Luxury carmaker suffers 7% drop in sales in vital China market partly due to slowdown in economy, but European sales surge 28%Jaguar Land Rover is cutting prices in China after being hit by sliding sales in the world’s biggest car market.Demand for the British-designed luxury sedans and four-wheel-drives has slumped during a slowdown in the Chinese economy and continued campaign against corruption that is deterring some Chinese from making extravagant purchases.
It’s become a cliche to herald each edition of the Fifa rival as a return to form – but with added skill and aggression and a Euro 2016 tie-in, it’s hard not to this timeThe Pro Evolution Soccer series has had a rough time of things over the last decade. Confused aims and a focus on areas that didn’t deserve attention saw the series slip from the top of the football simulation game league to be just solidly mid-table. But that has been changing since PES 2014, and last year’s effort was the soccer title of choice for a lot of players. PES 2016 is even better.You start a match and can see from the very first kick of the ball that this is a much-improved beast. It’s snappy, offering an immediacy even the current king of the genre, Fifa, has seen fall by the wayside in recent years. Continue reading...
Taiwanese smartphone maker suffered its biggest ever loss as sales falter under stiff competition from Apple, Samsung and XiaomiStruggling Taiwanese smartphone manufacturer HTC is cutting staff and shrinking the number of smartphones it makes, as its profits nosedive.
Ruby by Glow, A Game of Thrones, MyHeart Counts, Prune, Spider: Rite of the Shrouded Moon, Angry Birds 2 and moreWelcome to this week’s roundup of the latest, greatest new iPhone and iPad apps and games. All prices are correct at the time of writing, with “IAP†indicating use of in-app purchases.You can read the previous Best iPhone and iPad Apps roundups for more recommendations, but if Android is your platform of choice, check the Best Android Apps roundups. On with this week’s selection. Continue reading...
All-day battery, 13-megapixel camera and waterproofing make this a great buy – even if it’s a little more expensiveMotorola’s budget Moto G has grown up, but does a better camera, waterproofing and new features justify a more costly price tag?The original Moto G redefined what a budget smartphone should be, when it launched in 2013. It was the first Android phone under £150 that wasn’t slow and infuriating to use, and it didn’t skimp where it matters. Continue reading...
Unclassified email access for about 2,500 civilian and uniformed personnel severely restricted since late July but rest of Pentagon appears unaffectedRussia is the leading suspect in a sophisticated cyber-attack on the unclassified email network of the US military’s joint staff that prompted the Pentagon last month to restrict access to portions of that network, US officials said on Thursday.Early reports firmly linked Russia to the attack, said one official, who declined to be named since the investigation was ongoing. Continue reading...
Far more fluid than its predecessor, at first play it’s clear this game has definitely taken a few pointers from stablemate BloodborneWith series creator Hideki Miyazaki back at the helm for Dark Souls 3 expectations for the latest in the notoriously difficult action-RPG series are probably higher than they’ve ever been.While Dark Souls 2 was respected – loved, even – as a very good game, it always felt as though it was lacking something. There were elements that didn’t suit the mood, the notion always hovering about that this was a series that needed its original creator in the role of director, but Miyazaki was busy making Bloodborne.
Santa Fe Opera is to stage The Revolution of Steve Jobs, which will follow the Apple founder as he confronts cancerHe is already the subject of two feature films and a bestselling biography, but the ongoing lionisation of Steve Jobs is about to get rather more highbrow, as an opera about his life is announced.Related: Watch Michael Fassbender in the trailer for the Steve Jobs movie Continue reading...
Ustwo’s mood-tracking joint venture is based on cognitive behavioural therapy principles, aiming to help people understand their highs and lowsUstwo had a big hit with mobile game Monument Valley, but now the company is moving into a new apps are: mental health and wellbeing.The UK-based studio is releasing an app called Moodnotes for people to track their moods and develop “healthier thinking habitsâ€, as part of a joint venture with US developer Thriveport. Continue reading...
More British online TV subscribers say they view films or US shows than exclusive programmes such as House of Cards or Orange is the New BlackTwo-thirds of online TV subscribers in the UK say they don’t watch original shows such as House of Cards or Transparent that have cost their providers millions to commission.The two biggest online TV services in the UK, Netflix and Amazon’s Prime Instant Video, have invested heavily in original programming in a bid to attract more subscribers. Amazon recently struck a £160m deal to create a new show with former Top Gear stars Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May. Continue reading...
Elon Musk’s third electric car will be delivered to customers in the US after three years of delay, with over 20,000 pre-ordersTesla’s much delayed electric sports utility vehicle is due to finally reach customers, starting in September, Elon Musk has announced.
Stephen has been using a standard user account in Windows 8, but he’s forgotten the admin password. Now he needs admin access in order to install Windows 10I have an HP laptop running Microsoft Windows 8. As recommended by many sources, I created separate user accounts for my wife and myself, and I have not needed to log in as admin for a while. Now I have simply forgotten the password. I’ve tried all of the obvious variations, which followed a pattern I used for my old iMac. I’ve also tried some processes mentioned online, with no success.It’s easy enough to back up our personal data, so I have considered a factory reset, but I am certain it is going to ask for an admin password. The obvious thing I have not done is pay for some commercial cracking software, but I have no idea which (if any) are reputable and effective. Please suggest a solution, as I would like to upgrade to Windows 10. StephenDid you set up the original administrator account using a Microsoft email address as your MSA (Microsoft Account), which is what I strongly recommend? If so, your logon password is the same as your email password, and this is something you might still remember. You might even have written it down somewhere. Continue reading...
Spotify rival is still in its free trial period, so the real crunch will come when those users are prompted to payApple’s new music streaming service, Apple Music, has attracted 11 million trialists since its launch at the end of June, the company has announced.The figure was revealed by Apple executive Eddy Cue in an interview with USA Today. “We’re thrilled with the numbers so far,†said Cue, who added that 2m of those trialists have opted for the service’s family plan rather than an individual account. Continue reading...
Rovio’s furious birds and egg-stealing pigs are back, but will their freemium nest-feathering make players fly away in search of a new gaming fix?Angry Birds 2? This is actually the eighth sequel to Angry Birds, following the Seasons, Rio, Space, Slingshot Stella, Friends and two Star Wars games.That’s just counting the ones that followed the original’s form: spin-offs exploring other forms of gameplay include Angry Birds Transformers, Angry Birds Epic RPG, Angry Birds Pop, Angry Birds Fight and Bad Piggies. Continue reading...
The team at Google headquarters in California tests Google Translate’s new ‘sign-reading’ feature and shows how it quickly translates La Bamba into 27 languages simply by having the camera pointed at printed text. You may not want your doctor using it any time soon though. Click here for another video that explains how the technology actually works Continue reading...
Study finds third of all online access is via smartphones, after stark increase in use of 4G fuels rise of mobile surfingSmartphones are the UK’s most popular device for getting online for the first time, according to industry monitor Ofcom.The change has largely been driven by our increased appetite for video, and its availability with the expansion of high-speed 4G data networks. Over the past 12 months this has allowed many more people to watch video clips from YouTube or Vine and TV on-demand services such as BBC iPlayer and Netflix on the go. Continue reading...
The White House-backed Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act has stalled in the Senate after a revolt led by RepublicansControversial surveillance legislation endorsed by the White House won’t breeze through the US Senate as quickly as its proponents wanted: after a revolt led by Republicans the body won’t address Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (Cisa) until after its summer recess.The move prompted praise of GOP leadership from Oregon Democratic senator Ron Wyden. “Once again, those who value Americans’ privacy more than political expediency have made sure this harmful, misguided bill won’t sail through the Senate without meaningful debate,†Wyden said. “The Republican leadership’s decision to put off a vote on Cisa indefinitely gives us more time to mobilize against this cyber-surveillance bill and to persuade Congress to take up legislation that will actually improve Americans’ security, while also protecting their privacy.†Continue reading...
Batch of portable batteries taken out of circulation after exploding phone charger caused burns to user’s hand and carpetEE has issued a recall notice for a batch of its free Power Bar battery packs due to overheating concerns that can cause the batteries to explode.
Company uses advertising space on Yahoo’s websites in an attempt to install malware on users’ computersYahoo users have become the target of one of the biggest “malvertising†attacks every, after a malware company bought advertising space on the company’s websites to deliver malicious adverts in an attempt to install malware on users’ computers.The malvertising campaign attempted to use a vulnerability in Adobe’s Flash to install the software, which tends to be a mixture of ad fraud and ransomware programs. Continue reading...
Investigators have contacted a Denver-based technology firm that helped to manage the unusual system, the Washington Post saysThe FBI has begun looking into the security of Hillary Clinton’s private email setup, contacting in the past week a Denver-based technology firm that helped manage the unusual system, the Washington Post has reported, citing two government officials.Related: 'So revealing and wacky': Hillary Clinton emails deride David Cameron Continue reading...
Proposal recommends role played by government be replaced by ICANN itself, an oversight committee and a review process involving many interested parties
Printing system can package up to 1,000m of the drug Spritam, for adults and children who suffer from certain types of seizures caused by epilepsyThe Food and Drug Administration has approved the first prescription drug made through 3D printing: a dissolvable tablet that treats seizures.Aprecia Pharmaceuticals said Monday the FDA approved its drug Spritam for adults and children who suffer from certain types of seizures caused by epilepsy. The tablet is manufactured through a layered process via 3D printing and dissolves when taken with liquid. Continue reading...
Virtual reality experience takes visitors back in time using real objects and state of the art 3D gadgetsVisitors to the British Museum are invited to walk into a 4,000-year-old roundhouse this weekend, where the fire is lit, the floor swept and some enigmatic objects lie waiting to be discovered.The museum is launching its first virtual reality weekend, inviting visitors to engage with the past not just through the real objects in the galleries but through state of the art 3D headsets, tablets, and a projection of the recreated house into a dome structure large enough for groups of five to enter. Continue reading...
Former yacht designer’s ambitious project intends to put huge kites flying over the sea in formation to generate clean, affordable electricity“Oh wow! Look at that, it’s really hoofing some power out now,†beams Bill Hampton, looking up at his outsize kite as it swoops over a wheat field on the Essex coast. The purple prototype is, Hampton hopes, a step towards his vision of scores of huge kites flying over the sea in formation and generating clean, affordable electricity.The test site for Kite Power Solutions (KPS) is an apt one for technology innovation, with the disused airfield lying in the shadow of one of the UK’s first nuclear power stations at Bradwell, and a few flat fields away from new wind farms whose blades turn slowly in the gentle breeze. Continue reading...
Quilliam Foundation’s #notanotherbrother campaign highlights the human cost on Muslim communities of exposure to Islamist extremismA UK counter extremism organisation has launched a YouTube video focusing on the Muslim community in an attempt to fight back against the social media recruitment tactics employed by terror group Isis.London-based Quilliam Foundation, a counter-extremism thinktank co-founded by Maajid Nawaz, has launched the video targeting those who may be seeking out online call-to-arms messages from Isis and could be vulnerable to radicalisation. Continue reading...
Vlogbrothers’ Hank Green wants social network to rethink the way it counts views, and crack down on ‘freebooted’ videos ripped from YouTubeFacebook has ambitions to compete with YouTube in the online video world, but one of the latter’s prominent creators has criticised the social network’s strategy.Hank Green is one half of the Vlogbrothers duo, whose YouTube channel has more than 552m views and 2.6 million subscribers. He also co-founded the influential VidCon conference. Continue reading...
A group of researchers have demonstrated how to track users with nothing more than their remaining battery power, which could compromise privacyA little-known feature of the HTML5 specification means that websites can find out how much battery power a visitor has left on their laptop or smartphone – and now, security researchers have warned that that information can be used to track browsers online.The battery status API is currently supported in the Firefox, Opera and Chrome browsers, and was introduced by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C, the organisation that oversees the development of the web’s standards) in 2012, with the aim of helping websites conserve users’ energy. Ideally, a website or web-app can notice when the visitor has little battery power left, and switch to a low-power mode by disabling extraneous features to eke out the most usage. Continue reading...
‘We have no interest in pressing charges or finding the people’ says the robot’s co-creator after Hitchbot met its demise (ironically) in the City of Brotherly LoveThe person or people who decapitated a hitchhiking robot in Philadelphia narrowly escaped having their pictures captured by the android, its co-creator told the Guardian on Monday.
Sudden blanket ban on websites considered a ‘social nuisance’ is met with anger online and triggers debate on censorship and freedomIndian authorities have moved to block more than 800 pornography websites in the first large-scale crackdown on the internet in the world’s largest democracy.The move immediately prompted a debate about censorship and freedom. Continue reading...
Wizard game that helps to strengthen cognitive function will be available on an iOS app after being developed by the University of CambridgeA “brain training†game improves the cognitive function of people with schizophrenia and facilitates everyday tasks, according to researchers at the University of Cambridge.Wizard, which will now be available on iOS (Apple’s operating system) as part of the Peak app, was tested for four weeks by 22 participants with a schizophrenia diagnosis. Continue reading...
Richard Dawkins is the latest victim of users who disappear seemingly at random and without warning. What is this mystery?Apparently Richard Dawkins does not exist – which is awkward, given everything he says about God.Confusing cosmic glitch pic.twitter.com/kQeu6L3OVe Continue reading...
The place to talk about games and other things that matterIt’s Monday. Today’s screenshot is from Retro Invasion, a co-op brawler by German studio, Threaks. The game is now on Steam early access (or will be tomorrow – the press release is ambiguous). Continue reading...
The former Talking Heads man has aired his frustrations with the current music business model, and said Apple Music refused to disclose their royalty calculations on his own musicDavid Byrne has called for more transparency from major labels and streaming services, criticising the lack of information regarding how they pay royalties and what percentage of these reach the artists.
by Patrick Harkin, Will Freeman, Rich Flower on (#G8C0)
Journey makes the step up to current-gen consoles in style, while a gun-toting cat on a unicorn steals the show elsewhereOne of 2012’s best games glides softly on to current-gen consoles. Journey is an interesting beast, a serene and ethereal antidote to a medium fixated on the fast and loud. The player takes up the role of a nameless wanderer amid the desert ruins of a once-great civilisation, able only to float around and produce mournful musical chimes. As you surf the sand dunes and drift in the breeze, sometimes you are alone and other times another singing wanderer guides your way… Continue reading...
Documents obtained by the Guardian reveal the tech giant created Google Auto LLC to help develop its self-driving cars even as it courted big car makersGoogle has set up its own car company. The tech giant has flirted with major car firms as it explores driverless cars but has also quietly set up its own auto company, according to documents obtained by the Guardian.Google Auto LLC is headed by Chris Urmson, project lead for Google’s self-driving cars. Urmson has been on a charm offensive with the world’s biggest automobile manufacturers. At the North American International Auto Show in January, Urmson announced talks with General Motors, Ford, Toyota, Daimler and Volkswagen. In March, he told USA Today: “Making cars is really hard, and the car companies are quite good at it. So, in my mind, the solution is to find a partnership.â€
French-born Mark Karpeles held in connection with the disappearance of hundreds of millions of dollars worth of the virtual currencyMark Karpeles, the former head of defunct bitcoin exchange MtGox, has been arrested in Japan, and is reportedly to be questioned over the 2014 disappearance of nearly $390m (£250m) worth of the virtual currency. Continue reading...
From personalised ads in Solitaire to an address book-reading personal assistant, some users are unhappy with Windows 10’s approach to privacyWindows 10 is under attack over default settings which users say compromise their privacy, just days after the operating system’s successful launch saw more than 14 million installs in the first 24 hours.Hundreds of commenters on sites such as Hacker News and Reddit have criticised default settings that send personal information to Microsoft, use bandwidth to upload data to other computers running the operating system, share Wi-Fi passwords with online friends and remove the ability to opt out of security updates. Continue reading...
Online taxi-hailing app raises close to $1bn from investors including Microsoft and Indian media conglomerate Bennett Coleman & Co’s Times InternetUber Technologies Inc has closed a new round of funding that values the online taxi-hailing company at nearly $51bn, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.
by Associated Press in Albany, New York on (#G2DZ)
Ilion made payments of $500 and $300 last year after ‘ransomware’ infected municipal computers, while other US towns dealt with similar attacksA village in central New York made ransom payments of $300 and $500 last year to keep its computers running after two official-looking emails released malware throughout its system, state auditors said.The comptroller’s office, which has audited 100 municipal computer systems in the past three years, said Ilion’s experience should warn others of the growing threat, which can infiltrate computers and make them inaccessible. The big problem for the village of 8,000 was its financial software. Continue reading...
Head-mounted wearable computer is returning to the market, but this time aimed squarely at business users rather than consumersGoogle has quietly resurrected its wearable computer, Glass, as an enterprise-focused device aimed at industries such as healthcare, manufacturing and energy.The unannounced relaunch, reported by the Wall Street Journal, could be followed a year later by a new consumer version. But for now, the device is aimed exclusively at business customers who gain immediate value from having a head-mounted display, and bypass many of the issues experienced by consumer users, particularly the privacy concerns sparked by wearing a head-mounted camera in public places. Continue reading...
Andy Cox, engineering lead for Facebook's aviation team, appears in a promotional video discussing the technology behind the company's first full-scale drone, which it plans to use to provide internet access in remote parts of the world. Code-named 'Aquila', the solar-powered drone will be able to fly without landing for three months at a time, using a laser to beam data to a base station on the ground Continue reading...
PS4/PS3/PSVita/PC (version tested); cert n/a; Size Five GamesGaming has its trends, and in recent times one has been the procedurally generated or “roguelike†indie game. You could go back over decades picking out examples of this design technique, but the big inspiration for this modern flowering is the success of Spelunky. A 2D platformer that married Nintendo-quality controls with brilliant enemies and ever-changing environments, it’s not only a classic but shows why the technique is so attractive to small teams. A procedurally generated game can, if you get it right, keep surprising players for years and even decades to come.
Sandi MacPherson’s 50/50 Pledge is indicative of a movement that’s aiming for a fair proportion of men and women at tech events – and eventually in the industryWomen are woefully under-represented in the tech industry. A study last year found that of 6,517 companies that had raised venture funding in the US only 183 had a female chief executive. Now one of those is setting out a simple, practical idea that might actually move the dial.Launched this week by Sandi MacPherson, founder of the San Francisco-based social networking startup Quibb, the 50/50 Pledge aims to get an equal proportion of men and women on stage at tech events by connecting organisers with a directory of relevant female experts. Since the directory was tweeted out by MacPherson “with no expectations†in May it has already accrued over 1,100 names, with candidates ranging from software engineers to chief marketing officers at companies such as Google, Facebook and BuzzFeed. Continue reading...
Technology | The Guardian
