Galaxy Note 3
*Samsung’s Galaxy Note 3 and Gear smart watch are now on sale in New Zealand. If you just want the giant screen, stylus driven Note 3 phone you can get it from either Telecom NZ or Vodafone for $1200. For the next month, the $450 Gear watch, which is designed to work with the Note 3 is only available from Telecom NZ. Vodafone will start selling it on November 10. *For now Telecom NZ only has the black version of the watch but another colour, oatmeal beige, will be in the country from the end of next week.
- Meanwhile both Telecom NZ and Vodafone say they will offer the Apple iPhone 5C and 5S models when they arrive in New Zealand on October 25.
- Notification came yesterday that Vodafone*has officially applied for Commerce Commission*clearance to buy 700 MHz spectrum management rights. Under the auction rules Vodafone is allowed to bid for three 2×5 MHz blocks, if the total isn’t sold first time around, carriers will be able to bid for an extra 5 MHz block. Vodafone says it will initially bid for 15 MHz, but will go for 20 MHz if the additional block is available.
- Telecom NZ’s Gen-i*division says its information security controls have been assured by Ernst & Young to meet the ISAE 3402 standard. Gen-i is the first NZ IT company to make the grade.*The company says the assurance means customers can know their data is protected by “robust, secure systems and practice”.
- Trading in Xero shares has been halted ahead of an announcement about a capital raising.
