Qualcomm launches new 5G smartphone chip ahead of network rollout February 19, 2019 Tech giant Qualcomm today unveiled its second generation of chips that allow smartphones to connect to 5G in a bid to fasttrack the rollout of the new network. The US chipmaker said the so-called modem chip is designed to support the global 5G rollout and can also work on 4G networks, allowing greater flexibility for [...]
Cyber attack threat poses biggest risk to UK businesses adopting 5G February 19, 2019 Cyber threats pose the biggest risk to UK businesses adopting 5G, new research has revealed. Around 40 per cent of businesses see the risk of cyber attacks as the most concerning aspect of the new high-speed mobile network, according to a survey by EY. Read more: The stakes are high in the global 5G race [...]
Google mistakenly bans Youtubers playing Pokemon Go for non-existent child abuse videos February 19, 2019 Google removed the accounts of several prominent YouTubers yesterday afternoon, mistakenly believing they broke its guidelines on posting child abuse videos. Youtubers Mystic7, Trainer Tips and Marksman, who have more than 3.5m subscribers between them, had their accounts banned yesterday evening after posting videos of themselves playing Pokemon Go, a popular online video game. They [...]
Samsung Unpacked 2019: Your guide to the launch event as Samsung prepares to unveil Galaxy S10 February 19, 2019 Samsung is gearing up to unveil a spate of new smartphones and wearable gadgets at its Unpacked 2019 event tomorrow night, but several leaks might have taken the wind out of its sails. The South Korean tech giant is expected to launch three new smartphones at a dual launch event in San Francisco and London, [...]
Twitter rolls out political ad tracking tools in Europe ahead of EU elections February 19, 2019 Twitter has launched new tools in Europe to make it easier for users to identify ads paid for by political campaigns, ahead of key elections due in May. The news follows similar moves by fellow social media firm Facebook, as tech platforms prepare to face potential regulation and renewed disinformation efforts from hostile actors. The European [...]
Former Google finance boss to head a venture capital office in London with $600m fund February 19, 2019 Former Google chief financial officer Patrick Pichette will lead a venture capital (VC) office in London with Canadian firm Inovia Capital. Inovia, which is also today announcing a $600m (£464.7m) fund for technology startups and entrepreneurs, said the office will back UK companies as well as create opportunities for North American firms to expand across the Atlantic. [...]
Facebook has gambled away the right to regulate its own bad behaviour February 19, 2019 All credit must go to Damian Collins MP and his colleagues at the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Select Committee. Their report on fake news, published yesterday, does not pull its punches. Even a cursory read of the text reveals the extent to which Facebook has been operating irresponsibly. As the report makes clear, [...]
UK Space Agency fires £18m into Oneweb for a global communications network in space February 18, 2019 The UK Space Agency has invested £18m into building a new global communications network in space, provided by Softbank-backed London satellite firm Oneweb. Named Project Sunrise, the system will initially be comprised of around 650 satellites, before expanding to more than 900 satellites over time. While on a visit to the European Space Agency today, science [...]
Softbank plugs $200m into European-focused Abu Dhabi tech fund February 18, 2019 Japanese investment giant Softbank is said to have stumped up half of the cash for Abu Dhabi state investor Mubadala's new $400m (£309.5m) fund for European tech startups. Mubadala, which has conversely contributed around $15bn to Softbank's $100bn Vision Fund, said last week that its venture arm would be launching the $400m tech fund this year. The move will involve a number of Mubadala's [...]
Berlin banking tech startup behind N26 and Oaknorth nabs €30m from Skype-backer Bessemer February 18, 2019 Software-as-a-service startup Mambu, which provides banking rails to the likes of N26 and Oaknorth, has raised €30m (£26.3m) from the world's oldest venture capital firm. Bessemer Venture Partners, which has backed the likes of Skype, Linkedin and Pinterest, led the round with participation also coming from Acton Capital, the venture arm of Commerzbank, Point Nine Capital [...]