When will the Oculus Rift launch? Pre-orders for the virtual reality headset open on 6 January January 4, 2016 Oculus has revealed that it will be opening pre-orders for its hotly anticipated Rift virtual reality headset on Wednesday 6 January in a major step forward for consumer virtual reality. The headset is set to ship sometime in the first quarter of 2016, as the firm announced last summer. The upcoming release of the Rift [...]
Mark Zuckerberg, artificial intelligence and Iron Man’s Jarvis: How close are we really to having artificial robot butlers? January 4, 2016 It’s great to hear that Mark Zuckerberg is planning to build his own personal artificial intelligence service for helping him around the home and the office. It sounds wonderful doesn’t it? Perfectly paradoxical in the sense that it simultaneously feels like both science fiction and something that’s already happening in our homes today. In truth, [...]
Tech share prices are tumbling: Netflix, Tesla, Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Apple and more stock fall amid China rout January 4, 2016 Tech stocks have not escaped the market rout that has seen billions wiped of global markets on the first major day of trading in 2016. Tesla and Netflix both fell by more than seven per cent, with a downgrade for the movie streaming service by Baird, while the electric car company yesterday delivered sales figures at [...]
EE boss Olaf Swantee will step down after BT deal with Marc Allera named successor January 4, 2016 EE boss Olaf Swantee will step down following the mobile network's soon-to-be completed £12.5bn merger with BT. Swantee, chief executive since 2011, will be succeeded by Marc Allera, currently chief commercial officer at EE. “As we approach the imminent completion of the deal with BT and the start of an exciting new chapter for EE, I’ve taken [...]
Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg is going to build an AI butler to help around at home and work January 4, 2016 Mark Zuckerberg has announced one ambitious new year's resolution for 2016: he wants to build a butler robot. The Facebook founder announced late last night his plan for the year was to create "a simple AI to run my home and help me with my work", comparing it to the AI butler character Jarvis from Iron Man. "I'm [...]
CES 2016 preview: What to expect from the biggest tech show on earth – from virtual reality and wearables to drones and driverless cars January 3, 2016 No sooner has the new year arrived than the annual CES event is upon us, the biggest show of technology and electronics which are soon likely to change our lives. This year, there may be less focus on the headline-grabbing devices that have become familiar in recent years, according to Accenture, as the less glamorous technology [...]
Times tables tests at age 11 – but how well do you know them? Take this quiz to find out January 3, 2016 Kids will be taking tests for the first time using technology rather than traditional pen and paper after government plans for times tables tests at 11 were revealed. Kids will be tested before they leave primary school in on-screen exams that will also be timed, with scores given instantly. Around 3,000 pupils in 80 schools will be [...]
Former security minister: People should pay less attention to mobile phones and be more aware of possible terrorist attacks January 2, 2016 People should pay less attention to their mobile phones in public and remain more alert to the dangers of a possible terrorism attack, a former security minister has warned. Former head of the Joint Intelligence Committee Pauline Neville-Jones said she was "alarmed" by the number of people who pay no attention to their surroundings, instead listening [...]
Uber just had its billionth ride.. and it was in London December 30, 2015 Uber has passed another milestone in its short history. Not only is it the most highly valued startup in the world, but its one billionth ride was taken on Christmas Eve – and it happened right here in London. That one billionth ride was a £5 UberX from London Fields to Hoxton and comes just five [...]
The payment buzzwords to expect in 2016: Wearables, biometrics and banking APIs December 30, 2015 As the new year approaches and the retro reviews for 2015 and predictions for next year start to fill my Twitter feed. I take a look back at the year and put out my early calls on what 2016 will have on the books (or is that on your device, or is that in your Virtual Reality [...]