BATTERYFORPC BLOG
Chinese users flock to Clubhouse amid soaring popularity
Audio-only social network iPhone app Clubhouse has seen an explosion of new users in the last week, including Chinese people discussing politics. According to mobile analytics firm Sensor Tower, the app was downloaded 2.3 million times by 31 January. The chat app is free, but currently invite-only. However, Chinese users are paying up to $77 (£56) for invitations from e-commerce sites, accordin ... Read more
2021-02-07 22:46:09
How will 'chipageddon' affect you?
For the most part they go unseen but computer chips are at the heart of all the digital products that surround us - and when supplies run short, it can halt manufacturing. There was a hint of the problem last year when gamers struggled to buy new graphics cards, Apple had to stagger the release of its iPhones, and the latest Xbox and PlayStation consoles came nowhere close to meeting demand. The ... Read more
2021-02-04 19:58:10
Broadband switching should be less 'hassle', says Ofcom
People who want to swap broadband providers should be able to do so more simply, regulator Ofcom has said. It follows its own research suggesting 40% of people are put off switching because it is considered too complex. Under its proposals, customers would just contact their chosen new provider and the switch would happen automatically. There is currently a mismatch between the number of superf ... Read more
2021-02-03 20:18:19
Apple Face ID to work for mask wearers
The next update to the iPhone operating system will let owners use a face scan to unlock their handsets even when wearing a mask - but there is one big caveat. At present, trying to use the Face ID feature with part of the face covered triggers a screen asking users to type in their passcode, which many find frustrating. The iOS 14.5 upgrade should solve that. But users also need to be wearing ... Read more
2021-02-02 20:31:21
GameStop investor battle moves on to silver as prices surge
Silver prices have hit an a eight-year high after calls to buy the metal on social media sparked a trading frenzy. It comes a week after amateur investors piled into shares in the games retailer GameStop, causing them to jump 700%. On Monday silver rose by as much as 11% to $30 an ounce, while shares in some mining firms were up as much as 60%. Small time traders swapping tips on Reddit are tho ... Read more
2021-02-01 20:09:26
Google halts Play Store 'review bombing' by GameStop traders
Google has removed a wave of negative reviews of popular stock-market trading apps targeted by furious investors. Platforms such as Robinhood have been hit after preventing independent traders buying GameStop and AMC shares. Users of a Reddit message board had managed to upset the market by buying the shares and inflating their value, hitting established hedge funds. Many online traders, feelin ... Read more
2021-01-31 19:36:23
Joe Biden's tech - what can the president use?
You might think the world's most powerful man would have access to any gadget he chooses - but when it comes consumer tech, Joe Biden may be sorely disappointed. The electronic devices around the US president are perhaps the most prominent hacking targets in the world. "The odds are zero, that [Russia] aren't targeting world leaders," Harvard Kennedy School lecturer Bruce Schneier says ... Read more
2021-01-29 19:37:32
Facebook's Oversight Board orders takedowns restored
Facebook's Oversight Board has made its first rulings about content, deciding four out of five of the removed posts referred to it have to be restored. The board was set up to hear appeals from users about content they felt had been unfairly taken down - as well as cases referred by Facebook itself. The five posts covered a range of issues, including hate speech, nudity, misinformation and viole ... Read more
2021-01-28 20:32:29
Apple Christmas sales surge to $111bn amid pandemic
Apple sales have hit another record, as families loaded up on the firm's latest phones, laptops and gadgets during the Christmas period. Sales in the last three months of 2020 hit more than $111bn (£81bn) - up 21% from the prior year. The gains come as the pandemic pushes more activity online, fuelling demand for new technology. Apple now counts more than 1.65 billion active devices globally, i ... Read more
2021-01-27 19:39:58
Beware fake Covid vaccination invites, NHS warns
The NHS has warned people to be vigilant about fake invitations to have the coronavirus vaccination, sent by scammers. The scam email includes a link to "register" for the vaccine, but no registration for the real vaccination is required. The fake site also asks for bank details either to verify identification or to make a payment. The NHS says it would never ask for bank details, and ... Read more
2021-01-26 20:14:12