Category: Gadgets
Loot boxes in video games like Fortnite linked to problem gambling
Video game 'loot boxes' are acting as a gateway to problem gambling, new research has suggested. A study by experts at the University of York and York St John University claims spending on in-game loot boxes can be as closely linked with gambling issues as alcohol dependency and drug problems. Loot boxes are packs of in-game…
EE’s first 5G sports event to feature YouTube stars Spencer Owen and Calfreezy
EE will use a test of its 5G network to carry out the first remote production live broadcast of a sporting event this weekend. The telecoms firm, which is part of the BT Group, will show the final of the EE Wembley Cup – an exhibition football tournament featuring a range of YouTube stars –…
First flight of completely silent electric aircraft, inspired by Star Trek
A revolutionary electronic aircraft propulsion system inspired by Star Trek has been tested on a working model for the first time. The five metre (16ft) wingspan glider-like plane has no propellers, turbines or any other moving parts, and is completely silent. Instead, an “ionic wind” of colliding electrically charged air molecules provides the thrust needed…
10 years since Apple introduced Emoji to iPhone – see how they’ve changed
Apple added emoji to its keyboard on the iPhone 10 years ago today, transforming the way people communicate via text. iPhone OS 2.2 – known as iOS from 2010 – introduced emoji to users in Japan initially, in time for the newly released iPhone 3G. 😲 Astonished Face on iPhone #2008v2018 https://t.co/ajoEkNzgvQ pic.twitter.com/d6wi5ygjRq — Emojipedia…
Death of the desktop? Tech-savvy Brits shun desktop PCs and DVD players for smart devices
British shoppers are turning away from desktop PCs British shoppers are shunning desktop PCs and DVD players in favour of smart televisions and smart watches, according to figures from regulator Ofcom. Less than a third of homes now have a desktop PC, with consumers increasingly turning to smart technology, according…
MacBook is the focus of Apple’s Christmas ‘Share Your Gifts’ ad
Apple has revealed its new Christmas advert, a fully animated short film about sharing things created on a MacBook. The advert, called Share Your Gifts, focuses on an Apple user who is too afraid to share the things she creates on her laptop. Although it is a piece of advertising for the tech giant, product…
Hyde Park Winter Wonderland enlists Google Assistant for immersive experience
Hyde Park Winter Wonderland visitors will be able to enjoy an immersive new experience on the Big Wheel this year thanks to Google Assistant. The tech giant is adding devices powered by the smart assistant in all 41 pods on the observation wheel, which can be used to play visitors’s favourite Christmas tunes and also…
Universal standard for chargers needed for electric vehicles
(Clive Gee/PA) Electric vehicle owners’ lives should be made easier by the creation of a universal standard for chargers, ministers have been told. Conservative MP Bill Wiggin (North Herefordshire) warned there are “serious practical impediments” to running an electric car, adding the “main problem” is access to charging points. He…
Star Wars’ Mark Hamill teams up with bionic limb company for viral message
Star Wars actor Mark Hamill has teamed up with British bionics company Open Bionics to send a positive message to children and adults with limb differences around the world. The actor, whose Star Wars character Luke Skywalker lost a hand in an epic light-sabre battle with nemesis Darth Vader, shared the message on social media…
iPhone spacebar ‘hack’ allows you to move cursor around text message
An iPhone keyboard hack that enables users to quickly move the cursor through the text of messages has sparked excitement among users, despite being available in some forms since 2015. Flagged by several users on Twitter in recent days, the feature enables iPhone users to press and hold on the spacebar of the keyboard and…
