BATTERYFORPC BLOG
Video streaming: Lockdown sees fifth of UK homes sign deals
One in five households in Britain – six million – signed up to an online video subscription service during the Covid-19 lockdown, data suggests. The majority of those sign-ups, 52%, are going to Disney+, according to market research firm Kantar. The most-enjoyed piece of content, though, was Netflix’s exclusive documentary series Tiger King. AppleTV+ struggled to engage TV viewers, howeve ... Read more
2020-05-27 21:16:44
Twitter tags Trump tweet with fact-checking warning
A post by US President Donald Trump has been given a fact-check label by Twitter for the first time. President Trump tweeted: "There is NO WAY (ZERO!) that Mail-In Ballots will be anything less than substantially fraudulent." Twitter put a warning label under the post and a subsequent tweet under its new policy on misleading information. Mr Trump responded by tweeting again, saying th ... Read more
2020-05-26 21:30:54
Facebook shareholders try to block encryption plan
Investors at Facebook's annual stockholder meeting will vote on a proposal to postpone the firm's plans for end-to-end encryption. The firm says it wants to make the measure the default option across its messaging platforms to protect privacy. But activist shareholders say this would make it nearly impossible to detect child exploitation on Facebook. The group wants the company to delay the mov ... Read more
2020-05-26 21:30:38
Huawei: What would happen if the UK ditched the Chinese firm?
Huawei's future in the UK is in doubt - again. The consequences could affect how quickly improved internet access is rolled out and how much it will cost. This a time when the country's economy is already in a precarious state because of the coronavirus pandemic. The catalyst for a potential rethink is the US's move to restrict the firm's ability to buy chips, which was justified on "nation ... Read more
2020-05-25 21:35:24
Could coronavirus kickstart more accessible tech?
Many people have changed the way they work during the coronavirus pandemic, but for some disabled people this has brought some specific challenges.
Improvements in accessible technology has seen artificial intelligence software provide real-time, on-screen transcriptions of what someone is saying in video calls, but there are concerns that some video calling platforms and apps are not as accessible as they could be.
BBC Click’s Paul Carter finds out more.
2020-05-25 21:35:07
Fresh UK review into Huawei role in 5G networks
The UK government is conducting a new review into the impact of allowing Huawei telecoms equipment to be used in British 5G networks. The National Cyber Security Centre involvement comes after the US brought in fresh sanctions on the Chinese company, citing security fears. In January, the UK resisted US pressure to ban Huawei from contributing to 5G. A UK government spokesman said: "The se ... Read more
2020-05-24 21:13:05
Wikipedia sets new rule to combat “toxic behaviour”
Wikipedia is to institute a new code of conduct to battle what the firm called "toxic behaviour" by some volunteers. The Wikimedia Foundation, the organisation that runs the site, voted on new measures that will be finalised by the end of the year. Wikipedia is written and updated by volunteers. Many, particularly women and members of the LGBTQ community, have complained of abuse and ... Read more
2020-05-24 21:12:49
Australia 'records fastest internet speed ever'
Researchers in Australia claim they have recorded the fastest ever internet data speed. A team from Monash, Swinburne and RMIT universities logged a data speed of 44.2 terabits per second (Tbps). At that speed, users could download more than 1,000 high-definition movies in less than a second. According to Ofcom, the average UK broadband speed currently is around 64 megabits per second (Mbps) - ... Read more
2020-05-22 20:56:36
Coronavirus contact tracing: My new skill
It could be the most important job of our times. And now, after receiving a 95% pass rate in my final exam, I can proudly say, I am a qualified contact tracer. What is not clear is just how well trained most of the people undertaking this vital task in the UK will be. A contact tracer does the detective work of calling up people known to be infected with a disease and working out where they have ... Read more
2020-05-22 20:55:25
Coronavirus: MPs demand answers on misinformation
Twitter has begun labelling tweets that spread misinformation about Covid-19, including some from Mark Steele, who posts about links between 5G and coronavirus. But tweets from other 5G conspiracy theorists, such as David Icke, remain unchallenged. MPs have asked Google, Twitter and Facebook to return to Parliament to answer their questions about content. Only Facebook's head of global policy M ... Read more
2020-05-21 23:45:58