Brexit one month on: What’s the effect on London’s tech scene? July 24, 2016 The result of the most significant political decision of our generation was at odds with the overwhelming consensus of London’s technology companies and wider business community. But, with the entrepreneurial spirit that has defined our digital success, tech companies and professionals almost instantly set their sights on turning adversity into opportunity. The values that set technology against the rhetoric [...]
Audi chief executive Rupert Stadler launches drive to make three electric car models by 2020 July 23, 2016 Audi's chief executive has said the automobile maker is planning to have three electric car models by 2020. Rupert Stadler also said the firm is aiming for electric cars to account for up to 30 per cent of its sales by 2025, in an interview published today in German newspaper Heilbronner Stimme. The firm's push to move into the [...]
There is now a beer brewed by artificial intelligence… and it takes feedback via Facebook’s Messenger app July 22, 2016 Forget craft beer, this is what the real future of lager looks like… and it looks surprisingly open to constructive criticism. A London-based brewing startup, IntelligentX, has created a premium beer brewed by artificial intelligence (AI) using a "complex machine learning algorithms" to make four versions of its beer. But that's not the only innovation. [...]
Netflix killed the video star: Funai Electric in Japan will manufacture the last VCR this month July 22, 2016 It's been a long time coming, but it will still be sad saying goodbye to this old friend and home device. The last known manufacturer of VCRs, Japanese firm Funai Electric, will make its final video player this month. The company, which has been producing VHS-players for more than three decades, sold 750,000 units last year [...]
No-click-to-buy apps are a risk, but the rewards will be worth it July 22, 2016 Payments have come a long way, fast. In April, Domino’s began offering “zero-click ordering”, which allows customers to re-order a pizza simply by opening an app, removing the need for in-app tapping. There are now so many payment methods – contactless mobile, card and watch payments, swipes and taps on a mobile screen – it [...]
As Tesla unveils plans for a “solar-roof-with-battery product”, will Elon Musk’s company make money any time soon? July 22, 2016 James Hind, chief executive of Carwow, says Yes. Tesla has built a highly desirable brand, as shown by the huge number of pre-orders for the Model 3. Demand for its cars will therefore be strong – even if other manufacturers manage to rival its electric technology. The company is spending a lot on setting up supply, [...]
Swedish group trumps Trump with UK offshore wind farm near his golf resort July 21, 2016 A wind farm, which had been opposed by controversial US presidential candidate Donald Trump, got given the go-ahead today. Swedish energy firm Vattenfall confirmed it will invest £300m in the 11-turbine wind farm off the coast of Aberdeen. It will take 100 per cent ownership of the project, having bought Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group's 25 per cent [...]
More proof smartwatches are not a thing as Apple Watch sales stall July 21, 2016 Is that the sound of the death of smartwatches we hear? 2015 may have been the year of the much-hyped device – 2016 is certainly not. Smartwatch shipments declined for the first time ever, according to new data from analyst firm IDC, down by more than a third year-on-year. Shipments in the second quarter of the year stood [...]
Banking fraud is the biggest cyber crime in Britain July 21, 2016 Banking fraud is the biggest cyber crime in the UK, accounting for two in every five of the nearly six million online crime incidents recorded over the past year. There were 2.5m online crimes involving banking; and credit accounts, while one million involved other types of fraud such as online shopping, new figures reveal. There were a further two [...]
Another challenger bank just got its banking licence July 21, 2016 The challenger bank race is hotting up as another startup is granted a banking licence. Germany’s Number 26 has been fully approved by authorities to operate as a bank across Europe, and plans to launch in the UK imminently. The three-year-old fintech startup backed by billionaire Paypal founder Peter Thiel now has the stamp of [...]