Technology News Era

The innovation arm of British telecoms giant BT — called Etc. — is looking to convert the Group’s street cabinets into EV charging points. The big green cabinets, a common sight across the UK, are currently used for providing copper-based broadband and phone services but are soon to be decommissioned as BT transitions to full fibre networks. The company estimates that as many as 60,000 of its 90,000 cabinets may be suitable for retrofit. Etc. will now conduct a series of technical and commercial pilots over the next two years to determine the feasibility of a conversion on this scale.… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/HwDLPOZ

There’s a wind turbine being built in the forests of Sweden — or should I say from the forests. Budding startup Modvion, based in the Scandinavian country, is currently building the world’s tallest wooden wind turbine, and it’s on track for completion this year.  The tower will stand 105 metres and is being built for local energy utility Varberg Energi for its wind power site near the town of Skara.   A 2-megawatt turbine made by Danish wind giant Vestas will be mounted atop the wooden tower. Once the rig gets up and running it could power around 500 homes. The… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/qoIe3Uw

On a typical visit to a sports stadium, you don’t bump into 20-metre-tall giants outside the gates. But this isn’t your typical sports stadium. It’s the MLB virtual ballpark — the first metaverse for a pro sports league. The venue opened on July 8, for a watch party during Major League Baseball’s All-Star Weekend. Hosting the event were the aforementioned giants, who begin the festivities with a tease: “Who knows what prizes will be up for grabs? Make sure you explore and have fun.” The incentives for engagement are accentuated. Sure, you could just chat with fellow fans and watch… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/nFNs57E

AI image generators could undermine upcoming elections in the world’s biggest democracies, according to new research Logically, a British fact-checking startup, investigated AI’s capacity to produce fake images about elections in India, the US, and the UK. Each of these countries will soon go to the ballot box. The company tested three popular generative AI systems: Midjourney, DALL-E 2, and Stable Diffusion. All of them have content moderation of some form, but the parameters are unclear. Logically explored how these platforms could support disinformation campaigns. This included testing narratives around a “stolen election” in the US, migrants “flooding” into the… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/19ivhup

Wardrobe malfunctions are never fun. When on Earth, they might be a nuisance or prove somewhat embarrassing. In space however, they could be a matter of life and death. Not to mention, how do you handle, uhm, laundry on the Moon? The European Space Agency (ESA) says that the next generation of lunar explorers will be kitted with a wholly upgraded set of spacesuits. And textile tech has come quite a way since the iconic string of Apollo missions in the ‘60s and ‘70s. Other than having to stand up to an extra-terrestrial environment characterised by high vacuum, radiation, extreme… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/SDn0KuF

The rapid rise of AI has evoked mixed feelings to say the least. Some experts champion it as a “force for good,” while others forewarn it poses a “risk of extinction.” To assess how European consumers feel about artificial intelligence, decision intelligence company Morning Consult Pro surveyed 1,000 adults in five major markets across the continent: France, Germany, Spain, Italy, and the UK. The survey found that AI-powered online search is among the three most interesting applications across all countries but Spain, where it ranks fourth. Respondents are also excited about AI’s integration into healthcare diagnostics, road assistance, and flight… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/QcowBLh

Since launching in 2009, VanMoof, known for its sleek, high-tech city bikes, developed an almost cult-like following — from the streets of Amsterdam to New York.  Today, what was once the world’s most-funded ebike startup is bankrupt, leaving riders angry, loyal followers depressed, and the industry wondering — what’s next?  Pretty much everyone and their dog has an opinion on the matter. But we wanted to hear from those closest to the action and perhaps the most affected in the long term: ebike startups.  “The VanMoof story deserved a better ending,” says Tanguy Goretti, founder of Belgian ebike company Cowboy,… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/I0SVw9X

Next year, a Dutch company will put a new kind of battery in a drone and — if all goes according to plan — that drone will fly for 50% longer than it could with a standard lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery. Flight times of nearly an hour, say, rather than 34 minutes. The souped-up drone won’t be any heavier than before and the new battery will actually be smaller than the old one, despite offering more juice. Fixed wing and multi-rotor drones are just the beginning. LeydenJar is also targeting electric vehicles and Tim Aanhane, the company’s business developer, estimates that… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/4DbionS

On Thursday, the European Commission opened an antitrust investigation into Microsoft’s bundling of its Teams app with its Office suite, which includes Word, Excel, and Outlook. The EU is concerned that this practice may be in breach of the bloc’s competition rules. The investigation was prompted by a complaint filed in 2020 by Slack. The rival workplace messaging platform alleged that Microsoft had illegally tied Teams to its Office tools and was “abusing its market dominance to extinguish competition,” in violation of EU laws. Following analysis of the complaint, the Commission has now concluded that the bundling may indeed constitute… This story continues at The Next Web Or just read more coverage about: Microsoft from The Next Web https://ift.tt/y0XI15f

While our transition to renewable energy is critical if we are tomeet our climate targets, fully relying on sources such as solar and wind still presents a major challenge: efficient and sustainable storage. Now, a German research consortium led by Fraunhofer IZM aims to tackle this problem with a zinc battery technology that can not only store electrical power, but also produce green hydrogen on demand. To realise this goal, the research institutions teamed up with two commercial partners (Zn2H2 and Steel PRO Maschinenbau) to work on the Zn-H2 project. The group opted to experiment with zinc batteries that, compared… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/C8410Gw

German multi-modal travel unicorn Omio has teamed up with compatriot search engine Ecosia to create a tree-planting rail travel booking tool. It means users will be able to search and book train journeys through Ecosia’s website, powered by an API-integration with Omio’s travel platform.  The booking platform will automatically pop up via a simple query search for trains, or for destinations where train travel is possible, say London to Paris. It will be available in 15 countries: the UK, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Nordics, North America and Canada, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and Ukraine. The intention behind the new… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/KXImskF

When Russia cut off Europe’s gas supply following the invasion of Ukraine, it exposed the vulnerable underbelly of a continent largely reliant on imported energy.  To be fair, the bloc responded pretty quickly by sourcing gas from other countries and stockpiling it for a rainy day. And, it turns out, Europe was also hoarding mountains of another commodity: solar panels.   Some €7bn worth of solar panels — or 40 gigawatts direct current (GWdc) of capacity — are currently gathering dust in European warehouses. That’s enough to power 20 million homes a year.  The stockpile is expected to more than double… This story continues at The Next Web Or just read more coverage about: Security from The Next Web https://ift.tt/F6oMEJY

Seven European countries have joined forces to begin construction of the European Space Telescope (EST) — the largest of its kind to ever be built in the continent. On Tuesday, nine research institutions from the participating nations (Czechia, Germany, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK) established the EST Foundation, which committed to lead the project in the next phase of development. The new body will also see to the creation of a European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC) — the legal entity responsible for overseeing all aspects of the telescope’s construction and operation. The EST is a large-aperture solar telescope,… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/jwXcyeh

Germany’s finance ministry is investing €20bn from its climate fund to bolster local production of semiconductors — critical components in everything from smartphones to fridges. The money will be doled out to a handful of chipmakers by 2027, Bloomberg reports.   The lion’s share of the subsidies will go to Intel’s planned megafab in Magdeburg, which will build advanced Angstrom-era chips. After months of protracted negotiations, the American chip giant managed to squeeze €10bn from the German government to fund the plant, which will cost around €30bn in total.  Another €5bn in subsidies will go to Taiwan’s TSMC for the construction… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/Yot2Ule

Paris-based and female-founded AI startup Pathway has announced the general launch of its data processing engine. Reportedly, it is up to 90x faster than existing streaming solutions, and promises to be the “fastest data processing engine on the market.”  The secret? A unique ability to mix batch and streaming logic in the same workflow, which lets the system forget things that are no longer useful. Basically, this means it can learn and react to changes in real-time — like humans.  Traditionally, the complexity of building batch and streaming architectures has resulted in a division between the two approaches, says Pathway… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/TNOGUhS

The tech sector is in the throes of a so-called “double disruption,” dealing with the economic fallout of a two-year pandemic and wrestling with the swift advance of AI at the same time. What it means for workers is simple: half of us will need to re-skill in the next five years, according to the World Economic Forum. That isn’t as daunting as it sounds. Upskilling is a core practice in a dynamic jobs market, and many employers are advertising in-house skills programmes as part of their employee incentive packages. The penny has dropped: keeping the best talent in the… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/ZEAp0O2

Thales Alenia Space will fine-tune plans to “harvest” solar energy in orbit, the European firm announced on Monday. Named Solaris, the project aims to provide Earth with energy from space-borne solar power plants. The idea emerged amid an EU push to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Solar energy from space could provide a clean alternative. It would also be available 24/7, ensuring electrical supply continuity without needing significant storage systems.  The European Space Agency, which is leading Solaris, enlisted Thales Alenia Space (TAS) to conduct a feasibility study for the initiative. The study seeks to create new concepts for… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/t2cfdVM

When chatbots first became commercially accessible, companies big and small embraced them with open arms. “Have a robot handle easy customer service questions in seconds? Amazing!” — we thought. The problem was, these early chatbots were less C-3PO and more an annoying barrier to an actual human. From being asked: “Can you repeat the question” 10 times over to being directed to a completely unrelated information page — customers simply don’t have the patience to deal with badly made chatbots anymore. In fact, a study by Zoom found that over half of respondents would switch to a competitor after just… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/3kIl9a8

Laying in a hammock on a tropical island with a cold beverage in one hand while the other types leisurely away at a keyboard surely sounds like heaven. But what is the digital nomad life really like? And where are the best places to work remotely from?  Housing company Flatio asked 1,200 digital nomads of different ages, genders, and nationalities to find out their motivations, frustrations, and favourite destinations. Here’s a summary of the key takeaways. Firstly, who are digital nomads? Out of those surveyed, the greatest proportion were from the US (37%) followed by the UK (12%), and Germany… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/jO7JF9H

A robotic arm made solely by European manufacturers has passed its qualification review for launch into space on the OneSat range of satellites.  The robotic deployment and pointing system enables the satellite’s plasma thrusters to be positioned far away from the satellite’s body, optimising consumption of the xenon fuel. The approval of the system means that OneSat is now fully propelled by European technology. Designed by Airbus in France, the robotic arm was made and qualified by manufacturer Euro Heat Pipes in Belgium.   The robotic arm will help engineers optimise OneSat’s fuel consumption. Credit: ESA In addition, Sener from Spain… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/hGiCmJ3

Greek shipping software startup DeepSea Technologies has sold a majority share to Japan’s automation giant Nabtesco for an undisclosed amount.  DeepSea will continue to develop the company’s fuel optimisation platforms that reduce emissions (and cut costs) of fossil-based maritime fleets, while also becoming a “centre of excellence for AI research and product development.” Furthermore, the Athens-based startup will support Nabtesco Marine Control Systems in its quest for scalable semi-autonomous shipping.  The company will continue to function (fittingly enough) autonomously, and carry on work on its two platforms — Cassandra and Pythia — and on “the broader digital transformation of the… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/bvj093x

For millennia, farmers have monitored the health of their potatoes, pumpkins, or pineapples by walking through the fields and looking at them. As you can imagine, this process is time-consuming and often inaccurate, especially over large areas.  German deep tech startup constellr believes there is a better way. A spin-off from the Fraunhofer, Europe’s largest organisation for applied science, constellr is developing a satellite-based crop monitoring system that acts as a farmer’s eyes in the sky — and has just raised €17m in seed funding to scale it up. The startup’s tech, which it claims is a world-first, comprises constellations… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/UtdlbnY

London-based startup accelerator Founders Factory has gained a new partner in the form of Mediobanca. The Milan-based investment bank is looking to increase its presence in the UK, and has pledged €12mn to the joint venture.  Specifically, Mediobanca will be looking to back as many as 35 fintech startups that focus on technologies such as blockchain and artificial intelligence over the coming five years. However, it will also include early stage fintech startups in other parts of Europe.  Founders Factory, co-founded by Brent Hoberman, Henry Lane Fox, and George Northcott in 2015, has thus far supported over 300 companies globally… This story continues at The Next Web Or just read more coverage about: Fintech from The Next Web https://ift.tt/0EY7kDB

New laws proposed in the UK could normalise surveillance of personal devices, experts have warned. The concerns stem from a planned update to the Investigatory Powers Act (IPA). When the original rules passed in 2016, critics described them as the “most extreme spying powers ever seen.” They’re now set to become even more intrusive. Under the new proposals, messaging services would have to clear security features with the government before releasing them. The Home Office could also demand that features are disabled —without telling the public. Apple has threatened to remove FaceTime and iMessage from the UK if the plans are… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/7U26Jad

Approximately 48.6 billion cubic meters of water are lost around the world every day. According to the International Water Association (IWA), the main culprits for this loss are underground leaks on water mains and service pipes. To monitor leaks in water pipeline networks, researchers at the Polytechnic University of Milan have experimented with a novel method using fibre optics — the inexpensive and commonly- used technology that allows us to have fast internet at home. The scientists developed a distributed fibre optic sensing (DFOS) cable based on the so-called Stimulated Brillouin Scattering (SBS) technology, which enables the processing and storage… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/9Kf5Feb

Getir’s woes are dragging on in Europe, raising concerns over the grocery delivery platform’s future in the region. On Wednesday, the Turkish-owned company started auctioning off parts of its equipment, as it closes down a number of its dark stores in the UK. The bidding closed on Thursday morning. The items, listed on the website of commercial property agent Sanderson Weatherall, range from scooters and crash helmets to insulated food delivery boxes and retail freezers. According to the auction’s description, the assets are a “surplus to requirements, due to the closure of retail hubs.” Getir’s scooters on auction. Credit: Sanderson… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/KUyRVH9

Scientists fear using AI models such as ChatGPT in healthcare will exacerbate inequalities. The epidemiologists, from the universities of Cambridge and Leicester, warn that large language models (LLMs) could entrench inequities for ethnic minorities and lower-income countries. Their concern stems from systemic data biases. AI models used in healthcare are trained on information from websites and scientific literature. But evidence shows that ethnicity data is often missing from these sources.  As a result, AI tools can be less accurate for underrepresented groups. This can lead to ineffective drug recommendations or racist medical advice. “It is widely accepted that a differential… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/sZnBPaW

The UK Space Agency has identified 11 critical technology areas to strengthen the country’s position in the space sector and enable further cooperation with international partners such as NASA, the ESA, and Japan’s JAXA. The technologies are listed in the agency’s newly-published Space Exploration Technology Roadmap, which will guide research, development, and future funding decisions over the next 10 years. The roadmap’s overarching aim is to help the UK fully benefit from the growing commercialisation of space exploration and the global space economy — estimated to reach $1tn (€897bn) by 2040. “We are entering a new era of space exploration… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/FSJiTxD

Vertical Aerospace’s electric urban air taxi has completed its maiden untethered flight, marking a significant milestone for the Bristol-based startup. The flight took place on Wednesday at Cotswold Airport in southwest England, where a full-scale prototype of the VX4, the  company’s eVTOL, flew at about 70km/h or 40 knots. According to the company, the aircraft was remotely piloted and reached the targeted speed powered only by its battery propulsion system. It managed to lift, hover, fly, and land successfully. You can see footage of the flight in the video below:   Founded by British entrepreneur Stephen Fitzpatrick, Vertical Aerospace entered the… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/YHi7Utf

Venture capital funding in Europe is plummeting as investors shift focus from growth to cutting costs. In the first half of 2023, European VC deal value was 61% lower than at the same time last year according to a new report by Pitchbook, a financial data firm. The total capital raised in the continent was €8.9 billion. At the current rate, the full year is on track to pace 37% below 2022 levels. Analysts blame the decline on surging interest rates, high inflation, fundraising hurdles, and a subdued IPO market. These economic headwinds have prompted new investment strategies. Instead of prioritising… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/4VCWSjQ

Spain’s antitrust watchdog has fined Amazon and Apple €194mn for colluding to limit the sale of Apple products by third-party sellers on the huge online retail platform, which “drastically” reduced competition.   The fine is the result of a case opened by the regulator, known as the CNMC, in July 2021, that sought to prove that the pair unfairly colluded to “reduce competition in the internet retail market for electronic products.” Clearly, the CNMC found the proof it was looking for. “Over 90% of resellers who used Amazon’s website in Spain to sell Apple products were excluded from Spain’s main online… This story continues at The Next Web Or just read more coverage about: Amazon from The Next Web https://ift.tt/CNRcjX9

British plans to police the internet may be unlawful and force Wikipedia to shut down in the country, critics have warned. The proposed legislation, named the Online Safety Bill, aims to protect people from illegal or “harmful” content. Under the rules, any platforms that host user-generated content will need to quickly remove any proscribed material, which ranges from porn to cyberbullying. Failure to comply could lead to massive fines, services being blocked, or even jail terms for executives. Campaigners have long been alarmed about the threat to privacy and free speech. They now believe the rules could be unlawful. Their concern stems… This story continues at The Next Web Or just read more coverage about: Wikipedia from The Next Web https://ift.tt/GMDKyNC

Researchers at Semmelweis University in Budapest have tapped into VR to help the rehabilitation process of schizophrenia patients. According to WHO, the disease affects approximately 24 million people worldwide and is associated with considerable disability, often impacting all areas of life such as personal, social, and occupational functioning. The scientists have developed the so-called VR-ToMIS therapy method (short for “Virtual-Reality based Theory of Mind Intervention in Schizophrenia”), which aims to enhance the patient’s mentalisation (Theory of Mind) skills — a fundamental component of human cognition and social interaction. “Theory of Mind is our ability to interpret the feelings, thoughts, and… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/ckytW6a

Today’s cars, especially EVs, rely on hundreds of different types of microchips to function. But supply chain shortages of semiconductors during the pandemic forced many automakers to cut down production of certain models, sounding a clear warning to the industry — securing a long-term supply of chips is a matter of business survival.  Stellantis, the world’s third largest automaker, has inked contracts worth  €10bn through 2030 with leading semiconductor manufacturers like Infineon, NXP Semiconductors, onsemi, and Qualcomm. Furthermore, Stellantis is partnering with autonomous vehicle tech firm aiMotive and SiliconAuto, both subsidiaries of the automotive giant, to develop its own “differentiating… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/BzPL7gD

Hydrogen-powered planes are, essentially, nothing new. The USSR flew the alternative fuel testbed Tupolev Tu-155 on hydrogen (and liquid natural gas) more than 35 years ago.  However, challenges associated with the technology meant that it was basically moth-balled for commercial aircraft operations (rocket fuel is another matter) — until now. With the future of the planet in peril, almost everyone in air transport wants to talk about hydrogen propulsion. From startups to multinational original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), much of  the industry is adamant that hydrogen can make zero-emission flights a reality. It is just a matter of actually building the… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/m6YbV3t

Six years ago I moved from the US to the EU to break from American culture and try something new. But in this short time, I’ve seen Amsterdam, my adopted home, morph into a place that can sometimes feel culturally more like San Francisco than a major European capital. My anecdotal experience is the result of a larger commercial exchange between Europe and the United States reaching new heights. A flurry of retail investment apps inspired by America’s Robinhood are getting Europeans, historically more prone to saving, to invest their money for the very first time. Mobility startups looking to… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/D6q9IpG

After pausing sales, closing stores, and being unable to pay its bills, beloved Dutch ebike maker VanMoof has officially been declared bankrupt. Just last week, Dutch courts granted the company a two-month ‘suspension of payment’ to protect it from creditors while it worked with administrators to find a solution. However, yesterday, the court of Amsterdam withdrew the suspension of payment and declared all three of VanMoof’s legal entities in the Netherlands bankrupt. VanMoof’s units outside the country are not affected. Such a swift bankruptcy decision usually occurs in cases where authorities can see that a company has exhausted all available… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/AnuS9Or

After decades of admirable, if slow, progress toward gender balance in its boardrooms, Norway has taken a giant leap. Last month, the pioneering Nordic state mandated that 40% of seats on the boards of all large and medium-sized companies should go to women within five years. This makes Norway the first country in the world to take such a monumental measure and it means that by next year, 8,000 companies should have hit the target quota, expanding to around 20,000 firms with more than 30 staff by 2028. It’s a step that goes even further than anything the EU—of which… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/2sDLKQO

The first-ever biometric corridor for train travel opened today at Eurostar’s London terminal.  The system, developed by British tech firm iProov, replaces border checks with a facial verification checkpoint that you just walk straight past.  Before travel, the passenger downloads the app, authenticates their ID, scans their face, and links their ticket. On arrival at St Pancras Station, they stroll through a dedicated lane for the tech — dubbed SmartCheck — which verifies their entry. The system lets users skip ticket gates and manual border control in the UK. After baggage inspection and a passport check at the French border,… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/7Kwn6VN

Datatilsynet, Norway’s Data Protection Authority, will temporarily ban behavioural advertising on Meta platforms Facebook and Instagram due to privacy violations. The ban will apply from August 4 and last for three months – or until the US giant addresses the legal requirements. If Meta doesn’t take action, it risks a fine of up to €88,600 per day. The decision follows the latest ruling by the EU’s Court of Justice (CJEU), which deemed Meta’s behavioural advertising practices incompatible with the GDPR. As the name suggests, behavioural advertising displays targeted ads to individuals by observing their online behaviour. Companies who employ it… This story continues at The Next Web Or just read more coverage about: Facebook from The Next Web https://ift.tt/nCGx2Ol

This article was originally published on .cult by Luis Minvielle. .cult is a Berlin-based community platform for developers. We write about all things career-related, make original documentaries, and share heaps of other untold developer stories from around the world. Remember when you first saw a Hollywood-imagined IRL developer, furiously typing lines of code while ominous music played in the background? Little did you know that one day you’d become a fullstack developer yourself, well, maybe minus the dramatic musical background? If you’re already here, you’re probably sitting in your coffee-smelling workroom pointlessly trying to decipher the enigmatic world of frameworks… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/8eoPsmw

The European Space Agency (ESA) has been exploring an innovative solution to help us meet our climate targets: transmitting solar power from space to Earth — also known as space-based solar power (SBSP). Harnessing the sun’s power from above our planet comes with two main advantages: access to higher energy intensity and the lack of weather-dependence, a major problem of terrestrial solutions. To test the feasibility of SBSP, the ESA has partnered up with the European tech industry to work on the Solaris project. One of these partners is Switzerland-based Astrostrom, seeking to deliver space-based solar power to the Moon,… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/RCmb3AQ

In the second half of the year, early-stage European SaaS companies will see a significant funding increase across Series A and seed rounds. That’s according to the aVC index, a new monitoring tool developed by London-based AlbionVC and Google Cloud. The aVC index is based on an anonymous survey of 40 investors, who are actively deploying capital into the European ecosystem at seed, Series A, and Series B stages. The respondents expect to invest £2.4bn (€2.8bn) early-stage SaaS startups by the end of the year. The projected recovery follows stagnant investment activity in Q2 2023. Specifically, 25% of VCs chose… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/6YHRJTN

A new deal on data transfers between the EU and US has alarmed businesses and privacy campaigners. The pact, known as the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, was announced on Monday by the European Commission. The EU’s executive body concluded that the US offered an “adequate level of protection” for data transfers under the new arrangements. The framework replaces the Privacy Shield, which the EU’s top court had struck down in July 2020 over concerns that the US didn’t provide sufficient protection against government surveillance.  As a result, companies were forced to move data by using a mechanism called Standard Contractual… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/1msKqJd

We live in a world characterised by mobility. More and more people are choosing to work remotely and live wherever they want without damaging their careers. While this trend had been on the rise in recent years, since the pandemic, the number of digital nomads worldwide is now up to 35 million. About 17 million of them are Americans, mostly setting up shop in European nations. Technology has improved in tandem with the willingness to explore working from anywhere. Now it sets the stage for the creation of a new, larger generation of digital nomads.  The question, however, remains —… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/KG6kJgf

A car-sized spacecraft is falling down to Earth — but there’s a plan to catch it. Aeolus, the first satellite to directly observe wind profiles from space, is almost out of fuel. Earth’s atmosphere and gravity are now dragging the 1360-kg craft down to our planet at increasing speed. In the original plan, Aelous was expected to fall naturally back to Earth. But the European Space Agency (ESA) has proposed another idea: an assisted re-entry — the first of its kind. Data from Aeolus was used by meteorology centres to improve weather forecasts. Credit: ESA To reduce the threat of… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/nZ7ayWk

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ll probably know that ebike darling VanMoof is facing bankruptcy.   Obviously, this isn’t good news for VanMoof riders, who could be locked out of their own bikes which largely rely on a unique software app created by the Dutch company. But fear not VanMoofers, Belgian ebike rival Cowboy has released an app to keep you on the road. ‘Bikey’ enables VanMoof riders to generate and save their own unique digital key in case VanMoof’s servers go offline. The app is now live on the Apple app store in beta, but will be available… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/CPGJy8s

A group of 150 NGOs including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Transparency International, and Algorithm Watch has signed a statement addressed to the European Union. In it, they entreat the bloc not only to maintain but enhance human rights protection when adopting the AI Act.  Between the apocalypse-by-algorithm and the cancer-free utopia different camps say the technology could bring, lies a whole spectrum of pitfalls to avoid for the responsible deployment of AI.  As Altman, Musk, Zuckerberg, et al., dive head first into the black box, legislation aiming to at least curb their enthusiasm is on the way. The European… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/WgMAUHi

Solitary lunar rovers have been invaluable to our efforts exploring the Moon. But a group of scientists led by ETH Zurich is now looking at sending an entire squad of robots that collaborate and complement each other instead. To test the idea, the researchers used three ANYmal robots — a type of four-legged, dog-like robot developed at the ETH. They gave them different tasks and specialties and fitted them with the respective equipment. “Using multiple robots has two advantages,” explained Philip Arm, a doctoral student in the group. “The individual robots can take on specialised tasks and perform them simultaneously.… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/mCSIEVk

This article was originally published on .cult by Yasas Sri Wickramasinghe. .cult is a Berlin-based community platform for developers. We write about all things career-related, make original documentaries, and share heaps of other untold developer stories from around the world. As you know, being a tech lead is much more than defining the technical aspects of a project. I’ve found that they tend to worry much more about another aspect they face in their day-to-day: The difficulty of keeping a solid team for a long period. It’s a problem that can substantially impact a team’s productivity. Remember, no matter how… This story continues at The Next Web from The Next Web https://ift.tt/vpUoz5V