BATTERYFORPC BLOG
Huawei: What would happen if the UK ditched the Chinese firm?
Huawei's future in the UK is in doubt - again. The consequences could affect how quickly improved internet access is rolled out and how much it will cost. This a time when the country's economy is already in a precarious state because of the coronavirus pandemic. The catalyst for a potential rethink is the US's move to restrict the firm's ability to buy chips, which was justified on "nation ... Read more
2020-05-25 21:35:24
Could coronavirus kickstart more accessible tech?
Many people have changed the way they work during the coronavirus pandemic, but for some disabled people this has brought some specific challenges.
Improvements in accessible technology has seen artificial intelligence software provide real-time, on-screen transcriptions of what someone is saying in video calls, but there are concerns that some video calling platforms and apps are not as accessible as they could be.
BBC Click’s Paul Carter finds out more.
2020-05-25 21:35:07
Fresh UK review into Huawei role in 5G networks
The UK government is conducting a new review into the impact of allowing Huawei telecoms equipment to be used in British 5G networks. The National Cyber Security Centre involvement comes after the US brought in fresh sanctions on the Chinese company, citing security fears. In January, the UK resisted US pressure to ban Huawei from contributing to 5G. A UK government spokesman said: "The se ... Read more
2020-05-24 21:13:05
Wikipedia sets new rule to combat “toxic behaviour”
Wikipedia is to institute a new code of conduct to battle what the firm called "toxic behaviour" by some volunteers. The Wikimedia Foundation, the organisation that runs the site, voted on new measures that will be finalised by the end of the year. Wikipedia is written and updated by volunteers. Many, particularly women and members of the LGBTQ community, have complained of abuse and ... Read more
2020-05-24 21:12:49
Australia 'records fastest internet speed ever'
Researchers in Australia claim they have recorded the fastest ever internet data speed. A team from Monash, Swinburne and RMIT universities logged a data speed of 44.2 terabits per second (Tbps). At that speed, users could download more than 1,000 high-definition movies in less than a second. According to Ofcom, the average UK broadband speed currently is around 64 megabits per second (Mbps) - ... Read more
2020-05-22 20:56:36
Coronavirus contact tracing: My new skill
It could be the most important job of our times. And now, after receiving a 95% pass rate in my final exam, I can proudly say, I am a qualified contact tracer. What is not clear is just how well trained most of the people undertaking this vital task in the UK will be. A contact tracer does the detective work of calling up people known to be infected with a disease and working out where they have ... Read more
2020-05-22 20:55:25
Coronavirus: MPs demand answers on misinformation
Twitter has begun labelling tweets that spread misinformation about Covid-19, including some from Mark Steele, who posts about links between 5G and coronavirus. But tweets from other 5G conspiracy theorists, such as David Icke, remain unchallenged. MPs have asked Google, Twitter and Facebook to return to Parliament to answer their questions about content. Only Facebook's head of global policy M ... Read more
2020-05-21 23:45:58
Grandmother ordered to delete Facebook photos under GDPR
A woman must delete photographs of her grandchildren that she posted on Facebook and Pinterest without their parents' permission, a court in the Netherlands has ruled. It ended up in court after a falling-out between the woman and her daughter. The judge ruled the matter was within the scope of the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). One expert said the ruling reflected the "po ... Read more
2020-05-21 23:45:23
Apple and Google release marks 'watershed moment' for contact-tracing apps
Apple and Google have released a software tool that will make it possible for nations to release coronavirus contact-tracing apps that adopt the firms' privacy-centric model. It offers developers access to added Bluetooth functionality to solve a problem existing apps have of iPhones sometimes failing to detect each other. Android and iOS device owners will have to carry out system upgrades. Bu ... Read more
2020-05-20 23:56:57
Man sentenced to death in Singapore via Zoom
A man has been sentenced to death via a Zoom video call in Singapore, as the country remains on lockdown following a spike in Covid-19 cases. Punithan Genasan, 37, received the sentence on Friday for his role in a drug deal that took place in 2011. It marks the city's first case where such a ruling has been done remotely. Human rights groups argued that pursuing the death penalty at a time when ... Read more
2020-05-20 23:56:33