Tech Updates

Tech News

iPhone 14 SOS via Satellite now available in Australia

iPhone with the Emergency SOS via Satellite screen active

Apple introduced its Emergency SOS via satellite service for iPhone 14 users in Australia and New Zealand last month. This groundbreaking safety feature allows users to connect with emergency services even when there is no cellular or Wi-Fi coverage available

ChatGPT from an Accessibility Perspective

A female is facing to the right, her image is overlaid with digital symbols and a sphere, with a cityscape at the bottom of the image

This month the hottest topic (especially after our recent Clubs Forum) has to be ChatGPT and how AI and machine learning are quickly becoming more and more relevant in all that we do.  
Nicholas Kapirnas, Junior Digital Accessibility Analyst at the Centre for Accessibility Australia, in which ASCCA Director Dr Scott Hollier is heavily involved, discusses how AI-based chatbots like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Bard AI service can be helpful for people with disabilities.

Optus Data Breach

Printed paper with the words Data breach across as a heading, and the Optus logo in the top corner of the page

You are all (hopefully) by now aware of the recent data breach suffered by Optus and their customers, both past and present. There are so many reports and instruction emails and posts being sent to Optus customers and in the general domain that it can seem quite a daunting prospect to reign it all in and take adequate steps to protect yourself.

Commodore 64 turns 40!

Happy 40th Birthday Commodore 64!

The Commodore 64 was launched in August 1982, making it 40 years old. It cost hundreds at a time when PCs running DOS cost thousands, and was the first computer for many Australians. It brings back many memories of typing games written in BASIC from computer magazines, long load times, and plenty of arcade game conversions.