The owner of video chat app Houseparty claims a commercial rival has engaged in a smear campaign, and is offering £1 million for proof
TECHNOLOGY POWERING BUSINESS
March 2020
Coronavirus: Google Pledges $800 Million For Covid-19 Crisis
Search engine giant pledges $800 million to fight against Coronavirus, mostly with the provision of free advertising for organisations
Russia To Delay Electronic Sales Ban
Delay to implementation of law banning sales of electronic devices in Russia unless they come pre-loaded with Russian-made software
Samsung Display To Cease LCD Production By Year End
Confirmation that Samsung Display will end all production of liquid crystal display (LCD) panels in South Korea and China by year end
Coronavirus: UK Removes Data Caps For Home Broadband
Netflix bingeing...main ISPs and operators in the UK agree to remove data caps on fixed-line broadband during the Coronavirus pandemic
People may be working from home right now, but what next?
We're no longer talking about employees simply taking their work home with them from time to time, says Jean-Denis Garo, International Marketing Director at Mitel
US Plots New Huawei Restrictions Amidst China Tension
New restrictions approved by top-level cabinet officials would put Huawei under more pressure, while also hobbling US semiconductor manufacturing companies
UK Spearheads Quantum Key Distribution Breakthrough
Team headed by University of Glasgow develops technique for generating and detecting entangled photons at wavelength less susceptible to solar interference
Coronavirus: Apple Works With US Government On Covid-19 App, Website
Newly released app provides up-to-date information and advice from Centres for Disease Control and Prevention as well as self-screening questionnaire
Coronavirus: US Tech Giants To Help NHS Co-ordinate Covid-19 Data
Amazon, Microsoft and Palantir to help NHS process its own data and that of partners to boost critical resource allocation planning
Satellite Company OneWeb Collapses Amidst Pandemic Fallout
Satellite broadband company OneWeb runs out of cash, with lead investor SoftBank pulling out amidst financial chaos caused by coronavirus pandemic
Coronavirus: Experts Urge Caution Over Zoom Teleconference Security
As popularity of Zoom app spikes due to coronavirus pandemic, security experts urge users to pay attention to privacy and security implications
Coronavirus: Bill Gates Urges Total Shutdown To Halt Covid-19 Spread
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has warned over the last ten years about the dangers of a global pandemic. Today he calls for complete US shutdown
Coronavirus: Huawei Launches Flagship P40 Smartphone During Pandemic
Photography-focused P40 smartphone range launched by Chinese tech giant, as it contends with US restrictions, and potentially a chip ban
Coronavirus: Chinese Hackers APT41 Seek Exploits Amid Pandemic
Security researcher warn Chinese state-sponsored hackers are conducting a widespread campaign, despite the Coronavirus pandemic
Coronavirus: HP Laments Xerox Hostile Bid Amid Pandemic
HP has written to its shareholders to argue that now is not the time for an unsolicited takeover, with Xerox's 'irresponsible capital structure'
Coronavirus: Chip Makers Ask To Be Classified As Essential Businesses
Group representing major US chip makers ask US federal authorities to be classified as essential businesses, so factories can remain open
Coronavirus: Government To Order 10,000 Ventilators From Dyson
Urgent need to address potential shortage of ventilators, if Covid-19 epidemic goes full blown in the United Kingdom with mass causalities
Coronavirus: Cyber Experts Team Up To Battle Covid-19 Related Hacking
Taking on the criminals using the Coronavirus pandemic to carry out hacking, group of 400 cyber-security experts is established
Coronavirus: Contactless Payment Threshold To Rise From £30 to £45
The £30 limit for paying for groceries with tap-and-go contactless payment will be raised in the UK to £45 from 1 April in some stores
Coronavirus: BT Halts Home-Visits For Broadband Engineers
BT Openreach engineers will no longer visit homes to install new broadband connections, but exceptions will be made for the vulnerable
Coronavirus: Apple Stores To Reopen In April – Report
Internal memo allegedly says that Apple will begin reopening some stores in the first half of April, but which ones and in what countries remains unknown
Coronavirus: Facebook Admits Covid-19 Is Hurting Advertising Sales
Social networking giant Facebook says that Coronavirus is hitting its principle money-making capability, namely advertising sales
Coronavirus: Ofcom Advice For Staying Connected At Home
'Stay connected' campaign tells people to move routers away from other electrical devices and don't use microwave during video calls
New Challenges, New Skills
Soft skills still top of the requirement list for tech employers, according to data from online career and hiring marketplace Digital Profile. Learn which skills your business needs to stay competitive and profitable.
Coronavirus: British Courts To Adapt With Video Calling
With a temporary pause on new jury trials in British Crown Courts due to Coronavirus pandemic, Justice ministry says video calling must be used
Coronvirus: Netflix Cuts Traffic To India
Streaming giant says it will reduce traffic to India by 25 percent as India declares total lockdown due to Coronavirus pandemic
Coronavirus: Facebook Lowers Video Quality In South America
Following similar move in Europe, social networking giant confirms it is lowering video quality in South America to ease network congestion
Coronavirus: Mobile Users To Receive Government Alert
Unprecedented move sees all operators in UK sending out government message with Coronavirus shutdown details to mobile customers
Coronavirus: Cisco Commits $225 Million To Covid-19 Fight
Networking giant Cisco pledges nearly quarter of a billion dollars to help global community fight the Coronavirus pandemic
Coronavirus: WHO Expert Calls For Mobile Phone Tracking
Time to track? To ensure people follow self isolation, their smartphones need to be tracked, expert at World Health Organisation warns
Coronavirus: Facebook Joins Netflix, YouTube In Streaming Downgrade
Facebook confirms it will downgrade video streaming quality on its platform and on Instagram in Europe, until bandwidth concerns ease
OneWeb Launches More Satellites, Despite Bankruptcy Report
London-based broadband provider launches more satellites into space to increase coverage, despite Coronavirus and reports of bankruptcy move
Coronavirus: Russia Postpones Sovereign Internet Test
Official government test of Internet that is cut off from rest of the world cancelled by Russia, amid the global Coronavirus pandemic
Coronavirus: Smartphone Sales Collapse Globally
Global shipments of smartphones experience biggest ever fall in sales in February, as the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic bites
Coronavirus: Has The Government Requested Mobile Location Data?
Contradictory reports state the government has requested location data of citizens to see if they are obeying Coronavirus advice
Former Google Staffer Pleads Guilty To Trade Secret Theft
Former senior executive at Google's self-driving car project, who defected to Uber, pleads guilty to theft of trade secrets
Coronavirus: NetMedia Group Message To Our Readers
Message to the readers of Silicon UK, and all other NetMedia Group publications across Europe, in light of the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic
The Tap Economy Part 2: Screen Ecosystems
As mobile commerce grows and expands, how should businesses change and adapt to benefit themselves and their customers? Understanding the mobile generation of consumers is vital to ensure goods and services they want to buy are availab ...
Coronavirus: Netflix, YouTube Lower Streaming Quality To Ease Network Strain
Streaming platforms respond to requests to halt high-definition streaming, with confirmation that Europe will see reduction in video quality
SpaceX Blasts Off More Satellites, Amid Pandemic
Another 60 Starlink satellites fired off into Earth's orbit, as the Coronavirus sweeps the planet and communities below
Coronavirus: Netflix Urged To Stream Low Definition To Ease Network Strain
European Union Commissioner has urged Netflix and other streaming platforms to stop delivering content in high definition
Coronavirus: Tesla Suspends Production At Main Factory
Electric carmaker's main factory in California has ceased production for three weeks in bid to slow spread of the Covid-19 pandemic
New Apple MacBook Air Also Drops Butterfly Keyboard
Apple 'butterfly' keyboard experiment seems to be over, as updated MacBook Air launches with traditional 'scissor' mechanism keyboard
Coronavirus: Operators Share Location Data With Health Authorities
European mobile operators are sharing location data with health authorities in certain European countries to limit the spread of the pandemic
Coronavirus: Vodafone Confirms Mobile Data Traffic Up 50 Percent
World's second largest mobile operator, Vodafone, admits surge in data traffic on its network due to Coronavirus pandemic
Coronavirus: American Singer Blames 5G For Pandemic
Seriously? American singer/songwriter Keri Hilson blames 5G networks for the start of Coronavirus pandemic around the world
Coronavirus: AI Takes Over Social Network Moderation As Staff Sent Home
Social networks are turning to AI and automated tools to police social networking posts, as staff are sent home due to Covid-19 pandemic
Coronavirus: Outage Impacts O2, EE, Vodafone, Three
Mobile networks crash, causing outage for some customers of O2, Vodafone, EE and Three. But it is not down to home working because of Coronavirus pandemic
Bill Gates Steps Down From Microsoft Board
One of the world's richest men has stepped down from the board of the company he helped to create, to spend more time on his philanthropic priorities
Carphone Warehouse To Close All Standalone Stores
Nothing to do with the coronavirus outbreak...Carphone Warehouse to close all standalone stores, which will result in the loss of 2,900 jobs
Coronavirus: Amazon To Hire 100,000 Staff
We are hiring. Amazon is on a hiring spree for additional staff amid a surge of online orders, as the world battles the Coronavirus pandemic
Apple Pays VirnetX $454m Settlement For Decade-Long Patent Battle
VirnetX has declared victory in its long-running patent battle, after Apple pays it a settlement of $454m following supreme court defeat
Microsoft Adds Automatic Updates To Custom Linux Kernel
Latest version of Windows Subsystem for Linux uses Windows Update for automatic installation and updates of Microsoft's custom-built Linux kernel
Hackers Use Coronavirus Scare To Attack Government Systems
Attack groups make use of chaos around coronavirus to target organisations in Mongolia, South Korea, Ukraine, Vietnam and elsewhere
IBM To Build Europe’s First Quantum Computer In Germany
IBM to build Q System One quantum computer at Fraunhofer Institute in Stuttgart, allowing European researchers local access the tech
ZTE Targeted By New US Corruption Probe
Two years after export ban that nearly destroyed ZTE, US Justice Department now reportedly involved in a new probe into bribery and corruption
Coronavirus: Shares Stage Limited Recovery After Dramatic Declines
Tech companies amongst those affected by share swings as governments bolster efforts to limit economic fallout of coronavirus crisis
Coronavirus: Apple Moves Developer Conference To Online Format
Apple's WWDC is latest developer conference to be hit by coronavirus pandemic – even as company reopens all Chinese Apple Stores after a month of closure
Coronavirus: BT Boss Philip Jansen Tests Positive For Coronavirus
Scale of the Coronavirus pandemic in the UK revealed as BT chief executive Philip Jansen is confirmed as infected with the virus
Coronavirus: Amazon Offers Staff Unlimited Sick Days
Workers at Amazon can take unlimited sick days in March in an effort to try and stem the Coronavirus pandemic around the world
Pentagon To Reconsider Parts Of JEDI Cloud Contract Award
More bad news for Microsoft, as it is reported the Pentagon is requesting permission to reconsider parts of its decision to award JEDI contract to Azure
5G Declared Safe By Radiation Watchdog
International radiation experts in Germany declare there is no scientific evidence that 5G technology poses a threat to human health
EE Extends 5G Network In 21 Towns And Cities
Need for speed? 5G network of mobile operator EE is now available in more than 70 large towns and cities in the UK, it says
US Postpones Huawei Meeting, Amid Coronavirus Pandemic
Top-level meeting among Trump administration officials over further actions against Huawei, has been postponed amid the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic
HP Implements Punitive CEO Pay Off To Discourage Xerox
Another poison pill tactic to discourage Xerox's advances, sees HP management implementing a stiff pay out for CEO, post-takeover
Microsoft And Others Takedown Botnet Necurs
One of the world's largest botnets that was responsible for multiple scams and infected over nine million computers, has been taken down
Budget 2020: Chancellor Pledges £30 Billion Package Amid Coronavirus Outbreak
NHS funding rise, increased sick pay and £5 billion upgrade for broadband connectivity in remote areas to aid remote working
NSO Asks US Court To Sanction Facebook Over Lawsuit
NSO alleges Facebook failed to follow 'international law', after the Israeli firm failed to show up in US court to contest WhatsApp lawsuit
US Extends Huawei Trade Licence Again
US Commerce Department grants its fifth licence extension for Huawei, to allow the Chinese firm to continue trading with US companies
Why Traders Should Always Account for Extreme Weather When Investing
Boris Johnson Defeats MP Rebellion Over Hauwei Decision
Parliamentary rebellion from a number of Tory MPs over Government decision to allow Huawei limited role in 5G networks has been defeated
Coronavirus: Google Orders All North American Staff To Work From Home
Alphabet's Google division has ordered all of its Northern American staff to work from home, if possible, until at least 10 April
IBM’s Outgoing CEO Ginni Rometty Pockets $20m
Nice golden handshake for long-serving CEO and chairman Ginni Rometty, after she ends stint at IBM with $20.1 million payout
Hospitals At Risk Due To Outdated Operating Systems
Palo Alto Networks has warned in a new report that the healthcare sector is in 'critical shape' due to its equipment running outdated operating systems
Intel Argues EU Antitrust Decision In 2009 Was ‘Fundamentally Flawed’
Over a decade later the billion euro antitrust penalty levied against chip giant Intel, continues to be played out in court
Twitter’s Dorsey Survives Shareholder Revolt, Reconsiders Africa Move
Jack Dorsey survives intervention by activist shareholder group, after admitting he will reevaluate plans to move to Africa due to coronavirus outbreak
Mobile Operators Agree Shared Rural Network Deal
After some disagreements along the way, the £1 billion plan to eliminate mobile not-spots in rural areas, is agreed by all major players
Intel Hardware-Based Cryptography ‘At Risk’ From New Flaw
Flaw in Converged Security Management Engine could allow attackers to remotely extract root cryptographic key, leading to 'utter chaos', researchers warn
Government’s Huawei Decision Faces Parliamentary Inquiry
Commons defence committee now plans to review government's decision to allow Huawei a 5G role, as Conservative rebels seek a complete ban
Facebook Shutters London Offices After Coronavirus Infection
Company closes offices for 'deep cleaning' after visiting employee from Singapore diagnosed with coronavirus, as tech companies see impact around the world
Sonos Scraps Upgrade Scheme ‘Bricking’ Requirement
Sonos will no longer require existing users to permanently disable their speakers to take advantage of a 30 percent discount scheme
Virgin Media Breach ‘Disclosed Sensitive Data’
Exposed Virgin Media database links user details to requests to unblock pornographic and gambling sites, exposing customers to extortion attempts
Scammers Use Coronavirus Map To Spread Malware
Scammers are using fear around the coronavirus epidemic to spread malware via malicious email attachments, phishing messages and even a virus map
HP Rejects Xerox’s Sweetened Takeover Offer
Still a firm no. HP's board of directors tell Carl Icahn and Xerox that their $35 billion takeover offer still undervalues it
One Billion Android Phones At Hack Risk – Which?
Which? report warns hundreds of millions of Android phones are now at risk because they are no longer receiving security updates
Virgin Media Data Breach Impacts 900,000 Customers
Privacy gaffe. Personal data of 900,000 Virgin Media customers was left on an unsecured marketing database for ten months, ISP admits
International Women’s Day: Women in Tech
On International Women’s Day, Silicon UK celebrates women across the tech sector. With key insights, unique skillsets and a drive to succeed, women are transforming the technology sector.
The Spooky Network: Is the quantum network the future of the Internet?
Perfecting the quantum computer could finally be in reach. Data and communications are now an enterprise’s most precious asset. If a quantum network could be developed, what would this mean for businesses?
Boots Suspends Payments On Advantage Cards After Cyber-Attack
Second cyber-attack on a retailer's loyalty card scheme in the space of a week sees High Street chemist Boots suspend Advantage Card payments
Honeywell Plans To Launch Powerful Quantum Computer
High performance computing. Quantum computer to be build by Honeywell this year, and it claims it will be more powerful than IBM and Google's offering
Oracle To Cut 1,300 Jobs In Europe – Report
Oracle staff in Europe reportedly called in for meetings on Wednesday where they are warned 1,300 jobs will be cut at a number of locations
Is Your Next Employee Digital?
With skilled workers becoming increasingly hard to find, could a digital employee be the answer to chronic skills shortages?
Twitter Tests Disappearing ‘Fleets’ In Brazil
Twitter is testing tweets that disappear which it calls 'fleets', similar to features found in Snapchat and Instagram
Microsoft Asks Staff To Work From Home To Combat Coronavirus
Staff in Seattle and Silicon Valley to work from home, as Microsoft joins other companies trying to limit spread of coronavirus
Facebook Gives WHO Free Adverts To Battle Coronavirus
Free Facebook adverts for the World Health Organisation (WHO) says Mark Zuckerberg, as the spread of coronavirus continues around the world
US Senators Urge UK To Reconsider Huawei Decision
Bipartisan group of US senators urge the United Kingdom to reconsider decision to allow Huawei limited access for 5G networks
NSO Fails To Appear In Court After WhatsApp Lawsuit
NSO Group fails to show up in US court to contest WhatsApp spyware lawsuit, despite promising to 'vigorously fight' Facebook's allegations
Amazon Ring Logs All Doorbell And App Interactions
Privacy issue emerges as Amazon confirms it logs records of every motion detected by installed Ring doorbells, and interactions with its app
Facebook Rethinks Libra Digital Currency Plans – Report
Resistance from regulators around the world prompts Facebook to 'rethink' its plan for its Libra digital currency, it is reported
Xerox Launches Bid To Acquire All Outstanding HP Shares
Fight, fight, fight. Printer maker Xerox launches its official tender offer for all outstanding shares in PC giant HP
NCSC Issues Warning About Smart Camera, Baby Monitors
Internet of things security. 'Smart' security camera including baby monitors, need to be properly setup to avoid issues, warns NCSC
Tesco Warns 600,000 Clubcard Holders Of Fraud
Supermarket is issuing new cards to 600,000 Clubcard account holders after discovering some accounts had been compromised
Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey Faces Ousting Attempt By Shareholder
Activist shareholder Elliott Management has reportedly taken a sizeable stake in Twitter and is seeking Jack Dorsey's removal
Apple To Settle US iPhone Slowdown Lawsuit
Each user affected by the iPhone slowdown will be paid up to $25, in proposed $500 million litigation settlement in the United States
Microsoft Shuts Down Cortana Consumer Features
Cortana consumer capabilities pared back as Microsoft seeks to turn the virtual assistant into a chat interface for business-oriented commands
Drone Industry Up In Arms Over ‘Remote ID’ Regulations
US regulator proposes 'digital licence plate' for drones, but critics say regulations would be expensive and complex to implement
Amazon Tells Employees To Defer Travel As Coronavirus Impact Grows
Worldwide shares show biggest drop since 2008 as supply chains are disrupted, major events are cancelled and companies cut back on business travel
FCC Proposes To Fine US Telcos For Selling Location Data
Fines of more than $200m proposed for selling subscribers' real-time location data, but critics say the penalties are little more than a slap on the wrist
Vatican Joins With Microsoft, IBM In Call For AI Ethics
Pope Francis warns of commercial AI's potential to exacerbate societal 'asymmetry', joins with tech giants to call for regulation of facial recognition
Amazon Blocks 1 Million Misleading Coronavirus Product Listings
Company also battles price gouging on coronavirus-related products, as third-party sellers rush to cash in on virus' continued spread around the world