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Bill Bennett
Freelance journalist.
Auckland-based Bill Bennett writes technology and business stories that are directly relevant to New Zealand readers.
His emphasis is on telecommunications, but he also covers other aspects of technology and business. You can find his features in the New Zealand Herald and hear him regularly on RNZ Nine to Noon and the NZ Tech Podcast.
Bennett's The Download Weekly newsletter is published every Friday. You can sign up for it here.
If you want to support his work, you can make a donation to his PressPatron account.
Bill Bennett - Latest News [Page 17]
How long should you keep a phone?
Saturday, 8 August 2020, 12:11 pm | Digitl
New phone models arrive all the time. The phone product lines get an annual refresh. More >>
It’s official: Fibre overtakes copper
Sunday, 2 August 2020, 2:21 pm | Digitl
At the end of September, fibre companies had 880,000 premises connected to their networks. There were 581,000 copper connections. Fibre connections were up 31 percent on the year earlier. Copper connections were down 23 percent. More >>
Above Avalon on Apple pulling away from competitors
Friday, 31 July 2020, 2:28 pm | Digitl
For the second year in a row, Apple held a developers conference that should frighten its competitors. Relying on a nearly maniacal obsession with the user experience, Apple is removing oxygen from every market that it plays in. More >>
The PC: Reports of its death an exaggeration
Friday, 31 July 2020, 2:25 pm | Digitl
It is more than a decade since people started telling us we are in the post-PC era. I’m guilty 1 . From memory the idea took off soon after crowds first queued to buy the original Apple iPhone. More >>
When telcos don’t like regulated industry structure
Friday, 31 July 2020, 2:08 pm | Digitl
Telcos are waging a public relations war on Ultrafast Broadband. Reading between the lines of their public statements, they don’t like the regulated market model. More >>
How to choose hardware that can last for years
Friday, 31 July 2020, 2:05 pm | Digitl
It raised smiles 14 years ago when I carried a 1996 Apple Newton MessagePad 130 into the IDG Auckland office. More >>
The last days of urban copper
Friday, 31 July 2020, 2:01 pm | Digitl
Copper phone networks have served New Zealand for over 100 years. They won’t be around much longer, at least in cities and towns. More >>
Quantum 800 wireless headset: JBL targets gamers
Friday, 31 July 2020, 1:59 pm | Digitl
It is a fun product. You could, at a pinch, use it for work, but it doesn’t look businesslike and it hasn’t been optimised for serious tasks. In other words, don’t buy it for work thinking you might use it for gaming. More >>
Telcowatch steady mobile market through lockdown
Friday, 31 July 2020, 1:57 pm | Digitl
The latest Telcowatch mobile market share report shows the relative performance of New Zealand’s carriers were close to unchanged during the second quarter. This is the period that covered much of the nation’s Covid-19 lockdown. More >>
New Zealand's bias challenging algorithm charter could save
Friday, 31 July 2020, 1:53 pm | Digitl
Statistics minister James Shaw launched the Algorithm Charter for Aotearoa New Zealand . He says it is a world first. More >>
Spark’s timid Covid-era 5G mobile launch
Friday, 31 July 2020, 1:50 pm | Digitl
There could not be more contrast between Spark and Vodafone's 5G launches. The two launch events tell a tale about the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on carriers. More >>
Huawei handset sales pass Samsung
Friday, 31 July 2020, 1:47 pm | Digitl
Reuters reports: Huawei overtakes Samsung as top handset maker thanks to robust China sales China’s Huawei Technologies snatched the title of biggest smartphone seller from Samsung Electronics in the second quarter, underscoring the resilience ... More >>
Samsung serving advertising on $2400 Galaxy Flip
Tuesday, 7 July 2020, 5:05 pm | Digitl
Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip is the best foldable phone so far . It flips and folds like phones did 20 years ago. The difference between then and now is that today both halves are part of a full colour touch screen. More >>
NZ companies should hire more tech interns
Sunday, 5 July 2020, 3:20 pm | Digitl
Trent Mankelow says New Zealand companies and organisations hired 352 interns last summer. That's not many when you consider more than 2000 students applied for positions. Applying takes a fair amount of effort, so there are many disappointed students. More >>
Privacy regulation: New Zealand wants more
Sunday, 5 July 2020, 3:13 pm | Digitl
A survey conducted by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner found that two-third of New Zealanders want more privacy regulation. More >>
Galaxy Z Flip: Samsung's folding phone
Sunday, 5 July 2020, 3:10 pm | Digitl
In February I posted a short note about the then forthcoming Samsung Galaxy Z Flip. This week I got my hands on one. More >>
Choosing the right work-from-home computer
Friday, 26 June 2020, 3:56 pm | Digitl
Some employers will give you a work-from-home computer. Others leave the choice or even the cost up to you. You may be your own employer and make all your own decisions. Either way here’s a short, straightforward guide on choosing the best computer ... More >>
Commerce Commission revisits mobile regulation
Friday, 26 June 2020, 10:06 am | Digitl
Regulating termination rates introduced ten years ago kick-started mobile market competition in New Zealand. Now it’s time to review the rules. Don’t expect to see much change. More >>
2degrees fills network gaps with Vodafone deal
Friday, 26 June 2020, 10:03 am | Digitl
An infrastructure sharing agreement with Vodafone means 2degrees can expand its network reach by around 200 towers. More >>
Time to stop hating Microsoft
Sunday, 14 June 2020, 7:13 pm | Digitl
At this week’s NZ Tech Podcast host Paul Spain threw me a hospital pass: Is it time to stop hating Microsoft? More >>
