Skip to main content

Get everything you need except your drugs at the CVS curb

a data broker’s world
CVS Express Pickup curbside service starts in three states Image used with permission by copyright holder
Do you like convenience and dislike wandering around stores looking for what you want? If that’s the case, CVS has just the service for you. With CVS Express, you’ll still have to pick up prescriptions in the store or at the drive-through window, but otherwise, almost anything you want that CVS sells can be picked up curbside if you order an hour ahead with the mobile app, as reported by USA Today.

Citing the buying public’s growing expectations for fast delivery and reliance on mobile apps for a universe of information and service needs, CVS is now testing Express in California, North Carolina, and Georgia. Other states will join the program soon after, although urban locations without convenient parking may be difficult. The system-wide goal will be to have orders available within an hour.

In practice, not everything in specific stores will be available via the new service. Express Pickup is incorporated into the existing CVS Pharmacy app. When you place an order through the app you’ll choose from the most common items inventoried in your local store — approximately 75 percent of in stock merchandise — not what actually is in stock at the CVS where you’ll pick up the order. That means two things. One, the employee who acts as the order picker won’t know what’s in or out of stock and will need to look around. Second, if the store doesn’t have something on your list you’ll be notified by text message before you arrive and offered a substitute if available.

There won’t be a price premium on orders picked up at the curb. Tipping, I suppose, will be optional. The CVS acronym, which the corporation now says stands for Convenience, Value, and Service (it used to be ‘Consumer Value Store’), is focusing on making it easy for consumers to get what they want without waiting, searching, or needing to ask for help finding something in the store.

Editors' Recommendations

Bruce Brown
Digital Trends Contributing Editor Bruce Brown is a member of the Smart Homes and Commerce teams. Bruce uses smart devices…
Lapse app: what you need to know about the new Instagram killer
Mockuups showing someone holding an iPhone with a screen shot of the Lapse app on the display.

It seems like new apps don't create much excitement nowadays, but one app has caught people's attention recently. It's called Lapse, and it's a photo-sharing app that is currently only available through invitation.

The app was created to allow you to share photos with friends, not with followers, in fun new ways. Friends versus followers might seem a bit confusing, but it becomes clearer once you understand how the app operates.

Read more
Are Apple AirPods waterproof? Everything you need to know
AirPods 3 on an athlete.

So, you just bought yourself a nice new pair of AirPods, or you're thinking about it because they're among the best wireless earbuds you can buy, and you're wondering if they're waterproof. The answer is no, AirPods are not waterproof and you should not wear them while swimming or in the shower or during a water balloon fight. But, if the pair of AirPods you've got (or got your eye on) is either the third-generation AirPods or the first or second-generation AirPods Pro, then you're in luck as they are water resistant.

We're going to get into what all that means and break down how water resistant each AirPods model is and what their water-resistance ratings mean for your daily activities. Let's go.
Water resistant vs. waterproof
As we mentioned above, none of Apple's AirPods -- AirPods, AirPods Pro, or AirPod Max -- are waterproof. But what is "waterproof" anyway? From an electronic device standpoint, being waterproof means that the device is watertight and can be completely submerged in water. There's a common ratings system designed for electronics to measure this (as well as dust and dirt resistance) known as the IP (Ingress Protection) rating, which we cover in our post on the water-resistance rating system.

Read more
Your Fitbit app is about to get a major update. Here’s what it looks like
Screenshot showcasing the reworked UI of Fitbit mobile app.

Redesigned look of the Fitbit app Google

The Fitbit app is getting a long-overdue redesign, and this one focuses on decluttering the UI and making it easier for users to find core information. Starting with the home page, it now offers a neat three-tab design divided across Today, Coach, and You.

Read more