It may be mid-August, the time of year when there’s usually nothing to talk about. Last week bucked that trend in a big way. Here’s some interesting stuff we wrote, including a deep look at Twitter trolls, and Malcolm Turnbull and Village Roadshow CEO’s concerns about ‘crazy’ pirates.
ACCC Fighting Australia’s Petrol Giants In Court For ‘Price Information Sharing’
Do you ever wonder why all the petrol stations in your area seem to have nearly identical prices to each other? Australia’s competition watchdog is taking BP, Caltex, Coles Express, and other petrol station operators to the Federal Court over allegations of “price sharing” that were “likely to decrease competitive rivalry” amongst the group — collusion that saw prices rise for customers.
Here’s Why Better Data Deals Are The New Competitive Frontier For Australia’s Telcos
Data for mobile devices is the new frontier for the major telcos as the mobile phone market in Australia stagnates.
Village Roadshow Ditches Copyright Forum To Dodge ‘Crazies’
In an email to Communications Manager Malcolm Turnbull, the Village Roadshow CEO refused to engage in public anti-piracy discussions, citing a concern over “crazies”.
iiNet Can Thank The NBN For Its $1 Billion In Revenue
A reasonable chunk of iiNet’s just-announced $1 billion in revenue for the last financial year comes from its 65,000 NBN and fibre customers — with almost a quarter of the entire NBN market to itself.
Malcolm Turnbull Speed Tests Fibre To The Node
Turnbill hit the Central Coast of NSW testing a new fibre-to-the-node (FTTN) site in a little community called Umina, and the speed test is actually pretty impressive.
Ferguson Police Will Finally Get the One Device They Really Need
In a statement today, Ferguson’s police department announced that it is committed to buying vest cameras for its officers. When it finally happens, it will be a great first step. And it will happen even faster if we ditch the bloated, expensive wearable cam tech cops use today for something accessible to every U.S. precinct.
Facebook’s Rose-Coloured News Feed
Pope Francis. Haim. An inspirational Little League coach. You’ve likely seen these stories on Facebook today, along with ice buckets and your friends’ babies. I know that because they’re sitting atop the social network’s “trending” list. What’s not there at all? Ferguson. Welcome to Facebookworld, where everything’s wonderful all of the time.
The $US1.5 Million Indiegogo Smartwatch Horror Story
Crowdfunding, like any gamble, preys on your hopes and dreams. Sometimes, you get the wonderful dream device you deserve. Other times, you get a million dollar pile of shit, like a smartwatch that can’t tell time. The Kreyos Meteor seems to fall into that second category.
Stop Refrigerating Your Butter
Do you keep your butter in the refrigerator? You do? Stop it. Stop it right this second. You’re ruining your butter experience and making your toast taste like failure. Let me tell you why.
Why We Still Have Bezels (But May Not For Long)
Yesterday, the first Sharp smartphone to come to these great United States brought with it one of the skinniest bezels we’ve ever seen on a smartphone. The Aquos Crystal is visually impressive, and a major step into the frameless future that seems to be emerging. There’s just one problem, though. Bezels matter. And we still need them.
Stop Pretending There’s a Line Dividing Politics and Tech
“Silicon Valley is a place where seemingly impossible problems are solved every day,” Ezra Klein writes in a new post for The Verge. “…while Washington is a place where solvable problems prove impossible to do anything about.” Klein presents a huge chasm dividing the worlds of technology and politics. This idea is misguided at best, and dangerous at worst.
Why the Military Is Pinning Its Hopes on Google’s Modular Phone
In its small red brick headquarters, Vanderbilt’s Institute for Software Integrated Systems (ISIS) is working on a revolution in smartphone technology. It’s not better screens, or battery life, or anything for a major carrier. It’s a puzzle-piece phone that will (hopefully) change the way the military communicates.
How Twitter Could Beat the Trolls, And Why It Won’t
Twitter has a troll problem. It has from the beginning, really. But it’s been particularly loud this month, thrown into sharp relief with the sickening attacks on Robin Williams’ grieving daughter, Zelda. Twitter’s response has been tepid at best — and as far as squashing trolls goes, it’s the most we can ever expect.