New York, United States | AFP | For Generation X, “The Karate Kid” is a pop culture touchstone. Now, more than 30 years on, YouTube wants to bring a new generation into the dojo. Thirteen years after its creation, the wildly popular video-sharing platform is rolling out its first major …
Read More »Scientists shocked as NASA cuts only moon rover
Tampa, United States | AFP | In a move that shocked lunar scientists, NASA has cancelled the only robotic vehicle under development to explore the surface of the Moon, despite President Donald Trump’s vow to return people there. Scientists working on the Resource Prospector (RP) mission, a robotic rover that …
Read More »Head of Tesla Autopilot project leaves for Intel
San Francisco, United States | AFP | The head of Tesla’s Autopilot project is leaving the car marker, amid a US government probe into a fatal accident involving a vehicle using the semi-autonomous driving system. The executive, Jim Keller, is moving to chipmaking giant Intel, both companies said Thursday. Keller’s …
Read More »Google ramps up Gmail privacy controls in major update
San Francisco, United States | AFP | Google on Wednesday ramped up privacy controls in a Gmail overhaul, aiming first at businesses that use its suite of workplace tools hosted in the internet cloud. The “all new” Gmail is available to the more than four million businesses that pay for …
Read More »WhatsApp bans European under-16s from using app
Paris, France | AFP | WhatsApp has raised its minimum age for users in the European Union to 16 years, as the bloc prepares for a new online privacy law to come into force next month. In an update to its terms of service on Wednesday, WhatsApp said the minimum age …
Read More »Twitter momentum grows with second straight profit quarter
Washington, United States | AFP | Twitter reported its second consecutive quarterly profit Wednesday in a positive sign for the short messaging service after years in the red. The San Francisco-based social network earned $61 million in the first three months of the year, boosted by strong growth in advertising revenue …
Read More »Three Ugandan inventors eye $500,000 prize in social-driven hardware competition
Eight African inventors finalists in global competition for social-driven hardware New York, US | THE INDEPENDENT | Eight African inventors, including three from Uganda, have been named finalists in the first global competition to recognize and reward hardware designs that have a social purpose. The Ugandans are Julius Mugaga of Lumenda ,an …
Read More »Facebook unveils appeal process for when it removes posts
San Francisco, United States | AFP | Facebook said Tuesday it will give users the right to appeal decisions if the social network decides to remove photos, videos or written posts deemed to violate community standards. Plans to roll out an appeals process globally in coming months came as Facebook provided …
Read More »Facebook rejects Australia media calls for regulation
Sydney, Australia | AFP | Tech giant Facebook has opposed calls by Australian media companies for digital platforms to be regulated, amid an inquiry into their impact on competition in news and advertising markets. The government tasked the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission earlier this year with assessing whether platforms …
Read More »Scientists create tiny booze detector
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Scientists have created a tiny new sensor that can continuously monitor levels of alcohol in the blood. The device, which measures roughly one cubic millimeter, is injected beneath the skin and can be linked up to a smartphone. Alcohol levels in the blood can …
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