Technology

  Bloomberg Starbucks Corp. will begin letting customers order via voice on their iPhones and Amazon.com Inc.’s Alexa system, a bid to bolster its tech capabilities even as the rapid evolution brings headaches to the coffee chain. The new capability works with the barista feature on the Starbucks’ app, which relies on artificial intelligence to interact with customers. Customers can …

  WASHINGTON / AP The FBI defended its decision to withhold documents on how it unlocked an iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino, California, shooters, saying the information could be exploited by “hostile entities” if released to the public. The Justice Department earlier this month released heavily censored records in response to a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit …

  SAN FRANCISCO / AP The Pixel phone, Google’s answer to Apple’s iPhone and Samsung’s Galaxy, is off to a promising start — but might have done even better had Google managed consumer demand as smartly as the device’s sleek design. Although Google hasn’t released sales figures, industry researchers say the Pixel has been a hot item since its October …

  Dubai /Emirates Business GCC doctors will be able to review patient medical records in 3 seconds or less, if healthcare providers adopt the latest technology in the next three years. In the face of rising healthcare costs, GCC national transformation plans such as UAE Vision 2021 and Saudi Vision 2030 call for investment in the latest medical technology solutions …

  Bloomberg Most consumers have yet to figure out how to pay for their daily lattes using their smartphones. But that hasn’t stopped automakers from adding digital wallets to cars, too. In-car payments, long just a pipe dream on the research floors at big automakers, are finally ready to make their real-world debut. Honda Motor Co. showed off a prototype …

  Dubai /Emirates Business Qualcomm Incorporated announced that its subsidiary, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. commissioned and released a landmark study, The 5G Economy, examining the potential economic and social impact of 5G around the world. The study was conducted jointly by research firms IHS Markit, PSB and leading economist Professor Dr. David Teece, director of the Tusher Center at the Haas …

  Bloomberg Alphabet Inc., Microsoft Corp. and Intel Corp., which all posted quarterly results recently, reinforced what’s become a truism in technology: the biggest growth is in businesses that deliver computing over the internet. Microsoft topped projections on the strength of rising customer sign-ups for its cloud offerings like Azure, which saw revenue almost double. Intel sales rose more than …

  RICHMOND / AP Robots about the size of a beer cooler could soon be rolling down Virginia sidewalks to deliver sandwiches, groceries or packages. Supporters say proposed legislation to allow the robots would make the state the first in the nation to regulate such devices. State lawmakers partnered with European company Starship Technologies on bills allowing Virginia cities to …

  Emirates Business Acer announced the availability of its latest convertible notebook for education customers, the Acer TravelMate Spin B1 (B118), at the 2017 BETT Show (Booth B109) that was held in London from January 25 to 28. The 11.6-inch convertible notebook with Windows 10 Pro is perfectly sized for easy portability, features four usage modes and a robust design …

  BEIJING / AP China is beefing up a campaign to root out services that circumvent the government’s internet censorship with a 14-month-long “clean-up” of the internet industry. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said in a directive that it forbids the operation of virtual private networks (VPNs) or leased lines that allow users and businesses to access blocked …