Winners and losers of the broadband and mobile market have been named and shamed by Ofcom study
TECHNOLOGY POWERING BUSINESS
April 2019
Profits Slump At Samsung Due To Chip Sale Slowdown
Better times ahead predicts South Korean electronics giant after profits take a hit in the first quarter
Vodafone Found Security Flaws In Huawei Kit
One of Huawei's biggest supporters admits it found security flaws in its telecom equipment a decade ago
US Supreme Court Seeks Trump’s Input On Oracle’s Android Lawsuit
Trump administration views on Oracle's Android lawsuit against Google sought by Supreme Court
America Will ‘Rethink’ Co-Operation With Allies Using Huawei
US cyber security officials says Washington does not see any distinction between core and non-core 5G network
Warning About Chrome Flaw In Address Bar
Researcher finds simple exploit in Chrome for mobile that could be used to launch phishing attacks
Google, Facebook To Work With Samaritans On Unsafe Content
Health Secretary announces tech giants will work with Samaritans to limit harmful online content
Google Staff Meet To Discuss Corporate Retaliation For Walkout
'Town Hall' meeting after staff allege Google regularly retaliates against employees who speak out
Elon Musk To Face Lawsuit Over ‘Pedo’ Tweet
US judge denies legal request by Tesla boss to dismiss Vernon Unsworth’s defamation complaint
Crime Victims To Be Asked To Hand Over Smartphones
Digital strip search? Cops to ask rape and other victims to hand over phones to ensure prosecution go-ahead
Apple Pulls Parental Control Apps
Firm denies it was competition move, but insists that security and privacy concerns were main reason
China Tells UK Not To Discriminate Against Huawei
Chinese ambassador urges UK to make decisions independently and not discriminate against particular firms
Most US Businesses Will Pay After Ransomware Attack
Study finds disappointing admission that most small to medium businesses will pay up after ransomware attack
Elon Musk Settles With SEC Over Twitter Use
Musk muzzled? CEO agrees to have financial tweets and statements vetted by legal counsel first
Apple Issues Recall On UK Plugs
Shock recall for plugs shipped in the UK, Hong Kong and Singapore between 2003 and 2010
Huawei Leak Probe Could Turn Criminal, Warns Government
Hot water ahead for the leaker of government's Huawei 5G decision, as minister confirms possible criminal investigation
NCSC Won’t Automatically Share Breach Info With Watchdog
Not a snitch. GQHC agency promises not to share breach information with watchdog unless victim gives permission
Second Hand Drives On eBay Still Hold Personal Data
Report reveals worryingly amounts of personal data still held on second hand drives for sale
GCHQ To Work With Banks To Thwart Fraud, Cyber Attacks
British intelligence joins the fight against bank fraud and cyber attacks as it seeks to work more closely with businesses
Facebook Sets Aside $3 billion For FTC Privacy Fine
Strong results from social networking giant as it prepares to pay billions for privacy breaches
Co-inventor Of Harwell Dekatron Computer Dies
Richard Barnes, co-creator of the world’s oldest working digital computer, has passed away
Investigation Demanded After UK Huawei 5G Leak
Outrage from senior ministers after UK's controversial decision on Huawei was leaked to newspaper
Microsoft Value Hits $1 Trillion After Cloud Growth
Strong results for the software giant see its market valuation briefly reach $1 trillion for the first time
KCOM Acquired For £504m By Pension Fund
Hull-based telecoms group agrees to be acquired for over half a billion pounds by university pension fund
Microsoft Paint To Remain Part Of Windows 10
Redmond confirms much loved Paint app will remain part of Windows operating system "for now"
Twitter Boss Meets President Trump In Oval Office
Donald Trump asks Jack Dorsey about fluctuations in follower numbers, after accusing platform of discrimination
UK To Allow Huawei Limited Access To 5G Network – Report
Chinese maker will supply 5G equipment, but will be banned from 'core' areas of the British 5G network
Twitter, Google Urged To Do More In Fight Against Fake News
Warning from European Commission comes ahead of European Parliament elections next month
Google Wing Drones Gain FAA Approval For US Home Deliveries
FAA grants permission for Wing drones to deliver to homes in Virginia in the coming months
European Parliament Approves ‘Big Brother’ Database
Critics say plans to link together existing identity databases across the EU may break Europe's own data protection laws
Tesla Promises Autonomous Taxi Fleets By Mid-2020
Elon Musk predicts 'difficult software problem' holding back self-driving cars will be solved by the end of this year
China ‘Delays’ Enforcement Of Data Law As Trade Talks Continue
Chinese regulators are reportedly looking to avoid a fresh confrontation with US companies amidst sensitive trade negotiations
Tesla Investigates As Model S Bursts Into Flames In Shanghai
The car was gutted by a fire that began whilst it was stationary in a parking garage, firefighters said
Which? Study Ranks Vodafone Worst Network For Eighth Year Running
Customers give Vodafone and other large networks poor rankings, with GiffGaff and other small operators at the top of the list
Samsung Postpones Galaxy Fold Launch Over Screen Failures
Company says it will push back folding smartphone debut after some reviewers found displays developed faults after less than 48 hours of use
Most Hacked Passwords Revealed By NCSC
Riskiest passwords to use revealed by UK cybersecurity agency, includes "123456" and "password"
Samsung Halts Galaxy Fold Media Events In China
After a few display issues, Samsung delays Chinese media events for innovative Galaxy Fold smartphone
UK Government Offers Information Via Alexa, Google Home
Smart speakers can now be used to access more than 12,000 pieces of government information
CloudBees Acquires Electric Cloud To Create Developer ‘Powerhouse’
Buyout brings range of software development tools around continuous integration/continuous delivery under one roof
FBI Investigating Ransomware Attack That Took Live Broadcast Offline
The Weather Channel went offline for more than an hour after its systems were locked by malware
Oracle Warns Users Of Critical Security Flaws
The firm fixed nearly 300 bugs across its products, saying many were at risk of being actively exploited
Pinterest, Zoom Surge As Tech ‘Unicorns’ Return To Favour
Shares trade higher in the start-ups, both of which have avoided the heavy losses typical of other high-flying tech debuts
CIA Alleges Huawei Accepted Funds From Chinese Military
The allegations from the US' intelligence agency are the latest to pile pressure on Huawei in the West
WannaCry ‘Hero’ Marcus Hutchins Pleads Guilty To FBI Malware Charges
British malware researcher, 24, plead guilty to two of the FBI's charges in exchange for authorities dropping the other eight
Apple Opens Up About Recycling iPhones Via Robot
Apple shows off robot called Daisy that can disassemble 200 iPhones per hour in both the US and Holland
BBM To Close End Of May
The king is dead, long live the king? Consumer version of BBM will be axed, as enteprise addition opens to everyone
Facebook Bans Far Right Groups
Hate crackdown continues as Facebook bans Nick Griffin, Britain First, BNP and National Front
Google To Give Android Users Choice Of Browser, Search Engine
'No more penalties please EU', as Google confirms browser and search choice for Android users
Canonical Launches Ubuntu 19.04
New open source Linux distribution comes with a number of upgrades for open infrastructures
Samsung Galaxy Fold Trouble For Some Reviewers
Some reviewers report trouble with the innovative display of the $2,000 folding smartphone
Facebook Uploaded 1.5 Million Email Contacts
Oh dear, oh dear. Facebook admits uploading email contact data on 1.5 million people without consent
Vodafone Gigafast Ad Banned After Virgin Complaint
Gigafast broadband service advert gets Vodafone into hot water with advertising watchdog
UK Porn Viewers To Face Age Checks From 15 July
No 'summer loving' for British porn viewers if they fail to verify their age from mid July
Wipro Hires Forensic Firm After Hack
Firm investigates alleged hack of IT systems that are being used to launch attacks against customers
Samsung Not Involved After Alleged ASML Theft
South Korean giant says it respects intellectual property and is disappointed at certain media reports
Fully Automated Vehicles ‘More Than Ten Years Away’
Developers see major technical challenges in making automated cars road-worthy – and adapting to a regulatory environment that doesn't yet exist
Microsoft Turns Down Police Contract Over AI Bias Concerns
Ethical use of AI prompted Redmond to turn down chance to win police facial recognition contract
Twitter CEO Admits Platform Encourages Outrage
World of nastiness? Jack Dorsey admits that Twitter currently incentivised people "to post outrage"
Intel Exits 5G For Smartphones After Apple Settlement
No surprise. Intel confirms 5G smartphone modem exit, after Apple and Qualcomm kiss and make up
Apple Surprises With Qualcomm Settlement
Billion dollar lawsuits around the world halted after Apple agrees to pay Qualcomm undisclosed sum
Mind Your Language: Why AI-powered comparative linguistics is the perfect complement to marketing instinct
How AI-powered comparative linguistics can help firms with their marketing efforts
GitHub’s Latest Atom Beta Gets In-Editor Review Comments
The popular text editor now allows developers to manage pull request review comments without leaving the program
Rootkit Malware Hijacks Systems To Drive Advertising Traffic
Scranos first appeared last November, but has already spread to tens of thousands of systems around the world
Rakuten Takes Applications Ahead Of Cryptocurrency Exchange Launch
Rakuten Wallet is one of several major crypto-asset platforms arriving in Japan in the coming weeks, even as authorities battle against soaring losses due to theft and scams
Huawei ‘Open’ To Becoming Apple’s 5G Chip Supplier
Apple has few choices where it comes to 5G smartphone tech, as it launches massive court battle with Qualcomm
US To Seek Tougher European 5G Security Rules At Prague Summit
The US has said it believes a 'rigorous' application of security rules will effectively mean banning Huawei from next-generation networks
Netherlands Task Force To Probe 5G Security Amid Huawei Furore
Meanwhile, Belgium says it has found no evidence so far that Huawei equipment could be used for spying
Hackers Access Microsoft Email Accounts
The breach occurred at the beginning of this year after attackers compromised a customer support representative's login credentials
Apple’s £21bn Patent Lawsuit Against Qualcomm Arrives In Court
The row focuses on Qualcomm's lucrative licensing practices for patents and its dominant smartphone modems
Controversial EU Copyright Reform Clears Final Hurdle
EU member states, including the UK, adopt sweeping copyright changes intended to adjust rules for the digital age
Facebook Restores Services After Three-Hour Outage
Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram were all affected by the incident on Sunday
Gatwick Drone Attack ‘May Have Been Inside Job’
Gatwick officials say the attacker had knowledge of airport procedures and may have monitored its communications networks
Facebook Messenger App To Be Ditched, Researcher Claims
Messaging service may be incorporated back into main Facebook app, after trial was spotted by researcher
No Nationalised 5G Networks, Says President Trump
No nationalised 5G. Private sector is best way to deploy nationwide 5G networks, says President Trump
Facebook Doubles Spending On Zuckerberg’s Protection
After a year of scandals and controversy, Facebook spends $22.6 million to keep Mark Zuckerberg safe
Each Police Force Gets Dedicated Cybercrime Unit
Government cash injection means each police force in England and Wales has now got its own dedicated cybercrime unit
Tech Firms Face Test On Their Algorithms For Bias
Computer algorithms and artificial intelligence systems will be required to show they are neutral on race, gender and other biases
Russian Parliament Passes Bill To Isolate Internet
Controversial law would route Russian web traffic through points controlled by Russian government
IT Life: Allan Alford, Mitel
Mitel chief information security officer Allan Alford talks about evolving security challenges, machine learning – and how he unexpectedly ended up with an iPhone
Chipmaker ASML Admits IP Theft, But Rejects China Claim
Dutch chipmaker says workers in US stole intellectual property, but rejects Chinese espionage implications
Amazon Workers Listen To Alexa Recordings – Report
Are you listening Alexa? Amazon staff are “reviewing” audio clips of people speaking to their Echo smart speakers
Home Office Admits EU Citizen Breach
Government department blames 'administrative error' for disclosure of hundreds of email addresses
Julian Assange Dragged From Ecuadorian Embassy And Arrested
After seven year stand-off, Wikileaks co-founder Julian Assange is arrested by British police
Microsoft, AWS Shortlisted For Pentagon Cloud Contract
Two leading cloud providers shortlisted for Pentagon cloud computing contract after Google withdraws
Majority Of Hotels Leak Personal Data – Symantec
Leaky hotels. Symantec study finds 67 percent of hotels worldwide leak guests' personal information
Google Partners For Open Source Tech On Cloud Platform
Google announces 'strategic partnerships' with seven open source companies, as CEO questions rivals' attitudes
Microsoft Disputes FCC Broadband Coverage Figures
Redmond disagrees with US regulator's claim of improving broadband coverage in the United States
Toddler Disables Dad’s Apple iPad For 48 Years
Bit of a wait. A father will have to wait until 2067 before he can try to unlock his Apple iPad
Google’s Wing Drones To Begin Deliveries In Australia
Google claims launch of world's first commercial drone delivery service in the land down under
Facebook Improves AI For Dealing With Deceased Members
Artificial intelligence to identify profiles of those who have passed away, to stop pain for family
Google Transatlantic Cable Transmits 250TB/s Of Data
More speed vicar? Google Cloud customers in European to gain boost from undersea cable to US capable of carrying 250TB per second
Slack Deepens Microsoft Office Integration
Users can now more easily access Outlook calendar events and emails and OneDrive files from within Slack
Connected Car Rules Blocked In European Parliament Vote
The European Commission's proposal has fuelled opposition from network operators, who say it's incompatible with Europe's 5G rollout ambitions
Facebook Changes User Terms Under Pressure From European Commission
The changes for the first time clearly spell out Facebook's business model of selling user data for use in targeted advertising
Prolific London-Based Ransomware Blackmailer Jailed
Zain Qaiser's malware-laced adverts are thought to have brought in more than £4m in ransom payments from users in 20 countries
China Looks To Phase Out Bitcoin Mining
The biggest crypto-mining companies are based there, but China may now list the activity amongst the 'undesireable' economic sectors destined for elimination
Study Highlights ‘Relentless’ Attacks On Critical Infrastructure
A Ponemon Institute report finds critical systems being taken offline by cyber-attacks, with security teams struggling to gain a clear picture of the IT systems they are trying to protect
Data Protection Regulator To Probe EU Institutions’ Contracts With Microsoft
The investigation follows a Dutch report that found privacy concerns with the way Microsoft held public authorities' data in a US-based data centre
Ministers Call For Scottish Police To Delay Rollout Of Phone-Hacking Tech
MSPs say more work is needed on the privacy and human rights implications of the controversial tools, which bypass phone encryption to access personal data
US Defence Department Sees Global Division Over 5G Standards
Military study warns the US may be the only country to widely use the 5G mmWave standard, with the rest of the world using sub-6 networks – led by China
Vestager Calls For Europe To ‘Take The Lead’ On Digital Tax
European countries should push ahead with taxes aimed at fairer digital taxation and allow the rest of the world to catch up, says EU competition commissioner
NCSC Expert Calls Huawei Security ‘Very, Very Shoddy’
Huawei gear could be banned from Westminster over 'poor' engineering practices, says NCSC technical director
Government Publishes Social Media Regulation Plans
White paper calls for an independent regulator that would write a code of conduct covering illegal or dangerous content – and would have the power to impose huge fines
Most IT Bosses Hold Off Critical Patches To Keep Business Operational – Study
Patchy patching. Tanium's study reveals the scale of security compromises made by IT departnments, just to keep businesses running
Vodafone Turns On 5G At Birmingham Train Station
But will it make the trains run on time? Birmingham New Street become first train station to trial 5G network
Google Disbands AI Advisory Council
That lasted long. Google pulls the plug on AI council over concern of a couple of its female members
Former Mozilla CTO Ordered To Unlock Devices At US Border
Apple staffer and American citizen Andreas Gal detained by US border agents after refusing to unlock devices
Hackers Overcome University Cyber Defences In Hours
Ethical hackers take down university cyber defences and obtain valuable data in just two hours
Apple Loses Confidence In Intel’s 5G Chip Deadline – Report
Apple reportedly expands own engineering team to develop modem chips for forthcoming iPhones
Pharma Giant Bayer ‘Contains’ Cyber Attack
German firm detected hacker code and covertly monitored it for over a year, before clearing it from network
Facebook Takes Down Exposed User Data On Amazon Server
Mexican firm responsible however refuses to accept 540 million records on Facebook users was sensitive
MIT Cancels Huawei, ZTE Research Projects
One of the world’s top universities cuts its research ties with Huawei and ZTE, due to federal investigations
WhatsApp To Stop Users Being Added To Groups Without Consent
New privacy controls stops users being added to group chats they didn't give permission to join
Toyota Offers Free Access To Hybrid Car Tech
Hybrid car pioneer Toyota offers free access to technology patents, as move to full electric vehicles continues
Chinese National Detained After Accessing Trump Resort With Malware USB Stick
Woman with two Chinese passports charged, after entering Trump's Mar-a-Lago club with malware laden thumb drive
Iran Conducted Cyber Attacks On UK Infrastructure – Report
Cyber attacks that targetted UK infrastructure in December were conducted by Iran, says media report
Russia Regularly Uses GPS Spoofing – Report
When Russian President Vladimir Putin comes to town, a bubble of spoofed GPS signals surrounds him
South Korea Launches Commerical 5G Network
Speed for need. Asian nation launches commercial 5G network, with monthly costs of £37 (and upwards) per month
Study Finds ‘Systemic’ Mobile Financial App Insecurity
Tools including retail banking apps fail to take appropriate precautions to stop their software and systems from being hacked, researchers discover
Okta Launches Hybrid Cloud Identity Management
At its Oktane19 conference, the cloud identity management firm also launches a new service for securing access to critical enterprise servers
After Months In Doldrums, Bitcoin Surges Over $5,000
After a 74 percent drop in 2018, Bitcoin has showed relatively little activity this year – but its sudden rise causes other crypto-assets to jump
Mozilla Looks To Reduce Push Notification Spam
The browser conducts experiments as it looks for ways to stop irksome push notification requests from bombarding Firefox users
Google Pulls Plug On Failed Google+ Social Network After Data Breach
Other products retired this spring include Inbox by Gmail, the Goo.gl URL shortener and older Pixel smartphones
ICO Calls On Facebook To Prove It’s Sincere On Regulation
If Facebook is truly in favour of stronger social media rules, it should revisit its appeal of last year's £500,000 fine over the Cambridge Analytica leak, says information commissioner
Microsoft Claims Speed Edge With Open Source Python Type Checker
Microsoft's Pyright runs independently of Python, intended to give it a performance boost over rivals such as Mypy – but it remains a work in progress
Hackers Swipe Card Data From Planet Hollywood Parent
More than 2 million card details went up for sale online in February, following a hack that began in May of last year
Automatic Broadband Compensation Scheme Comes Into Effect
Broadband providers to make automatic user payouts for missed engineer appointments and delays to repairs or installations
Apple Pulls Plug On Wireless Charging Plans Over Technical Issues
Engineers speculate Apple may have found it difficult to make AirPower meet stringent regulations on heat and electromagnetic interference
Google’s DeepMind Prepares Clinical Device For Eye-Scan Diagnoses
London-based AI unit demonstrates real-time diagnosis of eye health using cloud-based prototype, as it plans clinical trials
Facebook’s Call For Regulation Meets With Scepticism
As political pressure mounts, Mark Zuckerberg calls for a common regulatory framework covering issues such as harmful content, misinformation and privacy