Source: PC World – June 2004
PC World was one of the longest running and most successful “PC” magazines. PC in this context generally referring to IBM PC compatibles, DOS, and Windows. In 2004, that meant mostly coverage of computers running Windows XP. The June 2004 issue includes:
Ultimate PC Protection
- Bigger Threats, Better Defense – A look at the latest in security software including the latest firewalls, antivirus, anti-spyware and antispam. According to PC World, the best such products at the time were Trend Micro PC-cillin Internet Security 2004, Zone Labs ZoneAlarm Pro 4.5, Lavasoft Ad-aware 6 Plus, Spybot Search & Destroy, and Cloudmark SpamNet.
- Spam-Proof Your In-Box – A review of nine different antispam tools. Products included are Aladdin Systems SpamCatcher 3.01, Audiotrieve InBoxer 1.1, Cloudmark SpamNet, Lyris Technologies MailShield 3.11, Network Associates McAfee SpamKiller 5.0, Panda Software Platinum Internet Security, Sunbelt Software IHateSpam 4 for Outlook, Symantec Norton AntiSpam 2004, and Trend Micro PC-cillin Internet Security 2004.
Features
- Who Knew Your…{PC, Software, Camera, Printer, Network, Drive, Handheld}…Could Do That – Various hints and tips for your PC and peripheral gadgets. Hints include using a wireless printer server, plugging your digital camera into a slide show display, using your notebook screen as a desktop monitor, cataloging your CDs and DVDs automatically, and more.
- DV Stars – A look at the latest digital camcorders. Most were MiniDV but there were also recordable DVD models. Units reviewed include the Canon ZR80, Canon ZR90, JVC GR-D72US, Panasonic PV-DV73, Panasonic PV-DV73, Panasonic PV-DV953 (Best Buy), Sharp VL-Z800U, Sony DCR-DVD300, Sony DCR-HC20 (Best Buy), and Sony DCR-IP1 MicroMV.
- Is E-Voting Safe – Here they were referring to computerized voting machines vs. something like internet voting. Still a question being asked today.
Top 100
- Spotlight: Wireless Mice and Keyboards – A comparison of two top wireless keyboard and mouse combos including the DiNovo Media Desktop and the Microsoft Basic Wireless Optical Desktop. Plus a look at the Logitech Cordless Click Plus Optical Mouse and a bunch of other wireless input devices.
- Top 15 Desktop PCs – The top “power system” PC was the ABS Ultimate M5-64 featuring a 2.2 GHz Athlon 64 3400+, 1 GB RAM, and a 256MB ATI Radeon 9800XT for $2319. The top “value system” was the Dell Dimension 4600 featuring a 2.8 GHz Pentium 4, 512 MB RAM, and a 128MB nVidia GeForce FX 5200 for $1089.
- Top 15 Notebook PCs – The top “desktop replacement” was the HP Compaq Nc6000 featuring a 1.6 GHz Pentium M and 512 MB RAM. The top “all-purpose” notebook was the IBM ThinkPad R50 featuring a Pentium M 1.4 GHz and 512 MB. The Top “ultraportable” was the Toshiba Portege M100 featuring a 1.2 GHz Pentium M and 256 MB RAM.
- Top 10 Inkjet Printers – At the top of the list month is the HP Deskjet 5150.
- Top 10 DVD Drives – Optical drives used to be such a big deal, now it is hard to find pre-built PCs with them (though they are still around). The top DVD/RW drive listed here is the Plextor PX-708A.
- Top 5 Graphics Boards – The top 5 from top to bottom are the MSI FX5900 XT-VTD128, Asus Radeon 9800XT, ATI All-In-Wonder 9600 XT, Crucial Technology Radeon 9800 Pro 128MB, and BFG Technologies Asylum GeForce FX 5950 Ultra.
- Top 10 Digital Cameras – At the top of the list is the Olympus C-5060 Wide Zoom for $649 featuring 5.1 megapixel resolution and a 32MB XD-Picture Card (plus a CompactFlash slot).
Departments
- Up Front – On the advantages of using Windows and OS X based systems.
- Letters – Letters from readers about offshore tech support, pop-ups, PC security, remembering passwords, printing on the cheap, how to fight spam and viruses, and more.
- Plugged In – AMD starts a campaign providing free hotspots. It was common at this time to have to pay for hot spot access at, for example, a Starbucks.
- Home Office – Fixes for common mistakes including tools for backing up your data and recovering deleted files.
- Bugs and Fixes – Updates for Outlook and MSN Messenger primarily to fight viruses.
- Full Disclosure – An early look at Microsoft’s next version of windows, code-named Longhorn which would eventually become Vista.
News & Trends
- Viruses Taret IM – Tips and tools to prevent the spread of viruses via IM clients.
- Intel Plays Name Game – Intel changes its naming scheme dropping the MHz from model names.
- New Cell Phones: Cool, Capable – Smartphones weren’t a thing yet. The latest and greatest cell phones included the Kyocera KOI, Siemens CX66, and the LG8000 among others.
- Tools to Find PC Data Faster – A look at search tools for Windows XP including Bloomba, DTSearch Desktop and X1.
- Laptop CPU for the Long Haul – A look at the Sharp Actius MM20, the first notebook to use the 1 GHz Efficeon TM8600 CPU from Transmeta.
- Ultrafast Wireless – A look at a new wi-fi standard referred to as Ultra Wide Band (UWB) or 802.15.3a with speeds up to 480mbps.
New Products
- Video Instant Messaging Software – A look at video chat software including Sight-Speed Video Messenger, Clique Video Messenger and Logitech’s VideoCall.
- Notebook – A review of the Inspiron XPS which includes a 3.4 GHz Pentium 4 Extreme Edition CPU, 128MB ATI Radeon 9700 graphics, 1GB RAM, a 60GB hard drive, and a 15.4-inch 1920 x 1200 screen for only $4349.
- Digital Camera – Reviews of the Canon PowerShot S500 Digital Elph and the Nikon D70 DSLR.
- Database Management Software – A review of FileMaker Pro 7.
- Video Transfer Device – A review of the Plextor ConvertX PX-M402U. It is an external device that converts analog video to digital via RCA or S-Video input.
Next Gear
- Build a Media-Savvy PC – A how-to guide for building a computer designed to handle TV, music and other multi-media. Examples are provided for a high-end version and a value version. The value version includes a 1.83 GHz Athlon XP 1500+, ATI All-In Wonder 9200, and 256 MB PC2700 (333 MHz) RAM while the high-end version includes a 3.4 GHz Pentium 4, 1GB PC4000 (500 MHz) DDR RAM, and an ATI All-In-Wonder 9800 Pro.
- HDTV Recorder – A review of LG’s LST-3410A HDTV Digital Video Recorder/Receiver, designed mostly to record HD broadcasts.
- Cellular GPS Service – Taken for granted today but if you wanted GPS navigation on your phone in 2004 it required special software and a subscription service/data plan and you had to make do with a tiny screen.
- Gadget Freak – Tips for the perfect home theater setup.
Here’s How
- Windows Tips – How to customize startup and shutdown of windows, including starting applications automatically and running maintenance tasks on shutdown.
- Hardware Tips – Tips on getting the right hard drive for your needs… Internal or external, SATA or PATA, size, etc.
- Step-By-Step – A guide for tuning up your Windows XP installation.
- Internet Tips – A guide for using America Online.
- Answer Line – Questions answered about moving data, settings, and apps to a new PC.
…and more!
