Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: New Lounge Toy Update

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  • Mikaere Curtis,

    As soon as a I found out that Tivo was in with Telecom, I ordered MySky HDI. It's not that I loathe Telecom, it's more that Sky has channels that would be really cool to record.

    Actually, it boils down to the one channel: Food TV.

    It's like our default setting - it's on when I get home from work, and pretty much stays on unless there's something else really compelling to watch.

    My wife is a foodie, and she loves her Food TV, to the point where she applied for Master Chef NZ. She was accepted to the interview stage, and as it happens, she just rang - she got through to the next stage where she will prepare a dish for the judges.

    Anyway, I'm looking forward to watching my replay of the All Blacks on Sunday morning, as and when it suits me :)

    Tamaki Makaurau • Since Nov 2006 • 528 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    Re: iPhone. Does the thing not have a speaker phone mode already? If so, one of those dirtcheap phone holders you stick to the dash should do the trick.

    The other option is a bluetooth headset. But I hate jacking things on my ears. I saw a bluetooth device at JB HiFi the other day that is portable and attaches to the sun visor, which could be a better option....a mere $200. FFS, I drive an auto, I don't need both my hands. The problem with phones isn't what you do with your hands, it's what you do with your eyes, and that's the same whether it's mounted or not. My phone has voice-dialing so I never have to look at it anyway.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Joanna,

    Being able to play files from my computer on my TV easily would absolutely sell TiVo for me, if I didn't have my freeview decoder. I don't want Sky. I would just end up watching E! for hours and lose my few remaining braincells, or a flatmate might end up watching (ugh) sport. But if networks here won't hurry up with their programming, I'll continue to acquire programmes from elsewhere.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 746 posts Report Reply

  • uroskin,

    As long as Tivo can't be hooked up to Freeview satellite service it won't be able to receive Stratos either.

    Waiheke Island • Since Feb 2007 • 178 posts Report Reply

  • Tristan,

    I have had a TiVo in my living room for the past few months. I also have MySky. We had an aerial issue with sky and couldn't use it for a week. Now that it has been fixed we are finding that we are not using it much at all.

    The Tivo interface is nicer to use and most of the content we want to watch is on free to air TV.

    I think the black boxes days are numbered, That will save me quite a bit of money!

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 221 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes,

    one of those dirtcheap phone holders you stick to the dash should do the trick.

    VELCRO, the stick on veriety, I've been using it to mount phones and Players for years. I'd like to see a cop trying to say it wasn't a "Holder".
    Most phones that come with headphone/microphone combos can be easily converted to hands free but cutting off the headphones and soldering on a connector that suits you car entertainment device, you can then converse with friends and family in glorious stereo. Setting you phone to "Auto Answer" can lead to "Interesting times" when you have others in the car.
    ;-)

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes,

    A note on Velcro. Always put the "Fluffy" part of the Velcro on your phone, if you use the "Hookey" bit you may find it difficult to remove you phone from your pocket on occasions.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Chris Keall,

    The Bandit.fm story on NBR's website has now been updated with some pricing details for the iTunes-style component of the service. Will track Apple.

    Auckland • Since Oct 2009 • 1 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes,

    I hope this is a typo

    Mr Broad said the law could be used against those with assets worth more than $30,000.

    Such people would most likely be the leaders of drug syndicates.

    $30.00 ain't a lot in terms of "Assets", home contents, stereo, TV, carpets etc., plus an average car, soon add up to figures like that.
    Add to that that the burden of proof falls on the accused and it looks scary.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • John Fouhy,

    re. iPhone dock, perhaps one of these: http://store.apple.com/us/product/TX672LL/A ? Obviously this is most worth the money if you want to use your phone as a satnav (which require's TomTom's expensive iPhone app, and also a recent iPhone).

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 87 posts Report Reply

  • Jonathan Ibell,

    Russell - when you say the price will be $920 "until January", do you have any idea of what it will be after that? I'm assuming something quite a bit higher, considering the $920 is a decent saving over the current cost of that package in Aus (AU $867.92) translates as NZ $1082. I can't imagine it will be cheaper long-term in NZ than in Aus!

    Then again, we do have one significant advantage over the Aus model, which only comes with 160GB, and makes the purchase of the ad-on hard drive [AUS $299 for 1TB] a necessity for many. You've indicated the NZ model comes with 320GB, which is probably adequate for most.

    Palmerston North • Since Nov 2006 • 10 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Actually, there are two Belkin products listed as "discontinued" on the local Apple Store that would have met my needs:

    this one for $120 with hands-free and a holder, and this apparently slightly nicer one.

    WTF? Perhaps I should just go to MagnumMac.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes,

    Or you could do this

    Bluetooth enabled automobiles and mobile phones drive you to your ultimate wireless destination.

    From Toyota.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Russell - when you say the price will be $920 "until January", do you have any idea of what it will be after that?

    After January, the Home Networking package will cost extra (not sure how much), but the base price will remain $899, with the larger hard drive. So actually pretty good in comparison to the Australian price.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Matthew Poole,

    I hope this is a typo

    No, it's not. Section 6(1)(b) Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act 2009: from which property, proceeds, or benefits of a value of $30,000 or more have, directly or indirectly, been acquired or derived.

    If I were a defence lawyer, I'd be arguing that that is interpreted as an individual asset being worth $30k rather than an aggregate value of all assets. It's a bit of a murky definition, IMO. Be interested to know what Graeme and Scott make of it.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report Reply

  • Sue,

    I'm still waiting for my telstra clear box to have those extra tvnz channels. :/

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 527 posts Report Reply

  • Jonathan Tillick,

    I've still got a mess of cables as I'm using funny old cassette adapter too, but this is a pretty nicely done iPhone bracket I got from MagnumMac for about $60: http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/windowseat
    I'm using a Blueant Supertooth 3 which works well for answering, especially with the phone in a bracket. The iPhone interface for switching between iPhone / iPhone Speaker / Blueant is nicely done and easy to use with the phone handy in the bracket.
    I believe the 3GS will voice dial with these now too (not 100% on that).
    But still a bit of a cable party until I get round to stuffing some of it behind the dash...

    Auckland • Since Jun 2007 • 3 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso,

    I'm still waiting for my telstra clear box to have those extra tvnz channels. :/

    I really thought that by switching to digital with Telstra I'd access the Freeview channels... but no! :-(

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Glenn Pearce,

    Russell those Belkin FM tuners don't work well (read at all) around town in my experience because the stations are too close together on the dial. Can't seem to find a frequency clear enouh.

    They work OK (just) on road trips when there is less "noise" on the spectrum.

    In summary, not worth the money.

    Auckland • Since Feb 2007 • 504 posts Report Reply

  • Simon Honiss,

    The street price for a Tivo in OZ is around $500-600AUD depending on what else you bundle the purchase with, I got mine from JB HIFI for $590, if I had agreed to buy a massively overpriced HDMI cable it would have brought the Tivo cost down but... I have seen some purchases for under $500 but they are few and far between.

    I confirmed with Tivo that I would be able to use it in NZ when i return home but I suspect it's not all that straightforward given the different digital recording standards.

    I can actually use the Channel 7 website to set up individual recordings (but not Season Passes) so don't necessarily see that Genie is all that flash.

    The Home networking package is pretty flakey at the moment, it's particulary poor if you're a Mac user and its not currently supported on Windows 7. I don't think that it is worth $199AUD but they have regular special where you can get it for $100 if you are prepared to give up some demographic info.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    I confirmed with Tivo that I would be able to use it in NZ when i return home but I suspect it's not all that straightforward given the different digital recording standards.

    It's the different digital broadcasting standards you need to worry about. The Australian tuners will be entirely incompatible with Freeview NZ.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Simon Honiss,

    From the FAQ

    Can I use a TiVo media device from Australia/USA?

    No, the TiVo media device has been specifically adapted for the New Zealand market.

    By December 2010, all of the current Australian TiVo devices will receive a software update that allows them to work in both countries.

    So at least there is hope for the future. I currently use MySky in NZ because I didn't want to install an antenna as I'm in a poor coverage area and the mast was going to be expensive so went with the dish. Since Freeview is terrestrial only not sure how I'll resolve that.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz,

    not currently supported on Windows 7

    See, that's a fail. It's been in beta for a good six months (longer for big outfits like Tivo) and is very compatible with Vista at the API level. Not having support on release day suggests that they aren't giving the details of software production the energy it deserves. IMHO.

    Also, I assume the interfaces aren't documented to allow open source support?

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz,

    Of course, any real organised criminals will have their assets buried offshore and won't suffer any risk of confiscation.

    The confiscation (aka raupatu) measures will just be used against brown people and possibly activists (especially once McCully becomes PM) to bankrupt them without due process.

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report Reply

  • Bart Janssen,

    The problem with phones isn't what you do with your hands, it's what you do with your eyes,

    That's part of it but a huge part of the problem is what you do with your brain when talking to someone on the phone. Because the person talking to you can't see the road they have no idea that traffic or whatever is changing and you need to concentrate so they keep blathering on - sadly it's really hard to tune them out.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report Reply

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