Tech
Amazon unveils 'smarter and more conversational' Alexa
Amazon has unveiled a slew of gadgets and an update to its popular voice assistant Alexa, infusing it with more generative AI features to better compete with other tech companies who've rolled out flashy chatbots. During a demonstration at the company's second headquarters in Arlington, Virginia on Wednesday, Amazon’s devices… Read
1Password launches mobile support for passkeys
1Password, a leader in identity security, on Wednesday announced the general availability of saving and signing in with passkeys directly from the 1Password mobile apps and browser extensions. 1Password customers can now create, manage, and sign in with passkeys on a growing number of websites and apps, providing cross-platform access… Read
Tire maker honored for tackling electric car pollution
Electric cars are widely hailed as the future of transport, but even though they eliminate the issue of fuel emissions from tailpipes, the problem of particle pollution as a result of tire wear hasn't been resolved. A British company selected as a finalist for Prince William's Earthshot Prize now promises… Read
Musk considers charging all X users monthly fee
Elon Musk has sparked outrage among fans of his social media platform X by suggesting he might introduce a monthly fee for all users, in what would be the biggest shake-up since he took over the site then known as Twitter last October. During a talk with Israeli Prime Minister… Read
SoftBank Group to gain $5.12 bil proceeds from Arm IPO
SoftBank Group Corp said Tuesday that it will receive $5.12 billion in proceeds from the initial public offering of Arm Holdings Plc, a British chip designer under the Japanese conglomerate, by the end of September. Arm, whose chips power most of the world's smartphones, debuted on the U.S. Nasdaq stock… Read
IBM commits to train 2 million in AI in 3 years, with focus on underrepresented communities
To help close the global artificial intelligence (AI) skills gap, today IBM has announced a commitment to train two million learners in AI by the end of 2026, with a focus on underrepresented communities. To achieve this goal at a global scale, IBM said it is expanding AI education collaborations… Read
AI 'no substitute' for fashion designers' creativity
AI is transforming the fashion world but the fast growing technology will never be a replacement for designers' "original creativity", according to the head of a pioneering project. Fashion innovator Calvin Wong has developed the Interactive Design Assistant for Fashion (AiDA) -- the world's first designer-led AI system. It uses… Read
Cow waste to be transformed into rocket fuel for space startup
A Japanese chemical manufacturing company has been working on creating liquid biomethane from cow waste to be used as rocket fuel, potentially providing a solution for dairy farmers grappling with disposal challenges. Air Water Inc said it would begin conducting trials in the fall, with the fuel to be loaded… Read
After castigating video games during riots, France's Macron backpedals and showers them with praise
French President Emmanuel Macron is extending an olive branch to video gamers after previously linking computer games to rioting that rocked France earlier this year. Posting on social media platform X, previously known as Twitter, Macron backpedaled on remarks in June where he blamed video games for having “intoxicated” some… Read
In climate fight, Europe's olive, wine farmers turn to tech and tradition
Farmers in Spain and Italy are turning to techniques ancient and modern to safeguard production of regional favourites including olive oil and Prosecco as climate change forces them to rapidly adapt. In the face of extreme weather that has caused billions of euros in losses in both countries, farmers in… Read
