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As Scoot has grown, so has the size of its rental bikes
Scoot's red scooters, frequently seen weaving in and out of San Francisco traffic like tiny army ants, are getting an upgrade. Not only are the rental scooters getting bigger, but they, thankfully, will look a lot better than the bikes the company offers.
FCC votes to fight cable's reign over set-top boxes
Last month, reports surfaced that the FCC planned to pry set-top boxes out of hands of cable and satellite companies. Today, the Commission passed the "Unlock the Box" plan that would do just that. The proposal aims to introduce more competition when it comes to the boxes you rent from television providers. As it stands, you have to lease the equipment from a cable or satellite company for a monthly fee that's added to your bill. You have little choice in the matter, and those fees earn service providers millions of dollars a year. With the FCC plan, opening up cable boxes to third parties would not only lower costs, but make it easier for pay-TV subscribers to tap into internet programming like Netflix and Hulu.
Airbnb wins over voters in fight against rental restrictions in SF
Airbnb and similar services have won against Proposition F, with most San Francisco residents choosing to vote against the controversial measure. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the proposition lost by 55 percent to 45 percent, though Reuters is reporting that it lost by 61 percent instead. Prop F, which is also known as the Airbnb Initiative, is backed by hotel workers' unions, landlords and housing activists. They believe that laws governing services like Airbnb's should be stricter and that rentals are making the housing crisis worse, driving up rent and land prices in the city.
San Francisco is serious about Airbnb regulation
Since San Francisco is all about startups, it's no surprise that the city changed its laws to accommodate one of its most successful: Airbnb. Last year, officials passed the so-called "Airbnb law," legalising short-term rentals of private property with a lot of caveats. Hosts complained that the new rules were inconvenient, so the city is creating a new taskforce to make the regulations easier to follow and catch those breaking the law.
Online video poised to outsell DVD purchases this year
Believe it or not, the surge in online streaming options from Amazon, HBO, Netflix, Hulu and others have yet to outsell DVDs. That'll change this year, though. In a new report from consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers, money spent on video downloads and streaming subscriptions in the States will surpass DVD sales and rentals for the first time in 2015. In terms of hard numbers, online video is set to increase 13 percent and rake in $9.5 billion while physical DVD sales are expected to drop to $7.8 billion. What's more, in 2017, the online sales figures are projected to hit the $12 billion mark, which would surpass the US box office tally for theaters. DVDs are hanging tough thanks in part to services like Redbox and Netflix's disc option, but the format stands to meet the same fate as CDs: Music streaming outsold physical CDs last year, and is poised to overtake digital sales within three years.
'Airbnb for Airbnb' lets you stay somewhere while you rent your place
So you've decided to make some extra money renting out your apartment on Airbnb, only to realize that you need your own place to stay in the meantime. Don't worry, there's a service for that. Welcome to CISWYWIRMPOA? (Can I Stay with You While I Rent My Place on Airbnb?), a site that lets you arrange to stay with another Airbnb host. This "Airbnb for Airbnb" (their words) is largely ad hoc. Once you pair with someone, it's up to you to decide on payments -- the service suggests splitting your rental revenues or offering to host your new friend, but there aren't any firm rules. Yes, it's a bit absurd, but it shows that Airbnb is now big enough that some hosts want their own support network.
Not really into the iPhone 6? Sprint lets you rent the Galaxy S5, too
If you prefer to carry Samsung's most recent handset instead of that newfangled iPhone 6, Sprint is now offering the Android option for lease. Until now, the carrier allowed customers to rent Apple's phone for $20 a month for two years. After that, you can either continue service month-to-month or send it in for something new. It'll be interesting to see how popular the option is with a phone that's been out for a bit, but the Galaxy S5 Sport is available for lease, too. If you're on the fence, or have a tight budget, Sprint's unlimited everything plan is $10 per month cheaper for iPhone 6 users/lessees.
New York Attorney General says most Airbnb rentals in NYC violate the law
The legality of Airbnb rentals in New York City have been under fire for awhile now, and the city just fired another volley: New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has released a report titled "Airbnb in the city," and it's not particularly favorable. The report claims that 72-percent of all private short-term rentals (read: Airbnb rentals) are illegal -- specifically because they were rentals for an "entire/home apartment" for terms of less than a month. The report explains that these kinds of rentals probably should be paying hotel occupancy taxes, and estimates that the city has lost $33 million in tax revenue as a result of the illegal Airbnb rentals. Worse, the report says, a small contingent of hosts seem to be using Airbnb to run illegal hotels.
San Francisco creates a legal framework for Airbnb-style rentals
If you're wondering how many cities will eventually grapple with the legal issues surrounding Airbnb and other internet-based home rentals, you may not have to look much further than San Francisco. Its Board of Supervisors has passed a law that lets these services run, but regulates them to both prevent abuse and give the municipality its due. Hosts not only have to limit whole-home rentals to 90 days per year, but register with the city's Planning Department (which costs $50), pay hotel tax and keep records that prove they're respecting the time restriction. There should also be companion legislation in the future that prevents landlords from evicting tenants to turn their buildings into makeshift hotels. If implemented, it'll let housing non-profits sue to stop these turnovers rather than wait for officials to respond.
Airbnb pulls over 2,000 sketchy New York City rental listings
Airbnb is clearly tired of getting grief from cities that say its customers' short-term rentals are frequently illegal or otherwise a drain on the community. The company has revealed that it's in the midst of removing more than 2,000 New York City listings that aren't "providing a quality, local experience to guests." While Airbnb hasn't said exactly what that means, the move comes as the state Attorney General filed an affidavit in support of a subpoena for Airbnb customer info. The filing claims that two thirds of NYC rentals break the law by subletting an entire apartment without the official tenants being present, and it named and shamed 17 hosts that are allegedly the biggest abusers.
Sky opens its movie rental store to everyone in the UK
After dedicating a lot of focus to its streaming subscription services, Sky is finally showing some love for those who like to rent movies. Originally only available to its TV customers, the broadcasting giant has opened the Sky Store to all in the UK, allowing anyone with a browser, Now TV, Roku or YouView box to rent any of its 1,200 movies. While Now TV attempts to conquer the UK streaming market, Sky's Store expansion will provide a firm footing for it to take on Apple's iTunes and Google's Play Store in the fight over à la carte movie downloads. For latest releases, the Sky Store charges £3.49 (around $6) per rental, with older movies available for between 99p and £1.99. You will, of course, still be able to access the Sky Store via your Sky+ box, but if you've decided to cut the cord, today's announcement may help if you've watched everything in your Netflix or Lovefilm queue.
Nissan launching $100 per month Leaf battery replacement program in 2014
How much would a Leaf owner pay to banish range anxiety? If your answer was "$100 a month," then Nissan's got a proposition for you. The car maker is gearing up to launch a domestic battery replacement program for its EV in 2014 that'll set you back that aforementioned sum. Similar to Nissan's setup in Europe, if your battery can only hold nine out of 12 bars worth of charge, it'll replace the unit with a new or reconditioned unit. The company insists that very few will ever actually need to replace the battery, but hey, squeezing $1,200 a year out of its existing customers is a sure-fire way to inspire loyalty.
Blockbuster 2.0 rebuilt with physical media rentals in mind
The new Blockbuster 2.0 iOS app (free, universal) is a throwback to the days of old. Specifically, the app is targeted to Blockbuster by Mail users, which allows people to rent DVDs and Blu-rays by post. When introducing the app in a press release, the company said, "Millions of movie watchers prefer the DVD and Blu-ray experience, and now Blockbuster customers can use their mobile device for added convenience and control over their entertainment experience." The resulting app lets those users browse Blockbuster's 100,000-plus physical titles from the comfort of their smartphone, prioritize and organize those titles in their queue, view trailers and manage their Blockbuster in-store membership. And so you don't think Blockbuster is entirely holding on to the past, the company this month released another app, Blockbuster On Demand, that allows users to stream movies right to their iOS device. Blockbuster is a free download. [via Engadget]
Redbox Instant, GameTrailers apps now on Xbox Live
Redbox's new "Redbox Instant by Verizon" video streaming service has moved out of beta and is now available to Xbox Live Gold subscribers. The app itself will require its own additional subscription for unlimited streaming, though purchasing and renting movies can be done regardless.Two levels of Redbox Instant subscriptions are available: Four kiosk DVDs and unlimited streaming for $8 a month, or a Blu-ray version of the deal for $9 a month. A one-month free trial is available for anyone wishing to see how Redbox Instant's catalogue compares with its competitors.Meanwhile, Xbox Live's other miscellaneous entertainment offerings have also expanded by way of a new GameTrailers app, which brings the video portal's various reviews, original programming and, well, trailers to the Xbox. This way, everyone with an Xbox 360 can enjoy staged interviews with purported burn victims.
Ask Engadget: can you rent a tablet?
We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, then here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget inquiry is from Sarah, who would like a tablet, but only for one week a year. If you're looking to ask one of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com. "One week every summer, I go out of town for a convention that I work with. I don't get a lot of downtime, but when I do, I want to stay connected. A laptop's too bulky and a smartphone just won't have the battery life, so is there a way I could rent a tablet with a 3/4G connection for a week at a time? Thanks" Sarah, you've posed your humble narrator a real head-scratcher here. We've hunted around online, and found some web-based services that at least promise to do what you need. One that we are familiar with is Xcom Global, who will loan you a tablet if you select one of its MiFi plans, but it's a service designed more for international travel than a short hop like yours. We found a few places, including RentOurTablets, RentAComputer and RentFusion -- but we're not qualified to say if any of them are any good. As a consequence, it's time to turn this question over to the Engadget community. If you've got any experience of services that you trust and have used before, chime in and spread a little knowledge this weekend.
Amazon quietly introduces Kindle rentals for US readers, bases prices on duration (updated)
Think you can finish a 168-page novel in a month? It might pay to opt for Amazon's new Kindle rental feature, now available on an incredibly limited number of titles. A few options published by Princeton University Press appear to represent the site's introductory offering. The 5 Elements of Effective Thinking isn't exactly a bestseller -- we weren't able to locate any eligible books from that list -- but it's a popular enough title, with a current rank of 1,432 (if the rental option takes off, that position's likely to change). You can buy it outright for $9.99, or you can instead opt for a 30-day rental. Prices there start at $5.50, increasing by pennies each day until you reach the buy price (in this case, that'll happen at the end of June). This new rental option certainly seems appealing, unless you're the type who slowly makes your way through a text over the course of a year. The feature appears to be open to any US-based Kindle owners, though you'll need to do quite a bit of digging before you locate any titles with the rental option affixed. In fact, if you wouldn't mind, do us a favor and share your findings in the comments section after the break -- we have quite a few bookworms on staff who wouldn't mind saving a buck or two. Update: It's likely that the book rentals currently available have been internally categorized as textbooks, which is prompting such an offer to appear. We've reached out to Amazon and are awaiting confirmation.
Blockbuster Video launches an iPad magazine
They must be pretty far down the idea list over at Blockbuster Video, because this one suddenly appeared out of left field. The video rental chain has released, of all things, an iPad-based digital magazine. Blockbuster Magazine, available through Newsstand, is a free publication featuring trailers, interviews and other content about new and upcoming movies -- specifically targeted at what Blockbuster has for rent. It does look like Blockbuster did a nice job on it, but does a digital magazine on your iPad really encourage you to go out and rent videos? We wonder. Blockbuster's been shrinking lately, as increased options for digitally downloaded movies and TV shows have made renting physical videos less interesting, especially for us well-connected Apple users. Considering all of that, maybe this is Blockbuster's attempt to grab us back. It seems doubtful, however, that a move like this will be the key turnaround that the rental chain has been looking for. Better keep going down that list, guys. [via App Advice]
Xcom Global starts renting Nexus 7 and 10 tablets, lets us keep the laptop at home
International data services give us the freedom to leave our carriers' roaming plans at home, but that's only so much consolation to travelers who have to lug a giant laptop or cater to a digitally savvy family. Xcom Global is gambling that some of us want more portable (or just additional) gear for our travels: it's offering daily rentals of the WiFi Nexus 7 and Nexus 10 as a complement to its usual hotspot deals. Paying $2 or $3 per day for the respective slates will give a big-screen fix to those who can't get by on smartphones alone. Although the Nexus 10 isn't available yet -- something to do with the tablet only just shipping -- Xcom Global is currently discounting the tablet rental rates to $1 and $2 to lure us in. Any reasonable extra fees might be worthwhile if they let us pack light.
ITV Player revamp brings ad-free TV rentals, keeps the free catch-ups
As a profit-driven network, ITV has its work cut out in the online streaming world when the BBC's iPlayer looms overhead. How do you compete with a cultural institution? Its solution these days is one of sheer choice: it's launching a publicly available beta of its ITV Player refresh that offers TV show rentals. While viewers will have free, ad-backed viewing for the last month's worth of programming, they'll also have the choice of renting 30-day access to archived episodes at 49p (79 cents) each without the pesky commercials in between. Anyone who just can't get enough Collision can spring for a 90-day rental of a whole series at a lower total price, and the broadcaster is even planning trials of streaming-first episode premieres -- if only we were so forward-thinking in the US. We'd question the wisdom of anyone who really, truly needs an uninterrupted The Only Way is Essex, but at least those who want fodder for water cooler chats can blast through their pseudo-reality TV at a record pace.
Warner, Redbox agree to 28 day delay on disc rentals, UltraViolet support for Redbox Instant
Redbox and Warner Bros. were at odds in January when Warner wanted to extend the window before discs hit kiosks to 56 days, but now the two have come to an agreement that keeps it at a 28 day delay. When their previous deal expired Redbox said it would find other ways to obtain discs and offer them day and date to its customers, although actually finding them in kiosks could be tough. The new two-year deal covers movies that debut after January 1st, 2013, and claims to improve economics for both Warner (which has apparently seen fit to eliminate the delay entirely for brick & mortar renters) and Redbox. Additionally, Redbox has joined with the DECE team and will support UltraViolet with its upcoming Redbox Instant service. With the new deal, it can offer UltraViolet digital access to Warner movies, and distribute movies through its subscription service. We'll have to wait for Redbox Instant to launch to know more information about that, for now check out the details in the press release after the break.
