December iiNews

editor's note

Here it is - the final edition of iiNews for 2007. It's been a huge year for iiNet staff and our customers, from the launch of our manifesto advertising campaign earlier in the year to our recent release of Naked DSL. And 2008 is showing no signs of slowing down.

Talking of Naked DSL, insert shameless self-promotion here... after the launch last month we're very proud to say that our Naked product was named Australian PC User Magazine's Product of the Year in the January 2008 edition. PC User has taken a look at the 100 best-value PC products out there and it's quite an accolade for us to be placed at the top.

So what do we have for you this month - well, with Christmas literally around the corner, our Feature delves into the complex and slightly controversial issue of what to do with your unwanted presents this year. We suggest you make some extra cash and become a seller on eBay - and we'll give you tips on how to do it.

We've also got a wrap-up of the iiNet Open Day , reviews of Mass Effect and the new film Gabriel , plus we explore the concept of Multiline VoIP and how it can help to simplify business communications.

So enjoy the read and whatever you're doing over the Christmas and New Year period, stay safe and have a good one - we'll see you in 08!

Shannon McCaughey
iiNews Editor
iinewsfeedback@iinet.net.au

inbox

"How about a story on using VoIP on mobile phones? Something along the lines of a tutorial on how you achieved it, which handset you used and how you found the service. I see that iiNet has a tie up with www.three.com.au with their data pack being the cheapest on the market $29 for 1Gb of data...

Now if I could have Naked DSL and VoIP at home and on my mobile, both with the one carrier or better still the one phone number that will always reach me wherever I am, that costs me and the other person bugger all, then that would be fantastic."

- Robert N

Thanks for the suggestion Robert, we'll follow this up for the next edition.

"Thanks for the Open Day 2007, I attended two sessions, 'Naked DSL: what is it', and VoIP the Possibilities (repeat), both were well presented and interesting and well worth attending (and sorry I forgot to fill in the survey form but would have given full marks to both)."

- Christopher M




Send your newsletter views, news and suggestions to
iinewsfeedback@iinet.net.au

 

news

open day 07 draws to a close
iiNet's Open Day is over for another year - early signs indicate that the day was an overwhelming success, with a few good points made by customers for how we can make it even better next year.

Customers attended seminars and PC Labs that were run throughout the afternoon, were treated to goody bags and had a brush with fame when they met the face of our advertising campaign, Finn.

A highlight of the day was the Technical info and Networking Session in the evening, where customers mixed it up with iiNet Execs and Senior Managers.

For those who wrote in saying they couldn't make it along this year, or for our customers not living in Perth, the seminars and presentations are now available online. Thank you again to all those customers who attended and made it another awesome iiNet Open Day.

We'll see you again next year!

iiNet awarded for getting Naked
Just a few days after launching our Naked DSL product, iiNet has taken out the coveted Australian PC User Magazine's Product of the Year award. The people at PC User just fell in love with the fact that our product means customers can say goodbye to line rental and hello to free local and national calls with iiTalk. Find out more about Naked DSL.

business news

multiline voip

what's all the hype about Multiline VoIP?
As the name suggests, Multiline VoIP (or Voice over Internet Protocol) allows 3 or more VoIP lines to run over the same service. Until now, VoIP has been limited to just one line per service.

how it works
As the calls run over your broadband service, we are able to provide the calls at a cheaper cost than over the traditional phone line. And with free calls between all iiNet VoIP services, your offices can call each other free, even if they're on opposite sides of the country.

Setting up a new service or switching from you current system is easy and there's heaps of support along the way if you get lost. If you switch to multiline VoIP today you'll save up to $375 on the cost of new hardware.

To ask a question or apply email the business team or visit iiNet's business page for more information.

your business
December sees the launch of 'your business' a new section in Business News where we feature one of our iiNet business customers. This month we introduce ReadNotify - an online business run by long time iiNet business customer Chris Drake.

Operating from a 'concrete bunker' under his house in Noosa (QLD), Chris has developed a unique business that provides online email and document tracking services.

"The service has proved a hit with people like lawyers and professionals sending certified email who need confirmation it has been read by the recipient," Chris said.

Like any good entrepreneur, Chris has a number of new projects on the go and benefits from iiNet's website registration service, to make sure his next big thing also has a registered web address.

Running a successful small business and knowing the positive impact it has on those he employs is something that provides Chris with incredible satisfaction.

To find out more, visit www.ReadNotify.com

If you'd like to have your business featured in next month's newsletter email the business team with some information about your business.

For more business news, visit the business section of the iiNet website.

support & services

christmas @ iiNet
A final reminder that this year the iiNet contact centre will be closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Years Day and operating on reduced hours throughout the Christmas holiday period (see below for full details):

Monday December 24th - 6am to 9pm
Tuesday December 25th - Closed
Wednesday December 26th - Closed
Thursday December 27th - 8am to 9pm
Friday December 28th - 8am to 9pm
Saturday December 29th - 8am to 9pm
Sunday December 30th - 8am to 9pm
Monday December 31st - 8am to 9pm
Tuesday January 1st - Closed
Wednesday January 2nd - 24x7 support resumes at 6am

If you do have any issues with your Internet service during this time, we've built a comprehensive set of DIY tools and FAQ's available at http://www.iinet.net.au/support/

tech tip - it's all about quota
Quota is the lifeblood of your Internet service. What service you have and what you're downloading will impact on how online activity is counted towards your quota. Let's take a look.

Broadband

  • Current broadband plans only count downloads on your service. This means any time you access a website, download a file or receive your emails, it counts toward your quota.
  • Anything you download from the websites or servers listed on our Freezone will not count towards your quota.
  • Uploads on our current broadband plans aren't counted either (which means you can send emails or transfer files to a website, such as pictures, without it counting towards your quota limit).

Naked DSL

  • We count both uploads and downloads with Naked DSL plans. To compensate for counting uploads, we've increased the quota on these plans.
  • Downloads from the Freezone will not be counted towards your quota, but if you're able to upload to any sites listed there, it will be counted (uploads are not part of the Freezone for Naked DSL plans).

Dialup

  • Dialup plans have no quota limits. Though the $19.95 hourly dialup plan restricts you to 60 hours of online time each month.

Hitting your limit

  • Once you hit your quota limit on broadband or Naked DSL , we don't charge you any excess fees - instead, we slow your download speed to 64kbps for broadband and 64/128kbps (download/upload speed) for Naked DSL so you can keep online all month for the one price.

Your connection will be shaped until your quota reset date. This date is usually the anniversary date of your service (when it first became active

You can find out what your quota reset date is by logging into toolbox

Websites in the Freezone can still be accessed at full speed even after you have exceeded your monthly quota.


 

security watch

top 5 viruses reported to Sophos in December

  1. Pushdo
  2. Traxg
  3. Netsky
  4. Dropper
  5. Zafi

List provided by Sophos. Remember, all iiNet plans come with industry leading Sophos email anti-virus and Ironport spam protection that is automatically kept up-to-date with the latest virus threats. However, to fully protect your system, we recommend that you use our email anti-virus in conjunction with a personal anti-virus product such as those listed on this page.

christmas online
The ease of the internet has changed how we do many things, including how we shop at Christmas time. A recent survey conducted by IT security and control firm Sophos illustrated this with 73% of consumers planning to beat the rush this year and do at least some of their shopping online.

But, while consumers have taken advantage of bargains available online, "cybercriminals" have also honed in on how, when and where consumers are doing their cybershop.

"Cybercriminals are becoming craftier and smarter in the ways they exploit consumers to steal personal information," said Mike Haro, Senior Security Analyst for Sophos.

"This holiday season, consumers should be more prepared and aware of the risks, especially as these crimes have been reported quite heavily in the news.

Having the right line of defense in place and knowing what signs to look out for will help online shoppers to avoid potential credit card fraud and identity theft."

Some precautions for Christmas consumers, Sophos recommends:

  • Read website privacy policies and procedures to ensure appropriate measures are in place
  • Only buy from reputed sites
  • Do not follow links from unsolicited email
  • Never enter sensitive information from an internet cafe or machine that you do not know to have a fully up-to-date security policy
  • Ensure you have a firewall, patches and anti-virus up to date and running
  • Protect your account passwords

feature story: selling on eBay

feature story turning those unwanted gifts into cold hard cash
You're guaranteed to get at least one gift this Christmas that's destined for the darkest corner of the house, a storage box or cobwebbed shelf in the shed.

While not every Christmas sock or porcelain windmill has a second life, selling after Christmas via an online auction site like eBay can reap some generous rewards if the price is set right.

what to sell
For would-be sellers, eBay isn't a bargain wonderland. Buyers on eBay are often the biggest winners. They are expecting a bargain, and "bargain" rarely means big margins for your average seller.

But nowhere else does that old phrase "one man's trash is another man's treasure" ring more true than on eBay. Some tips for getting started:

  • think about why you bought your item in the first place to gain insight into whether someone else would be willing to buy it second hand
  • people tend to make impulse or short term purchases online, where the item is only going to be used for a set period of time. Toys, games and books supposedly sell every 25 seconds on eBay
  • DVDs, CDs and games are perfect eBay fodder - they come in a standard format so buyers usually know exactly what they are getting
  • Consider ease of packaging/sending and indicate shipping costs upfront

becoming a seller
As said, for most people eBay won't bring home a whole lot of money, but the selling costs are so cheap that no one is priced out of the game.

Registering as an eBay seller is free and very quick, you just set yourself up the same account as you would if you were wanting to buy online. You can put your credit card or direct debit details on file with eBay, or set up a secure payPal account which eBay can invoice when a fee is due and your buyers can place money in for you to collect.

sell like a pro
Buyers are looking for bargains so although you can set a "reserve price" (a set price that the bid has to go above before you'll sell) it's generally not recommended.

Selling on eBay has a lot to do with reputation. Fraud may only affect 5% of eBay users, but 5% is a large number of people getting jipped.
eBay buyers have heard all the horror stories and so naturally expect the worst. That means sellers with lots of positive feedback (each buyer is prompted to leave feedback after a completed sale) tend to sell more than your one hit wonders.

Provide a detailed description of your items, include brand names in your sale headlines, use real photographs and provide timely and friendly responses to buyer questions. Be up front about any imperfections and scratches.

Polish up your after sales service - have packaging ready to go, ensure shipping cost estimations are correct, and wherever possible, send via registered post to avoid the "but it never got here" argument. Generally the better you sell, the more you sell.

be a patient seller
Selling on eBay is not as quick as your local classifieds. While you decide how long to post your item for, experienced eBay buyers only bid in the last few moments to maximize their chances of outbidding other players. It's a strange concept, but your 5 day auction is 4 days 23 hours and 55 minutes of waiting, and 5 minutes of frantic bidding.

be a smart seller
Being a seller is generally a safer position to be in on eBay, however sellers still make great targets for fraud campaigns. Fake buyers will send you a cheque that never quite manages to get cashed. Meanwhile your goods are on their way to never never land.

Protect yourself by setting up a Paypal account - a service that puts a solid barrier between you, eBay and your buyer. Most importantly, confirm that your buyer's money has hit your account and is available before you send anything out.

in conclusion...
Once you get used to the environment, eBay can be a fun experience to sell in - far better than 5am phone calls the morning the paper comes out.

But be warned, people are quick to assume online means less consequences and forget that stocking, customer service and dispatch takes time and effort. On eBay, every customer experience stays with you as "history" - so don't disappoint.

related links:
http://pages.ebay.com/education/selling.html - tutorials on how to sell
http://pages.ebay.com.au/education/spooftutorial - eBay spoof tutorial
http://pages.ebay.com/education/advanced.html - strategies for increasing your sales
http://www.etsy.com/ - handmade arts and crafts auction

iipeople

staff profile staff profile

Name: Paula Berndsen
Title: Communications Officer

What does your current role involve?
I advise on communication needs for internal projects - as well as heading up internal communication initiatives. Communications is an area that is getting increasingly more attention as companies get larger and realise they need to employ strategy and method in how they communicate with all stakeholders - investors, customers and staff. My internal focus means my role is all about keeping iiNet employees well-informed and connected with the bigger picture - no small feat considering we have around 650 staff spread across 3 locations - but it keeps me busy!

What did you do before you came to iiNet?
I worked as Sports Editor and Entertainment writer at the South Western Times in Bunbury. It involved weekly deadlines and a pretty stressful working environment. Seeing free movies and speaking to famous people for the entertainment section was a cool perk though.

What is the best thing about working at iiNet?
The people here are fantastic - we have a good time but also work really hard. There are so many passionate people here, whether they are technically minded or involved in the "softer" side of the business, we're all in touch with the same business goals. It really is a great company to work for.

Your favourite website?
www.mullet.com is good for a laugh.

customer profile customer of the month

Name: Scott Wilson
Location: Kambah, ACT
Account type: broadband2+ with VOIP
Customer Since: 2003

Describe your typical day of living online?
I have a couple of jobs but the one I mainly use my computer for is working as a Group Fitness Instructor. I rely on my computer to keep track of the classes I teach, so I log on to check my emails and see if anyone needs me to fill in for their permanent instructors. I use iTunes to keep all of my fitness music organised and the Gracenote CD database means that I no longer have to type in the titles when I import a CD. I also do up my invoices and send them electronically from my home office.

My work involves travelling a lot, so I have heaps of friends and colleagues interstate and overseas. Email is vital to keeping these relationships going, although I sometimes use my VoIP to keep in touch as well. I speak a few different languages so I will usually also check out some of the foreign language websites to maintain my skills in them.

The best thing about broadband for you?
It's got to be the speed, doesn't it? Computing and the web have come so far; I still remember my first Commodore64 and then the days of waiting for a page to download using a dial-up connection. I love being able to use my house phone if I need to (although I mainly use VoIP for calls) and the bandwidth and speed of broadband means that my fiancée can be on the net using her laptop at the same time as me and I don't notice a difference in the performance of my laptop. Watching film clips without having broadband would just be too frustrating to contemplate!

Your favourite site?
There's so many to choose from! I like the Les Mills sites, whether the Global site, the Asia Pacific site, or even the French site. They keep me up on the latest news about the Group Fitness programs I teach like Body Pump and Body Attack , and show the coolest new instructor fashion items (we have to look good for our participants!). I use a sniping site called Bidnapper to ensure that I always win what I'm after on eBay.

Interested in being our next customer of the month? Send your details to iinewsfeedback@iinet.net.au.

competitions

The Golden Compass is an exciting fantasy adventure, set in a parallel world where people's souls manifest themselves as small animals, talking bears fight wars, and children are mysteriously disappearing. At the centre of the story is a 12-year-old girl, Lyra, who sets out to find and rescue her best friend, Roger. The Golden Compass stars Nicole Kidman, James Bond's Daniel Craig and the young new comer Dakota Blue Richards.

To celebrate the Australian release of The Golden Compass on December 26, Roadshow Films have kindly passed on to us 50 double passes to give away.

To be in the running for this prize, email competitions with "Compass Competition" in the subject line, and provide your username, full name and address by 5pm WST, Decmber 29, 2007, along with the answer to this question: Name one website featured in this month's site scan? ( hint: check the very bottom of this page )

The Golden Compass is rated M. Check out the official website at www.goldencompassmovie.com

FAKER say that something happens in the turning of day to night when things get lost and found in the light and on BE THE TWILIGHT, the band captures that fleeting time of day with a dynamic sound all of their own - eclectic chaotic danceability paired with a modern complexity. Frontman Nathan Hudson admits, "I've had a fear of twilight ever since I was a kid. Anything could happen." And anything indeed could happen when FAKER take to the stage. Known for their energetic and enthralling live performances lead by wild on stage antics from Hudson, FAKER's BE THE TWILIGHT, tour is not to be missed. I for one will be stage front at this year's BIG DAY OUT to check them out.

To celebrate the album's release and the up coming tour, the kind folks at EMI have given us 10 CD packs to give away featuring Faker's latest ablum plus new albums from Silverchair, Missy Higgiins, Tina Arena and aussie country king Keith Urban.

To be in the running for this prize, email competitions with "Twilight Competition" in the subject line, and provide your username, full name and address by 5pm WST, 1 January, 2007, along with the answer to this question: In what country was the film Gabriel filmed? ( hint: check the film review in the entertainment section. )

Check out Faker's official website at www.faker.com.au

entertainment

games review 2 minute games review - Mass Effect (Xbox 360)
with Niaal Holder

Patience is a virtue - I have none. Which is a bugger of a quality for today's gamer, as these days anything but the finest, most tidy gaming release is liable to get right on my pecs for even the slightest of shortcomings. It's no secret I once broke my Master System control whilst disagreeing with Alex Kidd, likewise I cussed up a storm on my first few laps of wipEout. And the less said about Ninja Gaiden Black, the better.

So I'm in two minds about Mass Effect for 360. On the one hand, we've got one of the finest RPG releases for the console to date, with shine, character depth and a decent sense of variety. On the other hand, a hand I look to with my frowny face, it feels slightly less than tactile, a bit laborious, with bursts of extreme frustration.

On the whole, I'm still playing it and for the most part, enjoying it. Mass Effect is a sci-fi RPG following distinctly in the footsteps of Knights of the Old Republic - party-based, free-running action. You're an earth-man, sent to the stars to hunt down a renegade alien through careful detective work (read: gunfights). Expect to take your rocket jock protagonist across the universe, gunning, hacking and casting through a bevy of scenarios and rewarding side-stories.

The standout feature of this game really is the storyline, with rich, intriguing dialogue and better-than-average voice acting. The character exchanges are thoroughly engrossing and riddled with a dry, comedic presence. Coupled with the sort of art direction you'd expect if George Lucas grew up and made puter games, Mass Effect generates a decent style of its own for an overall 'vibrant universe' appeal.

The live-or-die hallmark of the title however, is the combat. Mass Effect boldly tries to handle RPG combat with live action gunplay, not dissimilar to the sort of perspective you know and love of Gears of War. It works fine, and the dynamics are a welcome change from the turn-based monotony of KOTOR, but there's very little balance to how things play out. Combat is often very easy or stupidly hard. A lot of the time, you can literally run right in to the fray and win combat by gunning everyone down on the trot. Other times you just can't win no matter what tactics you employ, and unless I'm missing something, it's not immediately obvious which sort of fight you're running into.

Engaging enemies usually involves the employment of guns (from your soldier-types) tech-espionage (from your nerds) and biotics (from your quasi-casters). While the fight can be horribly, frustratingly over in seconds if you're not on your game, holding down the right bumper pauses the action and brings up an intuitive context menu for your party's available techniques, for quick, targeted dispersal. It's a winning formula and a nice tactical breather to avoid getting quickly taken out, despite the amount of times you'll find yourself ducking out of live fire to set up the next set of antics.

What really got my goat - and you know, I liked my goat - is death, and saving. If you die, when you die, you're treated to a slow, drawn out 'you died' screen, followed by a restart quite possibly up to an hour before that which got your hapless rocketman killed. The alternative is saving every two minutes, but even with such vigilance you'll still end up paying at one time or another. In short, death can be swift, inexplicable and rebirthing is scant consolation. This for me, is a per-session deal breaker - when it happened, I turned the game off, and came back the next day. It's a solid test of patience to come back and repeat a long run through unmarked, labyrinthine corridors just because you took a rocket to the face at a wrong turn.

Overall I reckon this is still a decent showing. The good outweighs the bad and the storyline is worth watching through. While it's not the best for ye of the short fuse, it's a vivid and engaging release that self-respecting RPG fans should embark upon forthwith.

 

movie review movie review - Gabriel
With Shannon McCaughey

The movie Gabriel is well worth a look. Granted it's not classic, high-art cinema, but it is entertaining and it gets even better when you consider its context.

This film was created on a laughably small budget with most people involved in the production on some sort of deferred payment deal - meaning they may get paid if the movie actually makes money. Apparently the wardrobe was sourced from St Vincent de Paul op-shops and the sets were painted by the crew (and some cast) after that day's shooting had finished.

Far from being a handicap, the limited budget enhances the inventive nature of the film - it forced the creators to focus on storyline rather than effects or big Hollywood names.

The plot centralises around Arc Angel Gabriel (played by Andy Whitfield) who is the last of the seven Arcs to step into the ancient war between the Light and the Dark - a war that has raged on in purgatory for centuries.

Gabriel comes up against the ruler of purgatory, Sammael (Dwaine Stevenson) who holds the balance of power, and Gabriel resolves to end the savage war once and for all.

Definitely worth a look, Gabriel is out at cinemas now.




site scan

www.latestbuy.com.au

What to buy for the person who has everything? Check out this site where you'll find everything from a Borat mankini to a Hand Casting Kit, a Hang-over Pack to a Miss MacGyver Tool Kit.

www.everythingbutflowers.com.au

From indulgent gift hampers and luxury items to experiences such as white water rafting, wine tasting, photo shoots and cooking classes.

www.dadshop.com.au

A lot of women complain that men are hard to buy presents for...this site attempts to solve that problem, with heaps of gift solutions for the golfer, the metro, the party animal, the sweet-tooth, the rev head...