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Every Alexa and Echo device Amazon announced this week in one handy list

Sep27
by on September 27, 2019 at 3:13 am
Posted In: Around the Web, Insider, Plugged


Amazon hosted a massive hardware event this week, announcing a cavalcade of new Alexa-enabled and IoT devices. Make no mistake: Amazon wants to find a way into your home or pocket one way or another. But there’s a lot to be excited about too, especially as Amazon‘s pricing often undercuts similar competition. Let’s get right to it then, starting with the myriad of Alexa-compatible devices in the Echo family. Echo Studio The Echo Studio is Amazon‘s challenger to the likes of Sonos and Apple’s HomePod. We wrote about it at length here, but it promises serious audio chops and is…

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Mired in crime controversy, Uber reveals new safety features

Sep26
by on September 26, 2019 at 11:12 pm
Posted In: Apps, Around the Web


Uber revealed a number of new safety features for its app, including 911 texts, rider PIN numbers, and on-trip reporting. All of this sounds like it’s designed to help keep the rider safe, but recent reports suggest Uber is less interested in protecting the customer than it’d want you to believe. The ridesharing company outlined many planned changes for its ecosystem, including joining its main app with UberEats so users only have to make requests from one place. Most of the features look well enough — the partnership with Feeding America which helps restaurants move uneaten food to banks via…

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Yes, there will be macaroni and cheese on Mars

Sep26
by on September 26, 2019 at 10:54 pm
Posted In: Around the Web, Space


A team of scientists at Washington State University have developed a unique packaging method that effectively triples the shelf life of ready-to-eat macaroni and cheese. Now we know what’s on the menu for the Mars voyage. By our current best estimates, the trip to Mars will only take about seven to nine months. That’s not so bad, but the astronauts will likely want to return. And they also have to account for the fact that Earth and Mars have two different orbits. This means that the shortest route (per the Hohmann transfer plan) to Mars only happens once every 26…

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Review: FluidFreeRide’s Mantis is a 40 mph e-scooter that feels as safe as a bike

Sep26
by on September 26, 2019 at 10:19 pm
Posted In: Around the Web, Insider, Plugged


Let’s get this out of the way: you probably don’t need a 40mph e-scooter. Barrelling down crowded city streets at those speeds is a death wish, and if you’re going that fast, you should probably be required to have a license and registration. But after FluidFreeRide let me try it’s new Mantis, a $1,499 vehicle I’d assumed to be complete overkill, I realized there are many legitimate reasons to want a 40 mph scooter. The Mantis’ powerful acceleration is incredibly fun, but it’s also simply built to a different standard than the cheap vehicles most people associate with e-scooters. Do you want…

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