Tag: amazon
VW to invest $5bn in Tesla rival Rivian, UK carmakers demand EV support
German car-making giant Volkswagen (VW) says it will invest up to $5bn (£3.94bn) in Tesla rival Rivian. The deal creates a joint venture that will allow VW and the US-based electric vehicle (EV) maker to share technology. Rivian shares jumped by almost 50% after the announcement. The tie-up comes as competition intensifies between EV makers…
EU accuses Apple of DMA breach, Freely signs up Smart TV brands
European Union regulators have accused Apple of being in breach of new laws designed to rein in big tech companies. The European Commission, which regulates competition in the EU, said Apple's App Store squeezes out rival marketplaces, marking the first time it has found a company in breach of the Digital Markets Act (DMA). The…
Amazon’s 10th annual Prime Day will top $14bn this July, forecasts Parcelhero
Amazon has confirmed that its next ‘members only’ Prime Day sale will take place this July. The home delivery expert Parcelhero predicts the event will be the biggest Prime Day yet, with sales reaching $14bn (£11.08bn). Although Amazon has not yet named the actual dates, Parcelhero says bargain hunters should pencil in 9-10 July in their…
Children overrate intelligence of smart speakers, study finds
Image: The Ellen Show, When Kids Use Amazon Alexa, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mX6yxXuyALA Children overrate the intelligence of smart speakers – such as Alexa, Siri or Google Home – and are uncertain if the systems can think like humans or not, research suggests. Around two out of three school pupils who were surveyed about…
Amazon’s Jeff Bezos sells $4 billion of shares Prime Video viewers lose more features
Multi-billionaire Jeff Bezos has sold more of his shares in Amazon, bringing the total value of sales in recent days to more than $4bn (£3.2bn). The technology giant, which Mr Bezos founded in 1994, said he has sold 24 million Amazon shares this month. Mr Bezos, who is the firm's executive chair, last sold Amazon…
FCC makes AI-generated ‘robocalls’ illegal, Google Bard becomes Gemini
The federal agency that regulates communication in the US has made robocalls that use AI-generated voices illegal. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced the move on Thursday, saying it will take effect immediately. It gives the state power to prosecute any bad actors behind these calls, the FCC said. It comes amid a rise in…
Disney invests $1.5 billion into maker of Fortnite, Nuclear Fusion energy record set
Disney's chief executive, Bob Iger, has announced a series of moves which he hopes will bring "significant growth" to the entertainment giant. The plans include streaming an exclusive version of Taylor Swift's Eras Tour concert movie on Disney+. The firm will also invest $1.5bn (£1.2bn) in Epic Games, the maker of the hugely popular video…
OpenAI opens GPT store for customised chatbots, Hyundai unveils Supernal S-A2 compact aircraft
OpenAI on Wednesday launched its GPT Store, a marketplace where paid ChatGPT users can buy and sell specialized chatbot agents based on the company’s language models. The company, whose wildly popular product ChatGPT helped kickstart the boom in AI, already offers customized bots through its paid ChatGPT Plus service. The new store will allow users to…
Data privacy: shopping and food delivery apps track most data
Shopping and food delivery apps, notably Amazon Shopping and Wish, are most data-hungry. Amazon Shopping collects most data points in its category, Wish leads in linking and tracking user data. On average, shopping and delivery apps collect 21 out of 32 possible data points. Facebook and Instagram top the list of privacy-invasive apps, collecting…
Apple announces Vision Pro Headset launch date, Asus unveils smart glasses
Apple has announced its long-awaited Vision Pro headset will go on sale on 2 February in the United States. US customers have been given the option to pre-order the $3,499 (£2,749) mixed-reality device from mid-January, though no date has been set for a UK launch. It is the first major new product to be released…