Four fintech lessons from Silicon Valley to London March 17, 2016 I had an eye-opening trip to San Francisco last week, as part of a UKTI mission to showcase the Best of British in fintech. While there, we were fortunate enough to meet with some of the most influential organisations on the West Coast, to educate them on the burgeoning fintech market here in the UK [...]
Budget 2016: Uber drivers can use the new digital tax break aimed at occasional Airbnb and eBay users – but here’s why they won’t March 16, 2016 A new scheme designed to offer occasional users of the sharing economy renting out a room on Airbnb tax breaks, could be used by Uber drivers. The new tax breaks, on earnings of up to £2,000 and announced by George Osborne in today's Budget, has angered black cab drivers. However, the Treasury told City A.M. that while Uber drivers would [...]
UFC 2 review: Bloody, technical and frustrating March 16, 2016 UFC 2 is a must-buy for anyone who craves a realistic depiction of one man kicking another man in the head. Never has the act of planting your foot against the cranium of another human being been so meticulously, lovingly recreated. Each hyper-realistic blow sees bursts of spittle erupt from angry mouths, gashes form under [...]
Hitman is back on target: we review the first instalment March 16, 2016 You are Agent 47, a cool, calm, collected, bald, barcoded assassin. But given this is the genetically enhanced hero’s ninth outing (11th if you count the two movies), you probably already knew that. This reboot, however, is slightly different: it will be released in seven instalments over the course of the year, which you can [...]
Budget 2016: Tax breaks for Airbnb hosts and eBay sellers as George Osborne rewards sharing economy bedroom entrepreneurs March 16, 2016 Millions of people renting out their homes to holidaymakers on Airbnb or selling items on eBay will be rewarded with tax breaks on earnings up to £2,000. George Osborne announced the so-called "digital tax break" for those bedroom entrepreneurs forming part of the sharing economy in his Budget statement today. "We’re going to help the new world of micro-entrepreneurs [...]
Pay-by-selfie? Amazon wants to patent the facial recognition technology March 16, 2016 Soon you could be paying for cheese – and the bill for anything else – by saying cheese for a selfie, with a number of firms working on replacements for pins and passwords. Major companies such as Mastercard, HSBC as well as startups are playing around with technology that uses facial recognition for security. Now Amazon has [...]
WanDisco share price plummets despite narrowing losses and reducing costs March 16, 2016 Shares in the big data software company WanDisco have taken a dive on the (AIM) dancefloor despite narrowing its losses and reducing costs. Chief David Richards' confidence failed to reassure investors and shares slipped more than 20 per cent. Sales fell 48 per cent for the year to the end of December, but deferred revenue from multi-year contracts resulted in [...]
Apple’s new iPhone 7: Leaked pictures reveal rumoured dual camera March 16, 2016 Apple fans (or anyone else about to go shopping for a new smartphone) – behold the latest iPhone ahead of the tech company's secretive launch in less than a week's time. New leaked pictures of the iPhone 7 claim to show Apple's newest handset for the first time, and reveal the phone will have two rear cameras. [...]
Oracle share price up in after-hours trading as software company reveals $10bn share buyback alongside results for its third-quarter of 2016 financial year March 15, 2016 Share price in Oracle was up in after-hours trading today after the software company announced an extensive buyback offer alongside its most recent set of results. The company revealed that it had pulled in revenue of $9bn (£6.4bn) during its third quarter of its 2016 financial year, down three per cent from $9.3bn the year before, [...]
Google Maps update integrates black cab ordering option via Gett and Hailo alongside Uber in iOS and Android app March 15, 2016 Anyone searching for journey information on Google will now be offered fares in one of London's black cabs in map search results, giving the traditional industry a leg up in its battle with Uber. The latest Google update for iPhone and Android phone users will include integration with Gett and Hailo, the London-based apps for ordering a [...]