Apple releases iOS 10.3 as well as macOS, watchOS and tvOS updates

 It’s patch day at Apple. The company just released four new versions of its four operating systems for all its devices — iOS 10.3, macOS 10.12.4, watchOS 3.2 and tvOS 10.2. Some of those updates are more important than others. Read More

Faraday Future cancels plans to build an assembly factory in California

 Faraday Future, the would-be Tesla rival facing well-documented challenges in terms of capitalization and efforts to bring its first production vehicle to market, has scrapped plans to construct an assembly facility and “experience center” (read: showroom) in Vallejo, California on Mare Island. Read More

ESA shows off sweet new renders of the Exomars 2020 rover

 Late last year the European Space Agency doubled down on its Mars mission, dedicating half a billion euros to the next phase of its Exomars 2020 program — and now we are seeing the benefits of that enormous investment: a pretty awesome new render of the rover they plan to deploy to the Martian surface. Read More

Between robots’ ‘safe’ and ‘unsafe’ zones, a sort of robot friend zone proposed

 It goes without saying that working with robots and heavy machinery is more than a little dangerous. While better practices and ethical companies are still less common than they should be, smarter robots are another, parallel solution. German research outfit Fraunhofer suggests an intuitive model for human-robot collaboration in industrial settings. Read More

Google’s Amazon Echo competitor and wifi router launching in UK on April 6

 Google has announced that its Google Home connected speaker will launch in the UK on April 6, along with the Google Wifi router. Read More

Netgear announces two new Orbi routers

 I’m a huge fan of Netgear’s Orbi routers. They offer some of the easiest setup, highest speeds, and best coverage of any of the so-called mesh wireless systems including Eero and Luma. Now Netgear’s original monstrous routers are being joined by a few cousins. The original kit, called the RBK50, came with a AC3000 Wi-Fi base station and a satellite and covered 5,000 square feet. Read More

Windows has a heart of trash

 I did a bad thing. I opened a bad file and it borked my PC. So as part of the grand tradition of frustrated tech bloggers calling on enormous companies to conform to their expectations, here is my rant on how terrible computers are — Windows ones, this time anyway — and how they ought to be. Read More

The Matrix Voice is an Alexa for your Raspberry Pi

 Matrix Labs just completed a successful crowdfunding campaign for what amounts to an AI voice recognition system for the Raspberry Pi which allows you, a mere mortal, to make your own Alexa in your basement. Created by Rodolfo Saccoman and Brian Sanchez their first board, the Creator, fits right on top of a standard RaspPi and gives you an 8 microphone array, a temperature sensor,… Read More

Garmin announces a new watch just for runners and those who think they are runners

 Garmin is back again with the Forerunner 935, a runner-specific sport watch with GPS, heart rate, and compatibility with the Garmin Running Dynamics Pod that offers further information about your speed, gait, and how often you double over in absolute agony as your unexercised organs scream from inside their fleshy fastnesses. The 935 also helps manage training with the TrainingPeaks app and… Read More

Facebook opens up 360-degree live streaming to all

 Facebook just made live streaming 360-degree video relatively easy, provided you have the equipment to capture the content. Users of devices like the new 2017 model Gear 360 just announced at the S8 smartphone launch, or the Insta360 Nano (for iPhone) and Air (for Android), or a host of higher-end models designed for pros, you can go live and broadcast an immersive feed for your audience.… Read More

Android co-founder’s new smartphone confirmed to run Android

 The new smartphone from Andy Rubin, which will be the debut product of his new company Essential, will indeed run Android for its operating system. It looked that way from the tiny peek at the corner we got from Rubin’s tweet earlier this week, but now Google’s Eric Schmidt has confirmed it’ll be one of a few “phenomenal new choices for Android users coming very… Read More

Girls across UK take part in cyber skills event to promote tech careers

Young women from across the UK took part in cyber security event CyberFirst Girls, designed to promote girls with cyber skills and encourage them to pursue careers in technology

Apple denies hackers holding millions of iPhones, iCloud accounts ransom

Apple reassures customers that none of its systems have been breached, dismissing hackers' claims that millions of iPhones and iCloud accounts are at risk of being wiped

Almost 45% of men want a robot-led shopping experience in the future

Research reveals differences between what male and female, and older and younger consumers want from their shopping experience

How Google is riding the multi-cloud wave to win over the enterprise

The Google Cloud Next conference saw the internet giant share details about how enterprise appetite for multi-cloud deployments are working in its favour

LastPass releases fix browser extension security flaws

LastPass has been praised for its quick response in fixing flaws reported in browser extensions for its password manager

The rise of the ODMs: Should the branded hardware suppliers be worried?

The use of ODM datacentre hardware makes good economic sense for the hyperscale providers, but what about everyday enterprises?

FBI director reiterates call for action on encryption

The world is wasting time in resolving the conflict between privacy and public safety, and should consider an international framework on encrypted data access, says FBI director James Comey

Inside the well-planned metro network: how CityFibre does it

Computer Weekly met metro network builder CityFibre to find out why, and how, the organisation believes it can mount a credible challenge to Openreach’s dominance of wholesale fibre

UK labour costs are cheap but automation will erode jobs market

PwC has estimated that millions of people may be affected by robots and artificial intelligence replacing their jobs

Security Think Tank: Minimise data to cut costs and comply with GDPR

How can organisations maintain usability and keep support costs low without compromising on security?

AI and robots will 'create political instability' until humans find new occupations

The belief that advances in technology will create more jobs than they replace may no longer hold true

ISPs to pay automatic compensation for broadband faults

Telecoms regulator Ofcom says its plan, which would cover slow repairs and missed appointments, could see consumers in line for a payout of up to £185m every year

Case study: How the Department for Education deployed flexible IT

The Department of Education has upgraded its ageing datacentre to the Azure cloud and Office 365, and rolled out Microsoft Surface devices

UK impersonation fraud up 39% in last quarter of 2016

Just ahead of the end of the UK tax year, a survey underlines the importance of guarding against business email compromise aimed at stealing data and money

Erato’s Muse 5 wireless in-ear headphones give AirPods a run for their money

 Apple’s AirPods are probably the first really mainstream completely wireless headphones, but Erato has been making these for a while now. The company’s latest is the Muse 5, a set of in-ear buds that are cheaper than their debut Apollo 7 option, but still come with a charging case and very respectable battery life. The Muse 5’s least impressive feature might be their… Read More

Insta360 Air brings affordable, easy 360 photo and video to Android phones

 You can share 360-degree video and images in more places than ever before, but how to capture that content in the first place? Insta360 has built a bit of a name for itself creating relatively inexpensive add-ons for the smartphone you already have that’d the ability to use those devices to record and broadcast in 360. The $129.99 Insta360 Air is the company’s Android device… Read More