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Amazon now offers Key in-garage grocery deliveries in 5,000 cities and towns
Amazon's Key in-garage grocery deliveries are now available to all Prime members in the US.
Amazon's in-garage delivery is now available in over 4,000 US cities
Amazon has expanded its Key in-garage delivery to over 4,000 US cities, and it's introducing grocery delivery as well.
The best smart garage-door controller
By Jennifer Pattison Tuohy This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, Wirecutter and Engadget may earn affiliate commission. Read the full guide to smart garage-door controllers. After spending over 20 hours wiring and rewiring garage-door openers, opening and closing the doors with our smartphones and our voices, and controlling them through smartphone apps and home-automation routines, we found that the Chamberlain MyQ Garage (MYQ-G0301) is the best smart garage-door controller for most people. It was the easiest and quickest to install of all the controllers we tested, it's among the simplest to set up and use, and it's compatible with the most garage doors out there, thanks to the huge popularity of Chamberlain and LiftMaster products in homes across the country. It also integrates with the popular Nest Cam if you want a remote view of your garage. With the addition of an optional bridge, MyQ can work with Apple's HomeKit smart-home platform, too. Chamberlain's MyQ Garage is a great choice for extending the remote-control operation of your garage door beyond your home. The MyQ Garage integrates with Nest, Wink, and Xfinity Home smart-home hubs. Apple HomeKit compatibility is available with the purchase of the MyQ Home Bridge, and Google Home and IFTTT are offered for a $10 annual subscription. MyQ can also integrate with the Google Assistant on smart devices, like the Google Home, but you'll have to pay for an integration service ($1 per month or $10 for a year). The MyQ Garage also works with the MyQ smart light switch and smart lamp controller, letting you turn on the lights and air conditioning as you open the garage door, if you like. It is also compatible with Amazon's Key in-garage service for Amazon Prime customers in certain cities. Of the controllers we tested, the Gogogate2 boasts the most useful features and is the smallest, most lightweight, and least obtrusive (the MyQ Garage comes in a close second in size). Its app opened and closed the door seamlessly and simply every time. It's compatible with a wide range of garage doors, and it integrates directly with many IP security cameras if you want to see your garage door in real time. You can also check the temperature inside your garage, share access with up to 10 users for free, and automatically open and close your door using geolocation and voice, through integration with IFTTT and Amazon's Echo. The downsides are a more complicated install than for the other units we tested, little support for integration with smart hubs despite its smarts, and the lack of an ability to set custom alerts when the garage door is left open. If you already have a smart-home automation system installed, and you find the Gogogate2's lack of hub compatibility to be a dealbreaker, the GoControl/Linear Z-Wave Garage Door Opener Remote Controller is the most "vanilla" model out there, with Z-Wave control allowing you to add as many sprinkles and toppings as you are comfortable with through your choice of hub. The GoControl is the least expensive option for off-site remote control of your garage door.
Boring Company will build a futuristic tunnel garage
The Boring Company has some fairly grand plans when it comes to its tunnelling ambitions. It's proposed a 3.6 mile tunnel from an LA Metro station to Dodger Stadium, and it's recently been selected to build a high-speed transport link in Chicago. Now, it's set its sights on residential applications, and has purchased a property near SpaceX headquarters where it plans to build a private, prototype garage.
Microsoft's iPhone keyboard app experiment is no Swiftkey
Microsoft's Garage team makes all kinds of experiment apps and then usually puts them out onto competitors' devices. Sometimes, they're a different approach to connected life, other times it's a mystery why Microsoft made them in the first place. This time, it's brought the Hub Keyboard (previously seen on Android) to the iPhone. If you're using Office 365 regularly, the ability to search and pull from your documents and your contacts (from just above the keyboard), is a timesaver -- no more switching between your work apps and email. It's like function keys, reinvented in a world of mobile typing. But, if you're not an Office 365 user, like me, then there's less here to pull you away from either the baked-in iOS keyboard or Swiftkey -- now a Microsoft thing itself.
Microsoft's first Android launcher focuses on your favorites
Microsoft has already courted Android fans by releasing a lock screen, but it's taking the relationship one step further by introducing a full-fledged launcher. The newly official (if already expected) Arrow Launcher is a purposefully simple interface that centers on your favorites. Your home screens include both everything you've used recently as well as your most commonly-accessed apps and contacts -- it's a bit like iOS 9's Proactive feature writ large. You also get a tray for quick access to key apps and settings (see above), not to mention tightly integrated reminders. This is one of Microsoft's numerous Garage experiments, so it's tough to know how much long-term support it'll get. Still, it's worth trying if you've ever wished that Microsoft would make an Android phone beyond the short-lived Nokia X.
Tesla is putting chargers in garages around Manhattan
Drivers commuting into Manhattan will soon have more options for charging up their Model S. Tesla plans to put charging units in two dozen garages around the borough through an upcoming partnership. The units will offer quicker 240-volt charging, besting the speeds of regular ol' household outlet. Of course, scattering the stations around Manhattan also means the stress of pre-planning the route home is reduced a bit. The list of participating garages includes the parking decks at hotels like the Waldorf Astoria, too. This latest effort follows the installation of charging stations along major highways as part of Tesla's plan to offer more places for drivers to replenish those batteries and cure the so-called range anxiety. "We wanted to move to an urban charging network that meets the needs of those who live in apartments or commute into a big city," Tesla's Alexis Georgeson told The New York Times. "Naturally, Manhattan was the place to try this for the first time." [Image credit: Sean Gallup/Getty Images]
Microsoft's latest app experiment helps you get friends together
Microsoft's Garage team has tried to solve many everyday problems with its experimental mobile software, but it's now tackling one of the most common: how do you get your friends together for a night on the town? The group's new Tossup app for Android and iPhone gives you a simpler, shared experience for deciding on where you're going, when, and who's coming. You only have to ask your friends for a vote, and Tossup will automatically plug your decisions into your calendar. Is this a one-trick pony? You bet -- but that might be all you need if you don't want to set up a Facebook event (or juggle multiple conversations) just to head out for Korean barbecue.
Dolphin unveils Garage, API access for add-ons and web apps
The Dolphin browser has earned quite a following, by offering a healthy mix of speed and features. Now the company is opening up its offerings to further expansion though an open API service called Garage. The new portal opens up 150 APIs to third party developers who might want to build upon Dolphin's solid browser base, or integrate their web apps. As part of the launch of the Garage, four new add-ons have been added to the Dolphin repository. Dropbox, Evernote, Pocket and Wikipedia all now tie directly in to the browser's UI, exposing all the important features of those services. For more, check out the PR after the break and the Garage portal at the source.
Retired Boeing 737 repurposed as garage-kept flight simulator (video)
A fresh concept it's not, but a fresh look? Yeah, we'll take that. California resident, air traffic controller, pilot and all-around gentleman James Price has converted the actual nose of a 1969 Boeing 737 into his own personal flight simulator. According to the man himself, he "gutted" the bird, installed "all new" parts, slid it into his garage and... well, took a few minutes to show it to the world. While pretty much any flight sim owner would claim that his or hers was "just like the real thing," it's hard to deny that fact with this one. We're told that it took some three years to complete, and the end result leaves no doubt of James' toiling. Head on past the break for the vid.
JooJoo software update adds local video playback and password storage, still a few months too late
It's baaaack. Okay, it never really went anywhere, but thanks to a very nice tipster we learned that Fusion Garage released a new software update for the JooJoo last night. The new 0.2.4 firmware, as you can see from the shot above, adds a few previously-lacking features such as the ability to store passwords, calibrate the screen, and basic USB support. Obviously, we couldn't help but whip out our JooJoo review unit and try it all out. The download didn't take more than three minutes and, lo' and behold, we were able to log into Twitter, close the browser, and then launch it again without having to log back in! However, more impressive is that its sole USB port is now functioning. We put a 1080p trailer of Scott Pilgrim on a flash drive, plugged it into the side of the tablet, and miraculously the NVIDIA Ion chip was finally put to work -- it handled the clip with ease and with absolutely zero stuttering. Don't believe us? Video after the break, so there. %Gallery-100522% [Thanks, Mark]
Patch notes for Free Realms' Speedway Thunder update
We were expecting this patch to come out a little sooner than it did, but the Speedway Thunder update has now hit Free Realms. The Kart Driver and Demolition Derby Driver classes have gotten some much-needed love; both of these jobs now have full progression to level 20, with over 40 new quests for each job. Two new racetracks (Sandstone Speedway and Thunder Falls Speedway) are available as well as two car models that are unlike the vehicles seen in the game prior to this update. Eighteen additional karts of varying quality and price made it on the Station marketplace too.The other major part of the update is the Garage interface. All speedways should have a mechanic on-site that can take you to the Garage screen, where tune-ups to a vehicle's steering, turbo and other stats can be made. We've got a new gallery full of Speedway Thunder pictures below and the full patch notes are just past the break.%Gallery-69107%
"Speedway Thunder" update coming to Free Realms next week
At E3 we found out a little about some future improvements to the racing side of things in Free Realms. Now IGN has learned that a racing-centric update with the title "Speedway Thunder" should go live next week if all goes to plan. Kart Drivers and Demolition Derby Drivers will be able to progress to level 20 through new quests, two new racetracks are going to be added and two new cars will be purchasable. The Garage interface that was previously discussed will be implemented for players to make use of different parts to tune up and customize their rides.While some upgrade parts will be purely aesthetic, others will be performance-enhancing. The upgrades themselves will be obtained through questing, in-game merchants and from the Station marketplace. Other notable tidbits from the IGN interview include a mention of an "Expert" difficulty level for minigames that is in development, as well as this quote regarding the possibility of player housing: "It's something that we've been discussing internally, and... we'll just leave it at that."
The Queue: The roof, the roof
Welcome back to The Queue, WoW.com's daily Q&A column where the WoW.com team answers your questions about the World of Warcraft. Alex Ziebart will be your host today. I've received a load of e-mails, tweets, whispers, and whatever else since Eliah posted this past weekend's WRUP. Yes, my garage burned down. No, nobody was hurt. No, the house didn't burn down, the siding just melted a little. No, that wasn't my car, it was my neighbor's car. Yes, my office has smelled like someone barbequeing since it happened and I can't get the smell to go away. I appreciate the concern, guys. You are all awesome. I guess I should pick a relevant Song of the Day, huh? How about Billy Joel's We Didn't Start the Fire?Jack Spicer asked..."With each expansion Blizzard seems to be bringing underused talent specs around and making them highly desirable. In TBC, it seemed to be Feral Druids, Prot Pallies, Shadow Priests and BM Hunters. In Wrath, they really brought up Survival Hunters and Retribution Pallies.But I'm curious. From a PvE perspective, which talent trees are still universally lacking and laughable?"
E3 2009: Player housing coming to Free Realms
Now that Free Realms is live - and by anyone's standards, tremendously successful - SOE's Free Realms team (at around 100 people) is busy working on new features and improvements. In September (or October, perhaps) they plan to add in player housing for everyone to enjoy. For those of you who have been pelting them on the forums for a home of your own - your request has been heard! A nice, shiny home in Free Realms should be yours in time for the holidays. You'll be able to select land, size, and style of house; then really dig in and modify it to make it all your own. The plan is also to create new mini-games involving maintaining your house as well - we're guessing something along the lines of time-management games, perhaps? According to what we've heard, the garage coming out in July will be attached to your house, so you can show off your cars to friends. Neighborhoods will be instanced (currently planned for three buildings per personal plot with no word on neighborhood size) but they expect this will give players a new place to hang out and enjoy their time in Free Realms. There's currently no specifics on what will be available for F2P and paid members, so we'll have to wait and see. Massively was on the ground in Los Angeles last week and covering all the latest E3 MMO news coming from the convention. Check out our breaking coverage (or all the Joystiq network E3 reporting) and keep your eye on Massively's front page for the latest developments.
Heathrow Airport's parking garage to get automated tracking system
Finally, someone has had the kindness to step in and solve the age-old problem of finding your car at the airport. Britain's Heathrow -- a major hub for scores of European airlines and their travelers -- is about to unleash a new wing known as Terminal 5, and as part of the package, its parking lot is getting an upgrade. A new automated system in the garage will snap a photo of your license plate as you head in, direct you to a space using illuminated arrows and an infrared camera tracking system, then issue a ticket which can be read at a kiosk when you get back. When you insert the stub into the reader, a digital display shows you a 3D map of the carpark, and points you to the exact location of your vehicle. According to planners, the project will reduce traffic, cut carbon emissions by 397 tons per year, and will halve the number of relationship-ending arguments that occur while trying to find a car.[Thanks, Rastrus]
Survey sez LED lit parking garages seem safer
We had a sneaking suspicion that there was an ulterior motive behind Raleigh getting lit up as the "world's first LED city," and aside from savings tons of dough on energy bills over the next decade or so, it seems to make motorists feel a good bit safer, too. According to a before and after survey conducted by Mindwave Research, the number of respondents who "perceived the garage as very safe increased by 76-percent after the LED fixtures were installed." Admittedly, the newfangled lighting certainly added a new level of brightness to the situation, and the number of individuals who gave the garage an overall rating of "excellent" increased by 100-percent in response. The (unnecessarily lengthy) survey also added a few more minor figures to further prove that LED lighting is simply superior to the other stuff , but we're not yet sure if Cree will successfully use this ammunition to grab even more contracts to freshen up the city lights.
