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Mark Zuckerberg surprises Samsung Mobile World Congress event to reveal that ‘people have already watched more than a million hours of video in Gear VR’Facebook has created a “social VR” team to explore virtual-reality technology’s potential beyond games, as it prepares for the consumer launch of its Oculus Rift VR headset.Chief executive Mark Zuckerberg revealed the plans in a surprise appearance at Samsung’s Mobile World Congress press conference, while talking up the popularity of 360-degree videos on Facebook, and on Samsung’s Gear VR headset – which uses technology from Oculus. Continue reading...

A new era of titles prioritise the strange relationship we have with protagonists above solving puzzles and gaining high scores. So can you still call them ‘games’?In some ways Firewatch, the beautiful and intriguing game recently released by San Francisco-based studio Campo Santo, is a mystery adventure. You play as Henry, working for a season in a firewatch tower, far out in the Wyoming wilderness. He is alone except for a walkie talkie, but very quickly he realises that something is going on out there amid the endless ochre tinted forest. There are kids letting off fireworks and leaving threatening messages, then someone ransacks his tower. Something is happening.But then, right from the start, we realise that Henry is in turmoil. A mini-text adventure at the beginning of the game tells us that his wife is very ill, he has come here to escape his life. Quietly and subtly, we are encouraged to ask questions about what’s really going on. Can we trust Henry?

Report identifies driving down price of 1GB of mobile broadband data to 2% of monthly income as key to universal web access in world’s poorest countriesWithout urgent action, the international community will be 22 years late in fulfilling its pledge to bring affordable internet access to the world’s poorest countries, denying hundreds of millions of people access to online education, health services and a political voice, a report claims.When they met in New York last September to agree the sustainable development goals (SDGs), which will underpin the development agenda for the next 15 years, the UN’s 193 member states agreed to “strive to provide universal and affordable access to the internet in least developed countries by 2020”. Continue reading...

Some of the greatest riders of all time have won races on these classic Italian bikes. Now you can join themThis week, 110 years ago, Pietro Dal Molin founded Wilier Triestina. Since then his handsome frames have been ridden by some of the greatest riders of all time, including Marco Pantani in the 1997 Tour de France. The name of the firm is an Italian acronym for Long Live Italy, Liberated and Redeemed, while Triestina is from Trieste, the city where Wilier was founded. If you are an Italian patriot, that’s hard to beat.Wilier has a reputation for building quick, sporty bikes, but there are also a couple of classic models in the mix, including the much- loved Strada. Its colour scheme and traditional lines hark back to the 50s, and with its comfortable position, sturdy set up and mudguards it is perfect for a quick commuter, winter trainer or more ambitious weekend ‘randoneer’. Continue reading...

US law enforcement is taking on the tech giant in a case that has big implications for privacy and cybersecurity for millions of smartphone usersYou may have heard that Apple and the FBI are fighting over an iPhone recovered during the investigation of the San Bernardino massacre last December, and that it may have serious implications for your own smartphone.Apple has been asked to help break into that phone, and they have refused to comply; the FBI has gotten a court order compelling them to do so. Apple has said it will fight the order and the Feds have accused the firm of prioritising its “public brand marketing strategy” over a terrorism investigation. Continue reading...

As it goes to war with the Justice Department, Apple defends a core philosophy: that no one, not even its makers, should be able to look inside your phoneWhen a young married couple killed 14 people at a holiday party in San Bernardino, California, the legal implications of encryption and Apple’s business model must have been the furthest thing from the minds of anyone involved.Related: Inside the FBI's encryption battle with Apple Continue reading...

Low emissions, great mileage, responsive steering, but the motorway changes your perspective

Frustrated investors have pushed the board to evaluate bids for its internet operations, signalling that CEO Marissa Mayer may be running out of timeYahoo’s board has hired three investment banking firms to evaluate potential bids for its internet operations in the clearest sign yet that CEO Marissa Mayer may not have much more time to turn around the struggling company.The move announced Friday comes just two weeks after Yahoo disclosed it would consider “strategic alternatives” while Mayer cuts costs through mass layoffs, office closures and a purge of unprofitable products. Continue reading...

An Oregon man who accessed hundreds of email accounts and stole the photos from 13 people has pleaded guilty to a felony hacking charge in Los AngelesAn Oregon man who accessed hundreds of email accounts and stole explicit photos of celebrities has pleaded guilty to a felony hacking charge in Los Angeles.Andrew Helton of Astoria, Oregon, faces up to five years in prison after pleading guilty to stealing nude or explicit photos from 13 people, including some unidentified celebrities. The plea was entered Thursday. Continue reading...

Our phones provide connection, communication and knowledge – and have become part of our identities. No wonder privacy violations bother us so muchRelated: Inside the FBI's encryption battle with AppleApple’s recent refusal to abide by a court order to unlock the San Bernardino shooter’s iPhone has brought to the public’s attention an argument over cybersecurity and encryption that has been raging throughout the tech world for years. Continue reading...

Donald Trump calls for the boycott of Apple products on Friday, until the company agrees to help the US government and unlock the mobile phone of one of the San Bernardino killers. Trump made the off-the-cuff comment at a campaign event in Pawleys Island, South Carolina, a day before the state’s Republican presidential nominating contest Continue reading...

US Consumer Product Safety Commission announces that the self-balancing scooters must comply with standards issued by a safety consulting companyHoverboards that do not meet new safety standards are now subject to seizure or recall, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission announced on Friday.The federal agency sent a letter to manufacturers, importers and retailers on Thursday stating that the self-balancing scooters must comply with standards and requirements issued by a safety consulting company, Underwriters Laboratory (UL). Continue reading...

Most social media users unaware of potential threat of surveillance under snooper’s charter, rights groups sayMany Britons are exposing themselves to surveillance and fraud risks, privacy campaigners have warned after a poll found that almost half of people surveyed preferred to keep in touch with friends virtually rather than in person.The survey of 2,000 people also found that 79% maintain friendships they feel would wither without being linked through social media, and a further 72% believe online networks have strengthened their friendships. Continue reading...

Book titles which tie in with the game include Blockopedia, a bestseller in the children’s nonfiction category in 2015More than 2.5m copies of books spun-off from the Minecraft video game have now been sold across the UK, it has been revealed.

Private drones were deployed this week to monitor an electrical workers’ strike to protect members from false legal claims, reigniting the ‘very tricky issue’ of how to regulate drones used for activismFrom a small drone causing panic when it landed on the White House lawn to Amazon’s plan to make deliveries by air, privately owned drones have been raising security fears around the country. But drone technology has capabilities beyond just serving the interests of corporations – and this week a union in Philadelphia reminded us of that.The Philadelphia chapter of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers recently purchased three drones that officials say will be used to monitor construction sites and to make sure union members aren’t breaking any laws during protests. Continue reading...

A vintage children’s brand returns as a Google Cardboard VR headset, complete with animals, planets – and a virtual Statue of LibertyChildren spending time in virtual reality? That’s already a phenomenon – Minecraft – and it doesn’t require a headset.Mattel’s latest gadget steers clear of ender dragons and nether portals, though. It’s a virtual reality (VR) headset aimed at children, with its own suite of educational apps. Continue reading...

These are strange times for streaming, as rival services take opposing approaches to exclusive film rightsAmazon has bought the rights to Woody Allen’s next film, but will release it in US cinemas before it premieres the title on the company’s Amazon Prime streaming service, according to the Hollywood Reporter.In the latest sign the company is keen to abide by the longstanding “theatrical window” that separates big-screen releases from home video competition, Amazon Studios announced that the untitled 1930s-set comedy would receive a nationwide release in multiplexes this summer before arriving on Prime once it has finished its run. The film’s small-screen release will be at least three months after its last screening in cinemas, in a move which appears designed to assuage cinema chains. Continue reading...

Move to ‘give customers more control, choice and greater transparency’ has prompted concern among digital publishers and advertisersMobile company Three is to introduce adblocking across its UK and Italian networks, making it the first major European operator to do so.Three has struck a deal with Israeli company Shine that will see the mobile adblocking technology introduced in the UK and Italy, followed by a “rapid roll-out” across its operations in other countries. Continue reading...

The place to talk about games and other things that matterIt’s Friday! Continue reading...

Move comes after class action lawsuit over ‘security measure’ that left iPhones inoperable after they had home buttons replaced by non-Apple repairersApple has released a fix for users affected by “Error 53”, a software issue that rendered useless iPhones that had had their home buttons replaced by third parties.The problem was related to Apple’s Touch ID fingerprint reader, which is part of the home button and can be used to unlock the device instead of inputting a passcode.

The FBI’s fight to unlock an iPhone belonging to one of the San Bernardino shooters is a reminder of the risks of putting all our electronic eggs in one basketIt certainly wasn’t how you imagine a bank robbery to be. There were no men with sawn-off shotguns or screaming cashiers lunging for panic buttons. It all happened so peacefully and invisibly that I would never have noticed had I not been logging into my bank account online last month, only to find that nothing worked. Shortly afterwards, HSBC confirmed it had been forced to defend its systems from a criminal attack.Related: Inside the FBI's encryption battle with Apple Continue reading...

Border agency Frontex has asked for designs for smartphone apps and databases to track and manage refugees arriving in EuropeEuropean governments keen to bring the refugee crisis under control are considering using apps, biometrics and smart cards to attempt to manage refugees before they leave countries with border crossings into the EU.EU states in partnership with Frontex, the EU external border agency, have asked tech companies to pitch ways to track and control people trying to reach the continent before they get here. Continue reading...

Apple is facing a legal showdown with the FBI over control of its encryption code. The iPhone maker is resisting court orders to bypass security on the phone belonging to Syed Rizwan Farook, who took part in the killing of 14 people in San Bernadino last year. Apple is standing firm for now and has received support from other technology giants – but how far is its boss Tim Cook willing to go to preserve his company’s claim to user security? Continue reading...

See the Terminator star battle all comers in a Super Bowl 2016 commercial, plus Samsung describes the tough path to Winter Olympics gloryAs the “making of” film makes clear, the team behind this advert for Android went to extraordinary lengths to make their point. Rather than taking advantage of post-production techniques, they actually re-engineered a piano so each key produced the same note and obliged professional pianist Ji Yong Kim to see what kind of music he could make with it. All in the name of implying that iPhone devotees are mindless clones.

FBI agents are reported to have sat in on police questioning of boy in GlasgowA 15-year-old boy has been detained in Glasgow in connection with allegations of computer hacking, after reports that FBI agents sat in on his questioning.According to the Daily Record, the boy is accused of trying to hack into the US crime agency’s computer system, and agents from the FBI travelled to Glasgow after detectives arrested him on Tuesday and searched his home. Continue reading...

We want to get an idea of how online harassment has developed over the years. Have you ever been harassed or abused online? Share your storiesIf you’ve spent enough time on the internet, it’s likely someone will have sent you an abusive message at some point.If you’re lucky, it’s a stray comment from an anonymous user. If you’re not so lucky, it’s a torrent of harassment from multiple accounts. Continue reading...

Tech giants issue messages in support of CEO Tim Cook challenging court order to help break into San Bernardino killer’s phoneTech giants Google and WhatsApp and whistleblower Edward Snowden are backing Apple’s stance over the encryption technology used in its iPhone smartphones.Apple has been ordered by a US federal magistrate to help the FBI unlock the iPhone belonging to one of the San Bernardino shooters, but in a letter published on the company’s website, chief executive Tim Cook said his company would fight the move. Continue reading...

Outside the media bubble, Twitter’s processes and protocols can be confusing. yet its future depends on attracting new users, and encouraging them to stayTwitter’s chief executive Jack Dorsey needs Ann Feely, a 51-year-old wine marketer in California’s Bay Area, to keep posting about her favorite vintages if he’s going to convince investors that Silicon Valley’s once hottest startup has a future.

Mike and his wife are getting too much spam in their BT Internet mailboxes. What can they do to stop it?My wife and I have never received more than three or four spam emails each week for over two decades. Recently we started getting large volumes of spam. We are with BT but tend to use eM Client for our emails using the IMAP system. eM Client can dump these into Junk and blacklist the domain, but this does not stop the spam emails, which are now five a day at least. Neither BT nor eM Client nor Sophos (our anti-virus company) have any ideas about how to stop this happening, other than to get a new email address. Do we just have to live with it? Mike

The place to talk about games and other things that matterIt is Thursday. Continue reading...

New technology is revolutionising modern farming, but this brave new world of robot farms and hi-tech sensors could have consequences for rural livelihoodsAround the world, but especially in the developing world, food and farming systems continue to rely on 20th century technology. But this is changing. The same information technologies that brought us the internet and transformations in medicine are now revolutionising farming. It’s a new era for agriculture and it’s taking off in at least two distinct areas.

Privacy activists gathered outside San Francisco’s Apple Store to defend the corporation in its battle with the FBI, with more rallies planned across the USWhen about two dozen privacy advocates stood shoulder to shoulder in front of the downtown San Francisco Apple store on Wednesday, it may have been the first time a demonstration was held in support of the tech company.“It’s not really a protest,” said Cindy Cohn, the executive director of the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF). “We’re here in support of Apple.” Continue reading...

New laws allow copyright owners to apply to federal court to force internet service providers to block access to sitesVillage Roadshow and Foxtel are filing lawsuits seeking to block piracy-related websites in Australia, according to reports confirmed by Foxtel and the federal court.ABC reported the suits would be filed on Thursday in the federal court using laws passed in June to combat piracy. Continue reading...

Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center had lost access to its computer systems since 5 February after hackers installed a virus that encrypted their filesA Los Angeles hospital hit by ransomware swallowed the bitter pill: it paid off the hackers.Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center had lost access to its computer systems since 5 February after hackers installed a virus that encrypted their computer files. The only out was if the hospital paid the hackers $17,000 worth of bitcoins, the digital currency.

Social networking site points to violations of community standards as companies take a hit in an industry to which social media is essentialFacebook has recently launched an aggressive campaign to rid its sites of some cannabis-related material, deleting or suspending dozens of accounts operated by marijuana businesses, most of which had operated for years without so much as a warning about offensive material.“We tried to log into Instagram, and a message said we violated their policy, but they won’t say what that violation is,” said Rick Scarpello, CEO of Incredibles, a Denver-based edible company. “I’ve written them every day, saying I’m not doing anything illegal and please reinstate my account.” Continue reading...

Online retailer headhunts Frances Russell for senior role amid signals that company will launch own-label fashion brandAmazon is in talks with former Marks & Spencer womenswear boss Frances Russell as it works on plans to gatecrash the fashion business with an own-label clothing brand.Rumours that Amazon is about to launch a fashion label were fuelled earlier this month when it began advertising for roles such as a “fit specialist”, “inventory manager” and “merchandiser” on its online jobs site. Continue reading...

Tim Cook publicly attacks the US government for asking Apple to take an ‘unprecedented step which threatens the security of our customers’Apple has hit back after a US federal magistrate ordered the company to help the FBI unlock the iPhone of one of the San Bernardino shooters, with chief executive Tim Cook describing the demand as “chilling”.The court order focuses on Apple’s security feature that slows down anyone trying to use “brute force” to gain access to an iPhone by guessing its passcode. In a letter published on the company’s website, Cook responded saying Apple would oppose the order and calling for public debate. Continue reading...

The place to talk about games and other things that matterIt’s Wednesday! Continue reading...

Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center’s computer system was infected with ransomware, which has rendered records inaccessible until $3.6m bounty is paidA cyberattack has sent doctors and nurses at a large Los Angeles hospital back to the dark ages – or at least back to the pre-electronic health record days of the 1990s.The computer systems at the Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center were, according to a report on NBC, infected on 5 February with ransomware, a computer virus that encrypts a target’s files, locking the owner out of their own data until a bounty is paid. Continue reading...

Move would allow the company to pay shareholders without having to repatriate any of $177bn it holds overseas at lower tax rates than in USApple announced it was issuing bonds estimated in value at $12bn on Tuesday, despite a current cash reserve of $215bn.The bond issue, the latest in a series of huge debt issues, will be used largely to return money to shareholders without repatriating any of the estimated $177bn it holds overseas at a tax rate lower than it would be charged in the US. Continue reading...

More traditional European postal services could be impacted by UberRUSH, an experiment in on-demand delivery, as the startup follows a growing trendEurope’s postal companies – already under pressure from Amazon – could soon face a challenge from Uber, which is moving into deliveries, and from other startups offering similar services.

The tech industry sees Michael Bloomberg, who is fiscally conservative and socially liberal, as one of its own – the hero to Donald Trump’s ‘bad billionaire’Michael Bloomberg may feel that his recent hints at a 2016 run for the White House have barely registered in a presidential year dominated by big characters and unexpected twists.After the initial stir caused by news the former New York mayor was considering entering the 2016 race as a centrist, independent candidate, he has quickly receded to the shadows, barely discussed by either Democratic or Republican candidates. Continue reading...

We compare Spotify, Apple Music, Google Play Music, Deezer and Amazon Prime Music to see which hit the right notes for your on-demand listeningMusic streaming is on the rise: in 2015 in the UK fans played 26.8bn songs on audio-streaming services alone, with another 26.9bn streams of music videos on services like YouTube.

Report says users of adblockers are likely to be tech-savvy and see fewer ads overall

A new 3D printer which uses biodegradable materials to form a tissue shape and living cells as ‘ink’ could be used to print tissues and organsA bioprinter – a three dimensional printer that uses living cells in suspension as its ink, and injection nozzles that can follow a CT scan blueprint – brings the dream of transplant surgery a step nearer: a bespoke body part grown in a laboratory and installed by a robot surgeon.Scientists and clinicians began exploring tissue culture for transplant surgery more than 20 years ago. But researchers in the US report in Nature Biotechnology that they have harnessed a sophisticated, custom-designed 3D printer to print living muscle, cartilage and bone to repair battlefield injury. Continue reading...

Creative Cloud for Mac update removed the first folder in alphabetical order without permission, even if it had nothing to do with AdobeAdobe has pulled an update for its Creative Cloud desktop application for Mac computers after users complained that it was deleting important files from their machines without reason or warning.

The concept artist Kan Muftic, who has worked on games such as the Batman: Arkham series, Bioshock 2 and Destiny, on his diverse and abstract craftWhat’s your background?I’m a concept artist and illustrator, though I also do directing. For the past 10 years, I’ve mainly been doing concept art for video games and the film industry. Continue reading...

‘Design issue’ that causes power problems for £1,000+ single-port laptop prompts replacement programmeApple is recalling USB-C power cables for its new £1,000+ 12in laptop owing to a “design issue” which means they will fail to charge the computer, the company says.

The latest trends, from Fabulous Beasts, the toys-to-life game of building blocks of animals, to Mecha Monsters, real-world battling robots that work with a digital gameThere has been an explosion in the number of video games that are altered and unlocked by toys. This “toys-to-life” concept is simple: place small figurines on a platform connected to a games console, and those characters magically appear in-game. Continue reading...

A Quiet Passion actor suggests that celebrated 19th-century American poet was far from cut off, and would have been ‘emailing and tweeting all day long’Related: A Quiet Passion review - Terence Davies' Emily Dickinson biopic finds beauty in the little thingsContrary to received opinion, American poet Emily Dickinson was not uncommunicative and would have enjoyed modern social media, said Cynthia Nixon, the former Sex and the City actor who plays Dickinson in the new film, A Quiet Passion. Continue reading...