US Senate set to resume debate of $250bn US Innovation and Competition Act that looks to counter the global influence of Chinese technology
TECHNOLOGY POWERING BUSINESS
May 2021
US Proposes $750m For Federal SolarWinds Response
Budget proposed by US president Joe Biden includes $750m for federal agencies affected by SolarWinds attack to improve cybersecurity infrastructure
Bitcoin Heads For Worst Slide In Nearly 10 Years
Bitcoin loses nearly 40 percent of value this month over regulatory and environmental concerns, in worst performance since September 2011
‘Twitter Blue’ Subscription Service Appears On App Stores
'Twitter Blue' subscription service expected to offer features such as 'Undo' button for tweets, 'Reader Mode' and 'collections' of bookmarks
Amazon Introducing ‘Wellness Booths’ Into Warehouses
Users on social media deride 'AmaZen' booths in warehouses as a 'mobile despair closet' as company faces increased criticism of working conditions
Tesla In-Car Cameras To Monitor Driver Awareness
Tesla begins using cameras mounted above rear-view mirror to monitor driver awareness while Autopilot is active, but says data won't leave vehicle
Police Raid Bitcoin Mining Operation
West Midland police raid industrial estate location stealing electricity on a drugs warrant, but location was mining cryptocurrency, not growing pot
Openreach Doubles Rural Full Fibre Deployment Target
Good new for rural broadband as Openreach doubles its target for 1Gbps full fibre to 6.2 million rural homes and premises
SolarWinds Hackers Target Government Agencies, NGOs, Microsoft Warns
Russia-based hackers that attacked SolarWinds are targetting government agencies, think tanks and others in fresh campaign, Microsoft warns
Amazon’s Jeff Bezos To Step Down 5 July
Jeff Bezos will step down at CEO on 5 July, on what he admits is a sentimental date after nearly 30 years in charge of Amazon
German Police Investigate Possible Arson At Tesla’s Gigafactory
Arson attack? German police investigate fire at construction site of Tesla Gigafactory, after far left group claims responsibility
Microsoft’s Nadella Hints At Significant Windows Update
Major update is coming for the veteran Windows 10 operating system, CEO Satya Nadella teases at Microsoft Build conference
Twitter Concerned For Staff Safety, Alleges ‘Intimidation Tactics’ By Indian Police
Twitter concerned for the safety of its staff in India, after law enforcement visits local offices, which it says is police 'intimidation tactics'
Uber Recognises GMB Trade Union In Historic Move
Another noteworthy gig economy change. Months after Uber granted British drivers workers rights, the firm recognises GMB trade union
Facebook Lifts Ban On ‘Man-Made Covid-19’ Posts
Posts about Coronavirus coming from Wuhan lab will no longer be labelled as 'fake news', as President Biden orders origin probe
Bank of England Head Warns Cryptocurrencies Are Dangerous
The Governor of the Bank of England continues to express serious concerns about cryptocurrencies, telling MPs they are dangerous
Tesla To Drop Radar And Use Camera-based Autopilot
Several new models from electric car maker will utilise a camera-only Autopilot going forward, as Tesla drops radar sensor
Amazon Buys James Bond Studio MGM For $8.5bn
Significant development in the streaming war, as Amazon purchases veteran film studio MGM for $8.45 billion
WhatsApp Sues Indian Government Over Surveillance Law
Privacy champion? Facebook's WhatsApp division alleges controversial new law gives Indian government mass surveillance capabilities
Google Approved To Build Mega Campus In San Jose
Positive news for California, after San Jose city council approves Google plan to build multi-billion dollar campus spanning 80 acres
Amazon Sued By Washington DC’s Attorney General
District of Columbia alleges Amazon broke antitrust laws by insisting third-party sellers not offer better deals on other platforms
US To Issue Cyber Protection Rules For Pipelines After Colonial Hack
Amid Colonial Pipeline hack fallout, US DHS issues cyber protection rules for American pipelines to safeguard critical infrastructure
Hack Exposes Data Of 4.5 Million Air India Passengers
Air India warns passengers their personal information including passport data, has been compromised in SITA software breach
Russia Threatens Google With Online Slowdown
Roskomnadzor watchdog says Google services will be slowed down in Russia if it fails to remove so called “unlawful content”
Huawei To Launch Harmony 2.0 Operating System Next Week
Huawei's Android replacement operating system for mobile handsets and devices, Harmony OS 2.0, will be officially launched next week
Florida To Prevent Tech Firms ‘Deplatforming’ Political Figures
After Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook ban Donald Trump, Florida governor signs bill to prevent political candidates being removed from social media
Insurance Firm CNA Pays $40m To Ransomware Criminals
When it will end? One of the largest insurance firms in the United States has reportedly paid hackers a staggering $40 million ransom
Your Remote Working Tech Stack
As businesses look to embrace permanent remote working and endpoint security moves to employees' homes, what tech stack is needed to support these workers in secure digital environments, and how does this brave new world of work impact ...
Musk Speaks Of Russia Plans In Chat With Students
Telsa and SpaceX chief Elon Musk speaks warmly of Russia's 'talent and energy' in chat with Russian students, says he is open to Russian factory 'at some point'
Bitcoin Sinks Further After China Extends Crackdown
Senior Chinese official announces more restrictions on cryptocurrencies, prompting Bitcoin and other coins to extend week of losses
White House Signals Compromise On Broadband Funding
Biden administration indicates willingness to accept Republicans' lower funding offer for broadband plan, amidst negotiations over broader $2tn package
Snap Acquires British AR Display Maker WaveOptics
Snapchat company buys WaveOptics, maker of displays for augmented-reality glasses, for more than $500m amidst increased competition in emerging field
Snap Offers AR Glasses To ‘Select Creators’
Snap moves cautiously into augmented reality field with AR glasses offered to select creators of Snapchat's popular 'Lens' effects
Experts Call For Coordinated Response To Cyber-Attacks
International law-enforcement and cyber-security groups call lack of coordination a 'ticking time-bomb' affecting globalised supply chains
Apple Chief Tim Cook Takes Stand In Epic Games Trial
Apple chief executive Tim Cook takes stand in legal dispute with Epic Games over whether App Store constitutes an illegal monopoly
Apple Executive Admits Mac Malware Problem
Software boss Craig Federighi admits Apple Mac computers have an unacceptable amount of malware, unlike the iPhone platform
Google To Open Retail Store In New York
Good idea? Google retail store in New York’s Chelsea neighbourhood will sell Pixel phones, FitBit devices and Nest products
Ireland Tests Decrypt Tool After ‘Catastrophic’ Ransomware Attack
Tool being tested after 'stomach-churning' ransomware attack that crippled Ireland's health IT systems during Coroavirus pandemic
Virgin Media, O2 Merger Achieves Final Clearance By CMA
CMA gives its official blessing to merger of O2 and Virgin Media, after being 'reassured that competition … will remain strong'
Google I/O: Android 12 Boasts Major Redesign
Google I/O: With few hardware (Pixel etc) announcements, Google confirms massive redesign for Android 12, including new look and feel
Microsoft Confirms Internet Explorer To End On 15 June 2022
Redmond will cease support for Internet Explorer 11 in mid June next year, over a quarter of a century since IE was first launched
Twitter Drops Picture Cropping Tool Over Bias Concern
Twitter confirms it has abandoned a picture cropping algorithm after an indepth investigation confirmed racial and gender bias
Colonial Pipeline CEO Confirms Ransom Payment
Despite paying the ransom to cyber criminals, some internal Colonial Pipeline systems are still reportedly not functioning
ByteDance’s CEO And Co-Founder To Step Down
CEO and co-founder of TikTok's owner ByteDance will step down - explaining he is not very social and lacks interest in managing people
IFA 2021: Berlin Show Cancelled Amid Coronavirus Vaccine Worry
IFA consumer trade show to be held in Berlin in September has been cancelled, with organisers citing concern about the vaccine rollout
US Senate Democrats Propose $52 Billion For US Chip Production
Democrat leader in the US Senate revises legislation to approve $52 billion plan to ramp up US semiconductor manufacturing
German Watchdog Opens Fresh Amazon Investigation
Amazon faces a third antitrust investigation in Germany; this time examining if it has exploited its market dominance in the country
Bitcoin Value Plummets Again To Pre-Tesla Levels
Digital currency demonstrates its volatility as it falls another 20 percent, removing all its gains after the Tesla stake announcement
Amazon Extends Police Ban On Facial Recognition
With the deadline of its one-year moratorium on police use of its facial recognition software fast approaching, Amazon makes ban 'indefinite'
Tesla Crash In China Kills Policeman – Report
Car maker Tesla says it will fully co-operate with authorities, after two police officers were reportedly struck by a Model X
BT Targets Hull To Begin Removal Of Huawei Kit – Report
BT begins program to remove Huawei equipment from its 4G and 5G mobile network, with Hull in East Yorkshire being the first location
Former NCSC Head Dismantles Russia’s SolarWinds Claim
Director of Russia’s SVR said the West was actually behind SolarWinds hack, but NCSC's former boss Ciaran Martin dismantles that statement
Elliptic Tracks Bitcoin Wallet Used For Ransom Paid by Colonial Pipeline
Bitcoin wallet used by DarkSide to receive ransom payments has been identified by Elliptic, and it revealed criminals had received $90 million
Twitter Paid Service ‘Twitter Blue’ To Cost $2.99
Monthly subscription costing $2.99 will give Twitter users advanced features, including an 'undo' option and 'collection' facility for tweets
Microsoft Investigated Bill Gates Over Alleged Affair With Employee
Bill Gates resignation from Microsoft board in 2020 reportedly came amid investigation of alleged affair with Microsoft employee
The New Normal of Cyber Security
The leaked memo from Facebook that defines the 'normalising' data leaks is a worrying development. In this feature, we consider if a shifting attitude to data leaks making these incidents just a consequence of doing business could redu ...
Waymo Taxi In Arizona Confused By Blocked Road
Self-driving Waymo taxi blocks road after lane is closed down, and it escapes the roadside assistance staff sent to fix the problem
Colonial Pipeline Paid Ransomware Criminals $5m – Report
Multiple US media outlets report that DarkSide criminal gang has been paid $5 million after devastating Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack
Ireland Shuts Down Health IT System After Ransomware Attack
The health service in Ireland has suffered a 'significant ransomware attack' and has shut down IT systems
Price For Microsoft Surface Duo Slashed In US
Another Microsoft phone failure? Seven months after Redmond's dual screen smartphone device went on sale, and prices are being halved
NHS Covid-19 App Saved Up To 8,700 Lives, Says Research Paper
NHS contact tracing app used in England and Wales during Coronavirus pandemic saved thousands of lives, research suggests
Google Cloud, SpaceX Sign Deal For Enterprise Cloud Services
Elon Musk's SpaceX is to deliver Google Cloud services to enterprises at the 'network edge', via the Starlink constellation
Google Fined 100 Million Euros By Italian Antitrust Regulator
Stiff penalty imposed by Italian watchdog over Google's alleged decision to restrict access of one Italian firm to its Android Auto platform
Colonial Pipeline Posted Security Job Before Ransomware Attack
Posting for security manager job at Colonial Pipeline was made weeks before devastating ransomware attack on major US pipeline
BT Raises FTTP Target To 25 Million Premises
Despite a tough financial year, an extra five million premises has been added to BT's deployment of FTTP broadband, creating thousands more jobs
Bitcoin Plunges After Elon Musk Rules It Out For Tesla Purchases
Bitcoin blow. Elon Musk says Tesla it has suspended use of Bitcoin by customers, due to its heavy use of fossil fuel during mining
Foreign Secretary Warns Russia About Ransomware Attacks
Dominic Raab warns Russia it cannot continue to shelter criminal gangs carrying out ransomware attacks on Western nations
Most Users Opt Out Of iOS App Tracking – Flurry Analytics
Expected blow for advertising industry, as new figures show a clear majority of people refuse to allow iOS apps to gather tracking data
Amazon Wins Tax Appeal Against European Commission
Europe tax setback? EU's General Court rules the European Commission failed to prove Amazon enjoyed an illegal tax advantage from Luxembourg
UK To Fine Social Media Firms That Fail To Remove Abuse
Social networking giants face stiff fines if harmful content is not removed, under the Government's much touted 'Online Safety Bill'
US Removes Xiaomi From DoD Blacklist
Shares in Xiaomi rally after US DoD removes Trump's blacklisting of Chinese smartphone maker over alleged ties to the Chinese military
German Regulator Orders Facebook To Stop Using WhatsApp Data
Three month data collection ban. Facebook has been banned by regulator from processing the personal data from German WhatsApp users
Apple Sued Over Excessive App Store Charges
More legal headaches. Landmark class action lawsuit filed in the UK against Apple, over its 'excessive and unlawful' fees for its App Store
Brand Voice
Ransomware on the Rise: How to Keep Your Data Safe
In a world where reliance on computers and networking is more notable than ever, the number of cyberattacks is rising at unprecedented rates. Ransomware attacks are the newest member of the gang. They can be quite risky because once ...
Queen’s Speech: Government Targets Skills, Advanced Research, Online Safety
Government unveils ambitious raft of changes including a lifetime skills guarantee, an advanced research agency, online safety, and many more
Chip Shortage To Last A Few Years, Warns Michael Dell
Head of one of the world's largest PC makers has warned the ongoing silicon shortage is likely to persist for several years
NTSB Reveals Preliminary Findings On Fatal Tesla Crash
Federal agency investigating 'driverless' Tesla car crash that killed two men, says Autosteer was unlikely to have been operating
Colonial Pipeline Hack Was Not Intended To ‘Create Problems’
Russian criminal gang that hit major US fuel pipeline with ransomware attack, claim they are just seeking money, not creating 'problems'
Pentagon Mulls JEDI Contract Cancellation Amid Legal Fight
The Pentagon may cancel the JEDI contract altogether and start over, due to the legal battle raging over Microsoft's award
Uber Seeks To Calm Investor Jitters Over US Regulatory Threat
Uber shares fall after company discloses first costs in reclassifying UK drivers, while US administration promises review of contractor issue
US Bill Would Create White House ‘Chief Manufacturing Officer’
US Senate drafts bill worth $110bn that would create White House-level manufacturing chief to build up supply chain resiliency, counter China threat
Amazon Loses Opening Round In Union Vote Challenge
Labour board rejects Amazon request to be informed of witnesses' identities in advance, as union challenges loss of landmark Alabama organisation vote
Silicon UK Podcast: Mental Health in the Tech Sector
In this week’s podcast we focus on mental health in tech businesses. As this week is Mental Health Awareness Week, Silicon UK wanted to consider this aspect of tech business. To gain expert insight into how mental health is managed in ...
Germany’s Biggest Union Sets Sights On Upcoming Tesla Plant
Germany's largest union IG Metall reportedly has its sights on organising labour at Tesla's upcoming Berlin factory, in spite of a lack of enthusiasm from the company
US Carmakers Urge Congress To Prioritize Auto Chips
US automakers urge Congress to prioritise semiconductors for the auto industry after President Joe Biden proposes $50bn to boost domestic chip production
Virgin Media Ranked Worst For Broadband, Mobile Wait Times
Virgin Media kept customers waiting longest on customer service calls for both mobile and broadband, while giffgaff and EE ranked best
Twitter Tests ‘Tip Jar’ Payments Feature
Twitter begins limited testing of 'Tip Jar' feature for sending money to other accounts, as users raise ethical and privacy questions
Cryptocurrency Warning From Bank Of England Governor
Blunt message from Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey, warning people only to buy cryptocurrency if prepared to lose all the money
Jeff Bezos Offloads $2 Billion In Amazon Shares
Needs some spending money...Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos has this week sold nearly $2 billion worth of Amazon stock for his other projects
Twitter Suspends Account Sharing Trump Posts
Shutdown again. An account has been suspended by Twitter for sharing the posts from Donald Trump's new communications mouthpiece
IBM Claims Breakthrough With 2 Nanometer Chip
Research boffins at IBM are touting a major leap forward in performance and energy efficiency with a 'world first' 2nm chip
Twitter Now Prompts Users To Revise ‘Harmful Replies’
Trolls beware. Twitter releases feature that will deliver a 'reconsider prompt' for users, if they trying to tweet something nasty or mean
Old Routers Pose Security Risk, Warns Which?
Elderly routers that can no longer receive firmware updates posed security risk to millions of people, consumer group Which? warns
Trump Slams ‘Total Disgrace’ Of Continued Facebook Ban
Former US President Donald Trump lashes out at Facebook and other tech firms that have banned him from their respective platforms
SpaceX Starship Successfully Lands Vertically
After a few explosions and failures along the way, the futuristic Starship from SpaceX successfully returns to earth and lands upright
Google Outlines Remote Working For Staff Going Forward
Google backtracks on remote working restrictions, and offers staff more flexible options for working at the office or home
Signal Shows Data Collection Adverts Facebook Rejected
Signal has had user-targetted adverts on Instagram blocked, as messaging service attempts to highlight Facebook data collection
Oversight Board Upholds Trump’s Facebook Suspension
Bad news for Donald. Facebook's 'Supreme Court' upholds suspension of Donald Trump account, but asks FB to review decision in six months
US Presses TSMC For More Chips For Car Makers
Global silicon shortage continues, as US Commerce Department presses Taiwanese chipmakers to ease the supply pain for car makers
Starlink Signs Up 500,000 Pre-Orders For Satellite Internet
Elon Musk space venture SpaceX has already signed 500,000 customers on pre-order for its Starlink satellite broadband service
Brand Voice
Sinequa: an insight engines leader driving digital transformation
For the fifth time, Sinequa, an Intelligent Enterprise Search provider, was recognized as a Leader in Gartner’s 2021 Magic Quadrant for Insight Engines. An unprecedented success that the company, which has been operating in this sector ...
Apple Vs Epic Games Court Battle Continues
Second day of courtroom showdown in the US reveals Epic Games management would have accepted a special commission deal with Apple
Trump Launches ‘Communications’ Website
Banned from social media for instigating US Capitol riot, Trump launches 'straight from the desk' website to publish his content
Intel To Invest $3.5bn To Expand New Mexico Factory
Chip giant Intel is to ramp up its manufacturing capability at its New Mexico factory, and will add 3D packaging manufacturing capabilities
Apple Hires Google AI Scientist Samy Bengio
Apple hires another Google scientist, after Samy Bengio resigned from Google over its alleged 'firing' of Dr Timnit Gebru
Bill And Melinda Gates To Divorce
Microsoft co-founder and one of the world's richest men, Bill Gates has confirmed his 27 year marriage is to end
Verizon Sells Internet Icons AOL, Yahoo
Expensive ownership of Internet icons AOL and Yahoo comes to an end, after Verizon announces sale to private equity group
BT Half Price Fibre Broadband For Low Income Households
More than four million households on Universal Credit could benefit after BT confirms at-cost social tariff for fibre broadband
Apple Developing Foldable iPhone For 2023 – Report
Noted Apple analyst predicts Apple will launch a foldable iPhone in 2023, as next innovation for high-end smartphones after 5G
Android ‘Exposes’ Covid-19 Contact Tracing Data
Android devices expose contact tracing data to hundreds of third-party apps, finds analysis of 'privacy-first' Apple-Google framework
NASA Halts Moon Lander Work After Contract Challenge
NASA orders SpaceX to halt work on Moon rocket programme after Blue Origin accuses SpaceX of space exploration 'monopoly'
Intel Seeking ‘£7bn In Public Subsidies’ For EU Chip Fab
Intel chief executive Pat Gelsinger reportedly says company is seeking about £7bn in public subsidies for European chip fab as EU looks to expand capacity
Apple Expects Chip Shortage To Hit iPad, iMac Supply
Apple chief executive Tim Cook says he expects global chip shortage to constrain supply of new iPad Pro and iMac 2021, which both use new M1 chip
Australian Man Charged Over Falsifying Covid-19 QR Code
South Australian man charged over allegedly covering shop's Covid-19 check-in code with a false one that led users to an anti-vaccination site
Action Urged Over Ransomware ‘National Security Threat’
International coalition urges coordinated, government-led strategies for dealing with ransomware as hospitals, public services targeted
EU Charges Apple Over App Store ‘Monopoly’
European Commission says Apple breaches EU competition law by levelling 'high' fees on music streaming services while promoting its own competing app