BATTERYFORPC BLOG
Ride hailing app Grab falls in $40bn market debut
Grab - the Uber of South East Asia - has made its stock market debut on New York's Nasdaq trading platform. Shares initially rose in the Singapore-based operator of the ride-hailing and payments app, before falling sharply. The share sale valued Grab at more than $40bn (£30bn), making it the largest ever US listing by a South East Asian firm. Instead of a conventional share sale, Grab went publ ... Read more
2021-12-05 19:00:28
China app giant Didi plans US stock market exit in move to Hong Kong
Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi Global has announced plans to take its shares off the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and move its listing to Hong Kong. The firm has come under intense pressure since its US debut in July. Within days of the initial public offering (IPO) Beijing announced a crackdown on technology companies listing overseas. Earlier on Thursday the US market watchdog unveiled tou ... Read more
2021-12-05 18:59:36
US challenges Nvidia takeover of chip designer Arm
The US Federal Trade Commission has challenged the proposed takeover of chip designer Arm by Nvidia. The FTC said the proposed acquisition would give Nvidia too much control over computing technology that competitors rely on. Arm licenses its designs and technology to big tech companies, including Apple, Qualcomm, Sony and Samsung. Nvidia said it would "work to demonstrate that this transa ... Read more
2021-12-03 18:39:34
US creditors can now DM debtors on social media
Debt collectors are now allowed to contact Americans on social media and by text message, according to new rules enacted by a US agency this week. The rule from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) opens the door for creditors to slide into the DMs of millions of Americans who have loans. Critics say the messages could be lost online or lead to invasions of privacy and a proliferation ... Read more
2021-12-03 18:39:13
Match settles legal fight with Tinder founders for $441m
US online dating giant Match Group has agreed to pay the founders of Tinder $441m (£331.4m) to settle a legal battle over the dating app's worth. Tinder's founders first sued Match and its former owner IAC in August 2018, claiming they had undervalued the app to avoid paying billions of dollars. When Match and media giant IAC bought the founders out in 2017, the firm was valued at $3bn. But Tin ... Read more
2021-12-02 19:13:42
Ride hailing app Grab falls in $40bn market debut
Grab - the Uber of South East Asia - has made its stock market debut on New York's Nasdaq trading platform. Shares initially rose in the Singapore-based operator of the ride-hailing and payments app, before falling sharply. The share sale valued Grab at more than $40bn (£30bn), making it the largest ever US listing by a South East Asian firm. Instead of a conventional share sale, Grab went publ ... Read more
2021-12-02 19:13:17
Microsoft Edge buy now pay later scheme met with criticism
Microsoft is under fire from angry users after announcing plans for a built-in "buy now pay later" function in its Edge web browser. Such schemes let buyers divide payments into smaller chunks over time - but have been criticised for their risk of users getting into debt. Microsoft has added one provider to the checkout page of shopping sites as a default payment option. But users hav ... Read more
2021-12-01 23:25:49
Cryptocurrency executives to be questioned in Congress
Executives of eight major cryptocurrency firms have been called to testify before a US congressional committee on 8 December. Witnesses called to appear include Coinbase's Alesia Haas, Circle's Jeremy Allaire and Bitfury's Brian Brooks. It will be the first time companies representing the controversial sector have been questioned in this way. US politicians across the political spectrum have ca ... Read more
2021-12-01 23:25:09
Reith Lectures: AI and why people should be scared
Prof Stuart Russell, founder of the Center for Human-Compatible Artificial Intelligence, at the University of California, Berkeley, is giving this year's Reith Lectures. His four lectures, Living With Artificial Intelligence, address the existential threat from machines more powerful than humans - and offer a way forward. Last month, he spoke to then BBC News technology correspondent Rory Cellan ... Read more
2021-11-29 18:53:32
Facial recognition firm faces possible £17m privacy fine
An Australian firm which claims to have a database of more than 10 billion facial images is facing a potential £17m fine over its handling of personal data in the UK. The Information Commissioner's Office said it had significant concerns about Clearview AI, whose facial recognition software is used by police forces. It has told the firm to stop processing UK personal data and delete any it has. ... Read more
2021-11-29 18:52:42