Elon Musk’s Boring Company plans to tunnel beneath another country
Elon Musk revealed over the weekend that he's planning to launch his Boring Company in China. The move, details of which will be released later this month, will mark the company’s first step outside of the U.S. as it seeks to build an advanced, subterranean transportation system.
Someone just flew across 21 miles of open water on a jet-powered flyboard
Franky Zapata has become the first person to fly across the English Channel on a jet-powered flyboard. The French inventor made the crossing in 22 minutes, reaching speeds of 110 mph as he flew over 21 miles of open water. The successful flight came a week after his first attempt which ended in failure halfway across.
Google feature lets you communicate with a 911 operator without speaking
Google is launching a new feature that lets emergency callers communicate with a 911 operator without uttering a word. If a caller can't speak due to injury, danger, or some kind of impairment, they can simply tap a couple of buttons on their phone to launch an automated voice service to get their message across.
Bird’s new electric scooter is built for the long road ahead
Scootersharing services like Bird can see some of their two-wheelers fall apart pretty fast once they hit the road. Constant use and, in some cases, vandalism, can give them a short shelf life, pushing up operating costs. That's why Bird has built its latest electric scooter to cope with rough rides and more.
Amazon is about to kill off its press-to-order Dash button
Amazon's diminutive Dash button is about to die. The ecommerce giant said that from the end of August, customers will no longer be able to use its press-to-buy button to order products from its site. The Wi-Fi-connected device launched in 2015, but the emergence of new shopping options means it’s no longer needed.
Bentley Motors creates a buzz as it enters the honey business
Bentley is diversifying -- into honey. The maker of luxury cars has installed two beehives on the perimeter of its main campus in England as part of efforts to improve its green credentials and boost the local bee population. The automaker says the move fits with its “flying b” emblem seen on the bonnet of its cars.
B4UFLY app for drone pilots gets overhaul, so it should actually work now
The FAA's original B4UFLY app for drone pilots was roundly lambasted for being confusing, slow, and glitchy when it launched in 2016. On Wednesday the FAA rolled out an improved version to help drone owners fly safely. The app was knocked into shape by drone fleet management software firm Kittyhawk.
Lyft pulls its bikes from San Francisco streets after apparent battery fires
Lyft has suspended its bikesharing operation in San Francisco following two fires in the space of a few days. The cause is thought to be faulty batteries that power the pedal-assist two-wheelers, though this is yet to be confirmed. Operating under the Bay Wheels brand, the new bikes launched only two months ago.
Amazon to start fining sellers for using boxes that are way too big
It's happened to us all. You order a small item on Amazon only for the seller to send it out in a box that's unnecessarily huge. In a bid to finally stamp out the practice, the online shopping giant is about to start imposing fines on sellers if they fail to change their ways.
Fortnite millionaire’s mom threw his Xbox in the trash before World Cup
The recent Fortnite World Cup saw teens walking away with huge cash prizes for outstanding performances during the event. Runner-up Jaden Ashman, 15, shared a $2.25 million prize with his playing partner for finishing second in the duo event, despite his mom once throwing away his Xbox to get him to focus on school.
Robo-van trial helps Walmart with grocery deliveries, but not to your door
Like a growing number of companies, retail giant Walmart appears keen to incorporate autonomous vehicles into its shipping operations. Its latest trial involves using driverless vehicles for the so-called "middle-mile" part of the distribution network, which could eventually see savings passed onto online shoppers.
$3 million for winning a game of Fortnite? It just happened to a U.S. teen
A 16-year-old gamer from Pennsylvania won $3 million for winning the solo contest at the Fortnite World Cup in New York City on Sunday. Champion Kyle "Bugha" Giersdorf came through an online qualifying period involving a colossal 40 million hopefuls from around the world to take the top prize.
Steve Ballmer shows us he’s still crazy after all these years
Former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer made a name for himself for his displays of wild enthusiasm at company events. As owner of the L.A. Clippers, he's quietened down a bit ... but not that much. At a recent press conference introducing NBA stars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, Ballmer rolled back the years.
Sony’s Reon Pocket is a smartphone-controlled wearable air conditioner
Sometimes it feels like there's no escaping extreme temperatures, especially when you have to venture outside and face the weather. Sony may have a solution in the form of a wearable air conditioner called the Reon Pocket. The small device fits in a pocket on an undergarment, with the temperature controlled via an app.
Attempt to pilot a flyboard across the English Channel ends in the water
It was going so well for French inventor Franky Zapata as he attempted to become the first person to fly 20 miles across the English Channel with a flyboard. But when he tried to make a brief refueling stop on choppy waters, he toppled off the boat and into the sea. Zapata says he’ll try again soon.
Setback for GM’s autonomous car unit as it delays launch of robo-taxi service
GM's autonomous car unit wanted to launch a robo-taxi service before the end of this year. But Cruise Automation's CEO said on Wednesday it needed more time to test its self-driving vehicle in real-world conditions. The San Francisco-based company couldn’t offer a new date for the launch of its driverless taxi service.
SpaceX’s latest Starhopper test goes up in a puff of smoke (again)
SpaceX wanted to send its Starhopper spacecraft skyward on Wednesday but had to abort the effort at the very last moment. It was only destined to travel 20 meters above the ground in what would have been its first untethered flight, but something went wrong as the engine fired.
Coffee lovers, Starbucks and Uber Eats are going all-in on U.S. deliveries
For Starbucks fans, there may be times when a coffee is required but getting to a store is impossible. To prevent such a situation reaching crisis level, the coffee giant is planning to expand its delivery partnership with Uber Eats throughout the U.S. from early next year.
UPS sees a way forward for drone delivery and is going for it
UPS is getting serious about drone deliveries. The shipping giant has been exploring the idea for several years, and has even been testing a service delivering medical samples across a hospital campus in North Carolina. Now it has set up a new drone subsidiary called Flight Forward to take its plans to the next level.
Flyboard Air inventor plans daring 20-mile flight over English Channel this week
Franky Zapata is planning to fly his jet-powered hoverboard across the English Channel on Thursday. The 20-mile trip is a big challenge, though, with the Flyboard Air inventor admitting he only has a 30% chance of succeeding. Zapata hit the headlines last week when he flew his board at France’s Bastille Day parade.
Toyota shows off mascot robots and tiny autonomous car for Tokyo Olympics
Toyota has shown off seven robots that it says will assist and entertain at the Tokyo Olympics next summer. The collection includes mascot and telepresence robots, as well as a tiny autonomous car to help in field events. The robots form part of Toyota’s efforts to broaden its business beyond just auto sales.
Facebook admits to Messenger Kids security flaw but insists it’s fixed
Facebook has confirmed that it missed a design flaw in its Messenger Kids app that meant children could have communicated with users who hadn’t been parent-approved. The error involved group chats, though Facebook says it has now fixed the issue and contacted those affected.
Elon Musk’s Hyperloop pod race sees German team zoom to victory (again)
A German team of student engineers has come first in the latest Hyperloop pod speed contest in California. The team's design reached 288 mph (463 kph) along a straight, three-quarter-mile test track, beating three rival teams. Next year’s contest will increase the challenge by using a much longer, curved track.
Jetpack pilot flies around Sydney Harbour and stays dry, unlike before
Ten years ago, a jetpack demonstration by Aussie entrepreneur David Mayman saw him end up in Sydney Harbour, but on Sunday he returned with a far more sophisticated design that this time kept him dry. The flight was part of promotional efforts for a new documentary about his ongoing quest to build the perfect jetpack.
Parrot retires its mini-drones to focus on its Anafi quadcopter
Parrot is retiring its mini-drones to focus on developing its more advanced Anafi quadcopter for the commercial market. The decision means an end to sales of devices such as the Mambo and Swing. The company recently won a contract with the U.S. Department of Defense to develop a drone for soldiers.
Amazon Prime Day glitch saw pricey camera gear given crazy discounts
It seems like a few lucky photography enthusiasts had the best time during this year's Prime Day(s). Thanks to an apparent glitch on Amazon’s shopping site, a wide selection of pricey camera gear ended up being sold for a fraction of the usual price— and some of the bargains have already shipped!
Elon Musk says SpaceX’s Starship can land on the moon by 2021
SpaceX boss Elon Musk says he believes its Starship spacecraft can land on the moon by 2021, adding that he hopes his company can help to build a "permanently occupied lunar base" there. However, the comments came a few days before a prototype Starship rocket suffered a fiery mishap during a ground test this week.
Uber’s in-car shopping service now sells way more than just snacks
The Cargo Box launched in 2018 to offer Uber drivers an easy way to sell snacks and drinks to riders. The service is now expanding to include lots more items, including tech products and travel accessories. With each purchase, riders receive 10% back in Uber Cash, while drivers receive a commission.
Stalking apps: Google deletes 7 Android trackers from the Play Store
Google has removed from the Play Store seven stalking apps that let a snoop track someone's phone without them knowing about it. The sneaky software also offers access to a handset’s contact list, as well as its SMS and call history. Such apps are sometimes used by abusive partners or dodgy employers, among others.