Stories by Rob O'Neill

BoP Polytech reboots IT infrastructure

Bay of Plenty Polytechnic has ditched an EMC storage area network (SAN) and Cisco network switch in favour of Hewlett-Packard systems, as part of a major overhaul of its IT infrastructure.

Canterbury Uni boosts network to 10Gbit/s

Juniper Networks is overhauling the University of Canterbury’s network deploying a 10 Gbit/s Ethernet network to provide students high-speed access to video, voice, business and web applications.

Consultants engaged for UFB rollout

The Ministry of Economic Development has selected programme managers for its $1.5 billion Ultra-Fast Broadband investment and for its Rural Broadband Initiative.

Trouble saving? Call Uncle Percy

Social networking is coming to the aid of anyone who has trouble saving if the founders of a new savings website have their way.
Called Uncle Percy, the site lets people load images and share their goals with their social networks via a link to Facebook. Sharing the goals with their networks means people will contribute to something they actually want, the company says.
The site, an alternative to a traditional savings account, allows users to invite family and friends to make a contribution to a savings goal. There is no interest rate, but there is a higher level of interaction and engagement.
A charge of $7.95 is levied when the goal is achieved and the account, which is controlled by the Public Trust, is closed, says company chairman Garth Biggs.
"Young people have a lot of difficulty saving money in an unsegmented way," Biggs says.
Uncle Percy allows them to separate and focus on their financial goals and to share that with family and friends.
The company behind Uncle Percy, founded by former ad man Leon Parore, has had a soft launch among friends but is now ready for prime time. Development began in the middle of last year.
Biggs, formerly CEO of Gen-i and CIO at Air New Zealand, says he was approached by some investors and joined the company, in September or October last year, after the site was fully formed. His role is to test and challenge ideas and to provide governance for shareholders, he says.
Biggs concedes the name Uncle Percy may have other connotations for some, but in testing that was only evident among older people and people of an English background.

Launch Pad 2010 selects three leading startups

The judges of Launch Pad 2010, an investment competition that featured as part of the Planet 2010 expo in Auckland over the weekend, have named three innovative companies winners in the pitch contest.

Security firm SMX lands Japan deal

New Zealand anti-spam and anti-virus company SMX has landed a licencing and sales agreement with Japanese hosting provider Tsukaeru.net, its first foray into the large Japanese market.

Supercity ICT: how the vendors are placed

Documents appear to confirm that IT vendors with strong existing installations in Auckland councils are in the box seat to become ICT suppliers to the new Auckland Council, which takes charge of the city on November 1.

‘Veneer’ of integration likely for Auckland

Documents obtained under the Local Government Official Information Act indicate the Auckland Transition Agency, the body charged with delivering the new Auckland Council, is likely to apply a “veneer” of integration and keep most existing council systems in place for the launch of the Supercity.

Forum: The enigma that is the Supercity

There are signs building of a serious backlash against the way the Auckland Supercity is being implemented. Whether it’s the way executives are being recruited or the way the Council-controlled organisations are being reorganised, it looks increasingly as if the entire effort is being driven out of Wellington — and that’s making Aucklanders uncomfortable.

Microsoft's former NTO looks back — and forward

Brett Roberts was Microsoft’s National Technology Officer, based in Auckland, but the company decided it needed the position to be based in Wellington. Unwilling to move, Roberts left. He looks back on his time at Microsoft and the challenges of the NTO role.

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