A Chinese Government-backed consortium has revealed it will build a trans-tasman telecommunications cable connecting Sydney and Auckland.
At present, the Southern Cross Cable has a near-monopoly on internet traffic coming to and from New Zealand, whilst Pacific Fibre is bidding to connect NZ, Australia and United States via a US$400m cable.
You can read more over at stuff.co.nz
As some of you will have no doubt noticed, Facebook has undergone a bit of a makeover recently.
If you’re struggling to find your way around, good news. An article over at stuff.co.nz has a rundown on some of the new features.
You can check it out here.
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, in a presentation in Anaheim, has told analysts Windows is still the core financial foundation of its business, despite growing concerns that slow personal computer sales are effecting the technology giant.
You can read more over at nzherald.co.nz
Reports from our most popular Telco’s suggest there has been a slight dip in international traffic since the “Skynet” law came in to effect.
The controversial copyright law, allows copyright holders to inform ISP’s if their content is being illegally downloaded. The company then has to pass the message on to the user, if they get 3 messages, their internet connection can be disconnected.
You can read more over at stuff.co.nz
Reports out indicate Apple are expected to double their production of the iPhone in the second half of 2011, with an estimated 58 million units expected to ship world wide.
Experts also predict Apple is preparing to announce the eagerly anticipated iPhone 5. While details of the device are purely rumour at this point, cNET has compiled a list of its top 20 most wanted features.
You can check the list out at cnet.com
Online communications service, Skype, announced on Monday that it plans to purchase group text messaging provider, GroupMe.
Skype, which was recently acquired by Microsoft did not say how much it plans to pay for GroupMe.
You can read more over at stuff.co.nz
New Zealand could be an ideal location as a data-storage hub for the Pacific, according to Pacific Fibre chief executive Mark Rushworth.
International data centers, or locations filled with servers housing data are increasing in demand as the size of information on the internet increases.
“New Zealand (is) politically safe and neutral and would be a fantastic location for data centres between Asia and the United States.”
You can read more at nzherald.co.nz
A year long MYOB report into New Zealand’s e-commerce economy has shown that the economy could grow by 5 percent if every Kiwi business had a website.
The report of more than 100 businesses found less than a third of local businesses have their own website, and only 9 percent of those sell online.
MYOB’s general manager Julian Smith said,
“Much of the developed world is looking for and buying from businesses online. Even locally 66 per cent of customers research a business online before making a purchase.”
“Unfortunately, despite that massive demand, the majority of local businesses are nowhere to be found in the global online economy.”
You can read more over at the nzherald
New Zealand will now have a second international internet link after Pacific Fibre struck a deal with US based cable company, TE SubCom.
Mark Rushworth, chief executive of Pacific Fibre said,
“Demand for international capacity in Australia and New Zealand is sharply increasing and is on track to continue growing for years to come,”
“The Pacific Fibre cable will not only provide unsurpassed high speed international connectivity to satisfy the growth in broadband demand, but it will also help Australia and New Zealand realize the potential of both countries’ multi-billion dollar broadband initiatives.”
If the plans stay to schedule, the cable is due to be operational by the first quarter of 2014.
You can read more over at the nzherald
