Shiny Shiny snippets: UK shoppers face more checks when buying online
Online shoppers in the UK face more identification checks when paying for purchases on the internet from Monday, as new rules to clamp down on fraud come into force. The new Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) requirements will change the way people confirm their identity when using their debit or credit cards to make online purchases, and are expected to lead to more card payments being declined. It is the biggest change to card payments since chip and pin was rolled out 16 years ago, and is designed to reduce the £376m lost to online fraud in 2020. The measures are similar to those already faced by people logging into online banking. The Guardian
An oxygen-hunting robot and a power station in space, are just two of the things British engineers can now develop thanks to a new funding injection. Science minister George Freeman has announced a £2m boost for 13 new projects which use pioneering approaches to energy, communication and resources. UK Space Agency (UKSA) ventures so far include Rolls-Royce developing a power station for space that could allow water and breathable oxygen to be generated. Another will develop new technology that can withstand the high radiation levels on Mars, while a third will build a communications tool for astronauts to tackle the delay in conversations between Mars and Earth. Sky News
Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE) on Monday said it has deepened its e-mobility partnership with Ford (F.N) under which the U.S. carmaker will produce a second electric vehicle for the European market based on its German rival’s platform. As part of the expanded cooperation, Ford will double its planned volume of vehicles to be produced based on Volkswagen’s modular electric-drive platform, known as MEB, to 1.2 million units over a six-year time frame. “Profitability and speed are now crucial for finally achieving the breakthrough of e-mobility in Europe. We are tackling both together with Ford,” Volkswagen management board member Thomas Schmall said. “Today’s agreement will further accelerate the electrification of the two companies.” Reuters
The Nintendo Switch outsold the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 in both unit and dollar sales in February after bouncing back from a weaker January, according to NPD’s Mat Piscatella. Last month, the PS5 took the top spot as the US’s best-selling gaming hardware, while the Switch came in behind the Xbox Series X. The Switch and PS5 have been swapping spots as the number one console ever since the PS5 broke the Switch’s almost three-year streak last October. Its time on top was short-lived, however, as the new Switch OLED boosted the console’s sales, bringing it back to the number one position through November and December 2021. The Verge
With one new iPhone SE launch out of the way, all eyes are on Apple’s next iPhone 14 models, but they may have a lot more in common with the iPhone 13 than previously expected. Reputable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo states the standard models, including the iPhone 14 and rumored iPhone 14 Max, will keep the A15 Bionic found on its predecessor, while the Pro models will be equipped with a new A16 chip. However, that doesn’t mean the standard models won’t get boost in processing power. Laptop mag
