BATTERYFORPC BLOG
Gigabit broadband: First areas to benefit announced
The government has announced the first stages of its plans to get superfast broadband to the majority of homes in the UK. Originally it had promised to roll out gigabit-speed broadband to every home in Britain by 2025 but that was reduced to 85% coverage in November. The budget remains at £5bn - but only £2.1bn of that will be made available up to 2024. The infrastructure build should start in ... Read more
2021-03-18 20:20:00
Chip shortage: Samsung warns of 'serious imbalance'
Samsung, the world’s biggest computer-chip manufacturer, has warned of a “serious imbalance” in the semiconductor industry, as global shortages cause disruption. It also said it might skip the launch of the next Galaxy Note smartphone, to streamline its lineup. There are growing fears market shortages could slow economic recovery after coronavirus. EU, US and Chinese governments are seeking to ... Read more
2021-03-17 20:56:06
Technology and science move to the heart of UK security
National power will be defined not by the number of tanks and ships a country possesses but by its science and technology, and the quality of its algorithms. That is the message of the UK's Integrated Review, which says the government's aim is for the country to become an innovation "superpower" by 2030. "This will be essential in gaining economic, political and security advantage ... Read more
2021-03-16 20:16:27
Bitcoin: Fake Elon Musk giveaway scam 'cost man £400,000'
Sebastian will always remember the moment he lost £407,000, with equal parts anger and shame. The night leading up to it had been otherwise forgettable. He and his wife watched a series on Netflix, before she went to bed and left him on the sofa messing about on his phone. Then he received a Twitter notification with news from Elon Musk. Sebastian told the BBC: "Musk tweeted, 'Dojo 4 Doge ... Read more
2021-03-15 20:23:59
Why the GameStop story is far from over
GameStop's shares slumped by 40% in 25 minutes on Wednesday, after a few days of frenetic growth. Earlier that day the share price had soared to nearly $350 (£250) - 100 times more than this time last year. What does this tell us? One of the wildest stories of the year is still very much alive Many amateur traders are still both making money - and getting hurt Our understanding of what ... Read more
2021-03-14 20:47:13
Why the GameStop story is far from over
GameStop's shares slumped by 40% in 25 minutes on Wednesday, after a few days of frenetic growth. Earlier that day the share price had soared to nearly $350 (£250) - 100 times more than this time last year. What does this tell us? One of the wildest stories of the year is still very much alive Many amateur traders are still both making money - and getting hurt Our understanding of what ... Read more
2021-03-12 19:19:28
Netflix considers crackdown on password sharing
Netflix is trialling a crackdown on password sharing. Some users have reported seeing a screen saying, "If you don't live with the owner of this account, you need your own account to keep watching." A spokesperson told the BBC: "This test is designed to help ensure that people using Netflix accounts are authorised to do so." A decision has yet to be made as to whether the co ... Read more
2021-03-11 19:31:22
Facebook asks judge to throw out FTC anti-trust lawsuit
Facebook has asked a US judge to dismiss anti-trust charges levelled against the company. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and 45 other states sued Facebook for alleged anti-competitive behaviour in December. The lawsuit requested the breaking up of the company, which also owns Instagram and WhatsApp. On Wednesday, Facebook described the complaint as "nonsensical" and asked the judg ... Read more
2021-03-10 19:09:31
EU seeks to supercharge computer chip production
The European Commission has set an ambitious target to boost production of cutting-edge computer chips by the end of the decade. It wants 20% of such chips, in terms of value, to be manufactured within the EU by 2030. It was 10% in 2020. The pledge comes at a time when supply has failed to meet demand, causing problems for car-makers and others. Part of the challenge will be that the US and mai ... Read more
2021-03-09 19:20:32
Microsoft email server hacks put Biden in a bind
The scale of a hack on Microsoft Exchange is beginning to emerge, with tens of thousands of organisations potentially compromised. The attack used previously unknown flaws in the email software - and sometimes stolen passwords - to steal data from targets' networks. Microsoft says the attackers are "state-sponsored and operating out of China". And while it initially thought the number ... Read more
2021-03-08 19:00:16