PARIS, France (AFP) — Robots will handle 52 percent of current work tasks by 2025, almost twice as many as now, a World Economic Forum (WEF) study said Monday. The sharp increase could also see a net gain in “new roles” for humans, who will have to revamp skills to keep pace with the “seismic shift” in how we work with machines and computer programmes, the forum estimated. “By 2025 more than half of […]
Tag: technology
Machines will do more tasks than humans by 2025: WEF
PARIS, France (AFP) — Robots will handle 52 percent of current work tasks by 2025, almost twice as many as now, a World Economic Forum (WEF) study said Monday. The sharp increase could also see a net gain in “new roles” for humans, who will have to revamp skills to keep pace with the “seismic shift” in how we work with machines and computer programmes, the forum estimated. “By 2025 more than half of all […]
Apple unveils premium iPhone XS, health features for watch
by Glenn Chapman Agence France-Presse CUPERTINO, United States (AFP) — Apple unveiled three new iPhones on Wednesday in a bid to bolster its spot in the premium smartphone market, along with an upgraded smartwatch that takes electrocardiograms and detects falls. The California tech giant said it would begin selling its 5.8-inch iPhone XS and 6.5-inch iPhone XS Max later this month, keeping the starting price of the company’s top-end model at $999 but bumping the […]
Facebook to build $1 bn Singapore data center, first in Asia
SINGAPORE, Singapore (AFP) — Facebook said Thursday it will invest over $1 billion to build a data center in Singapore, its first in Asia, powered by renewable energy and adapted to the city-state’s tropical climate. The center is expected to be operational around 2022, and will host Facebook servers and centralize its IT operations, Thomas Furlong, Facebook vice president of infrastructure data centers, told reporters. The 170,000 square meters (1.83 million square foot) site in the […]
Australia unveils starfish-killing robot to protect Barrier Reef
SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) — A robot submarine able to hunt and kill the predatory crown-of-thorns starfish devastating the Great Barrier Reef was unveiled by Australian researchers on Friday. https://youtu.be/ujjEy0e8ldg
Facebook rolls out video service worldwide
PARIS, France (AFP) — Facebook said Wednesday it is rolling out globally its Watch video service, which has already been available in the United States for more than a year. “We designed the product not just in a mindless consumption but in order to get people engaged,” said Fidji Simo, Facebook’s vice president for video. Facebook launched Watch amid a shift in video viewing habits away from traditional television to online platforms including Netflix and […]
Drones fly to rescue of Amazon wildlife
by Mauro Pimentel Agence France-Presse A hoarse sound abruptly wakes visitors staying at a floating house that serves as a base for environmentalists on the Jaraua river in the Amazon rainforest. During flood season, the Mamiraua Sustainable Development Reserve — located 500 kilometers (310 miles) from the Amazonas state capital Manaus — fills with water. For researchers from the Mamiraua Institute and WWF-Brazil, that means their nearest neighbor is a caiman they call Dominique. It […]
Samsung unveils newest smartphone hoping for sales boost
NEW YORK, United States (AFP) – South Korean electronics giant Samsung unveiled the new Galaxy Note 9 smartphone Thursday, its latest effort to address flagging sales of the high-functioning gadgets. Boosting the power and the price, Samsung hopes to win back customers in the competitive market. The consistent leader in the global smartphone market, the company nonetheless suffered a 22 percent drop in mobile technology sales in the second quarter. The company blamed the drop […]
NASA poised to launch first Sun-skimming spaceship
by Kerry SHERIDAN TAMPA, Unites States (AFP) — NASA is poised to launch a $1.5 billion spacecraft on a brutally hot journey toward the Sun, offering scientists the closest-ever view of our strange and mysterious star. After the Parker Solar Probe blasts off from Cape Canaveral, Florida on August 11, it will become the first spacecraft ever to fly through the Sun’s scorching atmosphere, known as the corona. Understanding how the corona works will help […]
LOOK: The Parker Solar Probe mission
After liftoff from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on August 11, the Parker Solar Probe will become the first to fly directly into the sun’s atmosphere, known as the corona. (AFP VIDEOGRAPHIC) https://youtu.be/c_GYrdbj4c4
Apple reaches new landmark with $1 trillion valuation
by John Biers / with Glenn Chapman in San Francisco Agence France-Presse NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Apple — the culture-changing company behind the iPod, iPhone and iPad — hit another milestone on Thursday, becoming the first private-sector company to surpass $1 trillion in market value. Shares of Apple finished the formal Wall Street trading day at $207.39, topping the magic number two days after the California tech giant reported strong quarterly earnings. The […]
Mars makes closest approach to Earth in 15 years
LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Earth’s neighboring planet, Mars, is closer than it has been in the past 15 years, offering unusually bright views of the Red Planet’s auburn hues. “The Red Planet and Earth haven’t been this close since 2003, and won’t be again until 2035,” NASA said. Astronomers around the world trained their telescopes on the sky on July 31, when the Red Planet was 35.8 million miles (57.6 million kilometers) away. […]





