Last Week’s Top Ten Posts

You wanted consumer tips, better Android devices and cheaper iPhone 4 plans. Kick off your Monday by checking out the ten most popular posts from Lifehacker Australia last week:

1. Planhacker: Australian iPhone 4 Contract Plan Guide 2011
   Six months on from its initial release, Apple’s iPhone 4 remains one of the most popular choices for smartphone users anywhere, and the wealth of local contract deals can make for confusing comparison shopping. This week Planhacker rounds up every iPhone 4 contract plan for Australia in one handy listing.
2. A Guide To The New Australian Consumer Protection Laws
   On January 1, new consumer protection laws came into place across Australia. We’ve got the lowdown on how the new rules protect you against door-to-door selling, telemarketing, warranty rip-offs and more.
3. Why The Mac App Store Sucks
   Apple launched the Mac App Store today, allowing you to browse, search, read reviews and buy Mac software of all kinds in one streamlined location. And it’s terrible. Here’s why.
4. Why GST Isn’t The Big Competitive Issue For Online Stores
   Large local retailers love to claimed that online shopping is unfair to them because overseas sales don’t attract GST for sub-$1,000 purchases, and they’ve even persuaded the Productivity Commission to examine the issue. SmartCompany has a well-put summary of why the arguments pushed by the big retailers are fundamentally wrong-headed.
5. How Can I Speed Up My Aging Laptop?
   Dear Lifehacker, My laptop is only two years old, but it’s running really slowly. I’ve upgraded the memory already, but what else can I do to speed things up? Signed, Crawling in Crawford
6. Ask Lifehacker: Why Is My New Android Phone So Sluggish?
   Dear Lifehacker, My shiny new Android (2.2) phone gets bogged down when there is more than a couple of apps running at once (as does my wife’s, running 2.1). I use ATK but keep getting told that “2.x phones are so amazing you don’t need task killers” and “task killers are bad/make things worse” but with no real solution to the fact that my phone performs worse than my old 286 three quarters of the time.
7. When Will Hulu Arrive In Australia?
   Not being able to access Hulu is a frequent cause of aggravation for Australian TV viewers. Will 2011 be the year that the streaming TV service finally arrives down under?
8. Resolved: How To Keep Your Computer Safe, Clean And Backed Up In 2011
   Those important computer tasks—like securing, cleaning, and backing up—are like any other resolution: we all say we’re going to do them but rarely keep up with them all year. Here’s our simple guide to staying on track in 2011.
9. How Can I Get My Appetite Under Control After Eating Twice As Much As Normal?
   Dear Lifehacker, Over the holidays, I let my food consumption get out of control. Now I’m trying to get my appetite back to normal, but my stomach’s stretched out and I’m hungry all the time. What can I do? Signed, Too Hungry for Healthy
10. Ask Lifehacker: Is There A Software Equivalent To A Wall Planner?
    Dear Lifehacker, It’s that time of year again, and I’ve got to say I just can’t find any software tools that replace a full size wall planner. Maybe it’s just a size thing, and there’s too much information to fit on a single screen? Does anyone know of a good (affordable) solution that lets me view and edit a whole year of appointments on screen?