Storage keys: Not all are equal
Portable storage devices are edging out floppy disk drives as the technology of choice for moving large files from one end-user machine to another.Where disk media have set capacities, users with USB ports can share gigabytes worth of data using thumb-size devices. What's more, the latest USB key drives can install themselves automatically on systems running Microsoft Windows XP or Apple OS X. Plus, they're easier to use than CD burners and offer infinite reuse potential.
Black and white does all right
Did you ever stand in line twiddling your thumbs while someone ahead of you printed out a 400-page budget request? The GCN Lab has good news for you. The wait is getting shorter.
Power protectors
People on the downtown Washington office block that houses GCN recently lost hundreds of productive hours to a one-second power failure. People yelled and pulled their hair as their unsaved computer work vanished into the ether. Me? I didn't even notice. My work was protected by an uninterruptible power system.
Display devices: InFocus sheds new light on ease-of-use issues for projectors
Everything about the InFocus LP640 is designed to simplify presentations for the user. InFocus Corp. officials joke that the LCD projector was designed by the user.
Enterprise Application Software: For Web development projects, Studio MX is the stuff of dreams
Whether you're new to Web development or an old pro, Macromedia Studio MX 2004 can give you what you need.The latest version of Studio MX from Macromedia Inc. is among the most extensive Web development platforms available; any integrator working on a site redesign could benefit from this integrated toolset. It supports all major Web standards and accelerates development of interactive sites and Web applications.
Judges' Award: This portable is in a league of its own
Sometimes companies advance a product category by adding something new and exciting. Then there are companies like Psion TekLogix Inc. that create entire new categories.
Storage products: Exabyte leaps forward with autoloader backup
Given the choice, most systems administrators would have an autoloader system for network backup. But many remote offices can't afford such a robust system, so they're stuck with a single-drive backup tape that needs to be changed daily to keep important files safe.
Small-foot iMac has a lot of kick
The iMac all-in-one system with a 20-inch display is an amazing piece of hardware.Apple Computer Inc. invented the all-in-one way back in the days of the Mac Classic. A lot has changed since then, however.
Aces of space beat a full house
For most government workers, the most valuable piece of real estate is three or four square feet of space on their desks. Unfortunately, too much of that work area is hogged by a CRT monitor, keyboard, mouse and a CPU or two, not to mention a telephone and possibly a fax machine.
Microsoft adds privacy filter to Word
Microsoft Corp. has created a feature to let users scrub information from Word documents about who has touched them during their creation.<br>
Tiny DLPs are powerhouse image projectors
Presenters used to dream of tucking the equivalent of a small movie theater under their arm and walking to the next meeting.Today, LCD and digital-light-processing projectors make that fantasy a reality. As DLPs continue to gain on their larger and generally brighter LCD cousins, look for more presenters to pack ever-tinier projectors that deliver stunning images.
Linux plus XP equals'faster boots
Microsoft Windows XP users who get bored waiting for their computers to boot up could speed things along with future technology coming from InterVideo Inc.<br>
Size does matter in files
How many times have you tried to e-mail a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation only to have it bounce back because the message was too large for the recipient's e-mail gateway? It has happened to me more times than I can count.
Finally, an OCR app that doesn't disappoint
OmniPage Pro 14 represents a first for the GCN Lab'it's an optical character recognition program that works, and works well.It's been more than three years since the lab looked at OCR packages. The reason? They never measured up to our expectations. No application ever received a grade higher than C. And filled-in forms flummoxed every one.
Handheld devices get rugged
Intermec Technologies Corp. recently announced that its devices would add General Packet Radio Service and Global System for Mobile Communications capabilities.<br>
Win98 gets a reprieve
Microsoft Corp. extends the termination date for several operating systems.<br>
Desktop DNA takes migration personally
Cloning may be controversial in biology, but it's universally welcomed when migrating users to new systems and networks.
CrossEyes 3.0 opens eyes
Microsoft Word, the government's staple word processor, carries a lot of junk in the trunk.Although Microsoft Corp. has gone a long way toward making Word's internal workings more accessible, a lot of them are still invisible. This can be frustrating when a document misbehaves while a webmaster is trying to post a lot of material online. It can even prove embarrassing when Word documents are posted straight to the Web for public download.
2004: What's ahead for products
Innovations this year laid the groundwork for new technologies in 2004. Next year promises to be tumultuous, with all-out price wars in some sectors and the phase-out of formerly standard products.
IBM launches new servers
IBM Corp. has announced a new line of servers designed for scalability and reliability.<br>
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