BATTERYFORPC BLOG
Millions more get fibre broadband but take-up lags
Eight million UK homes now have access to full-fibre broadband, a record rise of three million since last year. But fewer than a quarter of those have chosen to upgrade to a full-fibre package, regulator Ofcom's annual Connected Nations report says. Many could upgrade without paying more than they currently did, Ofcom said. The number of upgrades was rising, with 750,000 homes moving to full-fi ... Read more
2021-12-16 18:24:58
Sainsbury's payroll hit by Kronos attack
Sainsbury's is among major businesses in the UK and US affected by a cyber-attack on a payroll system provider. On Saturday, Kronos confirmed it was dealing with a ransomware attack on its computer systems. Many companies such as Sainsbury's rely on Kronos to log, store and process the hours employees have worked. The supermarket chain is understood to have lost a week's worth of data for its 1 ... Read more
2021-12-16 18:24:24
Watchdog bans seven ads in crypto 'red alert'
Seven cryptocurrency adverts have been banned by the UK's advertising watchdog. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) says monitoring cryptoassets, like Bitcoin, is a "red-alert priority" following concerns that many ads fail to fully convey the risks of investing. The banned ads included a promotion by a pizza chain and Facebook ads for a large cryptocurrency exchange. The ASA sa ... Read more
2021-12-15 22:59:07
Log4shell: US demands Christmas Eve deadline for hack fix
US cyber-security officials have ordered federal agencies to protect their systems against a major computer vulnerability by Christmas Eve. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) set a 24 December deadline for security patches. Security experts have called Log4shell one of the most serious security flaws in the past decade. CISA head Jen Easterly has called it "a sever ... Read more
2021-12-15 22:58:30
Online Safety Bill: New offences and tighter rules
New criminal offences and major changes have been proposed in the UK's landmark Online Safety Bill, which seeks to regulate social media and tech giants. A new parliamentary report calls for adding scams and offences, like sending unwanted sexual images and promoting violence against women and girls. A named senior manager at the tech giants should also be made personally liable in court for fai ... Read more
2021-12-14 19:03:14
Apple launches Android app to address AirTags tracker fears
Apple has launched an app for competitor Android's smartphones, which will inform users if there is a tracking device nearby. Apple's AirTags are small location trackers that can be attached to items such as keys or bags in case they are lost. But they could also be used with malicious intent, such as being planted on people without their knowledge. The new app allows Android users to detect ne ... Read more
2021-12-14 19:02:33
Spoiler alert: This story contains a major plot development in the Sex and the City reboot And Just Like That.
Fitness equipment maker Peloton has offered a humorous response after the brand featured in the HBO Max show.
At the end of last week, the firm's shares slumped after a key character died while using one of the company's exercise bikes.
The company approved the show's use of its bikes but said it was not told that Mr Big, played by actor Chris Noth, would die after the workout.
But Peloton has now released an advert that brings the character back to life.
In the first episode of And Just Like That John James Preston, more commonly known by his nickname Mr Big - the on-off partner and eventual husband of Sarah Jessica Parker's Carrie Bradshaw - died after suffering a heart attack during a workout on a Peloton.
The company's shares have slumped by more than 16% since the show first aired on 9 December.
Peloton responded by saying said that Mr Big's lifestyle and family history was the likely cause of his death and using one of its exercise bikes "may have even helped delay his cardiac event."
On Sunday, it released a parody advert, in which Mr Big was brought back to life - with the caption: "And just like that... he's alive".
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In the advert, Mr Noth and real-life Peloton instructor Jess King - who also starred in the HBO episode - are seen sitting by a fire. He asks her if she would like to take another ride. Actor Ryan Reynolds, whose advertising firm produced the promo, provides the voiceover.
This is not the first time that one of Peloton's adverts have been in the news.
In 2019, the company's shares slumped after a backlash over its Christmas advert, which showed a woman being given an exercise bike for Christmas by her partner.
She then records her workouts over the following year in a vlog and presents it to him as a way of saying thank you.
"A year ago, I didn't realise how much this would change me," she says. Critics of the 30-second promo said it was "sexist" and "dystopian".
Coronavirus creates boom in digital fitness
Peloton was given a major boost by the pandemic beneficiary, as people who were forced to stay at home looked for ways to stay in shape.
The company's shares rose five-fold in 2020 before losing most of those gains this year.
Investors are concerned that the company will struggle to grow in the future.
Peloton has faced other problems in recent months. In May, the company withdrew its treadmills after reports of a death and several injuries.
In August, it cut the price of its flagship exercise bike as people headed back to the gym and did less exercise at home.
It came as losses widened at the firm in the fourth quarter of the year and revenue growth began to slow.
View original tweet on Twitter
Presentational white space
In the advert, Mr Noth and real-life Peloton instructor Jess King - who also starred in the HBO episode - are seen sitting by a fire. He asks her if she would like to take another ride. Actor Ryan Reynolds, whose advertising firm produced the promo, provides the voiceover.
Peloton was given a major boost by the pandemic beneficiary, as people who were forced to stay at home looked for ways to stay in shape.
2021-12-13 18:52:11
Flaw prompts 100 hack attacks a minute, security company says
A flaw in widely used computer code is prompting 100 new hacking attempts every minute, a security company says. Check Point said it had seen attempts to exploit the vulnerability on over 40% of corporate networks globally. One US official said the security flaw, Log4shell, posed a "severe risk", with companies warning it was being actively used by criminal groups. Fixes have been iss ... Read more
2021-12-13 18:51:39
Alibaba fires woman who claimed sexual assault
Chinese e-commerce firm Alibaba has fired a woman who said a colleague and a client had sexually assaulted her. The dismissal letter said she had spread falsehoods that had damaged the company's reputation. The employee went public with her allegations in August because she said Alibaba had failed to take action. She said the assaults took place during a business trip. The colleague was then sa ... Read more
2021-12-12 18:40:00
The technology helping keep women safe on the streets
Half of all women have felt unsafe at some point walking alone in the dark, according to recent figures from the Office for National Statistics. They might call a friend, share their location on WhatsApp, or have their keys to hand - all strategies to stay secure. Sexual harassment against females has been under the spotlight for most of this year, with women across the UK turning to their own m ... Read more
2021-12-12 18:39:41