Artist and photographer, Bruce Hunt, has been exploring New Zealand’s unique landscapes for over 40 years, walking the ridgelines of our rugged back-country and bringing back images of its rippling form. His new book “Tussock” is a culmination of that work, so we took some time to have a chat about his process, his journey […]
Congratulations, you’ve made it to November! While we’ll admit it’s been a pretty tough road to get here and the circumstances are less than ideal this year, November is still our favourite month of the year, because it marks the release of our annual M2 Man of the Year issue. The MOTY issue allows us to highlight one exceptional Kiwi man who has gone above and beyond in 2021, […]
When I get wheeled into sales meetings – kind of like an uncharismatic Denny Crane – I have a habit of derailing the conversation with unfiltered dad jokes. But in my defence, I think I redeem myself when talking both about our content mix and our audience – both connected by a philosophical strand of […]
Lee Jung-jae, along with his co-star HoYeon Jung, have been launched to international stardom with the breakout hit Squid Game premiering on Netflix. In the show, Jung-jae looks pretty lovable and shaggy, but for this shoot you can see what makes him popular at home in South Korea. If I need to tell you what […]
This issue we review something new, something old and something you must do in 2022. Gone Tomorrow By Lee Child First up, we continue our review of classic Jack Reacher novels, this time number 13 of the series, from 2009. Unlike later books where Reacher’s adventures happen in small Midwest towns and counties of America, […]
When we think of the first pictures of space, we generally think of the greatest hits like the Blue Marble, maybe a footprint on the moon. We don’t consider that the first photo from space was taken just a year after World War II had finished on a captured Nazi V-2 Rocket. Launched on October […]
While we’ve certainly checked off a lot of boxes on the ‘gadgets of the future’ list in the last few years, we’re still not quite living in a world with robot servants catering to our every whim. However, Tesla are seemingly intent on papering that gap and we recently got our first look at their […]
Keanu Reeves has a reputation as an all round nice guy to uphold, and it has once again been bolstered by social media snaps his stunt team from John Wick have chucked online. He has a five man stunt team that help make him look like an absolute bad ass on screen. Apparently they put […]
Last Night In Soho – In Cinemas 11 Nov As a director, Edgar Wright is a certified genius. He’s never missed. From his Cornetto Trilogy (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, The World’s End), to his musically inclined trips through Baby Driver and Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World. He just knows how to layer his […]
We catch up with Guillaume Dehan, Founder & CEO of Supergenerous, to talk about success, his morning routine and what makes him tick. What’s your morning routine? I kick off the day with a HIIT session early in the morning (I recently joined the cult of F45 and am loving it), then get ready and […]
Cutting Edges Jérémie Heitz set himself the challenge of skiing 15 of the steepest slopes in the world, paired with his mountain guide Sam Anthamatten. For their expeditions, they were also trailed by one of the hardiest documentary film crews in the business, Sherpas Cinema. For this latest trip, the team hit Peru and Pakistan […]
Joe Naufahu is not only one of our most accomplished actors whose career has include roles on Games Of Thrones, Head High and My Life is Murder New Zealand. But the ex-rugby player also runs Auckland gym Ludus Magnus. And while he might but living multiple lives, Joe just rolls with the punches while always […]
Over the years, we have M2 Man Of The Year winners from a range of areas of excellence and impact from business, environmental, social, sporting, entertainment, technology and even rocket science. But the M2 Man of the Year 2021 winner, Allbirds Co-Founder Tim Brown, has had a journey that intersects many of the areas. His […]
As we arrive at the end of the year, we can look back, dust off our hands and tell ourselves, “Wow I sure did get nothing done while the rest of the world went down in flames”. It’s been both a glacial and quick year, as the months disappear into various lockdowns and level announcements. […]
I was just a kid when the Twin Towers fell. I was at a friend’s house and the family was evangelical enough to believe that TV was the devil. They managed to conjure one out of somewhere though. It was early morning and we squinted through the poor reception of the Television at repeating images […]
Our world has become a small one, made of lightly jostling bubbles. Time moves quicker than usual, but in the moment, it’s at a snail’s pace. This new insular world we’ve created for ourselves is due to an even smaller world of microorganisms that inexplicably have the power to ravage our civilisation. They’re small, but […]
Fluid volumes and streamlined shapes create a voluminous non formal look in Zegnas latest Summer 2022 collection. “My aim at Zegna is to create an accord between the essence of tailoring, which is our reason for being, and the rhythm of the modern world. What I have done is a rewiring of luxury crafting, following […]
Let’s imagine a future where structural integrity is no longer a consideration of industrial design. Let’s imagine a world where Jeff Bridges is King. Let’s imagine Dust, the Tesla Electric Motorcycle. Designed by industrial designer Nazar Eisa, the Tesla Dust is the eternal impossible dream of designers everywhere after watching Tron: Legacy exactly once. It...
“Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.” – Bill Gates, founder and CEO Microsoft “So often people are working hard at the wrong thing. Working on the right thing is probably more important than working hard.” – Caterina Fake, co-founder Flickr “The fastest way to change yourself is to hang out with […]
Age Is Just A Number SRW Laboratories, the company that brought us the Cellular System Range, a range of supplements that support healthy aging at a cellular level, brings us another innovative product, which is a New Zealand first. The DNAage is an at-home epigenetic, saliva-based DNA test kit, which is conveniently boxed up, delivered […]
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘change is only constant’. Living and working in these times of radical uncertainty where the impacts of COVID are still rampant across the globe including supply chain issues, talent shortages, and just the sheer lack of resources, means that we need to prepare […]
It seems we all self-sabotage, but how much it is impacting our success depends on the scale that each of us is doing this. There are literally hundreds of ways you could self-sabotage, but most of them are caused by similar reasons. So, let us look at the five big reasons why we end up […]
The Registered Master Builders House of the Year awards celebrate the very best in residential building across New Zealand. This prestigious competition is judged by a team of experts who score each property on its workmanship, design, functionality and style – and award quality standards based on that score. The Gold quality standard is 80% […]
We have a ridiculous amount of tech for you this issue, covering everything from stock trackers to earbuds. Rock Solid Storage Finally a portable SSD with WIFI for manly men. You can be digging your 4×4 out of a ditch and never be more than a few swipes away from accessing 8TB of data. The […]
Time to sink 1000+ hours into a title with no regrets. Forza Horizon 5 5 November Horizon is the breath of fresh air that I’ve always needed in a racing sim. Sure, it’s more on the arcadey side of things but exploring Mexico, checking off events, and blasting down kilometres of fencing is just such […]
I spend a lot of my time here at M2 reviewing things. It only seems right that I apply this same method of review to my own son, who I received just over a month ago. As of six weeks ago, I received a review unit of a baby to keep. This is fine since […]
Since first picking up a camera at 14, Rotorua local, Graeme Murray, has made a world renowned career out of photography. From portraiture to still life, from action to landscape photography, from ocean to mountain to studio, Murray’s work inspires the world. And he does a lot of it from his base in Rotorua which […]
We’re almost ready to put another year in the books which means it’s time for our favourite recurring M2 tradition; adding another name to the annuls of history with our M2 Man of the Year 2021. For those uninitiated, our Man of the Year issue highlights one Kiwi man who has flown higher in their field than any other over the calendar year. The Man of the Year search does not […]
It’s the year to invest in commercial real estate and there are countless reasons why, writes Property Brokers Commercial Sales Consultant Ulf Fuhrer. For many residential property investors, commercial real estate presents as a risky, complicated and costly option. This couldn’t be further from the truth. With the right knowledge and support, investing in commercial […]
This century has thus far been an incredible time for innovation and has produced some of the most groundbreaking solutions to human problems the world has ever seen. But there’s one problem that for decades has haunted humans all over the world and has befuddled even the world’s greatest minds. That is, of course, the question of how the heck am I supposed to drink this delicious, chilled glass of orange […]
While it isn’t from lack of trying, the long anticipated ‘hoverbike’ has yet to find a mainstream foothold in our transport landscape, even among the society’s elite who could probably afford to maintain one. It appears that the logistics behind bringing the science fiction staple into reality might be a bit more complicated than the movies might’ve had you believe. We’ve seen a few examples here […]
If you’re worried about getting presents in from overseas to people in time for Christmas, you have good cause. Those good old Covid restrictions have stretched the world’s supply chain systems to breaking point – is there nothing they can’t ruin? – so this year it might be wiser to buy local. This will ensure […]
Summer is fast approaching and with it (hopefully) the loosening of restrictions and the return of backyard hangouts with friends, family, neighbours and honestly, just about anyone who will hang out with us as we’ve been deprived of human contact for some damn long. At the same time, while movie theaters around the country are back in business and Auckland cinemas will likely […]
Sneakers can be an expensive obsession. Every true sneakerhead knows that you’ve got to fork out some serious cash to get the real prized pairs, especially ones that are limited edition or game-worn. Your average buyer might spend a few hundred bucks on a really nice pair, but hardcore collectors will happily go into the thousands and at the very, […]
Al Pacino, Nicolas Cage, George Michael, Flock of Seagulls, Axl Rose, Elvis the King. Say the names; know the hair styles. In fact, I bet you know these styles so well you could draw them all on a piece of paper and your neighbour could match a look with a name straight off the bat. […]
If there’s one thing we, the public, fall for over and over again, it’s a good celebrity comeback. For whatever reason, we seem to be obsessed with the idea of metaphorically resurrecting stars of the past who have fallen out of the limelight due to misbehaviour, personal demons or poor performances (or in most cases, […]
I’m fiercely patriotic about the things we make here in New Zealand. The few things we make here are almost always among the best in the world. We make the best chocolate (fight me), the best orc masks and the best wine. I’m sorry Europe, but after thousands of years of leeching your arid hills […]
These are still very much early days in the life of electric vehicles, but around the country we’re seeing charging stations start to pop up along the state highways like mushrooms. The official plan is to have these charging stations every 75 kilometres on average along the main highways. Car manufacturers are likewise bringing a […]
Like it or not, first impressions count. So, if you’ve been booked in for a session to eyeball the bank manager, a new potential employer or a seriously hot blind date, you might want to scrub up a little. Now, there’s no use moaning and complaining about how shallow this world is or how beauty […]
Now I’m not saying you should stay at home and drink alone, Jacinda is. Or maybe she’s telling us to go do it at a park now? But you can’t do that in public, so maybe, I dunno, get your support bubble to join you? Sorry this intro is NOT going the way I expected […]
If you’re even remotely active online, you’ve no doubt at some point come across the “Simpsons Prediction” theory. Seemingly time and time again, the iconic animated series The Simpsons has depicted events in its episode which miraculously become reality years later. From the Siegfried and Roy tiger attack to the 2014 American Ebola outbreak to smartwatches to the Presidency of Donald Trump (in an episode aired all […]
BMW has a raft of new vehicles making their way to New Zealand at the moment, with wheels hitting the open road in early 2022. They’re all electric, and they’re all beautiful. In the case of the 128ti there are only 30 making their way here to begin with, so pre-ordering is essential. Otherwise, check […]
Apple just had it’s latest press conference announcing all its new big offerings. But all of the new Macbooks or whatever cannot compare to their most ground breaking release to date. Hold your breath, exhale. It’s a polishing cloth for $19 Made with soft, nonabrasive material. They promise that the Polishing Cloth cleans any Apple […]
If you’re wanting to experience the best of Yalumba, which itself is the very best of Australian wine makers, then the Samuel’s Collection is the best of the very best. The collection covers the length and breadth of what Yalumba has to offer. Today we’re going to cover just a few of our personal recommendations, […]
‘What? Sorry, what did you say again?’ How many times have you said that lately? Come on, you can fess up, you’re amongst friends here! I too spent an awful lot of time in my misspent youth up at the front of Bailter Space gigs; dancing too close to the speakers at Drum & Bass […]
If asked whether watches would receive a surge of interest during Covid, I’m not sure I would have been able to foresee the absolutely mania that ensued. But I guess everyone needs to spend their holiday money on something, and it’s either going to be NFT’s, stocks, or watches it seems. Estimates online foresee pre-owned […]
Just in case you haven’t heard already, Fashionistas – Black is the new Black. That’s right, we’ve gone a full circle and come all the way around to the original cool colour after our somewhat misguided dalliances with Powder Blue, Soft Gold, Faded Bronze, Millennial Pink and Greige over the last couple of decades. (Actually, […]
The Bose Sleepbuds 2 are one of the more fascinating pieces of tech I’ve had the opportunity of trying out recently. They’re a pair of earphones with exactly one mission statement, and that is to give you a great sleep. You can see it in every part of its design. Zero hard edges, a low […]
For years, we watched him boldly go where no man had gone before and scour the galaxy in search of adventure in that iconic lime green v-neck. Of course, despite what our child selves might have believed, that vast galaxy was actual just a Hollywood studio; no one in the ‘crew’ of the USS Enterprise never really explored the depths of space. Until, that is, this morning, […]
The Pandora papers have been hailed as the largest leak of offshore data in the world, with over 2.94 terabytes of data making up 11.9 million financial records. The records span five decades and exposes twice as many people as the last leak from the Panama papers. Notably it exposes 330 politicians and high-level officials […]
If you had the chance to meet someone from fifty years ago; who would you pick? Hunter S. Thompson? John Lennon? Salvador Dali? Audrey Hepburn? Or Colin Meads after his last stint in a black jersey? All amazing people and the world is the poorer for not having them around anymore. Coming from a music […]
At one point, self-driving cars seemed destined to become the future of driving. After all, it feels like an obvious and important step in worldwide transition towards automation in just about every possible industry, particularly given how many lives are lost behind the wheel around the world due to human error. However, the transition has proved far more complex than what might have once seemed like a straightforward switch and recent developments from Tesla might be an indication of how […]
Summer, the time to stop all the hurrying about and at last unwind. It’s also (hopefully) a chance to relax in the sun after a year spent inside getting a Covid tan. But if the weather gods refuse to play ball in the sunshine stakes, then we’ll just have to get some in pre-bottled. In […]
I started Pure SEO in October 2009 with a couple of hundred dollars, a big dose of positivity, and a whole heap of naivety. Twelve years later, we have built the largest independent search marketing agency in New Zealand, with an eight-figure turnover and more than 70 staff across four countries. Although we have grown […]
It probably doesn’t get mentioned enough as one of the country’s great adventure areas, but if you love riding on two wheels, Central Otago is one of New Zealand’s premier spots. With a myriad of excellent tracks and trails, the Central Otago area offers a uniquely diverse off-road cycling experience, leading adventurers through a location […]
Business can be a cutthroat endeavour, especially if you happen to be in the drone business. Over the weekend, a mall in Henan’s Zhengzhou city in China put on a huge light display featuring hundreds of drones celebrating the opening of a new mall. After forming the name of the mall, drones begun to go […]
Kernel is an Auckland-based index-funds management company that is revolutionising consumer access to the index funds market and also the sorts of businesses that capital is flowed through to. Not only does this give everyday people access to the tools of prudent investment strategies but it also connects them with companies who are solving our […]
Over the 100 year history of BMW, many hurdles along the way have turned into business defining opportunities. From the oil crisis in the 70s to the launch of the 3 series, from the global financial crisis in 08 to the launch of the i3 and a future-focused on sustainability with the launch of the […]
Founder and Managing Director of Chooice NZ, Sarah Colcord, turned the first 2020 lockdown into an opportunity to help herself and thousands of other New Zealanders create new businesses, provide for their families and support local with her Facebook group and online marketplace Chooice NZ (originally conceived as New Zealand Made Products). The Facebook group […]
Former Air New Zealand CLO, Dr. Sydney Savion was named Chief Learning Officer of the Year in 2020 for her work with Air New Zealand but her journey to corporate success involved a leap of faith out of a distinguished 20-year career with the US Air Force. We talk to Dr Savion about the power […]
Among Amazon’s latest announcements was one particularly fun piece of tech, a robot trike that toddles around behind you ready to acquiesce to your every beck and whim, as long as it doesn’t involve any stairs. Dubbed the Astro, it has all the tech you’d expect from a Rhomba with an Alexa balanced on it […]
The least appealing part of Richard Branson’s new luxury retreat is it’s ominous name, Moskito Island, which is the retreats rebranding of it’s actual name Mosquito Island. All that aside the new retreat is out of this world luxurious. Right in the middle of the British Virgin Islands Moskito Island is 125 acres of untouched […]
Despite the perception being that they have an absolute strangehold on the world of entertainment right now, streaming giant Netflix has long operated behind a thick curtain when it comes to flexing their streaming figures. Whatever the reason for this may be (whether it’s to avoid giving away information to competitors, to protect themselves from […]
Eighty years ago there really was only one gig in town, certainly in Europe anyway – as World War Two ended its Phony War pretensions and in early 1940 matured into a real, nasty, proper war with the Nazi Panzer tanks Blitzkrieging their way through Norway, the Low Countries and France. Next stop was supposed […]
The lifecycle of the viral star is an often confusing phenomenon. The incredibly vast reach of social media has created the opportunity for just about anyone to go from just another guy or girl on the street to a household name in a matter of days, sometimes even over the course of 24 hours. While the dizzying heights of viral fame […]
This lockdown I’ve had the opportunity to wear a pair of over-ear Logitech G435 headphones. I was promised it’d be a comfortable experience when I received them, well I’ll be the judge of that literally right now in this column. The new wireless G435’s are definitely designed for the streamer generation and don’t cut any […]
Lockdown – it gets such a bad rap, but being grounded at home has upsides aplenty. Really, it does! I mean, when else would you have so much guilt-free time to finally get around to making Ricotta cheese; shoot excessively creative short films on the Samsung; or seriously brush up on the old wine drinking – […]
It’s somehow already September, which means that Prostate Cancer Awareness month is once again upon us; the campaign which reminds Kiwi men to make the trip to the doctors that they’ve been putting off and get the check that could save their life. However, it’s unfortunately not ‘business as usual’ for this year’s Blue September fundraiser as an ill-timed lockdown has stifled much […]
Now that we’re starting to relax restrictions, it’s time to catch up with old friends over a bite to eat and a good bottle of wine. We assume you’ve got the mains sorted out, but it’s good to have some nibbles and a platter going to keep everyone occupied till the real event gets kicked […]
Ever wanted to feel like something other than a fraud when a sommelier shows you a bottle or gives you the opportunity to swirl the glass and give it a whiff? We’ve got you covered, welcome to the five-minute masterclass where we’ll show you how to not only act, but also BE a professional at […]
Just in time for the end of the cruise industry, the largest cruise ship in the world has begun to slip out of the shipyard ready to take on millions of fully vaccinated guests. Owned by Royal Caribbean Wonder of the Seas, it is about to take the title as the largest cruise ship in […]
There is some very consistent and sage advice about when investing in property to focus on where you are investing. This is otherwise known as the good old cliché, location, location, location. This truism is all well and good, but sometimes a great location is just beyond the price point of a lot of investors. One […]
Everyone likes to think that, when it comes to their business, they know best. However, there are endless example to prove there’s something to be said for an outside set of eyes and the unique perspective of someone without an intense investment (both literally and figuratively) in the business and how it is being run. In the same way we go to doctors and […]
The World Beer Awards 2021 have just concluded and the winners have been found. One beer from each category now stands above the rest. Beer drinkers are a fussy bunch so there were 10 different categories. Everything from IPA, Sours, and even the abominable low alcohol varities get a show in. Only one New Zealand […]
Remember commuting? Remember offices? Well one day we’ll be going back to them, Jacinda willing. And when we do, we’ll suddenly remember how much it sucks to be stuck in an hour of traffic at each end of the day. Glaring enviously at some dude on a motorbike lane splitting his way to freedom. Well […]
While our health system in New Zealand is far from perfect, it’s easy for many of us to take for granted how relatively easy and affordable it is to access medical care when compared to much of the world. Not only do so many countries lack the equipment and resources to perform essential surgeries and […]
Just because nobody is going anywhere doesn’t mean we can’t dream a little. The best hotels in the world have been ranked and judged, and one in particular outshined the rest. Mahali Mzuri has been voted the #1 Hotel in the World in the Travel + Leisure Awards 2021 as well as the #1 Safari […]
Got a spare $4 million floating around? If so then you can live the same life as Jay-Z and Beyonce for approximately one week. That’s how much it costs to charter the Super Yacht they’re currently chilling out taking copious shots for Instagram on. Dubbed the Flying Fox, the 136 metre super yacht can be […]
When it comes to EV, Tesla sucks all the oxygen out of the room. But quietly EV startup Rivian has rolled out its first customer vehicles from the factory, ready to be driven by early adopters. In a tweet, CEO RJ Scaringe celebrated the big news, “After months of building pre-production vehicles, this morning our […]
Turning 40 is a momentous time in our lives. For many men, this is the time when they get a sudden hankering for dressing head-to-toe in lycra and head out for long bike rides on Sunday mornings. It is also when they suddenly take up surfing, riding Ducati motorbikes or playing jazz licks on the […]
SpaceX just made history by making the first full civilian space flight. Prior to this, a professional astronaut has accompanied all space flights. But just because it’s a civilian crew doesn’t mean it’s for everybody just yet. The flight was funded and lead by Jared Isaacman, 38-year-old founder and CEO of Shift4 Payments. For his […]
Ok gentlemen, let’s get this Cold War started again with a little bit of friendly comparisons. Which world leader lives in the most opulence? Let’s take a look and find out. Putin – The Flying Kremlin I’m going to start off with the Putin’s private jet, otherwise dubbed the Flying Kremlin. Putin has three $716M […]
Flat tyres have been a fact of life for so long I don’t think any of us really expected that one day they might not be. Michelin has been doing its best for over 15 years now to change that, and its efforts are finally paying off. First referred to as the Tweel back in […]
The rise of the dual key unit investment. The playing field has shifted under the feet of a lot of residential properties, particularly if working with a negatively geared strategy and working with older investment properties thanks to the government’s removal of the ability to deduct mortgage interest payments from the taxable rental return. For […]
Recent news headlines showing that the average New Zealand house price has reached the $1 million mark really does highlight the momentum behind the market. Tax legislation, tightening bank lending and various lockdowns seem to be doing little to quell our love affair with property. In fact, new figures from OneRoof and Valocity show the […]
I think if James Bond was at not so many black tie events chatting up bad guys and getting into short-lived romances then he’d definitely be a sneakerhead. He’d have a couple of comfortable pairs knocking around the house at the very least, as well as a special edition boxed pair he just keeps on […]
On the face of it, the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé might be another cool compact sporty offering from the German automotive house, but this particular vehicle has a lot riding on its sweeping Coupé shoulders. BMW Group New Zealand Managing Director Karol Abrasowicz-Madej talks about the importance of the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé […]
The spaces we inhabit directly influence our mood and creativity. Being in a dingy environment will bring you down eventually, and as much as we all enjoy a certain level of creative mess floating around the edges, eventually we’re going to have to clean it before we can feel like we’re going to get anything […]
Two things are so hot right now – and if you’re not talking Doja Cat and Regé-Jean Page then surely you must be talking about spirits and hemp. So anyone making hemp-based gin or vodka must be seriously coining it at the moment! Funnily enough, The Natural Distilling Co out of Gippsland, Victoria in Australia […]
Ever wanted to go for a tour of the country but don’t want to leave behind the essentials like your Bugatti? German luxury manufacturer Volkner Mobil has you covered with the Volkner Performance S. It’s a gigantic luxury motorhome that’s set to retail for about NZ$3.4 million, for the traveler that has to have it […]
Whether you’re looking for a way to escape your bubble buddies for a night or are trying out new options to optimise guest space for Airbnb attendees, these tiny portable homes are a solid solution. Haus.Me is in the business of making tiny, sustainable, off the grid homes, and the units they have made for […]
Rising inflation and low interest rates have meant that property investment is a safe place to put money and a hedge against inflation. Recent tax changes though have meant that new builds are an even better option. But of course, as with everything, not all new builds are created equal. While the adage of location, […]
