News

• NAB reports profits as IT transformation continues

  National Australia Bank reported progress on its IT transformation in half-year results reported today.

• Phantom flying drone captures stunning, stable video

  A new stabilization system for the Phantom remote-controlled flying drone helps it capture stunning landscapes and maneuver in tight spaces.

• Second-screen prototype hopes to boost couch commerce

  Akamai Technologies demonstrated a prototype second-screen system that presents complementary content on a smartphone or tablet that is synchronized with what's happening on the main television screen.

• HEVC video compression halves bitrate, keeps quality the same

  HEVC or H.265 video compression will affect all stages of video content creation and delivery, and possibly let providers deliver Ultra HD video over existing infrastructure, according to Motorola Mobility.

• Intel doubles speed of Thunderbolt interconnect

  Intel has doubled the speed of the Thunderbolt data transfer technology, which will soon shuttle data between host computers like Macs and peripherals at a rate of 20G bps (bits per second).

• NAB operations overhaul to save $800 million annually

  National Australia Bank (NAB) expects to save $800 million annually in a five year plan which includes reducing the complexity of its technology systems, centralising operations and support functions, and reshuffling senior management positions.

• NAB trialling BYOD

  The National Australia Bank is trialling a bring-your-own-device (BYOD) program for its top 200 executives, according to Adam Bennett, NAB executive manager of enterprise transformation.

• Australian banks welcome real-time payments service

  Banks have responded positively to the Australian Payments Clearing Association's proposal for new real-time payments infrastructure, saying it will lead to more innovation in areas such as mobile payments.

• NAB announces Money Tracker

  The National Australia Bank announced a money management tool as the latest part of the bank’s technology overhaul.

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  NAB to save $22 million with data centre consolidation program

  National Australia Bank (NAB) has forecast operational cost reductions of $22 million over seven years as it consolidates 20 data centres and computer rooms down to two facilities in Melbourne.

• Online retail sales hit $12.6b

  Online retail sales hit $12.6 billion in the 12 months to November 2012, according to the NAB Online Retail Sales Index.

• Startup wants to be Australia's Mint.com

  Pocketbook, a Sydney-based startup, seeks to build a simpler and more useful service for managing spending than current offerings in Australia.

• NAB launches system for social media customer support

  National Australia Bank has launched a “social media command centre” to help further support its customer service, the bank announced today.

• Online retail sales hit $12.3b

  Online sales hit $12.3 billion in Australia in the 12 months to October 2012, according to the NAB Online Retail Sales Index.

• NAB uses voice recognition to authenticate banking customers

  National Australia Bank (NAB) has deployed biometrics technology to allow customers to access their bank accounts using their voice.