Labor MP Jason Clare has been appointed Shadow Minister for Communications, with Labor's recent communications ministers Stephen Conroy and Anthony Albanese being passed over for the role. [ + ]

Microsoft has pulled Windows RT 8.1 from the Windows Store mere days after its release, following reports that the OS update rendered some customers' devices unusable, or 'bricked'. Update: The company has now released a Recovery Image for Surface RT users. [ + ]

Researchers from security vendor FireEye say the behaviour of a mobile ad library used in 1.8% of the most popular Android apps presents broad security risks. [ + ]

Oracle has won a deal to provide the hardware for a project by HealthShare NSW - NSW Health's shared services arm - to deploy a new technology platform. [ + ]

System integrators face different barriers to most organisations when it comes to the cloud. What are some of these barriers and what can be done to overcome them? [ + ]

Cisco and Microsoft control over 40% of the $700m Australian UC market, but new trends such as the emergence of cloud-based solutions could shake up the status quo. [ + ]

Early bird registrations for the Melbourne Comms Connect event in late November close tomorrow, 18 October. The event, which will be held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on 20-22 November, will cover the latest in radio communications, including wireless networks, IP convergence, mobile broadband and more. [ + ]

Big data vendor Zettaset has sued Intel, claiming the chip maker misappropriated trade secrets related to its Hadoop management software. [ + ]

Six in 10 will process the majority of their transactions in the cloud by 2016, according to a Garner report predicting key movements in seven industries. [ + ]

You can't just throw a bunch of smart people into a room full of sticky notes, whiteboards and Nerf guns and expect that three hours later, your next big product will emerge. MYOB CTO Simon Raik-Allen explains how to get the most out of the development process. [ + ]

Google's plan to use more Google+ profile data in advertising serves as both a potential model for other companies' big data monetisation efforts and as a cautionary tale. [ + ]

Stephen Conroy last week made what some have labelled "rare admissions" of mistakes in Labor's approach to the NBN. But do his comments really constitute admissions of failure? [ + ]

Unified threat management (UTM) systems combine a firewall with other security features, centralising visibility, reporting and security controls in a single device to simplify management of network security. [ + ]

Several D-Link router models contain a vulnerability that would give an interloper complete administrative access over the devices, according to one vulnerability researcher. [ + ]

Industry body OSIA is calling on Australia to follow in the footsteps of New Zealand and abolish software patents. [ + ]