BATTERYFORPC BLOG
Elon Musk sets out Starlink goals
Elon Musk claims his Starlink satellite-internet system should be able to provide a connection from anywhere except the poles by August. He spoke as rival OneWeb secured the funding it needs to complete its first-generation constellation of 648 satellites. Starlink customers connect using small satellite receivers, dubbed Dishy McFlatFace, priced at $500 (£360). But Mr Musk said the terminals c ... Read more
2021-06-29 19:44:27
RIP Pepper robot? SoftBank 'pauses' production
Pepper, the friendly little humanoid robot that was launched to much fanfare back in 2014, looks as if it may be retired - for now at least. Its maker, the Japanese conglomerate SoftBank, confirmed to the BBC that production had been "paused for a while". It would only start making the robot again "when it is needed", it said. The firm is also slashing jobs at its global rob ... Read more
2021-06-29 19:44:02
US judge throws out Facebook anti-trust lawsuits
A US federal court has dismissed two separate anti-trust lawsuits filed against Facebook. Judge James Boasberg ruled that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)'s anti-trust complaint against the social networking giant was too vague. Another separate anti-competition lawsuit filed by a coalition of states was thrown out because the alleged violations occurred too long ago. Facebook's shares jumped ... Read more
2021-06-28 20:02:53
Apple lists products that pose risk to pacemakers
Apple has listed products it says should be kept a "safe distance" away from medical devices like pacemakers and implanted defibrillators. The list includes iPhone 12 models, Apple Watch and MacBook Pro. Many consumer-electronic devices contain components, such as magnets, which can interfere with medical devices. The BBC has asked for comment from Apple, which has promoted heart heal ... Read more
2021-06-28 20:02:28
EE to reintroduce Europe roaming charges in January
Mobile operator EE will charge new UK customers extra to use their mobile phones in Europe from January. Those joining or upgrading from 7 July 2021 will be charged £2 a day to use their allowances in 47 European destinations from January 2022. EE, which is part of BT Group, previously said it had no plans to reintroduce roaming charges in Europe. It is the first UK operator to reintroduce the ... Read more
2021-06-27 19:54:04
Apple claims 'sideloading' apps is 'serious' security risk
Apple claims that allowing developers to distribute apps outside its official App Store would "expose users to serious security risks". A new report from the company argues strongly against allowing so-called sideloading of apps. The report suggests a range of hypothetical problems including ransomware and financial scams. It comes as Apple is under pressure from regulators and some d ... Read more
2021-06-27 19:53:36
Google tracking cookies ban delayed until 2023
Google has delayed its plan to block third-party cookies from its Chrome internet browser. Cookies track users' internet activity and allow digital publishers to target advertising. They are already blocked by a number of Google's rivals, including Apple, Microsoft and Mozilla. But critics say Google's ban forces ad sellers to go direct to the tech giant for this information instead - giving it ... Read more
2021-06-25 19:53:03
Is Windows 11 the beginning of the end for Skype?
Microsoft has officially announced Windows 11, its new operating system which will replace the current version over the next few years. Among all the new features are two seemingly small but related things that jumped out. First - Microsoft Teams, the video-calling app which saw a boom during 2020's pandemic, will be integrated into Windows 11 by default. And second - Skype will not be, for the ... Read more
2021-06-25 19:52:45
EE to reintroduce Europe roaming charges in January
Mobile operator EE will charge new UK customers extra to use their mobile phones in Europe from January. Those joining or upgrading from 7 July 2021 will be charged £2 a day to use their allowances in 47 European destinations from January 2022. EE, which is part of BT Group, previously said it had no plans to reintroduce roaming charges in Europe. It is the first UK operator to reintroduce the ... Read more
2021-06-24 19:49:55
Microsoft unveils Windows 11 operating system
Microsoft has unveiled Windows 11, its "next generation" operating system, at a virtual event. The new software will let Android apps run on the Windows desktop. Product manager Panos Panay promised smaller, faster security updates - a common complaint for Windows users - and said they would happen in the background. Windows 11 will also let users configure multiple desktops for work, ... Read more
2021-06-24 19:49:38