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The captivating winners of the Mobile Photography Awards

It turns out your smartphone camera can do much more than capture pictures of your pets, family holidays and fancy meals. These budding photographers have pushed the limits of their smartphone camera and emerged victorious in the first <a href="https://www.britishphotographyawards.org/2024-mobile-photography-awards/gallery" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mobile Photography Awards</a>, launched this year by the British Photography Awards (BPA), in partnership with Samsung. Entrants submitted their snaps under categories including Portrait, Landscape, Night Scenes, Food & Drink, Pets and Zoom In, creating some of the most breath-taking pics that look as though they have been taken with a professional camera. BPA Awards Director & Photographer, Hugo Donnithorne-Tait, said, "As photography continues to develop as a medium, it is clear that the way people take and enjoy photos is changing too.' "More and more photographs today are being captured only because people have a top camera in their pocket when they need it. This means so many more of life’s moments are being documented." This year's winning photos feature a father and son sleeping side by side, a hiker atop the Scottish Highlands, the bustling London streets from above and below, a furry friend at bath time, and a few hungry seagulls. All image credits: British Photography Awards

International Travel

"Stuff youse": Pensioner who's never owned a phone fights mobile detection camera fine

A pensioner from New South Wales has disputed a fine he was issued for using his phone while driving, despite never owning a phone. Frank Singh, 77, was captured on a mobile phone detection camera while driving on the Pacific Motorway last September, and was issued a fine for $362. Mr Singh has refused to pay the fine, claiming that he was holding his wallet when the image was captured. He also claims to have never owned a mobile phone or a computer in his life, wondering how the camera made such a mistake. The senior man decided to appeal and take Revenue NSW to court, despite the risk of paying thousands in legal fees if he lost the case. "Looks like I'm guilty on it, but I'm not," he told A Current Affair. "I thought, what the bloody hell is this all about, I don't own a mobile phone. I've never used a mobile phone. What a load of s***." When questioned what the item could be, he said, "I think it could be my wallet." While Mr Singh admitted he can't specifically remember what he was doing at the time, he believes he was possibly placing his wallet on the passenger seat after paying for fuel. Unfortunately, the review of the fine was rejected and Frank was ordered to pay the $362, but he has not given up. "Then I thought stuff youse, I'm not guilty, I don't own a bloody phone," he said. While preparing to appeal the fine once more, Revenue NSW revoked the fine after issuing a letter to Mr Singh saying he would not be required in court following an investigation by the government body. "We have decided to cancel the fine," the letter read. "You little bloody beauty, how good's that," Mr Singh said on hearing the news, before planning to celebrate the win with a beer at his local pub. Image credits: A Current Affair

Legal

How to avoid mobile phone bill horror stories when travelling

"I'm sorry, calls to this number are not allowed, please try again later". This. Again. At 1am standing outside what I thought was our Galway Airbnb, but instead was a popular alley for Irish revellers to relieve themselves. Brilliant. After begging a convenience store manager, borrowing a phone and stealing some local wi-fi, we made it to bed before 3am (one-star rating for the Airbnb host, naturally). Such was the power of the phone company when you're on holiday, I still got pinged far-too-high amounts for calls and data used to attempt a check-in at the Irish abode. A reader recently contacted me wanting to avoid such a conundrum by asking for the best SIM cards available in Europe. Thankfully, EU law has recently shielded travellers from harsh cross-border roaming charges by ruling that providers cannot charge excessively for access to rival networks in fellow EU nations. You'll see the kiosks hawking pre-paid SIM packages at many major airports. If you want the dependability a SIM provides, assess your needs and shop around. Better yet, get to know your smartphone better and use the whole range of mobile apps that will soon make international call and text roaming redundant. Organising hotels, taxis, tours, dinner reservations as well as calling home and making your friends and colleagues jealous with holiday snaps can all be done with a wi-fi connections, which are readily available and far cheaper (if not free). Avoid phone bill shock when you're away <ul> <li>Contact your mobile phone company rep about your destination and length of stay to see what add-ons and spending caps may be best.</li> <li>Only purchase local SIMs if you're in the country more than a week, have an unplanned itinerary or will have no free wi-fi at your accommodation.</li> <li>If you're on a per-day bundle, choose a few days to be on-the-grid and turn off your mobile data on other days.</li> <li>Go wi-fi only, in North American, Asian and European cities it's readily available.</li> <li>Embrace apps like Uber, Gett, WhatsApp, OpenTable and TripAdvisor to book taxis, call home and book restaurants and tours using hotel wi-fi and thus limiting calls.</li> </ul> Image credit: Shutterstock Written by Josh Martin. Republished with permission of <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Stuff.co.nz</a>.

Travel Tips

Tips for safe mobile banking

As we increasingly turn to our mobile devices for online transactions, it’s crucial to keep security in mind. We’ve all misplaced our mobile phone at some stage and the last thing you want is for some random stranger to get direct access to your bank accounts and other personal details. 1. Use a strong password – This goes without saying.While it might not be as critical with your library pass, someone who cracks or guesses your online banking password can drain your account dry. If you memorise just one strong password, make it your online banking password. 2. Never store passwords on your smartphone – Many people still try to hide passwords or PIN numbers within the body of text or phone numbers. However, despite how cleverly you may think you've concealed them, criminals know what to look for and where. It's always best to commit these security details to memory and not record them anywhere. This includes not ticking "save password" on website and applications that offer to remember your login details. Also make sure you limit other personal information. Criminals are interested in more than just your internet banking details. Any kind of personal information can be used to steal your identity, which criminals can then use to apply for credit cards, personal loans, even mortgages. 3. Use a password manager – Okay, in the real world you probably have more than one online financial account. Rather than strain your brain memorising hard-to-crack passwords for each of them, look at enlisting the help of a password manager. There are plenty of apps available and the best ones not only store your passwords securely but also help you work through your collection of passwords and replace weak ones and duplicates. 4. Activate smartphone security settings and password protection – All smartphones have built-in security features such as auto-locking and password protection. While it may seem like a bit of an inconvenience at times, these physical security measures are your first line of defense in keeping your smartphone and your personal details safe. You can also install smartphone security software as well as remote data wiping software if you lose your phone or it gets stolen. 5. Connect through your data plan – If you're banking online on a mobile device, you have a degree of in-built protection available when you turn off wi-fi tethering and bluetooth and connect using your mobile data plan. It's a lot harder for criminals to sniff your mobile data stream than to snag passwords from network traffic. If you’re on wi-fi only use reputable hot spots that are password protected. If you connect to a shared wi-fi hotspot you are completely dependent on the security of the host network. 6. Don't be tempted to jailbreak your smartphone – If you crack the manufacturer's security on your smartphone, you not only make your warranty invalid but you make it much more vulnerable to attacks by cybercriminals. 7. Clear your phone when you replace it – If you sell or discard your smartphone, it's crucial you delete all personal information first. This includes SMS messages, emails, photographs, contact details and internet links. Image credit: Shutterstock

Money & Banking

Could mobile phones revolutionise chronic wound treatment?

Australian researchers are developing a contactless, thermal imaging system that uses artificial intelligence to help nurses determine the best way to treat leg ulcers without waiting to see if the wound is going to heal properly. It’s estimated that 450,000 thousand Australians currently live with a chronic wound. Being able to predict early on which wounds will become chronic could improve outcomes by enabling nurses to start specialised therapy as soon as possible. But current techniques rely on physically monitoring the wound area over several weeks. New research from RMIT in Melbourne paired thermal imaging with AI. The software was able to accurately identify unhealing ulcers 78% of the time, and healing ulcers 60% of the time, according to the new study <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-20835-y" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">published</a> in Scientific Reports. “Our new work that identifies chronic leg wounds during the first visit is a world-first achievement,” says lead researcher Professor Dinesh Kumar, from RMIT’s School of Engineering. “This means specialised treatment for slow-healing leg ulcers can begin up to four weeks earlier than the current gold standard.” How do you normally assess wound healing? The work builds on <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-92828-2.epdf?sharing_token=7SIEmbOksKOou2TGQ5qPWdRgN0jAjWel9jnR3ZoTv0NntGTf8gfSMhoDjLAz58SefUeGL0aP2A-0mDVnZaiZTcBjNNpA4cvP9FgK6-aoPzyk4oQ0OSbPh83HNS_AwGDQVMg43K4WmG60QDoQohtsdkaRv70YSxfPg4Dn0qa_CUs%3D" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">previous research</a> by the same team, which found that this method could be used to predict wound healing by week 3 after initial assessment. But they wanted to know whether healing could be predicted from the first wound assessment only, reducing any delay in treatment. If a wound is healing normally it’s area would reduce by 50% within four weeks, but more than 20% of ulcers don’t heal in this expected trajectory and may need specialist interventions. Venous leg ulcers (VLUs) are the <a href="https://treasury.gov.au/sites/default/files/2022-03/258735_wounds_australia.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">most common</a> chronic wound seen in Australia and currently, the gold standard for predicting their healing– conventional digital planimetry – requires physical contact. Regular wound photography is also less accurate because there can be variations between images due to lighting, image quality, and differences in camera angle. But a non-contact method like thermal imaging could overcome this. The thermal profile of wounds changes over the healing trajectory, with higher temperatures signalling potential inflammation or infection and lower temperatures indicating a slower healing rate due to decreased oxygen in the region. So, taking thermal images of wounds can provide important information for predicting how they will heal. What did they do? The study collected VLU data from 56 older participants collected over 12 weeks, including thermal images of their wounds at initial assessment and information on their status at the 12th week follow-up. “Our innovation is not sensitive to changes in ambient temperature and light, so it is effective for nurses to use during their regular visits to people’s homes,” says co-author Dr Quoc Cuong Ngo, from RMIT’s School of Engineering. “It is also effective in tropical environments, not just here in Melbourne.” “Clinical care is provided in many different locations, including specialist clinics, general practices and in people’s homes,” says co-author Dr Rajna Ogrin, a Senior Research Fellow at Bolton Clarke Research Institute. “This method provides a quick, objective, non-invasive way to determine the wound-healing potential of chronic leg wounds that can be used by healthcare providers, irrespective of the setting.” So, what’s next? There are a few limitations to this study. First, the number of healed wounds in the dataset was relatively small compared to unhealed wounds, and the study only investigated older people. The authors recommend that “future research should focus on improving the predictive accuracy and customising this method to incorporate this assessment into clinical practice on a wider pool of participants and in a variety of settings.” Kumar says that they are hoping to adapt the method for use with mobile phones. “With the funding we have received from the Medical Research Future Fund, we are now working towards that,” he says. “We are keen to work with prospective partners with different expertise to help us achieve this goal within the next few years.”  <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=222978&title=Could+mobile+phones+revolutionise+chronic+wound+treatment%3F" width="1" height="1" />  <div id="contributors"> <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/revolutionise-chronic-wounds-treatment/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This article</a> was originally published on Cosmos Magazine and was written by Imma Perfetto. Image: RMIT University </div>

Technology

Man beats mobile phone driving charge in “unusual” ruling

A Queensland man has had his charge of using a mobile phone successfully overturned in court - but the ruling could see state legislation changed to close any existing “loophole” that exists. Konrad Gordon Gallaher appeared in the Southport Magistrates Court last week to fight the charge from the transport department after he was photographed holding an electronic device while driving by traffic cameras. Mr Gallaher provided evidence that he was actually handling an Apple iPod, highlighting the fact that his mobile phone could be seen mounted on the dashboard in the photo. Showing the device in question to the court, he said it had “no phone functionality”. His evidence was accepted by magistrate Dzenita Balic, who also clarified that it was up to the prosecution to prove beyond unreasonable doubt that Mr Gallaher was using a mobile phone. While she found that the device in question was actually an iPhone, Mr Gallaher had testified that the device didn’t have a SIM card and was unable to make calls. “I could not find, and I do not, that he was dishonest in his description of the device as a portable music player,” she said in <a href="https://archive.sclqld.org.au/qjudgment/2022/QMC22-002.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">her verdict</a> delivered on Friday. “Although to my mind he is clearly wrong about the device being an iPod, his other assertions as to the limited musical functionality of the device remained unchallenged. “I should add that to me, the use of this device by Mr Gallaher was just as dangerous as the use of a mobile phone. “(But) a mobile phone therefore must take on its natural meaning. It is a device capable of communication. “My view is that, at the time of the driving, I cannot be satisfied, considering the evidence by Mr Gallaher, which I have now discussed from different angles, that this was indeed a mobile phone at the relevant time.” In Queensland, rules about driver distractions are under the Transport Operations (Road Use Management-Road Rules) Regulation 2009, which states that it’s an offence for a person to hold a phone or rest it on any part of their body while the car is moving or stationary but not parked outside of limited circumstances, such as using it to pay in a drive-through or to provide their digital documents to police. These laws specifically refer to mobile phones rather than any kind of electronic device. Queensland Transport Minister Mark Bailey told <a href="https://7news.com.au/news/qld/queensland-man-beats-mobile-phone-driving-charge-in-ruling-set-to-have-major-implications-c-8841473" target="_blank" rel="noopener">7News</a> that Balic’s ruling was “unusual” and that he would be seeking advice on the matter. “Clearly the driver was still distracted, which is the intent of the legislation,” he said. “So I’ll be getting advice on this matter. “If there is any loophole that exists, we’ll be seeking to close it.” Image: Getty Images

Legal

Mobile phone hoarding: e-waste not good news for the environment

What happened to your previous mobile phone after you upgraded or replaced it? Did it go in a drawer? A box in the garage, perhaps? Today marks International E Waste Day, with this year’s slogan, “Recycle it all, no matter how small!”, specifically targeting small devices with a high recycling value that are often hoarded for years before they become waste. It’s a timely reminder, as results from surveys conducted across Europe suggest that the roughly 5.3 billion mobiles and smartphones dropping out of use this year would reach a height of around 50,000 km if stacked flat and on top of each other. That’s well-and-truly over the average orbiting height of the International Space Station and about an eighth of the distance to the moon. “In 2022 alone, small EEE (Electrical and Electronic Equipment) items such as cell phones, electric toothbrushes, toasters and cameras produced worldwide will weigh an estimated total of 24.5 million tonnes – four times the weight of the Great Pyramid of Giza”, says Magdalena Charytanowicz of the WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Forum, responsible for organising <a href="https://www.genevaenvironmentnetwork.org/events/international-e-waste-day-2022/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">International E Waste Day</a>. “And these small items make up a significant proportion of the 8% of all e-waste thrown into trash bins and eventually landfilled or incinerated.” With their valuable components of <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/critical-minerals-mining-australia/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gold, copper, silver, palladium and other materials</a>, mobile phones ranked fourth amongst small Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) hoarded or unrecoverably discarded – that is put in draws, cupboards or garages – rather than repaired or recycled – or sent to landfill or for incineration. The surveys ran for four months from June 2022 and covered 8,775 households across Portugal, Netherlands, Italy, Romani, Slovenia and the UK and asked participants about common items such as phones, tablets, laptops, electric tools, hair dryers, toasters and other appliances. The top five hoarded small EEE products were (in order): small electronics and accessories (e.g., headphones, remotes), small equipment (e.g., clocks, irons), small IT equipment (e.g., hard drives, routers, keyboards, mice), mobile and smartphones, small food preparation appliances (e.g., toasters, grills). Italy hoarded the highest number of small EEE products, while Lebanon hoarded the least. You might recognise some of the reasons given, which included potential future use, plans to sell or give away, sentimental value, future value, use in a secondary residence or contains sensitive data. Others were also unsure how to dispose of the item or felt there was no incentive to recycle it, and some argued that they’d forgotten, didn’t have time or that the item didn’t take up very much space. This is a shame because such items, despite being small, pack a big punch in recyclability. <div class="newsletter-box"> <div id="wpcf7-f6-p218602-o1" class="wpcf7" dir="ltr" lang="en-US" role="form"> <form class="wpcf7-form mailchimp-ext-0.5.62 spai-bg-prepared init" action="/earth/e-waste-mobile-phone-bad-news-environment/#wpcf7-f6-p218602-o1" method="post" novalidate="novalidate" data-status="init"> <input class="wpcf7-form-control wpcf7-text referer-page" name="referer-page" type="hidden" value="https://cosmosmagazine.com/" data-value="https://cosmosmagazine.com/" aria-invalid="false" /> </form> </div> </div> “We focussed this year on small e-waste items because it is very easy for them to accumulate unused and unnoticed in households, or to be tossed into the ordinary garbage bin”, says Pascal Leroy, Director General of the WEEE Forum, who have organised International E Waste Day. “People tend not to realise that all these seemingly insignificant items have a lot of value, and together at a global level represent massive volumes.” “These devices offer many important resources that can be used in the production of new electronic devices or other equipment, such as wind turbines, electric car batteries or solar panels – all crucial for the green, digital transition to low-carbon societies,” says Charytanowicz. <h4>What can be done about e-waste?</h4> At the governmental level, there are a number of initiatives including legislation that are coming into effect or being tightened up in order to address this increasing problem. “The continuing growth in the production, consumption and disposal of electronic devices has huge environmental and climate impacts,” says Virginijus Sinkevičius, European Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries. “The European Commission is addressing those with proposals and measures throughout the whole product life-cycle, starting from design until collection and proper treatment when electronics become waste.” “Moreover, preventing waste and recovering important raw materials from e-waste is crucial to avoid putting more strain on the world’s resources. Only by establishing a <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/can-a-circular-economy-eliminate-e-waste/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">circular economy</a> for electronics, the EU will continue to lead in the efforts to urgently address the fast-growing problem of e-waste.” There is also a role for more education and communication. Launched today by UNITAR, the UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), is the first self-paced e-waste<a href="https://www.uncclearn.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> online training course</a> open to anyone. A UNITAR certificate is available upon graduation of the roughly 1.5-hour course which aims to use scientific findings in a practical way for international training and capacity building,” says Nikhil Seth, UNITAR’s Executive Director. Finally, The WEEE Forum has been actively involved in collecting, de-polluting, recycling or preparing for re-use more than 30 million tonnes of WEEE and has also run communication campaigns for almost twenty years. “Providing collection boxes in supermarkets, pick up of small broken appliances upon delivery of new ones and offering PO Boxes to return small e-waste are just some of the initiatives introduced to encourage the return of these items,” says WEEE’s Leroy. At the personal level, all you have to do is quite your hoarding habits and recycle, instead!  <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=218602&title=Mobile+phone+hoarding%3A+e-waste+not+good+news+for+the+environment" width="1" height="1" />  <div id="contributors"> <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/earth/e-waste-mobile-phone-bad-news-environment/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This article</a> was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/clare-kenyon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Clare Kenyon</a>. Image: Getty Images </div>

Technology

To scooter, or not to scooter?

<img width="117" height="100" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/41006/julie-g-aka-barbara-bindland_117x100.jpg" alt="Julie G Aka Barbara Bindland (5)" style="float: left;"/>Barbara Binland is the pen name of a senior, Julie Grenness, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. She is a poet, writer, and part-time English and Maths tutor, with over 40 years of experience. Her many books are available on Amazon and Kindle. So, as a senior citizen, you have finally hung up your car keys, for whatever reason. That is part of our ageing journey, one day no longer being able to drive a motor car again. What’s next? Well, the senior citizen, over-60, golden oldie, can decide to purchase an electric mobility scooter. These provide both transportation and independence to anyone with limited mobility. Scooters are a great invention, assisting their owners in performing everyday tasks, such as shopping, or running errands. Electric mobility scooters are the safest way of travelling currently in Australia, even safer than walking on a footpath! There is a variety of styles of scooters available, at a variety of prices. In Australia, the costs range from $1,400 to $8,000, depending on style, number of wheels, length of battery life, and manoeuvrability, as well as number of wheels. They have a warranty, you can have a home demonstration for a test drive, and can even have lessons! Here are some questions to consider before purchasing: <ol> <li>What and how far do you intend to travel?</li> <li>Are you only planning to use your scooter locally, or do you wish to use it on trips?</li> <li>Are there tight corners where you wish to travel?</li> <li>Where will you store your scooter?</li> <li>Do you wish to carry luggage or bags with you?</li> <li>Have you considered the cost of insurance for your scooter?</li> <li>Is your vision okay at normal walking speed?</li> </ol> Overall, electric mobility scooters are easy to operate, travel at a modest speed, and are a safe and stable mode of transport, as they are designed low to the ground. If you have a disability, or issues with walking, a power scooter helps you get around and provides you with independence. With a variety of styles available, you can find one that suits your needs, and looks good too. Finally, here is a little verse about greys on scooters to lighten your day… FREEWHEELING! What a lovely day, Look, here come the greys! Freewheeling today, On their scooters again… Skateboarding teens, yah! Look out, kids, you’re in the way! Greys toot and wave, Freewheeling today, There go the greys! Have a fun grey day! Cheers from one of the greys! Do you use a scooter? How do you find it? Let us know in the comments below.

Caring

Can your mobile phone get a virus?

With nearly <a href="https://www.bankmycell.com/blog/how-many-phones-are-in-the-world" target="_blank" rel="noopener">84%</a> of the world’s population now owning a smartphone, and our dependence on them growing all the time, these devices have become an attractive avenue for scammers. Last year, cyber security company Kaspersky detected nearly <a href="https://securelist.com/mobile-malware-evolution-2021/105876/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">3.5 million</a> malicious attacks on mobile phone users. The spam messages we get on our phones via text message or email will often contain links to viruses, which are a type of malicious software (malware). There’s a decent chance that at some point you’ve installed <a href="https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?arnumber=6138859" target="_blank" rel="noopener">malware</a> that infected your phone and worked (without you noticing) in the background. According to a global report commissioned by private company Zimperium, more than <a href="https://www.zimperium.com/global-mobile-threat-report/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one-fifth</a> of mobile devices have encountered malware. And four in ten mobiles worldwide are <a href="https://blog.checkpoint.com/2020/08/06/achilles-small-chip-big-peril/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">vulnerable</a> to cyber attacks. But how do you know if your phone has been targeted? And what can you do? How does a phone get infected? Like personal computers, phones can be compromised by malware. For example, the Hummingbad virus infected <a href="https://www.wired.co.uk/article/hummingbad-malware-10-million-android-devices" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ten million</a> Android devices within a few months of its creation in 2016, and put as many as <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/jul/06/what-is-hummingbad-malware-android-devices-checkpoint" target="_blank" rel="noopener">85 million</a> devices at risk. Typically, a phone virus works the same way as a computer virus: a malicious code infects your device, replicates itself and spreads to other devices by auto-messaging others in your contact list or auto-forwarding itself as an email. A virus can limit your phone’s functionality, send your personal information to hackers, send your contacts spam messages linking to malware, and even allow the virus’s operator to “spy” on you by capturing your screen and keyboard inputs, and tracking your geographical location. In Australia, Scamwatch received <a href="https://www.scamwatch.gov.au/news-alerts/missed-delivery-call-or-voicemail-flubot-scams" target="_blank" rel="noopener">16,000 reports</a> of the Flubot virus over just eight weeks in 2021. This <a href="https://suretyit.com.au/blog/what-is-the-flubot-virus/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">virus</a> sends text messages to Android and iPhone users with links to malware. Clicking on the links can lead to a malicious app being downloaded on your phone, giving scammers access to your personal information. Flubot scammers regularly change their <a href="https://www.bitdefender.com/blog/labs/new-flubot-and-teabot-global-malware-campaigns-discovered" target="_blank" rel="noopener">target countries</a>. According to cyber security firm Bitdefender, FluBot operators targeted Australia, Germany, Poland, Spain, Austria and other European countries between December 1 2021 and January 2 of this year. Is either Apple or Android more secure? While Apple devices are generally considered more secure than Android, and <a href="https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?arnumber=6637558" target="_blank" rel="noopener">less prone</a> to virus attacks, iPhone users who “jailbreak” or modify their phone open themselves up to security vulnerabilities. Similarly, Android users who install apps from outside the Google Play store increase their risk of installing malware. It’s recommended all phone users stay on guard, as both Apple and Android are <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2021/03/16/iphone-12-pro-max-and-iphone-13-not-more-secure-than-google-and-samsung-android-warns-cyber-billionaire/?sh=596442d623f8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">vulnerable</a> to security risks. That said, phones are generally better protected against viruses than personal computers. This is because software is usually installed through authorised app stores that vet each app (although some malicious apps can occasionally slip through <a href="https://blog.pradeo.com/spyware-facestealer-google-play" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the cracks</a>). Also, in comparison to computers, phones are more secure as the apps are usually “<a href="https://source.android.com/security/app-sandbox" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sandboxed</a>” in their own isolated environment – unable to access or interfere with other apps. This reduces the risk of infection or cross contamination from malware. However, no device is entirely immune. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/459712/original/file-20220426-12-4550kz.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/459712/original/file-20220426-12-4550kz.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/459712/original/file-20220426-12-4550kz.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/459712/original/file-20220426-12-4550kz.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/459712/original/file-20220426-12-4550kz.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/459712/original/file-20220426-12-4550kz.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/459712/original/file-20220426-12-4550kz.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/459712/original/file-20220426-12-4550kz.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="A smartphone with a virus alert warning is held up by a hand in front of a dark background." /></a><figcaption>Apple devices are generally considered more secure against malware than Android devices, but they’re still at risk. Pixabay/Pexels.com (edited), <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CC BY</a></figcaption></figure> Watch out for the signs While it’s not always easy to tell whether your phone is infected, it will exhibit some abnormal behaviours if it is. Some signs to watch out for include: <ul> <li> poor performance, such as apps taking longer than usual to open, or crashing randomly </li> <li> excessive battery drain (due to the malware constantly working in the background) </li> <li> increased mobile data consumption </li> <li> unexplained billing charges (which may include increased data usage charges as a result of the malware chewing up your data) </li> <li> unusual pop-ups, and </li> <li> the device overheating unexpectedly. </li> </ul> If you do suspect a virus has infected your device, there are some steps you can take. First, to prevent further damage you’ll need to remove the malware. Here are some simple troubleshooting steps: <ol> <li> Use a reliable antivirus app to scan your phone for infections. Some reputable vendors offering paid and free protection services include <a href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/avast-security-privacy/id1276551855" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Avast</a>, <a href="https://www.avg.com/en-au/antivirus-for-android#pc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AVG</a>, <a href="https://www.bitdefender.com/solutions/mobile-security-android.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bitdefender</a>, <a href="https://www.mcafee.com/en-us/antivirus/mobile.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">McAfee</a> or <a href="https://us.norton.com/products/mobile-security-for-android" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Norton</a>. </li> <li> Clear your phone’s storage and cache (in Android devices), or browsing history and website data (in Apple devices). </li> <li> Restart your iPhone, or restart your Android phone to <a href="https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/how-to-turn-safe-mode-on-and-off-in-android/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">go into safe mode</a> – which is a feature on Android that prevents third-party apps from operating for as long as it’s enabled. </li> <li> Delete any suspicious or unfamiliar apps from your downloaded apps list and, if you’re an Android user, turn safe mode off once the apps are deleted. </li> </ol> As a last resort, you can back up all your data and perform a factory reset on your phone. Resetting a phone to its original settings will eliminate any malware. Protecting your phone from infection Now you’ve fixed your phone, it’s important to safeguard it against future viruses and other security risks. The mobile security apps mentioned above will help with this. But you can also: <ul> <li> avoid clicking unusual pop-ups, or links in unusual text messages, social media posts or emails </li> <li> only install apps from authorised app stores, such as Google Play or Apple’s App Store </li> <li> avoid jailbreaking or modifying your phone </li> <li> check app permissions before installing, so you’re aware of what the app will access (rather than blindly trusting it) </li> <li> back up your data regularly, and </li> <li> keep your phone software updated to the latest version (which will have the latest security patches). </li> </ul> Continually monitor your phone for suspicious activity and trust your gut instincts. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/181720/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nvIXGeB1WgE?wmode=transparent&start=38" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption>Google’s tips on how to spot malware.</figcaption></figure> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ritesh-chugh-162770" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ritesh Chugh</a>, Associate Professor - Information and Communications Technology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/cquniversity-australia-2140" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CQUniversity Australia</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/can-your-mobile-phone-get-a-virus-yes-and-youll-have-to-look-carefully-to-see-the-signs-181720" target="_blank" rel="noopener">original article</a>. Image: Getty Images

Technology

One Nation under fire for leaking Jacqui Lambie’s mobile number

Jacquie Lambie is calling for One Nation to apologise after a Tasmanian One Nation candidate reportedly published her private mobile number on his Facebook page, leading to her receiving a torrent of abuse from his supporters. Senate President Slade Brockman said on Tuesday that he would look into Senator Lambie’s call for a review of MPs’ safety. Meanwhile, Senator Malcolm Roberts has thus far refused to apologise for publicising Lambie’s number, claiming a constituent of his found Senator Lambie’s number on her Facebook page. On Monday, Lambie criticised One Nation for using the Commonwealth government to end state vaccine mandates, which led to a One Nation candidate in Tasmania, Steve Mav, posting a screenshot of a text from Senator Lambie to a constituent, saying she opposed vaccine mandates. The constituent claimed to have found the number on Lambie’s own page. Roberts then shared Mav’s post to his own Facebook page, which has a much wider audience. On Tuesday, Senator Lambie told the Senate that Senator Roberts had leaked her personal phone number. Speaking to the Senate, Lambie said, “Since then I’ve received any number of nasty, abusive and threatening phone calls and messages. I give my phone number to veterans whose mental health is not so good and are on their last legs. “These veterans know they can call me at any time of the day or night if they need someone to listen to them. If you’ve got someone’s number it’s not hard to find out personal details that are linked to it. I’m going to have to change my number because I need to make sure my family and friends are safe.” According to the <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/one-nation-under-fire-for-sharing-lambie-s-phone-number-triggering-wave-of-abuse-20211123-p59bfj.html" target="_blank">Sydney Morning Herald</a>, Lambie has previously posted her number to Facebook, but not in the past two years, and never in the context of the debate around vaccine mandates. Examples of the abuse she received via text can be found on other social media platforms, and include slurs and other offensive language, personal insults, and cruel references to Lambie’s son’s battle with methamphetamine use. Labor’s leader in the Senate, Penny Wong, and Finance Minister Simon Birmingham have both supported Lambie’s call for an apology, with Wong stating that civility in politics is essential, and Birmingham saying that the government was willing to let Senator Roberts speak on the matter in order to provide an apology. Roberts declined the offer, instead claiming that Lambie was misrepresenting One Nation because the party is gaining momentum in Tasmania. Image: Sam Mooy/Getty Images

Legal

“What have I done?!” New homeowner’s instant regret

After moving to their new two-storey home by the bay in Victoria, Ros Morton was in tears. Despite the amazing views of Port Phillip Bay, stunning sunsets and finally living close to her grandchildren, there was one major problem… “I’d had a full hip replacement and was having difficulty rehabilitating,” says Ros. “I was in this fabulous house and thinking: What have we done!? How am I ever going to navigate the stairs? “I could barely drag myself up from ground level, let alone carry shopping or washing from one floor to the other. We were seriously considering another move.” The Morton’s main living area is on the top floor of their peninsula home – ideal for drinks on the deck and sighting ships in the distance, but not so great if you are physically challenged. “I had to rely on my husband Stuart to do all the lifting, which was difficult because he was going through his own medical treatment at the time,” explains Ros. “We were in trouble and I felt trapped.” Ros had always been active and involved in community life, but now she says she “had no chance of connecting with anyone because I couldn’t get in and out of the house easily. And the thought of moving again was more than either of us could bear!” The solution? “<a rel="noopener" href="https://resilift.com.au/?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=website_article" target="_blank">RESiLIFT</a>!” answers Ros. “A friend found a brochure at The Home Show. I was considering installing a stairlift, but it was unsightly and too big for our stairwell. “We viewed a RESiLIFT at someone’s home, and as soon as I saw it, I realised my life was about to change. Thankfully, another expensive re-location was off the agenda and our lift was installed extremely quickly. <img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843576/rosmorton_resilift_sept2021_rd02.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/71f5257f78fb4ef3bebe3bd4a472a0a0" /> As soon as Ros saw a RESiLIFT, she realised her life was about to change. “As it’s a free-standing lift with no shaft, the building modifications were minimal, and it simply plugs into a standard domestic outlet! All of these factors combined to make it an easy choice,” says Ros. Tax Agent George Dimitropoulos, who recently observed his parents install a RESiLIFT into their home, says that “installing a lift is an undoubtedly justified financial decision. The full cost of installing a RESiLIFT in my parents’ home, including building works, was $35,000 all up. If they were to have downsized, aside from the potential impact this can have on people’s pensions, the stamp duty alone is astronomical. For a $700,000 value home you are looking at $37,000, and for a million-dollar property the stamp duty is $55,000. “The costs all stack up. As well as the stamp duty, you need to add selling cost (advertising and agent fees will be approximately $25,000), relocating costs, possible ongoing storage fees or disposal fees.” Luckily for Ros, she discovered RESiLIFT before the stress and expense of moving again. As is often the case, “Visitors can’t even see the lift at first glance”, laughs Ros. “It looks as if it was built with the house. It has also enabled our friends with physical limitations to visit us easily.” “The RESiLIFT has given me the freedom to come and go as I please,” she continues. In her retired life, Ros is active within the community and supporting her family with babysitting. “I feel useful again and can do all the domestic duties I used to,” she says proudly. “My independence and confidence have been completely restored. Thanks to RESiLIFT.” So if you’re in a quandary about whether you need to move home, before you decide, arrange a complimentary home consultation today. This is a sponsored article produced in partnership with <a rel="noopener" href="https://resilift.com.au/?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=website_article" target="_blank">RESiLIFT</a>.

Real Estate

"I can't see a phone": Disputed fine over mobile camera photo

A Sydney mother is furious her perfect driving record could be ruined by a fine for using her mobile phone while driving despite her claiming she was scratching her face. Steff Doney, 37, spoke to A Current Affair about the matter. "I've been on the road for 20 years and I've never lost a point and now it's going to take me 10 years to get that clean record back so I'm pretty disappointed," Ms Doney told A Current Affair. She was photographed driving with one hand in Sydney's north last year and was fined $349 as well as losing five demerit points. "My phone's large so if I actually had it on my ear you can see that the phone would be coming way past my hand," Ms Doney said. She fought the penalty notice and gave authorities a photo comparison as well as a call log, but Revenue NSW has said that the image has been reviewed. Revenue New South Wales responded saying, "the images have been reviewed and clearly show the driver holding a mobile phone to their right ear". <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> This mother says her perfect driving record could be ruined by a mobile phone fine based on a photograph she claims shows nothing. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/9ACA?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#9ACA</a> <a href="https://t.co/nxXVtK90sW">https://t.co/nxXVtK90sW</a> — A Current Affair (@ACurrentAffair9) <a href="https://twitter.com/ACurrentAffair9/status/1376819316457308160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 30, 2021</a></blockquote> "Leniency is not appropriate for this offence as it is considered serious ... hence we are unable to consider your overall driving history when reviewing this type of offence." Barrister Sean Hardy was interviewed by A Current Affair and he said he was "astonished" that they fined Doney. "I'm astonished they would say she's clearly holding a phone, because I can't see a phone in that photo," he said. "There's a little bit of a black void which could be mistaken for a black phone but that's not good enough, you can't just make the mistake and assume guilt," he continued. "I imagine the magistrate's going to find reasonable doubt ... but we'll wait and see. "It's David vs Goliath and I think the government really needs to take a step back and give people a break if they're not sure, absolutely sure."

Legal

Driving and mobile phones: Knowing the rules

In Australia, it is against the law to handle a mobile phone while you’re driving, and it has been for several years. Laws differ across Australia, but the general rule is that you can only use your phone while driving if it is secured in a legally mounted cradle which is not obscuring your view of the road. In other words, if it is completely ‘hands-free’. The rules in NSW are essentially that you are not permitted to: <ul> <li>Hold a phone between your shoulder and your ear, even while keeping your hands on the steering wheel,</li> <li>Have a phone in your lap or your leg, and talk with the speaker function on, or</li> <li>Touch a phone while you are stopped at an intersection or traffic lights.</li> </ul> Regardless of whether you are using the phone to talk, stream music through your audio system, get map directions, receive speed information or live traffic updates, you cannot touch the phone under any circumstances (unless it is mounted), other than to hand it over to a passenger. All other functions such as texting, Facebook, Twitter, email, chat etc, are strictly prohibited for all drivers. Learner Drivers (L-Plates) and Provisional Drivers (P-Plates) are banned from using phones at all while driving. Fines and penalties differ state by state, and in <a href="http://roadsafety.transport.nsw.gov.au/stayingsafe/mobilephones/know-the-rules.html">New South Wales, new fines were introduced at the beginning of this year</a>. Operating a phone while driving will now cost you $319 plus four demerit points, or double demerit points during major holiday periods. Statistics tell us that more and more Australians have mobile phones – estimates are at <a href="http://www.campaignbrief.com/2013/10/our-digital-nation-australia-o.html">around 97% of the population</a>. What’s more, research suggests that even though fines and demerit points have been in force for some time, drivers remain ambivalent and many disregard the law. A recent <a href="http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/roads/safety/publications/2013/pdf/community_att_13.pdf">Community Attitudes to Road Safety</a> survey showed that 32% of drivers admit to reading a text message while driving, and 18% admit to sending a text message. Mobile phone use while driving is said to be a <a href="http://www.keepyoureyesontheroad.org.au/pages/NSW-laws">significant cause of trauma on our roads</a>. Accidents involving drivers using mobile phones are reported to be more likely to lead to hospitalisation, than when a phone is not being used. The mobile phone laws are designed to ensure drivers don’t take their eyes off the road. Studies have found that if you are driving at 60kmph and take your eyes off the road for two seconds, you will drive for an average of 33 metres blind. A lot can happen in 33 metres, especially in wet and slippery conditions, around tight corners, at night time, with sun strike, in heavy traffic, when you’re tired and especially when travelling at higher speeds. The message is clear – if you’re caught, you’ll be fined and lose points. But the reality is that if you’re using a mobile phone while driving and you have an accident, then the consequences can be much worse than even this. The NSW Centre for Road Safety has published a list of ways to <a href="http://roadsafety.transport.nsw.gov.au/stayingsafe/mobilephones/temptation.html">reduce the temptation</a> to use your phone when driving. Aside from points and fines, perhaps it’s not worth putting the lives of others and yourself at risk. If you believe you have been unfairly fined for driving with a mobile phone and wish to contest it, or to <a href="https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/traffic/offences/driver-licence-appeals/">lodge a licence appeal for loss of demerit points</a>, and experienced traffic defence lawyer may be able to help. Written by Ugur Nedim. Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/blog/driving-and-mobile-phones-knowing-the-rules/">Sydney Criminal Lawyers.</a>

Caring

Billions are pouring into mobility technology – will the transport revolution live up to the hype?

Over the past decade almost <a href="https://files.pitchbook.com/website/files/pdf/PitchBook_Q4_2019_Emerging_Tech_Research_Mobility_Tech_Executive_Summary.pdf">US$200 billion</a> has been invested globally in mobility technology that promises to improve our ability to get around. More than US$33 billion was invested last year alone. Another measure of interest in this area is the <a href="https://travelandmobility.tech/lists/unicorns/">number of unicorns</a>, which has doubled in the past two years. A unicorn is a privately held startup company valued at US$1 billion or more. In early 2018 there were 22 travel and mobility unicorns. By last month the number had grown to 44. The top categories in the mobility area are: ride hailing, with 11 unicorns (25.0%); autonomous vehicles, with ten (22.7%); and micromobility, with three (6.8%). The remaining 20 unicorns are in the travel category (hotels, bookings and so on). Mobility technology is more than just autonomous vehicles, ride hailing and e-scooters and e-bikes. It also includes: electrification (electric vehicles, charging/batteries); fleet management and connectivity (connectivity, data management, cybersecurity, parking, fleet management); auto commerce (car sharing); transportation logistics (freight, last-mile delivery); and urban air mobility. Promised solutions, emerging problems Much of the interest in mobility technology is coming from individuals outside the transport arena. Startups are attracting investors by claiming their technology will solve many of our transport problems. Micromobility companies believe their e-scooters and e-bikes will solve the “<a href="https://ascelibrary.org/doi/abs/10.1061/9780784413210.007">first-mile last-mile</a>” problem by enabling people to move quickly and easily between their homes or workplaces and a bus or rail station. While this might work in theory, it depends on having <a href="https://theconversation.com/fork-in-the-road-as-danish-and-dutch-style-cycle-routes-spread-19744">safe and segregated bicycle networks</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/people-love-the-idea-of-20-minute-neighbourhoods-so-why-isnt-it-top-of-the-agenda-131193">frequent and widely accessible public transport</a> services. Ride-hailing services might relieve people of the need to own a car. But <a href="https://www.som.com/ideas/publications/som_thinkers_the_future_of_transportation">there is evidence</a> to suggest these services are <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-ride-hail-utopia-that-got-stuck-in-traffic-11581742802">adding to traffic congestion</a>. That’s because, unlike taxis, more of their time on the road involves travelling without any passengers. Navigation tools (Google Maps, Apple Maps, Waze) have <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Maps">been around longer</a> than most other mobility technologies and are meant make it easier to find the least-congested route for any given trip. However, <a href="https://people.eecs.berkeley.edu/~theophile/docs/publications/Cabannes_19_ACM.pdf">research</a> suggests these tools might not be working as intended. The <a href="https://www.som.com/ideas/publications/som_thinkers_the_future_of_transportation">backlash</a> against them is growing in some cities because traffic is being directed onto neighbourhood streets rather than arterial roads. Autonomous vehicles have the goal of reducing injuries and deaths from car crashes. Only a few years ago many bold predictions were being made that these self-driving vehicles would be having positive impacts by now, but this hasn’t happened. The enthusiasm for autonomous vehicles has cooled. <a href="https://www.vtpi.org/avip.pdf">Some now believe</a> we won’t see many of the social benefits for decades. The final mobility tech area is known as mobility as a service (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobility_as_a_service">MAAS</a>). It’s basically a platform designed to make better use of existing infrastructure and transport modes. MAAS begins with a journey planner that is linked to one-stop payment for a range of mobility services – ride-hailing, e-scooters, e-bikes, taxis, public transport, and so on. MAAS is the newest entrant in the mobility tech field. It has attracted US$6.8 billion to date, but is expected to grow to <a href="https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/mobility-as-a-service-market-78519888.html">over US$100 billion by 2030</a>. This idea is creating great enthusiasm, not only among private entrepreneurs, but also in the public sector. It’s too early to know whether it will improve transportation. 3 trends are driving investment So, why do venture capitalists <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnfrazer1/2019/03/11/new-mobility-worth-billions-venture-capital-thinks-so/#198cda2247d8">continue to show so much interest</a> in mobility technology startups despite poor company performance to date? It appears they believe personal mobility will become increasingly important. <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnfrazer1/2019/03/11/new-mobility-worth-billions-venture-capital-thinks-so/#198cda2247d8">Three trends</a>support this belief. First, urban dwellers increasingly value the ability to move around easily. It’s thought to be a key ingredient for a liveable city. The problem is public transport is often not very good, particularly in the US and in outer suburbs in Australia. This is due to historically low funding relative to roads. The prospect of more funding and better public transport services in the future is not good. In part that’s because many <a href="https://www.vox.com/2015/8/10/9118199/public-transportation-subway-buses">view public transport as welfare</a> and not an essential public service. Thus, if cities want to become more liveable and competitive, they must look beyond government-funded public transport for other mobility alternatives. The second trend is declining vehicle ownership. Since 1986 US sales of car and light trucks per capita have dropped by <a href="https://www.advisorperspectives.com/dshort/updates/2020/02/04/vehicle-sales-per-capita-our-latest-look-at-the-long-term-trendh">almost 30%</a>. In Australia, new car sales <a href="https://www.budgetdirect.com.au/car-insurance/research/australian-car-sales-statistics.html">remained relatively constant</a> over the past decade, but a <a href="http://www.roymorgan.com/findings/7982-new-vehicle-purchase-intention-march-2019-201905240039">decline since 2017 is expected to continue</a>. These trends are due in part to the cost of owning a vehicle, but also because of a growing view that owning a car may not be necessary. This brings us to the third trend, which involves demographics and the <a href="https://theconversation.com/delay-in-getting-driving-licences-opens-door-to-more-sustainable-travel-57430">post-millennial desire for access to mobility</a> services <a href="https://theconversation.com/car-ownership-is-likely-to-become-a-thing-of-the-past-and-so-could-public-transport-110550">rather than vehicle ownership</a>. These trends, combined with expectations of an upward trend in prices of these services, suggests there may be good times ahead for ride-hailing and micromobility companies. It also means venture capital funding for these startups will not be diminishing in the near future. The future of transport isn’t simple Transport systems are multifaceted. No one single app or technology will solve the challenges. And, as we are discovering, some of the purported solutions to problems might actually be making the situation worse. If the goal is to get people out of their cars (for <a href="https://theconversation.com/designing-suburbs-to-cut-car-use-closes-gaps-in-health-and-wealth-83961">better health and quality of life and a better environment</a>), this will require more than a technology. Better infrastructure and public policies (including better integration of land uses and transport to reduce the need for transport) will be required – <a href="https://theconversation.com/three-charts-on-why-congestion-charging-is-fairer-than-you-might-think-124894">congestion pricing</a>being one of those. That is not to say technological innovations are not welcome as part of the solution, but they are just that … “part” of the solution. Written by Neil G Sipe. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/billions-are-pouring-into-mobility-technology-will-the-transport-revolution-live-up-to-the-hype-131154">The Conversation.</a>

Travel Tips

State-of-the-art centre makes accessible holidays easy

Planning a getaway isn’t always easy – sometimes it feels like you need a holiday from planning a holiday. This is especially true for people with a physical disability or mobility issues and older Australians, where accessibility can become a huge factor in choosing appropriate accommodation. A new state-of the-art accommodation and disability services centre opening in Cairns in February 2020 will provide guests with the peace of mind knowing their getaway will be fully accessible with a specialist team on hand to support their health and therapy needs. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7834314/3.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/52c6517cee374d8aa8b842a64ebfae8d" /> The <a href="http://www.spinalhealthyliving.com.au">Spinal Life Healthy Living Centre</a> is the first of its kind in Queensland and regional Australia, combining fully accessible accommodation with vital therapies and services for people with physical disabilities. The Centre, located just minutes away from the iconic Cairns Esplanade, also includes an accessible gym and hydrotherapy pool to help guests to continue their rehabilitation work or look after their health and wellbeing. In addition to a perfect holiday destination for visitors with a disability or mobility impairment looking to explore the beautiful sights of Far North Queensland, the Healthy Living Centre is also available for medium-term transitional accommodation for people returning home after sustaining a serious injury. The Centre includes a team of specialist-trained Personal Support Workers who can assist guests with their daily routines or getting out into the community. NDIS-funded packages are also available for scheme participants, with included accessible gym access, therapy consultations (including Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy or Exercise Physiology) and access to a Personal Support Worker. Here are some of the services on offer: Active Gym The Healthy Living Centre’s Active Gym includes the latest in accessible gym equipment specifically designed for people with a disability and can be used with or without a wheelchair. Guests and gym members can enjoy seven-day a week access to the Active Gym or join in one of the regular classes. You can also work with the on-site Physiotherapist or Exercise Physiologist to develop a training or rehabilitation plan that works for you. Active Hydro Pool The Centre’s Hydrotherapy Pool is a great way to improve your movement, balance and strength, as well as helping to manage pain. The Hydrotherapy Pool is open six days a week and is open to solo visitors, classes or one-on-one sessions with a qualified Physiotherapist or Exercise Physiologist. The pool features an accessible lift for easy entry and exit and is open to guests by appointment. Accommodation The Healthy Living Centre includes seven self-contained, fully accessible units with one and two bedrooms and water views available, all located just a few meters away from the Cairns Esplanade. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7834313/2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/ef8dd49e36834b1692a721da1076e3bd" /> There are options for holiday accommodation as well as medium-term transitional accommodation and are open to self-funded guests as well as guests looking to fund their stay via MyAgedCare, the NDIS and other funding options. Each room contains a height-adjustable bed and ceiling hoists, left or right transfer bathrooms, shower chairs and tablet-controlled electronics, lights and blinds for the convenience of guests with a disability. Therapies and services The Spinal Life Healthy Living Centre includes a team of specialist therapists and support workers on site to assist and empower guests and visitors to the Centre. This includes: <ul> <li>Occupational Therapy to help find the best assistive equipment and provide specialist advice on NDIS applications and assessments for funding.</li> <li>Personal Support Services to provide personal assistance tailored to the guest’s needs.</li> <li>Physiotherapy to help reduce pain and improve muscle movements and assist in injury management and prevention.</li> <li>Hydrotherapy to manage rehabilitation, pain and muscle strength.</li> <li>Exercise Physiology to make the most of your time at the Active Gym or Active Hydro Pool and assist in developing a tailored fitness plan.</li> </ul> Spinal Life Australia have used their 60 years of experience to create a state-of-the-art facility specifically designed with the needs and comfort of people with a disability or mobility issues in mind. To find out more, or book your next holiday and stay supported as you explore the wonders of Far North Queensland, visit <a rel="noopener" href="http://www.spinalhealthyliving.com.au" target="_blank">spinalhealthyliving.com.au</a>

Caring

Alone together: How mobile devices have changed family time

There is now widespread concern about the <a href="https://theconversation.com/too-much-screen-time-linked-to-an-epidemic-of-myopia-among-young-people-111599">amount of time</a> children spend staring at screens – with many people worried about the <a href="https://theconversation.com/mental-health-risks-to-girls-who-spend-more-than-an-hour-a-day-on-social-media-new-study-93406">negative impacts</a> mobile devices might have on health and well-being. Concerns have also been raised about the influence of technological change on relationships and face-to-face interactions. Sherry Turkle, a professor of the social studies of science, came up with the famous term “<a href="http://alonetogetherbook.com/">alone together</a>” – which is also the name of her book. “Alone together” captures this idea of spending time on devices to the neglect of interacting with those who are physically nearby. Many people believe that technological changes have had a detrimental impact on the time family members spend together – with “alone together” time colonising family life. Yet, to date, very few studies have actually been done in this area. Our new <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jomf.12564">research</a> looks to change this, by providing the first real insight into how technology has impacted the way families spend their time in the UK. To do this, we analysed time diaries collected by parents and children aged eight to 16 years-old in 2000 and then again in 2015 – a period that has witnessed rapid technological change. <h2>More time at home and alone</h2> Contrary to expectations, we found that children spent more time around their parents in 2015 than in 2000. This equates to just over half an hour extra a day (347 minutes per day in 2000 and 379 minutes in 2015). Notably, all of this additional time near parents was spent at home. This was a surprising finding. But looking closer, we found that children reported they were “alone” during all of this additional time at home with their parents. In this sense then, “alone together” time has increased. Our analysis also showed some relatively small changes in time for shared family activities, with contemporary families spending less time watching TV and more time on leisure activities and family meals. But the overall time spent in shared activities has remained the same. Our data shows that mobile device use cuts across all aspects of family time. We found that children and parents both spent approximately the same amount of time (around 90 minutes) using mobile devices when together. We found all these patterns to be particularly pronounced among young people aged 14 to 16. Young people in this group spent around one hour more at home “alone” with their parents in 2015 than in 2000. Mobile device use when near their parents was also more frequent and heavily concentrated. <h2>Lack of quality time?</h2> Academics have long noted the capacity for <a href="http://sk.sagepub.com/books/families-and-time">technology to bring families together at home</a>. And while our research does seem to indicate this could be the case, this increase in time at home may also be associated with other issues such as the <a href="https://theconversation.com/helicopter-parents-the-real-reason-british-teenagers-are-so-unhappy-111673">parent’s concerns for their children’s safety</a>. <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/09/has-the-smartphone-destroyed-a-generation/534198/">Research in the US</a> finds similar patterns of change – with teens spending less time outside the home away from their parents. There is increasing evidence that the mere presence of a phone <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0265407512453827">negatively affects face-to-face interactions</a>. This may go some way then to explain <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02614367.2016.1141974">parents’ perceptions</a> of decreasing family cohesion and time together with their children, reported in earlier studies. Indeed, we found that both children and parents were using mobile devices during family meals, television viewing, and other activities. So even though this was for a relatively small amount of time, it may have a disproportionate impact on the quality of this time for family members. Of course, in some cases, it is possible that mobile devices are in fact complementing family interactions. If, for example, family members use them for video streaming, to play group games or to contact other relatives. And further research on mobile device use and content is now necessary to help ascertain their full impact on daily life and move beyond commonly held negative assumptions. But what is clear, is that although a rise in “alone together” time means families now spend more time at home, it is not necessarily in a way that feels like quality time.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/111478/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Written by Stella Chatzitheochari, Associate Professor in Sociology, University of Warwick and Killian Mullan, Lecturer Sociology and Policy, Aston University. Republished with permission of <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/alone-together-how-mobile-devices-have-changed-family-time-111478" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>.

Relationships

NSW to roll out cameras that catch drivers on their mobile phones

In a world-first, the NSW Government will be implementing mobile phone detection cameras to keep an eye on drivers who are breaking the law. The government has been trialling the technology for six months and will now roll out the cameras across the state. According to <a href="https://10daily.com.au/news/australia/a190922crksu/nsw-to-roll-out-mobile-phone-cameras-to-catch-law-breaking-drivers-20190922">10 Daily</a>, during the trial, cameras checked 8.5 million cars. There were 100,000 drivers who were caught using their phones on NSW roads. Andrew Constance, NSW Minister for Roads said that the ‘get your hand off it message’ is not getting through to drivers. “Unfortunately some people haven’t received the message and think they can continue to put the safety of themselves, their passengers and the community at risk without consequence,” Constance said. “There is strong community support for more enforcement to stop illegal mobile phone use with 80 per cent of people we surveyed supporting use of the mobile phone detection cameras.” NSW Minister for Regional Roads Paul Toole agrees. "The decision to pick up your phone can have fatal consequences," he said. "It doesn’t matter whether you’re driving on a busy city motorway or on an isolated road in the bush -- there’s just no excuse for using your phone illegally." The program is expected to roll out across the state later this year and will check 135 million vehicles before 2023. For the first three months, drivers will receive a warning letter. After that, it’s a $344 fine and four demerit points.

Travel Trouble

Drivers may be allowed to use mobile phones behind the wheel in road rule overhaul

A review of road rules has been told drivers should be allowed to use their phones behind the wheels, with South Australian motorists calling for the strict laws to be loosened. Under the current legislation, drivers who are caught using handheld mobile phone on the road are liable to a $534 fine and three demerit points. According to the National Transport Committee (NTC), taking your eyes off the road for just two seconds – to use your phone, adjust the radio or talk to a passenger – can be “particularly hazardous”. “Drivers engage in non-driving activities every 96 seconds while behind the wheel,” said Gillian Miles, chief executive officer at the NTC. “Distractions take our concentration off the road which means we may not have time to react to hazards.” However, the Royal Automobile Association (RAA) of South Australia said the laws need to be updated to reflect the changing use of technology. “The old legislation is very specific about managing distractions, but technology has moved beyond this,” Charles Mountain, RAA Senior Manager Road Safety told <a rel="noopener" href="https://10daily.com.au/news/crime/a190910pgzys/drivers-may-be-allowed-to-use-phones-behind-the-wheel-in-new-road-rules-20190910" target="_blank">10 daily</a>. Some of the submissions pointed out that many drivers rely on GPS navigation and <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/do-you-do-this-in-a-drive-thru-the-500-road-rule-confusing-aussies/" target="_blank">phone payment methods at restaurant drive-thrus</a>, despite the ban on touching phones in unparked vehicles in all states. “That is just not sensible, to turn your engine off to pay with your phone,” Mountain said. “It is important to acknowledge that phones are capable of more functions than before... such as music streaming. “There needs to be understanding for all drivers about what a distraction is.” A regulation impact statement will be delivered for transport ministers’ consideration in May 2020.

Legal

4 ways your mobile phone affects your body and mind

As mobile phones infiltrate nearly every aspect of our society, it can be easy to get overwhelmed and used to their constant presence. However, there are many ways that the devices impact your body and your mind. 1. It messes with your sleep Scanning your phone right before bed can disturb your slumber. The short-wavelength, bright blue light your device emits boosts your  attention during the day, but at night the light can inhibit the production  of melatonin, which helps you fall asleep. To avoid that, make a habit of not using your phone for at least 30 minutes before you close your eyes. 2. It's not easy to put down It would be easy to avoid  issues caused by your phone by simply  putting down your phone. The problem: it isn’t so easy. That twinge of phone separation anxiety is real. In fact, Rosen says, detaching from your phone can cause your brain to release the stress hormone cortisol. Of course, there are many phone apps (with calming names, such as Forest and Mute) to help you control your phone addiction. Or you can just let the battery run down and forget about it! 3. It can be a hazard while walking We all know that walking around town with your face  in your phone can be dangerous, and there are studies that underline the point. City pedestrians using  their phones looked left and right less often and were more likely  to be hit by a vehicle, according  to a review of studies on distracted  walking in the Journal of Traffic  and Transportation Engineering.   In another small experiment,  94 percent of pedestrians who were using mobile phones to talk and text didn’t see free cash hanging from  a tree. (That’s right, they walked right by a bunch of dollar bills.) 4. It hurts your eyes Your phone can do a number on your eyes. A study in the US found that about 60 percent of respondents experience digital  eye strain symptoms such as dryness, irritation, blurred vision, eye fatigue and headaches. Try blinking often, increasing font size and  taking a break from screens every 20 minutes. Written by Michelle Crouch. This article first appeared in <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/true-stories-lifestyle/thought-provoking/13-ways-your-mobile-phone-affects-your-body-and-mind">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.com.au/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=articles&utm_campaign=RDSUB&keycode=WRA93V">here’s our best subscription offer</a>.

Technology

How to stop hackers from attacking your mobile phone while online shopping

In new research revealed by Norton’s cyber safety insight report, about 30 per cent of shoppers have fallen victim to cybercrime in the past year at a cost of a shocking $1.3 billion. The report noted that 21 per cent of smartphone users had no idea that their device was able to be hacked. Cybercrime expert Julian Plummer agrees that users are laxer about mobile security compared to their laptops. “As mobile becomes increasingly de rigueur the security risk to consumers will only rise,” said Mr Plummer, who is the managing director of Midwinter Financial Services in Sydney. There are two ways that your smartphone is able to be hacked, which is phishing and over public wi-fi networks. As hackers are only getting smarter at duping their victims when it comes to phishing, sophisticated criminals are now impersonating big-name brands, including banks and other institutions. “It used to be that seeing a padlock in the URL bar meant that the site was safe, but now hackers are ‘securing’ their sites using cheap security certificates to provide a false sense of security,” Mr Plummer warned to <a href="https://thenewdaily.com.au/life/tech/2019/05/29/mobile-phone-cybercrime-safety/">The New Daily</a>. The second way is via public Wi-Fi networks, which is surprisingly sophisticated. “Hackers use a ‘Wi-Fi pineapple’ to mimic a public wi-fi access point,” he explained. “Unfortunately, logging on to these malicious wi-fi access points allows hackers to intercept any unencrypted personal data. Always be very wary when connecting to an untrusted wi-fi network – especially overseas.” It’s easy to protect yourself from hackers though, according to Mr Plummer. “The crucial thing for mobile phone users is to stop reusing passwords,” Mr Plummer said. “With a major security breach happening almost on a monthly basis, if hackers were to get your password from one shopping website, they then have access to all your online accounts if you re-use your password.” The second way to keep your information safe might be tedious, but it’ll be worth it in the long run. It involves keeping your phone’s operating system up to date. “The main reason manufacturers provide updates is to close off security loopholes within their device,” Mr Plummer said. “Hackers are well versed in any security bugs in your mobile device, so make sure you have automatic updates turned on for your mobile phone.”

Technology

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"Stuff youse": Pensioner who's never owned a phone fights mobile detection camera fine