- Concert Tour Fresh Announcements: Who’s Coming to NZ?Lenny Kravitz – Spark Arena, Nov 15First time ever in Aotearoa. One night only. Hits + heavy grooves from Blue Electric Light. Pre-sales 17 June, tix via Ticketmaster. Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory – Nov 25–29Goth-rock glory lands in Wellington & Christchurch before hitting The Others Way Fest. Shannon Lay opens. Tickets via
- Meta AI’s Privacy Blunder: Private Chats Going PublicMeta’s AI app, used by over a billion people, is leaking private conversations—including medical, legal, and deeply personal info—into the public Discover feed. Many users don’t realise that tapping the “Share” button makes chats visible to anyone, even without logging in. From teachers disputing job terminations to folks asking about tax evasion, Meta AI has
- The best (and worst) streaming TV shows & films this month
A regular column in which GARY STEEL sifts through the mountain of available streaming TV and brings your attention to great new and old shows as well as those to avoid. - Epson turns 50Epson’s turning 50 under its current name, but its roots go back to 1942 and a humble watch factory. Since then, it’s quietly shaped the world of printing and projection—from inventing Micro Piezo ink tech and EcoTank printers to powering ultra-bright projectors and efficient industrial robots. It’s not the flashiest brand, but for Kiwis who
- One NZ Launches Nationwide Satellite IoT—Even Your Beehives Can Now Text YouRemote monitoring just got a major upgrade. One NZ, teaming up with Starlink’s Direct to Cell tech, now offers full Aotearoa-wide IoT coverage—even in the 40% of the country without cell towers. The big win? Off-the-shelf CAT-1 IoT devices can now seamlessly switch between 4G and satellite. That means GPS, sensor data, and other key
- Roblox Risks: What Your Kid’s Gamertag Might Be Giving AwayRoblox might look like innocent fun, but it’s become a playground for predators. NZ Police confirmed grooming cases on the platform last year, and with 58% of its users under 16, the risks are very real. A worrying number of kids’ gamertags include personal info—like their first name, age, or birthday. That’s gold for scammers.
- Doc Edge 2025: NZ’s Documentary Film Fest ReturnsDoc Edge is back for 2025, spotlighting Aotearoa’s sharpest documentary filmmakers and globe-spanning gems from Ireland to Indonesia. With a lineup spanning features, shorts, and immersive works, the stakes are high: winners score not just cash, but a shot at Academy Award® glory. The Oscar®-qualifying festival runs in Auckland from 25 June to 13 July,
- What the heck’s gone wrong with streaming TV?
The advent of picture-perfect streaming television seemed like a dream come true, until it didn’t. In the introduction to a series detailing the pros and cons of the streaming platforms available in NZ, GARY STEEL asks: What went wrong? - Cricut x Maori Artists: Cutting-Edge Culture Meets MatarikiDIY design platform Cricut has teamed up with three Maori artists—Josh Kiwikiwi, Tayla Hartemink, and Talia Musson—for a powerful Matariki collaboration. Their custom digital artworks are now live on Cricut Design Space, blending traditional storytelling with modern creativity. Each time a Cricut user cuts one of these designs, proceeds go to local charities like Maori
- Sennheiser Turns 80 – and You Could Win Ruby Red HD 25sTo celebrate 80 years of audio excellence, Sennheiser’s slashing prices on its top-rated EW-D wireless systems until 30 June. Clean sound, rock-solid UHF reliability, and app-controlled ease — now for less. And here’s the cherry on top: they’re giving away just 80 pairs of limited-edition Ruby Red HD 25 headphones. To enter, just share your
- Here’s how to stay connected without the expense and hassle while traveling: D-Link’s nifty mobile hotspot
PAT PILCHER discovers a tiny gadget that takes the fear, expense and battery fatigue out of international roaming, and tells us all about it. - AMD’s Z2 Chips Power Up ASUS HandheldsOn the back of yesterday’s Microsoft Xbox announcement… ASUS’s new ROG Ally X packs AMD’s Ryzen Z2 muscle — including the AI-loaded Z2 Extreme with Zen 5 and RDNA 3.5. Think console-grade performance, on the go. AI upscaling, smarter frame gen, longer playtime. Handheld gaming just got a proper upgrade.
- Blast From The Past: Finn Andrews of The Veils
Way back in 2005, GARY STEEL had a chat with Finn Andrews, who was just starting to make waves with his group The Veils. Here’s the transcript of that conversation in full for the first time. - Xbox Gets Pocket-Sized: New ROG Ally Duo for On-the-Go GamingXbox and ASUS have pulled the wraps off the ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X—a pair of sleek, Windows-powered handhelds that promise to bring your entire Xbox and PC library to your backpack. Think Steam Deck with Xbox DNA and none of the ecosystem headaches. Cloud, console, or native installs—if it plays on Xbox or
- New Albums You’ll Want in Your Ears This WeekFrom punk to pop to proper rock swagger, this week’s album drops are packed with attitude. Pulp are back with More, proving they’ve still got plenty to say. Queens of the Stone Age go subterranean with the live-heavy Alive In The Catacombs, while Aussie icon Jimmy Barnes roars into his 21st (!) studio album with
- Warming white wine for cooler climes
PHIL PARKER attunes his tastebuds to pass judgment on some white wines for winter drinking. Believe it, or not. - Hisense’s M2 Pro Delivers Jaw-Dropping 4K Laser Cinema from a Pint-Sized PackageHisense has just dropped its tiniest, mightiest 4K projector yet—the M2 Pro—and it’s a serious flex in portable home cinema. Packing AI-driven 4K upscaling, triple-laser colour tech, optical zoom, and Dolby Audio into a pint-sized package, this featherweight firecracker turns any wall into a massive, razor-sharp screen up to 200 inches. Setup is a breeze
- Ninja Creami Deluxe: I scream, you scream…
The new deluxe version of the hugely popular Ninja Creami ice cream maker proves a hit even in a low-sugar, no lactic household. PAT PILCHER experiments and scoffs! - The Surfer: a lysergic treat
ASHTON BROWN expects this Nicholas Cage-starring film to be a bunch of cobblers but comes away both impressed and deranged. - Nintendo Switch 2 available today…in case you were missing anybody. The $799.95 piece of kit has a 1080p 7.9-inch display with a 120Hz refresh and HDR compatibility. It also supports up to 4K output at 120Hz when docked. The new controllers have better ergonomics and a new GameChat function.
- HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14: A flipping great display and next-gen features
PAT PILCHER gets his grubby paws all over the superb keyboard of HP’s latest laptop and awards it Witchdoctor’s topmost rating. - 24/7 GP consults launch online in NZWhether it’s a midnight migraine or a weekend woe, you can now consult a doctor from the comfort of your home. Average wait times are under three hours, and fees aren’t cheap. But when you need it, you’ll be really grateful for it. www.tend.nz
- World’s Worst Records: David Hasselhoff’s Crazy For You
Part Four Of A Survey Of The Complete Musical Works Of Sir David Michael Hasselhoff by the man who listens to more bad records than anyone else on the planet, MATT KELLY. - Freeview Satellite Just Got a Major HD UpgradeFinally bringing crisp, high-def telly to the dish crowd. TVNZ is leading the charge, with more HD channels on the way. No subscription, just sharper screens for everyone.
- Speaker positioning: audio spatial awareness a must
GARY STEEL discovers that when it comes to speaker placement you’re only as good as your personal audio spatial awareness. - Burger King sets sail with One Piece collabBurger King NZ just dropped a legendary collab with One Piece! Grab a Whopper or BK Chicken meal and score an exclusive Luffy or Sanji tee. Early access for Royal Perks on June 3, full sail from June 4. Burgers and treasure await, matey!
- How to get to Sesame Street….Netflix just picked up a bunch of new shows including Sesame Street – a reimagined 56th season & 90 hours of previous episodes-, Peppa Pig and all-new animated series and films Stranger Things: Tales From ‘85, Motel Transylvania, Minecraft, Ghostbusters, Dr. Seuss, In Your Dreams, The Twits.
- The best (and worst) TV shows & films streaming in NZ right now
A regular column in which GARY STEEL sifts through the mountain of available streaming TV and brings your attention to great new and old shows as well as those to avoid. - Cookie Chaos: 77 Million NZ Browser Cookies Leaked on Dark WebA staggering 94 billion browser cookies have been stolen and dumped on the dark web — and 77.5 million of them are tied to NZ users, with over 6 million still active. Cookies may seem harmless, but hackers are using them like spare keys to sneak into your accounts — no passwords needed. Malware is
- Whittaker’s Wins Big in 2025 Trusted Brands – AgainKiwis have spoken: Whittaker’s takes the crown (for the 15th year running!) as New Zealand’s Most Trusted Brand, topping the confectionery, iconic brand, and overall brand categories in Reader’s Digest’s 2025 survey. Three tech titans list triumphantly also Fisher & Paykel, Samsung and Canon. In a cost-of-living crunch, trust goes to the brands that show
- 2025 Tech Layoffs: Intel Tops the Chop ListThe tech industry is bleeding talent in 2025, with over 90,000 layoffs already this year. Leading the pack? Intel, cutting a jaw-dropping 20,000+ jobs, followed by Panasonic (10,000) and Microsoft (8,840). If the trend holds, we’re on track to hit nearly 236,000 tech layoffs worldwide by New Year’s. [Source: RationalFX] U.S. companies are responsible for
- Suunto’s Run fitness tracker will keep you moving
PAT PILCHER reviews a mid-price fitness tracking watch that won’t require a second mortgage but will last the distance. - Lithium-ion battery fires have doubled in NZFound in your chargeable devices – phones, laptops, power banks, vapes, e-scooters, e-bikes and power tools these can overheat, catch fire and explode. Charge only when home & awake, avoid overcharging, and never toss them in the trash. Find disposal sites via WastMINZ map.
- Substack defends monetising Nazi contentIn response to a protest letter signed by nearly 250 of the platform’s writers, cofounder Chris McKenzie stated that Substack will not censor content based on ideology. Substack does however ban pornography or incitement to violence – but hey, denying entire group’s right to existence is a-ok in their books.
- Light up your life: strip lighting that’s sparkly and smart
If your home’s boring white walls are killing the mood, PAT PILCHER has a budget-friendly and very clever strip lighting solution for you. - Blast From The Past: Marlon Williams
Still fresh-faced and fancy free, Marlon Williams was just setting out on his big adventure back in 2015 when GARY STEEL had a chat with him about his burgeoning career. - How to avoid culinary catastrophes in 5 easy steps
The thing about digging deep into gadgetry is that it’s hungry work. PAT PILCHER loves food and offers his advice on how to make delicious tucker (almost) every single time. - Annke’s solar-assisted WB300 security camera reviewed
Annke’s new solar-assisted outdoor security camera is smart and nicely priced but PAT PILCHER struggles to get it playing nicely with his Wi-Fi system. - World’s Worst Records: Club Eat’s Clothes
MATT KELLY set out to review an album that his kids hate but got stuck on the WTF flatulence of the song ‘Clothes’. - Crafty Corner: Brothers Beer & Juke Joint
If it’s got hops in it, ASHTON BROWN will hop-hop-along to it and this time it’s the turn of Auckland brewery/venue Brothers Beer. - Sennheiser HD25 Plus: Updating a Classic
Sennheiser’s legendary HD25 headphones have at last got an update, so PAT PILCHER couldn’t resist putting them to the test. - The best (and worst) streaming TV shows & films right now
A regular review column in which GARY STEEL sifts through the mountain of available streaming TV and brings your attention to 10 of the great new and old shows as well as those to avoid. - Succulent NZ wines for winter
PHIL PARKER demolishes eight remarkable Kiwi wines for winter drinking and somehow manages to review them as well. - Motorola’s G15: a decent phone for the fiscally challenged
Since when could you buy a proper smartphone for a mere $269? PAT PILCHER puts Motorola’s cheaply-does-it G15 through its paces and is pleasantly surprised. - 3G’s Network Shutdown – Here’s What That Means for Your TechHeads-up, Aotearoa: the 3G mobile network is on borrowed time, with Spark flicking the off switch in March 2026. Most Kiwis are already riding the 4G or 5G wave, but if you’re still clinging to an older device – think iPhone 5S, Galaxy J2 Pro, or a trusty old Nokia – it’s time for an
- How not to set up a stereo system
GARY STEEL discovers that when setting up a stereo system, just one dumb decision can have horrific results. - Will banning kids from social media really work?
Steps are being taken to ban kids under the age of 16 from accessing social media platforms, but PAT PILCHER argues that the idea is unworkable. - Ecovacs Deebot X8 Pro Omni: The next step in robot cleaning?
PAT PILCHER lives in a rambling, old and very dirty house. Until, that was, the Deebot X8 Pro Omni robot vacuum cleaner came to the rescue. Read his review below. - From The Archives: Tony Levin
Thirty-one years ago, GARY STEEL spoke to bassist extraordinaire Tony Levin who was about to perform in NZ with his good mate Peter Gabriel. - Cracking the pizza code
Are you disappointed at your attempts at homemade pizza, or maybe even too scared to try? PAT PILCHER is here to explain the techniques that will make you a pizza guru. - Ninja Woodfire Outdoor Oven reviewed
Witchdoctor’s pizza guru PAT PILCHER learns how to make world-class pizza in a nifty portable oven that’s – get this! – electric. - Drop is a flop
ASHTON BROWN doesn’t mince words on his opinion of Drop, a film that’s so incredibly mediocre he even forgot its name. - The best (and worst) streaming TV shows & films right now
A regular column in which GARY STEEL sifts through the mountain of available streaming TV and brings your attention to great new and old shows as well as those to avoid. - JBL SoundGear Audio Frames: Sound and vision
This might seem like a crazy idea but PAT PILCHER found that JBL’s sound-emitting sunglasses made for an ideal musical accompaniment to his holiday in the sun. - From The Archives: Pacific voyager Mike Cooper
Twenty years ago, GARY STEEL interviewed fascinating Rome-based UK-born folk experimentalist Mike Cooper on one of his Pacific journeys. Here’s that story followed by the full interview transcript. - What our wine guru did on his holidays
It gets a bit much reviewing wine and taking wine tours all year so our wine guru PHIL PARKER took a break, but not from wine. - Samsung Galaxy A56 5G: Bang-for-buck best in class
Not everyone can afford a $3000 smartphone, but Samsung comes to the rescue with a highly specced and fully featured midprice model that PAT PILCHER reckons warrants a Gold award. - How not to meet a famous rock star
In 1989, CHRIS BOURKE was in New York and went along to a Frank Zappa book launch on behalf of a friend back home. He recently came across the aerogramme he wrote to his friend… - World’s Worst Records: Damon Albarn’s Everyday Robots
MATT KELLY is surprised and shocked to find that without the collaborations that are his stock in trade Damon Albarn has a yawningly empty musical larder. - Cooking without gas: Ninja’s Woodfire Electric BBQ Grill reviewed
Like all good old-school Kiwis PAT PILCHER loves a barbeque binge. But how will Ninja’s smoke-enhanced electric grill compare to traditional BBQs? - Crafty Corner – The Hallertau taste test
Witchdoctor’s hopping mad (geddit?) craft beer guru is a longtime fan of the craft beer legends at Hallertau and couldn’t resist the opportunity to taste six of their best. - NZ rock still… rocks! We Search For Yeti!
They probably won’t be performing at Spark Arena anytime soon, but GARY STEEL reckons Wellington-based independent rockers Search For Yeti are well worth a listen. - Sennheiser Profile Wireless Mics: Super sound for wannabe YouTubers
If you’re planning to blabber away incessantly on your very own YouTube channel or podcast you’ll want a decent microphone to capture the wonder that’s your vocal apparatus. PAT PILCHER reviews one of the more affordable mics on the market. - Enshitification: How tech companies are crapping in their own nest
We’ve all been the victim of it, and many of us feel entrapped by it. PAT PILCHER names and shames some of the culprits of enshitification who make our lives worse rather than better. - Cricut Maker 4 – the best crafting gizmo yet
PAT PILCHER is a crafty bastard and as such he’s a big fan of Cricut and their new, improved crafting doo-dad; so much so that he’s awarded it the grand-slam Witchdoctor Gold badge. - The best (and worst) streaming TV shows & films right now
A regular column in which GARY STEEL sifts through the mountain of available streaming TV and brings your attention to great new and old shows as well as those to avoid. - “My Precious…” – Samsung’s Galaxy Ring reviewed
Ring-a-ling-ling! Samsung’s latest diminutive and stylish device is awarded a Gold badge by Witchdoctor tech editor PAT PILCHER, whose sleeping and general health monitoring needs are met spectacularly. - Drink up!
Another month, another bottle (or 10). PHIL PARKER’s been drinking again and here are his top recommendations for the month. - Why are our politicians so out of touch with NZ’s poor?
PAT PILCHER has a close look at the increasingly bizarre school lunch saga that’s played out over the past weeks and suggests a solution. - Ring my bell: Annke Whiffle Smart Doorbell
Modern life is not complete without a smart doorbell, and according to PAT PILCHER, the amusingly named Annke Whiffle is a real contender and, as a bonus, it’s cheap as chips. - OMD, The Thompson Twins’ Tom Bailey, etc: LIVE REVIEW
Despite a strong aversion to such things GARY STEEL attends an ‘80s nostalgia music festival and survives to tell the tale. - Never vacuum again! Ecovacs T30S Combo
So you’re caving in and about to employ a robot to do your dirty work for you, but how do you ensure that you’ve got every nook and canny covered? PAT PILCHER has found the answer. - Antipodes Kala 21: the ultimate music streaming solution
There’s a lot of confusion over music servers and streamers, but GARY STEEL spends quality time with a product from Aotearoa that beats all-comers. - Matthew Bannister’s The Dark Backward reviewed
Matthew Bannister’s latest album is packed with 15 charming songs of sneaky feelings and revealing couplets, writes GARY STEEL. - Samsung S25 Galaxy Ultra – smarter, better, faster
PAT PILCHER is hugely impressed with Samsung’s new Ultra, which refines and improves the smarts of its predecessor with the addition of some very cool AI tools. - Technics EAH-AZ100 Wireless Earbuds: The buds to beat
Let’s not beat around the bush: Technics’ new wireless earbuds are the best of their type that PAT PILCHER has ever heard, so naturally, they get our highest accolade. - Unwind’s Embers album a healing balm
The world’s in a state of chaos, right? Here’s an album that will give you gentle solace, writes GARY STEEL, who reckons taking a step back and breathing deeply for 50 minutes is no bad thing. - Blink Outdoor 4 Wireless Security Camera: easy and cheap
PAT PILCHER fools around with the latest Amazon security camera and finds it almost impossible to fault. And it’s also cheap as chips. - Becoming Led Zeppelin – Cock around the clock
GARY STEEL discusses the still-contentious “classic rock” group Led Zeppelin and their first ever so-called “documentary”. - Crafty Corner: Alibi Microbrewery
It’s a hard road to tread but ASHTON BROWN is prepared to suffer for his passion and today he’s checking out six delicious beers from Waiheke Island’s treasured Alibi. - Epson’s EF-22B Projector: Why buy a TV?
Lazy bastard tech editor PAT PILCHER reclined in bed watching Epson’s remarkable projections on his ceiling. While we wouldn’t recommend that, Witchdoctor does hand out a coveted Gold Award for this fabulous (and nicely priced) projector. - Tom Bailey of the Thompson Twins – Witchdoctor Q&A
For a while in the mid-1980s, the Thompson Twins were the biggest thing in pop, but when Tom Bailey retired the project in the mid-90s and moved to New Zealand, all that stopped. Having explored an eclectic range of projects since, in the mid-2000s Tom Bailey eventually bowed to pressure to once again perform the old hits. Witchdoctor talked to Tom about his appearance at the Sounds Series concerts around the country late this month and early next. - Wiz 48ft String Lights: Wiz-bang brilliant!
Let there be light! PAT PILCHER discovers that there’s an economical way to set his garden up with the glow of smart lighting. - Mostly Kiwi wines for late summer drinking
Our wine guru PHIL PARKER selects and describes a bunch of mostly NZ wines to ease us through the long, cicada-infested daze of late summer. - HP OmniBook Ultra: small but power-packed
PAT PILCHER put HP’s new ultra-portable laptop to the test and found that in every way that mattered the Omnibook Ultra held its own with the heavy hitters. - Samsung launches S25, Rings and lots of AI
Samsung’s unpacked event is a highly anticipated tech event that sees gadget bloggers and writers enter into endless speculation about what the Korean tech juggernaut will launch. This year’s unpacked event announced the new Galaxy S25 range and another pleasant surprise, the Galaxy Ring. Sadly, the much-rumoured Galaxy smart glasses didn’t make an appearance. As - Shark Cordless PowerDetect Clean & Empty: No more farting around with dust bags
Witchdoctor’s resident vacuum expert tackles a novel new model which self-empties but PAT PILCHER finds there’s a lot more to recommend it. - Samsung A16 5G: An affordable pocket rocket
If you need a new phone but don’t have the cash for a topline model PAT PILCHER has found a nicely priced Samsung that does everything it’s supposed to do very well indeed. - Dark patterns in tech: How design tricks us into doing what companies want
They’re monitoring every little thing you do online and you don’t know it, writes wary internet expert ANNA BUTTERFIELD. Here’s her advice. - Panasonic wows CES audiences with new ear gear and smart TVs
At CES, Las Vegas, Technics announced its latest true wireless earbuds, the EAH-AZ100. You’d be forgiven for wondering what the fuss is about, but these are no ordinary buds. Traditional drivers have been replaced with cutting-edge “Magnetic Fluid Driver” technologies. According to the folks at Panasonic/Technics, this technology ensures clean, high-resolution audio with extremely low - The Great Witchdoctor Q&A: Ian Brown
Ian Brown is simply one of the nicest blokes in the Kiwi hi-fi scene and the gear he makes available through his company Critical Sound Information reliably juggles value with sonic surprise. We asked him the trickiest questions we could think of. - Crafty Corner – Laughing Bones brews reviewed
ASHTON BROWN sends out an SOS and Laughing Bones brewery of Silverdale answers his call for some delicious cold ones to review. - World’s Worst Records – David Hasselhoff’s Looking For Freedom
In Part 3 of a survey of the complete musical works of Sir David Michael Hasselhoff, MATT KELLY dissects the risible Euro-’80s muck that constitutes Sir Hasselhoff’s possible nadir. - Win! Audio Art Interconnect Cables
Award-winning Audio Art Cables have hi-fi publications like Stereophile, Tone Audio and Audiophilia raving fulsomely about their sonic and aesthetic properties. Even sceptics will be surprised at the difference Audio Art Cables will make on their hi-fi system. Witchdoctor has an IC-3 Interconnect cable duo to give to one lucky audiophile. Every sign-up to Witchdoctor’s - I have Insecurities about AI Therapy
Do mental health apps really care or are they merely another way to exploit the vulnerable? ANNA BUTTERFIELD explored the issue and came away concerned. Let’s face it, our brains are messy. We worry, we stress, and sometimes, we just need someone to listen (preferably someone who isn’t going to judge our questionable life choices). - Wonderful wines and festive fizz
PHIL PARKER isn’t one to encourage the wanton consumption of fine grog but hey, we’ve all got to get through Xmas and New Year somehow! - Technics’ SL-1300G Turntable: a grand experience
GRANT FAMILTON gets to audition a truly special Grand Class turntable from Technics and decides that it would be the ideal Xmas present to himself. - Shark FlexBreeze fan: Cool, quiet and very capable
Sweating like a pig with the humidity of the New Zealand summer? PAT PILCHER is always searching for clever things and he’s found a fan that not only does what it’s supposed to but delivers some very clever extras. - JBL’s new home theatre receiver easy to set up and a joy to use
It can be daunting setting up and driving an AV receiver but PAT PILCHER discovers that JBL’s reimagining of the home theatre amp takes away the frustration and adds dollops of audio joy. - The looming greyhound welfare crisis
It looked like the Government had animal welfare in mind when it announced the decision this week to ban greyhound racing in NZ, but greyhound owner PAT PILCHER explains why it’s not quite that simple.
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