BATTERYFORPC BLOG
Manufacturers cast doubt on ventilator target
The UK may not have all the ventilators it needs by the time coronavirus cases in the country reach their peak, engineering firms warned. Health officials expect the UK to experience its highest number of infections in around two weeks' time. The UK has just over 8,000 ventilators, significantly fewer than the 30,000 the government estimates are needed to cope with the fallout from the peak. Ma ... Read more
2020-03-29 21:13:03
Coronavirus: Zoom is in everyone's living room - how safe is it?
Zoom, the video-conferencing app that has seen a huge rise in downloads since quarantines were imposed around the world, is now being used by millions for work and social gatherings.
This week Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted a picture of himself chairing a Cabinet meeting via the app.
This led to questions about how secure it was for government meetings.
Zoom has angrily defended its security record, saying it would answer any questions the government had.
2020-03-27 20:00:05
A 3D-printed ventilator designed for Spain's coronavirus patients
A Spanish team has rapidly designed an emergency-use ventilator out of 3D-printed parts.
It hopes the device will soon be approved to help the country's coronavirus patients.
2020-03-27 19:59:39
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
2020-03-27 19:59:20
Coronavirus: Tesla donates hundreds of ventilators to New York
Elon Musk has promised to provide New York with hundreds of ventilators to help meet demand from the growing coronavirus outbreak. The Tesla chief executive said the first batch of donated machines would be delivered later on Friday. The ventilators were purchased from US government-approved manufacturers in China. The mayor of New York City Bill de Blasio thanked Mr Musk on Twitter writing &qu ... Read more
2020-03-27 19:58:54
Huawei P40 flagship phones launch amid Covid-19 crisis
Huawei has launched a range of new flagship smartphones despite the coronavirus pandemic. The firm unveiled the P40 phones a day after the firm's founder announced that 90% of the company's 150,000 China-based employees had returned to work. But experts say demand for the handsets will likely be weak outside of its home market, at least in the short-term. They say many consumers and businesses ... Read more
2020-03-26 19:24:45
The uncertain future for China's electric car makers
Han Zhu is on a mission to go green. The 29-year-old data analyst wants her next car to be electric. But her reasons for buying an electric vehicle are in part practical. In the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, government restrictions on the number of petrol cars sold each year mean she would have to enter a lottery or auction to be able to buy a petrol vehicle. "There is a possibility yo ... Read more
2020-03-26 19:24:17
Coronavirus: NHS uses tech giants to plan crisis response
Data collected gathered via the NHS's 111 telephone service is to be mixed with other sources to help predict where ventilators, hospital beds, and medical staff will be most in need. The goal is to help health chiefs model the consequences of moving resources to best tackle the coronavirus pandemic. Three US tech firms are aiding the effort - Amazon, Microsoft and Palantir - as well as London-b ... Read more
2020-03-26 19:23:59
Coronavirus: UK’s WhatsApp bot working after false start
A Covid-19 WhatsApp bot set up by the UK government is finally working after problems during launch on Wednesday. Members of the public who message the bot can access pre-determined chunks of advice on symptoms or how to avoid spreading the disease, for example. But it failed to work for some users after its launch, providing nothing more than an error message. However, the BBC has verified tha ... Read more
2020-03-26 19:23:40
New online communities help those facing isolation
New social media groups are springing up around the country as people come together to help their neighbours who may be self-isolating or need help with shopping.
BBC Click's Stephen Beckett finds out more.
Following the recording of this film the UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has outlined strict new measures to tackle the spread of the coronavirus. Find out more here.
2020-03-25 19:35:35