Tech Actually Ep103 – Theory vs. Fact

Hosts: David McVay, Josh Philpott & Shane Gregory

This is the official tech podcast of geekactually.com. The tech show by geeks for geeks and non-geeks. Accessible tech for everyone is the motto we live by. This week on Tech Actually we take a look at the latest news about the Australian National Broadband Network, examine the facts vs. the theory of Stuxnet and with the help of some listener feedback we continue to build up evidence of the impending robot apocalypse. You show links follow:

Tech Actually is recorded live on Saturdays at 12pm (AEST UTC+10). Go to geekactually.com/live to watch it live.

Your show notes follow:

Feedback & Follow Up

Listener Matt writes to tell us about the spending spree of our government

Listener Northy has found this video about a robot that learns archery – spooky.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCXvAqIDpIw

Listener DeltaKnight has been hanging out in Gizmodo and sent us an email with our first four stories – thank you Delta

Further evidence of the Robot Apocalypse
http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2010/10/the-robotic-sentinels-guarding-the-largest-nuke-site-in-the-us/

Straight from the stories of Star Trek – the artificial heart
http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2010/10/boy-becomes-first-human-to-live-with-permanent-robot-heart/

Steve Jobs a control freak – no say it isn’t so :-)
http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2010/10/adidas-dumps-us10m-iad-due-to-control-freak-steve-jobs/

Latest high tech transport is postively low tech, oh yeah and Australian!
http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2010/10/the-future-of-cargo-transport-is-a-slow-aussie-ufo/

This Week‘s News

Spielberg now wants the Halo movie rights
http://www.news.com.au/technology/spielbergs-hand-up-for-tilt-at-halo-movie/story-e6frfro0-1225935308539

Microsoft joins the company buying trend big time – it is eyeing Adobe
http://www.news.com.au/technology/flash-asset-microsoft-eyes-buying-adobe-in-recruitment-drive-to-fend-off-apple/story-e6frfro0-1225935796519

Finally someone is taking the term ‘Unlimited broadband’ to task
http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/optus-unlimited-plans-like-disintegrating-car-judge-20101006-166o9.html

More mind control stuff – this time a wheelchair
http://www.smh.com.au/technology/sci-tech/mindcontrolled-wheelchair-aims-to-make-life-easier-for-disabled-20101006-167ly.html

New iPhone bug discovered – Alarm doesn’t take daylight savings into account
http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/iphone/dont-be-alarmed-but-your-iphone-may-have-a-daylight-saving-bug-20101005-165d5.html

CNET has released a great Stuxnet Theory Vs Fact article
http://news.cnet.com/8301-27080_3-20018530-245.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20

Topic of the Week – What’s new with the NBN?

Another quick update on our forthcoming NBN

Tasmanian laws changed to make the NBN roll out run smoother.
http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/tasmanians-to-be-forced-to-connect-to-nbn-under-new-laws-20101006-167vi.html

The NBN could leave Australia unprepared for cyber attack?
http://www.news.com.au/technology/national-broadband-network-will-leave-australia-woefully-unprepared-for-cyber-attacks/story-e6frfro0-1225935261135

Malcolm Turnbull, in good opposition style, says the NBN will not save people money
http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/turnbull-says-65-a-month-will-keep-most-off-broadband-20101004-164ek.html

iPhone Apps

Our pick of the week in iPhone/iPad apps. Josh recommends DropText from Invisions Technical Arts (AU$1.19) and the game Sketch Nation Shooter by Engineous Games (free). Shane recommends the IGN App by Fox Interactive (free). David recommends We Farm and We City both from ngmoco (and both free) for the social gamers.

As always this episode carries an explicit tag due to some bad language.

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