Technology changes fast. Twenty years ago, only a handful of adults had a mobile phone – but two decades on the digital time spectrum is equivalent to the Jurassic age and modern-day. Trying to explain dialup to a pre-teen will elicit the same wild-eyed bewilderment as “a stegosaurus was as big as this house”.

So, that leaves parents in 2020 with a conundrum: when do I give my child their first phone? Is it a question of them reaching a certain age, or is it a case of them showing a level of maturity? We can’t go off what our parents did because two tin cans connected by a string isn’t really the same.

Like most aspects of parenting, there are no hard-and-fast rules for when a child is ready for the responsibility of a mobile – but that doesn’t mean you’re without help. We’ve scouted the web to bring you a step-by-step manual for solving this digital dilemma.

(more…)

The Christmas decorations have no doubt been up at the shops for weeks now, but consider this a friendly reminder that it’s November, and Christmas is on the horizon. With more and more shopping getting done online these days, it’s best to beat the rush and get your gifts sorted sooner rather than later.

To help you get some ideas about quirky gifts for your geeky loved ones, here’s some of our top picks from online stores that ship to Australia. Whether you’re shopping for an avid gamer, sci-fi fan or pop culture collector, you’re bound to find something they’ll love – and maybe pick up something for yourself while you’re at it!

(more…)

Are you ready for a good scare? With Halloween season in full swing, now’s the time to check out the latest screams available on video game libraries like Steam. For those of us who like a challenge or getting more invested in a scary story, horror games are a great upgrade to horror movies for a frightening night in. After all, getting involved with the gameplay makes your all the more likely to jump out of skin when something unexpected happens.

We’ve rustled up our favourite tense and terrifying PC titles on Steam – read on to see if any of them are prime picks for your next hair-raising gaming session!

(more…)