February iiNews
editor's note
Discomgoogolation - distress caused by internet access deprivation. It's nice to know there's a name for the mild anxiety I feel when I'm AFK (away from the keyboard) for more than a day. We're interested to see how many of our iiNews readers are in the same boat.
If you're a fellow web addict, say 'aye' and drop us a line.
Fans of big words and Spring Valley's Liddle Facts should read through Wikipedia's definition of discomgoogolation. If you're interested in building your know-it-all memory bank further, checkout Did you know? and this month's Site Scan - we pay a nerdy homage to interesting facts to tickle your brain.
Into serious business, there's more exciting news on the Freezone frontier. Checkout 'what's new' and the 'coming attractions' we've got lined up. We spell out what IPTV is in this month's instalment of Geek Speak and also hype up the new Tipping comps we're launching in early March. There's been major movement with the AFACT vs. iiNet case that's been making headlines around the globe. It looks like we'll be going toe-to-toe again with AFACT, so read on for an update.
Lastly, you may have noticed we've given our iiNews email a facelift in January. We hope you like the new cosmetic work and layout. If you'd like to share any iiNews related comments, questions or suggestions, we're all ears - just drop us an email through iinewsfeedback@iinet.net.au.
Gong Xi Fa Cai to everyone celebrating Chinese New Year!
Swee Au-Yong
iiNews Editor
iinewsfeedback@iinet.net.au
iiNet news
AFACT vs iiNet - latest news
It's been hailed as a case which could change the ISP industry across the globe.
In November of 2008, the Australian Federation Against Copyright Theft (AFACT) filed Federal Court action against iiNet, alleging that iiNet authorises customers to download illegal content in breach of copyright laws.
iiNet does not support any breaches of the law, including copyright theft. Instead, we continue to lead the industry with legal content offerings through our Freezone and content providers like Apple iTunes, enabling customers to watch and download a range of legal content quota-free.
Earlier this month we welcomed the Federal Court's judgment which saw his Hon. Justice Dennis Cowdroy hand down a ruling in iiNet's favour. Responding to this judgement, AFACT challenged this ruling yesterday by lodging a court appeal.
Read what we have to say about AFACT's court challenge. If you haven't kept up, you can follow what's happened through our iiNet copyright case updates or track through our recent media releases.
'New' and 'Coming soon' to Freezone
Our iiNet Freezone just keeps growing with new shows and footage to keep you entertained. Check out 'what's new' this month and mental note the 'coming attractions' ahead.
2010 Investec Bank Super 14 Rugby - NEW
We've teamed up with FOX SPORTS throughout the 2010 season to stream 46 On Demand matches (featuring Australian Super 14 teams). Each round we'll post up to 4 matches into the Freezone, with footage being available for viewing about 8 hours after kick off. Catch some sweaty scrum action in the Freezone now.
Bohemian Nights - NEW
The Bohemia Outdoor Film Festival's wrapped up for another year and thanks to our friends from FTI, we've got a stack of shorts to share from the Freezone. Catch the cream of the show reel crop from this year's Bohemian Short - Short Film Competition and five WA Screen Award nominated films.
WASO Masters Concert - COMING SOON
We'll be streaming more sweet WASO symphony into Freezone next month. Tune into a live stream of WASO's Masters 2 concert on 27 March 2010.
John Butler Trio - COMING SOON
From 20 March 2010, blues and roots fans can catch some very special performances from ARIA award winners, John Butler Trio. We'll have more JBT info to share next month, plus we'll be giving away some awesome John Butler Trio prize packs featuring albums and fan merch. Keep an eye on our Freezone Music channel.
Fresh Freezone Kids episodes - COMING SOON
Little tackers and tykes can tune into new episodes of their favourite Freezone Kids shows from the start of March. Kids can channel flick through Gekko TV (for kids aged 2-6); iiguana (for 6 - 12 year olds); and a selection of video clips through UGoGo (for kids under 6).
Freezone Kids is our cool online content platform, packed full of entertainment just for juniors. It's safe, it's fun and best of all, comes quota-free - meaning kids can dig in without chewing into monthly iiNet download quotas. Check back into Freezone Kids soon or scroll down to win a $50 Toys 'R' Us voucher with Freezone Kids.
That's all for news on the Freezone frontier for this month. Remember, all our iiNet Freezone content streams to iiNet customer screens completely quota-free. Learn more about Freezone or head there now.
Aussie Rules & Rugby League 2010 Tipping comps - coming in March
With the AFL and NRL 2010 seasons just around the corner, we'll be launching our Tipping competitions on Wednesday 3 March 2010, to make following the games even more interesting.
Tipping is easy - simply predict the win/lose/draw result of each match during the season and receive points for successful tips.
Weekly top tippers will score a $100 TAB Player betting voucher. While our top performing tippers for the Aussie Rules and Rugby League competition will walk away with a Home Entertainment/Theatre prize package (featuring an LG 50" Frameless Plasma TV, Panasonic DVD Home Theatre System and Sony Playstation 3 with PlayTV) each!
Serious tippers, folks who like to lay the occasional wager and newbies are all welcome. Even if you don't know anything about Aussie Rules or Rugby League, tipping's a cinch to learn. Plus, if Lady Luck's on your side, you could scoop a share of the awesome prize pool at stake.
Don't forget, our Tipping comps kick off on Wednesday 3 March 2010. You can register your interest to join now - we'll share more info on how the tipping competitions work and more.
Get next to BoB™ for next to nothing
You may have already noticed - we're back on the streets with our latest BoB™ campaign.
Keen eyes will have spotted TV ads, billboards and posters splashed throughout Sydney, Melbourne and Perth. Plus, if you're in Perth, you'll be seeing more of our friend BoB™ in newspapers and on larger-than-life silver screen.
Last month we also launched our new BoB™ rental plan. If you don't have a BoB™ yet, we've made it even easier for you to get your hands on our all-in-one internet and phone box - from only $9.95 a month!
Meet BoB™ (if you haven't already) or find out how you can rent BoB™ 'for next to nothing'.
business
Business Packs - all your communication needs, minus the fuss
MYOB, hitting sales targets, fringe benefit tax - there's lots to think about on the road to growing any commercial empire. To make life simpler for our enterprising customers, we've recently introduced three brand new iiNet Business Packs to help take the fuss out of your communications needs.
Business customers can now roll all their broadband, domains & hosting and telephony needs into one of our three neat bundles. There's a different Business Pack to suit your individual organisation needs - take a look.
Signing up to a Business Pack means you'll say goodbye to more paper clutter because you'll receive one simple monthly bill. You'll also cash-in on additional call credit, quota allowances and free onsite installation. We'll even waive the usual setup fee and throw in a $100 Google Adwords voucher - it's on us!
So, whether you're a start-up, budding boutique agency or a large-scale operator looking to expand nationally, our Business Packs can offer a bundle to suit. Speak to one of our friendly Business Support folks by calling 13 24 49 or emailing businessteam@iinet.net.au. They'll be more than happy to run you through what's on the table.
support & services
Geek Speak
Geek Speak is here to help turn technical internet jargon into plain and simple English. We understand not everyone is a net nerd, so each month iiNews publishes a Geek Speak topic to give you a hand.
This month, we'll spell out what IPTV is and how you'll see it changing the way we watch our favourite shows.
IPTV, or Internet Protocol Television allows digital television to be delivered to your TV screen through your internet. It bypasses traditional transmission methods (antennas, satellite dishes and television cables) to deliver high quality TV viewing (even HD) through a DSL connection.
IPTV can generally be classified as falling into two categories:
- Live -
Where you watch the action, as it happens by way of 'streaming' the broadcast
- On Demand - Where the broadcast can be watched anytime and usually has the ability to be paused, rewound, fast-forwarded etc just like a DVD
So what makes this different to say standard TV or internet TV? Well for starters it has the ability to be interactive. This means, you could potentially watch the footy and look up player stats at the same time from the comfort of your couch. You could also receive web service notifications on your screen while watching IPTV, for things like incoming email and instant messages.
IPTV is still relatively new in Australia. It's been big business over in Europe for the past four to five years already, with over 1.3 million subscribers tuning-in last year in France alone.
Over in France, it's been pretty standard for folks signing up for broadband to also expect their ISP to provide them with their TV (IPTV) and telephony (VoIP) services through their internet connection. They enjoy channel surfing through hundreds of channels, minus snowy reception issues, all without worrying about their TV habits eating into their broadband download quotas.
Stay tuned to iiNews for more on the subject - we'll keep an interested eye on how the IPTV phenomenon grows on our own shores. If you have any feedback or would like to suggest a new Geek Speak topic, email us at geekspeak@iinet.net.au.
competitions
Refer a friend & help us 'spread some free love'
You know the saying - sharing is caring. Introduce your friends to iiNet and you could both be in the running to win some fantastic prizes.
We've got a whole stack of Apple goodness up for grabs! We're giving away two major prize packs featuring a new MacBook Pro (15-inch 2.53GHz), a 32GB iPod Touch and a $100 iTunes Gift Card (for your free love play list). That's an Apple Pack each - one for you and one for your friend! Plus, we've got five 32GB iPod Touch and ten 4GB iPod Shuffle sets to give away as runner-up prizes.
To be in the running, spread some love about iiNet's super-fast broadband, Naked DSL and award-winning customer service. Use our online referral form to play match-maker and for every friend who signs up with iiNet, you'll both go into the draw to win.
Go on, start spreading the love today!
Competition closes 11:59pm WST on 30 April 2010.
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Win a Toys 'R' Us voucher with Freezone Kids
We're giving away 10 x $50 Toys 'R' Us vouchers for young ones and those young at heart. To go into the draw to win, here's what you'll need to do...
Watch Episode 10 of Lazytown from Freezone Kids to answer the question: What does Sportacus dive down and get for Ziggy, so that he can tell the Taffy Machine to stop?
Once you know the answer, email competitions with 'February Freezone Kids Competition' in the subject line. You'll need to include your username, full name and address, along with your answer. Don't forget, big kids and little kids alike need to get their entry in before 5pm (WST) Friday 12 March, 2010. Good luck!
The Rebound - Release date 18 March,
Rating M
The Rebound follows Sandy (Catherine Zeta-Jones), a beautiful mother of two, who's just turned 40. Living in the neat suburb of Sleepy Hollow, she's mastered the art of multi-tasking; baking pies, cutting sandwiches, dropping her kids at school and running the local fantasy sports league.
What appears to be a picture perfect world comes shattering down when Sandy discovers her husband cheating on her. She then packs up her two kids and moves to New York City to find a job and start a new life. There she meets Aram Finkelstein (Justin Bartha fromThe Hangover), a sweet twenty four year-old college graduate, and its not long before love starts to blossom.
To celebrate the Australian release of The Rebound, Roadshow Films have given us 50 in-season double passes to give away. To be in the running for a double in-season pass, email competitions with 'February The Rebound Competition' in the subject line, and let us know your username, full name and address by 5pm (WST) Friday 12 March, 2010. Don't forget, you'll also need to tell us the answer to this simple question: What does IPTV stand for?
January iiNews winners and grinners
Here's a quick roll-call through our iiNews competition winners from last edition. Thanks to everyone who sent through an entry and good luck for February's round of prize giveaways.
Games Warehouse $100 voucher
Congratulations David Papp (Hampton Park, VIC). You've won our monthly voucher from our gaming friends at Games Warehouse.
Catch The Panics with WASO
Congrats go to Brett Barker (Hilton, WA). Brett caught The Panics performing with WASO from the lush Kings Park & Botanic Garden, on Saturday 20 February 2010.
Bohemian Nights season double passes
Congratulations to all 15 of our Bohemia season double pass winners - Phillip English (Carlisle), George Robert Patrick Webster (Floreat), Amy Louise Glen (Kardinya), Alan Doak-Smith (Innaloo),Pete Martin (Trigg), Susan Lymn (North Perth), Michael Kennedy (West Leederville), Kathryn Linge (Bentley), Melissa Stanton (Warwick), Sarah Kous (North Lake), Simon Day (Attadale), Anne Pettit (East Victoria Park), Damian Cullura (Morley), Stuart Dymock (Wanneroo) and Robbie Tyrell (Fremantle).
games reviews
Rounding off February, we're got another $100 Games Warehouse voucher up for grabs. To put yourself in the running to win said voucher, email competitions with 'February Games Warehouse Competition' in the subject line. You'll need to include your username, full name and address, along with the answer to this question: How much does it cost to get next to BoB™ on one of our new rental plans? Get your entries in before 5pm (WST) Friday 12 March, 2010.
3FL Gamer's 2 minute review - Bioshock 2 for Xbox 360, PC, PS3
Arguably one of the best FPS romps of the past few years, Bioshock blazed one hell of a trail through its blend of narrative, environment, action and pace. Ask anyone that played it and they'll gleefully drone on about how it felt like 'playing a movie' with its tense thrills and cheeky plot twists.
Now if you want to get a sense of how Bioshock 2 feels after Bioshock, dig up your repressed feelings about seeing Matrix Reloaded after the Matrix - you know the faces and places, you're picking up roughly where things left off... but... just quietly... what the hell is going on? You don't want to be the guy who asks aloud, but secretly everyone wants to know - "where has the cool gone?"
Unfortunately, while Bioshock 2 is still a rock-solid adventure FPS, it feels like it lost its way a bit in the story department. The addiction I had for the original Bioshock has abandoned me for Bioshock 2, as the tale feels indulgent, overtold and unengaging.
Set eight years after the first adventure, you return to the undersea metropolis of Rapture, where the action puts you in the clunky boots of 'Subject Delta', similar to the shambling, brutish Big Daddies from the original installment. With the villainous Ryan now long gone your nemesis this time about is the twisted Sophia Lamb, bringing with her a mob of unnervingly fast 'Big Sisters' - like Big Daddies, but faster and, uh... terrifyinger.
The gameplay feels pretty close to the original, as you work between using novelty guns (like a rivet cannon and spear gun), to gene plasmids (such as fire, mind control and stealth). On top of your basic run-and-gun combat, you soon have the option to 'film' your fights with a handycam to learn where your opponents' weakspots are - it's effectively just diligent happy-slapping, rewarding you with all manner of bonuses for your snuff flicks.
Starting out, everything feels insurmountably rough - you'll take a lot of damage from early combat until you're skilled up enough to specialise in certain damage types. Given that you can't really die (you are instead dragged quickly to a regen tank, mid-action, to carry on like nothing happened), there's no great sense of risk and in turn, the thrill of difficult combat doesn't properly manifest itself. This is also true of Bioshock 1, but it's more prominent in Bioshock 2 as the balance of difficulty seems a bit more out of whack.
It's hard to articulate but despite Bioshock 2 being almost a carbon-copy of its predecessor, something isn't pulling its weight. Perhaps I missed something, but the lack of a carefully-woven plot crescendo really takes its toll on the lasting appeal, stripping things back to a fairly linear FPS. Surprisingly however, the new and creative multiplayer mode stands quite firm despite the occasional shortcomings of the single-player campaign.
Overall, while there's nothing out-and-out wrong with Bioshock 2 as a game, it's hard to say where it improved on the original. It's good, but it's not great.
site scan
Interesting Facts with Sandy Lim
Did you know that dolphins sleep with one eye open? This month, we pay tribute to all you factoid nerds who just can't get enough curious general knowledge.
Learn Something Every Day
http://www.learnsomethingeveryday.co.uk/
This site was made for the hungry-minded like you. Get one interesting snippet of info each day, presented in a brightly coloured, cute cartoon. If that's not exciting enough, you can even get a t-shirt with your favourite fact emblazoned on the chest.
Earth Calendar
http://www.earthcalendar.net/
Celebrate something almost every day, with the help of Earth Calendar - a diary of world's holidays and festivals. Look them up by date, country, religion, lunar phase and season.
Chinese New Year
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_New_Year
This month rang in a new year of the Chinese lunar calendar. The 'Xin Nian' (New Year) festival for 2010 started on Valentine's Day, and runs for 15 days. Check out Wikipedia for the story, customs and traditions behind the party going on right now.
When you're done with that, come join us in the Discoveryzone to learn about technology, internet culture and how to get more from your online experience.
