Andy chats about the latest technology and interesting websites each week with Nerissa Pace on the "Talking back the night" radio show, heard across Australia.

 
Top 3 websites
www.cabspotting.org
Taxi cabs as art?…who would have thought. This website traces San Francisco's taxi cabs as they travel throughout the city giving an alternative view of a living city.

www.ispott.com
Here's a fun concept for a game. It's a virtual scavenger hunt that uses photos taken with cell phone cameras.

www.groper.com.au
the ultimate online career test to identify your ideal career and the areas of study you are most likely to enjoy.

Sharing your home internet connection
Here's what you'll need to share your broadband Internet connection with devices around your home.

1. A wireless router…this is a box that you can plug directly into your broadband modem…this is the device that helps you share your internet connection and will set you back around 200 dollars.

2. A Wireless adapter for any computer wanting to use the shared wireless connection.Typically many notebook computers already have wireless networking built in…so there’s nothing to spend there…otherwise you will need a wireless notebook card…at around 100 dollars.Wireless network adapter for your desktop computer are also around the 100 to 150 dollar mark.

More advice on setting up a wireless network can be found at http://www.cnet.com.au/wireless/adaptors/0,39029207,39151368,00.htm

I can also recommend some new wireless networking devices from Belkin that I've been testing this week. Get more info HERE.

 
Top 3 websites
http://www.longawkwardpose.com/
A lot of digital cameras these days also work as video cameras. You can use that fact to have some fun with your friends and family. Ask them to pose for the camera, but instead of photographing them, make a movie of them awkwardly holding the pose for a long time. Someone has done just that and has posted the results online.

http://www.goalsetting1.com/
If you have a goal you can put it online so other people can see it as
well. This way you can get support from other all over the world.
It is also good for your self motivation. "Who wants to fail in public?!?!"

http://www.stopglobalwarming.org/default.asp
The results are in and the reality of global warming is beyond dispute
or debate.
Make your opinion heard by joining the virtual walk against greehouse gases on this website.

Feature – Latest gadgets in review
Falling prices and the world cup soccer have been pushing up the sales of flat screen TVs lately…although for many price is a big factor.

A TV with a price tag of 10 thousand dollars just a few years ago now costs between 3 and 5 thousand…but the sorts of features you can expect in the latest TVs is also amazing.

This week I’ve been testing out a 37inch LCD TV from ACER…now they’re probably better known for making computers, but I’m very impressed with their LCD TV range…especially the latest models.

The model I've specifically been looking at you can find HERE.

It has a built in Digital Television tuner, so you won’t need to buy a separate set top box to receive digital free to air TV….that’s great quality pictures with many programs in the widescreen format.

On the remote you’ll find something called an Empowering Key on that lets you easily set the TV up for your viewing – with different visual and audio presets for Standard, Movie, Sports, Games and Concert.

What I’m really impressed with though is the built in media gateway…so your TV can share entertainment from your computer.

This means that from the Media Gateway screen on the TV you can choose to view Digital photos, videos or listen to music stored on your PC…via a wireless network.

I know some people might say…”why would I need this?”…but let me give you this scenario….
Often when friends or relatives come to visit, we like to show off the latest digital photos we’ve taken…this involves everyone huddling into my studio to stand around the computer to view it on the screen….what if you could share those same photos, but from the comfort of the loungeroom, on a large screen….nice eh!

The same goes for music…If you store your music collection on your computer, you could access it from the TV…a bit like how you would use iTunes on an iPod…and no changing CDs.

…and one other feature I should mention is that the TV had a digital card reader in the front so you can take the memory card from most digital cameras and view your photos directly on the screen!

Price wise the new 37 inch Acer LCD TVs are quite attractive too…the media gateway model is priced at $3699 or there’s also a version without the media gateway for $3299…

More details at www.acer.com.au

 
Last chance to win this week!
Enter to win the last engin series 2 voice box valued at $199 - www.andywells.com/engin.html

 
Top 3 websites
http://dogradiothailand.com/
An Internet radio station in Thailand claims to be the first broadcaster that programs music specifically for a canine audience.

http://www.glassgiant.com/maze
This is a great website if you have kids indoors on a rainy day.
With just a few clicks you can generate your own maze complete, print it out and give it to the kids to crack!

http://www.lungtester.com
What’s your lung capacity like…this website will show you by blowing into your computer’s microphone.

Feature – Computer safety at home
Kids need computers more and more for homework…and of course you can’t deny that there’s definitely a social aspect to having an Internet connected PC.
Here’s a few tips for a kid safe computer experience in the home.

Computer position – Think about where the computer or computers are located in your home and try to avoid situations where kids can use computers hidden away from everyone else. Place your family computer in the most public area of your home - the living room, kitchen, or wherever it's easiest for you to monitor their computer use and activities.

It's not a matter of not trusting your child to do the right thing; it's merely a matter of supervision and information.

Familiarize yourself with the world wide web and the sorts of websites and programs you kids typically use, including email, instant messaging and chat rooms.

Also check with your Internet service provider about dealing with SPAM.

Set some basic rules down about the sort of information that should never be given out online to people they have never met…like phone numbers, addresses and full names.

Those are just a few tips to get you thinking about how your kids use computers at home…grab a some more tips from the following websites.

http://yahooligans.yahoo.com/parents/safety.html

http://www.netalert.net.au/02687-Technological-solutions-to-common-questions.asp

 
Win a McAfee Internet Security suite 2006
On tonight's show I chat with Monica Kelly from Internet security software company McAfee who has also provided a copy of McAfee Internet Security suite 2006 for 10 lucky listeners!

The first 10 individuals to send an email to mcafee@andywells.com and tell me who is hosting the Nelly at Night show while Nelly is on holidays will instantly win! (Please include your full name and postal address).

 
Top 3 websites
www.pyramidcam.com/
This is a photo blog…using a web cam that overlooks a pyramid plateu of 3 great pyramids in Egypt. The images are constantly changing each day…and there’s even some strange UFO activity going on!

www.mytrashmail.com
This is a free temporary email service to prevent spam. When you sign up at websites you can use for each sign-up a different email address without any prior registration. This way its very easy to check which websites really spam you and which do not.

http://socceroos.bigpond.com/
With world cup fever really hotting up, you might like to show your support for our very own Socceroos and Telstra Bigpond have made it possible by setting up a Socceroos hero message website.

Feature – Cleaning your computer!
Have a good look at your computer…is it dirty?

The most obvious signs will be dust on your computer screen and probably build up of grime on your mouse and keyboard…all things that are easy to clean.Perhaps stay clear of general house hold detergents and wet cloths (a big no no for anything electrical), you just need to pick up a couple of items from your local electronics store…or in my case Dick Smiths.

First up…grab yourself some anti-static wet wipes.

These are chemically treated to reduce static and remove dirt, dust and fingerprints safely from computer and TV screens, keyboards, telephones..even CDs and DVDs.

I found that a dispenser containing 100 of these is under 9 dollars.

Now’s a good time to take a better look at your keyboard…between the keys…if you can see a built up of dust or anything else you should clean there too, but you’ll need a bit of extra help.

This will be useful especially for people who eat anywhere near their computer as you’ll probably end up with crumbs in your keyboard.

Here you’ll need a can of compressed air…again I picked up one of these at Dick Smiths for under 15 dollars.
** Note: This item cannot be carried aboard any aircraft - it is classified as dangerous goods **

Using this you can blow out any muck from your keyboard without causing any damage, as getting in with a wet wipe is a bit tricky.

Just a safely tip for the compressed air….don’t let it get on your hands as you might end up with frostbite…and the stuff is flammable!

There you go…under 25 dollars and you’ve got a clean screen, keyboard and mouse…!