Monday, May 31, 2010

How to permanently delete your Facebook account

JustLocal is designed to provide low cost local advertising to people wishing to start, or who are already running a small to medium sized business. Not only is it low cost, but I believe that if you don’t benefit from participating in JustLocal then why should I. For that reason I offer a money back guarantee. I’ve used many advertising services over the year and all produced little or no result. I don’t think that is fair on anyone who is trying to establish a business and it is not how I wish to run JustLocal.
JustLocal advertisers now have an invaluable resource to help them and their business and is another way to guarantee you receive value from JustLocal. I’ve decided to provide the MyAnswers solution database as a free resource to JustLocal advertisers. The value of the time invested in creating the MyAnswers solution database is in the order of tens of thousands of dollars, but the value of the knowledge is substantially more. A single MyAnswers solution could easily save you hundreds of dollars and considerable time.
A number of people have expressed interest in permanently deleting their Facebook account, so I decided I would provide the write-up as an example of a MyAnswers solution. This solution took a short while to investigate and document. Many solutions have taken hours to solve the initial problem and all solutions are available for free to advertisers.
If you would like to permanently delete your Facebook account here is how to do it.

QUESTION - 1990
How to permanently delete your Facebook account.


ANSWER
If you go into the Account section of Facebook there is only the ability to deactivate your account. To actually permanently delete your account I found the following approach works.

Log on to your Facebook account
Select Account
Select Help Center
In the Help Center search field type Permanently delete account
Click Search
Click the item How do I permanently delete my account?

You will find a link at the end of this paragraph which is the word here.

If you do not think you will use Facebook again and would like your account deleted, please keep in mind that you will not be able to reactivate your account or retrieve any of the content or information you have added. If you would like your account permanently deleted with no option for recovery, log in to your account and then submit your request by clicking here.

Click on the word here

The Delete My Account form is displayed

Click Submit

You are prompted for your password and a Security Check.

Enter your password and the text displayed.

Click Okay

You now receive the Permanently Delete Account dialogue which advises your account has been deactivated and will be permanently deleted within 14 days.

Click Okay

Your Facebook account will now be deleted within the 14 days.

I hope you’ve enjoyed a little more about the many benefits provided to the JustLocal community of advertisers and their local community.

- Kelvin Eldridge

Local news item - ASIC

Concern over Apple iPad Safari browser for businesses with web sites

I recently noticed a problem with the Apple iPad browser, which for businesses with web sites, may be a concern. Here is the problem.

An iPad enthusiast purchases a $1,000 iPad. They then go to a real estate site to search for a property. When they try to select the options in the search criteria, such as the property type, or the suburb, they can’t. To the iPad enthusiast the site doesn’t work and they may move on to another site.

Who does the iPad enthusiasts blame? Do they blame their iPad’s browser for not being able to work with a site which works with desktop browsers (including Safari for the Desktop), or do they blame the business for having a site that doesn’t work. Initially I suspect the iPad enthusiast won’t suspect their iPad is the issue, but over time as they visit more sites and find the same issue, it will become apparent.

If you run a web site it may be prudent to check your site. The area of concern are forms and in particular the drop down lists where users select items.

The good thing is your don’t have to own an iPad to perform the test. I initially found the issue using an iPhone so you can test your site using an iPhone.

I then went to the Doncaster Apple store and used one of their demo iPads to confirm the issue was the same on the iPad and confirmed the issue. An unexpected concern for me was this was the second day the iPad was on display and the iPad I used would no longer rotated the page from portrait to landscape when the iPad was rotated. Demonstration equipment in an Apple store is probably in one of the harshest environments, but for a unit not to work after two days concerned me.

For me an additional problem is I suggested that a client should purchase an iPad for demonstration use to their clients. However I now know their site will not work very well with the iPad and that may reflect poorly on them. I wasn’t aware of this problem and now need to advise my client to consider this additional information.

The good thing is it is easy to test a site using an iPhone. If you have problems displaying a site on an iPhone, it is likely you’ll have a similar problem on the iPad. If you are an Apple Safari user you shouldn’t assume because it works on the desktop version of Safari, it will also work on the iPad and iPhone version of Safari.

If you do have a site and feel iPhone and iPad users are important to your business, then it would be prudent to test your site using an iPhone and perhaps an iPad.

- Kelvin Eldridge

Sunday, May 30, 2010

Property update: Templestowe, Templestowe Lower, Doncaster, Doncaster East, Bulleen, Eltham and Eltham North

The following properties have recently been listed.

Happy home hunting.

- Kelvin Eldridge

Saturday, May 29, 2010

Property update: Templestowe, Templestowe Lower, Doncaster, Doncaster East, Bulleen, Eltham and Eltham North

Apple iPad at Doncaster shoppingtown

Today I decided to drop into the Apple store and check out the new iPad. They had a good display of the iPads.

I’ve been keen to check out what JustLocal looked like on the iPad and I can say it looked great. Entering the postcode page for the Doncaster area quickly brought up the local page. Clicking on the search then enabled me to search the local businesses. Everything worked as I desired.

When I designed JustLocal nearly three and a half years ago my clients were using display resolutions of 800x600. I designed JustLocal to a standard which I felt would be in use over the next 3-5 years. Apple’s iPad uses the same standard and so I was keen to actually see the result. The picture shows what it looks like, but it really doesn’t do it justice, because it really does look great.

I did ask some questions about whether stock was available, but I didn’t really get a direct answer, which I thought was a bit weird. In any case I’m not ready to buy. As I drove off I kept thinking to myself when I bought the iPhone I had some pain points. There were things my ageing HP PocketPC just wouldn’t do. The memory was to small and the version of Internet Explorer based on IE4 could not handle many of the modern sites. I needed a device which solved those pain points. The Apple iPhone was the best device which met my needs.

With the iPad, whilst I think it is a great device, I haven’t yet found pain points that it solves for me, that will justify forking out close to a $1,000. I have lots of justifications for wanting the device, but I haven’t yet determined any pain points. What I find is if we emotionally decide we want something first, then we will generally come up with justification to get the product, even if we really don’t need it.

I’ve seen people buy iPads overseas and then they give it to their children and enjoyed watching them use it. In essence they bought it for themselves, but I get the feeling passing it on to their children helps them justify something they may not have needed, but they’ve justified.

To me the large screen of the iPad is great. The weight of the iPad is excellent. I worked out if you charged the iPad for an hour a day it would cost around 73 cents a year to run. That is what I call cheap computing in terms of power usage.

For my clients I’ve already recommended they purchase a unit and test it out. For my clients I see pain points and opportunities which they aren’t aware of themselves.

I use an iPhone solely as a mobile computer. I prefer to use a normal mobile because the battery life of a normal mobile can last for days. I’ve been known to leave my mobile on overnight and I’m happy to see  it has plenty of charge the next day. I couldn’t do that with the iPhone. I’m thus a good candidate for the iPad as I don’t use my iPhone as a mobile phone. With the iPhone I can slip it into my man bag or a pocket very easily. The iPad size which to its credit is great, still means carrying around a largish device. I can see where that can be useful, but without a justification based on a return, it doesn’t help me.

At the moment I can use my netbook which will run everything I have on my notebook when in the field or travelling. I can even tether the netbook to the iPhone for mobile internet access. I have equipment which is compatible with the applications I currently use. The iPad doesn’t give me that.

Once I find a business justification that isn’t based on a simple desire to purchase a very fancy looking and impressive gadget, then I’ll be very happy to purchase an iPad. Until I find that reason I’ll just have to check it out when I go past the local Apple store at Doncaster.

- Kelvin Eldridge

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Ozito Eco 320 electric lawn mower runs on the smell of an oily rag.

My Victa lawn mower has been good to me. It lasted over 25 years with minor repairs I did myself along the way. That's pretty impressive. But the time came to get a new lawn mower. The starter cord ring wore out so I couldn't start the mower. It would still work, but I just can't start it.

I only have a small area in the backyard and the council's naturestrip. I do wish they'd mow their own property, but I don't think that will happen anytime soon. I decided I wanted a change. I really wanted an electric mower. Not a big unit, but something that was small due to the smaller area I have to mow.

I visited the local Bunnings and found the Ozito ECO 320 lawn mower. When I looked at it compared to the other more expensive units, it really looked like a toy. However I felt what I really wanted was not much more than a whipper snipper on wheels. I thought at $129 it wasn't to much to lose if it didn't last long. I bought the Ozito, took it home and assembled it.

That was in August 2009. It is now May 2010 and the Ozito is still going strong. It does the job I want.

Whilst the smaller cutting area means a little more work, and handling the electric cord can be a real nuisance at times, it is a breeze to start and I never have to go and buy petrol for it. I'd buy petrol 3-4 times a year plus oil, which probably totalled about $30 a year.

The other day I decided to work out how much the Ozito cost to mow my two areas of lawn. When running, the Ozito consumes around 450W of energy. Each area takes around 15 minutes. There are times I start and stop, but for the purpose of the calculation I've decided to simply say it takes 30 minutes to mow the lawn. Using the energy cost calculator it works out the cost is around 5 cents. If I mow the lawn on average once a month that's less than a dollar a year. (Actually I also noted the cost according to the power meter which I thought was wrong. For the naturestrip the cost was around a cent and for the back lawn around two cents.)

When I purchased the Ozito I also did a bit of research on mowing lawns. One interesting outcome was I learnt that by raising the height of cutting the lawn and perhaps mowing a little more regularly, you could mow the grass back into the lawn. That meant there was no need to use the grass catcher. This summer for the first time our back lawn remained green for the summer. It usually ends up as dirt. Others commented on how our lawn was still green when theirs had died. I'm pretty sure leaving the lawn slightly longer and mowing the lawn back in as feed probably made the lawn stronger.

I'm very happy with the Ozito ECO 320. I'm not sure how long it will last, but if it lasts 4-5 years it will pay for itself. It has a two year warranty, so by that stage it will have half paid for itself in fuel savings.

- Kelvin Eldridge

Saturday, May 15, 2010

Property update: Templestowe, Templestowe Lower, Doncaster, Doncaster East, Bulleen, Eltham and Eltham North

The following properties have recently been listed.
Happy home hunting.

- Kelvin Eldridge

What's happening around Templestowe

The following are links to items relating to Templestowe and the surrounding area.

Manningham

MANNINGHAM Council is considering hiring a professional political lobbyist in an attempt to influence state political decision-makers ahead of the November election.

Eltham

MORE than 300 soccer players have been benched due to restrictions on the use of a sports ground at Eltham College.


Templestowe

RETIRED engineer Neville Armstrong has turned tinkering in the tool shed into a rewarding and life-changing experience as a technical volunteer with disability support agency TADVIC.

Warrandyte

POLICE expect a "vast improvement" in their radio coverage of Warrandyte when a new repeater site is built - as part of a $20 million communications boost across Melbourne.

- Kelvin Eldridge

Thursday, May 13, 2010

What's happening around Templestowe

The following are links to articles on the internet relating to Templestowe and the surrounding area.

Warrandyte

AS the Government announced $136.3 million to ready the state for future bushfires, four new Warrandyte CFA recruits readied for their first call-out.

Doncaster East

ALDI'S bid to open a new store in Doncaster East is being delayed by an objection lodged at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal by traders, including Woolworths.

COACH Jason Hardwick said Doncaster East's gradual improvement was highlighted in the team's effortless 121-point win against Mooroolbark in EFL Division 2 on Saturday.

Doncaster's Hayley Padget, Isabelle Peskett, Meg Pearce, Georgia Pascoe, Samantha Pikia and Nicola Hogan were members of the state team that beat Queensland, 4-3, in a nailbiting championship-decider.

Doncaster

AN 85-YEAR-OLD man was killed in a crash after driving on the wrong side of Doncaster Rd.

ASIAN culture and artefacts have been the inspiration for an art show to be held at Doncaster Gardens Primary School during Education Week.

Manningham

OUR state Lower House representatives are "disappointed" with the State Budget and say Manningham has been "short changed" on major funding.

Templestowe

WORKERS will soon start building the new Templestowe fire station, as the State Government reaffirmed its commitment to the project, first proposed three years ago.

Templestowe Lower

TEMPLESTOWE Heights Primary School is set for a major refurbishment with funds from the 2010-11 State Budget.

The Bulleen Heights Probus Group meets at the Bulleen Baptist Church on the corner of Thompsons and Marcus Roads at 10am on the second Monday of each month.

Bulleen

The Blues will also take over the Manningham Club in Bulleen (formerly Brisbane Lions) and continue to control machines at its club in Laverton.

Eltham

AN Eltham landowner says he is being used as a guinea pig to test the limits of tree removal rules put in place after Black Saturday's bushfires.

ELTHAM SES will make a last-ditch plea to Nillumbik Council to allow it to make its temporary home permanent.

Enjoy

- Kelvin Eldridge

Microsoft Office 2010 is just around the corner

With the forthcoming release of Microsoft Office 2010 I would suggest anyone considering a new computer and Microsoft Office, it is now a good time to wait. If you buy a new computer and Office 2007, with Microsoft's technology guarantee you'll get a free upgrade to Office 2010. The problem is someone needs to install the new version, someone needs to do the admin for the new version and free often means a delivery fee of some type. To me it is much cleaner to simply wait a short while.

I'm still trying to gather information about the new versions and what it means to clients. At this stage I'm hearing a lot of gossip, but gossip isn't good for making decisions.

So far it appears:

1. There will be product cards with no media and then there will be retail products with media. I'm not sure of the product cards/keys will only be for new machines, or for anyone. I get the feeling they will be for anyone, but I'm not sure.

My experience in the past with downloading product off the internet has not been good. I find issues with failures. It is OK when things go well, but the time wasted when something goes wrong can be considerable as well as very frustrating. This can be particularly costly if you are paying someone to do it for you.

2. I believe manufacturers will be able to install Office which on new machines which will have reduced functionality. The Office product you want will be able to be purchased and unlocked with a product card/key. That is a good approach as it gets around the downloading of software.

3. I read that product cards only have a single machine licence, whereas the retail product will enable you to install two copies of the software. This may or may not be for the same primary user.

4. I've read the Home/Student version will be a three user licence. Again I'm not sure if this is correct, or that it is for the packaged product.

5. The typical version used by business may become the version which contains Word, Excel, PowerPoint, One Note and Outlook. This is the cost effective option with Office Professional for some reason being very expensive if purchased as a packaged product relative to the Home and Business version. However the product key version for new computers is still a reasonable price.

6. The Office Professional version if bought as a retail package is in my opinion far too high and it doesn't quite make sense why they'd price it so high. That to me means it will deter people from using Access which has been one of my favourite Office products over the years. to be fair I've not found many people use Access unless someone else has developed an application for them.

7. Upgrades won't be available. That to me is a big change in approach. However if we compare Office Standard 2007 upgrade with Office Home and Business 2010, the products contain similar applications and cost around the same price. It appears the pricing has been brought down so upgrades aren't required. That is a good move. I see upgrades and OEM often more of a nuisance in terms of support when there is a problem such as a computer failing and a reinstallation being required. To me a single full version of the product would make life easier for everyone.

8. There will be a free version of Office 2010 which is a cut down version in terms of function that will include advertising. I'm not sure yet how this will work. Is it only available on new machines or can it be downloaded and installed? That will become clearer in time.

9. Consumers will be able to use online versions for free using the Windows Live service. It will be very interesting to see how the online versions perform.

10. Those want Outlook will most likely consider Office Home and Business 2010.

11. Office Professional 2010 is significantly dearer than Office Home and Business at nearly twice the price of Office Home and Business. If you want only want Access or Publisher, it may even be cheaper to buy them separately than to buy the Professional version.

12. I'm not sure, but it does seem like Microsoft Works won't be going forward.

The new line up for consumers and small business are Office Home and Student 2010, Office Home and Business 2010 and Office Professional 2010. There is a product key version which is purchased with a new machine (a card) and there is a retail product as a package. The upgrade product is now gone. There are additional versions for large business.

Large businesses will soon be able to get access to Office 2010 and consumers and smaller businesses will get access to 2010 later in June.

As with all software and in fact any purchase, it is important to buy for your needs. I'll be checking out the new versions and looking for ways clients can benefit from the new versions, both the Desktop and the online versions. I hope to make some of my discoveries known via this blog and also via MyAnswers for clients.

- Kelvin Eldridge

TAGS: download microsoft office, microsoft professional office, microsoft publisher

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Queen's Birthday 2010

With Anzac day now a memory, the next public holiday in Victoria is the Queen's Birthday holiday. I've always thought it was rather strange that we don't celebrate the Queen's birthday on her actual birthday. Since I didn't know when that was I decided to investigate. However I also wondered if all states celebrate her birthday on the same day.

The result was quite interesting. It turns out Queen Elizabeth II was born on April 21st 1926.

Equally interesting are the states: Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania all have the Queen's Birthday for 2010 on the 14th of June. Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory also have the Queen's Birthday on the 14th of June.

Western Australia differs and has the Queen's Birthday for 2010 on Monday the 27th of September.

Enjoy

- Kelvin Eldridge

TAGS: Queens Birthday, Queen Birthday

Property update: Templestowe, Templestowe Lower, Doncaster, Doncaster East, Bulleen, Eltham and Eltham North

What's happening around Templestowe

The following are links to articles relating to Templestowe and the surrounding area.

Bulleen

A trip to Heidi Museum of Modern Art provides food for the creative soul. Simple yet flavoursome and artistically presented dishes are to be found at Cafe Vue at Heidi - the food reflects the surroundings.

Doncaster

DONCASTER'S Craig Scroop has been an active member of two local school councils for more than 16 years.

Templestowe Lower

A BASKETBALL masterclass, run by Women's National Basketball Legaue players, was a slam-dunk with students at Templestowe College.

YOUNGSTERS at Templestowe Valley Preschool will help "supervise" transformation of cramped offices into a $90,000 state-of-the-art administration centre and meeting room.

- Kelvin Eldridge

Monday, May 10, 2010

Telstra Apple iPad plans announced

Telstra has recently released pricing information on their Apple iPad according to the following article on the Bigpond site (Telstra unveils iPad data plans).

If I read this correctly, the pricing is for plans with no contract and are pre-paid plans. This pricing is very good. Couple this with Telstra's network which I've found to be better than other networks, and it does appear Telstra is being quite aggressive with their pricing.

Now whilst I don't want to be negative as I feel this is an excellent announcement, I can't help wonder why Telstra can't provide similar value for their pre-paid users with iPhones. Currently it costs $59 for 750MB with the Browse Plus 59 pack.

Aggressive pricing by Apple for the iPad and now aggressive pricing by Telstra will certainly be good for Australian iPad users.

- Kelvin Eldridge

Saturday, May 8, 2010

Apple sets local iPad launch date and prices

On April the 9th I wrote an article on how much I felt the iPads would cost when they hit Australian shores.

I read the following press release (iPad Available in Nine More Countries on 28 May) and I was very pleasantly surprised. Based on my calculations the iPads are being priced close to parity with the US price. I feel this is an excellent result for Australians and full credit to Apple for their aggressive pricing.

- Kelvin Eldridge

Bank of Queensland Doncaster East branch closes

As mentioned in an earlier post, I recently went to my local Bank of Queensland branch only to find the branch was boarded up. I asked Centre Management if they had moved and they had no information. I also couldn't find any information on the Bank of Queensland site. It was all very disconcerting.

The next day I decided to check for the nearest Bank of Queensland branch so I could deposit some cheques. I checked out some of the branches and then noticed the manager from The Pines branch was now the manager of the North Balwyn branch, so I suspected they'd moved the branch to North Balwyn.

I wasn't too happy at first as North Balwyn is further away. I decided to measure the distance and it turned out to be 8.1km via Thompsons and Bulleen Road. I recalled The Pines was about 6km away, so really it wasn't so bad. I find it interesting that Doncaster, The Pines, Eltham, Bulleen and Lower Plenty are all around 6km away. Doncaster is fairly quick to get to, but once there, the parking can add quite an amount of time. So the distance isn't as bad as I first thought.

I was informed the branch had notices displayed since March, and to be fair, I do most of my banking online, so it had been a while since my last visit in person. Even though I've been banking at the branch for a number of years, my original branch is elsewhere and thus wasn't informed of the move. I think this could have been done better and certainly the web site for Bank Of Queensland could have the information online. but enough of my grumbling.

The staff were friendly and I recognised a smiling face. For those who like me can't find their local Bank Of Queensland branch in Doncaster East, I've included a photo of the branch which is close to the corner of Bulleen and Doncaster Roads in North Balwyn.

Happy banking.

- Kelvin Eldridge

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

What's happening in and around Templestowe

Today I trundled off to The Pines in Doncaster East to bank some cheques at the local Bank of Queensland. Much to my surprise the bank was boarded up.

I spoke to a person at Centre Management and it appears their lease had expired. I asked if they'd perhaps moved somewhere else but the person had no information.

To me this was quite a surprise and came without warning. I would have expected some form of notification but I'd heard nothing. Perhaps I shouldn't be too surprised. When the St George at Doncaster Shopping Town closed, I only knew about that branch closing when I rolled up to do some banking.

I feel that perhaps banks should at least provide some information to customers when they close a branch. An unexpected branch closure really does leave me with an uneasy feeling.

The funny thing is I only wish I had taken a picture to share it with others.

The following are links to articles relating to Templestowe and the surrounding area.

Eltham

ELTHAM East Primary School will be revamped under what Premier John Brumby calls the biggest school building program in Victoria's history.

Templestowe

The State Budget, released today, includes $3.134 million for construction at Templestowe fire station as well as $1.85 million for regeneration to Templestowe Heights Primary School.

- Kelvin Eldridge

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

What's happening in Templestowe and the surrounding area

The following are links to articles pertaining to the local area.

Bulleen

AUTHORITIES will conduct a traffic count at the "headache intersection" of Golden Way and Bulleen Rd following mounting pressure from residents.

NEVER give up was the mission statement that the former AFL footballer and now Collingwood assistant coach Paul Hudson delivered to an under-18s team under his charge a few years ago.

CONSTRUCTION has started on a million-dollar bike lane in Bulleen Rd.

Templestowe

AN EAST Ivanhoe motorcyclist has died in hospital after a crash in Templestowe yesterday.

Doncaster

The tendency to hold auctions in the outer suburbs, such as Blackburn and Doncaster, was also increasing, according to Noel Jones group chairman Adrian Jones.

It could be the sale of the 47-hectare Eastern Golf Course, in Doncaster, is suffering the same problem. It has been earmarked for a $1 billion mixed-use development but has been on the market since June.

Manningham

HOUSE prices have risen across the board in Manningham, with Doncaster and Templestowe among the 10 fastest growing suburbs in Melbourne.

The Donvale Reserve will get $60,000 for new change rooms, which will be used by St David's Cricket Club and Donvale Football Club, while Templestowe, Donvale and Serpell reserves will share in $34,000 for new drought-resistant grass.

Eltham

Rundown government schools in Altona, Ashburton, Bendigo, Collingwood, Eltham, Geelong, Noble Park and Ouyen will be among 93 to benefit from what Premier John Brumby calls the biggest school building program in Victoria's history.

THE Liberal Party has risked alienating its rank-and-file members after a powerful central committee picked its own candidate for Eltham.

MONTSALVAT artists%u2019 colony last week opened a new studio as part of its Artist in Residence program.

- Kelvin Eldridge