FutureFive New Zealand - Consumer technology news from the future

Startup’s ‘super-map’ takes on Google Earth

The startup company is attempting to create a map that will rival Google Earth by providing near real-time global imagery from commercial satellites, aerial cameras and drones.More

Today

Sony buys Insomniac Games, the firm behind PS4 smash hits Marvel's Spider-Man & Spyro

Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) is finally bringing longtime partner and game developer Insomniac Games under its wing.More

Yesterday

The dark side of apps: Security threats on the rise

"Think about it, unsecured Wi-Fi, spoofing, phishing attacks, ransomware, spyware... mobile devices make for the perfect target."More

Yesterday

Get ready to take the red pill: The Matrix is coming back

“As you can see, we've had our eye on you for some time now, Mr. Anderson..."More

Hands-on review: The OPPO Reno Z in gorgeous Aurora Purple

Know your motive: new research considers the next wave of robots

Mighty Ape offers Afterpay in New Zealand - finally

GitHub Classroom will now work with Google Classroom & more

Gaming consoles are the most secure smarthome devices

Does work experience trump formal education?

Hands-on review: Corsair HS35 is the complete console gaming headset

The HS35 delivers high-quality sound and voice clarity for gaming on multiple platforms including PC, Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch, and mobile devices, thanks to a universal 3.5mm connection.More

Aussie company launches new chatbot service for homeless youth

Set to launch in March 2020, the chatbot is currently in design and testing and is the biggest change to the Ask Izzy platform since 2016.More

Massey Uni & Stats NZ launch first research database

Massey University and Statistics New Zealand opened the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI) laboratory, which will provide staff and student use for IDI-approved projects.More

NVIDIA's ray tracing graphics are coming to Minecraft

Prepare your pixel spades, because Minecraft is the latest game to get the real-time ray tracing treatment, thanks to NVIDIA and Microsoft.More

Auckland ICT Graduate School adopts AWS programme

“For tech companies to continue to grow and compete on a global stage, AWS is working to grow the skills base and cultivate the next generation." More

Sony gets serious about reducing plastic pollution

The 'One Blue Ocean' project aims to reduce plastic pollution in the world’s oceans. It also states that Sony will also make efforts to reduce its environmental footprint to zero by 2050.More

Hands-on review: MSI Trident X Plus 9SD-074AU gaming PC

We look at one of the hottest and sexiest gaming rigs available on the local marketMore

Five ways smart TVs are at risk of cyber attacks

Android TV is the most popular operating system for TVs – but it’s also vulnerable to many malware strains that affect other Android devices, because it shares the same base architecture.More

LIFX sneak peek: These lights turn the home into a rainbow of colour

There’s nothing like a little more ambient light to decorate your home. In October, LIFX will be back with two new options to light up your life.More

Game review - Wolfenstein: Youngblood

The game is designed to be played co-operatively, with each player controlling one of the sisters. You can play solo with an AI sister, but it’s pretty clear that the developers have not refined the game for Johnny-no-mates players.More

New app helps Kiwi investors go global

Tiger Brokers, the fintech Kiwi company, has launched an app designed to help Kiwi investors test global equities markets and build global portfolios.More

Air NZ faces data breach after staff accounts phished

Air New Zealand says information relating to membership profiles may have been visible on internal documents as a result of the breach.More

Digital detox akin to smoking and drinking withdrawal

"The findings show many of the travellers initially experienced symptoms of anxiety and frustration."More

Rocket Lab will reuse its rockets for future launches

Not only will Rocket Lab reuse Electron, it has also opened a scholarship programme.More

Kiwi startup making waves in electric transport

“We’re helping organisations address one the biggest challenge of our time climate change by giving them a practical way to reduce their own carbon footprint."More

Hands-on review: The Fitbit Ace 2 activity tracker for kids

We have noticed a significant difference in Avi’s behavior after he wore the Fitbit Ace 2. Instead of watching TV seated, he now walks back and forward to rack up steps. Instead of playing inside, he requests to go outside because he needs to get his numbers up.More

Yubico launches lightning-compatible security key

Today, the YubiKey 5Ci can be used to secure the 1Password, Bitwarden, Dashlane, Idaptive, LastPass, and Okta iOS mobile applications.More

Rocket Lab joins Skills Bright Sparks to inspire Kiwi kids

“I’ve been fascinated with space ever since I was a kid but when I was at school, I was told to be ‘realistic’ and bring my ideas back down to Earth,” says Peter Beck. More

Unsecured WiFi leaving schools vulnerable to attack

While the internet has transformed the learning process in schools, it’s also given rise to new dangerous online threats.More

Samsung's Note10 will come in two different sizes for the first time ever

It’s that time of year again. Like clockwork, Samsung has announced the latest version of the acclaimed Galaxy Note series, the Note10.More

Too quick to click: New Zealanders falling for phishing emails

New insights from CCL reveal that a significant amount of New Zealanders are still falling for phishing email scams, due in part to impulsive email behaviour.More

Hands-on review: Ryzen 3000 meets ASUS PRO WS X570-ACE workstation

This is not only a gamechanger, it’s an all-new revolution for modern personal computing.More

Five ways to use Google Earth to explore the world

Google Earth has a few new nifty features to take users on an exploration of culture, language, nature, weather, and remote locations.More

Waikato Uni opens NZ's first esports arena

"People are still of the opinion that gamers are the nerds in the corner who have no social skills, doing something that won’t take you anywhere in life. But this initiative is a step towards showing people that esports can lead to many opportunities in a billion-dollar industry.”More

Uber is coming to seven regional NZ locations

Uber’s presence in New Zealand is getting bigger, as the company looks beyond cities and starts to etch out a presence in the regions.More

Twilio solution aims to make unknown numbers thing of the past

Verified By Twilio positions apps to provide consumers with verified information about who is contacting them and why.More

Amazon Alexa can now teach English and te reo Māori

“Learning works best when it’s interactive, so users can listen to the words in te reo and English and test their knowledge and pronunciation through the glossary and quiz."More

Kiwi employees embracing a future of AI

Kiwi employees are the most secure in their roles when it comes to embracing artificial intelligence in the workplace, compared to all other countries surveyed including, Australia, USA, UK, Germany and Japan. More

Govt support could turn NZ's game industry into billion-dollar boom

Grinding Gear Games’ hugely successful RPG Path of Exile has showcased the local gaming industry – last year Tencent purchased Grinding Gear Games for more than $100 million.More

Bose revamps iconic QuietComfort headphones

The Bose 700s use the next-generation Bose noise cancellation for improved noise reduction and sophisticated electronic circuitry that eliminates the “hiss” regularly heard in other headphones. More

Find out where you can get your Corsair gaming goods near you

Corsair has a range of retailers and resellers in most countries around the world.More

Hands-on review: The Elgato Stream Deck makes streaming so much easier

Too lazy to tell your Twitter followers that you’re online? No problem - just pre-populate a tweet, assign it to one of the 15 keys and you can send it whenever you like.More

Hands-on review: Belkin USB-C Mulitmedia Hub

Every new laptop owner needs something to solve their USB-C dilemmas. We look at a possible solution.More

How video games are driving the need for faster internet

Video games are driving the need for internet services that are lightning fast and free of lag or latency, especially as many games now rely on the internet to provide an excellent gaming experience.More

Huawei’s 10 megatrend predictions for 2025

The GIV predicts technology trends up until 2025, including 5G coverage, AI deployment, home robot adoption, and smart assistant use rates.More

Hands-on review: Dyson V11 is the smartest stick vac on the block

It’s a vacuum cleaner that displays the efficiency and precision of cleaning only seen in advertisements, and never actually played out in real-life use cases.More

Logitech showcases the best parts of being a tech junkie

Freshly caffeinated and after the most delicious custard and apple doughnut ever, I ventured to the Logitech Showcase, ready to be inspired. I wasn’t disappointed. More

DJI’s new selfie stick has plenty of awesome features

DJI’s new Osmo Mobile 3 mobile phone stabiliser is a selfie stick in disguise – but it’s a selfie stick that has plenty of features.More

Control your appliances with a D-Link mydlink Mini Wi-Fi Smart Plug

The device can be set to turn your TV off when you’re asleep, power on your coffee maker before you wake up, or automatically turn on your living room lamp while you’re on holiday.More

Streaming service Disney+ coming to NZ – pricing and dates

The services will be another competitor entering the streaming market to compete with the likes of Netflix, Sky’s Neon offering, Lightbox.More

Sennheiser goes wireless for audiophiles

Sennheiser is gearing up to launch its first audiophile Bluetooth in-ear headphones, due to hit shelves in mid-August.More

Prudential Corporation Asia launches next generation health app

A new app known as ‘Pulse’ has been launched by Prudential Corporation Asia to provide an AI-powered, 24/7 health partner to users, allowing them to better understand their personal health.More

Samsung and Microsoft partner to deliver unified experience

As mobile-first users make up a larger share of the workforce, the demand for more seamless connectivity will only increase.More