Ian Clarke (aka ancient Slashdot reader Sanity), designer of the peer-to-peer communication platform Freenet, is back with an update on the project's progress following the launch of its P2P network in March. He writes: Earlier this year, Slashdot covered the launch of the completely redesigned Freenet. I recently gave a talk about what we've been building since then. Unlike traditional web applications, apps on Freenet have no central server or database; instead application state is distributed across the network. These now include decentralized group chat, publishing, search, and fully decentralized Git hosting. The talk also gets into some of Freenet's internals, including how we use machine learning for network routing.
Brad Lightcap, a longtime leader, said he was starting a new venture. His exit from the artificial intelligence company is the latest in a series there.
A alternativa permite, por exemplo, checar os status de um determinado contato, ou habilitar que ele veja determinadas informações do seu perfil (como o seu ícone ou o campo de recado) caso a visibilidade esteja restrita à sua lista de contatos — coisas que só eram possíveis antes ao salvar seu número de telefone.
WhatsApp launches a username field for new contacts, compatible with Status Sharing!
On Android and iOS, WhatsApp has introduced a new field for the contact creation screen that lets users save a contact's username alongside their name.https://t.co/5hSI6SUrs0pic.twitter.com/InGkJzgI7W
O WhatsApp lançou um campo de nome de usuário para novos contatos, compatível com o Compartilhamento de Status.
No Android e no iOS, o WhatsApp introduziu um novo campo na tela de criação de contato que permite aos usuários salvar o nome de usuário do contato junto do seu nome.
O novo campo está disponível tanto no iOS quanto no Android na tela já conhecida do público para adicionar novos contatos (ela pode ser acessada tocando no botão “+”, na seção “Conversas”, e depois selecionando a opção “Novo contato”).
Embora ainda não haja uma previsão oficial quanto à disponibilidade geral da novidade, o campo já foi notado por algumas pessoas que instalaram a versão mais recente do WhatsApp na App Store e pelos usuários da versão beta (via TestFlight).
Saudações de boas-vindas em grupos chegando ao iOS
Já presente na versão beta para Android, o mensageiro da Meta está testando no iOS um recurso que permite aos administradores de um grupo enviar uma mensagem automatizada de saudação para cada novo membro que integra a conversa coletiva.
O WhatsApp identifica a mensagem com um balão que inclui o texto “saudação automática”, e ela não poderá ser vista pelo restante do grupo (embora o usuário possa interagir com o recado).
WhatsApp is testing greeting messages for group chats on iOS!
Mesmo que um grupo tenha vários administradores, haverá apenas uma mensagem de boas-vindas para todo o grupo. Todos os administradores compartilharão o mesmo texto e qualquer um deles poderá editá-lo.
Ainda em desenvolvimento, a ferramenta não foi sequer disponibilizada para testadores do app, embora tenha sido notada na versão 26.31.10.73 beta.
A Microsoft está testando uma novidade no seu navegador Edge que facilitará a vida de usuários da Apple: a possibilidade de se cadastrar e fazer login em um perfil do browser com uma Conta Apple.
Conforme observado pelo usuário @Leopeva64 no X, a novidade já está disponível nos canais Beta e Canary do Edge para desktop e pode ser ativada por meio dos recursos experimentais (flags) tanto no Mac quanto no Windows.
In Edge Canary for desktop there are a couple of new flags to enable support for signing in with an Apple account. Microsoft added support for Google accounts some time ago and has now added support for Apple accounts: https://t.co/34BBm0b3Wipic.twitter.com/BNMrpB8pkO
Mas o que isso significa, na prática? Que você pode pular algumas etapas no processo de criação de uma conta para usar no navegador caso ainda não tenha uma conta da Microsoft, usando o mesmo email e outros dados da Conta Apple.
O usuário também poderá fazer login com facilidade no navegador apenas clicando no botão para logar com a Apple — como já acontece com outras plataformas.
Essa é uma expansão de um movimento que começou há poucos meses, quando o mesmo usuário descobriu a possibilidade de se cadastrar e fazer login com o Google no mesmo canal de testes do Edge (agora já disponível).
A novidade chega para tornar o uso do navegador mais prático, eliminando a obrigatoriedade da criação de uma nova conta do zero para quem já é usuário dos serviços da Apple (ou do Google).
O Gemini, do Google, ultrapassou oficialmente a marca de 1 bilhão de usuários mensais ativos — tornando-se, segundo a própria gigante de Mountain View, o produto de crescimento mais rápido na história da empresa.
Para colocar esse marco em perspectiva, o Gmail levou cerca de 12 anos para conquistar uma base de usuários desse tamanho. Isso também coloca o Gemini no mesmo patamar do ChatGPT (da OpenAI), que atingiu essa marca no início de junho.
O CEO 1Chief executive officer, ou diretor executivo. do Google, Sundar Pichai, utilizou o X para destacar esse marco.
1B+ people are now using @Geminiapp every month to spark new ideas and get things done. It’s our fastest growing product ever, and our 14th to hit the 1B-user mark.
Mais de 1 bilhão de pessoas já usam o @Geminiapp todos os meses para despertar novas ideias e realizar tarefas. É o nosso produto que mais cresce na história e o 14º a atingir a marca de 1 bilhão de usuários.
Parabéns ao @JoshWoodward e a toda a equipe do Gemini, e obrigado a todos que têm feito parte dessa jornada conosco — vem muito mais por aí!
Além do número de usuários, o Google divulgou detalhes sobre como as pessoas interagem com o chatbot no dia a dia. Entre eles, a empresa aponta que os usuários dos dispositivos da Apple estão adotando a ferramenta em grande escala, com mais de 100 milhões de usuários ativos no iOS. Além disso, usuários avançados do macOS acionam o Gemini cerca de duas vezes mais frequentemente do que em outras plataformas.
Eles apontam ainda que interação por voz tornou-se a forma preferida de usar o aplicativo, com 63% dos usuários optando por falar em vez de digitar. Ademais, uma em cada cinco sessões do Gemini Live vai além do áudio simples, envolvendo o compartilhamento de imagens da câmera/tela em tempo real.
Estudantes representam outro grupo importante de usuários: 38% das solicitações acadêmicas incluem o envio de arquivos de tarefas, anotações ou PDFs. A geração de imagens também gera um tráfego enorme, sendo responsável pela criação de mais de 150 milhões de imagens diariamente.
A SpaceXAIliberou hoje, ainda em fase beta, um novo aplicativo de inteligência artificial (IA) agêntica para Mac e iPhone chamado Grok Bot.
Nascido como uma ferramenta interna, ele permite que usuários criem “colegas de trabalho de IA”, os quais contam com seus próprios computadores e são capazes realizar uma série de tarefas de ponta a ponta, além de acessar as ferramentas (apps, emails, etc.) que você já utiliza.
Introducing Grok Bot, now in early beta.
Bots are AI teammates that do real work for you. They sign in to your tools, use them just like you do, and come back with finished work. pic.twitter.com/uyfA97yo98
Apresentamos o Grok Bot, agora em versão beta antecipada.
Bots são colegas de IA que realizam tarefas reais para você. Eles acessam suas ferramentas, as utilizam como você e retornam com o trabalho concluído.
A ideia, segundo a SpaceXAI, é que o usuário converse com esses “colegas” como se eles fossem pessoas reais, seja por mensagem de texto ou por voz.
“Usuários com acesso antecipado dizem que o Grok Bot parece menos com dar instruções a um agente e mais com delegar tarefas a um colega de equipe altamente capacitado”, comentou a empresa.
Divulgação/SpaceXAI
Assim que a IA recebe uma tarefa, ela toma conta de tudo automaticamente, de modo que o usuário só precisa intervir caso uma ação requeira a sua autorização. Ela também pode se lembrar de conversas passadas, enviar mensagens para outros bots e ser adicionada a grupos.
Na SpaceXAI, é comum que várias equipes executem bots em paralelo, com uma delas gerenciando as demais. Um chefe de gabinete supervisiona tudo, com um especialista para cada área: gerenciamento de emails, despesas, recrutamento, correção de bugs ou operações. Em vez de gerenciar vários agentes, o Grok Bot oferece uma pequena equipe que pode trabalhar em paralelo, eliminando a necessidade de você ser o intermediário.
A SpaceXAI disse ainda que esses bots conseguem aprender com seus hábitos, o que significa que seu desempenho nas tarefas melhorará com o tempo. Isso também fará com que eles fiquem mais proativos com o passar dos dias, assumindo tarefas antes mesmo de você precisar falar com eles.
Por enquanto, o Grok Bot está disponível para Mac, iPhone, Windows e Linux, para assinantes do SuperGrok Heavy, Cursor Ultra e Cursor Teams Premium — mas a empresa do bilionário Elon Musk pretende lançar uma versão para Android em breve.
Pesquisadores da A Securityrevelaram vulnerabilidades na plataforma de videoconferência Zoom que poderiam ter sido exploradas para assumir o controle dos dispositivos dos usuários — em um ataque denominado “Zoomsday”.
Qualquer pessoa em uma chamada que envolvesse compartilhamento de tela — fosse participante ou anfitrião — estaria vulnerável a um ataque executável sem qualquer indicação ou interação por parte da vítima.
Os especialistas afirmam que a falha foi descoberta no início de junho, utilizando modelos de IA disponíveis publicamente, e que foram necessários menos de 20 comandos para identificar as vulnerabilidades e criar um ataque funcional.
O que nos interessa — e o que consideramos perigoso — é a democratização dessas capacidades; a barreira de entrada está caindo rapidamente. Antigamente, seria necessária uma equipe de cinco pessoas trabalhando talvez seis meses, com muitos ajustes e iterações, para descobrir isso. Agora, é possível obter os mesmos resultados com menos de 20 comandos. Além disso, o Zoom é um alvo importante porque as pessoas confiam na plataforma ao utilizá-la; elas não a veem como uma ameaça.
—Omer Gull, cofundador da A Security.
Ainda segundo os pesquisadores, as vulnerabilidades estavam localizadas especificamente no protocolo usado para permitir anotações em tempo real durante o compartilhamento de tela.
De acordo com informações do WIRED, o Zoom emitiu um comunicado de segurança nesta semana detalhando as correções das brechas, as quais afetavam dispositivos com todos os sistemas operacionais suportados pela plataforma — Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS e Android.
Na semana passada, pesquisadores revelaram falhas de segurança nas configurações de proxy da Retransmissão Privada (Private Relay) do iCloud+, que também afetam navegadores baseados no WebKit que utilizam a API 1Application programming interface, ou interface de programação de aplicações. de proxy para privacidade, expondo o endereço IP dos assinantes do serviço. Pois bem, não demorou muito para que surgisse o primeiro processo relacionado ao caso.
A ação coletiva foi movida pelo escritório jurídico Clarkson, que você talvez lembre pelo envolvimento no processo sobre o adiamento dos recursos de inteligência artificial (IA) apresentados durante a WWDC24, o que resultou em um acordo o qual previu o pagamento de US$250 milhões a clientes em dezembro do ano passado.
Como sambemos, a Retransmissão Privada oferece proteção para ocultar o seu endereço IP e dificultar a ciência sobre os seus acessos na web por parte de provedores de internet e terceiros, direcionando o seu tráfego para duas camadas de proteção.
O novo caso menciona o problema na Retransmissão Privada que faz a sua barreira ser burlada nos iOS em qualquer site compatível com as Chaves-senha (Passkeys) — algo que acontece pois o dispositivo do usuário faz uma requisição web fora do próprio navegador sempre que o usuário faz login, ignorando o Private Relay — e acusa a Apple de publicidade enganosa, declarações falsas ou deturpadas e fraude.
[A Apple] sabia, ou deveria saber, que as declarações contestadas eram falsas, enganosas, fraudulentas e ilegais, no momento em que a ré fabricou, comercializou, anunciou, rotulou e vendeu as assinaturas [do iCloud+].
Convidada a comentar o caso pelo 9to5Mac, a Apple ainda não se pronunciou sobre o tema. Tim Giordano, um dos sócios do escritório, por outro lado, disse que a empresa traiu a confiança de usuários “expondo-os ao mesmo rastreamento, criação de perfis e segmentação sobre os quais a Apple os alertava”.
O texto completo da ação coletiva pode ser conferido nesse link [PDF].
Notas de rodapé
1
Application programming interface, ou interface de programação de aplicações.
Uma pesquisa da Omdia revelou que donos de iPhones costumam gastar mais por aplicativos de microdramas (as novelas verticais) que donos de smartphones com Android — inclusive em países como o Brasil.
Por aqui, 48% dos usuários do iPhone pagam por esse tipo de conteúdo, contra 39% do Android. Na Alemanha, as porcentagens são de 49% contra 44%, enquanto na Coreia do Sul elas são de 59% contra 45%.
Nos Estados Unidos, a situação é um pouco mais equilibrada. Por lá, 69% dos usuários do iPhone disseram pagar por conteúdos, enquanto no Android o número caiu apenas um ponto percentual, mais especificamente para 68%.
O relatório também concluiu que usuários do iPhone gastam aproximadamente US$14 por semana nesses apps, enquanto no caso de donos de smartphones com Android o gasto é de cerca de US$10 por semana.
Divulgação/Omdia
A Omdia destaca que esse resultado vai de encontro a suposições que geralmente relacionam o consumo de novelas verticais a um público com menos poder aquisitivo, que geralmente é mais associado ao Android.
No entanto, é importante ressaltar que ela leva em consideração não apenas o consumo, e sim a compra de conteúdos — que costuma ser mais frequente no iOS em praticamente qualquer tipo de aplicativo.
Uma nova investigação revela que mais de um terço das infeções por infostealers tem origem na execução de ficheiros diretamente a partir de pastas temporárias dos navegadores. Comportamentos de risco, como descarregar software de fontes não seguras, continuam a ser explorados pelos cibercriminosos.
O 9.º Tribunal de Recurso dos EUA recusou ontem o recurso das empresas tecnológicas, concluindo que a Secção 230 oferece uma defesa de responsabilidade, e não imunidade total. O julgamento que envolve 29 procuradores-gerais estatais começa esta quarta-feira em Oakland.
L’essor des drones sous-marins pourrait modifier en profondeur l’équilibre stratégique des océans. Des chercheurs chinois estiment que ces engins autonomes sont désormais capables de menacer une infrastructure essentielle.
Every five years, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) takes a snapshot of Australia through the Census. The last one was held in 2021, which means households across the country are being contacted again in 2026.
The information collected helps show how Australia's population and households are changing and is used to plan services and infrastructure, from schools and hospitals to transport and housing.
This guide answers the key questions about the 2026 Census, including when to complete it, who needs to be counted, what happens if you're late, fines, privacy and what to do if you're away from home.
The ABS also has a handy guide to doing the Census. It's a useful overview, but we've gone a little further below by answering some of the practical questions it doesn't cover.
If you're unsure how the Census rules apply to your situation, call the Census Contact Centre on 1800 181 227 for advice.
When is the 2026 Census in Australia?
Census night for the 2026 Census is Tuesday August 11 2026. Think of it as the snapshot date: questions about where you're staying and who's in your household should reflect Tuesday night.
You can complete the form earlier if you've received your instructions and already know where you'll be on August 11. If your plans are still up in the air, it's better to wait until you know where you'll be staying.
Can you complete the Census after Census night?
Census night isn't a hard submission deadline. If you haven't completed the form on Tuesday August 11, you can still submit it on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday or later.
The ABS continues collecting forms and following up with households after Census night, so if you're late, complete it as soon as you can.
(Image credit: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS))
Is the 2026 Census compulsory in Australia?
Yes. Completing and submitting the 2026 Census is compulsory under the Census and Statistics Act 1905. But being late doesn't automatically mean you'll be fined.
The ABS first follows up with people who haven't completed their form. If someone still doesn't respond, they may be sent a written direction formally requiring them to provide the information. Ignoring that direction can lead to prosecution and a fine.
How much is the fine for not completing the Census?
If you've received a written direction and still don't comply, you can face a fine of up to AU$364 for each day you don't comply.
The Census is designed to count everyone who's in Australia on Census night. That includes babies and children, international students, visitors and visa holders.
That doesn't mean everyone fills out their own form. In most homes, one person completes the household form for everyone staying there that night.
What if you don't have a fixed address?
You should still be included in the Census. If you're experiencing homelessness, the ABS provides Census field staff and other support to help you take part. If you're staying with someone on Census night, you can be included on their household form.
If you're travelling around Australia without a fixed or return address, such as camping, or in a caravan or boat, you still need to be included in the Census.
You'll generally be counted where you're staying on Census night. A caravan, tent or boat can be counted as your dwelling for the night, including at a caravan park, camping ground or marina.
If you don't have a usual address, the 2026 Census form lets you record that. For the usual-address question, the ABS says to select Elsewhere in Australia, choose Enter address manually and enter None in the suburb/locality box.
How do you complete the 2026 Census?
For most households, the process starts with instructions to complete the Census online. These include a Census number and temporary password you can use to access the form.
The ABS says the average household takes about 30 minutes to complete it.
What if you haven't received or have lost your Census letter?
Yes. Paper forms are available to anyone who wants one. Some households will receive a paper form automatically, while others can request one if they'd rather not complete the Census online.
If you need help completing the Census, the Census website has support options, including language and accessibility support. You can also contact the Census Contact Centre on 1800 181 227.
What if there are more than six people in your household?
A paper Census form can include up to six people. If more than six people are staying at your address on Census night, you can complete the Census online or request an extra paper form.
Can you complete your Census answers privately?
Yes. If you don't want other people in your household to see your answers, you can request a separate Census form and complete your information privately. The ABS explains how this works in its 2026 Census collection notice.
Can you change your Census answers after submitting the form?
Once a Census form has been submitted, the ABS says it can't be reopened or edited.
We couldn't find specific online guidance for what happens if you complete the Census early and your plans later change, so we called the ABS media line to clarify. The advice was to contact the Census Contact Centre on 1800 181 227. They'll talk you through the options if your plans have changed or you've realised you made a significant mistake.
Separately, the ABS has processes for dealing with multiple responses. If more than one Census form is submitted for the same person, it keeps the one containing the most complete information about that person.
(Image credit: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS))
What if you're away from home on Census night?
If you're away from your usual home on Census night, you'll generally be counted where you actually spend the night. Your usual address can record you as temporarily away.
That can include staying with friends or family or spending the night in a hotel, hospital or aged care home. The ABS also has arrangements for people travelling overnight by plane, train or bus.
If you're temporarily overseas on Census night, you won't be counted in the Census for that night.
What if you're working on Census night?
If you're working overnight but will return to your usual home on Wednesday August 12 and won't be included on a Census form elsewhere, the ABS says you can be included on the form for your usual home.
How are FIFO workers counted in the Census?
Fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) workers who are staying at a worksite or camp on Census night should generally be counted there. For example, if you normally live in Perth but you're at a mining camp in the Pilbara, you'd be counted at the camp and listed as temporarily away from your usual address in Perth.
Why might a Census field officer visit your home?
Census field officers may visit homes to deliver letters or forms, help people complete the Census or follow up after Census night where a completed form hasn't been received.
So a knock at the door doesn't automatically mean there's a problem. In some areas, field visits are simply part of how the Census is carried out.
How can you check if a Census worker is genuine?
If someone claiming to work for the Census contacts you and you're unsure whether they're genuine, verify them through official ABS channels rather than relying on the contact details they give you. Use the official Census website or call the Census Contact Centre on 1800 181 227.
How can you tell if a Census text, email or website is genuine?
The same caution applies to texts, emails and websites. The ABS says genuine Census text messages use the sender ID CENSUS, while texts about other ABS surveys use ABSGov. The official Census website uses a .gov.au address.
(Image credit: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS))
What questions are on the 2026 Census?
The 2026 Census contains 66 questions covering areas such as your household, age, cultural background, education, work and income, housing, religion and people who are away on Census night.
One of the biggest changes in 2026 is the addition of questions about gender and sexual orientation. Everyone is asked about their sex as recorded at birth, while people aged 16 and over are also asked about their gender and how they describe their sexual orientation.
The ABS says the change is intended to build a clearer picture of Australia's LGBTQ+ population and help inform health and community services. If you'd prefer not to answer, both the gender and sexual orientation questions include a prefer not to answer option.
People can also report up to four ancestries in the 2026 Census.
Do you have to answer every Census question?
No. The question about religion is explicitly marked as optional on the 2026 Census form.
The gender and sexual orientation questions for people aged 16 and over also include a "prefer not to answer" option. So, while taking part in the Census itself is compulsory, that doesn't mean every question requires you to provide a particular answer.
Is your 2026 Census information private?
Yes. Census information is protected by law, and the ABS says it doesn't share identifiable information from your Census form with other government departments or direct marketing companies.
That means your individual Census answers aren't handed to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) to check your tax return or to Centrelink to check your eligibility for a payment.
No. The Census isn't anonymous because it asks for names and addresses. However, the ABS separates names and addresses from other Census information after processing.
When will the 2026 Census results be released?
The first 2026 Census results are due to be released in June 2027, with further data releases continuing into 2028.
Census data will be free to access through ABS tools including QuickStats, TableBuilder and ABS Data Maps.
(Image credit: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS))
Adding more fuel to the fire over which city is actually Australia’s best place to live, those residing in the all-seasons-in-a-day city of Melbourne have a new statistic on their side — and it all relates to fixed-line broadband speed.
Ookla, the company behind the hugely popular Speedtest tool that helps anyone diagnose their home internet speeds, has published its latest Global Index rankings, revealing median fixed-broadband download speeds by country and city.
As a country, Australia is slowly but surely moving up the table. There was a time we ranked as low as 86th, but we now sit at 50th, with a median fixed-broadband download speed of 162.34Mbps.
That improvement follows NBN Co’s September 2025 speed-tier shake-up, which introduced a 2Gbps wholesale option for eligible FTTP and HFC premises, alongside faster speeds on several existing higher-end tiers. Of course, not every Australian can access 2Gbps just yet — and, as we’ll see, the plan you choose is only one part of the equation.
For context, Singapore takes the crown with a median download speed of 447.75Mbps. One can only dream of a day when that becomes a reality Down Under.
Why the huge gap?
There are several reasons why Australia trails the pack so dramatically — although with 141 other countries clocking slower speeds, things could certainly be worse — and, in my mind, one of the most obvious is that many Australians are still connected to comparatively slow NBN plans.
The most recent report, covering the March quarter of 2026 and published in July, revealed there were just over 2.665 million active 50Mbps NBN connections, out of a total of 8.839 million residential broadband services. That works out to around 30.2%.
A 50Mbps plan naturally puts a ceiling on the speed a customer can record in a Speedtest. If enough users on lower-speed tiers are represented in Ookla’s sample, that will bring the national median down.
One relatively straightforward way for Australia’s international standing to improve, then, is for more eligible households to take advantage of NBN Co’s free fibre upgrade. The program is open to millions of eligible FTTN and FTTC premises, allowing them to upgrade to FTTP if they take out an eligible high-speed service — such as one of the best NBN 500 plans.
A fixed-line civil war
Move the slider over to ‘City’ and the results become much more varied, with cities from North and South America, Asia and Europe all jostling for position. Valparaíso in Chile takes the crown with a huge 425.84Mbps, followed by Abu Dhabi with 399.92Mbps, for example.
Australian cities evidently have some work to do. Scroll down to position 64 and you hit Melbourne with a median download speed of 177.69Mbps — faster than Australia’s national median, it must be said — while Sydney trails behind in position 76 with a meagre 149.91Mbps.
A difference of 27.78Mbps might not sound like much, but Melbourne’s median result is around 18.5% faster than Sydney’s. When intercity tensions are already high, that’s a huge bragging right for the southerners.
Wait, we can (try to) explain
Nobody ever wants to be seen as the weaker of two, and while the reported figures are great news for people in Victoria, there is potentially a plethora of factors at play that pave the way for a Melbourne victory.
We’re not here to make excuses, of course, but there are plenty of unknowns.
Firstly, there could simply be a larger proportion of Melburnians connected via superior fibre-to-the-premises infrastructure. FTTP allows households to access the fastest NBN plans, including the newer multi-gigabit options where available.
While it’s not totally conclusive, there is some evidence to support this idea. That evidence is publicly available technology-mix figures, although they’re reported at a state level, rather than for Greater Melbourne and Greater Sydney specifically. Data compiled from NBN rollout information indicates Victoria has a higher share of premises using FTTP than NSW — roughly 66% versus 60% — while it also indicates there are more active connections on the inferior fibre to the node (FTTN) connection type in NSW too.
This doesn’t completely settle the argument. The figures not only include regional areas, but they also show the technology available to a property, as opposed to an active plan supplying an address.
All fixed-line connections are welcome
Furthermore, on the subject of NBN, Ookla’s Speedtest results don’t only capture NBN connections, but fixed-broadband tests from other fixed networks too, including private fibre operators. Both Melbourne and Sydney are home to several such networks, including Vocus, GigaComm and OptiComm, while Melbourne also has DGtek — a private FTTP network concentrated in the city’s CBD and inner south-east.
Exact figures for active connections on those networks are tricky to come by. But if Melbourne has a higher concentration of people connected to these kinds of high-speed private fibre services, they could be recording considerably quicker test results and helping push its city median upwards.
Not telling the complete story?
Another excuse potential explainer is the way Ookla collects its data. Whereas the ACCC’s Measuring Broadband Report — which published its final instalment in June 2026 — monitors a selected group of Australian homes across nine popular ISPs, Ookla receives data when people choose to run a Speedtest.
This doesn’t mean someone repeatedly checking their connection can single-handedly skew the data, as Ookla averages each unique user’s results into a single sample for the relevant time period and location. Still, the results are dependent on who chooses to test. Melbourne’s sample could contain a different mix of internet plans, connection technologies, devices and Wi-Fi setups than Sydney’s.
(Image credit: TP-Link)
When did you last check your Wi-Fi router?
Home equipment can make a considerable difference too. A household with a Wi-Fi 5 router tucked away in a cupboard, a busy 2.4GHz network and a phone testing from the other end of the house could record a much slower result than the same connection tested over Ethernet.
On the flip side, a newer Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 7 router, a properly positioned mesh system and a compatible device can give a household a far better chance of getting close to the speeds it actually pays for. That doesn’t make the underlying internet plan any faster, of course — it simply means the home network is less likely to be the bottleneck.
If your own Speedtest result seems suspiciously low, it may be worth checking out our guide to the best mesh Wi-Fi systems to find out if your home could benefit from an upgrade.
And, trying to claw a point back for Sydney, it can be argued that people often run a speed test when their internet connection starts lagging. While Melbourne’s median tested speed is higher, that doesn’t necessarily mean every connection in the city is consistently faster or more reliable.
A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Monday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Monday, August 10 (game #890).
Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.
Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.
SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.
NYT Strands today (game #891) - hint #1 - today's theme
What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?
• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Fresh from the market
NYT Strands today (game #891) - hint #2 - clue words
Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.
CHEEP
HINTS
CHIVE
COME
TRACE
MANOR
NYT Strands today (game #891) - hint #3 - spangram letters
How many letters are in today's spangram?
• Spangram has 13 letters
NYT Strands today (game #891) - hint #4 - spangram position
What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?
• First side: left, 5th row
• Last side: right, 8th row
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Strands today (game #891) - the answers
(Image credit: New York Times)
The answers to today's Strands, game #891, are…
TOMATO
ZUCCHINI
PEPPER
MELON
CORN
CARROT
SPANGRAM: SUMMERHARVEST
My rating: Easy
My score: Perfect
One for the veggie lovers among us.
ZUCCHINI took me a while to put together, in part because I come from a land where we call zucchini courgettes, but mainly because I can’t spell and missed the double C.
This misstep aside I sped through today’s game, finding it harder to find a decent crop of non-game words.
Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Monday, August 10, game #890)
DATA
FACTS
FIGURES
STATISTICS
SPECIFICS
SPANGRAM: PROOFPOSITIVE
What is NYT Strands?
Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.
I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.
A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Monday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Monday, August 10 (game #1659).
Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,500 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today — or scroll down further for the answers.
Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc's Wordle today column covers the original viral word game.
SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.
Quordle today (game #1660) — hint #1 — Vowels
How many different vowels are in Quordle today?
• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 4*.
* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too).
Quordle today (game #1660) — hint #2 — repeated letters
Do any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?
• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 0.
Quordle today (game #1660) — hint #3 — uncommon letters
Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?
• No. None of Q, Z, X or J appear among today's Quordle answers.
What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?
• O
• B
• T
• S
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.
Quordle today (game #1660) — the answers
(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)
The answers to today's Quordle, game #1660, are…
ONSET
BRAWL
TEPID
SLANG
Sometimes I like to look at the four Quordle words as a creative writing task and imagine a story, or the opening of a story based on them.
Most days, it’s impossible but today is a good one — an urban tale of young men who are quick with their fists but whose lack of streetwise vernacular is embarrassingly poor.
Daily Sequence today (game #1660) — the answers
(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)
The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1660, are…
The release of Muse Glimmer, a model that can be freely downloaded and modified, is likely to intensify a debate over whether A.I. should be restricted.
Taiwan deliberately throttled mobile internet across the Taichung area during its annual Han Kuang war games, "simulating communication disruption in the event of a Chinese attack or natural disaster," reports Reuters. The drill accompanied air-raid exercises and military rehearsals aimed at defending strategically important areas such as the Penghu Islands. From the report: Democratically governed Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, has long lived with the threat of a Chinese invasion and holds air raid drills along with its war games every year, clearing people from the streets for 30 minutes. During the internet "throttling" drill, centered on Monday on the major central metropolis of Taichung, only basic mobile phone services worked, though other functions including ATMs, traffic signals, landlines and fixed internet services were not affected.
Air raid sirens rang out in Taichung "and people cleared the streets from 2:30 p.m. (0630 GMT) as the government sent simultaneous text messages in Chinese and English telling mobile phone users of "simulated air attacks on communication infrastructure." The government had widely flagged the drill ahead of time, including posting details on social media, and most people Reuters spoke to at the Taichung train station were prepared. [...] The same exercise will be repeated on Thursday in northern Taiwan, including the capital Taipei.
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