Steve Jobs Dead

Apple has released information that Steve Jobs has died. The former chief executive has had a long battle with cancer and has died at age 56 after only recently handing over control. The news comes just a day after the release of the latest iphone version. The release of the ipod, iphone and later ipad have seen Apple become a global leader in the technology field all under the vision and guidance of Steve Jobs. No other technonlgy supplier has seen the following that Steve has been able to create with Apple. It has common place to see large lines at Apple stores on the release of a new product. The news has stunned Apple lovers the world over. A special email address has been created for condolence messages: rememberingsteve@apple.com if you want to send a special message. The world has seen the passing of a great visionary and a person who has forever changed the way we live. Tim Cook will continue to lead Apple and statements released by him state that Apple will continue with Steves values and visions.

Ashton Kutcher and Demmi Moore divorce rumours

Rumours have been mounting about the expected divorce of Ashton Kutcher and Demmi Moore. The internet has come alive and the rumours began after online messages were posted by both Ashton and Demmi that hinted towards a possible split and divorce. No official statement however has been released by either of the stars. If the rumours are true then the couple will have to split up their $290 million dollar fortune and a bitter court battle is expected. The couple, who have been married for 6 years, have reportedly been living separately for months. An unconfirmed report from a person close to the couple states that Ashtons cheating is expected to be the reason for the split. Apparently the marriage has been bad for some time and the relationship has just been maintained for the cameras. Ashton, in filming for the new "Two and a half men" series, is set to make $700,000 an episode to add to his already $140 million dollar strong wealth. Demmi who is reportedly worth $150 million is also working on a new movie.

Amy Winehouse Dead

Amy Winehouse has been found dead in her London residence. At just 27 years old the troubled singer has had a long battle with drugs and alcohol. The exact details of her death have not been released and police are treating the death as unexplained at this time. Tributes from fans from around the world are flooding in for a talent that has been taken too soon. Fellow musicians and celebrities have expressed their sorrow at her passing. Rising to fame in 2006 with her hit song "Rehab" Amy found it difficult to cope with her fame and regularly drew the attention of the media with behavior. This is a sad end to the short life of such a talented person.

You will be missed Amy.

Mat Beyer MasterChef cheating scandal

Mat Beyer has apparently been kicked off MasterChef for cheating. Mat was eliminated for using his mobile phone which is against the rules of the show. Mat had the phone for about six weeks while appearing on the show. The use of a mobile phone is against the MasterChef rules as it could be used to gain access to recipes that could assist the contestant. Apparently a previously eliminated contestant has been asked to return to the show to take Mat's place. The producer of the show is refusing to comment on the events surrounding Mats elimination as there are some shows that are yet to be aired that will still feature Mat. The show that will feature Mats elimination will be aired in about a month.

AAMI Closing all branches

Insurance company AAMI will be closing all of it's branches in the next 2 months. Staff from the 24 branches were told earlier this week that they had just two months left before they were out of a job. With budget constraints and a shift to online and telephone service the move has come as no surprise to industry analysts. Research conducted by the company showed overwhelmingly that visiting branches was not the way that customers wanted to do business with AAMI and it was discovered that only 2% of income was generated from face to face business in branches. AAMI says that this is not an effort to simply cut costs but rather the next step in the evolution of their business. AAMI is doing everything it can for the staff effected.

Cate Blanchett and the Carbon Tax.

Cate Blanchett is to front a new advertisement that is attempting to sell the upcoming Carbon Tax to "Middle and Average Australians".
I think it is important to make the following points.
Cate Blanchett, whilst a brilliant actor, does not speak on behalf of the average Australian. The increase in the price of goods and services that the "Average Australian" will have to pay because of this tax will be to her such a minuscule part of her income. Unfortunately most of us are not in this income bracket.
Are we supposed to accept this new tax, as the advertisement asks us to do, when not even the government knows the true cost at this stage. That is like agreeing to buy a new car when we have absolutely no idea of the final cost.
This might be a crazy idea but if reducing carbon emissions is so critical why not spend the billions of dollars that is going to the NBN on research into alternate methods of power generation and a suitable replacement for fossil fuels in our vehicles.

Blair Milan Dead - Cancer

Actor Blair Milan has died of a rare blood cancer. Blair the son of TV food personality Lyndey Milan contracted Acute Myloid Leukemia or AML. Apparently the actor did not know he had the cancer until it was too late. Blair went to the doctor feeling ill and a blood test revealed the cancer. As Blair was still a young man, at just 29 years old, his immune system would have been fighting this type of cancer simply making him feel ill. Undiagnosed this type of cancer can kill a person very quickly and Blair died within a week of diagnosis on April 17. Older patients with the same disease will show symptoms earlier.

Blair became known for his work on Channel nine's GO! channel. He had also just completed filming for a new show for the SBS with his mother that is a food tour of Greece which will air later this year.

Family and friends were with Blair when he died.

Britney and Rihanna Kiss - Billboard Awards

Britney and Rihanna have kissed live on stage at the opening of the Billboard music awards. The apparently very brief kiss was kept off television although news of the kiss has spread fast on the internet. Britney and Rihanna did a very raunchy number involving pole dancing and a pillow fight followed by a kiss. Britney is known for her on stage kisses and it has been eight years since her much publicized kiss with Madonna.

Woolworths planking staff fired

Staff from Woolworths have been fired for planking after complaints from other staff at multiple sites across Australia. Woolworths has released a statement saying that the dismissals were not related to planking in an apparent effort to protect themselves from wrongful dismissal claims. Woolworths claims that the staff were fired for breaches to their occupational health and safety policies and not purely due to the fact that the staff were planking. The staff were seen planking in dangerous positions and were dismissed as a result. Other staff caught planking were let off with a warning as their behavior was deemed to be not so dangerous. Woolworths has warned staff to not endanger themselves and others in any way in the workplace.

Planking involves laying face down in strange and often dangerous positions to have your picture taken and has recently drawn the attention of the police. This is the latest in a string of planking incidents that have come about in the past few days. A planking attempt led to the death of a Brisbane resident earlier this month and another left a NSW resident in a coma.

Volkswagen Amarok ute on Top Gear Australia

The new Volkswagen Amarok will feature shortly on Top Gear Australia and the Top Gear boys will really give it a work out. Set to be one of the biggest rivals to the Toyota Hilux, the new VW Amarok is already selling in Australia. The Amarok differs itself from others in its class by offering new levels of comfort, previously unseen, as standard on all models. This category of ute has had a very good reception and there is a lot of interest. Ford will also be reinvigorating their offering in Australia with a new Ranger to be released later this year.

Another planking injury - man in coma

A man is in a coma after a planking accident. Just days after the death of a man in Brisbane, yet another person has been seriously injured while planking. The man a resident of northern New South Wales was apparently planking on the back of a moving car when he fell. The man is now in a coma with serious head injuries at a Newcastle hospital. The driver of the car was arrested and charged and will appear in court in June. Police are investigating mobile phone footage of the incident.

Grease star Jeff Conaway in coma after drug overdose

Jeff Conaway, who played Kenickie in the hit movie musical Grease is in a coma after an apparent drug overdose. Reports are that the star is in Encino Hospital Medical Centre in Los Angeles with pneumonia and is currently unconscious, the LA Times reports. Jeff has struggled with drug problems for years and has been addicted to cocaine, alcohol and painkillers. First finding fame in the hit musical Grease, Conway went on to star in the hit television show Taxi.

Sharia Law in Australia

It has been reported recently that some senior members of the Australian Muslim community have been calling for the introduction of Sharia Law in Australia. At this stage they just want it to apply to Muslims in the area of Business law and laws relating to marriage and divorce.
There are just two things that I have to say about this at this stage.
1 Our citizenship pledge is clear. As an Australian you will obey Australian Laws and uphold Australian values
2 We should NEVER go back to a situation where religious beliefs circumvent or over ride civil law. Western civilisation flourished when the Church and the State were separated forever.

Mildred Baene – mother of Arnold Schwarzenegger love child

Mildred Baene has been revealed as the mother of a love child with former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Baene the 50 year old housekeeper of Schwarzenegger apparently gave birth to a son 10 years ago. Baene had until recently worked for the family for 20 years but left after receiving a payout. This information has been revealed on American website RadarOnline. This news comes after news of Schwarzenegger’s recent split from Maria Shriver.

Pippa Middleton Photos Dominate - Top News Update

Pippa Middleton photos have again dominated the HOTheadlines top news sections. Earlier reports of racy images of Pippa drew a massive surge of searches on the internet and the HOTheadlines blog saw its biggest day yet. Some of these images have drawn official complaints from the Middleton family and will likely be removed from the internet before too long. Reports suggest that Pippa could make a lot of money from her new found fame but that if any further racy images emerge it could be very damaging.

The recent outage of the Sony Playstation Network had a short stay at the top of the headlines and saw a massive increase in the number of Playstation users browsing our site. As the Playstation Network has now returned this topic has swiftly left the headlines.

Another chart topper was the recent alignment of the planets in the Australian sky and is still getting traffic days after the event.

A fast mover this week has been the news of the Arnold Schwarzenegger affair and love child. Apparently the former Governor of California has fathered a child to a member of his staff and the news has come shortly after he announced the split from his wife.

Australian man killed while planking

An Australian man from Brisbane, Queensland has been killed during a planking attempt. The man attempted to balance on the railing of a seventh floor balcony and fell to his death.

Planking is the latest internet craze where a person will lie face down in strange places while onlookers take their photo. Photos of the planking are then uploaded to the internet for comment. It is believed the craze began from a Facebook page and has grown from there to a world wide phenomenon. Planking originally began with quite light hearted and safe practices. The planking attempts around the world though have become increasingly dangerous and the activity has been banned in some parts of the world. Some images of planking show people perched precariously on railings and roofs.

Planking recently drew the attention of the Queensland police when a person was seen planking on a police car. This led to planking being quickly banned across the state.

A prominent Australian morning show and radio show have featured planking and requested people not put themselves in any danger while attempting planking.

Sony Playstation Network is back online

The Sony Playstation Network is back online. Early reports on Twitter suggest that the Sony Playstation Network is back online for some users around the world. After a hacker breached the security of the Sony Playstation Network some weeks ago the Playstation Network has been offline for literally millions of users around the world. Just today an update to the Playstation 3 system Software was released and installation of the update is mandatory. Some users after installing the software update were then able to get back online. Other users are still in areas that have no service for the Playstation Network. The Network will now be turned back on in stages around the world although the exact time line is still not being advised by Sony. In preparation for the go live HOTheadlines suggests users to install the updated system software.

Sony Playstation Network Australia Back Online - Update 2

Sony releases system software update in preparation for go live. The Sony Playstation Network in Australia is set to go live at any time now. Reports and tweets on twitter confirm that some users around the world are back online and once again gaming. There is no concrete news about exactly when the Australian Network will go live again but the latest blog post on the official Sony Playstation blog suggests it will be very soon. Sony is requesting that all users update their Playstation 3 system software to the latest release of V3.61. Sony advises that this update is mandatory and users may not be able to get back online until their system has been updated to the latest software version.

HOTheadlines HOT tip

In preparation for getting back online the HOTheadlines HOT tip is to update your Playstation 3 system software so you will be ready to pounce when the Network does go live again.

The latest blog from Sony:

We have been working on a new PS3 system software update that requires all PSN users to change their password once PlayStation Network is restored. The update (v3.61) is mandatory and is available now.

If using a PS3, your password can only be changed on your own PS3 (or a PS3 on which your PSN account was activated), as an added layer of security. If you have never downloaded any content using your account on the system, an email will be sent to the registered sign-in ID (email address) associated with your account when you first attempt to sign-in to PSN. This e-mail will contain a link that will enable you to change your password. In this email, click on the link and follow the instructions to change your password. Once you have changed your password you can sign-in to your account using your new password.

We strongly recommend that all PSN account holders with PS3s update their systems to prepare for when PlayStation Network is back online. The release of this update is a critical step as we work to make PlayStation Network significantly more secure. Thank you for your continued support and patience. Source:http://blog.eu.playstation.com/

Facebook more popular than Google - Do you agree?

Facebook has recently over taken Google in the US as the most popular website for the first time ever, according to various sources. So what does this mean for the internet and how is the internet evolving? Obviously the reason Facebook has overtaken Google is that internet users simply like it more. To understand why this is happening lets first have a look at Google.

Google began life as a search engine and has dominated the internet soon after it went live. The much talked about algorithm that Google is constantly adjusting has been one of its key advantages in the search market. Although the algorithm has been kept totally secret over the years, small glues have emerged over time to give some indication about how it works. Once webmasters gained clues about how to cheat this algorithm, any flaws were quickly taken advantage of, leaving Google to rethink their algorithm. Although webmasters using these vulnerabilities to their advantage were quickly banned from the Google search results.

The search results returned by Google are the best in the world and that is why they have been such a strong power in the search market, however, the results that are returned are automated and it is really a “try and see” case with most websites that have been returned for search results. Clues as to how the Google algorithm works suggest that if your website is linked to from other sites then your page will rank higher in search results. Essentially what this means is that the people linking to your site trust it and the contents so Google also trusts the content. What this means for Google however is that users are still left with the feeling that Google knows best and we should all praise Google.

Facebook on the other hand allows users to post links and “like” links and share them with their friends. What this means is that Facebook is not recommending the link but the individual users are putting their name on it in a more direct fashion. This is called word of mouth advertising and although Google does this indirectly, Facebook does it a whole lot better. Word of mouth advertising is one of the most powerful types of advertising as simply it does not feel like advertising. It is rather a recommendation by a friend and this type of thing has been around since the beginning of time. It is a whole lot more difficult to cheat a system like that and Google is finding it hard to compete.

With the link searching environment of the internet changing to recommendations from friends, rather than from a search engine, this may mean that finding what you are searching for a little harder. Google will never fully disappear for this reason. People use search engines to get answers to the questions they have, and Facebook is used also for this very same reason. This is just a small part of Facebook though and possibly why it has overtaken Google. Why do you use Facebook and Google?

Google also does a lot more than just their search engine although their services seem more fragmented than Facebooks environment. Google has branched into software and their Chrome browser and soon to be released operating system are some of the best in the world. The Google brand positioning has allowed it to move into this area. Facebook may never be able to branch into software in the same way although their software is equally as good.

Facebook seems to have become more popular than Google by asking, rather than telling. So I ask you, what are your thoughts?

Facebook hacked 12th of May 2011

Facebook has today been hacked and messages have been posted all over users profiles without their permission. A user account by the name of Nicole Santos seems to have been used in the attack. Apparently an application was installed on users profiles that caused spam messages to be sent to users walls and potentially their friends walls too. Messages included telling users to "kill themselves" and other more obscene content. The security breach seems to have been quickly dealt with and disappeared as quickly as it appeared. This comes as Symantec recently released information about a security flaw in Facebook that left the potential for this very same thing to happen.

Facebook has now become the number one website in America after recently overtaking Google and will need to safe guard itself from future attacks of this nature.

Sony Playstation Network Australia Restoration Update

The feedback from Sony has gotten less and less as the down time of the Playstation Network continues. The latest blog post on the official Playstation states the following: "I know you all want to know exactly when the services will be restored. At this time, I can’t give you an exact date, as it will likely be at least a few more days. We’re terribly sorry for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience as we work through this process."

For those of you that don't know, the Sony Playstation Network or PSN for short is a network provided by Sony so that Playstation owners can play their games online and play against people in other places around the country or indeed the world. What many people may not know about the Sony Playstation Network is that it is provided free of charge to Playstation owners. Now Sony is in the position that no one is paying to use their service so they are not breaching any terms of service and there is zero legal liability. This is a pretty nice place for Sony to be and is most likely why the service is free of charge in the first place. Sony's lawyers most likely advised it would cause too much of a liability if something like this hack ever occurred. Sony will most likely lose a few customers from this outage and that would also have been factored in. Now what I have been hearing from HOTheadlines readers is that a lot of PSN users are paying for internet access purely for the use of the Playstation Network. With the Network offline the cost of the internet access would be hurting these users but Sony would still be shielded from this cost.

If I were indirectly paying for the use of the PSN such as described earlier then I would expect more than two lines of information about what is happening during a service outage. Many people have also been disappointed by the communication provided by Sony and Sony should realise the impact this will have on their company.

Are you affected by the PSN outage? Have your say.

Millions of private Facebook files leaked

Symantec has revealed a Facebook security flaw just days after millions of users of the Sony Playstation Network were affected by a security breach. Antivirus company Symantec has today revealed on their blog a security flaw in Facebook where millions of private Facebook files could have potentially been leaked. The security flaw means that private information such as profile information, chat history and photos could be viewed by unauthorised persons. Through this security flaw Symantec says that anyone exploiting the flaw could even use a compromised profile to post information. Symantec advised that the security flaw exists within the applications that attach to Facebook and that this leak of information could have been happening for years. Facebook applications use access tokens which allow them to make changes to a user’s personal information. Once a user enables an application, usually profile information is added. These access tokens were then taken by the application owner and transferred to third party analytics or advertising companies, giving them the potential access to the private information. With over 500 million users on Facebook the potential for loss is great. Symantec says that it has informed Facebook about the security risk from the access tokens. Facebook security advised that the Symantec report had some inaccuracies but would not elaborate. Facebook advised that after a thorough investigation no cases of unlawful access have occurred. Now that this security flaw has been made public it will force Facebook to make any necessary changes to protect user’s information. If Facebook does not make the appropriate changes then hackers may force them to. Sony would have welcomed any information about security flaws in their network, given the backlash that has happened in the wake of their recent security breach.

A few notes about online security in the light of recent activities. The addition of applications to Facebook profiles is done by the user and security messages and authorisations are provided along the way. If the application that is being added to your profile is not from a trust worthy source or you did not request the application then do not add this to your profile. The protection of your information on the internet also extends to the use of social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter so always be aware of what information is placed on there and who could potentially have access to it. Users may feel safer about placing information on these sites as generally a log in is required but don’t let this make you forget about your online security. Only place on these sites information that anyone could potentially view even if they do not have immediate access to it. There are various methods employed by hackers that may not be immediately apparent to most users so always keep in mind your online security.

Playstation Network Australia not online - delayed

The Playstation Network is still offline in Australia and most of the world. It seems the earlier forecasts by Sony of having the network available again within a week have not been realised. Sony has been paying a lot of attention to the security of the network and earlier measures of the extent of the earlier intrusion were not fully understood until recently.

The latest press release by Sony is pretty clear that the security of the network and customers data is the most important lesson to be learned form this attack and the priority of the changes required to the network. There is no further information about when the network is expected to go live again but when it does it will be a much more secure environment.

An interesting piece of information about the outage of the Playstation network is that since the network has been offline HOTheadlines, and I am sure most of the internet, has seen a one thousand percent increase in the number of Sony Playstations browsing our site. It has been great having you here and I hope you choose to return soon.

Comments received from HOTheadlines readers after the earlier update show that they are prepared to drop Sony altogether and move to the Xbox live platform. Other comments are much more realistic and show that the users understand that Sony is doing all they can to get this problem sorted out once and for all.

Here are some of the comments received on HOTheadlines:

Tyler wrote: @jason calm down you nob, sony are doing everything they can, its not their fault. I think its funny how all these people are whining and going to XBL because they have no life so they cant wait a couple of weeks to come back online, your pathetic get outside once and awhile. I for one am 100% sony supporter for life, im never going back to xbox cause their shit. take your time sony and ignore these desperate no lifers who cant live without video games.

Jason wrote: Ive had ENOUGH of these delays ( excuse after excuse )and not sticking to dates..... it just goes on and on Go to hell sony....Im off to xbox live. You just LOST another person....

The Sony press release is as follows:

On 7 May 2011, Nick Caplin, head of communications at Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, posted the following update on PlayStation.Blog

"As you may know, we've begun the process of restoring the service through internal testing of the new system. We're still working to confirm the security of the network infrastructure, as well as working with a variety of outside entities to confirm with them of the security of the system. Verifying the system security is vital for the process of restoration. Additional comprehensive system checks and testing are still required, and we must complete that process before bringing the systems online.

"As you've heard us say, our utmost priorities are the security of the network and ensuring your data is safe. We won't restore the services until we can test the system's strength in these respects.

"When we held the press conference in Japan last week, based on what we knew, we expected to have the services online within a week. We were unaware of the extent of the attack on Sony Online Entertainment servers, and we are taking this opportunity to conduct further testing of the incredibly complex system. We know many of you are wanting to play games online, chat with your friends and enjoy all of the services PlayStation Network and Qriocity services have to offer, and trust me when I say we're doing everything we can to make it happen. We will update you with more information as soon as we have it. We apologize for the delay and inconvenience of this network outage."

Pippa Middleton: Underwear pictures and her bottom - are so HOT right now

Pippa Middleton has featured in the most HOT headlines of this or any week that this website has seen yet. Pippa drew instant attention at her sister's recent wedding with her bottom being the main focus. Images of her bottom were all over the internet almost instantly and it even got its own facebook page with thousands of followers in the days following the wedding. The global attention that Pippa has been receiving has now led to people around the world wanting more. Inevitably private pictures have surfaced of Pippa and have been published around the world. There has been two main pictures that have been getting around the internet and they are the following.

1. The toilet paper dress picture - This is a photo of Pippa that seemingly has been taken in the Middleton household. Pippa is seen on her knees in what looks to be the lounge room of a house. Wrapped around Pippa is a dress made entirely out of toilet paper. This is an older image and Pippa looks quite young. I must say the toilet paper dress seems to be very well made. Nice work Pippa!
2. The underwear picture - Pippa is seen outside at night dancing with an unknown male partner. The underwear Pippa is seen wearing is a  purple bra which is not at all revealing.

With record numbers of traffic visiting our websites in search of her, we would like to thank Pippa Middleton for taking the job as her sisters brides maid which propelled her into instant fame. The images that have been released of Pippa, all in all, would not have been too much cause of concern for Pippa but attention that hopefully has not been too much of a burden for her. The media is likely to hold onto this for as long as possible but this too will inevitably fade with time.

Pippa Middleton Underwear pics revealed

Private pictures of Pippa Middleton in her underwear have been leaked on the internet. The image causing all the fuss was released on nydailynews.com this morning. Pippa Middleton has shot to fame after her appearance in her sister Kate's royal wedding earlier this month.

Sony PlayStation Network Australia coming back online soon.

It seems Australian Sony PlayStation Network users are still waiting to get back online to the PlayStation Network. Following is the latest official press release from Sony PlayStation Networks Japan Headquarters. So it looks like the long break will soon be over and the Australian Network will be back online soon. HOTheadlines readers have expressed their concerns about this outage and what it means to them. Here are some of the comments:

baddog36 wrote: Although im trying to stick this out with sony im regretting the possibility of having to switch to xbox live sony its been two wks ive built homes that didnt take as long you really dropped the ball on this one

Rafael wrote: Just for the record the play station network has been down for me an people i know since april 20, not april 24 like it says in this article so thats 10 days down for me not 6, not to mention im a play station plus subscriber an that this is my 4th ps3, between yellow light of death an a wide array of other issues. Its always the same story with sony they can't help me over phone "system needs to come in for repair" which can cost between 100 an 150 us dollars. so this message is to sony if you don't want to get hacked again i would suggests you start giving a dam about your customers they seem to have adopted the mentality that because their online gaming is free they don't owe us a dam thing when things go wrong which is wrong. while its true that their online gaming is free but alot of the stuff connected to ps3 isn't ( play station plus, Dc universe online ) just to name some not to mention INTERNET access is not FREE so i currently am paying 40-50 bucks a month to use facebook and watch movies thats B S

kenneth wrote: im happy sonys finally getting to the bottom of all this i think the compensation idea is a good gesture im an avid gamer and looking foward to continuing my support for sony thx sony and happy gaming baddog36

Sony Press Release:


On 1 May 2011, Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) and Sony Network Entertainment International (SNEI, the company) announced they will shortly begin a phased restoration by region of PlayStation Network and Qriocity services, beginning with gaming, music and video services to be turned on.

The company also announced both a series of immediate steps to enhance security across the network and a new customer appreciation programme to thank its customers for their patience and loyalty.

Following a criminal cyber attack on the company's data centre located in San Diego, California, USA, SNEI quickly turned off PlayStation Network and Qriocity services, engaged multiple expert information security firms over the course of several days, and conducted an extensive audit of the system.

Since then, the company has implemented a variety of new security measures to provide greater protection of personal information. SNEI and its third party experts have conducted extensive tests to verify the security strength of PlayStation Network and Qriocity services.

With these measures in place, SCE and SNEI plan to start a phased roll-out by region of the services shortly. The initial phase of the roll-out will include, but is not limited to, the following:

Restoration of online gameplay across PlayStation 3 and PSP systems, including titles requiring online verification and downloaded games.
Access to Q Music Unlimited for PS3/PSP for existing subscribers.
Access to account management and password reset.
Access to download unexpired movie rentals on PS3, PSP and Media Go.
PlayStation Home.
Friends List.
Chat functionality.
Working closely with several outside security firms, the company has implemented significant security measures to further detect unauthorized activity and provide consumers with greater protection of their personal information.

The company is also creating the position of Chief Information Security Officer, directly reporting to Shinji Hasejima, Chief Information Officer of Sony Corporation, to add a new position of expertise in and accountability for customer data protection, and to supplement existing information security personnel.

The new security measures implemented include, but are not limited to, the following:

Added automated software monitoring and configuration management to help defend against new attacks.
Enhanced levels of data protection and encryption.
Enhanced ability to detect software intrusions within the network, unauthorized access and unusual activity patterns.
Implementation of additional firewalls.
The company also expedited an already planned move of the system to a new data centre in a different location that has been under construction and development for several months.

In addition, PS3 will have a forced system software update that will require all registered PlayStation Network users to change their account passwords before being able to sign into the service. As an added layer of security, that password can only be changed on the same PS3 in which that account was activated, or through validated email confirmation, a critical step to help further protect customer data.

The company is conducting a thorough and ongoing investigation and working with law enforcement to track down and prosecute those responsible for the illegal intrusion.

"This criminal act against our network had a significant impact not only on our consumers, but our entire industry," said Kazuo Hirai, Executive Deputy President, Sony Corporation. "These illegal attacks obviously highlight the widespread problem with cyber security. We take the security of our consumers' information very seriously and are committed to helping our consumers protect their personal data. In addition, the organization has worked around the clock to bring these services back online, and are doing so only after we had verified increased levels of security across our networks. Our global audience of PlayStation Network and Qriocity consumers was disrupted. We have learned lessons along the way about the valued relationship with our consumers, and to that end, we will be launching a customer appreciation programme for registered consumers as a way of expressing our gratitude for their loyalty during this network downtime, as we work even harder to restore and regain their trust in us and our services."

Complimentary Offering and "Welcome Back" Appreciation Programme

While there is no evidence at this time that credit card data was taken, the company is committed to helping its customers protect their personal data and will provide a complimentary offering to assist users in enrolling in identity theft protection services and/or similar programmes. The implementation will be at a local level and further details will be made available shortly in each region.

The company will also roll out the PlayStation Network and Qriocity "Welcome Back" programme, to be offered worldwide, which will be tailored to specific markets to provide our consumers with a selection of service options and premium content as an expression of the company's appreciation for their patience, support and continued loyalty.

Central components of the "Welcome Back" programme will include:

Each territory will be offering selected PlayStation entertainment content for free download. Specific details of this content will be announced in each region soon.
All existing PlayStation Network customers will be provided with 30 days free membership in the PlayStation Plus premium service. Current members of PlayStation Plus will receive 30 days free service.
Q Music Unlimited subscribers (in countries where the service is available) will receive 30 days free service.
Additional "Welcome Back" entertainment and service offerings will be rolled out over the coming weeks as the company returns the PlayStation Network and Qriocity services to the quality standard users have grown to enjoy and strive to exceed those exceptions.

SNEI will continue to reinforce and verify security for transactions before resuming the PlayStation Store and other Qriocity operations, scheduled for this month.

For more information about the PlayStation Network and Qriocity services intrusion and restoration, keep an eye on PlayStation.Blog at blog.au.playstation.com, twitter.com/PlayStationEU and au.playstation.com for the latest updates.

Intelligence surrounding death of Bin Laden and further information

Reports surrounding the death of Bin Laden have outlined how US intelligence led to his death. Bin Laden has been described as living in a "compound" or "mansion". The building in which he was living was the largest of its type in the area. Also it was considered to be a fancy building however there was no telephone or internet connections were present. Further intelligence from the CIA which led to the death of Bin Laden included the fact that all rubbish from this building in which he was living was burned and not put out for collection. The building was also described as having extreme protection and the walls were very thick.

US military helicopters were sent to the building to complete the operation and killed a number of people inside including Osama Bin Laden. One report cited that Bin Laden was cowering behind a female employee and used her as a human shield. A son of Bin Laden and others inside the building were also killed. Reports advise that no Americans were harmed and surrounding areas were not effected.

Osama Bin Laden Dead

Osama Bin Laden has been killed by American troops in Pakistan. This has been comfirmed in a speech by the President of the United States of America Barack Obama. The leader of the Alkida terrorist group and instigator of the September 11 terrorist attacks in America, Osama Bin Laden has been targeted for some time now. His body was taken into custody by the American troops aftr a short "fire fight". All indications are that his death will not cause any significant security risk for the United States.

Royal Wedding Timetable / Schedule

The Royal Wedding Timetable between Prince William and his lovely Bride-To-Be Kate Middleton at Westminster Abbey on Friday the 29th of April 2011 has been revealed.

It is as follows:

8.15am:    The Congregation Will Arrive at Westminster Abbey.

9.50am:    Governor-Generasl and Prime Ministers of Realm Countries, the Diplomatic Corps, and VIPs arrive.

10.10am:  The Royal Groom-to-be Prince William and his brother and best man, Prince Harry leave Clarence House for Westminster Abbey.

10.20am:  The Arrival of Foreign Royal families at Westminster Abbey.

10.20am:  Kate Middleton’s Mother Carole and Brother James Middleton leave the Goring Hotel, Belgravia ,SW1, London.

10.25am:  Members of the Royal family make Their departure from Buckingham Palace To Arrive at Westminster Abbey at 10.30.

10.35am:  The Duke of York accompanied by his daughters Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie and The Earl and Countess of Wessex, The Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Timothy Laurence all make their way from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey.

10.38am:  The Grooms father The Prince of Wales (Charles) and his step-mother The Duchess of Cornwall (Camilla) leave Clarence House en-route for Westminster Abbey.

10.45am:  Her Majesty The Queen and her husband The Duke of Edinburgh arrive at Westminster Abbey.

10.55am:  The Royal bridesmaids and Pages arrive at Westminster Abbey.

10.51am:  The Royal-bride-to-Be Kate Middleton is accompanied by her father Michael Middleton, as they sets off together from the Goring Hotel, Belgravia, SW1, London, to Westminster Abbey.

11.00am:  The Marriage Service for Prince William and Kate Middleton begins and will be heard via speakers to everyone outside and all  along the Royal procession route.

12.15pm:   A Captain’s Escort of the Household Cavalry will Escort the Bride and Groom in their Royal Marriage Carriage which will be closely followed by her Majesty The Queen in her own Procession with a Sovereign’s Escort of the Household Cavalry,as it leaves Westminster Abbey en-route for Buckingham Palace.

12.30pm:   The Bride’s Carriage Procession arrives at Buckingham Palace.

12.40pm:   All other members of the Royal family and members of Foreign Royal Families arrive at Buckingham Palace.

12.45pm:   All the guests for the Wedding Reception arrive at Buckingham Palace.

1.25pm:      Her Majesty The Queen, Prince William and his new Royal bride Kate, together with all of their families, will make their  appearance on the iconic balcony at Buckingham Palace.

1.30pm      The British Royal Air Force and Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Make Their Fly Past In Honour of the Celebrations.

HTC Incredible S Australian release

Who really needs to read a thousand words about a new phone and its impending release. The early adopters thats who. Well thats fine but check out the other techy websites for that info. What I would like to see more of is mobile phones shops with working examples of their phones for the prospective buyer to really try it out before they make their purchase. Apple is well aware of this as a selling point but the likes of HTC and the other Android phones have to really rely on other phone dealers to do this for them. These dealers just want to get the phones out the door and are not too particular about one brand or another so it seems that the Android phones are already at a disadvantage. HOTheadlines gets about 10% mobile device traffic during the day and sorry if you were involved in the iphone auto redirect trial earlier this week. You will still see the message at the top of the screen though if you are on an iphone. Iphones and ipads make up over 60% of this mobile device traffic with Android devices responsible for only 13%. Granted Apple had the jump on everyone and the other makers are just trying to catch up but the iphone is right now leading the way. I can only guess that the traffic on here is representative of the rest of the market.

So back the HTC device. If any other maker is going to give Apple a run for its money then it is HTC. I have said this before. This is a solid device and is able to offer more than the iphone in some areas. This may be a more suitable phone for you than the iphone so make an effort to give it a try if you are in the market. It may surprise you but the iphone is not the only smart phone available and may not be the most suitable device for everyone shopping for a smart phone. I have nothing against the iphone, they are a real solid unit but dont rule out the other makers phones. As I said earlier HTC needs to give prospective buyers more access to the phones before they buy. This in my opinion will drive more sales and even up the gap between Apple and the rest.

The HTC Incredible S will be released soon, in Australia, if it has not already been released. Check it out as it looks like a great phone. There may not be a line of people around the block through the night waiting for its release but that doesn't make it any less of a phone. Also demand that the shops give you a working example of the phone before you buy.

POLLUTION

Noise pollution is something that we rarely think about. Just ask yourself when was the last time that all you could hear was total silence. We humans are really a noisy lot. Radio. TV. Trains. Cars. Industry. Aircraft. Games. just to name a few things. Most of these things have come about in just the last few hundred years and some of them in just the last few. We can only try to imagine what our world sounded like back say two hundred years ago. It would have been a much quieter place. I can hear some of you say, "So what?" Then let me ask you a question can you really concentrate on something if there is a lot of noise? Also for those of us that live in cities do you feel comfortable when there is silence? We go for a day's outing to a nice quiet place and then have to either turn on a radio, CD player or plug sound direct into our ears. The norm for many thousands of years has been a quiet earth with just nature mostly supplying the sound. It is my opinion that we should treat noise pollution the same as all other types of pollution and try to limit its impact on us and the environment

The Royal Wedding and the Media's Responsibility

The Royal Wedding of Kate and William, one of the biggest tabloid events in history, is about to happen. Of course without a doubt the tabloid magazines and the media in general around the globe are buzzing with excitement and the action has already begun. Of course any wedding is a cause for celebration and a time for happiness but it is also a time for a little stress, especially for the bride and groom. Let’s take a little time to look at the issues at play here and how the situation should be approached.

Kate Middleton the now fiancé of Prince William went from leading a rather normal life to one under the spotlight of the global media, obviously due to her relationship with Prince William. Here you have two young people in love who are making one of the biggest decisions of their life. Now that this decision has been made, Kate has no choice but to become a public figure. This is a kind of stress that anyone else would not have to deal with when getting married. Images of Kate and William are spread right across the media and it is just accepted that Kate has now become public property and we can do with her what we like. Not only her present day behaviour is scrutinised but her entire past is dragged out in front of the public. This would be a very stressful situation to deal with for her and the enormity of that would probably in fact overshadow the wedding for her and William.  Kate and William's smiling faces are almost daily in the media right now and my only hope is that the media storm around their wedding is not enough to cause any problems for the two.

Williams past experiences with the media especially surrounding the death of his mother would have galvanised him from its effects. His whole life in fact has been played out in front of the public; after all he does have royal blood. This kind of exposure to the media would have to have some kind of effect on a person and it cannot be disregarded. The media by its very nature has to bring stories to the public. Media agencies have to compete with other media agencies so they have to make their stories the best available. This means squeezing the subject of their story for every last drop that they can get then making up the rest of the information. Once they have everything that they want the subject is dropped for the next big thing. The public has had their fill of information on this topic so they are able to move on also. However this leaves the subject of the story to deal with the aftermath of all this attention. It is this aftermath that can cause serious problems for people. I hope Kate Middleton is not one of them as she seems like a nice person.

People should be allowed their privacy, even if they are public figures. Public figures are also human and need to be treated as such. If I was a public figure such as the likes of Prince William then I would like some privacy too. Ofcourse he has a duty to the people but there has to be a line. The death of Williams mother very much highlighted this issue so lets not let the same happen to this young loving couple.

The media usually does not care for the effect that it is having on any given sutuation. Merely by being present and breaking a story the media can have an effect that can influence a situation. This will then just feed more stories to the media outlets that have created them out of thin air in the first place. The media needs to take more responsibility for the effects that it is responsible for and start caring more for the people that make them their money.

Thank you Kate and William and good luck.

Climate Change

I am not a climate change denier just a skeptic. I question why Global Warming has now changed to Climate Change. I question why if the planet is warming why has most parts of Australia had the coldest March since recordings first began. This info from the BOM. I question why CO2 readings in the atmosphere do not take into account the amount contributed by natural events such as the recent volcano in Iceland. Apparently it spewed into the atmosphere many times what we humans contribute??

Online shopping heating up in Australia

I can think of nothing worse than getting trapped in a car park and fighting traffic, queues and thousands of people when I am just trying to purchase something from a shop. This is one very strong motivation of mine to change to online shopping for more and more items. There are no queues, there is no traffic and everything apart from actually getting the product is instant. I may or may not save any money in the process.

It is good to see that online retailers are competing well with traditional retailers in Australia and a case in point is the online electronics retailer Kogan. Kogan has been on the scene for the past few years in Australia and has been trying to make a name for itself. The business model for Kogan is simple. They import cheaper electronics from overseas and sell them online badged as their own. Ruslan Kogan the founder of Kogan is a savvy business man and is constantly getting under the skin of the more traditional electronics retailers in Australia. Good on Kogan for having a go and making a name for himself and I am following his journey closely. It must be hard to balance the price, quality and service to make it a viable business option.

Online retailers however have to be careful with their angle. It seems that they are all saying that the traditional retailers have got it wrong. They treat the traditional retailers as though they are a cartel that has been formulated to rip off and mislead the public. Online retailers use their price point to push this issue. This is just a marketing scheme and don't fall for it. By all means if the actual price you pay for a widget is your main motivation then buy the cheapest one you can find. Be prepared to pay for quality though wherever you find it. Quality however does not end with the actual unit but extends to the support you will receive after the fact. If you buy a cheap television online then it will be delivered in no time at all and you can start watching it and save a bit of cash in the process. Once your television breaks however, what support is provided to you?

What the public has to realise about online and traditional retailers is that this fight has been around even before the internet. Things like mail order purchases were around well before the internet and survived beside the larger chains. There is a place for both the traditional and online retailers and both of them should be concentrating more on the service provided to the customer and the quality of the unit sold. The main thing I concern myself with when purchasing anything is the advice supplied by the sales person. I would pay extra for good advice. How about you?

Audi Q3 due in late 2011

The much anticipated Audi Q3 crossover vehicle has been confirmed to go into production late in 2011. The SEAT factory in Spain will produce the vehicles with the first models expected off the production line in July 2011. With plenty of automotive pedigree to draw from the Audi Q3 will be able to choose the best of everything and will be based on the Volkswagen Tiguan with Golf sporty engine options. The target market for the vehicle will be the sporty about towner rather than the weekender off roader. With sales shifting more to the smaller crossover vehicles Audi will be filling a gap in its already large range with the new Q3. This will be the smallest in the Audi SUV category and is expected to compete with the BMW X1 and the Mercedes GLK class.

Spy shots of the pre production model have surfaced on the internet as usual to increase the buzz around any new product release these days. The car will however be based around the Cross Coupe Quattro Concept that Audi took to the 2007 Shanghai Motor Show. The production model is expected to be shown at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September of this year. So this car has been a long time coming.

As for the Australian release date there is no official word so we can only speculate that it will be late 2011 to early 2012.

HTC Desire S smart phone Australian release date and pricing

Smart phones have really taken off in Australia and roughly 10 percent of HOTheadlines traffic is from smart phones. The HTC Desire, released last year, was a huge hit and went on to become a top selling smart phone in Australia. It is the best competition Apple has had in the smart phone area and not going anywhere fast. The HTC Desire S coming to Australia in 2011 is sure to also be a hit as the interest is already high. First shown at the Mobile World Congress, the Desire S will be available exclusively on Telstra’s Next G network when it arrives in Australia in the first half of this year.

The HTC Desire S will feature the latest Android Gingerbread operating system as well as a powerful processor for faster web-browsing. With a mobile chipset capable of faster mobile internet speeds you will have faster access to the thousands of Android apps. It wouldn't be a smart phone if there weren't apps to go with it. You will also have ample screen space to use your apps and the 3.7-inch touch screen is set in a body made of a single piece of aluminium for great looks and a solid feel.

Exact pricing and availability for the HTC Desire S will be announced closer to the launch date although you should expect to pay around $650 Australian Dollars outright but don't quote me on that. See Telstra for further details.

The HTC Desire S – great features include:

• 3.7-inch touch screen
• HSDPA 14.4 Mbps peak download rating. Actual speeds are less.
• Weight: 130 grams
• Size: 115 x 59.8 x 11.63 mm
• Google™ services including Google Mail™, Google™ search, YouTube™, Google Calendar™ and Google Maps™
• 5 megapixel colour camera with power LED flash
• Processor: 1 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon™
• Operating system: Google™ Android Gingerbread
• More than 100,000 apps on Android Market