KEY POINTS:
A press release just arrived in my inbox that got me searching through a box of junk in my garage. Today is the 25th anniversary of the compact disc.
I've actually got one of the early promo compact discs Philips put out around 1985 to try and get people interested in the new technology, which required them to ditch their tape decks in favour of a futuristic-looking disc player.
The disc is a sampler of music, a bit of Beethoven, the awesome song Private Investigations off the Dire Straits album Love Over Gold. Mega-selling Brothers In Arms was one of the albums that really kick-started the CD revolution on its 1985 release.
The old CD has lasted pretty well all things considered. My father worked for Philips in the 1980s and the staff were the first to test drive the technology. I was pretty young, but I remember listening to that disc and always skipping the Bananarama track...
Tech loaded revealed
The NBR Rich List is out and there's a surprising number of people who have made their fortunes in the tech and internet, despite the new $50 million minimum entry requirement. Many of these people, however, have been wealthy for years.
Trade Me founder Sam Morgan is obviously there - his share of the Trade Me sale was in excess of $220 million and he will receive millions more if he meets earnings targets agreed with Fairfax.
Sam Morgan - Trade Me, $239m
Robinson family - Rakon, $211m
Steve Outtrim - web design software Hot Dog in 1995, $120m
Peter Maire - Navman founder, Cadmus Chairman, Tahia Investments, $110m
Tim Williams - sold 50% stake in ValueCommerce to Yahoo! $110m
Nigel and Susan Stanford - Trade Me investors, $84m
Tim and Nick Wood - selling Ihug, $80m
Phil McCaw - TradeMe, $77m
Richard Abbott - Trade Me and Jester 003, $76m
Neville Jordan - technology entrepreneur, $75m
Brian Peace - Pearce Software, $70m
Roy Savage - New Zealand Safety Products, Crabtree and Evelyn franchise, Comrad, $65m
Mark Richter - Trade Me, $67m
Lester Singleton - Global Information Systems, $60m
Nigel and Rosemary Walkington - Global Information Systems, $60m
Guy Haddleton and Sue Strother - selling Adaytum and new venture Ascadia, $55m each
Microsoft account moves
One of the major local technology PR accounts has changed hands. Microsoft has been managed for years by a small team at the PR firm Text 100, but Microsoft recently put the business out to tender resulting in a change to Consultus and Porter Novelli.
Microsoft doesn't push their consumer products here much apart for the obligatory advertising for Vista, but is pretty proactive in the business and IT sectors with the likes of its TechEd events and partner programmes. It will be interesting to see if the message changes and if, without their anchor client, the Text 100 business here survives.
Spectrum analysed
Finally, the Government has put out a consultation document on the radio spectrum auction planned for December. If you're interested in wireless broadband you should take a look at it. The nuts and bolt details around how the spectrum is carved up, acquisition limits and use-it-or-lose-it provisions will generate some debate.
"The discussion document proposes three 'managed spectrum parks' totalling 75 MHz. This is a new concept designed to provide for local and regional use on a shared basis," said communications minister David Cunliffe. That's a good idea as it gives regional broadband initiates the foundation to grow.
The tech blogosphere:
Aardvark's has a disaster plan.
Rod Drury on the still prohibitive cost of mobile data.
