Geeky crap

Things that make you go “woohoo, I want it”. And no, that’s not a euphemism. It’s all about toys, gadgets, games and software

Fast and furious action

BUZZ JUNIOR ACE RACERS for PlayStation 2, Rated G, RRP $34.95 (game) $69.95 (with buzzers):

The latest addition to the Buzz! Junior stable of games, Ace Racers is a fast and furious bundle of action aimed at the younger gamers but suitable for the whole family.

It’s played using the Buzz! controllers, so getting around the game is nice and easy.

You get to select a racer icon to represent you and choose from 16 crazy vehicles as you race across land, sea and air, and also compete in bonus mini- games.

It’s interactive, cute and lots of fun. Just perfect if you’re looking for something for the special little person in your life

Looking good

computer security

As expected, the trip to Sydney was informative and more than a little interesting.

Symantec has listened to its users and — building on the improvements offered up in the 2008 software — is aiming for “zero-impact”. This doesn’t mean the software won’t use any system resources because, well, the only way ANY software could do that would be if you left it in the box and never installed it.

No, your new Norton software will tick away quietly in the background, only bursting into life to perform scans etc when it recognises that your system is idle. Thereby having zero impact on your computer use.

There’s also some other big changes coming, like pulse updates (that will have your system protected with the latest info from Symantec every 5 to 15 minutes), what looks to be sturdy integration of all forms of protection (from virus to phishing and everything in between) and a tidy looking interface.

Flying visit … don’t expect a postcard

I’m off to Sydney tomorrow for a slightly last-minute, flying visit.

Symantec is running a workshop for reviewers on Wednesday, giving us a sneak preview of what’s coming up in the 2009 releases of their software.

It’s going to be a bit chaotic getting there and back (one of the few negatives about living in Southland … we’re a little bit isolated so it takes all day to get to places like Sydney) but if the improvements made in the last round of upgrades are anything to go by, I’m expecting some exciting and interesting developments for the 2009 software.

I’ll keep you posted.

Vodafone releases dear wee iPhone

(This is the Online column, written for The Southland Times)

The much-anticipated iPhone is set to finally make its official New Zealand debut tomorrow but the cost of owning one of the little beasties has probably rained on more than a few parades, or perhaps (in honour of its manufacturer) even upset a few apple carts.

iPhonesThere’s no doubting the iPhone 3G is an awesome wee machine and I’m sure there will be plenty of Kiwis queuing up to buy one.

However, with the news that the running costs for the $199 8GB model on a two-year plan will come in at a whopping $250 a month, I’m sure a few eager buyers have decided they aren’t so eager after all.

If you want to cut back on the monthly bill, you can opt to pay a bit more for your 8GB iPhone, or pay nearly a grand for one that isn’t locked into a plan. The 16GB model is, naturally, a bit costlier.
I feel the pain of those who were hoping to be fondling the touchscreens of their new toys tomorrow but, on a personal level, I’m not particularly disappointed. I like shiny gadgets as much as the next person but I’m not totally in love with the idea of owning an iPhone.

Don’t get me wrong, I am certainly a fan of the whole iPod deal. In fact, my Nano is keeping me company as I write this column.

And apart from annoyance at being stuck with Quick Time on my computer with the installation of iTunes, and the persistence of the iTunes updater in trying to sneak in Safari (Apple’s browser) when it updates, I’m pretty happy with the whole iPod-iTunes experience.

However, I don’t necessarily want my music to be tied to my phone. A phone is a phone and that’s all I want it to be. Hey, I don’t expect my fridge to make coffee or my television to whip up an omelet now, do I?

It’s beginning to feel like we’re all speeding towards a time where everyone and everything will multi-task as a matter of course — and, much like the Borg, resistance is futile — but we’re not there yet so fight the good fight with your non-multi-tasking phones and MP3 players.

Viva la revolution.

If, on the other hand, you want to tell Vodafone you think the iPhone prices are a bit much, there was a petition online where you could add your name.

Fired up

FirefoxGood news web-junkies, there’s a new version of Mozilla’s spectacularly user-friendly Firefox available. 

Updates to the hugely popular free web browser, which perfected tabbed browsing long before Internet Explorer 7 hit our screens, include one-click bookmarking, a download manager, improved security and privacy, the ability to zoom in on any part of a web page and faster loading sites. 

Mozilla decided to have a crack at setting a record for the number of downloads and demand was so high the server actually crashed, so if you’re among the three people left in the world who haven’t yet downloaded it, do it now.

Net threat

There seem to be a lot of phishing e-mails hitting my inbox again so it’s probably a good time to remind everyone to take care.

Ignore any e-mails you might get asking you to go to a bank site and enter your login details. Banks don’t operate like this. However, scammers do.

They want your online banking details so they can steal all your money and spend it on whatever it is online scammers like to spend money on.

Speed…what speed?

Do we love Xtra? Hmmm, maybe not. If you’re feeling frustrated by lack of broadband speed, you’re not the only one.

Xbox brain workout

If you’re feeling a tad fuzzy, like your brain is in a bit of a funk, you can now give your grey matter a workout via your gaming console.

Gamer zoneGameloft’s Brain Challenge, on Xbox LIVE Arcade, is a brain training program that is supposed to help players develop stress-management skills.

It will cost you 800 Microsoft points to grab the game, so I suppose it is cheaper (and slightly more legal) than a Taser. But is it as much fun?

While we’re on the subject of Xbox, did you know your 360 console lets you physically limit the amount of play time your offspring gets on the machine? You can use the Xbox 360 Family Timer feature to set a time limit. It shuts the console off once it has been reached but warns junior first, so he or she can save their game.

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