Patch Monday: Contactless EFTPOS and Google privacy

ZDNet Australia logo: click for Patch Monday episode 26

Privacy issues on the Patch Monday podcast this week.

Contactless EFTPOS and credit cards that allow you to make payments without a signature or entering a PIN, and the vast honey pot of personal data that is Google. It’s not just Gmail, but everything else.

My guest is the Chair of the Australian Privacy Foundation, Professor Roger Clarke.

You can listen below. But it’s probably better for my stats if you listen at ZDNet Australia or subscribe to the RSS feed or subscribe in iTunes.

Please, let me know what you think. We now accept audio comments too. Either Skype to “stilgherrian” or phone Sydney 02 8011 3733.

Patch Monday: Intel’s new 32nm 2010 Core chips

ZDNet Australia logo: click for Patch Monday episode 25

Amongst the goodies at the huge Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last week, Intel announced new processor chips that scale down to 32 nanometres — and that’s the topic for this week’s Patch Monday.

The chips are faster and use less power, sure. But what else does it mean? My guest is Benno Rice, a freelance systems architect based in Melbourne who’s particularly interested in embedded systems — so he knows about processor chips.

You can listen below. But it’s probably better for my stats if you listen at ZDNet Australia or subscribe to the RSS feed or subscribe in iTunes.

Please, let me know what you think. Feedback very, very welcome. And do let me know if there’s any topics I should cover, or guests we should interview.

Patch Monday: Smart Grids a critical infrastructure risk?

ZDNet Australia logo: click for Patch Monday episode 24

In the first Patch Monday for 2010, a look at the potential security risks of Smart Grids.

In theory, Smart Meters that monitor your energy usage and Smart Grids that manage your electricity consumption should save money and reduce carbon emissions. But do we really want to have cheap wireless-enabled devices connected to our home networks and the electricity grid?

A good mate of mine, security consultant Crispin Harris, is a tad concerned and, as he explains in this week’s feature interview, he’s not alone.

You can listen below. But it’s probably better for my stats if you listen at ZDNet Australia or subscribe to the RSS feed or subscribe in iTunes.

Please, let me know what you think. Feedback very, very welcome. And do let me know if there’s any topics I should cover, or guests we should interview.

Patch Monday: 2010 security trends and other predictions

ZDNet Australia logo: click for Patch Monday episode 23In episode 23 of Patch Monday, a look at security trends for 2010 and some other predictions.

I speak with Mark Goudie, who heads up the forensics practice for Verizon Business Asia Pacific in Melbourne.

You can listen below. But it’s probably better for my stats if you listen at ZDNet Australia or subscribe to the RSS feed or subscribe in iTunes.

Please, let me know what you think. Feedback very, very welcome. And do let me know if there’s any topics I should cover, or guests we should interview.

Patch Monday: The challenge of government 2.0

ZDNet Australia logo: click for Patch Monday episode 22In episode 22 of Patch Monday, a look at the draft final report of the Government 2.0 Taskforce with the Taskforce chair Nicholas Gruen.

I also talk a little about the Taskforce’s MashupAustralia competition and its winners. And there is, as usual, quick run-through of the week’s news headlines, should you have missed them.

You can listen below. But it’s even better for my stats if you listen at ZDNet Australia or subscribe to the RSS feed or subscribe in iTunes.

Please, let me know what you think. Feedback very, very welcome. And do let me know if there’s any topics I should cover, or guests we should interview.

Gosh, is it really a week since I last posted something here? Must. Do. Better.

Patch Monday: Holiday IT to-do lists

ZDNet Australia logo: click for Patch Monday episode 21In episode 21 of Patch Monday, a few suggestions for what your IT people can do while it’s quiet over the summer holidays.

I speak with Harold Melnick, who’s Microsoft’s senior product marketing manager for Unified Communications; Del from open source consultancy Babel Com Australia; and independent IT consultant Kate Carruthers

And there is, as usual, quick run-through of the week’s news headlines, should you have missed them.

You can listen below. But it’s even better for my stats if you listen at ZDNet Australia or subscribe to the RSS feed or subscribe in iTunes.

Please, let me know what you think. Feedback very, very welcome. And do let me know if there’s any topics I should cover, or guests we should interview.

Yes, I know it’s Tuesday. The podcast did go live yesterday afternoon. I just didn’t get around to blogging about it. Maybe I’ll automate that somehow. Any suggestions for the best way to do that in WordPress?