NEWS
BBC micro:bit: pocket-sized codeable
computer available to all
The BBC micro:bit features 25 red LED lights that can flash messages,
while there are also two programmable buttons that can be used to
control games or pause and skip songs on a playlist. The device can
also detect motion and tell you which direction you’re heading in. It
can also use a low energy Bluetooth connection to interact with other
devices and connect to the Internet.
Pupils at Eastlea Community School in London programmed it to
keep a small aircraft on course while children at Highgate School, also
in the capital, used it to help autism sufferers recognise emotions.
A “We believe that the BBC micro:bit is a foundational programme that
will support a new generation of digital makers,” said Michel Van
der Bel, Managing Director of Microsoft UK and Vice President of
Microsoft International.
The BBC micro:bit, which has been handed to 800,000 youngsters
across the UK free of charge, can now be bought online. It is hoped
the fully-programmable device will get more children involved in
coding and computer science, which was added to the national
curriculum in 2014. “That’s exactly why we are helping to extend the project by
making it available through the Microsoft store. We want
everyone beyond Year 7 to have the opportunity to own a BBC
micro:bit and we are proud to be providing the programming
capabilities for all the friends, families, clubs and schools who
choose to buy one.”
mini-computer that UK schoolchildren have turned into watches,
stepometers and musical instruments has now been released for
general sale across the country.
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Telefónica launches Aura and leads
integration of AI in its networks
third-party channels including Facebook, Google and
Microsoft. Speaking at the launch, the Chairman of
the company, José María Álvarez-Pallete, highlighted
Aura’s potential for its customers.
“A year ago we said we wanted artificial intelligence
to be the basis of our clients’ relationship with us and
we are delivering on our promise. Digitalisation is the
core of our business and thanks to the deep internal
transformation that we have undergone in the last eight
years, we have become a company of smart platforms.”
T
elefónica has announced the launch of Aura, an artificial
intelligence-powered digital assistant that will transform the
way customers interact with Telefónica and manage their digital life
with the company. They will be able to use a first release of Aura
in Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom. Aura will be delivered
to customer devices via a mobile application, but also via other
www.intelligentcio.com
Aura arrives in the UK (O2 Ask) and Spain (Movistar+
Habla) through Telefónica’s own applications with
different use cases. In some cases, customers will
be able to talk to the network in real time through
multiple channels and ask about their bill, the services
contracted, data usage and other content.
“Chema Alonso, Chief Data Officer, added “Aura is more than a
digital assistant and this launch is just the beginning. Aura will grow
day-by-day with new capabilities and will transform the way we
interact with our customers.”
INTELLIGENTCIO
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