Month: July 2019
Twitter account branded ‘homophobic’ after mass-blocking LGBTQ+ users
A Twitter profile set up in protest against inclusive sex education in UK schools has mass-blocked LGBTQ+ users. People who have had no interaction with the account have logged on to find they have been blocked from seeing tweets by @QuestionLGBTEdu. The account protests LGBTQ+ education in schools, referring to it as “dogma” and…
Will new Samsung Galaxy Tab 6 tablet rival iPad Pro?
Samsung has unveiled a new high-powered tablet which it hopes will rival Apple’s iPad Pro. The Galaxy Tab 6 includes a fingerprint sensor for the first time as well as the ability to magnetically attach the S Pen stylus – which comes with the tablet – to the rear of the device. It will also…
What both families and businesses should know about TikTok
Even if you've never used TikTok, you've probably heard of it, perhaps through a teenage relative or friend who seems obsessed with it. After all, this social networking app has grown hugely in popularity since it was launched back in 2016 by the Chinese company ByteDance. Today, TikTok has 500 million monthly active users, as…
Sony Pictures TV launches first free-to-air movie network
Sony Pictures Television will launch the UK’s first free-to-air movie network as it rebrands its existing entertainment networks in the UK . Sony Movies, Sony Movies Action, Sony Movies Classic and the seasonal pop-up channel Sony Movies Christmas will together form the Sony Movies network. At the same time, the Sony-owned entertainment channel True Entertainment…
Instagram introduces in-app charity donations with new sticker
Instagram users can now raise awareness of and donate directly to charities following the introduction of a donation sticker to the Stories section of the social media app. The sticker is placed over a photo or video uploaded to a user’s Instagram Story and enables those who view and then tap it to donate to…
Apple revenue boosted by services, iPhone sales drop
Apple service products such as streaming and cloud continued to make gains while iPhone sales dropped, according to the company’s latest results. The tech giant posted quarterly revenue of $53.8 billion (£44.3 billion) in the three months to June 29, an increase of 1% from the same period in 2018. Net profit fell from $11.5…
DfE to launch competition to find best Children’s Education apps
The Department for Education (DfE) is to launch a competition to find the best apps to help disadvantaged families to boost their children’s education. It is part of a push to encourage poorer families to work with their children to develop their language and literacy skills at home. According to DfE data, disadvantaged children are…
Honor releases 20 Pro smartphone despite Huawei scrutiny
Honor is planning to release its latest 20 Pro handset in the UK next month despite ongoing scrutiny around its owner, Huawei. The Honor 20 Pro’s launch in May came just a week after an executive order that effectively banned Huawei from trading with US companies without approval. Although US President Donald Trump appears to…
Tech to help farmers detect plant diseases with smartphones
New technology that could help farmers quickly spot diseases in plants using smartphones has been developed by researchers. The handheld device for identifying problems with crops, which was designed at North Carolina State University, can be plugged into a mobile phone and used to analyse compounds that plants release through their leaves. Diagnosing diseases in…