Latest Blog Posts

Government to Block Torrent Websites

08-07-2015

The latest government effort to curb piracy and copyright breaches, the Copyright Amendment (Online Infringement) Bill, will force ISPs (Internet Service Providers) to block websites containing copyrighted material. There are several concerns that the idea will not do what it is intended to and in addition there is a strong chance that legitimate websites may be inadvertently blocked, as has been the case with similar ideas in the past. Main Issues The bill makes sense at first glance; making it... more...

Netflix Finally Available in Australia

25-03-2015

After much speculation, Netflix has finally become (officially) available to Australians. This was a smart move by the movie and TV show streaming service, as many Australians were already accessing its content via VPNs or other tricks to bypass their frankly weak blocking methods. It is also good news to content providers (the TV show and movie publishers) as people are less likely to download the content illegally with Netflix being quite affordable. Foxtel, who have had the monopoly on ... more...

iPhone 6 Bending in Pockets

25-09-2014

Unlike Samsung's flexible phone prototypes or LG's bendy G FLEX and numerous other bendy phones that came out earlier this year, the iPhone 6 was not designed to bend. MacRumors, which first reported on the issue, said "a small but growing number" of iPhone 6 Plus owners had reported in their forums that their phone had been bent after carrying the device in their pockets. In one example, a new 6 Plus was bent during a day of "dancing, dining, and driving to a wedding". Photo: MacRumors/PD13 ... more...

Antivirus Review: ESET Smart Security 7

26-11-2013

ESET Smart Security 7 offers the same virus protection as ESET NOD32 Antivirus plus extra security. ESET has improved over the past few years, but still a few flaws. ESET is good at blocking real-time, zero-day threats, and unlike we saw in the last release the several flaws in its overall protection, especially with deeply embedded malware have been fixed. The interface looks polished, though usability isn't as simple as we'd like. Its extra features are basic but useful, with one exception: ... more...

Can Facebook updates predict suicide?

29-07-2013

We already know that Facebook's data-mining capabilities are, for better and for worse, extremely powerful. On the dark side of Facebook data mining, we've seen how the network has used uploaded contacts to create shadow profiles of both users and non-users alike. On the positive side of its data-mining abilities, we've also seen how Facebook can automatically analyze relationships and chat content to catch would-be child molesters. Now, Facebook is joining with researchers to put its data ... more...

Microsoft Offering Big Bounties for Bug Reports

22-06-2013

Microsoft recently announced that it is now going to offer bounties of up to $100,000 for vulnerabilities that can crack Windows. This reward will be starting with preview release of Windows 8.1, which is due to be released very soon. It seems as though Microsoft is finally taking a page from Google's book, who have offered big rewards for researchers (hackers) who find and report security vulnerabilities in their software. Particularly at their annual hacking competition Pwnium, at which they ... more...

Best Free Antivirus

12-06-2013

When it comes to antivirus software, there are a few important factors: Obviously, it needs to have a good virus database, covering as many viruses (and other malware) as possible. This virus database also needs to be updated frequently, as new viruses are created. Of course, so many new viruses/other malware is created everyday that no one can keep keep up 100%. However, the bigger guys that have been around for a while are going to be your best bet here. Keep away from the new comers until ... more...

Hashtags Still Missing in Facebook

28-05-2013

UPDATE 12/6/2013: Facebook finally supports hashtags as of a few days ago! Even if you don't know what they are, you've probably seen or heard of hashtags. Basically, they are a way of grouping and categorising related posts in social media. This makes it easier to find related posts via searches in social media websites supporting it. When you make a post on social media website supporting it, you can include one or more hashtags. For example: Finished work, now it's time for dinner and some ... more...

Google Consolidating Storage Allowances

22-05-2013

Google recently announced that it is consolidating storage allowances for its services. It will now be providing a total of 15 GB free storage across Drive, Gmail and Google+ Photos. Google previously provided users 10 GB for Gmail and 5 GB for Drive and Google+ Photos. Of course users can still upgrade their storage allowances if they require more space. Upgrades start at just $2.49 per month for 25 GB or $4.99 per month for 100 GB, with up to 16 TB available to businesses who need even more ... more...

Windows 8 Update to Address Complaints

20-05-2013

If you haven't used it yet, Windows 8 ships with most new desktop and laptop computers and some tablet devices. Head to your local shopping centre's computer shop and check it out; see if you find it as frustrating to use as many people do. Windows 8 is the biggest interface overhaul since Windows 95, which introduced the “Start” button. The “Start” button and menu has been completely removed in Windows 8 and replaced with a touchscreen-friendly “tile” interface similar to that found on Windows ... more...