eta
Latest
Google Maps is improving travel ETAs with DeepMind AI
Google Maps' traffic predictions are 50 percent more accurate in some cities thanks to DeepMind's AI.
Google Maps ETA sharing comes to iOS, third-party apps
The overhaul of Google Maps is continuing, this time with ETA sharing. After first introducing the feature in 2017, Google is giving users the ability to share their location and route in real-time with others on both Android and iOS devices—and through third-party messaging apps.
The world's fastest human-powered vehicle just topped 85 mph (update: 86!)
It might look like a kayak on its side, but that vehicle above has just broken the human-powered land speed record. The pilot, Todd Reichert, managed 85.71mph in his "Eta" speedbike on Thursday morning, comfortably besting the previous record of 83.13. Reichert is the pilot for team AeroVelo, and is competing in the World Human Powered Speed Challenge, taking place in Battle Mountain, NV this week. The WHPSC is basically where cyclists put their knees where their mouth is, and attempt to beat the record for pedal-powered speed. The 16th event of its kind, cyclists have a 5-mile run-up to gain speed, before hitting a 200 meter speed trap on a stretch of road hand-picked for its flatness. The magic 200 meter stretch was even specially repaved with the annual event in mind.
Uber pulls down 'share your ETA' links that went public
Uber has pulled down the searchable database people found at "trip.uber.com," which contained details of trips people unknowingly made public by using the "Share your ETA" feature. That's one of the app's functions that sends a link with all pertinent details to chosen contacts. Since it could very useful, especially for those who need to travel alone through shady locations or at night, the company isn't yanking it from the app. Instead, Uber has decided to tweak the system so that all links get expired after 48 hours.
ETA is a helpful app for estimating your arrival time
ETA (U$1.99 on sale for a brief time) is a helpful app that estimates the driving time from your current location to your destination, taking local traffic tie-ups into consideration. To get started, you type in the name or address of a destination, clicking the '+' button to add it to your list. Once that's done, your location appears on a map. If you type a fairly common name, like Olive Garden, you may see more than one location. Check the one that has the address you want. When you tap on your saved location, you'll get an option to get directions and the app launches Apple Maps, Google Maps (If you have it on your iPhone) or Waze (if you have that app). One of the nice things about ETA is that you can get driving times to multiple locations with a glance. As traffic conditions change, those driving estimates change as well. Of course you can get estimated driving time in Apple Maps, Google Maps or other navigation apps, but it takes several steps. Here, all your favorite destinations with driving times are listed as soon as you launch the app. There are a couple of things that would make this excellent app even better. If you want a home address or anyone else's that is not a business, you have to type it in manually. It would be oh-so-much-better if the app had access to your contacts. Also, your list is in chronological order by when you entered the locations. I would like to be able to edit the order of the list, perhaps putting my home at the top. Other than that, ETA is an extremely useful app that I will use all the time. It's the kind of thing Apple should build into Maps. Yes there are bookmarks, but this is far better than fumbling around with buttons in maps. ETA requires iOS 7 or later. It's not universal, but should work on any Apple hardware that supports iOS 7. ETA is optimized for the iPhone 5. I like it.
Uber embraces impatience with ETA feature for iOS and Android
Uber's latest update tackles that age old question: are we there yet? The company's offering up an ETA feature that'll let you share your estimated arrival time with friends and family via text message. Enable the feature in the app, enter your destination and once your driver starts his or her trip, you can text your real-time ETA along with map link to concerned parties. The latest version of the app is available now for iOS and Android. No word on how time traveling DeLorean rides are expected to impact the app's estimates.
Isis still quiet about expansion plans: will happen 'when we're ready'
Over six months ago, a joint venture between AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon called Isis launched a trial of its nascent mobile payment service in Austin and Salt Lake City. Not only was its debut already delayed, we also haven't heard more than a peep from the company since. CEO Michael Abbott, who is the keynote speaker at ETA 2013 in New Orleans, has opened the discourse but still isn't giving many specific details on the future. When we asked him about his company's expansion plans, Abbott simply told us that "when [we're] ready, we'll start putting it out in different places and see where to go from there." In essence, he views progress in the mobile payments field as a constant evolution, which often involves taking smaller steps to accomplish a greater purpose. You can find the full quote below the break.
Ejector seat-equipped B.O.N.D. bicycle doesn't expect thieves to talk, it expects them to fly (video)
Having anything stolen is a drag, but having your pride and joy bicycle go missing is a real kick in the pants. Maybe that wouldn't happen if you had the B.O.N.D. -- "Built of Notorious Deterrents." That's something of an acronym stretch, but we'll let it slide after getting a load of this cycle's ample assets. The most striking additions are of course the caterpillar tread on the back and ski on the front, in theory enabling this thing to manage a man-powered escape across land or snow. It's the ejector seat, however, that will really catch would-be thieves attention, self-armed and rigged to go off if unapproved cheeks make contact (as shown in the video below). Also of note is the bar-mounted flamethrower, designed for singeing the mirrors of commuters who don't make room. Or of SPECTRE operatives who get too close. You know, whichever. This is sadly not a model you can buy, a one-off created by UK bicycle insurer ETA, who we're hoping also offers premium discounts for frame-mounted miniguns and baskets full of grenades.
Square delays reader distribution, says it's examining transaction limits
Two weeks back at WWDC, Square told us that the company was "catching up with demand" of its little plastic credit card reader for the iPhone, and that it would "be there really soon." But it looks like things won't quite "be there" as soon as they thought. They've decided to delay the mass roll-out of the devices, with Jack Dorsey telling users that the company "released parts of Square before they were fully baked." That coincides with what our readers were saying in the comments on the original interview -- that the reader devices were taking a long time to be shipped out to users. Dorsey also agreed with the other issue our commenters brought up (that the service's transaction limits, which Square originally put in place to counteract fraud, are too low), and said that those limits would be addressed soon. Dorsey doesn't say how "soon" that may be -- there's still no ETA on when the readers will go out, and Square is still working on how exactly it will change or update those transaction limits. Basically, there is no fix in sight for those frustrated by the company so far. So it looks like Square isn't quite where it wants to be yet. But then again, think about the problems it's having: it can't keep up with demand for free readers, and people want to transfer even more money through the service. Those are pretty good problems to have. Square is definitely taking its time while working out the kinks, but the fact that it just can't keep up with demand is far from a condemnation of their business model.
Why it takes a while for Aion to patch
With the recent announcement of an ETA for Aion's anticipated 1.9 patch, the players are excited... but, on another level, just a wee bit frustrated. After all, it's not like the game's home country has just received the patch -- it's been extensively documented and fairly well-known to the community for some time. So there's the obvious question: what's the holdup? In the most recent Eye On Community, the team does their best to answer the question and give some insight into the process. Almost everyone knows, of course, that translating text from one language to another is rarely as easy as just feeding in words and pressing a button. (Well, not if you want an intelligible translation.) But not only do names have to be translated, scripts have to be rewritten -- and then translated again into French and German, at which point the actual stress testing of the patch can start. Of course, since this is the Eye On Community feature, the article also includes a few highlights from the game's forums. It's an interesting look at how Aion handles their patching system, especially in comparison to games that launch patches worldwide more-or-less simultaneously (such as Final Fantasy XI).
Massive amounts of realms offline [UPDATED]
The realms were up for a bit, but several have come down rather quickly. There is a news alert when you log on giving a long (very long) list of realms that are offline.Blizzard says that they're performing additional maintenance to resolve some issue. However, unlike most every other time they've taken down realms, this time there is no ETA on when they'll be back up.We can only hope that this will be a quick fix problem. I had a dream that Kaz'rogal will be dropping Kaz'rogal's Hardened Heart for me finally, and I'm going to be mighty disappointed if I can't raid tonight and get some of that phat lewtz.Take a look after the break for the long list of realms that are offline. And remember, stay tuned to WoW Insider, we'll let you know when these realms are back up!Updated 8:01 EST: The realms down are now only as follows: Alextrasza, Balnazzar, Blackhand, Cho'hall, Destromath, Dethecus, Garona, Gorgonnash, Gul'dan, Hellscream, Illidan, Kael'thas, Kirin Tor, Ravencrest, Smolderthorn, Spinebreaker, Stormreaver, Whisperwind. The rest of the realms are back online!
Remember the stealth animations?
Rogues probably remember well the day that their current stealth animations were altered over a year ago now. People complained that their character suddenly seemed wobbly or constipated while walking around in stealth, but Blizzard responded with promises of brand-new super-cool stealth animations for rogues of all races to help solve the issue. They said, and I quote, "Currently this issue is expected to be resolved in patch 2.1," (which obviously didn't happen) "but there is a chance that the new animations will not be ready by that time, which may result in the fix being delayed for a later patch."A later patch indeed! Which later patch, you ask? 2.4 perhaps? The official word is "no new ETA," which, as you know, is Blizzard-speak for "sorry guys and gals, we wish we could do this right now, but there just isn't time. We might have time to do it sometime between now and the next global ice age, perhaps."No, to be fair, they probably will get around to it some day, probably even sometime during the 21st century!
