Lyft expands its ride-sharing service to 32 more states
In January, Lyft stated that its goal for the year was to expand into 100 additional cities -- bringing its total up to 300 -- and to increase its reach from 55 percent of the country to 72 percent. But the company has blown through those benchmarks. It hit its city goal in February, started providing over a million rides per day in July and overtook Uber in growth last month.
"Since Lyft's founding in 2012, our goal has always been to create better transportation, decrease the amount of cars and traffic on the road, and bring safe and affordable rides to the entire country," said the company's regional director of new markets, Jaime Raczka, in a statement to Engadget. "Through this expansion, we are one step closer to delivering on that mission."
To celebrate, Lyft is offering new passengers $5 off their first ride with the code LYFTLOVE17.
Article source: https://www.engadget.com/2017/08/31/lyft-expands-ride-sharing-service-32-states/
Google’s Gboard for Android gets stickers and Bitmoji
Some sticker packs available include NBAmoji, Google Allo selfie stickers, Hello Kitty, Garfield and others. Many of them are free but Mickey Mouse, Toy Story and Star Wars packs will cost you $2. More stickers are scheduled to be released in the coming weeks.
Stickers and Bitmoji have been a part of plenty of other apps for some time. Facebook Messenger, iMessage and Snapchat all offer them as do a number of others, like Tumblr and even Amazon.
Gboard for iOS doesn't yet support them, but Google says the new features are rolling out to Android users over the next couple of days.
Article source: https://www.engadget.com/2017/08/31/google-gboard-android-stickers-bitmoji/
Instagram Stories now work in your browser
Those of you who peruse Instagram on mobile web or desktop will have more to watch now that Stories are viewable on an internet browser. Just head to Instagram.com and check them out at the top of your feed, just like you would in the app, and use the arrow keys to flip between each mini-video.
Article source: https://www.engadget.com/2017/08/31/instagram-stories-now-work-browser/
Apple calls for ‘strong’ open internet protection in FCC comments
"Our deep respect for our customers' security, privacy, and control over personal information extends to our customers' broadband connectivity choices," the filing reads. "We work hard to build great products, and what consumers do with those tools is up to them—not Apple, and not broadband providers."
You can read the full text of Apple's filing below, but broadly speaking, the company is officially against paid fast lanes and broadband internet providers being able to "block, throttle, or otherwise discriminate against lawful websites and services." Apple also believes that ISPs "should meaningfully disclose the traffic management and network performance of consumer connections," so that customers have all the information they need to make prudent choices about who gets their hard-earned money.
The move is unusual given Apple's reticence to publicly support the cause in the past, but it doesn't come completely out of the blue. At a shareholder's meeting earlier this year, Apple CEO Tim Cook said that while the company "stays out of politics," it remains invested in policy, and that "If Net Neutrality became a top thing, [Apple] would definitely engage in it." Well, after years of open, industry-wide debate, it looks like Apple finally thinks net neutrality is a "big thing."
While Apple's stance here is generally in line with what net neutrality advocates have been pushing for, the company leaves itself a little wiggle room right at the end of its comments. Rather than push for the strict classification of the internet as a utility under Title II of the Communications Act, Apple says it's "open to alternative sources of legal authority, but only if they provide for strong, enforceable, and legally sustainable protections, like those in place today."
Apple's NN Reply Comments (Final) by Chris Velazco on Scribd
Article source: https://www.engadget.com/2017/08/31/apple-wants-strong-open-internet-protection/
Now you can rouse your kids to the smell of ‘Frozen’
Back in 2015, Sensorwake burst onto the scene as a Kickstarter project that replaced a noisy alarm clock with scents. Created by 18-year-old student Guillaume Roland, the device managed to raise nearly four times as much cash as intended. Now, the company, which is now renaming itself Bescent, is launching three follow-ups.
The first two are the aforementioned kiddie versions, which are called Lexibook by Sensorwake with branding from Frozen and of the Minions. Rather than the wide variety of nuanced scents available in the adult equivalent, each device will only produce one scent. The former, in tribute to Olaf the Snowman, will shoot out peppermint smells, while the latter will make your home smell of bananas.
Rounding out the trio is the Sensorwake 2, an updated version of the original that won the hearts and minds of everyone on Kickstarter. Because the idea of smell-based alarm clocks is a little off, the company has refreshed the hardware with dynamic lighting and melodies. In addition, Bescent is unveiling a whole host of new capsules, including chocolate, cappuccino and fresh grass.
The Lexibook by Sensorwake will be available in Europe from the start of November, setting you back €59 ($71) and will travel to the US at some point afterward. The Sensorwake 2, meanwhile, is priced at €99 and will hit store shelves across Europe and Japan in October.
Follow all the latest news from IFA 2017 here!
Article source: https://www.engadget.com/2017/08/31/now-you-can-rouse-your-kids-to-the-smell-of-frozen/
Watch LG’s showcase from IFA 2017 in under eight minutes
LG kicked off day 2 of IFA with a new smartphone, and it's a looker. The V30 comes just months after the company's flagship G6 landed, but this could well be the better phone. There's the OLED display with a distinct lack of bezel, and a lot of camera smarts -- and that's just the start. Watch how LG unveiled it all right here. You've got eight minutes, right?
Article source: https://www.engadget.com/2017/08/31/lg-ifa-2017-highlights/
Generation II Legendaries debut in ‘Pokémon Go’ today
The three Legendary Pokémon will then switch locations until October 31st when they'll make their final stop for an additional month. Like Articuno, Moltres, Zapdos and Lugia before them, these Legendary Pokémon will only be around for a limited time.
The Pokémon Go team will also start field-testing EX Raid Battle (previously called Exclusive Raid Battle) at select Gyms. While in testing phase, EX Raid eligibility requirements, frequency, times, locations and durations will be tweaked as it's prepped for a global release. EX Raid invites will be sent out soon and invitees are expected to be able to play by early September.
Article source: https://www.engadget.com/2017/08/31/generation-ii-legendaries-debut-pokemon-go-today/
AMD unveils its cheapest Threadripper CPU yet
Intel and AMD are duking it out once again to see how many cores they can cram into a single CPU, and that's great news for PC enthusiasts across all budgets. Professionals likely won't have any qualms dropping $1,000 or $2,000 for their 16- and 18-core behemoths, while thriftier shoppers get more options for less. Today, AMD rounded out its Threadripper lineup with the eight-core Ryzen 1900X, which will cost just $549. In comparison, the recently announced 12-core Threadripper sells for $799, while the top of the line 16-core model goes for $999.
Article source: https://www.engadget.com/2017/08/31/amd-threadripper-1900x/
‘Katamari Damacy’ creator’s next game will be released in 2018
Last time we saw it, the game was about an anthropomorphic green cube of a mayor trying on a variety of hats. The trailer embedded below looks a little different. There's a disembodied pair of lips eating things, sushi rolls running for their lives and it might all be a dream inside the mayor's head. There's a lot to unpack in the 49 second video.
Creator Keita Takahashi and producer Jeb Alvarado told Polygon that the game is still about making friends and solving puzzles, though. It's just gotten "beefier." If you're in Seattle this weekend for the annual Penny Arcade Expo, you can check out exactly what that means for yourself.
Article source: https://www.engadget.com/2017/08/31/wattam-pax-west-katamari-damacy/
Philips has its own pair of cheap Bluetooth earbuds
Philips is one of the world's largest audio manufacturers, with a reputation for being stuffy, unsexy but dependable. The company is looking to change some of that, however, pushing a new range of audio gear that includes the BASS+ line, which includes the BASS+ True Wireless Headphones. The headline point of which is that you can get premium-style Bluetooth earbuds for just $130.
The biggest difference between many of its rivals and the BASS+ buds is that they're significantly larger than the rest. Philips believes that shrinking the driver and placing it into the ear tube itself compromises the sound you can get. As a consequence, the company has seen fit to include an 8.2mm driver in each bud with the promise of "big, bold bass."
Trying the device very quickly during the trade show, it's clear that the bass is a little louder than Philips' rivals. But the audio quality is otherwise equal to several other high-end headphone brands, and the company's experience here clearly shows. We'll reserve judgment for now, but there's reason enough to be excited about the BASS+' potential.
Battery life is another big selling point, and those larger bodies make for larger batteries, with a promised run time of up to six hours. The charging case, meanwhile, has an on-board battery that can hold one full charge, meaning that you can get half a day out of these before heading to an outlet.
Even wearing them for just a few seconds, the fact that the BASS+ has hard buttons rather than a touch panel is going to be an issue. Because as you push the button into your ear, you can feel the rubber tip scrape against your ear canal with the additional pressure. But given the significant drop in price compared to other versions of this technology, it may be the cross you have to bear.
Follow all the latest news from IFA 2017 here!
Article source: https://www.engadget.com/2017/08/31/philips-bassplus-earbuds/