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View Full Version : Australian Olympians go wireless in anthrax scare

Jason Dunn
02-10-2002, 05:01 AM
<a href="http://au.computers.yahoo.com/computers/20020208/zdnnews/1013119200-3557457974.html">http://au.computers.yahoo.com/computers/20020208/zdnnews/1013119200-3557457974.html</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.dvdplaza.com.au">Chris Till</a> sent in this link about Australian Winter Olympians using iPAQs to get email. I'm showing my cultural ignorance here, but I was a little surprised there WERE Australian Winter Olympians. How on earth do they train? I have some snow up here that I'm willing to ship for a nominal fee... ;-)<br /><br />"Australian Winter Olympians have been provided with secure wireless-equipped handheld PCs after being banned from opening snail mail because of the on-going anthrax threat in the United States. The Compaq iPAQ Pocket PCs are equipped with a secure wireless location-based system developed by the appropriately named Melbourne company, Icewrx. <br /><br />The solution will provide a safe alternative to mail and allow athletes to send and receive email, view both video footage of news from home and streaming video of the main Olympic events, as well as to chat with other team members, check scheduling, team statistics, scores and weather forecasts, receive bulletins and alerts, and even keep track of dietary requirements."
James
02-10-2002, 05:04 AM
email. I'm showing my cultural ignorance here, but I was a little surprised there WERE Australian Winter Olympians. How on earth do they train? I have some snow up here that I'm willing to ship for a nominal fee... ;-)

A bit like Jamaica having a bobsled team, eh?
Gremlin
02-10-2002, 05:16 AM
We have winter in the Southern Hemisphere too ya know :) :lol: :)
James
02-10-2002, 05:22 AM
Can't be much of a winter since it occurs in the middle of summer ;) :P :lol:
Jason Dunn
02-10-2002, 05:57 AM
We have winter in the Southern Hemisphere too ya know :) :lol: :)


I tell ya, I'm the Attila the Hun of the Pocket PC world - I'm a cultural barbarian. :lol: I'm going to Germany in March though - my first trip to Europe. Woo hoo! :P
Latch
02-10-2002, 06:51 AM
I'm more curious why they are getting regular mail in the first place?
Aren't they only in the States for a few weeks?
How long does it take to send a first class letter from Austrailia anyway?
What kind of mail would they really need to receive that can't wait until after the games?

Wireless iPaqs seem nice... but a hotmail account would probably suffice... This seems simply like a twisted PR attempt by this Icewrx company.
James
02-10-2002, 07:01 AM
I tell ya, I'm the Attila the Hun of the Pocket PC world - I'm a cultural barbarian. :lol: I'm going to Germany in March though - my first trip to Europe. Woo hoo! :P


I've only been to Germany once, and I loved it! I've been wanting to go back ever since...and it's been nearly 15 years since I was there.
innersky
02-10-2002, 09:43 AM
I tell ya, I'm the Attila the Hun of the Pocket PC world - I'm a cultural barbarian. :lol: I'm going to Germany in March though - my first trip to Europe. Woo hoo! :P


Going to CEBIT huh ?
Mr. PPC
02-10-2002, 11:12 AM
Jason, you'll love Germany. Hope you have a great time.

As for skiing in AUS, it actually is quite popular. Don't forget that just across the Tasmain is New Zealand and they have some of the best skiing in the world (even the US team trains there, as winter there is summer in US).

Skiing in AUS isn't like Revelstoke or anything, but you take what you can get. Photo from my Revelstoke vacation...

http://nt4ever.com/Photos/XMas_Vacation/DCP_0185(2).jpg (http://www.nt4ever.com)
Click on photo to see my other photos from vacation.
helloboys
02-10-2002, 02:10 PM
Why, the same way Canadian Summer Olympians train, of course ;)
Jason Dunn
02-10-2002, 05:09 PM
Why, the same way Canadian Summer Olympians train, of course ;)


ZING! 8)
fulltilt
02-11-2002, 12:07 AM
But wait, Smiggins Hole resort in Australia is making a bid for the 2010 Winter Olympics.... :lol:
astroboy
02-11-2002, 06:01 AM
Yes, we do have snow and about one dozen resorts in south
eastern Australia. However, having lived in Salt Lake City for
4 years and been a regular visitor there, there is no comparison
with the conditions (except for Smiggins Hole of course :D )
kevin
02-12-2002, 01:16 PM
O.K. you guys, it's time for some "informed" thoughts on this topic.
There is a larger "skiable" area in the Australian (not Austrian) Alps than in all of Switzerland"
The season doesn't last long (June-October) but what the hey, we've got to get back to the beach anyway!
Life Downunder great one day... ...perfect the next!