Independent editorial
Queensland has eased its EV charger rules. Ask for a fresh installation quote
One less requirement could simplify a home charger installation. Your switchboard, electricity supply and the details of the quote still get a vote.
TechManPat editorial
The week in Australian tech, made useful.
Topical explainers, practical analysis and informed opinion covering the technology Australians use and the things Compare helps them choose.
Latest
From the editorial desk.
71 published · covering 12 editorial topics
Independent editorial
Figure melted its old robots with Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger, molten steel and an old robot fleet. Figure has my attention. The next question is what humanoid robots can actually do for us.
Independent editorial
Solar and batteries for social housing: can renters finally share in cheaper electricity?
An $11 million Illawarra pilot could bring solar and storage to households that cannot simply order their own system. I like the direction. The real test will be what lands on the tenant’s bill.
Independent editorial
Victoria's free midday power starts in October. Will it actually cut your bill?
Three free hours sound hard to turn down. The answer depends on what you can run between 11 am and 2 pm, and what you pay for the rest of the day.
Independent editorial
Will your solar, battery and EV charger actually work together?
Australia is working towards common rules for connected home energy equipment. For anyone buying today, the important questions are still about the exact devices, controls and installer plan in the quote.
Independent editorial
MOVA V70 Ultra Complete costs $3,299. Are longer cleaning arms worth the premium?
The useful question is how much cleaning it saves you doing yourself. MOVA’s extending arms make a strong case, but the price and the fine print deserve a closer look.
Independent editorial
High kilometres shouldn’t scare you off a used EV. The evidence is catching up.
I’m pleased to see evidence challenging the idea that an electric car is finished once the odometer gets high. For buyers, this could be where the EV story becomes much more interesting.
Independent editorial
Tesla Electric is coming for your power bill. Could it shake up Australia’s energy market?
I’m excited to see Tesla competing for the household electricity bill. The opportunity is bigger than a new app, but the plan still needs to earn its place on price.
Independent editorial
Tesla FSD now gets Australian drivers cheaper insurance. Does the saving justify the subscription?
I like seeing insurers recognise better technology. But before we call this a saving, we need to put the insurance discount next to the subscription bill.
Independent editorial
Could going electric save you more than $5,000 a year? Yes, but the upfront cost matters
I think the right household could save even more. But a good system has to balance the purchase price, the bills it replaces and what happens when the power goes out.
Browse all 71 articles by title
- ASUS Wi-Fi connected but no internet? Check this GT-AX6000 firmware fix.
- Sungrow’s PowerHarbour is coming to Melbourne. What does 120 kWh really mean?
- Fronius Reserva Pro: a bigger battery, but what backup do you actually get?
- Dreame’s Aqua20 promises 180°C steam and 10 cm climbing. Read the measurements.
- sonnenBatterie 12: built-in backup without replacing your existing solar?
- Hinen’s A15 is heading to Melbourne. Here’s what’s confirmed.
- GWM’s Cannon plug-in ute: check which price, range and safety rating apply.
- Fox ESS launches Power Cube in Australia. Read past the backup headline.
- ATMOCE’s battery warranty is now 15 years. What does the fine print cover?
- Costco’s getting a robot mower. Is the ANTHBOT Genie 600E right for your lawn?
- NSW’s VPP incentive drops the 12-month requirement. Check your contract anyway.
- Leapmotor’s $29,990 electric SUV: what should you check before buying?
- Australia’s battery capacity is climbing. That doesn’t tell you what size to buy.
- Could your phone use another network in a black spot? What the ACCC is considering
- ALDI’s $499 pool robot arrives on 24 October. Here’s what to check before buying
- Apple HomeView is coming to Australia for $449, and I’ve already pre-ordered one
- Australia’s new EV charging roadmap: what does it mean for drivers?
- Your NBN router still works. Is it still getting security updates?
- amaysim’s $50 NBN 500 deal: check the bill after month six
- Ampol wants to buy Evie. What changes for EV drivers?
- BYD’s $4,000 Sealion 7 cashback: check the delivery date before the deposit
- One Neovolt battery is eligible again. Check the label before booking installation.
- TP-Link's $1,499 Wi-Fi 8 router: what are you actually buying today?
- MG4 Urban 43 vs 54: is the bigger battery worth another $3,000?
- GOKO M6: what should Australians check before buying a $4,000 robot mower?
- Tesla’s $45,900 Model 3: what do you give up to save $9,000?
- Dodo’s Autopilot could cut your NBN bill. What should you check first?
- Own a Tapo C120 or C200? Check your camera’s firmware
- Amber opens V2G to the BYD Sealion 7. Is your driveway ready?
- NBN will drop the faster-plan rule for FTTN fibre upgrades. Should you wait until March?
- Queensland has eased its EV charger rules. Ask for a fresh installation quote
- Figure melted its old robots with Arnold Schwarzenegger
- Solar and batteries for social housing: can renters finally share in cheaper electricity?
- Victoria's free midday power starts in October. Will it actually cut your bill?
- Will your solar, battery and EV charger actually work together?
- MOVA V70 Ultra Complete costs $3,299. Are longer cleaning arms worth the premium?
- High kilometres shouldn’t scare you off a used EV. The evidence is catching up.
- Tesla Electric is coming for your power bill. Could it shake up Australia’s energy market?
- Tesla FSD now gets Australian drivers cheaper insurance. Does the saving justify the subscription?
- Could going electric save you more than $5,000 a year? Yes, but the upfront cost matters
- Tesla's Roadster could make the supercar price tag much harder to justify
- Small business is outgrowing its internet. This is where the NBN gets exciting.
- Neovolt's battery identification failure is unacceptable. Customers deserve better.
- All Energy Australia 2026: the batteries, EV tech and smarter homes we're looking forward to seeing
- Almost one in four new cars sold in Australia is now electric. What should first-time buyers check?
- Your smart lights keep switching off while you're sitting still. Can Tapo's new radar sensor fix that?
- Robot mowers are finally tackling the edges. Can the Mammotion LUBA 4 replace your whipper snipper?
- ECOVACS X12S adds a physical camera cover. Should every robot vacuum have one?
- Wi-Fi 8 is already being announced. Should Australians still buy a Wi-Fi 7 router?
- Roborock is entering the pool. Should Australian buyers wait for the RockAqua P1?
- Do you really need two pool robots? Dolphin Skimmi vs Aiper EcoSurfer vs Beatbot iSkim
- NSW apartment batteries just became up to 40% cheaper. Can renters and strata actually access the rebate?
- Beatbot Sora 10 vs Sora 30 vs Sora 70: What do you actually get for the extra $1,300?
- Dolphin’s new EON pool robots have landed in Australia. Has cordless finally caught up?
- AI data centres could consume 13% of Australia’s eastern power grid. Will households end up paying for them?
- Why can’t Australian renters plug a solar panel into the wall? The $1,000 technology now legal in the UK
- Rural Australians are turning to Starlink after the 3G shutdown. Is satellite internet now essential?
- Australia wants smart glasses to blur every face automatically. Are camera glasses becoming socially unacceptable?
- Peugeot just cut $26,805 from its electric van. Is an EV finally practical for Australian tradies?
- 860,000 FTTC homes can now request full fibre without buying an expensive NBN plan. Should you upgrade?
- A Sydney lithium battery fire required a five-day response. Does that mean home batteries are unsafe?
- America just blacklisted foreign-made robot vacuums. Should Australian buyers be worried?
- The ACCC has stopped testing NBN speeds. How can Australians tell which provider is fastest now?
- Australians are buying more security cameras—but do they actually stop burglars?
- ECOVACS X11 OmniCyclone vs Dyson Spot+Scrub Ai: which premium robot cleaner should you buy?
- Should electricity networks be allowed to build EV chargers? The decision that could reshape public charging
- This Australian battery survived 60,000 cycles—but it isn’t replacing your Powerwall yet
- Electric cars just reached 21.7% of Australian new-car sales. Has the tipping point arrived?
- More Australians are now on NBN fibre than copper. Is your router ready?
- Australia’s robot mower war just got serious: Roborock and MOVA enter the backyard.
- Australia’s home battery rebate changed in 2026. Here’s what the new size tiers actually mean.
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Independent by default.
Editorial judgement and recommendations stay separate from commercial relationships.
02
Sponsored means labelled.
A brand-funded story carries a prominent sponsored-editorial disclosure at the top—not a faint footnote.
03
Sources you can open.
Important claims link to primary sources, with publication and update dates shown clearly.