Authorities to investigate changes to how WhatsApp and Facebook handle personal data August 26, 2016 The information commissioner said today that she is looking into changes to the way Facebook and WhatsApp handle customers' personal data. The messaging service, which was bought by social media giant Facebook in 2014 for $22bn (£16bn), announced yesterday that it was going to allow businesses to message its over one billion users with SMS messages. [...]
Free music for EE customers… for six months at least August 26, 2016 Britain's largest mobile phone carrier has announced a tie-up with Apple Music that will see customers receive a free six month subscription. EE – now owned by telecoms giant BT – said that any new monthly customers or those renewing their contracts could benefit from the free service. “The deal is a coup for EE that [...]
Game over? Shares plunge at Gamestop as quarter’s releases fail to impress shoppers August 25, 2016 Shares in Gamestop have dropped dramatically in after-hours trading, after the company revealed the recent lack of big name titles had done little to entice customers. The games retailer reported net sales had fallen to $1.6bn (£1.2bn) for its second quarter, down 7.4 per cent from $1.8bn in the same period the year before, while same store [...]
Hull named as next in line for Cityfibre broadband August 25, 2016 CityFibre – a broadband infrastructure challenger – has named Hull as its city for expansion, partnering with Hull-based telecoms company, Pure Broadband. The new network, which spans 62km across Hull, is expected to give a boost to broadband competition in the area. Comparison site Moneysupermarket.com does not currently list any broadband deals available in the Hull area, as it's served solely [...]
WhatsApp wants businesses to ask users what’s up as the walls between Facebook begin to fall August 25, 2016 Facebook-owned messaging service WhatsApp is moving to reestablish its revenue stream by allowing businesses to message users. A change to its privacy policy – announced on the company's blog – means businesses will be able to message WhatsApp's over one billion users in the same way they do with SMS messages. Whatsapp used examples of a users bank notifying them about a potentially [...]
Now you can book an Uber in advance as Scheduled Rides comes to London August 25, 2016 Uber is shaking up the way users can order a car, expanding upon the on-demand model which first made it a hit with a new feature for scheduling journeys ahead of time. People will now be able to book a car up to a month in advance of their journey, or just 15 minutes ahead. [...]
Sadiq Khan visits Paris to secure business and tech startup collaboration with London August 25, 2016 London mayor Sadiq Khan has travelled to Paris in a bid to secure a partnership with the French capital in the aftermath of Brexit. Khan was invited to France by Anne Hidalgo, the Parisian mayor, for the anniversary of the liberation of the city from Nazi forces. Morning Wire previously revealed City Hall was in talks [...]
Don’t fall for the Uber hype – London needs a common sense approach to taxis August 25, 2016 The lavishly resourced Uber PR machine has cranked into gear once again – with a blizzard of activity attempting to obstruct Transport for London's eminently sensible new rules for regulating the taxi industry in London. Quite why Uber are huffing and puffing as much as they are is anyone’s guess: TFL – the industry's regulator – [...]
Seven reasons why it’s the perfect time to ditch the office job and become an artist August 25, 2016 Right now, it's the perfect time to leave behind the day job and pursue a more creative path. The online art market is growing at an unprecedented rate. From sales of Old Masters to poster art, the art sector is moving online with a vengeance. According to a leading trade report for 2016, global online art [...]
The world’s first driverless taxis have hit the road (beating Uber) August 25, 2016 The first-ever driverless taxis have hit the road in Singapore, and despite the ambitious plans of Uber announced just last week that it's about to put autonomous cabs into service, the billion dollar startup has been pipped to the post. Residents of Singapore will spot the robo-taxis driving around the business district and they will even be able [...]