China's president has called for technological self-reliance in the escalating rivalry with America, but experts believe Beijing's late start on tech and relatively backward capabilities could make that a mission impossible.

China has no doubt made an amazing transformation, from a former basket case wracked by mass famine and political upheaval to a highly connected society marked by the growing use of renewable energy, a space programme, and bullet trains crisscrossing the country.

But a closer look reveals that while China is adept at assembling foreign technologies into commercially successful products at home, its ability to innovate remains deeply hampered, tech experts said.

Take semiconductors, the building blocks of global digital architecture.

China's government has poured money into an effort to develop its own semiconductors and chip designs but has not been able to close the gap with the US, Japanese and South Korean rivals.

"One way to look at (China's situation) is that someone may be able to make beautiful designs out of Legos, but they don't know how to make the Legos themselves," said Gabriel Chou, Asia chair for World Semiconductor Trade Statistics, a grouping of semiconductor-product companies.

"(China) is aggressively attacking the end-market, such as mobile phones or other consumer products. But semiconductors require many very fundamental science skills" that China struggles with, Chou added.

The risks are now clear following last week's move by Washington to ban Chinese telecom and smartphone giant Huawei's access to critical American chips and other technology.

The ban has thrown the company's future into doubt, causing a number of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/huawei-executive-facing-extradition-to-appear-in-canada-court-217056">Huawei</a> partners around the world to bail on the company and emphatically illustrating US tech clout.

&nbsp;Long March&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/get-ready-for-difficult-times-chinas-xi-warns-during-trade-war-220625">President Xi Jinping</a> this week telegraphed his alarm, calling for self-reliance in "key core technologies" while saying China faced a "Long March" against foreign challengers -- a reference to a now-legendary 1934-35 strategic retreat by Communist revolutionaries.

But a state-directed approach is a bad idea, said Paul Triolo, head of geotechnology at the Eurasia Group.

Triolo said the world's top tech companies got where they are because open competition with rivals forced them to develop better products and attract the best human capital.

And being plugged into the world tech ecosystem encouraged them to constantly tailor products to evolving market needs to stay ahead of the pack -- or die.

"It's incredibly hard to wean yourself off foreign suppliers in such a highly market-driven sector where you must be on the cutting edge, and that edge is constantly changing and moving outward," Triolo said.

The very idea of national self-reliance flies in the face of reality, he adds.

Different countries have excelled in different areas and focused on their core competencies to survive, leading to a complex and interconnected global supply chain.

"The US has a lot of dominance, but there are other big players too. China simply can't be an island and recreate a whole globalised technology ecosystem at home," Triolo said.

"To reduce dependence they will have to take a different paradigm from the rest of world and that's tough. It's not something money is going to solve over the short-term."

Software glitch&nbsp;

Software is another glaring weak spot.&nbsp;

As in the rest of the world, there is no viable alternative in China to Microsoft and Apple on personal computing systems -- or to Google's Android or Apple's iOS on mobile phones.

US companies also dominate the Chinese landscape for enterprise software.

The United States suspects Huawei has ties to China's military and fears the company's installation of telecom networks worldwide could put sensitive data at risk. Huawei denies the charges.

But Chinese software shortcomings leave Huawei vulnerable even on these global networks -- the company relies heavily on US software to power them, Triolo said.

"A database has to be really robust and no company in China can do that database software," he said.

China could nonetheless be a formidable player in next-generation technologies like artificial intelligence, driverless cars and automated manufacturing.

Xi's government has singled out such futuristic technologies for state development -- a programme partly responsible for triggering US pushback on tech.

"We believe China is in a commanding position to become a far more influential player in disruptive technologies globally," said Kenny Liew, a tech analyst with Fitch Solutions.

He adds that the US-China tech rivalry "will contribute positively to the global technological landscape."

China's president has called for technological self-reliance in the escalating rivalry with America, but experts believe Beijing's late start on tech and relatively backward capabilities could make that a mission impossible.

China's president has called for technological self-reliance in the escalating rivalry with America, but experts believe Beijing's late start on tech and relatively backward capabilities could make that a mission impossible. China has no doubt made an amazing transformation, from a former basket case wracked by mass famine and political upheaval to a highly connected society marked by the growing use of renewable energy, a space programme, and bullet trains crisscrossing the country. But a closer look reveals that while China is adept at assembling foreign technologies into commercially successful products at home, its ability to innovate remains deeply hampered, tech experts said. Take semiconductors, the building blocks of global digital architecture. China's government has poured money into an effort to develop its own semiconductors and chip designs but has not been able to close the gap with the US, Japanese and South Korean rivals. "One way to look at (China's situation) is that someone may be able to make beautiful designs out of Legos, but they don't know how to make the Legos themselves," said Gabriel Chou, Asia chair for World Semiconductor Trade Statistics, a grouping of semiconductor-product companies. "(China) is aggressively attacking the end-market, such as mobile phones or other consumer products. But semiconductors require many very fundamental science skills" that China struggles with, Chou added. The risks are now clear following last week's move by Washington to ban Chinese telecom and smartphone giant Huawei's access to critical American chips and other technology. The ban has thrown the company's future into doubt, causing a number of Huawei partners around the world to bail on the company and emphatically illustrating US tech clout. Long March President Xi Jinping this week telegraphed his alarm, calling for self-reliance in "key core technologies" while saying China faced a "Long March" against foreign challengers -- a reference to a now-legendary 1934-35 strategic retreat by Communist revolutionaries. But a state-directed approach is a bad idea, said Paul Triolo, head of geotechnology at the Eurasia Group. Triolo said the world's top tech companies got where they are because open competition with rivals forced them to develop better products and attract the best human capital. And being plugged into the world tech ecosystem encouraged them to constantly tailor products to evolving market needs to stay ahead of the pack -- or die. "It's incredibly hard to wean yourself off foreign suppliers in such a highly market-driven sector where you must be on the cutting edge, and that edge is constantly changing and moving outward," Triolo said. The very idea of national self-reliance flies in the face of reality, he adds. Different countries have excelled in different areas and focused on their core competencies to survive, leading to a complex and interconnected global supply chain. "The US has a lot of dominance, but there are other big players too. China simply can't be an island and recreate a whole globalised technology ecosystem at home," Triolo said. "To reduce dependence they will have to take a different paradigm from the rest of world and that's tough. It's not something money is going to solve over the short-term." Software glitch Software is another glaring weak spot. As in the rest of the world, there is no viable alternative in China to Microsoft and Apple on personal computing systems -- or to Google's Android or Apple's iOS on mobile phones. US companies also dominate the Chinese landscape for enterprise software. The United States suspects Huawei has ties to China's military and fears the company's installation of telecom networks worldwide could put sensitive data at risk. Huawei denies the charges. But Chinese software shortcomings leave Huawei vulnerable even on these global networks -- the company relies heavily on US software to power them, Triolo said. "A database has to be really robust and no company in China can do that database software," he said. China could nonetheless be a formidable player in next-generation technologies like artificial intelligence, driverless cars and automated manufacturing. Xi's government has singled out such futuristic technologies for state development -- a programme partly responsible for triggering US pushback on tech. "We believe China is in a commanding position to become a far more influential player in disruptive technologies globally," said Kenny Liew, a tech analyst with Fitch Solutions. He adds that the US-China tech rivalry "will contribute positively to the global technological landscape."

China's tech 'Long March' could be road to nowhere

Microsoft Corp and Sony Corp on Thursday said they struck a strategic partnership in which Sony would use Microsoft's cloud for streaming games and media and the two would work together to develop image sensors.

The deal is in its early stages, with many specifics yet to be determined. But the owners of two major consumer interactive entertainment franchises - Microsoft's Xbox platform and Sony's PlayStation - would collaborate to stream games and content to consumers and offer game makers new development tools.

"For many years, Microsoft has been a key business partner for us, though of course the two companies have also been competing in some areas," Sony Chief Executive Kenichiro Yoshida said in a statement. "I believe that our joint development of future cloud solutions will contribute greatly to the advancement of interactive content."

Sony shares jumped nearly 11 per cent as Asian markets opened. Microsoft's stock closed up 2 per cent on Thursday.

Sony's deal with Microsoft comes at a time when the Japanese firm's gaming business is losing some steam as its PlayStation 4 (PS4) console nears the end of its life.

Analysts widely expect Sony to launch a next-generation console in 2020 to replace the five-year-old PS4, but for this year at least Sony has flagged a drop in profit.

For Microsoft, the deal bolsters its Azure cloud computing business, which helped push its market value past $1 trillion last month. It also helps the Redmond, Washington-based company counter cloud-market leader Amazon.com Inc's Amazon Web Services.

Amazon has also jumped into the gaming market, offering game makers new technology tools, and with its nearly $1 billion acquisition of Twitch, a major destination for gamers to watch other players competing in the e-sports market.

Japan's Sony is also a major supplier of camera chips for smartphones and other devices.

Sony and Microsoft said they will potentially develop new image sensor chips that use Microsoft's artificial intelligence (AI) technology for business customers. The two companies did not specify how the chips would be used.

Intelligent cameras are currently being used in applications such as spotting defective items coming off manufacturing lines with greater accuracy than human inspectors.

Sony and Microsoft said they would explore how to use Microsoft's AI tools in Sony's consumer products "to provide highly intuitive and user-friendly AI experiences."

Microsoft's technology for tasks like recognizing images and understanding human speech is widely believed to be competitive with better-known rivals such Alphabet Inc's Google, but its focus on business customers has left it fewer outlets for technology that consumers touch.&nbsp;

Sony, by contrast, makes a wide range of televisions, phones and other consumer devices.

"Sony has always been a leader in both entertainment and technology, and the collaboration we announced today builds on this history of innovation," Microsoft Chief Executive Satya Nadella said in a statement.

Microsoft Corp and Sony Corp on Thursday said they struck a strategic partnership in which Sony would use Microsoft's cloud for streaming games and media and the two would work together to develop image sensors.

Microsoft Corp and Sony Corp on Thursday said they struck a strategic partnership in which Sony would use Microsoft's cloud for streaming games and media and the two would work together to develop image sensors. The deal is in its early stages, with many specifics yet to be determined. But the owners of two major consumer interactive entertainment franchises - Microsoft's Xbox platform and Sony's PlayStation - would collaborate to stream games and content to consumers and offer game makers new development tools. "For many years, Microsoft has been a key business partner for us, though of course the two companies have also been competing in some areas," Sony Chief Executive Kenichiro Yoshida said in a statement. "I believe that our joint development of future cloud solutions will contribute greatly to the advancement of interactive content." Sony shares jumped nearly 11 per cent as Asian markets opened. Microsoft's stock closed up 2 per cent on Thursday. Sony's deal with Microsoft comes at a time when the Japanese firm's gaming business is losing some steam as its PlayStation 4 (PS4) console nears the end of its life. Analysts widely expect Sony to launch a next-generation console in 2020 to replace the five-year-old PS4, but for this year at least Sony has flagged a drop in profit. For Microsoft, the deal bolsters its Azure cloud computing business, which helped push its market value past $1 trillion last month. It also helps the Redmond, Washington-based company counter cloud-market leader Amazon.com Inc's Amazon Web Services. Amazon has also jumped into the gaming market, offering game makers new technology tools, and with its nearly $1 billion acquisition of Twitch, a major destination for gamers to watch other players competing in the e-sports market. Japan's Sony is also a major supplier of camera chips for smartphones and other devices. Sony and Microsoft said they will potentially develop new image sensor chips that use Microsoft's artificial intelligence (AI) technology for business customers. The two companies did not specify how the chips would be used. Intelligent cameras are currently being used in applications such as spotting defective items coming off manufacturing lines with greater accuracy than human inspectors. Sony and Microsoft said they would explore how to use Microsoft's AI tools in Sony's consumer products "to provide highly intuitive and user-friendly AI experiences." Microsoft's technology for tasks like recognizing images and understanding human speech is widely believed to be competitive with better-known rivals such Alphabet Inc's Google, but its focus on business customers has left it fewer outlets for technology that consumers touch. Sony, by contrast, makes a wide range of televisions, phones and other consumer devices. "Sony has always been a leader in both entertainment and technology, and the collaboration we announced today builds on this history of innovation," Microsoft Chief Executive Satya Nadella said in a statement.

Microsoft, Sony partner on streaming games, chips and Artificial Intelligence

Asian markets mostly fell Friday with investors treading carefully as global slowdown worries return to the fore, with analysts pointing to an economic divergence between the US and the rest of the world.

Traders have been cheered by a string of better-than-expected earnings from corporate titans this reporting season, with Facebook, Microsoft and Amazon adding to the positive mood on Wall Street, but were unable to fuel broad gains.

However, there have been a couple of misses from other top firms, while crucially a series of downbeat data and central bank caution have dampened spirits.

Central banks in Japan, Sweden, Turkey and Ukraine, with an eye on the global outlook, on Thursday, took a dovish turn and flagged softer policy in the near future. That came after a growth forecast cut by the Bank of Canada.

Meanwhile, low inflation has led to speculation the Reserve Bank of Australia could soon cut borrowing costs, while the European Central Bank is battling weak eurozone growth.

On top of that, a drop in German business confidence fanned worries about the bloc's biggest economy, while South Korea saw its worst performance in 10 years during the first quarter.

But while the Federal Reserve has said it will not likely raise interest rates this year the US economy continues to outpace its peers and the jobs markets are flourishing, with Wall Street hitting new records this week. Eyes are now on the release of US growth data later Friday.

"While positive earning numbers have lent massive support to US equities, it's hard to ignore the inescapable fact that we are back to the divergent economic narrative where the US economy is on fire while ice water continued to pour over the rest of the globe," said Stephen Innes of SPI Asset Management.

Shanghai dropped 0.5 per cent in the morning, extending losses of more than two per cent Thursday as investors fret that a run of market-supporting stimulus measures aimed at supporting the economy could be coming to an end.

Tokyo ended the morning down 0.7 per cent, Seoul shed 0.4 per cent and Singapore added 0.1 per cent.

There were also losses in Taipei, Wellington and Jakarta.

However, Hong Kong rose 0.3 per cent after suffering five straight days of decline.

The broad losses come at the end of a tough week for markets, which have enjoyed a blockbuster start to the year, thanks to hopes for China-US trade talks.

On oil markets both main contracts continued to fall after this week, hitting six-month highs as traders await the response from OPEC and Russia after the US said it would not extend waivers that allow certain countries to buy crude from sanctions-hit Iran.

Observers said that after the jump in prices, selling was to be expected owing to a number of factors including the China-US trade talks, unrest in Libya, Venezuela's political crisis and the OPEC-Russia output caps.

Asian markets mostly fell Friday with investors treading carefully as global slowdown worries return to the fore, with analysts pointing to an economic divergence between the US and the rest of the world.

Asian markets mostly fell Friday with investors treading carefully as global slowdown worries return to the fore, with analysts pointing to an economic divergence between the US and the rest of the world. Traders have been cheered by a string of better-than-expected earnings from corporate titans this reporting season, with Facebook, Microsoft and Amazon adding to the positive mood on Wall Street, but were unable to fuel broad gains. However, there have been a couple of misses from other top firms, while crucially a series of downbeat data and central bank caution have dampened spirits. Central banks in Japan, Sweden, Turkey and Ukraine, with an eye on the global outlook, on Thursday, took a dovish turn and flagged softer policy in the near future. That came after a growth forecast cut by the Bank of Canada. Meanwhile, low inflation has led to speculation the Reserve Bank of Australia could soon cut borrowing costs, while the European Central Bank is battling weak eurozone growth. On top of that, a drop in German business confidence fanned worries about the bloc's biggest economy, while South Korea saw its worst performance in 10 years during the first quarter. But while the Federal Reserve has said it will not likely raise interest rates this year the US economy continues to outpace its peers and the jobs markets are flourishing, with Wall Street hitting new records this week. Eyes are now on the release of US growth data later Friday. "While positive earning numbers have lent massive support to US equities, it's hard to ignore the inescapable fact that we are back to the divergent economic narrative where the US economy is on fire while ice water continued to pour over the rest of the globe," said Stephen Innes of SPI Asset Management. Shanghai dropped 0.5 per cent in the morning, extending losses of more than two per cent Thursday as investors fret that a run of market-supporting stimulus measures aimed at supporting the economy could be coming to an end. Tokyo ended the morning down 0.7 per cent, Seoul shed 0.4 per cent and Singapore added 0.1 per cent. There were also losses in Taipei, Wellington and Jakarta. However, Hong Kong rose 0.3 per cent after suffering five straight days of decline. The broad losses come at the end of a tough week for markets, which have enjoyed a blockbuster start to the year, thanks to hopes for China-US trade talks. On oil markets both main contracts continued to fall after this week, hitting six-month highs as traders await the response from OPEC and Russia after the US said it would not extend waivers that allow certain countries to buy crude from sanctions-hit Iran. Observers said that after the jump in prices, selling was to be expected owing to a number of factors including the China-US trade talks, unrest in Libya, Venezuela's political crisis and the OPEC-Russia output caps.

Asian markets mostly down after mixed lead from Wall Street

Local Afghan Taliban leaders are hindering global efforts to end polio, but Afghanistan and Pakistan must continue their fight to "get to zero" cases, the philanthropist Bill Gates said on Monday.

In a telephone interview with Reuters, Gates was optimistic about the global plan to eradicate the paralysing viral disease but said Afghanistan's conflict and power struggles hamper progress.

"The big issue there is always with the Taliban," said Gates, whose multi-billion dollar philanthropic Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is one of the biggest funders of the polio eradication campaign.

Polio is a virus that spreads in areas with poor sanitation. It attacks the nervous system and can cause irreversible paralysis within hours of infection. Children under five are the most vulnerable, but polio can be prevented with vaccination.

Success in reducing case numbers worldwide has been largely due to intense national and regional immunisation campaigns in babies and children.

Latest Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) figures show that worldwide, there were 33 cases of polio in 2018 and six so far in 2019 - 16 of them in Pakistan and 23 in Afghanistan. These two, plus Nigeria, are the last remaining countries where the disease is endemic.

The GPEI, which includes the WHO, the Gates Foundation, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and others, began its push to wipe out polio in 1988 when the disease was endemic in 125 countries and was paralysing almost 1,000 children a day worldwide.

Since then, there have been at least a 99 per cent reduction in cases. But eradicating the disease - something that has only ever been achieved with one other human disease, smallpox - is proving a long and challenging task.

"We've got to get Afghanistan and Pakistan to zero," Gates said. "We need government donors to stay committed."

Gates, a billionaire who co-founded of Microsoft, said the global polio program is making progress in Pakistan and has a good relationship with Prime Minister Imran Khan, who has prioritised the polio fight.

The "only potential negative" in the region is instability in Afghanistan, Gates said, where Taliban leaders appear to have no single policy but "decide what they will and what they won't allow" regarding polio vaccinations.

"That's what we don't have predictability or control over," he said. "Sometimes they stop the campaigns from taking place. But the ideal is when they allow house-to-house (vaccine) delivery."

Gates pointed to India, which 12 years ago was responsible for 70 per cent of all polio cases and this week marks five years since it last recorded a case.

Gates had previously described the challenge of wiping out polio in India, which has a population of 1.3 billion people and some areas of very poor sanitation, as "mind-boggling". Success there, he said, shows polio can eventually be ended worldwide.

Local Afghan Taliban leaders are hindering global efforts to end polio, but Afghanistan and Pakistan must continue their fight to "get to zero" cases, the philanthropist Bill Gates said on Monday.

Local Afghan Taliban leaders are hindering global efforts to end polio, but Afghanistan and Pakistan must continue their fight to "get to zero" cases, the philanthropist Bill Gates said on Monday. In a telephone interview with Reuters, Gates was optimistic about the global plan to eradicate the paralysing viral disease but said Afghanistan's conflict and power struggles hamper progress. "The big issue there is always with the Taliban," said Gates, whose multi-billion dollar philanthropic Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is one of the biggest funders of the polio eradication campaign. Polio is a virus that spreads in areas with poor sanitation. It attacks the nervous system and can cause irreversible paralysis within hours of infection. Children under five are the most vulnerable, but polio can be prevented with vaccination. Success in reducing case numbers worldwide has been largely due to intense national and regional immunisation campaigns in babies and children. Latest Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) figures show that worldwide, there were 33 cases of polio in 2018 and six so far in 2019 - 16 of them in Pakistan and 23 in Afghanistan. These two, plus Nigeria, are the last remaining countries where the disease is endemic. The GPEI, which includes the WHO, the Gates Foundation, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and others, began its push to wipe out polio in 1988 when the disease was endemic in 125 countries and was paralysing almost 1,000 children a day worldwide. Since then, there have been at least a 99 per cent reduction in cases. But eradicating the disease - something that has only ever been achieved with one other human disease, smallpox - is proving a long and challenging task. "We've got to get Afghanistan and Pakistan to zero," Gates said. "We need government donors to stay committed." Gates, a billionaire who co-founded of Microsoft, said the global polio program is making progress in Pakistan and has a good relationship with Prime Minister Imran Khan, who has prioritised the polio fight. The "only potential negative" in the region is instability in Afghanistan, Gates said, where Taliban leaders appear to have no single policy but "decide what they will and what they won't allow" regarding polio vaccinations. "That's what we don't have predictability or control over," he said. "Sometimes they stop the campaigns from taking place. But the ideal is when they allow house-to-house (vaccine) delivery." Gates pointed to India, which 12 years ago was responsible for 70 per cent of all polio cases and this week marks five years since it last recorded a case. Gates had previously described the challenge of wiping out polio in India, which has a population of 1.3 billion people and some areas of very poor sanitation, as "mind-boggling". Success there, he said, shows polio can eventually be ended worldwide.

Bill Gates urges Afghanistan and Pakistan to 'get to zero' in polio fight

Senator Elizabeth Warren vowed on Friday to break up Amazon.com Inc, Alphabet Inc's Google and Facebook Inc if elected U.S. president to promote competition in the tech sector.

Warren, who is seeking to stand out in a crowded field of Democratic presidential candidates, said in a blog post that on their way to the top, the big tech companies purchased a long list of potential competitors, like Facebook's acquisition of Instagram.

"They’ve bulldozed competition, used our private information for profit, and tilted the playing field against everyone else. And in the process, they have hurt small businesses and stifled innovation," Warren wrote in a post&nbsp;on Medium.

Warren said she would nominate regulators who would unwind acquisitions such as Facebook's deals for WhatsApp and Instagram, Amazon's deals for Whole Foods and Zappos, and Google's purchases of Waze, Nest and DoubleClick.

Investors shrugged off her comments. Shares of Facebook closed up 0.3 per cent on Friday, while Alphabet fell 0.08 per cent and Amazon.com lost 0.3 per cent.

It is rare for the government to seek to undo a consummated deal.

The most famous case in recent memory is the government's effort to break up Microsoft. The Justice Department won a preliminary victory in 2000 but was reversed on appeal. The case settled with Microsoft intact.

Warren also proposed legislation that would require tech companies like Google and Amazon that offer an online marketplace or exchange to refrain from competing on their own platform. This would, for example, forbid Amazon itself from selling on its Amazon Marketplace platform.

Amazon and Google did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Facebook declined to comment.

'An archaic idea'

Tech companies have come under fire because of their role in displacing existing businesses. Amazon has replaced many brick-and-mortar stores and has been criticized for poorly paying its warehouse workers.

Facebook has angered lawmakers for losing track of users' data and for not doing more to stop foreign meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Google has clashed with smaller companies, like Yelp, over search placements and has raised concerns it would comply with China's internet censorship and surveillance policies if it re-enters the Asian nation's search engine market.

Congress held a series of hearings last year looking at the dominance of major tech companies.

NetChoice, an e-commerce trade group whose members include Facebook and Google, said Warren's plan would lead to higher prices.

"Senator Warren is wrong in her assertion that tech markets lack competition. Never before have consumers and workers had more access to goods, services and opportunities online," said Carl Szabo, vice president and general counsel for NetChoice.

In Washington, the president of the US Chamber of Commerce, Tom Donohue, said breaking up the big tech companies would "take us back to the Stone Age."

"This is not a vision for the future, but an archaic idea that should be dumped in your computer trash can," he said.

Public Knowledge, a tech policy group, called Warren's plan a step toward protecting the next generation of businesses but stopped short of full-throated support for breaking up the tech giants.

"We need legislation specifically targeted to enhance competition on digital platforms so that there is a real opportunity for new, innovative competitors to succeed," said Charlotte Slaiman, the group's policy counsel.

Tim Wu, a professor of law, science and technology at Columbia Law School who coined the term "net neutrality" and has warned against an economy dominated by a few giant firms, said in a tweet that it was "heartening" to see the idea of breaking up the tech giants gaining some traction.

Tech companies are some of the biggest political donors. Google spent $21 million to lobby in 2018 while Amazon spent $14.2 million and Facebook spent $12.62 million, according to their filings to US&nbsp;Congress.

Angering a deep-pocketed industry could hurt Democrats, but that is not likely to be a big worry for Warren, who made her political mark and plenty of enemies by going after big banks after the 2007-09 financial crisis. In the Senate, Warren continues to be an outspoken critic of Wall Street and is a leader of her party's progressive wing.

Other Democratic candidates have also criticized the tech firms.

Senator Amy Klobuchar used her campaign launch speech to vow action on digital issues like privacy, saying "big tech companies" misuse personal data.

Senator Bernie Sanders, another presidential candidate, in 2018 even named a bill after Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, the Stop BEZOS Act, which would tax big companies if their employees receive public benefits.

Senator Elizabeth Warren vowed on Friday to break up Amazon.com Inc, Alphabet Inc's Google and Facebook Inc if elected U.S. president to promote competition in the tech sector.

Senator Elizabeth Warren vowed on Friday to break up Amazon.com Inc, Alphabet Inc's Google and Facebook Inc if elected U.S. president to promote competition in the tech sector. Warren, who is seeking to stand out in a crowded field of Democratic presidential candidates, said in a blog post that on their way to the top, the big tech companies purchased a long list of potential competitors, like Facebook's acquisition of Instagram. "They’ve bulldozed competition, used our private information for profit, and tilted the playing field against everyone else. And in the process, they have hurt small businesses and stifled innovation," Warren wrote in a post on Medium. Warren said she would nominate regulators who would unwind acquisitions such as Facebook's deals for WhatsApp and Instagram, Amazon's deals for Whole Foods and Zappos, and Google's purchases of Waze, Nest and DoubleClick. Investors shrugged off her comments. Shares of Facebook closed up 0.3 per cent on Friday, while Alphabet fell 0.08 per cent and Amazon.com lost 0.3 per cent. It is rare for the government to seek to undo a consummated deal. The most famous case in recent memory is the government's effort to break up Microsoft. The Justice Department won a preliminary victory in 2000 but was reversed on appeal. The case settled with Microsoft intact. Warren also proposed legislation that would require tech companies like Google and Amazon that offer an online marketplace or exchange to refrain from competing on their own platform. This would, for example, forbid Amazon itself from selling on its Amazon Marketplace platform. Amazon and Google did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Facebook declined to comment. 'An archaic idea' Tech companies have come under fire because of their role in displacing existing businesses. Amazon has replaced many brick-and-mortar stores and has been criticized for poorly paying its warehouse workers. Facebook has angered lawmakers for losing track of users' data and for not doing more to stop foreign meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Google has clashed with smaller companies, like Yelp, over search placements and has raised concerns it would comply with China's internet censorship and surveillance policies if it re-enters the Asian nation's search engine market. Congress held a series of hearings last year looking at the dominance of major tech companies. NetChoice, an e-commerce trade group whose members include Facebook and Google, said Warren's plan would lead to higher prices. "Senator Warren is wrong in her assertion that tech markets lack competition. Never before have consumers and workers had more access to goods, services and opportunities online," said Carl Szabo, vice president and general counsel for NetChoice. In Washington, the president of the US Chamber of Commerce, Tom Donohue, said breaking up the big tech companies would "take us back to the Stone Age." "This is not a vision for the future, but an archaic idea that should be dumped in your computer trash can," he said. Public Knowledge, a tech policy group, called Warren's plan a step toward protecting the next generation of businesses but stopped short of full-throated support for breaking up the tech giants. "We need legislation specifically targeted to enhance competition on digital platforms so that there is a real opportunity for new, innovative competitors to succeed," said Charlotte Slaiman, the group's policy counsel. Tim Wu, a professor of law, science and technology at Columbia Law School who coined the term "net neutrality" and has warned against an economy dominated by a few giant firms, said in a tweet that it was "heartening" to see the idea of breaking up the tech giants gaining some traction. Tech companies are some of the biggest political donors. Google spent $21 million to lobby in 2018 while Amazon spent $14.2 million and Facebook spent $12.62 million, according to their filings to US Congress. Angering a deep-pocketed industry could hurt Democrats, but that is not likely to be a big worry for Warren, who made her political mark and plenty of enemies by going after big banks after the 2007-09 financial crisis. In the Senate, Warren continues to be an outspoken critic of Wall Street and is a leader of her party's progressive wing. Other Democratic candidates have also criticized the tech firms. Senator Amy Klobuchar used her campaign launch speech to vow action on digital issues like privacy, saying "big tech companies" misuse personal data. Senator Bernie Sanders, another presidential candidate, in 2018 even named a bill after Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, the Stop BEZOS Act, which would tax big companies if their employees receive public benefits.

Wall Street critic Elizabeth Warren vows to break up Amazon, Facebook, Google

Some Microsoft Corp employees on Friday demanded that the company cancel a $480 million hardware contract to supply the US Army, with 94 workers signing a petition calling on the company to stop developing "any and all weapons technologies."

The organizing effort, described to Reuters by three Microsoft workers, offers the latest example in the last year of tech employees protesting cooperation with governments on emerging technologies.

Microsoft won a contract in November to supply the Army with at least 2,500 prototypes of augmented reality headsets, which digitally display contextual information in front of a user's eyes. The government has said the devices would be used on the battlefield and in training to improve soldiers "lethality, mobility and situational awareness."

In the petition to Microsoft executives, posted on Twitter, the workers said they "did not sign up to develop weapons, and we demand a say in how our work is used." They called on the company to develop "a public-facing acceptable use policy" for its technology and an external review board to publicly enforce it.

Microsoft said in a statement that it always appreciates employee feedback. It also referred to an October blog post by its president, Brad Smith, in which he said the company remained committed to assisting the military and would advocate for laws to ensure responsible use of new technologies.

The US Army did not provide immediate comment.

Shares of Microsoft fell 7 cents to $110.90 after hours on Friday.

Though many governments want to draw upon the expertise of the biggest US tech companies, employee resistance has added a new challenge to already complicated relationships.

Worker pushback led Alphabet Inc last year to announce it would not renew a Pentagon contract in which its artificial intelligence technology is used to analyze drone imagery.

In other cases, employee criticism has invited greater public scrutiny to deals, such as $10 billion cloud computing contract yet to be awarded and various contracts with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

One Microsoft worker, speaking on condition of anonymity, said it was unclear whether any of the lead petitioners' work was part of the Army contract. Another said several organizers work in the company's cloud computing division, which is competing with rivals Google Cloud and Amazon Web Services to gain more government work.

Microsoft is expected unveil updates to HoloLens, its headset for businesses and governments, during an event at the Mobile World Congress industry conference in Barcelona on Sunday.

Some Microsoft Corp employees on Friday demanded that the company cancel a $480 million hardware contract to supply the US Army, with 94 workers signing a petition calling on the company to stop developing "any and all weapons technologies.

Some Microsoft Corp employees on Friday demanded that the company cancel a $480 million hardware contract to supply the US Army, with 94 workers signing a petition calling on the company to stop developing "any and all weapons technologies." The organizing effort, described to Reuters by three Microsoft workers, offers the latest example in the last year of tech employees protesting cooperation with governments on emerging technologies. Microsoft won a contract in November to supply the Army with at least 2,500 prototypes of augmented reality headsets, which digitally display contextual information in front of a user's eyes. The government has said the devices would be used on the battlefield and in training to improve soldiers "lethality, mobility and situational awareness." In the petition to Microsoft executives, posted on Twitter, the workers said they "did not sign up to develop weapons, and we demand a say in how our work is used." They called on the company to develop "a public-facing acceptable use policy" for its technology and an external review board to publicly enforce it. Microsoft said in a statement that it always appreciates employee feedback. It also referred to an October blog post by its president, Brad Smith, in which he said the company remained committed to assisting the military and would advocate for laws to ensure responsible use of new technologies. The US Army did not provide immediate comment. Shares of Microsoft fell 7 cents to $110.90 after hours on Friday. Though many governments want to draw upon the expertise of the biggest US tech companies, employee resistance has added a new challenge to already complicated relationships. Worker pushback led Alphabet Inc last year to announce it would not renew a Pentagon contract in which its artificial intelligence technology is used to analyze drone imagery. In other cases, employee criticism has invited greater public scrutiny to deals, such as $10 billion cloud computing contract yet to be awarded and various contracts with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement. One Microsoft worker, speaking on condition of anonymity, said it was unclear whether any of the lead petitioners' work was part of the Army contract. Another said several organizers work in the company's cloud computing division, which is competing with rivals Google Cloud and Amazon Web Services to gain more government work. Microsoft is expected unveil updates to HoloLens, its headset for businesses and governments, during an event at the Mobile World Congress industry conference in Barcelona on Sunday.

Microsoft workers demand to drop $480 million US Army contract

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/dont-fight-in-front-of-the-kids-pope-francis-190061">Pope Francis</a> debated the potential threats artificial intelligence poses to humanity with the head of Microsoft on Wednesday, ahead of a robotics summit at the Vatican, it said.

"In the wrong hands, every instrument can become a weapon if the organisational power of humanity cannot keep up with the technology itself," Microsoft head Brad Smith said in an interview ahead of the papal meeting.

With Francis he discussed "artificial intelligence at the service of the common good and activities aimed at bridging the digital divide that still persists at the global level," the Vatican said.

The pontiff had urged world leaders gathered in Davos last year to ensure that AI "contribute(s) to the service of humanity and to the protection of our common home, rather than to the contrary".

Smith told the Vatican's L'Osservatore Romano newspaper that "in order to ensure people have confidence in technology, we must think beyond the technology itself".

"We need strong ethical principles, new evolved laws, the training of people with new skills and even labour market reforms".

Microsoft and the Vatican's Pontifical Academy for Life launched an international prize on ethics in artificial intelligence (AI), the academy said.

It will go to the best doctoral dissertation between September 2018 and October 2019 on AI at the service of humanity.

"AI will have an impact on every area of society and will not be created by or used by the technology sector alone. That's why the world must come together to face these problems with a sense of shared responsibility," Smith said.

His visit came ahead of a summit on "Robo-ethics: Humans, Machines and Health" at the Vatican on February 25 and 26.

The workshop will focus on the use of robots and artificial intelligence, specifically in medicine and health care, and how they are having an ever-increasing impact on human lives, relationships, communities and creation.

It will be followed in 2020 by a plenary assembly on artificial intelligence.

Pope Francis debated the potential threats artificial intelligence poses to humanity with the head of Microsoft on Wednesday, ahead of a robotics summit at the Vatican, it said.

Pope Francis debated the potential threats artificial intelligence poses to humanity with the head of Microsoft on Wednesday, ahead of a robotics summit at the Vatican, it said. "In the wrong hands, every instrument can become a weapon if the organisational power of humanity cannot keep up with the technology itself," Microsoft head Brad Smith said in an interview ahead of the papal meeting. With Francis he discussed "artificial intelligence at the service of the common good and activities aimed at bridging the digital divide that still persists at the global level," the Vatican said. The pontiff had urged world leaders gathered in Davos last year to ensure that AI "contribute(s) to the service of humanity and to the protection of our common home, rather than to the contrary". Smith told the Vatican's L'Osservatore Romano newspaper that "in order to ensure people have confidence in technology, we must think beyond the technology itself". "We need strong ethical principles, new evolved laws, the training of people with new skills and even labour market reforms". Microsoft and the Vatican's Pontifical Academy for Life launched an international prize on ethics in artificial intelligence (AI), the academy said. It will go to the best doctoral dissertation between September 2018 and October 2019 on AI at the service of humanity. "AI will have an impact on every area of society and will not be created by or used by the technology sector alone. That's why the world must come together to face these problems with a sense of shared responsibility," Smith said. His visit came ahead of a summit on "Robo-ethics: Humans, Machines and Health" at the Vatican on February 25 and 26. The workshop will focus on the use of robots and artificial intelligence, specifically in medicine and health care, and how they are having an ever-increasing impact on human lives, relationships, communities and creation. It will be followed in 2020 by a plenary assembly on artificial intelligence.

Pope Francis, Microsoft chief Brad Smith discuss ethics of artificial intelligence

Apple is aiming to show it can do more than just make iPhones in a quarterly update Tuesday for investors who are skeptical over whether the culture-changing company can regain the momentum from its glory days.

In recent weeks, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/apple-in-crisis-users-complaining-of-swollen-iphone-8-and-8-plus-21175">Apple shares have been hammered</a> on concerns that its best days are over, with smartphone sales slipping and no new "big thing" on the horizon.

Amid turbulence in the tech sector, Apple has lost its trillion-dollar status and slid behind rivals Microsoft and Amazon on the list of most valuable corporations.

The California tech giant has been trying to shift focus to growth in the side of its business devoted to selling music, movies, apps, and services to the vast "install base" of Apple gadget owners as well as via other internet-linked devices.

Apple delivered a stunning admission earlier this month that iPhone sales and overall revenues would be below most forecasts, citing economic weakness in China and trade frictions between Washington and Beijing.

Some analysts believe iPhone sales over the quarter to December will show an unprecedented decline, although the exact figures won't be visible because Apple has decided to leave off unit sales.

Resilience? 
Gene Munster and Will Thompson of the investment firm Loup Ventures said that despite lower iPhone sales, Apple can make up for lost revenues from its growing services segment.

"This is unprecedented and representative of a resilient business," Munster and Thompson write in a blog post.

The saturated global smartphone market is forcing Apple to seek another reinvention.

"This is not 'the fall of Apple' -- it's just the shift of smartphones to boring maturity, as we look for what's next," Benedict Evans of the investment firm Andreessen Horowitz said in a recent blog post.&nbsp;

Rumors buzzing about the company include its plans to produce it own shows, potentially challenging streaming television giants Netflix and Amazon Prime, which have invested heavily in original content.

"There are other ways to make money but it's not clear how Apple is going to do that," noted analyst Jack Gold of J. Gold Associates.

Apple has consistently touted the success of its eponymous smartwatch, engineering the wristwear with health and fitness features.

Apple Pay has been steadily adding to the roster of businesses that let people tap handsets to consummate transactions.

Another important source of income is the surging market for app downloads, where Apple gets 30 percent of the action.

Meanwhile, Apple remains under pressure as fans and analysts wonder whether the company lost its ability to wow the world when co-founder and chief Steve Jobs died in late 2011.

The China factor 
Apple had been growing in China until recently, but the combination of trade frictions and a slowing Chinese economy are cutting into its sales there.

Former Apple executive Jean-Louis Gassee said the surprise on Chinese sales was a massive mistake for CEO Tim Cook.

"I distinctly recall Cook telling analysts during a quarterly earnings call that, having studied the country for 30 years, he knew China," Gassee said in a blog.

"How could Apple, which is more embedded than most Western companies, not see a Chinese economy slowdown that started well before the 2018 holiday quarter?"

Apple is likely to face questions on whether it boosted prices too far, lifting its newest handsets to $1,000 or more, in a market that is seeing tougher competition.

Consumer Intelligence Research Partners said its survey showed 65 percent of iPhone buyers chose the newer models over the less expensive ones, and that the average selling price of the devices rose to "well over $800."

Apple is aiming to show it can do more than just make iPhones in a quarterly update Tuesday for investors who are skeptical over whether the culture-changing company can regain the momentum from its glory days.

Apple is aiming to show it can do more than just make iPhones in a quarterly update Tuesday for investors who are skeptical over whether the culture-changing company can regain the momentum from its glory days. In recent weeks, Apple shares have been hammered on concerns that its best days are over, with smartphone sales slipping and no new "big thing" on the horizon. Amid turbulence in the tech sector, Apple has lost its trillion-dollar status and slid behind rivals Microsoft and Amazon on the list of most valuable corporations. The California tech giant has been trying to shift focus to growth in the side of its business devoted to selling music, movies, apps, and services to the vast "install base" of Apple gadget owners as well as via other internet-linked devices. Apple delivered a stunning admission earlier this month that iPhone sales and overall revenues would be below most forecasts, citing economic weakness in China and trade frictions between Washington and Beijing. Some analysts believe iPhone sales over the quarter to December will show an unprecedented decline, although the exact figures won't be visible because Apple has decided to leave off unit sales. Resilience? Gene Munster and Will Thompson of the investment firm Loup Ventures said that despite lower iPhone sales, Apple can make up for lost revenues from its growing services segment. "This is unprecedented and representative of a resilient business," Munster and Thompson write in a blog post. The saturated global smartphone market is forcing Apple to seek another reinvention. "This is not 'the fall of Apple' -- it's just the shift of smartphones to boring maturity, as we look for what's next," Benedict Evans of the investment firm Andreessen Horowitz said in a recent blog post. Rumors buzzing about the company include its plans to produce it own shows, potentially challenging streaming television giants Netflix and Amazon Prime, which have invested heavily in original content. "There are other ways to make money but it's not clear how Apple is going to do that," noted analyst Jack Gold of J. Gold Associates. Apple has consistently touted the success of its eponymous smartwatch, engineering the wristwear with health and fitness features. Apple Pay has been steadily adding to the roster of businesses that let people tap handsets to consummate transactions. Another important source of income is the surging market for app downloads, where Apple gets 30 percent of the action. Meanwhile, Apple remains under pressure as fans and analysts wonder whether the company lost its ability to wow the world when co-founder and chief Steve Jobs died in late 2011. The China factor Apple had been growing in China until recently, but the combination of trade frictions and a slowing Chinese economy are cutting into its sales there. Former Apple executive Jean-Louis Gassee said the surprise on Chinese sales was a massive mistake for CEO Tim Cook. "I distinctly recall Cook telling analysts during a quarterly earnings call that, having studied the country for 30 years, he knew China," Gassee said in a blog. "How could Apple, which is more embedded than most Western companies, not see a Chinese economy slowdown that started well before the 2018 holiday quarter?" Apple is likely to face questions on whether it boosted prices too far, lifting its newest handsets to $1,000 or more, in a market that is seeing tougher competition. Consumer Intelligence Research Partners said its survey showed 65 percent of iPhone buyers chose the newer models over the less expensive ones, and that the average selling price of the devices rose to "well over $800."

Apple's best days behind it?

Search engine Bing's outage in China last week was a technical error, rather than an intentional censorship block, a source familiar with the matter said, although Chinese authorities and Microsoft have not commented on the topic.

From a technical perspective, a person at Microsoft Corp told Reuters, the site appeared to have been blocked in a manner similar to sites blocked by the government.

But the company had received no prior notice from authorities, and the disruption was not intentional on the part of the government, added the person, who declined to be identified, citing the sensitivity of the matter.

Microsoft was not immediately available for comment on Monday. Last week, although it confirmed the outage, it declined to give details.

The Cyberspace Administration of China did not respond immediately to a faxed request from Reuters seeking comment.

Starting from Thursday, Internet users in China attempting to access cn.bing.com, the search engine's domestic URL, found themselves directed to an error page.

Attempts to log on to Facebook, Google search, or other sites blocked by China's Great Firewall, encountered the same fate.

Service had resumed by late on Friday, however.

Engineers at ExpressVPN, a provider of virtual private network (VPN) software allowing internet users in China to access censored websites, ran tests during the outage to determine its origin.

They found that rather than domain name service (DNS) poisoning, the most common means for blocking sites under the Great Firewall, Bing's outage appeared to employ a technique known as "black-holing".

With this method, rather than redirecting to a dummy server traffic headed for a specific website, the traffic is simply cut off en route, usually at the internet service provider (ISP) level.

Express VPN Vice President Harold Li said blackholing boosts the likelihood of an accidental block, versus the more typical DNS poisoning, though he added that the company could not confirm the exact nature of the outage.

"We have no idea if it was an accident or not, but it's much easier to make the mistake of blocking Bing when you're blocking a set of IP addresses," he said, referring to website addresses.

Bing has long been the only major overseas search engine accessible in China, which blocked access to Alphabet’s Google search platform starting in 2010. Microsoft alters Bing's results to avoid politically sensitive topics, in line with government policy.

Bing's outage came a day after a widely read article by a Chinese journalist criticizing the quality of search results from Baidu Inc, the dominant domestic search engine.

That led some internet users to speculate the two incidents were related. The company has endured regular public backlash since 2016 when a Chinese student died after seeking treatment at a hospital that advertised on Baidu.

&nbsp;

Search engine Bing's outage in China last week was a technical error, rather than an intentional censorship block, a source familiar with the matter said, although Chinese authorities and Microsoft have not commented on the topic.

Search engine Bing's outage in China last week was a technical error, rather than an intentional censorship block, a source familiar with the matter said, although Chinese authorities and Microsoft have not commented on the topic. From a technical perspective, a person at Microsoft Corp told Reuters, the site appeared to have been blocked in a manner similar to sites blocked by the government. But the company had received no prior notice from authorities, and the disruption was not intentional on the part of the government, added the person, who declined to be identified, citing the sensitivity of the matter. Microsoft was not immediately available for comment on Monday. Last week, although it confirmed the outage, it declined to give details. The Cyberspace Administration of China did not respond immediately to a faxed request from Reuters seeking comment. Starting from Thursday, Internet users in China attempting to access cn.bing.com, the search engine's domestic URL, found themselves directed to an error page. Attempts to log on to Facebook, Google search, or other sites blocked by China's Great Firewall, encountered the same fate. Service had resumed by late on Friday, however. Engineers at ExpressVPN, a provider of virtual private network (VPN) software allowing internet users in China to access censored websites, ran tests during the outage to determine its origin. They found that rather than domain name service (DNS) poisoning, the most common means for blocking sites under the Great Firewall, Bing's outage appeared to employ a technique known as "black-holing". With this method, rather than redirecting to a dummy server traffic headed for a specific website, the traffic is simply cut off en route, usually at the internet service provider (ISP) level. Express VPN Vice President Harold Li said blackholing boosts the likelihood of an accidental block, versus the more typical DNS poisoning, though he added that the company could not confirm the exact nature of the outage. "We have no idea if it was an accident or not, but it's much easier to make the mistake of blocking Bing when you're blocking a set of IP addresses," he said, referring to website addresses. Bing has long been the only major overseas search engine accessible in China, which blocked access to Alphabet’s Google search platform starting in 2010. Microsoft alters Bing's results to avoid politically sensitive topics, in line with government policy. Bing's outage came a day after a widely read article by a Chinese journalist criticizing the quality of search results from Baidu Inc, the dominant domestic search engine. That led some internet users to speculate the two incidents were related. The company has endured regular public backlash since 2016 when a Chinese student died after seeking treatment at a hospital that advertised on Baidu.

Bing outage in China was technical error, not censors' block - source

<a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.wionews.com/world/microsofts-bing-search-engine-goes-offline-in-china-192347&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjrs6eikojgAhXCWisKHcniAuoQFggIMAE&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw1vFypeaQbmWzk6-jvY9KTK">Microsoft </a>is still trying to figure out why its<a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.wionews.com/world/microsoft-says-bing-search-engine-blocked-in-china-192473&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjrs6eikojgAhXCWisKHcniAuoQFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw1uJZXw8Yo3gjz0Zf8eztXI"> Bing search engine</a> temporarily went offline in China, the company's president said following speculation that it could have been blocked by censors.

The US firm's Chinese website, cn.Bing.Com, was accessible again late Thursday, one day after it suddenly went offline, temporarily taking away the most prominent foreign search engine in China.

The disruption raised fears among social media users that it was the latest foreign website to be blocked by China. Sites such as Facebook and Twitter have long been blocked by authorities using a censorship apparatus known as the "Great Firewall".

"This is not the first time it's happened. It happens periodically," Microsoft president Brad Smith told Fox Business News at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

"There are times when there are disagreements, there are times when there are difficult negotiations with the Chinese government, and we're still waiting to find out what this situation is about," he said.

Bing's temporary disruption came as a surprise because the search engine has followed China's censorship rules.

On Thursday, for example, a Bing search for Liu Xiaobo, the dissident and Nobel Peace Prize laureate who died of cancer while still in custody last year, returned one message: "Results are removed in response to a notice of local law requirement."Smith said it was understood that Bing did not have the same legal freedoms in China that it enjoyed in other countries.

"But at the same time, we stick to our guns. There are certain principles that we think it's important to stand up for, and we'll go at times into the negotiating room and the negotiations are sometimes pretty darn direct," he said.

While its rival Google shut down its search engine in China in 2010 after rows over censorship and hacking, Bing has continued to operate in the country, along with Microsoft-owned Skype.

Bing, however, has struggled to catch up to China's own Baidu search engine, which dominates the market even though many people in the country complain about the quality of its search results.

Smith said Microsoft took seriously its obligations to customers regarding censorship.

"I think what is interesting today is technology and sort of human rights, free expression, these issues are really intersecting and on certain days colliding more than in the past," he said.

"There are deals that we've turned down for things like facial recognition technology because we felt that people's rights will be put at risk.

"And I think more than ever, tech companies really need to think about these things, they need to be principled and you have to have a little moral courage, in my view, if you're going to be in this business and really take care of your customers."&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Microsoft is still trying to figure out why its Bing search engine temporarily went offline in China, the company's president said following speculation that it could have been blocked by censors.

Microsoft is still trying to figure out why its Bing search engine temporarily went offline in China, the company's president said following speculation that it could have been blocked by censors. The US firm's Chinese website, cn.Bing.Com, was accessible again late Thursday, one day after it suddenly went offline, temporarily taking away the most prominent foreign search engine in China. The disruption raised fears among social media users that it was the latest foreign website to be blocked by China. Sites such as Facebook and Twitter have long been blocked by authorities using a censorship apparatus known as the "Great Firewall". "This is not the first time it's happened. It happens periodically," Microsoft president Brad Smith told Fox Business News at the World Economic Forum in Davos. "There are times when there are disagreements, there are times when there are difficult negotiations with the Chinese government, and we're still waiting to find out what this situation is about," he said. Bing's temporary disruption came as a surprise because the search engine has followed China's censorship rules. On Thursday, for example, a Bing search for Liu Xiaobo, the dissident and Nobel Peace Prize laureate who died of cancer while still in custody last year, returned one message: "Results are removed in response to a notice of local law requirement."Smith said it was understood that Bing did not have the same legal freedoms in China that it enjoyed in other countries. "But at the same time, we stick to our guns. There are certain principles that we think it's important to stand up for, and we'll go at times into the negotiating room and the negotiations are sometimes pretty darn direct," he said. While its rival Google shut down its search engine in China in 2010 after rows over censorship and hacking, Bing has continued to operate in the country, along with Microsoft-owned Skype. Bing, however, has struggled to catch up to China's own Baidu search engine, which dominates the market even though many people in the country complain about the quality of its search results. Smith said Microsoft took seriously its obligations to customers regarding censorship. "I think what is interesting today is technology and sort of human rights, free expression, these issues are really intersecting and on certain days colliding more than in the past," he said. "There are deals that we've turned down for things like facial recognition technology because we felt that people's rights will be put at risk. "And I think more than ever, tech companies really need to think about these things, they need to be principled and you have to have a little moral courage, in my view, if you're going to be in this business and really take care of your customers."

Microsoft 'waiting to find out' why Bing went offline in China

Microsoft was investigating a disruption in its Bing search engine in China on Thursday, with social media users fearing it could be the latest foreign website to be blocked by censors.

Attempts to open cn.bing.com has resulted in an error message for users since Wednesday.

"We're aware of reports that Bing may be inaccessible to some customers in China and are investigating," a Microsoft spokesperson said in a statement.

China's Communist authorities operate an online censorship apparatus known as the "Great Firewall", which blocks a slew of websites including Facebook, Twitter and several foreign media outlets.

But it was not clear whether or not Bing joined the long list of prohibited websites, or if its China service was experiencing technical difficulties.

China's cyberspace administration could not immediately be reached for comment.

China's Great Firewall can be circumvented by using a virtual private network (VPN), which can hide a user's IP address.

While its rival Google shut down its search engine in China in 2010 after rows over censorship and hacking, Bing has continued to operate in the country along with Microsoft-owned Skype.

On Weibo, China's Twitter-like social media site, people complained about the lack of access, with some speculating that Bing too had been "walled off".

Others aired their dissatisfaction about having to use Baidu, China's largest domestic search service.

"I can't open Bing, but I don't want to use Baidu -- what to do?" wrote one user.

"Bing is actually dead -- is this to force me to use Baidu??" said another, cursing.

China has tightened policing of the internet in recent years, shuttering 26,000 "illegal" websites in 2018 alone and deleting six million online posts containing vulgar content, the official Xinhua news agency said earlier this month.

Bing's disruption comes as the United States and China are locked in a bruising trade war, with US accusations that China steals technological know-how among the core disagreements.

The two sides are scheduled for new trade negotiations next week.

Microsoft was investigating a disruption in its Bing search engine in China on Thursday, with social media users fearing it could be the latest foreign website to be blocked by censors.

Microsoft was investigating a disruption in its Bing search engine in China on Thursday, with social media users fearing it could be the latest foreign website to be blocked by censors. Attempts to open cn.bing.com has resulted in an error message for users since Wednesday. "We're aware of reports that Bing may be inaccessible to some customers in China and are investigating," a Microsoft spokesperson said in a statement. China's Communist authorities operate an online censorship apparatus known as the "Great Firewall", which blocks a slew of websites including Facebook, Twitter and several foreign media outlets. But it was not clear whether or not Bing joined the long list of prohibited websites, or if its China service was experiencing technical difficulties. China's cyberspace administration could not immediately be reached for comment. China's Great Firewall can be circumvented by using a virtual private network (VPN), which can hide a user's IP address. While its rival Google shut down its search engine in China in 2010 after rows over censorship and hacking, Bing has continued to operate in the country along with Microsoft-owned Skype. On Weibo, China's Twitter-like social media site, people complained about the lack of access, with some speculating that Bing too had been "walled off". Others aired their dissatisfaction about having to use Baidu, China's largest domestic search service. "I can't open Bing, but I don't want to use Baidu -- what to do?" wrote one user. "Bing is actually dead -- is this to force me to use Baidu??" said another, cursing. China has tightened policing of the internet in recent years, shuttering 26,000 "illegal" websites in 2018 alone and deleting six million online posts containing vulgar content, the official Xinhua news agency said earlier this month. Bing's disruption comes as the United States and China are locked in a bruising trade war, with US accusations that China steals technological know-how among the core disagreements. The two sides are scheduled for new trade negotiations next week.

Microsoft's Bing search engine goes offline in China

Microsoft briefly overtook Apple on Monday as the world's most valuable company by market capitalization before slipping back into second place.

Near 1800 GMT, Microsoft hit an overall market capitalization of $812.9 billion, just ahead of Apple's $812.6 billion, according to Bloomberg News.

However, Microsoft's surge to the top spot was short-lived. In late-afternoon trading, Apple's value was $822.9 billion, about $7 billion above Microsoft's.

Microsoft shares rose 0.6 per cent Tuesday, pushing the company’s market value to $828.1 billion at the close. Currently, Microsoft ranks second behind Amazon Web Services in the cloud.

The multinational company had experienced a downfall after computing shifted from desktop machines to mobile devices like iPhones.

Microsoft had tried regaining its lost dominance by acquiring Nokia’s handset business and releasing its own phones. The attempts, however, led to further decline.

Microsoft's fortune changed after the company invested heavily in data centers and other infrastructure to run applications and store data for corporate customers.

Microsoft also stopped manufacturing smartphone hardware, while boosting the quality of its tablet and PC designs.

Apple has been under pressure since a November 1 earnings announcement when it reported strong jumps in quarterly profits but notched weaker-than-anticipated iPhone sales and a disappointing outlook for the key holiday period.

(With inputs from agencies)

Microsoft briefly overtook Apple on Monday as the world's most valuable company by market capitalization before slipping back into second place. Near 1800 GMT, Microsoft hit an overall market capitalization of $812.

Microsoft briefly overtook Apple on Monday as the world's most valuable company by market capitalization before slipping back into second place. Near 1800 GMT, Microsoft hit an overall market capitalization of $812.9 billion, just ahead of Apple's $812.6 billion, according to Bloomberg News. However, Microsoft's surge to the top spot was short-lived. In late-afternoon trading, Apple's value was $822.9 billion, about $7 billion above Microsoft's. Microsoft shares rose 0.6 per cent Tuesday, pushing the company’s market value to $828.1 billion at the close. Currently, Microsoft ranks second behind Amazon Web Services in the cloud. The multinational company had experienced a downfall after computing shifted from desktop machines to mobile devices like iPhones. Microsoft had tried regaining its lost dominance by acquiring Nokia’s handset business and releasing its own phones. The attempts, however, led to further decline. Microsoft's fortune changed after the company invested heavily in data centers and other infrastructure to run applications and store data for corporate customers. Microsoft also stopped manufacturing smartphone hardware, while boosting the quality of its tablet and PC designs. Apple has been under pressure since a November 1 earnings announcement when it reported strong jumps in quarterly profits but notched weaker-than-anticipated iPhone sales and a disappointing outlook for the key holiday period. (With inputs from agencies)

Microsoft beats Apple to become world's most valuable company 

Wall Street stocks suffered a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/wall-street-tumbles-as-apple-internet-stocks-swoon-178366">second consecutive battering</a> on Tuesday, with weakness in the technology sector spreading to other areas, especially energy and retail.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged 2.2 per cent, or more than 550 points, to finish at 24,465.64, wiping out its gains for the year and then some.

The broad-based S&amp;P 500 shed 1.8 per cent to 2,641.89, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index fell 1.7 per cent to 6,908.82.&nbsp;

After Tuesday, the Nasdaq was the only one of the three indices still clinging to a modest gain for the year, but stood at its lowest levels in more than seven months.&nbsp;

"Today was again a big sell-off," said JJ Kinahan, chief market strategist at TD Ameritrade. "Investors are repricing stocks."

Analysts have blamed the weakness on worries about slowing global growth exacerbated by a series of Federal Reserve interest rate hikes and the burgeoning US-China trade dispute.&nbsp;

Some market watchers have said the fall has been exacerbated by light trading volumes this week ahead of Thursday's Thanksgiving holidays when markets will be closed.

Most large technology companies dropped again, including Apple and Microsoft, which shed 4.8 per cent and 2.8 per cent respectively. Amazon and Netflix fell more modestly, while Google parent Alphabet and Facebook advanced modestly in apparent bargain hunting.

Petroleum-linked shares were another weak segment, with Dow members ExxonMobil and Chevron plunging nearly three per cent and Apache shedding 5.1 per cent.

The losses came after benchmark US oil prices slid 6.6 per cent to $53.43 per barrel, the lowest level in more than a year, amid worries over excess supply.

Leading retailers mostly fell following mixed earnings reports, with Target dropping 10.5 per cent, Lowe's 5.7 per cent and Kohl's 9.2 per cent. An exception was Best Buy, which advanced 2.2 per cent.

Wall Street stocks suffered a second consecutive battering on Tuesday, with weakness in the technology sector spreading to other areas, especially energy and retail.

Wall Street stocks suffered a second consecutive battering on Tuesday, with weakness in the technology sector spreading to other areas, especially energy and retail. The Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged 2.2 per cent, or more than 550 points, to finish at 24,465.64, wiping out its gains for the year and then some. The broad-based S&P 500 shed 1.8 per cent to 2,641.89, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index fell 1.7 per cent to 6,908.82. After Tuesday, the Nasdaq was the only one of the three indices still clinging to a modest gain for the year, but stood at its lowest levels in more than seven months. "Today was again a big sell-off," said JJ Kinahan, chief market strategist at TD Ameritrade. "Investors are repricing stocks." Analysts have blamed the weakness on worries about slowing global growth exacerbated by a series of Federal Reserve interest rate hikes and the burgeoning US-China trade dispute. Some market watchers have said the fall has been exacerbated by light trading volumes this week ahead of Thursday's Thanksgiving holidays when markets will be closed. Most large technology companies dropped again, including Apple and Microsoft, which shed 4.8 per cent and 2.8 per cent respectively. Amazon and Netflix fell more modestly, while Google parent Alphabet and Facebook advanced modestly in apparent bargain hunting. Petroleum-linked shares were another weak segment, with Dow members ExxonMobil and Chevron plunging nearly three per cent and Apache shedding 5.1 per cent. The losses came after benchmark US oil prices slid 6.6 per cent to $53.43 per barrel, the lowest level in more than a year, amid worries over excess supply. Leading retailers mostly fell following mixed earnings reports, with Target dropping 10.5 per cent, Lowe's 5.7 per cent and Kohl's 9.2 per cent. An exception was Best Buy, which advanced 2.2 per cent.

Wall Street stocks slum as tech, energy, retail sectors weaken

As one of the world's richest men and most active philanthropists, Bill Gates usually has his hands full. Just not with poop.

So it came as a surprise when the founder of Microsoft brandished a jar of human waste at a forum on the future of the toilet in Beijing on Tuesday.

The stunt was an effort to draw attention to a problem affecting developing countries around the world: not enough toilets.

"In places without sanitation you have got way more than that," Gates said, pointing to the feces inside the clear canister resting on a table.

"And that's what kids when they are out playing, they are being exposed to all the time, and that's why we connect this not just with quality of life, but with disease and death and with malnutrition," he told attendees.

The billionaire said more than half of the world's population suffers without clean, comfortable sanitation facilities.

"When you think of things that are basic right up there with health and enough to eat, you think that having a reasonable toilet certainly belongs on that list," Gates said.

Gates has previously used shock tactics to draw attention to his disease-battling efforts.

In 2009, he loosed mosquitoes at a Technology, Entertainment, Design (TED) Conference in California to make a point about the deadly sting of malaria -- waiting a minute or so before assuring the audience the liberated insects were disease-free.

Gates was in Beijing on Tuesday for the "Reinvented Toilet Expo", a forum hosted by the Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation showcasing various cutting-edge toilet technology in lieu of sewers, making them easier and cheaper to install the devices.

The world's number two economy is in the midst of a drive to improve its notoriously malodorous bathrooms, a campaign President Xi Jinping has dubbed the "toilet revolution."

"China has made great progress in improving health and sanitation for millions of people," Gates said.

"China has an opportunity to launch a new category of innovated non-sewered sanitation solutions that will benefit millions of people worldwide."

According to UNICEF, 892 million people worldwide have no choice but to defecate in the open.

India's government says its public health drive has slashed the number of people in the country forced to defecate in the open from 550 million in 2014 to less than 150 million today.

As one of the world's richest men and most active philanthropists, Bill Gates usually has his hands full. Just not with poop. So it came as a surprise when the founder of Microsoft brandished a jar of human waste at a forum on the future of the toilet in Beijing on Tuesday.

As one of the world's richest men and most active philanthropists, Bill Gates usually has his hands full. Just not with poop. So it came as a surprise when the founder of Microsoft brandished a jar of human waste at a forum on the future of the toilet in Beijing on Tuesday. The stunt was an effort to draw attention to a problem affecting developing countries around the world: not enough toilets. "In places without sanitation you have got way more than that," Gates said, pointing to the feces inside the clear canister resting on a table. "And that's what kids when they are out playing, they are being exposed to all the time, and that's why we connect this not just with quality of life, but with disease and death and with malnutrition," he told attendees. The billionaire said more than half of the world's population suffers without clean, comfortable sanitation facilities. "When you think of things that are basic right up there with health and enough to eat, you think that having a reasonable toilet certainly belongs on that list," Gates said. Gates has previously used shock tactics to draw attention to his disease-battling efforts. In 2009, he loosed mosquitoes at a Technology, Entertainment, Design (TED) Conference in California to make a point about the deadly sting of malaria -- waiting a minute or so before assuring the audience the liberated insects were disease-free. Gates was in Beijing on Tuesday for the "Reinvented Toilet Expo", a forum hosted by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation showcasing various cutting-edge toilet technology in lieu of sewers, making them easier and cheaper to install the devices. The world's number two economy is in the midst of a drive to improve its notoriously malodorous bathrooms, a campaign President Xi Jinping has dubbed the "toilet revolution." "China has made great progress in improving health and sanitation for millions of people," Gates said. "China has an opportunity to launch a new category of innovated non-sewered sanitation solutions that will benefit millions of people worldwide." According to UNICEF, 892 million people worldwide have no choice but to defecate in the open. India's government says its public health drive has slashed the number of people in the country forced to defecate in the open from 550 million in 2014 to less than 150 million today.

Watch: Poop in hand, Bill Gates backs China's toilet revolution

Microsoft routinely shared financial details of the customers of Indian banks with the US government, the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/business/report-dna-money-exclusive-microsoft-shared-indian-bank-customers-data-with-us-intel-2680752">DNA newspaper has reported</a>.&nbsp;

The report said the details shared were of customers of banks that have moved to Microsoft's Office 365 cloud-based email service. And that Microsoft was bound by US law — under the US Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and if a US national security letter is issued — to share the information as and when asked.&nbsp;

The DNA report added that the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/government-very-upset-with-rbi-for-making-rift-public-sources-174359">Reserve Bank of India</a> has flagged the data sharing in its Risk Assessment Report (RAR), which has been placed before the banks’ audit committees for responses.&nbsp;

And that according to the responses the RBI has got, the banks are aware that their customers' financial details are being shared with US security and intelligence agencies.&nbsp;

The report added that the customers themselves may not be in the know.&nbsp;

Microsoft did not respond to the specific questions DNA sent it, but firmly defended its position on privacy.&nbsp;

A Microsoft spokesperson told DNA Money, “No government has direct access to any of our users’ data. Data privacy is a top priority for us. We never provide customer data unless we receive a legally valid warrant, order or subpoena about specific accounts or individual identifiers that we have reviewed and consider legally appropriate and consistent with the rule of law and our Microsoft principles. Absent extraordinary circumstances, in the vast majority of cases we redirect governments to seek data directly from commercial customers or to allow us to tell our commercial customers when the government seeks their data.”

Microsoft routinely shared financial details of the customers of Indian banks with the US government, the DNA newspaper has reported. The report said the details shared were of customers of banks that have moved to Microsoft's Office 365 cloud-based email service.

Microsoft routinely shared financial details of the customers of Indian banks with the US government, the DNA newspaper has reported. The report said the details shared were of customers of banks that have moved to Microsoft's Office 365 cloud-based email service. And that Microsoft was bound by US law — under the US Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and if a US national security letter is issued — to share the information as and when asked. The DNA report added that the Reserve Bank of India has flagged the data sharing in its Risk Assessment Report (RAR), which has been placed before the banks’ audit committees for responses. And that according to the responses the RBI has got, the banks are aware that their customers' financial details are being shared with US security and intelligence agencies. The report added that the customers themselves may not be in the know. Microsoft did not respond to the specific questions DNA sent it, but firmly defended its position on privacy. A Microsoft spokesperson told DNA Money, “No government has direct access to any of our users’ data. Data privacy is a top priority for us. We never provide customer data unless we receive a legally valid warrant, order or subpoena about specific accounts or individual identifiers that we have reviewed and consider legally appropriate and consistent with the rule of law and our Microsoft principles. Absent extraordinary circumstances, in the vast majority of cases we redirect governments to seek data directly from commercial customers or to allow us to tell our commercial customers when the government seeks their data.”

Microsoft routinely shared Indian banks' customers' financial details with US govt: Report

Paul Allen, who founded Microsoft with Bill Gates in the 1970s and later went on to become an investor, philanthropist and sports team owner, died Monday after his latest battle with cancer at age 65.

"My brother was a remarkable individual on every level. While most knew Paul Allen as a technologist and philanthropist, for us he was a much-loved brother and uncle, and an exceptional friend," Allen's sister Jody said in a statement announcing his death.

In recent years, Allen was known as the owner of the NFL's Seattle Seahawks and the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers, and part owner of the Major League Soccer team the Seattle Sounders, along with a variety of business and charitable ventures.

One of the world's wealthiest billionaires, Allen also founded Stratolaunch Systems, which built the world's largest plane designed as a colossal rocket-launching aircraft touted as the future of space travel.&nbsp;

The craft was on track for its first launch demonstration as early as 2019.

Allen died just two weeks after publicly revealing that non-Hodgkin's lymphoma he fought into remission nine years ago had returned. The incurable cancer affects white blood cells.

He never married and had no children.

Classmate of Gates

Allen was a high school classmate of Gates in Seattle, and later, while working as a computer programmer, persuaded his friend to drop out of Harvard to create Microsoft, which became the world's most valuable company in the 1990s.

A "heartbroken" Gates remembered Allen as "one of my oldest and dearest friends."

"Personal computing would not have existed without him," Gates added.

"He was fond of saying, 'If it has the potential to do good, then we should do it.' That’s the kind of person he was."

Allen had left Microsoft by 1983 for health reasons but held on to shares that made up the bulk of his fortune, estimated at some $20 billion.

"All of us who had the honour of working with Paul feel an inexpressible loss today," said a statement by Vulcan, the investment firm that managed his operations.

"He possessed a remarkable intellect and a passion to solve some of the world's most difficult problems, with the conviction that creative thinking and new approaches could make a profound and lasting impact."

Microsoft said Allen's "contributions to our company, our industry and to our community are indispensable."

"As co-founder of Microsoft, in his own quiet and persistent way, he created magical products, experiences and institutions. And in doing so, he changed the world," added the company's CEO Satya Nadella.

While Gates attended Harvard, Allen studied at the University of Washington and invested heavily in research projects in his hometown of Seattle.

He invested $100 million to establish the Allen Institute for Brain Science in 2003.

A decade later, he founded the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence to study the impacts on society of new technologies and the Allen Institute for Cell Science to fund research for the treatment of diseases.

Big man in sports

In the world of sports, Allen in 1988 bought the Trail Blazers, taking the team to the NBA finals twice.

"Paul Allen was the ultimate trail-blazer -- in business, philanthropy and in sports," said NBA commissioner Adam Silver.

"As one of the longest-tenured owners in the NBA, Paul brought a sense of discovery and vision to every league matter large and small."&nbsp;

He was also credited with putting Seattle on the map for the NFL.

"Paul Allen was the driving force behind keeping the NFL in the Pacific Northwest," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement.

"His vision led to the construction of CenturyLink Field and the building of a team that played in three Super Bowls, winning the championship in Super Bowl XLVIII. "

His personal charitable foundation gave to a diverse array of causes, including anti-poaching initiatives in Africa, climate and energy research, and projects on homelessness, as well as the arts and culture.

Actor and environmentalist Leonardo DiCaprio hailed Allen as a "strong advocate for environmental protection."&nbsp;

"His legacy lives on via his incredible work as a philanthropist and investor," he added.

Amazon, Blue Origin and The Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos said Allen's "passion for invention and pushing forward inspired so many. He was relentless to the end."

In his 2011 memoir "Idea Man," Allen described a somewhat stormy relationship with Gates in the early days of Microsoft.

Allen wrote that he had expected a 50-50 split in the new company, but Gates insisted on taking 60 per cent, and later raised it to 64 per cent, claiming that Gates schemed to "rip me off."

He played guitar since he was a teenager and played for a blues-rock album with his group the Underthinkers in 2013 that was reviewed by Rolling Stone, which said Allen "curls some twang and grit into the blues-rock track."

Paul Allen, who founded Microsoft with Bill Gates in the 1970s and later went on to become an investor, philanthropist and sports team owner, died Monday after his latest battle with cancer at age 65.

Paul Allen, who founded Microsoft with Bill Gates in the 1970s and later went on to become an investor, philanthropist and sports team owner, died Monday after his latest battle with cancer at age 65. "My brother was a remarkable individual on every level. While most knew Paul Allen as a technologist and philanthropist, for us he was a much-loved brother and uncle, and an exceptional friend," Allen's sister Jody said in a statement announcing his death. In recent years, Allen was known as the owner of the NFL's Seattle Seahawks and the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers, and part owner of the Major League Soccer team the Seattle Sounders, along with a variety of business and charitable ventures. One of the world's wealthiest billionaires, Allen also founded Stratolaunch Systems, which built the world's largest plane designed as a colossal rocket-launching aircraft touted as the future of space travel. The craft was on track for its first launch demonstration as early as 2019. Allen died just two weeks after publicly revealing that non-Hodgkin's lymphoma he fought into remission nine years ago had returned. The incurable cancer affects white blood cells. He never married and had no children. Classmate of Gates Allen was a high school classmate of Gates in Seattle, and later, while working as a computer programmer, persuaded his friend to drop out of Harvard to create Microsoft, which became the world's most valuable company in the 1990s. A "heartbroken" Gates remembered Allen as "one of my oldest and dearest friends." "Personal computing would not have existed without him," Gates added. "He was fond of saying, 'If it has the potential to do good, then we should do it.' That’s the kind of person he was." Allen had left Microsoft by 1983 for health reasons but held on to shares that made up the bulk of his fortune, estimated at some $20 billion. "All of us who had the honour of working with Paul feel an inexpressible loss today," said a statement by Vulcan, the investment firm that managed his operations. "He possessed a remarkable intellect and a passion to solve some of the world's most difficult problems, with the conviction that creative thinking and new approaches could make a profound and lasting impact." Microsoft said Allen's "contributions to our company, our industry and to our community are indispensable." "As co-founder of Microsoft, in his own quiet and persistent way, he created magical products, experiences and institutions. And in doing so, he changed the world," added the company's CEO Satya Nadella. While Gates attended Harvard, Allen studied at the University of Washington and invested heavily in research projects in his hometown of Seattle. He invested $100 million to establish the Allen Institute for Brain Science in 2003. A decade later, he founded the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence to study the impacts on society of new technologies and the Allen Institute for Cell Science to fund research for the treatment of diseases. Big man in sports In the world of sports, Allen in 1988 bought the Trail Blazers, taking the team to the NBA finals twice. "Paul Allen was the ultimate trail-blazer -- in business, philanthropy and in sports," said NBA commissioner Adam Silver. "As one of the longest-tenured owners in the NBA, Paul brought a sense of discovery and vision to every league matter large and small." He was also credited with putting Seattle on the map for the NFL. "Paul Allen was the driving force behind keeping the NFL in the Pacific Northwest," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. "His vision led to the construction of CenturyLink Field and the building of a team that played in three Super Bowls, winning the championship in Super Bowl XLVIII. " His personal charitable foundation gave to a diverse array of causes, including anti-poaching initiatives in Africa, climate and energy research, and projects on homelessness, as well as the arts and culture. Actor and environmentalist Leonardo DiCaprio hailed Allen as a "strong advocate for environmental protection." "His legacy lives on via his incredible work as a philanthropist and investor," he added. Amazon, Blue Origin and The Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos said Allen's "passion for invention and pushing forward inspired so many. He was relentless to the end." In his 2011 memoir "Idea Man," Allen described a somewhat stormy relationship with Gates in the early days of Microsoft. Allen wrote that he had expected a 50-50 split in the new company, but Gates insisted on taking 60 per cent, and later raised it to 64 per cent, claiming that Gates schemed to "rip me off." He played guitar since he was a teenager and played for a blues-rock album with his group the Underthinkers in 2013 that was reviewed by Rolling Stone, which said Allen "curls some twang and grit into the blues-rock track."

Paul Allen: Technologist, philathropist who persuaded Bill Gates to create Microsoft

Paul Allen dies in hometown Seattle

Microsoft Corp co-founder Paul Allen, the man who persuaded school-friend Bill Gates to drop out of Harvard to start what became the world's biggest software company, died on Monday at the age of 65, his family said.

Allen left Microsoft in 1983, before the company became a corporate juggernaut, following a dispute with Gates, but his share of their original partnership allowed him to spend the rest of his life and billions of dollars on yachts, art, rock music, sports teams, brain research and real estate.

Allen died from complications of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, a type of cancer, the Allen family said in a statement.

In early October, Allen had revealed he was being treated for the non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, which he also was treated for in 2009. He had an earlier brush with Hodgkin's lymphoma, another cancer, in the early 1980s before leaving Microsoft.

Music-lover Allen had a list of high-profile friends in the entertainment business, including U2 singer Bono, but preferred to avoid the limelight at his compound on Mercer Island, across Lake Washington from Seattle, where he grew up.

Allen remained loyal to the Pacific Northwest region, directing more than $1 billion to mostly local philanthropic projects, developing Seattle's South Lake Union tech hub that Amazon.com Inc calls home and building the headquarters of his Allen Institute for Brain Science there.

Paul Gardner Allen was born in Seattle on January 21, 1953, the son of a librarian father and teacher mother. He was two years older than Gates but when they met in the computer room at the exclusive Lakeside School in Seattle in 1968, they discovered a shared passion.

Allen went on to Washington State University but dropped out in 1974 to take a job with Honeywell in Boston. While there, he pestered Gates, who was studying at nearby Harvard, to quit school and join the nascent revolution in personal computing.

Gates finally agreed and in 1975 the two jointly developed BASIC software for the Altair 8800, a clunky desktop computer that cost $400 in kit form.

The pair moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, close to the Altair's maker, and formed a company. It was Allen's idea to call it Micro-Soft, an amalgam of microcomputer and software. The hyphen was later dropped.

Allen was in charge of Microsoft's technical operations for the company's first eight years, making him one of the handful of people who created early software such as MS-DOS and Word that enabled the PC revolution and thrust Microsoft to the top.

But he had ceased to be on the cutting edge of software development by the early 1980s. He never displayed the commercial instinct of Gates, who generally is credited with powering Microsoft's rise to ubiquity in the 1990s.

Allen left Microsoft in 1983 after falling out with Gates and his new lieutenant, Steve Ballmer, in December 1982, only months after being diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma. As he recalled in his 2011 memoir "Idea Man," he overheard Gates and Ballmer secretly plotting to reduce his ownership stake.

"They were bemoaning my recent lack of production and discussing how they might dilute my Microsoft equity by issuing options to themselves and other shareholders," Allen wrote.

Gates and Ballmer later apologized but the damage was done and Allen left Microsoft, although he remained on the board until 2000.

Allen recovered from his cancer after radiation treatment but in 2009 was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, another form of blood cancer. He went into remission in April 2010 but the disease resurfaced in 2018.

Allen held onto his share of the company. His 28 per cent stake at Microsoft's initial public offering in 1986 instantly made him a multi-millionaire.

His wealth peaked at about $30 billion in late 1999, according to Forbes magazine, but Allen was hurt by the sharp decline in Microsoft stock after the dot.com bubble burst in 2000 and some unprofitable technology investments.

In October 2018, Forbes magazine estimated his wealth at $21.7 billion and said he was the 44th richest person in the world.

Allen, the owner of 42 US&nbsp;patents, liked to cast himself as a technology visionary who drove Microsoft's early success and saw the future of connected computing long before the Internet.

Allen bought the Portland Trail Blazers basketball team in 1988 and became a local hero in 1997 when he purchased the Seattle Seahawks football franchise after the previous owner had tried to move the team to California. The Seahawks won the Super Bowl in February 2014 and both franchises are now valued at many times what Allen paid for them.

All the while, the never-married Allen pursued myriad personal projects and pastimes. He owned one of the world's biggest yachts, the 400-foot (122 meters) Octopus, which was the venue for many lavish parties and the base for scuba expeditions.

A rock 'n' roll aficionado, Allen had a band on call to jam with when he wanted and spent more than $250 million building a museum devoted to his hero, Jimi Hendrix, which morphed into a music and science fiction exhibit designed by Frank Gehry.

He spent millions more on a collection of vintage warplanes and funded the first non-government rocket to make it into space. He also collected priceless antiquities and works by Monet, Rodin and Rothko to put in his extensive art collection.

Like Gates, Allen was a dedicated philanthropist, giving away more than $1.5 billion in his lifetime and pledging to donate more than half his wealth to charity.

Through various vehicles, Allen focused his giving on brain science, motivated by the loss of his mother to Alzheimer's disease, along with universities and libraries.

Microsoft Corp co-founder Paul Allen, the man who persuaded school-friend Bill Gates to drop out of Harvard to start what became the world's biggest software company, died on Monday at the age of 65, his family said.

Microsoft Corp co-founder Paul Allen, the man who persuaded school-friend Bill Gates to drop out of Harvard to start what became the world's biggest software company, died on Monday at the age of 65, his family said. Allen left Microsoft in 1983, before the company became a corporate juggernaut, following a dispute with Gates, but his share of their original partnership allowed him to spend the rest of his life and billions of dollars on yachts, art, rock music, sports teams, brain research and real estate. Allen died from complications of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, a type of cancer, the Allen family said in a statement. In early October, Allen had revealed he was being treated for the non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, which he also was treated for in 2009. He had an earlier brush with Hodgkin's lymphoma, another cancer, in the early 1980s before leaving Microsoft. Music-lover Allen had a list of high-profile friends in the entertainment business, including U2 singer Bono, but preferred to avoid the limelight at his compound on Mercer Island, across Lake Washington from Seattle, where he grew up. Allen remained loyal to the Pacific Northwest region, directing more than $1 billion to mostly local philanthropic projects, developing Seattle's South Lake Union tech hub that Amazon.com Inc calls home and building the headquarters of his Allen Institute for Brain Science there. Paul Gardner Allen was born in Seattle on January 21, 1953, the son of a librarian father and teacher mother. He was two years older than Gates but when they met in the computer room at the exclusive Lakeside School in Seattle in 1968, they discovered a shared passion. Allen went on to Washington State University but dropped out in 1974 to take a job with Honeywell in Boston. While there, he pestered Gates, who was studying at nearby Harvard, to quit school and join the nascent revolution in personal computing. Gates finally agreed and in 1975 the two jointly developed BASIC software for the Altair 8800, a clunky desktop computer that cost $400 in kit form. The pair moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, close to the Altair's maker, and formed a company. It was Allen's idea to call it Micro-Soft, an amalgam of microcomputer and software. The hyphen was later dropped. Allen was in charge of Microsoft's technical operations for the company's first eight years, making him one of the handful of people who created early software such as MS-DOS and Word that enabled the PC revolution and thrust Microsoft to the top. But he had ceased to be on the cutting edge of software development by the early 1980s. He never displayed the commercial instinct of Gates, who generally is credited with powering Microsoft's rise to ubiquity in the 1990s. Allen left Microsoft in 1983 after falling out with Gates and his new lieutenant, Steve Ballmer, in December 1982, only months after being diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma. As he recalled in his 2011 memoir "Idea Man," he overheard Gates and Ballmer secretly plotting to reduce his ownership stake. "They were bemoaning my recent lack of production and discussing how they might dilute my Microsoft equity by issuing options to themselves and other shareholders," Allen wrote. Gates and Ballmer later apologized but the damage was done and Allen left Microsoft, although he remained on the board until 2000. Allen recovered from his cancer after radiation treatment but in 2009 was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, another form of blood cancer. He went into remission in April 2010 but the disease resurfaced in 2018. Allen held onto his share of the company. His 28 per cent stake at Microsoft's initial public offering in 1986 instantly made him a multi-millionaire. His wealth peaked at about $30 billion in late 1999, according to Forbes magazine, but Allen was hurt by the sharp decline in Microsoft stock after the dot.com bubble burst in 2000 and some unprofitable technology investments. In October 2018, Forbes magazine estimated his wealth at $21.7 billion and said he was the 44th richest person in the world. Allen, the owner of 42 US patents, liked to cast himself as a technology visionary who drove Microsoft's early success and saw the future of connected computing long before the Internet. Allen bought the Portland Trail Blazers basketball team in 1988 and became a local hero in 1997 when he purchased the Seattle Seahawks football franchise after the previous owner had tried to move the team to California. The Seahawks won the Super Bowl in February 2014 and both franchises are now valued at many times what Allen paid for them. All the while, the never-married Allen pursued myriad personal projects and pastimes. He owned one of the world's biggest yachts, the 400-foot (122 meters) Octopus, which was the venue for many lavish parties and the base for scuba expeditions. A rock 'n' roll aficionado, Allen had a band on call to jam with when he wanted and spent more than $250 million building a museum devoted to his hero, Jimi Hendrix, which morphed into a music and science fiction exhibit designed by Frank Gehry. He spent millions more on a collection of vintage warplanes and funded the first non-government rocket to make it into space. He also collected priceless antiquities and works by Monet, Rodin and Rothko to put in his extensive art collection. Like Gates, Allen was a dedicated philanthropist, giving away more than $1.5 billion in his lifetime and pledging to donate more than half his wealth to charity. Through various vehicles, Allen focused his giving on brain science, motivated by the loss of his mother to Alzheimer's disease, along with universities and libraries.

Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen dies of cancer at 65

Billionaire Paul Allen, who founded US software giant Microsoft with Bill Gates in 1975, revealed on Monday he is in a new battle with cancer.

Allen said in a tweet and at his website that non-Hodgkin's lymphoma he fought into remission nine years ago has returned.

The incurable cancer affects white blood cells.

"My team of doctors has begun treatment of the disease and I plan on fighting this aggressively," Allen said.

"My doctors are optimistic that I will see good results from the latest therapies, as am I."

Allen planned to remain active in Vulcan Inc., which manages his business and charitable endeavours, as well as in the Allen Institutes and his professional US sports teams the Seahawks and the Trail Blazers.

Allen, 65, is among the wealthiest people in the world, with a net worth estimated at more than $20 billion.

Allen left Microsoft in 1983 and is the founder and chairman of Vulcan Inc.

He owns the National Football League team the Seattle Seahawks and the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association and is a part owner of the Major League Soccer team the Seattle Sounders.

Allen is also a major philanthropist, supporting the environment, education, science and more.

Billionaire Paul Allen, who founded US software giant Microsoft with Bill Gates in 1975, revealed on Monday he is in a new battle with cancer. Allen said in a tweet and at his website that non-Hodgkin's lymphoma he fought into remission nine years ago has returned.

Billionaire Paul Allen, who founded US software giant Microsoft with Bill Gates in 1975, revealed on Monday he is in a new battle with cancer. Allen said in a tweet and at his website that non-Hodgkin's lymphoma he fought into remission nine years ago has returned. The incurable cancer affects white blood cells. "My team of doctors has begun treatment of the disease and I plan on fighting this aggressively," Allen said. "My doctors are optimistic that I will see good results from the latest therapies, as am I." Allen planned to remain active in Vulcan Inc., which manages his business and charitable endeavours, as well as in the Allen Institutes and his professional US sports teams the Seahawks and the Trail Blazers. Allen, 65, is among the wealthiest people in the world, with a net worth estimated at more than $20 billion. Allen left Microsoft in 1983 and is the founder and chairman of Vulcan Inc. He owns the National Football League team the Seattle Seahawks and the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association and is a part owner of the Major League Soccer team the Seattle Sounders. Allen is also a major philanthropist, supporting the environment, education, science and more.

Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen battles cancer anew

Facebook has formed data-sharing partnerships with 60 device makers, including Apple and Microsoft, giving them access to information of users and even their friends, a media report has claimed, weeks after the social media faced massive backlash for improperly sharing personal data of up to 87 million people.

The New York Times yesterday revealed the partnerships, shedding new light on the social media giant's behaviour related to customer data in the wake of a scandal involving the British political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica.

Facebook, which was founded in 2004, has reached data-sharing partnerships with at least 60 device makers including Apple, Amazon, BlackBerry, Microsoft and Samsung over the last decade, starting before Facebook apps were widely available on smartphones, company officials were quoted as saying by the report.

The deals allowed Facebook to expand its reach and let device makers offer customers popular features of the social network, such as messaging, "like" buttons and address books. The agreements that Facebook entered raise "concerns about the company's privacy protections and compliance with a 2011 consent decree" with the Federal Trade Commission, the report said.

"Facebook allowed the device companies access to the data of users' friends without their explicit consent, even after declaring that it would no longer share such information with outsiders," the daily said reporting the results of its investigation.

Some device makers could retrieve personal information even from users' friends who believed they had barred any sharing, The New York Times found.

In interviews to The New York Times, Facebook however defended its data sharing agreement and asserted that these are consistent with its privacy policies, the FTC agreement and pledges to users.

"These partnerships work very differently from the way in which app developers use our platform," Ime Archibong, Facebook vice president told the daily.

Unlike developers that provide games and services to Facebook users, the device partners can use Facebook data only to provide versions of "the Facebook experience," the officials were quoted as saying.

"You might think that Facebook or the device manufacturer is trustworthy. But the problem is that as more and more data is collected on the device and if it can be accessed by apps on the device it creates serious privacy and security risks," Serge Egelman, a privacy researcher at the University of California, Berkeley, who studies the security of mobile apps, told the daily.

The report comes as Facebook has come under scrutiny for its handling of private data after it was revealed that Cambridge Analytica accessed millions of users' private information.

In April, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg had admitted making a "huge mistake" as personal data of up to 87 million users may have been improperly shared with Cambridge Analytica.&nbsp;

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The deals allowed Facebook to expand its reach and let the device makers offer customers popular features of the social network, such as 'like' buttons and address books

Facebook has formed data-sharing partnerships with 60 device makers, including Apple and Microsoft, giving them access to information of users and even their friends, a media report has claimed, weeks after the social media faced massive backlash for improperly sharing personal data of up to 87 million people. The New York Times yesterday revealed the partnerships, shedding new light on the social media giant's behaviour related to customer data in the wake of a scandal involving the British political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica. Facebook, which was founded in 2004, has reached data-sharing partnerships with at least 60 device makers including Apple, Amazon, BlackBerry, Microsoft and Samsung over the last decade, starting before Facebook apps were widely available on smartphones, company officials were quoted as saying by the report. The deals allowed Facebook to expand its reach and let device makers offer customers popular features of the social network, such as messaging, "like" buttons and address books. The agreements that Facebook entered raise "concerns about the company's privacy protections and compliance with a 2011 consent decree" with the Federal Trade Commission, the report said. "Facebook allowed the device companies access to the data of users' friends without their explicit consent, even after declaring that it would no longer share such information with outsiders," the daily said reporting the results of its investigation. Some device makers could retrieve personal information even from users' friends who believed they had barred any sharing, The New York Times found. In interviews to The New York Times, Facebook however defended its data sharing agreement and asserted that these are consistent with its privacy policies, the FTC agreement and pledges to users. "These partnerships work very differently from the way in which app developers use our platform," Ime Archibong, Facebook vice president told the daily. Unlike developers that provide games and services to Facebook users, the device partners can use Facebook data only to provide versions of "the Facebook experience," the officials were quoted as saying. "You might think that Facebook or the device manufacturer is trustworthy. But the problem is that as more and more data is collected on the device and if it can be accessed by apps on the device it creates serious privacy and security risks," Serge Egelman, a privacy researcher at the University of California, Berkeley, who studies the security of mobile apps, told the daily. The report comes as Facebook has come under scrutiny for its handling of private data after it was revealed that Cambridge Analytica accessed millions of users' private information. In April, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg had admitted making a "huge mistake" as personal data of up to 87 million users may have been improperly shared with Cambridge Analytica. ×

Facebook shared user data with over 60 device makers including Apple, Samsung: Report

More than 3,000 Google employees have sent a letter to chief executive officer Sundar Pichai, protesting against a Maven project for the US military.

The letter has asked to put a stop on company's Maven project for the Pentagon.

The letter which has been obtained by US daily, The New York Times reportedly reads "we believe that Google should not be in the business of war."

The letter further emphasis that working for a warfare could put off other workers that too in a time in which company is already struggling for people's trust.

The letter further argues that firms like Microsoft and Amazon who are also working for the military doesn't make this any less risky for the company and it is also against the Google's motto of 'don't be evil'.

The project issue was also raised in the companywide meeting by employees during which the Diane Greene leader of Google's cloud infrastructure business defenced the deal.

She further sought a cooperation from the employees and reassure concerned employees, The New York Times reported. &nbsp;

The tech giant&nbsp;is working on Maven project for Pentagon which uses artificial intelligence to analyse video imagery. The project reportedly will help in improving the precision of military drone strikes.

The video imagery will help in better identifying targetted people to avoid any innocent casualty.

According to news reports, the letter has also asked to promise that the company will never build warfare technology.

So far the letter has received 3,100 signatures including dozens of senior engineers of the company. The Google has workforce about 70,000 people.

However, the company subsequently has defended the project 'non-defensive' in nature.

Both Pentagon and Google have assured that the company will not create an autonomous weapons systems that could be used without a human operator.

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Google is working on Maven project for Pentagon which uses artificial intelligence to analyse video imagery

More than 3,000 Google employees have sent a letter to chief executive officer Sundar Pichai, protesting against a Maven project for the US military. The letter has asked to put a stop on company's Maven project for the Pentagon. The letter which has been obtained by US daily, The New York Times reportedly reads "we believe that Google should not be in the business of war." The letter further emphasis that working for a warfare could put off other workers that too in a time in which company is already struggling for people's trust. The letter further argues that firms like Microsoft and Amazon who are also working for the military doesn't make this any less risky for the company and it is also against the Google's motto of 'don't be evil'. The project issue was also raised in the companywide meeting by employees during which the Diane Greene leader of Google's cloud infrastructure business defenced the deal. She further sought a cooperation from the employees and reassure concerned employees, The New York Times reported. The tech giant is working on Maven project for Pentagon which uses artificial intelligence to analyse video imagery. The project reportedly will help in improving the precision of military drone strikes. The video imagery will help in better identifying targetted people to avoid any innocent casualty. According to news reports, the letter has also asked to promise that the company will never build warfare technology. So far the letter has received 3,100 signatures including dozens of senior engineers of the company. The Google has workforce about 70,000 people. However, the company subsequently has defended the project 'non-defensive' in nature. Both Pentagon and Google have assured that the company will not create an autonomous weapons systems that could be used without a human operator.

Over 3,000 Google employees sign a letter asking to stop Maven project for Pentagon

The US&nbspgovernment's Supreme Court battle with Microsoft Corp over whether technology companies can be forced to hand over data stored overseas could be nearing its end, after federal prosecutors asked that the case be dismissed.

President Donald Trump on March 22 signed a provision into law making it clear that US&nbspjudges can issue warrants for such data, while giving companies an avenue to object if the request conflicts with foreign law.

"This case is now moot," the US&nbspDepartment of Justice said, citing the newly passed legislation, in a 16-page court filing on Friday that requested the dismissal.&nbsp

The Supreme Court on Feb. 27 heard arguments in the case, which had been one of the most closely watched of the high court`s current term. Some justices urged Congress to pass a law to resolve the matter.&nbsp

Microsoft and the Justice Department had been locked in a dispute over how US&nbspprosecutors seek access to data held on overseas computer servers owned by American companies. The case involved Microsoft's challenge to a domestic warrant issued by a US&nbspjudge for emails stored on a Microsoft server in Dublin relating to a drug-trafficking investigation.

The bipartisan new law, known as the Cloud Act, was supported by Microsoft, other major technology companies and the Trump administration. But civil liberties groups opposed it, saying it lacked sufficient privacy protections.

Microsoft, which has 100 data centres in 40 countries, was the first American company to challenge a domestic search warrant seeking data held outside the United States. The Microsoft customer whose emails were sought told the company he was based in Ireland when he signed up for his account.

A representative for Microsoft did not immediately return requests for comment on the Justice Department's filing.

A representative for Microsoft did not immediately return requests for comment on the Justice Department`s filing

The US&nbspgovernment's Supreme Court battle with Microsoft Corp over whether technology companies can be forced to hand over data stored overseas could be nearing its end, after federal prosecutors asked that the case be dismissed. President Donald Trump on March 22 signed a provision into law making it clear that US&nbspjudges can issue warrants for such data, while giving companies an avenue to object if the request conflicts with foreign law. "This case is now moot," the US&nbspDepartment of Justice said, citing the newly passed legislation, in a 16-page court filing on Friday that requested the dismissal. The Supreme Court on Feb. 27 heard arguments in the case, which had been one of the most closely watched of the high court`s current term. Some justices urged Congress to pass a law to resolve the matter. Microsoft and the Justice Department had been locked in a dispute over how US&nbspprosecutors seek access to data held on overseas computer servers owned by American companies. The case involved Microsoft's challenge to a domestic warrant issued by a US&nbspjudge for emails stored on a Microsoft server in Dublin relating to a drug-trafficking investigation. The bipartisan new law, known as the Cloud Act, was supported by Microsoft, other major technology companies and the Trump administration. But civil liberties groups opposed it, saying it lacked sufficient privacy protections. Microsoft, which has 100 data centres in 40 countries, was the first American company to challenge a domestic search warrant seeking data held outside the United States. The Microsoft customer whose emails were sought told the company he was based in Ireland when he signed up for his account. A representative for Microsoft did not immediately return requests for comment on the Justice Department's filing.

US government seeks end to Supreme Court privacy fight with Microsoft

Microsoft Corp on Thursday said Terry Myerson, executive vice president of its Windows and devices business, will be leaving the company amid a major management reshuffle that increases the company's focus on its cloud products.

The latest transition builds on earlier efforts to unite engineers who work on software with those that oversee hardware. Microsoft is creating two new engineering teams, with one focusing on how consumers use technology and the other on how businesses use cloud computing and artificial intelligence.

Microsoft said that elevates the role of Rajesh Jha, who will lead a team focused on user experience across devices that they encounter at home or work.

The move also consolidates more of Microsoft's business software efforts under Scott Guthrie, who oversees the fast-growing unit that sells cloud computing services to businesses.

Myerson has been at Microsoft for more than two decades, and his responsibilities had grown significantly through several reorganizations since 2013. He has been supervising the company's products including Surface, Xbox and HoloLens Mixed Reality and services such as Windows and Office.

Myerson will be working with Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella in the coming months to ensure a smooth transition of the leadership changes, Nadella said in an email to all Microsoft employees.

Myerson will be working with CEO Satya Nadella in the coming months to ensure a smooth transition of the leadership changes, Nadella said in an email to all Microsoft employees

Microsoft Corp on Thursday said Terry Myerson, executive vice president of its Windows and devices business, will be leaving the company amid a major management reshuffle that increases the company's focus on its cloud products. The latest transition builds on earlier efforts to unite engineers who work on software with those that oversee hardware. Microsoft is creating two new engineering teams, with one focusing on how consumers use technology and the other on how businesses use cloud computing and artificial intelligence. Microsoft said that elevates the role of Rajesh Jha, who will lead a team focused on user experience across devices that they encounter at home or work. The move also consolidates more of Microsoft's business software efforts under Scott Guthrie, who oversees the fast-growing unit that sells cloud computing services to businesses. Myerson has been at Microsoft for more than two decades, and his responsibilities had grown significantly through several reorganizations since 2013. He has been supervising the company's products including Surface, Xbox and HoloLens Mixed Reality and services such as Windows and Office. Myerson will be working with Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella in the coming months to ensure a smooth transition of the leadership changes, Nadella said in an email to all Microsoft employees.

Microsoft's Windows head to leave company amid reorganization

Apple Inc on Tuesday rolled out a new iPad that works with its Apple Pencil and is aimed at grabbing more of the US education market, but did not cut the price of the tablet despite fierce competition from cheaper laptops.

The device will have a more powerful computing chip and extensive new software features aimed at teachers and students but keep the existing starting price of $299 for students and $329 for the general public.

Apple is looking to reassert its dominance in US schools, where inexpensive devices and laptops that are geared towards classroom use are seen as a way to hook young consumers.

Laptops running operating systems by Alphabet Inc's Google or Microsoft Corp can be had for less than $200.

Some analysts had believed Apple might cut prices, but the company stuck with its more traditional approach of packing more features into a device and maintaining its minimum price point.

Apple hit hard on the education theme at the Chicago event, with school bells and announcements over a public address system directing press and more than 300 teachers into an auditorium at Lane Tech College Prep High School. Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook opened the keynote with a nod to politics, saying "we are deeply inspired by the courage of the students who walked out" and marched on Washington, advocating for stricter gun control laws following a school shooting in Florida.

The line elicited cheers from students seated at the rear of the auditorium.

The Chicago event comes during a spring buying season when many schools are making purchasing decisions for the upcoming school year.

"We`ve been at this for 40 years and we care deeply about education," Cook said.

Apple executives said the company will release a iPad model that works with its pencil accessory and features an upgraded A10 Fusion chip, the same CPU that powers the iPhone 7.

The company also released a new version of its word processing apps for the iPad designed to work with the pencil and allow students to take handwritten notes more easily.

Apple made up just 17 per cent of the K-12 US educational market in the third quarter, according to data from Futuresource Consulting.

Meanwhile 60 per cent of mobile computing shipments to schools ran Google's Chrome operating system, and 22 per cent had Windows.

Chromebooks sold by Dell Technologies Inc cost as little as $189.

Microsoft last year introduced an education-focused laptop from partner Lenovo Group Ltd running Window 10 S.

Apple in recent years made changes to its operating system so that more than one student can log into an iPad, and to its software to let teachers better manage groups of students.

But it faces a tough battle in the educational market given the popularity of Google and Microsoft`s cloud-based productivity suites, said Carolina Milanesi of Creative Strategies.

Google's G Suite fueled Chromebook sales because it was seen as easy to use to manage assignments.

"Most teachers don`t look past G Suite for education," she said. Apple has iWork, which added features in recent years but remains less familiar to teachers than Google`s productivity suite or Microsoft's Office. Sales of iPads made up just 8.3 per cent of Apple's $229.2 billion total revenue last year, compared with the nearly 62 per cent of sales generated by iPhones.

Some analysts had believed Apple might cut prices, but the company stuck with its more traditional approach of packing more features into a device and maintaining its minimum price point.

Apple Inc on Tuesday rolled out a new iPad that works with its Apple Pencil and is aimed at grabbing more of the US education market, but did not cut the price of the tablet despite fierce competition from cheaper laptops. The device will have a more powerful computing chip and extensive new software features aimed at teachers and students but keep the existing starting price of $299 for students and $329 for the general public. Apple is looking to reassert its dominance in US schools, where inexpensive devices and laptops that are geared towards classroom use are seen as a way to hook young consumers. Laptops running operating systems by Alphabet Inc's Google or Microsoft Corp can be had for less than $200. Some analysts had believed Apple might cut prices, but the company stuck with its more traditional approach of packing more features into a device and maintaining its minimum price point. Apple hit hard on the education theme at the Chicago event, with school bells and announcements over a public address system directing press and more than 300 teachers into an auditorium at Lane Tech College Prep High School. Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook opened the keynote with a nod to politics, saying "we are deeply inspired by the courage of the students who walked out" and marched on Washington, advocating for stricter gun control laws following a school shooting in Florida. The line elicited cheers from students seated at the rear of the auditorium. The Chicago event comes during a spring buying season when many schools are making purchasing decisions for the upcoming school year. "We`ve been at this for 40 years and we care deeply about education," Cook said. Apple executives said the company will release a iPad model that works with its pencil accessory and features an upgraded A10 Fusion chip, the same CPU that powers the iPhone 7. The company also released a new version of its word processing apps for the iPad designed to work with the pencil and allow students to take handwritten notes more easily. Apple made up just 17 per cent of the K-12 US educational market in the third quarter, according to data from Futuresource Consulting. Meanwhile 60 per cent of mobile computing shipments to schools ran Google's Chrome operating system, and 22 per cent had Windows. Chromebooks sold by Dell Technologies Inc cost as little as $189. Microsoft last year introduced an education-focused laptop from partner Lenovo Group Ltd running Window 10 S. Apple in recent years made changes to its operating system so that more than one student can log into an iPad, and to its software to let teachers better manage groups of students. But it faces a tough battle in the educational market given the popularity of Google and Microsoft`s cloud-based productivity suites, said Carolina Milanesi of Creative Strategies. Google's G Suite fueled Chromebook sales because it was seen as easy to use to manage assignments. "Most teachers don`t look past G Suite for education," she said. Apple has iWork, which added features in recent years but remains less familiar to teachers than Google`s productivity suite or Microsoft's Office. Sales of iPads made up just 8.3 per cent of Apple's $229.2 billion total revenue last year, compared with the nearly 62 per cent of sales generated by iPhones.

Apple unveils new iPad for students

A senior executive said Microsoft Corp thoroughly investigates issues raised by women in the workplace and fired about 20 employees last year over complaints of sexual harassment as the company seeks to counter claims that it treats female workers unfairly.

In an email to employees publicly released late on Thursday, Microsoft Chief People Officer Kathleen Hogan said Microsoft had 83 harassment complaints in 2017 out of a US-based workforce of over 65,000 employees.

Nearly 50 per cent were found to be supported at least in part following an investigation, she said, and more than half of those resulted in the termination of an employee who engaged in unacceptable behaviour.

The unusual publication of such data comes as the world&#39;s largest software company is defending a lawsuit which alleges it systematically denied pay raises or promotions to women. Microsoft denies it has ever had such a policy.

The lawsuit, filed in Seattle federal court in 2015, is attracting wider attention after a series of powerful men have left or been fired from their jobs in entertainment, the media and politics for sexual misconduct.

Microsoft also investigated 84 complaints of gender discrimination last year, Hogan said, and found around 10 per cent of those to be supported at least in part.

Earlier this week, Reuters reported on the contents of unsealed court documents which showed that out of 118 gender discrimination complaints filed by women in U.S.-based technical jobs at Microsoft between 2010 and 2016, only one was deemed &quot;founded&quot; by the company.

Attorneys for the women described the number of complaints as &quot;shocking&quot; in the court filings, and said the response by Microsoft&#39;s investigations team was &quot;lacklustre.&quot;

Hogan&#39;s email on Thursday&nbsp;said the numbers cited by plaintiffs were misleading.

&quot;Reports that we rarely reach a conclusion in favour of the complainant are based on a faulty reading of a partial data set,&quot; Hogan wrote.

Hogan&#39;s email did not provide additional figures about the time period cited in the court documents.

The plaintiffs based their numbers on documents disclosed by Microsoft during pre-trial discovery in the lawsuit. Kelly Dermody, an attorney for the plaintiffs, declined to comment on Hogan&#39;s email.

Alaina Percival, chief executive of Women Who Code, an organization that helps companies increase their number of women developers, said publicly releasing this kind of data can help businesses learn from each other about the best ways to handle sexual harassment and gender discrimination.

&quot;I think other tech companies should follow suit, and I would expect to see that happen,&quot; Percival said

Microsoft Chief People Officer Kathleen Hogan said Microsoft had 83 harassment complaints in 2017 out of a US-based workforce of over 65,000 employees

A senior executive said Microsoft Corp thoroughly investigates issues raised by women in the workplace and fired about 20 employees last year over complaints of sexual harassment as the company seeks to counter claims that it treats female workers unfairly. In an email to employees publicly released late on Thursday, Microsoft Chief People Officer Kathleen Hogan said Microsoft had 83 harassment complaints in 2017 out of a US-based workforce of over 65,000 employees. Nearly 50 per cent were found to be supported at least in part following an investigation, she said, and more than half of those resulted in the termination of an employee who engaged in unacceptable behaviour. The unusual publication of such data comes as the world's largest software company is defending a lawsuit which alleges it systematically denied pay raises or promotions to women. Microsoft denies it has ever had such a policy. The lawsuit, filed in Seattle federal court in 2015, is attracting wider attention after a series of powerful men have left or been fired from their jobs in entertainment, the media and politics for sexual misconduct. Microsoft also investigated 84 complaints of gender discrimination last year, Hogan said, and found around 10 per cent of those to be supported at least in part. Earlier this week, Reuters reported on the contents of unsealed court documents which showed that out of 118 gender discrimination complaints filed by women in U.S.-based technical jobs at Microsoft between 2010 and 2016, only one was deemed "founded" by the company. Attorneys for the women described the number of complaints as "shocking" in the court filings, and said the response by Microsoft's investigations team was "lacklustre." Hogan's email on Thursday said the numbers cited by plaintiffs were misleading. "Reports that we rarely reach a conclusion in favour of the complainant are based on a faulty reading of a partial data set," Hogan wrote. Hogan's email did not provide additional figures about the time period cited in the court documents. The plaintiffs based their numbers on documents disclosed by Microsoft during pre-trial discovery in the lawsuit. Kelly Dermody, an attorney for the plaintiffs, declined to comment on Hogan's email. Alaina Percival, chief executive of Women Who Code, an organization that helps companies increase their number of women developers, said publicly releasing this kind of data can help businesses learn from each other about the best ways to handle sexual harassment and gender discrimination. "I think other tech companies should follow suit, and I would expect to see that happen," Percival said

Microsoft hits back at claims it ignored sexual harassment

Women at Microsoft Corp working in US-based technical jobs filed 238 internal complaints about gender discrimination or sexual harassment between 2010 and 2016, according to court filings made public on Monday.

The figure was suggested by plaintiffs suing Microsoft for refusing pay raises or promotions to women, although, the company has denied these allegations.&nbsp;

The charges were made in 2015 in Seattle federal court, is attracting wider attention after a series of powerful men have left or been fired from their jobs in entertainment, the media and politics for sexual misconduct.&nbsp;

More than 8,000 women could be covered in the lawsuit which Plaintiffs have been pushing to&nbsp;go ahead with. Microsoft&#39;s practices made public on Monday in legal filings submitted as part of that process.

Out of 118 gender discrimination complaints filed by women at Microsoft, only one was deemed &quot;founded&quot; by the company, according to details in the unsealed court filings.

Attorneys for the women called the number of complaints &quot;shocking&quot; in the court filings and the response by Microsoft&#39;s investigations team &quot;lackluster.&quot;

Microsoft said in court filings that the plaintiffs did not identify practices that impact enough employees to warrant a class action and that it spends more than $55 million per year to promote diversity and inclusion. The company had about 74,000 U.S. employees at the end of last year.

Microsoft said the plaintiffs cannot cite one example of a pay or promotion problem in which Microsoft&#39;s investigations team should have found a violation of company policy, but did not. A Microsoft spokesperson could not immediately be reached for comment.

Just last week, Microsoft released a special version last week of a twice-monthly published podcast that focuses on women in business and technology. The podcast celebrates International Women&rsquo;s Day.

The podcast is said to be hosted by Colleen O&rsquo;Brien and Sonia Dara. The duo interviewed Toni Townes-Whitley, who holds the new role of corporate vice president of industry at Microsoft. The goal of the team is to flow with the changes in a variety of industries. &nbsp;

But Townes-Whitley has another charter to keep woman excited about technology. She refers to it in the podcast as the &ldquo;pink color.&rdquo;

The figure was suggested by plaintiffs suing Microsoft for refusing pay raises or promotions to women, although, the company has denied these allegations

Women at Microsoft Corp working in US-based technical jobs filed 238 internal complaints about gender discrimination or sexual harassment between 2010 and 2016, according to court filings made public on Monday. The figure was suggested by plaintiffs suing Microsoft for refusing pay raises or promotions to women, although, the company has denied these allegations. The charges were made in 2015 in Seattle federal court, is attracting wider attention after a series of powerful men have left or been fired from their jobs in entertainment, the media and politics for sexual misconduct. More than 8,000 women could be covered in the lawsuit which Plaintiffs have been pushing to go ahead with. Microsoft's practices made public on Monday in legal filings submitted as part of that process. Out of 118 gender discrimination complaints filed by women at Microsoft, only one was deemed "founded" by the company, according to details in the unsealed court filings. Attorneys for the women called the number of complaints "shocking" in the court filings and the response by Microsoft's investigations team "lackluster." Microsoft said in court filings that the plaintiffs did not identify practices that impact enough employees to warrant a class action and that it spends more than $55 million per year to promote diversity and inclusion. The company had about 74,000 U.S. employees at the end of last year. Microsoft said the plaintiffs cannot cite one example of a pay or promotion problem in which Microsoft's investigations team should have found a violation of company policy, but did not. A Microsoft spokesperson could not immediately be reached for comment. Just last week, Microsoft released a special version last week of a twice-monthly published podcast that focuses on women in business and technology. The podcast celebrates International Women’s Day. The podcast is said to be hosted by Colleen O’Brien and Sonia Dara. The duo interviewed Toni Townes-Whitley, who holds the new role of corporate vice president of industry at Microsoft. The goal of the team is to flow with the changes in a variety of industries. But Townes-Whitley has another charter to keep woman excited about technology. She refers to it in the podcast as the “pink color.”

238 women at Microsoft filed complain against gender discrimination, sexual harassment

Now, Microsoft users will be able to use its apps and services, like Office 365, Outlook 2016, Outlook.com, Exchange Online and Exchange Online Protection (EOP), in 15 Indian languages.&nbsp;

Microsoft on Wednesday announced support for e-mail addresses in 15 local languages of India.

Indian users will now be able to use local language e-mail addresses for their Outlook accounts.&nbsp;

Microsoft&#39;s announcement came on the occasion of the International Mother Language Day.&nbsp;

Users will also be able to send and receive emails from local language e-mail addresses via Outlook client installed on their personal computers.&nbsp;

The move comes as Microsoft&#39;s bid to support Email Address Internationalisation (EAI) across its eco-system. The giant aims to make technology accessible in local languages.

Microsoft announced the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Deep Neural Networks (DNN) to improve real-time language translation for Hindi, Bengali and Tamil languages. The announcement came last month.&nbsp;

Indian users will now be able to use local language e-mail addresses for Outlook accounts

Now, Microsoft users will be able to use its apps and services, like Office 365, Outlook 2016, Outlook.com, Exchange Online and Exchange Online Protection (EOP), in 15 Indian languages. Microsoft on Wednesday announced support for e-mail addresses in 15 local languages of India. Indian users will now be able to use local language e-mail addresses for their Outlook accounts. Microsoft's announcement came on the occasion of the International Mother Language Day. Users will also be able to send and receive emails from local language e-mail addresses via Outlook client installed on their personal computers. The move comes as Microsoft's bid to support Email Address Internationalisation (EAI) across its eco-system. The giant aims to make technology accessible in local languages. Microsoft announced the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Deep Neural Networks (DNN) to improve real-time language translation for Hindi, Bengali and Tamil languages. The announcement came last month.

Now, Microsoft users can create email IDs in 15 Indian languages

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is everywhere now. From phones, Tv&#39;s to retail, e-commerce and even toilets!&nbsp; We are now in an era where anything that uses an algorithm can be called AI.&nbsp;

Facts say that with the upcoming use of AI, millions of people will be out of jobs in few years.&nbsp;

Web Summit, the massive technology conference in Lisbon, Portugal, polled 224 investors in one of the sub-conferences within the Web Summit framework where 93% of them said that AI will &#39;destroy&#39; jobs. Tesla CEO Elton Musk claimed that the race to development of AI will lead to World War III, founder of venture capital firm &#39;Sinovation&#39;, Kai-Fu Lee has said that AI will replace 50% off all jobs in the next decade.&nbsp;

A survey conducted by Quartz - with 1,600 respondents from 84 countries, mostly in the US&nbsp; - stated that 90% respondents thought&nbsp;that up to half of the jobs would be lost to automation within five years.&nbsp;

However, AI may only be able to do about 50 to 60 per cent of the work, one will need humans to fill up the 50-40 per cent. Only using AI algorithms won&#39;t work. That&#39;s when skilled humans come into play. Its all about balance!&nbsp;

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Jobs related to AI will increase up to 2 million by 2025 (Others)
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Therefore, the myth that AI will lead to more job losses can be soundly debunked - that&#39;s what history tells us.&nbsp;

The Industrial revolution spanned a technological revolution in the 19th century. It sparked major changes in virtually every sphere of human existence in Britain where it began. The British economy boomed as a result with new innovations in textile with the mechanised spinning, the advent of steam power to power engines and several other breakthrough designs.

The people adapted too, it did not mean employment fell, in fact, more and more people were added to the workforce as a result of &quot;mechanisation&quot;.&nbsp; It meant upgradation of skills which helped the British economy to expand and seize new markets in Asia and Africa.

The advent of computers in the workplace is another example of &quot;humans adapting to machines&quot;.&nbsp;

During the 60s and 70s in the US, computers increasingly began to enter offices which allowed small business to compete with large corporations. The rise of Apple in the 70s and Microsoft in the 80s can be attributed to the introduction of PCs in that era, despite this today after over 40 years since Apple it has employed more and more people into its company and spawned a culture of start-ups.

In the 80s and 90s, PCs aka &quot;machines&quot; helped &quot;humans&quot; to do away several tedious jobs and eliminated manual labour helping small companies not only to become more efficient but also helped the workforce to become sharper. Today in the era of startups and apps, technology has helped to take humans into a new frontier which promises a new era of growth and prosperity.

In contrary to remarks that robots will replace human workers, research firms predicts that AI may actually create more jobs than expected.&nbsp;

By 2020, AI will generate about 2.3 million jobs - exceeding the 1.8 million that will be ticked off. Moreover, jobs related to AI will increase up to 2 million by 2025.&nbsp;

Humans throughout history have adapted and &quot;re-skilled&quot; themselves as new technologies have entered the cycle, despite rumblings and disruptions it has only meant the &quot;comfort level&quot; has increased for us humans. Artificial Intelligence, in this respect, should not be &quot;feared&quot; rather it should be &quot;adapted&quot;.

For instance, as chatbots, robots, automated kiosks come into existence - more people imagine that it will capture jobs, but all this technology is only creating a better user interface. Look at automated kiosks for instance. Now, Mcdonald&#39;s in New York welcomes customers with a &ldquo;Create Your Taste&rdquo; kiosk - an automated touch-screen system that allows customers to create their own burgers without interacting with another human being. Does this mean cashiers and waiters will go out of jobs? NO. This is just innovation in technology which will, in turn, lead to a shift in skill - not jobs.&nbsp;

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Mcdonalds&#39; &ldquo;Create Your Taste&rdquo; kiosk (Others)
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Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Apple have invested millions in this field (smartbots, chatbots, AI algorithms etc) - why? because this will eventually generate better customer interaction, seamless user journeys, reduce search time, create quick and efficient responses. AI&#39;s role as a mediator between humans and technology has become the greatest triumph.&nbsp;

The jobs will be affected - yes - but that does not infer that jobs will be &quot;destroyed&quot;. The number of jobs that will be affected will vary for different industries, with public sector, education, healthcare booming. AI will &quot;replace&quot; jobs of low-skilled workers in IT sectors in India alone with more medium and high skilled jobs - which are expected to rise to about 1 million in the next five years.&nbsp;

Let&#39;s take driverless cars, for example, though driver won&rsquo;t be entirely displaced by self-driving cars, the nature of their work will fundamentally change. While the percentage of human drivers giving trips may go down, the absolute number of humans may actually go up. The rise of autonomous cars will open new jobs like maintaining the car fleets, jobs that don&#39;t exist today because there has never been a need. Part of advancing technology has always meant that some professions become extinct in the process.&nbsp;

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The rise of autonomous cars will open new jobs (Others)
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The fact is humans need to power the machines, it is a fantasy built by bloggers and science fiction enthusiasts who have, increasingly, through social media played the game of calling AI a barrier for mankind, but history teaches us that man has always &quot;upgraded&quot; himself since time in memorial.

So, once again, AI will eliminate a number of middle and low levels positions but it will give rise to more highly-skilled management and also entry-level and low-skilled jobs, it will accelerate innovation to a new level and fundamentally change the way businesses will run across the board. Focus should be more on augmenting people with AI, transforming culture to make it adaptable to AI-related job opportunities and threats.&nbsp;

AI may only be able to do about 50 to 60 per cent of the work, one will need humans to fill up at 50-40 per cent. Only using AI algorithms won't work. That's when skilled humans come into play. Its all about balance!

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is everywhere now. From phones, Tv's to retail, e-commerce and even toilets! We are now in an era where anything that uses an algorithm can be called AI. Facts say that with the upcoming use of AI, millions of people will be out of jobs in few years. Web Summit, the massive technology conference in Lisbon, Portugal, polled 224 investors in one of the sub-conferences within the Web Summit framework where 93% of them said that AI will 'destroy' jobs. Tesla CEO Elton Musk claimed that the race to development of AI will lead to World War III, founder of venture capital firm 'Sinovation', Kai-Fu Lee has said that AI will replace 50% off all jobs in the next decade. A survey conducted by Quartz - with 1,600 respondents from 84 countries, mostly in the US - stated that 90% respondents thought that up to half of the jobs would be lost to automation within five years. However, AI may only be able to do about 50 to 60 per cent of the work, one will need humans to fill up the 50-40 per cent. Only using AI algorithms won't work. That's when skilled humans come into play. Its all about balance! Jobs related to AI will increase up to 2 million by 2025 (Others) × Therefore, the myth that AI will lead to more job losses can be soundly debunked - that's what history tells us. The Industrial revolution spanned a technological revolution in the 19th century. It sparked major changes in virtually every sphere of human existence in Britain where it began. The British economy boomed as a result with new innovations in textile with the mechanised spinning, the advent of steam power to power engines and several other breakthrough designs. The people adapted too, it did not mean employment fell, in fact, more and more people were added to the workforce as a result of "mechanisation". It meant upgradation of skills which helped the British economy to expand and seize new markets in Asia and Africa. The advent of computers in the workplace is another example of "humans adapting to machines". During the 60s and 70s in the US, computers increasingly began to enter offices which allowed small business to compete with large corporations. The rise of Apple in the 70s and Microsoft in the 80s can be attributed to the introduction of PCs in that era, despite this today after over 40 years since Apple it has employed more and more people into its company and spawned a culture of start-ups. In the 80s and 90s, PCs aka "machines" helped "humans" to do away several tedious jobs and eliminated manual labour helping small companies not only to become more efficient but also helped the workforce to become sharper. Today in the era of startups and apps, technology has helped to take humans into a new frontier which promises a new era of growth and prosperity. In contrary to remarks that robots will replace human workers, research firms predicts that AI may actually create more jobs than expected. By 2020, AI will generate about 2.3 million jobs - exceeding the 1.8 million that will be ticked off. Moreover, jobs related to AI will increase up to 2 million by 2025. Humans throughout history have adapted and "re-skilled" themselves as new technologies have entered the cycle, despite rumblings and disruptions it has only meant the "comfort level" has increased for us humans. Artificial Intelligence, in this respect, should not be "feared" rather it should be "adapted". For instance, as chatbots, robots, automated kiosks come into existence - more people imagine that it will capture jobs, but all this technology is only creating a better user interface. Look at automated kiosks for instance. Now, Mcdonald's in New York welcomes customers with a “Create Your Taste” kiosk - an automated touch-screen system that allows customers to create their own burgers without interacting with another human being. Does this mean cashiers and waiters will go out of jobs? NO. This is just innovation in technology which will, in turn, lead to a shift in skill - not jobs. Mcdonalds' “Create Your Taste” kiosk (Others) × Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Apple have invested millions in this field (smartbots, chatbots, AI algorithms etc) - why? because this will eventually generate better customer interaction, seamless user journeys, reduce search time, create quick and efficient responses. AI's role as a mediator between humans and technology has become the greatest triumph. The jobs will be affected - yes - but that does not infer that jobs will be "destroyed". The number of jobs that will be affected will vary for different industries, with public sector, education, healthcare booming. AI will "replace" jobs of low-skilled workers in IT sectors in India alone with more medium and high skilled jobs - which are expected to rise to about 1 million in the next five years. Let's take driverless cars, for example, though driver won’t be entirely displaced by self-driving cars, the nature of their work will fundamentally change. While the percentage of human drivers giving trips may go down, the absolute number of humans may actually go up. The rise of autonomous cars will open new jobs like maintaining the car fleets, jobs that don't exist today because there has never been a need. Part of advancing technology has always meant that some professions become extinct in the process. The rise of autonomous cars will open new jobs (Others) × The fact is humans need to power the machines, it is a fantasy built by bloggers and science fiction enthusiasts who have, increasingly, through social media played the game of calling AI a barrier for mankind, but history teaches us that man has always "upgraded" himself since time in memorial. So, once again, AI will eliminate a number of middle and low levels positions but it will give rise to more highly-skilled management and also entry-level and low-skilled jobs, it will accelerate innovation to a new level and fundamentally change the way businesses will run across the board. Focus should be more on augmenting people with AI, transforming culture to make it adaptable to AI-related job opportunities and threats.

Don't believe the naysayers, Artificial Intelligence will create 2.3 million jobs by 2020

Microsoft&nbsp;may&nbsp;soon make an official announcement to launch gaming console Xbox One X in India.&nbsp;

The gaming console&nbsp;is already launched in the international market and within months of its international launch, it is now set to enter the Indian markets.&nbsp;

Powered by eight -core custom AMD CPU clocked at 2.3 GHz, 12 GB of GDDR5 VRAM and a 6 Teraflop GPU, Xbox is said to be Microsoft&#39;s most powerful console and smallest console.&nbsp;

Its competitor in the Indian market is Sony&#39;s PS4 Pro Console which supports up to 4.2 teraflops while the Xbox One X is designed to offer up to 6 teraflops.&nbsp;

The Microsoft Xbox One provides games for PC also whereas the Sony does not.

The console comes with some 100 odd games which would consume quite high volumes of the internet for downloading.&nbsp;

Microsoft is also providing its customers with the option of switching from Xbox One S to Xbox One X. The users of the older version of the gaming console can upgrade to the Xbox One X by downloading it for 4K assets.&nbsp;

The gaming console is already launched in the international market and within months of its international launch, it is now set to enter the Indian markets

Microsoft may soon make an official announcement to launch gaming console Xbox One X in India. The gaming console is already launched in the international market and within months of its international launch, it is now set to enter the Indian markets. Powered by eight -core custom AMD CPU clocked at 2.3 GHz, 12 GB of GDDR5 VRAM and a 6 Teraflop GPU, Xbox is said to be Microsoft's most powerful console and smallest console. Its competitor in the Indian market is Sony's PS4 Pro Console which supports up to 4.2 teraflops while the Xbox One X is designed to offer up to 6 teraflops. The Microsoft Xbox One provides games for PC also whereas the Sony does not. The console comes with some 100 odd games which would consume quite high volumes of the internet for downloading. Microsoft is also providing its customers with the option of switching from Xbox One S to Xbox One X. The users of the older version of the gaming console can upgrade to the Xbox One X by downloading it for 4K assets.

Microsoft may launch gaming console Xbox One X in India on January 23

According to media reports, Google is the first tech-giant to have spent a huge sum of money for corporate lobbying efforts in the United States in two decades.&nbsp;

While Jeff Bezos-led Amazon spent over&nbsp;$12.8 million over lobbying US politicians the past year, rival Google invested a whopping $18 million.&nbsp;

The two companies were followed by Mark Zuckerberg&#39;s Facebook ($11.5), Bill Gates&#39; Microsoft ($8.5 million) and Tim Cook-led Apple ($7 million).

Reportedly, the companies used the money to press the US lawmakers on issues like advertising regulations, free trade, cybersecurity and immigration.&nbsp;

Facebook is reported to have upped its spending on lobbying activities by around $3 million.&nbsp;

 
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Facebook is reported to have upped its spending on lobbying activities by around $3 million

According to media reports, Google is the first tech-giant to have spent a huge sum of money for corporate lobbying efforts in the United States in two decades. While Jeff Bezos-led Amazon spent over $12.8 million over lobbying US politicians the past year, rival Google invested a whopping $18 million. The two companies were followed by Mark Zuckerberg's Facebook ($11.5), Bill Gates' Microsoft ($8.5 million) and Tim Cook-led Apple ($7 million). Reportedly, the companies used the money to press the US lawmakers on issues like advertising regulations, free trade, cybersecurity and immigration. Facebook is reported to have upped its spending on lobbying activities by around $3 million.

US: Google becomes the biggest tech spender on lobbying politicians

Tech giant Microsoft launched gaming console <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/microsoft-may-launch-gaming-console-xbox-one-x-in-india-on-january-23-30393" target="_blank">Xbox One X</a> for Rs 44,990 in India.

It is the smallest and most feature-rich Xbox ever launched by the multinational company.

The console is designed for being immersive 4K gaming and 4K entertainment.

It will provide an access to most diverse games lineup including Forza Motorsport 7, Assassin&#39;s Creed: Origins, Cuphead and Super Lucky&#39;s Tale.

The gaming console&nbsp;is already launched in the international market and within months of its international launch, it is now set to enter the Indian markets.&nbsp;

Its competitor in the Indian market is Sony&#39;s PS4 Pro Console which supports up to 4.2 teraflops while the Xbox One X is designed to offer up to 6 teraflops.&nbsp;

The Microsoft Xbox One provides games for PC also whereas the Sony does not.

The console comes with some 100 odd games which would consume quite high volumes of the internet for downloading.&nbsp;

It will be available online on Microsoft India store, Amazon India and Flipkart.

The console is designed for being immersive 4K gaming and 4K entertainment

Tech giant Microsoft launched gaming console Xbox One X for Rs 44,990 in India. It is the smallest and most feature-rich Xbox ever launched by the multinational company. The console is designed for being immersive 4K gaming and 4K entertainment. It will provide an access to most diverse games lineup including Forza Motorsport 7, Assassin's Creed: Origins, Cuphead and Super Lucky's Tale. The gaming console is already launched in the international market and within months of its international launch, it is now set to enter the Indian markets. Its competitor in the Indian market is Sony's PS4 Pro Console which supports up to 4.2 teraflops while the Xbox One X is designed to offer up to 6 teraflops. The Microsoft Xbox One provides games for PC also whereas the Sony does not. The console comes with some 100 odd games which would consume quite high volumes of the internet for downloading. It will be available online on Microsoft India store, Amazon India and Flipkart.

Microsoft launches Xbox One X for Rs 44,990 in India

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