After Zayn Malik quit One Direction Spotify experienced a massive “spike of sadness” March 26, 2015 Other than people with ears who are aged over 20, the biggest single winner of a singer quitting the world' biggest boyband is Spotify, it turns out. While fans of One Direction weep over their posters, Spotify is providing what must be the 21st Century equivalent of the telephone helpline for when Robbie Williams left [...]
When humans first evolved: Scientists have just discovered the father of all mankind March 26, 2015 There has always been a question mark over when humans first started walking the face of the planet, but new research indicates we came into existence more recently than previously thought. A team of scientists at deCODE genetics sequenced the genomes of 2,636 people in Iceland, and compared the findings with nation-wide family trees. This [...]
Driverless cars could create 320,000 UK jobs and save 25,000 lives March 26, 2015 Connected and driverless cars could create a jobs boom in the UK and save thousands of lives, according to new research commissioned by SMMT Connected. Developing the next generation of autonomous vehicles could land the UK with as many as 320,000 jobs and deliver £51bn of economic benefits. The research, carried out by KPMG, argues [...]
The art of video games: From Super Mario Brothers to The Legend of Zelda March 25, 2015 The Barbican championed the art of the video game long before it became the behemoth industry that we see today. Its first Game On exhibition opened in 2001 – now it’s gearing up for Game On 2.0, which will tour the world celebrating this cutting edge medium, offering visitors the chance to play classic games [...]
Chinese government cyber division accused of hacking Google March 25, 2015 A wing of the Chinese government has been accused of being behind a recent attack on Google, as well as previous hacks on Microsoft, Apple and Yahoo. Anti-censorship organisation GreatFire.org today highlighted a recent admission by Google that it had been the subject of a “man in the middle” (MITM) attack which it traced [...]
Climate change could spell the end for our coastal railways, warns expert March 24, 2015 Scenic train rides along Britain's coastline could soon come to an abrupt halt, an expert on climate change has warned. Professor Robert Duck from the University of Dundee told The Guardian that hundreds of miles of coastal tracks are now vulnerable to being ruined by waves, landslides and storms caused by climate change. Parts [...]
Will Apple become the first $1 trillion company this year? March 24, 2015 It's been mere months since Apple's market cap smashed through $700bn, but already one US brokerage has predicted it's going to become the first $1 trillion (£669bn) company within the next 12 months. Yesterday, Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Brian White issued a 12-month price target of $180 last night. He said a "combination of forces", including [...]
City A.M. launches power list for London FinTech March 23, 2015 It has created billion-dollar startups, attracted record investment and is keeping major banks on their toes – London FinTech is having a moment and there are some major influencers making that happen. To keep you up to date with who’s who in the world of London FinTech, City A.M. has launched its own power list, [...]
There’s no business like e-business: Amazon Local takes on Ticketmaster with West End ticket offers March 23, 2015 Amazon has moved into ticketing after launching offers to West End shows on its daily deals website today, putting it head-to-head with established players such as Ticketmaster and See Tickets. As part of its latest Amazon Local expansion, the internet retailer will now also offer tickets to all 48 shows in the West End including [...]
Uber targets second largest market growth with Times of India partnership March 23, 2015 Uber has partnered with the publisher of the Times of India newspaper in a bid to shore up its position in the lucrative market – its largest outside the US. The tie up includes commercial arrangements for marketing and distribution through Times Internet, the digital arm of the Times of India Group, as the taxi [...]