Bagpipes from around the world descend on Wellington
Pipers and drummers have descended on the capital this week for the Royal New Zealand Pipe Bands' Association annual summer school. 
© 2025 RadioNZ 9:45am Tariffs could cause tech prices to skyrocket, CTA warns again
As the new Trump administration prepares to take office, the Consumer Technology Association is warning again that any proposed tariffs could cause consumer technology prices to skyrocket.
The CTA began sounding the tariff warning bells last year. In the middle of CES, it provided updated information on the specific effects of those tariffs on specific products.
Since President Trump has yet to take office, it’s not clear whether he would impose tariffs, which the CTA believes he can do without congressional approval. But the possibility is still alarming. As others have done, the CTA is considering two scenarios: a 10 percent tariff on all imports, as well as a 60 percent on all products imported from China; and a 20 percent tariff on all imports, and a 100 percent tariff on Chinese manufactured goods.
If a retailer or consumer wants to import an item upon which a tariff has been imposed, they must pay the cost of the item plus an additional fee to the U.S. Not surprisingly, many regard these as taxes — including, apparently, President Trump, who has indicated that higher tariffs could offset tax cuts made elsewhere.
The CTA, naturally, doesn’t want its member companies to bear this burden.
“At their core, these proposals are tools for the U.S. government to grab as much tax revenue as possible from the American people,” the CTA said in a report made public on Thursday. “We have seen this movie before and know the ending. The proposed tariffs will not create more employment or manufacturing in the U.S. In fact, the opposite may happen where our productivity decreases and jobs may be lost over time when workers and businesses have less affordable access to technology.”
Buyers of laptops, smartphones, and tablets would face the greatest impact, the report said.
The CTA’s assessment of the additional tariffs on various consumer products. (Source: CTA)
Under the 10/70 scenario, laptops and tablets would see a sharp 45 percent increase in retail costs, the CTA said, translating to about $357 more per laptop as well as $201 per tablet. Smartphones would cost about $213 more, while video-game consoles would cost about $246 more. Displays prices would jump by about $109.
“The proposed tariffs would prove to be particularly expensive for purchasers of laptops and tablets,” the CTA wrote. “Current U.S. tariffs on these products are zero, and they are not subject to any Section 301 tariffs on China either. The proposed tariffs effectively would impose a 57.3 percent tax on laptop and tablet imports.”
If Trump were to enact a more aggressive 20/120 scenario, things would get worse. Under this scenario, laptop prices would jump by $540, or 68 percent. Tablets would increase in price by $304. Smartphone prices would jump 37 percent, to $305, while video-game consoles would soar by 58 percent, to an additional $356 out of pocket.
The problem? The U.S. doesn’t have a computer-manufacturing industry. Since it does not, retailers and consumers would be forced to pay the tariffs, regardless. The CTA estimates that U.S. consumers would instead curtail their spending dramatically, reducing laptop purchases by about 44 percent.
The report can be downloaded from the CTA website for free.
© 2025 PC World 9:35am  
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Haus.me shows off a tiny smart home you can plop anywhere
What could be cooler than a smart home? A move-in ready, energy-efficient, tiny smart home that can be delivered and set up at your home site in just a few hours, without requiring extensive site preparation or even a foundation or concrete pad.
I had an opportunity to tour the luxurious microhaus Pro model, from Haus.me, at CES in Las Vegas this week and imagined using it as a mountain vacation home that could generate a second income as a luxury Airbnb.
The dinette with a fold-up queen-size Murphy bed in the microhaus Pro.Michael Brown/Foundry
The 120-square-foot model on display costs $89,990 and comes fully assembled and furnished, including voice- and motion-controlled LED smart lighting inside and out (the interior LEDs are dimmable). Smart home features come via a wall-mounted Apple HomePod mini and Apple HomeKit. Yeah, Android users will feel left out.
Massive, tinted picture windows on each side of the home flood the interior with sunlight, and there are optional motorized awnings on each side of the house (an interior wall-mounted touchscreen operates the awnings). Luxe furnishings and finishes abound, including genuine hardwood cabinetry throughout.
The microhaus Pro’s smart home functions are powered by Apple HomeKit, with a HomePod mini mounted next to a flat-screen TV.Michael Brown/Foundry
Resembling a luxury trailer in the manner its interior is laid out, the microhaus Pro has a kitchenette with a sink, microwave, and mini-fridge at the entrance end; a convertible dinette with a fold-down queen-size Murphy bed in the middle; and a bathroom with a toilet and rain-style shower at the far end.
The microhaus Pro is of course heated and air conditioned, with an energy-efficient heat pump handling those tasks. With a cold-weather package that includes a more powerful HVAC system, you get radiant heating beneath the ceramic tile floors. Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors come standard, as does an air filtration system with a HEPA filter.
If you need something bigger than the studio-like microhaus Pro, there are 2-bedroom, 2-bath models with up to 800 square feet of interior space.Hause.me
Haus.me says its building don’t require building permits in most jurisdictions, but I wouldn’t order one without checking with local authorities, first. It’s highly likely that you would need permits to connect to the local sewer and electric grid.
This isn’t the only model in Haus.me’s inventory. They also have less luxe versions of the Pro model (the same interior square footage, but with fewer features) and larger units (up to 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms). Prices range from $35,000 to $399,000 for the largest model with 800-square feet of interior space.
Visit Haus.me for more information.
© 2025 PC World 9:35am 
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