Sharing is caring: Science has found a solution to tackling low battery on our mobile phones through new system PowerShare May 20, 2016 It's time to rejoice as science might finally have solved one of the most tiresome 21st century (and first world) problems we're all blighted with – low phone battery. A new technology, called PowerShare, consists of docking aids and flexible coils that are embedded in a smartphone or smartwatch that allow you to control the [...]
Online streaming sites like Netflix and Amazon Prime face a European programming quota under new EU rules May 19, 2016 New rules governing the content provided by online video streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime are set to be announced by the European Commission next week. Streaming firms will be required to devote at least 20 per cent of their offering to European content, as the Commission tries to increase funding for Europe's [...]
The four things which could tip the scales in favour of fintech startups over banks May 19, 2016 Banks can breath a sigh of relief. Fintech isn't going to make them obsolete any time soon, according to Moody's, but there are four things to look out for that have the potential to swing that balance in the other direction. There won't be a major shock of disruption from fintech, the credit agency has said [...]
Uber’s driverless cars have hit the roads May 19, 2016 Uber is the latest company to get its driverless car plans into gear, with test vehicles hitting the roads of Pittsburgh, the location of its Advanced Technologies Centre. The billion dollar startup is embracing more technology with Ford Fusion cars which drive themselves. The head of the research centre John Bares told the Pittsburgh Tribune [...]
Zopa’s got a new finance product, expanding into car refinancing loans and more May 19, 2016 Peer-to-peer lender Zopa is branching out with a new loan product offering car refinancing in a bid for a share of the £12bn a year market. Around 40 per cent of Zopa's loans are used for buying a car and Zopa Car ReFi will be a dedicated product aimed at those who already have a car [...]
Digital challenger bank Tandem smashes crowdfunding target in minutes May 19, 2016 Another digital challenger bank has smashed its crowdfunding target within minutes as investors continue to clamour for an opportunity in fintech – and it hasn’t even launched yet. Tandem has raised £1m in just 20 minutes through crowdfunding platform Seedrs. The fundraising was open to those who pre-registered from 12pm today and having already reached its target, the bank is now [...]
This banking platform is using wearables delivering electric shocks to stop people going over their spending limit May 19, 2016 A new banking platform promises to reduce overspending among millennials, by using the "Internet of Things" to break bad spending habits. The platform – called "Interact IoT" – was devised by FinTech company Intelligent Environments and connects individuals’ bank details with smart devices such as Nest and Pavlok. Go beyond your spending limit, and your heating will automatically be turned [...]
Here’s how your brain works on the Tube (and what it can teach AI) May 19, 2016 Our brains work harder when we have to switch lines on the Underground, even if there are fewer stops than a longer journey which requires no changes, new research reveals. Scientists have identified how our brains work when we're navigating the London Underground which could help artificial intelligence learn things more efficiently. Read more: Accenture's launching an [...]
London tops smarts cities index with Bristol in second place May 19, 2016 London has come out top of the rankings for factors which make a smart city, according to new research. London scored 80.5 for its use of digital technology to improve services, helping it top Huawei's smart cities index. The capital was praised for urban innovations such as the congestion charge and its strong commitment to open data with the London Datastore. [...]
P2P lending: Why the Lending Club fiasco won’t send us all back to the dark ages May 19, 2016 You'd be forgiven for thinking, following last week’s news that Lending Club’s chief executive Renaud Laplanche was stepping down amid allegations around loan sales and misconduct, that this is the end of P2P lending as we know it. Commentators have been quick to discredit the P2P sector, with online lenders labelled “banks in disguise”, up [...]