Facebook unveils new “Reactions”, allowing users to express love, anger, sadness, laughter and… say wow February 24, 2016 Facebook has launched its new function, Reactions, which it describes as "the new Like button with more ways to express yourself" – but there's still no dislike button. The social network first announced the new Reaction buttons in October 2015, and allowed users in Spain and Ireland to test them out initially. From today, they [...]
Blackberry acquires British cybersecurity company Encription and launches business security consultancy February 24, 2016 Former smartphone king Blackberry is doubling down on its security credentials revealing that it has acquired UK-based cybersecurity consultancy. Midlands-based Encription has been snapped up for an undisclosed sum by the struggling smartphone maker which once dominated the market. Encription counts the government and local authorities among its clients, conducting testing that emulates the way a hacker would work in order [...]
Boston Dynamics’ eerily man-like Atlas robot can walk, lift – and stand up to human bullies February 24, 2016 Remember Boston Dynamics' dystopian Christmas reindeer? Now the company has unveiled its latest futuristic offering – and it's so eerily human-like, it can stand up to bullies. A video released by Boston Dynamics showed its 5'9" Atlas robot opening a door, lifting boxes and wandering through a snow-blanketed wood, a la Snow White. In a move its team [...]
Neuroscientists joke reading is a form of brainwashing February 24, 2016 Thought literacy was a good thing? Think again – one neuroscientist has joked that it "makes us defenceless against an army of 26 letters". Lidia Stanton, a specialist in dyslexia at the University of Leicester, posted a response to the Quora question "what are some things that neuroscientists know but most people don't?". Stanton said cognitive [...]
Bill Gates backtracks on Apple versus FBI comments on iPhone encryption and “backdoors” stance February 23, 2016 Bill Gates has backtracked on earlier comments he made suggesting that he sided with the FBI in its request for Apple to break encryption on the iPhone of a mass shooter who killed 14 people in San Bernadino. Apple has argued against complying with the order, saying that it amounts to weakening encryption with a so-called [...]
Powa layoffs off 74 of around 100 London employees after entering administration February 23, 2016 Powa Technologies, once billed by its chief executive Dan Wagner as the future biggest tech company in the world, has made 74 of its London employees redundant after burning through its massive cash pile. Powa Technologies Group was placed into administration on Friday, appointing Deloitte to oversee a potential sale after lead investor Wellington Management called in its loans. [...]
Microsoft founder Bill Gates backs FBI in Apple iPhone hack stand-off February 23, 2016 Bill Gates, the world's richest man, has refused to back Apple in a stand-off between the tech giant and the US government over whether to unlock the iPhone of the so-called San Bernadino shooter. In an interview with the Financial Times, Gates said the debate was over a "specific case where the government is asking for [...]
Fitbit share price plunges in after hours as company reveals jump in revenue February 22, 2016 Shares in Fitbit dropped by almost 15 per cent in after hours trading, as the health and fitness accessory group unveiled revenue of $711.6m (£502.7m) for the final quarter of 2015, up from $370.2m in the same period of 2014. The group's stock tanked, despite smashing expectations of $648m in revenue. It also reported earnings per [...]
Apple won’t back down on FBI encryption demands and wants a government committee to look at implications of “backdoor” demands February 22, 2016 Apple won't back down on FBI encryption demands and has called for a government commission to look at the issue of giving access to devices to law enforcement agencies. The call comes after the FBI secured a court order to force Apple to break encryption on the iPhone of one of the people involved in a [...]
London startup Qubit lands $40m series C round from Goldman Sachs, Sapphire Ventures, Accel and Saleforce Ventures February 22, 2016 Goldman Sachs is among the investors to plough $40m (£28.4m) into London startup Qubit in the latest of several deals injecting venture capital cash into the UK. The data analytics startup founded in the capital in 2010 landed the cash from Goldman's merchant banking division along with Sapphire Ventures and previous investors Accel and Salesforce Ventures. It brings its [...]