internet

From Foxtel to Foxtel Now

Peter G Foxtel, Foxtel Now, internet, Petesmusic's Blog, Sport, technology, video streaming , , ,

I have decided with not getting the National Broadband Network in Australia was not to subscribe to the Foxtel cable service by Foxtel & instead get Foxtel Now (formerly Foxtel Play) which uses an online connection to get a set of Foxtel channels. The main difference between Foxtel and Foxtel Now is the prices you pay & the number of channels you receive. The packages you get on Foxtel and Foxtel Now are completely different. With Foxtel, you need a set top box. I am currently using Foxtel Now through the Samsung smart Blu- Ray Player. No need for a professional installation. Can use Foxtel Now as well on the personal computer & get the Smart phone app if I want to. Foxtel Now for people who live in the United Kingdom & Ireland is Australia’s version of Now TV.
With Foxtel Now, there a few base packs to choose from:

  • Pop pack
  • Lifestyle pack
  • Drama pack
  • Docos pack
  • Kids pack

You can use every pack on a one month trial before choosing to pay for any of the packs. You can either choose from one base pack or choose every base pack after the one month trial. For financial reasons, I have chosen the Pop pack because I like the programs more with this pack compared with the other starter packs. The Pop pack & Drama pack by themselves cost $A15 per month while the Kids pack, Docos pack & the Lifestyle pack costs $A10 per month. Not to forget the Pop pack & the Drama pack combined costs $A25 per month.
With the Pop pack, the channels you receive are:

In addition of the base pack(s), you can choose the next tier:

  • Sports pack ($A29 per month)
  • Movies pack ($A20 per month)

You can either choose wither the Sports pack or the Movies pack or both packs but must get the base pack(s) first. Included if you pick one of the packs as the minimum are the channels you receive in addition:

The main positive with Foxtel Now is the opportunity to watch channels like Showcase & The Comedy Channel through a pack worth $A15 per month. With Foxtel, to get those very channels would cost a lot more money in a month. The main drawback is I feel is the cutting the number of channels that were available from Foxtel Now earlier this year. For more information, go to the Foxtel Now website.

NOTE: This information is only related to the Australian market. This is an independent review & I have no relationship with Foxtel as an employee or contractor. This post has all the information updated as at May 28 in 2018 from the original post from December 20 in 2017.

foxtelnow

Not getting the NBN

Peter G computers, internet, NBN, Sydney, Wireless , , , ,

My last blog post was preparing for the NBN. To recap, NBN is short for the National Broadband Network which is the name for the broadband network that exists in Australia. The NBN is a wholesaler providing the infrastructures which exists in a lot of homes in Australia. To get an NBN order, you must ring a telecommunications company providing the NBN technology for an order. For several years, I have been a customer of the Optus cable technology. Before the NBN was ready, I had high hopes with the availability of this technology in the inner-west suburbs of Sydney which is the area of my residence. Not long after my last blog post, the NBN was ready around my residence. I got letters from telecommunications companies where I am not a customer. Not long after it was Optus. Their letter had a disconnection date with the current technology as early as September 2017. If not making an NBN order by that date. For personal reasons, I was not ready to make an NBN order considering trying to make for September but given June or July connection dates which were not to all right for me. I made two orders for Optus NBN but cancelled them both for personal reasons. I decided not to make another order for the NBN with Optus or other companies because I was very dissatisfied big time with customer service of a very low standard.

I did manage to buy a 4G wireless broadband product with a subsidiary brand of a big telecommunications business & got connected with no hassle after going to an electrical business to buy a modem. The current strange scenario is I have a 4G wireless broadband account with this other telecommunications business & as well, still have an Optus home account with their technology. The disconnection date of the Optus letter never happened & the date of disconnection is not till the end of 2018 according to the NBN. It is a shame that I have spent hundreds of dollars no thanks to Optus that I could have saved. I could have connected with the 4G wireless broadband with the telecommunications business I recently signed up with later for my liking. If I want to proceed with future disconnection, I must ring Optus personally to switch it off. Not at all using this so called old equipment for free either. I am totally not all interested in getting the NBN now. Sticking with this 4G wireless broadband product that I have signed up with for quite a while.

CEBIT 2012

Peter G computers, internet, laptop , ,
English: Sydney Convention Centre at Darling H...
English: Sydney Convention Centre at Darling Harbour (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Sydney, Australia was where CEBIT 2012 from May 22-24. The Convention & Exhibition Centre in Darling Harbour was where the action is. Anything related to IT for sale to industry people was the intention. Organisations from across the universe selling their wares. The latest laptops, cloud servers, using social media, IT trends, PC software, smartphone apps & IT systems just to give you an idea of some topics with information provided in this expo. I did some research on courses related to IT. I asked a couple of places but were for more training for existing IT employees. I am planning to study from scratch. A shame that TAFE NSW did not have a stand. I know that Sydney University & University of Technology, Sydney had a presence there. I am not keen to go to an university. I did spend a couple of hours watching what was offered at the time I was there. I did have a good time going to quite a few Sydney CEBIT’s.

Goyte has the number one single in the Billboard Charts

Peter G internet, music appreciation , ,

This week, Goyte holds the number one position in the Billboard US Singles Charts with “Someone That I Used To Know”. This duet with Kimbra is the first Australian act to have a number one US hit in the 21st century. He is no overnight sensation as it took over a decade to get to this position. This very track is from his third album “Making Mirrors”. The video clip to the “Someone I Used To Know” has had over 167 million views on You Tube. If you haven’t seen the video yet, the link is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UVNT4wvIGY. Happy Viewing. 

 

Ways to buy recorded music

Peter G internet, music appreciation ,

There are so many ways to buy recorded music. The internet has expanded the avenues associated with buying recorded music.

1. Going to a music retailer is more the traditional way. Buying the physical CD or vinyl. Face to face contact with the customer service person is a part of the experience. Chains like JB Hi-Fi, Sanity, HMV etc to the independent music retailers.

2. Buying from music retailers online. Many physical retailers are online as well. Even retailers that don’t have a physical store trade online. Amazon is an online success story where there is no physical store.

3. Downloading a track to an album. The digital download through where a file or files can be purchased instead of buying the CD or vinyl. The most popular store is the iTunes Store where music is stored on devices like portable music players, smartphones, tablet computers or computers.

4. Subscribing to a music streaming site. Sites like Spotify, Rdio, Songl & Pandora store all the music on the website. Prices vary & do your research on which ones suit you. Can play on computers, tablet computers & smartphones (optional). No need to purchase the tracks. The rental option is there as long you keep subscribing. Australian music & electrical retailer JB Hi-Fi as well have entered in this very area.

Here the ways to pay for recorded music. You never know what you will discover from buying the next CD or going to Spotify to find a piece of music that you might like. Happy listening.