fowl2
@fowl2.bsky.social
I’m James. Standard tech/urban/transit trifecta stuff.
Also https://hachyderm.io/@fowl2, https://twitter.com/fowl2
Melbourne, Australia
Also https://hachyderm.io/@fowl2, https://twitter.com/fowl2
Melbourne, Australia
eSafety’s answer about measuring success notably focused on compliance rather than the wellbeing of children.
It's hard to lock down the govt on how they're measuring success of the ban, it seems more vibish.
The eSafety commissioner told me they'll be looking at ABS data, PBS data and Naplan scores as part of figuring out whether the ban is having a positive effect. www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
The eSafety commissioner told me they'll be looking at ABS data, PBS data and Naplan scores as part of figuring out whether the ban is having a positive effect. www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
Australia’s world-first social media ban begins as millions of children and teens lose access to accounts
Accounts held by users under 16 must be removed on apps that include TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, Snapchat, Reddit, Kick, Twitch and Threads under ban
www.theguardian.com
December 10, 2025 at 1:32 AM
eSafety’s answer about measuring success notably focused on compliance rather than the wellbeing of children.
ugh it seems that Unions Australia website union finder has been infested with that scammy/hugh pressure sales/“growth hack” thing where it demands your name and contact details before proceeding
December 8, 2025 at 1:01 PM
ugh it seems that Unions Australia website union finder has been infested with that scammy/hugh pressure sales/“growth hack” thing where it demands your name and contact details before proceeding
Macquarie Bank declining all top up transactions, due to what they tell me is some sort of risk score. They tell me there’s nothing I, not they can do, and have closed my complaint with a $250 as an apology(??)
“Bakong Tourists”, the QR code payment app from Cambodia’s central bank, works differently for Visa and Mastercard and in the inverse of the way you might expect:
Visa top up preview shows amounts in USD but Mastercard in Riel!
#fintech
Visa top up preview shows amounts in USD but Mastercard in Riel!
#fintech
December 8, 2025 at 12:53 PM
Macquarie Bank declining all top up transactions, due to what they tell me is some sort of risk score. They tell me there’s nothing I, not they can do, and have closed my complaint with a $250 as an apology(??)
Forgot to pay my cc during bpay business hours. Opened transaction account so I could real time transfer and then intra bank transfer lol. #HackTheSystem
December 8, 2025 at 12:39 PM
Forgot to pay my cc during bpay business hours. Opened transaction account so I could real time transfer and then intra bank transfer lol. #HackTheSystem
So if you start typing into another post while the previous one is still processing media upload @bsky.app on iOS just posts the drat one when it’s done. Oops
November 15, 2025 at 1:20 PM
So if you start typing into another post while the previous one is still processing media upload @bsky.app on iOS just posts the drat one when it’s done. Oops
Can recommend Wake Park Cambodia in Siem Reap. Lovely day out - and I eventually managed to made it all the way around the course on a kneeboard from having not even know they existed this morning!
November 15, 2025 at 1:17 PM
Can recommend Wake Park Cambodia in Siem Reap. Lovely day out - and I eventually managed to made it all the way around the course on a kneeboard from having not even know they existed this morning!
Reposted by fowl2
The Singapore government issued a “Correction Direction” to Malaysian news website MalaysiaNow under the anti-“fake news” law. Failing to comply w/ a Correction Direction is an offence in Singapore.
MalaysiaNow has released a statement essentially telling the Singapore government to fuck off
MalaysiaNow has released a statement essentially telling the Singapore government to fuck off
November 15, 2025 at 8:22 AM
The Singapore government issued a “Correction Direction” to Malaysian news website MalaysiaNow under the anti-“fake news” law. Failing to comply w/ a Correction Direction is an offence in Singapore.
MalaysiaNow has released a statement essentially telling the Singapore government to fuck off
MalaysiaNow has released a statement essentially telling the Singapore government to fuck off
“Bakong Tourists”, the QR code payment app from Cambodia’s central bank, works differently for Visa and Mastercard and in the inverse of the way you might expect:
Visa top up preview shows amounts in USD but Mastercard in Riel!
#fintech
Visa top up preview shows amounts in USD but Mastercard in Riel!
#fintech
November 12, 2025 at 5:28 AM
“Bakong Tourists”, the QR code payment app from Cambodia’s central bank, works differently for Visa and Mastercard and in the inverse of the way you might expect:
Visa top up preview shows amounts in USD but Mastercard in Riel!
#fintech
Visa top up preview shows amounts in USD but Mastercard in Riel!
#fintech
So this email from Microsoft's I guess is a result of the ACCC court case www.accc.gov.au/media-releas...
MSFT manage to get 2 fairly key things wrong:
- My current price - I currently pay less than both options they provide
- The options available - $14/month != $139/year, nor is $18 * 12 = $179.
MSFT manage to get 2 fairly key things wrong:
- My current price - I currently pay less than both options they provide
- The options available - $14/month != $139/year, nor is $18 * 12 = $179.
![In October 2024, we announced changes to our Microsoft 365 pricing for subscribers in Australia. We recognise we could have been clearer in our communications about the full range of Microsoft 365 subscription options including the option to switch to Microsoft 365 Family Classic. Our relationship with our customers is based on trust and transparency and we apologise for falling short of our standards.
We want to ensure you have all the information you need to make the choice that’s right for you, so we are sharing that information below, including the opportunity to receive a refund.
Option 1: Stay on Microsoft 365 Family, your current plan
Microsoft 365 Family includes the core Microsoft 365 apps plus our AI assistant Copilot and ongoing feature updates. Microsoft 365 Family renews at $179 AUD per year tax inclusive.
If you wish to stay on Microsoft 365 Family, no action is needed.
Option 2: Switch to Microsoft 365 Family Classic and receive a refund
While Microsoft 365 Family Classic includes the core Microsoft 365 apps and regular security updates, it does not include our AI assistant Copilot and may not receive new feature updates.
Microsoft 365 Family Classic renews at $139 AUD per year tax inclusive, the price you paid before the increase.
If you want to continue using Microsoft 365 Family Classic after you switch plans, you’ll need to keep recurring billing enabled.
If you switch to Microsoft 365 Family Classic by 31 December 2025, we’ll refund the difference in price between plans, starting from your first renewal date after 30 November 2024. We’ll process your refund to the payment method you use to subscribe within 30 days. Once the refund has been processed, it will be reflected in your Microsoft account. This refund option is only available to subscribers in Australia who receive this email and switch to the Microsoft 365 Family Classic plan by 31 December 2025
[Switch to Classic]
Thank you for being a Microsoft 365 subscriber. [continues]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:mfaafu5mqg3azmsqmyd6yrmv/bafkreieamprseq7hv6r7bj44qsbmubftrvxaeobyutj7lsee2yiwkxmrfe@jpeg)
November 6, 2025 at 3:14 AM
So this email from Microsoft's I guess is a result of the ACCC court case www.accc.gov.au/media-releas...
MSFT manage to get 2 fairly key things wrong:
- My current price - I currently pay less than both options they provide
- The options available - $14/month != $139/year, nor is $18 * 12 = $179.
MSFT manage to get 2 fairly key things wrong:
- My current price - I currently pay less than both options they provide
- The options available - $14/month != $139/year, nor is $18 * 12 = $179.
I see Waymo as the “adults in the room” in this space, hope they don’t get lumped together with Tesla. They are at vastly different capabilities.
Exclusive: Waymo has begun talking to Australian regulators about trialing its self-driving cars down under.
This comes as the Google-linked "robotaxi" company tapped local lobbyists to represent it as Australia develops its autonomous vehicle road rules.
www.crikey.com.au/20...
This comes as the Google-linked "robotaxi" company tapped local lobbyists to represent it as Australia develops its autonomous vehicle road rules.
www.crikey.com.au/20...
October 28, 2025 at 4:41 AM
I see Waymo as the “adults in the room” in this space, hope they don’t get lumped together with Tesla. They are at vastly different capabilities.
What are the odds of an miss-OCR’d Google maps link being 200m away from the correct reading? Very surprised they’re so spatially correlated.
October 11, 2025 at 9:51 AM
What are the odds of an miss-OCR’d Google maps link being 200m away from the correct reading? Very surprised they’re so spatially correlated.
*perennial complaint about the stock iOS keyboard missing a bunch of symbols and diacritics despite having tons of room*
Today triggered by… ฿
Today triggered by… ฿
October 5, 2025 at 10:49 AM
*perennial complaint about the stock iOS keyboard missing a bunch of symbols and diacritics despite having tons of room*
Today triggered by… ฿
Today triggered by… ฿
Monorail maintenance vehicle
October 5, 2025 at 7:52 AM
Monorail maintenance vehicle
“due to congestion on the line ahead this train will stop” automated announcement, slightly before leaving the BTS Surasak. Indeed the train did stop for a few minutes just before Saphan Taksin.
You’d think they could hold the train before leaving the station. Guess it depends where the congestion
You’d think they could hold the train before leaving the station. Guess it depends where the congestion
October 5, 2025 at 7:27 AM
“due to congestion on the line ahead this train will stop” automated announcement, slightly before leaving the BTS Surasak. Indeed the train did stop for a few minutes just before Saphan Taksin.
You’d think they could hold the train before leaving the station. Guess it depends where the congestion
You’d think they could hold the train before leaving the station. Guess it depends where the congestion
TIL Apple has a bunch of diagnostic profiles available. The WiFi one adds this section in WiFi Settings on iOS.
Pretty barebones and kinda annoying it’s not available OOtB but I’ll take it.
Pretty barebones and kinda annoying it’s not available OOtB but I’ll take it.
October 5, 2025 at 5:41 AM
TIL Apple has a bunch of diagnostic profiles available. The WiFi one adds this section in WiFi Settings on iOS.
Pretty barebones and kinda annoying it’s not available OOtB but I’ll take it.
Pretty barebones and kinda annoying it’s not available OOtB but I’ll take it.
Keen to see how the Uber model of ignoring regulation works out for them. Financial services regulators are famously chill.
How being stranded in a Thai night market led to this $4.7 million start-up
Australian fintech start-up WAIWIN is tackling Thailand’s payments problem - and is raising $4.7 million to do take it across Southeast Asia.
www.forbes.com.au
October 5, 2025 at 5:37 AM
Keen to see how the Uber model of ignoring regulation works out for them. Financial services regulators are famously chill.
EMV/contactless for the Bangkok Airporl Rail Link in October 2025?
as of 4 October… not yet
as of 4 October… not yet
October 4, 2025 at 12:19 AM
EMV/contactless for the Bangkok Airporl Rail Link in October 2025?
as of 4 October… not yet
as of 4 October… not yet
Thai don’t program their PassKit boarding passes to properly present automatically near the airport 🥲
Or iOS 26 broke something ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Or iOS 26 broke something ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
October 3, 2025 at 12:52 PM
Thai don’t program their PassKit boarding passes to properly present automatically near the airport 🥲
Or iOS 26 broke something ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Or iOS 26 broke something ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Reposted by fowl2
My Financial Times interview got reprinted on the front page of the newspaper The Australian Financial Review with an incredible illustration of the contents of my mind and the big handle I turn when I blog
www.afr.com/technology/t...
www.afr.com/technology/t...
October 2, 2025 at 10:28 PM
My Financial Times interview got reprinted on the front page of the newspaper The Australian Financial Review with an incredible illustration of the contents of my mind and the big handle I turn when I blog
www.afr.com/technology/t...
www.afr.com/technology/t...
UBank phone wait times greater than 1.5 hours.
Must be the first day of the month, new hoops have been added, they have an uncompetitive interest rate, and they require a phone call to transfer money out.
Anyway here’s the spreadsheet www.accountsleaderboard.au
Must be the first day of the month, new hoops have been added, they have an uncompetitive interest rate, and they require a phone call to transfer money out.
Anyway here’s the spreadsheet www.accountsleaderboard.au
Accounts Leaderboard
A community driven independent savings rate comparison.
www.accountsleaderboard.au
October 1, 2025 at 12:13 AM
UBank phone wait times greater than 1.5 hours.
Must be the first day of the month, new hoops have been added, they have an uncompetitive interest rate, and they require a phone call to transfer money out.
Anyway here’s the spreadsheet www.accountsleaderboard.au
Must be the first day of the month, new hoops have been added, they have an uncompetitive interest rate, and they require a phone call to transfer money out.
Anyway here’s the spreadsheet www.accountsleaderboard.au
Edge devtools suddenly knowing source files names without a source map
Mysterious✨
But seriously how does it know?
Mysterious✨
But seriously how does it know?
September 30, 2025 at 1:25 AM
Edge devtools suddenly knowing source files names without a source map
Mysterious✨
But seriously how does it know?
Mysterious✨
But seriously how does it know?
Surely someone has made an web/app that takes 2 points and draws an isochrone/cartogram showing places equidistant in *travel time*
September 7, 2025 at 1:17 AM
Surely someone has made an web/app that takes 2 points and draws an isochrone/cartogram showing places equidistant in *travel time*
Either PTV or Google Maps have figured out how to label, if not apply an icon to, replacement buses. Good work.
Incredible how the 900 bus can beat it despite having one additional stops and a 1 minute recorded transfer penalty.
Incredible how the 900 bus can beat it despite having one additional stops and a 1 minute recorded transfer penalty.
August 29, 2025 at 12:15 PM
Either PTV or Google Maps have figured out how to label, if not apply an icon to, replacement buses. Good work.
Incredible how the 900 bus can beat it despite having one additional stops and a 1 minute recorded transfer penalty.
Incredible how the 900 bus can beat it despite having one additional stops and a 1 minute recorded transfer penalty.