Launched in 2016 as a technology news, reviews, analysis, and assistance resource developed in Australia, Pickr aims to provide plain English approaches to the complexities of complicated technology, talking about technological products and concepts, and how they pertain to anyone living in Australia.
Pickr is an award-winning publication written by Australians with a wealth of technological experience, particularly in the reviews space. Content on Pickr is never written by an AI system, and is focused on the human element.
Humans buy gadgets and need assistance with technology, which is what this website aims to cover.
Beyond the basics
Stories detailed on Pickr aim to go beyond the basic news release or tech specs, asking questions audiences may have, while also providing the expert analysis technology journalists can provide.
Reviews follow a similar approach, with products that are used and adhere to methodologies provided in detail at this site. No product is reviewed at Pickr without being used, and all products are used in Australia.
No review is paid for and no part of the review experience has been discussed with the supplier of products being reviewed. Pickr does typically rely on companies to supply their own products, but every review is written with strict editorial independence and without interference from the company.
Our focus is on providing technology information that’s both helpful and relatable for people living in Australia (where pickr.com.au operates). That isn’t to say Pickr’s content and reviews may be unhelpful in other places; most technology doesn’t need a specifically local angle, but in devices that do, such as with phone reviews, they will always include tests detailing use within Australia and Australian networks.
AI use
All content on Pickr is written by a human, though artificial intelligence technologies may be used in some places. You won’t find AI-assisted written content at Pickr, but you may see limited uses of AI-assisted images and video in some parts of the site.
Most media found at Pickr is not made with artificial intelligence services, and are sourced or photographed intentionally for an article or story.
The one place where Pickr does actively use AI is its text-to-speech article reading platform, Pickr Speak.
A made for purpose system that links the Pickr website with a custom audio generating system, Pickr Speak converts text of articles into audio as if spoken by the author themselves. Quotes can be converted to a secondary voice over, an effect we call “the Media Watch effect”, where an extra voice over can be called up to read comments included as part of the audio.
Pickr Speak is unique in that not only is it made for purpose and Pickr specifically, it also runs on solar and home energy, and not the cloud, ignoring the typical requirements of AI platforms that consume excess energy and water.
Rolled out as part of the Pickr 10th anniversary updates, Pickr Speak is an evolving platform designed to simultaneously improve accessibility and show that AI can be used for something good and positive without destroying the environment further.
Ensuring trust
It’s worth pointing out that when crafting information for Pickr, we take care in ensuring that audiences can trust us.
Pickr is fiercely independent, critical of products and companies, and aims to publish stories that matter. It is a small publisher, not owned by any large media company, and can’t be persuaded to write positive or negative statements about a product or concept. The publication covers information as the journalist sees it, maintaining strict editorial independence.
We do not publish guest posts from anyone, be it companies interested in sharing thought-leadership or marketers hoping to score a backlink. In fact, we do not consider or publish any content made solely for SEO in mind. Any email sent with the expressed goal of securing a backlink will be met with silence or a very large “NO” returned to them. If you’re here reading this with the expectation of changing our mind, feel free to close the window now; Pickr does not do backlink posts or guest posts.
Furthermore, its author profiles go beyond standard links to the likes of LinkedIn, Facebook, and other major social networks. Pickr’s author profiles also support the less well-known variety, including Bluesky, Mastodon, and music and gaming networks. We’ll even tell you what awards authors have won and the gear they use. It’s part of how we explain our authors are real people, flesh and blood.
With zero advertising since August 2024 and no partnerships with organisations, Pickr ensures content is written without bias to make sure readers get the most useful information they can. No individual, company, or organisation can influence anything published on Pickr.
All of Pickr’s content aims to be balanced, factual, and relevant. Most importantly, it aims to be helpful. It’s why the editor ends radio segments with “happy to help”. We are happy to help.