Welcome Bay resident Paul Hignett has unveiled one of the Bay of Plenty's first solar arrays. He believes New Zealanders should be harnessing the sun's power to supply energy back to the national electricity grid. "Having your own solar power station could be a reality now," says Paul, an expert in sustainable energy and owner of PH Electric. Tauranga MP Simon Bridges at the launch of Paul's solar array. "With solar panels being reduced in price from $14 per watt to $5 More...

Tauranga-based wireless broadband company Enternet Online Limited is forging a partnership with a world-leading Israeli technology company, Wavion, in its latest efforts to expand its network.    Wavion is a leader in urban and rural WiFi - along with Airoma, a New Zealand distributor of wireless hardware. EOL managing director Terry Coles, says one of the big advantages of Wavion technology is that it doesn't require the construction of large and costly, potentially controversial More...

Tauranga teacher Matthew Thomas always had a desire to learn and a passion for computers, but he never thought that would result in him creating education applications for global computer giant Apple. He is the author of three applications that were picked up by the computer company. Matthew Thomas created application for Apple to use. The applications are designed to improve children's literacy and maths skills. Two of the applications, '100th Board' and 'Numbers zero to nine' can More...

The long wait for one of the most highly anticipated gadgets of all time is over for Western Bay of Plenty residents, but people had better get in quick. Apple's iPad went on sale across New Zealand on Friday morning, but Western Bay stock is expected to sell out by the end of Friday. Customer Pete Dyche checks out the iPad at Tauranga Noel Leeming on Friday morning. Tauranga Noel Leeming is the only accredited seller of the product in the region. Store manager Duane Thomas says they sold More...

Waihi police are warning vulnerable women that the old adage, 'if it appears too good to be true it probably is' applies not only to sales deals, but cyber-Casanovas as well. Waihi CIB detective Simon Everson says investigators are currently working on a case in which an amorous Ghanaian man befriends New Zealand women online and persuades them to forward parcels on to him at a PO Box in his country's capital, Accra. "Using the name Paul Blart, the man uses stolen overseas credit card More...

Western Bay of Plenty residents are being invited into a world of advanced technology when a high-tech wireless internet company opens its doors next week. Enternet Online Limited, or EOL, will open its doors to the public next Wednesday, July 7, and Thursday, July 8 as a way of celebrating its 15th birthday. Managing director of EOL Terry Coles says this is only the second time they have ever held a public open day and they expect lots of interest from the local community. EOL now has More...

Bay of Plenty residents are turning to SunLive to express their opinions about issues in the region. A SunLive article about a possible Tauranga City Council bid by Save Our Libraries campaign leader, Vanessa Byrnes, continues to attract many public comments. Writing comments about the news on SunLive is taking hold with more people taking the opportunity to have their say. Many of those posting comments used the article as a forum to also talk more broadly about local body elections More...

All they are waiting for is a dark starry night and Tauranga astronomers will be putting their new telescope through its paces. Astronomical society members carefully installed the new reflecting telescope this week, on a custom built viewing platform, under the sliding roof, of the former Ferguson Park Soccer Club rooms. Astronomical society members and the new telescope. The 14" Meade LX200 ACF is a modern state of the art telescope. It has a built-in GPS to locate itself on the More...

John Wilson from Auckland found his 'treasure' second time around when playing the high tech game 'Geocaching' yesterday at Tauranga's Cliff Road Rose Garden. "I popped back at lunch time on Thursday and found it ok." "I didn't swap any items, but I signed the log book." File picture. Later in the day John found another in the CBD, which is only one of about 40, says John. On his way back to Auckland yesterday he found another 'Geocache' north of Tauranga but in More...

Treasure hunts are not just for the young – people all over the world, including in Tauranga are playing treasure hunting game ‘Geocaching’ using GPS devices. John Wilson from Auckland saw the perfect opportunity between business meetings on Thursday to look for a ‘Geocache’ near Tauranga’s Cliff Road Rose Garden. Although John Wilson didn't find a Geocache on this occasion, he has found over 200 in his travels. The basic idea is to locate small More...