Google claims quantum computing breakthrough, Tesla delivers record number of EVs

Left: Artist's rendition of the Sycamore processor mounted in the cryostat. (Full Res Version; Forest Stearns, Google AI Quantum Artist in Residence) Right: Photograph of the Sycamore processor. (Full Res Version; Erik Lucero, Research Scientist and Lead Production Quantum Hardware) Google has developed a quantum computer that instantly makes calculations that would…

ShinyShiny snippets: WhatsApp adds Twitter-like new ‘channels’ feature

WhatsApp is adding the Twitter-like ability to follow accounts outside your personal contacts. The new feature will be in a new section of the app called "updates", separate from your existing private chats, and behave similarly to news feeds on other social media platforms. Rather than needing to add a contact via their phone number,…

6 Hacks to Help You Free Up Storage on Your iPhone

Over time an iPhone’s storage can easily get filled up, with years’ worth of messages, images and different apps. To help clear space, we've got together with the experts at mobile phone retailer Fonehouse to reveal six tips and tricks that iPhone users may not be aware of.... Your iPhone may be full of things…

ShinyShiny: TikTok boss faces grilling at US congressional hearing

Bruising, damaging, relentless. TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew faced four-and-a-half hours of questioning at a US congressional hearing on Thursday. As one congressman pointed out, some people run marathons quicker than that. Mr Chew will certainly be feeling it, after a torrid time giving evidence. Many tech execs have stood before Congress, and they often…

ShinyShiny snippets: Dyson air-purifier headphones to set you back £749

Dyson has announced that its Dyson Zone air purifying headphones will indeed be on sale in early 2023 as rumoured. Prices start from $949/£749. Note the ‘start from’ – Dyson says that exact pricing will be confirmed closer to launch. The crazy headphones go on sale from January in China and March in the US, UK,…

ShinyShiny snippets: WhatsApp launches ‘Message Yourself’ feature

WhatsApp has started rolling out a feature to let you chat with yourself. Sending messages to your own account can be a way to keep a piece of information easily accessible, right next to your other WhatsApp conversations. Called ‘Message Yourself’, the feature lets users send notes, reminders and shopping lists to themselves on WhatsApp.…

ShinyShiny snippets: Meta slashes 11,000 jobs to cut costs

Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, has become the latest big tech player to wield the axe in the tougher global economy, laying off 13% of its workforce. The firm announced on Wednesday it will cut its global headcount by more than 11,000 employees as part of a wider shake-up of the business that…

ShinyShiny snippets: WhatsApp rolls out new features for Groups

WhatsApp groups can now be brought together under one umbrella with the launch of a new communities feature. Rolling out from today, it's designed so that updates can be sent to everyone across all groups in one go, while still allowing for smaller discussions within the individual groups. Think of it like a Russian stacking…

ShinyShiny snippets: Samsung records record profits

Technology giant Samsung Electronics has said it expects to post a 52% jump in profit for the last three months of 2021, amid the global chip shortage. The world's biggest memory chip maker estimates that it made 13.8tn won ($11.5bn; £8.5bn) in the period. That would be its highest fourth-quarter operating profit in four years.…

ShinyShiny tech roundup: Facebook blames ‘faulty configuration change’ for outage

Facebook has blamed a "faulty configuration change" for an outage that prevented the company's 3.5 billion users from accessing its apps and services, including Whatsapp and Instagram, for nearly six hours. The platforms crashed on Monday afternoon, with users unable to send or receive messages or refresh their news feeds. In a Facebook post after…