It was supposed to be a cake walk for Paul Fletcher, but the former Optus executive's ascension as MP for Bradfield has become less certain in recent days.
Although Senator Nick Minchin is said to have enjoyed the shadow communications role, he hasn't indicated that he would ask to have the position back.
The Federal Government will ignore a coalition-dominated Senate committee's call for a cost-benefit analysis into the National Broadband Network (NBN).
The Bill that will decide whether Telstra remains vertically integrated is set for debate in parliament this Thursday, but Greens Senator Scott Ludlam doubts it will happen this year and blames Shadow Communications Minister Nick Minchin for it.
The NSW Department of Education and Training has dodged questions on how the state government's review of IT spending is progressing.
When your broadband speeds are limited to 38Kbps it's not hard to join the ranks of people demanding the NBN already. Telstra's copper network is a renovator's delight.
Getting Senator Stephen Conroy's regulatory reform for the telecommunications industry through the parliament would need support from the Senate. On Twisted Wire we ring around to see which parties are supportive and which are against.
Shareholders got a rude awakening this week as Stephen Conroy made good on industry calls to break up Telstra. Some argue the government has been duplicitous and should be held to account, but those who sit tight may find the new Telstra offers a far better value proposition with better long-term opportunities.
Rural areas will be welcoming the government's decision to put its money where its politicising is, funnelling $250m into a regional fibre upgrade to six rural centres. Remedying over a decade of near-neglect at the hands of telecoms privatisation, the investment could be the firmest step yet for Labor's NBN dream but with inevitable political questions and a looming election, Rudd and Conroy need to deliver, and quickly, to preserve the NBN's credibility.
As Rudd and Conroy railroad the NBN into reality, the Liberals are trying to inject some due process into the whole thing by holding Labor accountable for its decisions. However, with the future of Australian telecoms on the line and no real viable alternative, is it just a bit late for accountability?
In the midst of the current Liberal emissions trading and leadership maelstrom, there exists numerous breaches in the shadow cabinet's line-up. Who will step up to fill the gap left by the fallen Senator Minchin?
If you think your job is stressful, just consider what Tony Clasquin used to do for a living: a pilot who used to work as an air traffic controller (ATC), he learned early on to manage "this very complicated 3D chessboard".
The level of ignorance from Australian politicians about technology can be staggering. Here's some of the worst examples we've seen, and a short recipe for resolving the issue.
This afternoon Communications Minister Stephen Conroy described his opposite, Senator Nick Minchin, as a Luddite as he took questions from reporters on the Opposition's attempt to block the government's wide-ranging telecommunications industry reform legislation, which includes provisions to force the break-up of Telstra.
The Pirate Party of Australia should forget about trying to win a Senate seat in the Federal Government and instead focus its sights on even lower hanging fruit. I speak, of course, of the state governments.
Windows 7 looks like the operating system that we've all been waiting for. Despite its imperfections, it shows a lot of promise for the future while presenting a stable platform that can compete comfortably with OS X.
NetComm Turbo 7 Series Wireless Gateway provides an easy set-up, good coverage and modest speed. While this system gives you the advantage of portable wireless gateway, wireless services are less reliable and cannot match ADSL2 speeds.
For its target market -- budget users and those who don't want bells and whistles -- the MOTOFONE is an excellent phone option. Those who require more pizzazz will quickly grow irked at its shortcomings, however.
There's a lot to love about BenQ's ultra-portable media centre notebook, even if battery life isn't ideal.
The 5675WLHi is a poor man's way to HD DVD early adoption, but it clearly lacks the polish of its competitors.
Google Chrome OS demonstration
Vice President of Product Marketing Sundar Pichai gives a virtual tour of Google's new operating system, Chrom… Watch it now
Malcolm Turnbull's ghost twitterer
At the Sydney Media140 conference several weeks ago, Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull admitted he doesn't pe… Watch it now
Surf the Net like it's 1991 with Gopher
The old Gopher protocol is not dead. In fact, it even has Twitter! Here's how to access it.… Watch it now
How do you build a smarter planet?
Having problems with complex data center? Simplify your data center now.
Sun shining on Ajnaware
Holiday IT to-do lists
Chapman's rough end of the pineapple
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