Life & Technology

We discussed a few subjects on the show today, not the least Foxtel. First up, was the news that quite a few people have been having problems with Foxtel. I think part of the problem might be that Foxtel is always sending updates to its boxes, which, over time, might affect its performance. Steve also mentioned that the company is adding 30 more channels. They are bundling new channels to existing packages and they will cost you an extra $2-$4 a time. Nice of them to ask if that is OK. Not too sure if you get a choice in the matter or not, I’m under the impression it’s a take it or leave it option.

A gadget I had on the show was the Party Docking Station, which is a Sony product. You put your Sony camera on the docking station, and it uses face recognition technology to take pictures of people at a party. Of course, you have to be careful what you wish for, especially if you over indulge. It is also suitable for children’s parties, too. The photo quality is OK, not the best available, but it does the job.

First call I had was from Ben, who wanted to know if he should have a projector, plasma or LCD for his outdoor area. I always recommend LCD. I find it has the best quality, plus the screen from a plasma seems to get more reflection. I wouldn’t go for the projector, just based on the lamp power being used.

Rick was wondering if I had any pull with Foxtel because he has been with them for eight years, but he wasn’t eligible for the second set-top box that they are giving away free this month. I think this is a bit rough on their part, but I guess it is their way of trying to get more subscribers onboard.

Greg lives just outside Canberra and has a digital set-top box. Whenever they get wet weather we get a terrible reception. He’s annoyed that this happens with his digital signal. I have a couple of tips here. You need to shield your antennae. If you have a splitter and you are trying to split your cable that will also have an affect. If you have a bad signal and you get a booster, it will only make it worse. A booster is only for a weak signal, not a bad one.

Doug said that the bloke with the Foxtel needs to be more forceful when trying to get something out of them. I think he might be on to something there. Don’t take a backward step and they might come to the party.
Scotty wanted to know about tracking people via your mobile phone. You can be tracked via your mobile. When you are calling somebody on your mobile you are being tracked by the network.

Deborah bought her son-in-law a Navman for his birthday. It was stolen, and she thought that it might have been able to be traced, but it does not have a SIM card in it like a mobile phone. Sad but true!

It’s taken a while, but finally the United State’s firm grip on the Internet has been diminished with the US Department of Commerce expected to sign an agreement that will give US-based governing body ICANN, who control the net, more independence.

This has been a long time coming with many countries, especially Europe and the former super powers China and Russia, wanting more control over the internet.

While ICANN will still have control over domain names, Americans will no longer be in full control of Internet oversight , which won’t make conservative America too happy – after all they are the world’s police and don’t trust outsiders to police the internet in a manner to their liking.

However, it will endear the Americans to a world that is thawing towards them after such strained relationships during the Bush years in the White House.

But is it a good idea to let the rest of the world make these decisions? Like a lot of these things, I’m a bit of a fence sitter because I can see both sides of the argument. For a start, there is the train of thought, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. And when you look at it, Americans have been doing an OK job of it – after all they did invent it. Unlike Australia, there is little to no chance of a filtering system being integrated (although some have tried), and they are fierce in their defense of independence.

On the other side of the coin, shouldn’t people be allowed to be the harbingers of their own destiny, and not allow web content pertinent to their country be controlled by a foreign government. As Chinese and Burmese citizens have found out, while the Internet is a portal to freedom, it can also be a gateway for Big Brother.

Care is needed by all, and consideration of others goes without saying.

Spoke with Steve today about smartphones being used as GPS devices and how Victoria is about to introduce a law that will fine people who are seen using their phone while driving. Drivers can already be fined using their GPS’s while driving, so this is nothing new. What it does do is put the GPS on a level playing field. I think voice recognition technology will soon become the norm, so this will no longer be a problem.

Albert called and asked if Paypal was a reliable and trustworthy form of paying over the Internet. I have always found this service to be a very good one and also very reliable. They also have insurance options so if a payment is late, goes missing, or not made, there is a way for you to recover your money. He also asked if Paypal took a cut in the payment. Yes they do, although exactly how much, I’m not too sure.

Steve wanted to know if there was any way of ripping his DVD collection to his iPod without having to go through iTunes. There is third party software out there that does allow such a thing to happen. How legal it is, I’m not too sure. I kind of feel that if you have already paid for the item in one format, then you should be allowed to watch it in another. However, what the legal teams at the big film studios think is another thing.

Craig sounded frustrated at the number of mobile phones on the market place that seem to do everything except what they were originally designed to do, and that’s make calls. Well, Craig, there are plenty out there that do, it’s just a matter of finding one. If you just want a mobile to make calls, then you should stay away from smartphones.

Finally, Jack asked about what was the best home theatre to get. An interesting question, because it’s a bit like asking ‘how long is a piece of string?’ Thing is, there are so many variables, it’s hard to know where to start. I advised him to give a retail assistant your specifications and what you need, and I’m sure they’ll do what’s best for you.

Keep the questions coming!