Facebook’s UK tax bill is about to leap after it agreed to pay tax on British ad revenue in the UK March 4, 2016 Facebook is set to pay "millions" more in UK tax after a fundamental overhaul of its revenue structure in the UK. The company will route ad revenue from its British operations through the UK, rather than Ireland. Facebook paid £4,327 in corporation tax in the UK in 2014, results showed – but it's thought the changes will mean the [...]
As the collapse of Powa shows, fintech can be a dangerous game because the UK’s capital structure is prohibitive to growth March 4, 2016 Another day, another failed fintech business. I don’t say this glibly as it is in my interests to be part of a thriving UK financial technology industry. I do however think that we need to analyse ‘sustainable’ fintech and concentrate on that arena. Companies like Powa Technologies, the payments group, stand out. Powa was at [...]
Twitter, eBay, LinkedIn and about a dozen other technology giants file legal brief supporting Apple in its iPhone encryption row March 3, 2016 Seventeen household names in the tech sector have filed a legal brief with a court in California today, backing Apple in its dispute over iPhone encryption. Apple has recently been embroiled in a dispute with US authorities after the technology company refused to unlock the iPhone of one of the attackers involved in the fatal San Bernardino [...]
Superhot review: a first-person shooter in which time only moves when you do March 3, 2016 ★★★★★ | Platform: PC, Mac, SBO Superhot is a first-person shooter in which time only moves when you do. Stand still and your enemies become rooted to the spot, their frozen bullets hanging in the air like hot black conkers. You’re free to look around while time is stopped, surveying the room for anything that [...]
Jobs saved at Powa as buyers swoop for PowaTag and PowaWeb businesses March 3, 2016 Jobs have been saved at UK fintech giant Powa, after its PowaTag and PowaWeb businesses were sold. The company, one of the UK's only $1bn tech "unicorns", filed for administration last month. But today administrators Deloitte said 69 jobs were saved after PowaTag was sold to a consortium led by Ben White, while the the PowaWeb business has [...]
Cyber security: System glitch responsible for displaying customer details to others on Wal-mart’s online pharmacy in the US over a 72-hour period in February March 2, 2016 Some US customers logging onto Wal-mart's online pharmacy last month may have been left scratching their head at their supposed medical history, after a coding error made other users' information visible. The retail giant confirmed today that just under 5,000 customers may have been able to see the wrong set of customer information during a 72-hour period in [...]
Business secretary Sajid Javid fires the starting gun on Green Investment Bank sale for private investors March 2, 2016 Business secretary Sajid Javid has fired the starting gun on transferring the Green Investment Bank (GIB) to private ownership. Speaking at the Lord Mayor’s Trade and Industry dinner at Mansion House tonight, Javid said that the government will tomorrow invite private sector investors to register their interest in the bank, which specialises in investments in [...]
Far Cry Primal review: a bloody, existential and very entertaining battle against nature March 2, 2016 ★★★★☆ | Platform: XBO, PS4, PC Ubisoft’s oft-used template for an open-world exploration game is a time-travelling golden goose, laying delicious golden eggs at some of history’s most entertaining moments of bloodshed and upheaval. Assassin’s Creed – Far Cry’s sibling franchise – has popped up in Victorian England, 15th century Florence and frontier-era America. It was only [...]
Facebook investigated in Germany over suspected data protection breaches March 2, 2016 Facebook is being investigated in Germany over suspected data protection breaches. Germany’s Federal Cartel Office said it has opened an investigation into the US company on suspicion of using its market dominance to violate competition laws. According to Reuters, the watchdog said it suspected Facebook’s terms of service, setting out how it makes use of [...]
London augmented reality startup Blippar closes $54m funding round led by Malaysian government March 2, 2016 London-based augmented reality startup Blippar has closed a $54m (£39m) series D funding round, led by Khazanah Nasional Berhad, the strategic investment fund of the Malaysian government Blippar, which is best known for its work creating jazzy, interactive magazine covers for titles such as ShortList and the Radio Times, said it will use the cash to increase its [...]