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<strong>iiNet</strong> http://www.iinet.net.au/customers/iinews/news_1107.html<br />

iinet news<br />

features<br />

comes with it: iiTalk.<br />

<strong>Nov</strong>ember iiNews<br />

Home » Customers » Iinews » <strong>iiNet</strong><br />

editor's note<br />

Finally, Naked DSL is here.<br />

There must be people like me out there. People who can't remember their<br />

landline phone number. People who have to follow the phone cord to find the<br />

phone (to take the odd telemarketer call). People who just don't get why<br />

broadband always comes "with phone" - phone you pay line rental for, even if you<br />

never use it.<br />

If you're like me, then you're going to like Naked DSL. Put simply, Naked DSL is<br />

high-speed ADSL2+ broadband without a landline phone service. That means no<br />

line rental. It's not hidden away in a "bundled" price, it's gone forever. And by<br />

removing your landline phone rental, you can afford a better broadband<br />

connection.<br />

We give Naked DSL the once over in this month's feature story. We'll help you<br />

figure out if Naked DSL is right for you and showcase the new VOIP service that<br />

You might have noticed that the email version of iiNews looks a bit different this month. The new look is just a minor spit<br />

and polish to make sure iiNews displays correctly in Outlook <strong>2007</strong>. The new look also introduces a new segment devoted<br />

to <strong>iiNet</strong> business.<br />

Oh and lastly, I'd like to introduce a fresh new voice to iiNews: Shannon McCaughey. Next month Shannon will be officially<br />

taking over editorship of the newsletter. His focus will be on getting more reader news and views into the iiNews mix in<br />

2008.<br />

Thanks for reading my ramblings for the last 2 and a half years, and thanks to those who have sent me feedback along the<br />

way. I've really enjoyed sharing what I experience online each month and I hope it has been useful for some of you.<br />

Enjoy the <strong>Nov</strong>ember edition.<br />

Mark Welker<br />

iiNews Editor<br />

iinewsfeedback@iinet.net.au<br />

inbox<br />

"I enjoy your descriptions of new technologies in simple terms. I'd love to see a real dummies (no technical knowledge at<br />

all) guide to wi-fi, which I need to get on my next computer. Especially how it works overseas please. I have been baffled<br />

by weird descriptions from salesmen (was told I had to register with Telstra) and web discussions that talk about differing<br />

sign-on procedures, drop out problems, lack of security. From the time I turn my new computer on, how does it work (e.g.<br />

do I just click on my regular Internet icon), what do I need to do?."<br />

- Jenifer N, ACT<br />

1 of 11 31/10/2011 10:44 AM


<strong>iiNet</strong> http://www.iinet.net.au/customers/iinews/news_1107.html<br />

Thanks Jenifer. A lot of people seem to have trouble with wireless setup so we'll pencil your wireless dummies guide<br />

in for the near future. In the mean time, check out our wireless support section at http://www.iinet.net.au/support<br />

/wireless/<br />

"The issues I have with Facebook was privacy and the way that it keeps a historical link to past relationships. I believe<br />

there is a social evolution in moving on from friendships and relationships, letting the past be kept in the past, suddenly I<br />

had queries from people who I don't have the time to keep in contact with and some I don't want to. It seems strange that<br />

'privacy' doesn't matter anymore.<br />

The issues I have had with deactivating my account from Facebook has really left me wondering about their service as<br />

well. Twice I have tried to de-activate and it doesn't remove my presence from their system."<br />

- Elliot R<br />

"I believe that employers are too afraid to stand up to their employees in the fear of being portrayed as draconian. There is<br />

a need to provide relatively unrestricted Internet access in the workplace, however, in most cases it is not necessary to<br />

provide access to every local desktop.<br />

I suggested to a client with approx 20 staff, that they should trial removing Internet access from everybody's PC's (minus a<br />

select few who's roles would be made more efficient with access to the web).<br />

This had 2 major effects. IT administration costs were reduced because the security threat to desktops was now greatly<br />

diminished. By placing an Internet PC in the office where it is fully visible, other staff members could observe their<br />

workmates using the Internet. If a user is wasting too much time on the net, other staff members became peeved that they<br />

were picking up the slack to cover another's workload, deterring time wasting."<br />

- Andrew B, VIC<br />

Send your newsletter views, news and suggestions to iinewsfeedback@iinet.net.au<br />

news<br />

Open Day <strong>2007</strong><br />

I swear I said the same thing last year, but nonetheless, it's that time of year again. Open Day <strong>2007</strong> is coming to Perth.<br />

The <strong>2007</strong> Open Day is a highly-anticipated event on the calendar of any self-respecting <strong>iiNet</strong> customer. It's a day where<br />

<strong>iiNet</strong> opens its doors and invites members to experience first-hand the passion we feel for the Internet and its limitless<br />

potential. If you can't make it to Perth, don't worry, we'll be video recording all the seminars and they will be available for<br />

download soon after the day.<br />

Head to www.iinet.net.au/about/openday/ for all the details.<br />

iTunes refer a friend reminder<br />

A reminder that our iTunes refer a friend promotion continues up until December 25. Spread the word about <strong>iiNet</strong><br />

broadband and you could be downloading songs from the iTunes Australia store for free!<br />

For each friend you refer to sign up for <strong>iiNet</strong> broadband, you and your friend both get 20 iTunes song downloads free. The<br />

more people you refer, the more songs you get! Head to www.referafriend.iinet.net.au and start referring.<br />

Once your friend's broadband service becomes active a confirmation email will be sent to both of you with song codes<br />

and instructions on how to use them.<br />

business news<br />

new business products<br />

2 of 11 31/10/2011 10:44 AM


<strong>iiNet</strong> http://www.iinet.net.au/customers/iinews/news_1107.html<br />

Things are starting to get exciting across the partition in the <strong>iiNet</strong> business team. <strong>Nov</strong>ember sees the launch of some great<br />

new products including Naked DSL for business, a Multiline VOIP service and an exciting new wireless hotspot service.<br />

In partnership with New Zealand based wi-fi distributor, Tomizone, <strong>iiNet</strong> is now deploying wi-fi hotspots across Australia.<br />

Wi-fi hotspots allows <strong>iiNet</strong> members to access high speed internet and email whenever they are in a Tomizone enabled<br />

area.<br />

Tomizone also allows hotels, coffee shops and other small businesses to setup wi-fi hotspots quickly and easily at minimal<br />

cost. If you own a coffee shop, hotel/motel, shopping centre site or any other public facility and would like to setup<br />

wireless access for your customers, please register you interest by emailing businessteam@iinet.net.au<br />

What does this mean for you? Soon you'll be able to access Tomizone hotspots for free using your <strong>iiNet</strong> username and<br />

password. <strong>iiNet</strong> members get their first 100MB of data free each month. Just look out for the Tomizone logo (pictured<br />

below).<br />

For more business news as well as information on multi-line VoIP, visit the business section of the <strong>iiNet</strong> website.<br />

<strong>Nov</strong>ember business special offers<br />

Who you do business with is almost as important as how you run your business. This month we've got a lineup of specials<br />

from <strong>iiNet</strong> business partners AppCentral, MailRevive and Shindig:<br />

AppCentral provides a virtual desktop solution that is available anywhere, anytime via the Internet. AppCentral is<br />

designed for small to medium size businesses who want to reduce their IT setup and maintenance costs, whilst<br />

preserving enterprise levels of service.<br />

<strong>iiNet</strong> business customers receive 10% off the application cost when signing up to AppCentral until 10 December <strong>2007</strong>.<br />

For more details see http://www.iinet.net.au/business/partners/appcentral.html<br />

MailRevive provides email backup, storage and search facilities for small to medium business customers. MailRevive<br />

is a hosted messaging service that works with your existing IT network to provide automatic off-site archiving of all<br />

corporate email communication.<br />

<strong>iiNet</strong> business customers receive 50% off the sign up cost & 10% off the monthly cost. For more details see<br />

http://www.iinet.net.au/business/partners/mailrevive.html<br />

Shindig will help you to set up all your key business processes online. Shindig is a set of online tools for small<br />

businesses that helps you build your own website with functions such as a product catalogue, shopping cart or order form,<br />

email enquiry form, as well as customer registration and login. Everything is administered online so you can check your<br />

business stats wherever you are, any time of day.<br />

<strong>iiNet</strong> business customers receive 10% off the monthly Shindig cost & no setup fees. For more details see<br />

http://www.iinet.net.au/business/partners/shindig.html<br />

Tell us what you'd like to see in the business section of the newsletter. Email your suggestions to<br />

businessteam@iinet.net.au<br />

support & services<br />

christmas @ <strong>iiNet</strong><br />

3 of 11 31/10/2011 10:44 AM


<strong>iiNet</strong> http://www.iinet.net.au/customers/iinews/news_1107.html<br />

We love Christmas and so do our staff. This year, the <strong>iiNet</strong> contact centre will be closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day,<br />

New Years Day and operating on reduced hours throughout the Christmas holiday period (see below for full details).<br />

This is a bit of a change for us as we would normally remain open 365 days a year. We hope you understand that even<br />

iistaffers like to get away from the net occasionally.<br />

From past experience, the Christmas period is pretty quiet but if you do have any issues with your Internet service while<br />

we're trying on over-sized t-shirts from Grandma, we've built a comprehensive set of DIY tools and FAQ's available at<br />

http://www.iinet.net.au/support/<br />

Our contact centre will be open as follows:<br />

Monday December 24th - 6am to 9pm<br />

Tuesday December 25th - Closed<br />

Wednesday December 26th - Closed<br />

Thursday December 27th - 8am to 9pm<br />

Friday December 28th - 8am to 9pm<br />

Saturday December 29th - 8am to 9pm<br />

Sunday December 30th - 8am to 9pm<br />

Monday December 31st - 8am to 9pm<br />

Tuesday January 1st - Closed<br />

Wednesday January 2nd - 24x7 support resumes at 6am<br />

tech tip - naked dsl<br />

With the launch of our new Naked DSL service this month, we thought it only right for this month's tech tip to deal with<br />

some of the common questions we get about this new service. Without further ado:<br />

Do I need to have an active phone line to sign up for Naked DSL?<br />

You don't need to have an active phone line for Naked DSL - only a copper wire laid all the way from the telephone<br />

exchange to your premises. Look for a phone socket in your house; this should indicate that a line has been installed. If<br />

you don't have a wired wall phone socket, you can still make a Naked DSL application, however you must first organise a<br />

new phone line to be wired into your home. Check the yellow pages for a cabling company to do this.<br />

Will my backup dialup account still be available after my broadband service is disconnected during an upgrade?<br />

Yes, you will still be able to use your backup dialup account up until the point when Naked DSL is connected at your home.<br />

Once Naked DSL is connected you will no longer have a dial tone on your line, so you won't be able to use dialup.<br />

Will my <strong>iiNet</strong> email address still work during the Naked DSL upgrade process?<br />

Yes, you will still be able to access your email address through our webmail service as long as you are able to access the<br />

Internet.<br />

Do downgrade fees apply when changing to Naked DSL?<br />

No. Because you are changing to a different product, there will be no downgrade fee applied.<br />

Can I transfer my current <strong>iiNet</strong> VOIP number across to iiTalk on Naked DSL?<br />

Yes. If you currently have an <strong>iiNet</strong> VOIP or iinetphone service bundled with a broadband plan, this number will be<br />

transferred across as your iiTalk number (unless you choose to transer your phone number). If you select during signup to<br />

turn your landline phone number into your iiTalk number, your current VOIP number and service will be cancelled.<br />

For more information on Naked DSL, see this month's feature story or visit all the frequently asked questions<br />

online at http://www.iinet.net.au/support/naked/faq/<br />

security watch<br />

4 of 11 31/10/2011 10:44 AM


<strong>iiNet</strong> http://www.iinet.net.au/customers/iinews/news_1107.html<br />

top 5 viruses reported to Sophos in October<br />

1.<br />

2.<br />

3.<br />

4.<br />

5.<br />

Pushdo<br />

Netsky<br />

PDFex<br />

Zafi<br />

Mytob<br />

List provided by Sophos. Remember, all <strong>iiNet</strong> plans come with industry leading Sophos email anti-virus and Ironport spam<br />

protection that is automatically kept up-to-date with the latest virus threats. However, to fully protect your system, we<br />

recommend that you use our email anti-virus in conjunction with a personal anti-virus product such as those listed on this<br />

page.<br />

Hoax <strong>iiNet</strong> email<br />

A fraudulent email purporting to be from <strong>iiNet</strong> support slipped through some of our spam filters earlier this week. The<br />

subject line reads "Confirm your Email Address!" and asks members to reply to the email with their <strong>iiNet</strong> password. A copy<br />

of the email text is below:<br />

From: THE IINET TEAM <br />

Date: Sat, 17 <strong>Nov</strong> <strong>2007</strong> 19:23:20 +1100<br />

Subject: Confirm Your Email Address!<br />

Reply-To: customer.domain@hotmail.com<br />

Dear iinet Subscriber,<br />

To complete your iinet account, you must reply to this email immediately and enter your password here (*********)<br />

Failure to do this will immediately render your email address deactivated from our database.<br />

You can also confirm your email address by logging into your iinet account at https://webmail.iinet.net.au/<br />

Thank you for using IINET.NET.AU!<br />

THE IINET TEAM<br />

If you get this email, delete it immediately . <strong>iiNet</strong> will never ask you to confirm your password via email. If you receive an<br />

email that asks you to do so, always check with <strong>iiNet</strong> support first by calling us or emailing a copy of the email to<br />

support@iinet.net.au<br />

If you did reply to this hoax email we recommend that you reset your password straight away by visiting your account<br />

toolbox at https://toolbox.iinet.net.au/ or by calling our support team on 13 22 58.<br />

feature story: introducing Naked DSL<br />

With the rise of mobile phone use over the last 10 years and the introduction of VoIP (Voice over<br />

Internet Protocol) technology, the humble fixed line telephone is getting a little long in the tooth. Like<br />

many Australians, I've felt at times shackled to my landline (and line rental) because I love fast<br />

broadband and paying for both is the only way I can get it. To tell the truth, I don't even know my home<br />

phone number.<br />

Thanks to <strong>iiNet</strong> Naked DSL, the days of wasting money on line rental are numbered.<br />

How Naked DSL works<br />

Traditionally, your broadband and phone service was bundled together; even if you weren't getting your phone from us, you<br />

had to get it from somewhere to get ADSL broadband.<br />

5 of 11 31/10/2011 10:44 AM


<strong>iiNet</strong> http://www.iinet.net.au/customers/iinews/news_1107.html<br />

Because we've built our own broadband network, <strong>iiNet</strong> has the ability to switch off the phone service component of this<br />

bundle, whilst retaining your regular ADSL2+ broadband service. This means on Naked DSL your broadband plugs in and<br />

works exactly as it would normally - except now you don't pay phone line rental anymore.<br />

It's why we call it Naked. Naked DSL strips off the components of your broadband connection you no longer need.<br />

Why Naked DSL?<br />

Simply put, Naked DSL provides a better broadband experience because the money you put into your connection is no<br />

longer split between your broadband and phone line. You only pay for the broadband you love.<br />

Like broadband2+, Naked DSL is exclusive to areas covered by our national broadband network (the iinetwork). While<br />

being on broadband2+ is a pretty good indication that you'll be able to get Naked, it's not a 100% guarantee.<br />

To get an idea if you are eligible, use the number checker on our Naked DSL page or head to step 2 of the Naked signup.<br />

This is just an initial check, we always need to do a thorough check on your line once you've applied, but it will give you a<br />

good idea of what to expect.<br />

Changing to Naked DSL is different to a regular plan upgrade. At the moment there is a 10-15 day transfer process during<br />

which you may be without a broadband connection. For more information on changing to Naked DSL from an <strong>iiNet</strong><br />

broadband plan, check out our existing customer information page and the tech tips above.<br />

Who is it for?<br />

We think Naked DSL is perfect for people who aren't reliant on their landline phone and those that use their mobile to<br />

make calls at home. If you're moving house or setting up a new phone connection, then Naked DSL is definitely worth<br />

considering.<br />

We believe that regular phone users will get a kick out of the savings they'll make by switching to iiTalk for their day-to-day<br />

phone use. We also know that Naked DSL isn't for everyone.<br />

If you're reliant on your landline for business use or for services such as a monitored alarm, Pay TV or shared phone/fax,<br />

Naked DSL may not be for you. Services such as those I've just mentioned will be affected when you remove your landline<br />

and switch to Naked. Some may no longer work at all.<br />

For more information on services affected by Naked DSL, see our frequently asked questions page.<br />

Introducing iiTalk<br />

Every <strong>iiNet</strong> Naked DSL service comes with a free iiTalk broadband phone service. iiTalk uses VoIP technology to deliver<br />

free local and national calls plus cheap rates to pretty much everywhere else.<br />

If you're already familiar with <strong>iiNet</strong> VOIP, iiTalk works in exactly the same way; once you have your iiTalk account set up in<br />

your broadband modem, you simply plug a regular handset into the back of your modem and start calling.<br />

If VoIP is still a strange new world to you, relax. iiTalk allows you to plug a traditional telephone into a broadband modem<br />

and use it as if you were on a traditional phone landline. iiTalk numbers can be called by anyone, anywhere plus include a<br />

range of exclusive features like the ability to send your voicemail messages to your email account. You can even use the<br />

home phone number you have now as your iiTalk number.<br />

A fair use policy applies to free calls on iiTalk. This fair use policy allows use to offer free calls Australia-wide for people<br />

who make normal amounts of phone calls. To do this we have to restrict people who use the service excessively. If you'd<br />

like to know what an excessive user is check out the fair use policy or visit the iiTalk section for rates info.<br />

How much does Naked DSL cost?<br />

Plans start at just $49.95 for 4GB of quota. Check the full suite out at http://www.iinet.net.au/products/naked/plans.html<br />

If you're on a current <strong>iiNet</strong> broadband2+ plan, you can compare broadband2+ with phone against the Naked plans online.<br />

You can also visit http://www.iinet.net.au/gonaked and plug your current phone costs into the Naked savings calculator. You<br />

may be surprised by how much you can save each year on Naked DSL.<br />

6 of 11 31/10/2011 10:44 AM


<strong>iiNet</strong> http://www.iinet.net.au/customers/iinews/news_1107.html<br />

The standard connection fee for Naked DSL is $150. However, if you opt for a 24 month contract, we waive the setup cost<br />

and any contract break fees (if you're already on a broadband contract). Selecting "no contract" simply continues your<br />

current contract period (if applicable).<br />

Conclusion<br />

Naked DSL is pretty new to Australia. It has never been released to the public on such a wide scale before. We've worked<br />

hard to get our upgrading process as smooth as possible, but with such a new technology there will inevitably be some<br />

hiccups as we fine tune our systems. If you get stuck, or think something's not quite right, send us your feedback or call us<br />

on 13 22 58 with any queries.<br />

As people have been using landlines for over a hundred years, changing to Naked DSL may be a difficult decision for<br />

many. Hopefully this article will go some way to help you make the decision to stay as you are, or make the switch.<br />

Whichever way you swing, we're happy.<br />

Got a suggestion for a future iiNews feature? Send your newsletter suggestions and comments to<br />

iinewsfeedback@iinet.net.au<br />

iipeople<br />

staff profile<br />

Name: Anita Grozdanovska<br />

Title: HR Officer<br />

What does your current role involve?<br />

Being a Human Resources Officer, I do everything from recruitment to performance enhancement and provide managers<br />

with timely HR advice to their queries and concerns. Some say that when I recruit I make sure they are wearing nice shoes<br />

if they are to get the job. There is yet to be any evidence to support this claim.<br />

What did you do before you came to <strong>iiNet</strong>?<br />

I worked for a retail fashion company in their head office. Being any girl's dream, we were constantly surrounded by all the<br />

latest clothes and had the first pick at the new collections for next season. While working there I was also a part time V8<br />

racing car driver. It was rather a surreal experience being surrounded by women and clothes all day to driving in excess of<br />

250km/hr with men screaming at me on weekends.<br />

What is the best thing about working at <strong>iiNet</strong>?<br />

Best thing for me is the experience I have gained through my two years here. Even though it might sound like a clich�, I<br />

have to say I have a great team who I can have loads of fun with. What I have learnt at <strong>iiNet</strong> is that we work hard and play<br />

even harder. The team spirit is great and I think the company does a good job at ensuring we live by this philosophy.<br />

Your favourite website?<br />

I love to shop and I love the 'real' football so my favourite websites would be a tie between ebay.com.au and<br />

premierleague.com<br />

customer of the month<br />

Name: Mathew Lane<br />

Location: Victoria Park, WA<br />

Account type: broadband2+ with VOIP<br />

Customer Since: 1998<br />

Describe your typical day of living online?<br />

7 of 11 31/10/2011 10:44 AM


<strong>iiNet</strong> http://www.iinet.net.au/customers/iinews/news_1107.html<br />

Like most people with broadband, it's just a matter of hitting the spacebar first thing in the morning (to wake the screen up)<br />

and checking e-mail and news. Choosing to study full time this semester, it has been helpful having a fast connection at<br />

hand with many assessments now completed or submitted online, rather than killing trees printing out a 10-15 page<br />

assignment.<br />

The best thing about broadband for you?<br />

Broadband is simply about speed. That in turn makes downloading music or video, viewing web pages with lots of content<br />

a breeze, and even seemingly boring tasks like downloading updates for software (MS in particular) can be done in<br />

seconds/minutes rather than hours on a dialup connection. I applaud <strong>iiNet</strong> on their foresight, building their own<br />

infrastructure to supply Australia's fastest broadband.<br />

My Internet experience has only been with <strong>iiNet</strong> (for all bar 3 months), and being a reasonably early adopter of the 512<br />

kbps broadband (around 2001), then 1.5 Mbps to now approaching 25-30Mbps - it's been quite incredible. Uploading to<br />

my web space http://www.rostrumclub15.iinet.net.au is also aided by broadband speeds. With broadband, the Internet is<br />

becoming what it ideally should be - the ability to access or share information at a moment's notice.<br />

Your favourite site?<br />

My favourite would have to be The Editing Room where Rod Hilton does a tongue in cheek paraphrasing of movies in<br />

script form, poking fun at plot holes or bad acting. And while it still works, Simpsonize Me is a fun site where you can<br />

upload a photo of yourself, to turn you into a Simpsons character!<br />

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

competitions<br />

Director Robert Zemeckis offers a unique vision of the legendary Beowulf saga. The<br />

ancient tale follows the exploits of a Viking warrior Beowulf who must fight and defeat<br />

the monster Grendel who terrorises local towns. Beowulf stars Ray Winstone in the<br />

title role and Anthony Hopkins as the corrupt King Hrothgar, John Malkovich and<br />

Angelina Jolie as Grendel's vengeful mother.<br />

To celebrate the Australian release of Beowulf on <strong>Nov</strong>ember 29, Warner Bros<br />

Pictures have kindly passed on to us 50 double passes to give away.<br />

To be in the running for this prize, email competitions with "Beowulf Competition" in<br />

the subject line, and provide your username, full name and address by 5pm WST,<br />

<strong>Nov</strong>ember 29, <strong>2007</strong>, along with the answer to this question: Name one website<br />

featured in this month's site scan? ( hint: check the very bottom of this page )<br />

Beowulf is rated M. Check out the official website at www.beowulfmovie.co.uk<br />

8 of 11 31/10/2011 10:44 AM


<strong>iiNet</strong> http://www.iinet.net.au/customers/iinews/news_1107.html<br />

Clare Bowditch follows up her ARIA award winning album What Was Left with a<br />

triumphant tale of lust, temptation and fear with her third album The Moon Looked On .<br />

To celebrate the album's release, the kind folks at EMI have given us 10 CD packs to<br />

give away featuring Clare's latest plus new albums from Faker , Che Nelle and kid<br />

rockers Operator Please .<br />

To be in the running for this prize, email competitions with "Bowditch Competition" in<br />

the subject line, and provide your username, full name and address by 5pm WST, 1<br />

December, <strong>2007</strong>, along with the answer to this question: Naked DSL comes with<br />

what broadband phone service? ( hint: check the feature story )<br />

Check out Clare's official website at www.clarebowditch.com<br />

entertainment<br />

2 minute games review - Hellgate: London (PC)<br />

<strong>Nov</strong>ember is pimping a bevy of exciting releases for today's discerning gamehead, titles that look set to<br />

be so stunning or groundbreaking we'd happily fork over the dosh just to lick the cover. Which is why I<br />

feel right cheated to be reviewing Hellgate: London this time round because quite frankly, it mings.<br />

Game developers these days have a hard task ahead of them: to be innovative, polished or both. For innovation, think of<br />

titles like Portal , Puzzle Quest , Darwinia or Supreme Commander ... exponents of that elusive 'new layer' of gameplay.<br />

For polish, take Team Fortress 2 , Crysis , Halo 3 or Tiberium Wars , advocates of tactility and shine. Meeting both<br />

criteria will win the hearts of the industry and the public alike.<br />

Amazingly, far more games are still being released that look and play like the developers just couldn't be bothered.<br />

Hellgate: London is such a work. I don't know if the developers were rushed, underfunded or distracted, whatever the<br />

reason, I'll be adding this to the list of games that could have been, the ones that managed to snatch 'crap' from the jaws<br />

of 'awesome'.<br />

Hellgate is what you get when cross Tomb Raider with Diablo 2 , but forget to bring what made either of them fun to the<br />

table. In its simplest form, it's an action FPS/RPG with a 3D spin and a suite of six characters to choose from. You'll be<br />

traipsing (a lot) round the streets and subways of London, hacking and blasting your way through packs of grubby demon<br />

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types.<br />

As one of the few remaining human folk, you're quite set on fighting your way to... well... to be perfectly honest, after some<br />

solid hours of play I still can't tell you the story. It's so light on emotional investment that you'll find yourself skipping all the<br />

obnoxious dialogue to get back to the game.<br />

Yes, the game. Once you've set out from the tube stations (ironically, the last refuge of British humanity) into the tunnels<br />

and streets, you'll find yourself enjoying a good swing and a hack at the nearest mobs. Five hundred thousand of those<br />

hacks and swings later, and you're still doing the same jolly motions on the same slightly more perverse mobs, with slightly<br />

bigger weapons.<br />

The common objectives you're handed are standard quest-romp fare - collect 10 imp eyes or take this important note to<br />

someone on the other side of that there roomful of monsters. What makes this far less appealing is that all the maps are<br />

randomly generated, so quest objectives are not artfully or deviously placed as much as they are just dumped arbitrarily in<br />

places that often too easy to assail.<br />

Many times I was asked to find 3 objects on a map and activate them, only to find two right next to each other in an empty<br />

room while the third was tucked safely in the broom cupboard a few extra steps away.<br />

On top of this, the landscape is rarely anything other than long stretches of plain flat surface, an almost pre-Quake<br />

monotony. Last but not least, as of writing the title still has major, major issues with game geometry - I had to force a restart<br />

three times in one sitting, because my lad got his leg stuck in a door, wall or railing. A monster I needed to loot died in the<br />

air and wouldn't come down.<br />

I really wanted to like this game, being a long-term devotee of Diablo 2 , but Hellgate: London fails to account for itself no<br />

matter what leg it stands on, and should probably be avoided by fans of RPG, action and FPS alike.<br />

movie review - The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford - Rated MA<br />

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (AJJCRF) is a brooding depiction of<br />

the life and exploits of America's most notorious outlaw. Not your traditional gun slinging western,<br />

AJJCRF is less cowboys and Indians and more character study - taking on the stereotypes of America's<br />

most infamous outlaw and his cowardly assassin.<br />

Based on the novel of the same name by Ron Hansen, AJJCRF explores the much popularised private lives of Jessie<br />

James and his unlikely assassin Robert Ford. The film sticks close to the days and hours leading up to the dirty deed<br />

itself, detailing the conflicting and often paranoid character of James and his relationship with the idealistic Ford (the guy<br />

who put a bullet in his back).<br />

Driven by some inspirational performances by Brad Pitt (Jesse James) and Casey Affleck (Robert Ford), AJJCRF's<br />

careful pace is starkly different from the last film in recent memory that popularised the gun slinging exploits of Jesse<br />

James; American Outlaws .<br />

Suspense and intrigue is built into every awkward interaction the two share up to the final moment. For a film that clocks in<br />

at just over 2.5 hours, Pitt and Affleck keep things well in order working off a solid script and delivering captivating<br />

performances.<br />

The real beauty of the film is not found in the heroic adventures told of the Jessie's outlawed gang, but rather the intriguing<br />

ugliness of the truth behind the legend. Gunfights and train robberies aside, the parts of the film that grab you are found in<br />

the long scenes of dialogue where Ford and James rise above what could so have been cardboard cowboy cut-outs.<br />

Rather than finishing with Jessie's death, the film adds further substance to the well know story by exploring the torment,<br />

not the glory, the assassination brings Ford.<br />

For a film that has sat on the shelf for two years gathering bad buzz like dust, this refreshingly dark and plodding Western<br />

is compulsive viewing for lovers of the genre.<br />

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site scan - men's health<br />

www.movember.com<br />

Movember is always popular here at <strong>iiNet</strong>.The Republic of Movember, the official website, tracks the pogress of Australia's<br />

greatest Mo challenge all while raising money for a good cause.<br />

Mens Health Magazine<br />

One of Australia's most popular magazines also has a great website. The online home for Men's Health provides a daily fix<br />

of how to keep fit and healthy.<br />

www.beyondblue.org.au<br />

Created back in 2000, the beyondblue foundation has risen to become one of Australia's most highly regarded health<br />

organisations and one of Movember's main beneficiaries.<br />

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