January 21st, 2011
Stuff reports that Telecom has apparently ‘run out of time’ to split into two separate companies, but the company’s shareholders will be asked to vote on the company division if it gets to play a part in building the UFB network (the government’s ultrafast broadband initiative).
Previous indications were that it could be split by June, but that isn’t the case anymore as the UFB network vote would have to have happened by the end of 2010.
Telecom faces some competition in its bid for the UFB network from the alliance of electricity lines and fibre companies, RFG.
Another announcement from Telecom is due next month.
Tags: competition, Telecom, UFB network
Posted in New Zealand, Telecom | No Comments »
January 14th, 2011
Stuff.co.nz reports today that sales of the PC worldwide have considerably slowed due to the emergence of tablet devices such as the iPad and technology developments in game consoles. Especially mini notebooks, which seem to have been hit the hardest with competition from the tablets.
Growth in PC sales worldwide was forecast at 4.8 percent but instead grew by only 3.1 percent.
Winners in the stats are Lenovo and Toshiba, which posted the most improved growth in the fourth quarter of 2010. Lenovo’s worldwide market share grew 21.4 per cent while Toshiba’s was up 12.1 per cent.
Tags: iPad, PC, tablet
Posted in New Zealand, PC, social networking, tablet | No Comments »
December 23rd, 2010
Apple is the latest company to cut ties with Wikileaks by removing an online application which gives access to the leaks.
What was the reason? Apparently Wikileaks has violated the developer guidelines, says Apple, without giving further specifics, other than to say that users of the App Store cannot “put an individual or targetted group in harm’s way”.
And the public backlash which has happened against other US companies which have turned against Wikileaks? Well this hasn’t happened yet, but watch this space…..
The full article on stuff.co.nz.
Tags: apple, Wikileaks
Posted in apple, Julian, Wikileaks | No Comments »
December 17th, 2010
Forget the feel-good love of home-made pressies, or the thought and effort behind picking a gift for a loved one, the Great Kiwi Christmas survey shows that 44 percent of recipients want cold hard cash for christmas, or vouchers. Only 12 percent want home-made gifts.
On a more environmentally friendly note, only 22 percent of those surveyed will buy a real tree, with the rest buying a fake one. Perhaps good news for the environment?
Also, keeping the faith alive, one in three New Zealand households will still be leaving milk and cookies out for Santa.
The full article is available here.
Tags: cash, christmas, New Zealand
Posted in New Zealand | No Comments »
December 10th, 2010
As the end of the year nears, Google releases its lists of most-searched phrases, places and people.
Some highlights:
- Are Kiwis increasingly becoming cheaper? Perhaps so, with website Grab One being popular in the searches for its online deals.
- Paul Henry’s antics also got him high on the list of people to be Googled.
- TradeMe increases in popularity, being the third most searched for social website after Facebook and Twitter.
But just to show that USA is always on the mind, Kim Kardashian was the most searched for celebrity, by New Zealanders.
View the full list of popular searches published on Stuff.
Tags: Google, Paul Henry
Posted in New Zealand, top Google searches | No Comments »
December 3rd, 2010
Finally, digital TV is here and there is a $13 million campaign to make sure people understand how to use it.
30 percent of NZ households will need to switch over to the digital network before 2013. The remaining 70 percent are already on the network through Sky, Freeview or TelstraClear.
The Going Digital campaign has a handy website where queries can be made, as well as a helpline.
Tags: digital television, Sky
Posted in consumers, digital television, Going Digital | No Comments »
October 29th, 2010
Telecom has now turned off its “WorldMode“, meaning that mobile phone users on the CDMA network will now find themselves without a network when overseas, reports the Dom Post.
Whilst the move may have lost Telecom some customers, spokesperson Emma-Kate Greer said all but 3 percent of Telecom’s customers had already made the switch, and Telecom had made efforts to contact its users around the world who were still using the technology when the network was switched off.
In its place, Telecom has the XT network which began in June 2009. It has plans to completely close the CDMA network in 2012.
Tags: CDMA, Telecom, WorldMode, XT Network
Posted in Apple Mac, CDMA, consumers, roaming, Telecom | No Comments »
October 7th, 2010
Stuff’s review of Apple TV reports today that this device has been lagging badly behind its competitors from the launch of Apple TV three years ago.
Now, however, a revamped and cheaper Apple TV is available at $170 NZD. What does it do? Its a black box which connects with your TV either directly to the set, or through a receiver. The interface allows you to connect to the Internet, and start watching TV shows and movies through Apple or Netfix (with an account).
The new Apple TV is apparently easier to set up and use than the older model. It also allows streaming of the videos so that your hard drive is not filled up.
The greatest problem is though, that renting a movie means you have to watch it in one go, or pay another $5.99 NZD to finish it. This is not a family-friendly solution, or even a cheaper alternative to the DVD store.
Perhaps another ‘bug’ for Apple to fix? Time will tell.
Tags: Apple TV, Netfix, streaming
Posted in Apple Mac, Apple TV, consumers, New Zealand | No Comments »
September 6th, 2010
On 1 October 2010, GST in New Zealand will go up to 15%. Beat the tax man by purchasing your IronKey products now, for business and personal use.
Tags: GST, GST increases, Ironkey, New Zealand
Posted in GST, Ironkey, New Zealand, Online Sales | No Comments »
September 3rd, 2010
So Google did not commit any security breaches when it collected users’ data in New Zealand, however Luke Appleby writes on Stuff today that he is unclear why Google admits that information breaches are committed in countries such as Ireland and Denmark, but not so in Australia.
Its a valuable question – why is the data collection from some countries considered a ‘mistake’ worth apologising for, but not from New Zealand? It seems that when a country does not specifically request that the data be deleted, Google does not consider it to be a mistake.
Mr Appleby states that “…it was the lack of transparency, and the global attitude of Google which led many to question their “don’t be evil” motto”.
The debate continues….
Tags: Google, NZ Police, security
Posted in consumers, E-mail & the internet, Google, New Zealand | No Comments »
