Terrestrial TV is reaching a “tipping point” which risks leaving older audiences with less choice and reduced quality, Ofcom has warned. In a report published yesterday, the media watchdog warned that a sharp decline in traditional TV viewing had prompted broadcasters including the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 to place an ever-growing focus on their streaming services. Broadcasters are shifting their focus as collapsing terrestrial viewing numbers make terrestrial broadcasting increasingly economically challenging, with advertisers less keen to book time. The average number of minutes of ..read more

Neuralink’s first attempt at implanting its chip in a human being’s skull hit an unexpected setback after the device began to detach from the patient’s brain, the company revealed on Wednesday. The patient, Noland Arbaugh, underwent surgery in February to attach a Neuralink chip to his brain, but the device’s functionality began to decrease within the month after his implant. Some of the device’s threads, which connect the miniature computer to the brain, had begun to retract. The Guardian Terrestrial TV is reaching a “tipping point” that risks leaving older audiences with less choice and red ..read more

The gambling industry stands strong even after many decades of existence, maintaining relevance through the implementation of timely changes, and keeping the market afloat as a result of them. While the discussions around the industry may be polarizing at times, one thing cannot be denied, the market is growing for the better, and it is showing monetarily. It has undergone a massive technological transformation in recent years, with innovative new technologies revolutionizing how people gamble and casinos operate. From cutting-edge virtual and augmented reality experiences to advanced data an ..read more

  New display, new design. Credit: Apple Apple is facing a backlash online over an advert in which objects including musical instruments and books are crushed into oblivion by a hydraulic press. The video is meant to demonstrate how their creativity has been compressed into the latest iPad. But celebrities including Hugh Grant and Justine Bateman have reacted with horror to the destruction on view. Apple boss Tim Cook has been called tone deaf, external for his post on X, formerly Twitter, about the device, where he asked people to, external “imagine all the thing ..read more

The UK’s used car market rose by 6.5% in the first quarter of 2024 with 1,967,923 units finding new owners – the strongest start to a year since pre-pandemic 2019, according to the latest figures published today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). The increase marks 16 months of successive growth, reflecting recovering supply in the new car market which is in turn improving availability and choice of second-hand motors. Used car transactions have risen in every month of the year to date but, despite this robust growth, the quarter’s transactions remain -2.6% below pre-Co ..read more

Nextdoor had the highest percentage of customer complaints, according to Which? survey A third of buyers have experienced a scam on popular second-hand marketplaces in the last two years, Which? warns.  A Which? survey of more than 1,000 second-hand marketplace buyers and 1,000 second-hand marketplace sellers revealed that a third of buyers (32%) and a fifth (22%) of sellers told Which? they had experienced a scam on a second-hand marketplace in the two year period.  Typically, buyers who had experienced a scam reported receiving incorrect goods (15%) or no goods at al ..read more

New research from digital identity security specialists, ID Crypt Global, reveals that an overwhelming majority of the UK public believes those who create and spread fake news should have their social media accounts banned, with 85% also believing it should be made illegal.  The survey of 1,121 members of the UK public, commissioned by ID Crypt Global, looked at concerns over the rise of fake news and mass disinformation and the repercussions that should be implemented in order to tackle it.  The survey reveals that 73% of people report being concerned about the growing threat ..read more

New display, new design. Credit: Apple Apple has released a new version of the iPad Pro, its thinnest product ever. The launch marked the “biggest day” of updates for the iPad since it was first launched, the company said. The new device is smaller and lighter than its predecessor, but comes with a new M4 chip which means it is more powerful than even many of Apple’s Macs. And it comes with a whole new kind of display, an OLED screen that Apple calls “Ultra Retina XDR”. That will come to the small as well as larger iPad Pro. Independent  Social media platforms must do more to stop their a ..read more

Ofcom has warned social media sites they could be banned for under-18s completely if they fail to comply with new online safety rules. The media regulator has published a children’s safety draft code of practice, which requires social media firms to have more robust age-checking measures in place. Ofcom boss Dame Melanie Dawes warned any company that broke the rules could have their minimum user age raised to 18. Firstly, online services must establish whether children are likely to access their site – or part of it. And secondly, if children are likely to access it, the company must carry ou ..read more

Growth in solar and wind pushed the world past 30% renewable electricity for the first time in 2023, according to a report by global energy think tank Ember.  Since 2000, renewables have expanded from 19% to more than 30% of global electricity, driven by an increase in solar and wind from 0.2% in 2000 to a record 13.4% in 2023.  As a result, the CO2 intensity of global power generation reached a new record low in 2023, 12% lower than its peak in 2007. The report concludes that the rapid growth in solar and wind has brought the world to a crucial turning poin ..read more