Lyft’s new rewards program promises ride discounts and comfier cars
If you're always hopping in and out of a Lyft car, then you'll be pleased to hear that the ridesharing service is about to launch a rewards program. Perks include discounts on future trips and upgrades to comfier cars. Lyft Rewards lands in December for select riders, with the scheme rolling out more widely in 2019.
Twitter boss hints that an edit button for tweets may finally be on its way
Twitter has been talking for years about launching an edit button for tweets, but it still hasn't landed. This week, company boss Jack Dorsey suggested a quick-edit button is "achievable," giving hope to millions of users that it might actually be in the works ... though don't build your hopes up.
Alibaba’s Singles’ Day sale smashes online shopping records
The annual online shopping frenzy that is Singles' Day this year generated record sales of $30.8 billion, up from $25 billion last year. The Alibaba-organized event started in China in 2009 but the addition of English-language sites now takes the event to an even bigger audience.
Lime clocks 20 million rides as its bikes and scooters arrive in Oz
Lime only launched its app-based scooter and bikesharing service at the start of 2017 but its riders have already completed 20 million rides, with half of them taking place in the last two months. Now the California-based company is launching in Australia as part of its ongoing international expansion.
Vine fans, your favorite video-looping app is coming back as Byte
Vine fans were left disappointed in 2017 when its owner, Twitter, pulled the plug on the video-looping app. But it's back in the news this week as one of its co-founders revealed that work on a new version is almost complete. Dom Hofmann said he's aiming for a spring 2019 launch for the new app, called Byte.
Facebook Messenger will soon let you delete sent messages
A feature coming to Facebook Messenger will let you delete a message for up to 10 minutes after you send it. The company promised the feature months ago — after Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was caught using it in April — and this week it appeared to suggest it'll land with the app's next update.
The vast majority of YouTube users hit the site for how-to videos
YouTube is bursting with useful guides on how to do stuff, and a recent study has revealed that more users than ever are using it as a learning resource. Building on its success, YouTube says it plans to spend $20 million on educational content through deals with independent creators and professional producers.
Safety driver in Waymo autonomous car causes collision with biker
Safety drivers are supposed to take control of a self-driving car when a potentially dangerous situation occurs that appears to be beyond the capabilities of the vehicle's autonomous technology. But when a driver in one of Waymo's cars recently took control, they caused an accident with a motorcyclist.
Facebook opens pop-up stores at Macy’s, but they’re not selling the Portal
Facebook has just opened pop-up stores at nine Macy's locations across the U.S., though they're not selling its new Portal video-calling device or Oculus VR headsets. Instead, they're showcasing small businesses and brands that are already popular on Facebook and Instagram.
Man in Japan drives sports car ‘faster than a bullet train’ in YouTube stunt
A motorist in Japan is in serious trouble with the law after he drove his Nissan GT-R sports car at a speed that would've seen it overtake some of the nation's famously fast bullet trains. The unnamed driver recorded the stunt and put it on YouTube because he "wanted everyone to watch it."
Lime splashes $3 million on a campaign to encourage safer electric scooter rides
Keen to boost its image and keep local communities onside, scootersharing outfit Lime is spending $3 million on a campaign to teach its users how to ride more safely and responsibly. If you sign up to its pledge online, you could bag yourself a free helmet for your future scooter rides!
Aussie teen bags $24,000 top prize at World Drone Racing Championships
A 15-year-old Australian lad has been crowned the world's best drone racer after finishing top among 127 other competitors from 34 countries. Rudi Browning also picked up a $24,000 cash prize for his victory at last weekend's FAI World Drone Racing Championships in Shenzhen, China.
No, Amazon Day isn’t yet another shopping event, but you may find it useful
Don't worry, Amazon Day isn't yet another online shopping holiday aimed at wrecking your monthly budget. Instead, it's a feature being tested for Prime Members that lets you select a single delivery day for multiple orders — ideal for those wary of porch pirates or who simply want to be kinder to the environment.
GM is getting into ebikes, and it wants you to help name them
General Motors has just unveiled its first-ever electric bikes as part of its efforts to broaden its business and pivot to an all-electric future. To find the best name for the two new ebikes, the automaker has launched a $10,000 public contest. Tip: It's probably not worth suggesting "Bikey McBikeface."
Elon Musk shows off Boring Company’s ‘disturbingly long’ tunnel beneath LA
Elon Musk has tweeted a trance-inducing video of a ride through the Boring Company's test tunnel that's set to be officially unveiled in December 2018. Musk described the two-mile tunnel as "disturbingly long," though members of the public can soon find out for themselves when they're offered free rides through it.
Shazam hooks up with Instagram Stories for another way to share songs
The latest update for Shazam lets iPhone users share songs to Instagram Stories in a few quick taps. To enable it, make sure you have the latest version of Shazam on your handset. The new feature just landed and comes shortly after Apple completed its acquisition of the popular song-recognition app.
WhatsApp finally gives in to the lure of cash-generating ads
WhatsApp's co-founders said their messaging app would never show ads, but once the pair quit the company, it seemed inevitable that its owner, Facebook, would find a way to get them in. And this week, WhatsApp VP Chris Daniels has confirmed that ads are on their way to the app's Status feature.
Amazon goes a mile high for its second brick-and-mortar ‘4-star’ store
Following the opening of its first "4-star" in New York in September, Amazon has just opened a second location in Denver, Colorado. Amazon 4-star sells items that have been rated highly by customers who use its online store. Top sellers, as well as new and trending items, also feature.
Snapchat’s PR firm is suing an influencer for failing to influence
Snapchat's PR company is suing a social media influencer for his alleged failure to promote the latest version of Spectacles on Instagram. Actor Luka Sabbat was paid $45,000 upfront to post a certain number of posts, but the lawsuit claims he fell well short of the terms of the deal.
Lime gearing up to add cars to its fleet of bikes and scooters
It's already operating bike and scootersharing schemes in multiple cities around the world, and now Lime is gearing up to add electric cars to its range of short-trip transportation options. Seattle, Washington, is expected to be its first market, with details expected in the next few weeks about vehicles and costs.
Twitter tests home screen button that offers more control of your timeline
Twitter recently relaunched its reverse-chronological timeline, but accessing it means diving into settings. Now it's testing a button on the main screen that lets you switch between the two styles of timeline more easily. The design is intended to give users even more control over their timeline.
GoPro’s video stabilization technology is so good, an eagle can use it
GoPro's Hero7 Black action camera comes with an all-new electronic stabilization technology for silky smooth footage. To show it off, it recently attached the camera to the belly of an eagle and sent it flying around a stadium in Mexico. The results, we're sure you'll agree, are pretty impressive.
Uber now offers a $15 monthly plan for access to cheaper fares
Uber riders in five cities across the U.S. can now pay a monthly fee of $15 ($25 in Los Angeles) for access to cheaper fares. Ride Pass is available for UberX and UberPool, with fares unaffected by surge pricing or other factors that can sometimes surprise Uber customers when they request a ride.
Waze’s new audio player aims to make your commute more bearable
Waze is launching a new Audio Player as part of its navigation app, offering easy access to streaming services that include Pandora, Deezer, iHeartRadio, NPR One, Scribd, Stitcher, and TuneIn, as well as Spotify, which is already integrated. Currently in beta, it'll be landing for all Waze users in the coming weeks.
DJI adds a bunch of extras to Mavic 2 for a new search-and-rescue drone
DJI has added extra kit to its compact Mavic 2 drone to create a new flying machine that's ideal for search-and-rescue missions, as well as industrial inspections. The Mavic 2 Enterprise offers spotlights, speakers, a powerful camera, and a self-heating battery, together with enhanced security and safety software.
Robot uprising a step closer with plan for factory where they build themselves
A factory where robots make robots is surely the stuff of nightmares for those living in fear of the dreaded uprising. But putting apocalyptic horrors aside for a moment, ABB's new facility could be one of the most advanced of its kind when it opens in 2020 with plans to make 100,000 robots a year.
This Red Sox fan had his $650 World Series ticket stolen via Instagram
If you bag a ticket for a big event, then be careful about posting a photo of it on Instagram or another social media site. Boston Red Sox fan Robbie Johnson found out why the hard way after a scammer copied his ticket and used it to gain entry to a World Series game, invalidating the original ticket in the process.
Google Maps will now tell you about special offers from your favorite places
Google Maps for Android now lets you follow your favorite store, restaurant, or other business so you can hear about offers, events, or updates that it thinks you might like to know about. It'll also start highlighting the locations of new businesses so you can keep tabs on your changing neighborhood.
Check out these ‘cool’ photos taken with a lens made from sea ice
Earlier this year, photographer Mathieu Stern set himself the offbeat challenge of making a lens using nothing more than a piece of sea ice. After months of work that involved building a lens body and modifying an ice-ball maker, Stern achieved some rather, ahem, "cool" results with his unique lens.