BATTERYFORPC BLOG
Netflix considers crackdown on password sharing
Netflix is trialling a crackdown on password sharing. Some users have reported seeing a screen saying, "If you don't live with the owner of this account, you need your own account to keep watching." A spokesperson told the BBC: "This test is designed to help ensure that people using Netflix accounts are authorised to do so." A decision has yet to be made as to whether the co ... Read more
2021-03-11 19:31:22
Facebook asks judge to throw out FTC anti-trust lawsuit
Facebook has asked a US judge to dismiss anti-trust charges levelled against the company. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and 45 other states sued Facebook for alleged anti-competitive behaviour in December. The lawsuit requested the breaking up of the company, which also owns Instagram and WhatsApp. On Wednesday, Facebook described the complaint as "nonsensical" and asked the judg ... Read more
2021-03-10 19:09:31
EU seeks to supercharge computer chip production
The European Commission has set an ambitious target to boost production of cutting-edge computer chips by the end of the decade. It wants 20% of such chips, in terms of value, to be manufactured within the EU by 2030. It was 10% in 2020. The pledge comes at a time when supply has failed to meet demand, causing problems for car-makers and others. Part of the challenge will be that the US and mai ... Read more
2021-03-09 19:20:32
Microsoft email server hacks put Biden in a bind
The scale of a hack on Microsoft Exchange is beginning to emerge, with tens of thousands of organisations potentially compromised. The attack used previously unknown flaws in the email software - and sometimes stolen passwords - to steal data from targets' networks. Microsoft says the attackers are "state-sponsored and operating out of China". And while it initially thought the number ... Read more
2021-03-08 19:00:16
Why popular YouTubers are building their own sites
Whether he's showing off astronomically expensive computer gaming hardware or dumpster-diving for the cheapest PC builds possible, Linus Sebastian's videos always strike a chord, and have made him one of the most popular tech personalities on YouTube. But Google-owned YouTube gets most episodes of Linus Tech Tips a week late. Now, they debut on his own site called Floatplane, which attracts a mu ... Read more
2021-03-07 19:34:35
Why popular YouTubers are building their own sites
Whether he's showing off astronomically expensive computer gaming hardware or dumpster-diving for the cheapest PC builds possible, Linus Sebastian's videos always strike a chord, and have made him one of the most popular tech personalities on YouTube. But Google-owned YouTube gets most episodes of Linus Tech Tips a week late. Now, they debut on his own site called Floatplane, which attracts a mu ... Read more
2021-03-07 19:34:09
Tech Tent: The new 'space race' for computer chips
Silicon chips are at the heart of many of the biggest technology stories of our time. Without them, car plants around the world have come to a halt. The technology to make them is now seen by the United States as a key weapon in its trade war with China. And access to the latest and most-powerful versions will determine who wins the artificial intelligence race. In this week's Tech Tent podcast, ... Read more
2021-03-05 19:20:46
YouTube to lift Trump ban if violence threat falls, says CEO
YouTube's chief executive has said the platform may lift Donald Trump's suspension, if the threat of "real-world violence" decreases. Susan Wojcicki said the company will look at government warnings and violent rhetoric to determine when it's safe to lift the suspension. Following the Capitol Hill riot on 6 January that left five dead, Mr Trump's account was suspended. YouTube said he ... Read more
2021-03-04 19:55:54
Reddit chief: I was late to spot GameStop stock mania
Reddit boss Steve Huffman has told BBC News he supported the aims of controversial sub-Reddit WallStreetBets. A long-time fan of the group, he said he had been slow in spotting its effect on GameStop's huge share-price spike in January. "I was actually a little late to the party, because I didn't realise that Reddit had leaked into the real world again", he said. GameStop's share pric ... Read more
2021-03-03 20:34:55
Contraception app Natural Cycles swipes at new rival from Clue
Natural Cycles, the first app to be cleared by US regulators for use as a contraceptive, has criticised the approval of a new birth control service from period tracker app Clue. Natural Cycles knocked Clue's product for relying purely on period dates and also said its approval process had not been as thorough. But Clue said the regulator had determined its digital Birth Control service was " ... Read more
2021-03-02 19:28:39