Sunday, October 23, 2011

Repco GearUP USB Car Charger Kit Universal gets the thumbs down.

Recently I purchased a Repco GearUP USB Car Charger Kit Universal which is a USB car charger kit which plugs into a car’s cigarette lighter and has two USB sockets for charging. Normally I stick with products I can purchase from my suppliers, but in this case because of the low value of the item, I decided to purchase one of these units on special for $9.99, reduced to half price.

I plugged the cable provided into my iPhone and the adaptor into a portable 12V battery designed to jump start a car and also provide power to accessories plus a number of other features. To my surprise and disappointment the iPhone 3GS reported it wouldn’t work with the device. I then plugged in the cable which came with the iPhone and it worked. Next I decided since it was a dual USB charger to plug in the iPhone 3GS and an Android mobile phone and charge both at the same time. Instead of the iPhone being charged, it was still losing power over time, whilst the Android phone did start to charge. I worked out you can only charge one device at a time.

It wasn’t worth the trip half way across Melbourne to where I purchased the unit, so like many people who purchase products that don’t live up to expectation, this one will probably end up in a draw and I’ll purchase a reputable product through my computer suppliers.

I didn’t expect to receive what I’d consider a substandard product from Repco, so I didn’t mind taking a chance. But from now on I’ll stick with the products I know and trust.

How many computer related devices have you purchased that don’t measure up to your expectation and end up in the draw?

At Online Connections I generally stick to devices and brands which have proven themselves across my client base over time. Often that doesn’t mean paying more. A good product can cost the same as a poor product. Marketers will often use the line “you get what you pay for” to encourage you to buy a particular product. To me what is important is the product proves itself in the field. Those are the products I’ll recommend to clients.

Kelvin Eldridge
http://www.onlineconnections.com.au/
Call 0415 910 703 if you require assistance with your computer.
Serving Doncaster, Templestowe, Eltham and the surrounding area.

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Ilona Anthony Templestowe


<<< photo missing >>>

Two new shops recently opened at Templestowe Village. You can now find Ilona Anthony located at the rear of the Bendigo Bank.


Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 if you require help with your computer.
No problem too small.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Trish Gallagher of Templestowe

Trish Gallagher of Templestowe in Melbourne’s east was selected from more than 400 quality entries as ninemsn’s new guest Food blogger... Read More

- Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for help with computer problems.
No problem too small.

Designer Samples Templestowe now open


<<< photo missing >>>

Today I noticed a new shop called Designer Samples had opened and was having a Grand Opening.

You can find Designer Samples behind Bendigo Bank in the recently completed shops.


Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 if you require help with your computer.
No problem too small.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Domino's Pizza Templestowe/Doncaster East

The other day I decided to try the new Domino’s Pizza store next to the Pines in Doncaster East. I received a leaflet and noticed they call this Domino’s Templestowe even though it really isn’t in Templestowe.

I found the staff to be friendly and the service efficient. The pizzas are Domino’s usual standard although I did feel the slices looked a bit small compared to other medium sized pizzas I’ve had.

The family doesn’t get terribly excited over pizza but I’m OK with pizza. I purchased a super supreme and a capriciosa. Both to me were quite good. As an IT person we have a reputation for pizza so that makes sense.

Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 if you need assistance with your computer or mobile device.

Janet Knoop is a member of Doncaster Templestowe and Spinners and Weavers

PEER into the past and celebrate Manningham’s inaugural Heritage Week with more than 30 activities, including exhibitions, lectures, workshops and events.... Read More

- Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for help with computer problems.
No problem too small.

Adam Bianco is preparing to play the romantic hero in Sweeney Todd

The Templestowe thespian has been honing his wooing skills to play Anthony, the lovelorn suitor of the bloodthirsty barber’s daughter.... Read More

- Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for help with computer problems.
No problem too small.

Monday, October 17, 2011

Melissa Cakes and Bar Templestowe site hacked

It appears the Melissa Cakes and Bar site has been hacked. Based on the information available from Google this occurred sometime before the sixth of October.

<<< photo missing >>>

I've advised their contact email address. If anyone reads this and is at Melissa, please let them know.

If you operate a site make sure you have a strategy in place in case your site, or even your hosting company is breached. I recently read of one hosting company which hosted 70,000 sites, was breached and I've known a number of people who've had their site hacked. It is important to be prepared.

Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 if you require help with your computer.
No problem too small.

VicRoads bus lane makes Foote street and Hawtin Street intersection dangerous for locals.

It was very obvious before the bus lane roadworks were started, the change was poorly designed and now the intersection is more dangerous. The costly bus lane will make little difference during peak periods due to traffic banking up in Williamsons Road.

<<< photo missing >>>

Now local residents can't turn right into Foote Street even when it is safe to do so.

Allowing vehicles doing a U-turn east of Hawtin for those needing access to Pinewood Road area makes sense and has been suggested by locals I know.

Having to now turn left from Hawtin into Foote Street sends people to do a U-turn at another dangerous section of the road near the crest of a hill.

The best solution is for the median strip in Foote Street to be widened as it was. This is unlikely to happen due to the government giving priority to their own bus network over private vehicles.

All residents accepting letter drops in the area were made aware of the dangerous nature of the changes before the roadworks started. No one expressed concern. People in the area, because they didn't take action, will now be faced with further inconvenience.


Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 if you require help with your computer.
No problem too small.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Cars smashed in Templestowe thieving spree

The events included a church group gathering near Church Rd and Porter St and an athletics competition in Rieschiecks reserve.... Read More

- Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for help with computer problems.
No problem too small.

Matthew Pereira

Living in Templestowe, I ride 30 kilometres each way to work at the RMIT Bundoora campus, and, depending on which route I take, the journey is between 45 minutes and an hour and a half.... Read More

- Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for help with computer problems.
No problem too small.

Monday, October 10, 2011

Tree sculpture corner Atkinson Street and Mahoney Street Templestowe

<<< photo missing >>>


I remember the council trying to save this tree on the corner of Atkinson Street and Mahoney Street. Unfortunately it looks like they couldn't save the tree.


Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au

Magpie Swooping Templestowe Westerfolds Park


<<< photo missing >>>

Now I'm not a fan of bicycle helmets but I'm glad I was warring one when this Maggie swooped me four times. All you hear is a whisk as it goes past.

This magpie was at the entrance to Westerfolds Park on the corner of Porter Street and Anderson Street.

Take care. I found keeping an eye on the magpie stopped it from swooping.


Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au

Road closure in Porter Street

<<< photo missing >>>


A while ago I read that part of Porter Street in Templestowe was closed due to the bank of the Yarra collapsing in Templestowe.

As you can see the section of road is still closed.

The section of road is between Milne Street and Anderson Street at the southern side of Westerfolds Park. This is a small tributary which runs into the Yarra.

Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au

Friday, October 7, 2011

Templestowe Park Primary School Twilight Open Day

A leaflet for the Templestowe Park Primary School Twilight Open Day was left in my letter box. For those interested the details are:

Twilight Open Day
Friday 14th October 2011
4pm to 6pm
Templestowe Park Primary School
399 Church Road
Templestowe 3106

Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 if you need help with your computer, network or mobile device.

POWER is back up and running in Doncaster and Templestowe after a mass blackout

A fault at United Energy’s Doncaster sub-station saw 10,000 customers lose power for up to two hours.... Read More

- Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for help with computer problems

Thornbury, Templestowe men facing people smuggling charges

AT least one of the alleged key players in a global people-smuggling operation was made an Aussie after slipping into the country illegally a decade ago. ... Read More

- Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for help with computer problems

Number plate recognition devices would be used in main thoroughfares

Acting Sergeant Shannon Elston, from the Nunawading Highway Patrol, said number plate recognition devices would be used in main thoroughfares such as Bulleen, Thompsons, Warrandyte and Doncaster roads.... Read More

- Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for help with computer problems

Jenny Wong, of Templestowe's Flying Dragon Chinese Restaurant

Jenny Wong, of Templestowe’s Flying Dragon Chinese Restaurant said their soup used imitation shark fin because the real product was too expensive.... Read More

- Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for help with computer problems

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Manningham Uniting Church (formerly Templestowe Uniting) 2011 Fete

I received a leaflet yesterday for the Templestowe Uniting Church Fete. The details are:

Saturday 8th October – 9am to 2pm.
104 Atkinson Street, Templestowe.

Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 if you require computer assistance

A brief summary of JustLocal for Templestowe residents and businesses.

I wanted to share with others in Templestowe what JustLocal is about. I’m a computer consultant with a large amount of expertise across a range of computer related disciplines. I find the best way to show others is by example.

What I did is what anyone with a small amount of assistance can do. The difference between myself and others is I assist people and charge for my time. I share my knowledge so people aren’t tied to myself or my services. My hope is that by looking after their interests they’ll appreciate the services I offer. I’ve found it to be an approach which works well because others don’t work that way.

To  explain JustLocal for residents and businesses in Templestowe, I decided to build a web page. For any business this is very easy to do. If you can design a single page brochure to promote your business, your brochure can be reproduced with minimal time and cost as a web site to let others in your area know your business exists.

In this case I decided to register the domain for www.Templestowe.biz, set up hosting space, point the domain at the hosting space, create a web page and then upload the web page. In a couple of hours the page was live on the internet. I literally just set this up and it is live within minutes. You should however wait usually 24 hours to make sure the domain has filtered through the internet.

I have a number of low cost approaches I can show people how to set up a presence on the internet. Some approaches they can maintain themselves with minimal technical skills. All that is required is some basic training and some support when required. Other approaches require a little more training and some software.

With some basic training and support you can literally have a web presence up within 24 hours and your only out-of-pocket cost could be the domain, which costs around $10-$30 a year depending on the domain you wish to use.

I’d encourage every small business to get a presence on the internet. It looks so much more professional to send out emails for a business using yourname@yourbusinessname.com (or .com.au) than yourname@gmail.com or yourname@hotmail.com. By using a domain every email you send out helps promote your business. I find people do check out your web site based on your email address.

A lot of people put thousands into a web presence and the only business that makes money is the web developer. I believe people should start small and as your investment generates business for you, then reinvest some of that money and evolve your presence.

If you don’t have a web presence and want something to get your started give me a call. My aim is to use my skills to help others cost effectively promote their business on the internet.

If you just wish to read a little more about JustLocal then visit www.Templestowe.biz.


Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 if you’re local require assistance with a web presence.