You can find the original story here, but if what the sociologists tell us is true and our attention spans have degraded to the same level of a gnat high on Red Bull, we'll summarise it for you.

Japan's transport ministry have received a number of opinions from the blind and vision-impaired about potential street crossing safety issues when hybrids are running silently on electric power alone. One of the potential outcomes from this is that Japan mandates artificial engine noise generation for hybrids and electric vehicles. Potentially, some like what the Brabus Smart Electric Drive is capable of.

Personally, I'm all for this. Not only does it help the vision impaired when crossing the street but it helps all of us. When you're chowing down mum's finest lamb roast, one's sense of flavour doesn't derive solely from the buds on your tongue but also from your sniffer. Similarly, your senses when you're out and about, whether it be as a driver, passenger or pedestrian, isn't limited to vision alone.

Say if someone's hooning around your neighbourhood, you're far more likely to hear the bark of their engine and exhaust than to see them drive past. I know that once I hear that familiar combination I exercise more caution, whether it be crossing the street or toodling off in my automobile. Also, in my 'hood there are a number of intersections where the sight lines for entering vehicles are completely obscured by parked cars. During the day then, unless I'm killing the planet in a Hummer, when I'm turning into those streets I'm forced to rely exclusively on my hearing to decide when it's safe to come out. And even with today's noise-generating petrol and diesel fired cars I've had a few close shaves. So despite never encountering the local Prius or RX400h at those junctions, I've always wondered about what it might be like with a future filled with near-silent electric vehicles.

That said, I'm open to any suggestions and comments - feel free to leave them in the comments section below, right after you've voted in the poll to the right.

• Eclipse AVN2210p
• Apple iPod Touch
• Apple iPod Classic
• Apple iPod Nano (3rd generation)

• Solid Wireless-N throughput
• Works with multiple 3G USB modems
• Can be used with 3G as your fallback connection method

• Tweaking to get 3G working can be annoying
• Firmware updates a little wonky

Design

The 3G18Wn is a mid-sized router that shares NetComm's recent obsession with small white boxes that feature front blue panels. The big visual difference between the 3G18Wn and other NetComm routers is the presence of a USB port at the front to accommodate a 3G modem. At the rear you'll find four 10/100 Ethernet ports and a single 10/100 WAN port for attaching a secondary internet source such as ADSL or cable. That does, as the box proudly proclaims, make the 3G18Wn a "five-Ethernet port" router, although we suspect anyone buying it on that selling point might expect it had five outbound ports rather than the more regular four plus one WAN port. Two antennas stick up from the rear of the 3G18Wn. Aside from the router and its power adapter, all you'll find in the box is a very slim set-up sheet, some advertising material for other NetComm products and a CD containing product manuals.

Features

Installation of the 3G18Wn is entirely web-based, via the set-up sheet that comes with the unit. Wireless security is enabled by default, which is a nice touch, although the standard password isn't that unique and should be changed by any user in short order, especially as it's only a WEP password. The interface is logical and easy enough for even first time users to configure, although the set-up sheet omits to mention that the router comes with the preconfigured APNs for most popular 3G wireless vendors. On the 3G modem side, NetComm maintains a list of compatible modems here.

On the wireless front, the 3G18Wn is 802.11n capable, albeit only in the 2.4GHz spectrum.

The 3G18Wn sells itself as a 3G router, but it's also capable of acting as a router that uses 3G as its backup service if the Ethernet connection via the WAN port falls over. That's a handy provision if you absolutely must have net connectivity at all times, although you'd want to be careful in its usage if you're on a severely data-limited 3G plan, as you could potentially switch over to 3G while in the middle of a data intensive activity and rack up some serious charges, especially on Telstra's pricey Next-G network.

Performance

Our first test with the 3G18Wn encompassed our standard signal and throughput tests. As it's 2.4GHz locked and only features two stubby antennas, we suspected the 3G18Wn might be a bit of a fizzer, but we were pleasantly surprised.

The NetComm 3G18Wn performed essentially identically to other 2.4GHz routers in terms of signal throughput in our test environment. As always, your figures may vary depending on the environment in which you're running the 3G18Wn.

While it didn't beat our absolute best performer in this category, the 3G18Wn acquitted itself very well, especially as it managed to maintain a solid throughput even through obstacles that do normally strain most wireless routers. Naturally, it doesn't live up to the over-hyped "300Mbps" claims of 802.11n's performance, but then nothing actually does.

The second part of assessing the 3G18Wn's performance was to hook it up to some 3G wireless devices. While you could use it as just a regular 802.11n router, nobody's going to buy it just for that purpose. We tested the 3G18Wn's performance with a Vodafone 3G USB K3715 Modem. The router comes preconfigured with the APN details for Telstra, Optus, Vodafone and 3 Mobile, at least with the current firmware.

Getting the 3G18Wn to actually connect with our chosen modem was something of a chore. At first, it recognised the modem, knew the correct APN settings but would resolutely fail to connect, and checking the modem itself in the same location plugged directly into a host PC strongly suggested this wasn't a signal strength/carrier issue. We then attempted to update the firmware downloaded from NetComm, but for whatever reason trying to do this via a MacBook caused the 3G18Wn to lock up - but thankfully not brick itself. Finally, updating from an MSI Wind running Windows 7 worked, and once we'd done that it finally connected cleanly. We did find that it tended to take a fair bit longer to negotiate the initial connection than you'd see if you just connected it on a single PC basis.

• NetComm NP802n Wireless Router
• Linksys WRT310N Wireless-N Gigabit Router
• Netgear RangeMax Dual Band Wireless-N Router WNDR3300
• Linksys Dual-Band Wireless-N Gigabit Router WRT320N

The fan box for Coca-Cola. (Credit: Facebook)

Here's something new from Facebook: the "fan box", which is a new tool for celebrities, brands, products, companies and other entities with Facebook "fan pages" to effectively embed their Facebook presence into their websites.

That means that if you go to the website of a participating brand, like Coca-Cola or Lance Armstrong's Livestrong foundation, you'll see a widget that lets you add that brand as a "fan" on Facebook, which subscribes you to its updates, as well as a feed of updates and an array of profile photos from members who have already proclaimed themselves to be fans.

Facebook is hoping that people will find the "fan box" to be extremely easy to install, so that it's a no-brainer for companies and sites that might not be quite up to speed on technical expertise.

This is a big deal as Facebook continues to expand its presence beyond its famed blue-and-white walls, and keeps pushing the message that its 200 million-plus user base is an invaluable resource for marketers - especially interesting since brand promotion is something that MySpace once had a lock on in the social-networking world. The Facebook Connect log-in product is now installed on over 10,000 sites, and one start-up executive told CNET News that it's boosted their user registration numbers so much that he's astonished the company doesn't charge for it.

And last month, Facebook launched a tool called the "live stream box", which embeds a stream of the social network's Twitter-like "status updates" pertaining to a given event, much like the one that CNN and MTV used for this week's memorial for the late pop legend Michael Jackson.

• Facebook music service: the rumours continue
• Hands-on with the new Facebook home page
• 3 INQ1
• Facebook vanity URLs coming this weekend

The hacked Wiimote (Credit: Eyes on Tech)

I like to play tennis, especially on the Wii where I don't have to leave the couch to score an ace. But while Wii Sports tennis is a very fun game - and it uses the Wii's accelerometers well - it's not the real thing. Some people want to play real tennis in the real world. And some people like to win.

Because of this, Mans Shapshak, an avid tennis player as well as a gear hacker, has come up with a novel way to combine fake tennis with real tennis to improve his real-world game using a hacked Wiimote.

The Wiimote uses Bluetooth as its wireless connection; thus with a little work it can communicate with other Bluetooth devices, like laptops. Then, combining the wireless aspect with some open-source Wiimote libraries, some basic coding, and a bit of simple maths, Shapshak was able to start tracking his toss and serve. Then he started graphing his results.

By using the data as performance feedback he can practice more efficiently and, hopefully, get a more consistent serve. The same idea could be used for bowling, golf or any other sport. I'd like to use it for kickball (my sport of choice) but can't fathom running around with a Wiimote taped to my leg.

Actually, yes I can. I am that guy.

• Sega Superstars Tennis
• Wii Fit
• Top Spin 3
• Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games

That's what Taro Aso, prime minister of Japan and a member of Japan's tiny Roman Catholic minority, did on Tuesday. According to Sony Insider, the product appears to be an HDR-XR500V Handycam. They're good consumer models and a great papal gift.

We're wondering if Il Papa will actually use the thing, and if so, what he'll shoot. Secret rites? Classified Vatican secrets? His clearly gold-plated bathtub? No, he's likely going to be making YouTube videos. In HD.

Here! Now I'm all good with the Big Guy, right?(Credit: Sony Insider)

• Tech-savvy Pope txts u at World Youth Day 2008

• Tips for better photo printouts
• Samsung S2 Pebble
• Toshiba Satellite M200 (Core 2 Duo 1.5GHz, 1GB RAM)
• HTC Touch

The best thing to happen to Microsoft's public relations in years, Windows 7 is more than just spin. The public testing process, involving one limited-availability beta and one release candidate, too, constitutes what some are calling the largest shareware trial period ever.

Although the look of Windows 7 may seem to be nothing more than some polish applied liberally to the Vista Aero theme, make no mistake: this is a full replacement operating system, and more than just "Vista done right". From driver support to multi-touch groundwork for the future, from better battery management to the most user-friendly interface Microsoft has ever had, Windows 7 is hardly half-baked.

Taskbar

The first thing that should stand out is the new taskbar. This is one of the best improvements Microsoft has made - third-party program dock makers are going to have to do some serious innovation when Windows 7 goes public. Besides incorporating the translucent style of Aero, the new taskbar is arguably even better than the Mac OS X dock. It features pinned programs using large, easy-to-see icons; mouse over one and all windows associated with that program appear in preview; mouse over one of those preview panes to reveal an X to close the window; and hover over the preview to show a full-size preview of the program, or click on the window to bring it to the front. When multiple windows from a pinned program are open, a thin line will appear next to the icon, giving users an elegant yet simple way to let them know they've got more than one window in play.

Jump lists are another new taskbar improvement that makes recently opened documents easier to get to. Right-click or left-click and drag on any program icon pinned to the taskbar to see a list of files that you've recently used in that program. In Internet Explorer, this will show recently visited websites, although it doesn't yet seem to work in Firefox or other browsers.

If you've noticed the missing Show Desktop icon, that's because it's been baked into the taskbar itself. Mouse over to the right corner; hovering over the Show Desktop box reveals the desktop, and then hides it when you mouse away. Click on the box to minimise all your programs.

Resizing programs has been simplified and improved by dragging a window's title bar. Drag a program window to the top of your monitor to expand it to full screen. If you want to work in two windows simultaneously, drag one to the left edge and one to the right edge of your screen, and they'll automatically resize to half the width of your monitor. Dragging a program away from the top or sides will return it to its original size. This is an entirely new feature in Windows 7, but should prove easy to adopt because it mimics and expands on the maximise/restore button that users have been resizing windows with since Windows 95.

Theme packages also make it much faster to change the look of Windows 7. From the Control Panel, you can change the theme under Appearance and Personalisation. Microsoft has created several theme packages to give users a taste for what the feature can do. Click on one to download it, and it instantly changes the colour scheme and background - no need to reboot. Users can create their own themes, as well.

Windows Media Player

One of the biggest new features makes Windows Media Player useful again: you can now stream media files from one Windows 7 computer to another, across the internet and out of network. Even better, the set-up procedure is dead simple.

When you open Windows Media Player, there's a new Stream option on the toolbar. Click it, and you're presented with two choices, both of which require you to associate your computer with your free Windows Live ID. When you've associated a second Windows 7's WMP with that same ID, you can remotely access the media on the host computer. Windows Media Player's mini mode looks much slicker, emphasising the album art - sometimes at the expense of clearly seeing the controls, but it's a definite improvement.

Managing peripherals

The new Device Stage makes managing peripherals significantly easier, combining printers, phones, and portable media players into one window. A large photo of the peripheral summarises important device stats and makes it easy to identify which devices you're using. Device Stage can also be used to pre-set common tasks, such as synchronisation. Device Stage support for older devices makes one of Windows 7's best features applicable to peripherals and externals that don't need to be upgraded. One annoying change is that Bluetooth support no longer comes baked into the operating system. If you need a Bluetooth driver, you'll either need the installation disc on-hand or you'll have to go download it.

A less glitzy but no less important change to how removable drives are handled also can affect your media. Unlike Windows XP and Windows Vista, Windows 7 will no longer AutoRun external hard drives and USB keys when they're connected. This kills off a risky vector for malware infections that has been the bane of many security experts.

Other usability changes to Windows 7 include cold booting and launching programs faster, all from the same hardware that runs Vista. It never hurts to have good hardware, but Windows 7 won't require the hardware upgrade that many Vista users did. Part of that is because the hardware that Vista needed to run is now more common, but it's also because Windows 7 better manages available resources. Aero Peek runs fine on a Pentium 4 used for testing, and it doesn't require 2GB of RAM, although ancient graphics cards won't do you any good.

Other tweaks

There are other little tweaks, too. When you try to use a file already in use, Windows 7 goes beyond Vista and XP by telling you not just that it's being used, but where it's being used so you can manage the situation faster. The bloat-adverse will appreciate that it doesn't come with a slew of Windows Live programs, at least for now. UAC access has been streamlined from Vista, and users familiar with Vista's UAC should find the process to be more streamlined and less annoying, overall. However, one major bug allows UAC to be disabled remotely without notifying the user. Given that the flaw has been publicly known since January 2009, Microsoft doesn't appear to care to fix it.

Windows 7's native search feature has been improved. Files added to the hard drive were indexed so fast that they were searchable less than five seconds later. Search result snippets now include a longer snippet, and highlight the snippet more clearly. This should appeal specifically to people who juggle large numbers of long documents, but it's a useful feature for anybody who wants to find files faster.

At the time of testing, we lacked a touchscreen computer to try out multi-touch zooming, taskbar previews, and other touchscreen features in Windows 7.

Experts and people or companies who hope to use Windows 7 for business situations will appreciate the new XP Mode. It doesn't have much of a practical application for the home consumer, but if you need to access programs designed for Windows XP that have not been upgraded to Windows Vista or 7, XP Mode creates a virtual environment within Windows 7 that should assuage any fears of upgrading without backward compatibility.

It's not easy to set up once you've downloaded the XP Mode installer. You'll need to double-check that you have the right hardware, and can get the right software. Hardware Virtualisation Technology, also known as AMD-V, Vanderpool or VT-d must be supported for it to work. Motherboards older than two years probably won't work, and even if you do have a newer one you might have to go into your BIOS and activate Hardware Virtualisation. CPU-identification utilities that can tell you if you're in the clear or not are available from Microsoft. However, if compatibility is the issue, this hassle will be worth it to you. Users will have full access to peripherals connected to their Windows 7 hardware, including printers, and the clipboard can be used to cut and paste between the virtual operating system and the "real" one.

Judging by the beta and the release candidate, Windows 7 looks like the operating system that we've all been waiting for. Despite its imperfections, it shows a lot of promise for the future while presenting a stable platform that can compete comfortably with OS X and should reassure the world that Microsoft can still turn out a robust and useful new operating system.

• Microsoft hikes Win7 prices for Australia

• Very decent picture quality
• Useful and fun digital filter effects
• In-camera RAW processing
• Speedy performance

• Rear command dial too near to optical viewfinder
• Noisy kit lens
• Inconsistent metering
• Inaccurate automatic white balance when shooting indoors

The Pentax K-m was announced last year at the biennial imaging trade show, Photokina, held in Cologne, Germany. Then, Canon had already introduced the EOS 450D and Nikon was banking on its D60 to compete in the entry-level dSLR category. The K-m distinguished itself by drawing power from four AA-sized batteries as opposed to Lithium-ion cells, which are typically used by dSLRs.

However, the Japanese company's presence was overshadowed by the two bigger players that aggressively marketed their products. Still, in no way is the Pentax dSLR's feature set poorer than its rivals. In fact, we found its image quality rather impressive. But its design can be made more user friendly and the metering more accurate.

Design

At first glance, the K-m looks just like any other dSLR - matte-black chassis with a prominent prism hump and hand grip. When we flipped the shooter around to its rear, we noticed that it had minimal buttons. While this makes the dSLR look less intimidating to use for amateurs, the large labels for each button slightly cheapens the aesthetics of the camera. That said, older folks who have difficulty reading fine prints will appreciate the bigger fonts.

The rear command dial is too close to the optical viewfinder. (Credit: Pentax)

The hand grip is large and comfortable to hold with a groove for you to latch your middle finger onto. In addition, the rubbery texture provides a good grip on the K-m.

One gripe with the Pentax dSLR is that its rear command dial is situated too near the viewfinder. We tended to poke our face with our thumb while operating the dial. For users wearing spectacles like this reviewer, you may find yourself hitting the side of your glasses frame quite frequently.

Unlike most dSLRs, which have the flash button placed at the side, the K-m's implementation is behind the snapper, right above the LCD. This was not much of an issue once we got used to its location.

Features

The top picture is the unedited snap while the bottom has Toy Camera filter applied. (Credit: CBSi)

The K-m has several interesting features that are absent in the Canon and Nikon dSLRs. Firstly, the Pentax has digital filters, some of which can be applied while in shooting mode, with the full range available in playback. We particularly liked effects such as Toy Camera and Retro, which imitate the look of pinhole cameras and desaturated colours, respectively. However, since the K-m doesn't have a Live View function, you won't be able to preview the effects immediately, unlike the Olympus E-620 with its Art Filter function. Hence, our advice to users is to snap the shots first and then apply the effects later, but remember to use the Save As option if you want to keep the original file. We also liked the fact that we can control the amount of manipulation, and depending on what effect you want, this can vary from the colour tones to the brightness of the photograph.

Another feature we liked is the in-camera RAW file processing. Although the control is rather limited compared with precise adjustments on the computer, we still find this feature useful, say, when you are stuck in a traffic jam. You can make use of the time to quickly process some shots to JPEG and upload to the web. Take note that there are two different RAW file formats here: DNG and PEF. The CD that comes with the K-m can process both types of files, and so can the camera.

On the mode dial you will find a sensitivity priority option that allows you to tweak the ISO setting and lets the camera decide the shutter speed and aperture. This was useful when we were shooting in low-light conditions and wanted to adjust the ISO sensitivity to allow us to take photos without a tripod.

The K-m supports a variety of lens mounts, though it's all proprietary to Pentax and Samsung (the two companies collaborated on several interchangeable lens cameras). Note that certain functions such as autofocus and aperture priority may not be available with some of the older glasses.

Performance

When we turned on the K-m, the screen immediately displayed the setting the shooter was in. It was after a short delay of about two seconds that the LCD then reverted to the control panel usually displayed when shooting. However, we realised that even while the dSLR was showing the mode, you can exit it by pressing any button.

Shutter lag measured 0.1 second, which puts this on par with competitors. Writing speed was a jiffy on our Class 6 Kingston SDHC card even when we shot RAW images. What surprised us was the in-camera RAW processing speed. The developing was fast and almost instantaneous, though we wished there were options to process multiple files.

We tested the K-m with the DAL 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 kit lens and the DAL 50-200mm F4-5.6 telephoto optics. Both glasses focused on our subjects quickly, but we were perturbed by the noise the lenses produced when they were focusing. It's very loud compared with the Canon and Nikon optics, so the Pentax won't do well for taking stealth shots.

The K-m features a sensor-shift image stabiliser and we tested its capabilities with the telephoto lens. With the optics fully extended, we were able to shoot handheld indoors at a shutter speed of 1/40 second on ISO 800.

We found the metering on the K-m to be rather inconsistent. There were occasions when the dSLR underexposed our shots by about 1/3 stop and made the scene look darker than it was. However, we countered this issue by using the spot metering function.

Image quality

Picture quality-wise, the K-m delivered very clean shots at its base ISO of 100. There were no hints of digital artefact and details were well-rendered. The quality of snaps taken at ISO 200 looked similar to ISO 100, and if you don't nit-pick, you probably won't be able to tell the difference. It was only at ISO 800 that we noticed noise appearing in mid tones and darker regions, though this was negligible. At ISO 1600, the image started to look slightly soft and at its highest sensitivity of ISO 3200, details were smudged and fine lines appeared blurred.

White balance was an issue for us when we tested the K-m. In outdoor conditions, the camera delivered shots that had natural colour and skin tones. However, when we took pictures under fluorescent lighting, our photographs had a yellow tinge. Only when we switched from automatic to manual white balance mode did we manage to get images that looked natural.

Conclusion

The K-m is a decent dSLR that can produce very good pictures, but we were letdown by its inconsistent metering and white balance performance. In these two aspects, the Canon and Nikon fared better, but in general, the Pentax was able to hold its ground against the big boys.

Given current developments in which Canon and Nikon have already introduced the more powerful EOS 500D and D5000, the K-m is at a disadvantage due to its lack of an HD video-recording feature or swivelling LCD. But users looking for a basic entry-level dSLR should be content with the K-m.

• Pentax K200D
• Samsung GX-10
• Pentax K20D
• A bit better than budget: dSLRs for less than $2000

(Credit: Samsas Traum)

The reports are based off of complaints by a 3GS user, "Samsas Traum", who has shared pictures of the problematic screen on his iPhone 3GS. You can see the original complaints translated from German here and here.

According to iLounge: "Traum claims that the localised nature of the damage is likely due to repeat playings of Flick Fishing. While we have yet to see a second report of such extreme wear in such a short time, iLounge editors have found previous products with oleophobic coating - such as sunglasses - to be problematic, with the coating coming off with as little as contact with certain types of water."

While we haven't experienced the use of such products, like those sunglasses, we do know that Apple has specific advice on cleaning your iPhone 3GS (emphasis added):

That last sentence seems to indicate that the coating does not last forever. But assuming that "Samsas" bought his phone on launch day, two weeks seems like an awfully short lifespan for the coating. We have not experienced problems with this issue on our iPhone 3GS, but that may be due to our immediate use of a screen protector after opening the phone.

If the problem persists and other users report a premature aging of the coating, should Apple offer reapplication of the oleophobic coating or replace the screens? Will this make you think twice about buying the 3GS? Let us know in the comments.

• iPhone: Australia's first unboxing
• Apple iPhone 3GS (32GB)
• Troubleshooting iPhone upgrade issues
• Five things still missing from Apple MacBooks

The best thing to happen to Microsoft's public relations in years, Windows 7 is more than just spin. The public testing process, involving one limited-availability beta and one release candidate, too, constitutes what some are calling the largest shareware trial period ever.

Although the look of Windows 7 may seem to be nothing more than some polish applied liberally to the Vista Aero theme, make no mistake: this is a full replacement operating system, and more than just "Vista done right". From driver support to multi-touch groundwork for the future, from better battery management to the most user-friendly interface Microsoft has ever had, Windows 7 is hardly half-baked.

Taskbar

The first thing that should stand out is the new taskbar. This is one of the best improvements Microsoft has made - third-party program dock makers are going to have to do some serious innovation when Windows 7 goes public. Besides incorporating the translucent style of Aero, the new taskbar is arguably even better than the Mac OS X dock. It features pinned programs using large, easy-to-see icons; mouse over one and all windows associated with that program appear in preview; mouse over one of those preview panes to reveal an X to close the window; and hover over the preview to show a full-size preview of the program, or click on the window to bring it to the front. When multiple windows from a pinned program are open, a thin line will appear next to the icon, giving users an elegant yet simple way to let them know they've got more than one window in play.

Jump lists are another new taskbar improvement that makes recently opened documents easier to get to. Right-click or left-click and drag on any program icon pinned to the taskbar to see a list of files that you've recently used in that program. In Internet Explorer, this will show recently visited websites, although it doesn't yet seem to work in Firefox or other browsers.

If you've noticed the missing Show Desktop icon, that's because it's been baked into the taskbar itself. Mouse over to the right corner; hovering over the Show Desktop box reveals the desktop, and then hides it when you mouse away. Click on the box to minimise all your programs.

Resizing programs has been simplified and improved by dragging a window's title bar. Drag a program window to the top of your monitor to expand it to full screen. If you want to work in two windows simultaneously, drag one to the left edge and one to the right edge of your screen, and they'll automatically resize to half the width of your monitor. Dragging a program away from the top or sides will return it to its original size. This is an entirely new feature in Windows 7, but should prove easy to adopt because it mimics and expands on the maximise/restore button that users have been resizing windows with since Windows 95.

Theme packages also make it much faster to change the look of Windows 7. From the Control Panel, you can change the theme under Appearance and Personalisation. Microsoft has created several theme packages to give users a taste for what the feature can do. Click on one to download it, and it instantly changes the colour scheme and background - no need to reboot. Users can create their own themes, as well.

Windows Media Player

One of the biggest new features makes Windows Media Player useful again: you can now stream media files from one Windows 7 computer to another, across the internet and out of network. Even better, the set-up procedure is dead simple.

When you open Windows Media Player, there's a new Stream option on the toolbar. Click it, and you're presented with two choices, both of which require you to associate your computer with your free Windows Live ID. When you've associated a second Windows 7's WMP with that same ID, you can remotely access the media on the host computer. Windows Media Player's mini mode looks much slicker, emphasising the album art - sometimes at the expense of clearly seeing the controls, but it's a definite improvement.

Managing peripherals

The new Device Stage makes managing peripherals significantly easier, combining printers, phones, and portable media players into one window. A large photo of the peripheral summarises important device stats and makes it easy to identify which devices you're using. Device Stage can also be used to pre-set common tasks, such as synchronisation. Device Stage support for older devices makes one of Windows 7's best features applicable to peripherals and externals that don't need to be upgraded. One annoying change is that Bluetooth support no longer comes baked into the operating system. If you need a Bluetooth driver, you'll either need the installation disc on-hand or you'll have to go download it.

A less glitzy but no less important change to how removable drives are handled also can affect your media. Unlike Windows XP and Windows Vista, Windows 7 will no longer AutoRun external hard drives and USB keys when they're connected. This kills off a risky vector for malware infections that has been the bane of many security experts.

Other usability changes to Windows 7 include cold booting and launching programs faster, all from the same hardware that runs Vista. It never hurts to have good hardware, but Windows 7 won't require the hardware upgrade that many Vista users did. Part of that is because the hardware that Vista needed to run is now more common, but it's also because Windows 7 better manages available resources. Aero Peek runs fine on a Pentium 4 used for testing, and it doesn't require 2GB of RAM, although ancient graphics cards won't do you any good.

Other tweaks

There are other little tweaks, too. When you try to use a file already in use, Windows 7 goes beyond Vista and XP by telling you not just that it's being used, but where it's being used so you can manage the situation faster. The bloat-adverse will appreciate that it doesn't come with a slew of Windows Live programs, at least for now. UAC access has been streamlined from Vista, and users familiar with Vista's UAC should find the process to be more streamlined and less annoying, overall. However, one major bug allows UAC to be disabled remotely without notifying the user. Given that the flaw has been publicly known since January 2009, Microsoft doesn't appear to care to fix it.

Windows 7's native search feature has been improved. Files added to the hard drive were indexed so fast that they were searchable less than five seconds later. Search result snippets now include a longer snippet, and highlight the snippet more clearly. This should appeal specifically to people who juggle large numbers of long documents, but it's a useful feature for anybody who wants to find files faster.

At the time of testing, we lacked a touchscreen computer to try out multi-touch zooming, taskbar previews, and other touchscreen features in Windows 7.

Experts and people or companies who hope to use Windows 7 for business situations will appreciate the new XP Mode. It doesn't have much of a practical application for the home consumer, but if you need to access programs designed for Windows XP that have not been upgraded to Windows Vista or 7, XP Mode creates a virtual environment within Windows 7 that should assuage any fears of upgrading without backward compatibility.

It's not easy to set up once you've downloaded the XP Mode installer. You'll need to double-check that you have the right hardware, and can get the right software. Hardware Virtualisation Technology, also known as AMD-V, Vanderpool or VT-d must be supported for it to work. Motherboards older than two years probably won't work, and even if you do have a newer one you might have to go into your BIOS and activate Hardware Virtualisation. CPU-identification utilities that can tell you if you're in the clear or not are available from Microsoft. However, if compatibility is the issue, this hassle will be worth it to you. Users will have full access to peripherals connected to their Windows 7 hardware, including printers, and the clipboard can be used to cut and paste between the virtual operating system and the "real" one.

Judging by the beta and the release candidate, Windows 7 looks like the operating system that we've all been waiting for. Despite its imperfections, it shows a lot of promise for the future while presenting a stable platform that can compete comfortably with OS X and should reassure the world that Microsoft can still turn out a robust and useful new operating system.

• Microsoft hikes Win7 prices for Australia

• Norton Internet Security 2009: Photos
• Office 2010 Technical Preview: Screenshots
• Windows 7 RC: Screenshots
• Norton Internet Security 2009

iPhone 3GS (Credit: Apple)

Pricing for the eagerly awaited Apple iPhone 3GS has finally surfaced from Vodafone New Zealand, with the least amount upfront being NZ$399 for the 16GB model, if you sign up for a two-year contract at NZ$130 a month on an iPhone-specific plan.

The bigger 32GB iPhone 3GS goes for NZ$599 on those same terms. Dropping down the monthly cost to NZ$40, NZ$60 and NZ$80 increases the cost of the 16GB model to NZ$699, NZ$649 and NZ$599 respectively. The 32GB device goes for NZ$899, NZ$849 and NZ$799 on the lower monthly cost plans.

This differs from Australia, where Telstra and Optus have the iPhone 3GS 16GB for no money upfront on a two-year contract for AU$100/month and AU$79/month plans respectively. Vodafone Australia also offers the iPhone for no money upfront, provided you sign up for at least AU$69 a month over two years (16GB model) or AU$114 (32GB model).

Those who can afford the NZ$130/month iPhone plan get 500MB data, 250 voice minutes and 600 texts with it. The lower monthly cost plans halve the data to 250MB a month and have fewer voice minutes: the NZ$40 plan comes with 20, NZ$60 has 60 and the NZ$80 has 120; the number of texts on the two cheapest plans drop to 100 and 200 respectively, but the NZ$80 has 600 texts per month.

Vodafone's iPhone-specific plans haven't been updated to include MMS PXTs - these are charged at 20 cents each on all the plans, possibly because the previous iPhones didn't provide MMS functionality.

To soften the blow of the iPhone plans not being updated, Vodafone has a three-month introductory offer. On top of what's included in the plans, iPhone buyers on contract get 3GB of data and 1000 MMS PXTs. This offer is available until end of September, and requires version 3.0 of the iPhone operating system, according to Vodafone spokesperson Paul Brislen.

Brislen would not say if the offer would remain in place after the three months have passed, but it's a safe bet to assume that updates to Vodafone's iPhone plans will be made, if only to include MMS bundles.

For those not wanting to go onto a fixed-term contract, the global mobile giant offers the iPhone by itself, costing NZ$1179 for the 16GB version or NZ$1379 for the 32GB model, which is roughly on par with what it costs when buying it from Apple Australia.

Kiwis, however, can't purchase the iPhone directly from Apple. For the time being, Vodafone is the only carrier with the iPhone in New Zealand. While Telecom New Zealand's new XT network is arguably a better match for the 850MHz and 2100MHz 3G device - Vodafone's network runs in the 900MHz and 2100MHz bands - the incumbent is refusing to comment on any other handsets than the ones it has currently in store, according to spokesperson Nick Brown.

• Freshtel gets iPhone app approved
• Apple to sell unlocked iPhone 3GS
• Optus' iPhone elites get upgrade discount
• Midnight Optus launch for new iPhone

The search giant said in a blog post that most of the user experience will happen on the web, and the interface will follow the minimal Chrome browser aesthetic.

"As we did for the Google Chrome browser, we are going back to the basics and completely redesigning the underlying security architecture of the OS so that users don't have to deal with viruses, malware and security updates. It should just work," the company said.

Google said that it had already been talking to partners for the project, although none were named. The project's source code will be open sourced later on this year and is intended to run on x86 as well as ARM chips. A new windowing system will be created to run on top of the Linux kernel.

Harking back to the original third-party application development model for the iPhone, Google stated that application development will be web-based.

Google stressed the separation between Google Chrome OS and Android: the former is targeted at users spending the majority of their time on the web on netbooks and full-blown desktops whereas Android is aimed at phones, set-top boxes and netbooks.

"While there are areas where Google Chrome OS and Android overlap, we believe choice will drive innovation for the benefit of everyone, including Google," the search giant said.

• GG opens Aussie Google HQ
• Google Wave: Screenshots

Although the look of Windows 7 may seem to be nothing more than some polish applied liberally to the Vista Aero theme, make no mistake: this is a full replacement operating system, and more than just "Vista done right". From driver support to multi-touch groundwork for the future, from better battery management to the most user-friendly interface Microsoft has ever had, Windows 7 is hardly half-baked.

Taskbar

The first thing that should stand out is the new taskbar. This is one of the best improvements Microsoft has made - third-party program dock makers are going to have to do some serious innovation when Windows 7 goes public. Besides incorporating the translucent style of Aero, the new taskbar is arguably even better than the Mac OS X dock. It features pinned programs using large, easy-to-see icons; mouse over one and all windows associated with that program appear in preview; mouse over one of those preview panes to reveal an X to close the window; and hover over the preview to show a full-size preview of the program, or click on the window to bring it to the front. When multiple windows from a pinned program are open, a thin line will appear next to the icon, giving users an elegant yet simple way to let them know they've got more than one window in play.

Jump lists are another new taskbar improvement that makes recently opened documents easier to get to. Right-click or left-click and drag on any program icon pinned to the taskbar to see a list of files that you've recently used in that program. In Internet Explorer, this will show recently visited websites, although it doesn't yet seem to work in Firefox or other browsers.

If you've noticed the missing Show Desktop icon, that's because it's been baked into the taskbar itself. Mouse over to the right corner; hovering over the Show Desktop box reveals the desktop, and then hides it when you mouse away. Click on the box to minimise all your programs.

Resizing programs has been simplified and improved by dragging a window's title bar. Drag a program window to the top of your monitor to expand it to full screen. If you want to work in two windows simultaneously, drag one to the left edge and one to the right edge of your screen, and they'll automatically resize to half the width of your monitor. Dragging a program away from the top or sides will return it to its original size. This is an entirely new feature in Windows 7, but should prove easy to adopt because it mimics and expands on the maximise/restore button that users have been resizing windows with since Windows 95.

Theme packages also make it much faster to change the look of Windows 7. From the Control Panel, you can change the theme under Appearance and Personalisation. Microsoft has created several theme packages to give users a taste for what the feature can do. Click on one to download it, and it instantly changes the colour scheme and background - no need to reboot. Users can create their own themes, as well.

Windows Media Player

One of the biggest new features makes Windows Media Player useful again: you can now stream media files from one Windows 7 computer to another, across the internet and out of network. Even better, the set-up procedure is dead simple.

When you open Windows Media Player, there's a new Stream option on the toolbar. Click it, and you're presented with two choices, both of which require you to associate your computer with your free Windows Live ID. When you've associated a second Windows 7's WMP with that same ID, you can remotely access the media on the host computer. Windows Media Player's mini mode looks much slicker, emphasising the album art - sometimes at the expense of clearly seeing the controls, but it's a definite improvement.

Managing peripherals

The new Device Stage makes managing peripherals significantly easier, combining printers, phones, and portable media players into one window. A large photo of the peripheral summarises important device stats and makes it easy to identify which devices you're using. Device Stage can also be used to pre-set common tasks, such as synchronisation. Device Stage support for older devices makes one of Windows 7's best features applicable to peripherals and externals that don't need to be upgraded. One annoying change is that Bluetooth support no longer comes baked into the operating system. If you need a Bluetooth driver, you'll either need the installation disc on-hand or you'll have to go download it.

A less glitzy but no less important change to how removable drives are handled also can affect your media. Unlike Windows XP and Windows Vista, Windows 7 will no longer AutoRun external hard drives and USB keys when they're connected. This kills off a risky vector for malware infections that has been the bane of many security experts.

Other usability changes to Windows 7 include cold booting and launching programs faster, all from the same hardware that runs Vista. It never hurts to have good hardware, but Windows 7 won't require the hardware upgrade that many Vista users did. Part of that is because the hardware that Vista needed to run is now more common, but it's also because Windows 7 better manages available resources. Aero Peek runs fine on a Pentium 4 used for testing, and it doesn't require 2GB of RAM, although ancient graphics cards won't do you any good.

Other tweaks

There are other little tweaks, too. When you try to use a file already in use, Windows 7 goes beyond Vista and XP by telling you not just that it's being used, but where it's being used so you can manage the situation faster. The bloat-adverse will appreciate that it doesn't come with a slew of Windows Live programs, at least for now. UAC access has been streamlined from Vista, and users familiar with Vista's UAC should find the process to be more streamlined and less annoying, overall. However, one major bug allows UAC to be disabled remotely without notifying the user. Given that the flaw has been publicly known since January 2009, Microsoft doesn't appear to care to fix it.

Windows 7's native search feature has been improved. Files added to the hard drive were indexed so fast that they were searchable less than five seconds later. Search result snippets now include a longer snippet, and highlight the snippet more clearly. This should appeal specifically to people who juggle large numbers of long documents, but it's a useful feature for anybody who wants to find files faster.

At the time of testing, we lacked a touchscreen computer to try out multi-touch zooming, taskbar previews, and other touchscreen features in Windows 7.

Experts and people or companies who hope to use Windows 7 for business situations will appreciate the new XP Mode. It doesn't have much of a practical application for the home consumer, but if you need to access programs designed for Windows XP that have not been upgraded to Windows Vista or 7, XP Mode creates a virtual environment within Windows 7 that should assuage any fears of upgrading without backward compatibility.

It's not easy to set up once you've downloaded the XP Mode installer. You'll need to double-check that you have the right hardware, and can get the right software. Hardware Virtualisation Technology, also known as AMD-V, Vanderpool or VT-d must be supported for it to work. Motherboards older than two years probably won't work, and even if you do have a newer one you might have to go into your BIOS and activate Hardware Virtualisation. CPU-identification utilities that can tell you if you're in the clear or not are available from Microsoft. However, if compatibility is the issue, this hassle will be worth it to you. Users will have full access to peripherals connected to their Windows 7 hardware, including printers, and the clipboard can be used to cut and paste between the virtual operating system and the "real" one.

Judging by the beta and the release candidate, Windows 7 looks like the operating system that we've all been waiting for. Despite its imperfections, it shows a lot of promise for the future while presenting a stable platform that can compete comfortably with OS X and should reassure the world that Microsoft can still turn out a robust and useful new operating system.

• Microsoft Windows 7 (Home Premium)
• Microsoft Windows 7 (Ultimate)
• Contrasting Windows: New feature comparison
• What to expect in Windows 7 RC

(Laptop image by Svilen Mushkatov, royalty free)

UPDATE If you're switching to broadband for the first time or contemplating changing your Internet Service Provider (ISP), the range of plans on offer can be quite staggering. This guide will break down the key features you need to consider before signing on the dotted line.

Plan types

How much you'll pay for broadband used to revolve mostly around speed, but these days you've also got to take into consideration factors such as wireless coverage, data allowances, rapid transfer provisions and whether or not you're bundling in other services. Still, there are some common factors that any broadband provider should be able to supply to you for the sake of comparison.

Whether you're connecting via ADSL/ADSL2+ on your phone lines, via cable, fibre or even wirelessly, you're constrained by the speed rating of the plan you're offered. It's worth bearing in mind that ISPs typically state the maximum theoretical speed of a plan with lots of "up to" provisos chucked in to keep the lawyers at bay. At the lower speed end this is usually not much of a problem, but don't buy a high speed ADSL2+ plan and expect to get 24-megabit (Mb) speeds unless you happen to live in an exchange or ISP's headquarters.

ISPs state the speed of plans in terms of download (data coming to you) and upload (that's data you're sending out) speeds. So a 256/64Kbps plan offers a download speed of 256Kbps and an upload speed of 64Kbps. The lowest speed currently on offer is 256Kbps and is still called "broadband", although frankly it's an embarrassment in world broadband terms. We'd be happier thinking of broadband starting at 1000Kbps and better, and so should you.

What type of broadband is right for me?

ADSL
It's good because: ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) is pretty ubiquitous, available through just about every ISP and with speeds from 256Kbps up to 8Mb. Regular ADSL also works at greater distances from the exchange than ADSL2+

It's bad because: there's not much pricing competition - that's the fight currently in ADSL2/Naked DSL spaces - so pricing value is relatively low, as most ISPs are just reselling Telstra's wholesale capacity.

Best for: those on limited budgets, or who need broadband for its "always on" functionality rather than data speed or high throughput.

ADSL2+
It's good because: it's faster than ADSL (up to a theoretical 24Mb), and there's competition between different providers such as Telstra, iiNet and Optus, so there's genuine bargains to be had.

It's bad because: ADSL2+ distances from exchanges are shorter than those available via ADSL, and it's just plain not available in many regional areas.

Best for: speed freaks on a budget.

"Naked" DSL
It's good because: Naked DSL merges the technology of ADSL2+ (with similar speeds) but strips out the phone line signal - hence "Naked" - which means you get the speed and price competition of ADSL2+ and you don't have to pay for line rental at all.

It's bad because: you quite literally don't have a working "phone" line. Most Naked DSL plans come with a VoIP (Voice over IP) line to "replace" this, but if your ISP connection goes down, your entire communication set-up goes down with it. Additionally, some phone-based services such as security systems don't play well with VoIP lines.

Best for: those who only use mobiles anyway and want low overall communication costs.

Cable/fibre
It's good because: it can be blindingly fast - especially fibre, where some new housing estates can offer up to 100Mb connections. It's also quite new technology, and liable to be around for some time.

It's bad because: both cable and fibre installations are at this point in time quite limited in availability, although the proposed National Broadband Network should solve this exact problem. On the cable side, limited competition between Telstra and Optus has seen plan values compare unfavourably next to Naked DSL and even most ADSL2+ plans.

Best for: those on new housing estates. Most residences that can get cable are likely to be in range of ADSL2+ services, which will generally offer better overall value at the current time.

Wireless
It's good because: wireless internet uses the mobile phone network to send data, giving you lots of movement capability, whether it's by using your mobile as a "tethered" modem, or getting a USB modem to plug into your computer.

It's bad because: as with your mobile phone, the quality of the signal can vary quite widely, making it generally less than suitable for high-speed internet activities such as gaming. Some wireless data plans can also be horrendously expensive, especially if you go over cap limits.

Best for: those renting accommodation, or those who can afford the higher wireless data rates.

What can I get for my money?

Budget plans: $30/month or less
In the ADSL/ADSL2+ space, you'll typically get lower speeds - as low as 256Kbps - and you'll generally get around 1GB of data or less. Wireless plans in this price range also typically offer around 1GB of data, but you'll pay a lot more if you go over usage, with no option to "shape" your data speeds downwards.

Mid-range plans: $30-$60
ADSL plans in this price range are typically worse value than ADSL2+ plans, and you'll typically get double or more the data on ADSL2+ if you're able to shop around for that. This also brings in lower-tier cable plans for those in cabled areas, as well as wireless data with typically 5-6GB data provisions.

High-end plans: $60+
The sky's the limit obviously, but what we're seeing more of in high-end plans is more bundling with other services - this is where Naked DSL makes its best play. Be wary of so-called "unlimited" plans - they often don't limit how much you can download, but either cap your speed (usually to just above dial-up) after a certain limit is reached, or they poll all the ISPs users and cap the highest users.

What type of broadband user am I?

Clearly, the amount you can spend will shape what kind of broadband account you can get, but it's not as simple as just plugging in as much money as you can afford and hoping for the best result. It's just as important to work out what kind of user you are, and work backwards from there to determine which services really matter to you.

If you're a:

Web surfer - go for a light (256/512Kbps) and cheap plan. The most important thing for you isn't necessarily speed, or even data usage - it's the always-on nature of broadband.

Best connection types: Naked DSL (where available) or ADSL.

VoIP user - go for a mid-range plan, preferably high speed. If your broadband's being used for lots of other things at the same time as you're making a VoIP call, you'll suffer from drop-outs and poor voice quality on a low-speed line.

Best connection types: ADSL2+ or Naked DSL

Family user - get a mid-range plan - you'll have plenty of users to satisfy - with either a capped download rate or shaped plan, so you don't suddenly get any nasty additional download bills.

Best connection types: ADSL2+, Naked DSL or capped cable.

Gamer - go for as high speed a plan as you can afford. Low speed (and high latency) will kill you in gaming a lot faster than your opponents will.

Best connection types: fibre (where available), ADSL2+. Avoid wireless.

Heavy downloader - go for a high-data plan - possibly even an "unlimited" plan. ADSL2+ is preferable, but you're better off with a slower plan with big data allowance than a plan where you'll rip through all your data in a matter of minutes.

Best connection types: ADSL2+; avoid Naked DSL if uploads are counted.

Understanding broadband technologies

ADSL - uses phone lines to deliver broadband access. ADSL tops out at 8MBps, while ADSL2 (available in limited areas) can reach 24MBps.

Cable - uses the cable infrastructure laid down for Pay TV in the early 1990s. Currently very limited areas can get cable, and speeds top out at a theoretical 17MBps.

Fibre - the new kid on the block in consumer ISP land, and currently only available in very limited form on some new housing estates. The big appeal of fibre is pure speed, with 100Mb plans currently being offered.

Satellite - uses either a combination satellite and phone line or two-way satellite for broadband access. Typically satellite isn't very fast or suitable for high bandwidth applications such as VoIP or gaming, but may be the only option for remote areas.

Wireless - typically using the same infrastructure as 3G mobile phones, although some limited regional set-ups use alternate technologies such as WiMax.

All forms of broadband will require additional equipment if you're moving up from dial-up internet. In every case you'll need a new modem - different for each type of broadband technology. If you're signing up with an ISP for a long-term contract, it's worth checking if they'll include a modem (or router) as part of the package. While these aren't terribly expensive for the most part, you may as well get the most value possible.

Bundling

Many cheap ISP plans are only offered with telephone bundling as a mandatory inclusion, while other players use bundling to improve the perceived value of their plans, with big players like Optus and Telstra bundling in Pay TV and mobile phone services into a single bill. There are savings to be made with bundling, although clearly the big telcos rather like having you as a sole customer as well. Naked DSL is almost an anti-bundling technology in that you don't pay for a phone line, but there's even a bundling aspect here, as it's generally tougher and slower to shift between Naked DSL providers when and if you do want to make a change.

Additional services

ISPs vary quite widely in terms of the additional services they'll give you as part of your broadband offering. At least one email address is a given, but family users may wish to make sure you get at least five to cover everybody. Likewise, many will offer a small amount of web hosting space, but may charge extra set-up fees if you need help configuring a web page or require additional web services for your page. Some may bundle antivirus/anti-spyware services as part of the package and all should do some form of spam filtering, although the efficiency with which they do this can vary quite widely.

Watch out!

There are also some things that ISPs don't talk about much, but are worth considering when choosing your ISP. Check the terms and conditions carefully for any additional charges, especially as they relate to charging for contract termination, receiving paper bills, excess usage fees and peak/off-peak timing and data allocation. It's also worth checking whether or not your chosen plan counts data usage against "uploaded" data - this does include any files you send, including emails. It's almost unavoidable with certain connection types such as wireless, but in the ADSL/ADSL2+ space it's just poor value and easily avoided if you shop around. This leaves you with more of your data pool to use for getting files down, which is better overall value for you.

• VoIP guide: Voice over IP in Australia
• ADSL2+: Turbo-charged broadband, at last

During his time as US secretary of defence, McNamara helped John F. Kennedy defuse the Cuban missile crisis and oversaw the United States' involvement in the Vietnam War until he was booted from cabinet in 1967. He then served as World Bank president until 1981, growing the bank from US$1 billion of annual lending to US$12 billion at his departure.

Prior to all this though, he was an integral part of the team that reshaped Ford in post World War II period. He eventually rose to become head of the Ford division, overseeing the development of cars like the Galaxie and four-seat Thunderbird, as well as the Falcon.

Below you'll find a gallery of the original Falcon and all the cars that it has spawned. For a more complete picture of his life, please check out The New York Times' or The Guardian's obituaries.

• Photos: First look at the FG Falcon
• Photos: Ford Falcon FG01 racing prototype
• Ford Model T celebrates its centenary
• Ford teases with details of FG Falcon

• Richly featured
• Supports a wide range of clients

• Noisy fan

The ReadyNAS NVX is the latest in a line of similar units from Netgear, aimed at home and small business use. The ReadyNAS NVX takes up to four Serial ATA drives in a number of configurations, and supports most common file serving protocols as well as several streaming media protocols. We reviewed the ReadyNAS NV+ around a year ago and were impressed with it, and this new unit continues that trend.

Drives are fitted into the unit in sleds, so if you're populating it yourself you'll need to screw the drives in beforehand. The sleds themselves have a pop-out handle released by a catch, which itself has a sliding lock, so used correctly there's no chance of accidentally removing a drive. A hinged door covers the drives. We were supplied with a pre-populated unit fitted with four 1TB drives configured as an X-RAID2 volume.

Drives are fitted into the ReadyNAS NVX in sleds that are removed via a well-secured pop-out handle. (Credit: CBS Interactive)

A USB socket on the ReadyNAS NVX's front panel allows you to attach external storage for backup, either of the external device or of the NVX's contents. A button next to the port, which can be configured with a number of actions, does this simply. The unit can also be configured to copy files from a USB flash drive when inserted.

The rear panel of the NVX carries dual gigabit Ethernet ports, a pair of USB ports and a Kensington lock point. The unit has an internal power supply. As with previous Netgear NAS boxes, the cooling fan is quite noisy, so you wouldn't want to put this unit in a living room at home.

You manage the ReadyNAS using a web interface. A Wizard guides you through the initial set-up, with an Advanced mode available after that. You can switch back to the wizard if needed. A simple status display along the bottom of the page shows you what's working and what's not.

The ReadyNAS NVX supports a wide range of protocols, including CIFS, NFS, AFP, FTP, HTTP, HTTPS and Rsync. This means Windows, Linux and Mac clients can all connect using their native protocols.

In addition, some media-sharing protocols allow you to access music and video files stored on the unit. Supported clients include SqueezeBox devices, iTunes and any clients supporting DLNA protocols. The iTunes support is provided by Firefly Media Server, and has its own separate configuration interface.

Client discovery of the unit is via UPnP and Bonjour discovery services, including AFP over Bonjour if enabled.

You can also use volumes on the ReadyNAS NVX as iSCSI targets. Special volumes are needed for this, since any clients of the service will access the targets as block devices, not file shares.

The ReadyNAS NVX's access control system is pretty standard. User accounts are created and added to a primary group, and can also be added to any number of secondary groups. You have the option to create a home share for each user when creating accounts. Each user can have a quota assigned, and groups can also have quotas attached.

You create shares on the ReadyNAS NVX directly through the web interface, which adds the share with default permissions. Access control can then be changed for each protocol enabled on the unit separately. You can't set a size limit for individual shares, so unless you use quotas your disk space could quickly get used up.

The NVX can perform some maintenance tasks on schedule. These include taking snapshots of volumes, a disk consistency check and what Netgear calls "parity check & scrub", which repairs any parity errors in the RAID before a drive fails.

The ReadyNAS NVX can back up other devices on the network using any of its supported protocols. The unit also supports Apple's Time Machine utility, allowing you to back up Macs. To back up the contents of the unit itself you can use Netgear's ReadyNAS Vault, a paid-for service that can hold a portion of the contents of your NAS.

One or two USB printers can be attached to the ReadyNAS NVX and shared with Windows and Mac clients. Note that the unit doesn't support automatic driver installation on Windows clients. If you've enabled Bonjour support, any attached printers can be advertised and a connection made over Internet Printing Protocol (IPP). The NVX also supports a USB uninterruptible power supply, and will shut down automatically when the power fails. It's also possible to monitor a UPS attached to another ReadyNAS unit across the network.

The ReadyNAS NVX is a well-designed and richly featured product that's suitable for use in small or medium-sized businesses. Its cost and noise make it less appealing for home use, but if that's not an issue it's also capable of supporting any entertainment and home storage needs.

• Netgear ReadyNAS Duo
• NETGEAR Storage Central Turbo SC101T
• Top NAS Units
• Netgear ReadyNAS Pro

Mobile technologies have transformed the way people tackle their jobs, increasing work hours for some, but also boosting productivity across all age groups.

The Kelly Global Workforce Index took in the views of almost 100,000 people from 34 countries, including Australia and found 75 per cent welcomed technological advancements, even if it meant being in constant contact with work.

A third were working longer hours as a result but the option of working from home, or remotely, was a major plus, the study found.

"Many employees now have the capacity to work from home or away from the office, at any hour of the day, and this is proving positive for productivity and work-life balance," study director James Bowmer said in a statement.

"Even though some are working longer hours, this is largely offset by the greater freedom and flexibility of the virtual workplace."

Younger people aged 18 to 29 were the most likely to consider new technologies a boost to productivity, but the benefits bridged the generational gap.

Baby boomers, Gen Xers and Ys all said they were more efficient in the workplace because of mobile devices.

So what do you think? Is mobile computing freeing you up or tying you down? Share your thoughts below.

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• Facebook, MySpace threaten your job, savings
• Lenovo ThinkPad X300

The Motorola Aura and its funky circular screen.
(Credit: CNET Asia)

Has this got your attention? Well, there's a few interesting tidbits you should know about this competition. Firstly, the Motorola Aura isn't exactly for sale. The handset, which carries a recommended retail value of AU$3200 is available exclusive through Qantas via its frequent flyer program. To own a Moto Aura will set you back 273,000 points, which is a similar amount of points it would take to secure a return flight to New York twice over.

The good news is that Motorola is only releasing 250 Aura handsets total through the Frequent Flyer Store, so your odds of winning are one in 250 and only if it manages to sell all the phones. There's also the added bonus of owning a phone that no one else you know will have - imagine their jealous eyes when you whip out the Aura. If this sounds like the sort of extravagance you need to warm you up in this frosty economic climate then you'd better hurry, the competition ends on 15 July.

• Best budget mobile phones
• Motorola VE538
• Motorola at CES: Photos
• Motorola ROKR Duo Z6 ARIA Edition

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have developed a fabric made of a mesh of light-sensitive fibres that collectively act like a rudimentary camera. The fibres, which each can detect two frequencies of light, produced signals that when amplified and processed by a computer reproduced an image of a smiley face near the mesh.

This cross section shows two rings of light-sensitive semiconductor material in the fibre.
The eight thicker parts are electrodes to carry signals. (Credit: MIT)

"This is the first time that anybody has demonstrated that a single plane of fibres, or 'fabric', can collect images just like a camera but without a lens," said Yoel Fink, an associate professor of materials science, who along with colleagues described the approach in the journal Nano Letters.

MIT suggested that the technology, if developed further, could give a soldier a uniform that would help him see threats in all directions. Optical fibre webs, by distributing the chore across a large area, would be less susceptible to damage in one area.

The technology uses fibres less than a millimetre in diameter, stretched into thin form from a thicker cylinder. Within the fibres are two cylindrical shells of semiconductor material, each connected to the outside world with four built-in metal electrodes.

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