KEY POINTS:
Paranoia again ruled the tech roost in 2008, with nzherald.co.nz's top-rating tech story being last year's round up of the famous Facebook conspiracy - that alleged the social-networking colossus was started by the CIA.
While the Microhoo saga unfolded, possibly effecting several of the internet's cornerstone companies, most
were more concerned about how much Vodafone was planning to sting us for the next generation iPhone.
This year's top 20 tech tales
1. Facebook - the CIA conspiracy
Was Facebook really started by boardroom bubba Mark Zuckerberg - or is the truth something far more sinister? A riveting conspiracy theory that implicated the CIA, DARPA and the United States Department of Defence. Checked your privacy settings lately?
2. Facebook users warned after Bono bikini party leak
When he's not busy saving the world, Bono likes to relax with bikini girls - or so it appeared when shots of the U2 frontman frolicking with two young lasses were accidentally made available to every Facebook user in New York who signed up for the 'geo-networked' group.
3. 1000-plus nude pictures stolen from HK star's computer
When Hong Kong-based actor/singer Edison Chen took his computer in to get fixed, he didn't expect 1300-odd photos of him and other celebs in various states of undress to be nicked and leaked online.
4. Which is New Zealand's fastest broadband ISP?
After last year's broadband survey found that our internet was, to put it bluntly, bloody awful, we again launched an nzherald.co.nz survey to see the real lay of the land, this time using broadband benchmarker Epitiro's impressive iSposure software.
5. Review: iPhone 3G - is it worth the hype?
The second coming of the so-called 'Jesus-phone' was welcomed with open arms by New Zealand Mac fans when Vodafone signed a deal with Apple - but the hefty on-account price tag took many by surprise.
6. Useful free software to fire up your PC
Software freebies are great - if they actually do what they promise. We took a stroll around the Windows freeware world, and found some gems.
7. Vista vs Linux - has the penguin got the power?
Linux proponents will tell you: Fear the penguin. But what's the real story behind day-to-day use of open source operating systems? Can Granny handle it, or is one for IT geniuses only?
8. Website pinpoints where in the world your name is
Clever geography geeks in the UK set up a website that tells you where on the planet your surname is most common, including the most popular first names that go with it.
9. iPhone 3G pricing announced
Vodafone scares iPhone early adopters by announcing that the iPhone data prices would require many to sell their first born to finance their plans to look cool with the latest and greatest.
10. Stick tricks: USB memory magic
USB memory sticks do a whole lot more than offer a handy way to copy music from mate's computers. We checked out some of the clever ways of utilising these stocking-stuffers.
11. Next generation iPhone revealed
When Apple's Steve Jobs announced the iPhone 3G would replace the smaller '2.5G' original, New Zealanders who forked out over $1000 for parallel imported version collectively wept.
12. Google's new browser takes aim at Internet Explorer
In its bid for global Googlisation, the search giant lifted the lid on a beta version of Chrome, its much rumoured, but under-the-radar browser. It has just dropped the beta tag, and now comes as a free-to-download full version.
13. Woman jailed after killing virtual husband
A Japanese woman was jailed after she logged on to Maple Story - a virtual realm similar to Second Life - using a login belonging to her online 'husband' and killed him.
14. Broadband test reveals who's fastest
The ISP big boys didn't impress in the broadband speed and reliability survey conducted in conjunction with Epitiro. Smaller ADSL2+ supplier Orcon topped the test.
15. Network upgrade means faster, better broadband
Vodafone and Vector announced a massive expansion of the power company's fibre optic network - and shouted about high-speed happiness for customers.
16. Vodafone defends against iPhone fury
The mobile phone market took a collective gasp when Vodafone announced its iPhone pricing plan - then it went nuts. The cellular carrier moved swiftly to defend itself.
17. Vodafone launches new broadband network
Vodafone rolled out its ADSL2+ network, complete with pretty maps showing areas lucky enough to be able to watch a YouTube video without getting annoyed.
18. Can cool new BlackBerrys beat the iPhone?
Research in Motion reckoned its BlackBerry Storm was the ultimate smart phone, worthy of the 'iPhone killer' tag. Cool phone, but user reviews the world over slammed its many 'issues'.
19. Wireless freeloaders and how to deal with them
Stealing the neighbours' bandwidth has been turned into an artform in recent years. As Wi-Fi becomes the norm, security has become quite critical - ask anyone who's had to fork out for someone else's BitTorrent movie archive.
20. New search engine claims three times the grunt of Google
Anna Patterson's clever Cuil browser looked the part, and claimed to be the next great search engine.
