Technology

Technology companies are living through a market rout not seen since the embers of the dotcom crash. The Nasdaq has fallen for seven consecutive weeks, the longest losing streak since 2002, and is down 30pc this year. Investment bankers who were busier than ever this time last year during the Spac frenzy are twiddling their thumbs. Bitcoin, once marketed as a hedge against inflation, has crashed too. Elon Musk’s $44bn (£35bn) agreement to buy Twitter a month ago is looking more ill-timed by the day . The superstars at the World Economic Forum in Davos this week are not youthful internet entrepreneurs but nonagenarian diplomats and financiers. A combination of a global inflationary crisis and the subsequent rise in interest rates has been a sharp rejoinder to any tech worker under the age of 35, who has only ever experienced their employers becoming richer and more powerful. Such an environment is starting to take its toll on most. This week, Snapchat’s parent company warned … [Read more...] about Inflation crisis will give tech titans even more power

Russian foreign minister issues warning to EU Sign up for our news briefing, including a daily special Russia-Ukraine edition SUBSCRIBE Invalid email We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info France's cybersecurity agency ANSSI has announced "several French entities" had been breached by hackers and linked the attacks to a Russian hacking group. This group is believed to be behind some of the most devastating cyberattacks over recent years. Related articles Russia's cyber 'atomic bomb' threat to US exposed MASSIVE US cyberattack to DESTROY Joe Biden The latest "intrusion campaign" compromised the French software firm Centreon to install two pieces of malware into its clients' networks. It is believed the intrusion campaign … [Read more...] about What is Putin up to? Macron panic as France discovers devastating Russian hacking plot

Three-piece suites, drinks trolleys, and inspirational wall quotes no longer feature in the nation’s most stylish living rooms – and have been replaced by corner sofas, sustainable furniture, and smart tech. A survey of 2,000 adults has identified what Brits think are the top 20 sitting room trends of 2022 – which include real wood flooring, log burners, statement rugs, luxury candles, and potted plants. Brits have also voted the “snug” style living room to be old-fashioned, and would rather opt for an open-plan space. And while 44% of Brits feel their living room is on trend, many are keen to continue updating their space – with a new sofa, flooring, and a lick of paint among the most desired modifications they’d like to make. The study into the living room trends of the nation was commissioned by Sky Glass, the new streaming TV service from Sky, which has been designed to reflect people’s home entertainment needs. It also uncovered the nation’s living room … [Read more...] about Top 20 sitting room trends for 2022 – including open plan rather than ‘snug’

Britains biggest microchip factory plans to cash in on a global semiconductor shortage by raising more than £50m in an effort to nearly double production. Newport Wafer Fab, in South Wales, said it would use the investment to raise production levels to 14,000 wafers a week, up from 8,000 today. It follows record orders for the company’s power supply chips, which are in demand from the car industry amid an intense supply shortage that has seen several car companies suspend production. The company, which has around 450 employees, is the biggest of a cluster of chip makers around Cardiff.  It was rescued from Infineon, the German manufacturing giant that had planned to close the plant, in a management buyout four years ago. Drew Nelson, Newport’s chairman, said demand had “absolutely skyrocketed” in the last three months, fuelled by both the global shortage and the rise of electric cars. The company’s compound semiconductors, made of multiple chemical elements, are seen as … [Read more...] about Britain’s biggest microchip factory plots £50m expansion amid global shortage

The Government has risked provoking Donald Trump into retaliating against the UK by targeting Silicon Valley tech titans with a new tax, just hours after France was blasted for its own new digital levy. Philip Hammond today outlined plans for the UK's new digital services tax, which will come into force next year, and will directly hit the likes of Facebook, Google and Amazon. The release came amid an escalating war of words between French ministers and the Trump administration, which saw the US order an investigation into tax proposals and pave the way for retaliatory tariffs against the EU nation for approving its own digital tax. Trade body TechUK warned the latest move by Mr Hammond could put the UK in the firing line. Giles Derrington, head of policy at the group, said it was leaving the UK “at risk of retaliation from the US government that would hurt British businesses and consumers”. There were, however, some signs that not all US tech giants would be hit. For … [Read more...] about Government risks angering Trump as it pushes ahead with digital services tax

Boris Johnson has opened the door for Heathrow to build its third runway as ministers commit to support necessary airport expansion. Mr Johnson once pledged to “lie down in front of the bulldozers” to prevent construction going ahead. missed a Commons vote on Heathrow’s expansion in 2018 that rubber-stamped the project. Last year Robert Jenrick, the then housing secretary, backed London Mayor Sadiq Khan ’s building plan for the capital that opposed expansion at Heathrow airport. Taking aviation back to the skies By Robert Courts MP, aviation minister For over 100 years, aviation has been at the very centre of British life, from the famous military aircraft which helped us win two world wars, to commercial flight connecting us with the rest of the world. Today, we are explaining how this vital industry will move into the future; a future which is greener, but a future that is one of flying nonetheless With every take-off, every world leading airport or … [Read more...] about Boris Johnson revives hopes for Heathrow’s third runway

Britain risks losing the next potential Paul McCartney or David Bowie because it is too expensive for many children to get a foothold in the music industry, a superstar record producer has warned. Paul Epworth , who has worked with stars such as Adele , Rihanna and McCartney, said youngsters without either financial backing or existing connections in the industry are being excluded from a career in music. He has now thrown his weight behind a new two-year diploma in Creative Entrepreneurship for students aged 19 years and over launched this week by the Ivors Academy. The diploma will offer means-tested bursaries for students from modest and underprivileged backgrounds and few formal qualifications to study all aspects of the industry, including music, technology and culture; live music; personal development; entrepreneurship and branding. Mr Epworth, who won an Academy Award for Best Original Song for ‘Skyfall’, along with seven Grammys, and will be a tutor and mentor … [Read more...] about Adele producer: Poor children have ‘no hope’ of breaking into music industry

Liverpool train ahead of Champions League Final Sign up for our news briefing, including a daily special Russia-Ukraine edition SUBSCRIBE Invalid email We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info Ray Mcdonald, 33, and his friends received their tickets on Tuesday night ahead of the final in Paris this Saturday, May 28, and initially thought they were genuine. However, upon further examination of the tickets, which cost £1,000 each, the group realised the PDFs were in fact fake. Related articles Urgent warning about holiday scam on Facebook after family were stung OAPs targeted by serial burglar who scammed his way into their homes After trying to contact the ticket tout, who Ray said he has bought tickets from six times this season, … [Read more...] about Champions League final tickets scam leaves Liverpool fans £19k out of pocket

Younger generations have been raised with social media and the internet – so understanding how technology works seems super easy. But when it comes to those who are a bit older, doing the simplest of tasks online may prove difficult. However, that does not mean that a pensioner will not at least give it a go. Using photo editing tools may come as second nature to the youth of today – but this grandpa had no idea. So instead of being defeated by his inability to use Photoshop, the OAP tried more creative measures instead. In a TikTok clip posted to his granddaughter Dora’s account, the old bloke revealed his sweet photo edit. Dora explained: “My grandpa can’t use Photoshop so he cut and manually changed the background of this pic.” Heartwarmingly, the grandpa perfectly cut around a picture of his family, who were sitting at a table together, to remove the background. In true genius, he stuck the side of the family snap to a picture of sunny blue sky with fields of … [Read more...] about Grandpa warms hearts by attempting to ‘Photoshop’ family snap

If there's one technology that's being hyped more than any others right now, it's the metaverse—a loose collection of virtual and augmented reality 'worlds'. Earlier this year, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg - who is so passionate about the idea that he renamed his company to 'Meta' - argued that we'll one day spend the majority of our time inside the metaverse . Zuckerberg said: "A lot of people think that the metaverse is about a place, but one definition of this is it's about a time when basically immersive digital worlds become the primary way that we live our lives and spend our time. "I think that's a reasonable construct." However, not everyone is convinced—not least Tim Sweeney, CEO of ' Fortnite ' creators Epic Games. Sweeney told the Financial Times that he doubts the metaverse will overtake reality, saying: "I don't foresee in the next decade or two that people's lives become immersed in this kind of medium. I think this is something you do, … [Read more...] about Fortnite creator says Mark Zuckerberg is wrong about the metaverse – we won’t live in it