Technology in the news – Articles from 2011

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Stuff.co.nz, 12 February
A stunt car powered by light. Check. A table-top version of a popular iPhone game. Check. A battery-powered sweet-talking boyfriend doll. Check.
These are some of the items the US toy industry hopes will help it rebound from a lackluster holiday sales season in which demand petered out after a strong start.
The top US toy fair kicks off Sunday in New York just weeks after toy makers Hasbro and LeapFrog Enterprises shocked investors with a weak finish to the biggest selling season of the year.
Taranaki Daily News, 21 March
The number of surfboard shapers in New Zealand has been declining steadily over the past 10 years. Blanton Smith explores the effect cheaper imported boards from China are having on the industry.
The artisan's weathered hands have been through this routine a thousand times before. With pencil in hand he traces the edge of a template, cutting along the lines until the piece of foam (known as a blank) resembles a surfboard. Picking up the planer and sander the master craftsman smoothes out the sharp, rugged edges into smooth curves. He casts his practised eye over the board looking for blemishes and imperfections, correcting them as he goes. For finer details sanding blocks and shaper's gauze are used, blending the slightest of angles into symmetrical curves.
IEE Spectrum online magazine, April
After being pummeled by economic storms, the world's major automakers are bruised but still standing. You'd think they'd be playing it safe, but many of them are actually doubling down on technology, seeing it as the only way to seize a competitive edge and thereby avoid the fate of Pontiac, Hummer, Mercury, and other brands that went extinct because they couldn't keep pace.
As this year's top 10 list reveals, companies are continuing to pile their chips on electricity, hoping for a jackpot down the road. And decades from now, 2011 may well be remembered as the year when plug-in cars finally went mainstream.
Discussion starter:
• Innovation in transport technology
• Energy efficiency
Stuff.co.nz, 14 May
Builders are worried that extra costs associated with tougher new earthquake standards will make new Christchurch homes unaffordable for some.
Discussion starter:
• Construction Technology: socio-cultural influences on practice; setting new building standards
Ideolog Daily Bacon video, 18 July
Current New Zealander of the Year Sir Paul Callaghan has always believed ideas are the nexus of a progressive economy. Kiwis have been living off our resources for too long, he says, and it's time we focused our energies on using what's between our ears to create real value. In this video clip from his speech to attendees at Survive and Thrive 2011, a practical expo for creative entrepreneurs, he explains why it's imperative to understand the role that creative industries play and how to grow that sector even further.
Discussion starter:
• Nature of Technology: an environment for innovation
NZ Herald news article, 6 August
Cheaper internet-ready phones may make India Facebook's biggest market after the US next year with more than 50 million users, according to Nielsen. As Google's rival social network also gains in popularity, companies are boosting internet advertising to reach the 352 million children under age 15 who are coming online.
Discussion starters:
• Digital Technologies: social networking
• Nature of Technology: socio-technological environments
NZ Herald online article, 20 August
Parents are facing hefty credit-card bills after their children unknowingly spend real money while playing free online games on mobile devices such as iPhone and iPad.
Discussion starter:
• Software applications: ethical design and marketing