Big week for electric cars in Australia if you care about that kinda thing (I do). The ACT government has kicked off free rego for EVs and interest free loans up to $15,000 to buy an EV - in conjunction with existing large discounts on stamp duty. In South Australia, they've come up with a $13.4m plan to install up to 530 fast chargers across the state and opened up a scheme for property owners to register their interest in hosting a charger. Very smart move to have the government connect the money and installers with potential charger hosts. Meanwhile, Victoria is set to debate a EV road usage tax in the upper house today/tonight. If enough crossbenchers think it's a dumb idea then it won't happen.
iFixit has unloaded on Samsung for whiteanting them on an upcycling project. The idea was floated in 2017 and Samsung reached out to iFixit for their endorsement on a range of programs to extend the life of Samsung devices. Stuff like unlocking bootloaders so users can install their own operating systems and an "open source marketplace where users could submit ideas and software for repurposing old Galaxy devices". Over time, Samsung stopped replying to iFixit and the relationship went dead, until Samsung launched a feeble "Galaxy Upcycling at Home" beta in April 2021 that "lets users turn end-of-life Samsung phones into smart home sensors that could be paired with Samsung's SmartThings ecosystem". Here is iFixit's blog post outlining their disappointment with Samsung.
Last week we learned that over 10,000 NBN fibre to the curb connection devices (aka the VDSL modem NBN supplies you and is supposed to stay with the house) have been replaced in the Blue Mountains area of NSW due to lightning damage. Thanks to info supplied by NBN to the Senate, we know that the problem of FTTC gear getting fried has been happening for a while. In 2020, over 57,000 NTDs were replaced and 44,300 have been replaced in 2021 already. NBN has also replaced 31,000 FTTC distribution points (the gear in the street pit) and had to replace or remediate almost 50,000 lead-ins (the cable from the pit to the house) in 2021 so far. NBN said they're looking into a permanent solution to the toasted NTDs back in March, but nothing has eventuated yet.
📻 Bullet Proof Cupid - Girls Against Boys
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The Sizzle is created on Wathaurong land and acknowledges the traditional owners of country throughout Australia, recognising their continuing connection to land, water and community. I pay my respect to them and their cultures and to elders both past and present.