The Anker Solix E10 whole-home battery backup system is a modular setup that can keep your home powered and save you money with multiple forms of power input.

In rural Ohio, my partner and I have struggled with power outages since we bought our house. The first weekend we moved in, we were hit with a power outage, and as we walked outside, we heard all of our neighbors turning on loud, gas-powered generators.

We knew this was common and had to find a solution. Until the Solix E10, we’ve relied primarily on multiple battery backups in the house to keep the internet running, devices charged, and appliances going during these outages.

At most, we went for over three days without power thanks to the aging power infrastructure. The roadside utility poles that deliver power are constantly downed by trees or rough weather.

The E10, from the Anker power subbrand Solix, looked like a great fit that could grow with us, while reducing our reliance on the grid and being less susceptible to outages.

Anker Solix E10 review: A modular solution for your home

The Anker Solix E10 is a modular power system that is designed to support your entire home. It’s comprised of multiple components that you can pick and choose based on your needs.

Anker Solix E10 review: The E10 Power Module atop a B6000 battery.

It’s a family of products consisting of battery modules, the E10 Power Module, the Smart Generator 5500, the Power Dock, and the Smart Inlet box. Here, I tested E10 connected to a battery as well as the Power Dock.

In my setup, the Power Dock with its 12 circuits is connected to my primary breaker box. Some of the circuits from my home were moved into the Power Dock to be controlled by the E10 system in the case of a power outage.

The E10 Power Module sits on top of the batteries and feeds into the Power Dock. If you have the Solix Tri-fuel Smart Generator 5500, it also feeds into the E10 Power Module to provide supplementary power and charge the batteries.

Depending on your home, you can easily customize this to your needs. You can add on lots of solar to drastically reduce your reliance on the grid or line up three E10 Power Modules with five 6144Wh B6000 battery modules each to run up to 15 days solely on stored power.

Anker Solix E10 review: The E10 Power Dock can hold 12 circuits.

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Besides grid-supplied or solar power, the generator is unique. It can be powered by a natural gas line, propane, or gasoline, depending on what you have available.

This feels like the most adaptable whole-home battery system I’ve seen yet and can easily be outfitted to both small and large homes. Combined, you can go off-grid, be protected indefinitely during outages, and save money.

Anker Solix E10 review: App control and smarts

The Anker Solix E10 is all managed from the Anker app. It’s the same one that can run your desktop charger, your portable power station, and now, your whole home.

From the main view, you see a representation of your home with all the various inputs, such as solar, grid, and your batteries connected to the Power Dock. You see the home load, too.

It shows how the power is flowing and how much each piece is generating or drawing. I love watching and seeing the solar spike on sunny days and how much money it has saved us.

The system has two operating modes and two backup modes. For operating modes, you can use self-consumption mode (the default), which manages the load in real-time and maximizes any solar input, or you can choose “time of use mode,” which is for those with variable energy rates based on the time of day.

Anker Solix E10 review: A few spare solar panels give me added power input

In Ohio, I have fixed-rate electricity pricing, so I use the standard self-consumption mode. Not only does this manage the flow of power from solar and the grid, but it also designates the capacity stored in the batteries.

Batteries don’t do well when stored for long periods of time at full capacity. For that reason, the E10 system will keep your batteries at an optimal capacity, usually 20%, though the user can designate exactly how much.

Anker Solix E10 review: The Solix E10 is easy to set up within the Anker app and used to monitor and adjust your power usage.

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For backup modes, you can choose “Storm Guard” or “Rapid Charging”. The former will only charge your batteries when necessary, while the second is a manual backup option that will charge your batteries at maximum power.

Lastly, there is an option for “manual off-grid.” This cuts the power to the grid with the flip of a toggle and utilizes only self-produced and stored power for your home.

While the app works very well, is cleanly laid out, and has most of what I need, it isn’t as robust as some of the others out there. Some, like the Tesla PowerWall or the Ecoflow Smart Home Panel, seem to have a lot more data, graphs, and integrations.

As this is the first such product for Anker, I expect the app to continuously evolve and improve. For right now, it’s solid, but not the best.

Anker Solix E10 review: Storm Guard

Storm Guard is one of the best features of this system, and something I’ve got to test a few times in recent weeks. You input your address, and the system will monitor weather warnings for your area.

If there is a predicted weather warning approaching, it will automatically charge your batteries in anticipation. While in Storm Guard, you’ll get a notification as well as a banner on the app’s main view to let you know how long it is in effect.

Anker Solix E10 review: Storm Guard kicking in

This did not work 100% of the time for me, but it worked well enough. Even if it didn’t predict every outage, I was very impressed with its performance.

Whenever Apple Weather or Carrot would send me an alert that there was a weather warning for my area — high wind, tornado, or severe thunderstorms — it was only a minute or two later that I’d get an alert from Anker that Storm Guard had been activated.

There was at least one time when a weather warning came in, and the system did not have ample time to fully charge the battery storage before our power was knocked offline. This shortened the amount of time our home could go off the battery backup.

I don’t fault the system for this, as it’s the best-case scenario for what it has to do. The only way to always have your batteries ready for any emergency power drop is to keep them stored at 100% perpetually, but this will reduce the lifespan of the cells, which you certainly don’t want.

Ultimately, as a compromise, I increased the stored percentage on the batteries to 30% so that I had a good amount of emergency power always stored, while still protecting battery health. That helps, too, in case of a surprise outage that isn’t weather-related.

Anker Solix E10 review: Where is Matter?

For me, the glaring hole right now is Matter, and it isn’t all Anker’s fault. Matter is the unifying smart home standard that works across ecosystems, including Apple Home.

The Connectivity Standards Alliance first added power management to the Matter standard in version 1.3 (we’re currently on 1.6), but it’s been a slow rollout to accessories. Ecosystems have also been slow to add power management features.

Currently, the Solix E10 does not support Matter, and Anker has not confirmed or denied its plans to do so. To me, this waffling shows how cautious brands are being about committing to the standard.

Anker Solix E10 review: The Power Dock that holds the home’s circuits

It’s a difficult spot for brands to be in right now. Who adopts support for a new feature first: the ecosystems or the accessories?

If no ecosystems fully support Matter power management, why add it to an accessory? Conversely, if no accessories want to support it, why add it to the ecosystem?

Thus far, Ecoflow has announced its intention to add Matter to its smart panel and its Oasis monitoring system, and others, like Pila, are adding it to their smaller battery stations.

Here’s my pitch on why more need to add it: aside from the ecosystems themselves, whole home battery backups are what this Matter feature was designed for. It’s the central point in your home that feeds power to all of the devices in your home.

With Matter, I could only run large appliances when my solar input passed a certain threshold at midday. I could also opt to pause unnecessary devices when running on battery power, like an extra space heater or the studio mini-fridge.

Anker Solix E10 review: Dual solar inputs on the side of the E10 Power Module, stacked on the batteries.

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For homes that have electric vehicles, you can also control when and how fast you charge your car. Charge only on green energy or during off-peak hours. The system could also better track what in your home is using energy to give you insights to inform your control.

Apple specifically has shown a lot of interest in the power management space. With iOS 27, Apple is adding energy monitoring to the Home app, and it already has clean energy monitoring and ties into select power providers.

While Apple doesn’t yet support robust power management Matter features, it’s absolutely something of interest. When purchasing a whole home battery backup system, whether or not it supports or is expected to support Matter would be a major factor for me.

I’d want something this substantial to support the latest features and not feel outdated as soon as Apple and the other ecosystems get serious.

Anker Solix E10 review: In use

As I mentioned, power outages are a constant problem in my area. Even if not a full prolonged blackout, those brownouts are just as problematic, especially to connected smart home tech.

Instead of relying on several smaller battery backups throughout the home, this has consolidated everything into one system. It’s also much more reliable and seamless.

If or when the house goes offline during a big launch, I can make sure I can keep working without interruption. Let alone making sure we can make baby formula or keep the freezers cold during those outages.

Anker Solix E10 review: Four AC inputs on the bottom of the E10 Power Dock, which can be used for up to three Power Modules or an EV charger.

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With a whole-home system, I don’t need to keep a bunch of batteries charged or check in on each of them individually during an outage to monitor how long they will last. Plus, since we have two full-sized refrigerators and a deep freezer, outfitting each with a battery backup that can last days would be expensive.

The Solix E10 system has reliably kicked in during every storm during my testing and powered our home during multiple outages. Only one outage wasn’t predicted when someone ran into a utility pole, but the 20% battery capacity got us through until it was repaired.

The Anker app is super useful to monitor that, as you can not only monitor the usage, but also see a real-time estimate of how long the battery will last.

Since the system has a sub-20 millisecond activation time, I also noticed that my brownouts are completely gone. The lights no longer flicker, and my smart home tech doesn’t need to reboot because the power dipped for just a second or two.

Anker Solix E10 review: Should you buy it

A whole-home battery system is certainly not cheap. It’s much more than a 5KmAh battery pack for your iPhone.

But for anyone who lives in an area with questionable power, frequent inclement weather, expensive energy rates, or is looking to go more off-grid, it’s the best solution.

Anker Solix E10 review: The Anker Solix logo atop the E10 Power Module.

More and more options have launched in the last few years, and I believe the Anker Solix E10 is the most approachable and customizable yet.

If you don’t want to go all-out, you can opt for an E10 and one battery. As time goes on, outfit your system with additional batteries, yard- or roof-mounted solar panels, or the tri-fuel smart generator.

Speaking of generators, I much prefer this over a regular gas generator. Most of those have just a few AC outlets you have to run cables to, but they also need regular maintenance and usually gas.

Using a battery system, it’s always ready to go, silent, and you don’t have to do anything. It simply kicks in when necessary, and if you do opt for that tri-fuel generator, it can run indefinitely.

The E10 system can be mounted indoors or outdoors, so it can withstand the elements. It still needs to be installed by an electrician, but it was a relatively quick and painless process.

Anker Solix E10 review: The whole system, with the Power Module on the left, next to the Power Dock, which feeds into the original home’s circuit breaker panel.

I’d still recommend this system based on its setup and performance, but I still want Matter to be in the picture. It’s the one thing holding it back from being basically perfect for me.

Anker Solix E10 review: Pros

• Easy installation for pros
• Whole-home backup for up to 15 days on battery
• Modular system to expand as needed
• Optional Tri-fuel generator to power home & batteries
• Two standard MC4 solar inputs
• Easy-to-use app
• Storm Guard to auto-backup batteries
• Track energy savings
• Store inside or outside

Anker Solix E10 review: Cons

• No Matter support
• Not as rich app compared to competition

Anker Solix E10 rating: 4 out of 5

Where to buy the Anker Solix E10

You can customize your own Anker Solix E10 system on Amazon, starting at $4,099.

The original PlayStation console launched with only 2MB of main RAM, split across four 512KB chips soldered to the motherboard. That amount served the system well for its era, powering a library of games that still hold up today. Yet the central processor inside was built from the start to work with up to 16MB. Sony simply never populated the extra capacity in consumer units, even though some of its own arcade hardware ran with the larger amount in two separate 8MB banks.

A PlayStation modder dubbed TunerTom has recently filled the RAM gap. Using traces from arcade boards and PSX.Dev Discord discussion, he has prepared a 16MB upgrade package that works on the standard PlayStation system. Another key step for this project was when Tito Perez of Macho Nacho Productions helped spread the word by performing a full, on-hardware demonstration, replete with a before-and-after test run.

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The upgrade does not modify the actual size of the chip footprint on the console’s motherboard, but almost everything else is redesigned. The first stage involves removing the conventional four 512KB chips. In their stead are eight 2MB EDO RAM chips salvaged from old 16MB RAM modules used in PCs. Four of these chips are inserted into the board connectors in the proper orientation. The remaining four are carefully changed so that they may stack directly on top of one another, with all but one of the legs soldered to the chip below, leaving one pin free for a particular connection.

The most difficult aspect is all of the extra wirework that must be completed, as here is where the majority of the modification effort is concentrated. It treats the extra memory as two independent 8MB banks, exactly as other arcade systems did. After cutting a few traces on the original motherboard and exposing a via, you can use a custom quick-solder adapter board shared by another modder in the community to route memory control signals. A short wire harness reconnects the bank-select pin to the adapter, and a single 22-ohm resistor completes the circuit. Plus, if you put the RF shield back on, the upgrade remains hidden within the original case.

The good news is that the upgrade should be compatible with the console’s easier to mod models, such as the SCPH-5500 with the PU-8 motherboard. With a little additional work, it may also work on other console revisions. You’ll need a hot air gun to remove the old chips, steady hands for soldering, a craft knife to cut some of the traces, and a multimeter to perform basic continuity checks. I’d rate it as an intermediate level challenge for an experienced console modder, however the adapter board does assist minimize the amount of point-to-point wiring required.

Testing has shown that the upgrade not only works, but also delivers. A special utility disc tests the PlayStation’s stock 2MB RAM, and once the mod is complete, it is changed to accommodate the 16MB RAM.

Most of the games you have already work properly because they never required more than 2MB of RAM. Some games, however, now fail to boot or simply crash due to a problem with memory initialization or the way the old setup replicated part of the data. However, the console itself continues to function normally on a daily basis. The true gain comes when game developers or homebrew programmers begin to design software that makes full use of all that extra capacity. Homebrew projects may suddenly have a lot of area for larger textures, longer draw distances, or just being able to load more assets from disc. Tito discovered one example: a Super Mario 64 port that can now load the entire game into RAM at once.

Most robots are pretty good at seeing, but touching? That’s been a much tougher problem. While humans instinctively know how hard they’re gripping a coffee mug or pressing a button, robots have traditionally relied on complex arrays of tiny sensors to estimate the same thing. Now, researchers at Queen Mary University of London believe they’ve found a much simpler solution: make touch visible.

A sensor that turns touch into color

As per the study published in Science Advances, their new tactile sensor changes color whenever pressure is applied, allowing a standard camera to “see” exactly how an object is being touched in real time.

Instead of embedding thousands of electronic pressure sensors into a robotic fingertip, the new system builds the sensing directly into the material itself. When the soft surface is pressed, it produces vivid color patterns that instantly reveal where pressure is being applied, how much force is being used, and even how the material is deforming.

The clever bit is that those colors can be captured using an ordinary low-cost USB camera. That means robots no longer need computationally intensive software to reconstruct touch from sensor data. They can simply “look” at the color patterns and immediately understand what they’re feeling. According to the researchers, this produces high-resolution pressure maps while dramatically simplifying the overall hardware.

Why this matters beyond the lab

The impact goes well beyond giving robots a better sense of touch. Researchers believe the technology could help factory robots assemble tiny components more precisely, enable prosthetic limbs to feel more naturally, and even help surgical robots distinguish healthy tissue from abnormal tissue during delicate procedures.

More importantly, the new sensor could solve one of robotics’ biggest headaches. Traditional tactile systems often force engineers to choose between speed and accuracy. By turning pressure directly into visible color patterns that a simple camera can read, the new approach delivers both: allowing robots to “see” touch in real time instead of relying on complex computations.

When Apple unveiled the iPhone Air, I knew immediately it would be my next phone. I have always loved small phones, and I stretched my iPhone 13 mini for as long as possible. But it struggled to keep up with my usage, so I had to upgrade. 

Since Apple no longer makes a small iPhone, the slim iPhone seemed like the right choice at the time. And honestly, it worked out well. While the iPhone Air is not as easy to handle as an iPhone mini, it is one-handable thanks to its slim profile and lower weight. 

I also got to enjoy the benefits of a larger screen, which makes it better for browsing the web and reading books. Everything was going great until the summer hit, and now I am not so sure. 

Life was good, until it got too hot

Before summer showed up, my time with the iPhone Air was genuinely great. As I mentioned in a previous article, the only real complaint I have was the absence of a telephoto lens. Everything else about the phone, including the size, the weight, and the one-handed usability, felt like a win.

Then the temperature climbed past 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit), and things took a turn. Since Apple crammed all the internals into the top of the iPhone Air to make room for a larger battery, that part of the phone turns into a furnace once it’s hot outside. I mean, genuinely uncomfortable to hold. I have gotten the “iPhone needs to cool down” warning screen more times this summer than I have in years of using iPhones.

The bigger issue, though, is the phone’s battery life, and it has fallen off a cliff. Before the heat wave, getting through a full day on a single charge was easy. Now, I have to charge it at least twice a day just to keep up. For a phone I picked specifically because of how effortlessly it fit into my day, that’s a rough trade to be making.

Why heat is your phone battery’s worst enemy

Heat is the enemy of the battery. It comes down to basic chemistry. Lithium-ion batteries rely on chemical reactions to store and release power, and heat speeds those reactions up. The faster they go, the quicker your battery drains, and the more permanent damage builds over time. 

According to a WSJ article, both Apple and Samsung actually agree that once your phone’s surroundings hit around 95 degrees Fahrenheit for extended periods, your battery will incur irreversible damage. Since the current ambient temperatures are rising well above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, my iPhone Air doesn’t stand a chance. 

What you can do to prevent heat damage to your phone’s battery

You can take several steps to prevent heat damage to your phone’s battery. First, keep your phone out of direct sunlight and away from hot cars, since even the glove compartment can turn into an oven. 

Second, if your phone is already hot, resist the urge to stash your phone in the fridge or freezer to cool it down. Instead, use something like a frozen ice pack wrapped in a towel and let it cool down gradually. 

Also, charging is another factor. Fast charging generates heat, so if you’re already in a hot environment, that combination speeds up battery wear even more. If you want to play it safe, slower charging is easier on your battery long term, even if it’s less convenient. 

In short, if you want your phone’s battery to last longer during a summer heatwave, avoid using it in direct sunlight, do not use fast or wireless charging, and let your phone cool down if you feel it getting hot, even before your phone gives you a warning.

This article is brought to you by Melbourne Convention Bureau (MCB) supported by Business Events Australia.

As artificial intelligence accelerates global demand for compute, a parallel constraint is emerging with equal urgency: energy.

From hyperscale data centers to electrified industries, AI is driving a step change in electricity demand. This is not a future challenge, it is a present, system-level issue requiring coordinated action across energy, infrastructure, and engineering disciplines.

Around the world, the question is no longer whether AI will scale, but whether energy systems can scale with it.

Melbourne, Australia is moving beyond participation to become a globally connected leader helping define how these challenges are addressed.

A national challenge with global implications

Australia’s ambition to lead in artificial intelligence is sharpening focus on the infrastructure required to support it. Data centers are projected to account for up to 11 percent of the nation’s electricity consumption by 2035, placing increasing pressure on generation, transmission, and system reliability.

At the same time, insight from the IEEE Power and Energy Society (PES) highlights that meeting energy demand from AI and digital infrastructure is one of the most significant challenges facing engineers over the next decade.

The implications are clear. In addition to computing challenges, AI poses major energy systems challenges.

“As artificial intelligence continues to scale globally, the challenge is no longer just computational power, it is the energy systems required to support it” —Professor Thas (Ampalavanapillai) Nirmalathas, University of Melbourne

Why Melbourne is leading on the global stage

Victoria has developed one of the most advanced and integrated energy ecosystems in Australia and globally, spanning renewable generation, battery storage, grid modernization, and advanced materials.

What distinguishes Melbourne globally is how these capabilities are connected and applied at system scale.

The city brings together world class engineering research, a rapidly evolving clean energy sector, advanced digital infrastructure, and strong alignment between government, industry, and academia. This convergence is critical in the AI era, where energy, networks and computing systems must be designed together.

Victoria’s coordinated investment across these areas is positioning Melbourne not only as a national leader, but also as a reference point in the global energy system transformation.

Engineering the systems behind the AI economy

The challenge ahead is that generating more power won’t be enough, as engineers need to design systems that respond dynamically to new patterns of demand.

Three priorities are emerging globally:

• Aligning data center development with grid capacity and renewable supply
• Embedding flexibility through storage, demand response, and system optimization
• Balancing digital growth with decarbonization and long-term reliability

Addressing these priorities requires engineering expertise to be embedded earlier in planning ensuring energy systems, digital infrastructure, and policy are designed in parallel.

Melbourne’s strength lies in its ability to integrate this expertise across research, infrastructure, and real-world application.

Melbourne Connect is a University of Melbourne–led innovation precinct, supported by government and industry, designed to bring together research, business and policy to deliver real-world solutions.Atlantic Group

Research leadership shaping global solutions

At the centre of this capability is the University of Melbourne, where interdisciplinary research is advancing the systems required to support AI driven energy demand.

Through the Melbourne Energy Institute, for example, researchers are examining how energy technologies interact across entire systems from generation and networks through to end use.

“As artificial intelligence continues to scale globally, the challenge is no longer just computational power, it is the energy systems required to support it,” says Professor Thas (Ampalavanapillai) Nirmalathas, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology at the University of Melbourne.

“This is driving a new level of convergence between digital infrastructure and power systems engineering, where integrated, system level thinking is essential.”

Converging energy, networks and AI

Melbourne’s leadership is further strengthened by world-class interdisciplinary facilities such as the Smart Grid Lab in the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, which enables real-time simulation of power systems, allowing engineers to test how solar, batteries, electric vehicles and other distributed resources interact within future grids. This supports the design of more resilient, efficient energy systems before they are deployed at scale.

Melbourne’s Smart Grid Lab in the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering enables real-time simulation of power systems. University of Melbourne

These capabilities will become increasingly important as data centers are integrated into the grid.

“AI driven demand is not only increasing computing requirements, but also placing new pressures on underlying energy systems,” says Glen Farivar, Senior Lecturer in Power Electronics at the University of Melbourne. “Designing these systems together is essential to achieving both performance and sustainability outcomes.”

This reflects a critical shift. Future infrastructure must be co designed across energy and digital systems, not developed in isolation.

A living ecosystem delivering real-world outcomes

Victoria’s broader energy ecosystem is translating these insights into practice.

Investment in renewable energy, grid infrastructure and storage is enabling higher levels of clean energy while maintaining reliability. Battery deployment is supporting the flexibility needed to manage both renewable variability and growing AI-driven demand.

At its core, Melbourne offers an integrated environment where research, industry and government collaborate to solve complex system challenges.

Why engineering collaboration matters

Solving the energy demands of the AI era cannot be achieved in isolation.

It requires engineers, researchers, utilities, and policymakers to work together earlier and more often. More than ever, engineering collaboration is a critical enabler of future energy systems.

Environments that bring together global expertise are becoming essential to how solutions are designed and delivered.

“Developing future energy systems that are affordable, sustainable, and resilient is a truly grand challenge” —Professor Pierluigi Mancarella, University of Melbourne

In this context, the University of Melbourne is co-leading, alongside Johns Hopkins University and Imperial College London, one of only seven Global Centres in Climate Change and Clean Energy. Through the Electric Power Innovation for a Carbon Free Society (EPICS) Centre, the University is also the Australian technical lead in advancing future energy systems, with EPICS the only Global Centre focused on future energy infrastructure.

The new Electric Power Innovation for a Carbon-Free Society (EPICS) Centre will address challenges in clean energy production and storage.University of Melbourne

“Developing future energy systems that are affordable, sustainable, and resilient is a truly grand challenge,” says Professor Pierluigi Mancarella, Chair Professor of Electrical Power Systems at the University of Melbourne and Australian director and international co-director of EPICS.

“As electricity grids are increasingly becoming the backbone of future energy systems, optimizing their interactions with other sectors, including AI and digitalization, and fostering interdisciplinary and international collaborations are essential,” he adds.

Global conferences as part of the solution

International conferences are increasingly recognized as critical platforms for advancing engineering solutions at scale. Melbourne’s ability to convene global expertise is central to its leadership.

In 2027, the city will host the IEEE PES Generation Transmission and Distribution (GTD) Asia 2027 Conference and Exposition, bringing together engineers, utilities, researchers and policymakers from across the world to address the challenges shaping the future of power systems.

IEEE PES GTD Asia 2027 Melbourne Committee (left to right): Dr. Mehdi Ghazavi Dozein (Monash University), Dr. Glen Farivar & Professor Pierluigi Mancarella (University of Melbourne) , Dr. Mohammad Mohammadi (Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO)).MCB

“Melbourne offers a unique environment where world-class research, industry capability and policy leadership come together,” notes the IEEE PES GTD Asia 2027 Local Organising Committee, which includes Professor Pierluigi Mancarella and Dr. Glen Farivar from the University of Melbourne, as well as Dr. Mehdi Ghazavi Dozein of Monash University and Dr. Mohammad Mohammadi of the Australian Energy Market Operator.

“Hosting this event creates an opportunity to advance global collaboration on the systems and technologies required to deliver the energy transition at scale.”

These forums enable knowledge exchange, standards development and interdisciplinary collaboration, accelerating progress on complex engineering challenges.

Attendees view a digital installation at AIME 2025 at Melbourne Connect.MCB

Why Melbourne, and why now

As AI, electrification and digital infrastructure converge, the future of global energy systems will depend on the ability of engineers to collaborate and innovate at scale.

Melbourne provides a proven platform for that collaboration, combining world-class research, a rapidly evolving energy ecosystem, and the infrastructure to connect global expertise.

Melbourne Convention Bureau, IEEE Communications Society, and University of Melbourne Representatives.University of Melbourne

For IEEE members, hosting a conference in Melbourne is more than an event decision.

It is an opportunity to engage with a globally connected engineering community and contribute directly to solving one of the most significant challenges facing the profession today.

Through the support of the Melbourne Convention Bureau, professionals can access tailored, free support to bid for and deliver international conferences, bringing global expertise together in a city actively shaping the future of energy systems.

To explore hosting your next conference in Melbourne, contact the Melbourne Convention Bureau at info@melbournecb.com.

A new hardware accessory is looking to simplify one of the more frustrating aspects of using a MacBook: juggling different keyboard shortcuts across video calls, productivity apps, and development tools.

A startup Project Mirage has launched Dune, a compact USB-C accessory that adds three programmable buttons to compatible MacBooks. The device automatically changes its functions depending on the application currently in use, allowing users to perform common actions with a single press instead of memorising different keyboard shortcuts.

Dune combines context-aware controls with AI-powered customization

Unlike traditional macro keypads, Dune is designed specifically for MacBooks and is custom-built to match different laptop models, allowing it to sit flush against the side of the device. The accessory plugs directly into a USB-C port and draws power from the laptop, eliminating the need for batteries or charging.

Its three programmable buttons adapt based on the app being used. During video calls, they can be configured to mute the microphone, toggle the webcam, or bring the meeting window into focus. In spreadsheet applications, they can become copy, paste, and undo buttons, while developers can assign actions for tools such as Visual Studio Code or GitHub.

The device is currently compatible with MacBook Air models powered by the M2 chip or newer and MacBook Pro models featuring M1 Pro processors or later, running macOS Sequoia 15 or newer.

Project Mirage also ships Dune with a companion app that lets users create application-specific shortcuts or system-wide actions. Beyond simple keyboard commands, users can configure buttons to launch apps, open websites, or execute custom scripts.

One of the more distinctive features is its integration with Claude Desktop. Instead of manually writing automation scripts, users can describe the shortcut they want in natural language, allowing Claude to generate the required Python code and assign it to a button. According to TechCrunch, this makes creating custom workflows considerably more approachable, even for users without programming experience.

The companion app also integrates with calendars, surfacing upcoming meetings and allowing users to quickly join a call, dismiss reminders, or send a “running late” message with a single press.

Pricing and availability

Dune is currently available at an introductory price of US$119, after which it will retail for US$149.

As AI-assisted productivity tools continue to expand beyond software, devices like Dune suggest hardware makers are exploring new ways to make everyday computer interactions faster and more intuitive. Whether the concept catches on will likely depend on how valuable users find its growing library of customizable shortcuts and automations.

I started my professional journey as an engineer before moving into product strategy and innovation leadership roles for several global technology organizations. Over the years, I have served as a mentor for a variety of programs including Products That Count’s strategic product management, Women in Product mentorship initiatives, and Alchemist accelerator programs.

In 2024 and 2025 I led Walmart’s Women in Product mentorship program. I was responsible for designing and implementing the programs, including managing participant registration, matching mentors with mentees, and establishing clear standards for how they would interact.

Yet for much of my own early career, I never really had a mentor.

As an individual contributor engineer, I was focused on solving problems, delivering results, and figuring things out independently. I was hesitant to ask for help for fear of being judged for what I didn’t know.

Part of that was also temperament. I am naturally introverted.

That mindset rewarded me well. It made me self-reliant, resilient, and deeply driven. But it also had limits. Looking back, I now realize that believing I had to navigate everything alone was not always a strength. I sometimes wonder how many opportunities I missed simply because I never asked for help.

As I moved into product management and later strategy roles, I began collaborating with larger teams, departments, and organizations. The work itself became more cross-functional and people-centered. Over time, I started recognizing the value of mentorship, sponsorship, and collaborative growth in ways I had not appreciated earlier in my career.

I received valuable advice from different people at important moments throughout my career. Some helped me navigate conflict with more clarity. Others helped me communicate my contributions more effectively. And others gave me perspective on how to approach uncertainty, deal with organizational complexity, and avoid burnout.

But those moments were not the same as mentorship. They were valuable but infrequent interactions, not sustained relationships. No one consistently guided me through difficult decisions, advocated for me with decision-makers and senior leadership, or actively invested in my long-term growth.

My understanding of mentorship changed not as a mentee but as a mentor.

A leadership multiplier

Mentorship is often seen as an act of goodwill: admirable but optional. In reality, effective mentorship can be a competitive advantage for everyone involved.

For mentees, it can accelerate career growth, strengthen decision-making, and create access to opportunities that hard work alone does not always unlock.

Mentorship strengthens an individual’s leadership skills, empathy, and the ability to develop future talent.

For organizations, mentorship builds stronger leadership pipelines, more resilient teams, and healthier cultures of growth and trust.

By getting involved, I began to understand that meaningful mentorship is not simply occasional advice or career guidance. At its best, it is an active investment in another person’s growth. It includes advocacy, sponsorship, honest feedback, visibility, and sometimes helping people access opportunities they may not have reached on their own.

That is why mentorship should not be treated as kindness or incidental support. It is one of the most practical, hands-on, and personal forms of leadership.

Advocacy changes careers

Advice can help someone improve, but advocacy and sponsorship can change the direction of a career.

In many organizations, career growth depends not only on talent but also on access to honest feedback, influential networks, and sponsors willing to speak about someone’s potential when opportunities are discussed. Access also includes introductions to people who can recognize the value and impact of a person’s work.

Sometimes the difference between advice and true sponsorship is illustrated more clearly through stories rather than through leadership frameworks. In The Devil Wears Prada and its sequel Nigel’s relationship with Andy evolves far beyond workplace advice. In the 2006 movie, he helps her grow professionally, pushes her to envision a more expansive future, and guides her through an unfamiliar industry.

In the sequel—set two decades later—his investment in her success continues even though their careers diverge. When Andy (played by Anne Hathaway) is laid off during a difficult job market and struggles to find meaningful opportunities, Nigel (Stanley Tucci) quietly recommends her for a role at his firm. She is arguably overqualified for the position, but Nigel recognizes that it is the right opportunity at the right time. His recommendation helps her transition from a career in the news back into working in fashion. She can regain stability and ultimately rebuild career momentum. Over time, the opportunity becomes a turning point, reshaping her professional trajectory.

What makes it meaningful is not just the recommendation itself. It is that Nigel continued paying attention to her career growth over the years, believed in her potential, and supported her when she needed it.

That is what meaningful mentorship and sponsorship often look like in practice: not surface-level guidance but genuine investment in someone’s long-term growth and success.

When mentors provide that kind of support intentionally, mentorship becomes more than guidance. It becomes a competitive advantage—not only for the mentee but also for the mentor and the organization.

Why inclusive mentorship matters

Mentorship matters because talent alone does not shape a career. Access is important. In many workplaces, advancement depends not only on capability but on guidance, sponsorship, visibility, and informal knowledge about upcoming job opportunities.

Not everyone has equal access to such advantages. Research from McKinsey and Lean In suggests that women often receive less mentorship, sponsorship, and career support than men do, even in organizations that publicly emphasize inclusion and leadership development.

When mentorship is left entirely to informal networks, opportunity often becomes uneven. And when it’s left to chance, opportunity also is uneven.

That’s why inclusive mentorship matters. It creates a more intentional way to support people who might otherwise be overlooked.

What great mentors require

“A mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself,” Oprah Winfrey once said.

Great mentorship is not about having all the answers. It’s about showing up with intention. It means listening closely, being candid, and helping someone grow with more confidence and clarity.

The best mentors respect their mentees’ time. They come prepared and listen for what is needed rather than rushing to give advice. They are open about their successes and failures because honesty builds trust faster than polished stories do. Great mentors tailor their guidance to the individual and encourage growth while also creating accountability.

Above all, good mentors create a psychologically safe space. They make it easier for mentees to ask difficult questions, test or pitch ideas, and talk openly about issues without fear of being judged. Growth usually starts at that point.

Organizations have a role to play as well. If mentorship matters, the program should be visible and supported.

That can mean including it in stated expectations of leaders, creating ways to connect mentors and mentees, providing mentorship training, and recognizing outcomes that go beyond performance metrics.

It also can mean broadening the understanding of mentorship. Peer mentorship, cross-functional mentorship, and even cross-industry mentorship can play important roles.

The leadership gap many organizations ignore

Promoting mentorship should not involve forcing artificial relationships or turning an employee’s growth into a line on someone’s to-do list. Organizations ought to promote the idea that leaders should invest in others, helping to build stronger teams, more capable leaders, and more organizational resiliency.

At a minimum, organizations should ask mentors whether they helped their mentee grow in their career and whether the mentee became more confident, capable, or prepared as a result of the relationship. Did they help junior employees navigate the organization more effectively? What opportunities did they create or find to give the mentees more visibility? Did they help mentees develop communication, leadership, or decision-making skills?

Those questions might be hard to quantify, but they get close to the substance of leadership.

Legacy is built through people

People might remember the strategies a leader shaped, the products the leader created, or the financial targets that were hit. Such accomplishments matter, of course. But another part of leadership lasts longer. It lives in the coworkers whose careers were advanced because someone took the time to invest in them.