Yes there are, little JB. Yes, there are…

[via GizAU]

CNet: The gripping sequel to Smart TV content photo feature gallery - movies and music – went up on CNet last week, while part three of the quadrilogy – TV and video – went up early this week. The final part should happen later this week.

ARN: The latest ARN column has gone live as well, debating how recent patent rulings against HTC could effect the entire Android ecosystem. Ouch!

ARN: For my regular fortnightly column, this week I ask whether Google’s latest social networking attempt adds up?. Google+ looks great, smells great, works great, but still has a long way to go before really competing with Facebook or Twitter.

CNet AU: This week I managed to get the old byline on the pages of Australia’s biggest technology site, CNet Australia. My round up of all the sports apps available on the current generation of Smart TVs is part of a series looking at the content our fancy new TVs can deliver to our loungerooms via the power of the internet. Stay tuned for more CNet action next week.

If you read the books (and you almost definitely have), Dumbledore is a joyful father figure to Harry. Mysterious, wise and powerful, he’s also extremely eccentric and and generous. Somehow, Gambon turns him into an angry, fearful headmaster who seemingly has no connection to Harry in any way.

It comes to a point in The Order of The Phoenix, when Dumbledore explains to Harry why he hadn’t told him about he prophecy that dictated that Harry would have to kill Voldemort or vice versa. In the book, Dumbledore gives an impassioned speech, laced with regret and sadness. He argues – convincingly – that he didn’t tell Harry about the prophecy because he wanted Harry to enjoy as much happiness and success as he could as a child, and before he knew it, the years had passed. After everything Harry has been through in the books, after all the two had shared, he calms Harry’s anger and opens up with a teenage boy who’s just lost his Godfather.

Yet the movies tell a different story. the only connection you see between Dumbledore and Harry in the 3rd, 4th and 5th films are angry, near violent situations. When Harry’s name appears out of the Goblet of Fire, Gambon’s Dumbledore actually physically assaults Harry in a wave of anger.

So how then are we expected to believe him when he tells Harry in Order of The Phoenix, flat and emotionless, that he didn’t tell Harry about the prophecy because he “cares about him too much.”

It’s the biggest disappointments of the films for me. When all the other casting is so spot on in all the films – Maggie Smith is the perfect McGonogall, Alan Rickman nails Snape, Gary Oldman is the perfect Sirius – not to mention Ralph Fiennes as Voldemort – and yet Dumbledore feels as if he’s stumbling his way through a character who doesn’t fit the films.

Even his appearance – admittedly the fault of wardrobe and not Gambon himself – fails to live up to the Dumbledore of the books (and the first two films).

In a series of films well loved around the world, it’s frustrating that such a weak point has been allowed to run through the majority of the films.

Then again, maybe it’s just me?

My final News.com.au piece hit the internet to the tune of 370 odd Facebook recommendations. With Gizmodo gone and ARN a fortnightly deal, this week has been spent half taking it easy, half trying to get some more work… so stay tuned for that in the coming weeks!

It turns out that finding an appropriate app for contact exchange is easy. Bump is a free app that’s been featured in Apple’s iPhone ads and lets you exchange contact details, photos and apps with other iOS and Android devices by bumping the phones together. It works well, is free (did I mention that already) and seems to be an ideal solution.

But as I discovered on the weekend on a table full of technology journos, making the move from business cards to apps is going to be a tough one. On a table of about 10-15 people, I was the only one who had the app installed.

Which kind of defeats the purpose. It’s hardly effortless is one party has to download an app before you share a virtual business card.

Is there a better way? Of course, email is the obvious solution, but it’s a one way transaction. I really need to be receiving details as well as offering my own.

Any suggestions are more than welcome…

Gizmodo: It’s officially done now. Here’s the summation of all my efforts, but I particularly want to point out my farewell post. I’m riding a frickin velociraptor, for crying out loud!

ARN: My second ARN post appeared last week, with my thoughts on the future of retail.

News: My piece last week comparing Blockbuster with the Playstation and Xbox movie rental services seemed to go down a treat, with almost 150 comments and over 100 recommendations on Facebook. This week will be the final piece in this series for News, so hopefully they enjoyed it enough to hire me again!

JB:”Daddy! Daddy! Truck! Truck!”
Me: Go watch the truck with mummy, JB. Daddy has to work.
JB (grabbing my finger in a five-fingered vice): “Truck! Daddy!”
Me (in fear of losing my finger): “Okay then, let’s go. Quick, or we’ll miss it!”

*trotting down the hallway to the front door to the cackles of pure joy from a 21 month old*

JB: “Truck, Daddy.” *laughter*
Me: “I know buddy. Wave bye to the truck.”
JB (waving): “Bye, truck”.

So very, very cute and so very, very awesome.