Toyota attempted to break away from the self-driving car fanfare last month by announcing it would instead invest $50 million into creating “life-saving intelligent” vehicles that weren’t necessarily autonomous. Today, the company made it clear that it’s also pursuing the fully driver-less route, revealing plans to release a commercially available self-driving car by 2020. [More]
technology
MasterCard Rolling Out Payment Verification Technology That Uses Facial Recognition, Fingerprint Scans
By 10.6.15
With consumers’ shopping habits continually evolving – making more purchases online through smartphones and tablets – more retailers have revamped the way in which they allow such transactions to be made (“Buy” buttons, anyone?). So it should come as no surprise then that the businesses handling such transactions – your credit card company and bank – would also seek to evolve their methods to make payment verification simple and secure. That’s apparently the idea behind MasterCard Identity Check. [More]
NASA Creates App Aimed At Shortening Commercial Flights, Saving Fuel
By 9.23.15
There’s an app for just about everything. And that now includes one created by NASA and aimed at helping commercial airlines shorten flight times and conserve fuel. [More]
Here’s A Fun Customer Service Idea: Text Walmart For Help From Within Walmart
By 9.21.15
We’ve often said that it’s not really a good idea to post on social media or e-mail a company while you are physically standing in their store or restaurant, and talking to a person is a better alternative. Here’s a possible exception to that from the TechCrunch Disrupt hackathon: a text-messaging service that uses a combination of bots and customer service chat reps to let you text for help from within Walmart. [More]
Facebook Reportedly Working On A Virtual Reality Video Smartphone App
By 9.14.15
Nearly a year and a half after Facebook paid $2 billion to buy virtual reality company Oculus, the online behemoth is apparently ready to bring some virtual reality technology to its social media platform. [More]
Not Convinced The Robot Uprising Is Inevitable? Watch This Charger Prototype For Tesla Cars Find Its Target
By 8.6.15
You know, we’re a little surprised by you, Elon Musk. As a guy who’s said we’re right to be worried about artificial intelligence enslaving the human race, Terminator style, you’d think you wouldn’t go ahead and invent a robot charger that can find its own way to a nearby Tesla and plug in. What’s the next target, our brains?!? [More]
Flaw In Android Device Sensor Leaves Users’ Fingerprints Vulnerable To Theft
By 8.6.15
Using your fingerprint to open your phone may be convenient but it could also pose a security risk. That’s according to security researchers who discovered a way to breach Android devices to steal the unique prints. [More]
Acer Takes A Week To Fix $150 Pricing Error On Its Website
By 8.4.15
It’s frustrating enough when an online retailer makes a typo that leads customers to think an item is on sale. It doesn’t help when the retailer subsequently brushes you off when you bring this error to their attention. And even after the media has pointed out the mistake to the corporate office, it will inexplicably take more time for the price to be corrected. [More]
Ongoing Power Outage At LaGuardia Airport Delays Some Flights Three Hours
By 7.24.15
While a planned strike earlier this week by contracted baggage handlers and security workers was canceled, saving travelers from experiencing travel disruptions at two of New York’s airports, those passengers coming in and out of LaGuardia faced an interruption of their own on Friday morning when a terminal in the airport lost power. [More]
Apple Confirms It’s Not Getting Rid Of The iPod, Finally Updates The Device
By 7.15.15
Just a month ago, we flirted with the possibility that Apple’s recent removal of the iPod from the top of the company’s site – in favor of its new subscription music service – may have been the beginning of the end for the company’s music player. Alas, today, the tech giant revealed that, no, it’s not sending the iPod the way of the dodo bird, instead, it’s updated the device… for the first time in three years. [More]
Airlines Testing New Software To Avoid Extreme Turbulence, Cut Down On Costs And Injuries
By 7.15.15
I’ll be the first to admit it, I’m a terrible flyer — the slightest hint of a bumpy patch and I’ve got a death-grip on the arm rest. While pilots do everything they can to avoid hitting any kind of rough air, they’ll be getting a bit more help via new software designed for the sole purpose of allowing them to sidestep turbulence. [More]
Sprint Partnering With UK Tech Retailer To Open Up To 500 New Stores In The U.S.
By 7.2.15
There could be a few more Sprint stores in the neighborhood soon, as the wireless company announced plans to partner with one of the U.K.’s biggest technology retailers to open new locations stateside. [More]
Forget Fingerprints, Amazon Working On Ear-Unlock Feature For Phones
By 6.15.15
Could answering your phone in the future be as simple as pressing it to your ear? It could be if Amazon’s latest patent ever makes it to the real world. [More]
Computer Glitch Grounded All United Airlines Flights Tuesday Morning
By 6.2.15
For the second time in two months technology proved to be a formidable foe for major U.S. airlines; this time grounding all United Airlines flights for a short period on Tuesday. [More]
Let’s All Watch A Kid Be Totally Confused By A Pay Phone
By 5.15.15
Listen, it’s Friday. We’ve all had a long week. There are only a few hours separating us from the weekend, so to make this last sprint toward freedom more enjoyable, why not watch the younger generation fumble to understand outdated technology? It’s something we always enjoy. [More]
Turns Out Kids Can React On Camera To New Technology As Well As Weird Old Stuff
By 5.4.15
The Internet just loves it when kids are put on camera reacting with things, but it seems we are not content to find out how children behave when faced with Walkmans and cameras that use film, but words also come out of their mouths at the sight of shiny, new technology. Who knew? [More]
Dozens Of American Airlines Flights Delayed Over Pilot iPad Glitch
By 4.29.15
Flights get delayed for any number of reasons: bad weather, crew members running late, mechanical problems and trouble with pilots’ iPads. Okay, that last one doesn’t seem routine, but American Airlines says that was exactly the reason why dozens of the airline’s flights were delayed Tuesday night. [More]
AmEx, Jawbone Partnership Allows Customers To Buy Things Using Fitness Trackers
By 4.15.15
Using your phone to pay for things at the register is so 2014. With the soon-to-be released Apple Watch allowing payments to be made with a flick of the wrist, other wearable companies are jumping on the bandwagon. Case in point: a new joint venture from Jawbone and American Express. [More]
