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Shutterstock Tobacco-prevention efforts could help the world economy save trillions in healthcare  and lost productivity each year, the  World Health Organization  (WHO) notes, and  Russian lawmakers hope to stamp out the habit for the country's next generation while it's still in diapers. Gizmodo  reported yesterday that a proposal by Russian government would impose a total smoking ban starting in 2033, when now-toddlers born in 2015 would otherwise be legally able to purchase tobacco . According to the website, the stringent move would serve as the final step in a plan to bring the country's smoking rate down to 25% by 2025, paving  the way for even further drops. The proposal, outlined by the Russian newspaper Izvestia, also suggests that Russia's particularly high smoking rates are already sinking, with a reported 6% dip bringing its national rate down to 33% in the past 7 years.  Last month, the Russian Federation's Ministry of Health and the WHO

While until now Samsung  had religiously  refused to comment on rumors  surrounding the release of its upcoming Galaxy S8 handset, the company accidentally confirmed one of its most anticipated features ahead of  launch . The manufacturer rolled out a new  Samsung Pay Beta  update that strongly hints the company is expecting to launch its own lightweight, standalone payment platform – dubbed Pay Mini – as well as its  much-awaited digital assistant  Bixby. Selecting the menu bar in the updated Pay Beta build showed two new options available on the platform: Mini and Bixby. While Samsung has since removed the options,  SamMobile  managed to grab a screenshot before they were taken off. Credit: SamMobile It remains unclear how Bixby will integrate with the rest of the features, but chances are the virtual assistant will be capable of processing simple payments and money transfers on your behalf. In light of Samsung’s recent  acquisition  of voice-enabled service Viv, tech

Everywhere you turn these days, there’s talk of   automation replacing people . Technology is surely advancing at a rapid rate, and in today’s click-driven media environment,   sensationalism sells , but just because tech can replace a human worker doesn’t mean we’re always going to want that. In some instances, even when tech can do an adequate job, we still want to deal with a person. While a machine can perform a given task, often more efficiently than we can, what it lacks is the artistry in the activity, that uniquely human ability to cater to the needs of the individual. The protocol may suggest one approach, but a person who is good at their job understands when to adjust and the subtleties that are required.The Obama administration’s recent report   on the possible economic impact of artificial intelligence and automation  looked at the issue at least partly through a policy prism. “Whether AI leads to unemployment and increases in inequality over the long run depends not o

Mark Zuckerberg walks past people wearing Oculus Gear VR headsets. Mark Zuckerberg/Facebook Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg will testify in court on Tuesday, January 17 for a potentially explosive lawsuit that claims the Oculus VR startup he acquired for $2 billion was based on stolen technology. The more than two-year-old suit against Facebook by game maker Zenimax has culminated with a public trial by jury in a Dallas court that began on January 9. Zenimax is seeking $2 billion in damages against Facebook, which is the amount the social networking giant initially paid to buy Oculus in 2014. Representatives for Zenmiax confirmed to Business Insider that Zuckerberg will take the stand on Tuesday, followed by Oculus cofounder Palmer Luckey later in the week. The trial began on January 9; Oculus CTO and former Zenimax employee John Carmack was the first to testify on January 10. Facebook tried to argue that Zuckerberg shouldn't have to answer questions about his acquisition

Yesterday, Samsung dropped the bomb at the North American International Auto Show,  announcing  its energy storage subsidiary SDI is readying a next-gen electric vehicle battery that crams enough oomph to cover distances of up to 372 miles on a single cycle and packs a mighty quick charge feature. In addition to the ability to regain 310 miles of driving in about 20 minutes of charging, the hi-tech battery also comes in an efficient, lightweight body that weighs 10 percent less and involves less components. The South Korean tech heavyweight hopes this innovation will clinch its spot as a leading electric mobility manufacturer. Here’s what the company said: The development of the fast charging technology is making a rapid advancement thanks to its technological know-how in materials and processes that vastly decreased the resistance inside a battery cell. With a 20min charge, you can have a driving range of up to 500km which is 80 percent of the capacity. This means that on