Well here’s something I didn’t see coming but does make sense in a way - Another HSV wagon! From the front the tourer shares the same styling as the sedan, but turning the car around reveals a disappointing fact in that it’s indistinguishable from a Holden Sportwagon SS save for a couple of badges. Thankfully I’m as much for subtlety as against it, here’s hoping if they’re mad enough to squeeze an LS7 into the thing they’ll do something to differentiate it from a Holden.

Hit the link to read the press release from HSV.

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A download link for the beta version of Google Chrome has appeared on Google today. Using it to make this post and playing around with it, so far I can’t faulter it - it renders DARKCOLD perfectly.. my only concern is the placement of the tabs - at the very top of the window. I can understand that it’s a good way to save space (and emphasize the fact that each tab is its own process) but that’s where my dock goes. My dock’s hidden from view unless I put the mouse at the edge of the screen.. needless to say frustrating when trying to switch tabs.

I’ll look into it - there’s got to be a way to move the tabs (or maybe I’ll get rid of the task bar and stick the dock there). Until then I’m going to have to use Firefox. Anyhow you can download the beta and read more about it here.

Meet the newest Browser out there -  Google Chrome. Revealed a day early because “we hit “send” a bit early on a comic book introducing our new open source browser”. Reading up about Chrome it sounds pretty good, utilizing multiple processes for everything (tabs, extensions, java etc.) allows it to continue going if something else goes wrong (usually Java and extensions) helping to identify the problem and reduce memory leaks.

It’s a fresh way of doing things for this current web 2.0 world and basically as google says it’s like starting from scratch. You can read an official blogpost from Google, or view a comic (yes a comic) explaining things nicely. I think I’ll stick with Firefox though, until the level of Add-Ons for Chrome is just as good (or better).

Firefox 3 is a great browser, but y’know what makes it better? Add-Ons! Now I’m going to share with you, the reader, my top 5 - maybe you’re already using some of these with your Firefox installation. Oh, and not using Firefox? You can download it by clicking here - highly recommended.

#5 - Extended Statusbar

This handy Add-On shows additional information in the statusbar similar to the Opera browser such as how many images have loaded, the speed which the information is coming down and how much the current request has loaded so far. It’s also pretty customizable (I prefer the classic view myself).

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Asus has launched a new line of notebooks (yes another one), this time with an environmental focus; the two models available come clad in real bamboo meaning every notebook will be unique - but being made of bamboo isn’t the only thing green about these portables - they feature Asus’ “Super Hybrid Engine technology”, whatever that is which they claim make them more energy efficient.

You can read some of the press release by hitting the link below, or click here to read the full release with specs from Asus.

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GM has finally unveiled the 2010 Chevvy Camaro, exciting for us in Australialand as it’s likely to be sold here by Holdens as the Chevrolet Camaro (although I wouldn’t complain if its underpinnings become a new Holden Monaro). Heaps of photos and press-release after you hit the link.

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I’m certain that this self-defense table explains itself, although probably not the best place to leave your phone charging overnight in the event that you’ll actually need to go medieval on someone invading your chamber bedroom.

You bet there’s more over at Web Urbanist, who have compiled a list of 8 more interesting designs (mostly beds).

I have just learned a costly lesson - never update a computer BIOS from within Windows where possible! The other day while still waiting for my replacement LCD to arrive I thought I’d install the latest CVS build of XBOX Media Centre on the good ol’ XBOX, and without realizing I accidentally pressed something causing the XBOX to crash half way through uploading the files.. damn it! Annoyed that I now had to rebuild the hard drive I thought I might as well ruin the computer as well (sarcasm), so I downloaded the Asus update application from their website along with the latest BIOS thinking after the update I’d try to push the CPU a bit further.

I ran the update program and it appeared fine until half way through when a message came up saying something about an invalid checksum before crashing, so I tried to open the application again and it crashed exclaiming that it didn’t find an Asus BIOS. I didn’t think anything of it until I restarted the computer and seeing it no longer started. The stupid update program destroyed the BIOS, forcing me to go and get a replacement motherboard (I replaced with the P5K-E WiFi with a P5KC.. never used the hopeless WiFi AP and DDR3 support is of coarse a bit of future-proofing).

Learn from my mistake: If updating the BIOS and your motherboard supports it, update with the built-in utilities.

8. flOw

The first time I played this game was on my computer, while it was an incomplete beta flash movie. It was later finished and sold for the PS3 and later the PSP. It’s a visual treat where the player controlled creature eats other creatures to become bigger/stronger and descends lower (into the ocean?) to face bigger/stronger creatures. I love this game and it would have been higher in the list, except for it’s fatal flaw - it’s too short! I completed this game in under 90 minutes (which is never a good thing), but being a PSN download and not a full UMD game there is a bit of justification in there.

Incredibly the PC version is still available online, and can be played at the authors website here!

Hit more to view the whole list!

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I quite like what FPV has done with the latest Ford FG Series Falcons, especially the GT-E (in the photos it’s the red one), it’s subtle but very aggressive. Subtlety however does not apply to the rest of the range with their bright paint jobs and use of the colour black.

Hit the link to view the press release from Ford Performance Vehicles and view LOTS of images!

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