Spending on public cloud IaaS is expected to reach US$36.6 billion globally by the end of 2018, with spending growing more than five times faster than overall IT spending.

Marine Rescue Queensland has turned to cloud computing to help improve information sharing and consistency of training across its 25 once-autonomous volunteer squads. [ + ]

Optus Business's new cloud strategy is aimed at allowing Australian businesses to pursue flexible cloud deployments, ensuring the seamless movement of data and processes across clouds. [ + ]

This week: Space sail-craft falls silent, wrong calculators trip up students, Sydney's Opal losing money, a speedy robotic cockroach and just as you suspected… reality doesn't exist. [ + ]

Nearly half of online shoppers in A/NZ have abandoned a purchase due to website frustrations and 29% have purchased the product in a physical store instead. [ + ]

More than 600 academics and professionals from across the globe, with expertise in areas such as big data, data mining, social networks and databases, are expected at the five-day 2015 ACM SIGMOD/PODS conference. [ + ]

Microsoft has announced plans to ensure Windows 10 closely integrates with users' other devices - including Windows, Android or iOS smartphones. [ + ]

The newly rebranded Internet Australia aims to take a more active role in discussions about the policies and issues that it says are threatening the fabric of the internet in Australia. [ + ]

Telstra subsidiary Pacnet has had its corporate IT network breached by a third party, PayPal admits to charging some customers twice for transactions and iiNet will help customers fight Dallas Buyers Club cases. [ + ]

Lexmark has secured a four-year managed print services deal with Bank of Queensland covering all the bank's branches, customer support centres and corporate offices. [ + ]

The communications ministry has proposed to simplify and modernise Australia's spectrum management framework to accommodate new technologies and business models. [ + ]

The federal government has opened a new data centre in Fyshwick in a move that it says will save taxpayers millions in operating costs and provide vital stability for numerous government departments. [ + ]

The founding principles for data centre design are to select the right infrastructure architecture, choose the most thermally efficient layout and equipment, and monitor and dynamically manage the operation. [ + ]

This week: Applying the 'Dear Leader' filter, Taekwondo champ loses due to computer freeze, lawyers sue over their own exams, glitch causes cargo pile-up and officials find a new way to deal with pesky ship passengers.

The ACCC has warned Australian businesses of an influx of malware and ransomware threats, while research has shown that corporate devices are most vulnerable when away from the security perimeter. [ + ]