Thanks for everyones support this year. I have made several new friends, and strengthened existing friendships. As we head off to Xmas celebrations, remember that technology is not the driver for what we do - the technology is the means to an end. The real enrichment comes from how we use it to interact with real people in ways we couldnt before.

Take care on the roads, give generously in any way you can to those who need help, without expectation of reward, and do everything you can to let the people in your life know that you care.

Have a happy and safe holiday!

Santa - I want a Navman... I have been good.

No really - I have been really really good!
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Spotted today in my inbox, using Firefox 2.0.something (latest build). I suppose if it was Microsoft, it might have been "Error 2032: Exception occurred" or something...

Screenshot
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Not that I can find any trace of anyone having similar trouble, for the last 24 hours or so, sometimes my pop access to the service has been intermittent. I love the concept - buy a domain name for $30NZD and point it at Googles servers, and get web hosting and mail (with pop3, smtp and Gmail webmail) all on your domain name. Great idea, completely free, and awesome for beginners. 2GB mailboxes, 100MB or so of free web hosting (although no premium, or indeed standard web host offerings like php, cgi etc etc).

This has led me to re-assess my needs for mail and web hosting, and decided to go the self-hosted route (again), although previous attempted have been half-assed, usually involving a machine that is also used by humans (and therefore subject to constant reboots for new software, and other slow-downs), this attempt will only be quarter-assed, by way of a dedicated machine.

At this stage I am taking a two-tiered approach. With a W2K machine arriving from Tradem (read the entire post)...

The very long awaited NZ ITMS has been sprung upon us today, as noted by Geekzone.co.nz here. And while the DRM does not excite me, the iPod compatibility does.

I *want* to buy legal music, and will probably just strip the DRM out - not for any nefarious purpose, but so that I can listen to the music on my own terms, on any of my equipment.

I look forward to a system where if my partner wants a song, I can just say "buy it on iTunes", and she can get it on the iPod without intervention from me to have to download the song, strip the DRM out, import to iTunes and re-add the tag info, just to be able to listen to it the first time on an iPod. (read the entire post)...

A colleague has written an application to take all incoming sms messages on a WM5 device (HTC Apache, Treo 700wx, JASJAR, JASJAM, etc), and forward them automatically to another number, and has agreed to release it at zero cost.

The app would just be sending standard sms, so if you have an sms plan ($10 text, Bestmate, etc etc), then that pricing would still apply.

Possible scenarios:

Forward from a PDA to a normal phone if you are heading out to pub, beach, wherever, and dont want to take a PDA.

Forward from a device on one network (e.g. Telecom) to another device on different network (e.g. Voda) if you change networks and dont want to lose your texts for a while.

and im sure you can figure out loads more ways to use this app.

Keep an eye on this blog (add it to your RSS feeds), and I will post as soon as its ready.

I am interested to see if we can tweak it to filter messages by sender details or message cont (read the entire post)...

As a follow on to my previous blog post, pago.co.nz is seriously flawed and putting users at risk of exploits possible through misuse of either the Telecom mobile network, or the Vodafone mobile network.

Both the exploits are already KNOWN problems, simply applied for different purposes.

This needs to be addressed immediately. I expected a call or email from ASB/pago late today, or a notification on their site that they were fixing this, or suspending the service, but this hasnt happened.

From Pago terms and conditions: (I will not attempt to read anything into these, they pretty much speak for themselves)
A Payment cannot be stopped, cancelled or altered once sent even if you make a mistake and enter the wrong details of the person you want to pay (i.e. incorrect email address or mobile phone number), the wrong amount is paid, or someone other than you accesses your Wallet and sends a Payment from it. If you lose money or make a mistake we will n (read the entire post)...

Okay, so after reading up about Pago this morning, I thought "What a cool system!".

About a minute later I also thought "Hey... I could hack that, really easily" (Not that i would).

I went through one by one, all the steps required, and have decided that yes, it is definitely vulnerable, and that I could demonstrate the exploit if required, and generate a valid payment very easily, without requiring the theft of any private data, or any physical equipment. With the right knowledge, many would be able to within a few minutes, without outlaying any cash to do so.

As soon as I discovered the flaw, a friend gave me the details for pagos GM, whom i have spoken to over the phone, described the flaw to, and who assures me that their development and security team will be looking into this.

Heres hoping...

By the way, if you are struggling for a fix, I have a couple of ideas, you have my number, feel free to call anytime...

After (read the entire post)...

I feel safer already, though the ramblings of one man change a country not, the sentiment is there.
It does concern me somewhat that he is an aol user though...

A Liberal's Pledge to Disheartened Conservatives November 14th, 2006 To My Conservative Brothers and Sisters, I know you are dismayed and disheartened at the results of last week's election. You're worried that the country is heading toward a very bad place you don't want it to go. Your 12-year Republican Revolution has ended with so much yet to do, so many promises left unfulfilled. You are in a funk, and I understand. Well, cheer up, my friends! Do not despair. I have good news for you. I, and the millions of others who are now in charge with our Democratic Congress, have a pledge we would like to make to you, a list of promises that we offer you because we value you as our fellow Americans. You deserve to know what we plan to do with our newfound power -- and, to be specific, wh (read the entire post)...

So you can now get a prepaid Visa card in New Zealand. Heres the deal:

Walk into a NZ Post outlet with any method of payment (e.g. cash), tell them you want to buy a "Prezzy Card" or "Prepaid VISA", and they will ask you what value.

Pay them, they charge it up, and you leave with a valid VISA card with that set limit of credit you loaded on - not a credit check in sight (or even a record of your identity).

Very cool.

Nervous about ecommerce fraud - not any more, the most you could ever lose is the amount you topped the card up with.

The more credit the better for the value stakes, as you get charged $5 per card, whcih can only be charged once - at the time of purchase. No recharges.

keep your card after use if you could ever require a refund on your purchase (retailers refund to the card a purchase was made on).

Small surcharge for international purchases.

In the Ts & Cs it states that you must pay (read the entire post)...

Okay, so I have a prepaid credit card so i can use e-commerce with sites anywhere on the net, and the most i could possibly lose through fraud is the credit i loaded on it.

I wanted some Skype credit, no problem - went to the site, topped up, got my credit immediately.

Gizmo Project (im testing some VoIP services at the moment), gave me the option of $20USD or $10USD. I selected $10, and put in my details, and it failed, rejecting my purchase.

So then I re-do it, carefully re-entering each digit, and again selecting $10 credit. Again, no purchase.

Fine. Gizmo Project loses my business. No big deal.

Now I decide to check my balance on the card, and hey ho - Gizmo has deducted not the approx $20NZD that it would have cost me, had the purchase been successful, but THIRTY DOLLARS, and it did this TWICE, so even though they rejected the purchase (bad card details they said), they have debited my card by SIXTY NEW ZEALAND DOLLARS.
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Symantec launches the latest version of backup exec - right while im in the middle of managing someone elses disaster that was a version 9 meltdown, trying to migrate them to 10d whilst Symantec undergoes some changes in their systems, and delays delivery.

Now I have to decide whether to put someone into the older (10d) version as planned, and know that the timeframes and capabilities are a known factor, or take a punt on putting them into 11d which was shoved under my nose today.

Given they have not had a backup in "a wee while", I plan to NOT invoke Murphys Law, and instead run with the existing proposed solution - which, given Murphys annoying ability to flip-flop at any time, and lay even the best designed plans to complete and utter waste, could well spell disaster anyway.

Kill me. Kill me now. (read the entire post)...

UPDATE: Correct version now posted.

Heres a document I have written to try and answer the frequent basic questions I recieve with regards to mobile data (Telecom T3G / Vodafone 3G Broadband).

It is a basic introduction, and certainly not a comprehensive work covering every single aspect.

It is written in plain English, so hopefully even the most non-technical people can read it okay!

Download the PDF (150KB .pdf - right click and choose 'save-as') (Get this one if you are unsure)

Download the opendocument file (20KB .odt - right click and choose 'save-as')

Edits compared to old version - smaller font (far less pages!!), minor formatting changes, and small amounts of extra text, including a mention of Telstraclear Ltd.
(Thanks Kel!)

Due to a lack of time, the odt file does not have a table of contents, but it is 1/7th the size of the PDF!
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With ADSL broadband speeds going unconstrained for most users in New Zealand, there seems to be a mixed bag of results, which was completely expected.

My own results have been varied, and during off peak times have ranged from 1.4 up to 6.9Mbps - the latter being near the higher end of what people can expect, should they be close to a Telecom exchange (as I am).

My results on a wifi connected laptop however were consistently far worse at averages of 1.2 to 1.5Mbps, even using 802.11g merely 8 unobstructed feet from the router. I thought I might be able to attribute some of this to the fact that I am using standard WPA encryption on my link, so I turned WPA off, and left my system open, which increased my WIFI performance to equal that of my wired performance, with the peak speed over a couple of tests being about 6Mbps.

Of course WPA needs to be turned back on to secure my network, so I guess any large downloads will be set up to come down via a cable-c (read the entire post)...

Around 1492, Leo knocked up a picture known to most as "The Vitruvian Man".

What the world was unaware of, was that about an hour before producing the drawing, Da Vinci had also perfected the art of Time Travel, and sprang forward to the 20th Century, landing squarely in Billy Connollys lounge room, whilst he was performing naked yoga.




And so, I put to you, that The Vitruvian Man is clearly a portrait of Billy Connolly, and time travel MUST exist. Dan Brown - eat your heart out.
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Spotted at a Shell Station in Hastings today... (click post title to see pic)
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With 300 feedbacks on Trademe, my partner and I are not the hugest Trademe members, but probably considered to be in the 'active' group of 'home' buyers and sellers.

We sometimes go on a selling spree, and clear out unwanted items, which sends our TM account into debt.

Once you are in debt, you have very little opportunity to ask questions, before the feature is restricted - fair enough - pay us the money you owe, or no more usage.

After being in this position since the other day, I wanted to buy something today, and clicked buynow - not remembering about my lack of credit.

To my surprise - it went through (I remembered the moment i clicked the button...).

Sooo... they wont let me ask questions on auctions, but they will let me buy items - which is a revenue producing activity for them.

C'mon Trademe - look at peoples history - if they are over 100 feedbacks, and normally top up within a month or so, (read the entire post)...

## Update: Juha Saarinen - author of The Techsploder has researched this further, and concluded that in fact no injunction has been filed. (See Juhas comments near the bottom of this page)

---

A source tells me that iHug / Vodafone and Callplus have filed an injunction against Telecom New Zealand to prevent the planned launch of unconstrained broadband in New Zealand later this month.

This will mean the planned upgrade from 3.5Mbps plans to unconstrained "full rate" speeds of up to 7.6Mbps may not go ahead as originally hoped.

More as it happens!
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Some of you know (and many probably dont), that my partner and I have a baby boy on the way. 24 weeks pregnant now, and one month into my new job, I request unpaid parental leave for the time of the birth, plus some time to settle everyone in at home, and get into a routine, and help out.

I emailed the request, and my manager marched straight into my office with a resounding 'yes', and on the spot, also offered me a short amount of paid leave for that time (which was completely unexpected), and a willingness to be flexible on exactly when my leave is taken (and whether i want to break it up into a couple of lots).

Cant ask for better than that. I think its really important for dads to be as involved as possible, and part of that involves having the support of everyone in your life, including your employer.

Thanks gen-i (and Grattan)
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http://www.geekzone.co.nz/chat.asp

Tonights chat starts at 8pm NZDT, we use irc.zirc.org:6667 #geekzone, or simply click the link above for a web based chat window.

We will be giving away a Vodem 3G Vodafone modem (see here for details), worth $429 NZD.

Rules for entry:

Everyone who is an ACTIVE participant in tonights chat is in (Idlers will not be in to win). Dont be shy - our weekly chats are pretty social, and generally not overly technical. The Vodem comes with NO connection, you must use or arrange your own.

Competition is open to chatters from any country.

We will draw a name at random during the chat (between 8pm and 9pm - could be at 8.01, or 8.59 - so dont be late!). Winner will be notified in the chat room, and must respond before end of chat, or prize will be redrawn.
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You've all seen the tagline "Error: Keyboard not present, press any key to resume" - well, I got one very similar for real the other day... it couldnt detect my keyboard plugged into a new USB hub, and of course pressing keys did not get me anywhere!


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