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New Quantum Attack-Proof PCs

At its Annual Partner Conference 2024, HP announced the world’s first business PCs to protect firmware against quantum computer attacks.  This Issue  As highlighted by Global Risk Institute research, 27 per cent of experts…
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Bitcoin Value Hits New High

With the famously volatile Bitcoin cryptocurrency briefly hitting a new all-time high value of $69,000 recently, we look at the reasons why this happened and what could happen next.  Why?  This latest surge in the value of Bitcoin…

Apple Fine and Sideloading

In two recent blows to Apple, it’s just been fined £1.5bn for breaking EU competition laws over music streaming, while its latest iPhone update means allowing developers to offer their own ‘app stores’.  The Fine  Following…
apple car

End Of The Road For Apple Car

It’s been reported that Apple has ceased work on its Autonomous Electric Vehicle known as “Project Titan”.  The 2,000 employees who were working on the decade-long project (and who reportedly had a say in the decision to stop…
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Firm Ordered To Stop Employee Face-Scanning

The UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has ordered Serco Leisure to stop using facial recognition technology (FRT) and fingerprint scanning to monitor employee attendance.   Not Necessary or Proportionate  An…

Quantum-Proof iMessage Update

Apple says it’s rolling out an update to its iMessage texting platform that can defend against future encryption-breaking technologies such as decryption by quantum computers.  Apple says its PQ3 “groundbreaking post-quantum…

Instagram and Facebook Ads ‘Apple Tax’

Meta has announced that it will be passing on Apple’s 30 per cent service charge (often referred to as the “Apple tax”) to advertisers who pay to boost posts on Facebook and Instagram through the iOS app.   This…
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Robo-Calls Now Illegal In The US

The US The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced that robo-calls using AI-generated voices are now illegal. What Are Robocalls And Why Make Them Illegal? A robo-call is a call made using voice cloning technology with an…

Stolen Device Protection Update Rolled Out

Apple iPhone users are being urged to use a new feature called ‘Stolen Device Protection’ which was rolled out in a recent update to iOS.  As the new feature’s name suggests, it can help prevent someone who has stolen your device…
VR

Apple Launches $3,500 Pro Vision VR Headset

Apple has launched its $3,500 (starting price) Pro Vision Virtual Reality (VR) headset in the US with Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook, appearing at its Fifth Avenue New York store to mark the significance of the occasion. The Pro Vision VR Headset…
tech campus

New £1 Billion UK Tech Campus

Plans have been submitted for a new £1 billion development in Cheltenham that will include one of Europe’s largest tech campuses and will house the National Cyber Innovation Centre.  Cheltenham’s Golden Valley Development  Planning…
Apple

Minor Stroke For Apple Legend

Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, known for his revolutionary work in personal computing, was briefly hospitalised after a health scare in Mexico City. At 73, Wozniak suffered a fainting episode caused by a minor stroke last week while preparing…
firefox

Firefox – What’s In a Name?

On November 9th 2004, the well-known web-browser ‘Firefox’ was released, although it had earlier been called something entirely different altogether. Originally created in 2002 by members of the Mozilla community, the browser had the…
Tech

Tech Nation Returns

After ceasing operations earlier this year when it lost its core funding grant, start-up network Tech Nation has announced it will be relaunching its brand with a £10bn investment. Tech Nation  Originally established in 2010 as…
TV

BBC Basics – 87 Years Ago

“Gentlemen, you have now invented the biggest time-waster of all time. Use it well.”, said Isaac Shoenberg, head of the EMI research team that developed the first fully electronic television system to be used in regular broadcasting. On…
Bluetooth

October 10, 2023 : “A Thousand-Year Name Extension”

Around a thousand years before electronics, a monk called Poppo was asked to prove his faith, because Sweyn Forkbeard was having doubts about his baptism. Legend has it that Poppo proved his faith by holding a red-hot metal glove, yet he remained…
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TikTok Trend : AI-Enhanced Profile Photos For LinkedIn Job Seekers

It’s been reported that a TikTok video has started a trend of people using AI to enhance their appearance in their LinkedIn profile photos with a view to improving their chance of getting a job via the platform.  The TikTok Video  The…

October 23rd 2001 : “A Thousand Songs In Your Pocket”

On October 23 2001, Steve Jobs promised to give people “A Thousand Songs In Their Pocket”. His timing couldn’t have been better because at the time, Apple was primarily known for its computers and was struggling financially. Arriving…
Clock

1 Second Lost in 300 Billion Years

Researchers at European XFEL X-ray laser have reported creating an atomic clock with such a precise pulse generator that it has an accuracy of only 1 second lost in in 300 billion years!  How Atomic Clocks Work  Up until now, atomic…
pac man

October 1980 : Halloween, Early AI & Ghosts …

AI isn’t something that’s just emerged in the last couple of years. Blinky, Pinky, Inky and Clyde had distinct personalities and if these names sound familiar it’s because they were the four ghosts that chased Pac-Man around his maze,…
old tv

Stooky Bill

In days gone by, a Scottish person with a broken appendage might well have said their arm or leg was held in a ‘stooky’ (or ‘stookie’) which meant a plaster-cast. It’s thought the word comes from ‘stucco’ (plaster) although the…
SpaceX

Rocket Man!

This week on September 28 2008 SpaceX managed to finally get the Falcon 1 rocket into space. Founder Elon Musk was obviously thrilled, although curiously he wasn’t hungry – even though he’d skipped breakfast earlier that day. It was…
code and specs

Why Do Python Programmers Wear Specs?

A – Because they don’t see sharp! That’s a programming humour for you. And talking of programming, there’s currently an explosion of code being auto-generated by AI and before long, human-coders may go the way of the early switchboard…
Google

25 Years of Google

Did you know that Google was incorporated 25 years ago, in September 1998?Or that it was originally made from Lego? (sort of) Google began as a research project by Larry Page and Sergey Brin when they were students at Stanford in 1996. Originally…
ebay

28 Years Ago : eBay (& Amazon by Comparison)

Whilst eBay’s market cap is dwarfed by that of Amazon (i.e. circa 24 billion dollars compared to circa 1.4 trillion dollars), it’s easy to forget eBay helped shape online purchasing too.Before it was rebranded as eBay in 1997, the site…
burning building

Ancient Data-Disasters

So far in 2023, Canada’s had wildfires devouring over 30 million acres, an expanse comparable to Kentucky. This has already surpassed Canada’s earlier record set in 1989, where flames ravaged more than 18 million acres. As the wildfire-season…
New York Times

This Message Sent Around The World

At 7:00 p.m. on August 20, 1911, a commercial telegram was sent by the telegraph operator at the Times, working on the seventeenth level of the newspaper’s headquarters in Times Square. The message made a westward journey from New York, and…
HP

Some HP Source…

Hewlett-Packard registered HP.com back in 1986 but did you know that it could so easily have been PH.com instead? This $40 Billion brand was incorporated this month (August 18th) back in 1947. You’ll have heard of…

The Wonderful Wizard of Woz

Steve Wozniak – business partner of Steve Jobs and co-founder of Apple – was born on August 11, 1950. Most people know that Apple went on to become one of the most valuable companies in the world and even though Steve the company way…
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$900,000 For Netflix AI Product Manager

Leading Streamer Netflix has added more fuel to the fire in the actors and writers’ union strike by advertising for an AI product manager with a salary up to $900,000.  Could Have Paid For Actors  With US actors and writers…

Sotheby’s to Auction $50,000 Apple Trainers

Renowned auction house and brokers of art, collectibles, jewellery, and real estate Sotheby’s is selling a super-rare pair of Apple-branded trainers for a guide price of $50,000 (circa £39K).  A One-Time Giveaway In The 90s  Sotheby’s…

August 6, 1997 – Microsoft & Apple Cooperate

By the mid-1990s, Apple was in dangerously bad shape. The company’s market share was dwindling, its product line was confused, and it was bleeding money. Their future looked bleak, and it needed a lifeline and they all knew it. Enter Microsoft,…
atom

How Bright Is Your Toothpaste?

The Oppenheimer blockbuster launched with an IMDB rating of 9.0, so it appears lots of people liked it. Whilst the film made mention of many of the pioneers in physics who helped during the Manhattan project, it could perhaps have made more…
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AI Fears Prompt Hollywood Actors To Strike

The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), the US actors’ union with 160,000 members has gone on strike mainly over fears that AI will reduce earnings and damage their profession.  New…

Avoiding Enemy Aircraft … Or The Car in Front!

In July 1940, a Bristol Blenheim was the first aircraft to successfully use radar to detect enemy aircraft, proving that radar could help provide an effective electronic defence whilst being deployed in the air. It’s often been said that…
Intel

The Start Of “More Noise”

On 18th July 1968, Intel was incorporated. These days, you’ll know them as the wildly successful manufacturer of microchips and indeed the processor that you’re using right now in whichever device you’re holding may well have “Intel…
Microphone
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Voice Changers

In this insight, we look at ‘voice changers’, technology that lets users change and disguise their voices in real time and in playback.  What Do They Do & How?  Voice changing software (and hardware) alter the sound of a…
Apple

Why Is Apple the First $3 Trillion Company?

Following Apple recently becoming the first publicly traded company to close a trading day with a $3 trillion market value, we look at some of the main reasons for the company’s incredible popularity and growth.  The First $3 Trillion…
keyboard

Computers Before Keyboards

Computing was a lot more challenging before July 4th 1956 because that’s when MIT revolutionised their Whirlwind Computer … by introducing a keyboard ! Before that, interacting with computers was a laborious, time-consuming process.…
satelite

Wireless World

On June 28th 1965, ‘Early Bird’ (Intelsat I) was activated. It wasn’t just another satellite; it was the first commercial communications satellite to be nestled in a geosynchronous orbit. This is where it ‘parked’ at 22,236 miles…
keyboard

QWERTY Keyboards. Mightier Than The Gun?

In a world where typing has long outstripped writing, few people know the story of how the Qwerty keyboard came about or that famous gun manufacturer Remington was involved On June 23rd, 1868, the Sholes and Glidden typewriter was patented.…
Stars

Consider All The Atoms In 10 Million Galaxies

At midnight on June 18th, 1997, the DESCHALL Project bore fruit. The challenge had been to use ‘Brute Force’ to discover the meaning of a message which had been encrypted. Going through up to seven billion possibilities per second, the…
dancing robot

Self-Healing Skin Developed For Robots

Hmm, where have we seen this before? Stanford University scientists have created a multi-layered, self-healing electronic skin for robots and prosthetics that has a sense of touch and can realign itself autonomously when cut.  Layered…
ET

Would E.T. Be Better Off With Zoom?

In the iconic movie E.T (1982), a memorable scene shows the alien rigging up a child’s toy (Speak & Spell) with an umbrella, a record player and other paraphernalia to make a makeshift intergalactic communicator, while uttering the unforgettable…
intel chip

For A Few Bits More

On June 8th, 1978, a technological milestone was born, significantly shaping the future of computing because this was the day that marked the introduction of the Intel 8086, Intel’s inaugural 16-bit microprocessor. In the world of computing…
BT Tower

AI Contributes To 55,000 BT Jobs Cuts

BT has announced that the completion of its fibre roll-out, 5G rollout, adapting to new technologies like AI, plus general cost cutting are key reasons why it will be axing up to 55,000 jobs, primarily in the UK, by the end of the decade.  40…
desk workers

Getting Off The Ground Isn’t Always Easy!

Chuck Yeager (famous for being the first to break the sound barrier) mentioned in his excellent autobiography that whilst he was training Neil Amstrong in high-altitude flying, he found him a little a bit cocky. In fairness, Neil did have a…
Light

Let There Be Light

On May 16th, 1960, a new kind of light existed that nobody had ever seen before. This kind of light has unique properties and doesn’t exist in nature and as far as we know, it had never existed anywhere in the universe since it began, 13.8…
last will
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Should You Make An ‘E-Will’?

In the past, people have primarily focused on their physical belongings and financial assets when planning for the future. However, as more and more of our lives move online, digital assets have become just as important to consider. So, do…
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The UK’s New AI Taskforce

In this article, we look at the reasons for the government’s formation of the Foundation Model Taskforce, and how the DeepMind and Google Brain tie-up could solve some big issues for Alphabet in the AI world. £100 Million Investment In…
people gaming on computers
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Microsoft Miffed: Monumental Gaming Merger Muzzled by UK’s CMA

The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has blocked Microsoft’s proposed acquisition of US-based video game holding company Activision Blizzard over fears of stifled competition in the cloud gaming market. What Happened? Back…
HSBC

HSBC Buys Collapsed Tech Bank

There was some relief from UK businesses hoping for government help following the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) after HSBC rescued the UK arm of the bank by buying it for £1.  What Happened?  Due to what many financial…
NetFlix

Netflix Plans To Tackle Password Sharing

Here we look at how popular streaming service Netflix has faced a user backlash on social media after it accidentally posted what appear to be some unpopular plans to tackle password sharing on its platform.  What’s Been The Problem?  In…
suit

Tech Recession?

In this article, we look at how significant job cuts and other factors are evidence of a tech recession, what the causes are, plus what tech businesses can do to survive and move forward.  Tech Recession Evidence – Job Cuts  Much…
Hand Shake

What Is ‘Job Boomeranging’ ?

Here we look at the trend of ‘job boomeranging’, the reasons why the trend occurred, and why businesses may choose to re-hire boomerangers.  What Is It? Job boomeranging refers to when an employee leaves a company and then returns…
Ski

What’s All The Fuss About Davos And How Does It Affect Business-Tech?

In this feature, we look at what is known as ‘Davos’ is, why it exists, plus how it can help the worlds of business and technology.  What Is It?  The World Economic Forum (WEF) is an annual meeting held in Davos, a small ski…
robot

Rent-a-Robot

It’s been reported that global logistics firm DHL used “a good number” of leased robots to help it deal with high demand over the Christmas period.  What For … And Where?  The Wall Street Journal reported that…
Jet

‘Quiet Quitting’ …?

In this insight, we look at what ‘quiet quitting’ is, what its causes are, together with what could be done to prevent it.  Quiet Quitting?  Quiet quitting is a term commonly associated with employment where it refers to how…
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‘Sentient’ Human/Mouse Brain Plays Video Pong

Dr Brett Kagan, of Cortical Labs, claims not only to have grown the first 'sentient' lab-grown mini-brain in a dish, but also that it can play vintage 1970s video game’ Pong’… albeit badly.  What??  Believe it or not, as…
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Politicised PayPal Problems

After PayPal first announcing that it would fine customers for using its services to spread misinformation and then, following a backlash, saying this had been an error, we look at what happened and why.  Policy Update – Fines for…
Apple

1976 Apple Expected to Fetch $500,000

A 1976 Apple-1 prototype, believed to have been owned by Steve Jobs and hand-soldered by Steve Wozniak is being auctioned and is expected to fetch around $500,000.  At $400,000+ Already!  The prototype is essentially a broken circuit…
woman reading book

Free Translation Via Firefox – Even Offline

The new, free Firefox Translations browser extension translates websites in the browser without using the cloud, using machine learning.  Client-Side Translations  Firefox Translations provides automated translation of web content…
Home workerspacex

What Is ‘Agile’ Working?

In this article, we take a brief look at what agile working is, plus how technology contributes to it.  Agile   Agile working refers to the idea of connecting processes, people, technology, time, and place to create a dynamic…
Gold
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There’s Gold In Them Thar Phones

The Royal Mint has signed an agreement with Canadian start-up Excir to recover gold and other precious metals from old smartphone and laptop circuit boards. Precious Waste Mountain A recent assessment by the waste electrical and electronic…
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LinkedIn Shuts Down In China Over Censorship Row

Microsoft’s LinkedIn will be replaced with a “no social feed” version in China after criticism from the US that it has been complicit in the censorship of posts and profiles from Western journalists. Accusations From Home The accusations…
Sinclair Spectrum

Loss of a Legend : Sir Clive Sinclair

The inventor, innovator, EV pioneer (with the C5), electronics and tech businessman Sir Clive Sinclair died recently, aged 81. Circuit Design Born in Richmond, Surrey in 1940, and knighted in 1983 for his contributions to the UK’s computer…
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Tech Insight : What Is 3D Printing?

In this article, we look at what 3D printing is, its benefits, and how it is being used now to add value in many different industries. What Is It? 3D printing (“additive manufacturing”) describes how, using a special printing machine,…

Half of Adults Unaware of Medical Records Sharing Scheme

A survey by consumer watchdog Which? has revealed that almost half of adults in England are unaware of plans for their medical records to be shared with a new NHS database. What Data Sharing? Back in May, NHS Digital launched its plan…
Alexa

Children Called “Alexa” Getting Bullied

It has been reported that children called ‘Alexa’ are being bullied because they share the same name as Amazon’s digital assistant and consequently, some parents are now calling for a digital name change. Alexa There are an estimated…
McAfee

Featured Article – Who Was John McAfee?

After John McAfee was found dead in a Barcelona prison cell last week, we take a brief look at the colourful life of this complicated, maverick software entrepreneur. McAfee Antivirus The products that made John McAfee a household name…
50 note

£50 Note Featuring ‘Father of Computer Science’ Enters Circulation

The new £50 note featuring the face of mathematician and ‘father of computer science’ (and Bletchley Park code-breaker) Alan Turing has entered circulation. Turing’s Birthday The note, which was announced in July 2019 and finally…
fusion plant

UK Nuclear Plant Funded By Amazon Cash

General Fusion, a Canadian company with Amazon’s Jeff Bezos as one of its backers is building a Nuclear Fusion power demonstration plant at Culham in Oxfordshire. Fusion Whereas current nuclear power plants split atoms in a process…
food delivery
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Why Food Delivery App Orders Can Cost Up To 44 Percent More

An investigation by consumer champion ‘Which?’ has revealed that food ordered via delivery apps such as Deliveroo, Just Eat, and Uber Eats can be considerably more expensive than dealing directly with the food outlet. Food Delivery Apps Seven…
office

Hybrid Working Could See Half of UK Businesses Cut Office Space

A recent PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) survey has found that half of UK businesses expect to reduce the size of their office space, and one-third expect to reduce it by 30 percent. Reduce Size of Real Estate Portfolio The Occupier Survey…
Pollution

What Is Greenwashing Technology?

In this article, we look at what ‘greenwashing’ is, how and why it is being used, and what is being done to stop it. What Is Greenwashing? Greenwashing, a term coined by Jay Westerveld in 1986, refers to how some companies mislead…
Bank of England

Notable Notes About … The New £50 Note

Bletchley Park code-breaking hero and wronged computer pioneer Alan Turing is to feature on the UK £50 note from 23rd June. Alan Turing Despite breaking WWII Nazi Germany’s Enigma machine code, allowing enemy messages to be read and…
Spotify

Getting The Most From Spotify

If you like the streaming music platform Spotify and sound quality is really important to you, here are some ideas and tips for how to get the best listening experience. Disclaimer Firstly, the disclaimer.  This article in no way…
Groceries

UK’s First Till-less ‘Walk Out’ Shop

Amazon has opened its first ‘no-till, just walk out’ grocery store in London where customers are automatically billed on exiting the store. Frictionless The new Amazon Fresh store offers a “frictionless” experience to shoppers…
contactless

Contactless Payment Limit Could Be Raised to £100

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has asked the UK Treasury to consider increasing the maximum contactless payment to £100. Changing Payment Behaviour The move away from handling cash due to its potential infection-passing risk,…
Dollars

Musk Offers $100 Million To Best Carbon Capture Inventor

Billionaire Tesla founder and SpaceX boss, Elon Musk, has pledged to give a $100 (£73 million) prize to whomever comes up with the best technology to remove carbon dioxide (which are generated from fossil fuels) from the air. Jan 21st Tweet In…
GMApexels

2020’s Big Tech Story Round-Up

As 2020 draws to a close, here is look back of some of the biggest tech stories and issues in the year that was dominated by the effects of a global pandemic. Disastrous The shocking death toll and infection rates, the lockdowns, hardship,…
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Sanctions Hurt Huawei

Huawei Technologies Co Ltd.’s 9.9 per cent revenue increase in its figures for the first three quarters of 2020 shows a significant slowing in growth compared to the 24.4 per cent increase for the corresponding period of 2019. Impact Financial…
Fresh Fruit

Free Delivery of Amazon Groceries

Amazon is now taking on the supermarkets and Ocado in the UK with free grocery deliveries from its Amazon Fresh service. Amazon Fresh The Amazon Fresh grocery service enables Amazon Prime customers, firstly in London and parts of the…

1,000% More Gold In E-Waste Than Gold-Ore

With 50 million tonnes of electronic waste produced each year and enterprises having policies in place for its disposal, there is still the problem in many countries of too much of it ending up in landfill or being informally disposed of. What…
new-home-keys-in-door PhotoMix
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Virtual Restart For Housing Market

The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Robert Jenrick, recently announced a virtual restart for the housing market. Furthermore, technology such as virtual viewings looks set to play an important part. Hard…
phone recycling
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How To Securely Dispose of Old Phones, PC’s and Laptops

When our PCs, laptops, phones, and other devices need to be replaced, disposing of them in a way that does not pose a data security risk is especially important. Here are some tips on how to dispose of devices securely. Backup Before…
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Amazon Can Own Deliveroo Because of Pandemic

After the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) worries last May, the CMA has now announced that Amazon can invest in food distribution company Deliveroo. Last May Last May, Amazon was a leading investor in a funding round of $575…
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Coronavirus Outbreak: Remote Working

With the number of countries and cities on lockdown increasing daily more and more organisations are looking to remote working solutions to keep working during the current pandemic.  The nature of many tech industry jobs means that working…
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‘Runet’ Test – Russia Unplugs Itself From The Internet

A little later than its original planned date of April 1st 2019, a recent test-run has seen Russia successfully ‘unplug’ itself from the Internet and prove that it can create its own state-controlled Intranet. Successfully Creating The…
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Record Levels Of Carbon Dioxide Emissions

The Global Carbon Project reports that carbon dioxide emissions, which are linked to climate change, extreme weather events and rising oceans haven reached record-breaking high levels this year. Emissions High But Rate of Growth Slowing New…
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Some Of The Tech ‘Promises’ Made By The Main Political Parties

With the UK’s General Election due to take place on 12 December, many issues have been covered in the media.  One key area of interest for businesses is technology, and for those of you who may not have time to plough through the manifestos…
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BBC to Launch Own ‘Beeb’ Digital Voice Assistant Next Year

The BBC has announced that it will be launching its own digital voice assistant ‘Beeb’ next year to work on all smart speakers, TVs, and mobile devices. Accents The new digital (AI) voice assistant, which is being developed by an…
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No Leather, Jeans, Hard Surfaces, Other Credit Cards or Magnets – Warning for Apple Card

Just as the new ‘Apple Card’ is launched in the US, Apple has listed several surfaces and materials that could damage and discolour the coated titanium card – including denim and leather. Apple Card The newly launched (in the US)…
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Apple Launches ‘Apple Card’

Apple has launched its ‘Apple Card’ in the US in partnership with Goldman Sachs and with processing by Mastercard. Card The Apple Card can now be applied for by customers in the US through the Wallet app on iPhone (iPhone 6 and…
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Codebreaker, Scientist and Mathematician Alan Turing To Feature on £50 Note

Alan Turing, head of the Enigma code-breaking team at Bletchley Park in World War, mathematician and father of computer science who was driven to suicide over the treatment of his sexuality is finally being honoured by the featuring his image…
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Businesses Set For Augmented Reality

A report based on research by IT Consultancy Group Capgemini has predicted a big shift towards the use of virtual reality and augmented reality by businesses over the next 3 years. Mainstream Soon The results of a survey of 700 business executives…
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12 Russian Intelligence Officers Charged With Election Hacking

Even though, in an interview this week, President Trump appeared to absolve Russia of election interference (since retracted), the US Department of Justice has now charged 12 Russian intelligence officers with hacking Democratic officials in…
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NHS Booking App and Doc Bot

In the NHS's 70th year, and as part of the push for digitisation, the introduction of an appointment-booking app has been praised, while a GP chatbot has been given the thumbs-down by The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP). Book…
last starman picture

Future Technology from Elon Musk

One Man may be designing the future of transport on earth and beyond You can't fault Elon Musk for lack of ambition.  His private company is showing Nasa how to launch heavy objects into space many time cheaper than they can do it.  Elons…