GLENN’S SHOWNOTES
Wikipedia users divided over sexual material | NEWS.com.au
Wikipedia users divided over sexual material
While school children used to look up dirty words in dictionaries, searching for the same phrases on Wikipedia can result in images and videos of masturbation, “hardcore” sex and orgies.
On one entry, an 18-second video of a man ejaculating appears on the page – without any warnings or age verification.
On another page, various photos from the sets of both a heterosexual and homosexual “hardcore” pornography films are featured. Several images of masturbation appear on another page.
Spore anti-piracy measures spawn backlash | NEWS.com.au
Spore anti-piracy measures spawn backlashTHE publisher of blockbuster video game Spore has been given a virtual hiding from customers angry at its decision to restrict how many times the game can be installed and how many people can play it.
publisher Electronic Arts limited the number of times that the game could be installed on a computer – preventing people from sharing or renting out their copies.
The company also restricted how many people could play each copy, meaning that multiple people cannot play the game on the same computer unless they purchase an additional licence.
More than two thousand angry comments have been left on Spore‘s Amazon listing with titles such as “Say no to DRM”, “Thanks but no thanks” and “EA has to listen to the customers”.
Say you have two children and both want to play the game – they can’t. Multiple people in the same house who want to play Spore will have to have their own individual online personas so you’ll have to buy an additional copy of Spore for each person
File-sharing advocates have claimed the backlash is boosting the number of illegal downloads of the game and say it is set to become the most pirated game in history.
As of this morning more than 230,000 people had illegally downloaded the game since its release, according to file-sharing monitoring agency BigChampagne.
File-sharing blogs such as TorrentFreak have put the number at twice that and said Spore had become the most pirated game in history “thanks to DRM”.
First Google-powered phone to be unveiled Sept. 23 – Breaking News – Technology – Breaking News
First Google-powered phone to be unveiled Sept. 23
T-Mobile plans to show off the first wireless phone powered by Google Inc.’s much-anticipated Android software system at a Sept. 23 news conference.
Although T-Mobile intends to demonstrate the phone for reporters and analysts invited to next week’s event in New York, the handset isn’t expected to be available in stores until next month.
Gordon Ramsay puts game on the menu – BizTech – Technology
Gordon Ramsay puts game on the menu
A video game version of Gordon Ramsay Hell’s Kitchen is due out this month
swear words will be beeped out
In the game, which will be available on PC and Mac for $29.95 from September 25 and on the Nintendo Wii in early November for $59.95, players work to manage a restaurant while being supervised by Ramsay.
Ramsay himself provided voice acting for the game and 35 of his own recipes can be unlocked by the player.
Integrated circuit turns 50 – Technology – BrisbaneTimes – brisbanetimes.com.au
Integrated circuit turns 50
The computer chip industry on Friday celebrated the 50th birthday of the integrated circuit, a breakthrough that set the stage for the internet and the digital age
Integrated circuits replaced vacuum tubes; bulky bulbs that guzzle electricity, spew heat and burn out.
The circuits became building blocks for microprocessors, the increasingly powerful and compact chips that are the brains behind the Internet and most of today’s “smart” electronic devices.
In the scheme of inventions, certainly the integrated circuit has to be one of the greatest inventions of our time. This world of bytes we live in today would not be possible without them
Apple invades Melbourne: first retail shop opens
Apple invades Melbourne: first retail shop opens
a thousand people who queued up to be first through the doors.
launch of the store in Chadston last Monday
Apple will expand its retail reach this coming weekend by opening five more Apple Stores, including its first retail outlet in Northern Ireland.
The Belfast Apple Store opens Saturday, September 20 at the Victoria Square shopping center. The Belfast store will be Apple’s 18th retail outlet in the United Kingdom.
Apple ended its fiscal third quarter in June with 216 stores. The company expects to have 242 Apple Stores open by the end of September
It’s easy to see why Apple is aggressively expanding its retail reach. In the June quarter, the retail stores produced US$1.44 billion in revenue for the company.
Congrats, Optus: you’re the world’s worst for 3G
Congrats, Optus: you’re the world’s worst for 3G
A global survey has concluded that Optus offers the slowest network speeds of any carrier selling the iPhone worldwide and that Aussies get the slowest 3G speeds in general.
Australians had the slowest average data speeds of any country in the survey, coming in at just 759Kbps. However, Optus’ 3G network — which has proven popular with iPhone buyers because of the data deals offered by both Optus and Virgin (which is owned by Optus and uses the Optus network) — ranked considerably lower, coming in at a woeful 390Kbps average download speed. Optus’ 3G network has a latency of nearly one second
Staff took porn pics with new mobile phone | NEWS.com.au
Staff took porn pics with new mobile phone
- Woman buys mobile from Dick Smith
- Finds images of Dick Smith staffer in sex act
- Now seeking compensation
The images include a woman naked from the waist down lying on a bed performing a sex act, a man holding his penis and consecutive shots of the woman in her bra and pulling her pants down.
The Cairns university student who bought the phone said she discovered the images among 49 photos stored on the phone, the Cairns Post reported.
“It’s sickening to think I’ve been using this phone near my face when it was used to take all of these photos,” she said.
The store sold her a display phone because it was the last one in stock, but she later contacted the store to complain that it was faulty because she could barely hear callers talking.
She then accessed the phone’s menu and discovered 49 images, including the female staff member in her Dick Smith Electronic uniform outside the store, two other people, and what is believed to be various interior shots of a hotel room.
Current – Philips to leave Australian AV market
Philips to leave Australian AV market
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| By James Wells
SYDNEY: Philips Electronics Australia is expected to announce this afternoon that it will be leaving the AV category, while retaining its appliance distribution through Housewares International and focus on its medical and lighting systems. Current.com.au understands the announcement was first made to staff on the weekend at a meeting held in Sydney attended by the various state managers and the remaining staff are being informed today. A spokesperson for Philips Electronics Australia and New Zealand, would not confirm the rumours, but signalled an announcement later today. “We are engaging with staff today on a decision we’ve had to take in the Australian business. “In the respect of our people and their needs today we’d ask that you please minimise any speculation until such that we have finished speaking with all staff personally. |
Apple – Support – Downloads – iMovie HD 6
| iMovie HD 6 |
About iMovie HD 6 System Requirements The minimum requirements for iMovie HD 6 are: |
McCain helped invent BlackBerry: advisor | Australian IT
McCain helped invent BlackBerry: advisor
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Correspondents in Miami | September 17, 2008
A TOP advisor to John McCain Tuesday said his boss was partly responsible for the “miracle” of the BlackBerry, stirring a flurry reminiscent of Al Gore’s claims to have helped develop the Internet.
“You’re looking at the miracle that John McCain helped create,” said Doug Holtz-Eakin, an economic aide to Republican White House hopeful McCain, as he held up his BlackBerry wireless e-mail device.
Mr Holtz-Eakin’s point was that attempts to overhaul the telecommunications industry pushed by McCain through his role on the US Senate’s Commerce committee had helped usher in developments like the BlackBerry.
But Democrat Barack Obama’s campaign immediately pounced — seeking to replicate the political storm gleefully whipped up by Republicans who mangled Mr Gore’s notorious comment ahead of the 2000 election.
“If John McCain hadn’t said that ‘the fundamentals of our economy are strong’ on the day of one of our nation’s worst financial crises, the claim that he invented the BlackBerry would have been the most preposterous thing he said all week,” said Obama spokesman Bill Burton.
Senior McCain aide Matt McDonald, seeking to downplay the controversy, said the Arizona Senator “laughed” when he heard his advisor’s comment.
“He would not claim to be the inventor or anything, much less the BlackBerry. This was obviously a boneheaded joke by a staffer,” Mr McDonald said.
Student found porn images on brand new mobile phone | Australian IT
Student found porn images on brand new mobile phone
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Gavin King | September 17, 2008
A STUDENT was shocked and disgusted to find her new mobile phone contained pornographic images of a female employee from a Cairns Dick Smith Electronics store where she had just bought the phone.
The $199 Samsung also contained an explicit image of a man.
The university student who purchased the phone said she discovered the graphic images among 49 photos stored on the phone.
“It’s sickening to think I’ve been using this phone near my face when it was used to take all of these photos,” she said.
“What would’ve happened if that phone was bought for a child?”
“I’m not disgusted by what she did. What people do in their own homes is their business. But I’m disgusted that it was left on the shelf to be sold.”
The shop sold her the display phone because it was the last one in stock, but she later contacted the store to complain that it was faulty because she could barely hear callers talking.
She then accessed the phone’s menu and discovered 49 images, including the female staff member in her Dick Smith Electronics uniform outside the store, two other people, and what appear to be various interior shots of a motel room.
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Xbox 360 gets UK price cut
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Microsoft has cut the price of the Xbox 360 as it tries to reposition the console as a mass-market competitor to the Wii. The £30 price cut means the standard 60 GB model will sell for £169.99, the same price as Nintendo’s machine. The lower spec Arcade console without a hard drive will sell for £129 while the Xbox 360 Elite, aimed at hardcore gamers, will cost £229.99. The price cut follows similar moves in America and Japan. Microsoft has targeted traditional male gamers with the XBox 360 console and its range of first-person shooter titles like Halo 3. But it has been overtaken by Nintendo and the runaway success of the Wii, which is designed to appeal to a more family friendly audience. |
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BBC NEWS | Technology | Warcraft add-on gets release date
Warcraft add-on gets release date |
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The second expansion pack for the World of Warcraft (WoW) online game is going on sale from 13 November. The Wrath of the Lich King includes a new continent for high-level players plus new professions and an army of new enemies to battle. The expansion also gives players the chance to take on a new type of character known as a Death Knight. Those wanting to get at the extras for WoW must already own the first expansion pack for the game. |
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BBC NEWS | Technology | Computer games drive social ties
Computer games drive social ties |
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Guitar Hero has proved a big hit with teenagers
Far from turning teenagers into anti-social loners, video games help them engage with friends and community, says a report. The Pew Internet study of US teenagers found that few play alone and most join up with friends when gaming. It found that many used educational games to learn about world issues and to begin to engage with politics. The report also found that gaming had become an almost universal pastime among young Americans. Community chance The survey of 1,102 teenagers aged 12-17 revealed that 99% of boys and 94% of girls across the socio-economic spectrum play some kind of computer or video game. The most popular title was Guitar Hero, followed by Halo 3, Madden NFL, Solitaire, and Dance Dance Revolution. |
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Review units are not yet available – however I will add requests to the waitlist and advise accordingly. Hi-res images available upon request.
Muscle gaming with the ASUS G series gaming notebooks
Fully loaded features and graphics for hardcore gamers
Sydney, Australia, September 17 2008 – ASUS has announced its ultimate gamer G Series notebooks, bringing out the big guns with full throttle power and portable performance. As part of the prestigious Republic of Gamers (ROG) product line-up, the ASUS G50 and G71 notebooks present pioneering PC solutions designed for intensity – keeping users in control of the gaming action.
The G Series notebooks are styled to stun and offer unprecedented, blistering graphics power with the latest NVIDIA GeForce 9700M GT. With a smooth, stutter-free visual experience, gamers will encounter the best imaginable 3D performance on the move. Further bolstered by the G Series high quality displays, these mighty demons boast a quick response time that deliver sharper images without ghosting and screen sizes are calibrated for optimal performance. The best example – the G50’s world-first 16:9 golden ratio 15.4” screen size.
Additionally, the G Series notebooks include double SATA hard disk drives, with the G71 offering up to one terabyte in capacity, allowing users to load up more and ensure action aplenty whilst on the road. Play more games, watch more videos and store more music. Moreover, the CPU LevelUp feature gives users the edge with a range of performance modes that supply the ultimate a boost when most needed.
Equipped with full-sized keyboards allowing complete control over gameplay and gaming hotkeys that give users an edge over opponents, the G Series notebooks dig deep and come alive – feast your eyes on the rich, elaborate LED lighting effects down the side and the colour changes alongside its fan speed. Likewise, when gaming or watching movies in full-screen mode, the G Series notebooks second display can keep users posted on any incoming emails, messages and system status information – remain absolutely immersed in the main screen without distractions.
The G Series notebooks come in a full gaming package including the must-have ROG backpack, professional-grade 1600dpi gaming mouse that offers real-time sensitivity adjustment and a Siberia Steel gaming headset that endures extended sessions of gameplay in cool comfort.
Overall, the G Series notebooks give off power and performance and radiate substance and style – revolutionising the gaming experience.
The ASUS G Series notebooks – G50 and G71 – will be available from September 2008 from selected computer resellers. Recommended retail price (inc GST): G50 – AU$3,399, NZ$4,199, G71 – AU$4,799, NZ$5,999.
Specifications
Model
G50V
G71V
Chipset
Intel® PM45
Intel® PM45
VGA
NV G9700M GT /512M
NV G9700M GT /512M
LCD
15.4″ WSXGA+
17″ WUXGA
Network
Intel® 802.11a/g/n, 10/100/1000 LAN
Intel® 802.11a/g/n, 10/100/1000 LAN
Bluetooth
Yes
Yes
3.5G HSDPA
N/A
N/A
ODD
BluRay Combo
BluRay Combo
Webcam
2.0MP
2.0MP
FP
Yes
N/A
CPU
Intel® T9400(2.53GHz, 1066MHz FSB, 6MB L2 Cache)
Intel® QX9300(3GHz, 1066MHz FSB, 6MB L2 Cache)
HDD
SATA HDD 320GB 5400 rpm * 2
SATA HDD 500GB 5400 rpm * 2
TPM
Yes
N/A
RAM
DDR2 800 2G * 2
DDR3 1333 2G * 2, TM2G
TV Tuner
Hybrid TV Tuner
Hybrid TV Tuner
Operating System
Vista Ultimate
Vista Ultimate
Battery
6 Cell
8 Cell
Acc
Bag, Mouse, Remote, Headset
Bag, Mouse, Remote, Headset
I/O
4xUSB 2.0, HDMI, Express Card, VGA Out, Mic, headphone(SPDIF), 1394
4xUSB 2.0, HDMI, Express Card, VGA Out, Mic, headphone(SPDIF), 1394
Power
120W Adapter, 6cel Li-Ion 4800mAh
180W Adapter, 8cell Li-Ion 5200mAh
DM / Weight
375 x 265 x 34.3 ~ 40.6 mm (max), 2.8Kg
433 x 314 x 49 mm (max), 4.9Kg with 8 cell battery
About ASUS
ASUS is a leading company in the new digital era. With a global staff of more than 8,000 and a world-class R&D design team, the company’s turnover for 2007 was 6.9 billion US dollars. ASUS ranks among the top 10 IT companies in BusinessWeek’s “InfoTech 100” and has been on the listing for 11 consecutive years. ASUS was also selected by the Wall Street Journal Asia as No.1 in quality and service in Taiwan. For more information, visit www.asus.com.au.
Media Contact
Christine Kardashian
Dash PR
+61 2 8084 0705 | +61 416 005 703
chris@dashpr.com.au
Christine Kardashian
MA (Comms), MPRIA
Director
Dash Public Relations
P: 02 8084 0705
M: 0416 005 703
E: chris@dashpr.com.au
www.dashpr.com.au
P Please consider the environment before printing this email
Announcing the stylish new ASUS VENTO TA-M1 chassis
Innovative screw-less design combines easy installation and maximum performance
Sydney, Australia, September 15, 2008 – ASUS, manufacturer of high quality computer chassis’, has released the new ASUS VENTO TA-M1 chassis.
Well built and aesthetically pleasing, the VENTO TA-M1 chassis is a smart frame that offers user-friendly installation with its screw-less design and exceptional ventilation that maximises thermal efficiency – especially for key components such as the CPU and graphics cards.
The VENTO TA-M1 is able to support a front and rear LED, as well as two side LED 12cm large fans for optimal air flow. The side panel fans are placed on a movable plate to enable easy adjustments according to heat requirements for thermal advantage. In particular, the VENTO TA-M1 is useful in targeting specific hotspots, lower CPU and video card temperatures for a more stable PC performance. The all-mesh design on the front and side panels, as well as the top cover provides maximum ventilation to help expedite air flow from within the system especially for ODD devices. Unique venting holes around the HDD racks also enhance ventilation for hard disks.
Built to be user-friendly and convenient, the VENTO TA-M1 provides a patented screw-less design for the ODD and PCI slots to make it simple and fast for users to install their PCs. Dust filters for the ODD cover and the front fan rack are easily removable allowing for simple cleaning and maintenance, while the addition of a 5.25” rack that converts to a 3.5” version makes it suitable for card readers and floppy disk drives providing options for expandability. Furthermore, the VENTO TA-M1 is able to support high-end PCI-E VGA cards with ‘headroom’ to fit either a single graphics card of up to 380mm or SLI/Crossfire cards of up to 280mm.
The VENTO TA-M1 is enveloped in a matte black-coated paint finish and silver frame that exudes style and is an elegant addition to any computing environment. Slick VENTO logos are embossed into both sides of the chassis, while the VENTO logo plate is subtly highlighted on the front plate. Finally, the VENTO TA-M1 also utilises foot stands derived from stereos adding to the general stability of the entire unit.
Overall, the VENTO TA-M1 enables long and continuous operations for the most powerful processing platforms, increasing total system performance and reliability.
The ASUS VENTO TA-M1 chassis will be available from October 2008 from selected computer resellers. Recommended retail price is AU$179 inc GST.
Specifications
Chassis
ATX/Micro-ATX SGCC 0.6mm
Dimension w/bezel w/foot stand
190 x 433 x 455 mm
Drive bay
4 x External 5.25″ Optical Drive Bays
1 x External 3.5″ Floppy Disk Drive Bays (from 5.25”)
4 x Internal 3.5″ Hard Disk Drive Bays
Front I/O Ports
USB2.0 x 2
Audio x 2
1394 x1 (Optional)
Expansion Slots
PCI x 7
Ventilation
Supports 1 x Front 120mm fan with LED light
Supports 1 x Rear 120mm fan
Supports 2 x Side 120mm fan with LED light
About ASUS
ASUS is a leading company in the new digital era. With a global staff of more than 8,000 and a world-class R&D design team, the company’s turnover for 2007 was 6.9 billion US dollars. ASUS ranks among the top 10 IT companies in BusinessWeek’s “InfoTech 100” and has been on the listing for 11 consecutive years. ASUS was also selected by the Wall Street Journal Asia as No.1 in quality and service in Taiwan. For more information, visit www.asus.com.au.
Media Contact
Christine Kardashian
Dash PR
+61 2 8084 0705 | +61 416 005 703
chris@dashpr.com.au
Christine Kardashian
MA (Comms), MPRIA
Director
Dash Public Relations
P: 02 8084 0705
M: 0416 005 703
E: chris@dashpr.com.au
www.dashpr.com.au
P Please consider the environment before printing this email
Thin is beautiful – for TV sets anyway – Articles – Home Entertainment
Thin is beautiful – for TV sets anyway
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Sony’s EX1 picture frame LCD TV and, insets, the 9.9mm thick ZX1 and 3mm thick XEL-1.
September 15, 2008 – 4:31PM
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Sony says it will sell a 102-centimetre (40-inch) LCD TV that is as thin as a CD case and another smaller model that’s only marginally thicker than a business card in Australia early next year.
And by December this year it will debut one, dubbed the Bravia EX1, measuring up to 132 centimetres (52 inches) diagonally that transforms into a digital picture frame when switched off.
Bigger used to be better but now that all TV makers offer large high definition screens capable of displaying full 1080p signals, design is the new battleground and slim is in, said Noritaka Sawamura, general manager of Sony’s marketing strategy department for televisions.
Slim TV sets are not only more flexible in terms of where they can be mounted in the home; they are also far more aesthetically appealing as they hardly protrude from the wall.
Like Philips, which declared earlier this year that it was targeting its products at women because they “call the shots” on technology purchases, Sawamura said Sony was increasingly designing its gadgets to suit female tastes.
And that meant creating TVs that were slimmer, more attractive and drew less power.
“For the first time the female voice in choosing products is getting bigger than ever,” said Sawamura, who is visiting Australia with other Sony executives from Japan this week.
At a trade show last month Sony unveiled the Bravia ZX1, which is the world’s thinnest production LCD TV. The ZX1 measures just 9.9 millimetres thick and will be sold in the US in November before making its way to Australia by February, Sawamura said.
Even thinner still is Sony’s XEL-1, which is just three millimetres thick and will reach Australia in the first half of next year, just after the ZX1.
Today, larger flat screens are commonly more than 100 millimetres thick.
The XEL-1 is based on the new organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display technology that is being positioned as the successor to LCD and plasma.
Unlike traditional flat screens, OLED TVs do not require a backlight so they can be built far more slimly and draw less power. They also produce brighter colours and deeper blacks.
Although the ZX1 is still a traditional LCD, Sony was able to bring it down close to OLED thickness by mounting the backlight on the edge of the panel.
But there is still some way until OLED matures to the point where large screens can be produced at competitive prices. The XEL-1 is just 28 centimetres (11 inches) and sells overseas for $US2500.
EU parliament launches online TV to boost image – Breaking News – Technology – Breaking News
EU parliament launches online TV to boost image
September 17, 2008 – 7:37PM
The European Parliament has launched a new Web-based TV channel to reach out to young people and bolster its image.
The parliament’s president, Hans-Gert Poettering, says the channel at http://www.europarltv.europa.eu will offer widespread audio and video, including live broadcasts of events at the legislature and user-made videos.
The TV channel went online on Wednesday.
The channel follows similar moves by other EU institutions and organizations like NATO to broadcast its own content directly to the general public, bypassing media outlets.
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