What’s causing the current global shortage of semiconductor chips? March 25, 2021 The modern world runs on semiconductors; everything from mobile phones to washing machines depends on these tiny microchips. But few industries are so totally dependent on these microprocessors as the automotive sector, as has been proved time and again over the last couple of months. Since the shortage was first flagged at the beginning of [...]
Intel to splash out $20bn on factories in new chipmaking push March 24, 2021 Intel has unveiled plans to spend $20bn (£14.6bn) on two new semiconductor factories as part of a radical turnaround plan aimed at restoring the company’s chipmaking prowess. Under a multi-year strategy outlined by new chief executive Pat Gelsinger, Intel will build two new plants in Arizona. It will also start outsourcing to other manufacturers and [...]
Brits could receive £480m payout in Qualcomm smartphone legal case February 25, 2021 Roughly 29m Brits could be entitled to a £480m payout if a landmark legal claim against US chipmaker Qualcomm is successful. Consumer group Which is suing Qualcomm over claims it breached UK competition law by taking advantage of its dominance in the patent-licensing and chipset market. The lawsuit alleges that this enabled the chipmaker to [...]
Slave to the algo: facial recognition and fraud in a Covid-19 world February 19, 2021 “There will come a time when it isn’t, ‘they’re spying on me through my phone’ anymore. Eventually, it will be, ‘my phone is spying on me’.” American author, Philip K. Dick, warned us about the rapid advancement of technology. Incredibly, this warning was given long before his death in 1982, when mobile phones were the [...]
What’s causing the current global shortage of semiconductor chips? February 18, 2021 The modern world runs on semiconductors; everything from mobile phones to washing machines depends on these tiny microchips. But few industries are so totally dependent on these microprocessors as the automotive sector, as has been proved time and again over the last couple of months. One by one, a roll-call of the world’s biggest carmakers [...]
Nokia growth knocked by losing part of Verizon 5G contract February 4, 2021 Growth at Nokia has been impacted by the firm losing part of the Verizon 5G contract in the United States to Samsung. Nokia’s new CEO Pekka Lundmark said in October that Nokia would do “whatever it takes” to take the lead in 5G. While both Nokia and its Nordic rival Ericsson have been gaining 5G customers [...]
Intel to probe results hack as chip demand lifts revenue January 22, 2021 Intel is investigating reports that financially sensitive information was stolen from its website last night in a hack that forced the chipmaker to release its quarterly results early. Chief financial officer George Davis told the Financial Times that a graphic in its financial report had been stolen by a hacker. “Once we became aware of [...]
Samsung heir back in prison for bribery scandal January 18, 2021 Samsung heir Lee Jae Yong has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison by a high court in South Korea on Monday. Lee, 52, was found guilty of bribing an associate of former president Park Geun-hye and jailed for five years in 2017 but was released after 12 months. The Supreme Court [...]
CES 2021: Gadgets that wowed us in the first all-digital Las Vegas show January 14, 2021 The first all-digital Consumer Electronics Show has come to an end, and while the event was a little more subdued than normal, there were still some gadgets on show that blew us away. Whether by virtue of their brilliance or their strangeness, here are the gadgets that caught our eye during CES 2021. Razer Project [...]
Intel shares rise as chipmaker replaces chief executive January 13, 2021 Shares in Intel pushed higher this afternoon after the tech giant said it was replacing chief executive Bob Swan following a string of manufacturing missteps. Swan, who has held the top job for just two years, will step down on 15 February and will be replaced with Pat Gelsinger, currently chief executive of software group [...]