Month: March 2021

Everything from online news to social media and streaming platforms are captured by the regulations, branded ‘palpably illegal’ by opponents Not long before he was elected as India’s prime minister in 2014, Narendra Modi spoke of his dreams of a “digital India”, where “access to information knows no barriers”. But this week, unprecedented barriers on …

‘Wolf in watchdog’s clothing’: India’s new digital media laws spark fears for freedoms Read More »

Epic’s court battle with Google over being banned from the Play Store, mirrors one it has launched against Apple over its App Store removal Epic Games has launched new legal action against Google in Australia over alleged anti-competitive behaviour after Fortnite was kicked off the Google Play store last year. It is the second such …

Fortnite creator Epic Games launches Australian legal action against Google Read More »

Belgian, Dutch and French police ‘looked over shoulders’ of gangs after hacking Sky EEC network Police in Belgium and the Netherlands have arrested at least 80 people and carried out hundreds of raids after shutting down an encrypted phone network used by organised crime groups. Belgian, Dutch and French police said they had hacked into …

Police raids across Europe after encrypted phone network shut down Read More »

Users could effectively ‘teleport’ to connect with friends in more planet-friendly way, says Zuckerberg Facebook has unveiled the first of a wave of virtual reality innovations that its chief executive, Mark Zuckerberg, hopes will allow for effective “teleportation” by the end of the decade. One experimental project aims to track hand movements using nervous signals …

Facebook sets out plan for ‘effortless’ virtual reality socialising Read More »

Research estimates cryptocurrency will consume as much energy as all datecentres globally The surge in bitcoin’s price since the start of 2021 could result in the cryptocurrency consuming as much energy as all the data centres in the world with an associated carbon footprint the same as that of London, according to research.. Alex de …

Bitcoin rise could leave carbon footprint the size of London’s Read More »

Pandemic has prompted some people to confront their insecurities about venturing online Before the pandemic struck, 79-year-old Jim Whelan barely used his computer. The online world was a mystery and an irrelevance to him. A year on, however, Whelan can give computer geeks half his age a run for their money. “Although I had been …

‘Computers are marvellous!’: older people embrace internet in lockdown Read More »

In March 1891, the laying of a cross-Channel subsea cable enabled the first international telephone service between Britain and France. See how the Guardian reported events 10 March 1891 Continue reading… In March 1891, the laying of a cross-Channel subsea cable enabled the first international telephone service between Britain and France. See how the Guardian …

Archive, 1891: The first London to Paris telephone service begins Read More »

Biak island residents say SpaceX launchpad would devastate island’s ecology and displace people from their homes Papuans whose island has been offered up as a potential launch site for Elon Musk’s SpaceX project have told the billionaire Tesla chief his company is not welcome on their land, and its presence would devastate their island’s ecosystem …

Anger after Indonesia offers Elon Musk Papuan island for SpaceX launchpad Read More »

Government to force firms to make spare parts available and create products that are cheaper to run Tougher rules are being introduced to make appliances such as fridges, washing machines and TVs cheaper to run and last longer, the government has said. New legislation aims to tackle “premature obsolescence” in electrical goods – short lifespans …

Tough new rules aim to make electrical goods last longer Read More »

Smaller, lighter and water-resistant device has Bluetooth and wifi, aimed at home and outdoor use The wireless home-audio specialist Sonos has unveiled the Roam, its smaller, cheaper portable speaker with Bluetooth and wifi that works as well at home as it does outdoors. The rugged triangular Roam weighs 430g and is about the size of …

Sonos Roam: cheaper, multi-room portable smart speaker launched Read More »