Google’s Pixel 7a is here (as is Google I/O), but is the Pixel 7a a worthwhile phone? How is Australia's Federal budget fighting scammers and cybercrime? Are blue skies already turning grey at Bluesky Social? I was on this week's Vertical Hold: Behind The Tech News and this is an updated version.

"Australian technology news podcast Vertical Hold dives into the big stories of the week. Joined by Australia's leading tech journalists every Friday, co-hosts @adam_turner and @alexkidman channel-surf through the headlines in search of the big picture," they write.

Google’s I/O brought us lots of AI, no Pixel Fold down under and… Time Travel?

Well, no, Google didn’t bring us time travel, but in this week’s show, we’re using the power of time travel to tell the story of the Pixel 7a, discuss the Pixel Tablet and more with EFTM’s Dan Tyson and Review.org’s Adam Smith!

It’s also budget week, and the tech side of the budget wanted to talk all about the criminals. No, not the ones we may or may not have elected*, but instead criminals of the cyber kind.

So Stilgherrian dropped by the Vertical Hold studios to talk all things Cyber, as well as why the skies over at Bluesky might not be that blue…

*Allegedly, in case you’re a lawyer reading this.

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https://the9pmedict.com/edict/vh428/

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The 9pm Extra: Vertical Hold episode 428, "Is Google's Pixel 7a a winner, How is the budget fighting cybercrime?"