### Issue 2220 - Wednesday 20th November, 2024

## In Today's Issue

- A telco was told to leave Australia but we don't know which one
- Microsoft to sell a little cloud computer to stream Windows on
- Instagram provides new option to "reset" your algorithm
- Internet friends are real friends, 97% of 12yo kids in UK have smartphones, free NBN for school kids
- 25 things worth buying are on sale

## The News

### A telco was told to leave Australia but we don't know which one

I don't usually link to social media posts for news, but Commsday writer Rohan Pearce discovered that the federal government used Subsection 315A(1) of the Telecommunications Act, to tell a telco to stop operating in Australia for national security reasons. Its use requires involvement of the Prime Minister and Communications minister and very likely all were briefed by ASIO, i.e: it's a big deal and it's the first time it's ever been used despite being a thing since 2004. We don't know which telco was booted out of Australia and we may never know, but it was disclosed in the 2023-2024 Telecommunications Sector Security Reforms report and that's all we know.

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### Microsoft to sell a little cloud computer to stream Windows on

Microsoft's announced Windows 365 Link, "a new purpose-built miniature PC for its Windows 365 cloud service" that'll launch next year. It'll cost US$349, is small and fanless and will be "as simple and efficient as possible for you to be able to access your cloud PC". The Link "boots in seconds, can wake instantly from sleep, and uses its own chips to process video for Microsoft Teams or Webex by Cisco". Not sure how this is different to the plethora of thin clients that already exist running Windows, but cool, good luck Microsoft with your "cloud".

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### Instagram provides new option to "reset" your algorithm

Instagram is rolling out a new feature to "reset" your content recommendations. From the press release, "In just a few taps, you'll be able to clear your recommended content across Explore, Reels and Feed and start fresh. Your recommendations will start to personalize again over time, showing new content based on the content and accounts you interact with. When resetting, you'll also have the option to review the accounts you're following and unfollow any that share content you no longer want to see".

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## Something I Saw On The Internet

### Internet friends are real friends, 97% of 12yo kids in UK have smartphones, free NBN for school kids

- George Buchanan, the deputy dean of computing technologies at RMIT, writes in The Conversation that the internet's informal networks are vital to many people's mental well-being.
- The Guardian reckons 97% of 12 year olds in the UK have a smartphone (wtf?!) and talked to a few kids that don't have one to find out how they feel about being the odd ones out.
- The federal government is still running the School Student Broadband Initiative (SSBI). If you've got a kid at school and don't have the NBN already and haven't had it for the last 2 weeks, there's a decent chance you can get free internet at home.

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## Bargains

- 15.6" portable IPS 1920x1080 portable monitor - $119 from ALDI
- Alan Wake II: Deluxe Edition for Xbox or Playstation - $64 at JB Hi-Fi
- Kingston KC3000 4TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD - $372 from Centrecom's eBay store
- Canon EOS R8 camera body - $1639.87 after Canon cashback from Amazon
- Sparkle Intel Arc A750 OC 8GB graphics card - $274 from PLE Computers
- Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) GPS 40mm - $297 from Amazon
- Nothing Phone (2a) 128GB/256GB - $426/$496 from JB Hi-Fi
- 10% off Amazon gift cards via GiftCards.com.au
- Sony FE 50mm F1.8 Lens - $246.65 after Sony cashback from JB Hi-Fi
- Amazon eero 6+ Wi-Fi 6 Router 3-pack - $389.99 from Amazon
- Sonos Ray Soundbar - $249 from JB Hi-Fi
- Portal: Companion Collection for Nintendo Switch - $6.99 on the Nintendo eShop
- Sonos Arc Soundbar & $99.30 HN gift card - $993 from Harvey Norman
- Sennheiser HD 599 headphones - $125 from Amazon
- LG 65" OLED EVO G4 4K TV - $3488 from JB Hi-Fi
- PlayStation 5 Slim Digital or PSVR2 - $549ea at JB Hi-Fi
- Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold 256GB or Pixel 9 Pro XL 128GB - $2197/$1447 from JB Hi-Fi
- Xbox Series X 1TB - $664 from JB Hi-Fi
- Reolink Video Doorbell PoE - $109.98 from Amazon
- Herman Miller Aeron Remastered Graphite with Fully Adjustable Arms - $1988 from Living Edge
- Anker 537 24000mAh 65W Power Bank - $69.99 from Amazon
- Satechi Thunderbolt 4 Slim Hub 5-in-1 - $178.20 from Amazon
- TCL NXTPAPER 14 256GB Tablet - $648 at Harvey Norman
- Elgato Stream Deck Plus - $237.15 from Amazon
- Adobe Creative Cloud All Apps 1 year - $652.73 from Amazon

## Image Of The Day

Last year PC case and peripheral maker Silverstone posted a picture of a retro-inspired computer chassis with a 1980s-inspired beige design, space for two 5.25 inch floppy drives, and a few modern touches like USB Type-C ports. At the time, it was an April Fools Day joke. But after that image went viral, the company apparently went to work turning it into a real product. Silverstone recently showed off an early version of the upcoming case, which will be available soon in Japan for about $130. (Liliputing)

## The End

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