Technology news

• Word up! Microsoft may be building the iPhone's next big chat app

  20-05-2015 23:30
  
  Microsoft is reportedly working on bringing a new way to chat to the iPhone. Information on the app, called Flow, was leaked due to details posted on a publicly accessible site. (Whoops) Flow will work in tandem with Microsoft's existing Outlook app, and will boast "fast, fluid, natural conversation," according to the leaked details from a public site marked as "Microsoft Confidential." ZDNet believes this could be the email equivalent of Skype Qik, which is a lightweight ver
  
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• This racial slur leads Google Maps to the White House's doorstep

  20-05-2015 23:12
  
  At the heart of Google Maps is its search algorithm, which can be used to virtually travel to the Eiffel Tower or find a restaurant you were looking for, but didn't know the name of. However powerful, no algorithm is perfect. Today, users reported on a glaring loophole in the way that Google Maps associates search terms with results that it surfaces. Several prestigious institutions in the US, like the White House and Howard University could be found quickly by typing in derogatory slurs.It's no
  
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• Jade cuts its losses as it invests for growth

  20-05-2015 22:41 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  Christchurch-based Jade is winning port customers for its Master Terminal software and piloting a new wealth management application.
  
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• WWDC 2015: What to expect at Apple's iOS and OS X keynote

  20-05-2015 21:30
  
  iOS, OS X, Apple Watch and Apple TVA little more worldly and a little bit wider, Apple is bound to start off its Worldwide Developer Conference keynote touting inroads into China (worldly) and sales of the Apple Watch, a new product category (wider).At least, that's what we expect from minute one of WWDC 2015, which officially starts on June 8 at 11am Cupertino time, 1pm Eastern and 7pm BST. The Apple keynote will really get interesting when Tim Cook graces the stage, wearing an Apple Watch of c
  
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• Microsoft focuses on finesse with latest Windows 10 preview

  20-05-2015 20:42
  
  Ahead of the consumer launch of Windows 10 this summer, Microsoft has released a new preview build of the PC operating system to Windows Insiders. With the latest Insider Preview, Microsoft is shifting its strategy from one based on the release of new features to refining the features it already has."I think you'll see that this build is a bit more stable and polished than the last one, which is to be expected as we begin to stabilize for the public release this summer," Gabriel Aul, g
  
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• Google may launch its standalone photo service next week

  20-05-2015 20:28
  
  Google is reportedly severing its photo sharing and storage entity from Google+ and unveiling it as a new standalone service at Google IO 2015. Bloomberg reports that the new service, formerly Google+ Photos, will most likely feature editing tools, possibly even AutoAwesome, from Google+. It will also let users post directly to Facebook, Twitter, and other other social media, which Google presumably hopes will have wider appeal than its run as a Google+ service. Some may see the irony in the sep
  
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• Spotify moves into video and podcasts with major media partnerships

  20-05-2015 18:56 via feeds.theguardian.com
  
  Short-form videos and podcasts sourced from BBC, ESPN and Comedy CentralService will be launched in US, UK, Germany and Sweden Continue reading...
  
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• Spotify adds podcasts and video clips

  20-05-2015 18:14 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Spotify adds non-music content to its streaming app including brief news bulletins and longer video and audio podcasts.
  
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• Review: Spotify

  20-05-2015 18:00 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  UPDATE: Spotify CEO Daniel Ek today announced during a New York press conference that an all-new version of the popular streaming app will launch with the oft-rumored support for playlists and video content inside a shiny new interface. Also coming down the pipeline is a feature called Spotify Running, which can detect your running tempo and serve up a playlist based on your training intensity.Original review follows:Spotify was already the best music streaming service on the planet.But recent u
  
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• Troll uses Twitter adverts to urge transgender people to kill themselves

  20-05-2015 17:48 via feeds.theguardian.com
  
  Promoted tweet from fake account purporting to be that of Australian feminist campaigner inserts transphobic content into Twitter users’ timelinesTwitter users have expressed outrage at a troll’s use of Twitter’s promoted tweets to insert abuse targeting transgender people into their feeds.
  The troll account, pretending to be that of Australian activist and feminist campaigner Caitlin Roper, posted abuse and graphic images and promoted a tweet using Twitter’s paid-for native advertising
  
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• Encryption flaw fix blocks websites

  20-05-2015 17:26 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Web-browser makers are updating their software to fix an encryption flaw, but the action will make some websites inaccessible.
  
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• Russia threatens to ban Google, Twitter and Facebook over extremist content

  20-05-2015 16:56 via feeds.theguardian.com
  
  Communications watchdog says US companies could face sanctions over alleged ‘illegal activities’ under controversial bloggers law Continue reading...
  
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• Engineering prize names shortlist

  20-05-2015 16:44 via bbc.co.uk
  
  2015's shortlist for the MacRobert Award
  
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• Hundreds of tech companies line up to oppose TPP trade agreement

  20-05-2015 16:28 via feeds.theguardian.com
  
  Letter signed by more than 250 companies demands greater transparency and says ‘dangerously vague’ language would criminalise whistleblowers Continue reading...
  
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• US tech scene special: Tech weekly podcast

  20-05-2015 15:47 via feeds.theguardian.com
  
  From selfie drones to data protection, all the latest news from the US tech scene Continue reading...
  
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• Video raises concerns over Ukraine's treatment of Russian prisoners

  20-05-2015 15:32 via feeds.theguardian.com
  
  Release of footage of recently captured soldiers said to violate Geneva conventions. RFE/RL reports Continue reading...
  
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• Child spy firm hit by blackmailers

  20-05-2015 15:02 via bbc.co.uk
  
  A company that sells software for parents to spy on their children denies the personal data of 400,000 customers has been leaked online.
  
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• Airbus issues software bug alert after fatal plane crash

  20-05-2015 15:00 via feeds.theguardian.com
  
  Glitch found in engine software requires immediate checks after issue-plagued fleet is grounded Airbus has issued a critical alert calling for immediate checks on all its A400M aircraft after a report identified a software bug as having caused a fatal crash in Spain earlier this month. The aircraft manufacturer’s alert follows the crash of the new A400M military transport plane during a test flight in Seville, in which four Spanish air force crew members died and two were injured. Continue rea
  
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• Mark Shuttleworth: Why Ubuntu mobile really matters

  20-05-2015 14:46 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  A smartphone that can work as a desktop may be a long shot but the pursuit of mobile technology has brought many benefits to Ubuntu, according to Canonical founder Mark Shuttleworth.
  
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• PayPal penalised for 'deception'

  20-05-2015 14:38 via bbc.co.uk
  
  PayPal agrees to pay $25m following accusations that it deceived customers by signing them up to a credit-card-like scheme without their knowledge.
  
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• Where does Google Maps think you are?

  20-05-2015 14:35 via feeds.theguardian.com
  
  Google’s mapping app throws up some unusual responses for vanity searchers Continue reading...
  
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• Cannes 2015: Carol and Mad Max: Fury Road top social media radar

  20-05-2015 14:26 via feeds.theguardian.com
  
  Gus Van Sant’s The Sea of Trees, Woody Allen’s Irrational Man and Yorgos Lanthimos’s The Lobster pinch plenty of mentions onlineContinue reading...
  
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• Hands-on review: Oppo R7

  20-05-2015 14:05 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Oppo has just announced the R7 Plus – a new phablet for its mid-range device family – but it also comes with news of a sequel to the R5, the Oppo R7.There was much to like about the Oppo R5, not least the cheap price, but Oppo has built on what it had already achieved and thrown in a few more features to keep you interested. The R7 comes with a similar design to the R5 but subtle changes all over make it feel like a vast improvement and you notice it a few seconds after picking it up.There's
  
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• Review: Asus ROG G501

  20-05-2015 14:00 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Introduction and designGaming PCs have come a long way from the stuff of hardcore hobbyists and builders to the stuff of the masses. Smaller, faster and more efficient components have made capable gaming laptops commonplace. The heavy, bulky gaming laptops of the past have given way to sleek, portable designs with an emphasis on style as well as performance. When it comes to gaming, graphics are king, and manufacturers are moving toward Ultra HD screens. The Asus Republic of Gaming G501 is one s
  
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• Google Chrome add-on lets computers swap links using sound

  20-05-2015 13:52 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  The technology giant releases an extension for its Chrome browser that allows machines to swap information using audio - an idea inspired by the simplicity of talking to other people.
  
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• Hands-on review: Oppo R7 Plus

  20-05-2015 13:19 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Although it's set to have a mid-ranger like price tag, the Oppo R7 Plus comes with some high-end features you'd be disappointed to miss.We're out in China with Oppo celebrating the manufacturers 10th birthday and just got some time to check out the newly announced R7 Plus - a phablet version of the Oppo R7, the sequel to the Oppo R5.The new mid to high range device comes with a spec not to be sniffed at and a super low price in China - we're hoping to see that price make its way all over the wor
  
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• Evernote boss talks zombie emails, Apple Watch and sci-fi collaboration

  20-05-2015 13:14 via feeds.theguardian.com
  
  Plus Phil Libin’s next problem to solve: ‘Most products are still not cognitively ergonomic: they’re not made with an understanding of how the brain works’“I’ve got a new theory, which is that the reason zombie movies and TV shows are popular right now is that zombies are not that much of a stretch from how we feel about email.”Evernote chief executive Phil Libin is showing me the Mail icon on his iPhone’s homescreen, with an unread-emails notification so large – over 130,000 �
  
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• Amazon finds its own way around leap second problem - by skewing time instead

  20-05-2015 12:52 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  AWS says it will not be implementing a leap second at midnight June 30 and over 24 hours will veer off standard civil time.
  
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• Amazon find its own way around leap second problem - by skewing time instead

  20-05-2015 12:52 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  AWS says it will not be implementing a leap second at midnight June 30 and over 24 hours will veer off standard civil time.
  
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• Will Britain's Chirp be drowned out by Google Tone?

  20-05-2015 12:49 via bbc.co.uk
  
  A British app which transfers files using audio signals faces competition from Google's latest launch.
  
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• Plane crash linked to software fault

  20-05-2015 12:39 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Airbus suggests that a military plane crash might have been caused by a problem with the software that controlled its engines.
  
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• How London's Tech City is starting to grow up, whether it wants to or not

  20-05-2015 12:38 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  The capital's tech entrepreneurs are attracting big backers and creating major businesses, even if they don't look quite how some might have expected.
  
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• Google says sorry over racist Google Maps White House search results

  20-05-2015 11:52 via feeds.theguardian.com
  
  Searches using a racist slur return results pinpointing the White House in Washington DCGoogle has apologised after searches which include the racist slur “nigger” were shown to find the White House in Google Maps.Related: Where does Google Maps think you are?Continue reading...
  
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• Flickr faces complaints over 'offensive' auto-tagging for photos

  20-05-2015 10:49 via feeds.theguardian.com
  
  Auto-tagging system slaps ‘animal’ and ‘ape’ labels on images of black people, and tags concentration camps with ‘jungle gym’ and ‘sport’Flickr is facing a user revolt after a new auto-tagging system labelled images of black people with tags such as “ape” and “animal” as well as tagging pictures of concentration camps with “sport” or “jungle gym”.The system, which was introduced in early May, uses what Flickr describes as “advanced image recognition technology�
  
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• White House given racist name on Google

  20-05-2015 10:21 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Searching a racist word and "house" on Google takes you to the home of the US President, Barack Obama.
  
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• No, there is no evidence for a link between video games and Alzheimer’s disease

  20-05-2015 10:17 via feeds.theguardian.com
  
  Another day, another ridiculous headline about the apparently disastrous consequences of playing video games on the brain Continue reading...
  
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• Uber threatens legal action against Australian tax office

  20-05-2015 08:22 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  Uber said it is considering legal action against a decision which would force its drivers to pay GST on their first dollar earned from August.
  
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• Telstra discovers Pacnet security breach after takeover

  20-05-2015 07:31 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  Telstra was only informed about a breach of Pacnet's corporate IT systems shortly after finalising a takeover of the Asia-based telecommunications company.
  
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• Government not delivering on crowdfunding: Bowen

  20-05-2015 06:22 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  Australian Shadow Treasurer Chris Bowen has said that despite the hype, the government has not made sourcing crowdfunding in Australia any easier.
  
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• Uber lashes out at ATO ruling, saying it deserves different tax treatment to taxis

  20-05-2015 05:05 via feeds.theguardian.com
  
  ATO puts Uber in the same class as taxis under GST laws, deeming the ride-sourcing service to be different from other sharing economy participantsUber has argued it provides a “fundamentally different service” from taxis and deserves different tax treatment, despite an Australian Tax Office (ATO) ruling that ride-sharing drivers must charge goods and services tax.The company said it would challenge the ATO’s “flawed” decision. Related: Why cities need to fight Uber and give people a re
  
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• Tweets return to Google for US mobile users only

  20-05-2015 04:31 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  Twitter and Google have entered into a partnership that will see the search giant regain access to the Twitter firehose.
  
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• Vodafone Australia returns to growth

  20-05-2015 03:01 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  Vodafone has recorded its first growth in revenue since its infamous mobile network failures in 2010.
  
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• Dallas Buyers Club firm sued for Godzilla copyright infringement

  20-05-2015 02:32 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  The company chasing some 4,700 Australians for infringing on the copyright of Dallas Buyers Club is facing its own lawsuit for copyright infringement over an adaption of Godzilla.
  
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• Video game link to psychiatric disorders suggested by study

  20-05-2015 01:49 via feeds.theguardian.com
  
  Benefits, such as improved attention and perception, could come at a price, according to researchContinue reading...
  
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• Uber is taxi travel and must collect GST: Australian Taxation Office

  20-05-2015 01:31 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  The Australian Taxation Office has classified Uber as "taxi travel" and expects drivers to sign up for an ABN and start paying GST by August 1.
  
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• VIDEO: 'Swarm robots' ready for rescue

  20-05-2015 01:30 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Scientists at the Georgia Institute of Technology have been exploring ways of making robots working together.
  
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• Bitcoin's baby births new revolution

  20-05-2015 01:26 via bbc.co.uk
  
  The birth of the Blockchain revolution
  
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• The enterprise technologies to watch in 2015

  20-05-2015 01:05 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  It's impressive how much the enterprise technology landscape has changed in just a year. While some priorities remain unchanged, important new players have emerged that business and IT leaders must consider in their plans this year.
  
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• UK heritage sites to receive £98m lottery cash boost

  20-05-2015 01:01 via feeds.theguardian.com
  
  Lovell telescope and Lincoln Cathedral among recipients of bumper handout to preserve Britain’s scientific and technological history Continue reading...
  
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• Girls like digital media while boys prefer print, finds study on reading habits

  20-05-2015 01:01 via feeds.theguardian.com
  
  National Literacy Trust report also says girls continue to outpace boys in their enthusiasm for reading for pleasure Continue reading...
  
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