All The News You Missed Over The Long Weekend

If you’re in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia or the ACT, then you’re probably back at work after a well-deserved long weekend. If you stayed off the internet, then you might have not caught up with anything that happened in the world of tech. Here’s where we wrap up all the news you missed while you were busy watching the AFL or NRL or getting outside to enjoy the sun.

Outdoors image via Shutterstock

Everything That Happened With Uber Vs. Taxis In Australia Last Week
he Uber vs. Taxi debate escalated last week when Choice released a report saying UberX was the cheaper option, and tied with taxis in safety and reliability. Since then we’ve seen crackdowns on Uber drivers across NSW, and ridesharing fully legalised in the ACT. Check here for all the latest on Uber and its status across Australia.

NASA Uploads All Photos Taken By Apollo Astronauts, Including The Bad Ones
It’s nice for NASA to curate all the wonderful photos satellites, telescopes and astronauts take so we can see the good stuff, but there’s something to be said for glimpsing humanity’s more intimate moments with the cosmos. Thanks to the Project Apollo Archive, you can now check out all the images captured by our Moon-bound astronauts, including the less glamorous ones.

Sony New Zealand Discontinues Sale Of PlayStation 3
You had a good run, PlayStation 3, but the writing was on the wall when the PS4 came out. You’ve been superseded, demoted, set aside. Retired. And now your papers have been signed by Sony itself. Well, in New Zealand anyway, but I’m sure Australia — and the rest of the world — will follow.

SolarCity To Start Manufacturing The Most Efficient Rooftop Solar Panel Ever
Normally, 22.04 percent wouldn’t exactly inspire awe. What about the other 78 percent? Where is it being wasted? But for solar panels, it’s a leap forward. SolarCity, the 9-year-old solar energy company that counts Elon Musk as a co-founder and current chairman, announced this morning that it has reached a new record for solar panel efficiency.

This Crazy Screen Squeezes An 8K Display Into A 17-Inch Panel
Well hello there, overkill. This screen from Japan Display is a triumph in taking resolution to the extreme: it squeezes an 8K LCD module into a screen that measures just 17.3 inches. For those keen on numbers, that’s a screen that packs 7,680 x 4,320 pixels, or a staggering 510 pixels per inch.

Elon Musk Clarifies His Plan To ‘Nuke Mars’
Remember a few weeks back, when Elon Musk explained how we ought to nuke Mars to warm it up? Well, the billionaire was really just speaking off the cuff, and so during a SolarCity launch event in Times Square yesterday, he decided he ought to clarify.The founder of SpaceX doesn’t want to nuke the surface Red Planet. He wants to use fusion bombs more powerful than any explosives we’ve ever built to blast the sky every few seconds, creating a temporary “sun” over each pole.

What Did This Virgin A330 Get Up To During The AFL Grand Final?
It might be the NRL Grand Final between the Cowboys and Broncos today, but yesterday it was all about the AFL season decider, with the Hawks facing off against the Eagles. Part of the pre-match celebrations involved a flyover by a Virgin Airlines Airbus A330, but it did a little more than just blast over the Melbourne Cricket Ground… the pilots also went for an aerial wander.

Telstra To Demo LTE-B Service And Devices At The NRL Grand Final
With this year’s NRL Grand Final, Telstra’s taking the opportunity to once again showcase LTE-Broadcast — or LTE-B, if you want to use fewer letters. If you happen to be invited inside the company’s “Connected Lounge” at ANZ Stadium, you’ll have a chance to check it out.

What Killed The Dinosaurs Was More Devastating Than An Asteroid
For nearly forty years, paleontologists have argued over what really killed the dinosaurs. Was it an massive asteroid impact, or a spate of volcanic eruptions? Or what if a powerful impact ignited volcanoes, walloping Earth’s biosphere with a deadly 1-2 punch?

Asus ZenWatch 2 Review: A Cheap Way To Get Started With Smartwatches
Asus’ ZenWatch 2 looks good, and at around $250 in Australia, it might be worth it for the the few delightful tricks it can do. But it’s also unmistakably an entry-level smartwatch and remains hobbled by Android Wear’s basic limitations.

Also on Gizmodo Australia:

The Martian Movie Review: Science Fiction That Respects Science Fact
Thousands Of Medical Devices Are Open To Hacking Over The Internet
Stunning Photo Shows Where The Curiosity Rover Is Headed Next On Mars