Que serra, Serra?
by: Rich Castagna
At start-up, Database Designer's Express menu pops up with four choices: Design New Database, Design Database Using Template, Import or Attach Database, Select Tutorial and Demonstration. You'd better want to do one of these, because if you Alt+Tab to another application the Express menu won't go away. You can't move or minimize it. You just have to mouse your way around it or go back to Database Designer and toggle it off.
The program's premise is interesting. Data dabblers can build a relational database using English sentences to describe the information they want to include. Sounds great, but the program doesn't live up to its promise. It's hampered by poor prompts, an unintuitive interface and--ostensibly for simplification, but with the opposite effect--it uses its own jargon instead of familiar terms.
I tried the text-heavy tutorial. I read through it and then clicked on one of the large buttons on the bottom, but the program directed me first to Analyze the database.
I didn't even know I had a database. The tutorial was downhill from there.
I returned to the ubiquitous Express menu and tried to create a database. I used three sentences to describe an application with files for customers, inventory and orders. Database Designer recognized many of the fields in my narrative and created two of the three files I was expecting. Close, but not exactly what I had in mind.
The program continually sent me back to the text editor to refine my descriptions until I found the right word choice to generate all three files. Next, I tried to set the relationships among the files. It didn't work. I was tersely instructed to look at a graphic illustration of my files and to "Fix the problem in the text editor." A half-dozen or so attempts later, I decided to start from scratch.
My new attempts were just as fruitless. I typed, "Order has product, customer, quantity. Inventory has product, price, description." Once again, I was remanded to the editor.
I recomposed my descriptions several times, managed to get by the cryptic messages and was tossed onto a screen with tabs for Forms and Queries. Both tabs led me into Wonderlands that Alice never dreamed of.
Stuggling with the rudimentary form designer, I realized that if I had started with Approach or Access--or any of a half-dozen other end-user database programs--I'd probably be entering data by now.
SerraCorp has some neat ideas. Now if it can just translate them into practical tools.
-- Info File --
Database Designer 2.0
Price: $350
Disk Space: 4MB
System Resources: 15%
RAM: 4MB
SerraCorp
216-673-7399, fax 216-677-8002
Pen Pores Over Pages, Picks Up Phrases
by: James E. Powell
The pen is mightier than the scanner--unless it's the DataPen. In that case, the pen is the scanner.
The text-recognition device looks like an oversized pen and weighs 2.7 ounces, excluding its battery pack with four AAA cells. It connects to your parallel and keyboard ports using a splitter that lets it share the latter's jack with your keyboard.
DataPen is a versatile input device that's especially useful when you are scanning small pieces of information.
You press the pen against a document and drag it across the page. When you lift it at the end of a line, DataPen interprets the text and places it either in the current application or on the clipboard.
In my tests, the OCR accuracy rate was about 85 percent scanning one line in about three seconds. Accuracy improved when the document was on a perfectly flat surface.
You can further improve accuracy by using DataPen's "training" mode. After training, scanning accuracy jumped to about 95 percent. DataPen recognizes a variety of fonts and 12 languages.
-- Info File --
Primax DataPen
Price: $299
Primax Electronics
800-338-3693, 408-364-2800.
Mouse Merges Multiple Methods
by: Hailey Lynne McKeefry
Trackball? Mouse? This is no longer an either/or question. The Mouse Systems ProAgio has the outline of a traditional mouse with a roller added to the middle of the unit for scrolling.
The 400dpi mouse packs in functionality with four buttons and a roller. The side button lets you toggle between open documents or running applications while the roller lets you scroll down the active window. Using the side button and the roller together replaces the Alt+Tab command. The middle button pops up the Windows Task List, while the right and left buttons provide conventional functions.
The Smart Scrollbars feature lets you position the cursor over a scroll bar and use the roller to move the scroll bar box. PowerScroll locks scrolling so you don't have to continuously roll the roller. You can also change the cursor, adjust the speed, reverse the roller direction and assign new button functions. You can assign mouse or applications specific functions to each button on the ProAgio.
I've remained neutral in the mouse/trackball debate because I want it all. Although it took me several days to get used to the ProAgio and kick the habit of turning to keyboard shortcuts, in the end this device provided me my favorite functions of both trackball and mouse. It considerably speeded certain actions like switching applications and scrolling. If you're still straddling the mouse-or-trackball fence, here's a fine way to take advantage of the best of both worlds.
-- Info File --
Mouse Systems ProAgio
Price: $59.95
Mouse Systems Corp.
800-886-MICE, 510-656-1117
Designer Docs for Dabblers
by: Hailey Lynne McKeefry
The medium might not be the message, but it can help get your point across. With Design Portfolio 2.0, wordsmiths can turn out text without layout and design worries.
Design Portfolio installs itself in the Tools menu of Microsoft Word or WordPerfect. With a simple menu pick, you can create fax cover letters, letterhead, brochures, labels and invoices from the comfort of your word processor.
When you select Design Portfolio, the program prompts you to opt for the Document Gallery or Design Sets. The Gallery lists document types from business forms and newsletters to calendars and certificates. Design Sets provides 14 sets of 11 different business documents, including letterheads, brochures and business cards. I was able to view either one or six designs at a time. There are 250 documents to choose from. You can print the designs on plain paper or preprinted stationery from vendors such as Paper Direct, OnPaper and NEBS.
After choosing a document type, I was prompted to enter some necessary information. I started with a newsletter, so I was asked for a title, a volume number and a date. Design Portfolio then formatted and dropped that information into the document. Next, I cut and pasted my text where I wanted it.
Each design has suggested fonts and formats, but I was able to use any of the included 35 fonts. The Seek-n-View browser let me preview by category the program's 150 clip art images. You can also link your own clip art to the browser's categories. One nifty feature is the draft mode. If you're using preprinted paper, draft mode will print the design "ghosted in" so that you can do your test printing on plain paper.
Without knowing much about formats or design, I was able to create good-looking documents with Design Portfolio's templates. The graphically gifted may find the program's preformatted designs restrictive but the artistically challenged can quickly produce a suitable medium for their message.
-- Info File --
Design Portfolio 2.0
Price: $89.95
Streetwise Software
800-743-6765, 310-829-7827.
A Practical PCMCIA Modem
by: James E. Powell
Laptop users can enjoy the speed of a 28.8Kbps modem with the Practical Peripherals ProClass 288 PCMCIA fax modem with EZ-Port. This type II PCMCIA card plugs into your laptop and supports the V.34 or V. Fast standards, as well as most other usual protocols. Its pop-out RJ-11 port--the standard type of port used for plugging in modular phone cable--is sturdy, and the modem provides Group 3 fax capabilities at 14.4Kbps and supports Class 1 and 2 fax standards.
Plug the modem into a Type II PCMCIA slot, pop out the EZ-Port, hook up the phone line, and you're up and running. The PC288T2-EZ provides telephone calling card tone (bong) detection, Caller ID and distinctive ring detection. It uses flash memory (for future feature updates) and a 16550 buffered UART. Its auto-idle mode reduces battery power when the modem is not in use. According to Practical Peripherals, it draws 250mA when operating but drops to 5mA when in sleep mode. The modem is backed by a five-year limited warranty and seven-day-a-week technical support staff, so there's no reason you'll ever be out of touch. It includes QuickLink II and WinFax Lite software. That's a lot of punch to pack into a small and lightweight PCMCIA card, but Practical Peripherals has done it.
-- Info File --
Practical Peripherals ProClass 288 PCMCIA with EZ-Port
Price: $459
Practical Peripherals
805-497-4774, fax 805-374-7200
Princeton Pursues Value Line
by: James E. Powell
Old-timers will remember Princeton Graphic Systems as an early player in the field of EGA and VGA monitors. After spending a few years on the sidelines, Princeton's back with a new line of value-priced monitors, dubbed the Ultra line. The multifrequency Ultra has a nonglare etched, anti-static coated, flat square tube with Invar shadow mask and 0.28mm dot pitch. I tested a 17-inch preproduction model. It gave bright, clear images without a hint of flicker. With noninterlaced resolutions up to 1280x1024 and refresh rates up to 76Hz at 1024x768, the Ultra 17 performed flawlessly.
The unit has knobs for controlling brightness and contrast. Digital controls hidden behind a fold-down flap let you adjust horizontal and vertical position and size. The unit also has a manual degaussing switch. A pincushion control also adjusts barrel distortion, and a tilt control lets you rotate the image if it's not exactly square with the monitor's sides.
You can choose from 16 preset modes (size, position and so on) or set eight of your own, then recall them using the same controls. Unlike other products in its class, the Ultra 17 has no on-screen display of settings.
Monitors in the Ultra line meet or exceed the EPA's Energy Star and MPR II guidelines for power savings and low electromagnetic and static emissions. The Ultra 15 and 17 are also compatible with VESA's Display Power Management Signaling (DPMS) for reduced power consumption.
--Info File--
Princeton Graphics Ultra 17
Price: $659
Princeton Graphic Systems
800-747-6249, 714-751-8405
Tailor Made Motorists' Maps
by: Rich Castagna
When the rubber hits the road, you'd better know where you're headed. Travel Planner CD sends you in the right direction and points out roadside attractions along the way.
Travel Planner CD creates an itinerary for trips anywhere in North America. It has maps of the United States, Canada and Mexico that you can click on to get information about hotels, air travel, car rentals and attractions.
This app stays true to its CD-based multimedia roots with audio help and videos that highlight states, cities and attractions.
To create an itinerary, indicate your starting point, where you want to end up and the places you'd like to pass through en route. The program's database holds nearly 150,000 cities and towns, accounting for all U.S. zip codes. You can enter all or part of a city name and the two-letter state abbreviation. If you type part of a name, a list pops up with choices that match the letters you typed.
You tell the program how fast you want to drive on various types of roads (you can shave seven hours off a New York-to-Miami trip by driving 80mph instead of 55!). You pick a route type, too: quickest (by time), shortest (distance) or preferred. With preferred, you adjust slide controls from "favor" to "avoid" for different types of roads.
After describing your route, press Calculate and the program displays your itinerary along with a map that highlights your route. The itinerary is quite detailed, with road names and distances for each leg of your trip. Travel Planner CD shows each junction in the journey with mileage and elapsed time.
A text browser displays information about restaurants, landmarks and other attractions. A large icon on the opening screen offers lists of hotels, airlines and car rental agencies.
Most help windows show the screen you're working on, and you can click on the areas for which you need help. If you don't want to read, click on audio help to listen to instructions.
Travel Planner CD's performance is very good--map redraws are quick and itineraries are churned out lickety-split.
-- Info File --
Travel Planner CD
Price: $19.95
Disk Space: 1.5MB
System Resources: 7%
RAM: 4MB (8MB recommended)
Expert Software
800-759-2562, 305-567-9990
Born to Communicate on the Run
by: Karen Strauss
Whether you're a road warrior or a stay-at-home, the WinMAX PCMCIA Combo Card may be just what your notebook needs. The card combines a data/fax modem with an Ethernet interface card.
The credit card-sized WinMAX is a 19.2Kbps modem that doesn't have its own microprocessor. Instead, it uses your PC's processor. It also uses the PC's parallel port instead of slower serial ports and offers large built-in data buffers.
The WinMAX is a V.32bis/ turbo modem, designed by AT&T Microelectronics. It performed adequately with a PPP Internet connection and routine faxing. And the built-in Ethernet lets you connect directly to your network. The Novell Netware setup was automatic and painless.
A Windows application walks you through the installation process. The Setup program features a utility that determines which COM port to use, checks IRQs and I/O addresses, and installs the Novell drivers in your AUTOEXEC.BAT.
The power management features will save your notebook battery. Designed to use less than one watt in operation, the WinMAX drops down to a meager one milliamp when it's idle.
-- Info File --
Data Race WinMAX PCMCIA Combo Card
Price: $249
Data Race
800-329-7223, 210-558-1900
Easy on Your Eyes--and Wallet
by: James Alan Miller
If your wallet is a little thin, shopping for a good-sized monitor can give you the chills. But NEC's latest entry in its value series, the MultiSync XV17, should warm your heart.
Targeted at entry-level business users, this monitor has a price, quality image and on-screen controls that add up to excellent value.
You access the controls from a front-mounted button. Press it, and the On-Screen Manager (OSM) appears with a list of functions. AccuColor furnishes five preset color temperatures and lets you adjust red, green and blue individually. Two geometry options, basic and advanced, are next. You also adjust image position and size, display mode, language, vertical linearity, degauss, reset and factory preset. You can even set the spot on the screen where OSM pops up and how long it should linger while it's idle.
The XV17 supports a maximum recommended resolution of 1024x768 at 76Hz and has a 0.28mm dot pitch. It turned in a very good performance when measured by Sonera Technologies' DiplayMate focus and resolution tests. It did show some moire patterns and misconvergence, with no controls to make adjustments. Also, the actual image size is only 15.5 inches--somewhat small for a 17-inch monitor--and the screen's reflectivity could be a problem for some users.
The monitor meets the Swedish MPRII and the VESA DPMS standards. The XV17 is Plug-and-Play compatible.
NEC's MultiSync XV17 bright screen, superior on-screen controls and low price make it a true bargain.
--Info File--
NEC MultiSync XV17
Price: $799 (street)
NEC Technologies
800-NEC-INFO, 708-860-9500
The Envelope, Please
by: James E. Powell
You can use Stationery Store to create custom stationery, envelopes and greeting cards, but hang onto the quick-print shop's phone number. Although the program aims for both the business and home markets, it falls short for professional applications.
For example, the envelopes it creates are printed on standard paper that you have to cut and glue together. A glue stick is included, but few professionals are likely to want to assemble their own envelopes.
You begin a new card or letter by selecting from a list offering graphics previews. The previews can't be zoomed, which is a problem since many of them are so small it's hard to see their contents. After you make a selection, a work area opens. That's where you add your text and additional graphics.
You'll find a mail-merge database in which you can store mailing information in the address and custom fields. Creating the mail-merge document was easy, but selecting the names to merge with it was tedious. You have to select names from the database one at a time. You can't select all names containing a specific word in a custom field; you can find records only by last name or company.
Stationery Store has other problems, too. The user guide says you can run the program from the CD-ROM. That feature wasn't available in the copy I tested, though it's promised for a future version. You can only enter text in predefined areas that have fixed sizes. And, at times, the mouse pointer changes to a box that reads "Next Hero" for no apparent reason.
The program's printed output was good on both an HP LaserJet Series II and a Canon BJC-600. But Stationery Store's tools are far too limited to be practical for most businesses. This is a low-priced, low-powered program with few redeeming features.
-- Info File --
Stationery Store 1.0
Price: CD-ROM, $59, diskette, $39
Disk Space Required: 22MB
System Resources: 14%
RAM: 4MB (8MB recommended)
DogByte Development
800-3-DOGBYTE, 213-296-3891
Slick Notebook Keeps Going and Going and Going ...
by: Janice J. Chen
The Dell Latitude 475C has saved me from the in-flight-boredom blues. On a recent New York-to-San Francisco round-trip, its excellent battery options let me catch up on my e-mail, write a few memos and still have enough juice to play Solitaire, instead of watching Legends of the Fall for the fourth time.
Priced at $2,599, the Latitude is a good value. The unit I tested had a 75MHz Intel 486DX4 processor, 8MB of RAM, a 9.5-inch DSTN passive-matrix screen and a 340MB hard disk. You can remove the floppy disk drive and replace it with an optional extra NiMH battery to extend on-the-road computing time.
Dell designed the Latitude's utilities suite especially for mobile users. The Control Center includes excellent power management controls, along with system security settings and wakeup/resume setup. You can quickly check how much battery life you have left with a glance at the Battery Status Gauge. I worked for more than three hours with power management disabled.
The machine measures about 10.5 by 8.5 by 1.75 inches and weighs just 6 pounds. But the Latitude is no lightweight when it comes to processing power. On WINDOWS Magazine's Wintune tests, the Latitude's CPU scored an impressive 40.5 MIPS and 8.3 MFLOPS on the floating-point test. The display system scored 2.67 million pixels per second and the hard-disk transfer rate was 5.65MB per second.
-- Info File --
Dell Latitude 475C
Price: $2,599 (direct)
Dell Computer Corp.
800-613-3355, 512-338-4400
Silents Are Golden
by: Jonathan Blackwood
Back in 1988 I bought my first laser printer, an NEC Silentwriter. I like to think that old reliable is still chugging out pages for someone. I was reminded of its solid construction as I unpacked the new Silentwriter SuperScript 660i. Though it's a tiny fraction of its ancestor's size and weight, its construction and thoughtful details show its heritage.
This 600dpi, 6ppm laser printer uses the Intel 960i RISC processor and comes with 2MB of RAM, upgradable to 34MB using standard SIMMs. A GDI printer, the 660i ties into Windows' Graphics Device Interface to print images. Its PCL 5e support ensures full compatibility with apps all the way back to your prehistoric DOS applications.
The printer's output looks terrific, with sharp text and deep blacks. But it's the on-screen printer setup and status application that makes it a pleasure to use. Thanks to its bidirectional parallel interface, the 660i reports printer problems, such as paper jams or out-of-paper situations, to you in Windows. It's the way Macs have worked for some time, and while NEC isn't the first to employ either GDI printing or bidirectional parallel communication, these are nice implementations.
Combine that with a straight paper path for envelopes, a PostScript option, 35 built-in Intellifonts and 10 TrueType fonts, a competitive price and a two-year parts and labor warranty, and you have a winner.
-- Info File --
NEC Silentwrite SuperScript 660i
Price: $799 (street)
NEC Technologies
800-NEC-Info, 508-264-8000