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In the government’s latest crackdown on big tech, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the new inquiry would build on the proposed social media legislation to “unmask trolls” that was announced over the weekend, with an exposure draft of that legislation expected to be released sometime this week. “Big tech created these platforms, they have a responsibility to ensure their users are safe,” Morrison said. “Big tech has big questions to answer....

Minister for Science and Technology Melissa Price said development of the Space Strategic Update comes off the back of industry feedback that Australia needs better alignment efforts in the space sector. “Through the Space Strategic Update, we will maximise investment and efforts to deliver for all Australians,” she said. The Australian Space Agency is expected to work with industry and government over the next 18 months to deliver the Space Strategic Update....

Topping the list of scams was investment scams, ripping people off to the tune of AU$328 million. The total number of scam incidents was 444,164. The information was revealed in a report [PDF] from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) Scamwatch. The AU$851 million loss figure is reduced to AU$156 million, however, when information from Australia’s top financial institutions is removed. This is still an increase of around 23% compared to the AU$143 million in losses reported in 2019....

Right now, Autel Robotics discounted two of their signature drones by $70 and $170. Whether you’re looking to step up your photography game or simply explore, these drones are perfect for your needs. We like Autel’s drones so much we even added one to our list of best photography drones. Check out the drones on sale below. If you find one that catches your eye, we recommend picking it up as soon as possible....

The massive funding round gives the data lakehouse architecture company a valuation of $38 billion. Databricks previously announced that Counterpoint Global (Morgan Stanley), BNY Mellon, Clearbridge and the University of California Endowment also participated in the latest round. The company held a $1 billion series G round in February, bringing their 2021 total to more than $2.5 billion. Ali Ghodsi, CEO of Databricks, said the $1.6 billion round of funding validates their “vision for an open and unified approach to data and AI on any cloud....

The Wells Fargo Business Secured Credit Card gives you the option of either cash back or rewards points, with the structure varying for both. When you redeem your points online, you can receive an additional 10% points credit with extra bonus points. Regardless of which structure you choose, there are no annual fees, spending caps, or required spending categories. There is an available credit line of $500 to $2,500, depending on how much you want to put down at account opening....

Microsoft remains at the forefront of the IT industry and its technologies, from the cloud, to identity and authentication, cybersecurity, ERP, and CRM. Windows 10 desktops and servers will remain widely deployed for the foreseeable future. It’s boom times for Microsoft’s Azure and Microsoft 365 cloud businesses thanks to accelerating digital transformation projects amid the COVID-19 pandemic. And that means there’s work to be done, which in the enterprise often involves some mix of Microsoft technologies across Dynamics ERP/CRM, Azure AI, and IoT....

It may surprise you that MP3 players (also known as digital audio players or DAPs) are still very much around. The MP3 players in 2023 can sync to streaming services like Spotify, color and touchscreen displays, and expansive storage options. Also: The best Bluetooth speakers I’ve rounded up the best MP3 players on the market today that are worth ditching your smartphone for. Sony Walkman players may look a little different than you’re used to, but this Walkman still functions the same as Walkmans of the past—just with a modern edge....

Hartford was recently named by the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation as an emerging hub for tech innovation. You can educate yourself for a job in fintech, cybersecurity, and green energy professions in the Constitution State with an online STEM degree. Explore our rankings of the top online colleges in Connecticut and see how they can help you meet your professional and educational roles. Top 5 online schools in Connecticut: Quick facts The best online colleges in Connecticut Before looking over the top online colleges in Connecticut, take a moment to familiarize yourself with ZDNet’s ranking methodology....

Our list introduces the best online degree-completion programs. You can use the list to find a program that fits your budget, schedule, and educational goals. Top 10 colleges with online degree-completion programs Our list of the best online degree-completion programs includes top-ranked institutions. The best online colleges offer flexible enrollment options, many online classes and degrees, and strong student services support. Transfer students submit transcripts showing their college credits. They then learn how many credits they must complete to graduate....

By connecting your sprinkler system to your Wi-Fi, not only can you create smart schedules or turn it on/off directly from your phone, but some irrigation systems will automatically create watering schedules based on your climate, weather forecast and based on which parts of your yard get more or less shade during the day. Use smart watering to your advantage. Below we’ve rounded up the four best sprinkler controllers. Each of our top picks have a unique approach to streamlining keeping your yard or garden lush and green....

Snow blowers also come with either a gas or battery-powered engine. While both are comparable in clearing speed and power, battery-powered snow blowers are cleaner-running than their gas counterparts, making them ideal for cities and HOAs that may have restrictions on engine emissions. The downside to battery-powered snow blowers is that they have relatively short run times and very cold temperatures can drain batteries of charge or damage batteries and chargers....

The OIN is the world’s largest patent non-aggression consortium. It protects Linux and related open source software and the companies behind them from patent attacks and patent trolls. The OIN recently broadened its scope from core Linux programs and adjacent open source code by expanding its Linux System Definition to other patents such as the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) and the Extended File Allocation Table exFAT file system. The OIN does this by practicing patent non-aggression in core Linux and related open source technologies by cross-licensing Linux System patents to one another on a royalty-free basis....

On Thursday, Microsoft confirmed via a blog post that it will roll out ads on Microsoft Bing Chat. Also: Microsoft increases Bing chat limit – again Last week, Bing Chat users began noticing ads pop up on prompt responses through footnotes with a specific ad designation. Microsoft claims its goal for implementing ads is to drive more traffic to publishers whose content contributed to the response. The goal is to drive more traffic to publishers so they can continue to make ad revenue and in turn, attain the funds to continue to produce free quality content....

Also: The 5 best laptops: Black Friday buying guide 2022 The HP Envy x360 15 is on sale at Best Buy, and it caught our eye for a number of reasons. First, it’s unique. It is a 15.6-inch widescreen 2-in-1, which is still fairly uncommon. (Its competition includes models like Lenovo Yoga 7i and Dell Inspiron 15 2-in-1.) Second, the laptop is 40% off, but the deal ends Saturday night....

The rise of BlackBerry BlackBerry – or Research in Motion (RIM), as it was called for most of its halcyon days – began its meteoric rise in 1999 with the BlackBerry 850, a pager-type device that supported two-way email communications via a built-in QWERTY keyboard. It built on an earlier line of “Inter@ctive Pager” products that were retired when the BlackBerry name rose to prominence. While the 850 laid the foundation for BlackBerry’s love of QWERTY-equipped devices, it wasn’t until 2003 that the company launched anything that could even be remotely recognized as a smartphone....

Under the technical cooperation agreements signed between the Banco do Brasil Foundation and the Brazilian Micro and Small Business Support Service (SEBRAE) with the Ministry of Communications, some 1,000 locations nationwide will benefit from approximately 500 new Wi-Fi hotspots to be implemented by 2022. The current free Wi-Fi network with satellite-based Internet consists of over 14,000 hotspots across 3,000 Brazilian municipalities, mostly located in the North and Northeast of Brazil....

Developed by academics at the Center for Mathematical Sciences Applied to Industry (CeMEAI), the system uses a combination of statistical models and machine learning techniques to establish whether a specific content in Brazilian Portuguese is likely to be false. Initial tests suggest the platform is able to detect fake news with a 96% accuracy. The CeMEAI is a research center based in the mathematics and computer science department of the University of São Paulo, in the São Paulo state city of São Carlos....

Under the changes introduced via a provisional measure, announced on Monday (6), social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube will need to follow a series of procedures and justify their decisions before deleting content or users that are understood to be violating their terms of use. Bolsonaro’s decision to edit the legislation in place to impose tougher rules on platforms was presented as a means to ensure freedom of expression online....

To learn more about the innovation stack and how entrepreneurs can create an unbeatable company, Ray Wang, CEO and founder of Silicon Valley-based Constellation Research, and I invited McKelvey to join us on our weekly video podcast DisrupTV. Here are eight takeaways of our conversation with Jim McKelvey on how to build an unbeatable company using the innovation stack. Our conversation with Jim McKelvey, co-founder of Square and author of The Innovation Stack was incredible....