David Ferbrache, technical director at KPMG’s cyber security practice believes that as law enforcement agencies are better at catching internet hackers,  the hackers are getting smarter. “The recent field trial by the Office of National Statistics suggested that there could have been over 7.5 million cyber offences against individuals last year. 2016 will see cybercrime finally find its place in ...

When Apple launched their super thin MacBook it decided to get rid of the bulky USB, Ethernet, HDMI, SD, VGA ports in one stroke. They were replaced with a single, thinner USB-C port. But what if you still need to connect USB, HDMI and Ethernet cables to your MacBook? US company Amango Mobile has come up with a portable adapter ...

There was once a company which set up a bipolar manufacturing line in 1972 and committed itself to world bipolar leadership. It invented the semi-custom semiconductor market and still had a 30% world market share of it in 1980. It made the gate arrays for Sir Clive Sinclair’s ZX81 and Spectrum and for the Acorn Electron It was the first ...

Chang Xiaobing, chairman and CEO of China Telecom, has resigned following an investigation by the government. China President Xi Jinping is running an on-going investigation into business practices. Earlier this month the boss of China’s largest conglomerate, Guo Guanchang, was detained by police for three days and said to be helping them with their enquiries. Also this month, two Citic ...

Toshiba has turned to the state-run public-private bail-out fund, the Innovation Network Corp of Japan to help it out of its troubles. Wracked by an accounting scandal caused by several years of overstated profits, Toshiba is asking the INCJ to help it find partners for some of it businesses. The INCJ put together the consortium which saved Renesas and is ...

The Chinese are hanging on in their battle to acquire Fairchild Semiconductor. “Fairchild Semiconductor International today acknowledged receipt of a revised, unsolicited proposal to acquire all of the outstanding shares of common stock of Fairchild for $21.70 per share in cash,” says a statement from the company’s board. The proposal comes from China Resources – a $50 billion, state-owned Chinese conglomerate. ...

After a a $100 billion M&A year for the semiconductor industry in 2015, who’s going to be first onto the block in 2016? One trader says Cypress Semiconductor having bought $1 million worth of call spreads betting that Cypress stock will be worth $11.33 a share in June. They now stand at $9:90. Cypress, founded in 1983 by its current ...

It came as a shock to be told by an American when I was last over there in the autumn that he had to change his credit cards every month or two because of hackers. I assumed it was because he was a pretty rich guy and would be a prime target. But then comes this week’s revelation from a ...

Apparently we’re the fifth largest economy in the world measured by GDP and could be the fourth in 2031 when France and Italy will have fallen to 9th and 15th place, according to the Centre for Economics Business and Research. UK GDP is currently $3.04 trillion, which is 6% up on its 2008 peak, and will reach $4.7 trillion by ...

Robot exoskeletons are expected to become a significant market this year, according to ABI Research. “Following years of ongoing research and development, a commercial exoskeleton market finally fully emerged, though it is still in its nascency,” says Dan Kara, research director at ABI Research,  “social imperatives, military requirements and business needs, supported by technological advances, now make it possible to ...