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Consumer Electronics

Cold weather prompts warning to service gas heaters as house fires, poisoning linked to appliances

As households with gas heaters fire them up for winter, tradies and firefighters fear many do not understand the safety risks they pose if not properly maintained.
A man wearing a fluro top and cap holding the cover of a gas heater

Laws struggle to keep up as digital trackers increasingly used by domestic abusers

Law enforcement agencies say there is precious little regulation preventing an abuser from using tracking devices to stalk and control their partners.
A hand holds an apple air tag

Lithium-ion battery fires causing havoc in the waste and recycling sectors

Mobile phones and other electronics are powered by lithium-ion batteries. They're objects many of us throw out or try to recycle – but they're having a catastrophic impact on the waste sector.
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ABC News Current
Duration: 5 minutes 23 seconds

'I'm very anti-fast fashion': How a wave of second-hand shopping is cutting NSW's carbon footprint

As the cost-of-living crisis continues to grow, some NSW residents have turned their attention to second-hand shopping. That move has helped divert 49,000 tonnes of waste from landfill, while allowing residents to pocket millions in savings.
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Two men and an older woman ineract with one another at a warehouse filled with recycled goods

Apple apologises for crushing musical instruments in new iPad Pro advertisement

Apple says it "missed the mark" in its new advertisement for the iPad Pro, which involves using a hydraulic press to crush a large collection of creative instruments.
a STILL of the ad that shows a hydraulic press crushes an array of creative instruments. 

Lithium-ion batteries are causing fires every day across Australia

When used properly Lithium-ion batteries are more environmentally friendly and efficient than other batteries, but they can also prove dangerous, even deadly.
Updated
ABC News Current
Duration: 7 minutes 25 seconds

'They are literally printing money on silicon': AI sends Nvidia's market value soaring higher than Australia's GDP

Chipmaker Nvidia has just recorded the biggest one-day gain by any company in Wall Street history. But could the AI boom be just another dot-com-style bubble?
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A close-up of a smartphone displaying an Nvidia logo, sandwiched between two computer parts.

Sick of doomscrolling and being 'constantly on call', these Australians switched to a 'dumbphone'

With mobile phone use on the rise, some people are turning to simpler devices to help them cut down on their screen time.
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A close up of a person's hands, one holding an iPhone and one holding a small flip phone.

The weirdest new gadgets and biggest trends from the world's largest tech show

The biggest tech expo of the year features some bold new ideas, and showcases some of the new gadgets the industry has its sights on. 
A man holds onto the seat of a smart toilet with one hand and gestures with the other as he speaks to people at a tech show

Apple appeals decision to ban watch imports in US

The ban follows a complaint from a medical monitoring company who is accusing Apple of stealing its pulse oximetry technology. 
a woman's arm with an apple watch on it being inspected in a apple store

This fridge 'doesn't make things cold'. It's won a Shonky Award, just like Coles and Woolworths

Consumer advocacy group CHOICE calls out "the very worst products and services" it found this year.
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A man in a lab coat standing in a white room next to a small bar fridge, making a thumbs down gesture

Should you charge your phone overnight? Will 'overcharging' make it explode? Common battery myths debunked

In the world of lithium-ion batteries, smartphones take centre stage. Yet they've also sparked an ongoing debate: does prolonged (or overnight) charging wreak havoc on your battery?
Two phones charging

France has banned the sale of iPhone 12s over 'failed radiation tests'. What does this mean for Australians?

France's radiation watchdog claims tests on two iPhone 12s showed they breached European radiation exposure limits.
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A man poses with an Apple iPhone 12 in a mobile phone store in Nantes, France, September 13, 2023

The new iPhone's key features have been known for months — thanks to leakers like Sonny from Melbourne

The details of new products are being leaked months before they're announced. Here's how the tech giants are trying to keep things secret.
Two hands holding separate iPhones close to each other, horizontally.

'Like a loaded gun': Who is responsible for keeping kids safe from button batteries?

About 20 children end up in Australian hospitals each week suspected of having swallowed or inserted a button battery, despite new safety rules. So is it up to parents to be vigilant or should the product be boycotted altogether?
Updated
X ray shows button battery in a childs throat.

Wade is on a mission to save tonnes of e-waste from landfill. In the digital age, it's a massive job

Only 20 per cent of the world's enormous amount of electronic waste is recycled, but NSW South Coast man Wade Cawley is trying to change that with his own two hands.
Wade wears a black t-shirt and grey shorts, and is standing between a red van and a silver car full of old electronics.

Natasha can pull apart and recycle 97 per cent of your TV, but e-waste is still swamping Australia

A recycling program has found a way to divert tonnes of discarded electronic devices and huge amounts of precious metals and other components from landfill, while also providing disability employment.
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a woman in high-vis workwear standing next to a crate full of old computers and TVs

The history of EVs is long and weird. This rusty Porsche, parked in Melbourne, sums it up

Converted from petrol in the 1950s, the world's first electric Porsche is parked in a Melbourne workshop. Here's how it got here — and the forgotten history of early EVs.
The Porsche in the process of being restored

'It just absolutely destroyed everything': Warning issued over lithium-ion batteries

Jeff never thought his e-bike battery could pose any kind of threat, until the day he left it charging in the garage and woke to find his home in ruins. 
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The charred remains of an electric bike and a car after fire swept through a garage.

SA Greens want electronic products branded with a minimum life span

The South Australian Greens plan to introduce legislation that would require tech companies to brand their products with a minimum life expectancy.
Two people with phones in their hands

What can Australians do to prepare for power price rises? Is an air fryer the answer?

Air fryer sales in the UK are rocketing as consumers desperately seek ways to contain rapidly rising power bills. With electricity prices set to increase in Australia, many households here are also looking at ways to save on energy costs.
A woman operates an air fryer.

Samsung's Jay Y Lee pardoned by South Korea after bribery conviction

South Korea's President, Yoon Suk-yeol, has pardoned Samsung Electronics vice-chairman Jay Y Lee on Friday, with the nation's Justice Ministry saying the business leader was needed to help overcome a "national economic crisis".
A man with short black hair wearing a white face mask outdoors

Australian iPhone users may find their current chargers useless next time they upgrade. Here's why

The ubiquitous iPhone charging cable may soon be unplugged for good. Here's why.
Updated
Tangled multi-coloured cables

This self-charging battery generates electricity from moisture in the air

New "self-charging batteries" can harvest enough energy from moisture to power small electronic devices. They sound too good to be true — so, how do they work?
A small chemical cell that can generate electricity from atmospheric moisture

Ampol jumps on EV bandwagon as electric cars inch towards price parity Australia

Australia's largest petrol and diesel supplier has pushed into the electric car charging market — Ampol plans to rollout charging bays at more than 120 service stations.
Updated
ABC News Current
Duration: 5 minutes 41 seconds