Planes and power banks – FAA/TSA rules enforced

After being asked about what Power Banks may be on my person while checking in to a Qantas flight, I thought it was prudent to remind everyone the rules of carriage for batteries on planes. Planes and power banks – the rules are now enforced and I dont want to see anyone lose their Powerbank at Check In. 

Following a number of fires no planes will allow batteries outside these rules (Check all these incidents! – more than 60 Lithium-ion fires on US airlines alone in 2022, over 80 in 2023 and over 30 so far in 2024) from phones, laptops, power banks, and now Vapes. Some incidents were extremely serious as passengers put these in the cargo as luggage!

So, you have been warned, Read more..

You can bring these instead. 

Belkin BoostCharge

Anker Powerbank

More Robots For The Home – Robot Window Cleaner

Have you ever wished cleaning the windows was easier? There are lots of new robots arriving on the market to help, one new example is from Robot My Life. They have a newly designed window robot that uses powerful technology to make glass care a breeze. 

You might have heard i installed a new pool last year, and the glass fence is going to get the window cleaning treatment. Robot My Life are sending one to me to test and I’ll report back on results!

The S6 Pro scrubs glass 600 times a minute with its dual reciprocating pads to dislodge dust and grime from glass. Combined with its powerful water jets, build up on your glass is eliminated with a streak free finish. Check the details beloiw and we will 

Check out the Hobot S6 Pro here and the offer they are doing for listeners.  

Guests and Topics on the Show

Mother’s day is just around the corner and we wanted to give you some ideas on what gifts you can get ahead of time. Mitchell Whitaker, Director from Harvey Norman Newcastle joins us this week to share some great finds.  Mitch’s number one suggestion for Mothers Day this year is a digital photo frame from Jackson Frameo. Check out their range here.    Some of you noted i am clearly not a Caravan owner, but I know many of you are. So for Caravanners, you can now elevate your towing experiences with the debut of the world’s inaugural CarPlay and Android Auto Integration for electric brake controllers. Elecbrakes, an Australian-owned electronic brake controller, has unveiled a groundbreaking software update that ensures its brakes are fully synchronized with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto platforms. This pioneering innovation fosters flawless integration between the Elecbrakes controller and a vehicle’s infotainment system, empowering users to effortlessly manage and oversee their trailer’s braking system directly from their car’s dashboard. We invited Craig de Leon, Founder and CEO from Elecbrakes to discuss this innovation.

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Life and Technology – Saturday April 20 2024

Prepaid Sim Cards – What IS and IS NOT Included

We promised to break this down for you this week, and here it is – Prepaid sim rules and inclusions for Australia.

Used Temu or Shein? How you can protect your private data now you have used these platforms

If you have downloaded the Temu or Shein app or used their websites, know that your personal data has been hoovered up and is already being used. You cannot stop that!

Many readers have been shocked to learn that Temu – more Chinese spyware – the catch in cheap online shopping, and now Shein – more Chinese spyware – fast fashion at the expense of privacy are simply fronts for high-level data mining.

Read the full article here. 

Businesses responsibility to the protecting OUR data is changing – Part 1. of my Video Interview Series with Cyber Security Lawyer Annie Haggar on the changing rules around protecting consumer data – 

 If you own a business you need to know the rules. 

If you engage with businesses you should know your rights about your data. 

I am presenting a multi part series of the changing landscape in data retention regulations. The rules are changing as that means requirements on business to ensure they follow the rules. The Federal Government is becoming more focused on protecting consumers and you will hear more and more about this in the general media. This series aims to help you . 

This interview was supported by Harvey Norman who are offering a free Cyber Security Assessment for Australian Business – Details are here.  

Watch the interview here. 

Guests and Topics on the Show

A few weeks ago, we had World Back Up Day and in line with that, we invited Jeff Park, Seagate Country Manager ANZ on to the show to talk about backing up your important files, and photos using Seagate.  You can check out a lot of different Seagate products on the Harvey Norman website here, including some of the options I mentioned during the show.  I met with Swann this week and was shown a brand new technology which can be very helpful to our listeners.   Swann, a global leader in do-it-yourself security, today announces the availability of Swann HomeShield™, a powerful AI-driven voice assistant which is set to redefine home protection. Developed with Amazon Web Services (AWS) technology, this state-of-the-art solution harnesses generative AI to communicate with visitors, providing an unparalleled level of deterrence and peace of mind.Launching in May, Swann HomeShield™ will enhance compatible Swann video doorbells, cameras and devices, using the latest adaptive AI technology to automatically respond to visitors with natural, human-like interactions.

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Life and Technology – Saturday April 13 2024

Australia’s most and least trusted brands 2023 – tech does not fare well  The 2023 Roy Morgan report on Australia’s most and least trusted brands shows that tech brands do not fare well.  Read the full article here.   The right Windows laptop for you. Save money – avoid upselling (2024 update guide)  The right Windows laptop for you depends on your needs and budget. You may have high needs (performance, capacity), but you can’t have a low price (mutually exclusive). We show you how to determine your needs and avoid marketing hype. A laptop is more than the sum of its parts. Sure, there is a screen, central processing unit (CPU), graphics processing unit (GPU), memory (RAM), and Storage (solid state or spinning hard disk). Then there is the build quality, warranty, and repairability.  Read the full guide here.

Guests and Topics on the Show

Hubbl Streaming Service is a cutting-edge platform revolutionizing the way audiences consume entertainment. Offering a vast library of movies, TV shows, and original content, Hubbl delivers high-quality streaming experiences tailored to individual preferences. With its intuitive interface and seamless navigation, users can easily discover new favorites and enjoy them across multiple devices. We invited Hubbl’s Executive Director, Dani Simpson, on the show this week to talk about this latest sreaming service.    The 3G shutdown marks a significant milestone in the country’s telecommunications evolution.  This move reflects the industry’s shift towards faster, more efficient technologies capable of meeting growing data demands. While the shutdown may inconvenience some users with older devices, it signals progress towards a more interconnected, digitally advanced future.  Channa Seneviratne, Technology Development and Innovation from Telstra joined us this week to discuss about the 3G shutdown implications and what it means to you.   Read more about this here.

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Life and Technology – Saturday April 6 2024