Tag Archives: Technology

Google says an advanced computer has achieved “quantum supremacy” for the first time, surpassing the performance of conventional devices. The technology giant’s Sycamore quantum processor was able to perform a specific task in 200 seconds that would take the world’s best supercomputers 10,000 years to complete. Scientists have been working …

Two prominent human rights defenders in Morocco have been targeted using surveillance technology developed by the Israeli-based company NSO Group, according to new research published by Amnesty Tech. Maati Monjib, an academic and human rights activist, and Abdessadak El Bouchattaoui, a human rights lawyer who has represented protesters from the …

The Boston Dynamics humanoid robot Atlas has channeled his inner Simone Biles to put on a gymnastics display showcasing the machine’s uncanny fluidity of movement. A new clip posted by its developers shows the robot running through its floor routine, including a handstand, some impressive rolls, and a 360-degree mid-air …

Russia’s SU-35 fighter jet flies in Turkish airspace during Teknofest Istanbul Aerospace and Technology Festival as Ankara looks for alternatives after being removed from the US F-35 fighter jet program in response to its purchase of S-400 missile systems delivered by Moscow. (Source: AFP)

Technologies linking human consciousness to any sort of a cloud computing service could not just open the way for totalitarian mind control, but destroy the very essence of human relations, philosopher Slavoj Zizek says. A computer that can read the thoughts of many people at once would make normal human …

Google has issued new community rules barring employees from political discussions on internal message boards and seeking to curb leaks that could “undermine trust” in the tech titan, amid swirling accusations of endemic bias. The company released its updated guidelines on Friday, which remind employees to “be responsible,” helpful” and …

The US Commerce Secretary, Wilbur Ross, has confirmed a ban on Chinese technology giant Huawei will not come into force for another 90 days. The US blacklisted the company in May because of national security concerns. Huawei was then granted a temporary permit in order to ease the transition, which …

Minecraft will be keeping its block-based look for the foreseeable future as plans to update its graphics are canceled. In a statement Minecraft developer Mojang said it had ended development on what was known as the Super Duper graphics pack for the game. The pack would have given the game …

Some of the World’s newest and most popular cars are at risk of being stolen in seconds by exploiting weaknesses in keyless entry systems. The systems let drivers open and start their cars without taking their key out of their pocket. What Car? magazine tested seven different car models fitted …

WhatsApp and Instagram are to be renamed as part of a Facebook re-brand. The two apps are to be known as “WhatsApp from Facebook” and “Instagram from Facebook”. The move is part of a broader change towards linking the three apps together and bringing them under the Facebook banner, according …

“Voice assistants have a dark side, and we may be paying for their limited benefits with our privacy” A news story in the Guardian last week confirmed what many Apple users likely already suspected: Siri, Apple’s voice assistant, has the power to record private conversations, and these audio clips aren’t …

The Lightyear One is a car with solar panels stretching across its roof to charge the electric vehicle’s batteries. But whether it’s really a “solar powered car” depends on how you drive it. The car, created by Dutch startup Lightyear, has a charging port to plug into a charger. But …

Bitcoin uses as much energy as the whole of Switzerland, a new online tool from the University of Cambridge shows. The tool makes it easier to see how the crypto-currency network’s energy usage compares with other entities. However, one expert argued that it was the cryptocurrency’s carbon footprint that really …

Authorities in Iran have seized roughly 1,000 Bitcoin mining machines from two former factories, according to state TV reports. The action was taken following a spike in electricity consumption. Demand for power rose by 7% in June and cryptocurrency mining was thought to be the main cause, an energy ministry …

US delivery company FedEx has filed a lawsuit against the US government, arguing that it should not be required to enforce federal government export bans. The move comes after FedEx mishandled a couple of deliveries for Huawei, and failed to deliver a Huawei smartphone shipped from Britain to the United …

Bitcoin tested 15-month highs on Monday after jumping more than 10% over the weekend, with analysts ascribing the spike to growing optimism over the adoption of cryptocurrencies after Facebook unveiled its Libra digital coin. The biggest cryptocurrency hit $11,247.62 on the Bitstamp exchange late on Sunday, its highest since March …

Saudi Arabia has reportedly purchased $300 million worth of spy software from Israel as Riyadh presses ahead with its crackdown against dissidents and pro-democracy campaigners in the ultra-conservative kingdom. Arabic-language al-Khaleej Online news website, citing unnamed senior Arab sources, reported that representatives from the Riyadh regime and Israeli firms met …

For the last year, Facebook has been signaling it wants in on the cryptocurrency phenomenon. At its F8 developer’s conference last month, co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg said he wants to make sending money as easy as sending a photo: digital, immediate, free and secure. On Tuesday, the company formally …

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s the volocopter, the first manned, fully electric and safe vertical take-off and landing aircraft in the world. It might look like something out of a sci-fi movie based in a distant future, but this vehicle is being released in cities …

Ericsson says that “rapid early momentum” and consumer enthusiasm means the switch to 5G is happening much faster than anticipated. The Swedish telecom-equipment maker said in a report Tuesday that 45% of the world’s population will be able to access the next generation wireless networks in 2024. Ericsson also revised …