True, I forgot about the extra monthly fees -- though you can just use free, 20 minute delayed data. I also forgot that the US is so cheap -- I pay $6 each way with IB on the ASX.
Smallcap market here is fun (read: it's pretty stupid). Otherwise, I'm just more used to reading Australian news, more local people on twitter, etc. It's just more in my 'sphere', and I know a lot more about the local companies than I do about the U.S. counterparts.
I have an IB account, but even setting that up to trade properly requires owning a company. I did wake up early and trade the US options market a little while ago & that was pretty great. Might play with some algorithmic stuff I have that works on the ASX, but on the US, just need a load more data.