My Bionic Quest for Bol鲯: Michael Chorost's article in Wired on his pursuit of the perfect audio upgrade and Ravel's masterpiece.

The newly developed Freedom^TM Cochlear^TM Implant has many new features. The processor itself has a better design with a 'drawer' for batteries and showerproof casing. (It has even fallen into a bowl of hot soup and survived!)

The implant that goes under the skin behind the ear is now only 2-3 millimetres thick so does not protrude. The array of electrodes has a newly developed casing that causes minimal damage inside the Cochlear^TM enabling maximum retention of residual hearing. The processor has new features to enable zooming into conversation in noise

Register of hotels and motels: Deafness Forum & Better Hearing Australia Inc now have a register of hotels and motels that provide facilities for Deaf and hearing impaired people. This may include flashing smoke alarm in some rooms, subtitled television, flashing alerts for door knock.

Contract for the NRS: The new contract for the National Relay Service (NRS) has been won by ACE who had the previous contract. Outreach (marketing) and Training people to use equipment for use with the NRS is to be carried out by Westwood Spice (previously carried out by ACE). Westwood Spice is the national body of the Deaf Societies in Australia. Outreach and training will be centred in the Deaf Societies in each state.