Airbus’ new single-aisle jet has longest range in its class and a fancy cabin
Airbus has unveiled the design of the A321XLR jet, an aircraft that it says will be capable of trips of around 5,400 miles, making it the world's longest range single-aisle airliner when it takes to the skies in 2023. The A321XLR will feature Airbus’s Airspace cabin geared toward comfort, ambience, service, and design.
Tormented robot pulls a gun on its creators in latest Boston Dynamics spoof
Boston Dynamics' remarkable robots often receive a good few shoves in its videos, and the eager mistreatment recently inspired a team of video artists to offer its hilarious take on the matter. And if you've ever felt any empathy for the put-upon robots, you'll be delighted at how this particular video turns out.
American Airlines expands its fast in-flight Wi-Fi, but it will still cost you
American Airlines has finished installing its satellite-based in-flight Wi-Fi for the whole of its mainline narrow-body fleet comprising more than 700 planes — but the service still costs. Other upcoming changes include power outlets for every seat and the addition of tablet holders for much of its narrow-body fleet.
Walmart Grocery challenges Amazon with a new $98-a-year delivery option
The grocery delivery wars are heating up. Walmart's latest effort is a $98-a-year subscription fee that offers free delivery on orders over $30. The service, called Delivery Unlimited, comes at a time of growing competition in the space, with big hitters such as Amazon also battling to speed up delivery times.
Mount Everest is now home to the world’s highest weather station
A team of scientists has created a new record with the installation of the world’s highest weather station atop Everest. Data from the station will give researchers and climbers up-to-date information about mountain conditions, while other collected material will help in the scientists’ analysis of climate change.
Sloshed drone pilots in Japan can now be punished with jail time
If you're flying a drone in Japan, better not be sloshed when you send your bird skyward. A new law passed this week could see drunk drone pilots sent to jail for up to a year or hit with a hefty fine. New Jersey brought in a similar rule last year threatening a six-month prison sentence or a $1,000 fine.
Volvo has created an autonomous truck that looks like a sports car
Volvo’s autonomous truck, called Vera, is about to start work at a port in Gothenburg, Sweden. The vehicle has a modest top speed of 25 mph and features a striking design that makes it look as if the driver’s cab has been swapped for a sports car. It’s one of several efforts by Volvo to put driverless trucks to work.
Uber Eats’ drone delivery service could see Big Macs hit speeds of 70 mph
Uber Eats is testing meal delivery using drones. In a bid to overcome safety concerns, the company said it would use the flying machine to carry meals to a safe landing zone close to the customer's home, where a waiting courier would complete the delivery using ground transportation.
Radiohead releases 18 hours of material to torpedo hacker’s ransom demand
A hacker who stole 18 hours' worth of unreleased Radiohead recordings was reportedly demanding $150,000 in exchange for its return. But to scupper the scam — and to offer something unexpected to fans — the band decided to release the material, with the proceeds going to a climate-action cause.
Dropbox’s all-new desktop app wants to be your one and only workspace
Dropbox has unveiled its most significant update yet as it continues to move away from its original core service as a place to store files in the cloud, toward a virtual workspace solution that offers access to all services in-app. Users can try the revamped desktop tool now via Dropbox’s early access program.
DJI’s RoboMaster tank-bot can teach code, play games, and shoot beads
DJI’s new RoboMaster S1 is a robot kit designed to entertain and educate kids. It comes packed with features that include an FPV camera, multiple sensors, and app-based remote control. It even has a bead-firing blaster for when negotiations over an allowance raise break down.
Ford’s Dr. Derriere makes your car seats comfy, no ifs, ands, or butts about it
Mike Kolich’s determination to develop the perfect car seat hasn’t gone unnoticed among his Ford colleagues, who have long called him Dr. Derriere. The engineer’s latest design, which appears in the 2020 Ford Explorer, focuses primarily on shape and softness and offers more space for those seated in the back seat.
Facebook says new Portal video-chat devices are coming in the fall
A Facebook executive has revealed the company is gearing up to refresh its Portal smart speaker and video chat devices later this year. The Portal and Portal+ launched to lukewarm reviews toward the end of last year, so the pressure is on Facebook to come up with the goodies for a much-improved second iteration.
Amazon Restaurants to deliver its last meal later this month
Meal-delivery service Amazon Restaurants will close down later this month. Amazon launched the business in 2015 but stiff competition in a crowded market appears to have prompted its decision to exit the market. It’s also closing Daily Dish, a lunch-delivery service for workplaces.
Fiat Chrysler is the latest to partner with autonomous-tech specialist Aurora
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Silicon Valley startup Aurora are partnering to develop self-driving technology for commercial services, the companies announced on Sunday. It's the latest in a growing number of collaborations between established automakers and firms specializing in autonomous-driving technology.
Walmart will put your grocery order in your refrigerator when you’re not home
How do you like the idea of having your online grocery order delivered to your refrigerator when you're not home? Walmart is launching such a service in the fall — similar to one already offered by Amazon. It’s designed for greater convenience, but those who value their privacy may choose to skip it.
Fiat Chrysler recalls nearly 300,000 Ram 1500 pickup trucks in the U.S.
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has issued a recall notice for almost 343,000 Ram 1500 trucks globally over a software issue that may result in air bags and seat belt pretensioners failing to activate in a collision. The automaker said it will inform owners later this month when the fix becomes available.
Uber’s new helicopter service lets riders smile wryly at the gridlock below
Uber is taking its service into the skies over New York City with the launch next month of Uber Copter. The service offers eight-minute rides between Lower Manhattan and JFK Airport, saving you time but costing you more. Uber cars will be waiting at either end to help you complete your journey.
Check out this external side airbag system that deploys before you crash
ZF has shown off an external side airbag capable of deploying before an impact occurs. The system uses an array of sensors and algorithms to determine whether deployment is necessary. The firm says the pre-crash technology has the potential to save lives and reduce injury severity by up to 40%.
Skype now lets you share your Android or iOS screen during calls
Skype has officially launched screen sharing for Android and iOS so you can share your swipes on dating apps, shop with buddies, or, if you really must, show a PowerPoint presentation to co-workers. It also rolled out a new menu offering quick access to various features, and a cleaner interface for video calls.
Watch Amazon’s all-new delivery drone zipping through the sky
Amazon has taken the wraps off its newly-designed delivery drone, a machine that takes off like a helicopter and flies like a plane. Able to fly 15 miles and carry packages weighing up to 5 pounds, Amazon made the bold claim that it may be just a few months from launching a delivery service using the aircraft.
Uber puts Eats back into its ridesharing app to tempt you to order more meals
Uber has recently added the ability to order from Uber Eats via its main ridesharing app in a bid to boost meal orders. The latest cross-promotion effort by the San Francisco-based company follows the rapid expansion of its meal-delivery service to new markets around the world.
Apple Maps adds Street View-style imagery, but with a neat trick
A revamped Apple Maps is on the way, bringing with it a bunch of new features that include a Street View-style tool called Look Around. According to the demo, Look Around includes a neat advantage over Google Maps, as well as a map showing far more detail than the current version of Apple Maps.
Mud-spraying drones could be used to build homes in disasters areas
Drones are finding more and more uses beyond just capturing gorgeous footage from up high. Check out this effort, for example, where a flying machine has been modified so that it can help build emergency shelters. The drone performs multiple tasks that include lifting, spraying, and drying.
Amazon ramps up Prime one-day delivery effort to keep Walmart at bay
Amazon wants to reduce two-day shipping for Prime members to just one day, and this week revealed it now has more than 10 million items available for the faster delivery time. Walmart recently launched free shipping for customers on orders of $35 or more, though it’s only offered in some areas and covers 220,000 items.
Lyft’s robo-taxis have made more than 50,000 rides in Las Vegas
Lyft has announced that it's now provided over 50,000 automated rides to paying passengers in Las Vegas a year after it launched the service with vehicle technology company Aptiv. Riders have responded positively about their experience, with most trying the self-driving technology for the very first time.
Google Cloud outage hits YouTube, G Suite, Nest, and more
A Google Cloud outage on Sunday hit millions of users around the world, impacting online services such as YouTube, Gmail, and Nest. Users on the East Coast and in California appear to be the most affected. The problems come a couple of months after Facebook suffered the worst disruption in its history.
Google Maps’ Waze-like speed-camera feature rolls into 40 more countries
Following a limited launch earlier this year, Google Maps has expanded a feature that shows drivers the location of speed cameras, as well as information on speed limits. Speed cameras are shown at their precise location on the road, with the app playing an audio warning as the driver approaches.
