August, 2016

• 21 August

  The inventions that changed our genetic code

    Of all living things, why do humans alone create advanced technology? Not long ago, scientists thought it was because we are the only intelligent life form on this planet. That explanation alone no longer suffices. Over the last decade, scientists have discovered that crows can use tools, hyenas can cooperate to solve complex problems, jays can plan for the ...

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• 21 August

  Why ideologues so rarely admit that they’re wrong

    “Communism would have worked, if the Soviet Union had only tried it for real.” I must have heard this argument a dozen times from die-hard leftist friends. Marxist economists such as Richard Wolff and Stephen Resnick even wrote a book making exactly this claim. No doubt, true believers will be just as unwavering in the face of Venezuela’s collapse. ...

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• 21 August

  Saudi stocks lead Gulf advance as foreigners get access to IPOs

  

    Bloomberg Saudi Arabian stocks joined gains across most Gulf equities after the kingdom said it would let foreign investors take part in initial public offerings, boosting overseas access to the Middle East’s largest exchange. The Tadawul All Share Index added 0.2 percent at 1:23 p.m. local time, its second straight advance. Abu Dhabi’s ADX General Index rose less than ...

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• 21 August

  Nigeria seeks $7 billion to kick-start mines, steel industry

  Bloomberg Nigeria is looking for investments of $7 billion in mining and steel over the next decade as it seeks to develop gold and iron ore extraction industries to diversify its oil-dependent economy. One of the government’s priorities is to meet its annual steel demand of 6.8 million metric tons, from a current output of a third of that, produced ...

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• 21 August

  Companies cashing in on Pokemon Go

  

    Paris / AFP Pokemon Go has sent millions of people onto the streets in a worldwide hunt for virtual monsters — and from neighbourhood restaurants to multi-national corporations, businesses smell a profit. “It’s going really well — this is the fourth time we’ve had to restock our Pokemon cuddly toys in two weeks,” said salesman Corentin Flamand, surveying a ...

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• 21 August

  A look at Fall’s most eagerly awaited smartphones

  

    Relaxnews Fall 2016 promises another great lineup of smartphone releases with the IFA tech show, Apple’s keynote and various manufacturer launch events all in store to kickstart the season. Here’s a look at some of the mobile devices expected to land this year. A TOP-END PHABLET Unveiled early in August, the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 is up for release ...

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• 21 August

  Dropbox to discuss possible 2017 IPO

  

    Bloomberg Dropbox Inc., the popular file-storage company, has met with advisers to discuss the possibility of an initial public offering as soon as 2017, according to people familiar with the matter. Management wanted to talk about the feasibility of a listing and get a sense of the valuation the company could fetch from public market investors, the people said. ...

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• 21 August

  Android continues to lead the ‘smart’ way

    Relaxnews According to figures from Gartner, 344.3 million Android smartphones were sold worldwide in Q2 2016. This makes for a 4.3% increase in sales year on year. Samsung is still the undisputed market leader, selling no less than 76.7 million handsets in Q2 with a 22.3% market share. This puts the South Korean tech giant way ahead of Apple ...

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• 21 August

  Xiaomi shipments fall in China as Huawei takes lead

  

    Bloomberg Xiaomi Corp., the once-hot Chinese smartphone maker, saw shipments tumble 38 percent in China in the second quarter as Huawei Technologies Co. took over the top spot in the world’s largest market. Xiaomi shipped 10.5 million smartphones in the quarter, down from 17.1 million in the same period a year earlier, according to research from International Data Corp. ...

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• 21 August

  Milk tea fad grips Hong Kong

  

    Hong Kong / AFP Some cities are fuelled by coffee. In Hong Kong, it’s milk tea that keeps things running — a potent nostalgia-infused caffeine hit, with fierce competition to brew the best in town. There are thousands of restaurants offering the full gamut of international cuisines, but the city’s no-frills diner- style cafes, some of them decades old, ...

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