Germany’s finance ministry is investing €20bn from its climate fund to bolster local production of semiconductors — critical components in everything from smartphones to fridges. The money will be doled out to a handful of chipmakers by 2027, Bloomberg reports. The lion’s share of the subsidies will go to Intel’s planned megafab in Magdeburg, which […]
Germany syphons €20B from climate pot to fund chip fabs Leer más »
The tech sector is in the throes of a so-called “double disruption,” dealing with the economic fallout of a two-year pandemic and wrestling with the swift advance of AI at the same time. What it means for workers is simple: half of us will need to re-skill in the next five years, according to the
Why upskilling opportunities should be at the top of every job seekers list Leer más »
When chatbots first became commercially accessible, companies big and small embraced them with open arms. “Have a robot handle easy customer service questions in seconds? Amazing!” — we thought. The problem was, these early chatbots were less C-3PO and more an annoying barrier to an actual human. From being asked: “Can you repeat the question”
Can new advances in AI bring the ‘human touch’ chatbots are sorely missing? Leer más »
Laying in a hammock on a tropical island with a cold beverage in one hand while the other types leisurely away at a keyboard surely sounds like heaven. But what is the digital nomad life really like? And where are the best places to work remotely from? Housing company Flatio asked 1,200 digital nomads of
Digital nomads reveal the best — and worst — things about the lifestyle Leer más »
More than 1,500 developers in the UK are suing Apple over the company’s “excessive” App Store fees. The £785m (€912m) class action lawsuit is seeking compensation for the developers, who pay the iPhone-maker commissions of up to 30% for in-app payments. Companies and lawmakers around the world have lambasted the policy. Critics accuse Apple of
Apple hit with $1B UK lawsuit over ‘abusive pricing’ in App Store Leer más »
A robotic arm made solely by European manufacturers has passed its qualification review for launch into space on the OneSat range of satellites. The robotic deployment and pointing system enables the satellite’s plasma thrusters to be positioned far away from the satellite’s body, optimising consumption of the xenon fuel. The approval of the system means
Europe-built robotic arm to launch into space aboard Airbus’ OneSat satellites Leer más »
New laws proposed in the UK could normalise surveillance of personal devices, experts have warned. The concerns stem from a planned update to the Investigatory Powers Act (IPA). When the original rules passed in 2016, critics described them as the “most extreme spying powers ever seen.” They’re now set to become even more intrusive. Under the
New UK law could spark ‘default surveillance of everyone’s devices’ Leer más »
Venture capital funding in Europe is plummeting as investors shift focus from growth to cutting costs. In the first half of 2023, European VC deal value was 61% lower than at the same time last year according to a new report by Pitchbook, a financial data firm. The total capital raised in the continent was €8.9
European VC deal value down 61% in first half of 2023, report finds Leer más »
Spain’s antitrust watchdog has fined Amazon and Apple €194mn for colluding to limit the sale of Apple products by third-party sellers on the huge online retail platform, which “drastically” reduced competition. The fine is the result of a case opened by the regulator, known as the CNMC, in July 2021, that sought to prove that
Spain fines Apple and Amazon €194M for colluding to restrict competition Leer más »
British plans to police the internet may be unlawful and force Wikipedia to shut down in the country, critics have warned. The proposed legislation, named the Online Safety Bill, aims to protect people from illegal or “harmful” content. Under the rules, any platforms that host user-generated content will need to quickly remove any proscribed material, which
UK plan to police internet may be unlawful, force Wikipedia shutdown Leer más »
Researchers at Semmelweis University in Budapest have tapped into VR to help the rehabilitation process of schizophrenia patients. According to WHO, the disease affects approximately 24 million people worldwide and is associated with considerable disability, often impacting all areas of life such as personal, social, and occupational functioning. The scientists have developed the so-called VR-ToMIS
New VR therapy helps schizophrenia patients rehabilitate Leer más »
Today’s cars, especially EVs, rely on hundreds of different types of microchips to function. But supply chain shortages of semiconductors during the pandemic forced many automakers to cut down production of certain models, sounding a clear warning to the industry — securing a long-term supply of chips is a matter of business survival. Stellantis, the
Stellantis inks €10B in deals to secure chip supply for EVs Leer más »
