Technology news

• Fifty Shades of shade: EL James's Twitter Q&A goes awry

  29-06-2015 23:20
  
  The bestselling author took to Twitter to field questions from fans and quickly found out how hashtags and the best of intentions don’t necessarily mixFifty Shades of Grey author EL James got more than she bargained for during a Twitter Q&A that quickly descended into chaos as people used the #AskELJames hashtag to bombard the writer – who is now worth a reported $37m – with questions and comments that (perhaps predictably) made fun of her much parodied series.The session, which took p
  
  Read more

• New Zealand poised to censor 'harmful' online communications

  29-06-2015 22:36 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  Only one small party is likely to vote against a law that can require the removal of online content intended to cause harm.
  
  Read more

• Facebook opens first Africa HQ

  29-06-2015 21:30 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Facebook opens its first headquarters in Africa as it looks to add to its existing 120 million users on the continent.
  
  Read more

• Uber economics: when sharing apps are not so caring | Letters

  29-06-2015 20:53
  
  How can “sharing economy” enterprises, like taxi-finding scheme Uber, be “a throwback to … when villages used to share” based on personal trust, yet also generate Luddite protests of a similar pre-industrial mindset (Uber bears brunt of sharing economy backlash, 27 June)? Perhaps it’s because Uber et al are not unleashing “new sources of economic activity” at all. Isn’t it simply another corporate finance initiative (with a pre-flotation estimate of $17bn) to transfer income st
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Review: Aorus X5

  29-06-2015 19:05 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Introduction and designThe Aorus X5 should have no business being this powerful while being so light and thin. At just 22.9mm, or under an inch thick, the X5 has a pair of Nvidia GTX 965M chips hiding within its aluminum chassis, along with a 256GB solid-state drive (SSD) and a 1TB hard disk drive (HDD).There's no question that this is a hardcore gaming machine, either. The Aorus X5 has a ton of gaming-specific features beyond just its powerful graphics capabilities and 2,880 x 1,620 15.6-inch s
  
  Read more

• Review: Samsung Galaxy A3

  29-06-2015 18:15 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Introduction and design Last year's Galaxy Alpha and Note 4 signified the beginning of the end for all plastic, high-end Samsung smartphones. While the inclusion of a metal frame on both devices was certainly welcome, the Korean firm wasn't ready to forgo its beloved plastic entirely.With the more affordable A Series, Samsung has bowed to consumer pressure, opting for a metal unibody design, waving goodbye to the company's signature removable rear cover and battery. Being the least expensive of
  
  Read more

• Digital banking: Mondo hopes to become the Google or Facebook of the sector

  29-06-2015 17:44
  
  Tom Blomfield’s Mondo is one of a number of new startups hoping to tap into customers’ increasing use of digital technology as branch use falls steeplyIt was 21 May, and a historic moment for Tom Blomfield. Stood at a cash machine in Clerkenwell, central London, the ambitious young entrepreneur withdrew money from a brand new account with a new bank at which he was the only customer.Five weeks later, Mondo has 30 customers testing its prototype account. Blomfield – a former management cons
  
  Read more

• Meet the conductor: London set to trial first all-electric doubledecker bus

  29-06-2015 17:18
  
  Mayor Boris Johnson announces trial of all-electric bus on route 16 between Cricklewood and Victoria stationThe world’s first entirely electric doubledecker bus is to be trialled in London from October, Boris Johnson has announced.Route 16, which runs between Cricklewood, north-west London, and Victoria station, has been chosen to test the technology aimed at producing low-emission buses for the capital.Continue reading...
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Two Uber managers detained in France over 'illicit' low-cost service

  29-06-2015 16:48
  
  Spokeswoman for Paris prosecutor says they have been taken into custody for questioning, against backdrop of violent recent taxi strikeTwo Uber managers have been taken into custody for questioning over “illicit activity” linked to the ride-hailing company’s low-cost service, the Paris prosecutor’s spokeswoman has said.The Uber managers, who have not been named, were detained on Monday. The US company has sparred with the government over its low-cost service. Despite a violence-marred t
  
  Read more

• Disney confirms selfie stick ban

  29-06-2015 16:25 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Disney is banning selfie sticks at all of its theme parks over safety concerns, the company said.
  
  Read more

• Adobe issues urgent Flash patch to prevent hacking attacks

  29-06-2015 16:03
  
  China-based advanced persistent threat spotted using the Flash flaw, which has now entered malware kit MagnitudeUsers are being urged to update to the latest version of Flash after a security flaw fixed less than a week ago was discovered being exploited in the wild.The bug, which affects how Flash Player plays video files, lets an attacker use a carefully made video file to seize control of a user’s computer. It was made public last week by security research firm Fireeye, who discovered the f
  
  Read more

• Review: LG 55EG960V

  29-06-2015 15:32 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Introduction and featuresYou can keep your Quantum Dots and your QLED, ditch your Deep Colour and go hang your HDR; OLED is here, now, and it's deserves some serious attention. The alpha male of TVs comes to us this time in a slightly smaller package than the previous OLED outing, but its 55-inches are both easier to house and much, much more affordable. It's got killer-looks to match, with a 5mm panel depth in the top 80% (the bulkier bottom area stores the electronics and speakers), blade-like
  
  Read more

• Legal battle over shot-down drone

  29-06-2015 13:28 via bbc.co.uk
  
  A US court has found in favour of a drone owner who sued a man who shot his hexacopter out of the sky.
  
  Read more

• Review: Panasonic DMP-BDT270

  29-06-2015 13:25 via feedproxy.google.com
  
  Performance and picture qualityWith Ultra HD Blu-ray just months away, shouldn't those with Ultra HD 4K TVs sit tight? Patience could pay dividends, but aside from the little matter of 3D and 4K, the search is on for a last-gen Blu-ray player that can upscale to 3840 x 2160 pixels without breaking the bank. That's exactly what the Panasonic DMP-BDT270 is attempting. Selling for £99 (US$120, AU$152), it packs 4K upscaling, 2D and 3D disc playback, digital file support and a dual core processor i
  
  Read more

• Bitcoin fans eye potential in Greek crisis

  29-06-2015 13:12
  
  Proponents hope cryptocurrency could soar in value as Greeks try to find ways to keep their money safe and avoid currency controls The world is watching with bated breath as the Greek people consider how to vote in the country’s upcoming referendum. A yes vote on Sunday will see Greece accept the terms of the troika’s bailout, and commit itself to further austerity; a no vote will see the country taking the first step towards exiting the Euro entirely.But not everyone is afraid of the prospe
  
  Read more

• New Yorkers to get free Wi-Fi via old phone booths in Google-funded project

  29-06-2015 13:05
  
  Google’s urban innovation startup Sidewalk Labs has made its first big investment – turning NYC’s disused phone booths into 10,000 Wi-Fi hotspotsThe goal of free, high-speed internet for everyone in New York City has jumped much closer: Sidewalk Labs, the new Google-backed startup that was created last month to improve city life though technological innovation, has announced it is investing in a project to turn the city’s payphones into Wi-Fi hotspots. The company is among a group of inv
  
  Read more

• How the internet still fails disabled people

  29-06-2015 13:05
  
  The web can be liberating for disabled adults – but a lack of training, accessibility and funding means the online world is a step too far for many Elaine suffers from depression and anxiety. A psychiatric nurse suggested that she learn how to use a computer to keep in contact with her family so that she didn’t feel so isolated. So Elaine decided to attend one-to-one tutorials at Cambridge Online. “I’m in my 50s. We didn’t have computers when I was at school, so it was quite a job to t
  
  Read more

• Museum seeks BBC Micro repairers

  29-06-2015 12:49 via bbc.co.uk
  
  A public appeal for people who can repair BBC Micro computers has been launched by a museum.
  
  Read more

• Apple Music: everything you need to know

  29-06-2015 12:49
  
  The long-awaited streaming service from Apple goes live tomorrow. Will it be a smash hit?The new music streaming service from Apple – yep, it’s called Apple Music – goes live on Tuesday. Here’s everything you need to know.What is Apple Music? Continue reading...
  
  Read more

• Why everyone CIO needs a trusted lieutenant

  29-06-2015 11:30 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  No CIO can do everything, which is why a reliable deputy is essential.
  
  Read more

• Why every CIO needs a trusted lieutenant

  29-06-2015 11:30 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  No CIO can do everything, which is why a reliable deputy is essential.
  
  Read more

• Will Guitar Hero Live bring music games back into the living room?

  29-06-2015 11:26
  
  Offering a vast collection of videos to play along to, Activision’s rhythm action reboot looks to be a worthy encore to a once-popular genreIf you’ve been a gamer for at least 10 years, the chances are, your under-stairs cupboard is a shantytown of plastic guitars, dusty half-size drum kits and unsolvable tangles of wire. Once upon a time, Guitar Hero and its many copycats ruled gaming, playing to arena-sized crowds of excited fans – but then they exited the business with unusual haste. Th
  
  Read more

• Devil May Cry 4 Special Edition review – pure, visceral action

  29-06-2015 10:56
  
  Capcom is bringing its hack-n-slash classic to the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, but do improved visuals and new characters add enough to the bill?The arrival of a Devil May Cry 4 Special Edition on Playstation 4 and Xbox One is welcome, though somewhat perplexing. Sure, Capcom’s slick hack-n-slasher was favourably received when it first arrived on PS3 and Xbox 360 in 2008. This is a much-loved franchise, characterised by its frenetic, stylised gameplay, which is both satisfying to play and exci
  
  Read more

• Your next house could be 3D-printed from wood

  29-06-2015 10:02
  
  Materials scientists in Sweden are developing the technology for 3D printers that can turn leftover plant material into full-sized houses.Umeå University in the north of the country will host a project with a sub-goal of producing cellulose-based materials for full-scale 3D printing. That could include anything from doors and vents to walls and eventually entire structures.Meanwhile, materials scientists at Chalmers University in the south recently announced successes in printing with cellu
  
  Read more

• Updated: iPad Pro release date, news and rumours

  29-06-2015 10:01
  
  Release date, rumors and designUpdate: A larger software ieyboard has been found in iOS 9 code, which strongly hints that an iPad Pro is in the works.
  With Apple's thinner, lighter iPad Air (and now iPad Air 2) and Retina display-equipped iPad mini 3 out in the open, what's left for Apple to do? Rumour has it that Apple is working on a 12-inch Retina MacBook Air alongside another device, which may turn out to be a supersized version of one of the company's existing products.That's right: it's be
  
  Read more

• Updated: 7 best 4K games: the must-play titles to punish your PC

  29-06-2015 09:56
  
  Best 4K gamesThe 4K revolution has arrived on PC, and if your eyes haven't yet dined at the table of Ultra HD gaming, we've tracked down the best 4K games sure to give them a visual feast.Packing four times as many pixels as common 1080p displays, 3,840 x 2,160 pixel-resolution "4K" monitors can make newer games breathtakingly immersive, and those extra pixels can even help pump life back into older titles using high-resolution texture packs and mods.Of course, in addition to a 4K moni
  
  Read more

• VIDEO: Creating 'self-healing' metal coating

  29-06-2015 09:55 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Scientists have developed "self-healing" coatings for metals and pipelines.
  
  Read more

• Ingogo to skirt Cabcharge undertaking to allow competitors to use its cards

  29-06-2015 09:16 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has accepted an undertaking from Cabcharge Australia that will allow third parties to process Cabcharge cards.
  
  Read more

• Latest funding values Airbnb above hotel giant Marriott

  29-06-2015 09:08 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  Online accommodation site Airbnb will announce a $25.5 billion valuation following its latest cash injection of $1.5 billion from investors.
  
  Read more

• Updated: 19 best PC games: the must-play titles you can't afford to miss

  29-06-2015 09:07
  
  IntroductionThe PC is either making a comeback or never went away in the first place, depending on who you ask. Whichever camp you're in, a deluge of triple-A titles, virtual reality and (whisper it) decent console ports make picking the PC over the Xbox One or PS4 a no-brainer.Whether you're a mouse-and-keyboard diehard who mutters "boom, headshot!" in their sleep, or a joypad-wielding adrenaline junkie, the PC has no shortage of blockbuster and indie titles to help you waste away th
  
  Read more

• Sky teams up with Monument Valley game-maker for kids TV app

  29-06-2015 09:00
  
  Broadcaster to challenge YouTube kids, allowing children to watch The Cartoon Network, Disney and Nickelodeon on mobiles and tabletsSky has teamed up with the makers of hit mobile game Monument Valley to create a kids TV app that will challenge services such as YouTube Kids. Continue reading...
  
  Read more

• Tour De France 2015 review – a captivating road trip

  29-06-2015 09:00
  
  PS3/4, Xbox One; Focus Home Interactive, cert: 3It takes a bold developer to tackle long-distance cycling as a subject matter. Arduous uphill climbs and hours in the peloton simply aren’t obvious elements for enthralling gameplay. But despite the challenges, Cyanide has crafted a surprisingly captivating game with Tour de France 2015, by offering a winning blend of strategy and racing.Asking the player to take teams through the titular contest’s stages, the experience swings between flashes
  
  Read more

• How to recall accidental emails in Gmail

  29-06-2015 09:00
  
  We've all sent regrettable emails. Whether it's a flirty message meant for a partner but sent to a parent, an expletive-laden missive to your boss or something as simple as forgetting an attachment or spelling someone's name wrong, that moment of instant regret after clicking send will probably be familiar.But if you use Gmail it can also now be a thing of the past, as 'Undo Send', a long-standing feature of Gmail Labs and recent addition to the Inbox by Gmail app, has now been added to the web
  
  Read more

• Payday2: Crimewatch Edition review – fun for the ‘morally flexible’

  29-06-2015 08:30
  
  Xbox One, PS4; 505 Games, cert: 18An anarchic injection of bonus content makes this team-based shooter a fun social experience for the, well, shall we say, morally flexible. As the masked Payday Gang, a group of violent crooks for hire, you blow chunks out of Washington DC for fun and profit. Most missions are riffs on “fend off the cops while getting away with filthy lucre”. This Xbox One and PS4 port gives you more – more guns, more missions, more crooks – including DLC crossovers with
  
  Read more

• ​From notepads to notebooks: The rise of blended learning

  29-06-2015 08:24 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  All facets of Australia's education system have been touched by technology, but is it really improving the way students learn?
  
  Read more

• Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley review – simple charms get lost in complexity

  29-06-2015 08:00
  
  3DS; Natsume, cert: 3In the hands of developer Natsume, the labyrinthine history of Harvest Moon takes a fresh turn. After 2013’s A New Beginning reboot, Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley develops things beyond a simple farm simulation to the rather grander story of placating the Harvest Goddess and restoring peace to the village.Nonetheless, planting, watering and tending crops, along with caring for animals, are still central; they result in goods to trade with townsfolk, which in turn develops
  
  Read more

• Telstra should cut charge for other telcos to access network, says watchdog

  29-06-2015 07:07
  
  ACCC says falling number of customers using Telstra network, as it is replaced by NBN, should not be hit with sizeable cost of maintaining itThe competition watchdog has recommended that Telstra should cut the price it charges other telcos to access its copper wire network, which is likely to lead to lower phone and internet bills for consumers.Many of Telstra’s phone and internet rivals pay the telco giant to provide phone and broadband services via the Telstra network. Continue reading...
  
  Read more

• How to save money buying apps and games

  29-06-2015 07:02
  
  How to save money buying apps and gamesOK, so some of the best iOS apps and best Android apps aren't particularly expensive, but boy there are a lot of them, and if you're regularly trying and buying new ones it can certainly add up — and some of the higher-quality ones can still set you back a good chunk of change. Here we've listed some of the ways that you can save when it comes to buying the coolest and the latest apps.Promo CodesDevelopers and publishers often give out promo codes when a
  
  Read more

• Rocksteady steps up to fix broken Batman: Arkham Knight on PC

  29-06-2015 06:09
  
  Following last week’s decision by publisher Warner Bros. to suspend sales of its disappointing PC version of Batman: Arkham Knight, original developer Rocksteady has announced that it has taken the reigns on fixing the problematic port.Rocksteady originally focused on the PS4 and Xbox One versions of the game, while the PC version was outsourced to Killer Instinct: Season 2 developer Iron Galaxy.Batman: Arkham Knight’s first PC patch has already arrived, and is said to fix crashes that occur
  
  Read more

• Dimension Data preferred for shared ICT in NZ capital

  29-06-2015 05:46 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  Wellington councils press ahead with a plan to share infrastructure despite nixing a proposal for formal amalgamation.
  
  Read more

• New Zealand hits fibre milestones, but there's trouble in the countryside

  29-06-2015 05:17 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  In rural areas, New Zealand's Rural Broadband Initiative (RBI) and Australia's NBN face both capacity and funding challenges.
  
  Read more

• Google to end support for Android Eclipse tools by year end

  29-06-2015 04:30 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  Users of Android Developer Tools for Eclipse are being asked to migrate to Android Studio, as the search giant will end support for ADT.
  
  Read more

• Competition watchdog slashes Telstra wholesale broadband prices

  29-06-2015 03:59 via zdnet.com.feedsportal.com
  
  Customers stuck on the Telstra network during the migration to the NBN should not be forced to pay higher prices, the ACCC has said, slashing Telstra's fixed wholesale internet prices by 9.6 percent.
  
  Read more

• VIDEO: A better way to carry luggage?

  29-06-2015 01:11 via bbc.co.uk
  
  A young designer based in London has developed a new system that he thinks will change the way we carry luggage.
  
  Read more

• What should social networks do about hate speech?

  29-06-2015 01:03 via bbc.co.uk
  
  How should social networks handle racist comments?
  
  Read more

Follow @TechnologyUKnws on Twitter!