Overclocking and Enthusiast Calibre Gear / No. 173 PCSTATS Newsletter

PCstats Weekly Tech Tips: Administrator Loophole

When it comes to Windows Operating Systems, there is almost always an "Administrator" account set up by default that gives potential hackers or trouble makers a user name with administrative access already. With a little know how, it remarkably easy for someone to break into a system through the Administrator account. Luckily Windows also gives end users the ability to change the name of the default Administrator account to whatever you'd like.

To do that we'll need to access the Local Security Settings (Start -> Run then type secpol.msc and press the Ok button) and from there follow this path Local Policies -> Security Options. On the right hand window find the Accounts: Rename administrator account policy and double click on it. From here enter a name which will become the default administrator account (ie from Administrator -> Power Dude or whatever you'd like) and press the ok button.

Now your computer no longer has an Administrator account but a custom one which only you know. ;-)

PCstats Issue
No.173
Circulation: 210,677

Tech Dawn of the Personal Media Player

There's always a type of gadget out there that the techno-literate are drooling for long before the regular public becomes aware of their existence. The MP3 player was a great example of this trend. There were MP3 players, and CD players that played MP3s, and the Creative Nomad hard drive-based player, none of which made much of a ripple on the public consciousness; then there was the iPod.

The portable multimedia player may be the best current example of this trend in the present day. After hard disk players became well known, Archos produced a version which not only had a hard disk but also an LCD screen. It was capable of playing movie clips and displaying photos as well as MP3 audio. Due to its high cost, it made little impact on the market, but the idea had been planted. Fast forward to four years later and almost every computer company has one of these players in production or development. Even Apple will soon have an iPod that plays video. Sony's PSP, though a game machine first, also taps into this market with its movie and music playing abilities.

It's hard to deny the potential benefits of these devices. In a much smaller package than a laptop, you can pack equivalent hard disk space, movie and music playing and photo viewing power. Even better, with no keyboard or pen interface, you can't actually use them to work!

None of these products have struck a nerve with the public yet, due to a combination of high prices and the difficulty of producing a portable multimedia player that will appeal to everyone. Video formats are a potential mine field for any emerging product, as a multimedia player not only needs to be able to display a wide range of them, but also needs the horsepower to display them at reasonable frame rates. The Sony PSP has sold hundreds of thousands of units on the strength of its games though, so it is quite possible that as it's multimedia capabilities become well known, demand for these types of devices will increase. Certainly dropping the price below the magical $300 mark will help multimedia players appeal to the general public.