Can Amazon deliver on plan to slash carbon footprint of shipments?
Amazon has announced an ambitious plan to halve its shipment carbon footprint by 2030. The company says improvements in electric vehicles, aviation bio fuels, reusable packaging, and renewable energy make the goal reachable, and should ultimately lead to zero-carbon shipments to customers.
Marriott asking guests for data to see if they were victims of the Starwood hack
Marriott has created an online form to help you find out if your data was stolen in the massive Starwood hack that came to light at the end of 2018. But take note, it requires you to submit a bunch of personal details. The massive breach affected more than 300 million guests.
Cruise like Mick Jagger: Virgin Voyage’s new ship boasts RockStar Suites
Virgin Voyages, the new cruise company from the Virgin Group, is now taking reservations for the 2020 inaugural season. The company says the RockStar Suites are designed to help travelers feel like rock stars, going beyond the usual cruise luxuries. The company is now booking trips departing from Miami.
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.
Spotify buys two podcast companies, and plans to spend even more
Spotify purchased Gimlet Media, the startup behind Reply All and the Homecoming podcast that Amazon turned into a show, for over $200 million. It has also picked up Anchor, making the streaming music company the second largest podcast platform behind Apple.
Earny helps rebook rooms at lower rates and lets you shop multiple travel sites
Earny isn't just for cash back on retail purchases anymore. Earny Hotels will monitor rates and send an alert to rebook at a lower rate if one is found ahead of your stay. The company says users can save an average of $75 per stay when using the Earny app for travel accommodations.
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.
Google is buying mysterious smartwatch tech from The Fossil Group for $40 million
Google is about to step up its smartwatch game. The company has agreed to buy an unnamed smartwatch technology from The Fossil Group for a hefty $40 million. Considering the acquisition, it's clear Google is serious about smartwatches -- and could release its own smartwatch by the end of the year.
Cathay Pacific messes up first-class ticket prices — again
A recent error on Cathay Pacific's website resulted in first-class seats selling for a tenth of the price. On Sunday the airline made the error again, selling "a very small number" of premium seats at an absurdly low price. The good news for those who snagged a ticket is Cathay will honor all bookings.
Google Assistant’s global drive helped it quadruple its active users in 2018
Voice assistants made talking to yourself cool, and they're reaping the benefits. Google has taken to CES 2019 to release the details of how Google Assistant has grown over the last year, and the results are pretty staggering. With 2019 just kicking off, here's how Google Assistant did in 2018.
Marriott suffers a massive breach of its guest records. Here’s how to protect yourself
A breach of the Starwood Preferred Guest loyalty program may have compromised the data of as many as 383 million of its guests, Marriott says. While an internal tool only recently flagged the breach, the company believes the hack started in 2014. Affected guests are getting email notifications about the incident.
Some lucky fliers just bagged $16,000 first-class seats for only $1,100
An error on Cathay Pacific's website on Monday let people book first- and business-class seats on flights between the U.S. and Vietnam at a fraction of the usual cost. Airlines don't always honor such bookings, but the good news for the passengers concerned is that in this case Cathay has agreed to do so.
Google to expand New York City presence with $1 billion campus
Google is following in Amazon's footsteps with its own plans to significantly expand its presence in New York City. The company announced on Monday, December 17 that it's investing $1 billion on three sites in Manhattan for more than 7,000 workers. The first buildings will be open for business by 2020.
Amazon scouted airport locations for its cashier-free Amazon Go stores
Representatives of Amazon Go checkout-free retail stores connected with officials at Los Angeles and San Jose airports in June to discuss the possibility of cashier-free grab-and-go locations in busy terminals. Since the initial meetings, Amazon has not continued discussions, but that doesn't mean the project is DOA.
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.
Cloudy with a chance of drones: Power loss causing some DJI quadcopters to fall
DJI is scrambling to solve a problem with its Matrice 200 drone after reports that a "small number" of the quadcopters had fallen from the sky following sudden power loss. The company said its "thoroughly reviewing each case," and so far no injuries have been reported.
These flights are most likely to leave you stuck in an airport for the holidays
Traveling for the holidays? AirHelp's new study looks at the best times to fly, the best times to book, and the flights most likely to experience delays. The busiest travel days vary by airport, but a look at the study can help passengers avoid the busiest travel days over the holidays.
Singapore reclaims longest flight, but could you sit on a plane for that long?
Singapore Airlines has reclaimed the record for the world's longest commercial flight with a 19-hour service between Singapore and New York. Aware that few people would want to sit in economy for almost a day, it's done away with cattle class entirely and instead offers only business and premium economy seats.
Instagram names new boss: Facebook veteran Adam Mosseri
Instagram's new boss is Adam Mosseri, a 10-year veteran of Facebook — the company that owns Instagram. More recently, Mosseri ran Facebook's news feed before moving to Instagram's product division in May. In an online post, he said he was excited to take on the role and promised to maintain Instagram's core values.
Uber agrees to pay $148 million for 2016 hack and cover-up
Uber has agreed to pay $148 million for failing to immediately come clean about a 2016 hack that resulted in the theft of personal data belonging to 57 million of its riders and drivers worldwide. Uber had hoped to cover up the security breach and paid the hackers $100,000 to destroy the stolen data.
Amazon is opening a new brick-and-mortar store with a twist
Adding to its physical book stores and Amazon Go grocery outlets, the online shopping giant is opening a new retail store in New York City that only sells items that have been rated four stars and higher on its site. Amazon 4-star, as it's called, will offer products from across its range, with better prices for Prime members.
Delta tech issue grounds planes, could affect Wednesday flights
A "technology issue" that temporarily grounded all Delta planes across the U.S. on Tuesday night has been resolved. The carrier says disruption from a knock-on effect is expected to be "minimal," but it's advising anyone flying on Wednesday to check the status of their flight before heading to the airport.
Monster fires ‘toxic’ COO, alleges threats of mutilation, death
Monster, which turned the headphone industry upside down with Dr. Dre, is upending its own exec board, announcing in a press release that it had fired “toxic” COO Fereidoun “Fred” Khalilian on July 27 – alleging a failed hostile takeover, death and dismemberment threats, and downright corruption.
Flying could feel more like going to the movies with VR headsets and headphones
How do you make air travel feel like not flying at all? Put a screen on your face and noise-canceling headphones in your ears. Alaska Airlines is now testing virtual reality headsets for in-flight entertainment. The airline isn't making promises for a big rollout, but is trying the gear out this week.
Will your carry-on fit in that overhead bin? Kayak’s new AR tool can tell you
Don't break out the tape measure just yet -- a new augmented reality tool inside the Kayak app can help determine if your bag meets carry-on requirements. After measuring the bag with the device's camera, the app compares it to your airline's requirements.
Report: President Trump to spare Apple from tariffs on Chinese goods
According to a new report, Apple and other tech companies may be largely spared from the Trump administrations upcoming tariffs on Chinese goods. The report notes that while wireless devices like the Apple Watch were on a preliminary list, they have since been removed.
Amazon to crack down on employees who sell confidential info to merchants
Amazon's marketplace has grown by leaps and bounds in the decades since its founding. But this growth has created a shadow economy of its own -- one that deals in the sale of in insider data and positive reviews. Now, Amazon is working to root out that corruption, but it has a long way to go.
Amazon Go checkout-free stores set to arrive in New York City
Amazon Go is looking to branch out of the company's hometown of Seattle. In addition to locations in Chicago and San Francisco, Amazon has announced that it is planning on hoping a new Amazon Go store in New York City. The store's location and opening date have not been announced
Nissan recalls a range of vehicles to fix potentially dangerous ignition issue
Nissan is recalling just over 165,000 vehicles in the U.S. and Canada to fix a potentially dangerous issue with the key ignition system. The problem could cause the engine to suddenly cut out, which Nissan said could disorient the driver, increasing the chances of an accident.
Biometrics scanner catches impostor at U.S. airport on just third day of use
Well, that didn't take long. The US Customs and Border Patrol says that a new biometrics system flagged a man using a fake passport on the third day that a biometrics was in use. The program flagged the man when his biometrics didn't match the ID he presented -- his real ID was found in his shoe.
T-Mobile wants to reinvent customer service with a ‘Team of Experts’
In an attempt to reinvent how businesses approach customer care, T-Mobile is going old school -- by connecting its customers with humans instead of robots. The "Un-carrier" unveiled all the details pertaining to its new customer service model, called the Team of Experts.
Huawei and Apple’s tablet sales rise despite big market segment decline
The IDC's analysis of tablet sales for the second quarter of 2018 are out, and it doesn't paint a rosy picture of the market. Samsung, Lenovo, and Amazon are among those who've lost out in the declining market, while Apple and Huawei have continued to make gains in their sales with new devices.
New leader alert — Apple Music is now beating Spotify in U.S. paid subscribers
As of this week, Apple Music has allegedly surpassed Spotify when it comes to the number of U.S.-based subscribers, and its lead if expected to grow by Christmas. According to sources who spoke anonymously with Digital Music News, Apple Music now boasts more paying subscribers than its main competitor.