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.coffeegeek.com
You’ll find reviews on coffee making machines from both professionals and home users, plus the guides and how-to section has some good advice on getting your milk froth the way you want it and there’s a news section in there for coffee news from around the world.

www.freeonlinegameslist.com
Possibly the world’s largest list of free online games, all broken into different categories.

www.bigpondmovies.com
If you’ve started watching the new Drama series on the Ten Network “Tripping over”, but have trouble being home to catch it, you can actually download each episode ad-free on the Bigpond movies website.

Each episode of the new series is made available on the same night of the TV broadcast and costs under 3 dollars to download.

Feature chat – Software to help creating your own website easily
I have just some across a software package in the past week that takes care of everything and it seems ideal for anyone new to website creation.

It’s called Mr. Site: Internet in a box and sells for just under 110 dollars.

With the package you get your own website name, web hosting for a year, plus the tools you need to actually create that website which includes templates you can use to get your website up and running quickly.

For anyone wanting to sell goods online this is also an ideal starter, as it contains everything you need to operate your own website using a secure paypal online store.

Mr Site: Internet in a box is available at computer software stores, or you can get more information HERE.

 

Top 3 websites – all about being safe online
www.staysmartlonline.gov.au
This is the website launched by the federal government this week and is full of easy to understand tips on how to protect your computer, yourself and your children while using the internet.

http://www.siteadvisor.com/
This website is run by internet security company McAfee and is a great free tool to test out the integrity of any site on the web.

http://www.netalert.gov.au/
The netalert site covers a broad range of subjects from practical advice on Internet safety, parental control and filters for the protection of children, students and families.

Feature chat – National eSecurity awareness week
The driving force behind National eSecurity awareness week is the Honorable Helen Coonan’s department of communications, IT and the arts…who are responsible for the staysmartonline.gov.au website.

The department has also had some help putting this all together and promotion with internet security company Symantec, just one of the many contributors and have produced a booklet called the Norton 10-minute guide to staying smart online (available wherever Norton Internet security software is sold).

The guide includes information on how families can keep their kids safe on the internet, how to shop online safely, how to keep your mobile devices safe when travelling and als how you know if your identity has been stolen so it could be an interesting read which is being made available from some computer stores.

Symantec have also released a report on the Internet Habits of Australians this week ,surveying almost 29 thousand people in our region.

Here are a few of the statistics to come out of the report.

More than 60 percent of respondents divulge their personal information monthly to gain access to online services but more than half of them are uncomfortable doing so.

Nearly half of the respondents access the Internet from home and 26.7 percent used their work computer as well.

Only a small percentage used their mobile phone, PDA or games console.

Less than 15 percent of respondents were confident they could recognise a fraudulent website.

As part of eSecurity awareness week, Symantec has provided 10 copies of their new Norton Internet Security 2007 software for some lucky Nell at Night listeners to win!

Norton Internet Security 2007 stops spyware, viruses, worms and keep hackers out of your computer...but now also inclues new antiphishing tools to safeguard against visiting fraudulent Web sites.I think this is a handy features as you may have heard about websites that pose as legitmite financial institution sites or even ebay to try and obtain your account passwords or bank details...something we've seen a lot of lately.

All 10 copies of Norton Internet Security 2007 have now been won - winners will recieve their prize in the post within 4 weeks.

You can find more information on Norton Internet Security 2007 at their official Australian website HERE.

 
Top 3 websites
www.microsoft.com/max
Microsoft are currently working on a photo sharing project called codename max that helps you organise your photos into albums, create slide shows and share your photos online with a few clicks.
Project max also lets you draw on your photos without altering the original images...and is free to use.

www.yahoo.com.au/timecapsule
To give future generations a glipse of the web and the world was like in 2006, Yahoo has just launched an internet time capsule for all to contribute to.
The closing date for contributions to the Yahoo time capsure is 9 November this year

http://www.weddingbetting.com
Here you’re presented with photos of couples and are asked to predict how long you think they will stay together…and of course you can upload your own photos to get votes happening on people you know.

Feature chat – Interactive Smart Globe – Fun way to learn.

You may have one of those 3D globes of the earth at home or seen them in schools, but now Oregon Scientific have released an interactive and internet updatable globe that actually makes exploring a map of the world fun.
It looks just like a normal globe, however the smart globe comes with a wireless smartpen which you use to touch the Globe to learn all sorts of interesting facts about the world.

Learn the population, currency, weather, laungage and even the National Anthem of all countries around the world.
With currencies, when you connect your Smart Pen to your computer, the latest money exchange information is downloaded so everthing is up to date.

I found it was very useful to compare to compare different countries in terms of population, flying time or distance.

The Smart Globe also includes 30 around the world games and activities which teach geography and map reading skills…it’s a challenge to be given a location and then put against the clock to find and touch it with the SmartPen.

Upside - The upside of the Smart Globe is that it’s a fun way to learn and most of the information can be updated via the internet.

Downside - The Globe I tested seemed to be convinced that Greenland was the largest Island in the world where as far as I know it’s Australia….plus distances were given in miles, but perhaps there’s a metric setting in there somewhere.

Retails for $199 – Find out where to buy one at www.oregonscientific.com.au

 
Top 3 websites
http://dailylit.com/
At this website you simply pick a classic book, and you will be sent two pages per day ot read.

http://www.google.com/preferences
By changing the preferences in google you can enable ‘safe search’ options that will filter out explicit text and images from searches.

www.10000reasons.org
This website was started by six friends who while at dinner, came to the conclusion that civilization was doomed…not from war or large metorites striking the earth…but for thousands of reasons…some of them trivial, some more meaningful.

Feature chat – What’s happening in the world of video games

What's out now in Games consoles
Playstation 2 has been around since november 2000 and there is now more than 100 million of them in homes all over the world and plays games on a DVD format disc….it now sells for under 200 dollars.

Nintendo’s GameCube has also been around for a few years and while not strickly just for kids games is best known for fun games titles with characters like Mario.

Microsoft’s Xbox was released in 2002 and was a direct competitor to the Playstation 2…. With a solid line up of games and great options to play online.

Earlier this year the Xbox360 was launched…which is the first of the High-definition vide game systems, boasting more power to support better graphics and the widescreen format that makes some games more of a cinematic experience…it also plays many of the original Xbox games and sells for just under 650 dollars.

What’s still to come

December 7, 2006 - Nintendo Wii
The Wii a game system that features a wireless controller that reacts to movement and encourages gamers to get physically involved with gameplay…with a price of under 400 dollars, this could be a popular item under the treet at xmas.

March 2007 - Playstation 3
In March next year, we can expect the Playstation 3 which will be the competitor to the Xbox 360…once again a high-definition gaming experience…best experienced on a nice LCD or Plasma TV….but with a price tag around the 1000 dollar mark.