The BBC has conducted an exclusive interview with Young Liu, the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Foxconn. The discussion focused mostly on the Taiwanese multinational electronics contract manufacturer having to navigate choppy waters—it is adapting to cooling international relations with China. Foxconn has many production plants in the region—most notably more than half of Apple products (iPhones and iMacs) are made in these facilities, but Liu's firm has already shifted production bases to other countries and continues to do so. Foxconn has done very well for itself from a traditional strategy of manufacturing US-designed products in China—other lucrative contracts have resulted from partnerships with Sony, Microsoft, Amazon and Dell. Liu acknowledges that some of his Western clients have requested that their products be manufactured outside of China due to political pressures: "They get the push from their government about de-risking, and then they will let us know."

The subject matter changes to Foxconn's ambition in the world of electic vehicles—Liu is less guarded about his company's targeted growth in this market. He cites wanting to gain 5% of the global EV market within the next few years, and is reported to confident about his firm's prospects. He demonstrated a prototype SUV model to the BBC reporter, with emphasis on the car's dashboard: "Look at this - this is a big iPhone, so we're very familiar with this." Foxconn had a small number of EV models on display, but it hopes to target middle-class buyers with eventual product launches. Liu explained that his company's expertise in electronics is a great advantage as they delve into a new market segment: "The reason why we think this is a great opportunity for us is that with the traditional gas engine, you have engines which are mostly mechanical. But with EVs, it's batteries and motors." Foxconn has plans for a global set of car manufacturing facilities—Thailand, Indonesia, India and the USA are mentioned. Liu proposes that his firm's future success will hinge on this diversified location model: "It doesn't make sense for you to make [EVs] in one place, so regionalized production for cars is very natural."

Brad Smith, vice chair and president at Microsoft has been doing the rounds with the UK press, and the incensed executive continues to express anger about the nation's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) preventing his company's proposed buyout of Activision Blizzard. The UK antitrust watchdog yesterday blocked the deal on the grounds that a merging of (already massive) games publishers could result in a potentially catastrophic skew in Microsoft's favor within the fast growing cloud gaming market sector. The CMA's latest findings suggest that the takeover would "lead to reduced innovation and less choice for UK gamers over the years to come." This verdict comes as a major blow to Microsoft's gaming division following a number of victories - including Japan's competition regulator approving the takeover bid late last month. The company's gaming division (Xbox Game Studios) is awaiting verdicts from the EU commission and US Federal Trade Commission.

In a business-themed podcast interview (conducted by the BBC), Microsoft boss Brad Smith declared that the UK government's blocking of the merger represented a bad move "for Britain" in terms of attracting international business. Microsoft has been operating in country for four decades, and Smith casts doubt on that relationship - in his opinion - the mega corporation has experienced its "darkest day" in the region: "It does more than shake our confidence in the future of the opportunity to grow a technology business in Britain than we've ever confronted before. People are shocked, people are disappointed, and people's confidence in technology in the UK has been severely shaken." Smith insists that fledgling companies should look elsewhere to start a base of operations: "There's a clear message here - the European Union is a more attractive place to start a business than the United Kingdom."

In an interview with the BBC, Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger said that the company is no longer considering the UK as a site for a chip fab, due to Brexit, something the company had apparently done prior to Brexit. Now the company is looking for a location in another EU country for a US$95 billion investment for a new semiconductor plant, as well as upgrades to its current plants in Ireland.

Although Intel had not made any firm decisions on a site location prior to Brexit, Gelsinger is quoted as saying "I have no idea whether we would have had a superior site from the UK, but we now have about 70 proposals for sites across Europe from maybe 10 different countries." He continues "We're hopeful that we'll get to agreement on a site, as well as support from the EU... before the end of this year."

On today's episode of "this is just so wrong", the 5GBioShield USB Key: "guaranteed" by its BioShield Distribution manufacturers to protect you from a plethora of harmful frequencies "through a process of quantum oscillation". This USB key has some extra calls to fame, though: not only does it seemingly create a protecting field around you or your "family home", as the company puts it, but it also emits "a large number of life force frequencies favoring a general revitalization of the body." Oh my, the miracles of quantum physics.

BioShield Distribution claims that the 5GBioShield Key "provides protection for your home and family, thanks to the wearable holographic nano-layer catalyser, which can be worn or placed near to a smartphone or any other electrical, radiation or EMF [electromagnetic field] emitting device", whereby "through a process of quantum oscillation, the 5GBioShield USB key balances and re-harmonises the disturbing frequencies arising from the electric fog induced by devices, such as laptops, cordless pho4nes, wi-fi, tablets, et cetera." And get this: these quantum-oscillating-holographic-nano-layer-catalyser-life-force-emitting USB keys are available in a bargain basement-deal of $973 for a pack of three. Oh the temptation!

As the trade war between the US and China continues to unfold, we are seeing major US companies ban or stop providing service to China's technology giant Huawei. Now, it looks like the trade war has crossed the ocean and reached the UK. This time, UK based ARM Holdings, the provider of mobile chip IP for nearly all smartphones and tablets, has revoked the license it has given Huawei.

According to the BBC, ARM Holdings employees were instructed to suspend all interactions with Huawei, and to send a note informing Huawei that "due to an unfortunate situation, they were not allowed to provide support, deliver technology (whether software, code, or other updates), engage in technical discussions, or otherwise discuss technical matters with Huawei, HiSilicon or any of the other named entities." The news came from an internal ARM document the BBC has obtained.

British Channel BBC has decided to make available to the public their entire archive on their Computer Literacy Project, a special education program for the populace which lasted from 1982 through 1989. The program was planned between 1979 and 1982, and spanned almost all forms of then-widely used media: television series, radio broadcasts, books, linked courses, software, advice services and the BBC Microcomputer system - a specially-designed computer system, which became the most popular machine in the British Government's "Computers for Schools" program.

Users can now watch the entirety of the 146 original Computer Literacy Project programs, plus 121 related programs, broken down into 2,509 categorized, searchable clips. It's a great remembrance project for the shock and awe these systems inspired at the time - even as we know hold in our pockets systems that are far more advanced and powerful than those that put the man on the Moon. Ingenuity revisited.

Cisco expressed concerns with the EU over Microsoft's takeover of Skype. In 2011, Microsoft clinched a deal which saw it takeover Skype for a staggering US $8.5 billion. Perhaps we're now getting to see just how valuable the acquisition was, as Microsoft is now sitting on some key telecommunication over IP intellectual property that has Cisco concerned that Microsoft could restrict video-conferencing technologies to other companies and impede competition. Interestingly, the European Commission gave a go-ahead to Microsoft during its acquisition, judging that the takeover wouldn't impede competition.

In a blog post by video conferencing head Martin De Beer, Cisco stated that it "does not oppose the merger, but believes the European Commission should have placed conditions that would ensure greater standards-based interoperability." Cisco called for making Microsoft's freshly-acquired IP "open-standards", stating that otherwise, Microsoft could control "the future of video communications". "Making a video-to-video call should be as easy as dialling a phone number," De Beer argued. It's "intellectual-property" when convenient, "open-standard" when not, in the funny world of tech-patents.

Let's face it, to think that every MegaUpload user has copyrighted content uploaded on the site is like saying everyone going to work at Capitol Hill is naughty (did we just say that?). Regardless, data uploaded by as many as 50 million users faces deletion this week due to non-payment of MegaUpload's dues to its third-party hosting providers.

This data could be anything from precious legitimate online data backups to the alleged copyrighted content, including data backups by paid subscribers. This, even before the users could have a chance to download their data as the site went offline abruptly on the 19th of this month. Before similar services such as Yahoo! Briefcase went offline (because the company discontinued the service), users were notified, and had a chance to download their data, as it faced deletion. MegaUpload had as many as 150 million registered users.

Analysts from all over the world are questioning Google's new privacy settings being implemented on March 1. Google is going to be tying its services closer together then before by allowing the privacy setting to be shared across services.

By doing this It will also be able to implement a new search for registered users. Google has stated,"If you're signed into Google, we can do things like suggest search queries, or tailor your search results, based on the interests you've expressed in Google+, Gmail and YouTube" the firm said.

Critics like the UK's Information Commissioner's Office warned that any changes must be communicated to users. They are quoted as saying, "It is important that technology companies, such as Google, are aware of the privacy concerns that exist when behavioral advertising is used to target particular content at individuals. Failure to inform users about changes may not only lead to a loss of trust in the company, but could also mean that they are failing to comply with the requirements of the Data Protection Act," it warned.

Canonical Ltd. announced the upcoming availability of Ubuntu 8.10 Desktop Edition for free download on 30 October. In related news, Canonical also announced the simultaneous release of Ubuntu 8.10 Server Edition.

Ubuntu 8.10 Desktop Edition is designed for the pervasively connected digital lifestyle. With new 3G network support, users can move smoothly from wired and WiFi networks onto 3G cellphone networks while traveling. Ubuntu 8.10 is also built to be shared - users can start a quick "guest session" on the fly and let someone use their computer to surf the web or check email, while maintaining the security and integrity of their own data. And if that person really enjoys their brief session as an Ubuntu guest, they can put Ubuntu on any USB key and take it home to install on their own computer rather than having to burn a CD.

Sony, Polyphony Digital and the BBC are teaming up to provide multiple Top Gear content in forthcoming PlayStation 3 title Gran Turismo 5 Prologue. Users will be able to download episodes of TV show Top Gear through Gran Turismo TV, with a total of 40 episodes available over the PlayStation Network. Additionally, the Top Gear Test Track - where show host Jeremy Clarkson and team test drive the latest cars - will be replicated in Gran Turismo 5.

BBC Top Gear is the world's number one motoring media brand and we're thrilled to make it accessible to Gran Turismo gamers

said Simon Danker, director of digital media at BBC Worldwide. Gran Turismo 5 Prologue will be released for the PlayStation 3 in 2008. The series has sold over 47 million units to date.

YouTube, the video sharing service now owned by Google, has often come under pressure from broadcasting companies about their material being shown without permission on the site after users upload it illegally. However, the BBC (a major TV and radio broadcaster in the UK) has reached an agreement which should see three channels being shown on YouTube, with each showcasing short clips of the BBC's content. One of these channels will be used for news, whilst the other two will host entertainment. The BBC's director general, Mark Thompson, called the deal a "ground-breaking partnership" that would "engage new audiences in the UK and abroad", but the deal has been criticised by other media companies which claim the BBC is straying from its licence-fee funded public service.