BATTERYFORPC BLOG
Coronavirus: 3D-printer owners rally to create NHS face masks
Some 1,400 3D-printer owners have pledged to use their machines to help make face shields for the NHS. Started by palliative-medicine doctor James Coxon, the 3DCrowd UK group is now looking to recruit more volunteers. It says thousands of its 3D-printed masks have already been made and donated to hospitals, GPs, pharmacies, paramedics and social-care practices. Healthcare workers say they are h ... Read more
2020-03-31 21:36:04
Coronavirus: Racist 'zoombombing' at virtual synagogue
A synagogue service being held online has been hijacked by racist accounts which posted anti-Semitic abuse to congregants, the BBC has learned. The meeting was being held on video chat app Zoom. "Zoombombing" - where uninvited guests enter meetings - is on the rise as more people use the app to stay in touch during the coronavirus restrictions. Experts advised people to secure meeting ... Read more
2020-03-31 21:35:42
Coronavirus: UK considers virus-tracing app to ease lockdown
A coronavirus app that alerts people if they have recently been in contact with someone testing positive for the virus "could play a critical role" in limiting lockdowns, scientists advising the government have said. The location-tracking tech would enable a week's worth of manual detective work to be done in an instant, they say. But the academics say no-one should be forced to enrol ... Read more
2020-03-31 21:34:34
Coronavirus: Fake news crackdown by UK government
The government is cracking down on misinformation about the coronavirus pandemic. A rapid response unit within the Cabinet Office is working with social media firms to remove fake news and harmful content. Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said action was needed "to stem the spread of falsehoods and rumours, which could cost lives". The specialist unit is dealing with as many as 10 inci ... Read more
2020-03-31 00:18:15
Coronavirus: Tech firm Bloom Energy fixes broken US ventilators
A Californian company that usually makes green-energy fuel cells is due to deliver 170 repaired ventilators to Los Angeles later on Monday after transforming its manufacturing process. An engineer at Bloom Energy downloaded the service manual and taught himself how to dismantle and rebuild them in a day, the Los Angeles Times reported. They had been in storage since the H5N1 bird flu outbreak of ... Read more
2020-03-31 00:17:52
Coronavirus: Start-ups use Zoom app to lay off staff
Tech start-ups worldwide are cutting jobs as the coronavirus pandemic undermines their ability to make money. To make matters worse for staff, they are not being told face to face. Electric scooter-maker Bird axed about 400 posts on Friday, about 30% of its staff. And the Californian company used a Zoom conference call to tell them. Zoom can connect up to 1,000 users on a single call - but many ... Read more
2020-03-31 00:17:32
Coronavirus: YouTube stars urge fans to stay at home
More than 100 YouTube stars have recorded a video message urging their fans to "stay home" during the coronavirus outbreak. The video is introduced by entertainer JJ Olatunji, known online as KSI, who has more than 21 million subscribers on the video clip platform. "We're here looking to spread awareness on the UK government's current advice to stay at home," he says. The vi ... Read more
2020-03-31 00:17:02
Coronavirus: What if this had happened in 2005?
We are living through the most disruptive period in our nation's history since the end of the war. I just about remember seeing the newsflash about President Kennedy being shot. The fall of the Berlin wall and 9/11 are seared in my memory. But nothing compares to this pandemic in terms of the impact on everyday life. But as I spend my day holding video-conferencing sessions with colleagues, Face ... Read more
2020-03-29 21:14:02
Coronavirus: YouTube stars urge fans to stay at home
More than 100 YouTube stars have recorded a video message urging their fans to "stay home" during the coronavirus outbreak. The video is introduced by entertainer JJ Olatunji, known online as KSI, who has more than 21 million subscribers on the video clip platform. "We're here looking to spread awareness on the UK government's current advice to stay at home," he says. The vi ... Read more
2020-03-29 21:13:46
Coronavirus: NHS turns to big tech to tackle Covid-19 hot spots
The NHS has confirmed it is teaming up with leading tech firms to ensure critical medical equipment is available to the facilities most in need during the coronavirus outbreak. It blogged the firms would create computer dashboard screens to show the spread of the virus and the healthcare system's ability to deal with it. These will draw on data gathered via 111 calls and Covid-19 test results. ... Read more
2020-03-29 21:13:24