Tech and Auto

A petrol head from Devon has completed a motorcycle road race in a jet-powered shopping trolley. Madcap Matt McKeown of Plymouth built his wacky racer – which has a top speed of 80mph – from an abandoned cart he found in a ditch. He bolted on brakes, go-kart wheels and a 150 horsepower engine from a Chinook helicopter before taking it for time trials. Matt first set a record of 45.5mph then made several tweaks and broke his own record by reaching...

Around 350 million photographs a day are uploaded onto Facebook. Let that sink in. That equates to more than one picture for each citizen of America. In three weeks, that equates to every single person on the planet. It’s believed that 108 billion people have ever lived on the Earth, so - crudely put - in just over 300 days, one picture is uploaded onto Facebook for every person who has ever lived, from the remote villagers of North Sentinel...

When it comes to computer programming most people might think of tech giants Facebook, Apple, Google etc, but it seems that the US has fallen behind in the table of the best computer programmers in the world In fact according to a study by HackerRank China has the best developers followed by Russia. They based their study on the accuracy and speed of 1.5 million developers across the globe. HackerRank is a free coding practice website allowing developers to practice...

We all know and love the BBC iPlayer function but as with many modern technologies, there has been a loophole in the system that has, up until now, allowed individuals to use the iPlayer without owning a TV license. Most commonly this includes expats living abroad who want to keep up to date with their favourite programmes and under the old rules, you only needed to own a TV license if you watched television live – meaning programmes that were...

It's fast becoming a cliché to say that virtual reality is now a reality, but it's a phrase that really does sum up the current situation. Although we may still be teetering on the edge of an emerging industry, VR headsets have shown us what's capable in the current climate. Essentially, we're in the midst of an entertainment revolution and it's a revolution that's spawned an industry many believe could be worth $150 billion by 2020. According to Kieran Kent,...

The future of retail and how companies can track their customers’ behaviour took another step forward today. Now Google and Ephiphany, a media agency, have teamed up to be the first in the UK to track in-story footfall through search activity, reports the Drum. Jewellery business Pandora are the first to trial this project to trace the impact of search activity on in-store footfall. This ground-breaking project will cover 90 per cent of the jewelers 210 stores throughout the UK,...

By Mor Philosoph, Head of Wix ADI Technology  Only five years ago, artificial intelligence (AI) was for science fiction films only. It is only recently that it has become a part of the day to day business vernacular. Within a very short space of time it has stopped being fodder for futurists’ conversations and charged headlong into the here and now. A quick look around will tell you that AI is more prevalent that you might think. Banks use it...

Looking At How Online Games Can Improve Cognitive Functions The brain is like a muscle; the more you train it the stronger it will get with improved cognitive functioning. There are many different online games and apps that specifically cater to virtually any mental task such as visual activity, problem-solving and strategy, logistics, spatial perception, memory and reflexes. If you are able to keep your mind sharp by simply eating a well-balanced diet, participating in regular exercise and embracing education...

With the economy shrinking and incomes stagnating, the domestic second hand car market is expected to see a boom. If you're thinking about buying a second hand car, once you’ve pondered the decision and decided to go for it, take a look at these handy tips for making sure you get the best and, most importantly, safest car for your money.   How to inspect the car After arranging to view a selection of used cars that you’ve found and...