BATTERYFORPC BLOG
Sonos Arc soundbar makes jump to Dolby Atmos audio
Sonos has announced a new flagship soundbar with the latest surround-sound technology. The Sonos Arc is the firm's first model to incorporate Dolby Atmos - which bounces audio off the ceiling to create the impression that sounds are being emitted from different heights. The launch comes nearly five years after Yamaha was first to bring an Atmos soundbar to market. Sonos may benefit from the cor ... Read more
2020-05-06 20:32:47
Coronavirus: Hands on with NHS Covid-19 contact-tracing app
For an app with so much riding on it, NHS Covid-19 is at first sight very simple and extraordinarily unexciting. At this stage it is only available to NHS and council workers on the Isle of Wight. On Thursday, other residents of the island will get a leaflet containing a link that will trigger a download. And eventually anyone will be able to download it directly from the UK versions of Apple's ... Read more
2020-05-05 20:28:12
Coronavirus: Cyber-spies hunt Covid-19 research, US and UK warn
The UK and US have issued a joint warning cyber-spies are targeting the health sector. Hackers linked to foreign states have been hunting for information, including Covid-19 data and vaccine research, they say. UK sources say they have seen extensive activity but do not believe there has been any data theft so far. Those behind the activity are not named in the alert but are thought to include ... Read more
2020-05-05 20:27:42
Facebook and Twitter allow scammers 'free rein'
Social-media companies are failing to clamp down on scammers selling people's personal details through their platforms, an investigation from consumer watchdog Which? has shown. It found 50 profiles, pages and groups on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram offering stolen credit-card details, and Netflix and Uber Eats accounts. And much of the content had remained on the platforms after being reporte ... Read more
2020-04-29 21:16:15
Tesla warns on shutdown as Musk calls for end to lockdown
Demand for Tesla's electric cars held up in the first three months of the year, despite upheavals caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Quarterly revenues jumped 30% from last year to $5.9bn (£4.7bn), allowing the firm to turn a small profit of $16m. It is the third quarterly profit in a row for the company, marking a turnaround after years of losses. But Tesla said forced shutdowns and limits on ... Read more
2020-04-29 21:15:38
Coronavirus: UK contact-tracing app 'ready in two to three weeks'
Building a coronavirus contact-tracing app that might help the UK emerge from lockdown has been a titanic effort - and it has largely taken place in private. But now the NHS chief responsible has told MPs he hopes the first version will be ready in a fortnight's time. Matthew Gould also disclosed plans to log the location of whenever two or more people are in close proximity for minutes at a tim ... Read more
2020-04-28 21:25:07
Coronavirus-themed game banned in China
A coronavirus-themed game has been blocked on Steam in China because of its politically motivated content. In order to win Coronavirus Attack, players have to stop "selfish zombies" from escaping a country infected with the virus. Players reported the game for using the same colour scheme as the Chinese flag, with virus-shaped animations in place of its stars. The game has been inunda ... Read more
2020-04-28 21:24:44
NHS rejects Apple-Google coronavirus app plan
The UK's coronavirus contact-tracing app is set to use a different model to the one proposed by Apple and Google, despite concerns raised about privacy and performance. The NHS says it has a way to make the software work "sufficiently well" on iPhones without users having to keep it active and on-screen. That limitation has posed problems for similar apps in other countries. Experts f ... Read more
2020-04-27 21:13:46
Coronavirus: DJI Mavic Air 2 jettisons drone safety feature in Europe
DJI has launched its first consumer drone to warn of nearby planes and helicopters via its controller. The inclusion of the safety feature follows multiple reports of near-misses with other aircraft. However, the firm says supply chain problems caused by the coronavirus pandemic mean it is only equipping the Mavic Air 2 with the ability in North America at this point. Buyers in Europe and elsew ... Read more
2020-04-27 21:13:23
UK spies will need artificial intelligence - Rusi report
UK spies will need to use artificial intelligence (AI) to counter a range of threats, an intelligence report says. Adversaries are likely to use the technology for attacks in cyberspace and on the political system, and AI will be needed to detect and stop them. But AI is unlikely to predict who might be about to be involved in serious crimes, such as terrorism - and will not replace human judgem ... Read more
2020-04-26 21:54:54