Technology
China's Tianwen-1 Mars rover rockets away from earth
China has launched its first rover mission to Mars, with a six-wheeled robot launching from Hainan Island in a probe this afternoon.
Spark's voice calling upgrade, Apple's pandemic preparedness
Technology commentator Bill Bennett looks at Spark's trials in Devonport and Miramar that aim to get customers off copper wire for landline voice calling and onto fibre or wireless, Amazon's big surge… Audio
TikTok under scrutiny in Australia over security, data concerns
Australia is scrutinising TikTok for any risks it may pose to users from around potential foreign interference and data privacy issues, government sources told Reuters.
Story of the Day with Caitlin Cherry
New technology that helps our lives: shoes that vacuum, and a massaging robot. Audio
UAE launches first mission to Mars
The United Arab Emirates' historic first mission to Mars is now underway, after a successful launch in Japan.
Digital Ocean - new directions in virtual reality
Imagine being able to fly over a massive inky ocean at night, zooming in, through and around dancers, massive carvings and a haunting empty boats made out of black feathers - all without leaving home… Audio, Gallery
Is it time to quit your addiction to Google Chrome?
The Browser Wars have broken out again, and the tech columnist for the Wall Street Journal just urged readers to quit Chrome completely. Tech commentator Helen Baxter share a few alternatives to the… Audio
Online influencers tap into insecurities for their hard sell
Comment: The word influencers has only just entered the dictionary, but the idea behind the fake smiles is grounded in some well-established thinking about human behaviour, writes Anna Rawhiti-Connell… Audio
Digital divide: 'It's 2020 and there's just no excuse anymore'
Accessibility advocates are worried the speed at which some companies are going digital will shut out a large market share, which could be worth up to $12 billion.
Wool being developed to replace petroleum-based hygiene textiles
A mother and daughter duo are behind innovative technology to turn wool into a textile which can replace petroleum based materials used in hygiene products. Woolchemy's CEO Derelee Potroz-Smith… Audio
Trade Me founder touts bluetooth alternative to Covid tracing app
A prominent entrepreneur is frustrated that an alternative to the troubled Covid-19 tracing app is stuck in limbo with officials.
'Worst ever hack of platform' poses problems for Twitter
The hacking spree that hit Twitter is drawing questions about the platform's security and its resilience in the run-up to the US presidential election.
Govt covid tracer app needs total redesign - band expert
In need of a total re-design. That's what one brand strategist says the government needs to do to get people using the official covid tracer app. With a new verison set to roll out in the coming… Audio
Private information leaked by Wgtn property company
The private information of thousands of people has been breached on a web page hosted by a Wellington-based property management company, which displayed pictures of people's personal documents which… Audio
Police admit data hack - why wasn't it anonymised
Cyber-security expert Tony Grasso joins Kathryn to talk about a possible hack of a New Zealand research company handling data sent to it by police. Audio
Aucklanders question use of Covid-19 tracing app: 'Why would we scan it?'
The government has renewed its call for New Zealanders to use the Covid-19 contact tracer app, but out on the streets, most people were a bit blasé about it. Audio
Covid-19: Expert on govt app download numbers
Downloads of the government's Covid-19 app have stalled, prompting warnings to the NZ public not to get complacent.
About 596,000 people had installed it on their phones as of yesterday, just 5000… Audio
Covid-19: Government tracing app downloads stall
Part of the ongoing fight against Covid-19 is a renewed call by the government for New Zealanders to use its Covid contact tracer app.
It has even indicated it may make it mandatory for businesses to… Audio
Covid-19: Forcing shops to display QR codes won't help - expert
The government's being told that forcing shops and cafes to display QR codes for Covid-19 tracing won't increase the number of customers using it.
The number of people who've downloaded the… Audio
Trump on UK's Huawei ban: 'I did this myself'
US President Donald Trump says he is responsible for Prime Minister Boris Johnson's decision to ban Huawei from Britain's 5G network from the end of 2027.
