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An upcoming Fortnite creative mode will let you save lives for once
A new creative game mode is coming to Fortnite in which you'll be rescuing others rather than trying to be the last player(s) standing. Details on how Liferun actually works are a little thin for now but, according to a press release, players will take on the role of "International Red Cross heroes racing across the globe in four real-life missions to save lives instead of take them."
AmazonSmile comes to the UK, donates some of your spend to charity
Just over four years ago, Amazon introduced Smile, a new way to donate to charitable organisations. Instead of visiting the normal Amazon.com website, customers load up the special AmazonSmile address and shop as they would normally. The company then gives 0.5% of the total net spend to the charity of their choice. With $62 million raised for 230,000 charities, the company has decided to bring it this side of the Atlantic. It's now giving Brits the opportunity to generate a little extra money for Cancer Research UK, The British Red Cross, Royal British Legion and other charitable organisations.
American Red Cross is launching a drone disaster-relief program
Starting next week, a drone will hover over Houston, assessing the damage Hurricane Harvey caused and finding areas that need more help. The American Red Cross will conduct the survey in one of the most badly affected areas of the city for a week as part of the first drone disaster-relief program in the US. This week-long pilot period involves the use of a Cyphy drone that's tethered to a generator, so it can operate for lengthy periods of time, and has a 30x zoom camera to provide miles of visibility from 400 feet above ground.
Facebook's new maps will help responders during natural disasters
When natural disasters hit, the role of a site like Facebook switches from a fun social networking platform to a tool that can be used to save lives. Fully aware of the role it plays in natural disasters, Facebook has today announced that it will be using its software to lend emergency services a helping hand.
Land Rover's Project Hero SUV launches a drone to aid rescue workers
It's no secret that drones are useful for surveying situations where it might be too dangerous for a human to tread. This includes tough terrain that search and rescue teams encounter and Jaguar Land Rover built a vehicle to lend a hand. The company's Special Vehicle Operations (SVO) unit designed and built a unique version of its Discovery SUV for use by the Austrian Red Cross. Officially called Project Hero, the vehicle features a roof-mounted drone landing system.
Italian earthquake victims asked to disable WiFi passwords
Early Wednesday a 6.2 magnitude earthquake struck central Italy, killing at least 120 people and trapping countless others under debris. To help ease communications for search and recovery, multiple disaster relief institutions are urging locals to temporarily remove their WiFi passwords.
Play 'Space Invaders' for charity while waiting in Swedish airports
Take a mind journey with us: You step off of an international flight and walk to the baggage claim areas in Sweden's Stockholm Arlanda Airport or Göteborg Landvetter Airport. You're tired, you're waiting for your luggage, and you have a pocketful of foreign coins. Usually, you'd drop them off in the Red Cross donation box, which takes any type of currency, and you'd continue standing, waiting. Now, the Swedish Red Cross and Swedavia Swedish Airports have turned those donation boxes into classic arcade cabinets -- drop in any currency from any country and start playing Pac-Man, Galaga or Space Invaders before grabbing your bags. It's better than letting those coins collect dust, and classic video games have been scientifically proven* to help travelers shake off that "I've been sitting for 18 hours" look.
SimCity's Red Cross charity pack aids real-world disaster victims
SimCity fans know nothing feels better than saving their other family from pollution and sickness -- except, you know, helping out some fellow human beings. A new collaboration with the Red Cross combines players' digital altruism with humanitarian aid for real-world disaster victims. Starting today, you'll be able to purchase a $9.99 "charity pack" created specifically for the game, with a relief center, tents and two emergency response vehicles. In the event of a meteor strike, earthquake or tornado, the Red Cross tents will automatically appear to provide aid for injured Sims, and a fleet of ambulances and fire trucks will be on call as well. SimCity creator EA Games has pledged to contribute at least 80 percent of profits (a minimum of $100,000) from the charity pack to the Red Cross National Societies. The set will be available for a year, and you'll be able to keep it through the life of your current game. Currently, the pack is only available for players in 10 countries, including Denmark, France, the US and the UK.
Sandy got you down? Comcast offering free WiFi to affected regions, iTunes allowing Red Cross donations
Hurricane Sandy's taken out more than the electricity of hundreds of thousands of Northeastern USers -- it's also pillaged the internet connections of many, leaving our Netflix and Hulu Plus subscriptions unused, and subsequently our Eddie Murphy '80s movie marathons unmarathoned. Comcast understands this to be the dire situation it is, and is offering its Xfinity WiFi service free of charge for folks living in Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Washington D.C., and West Virginia (sans New York City, as there aren't any hotspots in the Big Apple, sadly). Just select "Complimentary Trial" from the landing page and you're in like Flynn until November 7 (when the deal ends). Or perhaps you're one of our lucky readers unaffected by the crazy hurricane? Apple's got an opportunity through iTunes for direct donation to the American Red Cross, should you wish to help out our friends suffering through worse than just lacking internet. Donation increments range from $5 to $200 -- just sign into iTunes and click the Red Cross advert below New Music.
You can now use iTunes to support Hurricane Sandy relief
Apple and the American Red Cross are making it easy for you to donate towards relief efforts in the wake of the this week's devastating Hurricane Sandy. Simply by clicking on the American Red Cross tile that now appears on the main iTunes Store screen in iTunes, you can pledge from US$5 to $200 using your Apple ID on the dedicated donation screen that's been set up. This isn't the first time Apple has teamed up with the American Red Cross to enable charitable donations via iTunes. The two have partnered up for other major disasters including the tsunami that struck Japan in 2011 and the massive Haitian earthquake of 2010. Amazon has also added a Red Cross donation link to its homepage. Of course, you can donate directly via the Red Cross website. [via 9to5Mac]
App alerts Singapore Red Cross trainees of local need
The Singapore Red Cross Society recently updated its Rapid Rescue iPhone app that'll help visitors and residents in distress. The app lists all 12,000 first-aiders in Singapore and lets you put out a call for help. When an SOS is requested, an alert goes out to all first-aiders within a 2 KM radius. One of these workers can accept the request and get a map to the person in distress. If there are no first-aiders nearby, users can call for an ambulance or follow the provided route to the nearest hospital, instead. New first-aiders can also use the app to add themselves to the database. The app is available for free from the iOS App Store and is only compatible with Singapore Red Cross providers.
Apple now accepts donations to Red Cross Japan relief fund via iTunes
Following the disaster caused by the magnitude 8.9 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, Apple has posted a donation page on iTunes where you can use your iTunes account to make a secure donation to the American Red Cross and its Japanese relief fund. 100% of donations made through iTunes go to the American Red Cross; unlike every other corner of iTunes, Apple is taking no percentage of the profits from these donations whatsoever. Steve Jobs recently said that, via the iTunes Store, Apple may have the largest credit card database of any online retailer, so rigging up a donation page on the iTunes Store seems like a good way to raise the potential for donations to the Red Cross and its relief efforts in Japan. If you don't have an iTunes account or would rather donate directly, our own Rick Martin (currently in Tokyo) has put together a list of donation sites. [via 9to5Mac]
ReCellular will recycle your phone and donate all proceeds to Haiti disaster relief
It might've been hard to watch pictures of the latest natural disaster striking the island of Haiti recently, but lending a hand in the relief effort shouldn't be. If you've got an older cellphone -- functioning or otherwise -- batteries, chargers, or other accessories, ReCellular wants to hear from you. The cellphone recycling company has launched a Phones for Haiti program, whereby you can donate your unwanted handsets and rest assured that 100 percent of the revenue raised from them will go to helping Haiti survivors rebuild. Partnering with the American Red Cross, ReCellular will even pay for the shipping of your castoff electronics, so really, how much easier do you want it?
Donate to the Red Cross Haiti relief effort via iTunes
The people of Haiti are enduring the devastating catastrophe brought about by this week's earthquake. Relief is finally beginning to arrive but there is an overwhelming amount of work to do. You can support the American Red Cross by making a donation through the iTunes Store. it's quite easy: Just navigate to the donation page [iTunes link] and select the amount you'd like to send. Donation options range from $5US to $200. The Store confirms that 100% of your donation will go to The American Red Cross. Your iTunes Store account will be charged as necessary. Please do what you can to support the emergency relief efforts.
OnStar teams with Red Cross for location-based disaster info
With Japan doing the whole earthquake awareness thing, it's not too surprising to see America embracing a more sophisticated method of divulging crisis-related information to those in need. OnStar's new Crisis Assist capabilities will not only provide access to "specially trained crisis advisers" that can contact emergency responders and provide real-time updates to the situation(s) at hand, but subscribers that can actually drive away from the disaster will be routed to the nearest established shelter. Additionally, frantic customers can be connected to friends and family that they have listed as close to their heart on the American Red Cross Safe and Well website, and public safety officials can be notified of a request for help and track down that person's location using OnStar's embedded GPS. Interestingly, there's no word on a timeframe in which we can expect the service to officially go live, but here's to hoping a disaster doesn't strike in order for you to find out.
Canon to auction 10 diamond-clad Digital ELPHs for the Red Cross
If you thought Minox's gold-plated DC1011 added some much needed bling to your life, Canon's celebratory IXUS cameras exemplify unnecessary luxury by sporting 380 diamonds apiece, and a hefty pricetag to prove it. As the Digital ELPH moniker turns 10 years old, Canon is auctioning up a diamond-crusted IXUS 65 (better known as the SD630 here in the States) per year of the brand's success, and all proceeds are being channeled to the Red Cross. Antwerp-based Eddie Elzas -- owner of the world's largest collection of colored diamonds -- happily provided the elegant coating found on the €40,000 ($50,788) "diamond IXUS," and also had a hand in hooking up nine "his and her" models, which will be sold through an undisclosed venue for €3,500 ($4,493.95) each. If you're feeling mighty charitable, and haven't already purchased your one fifty grand diamond-clad item for the year, feel free to place your wager on eBay -- otherwise, you should probably keep your sights on the less glamorous versions.[Via Far East Gizmos]
Donate blood for a chance to win a 42-inch plasma
Did we hear you right when you said that you would do anything for a plasma? Now is your chance, that is if you are lucky enough as The Red Cross in northeastern Pennsylvania is giving away via a drawing a 42-inch plasma, one of two 17-inch HD LCDs, free gas and an Apple Ipod during the month of August. It seems that you just need to show up and let 'em draw out your blood for a chance to win. There aren''t any details if you can enter more then once but this is a time where we just don't think it will be healthy. We can picture some high-def loving teenager (17+ can donate blood) driving around to all the donation sites, giving blood just for a chance to win that TV. Heck, we might even do it.Vist www.givealife.org to find the nearest blood drive
Comcast and Dish Network helping Katrina victims
Two of the biggest television providers are helping the victims of Katrina in their own ways. Dish Network has committed to providing satellite service to the shelters and so far are holding true to the promise. They already have set up service in nine shelters, including Kelly Air Force Base in San Antonio. In addition to providing the TV service, the company is beginning to set up a fundraiser with its 20,000 employees that has the potential of raising over $1,000,000 if each employee donates just $25.Comcast is helping in the effort by setting $10 million worth of air time for the Red Cross. This air time would be used for education on disaster and emergency preparedness as well as to help raise money for the relief efforts. Plus, they are laying down $50 large right to Red Cross to help immediately. Just when you think that is enough, they are including relief concerts and fundraisers to their On-Demand line up. We hope this sets a precedent to other TV providers to do the same as the Red Cross needs all the help they can get.UPDATE: Direct TV has put up a dedicated Katrina channel on 100. It seems to have directions to shelters and numbers to call for help in the different cities.
Contribute to hurricane Katrina relief via the iTunes Music Store
This post is just a quick break from our usual Apple-centric coverage. The catastrophe in America's Gulf Coast is really all I can think about lately. The video I see on the news every night is almost surreal in its unimaginable horror. I don't even pretend to be able to understand what those people are being forced to endure. I think about my own kids and I just can't imagine it.A donation link that will send funds directly to the Red Cross has been added to the iTunes Music Store. I've read that monetary donations are more effective that sending "things" just now, like clothing, etc, as they only clog up the already congested distribution of goods. If you can, consider making a donation.
