Tech Sightings, June 11, 2014

Posted June 11th, 2014 at 2:12 pm (UTC-4)
Leave a comment

New Technology Aims to Rid World Cup of ‘Ghost Goals’

Soccer’s governing bodies are working to resolve the issue of the “ghost goal” – a situation where it is impossible to tell if an air-borne ball in the goal area actually crosses the goal area. Now, with the help of a German company, FIFA will be using new goal-line technology in Brazil’s 2014 World Cup, to open Thursday.

Google’s All-Seeing Satellites – Will They Be Used Toward Good Ends Only?

Having just dished out $500 million for Skybox, a startup that uses low-cost satellites for high-resolution photos and videos, Google now has unprecedented access to massive amounts of data, some of which could give the tech giant insights into the workings of economies and nations.

Black Girls Take on Tech’s Diversity Woes

Black women comprise only 2 percent of the United States’ science and engineering workforce. In an effort to correct this picture, non-profit Black Girls CODE hosted its first computer programming marathon for girls under the age of 18. More than 17 teams with a total of 60 participants joined the race.

Alibaba to Buy Out UCWeb in China’s Biggest Internet Merger

Alibaba will acquire mobile browser firm UCWeb in the biggest merger in the China’s internet history, upping the ante in the battle against Tencent and Baidu in the world’s largest smartphone market.

Ultra-cheap Firefox OS Devices Coming to India, Taiwan

Eying India’s huge number of mobile users, Mozilla has announced new partnerships with Indian companies Intex and Spice to launch Firefox OS smartphones in the country. The first handsets are to become available in a few months.

Intel to Team up With WiTricity on Wireless Charging

Intel today announced that it has reached an agreement with WiTricity that allows it to integrate wireless charging technology into computing devices powered by its chips.

Aida Akl
Aida Akl is a journalist working on VOA's English Webdesk. She has written on a wide range of topics, although her more recent contributions have focused on technology. She has covered both domestic and international events since the mid-1980s as a VOA reporter and international broadcaster.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *