Month: January 2022
Google loses Sonos smart speakers patent
The commission found that Google had infringed all five patents Sonos complained about, upholding an initial decision made in August 2021. Smart-speaker firm Sonos has won a major legal battle against Google over patents it said the firm had infringed. The decision means that Google’s smart speakers and other smart home tech that uses the
Google and Facebook fined
Cookies are little packets of data that allows web browsers to store information and provide. Data privacy watchdog the CNIL said both sites were making it difficult for internet users to refuse the online trackers. French regulators have hit Google and Facebook with fines totalling 210m euros over use of cookies. Consent for the use
Iran plane crash victims Instagram Hashtags blocked
Families of the 176 victims found posts with the hashtag #IWillLightACandletoo, as well as its Persian version, were not visible to users. A cybersecurity expert said it appeared that Iran had orchestrated the block by reporting the posts. The Association of Families of the Victims began using the #IWillLightACandletoo hashtag as a show of solidarity
Bitcoin prices fall to lowest
The crypto-currency dropped in value from $47,000 (£34,700) earlier this week to less than $42,000 per digital coin. It follows minutes from a meeting of the Federal Reserve, which suggested it may raise interest rates. Because of its global and decentralised nature, attributing a rise or fall in the price of Bitcoin to a single
Global chip shortage
In recent months, the global shortage of semiconductors has been causing major disruptions for manufacturers, from carmakers that have had to suspend production to Apple warning that iPhone shipments would be delayed. Technology giant Samsung Electronics has said it expects to post a 52% jump in profit for the last three months of 2021, amid
Drone saves cardiac arrest patient
The drone delivered a defibrillator to a doctor helping the man, who became ill while shovelling snow outside his house in Trollhattan, Sweden. An autonomous drone has helped to save the life of a 71-year-old man who was suffering a cardiac arrest. Everdrone says it took just over three minutes from the alarm being raised
International travel return
Demand for foreign holidays is recovering towards pre-pandemic levels following the relaxation of coronavirus travel rules, according to travel firms. Bookings had soared after restrictions were relaxed this week. In UK, fully vaccinated travellers and under-18s arriving in the country no longer need to have taken a pre-departure lateral flow test. They will be able
PlayStation VR2
Sony has confirmed the new virtual reality headset it is building to work with the PlayStation 5 will be the second generation of its PlayStation VR device. PlayStation VR2 will take virtual reality gaming “to a whole new level”, the company said, introducing an ultra high definition 4K HDR display inside the headset. “PlayStation VR2
fantasy football and mental health
People who spend the most time playing, researching and thinking about their fantasy football teams may have worse mental health than other players of the online game, a study suggests. They were also more likely to report disruption to their everyday lives as a result of their gaming, such as at work, in their home
Vehicle technology at CES
Vehicle tech has become an increasingly prominent part of the annual trade show, and BMW’s latest innovation has been joined on the show floor by a fully autonomous tractor, built by manufacturer John Deere. BMW has unveiled a new feature that can change the exterior colour of a car with the press of a button,