Geeky international news on technology, business and culture.
Netherlands ranks above entire G7 in tech competitiveness, study finds
25 March 2025 @ 9:32 am
The Netherlands has ranked 10th in a global index of tech competitiveness, ahead of the entire G7 group of the world’s largest so-called “advanced” economies. The country was praised for its thriving digital economy, mature biotech and semiconductor industries, and strong digital skills underpinned by “engineering excellence.” London-based Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) and consultancy SThree produced the index, which ranks 35 countries based on economic indicators such as level of high-tech exports, number of software developers, and patent filings related to AI. Several European countries joined the Netherlands near the top of the rankings. Ireland placed second…Italy freezes Starlink talks as Elon Musk’s controversies snowball
24 March 2025 @ 3:13 pm
Last week, Elon Musk’s Starlink internet service was installed at the White House. A week before that, Donald Trump promoted Tesla on the White House front lawn, after rallying people to buy the company’s cars and stock. The Trump administration’s endorsements of Musk’s companies are attracting growing scrutiny. Critics argue that they’re breaking laws and threatening democracy. For the world’s richest man, the relationship is also causing business problems. One involves Italy’s plans for Starlink. The country has halted talks for a proposed €1.5bn contract with the service, defence minister Guido Crosetto said in an interview Saturday. “Everything has come…SAP becomes Europe’s most valuable company, ASML holds fourth place
24 March 2025 @ 12:18 pm
Just five months after surpassing ASML, German software giant SAP has overtaken Novo Nordisk to become Europe’s most valuable listed company. SAP’s shares rose 1.6% on Monday, bringing its market cap to €313bn. That was just enough to nudge Danish weight loss drugmaker Novo off the top spot. SAP’s stock has risen more than 40% in the past year, amid booming demand for its AI-driven enterprise resource planning software (ERP). The cloud-based software centralises business data, allowing multiple departments to access and share information in one place. In contrast, Novo is having a tougher time on the stock market. Novo’s…After Northvolt, Europe’s battery path leads to China — or new tech frontiers
21 March 2025 @ 8:35 am
Fuelled by $15bn in financing, Northvolt was supposed to be Europe’s great battery success story — a homegrown champion capable of competing with Asian and American giants. So when Northvolt filed for bankruptcy last week, after months of job cuts, restructuring, and multiple failed attempts to raise more money, it dealt a massive blow to Europe’s ambitions to ramp up domestic production of lithium-ion batteries, which power everything from EVs to smartphones. In the wake of Northvolt’s precipitous fall from grace, everyone from politicians and investors to the company’s own employees has voiced their opinions on what went wrong. Among…Opinion: To close Europe’s defence tech gap, governments must support startups
21 March 2025 @ 8:00 am
The United States has long understood a simple truth: war is won not by size alone, but by speed and creativity. Indeed, innovation has always been crucial in conflict. Armour made knights safe until the crossbow came along. High walls protected cities until cannons emerged. Trenches were made obsolete by fast-moving mechanised forces. The lesson: a military that cannot innovate is one that falls behind. Yet Europe remains stuck with an outdated model of defence procurement – one that favours a handful of bloated contractors doing the same old thing over the fresh ideas of startups and entrepreneurs. Against a…Military vehicles to get mixed reality windshields controlled by human eyes
20 March 2025 @ 1:00 pm
Finnish startup Distance Technologies emerged from stealth last year with a technology it claims can turn any transparent surface into a mixed reality (MR) display. Now, it has teamed up with Patria to trial the tech on the defence firm’s armoured vehicles. The partners will jointly develop a heads-up display for Patria’s six-wheel drive armoured personnel carrier. The system will display 3D tactical data, terrain mapping, and AI-driven military insights directly onto the windshield, allowing military personnel to see in low-visibility environments like darkness and smoke. The MR technology promises to eliminate the need for additional screens or clunky headsets.…The European Accessibility Act risks becoming just a box-ticking exercise
20 March 2025 @ 8:00 am
With the compliance deadline for the European Accessibility Act (EAA) fast approaching, companies are urgently trying to ensure their websites meet the requirements of the EU directive. One appealing solution is accessibility widgets — small add-ons with features like text resizing, contrast adjustments, and text-to-speech functions. However, while these widgets promise fast and inexpensive compliance, they often fail to address the real issues of accessibility. In fact, they can even make websites harder for people with disabilities to navigate. Here’s why relying on widgets is a short-sighted solution and what web developers should focus on instead to create truly accessible…Euclid space telescope captures multiple ‘extremely rare’ double gravitational lenses
19 March 2025 @ 11:10 am
The European Space Agency has released the first major batch of data from its “dark universe” telescope Euclid. What’s inside could change our understanding of dark matter and the expansion of the universe. The data comprises just one week’s worth of deep field images from three points in space. They make up just 0.4% of the vast area Euclid will capture, which scientists say will be the largest 3D map of the sky ever created. With one scan of each region so far, Euclid has already spotted 26 million galaxies, each potentially containing millions of stars and billions of planets.…Ex-ArianeGroup CEO backs Pangea to build 3D-printed aerospike rocket engines
18 March 2025 @ 5:27 pm
Aerospike rocket engines are the stuff of legend in the space industry. Conceived in the 1960s, their unique spiked-nozzle design promises better efficiency, reusability, and performance at all altitudes. But their complexity — and the shutdown of major space programmes towards the end of the 20th century — meant they never entered the mainstream. But now, startups are dusting off old designs and using new technologies to revive aerospike engines for modern spaceflight. One of these ventures is Spain’s Pangea Aerospace. Founded in 2018, Pangea has been operating under the radar for most of its seven-year history. But today, the…Exclusive: Visoid bags fresh funds for AI that accelerates 3D rendering for architects
18 March 2025 @ 2:24 pm
Oslo-based startup Visoid has raised €700,000 in seed funding for its AI software, which helps architects turn their 3D models into striking renders within seconds. For architects and designers, a good render can mean the difference between winning or losing a client. However, rendering typically requires a lot of time, effort, expertise — and money. Tools like Visoid look to disrupt the status quo. “What started as a simple tool for architects to generate beautiful visualisations has led us on a journey to simplify and democratise the visualisation process itself,” said co-founder Joachim Holwech. Here’s how the software works: You…
There are probably a million reasons why you don't need a new pair of pants. But there are at least 18 reasons why you want these particular adventure pants from Caligo.Continue ReadingCategory: Wearables, Consumer Tech, TechnologyTags: Clothing, Clothes, 
While sustainably-grown wood can be an economical and eco-friendly building material, its relatively low tensile strength limits its potential applications. That could soon change, however, thanks to a new self-densifying technique for creating super-strong wood.Continue ReadingCategory: Materials, ScienceTags: Wood, 
Taiwan's Tern introduced a compact Bosch-powered cargo bike back in 2017 that could haul gear or kids where its larger models couldn't. The company improved the formula in 2020, and has now pretty much redesigned everything for the third-generation GSD family.Continue ReadingCategory: Bicycles, TransportTags: Tern, ebikes, 
You may think golf course grass is the same everywhere … but you would be wrong. Some greens are known for being dry while others have a rep for being wet, and a new type of golf ball coating could make for better golfing on both.Continue ReadingCategory: ScienceTags: Golf, 
The Triumph Speed Triple RR is perhaps one of the fastest cafe racers on the market. Be it a straight line or in the twisties, its 1,160-cc inline triple and roughly 180 horsepower will keep you thrilled like very few bikes can.Continue ReadingCategory: Motorcycles, TransportTags: Triumph, Superc
Audio brand Fiio has announced its flagship in-ear monitors. Three different types of driver are squeezed into the high-end titanium housing of the FX17, making a total of 13 in each earpiece for the promise of "a bigger soundstage and more natural sound."Continue ReadingCategory: Wearables, Consumer Tech, TechnologyTags: Audiophile, Earphones, 
For many people, injection needles can be scary – and the larger ones for specialized longer-term medications are far more intimidating.Continue ReadingCategory: Medical Innovations, Body & MindTags: MIT, 
Camping hardware maker iKamper teamed up with Rivian to develop a special edition Skycamp Mini tent for your R1T or R1S. Unlike a lot of similar tents that only go on the roof, this one installs on the bed rack and folds away into an aerodynamical hardshell case, so it shouldn't reduce your truck's range.Continue ReadingCategory: Outdoors, LifestyleTags: Camping, 
French company Beyond Aero has released an updated design for the zero-emissions jet it's aiming to put into service by 2030, claiming it'll be considerably cheaper to run than conventional jets, while cutting cabin noise by half.Continue ReadingCategory: Aircraft, TransportTags: Hydrogen Aviation, Fuel Cell, 
It was only a matter of time until the GLP-1 receptor agonist drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy were superseded, and now it looks like we'll have the next generation of these breakthrough weight loss and diabetes medicines on shelves by early next year.Continue ReadingCategory: Obesity, Illnesses and conditions, Body & MindTags: Obesity, 
(Arrival is a fantastic movie. Watch it, but don’t stop there – read the Story of Your Life novella it was based on
With early computers, you didn’t boot up to a fancy schmancy desktop, or a screen full of apps you could easily poke and prod with your finger. No, those computers booted up to the command
Save up to 20% on a variety of color options for Sony's noise-cancelling WH-1000XM5 headphones.
The 13-Inch model of one of Apple's best laptops is back to its all-time-lowest price thanks to this Amazon "Big Spring" sale.
Save yourself $70 on the small but (very) powerful Mac Mini, built with Apple's M4 chipset.
Recent MRI research suggests our brains can turn to an unexpected source of fuel in times of need, like running a 26.2-mile race.
The A24 film starring Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega opens this Friday.
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Western movies do not hold a candle to S.S. Rajamouli's global phenomenon.
Save $799 on a 13.3" Apple MacBook Air with a 128GB SSD and i5 processor.
Amazon is offering this TV at almost half its original price.
In a new interview, the former DC superhero reflects on how that era of his career was an 'excruciating experience.'
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