Technology
Alphabet Machine Beats World's Top Go Player
A machine built by Alphabet has officially defeated the world’s top-ranked player of the ancient board-game Go, a decisive demonstration of artificial intelligence’s ability to master some of the most complex human endeavors, according to Bloomberg.
Three European Storage Services Vendors Named as IDC Innovators
New IDC Innovators report is recognizing three EMEA-based storage services vendors. These companies are CTERA Networks, StorPool and Quobyte, and they are recognized for their engineering efforts to help service providers (SPs) overcome their storage-related challenges.
Google to Bring Standalone VR Headsets to Market This Year
Google plans to push virtual reality to more people by working with hardware partners on standalone headsets, according to Bloomberg.
Google to Offer New AI Chip Via Cloud
At the I/O developer conference last year, Google debuted its first chip. The company kept the component mostly for internal artificial intelligence needs. Now, version two has arrived, and Google is selling this one, according to Bloomberg.
Nearly Half of Internet Users in France Tune to OTT Video
Over-the-top (OTT) video service usage has made steady progress in becoming a mainstream activity in France, according to eMarketer’s most recent forecast.
New Wave of Ransom Threats Seen in Unprecedented Attack
An unrivaled global cyber-attack is poised to continue claiming victims Monday as people return to work and turn on their desktop computers, even as hospitals and other facilities gained the upper hand against the first wave, according to Bloomberg.
Ransom Hackers Who Hit Hospitals Dealt Setback
The cyber-attack that spread rapidly around the globe was stifled when a security researcher disabled a key mechanism used by the worm to spread, but experts said the hackers were likely to return as many computers remain at risk, according to Bloomberg.
New Amazon Echo Adds Touch Screen and Video-Conferencing
Amazon unveiled the Echo Show, new version of voice activated speakers which features a seven-inch touch screen that can pull up calendar appointments, display music lyrics, play videos and a lot more, according to Bloomberg.
Solar Roof Sets Tesla Grand Unification Into Motion
Tesla has begun taking orders for its transformative new solar roof, according to Bloomberg. The pricing is competitive, and it marks the final piece in Elon Musk’s vision for a grand unification of his clean-energy ambitions, combining solar power, home batteries, and electric cars.
Mastercard Unveils Next Generation Biometric Card
Mastercard unveiled the next generation biometric card. It is combining chip technology with fingerprints to conveniently and safely verify the cardholder’s identity for in-store purchases.
Uber Builds AI Team in Toronto
Uber, in the midst of legal battle with Alphabet over self-driving car technology, is building a new artificial intelligence team in Toronto to help improve its autonomous vehicle software, according to Bloomberg.
Scientists Say Brexit May End U.K.’s Lead in AI
A group of prominent academics and tech executives fear that the U.K.’s exit from the European Union could jeopardize the U.K.’s lead in the development of machine learning technologies, according to Bloomberg.
Police Will Scan Spectator Faces at UEFA Champions League Final
Security at this year’s Champions League final will be aided by facial recognition technology, according to Bloomberg.
Tesla Doubles Its Superchargers With Massive Solar Stations
Tesla is preparing to launch its $35,000 Model 3 electric car later this year, with plans to make 500,000 EVs in 2018 (up from 76,000 a year ago).
Goodspeed Roaming wins Best e-SIM Provisioning Provider Award
UROS, Uni-fi Roaming Solutions, announced that Goodspeed Roaming App was awarded Best e-SIM Provisioning Provider at MVNO Awards 2017.
Facebook Envisions Using Brain Waves to Type Words
Facebook’s research unit Building 8 is working to make it possible for people to type using signals from their brains, part of the lab’s broader effort to free people from their phones, according to Bloomberg.
Radwin Wins Passenger Innovation of the Year Award 2017
Israeli company Radwin, provider of train-to-ground wireless communications solutions, received the prestigious Passenger Innovation of the Year 2017 Award last week at the SmartRail Europe Innovation Awards in Amsterdam, Holland. The company has earned this award for its FiberinMotion train-to-ground solution.
New Phantom 4 Advance Hits the Market
DJI has introduced a new addition to the Phantom family, the Phantom 4 Advanced, offering creators an affordable way to capture aerial imagery with a more powerful camera and more precise controls.
AMD Betting on Extra-Fast Wi-Fi to Open Up Virtual Reality
Semiconductor maker AMD is betting that their purchase of a chipmaker Nitero will help drive the adoption of more portable virtual reality headsets, according to Bloomberg. Nitero has developed a 60 gigahertz wireless chip that it says can transmit high-resolution video without delays or lags.
App Time Will Make up Nearly 20% of Total Media Time in 2017
Americans are spending more time within mobile apps and less time within mobile browsers. However, the number of apps being used regularly is dropping, as users concentrate their activities in core apps, according to eMarketer.
Five Multicloud Management Vendors Named as IDC Innovators
IDC released an Innovators report recognizing five multicloud management software and SaaS vendors with revenue under $100 million. The five vendors recognized as IDC Innovators are Cirba, Datadog, Embotics, RightScale, and Turbonomic.
Laptop Ban Spurs Fire Warning on Batteries in Planes
The U.S. order prohibiting passengers from carrying laptop computers and other electronics into the cabins of some overseas flights is raising concerns about a risk not related to terror, but the potential for those devices’ lithium-based batteries to catch fire in the baggage hold, according to Bloomberg.
Bezos Sells $1 Billion a Year in Amazon Stock for Space Project
Internet billionaire and aspiring rocket man Jeff Bezos said he sells $1 billion a year in Amazon stock to fund Blue Origin, the company fueling his dream of sending people into space, according to Bloomberg.
Magewell to Launch 4K USB Video Capture Devices at NAB Show
Magewell will unveil new 4K models in its USB Capture Plus series of plug-and-play, external video capture devices at the upcoming 2017 NAB Show. The new devices combine the highly-regarded quality, feature-richness and ease-of-use of the USB Capture Plus family with full-resolution 4K capture capabilities.
Intel Tries to Fire Up High-End PC Demand With New Memory Chips
Intel is going back to its roots as a memory chipmaker in a bid to get consumers excited about high-end desktop computers, according to Bloomberg. The world’s largest chipmaker is offering a new memory chip package it says will improve desktop performance in a way that consumers will notice and be willing to pay for.
SpaceX Pulls Off First Reused Rocket Mission
Elon Musk’s SpaceX flew a reused rocket to space and back again, a key milestone to reducing launch costs and one day enabling people to live on other planets, according to Bloomberg.
Australian Organisations Seek an Open IoT Ecosystem
Open systems feature highly on IOT decision makers radars in Australia, according to recently published IDC research. IoT decision makers are putting a high priority on open standards for data and connectivity and on open source software standards. 81% of organisations rank common data and connectivity standards as extremely or very important, 63% rate open source software standards the same.
Domino's Will Begin Using Robots to Deliver Pizzas in Europe
Starship, the London-based company that has created six-wheeled self-driving delivery robots, will begin taking customers Domino’s pizzas in Germany and the Netherlands, according to Bloomberg.
DT Chooses Sealed Cloud Solution by Uniscon
Deutsche Telekom has expanded its Managed Security Services to now include “Versiegelte Cloud”, i.e. a sealed cloud. The technology is provided by the cloud security provider Uniscon and excludes, via purely technical means, all unauthorized third-party access, even by service provider staff, at all times.
Uber Self-Driving Car Tests Resume in San Francisco After Crash
Uber Technologies Inc.’s self-driving cars were back on public roads Monday morning in San Francisco, three days after a crash in Arizona put the company’s testing program on hold, according to Bloomberg report.