Europe’s new space telescope Euclid has returned its first sparkling images of deep space, in a “tantalising glimpse” of what is to come. The images are not only mesmerising, but they also show that all the telescope’s instruments are running smoothly. This must come as a major relief to scientists at the European Space Agency, […]
Europe’s ‘dark universe’ telescope returns first images of deep space Leer más »
Whether it’s excitement, confusion, apprehension, or outright pessimism, everyone feels something about AI. So it was no surprise that AI technology was one of the main talking points at The Next Web Conference 2023. In the wake of the EU Parliament’s decision to usher in the EU AI Act, the world’s first comprehensive AI law
Can we regulate AI without stifling innovation? Here’s what experts think Leer más »
The UK’s antitrust watchdog has called for more public input on Microsoft’s bid for Activision-Blizzard, renewing hopes that the deal will be approved. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) originally blocked the $69bn (€63bn) merger in April. At the time, the regulator cited concerns that Microsoft would gain an unfair edge in cloud gaming and
New hope for Microsoft-Activision deal after UK regulator reopens consultation Leer más »
On Thursday, the European Commission opened an antitrust investigation into Microsoft’s bundling of its Teams app with its Office suite, which includes Word, Excel, and Outlook. The EU is concerned that this practice may be in breach of the bloc’s competition rules. The investigation was prompted by a complaint filed in 2020 by Slack. The
Microsoft’s Teams and Office bundling may breach EU competition rules Leer más »
When Russia cut off Europe’s gas supply following the invasion of Ukraine, it exposed the vulnerable underbelly of a continent largely reliant on imported energy. To be fair, the bloc responded pretty quickly by sourcing gas from other countries and stockpiling it for a rainy day. And, it turns out, Europe was also hoarding mountains
Europe stockpiles €7B of Chinese solar panels in bid for energy security Leer más »
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 »
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 »
Dutch researchers have found vulnerabilities in TETRA — a radio technology used across the world to control critical infrastructure such as power grids, gas pipelines, and trains. The researchers, Job Wetzels, Carlo Meijer, and Wouter Bokslag of cybersecurity firm Midnight Blue, found a deliberate backdoor in the encryption algorithm of these radios — made by
Critical infrastructure radio tech ‘easily hacked’ through deliberate backdoor 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 »
The UK Space Agency has identified 11 critical technology areas to strengthen the country’s position in the space sector and enable further cooperation with international partners such as NASA, the ESA, and Japan’s JAXA. The technologies are listed in the agency’s newly-published Space Exploration Technology Roadmap, which will guide research, development, and future funding decisions
UK bets on 11 key technologies to boost its space sector 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 »
