delivery service
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eBay is shutting down its on-demand delivery service
It was only a matter of time before eBay Now would be put out to pasture once and for all. But that's official as of today, eBay revealed in a statement about how it plans to simplify shopping for users. The company introduced its same-day, on-demand delivery service in 2012, but struggled to capture valuable attention from consumers -- which led eBay to retire the eBay Now apps and slow down the product's expansion strategy. Additionally, eBay also revealed it will be killing a few other applications over the coming weeks, with those being Fashion, Motors and Valet. It's been a busy month for eBay in terms of restructuring; earlier this month it finally let go of PayPal, a process that began back in 2014.
Deutsche Post shows off its Paketkopter drone delivery service in Germany
Well, it looks as if Amazon really started a trend since taking the wraps off of its Prime Air service. Not long after UPS said it, too, was experimenting with a delivery method lead by drones, Deutsche Post DHL, which is deemed to be the world's largest carrier, has begun to test its very own service in the German city of Bonn. Earlier today, the company used what it is calling the Paketkopter to transport and deliver a box of medicines across the Rhine river, with the entire trip totaling about 0.6 mile and taking the drone around two minutes to complete it. Although this particular Paketkopter model was being controlled by humans, Deutsche Post did say there is an option for its drones to be flown without any assistance and have them rely solely on GPS. However, the parcel carrier isn't actually planning to launch a drone delivery service anytime soon, noting that this stage is only "the beginning of the research project." We'd suggest paying the DW link below a visit, where you'll find a video of the Paketkopter's first successful mini trek.
Treating With the Enemy: RP guild greases cross-faction trade and parley
Most seasoned WoW players eventually figure out ways to confidently move money and items across faction lines. On top of that, the proliferation of voice communications like Ventrilo, realm-wide forums, and the ability to make characters on both factions of even a PvP realm (it hasn't always been possible!) all make it easy enough to chat up players on the other side of the divide. It's sort of the reverse of what happened to Darkshore in the Cataclysm -- whereas picking your way across that ravaged zone today is perilous to hoof and limb, it's relatively easy to treat with the enemy across faction lines. All those developments go out the window, however, if you're a roleplayer whose need for immersion and in-character realism trumps game mechanics. But speaking of trumps, lucky players on Cenarion Circle (US) and Thorium Brotherhood (US) hold a trump card when it comes to inter-faction relations: the services of the Anywhere Anytime Messenger Service, a set of guilds that provides delivery, translation and mediation services to Horde and Alliance characters seeking to breach the great faction divide. Our chat with the players behind the organization's CEO and branch manager positions is one of those interviews that'll make you want to create another character to join in this fun, social way to play (and the simple but charming guild jingle from the group's gnomish leader will earworm its way to your heart!).
LicketyShip's four hour gadget delivery service goes live
We've all had those moments where we needed (read: wanted) something, and we needed it fast. For those who just can't get enough instant gratification in their lives, there's a new gadget delivery service aimed squarely at you. After two years of running through hoops in order to get everything sufficiently established, LicketyShip is hitting the streets (literally) and burning down the highways to get you whatever gizmo your heart desires (so long as it's stocked) within four hours of ordering. Due to nifty inventory-monitoring software and sweet hookups with local carriers, the company can probably get your kit to you before you'd make it down the 101 yourself. For now, however, the service is restricted to the San Francisco Bay Area, and there's no night owl routes running just yet either -- but if business goes as planned, and enough Bay Area folks shell out the $19.99 (and way up, we presume) required for such zippy services, the four-hour rule will reportedly go into effect from coast to coast.
