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Home tech

February

Tablets showcase Alexa+ software features during the unveiling event in New York.

Amazon’s new Alexa is like an easier-to-use ChatGPT. It could be huge

The company says its often-mocked smart voice assistant has been given a new purpose thanks to generative AI. If it works as advertised, it’s relevant again.

December 2024

We’re all suffering from qualitynesia now

Borne along on the tide of technology, it is far too easy to forget that CD players sounded better than Spotify.

November 2024

Household sensors help keep insurance premiums down

Up-and-coming insurance tech firm Honey Insurance uses technology in novel ways to help its customers.

October 2024

A heat pump installed at a suburban Sydney home.

Heat pumps were meant to transform the world. It’s not going to plan

One technology critical to fighting climate change is lagging due to high interest rates, rising costs, misinformation and the cycle of home construction.

Samsung Electronics is looking to pare its overseas headcount.

Samsung begins job cuts in Australia

The South Korean company has begun to pare staff, following similar moves in India and Latin America.

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June 2024

AGL Energy chief executive Damien Nicks hopes the $150 million investment will transform his retail business.

AGL goes big on ‘smart’ energy platform with $150m Kaluza stake

Its major rival, Origin Energy, has made a highly successful investment in a similar business, Octopus Energy. The platform co-ordinates supply and billing.

Adam Taras, with supervisor Dr Don Dansereau, completed the research as part of his Honours thesis.

Aussie experts can stop your smart-device cameras spying on you

When photos snapped by a robot vacuum cleaner of a woman on the toilet went viral, the smart home sector knew it had a problem; Aussie academics claim to have solved it.

March 2024

We don’t believe it. A smart home device that actually works?

Every six months or so, we perform in-depth experiments to see if smart home devices are still as bad as ever. This time, we got a different answer than usual.

February 2024

AFR, Screenshots of Drone attack Videos,  Ukraine’s Bozha Sprava/Ukraine’s Adam Tactical Group via Telegram

Cheap drones are transforming warfare in Ukraine

First-person-view drones have achieved near mythical status on the front lines but need artillery to influence battles.

January 2024

The Rabbit R1 could replace your smartphone one day with its simple voice interface to all your common tasks.

You thought AI was hot? These AI gadgets are sizzling

We scoured the halls of the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, and came up with five of the best AI-powered gadgets at the show.

Nvidia will report quarterly results on November 21.

Nvidia’s stock breakout puts Amazon in sight

Nvidia was the best performer in the S&P 500 last year and has pushed decisively into record territory with a more than 7 per cent advance.

December 2023

Knowing how long you’ve slept may not help poor sleepers.

Is a $3745 app-controlled mattress topper a sound sleeping investment?

The Eight Sleep Pod Cover is great at collecting data but is missing a trick on helping you make sense of it all.

November 2023

Apple

As Albanese travels to China, Apple’s results offer a warning

The company has navigated China better than any other Western big tech firm, but its sales there still fell short of expectations last quarter.

October 2023

Smart ways to get the most out of your solar

Homeowners are using tips and tricks to shift as much of their power usage as possible to solar.

September 2023

Cyber Minister and mother of three, Clare O’Neil, wants the vendors of software and internet devices such as baby monitors to be accountable for the safety of the products.

Technology’s dangerous-by-design era to come to an end

Cyber minister Clare O’Neil is pushing for Australia to join the rest of the world and shift responsibility for digital safety away from consumers and onto software vendors and smart device makers.

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June 2023

Co-Founders and Co-CEOS of Nexba Troy Douglas and Drew Bilbe.

Global stage a happy hunting ground for ambitious firms

Despite the challenges of the past few years, Australian companies are surging ahead with dramatic global expansion.

Tech start-ups Espresso Displays and POP defy slowdown

Diversification in global markets has allowed these two Aussie technology start-ups to sail through slowdowns.

March 2023

V Pappas says coming out as non-binary has changed her leadership style.

TikTok’s COO is an Aussie success story (who happens to be non-binary)

TikTok chief operating officer V Pappas opens up about their professional and personal journey to the apex of the global tech sector.

January 2023

Intel saw about $8bn wiped off its market value on Friday in the US.

Intel shares slammed after one of its grimmest forecasts ever

Semiconductor and computer processor stocks ended last week down sharply, with KLA Corp and Intel pointing to a poor outlook for computer sales.

August 2022

The Attorney General is being pressed to create a citizen privacy right, but the head of the Productivity Commission says this could hurt consumers and the economy.

Productivity tsar pushes back on definitions of privacy

The attorney-general is being pressed to create a citizen privacy right, but the head of the Productivity Commission says this could hurt consumers and the economy.

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/topic/home-technology-hqq