Alex Kidman

That subject line’s basically just there to get stuck in my wife’s head.

An odd week in Alex publishing, that’s for sure. Where should I start?

Oh, yes. Copyright. A kind poster pointed out to me that a somewhat inconsequential games review that I wrote for this blog (and only for this blog) was being ripped off without any kind of attribution. That stuff happens online, but it’s annoying, especially when you consider that creating content is what I do for a living. The weird thing here was that the text was grabbed.. for a YouTube video review.

That I did not expect. It did make it a lot easier, however, to put in a copyright complaint. Sometimes these things can take ages, but with due credit to YouTube, when you head to the page that had the “review” on it, you now get this:

I wonder if it’s possible to get a copyright claim quote popular enough to be on the YouTube homepage? Probably not…

Next up, the world of print publishing. While I was off being very ill indeed, the Australian version of Netguide magazine folded. Bummer. The New Zealand operation (run by a different company) is still out there, but I won’t be contributing reviews to that edition. Especially in light of this (with credit to MediaConnect, where I just read about it, but can’t link to) rather interesting “reviews scheme”. I strongly suspect the readers won’t be told about that little wrinkle in the “reviews” process.

Netguide as a distinct Australian publication in the meanwhile has become its own section in Australian PC User magazine. Just to confuse you, though, I’m not currently writing for Netguide-The-Section, but I am all over this month’s PC User itself. First up with a comprehensive (and somewhat deafening) review of 20 different iPod speaker docks. Then with standalone reviews of the Netcomm NP201AV 200MBps AV Homeplugs, Ricoh CX1 Digital Camera, HTC Magic Smartphone, Acer DX900 DualSIM phone and Sony Bravia KDL22S5700S TV. It’s on sale now. You know what to do.

Thankfully, no signs of growing up are evident in the test subject. Despite his best intentions, however, signs of writing have been emerging over the past few days.

Firstly, there’s the December issue of Australian Netguide Magazine. Within its festively coloured pages, you’ll find more reviews than there are bits of tinsel adorning shops right now, what with 25 of the best gadgets to give as Christmas gifts, as well as nine product reviews (Laser Navig8r M35, Dragon Naturally Speaking 10 Preferred, Kaspersky Internet Security 2009, Eee PC 1000H, Mio Moov 300, Dell Inspiron Mini 9, Jabra BT2050 Headset, Logitech Quickcam Vision Pro and 2Large2Email, along with four games reviews (TNA iMPACT!, Space Siege, Warhammer Online and Star Wars: Force Unleashed). No sign of any partridges in pear trees, mind you.

Although somehow this very site was overlooked in the prestigious 2008 Netguide Web awards. Sometimes, there’s just no justice…

Speaking of Web sites, I’ve also had a few things go up online. At PC Authority:

3 launches the “social mobile”: “3 offers a low-cost phone alternative to the iPhone or Blackberry for Facebook, Skype and Windows Live junkies.”

and at CNET.com.au:

Sony USB Turntable PSLX300USB: “As a basic consumer-grade way to get your old LPs onto your PC, the PSLX300USB delivers good results, although the supplied software has a harsh learning curve.”

Toshiba XD-E500: “OK, so HD-DVD didn’t work out so well for Toshiba….”

As apparently my eyebrows were “Too antennae-like”. So, in the name of getting a nice headshot done, I had the world’s tiniest haircut on my eyebrows only. Who said my life wasn’t sometimes surreal?

At the same time, quality Alex writing is available for your enjoyment in print and online. Just yesterday I was trying to explain all my many and varied outlets to a lovely PR person*, and I suspect confusing her terribly. In the print world, I’m naturally enough in this month’s issue of Australian Macworld, where I discuss the true terrors of technology, and specifically why describing every new smartphone as an “iPhone Killer” is quite a dumb move. It’s not quite up there with “JesusPhone” in my least favourite terminology, but it’s certainly close.

Meanwhile, the October issue of PC User Magazine features my reviews of the Samsung i8, CorelWordPerfect Office X4 Standard and the Jabra SP700 for your enjoyment.

But wait! There’s still more!

The October issue of Australian Netguide is practically overflowing with Kidman-related goodness. If you take everything that I and the clone have written, it is in fact overflowing, but only in the good, environmentally friendly, drought-breaking way. I would say search out the stuff with an “Alex” in front of it, but the deputy editor is called Alex, just to confuse matters further. So, you’ll just have to hunt down the reviews and features with both an “Alex” and a “Kidman” in front of it. This month, that includes reviews of the i-Mate Jama 201, Nokia 5310, Nokia N95, Nokia N78, Palm Centro, LG KF510, LG KF750 Secret, LG KF600, Sony Ericsson W760, Sony Ericsson C902, Sony Ericsson K660, Sony Ericsson C702, Samsung SGH-U900T, Blackberry Curve and Apple iPhone 3G. And that’s just the phone feature! You’ll also find reviews with my byline of the Iomega Media Xporter, Netgear ReadyNAS Duo RND2150, Kodak AutoMagic CD-R, MobileMe, Altec Lansing T612 Speaker Dock, ABC iView, Corel WordPerfect Office X4 Standard, Whereis Everyone, Google Lively, Chronicles Of Narnia: Prince Caspian (PC), Metal Gear Solid 4 (PS3), Ninja Gaiden II (Xbox 360) and Super Smash Bros Brawl (Wii). And, to top things off, the Broadband Directory to Australia’s best ISP deals.

But I’m not done yet. Although I probably should be. There’s also online contributions, which today both come courtesy of APCMag.com:

Phwoah: Sony unveils 25 megapixel DSLR: “Full frame, full-fat 24.6 megapixel sensor and a fully sick blow to your wallet await.”

Qantas to offer paperless iPhone 3G check-in: “Now you’ll really hate it if you lose your boarding pass…”

* Additional points awarded for donating to my daughter’s school fete. Under the right circumstances, I can be bought… sort of. PR People, if you don’t know what I’m talking about, email me!

There are times (and this is one of them) when I really, really don’t feel like writing much.

All too often, these seem to coincide with my deadlines. And this is one of them.

But I have no choice, so I continue onwards, scribing ever more words. And now’s your chance to read some of them:

For several years now, I’ve been in charge of the standalone reviews (and an awful lot of the comparative feature reviews) at Netguide Magazine, so it would seem wrong not to point out that the July issue is on store and selected Supermarket shelves now. Go forth, buy a copy (and don’t forget the milk while you’re there) and you’ll be able to enjoy my words of wisdom on personal video recorders, as well as standalone reviews of the LG Flatron L226 22″ monitor, Jamo i300, ABC Playback Beta, Adobe Media Player, CompareOffice, Lexar UDMA Card Reader, Canon Digital IXUS 80IS, Belkin TuneCast Audio With Clearscan, 3 Mobile Broadband, Crazy Pig, Real Adventures: Pet Vet, Real Adventures: Wild Horses, Rainbow Six Vegas 2, Turning Point: Fall Of Liberty, God Of War: Chains Of Olympus and PAIN.

In the online sphere, you can also find more of my opinion at my Australian Macworld Blog:

Having a Fable-ous time: “Sometimes, it’s better to play with yourself. No, wait, that’s not quite right. I’ve been spending some time recently on an iMac playing two fairly significant fantasy action games…”

Hmm. That’s a lot of words from someone suffering from an inability to write…

Back to the song lyrics for subject lines, I see. Bonus points for the first reader to tell me the artist and track name in this case. No clues.

Meanwhile, at an APCMag.com not very far from here:

Microsoft to re-release “every OS” to market: “Ambitious scheme to further extend Windows OS lifespan. Every Windows OS lifespan, in fact.”

And at the same time, at a GadgetGuy.com.au in the same rough vicinity:

Asus Eee PC 900: “Asus’ second take on the ultra-portable, ultra-cheap Eee PC concept has a lot going for it, including a larger screen, more storage space, Windows XP Home as a standard option and a multi-touch trackpad.”

And yet, somehow, there’s still more. The very pink June issue of Australian Netguide is out now, and the cover could (more or less) just read “Alex wrote this”. Let’s check, shall we? “Go Wireless — your no-fuss guide to networking your home PCs”. Yup, I wrote that. “Tested- Wireless Routers” — yep, that’s one of mine too.* The Alex-flavoured goodness extends within, where you’ll find reviews of the Netgear WNR834B RangeMax, Belkin N1 Vision, D-Link DIR-300, Billion BiPAC 7404 VGP-M, ASUS WL-600G, Linksys WRT160N, Netcomm BP504UK Wireless Bundle, Olympus Tough Lite 850SW, HP Pavilion tx2000, Logitech Pure-Fi Anywhere, Blaze HDTV Tuner, Moneyworks Cashbook, Carbonite, Network Magic Pro, Sony DRX-S70U, Maxtor OneTouch 4 Plus 750GB, Frontlines: Fuel Of War, Lost, Final Fantasy XII: Revenant Wings and Gran Turismo 5 Prologue.

Oh, and the broadband guide. Whew.

*If you want to be really concerned, 80% of the cover stories in this issue were written by Kidmans, and the only other story was written by someone also called Alex…

Curse this random songs as subject lines policy!

Anyway, I’m somewhat surprised to be posting again, as I’d mentally picked yesterday and today as days when I’d be doing not much, what with the need to once again watch the younglings. Of course, that doesn’t stop the presses on work I’ve already completed, such as (Zing! Smooooooth segue. Bet nobody noticed.) the May issue of Australian Netguide.

Within its wonderfully orange pages, you’ll find my roundup of LCD monitors, the Broadband Guide and standalone reviews of the Sony Alpha A200, Billion BiPAC P102 HomePlug, Macbook Air, Palm Treo 500, HTC Dual Touch 850, Corsair 32GB Flash Drive, Norton 360 V2, Cyberlink DVD Suite 6 Ultra, Serif PhotoPlus X2, N+, Imperium Romanum, Beautiful Katamari and Devil May Cry 4.

It’s on sale now.Don’t make me send out the army of Siamese Fighting Ants to get you…

Because I don’t think so. Although one has to wonder why there was a lull in competition in the late 1970′s. Perhaps some kind of dastardly IRA plot?

Actually, there are probably things that are finer. The smile of a baby, the colours of a fresh field of flowers, the curves of a beautiful woman, and this month’s issue of Netguide magazine…

**Crickets Chirp**

OK, that wasn’t the smoothest segue I’ve ever done. But this month’s issue is out now, and within its pages you’ll find precious little on the fine art of Piano Accordion mastery. What you will find (that I’ve written) is a guide to the best digital cameras under $500, as well as standalone reviews of Dazzle DVD Recorder, iLife ’08, iWork ’08, Belkin Tunestage II, Logitech G9 Laser Mouse, Netcomm BP504UK Router Wifi Bundle, Fujitsu Lifebook P7230, Roxio Crunch, Google Earth 4.2, Bioshock (PC, Xbox 360), Ratatouille (PC, Mac, PS2, PS3, DS, Wii, PSP), Guitar Hero Rocks The 80′s (PS2) and Atelier Iris 3: Grand Phantasm (PS2). Go forth, buy a copy, and feel free to ignore the buskers on the way. Unless they’re playing a Piano Accordion, of course. You could be ignoring a world champion, and that would be just rude.