Self-driving startup Aurora attracts major Amazon investment
Amazon is showing a growing interest in autonomous tech, having recently taken part in a $530 million funding round for Silicon Valley-based self-driving startup Aurora Innovation. Aurora was founded in 2016 by contributors to driverless-car projects run by Google (now Waymo) and Uber, among others.
FaceTime bug: Apple rolls out a fix to enable group calls again
FaceTime group calls are back, so long as you update your iDevice with the fix that Apple just rolled out. It fixes a FaceTime flaw that let people eavesdrop on the people they were calling. Lawmakers are now asking Apple to explain the background to what they described as a "significant privacy violation."
Skype’s new ‘blur background’ feature could help keep you from blushing
Skype has launched a new feature that lets you blur your background during video calls. The idea is that it keeps you as the focus instead of distracting others with whatever embarrassing things you might have on show behind you. Skype's background blur works on desktop and can be activated in a couple of clicks.
FaceTime bug: Lawmakers demand answers from Apple’s CEO
A House of Representatives committee is demanding answers from Apple regarding the recently discovered FaceTime bug, describing it as a "significant privacy violation." The vulnerability, which let FaceTime users eavesdrop on the person they were calling, was discovered at the end of last month.
Apple retail chief Angela Ahrendts is leaving after five years in the job
Apple's retail chief is leaving the company in April after five years in the job. Angela Ahrendts joined Apple from Burberry to become the company's highest paid executive. She will be replaced by Apple's human resources boss, Deirdre O'Brien, who has been at the tech company for 30 years.
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.
Waymo may take a ride with Nissan-Renault for robo-taxi services
Autonomous car company Waymo is reportedly preparing to partner with the Nissan-Renault-Mitsubishi alliance to develop robo-taxis and other services linked to the technology. Waymo has already inked deals with several automakers, though this latest deal could help it to take its self-driving tech to more markets.
Apple is now selling refurbished iPhone X handsets from $769
Refurbished iPhones direct from Apple can be a worthwhile buy, though you have to get in there quick when one lands in its online store. The tech company has just started selling refurbished iPhone X handsets — the first iPhone to offer a truly "all screen" experience — with prices starting at $769.
‘Instagram egg’ embarks on a new adventure as man behind it is unmasked
The Instagram egg made headlines around the world last month after it became the most-liked post on the photo-sharing service, knocking Kylie Jenner off the top spot. The identity of the person behind the account has now been revealed, as has his reason for choosing an egg for the stunt.
Twitter boss again teases the idea of a button to edits tweets
A recent interview with Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey suggests the company is still looking at a range of options for allowing people to edit tweets. Ideas include a function that gives you up to 30 seconds to recall a tweet to fix any typos or other issues before it goes live on the service.
Drone pilots are already getting caught ignoring Super Bowl flight ban
A restriction on drone flights is already in place around Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium ahead of Sunday's Super Bowl, but cops have already confiscated six quadcopters from those ignoring the temporary ban. Those responsible could face hefty cash fines, and even jail time.
Nasty FaceTime bug lets you hear call recipients before they’ve answered
A FaceTime bug lets you listen to the audio of the person you're calling before they've even answered. Besides the obvious privacy concerns, the issue could lead to awkward situations if anyone tries to replicate the bug and the recipient utters something untoward when their name flashes on the display.
Shark attack: Drone-based research may help ease swimmers’ fears
Researchers in Australia used drones to learn more about what kinds of sea creatures come close the shore, and their findings may go some way to easing the fears of swimmers worried about shark attacks. Fact is, that mysterious creature you saw glide by is far more likely to be a dolphin.
Puma’s self-lacing sports shoe gives Nike’s Adapt BB a run for its money
Puma has unveiled a self-lacing shoe to take on Nike's Adapt BB. The fit can be adjusted via a smartphone app or the Apple Watch, with additional changes possible via a small touchpad on the top of the shoe. Puma's "Fi" footwear launches with a $330 price tag, $20 cheaper than Nike's offering.
Uber seeks to be a ‘one-stop shop for transportation’ with new app feature
Uber is adding public transit options to its app in a bid to become a one-stop shop for public transportation. Part of the idea is to make it easier for those who want to start or finish a journey in an Uber while using public transit in between. The new feature has arrived first in Denver, Colorado.
Tesla: Model Y to share 75 percent of its parts with Model 3, coming in 2020
Tesla boss Elon Musk on Wednesday confirmed the Model Y crossover is expected to arrive in 2020, with the vehicle sharing about 75 percent of its parts with the Model 3. He said the Model Y is likely to be made at its massive Gigafactory 1 facility in Nevada. The tentative unveil date is March, 2019.
Watch this SpaceX ship come tantalizingly close to catching rocket parts
SpaceX has come tantalizingly close to catching a rocket nose cone in a giant net. The system, which uses a ship called Mr. Steven, is designed to save the nose cone from damage by keeping it out of the water when it returns to Earth. The team is now hoping to achieve its first successful catch next time around.
FaceTime bug: A teen and his mom spent a week trying to warn Apple
News of a serious FaceTime bug that let iPhone users eavesdrop on the person they were calling went viral on Tuesday. It now appears that a teen and his mom tried to warn Apple about the flaw multiple times, but the "poorly set-up" bug-reporting process made it difficult to make contact.
Cool or creepy? Panasonic floor lamp has a ‘secret’ security camera built in
Panasonic's new HomeHawk floor lamp comes with a smart security camera built in. The lens sits at the top of the stem, just below the light, so you wouldn't even know it's there. Yes, it's a design that may well send a shiver down the spine of Airbnb renters everywhere.
Crowdfunding campaign enables high-tech search for missing pro soccer player
A successful crowdfunding effort has helped launch a high-tech ocean search for the plane carrying professional soccer player Emiliano Sala and his pilot after it disappeared during a flight to the U.K. earlier this month. Blue Water Recoveries says there's an excellent chance it will find the plane.
Airbnb expands into meeting-space rentals after snapping up Danish startup
In its ongoing quest to diversify by targeting the business market, Airbnb has acquired Gaest, an online marketplace focused on helping companies and workers find meeting and event spaces for short-term use. Just like Airbnb, hosts can list their spaces to quickly reach thousands of businesses and professionals.
Bank robbery suspect uses Jump scooter as getaway vehicle, gets caught
A man accused of robbing a bank reportedly fled the scene on an electric scooter operated by Jump. Trouble is, the suspect used his regular Jump account to rent the two-wheeler, making it a whole lot easier for cops to track him down. Uber, which owns Jump, is believed to have helped in the investigation.
A robot called Stan aims to take the stress out of airport parking
Stan is an autonomous valet parking robot that not only saves drivers lots of time at an airport, but also helps parking lots to significantly increase capacity. A trial of the technology -- developed by Paris-based Stanley Robotics -- will take place this summer at Gatwick, one of the U.K.'s busiest airports.
Apple has just added a cash incentive to its ‘Shot on iPhone’ contest
Following complaints that Apple's "Shot on iPhone" contest offered no payment to the winning photographers, the firm has now reworded its terms and conditions to indicate that it will offer compensation. Ten winners will have their photos used on billboards and inside Apple Stores around the world.
Twitter testing ‘original tweeter’ label so you know who started a thread
Twitter is testing an "original tweeter" label to make it easier for users to identify who started a thread. The idea is to help clear up confusion about who began a conversation, and to reduce the impact of imitators. The test is currently running with a select group of Twitter users on iOS and Android.
Science attempts to settle a long-running dispute among Brits
It's an issue about which every Brit has a strong opinion; one that can lead to lively conversations and even heated arguments. In a worst-case scenario, it can descend into a slanging match full of expletives. In a bid to settle the dispute once and for all, a BBC show recently called on a scientist.
Blue Origin’s latest mission shows how space tourism might look
Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin rocket company is aiming to launch a space tourism service, and on Wednesday its latest successful test mission gave us a look at how the thrilling 10-minute ride might look. The mission also carried with it eight NASA-sponsored R&D experiments that activated during the flight.
Did Newark airport incident really involve a drone? DJI isn’t so sure
New Jersey’s Newark Liberty International Airport was forced to suspend operations for a while on Tuesday after reports of drone sightings made by pilots on two incoming aircraft. But now questions are being raised over whether the objects, spotted at an altitude of around 3,500 feet, were in fact drones.
Starbucks coffee delivery lands in 6 more cities via Uber Eats
Starbucks is expanding its coffee delivery service beyond Miami to stores in six more cities. Available via the Uber Eats app, the service launched in San Francisco on Tuesday, January 22, with Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and Washington, D.C. all hopping aboard in the coming weeks.