E-commerce technology

M&S partners with Doddle for easier click-and-collect returns

Retailer is using Powered by Doddle on its in-store devices to allow returns of online items, as well as the use of click-and-collect services Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Sweaty Betty revamps website to cater for digital customers

Activewear brand has partnered with e-commerce firm Tryzens to launch a responsive site that is better suited to its increasingly digital customers Continue Reading

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• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Three-quarters of UK adults have not heard of open banking

Open banking will struggle to deliver what it promises unless people are made aware of its existence and what it could do for them Continue Reading

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• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Why Pinterest pinpointed features for the visually impaired

Ideas curation site has developed features for people with visual impairment. Its lead designer explains what has been changed and why it matters Continue Reading

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• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

3 Hong Kong gears up for 5G with “epic” transformation

The Hong Kong telco is putting in an advanced technical architecture that will streamline and automate internal processes and IT as it prepares for the 5G era Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

M&S aims to give 1,000 employees data skills

Luxury supermarket Marks and Spencer has partnered with Decoded to create a programme aimed at teaching its employees data skills Continue Reading

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• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Smart cities face challenges and opportunities

IHS Markit analysts Noman Akhtar and Kevin Hasley assess the way forward for smart city technology projects around the world Continue Reading

By

• Norman Akhtar and Kevin Hasley

MPs call for inquiry into smart meter roll-out

Government urged to conduct a review of the roll-out of smart meters for electricity and gas, and to intervene to tackle a number of failures Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Just Eat on the lookout for 150 tech professionals

Online food marketplace Just Eat has announced it is on the lookout for talent to fill 150 technology roles, 80 of which have been recently created Continue Reading

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• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Walmart and Microsoft partner to boost digital in retail

US retail giant Walmart has signed a five-year partnership with Microsoft, with the aim of speeding up its digital transformation Continue Reading

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• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Google record fine could lead to Android fork

Amazon’s Android was one of the operating systems mentioned by the European Commission as it imposed a record €4.34bn fine on Google Continue Reading

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• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Saudi’s growing e-commerce market offers global tech opportunities

Saudi Arabia's e-commerce sector is set to explode, and the IT sector in the country will see increased demand as a result Continue Reading

By

• Alicia Buller

Half of young girls don’t think tech careers are exciting

Young women are put off of technology careers because they don’t perceive them to be exciting, according to research Continue Reading

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• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Holiday Extras uses machine learning and artificial intelligence for personalisation

Travel firm Holiday Extras has introduced machine learning and artificial intelligence into its smartphone app to give users a more personalised experience Continue Reading

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• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

TechUK calls on UK to adopt recent EU trade deals to boost digital sector

The EU deal with Canada, as well as forthcoming trade agreements with Japan, Singapore and Vietnam, could boost the UK tech sector – if adopted after Brexit Continue Reading

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• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

How changes in retail law could affect customer experience

New payments regulations could increase the amount of times customers will need to use two-factor authentication to make a purchase, potentially putting a strain on customer experience, according to MasterCard Continue Reading

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• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Inside Alibaba Cloud’s Southeast Asia playbook

Alibaba Cloud is working closely with local customers in joint innovation projects, and has started to launch new services for Chinese and international customers simultaneously to narrow the service gap Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

UK financial services firms up tech investments to fuel new services

Driven by the need to offer new services, as well as meet industry regulations, UK financial services firms are increasing spending on IT Continue Reading

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• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Acquia methodically bridges enriched content and e-commerce

The company launched Commerce Manager to integrate enriched content with e-commerce systems and earlier established a technology partnership with Magento. Continue Reading

By

• Geoffrey Bock, Bock & Company

PizzaExpress launches augmented reality football game

Italian restaurant chain PizzaExpress has launched an augmented reality football game for customers to play during meals Continue Reading

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• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Government must challenge popular smart city misconceptions

A report by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Smart Cities says many people feel alienated by the concept, and calls on the government to challenge some popular misconceptions Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Young generation tempted by Amazon bank-like services

Tech firms offering banking services will be inevitable in the future as more than half of young people are tempted by such a prospect Continue Reading

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• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

CIO interview: Michael Cole, European Tour and Ryder Cup

Michael Cole, chief technology officer at the European Tour and Ryder Cup, discusses how he is helping the sport of golf broaden its appeal through his “connected course” digital transformation vision Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Mayor Khan bids to make London the world’s smartest city

At London Tech Week, mayor Sadiq Khan launched a city-wide initiative to harness the capital’s technology talent to address London’s most pressing problems Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Thriving fintech, AI sectors give boost to UK tech funding

British technology businesses have received £5bn worth of venture capital funding since June 2016 – more than France, Germany and Sweden put together – with fintech and AI startups standing out Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Visa card payments system goes down across the UK and Ireland

Millions of businesses across the UK and Ireland are unable to accept VIsa card payments because of a "service disruption" Continue Reading

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• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Revamped BHS website to close two years after department store collapse

The BHS website, which was developed after the department store’s closure in 2016, will be closed at the end of June Continue Reading

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• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Computing curriculum shake-up can’t happen in a single five-year parliamentary term, says panel

At the launch of Ocado Technology’s AI:MMO educational game, a panel of experts said the computing curriculum needs an overhaul, but this cannot be achieved in a single government term of office Continue Reading

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• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

CW Nordics: Finland delays e-voting plan

Security concerns have re-emerged to further frustrate the Finnish government’s plans to launch a national e-voting system. Also read about a study by the Stockholm School of Economics that looks at the likely impact of AI, machine learning and robotics on people’s lives. And find out why Norway has accelerated plans to scale up its national cyber security infrastructure. Continue Reading

Marks and Spencer speeds up digital transformation plans as profits plunge

Retailer announces plans to accelerate its business transformation and close 100 stores by 2022 after continued shifts in consumer behaviour Continue Reading

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• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Amazon, Toys R Us and a tale of two technology approaches

Many factors contributed to the collapse of Toys R Us, but did a partnership with Amazon at the turn of the millennium play a part in its eventual demise? Continue Reading

By

• Ben Sillitoe

Tesco announces closure of non-food website Tesco Direct

Supermarket giant Tesco has announced it will be closing its Tesco Direct website, which focuses on the sale of non-food-related products Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Social one of the 'most powerful' tools at brand’s disposal, says retail experts

Using social media to connect with customers is one of the most “powerful” tools retailers have at their disposal, said a panel of experts at the Salesforce World Tour Continue Reading

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• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

A third of people would buy insurance from Google or Amazon

Consumers are increasingly likely to buy insurance from tech giants as the insurtech industry hits the mainstream Continue Reading

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• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

E-commerce in APAC is thriving, but so is online fraud

E-commerce in Asia-Pacific is booming, with 71% of consumers in the region already shopping online. But so is the risk of fraud, with one in five consumers falling victim, according to new report ... Continue Reading

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• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

UK tech sector growing 2.6 times faster than overall economy

The latest Tech Nation report on the UK’s IT sector reveals strong growth and positivity, but fears around Brexit in London’s tech engine Continue Reading

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• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

European cyber attacks up nearly a third in first quarter 2018

The volume of cyber attacks hitting digital transactions in Europe was up by almost a third in the first quarter of 2018 compared with same period a year ago, a report reveals Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Nordic banks plan major digital transformation of operations

Banks in the Nordic region are set to accelerate their spending on technology as digital services take-up accelerates Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

TSB refused help from Lloyds as IT meltdown began

TSB turned down an offer of help from Lloyds Banking Group as the migration of customers accounts to its new banking system went wrong Continue Reading

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• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Will government IT be ready for Brexit?

In this week’s Computer Weekly, as the UK government struggles to get new IT systems up and running before Brexit, we examine the challenges ahead and the departments with the biggest problems. We look at serverless computing and ask why this emerging cloud technology is so important for IT leaders. And we discuss the latest best practice in mobile strategy for SMEs. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Steadily declining retail footfall confirms shifting consumer behaviour

Footfall in the UK highstreet is on the decline, according to figures by the British Retail Consortium, confirming the consumer shift towards more digital behaviour Continue Reading

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• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Hacking the internet of things just got easier – it’s time to look at your security

Are you taking security for internet-connected devices seriously enough? Continue Reading

By

• Dan Mosca, PA Consulting

If we're measuring GDP wrong in a digital world, what does that say about the economy?

Conventional measures of economic success such as GDP fail to account for the nature of free digital services. How different would the UK economy appear if that changed? Continue Reading

By

• Tim Worstall, Adam Smith Institute

NatWest fintech investments bear fruit as SME loans platform goes live

Online lending platform enables small businesses to apply for loans of up to £150,000 in 10 minutes Continue Reading

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• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

RBS closes branches after axing challenger bank project

Royal Bank of Scotland to close 162 branches and shed 800 jobs after deciding not to create a challenger bank – but a new digital bank may be on the way Continue Reading

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• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

SuiteWorld 2018: Magic Johnson gives advice on adapting to the millennial customer

Entrepreneur and former basketball star tells SuiteWorld 2018 about the importance of adapting to the millennial customer in a technology-driven age Continue Reading

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• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

How machine learning is used to detect fraud

One of machine learning’s most well-known use cases is fraud detection, an area that has drawn the attention of a growing number of technology suppliers looking to develop the best algorithms and ... Continue Reading

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• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

TSB banking service tech problems continue

TSB customers are still experiencing problems using online and mobile banking services after almost a week of disruption Continue Reading

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• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

SuiteWorld 2018: Hiring people is about more than just ability, says Rachel Zoe

NetSuite customer, fashion designer and CEO of Rachel Zoe explains that part of entrepreneurship is hiring people who fill the gaps you leave behind, and that in doing so passion can be more important than ability Continue Reading

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• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

TSB IT meltdown has the makings of an epic

TSB’s very public IT problems will send shivers down the spine of IT teams at large banks that are yet to migrate to new core banking systems Continue Reading

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• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

What Salesforce's CloudCraze acquisition means for customers

CloudCraze president calls the acquisition by Salesforce 'a huge win' for its customers and for Commerce Cloud customers, with the capability of selling B2C and B2B on one platform. Continue Reading

By

• Jesse Scardina, News Writer

Estonia’s digital residency programme faces first headwind

The Baltic country’s programme to offer anyone, anywhere a chance to run a company online is facing its first crisis Continue Reading

By

• Tarmo Virki

CIO interview: Richard Tallboy, CIO, Wagamama

Richard Tallboy, CIO of pan-Asian restaurant chain Wagamama, explains why the firm adopted “pay by walking out” technology Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Twilio offers IoT developers programmable mobile connectivity

Developers of internet of things applications and devices will be able to use the Twilio Programmable Wireless mobile communications platform to build mobile connectivity into their services Continue Reading

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• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Fintech sector increasingly attractive compared to traditional banking for IT professionals

Fintech job vacancies are growing, while less are being advertised in traditional banking sector companies Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Tesco online grocery sales up 5.1%

After ninth consecutive quarter of growth, CEO says supermarket chain is “on track to deliver our medium-term ambitions” Continue Reading

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• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

PayPal is latest tech giant to eye traditional banking

PayPal set to launch launch traditional retail banking services in the first half of this year Continue Reading

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• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Should retail try to save the high street's declining footfall?

Footfall in the high street is declining, but should retailers be trying to claw back visits to stores or is it time for a new digital focus? Continue Reading

By

• Mark Samuels

Retail legacy systems: how can we overcome them?

With technology adoption changing the retail landscape, many retailers are left with legacy systems. We look at how they are dealing with them in today’s digitally led environment Continue Reading

By

• Glynn Davis

Arsenal uses Innovation Lab accelerator to improve worldwide fan experience

Arsenal’s Innovation Lab programme has enabled collaboration with “world-class” startups to offer the best experience for fans in the future, says the club’s IT director Continue Reading

By

• Zach Emmanuel, Computer Weekly

European insurtech growth dwarfs US

Europe is seeing rapid growth in its insurtech as investors pump hundreds of millions into the sector Continue Reading

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• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Fintechs weigh up their partnership options

Fintechs need to consider what type of companies they should work with to make the most of open banking regulations Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

RBS said to be setting up its own digital bank

Royal Bank of Scotland is reportedly setting up a standalone digital bank to take advantage of changing customer habits Continue Reading

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• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Danish government launches business-focused national digital strategy

Denmark’s government has launched a plan to get more small businesses into the digital economy as it targets being a leader in advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

Dutch cycling culture pumps up bicycle startups

Bike-sharing services are cropping up in urban areas of the Netherlands but the government wants to restrict their number Continue Reading

By

• Tijs Hofmans

Australia, ASEAN deepen links on smart cities and digital trade

Besides fostering smart city development across Southeast Asia, Australia and ASEAN will also support the use of digital trade standards across the region’s booming e-commerce market Continue Reading

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• Aaron Tan, Informa TechTarget

Digital retail calls for agile approach, say experts

To embrace digital technology, retailers need to adopt an agile nature across the entire business and break down internal silos, said a panel at Retail Week Live Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Tesco appoints new chief technology officer

Supermarket giant’s new CTO joins from Airbus and will continue to implement retailer’s digital transformation programme Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Most people think cryptocurrency will be accepted on buses by 2025

Cryptocurrency is a mystery to many people, yet 55% of respondents to a survey expect shops and buses to accept digital money in seven years’ time Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Retailers need to prepare properly before AI adoption, say experts

Artificial intelligence can help many areas of the retail landscape, but retailers should make sure they prepare before taking on AI adoption, says an expert panel Continue Reading

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• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Modern retail: machine learning, customer experience and legacy

As the retail landscape shifts in the wake of new technologies, experts in retail and tech explain how firms need to adapt to cater for modern consumers Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Amazon bank could have 70 million customers in five years

Amazon could have more banking customers in the US than the UK has citizens within five years Continue Reading

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• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Leading brands see the need for personalized content

Content personalization continues to expand within companies as maturing technologies make it a viable marketing option for customer engagement strategies. Continue Reading

By

• Jesse Scardina, News Writer

CW Europe: Germany’s Lemoncat takes catering to the cloud

Business catering startup Lemoncat has taken advantage of the affordable cost of living in Berlin and is shaking up the catering sector by harnessing the Amazon and Salesforce clouds. Also in this issue, read how Moscow’s government is taking advantage of high penetration of broadband and mobile internet to expand innovative services under the Russian capital’s smart city programme, and how organisations in the Netherlands still have much to do to comply with the General Data Protection Regulation. Continue Reading

Denmark’s MobilePay expands in Finnish market through deal with retailer

Deal with Finland’s largest grocery retailer helps mobile payment service spread its reach Continue Reading

By

• Eeva Haaramo

Co-op trials pay-in-aisle technology

Food retailer Co-op plans to introduce a smartphone self-checkout system so customers can pay for goods without visiting a till Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Government sets out tighter security measures for IoT devices

The government has announced plans to develop a new code of practice to improve the security of connected internet of things devices Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Amazon contemplating next move in banking sector

Amazon is in talks with a bank about setting up a current account that will appeal to young people Continue Reading

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• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Bank of England chief calls for cryptocurrency regulation

Bank of England governor calls on cryptocurrencies to be regulated to protect financial system and reduce illicit activities Continue Reading

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• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

People at risk of psychological side-effects of screen addiction

Many Brits spend more than 10 hours a day attached to a screen and 60% look at two at once, research shows Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Taxing tech giants on revenue only ends up with us customers paying more

EU proposals to tax internet companies based on sales in each country fail to apply the tax burden on the right people Continue Reading

By

• Tim Worstall, Adam Smith Institute

Virgin Money launches digital bank

Virgin Money is setting up a digital bank to expand into the current account and SME business account markets Continue Reading

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• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Expert: Boring retail is dying as tech gains importance

Technologies such as augmented reality and AI in retail are becoming more important for brands looking to gain a selling edge. Tune in to the latest Pipeline podcast to learn more. Continue Reading

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• Jesse Scardina, News Writer

What are the retail jobs that don’t exist yet?

As in many industries, technology and new consumer behaviour is changing the shape of retail. But what yet-to-be-created jobs are on the horizon for the sector? Continue Reading

By

• Ben Sillitoe

RBS’s first profit in a decade accompanied by major first for mobile channel

News of its first profit in 10 years might overshadow a major first for the Royal Bank of Scotland’s mobile channel Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

UK finance regulator collaborates with US counterpart on fintech

The FCA is working with a US finance regulator to support financial technology companies on both sides of the Atlantic Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

CIO interview: Mike Thomas, CIO, Hobbycraft

The CIO of Hobbycraft, Mike Thomas, speaks to Computer Weekly about the art of digital transformation in retail, the importance of customer experience and getting a good return on investment Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

Cash will remain in use in Eurozone for a very long time, says central bank

Cash seems set to survive the onslaught of digital payments, at least in countries that use the euro Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Nordic banks plan common cross-border payment infrastructure

Banks in the different Nordic countries plan to move to a shared payments infrastructure Continue Reading

By

• Eeva Haaramo

Quarter of retailers say tech investment makes it harder to connect with consumers

Lack of return on investment in technology has left one in four retailers disappointed and unable to connect with their customers Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Stay of execution for RBS branches and free devices for some customers

RBS is offering free training and devices to some customers in Scotland to help them eventually live without bank branches Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Google Q4 results show businesses are buying into its public cloud

The Google Cloud Platform is earning the search engine giant $1bn per quarter. Expect more cloud investment this year Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Faster data is a safer bet for risk exposure

Betting platform service supplier FSB Technology (UK) has used GridGain’s in-memory database to support its existing PostgreSQL transactional system Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

More than half of millennials prefer online retailer info to in-store assistance

Customers between the ages of 25 and 34 would rather look online for information than talk to a shop assistant, even when they are in a store Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

Alexa makes children rude

Smart speaker devices like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant are making children ask for things without say "please", research from Childwise has found Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Facebook reports $15.9bn profit after ‘hard’ year

Facebook has reported a strong fourth quarter and a strong year with quarterly profit up 20% and annual profit up 56%, but chief Mark Zuckerberg admits it has been a challenging 12 months Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Security Editor

Most online retail sites put customers at risk of phishing

Most top online retail sites fail to protect consumers from phishing attacks, a study has revealed Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Security Editor

Bitcoin is a bubble, but manias can have economic benefits

The UK's railway mania, the tulip bubble, the dot com boom and other collective economic madness – such as bitcoin – might lose people a lot of money, but they often lay down important foundations Continue Reading

By

• Tim Worstall, Adam Smith Institute

Online retail grew less than expected in 2017

IMRG and Capgemini found retail sales grew by 12.1% in 2017, but growth was lower than in the previous year Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

CIO interview: Vlassios Rizopoulos, CTO, Pricesearcher.com

CTO of independent online search engine Pricesearcher.com explains how it uses big data and high-performance computing to cater to customers who use price as the deciding factor for their purchase Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor