Mafia III review: An evocative open-world shooter that’s only slightly more fun than a horse head in the bed October 12, 2016 Mafia III is the third instalment of a game franchise all about the mafia. This may sound a little glib, but here’s the thing: the implications of choosing a title as bold as ‘Mafia’ are significant. The word is laden with cliché. By using it, you’re invoking some of the most significant movies and novels [...]
A legal decision on the status of Uber drivers is imminent October 12, 2016 Uber drivers could receive a judgement as soon as today in a landmark legal case that could decide the status of millions of people working across the growing gig economy and potentially disrupt the billion dollar startup's business in Britain. An employment tribunal will make a decision based on the arguments of drivers, represented by law firm Leigh Day and [...]
Watch out Spotify? Amazon’s music streaming service has arrived October 12, 2016 Amazon will give Spotify and Apple a run for their money in the world of music streaming with the launch of a long-rumoured streaming service. Amazon Music Unlimited will offer access to music for as little as $3.99 (£3.26) per month in the US and is incorporating the service into its Prime offering, which already gives customers a vast array [...]
The government needs a robot strategy October 12, 2016 The government needs a robot strategy to unpick the impact that artificial intelligence (AI) will have on society, including the loss of jobs, a group of leading MPs have warned. The UK's reputation as a world leader in the field of robotics and AI technology should position the UK as a leader in examining the social and [...]
With consumers glued to their smartphones, mobile ad budgets are soaring October 12, 2016 Reading this on your smartphone? Company advertising departments will be pleasantly unsurprised. Consumers’ obsession with their smartphones meant that firms increased their mobile advertising budgets by 56 per cent year-on-year to £1.7bn in the first half of 2016. This means that 36p in every £1 spent on internet advertising now goes on phones, up from 4p [...]
Apple is ramping up iPhone production after Samsung recall October 12, 2016 Apple and Samsung’s simmering rivalry was taken up a notch amid the South Korean firm’s Galaxy Note 7 meltdown, which is expected to cost billions and threatens to leave its reputation in tatters. Around $18bn ((£14.8bn) was wiped from Samsung’s value as shares plummeted more than eight per cent, its biggest intraday loss since the [...]
Slash and burn: Samsung just cut profit forecasts by a third October 12, 2016 Samsung has slashed its profit outlook for the quarter by a third after the feted launch of its flagship Galaxy Note 7 ended in a fiery recall. In an update to markets, the South Korean firm slashed its estimates for the quarter to the end of September to 5.2 trillion won (£3.8bn), dialling back on initial [...]
Bank boards increasingly cautious about cyber security October 11, 2016 Banks are increasingly worried about cyber security, with the risk now ranking among the top worries for boards, research out today has found. Just less than half (48 per cent) of the banks asked as part of a worldwide survey by EY and the Institute of International Finance identified cyber security as one of the three most important risks [...]
Fujitsu to axe 1,800 UK jobs as part of “strategic transformation” October 11, 2016 Japanese tech giant Fujitsu will axe nearly 2,000 jobs as part of a "strategic transformation" which it says is not linked to the Brexit vote. Fujitsu said today that it plans to streamline operations resulting in a reduction on up to 1,800 jobs in the UK. The move will affect workers at its major sites in Belfast, Bracknell, Crewe, Londonderry/Derry, Manchester, Stevenage, Wakefield [...]
The UK needs tech talent quickly and it doesn’t matter where it comes from (for now) October 11, 2016 The UK digital industry is one of the most successful in Europe. It now employs 1.6m people and contributes 10 per cent of GDP – that's the highest proportion of any country in the world. Crucially, tech has benefited hugely from a range of smart government interventions. The Tech Nation Visa Scheme; tax credits for research [...]