Apple iPad- Yes please

Expect The Apple iPad In Australia Mid-Year

While I have managed to look the other way while young friends show off their Apple iPhones, this iPad gadget is going to be much harder to resist. E-Book readers seem to be the coming thing this year, and I have already had a request at the library for such a device. Apple seem to have a gift for elegant design and convergence so the device seems to be what is wanted by the public who will read, show photos to their friends, wifi to the internet and see videos.

But how much will it cost and will the iBookstore have our Australian authors! Lets wait and see. Remember Choice gave a shonky award to Apple one year. Lets hope the iPad lives up to its promise.

(But I still want one!)

Credit Card Fraud & Passwords

Credit and EFTPOS card fraud featured on tonights TV news. After using the Internet and Credit Cards safely for many years I was struck with fraudulent use on the credit card I use for internet and overseas purchases. The card is not linked to any of my accounts so it was easy to cancel and have a new one reissued. Luckily for me my bank quickly picked up the unusual transactions and stopped the card; unluckily just as I was purchasing books in England for the OS relations!
A letter  from my bank (Which Bank?? Yes that one!) has relieved me of another purchase that slipped through the initial fraud scan, so all is well. Thanks go to the bank staff for quickly picking up the transactions.
The news tonight indicated that EFTPOS machines are being stolen, rigged to save customer data which is then used to make false EFTPOS cards. This is a much more serious threat as potentially thousands of dollars can be quickly removed as most cards have daily limits up to $1000.
Today Tonight Reporters suggested changing passwords and PIN numbers monthly! Most people I meet in the library cannot remember more than a couple of passwords and PIN numbers so how will they manage to change their numbers regularly?
Perhaps the digital revolution and creative criminality means we will have to go back to carrying cash! On travelling to Europe a few years ago this certainly seemed to be the custom.
Another solution must be developed soon - its sooooo convenient to access the "hole in the wall"! Perhaps the Random password generating dongle attached to key rings that is used with a business account!  I want my money kept in my account!!

Belated Happy New Year

After what seems like an eternity I am back from holiday and starting to get used to the new year. I had a holiday this year before and during Christmas and set myself a goal to leave the computer behind and concentrate on relaxing and letting the festive season wash past without stress.
2010 will be  quite a year for me on many different fronts - work, family and hopefully personally. My perennial NewYear resolution - to lose weight and exercise more is looking promising, so long as the weather stays reasonably mild.
I have now gone back to work, pool and exercise bike. But still the christmas cake effect lingers around the waist and hips.
I have instituted family meetings to try and bring some sort of order into the doings of the family. All these targets and requests will need some work to succeed but perhaps the idea of setting goals may create a sense of getting things done and family spirit. Thats the idea anyway.
My garden produced a ton of beans over the Christmas period. They are now finished but soon we will be inundated with zucchinis and cucumbers.(so long as they survive the hot weather). And as the rain fell in large amounts up til the end of December our water tanks are again full and being used instead of Melbourne's precious water supply. The kids wondered how I could eat beans directly from the garden - nice sweet, crunchy beans - can't beat them!
My Solar Panels are installed and working well. We are surprised at how much power is generated on cooler, lightly cloudy days. However, to be truly effective we would need double the generating capacity - something that is not likely to happen again soon.