Category: Biz Tech

By Ben Gruber | CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. NASA scientists are putting the finishing touches on a spacecraft designed to rendezvous with Asteroid Bennu in 2018 to find clues about the origins of life."We are days away from encapsulating into our rocket faring and lifting this spacecraft on to the Atlas V vehicle and beginning the journey to Bennu and back," Dante Lauretta, the principal investigator of the mission told Reuters at the Kennedy Space Center.The $1 billion mission,

By Eveline Danubrata and Glenys Kirana | JAKARTAJAKARTA Asian fans of smartphone game Pokemon Go are hunting out the best telecom providers and network gear to overcome the hurdle posed by patchy network signals in their race to capture virtual cartoon characters.From Indonesia to Hong Kong and Cambodia, the wild popularity of Nintendo's (7974.T) augmented reality app is also driving lifestyle changes for many gamers, who must trudge through real-life locations in their quest.The game launched in many Southeast Asian

SINGAPORE Singapore will make regulatory changes to facilitate the use of electronic payments, the central bank said on Friday, as the city-state aims to become a major centre for financial technology (fintech)."Our vision is to make Singapore an electronic payments society, a society that spurs innovation in payments technology, that gives consumers maximum convenience and confidence in making payments," said Ravi Menon, Managing Director of the Monetary Authority of Singapore.MAS will streamline existing money changing, remittance and payment systems law

By Jessica DiNapoliU.S. internet publisher Gawker Media Group Inc said on Thursday that it would shut down its news and gossip website Gawker.com next week after Univision Holdings Inc successfully bid for the internet publisher's six other websites.The decision to end Gawker.com's 14-year run comes two days after Univision (UVN.N) won a bankruptcy auction to acquire Gawker Media for $135 million, outbidding media company Ziff Davis LLC.Univision's winning bid for Gawker Media was approved by a U.S. bankruptcy judge earlier

By Jessica DiNapoliU.S. internet publisher Gawker Media Group Inc said on Thursday that it would shut down its news and gossip website Gawker.com next week after Univision Holdings Inc successfully bid for the internet publisher's six other websites.The decision to end Gawker.com's 14-year run comes two days after Univision (UVN.N) won a bankruptcy auction to acquire Gawker Media for $135 million, outbidding media company Ziff Davis LLC.Univision's winning bid for Gawker Media was approved by a U.S. bankruptcy judge earlier

By Tom Bergin | LA HULPE, BelgiumLA HULPE, Belgium More than a dozen current and former board directors and senior managers of SWIFT, the bank messaging system that helps transmit billions of dollars around the world every day, have told Reuters that the organisation for years suspected there were weaknesses in the way smaller banks used its messaging terminals – but did not address such vulnerabilities.The sources said that until February, when hackers tried to steal nearly $1 billion dollars

Cisco Systems Inc is laying off about 14,000 employees, representing nearly 20 percent of the network equipment maker's global workforce, technology news site CRN reported, citing sources close to the company.San Jose, California-based Cisco is expected to announce the cuts within the next few weeks, the report said, as the company transition from its hardware roots into a software-centric organization. (bit.ly/2bEQfa3)Apart from Cisco, the other tech giants, which have announced job cuts in the face of PC industry decline in

Now, all you need is a phone number to start a video call with any contact who uses an Android- or iOS-based smartphone.Google on Tuesday launched Google Duo, pitting it directly against Apple Inc's (AAPL.O) FaceTime, which allows video calls only between Apple devices.Duo will also compete with Microsoft Corp's (MSFT.O) video-calling app Skype, Facebook Inc's (FB.O) Messenger and even its own Hangout app.Duo comes with a unique feature called "knock knock", which lets a person to see live video

LONDON Sage Group, a provider of accounting, payroll and payments software for businesses, said cyber attackers had used an internal login to access the data of some of its British customers.The personal details of the employees of about 280 British companies were potentially exposed in the breach, a company source said."We are investigating unauthorised access to customer information using an internal login," the company said in a statement."We cannot comment further whilst we work with the authorities to investigate but

By Harry Pearl and Charlotte Greenfield | SYDNEYSYDNEY German tech entrepreneur and alleged internet pirate Kim Dotcom will seek a review of a Federal Court decision which rejected his bid to keep hold of millions of dollars in assets held in Hong Kong and New Zealand, his lawyer said.A three-judge panel of the 4th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals ruled two to one on Friday that Dotcom could not recover his assets because by remaining outside the U.S., he was

By Krishna N. Das and Karen Lema | MANILAMANILA Bangladesh's central bank has said it is withholding findings of investigations into the cyber theft of $81 million from its account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York to avoid tipping off the "foreign perpetrators" of the hack.Bangladesh Bank lawyer Ajmalul Hossain was responding to comments by Rizal Commercial Banking Corp (RCBC) in the Philippines - through which the stolen money was routed before disappearing into Manila's casino industry -

SYDNEY Australia's first online national census was in chaos on Wednesday after the survey website crashed overnight due to a possible cyber attack, raising concerns over the country's cyber security and criticism of its slow internet services."It was an attack and we believe from overseas," Australia’s chief statistician, David Kalisch told Australian Broadcasting Corp radio.Kalisch said that no data from the 2.3 million forms already submitted to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) had been stolen. "We have it

People visit a Tesla Model S car during the Auto China 2016 in Beijing, China, April 25, 2016. Reuters/Jason Lee/File Photo BEIJING Tesla said on Wednesday that one of its cars had crashed in Beijing while in 'autopilot' mode, with the driver contending sales staff sold the function as 'self-driving', overplaying its actual capabilities.Tesla said it had reviewed data to confirm the car was in autopilot mode, a system that takes control of steering and braking in certain conditions.The company, which

|By Arabian Post Staff| Residential batteries, together with battery applications in commercial, industrial and utilities, are considered to be the next big opportunity in batteries besides electric vehicles. Indeed, this will become a $6 billion market by 2026 as predicted by the new IDTechExResearch report “Batteries for Residential, Commercial, Industrial and Utility Applications 2016-2026: Technologies, Markets, Players and Opportunities”.On April 30, 2015, Tesla officially launched its residential and commercial/utility-scale energy system products "Powerwall" and "Powerpack" in Los Angeles, with the price well below earlier

A security guard stands guard outside a branch of Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) in Paranaque city, Metro Manila, Philippines August 2, 2016. Reuters/Erik De Castro/File Photo MANILA Rizal Commercial Banking Corp (RCBC) officials say they have preserved ties with major U.S. banks despite the use of one of its branches in Manila by cyber criminals to funnel $81 million stolen from the Bangladesh central bank’s account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.The money was sent to RCBC by

A sign of Alibaba Group is seen at CES (Consumer Electronics Show) Asia 2016 in Shanghai, China, May 12, 2016. Reuters/Aly Song/File PhotoHONG KONG Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd is offering to help international technology firms such as SAP SE to enter China, a market where foreign tech companies face increased government scrutiny.Alibaba Cloud, the cloud computing arm of Alibaba Group, said in a statement on Tuesday it aims to assist technology firms overcoming business obstacles in China. It

A man uses a mobile phone in front of an advertisement board bearing the image of Pokemon Go at an electronic shop in Tokyo, Japan, July 27, 2016. Reuters/Kim Kyung-Hoon/File Photo SAN FRANCISCO Top video game companies, caught off-guard by the runaway success of Pokemon Go, are wrestling with how to play catch-up to the augmented reality app that has become a worldwide phenomenon.Nearly a dozen executives at companies from Sony Corp (6758.T) to Angry Birds-creator Rovio said Pokemon Go would

A magnifying glass is held in front of a computer screen in this picture illustration taken in Berlin May 21, 2013. Reuters/Pawel Kopczynski/Illustration/File PhotoSYDNEY Australia has set up a cyber-intelligence unit to identify terrorism financing, money laundering and financial fraud online, the government said on Tuesday, because of "unprecedented" threats to national security.The measure expands on a major platform of conservative Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who narrowly won re-election last month after promising to improve Australia's cybersecurity and transform the economy

A general view of a Wal-Mart store in Mexico City, April 24, 2012. Reuters/Edgard Garrido/Files Wal-Mart Stores Inc (WMT.N), vying to better challenge Amazon.com Inc (AMZN.O), will pay about $3 billion for internet retailer Jet.com and its innovative pricing software in the largest-ever deal for an e-commerce startup.The deal disclosed on Monday follows a five-year e-commerce acquisition spree in which Wal-Mart, the world's biggest traditional retailer, has already bought 15 startups, seeking the talent and technology to make it a dominant

TOKYO Nick Johnson, who claims to be the first person to capture all 145 creatures now available in the "Pokemon Go" mobile gaming phenomenon, says he is not ready to put away his smartphone just yet and hopes for new features.The 28-year-old tech employee from Brooklyn, New York, who refers to himself as the "world-first Pokemon Go master" on his Twitter account, announced last week he had completed his quest after travelling across the globe for the smartphone game."I'll definitely

A security guard stands guard outside a branch of Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) in Paranaque city, Metro Manila, Philippines August 2, 2016. Reuters/Erik De Castro MANILA A Bangladesh central bank team visiting Manila to recover $81 million stolen from its account in New York said it was close to getting back $15 million of the loot frozen by the Philippines, but first has to prove ownership of the cash to its hosts.Cyber criminals tried to steal nearly $1 billion from

A security guard stands beside a logo of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (Central Bank of the Philippines) posted at the main gate in Manila, Philippines April 28, 2016. Reuters/Romeo Ranoco/File Photo MANILA The Philippine central bank said on Friday it would fine Rizal Commercial Banking Corp (RCB.PS) (RCBC) a record 1 billion pesos ($21 million), after the bank was used by cyber criminals to channel $81 million stolen from Bangladesh Bank in February.The central bank said in a statement that

LAS VEGAS Apple Inc (AAPL.O) said it plans to offer rewards of up to $200,000 (£152,433) to researchers who find critical security bugs in its products, joining dozens of firms that already offer payments for help uncovering flaws in their products.The maker of iPhones and iPads provided Reuters with details of the plan, which includes some of the biggest bounties offered to date, ahead of unveiling it on Thursday afternoon at the Black Hat cyber security conference in Las

The logo of Samsung Electronics is seen at its headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, July 28, 2016. Reuters/Kim Hong-Ji/Files SEOUL Samsung Electronics Co Ltd on Wednesday unveiled a new Galaxy Note smartphone with a curved screen and iris-recognition technology, seeking to build on the sales momentum that has helped it roar back to surging profit growth.Samsung, the world's top smartphone maker, saw its January-June mobile profit jump 49 percent from a year earlier, thanks to robust sales of its flagship Galaxy

SolarCity Corp (SCTY.O) agreed to Tesla Motors Inc's (TSLA.O) $2.6 billion offer to buy the solar panel installer, the companies said on Monday, clearing one obstacle in the way of Elon Musk's ambitious plans for a carbon-free energy and transportation company.Tesla's offer represented about half of SolarCity's value a year ago, a tumble reflecting the solar company's slowing growth, complex financial structure and the increased scrutiny of government incentives for rooftop solar.For Tesla, acquiring SolarCity offers the promise of

Nick Denton, founder of Gawker, talks with his legal team before Terry Bollea, also known as Hulk Hogan, testifies in court, in St Petersburg, Florida, United States, March 8, 2016. Reuters/John Pendygraft/Pool/File Photo NEW YORK Gawker Media Chief Executive Nick Denton filed for personal bankruptcy protection on Monday, according to court documents that name his largest creditor as Hulk Hogan, a former professional wrestler who won a $140 million court judgement against the news website over a sex tape it posted.Denton

Jack Ma, founder and Executive Chairman of Alibaba Group speaks during the inaugural ''Xin'' Philanthropy Conference in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China, July 9, 2016. China Daily/via Reuters A Chinese consortium that includes game developer Shanghai Giant Network Technology Co Ltd and e-commerce company Alibaba Group Holding Ltd founder Jack Ma has agreed to acquire Caesars Interactive Entertainment Inc's online games unit for $4.4 billion in cash, the companies said.Caesars Interactive Entertainment is currently owned by Caesars Acquisition Co (CAC) and Caesars

A general view shows the headquarters of the Federal Security Service (FSB) (L) in central Moscow, Russia, November 10, 2015. Reuters/Sergei KarpukhinMOSCOW Russia's intelligence service said on Saturday that the computer networks of 20 organizations, including state agencies and defense companies, have been infected with spyware in what it described as a targeted and coordinated attack.The Federal Security Service, the FSB, said the malware and the way the networks were infected were similar to those used in previous cases of cyber

|Mary-Ann Russon|IBNTimes|The President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has issued a series of new federal laws relating to IT crimes, including a regulation that forbids anyone in the UAE from making use of virtual private networks (VPN) to secure their web traffic from prying eyes.The new law states that anyone who uses a VPN or proxy server can be imprisoned and fined between Dh500,000-Dh2,000,000 ($136,000-$545,000, £415,000, €495,000) if they are found to use VPNs fraudulently.Previously, the law was restricted

A Yahoo logo is pictured in front of a building in Rolle, 30 km (19 miles) east of Geneva, December 12, 2012. Reuters/Denis Balibouse/File photoVerizon Communications Inc will announce an agreement on Monday to buy Yahoo Inc for about $5 billion, according to a person familiar with the matter.The announcement will come before the start of New York trading hours, the source added.The deal will end months of uncertainty about Yahoo's future after the company announced plans to review strategic alternatives

A Tesla logo adorns a 'Model S' car in the dealership in Berlin, Germany, November 18, 2015. Reuters/Hannibal Hanschke/File Photo Tesla Motors Inc and SolarCity Corp have made progress in putting together a deal that will merge the electric car maker and the solar panel installer, people familiar with the matter said.The two companies, which count billionaire Elon Musk as a major shareholder, are in the final stages of carrying out due diligence on each other, and could agree on the

A worker climbs outside an Apple store in Hong Kong April 10, 2013. Reuters/Bobby Yip/File PhotoHONG KONG Apple Inc found itself on the receiving end of a small, short-lived anti-U.S. protest this week in China, the tech firm's biggest overseas market and a country where foreign firms have suffered damaging boycotts following international spats.A handful of unofficial Apple stores were picketed and social media users encouraged each other to destroy their Apple goods, in a rare instance of the tech firm

Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk attends a forum on startups in Hong Kong, China January 26, 2016. Reuters/Bobby Yip/File PhotoTesla Motors Inc (TSLA.O) chief Elon Musk's ambitious new "master plan" provided a vision of the company as a leader in sustainable energy, but lacked details on how the plan would be funded and executed.Musk sketched out a plan on Wednesday for an integrated carbon-free energy enterprise offering a wider range of vehicles, including a commercial truck and a public bus, as

Commuters pass by the front of the Bangladesh central bank building in Dhaka March 8, 2016. Reuters/Ashikur Rahman/Files DHAKA/NEW YORK When the Federal Reserve Bank of New York cleared five transactions made by the Bangladesh Bank hackers, the money went in two directions. On Thursday, February 4, the Fed's system sent $20 million to Sri Lanka and $81 million to the Philippines.The Sri Lankan transaction contained a small but crucial error: The money was being sent to a bank account in