BATTERYFORPC BLOG
EU demands answers on money-for-views version of TikTok
TikTok has been given 24 hours to respond to the European Commission over a version of the app which pays users for viewing videos. TikTok Lite launched in France and Spain this week. European Commissioner Thierry Breton has compared it to the idea of "light" cigarettes, asking whether it was "as addictive and toxic." TikTok said in a statement it would "respond to the ... Read more
2024-04-17 21:55:14
Can AI take teaching 'out of the Victorian ages'?
In a class of 30 children, no two learn the same way and a teacher does not have time to instruct them all differently. But artificial intelligence does - and across the East of England it is being used to modernise and personalise education. The aim is to ensure no child gets left behind and that learning is engaging, but how can teachers ensure the technology is not abused? In a hangar at West ... Read more
2024-04-17 03:05:11
Billionaire twins invest in ninth-tier football club
A non-league football club has received an injection of $4.5m (about £3.6m) from a pair of cryptocurrency investors. Real Bedford FC (RBFC) received the Bitcoin investment from Winklevoss Capital, an investment firm owned by Gemini founders Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss. Podcaster Peter McCormack bought the side, currently in the ninth tier of English football, in 2021 with the goal of turning it ... Read more
2024-04-12 19:50:04
UK competition watchdog has 'real concerns' over big tech AI dominance
Big tech's dominance of the rapidly developing artificial intelligence (AI) market is a matter of "real concern", the competition regulator has warned. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is looking into the new breed of powerful AI tools - foundation models. They include text and image generators, such as ChatGPT. The CMA found an "interconnected web" of AI partners ... Read more
2024-04-11 20:29:31
TikTok to take on Instagram with photo app
TikTok is to take on social media rival, Instagram, by launching a photo-sharing app. The company said it was working on a "dedicated space" for images and text. Some users have received notifications saying their photo posts will be shared to a new "TikTok Notes" app unless they opt out. It is the latest example of social media firms imitating each others' products - includ ... Read more
2024-04-09 19:10:49
Microsoft announces new AI office in UK
Microsoft is opening a new office in London dedicated to artificial intelligence (AI) research and development. The tech firm's AI boss Mustafa Suleyman said it will advertise roles for "exceptional individuals" in the coming weeks and months. But he has not said how many jobs will be created. Microsoft is a major investor in ChatGPT-creator OpenAI, which itself opened an office in Lo ... Read more
2024-04-08 19:56:39
Solar Eclipse: Sky watchers hope for clear weather
Millions are hoping for clear skies as anticipation grows ahead of Monday's total solar eclipse. Forecasters are predicting cloudy conditions in northern Mexico, Texas and parts of the Great Lakes region. Better weather is expected in western Mexico and parts of the US Midwest, with clear spring skies likely in New England and Canada. The total solar eclipse, the first to cross the continent si ... Read more
2024-04-07 19:29:53
X gives free blue ticks to its most popular users
X, formerly Twitter, is giving blue ticks to its most "influential" users in a significant change of policy. Those with more than 2,500 verified followers - people already paying for X Premium - have been given premium features for free. As well as the blue tick, the users will see fewer adverts on X. The social media platform also announced it was clearing bots so people may notice f ... Read more
2024-04-06 20:25:26
Will Truth Social post a financial bailout for Trump?
The share price of Donald Trump's media company has fallen from last week's high when it officially listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange. But it is still worth more than $7bn (£5.6bn) at current prices - an astonishing sum given the business behind it. So what is the Truth Social platform, who owns it, how many users does it have, and how much money does it make? And is it the answer to Mr Trump' ... Read more
2024-04-02 19:24:38
Google to delete records from Incognito tracking
Google has agreed to delete billions of records and submit to some restrictions on its power to track users, under the terms of a proposed legal settlement. The deal aims to resolve a class action lawsuit brought in the US in 2020, which had accused the tech giant of invading people's privacy by collecting user data even when they were browsing in "private mode". The suit had sought $5 ... Read more
2024-04-01 19:36:39