Tech
Microsoft unveils Xbox Series X as console war heats up
Microsoft has unveiled a name and look for its new gaming console, the Xbox Series X, promising a still-more immersive experience as it fends off threats from streaming and rival Sony. The U.S. company in June pointed to the technical abilities of its next-generation console when it announced "Project Scarlett",… Read
YouTube bans 'implied' threats
YouTube has broadened its anti-harassment policies to include a ban on "implied" threats along with insults based on race, gender identity or sexual orientation. "We will no longer allow content that maliciously insults someone based on protected attributes such as their race, gender expression, or sexual orientation," global head of… Read
Scientists to harness the sun to break down plastic
Scientists said Wednesday they have come up with an environmentally-friendly method that uses artificial sunlight to transform plastic into power-generating chemicals, as countries worldwide battle to reduce waste. Huge quantities of plastic have piled up on land and been dumped in the sea across the world, with Asian nations in… Read
Facebook firm on message encryption despite pressure
Facebook plans to move ahead with strong encryption for all its messaging applications, claiming that allowing law enforcement special access would end up being "a gift to criminals, hackers and repressive regimes." The comments from the leading social network come weeks after officials from the US, Britain and Australia called… Read
Line starts bank transfer service via smartphone payment platform
Messaging app provider Line Corp has started a new service that allows users to transfer money to bank accounts via its smartphone payment platform, a first for Japan in a crowded market. Other mobile payment service providers in the country have enabled transfers between individuals using the same payment platform… Read
Child's play: Coding booms among Chinese children
Wearing a pair of black-rimmed glasses and a red T-shirt, an eight-year-old Chinese boy is logged in for an online coding lesson -- as the teacher. Vita has set up a coding tutorial channel on the Chinese video streaming site Bilibili since August and has so far garnered nearly 60,000… Read
Global financial watchdogs take aim at Big Tech's data dominance
Google, Alibaba and other "Big Tech" companies could be forced to share data on financial services customers with banks and financial technology firms to prevent unfair competition. As Facebook's plan for its Libra "stablecoin" faces scrutiny, a global body of regulators from the world's main financial centers said that Big… Read
EU opens subsidies for electric battery push
The EU's powerful anti-trust authority on Monday approved billions of euros in subsidies from seven member states as Europe seeks to make up lost ground in batteries. The move is part of a big push led by Germany and France to prepare Europe for the emergence of electric cars, as… Read
New app predicts water-related conflict up to year in advance
Conflicts over water are likely to flare up in Iraq, Mali and India in the coming year, according to the developers of an app which aims to help prevent violence by flagging up potential flashpoints. They said the "groundbreaking" early warning tool, which has also predicted risks in Iran, Nigeria… Read
Privacy concerns pushing people to change online behavior, poll shows
Privacy concerns are pushing people to change their behavior online, according to an international poll that found one in three avoid specific search terms or web pages to elude tracking. More than seven in 10 respondents to a survey of almost 10,000 people in nine countries said they were worried… Read
