Notre Dame fire: How drones and a robot called Colossus helped limit the damage
The fire that devastated France's iconic Notre Dame Cathedral on Monday shocked many around the world. As part of its efforts to contain the blaze, firefighters deployed drones and a robot called Colossus — a move that almost certainly helped to prevent even worse damage to the structure.
Twitter has revealed a launch date for its handy hide replies features
Twitter said it will launch a feature in June that lets users hide replies to their tweets. The hope is that the option will help the original poster filter out offensive or irrelevant content from conversation threads and pave the way for more respectful and meaningful exchanges on the platform.
Watch a pack of SpotMini robot dogs perform a terrifying feat of strength
Boston Dynamics’ SpotMini robotic dog is already a stunning creation, but look what 10 of them can achieve when they work together. The company confirmed this week that SpotMinis are now rolling off the production line and will be available for a range of applications soon.
No more moon showers as Facebook Messenger’s dark mode gets official rollout
Facebook Messenger launched a dark mode last month, but to activate it you had to message the crescent moon to someone. Now it's been rolled out officially, and it can be accessed in settings. Messenger is one of a growing number of apps to offer a dark mode that can ease eye strain and conserve battery power.
SpaceX’s main Falcon Heavy booster is lost at sea after falling off drone ship
SpaceX has lost the center core of its Falcon Heavy rocket after it fell in the sea following its mission last Thursday. The company said rough sea conditions resulted in the booster shifting on the drone ship before toppling over and falling into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Florida.
Apple has a weird issue with its second-generation Pencil
Apple's second-generation Pencil is causing an issue with some vehicles' keyless entry devices, according to the tech company. Notes on its website confirm that if it's in charging mode and is positioned close to the key fob, interference can prevent the device from unlocking the vehicle.
Public vote opens for new planet name, but Planet McPlanetface won’t fly
The largest unnamed world in our solar system needs an official title, and you can help choose it. The scientists who discovered the icy planetoid in 2007 recently announced a public vote offering three choices. The most popular choice will be submitted to the International Astronomical Union (IAU) for consideration.
Lyft pulls thousands of ebikes from three U.S. cities over safety issue
A brake problem affecting 3,000 electric bikes operated by Lyft-owned Citi Bike, Capital Bikeshare, and Ford GoBike has prompted the company to take the two-wheelers out of service until the issue is resolved. The app-based bikesharing services operate in New York City, Washington D.C., and San Francisco.
Watch the huge Stratolaunch plane take to the skies for the very first time
The massive Stratolaunch aircraft -- the world's largest in terms of wingspan -- completed its maiden flight in California on Saturday. The aircraft, which could one day serve as a launch vehicle for satellites, stayed in the air for 2.5 hours before its test pilots brought it safely back to base.
Twitter’s experimental Twttr app is even more popular than the real thing
Twttr, the recently launched app that lets regular Twitter users test new features, is proving more popular than the main app, according to the company. Some of the recent innovations on Twttr are a hit with users, suggesting they could be rolled out to the wider Twitter community before too long.
LinkedIn: Now you can express love, curiosity, and more with new Reactions
LinkedIn is following in the footsteps of Facebook (three years later!) with the rollout of new reactions that give users more ways to express themselves when responding to posts in their feed. This means that alongside the like button you’ll now see symbols for celebrate, love, insightful, and curious.
Amazon’s checkout-free stores are planning to accept customers’ cash
Shoppers at Amazon’s cashier-free stores may soon be squeezing past customers waiting in line to pay by cash. Following criticism that such stores discriminate against those without a bank account or smartphone, Amazon Go is reportedly making plans to accept cash payments.
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.
Amazon reportedly has thousands of workers listening to Alexa chats
Amazon says it sometimes uses your spoken requests to help it improve the accuracy of its Alexa digital assistant, but did you know that teams of humans around the world are reportedly doing some of the listening? A report on Wednesday claimed thousands of people are employed by Amazon to carry out such work.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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?
WhatsApp finally lets you control who can add you to a group
WhatsApp is rolling out a new feature that will allow you to block others from adding you into groups automatically. It means that if someone wants to add you to a group, you’ll have to give your permission first. The privacy setting is rolling out now and will be available globally within a few weeks.
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.
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.