Softbank shares fall seven per cent on rising tech bets September 7, 2020 Shares in tech giant Softbank fell seven per cent as markets closed in Asia this morning, as investors were concerned by the group’s rising exposure to risky tech bets. Softbank has plugged billions of dollars into buying shares in major tech companies on the Nasdaq, after it sold off a swath of assets over the [...]
Samsung wins $6.6bn US 5G tech deal as Huawei tensions simmer September 7, 2020 Samsung Electronics today said it has won a $6.6bn deal with telecoms giant Verizon to provide wireless communications equipment for 5G in the US. The South Korean electronics magnate is benefiting from a gap in the market left by Chinese rival Huawei, analysts have said, which is banned from working with US companies by the [...]
Adobe rival Figma sets up international base in London September 7, 2020 Silicon Valley software starlet Figma has selected London as the site of its new international headquarters, opting to go ahead with the move despite the increase in remote working. London will be Figma’s new base for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region, currently playing host to a staff of 14 working from home. [...]
DEBATE: Is criticism of the government plan for digital ID cards justified? September 7, 2020 Is criticism of the government plan to spend money on digital ID cards justified? Silkie Carlo, director of privacy campaign group Big Brother Watch, says YES. When Theresa May scrapped Blairite plans for national ID cards in 2010, she warned that they would “increase state control over law abiding people”. And yet, this is what the Johnson [...]
We’ve spent months on Zoom, but we mustn’t forget to “zoom out” September 7, 2020 When threatened, human beings automatically focus intently on the danger. This amazing ability to “zoom in” is why you’re here. It kept your ancestors alive while others weren’t so lucky. In hunter-gatherer tribes, threats were short-lived but lethal. When a rival clan runs out from the trees, being focused pays off. However, what kept our [...]
The future of the construction industry is digital September 4, 2020 The double-whammy of a pandemic and a recession has made 2020 one of the most challenging and disrupted years in living memory. But the bright spot, in an otherwise battered economy, is construction, which forms a major part of Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s ”Build Back Better” campaign. Britain’s construction industry grew at the fastest rate in almost [...]
Harry and Meghan sign content deal with streaming giant Netflix September 3, 2020 Prince Harry and wife Meghan have inked an exclusive multi-year production deal with Netflix, a major step in their plan to earn income after leaving their role as working royals. The couple will produce films and series ranging from children’s shows to scripted content, the streaming platform said last night. Harry and Meghan moved stateside with their [...]
Amazon to create 7,000 new UK jobs in latest expansion push September 3, 2020 Amazon today said it will create a further 7,000 new permanent roles across the UK, taking total new jobs this year to 10,000. The Silicon Valley tech giant has already added 3,000 jobs this year across its fulfilment centres, sort centres and delivery stations. The new roles will be spread over 50 sites, including corporate [...]
UK is world’s fifth largest exporter of tech services September 3, 2020 The number of tech exports from the UK have surged in the past year, making it one of the world’s largest exporter of technology services. Last year UK exports of technology services grew to £23.3bn, sitting behind just India, the US, China and Germany in the global rankings. Tech Nation’s ‘Unlocking Global Tech’ report published [...]
Shooting for the stars: The case for a CANZUK space agency September 3, 2020 The British government knows three things for certain about space. It’s big. It’s cold. It’s expensive. For a small country, the scale of the challenge is daunting — and lonely. Not long ago, the United Kingdom had access to the joint space initiatives of the European Union such as the Galileo program, a global navigation [...]