Entertainment Update

Along with spring comes 'cleaning', an update in your life. Well, I think your entertainment collection would also need to be refreshed this spring. Here are some releases that are worth mentioning.

Music (Australia)
This spring it seems like all Aussie artists are releasing their new album and they all have excellent songs. Shannon Noll did his album in the US with the help of some famous musician, Richie Sambora to name one. Delta Goodrem is back and in the country with her new 'sexy' look. Veronicas, the twins, are releasing a totally different music from their 1st album. Rogue Traders will also release their new album next month.

• Delta Goodrem (single - out now) (album - 22 Oct)
  
• Shannon Noll (album - out now)
• Veronicas (single - 25 Sep) (album - 3 Nov)
  
• Vanessa Amorosi (single - out now) (album - 15 Oct)
• Ben Lee (album - out now)
• Ricki Lee (single - out now) (album - out now)
• Damien Leith (single - out now) (album - out now)
  

Music (International)
You can never get enough of international music talent. Here are some that is worth checking out.

• KT Tunstall
• Matchbox Twenty Greatest Hits (1 Oct)
• James Blunt
• Kanye West
• Britney Spears (single - 8 Oct)
  

DVD
There is just so many great releases on DVD, especially TV on DVD. The blockbuster Spiderman 3 is also out, so you can relive the adventure of Peter Parker and Mary Jane.

• 24 Season 6
• Prison Break Season 2
• House Season 3
• Heroes Season 1
• The Simpsons Season 10 (26 Sep)
  
• Spiderman 3
• Transformers (1 Nov)
  

Games
New release games that will keep you busy this school holiday (it will still keep you busy even if you don't have a holiday).

• Halo 3 (25 Sep) - XBOX360
  
• Bioshock - XBOX360
  

For more entertainment needs, go to BigWEntertainment.com.au.

iPhone in Germany

Steve Jobs (Apple's CEO) apparently is on a roll, bringing Christmas present early for the European countries. After the announcement for a UK iPhone, yesterday he announced the availability of a German iPhone.

The German partner/carrier is T-mobile and the phone will retail at €399. It will be available on November 9, the same time with the UK release.

The rumour is that tomorrow/today, Jobs will announce an iPhone in France. Stay tuned. Let's hope for a local (Australia) release soon.

picture from Apple Germany

More Justin Shows

All the fans of JT (Justin Timberlake) that missed out on the previous concerts, here is something just for you. JT is going to add a few more concerts at Perth, Melbourne, Sydney and Auckland (NZ).

Here are the new dates and location,

• Saturday 10 November - Perth - Burswood Dome
• Tuesday 13 November - Sydney - Acer Arena
• Saturday 17 November - Melbourne - Rod Laver Arena

Tickets will be sold through Ticketek and will start at Wednesday 26 September 9:00am. The normal restriction apply, you can only get a maximum of 2 Sexyback Lounge tickets or 4 Gold/Silver tickets in one transaction.

For Auckland, the dates have been changed and another show is added, for further details click here.

Further information can be obtained from Frontier touring.

So, this time make sure you start queuing up the day before, trust me. Because if this all went like the ones before, everything will be sold out in 15 minutes. Be prepared.

iPhone in the UK

Steve Jobs (Apple's CEO) has launched the first release of iPhone outside the US. At a special media event held yesterday in London, he announced that the iPhone will be available from November 9 in the UK.

The exclusive carrier this time is O2. The phone will be the same model as the one released in the US, 8GB (so no 3G). The price will be £269 (including VAT) for the phone.

From the carrier point of view, there are 3 plans (£35, £45, £55) all with unlimited data. The contract is 18 months. Apple and O2 has also made arrangement with The Cloud so that customers can use their free Wi-Fi spot (about 7500 locations).

For further details check Apple's website or O2's website.

In other news (but still relates to Apple), Microsoft has launched the website for the new and upcoming Office Mac 2008. Check it out at http://www.macoffice2008.com/

picture from O2 website

Free Train Ride in Melbourne

This is breaking news. From October (date to be determined), Victorians will be able to travel free on trains provided they do it before 7am. It will be first trialled at 2 (busiest) train lines, Sydenham and Frankston Line. If it is successful then it will be applied to whole of Melbourne next year.

To get the free ride, commuter must get a special 10 x 2-hour ticket which is only valid for mornings. Only trains that reach the city before 7am qualifies (apparently there are 5 services that qualifies).

Note though the free ride is only for mornings, so if you want to return in the evening after work with a train then you must get another card, possibly the 10 x 2-hour ticket.

More TV channels

The next big thing in digital free-to-air TV will be coming in a few months with the introduction of high definition TV channels by both Channel 7 and Ten.

If you don't already know, the analog TV (current one) will be switched off by the government sometime between 2010 and 2012. So if you have an old TV, you won't be able to watch anything unless you get a set-top box (or buy a new TV with an in-built digital tuner)

The channels are being planned to be released on December. Currently if you have a digital TV, you will get a few extra channels, ABC 2 and SBS News are the main ones. There is also digital radio broadcast from SBS and ABC. On top of that, you will also have the EPG (Electronic Program Guide) for all the commercial channel (7, 9 and Ten). This vary with regions, so to check which channels are available to you, click here.

The content of the new channels are still vague at the moment so I guess we will need to wait a little bit more. The channel from Ten will be called TEN HD.

Road Trip Mania

Ok, we all love a road trip once in a while. How about this, a road trip from London to Sydney ? Yes ? The trip will take 3 months to complete and costs more than AU$9000. The company OzBus is doing just that.

They are doing a tour from London to Sydney by bus, passing around 20 countries. These are the countries that they will be passing: ENGLAND - FRANCE - GERMANY - CZECH REPUBLIC - AUSTRIA - HUNGARY - ROMANIA - BULGARIA - TURKEY - IRAN - PAKISTAN - INDIA - NEPAL - CHINA - LAOS - THAILAND - MALAYSIA - INDONESIA - EAST TIMOR - AUSTRALIA

The first bus just depart yesterday and the next one is due later this month. Bus route is subject to change though depending of the countries threat level.

There is also a return trip (from Sydney to London).

To get more info about the itinerary or if you want to jump into the next bus, go to the website here.

Chadstone Spring Event

For Melbournians, Chadstone shopping centre is running their regular VIP shopping event this Wednesday, 19th of September 2007.

As usual, there will be specials from all the retailers there. The specials will be available from 9am to 11pm so it is really shop 'til you drop. For a full list of the offers, click here (pdf file).

Some of the events that is happening on the day (from Chadstone's website):

• Enjoy a glass of Yellowglen Jewel Sparkling wine or Perrier Water from 5.30pm
• Special exclusive retailer offers of up to 50% OFF
• Runway Show #1, 7pm outside David Jones: The A List - featuring the most revered local and international designers Spring /Summer collections
• Runway Show #2, 8pm outside David Jones: Youth - showcasing the hottest designs for summer and beyond
• Heat one of the Melbourne Racing Club 'Fashion Stakes'
• Chance to win "12 Months of Glamour" - sunglasses to the value of $4,800 thanks to OPSM
• Chadstone FREE Shuttle Bus

The shopping 'bonanza' is only happening on Wednesday but the Spring event actually last until end of the week, from 19th until the 23th of September. Daily attractions include:

• Free hair styling at the Joh Bailey Blow Dry Bar
• Free mini makeovers and giveaways by Max Factor
• Free millinery presentations with different presenters daily

For a full details of the event, refer to the event's website.

So get your shopping gear ready, don't forget your wallet (make sure it's got money in it) and get ready to 'attack'.

Lonely People Die Young

This is one alarming fact. Today, US researchers have found that being lonely might cost you your health and lessen your life. It has something to do with the gene going crazy.

Read the full article here.

This proves us, humans, as social creatures. I don't think anybody wants to be lonely no matter what. People who say they can live alone is hiding from the truth.

Danger of Melanoma

You might not know this girl. Her name is Clare Oliver. She was 26. A couple of weeks ago, a newspaper ran a story about her and her fight with skin cancer. She said that she had only days or weeks to live but she would like to spend the last of her days campaigning and making people aware of the danger of skin cancer and solarium.

Clare Oliver passed away this morning, losing her fight with the cancer. I would like to send my deepest condolences to her family.

Her story was a sad but it shows how the reality is at the momen. She frequently visit the solarium when she was young even though she knew the danger of UV lights. She got caught in "buy 10 sessions get 20" marketing. In the end, she was diagnosed with melanoma (a dangerous form of skin cancer) and that the cancer has spread to all over her.

Her message was simple, "is your tan worth dying ?". Because of her article, in Victoria, the health minister has reacted and promised some new regulations for solarium. Tighter control with age check and parental consent will be introduced.

To read her original article that she wrote for Herald Sun, click here. I encourage you to read her story and share it with you family and friends.

Finally, I would like to say thank you Clare for sharing your story and may you rest in peace.

picture from heraldsun.com.au

Whirlpool Sued

Whirlpool, an Australian broadband community website, has been sued by 2Clix, an accounting software publisher. The firm is seeking damages of $150,000 per month and the permanent removal of 2 threads in Whirlpool's forum.

Whirlpool is a well known website in Australia. It provides a range of information about broadband news, providers and their plans. It also has one of the largest discussion forum with regards to broadband in general. The forum has more than 180,000 members although the list has grown rapidly ever since the news broke.

The firm is suing because Whirlpool failed to close down 2 threads in its forum. The threads contains suggestion by people (users) to not use the software from 2Clix because it was unsatisfactory. 2Clix claims that this 2 threads have made them to lose customers and therefore they are seeking damages.

The statement of claim can be read here, as posted on Whirlpool's website.

Whirlpool has already said that they will fight the charges even though they are a community website with little resources. Support has been coming in from all Whirlpool members, some even started donating to help Whirlpool's legal cost.

The news has started to receive coverage from major Australian newspaper and internet websites, making it a headline. To read the articles, click here (news.com.au) and here (smh/the age.com.au).

No Free HD-DVD in Australia

Well, this is just not fair. In the UK, Matrix fans were rejoicing because they got a free present when purchasing the Matrix Trilogy in HD-DVD. The gift was a brand new HD-DVD player. Yes, a free high-definition player for 60 pounds (around $150) and don't forget you get the Matrix Trilogy as well. The player was a Toshiba HD-E1 which is valued at about $800.

This is definitely an excellent idea of promoting the new HD-DVD format. Remember that Blu-Ray and HD-DVD are still fighting for a pole position in the market of next-gen format. Blu-Ray seems to be taking the lead with the help of PS3. Blockbuster will only rent Blu-Ray movies. In Australia, music giant JB Hi-Fi announced that it will only sell Blu-Ray movies as well.

However, HD-DVD still is going strong. Paramount recently announced that they have chosen to side with HD-DVD. They were publishing movies in both formats before but not anymore. This means blockbuster movies such as Transformers will only be available in HD-DVD.

Actually, I don't mind if the two formats co-exist together as long as movies are not published both formats. Each movie should only be published in one format, either HD-DVD or Blu-Ray. Having 2 different players is fine, just get a PS3 and Xbox 360 (with the extra HD-DVD player) or just wait a little longer for a hybrid player that can play both formats.

Anyway, back to the Matrix. The movie is planned to be released next year in Australia (in HD-DVD) but there is no plans to distribute a free HD-DVD player with it or running a similar promotion. I guess we can only wait and see. In the mean time, if you want to check out the photos for the UK Matrix event, click here.

Britney Oh Britney

As we all know, Britney made a debut comeback yesterday at the MTV Video Music Awards. She just released a new song, Gimme More, and was performing it on the show. It was the opening act apparently and her performance left everybody (and I mean everybody) talking.

The Performance
Well, I will have to agree with most people here. Her performance was really bad. It was not Britney at all. She always give good performance, great dance. It is not the case this time. She lip-synched the whole song and did not perform a great dance at all.

This is disappointing for Britney cause this is suppose to be her comeback to music after all her problems. In some of her dance moves, you could see her waiting for something to happen or someone to catch her. It is like she is thinking about the dance steps in her head, afraid to forget some moves. It does not look natural at all which is a shame for Britney who, I think, has great dance in her video clips.

The Outfit
This is another thing that I don't understand. She was barely wearing anything. It was a disaster. I don't believe it was sexy at all (if that's the look she was aiming for). She could easily be sexier wearing the costume that the female dancers wore.

I am not going to comment anything about Britney's body. There's a whole debate going on at the moment about her body, read the article here. All I will say is that she would be better off with another costume instead of wearing just bra and briefs.

The Song
I heard the song before and I quite like it. I always think that Britney has a great voice and that she is so lucky to have it. The song itself was great, upbeat and sexy. But it seems like whoever wrote the song didn't have any other line for Britney besides "Gimme Gimme". The "Gimme Gimme" seems to be repeated way too many times but other than that I think the music is fantastic.

If you want to watch her performance, do a search. It is not that hard to find since everybody seems to be bragging about her.

picture from heraldsun.com.au

New Indiana Jones

The title for the upcoming new Indiana Jones movie has been released. It will be called, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

This continue the trend of old actors trying to be young again after the release of Rocky, Die Hard 4.0, and soon to be released Rambo.

New iPods - Out Now

Apple has launched the new line of iPods, as previously speculated. As a summary, the big launch is the release of a new iPod Nano and iPod Touch. Other iPods received new look, bigger capacity and new colours. Shop Now

Another thing is the availability of iTunes Wi-Fi Music Store and Apple's partnership with Starbucks. This last one is probably only for the US market at the moment.

Also for the US market, the iPhone 4GB will be discontinued and the 8GB has been given a price cut of US$200, which made some people unhappy (those bought the phone earlier). A ring tone service for the iPhone was announced as well (not important cause we can't buy the iPhone just yet).

iPod Shuffle
Everything is still the same but with new colours and a Product(RED) addition. No more orange in this release. Shop Now

iPod Nano
Total revamp of the product. It's now smaller, able to play videos, games. Basically it's a mini version of the old iPod. There are new colours as well. As the old Nano, the lowest capacity model (4GB) will only be available with silver and the 8GB will be available in more colour choices. Shop Now

iPod Classic
Apple decided to make the original iPod a name, iPod Classic. It's got a metal casing now instead of the old black and white, and bigger capacity, 80GB and 160GB. I just can't imagine whether somebody needs that much space cause 160GB is equivalent to about 40,000 songs. Shop Now

iPod Touch
A stripped down version of iPhone. Basically, it is an iPhone without the phone capabilities. It's got wi-fi, safari (internet browser), youtube access, videos and it plays music. The navigation seems to be the same with iPhone. I guess this is to fill the gaps for people who wants the iPhone but not in the US. Shop Now

Price List
Here is the price list for the Australian market

• iPod Shuffle - $99
• iPod Nano 4GB - $199
• iPod Nano 8GB - $279
  
• iPod Classic 80GB - $349
  
• iPod Classic 160GB - $479
• iPod Touch 8GB - $419
  
• iPod Touch 16GB - $549
  

Some of them are available now, except the iPod Touch that will be available end of September (28th). Click here to shop the Apple Store.

If you want to know more, cnet.com.au has posted reviews for the new iPods.

pictures from macworld.com, cnet.com.au, arstechnica.com

KTM what ?

Ever feel like driving one of those futuristic cars, the one that looks like a Bat-car. Well, you might not have to wait that long. KTM, a European motorcycle manufacturer, is going to launch its first ever automobile and damn, it looks HOT. Check out the pictures below,

what a beauty

and again from the side

The name is KTM X-BOW and they are planning to bring it in Australia next year around May. The price point is estimated to be between 80,000 to 90,000 which is (I think) about the same price with a BMW Z4.

It is rear-wheel-drive and powered by Audi's engine (turbocharged direct injection 2 litre four-cylinder petrol engine). This can produce 162kW of power. It has a six-speed gearbox and can do 0-100km/h in 3.9sec.

But, you've got to buy it online instead of getting it from a dealership so no test-drive. Another thing to note, the car has no roof, doors, boot or windscreen. So, a helmet is a must. It also doesn't have a luggage compartment. Well, I think it is basically a motorcycle that looks like a car. I'm not sure whether they will let you go without a helmet. But, the car sure looks good.

Further info, pictures and 360 degrees view can be obtained from their website.

pictures from netrider.net.au

New iPod ?

In just a few hours, Apple will host a media event in the US and everyone is EXCITED. Well, maybe not everyone but for the die-hard fans of Apple and all the geeks, this will be like a new year's eve. They will celebrate and have their own special party.

Why ? It's because the event is heavily rumoured to be releasing a brand new line-up for iPods. Earlier this year, people were expecting Apple to launch the next generation iPod which was rumoured to have touch screen, etc. But Steve Jobs (Apple's CEO) gave them a phone, an iPhone.

Recently, the iMac line-up was updated with a new sleek brushed aluminum look and a brand new keyboard design. A couple of software was updated as well. This includes iWork 08 and iLife 08.

But this time, it looks like the iPod will get the special treatment. There are several rumours going on about the "new iPod". One claims that it will have wireless, another said that it will be have a "touch" function similar to iPhone but without the phone capabilities and so on. The rumours are endless. But I guess this is what makes it exciting.

It is just amazing the amount of attention Apple get when they are rumoured to launch a new product. I read this article once titled, "Why does no one care if the Dell store go down", which is true. Because when the Apple store go down, everybody will start saying a new update is coming or start their own little conspiracy theory and sometimes this can impact on the value of Apple stock. How cool is that ?

Anyway, we can only wait and see what is the next installment in this Apple saga. Some websites will provide live coverage of the event to update the die-hard fans. So, bring it on. Apple, I'm excited.

In the meantime, check out the Apple Store for their current products.

Melb. Central Shopping Evening

Melbourne Central will be having a shopping/fashion evening on Wednesday. It is part of the Fashion Week that is currently happening in Melbourne.

Most stores will have a special on the night. Some of the offers include:

• Alannah Hill - 20% off storewide
• Armani Exchange - 20% off full priced stock
• Borders - 15% off storewide (conditions apply)
• Country Road - 15% off full priced stock
• CK Jeans - 20% off full priced stock
• Cotton On - 30% off full priced stock
• Cue - 15% off full priced stock
• DeCjuba - 30% off full priced stock (conditions apply)
• Midas - 20% off storewide (conditions apply)
• Miss Sixty - 20% off all Miss Sixty and Energie stock
• Morrissey - 20% off storewide
• Oroton - 10% off storewide
• Saba - 20% off full priced stocki
• Steve Madden - 20% off storewide

For a full list of specials, click here to download the flyer (pdf). It is all happening tomorrow from 5-9pm.

Tulip Festival

Ahhh...spring is nearly here. Melbourne always come alive in spring, I think there's something about the weather and sun. People will start wearing colourful clothes, leaving their black and grey jacket at home. There's always so much to do during spring and one of them is the annual Tesselaar Tulip Festival.

This year the festival is going to be open from September 13 until the 10th of October. The location is at Silvan, around 30-40 minutes drive from Melbourne CBD. For the Melway enthusiast, it's at 125 B5.

I went to the one last year and I got to say it's quite gorgeous (if you like flowers). It is even better if you go there with your loved ones. You could get tulip seeds, Dutch craft, Dutch pancake and so much more. There's tour around the 'garden' with a horse and everybody is wearing the Dutch costumes just to give it that Dutch feeling. Just a small tip, don't go to early cause the flowers might not be 'ready' yet.

There's all kinds of activities and entertainment everyday. But there is also special themes days, such as Turkish, Dutch and Irish weekend, Opera in the Tulips, Seniors day, and so on.

Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for concessions. Children under 16 can enter free if accompanied by parents. However, if you want to save, get 10 or more people together and get a group rate. But you need to PRE-BOOK it online, by phone or mail order. The group rate is $10 per person.

For more information on programmes, bookings and everything else, check out their website at www.tulipfestival.com.au.

picture from www.tulipfestival.com.au

A380 Makes a Move

Everybody knows about the new mega-jumbo plane from Airbus. the Airbus-A380. One word can describe the plane, it is MASSIVE. Even Singapore needs to make another terminal to accommodate the new plane.

If you don't know what I am talking about then you should Google "A380" and you'll find a lot more info about the plane. If you want to check the Wikipedia entry, click here.

There has been a delay in the production of the planes. This made a bit of a trouble for Airbus cause some of the airlines was suing for compensation of the delay. Anyway, the plane is highly anticipated all around the world. A lot of airlines have ordered them to add to their fleet. I believe the airline with the most order is Emirates and Singapore Air is second.

However, the first airline that will fly the plane for public (commercial) is going to be Singapore Airlines aka SIA aka SQ. The plane's first commercial flight will be taking off from Sydney to Singapore in 63 days and you can get in this first flight if you want to because the tickets/seats will be auctioned on eBay, how convenient. For ticket scalpers, you don't have to do any work, SQ has done it all for you. Of course, the purpose of the auction is not income revenue but charity and maybe a bit of media frenzy.

The auction starts in a couple more days, 27th of August 2007 to be exact. The A380 will be flying from Sydney to Singapore on the 25th of October and returning to Sydney the next day. Each journey will be auctioned separately, in other words if you are planning to come back to Sydney, you will need to bid on the other journey.

All 3 classes (new economy, new business and suites) will be available for auction. You can also bid on multiple tickets as a package. To check out the packages, click here. Because the auction is via eBay, you will need an eBay account to participate in the whole bidding process.

If you don't like the auction process, guaranteed seats will be available (I think it's like a Buy It Now kind of thing) but it does come with a premium charge as well.

At this stage, there is no information about the pricing details or how much the auction is going to start. But the FAQ of the auction can be accessed here.

To get more info about this event/auction, click here.

picture from SIA website

New Season on DVD

It's that time of the year again. No, it's not Christmas. It's the end of season for most of the TV series and the time to re-enjoy it at your own pace with DVD boxset release.

I'm quite excited for this season cause I did not watch any of my favourite shows at all. I want to wait until the whole season is complete and I can watch it in one go, especially with 24. That is a show that cannot be interrupted. So if you are waiting on the new season on the DVDs, here are the release dates:

• Heroes Season 1: 5 Sep 2007
• 24 Season 6: 19 Sep 2007
• Prison Break Season 2: 19 Sep 2007
• House Season 3: 19 Sep 2007
  
• Supernatural Season 2: 3 Oct 2007
• Ugly Betty Season 1: 31 Oct 2007
• Grey's Anatomy Season 3: 31 Oct 2007

Dates are for Australian releases.

A Gift From The Sea

There is message in a bottle, and there is LEGO. Confused ? Well you should be. A giant LEGO has been found on a popular beach resort in Dutch. The size you ask ? Have a look at the photo

It's about 2.5 m tall. It was floating in the sea and a stall worker decided to take it out. It was then placed in front of the drinking stall. Nobody has yet claimed responsibility and yes, the hair/hat/top part is still not found.

picture from The Age

No Jaywalking

OK, never jaywalk. Jaywalking is dangerous, everybody knows that.

As an 'incentive' to not jaywalk, this week in Melbourne police are going to patrol the city for jaywalkers. If caught, you can be given a warning or even a fine. I think the fine is $55. So, look where you're going and if the light is red, STOP. Simple.

Free ticket from Connex

If you live in Melbourne and you use public transport, here is some good news for you (sort of). Because of the pain and suffering that you endured during the past month (July) from late trains or canceled ones, Connex is giving a free daily ticket as compensation. Connex did not meet the target performance by half a percent (Ouch!) and as a result must compensate the commuters.

But the free ride only falls to commuters who has a monthly, half-yearly or yearly tickets and nothing else. So, hold on to your tickets to get your free ride.

Borders Offers

Borders is offering 20% off for teachers and students from tomorrow. If you're not students or teachers you can still get 15% off by forwarding the offer to your friend. Check the details here.

New Qantas Logo

Do you know that Qantas has just launched a new logo ?

The old logo is on the left and the new one is on the right of the picture. Similar ? Yes, but not the same. In the new one, the kangaroo is more aerodynamic. This is done so that the plane can get less resistance from the wind and therefore, fly faster to the destination. Also, the new logo allows the kangaroo legs to be seen instead of being split by the aircraft, see picture below.

Nice ? No word on how much the re-painting job is going to cost though.

Disclaimer: the new logo will not make the plane go any faster, not even a little bit.

Pictures courtesy of The Age

New Aerobics Routine ?

Well, this is really interesting. YouTube has once again proven that anyone can become a star and claim their 15-minutes of fame. The latest are Philiphines prisoner at Cebu, over 1500 prisoners are shot doing the routine for Michael Jackson's Thriller.

OK, if this was a bunch of young kids that might make sense (not really though) but watch the video. The inmates that are playing the main characters are semi-old people and they are doing zombie look-a-like. I don't know how the guards managed to 'persuade' them to do this (maybe with some sentence reduction or steak lunch) but it sure is good entertainment.

Go and check the video at YouTube here.

Harry Potter: The Final Book

Today, in another 8 hours, the final book of the Harry Potter series will be released. Fans have been counting down to this day, which has been named the P-Day. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is the most anticipated book in the series, it is the final book of the series. Adding to the anticipation, J.K. Rowling (the author) mentioned that 2 main characters will die in the final book.

Security has been tight surrounding the release of the book. In the US, some booksellers even have a special section that handles the Harry Potter books. The section is continually watched by security and only employees that have direct relation to the book can be there.

There has been some slip though with 1200 pre-orders being sent early (a couple of days ago) in the US and a New York Times reporter writing a review of the book a couple of days before the official launch.

Some materials have been published online, some real and some fake. But the determined fans have been able to block all that and wait for the actual book.

Well, it's not long to go until the world knows what happens to Harry Potter, the boy that managed to captivate children and adults alike for the past 10 years.

Events are being held all over the world for the launch of the book. In the US and UK, I believe they will launch the book at midnight and in Australia, it will be 9am eastern time (7am for Perth and 8.30am for Adelaide).

For Melbourne, they will have huge celebrations in Federation Square by Borders and the city by Readings starting early morning. The Lord Mayor John So (Melbourne's mayor) is going to officially launch the book (by opening a chest) in the city. There will be stunts as well, with plenty of broomsticks going around.

I, myself, am not a hardcore fan of the Potter series. I have not read any of the books but I watched all of the movies (especially the last one in glorious 3D - check my review). But I have a theory of how it's going to end. I think it will end with Harry having to sacrifice himself in order for the Dark Lord to be killed (and therefore Harry dies). It's a sort of Matrix ending whereby Neo has to sacrifice himself in order to kill Agent Smith. It is the ultimate sacrifice.

Well, I guess we'll know soon enough whether I'm right or wrong.

Just a small tip from me for everybody that is going to get the book tomorrow. First of all, be patient (there's plenty of books around) and after you get it, go home and read it. Don't open them until you reach home. Hopefully, the first kid in line to get the book won't flip straight to the last page and scream to the other people in line, "NOOOO!!! everybody died".

For everybody that is looking for a bargain, Toy's R Us is selling them for $19.99 if you buy something else from them. All the major bookstores (Borders, etc) are selling them at $29.95. Target and Kmart are selling it at $27.95. Big W promised to be the lowest place to buy but still yet to reveal the price (maybe it'll be like 3 cents cheaper or something). All are AU$.

Mac Bundle - Update

Only 1 hour to go until the deal by MacUpdate ends and ALL programs have been unlocked. So it's 10 programs for $49.99 (valued at more than $400). Buy through MacHeist and you'll get 5 more programs.

Go check it out (or even buy it) before it's too late.

Because ALL applications (10 of them) have been unlocked, MacUpdate is giving a time extension for everybody, an extra 3 days. So for all of you that haven't heard about it or didn't get a chance to get it then get it NOW.

As another incentive, MacUpdate has included another program to the bundle. Buy through MacHeist and you'll get 5 more programs.

Go to MacHeist or MacUpdate promo.

Note all currency is in US dollars.

MacUpdate Bundle

All you Mac lovers out there, a couple of days ago I told you about a deal that is going on for Mac users. MacUpdate is bundling 7 of favourite Mac programs for one low price, $49.99. However, to sweeten the deal, MacUpdate is going to throw in 3 more programs into the mix as long as a certain quota is reached.

So, if the sales reaches 2,500, MacUpdate will throw in another program. The other two programs will be released if the sales reaches 4,000 and 9,999 respectively.

At the moment, one program (Little Snitch) is already unlocked and sales currently stands at 3,233 (800 shy for the next program to be included in the bundle). So, I am strongly recommending you to go and buy the bundle. Why? Because one, so you can enjoy the great apps included (I've tried a few of them) and two, we might get the next app to be included with the bundle. At 4,000, Intaglio will be included into the bundle. So what are you waiting for ?

There is not much time left, only less than 48 hours to go until the offer ends.

Click here to go to MacUpdate promotion page.

To get referral for the promo, click here. (You get an extra membership of MacUpdate for free if signing up via referral.

To get the bundle with Macheist, click here (You get 3 more programs, access to beta software, and one more app to be revealed at the end of promo)

Recycling by Apple

This email just came yesterday from Apple.

This is definitely good news. You can recycle your old computers (and parts) for free (if you happen to be in Sydney and Melbourne). There are a few locations, to know more check out the link, here.

So if you have been thinking for a place to dump your big, old chunky monitors, here it is and now is the time. Please check the website for further information of what can or cannot be thrown away.

Reminder, there is no incentives from this. The only reward you'll get is from mother earth, rewarding you with fresher air, cleaner water, better weather and everything else. You will also help to reduce landfill.

So, check the website, find your nearest location, note down the dates and times, and set a reminder for it. Don't forget about it. Please recycle for a better tomorrow.

Seriously, green is the new black.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

I don't normally get excited with a Harry Potter movie but this one sure does. Not because the story is darker like everyone said but because of IMAX 3D. Yes, that is correct. The latest installment of Harry Potter is available at IMAX and the last 20 minutes or so of the movie will be in 3D.

The Cinema

The movie premiered all around Australia on Wednesday, 11th of July (yesterday) and I went to watch the latest show on IMAX Melbourne (10.15 pm) thinking that it won't be crowded because no parents would take their children to a near midnight show even though it was the school holidays (I originally wanted to go the 7.30 show but it sold out a week before). To my dismay, the theater was FULL. I came at 9.30pm to find a long queue of people. As it was free seating, the first ones in will get the best seats.

You will get a pair of 3D glasses when you go in. Keep these well and truly safe, don't smudge it or anything so you could enjoy the 3D scenes later on. For all of you with glasses (spectacles), not to worry, the glasses are big enough to accommodate them. If you wear glasses and have a flat nose like me, you might have to adjust the 3D glasses every now and then.

Based on my personal experience in IMAX, you would not want to get front row seats. Not that it's bad or anything, being in the front row just means that you have to look up a bit more. But if you are the type of person who get dizzy easily, I won't recommend the front seats. The screen is fairly big so wherever you seat, you will still be able to enjoy the movie comfortably.

The show started on time, no extras or commercial or movie trailers, so make sure you are not late or you'll miss part of the movie. When the movie starts, you will know that you have made the right choice to have watched it in IMAX. The pictures were massive and clear, and the sound was loud. It was loud enough and just right so you would be able to enjoy the experience.

The Movie

I don't follow the book at all (I'm more of a visual kind of guy) so I have no idea about the story line, new characters, and everything else. I only know that this will be yet another adventure of Harry Potter and friends.

I will not spoil anything for you here but for you readers of the book, you would probably know everything. Let me just say that I think the book was condensed a lot for the movie. I don't know to what extent the truth of that statement but I feel there was a lot of jumps between scenes. All you readers can correct me.

There are more characters on this movie as well. It's like a big 'reunion' from past Harry Potter movies, making it hard to focus on individual stories. I think the director was wise to focus on Harry Potter more. It is hard to balance when you have a lot of characters.

Everybody said that this movie is 'darker' than the previous one. But I don't think that really explains it. I do agree that it's a lot 'heavier' for children to 'chew'. It is no longer straightforward and simple. It deals with a lot of the emotion and thinking. It certainly goes along with the characters turning into a teenager. For children, parental guidance is strongly encouraged. The movie itself is rated M (for Mature) in Australia.

The 3D

Once the 3D scenes are to be played, green glasses symbols will be displayed at the bottom of the movie. That means it's time for the glasses. There was only a few seconds to put your glasses on as the next scene immediately goes 3D. I will spoil when this will happen (I'll try to be very discreet) as not all of us will go and watch it in 3D.

The 3D scenes starts when Harry Potter and friends goes off and fly to the Ministry of Magic from Hogwarts. It will end when the duel between Dumbledore, Harry Potter and Voldermort ends.

I personally think that the combination of the 3D scenes and the amazing surround sound will blow you away. Girls, I can tell you that this is as close as you'll ever get to Daniel Radcliffe (I think).

They really did well with the 3D scenes. It made the battle more exciting especially the one with Voldermort. The flying scene was also accentuated because of the 3D. It really makes the whole experience a lot more real, like we are supporting Harry Potter in a way.

The moment the 3D scenes started, I knew that the extra money for the IMAX ticket was justified. It was money well spent.

The Ticket

Well, there is a price to pay for a good experience. In IMAX Melbourne, an adult ticket costs $20 (concession $16.50), they are dearer but not a lot if you normally pay full price on normal cinemas (I think they are around $15-$16). But because this is IMAX, there will be no 'Super Tuesday' that will magically reduce your ticket to $9 so watching it any other day won't make the tickets cheaper.

The best method to go in cheap is to go as a group. If you have more than 10 people, you qualify as a group already. The group price is $15 for adults and $12.50 for concessions. That saves you a lot. With group bookings you can book over the phone, you can book pretty much in advance and the tickets will be ready to be collected pretty much right after you order them. You could also leave it until the day when you come and watch it.

IMAX Melbourne has an online booking facility for advance booking tickets. Normal tickets cannot purchased over the phone whilst group booking can only be done via phone (or at IMAX itself). Be aware though that there is a booking fee for using the internet service.

Overall

I guess overall I think that it's not a bad movie. It certainly feels that the story is shortened so that it can fit to the two and a half hour movie. The only character that developed during the movie seems to only be Harry Potter. The rest had their moments but it was too short, I believe. There is quite a number of scenes to scare you at the beginning, adding a more suspense feel to the movie.

All the negativity though is rectified by the glorious 3D scenes. It's really the icing of the cake and without it, I don't think that I'd be as happy and excited about Harry Potter.

It is definitely worthed to go and see it at an IMAX near you. Out of 5, I'd give it 3.5 (if I didn't have the 3D) and 4 (with 3D).

For more info on IMAX Melbourne, online booking and session times, click here.

Software Bundles

Do you own a Mac ? If you do then this is good news for you. The people from MacUpdate is offering a special deal for a bundle of Mac softwares at the moment. They are selling 7 softwares (as a package - worth more than US$200) for just US$49.

The softwares are:

• SRS iWow (audio plug in for iTunes)
  
• GarageSale (ebay listing software)
  
• Cocktail (system utility)
  
• ProfCast (recording presentations)
  
• Amadeus Pro (multitrack audio editor)
  
• Fetch (for FTP)
  
• GraphicConverter X (image editor/converter)
  

If the number of sales exceed a certain point then another software will be included in the bundle. There are 3 extra softwares that will be offered:

• Little Snitch - unlocked if sales exceed 2500 buyers
• Intaglio - unlocked if sales exceed 4000 buyers
• TechTool Pro - unlocked if sales exceed 9999 buyers

MacHeist is also sweetening the deal by adding more software into the bundle. Provided you buy the MacUpdate bundle from MacHeist, they will add 2 more applications (Browseback and Exces), a chance to trial a couple of softwares (Pixelmator and Flow) and a secret app that will be revealed later on.

To go straight to the MacUpdate deal, click here.

To get it from MacHeist, click here.

Come on, there is not much time left (6 days from today). Go and grab a bundle and unlock all the software.

Tiger vs Jetstar

As mentioned before, Tiger Airways (one of Asia's low budget airline) is coming to Australia and will be based in Melbourne. As a follow up, they will start flying Australian domestic routes from November 2007.

Their first announcement (a couple of weeks ago) was Melbourne to Darwin and a special fare was introduced at $79.99 one way. They then launch more routes around Australia. Up until today, they have:

• Melbourne - Gold Coast ($49.95 one way)
• Melbourne - Mackay ($59.95 one way)
  
• Melbourne - Rockhampton ($59.95 one way)

I'm pretty sure that there will be more routes available so keep an eye out at their website www.tigerairways.com and select Australia.

Tiger is also offering an international route from Melbourne to Singapore via Darwin. This is currently on offer at $499 return, making this probably the cheapest flight to go Asia from Melbourne. If you go to New Zealand or Fiji, it will cost you around about the same. Even Jetstar's international fare would still be around $700 return to Thailand.

The only bad thing about flying to Singapore with Tiger is the time it take to reach there. It takes 11 hours to reach Singapore and I'm guessing it's because of the stopover.

Anyways, Jetstar did not stay quite but they launch a series of attacks to countermeasure Tiger. Jetstar has discounted the fare from Melbourne to Gold Coast to just $39 (which has already sold out). They also made the fare to Darwin to be the $0.99 cheaper than Tiger at $79.

Jetstar also sold $1 tickets yesterday for two hours (between 10.00am and 12.00pm). The offer was available for email subscribers and include routes Melbourne - Tasmania (Hobart, Launceston), and Melbourne - Adelaide.

Basically, this will continue on and it will surely create a new pricing point for domestic travel (and maybe international as well) in Australia. We just hope that the plane will always be checked before flying.

Note: the sale fares are for Nov 07 until March 08. Further details, please go on the website for each company: www.jetstar.com.au and www.tigerairways.com.

Out of Jail

I think today will not be complete until I let you know that PARIS HILTON IS OUT OF JAIL and she's ready to take on the world once more.

picture from theage.com.au

Paris......that's HOT!!

Plant Trees

Do you ever feel that you are wasting too much electricity with your computer ? Well, not to worry cause Cars Guide will help you ease that guilt.

They want to plant 10,000 trees to help offset the carbon emission. I suppose they want to plant it in Australia so sorry for the people from overseas, guess you still need to breathe the smoke a bit longer (but you can still help).

Helping out is (as an Aussie would say) simple as (meaning: really simple). Just visit the link. CARSguide.com.au/trees. That's it. Simple ? Of course.

When I visited, they already got more than 75,000 visits. For every 15 visits, they'll plant 1 tree so we just need another 75,000 people to visit the link.

You can win stuff if you want but that involves sending an invite to a friend and so on. But if you just want to feel good knowing with that tree you can stay up downloading more episodes of Heroes or Grey's Anatomy then just please click on the link CARSguide.com.au/trees.

Five Second Rule

I'm sure everybody has heard of the 5-second rule. If you drop your food on the ground, you can still pick it up and eat it as long as it has not been on the ground for more than 5 seconds. True ?

Well, 2 American students went and put the rule to the test. The experiment is simple. The students used sliced apples and sweets/chocolates (like M&Ms). They dropped the food on the floor, leave it for a while (and time it of course), picked it up, use a swab to collect samples of the surface that touched the floor and check it under the microscope. Simple ?

The results were surprising. On the apple, it took about 30 seconds for bacteria to start growing and on the chocolate it took nearly a minute. Don't believe me ? See this video news report from ABC here.

Well, I was never a fond believer of the 5-second rule anyway. It has always been the 5-minute rule for me :)

picture taken from Yahoo

Update Soon

Well, it certainly been a while since my last update. Apologies for that and no I'm not going to abandon the blog. I was away for 3 weeks (tell you more about this later as well). But for now, I need to sort out myself first, get organised and get back to my normal daily routine (which is sad in a way).

iPod Nano Product Red Launched in Aussie

Finally, Australia gets the red Nano. It was launched in the US last year and several countries followed. New Zealand even had it before Australia.

Well, better late than never. Buy a Red Nano if you want to help support fight against AIDS campaign (Bono and friends). More info here.

New Price for iPods

Today in the paper I noticed three commercials about iPods, all of them about price reduction. It was a bit weird cause there were no rumours going on that mention Apple might reduce iPod's prices. But then I checked the Apple Australia website and confirmed that there has been a pricing drop for all iPods.

I am guessing that the drop is to reflect the currency differences (Australian Dollar is really pretty strong right now), only iPods are reduced though. No other system seems to be affected. Strangely, Apple is not really promoting this new price on their online store.

Anyway, here is the summary of the new price:

• iPod Shuffle - $109 (old: $119)
• iPod Nano 2GB - $199 (old: $219)
• iPod Nano 4GB - $279 (old: $299) UPDATE (TYPO)
• iPod Nano 8GB - $349 (old: $379)
• iPod Video 30GB - $349 (old: $379)
• iPod Video 80GB - $479 (old: $499)

As you can see, the prices drop $10 for Shuffle, $20 for Nano 2GB and 4GB, $30 for Nano 8Gb and Video.

For more information or to buy, check out Apple Online Store.

PS: You might want to check Kmart, Target and Myer first before going straight to the online store (the 3 commercial on the paper) cause I saw the Shuffle advertised for $98 in Kmart (more savings).

Macbook Update

Today, Apple released an update to the Macbook line. The update include faster processor, bigger memory and hard drive.

• White, 2.0GHz, 13.3", 80GB, 1GB RAM - $1599
• White, 2.16GHz, 13.3", 120GB, 1GB RAM - $1899
• Black, 2.16GHz, 13.3", 160GB, 1GB RAM - $2199

It's not an exciting update but if you were thinking of getting a budget (or not) Mac laptop for some time then this update is for you. Even the lowest specification is pretty decent (if you don't mind not being able to write DVDs).

For more info or to buy go to Apple Online Store (Australia).

Live Earth

What is a fun way to help combat global warming ? By having a PARTY of course, one that involves the whole world. Yes, it's Live Earth concert, to be held at several different cities around the world (7 cities around 7 continents if I'm not mistaken), including Australia.

In Australia, the concert/party/event will be held in Sydney and the tickets for it goes on sale this Friday, 18th of May. The event itself will be on the 7th day of the 7th month 2007 (a.k.a. 7/07/2007). Tickets for the Australian event are available from Ticketek.

For other countries, have a look at their website, http://liveearth.org/ or at http://www.liveearth.msn.com/.

Personally, I don't see how holding a party will make you more aware of ways to combat global warming but hey, everything counts.

Harry Potter in 3D

For the next Harry Potter movie, instead of watching it at your normal cinemas, you might want to check it out at IMAX. For your information, IMAX uses a totally different movie format than the one used in normal cinemas. It has bigger screen (massive I'd say) resulting in bigger picture. I cannot stressed how big the picture in IMAX is. IMAX is also known for its IMAX 3D movies.

Anyway, IMAX will be screening the new Harry Potter movie (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix) from 12th of July 2007. And the interesting part is that the last 20 minutes of the movie is going to be in 3D. Check out the info page at IMAX Melbourne here. It will be very interesting to see the adventure of Harry Potter in IMAX and 3D.
However, the IMAX experience will come at a price. The ticket is $20, double the price of an ordinary cinema.

Currently, 300 and Spiderman 3 is also playing at IMAX.

Movies....Movies....and Movies

This upcoming months, there an amazing line up of new movies hitting the big screen and most of them are sequels. Yes it is indeed the year of the sequels.

Here are some of the sequels and the release date in Australia:

• Spiderman 3 - Out Now
• Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End - 24/5/2007

• Shrek the Third - 7/6/2007
• Ocean's 13 - 14/6/2007
• Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer - 21/6/2007
• Transformers - 28/6/2007 *

• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - 12/7/2007
• The Simpsons Movie - 26/7/2007 *

• Die Hard 4.0: Live Free or Die Hard - 2/8/2007

* not a sequel

Obviously, this is not all the movies that will come out, there are others as well. This is just some that catches my attention.

For the latest trailers, check out Apple's trailer collection here.

Mother's Day

Mother's Day is this Sunday, 13th of May (in Australia) so don't forget your mom. Get her some gifts, pamper her for a day, take her to a movie and let her enjoy the day.

Do Not Call Register

Are you annoyed by telemarketers ? Great news (if you're in Australia), now you can list your phone numbers with the Do Not Call register, an initiative by the Australian government. Once in the list, your phone numbers cannot be contacted by telemarketers. If they do, the telemarketers will face a hefty fine. You can put in your home phone and mobile. If you want to put your number, just register at the website https://www.donotcall.gov.au/.

This service was launched yesterday and the website crashed. Apparently, around 50,000 Aussies registered and the website could not cope. I think the problem has been rectified.

The service will not eliminate all calls, there are some exemptions like calls from political party, religious groups, and so on. However, the worst of them all can also still call you, the market researcher.

I think the problem with telemarketers is they are really pushy. I mean it is their job but if somebody doesn't want the product or service then that should be it. I don't hate all telemarketers and sometimes I think they have genuine deal. I got my pay TV service through direct marketing and I was allowed 12 month contract instead of the normal 24 months.

I hate telemarketers that are pushy and hard to understand. I'm not trying to be racist but how can you expect me to buy the product or service if I can't understand anything that the person is saying. And if I said that I don't want to change my phone 100 times, then stop asking me to change it.

Market researchers are actually alright until you actually realise that the survey is going to take half an hour. It should just be short survey and the answer should be simple as well or do an online one, always better.

It is amazing to see that every people has their own tactics to combat telemarketers, from diverting the call to an answering machine to reading gospel to the telemarketers.

Well, we can just hope that with the register, our phone will be quieter.

Paris, Je T'aime

I am sure everybody knows about Paris, Jet T'aime. It is a collection of short love stories that is packed into a single movie. It's about Paris and it's about love. There are 18 short stories to be exact. It starred some of well-known stars (French and international), like Gérard Depardieu, Elijah Wood, Natalie Portman, Willem Dafoe, Wes Craven, Steve Buscemi and so on.

I recently watched the movie. Here is my honest opinion, I came out not understanding a single story at all. In other words, I didn't really like it. I wanted to like it cause of all the hype surrounding the movie but I can't. I laughed when the rest of the cinema was quiet and when they laugh, I don't know what they were laughing about. It's bizarre.

I understand that the movie is about love, in Paris (the city of love) especially. I just don't understand the message it's trying to convey. Maybe I'm a bit dumb or I don't understand short stories cause my missus was really happy with the movie. She thought it was excellent and beautiful. I couldn't really agree with her.

If you ask me for my favourite story, I would say the last one. It's a story about an American tourist in Paris. I think she was learning French and she was traveling in Paris to practice her French. The story was narrated by herself in French, like a report back to her language class. It's really touching, both sad and heart-warming. My missus said that it sums up the movie really well.

An interesting story is one about an American tourist that got beaten up in a subway. He accidentally 'made eye-contact' with a kissing couple across the platform.

Overall, I'd say don't watch the movie if you just want to see Natalie Portman (or any other stars in it). The film is deep and requires a lot of concentration, with mix of feelings. Because each story has a different director, it offers different takes on the storyline. Watch this if you are into the beautiful scenery of Paris, its culture and the love that surrounds Paris.

Well, I think I will re-watch it again when the DVD comes out. Maybe it's as good as everybody says, maybe something got lost in translation.

Tiger in Melbourne

Only yesterday I mentioned that Tiger Airways is coming to Melbourne and was still deciding its base. Well today, it has been decided. It will be in Melbourne. This decision is expected to open more jobs for Victorians and bring a bigger price wars between the budget airlines.

Tiger Airways is 49 percent owned by Singapore Airlines. It is believed that the airline will start operating within months however no exact date is confirmed.

Jetstar Sale

Yesterday, I told you that there was an exclusive 3 hours sale for Jetstar email subscriber. Well now they have another sale to celebrate their 3rd birthday. It's "Take a Friend for $3 Sale". Basically on selected routes, you can take another person with you for an extra $3.

The sale is not only for domestic but also for international routes. For example:

• Melbourne - Christchurch : $111 per person one way
• Melbourne - Bangkok : $221 per person one way
• Sydney- Osaka : $251 per person one way
  

Sale ends 7th of May so be quick to grab the bargain. It's not valid for all dates, check the website for offer validity. The normal terms and conditions apply (such as credit card surcharge, etc), again check on the website. For more info go to their website, http://www.jetstar.com/sale-fares.html.

May oh May

Wow, it's already May, nearly halfway through the year. I think they'll be selling Christmas trees pretty soon. I don't think I've done anything much this year. But anyway let's check what's making headlines.

NO Interest Rate Rise
This morning, the Reserve Bank of Australia decided to put the interest rate on hold. This is good news for all home buyers/owners that has a mortage. Although it is 'safe' for another month, we will never know what is coming ahead.

A New Attraction
Melbourne will soon have a new attraction for tourists. It is a glass box. Now you may ask how can a glass box be a tourists attraction. Well, it can if it is sticking out from the 88th floor of the new Eureka apartment (Eureka is currently the tallest building in Melbourne). But this is not for the faint-hearted, don't believe me ? Just have a look at these pictures (picture: Herald Sun),

So far from the pictures we know that it can suspend 1 person safely. If I was inside, I would make sure that I'm the only one inside.

Budget Airline Ticket-fight
Yesterday night, between 8pm -11pm, Jetstar made a huge sale. $3 to fly on selected routes. Yup, only $3 and nothing more. It was only offered to Jetstar email subscriber, Jetmail (I read the email an hour late so all I could do was cry). Anyway, some sources said that this (very low ticket prices) might be more common when the new budget airline, Tiger Airways, enter the Australian market. Tiger is currently flying in South East Asia and based in Singapore. There is still no details when Tiger will start operating in Australia or which route it will cover. So I say, bring on the competition.

Less Tax for Cars in Victoria

The state government of Victoria has just announced a reduction of duty rates payable when you purchase a new vehicle. The reduction mainly affects cars that are priced between $35,000 to $45,000. The new duty is a 2-tier system as suppose to the old, 3-tier system.

Here are the comparison between the old and new rates (taken from the State Revenue Office website - www.sro.vic.gov.au)

Old Scale		New Scale
Price	Duty Rate*	Price	Duty Rate*
$0 - $35,000	2.5%	$0 - $57,009	2.5%
$35,000 – $45,000	4%	$57,009 +	5%
$45,000 +	5%

It seems that duty reduction aims at family cars. Small cars like Holden Astra, Ford Focus, Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla (normally priced from $15,000 to $25,000) will miss out on the new rates. However, Australian favourite large cars such as Holden Commodore, Ford Falcon, Toyota Camry will benefit from this new duty. It is expected to cut the price of new family cars by around about $600.

The new rates will apply from the 1st of May 2007. For more information on this, go to the State Revenue Office Victoria website. A media release is also available on the site.

Breaking Nintendo News

I just received this SMS from Nintendo:

Breaking News Nintendo: Pokemon Diamond & Pokemon Pearl 2b released in Oz June21. Dont miss out pre order yours now! For more info or 2 opt out nintendo.com.au

Nice!

Hamish and Andy Now Closer Than Ever

picture courtesy of Fox Fm

Do you know Hamish and Andy ? They are two young radio presenter. Their radio program is called the Hamish and Andy Show airing daily on weekdays at 4pm.

Anyway, they always have crazy ideas for the show. Even though they only have a radio show that didn't stop them from doing 'interesting' activities. Their past 'activities' have include,

• Testing a nappy - Andy wore a nappy and let Hamish filled it with drink. They checked when the nappy started to leak.
• Nude camp - Hamish went to a nude camp to confront his fear of being nude.
• Hen's night - Andy had to strip in a listener's hens night. He had some dancing tips from Jamie Durie. A listener also borrowed Andy his fireman suit for the night.
  
• Helmet bet - Hamish and Andy bet on who will win the Celebrity Race during the F1 2007 between both of them. The loser will have to wear their helmet for a whole week. Hamish lost and he had to wear the helmet for a whole week. During the week, Andy also 'tested' the strength of the helmet by making Hamish do some 'stunts'.

Their latest antics is to strap themselves together and lived as conjoined twins for 5 days. They will do everything together even going to the toilet. They made special shirt and jeans that allow them to be stuck together.

They are doing this not for charity but because a listener suggested it after they made fun of conjoined twins. They intended to do it for one day but Rove McManus (from Rove Live) challenged them to do it until Sunday. They agreed. So, they will be 'freed' from each other on Sunday night during Rove Live.

There has been several issues that come up because of this latest stunt. Hamish's girlfriend is having her birthday during the weekend and Andy needs to play guitar for his band on Saturday so it will be interesting to see what happens.

Follow their progress on their website, www.hamishandandy.com.au, you can also podcast what's happening during the show. Video webcast should be available soon. Also, tune in to Rove Live this Sunday to see them being freed.

Missy Higgins

If you're an Australian, you would know Missy Higgins. She made a huge hit with her album, The Sound of White. After a few years, she is now back with a new one. Soon to be released to the Australian market is her newest album, On A Clear Night.



The first single to be released from her new album is Steer. I must say after listening it on the radio, I find it to be a very nice song. I liked her previous album but I won't say that I am a big fan. But this new song sounds different. It has a little bit of that 'old' Missy Higgins style but it brings something new and refreshing. The song feels more mature. I really like it.

The music video for the song is kind of funny. Missy is working as a test driver to crash cars. She drives a few different old cars and every time she has to drive it (and crash it) to a huge concrete wall. After each impact, she will be examined. At the end, she didn't crash the car but took it instead and drove off. I don't know how she did the video but one thing is for sure, don't try it at home.

The single will be released on the 16th of April 2007 and you can pre-order it from BigWEntertainment.


The album will be released later on this month and you can pre-order it from BigWEntertainment as well.