Internet: April 2008 Archives

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:

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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.

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.

 

CafeMom - The top social networking site for mothers

By
Beth Kay (Wolfstar)
on April 18, 2008 2:51 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

cafemom Now that the 'big three' have been covered in my top ten social networks, I thought I would move on to some of the lesser known and more specialised networks that have made my top 10.

‘CafeMom’ is a less renowned social media site compared to the likes of Facebook and Myspace, however in October last year, the site was actually voted number one site for women on the net.

The American made website for mothers, follows the same sort of style as other social media sites: you can make yourself a profile, add friends, join groups, add photos and send each other messages. The great thing about this site is the focus on forums. Mothers from all over the world unite and join in with debates-some scheduled and some not- about anything and everything from weight loss to cookery.

There is so much advice and help about everything a mother, old or new could possibly need to know and the best thing about it is that it comes from the experts, other mothers.

Serious issues such as abortion and still born births are discussed, and it’s pleasantly moving to see the support members genuinely give to others who they have never met before, but have a bond in the fact that they both share in the blessing of having children.

The visuals on the site are quite basic but the layout is simple and easy to use. As the name suggests, the site is very American orientated: a lot of links and references are from America which some UK members might find a bit uncomfortable and unfamiliar with. However, learning about others mothering guidance from different nations should be a good thing, whether you choose to take it or not.

After browsing through the 1000s of groups available, I was amazed at the vast amount of topics and issues which mothers need to deal with. The site really is a great place for real Mums to ‘hang out’ and there is so much to learn from the other members, this is an essential must for all mums!

New home search tool for commuters in London

By
Chris Norton (Wolfstar)
on April 14, 2008 3:01 PM | | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

commutefromAs I used to live in London, I know that travelling to and from work can be a nightmare in rush hour, as it can be for commuters anywhere in the UK. It can also be particularly difficult to determine how long a journey might take to a new place of work although the Transport for London site is pretty useful for a guideline.

However, a new site called www.commutefrom.com, has been created by a 26-year-old commuter Ian Jones to try and help with this problem. Ian has combined information from more than 2,800 different routes to help users calculate how far a property is from the user's place of work. The good thing about this site is everything is free - for now. It also provides the user with the average property prices for that area, which could be really useful if you know nothing about London and you are considering moving there.

Jones explains his reasoning for creating the site: "My wife had just changed jobs, so we were both working in London. It made sense to move closer as we were spending over 2.5 hours a day on public transport. I ended up customising a train map, jotting down times for various journeys between work and around where we wanted to live. As cost was an important consideration, I then added house prices. It then struck me how it could be turned into an online resource that would be useful to a huge number of people."

To be honest there are a few flaws to this site, one of which Web User points out "underground routes are not included outside of Zone 1, only overland train lines" - OK this isn't great but it's still a free service. I put the site to the test today and unfortunately it does still appear quite basic. However, I think the idea is good and it could be a really useful research tool if you have friends or family who are considering moving to London.

My top 10 super social networks - Part II MySpace

By
Beth Kay (Wolfstar)
on April 14, 2008 2:49 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

myspace_logo2 So the second site I have wondered into the world of during my investigation into the top 10 social networks is MySpace. Our wonderful work experience student Rosalind was kind enough to help me with this post.

MySpace is another of what I like to call the ‘big three’. One of the most successful and popular social networking sites out there (I class Facebook, MySpace and Bebo as the big three). Although it has lost favour to Facebook with UK audiences, it is still one of the top three sites according to an independent survey carried out by Computer Which? Bebo came up as most popular with Facebook then MySpace coming closely behind after being tested on the ease of setting up and using the site, the range of features, and the way the sites protected privacy and security, including how easy it is to remove personal details.

As with all social networks, MySpace is an online community. Similarly to both Facebook and Bebo, once you've joined you can start creating your own personalised homepage. You can choose from their selected backgrounds or you can get your creative juices flowing and make your own. Users can add songs and videos, and upload photos to make their own personal space.

MySpace can be used to make new friends, connect your friends to other friends, for single people to find other single people, map family trees, socially network with co-workers, and even to find long lost friends or classmates. As you build your network you can share photos, journals and interests with your friends.

Video sharing application, MySpace TV has become a rival to YouTube, but there is a bit more of an emphasis on professional and studio produced material. They have recently clubbed together with BBC Worldwide and now selected BBC shows (including The Mighty Boosh, Doctor Who and Top Gear) are available to subscribers of the BBC Worldwide channel on MySpace TV for viewing and virtually sharing across your online community.

There is a huge music emphasis on MySpace and the site has become almost essential for new acts that want to promote themselves and also major artists as a way of connecting to their fans. Bands can make their own profiles containing their music and videos and start their own blogs and forums. Kate Nash found herself a manager after uploading some of her songs to MySpace where she was noticed by Lily Allen, who then added her to her favourites' and helped direct a lot of attention to her.

The classified section on MySpace allows members to post free ads and search millions of free ads for used cars, jobs, apartments, real estate, pets, tickets, dates and more.

The thing I have struggled with the most when using MySpace is the code writing. You have to edit your page’s code in order to add new applications, whereas you just have to press ‘add’ on some of the other social networks. So that is why I personally prefer Facebook.

The average age of MySpace users is 31. More than 85% of MySpace members are over 18.

There are many similar features to Facebook on MySpace- you can create your own groups and events and there are many of those annoying little applications like 'adopt a virtual pet' and other 'games' that clutter up the pages.

My top ten super social networks - Number one: Facebook

By
Beth Kay (Wolfstar)
on April 8, 2008 11:07 AM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

facebook So… I gave you a quick overview of my top ten social networking sites last week but now is the time to look a little closer into each one. Like I mentioned before I am at heart a Facebook girl so had to start with this one.

Facebook - Last month, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerburg made Forbes list of the World’s Richest Men. Facebook saw rapid growth in 2007 and many wait with baited breath to see how it performs in 2008. My personal favourite, Facebook offers users the chance to network, share photos and other content with their chosen friends (so no weirdo’s can see your profile unless you want them to). The security features are pretty hot too. They allow you to add people on a ‘limited’ basis, where you can pick and choose which features they can see (i.e. if you don’t want your mum, dad, boss or significant other seeing what you have been up to).

As a regular user and slight addict, I have become pretty familiar with its functions and applications. The wall function and private messaging facility have saved me many a penny when I would have previously been texting my friends. This works for me because most of my friends have a Facebook profile and check it (very) regularly. I really like the events application, which allows Facebook users to create invitations to any soirées you may be throwing, and easily RSVP.

Facebook groups have been making waves across the world and have even been influential in the decisions of large multinational companies, for example Cadbury’s brought back their Wispa chocolate bars after demands were voiced through Facebook groups. Groups can be made about almost anything and other users can join and share their opinions.

If you have feeds from other sites, such as a blog or Twitter feed, Facebook allows you to share this feed on your site. I’m taking part in Cancer Research’s Race for Life in May, and have been able to share my fundraising progress with my Facebook friends.

Facebook has allowed me personally, to get in contact with people that I would have never been able to previously. This was highlighted when last week a distant relative from the other side of the world contacted me by ‘poking’ me.

I do however get annoyed with all the newer, silly applications that have been developed like ‘I’m a ninja’ or ‘Am I a hottie?’ They seem to be getting more stupid by the day and I hate having to scroll down through a million other applications before I get to someone’s wall to write them a message.

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed out on September 16th 2008

By
Chris Norton (Wolfstar)
on April 7, 2008 2:55 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

star warsAs an avid Star Wars fan, I had to highlight this new game which I think might be about to eat into my disposable income. It looks amazing and is going to be accessible across most gaming platforms. I will leave it up to you to argue whether your system will run it better than your mates.

Our friends at Joystiq describe this game in their post as: "Developed internally for the Xbox 360 and PS3, The Force Unleashed has players becoming Darth Vader's "Secret Apprentice" and, as the title vaguely alludes to, unleashing the force. Other "equally enthralling" versions of the game releasing on the same date include the Krome Studios-developed Wii, PS2 and PSP titles, as well as a DS game from n-Space."

If your mouth isn't watering at the prospect of that, check out the official demo below - this looks like it's going to be special. Roll on September...

My top 10 super social networking sites

By
Beth Kay (Wolfstar)
on April 4, 2008 11:45 AM | | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

social-network-3 Social networks and social media are the talk of the town at the moment. Personally I am a bit of a Facebook girl and have found myself using the site to talk and socialise with my friends more often than my mobile phone (plus it’s free). But I decided it was time to spread my wings and see what else was out there in terms of social networking sites and I have come up with a list of my favourite ones. For now here is the list, but over my next few posts I will be investigating each one and giving you an insight into the world within each network:

1. Facebook

2. MySpace

3. bebo

4. LinkedIn

5. CafeMom

6. imeem

7. Ning

8. Twitter

9. Wetpaint

10. FriendFeed

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