It was like the Formula 1 finale all over again. But instead of Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, the popular Python and C# programming languages were fighting to get the TIOBE programming language of the year award. In December, C# looked almost certain to win the crown, but tables turned by the end of the year, and Python grabbed the pole position. For the uninitiated, TIOBE, a software quality measurement company based in the Netherlands, produces a monthly index of popular languages across
While digital transformation has been on the agenda for legacy institutions for over a decade, tech adoption has now become a do or die situation for traditional banks. The fintech revolution has brought about worthy adversaries in the form of neobanks and fintech apps that address the needs of a younger, digitally savvy generation. This coupled with the pandemic, which put the transition to digital banking services into warp-speed, has meant banks need to offer something new today or risk losin
Last night, Apple became the first US company to breach the mark of a $3 trillion market cap. The party lasted only a brief while, as the firm’s stock brought the valuation down to $2.99 trillion within a few hours. Over the years, the iPhone has been the major force behind the Cupertino-based tech giant’s bottom line. More recently, its services business has also become an important contributor. Last quarter, services generated $18.2 billion in revenue for Apple, with 25.6% year-on-year growth.
Early-stage founders often struggle with prioritizing and structuring their brand work – and admittedly, the feat can seem pretty overwhelming if you’re building your entire visual identity from scratch. Color choices, fonts, and imagery can seem like petty details when you’re simultaneously building your product, fundraising, and headhunting for key roles, but overlooking your brand can be an expensive mistake for a startup with only one shot to woo a potential investor or customer. At the same
A pair of researchers from the University of Montreal today published a pre-print research paper on creating “more intelligent artificial agents” by imitating the human brain. We’ve heard that one before, but this time’s a little different. The big idea here is all about giving artificial intelligence agents more agency. According to the researchers: Despite the progress made in social neuroscience and in developmental psychology, only in the last decade, serious efforts have started focusing on
For many years, Samsung divided its phone lineup with the S-Series in the first half of the year and the Note series in the second half. But after the company hinted it was abandoning the Note series to sell more folding phones in 2021, the truth is not so tragic for Note fans: Samsung is basically turning the Galaxy Ultra into the new Note, as evidenced by the latest batch of leaks. We already saw the first indications of this last year, as the S21 Ultra supported a newfangled external S-Pen. B
With carmakers committed to sustainability targets for incoming decades, they are finding second life use cases for discarded cars and their components. Recently, Hyundai has found a new way to give a second life to preproduction prototypes. Rather than conventionally crushing them or using them for accident testing, it’s released a video showcasing a “rebirth” of various Ioniq 5 car components to create an air purifier. Hyundai originally built the test car for noise, vibration, and harshness
All of us at TNW were over the moon when we heard about Samsung’s new remote powered by a Solar panel last year. Saving us the trouble of hunting for AAA batteries is truly the Lord’s work, so thank you Samsung. This year, the Korean tech giant has upped its remote game by including a new ability: Wi-Fi Charging. Yes, the new remote can literally charge through your routers useless signals that bounce around your house. How cool is that! If you’re thinking about how this magic happens, the answe
It’s a new year and there’s already a fresh Apple rumor hot off the presses: the upcoming AirPods 2 Pro will support lossless audio streaming. According to a note published by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the company is planning a design overhaul of its top-end wireless buds, along with a new case that will beep to help you find it. The Cupertino-based company launched a lossless music tier for Apple Music last May. But there were only a few ways to enjoy it: if you’ve got an iPhone, you had to get an
You might not have noticed, but the products you’re buying at the grocery store are getting smaller. That’s right: They’re shrinking. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which sent raw materials prices soaring, many companies are trying to find ways to cut costs. So if that box of Cookie Crisp (part of a balanced breakfast, they say) feels a little light, you’re not imagining things; General Mills has decreased its family size boxes from 19.3 ounces to 18.1 ounces. Economist Pippa Malmgren coi