Posts by Mike Knight
Smart Google Tools Tackling Surge in Online Scams
Google has announced that it is deploying powerful AI tools across Search, Chrome and Android to block fraudulent content and protect users from evolving scam tactics. Why? Online scams are nothing new. However, their scale, sophistication and impact are growing fast. From fake airline customer service numbers to dodgy tech support pop-ups, cybercriminals are increasingly…
Read MoreMicrosoft Kills-Off Skype After 23 Years
Skype has officially shut down as of 5 May 2025, marking the end of one of the most recognisable names in digital communication after a 23-year run. A Platform That Defined an Era Launched in 2003 by a small team of Estonian and Scandinavian developers, Skype quickly became the go-to app for free internet-based voice…
Read MoreIsraeli Spyware Firm To Pay $167 Million Over WhatsApp Hack
A US jury has ruled against Israeli firm NSO Group, makers of Pegasus spyware, ordering it to pay $167 million to WhatsApp-owner Meta after the company was found liable for a 2019 hack affecting 1,400 users worldwide. What Is Pegasus Spyware? Pegasus is a form of military-grade spyware developed by the NSO Group, a cyber…
Read MoreWill Robots Solve The Housing Crisis?
As Europe faces a worsening housing shortage, a new generation of construction robots is being pitched as a solution, but how realistic is the idea, and what does it mean for sustainability, workers, and the industry as a whole? Rethinking the Way We Build Housing shortages aren’t new, but in parts of Europe (including the…
Read MoreAI Isn’t Slashing Jobs or Wages (Yet)
Despite the whirlwind of hype, new research suggests that generative AI chatbots like ChatGPT and Claude have, so far, made barely a ripple in the labour market, leaving jobs and wages largely untouched. A Grounded Reality Check A comprehensive study by economists Anders Humlum (University of Chicago) and Emilie Vestergaard (University of Copenhagen) has found…
Read MoreHow Marks & Spencer Was Brought To A Standstill
In this Tech Insight, we look at how a major ransomware attack on M&S could happen, who was behind it, how it caused such widespread disruption, and what it means for the company, its customers, and the wider UK retail sector. What Happened and When? To help understand how the cyber attack on Marks &…
Read MoreRapid 47% Drop In Google Play Store Apps
Google’s app marketplace has shed nearly half its titles since early 2024, in what looks like the biggest quality purge the platform has ever seen. A Surprising Stat with Big Implications Whereas at the start of last year, Google Play Store had around 3.4 million apps, according to new analysis from app intelligence platform Appfigures,…
Read MoreSpain & Portugal Blackout : UK Next?
The recent mass blackout in Spain and Portugal has raised concerns over whether something similar could hit the UK, and what the fallout would be for British businesses. Spain And Portugal Plunge Into Darkness On 28 April, large parts of Spain and Portugal lost power in a sudden, widespread outage. Train lines stopped mid-journey, airports…
Read MoreApple Faces Possible Criminal Contempt Conviction
Apple has been referred for possible criminal contempt by a US judge who found it wilfully defied a court order to open its App Store to greater competition, escalating its long-running legal battle with Epic Games and raising the stakes for one of the world’s most powerful tech firms. Dramatic The ruling marks a dramatic…
Read MoreGoogle to Train 100,000 Electricians For Sustainability
Google says the future of AI depends on a new generation of electricians and that’s why it’s investing massively to train them. A Different Kind of Skills Shortage As artificial intelligence (AI) systems grow ever more powerful, so too does their appetite for energy. From data centres to new-generation processors, it seems that the infrastructure…
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