London’s Metropolitan Police is trialing new retail technology to help curtail the city’s pervasive shoplifting problem… and it doesn’t rely on live facial recognition (LFR). TSA’s airport facial-recog tech faces audit probe READ MORE The Met describes the technology as a platform that retail stores can use to report incidents of shoplifting “instantly,” sharing CCTV…
Yelp is giving its chatbot assistant a major upgrade, turning the platform into something closer to a digital concierge with a suite of new features designed for “getting things done.” The move, one of several AI-focused updates in recent months, is part of a broader industry push to make AI more relevant and practically useful…
Windows has always had a built-in portal to the very recent past: Task Manager’s CPU usage meter. Task Manager in Windows XP “The CPU number in Task Manager is a moving little obituary for the immediate past,” explained former Microsoft engineer Dave Plummer, “Not what happened at the moment that your eyeballs landed on the…
Ministers are moving to turn England’s patchwork of school phone bans into law, after peers backed fresh changes to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill in a Monday vote. Peers backed, by 276 to 169 – a majority of 107 – a Conservative amendment to ban smartphones during the school, effectively daring the government to…
Ikea’s two dozen Matter-over-Thread devices have proved problematic since launch, but Samsung says its SmartThings platform now has it all sorted. If true, it means Ikea’s sensors and complex remotes should actually display correctly, function flawlessly, and plug directly into Samsung’s advanced home automation routines without any issues. To achieve this, Samsung says it has…
If you’ve ever had the embarrassing displeasure of interrupting a Microsoft Teams meeting by accidentally hitting the “raise hand” feature, then I have some good news for you. Microsoft is redesigning its online meeting software, which will move the raise hand button from the main toolbar and allow users to personalize the controls displayed there….
I was disappointed when Apple launched a new Sports iOS widget last year without CarPlay support, but I’m pleased to report that’s changing this week. The latest Apple Sports update includes widget support in CarPlay, allowing you to follow live sports scores for your favorite teams or leagues all within the new widgets interface in…
UK enterprise software consultancy The Adaptavist Group is investigating a security breach after an intruder logged in with stolen credentials, while a ransomware crew claims it grabbed far more than the company is currently admitting. In a letter to customers, Adaptavist’s CEO Simon Haighton-Williams said the biz detected an “IT security incident” in late March…
Japanese industrial giant Panasonic has created a new form of QR code it says will only work on designated devices and environments. The company revealed the tech yesterday in an announcement of a tweak to its “Site Management Service” access control system that allows and tracks entries to, and exits from, buildings. Panasonic last year…
Sony is starting to comply with the UK’s Online Safety Act by notifying PlayStation players of its age verification requirements today. PS4 and PS5 owners in the UK and Ireland won’t be able to participate in voice chats, messaging, parties, or other third-party communication services from June unless they verify their age. “Beginning June 2026,…