Be Connected podcast

Guest: Zoe Warne Whether it’s keeping in touch with others, staying informed, or helping us to have fun and get stuff done, technology answers many of our everyday needs. But it also creates questions. Lots of them. In this episode, broadcaster Zoe Warne puts tricky questions from the Be Connected audience to host Valens Quinn. Discover more: Sign-up and build your digital skills for free at BeCon...

Guest: Delia Rickard Online scammers steal billions of dollars from Australians every year. And even as we become wise to their tricks, cyber criminals are stepping it up with ever more sophisticated schemes that are getting harder to spot. Host Val Quinn talks to Delia Rickard, the Deputy Chair of the ACCC, about the types of scams targeting your money and personal information, ways to avoid them...

Guest: Catriona Lowe Scams are getting harder to spot. As they become more sophisticated and convincing, it’s easier than ever to be tricked into handing over your money or personal details. Australian Competition and Consumer Commission Deputy Chair, Catriona Lowe talks with host Valens Quinn about how you can help to protect yourself, and the work of the National Anti-Scam Centre.  Subscribe to...

Guest: John Davidson People have always enjoyed looking at photos, watching videos, listening to radio, reading books, and playing games. But does today’s technology make them better, easier, more enjoyable, or was the old way better? Join our host Val Quinn and award-winning technology columnist and reviewer from the Australian Financial Review, John Davidson, as we explore new ways of doing old...

Guest: Julie Inman Grant Australia led the world by establishing the eSafety Commissioner, the first specialist agency dedicated to protecting citizens from online harms. It’s an initiative that is inspiring similar models in other countries, and which also fosters the Be Connected program and podcast. In this episode, the Australian eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant talks about the mission t...

GUEST: Kate Bower Facial recognition. You can use it to unlock your phone and organise your photos, and in places like airports, stadiums, and banks it’s being used to add security features and convenience. But who exactly is watching you, and why? And do they have your permission? In this episode, Consumer Data Advocate at CHOICE, Kate Bower, highlights some of the concerns and benefits of the te...

Artificial intelligence (AI) help machines think like humans and mimic our actions. So where can we find AI in action in our daily lives? What are the benefits and risks of the technology? And, will AI enable machines that are conscious and self-aware, like a human being? Master of Information Technology, Steve Nouri, joins host Valens Quinn to explore these and other fascinating possibilities. Di...

What is the dark web and how do I get onto it? Can I make a house with a 3D printer, and why do some websites ask if I’m a robot? In this episode, broadcaster Zoe Warne puts tricky questions from the Be Connected audience to host Valens Quinn.   DISCOVER MORE: Sign-up and build your digital skills for free at BeConnected: https://beconnected.esafety.gov.au Learn about the internet in the Using the...

"Any views expressed in this episode are strictly personal views only and do not in any way reflect the opinion of the Australian government, the eSafety Commissioner or the Be Connected program." Guest: Tegan Jones In the 50-odd years the internet has existed, it has utterly transformed human existence. In this episode, host Val Quinn and award-winning journalist and tech commentator Tegan Jones...

Guest: Adam Turner There are more than 7 million apps for mobile devices, and around the world, people download around 250 million each day. In this episode, host Val Quinn is joined by Adam Turner, award-winning Australian technology journalist and long-time columnist for The Age and Sydney Morning Herald to talk about some of the apps that can help make your life more convenient, interesting, an...

Guest: Tegan Jones Crypto currency has been around for more than a decade, regularly making headlines for skyrocketing prices and equally spectacular crashes. So what is crypto exactly? Host Val Quinn talks to Tegan Jones from Finder.com.au about how it works, what it buys and whether it really is the future of money.   DISCOVER MORE: Learn about secure passwords in the free Managing passwords cou...

Guest: Nelly Thomas What does the future hold? From electric vehicles, to robots, self-driving cars and getting your Wi-Fi from space, what are some of today’s most promising technologies and what role will they have in tomorrow’s world? In this episode, Nelly Thomas – comedian, broadcaster, podcaster and author – and host Val Quinn contemplate the changes ahead and discuss how these advances in t...

It’s human nature to want to know where we come from and who we come from. Fortunately, the internet has made exploring your ancestry more accessible than ever. Host, Val Quinn talks to Nan Bosler AM, genealogist, author and great grandmother, about how you to start researching your family history online. Discover more: Sign-up and build your digital skills for free at BeConnected: https://beconne...

Guest: Alice Clarke It can be easy to feel overwhelmed by the complexity of devices, apps, plugs and settings involved with technology today. And if you’re not keeping up, are you being left behind? Join host Val Quinn and freelance journalist, producer and presenter focusing on the world of technology, Alice Clarke, as they tackle some common questions about the internet, computers, and mobile ph...

Guest: John Davidson Are smartwatches all they’re cracked up to be? Can simply wearing a smartwatch make you live a longer and healthier life? Join our host Val Quinn and award-winning technology columnist and reviewer from the Australian Financial Review, John Davidson, as we explore the capabilities of wearable technology and find out if a smartwatch can indeed make you live longer.” DISCOVER MO...

Guest: Nelly Thomas From checking train times, booking restaurants, watching videos online, even controlling light switches, the internet has fundamentally changed the way we live our lives and interact with our world. Join our host Val Quinn and comedian, author, podcaster and radio presenter Nelly Thomas, as they explore the most fascinating facts about the internet. You’ll be the smartest perso...

Guest: Adam Turner Smart home technology is changing the way we live and interact in our homes. In this episode we explore some of the gadgets and connected devices that can make your life easier and more fun, save you time and keep you safer. In this episode, host Val Quinn is joined by Adam Turner, award-winning Australian technology journalist and long-time columnist for The Age and Sydney Morn...

Guest: Alice Clarke Our phones, computers and web browsers often ask us questions or make suggestions. They might be for updates our computers need to run better, messages about whether we should eject a disk or update our antivirus software. In this episode, freelance journalist, producer and presenter focusing on the world of technology, Alice Clarke, joins host Valens Quinn to shed some light o...

Guest: Jennifer Dudley-Nicholson Do you feel like your phone, or your computer is listening to you? From weather apps to mobile games, food order services and social media networks, it seems the internet’s ability to spy on you is increasing. In this episode, host Valens Quinn and News Corp’s national technology editor Jennifer Dudley-Nicholson talk about online privacy: what the internet knows ab...

This preview offers some common questions older Australians have about the online world in which we live. Listeners are encouraged to join the conversation, build their confidence and discover ways to stay safe online.