Latest news with #Swedish-based
News18
a day ago
- Automotive
- News18
Volvo XC60 Facelift To Launch In India On August 1, Here's List Of Expected Updates
Last Updated: The model has already made an globally debut last year with two colour options. It is not confirmed yet whether the company will bring those shades to the Indian market or not. The Swedish-based carmaker Volvo is all set to introduce the facelift avatar of the XC60. It has been reported that the launch is slated to take place on August 1, 2025. The model has already made an official debut globally last year with two colour options. However, it is not confirmed yet whether the company will bring those shades to the Indian market or not. What's New? The updated version will hit the market with noticeable cosmetic changes from the outside, while the cabin will receive slight nip-and-tuck updates to make it better than before. The price bracket of the upcoming model is not known yet. However, reports suggested that the interested ones might have to spend a few extra lakhs on the refreshed version. Exterior Details Talking about the big changes from outside, the XC60 facelift will come with a redesigned front profile, featuring a new grille with diagonal slats. The element will be similar to the outgoing version. The company has invested some efforts in the front fascia, revamping the bumper with fresh air intakes. There will be new alloy wheels and taillights with a smoked effect. It will make it look better than before, and might dominate the market with the latest enhancements. Interior Updates Inside the cabin, it will retain the same style dashboard layout. However, the model will feature an improved 11.2-inch freestanding touchscreen infotainment system that will support all the wireless car connect technology, including Android Auto and Apple carplay. It will be powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon Cockpit Platform, allowing the customers to expirence an improved pixel density, faster touch response. Powertrain Under the hood, the Volvo XC60 facelift will use the same 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine with 48-volt mild-hybrid technology. The unit will generate a maximum power of 247 bhp and 360 Nm of peak torque, and will be paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission/ view comments First Published: July 21, 2025, 13:59 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Scotsman
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Spotify: Why I'm giving the service a rest to go back to basics with music listening
This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement. I might have all the music in the world at my fingertips - but do I need it all at once? Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Spotify has faced criticism in recent months over its CEO's investment in an AI military defence company. But that isn't the only issue - the choice on the platform has also become overwhelming for some. Benjamin Jackson writes about why he's giving up Spotify in favour of going back to basics. The idea of having millions of tracks at my fingertips became a reality when Spotify first launched in 2008. No longer did I have to contend with how much space I would need on my Zune (ask your parents), as the catalogue the Swedish-based streaming service offered meant that I could retain hard drive space for… well… did I need hard drive space from there on in? Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But 17 years later, Spotify has grown from that weird app on your phone that not too many people were familiar with, to part of everyday language. 'Did you listen to that new Chappell Roan song?' 'No, it's on Spotify - I'll Spotify.' But a lot has changed over those years; the company has been hit with numerous complaints, from hosting Joe Rogan's podcast to how much artists actually earn from royalties through the service. That's not mentioning the most recent problem; Daniel Ek investing money into Helsing, a European defence technology company focused on developing AI systems for military applications, including those for drones and battlefield targeting. That's led to artists, such as Deerhoof, to decide that the money they help Spotify make is something they cannot do in good conscience. I've also had a few bands, from back in the days I used to release music, ask if I can remove their stuff from Spotify - despite the ubiquity of the service. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But the reason I am forgoing Spotify is far simpler. Although I am also not a fan of paying for a subscription that may help fund a war machine (for lack of a better term), it isn't merely that. For the life of me, I don't think I need that amount of music at my disposal - and therein lies two operative words here: disposal and disposable. Choice overload and the problem with Spotify While Spotify has become the 'king' of music streaming services, is too much choice and never-ending algorithms making music 'disposable'? | Canva You might be familiar with the concept of choice overload, as we've written about it before. For me, it is a real problem. It's why when at the end of the working day I put on Netflix or Prime Video, I'm met with numerous options, and I instead spend most of my time thinking about what I want to watch, rather than going in committed to what I do want to watch. It's very much the same when it comes to music; maybe I'm getting old and my patience with technology is changing, but I find myself more often than not sitting in silence during the day rather than putting Spotify on. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad It never used to be that way, and as someone who has previously belittled the importance of radio for artists owing to the way we all access music this century, I actually am a hypocrite – I have been enjoying the radio again. Why? Because the choice has been taken away from me and instead 'curated' by music programmers. It still all boils down to what artists are considered 'du jour' this week, but to have hours of music with conversations between moments is the respite I think I require these days. I don't get that same feeling from Spotify, and before people sound out 'that sounds like a you problem,' I am happy to admit it is. My patience for some reason is getting thinner the greyer I get. I've been called a boomer for my attitude sometimes. Great. But for all the recommended, customised, curated playlists created for me based on what I have been listening to, my Spotify Wrapped will demonstrate there's only a handful of acts I still use Spotify for. Is it worth £16.99 per month when that money could be used towards a CD or a vinyl from a local act? Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad There is a reason I've been extolling the virtues of compact discs since the beginning of the year: unlike Spotify, an album on CD, vinyl, or cassette tape has a definitive start and a definitive end. The wall of noise that is Spotify's algorithm To put it into some perspective, let's say I end up listening to Nirvana's Nevermind; I'll enjoy the album, but then, when the album is finished and it segues into the 'recommendations' based on Spotify's algorithm, it all just becomes a wall of noise. It's akin to just having non-descript sound on at times, and hence why the operative word is 'disposable.' Am I enjoying the fact that I can listen to whatever I want free from commercial interruptions or discussion about upcoming releases, or is it just a disposable form of entertainment that is just put on for the sake of 'having something on in the background'? It used to be, and still is in many respects, an event when an album finally dropped, and those of us of a certain age can remember lining up outside of HMV or Fopp to pick up the latest album we've coveted since reading about it in magazines and following their music videos on television. It was a full package. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Now? I can pre-save an album to Spotify, and it'll just appear in my library; there is no pomp and pageantry anymore. Instead, it just feels like I've ordered my meal on a flight and, low and behold, there it is… not quite nourishing but just doing the job to keep me sustained. That's why I think people are turning back to having tangible items with music on them, be it vinyl, cassette, CD, or Minidisc. Whatever takes your fancy. Maybe part of that is the realisation that royalty rates for physical items still command more than streaming services, or maybe this post-internet movement of removing ourselves more from the digital world has led us back to a halcyon era where we could hold the album we've been waiting for. For me, it's that combination of still enjoying the 'ritual' of pulling a CD sleeve out, reading the inlay, and allowing myself the time to digest an album once it has finished. Rather, as it were, not allowing myself that moment and instead gorging myself, without reason, on more music. Okay, there might be a reason – that Spotify Wrapped can't have Bush as a top-rated artist for another year in a row. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Interestingly, when I posited the notion on Facebook of cancelling Spotify in favour of buying CDs, an overwhelming number of people agreed with it. Some asking why that opinion was so popular, others offering advice such as supporting artists directly using Bandcamp might be more of a viable way to support people. But for me, as I pop on Charli XCX's remix version of 'brat', on CD, it's that content moment after an album has finished that has led me to eschew Spotify for now. It might sound like I have a lack of self-control regarding the use of the streaming service, but as it stands, I've been enjoying music way more this way in recent months than the 'onslaught' of options Spotify has. As my father used to say – you can only listen to one thing once. He's right – so maybe it's time to give up the subscription permanently and instead go back to basics, discovering music through word of mouth instead of what an algorithm is pushing, and adorning my shelves with CDs once again. Something you can't do with streaming tracks. Are you still a fan of Spotify or are you too finding yourself looking at other services and other ways to listen to music? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment below.
Scotsman
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Spotify: Why I'm giving the service a rest to go back to basics with music listening
This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement. I might have all the music in the world at my fingertips - but do I need it all at once? Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Spotify has faced criticism in recent months over its CEO's investment in an AI military defence company. But that isn't the only issue - the choice on the platform has also become overwhelming for some. Benjamin Jackson writes about why he's giving up Spotify in favour of going back to basics. The idea of having millions of tracks at my fingertips became a reality when Spotify first launched in 2008. No longer did I have to contend with how much space I would need on my Zune (ask your parents), as the catalogue the Swedish-based streaming service offered meant that I could retain hard drive space for… well… did I need hard drive space from there on in? Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But 17 years later, Spotify has grown from that weird app on your phone that not too many people were familiar with, to part of everyday language. 'Did you listen to that new Chappell Roan song?' 'No, it's on Spotify - I'll Spotify.' But a lot has changed over those years; the company has been hit with numerous complaints, from hosting Joe Rogan's podcast to how much artists actually earn from royalties through the service. That's not mentioning the most recent problem; Daniel Ek investing money into Helsing, a European defence technology company focused on developing AI systems for military applications, including those for drones and battlefield targeting. That's led to artists, such as Deerhoof, to decide that the money they help Spotify make is something they cannot do in good conscience. I've also had a few bands, from back in the days I used to release music, ask if I can remove their stuff from Spotify - despite the ubiquity of the service. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But the reason I am forgoing Spotify is far simpler. Although I am also not a fan of paying for a subscription that may help fund a war machine (for lack of a better term), it isn't merely that. For the life of me, I don't think I need that amount of music at my disposal - and therein lies two operative words here: disposal and disposable. Choice overload and the problem with Spotify While Spotify has become the 'king' of music streaming services, is too much choice and never-ending algorithms making music 'disposable'? | Canva You might be familiar with the concept of choice overload, as we've written about it before. For me, it is a real problem. It's why when at the end of the working day I put on Netflix or Prime Video, I'm met with numerous options, and I instead spend most of my time thinking about what I want to watch, rather than going in committed to what I do want to watch. It's very much the same when it comes to music; maybe I'm getting old and my patience with technology is changing, but I find myself more often than not sitting in silence during the day rather than putting Spotify on. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad It never used to be that way, and as someone who has previously belittled the importance of radio for artists owing to the way we all access music this century, I actually am a hypocrite – I have been enjoying the radio again. Why? Because the choice has been taken away from me and instead 'curated' by music programmers. It still all boils down to what artists are considered 'du jour' this week, but to have hours of music with conversations between moments is the respite I think I require these days. I don't get that same feeling from Spotify, and before people sound out 'that sounds like a you problem,' I am happy to admit it is. My patience for some reason is getting thinner the greyer I get. I've been called a boomer for my attitude sometimes. Great. But for all the recommended, customised, curated playlists created for me based on what I have been listening to, my Spotify Wrapped will demonstrate there's only a handful of acts I still use Spotify for. Is it worth £16.99 per month when that money could be used towards a CD or a vinyl from a local act? Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad There is a reason I've been extolling the virtues of compact discs since the beginning of the year: unlike Spotify, an album on CD, vinyl, or cassette tape has a definitive start and a definitive end. The wall of noise that is Spotify's algorithm To put it into some perspective, let's say I end up listening to Nirvana's Nevermind; I'll enjoy the album, but then, when the album is finished and it segues into the 'recommendations' based on Spotify's algorithm, it all just becomes a wall of noise. It's akin to just having non-descript sound on at times, and hence why the operative word is 'disposable.' Am I enjoying the fact that I can listen to whatever I want free from commercial interruptions or discussion about upcoming releases, or is it just a disposable form of entertainment that is just put on for the sake of 'having something on in the background'? It used to be, and still is in many respects, an event when an album finally dropped, and those of us of a certain age can remember lining up outside of HMV or Fopp to pick up the latest album we've coveted since reading about it in magazines and following their music videos on television. It was a full package. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Now? I can pre-save an album to Spotify, and it'll just appear in my library; there is no pomp and pageantry anymore. Instead, it just feels like I've ordered my meal on a flight and, low and behold, there it is… not quite nourishing but just doing the job to keep me sustained. That's why I think people are turning back to having tangible items with music on them, be it vinyl, cassette, CD, or Minidisc. Whatever takes your fancy. Maybe part of that is the realisation that royalty rates for physical items still command more than streaming services, or maybe this post-internet movement of removing ourselves more from the digital world has led us back to a halcyon era where we could hold the album we've been waiting for. For me, it's that combination of still enjoying the 'ritual' of pulling a CD sleeve out, reading the inlay, and allowing myself the time to digest an album once it has finished. Rather, as it were, not allowing myself that moment and instead gorging myself, without reason, on more music. Okay, there might be a reason – that Spotify Wrapped can't have Bush as a top-rated artist for another year in a row. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Interestingly, when I posited the notion on Facebook of cancelling Spotify in favour of buying CDs, an overwhelming number of people agreed with it. Some asking why that opinion was so popular, others offering advice such as supporting artists directly using Bandcamp might be more of a viable way to support people. But for me, as I pop on Charli XCX's remix version of 'brat', on CD, it's that content moment after an album has finished that has led me to eschew Spotify for now. It might sound like I have a lack of self-control regarding the use of the streaming service, but as it stands, I've been enjoying music way more this way in recent months than the 'onslaught' of options Spotify has. As my father used to say – you can only listen to one thing once. He's right – so maybe it's time to give up the subscription permanently and instead go back to basics, discovering music through word of mouth instead of what an algorithm is pushing, and adorning my shelves with CDs once again. Something you can't do with streaming tracks.
Euronews
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Euronews
Extremism and video games: How extremist groups are grooming children
Online gaming represents one of the world's largest industries with over 900 million players and estimated annual revenues of tens of billions of dollars, according to European Commission figures. This growth is not only attributed to the development of online games and communities, but also to game hosting and related communication platforms designed specifically for players and games. However, there is growing concern about the intersection between video games and violent extremism, apparently on the rise. A European study finds that extremists and terrorists, who are often pioneers in the digital space, have new opportunities through games and related platforms. During an event held in Athens in the framework of the GEMS project, which is part of the European Network against Video Game Extremism initiative, the latest concerns were vividly presented. There are various ways in which online games can be aimed at radicalisation; there are games made by extremists that usually have similar content of a far-right nature. In other cases extremists exploit other major gaming platforms to get their messages across. "The real danger here is that, through games, the barrier to violence becomes thinner. In two ways. First, especially games that are extremist in nature, they paint an image and a story in which there is an enemy. There's this group of people, it could be the LGBTQ+ community or Muslims, foreigners, whatever. And it builds a story in which these people are a threat. They're also presented negatively, and it's okay to go after them. So, essentially, it's a very effective way of indoctrinating and creating these feelings of hatred and hostility. And then there's the idea of actually socializing people and normalizing violence. The problem is that they're targeting younger and younger people. So we even have 12-year-olds recruiting other 12-year-olds. So we could definitely say that the problem of extremism and violence nowadays has really become a problem of teenagers or even children, which is a very big challenge for our prevention efforts," Daniella Pisoiu, scientific director of SCENOR - The Science Crew in Austria, told Euronews. Games industry wants to create safe communities for players "Finding the right balance between artistic freedom and dealing with hate games is something that definitely requires action from game distribution platforms. The European games industry has been working for years to create healthy, non-toxic online communities for everyone and this has been our goal for a long time. We have created a number of different methodologies, tools etc. for this and something that we are more successful on this side and we hope that other industries building digital communities will pick up on is the strong investment in community management", Yari Peka Kaleva, managing director of the Swedish-based European Game Creators Federation, told Euronews. The event also featured the Watchtower tool, which is based on Artificial Intelligence and developed as part of the GEMS project designed to enhance the detection and prevention of extremist activities in game spaces.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
BPC Instruments receives orders from KU Leuven valued at 0.7 MSEK
LUND, Sweden, June 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- BPC Instruments AB (publ) ("BPC") announces orders from KU Leuven university in Belgium. The orders include the delivery of several instruments, including Gas Endeavour® III systems, with a combined value of approximately 0.7 MSEK. CEO Dr. Jing Liu comments: "We are pleased to receive a significant order from a globally recognised research institution. KU Leuven's decision to transition to our technology confirms the value and reliability of our instruments in advanced scientific applications." BPC has received orders from university KU Leuven in Belgium. The value of the orders amounts to approximately 0.7 MSEK and includes several instruments including Gas Endeavour® III. The university is replacing and upgrading its setup for biochemical methane potential (BMP) testing with BPC's instruments for both batch and continuous measurements. The new systems are expected to streamline workflows and provide more precise and reliable data in research related to biological and biochemical gas processes. Revenue from these orders is expected to be recognised in Q2 2025. About Gas Endeavour® III Gas Endeavour® III is an advanced laboratory instrument platform designed for precise evaluation of gas production or consumption measurements in both batch and continuous processes. With its fully automated operation, an intuitive user interface, and high reliability, it offers exceptional ease of use. The system is available with 18 or 9 parallel channels, allowing for the simultaneous evaluation of multiple samples. For more information about Gas Endeavour® III, visit the Gas Endeavour® III product page or contact the sales team at sales@ For more information, please contact: Dr. Jing Liu, CEOBPC Instruments AB Tel: +46 (0) 46 16 39 51 E-mail: ir@ About BPC Instruments AB BPC Instruments is a global Swedish-based pioneering technology company developing and offering analytical instruments enabling more efficient, reliable, and higher quality research and analysis for industries in renewable bioenergy and environmental biotechnology. The result is not only higher accuracy and precision, but also a significant reduction in time consumption and labor requirement for performing analysis. BPC Instruments' innovative products offer high-quality hardware and software based on deep knowledge and experience of target applications. The solutions are the first of their kind, making the company a pioneer in its field. Today, BPC Instruments exports to nearly 80 countries around the world. BPC is listed on the Spotlight Stock Market in Sweden. For more information, please visit BPC's webpage: This information was brought to you by Cision The following files are available for download: Press release - KU Leuven View original content:
