Rebecca Longwell: November 2020

Friday 13 November 2020

Social media: How can we protect its youngest users?

A psychologist says parents need to provide their children with "digital resilience".

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54917370

How critical is the weather for the SpaceX launch?

Nasa and SpaceX were due to send astronauts to the ISS on Saturday but the weather's changed their plans.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-54934885

Coronavirus: North Korea and Russia hackers 'targeting vaccine'

Tech giant Microsoft says it has detected cyber-attacks aimed at vaccine researchers.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54936886

YouTube cancels Rewind video amid pandemic

The video platform says it would be wrong to produce its annual Rewind video during the pandemic.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54931875

Kickstarter replies to complaints from seven years ago

The crowdfunding site accidentally replied to reports from 2013, opening old wounds.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54932873

Call of Duty: A balancing act between old and new

The boss of Call of Duty speaks to Newsbeat about the new game and its Warzone integration.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-54917942

Robots to take on more supermarket tasks

Grocery and technology firm Ocado Group is buying two robotics firms, to boost the automation of online grocery orders.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-54902518

Coronavirus: The gamers spending thousands on loot boxes

An expert warns young people have been hit by "the perfect storm" of the coronavirus pandemic.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-54906393

Ticketmaster fined £1.25m over payment data breach

More than nine million people may have had their details stolen in the 2018 cyber-attack.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54931873

Robot mimics human eye contact and other tech news

BBC Click’s Omar Mehtab looks at some of the best technology news stories.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54918924

Thursday 12 November 2020

TikTok lives to see another day in US

US Commerce Department halts ban on Chinese owned company.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54926759

AirBnb glitch cancels trips after deactivating user accounts

A system error during "routine maintenance" cancelled bookings for hosts and users.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54923295

No, Ticketmaster won't force you to have a Covid vaccine

The company denies reports claiming fans will need proof of a vaccine before attending a gig.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-54920146

Xbox and Call of Duty cause record broadband data use in UK

BT, Virgin Media and TalkTalk are among broadband providers that saw record demand on Tuesday.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54917363

Google Photos abandons unlimited uploads amid storage changes

Sweeping changes to Google's online storage mean almost everything counts towards storage limits.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54919165

Alexa to start second-guessing what users want

The voice assistant will answer questions with follow-up questions for the user.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54915777

Wednesday 11 November 2020

'Coding error' in Scotland's Test and Protect figures

The error led to contact tracing staff overestimating the number of people contacted within 24 hours.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-54903038

Social media: How might it be regulated?

A report puts forward a tranche of ideas that could help reduce the spread of misinformation.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54901083

New Yorker fires Jeffrey Toobin for exposing himself on Zoom

Jeffrey Toobin, who is also senior legal analyst for CNN, confirmed in a tweet he had been sacked.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-54912610

PS5: PlayStation's 'most extraordinary' pandemic launch

The boss of PlayStation speaks to Newsbeat about launching the PS5.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-54889795

Amazon's Ring video doorbells catch fire because wrong screw used

There have been dozens of cases of property damage and injuries to owners.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54903754

Roblox gamers must pay to die with an 'oof'

It follows a copyright dispute with sound engineer who originally created the sound for another game.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54902039

Covid in Scotland: Teachers in Aberdeen asked to switch off app in schools

Staff in Aberdeen are asked to switch off the contact tracing software as further clarity is sought.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-54901254

Instagram: New tools to ban self-harm and suicide posts

The social media app has rolled out technology in the UK and Europe to identify harmful posts.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54903428

Coronavirus: M&S expands its scan-and-pay app to all UK stores

The retailer says it is bringing the service to 573 stores as part of its response to Covid-19.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54903748

TikTok asks Donald Trump: 'Are we still banned?'

The Chinese viral video service's owner ByteDance begins a legal challenge against the US ban.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54902038

Tuesday 10 November 2020

China to clamp down on internet monopolies

The regulations suggest increasing unease in Beijing with the growing influence of digital platforms.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-54898357

Finchampstead man builds 'Twitter speed bot' over safety concerns

Gareth Rees built the bot to prove the case for improved safety measures on the road where he lives.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-54872327

Mobile robo-surgeons could widen access to keyhole surgery

A modular design allows keyhole surgery to be performed in smaller operating theatres.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54815147

School laptops: Unions warn of devices shortage

Teaching unions say despite a push for more devices, many students still don't have access at home.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-54890509

Apple unveils first Mac computers powered by its own M1 chip

Firm says the switch means the computers offer better battery life and can run iPhone and iPad apps.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54869981

Covid vaccine: How will we keep it cold enough?

The vaccine has to be kept at temperatures four times lower than the average home freezer.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54889084

Xbox Series X: Sold-out console posted on eBay for up to £5,000

The new games console sold out in a few hours after it was released.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54894801

US election: Technical error blamed for PM's Biden tweet glitch

Boris Johnson's congratulatory message included the word Trump faintly in background.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-54892098

Lisa Manley: Footballer turned professional gamer talks about sexism in esports

Lisa Manley reveals what it's like to be a female professional gamer as she takes on BBC Sport's Nesta McGregor.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/football/54881696

Facebook: Biden press chief Bill Russo attacks post-poll role

The tech firm's handling of conspiracy theories and calls to violence are among his complaints.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54887700

Amazon charged with abusing EU competition rules

The EU says the platform is using data on its third-party sellers to gain an unfair advantage.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-54887650

Black Friday on Amazon: How to spot fake reviews online

As Black Friday goes online only this year we look at how to spot fake reviews.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-54885319

Monday 9 November 2020

Xbox Series X: 'When gamers are ready for next-gen consoles, we're here'

Xbox boss Phil Spencer on launching a new console in a time of 'uncertainty for families'.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-54838856

Husband of Test and Trace chief gets app alert

Weston-super-Mare MP John Penrose was alerted by the app overseen by his wife, Lady Dido Harding.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-54879756

China's Singles Day: 3m people, 4,000 planes and cargo ships

The world's biggest 24-hour online shopping requires a huge effort to deliver all the goods on time.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-54876524

Detectives and noxious locks take on bike thieves

The cycling industry is coming up with innovative ways to deter a wave of bike crime.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-54695188

Parler 'free speech' app tops charts in wake of Trump defeat

The self-styled "free speech" application topped US download charts in the wake of the election.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54873800

Apple puts iPhone supplier on probation for labour violations

Students on a work-study programme at Pegatron were made to work overtime and night shifts, Apple says.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54872965

NHS data: Can web creator Sir Tim Berners-Lee fix it?

Sir Tim Berners-Lee's latest project explores patients' medical data storage and how it could be better shared.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54871705

Eve Online video game helps scientists understand Covid-19

Gamers have completed 47 million mini-game tasks amounting to 36 years categorising cells.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54750594

Sunday 8 November 2020

Alan Turing: Stolen items to be returned to UK from US after decades

A collection of items belonging to the Bletchley Park code-breaker were stolen from Dorset in 1984.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-54784018

Covid: Romance fraudsters 'target lonely' in lockdown

A widow lost her life savings after being used as a "money mule" by a man she fell in love with.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-54855321

Jack Ma's terrible week

How Jack Ma's clash with the Chinese authorities stopped the biggest-ever share market debut.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-54838713

Virgin Hyperloop pod transport tests first passenger journeys

The "sci-fi" travel concept involves travelling in pods inside vacuum tubes at very high speeds.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54838982

How artificial intelligence may be making you buy things

Retailers are increasingly using AI to try to predict and encourage what customers purchase.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54522442

Just Park sorry for renting spaces behind owners' backs

Scammers are listing other people's driveways in an attempt to make money from the parking app and website, Just Park.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-54840335

Saturday 7 November 2020

China sends world's first 6G test satellite into orbit

The satellite was launched to trial the new technology, which is expected to be 100 times faster than 5G.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-54852131

PS5: Hands-on with the next-gen console and games

BBC Click's Marc Cieslak goes hands-on with the next-generation PlayStation 5 console.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54853085

Friday 6 November 2020

PS5 v Xbox Series X: Who will win the next-gen console race?

Newsbeat's gaming reporter Steffan Powell previews the upcoming new gaming consoles.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-54837191

Codemasters: UK games firm to sell to Take-Two

The veteran UK company has received an offer from industry giant Take-Two.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54840773

US election 2020: How a misleading post went from the fringes to Trump’s Twitter

An erroneous election map posted on far-right forums made it to the president's Twitter feed.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-us-2020-54838684

Popular app T&Cs 'longer than Harry Potter'

The combined terms of 13 top apps including TikTok, WhatsApp and Zoom would take 17 hours to read.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54838978

Capcom hacked in latest cyber-attack on game-makers

Capcom, maker of Resident Evil and Street Fighter, suffers a cyber-attack.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54840768

US election: Bannon Twitter account banned amid clampdown

The big social networks are clamping down on threats of violence amid a tense wait for results.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54838977

A body-measuring suit which helps fit clothes remotely

BBC Click’s Chris Fox looks at some of the best technology news stories of the week.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54736308

Ariana Grande clashes with Tik Tok stars over pandemic partying

The pop star accused social media influencers of violating health regulations during the pandemic.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-54838467

Bentley reveals plan to go fully electric by 2030

The luxury carmaker will scrap petrol engines within a decade and become carbon neutral.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-54835588

Thursday 5 November 2020

Covid app backed by Zara and Mike Tindall prompts safety concern

An ad for the app, which can display test results, has been referred to the medical regulator.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-54827965

The foul-smelling fuel that could power big ships

Engineers think ammonia, if made sustainably, could be a greener fuel for shipping, but challenges remain.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-54511743

Bitcoin: $1bn seized from Silk Road account by US government

The US Department of Justice confirms it has seized about 70,000 bitcoins.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54833130

UK contact-tracing apps start to talk to each other

Users can now use their own area's app when travelling to another part of the country.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54826807

Fortnite to return to iPhones via Nvidia cloud gaming service

Apple threw the game off its App Store in August, but it will soon return via the Safari browser.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54825891

Covid-19: Nintendo profits triple as games boom continues

The video games industry rakes in revenues around the world as coronavirus lockdowns continue.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-54813841

WhatsApp lets messages vanish after seven days

The disappearing messages option will erase chats from phone of both sender and recipient.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54825021

Ring doorbells to send live video to Mississippi police

Privacy campaigners describe the development as their "worse fears come true".

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54809228

Wednesday 4 November 2020

Santa to visit virtually as Christmas grottos cancelled

Events organisers have coordinated Covid-safe video calls with Mr Claus over lockdown.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54816579

Vendée Globe: Tech to spot sailor’s mood in tough race

The Vendée Globe solo race will see competitors face extreme conditions with little sleep.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54786716

Kim Dotcom can be extradited to US but can also appeal

New Zealand court adds yet more twists to long-running attempts to extradite Megaupload founder.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54809226

Uber and Lyft win battle over driver status in California

Drivers will continue to be classified as contractors, rather than employees, in the state.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54809225

Bitcoin: $1bn address with Silk Road links 'being transferred'

The mysterious online wallet is said to be the world's fourth-richest Bitcoin address.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54810976

US Election: Twitter and Facebook clamp down on early victory claims

After months of preparation, social firms enact policies to deal with a disputed election.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54809165

Tuesday 3 November 2020

Covid lockdown: 'Cut off' village still blighted by slow broadband

One person says they live yards away from a pole carrying fibre broadband, but it is not connected.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-54796290

Twitter bans David Icke over Covid misinformation

Mr Icke's account was permanently suspended for breaking Twitter's rules on Covid misinformation.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54804240

TikTok star Emily Canham falls foul of UK ads watchdog

Social media influencer Emily Canham is the first to be reprimanded over a video posted to TikTok.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54797919

Projector reviews: A 4K portable and a pocket-sized device

BBC Click's Lara Lewington compares some of the latest home projectors on the market.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54706816

Glitch caused self-isolation orders to be too long

More than 7,200 people in England were told to stop self-isolating on the wrong date.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54797921

Jack Ma's Ant Group: World's biggest market debut suspended

The biggest stock market listing to date is halted after the process is suspended in Shanghai.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-54798278

Warning after 75,000 'deleted' files found on used USB drives

Abertay University researchers retrieved 75,000 files including tax returns on the second-hand drives.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-54779322

Crowd1: Unmasking The Pyramid Kings

Behind the promises and the hype, Crowd1 hides some ugly truths, some wealthy scammers, and a whole pyramid of lies.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-54750044

Is Crowd1 running a pyramid scheme?

Crowd1 is a high-tech crowd marketing business and has been accused of running a pyramid scheme.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-54753151

Twitter hides Trump mail voting tweet ahead of polling day

Hours before polls open, Twitter hides president's tweet on mail-in voting and Supreme Court.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54794198

Coronavirus: Singapore schoolchildren must use Covid-tracing tech

The new guidelines are part of a wider push to safely open Singapore to larger events.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54792187

Monday 2 November 2020

Walmart drops inventory robots from its stores

The supermarket giant is bucking the trend as more companies introduce automation into our lives.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-54790483

Be a 'secret agent' and other new ways to exercise

Turning a run into an adventure is just one of the innovations in the exercise industry.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-54429713

Baby Shark becomes YouTube's most-watched video of all time

The children's song overtakes Latin pop smash Despacito to become the site's most-viewed video ever.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-54783116

Algorithm spots 'Covid cough' inaudible to humans

An algorithm built in the US correctly identified people with Covid-19 by the sound of their coughs.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54780460

Baba ka Dhaba: Eatery owner angry with blogger who made him famous

The owner says the blogger made him a social media celebrity to earn money.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-54776255

Ant Group: How it became a financial giant

As China's Ant Group prepares for its stock market debut, we look at how it established its empire.

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-54746206

Digital voting trialled in US presidential election

Some US will be voting on their mobile phones and computers but how secure are the systems?

from BBC News - Technology https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-54736307