Ever since the world wide web went public in 1993, we have traded our personal data in return for free services from the tech giants. Now a growing number of start-ups think it’s about time we took control of our own data and even started making money from it. But do we care enough to… Read more »
Monthly Archives: January 2019
Huawei: A simple guide to why the company is in so much trouble
A lot of people are talking about Huawei – and not just because they make really well reviewed, top-end phones. The Chinese company is in pretty hot water in various places, because certain people believe they are using their tech to spy on people – something the company totally denies. There’s a court case against… Read more »
Microsoft search engine Bing was blocked in China
Microsoft confirmed Thursday that Bing was unavailable in China, raising concerns that it could be the latest in a growing list of global internet platforms to be shut out of China’s huge market. Hours later, however, some users were once again able to access the service. “We can confirm that Bing was inaccessible in China,… Read more »
Boeing’s first autonomous air taxi flight ends in fewer than 60 seconds
Everyone has to start somewhere, and air taxis are no exception. Boeing, the world’s largest aerospace company, said it completed the first flight of its autonomous air taxi Tuesday at a small airport outside Washington, DC. No one was on board. The flight lasted less than a minute, according to Boeing, and it didn’t actually… Read more »
Amazon Scout robots take to pavements in Washington State
Amazon is experimenting with delivery robots, starting with a little truck called Scout which is taking to the pavements in Washington State. Six of the autonomous electric trucks will deliver parcels “at walking pace” round Snohomish County. The robots will only operate during the day and will be accompanied by an Amazon employee initially. It… Read more »
The gadgets of the future know everything wrong with you right now
After three hours wandering through endless aisles of gadgets at CES, the world’s largest consumer technology conference, the products start to blend together. Was this automated cat litter cleaner the same one we saw 20 minutes ago? How many internet-connected locks can the world possibly need? But somewhere between hour four and five, something strange… Read more »
How Alexa knows the difference between a breaking window and a wine glass
For Amazon, getting Alexa’s new security-guard feature to work meant literally breaking a lot of windows. In December, the company started inviting Amazon Echo users to try out Alexa Guard, a new setting that turns the smart speakers into home security devices. It listens for suspicious sounds when you’re away and sends a smartphone alert if it detects, say,… Read more »
It’s not just Apple — Samsung is hurting, too
The South Korean company said Tuesday that its fourth-quarter operating profit is set to plunge nearly 30% from a year earlier, well below analysts’ forecasts. It blamed the sharp drop on “lackluster demand” for its memory chips and “intensifying competition” in the smartphone industry. Samsung’s guidance comes after Apple (AAPL) set off alarm bells last… Read more »
America, China and tech’s next step
In a corner of the Las Vegas Convention Center, a row of Huawei Mate P20 smartphones are lined up, sparkling, for CES delegates to try out. It’s a typical scene at the trade show but one made slightly surreal by the fact that few Americans will likely ever own these phones. Right now, US networks… Read more »
Would you upload your house key to the cloud?
A digital solution for lost house keys has been revealed at the CES tech show. KeyHero will scan and upload a precise image of a key to the cloud for free, but it can only be accessed in one of the firm’s partner stores. This image is encrypted and linked to a phone number or… Read more »
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