Amazon may have spilled the beans for Prime Day 2018
The cat's out of the bag, and it's all the owner's fault. On Thursday, online retail giant Amazon may have accidentally let slip when its perennially popular Amazon Prime Day would be in 2o18. Mark your calendars, friends, because as per the banner Amazon posted to its U.K. website, Prime Day will be July 16.
Breathing better can be a breeze with the latest air quality monitor from Awair
You can't see the air you breathe, but a good air quality monitor can provide you with the vision you never thought you'd have. And if that air quality monitor is from Awair, you're likely in particularly good hands. The Awair 2nd Edition promises to be a new and sophisticated solution for your home.
Augmented reality is coming to Facebook — in the form of advertisements
Augmented reality is coming to Facebook, but perhaps not in the way that you would have wanted. The social media giant announced at a media event on Tuesday, July 10 that it has begun testing AR advertisements within its newsfeed in order to prepare for the approaching holiday shopping season.
Want to burn Sonic the Hedgehog into your morning meal? Sega can help
Sega, the Japanese video game company, is branching out of games and into home appliances by way of a toaster that burns an image of Sonic the Hedgehog directly into your morning meal. Because nothing says good morning like a piece of slightly overcooked (but impressively artistic) bread.
Apple’s HomePod only makes up 4 percent of the smart speaker market
Canalys recently published new data about the burgeoning smart speaker market, and revealed that Apple's HomePod, once a highly anticipated competitor to the Google Home and Amazon Echo lines, isn't catching on quite the way the Apple hoped. The HomePod only makes up about 4% of market share.
Smart home devices are being used in domestic abuse, report finds
A disturbing new trend leverages smart devices as tools of abuse, with some ill-intentioned users (not even hackers), using their smartphones in order to remotely control locks, speakers, thermostats, lights, and the like, and wreak emotional havoc on those within the home.
Uber rolls into electric scooter market with investment in Lime
Just a few months after acquiring electric bicycle company Jump Bikes, Uber has made yet another strategic investment in a two-wheeled startup. The San Francisco-based tech giant announced a new investment in Lime, the electric scooter company, as part of a $335 million financing round.
Anthony Levandowski, fired by Uber, to start another self-driving car company
Anthony Levandowski has now begun yet another self-driving car company called Kache.ai. As it stands, the firm remains in stealth mode, so we don't know all too much about these new efforts -- yet. However, we do know that the company has ambitious goals, and that it's currently looking to hire engineers.
Northern white rhinos could be saved from extinction by a lab-grown embryo
A few months ago, the last male northern white rhino died, and with him went hopes of preserving the critically endangered species. But now, it seems as though the fate of the rhino may not be so grim after all. Scientists have recently revealed that they have managed to grow embryos containing his DNA.
Skype introduces read receipts, but don’t worry, you can disable them
There's now another medium through which you can exercise your passive-aggressive tendencies (or just generally let folks know that their messages aren't going into the void). Skype has announced that its latest version (Skype 8.26.76) will finally include read receipts. It's currently available to Insiders.
Google Duplex could have a new job — taking the place of humans in call centers
Google may be looking for more commercial ways to employ its A.I. assistant -- not Google Assistant, but rather Google Duplex. According to a report from The Information, Duplex could be replacing human callers, for better or for worse. They could serve as telemarketers and as customer service agents.
Tinder rolls out its new video-looping feature, Loops, across the world
Tinder announced it's testing a new feature that will allow users to swipe through more than photos. With "Loops," you'll be able to create a two-second loop from an existing video that you can then add to your profile. Users across the world, including folks in the U.S. and U.K., can now use the feature.
Volkswagen will soon offer an all-electric car-sharing service called WE
Volkswagen is doubling down on an environmentally responsible future with the launch of a new car-sharing service that will exclusively utilize electric vehicles. The new program, called WE, will launch first in Germany in 2019, and then will expand to international markets the following year.
Is Netflix planning a new Ultra plan for 4K HDR in Europe?
Netflix is one of the most affordable methods of getting the latest and greatest video content on the market, thanks mainly to its ever-growing catalog and generally steady subscription prices.. But now, it seems that the popular service may be looking into raising costs for folks in Europe. It would cost around $20.
Facebook accidentally unblocked people on more than 800,000 accounts
You may have though that you had permanently muted that pedantic, annoying former "friend" on Facebook by hitting the "block" button, but as it turns out, a bug in the social network had other plans for your online relationship. A hiccup in Facebook and Messenger resulted in the unblocking of annoying digital denizens.
Hyundai is stepping up its autonomous car game with an Autotalks investment
Hyundai wants to make it easier for cars to talk to one another, and now, has put its money where its mouth is. On Tuesday, the Korean carmaker announced a partnership with Autotalks, an Israeli vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication technology company dedicated to bettering road safety.
GoSun Fusion combines solar power with electric heating for outdoor cooking
We're no strangers to GoSun's lineup of solar-powered ovens. The company has created and crowdfunded its unique outdoor cookware since 2013. Five years later, it's back again with its latest project. It's called the GoSun Fusion, and it goes a bit beyond solar power with its electric heating.
SpaceX delivers CIMON, along with berries and ice cream, at ISS
CIMON is the world's first flying, autonomous astronaut assistant featuring A.I., and it's heading to the International Space Station. Dubbed "the flying brain," CIMON will work with astronauts on a number of experiments as part of broader research to find out if such A.I. technology could benefit future missions.
A slimmer Spotify? Music streamer tests a ‘lite’ version for Android
Having a slower network or less data on your plan will no longer stop you from accessing the most popular apps and services on the market. The latest company to introduce a slimmed down version of its mobile app is Spotify, who has recently debuted the predictably named Spotify Lite. It's much smaller than the main app
Instagram will now tell you when ‘you’re all caught up’ with your feed
Some will find it reassuring, others absolutely essential. We're talking about a new feature being tested by Instagram that lets you know when you've scrolled through all of the content posted in your feed in the previous 48 hours. So you don't have to worry about missing anything.
Tinder is making it safer than ever for you to keep swiping
Tinder has now finally encrypted the photos you send on the popular dating app. In a letter to Oregon Senator Ron Wyden, Tinder's parent company Match Group announced that it had implemented changes to ensure that photos sent between Tinder's servers and the mobile app are now encrypted.
To promote ‘Border Break,’ Sega is building the world’s largest mecha
Guinness is about to get a new world record, and it's not one that you'll see every day. Video game company Sega teamed up with the plastic model creators Kotobukiya in order to construct what will be the world's largest plastic mecha model in history in advance of the Border Break release.
Think ice is the only way to keep cool? Chill.Systems wants you to think again
Unlike the traditional monstrosities that you've resigned yourself to lugging around at the beach, the barbecue, or anything else of interest during the hot and sunny months to come, the Chill.System offers sleek, portable coolers that can not only keep your drinks cold all day, but look great while doing it.
The Tanita ES-100 will sniff your pits so that you don’t have to
Recognition of a problem is the first step to solving it, and now, there's a new handheld device that will sniff your armpits and other odor-producing regions to let you know exactly how stinky you really are. This new device comes from a company called Tanita, and is called the ES-100. It's only in Japan.
Throw some shade at your office space with voice-controlled, self-tinting glass
Sage Electrochromics unveiled a prototype of its dynamic glass called SageGlass back in 2015, and in the three years since, has further developed its revolutionary product to allow users to control the dynamic tinting of the glass. Its latest innovation comes in the form of Amazon Echo compatibility.
Using your phone to unlock your car is now one step closer to reality
A keyless future is coming closer to fruition now that the Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC) has published the Digital Key Release 1.0 Specification. The document offers a peek at how tech companies could standardize the use of smartphones to lock and unlock any car, start its engine, and share access.
By 2021, you could be sleeping behind the wheel of an autonomous Volvo XC90
By 2021, you could be sitting behind the wheel of a truly driverless Volvo. The Swedish automaker's research and development chief recently said that the company is planning to sell a Level 4 self-driving crossover SUV in 2021. Level 4 autonomy describes cars that can drive themselves without any human interaction.
Hola, Alexa! Amazon Echo is on its way to both Spain and Italy
Smart speakers are taking over the world one country at a time. The Amazon Echo will soon be made available in both Spain and Italy, and around the same time, Sonos and Bose will both offer up their own Alexa-enabled devices in those two markets as well. There's no word yet on exactly when it'll happen.
Google Home will stamp its passport in at least seven new countries this year
Google is slated to double the number of national markets in which the Google Home and Google Home Mini can be found this year. With the addition of Spain, Austria, and Ireland, the Google Assistant-enabled smart speakers are now available in 11 countries around the world.
Foxconn is coming to America — more specifically, to its new Milwaukee HQ
Foxconn is reportedly purchasing a seven-story building from Northwestern Mutual, and will ultimately employ 500 people to work in the brand new facility. That's fewer than the 13,000 jobs it'll be creating at its display facility just 30 miles south, but does indicate that Foxconn is serious about its new home.
Google’s new patent hopes to protect the Google Home from being hijacked
If you love talking to Google Assistant, it's not hard to believe that a hacker would enjoy the same privileges. And now, Google is patenting a new system that seeks to protect you and your Google Home from being hijacked. As per a recently filed patent, Google is looking to prevent so-called "audio attacks."
Waymo autonomous vehicles will reach 7 million test miles this week
Waymo just keeps burning up the pavement. On Tuesday, the company's chief business development officer announced that its fleet of autonomous vehicles will reach 7 million test miles driven by the end of this week. That means that Waymo's testing pace has accelerated significantly in the last month.
August smart locks open new doors for Airbnb hosts and guests
Leaving a key for your Airbnb guest will soon be a practice of the past, as long as you have an August smart lock installed. The smart home company has announced a new partnership with Airbnb that promises to simplify rental access for hosts and guests alike. August will auto-generate passcodes.
Don’t wait for a money transfer in Venmo — just use its Mastercard debit card
Venmo is testing a physical debit card that would make it easier for people who store money in their Venmo accounts to make purchases. On Monday, June 25, Venmo officially launched its own debit card as part of a partnership with Mastercard. Beta customers will receive a sign-up invitation.
Uber focuses on safety improvements as it battles to regain its London license
Uber's U.K operation has unveiled a number of measures designed to improve rider and driver safety as it seeks to regain its London operating license. On June 25, the ridesharing giant goes to court in order to appeal last September's decision, and hopefully, get its groove back in London.
Whole Foods perks are rolling out to all Amazon Prime members
Amazon Prime members are now eligible for discounts and special deals at Whole Foods Market stores across the U.S.. All Whole Foods Market 365 stores nationwide now have Prime savings. All Prime members will be privy to 10 percent off sale items, as well as "deep discounts on select popular products,” Amazon noted.