Pia Waugh quits as Senator Lundy advisor
IT industry personality Pia Waugh has announced her decision to resign from her job as policy advisor to Labor Senator Kate Lundy, with a new role in the public service looming.
Farr, Boreham, Wood, Skellern win Australia Day honours
Former IBM Australia leader Glen Boreham, Defence chief information officer Greg Farr, Wotif.com founder Graeme Wood and former NICTA chief David Skellern have all picked up Australia Day honours this week for outstanding service to the nation.
Nokia: Lumia 800 hits Australia in March
Nokia has reportedly revealed that its first smartphones to feature the Windows Phone 7 operating system, the Lumia 800 and 710, will hit Australia in March, with the 800 to launch through all major local carriers.
TPG breaks its silence over Telstra terms
National broadband provider TPG has broken what has appeared to be a long-term policy of not criticising the nation's largest telco Telstra over its supply terms to rivals, slamming the big T's wholesale approach in a new submission filed early this year with the competition regulator.
Suncorp picks Oracle to replace core
Tier two banking and insurance giant Suncorp has picked Oracle's next-generation banking platform to replace its aging Hogan core banking system, as the momentum around core banking replacement projects accelerates in Australia.
Internode revamps estates fibre plans
National broadband provider Internode has released a new series of plans for residents of new housing estates which have their fibre infrastructure operated by independent fibre specialists Opticomm and OPENetworks, harmonising the plans with its existing National Broadband Network pricing.
Federal Government spends $5bn on ICT annually
Special Minister of State Gary Gray has released a report summarising expenditure by government departments in 2008–09 and 2009–10, which states that the Australian Government is a major consumer and producer of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) products and solutions, with an annual expenditure of $5 billion.
Rival ISPs slam ‘discriminatory’ Telstra fibre deal
The Competitive Carriers’ Coalition (CCC) this week objected strongly to the Government’s decision to exempt Telstra, the nation’s largest telco, from its own regulations in more than 100 locations around the country, saying that it will leave thousands of Australians without the full benefits of increasing competition in broadband markets.
Ludlam suspects Govt of bugging his iPhone
Greens Senator Scott Ludlam has publicly stated that he suspects law enforcement agencies of bugging his mobile phone, despite admitting that he doesn't have a shred of evidence that such action might be taking place, and despite the fact that he has not had his mobile phone examined for bugging software.
Vodafone confirms internal restructuring
National mobile telco Vodafone has confirmed a report by News Ltd newspaper The Australian that it's planning to cut members of its executive team, in a wide-ranging restructure that could affect a number of mid-level executives at the company.
APN invests in Pollenizer’s Friendorse
Newspaper group APN News & Media has confirmed that it is investing in the Pollenizer-backed startup Friendorse.
BugHerd takes $500K venture capital investment
BugHerd, the Australian developer of the bug-tracking software by the same name, revealed yesterday that it had received a $500K investment from Melbourne-based venture capital firm Starfish Ventures.
Toshiba’s ‘thinnest & lightest’ tablet hits Australia
Japanese consumer electronics giant Toshiba yesterday launched what it described as "the world's thinnest and lightest tablet" in Australia, putting the 10.1" Android device on sale for a recommended retail price of $579.
Status quo remains in Telstra’s South Brisbane
The nation's largest telco Telstra has confirmed it will not address several of the largest complaints by other ISPs about the way it is handling its new fibre rollout in the South Brisbane exchange area, despite signing a new accord regarding the region with Communications Minister Stephen Conroy.
$4.88bn baby: Apple Australia’s licence to print money
Apple has revealed that its Australian division has experienced incredible levels of revenue growth over the past five years, in new financial documents released this week which paint a graphic picture of the effect that the global resurgence of the iconic technology giant's fortunes have had on its local operation.
ISP data retention still an issue, Ludlam warns
Greens Senator Scott Ludlam has warned that a secretive proposal -- known as 'data retention -- by the Attorney-General's Department to force internet service providers to store a wealth of information pertaining to Australians' emails and telephone calls is still an issue, with the public needing to remain vigilant on how the Government handles Internet surveillance.
Quickflix signs streaming deal with HBO
Leading Australian online movie rental and streaming company Quickflix has announced a content licensing agreement with top US television company, Home Box Office, Inc (HBO). However, new shows won't hit Quickflix's archive until 12 to 18 months after they first show in the US.
Developers prefer Android, says survey
Google’s Android operating system has replaced Apple’s iOS in terms of importance to developers in the Asia-Pacific region in the last 12 months, according to a new survey by independent technology analysts Ovum. However, both still form the core of developer support and almost all developers support both platforms. The survey also reveals that there is increasing interest from developers in Blackberry OS and Microsoft’s Windows phone.
iiNet offers Wi-Fi in Perth CBD
National broadband company iiNet revealed late last week that it had installed a Wi-Fi service throughout the Perth central business district that would let any customer of its growing family of brands access free Internet in the area.
Victorian Govt still disappointed in NBN
The Coalition-led Victorian State Government has again sharply criticised the Labor Federal Government's National Broadband Network project for not adequately meeting the needs of residents of the state.
Financial problems take down 99dresses
Pollenizer-backed startup 99dresses this week took its site down for renovation promising that it would eventually return, but revealing it was suffering from financial problems linked to its use of virtual currency.
Greens slam “offensive” secret piracy meetings
Australian Greens Senator Scott Ludlam has attacked the Federal Government, which his party is in broad partnership with to form Government, for holding what he said were "offensive" secret meetings with the content and ISP industries on the issue of illicit Internet file-sharing.
Australia gets new fibre cable to Singapore
Australia’s international internet capacity is in for a significant increase with the planned development of a new optic fibre submarine cable system, ASSC-1, between Perth and Singapore.
Music service Rdio launches in Australia
Rdio, the music streaming service from the founders of Skype has launched in Australia and New Zealand this week, according to a blog post on their website. Rdio is now available on the web, iPad, iPod touch, smartphones like the iPhone, Blackberry, Android and Windows Phone 7, and on desktop apps. Rdio is also available for users with a Sonos wireless audio system at home.
Govt blocks Internode FOI request for Telstra/NBN deal
The Federal Government's Information Commissioner has rejected an attempt by internet service provider Internode to obtain the complete text of Telstra's $11 billion deal with the National Broadband Network Company under Freedom of Information laws.
iBooks textbooks? Sorry, not for Australia
Apple has limited access to the broad range of new educational textbooks announced through its iBookstore overnight to students in the US, locking Australians and those in other countries out of accessing the new content from publishers such as McGraw-Hill and Pearson.
Optus signs NBN wholesale contract
The nation's number two telco Optus this afternoon confirmed it had signed the wholesale services agreement which Optus and other telcos have been negotiating with NBN Co for the past 15 months.
Optus launches customer forum
Giant national telco Optus has followed rivals Telstra and Vodafone and launched its own dedicated online customer support forum, supported by members of its successful social media team.
Australia prefers Govt contact via the Internet
Special Minister of State Gary Gray said in a statement yesterday that the Internet constitutes the preferred method of access to government services, backing his statements with the release of a new report in the area.
Facebook loses Aussie chief Borrud
Facebook has announced that Paul Borrud, Head of its Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) operations will be leaving the company after a six-year long stint. Borrud has decided to leave Facebook to enjoy more time with his family and to pursue personal interests.
Delimiter is giving away an Amazon Kindle Fire
Yup, you read the headline correctly. We've had a spare Amazon Kindle Fire sitting around the Delimiter HQ since we imported it in November for our Australian review. Now it's time to give this sweet little tablet away to a lucky reader.
Telstra’s 4G HTC Android on sale Tuesday
The nation's largest telco Telstra will next Tuesday start selling the first smartphone to be able to fully take advantage of its growing 4G/LTE network: A HTC model running Google's Android operating system and dubbed the 'HTC Velocity 4G'.
Deloitte surveys state of tech in Aussie business
A national survey conducted by the the Australian Industry Group and Deloitte of Australian chief executives has revealed that business investment in new technologies is resulting in higher productivity, better innovation, improved energy efficiencies and better work safety. The survey involved 540 CEOs across many sectors including manufacturing, services and construction.
Primus wins million dollar Payless Shoes deal
Independent Australian footwear retail chain, Payless Shoes has inked a million dollar, three-year deal with Primus Telecom, one of Australia’s largest telecommunication carriers. Primus will provide an integrated Voice and Data Network solution that includes a network-based EFTPOS system plus additional hosted services across the retailer's 232 stores and its Sydney-based head office.
Support Wikipedia blackout, Greens tell Labor
The Australian Greens Party has demanded that Australia's Labor Federal Government support efforts such as Wikipedia's site blackout initiative to protest the controversial Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and associated legislation currently being considered by the US Government.
IBM takes Australian Open data onto private cloud
IBM announced yesterday that it is developing a global private cloud computing system for the 2012 Australian Open as part of its technology partnership for the international Grand Slam tennis tournament.
vividwireless cuts prices for the new year
vividwireless, part of the Seven network and one of Australia’s only independent wireless broadband providers, is reducing the price of its devices and giving them away free to new customers who sign up for eligible plans.
Russell’s return: Optus COO post beckons
One of Optus chief executive Paul O'Sullivan's bitterest telecommunications industry rivals has returned from a stint working overseas to become his chief lieutenant at SingTel Optus.
Atlassian doubles staff, revenues in 18 months
Australian enterprise software group Atlassian overnight revealed it had approximately doubled its headcount and revenues over the past 18 months, as it rapidly expands its operations internationally on the back of the $60 million in venture capital investment it took in mid-2010.
Govt censors secret anti-piracy meeting notes
Citing the "public interest", the Federal Attorney-General's Department has censored from documents released under Freedom of Information laws eight pages of notes taken by one of its staff members at a secret meeting held in September last year to address the issue of Internet piracy, after initially stating that no minutes were taken of the meeting.
Internode launches Fritz!Box rentals, slashes prices
National broadband company Internode revealed a new service last week that allows customers rent its Fritz!Box broadband routers and accessories. The announcement also unveiled lower pricing across the series of Fritz!Box equipment.
Aussie giants sign up to Oracle’s cloud CRM
Technology giant Oracle announced yesterday that various top Australian public and private sector entities had implemented its CRM On Demand software as a service suite to upgrade customer service, gain access to real-time analytics, and enable speeding up of adaptive business planning.
New Qld CIO defends Govt IT debacles
Queensland's new whole of government chief information officer Peter Grant has defended the state's record on major IT projects in his first interview since taking the position in December last year.
Startmate announces class of 2012
Startmate, the Sydney based mentor-driven seed fund that invests in Australian techies who have ambitions of creating startups, has announced its latest class of protégées for the 2012 program. The fund was announced at the Tech23 2010 event held in Sydney and it has a stated mission of helping create world-class companies that will solve customer problems.
Huawei’s high-end Android comes to Australia
Chinese hardware giant Huawei last week unveiled the Ascend P1 S this week at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show (CES). With a thickness of just 6.68mm, the Ascend P1 S is the world’s slimmest phone; and the company's working to bring it to Australia from April 2012.
UTS creates new CIO role
The University of Technology, Sydney, has kicked off a hiring process for a newly created chief information officer position to help it with a substantial investment program associated with its campus located just outside the Sydney central business district.
TPG may buy iiNet, Telstra tells staff
Telstra has issued a newsletter to its staff informing them that iiNet's buyout of Internode will likely see TPG vaulted into clear third place in Australia's broadband market, following a likely buyout of iiNet by TPG.
Attorney-General ignoring consumers: Pirate Party
The Pirate Party of Australia has strongly criticised the former Attorney-General Robert McClelland for ignoring consumers and supporting the content industry instead, in secretive talks held by his department.
Head of Technology at ASX resigns
The Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) revealed this week that Jeff Olsson, Group Executive Technology has announced his resignation. Olsson plans to leave the company in July 2012.
Qld Treasury terminates failed IT overhaul
Queensland's Labor government has been caught on the wrong foot again with another failed IT project, with the Queensland Treasury Corporation (QTC) revealing it had spent $15 million on dumped finance platforms, recently terminating a $7.5 million contract with supplier Temenos and throwing away an equivalent amount on internal work.
ThreatMetrix acquires Aussie security firm TrustDefender
Australia based TrustDefender, a specialist in secure browsing technologies and malware protection, has been acquired by US-based ThreatMetrix, a provider of cybercrime prevention solutions. Consolidated under the ThreatMetrix brand, the company will operate in the US, Australia and Europe with its headquarters in San Jose, California.
Cisco picks NSN exec to replace Williamson
Global networking giant Cisco today announced that Richard Kitts has been appointed as vice president for Cisco Australia and New Zealand. Kitts will take up the role sometime in mid to late March 2012. The position has been vacant since June 2011.
SA Premier gets US fast broadband tour
South Australia Premier Jay Weatherill has toured the high-tech city of Chattanooga, Tennessee in the United States, to survey the city’s revitalisation brought about with the use of high-speed broadband.
ACT moves shared services staff to Gungahlin
The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) has announced that it will be moving its shared services staff to the Canberra suburb of Gungahlin in the year 2014-15.
Regulator pins Vodafone on Do Not Call breaches
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has issued a statement noting that it has accepted an enforceable undertaking from Vodafone to restrain errant dealers telemarketing products from Vodafone and 3 Mobile.
SAP loses Aussie MD Ebbeck
The long-serving leader of German software giant SAP's Australian business, Tim Ebbeck, has unexpectedly resigned, with the company currently conducting an executive search to find a replacement.
Hackett hammers iiNode critics
Internode managing director Simon Hackett has strongly defended the pre-Christmas deal in which rival iiNet bought out his company Internode, stressing the strength and duration of his long-term relationship with iiNet's management team in two outspoken forum posts published last week.
Subscriber growth surge hits Quickflix
Online DVD rental and Internet video company Quickflix has that it experienced a surge in its number of subscribers in the last quarter of 2011. The total number of subscribers (including those trialling the service) as of 31 December 2011 had reached 110,697 which implies an increase of 21,303 subscribers, or 24 per cent, during the last quarter.
Tension as NBN trial agreement ends
Tension is mounting between the National Broadband Network Company and its retail ISP customers about the final form of the wholesale agreement which will govern their relationship, with an impasse likely to leave the two sides unable to connect new retail NBN customers once an initial trial agreement ends on Thursday this week.
Aussie researchers shrink wiring to atomic scale
A new study led by Australian researchers and published in the journal Science has revealed that silicon wires in the narrowest diameter ever made can carry the same electrical current as copper. The wires are just four atoms wide and one atom tall, which makes their diameter thinner than that of a human hair.
Hacker luminary to hit Melbourne for speech
Jacob Appelbaum, independent computer security researcher and hacker, will be visiting Australia soon, with one item on his schedule being a ‘War on the Internet’ event, scheduled for 21 January, 2012 at Trades Hall, Melbourne between 3pm and 5 pm. Supported by the Australian Greens Party and Electronic Frontiers Australia, the event will have speakers “challenging gatekeepers and proposing alternatives to the weaponisation of cyberspace.”
E*Trade flooded with DDoS before Christmas
ANZ Bank's stockbroking service E*Trade was hit by a distributed denial of service attack in the lead-up to the 2011 Christmas season. After initial denials that the site had been attacked, the company sent its customers a letter informing them about the attack yesterday.
Sony won’t bring US tablet price cut to Oz
Japanese electronics giant Sony yesterday said it wouldn't commit to cutting prices on its Tablet S Android tablet in Australia, despite chopping US$100 off the price of the device in the US this week.
Will the PlayBook’s US price cut hit Australia?
A spokesperson for Research in Motion (RIM) has Australia declined to reveal whether RIM will apply US discounts on its PlayBook tablet to its Australian stock. RIM has announced substantial price cuts for a limited time up to February 4 on the PlayBook in the US, offering the 16GB, 32GB and 64GB models all for US$299 each, saving buyers between US$200 to US$700.
New cloud development aims to support charities
Appichar, a technology company that has been working with not-for-profit organisations for over ten years in the UK and three years in Australia, has launched a locally developed system called ‘Supporter360’ that aims to use the latest cloud technologies to help charitable organisations computerise their operations with minimal capital investment.
Telstra to release HTC 4G handset “soon”
The nation's biggest telco Telstra has turned up the heat on anticipation for its first 4G handset launch, confirming this week that it will be soon releasing the first phone capable of fully utilising the speeds of its 4G network. This phone will be an HTC product.
Hackett’s NBN scale claim “sheerest nonsense”: Linton
Exetel chief executive John Linton has labelled as "the sheerest nonsense" the claim by Internode chief Simon Hackett that ISPs will need to gain scale to compete when the National Broadband Network is rolled out around Australia.
NBN take-up “a bitter jest”, says Turnbull
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has labelled news that NBN Co has signed up some 4,000 customers to its networks as "a bitter jest", pointing out that the company's own corporate plan planned for 35,000 customers to be using the infrastructure by June 2011, and 137,000 by June 2012.
NEXTDC inks leaseback deal for Brisbane DC
The directors of datacentre company NEXTDC have announced that the company has entered into a sale-and-leaseback agreement for its Brisbane datacentre property. During 2011, NEXTDC had announced a capital recycling program intended to unlock the increasing worth of its property assets and to re-invest the income in higher yielding datacentre infrastructure assets through sale-and-leaseback arrangements.
iiNet hints at new BoB in 2012
Dropping hints about new products due to be launched in 2012, iiNet Labs team member Simon Watt has revealed in a blog post this week that one of these is a major new broadband hardware product.
NBN policy should integrate FTTN, HFC: Budde
Maverick telecommunications analyst Paul Budde has published a blog entry arguing that realising the vision of the National Broadband Network (NBN) initiative will require not just building new FTTH (Fibre to the Home) networks, but also retaining the current HFC (Hybrid Fibre Coaxial) and FTTN (Fibre to the Node) networks currently being used in Australia.
Next stage approval for Foxtel/AUSTAR merger
The Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB), led by Treasurer Wayne Swan, has announced the approval of the multi-billion dollar merger between pay TV companies Foxtel and AUSTAR. The merger will bring together two of Australia’s major subscription TV service providers.
Adam confident on NBN despite Internode exit
South Australian internet service provider Adam Internet has reiterated the company’s commitment to the South Australian market, subsequent to the surprise $105 million acquisition of fellow SA-based ISP Internode by long-time rival iiNet; expressing confidence about the company’s future in the National Broadband Network (NBN) environment.
Internode maintains filter stance after iiNet buyout
Internode managing director Simon Hackett said over the weekend that his company's position on government Internet filtering schemes would not change after its acquisition by iiNet.
Daily Telegraph repeatedly wrong in NBN reports
The Australian Press Council has expressed concern about the Daily Telegraph's coverage of the Federal Government's National Broadband Network project, backing a local critic's complaint that three articles in a short period of time had contained "inaccurate or misleading assertions" about the NBN.
Pollenizer calls for new startup partners
Local startup incubator Pollenizer has launched the opening of its Autumn semester intake for new startups from 1 April 2012, calling for applications until 20 January. Those businesses shortlisted will be notified between 23 and 25 January.
PlayStation 3 adds Quickflix streaming for Christmas
Sony Computer Entertainment Australia has announced that it is expanding its on-demand services in Australia with the launch yesterday of the Quickflix subscription movie streaming service for PlayStation 3 (PS3). The PS3 Quickflix service will offer unlimited movie viewing with a continually updated catalogue.
Optus releases Galaxy Tab 10.1 pricing
National telco Optus has announced the addition of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 to its tablet range, just in time for Christmas. Starting from this week, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 will be on offer at the Optus online store bundled with a variety of plans for householders and small and medium businesses (SMBs).
Secret piracy talks: Govt banned consumer groups
The Federal Government has revealed it denied requests by consumer organisations to attend a secret meeting held between the content and telecommunications industries to address the issue of illegal file sharing through avenues such as BitTorrent.
Internode sale shows NBN killing competition: Turnbull
news iiNet's buyout of fellow ISP Internode demonstrated the dramatic reduction in competition Labor's flagship National Broadband Network policy was wreaking on Australia's telecommunications...
NBN policy spurred Internode buyout, says Hackett
Internode's inability to gain sufficient scale to compete in a National Broadband Network world was a core reason why he decided to sell the company to rival Internet service provider iiNet, Internode supremo Simon Hackett said this afternoon.
iiNet to buy Internode
iiNet has revealed it will buy fellow Australian Internet service provider Internode, in a surprise pre-Christmas announcement this afternoon which will dramatically consolidate Australia's broadband sector ahead of the rollout of the National Broadband Network.
ACMA orders Vodafone to fix customer problems
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has ordered mobile telco Vodafone, to fix its customer violations under the Telecommunications Consumer Protections Code (TCP Code) -- and threatened penalties if it doesn't.
UNSW creates IT startup incubator
The University of New South Wales (UNSW) has announced the launch of what it describes as its Venture Incubator Space under the auspices of the university’s School of Computer Science and Engineering.
Samsung beats Apple to take top Aussie mobile spot
Analyst firm IDC’s ANZ Quarterly Mobile Devices Tracker released this week showed that Samsung has overtaken Apple to claim the No. 1 spot in the Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) mobile phone market. Samsung has been growing rapidly and has shown continuous growth for the past three quarters in the ANZ market.
Paul Fegan leaves Telstra
Telstra confirmed yesterday that Paul Fegan would be leaving the company after serving as Group Managing Director, Strategy and Corporate Services for less than a year. Fegan, who joined Telstra in January 2011, was responsible for the company’s mergers and acquisitions, communications, government/public policy and overall corporate strategy.
High risk that Defence ICT will go off the rails
The Federal Government's chief auditor has warned that the Department of Defence's ICT operation is teetering on the brink of a dangerous precipice, in a landmark report published this afternoon into its current ICT governance structures and projects.
Coalition slams computers for schools delays
The Coalition has heavily criticised the Federal Labor Government's Computers in Schools program, claiming the project is behind schedule to the tune of hundreds of thousands of machines.
Tassie education dept upgrades Symantec security
The Tasmanian Department of Education has zeroed in on the latest version of Symantec’s Endpoint Protection systems to secure the 40,000 personal computers and 700 servers being used by the department’s staff, schools, colleges, libraries and online access centres.
Telstra still working with Conroy on filter
Telstra is continuing to work with the Federal Government to filter a blacklist of child abuse sites developed by the Australian Communications and Media Authority, despite the fact that the telco and rival Optus have already implemented a similar scheme with the cooperation of the Australian Federal Police and international policing agency Interpol.
CommBank’s Kaching hits iOS App Store
The Commonwealth Bank of Australia's 'Kaching' mobile payments app has been approved by Apple and is now available through the company's iOS App Store, the bank said this afternoon.
Vodafone commences NBN trial
National mobile carrier Vodafone today revealed it had signed up the first customers for its trial of the National Broadband Network's fibre broadband network, and that its customers would also get access to the FetchTV Internet video platform.
Apple claims second position in Aussie PC market
For the first time, Apple has overtaken Acer and Dell this quarter in PC unit shipments in the Australia and New Zealand market to claim second position behind HP. This could be the effect of its retail store expansion and the launch of the Macbook Air Sandy Bridge refresh model.
Android tablet growth slows in Australia
The Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) media tablet market experienced a visibly dampened growth in the third quarter of this year, with a rise of only 3.1 percent quarter on quarter (QoQ) with 434,000 units shipped, and much of the slowdown relating to the Android side of the sector.
iiNet, Internode, Primus discuss filter with AFP
Australian ISPs iiNet, Internode and Primus are preparing to implement the limited Internet filtering scheme promulgated in Australia by the Australian Federal Police in cooperation with international policing agency Interpol, the AFP stated in documents revealed this week.
Kobo announces price cuts for holiday season
Kobo, the eReading service with over 2.5 million eBooks, newspapers and magazines in one of the largest eReading catalogues globally, has dropped prices for its eReaders at top-tier Australian retail partners.
Ex-ninemsner Sneesby returns as Cudo CEO
Mike Sneesby was yesterday announced as the Chief Executive of Cudo, the online group buying company that is a joint venture between Microsoft and Nine Entertainment Co (NEC).
This is what a crate of Galaxy Nexus phones looks like
Vodafone has just published a photo gallery of a crate of Galaxy Nexus handsets arriving in its warehouse. That's a lot of sweet Android goodness!
AXA Group CEO appointed Telstra CFO
Australia’s largest telco Telstra has announced that Andrew Penn would take over the position of Chief Financial Officer and Group Managing Director, Finance, starting March 1st, 2012. This follows a June announcement that Telstra’s long-time CFO John Stanhope would retire at the end of 2011.
Internode launches FetchTV for the NBN
Internode customers using fibre connections on National Broadband Network (NBN) and Opticomm-based FTTH (Fibre to the Home) network ports can now benefit from the full subscription TV channel suite offered by FetchTV.
No, Minister: Telco expert fact-checks Conroy claims
A British telecommunications expert has issued a detailed statement highlighting a number of what he alleged were factual errors contained in a speech given by Communications Minister Stephen Conroy yesterday, including a rebuttal of the Labor Senator's claim that Australia's current copper network can't support high-speed broadband based on fibre to the node.
Conroy F-bomb beats policy debate on Google News
Fascinating video above by Jim Stewart from our favourite Aussie search engine optimisation firm StewArtMedia. In the video, Stewart dissects how news aggregator Google News treated reporting of yesterday's speech by Communications Minister Stephen Conroy.
Government reveals new IT services panel policy
The Australian Government’s Special Minister of State Gary Gray has announced a policy that will halve the number of IT panels servicing Government agencies.
Aussie wife helps draw Ericsson CTO down under
Swedish networking leader Ericsson announced this week that Håkan Eriksson would take over as Head of Ericsson in Australia, New Zealand and Fiji from February 1st, 2012. Eriksson is currently the Senior Vice President, Chief Technology Officer, Head of Group Function Technology and Portfolio Management and Head of Ericsson in Silicon Valley.
Conroy’s attacks lack “hard evidence,” claims Turnbull
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has issued a cold and lengthy rejoinder to a fiery speech by his opposite Stephen Conroy this afternoon, arguing the Labor Senator had failed to provide "hard evidence" regarding a number of claims about the Coalition's rival telecommunications policy.
Telstra releases Galaxy Nexus pricing
After dropping a series of hints about the matter over the past week, Telstra finally confirmed this morning that it would launch Samsung's highly anticipated Galaxy Nexus handset in Australia this week, claiming pole position locally with sales due to start tomorrow (Wednesday morning).
Technical “dead-end”: Conroy smashes Turnbull’s NBN policy
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has taken an axe to the national broadband policy outlined by his Coalition counterpart over the past few months, arguing Malcolm Turnbull's vision for Australia's future telecommunications needs would end up with the nation stuck in "a dead end".
Queensland’s flood-hit Grantham gets the NBN
Internode has switched on high-speed broadband at the first newly completed house in a subdivision of Grantham. The Queensland town is under reconstruction, with 150 residents moving to higher ground, after it was destroyed by floods in January this year. This makes the newly connected home the first to link to the National Broadband Network in South East Queensland.
Bill Gates hits Sydney for family holiday
The Sydney Morning Herald has a rather juicy article this morning about Bill and Melinda Gates and their family arriving down under for a little vacation. Hitting pricey restaurants, harbour cruises, staying at luxurious mansions kitted out with all kinds of electronic gadgetry — just another day in Sydney for the Gates, reportedly.
Aussie SMBs want tablets for Christmas
The latest research conducted for Telstra by StollzNow Research has shown that one in three Australian small business owners are thinking of buying an iPad or other brand of tablet in the lead up to Christmas.
Optus releases Galaxy Nexus pricing
National mobile carrier Optus has released the pricing and started taking pre-orders for the highly anticipated Samsung Galaxy Nexus handset to launch on its network in Australia, offering customers a launch discount of two months worth off their network access fees.
McClelland, Carr exit technology-related portfolios
Prime Minister Julia Gillard has shifted Federal parliamentarians Kim Carr and Robert McLelland out of their respective industry and attorney-general ministerial portfolios, in shifts that will have a dramatic effect upon how the nation's technology sector will deal with the top levels of government over at least the next year.
Havyatt appointed Conroy special adviser
As first reported by Communications Day, Telecommunications sector veteran David Havyatt has been appointed temporary special advisor to Communications Minister Senator Stephen Conroy starting today.
Harvey Norman fined $1.25m for false advertising
The Federal Court in Brisbane has penalised retail giant Harvey Norman $1.25 million for misleading advertising, resulting from action by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).
Vodafone releases Galaxy Nexus pricing
National mobile carrier Vodafone has started taking pre-orders for the highly anticipated Samsung Galaxy Nexus handset to launch on its network, with an anticipated launch slated to occur before Christmas.
ACCC kills NBN/Telstra wireless clause
The Australian newspaper reported yesterday that the national competition regulator has killed a clause in Telstra's $11 billion deal with NBN Co which would have prohibited Telstra from marketing wireless broadband as an alternative to the NBN's fibre.
ISPs won’t talk about Interpol filter support
Three of Australia's major ISPs -- TPG, Dodo and Primus -- have not responded to repeated requests to disclose whether they are planning to implement the limited Internet filtering scheme which is being promulgated by the Australian Federal Police in cooperation with international policing agency Interpol.
Victorious Samsung to launch tablet for Christmas
Korean electronics giant Samsung today claimed victory in its patent court battle against iPad manufacturer Apple and confirmed plans to launch its Galaxy Tab 10.1 Android tablet before Christmas through a variety of Australian retailers.
NBN Co largely cleared over greenfields competition
A Productivity Commission review of the National Broadband Network Company's behaviour in greenfields fibre rollout environments has largely exonerated the company of any uncompetitive behaviour, following complaints made by existing service providers in such areas.
Telstra files revised Structural Separation Undertaking
The nation's largest telco Telstra has filed with the competition regulator a revised version of the Structural Separation Undertaking document which will provide a concrete path for it and the rest of the telecommunications industry to migrate over the next decade to the new National Broadband Network-based environment.
Can Australia lead global cloud market?
The Australian Government’s IT industry advisory body has stated in a report that the nation has the scope to become a global leader in cloud computing technology and drive innovation and productivity.
Internode streams music festival Australia-wide
Internet service provider Internode has introduced a public high definition video stream of the first Gorgeous Festival, which features rock icon band Icehouse backed by supporting acts Josh Pyke and Emma Louise, showcasing the newest enhancements of its Content Delivery Network (CDN).
NSW Education’s HR/finance overhaul goes south
New South Wales's state government auditor-general revealed yesterday that a massive SAP-based project to replace finance, HR, payroll and student administration systems across the public education sector had gone off the rails.
Everything about the NBN is bad, says Turnbull
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has delivered a blistering end of year attack on the Federal Government's flagship National Broadband Network project, detailing an extraordinary range of areas in which he believes the project is failing.
Optus gives away free PlayBooks on BlackBerry plans
Optus has announced attractive deals with the release of the BlackBerry Torch 9860 that will see customers buying the smartphone on the $49 Optus cap (or above) receive a free BlackBerry PlayBook worth $579.
Coles rolls out contactless payments
Wesfarmers-owned supermarket chain Coles is set to roll out a contactless card payment service at their stores later this month. Customers will be able to pay for their purchases at Coles with a wave of their wallet over the new Ingenico pinpads, making checkout much faster than with the traditional card swipe-and-sign or PIN method.
Vodafone implementing Interpol filter
National mobile carrier Vodafone yesterday confirmed it was currently looking at technology solutions which would enable it in 2012 to implement the limited Internet filtering scheme promulgated in Australia by the Australian Federal Police in cooperation with international policing agency Interpol.
Qld’s email project stuck in low gear
The Queensland-based Courier Mail newspaper revealed this week that the state's Labor Government has spent $46 million on its whole of government email platform, despite it so far catering to just 2,000 accounts.
Elders inks seven-year outsourcing deal with HP
In an announcement yesterday, HP revealed that diversified local company Elders had signed it for a seven-year infrastructure and applications services agreement. Elders is a 172-year-old company incorporating the Elders rural services businesses and the automotive and forestry operations acquired and developed by Futuris Corporation.
14 Dec: Galaxy Nexus to launch in Australia
Korean manufacturer Samsung has confirmed it will officially launch its highly anticipated Galaxy Nexus handset in Australia on 14 December, although details of carrier availability remain absent for now.
Victorian high school deploys Android tablets
Students and staff of years 9–12 at Brighton Grammar School, Victoria will each be provided with an Acer Iconia Tab A500, from this week onwards, Acer revealed in a statement yesterday. The move is part of what is being publicised as the first large Android program for an Australian school.
NSW Govt funds Fruit Ninja Sydney studio
Leading Australian game developers Halfbrick Studios are opening a new Sydney office and will be developing the next edition of their internationally acclaimed app Fruit Ninja in the city, announced NSW Deputy Premier Andrew Stoner yesterday, with the support of funding from the State Government.
Interpol filter: IIA clueless on ISP sign-ups
The nation's peak ISP representative body today acknowledged it did not know which Australian ISPs had signed up to implement the limited Internet filtering initiative which it developed six months ago, with the scheme passing out of its remit and into the hands of the Australian Federal Police.
iiNet decries “ugly” South Brisbane situation
National broadband provider iiNet has rejected the competition regulator's statement that it is satisfied with Telstra's contentious fibre network replacement project in the South Brisbane Exchange area, pointing out that the bigger telco was still imposing a number of "ugly" conditions on its wholesale customers.
CCC demands better ACCC oversight of NBN
Industry group the Competitive Carriers’ Coalition (CCC) last week reiterated the need for all-inclusive Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) supervision of the National Broadband Network Company, which it said was currently absent from the company's newly released NBN Co Wholesale Broadband Agreement (WBA).
Mills slams ‘failed re-run’ Qld CIO appointment
Bruce Mills' Outsourcing Council Asia Pacific (OCAP) has severely criticised the Queensland State Government’s appointment last week of Peter Grant as the new whole-of-government Chief Information Officer.
More ISPs sign up to AFP’s Interpol filter
The Australian Federal Police has revealed that two more ISPs have signed up to implement the limited Internet filtering scheme that has been developed by the AFP and industry group the Internet Industry Association, although their identities at this stage are unclear.
NBN Co releases final telco contract
The National Broadband Network Company (NBN Co) has published the final executable version of its contract with retail telcos. The 12-month contract was drawn up after five iterations and extensive consultations with the industry.
iiNet enters SMB cloud computing market
National broadband provider iiNet announced this week that its newest business product Business Cloud would enable small and medium businesses (SMBs) to develop privately hosted IT infrastructure. Business Cloud aims to spare customers the bother and expense of setting up and maintaining their own IT installations.
Yelp launches in Australia; but will it fly?
US-based community led search site Yelp has ventured into Australia through a local version of its site. The website is a platform for sharing opinions and recommendations on businesses and services in the neighbourhood.
Pirate Party opposes anti-piracy warning scheme
The Pirate Party Australia has objected strongly to the recent proposal issued by major Australian ISPs entitled “A Scheme to Address Online Copyright Infringement”.
Westpac appoints McKinnon lieutenant Whincup CIO
Top tier bank Westpac has appointed one of Bob McKinnon's top lieutenants, UK import Clive Whincup, to succeed him as chief information officer.
Qld picks new whole of government CIO
The Queensland State Government has appointed a new whole of government chief information officer, with industry insiders naming former state CIO Peter Grant as the most likely candidate to have returned to the role.
TPG buys another stack of iiNet shares
Serial acquirer TPG has significantly upped its stake in fellow national broadband provider iiNet, with the company now owning a total of 7.24 percent of Michael Malone's baby.
IIA requests “streamlined” piracy controls from Govt
The main organisation representing Australian Internet service providers has strongly backed a Federal Government proposal which would make it easier for anti-piracy organisations to request details of alleged Internet pirates from ISPs; in a move which dovetails with a proposal outlined last week by ISPs to handle piracy online.
Aussie Motorola Xoom prices decimated: Now half-price
The approaching holiday season has online retailer Kogan Technologies slashing prices yet again on Motorola's troubled Xoom Android tablet. The 32GB 10” Wi-Fi tablet is on offer at $369, while the 3G version is available for $429.
iPhone explodes on Sydney plane flight
Regional Express (Rex), Australia's largest independent regional airline yesterday revealed that a passenger’s iPhone had self-combusted on board its flight ZL319 from Lismore to Sydney on November 25th. After landing, the phone began giving out a significant amount of dense smoke, along with a red glow.
NSW releases draft ICT strategy to lead tech sector
The NSW State Government has released a draft ICT strategic framework, which it hopes will help it become a leader in technology across Australia.
Internode offers free FetchTV trial
In response to Australian customers’ interest in the FetchTV service, Internode has revealed a new offer for those hesitating to commit to a two-year subscription. The company has introduced a 30-day ‘no penalty’ return process to boost potential customers’ confidence.
EFA has mixed feelings on anti-piracy scheme
Digital rights group Electronic Frontiers Australia has indicated there are both positive and negative aspects to a plan unveiled last week by the ISP industry to deal with Internet piracy.
Vic IT bungles Labor’s fault, says Liberal Minister
Victorian Minister for Technology Gordon Rich-Phillips has lambasted the past Labor Government’s “incompetence, mismanagement and waste” in its handling of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) projects in the state.
NBN Co opens Melb ops, demo facilities
The National Broadband Network Company (NBN Co) has opened its $32.5m central operational hub in Melbourne’s Docklands. The facility houses the resources that will manage the Australian broadband service’s daily operations.
AFACT locked on iiTrial; won’t discuss piracy plan
The principal organisation representing content owners such as film and TV studios in Australia has declined to express an opinion on a plan unveiled last week by the ISP industry to deal with Internet piracy, stating that it was focused on its piracy lawsuit against ISP iiNet due to kick off next week.
ISPs propose new anti-piracy warning scheme
A coalition of most of the nation's major ISPs has proposed a scheme for handling Internet piracy which would see Australians issued with warning and educational notices after content holders provided evidence that they had breached their copyright online -- and the door opened for ISPs to hand over user details to the content industry if they keep on pirating content online.
Apple Black Friday discounts hit Australia
Apple has confirmed that its online and retail Australian stores will offer customers one-day only discounts today for Black Friday celebrations. The last Friday in November, known as Black Friday in the US, is a day of massive discounts on various items to start the Christmas shopping season.
CIO McKinnon steps back from Westpac top role
A new organisation structure at Westpac means Bob McKinnon, who directed the rebuilding of technology capability as its IT chief, is stepping back from a major role in the bank.
Mobicity, Kogan start selling Galaxy Nexus
Independent online retailers Mobicity and Kogan have started selling Samsung's Galaxy Nexus handset, ahead of any planned Australian launch by Samsung itself or any mobile carrier partners.
Telstra has resolved South Brisbane issue, says ACCC
The national competition regulator has declared it is satisfied with a new deal which the nation's largest telco Telstra has offered rivals with respect to its controversial fibre replacement program in the South Brisbane exchange area, in a move immediately welcomed by the big T.
Vodafone preferred 3G provider for PlayStation Vita
Vodafone and Sony Computer Entertainment this week announced a partnership that will deliver Vodafone preferred provider status for 3G connectivity for the PlayStation Vita (PS Vita) handheld console in Australia.
Kate Vale to head sales as Spotify plans Aussie launch
Former Google executive Kate Vale has been appointed Sales Director, ANZ of Spotify, a popular music streaming company that plans to launch its services in Australia and New Zealand.
VIC GOVERNMENT IT IN FLAMES: $1.4 billion over budget, all projects late or failed
Victoria's Ombudsman has handed down one of the most damning assessments of public sector IT project governance in Australia's history, noting total cost over-runs of $1.44 billion, extensive delays and a general failure to actually deliver on stated aims in 10 major IT projects carried out by the state over the past half-decade.
‘You can’t ride this out’: Husic warns price-hiking vendors
Federal Labor MP Ed Husic has warned technology vendors hiking prices for the Australian market that criticism and examination of their pricing strategies would not cease, despite the fact that they had so far been largely unresponsive on the issue.
Telstra 100Mbps HFC cable goes national
Australia's largest telco Telstra late yesterday confirmed it would roll out 100Mbps speeds on its HFC cable nationally, following a pilot of the enabling DOCSIS 3.0 technology in Melbourne from 2009 and a similar rollout by arch-rival Optus.
Village Roadshow goes cloud with Interactive, NetApp
Village Roadshow, the Melbourne-based company that has been entertaining Australians since 1954 with theme parks, resorts and attractions, cinemas, music and DVD distribution, has moved its data storage to the cloud. The Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) data centre model for Village Roadshow was built on NetApp hardware and provided by service provider Interactive to manage Village Roadshow’s substantial data growth.
Aussie Internet freedom at risk, says Sex Party
The Australian Sex Party has accused the Federal Government of following the lead of the United States in restricting civil liberties in Internet usage, with proposed American legislation such as the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) in play in the US and controversial talks between the content and ISP industries similarly under way locally.
Amazon hiring Sydney datacentre manager
Cloud computing giant Amazon has advertised more than a half dozen new positions as it ramps up its operations in Australia, including a role for a Sydney-based datacentre operations manager, which will re-kindle speculation the company wants to roll out infrastructure locally.
Govt delays multiple tech FOI requests
Three major Federal Government departments and agencies have delayed the release of sensitive information relating to controversial technology sector issues under Freedom of Information legislation, citing the need to closely examine the documents and consult with third parties before the information is released.
Movie Rights Group website shut down, VP leaves
The website for controversial anti-piracy organisation Movie Rights Group has inexplicably vanished from the Internet and its vice president of sales and marketing has quit, leading to speculation that the organisation has been shut down for good.
Optus slams ‘anti-competitive’ Telstra South Brisbane strategy
Optus has joined the chorus of industry voices slamming Telstra's approach to replacing its copper network with fibre in the South Brisbane exchange area, with the telco's chief executive Paul O'Sullivan last week stating Telstra was attempting to "block competition" in the area.
Future Capital expands with Agenda and BlueChilli
Future Capital Development Fund (FCDF), the prominent Australian web 2.0 investment group, announced its investment yesterday in two more companies, TheAgendaDaily.com and BlueChilli Technology. This brings the total of fast growing Internet companies in the Future Capital portfolio to at least 14.
New chief operating officer for NBN Co
Senior telecommunications executive Ralph Steffens has been appointed as NBN Co’s first chief operating officer, according to an announcement yesterday. He will start at the end of November and be based in Sydney, reporting to Chief Executive Officer Mike Quigley.
TPG buyout to require public inquiry, says iiNet
The chief executive of iiNet today said a public inquiry would need to be held if rival broadband company TPG decided to extend its stake in his company to the point where an acquisition was on the cards -- and the issue could become a policy question to be decided by the Federal Government.
Optus launches Android tablet duo for Xmas
Optus has widened the range of tablets available to Australians, in time for the Christmas gifting season, with its launch of the Acer Iconia Tab A501 and the Dell Streak 7 on its 3G network. This adds to the current array of tablets offered by Optus, which includes the Motorola Xoom.
iiNet confirms TransACT acquisition
iiNet this morning confirmed it had bought Canberra-based telco TransACT, in a deal which will cost the Perth-headquartered national broadband provider some $60 million and bring it a great deal of infrastructure in Canberra and Victoria, as well as 40,000 new customers.
Internode slashes FetchTV prices
In an effort to draw more subscribers to Internet Protocol TV (IPTV), national broadband provider Internode late last week announced that prices for its FetchTV service have been cut by one-third.
Macquarie follows Westpac in IT offshoring
The Australian Financial Review late yesterday reported that financial giant Macquarie Group (commonly known as Macquarie Bank, although it has very diverse interests) is following Westpac in laying off Australian IT staff in favour of shifting jobs to India.
NBN Co already acting like a monopoly, says Optus
Optus chief executive Paul O'Sullivan has accused NBN Co of attempts to cement its monopoly over the telco sector that "would make a Telstra executive blush", in a fiery speech in Sydney this afternoon in which he also opened fire on traditional Optus target Telstra and even the Federal Opposition.
PlayStation Vita now available for Aussie pre-order
Sony Computer Entertainment Australia announced yesterday in Sydney, the pre-order details for its next generation portable gaming and entertainment system, PlayStation Vita, launching in stores across Australia on February 23 next year. Pre-orders for PS Vita will be available through select Australian retailers including GAME, EB Games and JB Hi-Fi.
BlackBerry Curve 9360 comes to Australia
Research In Motion (RIM) announced this week in Sydney that the BlackBerry Curve 9360 is now available in Australia.
Quickflix movie streaming hits PCs, Macs
DVD rental service Quickflix yesterday announced its new instant movie streaming service had gone live. Most householders in Australia with entry level broadband speeds can now stream unlimited movies from Hollywood’s leading studios at any time, for a monthly fee.
iiNet halts trading after Transact report
National broadband provider iiNet has halted trading of its shares on the Australian Stock Exchange today, following a report in the Financial Review newspaper that it was in the final stages of negotiations to acquire Canberra and rural NSW/Victoria-based telco TransACT.
No comment: Greens, Coalition on Internet piracy
Senior figures from the Opposition and the Greens have declined to respond to repeated requests for comment over a period of several weeks on recent Federal Government moves to firm up its policy on Internet content piracy, as the future of Australia's response to the issue continues to be in doubt.
Aussie focus as NBN Co awards $635m in deals
The National Broadband Network Company (NBN Co) yesterday announced that it had awarded contracts worth up to $635 million over the next five years to six companies with a robust local presence.
McDonald’s swaps out IBM support for Unisys
The Australian division of fast food chain McDonald's today confirmed long-running industry rumours that it had given incumbent IT outsourcer IBM the boot, instead picking rival firm Unisys to support its IT infrastructure in a new five-year deal worth about $30 million.
PIPE founder, Gordon Bell invest in OrionVM
Australian cloud computing startup OrionVM today revealed it had taken angel investment capital from two high-profile technology sector luminaries: PIPE Networks co-founder Stephen Baxter and US engineer Gordon Bell, of Digital Equipment Corporation fame.
Australian startup Grabble bought by Walmart
Retail giant Walmart has acquired fledgling Aussie tech startup Grabble for an undisclosed figure, with the deal being announced this week on the company’s site by founders Stuart Argue and Anthony Marcar.
Citigroup: Coalition NBN plan “difficult to achieve”
A detailed analysis of the Coalition's rival National Broadband Network policy has found the "quick and dirty" plan would be difficult to achieve, faces significant hurdles and would wind the telecommunications reform process in Australia back by three years, although it would cost less than Labor's vision.
Exetel may offer $54.95 ‘unlimited’ ADSL2+ plan
Cut-rate broadband player Exetel is also considering offering the 'unlimited' plans which have become common for most of its competitors, for low prices starting from $54.95 a month -- slightly cheaper than both TPG and Dodo. As a first step, the customer last week introduced a range of new plans with a higher 500GB quota.
Funnelback renews Govt search deal
Funnelback has renewed its long-running contract with the Australian Government Information Management Office (AGIMO) to provide whole of government search services.
NBN Co inks remaining construction deals
The National Broadband Network company has signed a contract with one of its existing construction partners to roll out its fibre infrastructure in South Australia and the Northern Territory, which were not covered by its existing construction contractors.
Motorola cuts Wi-Fi Xoom to $399
Motorola has announced that the Wi-Fi version of its Xoom tablet is now on on sale in Australia for a recommended retail price of $399, translating to a saving of 39 percent in the build up to the Christmas season.
Delimiter’s submission to the Govt’s Media Inquiry
for your interest, I have published here in PDF format the submission which Delimiter has made to the Federal Government's Independent Media Inquiry. It's late, so I don't know whether they will consider it, but we can only hope.
Delicious buys Aussie startup Trunk.ly
Global social bookmarking company Delicious has bought Australian startup Trunk.ly, less than a year after the site launched in the wake of Delicious' own temporary sunset at the hands of former owner Yahoo.
Network, service upgrades kicking in, says Vodafone
Mobile carrier Vodafone yesterday gave an update yesterday on the upgrade of its mobile network and customer service initiatives, claiming that the achievement of key milestone targets was enabling an enhanced customer experience.
Outsourcing to impact 188 Westpac jobs
Top-tier Australian bank Westpac today confirmed 188 local jobs would be affected by a shift in its technology sourcing strategy which is slated to see some internal work handed off to external suppliers.
TechOne’s CRM package a hit
Australian software vendor TechnologyOne this week revealed it had landed five major local deals in the last quarter for its customer relationship management (CRM) software. The vendor's solution is set to replace a rival Microsoft platform at one of these sites, and believes its CRM solution be in use by over 10,000 people in the near future.
Optus releases NBN pricing
The nation's number two telco Optus has released its first National Broadband Network pricing plans, with the company offering a range of plans from $39.99 up to $129 and with included data quotas ranging up to a terabyte.
Pollenizer raises another $1.1m for startups
Australian startup incubator Pollenizer today revealed it had added a further $1.1 million in investment to its coffers, with the aim of furthering its mission of helping to build innovative technology startups.
Google eBooks finally hits Australia
Almost a year after it launched in the US, Google has brought its eBooks platform to Australia, announcing this morning that its catalogue included "hundreds of thousands" of commercial books available in Australia and "millions" of free eBooks on top.
Australian CIOs optimistic about future
Microsoft and Fujitsu this week revealed the findings from the pair's first Insights Quarterly Report of Australian CIOs, offering a window into the issues steering IT strategy in Australia’s businesses and government bodies. The planned quarterly survey by independent research firm Connection Research found a high level of optimism among the 207 Australian CIOs who were part of the study.
TPG creates $69.99 ‘Unlimited’ ADSL plan
National broadband provider TPG has launched a new, $69.99 'Unlimited' ADSL2+ plan in response to a Federal Court ruling last week its previous $29.99 'Unlimited' plan was misleading as it didn’t obviously disclose the additional $30 of required line rental costs.
‘Bad journalism’: Seven’s GTA report under fire
Several high-profile members of Australia's technology and gaming industries have written directly to the Seven Network, alleging the television station's report last week into a call to have the video game Grand Theft Auto banned in Australia did not represent fair coverage of the issue and made incorrect statements about gaming in general.
Court finds $29.99 unlimited TPG deal misleading
The Federal Court has reportedly ruled that TPG's prominent nationwide advertising campaign for $29.95 "unlimited" broadband plans was misleading because it didn't properly disclose additional line rental costs and setup fees.
Fightback: Optus lusts after fixed-line broadband
The nation's number two telco Optus has signalled it is tired of losing ground in the fixed-line broadband market to fast-growing rivals like iiNet, TPG and Internode, and will take advantage of the regulatory certainty offered by the rollout of the National Broadband Market to dive back into the sector head-on.
Kill software patents, says Pirate Party
In a call for an overhaul of the Innovation Patent System, Pirate Party Australia has made a submission to the Advisory Council on Intellectual Property (ACIP), challenging the inclusion of software in the current patent system.
When mainstream media covers cloud startups
Hilarious video above of a segment broadcast recently on Channel 10 news about Australian cloud computing startup OrionVM.
Melbourne Cup with Atlassian looks fun
Nice little video produced about Melbourne Cup Day at Australian software company Atlassian. Looks like quite a lot of fun was had by all :)
Vodafone’s new top Androids: HTC Sensation XL, XE
As of last night, Vodafone has several new flagship Android smartphones on offer, with the mobile carrier officially launching HTC's latest Sensation XL and XE handsets exclusive to its network.
VCs plough $14m into crowdsourcing startups
Two high-profile Australian startups who have built their businesses on crowdsourcing this week revealed they had attracted a total of $14 million in venture capital funding that will allow them to continue to grow aggressively and extend their reach outside Australia.
NSW retailer pays $50k for Microsoft piracy
Microsoft Australia has revealed that PC and laptop retailer The Laptop Factory Outlet, based in South Granville, NSW, will fork out $50,000 in damages for infringing the software giant's copyright, after it Windows Certificates of Authenticity (COA) from used PCs on new PCs loaded with counterfeit software.
NSW Attorney-General wants GTA banned
NSW Attorney-General Greg Smith has unexpectedly called for the popular Grand Theft Auto video game series and other violent games to be banned -- not just classified R18+ as suitable for adult use.
CHOGM delegates greeted with Windows Vista
The IT services company which provided the technology infrastructure behind last week's Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Perth has revealed most of the desktop PCs supplied for the session were running Microsoft's poorly received legacy platform Windows Vista.
Optus regulatory chief quits
The nation's number two telco Optus has suffered a blow in the middle of ongoing talks with the competition regulator about the future of access to Telstra's infrastructure over the next decade, with its director of government and corporate affairs Maha Krishnapillai announcing his departure.
iiNet blames wholesaler for high estate fibre prices
A spat between fibre-optic wholesaler Opticomm and retail ISPs iiNet and Internode has broken out online after the company was forced to defend claims that the prices it charges for access to its infrastructure in new estates are significantly higher than that ISPs pay for access to fibre under the National Broadband Network.
Optus connects first 700Mhz LTE call
In an announcement this week, Optus revealed that it had been successful in connecting Australia’s first Long Term Evolution (LTE) call in the 700MHz ‘Digital Dividend’ spectrum band.
Netflix in Australia? Forget about it.
Pioneering online TV and movie streaming service Netflix has given a strong indication that it has no immediate intention to launch in Australia, despite having last week announcing plans to expand to the UK and Ireland early next year.
Telstra launches Cisco’s Android tablet
The nation's largest telco Telstra late last week confirmed it had started offering Cisco's low-profile Cius Android tablet to customers as a complement to their corporate unified communications platforms.
War of NBN words: Turnbull clashes with Pesce again
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has again engaged in a highly public clash of wills with technology innovator and futurist Mark Pesce, over whether Labor's flagship National Broadband Network policy is the right way forward for Australia's telecommunications industry.
Telstra addresses SSU complaints
Telstra today released a lengthy document to the Australian Stock Exchange (available here in PDF form) detailing possible responses to complaints by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and other telcos to its Structure Separation Undertaking (SSU).
Treasurer Swan awaits IT price hike report
Federal Treasurer and Deputy Prime Minister Wayne Swan has indicated the Government is keenly awaiting a report from the Productivity Commission which will detail the extent to which price hikes on imported technology goods and services are hurting Australian consumers.
Copyright experts demand “termination” piracy code
A panel of academics overseen by the Australian Copyright Council has recommended the Federal Government modify copyright legislation to support a "repeat infringer" industry code to deal with those who repeatedly infringe copyright online by illegally downloading content such as films through file-sharing platforms like BitTorrent.
Perth app developer wins $1.1m capital
Perth-based smartphone app developer Filter Squad this week announced it had taken a new $1.1 million funding round led by fellow Perth firm Yuuwa Capital, as the startup continues to leverage its popular Discovr iOS app into commercial success.
Delays hit NAB’s core banking project
Delays appears to have struck the National Australia Bank's core banking modernisation project, with the bank yesterday revealing it had pushed back the implementation of the foundation of its new Oracle-based platform to 2012, having focused on other aspects of the project this year.
Subliminal advertising gets iiNet ad banned
The industry self-regulatory body governing television commercials has withdrawn approval for an iiNet advertisement to be shown on television, following revelations the ad contained subliminal advertising communicating a hidden message to viewers.
A brief note about comments
On Delimiter's commenting system.
Exetel may balk Movie Rights Group’s demands
National broadband provider Exetel has signalled it may modify its core business systems to make it more difficult for anti-piracy organisations such as Movie Rights Group to target its customers for allegedly illegally downloading content.
iiNet starts selling mobile phones
National broadband provider iiNet has launched itself into the cut-throat post-paid mobile phone market, announcing plans today to offer Samsung's Galaxy S II and original Galaxy S smartphones to small business customers on its mobile plan, as well as a little-known handset made by Alcatel-Lucent.
Telstra slashes 200GB HFC cable plan by $20
The nation's largest telco Telstra has temporarily cut $60 a month from one of its most popular HFC cable broadband offers, in a move which brings the monthly cost of its 200GB broadband bundle down from $139 per month to just $78.
IBM suffers “catastrophic failure” at health dept
The Federal Department of Health and Aging has accused technology giant IBM of causing a “catastrophic failure” in its IT systems stemming from an update to its storage environment that took down a number of services for a period of time this week.
CBA’s Kaching app raises privacy concerns
One of Australia's leading privacy advocates has raised concerns about the Commonwealth Bank's new mobile, social and near field communications payments application, highlighting the fact that it has the potential to eliminate much of the anonymity offered by paying for goods and services through cash.
ISPs don’t have to collect voluntary filter data
The Australian Federal Police has confirmed there is no obligation by Internet service providers participating in its voluntary Internet filtering trial to collect data about how many requests to visit the sites they block under the trial -- or to disclose that data if it is actually collected.
Federal Govt kicks off cloud purchasing cycle
The Federal Government's centralised IT strategy branch has kicked off a major purchasing initiative which will inform the way it purchases infrastructure-, software- and platform-as-a-service offerings over the next few years.
FTTN would be “a litigator’s picnic”, says Optus
The nation's number two telco Optus has described the proposed process of getting Telstra to give up part of its copper network for a fibre to the node upgrade as "a litigator's picnic", due to the complex legal issues around compensation for the telco handing over its property.
‘Kaching’: New CBA mobile, social, NFC payments app
The Commonwealth Bank of Australia has revealed plans to launch a new combination smartphone application and associated hardware accessory that allow customers to make quick payments from their mobile phone to anyone with an email address, phone number of Facebook friendship, as well as to merchants via near field communications (NFC).
Piracy policy: The questions the Govt won’t answer
Australia's chief lawmaker has declined or avoided directly answering a number of central questions regarding the Federal Government's policy on online copyright infringement, as the future of the nation's broad response to the issue of piracy through platforms such as BitTorrent continues to swirl with uncertainty and rumour.
Fibre to the node: Turnbull to meet with Quigley
Shadow Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull has accepted an invitation issued by NBN Co chief executive Mike Quigley to a half-day briefing on the merits of fibre to the home versus fibre to the node technology.
Optus launches FetchTV from $10 a month
The nation's number two telco Optus has launched the FetchTV Internet video platform already being sold by iiNet, Internode and Adam Internet for the starting price of $9.95 a month -- a charge which will be waived when customers are using its $109 Fusion home broadband and telephone bundle.
Coalition NBN policy shifts to fibre to the node
The Coalition appears to have evolved its alternative National Broadband Network policy over the past few weeks to focus squarely on the so-called fibre to the node network rollout style which was rejected by the Federal Government's expert NBN committee in early 2009.
Govt redacts ISP anti-piracy consultation text
The Federal Government has quietly deleted a controversial section of text published in a consultation paper last Friday that proposed a "streamlined" legal process to aid anti-piracy organisations such as Movie Rights Group and AFACT to target individuals allegedly downloading copyrighted material online.
ACCC appeals Google misleading ad case
The national competition regulator has appealed a court case which it lost against Google last month, alleging that the judgement may have not taken into account the difference between print and online media.
Primus confirms commercial NBN pricing
National broadband provider Primus has confirmed it will leave its trial prices for the National Broadband Network fibre unchanged as the fledgling network moves into its commercial phase, declaring itself “comfortable” with its existing model, despite monthly prices that at times range up to $40 more than rival iiNet’s prices per month.
CSG receives mysterious takeover offer
Diversified listed IT services group CSG today revealed it had received a takeover offer from an un-named suitor which saw shareholders offered a substantial premium on their current holding in the company.
Secret BitTorrent agreement on the cards
The Department of the Attorney-General has confirmed talks it is hosting behind closed doors between Internet service providers and the entertainment industry could result in an "agreement" between the two warring sides that would govern how Australians pirating content through platforms such as BitTorrent would be dealt with in future.
Want a Kindle Fire? Forget it. US-only for now.
Diversified online retailer and technology services group Amazon overnight announced a tranche of new e-reader and tablet products, including a flagship touchscreen tablet device based on Google's Android platform. The bad news for Australians? So far most of the new products are available to US residents only.
Linux fans file ACCC complaint over Win8 boot
A number of Australian Linux users have filed a formal complaint with the national competition regulator over what many perceive to be restrictive practices introduced in upcoming Microsoft's Windows 8 operating system which may stop many mass-market computers from being able to boot alternatives such as Linux.
IAG CIO takes CGU role
The outspoken chief information officer of IAG has taken a chief operating officer role at the company's subsidiary brand CGU, leaving his role vacant and the insurance giant seeking a replacement.
Telstra’s 4G network goes live
The nation's largest telco Telstra today revealed it had officially switched on its fourth-generation (4G) mobile network across Australia following a soft-launch several weeks ago, with the 4G coverage now live across capital city central business districts and more than 30 other centres around the nation.
Telstra again threatens to cancel NBN deal
Telstra has reportedly threatened to walk away from its $11 billion deal with the Federal Government and the National Broadband Network Company, with its pricing and access arrangements with other smaller telcos again becoming the sticking point with the potential to scuttle the landmark contract.
Aussie researcher cracks OS X Lion passwords
An Australian security expert respected for his work testing the defences of Apple software has published a method which appears to allow an attacker to break through the password defences of Cupertino's latest Max OS X Lion operating system.
A basic NBN Co revenue calculation: $1.73bn a year
Just how much revenue will NBN Co be making once it is finished rolling out its network? Michael Wyres has calculated the minimum case.
Telstra pledges to reduce Android bloatware
Telstra has pledged to remove the amount of self-branded applications and links it is embedding in its line-up of Android smartphones, in the wake of significant pressure from users angry about having their devices filled up with software commonly referred to as "bloatware".
Telstra wholesale 3G to beat NBN wireless clause?
The maverick owner of national broadband provider Exetel has speculated that Telstra may be planning to provide wholesale access to its flagship Next G mobile network to get around the clause in its contract with NBN Co that will prevent it advertising its mobile broadband services as an alternative to the NBN fibre.
Jellema’s ZeroMail wins Citrix funding
One of Australia's most high-profile technology entrepreneurs has just hit the accelerate button on his latest startup ZeroMail, winning entry to a global startup accelerator program operated by virtualisation giant Citrix.
Google beats ACCC in misleading ad case
Google has won a lawsuit in which Australia's national competition regulator had alleged the search giant wasn't adequately distinguishing paid advertisements displayed by its search engine from ordinary 'organic' search results.
Dodo will win the NBN land-grab, claims Budde
Maverick analyst Paul Budde this week claimed cut-rate broadband provider Dodo was the only ISP positioned to take advantage of the deployment of the predominantly fibre-based National Broadband Network as it is rolled out across the nation over the next decade.
Govt intensifies focus on IT price hikes
Federal Government agencies including the Treasury and the Productivity Commission are further discussing the issue of Australian price hikes by companies including technology suppliers, Labor MP Ed Husic revealed in Parliament last night.
TPG signs up for South Brisbane fibre
National broadband provider TPG has signed up to provide services over the fibre network which Telstra is building in its South Brisbane exchange area, as debate continues to swirl over Telstra's treatment of the shutdown of its existing copper network in the area.
iiNet, Internode double-team Telstra on South Brisbane
National broadband providers iiNet and Internode have joined forces to escalate their ongoing complaints about Telstra's fibre rollout project in South Brisbane, filing a joint submission with the competition regulator demanding that Telstra's wholesale fibre services in the area be subject to regulation as the previous copper services were.
Shocker: NBN Co govt chief talks to politicians
I'm appalled. And I can only get down on one knee and thank God that we had The Australian to uncover this issue. Who know what would have happened if this disaster hadn't been exposed.
Conroy defends iiNet NBN prices
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has stepped in to bat for iiNet, in the wake of claims by the Coalition yesterday that National Broadband Network pricing released yesterday by the ISP was too expensive and demonstrated that Labor's NBN project wouldn't bring Australians cheaper broadband.
iiNet NBN prices too high, says Coalition
iiNet's National Broadband Network pricing released today were higher than existing ADSL prices and demonstrated Labor's flagship NBN project would not bring Australians cheaper broadband, Liberal MP Paul Fletcher said this afternoon.
Internode hints at NBN pricing change
National broadband provider Internode has signalled it may consider changing its National Broadband Network pricing plans around the launch of commercial NBN services around October, in the wake of the release by rival iiNet this morning of plans that significantly undercut Internode's prices.
Telstra revamp features 500GB broadband plan
The nation's biggest telco Telstra has overhauled its fixed and mobile broadband plan structure, giving customers substantial extra monthly download quota and launching a new 500GB plan that more than doubles the previous limit customers could use per month.
iiNet massively undercuts Internode’s NBN plans
National broadband provider iiNet this morning released its highly anticipated National Broadband Network pricing, undercutting plans released by arch-rival Internode by as much as half in some areas.
TPG launches ‘Super Value’ contract-free mobile plans
TPG yesterday introduced a new range of 'Super Value' contract-free mobile plans, which it says are "offer the best value anywhere in Australia".
The 'Super...
Samsung files cross claim against Apple in Australia
Samsung yesterday filed a cross claim against Apple's Australian subsidiary in the latest move in the patent legal battle embroiling both companies Down Under.
The...
Final NBN first release site now live in South Australia
Today marks the end of the first release National Broadband Network (NBN) trial sites on mainland Australia, with a celebration held at the fifth...
Labor MP claims Aussie tech tax harming international competitiveness
In a speech on a report about the potential of the National Broadband Network (NBN), Labor MP Ed Husic has hit out at overseas...
Turchini joins NBN Co board
Communications Minister Stephen Conroy this afternoon announced Rick Turchini has joined the NBN Co board effective immediately.
Turchini, a civil engineer who has more than 40 years...
Optus fixes unmetered YouTube loophole for prepaid customers
Optus says it has now solved a technical limitation that unintentionally allowed some of its prepaid customers unmetered access to YouTube.
In a statement, the...
Westfield Australia ‘Find My Car’ privacy blunder uncovered
An embarrassing blunder has been discovered with Westfield's 'Find My Car' feature announced in July, that allowed anyone to access images taken using its...
Kogan adds brand name products to gadget range
Kogan has this morning announced it's now begun selling homebrand electronic gadgets, from companies including Apple, Nikon, Samsung and Canon.
In a major move for...
Government: 80% of TVs and computers to be recycled by 2021
The Australian Government has released a set of draft documents detailing new TV and computer recycling regulations that it says will see up to...
Australia’s Society of Authors joins US lawsuit over digital book debacle
Australia's Society of Authors has today announced it's joined a lawsuit against significant American universities, once again debating the contentious issue of digital copies...
Telstra, Vodafone price the HTC EVO 3D
Telstra and Vodafone have this afternoon revealed pricing for HTC's 3D EVO device, that will soon become available in Australia.
The EVO 3D features a...
Renai’s Holiday Time News – Monday
Normally Renai has his finger on the pulse of Australian IT news, but seeing as he's on a break, that responsibility is on me....
Internode readies FetchTV service for the NBN
Internode this week announced that it'll soon offer its complete internet television service package, FetchTV Full, over Australia's new high-speed National Broadband Network (NBN).
At...
iiNet claims Telstra treachery in South Brisbane
National broadband provider iiNet this week claimed Telstra was being heavy-handed with its treatment of wholesale customers in its new South Brisbane fibre area, virtually forcing them into signing up to agreements with its terms or facing the prospect of having their customers in the region cut off from broadband.
WA agencies lack ICT strategic plans
An audit of Western Australian departments and agencies have found a number lacked comprehensive or up to date strategic ICT plans, as well as potential conflicts of interest in their purchasing of technology-related goods and services.
Failing Qld e-health system needs $439 million fix
Queensland Health needs a mammoth $439 million injection of government funding to fix its ailing patient administration system, according to explosive documents tabled in the state's parliament by the Queensland Opposition yesterday.
Wanted: Delimiter forum moderator
Just a quick note that I'm currently looking for someone to help out with moderating the Delimiter forum on an ongoing basis.
NBN Co inks WA, Vic construction deals
news NBN Co has signed landmark contracts with two construction firms which will fuel the rollout of the fledgling fibre network in Victoria and...
Police to investigate CenITex contract
Melbourne-based newspaper The Age reported this morning that police had been called in to investigate Victorian Government IT shared services agency CenITex, following an audit that had revealed public servants awarded themselves a contract eventually worth some $1.5 million.
Turnbull’s biggest problem: How to halt the NBN
A senior telecommunications analyst has praised the Coalition's new telecommunications policy as being worthy of respect, while warning the fallout from its commitment to halting Labor's flagship National Broadband Network project would remain its biggest problem if it took Government in the next Federal Election.
Oracle adds Telstra notch to SaaS belt
Oracle today revealed it had rolled out a large software as a service-based customer relationship management implementation for Telstra over the past year, in one of Australia's first major known deployments of the software giant's CRM On Demand platform.
You’re wrong: Qld workgroup tells Mills
The industry associations backing the Queensland Government's working group with its ICT industry, including his own, have rejected claims by a high-profile former member that the group had effectively become a mouthpiece for political statements by the state's technology minister Simon Finn.
Telstra launches IPv6 to big customers
The nation's largest telco Telstra today took its biggest step so far towards fully adopting version 6 of the Internet Protocol, noting it had started providing its enterprise, government and wholesale customers with IPv6 addresses.
Telstra may release NBN pricing shortly
The nation's largest telco Telstra last week gave the first indication that it may shortly be about to release details of its commercial pricing for access to services over the fledgling National Broadband Network infrastructure, as debate continues to swirl around what exact price Australians will pay for access to the infrastructure.
Tech management bloodbath hits Internode
Citing "very difficult times" in the past 12 months, national broadband provider Internode has conducted an extensive restructure of its leadership team which has seen four of its most senior technical managers leave the company and managing director Simon Hackett appointed as chief technical officer.
Bad Telstra vote could help scuttle the NBN
An independent expert's commissioned by Telstra has found overwhelming benefits to the telco from cooperating with the Government's flagship National Broadband Network plan, but has also highlighted the potential for a shareholder vote against a Telstra deal with NBN Co to help cause the termination of the project.
No more TouchPads for Australia
HP has reportedly confirmed that the last batch of its TouchPad tablets currently being manufactured will be available only in its North America region only -- meaning Australians will not get one last chance to pick up the now-canned devices for a song.
Vodafone finally dumping ‘3’ brand
National mobile carrier Vodafone has taken another significant step to ditching the '3' brand it inherited with its merger with Hutchison, radically overhauling the brand's separate website and revealing plans to sign up no further new customers using the '3' labelling.
Wikileaks cable outs secret iiTrial background
A document published by Wikileaks appearing to be a US diplomatic cable appears to have revealed much of the previously hidden background behind the iiNet/AFACT court case, including the Motion Picture Association of America's prime mover role and US Embassy fears the trial could become portrayed as "giant American bullies versus little Aussie battlers".
Wireless NBN clause could harm competition: ACCC
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission today warned a clause in Telstra's $13 billion contract with NBN Co prohibiting Telstra from marketing wireless technologies as an alternative to fibre broadband could be "detrimental to competition" and should be investigated further.
Fix your separation plan, ACCC tells Telstra
The competition regulator has asked Telstra to make several key changes to its plan to structurally separate its operations and migrate its customers onto the NBN, with the regulator being particularly concerned about the telco's commitment to providing the same services to its wholesale customers as it does its own retail arm.
SAN failure bedevils Tech.Ed training
Problems with the storage area network serving Microsoft's Tech.Ed conference on the Gold Coast this week have resulted in some attendees not being able to complete the Microsoft-focused training they had booked in for.
End of the line for ATUG
One of Australia's highest-profile voices for change in the telecommunications industry this week revealed it would close its doors, citing declining membership as one factor in its decision.
Veteran resigns ‘mouthpiece’ Qld Govt Workgroup
One of the most high-profile figures in Queensland's technology sector has resigned his post on the State Government's ICT industry committee, in protest against a crackdown he claimed had seen the group effectively "gagged" and used as a mouthpiece for the Government.
Telstra approached Dodo about reselling Next G
National broadband provider Dodo today revealed Telstra had spoken to it about selling services over its flagship Next G mobile network, in the latest sign that the nation's largest telco is thinking about opening up its prize asset for competitive use.
Your cloud data was never secure, says Microsoft
Microsoft has attempted to dampen concerns about US Government access to Australian information hosted in American cloud computing facilities by claiming cooperation between governments would likely mean either country's law enforcement branches could get access data they wanted anyway -- regardless of where it was hosted.