a couple of laughzillas on a blue diamond background

Uber expands Spanish-language service in southern California and Chicago

May19
by on May 19, 2015 at 11:26 pm
Posted In: Around the Web, Insider

uber
To better support multicultural communities in parts of the United States, ride-sharing service Uber has expanded their uberESPAÑOL feature. Launched in San Diego, Phoenix and Tuscon in March, uberESPAÑOL is now available in Los Angeles, Orange County and Chicago. The goal is to pair Spanish-speaking passengers with drivers who speak the same language. To enable uberESPAÑOL, enter UBERESPANOLLA in the promotions section of the Uber app. Then select uberX in the vehicle menu, choose the ESPAÑOL option, and request a ride. For now, uberESPAÑOL is limited to Uber X. ➤ uberESPAÑOL has arrived! [Uber]

└ Tags: 
a couple of laughzillas on a blue diamond background

Karma is like a Klout score for your personal reputation

May19
by on May 19, 2015 at 9:10 pm
Posted In: Apps, Around the Web

karma-hero
Real life would be so much easier with a built-in feedback system. Is this guy a jerk? Can I leave my s’more-flavored Oreos around my new girlfriend without fear of theft?  You know, questions you’d like to know the answer to, but without all that actual interaction. Enter Karma. Karma aims to do for real world feedback what eBay did for online shopping. In essence, the service is an aggregator of information, collecting bits of data from Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Airbnb, eBay and others. After signing up for your own account the aggregator goes to work collecting data about you…

This story continues at The Next Web

└ Tags: 
a couple of laughzillas on a blue diamond background

Google’s Tone Chrome extension transmits between computers via sound

May19
by on May 19, 2015 at 8:42 pm
Posted In: Around the Web, Design & Dev

Screen-Shot-2015-05-19-at-1.34.15-PM
The appropriately named Tone is a new Google Chrome extension that can transmit URLs from a tab on one computer to another computer within hearing range. It’s a little like Apple’s Airdrop in concept — the idea that machines can exchange information easily and quickly in close proximity if both machines have the extension installed — even a bit Chirp-like. A Google Research Blog post by interaction researcher Alex Kauffmann and software engineer Boris Smus talks about Tone’s creation. Tone grew out of the idea that while digital communication methods like email and chat have made it infinitely easier, cheaper, and faster…

This story continues at The Next Web

└ Tags: 
a couple of laughzillas on a blue diamond background

WooThemes joins WordPress parent company Automattic

May19
by on May 19, 2015 at 8:29 pm
Posted In: Around the Web, Insider

automattic-and-woocommerce
WooThemes is joining the Automattic family in a bid to make eCommerce sites more plentiful. According to WooThemes, its flagship product, WooCommerce, already powers over 24% of online stores. Automattic runs popular the popular blogging platform WordPress and add-ons like Gravatar and JetPack. WooThemes set out to “pioneer WordPress commercial theming,” and has a host of themes and plugins aimed at creating an online marketplace. WooThemes also has “several hundred” WooCommerce extensions for their themes. Though Automattic is purchasing WooThemes outright, WooCommerce seems to be the main attraction. In a blog post announcing the acquisition, Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg wrote “WooCommerce…

This story continues at The Next Web

└ Tags: 
a couple of laughzillas on a blue diamond background

This $49 wearable Bluetooth speaker actually sounds pretty great

May19
by on May 19, 2015 at 8:14 pm
Posted In: Around the Web, Gadgets, Insider

WristBoom
The WristBoom is a $49 Bluetooth speaker you strap on like a watch. That’s the basic pitch Bigr is selling on the Indiegogo campaign they launched yesterday, albeit with a promotional price of $20 to start. At first glance, it looks like just another vain attempt to jump on the wearables bandwagon, but trying one out myself, it’s actually quite good. The speaker is housed in a nondescript plastic shell, and comes in black, blue, grey, green and red. My grey model came with a matching latex strap which felt soft and comfortable on my wrist. It’s pretty large –…

This story continues at The Next Web

└ Tags: