Another quiet week in technology from a global perspective, Australia however saw some changes and advancements that will benefit everyone in the country.

Google takes on ISP's

The fox is on the run again

Telstra joins the Apple madness

Australia lines up to go to a fruit shop

Monday 16th June 2008 - 20th June 2008

Google takes on ISP's

Search giant Google this week announced plans to release software that will allow people to see if their Internet Service Providers are slowing down downloads of certain types of files.

The planned release comes after US cable company Comcast was found to be slowing down some downloads while saying they weren't.

Mean while the US federal government has announced plans to fine providers who have been found to be illegally slowing or blocking internet traffic.

Source ZDNet

Comment

While it is well known in Australia that Internet Service Providers slow down peer to peer connections, in the US that kind of action is looked on as illegal.

Thanks to websites like whirlpool.net.au you can find out if your current provider or a new provider you want to go to slows down connections, in the US users assume they will have full speed connections for everything all the time. The new programme on the way from Google will allow people to see for themselves if their provider is doing something wrong.

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The fox is on the run again

This week the Mozilla Foundation released the latest version of the FireFox browser. The new version of the free alternative to Internet Explorer is less system intensive and loads websites faster then the previous version.

Now with up to 18 percent market share, the evolution of the Netscape browser is gaining pace on the current leader, Internet Explorer, thanks to new features and increased update speeds.

Source ZDNet

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Thanks to the ability of Active X programming in Internet Explorer, FireFox is gaining ground due to it's added security.

Having tested each version of the FireFox browser I have found the latest version, FireFox 3.0 to be have the best performance when loading websites, as well as not taking up the systems resources like the previous version did.

If you haven't already downloaded the latest version, you can get it from www.getfirefox.com.

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Telstra joins the Apple madness

This week Telstra announced they will be joining with Vodafone and Optus later this year in selling and supporting the new iPhone mobile phone being released by Apple.

While it has been known for nearly a month Vodafone and Optus will b getting the Apple phone, Telstra was staying tight lipped. Currently the telecom giant is waiting until next week to formally have the chairman announce the deal.

While both Vodafone and Optus will launch the iPhone on the worldwide launch day of the 11th of July, it appears Telstra will hang out for 11 more days.

Vodafone and Optus have both said the online preorders for the new phone have exceeded their expectations.

Source The Australian

Comment

With the biggest 3 providers announcing they will be selling the phone it only leaves the smaller carriers to make any planned announcements.

Prices of the phone in Australia have still not been announced nor any plans you will have to get to be able to use all the features the phone offers.

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Australia lines up to go to a fruit shop

Lining up for more than 30 hours. coming from as far away as the US, people will do anything to be first, and it is no different with the first Apple Store in the Southern Hemisphere, and the second largest in the world.

Bested only by the the Apple store on Regent Street in London, the 3 story store on the corner of King and George Streets Sydney has a completely glass filled front that stretches from one side of the store, to the other and covers all three stories.

The first floor has Apple computers on display, all of which have free access to the internet for any body to use. The second floor has the iPod and other smaller Apple products, while the third floors boasts the largest Apple Genius bar in the world and the first Pro workshops, both of which offer free advice, support and training on Apple products.

With overcast and rainy conditions the line of people waiting to get into the store still managed to circle a city block for many hours after the store had opened.

Source The Australian

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Over the years Apple fans have always been a crazy bunch. While I do use a MacBook Pro for business use, and have had an iBook in the past, I am yet to find a real reason to be so fanatical about the company and their products.

I walked past the store on launch night to hear and see the Apple employees trying to build excitement themselves by cheering and applauding their own store.

After seeing the madness, and the amazing amount of litter Apple fans can leave behind when they are waiting to see products they can see by walking 2 blocks in any direction, I entered numerous computer retailers in Sydney to find if they had scored any benefit from the opening of the new store. Not surprisingly, they hadn't.

I have yet to see if the madness has calmed down, but I would assume by 7 days after launch, the store will be just one more shop people walk in to on a Thursday night, browse around and walk out again with out buying anything.

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