The collected works of ScottyB

As any of you who follow this collected works will know, I’ve recently moved up to 8mbps. Or the 21st century as some of our overseas friends will say.

They say Australia is behind in the Internet game - and sure - its probably true; Even our supreme ADSL2+ pales in comparison to connection speeds on offer in the US and parts of Europe. However, as I started downloading a pack of photos from last weekend’s GP and watched it almost immediately shoot to 250 kb/s, while also viewing some of those ‘crazy Arab drift’ videos on YouTube and scanning the forums for new posts, I realised I was in near electronic bliss.

Minutes later, my download finished. Something I’d usually have to have waited up to half an hour to view - was done in 4 minutes and 43 seconds.

It’s hard not to be impressed, even if we’re still miles behind in the numbers game.

I guess the only downside to this whole dilemma is being chucked back into the world of download limits. For much of my Internet life, I’ve managed to steer clear of these download cap plans. I’d heard stories and had mates who had racked up many-hundred dollar excess bills for their parents to pay off. It was just too risky a proposition. And nowadays, parents won’t foot the bill either - it all comes out of my DVD-taunted, petrol-ravaged, techno-freaked wallet.

Thanks to the Layer 2 changeover, there is no other option. Well - except for the 40GB plan, which kind of looks like it may be the logical option, seeing as about a week into 8mbps, I’ve already racked up 9GB of transfer out of my 18GB on offer before throttling.

It’s not entirely my fault though. Everything downloads faster. So you can download other stuff much earlier than you used to be able to. And that downloads faster too. Visit a website loaded with pictures - they’ve all downloaded before you realise its the wrong page and you go up to click ‘Stop’ to save bandwidth.. but its already greyed out. I don’t even bother trying to click ’stop’ any more.

The biggest advantage though, is not having to wait. The time I used to waste, just waiting for a new movie trailer to load, or a video-driver update to download.. now all done in a fraction of the time.

It really is like the switch from dial-up to 512k broadband back in early 2002.

This is the Internet as it was intended to be viewed.

Yes. That’s right folks.

300.

Tin box set - Collectors Edition. 2-discs. Plus the bonus exclusive booklet, ‘300: The Art of the Film’.

The exact same one I was sooooo very disappointed about last week, when I checked the EzyDVD website and noticed the big RED ‘Sold Out’ next to it.

It was in store today - and the relief washed over me in an awesome wave (to quote Patrick Bateman).

Yeah I know, I’m crazy for getting so excited about a DVD - but I simply love film. And the only thing better than the film itself is buying the film - with cool bonus features, exclusive collectors packs - stuff you don’t find elsewhere.

I guess that’s the attraction of EzyDVD - these tin box sets and exclusive packs. It even makes the UK’ers jealous!

To top it all off, the pricing is extremely good. At the sale today, I picked up some virtual new releases - Blood Diamond and The Departed - for under $10. Jarhead and 16 Blocks for under $13.

I’m kind of glad they don’t run these sales all the time. I’m far too encourageable. I’d buy the shop out of stock in one foul swoop.

Some great watching to be had…