Instagram is about to start fiddling around with your profile page
Whether or not you like the look of your profile page, Instagram is going to begin testing new designs in the coming weeks to make it "easier and cleaner to use." It's already posted a few ideas about what to expect, with new tabs and buttons on the way, as well as reduced prominence for follower/following counts.
Oops! Teen driver loses license just 49 minutes after passing his test
A German teen lost his driving license just 49 minutes after passing his test. Cops spotted the guy doing more than twice the legal speed limit, resulting in a driving ban and a fine. He had four buddies in the car when he was pulled over, prompting cops to suggest that he may have been trying to impress them.
Here’s how Uber plans to improve its service for riders in wheelchairs
Uber has sometimes been criticized for its failure to provide adequate services for those with disabilities. It's been working to improve its service in this area, and its latest initiative sees it teaming up with a specialist transportation firm to provide more wheelchair-accessible vehicles with short wait times.
LinkedIn finally gets around to launching its own version of Stories
Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter have all launched their own versions of Snapchat Stories, so it was only a matter of time before professional social networking site LinkedIn followed suit. Its own version is called Student Voices and it's aimed at college students and recent graduates.
How a village in Italy caught 58,000 speeding drivers in just 10 days
A tiny village in northern Italy knew it had an issue with cars and bikes speeding through it, but data from a newly set-up speed camera left its residents utterly gobsmacked. In the first 10 days alone, the camera recorded more than 58,000 speeding offenses, with half of all vehicles traveling too fast.
NASA selects the all-important landing site for its Mars 2020 rover mission
After years of consideration, NASA has finally chosen the all-important landing site for its Mars 2020 rover. The location is a 28-mile-wide crater where water once flowed, with NASA suggesting it may contain material that could "revolutionize how we think about Mars and its ability to harbor life.”
Why an American named John Lewis gets lots of Twitter hassle from Brits
Spare a thought for Twitter user John Lewis. When he signed up as @johnlewis soon after the app launched in 2006, little did he know that one day he would become the de facto customer service contact for the British department store of the same name. Mr. Lewis says he now receives as many as 50,000 tweets a year.
Apple confirms it’s collecting data on foot to improve its Maps app
Apple has been using cars and satellites to improve its Maps app for several years, and it's now confirmed it's also using tech-laden pedestrians to collect data in a bid to provide better walking directions. Using backpacks with cameras and sensors, the Apple employees are starting off by mapping parts of California.
Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer trades in his gear for a toy camera
Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Oden Balilty recently rose to the challenge of shooting for an entire day using nothing but a toy camera. The acclaimed documentary photographer fared well during the daylong shoot, and even found several benefits from using the super-basic camera.
Barnes & Noble’s new Nook tablet now has its own keyboard cover and dock
Barnes & Noble recently launched a new mobile device, the $130 Nook Tablet 10.1. Now the firm has released a couple of accessories designed exclusively for the new Nook: A $40 keyboard that connects via magnets and offers various viewing angles, and a $35 charging dock that holds the tablet in landscape mode.
Aussies hope free Wi-Fi on their beaches will lead to fewer drownings
Aussie lifeguards have hit on an idea to use Wi-Fi to make the beaches safer. How? By creating free Wi-Fi zones within the safety flags to encourage swimmers to stay within designated areas where they can be monitored by lifeguards. The Wi-Fi setup also sends out safety alerts in multiple languages.
Hikers missing on Mount Fuji could soon find a drone buzzing above their heads
Mount Fuji attracts thousands of hikers every summer, with many of them making it all the way to the 3,776-meter summit of Japan's highest mountain. But with some hikers going missing while on the mountain, drones are going to be deployed to help find them as part of future search-and-rescue missions.
Addicted to Instagram? Its new ‘activity dashboard’ is here to help
Ever get that nagging feeling you're spending too much time on Instagram? A new "activity dashboard" comes with features designed to help you better control how you use the addictive photo-sharing app. They include daily reminders when you hit a self-imposed time limit, and a quick way to shut off notifications.
Facebook is rolling out a Messenger ‘unsend’ feature, and here’s how to use it
Facebook is rolling out a "remove message" feature for Messenger. It lets you delete a message within 10 minutes of sending it, and replaces it with a note telling recipients it's been removed. The company is also looking at the idea of adding expiration dates for messages or even entire threads.
Airbnb hosts are offering free rooms to those displaced by California wildfires
Several thousand Airbnb hosts in California are opening their homes to help those displaced by the devastating wildfires in the state. Airbnb's Open Homes program connects those affected by disasters with local hosts who can offer accommodation, with Airbnb taking care of all fees.
Amazon has a huge team dedicated to enhancing Alexa and Echo
An Amazon executive on Tuesday, November 13 revealed the huge size of the team tasked with developing the Echo, its smart speaker, and Alexa, the digital assistant that powers it. With the holiday shopping season approaching, Amazon's smart speaker goes up against similar offerings from Google and Apple.
‘Superwoman’ YouTuber Lilly Singh taking a break for her mental health
Claiming to be "mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually exhausted," popular YouTuber Lilly Singh told her millions of fans that she's taking a break from making videos in order to recuperate. Singh was listed as the 10th-highest-paid YouTube star in 2017, when she reportedly earned around $10 million.
Lime’s first carsharing service motors into Seattle this week
Lime is better known for its app-based bike and scooter rental services, but this week it's launching its very first carsharing service similar to Car2go and Zipcar. Starting in Seattle, Washington, customers can make use of 50 "Limepod" Fiat 500 cars, which cost a dollar to unlock and 40 cents per minute to drive.
Zoom in on famous works through the Art Institute of Chicago’s new website
The Art Institute of Chicago has given its website a serious makeover with new features that let you get up close and personal with more than 50,000 artworks by famous (and not so famous) artists. For those that can make it there in person, the site also offers tips on how to get the most out of the museum.
Lyft’s new rewards program promises ride discounts and comfier cars
If you're always hopping in and out of a Lyft car, then you'll be pleased to hear that the ridesharing service is about to launch a rewards program. Perks include discounts on future trips and upgrades to comfier cars. Lyft Rewards lands in December for select riders, with the scheme rolling out more widely in 2019.
Twitter boss hints that an edit button for tweets may finally be on its way
Twitter has been talking for years about launching an edit button for tweets, but it still hasn't landed. This week, company boss Jack Dorsey suggested a quick-edit button is "achievable," giving hope to millions of users that it might actually be in the works ... though don't build your hopes up.
Alibaba’s Singles’ Day sale smashes online shopping records
The annual online shopping frenzy that is Singles' Day this year generated record sales of $30.8 billion, up from $25 billion last year. The Alibaba-organized event started in China in 2009 but the addition of English-language sites now takes the event to an even bigger audience.
Lime clocks 20 million rides as its bikes and scooters arrive in Oz
Lime only launched its app-based scooter and bikesharing service at the start of 2017 but its riders have already completed 20 million rides, with half of them taking place in the last two months. Now the California-based company is launching in Australia as part of its ongoing international expansion.
Vine fans, your favorite video-looping app is coming back as Byte
Vine fans were left disappointed in 2017 when its owner, Twitter, pulled the plug on the video-looping app. But it's back in the news this week as one of its co-founders revealed that work on a new version is almost complete. Dom Hofmann said he's aiming for a spring 2019 launch for the new app, called Byte.
Facebook Messenger will soon let you delete sent messages
A feature coming to Facebook Messenger will let you delete a message for up to 10 minutes after you send it. The company promised the feature months ago — after Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was caught using it in April — and this week it appeared to suggest it'll land with the app's next update.
The vast majority of YouTube users hit the site for how-to videos
YouTube is bursting with useful guides on how to do stuff, and a recent study has revealed that more users than ever are using it as a learning resource. Building on its success, YouTube says it plans to spend $20 million on educational content through deals with independent creators and professional producers.
Safety driver in Waymo autonomous car causes collision with biker
Safety drivers are supposed to take control of a self-driving car when a potentially dangerous situation occurs that appears to be beyond the capabilities of the vehicle's autonomous technology. But when a driver in one of Waymo's cars recently took control, they caused an accident with a motorcyclist.
Facebook opens pop-up stores at Macy’s, but they’re not selling the Portal
Facebook has just opened pop-up stores at nine Macy's locations across the U.S., though they're not selling its new Portal video-calling device or Oculus VR headsets. Instead, they're showcasing small businesses and brands that are already popular on Facebook and Instagram.
Man in Japan drives sports car ‘faster than a bullet train’ in YouTube stunt
A motorist in Japan is in serious trouble with the law after he drove his Nissan GT-R sports car at a speed that would've seen it overtake some of the nation's famously fast bullet trains. The unnamed driver recorded the stunt and put it on YouTube because he "wanted everyone to watch it."
Lime splashes $3 million on a campaign to encourage safer electric scooter rides
Keen to boost its image and keep local communities onside, scootersharing outfit Lime is spending $3 million on a campaign to teach its users how to ride more safely and responsibly. If you sign up to its pledge online, you could bag yourself a free helmet for your future scooter rides!
Aussie teen bags $24,000 top prize at World Drone Racing Championships
A 15-year-old Australian lad has been crowned the world's best drone racer after finishing top among 127 other competitors from 34 countries. Rudi Browning also picked up a $24,000 cash prize for his victory at last weekend's FAI World Drone Racing Championships in Shenzhen, China.