Shipments of wearable devices continued to rise in the third quarter of 2016, according to the latest data from IDC. But while the segment experienced growth overall, there’s mounting disparity among the top providers. As has been the case for much of 2016, fitness bands, which are part of IDC’s “basic wearables” category, were the top-selling wearable devices in Q3 and accounted for 85 percent of the […]
The stable version of the Android 7.1.1 Nougat was previously reported to be launching on Dec. 6. The operating system update is said to coincide with the December security patch. However, a report claims that Google has started to roll out Android 7.1.1 Nougat earlier than the mentioned date, which means that owners of the devices who will receive the update can expect it to arrive very […]
The Amazon Go concept store in Seattle. Amazon on Monday unveiled Amazon Go, a new brick-and-mortar concept store that replaces cashiers and checkout lines with computer vision and artificial intelligence. In a video describing the project, Amazon said Amazon Go relies on technology similar to that of a self-driving car: computer vision, deep learning algorithms and sensor fusion. To make the technology more palatable for non-technical folk, […]
In nanotechnology, control is key. Control over the arrangements and distances between nanoparticles can allow tailored interaction strengths so that properties can be harnessed in devices such as plasmonic sensors. Now researchers use dendrimers that mimic the electron valency of atoms and link them into arrays using molecules that coordinate with the dendrimer as they would form a covalent electron pair in their valence shell – “electron […]
A relevant molecular link has been discovered between a rare childhood genetic disease and a major cancer gene. This connection could pave the way for better treatments for people who suffer from cancer, as it sheds new light on the factors that contribute to cancer development. The research was published online in Scientific Reports on Nov. 7. Fanconi Anemia Connected To PTEN Gene The study connects the rare genetic […]
Monday 14.40 GMT Overview Italy’s stock market and much of the country’s banking sector is back under pressure, as investors refine their response to the No vote in the country’s referendum on constitutional reform that led to the resignation of Prime Minister Matteo Renzi. The yield on the country’s benchmark sovereign debt yield remains higher as investors continue to sell Italian government bonds. Italy’s 10-year government debt […]
Law Blog rounds up the morning’s legal news: Crispr clash: A dispute between two research institutions over which invented Crispr-Cas9, a technology scientists hope will reduce gene-editing to something akin to cutting and pasting text on a computer, enters a crucial phase Tuesday. [WSJ] Brexit challenge: Britain’s Supreme Court began hearing a landmark case that […] (via WSJ)
A new battle is breaking out among the titans of cloud computing, as competition in the fast-growing sector shifts to a fresh arena: artificial intelligence. Amazon is the latest tech company to join the fray, boosting its focus on artificial intelligence at a time when Amazon Web Services, its cloud computing division, is locked in competition with Microsoft and Google. AWS, which sells computing and data storage […]
Nissan Motor Co.’s Leaf, with no one inside, scoots during a demonstration of their Intelligent Vehicle Towing system at Nissan Oppama plant in Yokohama, near Tokyo Monday, Dec. 5, 2016. Nissan Motor Co. is testing out self-driving cars at one of its plants in Japan to tow vehicles on a trailer to the wharf for loading without anyone behind the steering wheel.(AP Photo/Koji Sasahara) Nissan Motor Co. […]
To commemorate Zelda‘s 30th anniversary, Nintendo released Legend of Zelda Amiibo today, including figures for 8-bit Link, Ocarina of Time Link, a Toon Link and Zedla herself from The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. To complement the release of these four special figures, Nintendo has now specified each Amiibo’s functionality when paired with the forthcoming Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Scanning the Amiibo will fundamentally gift […]
Dubai Airports has rolled out an upgraded Wi-Fi service across both Dubai International and Dubai World Central airports that allows passengers to access unlimited free high-speed. The airports authority said the new service was launched after extensive research into passenger expectations. Dubai Airports said access to the Wi-Fi has also been made simpler with only one click required on the landing page to connect to the service. […]
05 December 2016 The CEO of Imdaad, a leading provider of integrated facilities management solutions in the GCC, has once again been named the most influential individual in the Middle East’s facilities management (FM) sector. For the fifth year in a row, Jamal Abdullah Lootah topped the fmME Power 50 list in yet another prestigious recognition bestowed on Imdaad’s top official renowned for his outstanding leadership style […]
Shares in Italian banks opened sharply lower Monday morning after voters rejected the country’s constitutional reform referendum, with investors questioning whether some of Italy’s largest financial institutions will now be able to raise capital needed to shore up their finances. Milan’s stock market benchmark, the FTSE Mib, was down 1.4 per cent to 16,857.0 in opening trading, led lower by its banks after Matteo Renzi, Italy’s prime […]
The company responsible for rolling out the National Broadband Network across Australia was directly warned that a draft opinion piece by its chairman, Ziggy Switkowski, could potentially be seen as favouring one side during an election campaign. (Screenshot: Chris Duckett/ZDNet) In a letter submitted in response to Senate Questions on Notice late Friday afternoon, Deputy Secretary of the Department of Communications and the Arts Ian Robinson told […]
Two new characters have been added to Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite. These are Captain America and Morrigan, revealed via an extended gameplay trailer shown during ESPN2’s rebroadcast of the Capcom Cup. The two join Iron Man, Captain Marvel, Ryu and Megaman X in the roster. The extended gameplay trailer reveals a number of things too such as Captain America’s Charging Star move and Morrigan’s winged acrobatics, which […]
UCF scientist Jayan Thomas has made a breakthrough that would essentially turn jackets and other clothing into wearable, solar-powered batteries that never need to be plugged in. It could one day revolutionize wearable technology, helping everyone from soldiers who now carry heavy loads of batteries to a texting-addicted teen who could charge his smartphone by simply slipping it in a pocket. Credit: UCF Marty McFly’s self-lacing Nikes […]
Following a successful listing on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) on November 17 with a market capitalisation of AU$23 million, conversational commerce company Flamingo is now looking at Australia as a key market, with online lending marketplace DirectMoney being announced as its first local client. Born in Australia and based in the US, Flamingo is a software-as-a-service (SaaS) company that provides an “intelligent guided selling platform” to […]
Poorly maintained air conditioning systems cause mold or other bacteria to spread; they often also generate drafts and are costly to operate. An alternative technology that uses ceiling panels covered in special heat-conducting film operates well below the dew point. The system offers hygienic cooling even in tropical climates, and uses up to 70 percent less energy. (via WSJ)
December 05, 2016 Aluminium Bahrain B.S.C. (Alba), the Bahrain-based leading international aluminium smelter, announced the appointment of Waleed Tamimi today on Sunday December 4, 2016 as the new Director of Administration. A Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt, Waleed comes from a business management background with a stronghold on operational excellence. He joined Alba in 2011 as a Master Black Belt Specialist in the Operational Excellence Department. […]
Futuristic racing franchise Wipeout, which has been a part of the PlayStation library since the first game was launched in 1995 has been notably absent on the PlayStation 4, with the last installment in the series being Wipeout 2048 for the PlayStation Vita handheld console. When Shuhei Yoshida, the President of Sony Worldwide Studios, was asked in September last year on whether Wipeout will be making a […]
The Department of Human Services (DHS) has implemented an online compliance system that is using automation to help locate funds owed to the Commonwealth. Approximately AU$4.5 million that has gone awry is being pointed to each day by the online compliance system, allowing DHS to kick off the process to reclaim the funds. Before the new system, only AU$295,000 in missing funds was highlighted every 24 hours. […]
Don’t worry about the robots, worry about the humans. Image: iStock There’s a huge difference between the modest aims of the artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning being used today, and the grand ideas of creating an artificial general intelligence that could match — and then rapidly exceed – the capabilities of a human mind As they develop, AI and machine learning will be able to […]
Boston Dynamics has already developed a robot that can maintain its balance in uneven terrain involving a four-legged robot called BigDog. Now, the company through a third-party technology has just achieved the same feat but this time it involves a humanoid robot. IHMC Algorithm The new development is attributed to an algorithm developed by the Institute for Human and Machine Cognition Robotics Lab in Florida, which allows humanoid […]
New energy vehicles (NEVs) at Beijing Institute of Technology’s campus. Credit: Yu Hao Many Chinese cities are suffering from deteriorating environmental quality—particularly due to air pollution that contributes to fog and haze. Air pollutant levels now far exceed “safe” limits established by the European Union, and one of the main culprits behind it is the rapid increase in automobile ownership and usage. These rising environmental concerns are […]
