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1. RSS Feeds

  What is RSS? RSS stands for "Really Simple Syndication" and is an easy and free way to track updates to the SmartCompany website. You can subscribe free to one or more "feeds" which send you the headline and a short summary of articles that have been recently added or updated on the website. To subscribe to an RSS feed, you will need a News Reader or...

2. Internet pioneer on new web trends

Lloyd Ernst had an early start on the web, and has learnt how to achieve growth the hard way. He talks to AMANDA GOME about future web directions and what’s in the pipeline. By Amanda Gome

3. Australia’s 25 best business blogs

Did the great corporate blogging revolution ever happen? It seems only a handful of years ago that, inspired by US automaker General Motor’s FastLane blog, nascent social media pundits (and this writer) were predicting that corporations would open up and begin a two-way dialog with customers. But in the ye...

4. Australia’s top 20 online retailers

What a year it’s been in online retail. This time last year the retail industry was up in arms over the “unlevel playing field” supposedly caused by the GST-free import threshold. Now, that argument has been diluted by concerns over wages, penalty rates, and workplace relations. And online sales have continued to climb. According t...

5. Australia's 45 fastest growing telcos

The SmartCompany Dun & Bradstreet Telco Industry Growth List shows which companies are booming thanks to growing demand for online content, faster internet speeds, VOIP, and new consumer trends. By MIKE PRESTON By Mike Preston

6. Five top business ideas that made millions

According to Paul Graham, investor and founder of Y Combinator, the best way to get a winning business idea is to not think of any. Instead, you should be looking at which problems you can solve. “The very best start-up ideas tend to have three things in common: they’re something the founders themselves want, that they themselve...

7. 10 secrets of the stinking rich

Short of the dream lottery win, breaking into the ranks of the mega-rich seems unattainable. But the stinking rich have betrayed clues to their success – consistent traits that we can learn from. Here are the top 10. By JAMES BENNETTBy James Bennett

8. Australia’s top web 2.0 entrepreneurs

The search for Australia’s best and brightest web 2.0 entrepreneurs reveals a tangled web of companies, individuals and technologies reports BRAD HOWARTH, tied together through an equally complex web of professional relationships and friendships. By Brad Howarth

9. The best of the best iPhone apps

It's almost impossible to think of a faster growing industry than the mobile application sector. In just 12 months the market has been transformed from virtually non-existent to a sector worth billions of dollars.   The undisputed leader of the sector is Apple. In the last 12 months, its App Store for the iPhone and iPod Touch has recorde...

10. History’s top 10 computer viruses

Time for a walk down memory lane, with the top 10 computer viruses ever The top 10 computer viruses, as compiled by news.com.au. 1. Jerusalem (1987) This was one of the earliest and most successful viruses, which activated each Friday the 13th. The virus installed itself in the target comp...

11. The hottest gadgets for 2010

There's nothing better than a hot new gadget, and 2009 had plenty of them. A plethora of smartphones, laptops, netbooks and software have given technology fans enough to keep them satisfied over the past year. With new features and services released every month, it's becoming harder and harder to keep up with the industry's innovation.

12. 2012's Hot 30 Under 30

They are young, smart and hungry for success. Meet SmartCompany's Hot 30 Under 30 class of 2012 – a group of entrepreneurs aged 30 years and younger, drawn from 30 of Australia's fastest-growing SMEs. These 30 young people are well on their way to becoming Australia’s next generation of top entrepreneurs.

13. Why Gina Rinehart is on her way to being the world's richest

Gina Rinehart hates the label “Australia’s richest person”. So how will she and the rest of the country react when - not if - she ranks as the “world’s richest", as can be forecast using the latest research. Citigroup Global Markets, a division of the big US banking group Citibank, provided a glimpse into Rinehart’s future in a major report on worldwide resource projects called Generation Next. The 60-page document looks at 400 mining projects around the world cl...

14. The next 10 online trends

It’s never been harder to keep up with the latest web trends - with the expansion onto mobile platforms, the growth of social media and the need for start ups to be aware of new SEO techniques. As a result, we’ve assembled a team of web experts to help you and your business keep on top of the most important trends on the web. Constructing a mobile website, creating social media campaigns and selling online are just some of the challenges businesses will face during 2010.

15. Australian SME wins contract to monitor Microsoft’s global

An Australian SME has won a contract with Microsoft to monitor the software giant’s energy usage, providing information on where the company can save money on emissions and environmental performance. The appointment comes as major businesses start to adopt more green technology within their infrastructure – especially in Australia as the carbon tax nears its introduction. CarbonSystems chief executive David Solsky says the Microsoft deal comes at an exciting time, as...

16. Australia's top female entrepreneurs for 2011

There’s a strong argument that the past year has been a landmark one for Australia’s female leaders.  There’s a woman (Julia Gillard) in the Prime Minister’s office. A woman (Gina Rinehart) has become Australia’s richest person. Two women (Kristina Keneally and Lara Giddings) have become State Premiers, a ...

17. Small Business Software and Tools

Starting a business is always difficult, and trying to start one in the middle of an economic crisis be even harder. To add to the problem, many small businesses are unaware of the internet's power when it comes to free business advice. So we've compiled a list of simple small business software applications and tools to help small business managers setup and grow their businesses for little or no...

18. Will Australia’s Groupon bubble burst?

You can call it the great Groupon gold rush. In just 12 short months, more than a dozen new group buying sites have been launched in Australia, all modelled on US group buying pioneer Groupon, which has annual revenue of about $US350 million and a valuation approaching $1 billion. In some cases, even the names s...

19. I’m a small Real Estate Agent. How do I get my listings on

So you've probably all heard that Google's moving into property listings, potentially trying to out-muscle realestate.com.au and domain.com.au. Already this week they've also announced a new computer operating system to take on the might of Microsoft and Apple. Be afraid. Pretty soon Google will be everywhere. But let's talk property and have a look under the hood of this new property listing system for real estate agents, buyers and renters.This is such a boon for those ...

20. IT checklist

Running an IT system can be a headache. Few small businesses can afford the luxury of a dedicated IT department or Help Desk, but they still need to cover their functions. A small business needs to make sure that those tasks are allocated to someone within the business or to an outside provider. The following checklist will ensure small-business owners and managers have an IT overview and don’t over...

21. Should you upgrade to Internet Explorer 9?

Big fat computer updates always worry IT people, as the changes can break important business software and leave a lot of irritated staff complaining they can't do their job because "the computers won't work." Microsoft's latest version of Internet Explorer – released two weeks ago – has to be treated with a bit of care as IE is a fundamental part of Windows, something which made the spyware outb...

22. How the rich made their money

It's the question that has plagued young people and would-be entrepreneurs for years: how do you figure out your path in life when you are not sure what you want to do? In order to find to try to find the answer, who better to ask than Warren Buffett and Bill Gates, who sat down ...

23. The 12 most influential people in Australian ICT

The information and communication technology industries underpin almost every facet of our working lives, and increasingly our personal lives too. For many of Australians, it is only when we sleep that we are not "connected" via a mobile phone, PC, notebook or tablet. But who wields power in this increasingly importa...

24. Last days of the 50% investment allowance – the 10 big que

25. Our top 10 digital entrepreneurs

The hardest part about compiling a list of Australia’s digital entrepreneurs was to narrow it to just 10. By BRAD HOWARTH. By Brad HowarthWho are Australia’s emerging digital entrepreneurs, making their mark across the world, ...

26. Vodafone launches Google Nexus One in Australia – but can

Vodafone will begin selling the Google Nexus One smartphone today, with a relatively quiet launch despite speculation earlier this year the internet giant's official handset would dominate the sector. But despite early support for the handset, the Nexus One has failed to sell as many units in the US as Google hoped, and Apple's iOS platform still dominates the industry despite Android gaining market share. Vodafone will offer the Nexus One for $0 upfront of the $79 cap 24-month ...

27. Clever ways to future-proof your business

As the old adage goes, you don't know what you don't know. But for small businesses, not knowing what the future might hold can cost them dearly. While small businesses are often great at what they do, they're not so great at planning for the future, the executive director of small business customer unit at Telstra, Charles...

28. Australia’s leading group-buying Spreets site bought by Ya

Internet giant Yahoo7! has announced this morning it will pay $40 million for local group buying operator Spreets, in the latest deal within the local group buying scene that has rocketed from a niche market into a multi-million dollar global industry in just over a year. The announcement means three of the four major competitors in the local group buying industry – Spreets, Cudo and Jump On It – are now owned or financed by major corporations, with Scoopon the only independent operato...

29. Rupert Murdoch tweets against Google contain lessons for soc

Businesses have been warned to watch what they say on Twitter after media mogul Rupert Murdoch found himself in digital hot water after slamming Google in a series of tweets aimed at supporting a contentious piece of legislation in the United States designed to stop piracy.  The tweets are only the latest controversy to arise from the social media site, with entrepreneurs and well-known entities often called out for contentious statements. Even industry rivals, such as Micros...

30. The 10 next trends in mobile

As the world's technology companies brace for the toughest year since the dot-com crash, there is one bright spot on the horizon - mobile phones. The release of Apple's 3G iPhone had sparked a wave of product innovation in the sector, from handsets and operating sy...

31. The top 10 gadgets for 2011 – and 10 more for next year

There’s nothing better than a well-designed, useful gadget. And there’s more than ever before. With more manufacturers jumping on board with smartphones, advanced televisions and a boom in consumer electronics, gadget lovers have a smorgasbord of goodies to keep their technical habit going.

32. GOT-JUNK? trashes competition

Cameron Herold, aged 43 and based in Vancouver, is known worldwide for turning a small business into the global juggernaut 1-800-GOT-JUNK?.   He talks to Amanda Gome about his plans to build a sustainable global business, and his tips ...

33. Nintex

Brian Cook

34. Google reveals Australia’s most popular internet searches

Internet search giant Google has released an interim list of the "fastest rising" search terms for the year, with "Swine Flu", "MasterChef" and even Microsoft's "Bing" search engine reaching the top 10. The company regularly releases lists of the top search terms in several categories, including film and television, retail stores, products and services and individuals. Microsoft's Bing search engine has come up as the seventh most popular keyword, just behind "Twitter"...

35. How cloud computing could change your business – and save

If you want to slash your IT spending, maximise the flexibility of your systems, and be able to ...

36. Microsoft releases new Zune HD player

Software giant Microsoft has released a new version of its Zune portable media player in an attempt to rival the Apple iPod Touch, but no Australian release data has been announced.   The new device, titled the Zune HD, features a 3.3-inch OLED touchscreen, an accelerometer, wi-fi capability and high-definition video-out ports.  

37. New internet millionaire shares his secrets

What works online? Ask David Eedle. He just sold his young internet site for more than $3 million. He made plenty of mistakes building the site and learnt from all of them. By AMANDA GOME. David Eedle of Arts Hub tells Amanda Gome about his strategy, his exit, and why all companies should use the internet to improve communications with customers. Listen to the

38. The legal traps of cloud computing

Being unable to retrieve data hosted overseas, downtime stretching for days and recovery costs that reach into the tens of thousands – these are just some of the problems small businesses are now facing when moving into the cloud. Legal experts say while this relatively new market is providing many businesses with pr...

39. Australian iPhone developers striking gold

The release of the 3G iPhone in July 2008 changed the telecommunications industry forever, and instantly made the device one of the hottest products on the planet.   But it wasn't just the iPhone's cool looks and functionality that drew customers. Where Apple really struck gold was with the App Store, a site where iPhone and iPod users could do...

40. Microsoft “tech support” phone scam escalates

Microsoft Australia says it is still working to shut down scammers claiming to represent the software giant and promising to fix problems with an individual’s computer in return for credit card details, but new revelations suggest the fraud is becoming more sophisticated. CPA Australia head of accounting policy, Denis Pratt, says he was contacted on his home phone this week by people claiming to be from “Windows technical support” who knew his name and address. Pratt s...

41. The five best Steve Jobs anecdotes

Steve Jobs was known for his hands-on managerial style, the ability to both completely humiliate and inspire employees at the same time, and for his incredible vision – but not much is known about the day-to-day working life of the man himself. Bits and pieces of information have been available for years, but until yesterday many former colleagues and journalists were unable to reveal what they had seen or heard. With so many of these stories now being told, here are five ...

42. How Mike Quigley overcame cancer and career setbacks to beco

When ZDNet.com.au asked people behind the scenes in the telco industry this week what sort of person NBN Company executive chairman Mike Quigley really was, it was one disappointment during his career that was commonly mentioned. "He was promised the CEO role," one industry source said of Quigley's departure from Alcatel-Lucent in 2007 after more than 30 years with the French company. "It was

43. There’s a new player in the world of corporate communicati

As more and more people in an organisation start using social media, they unwittingly start to take on the role of "unofficial spokesperson". They have the opportunity to talk with customers in a completely different way. The conversation is not intermediated - it is unbelievably direct. It is human. It is authentic. It is transparent. For many people - particularly those trained in the arts of marketing and PR - this is quite concerning. According to some people, you can't allow ...

44. The top 20 (non-iPhone) apps

The apps market might still be dominated by Apple, but that hasn't stopped Google, BlackBerry and Nokia building app stores to try and close the gap. These new markets, along with the Windows Marketplace, are not only giving users more variety, but are providing developers with a range of new ways to gain revenue and market their apps.

45. Why doesn’t anyone care about my new website?

When a business launches a new website there is typically some fanfare. Congratulatory emails abound. Executives make laudatory announcements. Website analytics are carefully watched for improved performance.   Yet the results that follow are often disappointing. Traffic stays steady. Bounce rates don't move. Average time on site doesn't change. It seems that no one cares that you've launched a new site. If you find yourself in this position then your team needs to honestl...

46. Nick Holmes à Court

Nick Holmes à Court is the chief executive of BuzzNumbers, a social media monitoring agency that specialises in helping clients analyse how their brand is being discussed on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. Holmes à Court, who shares o...

47. The five key trends from the 2011 Mobile World Congress

Continued expansion of 3D content and the growing power of social networks were just two of the trends seen at this year’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. With the congress in its final day and most of the major announcements already made analysts and consumers were poring over this year’s releases to see what can be expected during the next 12 months in telecommunications and technology.  There were two minor announcements yesterday, with Motorola confirming th...

48. Google changes search algorithm to favour original content a

A senior Google engineer has confirmed that the search engine giant has slightly changed its search algorithm to favour original content over copy-cat content used to increase search engine rankings. Matt Cutts, principal engineer at Google, confirmed on his private blog that last week Google had implemented a "targetted" change to its search algorithm last week, designed to re-rank sites that 'copy others' content an...

49. Five ways the Apple iPad will change business

Early this morning Apple chief executive Steve Jobs finally announced the company's worst-kept secret – a tablet device called the iPad. The device features everything analysts could have hoped for, including the ability to use iPhone apps, a new range of dedicated iPad apps such as the iWorks office suite, a new iBooks store and a constant 3G connection....

50. Federal government grants to fire your growth

Free money is good money. One of the most critical parts of running a business is not only good cashflow, but making sure you’re able to maximise the amount of working capital you have to invest. And too often, businesses overlook one of the most fundamental capital sources – government grants. There is a tre...