Welcome to MayLin Finance and Insurance Services who can now be found on the Doncaster East (www.JustLocal.com.au/3109) page of JustLocal. Maylin Finance & Insurance Services offers the following services:
◾Life Insurance
◾Financial Planning
◾Home & Contents Cover
◾Income Protection
◾Wealth Accumulation Car Insurance
◾Business Expense Cover
◾Superannuation Advice
◾Liability Cover
◾Mortgage Protection
◾Retirement Planning Commercial Business
◾Critical Illness Insurance
◾Estate Planning
◾Truck Insurance
◾Spouse Cover
◾Pension Entitlements
◾Transit Cover
◾Partnership Insurance
◾Transition To Retirement
◾Travel Insurance
Other Services
◾Buy Sell Agreements/Insurance
◾Home Loans
◾Vehicle Finance
◾Commercial Lending
◾Construction Loans
◾Negative Gearing Advice
◾Consolidation Of Debt Advice
Kelvin Eldridge
I thought the email I just received was a good example of social engineering as a scam of some type. The email had the subject ‘Sarah has recommended me contact you’ and then the body of the message starts with ‘Hey there! Our mutual friend Sarah told me that you are interested in increasing your savings.’ The aim is to slip past a person’s defences by referring to a mutual friend Sarah.
We all appreciate it when a friend thinks of us and also when they try to help us.
The email of course is a fake. I checked and the email was sent from Taiwan and if you check the link it has a .ru domain which is a Russian domain.
Social engineering is creating emails in a form which will get past your defences by tricking you by using our behaviour against us. You should treat all unexpected emails, even those you may think come from your friends with suspicion. Scammers unfortunately, are very good at what they do.
Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
Call 0415 910 703 for computer advice and support.
If you open up your internet browser in Australia you could be forgiven for thinking the Australian spelling is favorite. Software developed overseas and particularly software developed in America uses the American spelling which is favorite, but in Australia the spelling we use is favourite. The influence of American spelling on Australians is fairly obvious but sometimes it isn’t so obvious.
To confuse things even more, in Australian we can spell many words in two or more different ways, such as organised and organized, or focussed and focused. For those who are interested in using the preference Australian English spelling I have a site which brings together all the tools I’ve developed for Microsoft Office and Internet Explorer 10 users. The site is www.Australia-Dictionary.com.au.
When spelling really matters, use the preferred Australian English spelling.
Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
Call 0415 910 703 for computer advice and support.
Aldi are having a special on LED lights starting on Saturday the 18th of May. I recently did a comparison between the ALDI and Bunning downlights and more specifically the GU10.
Using the Energy Cost Calculator I was able to show that whilst the downlights are more expensive they do pay for themselves. If you’re buying a downlight, a bayonet, or a screw LED light do a quick calculation and see how long it takes for the LED light to pay for itself.
For example I have three downlights in the ensuite. Originally these were 50W but I reduced them to 35W lights. I’d say they are on for around 2 hours a day. I replaced them with LED lights (not from Aldi) for around $10 each. Using the Energy Cost Calculator I can see how much I can save using the LED lights. I enter three lights at 50W (or 35W) which gives a total of 150W for 2 hours a day. The replacement LED lights are 5W and since there are three, I enter a total of 15W. The cost was around $10 each and again since there are three the total cost was $30. The following link shows the payback from replacing the lights is around 14 months (21 months for replacing 35W halogen lights) so it really doesn’t take long to recover the purchase price. Once you recover the purchase price the saving comes straight off the electricity bill.
Take the time to do the calculation and you can work out which lights to replace to give you the greatest savings. For me the hardest thing is to stop using perfectly good lights which still work and replacing them with something I now have to buy. But once you figure out the new low energy lights pay for themselves and then cut your electricity bill it makes sense to replace them as soon as possible.
At the end of the day that’s money in your pocket rather than the electricity company.
Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
Call 0415 910 703 for computer advice and support.
Tonight I read a news article on International Business Times headlined as ‘Microsoft to unveil free Windows 8.1 update on 26 June’. I would suggest that Windows users not get too excited as the release is a preview release and I would recommend that people stick with their current version until the final release is made public. Unfortunately for the public and Microsoft I suspect that will be closer to the end of the year.
Microsoft really have had a bad run in terms of timing and Windows 8.1 is another example. When Windows 8 was released the low power Haswell processor from Intel was reportedly still a few months away and expected around January 2013, according to the press reports I was reading in early 2012. That would have been just in time for Microsoft’s Windows Surface Pro tablet. Haswell didn’t make it in time and thus the low power chip which is desirable for tablets is now due mid 2013. Microsoft’s updated operating system Windows 8.1 won’t reach the general public until closer to the end of the year.
Now is not a good time to purchase a new computer but once the Haswell processor and Windows 8.1 are both available at the end of the year, at last Microsoft’s platform will come together. Will that be too late for Microsoft. I don’t think so. In the past I’ve watched the market and a 2-3 year window of opportunity by other players hasn’t seemed to make much difference. In fact Microsoft has had the advantage that everyone is purchasing a portable device at the moment and extending the life of their PC. Those ageing PCs however will need to be replaced and that plays to Microsoft’s advantage. Haswell plus Windows 8.1, plus smaller form factors for tablets all coming together at the end of the year, is good for Microsoft and Windows users.
Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
Call 0415 910 703 for computer advice and support.
I noticed on Saturday the 18th of May Aldi are selling a foot switch power point for $9.99. This is similar to the foot switch I previously sold for $19.95. If the quality is good these foot switches are very good at saving money on your electricity bill. By using the Electricity Cost Calculator you can work out the payback of turning off your entertainment system using a foot switch and you’ll find it will only be a matter of months.
These switches are good if the power point is less accessible such as behind a cabinet. With the cost of electricians you may even find using a foot switch to turn devices on and off regularly is cheaper than replacing the wall switch.
Based on my experience I’d suggest the foot switch is a very good buy if the Aldi product is a reasonable quality. I have found some foot switches can last for years whereas some last between 1-2 years. At least at this cost the foot switch should pay for itself if used on a daily basis where standby power is being consumed by entertainment devices.
Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
Call 0415 910 703 for computer advice and support.
I’ve been receiving a number of spam emails. When I checked one and cross referenced the photo I found the link for the one I received was from a person in India whereas the photo was used on another site for a person in Texas.
These are faked and I suspect the whole system is designed to get people to sign up to a training scam. Pay $97 for an account and then continue to pay for additional training. You should bin these emails as the only person likely to make money is the spammer and not you. Spammers using faked sites are best to be avoided.
Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
Call 0415 910 703 for computer advice and support.
Based on ads now appearing on TV and on the internet the government has ramped up promotion of their Child Care Assistance program.
Over the years I’ve heard a number of women complaining about friends who stay at home and put their children in child care so they can have the day off so to speak. It is hard to see that if a mum decides to look after their child rather than go to work they get no financial assistance, whereas if a mum goes works two days a week (15 hours) they can receive 50% financial assistance for the three days they’re not at work and have time to themselves. It is easy to see why people complain about being taxed when their hard earned money is then given to someone else to take time off. Most people would understand if you need to work then child care assistance helps, but when you’re not working should you be asking others to pay for your child care. Some may suggest the government benefit should only be payable on the days people work. It may even be suggested this doesn’t assist those who work less hours and need assistance during the hours when they’re working, but hopefully the government has that covered.
It really boils down to what the government has in mind and since most of us don’t have any control over what the government does, all we can do is to accept what they do. It is just a system and it isn’t perfect. In fact no one will ever agree with what is perfect as everyone’s opinion differs.
Over the years I’ve seen too many people being too proud to accept government assistance. When I was retrenched years ago I was too proud to accept government assistance and in hindsight it would have made things easier for myself and my family. If there is government assistance available to you then perhaps it is time to consider being open to receive it. If others receive government assistance that is our system and we shouldn’t judge them. If the system is wrong or too generous then in time it will be adjusted.
You can find the government assistance using Google by search for terms such as child care assistance, child care, child care rebate, child care benefit, or search for Human Services to find the Human Services site, which I think is the new name for the umbrella which covers Centrelink.
Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
Call 0415 910 703 for computer advice and support.
I noticed Apple is holding a 50 billion app download competition. The person who downloads the 50 billionth app will win USD$10,000 Apple iTune gift voucher. The next 50 will win USD$500 gift vouchers if I’ve read the competition rules correctly. Be careful however as you can only enter 25 times per person in a given day. Time permitting I’ll put together prediction as to roughly the time the 50 billionth app will be download. Customers are welcome to ask me when I expect that to be.
Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
Call 0415 910 703 for computer advice and support.
Search Australia was added to JustLocal to give those who wish to search a search engine which focuses on Australian sites and removes many of the directories which have now taken over the internet. I’m pretty happy that if I search for ‘fish and chips’ in a local suburb, if the business has a web presence I can now see their page. Of course many small businesses don’t have a web presence which doesn’t help them or their customers. I’ve shown a number of local businesses how a site I’ve put on the internet for them can generate hundreds of leads a month but in the end they don’t seem to care.
The worst example of not providing up-to-date information is when I went into a fish and chip shop in Doncaster Road. After placing the order via telephone the order was some 15% dearer. Every customer was complaining because like me they were ordering from an out-of-date menu and the business decided to increase their prices without letting them know. Had the business put their menu on the internet I would have known before I ordered and so potentially could everyone else. I’ve never used the business again so an out-of-date menu can and does lose businesses customers. A single page site assists hundreds of customers a year and is easily paid for by a single repeat customer. Small business can’t see if they don’t provide the tools people need they’ll go elsewhere and the bigger companies ARE providing online menus.
But I digress. The real purpose of this post is to let users of JustLocal know of three new features I’ve added to Search Australia, the search engine available on every JustLocal page and also available as an Add-in to Internet Explorer. If you add a single letter at the start of the search phrase you can select your preferred search engine, go to a JustLocal postcode page, or find out if you’re using the preferred Australian English spelling for a word.
1. Type in g, b, or y and go directly to Google, Bing or Yahoo. If you add a space and then your search query (such as ‘g fish and chips templestowe’) you’ll get search results for local fish and chips shops without all the directories. That is hopefully if they have a site you’ll get the actual business’ site.
2. Type in j and you’ll go to JustLocal. Type in j followed by a space and a postcode (such as ‘j 3106’) and you’ll go to the JustLocal postcode page. That’s a pretty convenient method to go direct to your local JustLocal postcode page. Keep in mind if your area isn’t covered you’ll get a place holder page with generic ads. As soon as a business or person in your area takes up the mantle to promote JustLocal in your area the generic page will be replaced with local information.
3. Type in w followed by a word and you’ll go direct to the Word Check page to check if you are using the preferred Australian English spelling for a word. You do need a password to see the answer. All clients of mine are provided with the password. In fact if you use Search Australia from JustLocal and type in ‘dictionary’, you’ll have access to Word Check for a while. A thank you for trying out Search Australia.
On top of removing dozens of directories now cluttering search results when using Google (not Bing or Yahoo) and the ability to enter a single word or couple of words to go to the top searched for sites by millions of users, these new features should make Search Australian even more useful. Clients are welcome to request the list of top site search terms. I don’t currently publish the terms on the internet because of the work involved collating the list so please feel free to ask for a copy to assist you in your searches.
Don’t forget, the most convenient way to use Search Australia is to use the link to add Search Australia as your default search engine in Internet Explorer. Then you can perform a search direct from the address bar in Internet Explorer. If everyone in Australia used Search Australia (heaven forbid as my server wouldn’t hold up to it) if could potentially save many hundreds of millions of searches when people are looking for major Australian companies, a TV guide and even the weather. Search engines want you to end up on their page to make money from advertising. I want you to get quickly to the site you want to get to.
For me the real test of whether or not something I’ve developed is worthwhile is whether I use it myself or not. Search Australia is my preferred search tool. It doesn’t stop me from using Google, and in fact if I want to use Google I simply enter the letter ‘g’ and I go direct to Google. I can quickly decide which search engine I’d prefer and not be stuck with just one. With one or two words I access most of the popular sites such as ANZ, eBay, Gumtree, Freeview (TV guide) etc., so it makes sense to use Search Australia rather than end up hunting through Google results that have become so cluttered. I hope you find Search Australia useful too.
Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
Call 0415 910 703 for computer advice and support.
Disturbingly I’m now seeing up to 50 per cent of people reaching my sites who may be logged on to a Google service and so could be tracked at the individual level.
I use Google’s blogger, Analytics and sometimes Google advertising on my sites. If you are logged on to a Google service your activities can be linked to you as an individual. What you are doing on the internet can thus potentially be tracked to you as an individual.
What people don’t know is when you visit a site which has advertising on it, that advertising is often provided by Google. Many sites use Google’s Analytics software to record statistics for their sites. As you move from site to site your activities can potentially be recorded as an individual.
As you read the major daily news sites, as you search for information, when you go to many sites on the internet your activities can be tracked to you as an individual. In addition it is also possible your location is being tracked without your knowledge because often the internet address you use to access the internet is known to be in a certain area.
It is up to each person to decide whether this matters to them or not. If it does matter to you then consider logging out of all Google services (and potentially other services). When you are logged on to services you can be tracked individually and a profile of you and your activities can be created. Some of this information can potentially end up in the wrong hands. The most obvious outcome is you’ll be directly marketed to and could end up paying more for products and services.
We can’t stop the government and companies collecting information, but most people aren’t aware that their activities on the internet can be tracked to them individually. Because more than 90% of Australians use Google for searching, if they are logged on to Google services (my logs are indicating up to 50% of people may be logged onto a Google service when they reach my sites) then your activities across the internet may be being recorded.
Log off online services as soon as you are finished with them. Don’t keep services such as Gmail and YouTube logged on and running in the background. This doesn’t just apply to Google. Any service that you are logged in and has software they’ve created installed on another site could be doing the same. The type of services that come to mind are social networking services. Where a site you visit displays a button from a social networking service you don’t know what that code does and neither do I. The code could be tracking you. By logging off you reduce some of your online activities being tracked.
Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
Call 0415 910 703 for computer advice and support.