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Spotify users can now search for songs by lyrics if you can't remember its name
Spotify users will now be able to search for song lyrics in its iPhone and Android apps.This will allow users who do not know the title, album, or artist of the song will be able to type in the lyrics inton the Spotify search bar to find them. Many songs can share similar lyrics, and so Spotify will show a list of recommendations with a “Lyrics match” label underneath the artist’s name.Spotify product designer Lina Wang first tweeted about the update.As well as both of Spotify’s mobile apps, the feature is also available through its desktop client.Spotify did not say how many languages the lyrics search function works with, but at time of writing lyrics in English, French, Korean, and Russian all surfaced results.However, lyrics in Chinese and Arabic did not bring up their respective songs, despite being on Spotify.Read moreWhile such a feature will be useful for Spotify users, it is not the only music streaming service to offer it. Apple Music has had the ability to search for songs using their lyrics since 2018.Currently, it is unclear whether the update will affect the ability of smart speakers using Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant or Google Assistant to search for music.It is also not known what company is working with Spotify to provide transcriptions for lyrics, although the streaming service has partnered with both Musixmatch and Genius in the past.The Independent has reached out to Spotify for clarification.To watch video podcasts, navigate to the show’s feed and pick and episode, which will then play on desktop or mobile – both for iPhones and Android users.
PS5: Sony takes PlayStation 5 to bits in new video
The company said that the teardown represented an opportunity to get “a sneak peek at the console’s interior” ahead of the release date next month.It focuses particularly on the cooling capabilities of the console, claiming that despite the vastly improved performance it will still be able to run as quiet and as cold as its predecessor.Early hands-on impressions from reviewers in Japan have suggested that is the case, with a number of early reviews suggesting that it really does run quiet and cool as claimed.Those same reviews also suggested that the console is very large. The full scale of the console can be seen in the video – in addition to the teardown revealing what Sony has done with all of the extra space inside.The video came with a warning that anybody watching should not attempt to tear apart their own console.“Do not try this at home,” it read. “Risk of exposure to laser radiation, electric shock, or other injury. Disassembling your PS5 console will invalidate your manufacturer’s guarantee.”
Three down: Internet data and phone calls stops working for some users
Phone network Three stopped working on Wednesday, with a rush of users complaining they were unable to get online.The problems have since been resolved and the network is back online.Users right across the UK complained of problems with the network, according to tracking website Down Detector, which saw a surge of problems just after 9am local time.The network had initially said that it was aware of the problem and that it was working to fix it, noting that the issue had come at a particularly difficult time“We are aware of an issue with the network and are working hard to fix it,” a Three UK spokesperson said. “We know how vital communications are at the moment and are sorry for any inconvenience caused.”It later said that the issue had been fixed.“Three’s services have now been restored for affected customers,” a spokesperson said. “We apologise for any inconvenience caused by the issue.”Three’s support account replied to some affected users asking them to switch their phone on and off in an attempt to restart it, but had not shared any public information about any possible outage.Checking the network status on Three’s website showed a warning that there may be issues, when entering a whole variety of postcodes from across the country.The note indicated that there could be “disruption”, because “engineers are working on masts nearby, which means the rest of our network is handling more traffic than usual”. It is not clear whether that warning was related to the more general outage.
'Clear evidence of collusion' between Huawei and Beijing, claim MPs
Parliament’s Defence Committee says there is “clear evidence of collusion” between Huawei and the Chinese state in a new report on 5G security.
It cites claims which have previously been made about Huawei’s ownership model and receipt of state subsidies, but does not include new evidence.
In response a Huawei spokesperson said: “This report lacks credibility, as it is built on opinion rather than fact.
“We’re sure people will see through these accusations of collusion and remember instead what Huawei has delivered for Britain over the past 20 years,” they added.
Huawei: The company and the security risks explained
Tobias Ellwood MP, the chair of the defence committee, unveiled the report stating: “Protecting the public and preserving our nation’s security are amongst the principle responsibilities of government.
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“The decision to embed a technology that compromises this would constitute a gross dereliction of these duties,” Mr Ellwood added, before stating: “The West must urgently unite to advance a counterweight to China’s tech dominance.”
Among the committee’s recommendations are proposals to form “a D10 alliance of democracies to provide alternatives to Chinese technology”.
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The committee also warned that current regulations were “porous” and that “legislation lacks teeth, continuing to allow telecoms companies to prioritise profit over the public and the nation’s security”.
It described as “imperative” the enacting of the Telecoms Security Bill, which will make the prohibition on purchasing new Huawei equipment from the end of this year a legal obligation.
Image: Huawei’s networking kit is set to be banned by the end of this year
The report follows the government ordering that all Huawei equipment must be stripped out of the UK’s telecommunication networks by 2027, as a result of US trade restrictions.
Mobile network operators will also be banned from purchasing new Huawei equipment by the end of this year. This ban impacts networking equipment and not consumer devices such as Huawei’s phones and laptops.
During the witness hearings for the committee’s inquiry, the culture secretary said that the government was aware “large private companies in China often have links to the Chinese Communist Party, and this was one of the factors that led to Huawei being designated as a high-risk vendor”.
Guidance issued by the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre states that Huawei “has always been considered higher risk by the UK government”. Reasons include China’s National Intelligence Law which could compel the company’s employees to “act in a way that is harmful to the UK”.
New American restrictions on Huawei will prohibit US firms from providing computer chips to the company.
These sanctions have been criticised as “arbitrary and pernicious” by Huawei, which has confirmed that 40% of the roles within its enterprise business group in the UK are being made redundant as a result.
Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google 'are monopolies', warns Congress report
A US congressional report has accused Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google of monopolising the digital market and recommended antitrust laws be used to break up these companies.
The 449-page report criticises how the technology giants have purchased competitors to retain their market dominance and for designing services in preference of their own revenues rather than in consumers’ interest.
Written by the House Judiciary Committee, the report recommends Congress introduces new laws which would ban platform operators from competing with businesses on their platforms, where they have an advantage.
“To put it simply, companies that once were scrappy, underdog start-ups that challenged the status quo have become the kinds of monopolies we last saw in the era of oil barons and railroad tycoons,” the report warned.
Image: The report from Congress warns about digital monopolies
“Although these firms have delivered clear benefits to society, the dominance of Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google has come at a price,” it added.
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“These firms typically run the marketplace while also competing in it – a position that enables them to write one set of rules for others, while they play by another.”
The report warned that although the four companies “differ in important ways”, their business practices revealed common problems, citing “nearly 1.3 million documents” as extensive evidence collected over the course of the investigation.
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“Each platform now serves as a gatekeeper over a key channel of distribution. By controlling access to markets, these giants can pick winners and losers throughout our economy,” the report stated.
“They not only wield tremendous power, but they also abuse it by charging exorbitant fees, imposing oppressive contract terms, and extracting valuable data from the people and businesses that rely on them.”
July: Tech bosses grilled over having ‘too much power’
It added: “By controlling the infrastructure of the digital age, they have surveilled other businesses to identify potential rivals, and have ultimately bought out, copied, or cut off their competitive threats.”
Among the recommendations are increased oversight and stricter rules regarding the acquisition of technology companies by the largest platforms – an issue which has regularly been cited as allowing the giants to become monopolistic over their slices of internet commerce.
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July: Insurance giant joins list of companies boycotting Facebook
Finally, according to the report, “these firms have abused their role as intermediaries to further entrench and expand their dominance,” in classical monopolistic behaviour.
“Whether through self-preferencing, predatory pricing, or exclusionary conduct, the dominant platforms have exploited their power in order to become even more dominant,” it stated, calling for Congress to introduce new laws to tackle these issues.
According to The New York Times, the report was delayed due to disagreements between Republicans and Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee, with the former upset that the report didn’t go into more detail on technology companies’ perceived bias against conservative views.
An alternative report drafted by the Republicans and obtained and published by Politico described some of the recommendations as “non-starters for conservatives”, particularly the calls to enforce a structural break-up of platforms such as Amazon so they are not directly competing with companies using their platform.
Richest nations could be 'close to normal' in 2021 if COVID vaccine found, says Bill Gates
The world’s richest countries could be back “close to normal” by late 2021 if a coronavirus vaccine is found, Bill Gates has said.
But the Microsoft co-founder warned that this is the “best case” scenario, as it still remains uncertain whether any vaccines will work.
The 64-year-old, who in April stepped down from the board of the Redmond-based tech giant he founded in 1975, told The Wall Street Journal there were still some hurdles to clear in the race for a vaccine for COVID-19.
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‘Follow the rules until the vaccine cavalry comes’
“Now the capacity will take time to ramp up,” said Mr Gates.
“And so the allocation within the US, and between the US and other countries, will be a very top point of contention.”
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The race for a vaccine is being led by AstraZeneca in collaboration with Oxford University, while another promising effort is being developed by Pfizer and BioNTech.
Both are hoping to be the first to gain regulatory approval in the West.
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The head of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said on Tuesday a vaccine may be ready by the end of the year – earlier than suggested by the UK’s chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance.
In the UK, any vaccine is expected to be rolled out based on who is most vulnerable to coronavirus and it has been suggested that less than half of the population will be vaccinated.
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Vaccine could be available in first half of 2021
Mr Gates’ charity – the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation – has recently signed an agreement with 16 pharmaceutical companies to speed up the process of manufacturing and distributing a vaccine.
The bid to find, approve and deliver a vaccine has been moving at unprecedented speed.
Russia is pushing ahead with its COVID-19 vaccine, with mass public vaccinations taking place alongside the main human trials – prompting concerns the country is prioritising national prestige over health and safety.
Mr Gates has said his foundation – to which he has donated $36bn of his own personal fortune – is “talking with Russia and China” about their respective vaccination programmes.
But he is concerned that that their lack of a well-respected Phase 3 study – covering thousands of people to look at the level of protection a vaccine would provide for society in general – could limit their appeal internationally.
Image: Bill and Melinda Gates run a foundation dedicated to tackling poverty and disease
“None of their vaccines are in a Phase 3 trial with a highly-regarded regulator overseeing that trial,” said Mr Gates.
He added: “The Western companies are further ahead on doing these Phase 3 studies. So if those come out well and they’re offered at low cost, I doubt there’ll be a lot of Russian or Chinese vaccines going outside of those countries.”
Mr Gates also paid tribute to the countries he thought had best balanced the health and economic challenges posed by the pandemic, citing South Korea and Australia.
He has not previously offered direct criticism of any one country’s response, but did hit out at Donald Trump over his decision to withdraw US funding for the WHO.
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