ShinyShiny tech roundup: Amazon launch planned for September 28th
Amazon will hold its annual hardware and services event on September 28 at 9 am PST / 12 pm EST / 5 pm BST, the company announced today. The annual event is Amazon’s chance to show off its latest Echo devices ahead of the holiday season and is typically the place we hear about upgrades coming to Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Luna and Amazon Music. Like previous years, a livestream of the event will be by invitation-only which means you won’t see it pop up on YouTube or Twitch – however, most mainstream technology outlets will be online covering the event, TechRadar included. Last year, Amazon announced the new Amazon Echo Dot, Amazon Echo (2020), new Amazon Echo Show devices, the Eero 6 Mesh Router and Amazon Luna. Tech Radar
Bitcoin mining produces electronic waste (e-waste) annually comparable to the small IT equipment waste of a place like the Netherlands, research shows. Miners of the cryptocurrency each year produce 30,700 tonnes of e-waste, Alex de Vries and Christian Stoll estimate. That averages 272g (9.5oz) per transaction, they say. By comparison, an iPhone 13 weighs 173g (6.1oz). Miners earn money by creating new Bitcoins, but the computing used consumes large amounts of energy. They audit Bitcoin transactions in exchange for an opportunity to acquire the digital currency. Attention has been focused on the electricity this consumes – currently more than the Philippines – and the greenhouse gas pollution caused as a result. But as the computers used for mining become obsolete, it also generates lots of e-waste. BBC
Royal Mail is to trial two types of micro electric vehicles for delivering letters and small parcels in a move aimed at stepping up its drive to further reduce emissions. The vehicles, roughly the size of a golf buggy or a quad bike, will be assessed in residential areas as a potential lower-carbon alternative to larger vans. They have been specially designed to help postal staff deliver letters and smaller parcels on their daily rounds. The six-month trial will see a selection of vehicles operating in Edinburgh, Crewe, Liverpool, Swindon and London. Yahoo!
If you’re looking to add a wireless charger to your desk or table, then Ikea may have just what you need. The Swedish company’s latest product is a wireless charging pad that can be added to the underside of a table and charges your phone via the Qi wireless standard. It’s called Sjömärke, it costs $39.99, and it works through plastic and wood that’s between three-eights of an inch to seven-eights of an inch thick. Sjömärke (via The Verge) is “perfect to mount on a desk, side table or bedside table when you want chargers and cables to blend into the decor to keep the room neat and tidy,” according to the official product listing. XDA
The Premier League could join the NFT craze by selling rights to players to be traded as digital football stickers. Sorare, a French technology start-up that allows users to trade virtual cards representing players on the blockchain, has raised $680m (£498m) from investors including SoftBank, the Japanese investment giant. Nicolas Julia, its chief executive, said the company was hoping to build on a recent rights deal with Spain’s La Liga by forging deals with major leagues including the English top flight. “We have had conversations, we have been in touch for a while, and hopefully we will have something to announce with the Premier League,” he said. The company is believed to have expressed an interest with the league, although discussions are not at an advanced stage. Telegraph
