BUYING TIPS: YOUR NEXT PORTABLE COMPUTER

Which one should I buy?  If you are in the market for a portable computer, you have four options: a traditional notebook laptop, a smaller netbook, one of the new ultrabooks or a tablet.  Which one you should choose depends on your mobile computing needs.

It all comes down to this: are you a creator or are you a consumer?  The great dividing line is whether you mainly consume or create content while on the move.  If you only want a device for checking emails, watching movies, listening to music and answering your emails, you are a consumer.

Do you require the software for writing reports, creating spreadsheets, flyers, graphs, powerpoint presentations or precision drawing in addition to the above, then you are a creator: you’ll need a device that has a longer battery life, has more power and is more typing friendly.

CONSUMER OPTIONS

These include either a tablet such as the iPad or comparable android tablet or a netbook.

CREATOR OPTIONS

The suggestion is either an ultra-portable laptop or the new ultrabooks.  Ultrabooks include the newest super-thin and lightweight MacBook Air, the Lenovo IdeaPad U300s, the Asus Zenbook line or Toshiba’s Portege Z835.  Ultrabooks are lighter and thinner than traditional notebooks, but bigger and more typing-friendly than the netbook or tablet.

COST

Price is going to be another factor, if you’re considering whether to buy a netbook, notebook, tablet or ultrabook.

Netbooks are priced lowest: $350 - $500 average for reputable models. 

Notebooks vary from $600+ to over $900.

Tablets, including iPad range and various androids are priced from $350 to $800 for reputable brands.

Ultrabooks – the newest portable devices start at $900 up to $1600. 

Computers have certainly come a long way in a short timeframe – both in size and price – and the options are many: the only obstacle is trying to decide on the right one.  Remembering whether you are a consumer or a creator makes the choice much easier.

Australian Year of the Farmer celebrates the hard work of everyone involved in producing, processing, handling and selling products from 136,000 farms across the country.  Australian farms and the industries that support them generate more than $405 billion each year, that’s 27% of our GDP. 

The celebration is to let Australians appreciate the fresh food and quality materials our farmers produce to keep us fed, clothed and sheltered.  The concept, as a national celebration, reminds us that our farmers sustain the Australian way of life and the economy.

Photographers: take up the challenge; enjoy the competition

Now photographers can be part of the Australian Year of the Farmer celebrations by capturing images of how farming affects the daily lives of all Australians- in the city and the country and entering their favourite images in the Fairfax Elders Photo Competition.

Entering the competition and uploading your winning photo is easy. For more information on the competition, go to the Year of the Farmer website HERE. Held in conjunction with two major sponsors, the competition celebrates and enriches the connection between rural and urban Australia. 

Numerous Prizes to be Won

Monthly prizes include: a voucher for $500 worth of photographic equipment for the best entry across all categories/States and Territories; a total of 48 monthly $50 vouchers – that’s one for each of the six categories in each State/Territory and a total of 432 prizes over the nine month competition.

Happy snapping from the Australian Year of the Farmer.

GraniteNet are seeking new volunteers to assist with website maintenance and marketing.

Immediately, we are looking for a new Secretary and Board members therin. This position involves minute taking at board meetings, document processing, proofreading and becoming a signatory for GraniteNet Inc.

Alternatively, if you have any skills that relate to the list below and have some spare time, please feel free to contact us or come on down for a chat.

• Basic PHP & HTML Skills
• Business Marketing Skills
• Target Group Marketing
• Microsoft Publisher 2003 Skills
• Google Earth
• A good knowledge of what goes on in the community

In addition, we also provide assistance to individuals with:

• Basic Computer Training
• How To Use The Internet
• Setting Up And Using Email
• Basic Photo Editing
• Anti Virus and Anti Spyware Software advice
• How To Keep Your Computer up-to-date
• Basic hardware diagnosis and repair

If you have experience in some of the above or have any general computer knowledge, or would like to learn, your time and skills would be greatly appreciated.  As we are a not-for-profit organisation (no government funding - depend entirely upon community involvement) you would be helping citizens of the Granite Belt community to enjoy the benefits of learning IT and getting online.

*Please note, at present we do not have ANY paid positions, though we can provide recognition of your achievements and/or participation via a reference.

Contact Details:

GraniteNet (15 Hilton St) opening times:
Mondays 9am-1 pm
Tuesdays and Wednesdays 8.30 am - 1.00 pm
Fridays 8.30 am - 4.00 pm

Phone: (07) 4681 4384 

Email: contact@granitenet.com.au

We look forward to hearing from you.

All systems come with a monitor, keyboard and mouse, re-install diskettes and a valid Windows COA (if applicable) and a selection of pre-installed free software, including AVG Antivirus, and Open Office, to get you started...

We would encourage anyone looking for an affordable but serviceable machine to put in an expression of interest to with their name and phone or email. OR drop in to see what we presently have on display!

You can RING us on 46814384, call into 15 Hilton Street or  us.

Computers can also be built to suit your needs, you just have to ask!

***Mention this article, and receive a further 15% discount on any desktop system*** 

THATS UP TO 65% OFF REGULAR PRICE!!!!

*GraniteNet has a recycling program to receive and refurbish unwanted and/or defunct computers. All of the computers GraniteNet has on sale, have a 90 day warranty, and have been fully tested to ensure you recieve a quality product without defects. Full details are provided on premises by request.

^Up to. -Must have a valid and current concession card, pension card, disability pension card or seniors card.

^^ An Internet Connection is the customers responsibility, we can offer advice, but you will need a modem to connect to the internet, and some providers offer this free with your service. Internet Ready depicts that the system is ready to connect to a communication device, and NOT that is has one...

What do batteries, mattresses, filters and coils all have in common? 

Whether you’re renting or own a home, it’s easy to let repeated tasks of home maintenance slip your mind.  The five home maintenance tasks most people forget include:  

Flip the mattress (every three months). 

Replace batteries in your smoke alarm (every three months). 

Change your water filter (every two to six months). 

Change your air filter (every two to six months). 

Clean your fridge coils (once a year). 

These tasks are difficult to remember because they’re so infrequent, but keeping up on the maintenance will not only extend the life of your appliances, it will also help them run more efficiently. 

OPTIONS: HOW TO REMEMBER THE MAINTENANCE TASKS

- the old fashioned way - mark on wall calendar of your choice;

- note on your mobile phone calendar;

- try to remember when you receive your three monthly electricity statement;

- high tech alternative - send yourself a future email. 

FUTURE EMAIL 

There are several future email websites whereby you can send a future email to yourself.  FutureMe.org is easy plus free to use.  To access the FutureMe website, click HERE.

They forgot their maintenance schedule!!

HOW TO FIND UNCLAIMED MONEY

Searching for unclaimed monies is made easy by accessing various websites.  Unclaimed money from bank accounts, company shares, life insurance policies, unpaid wages, deceased estates, proceeds of sale and superannuation that hasn’t been rolled over are waiting for their rightful owners. 

There is currently $13 billion superannuation contributions waiting to be claimed and a further $600 million unclaimed from bank accounts, shares and life insurance policies. Check out the following websites: 

SHARE DIVIDENDS, PROCEEDS OF SALE, DECEASED ESTATES, RENTAL BOND REFUNDS, ROYALTIES, TRUST MONIES and more go to the Qld Public Trustee website by clicking HERE. 

UNPAID WAGES can be checked by accessing the Australian Government Fair Work Ombudsman website HERE.

SUPERANNUATION waiting to be claimed or rolled over can be checked by accessing the Australian Taxation Office’s SuperSeeker website HERE. 

BANK/FINANCIAL INSTITUTION ACCOUNTS, SHARES AND LIFE INSURANCE POLICIES may be checked at the Australian Securities and Investments Commission website HERE. 

Happy Hunting!

DO NOT CALL REGISTER is gaining momentum ....

In less than five years, seven million numbers have been listed on the DO NOT CALL REGISTER, including just over half of Australia’s fixed line home numbers.  

"Many Australians are choosing not to receive telemarketing and fax marketing,” said the regulator Chairman of the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), Chris Chapman.  The ACMA is Australia's regulator for broadcasting, the internet, radiocommunications and telecommunications.

Not surprisingly, the uptake in registrations is not only on fixed line numbers, with more than three million mobile numbers now on the register.  Mobiles accounted for 75 per cent of new registrations over the last eight months. 

Why register your number with the Do Not Call Register? 

The Do Not Call Register allows you to greatly reduce the amount of unwanted telemarketing calls and marketing faxes you receive.  Telemarketers and fax marketers are required by law to stop contacting you once you’re on the register.

Will registering my number stop all telemarketing calls and marketing faxes? 

No, registration won’t stop all calls and faxes.  Some public interest organisations (charities, political parties and educational institutions) can still call numbers listed on the register.  This ensures these organisations can continue to provide valuable services to the community. 

If you have an existing relationship with a business, it can still contact you, but you can advise them if you do not wish to receive telemarketing calls or marketing faxes from them in the future. 

$250,000 Penalty

Anyone can complain if they think a telemarketer is breaching the standard, and penalties of up to $250,000 can apply.  There is also a Fax Marketing Industry Standard with similar enforceable rules.

How to Register

Registration on the secure database is free, valid for five years and you can re-register or remove your numbers at any time.  To register or seek further information, go to the DO NOT CALL REGISTER website by clicking HERE. 

Check the strength of your password  

A good password can mean the difference between identity safety and identity theft.  Unfortunately, too many of us rely on ridiculously weak passwords – the kind that make hackers rub their hands in glee.

If you’re not certain about the strength of your password(s), head to Microsoft’s Password Checker.  This free tool couldn’t be simpler to use: just type in your password and get an instant strength rating: Weak? Medium? Strong? or Best.

Don’t worry, Microsoft isn’t secretly collecting passwords for its own evil purposes!  The page doesn’t record what you type, it merely generates a response based on the nature of the input. 

So, what kinds of passwords can get you a STRONG or BEST rating?  Here’s a clue – the dog’s name won’t cut it.  Neither will “1234” or being super creative and using the word “password”.  According to Password Checker, you should aim for a minimum of 14 characters and include a mix of numbers, symbols and both uppercase and lowercase letters. 

An innovative way to create a safe password is to take an easy-to-remember phrase such as 'Stanthorpe 2012 Show'.  Replace various letters with similar looking numbers as well as also using the upper case to provide symbols for 2012 at the beginning of your password. 

The end result might look like this: @)!@5tanth0rpe20125h0w.

Other suggestions might include: 'fairdinkum 2012'. The end result could be: @)!@fa1rd1nkum2012 or 'I always love to shop' as %iaLwayz10ve2sh0p% 

The Microsoft Safety and Security Centre website has more valuable tips to help create strong passwords.  Click HERE to access their website.