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Amazon Australia starts taking orders
While Amazon Australia didn't open by Black Friday as rumors predicted, the marketplace is live in time for the Christmas shopping season. It started taking orders on Tuesday (local time) and offers free shipping across Australia for orders over $50 AUD (or about $37 US).
Some Google Pixel 2 XL phones are reportedly shipping without Android
Google's Pixel 2 smartphone has had a trail of problems following its launch. From software patches to fix audio issues to screen burn-in, the issues keep cropping up, leading the internet titan to extend warranties to make up for everyone's trouble. So, here's another: A small number of users are reporting that their Pixel 2 XL devices are shipping without operating systems.
Amazon takes aim at Staples with two-day shipping on office supplies
Free shipping is a big reason many of us are Amazon Prime members. Now, businesses looking to save on shipping costs for office supplies will be able to do the same. The company just announced the launch of its new Business Prime Shipping service in the US and Germany. In the US, multiple users from a registered Amazon Business account can take advantage of free two-day shipping. There's a 30-day free trial if you want to try it out, too.
College students can pay for Amazon Prime by the month
Amazon is no stranger to discounting its services for college students. You've still had to pay for Prime by the year, however, which can seem wasteful if you're only on campus for some of the year. Thankfully, you won't have to pay more than you have to. Amazon has introduced a by-the-month option for students that asks you to pay $5.49 per month only for as long as you need it. If you don't need fast shipping when you leave for summer break or have no inclination to watch The Tick during exams, you can put that money to better use.
Amazon reportedly wants one-time access to your home for deliveries
The extensive lengths Amazon goes to deliver packages can be stymied by a different kind of last-mile problem: Thieves nabbing stuff left on the doorstep. To combat these so-called 'porch pirates,' Amazon is considering a new program that would give its delivery employees one-time access to your car trunk or even inside your home, sources told CNBC. But Amazon has been toying with these ideas for years, making it uncertain whether either idea will make it to consumer deliveries soon.
Walmart’s app makes the return process easier
Walmart is adding another new feature to its app and this one aims to make returning items as painless as possible. Starting soon, when you need to return something, you'll first start the process on the app. Then head to a store, scan a QR code at the Mobile Express Lane, and hand the item to a Walmart associate. The refund will be back in your account in approximately a day.
Tesla's electric big rigs may focus on shorter routes
Tesla's been teasing its all-electric big rigs since April, but details have been scarce ahead of its planned grand unveiling in September. Heck, Reuters had to peer into DMV emails to discover that the company intends to link its trucks together in self-driving "platoons" for efficiency. The news outlet has once again unearthed new info on the cargo hauling vehicles: They'll reportedly have a range between 200 and 300 miles on a single charge.
The Essential Phone is finally shipping next week
Ex-Android boss Andy Rubin's Essential Phone will start shipping next week, at least in one color, according to an email spotted by 9 to 5 Google. "As shipment of your Pure White device is still a couple of weeks away, we want to give you the option to change your order from a Pure White to a Black Moon device, which will ship within seven days," it reads. That should be a relief to folks who placed pre-orders, as the device was originally supposed to ship in June.
Self-navigating cargo ships will use AI to plot their course
Japanese shipping companies want to build self-navigating cargo ships. Working alongside shipbuilders, their goal is to develop new technology that can predict malfunctions, reduce maritime accidents and improve efficiency.
Walmart recruits its employees to deliver your packages
Walmart has been struggling to compete with shipping perks offered by companies like Amazon. And in its latest attempt to contend,it has turned to employees -- asking them to deliver packages on their way home.
Uber is ready to help truck drivers find cargo
Last year, Uber's interest in the shipping and trucking industry started to take shape with the (now controversial) purchase of Otto. A few months later, reports started swirling that Uber would be creating a platform to connect drivers with cargo in the same way it currently connects drivers with passengers. That service, simply called Uber Freight, officially launched this week.
Amazon is interested in self-driving vehicles, too
Apple and Alphabet aren't the only tech heavyweights branching out into self-driving vehicle technology. Amazon wants in on the action, too. Wall Street Journal sources hear that Amazon formed a small (roughly 12 people) team about a year ago to explore the possibilities of autonomous vehicles. This doesn't guarantee you'll see Amazon-made driverless vans roaming the streets, to be clear. Rather, the group is an "in-house think tank" looking at ways to take advantage of self-driving tech for the company's online shopping business. With that said, smarter delivery vehicles are a real possibility.
Toyota is testing a hydrogen fuel-cell powered semi
Toyota built a larger sibling for the hydrogen fuel cell powered Mirai, a semi truck. The automaker is testing a water-expelling big rig at the Port of Los Angeles that it hopes will yield data to help build a fleet of zero-emission trucks.
Flying courier drone can drive up to your door
Delivery drones have more than a few challenges, not the least of which is dropping off the package in a convenient place. Do you really want to head out to your yard to collect a box? You might not have to. Advanced Tactics has successfully tested delivery with a drone, the Panther sUAS Air/Ground Robot, that can both fly and drive up to your door. When it's too dangerous or costly to travel by air, the machine just has to touch down and wheel its way to its destination. It promises more considerate (not to mention less theft-prone) shipping to homes and offices, and it could also lead to faster deliveries in areas where no one transportation method is particularly speedy.
Gigantic drones may be the key to low-cost air shipping
Wonder why some companies still ship products on boats instead of speedy aircraft? It's because air freight is much more expensive -- the costs of the crew and fuel quickly add up. Natilus, however, thinks drones might offer a solution. The startup is prepping enormous, 200ft-long drones (roughly the size of a Boeing 777) that would haul up to 200,000lbs of cargo over the ocean. They'd theoretically reduce the cost of air freight in half by eliminating the crew and improving fuel efficiency. And while the drone likely wouldn't be cleared to fly over populated areas, that wouldn't matter -- it's designed to land on water and unload its goods at a seaport.
eBay takes on Amazon with guaranteed 3-day shipping
In an effort to deal with formidable rival Amazon, eBay has launched a new program giving shoppers guaranteed three-day shipping on 20 million products. Called "Guaranteed Delivery," it also includes free shipping on "millions" of those items, according to eBay, and will roll out in the US starting this summer. The online marketplace also revamped its home page today to provide a more personalized experience for shoppers.
Shipping giant tests IBM's blockchain tech to track cargo
Maersk Line, known as the world's largest container shipping company, has teamed up with IBM to start using blockchain to track its cargo. From the time the tech titan opened its Watson-powered blockchain service to enterprise customers last year, it has already signed up over 400 clients, including Walmart. It helps companies use blockchain -- a digital leader that logs transactions that can't be modified later -- in different ways, not just for financial transactions. For Maersk, it's to give buyers, sellers and customs officials a way to keep track of the goods it hauls as they make their way across the globe. Everybody involved can check where the shipment is at any point.
Amazon lowers its free shipping threshold to counter Walmart
When Walmart ditched its Amazon Prime-style subscriptions and offered free two-day shipping for all orders over $35, it was a shot across the bow -- we might not compete directly, but we can still undercut you. Well, Amazon is responding in kind. Just a year after it hiked its free shipping minimum to $49, the online shopping giant has lowered that threshold back to $35. That won't deliver your goods any sooner (you still need Prime for that), but it could tip the balance if you're more interested in avoiding fees than getting your order in a hurry.
Amazon is now managing its own ocean freight
Amazon has been working for a while now to build out its shipping and distribution network. Now the online retailer has started coordinating its own shipments from Chinese merchants to its warehouses in the US via ocean freighters. The Wall Street Journal reports that the company doesn't own any ships, but it's working as a freight forwarder and logistics provider. These are the companies that reserve space on freighters and handle trucking shipments from port to a warehouse. WSJ says that Amazon has coordinated shipment of 150 containers from China since October.
Amazon's cargo jets cut shipping costs by carrying the light loads
If you got a speedy delivery on a last-minute gift at the height of holiday season, you might have Amazon's fleet of cargo planes to thank for pulling off a minor miracle. Although Amazon says the fleet is only meant to supplement Fedex and UPS at the moment, its own air cargo business will eventually play an important part in letting Amazon handle end-to-end logistics. According to a new report from Reuters, Jeff Bezos and company have already figured out how to leverage their private fleet to minimize overhead while getting the most out of their shipping partners at the same time.
