The state of internet connectivity around the world

The internet is becoming more accessible. The price of mobile service is falling, with developing countries seeing costs fall by between 15% and 25% from 2013 to 2014. But service still remains more expensive for developing and least developed countries when looking at the cost as a percentage of their gross national incomes (GNI) per capita, a metric the ITU uses to make a more apples-to-apples comparison across countries with vastly different economies. This week, the International Telecommunication Union, an arm of the United Nations, released a report on global…

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Samsung Pay to launch in India in first half of 2017

samsung

Samsung plans to launch its Samsung Pay mobile payment solution in India in the first half of 2017, according to a person familiar with the matter Mashable Reports. For bringing Samsung Pay in India, the company has partnered with American Express (Amex), said the person, adding that the company may be exploring opportunities with giants such as Visa and MasterCard as well. American Express has been one of the partners of Samsung for the epayment solutions in several other regions including the USA, South Korea and Australia. Elsewhere, Samsung has…

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Facebook Loses $500 Million Virtual Reality Headset Verdict

Facebook

Facebook Inc. and its co-defendants were ordered to pay $500 million to ZeniMax Media Inc. after a jury found the social network’s Oculus VR unit unfairly used ZeniMax code to build a virtual reality headset Bllomber Technology reports. The verdict in Dallas federal court is a rebuke to Facebook Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg, who isn’t a defendant but who told jurors in his first-ever courtroom testimony that it was important for him to be there because the claims by ZeniMax were “false.” An Oculus spokeswoman said the company will…

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Use of Ad-Blocking Software Rises by 30% Worldwide

ad blocker

People are increasingly using the technology on their mobile devices and computers to block intrusive advertisements while surfing the web. Facebook has tried to ban it. Google has attempted to outsmart it. But no matter what these tech giants do, people’s use of software to block digital advertising — often the lifeblood of companies’ online business models — keeps gaining traction worldwide. According to New York Times, roughly 11 percent of internet users globally relied on ad blockers to avoid some form of digital advertising last year when surfing the…

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Google Gets Rid of 1.7 Billion Bad Ads

Google

Google has reported that it removed 1.7 billion bad advertisements from its various sites in 2016, more than double the prior year’s totals. The firm took several steps to crack down on the deceptive advertising, including updating its policies to protect users from “misleading and predatory offers.” It also beefed up its technology to help identify misleading ads and remove them, according to Scott Spencer, Google’s director of product management, sustainable ads. The director noted that free and open Web is a vital resource for individuals and businesses around the…

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Google Maps now tells you how hard it is to park in some cities

Google

Google Maps has been a staple of the internet for over a decade now. To better its use, the application now has a new feature that gives users a warning on how hard it is to park at their destination. According to The Verge, the new feature is currently available only on Android devices, and in 25 select cities, such as New York, San Francisco, Washington and Los Angeles. When users in those cities punch in an address Google Maps will pull up a parking difficulty icon on the directions…

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Big data can drive the future of cyber security

Data

Data science experts and big data enthusiasts are excited and prepared for a future that’s becoming increasingly connected to the web. Some techniques used to harness this raw information, such as data mining, help give us an insight into the future of cybersecurity and what areas may pique interest moving forward. A major benefit that big data provides in the realm of cybersecurity is the ability to monitor and track systems, usually contained within the cloud, for irregularities and potential breaches. Cloud Security Information and Event Management (CSIEM) allows users…

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Google is bringing AI to your Raspberry Pi

Raspberry Pi

Google is working to bring a wide range of tools for artificial intelligence, machine learning, and other developer tools to the Raspberry Pi Fossbytes reports. The tech titan has exciting plans for the maker community,” the website says. The company intends to make the start by releasing the first set of tools this year. With these tools, the users will be able to create powerful projects. Raspberry Pi boards have earned the honor of being one of most impressive success stories of recent times. Having sold 10 million single board computers, Raspberry…

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Google starts testing Instant Apps

Instant App

Android Instant Apps are now one step closer to reality after Google started their pilot testing. These new kinds of apps are meant to help bridge the gap between web apps and native apps. The idea is to break native apps into very small packets that, because they are so small, can run almost instantly — and without having to go to an app store — when you tap on a URL. According to Tech Crunch, Google says that it has been working with a small number of developers to test the…

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The Growth of Artificial Intelligence in eCommerce

Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is improving the online shopping experience for consumers and retailers. From creating personalized shopping experiences to offering virtual buying assistants. Whether it is something you have come across or have been monitoring for a while, there’s no denying that AI has alot of influence in many industries. Shoppers will be able to easily find the best price for an item and communicate with chatbots for quick customer service. For retailers, they’ll be able to better analyze consumer data to predict future buying patterns, create autonomous replenishing systems and also save money…

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