Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | AFP | As soon as Ethiopian opposition activist Henok Gabisa read the email, he knew something was not right. With the subject line “Democracy in Ethiopia: Can it be saved?”, the message seemed tailor-made for him. Yet the US-based academic, who teaches law at Washington and Lee …
Read More »Seeking music edge, Apple buys song recognition app Shazam
New York, United States | AFP | Apple said Monday that it would buy leading song recognition app Shazam in a fresh bid to secure an edge in the intensifying battle of streaming services. Apple, whose streaming service has rapidly grown but still has only half the paid subscribers of Spotify, …
Read More »Apple pushes back release of HomePod speaker to 2018
San Francisco, United States | AFP | Apple said Friday it was delaying until early next year the release of its HomePod speaker set to compete with Amazon’s Alexa-powered devices and Google Home as a smart home and music hub. The delay means Apple will miss the key holiday shopping …
Read More »Google, Facebook join news organizations in ‘Trust Project’
Washington, United States | AFP | Google, Facebook and other tech firms joined global news organizations Thursday in an initiative aimed at identifying “trustworthy” news sources, in the latest effort to combat online misinformation. Microsoft and Twitter also agreed to participate in the “Trust Project” with some 75 news organizations to …
Read More »Twitter to remove ‘verification badge’ from some accounts
Washington, United States | AFP | Twitter is changing its policy on “verified” accounts, reserving the right to remove the blue badges from users who violate the online platform’s terms of service. The move came a week after Twitter launched a review of its policy following disclosures that neo-Nazi and white …
Read More »UN to host first talks on use of ‘killer robots’
Geneva, Switzerland | AFP | The United Nations is set to host the first-ever talks on the use of autonomous weapons, but those hoping for a ban on the machines dubbed killer robots will be disappointed, the ambassador leading the discussions said Friday. More than 100 artificial intelligence entrepreneurs led by …
Read More »Twitter to double tweet limit to 280 characters
San Francisco, United States | AFP | Twitter announced Tuesday it would double the limit for tweets to 280 characters in a bid to draw in more users and boost engagement at the social network. “We’re expanding the character limit! We want it to be easier and faster for everyone …
Read More »Apple’s $120 mn patent award from Samsung upheld by top US court
Washington, United States | AFP | The US Supreme Court on Monday upheld a $120 million patent award Samsung was ordered to pay Apple in the latest ruling in a series of legal skirmishes between the top two smartphone makers. The US justices let stand without comment a 2016 appeals court …
Read More »Russians also used Instagram for US election disinformation
Washington, United States | AFP | The Russian-led effort to spread misinformation and sow discord ahead of the 2016 US election also used the social network Instagram, parent company Facebook acknowledged in Congress Wednesday. Facebook general counsel Colin Stretch told a hearing that Instagram posts by suspect Russian accounts were seen …
Read More »Apple aims to work its magic with iPhone X
San Francisco, United States | AFP | With its new iPhone X, Apple is setting the ambitious goal for itself of reinventing the smartphone, again. The flagship handset marking the 10th anniversary of the first iPhone release, is set to hit stores Friday, and with it the California tech giant is …
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