Technology | The Guardian

Broadcaster aiming at international market seeking to learn ‘business-level’ EnglishCNN is to enter the learning market with the launch of an international online English language learning service.The international arm of the news organisation is to launch the new business, CNN Learn English, after striking a deal with learning company Papagei.com. Continue reading...

Launched 2 December 2005 in Europe, Xbox 360 is one of the greatest consoles of all time. Tell us your favourite moments from a decade of HD gamingAs incredible as it may seem to some veteran gamers, the Xbox 360 is now 10 years old. Launched on 22 November in the US and 2 December in Europe, Microsoft’s second console arrived at a time in which HD televisions were just about taking off, and broadband internet connections were accelerating. Consequently, while the PlayStation 3 floundered in development hell, it was the 360 that brought in a new era of high-definition, highly connected play.It was the Xbox 360 that really brought seamless social gaming to the console space. Although previous consoles had included internet connectivity, Microsoft made Xbox Live the centre of the gaming experience, providing players with intuitive online multiplayer experiences, as well as the ability to chat with friends as they played. The arrival of the Gamerscore and achievement points also brought a new high-score metric to gaming, giving owners a chance to compare themselves with their mates, and providing developers with a new way to get players really exploring their worlds. Continue reading...

The absence of a western release of the latest in the salacious and skimpily-clad beach volleyball series has caused controversy – but this is not about free speechTen years ago, Japanese video game publisher Tecmo had a brilliant money-spinning idea. It decided to take the female characters from its successful fighting game series Dead or Alive and put them into a beach volleyball simulation set on a tropical island. There would be a lot of bikinis and thanks to a then cutting edge graphics engine, a lot of bounce physics. Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball sold hundreds of thousands of copies. A new gaming franchise was born.But now that same franchise is in trouble. Kind of. Continue reading...

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

In a promotional video filmed shortly before the birth of their first daughter, Max, the Facebook chief and his wife, Priscilla Chan, discuss their decision to donate 99% of their Facebook shares to charity over the course of their lifetimes. The couple will invest the worth of their shares – valued at about $45bn – into their joint charitable venture, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. Speaking about the project, Zuckerberg says they feel they have a “basic moral responsibility” to “tilt their investments” towards making the world better for their daughter Continue reading...

In a Facebook post to newborn child Max, the Facebook CEO says he will administer the initiative himself using 99% of shares in company’s stockThe Zuckerbergs announced two births on Tuesday: a baby girl, and to one of the world’s biggest charities.That sterling spoon you might have been considering for Mark Zuckerberg’s new baby may no longer be the most exciting gift to the Facebook billionaire’s daughter: after revealing his wife, Priscilla Chan, had given birth to their first child, Max, Zuckerberg announced the creation of a charity organization called the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. Continue reading...

Study examines thriving hierarchy of ‘nodes’, ‘amplifiers’ and ‘shout-outs’ among Isis supporters on Twitter, where a suspended account is a ‘badge of honour’Islamic State sympathisers in America prefer Twitter to any other social media platform and use avatars of black flags, green birds and lions – including the Detroit Lions NFL team – in their online propaganda, a study has shown.Having a Twitter account suspended has become a “badge of honour” among US-based Isis supporters, researchers found, and they are adopting increasingly sophisticated techniques to circumvent the authorities in a “never-ending cat-and-mouse game”. Continue reading...

Internet in the home lives and dies by the strength of your Wi-Fi, but lots of things cause interference. Here’s why, and what to do about itThe UK’s telecoms regulator Ofcom has warned that Christmas lights can slow down your Wi-Fi, but is it really time for those lights to stay in the box? Continue reading...

The Radiohead frontman hits out at video-sharing site’s supposed double standards over ad-blocking: ‘Artists don’t get paid, but if YouTube don’t get a profit out of it, it’s not fair’Thom Yorke has shared his views on YouTube, suggesting that the corporation, along with parent company Google, have “seized control” of art in the same way Nazi Germany did during the second world war.Yorke, who famously called Spotify “the last desperate fart of a dying corpse”, shared his thoughts on the video-sharing service during an interview for Italian newspaper La Repubblica. Continue reading...

From wearable devices that interact with the internet of things to immersive video experiences, the global head of digital at Philips looks to marketing in 2016Marketers look to the future. Every year, new players, products and consumer habits come to the fore, the industry evolves, adapts and what was once cutting edge best-practice becomes sub-standard. It looks like next year is shaping up to be full of surprises.Seeds have been planted over the past 18 months that will start bearing fruit – from the rise and rise of wearable technology, to mobile payments and even virtual reality. There’s no guarantee exactly which trends will develop during the year but the sooner you change your thinking, the longer you’ll have to adjust and stay ahead of the game. Continue reading...

Watchdog finds festive angle as it launches app to test home broadband speed and releases findings that millions of British homes still lack high-speed accessFairy lights on Christmas trees could cause slower Wi-Fi speeds, the UK regulator Ofcom has warned, as it launched a new app to test coverage in homes.

Nicholas Rabone Hogan’s lawyer says post was ‘ill-advised’ satire but magistrate says it was ‘reckless and irresponsible’ and gives two-year good behaviour bondAn SBS employee who drunkenly posted a threat to murder police in the name of Allah has been given a two-year good behaviour bond in a Sydney court.Nicholas Rabone Hogan, 32, posted the threat to Facebook just hours after the funeral of the murdered NSW police accountant Curtis Cheng on 16 October, Newtown local court heard during sentencing on Tuesday. Continue reading...

The Breakthrough Energy Coalition includes Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg and Virgin Group head Richard BransonBillionaires Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Richard Branson and other high-profile entrepreneurs have pledged to spark a “new economic revolution” based around clean energy after launching a new investment drive for renewables.The Breakthrough Energy Coalition, made up of more than 25 investors from 10 countries, launched in Paris on Monday as part of the UN talks where nations are thrashing out an agreement to finally confront the issue of runaway climate change. Continue reading...

Analysis of shared images for exhibition at Somerset House compares happiness of selfies taken in London with those from other citiesLondoners take more glum-faced selfies than residents of other world cities, according to a data project.Analysis of images uploaded publicly on to Instagram in September found that the London style of selfie-taking was one of a restrained upright pose. Continue reading...

Uber innovation, which lets passengers split taxi rides and costs, has been hailed as an affordable and credible alternative to car ownershipUber, the ride-hailing app firm that is taking on taxi drivers around the world, is launching its car-sharing service in London.UberPool will be available to customers in the capital from Friday, enabling passengers to share taxi rides if they are heading in the same direction.

Stockholm District Court blocks rightsholder action against second-largest Swedish internet service provider, leaving file-sharing site accessibleSweden’s internet service providers cannot be forced to block file sharing site the Pirate Bay nor be held responsible for copyright infringements by users, a court has ruled.Stockholm District Court rejected a lawsuit filed by the Swedish Film Industry, Nordisk Film, Universal Music, Sony Music and Warner Music last year which argued that Sweden’s second-largest internet service provider (ISP) Bredbandsbolaget should be held liable for the copyright infringements of its users should it refuse to block access to the Pirate Bay. Continue reading...

Company admits breach and suspends trading on Hong Kong stock exchange, while security experts criticise poor security and lack of encryptionChildren’s technology and toy firm Vtech has suspended trading on the Hong Kong stock exchange after admitting a hack that allegedly saw 4.8 million customer details stolen, including sensitive information about children and their parents.

First award of damages for sexting after teacher encouraged woman when 16 years old to send naked photographs of herselfA woman has received £25,000 in compensation in the first award of damages for a civil case involving sexting.The woman was encouraged as a 16-year-old schoolgirl to send naked photographs of herself to a teacher at the New School, a private school near Sevenoaks in Kent. Continue reading...

Detecting cars from 140m, the light brightens when cars approach and shows their position on a handlebar-mounted display – which gets quite distractingThe Garmin Varia Rearview Radar is a smart rear bike light that aims to improve your visibility, situational awareness and safety with adaptive brightness and a radar display.It’s a rear bike light with built-in radar, which tells you when a car is approaching by showing the vehicle’s position on a handlebar-mounted display. It detects cars from up to 140m away and can track up to eight separate vehicles at once. Continue reading...

Retail company’s UAV can fly vertically, like a helicopter, and horizontally like a plane but may still face regulatory obstacles in US, despite safety featuresAmazon has unveiled a new hybrid delivery drone that can fly both vertically, as a helicopter capable of landing in customers’ backyards, and horizontally like a conventional plane. The drone can travel up to 15 miles at high speed.

Apple’s big-screen wonder has the specs to match its looks, with huge potential for gamers and artistsThe first impression of the latest entry to Apple’s tablet range – the iPad Pro (from £679, apple.com) – is of its 5.6 megapixel, 32.8cm (12.9in) screen, which surpasses the size and resolution of anything Apple has previously offered. It looks stunning. Fire up a Pro-optimised game such as The Room Three (£3.99, Fireproof, App Store) and it bursts into life. As well as the obvious aesthetic charms, with a tricksy puzzler like this, the added detail is of real benefit as you prod, poke and drag puzzle boxes around to progress. The scope of the series is expanded in its second sequel, with multiple rooms each becoming part of the puzzle rather than focusing only on the boxes themselves. It’s a satisfying development and showcased best on this new hardware.

(PS4, Xbox One, PC, Electronic Arts, cert: 16)

Without ARM, the iPhone and other smartphones wouldn’t work. Hardly anyone knows it – and that’s just how Cambridge’s ‘Silicon Fen’ company likes itIn a loose collection of offices on an underwhelming business park outside of Cambridge sits Britain’s most successful technology company, ARM. You’ve probably never heard of it, but ARM’s designs are at the heart of the iPhone and nearly every other modern smartphone. It has fingers in almost every other area of technology, from fitness trackers to server farms. It records profit margins that analysts have described as “impossible” (in a good way), and goes a long way to helping justify the “Silicon Fen” label sometimes applied to Cambridge’s tech scene. So how did one company get so successful without anyone really noticing? And, more importantly, what does ARM actually do? Continue reading...

Snobbery has been replaced by pure envy in Skoda’s new Superb – the greatest car they’ve made yet

The new range of Boardman bikes has some real gems, and this road bike with disc brakes is one of the starsLast week Chris Boardman, the former pro cyclist, unveiled his new-look range. There is a refreshed logo and there was much talk of things like Aero Surface Trip technology and improved aerodynamics. But the real news is that, with Halfords backing his range, Chris has been able to give full vent to his passion for precision-engineered racing bicycles that can be afforded (just about) and ridden by us mere mortals.Boardman bikes have long had a reputation for being great value – perhaps among the best that you could buy on the high street. This new generation lifts that bar still further. The team has also created a new slogan: “Out there with you” – and looking at the range you get a real sense that Boardman and his gang want you to get the most out of every ride. Continue reading...

Firms such as Deloitte hope to hire people using smartphone apps – but can they produce accurate results?Job interviews have traditionally been painful affairs, with applicants sitting, sweaty-palmed, in some anteroom wondering whether or not to accept a biscuit. But today’s job applicants may well find themselves facing not an intimidating interview panel but a computer-based “psychometric” test.And anyone after a job with accountant Deloitte had better start honing their skills on Angry Birds, because the company’s latest recruiting tool is a mobile phone game. Called Firefly Freedom, it is set in a fictional forested world in which players must catch fireflies to provide light for their family during the winter. Continue reading...

Holiday shopping triggers spike in cybercrime, experts say, so ignore dodgy-looking emails and social media posts and verify orders on retailers’ websitesThis weekend kicks off the busiest shopping season in many parts of the world – and, starting Cyber Monday, the most popular season for cyber-attacks.

‘Passengers, especially young, stupid ones, were constantly asking me to floor it’This is the new way of things, I start to realise: cars that are cute like Minis or Beetles, but the size of something larger. Such a car – my first encounter was the Fiat 500X, now it’s Korean brand Ssangyong’s Tivoli – may discombobulate you for a while. You think you’re in a city runabout, and you’re not. If you have a very visual imagination, you might crash it a few times. Then one day, you’ll be used to it.The Tivoli is a relentlessly cheerful car, not only because it is flaming red (their description; not my archaic swearing). Its demeanour is bouncy, despite its square, bossy nose and trad interior. There’s a lot of zing in the middle gears; in third, it holds its speed and responds smartly. It’s always ready with a bit more push than you expect, and sometimes feels a bit like flying. It has neither a wild top speed – 107mph – nor a particularly impressive zero to 62mph – 12 seconds – but it feels like it should have: passengers, especially young, stupid ones, were constantly asking me to floor it. It is more fun in the city than on a motorway; the handling is fine but a bit monotonous, and the ride isn’t completely smooth. That said, acceleration was never any bother and if it was a little bit whiny in sixth, well, aren’t we all? Continue reading...

Best known for moving pictures of Vietnam, McCullin says photography has been hijacked by digital cameras and art worldOne of Britain’s most celebrated and respected photographers has lamented the digital domination of his field, calling it “a totally lying experience” that cannot be trusted.Don McCullin, one of the world’s finest photographers of war and disaster, said the digital revolution meant viewers could no longer trust the truthfulness of images they see. Continue reading...

Harry Potter author remembers the shock of her encounter with the Smiths singer, in a Guardian interview that touches on Twitter trolls and the joy of being an undiscovered writer again

Works council chief says would-be buyers growing cautious about Volkswagen cars after the carmaker admitted to understating fuel usage and CO2 outputVolkswagen is facing slowing orders for new cars, with consumers shunning the carmaker after it admitted to understating fuel usage and carbon dioxide emissions, VW’s top labour representative said.“There is caution in buying,” the German company’s works council chief Bernd Osterloh told reporters. “The CO issue has triggered a greater crisis of confidence [in VW products] than the nitrogen [emissions] issue.” Continue reading...

It might seem trifling in our uncertain world, but the plague of dialogue boxes stealing our focus makes me want to hurl my computer out of the nearest windowThere’s little more frustrating for a regular computer user than a pop-up that demands your undivided attention right when you’re in the middle of something crucial.

A Cameroonian developer hopes to ignite Africa’s burgeoning game scene with a rich and fantastical Kickstarter-funded releaseWhen Madiba Guillaume Olivier was a boy in the bustling city of Douala, Cameroon, he was the envy of all his friends. His father owned a video rental shop, and that gave him access not only to the latest movies, but also to video games; when a new title came in, he would rush around the neighbourhood and invite all his mates over to play. “I had the classic Final Fantasy 7 on PC, and I had a Nintendo, PS1, PS2 and Sega Mega Drive,” he lists over a Skype call. “I played a lot of Metal Gear Solid, Mass Effect and Sim City. I think my all time favourite was Total War 2 ... but I only had one controller so we all had to be very patient.”There was one thing he noticed about the games he played, however: “There weren’t a lot that depicted African heroes”. He’s right of course. Search around and you’ll find Elena, a warrior princess from Street Fighter III, the ruthless Ugandan arms dealer Drebin 893 in Metal Gear Solid 4, the reincarnated warrior Zasalamel from Soul Calibur … it’s not a huge or varied roster. When Africa itself has been depicted in mainstream games (beyond the many safari and wildlife hunting sims), it is often through the lens of war and horror: Far Cry 2 depicted gangland battles in a Malaria ravaged wasteland, while Resident Evil 5 provoked controversy for seemingly portraying a colonialist view of the continent as a place of threatening savagery. None of these really explore African mythology, anime or music. “There are not a lot of African creators,” says Olivier. “It seems like creators focus on white heroes because they are white. They create heroes like them”. Continue reading...

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

Many retailers have already launched pre-Christmas online and in-store offers. Here are some of the discounts availableFollow today’s Black Friday live blogBlack Friday is upon us and many retailers have already unveiled pre-Christmas online and in-store discount offers. Here is a roundup of the best deals (some are available for a limited time only), with retailers listed alphabetically – we will update the list as more deals are announced: Continue reading...

Czech man convicted of downloading Microsoft Windows and other software says he will avoid £148k damages if YouTube campaign viewedFor many YouTubers, their first 200k video views are a step along the road to online stardom. For a Czech man called Jakub F, it could be the key to avoiding a big fine for copyright infringement.“I had to start this site, because I spent eight years spreading pirated software and got caught,” he explained on a website set up to promote a YouTube video in which he apologises for his behaviour. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Guardian visits drone company PrecisionHawk developing safety tech for robot aircraftThe Guardian has gained access to the first tests of an experimental air traffic control system for drones that could open the skies to millions of low-flying unmanned aircraft.

Scandal widens after German carmaker tells US that 85,000 V6 diesel engines were fitted with software defeat devicesVolkswagen’s luxury flagship Audi has suspended two engineers after its larger diesel engines were found evading emissions limits in the US.

GhostSec Anonymous splinter group pulls Islamic State darknet offline replacing it with a pharmacy advertAnonymous splinter group GhostSec has taken its “war” on Isis to the darknet, replacing a propaganda forum with an advert for Prozac.

Security researcher warns hackers could steal personal information and turn the microphone of the doll into a surveillance deviceMattel’s latest Wi-Fi enabled Barbie doll can easily be hacked to turn it into a surveillance device for spying on children and listening into conversations without the owner’s knowledge.

My father, Richard Keam, who has died aged 69 from cancer, was an engineer who spent many years designing traction systems for trains all over the world – a railway enthusiast’s dream job.He was born in New Malden, Surrey, to Elsie (nee Hopgood), a secretary at the BBC, and Norman Keam, who worked for the Automobile Association. With his elder sister, Jennifer, and younger brother, Peter, Rick had a happy childhood in a close-knit family – and the railway line on the other side of the park from the family home in New Malden instilled in him a lifelong love of trains. Family holidays were spent camping with the OWC (the Order of Woodcraft Chivalry) and, as a teenager, Rick also went on trips with Forest School Camps. He continued to enjoy the outdoor life until well into retirement. Continue reading...

Paul has been using an 27in Apple Thunderbolt display, and wants to know if he can still use it if he switches back to a PC running Microsoft WindowsA long-term PC user, I went Apple eight years ago. Now I need a hardware update and, frustrated by the limitations of Office 365 on Mac, I am considering switching back. Question: Can my 27in Apple Thunderbolt screen work with a PC? PaulGenerally, the answer is no, but it could be yes or maybe. Confused? Most of us are. Continue reading...

Made in Wales and selling for just £4, the Pi Zero comes with any purchase of the £5.99 MagPi magazineThe latest version of British computer Raspberry Pi has become the first computer to be given away free with a magazine.The Pi Zero is a fully fledged computer which measures just 6.5cm by 3cm. Made in Wales, it sells for just £4 in the UK and $5 in the US. Raspberry Pi is also giving the device away for free with the purchase of its £5.99 monthly magazine, MagPi. Continue reading...

Former Google executive to replace Bruce Daisley at head of British operation

The place to talk about games and other things that matterIt’s Thursday. Sorry, I was ill yesterday. Continue reading...

Claims that Vietnamese man with an Australian passport in the name ‘Phuc Dat Bich’ had been discriminated against by Facebook were falseA man who claimed that Facebook discriminated against him because of his name, attracting global media attention, has announced that it was a hoax.In January, a man posted to Facebook a screenshot of an Australian passport that appeared to show his full legal name was Phuc Dat Bich, claiming that he had been accused of “using a false and misleading name” and had his account shut down multiple times. Continue reading...

Guardian Media Group executive tells MPs that corporation does not offer ‘genuine partnership’ and has an unfair advantage internationally

US groups found promotional videos for Coca-Cola, Oreos and other products in children’s app, and want regulators to investigateThe YouTube Kids app is supposed to make watching YouTube videos a more child-friendly experience, but two US campaigning groups claim that it is not filtering out promotional videos for “junk food”.Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood (CCFC) and the Center for Digital Democracy (CDD) have filed new complaints with regulator the Federal Trade Commission, following objections lodged in April when YouTube Kids launched in the US. Continue reading...

First we planked. Then we ice bucketed. Now, we condom challenge. Such is the way of the internetIt’s been a trying few weeks, so it’s nice to know that no matter how bad things get, there will always be people who are prepared to be idiots on the internet.This year’s totally viral trend for recording yourself doing stupid stuff and posting it on the internet began a week ago, when two guys were messing around with a water balloon – before it all went wrong: Continue reading...

Recipients of Gates foundation scholarships at Cambridge University attack ‘untenable’ investments in fossil fuelsRecipients of Cambridge University scholarships funded by and named in honour of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation have attacked the global health charity’s “untenable” investments in fossil fuels.In a letter, 98 present and former Gates scholars urged the world’s largest charitable foundation to drop coal, oil and gas companies from its $43bn fund. Continue reading...