iTnews Archive

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Home-grown iPhone and more mobile moolah

By
Josh
– 17 November 2009Posted in: money, nerds, shameless self promotion, techno-wankery

Here’s a write-up I did for CRN on six leading iPhone apps developed by Australian companies. Mobile apps are a booming area worldwide and, without resorting to parochialism, Australians are doing some really good work and in some cases leading their fields.

Speaking of mobile, here’s a quick story I wrote for iTnews about local firm Digislide scoring $18 million in funding from UK investors. Digislide makes pocket-sized video/data projectors, which are just astounding. I’m not that old, but I can remember when the smallest video projector was the size of a large suitcase and had to be carried by two people.

But is it at all surprising that Digislide had to go overseas to get the money?

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It begins… Government on track to save $1bn on tech

By
Josh
– 9 November 2009Posted in: government, money, nerds, shameless self promotion, techno-wankery

OK, that was quick! I’ve posted my first freelance story for iTnews: Government on track for $1bn ICT savings: Tanner.

Soon after it was elected the Rudd Government asked UK public-sector efficiency expert Sir Peter Gershon to examine how the government and public service used information technology. This review, completed in August 2008, estimated the Government could save about $1 billion over four years just by rationalising its ‘business-as-usual’ or day-to-day IT spending. All this, apparently, without having to fire lots of people or reduce the number of IT services or the quality of delivery. (The Gershon review also cures warts and reunites long-lost lovers.)

This hasn’t gone without hiccups: Gershon estimated the Government would save $140 million in the first year, which turned out to be more like $109 million in reality. But with round one already in train, the government is pressing ahead with round two.

If it all works, in about four years’ time, the budget will be $1 billion leaner. Or $500 million at least, because half the savings will be put back into more IT stuff, which will generate more efficiency. Before you know it, the whole of government IT will be run on a couple of recycled desktops running Ubuntu!

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