Digital's latest and final notebook line hits a HiNote
Pros and cons: + Solid design, above-average performance and battery life – 7.4-pound weight GCNdex32 scores: Digital Gateway HiNote Solo 745 9100 Floating-point math 4.59 4.93 Integer math 7.95 7.77 Video 6.73 7.08 Small-file access 4.52 4.58 Large-file access 4.70 4.74 CD-ROM access 4.31 4.70
Like an la carte menu, today's system management tools
System management tools are the glue that keeps an enterprise network together. Whether for software distribution or capacity planning, these tools are what systems administrators rely on to manage the computers on the network and often the network itself. The network has become such an integral part of the work environment that many system management vendors have added some network management ability to their products. Network management vendors have begun including system management tools in their
LanRover Access Switch DPS has dual power supplies, cooling feature
The LanRover Access Switch DPS, a remote-access concentrator from Shiva Corp., of Bedford, Mass., will sell for the same $8,000 price as previous models. The Access Switch DPS has dual power supplies for fault tolerance and builds in cooling to lengthen component lifetimes. A 10/100-Mbps Ethernet card comes as standard. To manage the LanRover, Shiva includes a Java-based tool called the Shiva Configurator.
DropChute+ is quirky but useful for file exchange
Pros and cons: + Faster than e-mail for large files + Prevents needless file duplication – Requires Internet Explorer 4.0 for added security under Windows 9x Real-life requirements: Windows 9x or NT 4.0, 4M free on hard drive, modem or direct TCP/IP connection, Internet Explorer 4.0 or NT Service Pack 3 for high security
Packets can run, but they can't hide from EtherPeek
Pros and cons: + Easy to use, flexible + Comprehensive network analysis + Good filters and triggers Real-life requirements: 133-MHz or faster processor; Win9x, NT or Mac OS; Ethernet connection; up to 6M free on hard drive A good network sniffer need not set you back thousands of dollars.
A bit heavy to carry, Gateway's Solo 9100 performs well in file access
As screens and hard drives expand and draw more power from batteries, you expect some weight gain. But remember how awkward and heavy those old luggables were, and how little their 286 and 386 processors could do? We'll laugh at today's notebooks in another 10 years, too. The GCN Lab usually compares a notebook with others that have similar features. In this case it's a little difficult, as the Solo 9100 is a road-warrior notebook
Even with all that Jaz, StorPoint HD/4 storage tower has a short memory
The GCN Lab last year favorably reviewed a 1G Jaz drive [GCN, June 16, 1997, Page 35]. Now Axis has incorporated four of the Jaz drives into a single small tower for network access. This would be a good arrangement for small workgroups that share large volumes of geographic information system, computer-aided design or medical files. In environments that publish their electronic documents, the Axis tower could act as a depository for archival copies.
CD-ROM tower is faster with Windows 95 than with NT
When the GCN Lab previously tested SMS Data Products' Millenia CD-ROM tower, we encountered some performance and configuration problems. The new Millenia 700 has faster drives and a revamped communications module. Configuration problems were largely nonexistent this time around, but performance still lagged, especially under NT. Under Windows 95, programs can make direct calls to the disk hardware. Under NT, the operating system layer handles the calls.
Expect only beta versions of Windows NT 5.0 this year
Whether the Windows NT 5.0 operating system brings revolutionary change to the enterprise or not, Microsoft Corp.'s survival rides on it. That's one reason the OS won't be rushed to market before early 1999. With server clustering (see story, Page 31), NT Server and Workstation 5.0 will make or break client-server computing. Many government sites are delaying upgrades until they see NT 5.0.
$99 package can translate 25 languages with aplomb
One of Star Trek's most fascinating devices was the universal translator that let the crew communicate fluently with alien life forms. Many World Wide Web surfers today wish they had one for deciphering Web documents in different languages. Wouldn't it be handy to push a button on your PC and see a rough translation? Language Force's Universal Translator package makes it almost that easy.
Solar panels can juice up your notebook battery life
Off the grid doesn't necessarily mean out of luck. Say you're working at your notebook computer, with no electrical outlet nearby, when the low-battery light starts flashing. Just step to a sunny window or go outdoors, connect SunWize Technologies' Portable Energy System (PES) and keep working. One of the PES solar panels can extend notebook battery life as much as twofold.
Some work plans call for a double dose of NT 4.0 and Win95
As a GCN Lab reviewer, I wanted the efficiency and stability of Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 Workstation. I also needed the compatibility and device support of Windows 95. So I decided to have both. When we recently upgraded our lab technology, I installed a 300-MHz Pentium II computer with 128M RAM and an 8.4G hard drive--definitely the right configuration for a power user, developer, network administrator or reviewer.
Versatile video camera is smooth to use for MPEG video, JPEG images and audio
The GCN Lab got a chance to find out. Hitachi Home Electronics' MP-EG1A, the first MPEG camera on the market, can do compression and full-motion video capture in real time. Nicknamed the MPEGcam, it takes up to 20 minutes of MPEG video, 3,000 high-resolution Joint Photographic Experts Group images, or 1,000 images plus 10 seconds of MPEG audio.
LantraServer presents more remote-access options
Large enterprises have multiple access routes and platforms to consider. Small workgroup or departmental networks running Microsoft Windows NT or Unix present almost as many choices. The GCN Lab took a look at Stallion Technologies' LantraServer, a hardware-software combination that relies on Windows NT Server's Remote Access Server (RAS) module.
MaxSpeed takes new tack on thin-client networking
A thin-client, fat-server network ideally delivers PC ease of use and robustness as well as administrative and cost benefits. Citrix Systems Inc.'s WinFrame is probably the best-known software server for thin clients, but it's a bit much for a small office or workgroup. MaxSpeed Corp. is trying something different. Instead of connecting to a server through a network, the MaxSpeed client connects to the server through a specialized VGA card.
Visions Corp. changes the face of the PC security
Try Visionics Corp.'s FaceIt PC 3.0, which works with a digital video camera to secure a desktop computer against intruders. The GCN Lab staff members were skeptical at first. After all, OCR and voice recognition are still not mature technologies, and face recognition applications are greener still. FaceIt surprised us--pleasantly.
Norton's Uninstall Deluxe deals with pesky, misplaced apps
Microsoft Windows Dynamic Link Library files don't want to disappear, executable files can't be removed and links won't let go. All that misbehavior was supposed to cease under Microsoft Windows 95 and Windows NT, which have a Registry file that's like a Motor Vehicles Department for computer applications. When a Win95 or NT application is installed, it makes entries about itself in the Registry file so the operating system supposedly knows everything it needs to
Ricoh's CD-rewritable drive, the MF6200S, needs fine-tuning
That keeps practically every agency systems professional busy figuring out how to manage, distribute and archive the increasingly voluminous data. One method that won quick popularity is the compact disk. Given the hardware and recording media, anyone can publish a CD-ROM. You get an almost permanent archive, a distribution medium and secure storage, all wrapped into one.
Castelle's FaxPress is good for a 350-user office
Fax machines have changed from novelty to ubiquitous appliance to dinosaur in only a few years. They still do most of the transmitting, but fax modems and fax servers are clearly where fax is heading. The GCN Lab looked at the Castelle Inc. FaxPress 3500 network fax server, which can attach to Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 or Novell NetWare networks and deliver fax services to all network clients.
IrisPen 1.1a takes a stab at translating but disappoints -
Imagine waving a wand to translate documents from a foreign language and then paste the text into your favorite application. Imagine if the wand could teach you to speak and read that language. Sound too good to be true? You're right, it is. But the idea is great.
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