Back in 2006, 3 introduced an IP webcam that you could monitor on your 3G phone. It was called the 3 Eyecam, it was about the size of a coffee mug and it was a HUGE failure. From the fact that it beeped when you connected to it, to the terrible video quality, it was panned universally for being the suckiest security camera ever.

Now, two years later, Optus is offering a similar IP security vision solution. Dubbed the Securecam, it allows Optus 3G customers the ability to monitor their home or office via a private IP camera.

Users can easily install the camera themselves, and can receive SMS or email notification if the camera detects movement. They can then check the camera via an IP address or a compatible Optus 3G phone.

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Our good friend David Flynn over at APCMag got himself a bit of a scoop chatting with Mark Whittard from Toshiba - apparently they're seriously planning to launch an Eee PC killer in the near future.

Although there's very little info about the device at all, Mark did say that it would most likely feature a nine-inch screen, feature a (relatively) large SSD drive, run on an Atom processor and run Windows rather than Linux.

Interestingly, Mark used the apparently used the term ULPC to describe the device, with the "L" standing for "low-cost" rather than "light". Which should be the perfect way to confuse customers even more than they already are.

He also mentioned that they're goal in entering the space was to "produce a premium ULPC or mini-note at a slightly higher price by adding "a few hundred dollars" to the sticker".

As good as it is to have another player enter the low-cost laptop market, openly stating that you're trying to drive up the cost isn't going to win you too many friends with consumers looking for a super-cheap lappy. After all, they've already got the Eee, the MSI wind and the Acer Aspire Blue... Why pay $800 when you can get away with $500?

[APCMag]

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Remember dial-up internet? That incredibly slow and awkward way that you used to use to access the internet back in the 90s and early naughties? Well, it's still around, although it is dying a slow and painful death.

the good news is that the Australian Bureau of Statistics has announced that for the very first time, Broadband has overtaken dial-up as the method of choice for Australian consumers to access porn the Internet.

If the concept of people still using dial-up offends your geeky sensibilities (like it does ours), then you can take solace in the fact that these results - published today - are actually from 2006-2007, and are in comparison to results from 2004-2005.

From the ABS Report Australian Social Trends 2008:

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Despite the disappointment that radiated from E3 last week like a Japanese lanyard, Nintendo Australia must be doing something right, seeing as how they just became the fastest selling console to reach the 500,000 mark.

The Wii, which went on sale back in December 2006, took just 84 weeks to reach the milestone, eclipsing the previous record holder by 23 weeks.

It's an impressive feat, although they still have a way to go before they eclipse the PS2's total unit sales of 2.3 million or so.

[Nintendo]