There is definitely a flourishing start-up scene. I went and looked at a bunch of co-working spaces when I first got to Sydney, and they were all packed with people trying to start something and network their way to success. But most people still rely on the main American brands and apps, at least as far as I can see.

Atlassian, the software company, is Australian and quite celebrated here. And Gumtree, which is Australia’s Craigslist for secondhand sales, is really quite good and useful. No offense to Craig Newmark (whom I know from covering tech ages ago) and his Craigslist, but there’s a lot to be learned from how Gumtree works on mobile and integrates messaging across platforms.

Amazon is coming to Australia and bringing its e-commerce services soon. Are Australians excited?

Reaction is pretty mixed. Americans living in Australia seem to be thrilled, especially those (like me) who got very used to relying on Amazon for almost everything in the United States. Some Australians, including small-business owners who will sell through Amazon, are also excited.

But mostly, I would say, Australians are curious, and a bit anxious about Amazon.

I just wrote a big story about Amazon and the book and bookstore industry here, which is strong and protected, and heavily resistant to outsiders. And the indie bookstore crowd isn’t alone in that. After all, this is a country that pushed Borders into bankruptcy, and where Starbucks has really struggled.

Malls and small-town Main Streets are still crowded all over Australia, which feels like a throwback to me as an American, and online shopping is not as common as it is in the United States. Just the other day, I interviewed a young woman in a bookstore — she was in her 20s — who told me she was not willing to pay for something online with a credit card. I was stunned.