Well here we are – midway through the year with winter officially upon us. During the height of summer this year I was willing on the winter weather, but now it’s here I have to admit I’m starting to long for the return of shorts-and-singlet heat. I guess I’m a little hard to please!

Anyway, on to the Westnet Newsletter for June…

Fresh off our look at computer viruses and other online nasties a couple of months ago, this weekend marks the beginning of National Cyber Security Week 2010. The Federal Government is again encouraging internet users to show due diligence while online, so this month we take a closer look at the steps you can take to protect yourself on the web.
If you run a business or are thinking about boosting your online presence, you’re in luck! Westnet Hosting has just kicked off an exciting competition that could see you win a spiffy new website valued at nearly $1000. Take a closer look for more details on how you can be in the running.

While we’re on the subject of competitions, we’ve also got a stack of tickets to two upcoming movie releases to give away, so make sure you get yourself into the draw to win an in-season double pass.

Enjoy the read and see you next month!

Our look at computer viruses and other online nasties in the April Westnet Newsletter sparked an encouraging response from Members keen to know more about internet safety and the steps they can take to protect themselves online.

As luck would have it, this weekend marks the beginning of National Cyber Security Awareness Week 2010 – a Federal Government initiative encouraging all internet users to show the necessary care while online.

The Week brings together government agencies, industry, and community and consumer organizations in an effort to increase online safety.  Events and information sessions in metropolitan, regional and rural communities across Australia emphasize online risks to personal and financial information and provide details on the steps we can take to stay out of harm’s way.

National Cyber Security Awareness Week 2010 promotes six easy steps you can take for better online security:

1. Install security software and update it regularly.

Helps prevent infections from a range of nasty sources, often spread through bogus downloads or emails.

2. Turn on automatic updates so all your software receives the latest fixes.

This will prevent your software becoming outdated and help detect the latest threats.

3. Get a stronger password and change it at least twice a year.

Strong passwords are usually more that eight characters in length, a mixture of upper and lower case, with at least one number.

4. Stop and think before you click on links or attachments.

Make sure links and attachments are to/from trusted sources; or err on the side of caution.

5. Stop and think before you share any personal or financial information about yourself or your friends and family.

Is it the kind of information you’d want in the hands of scammers?

6. Know what your children are doing online.

Make sure they know to stay safe and encourage them to report anything suspicious.

Following these simple steps – and showing a reasonable amount of common sense – will help guard your computer against nasty viruses and keep your personal information out of reach from online scammers.

Heaps more information on National Cyber Security Awareness Week 2010 (and online security in general) is available at www.staysmartonline.gov.au. You can even sign on to the Stay Smart Online Alert Service for up to date advice in plain speaking language, and details of the very latest e-security threats.

If you’re thinking about setting up a brand new website, or simply want to give you current site a face lift, now’s the perfect time. Get online with Westnet Hosting to be in the running to win one of four websites, valued at $995!

Getting your business online not only gives you the competitive edge over the competition, it also helps smaller companies reach out to more customers on the web. Whether you’re a new Westnet Hosting Member, or an existing Member transferring your web hosting to Westnet, winners will have the option to build a brand new website or update an existing one to the value of $995.

Westnet has its very own dedicated Hosting Team that understands setting up a website can sometimes seem a little daunting. To make it easier, our team will talk you through the entire process and tailor a Hosting solution to suit your needs.

As part of this great competition, we’ve teamed up with the web developing experts at TypeShape. They’ve been offering business websites, graphic design and print services, ecommerce and online marketing solutions for over 12 years – so they know what makes a website look good and (more importantly) work for you.

Be in the running to win one of four websites, each valued at $995

1. Call our friendly hosting team on 1300 137 480 or visit the Westnet website;
2. Sign up to a Westnet web hosting plan, starting from just $16 per month. (If you don’t already have a domain, you can purchase one from just $30 per year)
3. Tell us in 25 words or less which website is your favourite and why. Email your entry to wnhmarketing@staff.westnet.com.au.
4. Every week for four weeks we’ll be selecting a new winner!

Remember, our competition ends on the 25th June 2010, so hurry! You’ll find more information at our Westnet Hosting competition page.

As a relative newcomer to the world of smart phones (I finally picked up an iPhone a couple of months ago), I’ve really been enjoying my mobile upgrade and the wonderful world of ‘apps’.

Apps – or applications – are downloadable programs for your smart phone, which serve to either inform or entertain and can be purchased online (in App Word for BlackBerry, App Store for iPhone etc).  Some apps do come with a price tag, but a good percentage of the 200, 000 programs currently available can be downloaded onto your phone for free.

The beauty of apps is they can be accessed anywhere, any time on your mobile phone – without having to start up your PC or plug in your laptop. My iPhone apps have come to the rescue many times already. Here are a few examples:

“Let’s eat out tonight”

If you’re looking for inspiration on a place to eat, the Urbanspoon application comes to the rescue. It detects your current location and asks for your desired suburb, cuisine and price limit before displaying recommended eateries, their contact details and visitor reviews. Don’t know what you feel like? Randomise the search and treat your tastebuds to something new!

“Where’s that restaurant again?”

Finding the easiest route to unfamiliar places becomes easier thanks to the built in Google Maps program. So when you don’t know where you’re going (or where the restaurant is), just enter your current location and desired destination into the search fields for a detailed map and highlighted pathway from ‘A’ to ‘B’. Voila!

“We’re here, but there’s a wait for a table”

If you have a few spare minutes to kill, there are literally thousands of game apps on hand to pass the time. The iPhone’s touch screen means moving cards around while playing Solitaire is a cinch, and wordsmiths can do a quick crossword with Cross Light or build word lists playing Scramble. Failing that, there’s always Tetris!

“I’m too hungry to wait – let’s eat at home”

Yes, patience is a virtue but some of us have less of it than others. So if you give up on eating out in favour of cooking up something at home, inspiration is at hand. AllRecipes AU will generate a tasty recipe in seconds – just choose the dish type, ingredients you’ve on hand and how long you’ve got to cook them for detailed instructions.

So there you go – a failed attempt at eating out saved by the iPhone! All of these applications currently have a home on my mobile and were downloaded for free.  It’s important to remember many apps that do cost money – so try and keep your spending under control.

Similarly, many applications can use up mobile internet data. Many phone plans come with included data from your phone provider, but overuse can result in costly excess  data charges. If you have a smart phone, or are thinking of getting one, ask your provider if your plan comes with included data along with an overview of the associated costs for usage.

Like many things in life,  smart phone apps are all about moderation. Use them with some level of control and they can help answer a few hairy questions, or provide much-needed entertainment when boredom sets in!

Westnet and Columbia Pictures are pleased to present Grown Ups – some guys need a little more time to mature.

Grown Ups sees five friends and former team mates reunite years later to honour the passing of their childhood basketball coach. With their wives and kids in tow, they spend the Fourth of July holiday weekend together at the lake house where they celebrated their championship years earlier. Picking up where they left off, they discover why growing older doesn’t mean growing up.

For your chance to win one of 25 in-season double passes to Grown Ups, classified PG and in cinemas June 24^th, simply click the ‘Enter’ button in the Westnet Newsletter in your inbox. Entries are limited to one per Westnet username. The competition closes at 12.01am (WST) on Thursday June 24^th, 2010.

Westnet and Warner Brothers are pleased to present Inception – your mind is the scene of the crime.

Dom Cobb is a skilled thief, stealing valuable secrets from deep within the subconscious during the dream state when the mind is at its most vulnerable. Cobb’s rare ability has made him a coveted player in this treacherous new world of corporate espionage, but it has also made him an international fugitive and cost him everything he has ever loved.

Now Cobb is being offered a chance at redemption. One last job could give him his life back but only if he can accomplish the impossible: inception. Instead of the perfect heist, Cobb and his team of specialists have to pull off the reverse: their task is not to steal an idea but to plant one. If they succeed, it could be the perfect crime.

For your chance to win one of 16 in-season double passes to Inception, yet to be classified and in cinemas July 22^nd, simply click the ‘Enter’ button in the Westnet Newsletter in your inbox. Entries are limited to one per Westnet username. The competition closes at 12.01am (WST) on Sunday July 4^th, 2010.