Audi of America president abruptly resigns after just six months on the job
Audi of America President Mark Del Rosso is stepping down after less than six months at the helm. Audi has not provided any specifics as to why Del Rosso is departing so suddenly, or whether it was his choice to step down. Current Executive Vice President and COO Cian O’Brien will fill the role on an interim basis.
Tesla’s Model 3 qualifies for owner tax incentives in Canada
To help Canadian Tesla Model 3 buyers qualify for a rebate, Tesla cut the price and limited the range of the Model 3 Standard Range version. Anyone who buys the limited-range car will get the rebate, but can only drive 93 miles per charge. Because of the range and price cut, however, others can also get the rebate.
Dell’s small business deals drop up to 45 percent off XPS and Vostro desktops
Dell's desktop are now discounted by as much as 45% as part of the company's small business promotion. While most of the systems are geared toward the SMB market, with select OptiPlex, Precision, and Vostro systems on sale, the XPS Tower is also discounted, making it a good fit for office or home use.
U.K. government minister fired over Huawei 5G leak accusation
Huawei's involvement in the U.K.'s 5G network infrastructure continues to be controversial, with leaks and high-profile government firings surrounding it. The final decision around the company’s involvement has yet to be finalized by the government, and we’ve got all the details on the story here.
Survey says Siri and Google Assistant are the most used voice assistants
Alexa might be extremely popular because of smart speakers, but it still has a way to go to catch up to voice assistants the are built into smartphones. A recent survey conducted by Microsoft found that Apple's Siri and Google Assistant tied for the most used voice assistants on the market.
British telecoms company Vodafone found backdoors in Huawei equipment
The British telecoms giant Vodafone has disclosed that it found potential backdoors in Huawei equipment used in its telecoms systems multiple times in multiple years. This will fuel fears from many that the Chinese company isn't to be trusted, but it seems Vodafone still backs Huawei.
Spotify is first music service to hit 100 million paying subscribers
Though it's still in second place in the U.S., globally Spotify is on a tear. The company revealed in its Q1 2019 report that it had hit 100 million paying subscribers worldwide, making it the first streaming music company to achieve the milestone. It has also stayed profitable, though challenges remain.
Massdrop rebrands itself as Drop, launches slate of new products
Massdrop wants to have a slightly more memorable name, and has rebranded itself to simply "Drop." Not only that, but the company also launched a series of new products, including new headphones, and a new mechanical keyboard, which offers RGB lighting and a sleek design.
United Airlines covers seatback cameras to allay privacy concerns
United Airlines has decided to cover the cameras on its latest seatback entertainment displays. The move comes a couple of months after some Singapore Airlines passengers expressed privacy concerns over such cameras. Both airlines have said the cameras aren’t connected and they have no plan to activate them.
Apple is recalling faulty plug adapters over risk of electric shock
Apple is recalling certain three-prong AC wall plug adapters shipped with Mac and some iOS devices between 2003 and 2010, and also sold as part of the Apple World Travel Adapter Kit. The company said that in rare cases it could break and, as a consequence, create a risk of electric shock if touched.
Weekend box office: Avengers: Endgame’s opening weekend breaks all the records
Marvel Studios blockbuster Avengers: Endgame exceeded pundits' already lofty predictions with a massive, $350 million opening weekend in U.S. theaters and a $1.2 billion premiere worldwide. The film broke all kinds of records, of course, and is on pace to break quite a few more in the weeks to come.
Sony’s fiscal year report confirms no PS5 launch before March 2020
Sony recently released its consolidated financial results and there were some enlightening takeaways regarding the PS4 and upcoming PS5. The current-gen hardware suffered a small decline in sales, but software grew. The company is planning to spend operating incoming on its next generation, but not on marketing.
With Sinemia gone, are movie subscription plans too good to be true?
Amid a class-action suit from subscribers over unexpected fees, complaints about a broken app, ongoing revenue woes, and a lawsuit from its biggest competitor, MoviePass, Sinemia has closed shop in America, casting the future of theatrical movie subscription services into doubt.
Amazon will reportedly launch a hi-fi version of Amazon Music Unlimited
A new report suggests that Amazon is in the final months of preparation for the launch of a new hi-res tier for its music subscription service. If true, it might launch later this year, for around $15 per month, making it the first of the big streaming giants to take this step.
Intel’s CPU shortage is no longer affecting Microsoft’s sales
Microsoft is no longer worried about Intel’s CPU shortage affecting Windows sales. Microsoft’s Windows sales are surviving the shortage of Intel’s 14nm CPUs just fine as manufacturers pivot to using other processors like AMD. And Intel may face another shortage this year.
Amal and George Clooney want to change the world. Can Microsoft help?
Microsoft and The Clooney Foundation for Justice (CFJ) unveiled the AI-powered TrialWatch app Thursday morning, a new tool in CFJ’s ongoing TrialWatch effort to shine a light on injustice in courts around the globe – which too often are simply barbaric.
The startup behind the world’s first laundry robot has folded
When the Laundroid was first announced almost three years ago, then shown off at last year's CES, it was met with a fair bit of both intrigue and derision. But now Seven Dreamers, the company behind it, says the company is out of money.
Electric truck maker Rivian scores $500 million investment from Ford
Alongside Amazon, Rivian can now count Ford as one of its backers. The Blue Oval will invest $500 million in Rivian, and will use the company's "skateboard" chassis as the basis for a future electric vehicle. Rivian plans to launch its R1T pickup truck and R1S SUV in 2020.
Startup Smartcar accuses bigger rival Otonomo of stealing intellectual property
California-based startup Smartcar claims its intellectual property was stolen by a much bigger (and better-funded) rival named Otonomo. The company published screen shots of its API next to Otonomo's API and pointed out the similarities, including typos. Otonomo hasn't given its side of the story yet.
Tesla will have ‘autonomous robotaxis’ in 2020, Elon Musk says
Tesla will deploy self-driving cars in a "robotaxi" service in 2020, CEO Elon Musk said at the automaker's Autonomy Investor Day. Current Tesla cars have all hardware needed for fully-autonomous driving, he said.
Can new laws protect you from smart home security breaches?
Smart home devices might be convenient, but they also can put users at risk when a data breach occurs. To help combat those situations, state and federal lawmakers are exploring ways to protect consumers. California, Oregon, and members of the U.S. Senate all have proposals to protect people's data.
Toyota leads $1 billion investment in Uber’s self-driving tech division
In a move that has been a long time coming, Uber filed its S-1 documents, which sets the stage for the company to finally go public with an initial public offering. Despite still losing more than $1 billion last year, the company is looking to sell stock while being valued at up to $100 billion.
Sidestep banking fees with the nationwide launch of T-Mobile Money
Looking for a bank that provides something a little different? T-Mobile has launched its Money banking service nationwide in the U.S., and it offers an extremely tempting set of features for everyone, including industry-leading interest rates, a powerful app, and none of the usual banking fees.
There will be 200 million smart speakers by year’s end, analysts say
The research and analysis firm Canalys predicts that the worldwide market for smart speakers like Amazon's Echo devices and Google Home smart speakers will reach a massive crescendo this year, topping 200 million smart speakers by the end of 2019 with the U.S. accounting for nearly half the market.
Microsoft reveals details of Surface Hub 2S, coming in June at $9,000
Microsoft's Surface Hub 2 isn't far from release but what will it actually be like? The first iteration, the Surface Hub 2S, will be a major upgrade in terms of software and hardware. But its sequel, the 2X, could be even more so, with the ability to connect several displays together for even more space.
Microsoft reveals details of Surface Hub 2S, coming in June at $8,999
Microsoft's Surface Hub 2 isn't far from release but what will it actually be like? The first iteration, the Surface Hub 2S, will be a major upgrade in terms of software and hardware. But its sequel, the 2X, could be even more so, with the ability to connect several displays together for even more space.
Intel gives up on 5G modems for smartphones, will focus on other devices
5G is the new frontier for many manufacturers, but it seems Intel won't be one of the ones leading the crowd. After a delay that saw Intel's manufacture of 5G modems pushed back to 2020, Intel has given up on the 5G modem business, and will focus its efforts elsewhere. But is something else to blame?
Apple and Qualcomm settle all disputes, reach six-year agreement on chips
Apple and Qualcomm have announced that they have settled all disputes between them around the world -- and not only that, but have also agreed to a six-year agreement for Qualcomm to supply Apple with chips. We now expect future Apple phones to feature Qualcomm 5G modems.
Microsoft accelerates carbon reduction plans in new sustainability push
Though Microsoft has made significant progress toward its sustainability goals, it wants to accelerate the rate of becoming a zero-emission, zero-waste company. Microsoft announced that it is doubling a self-imposed internal carbon tax to incentivize business divisions in making sustainable choices.
Buying airline tickets too early is no longer a costly mistake, study suggests
When you book can play a big role in the cost of airline tickets -- so when is the best time to book flights? Earlier than you'd think, a new study suggests. Data from CheapAir.com suggests the window of time to buy at the best prices is now even longer, starting at about 10 months before the departure.
Hackers broke into Outlook.com using worker’s credentials, Microsoft says
Microsoft's web-based email services, including Outlook.com accounts and MSN and Hotmail addresses, were the target of a security beach. Using a customer support agent's credentials, hackers were possibly able to access email addresses and subject lines, but fortunately not their content.
The FCC and White House want to bring high-speed internet to rural areas
The FCC and the White House have unveiled new initiatives to bring high-speed internet to rural areas, including offering $20.4 billion in incentives to companies to build out infrastructure. The FCC also announced new initiatives to speed up the roll out of 5G -- including a new spectrum auction.
Google and Huawei offer to pay owners up to $400 for Nexus 6P bootloop fault
Anyone who suffered from the Nexus 6P's dreaded bootloop and can prove it may be in for a financial windfall. In order to resolve a class action lawsuit, Google and Huawei have offered to pay up to $400 to those who purchased the Nexus 6P before a certain date and had issues with bootlooping.
What can tech companies do to create more women-friendly workplaces?
Whether it’s rigid schedules, chilly offices, or unequal pay, there are a lot of ways modern workplaces can seem unfriendly to women. To make them more inclusive, there are a lot of ways to combat these unconscious biases and make offices more equal.