Uber Eats’ redesigned app lets you track your order with cute graphics
Uber Eats is launching a redesign of its app that uses cute graphics to offer detailed information on the progress of your order. It also brings new features to better handle delays, and offers more ways to contact your courier. The new-look app will land first in 16 cities, with all users offered access soon.
Robot invasion: Walmart to deploy thousands of automated assistants
Walmart has been testing robot technology at its stores for some time, but now the company is now planning a major rollout of thousands of automated assistants capable of performing a range of routine tasks. The idea is that they'll free up time for human workers so they can spend more time with customers.
U.K. launches $2.5M contest for tech to counter threats from rogue drones
The U.K. government has launched a $2.5M contest to encourage the development of technology designed to counter threats posed by rogue drones at places such as airports, as well as on the battlefield. The contest comes several months after drone sightings at one of the U.K.’s biggest airports caused massive disruption.
Google’s Wing drones are now delivering mochas and meds in Australia
Google's Wing drone is now part of a full-fledged delivery service in North Canberra, Australia. Customers can order items such as fresh food, drinks, and medicines from local businesses using a smartphone app, with the delivery dropped off by the drone in a matter of minutes.
YouTube boss admits even her own kids gave the ‘Rewind’ video a thumbs down
YouTube's annual "Rewind" video is supposed to be a celebration of “the videos, people, music, and moments” that define the given year, but last year's ended up becoming the most disliked video on the service. And now YouTube's CEO has admitted that even her own kids thought it was pretty darn awful.
Is Uber planning to put its self-driving tech into bikes and scooters?
Uber may have its eye on building autonomous e-bikes and scooters for its two-wheeled rental services. A rider could summon a bike or scooter with an app, with the vehicle also able to return by itself to a depot for recharging. The tech could also be used to make vehicles safer via obstacle sensors.
Lime scooter fault can cause sudden excessive braking when going downhill
Lime has acknowledged a serious fault with its electric scooters that has caused a small number of them to suddenly brake while going downhill, in some cases causing injuries to riders. The company is urging users to ride with caution as it continues to roll out a software fix to Lime scooters around the world.
Netflix confirms it won’t be a part of Apple’s new video-streaming service
Netflix has confirmed that subscribers to Apple's new video streaming service won't have the option to view Netflix content on it. CEO Reed Hastings said Apple is a “great company,” but added, “We want to have people watch our shows on our service.” Apple is set to unveil its new subscription-based offering next week.
YouTube will now tell you to ‘take a break’ from endless viewing
If your YouTube sessions often run from minutes into hours without you realizing, the app now has a way to set up an alert telling you to take a break. The opt-in feature lets you choose how long before you receive the alert, though it doesn't block access, so you'll still have to use all your willpower to stop.
Mix-up causes R-rated horror trailers to show before kids animated film at theater
A fun trip to the movies turned into the stuff of nightmares for children at a theater in the U.K. on Saturday. They were there to see a cartoon for kids, but a mix-up led to the theater showing two trailers for R-rated horrors. And it’s not the first time a blunder like that has happened.
Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey received an annual salary of $1.40 in 2018
Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey received an annual paycheck of just $1.40 in 2018, an amount that would only get you one item at a dollar store, with 40 cents left over for, perhaps, a banana. He’s not the only CEO to forgo a proper salary, but why do they do it, and where do they get their money from?
Snapchat finally releases rebuilt Android app with superior performance
If you've been struggling with a slow and buggy Snapchat on Android, then we have some good news for you. A new version has been released that promises superior performance and an all-around better experience. The team behind the revamped app says it looks the same but should now run a lot faster.
How a two-year-old Facebook post may lead to jail time for a visitor to Dubai
If you enjoy sounding off on social media, you might want to check through your posts prior to any trip to Dubai. A British woman was recently arrested upon arrival in the UAE state in connection with Facebook comments posted two years ago about her former husband and his new wife.
Microsoft says it’s closing its HealthVault patient records service
Microsoft will close its HealthVault service in the fall. HealthVault offered a way for individuals to store and share their health records with medical professionals. The decision comes soon after Microsoft said it is ending support for its Health Dashboard apps for the defunct Band fitness tracker.
Skype doubles its group video chat limit to 50 participants
Skype now allows for up to 50 people in video and audio chats, double that of before. And instead of ringing everyone as a way to get a group call started, you can now send unobtrusive notifications to get everyone’s attention. The update is available now with the latest version of Skype for Windows, Mac, and Linux.
Palm seeks redemption for its tiny smartphone, now a $199 stand-alone handset
Palm is having another stab at generating interest in its tiny smartphone. As well as offering a stand-alone version and improving its specs, it's also slashing its price to $199 from $350 throughout April. The original device was poorly received when it launched in 2018, but will this latest effort win it any fans?
Robotic bees are set to invade the International Space Station
There'll be a couple of bees buzzing about the International Space Station in a few weeks' time. OK, they're not real bees, but instead "Astrobees.” Designed by NASA, the compact flying robots are capable of performing routine chores so the crew can focus more on its research activities.
Amazon’s crazy delivery-drone blimp, as imagined by a video artist
If Amazon ever gets to build the extraordinary delivery-drone blimp that it featured in a patent filing a few years ago, then this video shows how it might look. The blimp would act as a floating warehouse with drones buzzing back and forth on delivery runs to nearby addresses. Well, that’s the idea at least.
Vending machine prints out free short stories for London commuters
A vending machine offering short stories by famous authors has launched in London. The free stories have been penned by writers past and present and take around one, three, or five minutes to read. Research suggests 36 percent of Brits have given up on at least one book in the last year because of a lack of time.
Man pleads guilty to scamming Facebook and Google out of more than $100M
One of the men behind an elaborate fraud that saw Facebook and Google each hand over tens of millions of dollars has admitted to his part in the scheme. Lithuanian Evaldas Rimasauskas, who was extradited to the United States in 2017, faces up to 30 years behind bars when he’s sentenced in July.
Space debris from India’s anti-satellite missile test a threat to ISS, NASA says
Numerous pieces of debris resulting from India's recent anti-satellite missile test pose a threat to the safety of the International Space Station, a NASA official said on Monday. But India insisted the test was conducted in the safety of the lower atmosphere, with any debris likely to decay within a few weeks.
Pandora to start testing A.I.-powered interactive voice ads
If you spot someone in the street talking to ads on Pandora in the coming months, then no, you’re not going mad. It's part of a trial by the music streaming service that will use interactive voice ads to encourage responses from listeners so brands can learn what elements of a product they’re most interested in.
2 million diners hit by malware attack at restaurants across U.S.
Payment card information belonging to more than 2 million restaurant diners has likely been stolen in a malware attack involving compromised point-of-sales systems. Targeted outlets include Buca di Beppo, Planet Hollywood, and Earl of Sandwich, among others. Owner Earl Enterprises said it’s investigating the breach.
Gmail for iOS finally gets handy customizable swipe actions
Nine months after it landed on Gmail for Android, Google is finally bringing its improved swipe feature to iOS. It means that when you swipe an email, instead of only having the option to delete it, you’ll be able to archive, mark as read/unread, snooze, and move it to another folder, too.
FTC forces the closure of four major robocall scam operators
Chasing down illegal robocall operators must feel like a game of whack-a-mole for the FTC, but the fight goes on. The commission recently announced it had forced the closure of four separate operations responsible for bombarding people across the United States with billions of scam calls.
Airbnb’s most popular rental in the world is a California cabin
Airbnb's most popular rental globally is a tiny dome-topped cabin in California. The revelation came as the online accommodation service celebrated half a billion guest arrivals globally since its launch in 2008. Airbnb currently offers around six million places to stay in more than 80,000 cities around the world.
McDonald’s to use A.I. to tempt you into extra purchases at the drive-thru
Next time you're at a McDonald's drive-thru, you might see the menu board change as you give your order. The new board incorporates A.I. and can suggest extra items based on your choices. It can also reflect things like weather conditions and the time of day. Bottom line? You’ll probably end up ordering more stuff.
