If you are finding it increasingly difficult to manage all your computer files on a Windows PC, then Ontrack’s (www.ontrack.co.uk) new PowerDesk Pro 5 might be what you are looking for. The software, which costs £25, allows you to organise your files easily and quickly – something which can take ages using the standard Windows Explorer. One handy feature for those who make use of digital cameras is the ability to change the names of files which usually have a camera-generated name into something meaningful. Rather than doing it one at a go, the software allows it to be done in batches. Another feature is the ability to put notes next to files, so you can remember what is in each file without having to open it.
Flextech’s SceneOne (www.sceneone.co.uk) entertainment site is set to close down. It is still online but has not been updated for more than a week.
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Ireland.com, the online site from The Irish Times, is to become a paid-for site. While basic services such as news headlines are likely to remain free, the bulk of its content will be charged for. The move follows that of The Times and FT.com, which have both announced that their sites will no longer be provided for free. It seems as if it is mainly the broadsheets that are introducing charging for access, while no tabloid has yet to reveal truly its plans to become a paid-for site. Ireland.com hasn’t revealed what it plans to charge and is in the process of still seeking feedback from its users regarding the switch from totally free.
With mobile phone networks charging an average of 10p to send a text message, there is one way of sending your messages at much cheaper rates – in fact it’s free. Websites such as Genie (www.genie.co.uk) and Tiscali (www.tiscali.co.uk) will allow you to set up a free account and, as part of that account, you can send a number of free text messages. Genie allows 600 messages a month, which is a good way to cut down on monthly charges for texting reporters and other writers.
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If you are a Netscape Online user, you had better start looking around for another internet provider as owner AOL is to shut down the service by the end of spring. The pay-as-you-go service was launched in 2000 as a competitor to Freeserve, but with all net providers now moving into unmetered access, the Netscape offering no longer seems competitive. AOL will make a special offer to encourage Netscape Online users to switch over to its regular service.
Leslie Bunder
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