February iiNews

Replacing the old clunky, stationary desktop for a smaller streamline more powerful laptop is an attractive option and with laptop sales surging above desktops it seems it to have become a popular option. With this in mind, I thought it only fitting to this month look at the options out there in the laptop market.

Toshiba Satellite A200
RRP: $1,999
Specs: 1.86GHz Core 2 Duo / 2G RAM
The satellite series have been around since the dawn of time but they prove themselves time and again - the Toshiba satellite A200is a perfect example of this. A computer that is easy enough to lug around, the A200 has good versatility performing almost any task you require,even heavy graphics. Including the nifty extra of a fingerprint scanner, the A200 is a well thought out computer. While it's long on features, it's a little short on looks. Being quite large and plain looking means you will be lugging it instead of carrying it.
www.toshiba.com.au

Dell Inspiron
RRP: $1,899
Specs: 2.2GHz Core Duo / 2G Ram
The Dell Inspiron series seems to break away from the standard dell design thanks to colourful options to choose from - but that mood is shattered once you open it up to see little has changed from past designs. Disappointing as well is the unremarkable performance that this machine gives, considering its core specs.
www.dell.com.au
Mac Book
RRP: $1,899
Specs: 2.2Ghz core
It's the small touches that stand MacBooks out from the competition. The lid is secured to the base section using a magnet, as is the power cable. The design is streamline, compact and simple. Running a apple's new leopard operating system, that doesn't have the bug problems of Vista, the Mac book is a very attractive non Microsoft option. The beauty of this machine is that it simply works well in almost any situation.
www.apple.com.au
Lenovo ThinkPad
RRP: $1,599
Specs: 1.8Ghz Core Duo / 1G Ram
Like an old work horse, the ThinkPad has always been afavourite for business. While not overly fast, pretty or sleek, the ThinkPad does however work. Not appearing to change in design in ten years the blocky ThinkPad does sport near military specs, boasting to be by far the most solidly built laptop out there. It's not my cup of tea, but it has well and truly cemented its place in business with the Volvo driving inclined out there.
www.lenovo.com.au
HP Pavilion tx1219AU
RRP: $2,299
Specs: 2.2GHz AMD Turion 64 / 2G RAM
A convertible in the world of laptops, the HP is a flip tablet and is certainly eye catching in design. With a unique rippled mouse pad and touch tablet screen this machine is brimming with features. Surprisingly sleek in design and rather portable, the major problem with the HP tablet is that it drains power very quickly, tying you to the wall.
www.hp.com.au
Mac Air
RRP: $2,699
Specs: 1.6Ghz Core Duo / 2G Ram
The newest and most exciting laptop on the list, the Mac Air is simply stunning to look at. With the ability to fit in an A4 envelope this machine is created with travel in mind. Brimming with features for something so small, apple has employed many of the features that have made the iPhone and the iTouch so successful. While not as powerful as other laptops in this price range, it does not intend to be. It is simply a very nicely designed machine to fill the portable needs of the modern lifestyle.
www.apple.com.au

staff profile

Name: Andrew Poli
Title: Resource Planner

What does your current role involve?
I'm a Resource Planner, my primary responsibility is to predict the number and length of customer calls and then to allocate staff accordingly so that when someone calls they don't have to wait too long. In other words, if you have to wait on hold for too long it's my fault.
Creating and managing a set of fixed days and start times that tries to satisfy the needs of our clients and our staff is a big challenge but one which our team is constantly working towards. Day to day changes, advising on possible ramifications of suggested changes and filling in for our reports specialist are some of my other duties.

What did you do before you came to iiNet?
I studied to become a secondary maths teacher but discovered that written assignments and myself don't mix. During that time I spent some time in hospitality then landed a job with Wantree in tech support. There I finally worked out what I'm good at, problem solving, something that I've continued in every role at iiNet I've moved into. I spent a year there and came over to iiNet as one of the Wantree 'assetts'.

What is the best thing about working at iiNet?
Like everyone else has probably said, the people, but I've always enjoyed a fast paced environment, whether working behind a bar, helping customers get their connections up and running, identifying and troubleshooting faults or reacting to the constant changes in our industry it keeps me from becoming complacent and provides constant challenges.

Your favourite website?
Snopes.com , I have a particular dislike of those chain emails claiming everything from cold water causes cancer to the fact that small blue people from Azerbaijan were responsible for 9/11 and Snopes generally has the answers which can then be sent back to 'inform' and maybe get others to think about and question what they are told.

customer of the month

Name: Conor Fahey
Location: Fremantle, WA
Account type: broadband2+
Customer Since: 1999

Describe your typical day of living online?
I wake up first thing and check the music downloads I had running overnight, then upload the good ones onto my ipod to listen to when I smash out a few reps at the Gym. Before work I always log onto ABC News online over breakfast to check out the state of the world, followed by a visit to seabreeze.com.au to see what the wind and swell are doing, to asses weather it is worth ditching work and going for a surf or a dive. After work I will always re-stream that afternoon's 'full frequency' program from rtrfm.com.au that I missed, to keep abreast of the latest in electronic music. Of the the evening I try to keep up with the latest DubStep blogs and forums chasing sick tunes and new releases that I can download, so they are ready for me to spin on the weekend!

The best thing about broadband for you?
Being able to re-stream radio shows, upload podcasts and download the freshest hottest and latest underground electronic music ....... The stuff no one else has!

Your favourite site?
At the moment www.barefiles.com , 'A highly influential mixes archive website for international Dubstep followers.' The best place to find the tunes that you won't hear on the dance floor.

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

2 minute games review - Sins of a Solar Empire(PC)
with Niaal Holder

These wild, modern days, there's a lot less of the 'new' and lot more of the 'old wearing new trousers'. Sometimes this can work out - things 70s sci-fi, British suave and even cut-offs are terribly re-fashionable. There's still absolutely no place for fluoro though, which brings me to the thrust: rehashing old themes better be done well if the punters are going to yum it up. And in the turbulent world of noughties gaming, with pre-teen gamers barking for originality at every turn, one must truly harness the best of past days in order to appease our voracious youth.

Sins of a Solar Empire, take a bow.

In a single breath, Sins feels like Eve Online all mashed up with Civilisation and Star Control... it's not quite one or the other, but in playing this strategic sci-fi lovely you'll sense the presence of each in great doses, and you'll like it. It's simple and yet gorgeous; shallow but involving. It's part RTS, part war simulation, with an elegant interface for quick and total control on all levels.

Take command of one of three (there's always three, isn't there?) human/alien races and kick things off in your chosen system. To begin, you'll be expected to gear things up around your home planet - setting up mining operations, generating income. Researching civil and military improvements, kitting out your spacecraft fleet and walling up your planetary defence. All appears to be going well, so now it's time to jump ships into neighbouring planetary orbits, repeating the process and scaling up your operations, armies and incomes. Rinse and repeat, for all planets around all available stars... the catch being, your friendly neighbourhood opposition is doing exactly the same, and doesn't want you dirtying your feet on their nice new carpet. So they'll shoot you, you'll shoot them, planets get bombed and colonies change hands over, and over... like angry, angry chess on a planetary scale.

This all sounds a bit flat and plain - and to begin, it feels like it too. My first forays felt like playing Tiberium Wars, in that a simple tank rush appeared to win hands down every time. Trouble was, I was always on the receiving end, and it wasn't fun. After a few weary attempts though, Sins starts to make a bit more sense. The formidable depth of the skill trees became logical and apparent. Pushing straight into military wins the early fights, but won't last without civil feats. Likewise, over-renovating colonies and mining the frig out of your asteroids leaves the front door wide open to attack, if you haven't kept an eye on it. The trick is how to strike a balance between economy and warfare, to such an extent that one plays off the other - resources pumping fleets out steadily, while fleets win over new colonies in turn.

There are a variety of ways to achieve this, both through the race selection you've made and the myriad of optional paths housed in the skill trees. You simply won't be able to bulk-learn the skills without having to engage the enemy at least once, and if you're still trying to jack-of-all-trades it when they ring your doorbell, you can kiss your homeworld bubbye. So put plainly, the game revolves around managing and micro-managing small, medium and large scale spacecraft through combat and colonisation, whilst also tricking things out via the trail of planets you're claiming in the name of win.

Sins is very simple to control - the interface is for the most part, easily picked up without instruction. The scroll wheel scales the map from planetary orbit right back to total star system overview - a la Supreme Commander. You'll get the hang of how things are performed, what you'll struggle with (as I did, hard) is exactly why things happen the way they do... to such an extent that often, defeat doesn't come with any lessons, and you'll stumble through the same mistakes a couple of times before really knowing why. Even set to 'easy' opponent, the computer steamrolled me if I dawdled too long.

What it all comes down to is a release that's genuinely worth getting stuck into. It's straight scenario-based space combat and control, with online play and a variety of permutations to explore. It's crisp, clean and just the right dose of engaging - I heartily recommend it to you all forthwith.

movie review - Sweeney Todd
With Shannon McCaughey

Tim Burton has once again teamed up with Johnny Depp to explore the dark but romantic literary urban legend that is Sweeney Todd.
With its rivers of blood, this elegant slasher musical isn't for the faint of heart or stomach, especially thanks to the contents of Mrs. Lovett's pies.

Yet as we have come to expect from this partnership, this adaptation of Sweeney is nothing short of brilliant. For his sixth collaboration with the director, Johnny Depp stars as Benjamin Barker aka Sweeney Todd, a barber falsely imprisoned by Judge Turpin (Alan Rickman). After leaving prison, he comes back to Victorian London to find his wife dead and his daughter held captive by his nemesis Judge Turpin. As he plots his revenge, Sweeney joins forces with Mrs. Lovett (Helena Bonham Carter), and while he preys on clients asking for a shave, his new partner turns the bodies into baked goods. Biding his time Sweeney Todd takes to what he sees to be the filth of London with a cut throat razor in hand.

As a musical, special credit should be given to composer Sondheim for the catching yet haunting songs that leave you tapping your foot as you walk out of the cinema. Adding a feather into a already brimming cap, Depp shines through with voice in Sondheim's songs.

This truly is a film of beauty juxtaposed with brutality and yet another Johnny Depp performance to see.

www.myspace.com
I'm not a big fan of the social networking sites, finding them rather pretentious but I will give credit where credit is due. Myspace has been the best invention for underground music, allowing many artists to access a world wide public platform. Like fishing, the beauty with Myspace is you never know what music is going get you hooked.

www.barefiles.com
Brought to our attention thanks to the very excitable iiCustomer, Conor Fahey, this is a great site for dance music fans looking for an online forum.

www.last.fm
A self proclaimed "social music revolution", this site is a major step forward in music blogging. Social website dedicated solely to music, this site is a great place to find, listen and post music.