Category: Online column

A weekly tech column written for The Southland Times, a company that pays well enough to keep me in handbags and Drambuie

Sympathy for the scammed

(This is the Online column, written for The Southland Times) The news that someone in Cromwell fell victim to one of the many cold-calling scams doing the rounds at the moment is a timely reminder that we need keep our…

The stench of oversharing

(This is the Online column, written for The Southland Times) During a chat about the perils of Facebook this week, a workmate reminded me of the old saying that compares houseguests and fish, but I reckon the internet has given…

An intrusion by the boss

(This is the Online column, written for The Southland Times) Is your boss your Facebook friend? Do you want the person who oversees your work also having an overview of your private life? While chatting with a friend this week,…

Quite a display for April Fool’s Day

(This is the Online column, written for The Southland Times) I managed to get through April Fool’s Day pretty much unscathed, unless you count a slightly demented cat trying to ankle tap me from under the bed as an April…

Even the weather app throws up its hands

(This is the Online column, written for The Southland Times) It’s been an interesting start to autumn so far, with the new season appearing to arrive hand-in-hand with winter. This follows on from our remarkably summer-ish spring and a decidedly…

Wise up about smartphone security

(This is the Online column, written for The Southland Times) I it’s safe to say we are all a lot more clued-up when it comes to online security than we were a few years ago, but what about when it…

Thanks for the extra, but not to Xtra

(This is the Online column, written for The Southland Times) It’s bad enough that so many Xtra email addresses have been compromised but the fact that Yahoo, the company responsible for managing that email system, won’t even give an answer…

Inspiring, uplifting content

(This is the Online column, written for The Southland Times) Over recent months, I have made it my mission in life to spend five minutes online every morning before I start work, finding something that will brighten my day. Sometimes…

Being disconnected has its advantages

(This is the Online column, written for The Southland Times) Technology is supposed to make life easier but sometimes it feels like it’s just making it more complicated. We’re all so connected now that it’s hard to shut off: our…

‘Tis the season for giving (and receiving)

(This is the Online column, written for The Southland Times) Since it’s the season of goodwill to all men, I will flex my festive tolerance levels and include businesses in that warm, fuzzy equation, too. For now. Like many people…