Neowin.net

Yesterday saw the final official updates to the Soundblaster line with no announcement made over the future of LiveWare. Creative has released Microsoft Windows XP-compatible drivers to enhance your digital entertainment experience. By leveraging on Windows XP's reliability, performance and integrated digital entertainment features, Creative products now offer you new levels of simplicity and enjoyment.

Although Windows XP already includes built-in support for most Sound Blaster sound cards, Creative has further optimized the drivers for certain models to take full advantage of Microsoft’s next-generation operating system.

Creative have aslo put an FAQ up that tries to answer the most common question to with Soundblasters and XP.

Drivers available: Sound Blaster Audigy series, Live! / Value / 5.1, PCI 512, PCI 128, PCI 16, Vibra128 and AudioPCI, PCI Compact (CT5808)

Other Ensoniq Audio Processors, AWE series, 16 and Pro is Supported by native Windows XP drivers.

View: Support FAQ
Download: Creative Soundblaster Drivers for Windows XP

Almost half of ADSL subscribers say they often experienced technical problems, compared with 43 per cent of Optus cable customers who say they never experienced any.

In the dial-up report, Choice surveyed Alphalink, AOL, Asia Online, Austar, dingoblue, Hotkey, iHug, Iinet, iPrimus, Melbourne PC User Group, Netspace, Optus, OzEmail, Pacific Internet, PowerUp, SE Net, Telstra and TPG.

The top three performers are Melbourne PC User Group, SE Net and the bottom three were Telstra, TPG and Asia Online.

The report says the market has matured to a point where consumers want service as well as a reliable connection.

More than two-thirds of respondents have been with their ISP for more than a year, but more than half have been with a different ISP prior to that.

"A mix of providers, including PowerUp, Melbourne PC, Alphalink, iiNet, Hotkey, SE Net, Netscape and OzEmail seem to be inspiring above average devotion in their customers," the report says.

Heavy internet users who connected for 15 hours a week were less satisfied than light users.

When customers did swap ISPs they were avoiding Telstra and moving to other large ISPs such as dingoblue, Austar, Optus and iPrimus.

Thirty per cent of respondents who changed ISPs did so because a better plan was available. But 10 per cent changed because their ISP went out of business - and half of those were former One.Net customers.

In most areas ISP service is no better or worse than last year, but failed connection attempts are up significantly, suggesting ISPs are not keeping up with increasing demand. Eighty-six per cent of respondents have experienced engaged signals, compared with 68 per cent last year.

Optus has less failed connection attempts than average, but Telstra and iPrimus have more.

Optus also performs well in the disconnections and drop-outs category, with 34 per cent of its customers never experiencing this problem.

Internet users also complain ISPs have failed to meet their advertised connection speeds.

Only one person in eight has experienced billing problems - but SE Net is the only ISP to achieve a perfect 100 per cent score with none of its surveyed customers reporting issues.