Mark Carney is right; the robots are coming – but that doesn’t mean we should fear them December 9, 2016 On Tuesday governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney, warned that up to 15m British jobs could be replaced by robots amid a merciless technological revolution. Unsurprisingly, the announcement sent headline writers into delirium and administrative staff up and down the country into a state of pre-Christmas anxiety rivaled only by that of a [...]
Facebook’s review of the year: What were the topics we discussed online in 2016? December 8, 2016 What sticks out about 2016 for you? Is it the massive political upheaval? The incredible number of global superstars who passed away? Or Pokemon? In case you need a bit of help recalling the events of what's been a fairly intense 12 months, Facebook has helpfully revealed the topics that got the most attention online [...]
Apple bought 9 startups in 2016. Here’s what they do December 8, 2016 Apple buys a lot of companies, but it doesn't talk much about them, making it hard to keep track. So we put together nine of its acquisitions reported this year. This list is not exhaustive, we know for sure some purchases have never been revealed. As expected, artificial intelligence companies remain the dominant category, but [...]
Top tech firms have formed a virtual reality supergroup December 8, 2016 Several of the biggest names in technology are joining forces to push forward innovation in the burgeoning world of virtual reality. Facebook, Google and Samsung are among the top tech companies to form the Global Virtual Reality Association (GVRA), tasked with promoting the global growth of the industry, which is expected to be worth $162bn by [...]
Minicab drivers in London are protesting against English language tests December 8, 2016 Minicab drivers in the capital will protest today against new rules on language tests which have been called "completely unfair". Drivers, represented by GMB union, will demonstrate at City Hall against the introduction of English language requirements by Transport for London. Hundreds of drivers are expected to turn out to protest against the "ludicrously priced" exam. All [...]
The Kodak Ektra half-asses two things when it should have just whole-assed one thing December 7, 2016 Approximately one hundred years ago, back when it was extremely novel and cool to have a mobile phone with a built-in camera, we would call such contraptions ‘cameraphones’. Nowadays we live in the future and we expect everything we own to have some type of camera embedded in it, but the new Kodak Ektra feels [...]
PlayStation VR review: An affordable entry into the world of virtual reality entertainment December 7, 2016 The PlayStation VR has made a right mess of my living room. Sony’s new headset requires the use of roughly seven thousand bits of cable, which snake and coil around your TV and your console and your neck like rubbery snakes. Truly, I have never felt more at risk of accidental self-strangulation than when reviewing [...]
Sony wants to make the next Pokemon Go December 7, 2016 Sony is hoping to mimic the success of rival Nintendo’s Pokemon Go with its announcement of as many as six new smartphone games to be released next year. Starting in April 2017, Sony will release new games made for mobile phones, initially available in Japan and other Asian countries, said Tomoki Kawaguchi, executive director of [...]
It’s official: RIP Pebble watch December 7, 2016 The Pebble watch is dead. Demonstrating just how quickly and harshly the tide has turned in the world of wearables, the startup will no longer make its smartwatches after Fitbit confirmed it's buying up parts of the business. As first reported exclusively by City A.M., the deal means the end of the Pebble brand, which came to [...]
The UK City watchdog’s so good at fintech it’s going to teach Hong Kong December 7, 2016 The UK's forward thinking City regulator is exporting its fintech expertise, partnering with authorities in Hong Kong to foster innovation in finance. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) to share its knowledge and promote innovation between the two countries. It's the latest example of the UK collaborating with other [...]