Internet site Myspace to open its gates to other social networks

By
Chris Norton (Wolfstar)
on May 9, 2008 3:44 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

myspace This morning BBC News has reported that the musical social networking site MySpace has announced it's about to start allowing its users to make their information available to other social networks. Information to be shared includes photos, videos, public profile information, friends' lists and text.

When this new service is launched its members will be able to share their information with Yahoo, Twitter, eBay and Photobucket.

Up until now social networks like Facebook, MySpace and Bebo have locked us all into their own specific site and made sure the content we created and saved was properly guarded and unreachable by the other sites to stop us all from hopping from one site to another which is why Facebook has got such a massive user base. It's also the reason we have to keep completing form after form for each different site inputting the same information which can be very tedious. This new service will hopefully remove a lot of that.

Interestingly, MySpace's Boss Chris DeWolfe has confirmed he is happy to work with Facebook - which would be a huge leap forward. MySpace has stressed that users will have the control over what information they share and who they share it with.  

I see this as an ongoing trend with the other sites quickly following suit because quite frankly they will have to or they will be quickly ditched by us (the users) for newer, cooler sites and tools.

It's no coincidence that this has been announced quite soon after Myspace's user figures appeared to be waning. So if these social networks genuinely want to survive they must bring down their guarding walls and share our information.

One thing is for sure, if this information is safe and secure this will be great news for all of us as we should be able to say goodbye to the wasted hours spent on the internet filling out pointless forms answering the same boring questions.

The new changes are reported to be rolled out on the site across the coming weeks.

Technorati Tags: ,
,

South Korea and Japan have the best broadband ratings

By
Chris Norton (Wolfstar)
on May 8, 2008 9:47 AM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

broadband tableAccording to our friends at Broadband Genie, a study by the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, has discovered that us Brits are ranked 13th out of 30 in broadband performance around the world.

South Korea came first due to an adoption rate of 93 per cent - its average download speed stands at 49.5Mbit/s, whilst the cost of access is around 19p per megabit. Japan secured silver with Finland picking up the bronze prize.

The scoring system was based on penetration, average download speed and the ISP’s lowest monthly package. We managed to secure a mid-table position ahead of the US, Luxembourg and Germany, the Netherlands and France were all placed well in the table.

Our country's penetration rate is still only 55% with the average download speed at just a lowly 2.6Mbit/s.

The full results of the study are detailed in the enclosed table.

How to look good surfing the internet

By
Beth Kay (Wolfstar)
on May 7, 2008 3:04 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Surfing the internet has never looked so good... again. Following on from my post on the most chic and funky laptops around, the time has come to see what accessories are out there to jazz up your computer for internet surfing fun, with a little help from the girls at Shiny Shiny.

LIFE006800_01_L 1. Happy Alien mini speakers – If you are ever having a bad day, these speakers will cheer you right up. They’re perfect for watching your favourite YouTube videos or listening to the latest music downloads.

2. Rolling Laptop Bag – Is walking to work and back with your laptop on your arm becoming a real pain in the shoulder? Well fear no more, Clark and Mayfield have come up with this stylish laptop bag with wheels for your convenience which can cart around a 17-inch laptop with accessories.

3. Now this one is not strictly for your broadband needs but it makes your fingers  look oh so cool when typing on your keypad and searching on the internet. This solid silver keyboard key ring from Manuel Bozzi is the perfect accessory for you tech-loving girls out there.

4 Bendy Keyboard in neon pink – Desks at work can be so boring! So why not swap your regular keyboard for this neon pink flexible key board? It’s also waterproof for those who eat and drink at their desks and are partial to the occasional spillage.

p2045ex1 5. The MSN i-buddy is great for MSN messenger users who spend a lot of time on the internet. The little USB MSN fairy will react in its own unique little way each time there is some kind of activity for example when a contact comes online or you receive an instant message and its under £15.00!

 

 

 

Grand Theft Auto IV hits the internet

By
Seb Mysko (Wolfstar)
on May 7, 2008 12:59 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

This month sees the long awaited launch of Grand Theft Auto IV, a game unlike any other that has defied the laws of controversy. This time players will assume the role of illegal immigrant Niko Bellic - who's only known trade is assassination. The word on the street is that in single player mode this game can be completed in 30 hours. However, with a plethora of Niko Bellic arrives in Liberty Cityadded features and hidden missions, that time can easily be doubled.

gameTM magazine says: "The world will never be the same once GTA goes online".

The game's developers at Rockstar Games think: "We've pushed ourselves to make something incredible and hope the game sets a new benchmark for interactive entertainment."

Well, based on the reviews so far,  it seems Rockstar has achieved its goal. MultiplayerWhilst the single-player story mode has gone down a storm, the online multi-player function is stealing all the headlines. Going interactive allows up to sixteen players to engage 12 different modes of game play. From gang turf wars to modern day cops vs robbers, this has it all.

 

In terms of scores we looked at Gamespot UK for advice:

GameSpot score                                    10/10

Critic score (based on 24 reviews)     9.9/10

User score (based on 8,159 voters)   9.3/10

Here's the last Trailer Rockstar Games has released:

The Docking Station

I personally love the in-game radio station 'Electrochoc' - track list was created by DJ Francois K and includes beats from Justice, Deadmou5 and Simian Mobile Disco. A full list of tunes can be found here.

 

It's official UK broadband users are addicted to speed

By
Chris Norton (Wolfstar)
on April 30, 2008 12:22 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I have just read an interesting article on vnunet.com which reports on a new study which has found that UK broadband users are now officially addicted to speed. When I helicopterfsay speed I obviously mean our broadband speed.  Yep it seems we can't get enough of quick download speeds as our interest in Internet TV, movies, online gaming and music increases.

The study used figures which were based on more than 90,000 tests which were captured in March by a monitoring site. The site has said that download speeds are now the 'primary factor' in deciding customer satisfaction.

"This report sends an indisputable message to broadband providers to speed up or face the wrath of disappointed customers," said Jessica McArdle from Top 10 Broadband.

"BT's planned infrastructure upgrade, which will provide super-fast ADSL2+ download speeds across the UK starting at the end of the month, cannot come soon enough."

If you are addicted to broadband speed and want to start downloading regularly and quickly check out EFH Broadband's fastest and unlimited option.

I Heart YouTube

By
Beth Kay (Wolfstar)
on April 29, 2008 3:17 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I have to admit, I love watching funny videos on YouTube. It’s my guilty pleasure when I’m stuck for something to do on a night in. Whether it’s the evil eye baby or watching some kick ass cheerleading routines, there’s always something I can find to amuse myself. So I was overjoyed when during an ad break in Friends, I saw an advert for a programme on tonight called Rude Tube on E4. Alex Zane is to present a countdown of the 50 funniest, rudest and most bizarre video clips to take the internet by storm. Finally, us addicts can watch all the best bits in one sitting and feed our need for people doing weird things on camera! E4, 10.30pm, check it out.

And to keep your appetites wet in the mean time, here’s my favourites:

Technorati Tags: , , ,

Internet video of the week - Beaker seems stuck in the 80s

By
Chris Norton (Wolfstar)
on April 28, 2008 2:03 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Mondays can be hard after a long weekend, so here is a quick video doing the rounds on the Internet which should help to cheer you up. Special thanks go to David Brain for sharing this little gem with us. To be honest I knew Beaker had a hidden talent locked in there somewhere. Britain's Got Talent look out.

BBC uses Ajax for new website

By
Seb Mysko (Wolfstar)
on April 25, 2008 3:03 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Since December 2006, I have been enjoying the tech world a lot more than I thought I ever would. What's not to love? Social networking, speedy instant messaging, Vista, the Wii, RSS feeds, building blogs.... I love Ajax

The thing that has continued to impress me over the past six months is Ajax.

Wikipedia: "Ajax (Asynchronous Javascript and XML), is a group of inter-related web development techniques used for creating interactive web applications."

I'm pretty sure that most people who use popular sites like Facebook aren't aware they're using an Ajax system, or for that matter, really care... and then there's the awesome new BBC site; allowing you to customise your own homepage with whatever BBC content you're most interested in. Screen grab of Seb Mysko's BBC page

I really like the fact Ajax encourages you to move content, style the design and create a site to make it feel like your own. In today's fast paced society the key to success has to personalisation and accessibility.

As you can see from the screen grab to the right, I've gone for news, sport, radio, and music for my main page, with business, the weather and BBC blogs sitting right underneath.   

Here's a short video from somebody who's even more enthused by Ajax:

Technorati Tags: ,,

Nintendo combines gaming and fitness with its latest craze the Wii Fit

By
Chris Norton (Wolfstar)
on April 25, 2008 2:56 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

wiifit_sslg1I know we recently posted on the huge comeback of Mario Kart and as we all expected it has flown to the top of the gaming charts as people everywhere take each other on in duals across the Internet. However, Nintendo has launched a new game which it's hoping to become the latest gaming and fitness craze.

It's called Wii Fit and as the name implies it combines gaming with a certain degree of fitness. I know what you're thinking, is this really a game? More importantly is it really fitness? Intrigued? Yes well I was too!

Nintendo's active style gaming started with the Wii and it's now spreading to the whole body due to its new pressure-sensitive Wii Balance Board, which comes included in the package. The white board (see left) is used for a variety of different "fun and dynamic" activities which include: aerobics, yoga, muscle stretches and games.

The theory Nintendo uses, is that you are actually working your "core" during these type of workouts. For more details check out this amusing video review which has been provided by Susi from Tech Digest - I have also attached the official Nintendo's demo video for more info. I would watch Susi's though as she takes you through the different games available from Ski-jumping to hula-hooping and she seems to genuinely enjoy it.

To be honest, I don't think this one is for me. I will stick to my shoot-em ups, football and driving games and just make that long horrible journey to the gym instead. Don't get me wrong, I do think it's a good idea to do fitness at home and building on the recent dance mat craze is very clever. However, whether I believe this is actually a good substitute for normal exercise remains to be seen.

It's out on Monday priced at £70 and I am sure by the end of next month we will all know if this really is going to be the next big thing...

The Aliens are coming to a computer near you.....

By
Chris Norton (Wolfstar)
on April 23, 2008 9:47 AM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Aliens_-_Colonial_MarinesDo you know Xenomorph's from your Martian's? Well dust off your pulse rifles, grab your grenade launcher and make sure all your air locks are shut tightly. Yes, Aliens is back. The best of the many Alien movies has a new follow-up in the form of a shoot-em-up game which is due out in early 2009.

Aliens: Colonial Marines follows the second movie and involves a search and rescue team investigating the lost space ship U.S.S. Sulaco, searching for Ripley, Corporal Dwayne Hicks, Private William Hudson, Private Jenette Vasquez, and the rest of the unlucky marines.

The plot sounds very exciting with Wikipedia describing the gameplay like so:

"The player controls four colonial marines, each with their own unique personality. Each marine is represented by a different class; one marine, for instance, mans the M56 smart gun as Pvt. Vasquez did in Aliens; the other primary weapons include the M240 flamethrower and the M41A pulse rifle. Each marine carries four weapons: their primary weapon, which they are defined by, their secondary weapon, grenades, and a sidearm. The player may brandish the sidearm while using the motion tracker. The player controls one marine at a time, and issues orders to the others using context-sensitive commands; the player may control any marine at any given time."

The game includes a mission to the lost space ship and I think you can be assured that it's likely to have more bugs than your average bed. Even better for those of you that enjoy gaming together you will be pleased to know that there will be a four man operation option too.

For more details check out the page on Wikipedia or get further details from the official Aliens Website.

Let's hope it's better than the rubbish Alien Vs Predator movies, but if you are like me and you loved James Cameron's second Aliens movie - it looks like this is could be the game for

Alienscolonialmarines1

you.

 

Archives

Contact Us



Contact EFH Broadband:
Sales: 0808 156 4775
Support: 0808 156 4776
Email: support@efhbroadband.com

Or contact the enlightening broadband editorial team by
email

About this Blog


The House Rules

Blogroll