10 things in tech you need to know today

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Melissa Morris

Network Locum CEO Melissa Morris

Network Locum CEO Melissa Morris pesters potential hires on LinkedIn.

Good morning! Here's the tech news you need to know this Friday.

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1. The TalkTalk hack is much smaller than everyone first thought. The internet and phone provider said that just 156,959 people are affected by the hack, down from a previous estimate of 1.2 million and an initial assessment of 4 million.

2. Four people within the hacking world have claimed they watched the TalkTalk hack unfold - and one even took part. They say "at least 25" cyber-criminals had access to TalkTalk customers' personal information following the attack on the company.

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3. A London startup CEO has explained the way she steals top employees from companies like Bloomberg. Network Locum CEO Melissa Morris said she will send potential hires up to three messages on LinkedIn within the space of 72 hours.

4. The British government ran a programme to collect data that was so secret that few even in MI5 knew about it. The data involved the bulk records of phone calls - not what was said but the fact that there was contact.

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5. The BBC has launched a new feature that lets you buy and keep digital copies of old BBC programmes. BBC Store lets people download series boxsets or single episodes produced by the BBC.

6. DJI, the world's largest consumer drone maker based in Shenzhen, is opening a new research and development centre in Palo Alto, California. The new facility will be headed by two senior staff DJI hired this year: Rob Schlub, a former Apple engineer who worked on antenna design, and Darren Liccardo, a former Tesla Motors engineer who worked on autopilot systems.

7. The cofounder of Evernote has revealed he sometimes pretends to be a robot. Speaking at Irish tech conference Web Summit, Phil Libin revealed that "ever since I was a little kid, I'd get through difficult situations by pretending to be a robot."

8. Apple has patented a way for your iPhone to enter "panic mode" when you unlock it with a specific finger. The patent document suggests that this feature would be useful for emergency situations or if someone is trying to steal the iPhone.

9. Toyota is planning to spend $1 billion (£600 million) on a research institute focused on artificial intelligence and robotics. The new Toyota Research Institute will start operating in January, and the Japanese carmaker's five-year initial investment will set up locations near Stanford University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

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10. The CEO of Google's £400 million AI startup is going to meet with tech leaders to discuss ethics. Demis Hassabis revealed that some of the most prominent minds in AI are gathering in New York early next year to discuss the ethical implications of the field they work in.

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