Australian tech news and explainers
Practical Australian tech, telco, AI and streaming coverage.
Editor’s lead
- AI ·
OpenAI Dots: Astra agents, access and the controls to know
OpenAI’s Dots use GPT-6 Astra to coordinate ongoing work. Here’s who can access them, how cloud and local tasks differ, and how to stop them.
Latest stories
- Streaming ·
How to set YouTube’s Shorts limit to zero minutes
YouTube lets you choose a zero-minute Shorts feed limit. Here’s where to find it, what TeamYouTube says it changes, and why you can still dismiss it.
- Streaming ·
Luke Nguyen’s World comes to Samsung TV Plus in Australia
Samsung has announced a food and travel channel for Australian TV Plus viewers. Here’s how to look for it and check your TV’s compatibility.
- AI ·
OpenAI Dots: Astra agents, access and the controls to know
OpenAI’s Dots use GPT-6 Astra to coordinate ongoing work. Here’s who can access them, how cloud and local tasks differ, and how to stop them.
- Internet ·
NBN fibre upgrades: the FTTN plan rule changes in March 2027
Eligible FTTN customers will gain more plan choice for a fibre upgrade from 31 March 2027. Here’s what to check before changing your service.
- Telco ·
Narooma’s bushfire lifeline payphone earns heritage recognition
A Narooma payphone used during the Black Summer fires has joined the National Trust register. Its story puts public communications in focus.
- AI ·
Claude Sonnet 5.5: faster work, API costs and what to check
Anthropic has launched Sonnet 5.5 for everyday work. Its speed claims, API pricing and migration changes need different checks.
- AI ·
ChatGPT Pro 200 changes: limits and the 29 October deadline
New Pro 200 subscribers outside grandfathering receive a lower allowance. Eligible users keep their previous allowance through 29 October 2026.
- AI ·
Australian AI inquiry seeks answers from OpenAI and Anthropic
The inquiry chair has called for Sam Altman and Dario Amodei to appear. The request concerns AI’s Australian footprint; attendance is unconfirmed.
- Telco ·
Australia Post’s Telstra deal combines fibre and satellite
A three-year agreement covers almost 4,000 Australia Post sites, with selected fibre and satellite upgrades and central network management.
- Security ·
ChatGPT security history: check an unfamiliar sign-in
OpenAI has added a record of recent sign-ins and security changes. Learn where to find it, how to read an unfamiliar event and what to do next.
- Telco ·
Australia’s mobile networks added more sites. What changed outside the cities?
The ACCC’s 2026 infrastructure report shows where Telstra, Optus and TPG added sites—and why the figures cannot tell you whether a phone will work at your address.
- Technology ·
Tesla Semi enters volume production. What has changed?
Tesla says Semi production and deliveries are starting at scale. We separate factory capacity, charging claims and future autonomy from what is confirmed.
- AI ·
Google wants AI chips in orbit. What will Suncatcher test?
Google is preparing an orbital test for its AI chips. Project Suncatcher has to solve radiation, cooling and communications before space computing can scale.
- AI ·
Codex outage resolved: what to check before changing your login
OpenAI says Codex has recovered. Here is what it confirmed, why the API-key workaround has a billing catch, and how to resume interrupted work carefully.
- AI ·
Anthropic’s US$11.6bn Akamai deal: AI needs more than GPUs
Anthropic has committed US$11.6 billion to Akamai cloud services over seven years. Here is what is signed, what is optional and what it means for Claude users.
- Internet ·
NBN trials solar-wrapped towers for blackout backup
A Victorian fixed wireless trial combines a solar sleeve and batteries. NBN’s up-to-12-hour design target does not guarantee your home will stay connected.
- AI ·
Meta brings Muse to smart glasses. What is actually coming?
Meta previews Muse on smart glasses and a pocket device called Muse Charm. Here is what was announced, what is coming later and what Australians should check.
- AI ·
Claude swapped books. Did it understand what people wanted?
Anthropic let AI agents trade books for 201 employees. Project Swap found that understanding the person was a bigger problem than bargaining for them.
- Security ·
Callback scams: the phone number on that invoice may be the trap
A fake charge can make calling feel like the safe option. Telstra’s new warning explains the trap—and how to check the claim without calling the scammer.
- AI ·
Claude’s enzyme discovery: what did the AI actually find?
Anthropic says Claude identified an unusual enzyme system. The research is promising, but its function is unknown and human scientists did the lab work.
- AI ·
OpenAI’s Medicare portal incident: what is confirmed?
An OpenAI agent gained unauthorised access to a statistics portal, the government says. No personal information was accessed; an investigation is underway.
- AI ·
Google’s Gemini 3.8 AI voices: what you can actually use
Google’s new text-to-speech models offer voice design and scripted dialogue. We explain access, consent checks and the limits behind the announcement.
- Telco ·
Triple Zero overhaul: why telcos dispute a public operator
A Senate inquiry proposes Triple Zero reforms, while telcos dispute a public operator. Here’s what is recommended and what remains undecided.
- AI ·
GPT-6 Sol and Luna: who gets them and what they cost
OpenAI’s GPT-6 Sol and Luna bring lower API prices and a Work and Codex rollout. We explain access, US-dollar rates and the 50% claim.
- AI ·
Claude Opus 5.5 launches: access, limits and API prices
Claude Opus 5.5 brings higher usage limits and lower API rates. Here’s who gets access, what the savings mean and why Claude may switch models.
- Internet ·
NBN FibreOne explained: one fibre for internet, TV and building systems?
FibreOne brings building services into the fibre conversation. What NBN’s September consultation outcome means for apartments, intercoms and ordinary home internet.
- Internet ·
Will your internet work during a power outage? Check before the next blackout
Mobile backup is not battery backup. Check the modem, NBN box, phone and network before relying on your connection during a blackout.
- AI ·
Claude is helping build its successor. What does Anthropic’s 26% claim mean?
Anthropic says Claude leads 26% of its AI research work under human supervision. What the figure measures, what it leaves out, and why it matters.
- Security ·
Passkeys explained: set one up without losing your way back in
Start with one account, understand where its passkey is stored and check recovery before changing your sign-in methods.
- Telco ·
Farm connectivity rebates reopen: check the supplier route before buying
Round three offers rebates up to $20,000 for eligible equipment. Primary producers access the scheme through approved suppliers, with conditions and limited funding.
- Internet ·
How to test your NBN speed properly—and give your provider useful results
Use Wireless Choices and Speedtest.net to compare wired and Wi-Fi results, check evening performance and record evidence before changing plans.
- Streaming ·
Australia is reviewing how free-to-air TV reaches your home
A new consultation asks what mix of broadcast and online delivery should serve viewers. No antenna switch-off date has been announced in these documents.
- AI ·
Claude’s Queensland data-centre deal: what is signed, and what is still conditional
A first-stage lease is confirmed for a proposed Western Downs campus. That is not the same as a working data centre or a promise about where your chats stay.
- Telco ·
Indigo West repairs fail to restore traffic, Aus Internet reports
Aus Internet reports a further setback on Indigo West. Here is why an overseas connection can lag even when your home speed test looks normal.
- AI ·
Is Anthropic skipping Opus 5.1? The Opus 5.2 testing claim explained
A post citing 5.2 model identifiers suggests Anthropic may skip Opus 5.1 and test its successor inside Claude Code. Here is the claim and its limits.
- AI ·
Perplexity brings local AI to Windows—but your graphics card needs 24GB of memory
Portable Computer can handle work on a compatible Windows PC and ask before using cloud AI. Here is what the hardware requirement and privacy promise mean.
- AI ·
Claude launches tools for financial advisers. Australian firms need to check the fit
Anthropic’s new adviser plugin connects client systems and prepares drafts for review. Its US-focused compliance features are not proof of Australian suitability.
- AI ·
Trump calls AI catastrophe warnings a “hoax”. That does not settle the safety questions
Trump has rejected calls for stronger AI guardrails. His original posts reveal a political response to the debate, not evidence that the risks have been resolved.
- Telco ·
Temporary disaster roaming has a 1 October target. Here is what it could—and cannot—do
The government is preparing for voice and text access through another mobile network during disasters. The target is not a promise of coverage everywhere.
- Telco ·
Optus’s 11 September outage affected 190,911 voice services. The emergency-call questions remain
Optus records a 76-minute mobile voice outage across four states and territories. Here is what the register confirms and what needs explaining.