AustralianIT reports that our friends at MelbourneIT are planning to auction lapsed domain names.
The problem with this is that lapsed domains aren't theirs to sell. They go back into the pool for anyone to buy.
Could the cost of buying WebCentral be forcing them to become cybersquatters?
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Monday, August 21, 2006
Apple Ads hit Australia
Some months after they are released in the US, we get the "hi, I'm a Mac" ads appearing on Aussie TV.
I have to say they irritate me on a number of levels.
1. Trashing your competition
Stupid. It makes you look petty. Even more so when they have about 90% of the market.
2. Insulting potential customers
Given the genuine problems the competition has, you might be expected to get some to switch. So why insult them?
3. Confirming stereotypes
The stereotype Mac user is a skivvy wearing, smart arse, smug metrosexual graphic designer who's a sucker for following cults. Well done in cementing that view.
What's more, the ad's play into the hands of "the Mac's a nice toy, but I need to get some work done" crowd.
4. Misleading advertising
"It Just Works". One thing that drives us techs mad is tech companies making misleading statements. Sure the bugger will work most of the time, but I'll bet there'll be plenty of households and businesses that lose a lot of time trying to get some hardware or software combo working on their Mac.
I guess what really bugs me is that Apple has a great story to tell. The biggest problem for home PC users is Spyware and Trojan Horses. This is not a problem for Mac users.
Apple should be emphasising it's positives rather than insulting thousands of potential customers, but I guess the swarmy smart metrosexuals at their ad agency couldn't resist showing how superior they are to the grey, dumb, dull Windows users.
I have to say they irritate me on a number of levels.
1. Trashing your competition
Stupid. It makes you look petty. Even more so when they have about 90% of the market.
2. Insulting potential customers
Given the genuine problems the competition has, you might be expected to get some to switch. So why insult them?
3. Confirming stereotypes
The stereotype Mac user is a skivvy wearing, smart arse, smug metrosexual graphic designer who's a sucker for following cults. Well done in cementing that view.
What's more, the ad's play into the hands of "the Mac's a nice toy, but I need to get some work done" crowd.
4. Misleading advertising
"It Just Works". One thing that drives us techs mad is tech companies making misleading statements. Sure the bugger will work most of the time, but I'll bet there'll be plenty of households and businesses that lose a lot of time trying to get some hardware or software combo working on their Mac.
I guess what really bugs me is that Apple has a great story to tell. The biggest problem for home PC users is Spyware and Trojan Horses. This is not a problem for Mac users.
Apple should be emphasising it's positives rather than insulting thousands of potential customers, but I guess the swarmy smart metrosexuals at their ad agency couldn't resist showing how superior they are to the grey, dumb, dull Windows users.
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Dell recalls batteries
Some six weeks after the Dell exploding laptop erupted into the media, Dell have finally decided to recall over four million batteries.
While it's the biggest recall, it isn't an isolated case. In the last year we have seen Apple Mac, HP and Dell have smaller recalls.
According to Dell's blog, this is something they have thought long and hard about before acting.
Our recommendations are straightforward:
Only buy genuine batteries. As this article shows, Lithium Ion batteries are precision instruments. Badly built batteries increase the risk of failure.
Damaged LiOn batteries are a risk, if you think your phone, laptop or cordless drill's battery may have been dropeed or damaged. Buy a new one.
If you notice the battery is misbehaving by discharging quickly, getting unusually hot or becoming mis-shapen or starts bulging then stop using it and contact the manufacturer.
Some other general laptop safety hints include.
Don't use the laptop on soft or flammable surfaces.
Don't block fan or ventilation ports.
If you notice the laptop getting hot, call for support.
It's not just laptops, here's a camera battery recall and. But Lithium Ion batteries are also used in cordless power tools and many other applications.
What we need to keep this in mind is that tens, if not hundreds, of millions of these batteries have been sold. Only a handful have had a problem.
While it's the biggest recall, it isn't an isolated case. In the last year we have seen Apple Mac, HP and Dell have smaller recalls.
According to Dell's blog, this is something they have thought long and hard about before acting.
Our recommendations are straightforward:
Only buy genuine batteries. As this article shows, Lithium Ion batteries are precision instruments. Badly built batteries increase the risk of failure.
Damaged LiOn batteries are a risk, if you think your phone, laptop or cordless drill's battery may have been dropeed or damaged. Buy a new one.
If you notice the battery is misbehaving by discharging quickly, getting unusually hot or becoming mis-shapen or starts bulging then stop using it and contact the manufacturer.
Some other general laptop safety hints include.
Don't use the laptop on soft or flammable surfaces.
Don't block fan or ventilation ports.
If you notice the laptop getting hot, call for support.
It's not just laptops, here's a camera battery recall and. But Lithium Ion batteries are also used in cordless power tools and many other applications.
What we need to keep this in mind is that tens, if not hundreds, of millions of these batteries have been sold. Only a handful have had a problem.
Friday, August 11, 2006
Virus emails
It's amazing how everything old becomes new again.
A mail in my inbox this morning titled " Order Approval Notification" from Spysoft Central. Given the attachment has a .jpg.exe suffix, it's obvious that it's a virus.
A quick Google reveals this is the Bancos Trojan and this particular one has been around since mid July.
We've been seeing a lot of this sort of thing, from "e-cards" to warnings that the NAB is about to go bust. All are trying to install Trojan programs on to victim's computers.
It's another reason why we are recommending all users move to Limited User accounts. The nuisance value is less than the risk of these things.
A mail in my inbox this morning titled " Order Approval Notification" from Spysoft Central. Given the attachment has a .jpg.exe suffix, it's obvious that it's a virus.
A quick Google reveals this is the Bancos Trojan and this particular one has been around since mid July.
We've been seeing a lot of this sort of thing, from "e-cards" to warnings that the NAB is about to go bust. All are trying to install Trojan programs on to victim's computers.
It's another reason why we are recommending all users move to Limited User accounts. The nuisance value is less than the risk of these things.
Saturday, August 05, 2006
The ATO and viruses
We changed this week's ABC 702 Weekend computer spot to discuss the Haxdoor virus and the ATO admitting users have had their details compromised.
In researching for the show, I stumbled previous warnings from the ATO about Trojan problems.
What worries me is that the ATO are the only big organisation admitting to this problem. There is no doubt banks are affected in a similar way. How much fraud is going on is a serious question.
It certainly has settled in my mind that all users should be Restricted Users and bugger the inconveniences.
Microsoft stuffed up XP by not introducing Restricted Users as the default. The question is how they are going to handle user permissions in Vista.
In researching for the show, I stumbled previous warnings from the ATO about Trojan problems.
What worries me is that the ATO are the only big organisation admitting to this problem. There is no doubt banks are affected in a similar way. How much fraud is going on is a serious question.
It certainly has settled in my mind that all users should be Restricted Users and bugger the inconveniences.
Microsoft stuffed up XP by not introducing Restricted Users as the default. The question is how they are going to handle user permissions in Vista.
Thursday, August 03, 2006
Reverse charge scam
A poster on the Whirlpool forums has pointed out a nasty new scam using reverse charge calls.
The scam involves a caller asking if you will accept a reverse charge call. If you do, the caller says "hello" and hangs up.
This costs you over $8.00.
Like the dialler, SMS and 1900 scams, these involve the scammer doing a deal with a telco. You'd think the telcos would be learning how to avoid these things.
The scam involves a caller asking if you will accept a reverse charge call. If you do, the caller says "hello" and hangs up.
This costs you over $8.00.
Like the dialler, SMS and 1900 scams, these involve the scammer doing a deal with a telco. You'd think the telcos would be learning how to avoid these things.
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