BATTERYFORPC BLOG
Apple founder Steve Wozniak backs right-to-repair movement
Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak has issued a passionate endorsement of the right-to-repair movement, despite the company's opposition. The movement wants laws passed to guarantee users access to information and parts to repair their own devices. "We wouldn't have had an Apple had I not grown up in a very open technology world," Mr Wozniak, its co-founder with Steve Jobs in the 1970s, sa ... Read more
2021-07-08 19:30:07
Right to repair movement gains power in US and Europe
There is growing pressure on manufacturers around the world to allow consumers the right to repair their own devices. The UK has introduced right-to-repair rules that legally require manufacturers to make spare parts available to people buying electrical appliances. The European Commission has announced plans for right-to-repair rules for smartphones, tablets and laptops. And later this week, U ... Read more
2021-07-07 19:45:04
Trump sues Twitter, Google and Facebook alleging 'censorship'
Former US president Donald Trump has filed a lawsuit against tech giants Google, Twitter and Facebook, claiming that he is the victim of censorship. The class action lawsuit also targets the three companies' CEOs. Mr Trump was suspended from his social accounts in January over public safety concerns in the wake of the Capitol riots, led by his supporters. On Wednesday, Mr Trump called the lawsu ... Read more
2021-07-07 19:44:25
Audio editor Audacity denies spyware accusation
Audio-edit software Audacity has denied accusations its new privacy policy has transformed it into "possible spyware". The open-source free tool, with 100 million users worldwide, is popular with podcast and music editors. Its updated policy says data can be shared with its Russia-based infrastructure company, WSM, as well as regional law enforcement. Audacity says the only data it ex ... Read more
2021-07-06 19:40:03
Nintendo Switch OLED Model gets an upgraded screen
Nintendo has unveiled its long-rumoured upgrade to the Switch, with a new model featuring a larger, better screen. The Switch OLED Model's main feature is its OLED screen - a technology which offers deeper blacks and better colours than most LCD screens like those on the original Switch. It will launch on 8 October, costing £50/$50 more than the current model. But the new revision does not feat ... Read more
2021-07-06 19:35:07
Why are Chinese tech brands flocking to Euro 2020?
Everybody's eyes were on the ball during the tense England v Germany Euro 2020 football match this week - mine included. But almost every time I saw a sponsored brand on the digital billboards that run the circumference of the pitch at Wembley, there appeared to be a Chinese super-brand logo on display. During the last tournament, held in 2016, there was just one Chinese sponsor - the TV maker H ... Read more
2021-07-02 19:53:33
US companies hit by 'colossal' cyber-attack
About 200 US businesses have been hit by a "colossal" ransomware attack, according to a cyber-security firm. Huntress Labs said the hack targeted Florida-based IT company Kaseya before spreading through corporate networks that use its software. Kaseya said in a statement on its own website that it was investigating a "potential attack". Huntress Labs said it believed the Rus ... Read more
2021-07-02 19:52:50
US and UK agencies accuse Russia of political cyber-campaign
US and UK intelligence have accused Russian military hackers of being behind an ongoing cyber-campaign to steal emails and other information, including from parliaments. The campaign is primarily focused on the United States and Europe. There are said to be hundreds of targets around the world, including UK political parties. The same group allegedly stole and leaked Democrat emails during the ... Read more
2021-07-01 19:49:12
Parents of children called Alexa challenge Amazon
Parents of children called Alexa say their daughters are being bullied because it is the same name that Amazon uses for its virtual assistant. Some have even changed their child's name because they say the barrage of Alexa jokes is "relentless". They are calling on Amazon to change the default wake word for its devices to a non-human name. Amazon says it is "saddened" by the ... Read more
2021-07-01 19:48:45
TikTok removes more than seven million suspected under-age accounts
TikTok removed nearly 7.3 million accounts suspected to belong to under-age children in the first quarter of this year. The video-sharing platform said the profiles accounted for fewer than 1% of global users. Children aged 13 and over are allowed to use the platform, which is highly popular with teenagers. This is the first time TikTok has published such figures in a Community Guidelines Enfor ... Read more
2021-06-30 19:59:13