Bits+Bytes: Recent Episodes
RNZ
Critics worry a big reform of European privacy laws could have a chilling effect on free speech on the internet; the new technology we'll see in this year's FIFA World Cup; and a review of YouTube Music.
This week, The New York Times reported Facebook has allowed dozens of phone handset makers (including Nokia, Sony Ericsson and Apple) to access personal information about its users. Peter Griffin has the latest tech news.
Wille Apple soon take on Netflix and Amazon with its own video streaming video service? Plus Mary Meeker's top tech trends for 2018 and the widespread "GDPR fatigue".
Bits+Bytes with Peter Griffin and Emily Wang of Datacom. This week, YouTube wants a bigger slice of the streaming music pie and is taking on Spotify, Apple Music and Tidal. Plus Google and Facebook launch new cloud storage services. And Emily looks at apps designed to monitor your digital wellbeing. So how long are you actually spending on Instagram or Facebook (the results may astound you!), and why is Silicon Valley rolling out tools to help you monitor your tech usage?
Peter Griffin beams in from Google's developer festival I/O 2018 to tell us what the tech company have got in the development pipeline. [Peter Griffin travelled to California with the assistance of Google]
Artificial intelligence technology will not lead to mass unemployment in New Zealand, according to a new report by the AI Forum. Peter Griffin and Emily Wang discuss what artificial intelligence could mean for this country.
Many predict self-driving vehicles will be the biggest disruption to the transport system since cars replaced horses. Are New Zealand road users – and laws – ready?
What's happening with Amazon's Australasian strategy, and is Prime likely to come this way anytime soon? Plus is the new international cybersecurity accord akin to a digital Geneva Convention or a strategic move by Silicon Valley?
Peter Griffin and NZ Privacy Commissioner John Edwards review Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg's response to probing questions from US lawmakers this week – and the implications. Plus, the local impact of new European privacy laws and concerns the new US CLOUD Act erodes international data privacy.
New European privacy laws that come into force next month will change the internet forever and make privacy and data protection a legal right. Bits+Bytes, with Peter Griffin and Emily Wang, explores what the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR will mean for New Zealand internet users and businesses, as well as for global tech players like Facebook, Google, Amazon and Apple.
Who are the main players, who protects your security and privacy best, and why does Apple keep sending alerts that your iCloud is full? Peter Griffin looks at the options for safely storing data and photos.
Facebook blames Cambridge Analytica for allegedly obtaining personal information from millions of American Facebook users in an attempt to manipulate elections – but are the UK consulting firm really the only ones at fault?
This week, a warning about electric vehicles from a group of NZ citizen scientists, flying taxis to be trialled here, and why the people who sift through and remove disturbing YouTube content work a 4-day week.
Joining Peter Griffin to navigate the world of tech and analysing the latest news from the digital world. This week plans are afoot to position New Zealand as a base station for the global satellites sector. Also competition heats up in the broadband market pushing prices down, but will regulation see a hike in rates for consumers? Google rolls out free calls to mobile phones and landlines from their home assistant Google Home. Plus Emily Wang of Datacom on reports that users of Amazon's Alexa system are hearing the unit emit strange, "witch-like" laughter (if you do a search of #AlexaLaugh on Twitter, you'll see many funny/creepy examples).
Bits and Bytes with Peter Griffin helping you navigate the world of tech and analysing the latest news from the digital world. This week, Spotify goes public (well sort of!). But can it continue to dominate in the world of streaming? With over 70 million paying subscribers, it has nearly half of the global music streaming market, and users average 25 hours on the platform per month. Sky TV slashes prices this week as it loses subscribers and revenue to competitors like Netflix and Lightbox. And finally a listener questions about charging cables: why do Apple cables seem to fail so frequently?
Bits and Bytes with Peter Griffin helping you navigate the world of technology and analysing the latest news from the digital world. This week Snapchat becomes a real threat to Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, so why have over a million users signed a petition unhappy about a design change to the app? Plus horror stories are emerging from people seeking a replacement battery for their throttled iPhones, and Emily Wang looks at cryptojacking at Tesla, so hackers using Tesla's cloud computing to mine cryptocurrencies. And a listener question, why can't cellphone records be used to locate missing airliners like Malaysian Airlines' MH370.
Why is Google blocking ads in it's popular web browser Chrome, and yet in gmail there are plans for more dynamic, interactive, dancing and singing ads that will blink and flash in your inbox? Plus questions from some of our leading scientists about NZ's involvement in building the world's largest telescope project. It's called the Square Kilometre Array, and once built could unravel the origins of the universe. And Emily Wang looks at emojis, the smiley faces used in digital communications and the latest emojis launched for 2018 and how you can make your own. Plus questions answered - this week how does the camera on your device know where a photo has been taken if it's not connected to the internet or the mobile phone network when the shot is taken?
The latest tech news and your questions answered with Peter Griffin. This week, the latest in the Apple iPhone throttling saga: could it be about to offer refunds for repair costs to the millions of users affected by 'Batterygate'? The casino operator Sky City bets big on the esports video gaming sector, and awkward revelations from court hearings involving ride-hailing company Uber which faces allegations it stole trade secrets from rival Waymo. Emily Wang looks at the multi million dollar white hat hacker industry - where hackers make money from big tech companies who pay them to find exploits and weaknesses in their hardware and software. Google alone spent $3 million on so-called 'bug bounty' programs in 2017! Plus your questions answered - this week how to set up Netflix on older TVs, and will a new undersea broadband cable mean cheaper and faster internet for New Zealand?
Bits+Bytes: Which internet service providers are getting the most complaints – and the simple steps to take if you’re feeling ripped off by your provider – and why Facebook has banned cryptocurrency ads.
Alphabet (Google) tightens up YouTube advertising rules; the future of smart speakers; Simon and Peter test out wireless home audio systems; and why has Facebook changed its algorithm?
Scrutiny of Apple intentionally slowing down iPhone performance heats up; more fallout from the world’s biggest hardware fault; gaming addiction now officially a mental disorder; and the Chinese electric car that's making waves.
Flawed computer chips, Spotify gets ready to go public as it gets sued for using unlicensed music, why facial recognition will be big in 2018, and another faulty Apple product, this time an iPad keyboard.
Apple may have to compensate customers after slowing down the processing speed on many iPhone models; Twitter prohibits accounts that promote violence against civilians; and how WeChat morphed from a messaging app to an everything app.
Bits+Bytes with Peter Griffin and the latest from the world of technology. This week a decision in Europe means that Uber will be treated as a transport not a technology company by regulators. We look at what it could mean for the company's future plans, its listing prospects, and for the rights of Uber drivers. Also Apple admits to slowing down processing speed on many iPhone models after users upgraded to the new iOS 11 operating system. Apple says it's just doing what's best for its users, but faced with a slow, poorly functioning phone they might take some convincing! And an overview of the current state of augmented and virtual reality; Magic Leap unveils its new headset the Lightwear amid news of job losses at a local AR/VR pioneer.
'Cryptojacking' is not the latest urban dance craze, but a way your computer or smartphone gets hijacked to mine cryptocurrencies without you knowing. Also why some heavy hitting ex-Facebookers are criticising social media, and the threat it poses to democracy and the societies we live in.
The International Robotics Exhibition is underway in Tokyo this week, with 130,000 visitors expected to attend the world's largest robotics fair. This Way Up technology correspondent Peter Griffin's been roaming the exhibition halls to check out the latest robots, from aged care assistants and exoskeletons to virtual-reality controlled robots and hospital bots. We also discuss Sky TV's controversial decision to sue 4 local internet service providers over their alleged role in promoting the spread of illegally downloaded content.
Peter Griffin reviews the best deals on the market for safely storing your data and photos. Who are the main players, who protects your security and privacy best, and why does Apple keep sending alerts that your iCloud is full?
Tech commentator Peter Griffin delves into the Paradise Papers, the disappearance of US$300 million of the cryptocurrency Ether, and Google's new driverless taxis and mail accounts for under-13s.
Apple buys a New Zealand company that's developed an efficient way to move power around without wires, Amazon works on a way to deliver when you're not home and Facebook experiments with the display of news articles.
Tech correspondent Peter Griffin looks at how the change in government will impact the local tech industry.
Tech correspondent Peter Griffin shares his experience of buying virtual coins, and he's got a few tips if you are considering investing in new cyber frontier.
Peter Griffin has tips on boosting your wifi signal throughout the home – no more dead spots and laggy connections in the loo!
Which tech issues are dominating the political agenda in the run-up to the election? Also Zello - the app that turns your smartphone into a walkie-talkie and will Christchurch's all-electric vehicle car sharing scheme take off?
This week, internet users' worries about 'fake news' are revealed in a new survey. Also Samsung tries to put its exploding battery woes behind it by launching another big smartphone, the Galaxy Note 8.
A genetic heart disorder has been fixed using gene editing in human embryos. We assess how this week's big science story could impact New Zealand.
Facebook tries to bolster its ad revenues to meet Wall Street's expectations.Also Amazon's CEO Jeff Bezos has just overtaken Bill Gates to become the world's richest person. It's all down to Amazon's share price and we look at why this online retail giant just keeps on growing, and is now making a concerted effort to boost its business Down Under.
Could TVNZ live-streaming be the beginning of the end for Freeview, plus more EU scrutiny of Google and the big tech story of the week – hacking tools stolen from the NSA are again used in a major cyberattack
Tech news with Peter Griffin and UBER's CEO Travis Kalanick steps down after his controversial stint in the spotlight. And from renewing a passport to paying your speeding tickets; how often do you deal with the government online? Finally, fake news, the rise of the messaging app, and more of us are reading the news in bed than on our commutes! These are some of the key findings from the Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2017.
Why the market for digital currencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum is booming; the latest from LA gaming conference E3 2017; and Crash Override, the malware that can take down power grids.
The founder of Android launches a smartphone; Google releases its NZ accounts (spoiler alert: it's not paying much tax here), and China introduces new laws for foreign tech companies.
This week, Google's offerings from its annual I/O developer conference; the latest fallout from the WannaCry ransomware attack; and the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) votes 2:1 to overturn some legislation protecting net neutrality.
The founder of Wikipedia is proposing a crowdsourced solution to the problems besetting the news media; and a TV series dealing with teen suicide raises questions about the censorship of video streaming services.
Unlimited mobile broadband plans come to NZ, but there are a few fish hooks you need to be aware of; and some big telcos are selling our mobile data for use by tourist attractions and retailers.
Some cool applications for VR technology in art and filmmaking; Google wants you to share your location data with you friends; and a new concert subscription service is dubbed "Netflix for live music".
Claims of misinformation over Spark's wireless broadband performance; Google's crackdown on fake news; and could political bias skew our internet search results - and even our elections?
New figures show how New Zealanders are taking to streaming video on demand services; and the privacy implications of the CIA potentially hacking consumer devices to gather intelligence.
The problems of private drone use during an emergency; claims that half of the world's web traffic is encrypted; and gamers identify planets for scientists in a cool citizen science project.
This week Facebook gets into the TV business, and India launches 104 satellites in a single mission. It's a new world record and announces the country as a serious player in the commercial space race.
Wikipedia bans the Daily Mail as a reliable source, Snapchat gets ready to go public, plus the next generation of mobile telephony – 5G is just around the corner.
Peter Griffin has the latest on Facebook's huge growth in users and ad revenue, and why did thousands of UBER customers delete the app this week?
Tech correspondent Peter Griffin with news that Google is testing out Android Instant Apps amid a downturn in the global app-based economy. Also how a proliferation of massive bot networks on Twitter could lead to the dissemination of fake news, or be sold off to the highest bidder.
This Way Up reviews what's been hot (quite literally in one notable case) tech in 2016. VR has well and truly arrived and chatbots are on the horizon.
Peter Griffin on the news that Netflix is now offering a downloading option (and not just streaming) for some shows. Also things are heating up with mobile wallets, with the BNZ announcing that it will become the first local bank to offer Android Pay.
This week, the giant retailer Amazon looks like it could be coming to Australia. Meanwhile, you might soon have to pay GST on all the goods you buy online, not just purchases of digital goods including music, software and films and TV shows. Yikes! Also the rise of the chatbot and how tech giants including Facebook are embracing this technology, using tailored chatbots to act as our personal assistants, and to sell us stuff.
Tech correspondent Peter Griffin with an update on local broadband services, with changes and offers announced this week that could affect you.
Peter Griffin on a US report that shows how Facebook, Twitter and other social networks are selling information about us to law enforcement agencies. Also newly released advertising figures show how much clout Facebook has in New Zealand's media landscape. And a horrible week for Samsung, with the recall of 2.5 million Galaxy Note 7 handsets over a fault that makes them spontaneously combust.
Technology news with Peter Griffin and Google launches its new Pixel phone and a digital home assistant called (you've guessed it!) Home. Now search is anywhere and everywhere. Plus Facebook is hoping we're ready to buy and sell stuff in its Marketplace. It offers a place to trade, but no way to pay for the goods, or to rate them.
Peter Griffin with the latest tech news, and this week what colour is the internet?! It's a question that designers and businesses are wrestling with as they try to get us to spend as long as possible on their sites. Also the head of the UK's cybersecurity agency wants the internet to be filtered for malware; but how realistic is this?
Peter Griffin has tech news with an update on Apple's tax bill and what it could mean for New Zealand's tech sector. And how GST is about to bite on imported digital goods.
Peter Griffin with tech news. How Facebook wants to use a solar-powered drone to provide free internet access to Africa, and could delivery drones really bring goods to our homes one day?
An ode to the shopping trolley; its past, its present and its future. With Zachary Crockett, Matt McKeown, Murray Siple, Henry Harris-Burland and Peter Griffin.
Peter Griffin on Pokemon Go!; the game's now banned in many countries over concerns about US-sponsored surveillance. Meanwhile a Pokemon-based dating app lets players hook up in real life. Plus what will you do with all those home videos now, as the last VHS VCR rolls off the production line?
Technology news with Peter Griffin. This week, the demise of the iconic Blackberry Classic. Plus looming legal problems for the electric vehicle maker Tesla, and specifically the auto-pilot function on some of its cars, after the death of a driver using the system. Plus the planned introduction of a new digital technologies component into the New Zealand school curriculum; is it too little, too late?
Bits and bytes from the world of technology with Peter Griffin. This week the online accomodation rental service Airbnb sues its home city of San Francisco over plans to crackdown on its services. We also take a look a Facebook's ever-changing news feed. With the social network becoming the primary source of news and current affairs for many of us, you're now more likely to see your friends' cat videos than the latest world news.
The technological advances that are spurring the next generation of TVs. Peter Griffin sorts through quantum dots, 'nits' and the latest HDR, SUHD, 4K and OLED offerings on the market.
Tech correspondent Peter Griffin with reaction to the news that Microsoft's paid US$26.2 billion for the professional networking website LinkedIn, one of the biggest tech deals in history. Also Apple brings Siri onto desktop computers for the first time.
Tech correspondent Peter Griffin on the proposed merger of Sky TV and Vodafone and what it could mean for New Zealand consumers. Also Google could be planning to tighten up control over its Android operating system, and a 'terror alert' app is launched by the French government for the Euro 2016 football champs.
Tech correspondent Peter Griffin with the latest tech news. This week, music streaming options including YouTube Red and Spotify. Also Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund invests US$3.5 billion in Uber.
Peter Griffin on what Budget 2016 means for the local science, research and technology sectors. Also Australia's planned "three strikes" law for alleged copyright infringers grinds to a halt, as the content industry struggles to crack down on streaming.
Technology correspondent Peter Griffin reports on the latest ideas coming out of Google's annual developer conference in California this week. Also the Finnish handset maker Nokia's fallen on tough times since the smartphone took centre stage. But it could be poised for a rebirth.
Peter Griffin gives his views on 'smart contracts' and some potential applications of blockchain technology. Also how willing are New Zealanders to pay for their news, media and other content? Plus the government introduces GST on online purchases; the 'Netflix tax' starts in October.
Technology correspondent Peter Griffin on the rebirth of the Dick Smith brand online. Also New Zealand reveals a $22 million plan to beef up the country's cybersecurity presence, and fears that virtual reality will offer a host of new and more intrusive opportunities for online harassment.
Technology correspondent Peter Griffin on the rise of the 'chatbots'; also the local crowdfunding platform PledgeMe moves into peer-to-peer lending. And in the latest development in the complex and rapidly evolving video streaming on demand market, Spark says it will keep giving away Lightbox free to all home broadband customers.
Peter Griffin with tech news and the Australian government spends up to establish a specialist cybercrime unit. Also an intriguing You Tube video and a big feature in Wired means that augmented/mixed reality and startup Magic Leap is getting some serious hype.
Peter Griffin on a study of New Zealanders' internet use and online habits, with people more worried by corporate tracking and monitoring than anything our government is doing. Also the instant messaging service Whatsapp embraces encryption. Is this the way of the future, and how worried will the FBI and other law enforcement agencies be about the development?
Peter Griffin with the technological challenges raised and overcome by this week's revelations surrounding the Panama Papers, a huge collection of millions of documents leaked to a German newspaper and subsequently pored over by hundreds of journalists collaborating all over the world. So how did they manage to do it and keep a lid on their investigations so successfully? Also Peter's been having a play with the latest video editing apps. Rather than having hours of unedited videos sitting on your PC, unwatched and unloved, could you easily turn these into shareable memories of weddings, birthdays, and holidays?
With more of us filtering out the adverts when we're online we ask Peter Griffin how adblockers work, who's using them and how content publishers, from online newpapers to mobile apps, are responding to this threat to their business model.
Peter Griffin has technology news and the government wants your views on geoblocking and other technological protection measures or TPMs. Plus more evidence that New Zealanders love playing video games, and that we're pretty good at designing them too! [image:46933:full]
Peter Griffin has technology news and the government wants your views on geoblocking and other technological protection measures or TPMs. Plus more evidence that New Zealanders love playing video games, and that we're pretty good at designing them too!
Peter Griffin with technology news, and the latest on Apple vs the FBI, why 3D TV really hasn't taken off, and a new drone comes to town.
Peter Griffin with technology news. This week an update on how Netflix is cracking down on the use of VPNs by New Zealanders accessing its services. Also virtual reality dominates the news coming out of this week's Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, and reaction to Facebook's Reactions. [image:46933:full]
Tech correspondent Peter Griffin on trouble in Twitter-land. Also the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says it regards the computer onboard driverless cars in the same way as a human driver. So what could this mean for Google, and for us?
[image:46933:full] Technology news with Peter Griffin and Google aka Alphabet becomes the biggest business on the planet. There are also rumours that Amazon is planning to open a network of up to 400 physical stores, and some of the implications of this week's signing of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement.
Technology news with Peter Griffin and the Sky upgrade gets mixed reviews, and Netflix threatens to crack down on the use of virtual private networks or VPNs.
Peter Griffin has tech news, and broadband prices look like they're on the way up. Plus Uber and Facebook team up to make ordering a cab even easier, and safety fears over the hoverboard.
Technology correspondent Peter Griffin on Facebook's Instant Articles' arrival in New Zealand. Also government plans to crack down on the cybercriminals who cost New Zealanders an estimated $250 million a year.
Technology time with Peter Griffin and news of an undersea internet cable linking New Zealand and Hawaii. Also Facebook moves into livestreaming with Facebook Live, and how the instant messaging service Snapchat resists targeted advertising to its 100 million daily users.
Technology correspondent Peter Griffin's on how your emails are tracking you. Plus the 'Netflix tax' on digital purchases like ebooks and music is coming to New Zealand.
Technology news with Peter Griffin. YouTube and Facebook launch new apps for your smartphone as the battle heats up for your ears and eyes.
Technology correspondent Peter Griffin on the rise of podcasting. So why is this form of audio storytelling surging in popularity?
Technology correspondent Peter Griffin on European moves that question the principle of net neutrality. And Google tries to bring better internet to the island nation of Indonesia with its balloons.
Peter Griffin looks at the future prospects for virtual reality. Also You Tube makes a premium offering, and the next generation of TVs called OLEDs hits NZ.
Tech news with Peter Griffin: job losses at Twitter and how video on demand could be the reason that illegal downloading is declining in Australia.
Peter Griffin discusses the implications on copyright following the TPPA deal; Microsoft's new laptop 'Surface Book', and the Chinese government's on-line rating system.
Technology news with Peter Griffin. The online retailer Fishpond gets a big fine for selling illegal electronics, and a tech giant pushes to make our homes and offices truly wireless.
Peter Griffin with technology news and You Tube launches its own gaming channel. Also the Government wants to explore 'digital convergence' and Facebook will start using real people to help you find products and services.
A listener contemplates his digital afterlife. Peter Griffin has some tips for managing a way through your final exit.
Apple users might be a feeling less smug about never getting computer viruses. Also the right to be forgotten; so far it's primarily been a European issue, but now the right to be forgotten could be going global. With technology correspondent Peter Griffin.
Our technology correspondent Peter Griffin has been having a play with Microsoft's new operating system, Windows 10.
Technology correspondent Peter Griffin on the imminent launch of the Apple Watch in New Zealand, bad news for drone owners with tighter regulations, and the tiny transistor that could mean the end of Moore's Law.