BATTERYFORPC BLOG
Former eBay executives charged with cyber-stalking
Six former eBay executives and staff have been charged with cyber-stalking in a campaign against a couple who ran a newsletter critical of the company. Prosecutors allege the harassment included sending the couple live cockroaches, a bloody Halloween mask and a funeral wreath, as well as threatening messages. EBay said it did not tolerate such behaviour and apologised to the couple. The firm fi ... Read more
2020-06-15 22:01:09
Riot Games executive resigns after 'abhorrent' George Floyd post
A gaming firm executive has resigned over a meme he posted about George Floyd, who died while being arrested. Ron Johnson, who was head of consumer products at Riot Games, shared an image detailing Mr Floyd's criminal record. He wrote that it was "no reason to condone his killing" but added: "This type of criminal lifestyle never results in good things." Riot Games said the ... Read more
2020-06-14 20:50:14
Firm defends algorithm that 'spots women's orgasms'
A firm that claimed to have built an algorithm to identify women's orgasms has defended itself after ridicule on social media. Cyprus-based Relida Limited said its algorithm could "validate" female orgasms 86% of the time. Slides from a presentation it produced were posted on Twitter and were retweeted thousands of times. The company said it had wanted to help developers test sex tech ... Read more
2020-06-14 20:49:54
PlayStation 5: Sony games chief says PS5 offers a paradigm shift
The PlayStation 5 has finally broken cover in all its curvy glory. Not everyone's convinced by its black-white-and-glowing-blue design. But for many consumers, it's the games that count rather than the aesthetic appeal of the box. Dozens were teased in an online event. But Sony is remaining tight-lipped about the machine's price. Any new console will have a hard time navigating the tough econom ... Read more
2020-06-11 20:50:31
George Floyd: Microsoft bars facial recognition sales to police
Microsoft has become the latest US company to limit the use of its facial recognition technology by police. The firm said it would not start sales to US police departments until the country approves national regulation of the technology, which critics say is racially biased and easy to abuse. Amazon and IBM have already made similar moves. These followed widespread protests over police brutalit ... Read more
2020-06-11 20:50:11
PlayStation 5: Sony to give gamers first look at new platform
Sony will give gamers their first look at the PlayStation 5 during a special event later on Thursday. Fans will finally get to see a range of yet-to-be-announced titles that are currently in development for the highly anticipated platform. The showcase is one in a series of updates to the console that Sony is set to reveal over the coming months. The Japanese firm will stream the event live at ... Read more
2020-06-10 21:17:52
Developer warns VR headset damaged eyesight
A software developer has tweeted about how wearing a VR headset for hours a day has damaged his eyesight. A visit to the opticians left him "worried about my future VR use" after a doctor blamed the technology for a problem with his vision. Glasses should correct the issue but would normally only "be prescribed to 40-year-olds", he tweeted. The Association of Optometrists sa ... Read more
2020-06-10 21:17:16
George Floyd: Twitter to make Juneteenth a company holiday
The boss of Twitter and Square has said that both firms will honour Juneteenth as a company holiday in America. Jack Dorsey also said Twitter was working to identify which days it made most sense to recognise the end of slavery in other countries. Juneteenth is observed by many African-Americans on 19 June every year to mark the emancipation from slavery in the US. It comes as companies respond ... Read more
2020-06-09 21:25:23
Babylon Health admits GP app suffered a data breach
Babylon Health has acknowledged that its GP video appointment app has suffered a data breach. The firm was alerted to the problem after one of its users discovered he had been given access to dozens of video recordings of other patients' consultations. A follow-up check by Babylon revealed a small number of further UK users could also see others' sessions. The firm said it had since fixed the i ... Read more
2020-06-09 21:25:01
Samsung: Court rejects Lee Jae-yong arrest warrant request
A court in Seoul has denied an arrest warrant request for Samsung heir Lee Jae-yong, after prosecutors accused him of accounting fraud and stock manipulation. The ruling provides at least temporary relief for the de facto head of the South Korean conglomerate. But Mr Lee isn't completely in the clear yet as prosecutors said they will continue with their investigation. They can still return with ... Read more
2020-06-08 20:55:16