Contents:

Adam in the Spotlight
AdamTalk VoIP service going strong, now with additional benefits
Adam Internet Newsgroups upgraded for all customers
Adam Internet Naked DSL now launched
Adam Internet Wins Dispute with Telstra in the High Court of Australia
Adam Internet Managing Director Appointed to Board of AIM SA
Announcing: The Adam Internet Technology Show
Adelaide Darkens for Earth hour
Variety Bash Update

Bash Route Announced
Movie Night Details
Friday 13th Gala Fundraiser Details

Footy Tipping Competition Reminder
Centrelink Utlities Subsidy Increase
BodyTalk Health with Phil Sheldon
Toopy's Tips
Wide World of Finance
Weblinks
Hot Tips
Did you know?

Welcome to the March / April edition of Newsbytes, the bi-monthly Adam Internet newsletter.

Newsbytes will keep you updated on what’s happening at Adam Internet, provide hints and tips for getting the most out of your connection and let you know of specials or new services you can take advantage of.

If there’s anything you would like to see in Newsbytes, either as a feature or as a regular column, please email us at newsbytes@adam.com.au

Adam in the Spotlight

AdamTalk VoIP service going strong, now with additional benefits

AdamTalk, Adam Internet’s VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) service, has received a strong reception since it’s launch on 4 October 2007.

Thousands of customers are taking advantage of the AdamTalk VoIP service each month, making significant savings on mobile and landline calls. With mobile call costs as little as 22c per minute, the savings speak for themselves.

By keeping your regular phone line for your ADSL connection and using AdamTalk to make phone calls; the cost of making calls through the AdamTalk service is significantly lower compared to calls made from a standard land line, a mobile phone or phone card.

AdamTalk starts at just $5.00 a month on top of your regular ADSL or ADSL2+ account and includes $5.00 worth of free local and un-timed national calls charged at just 12c per call – that is the equivalent of over 40 free calls per month. International call rates are subject to fluctuation, but remain highly competitive when compared to pre-paid phone card solutions. Lastly, all AdamTalk to AdamTalk telephone calls are free of charge, so the more ‘Adam’ friends you have, the cheaper your bill.

Visit http://adam.com.au/adamtalk/ to find out more about AdamTalk, Adam Internet’s VoIP service.

Adam Internet Newsgroups upgraded for all customers

Adam Internet is pleased to announce that we’re increasing the free premium Newsgroup quota provided to all Adam Internet residential ADSL accounts.

Following renegotiations with GigaNews.com, the supplier of the top-quality Usenet Newsgroups service, Adam Internet is upgrading all residential ADSL accounts to 10 gigabytes of Newsgroups downloads each month.

In addition, those customers taking advantage of the competitively priced Silver Premium Newsgroups upgrade option will be pleased to know we’ve upgraded their service to 40 gigabytes, at no extra cost.

GigaNews.com offer the most reliable Usenet Newsgroups service in the world, renowned for its reliability, high speed, guaranteed privacy and excellent security. It's the only Newsgroups service to boast a download completion rate greater than 99%.

Visit http://adam.com.au/techsupport/newsgroups.php to find out more about the Adam Internet Newsgroups service and http://www.giganews.com/ for more information regarding GigaNews.com.

Adam Internet Naked DSL now launched

Adam Internet is happy to announce the release of our new ULL service, more commonly referred to as Naked DSL. Adam Internet Naked DSL provides South Australian broadband users with the opportunity to save money by forever eliminating their line rental costs and utilising AdamTalk - Adam Internet's VoIP service - to make and receive calls.

As well as creating significant savings for home users, the release of Naked DSL will provide business customers with access to the new Annex M feature.

Naked DSL works in the same way regular ADSL does, but without the need for new or additional hardware for existing ADSL customers. You can even use the existing phone sockets in your house. This gives you permanent high-speed access to the Internet without the added cost of phone line rental.

As an added incentive, all Naked DSL accounts come with AdamTalk (Adam Internet's VoIP service) free of charge.

For more information on Adam Internet Naked DSL [Click Here] and for more information on AdamTalk [Click Here]

Adam Internet Wins Dispute with Telstra in the High Court of Australia

On 6 March, 2008, the High Court of Australia ruled against Telstra’s challenge to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s power to set the prices that Telstra’s rivals have to pay for access to it’s network.

The unanimous decision was a huge victory for the ACCC and 11 Internet Service Providers - including Adam Internet - by helping to maintain a fair and competitive business environment that will ultimately benefit consumers.

In response to the hard fought victory, Adam Internet Managing Director, Scott Hicks, said he was delighted with the outcome.

“The High Court has made it possible for all parties to compete on a level playing field and provide quality services in a cost effective way,” Scott said.

"The ruling marks the end of the monopoly that Telstra holds over its rivals."

Adam Internet Managing Director Appointed to Board of AIM SA

The Australian Institute of Management SA (AIM SA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Scott Hicks as a Director of the Board.

Scott, who is the Managing Director of Adam Internet, will bring to the Board many years of experience in the IT sector – as well as considerable commercial business experience.

AIM is Australia’s only professional association for managers, representing over 20,000 individuals nationwide. In addition to its strong membership base, it is also the largest private provider of management and leadership education in South Australia.

Established in 1944, AIM SA provides businesses with unique solutions for the enhancement of organisational performance, and individual career development.

Through offering a targeted range of courses and content, AIM SA’s core purpose is to develop better managers and leaders for a better society. Professionaly developing over 4500 managers and leaders in 2007, AIM SA is continuing to build its reputation as the leading institute of management.

For more information on AIM SA and how it can assist your business, visit www.aimsa.com.au or call (08) 8241 8000.

Announcing: The Adam Internet Technology Show

Adam Internet is pleased to announce the first ever Adam Internet Technology Show to be staged at the Adelaide Showground from 11 - 13 July. This exciting new event will feature over 100 suppliers showcasing the latest for your home and office including computer hardware, software and services, printers, office furniture, home automation, information services, mobile technologies, cameras, home entertainment and games.

Staged alongside the Building & Home Improvement Show, the two events will give insight into the latest technological and home innovations all in the one location. Spanning across three pavilions at the Adelaide Showgrounds, the event will provide the opportunity to see and sample the latest products, which you can also buy at special show-only prices.

You can come and meet the Adam Internet Team at our interactive display in the Ridley Centre, where you can pick the brains of our Internet experts as well as have all your Internet related questions answered.

The event will also feature a Games Zone, where visitors of all ages can have some fun and experience ‘what’s new’ in interactive home entertainment.

Admission prices give access to both events. Adults $ 9.00, Concessions $ 7.00, Children under 15 Free.

We look forward to seeing you there.

For further information on the event or to discuss showcasing a product, please contact Sean at Kym Jones Exhibitions on P: 08 8177 1499 or E: sean@kjex.com.au
www.KymJonesExhibitions.com.au

Adelaide Darkens for Earth hour

Adam Internet switched off its lights for Earth Hour 8.00pm on Saturday 29 March, 2008. Our ten story building, located on the corner of King William St. and Waymouth St. in the heart of the city, fell into darkness together with the rest of Adelaide to help save energy in support of the environment and a sustainable future.

Adam Internet joined more than 300 other registered businesses and an estimated 700,000 South Australians for Earth Hour, with more than 370 cities and towns worldwide turning off their lights. Some of Adelaide's most well known architectural icons such as the St. Peter’s Cathedral, the Adelaide Town Hall, Adelaide Library, Adelaide Museum and Adelaide University also fell into darkness for one hour. The pictures below illustrate the difference in light emitted before and after the blackout, helping provide a visual indication of the power saved.

Adelaide, pre-Earth Hour

Adelaide, lights off during Earth Hour

For more information and photographs from around the world, visit http://www.earthhour.org/

Variety Bash Update

Bash Route Announced

Variety - The Children's Charity is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its annual Variety Bash event. To commemorate this magnificent milestone, the Variety Bash will, for the first time, end with a large-scale community celebration to be held on the Parade in Norwood, Saturday 23 August. This special event, which wraps up 8 days of bushwhacking, also marks the 25th anniversary of Variety SA.

Adam Internet and Variety SA are inviting you and your families to see the cars, meet the drivers and help make this a community celebration to remember.

The Bash route for the 2008 Variety Bash is as follows:

Movie Night Details

In the January / February edition of Newsbytes, we announced the first of our annual fundraising movie nights, in support of Variety – The Children’s Charity, held courtesy of Wallis Cinemas. The first special screening will be of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull which will be held on Friday 30 May.

We’re now pleased to announce the second of our annual film nights in support of Variety and courtesy of Wallis Cinemas. Our second special screening will be of the new Batman film, The Dark Knight, to be held on Monday 21 July.

More details on how to purchase tickets for the screenings will be announced shortly but for now, make sure you keep the dates free!

Friday 13th Gala Fundraiser Details

2008 will see the return of the Adam Internet Friday the 13th Gala Fundraiser, with Sfera's Park Suites and Convention Centre ready to get it’s 'ghoul on' for the special fundraising event. Last year, our Adams Family themed dinner party helped to raise over $104,000 for Variety, and this year we hope to blow this record out of the water. Be sure to pencil in Friday the 13th of June as a night of fun and festivities, all in aid of Variety - The Children's Charity.

More information will be revealed in the coming months.

Footy Tipping Competition Reminder

All customers are encouraged to enter the Adam Internet 2008 Footy Tipping Competition for the chance to win cash prizes consisting of; $2000 for first place, $500 for second place and $250 for third place. As an added incentive, each week the top three tipsters will receive 4 free Wallis Cinema tickets.

Currently, 4800 tipsters are competing for the prize; a whopping 50% increase in players since the inaugural Adam Internet 2007 Footy Tipping Competition.

The AFL Premiership Season is moving into the 4th Round of games this week, so if you want to be in the running for the top prize, you’d better register and start tipping now!

To register for the Adam Internet 2008 Footy Tipping Competition, log on http://members.adam.com.au and select Footy Tipping from the left hand side menu.

Centrelink Utilities Subsidy Increase

Centrelink has recently announced that Pensioner Concession Card and Commonwealth Seniors Health Card holders, who own a home Internet account, are entitled to further subsidies for their monthly Telephone Allowance.

To determine if you’re eligible for the higher rate of allowance, please take a look at the Centrelink FAQ sheet by [clicking here]

BodyTalk Health with Phil Sheldon

The right to choose…

I constantly get asked, “what do you think about genetically modified food, is it good for us or not?” Even worse, "is it a time bomb ticking away slowly, ready to destroy humankind, to wreak genetic destruction on us all?" My answer is, I'm not really sure.

What I am sure about is that we certainly have the right to decide if we want to consume foods that have been genetically modified, and that such foods must be labelled appropriately so that we, the public; the consumers of such products, can decide if we want to buy them, to in fact, consume them. The concern is that we may well lose our right to decide if the Australia/New Zealand food authority decides to adopt a non-marked genetic modification labelling system as in the United States.

We are now seeing a huge increase in the planting of genetically modified crops both in NSW and Victoria, including corn, canola, potato and cotton seed for oil production. The vast majority of these foods are destined for the fast food industry and allied food products, none of which are exactly health promoting - quite the opposite. They are in fact promoting obesity, heart disease and cancer in their intended uses within the food industry. Baked goods, pies, pasties, cakes, biscuits, burgers, frying oils, potato chips and so on with one continual theme - they are cheaper to produce and cheaper to buy. The more nutritious healthy food options are unfortunately more expensive.

Added to all of this, we come to the fact that a vast amount of the world's food production and manufacturing (about 80%) is controlled by approximately 10 multinational companies. With food type varieties decreasing dramatically since the end of the Second World War, literally hundreds of food types and varieties are just not grown any longer. We also have the very essence of life being patented, with seeds themselves being allowed to be patented and owned by giant multinational agricultural chemical companies. These genetically modified seeds may be, for example, ‘resistant to any type of weed killer/herbicide', and these seeds are also owned and patented by the same company. If, however, these seeds should drift by accident onto an adjoining farmer's land and became mixed with his non-genetically modified crops, the very same multinational company can in fact have his entire crops destroyed. It is a funny world isn’t it?

So is GM food safe? I'm not sure. But do we have the right to decide what we put in our mouths? Yes, we do. So read labels carefully and be conscious as a consumer. And more than anything else be aware of your rights to decide what you want to put in your mouth and that of your family.

© Phil Sheldon MSc 2008
www.philsheldon.com.au
www.bodytalkhealth.com
www.optimalessentials.com

Toopy's Tips

In the past year in South Australia, residential real estate has seen prices etching up by around 18% - certainly better than CPI putting your cash in the bank! Most importantly, volumes have been strong, which has kept the momentum in the market.

Real estate has been in red-hot demand and this has encouraged competitive bidding and increased housing value of housing. In general, the mood of the market place has been positive.

In the 2007 calendar year, over 23,500 houses were sold in metropolitan Adelaide. This is a figure that is exceptionally strong. Unlike the boom in early 2000, other States haven’t been able to experience the heated market this time as it has been localized to Perth and Adelaide

No doubt there is a flow on effect from the mining boom in Perth – investors looking to buy property somewhere more affordable than Perth, which has recently gone through the roof and is now is a period of stabilisation.

After looking at volumes, it’s interesting to look at values also. In the past, house prices have been relatively static. Since 2000, however, property prices have really started to move. If property prices continue to rise in the measured fashion that they have been, we will be getting close to seeing the median house price of 2000 triple by the end of the decade – not bad in any investment circles!

Adelaide has sustained a conservative, stable growth from year to year, a strength for the housing market. Although it has not seen the sharp rises in house prices like Sydney and Melbourne, it also does not see the quick corrective falls which can leave the market relatively unpredictable.

Recently there have been a lot of challenges in the Global real estate market, as well as 12 consecutive interest rate rises. This is something we are keeping an eye on, however Adelaide and South Australia appears well placed to weather any property storm.

Anthony Toop
Toop&Toop Real Estate
23-25 The Parade
Norwood 5067
(08) 8362 8888

Wide World of Finance

Market Report

The Australian Share market has fallen more than 20% since its peak in early November 2007. This equates to more than $300 billion of value being wiped from the equities market.

It is difficult to put a positive spin on such a large scale destruction of wealth but to avoid knee-jerk reactions it pays to look at the current environment in the context of the performance of the share market over the long term.

Over the last 20 years, Australian equities have provided investors an average return of around 13.5% p.a. The best year (1993) saw equities return 40% while the worst year (1990) saw returns fall by 17.5%. This clearly shows the volatility and risks associated with the equities market.

Looking at annual returns of Australian equities over the last 20 years, the weak years (1990, 1992, 1994, 2002) have generally been followed by significant gains. While there is no guarantee that this pattern will be repeated, the actions of central banks and governments around the world are setting a framework to avert a sustained economic and financial downturn.

If there is a lesson from the current market downturn, it is that investors should understand both the risks inherent in investing in equities and their own appetite for risk. Over the long term, equities have provided better returns than other asset classes but this has not been without significant losses over specific periods.

Investors with broad exposure to Australian equities made returns significantly above the long-term average in 2004, 2005 and 2006. Even 2007 saw returns above the long-term average, albeit only slightly. As long as the current market ructions don’t lead to a sustained bear market (which we do not expect), equities may remain an attractive asset class for the long-term investor who understands the associated risks.

Information sourced from Macquarie Private Wealth: Higher returns come with higher risk 25/03/2008 article
With the above in mind we can look at the recently finished reporting season for the Australian market.
This reporting season can only be characterised as disappointing. The standout feature was the 'gulf' in profit growth of financial assets, such as banks (negative surprise) versus that of hard assets, such as resources (a few positive surprises, but mainly in line).

One of the main themes was an acceleration of negative earnings revisions, in addition to the increasing evidence of financial distress for a number of the highly leveraged business models. This has left investors fearful of further earnings downgrades to forecast financial year 2008 earnings growth, but more particularly to the optimistic forecasts for financial year 2009.

A lot of companies missed their earnings targets. The major feature of earnings misses was the effect of cost increases, with many companies struggling to pass these on quickly enough to their clients.

Many companies have provided exceedingly optimistic financial year 2009 earnings growth forecasts. These forecasts especially for many of the financial and insurance stocks are premised on a ’normalisation’ of earnings post the depressed growth now expected in financial year 2008. The financial year 2009 forecasts are essentially based on an easing of liquidity and credit market conditions, or a return to more normal insurance claims experience. Hence if the current economic conditions especially the credit market crisis continues these companies will find it hard to meet their forecasts.

Many companies in the resources sector are also forecasting good conditions for financial year 2009. Given the current robust signs for the current coal and iron ore contract price negotiations, as well as the strong spot prices for both commodities this sector does look strong. But like the rest of the market, some headwinds from both the higher Australian dollar, at least in the short term, and the pressure of increasing costs present risks to these forecasts.

Information from Macquarie Private Wealth: Equity Strategy Survival of the fittest 17/03/2008 article.

Important things to note:
Macquarie Private Wealth’s services are provided by Macquarie Equities Limited (MEL) ABN 41 002 574 923, Participant of Australian Securities Exchange Group, AFSL No. 237504, Level 18, 20 Bond Street, Sydney NSW 2000.

This information has been prepared by MEL and does not take account of your objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting on this general advice, you should consider its appropriateness having regard to your situation. We recommend that you obtain financial, legal and taxation advice before making any financial investment decision.

MEL is not an authorised deposit taking institution for the purposes of the Banking Act (Cth) 1959. MEL’s obligations do not represent deposits or other liabilities of Macquarie Bank Limited ABN 46 008 583 542 (MBL). MBL does not guarantee or otherwise provide assurance in respect of the obligations of MEL, unless noted otherwise.

Past performance is not a reliable indication of future performance. Any forecasts contained in this document are predictive in character. Whilst every effort has been taken to ensure that the assumptions on which the forecasts are based are reasonable, the forecasts may be affected by incorrect assumptions or by known or unknown risks and uncertainties. The actual results may differ substantially from the forecasts and some facts and opinions may change without notice on the basis of changing market conditions.

Opinions expressed are subject to change without notice and accurately reflect the author’s personal views at the time of writing. The views and opinions expressed in this document are those of the relevant author and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of MEL. No member of the Macquarie Group accepts any liability whatsoever for any direct, indirect, consequential or other loss arising from any use of this information and/or further communication in relation to this research.

Weblinks

Lost your TV Guide? - www.ebroadcast.com.au/tv/ - just click on one of the easy bookmarks, such as "[Adelaide]" to help plan your nightly television viewing.

Insider tips from those in the trade - www.tradetricks.org - Tricks of the Trade is your resource for insider tips from every industry, from doctors, to DJs, animators, managers, waiters, public servants and more.

South Australians chat online - http://forumsa.com.au/ - a forum specifically for South Australians to discuss all things South Australian plus more. Providing a safe environment that is free from spam or offensive discussion, this forum has an exciting range of additional features to be launched shortly.

Hot Tips

Windows

Are you using Internet Explorer 7 as your web browser? If so, you might like to note the new Reset Internet Explorer Settings (RIES) feature incorporated in the software. By following [this guide] at support.Microsoft.com, you can learn to reset all user customised settings, including removal of any annoying tool bars, wiping history, security information, bookmarks and more. It's a useful way of cleansing your web browser if you've unwittingly installed an annoying tool bar.

Mac

Mac OSX has a huge range of custom applications designed to help make the system even easier to use than it already is. So, here's a great list of 100 great OSX programs: ["Top 100 Mac Apps"]

The highlights of this list include; Quicksilver - one of the fastest application launchers on any system; Adium - a great alternative to Windows Messenger, Yahoo Messenger, ICQ and other chat clients; VLC - the ultimate media player for Mac; Transmission - a great Torrent application; and of course, many others. Why not have a look and see what programs could make your computing life easier?

Linux

OpenOffice 2.4 for Linux, plus Windows and Mac, has recently been released, which includes OpenGL 3D slide transitions support. Download the latest version from Adam Internet’s FileArena [here] and you can learn more about OpenOffice at their website www.openoffice.org .

In addition, Ubuntu Linux will release the new version 8.04 later this month. You can learn more about the impending release at www.ubuntu.com.

Did you know?

December 2007 saw the launch of the ultra portable computing solution, the ASUS EeePC. The compact 900 gram machine packs a 7" screen with a resolution of 800x480, 4GB of solid state storage (no moving parts), 512MB of RAM - with the option to upgrade post-purchase - and wireless receiver. The EeePC can also run a variety of operating systems, shipping with versions of Windows XP, Windows Vista and a Linux variant. Hitting the market for just $499, the system sold out almost immediately, however the PC is now available from a wide range of retailers.

The ASUS EeePC is a small, sturdy and lightweight machine that can run a variety of OS, most software you can throw at it, including many older games, though nothing too fancy of course. For those wanting a rugged portable computing option somewhere between a mobile phone and a laptop, you can't go past the EeePC. In the words of one tech reviewer; "The EeePC isn't for everyone -- in fact within about two seconds from picking it up you'll know if it's for you or not. For those it does appeal to, it's a brilliant little thing that fills a much lamented gap."

The three E's in EeePC stand for "Easy to Learn, Easy to Work, Easy to Play."

Visit www.eeepc.asus.com for more information.