Car-sharing service Car2go tootles into Chicago with an advantage over rivals
Car-sharing service Car2go is about to launch in its seventh U.S. city. From July, folks in Chicago will be able to rent cars from 29 cents a minute, whether for short trips or a ride further afield. There are rival car-sharing services in the Windy City, but Car2go claims to have one distinct advantage over them.
Ohio wants to use camera drones to monitor highway traffic
Drones for traffic management? It may be coming to Ohio with the launch of a multi-million-dollar project to research how the tech could help monitor road conditions. But there's a lot of work to do, as it would involve convincing regulators that it's OK to fly the machines beyond the line of sight.
Thieves nab $100K of Apple gear in ‘Mission: Impossible-style’ raid
Thieves have again targeted Apple gear, this time stealing $100,000 worth of iPhones, iPads, and Mac computers from a Best Buy store in Dunwoody, Georgia. But the method of entry that the gang used has prompted local cops to compare the raid to an iconic scene from "Mission: Impossible."
Quickstarter inspires creators to dream up small but fun Kickstarter projects
If you're itching to launch a Kickstarter project but your ideas are on the ambitious side, then how about gaining some experience with a small, manageable project? The crowdfunding site has launched Quickstarter to inspire fun, low-budget ideas that can be completed in a short time frame.
Norway tests its first all-electric plane, hopes for passenger flights by 2025
Norway has witnessed its first successful test of an electric-powered plane in a short flight around Oslo airport. The country's transport minister said that a commercial service using a similar design "is not a far-off vision of the future but a reality achievable within a few years."
This net-blasting security drone can stay airborne forever. Here’s how.
The DroneCatcher shoots a net at rogue drones in restricted airspace over places like airports and prisons. A recent update has added a power cord, enabling it to stay airborne around the clock for faster response times. In such cases, the cord automatically detaches, allowing it to go after the rogue drone.
Some folks still think it’s a good idea to fly drones over wildfires
Hobby drones are a lot of fun, few people will dispute that. So it's disappointing to learn that some folks just can't help making life difficult for the authorities, disrupting airborne efforts to tackle wildfires. It's happening more frequently, with incidents in Colorado reported in recent days.
Check out these wacky designs from Boeing’s $2 million passenger drone contest
Winners in the first round of the Boeing-sponsored GoFly contest have been announced. Aimed at encouraging viable designs for electric-powered passenger drones, the 10 winners now have nine months to build a prototype capable of vertical takeoffs and landings, and flights that can cover at least 20 miles.
Report: Microsoft is building checkout-less store tech to take on Amazon
Microsoft is reportedly developing technology for checkout-less stores similar to Amazon Go, which lets you simply "grab and go." The computer giant is believed to be talking to Walmart ahead of a possible partnership, though it could also sell the technology to multiple retailers around the world.
Apple Park’s office setup aims to keep workers on their toes
If you're reading this at a desk and you feel a twinge in your back, then do you have a standing desk you can use instead? Apple boss Tim Cook said this week that all of the company's workers at its new Apple Park campus have access to a standing desk, which he's adamant is a healthier way to work.
SleepScore app aims to take your slumber to new depths
Having trouble achieving a decent night's sleep? SleepScore is a new free app that assesses your sleep quality via sound waves from your smartphone. Based on a score linked to your sleeping patterns, it then offers a range of "sleep goals" together with advice on how you can achieve them.
Uber eyes millions of new riders with the launch of Uber Lite
Following in the footsteps of many other popular online services, Uber has just launched a lightweight version of its app. Targeted at emerging markets such as India, Uber Lite uses just 5MB of storage to offer a service that still manages to retain some of the core features of its regular app.
Google Translate uses A.I. to improve accuracy for offline use
If you sometimes find Google Translate's offline efforts to be a little confusing or inaccurate, then an update coming to the app this week looks set to bring some solid improvements. The team has managed to work in an A.I. system currently used in the online version, without taking too much extra space on your device.
Ford’s driverless delivery vehicle actually has a driver
Ford has a plan to launch a meal-delivery service within the next few years using autonomous cars that it's developing. But a pilot scheme currently underway in Miami is using a driver to control the car, allowing researchers to instead focus on developing the system for dispatching and collecting ordered meals.
Uber could soon know if you’re drunk before the car arrives to pick you up
Uber has filed a patent outlining an app-based artificial intelligence capable of detecting "uncharacteristic" behavior, such as drunkenness, among riders. That way, it could send a more experienced driver to collect the potentially boisterous rider, or ensure they don't end up in a pooled ride.
A single police drone has seriously impacted crime in a Mexican city
A single drone used by police in the city of Ensenada in Mexico has reportedly helped to cut overall crime there by 10 percent, and burglaries by a sizable 30 percent. Cops have been using DJI's Inspire 1 quadcopter for four months and so far the eye in the sky has helped them to make 500 arrests.
Tesla now has more than 10,000 Superchargers around the world
Tesla has opened its 10,000th Supercharger, this one in Ontario, Canada. The global network of Superchargers has been growing steadily since 2012, with the total number of stations now standing at more than 1,200. The electric-company is also building larger stations that offer facilities for longer stops.
Airbnb forced to cancel Japan bookings as new law approaches
A new law about to come into effect in Japan has forced Airbnb to cancel a number of bookings, causing serious disruption for many travelers. The incoming law stipulates that hosts have to apply for a special permit to operate, but many are still dealing with the paperwork.
Amazon Prime to show live games from the world’s most popular soccer league
Amazon has inked a deal with the English Premier League to give U.K-based soccer fans with Prime membership access to 20 games per season for three seasons. The live coverage will cover clashes over the festive period, while the package will also offer regular highlights from throughout the season.
Emirates moves toward windowless planes, starts with first-class seats
Emirates president Tim Clark says he sees "absolutely no reason" why passenger planes can't be built with virtual windows instead of real ones, offering better fuel economy. It has just introduced new jets featuring the high-tech windows in first class, with pictures live-streamed from external cameras.
These astronauts will whiz around Earth 34 times before reaching space station
Three astronauts will whiz around Earth a total of 34 times before reaching the space station on Friday. It usually requires far fewer orbits, but various positioning requirements mean it's going to take a little longer this time. The astronauts will join three crew members for a stay of six months.
Kitty Hawk’s personal flying vehicle takes to the skies
Check out the latest personal flying machine from Kitty Hawk. Capable of vertical take-offs and landings powered by its 10 sets of rotors, the all-electric Flyer can reach speeds of up to 20 mph and fly for 20 minutes. It's currently for "recreation," but the team is continuing work on a more powerful version.
Firefox lets you test new features for side-by-side views and customizing colors
Love Firefox? You might love it even more now that you can open two tabs side by side and customize it with colors and textures. Side View and Colors are currently being offered via Mozilla's Test Pilot program, which lets you try out and give feedback on new features being considered by the browser's developers.
Weird photography: Game Boy Camera meets Canon telephoto lens
Curious about what kind of shots he'd get if he fixed a Canon telephoto lens to his Game Boy Camera, designer Bastiaan Ekeler set about building a mount to make it happen. Despite the poor quality of the display, Ekeler was able produce viewable results that may actually surprise you.
SpaceX says it won’t send space tourists around the moon just yet
SpaceX said in 2017 that it planned to send two high-paying space tourists on a trip around the moon by the end of this year. Well, it's not going to happen — at least, not yet. Without giving a specific reason for the delay, the company said the mission won't take place until mid-2019 at the earliest.
Kodak shows off the first test photos shot on its new Ektachrome film
Whether for old-timers who love their 35mm film camera or newbies keen to explore what film photography has to offer, Kodak's relaunch of its once-popular Ektachrome 100 film for color transparencies will be of interest. The company is showing off the first shots from the film, which should launch soon.
EU’s new data protection law being used as bedtime story by meditation app
Have trouble sleeping? Need a soothing bedtime story? How about listening to someone read the EU's new GDPR data protection law? Meditation app Calm has added "Once Upon a GDPR" to its collection of soporific Sleep Stories, and believes that it could be your best chance yet to beat insomnia.
California snips legal red tape for robot taxis
Fancy a free ride in a driverless car? California is now allowing autonomous-vehicle companies to offer rides to regular folks, and they're not allowed to charge for the journey. The move follows in the footsteps of Arizona and comes as the state explores the viability of robot taxi services.
Finally, an ‘umbrella drone’ that hovers above your head
Is it a drone? Is it an umbrella? It's both actually, and it hovers directly above you to keep the rain off your head or the sun off your skin. If you can ignore the rather annoying racket, and have $275 to spare, this unique contraption could be yours as early as next year.