My blog

Working in TV

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 23:51:37 +1000

This is very funny. What some people will do to get on TV

Big Weekend

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 14:29:01 +1000

The weekend is almost here and that means I’m off to cover the local football for SAT FM. I’m off across to Nyah in Victoria’s north (just north of Swan Hill) to cover the game between Nyah/Nyah West United and Balranald. It’s going to be a good game of football.

On Sunday I’m off to Balranald to the Moto X to do the safety flags for that event. This is something I do a lot of, it’s fun and it keeps you on your toes. I love doing it, it’s a great day out as long as it doesn’t rain :)

Yes I know, I’m not a sports person but it gives me something to do instead of sitting around at home doing nothing or sitting on the computer doing even more nothing. I do try and get photos and videos of the day when I’m at the Moto X but some times it’s not easy to do this seeing your meant to be watching out if riders fall off their bikes in which case you have to get the flags out to warn other rides there is an issue on the track and therefore slow down. It’s free to come and watch the Moto X so anyone can come along. the football isn’t free, so I’m glad I don’t have to pay for the football. I wouldn’t pay to see sport. Like I said, I’m not a sports person but I do like motor sports and I do follow a AFL team but I wouldn’t go out of my way to watch it.

iPhone 4 Is Here

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 14:05:40 +1000

Today is the day when us Australian’s can get our hands on Apple’s new iPhone 4.

Hundreds of people across the country lined up outside phone dealers like Optus, Telstra and Vodafone to try to be the first person to own Apple’s wonder phone. This is even thou there has been some pretty negative press about the phone’s antenna. An issue I see easily fix by simply using a case. I have never know a phone that can’t be effected by signal drops when you cover the antenna. In fact I’m able to do this to ever phone I’ve owned including the iPhone 3GS. Now I must say I can’t do this when I’m at home because, well there is a phone tower to house blocks from me and the signal here is way to strong but it can be done once I move out of town and away from the tower. I also always have a case on my phones to be able to look after them and this would not change even if I get the new iPhone 4. My current iPhone 3GS is still in the same condition it was when I purchased it and this is because I look after my phones and keep them in a case. So this so called antenna issue with the new one wouldn’t be an issue for someone like me. Beside Apple are giving away a free case with every iPhone 4.

With this new antenna design the Apple has used with the iPhone 4 and the fact that it’s what I call a “full” 3G phone. What do I call a “Full”, well it’s a 3G phone that operates on all the 3G bands used here in Australia. Telstra’s Next G network operates on the UMTS 850Mhz band and Vodafone and Optus have built two 3G networks that use the UMTS 900Mhz and 2100Mhz bands. So a “full” 3G phone should work on all three of those bands and the new iPhone does this.

Now you might have read some of my earlier posts regarding issue I’ve had with Vodafone and their network in my area. These on going issues are effecting their so called 2G network. If you had a full 3G phone you would not have been effected by most of the outages. In fact friends I know that use Vodafone in my area told me they had not issue with Vodafone and when I lost service their phones continued to work. This is because the phones I have don’t operate on the 3G 900Mhz band and will only work with their 2G 900 and 3G 2100 network. This is the main reason why I want to upgrade to the new iPhone 4. In fact it’s the only reason I want to upgrade to it for. All because of it operating on the 3G (UMTS) 900Mhz band. If it wasn’t for that I wouldn’t want to upgrade. My iPhone 3GS works fine for what I need it to do but seeing the carriers here are putting all their time and money into their 3G 900Mhz network the poor old 3GS doesn’t work in a lot of areas.

In saying all that, I’m not jumping in and getting one straight away, I’m happy to wait. Well until I can get a friend to ring up and do the up grade for me, hopefully tonight :)

iPhone 4 Plans

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 17:25:10 +1000

So to re-cap on what the Australian telcos are offering us for the iPhone 4. Here they are.

iPhone 4 Plans Updated

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 17:18:08 +1000

Both Vodafone and 3 have released their plans for the up coming release of the iPhone on Friday.

Like I’ve said earlier, Vodafone is going to have to do a lot more than normal than just having great plans if they want to keep me as a customer. Will have to see what they come up with but if they do nothing then one of the other two telcos (Optus or Telstra) will get my business. I’m liking the Optus deals at the moment.