Anthony Caruana

I don’t like the coronavirus ‘new normal’

Apr 7, 2020Anthony CaruanaCulturecoronavirus, covid-19, culture

It’s been a while since I simply sat down and decided to write something just because. There’s no commission, no invoice to send or payment to chase. I just want to write. Over the last month, the world has changed significantly. Even in war time, there’s a period where the rivals push and shove over some imaginary line on the ground or argue about access to a precious resource. But the coronavirus pandemic has changed things. in ways that, in some ways that are far more personally extreme than war.
And it’s happened faster than many us can really comprehend.

The rise of AI is this century's nuclear moment

Aug 1, 2019Anthony CaruanaCulture, Politicsai, nuclear

History has a habit of repeating itself. Or, perhaps more accurately, revolving in cycles. Which is writer and philosopher George Santayana was motivated to say the saying “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it”.

Drifting towards Orwell's future

Jul 29, 2019Anthony CaruanaCulture, Politicsgeorge orwell, pilitics

Over the last decade or so, there’s been a marked shift in western politics. And while it’s easy to assign the blame for this shift in behaviour on the politicians it’s really pandering to what they have seen in society. By tapping into the politics of fear and self-interest, political parties in many democracies have been able to gain and retain power. And they are taking advantage of a broken world to further fracture and divide in an almost Orwellian way.

Disney will drive the transformation of Netflix

Jul 29, 2019Anthony CaruanaCulture, Moviesdisney, entertainment, netflix, svod

It wasn’t that long ago that Netflix transformed our expectations of how we access TV series and movies. In the old days, we’d watch TV shows and movies when deals made between studios, cinemas and TV networks allowed it. But today we have access to a vast array of content, new and old, that keeps us entertained anywhere and at any time. But while Netflix led the way, killing the humble video store along the way, it’s now facing its own challenge as old incumbents that looked like like lumbering dinosaurs are about to stomp Netflix.

How do freelancers take time off

Aug 19, 2018Anthony CaruanaWork

Working freelance offers lots of benefits but there are some challenges. For example, employees in salaried jobs receive a whole lot of benefits including holiday pay. So, how can freelancers make sure their time off doesn’t leave them in a financial hole?

Tips for travelling freelancers

Aug 8, 2018Anthony CaruanaTravel

Many freelancers spend a lot of time travelling. That can be overseas, interstate or even commuting between home and client sites or co-working spaces. In order to maximise productivity, there are some things you can do to make the time you spend travelling more productive, ensure you can hit the ground running when you arrive at your destination, and make sure your departure and arrival are as smooth as possible.

Invest in relationships – they matter

Jun 26, 2018Anthony CaruanaWorkclients, freelancing, productivity, small business

A while ago, I wrote about how I came to get the job of editor for Macworld Australia. It came after many years of being a freelance contributor to the magazine. But I wasn’t the only long-term contributor. I also ensured that I maintained a good relationship with the publishers and it was the combination of relationships and experience that got me that job. But, the publisher has decided to shutter that operation and I lost a long-timer retainer client. While that hurt, the pain was short-lived.

Setting up your own email

Jun 19, 2018Anthony CaruanaAdviceprofessionalism, Software, tools

Although there are lots of free email services like Gmail, Windows Live and Yahoo!, setting up a domain name and customised email address is much easier than it sounds and can be done by anyone who has a moderate level of computer literacy. If you can follow instructions, type and use a mouse – you can set up your own email.

Tips for travelling freelancers to stay safe online

Jun 13, 2018Anthony CaruanaTravel

One of the perks of being a freelancer is that you get to travel. It’s not always to glamourous locales but between meeting people for interviews, working at conferences and, occassionally, working in cafes, libraries and co-working spaces you may find yourself needing to use an internet connection that might not be as trustworthy as you’d like. So, how do you stay safe online when you’re away from the safety of your home office? Here are some tips.

Notability: An almost perfect app for journalists

Jun 7, 2018Anthony CaruanaReviews

As a journalist, I need to keep track of a lot of things. I have interviews to record and makes notes about, story plans to create, and a bunch of other tasks that don’t conveniently fit into one particular tool. Added to this is that I like using technology and that I hate using paper. I’ve had an iPad Pro for a while now – the smaller one with the 10.5-inch display rather the laptop-esque 12.9-inch model. I’ve also got one of Apple’s Smart Keyboards and the Apple Pencil. So, I had all the hardware I needed but not the software – until now. Notability has filled the void and is an essential ingredient in my productivity recipe.