With the release of Grand Theft Auto 4 this week, games have been the main focus of the week.

Government broadband plan blow out

Microsoft Backs down, slightly

Windows XP goes down fighting

GTAIV LAUNCH

Make your own creatures

Sega sells a cash cow of old

Mobile phones explode

Service Packs in for a service

GTA Launch causes violence

Piracy takes it toll

Microsoft gives COFEE to police

iPhone in June in Australia

New mobile phone TV station free

No free internet for you

Dell goes even more main

Sony shows some compassion

Cuba gets computers

Monday 28th April 2008 - 2nd May 2008

Government broadband plan blow out

Seller of communication equipment Ericsson, has said the governments plans to give Fibre To The Node (FTTN) internet access to 98% of the population will cost 51% more for rural areas than the capital cities.

Due to the lack of fibre optic to some rural areas there will be a high cost to install the cable.

Ericsson strategic marketing manager Colin Goodwin said until the cost of installing fibre optic cable lowers, the government should focus on using the 3G mobile phone networks.

Source The Australian

Comment

The large costs only come due to the lack of fibre optic cables to some rural areas.

In the 90's the Government rolled out optic cable to a fair few rural areas. This should at least reduce costs for some areas and will not reduce the possibility of getting this faster internet connection.

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Microsoft Backs down, slightly

Steve Balmer, chief executive of Microsoft, said if Yahoo doesn't accept their buy out they might walk away, while at a technology conference near Milan.

With the deadline passing without a reply from Yahoo, Microsoft is beginning to look else where to find a new business to buy to help with their competition with Google. 

Source The Australian

Comment

No surprises here. with a battle that was this hard fought and a complete lack of any progress over the last few weeks there was no chance of this happening, plus the inevitable anti trust and competition laws might have stopped it happening.

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Windows XP goes down fighting

To try and get around the 30th of June deadline of Windows XP no longer being sold  Dell and HP are planning on selling new computers with Windows XP installed on the computer but the ability to upgrade to Windows Vista Business or Ultimate when ever the buyer wants it.

As part of the licensing of Windows Vista computer buyers can request a downgrade at purchase.

Source ZDNet

Comment

While I now have a retail version of Windows Vista I still don't recommend it even with the Service Pack 1.

This plan from Dell and HP actually works to the benefit of people buying as well as Microsoft. The people buying computers can get a version of Windows that works and Microsoft still gets to say they are selling more computers with Windows Vista installed.

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GTAIV LAUNCH

This week saw the launch of the latest in the Grand Theft Auto series, Grand Theft Auto 4.

In Sydney at the midnight launch at the EB Games store at Bondi Junction more than 200 people lined up to get the game as soon as it was launched, a further 100 lined up at the EB Games store in Pitt Street.

The scenes were similar at games stores around the country with Australia the second country in the world to play the GTA 4 game for Playstation 3 and XBox 360.

Both versions of the game sold evenly.

Source Gamespot

Comment

The launch of GTA 4 is the main theme of this weeks News That Matters and will be endlessly in the news over the next few weeks.

A full GTA4 feature will appear soon on the Clicksonline network including NewsThatMatters.com.au, TheGamesCorner.com and Clicksonline.info.

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Make your own creatures

The latest game from the maker of the Sim City series of games, including The Sims, Will Wright, Spore will be released in September this year allowing people to evolve their own creatures and conquer not only other creatures but planets.

In an effort to give players a chance to add extra content to the game prior to release EA will be releasing the Spore Creature Creator for people to buy in June for $US 9.99 in the US or €9.99 in Europe.

As well as the commercial creation programme they will be releasing a free stripped down version.

Source Gamespot

Comment 

With GTA4 being the most anticipated game on the games consoles, Spore is the most anticipated game on computers.

Spore will allow you to play as a creature evolving from a single celled organism through to a outer space explorer and conquerer.

One of the features of Spore is the ability to create any kind of creature you want and then share that with other people seamlessly over the internet to populate their version of the game.

In the future the Clicksonline network will be covering the game indepth.

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Sega sells a cash cow of old

After the bad reception of the recent Sega Rally for the XBox 360 and PS3 Sega announced they were closing the studio that made the Sega rally game.

This week in an effort to strengthen their portfolio in racing games, Codemasters, makers of the TOCA and Colin McRea series's, announced they had bought the Sega Rally Studio.

Source Gamespot

Comment 

In the past the Sega Rally Studio was known for producing some of the best racing games. While they have fallen on hard times recently their heritage is undeniable.

With the  joining of forces of the 2 big names in racing games it can only lead to racing games that are better than ever before.

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Mobile phones explode

This week saw the closure of the Telstra CDMA mobile phone network it has been revealed that the number of mobile phones in use in Australia is greater than the population. 

As well as there now being more mobile phones than people in Australia, the number of landlines and payphones has dropped.

Source ZDNet

Comment

The increase in the numbers of mobile phones is nothing surprising. Australia has been leading the way with mobile phone uptake and now with more seniors and kids being given mobile phones it was bound to happen.

The drop in pay phones has been occuring over the last 10 years with vandalism as well as drops in profit leading them to disappear from road sides and shops.

The drop in land lines is a surprise taking into account in the number of ADSL services, faxes and lower call costs when compared to mobile phones.

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Service Packs in for a service

This week Microsoft announced theye were putting the Windows Update push of Windows XP Service Pack 3 and Windows Vista Service Pack 1 on hold.

Both service packs cause problems with Microsoft Dynamics Retail Management System, a programme for small and medium size businesses.

Similar problems occured when they released SP2 for Windows XP.

Source ZDNet

Comment

While Microsoft has the happit of creating service packs that cause compatibilty issues it has to be remembered that a sevice pack is actually whole new parts, or a whole new operating system.

While Microsoft has stopped pushing the updates out on Windows Update, you can still manually download the service packs to install if you don't use Microsofts DRMS. Windows XP click here. Windows Vista click here.

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GTA Launch causes violence

2 people have been attacked at launch events of Grand Theft Auto 4 in the UK.

a 23 year old man was stabbed while waiting in line for the game a while an 18 year old was mugged on his way home after buying the game.

Police are currently asking for witnesses as they tr and apprehend the criminals.

Source Gamespot

Comment

In what has become a problem everytime there is a midnight launch, people have once again been attacked.

Having covered the midnight launch of the Nintendo Wii I know that while stores that open at midnight for launches do have security, they don't have enough security, or quick access to police if something happens. 

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Piracy takes it toll

After extremely lack luster sales, makers of the original Far Crytek, have said Crysis will be their last PC exclusive game.

Speaking to Croatian gaming magazine PC Play director and founder Cevat Yerli said Crysis is suffering from the massive amount of pirated PC games.

Cevat said Crytek has no plans to bring Cysis to the consoles.

Source Gamespot

Comment 

Software piracy is a major problem. Any look at pirating websites will show the number of downloads some programmes have.

While that number does not fully represent the possible sales figures.

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Microsoft gives COFEE to police

This week Microsoft revealed details on the USB thumb drive they give to police to help with data retrieval off computers. 

The USB drive includes many programmes that are available to the general public, and allows the police to get data off a computer without having to turn it off and move it making it easier to ensure they don't lose anything that could come in handy in court.

Source CNet

Comment

All the programmes available free from Microsoft are programmes you can also download to try and get data off your won computer

While it might be good for Microsoft to give something to law enforcement bodies they should release full details on what is included on the USB drive so people can, themselves, look after their computer and the datat that is on them.

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iPhone in June in Australia

This week mobile phone industry insiders have revealed the long awaited iPhone mobile phone from Apple will be released in Australia later this year.

While currently the only fast network the iPhone will work for fast data transfer, using the internet, is only the EDGE network that is currently being used only by Telstra.

Optus is the carrier in Australia that is said to be the firsts to say they will offer the phone for sale and are hinting at a new version of the phone, possibly supporting 3G mobile phone networks. 

Source ZDNet

Comment 

More and more people are importing the iPhone from either America or Europe to get their hands on them and then must hack the phone to get it to work on our mobile phone networks.

With the recent details of Canada getting the iPhone soon, we could have the next generation iPhone when it is launched in mid June.

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New mobile phone TV station free

A new TV station will be launching later this month that will be free for people to watch on their mobile phone and laptops.

The new TV station will be broadcast in the eastern states and use bluetooth technology to reach people for free, being supported by ads, some of which will include the NAB, Gloris Jeans and Fosters.

The station, YoMo, will include news updates, entertainment details and possible World Youth Day activities.

Source The Australian

Comment 

Technology has moved so quickly and so far TV on a mobile phone is nothing new. Telstra has been providing their Next G Foxtel service for a while, at a cost.

If the TV station works and survives it can lead to a new source of news and programming and with the use of bluetooth to broadcast it has a possible larger audience than the Next G Foxtel on Telstra.

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No free internet for you

The New South Wales government this week said it's planned free internet connection service in major CBD's has been canceled due to advances in technology and cost blow outs in similar services over seas.

Eric Roozendaal the NSW minister for commerce said "With technology changing so quickly, I cannot expose NSW taxpayers to that sort of risk,

Source The Australian

Comment

While the price of mobile broadband is getting lower, free wireless internet access in major CBD's around the state would have allowed for people to use the internet in more places and help productivity as well as making this state the envy of all the others.

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Dell goes even more main stream 

After closing some of their supermarket kiosks, Dell this week announced they are going into partnership with another business to help bring their computers to more people.

Starting next week you will be able to buy Dell computers and screens in all Officeworks stores around the country.

The new partnership will allow people to buy all Dell products at all Officeworks stores.

Source The Australian

Comment

Dell is currently the number 2 PC maker in the world, second only to HP. 

For all time HP has sold their computers in retailers while Dell has focused on online or phone shopping. With the new deal, Dell opens up a new way to get their computers into Australian homes and work places which might give them a major chance to jump over HP in the PC sales marketplace.

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Sony shows some compassion

This week Sony in Canada said it has reduced the price of games on it's Playstation Network in Canada to match the exchange rate with America.

Last year after the Canadian dollar became more valuable than the US dollar, Sony Canada eventually decreased the price of the PS3 to match the US price.

Source Gamespot  

Comment 

Canada is a start, now we have to just have to try and get Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo to reduce the high prices of games, downloads and the consoles in Australia. Currently we are paying close to double what the people in the US and Canada are paying. 

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Cuba gets computers 

Only recently residents in Cuba were given the chance to legally buy and use mobile phones in Cuba. This week has seen computers being sold to Cubans for the first time.

The computers cost just under US$800 and contain an 80 gigabyte hard drive, 512 megabytes of RAM, run Windows XP and have an Intel processor.

While the computers do break some trade embargoes the US has with Cuba, Washington has not condemd or stopped the sale of the computers. 

Source The Chicago Tribune

Comment

With DVDs, mobile phones and now computers available to the public in Cuba it will see an increase in the education and advenacement of the Central American country.

The low income of Cubans will be a problem in purchasing the computers but the opening of the market place could lead to better conditions in the country.

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