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15 May 2025

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OpenAI adds GPT-4.1 to ChatGPT amid complaints over confusing model lineup
Two new AI models join 7 others, leaving some paid users wondering which one is best.

Working long hours? It could be altering the structure of your brain, new study says
New research has found "significant changes" in the brains of people who were overworking.

‘This is another insult’: Water rates to triple in Central Hawke’s Bay
Mayor Walker says the rate hike is due to past underinvestment and growing regulations.

PGA Championship: Ryan Fox riding unusual preparation into major after maiden PGA Tour win
'There's a reason it's pretty hard to back up sometimes after a win,' Ryan Fox said.

Median house price falls 1.1% to $781,000
House sellers are increasingly willing to meet the market to get their properties sold, the Real Estate Institute says.

Southland Hospital struggling with ‘too small’ ED
Problems with the hospital's “too small” emergency department are outlined in information prepared for former Health Minister Shane Reti in December 2024.

Nicola Willis announces $190m 'Social Investment Fund'
The plan is the centrepiece of a four-year, $275m plan Nicola Willis says is meant to fix how social services are delivered.

Black Ferns v Canada: Portia Woodman-Wickliffe to play first test since World Cup final
Portia Woodman-Wickliffe will start on the right wing in Saturday's match in Christchurch.

Jevon McSkimming investigation: Former top cop selling properties
Properties McSkimming is listed as owning have been put up for sale or sold.

‘Hey, Cortana’ becomes ‘Hey, Copilot’ in Windows 11
Stop us if you’ve heard this before: You can now talk to your PC’s built-in AI. A few years ago, you’d use the term, “Hey, Cortana” in Windows 10. But in Windows 11, Cortana has been replaced with Windows Copilot, and you can now interact with Copilot by saying “Hey, Copilot” instead. Microsoft is testing the new feature within the Windows Insider program. If your PC is unlocked, and you’ve configured it to accept the “Hey Copilot” wake words, you can now interact with Copilot verbally. The Copilot UI will launch as a small microphone icon. Tapping the “X” next to it closes the conversation. Here’s how to configure “Hey Copilot” according to Microsoft: Open Copilot Tap your avatar in the bottom left corner Tap Settings Scroll down to Voice mode Toggle “Listen for ‘Hey, Copilot’ to start a conversation” on or off. It is off by default. The user interface looks virtually identical to the way in which you interact with Copilot Vision, which is now set up to test as well. I tried going hands-on with Copilot Vision a short time back. While the concept is sound (and even works quite well in a few apps!), it still needs some fine-tuning in terms of recognition. However, Microsoft announced this week that you can now interact with more than one app within Copilot Vision. Even better, Copilot Vision now provides the visual indicator that it previously lacked. You can enable it by asking Copilot Vision to “show me how.”

The company that wants to recycle all of Britain's EV batteries
Batteries for electric vehicles are notoriously difficult to recycle.

Falling interest saving home loan borrowers $2.2b, bank says
BNZ says falling interest rates will put $2.2 billion dollars into the pockets of New Zealanders with mortgages over the six months to a year.

Gen Z & millennials seek balance, security & AI skills at work
Deloitte survey reveals NZ Gen Z and millennials prioritise financial security, well-being, and purpose, with rising workplace stress and growing GenAI use.

Foreign bribery: Serious Fraud Office launches campaign and online reporting tool
If unchecked, foreign bribery will lower trust in NZ as place to do business, says SFO.

Sanford delivers an improved half year result
Sanford announced today an unaudited NPAT of $34.0m, a 110.0% uplift on the prior comparative period (pcp), and its highest half year adjusted earnings result in recent times

Conan O’Brien’s NZ adventure: Haka, skux lessons and bucket toilets
He learned he’s not quite “skux” during a comedic lesson with Abbey Howells.

Melville, Hamilton crash: Emergency services at the scene
Police say 'indications are there are serious injuries'.

Portia Woodman-Wickliffe selected for first Black Ferns' test in three years
It will be her first international for the side since the 2022 World Cup final.

Brooke van Velden meets with Council of Trade Unions after pay equity changes
The half-hour meeting is Brooke van Velden's first with the Council of Trade Unions in about a year, despite her predecessors typically booking monthly catch-ups.

Watch live: Nicola Willis announces $190m 'Social Investment Fund'
Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis says the fund will "change lives".

Delays as Britomart reopens after evacuation
Auckland's Britomart train station has reopened after a fire alarm fault on Thursday morning.

89 million Steam accounts leaked? Here’s what to do
As a PC gamer, you may have already seen some panic around the web regarding Steam—headlines saying 89 million Steam accounts hacked. But you shouldn’t panic. The reports stem from a post on the dark web, where an alleged hacker offered up supposed records from millions of Steam accounts, including one-time codes used for two-factor authentication (2FA). Sounds bad, right? Except when Twilio, the third-party service that powers the 2FA text message codes for Steam, was asked for comment, the company told BleepingComputer it had not found any evidence of a breach or leak. In the meanwhile, however, multiple outlets have published the original claim—as well as a follow-up from X/Twitter user Mellow_Online1, who says they were told by Valve no relationship exists between Steam and “Trillio.” (A possible typo, as Mellow_Online1 refers to Twilio in a follow-up post on X.) So what’s the deal? As BleepingComputer points out, this data could suggest a leak in the delivery system for text messages—one of three major reasons why security experts don’t recommend receiving 2FA codes through SMS. (The other two? Someone could steal your phone number to receive codes, or they could redirect the codes to their own device without you knowing.) This is not a Valve problem, though. It’s unfortunately a known weakness in how text messaging works. Using a mobile app for two-factor authentication codes is much more secure than via SMS/text message.Alaina Yee / Foundry But while this situation is likely nothing to worry about, your account is probably still at risk for other reasons. Chances are, your password is weaker than you think. (Just have a look at how fast modern GPUs can crack passwords.) And you’re probably not using two-factor authentication yet. Our favorite Password Manager Dashlane Read our review Best Prices Today: $4.99 at Dashlane Bump up your password to something strong, random, and unique. Turn on Steam Guard now, too. The better method for getting codes will be through the Steam Mobile App on your phone. Already using a good password and Steam Guard? For peace of mind, you can still change your password (which should be simple and fast if you use a password manager). Also switch to the Steam Mobile App as your 2FA method if you haven’t already. You may not be able to trust the claims made in dark web forum posts, sure. But strengthening your security is a process you can put weight behind—and you get full control over it, too.