A quick skim through some front page news stories over the past year provides incontrovertible proof of technology's grip on our lives.

Forget about Google's struggle with Facebook for eyeballs and programmers. Pay no attention to its fight with Apple over smartphones, or to any other tech rivalry.

Google has apologised to New Zealanders after its Street View cars were caught out collecting data sent over some Wi-Fi networks.

While he isn't exactly in TVNZ's good books, it appears that Paul Henry is a big Kiwi favourite online.

A survey of 502 Kiwis found that 42 per cent said they usually decided on their travel plans around this time of year.

Finally, mobiles are living up to their early promise.

Barely six months after the iPad was launched, Apple-watchers have something new to talk about: a successor to its first tablet computer.

It may be called a 'phone', when its main use is anything but - it's almost as absurd as calling an iPod Touch a radiogram.

Facebook staff reportedly refer to the social network giant's email project as the 'Gmail killer'.

Christmas came early this year at Mountain View, with Google throwing around six-figure sums to retain its top talent.

It seems like the BlackBerry is losing its addictive powers, and businesses are shopping around for other smartphones.

Desktop giants forced to share space with growing array of computing devices.

Statisticians well-placed in job market as demand for data keeps growing.

Recipe for change: Boundaries, work - and the occasional reward.

Huge user base, ever-increasing engagement, hype, salivating VC investors - shame about the business model.

Is Microsoft's new browser good enough to see Windows users dumping Firefox and Chrome?

Facebook's valuation, vacillating in recent months between $23bn and $33bn, is highly speculative and almost certainly too high.

Internet giant's money will help NZ firm develop mass-transit system for use in traffic-clogged, skyscraper-strewn cities.