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8 May 2024

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RMA Minister rejects Wellington council's bid to remove heritage protections from buildings
Council did not provide sufficient evidence to support its reasons for removing the 10 buildings from the Heritage schedule, Chris Bishop says.

Fraud victim's 18-month fight for Ł80,000 refund
Ahead of new rules coming in designed to better protect fraud victims, one woman tells of her fight to get her money back.

Sawn-off shotgun, methamphetamine, bullets found in van as police investigate ‘suspicious’ behaviour
A 30-year-old man has been arrested and is appearing in Palmerston North District Court on Wednesday morning after a gun, bullets, and methamphetamine were found in his van.

Government considers removing election day voter enrolment
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith says very few countries allow it, and New Zealand should consider changing the rules.

Baby who suffered cardiac arrest at theme park dies
A woman was arrested on suspicion of neglecting a child to cause unnecessary injury, police say.

Fake fingers for Japanese gangsters falsely linked to India election fraud claim

Russian plot to kill Zelensky foiled, Kyiv says
Two Ukrainian security officials arrested over Russian plot to assassinate President Zelensky, Kyiv says

SK Hynix Tube T31 review: Looks like a USB drive, performs like a SSD
At a glanceExpert's Rating ProsFast like an external SSDDecently affordableSmall form factorCaptive Type-A USB connectorCons Costs more than the common thumb driveOur VerdictSK Hynix’s Tube T31 looks like a standard Type-A USB thumb drive, but performs more like the external SSD it actually is. Fast, portable, universally connectable. Nice. Best Prices Today: SK Hynix Tube T31 USB SSD stick Retailer Price $79.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket SK Hynix is nothing if not creative with naming. Witness the previously reviewed scarab-shaped Beetle, and now the Tube T31. The Tube T31 is, in fact, a Type-A USB stick, aka thumb/flash drive or “tube” if you will — at least in shape and design. Internally, however the T31 features NVMe and 10Gbps USB and performs more like the cable-attached external 10Gbps USB SSDs we review — i.e., it’s fast. Note that while we distinguish between what’s commonly referred to as a thumb drive and external SSDs, the former is in fact a type of the latter. The major difference being that a commodity thumb drive generally uses older, slower technology such as SATA and USB 5Gbps. Further reading: See our roundup of the best external drives to learn about competing products. What are the SK Hynix Tube T31’s features? The Tube T31 is a Type-A USB 3.2, 10Gb/s SSD that weighs around 1.2 ounces and measures approximately 3.6-inches long, by 1.17-inches wide, by 0.54 inches thick. While SK Hynix wasn’t specific about the internals, the performance tells me the internal transport is NVMe and the NAND is likely QLC. The SK Hynix Tube T31 with its end cap on, looking vaguely tube-like. The SK Hynix Tube T31 with its end cap on, looking vaguely tube-like. The SK Hynix Tube T31 with its end cap on, looking vaguely tube-like. As you can see from the images, the Tube T31 is black, with the only styling flourishes being the silver of the logo and, when the cap is removed, the Type-A connector. SK Hynix warranties the T31 for three years. The warranty is limited, as all warranties are, so overuse (writing too much data) and physical abuse will give the company the option to ignore a claim. No mention is made of the T31’s TBW rating (terabytes that may be written), but it’s likely around the industry average of 600TBW per 1TB of NAND. That’s a lot of data and more than you’re likely to write in a decade, let alone three years. How much is the SK Hynix Tube T31? The 1TB Tube T31 is currently available on Amazon for $100, while the 512MB capacity is $80. That’s pricey if you think of it as a thumb drive, but quite reasonable if you compare it with other high-powered external SSDs, such as SK Hynix’ aforementioned Beetle. How fast is the Tube T31? As discussed, the Tube T31 is very fast for a thumb drive. Easily the fastest we’ve tested — neither the Teamgroup C212 nor the PNY Pro Elite V2 thumb drives could keep up. Note that the Kingston XS1000, which did keep up in some tests, is a Type-C cable attached SSD, not a thumb drive, but is actually a tad smaller overall than the Tube T31. It’s priced similarly so we threw it in the ring. Neither of the other two thumb drive hold a candle to the Tube T31 in sequential transfer. Longer bars are better. Neither of the other two thumb drive hold a candle to the Tube T31 in sequential transfer. Longer bars are better. Neither of the other two thumb drive hold a candle to the Tube T31 in sequential transfer. Longer bars are better. As you can see above, CrystalDiskMark 8 rated the Tube T31 as very fast at transferring large files. It also ruled the roost among the three drives in random 4K performance, as shown below. The Tube T31 offers very good random 4K performance. Longer bars are better. The Tube T31 offers very good random 4K performance. Longer bars are better. The Tube T31 offers very good random 4K performance. Longer bars are better. You wouldn’t think the T31 was a thumb drive looking at the 48GB transfer results below. It is, though obviously not garden variety. These are times more commensurate with external SSDs. Shorter bars are better. These are times more commensurate with external SSDs. Shorter bars are better. These are times more commensurate with external SSDs. Shorter bars are better. While middling for an external 10Gbps SSD, the T31’s 450GB write time is fantastic, again, for a thumb drive. The PNY Pro Elite V2 from the previous charts is not included here as its 256MB capacity didn’t allow for a 450GB write. This is an excellent 450GB write time by the Tube T31. The other thumb drives came nowhere close. Shorter bars are better. This is an excellent 450GB write time by the Tube T31. The other thumb drives came nowhere close. Shorter bars are better. This is an excellent 450GB write time by the Tube T31. The other thumb drives came nowhere close. Shorter bars are better. I mentioned up top that QLC is the likely type of NAND involved. This is largely based on the write rate dropping to around 255MBps when secondary cache was exhausted. And it was exhausted at around the 95 percent mark of the 450GB write, which added quite a few seconds to the Tube T31’s time. This type of write is not something most users will ever perform, so don’t weigh this result heavily in your buying decision. Once the secondary cache is exhausted, the Tube T31’s write rate drops to around 235MBps. Once the secondary cache is exhausted, the Tube T31’s write rate drops to around 235MBps. Once the secondary cache is exhausted, the Tube T31’s write rate drops to around 235MBps. Should you buy the SK Hynix Tube T31? If you want the speed of an external SSD, but the convenience of a captive Type-A connector and a svelte form factor, the Tube T31 is what you seek. It’s the one I’ll be keeping in my pocket, which is indeed — a recommendation. How we test Drive tests currently utilize Windows 11, 64-bit running on an X790 (PCIe 4.0/5.0) motherboard/i5-12400 CPU combo with two Kingston Fury 32GB DDR5 4800MHz modules (64GB of memory total). Both 20Gbps USB/Thunderbolt 4 are integrated to the back panel and Intel CPU/GPU graphics are used. The 48GB transfer tests utilize an ImDisk RAM disk taking up 58GB of the 64GB of total memory. The 450GB file is transferred from a 2TB Samsung 990 Pro which also runs the OS. Each test is performed on a newly NTFS-formatted and TRIM’d drive so the results are optimal. Note that in normal use, as a drive fills up, performance may decrease due to less NAND for secondary caching, as well as other factors. This is less of a factor with the current crop of SSDs with their far faster NAND. Caveat: The performance numbers shown apply only to the drive we were shipped and to the capacity tested. SSD performance can and will vary by capacity due to more or fewer chips to shotgun reads/writes across and the amount of NAND available for secondary caching. Vendors also occasionally swap components. If you ever notice a large discrepancy between the performance you experience and that which we report, by all means, let us know. Storage

Police 'lost' girl's evidence of abuse by babysitter
Michaela Allen says she has been "robbed of justice" in her fight to get her case to court.

Auckland's Sandringham dairy stabbing: Third defendant pleads guilty to aggravated robbery
One of the men charged in relation to dairy worker Janak Patel's murder has pleaded guilty to aggravated robbery as family members of the slain man wiped away tears.

Complaint over judge in Golriz Ghahraman case referred
The former Green MP and judge had previously worked on a case together but there was no perceived conflict raised, the justice ministry had said.

Man arrested after serious Timaru incident
A man has been arrested after an incident that left a person seriously injured.

Fact Check: Posts Claim It's Illegal in India to Know a Baby's Sex Before Birth. Here's the Truth

Sword murder accused 'attacked boy from behind'
Marcus Arduini Monzo allegedly ran up behind Daniel Anjorin and slashed him in the neck and chest.

SanDisk Desk Drive USB SSD review: High capacity, 10Gbps performance
At a glanceExpert's Rating ProsAvailable in large 4TB and 8TB capacitiesGood 10Gbps performerAttractive and unusual, if somewhat large, heat-shedding designConsRequires AC adapterOur VerdictMore capacity is always better when it comes to storage, and the Desk Drive USB SSD from SanDisk delivers that in either 4TB or 8TB flavors, along with good 10Gbps performance. SanDisk’s new 10Gbps USB Desk Drive is all about capacity. In fact, it ships only in larger 4TB and 8TB flavors, for $380 and $700 MSRP, respectively — demonstrating a real commitment to a marketing strategy that frames the product as a hard drive replacement. The Desk Drive is also on the large side for an external SSD and requires external power to function, which while not unheard for an external USB drive of this capacity is a bit unusual for a drive that is only 10Gbps. Perhaps SanDisk is trying to make hard drive transitioners more comfortable? Further reading: See our roundup of the best external drives to learn about competing products. What are the Sandisk Desk Drive’s features? I’ve already spilled some of the beans on this subject — however, as to its size, the Desk Drive measures a rather solid 3.9-inches wide and long, and about 1.5-inches between the slightly concave top and anti-skid bottom. It’s colored in SanDisk’s familiar dark gray, with orange piping encircling the unit near the vertical mid-point of the enclosure. The back of the Desk Drive has the Type-C USB port, AC adapter jack, and a Kensington lock port. And yes, the drive requires an external power source which the company provides. We did try to use the drive without it, and no dice. The SanDisk Desk Drive requires external power to function as you can see from the round port in this image. The SanDisk Desk Drive requires external power to function as you can see from the round port in this image. The SanDisk Desk Drive requires external power to function as you can see from the round port in this image. SanDisk apparently learned from its own Extreme Pro whose data-wiping issues may have stemmed from a lack of power, and Seagate’s FireCuda Gaming SSD 20Gbps SSD, which would only perform at 10Gbps on some systems, likely due to the same issue (although thermal throttling could have been the culprit). Note that I have tested many a 10Gbps and 20Gbps SSD that performs just fine using only bus power. How much does the Desk Drive cost? Though I already covered pricing up top, it’s helpful to discuss the Desk Drive’s price in relation to what it’s intended to replace — a hard drive. At the time of this writing you could find a name brand external 8TB hard drive for $150 — around 21 percent of the $700 (MSRP) 8TB Desk Drive. Of course, the hard drive provides only around 10 percent of the performance. So the equation remains roughly the same when it comes to HDDs and SSDs: The former are significantly cheaper per gigabyte, while the latter are far faster, less delicate, and more reliable. That said, HDD reliability is much better than it used to be. Buy according to need. If your backup is firing off in the middle of the night when speed doesn’t matter as much, go HDD and get a couple for redundancy. If you’re constantly banging on your external storage for work when seconds, minutes, or hours count, pony up the extra bucks for an SSD. How fast is the SanDisk Desk Drive? As a 10Gbps USB SSD, the 8TB Desk Drive I tested is of course light years faster than a hard drive and held its own in our testing against its 10Gbps rivals. That said, it’s no match for 20Gbps or 40Gbps SSDs, which generally double the benchmark results and halve the transfer times. CrystalDiskMark 8 rated the Desk Drive as very facile in sequential transfers for a 10Gbps USB SSD as you can see below. It wasn’t the fastest in every test, but overall it performed quite well. The SanDisk Desk Drive was very competitive in CrystalDiskMark 8. The SanDisk Desk Drive was very competitive in CrystalDiskMark 8. Jon L. Jacobi The SanDisk Desk Drive was very competitive in CrystalDiskMark 8. Jon L. Jacobi Jon L. Jacobi The results were more mixed in the random 4K operations. The Desk Drive was fastest in two tests and below average in the other two. As you may notice, this is not unusual for external SSDs — a couple of the other drives are inconsistent as well. The SanDisk Desk Drive wasn’t quite as fast in random operations, but bested the competition in two of the four tests. The SanDisk Desk Drive wasn’t quite as fast in random operations, but bested the competition in two of the four tests. The SanDisk Desk Drive wasn’t quite as fast in random operations, but bested the competition in two of the four tests. The SanDisk Desk Drive is a hair behind the curve in 48GB transfers, but not enough to significantly impact your buying decision. The SanDisk Desk Drive was a tad off the pace in our 48GB transfers, but only just. The SanDisk Desk Drive was a tad off the pace in our 48GB transfers, but only just. Jon L. Jacobi The SanDisk Desk Drive was a tad off the pace in our 48GB transfers, but only just. Jon L. Jacobi Jon L. Jacobi Being an 8TB drive, I wasn’t expecting the Desk Drive to slow down at all in in our 450GB write — it didn’t. Once I threw another 2TB at the drive, performance wavered a bit — waffling between 250MBps and 900MBps. This was undoubtedly some smart secondary caching going on with varying degrees of success. The SanDisk Desk Drive was also competitive, if not outrageously speedy in the 450 GB write. The SanDisk Desk Drive was also competitive, if not outrageously speedy in the 450 GB write. The SanDisk Desk Drive was also competitive, if not outrageously speedy in the 450 GB write. There’s little distinction performance-wise between the SanDisk Desk Drive and its competitors. This puts the buying decision down to price and form factor. All its rivals in the charts above are smaller and more portable. Should you buy the SanDisk Desk Drive? If you’re looking for high-capacity, high-speed upgrade from external hard drives, then the Sandisk Desk Drive will do the job nicely. It also looks good next to your PC, in my opinion. That said, there’s a lot of competition out there, especially at the 4TB capacity. Shop carefully. How we test Drive tests currently utilize Windows 11, 64-bit running on an X790 (PCIe 4.0/5.0) motherboard/i5-12400 CPU combo with two Kingston Fury 32GB DDR5 4800MHz modules (64GB of memory total). Both 20Gbps USB/Thunderbolt 4 are integrated to the back panel and Intel CPU/GPU graphics are used. The 48GB transfer tests utilize an ImDisk RAM disk taking up 58GB of the 64GB of total memory. The 450GB file is transferred from a 2TB Samsung 990 Pro which also runs the OS. Each test is performed on a newly NTFS-formatted and TRIM’d drive so the results are optimal. Note that in normal use, as a drive fills up, performance may decrease due to less NAND for secondary caching, as well as other factors. This is less of a factor with the current crop of SSDs with their far faster NAND. Caveat: The performance numbers shown apply only to the drive we were shipped and to the capacity tested. SSD performance can and will vary by capacity due to more or fewer chips to shotgun reads/writes across and the amount of NAND available for secondary caching. Vendors also occasionally swap components. If you ever notice a large discrepancy between the performance you experience and that which we report, by all means, let us know. Computer Storage Devices, Storage