Driverless cars take to streets of virtual Coventry

Driverless, automated cars are being tested in a new simulator at the University of Warwick.

Facebook gives friends higher priority in News Feeds

Facebook is to give posts by users' friends and family greater prominence - a move that may challenge professional publishers.

Symantec security software had 'critical' flaws

Computer security company Symantec patches eight security holes discovered in its own security software.

Facebook 'hack' victim exposes passport scam

An identity thief gains access to a Facebook account by sending a fake passport and asking the social network to turn off log-in approvals.

Twitch makes cheering exchange rate clear: one penny per bit for streamers

 Twitch announced Monday that users would soon be able to “cheer” their favorite streamers — in the form of expendable emoji purchasable with real-world money. Details were rather scarce so I pressed them — and then, almost certainly unrelated to that, the company provided more details. (It’s a penny per bit.) Read More

Glu debuts new Dash game with Gordon Ramsay

 These days, if a celebrity launches their own game, it is likely with Glu Mobile. Known for their free-to-play mobile games, the publicly traded company lists more than 100 games, including Sonic the Hedgehog, Transformers, Guitar Hero and Deer Hunter. But since late 2014, the team has moved away from building known gaming titles to new personalized star-focused franchises. After topping… Read More

US border authority seeks travellers' social media details

Travellers seeking visa waiver entry to the US may soon be asked to list their social media profiles, if a Department of Homeland Security proposal is enacted.

'Robot lawyer' fights parking tickets

A chatbot programmed by a British teenager has successfully challenged 160,000 parking tickets since its launch last year.

Hands on with India's £3 smartphone

The BBC is given a first look at a smartphone costing less than £3, set to launch in India next week.

Say, what?!

Tech firms promise auto-translation services that are near-instantaneous and accurate, but can businesses really rely on them?

Brits wanted

As businesses grapple with how to respond to Brexit, Germany's capital is keen to open new doors to Britain's tech-savvy talent pool.

Airbnb challenges San Francisco over rental law

Airbnb is challenging the San Francisco city authorities on its plans to fine the website for unregistered hosts.

Payout of $10,000 for Windows 10 update

Microsoft agrees to pay a California woman $10,000 (£7,500) after an automatic Windows 10 update leaves her computer unusable.

Teachers fired over offensive private messages

Three US teachers lose their jobs after a private chat on messaging service Slack, in which they insulted pupils, was leaked.

AI fighter pilot wins in combat simulation

An artificial intelligence system developed in the US successfully intercepts two attacking fighter jets in a combat simulation.

Young Leave voters abused online in days after European Union referendum vote

Two young Leave voters reveal how they've been accused of racism and xenophobia since revealing they voted for Brexit.

Oculus lifts headset game restrictions

Virtual reality pioneer Oculus has removed software locks that stopped people playing games made for its headset on rival devices.

US Healthcare records offered for sale online

Three US healthcare organisations are reportedly being held to ransom by a hacker who stole data on hundreds of thousands of patients.

Google's SpotMini robot loads the dishwasher

A new dog-themed robot is shown loading a dishwasher with dirty glassware.

Snowden: Russian data collection plans 'dangerous'

US whistleblower Edward Snowden has criticised new anti-terrorism legislation approved by Russia's parliament.

EU referendum petition hijacked by bots

An online petition calling for a second EU referendum has been hijacked by automated bots adding false signatures.

CEO Secrets: WeTransfer co-founder shares tips for success

Nalden, co-founder of WeTransfer, offers the business advice he wishes he had been given before he started out, for the BBC News series CEO Secrets.

Jeff Weiner and Satya Nadella explain how the $26bn deal will work

Satya Nadella of Microsoft and LinkedIn chief Jeff Weiner explain how the $26bn takeover will benefit both users and shareholders.

Facebook removes EU referendum status suggestions

Facebook removes pro-Leave and pro-Remain status update suggestions from a list given to users.

'Spam King' sentenced to two years in prison

A US man who sent more than 27 million spam emails to Facebook users is sentenced to two and a half years in prison.

Hacker who aided IS faces lengthy jail term

A hacker who passed a list of American military personnel to the so-called Islamic State group could face up to 25 years in jail.

Twitter, Facebook and Google 'aided Paris attacks'

Tech companies are facing legal action from the father of a woman killed in the Paris attacks last November.

UK gets 24-hour esports gaming channel on TV

The UK will soon have its first 24-hour TV channel dedicated to competitive gaming or esports.

Virtual reality sickness 'tackled with field of view trick'

Virtual reality-induced nausea can be reduced with a simple field of view alteration, say researchers.

E3: PlayStation unveils VR games and teases Neo console

After unveiling new virtual reality video games, PlayStation's chief explains why he's also preparing to release a new PS4 console.

Pepper robot to work in Belgian hospitals

Pepper gets a new job as a hospital receptionist as Japanese firm Softbank looks to expand its uses.

Amazon faces fine for shipping corrosive drain cleaner

A fine of $350,000 is proposed for online retailer Amazon over allegations it breached rules when it shipped a corrosive liquid.

Generation stress

Checking our work emails and social media accounts at all hours of the day is making us more stressed, research suggests, but what can we do about it?

Could inspiration from nature help robots to walk?

Building robots which are naturally balanced could help them walk says Dr Iida

E3: Mass Effect, Quake, Deus Ex and Fifa return

Mass Effect, Quake, Deus Ex and Fifa are some of the big-name franchises to announce sequels ahead of the start of E3's video games show.

AutoLotto launches its mobile Powerball app

 Purchasing a lottery ticket is usually a simple thing. Maybe too simple. But holding onto tickets long enough to check the numbers and redeem any winners requires more effort than many would prefer. That’s where AutoLotto comes in. The startup has created a mobile app that lets users buy, play and redeem lottery tickets all on their smartphones. More than 166,000 users have signed up on… Read More

The Nintendo 64 turns 20 today

 It was on June 23, 1996 that the Nintendo 64 made its debut — in Japan, that is. We wouldn’t see it on this side of the Pacific for another three months. But today is its proper birthday, and 20 years is a significant enough anniversary that we should probably just take a moment to remember just how awesome this console was — and is. Read More

Oculus removes hardware DRM that locked games onto its headset

 An Oculus update posted today quietly removes a feature that blocked Oculus software from being played on other headsets — something that the community has been up in arms about for a month. The removal is essentially a mea culpa from Oculus, which over the last few weeks has faced hard questions from press and users about its strategy in locking down content to its own platform. Read More

Snap, swipe, like

How are fashion retailers responding to the world of smartphones and social media?

Electric car sets world acceleration record

An electric racing car built by Swiss student engineers has broken the world record for acceleration by battery-powered vehicles.

Software firm Twilio soars 88% on first day of trading

Shares in software firm Twilio soar almost 88% to $28.19 on their first day of trading in New York.

Microsoft's hi-tech mosquito trap and other tech news

BBC Click's Lara Lewington looks at some of the best of the week's technology news

Uber to 'hide' surge pricing notifications

Uber is to hide surge pricing notifications for more users to make its app less "complicated".

Brexit: 'Surge' in searches on Irish passports, says Google

Google says there was a large spike in searches for Irish passport applications as news of the UK's decision to leave the EU broke.

Privacy Shield: White House makes EU spying promise

The EU and US agree final changes to a new data protection agreement known as the EU-US Privacy Shield.

Brexit: UK tech sector reacts to Leave vote

Now the UK has decided to leave the European Union, technology firms are left to wonder what the future holds.

Tencent pays for majority stake in Clash of Clans maker

Chinese internet giant Tencent Holdings is buying a majority stake in Supercell, the Finnish maker of the Clash of Clans game.

Rolls-Royce shows 'floating' future car

Rolls-Royce shows off a design for its car-of-the-future, which features unusual wheels that are designed to make it seem to glide.

Hack attack drains start-up investment fund

Hackers have taken control of virtual cash worth $60m (£41m) by exploiting a bug in a system designed to help start-ups.

GoToMyPC passwords reset after cyber-attack

Passwords for every GoToMyPC account are being reset following a "sophisticated" attack on the service.

Swarm launches Perks so you can get real-world rewards

 For the last year, the team at Foursquare has been working relentlessly to turn Swarm into something fun. In many respects, checking in on Swarm is playing a game, and now the company is ready to reward you for your gameplay. Today the company launched Swarm Perks and Swarm Challenges, both of which are meant to offer real-world rewards to users. Let’s start with Perks. Swarm Perks is… Read More

Slither.io is snaking its way on to homescreens

 Slither.io is not new, but it is crazy popular. The game has been sitting at number one on the iOS gaming charts for some time. Slither.io has been available for just over three months now and, according to the most recent ranking, the game still holds the number one game, action game, and simulation game spots in the U.S. Apple App Store. It’s also the number six free app overall,… Read More

South Korea's Kia tops US car quality ranking

South Korean car maker Kia comes first in a closely watched US car quality ranking, edging out the luxury brands that usually claim the top spot.

Nintendo reacts to fans' calls for Christina Grimmie to appear in Zelda

Fans of Christina Grimmie are calling for Nintendo to name a character after the murdered Voice star in new Zelda video game.

Artificial intelligence directs music video for Saatchis

Artificial intelligence software is used to create a music video for a French band - but the group is not letting the public see it in full.

Tesla bid for SolarCity 'shameful'

Tesla's bid to buy struggling solar energy firm SolarCity has been called "shameful" by financier Jim Chanos.

Blackberry loss widens to $670m

Blackberry reports a $670m (£450m) quarterly net loss, but the mobile phone company forecasts that its full-year results will beat expectations.

Electric car sets world acceleration record

An electric racing car built by Swiss student engineers has broken the world record for acceleration by battery-powered vehicles.

Fans angry over 'missing' iPhone 7 headphone socket

The iPhone 7 is not due to be revealed until the autumn, but already fans are angry over rumours it may be missing a key feature.

Game, dataset and match

As Wimbledon prepares to use emotion-tracking cameras at this year's tennis championships, sport is becoming increasingly digital for fans, players and venues alike.

Instagram boss on pitching to the Pope

To mark Instagram reaching more than half a billion active users, its chief Kevin Systrom speaks to the BBC about its growth strategy.

Only 14% of the UK pays to stream music

Only 14% of the British public pays to stream music, according to a new survey.

Facebook Live attacks Twitch with game streaming

 If people spend a lot of time doing something on the Internet, you can bet Facebook wants a piece. Its latest conquest attempt is the video game streaming business ruled by Twitch and YouTube. Today, Facebook announced its working with World Of Warcraft maker Blizzard to build social login and Facebook Live video streaming into their games, starting with its new blockbuster Overwatch.… Read More

Sure thing

Some online gambling gurus stand to profit if punters lose money following the bets they recommended.

Virtual doctors

Health services for a million people in Zambia are being connected to UK doctors, using a smartphone app.

Sony's Scavengers Odyssey and Danger Ball reviewed

BBC Click's Marc Cieslak reviews virtual reality games Scavengers Odyssey and Danger Ball

Diesels more polluting below 18C, research suggests

Pollution from many popular diesel cars is much worse when it is colder than 18C outside, new research suggests.

Tesla makes offer to buy SolarCity

Electric carmaker Tesla offers to buy solar panel company SolarCity in a bid to expand its clean energy business.

Facebook scraps in-video links to other sites

Facebook withdraws video creators' ability to embed links into their clips to direct viewers to their own sites.

Barclays Android app makes £100 contactless payments

Barclays completes the roll-out of a facility that allows its customers to make in-store contactless purchases of up to £100 via Android phones.

Apple reveals unencrypted heart of iOS 10 code

Apple is letting developers peer into the core of its mobile operating system - a move that could have major implications for cybersecurity.

Hasselblad is the first mirrorless medium-format camera

Hasselblad unveils the first mirrorless medium-format camera that promises "ultra-high quality" photos from a compact body.

Tech support scams target victims via their ISP

The old tech support scam where a fraudster pretends to be a Microsoft agent takes a new turn.

HTC exec: exclusives are a bad idea for VR

 Last week at E3, we had a chance to speak with some of the biggest names in VR, from Oculus to Sony — but that list that wouldn’t be complete without some input from HTC. The smartphone maker was, perhaps, something of a dark horse in the space, but its Vive headset has scored high rankings among industry stalwarts, positioning the Taiwanese for something of a renaissance at the… Read More

Tencent confirms deal to buy majority stake in Supercell from SoftBank for $8.6B

 It is finally confirmed: Tencent has announced that it has acquired a majority ownership of Supercell, the Finnish firm behind hit game Clash Of Clans, for around $8.6 billion. Read More

My Eye Spy brings every parents’ favorite car game to a phone near you

 I spy with my little eye… Something beginning with F! Is it Flowers? No. Fish finger sandwiches? No. A Fantastic Feast of Fun? Well, no, not quite, but almost. My Eye Spy launches today; it’s a new iOS app which brings every parents’ favorite child-distraction game to the iOS platform, making it possible to play with your friends, or random strangers on the internet. Read More

The Basslet wearable subwoofer delivers beats and basslines directly to your body

 I first tried on a prototype of the Basslet wearable subwoofer at SXSW 2016. Built by a Berlin startup called Lofelt and headed by CEO/cofounder Daniel Büttner and CTO/cofounder Gwydion ap Dafydd (ex-Ableton and Native Instruments leaders respectively) the Basslet has a strange appeal that I didn’t expect I would like and that I recognized as missing the minute I took it off. Read More

Mark Zuckerberg masks Mac webcam and microphone

A photograph of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg shows tape has been used to cover his MacBook Pro's webcam and mic.

Contact CI’s Exotendon system brings touch to VR

 Sometimes the coolest demos at a convention are tucked away in the back corners, far from the bright lights and big booths industry stalwarts. One of the hidden gems of this year’s E3 arrives courtesy Contact CI. The small Cincinnati-based startup was showing of its developer kit for the first time at the event, featuring a complex glove designed to offer more lifelike VR… Read More

VR skateboarding at E3

 I’ve been skateboarding for longer than I care mention, and I still had to hold onto the damn railings. I’m going to blame it on the screwy sense of orientation one experiences in virtual reality, but it probably owes just as much to my fear of falling off a mechanical skateboard simulator in the middle of the crowded E3 show floor. The exhibit was created by D-Box to promote… Read More

Indie developers ditch controllers for real-life interactions

 If there’s one thing E3 was not short of, it was controllers. Thousands of the things! Xbox controllers, Dual Shock controllers, third party controllers, motion controllers. But at Indiecade, an independent games showcase at the show, developers devised a variety of ways to play with no controller at all, making digital games charmingly analog. Read More

Oculus co-founders Palmer Luckey and Nate Mitchell on the state of VR

 Before Oculus, most casual observers regarded virtual reality as somewhere between science fiction and novelty, fodder for cheesy 1990s films and overpriced, underperforming tech demos. Now it’s immediate and inevitable, and for those walking through the halls of the Los Angeles Convention Center this week, entirely unavoidable. In the space of a few short years, the company has gone… Read More

Algeria blocks social media over exams

Algeria temporarily blocks access to social media in an attempt to combat cheating in the main secondary school exam, the baccalaureat.

Chicago man shot dead during Facebook live-stream

A Chicago man has been shot dead while live-streaming a video of himself on Facebook, police say - the video has had nearly 700,000 views.

Australian pleads guilty to making online threats over Tinder profile

Australian Zach Alchin pleads guilty to targeting women with explicit abuse on social media after his friend shared one woman's Tinder profile online.

Rifle dropped from new emojis list

Two gun-related emojis are dropped from the latest list of approved chat message graphics.

No Man's Sky settles name dispute

The maker of the highly anticipated video game No Man's Sky reveals a legal challenge that threatened the game's name.

New ransomware strain coded entirely in Javascript

Security researchers discover a new strain of ransomware coded entirely in Javascript, which could increase its chances of being activated.

China builds world's most powerful computer

The 93 petaflop Sunway TaihuLight in China has topped a newly published list of supercomputers.

E3: Gears of War gore helps 'form relationships'

The studio behind the gory sci-fi series Gears of War says its games have helped people fall in love and stay in touch with family.

Major study links low internet usage to slow broadband

Researchers at King's College London suggest the areas of the UK with the poorest internet access also use modern online services the least.

The PlayStation 4 ‘Neo’ is real, but Sony won’t show it at E3

 In an interview with the Financial Times, Sony Interactive Entertainment president and global chief executive Andrew House confirmed that the PlayStation 4 ‘Neo’ is real. But don’t expect to see it next week at the E3 conference in Los Angeles. House has said Sony doesn’t plan to unveil it at E3. Read More

The gaming industry can become the next big target of cybercrime

 Video-game-related crime is almost as old as the industry itself. But while illegal copies and pirated versions of games were the previous dominant form of illicit activities, recent developments and trends in online gaming platforms have created new possibilities for cybercriminals to swindle huge amounts of money from an industry that is worth nearly $100 billion. And what’s worrisome… Read More

HTC launches a $1,200 business edition of the Vive VR Headset

 Sure, everything will be all fun and games next week at E3, but right now HTC’s talking business. The company’s well-received Vive headset is getting its very own “Business Edition,” the Vive BE, which is targeted at companies interested in harnessing virtual reality for commercial purposes. The hardware, it should be mentioned right off the top, is pretty much the same… Read More

Nintendo talks mobile gaming, VR and its future at E3

 Nintendo has never been afraid to go against the grain of prevailing industry trends. In fact, the refusal to follow the pack has become a defining aspect of the gaming giant’s business strategy during the ascendance of chief console competitors Sony and Microsoft. So it comes as no surprise, really, that it did something markedly different at this year’s E3 show. But just how… Read More

11 of the coolest video game trailers from E3

 We’ve been focused on VR and non-traditional gaming here at E3 this year, but that doesn’t mean we’ve been walking around with our eyes closed. But you might not have been paying close attention, what with having a real job and everything, so I took the liberty of collecting the most interesting trailers from the show in one place. Read More

Razer’s VR headset is designed for developers

 The OSVR HDK2 was arguably Razer’s biggest E3 unveiling this year – but it was also kind of besides the point. Like Google’s Daydream announcement a few weeks back, this is a reference device, a way of showcasing hardware designed specifically to work with the company’s software. OSVR VR is Razer’s attempt to build a hardware ecosystem for virtual reality, away… Read More

Alienware is also working on one of those VR backpacks

 It’ll probably come as no surprise to anyone who’s been following gaming of late, but Alienware’s looking to join the likes of HP and MSI with the release of a VR backpack of its very own. The Dell-owned gaming PC maker wasn’t exactly trumpeting the device at E3, but it did show off a prototype of the proton pack, hung snugly from a mannequin in the company’s… Read More

Zeiss made a really premium Google Cardboard headset

 Google Cardboard’s biggest appeal has always been its accessibility. Heck, they send the headsets out with the newspaper. Zeiss is taking things in a different direction with the One Plus (not to be confused with the less spacey OnePlus), a $129 VR headset for smartphones that features a premium build and, naturally, the company’s high-end optics. The wearable features a tray… Read More

Heads up Twitch, Facebook just hired gamer Snoopeh for its e-sports division

 459,000 years. That’s how long Twitch users spent watching other people play video games last year, and Facebook wants a piece of the pie. It might sound weird, but e-sports are wildly popular, and Facebook is getting serious about owning those video views. A source tipped us off that Facebook has hired e-sports super-connector and former professional gamer Stephen… Read More