WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The US military said Monday it had successfully tested an anti-intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) system, with a target launched from the Marshall Islands shot down by two interceptors based in California. To protect against the threat from ICBMs, the US has developed the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system, which is designed to fire an interceptor missile into space and use kinetic energy to destroy the incoming target. While it has […]
Tag: technology
Forget flying carpets, flying taxis are coming your way
by Laurent BANGUET AUSTIN, United States (AFP) — We’ve all dreamed while stuck in traffic jams of being able to just lift off and fly over the gridlock. According to experts gathered this week at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, that is likely to happen sooner than later, with flying taxis expected to take to the skies by 2025. “People have been dreaming about it for decades on paper, and now the […]
Volvo unveils driverless electric bus in Singapore
SINGAPORE, Singapore (AFP) — Volvo and a Singapore university unveiled a driverless electric bus Tuesday that will soon undergo tests in the city-state, the latest move towards rolling out autonomous vehicles for public transport. High-tech Singapore has become a testbed for self-driving technology and the world’s first driverless taxis went into operation in a limited public trial in the country in 2016. Swedish automaker Volvo Buses and its local partner Nanyang Technological University (NTU) unveiled […]
MWC: Tech companies showcase new gadgets in Barcelona
BARCELONA, Spain (AFP) — Tech companies from across the world gather at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona to showcase their latest gadgets. https://youtu.be/k9NdVpglBvM
Amazon invests in electric vehicle startup Rivian
SAN FRANCISCO, United States (AFP) — Electric vehicle startup Rivian on Friday announced a $700 million investment round led by Amazon, which recently pumped money into a young self-driving car technology firm. Details of Amazon’s stake in US-based Rivian were not disclosed, but the company said it will remain independent. The potential Tesla rival late last year unveiled an electric pickup truck and an electric sport utility vehicle at an auto show in Los Angeles. […]
Billion-euro SAP restructuring to cost 4,400 jobs
by Daphne ROUSSEAU Agence France Presse BERLIN, Germany (AFP) — German software giant SAP said Tuesday it would slash 4,400 jobs in a billion-euro restructuring plan after profits stagnated in 2018, while insisting it was on track to grow revenues and earnings this year. “We are talking about a completely voluntary programme,” chief financial officer Luka Mucic said. The number of job cuts would be “slightly higher” than during a previous overhaul in 2015, […]
US charges Huawei in technology theft, sanctions violations
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The US Justice Department on Monday unveiled sweeping charges against Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei in two cases likely to ratchet up tensions between the two superpowers — including that of a top executive arrested in Canada on a US warrant. The department unveiled 13 charges against Huawei Technologies, its chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou — the daughter of the company’s founder who is currently out on bail in Canada — […]
Apple puts brakes on car team but keeps eye on road
SAN FRANCISCO, United States (AFP) — Apple acknowledged Thursday that it has trimmed its team devoted to self-driving car technology but stressed that its still in the race. Apple’s comment came in response to a CNBC report that the staff of a secretive Project Titan was reduced this week by more than 200 people, some of whom were transferred to jobs elsewhere at the California-based technology group. “We have an incredibly talented team working on […]
Amazon rolls out ‘Scout’ delivery robots
SAN FRANCISCO, United States (AFP) — Amazon on Wednesday began putting cooler-sized robots to work delivering packages to customers in a neighborhood outside Seattle. Electric-powered, wheeled delivery vehicles named “Scout” were created by Amazon and guide themselves along sidewalks at a walking pace, according to Sean Scott, the vice president heading the project. Amazon becomes the latest entry to the market for robotic or autonomous delivery aimed at getting meals or other goods to customers […]
Paw patrol: Sony offers robocop dog at home
TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Sony’s puppy-sized robot dog aibo, equipped with cameras, artificial intelligence and internet capability, can now remotely check up on family members, children or even pets, the Japanese electronics giant says. https://youtu.be/u6JLSntxZYM
Tokyo airport tests driverless bus to shuttle visitors
TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Visitors pouring into Japan’s Haneda airport for the Tokyo Olympics next year may find themselves ferried to and from planes on driverless buses, currently being tested at the major hub. Six Japanese firms, including national carrier ANA, jointly started a 10-day experiment with a self-driving prototype minibus last week. On Tuesday, officials allowed a sneak peak at the automated transportation, which is being tested with a safety driver in the front […]
Facebook to tighten political ad rules for 2019 elections
PARIS, France (AFP) — Facebook said Tuesday it will tighten rules for political ads in countries with elections scheduled in the first half of the year, building on transparency efforts already underway in the United States, Britain and Brazil after a series of scandals. “As we prepare for major elections around the world this year, we’re continuing our focus on preventing foreign interference and giving people more information about the ads they see across our platforms,” […]
