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Midday Report Essentials for Wednesday 12 February 2025
In today's episode, a manhunt is underway in Palmerston North for a man who aimed a firearm at a police officer on Tuesday night, before fleeing the scene, the government has released a series of… Audio
Solar-powered drone reaches stratosphere on as much power as a hairdryer
The drone - with a wingspan of 12.5 metres - is to be used for earth observations including environmental monitoring, disaster response and a range of commercial applications. Audio
Chorus doubles speed limits on basic household plans
High speed internet will soon get a lot faster for those on Chorus' basic household plans, with double the speed at no extra cost from June.
Government mulls changes to protect local media
"There continues to be a hunger ... for local stories and local material and local news," Minister Paul Goldsmith says.
NZ solar powered drone travels to stratosphere
The drone engineered by Kea Aerospace, reached an altitude of 56,000 feet (equivalent to 17 kilometres) using the same amount of power as a hairdryer. Kea Aerospace chief executive Mark Rocket spoke… Audio
Tech Talk with Finn Hogan
We're joined again by Nights' resident tech correspondent, Finn Hogan whos taking a look at a new study from Microsoft which found AI makes human cognition "atrophied and unprepared, an AI safety… Audio
The Pre-Panel for 11 February 2025
Today on The Pre-Panel producer Jose Barbosa joins Wallace Chapman & Emile Donovan to preview tonight's show. Plus they discuss whether you should share your GPS location with your partner. Audio
Fake rūnanga photo draws the ire of Ngāpuhi chairperson
The post, which was taken from X and shared on Facebook, features an artificial image of a Māori man with a facial moko standing in front of a red ute and a visible rūnanga logo.
NZ supermarkets may soon have new barcodes
The average grocery store barcode could soon be upgraded. 2D barcodes from GS1 - look a lot like a QR code, and can tell customers where the product comes from, it's use by date, if it contains… Audio
School phone bans don't boost achievement: Study
A British study has found that banning phones in schools didn't boost student achievement or improve mental health. University of Birmingham professor Miranda Pallan spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss. Audio
Tech sector jobs market remains tight - but expected to bounce back
The tech sector is expected to soon return to a tight labour market, which will quickly absorb a glut of people currently looking for work.
The disinformation rollercoaster
The president, the tech oligarchs, the media and AI - why we can expect a new wave of information you just can't trust.
A step up in fake news
The president, the tech oligarchs, the media and AI - why we can expect a new wave of information you just can't trust Audio
State-linked Russian cyber spies increasingly targeting NZ orgs
Almost 350 cyber attacks in the year to July 2024 had the potential to be nationally significant, the National Cyber Security Centre says. Audio
Will your phone survive the 3G apocalypse?
Many of us have already moved to 4G and 5G, but tech experts warn the impact of shutting down 3G will be larger than people think. Audio
Union hits back at 'astonishing' Health NZ plan to cut 1000 tech jobs
Te Whatu Ora's plan to "fail early, fail often, succeed over time" in tech operations is being called unacceptable. Video
Expert: Animation with Andrew Kunzel
For our Expert feature today, Jesse digs into the medium of animation: how is it done, how has it evolved over the past century, and where might it go in the future? Audio
Text message authentication the worst way to stop cyber criminals - report
A major New Zealand security firm says multi-factor authentication is at the heart of some of the most egregious security breaches.
Goodbye 3G
New Zealand's 3G network will be retired at the end of the year , making room for more advanced technologies like 4G and 5G. Launching in 2006, 3G revolutionised communication, allowing users to make… Audio
The robots that could replace fungicides
Led by Bragato Research Institute in partnership with A Lighter Touch, the research project aims to see if UV-C light can be used to control powdery mildew in place of traditional fungicides.
