Softbank’s Wework financing talks stall December 23, 2019 Softbank’s attempts to secure $3bn from three Japanese banks have stalled, creating a hurdle for the firm’s $9.5bn rescue plan for Wework. Softbank is now likely to start the new year without the funding for the office sharing company in place, after two of the lenders hit internal lending limits to the firm. Read more: [...]
Broadband speeds are increasing but rural towns lag behind December 20, 2019 Rural areas of the UK are lagging behind cities and towns as Boris Johnson’ government brings the nation’s digital divide into focus. A report by Ofcom, the UK’s telecoms regulator, showed that around 155,000 UK properties can not access decent broadband. These homes will be able to request coverage from BT from March 2020, the [...]
France fines Google €150m over anti-competitive behaviour December 20, 2019 France’s competition authority has fined Google €150m (£123m) for anti-competitive behaviour and mistreating advertisers who bought keyword adverts on its search engine. The search engine giant was accused of “brutal and unjustified” suspension of some advertisers by French authorities, which accused Google of abusing its dominance in the sector. Read more: Amazon, Apple and Google [...]
Uber banned in Germany as bumpy ride continues into 2020 December 19, 2019 A German court banned Uber from operating its ride-hailing services in Germany today for lacking the licence necessary to offer transport services using rental cars. Uber is active in seven German cities and works exclusively with car rental companies and their drivers. It can appeal to a higher court and will continue to drive in [...]
Facebook’s transfer of EU citizen data to US legal, says EU court adviser December 19, 2019 Tools used by hundreds of thousands of companies to transfer EU citizens’ data abroad are legal, an adviser to Europe’s top court has ruled, marking a major win for Facebook in a long-running court case. Austrian privacy campaigner and lawyer Max Schrems had challenged Facebook over its use of standard contractual clauses to move electronic [...]
Facebook Libra’s 2020 launch plan unclear, says board member December 19, 2019 Facebook’s Libra project does not have a solid strategy for how or where it will be introduced next year, a member of the board overseeing the controversial cyptocurreny’s launch has said. Libra is still on track to launch next year, but the scope of the roll out is dependent on progress in talks with regulators, [...]
Introducing hemp, the UK’s secret green gold mine that could help save the planet December 19, 2019 It is with relief that I have been witnessing climate issues rise up the agenda for consumers, businesses, and politicians alike in 2019. In the General Election, the main parties all put forward their most ambitious, forward-thinking environmental policies ever. However, a big part of the solution may lie in past practices. I’m talking about [...]
Thin, light and mighty, the Surface Laptop 3 is Microsoft’s MacBook killer December 18, 2019 Microsoft’s Surface range of hardware has been around for seven years, but still manages to impress with each new device launched. Laptops that appear to have been sculpted out of single blocks of brushed metal. Tablets housed in alacantra keyboard cases. Two-in-one hybrids with skeletal, alien hinges, and gravity-defying desktop machines poised on silent hinges. [...]
Amazon, Apple and Google team up to break home tech barriers December 18, 2019 Amazon, Apple and Google are teaming up to develop a new standard for compatibility across smart home products and appliances, the companies said today. The standard could unify a home’s electrical ecosystem and break down barriers between platforms, enabling consumers to rely on multiple providers for a streamlined service. Read more: Smart homes could transform [...]
The biggest tech breakthroughs of the last decade December 18, 2019 It is easy to forget, as we approach the end of not just 2019 but also the decade, just how far technology has developed over the past 10 years. To mark the end of the era, City A.M. asked several experts for what they think have been the biggest technological breakthroughs or advancements made in [...]