YouTube to launch dedicated video gaming site and apps
YouTube has announced plans to launch a dedicated site and app for gaming in an attempt to take on Amazon-owned streaming service Twitch. Twitch allows gaming fans to watch and interact with live broadcasts of others playing games. Google, which owns YouTube, is understood to have made a bid for Twitch last year, only to […]
Self-driving car accidents revealed in California
Four out of the 48 self-driving cars on public roads in California have been involved in accidents in the last eight months, according to the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles. The agency began issuing permits for the testing of autonomous vehicles in September 2014. Three of the four cars belonged to Google, the fourth […]
The Internet of Sheep: WiFi-connected flock to eat grass and transmit data
You may have heard of the Internet of Things — the idea that eventually all physical objects could communicate data over the internet to other connected devices. Already many devices in cities — from automobiles to thermostats — communicate information to operators, manufacturers and consumers via the internet about their status. But in rural Wales, […]
5G research centre gets major funding grant
The UK has only just seen the launch of 4G (fourth generation) mobile communication technology, but academics at Surrey University are already looking at its successor. They have gained £35m from mobile operators, infrastructure suppliers and the United Kingdom analysis Partnership funding Fund to fund research into 5G. The money would be used to create […]
Google’s Motorola unit has released its first Intel-powered smartphone
The Razr i is based on a mid-range model sold in the US that features an ARM-based Snapdragon processor. Motorola said the change of chip meant improved camera performance. However, it has also meant Google’s Chrome browser is not installed on the device. Intel just lately minimize its gross sales forecasts bringing up weaker demand. […]
Apple iPhone 5 unveiled with taller screen and 4G
The device’s new size allows it to display an extra row of app icons on its home screen. The firm said it was 18% thinner and 20% lighter than the iPhone 4S. However, it does not feature an NFC (near field communication) chip to allow it to make touchless payments. Apple said the handset would […]
Microsoft gives Office a 2013 touch-up
Microsoft has unveiled a touch-ready version of Office, the latest version of the company’s market-leading productivity software suite. In San Francisco, Steve Ballmer described Office 2013 as the firm’s “most ambitious release” to date. The software is primed for mobile devices, cloud computing, and social networking. Office is the globe’s most popular productivity application, with […]
San Francisco plans to ban officials from buying Apple Macs
City officials in San Francisco plan to block local government agencies from buying new Apple Macintosh computers. The move follows the firm’s decision to pull out of a green certification scheme designed to identify which electronic devices pose the least risk to the environment. CIO Journal reported the ban was designed to encourage Apple to […]
Microsoft unveils Surface Windows 8 tablets
Microsoft has unveiled Surface – its own-brand family of tablets. The touchscreen computers will be powered by its upcoming Windows 8 system and contain a choice of an Intel or ARM-based processor. It allows the firm to challenge Apple’s bestselling iPad with a device that can run standard applications such as its own Office programmes […]
Facebook smartphone to be ‘released next year’
Social networking giant Facebook is to launch its own smartphone by next year, reports have suggested. The New York Times cited unnamed sources, including Facebook employees, suggesting that the network had been hiring several smartphone engineers. Facebook recently admitted it was struggling to make money out of its growing mobile audience. The company, which recently […]
Apple’s Tim Cook rejects idea of laptop-tablet hybrids
Apple’s boss has dismissed the idea of mixing laptops and tablets into a hybrid product. Chief executive Tim Cook said the idea of combining the iPad and MacBook Air would “wind up compromising” both. Rival Asus already markets such products in its Transformer series. Intel has also been a vocal advocate of the idea. Mr […]
Broadband over the last year
With another year over, we look back at the events and revelations within broadband over the last year, and look to 2012 to see what we might be looking forward to in the industry. In rural areas, the announcement of broadband funding to provide a basic level of broadband in some areas, as well as […]