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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 71]
Free Microsoft Office 365 for non-profits
Friday, 13 September 2013, 12:44 pm | Bill Bennett
Microsoft New Zealand took advantage of this week’s TechEd conference to announce Office 365 for Nonprofits. The charitable programme will see the company give qualifying charities and non-profit organisations free subscriptions to the cloud version of ... More >>
Developers mull Android, struggle to support multiple OSes
Friday, 13 September 2013, 12:10 pm | Bill Bennett
A more diverse range of devices brings fresh challenges for developers. New Zealand developers are keen to broaden the range of devices they support. In particular they would like to tackle Android development. More >>
Microsoft New Zealand leads the TechEd pack
Thursday, 12 September 2013, 5:14 pm | Bill Bennett
TechEd, now running in Auckland, is by far the largest conference on the New Zealand technology calendar. And by at least one important measure, the local event is a world-beater. More >>
Copper tax triggers telco, consumer activism
Thursday, 12 September 2013, 10:56 am | Bill Bennett
Industry and consumer groups are joining forces to campaign against what they describe as a government imposed internet tax to subsidise Chorus. The group, calling itself The Coalition for Fair Internet Pricing is holding a press conference later today ... More >>
Briefly: Hawaiki signs Orcon; Mako opens US base
Thursday, 12 September 2013, 10:52 am | Bill Bennett
Orcon says it intends to buy bandwidth on the Hawaiki submarine cable currently in the planning stage. The ISP said it will take 40 Gbps in the first year of its deal with increases planned for future years. More >>
BNZ launches PayClip smartphone card reader
Thursday, 12 September 2013, 10:47 am | Bill Bennett
A snap-on device from BNZ quickly turns everyday smartphones into mobile card readers. Aimed at New Zealand small businesses, PayClip is small, lightweight and straightforward to use. More >>
Empty shelves at Apple NZ iPhone store
Thursday, 12 September 2013, 10:43 am | Bill Bennett
New Zealand isn’t at the front of the queue for Apple’s new iPhone 5S and 5C models. Customers in some countries, including Australia, can pre-order the new smartphones before the launch. More >>
Briefly: Xero gets tax nod; Seagate crashes 1TB barrier
Thursday, 12 September 2013, 10:40 am | Bill Bennett
Three years ago the Inland Revenue Department stuck a spanner in Xero’s works when it decided storing accounting records offshore could be a breach of its requirements. That’s fixed now, the IRD has given Xero and Cargowise the green light to hold ... More >>
WiGig: what is it and when will we see it?
Tuesday, 10 September 2013, 12:50 pm | Bill Bennett
After flying below the radar for the last five years, WiGig surfaced in Dell’s new precision workstations. Bill Bennett looks at the technology that could supplant Wi-Fi. More >>
Microsoft Surface 2 coming later this month
Tuesday, 10 September 2013, 10:48 am | Bill Bennett
From the “If at first you don’t succeed” department Microsoft is readying the second generation of its Surface devices one year after the range’s initial launch. The company has invited US journalists to an event on September 23 in New York. More >>
Dell’s beefy Precision workstations
Tuesday, 10 September 2013, 10:40 am | Bill Bennett
Dell’s grip on the muscle workstation market could be set to tighten. Overnight the company updated its Precision range with five new models including what the company describes as the world’s most powerful mobile workstation. More >>
Adobe Creative Cloud pricing: much ado about nothing?
Monday, 9 September 2013, 3:22 pm | Bill Bennett
Judging by the protests, customers don’t like Adobe’s switch to the cloud. After two months with Adobe’s Creative Cloud Bill Bennett says the complaints have everything to do with price. More >>
Vodafone SmartPass brings NFC tap and pay closer
Monday, 9 September 2013, 11:23 am | Bill Bennett
Vodafone is testing its SmartPass mobile payments system in Auckland ahead of an international launch pencilled in for later this year. SmartPass is Vodafone’s global brand for making contactless payments using a mobile phone equipped with NFC ... More >>
Last week’s top stories on digitl
Monday, 9 September 2013, 11:20 am | Bill Bennett
Labour leadership candidate Grant Robinson hinted he would support a new internet link between New Zealand and the rest of the world if he becomes prime minister after the next election. More >>
Briefly: Toshiba kit, Sony Xperia Z1, Xbox One names the day
Friday, 6 September 2013, 11:42 am | Bill Bennett
Announcements from Berlin’s IFA show continue to roll in. Yesterday saw Toshiba announce three Windows 8.1 devices. It seems hardware makers are sticking with Microsoft’s operating system despite last year noticeable lack of customer interest in Windows ... More >>
Smartwatch race starts as Samsung, Qualcomm show kit
Thursday, 5 September 2013, 11:59 am | Bill Bennett
Samsung and Qualcomm each take the wraps off a new smartwatch, but are consumers really hungry to strap these devices on their wrists? As expected Samsung showed its Galaxy Gear smartwatch overnight at the IFA show in Berlin. More >>
Briefly: Adams on US promo trip, Telecom to bid for 700 MHz
Thursday, 5 September 2013, 11:46 am | Bill Bennett
Information Technology Minister Amy Adams is in the United States on a mission that will see New Zealand tech start-ups pitch to Silicon Valley investors. The investor pitch is one of a series of events hosted by Adams, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise ... More >>
EMC tweaks multicore code, cranks VNX2 performance
Thursday, 5 September 2013, 11:28 am | Bill Bennett
Multi-core processors, flash storage and more importantly, rewritten software combine to boost the performance of EMC’s new VNX2 storage arrays. EMC took the wraps of its next-generation VNX2 hybrid storage range overnight. More >>
4G spectrum auction set with competition in mind
Wednesday, 4 September 2013, 5:01 pm | Bill Bennett
A relatively low reserve price and deferred payment terms means New Zealand’s government has engineered its 4G spectrum auction for competition. New Zealand’s 4G spectrum auction will see nine lots of 5 MHz paired sold each with a reserve price of $22 ... More >>
5 important things about raising tech company capital in NZ
Wednesday, 4 September 2013, 10:19 am | Bill Bennett
From the outside, raising capital for technology start-ups seems harder than elsewhere in the world. In truth, it isn’t more difficult, just different. This week’s Moxie Sessions on capital for technology companies revealed five key points. More >>
