Tech Insight – What Is An API?

In this article, we take a brief look at what APIs are, why they are important, and how they are they are used. What Is An API? An Application Programming Interface (API) is intermediary software that allows different applications to talk to each other. In essence, it delivers your request to a provider and then…

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Live Captions Expanded To Chrome Web Browser

Google’s real-time Live Captions feature is now available to anyone using a Chrome web browser instead of just for Pixel phone users. Live Captions Live Captions is an accessibility feature that uses machine learning to generate (on-device) real-time captions for videos or audio. The feature enables those in a noisy environment, trying to keep the…

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Tech Tip – Weather App In Windows 10

For this week’s topical tech tip, with weather conditions causing so much disruption and damage in the UK, Windows 10 provides personalised weather content to you via a desktop app: – Type ‘weather’ in the search box (bottom left) and select ‘MSN Weather’. – Select whether you want the temperature in Celsius or Fahrenheit and…

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Business Leaders Lack Vital Digital Skills Says OU Survey

The Open University’s new ‘Leading in a Digital Age’ report highlights a link between improved business performance and leaders who are equipped, through technology training, to manage digital change. Investing In Digital Skills Training The latest version of the annual report, which bases its findings on a survey of 950 CTOs and senior leaders within…

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WhatsApp Ceases Support For More Old Phone Operating Systems

WhatsApp has announced that its messaging app will no longer work on outdated operating systems, which is a change that could affect millions of smartphone users. Android versions 2.3.7 and Older, iOS 8 and Older The change, which took place on February 1, means that WhatsApp has ended support for Android operating system versions 2.3.7…

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Tracking For People Who Lose Things

Google Assistant is now supporting Tile’s Bluetooth tracker which means that Tile customers can use a simple voice command to enlist the help of Google Assistant in finding their lost keys, wallet, TV remote control and more. What Is Tile? Tile uses Bluetooth and a phone app to locate physical ‘Tile’ tracking devices of different…

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AI Better at Breast Cancer Detection Than Doctors

Researchers at Good Health have created an AI program which, in tests, has proven to be more accurate at detecting and diagnosing breast cancer than expert human radiologists. Trained The AI software, which was developed by Good Health researchers in conjunction DeepMind, Cancer Research UK Imperial Centre, Northwestern University and Royal Surrey County Hospital was ‘trained’ to…

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Blue Light Thinking Wrong Suggests Research

New research results from the University of Manchester suggest that the popularly accepted wisdom that the sharp blue light emitted by our smartphones and laptops is harmful to our health and disruptive to our sleep may be wrong. Blue Light The current thinking, which has led to device makers adding filters to our devices (e.g. Night…

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New Google ‘Interpreter’: Real-Time Translator For Your Mobile

Google has announced the rollout of its “interpreter mode” real-time translator on Assistant-enabled Android and iOS phones worldwide. A Back and Forth Conversation Google says that interpreter mode means that you can now use your mobile phone to have a “back and forth conversation with someone speaking a foreign language”. In fact, interpreter mode comes…

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Tech Tip – Read Without Distractions

If you need to read a web page without the distractions of adverts or unwanted recommendations, Microsoft Edge in Windows 10 provides an easy way to do this. – In Microsoft Edge (top), click on the “Reading View” icon (open book symbol). – Alternatively, type Ctrl+Shift+R.

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