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1 Jun 2025

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Grace Curtis still has flashbacks to the time she found her father dead
Although Curtis says she's the "softest" in her family, she often wonders if she was somehow "meant" to discover her beloved dad's body.

Warriors out to return to winning ways on the road against Rabbitohs
All you need to know about Sunday’s NRL round 13 match, where the Warriors are at full strength for the first time in 42 matches.

The ‘heartbreaking’ hijacking of a monetised Dunedin-based Facebook account
Anna Easton was approached by Facebook to monetise her account. But, apart from one payment, it is a hacker who is benefiting from her content.

Arrest warrant issued for man central to alleged immigration scandal
Ravi Reddy - the man claimed to be at fault for migrant exploitation - fails to front in court to face charges.

‘Disturbing and inappropriate’: Under-fire cleaning business reports death threats
Unhappy franchisees and Crewcare plan legal action against each other, while the company claims police are investigating death threats.

Liam Lawson qualifies 13th in Spain, Oscar Piastri takes pole position
The Kiwi Racing Bulls driver will have work to do if he is to claim points for the second time this weekend, after getting on the board a week ago.

I slapped this $30 LED strip on the back of my TV. My eyes thank me daily
You know those color LED light strips that sync with the images on your TV screen? I’m not a fan. They’re eye-catching, sure, but they’re also distracting (especially when they’re not working properly, which happens frequently), they mess with the perceived picture color, and they’re expensive. There’s a far better and cheaper way to boost the picture on your TV, and as a bonus, you’ll be easing the eye strain that comes from watching a bright image in a dark room. This product—the Scenic Labs LX1 Bias Lighting strip—is one I’ve been using for years, and I swear by it. Yes, it’s still a light strip, but instead of the fancy color-syncing variety, it’s a white-light LED strip that’s tuned to 6500 Kelvin, the same daylight color temperature used as a reference by TV calibrators, video professionals, and filmmakers. Instead of putting on a dazzling light show, this “bias” light strip shines dimly but steadily, at a brightness that’s roughly 10 to 15 percent of the maximum brightness of your TV screen. With the brightness set just right, you’ll barely notice the light at all during, say, a Netflix binge-watching session. But the faint glow of the LED strip is there, and it does a few key things. A properly calibrated 6500K LED bias strip gives off a faint glow, but offers big benefits.Ben Patterson/Foundry First, because it’s tuned to 6500K (assuming you pick a light strip that’s been properly temperature tuned), the colors on your screen will look more natural. For video pros, 6500K is considered the standard for “white,” and they use it when color-grading their creations. So with a faint 6500K glow behind your TV, the colors on your screen have a better chance of appearing the way the filmmakers intended. Conversely, the garish color shows served up by picture-syncing LED light strips will distort your perception of the picture. Second, a properly tuned 6500K light strip can do wonders for the perceived contrast of your TV images, especially if you own a non-OLED TV. The pale halo from the strip will make dark or gray areas on the screen appear darker than they would in a pitch-black room (you can read more about this effect here), giving you a quasi HDR-type boost. The effect won’t be as dramatic on an OLED TV, which already has terrific contrast ratios. But on an older LCD TV, a LED light strip could provide an instant and inexpensive contrast upgrade. It only takes a few minutes to attach the LED strip to the back of your TV.Ben Patterson/Foundry Finally, a white-light LED light strip can reduce the eye strain that comes with watching a bright image in a dark room for lengthy periods. By boosting the light in the room just a tad, the faint LED glow eases the contrast between your overall dark surroundings and the bright screen, thus giving your pupils a break and avoiding eye strain symptoms like soreness, watery eyes, blurred vision, and headaches. The Scenic Labs LX1 Bias Lighting strip (which, besides being my personal choice, is also a TechHive’s Editors’ Choice) can be ordered directly from the company at prices ranging from $26.95 (for a one-meter strip) to $51.95 (for six meters). That’s a little pricier than the LED lights strips you’ll find on Amazon, but this model is known for its color accuracy, and it’s been serving me well for three years without any hiccups. That said, there are cheaper options available on Amazon, including this 6500K light strip from Govee for about $30 (16.4 feet). Either way, I highly recommend an LED bias light strip for any TV owner—and by the way, they work great with PC monitors, too (I have a couple in my office).

Money in transaction accounts costing New Zealanders billions
New Zealanders could be leaving their share of more than $1b a year on the table by keeping their cash in transaction accounts.

Kiwi Cannes winner says AI is the future of film
Wellington born Alex Curson, NZ radio icon JayJay Feeney’s brother, was recognised on the international stage for his AI trailer.

Tickets, abuse, and excuses: A day in the life of an Auckland parking officer
Parking officer Meari walks Auckland’s streets enforcing parking rules. For her, it’s not about fines, but keeping the city moving.

The good sorts working the frontline of social housing
Reading about the behaviour of some Kainga Ora tenants can be, to put it lightly, unsettling.

Shortchanged: Staff at celebrity chef’s failed eatery likely to be left out of pocket
Nic Watt’s ex-employees have been paid less than half of the almost $70,000 they’re collectively owed, with further payouts unlikely.

Damien Grant: Trump isn’t unusual in his inability or unwillingness to control spending
Even Elon Musk, the president’s greatest cheerleader, appears to be suffering from buyer’s regret, expressing disappointment with spending.