UK tech visa applications hit record high despite Covid-19 October 13, 2020 The number of applications for the UK’s Tech Nation visa rose to its highest level on record last month as the thriving sector shrugged off the impact of coronavirus. Applications for the visa, which grants employees and founders in the tech sector the right to work in the UK for up to five years, hit [...]
Hackney Council hit by ‘serious’ cyber attack October 13, 2020 Hackney Council has been hit by a major cyber attack that is affecting many of its services and IT services. The council has called in experts from the National Cyber Security Centre, as well as the Ministry of Housing and local government to investigate the incident. It is unclear which services have been affected, and [...]
DEBATE: Is the government right to be encouraging artists and dancers to retrain in tech? October 13, 2020 Is the government right to be encouraging artists and dancers to retrain in tech? Leon Emirali, an entrepreneur and adviser, says YES. At some point soon, we will be left with no choice but to face up to the uncomfortable truths of this pandemic. Covid-19 is re-writing the economic rules we’ve played by for so [...]
Google Nest Audio review: Google’s smart speaker gets a much needed audio boost October 13, 2020 The Google Nest Audio replaces Google’s existing mid-sized smart speaker, 2016’s Google Home. Whereas the previous device prioritised looks over performance, resembling an futuristic reed diffuser that could be placed anywhere around the home without appearing too conspicuous, the Google Nest Audio is unashamedly a speaker with an uncompromising focus on sound quality. That’s not [...]
Facebook donates £1m to Bletchley Park after Covid-19 hit October 13, 2020 Facebook has donated £1m to Bletchley Park to help the World War Two code-breaking hub survive the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The social media platform described Bletchley Park as “one of the UK’s national treasures” and said its donation aimed to help keep it open to the world. During the Second World War Bletchley [...]
iPhone 12: Everything you need to know about this week’s Apple event October 12, 2020 The tech rumour mill went into overdrive last week after Apple sent out invitations for its next major product event. The event, which will kick off at 5pm UK time tomorrow, is expected to host the unveiling of the eagerly-awaited iPhone 12, which was originally scheduled for September but was pushed back due to the [...]
Technology has changed our minds — now it’s time for brands to catch up October 12, 2020 Let’s begin with the pretty bold claim: that digital technology has altered us forever. Over the past decade, an enormous amount of research and literature has been produced on the subject — from the American writer Nicholas Carr, to MIT professor of social psychology Sherry Turkle, to the eminent British neuroscientist Susan Greenfield. Each in [...]
EU regulators draw up ‘hit list’ of tech giants to share data with smaller rivals October 12, 2020 European Union regulators have reportedly drawn up a “hit list” of around 20 tech giants, potentially including Facebook, Apple, Amazon and Google, to reduce their market power. The internet platforms will be hit with tougher regulations than their smaller rivals under the new rules. They will be forced to share data with competitors and be [...]
Exclusive: Lord Mandelson urges UK to block ‘short-sighted’ Arm takeover October 9, 2020 Lord Peter Mandelson has called on the UK to block the planned $40bn takeover of British chipmaker Arm by Nvidia, describing the deal as “short-sighted” and “completely anti-competitive”. The former business secretary told City A.M. that the acquisition was a “direct threat to our security of supply and sovereignty in the UK and Europe”. US [...]
Silver linings: How IBM’s reinvention highlights the rise of the cloud October 9, 2020 International Business Machines (IBM) shares rose almost six per cent yesterday after the tech firm announced plans to split its business into two public companies. IBM, which is one of the world’s oldest computer companies, will spin off its legacy IT infrastructure business by the end of next year and double down its efforts on [...]