Harman International Industries teams up with Toumaz on wireless home speakers September 2, 2016 Harman International, the world's largest speaker company, is working with digital radio and smart audio tech developer Toumaz on a Google Cast-enabled wireless speaker. Frontier Silicon – part of Toumaz – began developing software to use with Google Cast last year. Google Cast lets users connect their smartphone to their TV or speakers. Read more: Why British homeowners [...]
The SpaceX rocket explosion destroyed Facebook’s first satellite September 1, 2016 A SpaceX rocket has exploded during pre-launch testing, destroying Facebook's first satellite which was due to be launched into orbit. A huge plume of black smoke could be seen over the Kennedy Space Centre at Cape Canaveral in Florida. SpaceX leases the launch pad from Nasa. The Falcon-9 rocket created by Elon Musk's SpaceX has notched 26 successful launches [...]
London tech startup and Visa partner on blockchain – and want banks’ help September 1, 2016 A London-based blockchain startup has partnered with pay giant Visa and will start testing the technology to make cross-border payments. It's the latest collaboration between an established financial services firm and a startup to experiment with the distributed ledger technology which experts believe could reduce costs and speed up transactions. Read more: These big banks are [...]
Uber wins judicial review of English tests for drivers and other new rules September 1, 2016 Uber has succeeded in the first stage of its legal challenge against new rules on English language tests for drivers in London after the high court today approved a judicial review. The billion dollar startup argues the English exam, which it claims is tougher than the test for British citizenship, is discriminatory and contravenes the Equality Act. Morning Wire exclusively revealed in August that [...]
London tech startups are heading on a trade mission to the US September 1, 2016 More than 20 of London's top tech startups will head to the US with the backing of City Hall to drum up interest among investors and strengthen transatlantic business ties. The trade mission will be led by the deputy mayor for business and fintech startup founder Rajesh Agrawal and the delegation will include entrepreneurs Sarah Wood, founder [...]
Kobo Aura One review: A super-sized ebook reader that will survive a dunk in the tub September 1, 2016 What’s the most expensive thing you’ve ever dropped in the bathtub? For me it is the ancient loofah I found in a tomb, for you it may be a jewel-encrusted rubber duck, for most it will be their mobile phone, but for some unlucky few it will be their ebook reader. The original Kobo Aura [...]
Yi 4K Action Camera review: This budget GoPro imitator is easily as good as a GoPro September 1, 2016 The recent and unrelenting proliferation of “action cameras” suggests lots of action is happening all around us, even though apart from the time I saw a very tall man in cargo shorts long-boarding in the bus lane, and Jeremy Vine getting shouted at by an irate driver, I can’t remember seeing much that was worth recording. [...]
“Total political crap”: Tim Cook’s damning verdict on the EU Apple tax ruling September 1, 2016 Tim Cook has lashed out at the EU's decision to recover a decade's worth of back taxes from Apple, calling it "total political crap" and accusing Europe of anti-US sentiment. The chief executive said Ireland is being picked on and that both have played by the rules in an interview with the Irish Independent. "They just picked [...]
From smartphones to smart homes: O2 launches subscription connected home service September 1, 2016 O2 is going from smartphones to smart homes with the launch of a new service that will let users operate their heating and lighting from their mobile. O2 Home will also offer connected plugs to control any device, cameras, intruder alarms and more all controlled via an app from whereever you are and which can react to your return home [...]
WhatsApp only SIM card comes to the UK September 1, 2016 Telecoms startup FreedomPop has launched the first ever WhatsApp only mobile SIM in the UK. The SIM card gives free, unlimited data when using the popular Facebook-owned messaging app and offers an additional 200 megabytes of general data, as well as 100 voice minutes per month. Earlier this week FreedomPop made headlines when Russian billionaire [...]