New retailer opens doors
The country's newest retailer has opened its doors in Dunedin this week.
The Outlet is in the old Torpedo7 store in Andersons Bay Rd which closed last month.
Auckland-based Tahua Group Ltd, which owns Torpedo7 along with the likes of Burger King, Hannah's Shoes, Number One Shoes and Starbucks in New Zealand, converted 10 existing stores into an "off-price retail concept".
Categories include apparel, footwear, adventure and outdoor gear, home and living, toys, health and beauty and gifts.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Otago Daily Times
2 hours ago
- Otago Daily Times
IT experts developing revolutionary technology
Two New Zealand-based IT experts are working on a ground-breaking technology that promises to revolutionise computing by creating a computer inside a computer memory chip. The innovative project, known as SADRAM (Symbolically Addressing DRAM), is being developed in Oamaru and could dramatically change how data is processed worldwide. Dr Robert Trout and Nicolas Erdody bring more than a century's combined experience in information technology to the ambitious endeavour. Dr Trout is the original inventor of SADRAM, a new type of memory chip architecture that can organise, access and even process data internally — without relying heavily on traditional central processing units (CPUs) to micromanage operations. "This is a paradigm shift," Dr Trout said. "Instead of the CPU managing every step of data processing, SADRAM moves computing power closer to the memory itself." Nicolas Erdody, director of Open Parallel and a key partner on the project, elaborated on the current state of computing technology. "Multicore processors, with multiple CPU cores on a single chip, have been the norm in phones, laptops and supercomputers for decades," he said. "But this architecture has barely changed in 50 years, and CPUs have hit a performance wall." Mr Erdody said designers could no longer extract significant improvements or better efficiency using the old designs. "SADRAM's architecture addresses these limitations head on." The new "information architecture and concept" behind SADRAM was designed to boost performance, reduce energy consumption and streamline the computing processes that modern technologies demanded. By embedding computation directly within the memory chip, the technology could reshape everything from artificial intelligence to data centre operations. Mr Erdody's company, Open Parallel, was selected in 2012 by the New Zealand government to help design software for the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), the world's largest radio telescope project. The company worked on SKA until 2019. He also directs the annual Multicore World Conference held in New Zealand, which attracts leading global thinkers in computing innovation. Originally from Uruguay, Mr Erdody has lived in Oamaru for over two decades with his family. He met Dr Trout earlier this year at the Multicore World Conference in Christchurch, where the two "like-minded" experts decided to collaborate on further developing SADRAM technology from North Otago. "We're jamming like musicians in a band — when like-minded people come together, ideas flow naturally," Mr Erdody said from their shared office space at the Business Hive in Oamaru's Thames St. Dr Trout, who hails from Palmerston North but now lives in Hamilton after decades in the United States, holds the worldwide patent for the SADRAM concept. Over his career, he has built several tech companies and pioneered novel computing architectures. As founder and president of Pico Computing Inc (2004-15), he developed FPGA (field-programmable gate array) products widely used in cryptography, genetic analysis and CPU acceleration. "FPGAs can outperform conventional CPUs in many specialised tasks," Dr Trout said. "The real revolution in computing came in the 1970s when the industry shifted from discrete components to printed circuits, separating design from fabrication. This enabled exponential growth in computing power for the past 50 years." But he warns: "We are now hitting physical and quantum limits. We cannot keep squeezing more performance from the same old CPU-centric design." The pair are focused on designing cost-effective technology to overcome these challenges. Their plan includes creating a company, hiring experts and developing hardware kits — either manufacturing them or licensing the design to major industry players such as Samsung. "The big picture is to build a design centre in New Zealand that proves cutting-edge tech can be developed anywhere. We want to inspire future generations to innovate locally with global impact," Mr Erdody said.
RNZ News
14 hours ago
- RNZ News
Indian business community divided on trespass law reforms
Harish Lodhia is director of Sona Sansaar jewellery store. Photo: RNZ / Blessen Tom The Indian business community is divided over proposed reforms to the Trespass Act that were unveiled by the government in Auckland on Thursday. Some welcomed the move as a step toward better protection from retail crime, while others remained uncertain about its practical impact. Under the proposed changes , franchises would be able to trespass individuals from multiple locations, while the maximum duration and fines for trespass notices would double. The reforms come just days after the government introduced tougher penalties for shoplifting as part of a broader crackdown on retail crime . "We know our trespass laws are no longer fit for purpose," Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith said. "They're difficult to enforce and often criminals take no notice," he said. "They return with impunity and just continue to rob businesses of their livelihoods." He said the government would look at how best to support retailers in issuing trespass notices before the legislation was introduced, particularly when offenders refused to cooperate. Jaspreet Kandhari is general secretary of New Zealand Indian Business Association Photo: Supplied Jaspreet Kandhari, general secretary of the New Zealand Indian Business Association, said the reforms were merely an "extension" of what was already in place. "I don't see anything new, just that the trespass notices and the penalties have been increased and that's pretty much it," Kandhari said. "The actual impact will happen when it comes down to enforcement," he said. "That's the real challenge, and that hasn't been solved." Kandhari preferred to see even tougher penalties, including potential imprisonment. "I'm not sure increasing the notice period and raising the infringement from $1000 to $2000 will make any substantial difference," he said. Rajesh Goel, president of the Auckland Indian Retailers Association, also questioned whether police had capacity to enforce the new laws. "I'm not quite sure how this is going to work," Goel said. "In South Auckland, we have a lot of problems with homelessness and people with mental health issues," he said. "We can't just keep issuing trespass notices - I don't think they'll follow them either." However, he acknowledged the government was moving in the right direction. Rajesh Goel is president of the Auckland Indian Retailers Association. Photo: Supplied Jithin Chittibomma, chair of the Sandringham Business Association, said the reforms were more suitable for large retailers than for small family-owned shops. "Trespass notices in general are irrelevant to small retailers," Chittibomma said. "They're more useful for supermarkets who can use AI, facial recognition and all of that," he said. "For small dairy shops, it's still the police that matter - and response times haven't improved." Chittibomma said the coalition government had made some progress in tackling retail crime, and the current reforms were a good starting point. "These are the first significant changes we've seen in the last 10 years," he said. "Definitely a step in the right direction in my opinion but we'll have to wait for the data to see if they make a difference." Harish Lodhia, director of Sona Sansaar jewellery store, said the changes were "long overdue". "We welcome these changes," he said. "Hopefully the crime rate in this country comes back to pre-Covid levels." Lodhia, who has issued trespass notices in the past, said it was "necessary" in some cases. "We don't want to put anyone into problems unless it's a serious thing they've done," he said. Himanshu Parmar, a member of the government's ministerial advisory group on retail crime, said the changes were part of a broader plan to improve protection for businesses. "The government, along with the ministerial advisory group, is adding more layers to give retailers better protection," he said. "Actions must have consequences." Sunny Kaushal is chair of the ministerial advisory group for retail crime Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone Sunny Kaushal, chair of the advisory group for retail crime, agreed. "The Trespass Act is a key tool retailers rely on to keep offenders out, but it's 57 years old and out of date," Kaushal said. Kaushal disagreed with the suggestion that the reforms wouldn't help small businesses. "It's basically for everyone, big or small," he said. "Every business can issue these notices and, if people don't cooperate, they will face consequences." He added that giving franchises power to issue trespass notices across multiple locations would be a "gamechanger" for small convenience stores and petrol stations. Asked whether he was pushing the government to fast-track the legislation, Kaushal said he was as hard as he could. "We are a democratic country, and we have to respect the parliamentary process," he said. He said Goldsmith had assured him the legislation would move forward in a couple of months. Once passed, Kaushal said, police would be required to enforce it. "This is a very old piece of legislation that's no longer working," he said. "But it's an important tool that every retailer in New Zealand relies on," he said. "We need to update it so offenders think twice before they do anything."
Techday NZ
18 hours ago
- Techday NZ
Voyage marks decade of growth with focus on AI & culture
Voyage, a Christchurch-based digital agency, has marked ten years in the web and app development sector as it prepares for the next phase of growth, with a renewed focus on artificial intelligence and workplace culture. Anniversary milestone Founded in 2015, Voyage has delivered website and app development services to a range of public and private sector clients. The company has consistently emphasised tangible business outcomes and prioritised work-life balance for its employees. According to the agency, its guiding philosophy holds that "success is measured by the tangible outcomes delivered to clients not just by the technology used, and by making sure all employees have an optimal work-life balance." Technological shifts The past decade has seen significant change, with Voyage adapting to advancements in digital technology. The company has maintained a commitment to flexibility in its technological approach and has not relied on a single platform or language. Early on, Voyage became a Silverstripe partner due to in-house expertise and developed capabilities in cloud-based solutions. In more recent years, development with and React Native has become a core part of its technical stack. Artificial intelligence now features prominently in the firm's strategy. AI integration has been used to streamline prototyping, reduce time to market, and improve delivery outcomes. Ryan O'Hara, Director and Founder, said: We've always prided ourselves on our ability to move with the times while staying true to our core values. As we enter our next decade, we're excited to bring even more value to our clients by using AI to streamline processes and deliver more tangible results, faster. Our focus will always be on delivering the best outcomes for our clients. AI in development processes Voyage has incorporated AI across various stages of development. The company reports that AI-driven tools help accelerate the prototyping process, offering quicker iterations and enabling clients to make informed decisions earlier in the development cycle. O'Hara commented: AI is a transformative tool helping us provide even more value to our clients. By incorporating it into our workflows, we're able to offer smarter, faster solutions that drive results. We're excited about what the future holds. Emphasis on workplace culture An ongoing focus at Voyage has been the wellbeing of its staff. The company said it fosters a culture based on trust, flexibility, and work-life balance, in line with findings from the Randstad Workmonitor 2025 report, which suggests that a sense of belonging and trust in leadership are important factors in employee performance and retention. O'Hara said: It's never been complicated for me. From the beginning my stance was, we do good work and we live our lives. If people are parents and they need to pick up their kid, go and do it. If you have a dentist appointment, you don't need permission. If you need to work from home for a day, go for it. We emphasise a culture of trust and top quality outcomes, the rest fits into place from there. Project work and client relationships Voyage has contributed to projects for several government organisations, including the New Zealand Defence Force, the Ministry of Social Development's Love Better campaign, and Education New Zealand. The agency reports that its approach has remained consistent across varying client requirements and industries, focusing on delivering what it describes as "gold standard, world-class results." Looking ahead The company believes it is positioned to continue adapting as digital technologies evolve. With its focus on both client results and workplace culture, Voyage aims to leverage AI to continue offering relevant digital products and services. O'Hara reflected on the company's past and future, stating: We've weathered many changes over the years, but our commitment to delivering the best possible outcomes for our clients has never wavered. We're proud of what we've achieved in the past decade, and we're excited about the future. We're ready to embrace the new opportunities that AI and other technologies will bring, and we're confident that we'll continue to evolve in ways that, ultimately, benefit our clients.
