After using a dial-up Internet connection for about a year, we finally got a broadband (ADSL) connection at home yesterday. And boy is it a relief to browse at those speeds again. At home, that is -- I'm not counting my blazingly fast work and university Internet connections. Anyway, dialup was really, really starting to get on my nerves. Especially when coupled with my horse-and-cart speed laptop. Though, to be fair, my laptop on its own isn't really all that bad. The two together, however, do not make for a happy Ameel. So: one down, one to go. Of course, I'll have to wait for about another year before I can even begin to think of upgrading my laptop. Such is life.
Three other fun tech-related things happened yesterday. First, we got a wireless router at home so, not only are we connecting to the 'net at broadband speeds, we're wireless as well. Second, I got my laptop a USB wireless LAN adaptor (duh!). And third, I got a USB hard drive enclosure for my previous laptop's hard drive. That is, having already stripped my previous laptop of its RAM, I am now going to remove its hard drive (a good, 5,400RPM, 60GB hard drive) which I will then start using as an external hard drive (for current data backups, etc.). That last thing is quite a relief, actually, since my only other data backup is on my iPod. Once again, bless Nadia for having the foresight to get me a 60GB iPod a couple of years ago! Anyway, I now need to find some good backup software to use. I guess I'll start by exploring the one that came with the enclosure and then hit the 'net. At broadband speeds. Hee.
Ooh, and one more thing. Being in Australia, I am finally reaping the benefits of the excellent electronic funds transfer system that they have here. All of the hardware we've recently bought was from an online store (Discount Junction) that saved us quite a bit of time, money, and hassle. Most cool.
In other news: Nadia and I are going to watch Die Hard 4.0 (a.k.a. Live Free or Die Hard) tonight. I'll have more on that over the next few days. We're also going to the Cure concert on Sunday. Yes, life is good these days :)
[Aside: Hmmm...I still haven't posted my Harry Potter blog entry. I started it a week ago and have been saving it as a draft since then. I shall work on that next, I think.]
Three other fun tech-related things happened yesterday. First, we got a wireless router at home so, not only are we connecting to the 'net at broadband speeds, we're wireless as well. Second, I got my laptop a USB wireless LAN adaptor (duh!). And third, I got a USB hard drive enclosure for my previous laptop's hard drive. That is, having already stripped my previous laptop of its RAM, I am now going to remove its hard drive (a good, 5,400RPM, 60GB hard drive) which I will then start using as an external hard drive (for current data backups, etc.). That last thing is quite a relief, actually, since my only other data backup is on my iPod. Once again, bless Nadia for having the foresight to get me a 60GB iPod a couple of years ago! Anyway, I now need to find some good backup software to use. I guess I'll start by exploring the one that came with the enclosure and then hit the 'net. At broadband speeds. Hee.
Ooh, and one more thing. Being in Australia, I am finally reaping the benefits of the excellent electronic funds transfer system that they have here. All of the hardware we've recently bought was from an online store (Discount Junction) that saved us quite a bit of time, money, and hassle. Most cool.
In other news: Nadia and I are going to watch Die Hard 4.0 (a.k.a. Live Free or Die Hard) tonight. I'll have more on that over the next few days. We're also going to the Cure concert on Sunday. Yes, life is good these days :)
[Aside: Hmmm...I still haven't posted my Harry Potter blog entry. I started it a week ago and have been saving it as a draft since then. I shall work on that next, I think.]