Tech & Innovation

EDITOR'S NOTE: Here at Anthill, we've taken a particular interest in the evolving concept of crowdsourcing, and specifically the growing practice of companies sourcing creative ideas and designs from the crowd online. Crowdsourcing is a bone of contention in the Anthill community. For yet another view, here we publish the thoughts of Paul Cornwell, Partner at creative agency BCM Partnership, on Unilever's recent use of crowdsourcing website Idea Bounty to source creative ideas for its Peperami brand.

The Rudd Government yesterday awarded total funding of over $394 million for 1,145 Australian research projects.

Frustrated Australian consumers are voting with their mice, with huge numbers choosing to spend their hard-earned cash on overseas retail websites that give them a far more enjoyable shopping experience. Last year, 43 percent of Australia's total online spend went overseas. No wonder brands based in the UK and US dominate the top 10 retail sites visited by Australian shoppers.

In recent months, several companies have carved out innovative niches for themselves in the beauty industry, launching ground-breaking products and services designed to meet the needs of cosmetics consumers in unique, cutting-edge ways.

This has to be one of the most anticipated yet underwhelming launches in Microsoft's history. Apparently, we were supposed to be so excited about the launch that we would host a party in honour of it! Come on, MS. Really. Generally speaking, I like your stuff. But am I going to throw a party in honour of it? Not unless you're paying for the booze.

This has to be one of the most anticipated yet underwhelming launches in Microsoft's history. Apparently, we were supposed to be so excited about the launch that we would host a party in honour of it! Come on, MS. Really. Generally speaking, I like your stuff. But am I going to throw a party in honour of it? Not unless you're paying for the booze.

This funny (and strangely catchy) mashup of television footage from Carl Sagan's Cosmos and Stephen Hawking's Universe series (with the aid of some masterfully applied Auto-Tune singing technology) was created as a musical tribute to honour the two great men of science. It also begs the question, 'Why can't science be cool?' (Or so uncool that it becomes cool... like Sagan's skivvy.)

Stefan Sagmeister is New York-based designer with a fresh take on work and inspiration. Every seven years he closes his Manhattan studio for 12 months so he and his team can recharge their creative batteries.

The news yesterday that the Federal Government has unveiled details of its $196 million Commercialisation Australia (CA) initiative has been welcomed by many entrepreneurs and innovation consultants. These same intended beneficiaries might also be forgiven for wondering whether it is an improvement on the $1 billion Commercial Ready Scheme it is designed to replace.

The news yesterday that the Federal Government has unveiled details of its $196 million Commercialisation Australia (CA) initiative has been welcomed by many entrepreneurs and innovation consultants. These same intended beneficiaries might also be forgiven for wondering whether it is an improvement on the $1 billion Commercial Ready Scheme it is designed to replace.

Online star rating systems are a great idea in principle, but unfortunately, they don't work. And no, not because of all the know-nothing trolls out there who saturate these ratings channels with their narcissistic critiques. The problem is that, when it comes to rating products online, the crowd is too nice.

Companies wanting to create a profitable market position in the competitive clean technology landscape must understand their competitors’ patents and how these will impact...

We laugh at the people in Australian Idol auditions who are completely oblivious to that fact that they can't sing. But hang on... These people pop-up in business all the time. You might even have had an 'Idol moment' yourself when you were younger.

Just because it makes sense to you doesn't guarantee that it will impress everyone that matters. By the way, what is a Chrysler Turbo Encabulator?

Vanessa Cullen left her former employment after discovering a colleague had been plagiarising design works for many years. She refused to turn a blind eye to dishonesty, and started her own design firm Forward Thinking Design so that she could make work ethics the number one rule in the studio.

This week Ross Dawson released a list of extraordinary technologies he thinks will be commonplace seven years from now, in 2016.

I'm often the recipient of emails and phone calls from readers asking whether we can help promote a new product or service. It's all part and parcel of the job. But it creates a dilemma. Who do I help and who do I dismiss? (Because we obviously can't help everyone.)

Strange as it sounds, Zoe Warne refuses to admit she has worked a day in her life. As the director and co-founder of digital marketing and communications agency August, this 2009 Anthill 30under30 winner describes entrepreneurship as both business and pleasure.

Remember the random cut and paste lettering of ransom notes from old movies and cop shows? Well, here's a cool API mashup that takes letters in various styles and fonts from Flickr so that you can spell your name, your company name, your friend's, spouse's, pet's names like any respectable cartoon villain.

Some people have too much time on their hands. This is absurd, yet I cannot look away.