Last Week’s Top Ten Posts

You wanted to talk currency, encryption, piracy and VPNs. Kick off your Monday by checking out the ten most popular posts from Lifehacker Australia last week:

1. Australia and New Zealand To Share Dollar?
   There’s always been a close relationship between Australia and New Zealand. We see it as being more like sibling rivalry than best friends but given that there’s a lot business transacted between the two countries, any moves that make that easier need to be looked at. So, is a single ANZ currency in the wind?
2. The Complete Guide To Creating A Seamless, Play-Everything Media Centre
   DVD players are so 1999. In this day and age, a custom media centre running XBMC is the only thing you really need hooked up to your TV — whether you’re watching movies you’ve ripped, streaming your favourite TV shows, listening to podcasts, or even playing video games. This guide will tell you everything you need to know to create an awesome, customised, do-anything media centre with XBMC. And, if you’ve already hopped on the XBMC bandwagon, it’s sure to show you a thing or two you didn’t already know.
3. What Would It Take For You To Stop Pirating?
   We may not agree with the RIAA on much, but today they made a surprising statement that we can actually get on board with: innovation is the best way to stop piracy. Our question for you is: What kind of innovation would get you to stop downloading media illegally?
4. Five Useful Upgrades For Your Computer’s Unused Bays
   You’ve got, what, one DVD drive on the front of your computer? You have so many empty drive bays — how embarrassing! Here are a few awesome (and absurd) things you can put in those bays to add extra features to your computer.
5. How To Build Your Own VPN
   Even if you have no idea what a VPN is (it’s a Virtual Private Network), the acronym alone conjures visions of corporate firewalls and other relatively boring things, right? While a VPN is a common corporate security tool, it’s also one of the coolest things you can set up for personal use that you have probably never tried.
6. Your iPad: The Creative Tool You Never Knew You Needed
   The iPad gets a bad rap as a device designed specifically for consumption. After all, its main purpose is to keep you connected to the world. Despite that, the iPad has risen up as a creativity tool and serves as an integral part in many people’s toolkit. To get an idea of when these devices are being used, we talked with a cadre of creative types to find out not just how they’re using iPads to make things, but why.
7. Get An Empty Seat Next To You On Your Next Flight By Booking The Window And Aisle Seat
   Getting a good seat on a flight is awesome, but getting one with no one sitting next to you is even better. If you’re lucky enough to be on a flight that isn’t filled to the brim, here’s a trick that’ll increase the possibility of having an empty seat next to you.
8. Ask LH: Can I Get Around Apple’s Device Limit?
   Dear Lifehacker, I want to connect more of my iDevices to the one Apple account. I added it up the other day and I have way too many devices! There are two Mac Minis, three iPhones, four iPads and six iPad Nanos. 2 x Mac mini’s Apple has my money . We are a family of six and they are everywhere. I’m sure the kids are hiding more from me. Maybe the devices are breeding under the beds. But what to do?
9. Encryption 101: Understanding The Basics
   A simple password stops criminal types gaining access to your machine, but doesn’t protect your data if the hard drive gets removed, or stop attempts to intercept your internet connection. To achieve that goal, you need encryption, but it can be a confusing topic. Here are the basics everyone needs to know.
10. Is Word A Relic?
    There’s nothing more likely to stir up a debate than finding a nice big soapbox and telling everyone that the tool they use is rubbish. That’s what one columnist did today through a major daily paper [The Age].