![Australian commentator Danelie Purdue.](/web/20161212045005im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/9/8/n/s/image.related.wideLandscape.460x259.gt98mg.png/1481516247505.jpg)
![Australian commentator Danelie Purdue.](/web/20161212045005im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/9/8/n/s/image.related.wideLandscape.460x259.gt98mg.png/1481516247505.jpg)
Manage your kids' safety and spending on phones and game consoles
![It's possible to let kids enjoy phones and game consoles without giving them unfettered access to its capabilities and ...](/web/20161212045005im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/9/6/r/e/image.related.landscape.120x80.gt938w.png/1481513162310.jpg)
If your child is getting a new phone, tablet or game console for Christmas this year, here's what you need to know.
Almost 350k premises to be disconnected if they don't join NBN soon
![Once your home or business is declared 'NBN ready', you have 18 months before your old service is disconnected.](/web/20161212045005im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/i/p/d/2/image.related.landscape.120x80.gt8uy3.png/1481502785847.jpg)
Many Australians risk losing their phone and internet access in 2017, with their home services cut-off after refusing to switch to the National Broadband Network even though it is available in their area.
Target Nintendo Mini NES fail paves the way for Amazon-ageddon
![Target's Nintendo Classic Mini NES sale was the kind of disaster that will see Amazon eat Australian online retailers alive.](/web/20161212045005im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/8/w/9/k/image.related.landscape.120x80.gt8w0j.png/1481499133834.jpg)
It's hard to feel sorry for Australian retailers threatened by Amazon when you're stuck in a queue experiencing the contempt that local retailers have for their online customers.
How virtual reality will change the classroom
![Google Inc. Daydream View virtual reality (VR) headsets sit on display during a product launch event in San Francisco, ...](/web/20161212045005im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/r/u/z/y/a/image.related.landscape.120x80.gt3feb.png/1481404755084.jpg)
Not content with knowing your innermost thoughts via your keystrokes and internet searches, or knowing your every move through your phone's map app, Google is looking to move into the classroom.
Don't get caught with bad television reception this summer
![Don't miss out on this summer's sporting action due to terrible digital television reception.](/web/20161212045005im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/4/8/n/v/image.related.landscape.120x80.gt5pds.png/1481238721040.jpg)
If your telly tends to go on the fritz when the Aussies come into bat then it might be time to do something about your digital television signal.
The top 10 things we talked about on Facebook in 2016
![US President-elect Donald Trump has lifted stock markets with a pro-growth agenda.](/web/20161212045005im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/6/g/b/u/image.related.landscape.120x80.gt6i1n.png/1481270402664.jpg)
The most talked about topics in Australia 2016, according to Facebook.
Australian Twitter in 2016: Trump, tragedy and teen heart-throbs
![Donald Trump favours Twitter.](/web/20161212045005im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/3/t/4/r/image.related.landscape.120x80.gt6ll0.png/1481191168651.jpg)
Donald Trump, asylum seekers, local music and #auspol were all chief topics of interest among Australian Twitter users in 2016, although as usual they were joined by a wave of memes and a near-incomprehensible amount of love for YouTube celebs turned rock band 5 Seconds of Summer.
Smartwatch pioneer Pebble shuts down
![The recently-released $US100 Pebble 2 tracks activity, sleep and heart rate, is water resistant, allows for interaction ...](/web/20161212045005im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/2/l/z/o/image.related.landscape.120x80.gt6eep.png/1481155622718.jpg)
'Due to various factors, Pebble is no longer able to operate as an independent entity,' Pebble founder Eric Migicovsky said in a blog post.
Video games are more addictive than ever; this is what happens when kids can't turn them off
![Byrne plays video games at his family home.](/web/20161212045005im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/6/f/v/5/image.related.landscape.120x80.gt6ffa.png/1481487894252.jpg)
Byrne's parents knew it was their last option. If this new plan couldn't save their son, maybe nothing could.
Privacy fix for blockchain from Masters
!["Our view is that sensitive, contractual, market-moving, private data should be kept private," Masters said at a recent ...](/web/20161212045005im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/n/o/d/1/p/image.related.landscape.120x80.gt6esw.png/1481146752030.jpg)
A startup run by former JPMorgan banker Blythe Masters says it's found a solution to keep shared data secret.
Parents as bad as kids when it comes to phone use
![How much of your waking life is spent staring at a screen?](/web/20161212045005im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/5/s/6/m/image.related.landscape.120x80.gt5ilg.png/1481079199987.jpg)
Want to get your kids off their phones and back into the real world? A new study suggests that before you launch into the lecture about how you only see the tops of their heads these days, you may want to take stock of what your own technology habits are telling your kids.
Some iPhones are randomly shutting down
![Apple says the issue only affects a small number of 6s units made in September and October 2015.](/web/20161212045005im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/5/n/p/g/image.related.landscape.120x80.gt5nmz.png/1481095854526.jpg)
Buried in yesterday's support update on iPhone 6s shutdowns was the news that the problem might be more widespread than we thought.
Hands on: Trend Micro Home Network Security appliance
![Trend Micro Home Network Security helps your control access to inappropriate content in your home, as well as dealing ...](/web/20161212045005im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/b/k/h/m/image.related.landscape.120x80.gt56oe.png/1481060274802.jpg)
The town sheriff of your home internet, Trend Micro Home Network Security aims to protect every gadget in your home and keep your family safe online.
Samsung scores win over Apple in patent fight
![Samsung may not have to hand over its entire profit for phones judged to have infringed Apple's patents.](/web/20161212045005im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/p/a/k/e/image.related.landscape.120x80.gt5hdz.png/1481079415714.jpg)
A unanimous US Supreme Court has ruled that Samsung may not have to give up $US399 million in profits for copying parts of the distinctive look of Apple's iPhone.
'The support staff don't have any idea': New ISP drowning in complaints
![Tim Overton, a new MyRepublic customer who so far hasn't been impressed with the customer service.](/web/20161212045005im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/4/t/v/h/image.related.landscape.120x80.gt4t81.png/1481078272223.jpg)
MyRepublic customers say the five to 20 days timeframe to be connected to the new service is "ridiculous" and "a problem".
Amazon's physical grocery store has no checkouts
![Amazon go](/web/20161212045005im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/4/q/9/l/image.related.landscape.120x80.gt4pht.png/1481098566514.jpg)
Amazon has revealed that it will open a brick-and-mortar grocery store called Amazon Go, an ambitious bid by the once online-only retailer to gobble up more of Americans' shopping dollars by taking the fight more directly to traditional supermarkets.
Why 3D printing failed to take off despite the hype
![A 3D printer from Makerbot.](/web/20161212045005im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/i/g/n/p/image.related.landscape.120x80.gt4muf.png/1480992938858.jpg)
Software company bought in big when 3D printing looked like the next big thing, but it didn't exactly pan out.
Google app shares your location with loved ones in real time
![Trusted Contacts lets you exchange location information with loved ones.](/web/20161212045005im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/4/o/q/d/image.related.landscape.120x80.gt4nzg.png/1480977180263.jpg)
A handy tool in an emergency, and an end to 'where are you, are you OK?' texts when someone's late home or to a meeting.
A new dawn in Pokemon Sun and Moon
![Clockwise from top left: Meeting new water Pokemon Popplio; a powerful Totem version of Alolan Raticate; exploring a ...](/web/20161212045005im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/4/3/d/u/image.related.landscape.120x80.gt4084.png/1480904478151.jpg)
The popular handheld series has shed a lot of the baggage that was making it feel stale after 20 years, while hanging on to everything that's made it so beloved for so long.