Recently iiNet signed a deal with Fairfax Digital and Anytime, this is rather significant in the way average users use the internet, by granting the ability for people to stream movies to their desktops and media centres at home, in a type of rivalry to Cable Television such as Foxtel.

By one ISP Provider signing a deal, it opens the door for more flexibility and options on a normal Broadband account, and indeed many ISPs will follow this to compete with iiNet and any other ISP who takes the same path. Video on Demand (VoD) is not a new technology, being around since the early 90’s, however VoD as we know it today only started settling in around 1999-2000. Currently, the only VoD Provider in Australia is TransACT, however they only provide to customers in ACT, so having a significantly large ISP like iiNet and it’s service coverage offering VoD, will bring it to nearly everywhere, especially when iiNet is still rolling-out it’s iiDSLAMs in a fairly fast time.

But back to the original point, Offering VoD in the coverage iiNet has will pretty much revolutionize the way average Australians use the internet, no longer will users just download email and chat, but partake in watching movies and TV Series in a way which would rival Foxtel, but be tremendously cheaper. Especially as stated here:

Anytime on Volt has signed a 12-month deal with internet provider iiNet to allow iiNet customers to download the movies — some of them close to one gigabyte — without affecting their monthly download limits.

So when iimedia starts, it should be somewhat interesting to watch the next twelve months afterwards, because in the monopolized market which is Broadband in Australia, this could both increase iiNet’s stake in the market and either change internet usage drastically or fail in the attempt.

Well, not literally ten thousand, really only two. But first, what am I talking about? Well it all starts with the fact that nearly everything these days is manufactured in China, and everything is pirated in China for sure, from Motorola Bluetooth Headsets to a Rolex.

Where am I going with this? Well you see, being like the average consumer I’m a sucker for low prices, and saw on eBay a Sandisk 1GB MiniSD Card for a reasonable price. So I purchased it and it was shipped from the special administrative region of Hong Kong. When I got it, I didn’t bother checking what lied beneath hidden within the MiniSD.

Now, my PC is pretty secure from threats on the Internet but somehow I got two nasty little Trojans, where did these come from?! I pondered, I turned off XP’s Hidden Files and Folders and OS Files and started my manual manhunt, and even though I managed to get rid of the files, I had no clues where they originated from until I decided to do an Avast Scan on all removable devices, it alerted me to the miniSD with the two exact files with a 2006 Creation date (What the? My OS has only been running since Feb ‘07!), I tried to delete the two hidden little files on the miniSD and it denied me the satisfaction of cleansing its impurity.

I do find it interesting that a miniSD, probably a cheap knockoff, came with two Backdoor Trojans, the infamous wscft.exe and EXPLORER.exe (Obviously trying to pass off as the shell.) Either-way, it’s made me more alert when dealing with Computer Electronics coming from the region and let it be a lesson to others, Buyer Beware they may try to gain access to your PC.

You know, I never understand why I’ve never gotten into blogging; I always update so sparsely, its unmotivation or laziness, one or the other.

So what to talk about? I’m currently doing German at TAFE, and even though I didn’t particularly wanted to learn it, I’m doing quite decently and most of my test results have been “Sehr gut“.

Earlier last month I applied for the position of Web Co-Ordinator at Games Workshop Australia. Interesting enough, I applied after the applications closure. I thought “What do I have to lose?”, I received an email back, and it progressed to a Telephone Interview which went well and I now have a Formal Interview on the 4th of April. It’s a standard 9-5 Job, but I think I’d enjoy it, and it’d look pleasant in a resume for sure. For people who know about GW, it’s quite apparent the need for a Web Co-Ordinator due to the fact no one’s been able to update content since the last guy left.

Also, my kitty cat named Cheeky, the one I got from the Pound, has settled in fantastically. She’s a beautiful addition to the household, and she certainly lives up to her name, the sheer mischief she gets up to is staggering, but I love her all the same. Here’s a picture of her being like her owner, lazy.