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Games sector aims high
Interactive media, which includes gaming, could become a billion-dollar industry in New Zealand within five years, according to a new report released by the New Zealand Game Developers Association (NZ…
Brislen on Tech
It's hard getting cut through when you want to send out marketing bumf, so just imagine how difficult it was to get people to complete the Census online.
Soon we'll have CCTV cameras out the wazoo …
Another tech IPO may be some time
Out of the crop of the tech companies that listed on the NZX in 2014, one of the best performers would have to be Vista Group International, which provides cinema software. Since listing the company h…
NZ media and telcos ponder future
If you grew up watching YouTube, would you watch TV and Movies?
That was the question posed by Travis Corrie from Shift72, a Hamilton-based company providing end-to-end video solutions for global b…
Brislen on Tech
The spies would like us to break encryption because kicking in locked doors hurts their feet...
Donald Trump will tax French wine if the French tax US digital giants. Does he know where New Zealand…
Whatever happened to "Where everyone gets a bargain"?
Most New Zealanders live within 30 minutes of a store owned by The Warehouse Group, and yet 9% (and growing) of all retail spending in this country is online. Which is no doubt why the company has lau…
Ask not what Space can do for you
It's been a couple of years since the Outer Space and High-altitude Activities Act (2017) was passed into law, but it's still a bit of a surprise to think we now have a space industry in this country.…
77,600 drones and counting
There are a surprisingly large number of drones in New Zealand - with around 77,600 drones operating and 200,000 drones used by foreign tourists in the past year. Compare these numbers to the estimate…
Looking for common ground on facial recognition vs the right to privacy
Facial recognition software is the latest battleground between privacy rights advocates and law enforcement agencies. Is there any common ground between the two parties?
Another moon landing
Obviously, it's not up to me but I would say another moon landing is an interesting idea. Although it will cost the US taxpayer a lot (US$50 billion and counting) and that money is arguably better spe…
Counting crowds
How many people turn up for an event is in itself newsworthy, even more so if it's a protest march. The pro-democracy protest on Monday in Hong Kong is a prime example, according to The New York Times…
Agritech kicks off Govt's innovation plan
The Government has today launched a new approach to encouraging innovation in key sectors of the economy. It involves the creation of Industry Transformation Plans, with agritech among the first ind…
AR solution for subtitled movies
Now here's a great idea for an Augmented Reality solution - delivering movie subtitles for the hearing impaired. University of Auckland PhD students Marco Schneider and Tony Tse came up with it while …
Shoppers moving online
Online retail may only make up 9% of all retail spending in New Zealand, but it is where the most interesting growth is occurring, with the annual rise in online sales at 16%, compared to total retail…
Brislen on Tech
Does anyone here remember the outrage over the introduction of a national identity card?
It was quite the palaver with everything from politicians shouting about how good it would be for everyone …
Machine learning can predict leaders, maybe
What makes a good leader? Apparently, this too can be answered by Artificial Intelligence. That's according to a study led by Otago University, which claims that very soon machines will have a say in …
Facebook launches own cryptocurrency
First it came for your cat videos, then it wanted your demographic data, finally it took your privacy. Now Facebook just wants your wallet.
Auckland Uni invests in AI
The University of Auckland has established a new Artificial Intelligence lab, with $4 million in Government funding, and has recruited a former member of IBM Research AI to run it.
Flying cabs - really?
Uber announced at its annual shindig 'Uber Elevate' that it will begin testing an air taxi service next year in Los Angeles, Dallas and Melbourne, with expectations of launching a commercial service i…
Focus on Agritech at Fieldays
With the National Fieldays in Hamilton kicking off this week the focus shifts to Agritech, and this year a new initiative, Agritech Unleashed, will showcase what's happening in this burgeoning area of…
