Lifehacker Australia

eBay Adjusts Maximum Postage Rates

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 16:30:17 +1000

eBay’s move to maximum rate postage last year wasn’t universally popular, but at least the auction giant moves slowly with the times. Rates have been raised by approximately 4% to cover increased postage costs, with CDs going up from $5 to $5.20, books rising from $6 to $8.30, and DVDs rising from $8 to $8.30. [eBay Announcements]

NICTA Puts Open Source Projects In One Place

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 15:00:21 +1000

You may never have heard of NICTA (the national ICT centre of excellence), but if you’re an open source enthusiast, you’ll likely be drooling at the new centralised open source portal it has just launched. (more…)

Recycle IKEA Flat Pack Boxes

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 12:00:53 +1000

IKEA’s flat pack philosophy might mean goods are cheaper and they fit in your sedan, but they also leave you with some seriously large cardboard boxes at the end. Is overfilling your recycling bin the only solution? (more…)

Your Doctor Isn’t Using A PC

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 10:30:30 +1000

Self-diagnosis via Google might be a major annoyance source for doctors, but it turns out that your GP isn’t that keen on using a PC even when it’s sitting on their own desk. (more…)

Why The Chrome OS Might Bite

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 09:00:06 +1000

Google’s plans for its own operating system have gotten an enthusiastic response from tech afficianados, but there’s a definite downside to Google’s decision to move into the OS space. (more…)

Use Social Media For Customer Complaints

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:00:25 +1000

It’s often hard to get an airline to acknowledge that it’s screwed up, but musician Dave Carroll came up with a pretty effective way to respond after United Airlines broke one of his cherished guitars: writing a series of songs about the incident and putting them up on YouTube. (more…)

Fixing The iPhone Group SMS Bug

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 14:30:33 +1000

MMS support was one of the most anticipated features of iPhone 3.0, but it turns out it has a nasty side-effect: group SMS sending has effectively been dumped. (more…)

How Unit Pricing Will Help You Save On Shopping

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:10:07 +1000

Supermarkets will soon have to provide “unit pricing” to make comparison shopping easier. Which stores have to feature them, and what quirks should you watch out for? (more…)

Internode Easy Broadband Has One Catch

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 10:30:54 +1000

Internode’s new $49.95 broadband plan sounds like an appealing option if you’re helping someone get connected, but there’s one important catch to be aware of. (more…)

Sony Ericsson Phone Offers Customised Covers

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 09:00:09 +1000

If you’ve already customised your desktop to within an inch of its life, this might well appeal to you: a newly-released Sony Ericsson phone will include the option to design your own cover for the phone. (more…)

Google Outlines Plans For Chrome OS

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 15:16:47 +1000

It’s the step everyone thought was inevitable — Google is building a Chrome OS for use on netbooks. Is this a Windows killer, an Android killer, or a distraction that’s doomed to failure? (more…)

How Do Your University’s Online Services Rate?

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 15:00:03 +1000

Online services for everything for registration to course materials are a critical part of the university experience. Which institution in Australia has the best options?

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Building Smart Playlists In iTunes

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 13:00:27 +1000

When we asked readers recently whether they used the shuffle feature on their iPod, a popular response was “yes, in combination with smart playlists”. If that sounds like Greek to you, here’s how to go about it. (more…)

Do Not Call Violation Complaints Declining

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 11:47:52 +1000

The exemptions for survey forms and charities might ruin your day when you’re working at home, but new data suggests that the Do Not Call register has been a success in cutting back on unwanted telephone spam. (more…)

GoVolunteer Finds Volunteer Work In Your Area

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 09:00:01 +1000

Want to do some volunteer work in your area but don’t know where to start? GoVolunteer lets you search for volunteer opportunities within 10 kilometres of your postcode. (more…)

eBay Running Zero Insertion Fees Yet Again

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 16:10:35 +1000

Remember we once suggested that there was no point listing stuff on eBay if there wasn’t a promotion running? Here’s the next one: From July 7 to 31, listings for goods starting under 99 cents again waive the insertion fee. (more…)

Use Control-F1 To Hide The Office Ribbon

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 14:30:36 +1000

Our recent roundup of how to deal with the Office ribbon offered lots of hints on how to make the most of Microsoft’s polarising interface, but didn’t mention one useful trick: using Control-F1 to hide the ribbon from sight. The same shortcut also restores it.

DIY IKEA Chicken Coop

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 13:00:14 +1000

We’ve told you before how to rent chooks complete with a coop, but if you need to build a home for your feathered friends, it turns out you can pretty much get all the components at IKEA. (more…)

Disable Tab Tearing In Firefox 3.5

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 11:30:08 +1000

The ability to tear off tabs into a new window was one of the earliest planned features for Firefox 3.5, but it’s not one of those options everyone’s going to love. Here’s how to switch it off. (more…)

2010 Calendar Templates Abound For Office

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 10:00:34 +1000

The end of the year might be six months away, but there’s already a glut of 2010 calendar templates for Office kicking around. (more…)

Google Maps Adds Real Estate Search

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 08:30:57 +1000

If you’re thinking of buying a property, chances are you’re already using Google Maps features like Street View to scope out the neighbourhood. A new real estate feature now lets you track houses for sale (or rent) in a given area. (more…)

Factbook eXplorer Offers Animated View Of Stats

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 15:30:06 +1000

Ever wondered how Australia’s fertility rate compares to the rest of the world? You can track that — along with dozens of other stats — in a neat animated format on the OECD Factbook eXplorer site. (more…)

What Do You Need At Your Seat?

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 13:04:15 +1000

On a long-distance air journey, you have to balance the need to keep yourself entertained with not crowding out your limited space. What’s on the essential list for stuff to keep at your seat during a flight? (more…)

Suna Adds Extra Traffic Cameras In Sydney

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 11:30:25 +1000

As we foreshadowed a few weeks ago, GPS traffic information provider Suna has expanded its coverage in Sydney with 50 new cameras to cover the freeway network. The service has also fitted traffic monitors in taxis to help track flow more accurately. [Suna]

Fix MP4 Video To Play On Your iPod

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 10:00:24 +1000

Can’t get video files to synch properly onto your iPod, even though it’s already in MP4 format? The solution might be closer than you think. (more…)