Cool Country Consulting Blog

IBM does not have a Windows 7 driver on their website for this machine.

Instead, follow the steps at http://forums.techguy.org/windows-7/943982-solved-windows-7-driver-intel.html to download the Driver update for Intel(R) 82915G/GV/910GL Express Chipset Family from http://catalog.update.microsoft.com/v7/site/Search.aspx?q=Intel%2082915G%2FGV%2F910GL

Extract the contents of the "Cab in a Zip" file, then tell Windows 7 to use that driver even though it doesn't want to.

(Only tested on 32 bit Windows 7.)

G'day :)

Do you have a Samsung RV510 that crashes when switching to battery power, or comes up with errors such as "Desktop Window Manager" has had a problem, or assorted other BSODs.

Try going into Samsung easy display manager and unticking all the options - this seems to have resolved the issue for me.

Cheers, Mike.

EDIT: Spoke too soon, it's still stuffed. Ended up doing a complete wipe and reload to resolve the problem. Never really tracked down the cause, but Desktop Window Manager would crash each time switching to battery, or BSOD.

A customer gave me one of these after the local electronics repair guy couldn't fix it.

The problem with this one was that once it was warm it would work OK, but from cold you either couldn't turn it on at all, or it would turn on then become non-responsive to button presses.

My first instinct was to replace all caps on the power board, but that didn't make any difference. So, after reading http://www.fixya.com/support/t668400-acer_al2671w_stuck_in_standby I tried replacing C380 as well, and the problem appears solved.

C380 is right next to a heatsink solder-to-PCB interface of a nearby component, so it probably has its life shortened due to heat.

Here's a photo of C380 - I didn't have a 100uF around, so gave it a 220uF instead.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-s7XZp3-rT7g/TyEaXDxTw8I/AAAAAAAAFfI/4dsEHZKtzv8/s800/2012-01-26%25252020.08.10.jpg

Cheers, Mike.

PS - As a side note, the power cable to the main board has multiple 12 and 5V rails. The brown wire remains hot 5V all the time, the others only when powered on.

Also known as QuickBooks Online Edition, QuickBooks Cloud Edition, backup fails, backup hangs 97% 99%

Today a customer tried to back up a 170MB from QuickBooks Online Edition by using Save Copy or Backup and selecting their local drive.

The backup didn't complete after an hour - a temp file appeared and grew suddenly from about 2MB to 138MB or thereabouts, but then grew at a rate of about 20kb per minute.

An online chat with QB support staff yielded an effective but non-obvious solution, and also advised that the info at https://qboe.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1774/kw/backup/r_id/103898 only applies to US customers.

Here's the solution that worked for us

1 - Perform a "Local backup" to the Q:\ drive.
2 - When the backup finishes, choose "Restore" in Quickbooks Online Edition, but DON'T follow all the way through
3 - Click ONCE on the file you want to have on your own computer, and while it's highlighted hold down Ctrl and press C. (This copies the file to your clipboard, but nothing will happen on screen.)
4 - Minimise the QuickBooks Online Edition
5 - Find a place to copy your backup to, right click therein and choose Paste.

The file should copy from their server to yours at a rate of about 2.5Mbps if your line can go that fast. (8 minutes for the 170MB file)

Hope this helps someone out there! The QuickBooks online support pages are not date stamped and there's plenty of old and possibly out of date info there.

Many Australian programmers know that Access handles dates by default in the US date format, and this can be a pain when trying to use DLOOKUP to find data.

An easy way to cheat is to create a field called "IndexDate" in your query, and set it to be
IndexDate: Format([YourDate],"#")

This IndexDate field then contains the excel-style five digit date number.

You can then use that in your Dlookup:

MyField: DLookUp("[Field]","TableName","[Date] = " & [IndexDate])

If you're looking for a driver for this obscure beastie, try http://www.telstrabusiness.com/business/portal/online/site/help/mobilebroadbanddownloads.10726 or http://www.sierrawireless.com/en/sitecore/content/Sierra%20Wireless/Support/Downloads/AirCard/Legacy_Products/AirCard_880U_for_Telstra.aspx

Not sure if it works with Windows 7 64 bit yet.

So this error has been bugging me for a little while. It usually appears when someone copies and pastes something from word or another program into the cPanel HTML editor - even if they used the "Paste from External Source" button.

To fix it...

1 - go to cPanel's File manager.
2 - click "Settings" (its right in the top left corner)
3 - Untick "Disable Encoding Check"
4 - Open the offending page with the cPanel HTML Editor
5 - Choose UTF-8 instead of ISO-whatever.

Worked for me - hopefully it works for you too.

This solution based on info at https://forums.cpanel.net/f5/case-50495-error-saving-after-apparent-upgrade-212531-p2.html

In this edition:

A long delay between newsletters! Life has been busy.

Assorted News:
Google Plus
NBN Connections available.
Mobile phone and Tablet Manufacturer Sue-Fest wars...
Virus activity drops.

General Ramblings:
Fix It. Fix it with FIRE!
Why there are no leaves. (Leafs?)

Popular Internet and Phone Prices.
Cheap mobile plan for Exetel customers.

Entertainment:
BlueBrRrRrRrd
Rotary Presentation.

Google Plus! A Facebook alternative.

I'm not a fan of Facebook. I find it so infuriating getting emails from facebook saying "You have notifications pending." They could just as easily email me whatever they're trying to tell me, rather than trying to get me into their walled garden to see what's going on. So, I was naturally quite pleased to see Google introduce a new thing called "Google Plus."

Google Plus is sort of like facebook, but has a few features that make it somewhat more useful and easy to understand.

Circles.

On Facebook, most people generally have 'friends.' (There are non-obvious ways of grouping them.) However, in real life most of us have groups of people we chat with. Friends, Family, Work colleagues, confidants, etc; When adding your 'friends' to Google Plus, you're asked to put them into groups. What this means is that when you write or share something, you can easily choose which groups get to see it.

Email Friends.

What I personally think is the best feature of Google Plus is that it allows you to add friends to your circles who you know will probably never bother to sign up for Google Plus, and yet you'd still like to keep them up to date. When you post a message to a group that has people that are not signed up to Google Plus, it will also email the same message to those people - unlike Facebook.

Multi-People Video Conferencing.

Another great feature is the "Hangout" feature - which allows you to have an online video chat with multiple people at once - kinda like Skype but without having to install anything. This feature could be very handy for businesses and families.

Mind you, I'm not really into social networking as such - perhaps because I don't have a gregarious social life! So, I'm not really in a position to give a full run-down on it, but if you're curious about it, find out more at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiqDr7CFmZQ and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hC_M6PzXS9g

.. and if you want an invite, let me know. :)

http://plus.google.com/

NBN Connections Available.

People regularly ask me what I think about the NBN. I'm of two minds about it. At present, most people in towns can already get what I consider 'enough' speed on the Internet - that is, enough to watch simple Internet TV services, or 1.5mpbs. Some can get as high as 16mbps. However, traditional broadband can only go up to about 6km from a phone exchange before dying. In theory NBN connections should not be affected by distance, and so should be able to go much faster.

On the positive side, it's a bit like when the original phone system was put in. It probably cost a lot of money to do, but has been useful in ways that weren't even considered back then. When you still had the rotary dial telephone you probably never thought that it would soon be able to show you high definition movies on demand! Installing the NBN should provide a similar scope for technological improvement. It'd be hard to justify it as a short-term project given it largely duplicates what we have now with ADSL, but in the medium term the benefits should outweigh the costs, assuming it's rolled out efficiently.

On the negative side, when properly provisioned, mobile / wireless broadband can provide quite reasonable speeds without the cost of digging up the streets. It is probably the more financially viable and practical option for rural areas, and wireless technology continues to improve speed-wise. Similarly, there are of course people stating that they can't get fast enough Internet to run their businesses; but generally I disagree. It'd just cost more to get multiple links and spread the load. (A decent NextG service can get upload speeds faster than ADSL at distances further than ADSL for example, but at potentially higher cost.)

The most likely benefit to home users will be movies and TV on demand. Not great news for the Pay TV companies mind you!

Anyway, with that said I am pleased to advise that I can provide NBN Internet Connections via Exetel at reasonable prices - something I didn't think would ever happen. See the prices at http://www.exetel.com.au/residential-fibre-pricing-mainland.php

Mobile Phone and Tablet Sue-Fest wars...

Last newsletter I mentioned I had purchased a Samsung Galaxy Tablet. Last week, Apple decided they were so annoyed by the success of these Android tablets that they went to court to get an injunction preventing Samsung from selling their latest 10 inch version in Australia, claiming it looked too similar to their golden child - the iPad. Then a few days later they did the same for the whole of Europe. .. and then a few days later again they did the same with Motorola.

In an unexpected twist, Google then purchased Motorola's Mobility division.

The whole drama is largely due to America's relatively out-of-control patent system - Google initially wanted to keep out of the wars, but being attacked so viciously by Apple presumably gave them no other option than to play the same game. (Google owns the Android operating system that is used by Motorola, Samsung and many other companies - it competes directly against Apple's products with over 500,000 new customers per day.) It's ironic that Samsung makes many parts for the iPad, and Motorola owns many patents pertaining to mobile phone radio technologies.

The latest bit of excitement is that it appears the evidence Apple provided was rather misleading. Unless it was an old stock photo, they appear to have resized a photo of a Galaxy Tablet (which is somewhat longer and narrower than the iPad) in order to make it appear to be identical. They also brought up a sub-screen with icons rather than the default screen to make it look identical to the iPad's antiquated appearance. See http://techcrunch.com/2011/08/15/apples-evidence-in-european-galaxy-tab-injunction-was-seriously-misleading-as-in-false/ for the juicy bits - or Google for more.

These tablets are likely to be the hot Christmas item this year; so the race is on! Hopefully the prices come down a bit by then too.

Virus activity drops...

Last newsletter I mentioned that there were lots of bugs getting around. So far in August I've seen almost no viruses at all. Nice to see a bit of peace again! Microsoft has also released a handy 'run from a stick' virus scanner that gets rid of some of the hard-to-kill rootkits. See http://connect.microsoft.com/systemsweeper

Fix it. Fix it with FIRE!

Either this weekend, or some time soon, I am going to attempt to repair a laptop by cooking it.

.. more specifically, by cooking one faulty part to see if I can repair it.

Many newsletters ago I wrote about the nVidia flaw that meant many HP, Apple and other laptops met with untimely deaths. I now have a small collection of these - some really nice ones; and one still belonging to a customer who has given me permission to try out this radical method of repair.

Basically, it involves figuring out how long it takes solder to melt on a coin using a hot air gun, and then to repeat the process by aiming the gun at part of the laptop. Reports are that it works sometimes, and other times destroys the machine. See more about it here: http://hackaday.com/2011/02/24/heat-gun-gpu-reflow-fixes-laptop/ - Hopefully I don't have an "IT Crowd" moment like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWUmrqVHdaQ&NR=1

Why there are no leaves. (Leafs?)

You might also recall in a previous newsletter, I was surprised when a Hardman Nissan worker said "No Leafs here in 100,000 years" or something like that. Recently the Bluebird took me back there due to a new ailment - see below - and while chatting I asked what was happening with the Nissan Leaf. (An all-electric car with 150km+ range.) Apparently they require three phase power to charge - and as many of you will know; getting the power connected to a new property can be hideously expensive - and getting three phase power connected is often a similar cost - sometimes approaching that of the car itself. Hence, we don't really see any in Australia sadly. Technically, the batteries are presumably wired in series so the total voltage is over 300 volts, and as a result 240 volts is not enough to charge them directly. Oh well, I'll just have to keep the 'bird alive a little longer then...

Popular Internet and Phone Prices.

Here's a listing of the most likely popular Internet and Mobile plans currently known by myself. All figures are approximate, and town availability is based on likely service quality as well as availability. No guarantee is made to the accuracy of this data, as it is a rough guide only. Install / setup fees may apply. Figures are monthly.

ADSL

ADSL1 ADSL2 Guyra Armidale
Exetel $34.50/100G $39.50/50GB Yes Yes (Mostly)
6/12 month contract, no excess fees.
TPG
$30/50GB No Yes (Mostly)
18 month contract, no excess fees.

Mobile Internet

Mobile Internet Guyra Armidale
Exetel $25/5GB Yes Not recommended
12 month contract, Massive excess fees. No warning on usage.
TPG $1 + $27.50/GB Yes Not recommended
No Contract
Telstra $10/1GB Yes Yes No Contract, Massive excess fees. Requires existing phone plan. Warning on Usage.

Mobile Phone (optional internet.)

Mobile Phone Guyra Armidale
TPG $1 + 10c/min Yes Yes Internet $27.50/GB, No Contract
Telstra $50 for 6 hrs Yes Yes Includes 1GB Internet, No Contract, Massive excess fees. No warning on usage.
TPG $20 for 5 hours Yes Yes Or ratio up to 1.5GB offsetting calls, No Contract, Massive excess fees. Warns on usage.

Cheap mobile plan for Exetel ADSL customers.

If you're an Exetel ADSL customer (and possibly a wireless customer, not confirmed) there are some new mobile phone plans out. In summary, $15 a month for approx. 6 hours talk time + 1.5GB internet, $29 for double that, or $39 for 33 HOURS on the phone plus 5GB. These have to be the cheapest plans around. These use the Optus network. Apparently this offer only lasts until the end of August - although they did say the same thing in July.

BlueBrRrRrRrd

The poor thing gets a hammering. 400k a week, stop and start driving, doors opened ten times a day at least. It's no wonder then that the poor 26 year old gets a few quirks. Not that it doesn't get pampered with new parts - radiator, carbie, brake cylinders, batteries, bearings, plugs, leads, distributor etc in the last few years :)

The most exciting recent quirk was the Magic Roundabout trick. One day driving in the rain at night, I came up to the roundabout at the top of North Hill on the highway - and since I was planning to go straight, I didn't bother brakeing much. I was then somewhat surprised half way through when the car decided to dart off to the right of its own free will! Naturally I steered out of it, thought "WTF" and carried on. (Cars don't normally steer harder than you ask - they usually do the opposite.) Anyway, it turned out later that the front left wheel was apparently capable of turning inwards by about 15-20 degrees of its own volition, but in normal driving conditions this wouldn't happen.

This issue I had resolved by Hardman Nissan replacing some part in the steering rack - although since then she likes to walk from side to side a bit on the gravel so I guess an alignment is in order now.

Of course, not to be outdone it developed another party trick - a gutteral rumble in the back of the vehicle at 50kph. Rather annoying since almost every town has a 50kph limit! Aah well - took it to Ian Inman who replaced three uni joints. The surprising result? No more rumble at 50. Damn thing moved up to 90 instead! (and 70 down hills just for amusement.) To make it even more amusing, the rumble at 90 is close to the resonant frequency of the car and perhaps more surprisingly, the resonant frequency of my digestive system! Hardmans replaced a wheel bearing in an attempt to fix it, but I think they were fooled by the ever-present midget slapping at the axle with a thong sound that lives on the left rear wheel. I'm not sure if I'm proud to say the midget survived the swap.

It was already booked in with Inman again at this time anyway, so I took it back for another go - possibly surprising them by setting up shop in their waiting room with my laptop and tablet catching up on some web design work. (Previous time I kicked back watching Knight Rider episodes on the tablet.) Unfortunately he advised that he couldn't fix it - at least not without some expense; and he kindly took me out to show me what he believes to be the problem. I must say it's a strange feeling to be standing under your own car while the wheels go around above your head! It appeared that there was 1 to 2 mm of left-right motion on the rear tail shaft (damn thing has two) as it turned - or in other words it's no longer balanced.

Now, I'm not sure if I unbalanced it. There was a time about a month ago where I was in a hurry to get to a property on dusk, and while entering the property I didn't notice one of their home-made speed humps... but I think that was after the rumble had begun anyway - so it remains a mystery. Suffice to say that for the time being I am living with it and considering my options. These include the mythical Hose Clamp trick: http://www.fordmuscleforums.com/galaxie-pages/485681-hose-clamp-method-balancing-driveshaft.html , trying to find a place that balances them, or finding a second hand tail shaft somewhere. Being an '85 model, that might be a challenge. In the mean time, I just have to avoid doing 90. 100 is fine - but hills get their revenge! The biggest fear is that it could be in the diff. Another midget perhaps???

Rotary Presentation

I've been asked by Guyra Rotary to do a 20 minute presentation roughly along the lines of "Technology and The Future" on Wednesday 31st around 7pm at the Guyra Bowling club. I plan to cover in brief topics including Internet TV (iView), 3D printing and Health, tablets and smartphones (hopefully with projector demo), changing face of News, and stuff like that. I think visitors are welcome, but not sure as I've never been involved in such a meetup before. If you want to know, let me know and I'll find out. I'm not affiliated with any charity or religious organisations, but do provide discounts to NFPs.

Well, that's it for another newsletter. Sorry it's a bit late! Lots of programming work this last month.

Old Editions
You can find old editions of this newsletter on the CCC Blog. http://auzzie.net/cccblog/

You can also subscribe or unsubscribe at http://auzzie.net/mailman/listinfo/ccc-news_auzzie.net

Michael Kean
Proprietor, Cool Country Consulting.
Trading Hours: 10am to 8pm weekdays.
http://coolhelp.com.au/
Tel: 02 6775 0239 Fax: 02 8212 9582 Mob: 0427 644 825
Chat contacts: WLM: michael@auzzie.net Skype: cccons

Hmm. Perhaps you haven't waited for the entire blockchain to download first?

In this edition:

Not much :) Just some updates re. Viruses and Skype.

Assorted News:
Unexpected increase in virus activity.
Skype goes feral for some.
ACA reviews the Microsoft Calling scam.

General Ramblings:
I win a bunny...
SwitchWise - cheaper power?
A $100 tablet, might be OK...
BitCoin goes Bonkers.

Popular Internet and Phone Prices.

Entertainment:
A car that plays LPs.
Ignored by six and a half police.
Prado takes on Bluebird, Wins.

Unexpected Increase in Virus Activity.

I'm starting to see more 'viruses' these days compared to months ago. This is not in itself of great concern, but some recent viruses have started to cross the line between being annoying and being destructive.

The biggest problem at the moment is that I can no longer give you sure-fire tips on how to deal with them, because there is almost nothing I can say that will be guaranteed to tell you how to accurately recognise a virus; so for the time being I am changing my recommendation to the following:

If you see anything on your screen appear out of the blue claiming you have more than one virus, press the power button on your computer to turn it off. (Or tell your computer to shut down.)

If the message reappears after turning the computer back on, you probably need help.

(You can safely close any documents you have open before doing so, but do not click any other message on the screen.)

Why do I say to do this? Well, the majority of viruses (technically Malware, true viruses are rare) aim to trick you into installing a fake antivirus program. They can do this by bringing up an animated picture that makes it look like you have viruses. The problem is that even this animated picture might be booby-trapped so that the close button is actually an install button - and there's no guaranteed way to know.

The other reason for saying this is because there's nothing stopping the virus from guessing what antivirus program you have and making a window that looks identical. I don't think they're doing that yet but it's only a matter of time. They certainly pick very convincing names these days.

"But what if I have a virus scanner?"

They often don't work. To recognise a virus they need someone to have seen that virus before and reported it. That takes time, and these new scams change their name and design daily.

"Why do people make these things. Haven't they got anything better to do?"

No. Imagine you were unemployed and hungry. Imagine you had no job prospects, but endless time to spend on the computer. It's very rare that you'll be able to dream up the next FaceBook or Twitter to make some money, so there's a chance that you too will lose your moral fabric and start buying these viruses in kit form, customising them and raking in the money. The underlying problem is overpopulation and underemployment.

"What else can I do?"

Well, apart from ignoring the social engineering attacks, the most important thing is to keep your computer and the programs you use up to date. The good news is that Windows will generally take care of itself in this department; but you're still responsible for keeping Flash and Java up to date. (And remember, if you're not using Java, best to uninstall it. The only common program using it these days is FrostWire.)

If you don't want to have to care about keeping anything up to date, the best solution is to install Google Chrome and let Windows take care of doing its updates automatically on shutdown. (Chrome automatically keeps all its plugins such as Flash up to date without needing your help.)

The most secure setup I know of for Windows however is to install Firefox along with the NoScript addon. Doing so makes browsing to new pages a bit annoying as you have to manually trust each page if you find bits of it not working. That said, if you mostly visit the same sites regularly it's not too much of a drag.

Apple computers are still largely immune to traditional viruses, but are no longer immune to the Fake Antivirus problem with a new one called MacDefender raking in the dough from unsuspecting Apple users.

On Windows, the most common activities for the latest bugs are the following:
1 - Hide all your icons and your files.
2 - Disable your wallpaper.
3 - Removes all the icons from your start menu
4 - Kill any program you try to open, including your antivirus
5 - Stop your Internet access.
6 - Possibly actually delete some programs - one instance of this so far.
7 - Possibly actually delete your start menu programs completely - one instance of this so far.
8 - Possibly install a rootkit

Occasionally they do not kill the antivirus completely, and the antivirus strikes back a few days later after an update and kills the malware - but rarely do they fix all the rest of the mess.

Rootkits are most problematic component - if you get a rootkit on your computer it can then be invisibly operated by a third party and that activity will be invisible to your antivirus. Typically it means you think you get rid of the bug, then another one pops up in short order. These can often only be removed by scanning the computer's hard drive via another clean computer - a time consuming process. In rare occasions, the damage may not be recoverable and the computer has to be reloaded from scratch.

Other options for being more secure:
Buy a Mac. (Not my favorite computer system, but it was designed to be secure from the beginning of OS X.)
Install Ubuntu or use a Ubuntu live CD. (It's like a Mac, but runs on an ordinary PC - can run on the same computer as Windows without having to wipe Windows.)
If you don't like installing updates all the time, try Chrome on Windows as it updates both itself and Flash invisibly.
Use your phone or tablet / pad for web browsing since there aren't yet many viruses for these.

Tablets and Phones will be a target in the future, but in most cases Apple / Google can remove programs remotely without your help if they are discovered to be malicious. Android was designed from the beginning to 'sandbox' each program so that they can't do more than you gave them permission to do when you installed them. (They ask when you install - for example "Use GPS, Access Phonebook, etc".) The iPhone relies more on Apple / Steve Jobs vetting each program that is submitted to the App Store, whereas Android will let anything in initially. Mind you, Apple is so greedy in demanding 30% revenue from every developer and sale they make through their app, that I can't condone using them.

Skype goes Feral for some.

Skype is in the process of being purchased by Microsoft, but that isn't finalised yet.

In the mean time, Skype seems hell-bent on destroying itself.

Some customers have had Skype add a gaming system to their computer uninvited. Others have had trouble with Skype shutting down randomly or refusing to open at all.

Skype has also upgraded to version 5 and changed the interface to a horrible mess with advertising all over it.

For the time being, if you're having any of the above problems I recommend uninstalling Skype, and then reinstalling an older version from http://filehippo.com/download_skype/7592/ (Your account and contacts are unaffected.)

I don't know what the future holds for Skype. Microsoft has a tendency to buy-and-destroy, but that's not always the case. It's rumoured that they only bought it to stop their rivals, such as FaceBook, from getting it.

ACA Reviews the Microsoft Calling scam.

I get about one call a week from customers who have been contacted by scammers claiming to be from Microsoft. Here's a video from the ACA that explains the tactics. http://aca.ninemsn.com.au/investigations/8250275/call-centre-scammers

SwitchWise: Cheaper Power?

As power bills continue to rise, it might be time to shop around for a cheaper provider. Here's a website (there are others) that lists all the providers and if you type in the figures from your last bill it will estimate what you could save with a different company. I haven't made the jump yet, but it's tempting - especially since my home is heated with electricity :)

Site: http://switchwise.com.au/
My Example: http://i.imgur.com/7QsFL.png

Note: It might be worth reading up on the providers too. The ones with two or less stars are apparently known to be troublesome.

I Win a Bunny...

About a month ago I called in to the old "Guyra Neighbourhood Centre" while killing time between jobs, and checked out their renovations. In doing so I apparently entered a draw to win a large stuffed rabbit, and about a week later I get an email to let me know that hoppingus maddius is ready to be picked up.

I enjoyed the companionship of the 40cm tall stuffed floppy eared bunny simulant for a while, but having an already full house decided it would have a more useful life elsewhere - and thus donated it to the Guyra Hospital. Hopefully it will make the life of some kids happier.

Nice to see the Guyra NHC, now rebranded as "The Hub" has secured some money to keep trading for a while. I don't know much about what they do, but did see them in the Guyra Argus this week at http://www.guyraargus.com.au/news/local/news/general/towards-the-future-at-the-hub/2168540.aspx

Bunny Pic at http://imgur.com/1mt9U

A $100 tablet, might be OK...

A few of you have seen the Galaxy Tablet I'm carting around and using daily, and those of you who have asked have been disappointed that they're not currently available at their $299 price.

Well, I see Big W is flogging a $100 tablet that, while certainly not as good as the Galaxy, would still be good enough if you want to get started in the Tablet world. Like the Galaxy, this one also works as a phone and an "Internet Anywhere" seven inch slab, so if you want Email on the go without carting a laptop around, it could be OK. You could also use it as an MP3 player, a cheapo Camera, possibly a Skype phone, and an endless supply of games - educational and otherwise, etc.

I haven't seen what store stock is like. According to http://apcmag.com/notebookhunter/deals/optus-my-tab-incredibly-cheap-7in-resistive-screen-tablet.htm it's available until 17th June. Not sure what Optus is bundling, but odds are the TPG $1 per month 10 cent per minute mobile SIM plan or the $20 per month 5 hour or 1.5G ratio plan would suit this device for most people. (Note that it probably doesn't work on Telstra's network, so if you're planning to go bush, it might not suit.) I'll probably grab one just to play with later this week. Oh, by the way according to http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=1707085&p=24 it will play Angry Birds - which is free on Android's App Market :)

BitCoin goes Bonkers.

Two newsletters ago I talked briefly about a new 'currency' called BitCoins. Recently, PayPal banned buying and selling them through PayPal, and there have also been several reviews of the BitCoin system in the media. When I wrote about them, one BitCoin was worth about 80 cents. They're now up to abour $15.

Of course, there's no guarantee that the system won't come crashing down, but nonetheless it's fascinating to watch :)

Popular Internet and Phone Prices.

Here's a listing of the most likely popular Internet and Mobile plans currently known by myself. All figures are approximate, and town availability is based on likely service quality as well as availability. No guarantee is made to the accuracy of this data, as it is a rough guide only. Install / setup fees may apply. Figures are monthly.

ADSL

ADSL1 ADSL2 Guyra Armidale
Exetel $34.50/100G $39.50/50GB Yes Yes 6/12 month contract, no excess fees.
TPG
$30/5GB No Yes 18 month contract, no excess fees.

Mobile Internet

Mobile Internet Guyra Armidale
Exetel $25/5GB Yes No 12 month contract, Massive excess fees. No warning on usage.
TPG $1 + $27.50/GB Yes No No Contract
Telstra $10/1GB Yes Yes No Contract, Massive excess fees. Requires existing phone plan. Warning on Usage.

Mobile Phone (optional internet.)

Mobile Phone Guyra Armidale
TPG $1 + 10c/min Yes Yes Internet $27.50/GB, No Contract
Telstra $50 for 6 hrs Yes Yes Includes 1GB Internet, No Contract, Massive excess fees. No warning on usage.
TPG $20 for 5 hours Yes Yes Or ratio up to 1.5GB offsetting calls, No Contract, Massive excess fees. Warns on usage.

A Car that plays LPs

Well, actually it's a van. They surely wear the records out quickly, but are nonetheless amusing to watch! They're a Japanese toy from the '70s. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIwkhBiROQ4&feature=related

Ignored by six and a half police...

So far the LED Lighting I added to the Bluebird has passed the eyes of six and a half police people. (One I know was off duty.) There hasn't been any mad skidding of tyres and sudden U-Turns as they've passed me by, so I guess it's a case of so far so good. https://picasaweb.google.com/CCCMikey/VarnishingTheNissan#5598312809404653906

Prado takes on Bluebird, Wins.

On a less positive note, someone backed into my car and left a relatively benign dent. Surprisingly they also owned up to it. Since the time to repair is apparently four days, it will be a while before I get it sorted. It's nice to know that the other person owned up and I will send them a gift when it's all resolved. http://imgur.com/a24Rb

Well, that's it for another newsletter.

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Michael Kean
Proprietor, Cool Country Consulting.
Trading Hours: 10am to 8pm weekdays.
http://coolhelp.com.au/
Tel: 02 6775 0239 Fax: 02 8212 9582 Mob: 0427 644 825
Chat contacts: WLM: michael@auzzie.net Skype: cccons