Apple’s Siri and other virtual assistants from Google, Microsoft and Samsung can’t help with tough questions about depression, suicide, rape, and domestic violence, study finds March 15, 2016 Siri may be able to tell you the weather forecast and show you where the nearest Pret is, but Apple’s digital helper and those from the likes of Google, Samsung and Microsoft, are unable to help with some of life’s toughest questions. Who hasn’t googled those niggling little health symptoms? But now that we use those [...]
British Gas Boiler IQ will text you when it’s faulty with latest smart home device after Hive March 15, 2016 A boiler that can diagnose its own faults and text you about it is the latest device from British Gas in its mission to make the nations homes smarter. BoilerIQ uses sensors to identify data which can reveal a problem before a customer has even noticed. They'll then receive a message to let them know something's [...]
Top 10 UK cities for mobile performance: Move to Manchester to make your phone work better March 15, 2016 It's time to leave London and move to Manchester if you want your mobile to work better. The northern city is ranked the best city in the UK for using a mobile for calls, texting and data, leaving the capital languishing at number 13. The performance is based on reliability, data speeds across the networks EE, O2, Three [...]
A third of business chiefs think they’ll be hacked with telecoms and utility companys most at risk March 15, 2016 More than a third of business chiefs in the UK believe their companies will be hacked at some point in the next 12 months and it's telecoms and utility firms that are most at risk. More than half of top executives working in the two sectors believe they will be targeted – more than those in the banking, [...]
Trainline buys Captain Train in bid for European expansion March 14, 2016 Rail ticket provider Trainline has bought Paris-based rival Captain Train. The value of the deal has not been disclosed, however City A.M. understands that it was paid for via a recent fundraising in which Trainline raised just over €100m (£78m). The combined business will allow passengers to book tickets across Europe, providing access to 22 [...]
Uber drivers are more productive than taxi drivers – National Bureau of Economic Research March 14, 2016 Uber drivers are more productive than taxi drivers, according to a new paper from the National Bureau of Economic Research in the US. However, this conclusion has been made based on figures from five US cities – Boston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Seattle – so London's black cab drivers should not feel [...]
Missguided website crash: 50pc off sales causes technical problems for online retailer and leaves customers unable to complete orders March 14, 2016 The website of online retailer Missguided has suffered technical problems after announcing a sale leaving many of its customers unable to complete orders. An offer for 50 per cent off appears to have left the retailer, which counts Asos and Boohoo.com among its rivals, struggling to cope. Shoppers turned to Twitter to express their disappointment and frustration [...]
Mars mission: The Exomars launch date is here – everything you need to know about when and where to watch the take off live stream and what the red planet mission is all about March 14, 2016 European scientists are right now shooting a rocket into space from the deserts of Kazahkstan with the ambitious intention of landing it on Mars. The ExoMars mission, a collaboration between the European Space Agency (ESA) and Russia, will send an orbiting spacecraft and rover on its journey firstthing on Monday morning. By October, seven months later, they will conduct studies to shed light on the mysterious [...]
SSE sells stake in its Scottish Clyde wind farm March 14, 2016 Energy giant SSE has sold a stake in its Clyde wind farm to Aim-listed Greencoat UK Wind and a pensions partnership for £355m. UKW will acquire 28.2 per cent of Clyde and GLIL will acquire 21.7 per cent in the deal which is expected to complete on complete on 18 March. SSE will continue to hold 50.1 per cent. One the [...]
Student lender Future Finance announces fintech investments totalling £119m as it reports rocketing demand for loans March 14, 2016 Student lender Future Finance has raised £119m from fintech investors. Investors in Future Finance Loan Corporation – which has loaned nearly £25m to students since May 2014 – include QED Investors, Blackstone Strategic Opportunity Fund and Colchis Capital. The new investment takes the company's total funds to £185m. Read more: The future of education finance is here [...]