Microsoft on Wednesday unveiled new tools intended to democratize artificial intelligence by enabling machine smarts to be built into software from smartphone games to factory floors. Improving programs with artificial intelligence that could tap into services in the internet ‘cloud’ and even take advantage of computing power in nearby machines, was part of a vision … Read more
Amazon on Tuesday unveiled the latest member of its family of devices powered by its Alexa digital assistant — this one with a touchscreen. The new device called Echo Show steps up efforts by Amazon to be part of the connected home, and potentially create a market for a new kind of computing device. The … Read more
Amazon has grabbed more than two-thirds of the fast-growing market in the US for connected speakers with its family of Alexa-powered Echo devices, a survey showed Monday. The survey by research firm eMarketer found Amazon’s Echo speakers held 70.6 percent of the US market, compared with 23.8 percent for Google Home and 5.6 percent for … Read more
Britain is losing up to 1 billion pounds a year in value added tax (VAT) because of fraud or error by sellers using online marketplaces eBay and Amazon, a report by the government auditor said. The National Audit Office (NAO) said on Wednesday that the sellers involved are often based in China and that consumer … Read more
With 100 million new internet users every year, Amazon is betting big on India, but a major new investment in homegrown rival Flipkart means the battle to dominate the fast-growing e-commerce market is set to heat up. Flipkart announced this week that top international companies including Microsoft, eBay and China’s Tencent had pledged investments totalling … Read more
With 100 million new internet users every year, Amazon is betting big on India, but a major new investment in homegrown rival Flipkart means the battle to dominate the fast-growing e-commerce market is set to heat up. Flipkart announced this week that top international companies including Microsoft, eBay and China’s Tencent had pledged investments totalling … Read more
A record funding round worth $1.4 billion has shored up India’s top e-commerce company Flipkart in its fight against online retail giant Amazon. Chinese social media and entertainment firm Tencent Holdings Ltd, the world’s biggest software company Microsoft Corp and online marketplace eBay Inc participated in the funding round, Flipkart said in a statement on … Read more
India’s top e-commerce company Flipkart announced Monday it had raised $1.4 billion in a record funding round that shores up the online retail giant in its fight against Amazon. Flipkart said it was now valued at $11.6 billion after raising funds from US tech behemoths Microsoft and eBay and China’s Tencent, an investment described as … Read more
Billionaire entrepreneur Jeff Bezos said he is selling $1 billion in stock of his retail giant Amazon each year to finance his rocket company, Blue Origin, which aims to carry tourists to space by 2018. Speaking Wednesday at the 33rd Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Bezos vowed to lower the cost of space travel … Read more
Internet giant Amazon on Tuesday said it would build three data centres across Sweden, the first in the Nordic region, bringing the number of its “cloud” storage facilities in Europe to ten. The company said in a statement that Amazon Web Services (AWS) would establish the centres in three towns, Katrineholm, Vasteras and Eskilstuna, located … Read more
One of Europe’s top courts is due to open a landmark case that could determine whether luxury goods companies can ban online sales. The case has been brought by German make-up and perfume brand Coty. It wants to stop one of its retailers from selling its goods on online marketplaces such as Amazon. Owners of … Read more
SpaceX chief Elon Musk hailed a “revolution in spaceflight” after blasting off a recycled rocket for the first time Thursday, using a booster that had previously flown cargo to the International Space Station. Experts cheered the launch as a “historic” moment for spaceflight, particularly private industry, as companies like SpaceX and its competitors scramble to … Read more
SpaceX is poised to launch its first recycled rocket on Thursday, using a booster that sent food and supplies to the astronauts living at the International Space Station in April. The goal of the launch, scheduled for 6:27 pm (2227 GMT) from Cape Canaveral, Florida, is to send a communications satellite for Luxembourg-based company SES … Read more
Amazon on Wednesday confirmed that it is shutting down its Quidsi unit, which runs websites Diapers.com and Soap.com, due to a persistent lack of profitability there. Quidsi was an Amazon rival in the US before the online retail made a $545 million deal in late 2010 to buy the startup. “We have worked extremely hard … Read more
Amazon will acquire the Middle East’s largest online retailer Souq.com, the two companies said in a statement on Tuesday without disclosing the value of the deal. The announcement comes a day after Dubai-based Emaar Malls confirmed offering $800 million to acquire Souq.com. Amazon had walked away from talks with Souq.com earlier this year, but it … Read more
Google has removed audio about the movie Beauty and the Beast which played out unprompted on Google Home. “By the way, Disney’s live action Beauty and the Beast opens today,” the smart speaker said after listing the time, weather and travel update. In a video posted on Twitter, it then talked about the plot and … Read more
1) Love is possessive — Guard it carefully In my opinion, every form of love has a central element of possessiveness. But true love also allows freedom. Any form of love that dominates and controls without allowing anyone to be free, is not genuine love. Love should not therefore be allowed to possess to the … Read more
Amazon has said that a simple typo was the cause of several high-profile websites and services being knocked offline earlier in the week. Hours of problems struck services like Q&A forum Quora, and Giphy, an image hosting service. The sites rely on hosting provided by Amazon Web Services (AWS) – a cloud computing provider. A … Read more
In a first for the streaming industry, Amazon Studios and Netflix walked away with Oscars, underlining their emergence as major players in the entertainment business. Amazon won two Oscars Sunday for gritty family drama “Manchester by the Sea,” which collected statuettes for best original screenplay and best actor (Casey Affleck). The studio also scored an … Read more
Silicon Valley crashed Hollywood’s biggest awards show on Sunday as Amazon.com Inc (AMZN. O) and Netflix Inc (NFLX.O) collected the first Academy Awards for streaming services while independent studio A24 won the coveted best picture Oscar. After upending television with acclaimed online series, Amazon and Netflix joined the ranks of the film industry’s elites with … Read more