BATTERYFORPC BLOG
Google blocking 18m coronavirus scam emails every day
Scammers are sending 18 million hoax emails about Covid-19 to Gmail users every day, according to Google. The tech giant says the pandemic has led to an explosion of phishing attacks in which criminals try to trick users into revealing personal data. The company said it was blocking more than 100 million phishing emails a day. Over the past week, almost a fifth were scam emails related to corona ... Read more
2020-04-19 21:23:14
Coronavirus: Electricity use up during day as nation works from home
Home energy use is up by up to 30% during the middle of the day, new analysis by energy firms reveals. Much of the population is working from home and schools have closed, meaning home computers and televisions are busier than ever. The highest peak is at lunchtime, when cooking is added to the power consumption of working from home. But overall, the country is actually using less energy becaus ... Read more
2020-04-17 21:00:45
Tech Tent: Learning to code during lockdown
Could one of the few upsides to the current health crisis be that a generation of young people acquire new digital skills? On this week's Tech Tent podcast, we hear how parents are using the lockdown to get children interested in coding. Listen to the latest Tech Tent podcast on BBC Sounds Listen live every Friday at 15.00 GMT on the BBC World Service Take Ruth Moore and her sons Reuben an ... Read more
2020-04-17 21:00:25
Coronavirus: AI steps up in battle against Covid-19
It feels as if a superhuman effort is needed to help ease the global pandemic killing so many. Artificial intelligence may have been hyped - but when it comes to medicine, it already has a proven track record. So can machine learning rise to this challenge of finding a cure for this terrible disease? There is no shortage of companies trying to solve the dilemma. Oxford-based Exscientia, the fi ... Read more
2020-04-17 21:00:01
Google blocking 18m coronavirus scam emails every day
Scammers are sending 18 million hoax emails about Covid-19 to Gmail users every day, according to Google. The tech giant says the pandemic has led to an explosion of phishing attacks in which criminals try to trick users into revealing personal data. The company said it was blocking more than 100 million phishing emails a day. Over the past week, almost a fifth were scam emails related to corona ... Read more
2020-04-17 20:59:34
Coronavirus: NHS contact tracing app to target 80% of smartphone users
A contact-tracing app could help stop the coronavirus pandemic, but 80% of current smartphone owners would need to use it, say experts advising the NHS. The University of Oxford's Big Data Institute has modelled a city of one million people to simulate the software's impact. If there is lower uptake, academics say the app would still help slow the spread of Covid-19. They add that letting peopl ... Read more
2020-04-16 20:42:30
Coronavirus: Facebook alters virus policy after damning misinformation report
Facebook is changing how it treats Covid-19 misinformation after a damning report into its handling of the virus. Users who have read, watched or shared false coronavirus content will receive a pop-up alert urging them to go the World Health Organisation's website. A study had indicated Facebook was frequently failing to clamp down on false posts, particularly when they were in languages other t ... Read more
2020-04-16 20:41:56
Selena Gomez sues fashion game for 'using face'
Actress and singer Selena Gomez is suing the makers of a smartphone game, alleging they used her likeness without permission. The Clothes Forever Styling Game app lets players dress celebrity avatars that resemble stars such as the Kardashians, Adele and Gomez. But Gomez's legal action calls it "reprehensible" and a "gross violation" of her publicity rights. And it asks for ... Read more
2020-04-16 20:41:22
TikTok bans under-16s from private messaging
New rules on the hugely popular TikTok app mean under-16s will no longer be allowed to send or receive direct messages. It is the first time a major social-media platform has blocked private messaging by teenagers, on a global scale. A survey by UK regulator Ofcom suggested TikTok was used by 13% of 12- to 15-year-olds last year. Critics say the new rules will not stop children lying about thei ... Read more
2020-04-16 20:40:57
Epic Games delays the release of Fortnite's new season
Epic Games has delayed the release of its new season of Fortnite until June. Chapter 2, Season 3 of Fortnite was scheduled to be released in just two weeks, but the company said it would extend the current season instead. Fortnite is one of the world's most popular video games, attracting millions of players and viewers. Epic Games would not say why the delay had occurred or if it was related t ... Read more
2020-04-15 22:20:54