High-tech dancing robot turns out to be a guy in a costume
A Russian TV audience was impressed recently by an adult-sized "robot" that could dance and talk. But when some viewers began pointing out that the android's actions were a little bit weird, and that it had no sensors, the truth finally emerged ... it was a fella in a robot suit.
Starbucks teams with Uber Eats for delivery from 2,000 of its U.S. stores
Coffee giant Starbucks has teamed up with Uber Eats to offer customers beverage delivery from 2,000 of its stores — a quarter of all of its outlets in the U.S. The major expansion will see Uber Eats run alongside Starbucks' current partnership with rival delivery service Postmates.
Delivery robot goes up in flames while out and about in California
A small meal-delivery robot suddenly caught fire in Berkeley, California, on Friday. The robot's maker, Kiwi, said the incident was caused by a faulty battery. The blaze was quickly extinguished and no one was hurt, but the episode is still a troubling one for the fledgling robot delivery industry.
Netflix is testing an instant scene-replay feature, but would you use it?
Netflix has confirmed that it's testing a feature that lets you skip back to the beginning of the scene you just watched. The pop-up message only appears for certain stand-out scenes, though Netflix subscribers who've seen it seem to find it annoying more than anything else.
Postmates’ to roll out Minion-like autonomous delivery robots in 2019
On-demand delivery firm Postmates is about to employ a cute little robot to work alongside its human delivery personnel. Called Serve, the wheel-based bot can carry items weighing up to 50 pounds and has a range of 30 miles. It'll hit the streets first in Los Angeles, with more cities welcoming the robot next year.
Cops go after porch pirates with dummy Amazon boxes and GPS trackers
The fight against those pesky porch pirates has begun in earnest after Amazon teamed up with police in Jersey City to catch the thieves. It involves dummy Amazon boxes and GPS trackers, and within just minutes of the operation's launch this week, cops nabbed their first criminal.
Amazon shows off compact cashier-free store that could show up at airports
Amazon is testing its smallest Amazon Go store to date as it considers taking the grab-and-go technology to new venues such as airports and train stations. The compact store is a quarter the size of its current locations and is located in Macy's Department Store in Seattle, Washington.
Hertz speeds up car rentals with biometric scan technology
Biometric security tech using face and fingerprint recognition is gaining traction, with Hertz the latest company to incorporate it into daily operations. Launching at 40 of its rental locations over the next year, customers can bypass the service counter and use their face or fingerprints as ID instead.
Queen’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ becomes the most-streamed 20th-century song
Queen's iconic Bohemian Rhapsody has become the most-streamed 20th-century song. Knocking Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit off the top spot, the British band's 1975 classic has now been streamed more than 1.6 billion times globally. Its popularity was given a boost by the recently released Queen biopic.
Uber Eats is testing a system for cheaper meal delivery
In an effort to make its service more competitive while at the same time increasing its efficiency, Uber Eats is looking at ways of encouraging customers located in a specific area to order from the same restaurant so that a single driver can deliver multiple meals in one journey.
Puma revives its classic 1986 smart shoe, complete with high-tech heel hump
More marketing stunt than serious effort to dominate the smart shoe space, Puma is about to re-release its classic RS-Computer Shoe. The high-tech footwear from 1986 was a breakthrough at the time, allowing runners to measure time, distance, and calories expended, before uploading the data to a PC.
‘YouTube Rewind 2018’ is about to become its most disliked video ever
YouTube is about to achieve a record it really doesn't want — that of "most-disliked video." Yes, its annual recap of featuring popular YouTubers has gone down really badly this year. The record currently belongs to Justin Bieber, whose 2010 hit, "Baby," has so far received 9.7 million dislikes.
Walkie-talkie voice messaging finally comes to Instagram
Instagram has added walkie-talkie-style voice messaging to its app. Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Snapchat, and iMessage, among others, already offer the feature. To send a voice message, simply tap on the app's messaging icon and then press and hold the microphone button inside the text box -- and speak!
Amazon knocks $30 off its Paperwhite ebook reader in limited-time deal
Amazon is running a couple of limited-time deals for its Paperwhite ebook reader. One offers a $30 discount giving it a $100 price tag, while the other throws in a pair of headphones and a free, extended Audible trial. The latest version of the Paperwhite launched last month and is now waterproof.
Full-fledged drone delivery service set to land in remote Canadian community
Some drone delivery operations seem rather crude in their execution, but Drone Delivery Canada is building a comprehensive platform that's aiming to take drone delivery to the next level. Part of its work includes the imminent launch of a service between two remote communities in northern Canada.
Leica targets street photographers with a pricey camera bundle
Described by the camera company as "your perfect companion in the city," Leica's Street Kit for street photographers comprises a Leica CL camera body, a Leica Summicron-TL 23mm (35mm full-frame equivalent) F2 lens, two batteries, a black handgrip, and a Leica-branded black leather carrying strap.
Lime’s dockless electric bikes land in London, but its scooters aren’t allowed
Lime has landed in London with its dockless bikesharing service. The pedal-assisted electric bikes are unlocked using Lime's smartphone app and can reach speeds of 15 mph. It plans to have 1,000 bikes on the streets of the capital before the end of the year, with more planned for 2019.
Google’s updated Santa Tracker entertains and teaches coding throughout December
Google's Santa Tracker is in its fifteenth year and is back again with even more features. You can have fun with more than 20 games, learn about different holiday traditions around the world, and enjoy some festive animations. There's also a chance to learn some basic coding, all Christmas-related, of course.
Elon Musk to unveil tunnel elevators and autonomous pods on December 18
We'll soon learn if Elon Musk's high-speed tunnel plan is a serious effort to relieve traffic congestion or little more than a fancy theme park ride. Musk has announced a big unveiling event for December 18 that will show off not only a tunnel but also a ground-to-tunnel car elevator and an autonomous passenger pod.
Robot janitors will soon be scrubbing the floors at your local Walmart
Hundreds of robot janitors will soon be working at Walmart stores across the U.S. The company says the autonomous floor scrubbers will free its human staff from monotonous tasks, giving them more time to focus on customers. The rollout follows in-store testing of the technology over the last year.
Apple’s first iPhone XR case lets you show off your handset’s color
Apple has released its first case for the iPhone XR. Costing $39, it has a clear back to let you show off the color of your phone, whichever of the six options you chose. The case comprises a blend of polycarbonate and flexible TPU materials, and includes a scratch-resistant coating inside and out.
Alphabet’s ‘Wing’ delivery drones are on their way to Europe
Google-parent Alphabet is taking its "Wing" drone delivery project to Finland. The move follows 18 months of trials in Australia and gives the team the chance to test its technology in a harsh winter climate. The pilot service starts in Helsinki in 2019, but first the team wants ideas from locals about what to deliver.
Broadway actor tells Kanye West to get off his phone during opening night
During the opening night of the new Broadway production The Cher Show on Monday, one of the lead actors spotted Kanye West using his smartphone mid-performance. Jarrod Spector, who plays Sonny Bono in the musical, called him out via a tweet during the show, prompting West to offer an apology.
NYPD has added a bunch of quadcopters to its crime-fighting kit
The New York Police Department is to start using quadcopters in its crime-fighting work. Trained cops will have access to various models — all made by DJI — for use in particular situations such as search-and-rescue missions, hostage situations, and hazardous material incidents.
The highest-paid YouTuber is currently a 7-year-old kid
He's only 7 years old and he's already earning $22 million a year on YouTube. OK, his parents set up the channel, but little Ryan is the star of the show, with his toys- and games-based channel followed by 17 million fans around the world. And the channel has only been active for three years.
Apple opens new online store with discounts for veterans and active military
Apple has launched a dedicated online store for former and current members of the armed forces, as well as their immediate families. Those shopping at the store can enjoy a 10 percent discount on most Apple products, including the latest iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watches, and also a bunch of third-party products.
SpaceX’s latest Falcon 9 rocket launch set multiple records
SpaceX embarked on its latest mission on Monday, December 3, setting four new records in the process, including one for the most satellites deployed by a single rocket in a U.S.-led operation. There was one disappointment, as its recovery ship couldn't catch the rocket fairing as it returned to Earth.
Is Amazon planning to take its cashier-free technology to much larger stores?
Amazon is considering taking its cashier-free technology to stores much larger than its current Amazon Go sites, a new report claims. The company already operates seven Amazon Go stores across the U.S., but could be considering trying the tech out at Whole Foods, which it acquired last year.
Cops chased a Tesla for 7 miles while its driver appeared to be sleeping
Cops in California recently spotted a Tesla Model S motoring along the highway at 70 mph with the driver apparently asleep at the wheel. The case is still being investigated, but it appears that the Tesla's self-driving features and the officers' skillful driving helped to safely end the incident.
Hotel chain offers an Instagram ‘sitter’ who will post photos for you
If the pressure to post stunning Instagram photos is ruining your vacations, then better take your next trip in Switzerland. A hotel chain there is offering the services of a local Instagram influencer to take control of your account and post great images to it while you go off and enjoy yourself.
Lyft pumps $100 million into major expansion of New York City’s Citi Bike
Lyft will more than triple the size of Citi Bike, NY City's bikesharing service. A $100 million investment will see the service grow from 12,000 bikes to 40,000 over the next five years. The news comes as Lyft confirmed its acquisition of Motivate, North America's largest bikesharing operator, which runs Citi Bike.