Star Wars meets Da Vinci Code
We were surprised to find this piece of minimalist art on our doorsteps today. The plain white card says "maythefourthbewithyou", a reference to Star Wars and the fact that it is infact May the 4th.
After further investigation - using who.is for journalism, a text message from a mysterious figure named Andrew, and a virtual romp through the streets of Paris - we figured out the cards are a marketing ploy to raise interest for a new service launching next week called Fyx.
On its Facebook page, Fyx says the following about what it offers: "fyx is a service that is designed to bring the world to New Zealand. Its about breaking down the barriers between us and what we want to get at ... and using "Global Mode" to do it"
The domain is registered to local ISP Maxnet, so presumably they have a hand in it. We've contacted Maxnet to ask for more details, no doubt this info will come through after we've gone for drinks (not sure about the drinks, that’s just a bit of hopeful speculation).
Back on foot next week
It really is exciting being a technology journalist, even if you are based in Wellington. Media were told by 2degrees this week to meet at a bus stop, and the PR was being very tight-lipped about what was on offer. Although everyone sort of guessed that it would be a mobile wallet/electronic bus fare thing because that's trending right now.
And so it proved to be - 2degrees and Snapper have launched a mobile phone-based electronic wallet.
As PR launches go, however, it was maybe a C+ .
"Good lunch," reported our Fry Up correspondent. "I thought at first they'd given us the phone, but we get a week to trial them, then we have to give them back."
Snapper, 2degrees collaborate on NFC smartphone payment
Dense
Dense statistics on unsearchable tables in small type that looks like second-hand photocopying?
That can only mean the latest broadband statistics have been posted on the OECD website. This time measuring the benefit to the economy of the shift from dial-up to broadband internet access. New Zealand came fifth.
We have our suspicions of the utility of the figures though. Calculating average compound annual growth rate when the first year's growth figure is necessarily much larger than subsequent years seems dubious a little; but hey, we only got a B in Numbers 101.
Surprise video
A couple in Central Park, New York are surprised in a nice way by an improv group who treat them to dinnner and a private concert.
Hat tip: Gawker.com