Patreon is having another go at changing the way it charges creators
Patreon messed up pretty badly the last time it tried to change its payment system, with the subsequent backlash forcing the company to abandon the rollout. Now it's having another go, and this time the changes mainly affect future sign-ups rather than its current community of creators.
Netflix confirms it won’t be a part of Apple’s new video-streaming service
Netflix has confirmed that subscribers to Apple's new video streaming service won't have the option to view Netflix content on it. CEO Reed Hastings said Apple is a “great company,” but added, “We want to have people watch our shows on our service.” Apple is set to unveil its new subscription-based offering next week.
Sony’s Aibo robot dog can now patrol your home for persons of interest
Sony released the all-new Aibo in the U.S. about nine months ago, and since then the robot dog has (hopefully) been melting owners' hearts with its cute looks and clever tricks. A new software update released this week gives the computer-powered pet a new feature called Aibo Patrol.
British Airways’ new Club Suite for business class comes with a door
British Airways is going after a bigger slice of the business class market with the imminent launch of the Club Suite. The plush seating offers a more private space and does away with the 2-4-2 configuration that left high-paying passengers having to clamber over each other to reach the aisle.
FCC to help first responders pinpoint 911 callers in multistory buildings
When someone calls 911 from their cell phone, wireless carriers provide operators with an approximate location. Now the Federal Communications Commission wants the carriers to use their technology to provide vertical location data to pinpoint emergency callers inside multi-story buildings.
Your Google+ public content will remain viewable on the web, if you want it to
Google's failed social network will soon be wiped from the internet, but there's a team of volunteers working to save its public content for the Internet Archive. Google+ launched in 2011, but security breaches and a lack of engagement prompted the web company to announce its retirement.
Robot assistants from Toyota and Panasonic gear up for the Tokyo Olympics
As you might expect with a country like Japan, the nation plans to use next year’s Tokyo Olympics to showcase a range of its advanced technologies. Sponsors Toyota and Panasonic are already getting in on the act, recently unveiling several robotic designs that they intend to deploy at the event.
Twitter is testing a handy subscription feature for following threads
Twitter has recently started testing a feature that lets you subscribe to a thread so that you’ll no longer need to like a comment or post to it yourself in order to receive notifications of new contributions. The company said the effort is part of its ongoing work “to make Twitter more conversational.”
Nuro’s awesome robot delivery pods are tootling into Texas
Robo-delivery startup Nuro is taking its awesome delivery pods to Texas. The vehicles will deliver Kroger groceries to customers' doors in Houston following a successful pilot program in Scottsdale, Arizona. Nuro’s futuristic pod is driverless, though a trailing safety driver keeps an eye on its progress.
Facebook explains its worst outage as 3 million users head to Telegram
Facebook, if you didn't already know it, suffered a bit of an issue on Wednesday. An issue that took down not only its social networking site, but also Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger to become the company’s most serious outage in its 15-year history. On Thursday it offered an explanation.
Privacy-focused DuckDuckGo added to Chrome as a default search option
DuckDuckGo is now listed as a default search option on Google’s Chrome browser. The search engine was added this week as part of the browser's latest update. DuckDuckGo claims to offer a more private browsing experience than other search engines as it doesn't store or share any personal information linked to its users.
Yep, it’s not just you. Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp are down for many
Facebook's family of apps has been suffering issues for much of Wednesday. Instagram, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Facebook itself have been out of action for users around the world, with the company scrambling to sort it out. The social networking giant insists the outage is not the result of a cyber attack.
GM Cruise to double its autonomous-car team to meet robo-taxi goal
With its eye on the launch of a robo-taxi service by the end of 2019, General Motors' Cruise Automation says it will add 1,000 workers to its autonomous-vehicle team over the next nine months, doubling its workforce. The San Francisco-based firm launched in 2013 and was acquired by GM three years later.
Professional drone racing is flying onto Twitter this summer
Professional drone racing is coming to Twitter for the first time this summer. Organizers hope the deal with the social media platform will help the growing sport to further broaden its audience. The races will see skilled pilots maneuvering their machines at speeds of up to 90 mph along challenging obstacle courses.
Check to see if your Honda or Acura vehicle is part of the latest Takata recall
Honda has recalled more than a million vehicles in the U.S. that contain faulty and potentially lethal Takata airbag inflators. The inflators were fitted during earlier repairs, but have now been deemed unsafe. The notice is part of an ongoing recall by 19 automakers that affects tens of millions of vehicles.
Singapore’s stunning airport complex could be a tourist destination in itself
Singapore’s Changi Airport could be the first airport in the world where you might actually want to go to hang out. Why? Because it’s about to open the Jewel, a beautifully designed shopping, dining, entertainment, and accommodation complex that also features an abundance of greenery.
Smart speakers now help the U.K. to calculate the cost of living
Smart speakers have become so popular in the U.K. that the device has now been added to the nation’s ”inflation basket.” The basket contains commonly bought items and is used to calculate the cost of living. Reflecting current shopping habits, the electric toothbrush has also been added, while the humble hi-fi is out.
Twitter wants you to help shape the future design of its app
Twitter is launching an app for testing new design features and it wants you to get involved. Those accepted into the program will have the chance to try out different conversation designs aimed at improving the user experience. Initial trials are expected to focus on enhancing the look and feel of threads.
NYPD has created pattern-recognition software to help it solve crimes
The NYPD is using special pattern-recognition software to help it link crimes across precincts, with the department said to be the first in the U.S. to deploy such a system. "Patternizr" was developed in-house over a period of two years and has been in use since 2016, although its deployment has only now been revealed.
Apple is offering bonus credit for iTunes and App Store shoppers
Apple is offering a 10 percent bonus when you add funds to your Apple ID account, paving the way for a few free purchases of apps, music tracks, movies, and any other content you can find in its online stores. The offer runs through March 14, so you'll have to hurry if you want to take advantage of it.
Selfie snapper attacked by jaguar during foolhardy photo attempt
Selfies with animals don't always work out well, as a woman at a zoo in Arizona found out recently. Passing a safety barrier to get closer to a jaguar, the animal responded angrily by attacking her, digging its claws into her flesh. Fortunately, a quick-thinking visitor managed to save the woman.
Skype for web gets a bunch of new features that include call recording
Skype has given the web version of its video chat service a makeover, adding high-definition calls, a recording feature, and a revamped notification panel, among other extras. Skype for web launched in 2015 and allows anyone with a Microsoft account to launch a chat without having to download any software.
Gmail’s handy Smart Compose feature lands on more Android phones
Google appears to be rolling out Gmail’s handy Smart Compose feature for all Android phones after launching it for desktop and its Pixel handsets last year. Smart Compose uses machine learning to offer phrases based on your personal writing style, helping you to tap out messages at speed.
All of Amazon’s U.S. pop-up stores are about to pop off
Amazon has confirmed that it's closing all 87 of its pop-up stores in the U.S. as part of an overhaul of its retail strategy. Despite the closures, the company retains a strong interest in brick-and-mortar retail, with bookstores, 4-star stores, Amazon Go, and Whole Foods all part of its growing empire.
The British royal family is taking on the Twitter trolls
After an apparent uptick in abuse on its social media accounts, the British royal family has told commenters to refrain from posting offensive content or face possible police action. The family has more than 18 million followers across its Twitter and Instagram accounts.
Instagram: Wacky JetBlue contest offers free flights if you delete all your pics
A bizarre contest launched by JetBlue requires Instagrammers to delete all of their photos for a chance to win a year's worth of free flights. It’s certainly a drastic move, but fortunately there’s another way to get your name in the hat without taking a wrecking ball to your account.
Volkswagen offers a pair of cool scooter designs for zipping around town
Volkswagen has unveiled a couple of nifty scooter concepts for zipping around town. The smaller, sleeker Cityskater can reach speeds of 12 mph and has a range of 9 miles, while the heftier Streetmate can hit 28 mph and travel 21 miles. Both designs will be shown off at this week's Geneva Motor Show.
Jibo the social robot is about to become an expensive ornament
Jibo the social robot is about to become a lot less functional as the servers that power it will soon be switched off. The news comes just a few months after the company behind it folded. Jibo launched in 2017, but its $900 price tag meant it was always going to be a tough sell.
Google Maps adds Lime bike and scooter feature to more cities globally
Google Maps recently added a feature that helps you find Lime bikes and scooters more easily. Following a limited launch, the company has rolled it out to more than 80 cities globally. The feature also offers information such as how long it’ll take to walk to the two-wheeler, ride cost, and journey time.