Technology

Bloomberg Volvo Cars has made a multi-million euro investment in Varjo Technologies Oy, whose headset with screens and cameras can be used to allow engineers to test-drive cars to dodge hazards such as virtual moose. Varjo — founded by Nokia Oyj and Microsoft alumni — has been developing an augmented-reality headset with a significantly higher image resolution than those produced …

Bloomberg Amazon.com Inc is updating its Alexa voice software to let users delete recordings of their voice using a spoken command, a move that follows criticism of the company’s privacy practices related to its digital assistant. A set of updates offers users who have opted in online the ability to say “Alexa, delete everything I said today,” or, in a …

Bloomberg Microsoft Corp will begin selling a subscription service for personal computer video games, two years after unveiling a similar offering for the Xbox console. Xbox Game Pass for PC offers access to more than 100 titles on Windows 10 for a monthly fee, rather than requiring individual purchases. They include games from studios including Bethesda, which makes the “Elder …

Bloomberg Amazon.com Inc is developing a voice-activated wearable device that can recognise human emotions. The wrist-worn gadget is described as a health and wellness product in internal documents reviewed by Bloomberg. It’s a collaboration between Lab126, the hardware development group behind Amazon’s Fire phone and Echo smart speaker, and the Alexa voice software team. Designed to work with a smartphone …

Bloomberg Voice-recognition company Iflytek Co plunged following news it is on a list of Chinese technology firms that may face restrictions from the US. Iflytek, which says it controls over 70 percent of China’s speech technology market, slid as much as 8.2 percent in Shenzhen after people familiar with the matter said the US is considering curbs on the company, …

Bloomberg Austrian aerospace supplier FACC AG, spun off from a maker of skis and tennis rackets 30 years ago, is about to reinvent itself again. The manufacturer of composite wing flaps and rudders for Airbus SE and Boeing Co is branching out to build flying taxis for Chinese technology startup EHang Inc, a market Chief Executive Officer Robert Machtlinger says …

Bloomberg Nintendo Co remains bereft of a monster smartphone hit more than four years after a much-ballyhooed entry into mobile gaming. The wait may finally be over. Mario Kart Tour, scheduled to launch this summer, has had gamers in a tizzy since it was announced in early 2018. Not only is the franchise one of the best-known racing series in …

Bloomberg The world’s first all-electric vertical takeoff and landing passenger jet has been unveiled after completing its first flight. German startup Lilium aims to have a fleet of the five-seat aircraft — which can operate with a pilot or in drone mode — flying in cities worldwide by 2025, providing a pay-per-ride service that will be emission-free, five times faster …

Bloomberg Robots are taking over farms faster than anyone saw coming. The first fully autonomous farm equipment is becoming commercially available, which means machines will be able to completely take over a multitude of tasks. Tractors will drive with no farmer in the cab, and specialised equipment will be able to spray, plant, plow and weed cropland. And it’s all …

Bloomberg Apple Inc is planning to unleash a slew of new apps, features and development tools at its annual software conference next month. To improve its devices and strengthen its connection to customers, the consumer technology giant will continue to walk a fine line between wooing outside app makers while also competing against them. The Worldwide Developers Conference, or WWDC, …