Month: April 2019
Snapchat to let gamers play as their Bitmoji in other games
Snapchat is to allow gamers to use their Bitmoji in other games on other platforms. The social media platform has released a software kit that will enable video game developers to integrate the avatars into their own games. The move will enable Snapchat users to play as the animated version of themselves across different platforms.…
Google Thanos to reveal Avengers: Endgame Easter egg promotion
The Google search engine is joining in the hype around the release of Avengers: Endgame by introducing a special Easter egg. Type the name of villain Thanos into the search engine and click on the gold Infinity Gauntlet that appears on the right of the screen, and half the search results disappear. The Thanos search…
Microsoft increases space needed on PCs to install latest Windows 10 update
Some Windows 10 users will be forced to double the amount of space on their PC to install future updates, as Microsoft has increased the amount of storage required to install its newest software. Previously, more powerful machines running on 64-bit needed 20GB free on their hard drive, while 32-bit devices needed a minimum of…
Santander introduces Phone ID and Voice ID for telephone banking customers
Santander customers will no longer need to remember and key in security numbers when accessing telephone banking, as the bank introduces voice and phone recognition technology. Telephone banking customers will be offered the option of verifying their identity through technology which will recognise their voice and where they are calling from. Santander is doing a…
Facebook expands fact-checking programme for European elections
Facebook has expanded its use of independent fact-checking groups in Europe, as it looks to cut down on misinformation ahead of the European Parliament elections. The social network said five new groups – based in Northern Ireland, Greece, Croatia, Portugal and Lithuania – would rate and review the accuracy of stories posted on the platform.…
Amazon failing to remove enough fake reviews, claims Which?
Retail giant Amazon is only removing a proportion of fake and suspicious reviews that risk misleading shoppers into buying poor-quality products, according to Which? The watchdog found Amazon had removed 78,000 reviews for popular technology products over the last three years, but said the number was not “nearly enough” to address the problem. It found…
Instagram inspires holiday choices, claims easyJet
Instagram has become the travel brochure of choice for many Britons, with more than half (55%) of us booking trips abroad after being inspired by images we've seen on social media, a survey has suggested. Research for easyJet also found nearly one in three travellers (32%) said their biggest priority when considering a foreign destination…
Peaky Blinders Virtual Reality game allows you to defeat rival gangs
A virtual reality experience set in the world of BAFTA-award winning TV series Peaky Blinders is to be developed with the help of Government funding. The game, due to be released next year, will use cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) technology to enable the virtual characters to interact and respond to players’ gestures, movements, voice and…
Amazon results boosted by cloud and subscription-based services
Cloud services and subscription-based products such as Prime helped Amazon achieve strong quarterly results once again, with net sales up 17% to 59.7 billion dollars (£42.6 billion). The company’s growing cloud business – Amazon Web Services – delivered the biggest area of growth in the three months to the end of March, with net sales…
Apple recalls wall plug adapters in the UK
Apple has announced a voluntary recall of certain AC wall plug adapters after confirming they can break and risk giving an electric shock when touched. The three-pronged plugs, primarily used in the UK, Hong Kong and Singapore, were sold with Mac computer and mobile devices between 2003 and 2010, as well as part of the…