Cast your mind back to 1994 when the Internet was a new and unfamiliar place, whose capabilities were unknown to most. Times tech journalist Harry McCracken was at a flea market on the weekend and stumbled upon this book ‘How to use the Internet‘ which was published in 1994.

Read more here on the Times website.

Ever since the iPad was introduced to the market in April 2010 it has been growing in users (selling over 100 million units) and uses (over 250,000 apps made specifically for the iPad.)

The retail sector has found many innovative ways to use an iPad to sell products. When you see an iPad in a store these days, it isn’t always for sale, but a tool to help users understand a product better, these are called ‘iPad Smart Signs’.

Read more about the innovative uses of the iPad in retail on thenextweb.com in 10 ways iPads are transforming retail.

Ever wondered what is being recorded and monitored by government agencies and private organisations? Watch this episode of Four Corners as they follow the digital information trail of an ordinary Australian family.

“The sort of products you’re buying can tell a marketer an awful lot about what else you’re likely to buy, you know, what model of car you’re likely to buy, the political party you’re likely to vote for, you know, what sort of job you’re likely to have.” John Ostler, Data Marketer.

Watch the episode on abc.net.au.

Microsoft will be discontinuing their support for Microsoft XP as of April 8, 2014. This means there will be no more software updates from Windows Update, leaving XP users vulnerable to viruses, spyware, and other malicious software. If you are still using XP and would like to upgrade to Vista or Windows 8, get in contact with us and we can help you out.

Read more on Microsoft’s website.

There’s something to be said for vinyl — its warm sound, its tactility, the awesome sleeve art. (Jack White would agree.)

The Long Play (LP) record, made of grooved polyvinyl plastic, became a household staple during the 1950s but faded away with the invention of the cassette tape and the portable Sony Walkman. Compact discs later rendered both mediums obsolete, only to be replaced by MP3s.

Read more on Mashable.

iPhone has announced it will be releasing 2 versions of the iPhone this month. The iPhone 5C is the more affordable version that carries the same functions on the iPhone 5 with a plastic body. The iPhone 5S is a total upgrade of the iPhone 5, featuring a faster processor, finger scanning security and an aluminium body.

Read more about the new iPhone models on the nytimes website.

Since Facebook bought Instagram last year its popularity has sky rocketed, from 22 million to 150 million users. The phone/tablet app lets users instantly share photos with their networks and comment on them.

Read more on the Wall Street Journal.

In the final election hours Opposition communications spokesman Malcolm Turnbull announced in an interview with ABC radio the Coalitions $10 million “Policy to Enhance Online Safety for Children.” The details of the policy sounded alot like Senator Conroy’s internet filter, which was heavily criticised and eventually abandoned last year. In the JJJ interview, Malcolm Turnbull said “What [our policy] does is essentially install that software either in  the smartphone or in the modem as a default which you can switch off but then that’s at your call.”

Shortly after the interview the Coalition back-peddled and announced they were not supporting an opt-out internet filter and that it was a mistake. “There was a badly worded sentence or two in the document that went out or earlier today. The fact is we think there should be commercially available filters for PC and mobile phone users to opt in to if they wish,” said Malcolm Turnbull.

Read more on the Age website.

Cartoonist Maria Scrivan makes a valid claim for why a book may be more practical than an iPad at the beach. View the comic on Mashable here.