Bloomberg Here’s a silver lining for India’s bond bulls stung by losses after the central bank’s surprise decision not to cut benchmark interest rates — better rupee outlook. Analysts say the Reserve Bank of India panel’s move to hold rates, which caused the benchmark 10-year yield to jump the most since 2013, could revive overseas demand for rupee debt ...
Read More »Microsoft unveils Windows 10 for Qualcomm chips
Bloomberg Microsoft Corp. is creating a version of the Windows 10 operating system that will run on laptops powered by Qualcomm Inc. chips, a move that could erode Intel Corp.’s dominance in PCs and help the software maker gain a bigger foothold in mobile computing. Chips from Qualcomm, the largest maker of semiconductors used in phones, are designed to ...
Read More »Samsung, Google, Fb & Sony join forces to drive VR development
Relaxnews Acer Starbreeze, Facebook Oculus, Google, HTC Vive, Samsung and Sony Interactive Entertainment have announced the formation of an international non-profit organization, called the Global Virtual Reality Association (GVRA), to research and foster virtual reality technology and bring together all the players in this global industry, including consumers. Together, partners in the alliance hope to shape the future of ...
Read More »BlackBerry rebrands security software after acquisition splurge
Bloomberg BlackBerry Ltd. rebranded the software products it acquired over the last three years, tying them together into a single system it hopes will be the go-to platform companies and governments use to protect their electronic devices from hacks. The system, called “BlackBerry Secure,†is the culmination of Chief Executive Officer John Chen’s efforts to shift the company from ...
Read More »Robotic aid for people with quadriplegia
BERLIN / AP Scientists have developed a mind-controlled robotic hand that allows people with certain types of spinal injuries to perform everyday tasks such as using a fork or drinking from a cup. The low-cost device was tested in Spain on six people with quadriplegia affecting their ability to grasp or manipulate objects. By wearing a cap that measures ...
Read More »Fiat Chrysler to reveal new full electric-vehicle at CES
Bloomberg Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV will reveal a fully electric vehicle based on the Chrysler Pacifica minivan at CES in Las Vegas next month as the carmaker moves to get in step with the industry’s shift toward electric vehicles. The Italian-American carmaker will show the model at CES, formerly known as the Consumer Electronics Show and the world’s largest ...
Read More »Decoding secrets of ancient rock art
Fez, Morocco / AFP An Iranian archaeologist has spent years in an almost single-handed quest across the country’s hills and desert plains to uncover ancient rock art that could be among the oldest in the world. Now he hopes that renewed ties with the West after years of international isolation could help decipher its mysteries. Despite its rough beauty, ...
Read More »Acolytes of Pina Bausch keep her dance in motion
Berlin / AFP The dance company that legendary German choreographer Pina Bausch, who died in 2009, built into one of the world’s most acclaimed is doing its utmost to foster her moving legacy. Beloved of fellow artists and seen as a visionary by her peers in the dance world, Bausch mixed dance and theatre to produce a tumult of ...
Read More »The Pentagon versus the welfare state
Any reporter who’s written about the federal budget knows that there’s a surefire solution to every problem. It’s called “fraud, waste and abuse.” You want to end budget deficits? Just eliminate all the “fraud, waste and abuse” in the $4 trillion budget. The same is true for cutting taxes or raising spending. Attacking fraud and waste is virtuous and ...
Read More »A better theory to explain financial bubbles
What causes asset bubbles? This question is the great white whale of finance theory. We know that asset prices are given to spectacular rises and falls over short periods of time. Answering this question is hugely important, not just for people’s pensions and retirement, but for the whole economy, since crashes in asset prices can leave growth in the ...
Read More »