen a big factor in its design and the interfacethought out, and clean.

Pageflakes www.pageflakes.comThese guys also have a great site. Getting set easy, with just three steps, and yet it is highly

Favoor www.favoor.comThis site is easily the visual pick of the bunch. start page is beautifully designed. Its not so stto setup, but once thats done, its a great prod

Protopage www.protopage.comThe interface on this site is really neat. Its perpractical as some of the others, but the drag-ainterface and sticky notes (think Post-its) are g

MyYahoo & iGoogle http://my.yahoo.cowww.google.com/igYahoo and Google are the big players in this these sites the interfaces are pretty plain, bothsimple to use, work well, and get the job done

If you have any questions or queries drop me a [email protected].

Create your own Personal Start Pages

Written by Lance Terner, a 12-year Internetindustry veteran and Chief Executive ofBranded Internet listed as one of SAs Top50 ICTe Companies 2005/6 + 2006/7.

www.techsmart.co.za

www.animoto.com

Animoto.com is a webapplication that createsMTV-style videos with the clickof a button.

You just choose a song anda bunch of your own images.Animoto then automaticallygenerates a unique video forthem. No two videos are everthe same.

Many of the post-productiontechniques that the foundersused while working asproducers for MTV and ComedyCentral, are used in Animotosartificial intelligence engine. The result is a video, containing the visual energy of amusic video and the emotional impact of a movie trailer.

This is the perfect way to compile your millions of Facebook photos intosomething people will actually watch.

www.gadgetblog.co.uk

Yes its the 143rd best gadgetwebsite in the world,allegedly. Gadget Blogs creatorsays: Gadget Blog is theresult of me being addicted toweird and wonderful thingssince I was knee high to agrasshopper. Suffice to say, Iwas the kid you sat next to atschool who desperately wantedhis Sea Monkeys to ridebicycles and live in sea castleswhen they grew up.

Although its unlikely youllever see sea monkeys riding bicycles on this guys blog, you will see all the lateststuff gadget-wise, presented in a fun and irreverent fashion.

www.internetshout.com

InternetShout is the worldsfirst purpose built voice-based discussion and socialforum.

No longer will Internetusers need to communicate intext without expression andfeeling. With InternetShouteveryone can have an onlinediscussion with others acrossthe world. InternetShout allowsdiscussions between anunlimited number of people,worldwide, on any subject, allwith complete voice-based communication.

Just like a standard forum, you can create new threads (conversations) andpost to existing conversations or Shouts, but you can record your post directly onthe website and listen to other Shouts / Posts instantly with CD-quality streamingaudio.

Websites

f28

February Web Time Wasters


16/17

AFFORDABLE WEBHO

HOME AND SCHOOL FEBRUARY NETS

Ideal for:- dial-up upgrade- small bundles that other ISPs cannot pr- outlying areas- buy online, quick & easy

Call Center Tel: 08600 GOGGA (4Email: [email protected]

Website: www.goggaconnect.cTerms & Conditions apply All prices i

WIRELESS INTEService

SAs best known inde

YOUR ONE STOP, NOWIRELESS INTERNET PR

Netsurf 150First month subscription data flat rate. Thus in and o

price per MB will be the same for that months usage

R 119.00pm 150MBIn BundleOut of BuUsually







The games plot is fairly obvious asyour cop sister has been framed forthe murder of a high ranking official and

you are the only one who can help her.Fight or flight? You use all your skill as

a traceuses, to evade your pursuersand uncover the information that will

set your sister free.Mirrors Edge can most readily be

described as an action platformer as youperform numerous jumps, grabs andslides in combination, often requiringtrial-and-error patience, to overcomevarious urban obstacles. The game ishowever unique in the perspective itoffers, as you play in first person. The PCversion is superior to console versions

for two reasons; it is always easier to play a first person gamewith a mouse and the graphics are far superior provided youhave PhysX support. The implementation of PhysX in MirrorsEdge is excellent with far more realistic character interactionwith the surrounding environment. Effects such as Faith,shattering glass or causing a flag to flutter as she breezes pastare superb.

The games best features are its beat-your-record races andlevel speed runs, with both modes featuring onlineleaderboards, ensuring hours of intense competition. This ismore than can be said for its extremely short campaign mode,offering perhaps six hours of play.

Living life on the fringes of

a totalitarian society you, Faith, are a

Runner. Delivering sensitive packages via

the network of rooftops that define your

gleaming sterile city, you are skilled in the art

of displacement; Pakour.

Mirrors Edge

I can fly, oh sh...

Courtesy OF ELECTRONIC ARTS

WIN 1 OF 3 MIRRORS EDGE PC GAMES

Send your name, surname, suburb and age [email protected] with edge in thesubject line or enter on www.techsmart.co.za

Competition runs from 128 February 2009

HOW TO ENTER

Action 31

m`=d~

Publisher & Developer: UbisoftPublisher: Electronic ArtsDistributor: EA Games www.ea.co.za

www.techsmart.co.za

talking points is the new taskbar.It is jazzed up thanks to nice bigicons and contains both your

already running applications, andprograms that are available to launch. Ifyou own a Mac you pretty much knowwhat were talking about here. Overallthe feeling is that Windows 7is exactlywhat Windows Vista should have been.

Windows 7is available to downloaduntil 10 February. But if you think yourein for a free upgrade think again, yourdownloaded version will expire on 1August 2009.

Microsoft Windows 7 Beta

Like Vista should have

Every so often a problem is so vexingit becomes necessary to takeextreme corrective action. Whether yourPC is suffering from missing dll errors,rampant viruses or just a non-responsive disposition you will probablyhave to format it at some point in yourrelationship.

If youre anything like us youveprobably misplaced the machinesmotherboard CD, and are therefore in abit of a jam.

To solve this problem weturn to one of our readers,Raymond Robinson, and hismore than useful list of Must

Have freeware. One of thelisted applications wasDouble Driver, a Windowsutility, which allows you toidentify all the driversinstalled on your system andbetter still to backup,restore, save and print thedetails of those drivers.

The app also boasts anextremely user friendlyinterface allowing you to

Double Driver

Double for nothing

Freeware l Operating System

p~30

organise your drivers by version, name,date, publisher etc.

Backing up your drivers is anincredibly simple process once theyvebeen identified, you simply select thedesired drivers and click the Backupbutton on the main toolbar and thenselect your desired destination and itsdone. Restoring the drivers is as simple;making this one of the most useful appsweve come across.

Get it from www.boozet.org/dd.htm.

www.techsmart.co.za

The general opinion on MicrosoftsWindows Vista operating system isthat its a bit like a vacuum cleaner,meaning it sucks. So what to do to getback some of that good old lovin?Release a new version in record time.Windows 7has been available for publicbeta download since January, andfeedback on it is very positive.

This new version seems to performmuch faster than Vista and is also lesshardware intensive. One of the main


17/17

ADSL optionsADSL 3GB

ADSL 5GB

ADSL 7GB

ADSL 10GB

ADSL 15GB

R179 per month

R299 per month

R419 per month

R599 per month

R899 per month

per GB

Hosting options

RELOADED

R15.00

All Webonlines hosting packages include the following features:

- South African or US Servers - Plesk Control Panel - Data Backups

- FrontPage Server Extensions - Telephonic and Email support - And more

- Spam Filtering - Virus Scanning

Linux Starter Hosting

Windows Starter Hosting

Linux Econo Hosting

Dedicated Server Hosting

FOR WINDOWS

Powered by

P L E S K

All services are subject to terms and conditions.E & OE All d t d k th

R59.67

pm

from

Dont have an ADSL line yet?

Don't worry, call us to find out how to order one.

Please note: Our prices listed here exclude line rental.

R15 per month

R45 per month

R49 per month

R1536 per month

Powered by

P L E S K

For full details visit www.webonline.biz or call us on 0861-666-555

Design by Smart Ideas www.smart-ideas.co.za

techsmart 65, feb 08, gadgets and goodies

Documents