A week since Grand Theft Auto was released, a lot of the controversy is disappearing the world of technology continues to advance. These are the news items that matter to you no matter what your experience or interests.

Microsoft drops Yahoo!

Vodafone officially first with an I

Updates flowing again

Australia left bundleless

McAfee warns of P2P viruses

Telstra jumping on the iPhone

iiNet grows again  

GTA4 record breaker

Medicare finds out about the web

M ratings work

Monday 5th May 2008 - 9th May 2008

Microsoft drops Yahoo!

After waiting a week after the deadline for Yahoo! to reply to Microsoft's buy out offer Microsoft CEO Steve Balmer wrote to the Yahoo! bosses saying they are going to look else where to expand their online market share.

"We continue to believe that our proposed acquisition made sense for Microsoft, Yahoo and the market as a whole," Mr Balmer said, "After careful consideration, we believe the economics demanded by Yahoo do not make sense for us, and it is in the best interests of Microsoft stockholders, employees and other stakeholders to withdraw our proposal,"

Source The Australian

Comment

While it is a good thing for most users that the purchase didn't go ahead. It was quiet likley that Microsoft would have joined many of the services together in an effort to reduce costs and increase the user numbers for their services.

It does open up the possibility of Microsoft trying to purchase other bsinesses though. 

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Vodafone officially first with an I

After speculation last week that Optus was going to announce the launch of the iPhone in Australia in June, Vodafone officially announced they will be one of the companies selling the mobile phone from Apple starting in June.

As part of the agreement with Apple, Vodafone will also start selling the iPhone in the Czech Republic, Egypt, Greece, Italy, India, Portugal, New Zealand, South Africa and Turkey.

Still no mention of a 3G version of the mobile phone.

Source ZDNet

Comment

While it is good to have a solid time frame for the launch of the iPhone in Australia, a price and feature list will be nice. Is there going to be a 3G version to allow us to download videos and surf the internet quickly on the go? We'll know in just over a month.

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Updates flowing again

After stopping the automatic downloads of Service Pack 3 for Windows XP and Service Pack 1 for Windows Vista due to a conflict with a business piece of software, Microsoft has once again started allowing people to update their version of Windows to the latest updates.

Source ZDNet

Comment 

If you didn't click on the links in last weeks News That Matters stories for the Windows Service Packs, I highly recommend you do it now.

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Australia left bundleless

One of the most anticipated games for the Playstation 3 is getting a game/console bundle in the US. Metal Gear Solid fans in the US will be able to get a copy of the latest game in the series, a Playstation 3 console and a Dual Shock 3 controller when the game in due for release next month for $US499.

Due to the lackluster sales of the GTA4 bundle Sony released, Sony Australia have said they have no plans to release a new budle for the new MGS game.

Source TTGamer

Comment 

We pay higher prices for games, we quiet often get the games after the rest of the world, now Sony has decided that we don't deserve a console bundle for a game that is exclusive to their console.

I was hoping for a console bundle, at the right price to eventually validate a purchase of the PS3, but is so far isn't to be.

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McAfee warns of P2P virues 

A new batch of viruses and spyware are making their way around the P2P file sharing networks.

The virus is downloaded by pretending to be an MP3. Once opened it gives the user a window that asks them to approve or deny terms of use. It then downloads the actual malicious software and infects the users computer. 

Source ZDNet

Comment

I can't put this any simpler. Don't download movies, or music illegally, you are just asking for trouble. There is no security software that cansave you if you download and install viruses yourself.

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Telstra jumping on the iPhone 

Last week sources were saying Optus has gained the rights to sell the Apple iPhone, this week Vodafone has officially said they have the rights to sell the new phone, now Telstra is also said to have clearance from Apple to sell the new phone.

Unlike in the US, Australia will almost certainly have all our mobile phone carriers given the green light to sell the iPhone, and it's looking more and more promisinig of a 3G version when it is launched in Australia later in the year.

Source ZDNet

Comment 

While Telstra and Optus are yet to officially say they have the green light, and that the phone will be a 3G phone it is looking more and more likely that will be the case.

With the phone not locked to one carrier, as is the case in the US it will mean an open market place letting you buy the phone from any retailer and putting it on any network.

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iiNet grows again 

With Australia being such a small marketplace it is no surprise that a lot of small Internet Service Providers can't survive and take on the big 2, Telstra and Optus.

iiNet, one of the smaller big ISP's in the country this week announced it was merging with another WA based ISP, Westnet.

Unlike their previous merger with OZEmail, iiNet will not get rid of the WestNet Name, instead focus their iiNet brand in metro markets and their WestNet brand in the regional areas of the country.

Source ZDnet

Comment

There's not much to say, I personally try and stay with the small ISP's because of better customer service, however they seem to go under a bit easier.

It can be a blessing, and a curse to have a lot of larger ISP's battling for customers, a long as they don't try and monopolise the mrket and increase prices. 

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GTA4 record breaker 

Grand Theft Auto 4 has become the biggest selling and largest launch week income earner in entertainment history.

The previous holder of the largest opening week, the movie "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End," scored $US406 million. Grand Theft Auto 4 beat the movie by nearly $US100 million on the back of over 6 million sales.

Source ZDNet

Comment

While there was some fear from the movie studios that a launch like this could cause some problems for them, the worldwide release of the Ironman movie was also successful, showing that a game and movie can both launch on the same week and be successful.

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Medicare finds out about the web

This week Medicare released a site that allows you to check your claims and other simple Medicare information.

Once regitered at www.medicareaustralia.gov.au/online people can register for the organ donors register, check their childs immunisation records or see what theirMedicare claims are doing.

Source ZDNet

Comment

Banking is one thing, so too is buying things, but do we really need all government departments on the internet. Shouldn't it be just as quick and easy to go into your local Medicare office and do the same thing?

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M ratings work 

A study in the US has found through education, businesses selling M rated games to minors has reduced over the last few years.

The study found that the access of minors to M and R rated material was lower than at any other time and the access was declining sharper with games than any other medium.

The worse offenders in giving minors access was the big department stores.

Source Gamespot

Comment 

Proof that through education and enforcement products that are not meant for minors, can't get to minors. If parents keep an eye on what their kids are doing and seeing there would be less of a need for regulators to get involved. 

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