Technology

Telstra is giving some customers complimentary handsets to ensure they stay connected after the 3G network closure on 31 August 2024. Around 12,000 complimentary mobile devices will be given to some customers who are in difficult situations, live rurally or are elderly.

The Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association (AMTA) today announced the launch of a new web-based tool, Check my Device to help Australians determine if their mobile device will be fully supported on Australian mobile networks after 3G networks close, including the ability to make emergency calls to Triple 0. Check my Device can be found on the website, www.3Gclosure.com.au, is available to all Australians, on any mobile network…

Tick the box for Yes or No. The handwritten note we would have our friends pass on to those we were sussing out as potential ‘boyfriends and/or girlfriends’ when we were at school ... With the introduction of smart phones and other handheld devices, social media and a whole lot of angry, jealous, nasty, cruel and self-indulgent sick human beings, we are now faced with a new type of bullying called ‘sexploitation’.

Chickpea, lentil and faba bean growers across Australia can expect significantly more productive crops within the next decade thanks to a new collaborative, international research project to improve crop yields ... Project leader Professor Rajeev Varshney FRS ... said chickpea, lentil and faba bean production is currently hamstrung due to limited genetic diversity, resulting in meagre yield improvement of less than 0.5 per cent each year.

PhD student Evan Curtis has reached a turning point in research investigating the use of drones, simulation studies and artificial intelligence (AI) to sustainably manage the kangaroo industry in NSW. Evan, a student at the University of Sydney, is mid-way through his project,  Determining optimal management strategies for four large macropods in NSW ...

Warwick Fry. 'Talking' to some (but not all) AI bots can be like talking to salespersons, call centres, MBAs and marketing executives ... The evolution of AI is leading thinkers (and novelists like Gibson) to revisit philosophical questions like what is consciousness, free will, identity? These are fields of enquiry which have been lacking since the commercialisation of academia ...

Stephanie Thompson. Telstra is “sincerely sorry” for the impact of a cloud service crash last week that continues to “cripple” all three local councils. The outage is continuing to impact Loxton Waikerie, Berri Barmera and Renmark Paringa councils, rendering them unable to complete almost all core functions.

Last week I attended and spoke at an International Leadership and Management Conference in Liverpool UK. It is an annual conference where academics and practitioners come together to share and explore the latest research and new trends on leadership. One of the key themes discussed that impacted me was the session on how technology and AI is impacting on our next generation’s ability to critically think.

BCG is on a mission to bring the latest in agricultural technology to farmers across the Wimmera, Mallee and North Central,” said BCG’s Communications and Engagement Officer Jess Bidstrup.

BeeHero, the pioneer of precision pollination, announced the establishment of its new regional headquarters in Australia as part of a strategic plan to expand operations in support of Australian growers and beekeepers. BeeHero’s expanded presence involves support for multiple crops, with the company’s groundbreaking in-hive and in-field monitoring technologies now deployed across almonds, canola, macadamia nuts, apples, pears, plums, cherries, avocados, hybrid seed crops, and blueberries.

A compact, lightweight sensor system with infrared imaging capabilities developed by an international team of engineers could be easily fitted to a drone for remote crop monitoring. This flat-optics technology has the potential to replace traditional optical lens applications for environmental sensing in a range of industries.

Moove over ChatGPT – we’ll soon be using artificial intelligence to monitor cattle. The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries and  Goondiwindi-based company Infarm have collaborated to create a prototype automated camera system to detect cattle and monitor their condition using advances in machine vision and AI.

Growers could soon have tailored local weather forecasts directly at their fingertips through a ground-breaking program that leverages the cutting-edge capabilities of artificial intelligence and machine learning combined with traditional weather forecasting techniques … the $1.3M initiative … is tailored to meet the specific needs of individual growers, considering their farming block, unique terrain and operational requirements.

Kaniva & District Progress Association were delighted to be invited to help test the Australian Silo Art App last month. The app has just been released to the general public and is available at the App store. KDPA's Helen Hobbs said, "Similar to WikiCamps, it uses your location to show all nearby Silo Art, along with community contributed public art information."

UK biotech startup, LyteGro’s solution converts the pulp of waste bananas into a proprietary liquid supplement to turbocharge metabolic processes offering high-value for Australia’s distilling industry. An exciting joint venture opportunity now exists for Australian investors, banana growers and authorities to scale production plants.

Easter used to be fun in our family, but not any more. It's the hardest time of year for our family, it's when our darling granddaughter took her life. When we lost our Jessica to suicide the police knew just where to look: her phone and laptop.

Calling all Australians to add new details on public toilets to the National Public Toilet Map. The much-loved Great Dunny Hunt is back and better than ever with the Continence Foundation of Australia calling all Australians to update the National Public Toilet Map website or app with new public toilet facility details they discover while out and about these school holidays.