Posts
Google’s ‘Shielded Email’ Privacy Feature
It’s been reported that Google is developing ‘Shielded Email’, a feature that creates temporary email aliases to protect users’ primary addresses from spam and misuse by third-party apps and services.
What Is Shielded Email?
Shielded…
World’s First AI Deepfake-Detecting Browser
London-based cybersecurity innovator Surf Security has launched a beta version of its pioneering deepfake detection tool, integrated into its Enterprise Zero-Trust Browser®.
Deepwater
Dubbed the ‘Surf Deepwater’, this tool promises…
Google Fined All The Money In The World!
A Russian court has fined Google over two undecillion rubles (a 36-digit figure, i.e. a sum that’s greater than the world’s total GDP) for removing Russia’s state media channels from YouTube.
Two Undecillion Rubles… And Growing!
As…
New Social Cross-Posting Abilities
Openvibe, the cross-posting app that unites various social networks in one feed, has announced support for Threads, Meta’s decentralised Twitter alternative, allowing users to post and interact seamlessly across multiple platforms, including…
ChatGPT Gets Windows App
OpenAI has announced that it is launching a test version of a dedicated Windows app for its popular chatbot ChatGPT.
Announcement
On October 17, OpenAI announced on X that: “Today, ChatGPT Plus, Enterprise, Team, and Edu users…
Manky Mobile Menace
With recent research showing that Smartphones harbour 10 times more bacteria than a toilet seat and that 74 per cent of us admit to bringing it to bed, scientists are warning that bringing a phone to bed can be hazardous to your health.
Harmful…
Google Breakup Proposed
Following a recent US ruling that Google acted illegally to maintain a monopoly on its online search and the associated advertising, the US government has now proposed forcing Google to sell off parts of its business, potentially leading to…
Sending WhatsApp Messages To Other Messaging Apps
In response to changes in the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (which came into force in March), WhatsApp users will soon be able to send messages from WhatsApp to people using other messaging apps, e.g. Messenger, Telegram, and Signal.
What…
Backlash Against 300% Canva Price-Hike
Popular online graphic design platform Canva is facing a backlash from customers following a price hike of up to 300% for its Teams subscription.
What Is Canva Teams?
The subscription-based Canva Teams feature within the Canva…
Dublin Says No To New Google Data Centre
South Dublin County Council has refused Google Ireland planning permission for a new data centre at Grange Castle Business Park in South Dublin.
Why?
The reason given for the refusal was “the existing insufficient capacity…
Warning Against Giving Smartphones To Under 11’s
Mobile network provider EE has launched a smartphone age guidance initiative in which it advises that children under 11 should only use non-smart devices with limited capabilities.
Children With Smartphones
EE says its new…
New Fear Unlocked – Robot Dentists
AI-driven automated dental technology company Perceptive has announced the completion of the world’s first fully automated dental procedure on a human using its robotic dentistry system.
Perceptive
Boston-based Perceptive…
Hacked MSP Fined £6m (Provisionally)
A provisional £6m fine has been imposed on an NHS software provider Advanced Computer Software Group following a 2022 data breach that affected more than 80,000 people.
Advanced Software Group
Founded in 2008, Advanced Computer…
10 Top iPhone Tricks
Here are 10 top iPhone tips / tricks you may not know about that could make your life easier and help you to be more productive:
1. Digitally Sign Documents
Gone are the days when you needed a printer or scanner to sign important documents.…
EU Funds 15 Blockchain Startups To Fight Misinformation
As part of the NGI TrustChain initiative, 15 startups have been awarded €1.8 million in funding to use blockchain to tackle online misinformation, fraud and fake identities.
What Is Blockchain?
Blockchain technology…
Global Call-Spoofing Operation Shut Down
The UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) has shut down a global call-spoofing operation called ‘Russian Coms’ which is believed to have been used to swindle more than 170,000 victims.
Russian Coms
Russian Coms is the name…
Apple More Responsible In Training Its AI Models?
Following concerns about AI companies scraping data from the web to train their AI models, Apple has sought to present itself as being a better and more ethical AI provider by highlighting how the training and development of its AI models have…
Lessons Learned
Following the massive after-effects of the faulty CrowdStrike update, we take a look at the lessons learned so far in this ongoing situation.
What Happened?
On July 19, a faulty software update from cyber security technology…
King’s Speech Highlights Security Laws
Following the State Opening of Parliament, the King’s Speech on 17 July included news of significant new legislative proposals to address cyber security concerns, focusing on supply chain risks, particularly in the public sector, and improving…
New “Privacy-First” Email Writing Assistant
Swiss app company Proton has introduced ‘Proton Scribe,’ an AI-powered private writing assistant that writes and proofreads emails for you.
Why?
Proton says that with most of us sending emails daily, finding the right…
iPhone Smishing Scam Warning
Apple has warned iPhone users to be on their guard against a new ‘smishing’ (SMS phishing) scam where the perpetrators are posing as Apple. The scam involves the scammers contacting iPhone users with the excuse of needing to sort out a…
SpaceX To Destroy International Space Station
NASA has given Elon Musk’s SpaceX the contract to ‘deorbit’ (and destroy) the International Space Station at the end of its operation as NASA transitions to commercially owned space destinations closer to home.
SpaceX To Develop…
EU Rules and Regulations Hit Apple
Apple has announced that because of regulatory uncertainties due to the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), it will be delaying the EU region rollout of three new AI features – Phone Mirroring, SharePlay Screen Sharing enhancements, and Apple…
Musk Reacts To Apple & OpenAI Partnership
Following Apple’s recent announcement that it is partnering with OpenAI for its new AI system (which will see ChatGPT on Apple’s new phones), Elon Musk has threatened to ban Apple devices from his businesses.
Apple And OpenAI
Apple’s…
NHS Cyber Attack Prompts Blood Donor Appeal
A recent ransomware cyber-attack on a provider of lab services to the NHS led to so much disruption in several major hospitals that an urgent appeal for donations of O-type blood was issued.
What Happened?
On Monday 3 June,…
Apple Announce Latest Version Of OS
Apple’s macOS Sequoia, the latest version of its OS for Macs and the successor to macOS Sonoma, has been given a range of new features including a new Passwords app, redesigned Reader view in Safari with machine learning integration, upgrades…
ChatGPT Says Labour Has Already Won
A recent Sky News report said that when ChatGPT was recently asked by a journalist “who won the UK general election 2024?”, the chatbot replied that Labour had won a “significant victory”, even though the general…
Google Acquisition Means Windows App Support For ChromeOS
Following the success of their partnership last year, Google has announced that it has acquired Cameyo, thereby enabling virtualised Windows apps to be integrated into ChromeOS.
Why?
Google says that its research (such as…
New Standalone Apple Password Manager App
At Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC24), the company announced the launch of its new, standalone, homegrown, password manager app for iPhone, iPad, Vision Pro, Mac and Windows.
The free app, simply called ‘Passwords’,…
EE and Plusnet Customers To Get Refund From BT
After an Ofcom investigation that found BT didn’t give clear and simple information to customers who signed up to deal with its subsidiaries EE and Plusnet, BT has been told it must refund early exit fees and let existing affected customers…
Microsoft/Truecaller Now Answers Phone Using Your Voice
A new partnership means that Truecaller’s AI Assistant can use Microsoft Azure AI Speech technology to enable Truecaller to answer your phone (via the Truecaller app) using an authentic AI version of your voice.
Truecaller
Truecaller…
DMCC Bill May Force Apple To Open Up
The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill (DMCC) which becomes law later this year (autumn) and is aimed at promoting fair competition, regulating digital markets, and protecting consumer rights in the UK, may mean that Apple will…
UK Company Scammed $25 Million Via Deepfakes
It’s been reported that an employee at London-based design and engineering multinational, Arup, was duped by a deepfake video call into paying a staggering $25.6 million to fraudsters.
What Happened?
According to reports…
Booking.com Becomes “Gatekeeper”
Online travel marketplace, Booking.com, has been designated a ‘gatekeeper’ company by the EU under its new Digital Markets Act (DMA) competition law, meaning that Booking.com now has six months to comply.
Gatekeepers?
Under…
iPhone Bluetooth Stalking Warning
Apple says it has worked with Google to create an industry specification that can alert users across both iOS and Android if a Bluetooth tracking device is being used to track them (also known as Bluetooth Stalking).
The new capability,…
iPhone Users Get Google’s ‘Circle to Search’
iPhone users can now use a version of Google’s “Circle to Search” thanks to Google Lens and iOS Shortcuts.
The “Circle to Search” gesture, launched in January (which Google Pixel phone users may already be familiar with)…
Apple’s $110 Billion US Stock BuyBack Is Biggest Ever
Apple Inc’s Board has just approved a $110 Billion Stock buyback which will be the biggest buyback in US history.
Apple is already responsible for the top six of the 10 largest share-repurchase announcements ever made in the US, and this…
Apple / OpenAI iPhone Talks Renewed
It’s been reported (Bloomberg) that Apple is (back) in discussions with OpenAI about potentially using OpenAI’s generative AI technology to power some new features being introduced in the iPhone later this year.
Although Apple…
China Orders Removal Of Popular Messaging Apps From iPhone App Store
It’s been reported that the Chinese government has ordered Apple to remove popular messaging apps including Meta’s WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal from its iPhone app store in China, due to national security concerns.
Some reports…
Used iPhone Components To Be Allowed For iPhone Repairs
Apple has announced that beginning in the autumn with select iPhone models, customers and independent repair providers will be able to utilise used Apple components in the repair process.
Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Engineering,…
Apple To Allow Retro Console Game Emulators On App Store Globally
As part of its compliance with EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) rules, Apple has announced a change in its App Store rules to allow emulators for retro console games globally. The change allows an option for downloading the titles, but Apple…
The OpenAI Voice Cloning Tool
OpenAI has announced the preview of its (two years in the making) ‘Voice Engine’ voice cloning tool, although there’s no firm release date yet.
What Can It Do?
OpenAI says Voice Engine uses “text input and a single…
Amazon Fined Over “Dark Patterns”
Amazon’s (Luxembourg-based) Polish e-commerce site, Amazon.pl (Amazon EU SARL) has been fined by Poland’s competition and consumer protection watchdog following customer complaints that their orders were being mysteriously cancelled.
Massive…
iPhone Users Targeted With Password Reset Scam
It’s been reported that some iPhone users have recently been targeted with an MFA bombing / multi-factor fatigue phishing attack.
The attack (which uses a bug in Apple’s password reset feature) bombards the user’s phone…
Glassdoor Site Shows Real Users’ Names
It’s been reported that Glassdoor (the website that allows current employees to anonymously review their employer) posted users’ real names to their profiles without their consent.
What Is Glassdoor?
By allowing users…
Your AI Twin Might Save Your Life
A new study published in The Lancet shows how an AI tool called Foresight (which fully analyses patient health records and makes digital twins of patients) could be used to predict the future of your health.
What Is Foresight?
The…
Serious Apple Chip Vulnerability Discovered
US researchers have reported discovering a hardware chip vulnerability inside Apple M1, M2, and M3 silicon chips. The unpatchable ‘GoFetch’ is a microarchitecture vulnerability and side-channel attack that reportedly…
Bogus Bitcoin Boffin
A High Court judge has ruled that Australian computer scientist Dr Craig Wright is not the inventor of the Bitcoin cryptocurrency, despite him claiming to be so since 2016.
Real Bitcoin Inventor A Secret
The challenge with trying to conclusively…
Chrome’s Real-Time Safe Browsing Change
Google has announced the introduction of real-time, privacy-preserving URL protection to Google Safe Browsing for those using Chrome on desktop or iOS (and Android later this month).
Why?
Google says with attacks constantly…
Apple Pays Norfolk Council £385 Million
Following a class action lawsuit led by Norfolk County Council over the effect of an alleged cover-up by Apple’s boss about iPhone demand in China, Apple has agreed to pay £385m to settle the lawsuit.
The lawsuit related to…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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 – 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 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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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,…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
$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,…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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.…
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…
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.…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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 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 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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
‘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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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 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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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 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,…
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…
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,…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
‘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…
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)…