BATTERYFORPC BLOG
Coronavirus: AI steps up in battle against Covid-19
It feels as if a superhuman effort is needed to help ease the global pandemic killing so many. Artificial intelligence may have been hyped - but when it comes to medicine, it already has a proven track record. So can machine learning rise to this challenge of finding a cure for this terrible disease? There is no shortage of companies trying to solve the dilemma. Oxford-based Exscientia, the fi ... Read more
2020-04-17 21:00:01
Google blocking 18m coronavirus scam emails every day
Scammers are sending 18 million hoax emails about Covid-19 to Gmail users every day, according to Google. The tech giant says the pandemic has led to an explosion of phishing attacks in which criminals try to trick users into revealing personal data. The company said it was blocking more than 100 million phishing emails a day. Over the past week, almost a fifth were scam emails related to corona ... Read more
2020-04-17 20:59:34
Coronavirus: NHS contact tracing app to target 80% of smartphone users
A contact-tracing app could help stop the coronavirus pandemic, but 80% of current smartphone owners would need to use it, say experts advising the NHS. The University of Oxford's Big Data Institute has modelled a city of one million people to simulate the software's impact. If there is lower uptake, academics say the app would still help slow the spread of Covid-19. They add that letting peopl ... Read more
2020-04-16 20:42:30
Coronavirus: Facebook alters virus policy after damning misinformation report
Facebook is changing how it treats Covid-19 misinformation after a damning report into its handling of the virus. Users who have read, watched or shared false coronavirus content will receive a pop-up alert urging them to go the World Health Organisation's website. A study had indicated Facebook was frequently failing to clamp down on false posts, particularly when they were in languages other t ... Read more
2020-04-16 20:41:56
Selena Gomez sues fashion game for 'using face'
Actress and singer Selena Gomez is suing the makers of a smartphone game, alleging they used her likeness without permission. The Clothes Forever Styling Game app lets players dress celebrity avatars that resemble stars such as the Kardashians, Adele and Gomez. But Gomez's legal action calls it "reprehensible" and a "gross violation" of her publicity rights. And it asks for ... Read more
2020-04-16 20:41:22
TikTok bans under-16s from private messaging
New rules on the hugely popular TikTok app mean under-16s will no longer be allowed to send or receive direct messages. It is the first time a major social-media platform has blocked private messaging by teenagers, on a global scale. A survey by UK regulator Ofcom suggested TikTok was used by 13% of 12- to 15-year-olds last year. Critics say the new rules will not stop children lying about thei ... Read more
2020-04-16 20:40:57
Epic Games delays the release of Fortnite's new season
Epic Games has delayed the release of its new season of Fortnite until June. Chapter 2, Season 3 of Fortnite was scheduled to be released in just two weeks, but the company said it would extend the current season instead. Fortnite is one of the world's most popular video games, attracting millions of players and viewers. Epic Games would not say why the delay had occurred or if it was related t ... Read more
2020-04-15 22:20:54
Apple announces new iPhone SE to target mid-range market
Apple has announced a new iPhone SE, reviving a mid-market brand it had discontinued in 2018. It resembles the form of 2016's iPhone 7 with a 4.7in screen, and a fingerprint ID sensor but not a depth camera for facial recognition. It is powered by the same processor as the flagship iPhone 11 Pro, but lacks multiple rear cameras. The handset costs the same as the original SE in the US, but is mo ... Read more
2020-04-15 22:20:30
BT delays removal of Huawei from EE's core network by two years
Huawei's involvement in the most sensitive parts of EE's mobile network is to continue longer than planned. In December 2018, owner BT said it would take just two years to remove Huawei equipment from its core network. But it now says "100% of core mobile traffic" will be on its new Ericsson-built equipment by 2023, the government deadline announced in January 2020. And it blames the ... Read more
2020-04-15 22:20:05
Coronavirus: Apple tracks changes in travel behaviour
Apple has launched a tool that reveals changes in the travel behaviour of people who use its Maps app. The Mobility Trends Report produces three daily percentage figures, showing how many fewer people are driving, walking and using public transport compared with on 13 January, before the coronavirus lockdowns came into effect. It covers major cities and national figures for 63 countries. Hong Ko ... Read more
2020-04-15 22:19:40