Category: Tech
ShinyShiny snippets: Meta fined €1.2bn for mishandling data
Facebook's owner, Meta, has been fined €1.2bn (£1bn) for mishandling people's data when transferring it between Europe and the United States. Issued by Ireland's Data Protection Commission, it is the largest fine imposed under the EU's General Data Protection Regulation privacy law. GDPR rules require companies to seek people's consent before using their personal data.…
ShinyShiny snippets: Tesla issues Optimus robot update
Tesla Optimus Humanoid Robot. Image: Tesla Having first revealed the new Roadster some six years ago and the Cybertruck in 2019 – but having thus far delivered, er, neither – it might not surprise you to hear Tesla's released a progress report about... robots. Last year Musk stated in an earnings call that Tesla's Optimus humanoid…
7 in 10 young adults want to start their own business
Seven in 10 young adults claim working for someone else is their ‘worst nightmare’ - and intend to start their own business within the next three years. A poll of 2,000 adults from a spectrum of age groups found 23 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds ‘hate’ the idea of the traditional nine to…
Amazon introduces new Echo devices including Echo Pop, Echo Show 5
Amazon has introduced a new lineup of Echo products —the all-new Echo Pop, Echo Show 5 and Echo Show 5 Kids. In addition, Amazon announced that the latest generation Echo Auto is now available in the UK. Says Eric Saarnio, vice president, Amazon Devices International: “These new devices give customers more options and more utility…
ShinyShiny snippets: Microsoft, Activision restricted from ‘acquiring interest’ in each other
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has restricted Microsoft and Activision Blizzard from "acquiring an interest" in each other. It published an interim order stating they would need "prior written consent" from the UK regulator before making acquisitions between the companies. The order applies to the businesses as well as their subsidiaries. It comes two…
ShinyShiny snippets: Wind is main source of electricity for first time in UK
Wind turbines have generated more electricity than gas for the first time in the UK. In the first three months of this year a third of the country's electricity came from wind farms, research from Imperial College London have shown. National Grid has also confirmed that April saw a record period of solar energy generation.…
Bumble launches mental health features for dating app
Bumble, the women-first dating app, has released a new suite of profile prompts and interest badges centred around mental health and selfcare. It is hoped that the addition of profile prompts and badges will give people on Bumble the space to easily highlight what’s most important to them and encourage an open dialogue around mental…
ShinyShiny snippets: Brit pleads guilty to 2020 Twitter hack
A British national extradited to the US last month has pleaded guilty in New York to a role in one of the biggest hacks in social media history. The July 2020 Twitter hack affected over 130 accounts including those of Barack Obama and Joe Biden. Joseph James O'Connor, 23, known as PlugwalkJoe, pleaded guilty to…
7 ways to be more sustainable and save money
Making greener choices isn’t just beneficial for the environment, it can also save money. In conjunction with Which? we've collated a list of simple consumer product swaps you can make. Swap takeaway cups for a flask or reusable coffee cup Disposable takeaway drinks cups usually cannot be recycled so they mostly end up in landfill,…
ShinyShiny snippets: Google confirms Pixel Fold phone
Google has confirmed the Pixel Fold, its first foldable smartphone, with video teasers on both YouTube and Twitter. The company was expected to reveal the Pixel Fold at Google I/O next week, but leaks ruined that surprise. The device has a vertical hinge that unfolds into a tablet-like 7.6-inch display. There’s also an exterior screen, measuring 5.8 inches. Rumors…
