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MTA spends $1 million to test disinfecting NYC subways with UV light
MTA invests $1 million in UV light devices to disinfect trains, subways and buses.
NYC-only affordable alternative to Uber and Lyft arrives today
Starting today, New Yorkers have access to a new option when it comes to ride-hailing apps, one that claims it's "built for New Yorkers by a New Yorker." Myle was founded by Aleksey Medvedovskiy, who says he's a 20-year veteran of the city's taxi industry. The company hopes to differentiate itself by giving people a more affordable alternative to Uber and Lyft.
The Hayden Planetarium’s new show celebrates unmanned space probes
The astronomy I learned as a kid was pretty limited — the Earth revolves around the Sun and, of course, the whole "My Very Energetic Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas" thing. Of course, that expression no longer applies because our understanding of the solar system is a lot more nuanced these days. Not just because we're adults now, but because the entire field has been revolutionized by probes, plumbing the depths of distant bodies and returning that data to us over decades. That deeper understanding of our solar system is at the heart of the American Museum of Natural History's new space show, Worlds Beyond Earth, but its unsung hero is the technology that made it possible.
Y2K-type glitch is causing NYC parking meters to reject credit cards
A software glitch is causing parking meters throughout New York City to reject credit and prepaid parking cards, The New York Times reports. The payment software was set to expire on January 1st, and the vendor reportedly failed to update the software before the new year. So, at the stroke of midnight Wednesday, the city rang in a bug reminiscent of those feared around Y2K, which predicted computer systems would crash.
Proposed NYC law would require drone inspections for building complaints
Drones could soon be key to keeping New Yorkers safe from crumbling architecture. Members of the New York City Council have proposed legislation that would require drone inspections within 48 hours of a complaint or confirmed violation. A robotic vehicle (not the Mavic 2 Pro pictured) would use infrared and a pair of conventional cameras to both look for the telltale temperature changes of cracks and inspect roof conditions. The intended drones would cost $2,500 each, but the proposal would reduce costs by offloading the inspections to private companies that would charge building owners.
Arca will use AI to soundtrack NYC's Museum of Modern Art
If you pay a visit to New York City's Museum of Modern Art in the near future, you'll be awash in artificial intelligence before you've even seen an exhibit. Electronic musician Arca (who has produced for Bjork and FKA Twigs) has announced that a piece she wrote using Bronze's AI creative tool will provide the soundtrack for MoMA's lobby for the next two years once it reopens on October 21st. Don't think that it'll be just the same tune playing on loop, though. The AI will "never make the music play the same way twice," Arca said. In that sense, it's more like one very large piece.
Lyft sues NYC over limits on driver 'cruising'
Uber isn't the only one suing New York City to demand looser rules for ridesharing drivers. Lyft has sued NYC in a bid to end a rule that limits the amount of time drivers can "cruise" in Manhattan (that is, drive without passengers). The 31 percent cap on cruising time for most vehicles before 11PM is based on "outdated, unreliable data" from the Taxi and Limousine Commission, Lyft claimed. It likewise argued that the rule "unfairly" excluded taxis from the cap and that this could hurt transportation for underserved areas.
Floating LED art illustrates the quality of NYC's water
You don't have to check a website to find out whether or not New York City's water is healthy -- for the next few months, you just have to take a look at some art in the water itself. Playlab, Family New York and Floating Point have debuted a floating art installation, + POOL Light, that displays the water quality in NYC's East River using LED lights. The 50x50 feet sculpture glows blue if all is well, but it turns teal if a sensor detects pathogens and pink when those levels venture beyond safe swimming standards. The brightness, frequency and sharpness of the lights respectively indicate the oxygen, turbidity (the cloudiness based on particulates) and pH levels, while the light animation changes to reflect the current's direction.
Uber Copter’s $200 trips to JFK are now available to everyone (updated)
After a limited launch this past summer, Uber plans to open up its John F. Kennedy International Airport helicopter shuttle service to more people. Starting today, October 3rd, you won't need to be an Uber Rewards member to check out Uber Copter, reports Reuters.
Uber sues NYC over vehicle caps
Uber isn't about to sit quietly while New York City extends its caps on ridesharing. The company has sued NYC in a bid to halt rules that both freeze the number of new for-hire licenses and limit the amount of time drivers can spend cruising Manhattan looking for rides. It contended that the cruising rule, which will cap the roaming ratio to 31 percent of drive time by July 2020, would "threaten the viability" of ridesharing. The rates were determined using "flawed and arbitrary" models, Uber said.
Inside Apple's redesigned 'cube' store in New York City
Just in time for the launch of the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro, Apple is finally re-opening the doors to its flagship store on Fifth Avenue in New York City. Better known as "the cube," the iconic 77,000 square feet space has been closed for renovations since 2017, but Apple is ready to let customers back in starting this Friday. Before it opens to the public tomorrow, though, we got a sneak peak. And frankly, it doesn't just feel renovated, it feels like a completely new store, especially underground, where everything is brighter and more spacious than before.
Uber will restrict NYC drivers' access to app due to new regulations
Uber drivers in NYC may find themselves unable to access the app during lull periods. According to Reuters, the ridesharing giant will start locking drivers out of its app at times and in areas with low demand to comply with the city's new regulations. The new rules put a cap on the number of newly licensed app-based ride-hailing vehicles on the road and establish a minimum pay for rideshare drivers. Reuters says Lyft began locking drivers out of its app in June in response to the new regulations, which also caused both companies to stop accepting new drivers in the city.
NYC extends its cap on Uber and Lyft vehicles
New York City will cap the number of Uber and Lyft vehicles on its streets for another year. Today, the NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) voted to extend the cap it approved last summer, which limits the number of for-hire-vehicles that can operate in the city. The rule is meant to fight traffic congestion and increase drivers' wages, but it has plenty of critics, including Uber and Lyft.
NYC's first self-driving shuttle service launches tomorrow
Beginning tomorrow, Optimus Ride will run six autonomous shuttles in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. While other companies have tested self-driving shuttles in New York City, Optimus Ride claims this is the first self-driving vehicle system to launch in both the city and the state. Optimus Ride has an advantage in that it's operating on private roads, so it does not have to wait for DMV approval, as companies like GM and Audi have.
AT&T rolls out 5G in NYC, but only for business at first
At last, AT&T's 5G network is available in New York City... only you likely can't use it yet. The carrier now offers the higher-speed wireless service in parts of NYC, but it's currently limited to business customers and developers. That's not completely surprising when it's still limiting the Galaxy S10 5G to the corporate crowd, but it could be disappointing if you were hoping to livestream your latest SoHo adventures in 5G.
NYC's automated subway routing had glitches for 'months' before Friday
When New Yorkers were stuck without access to multiple subway lines for 90 minutes on July 19th, that was really just the culmination of ongoing woes. The City has obtained Metropolitan Transportation Authority reports showing that the NYC subway system's Automatic Train Supervision has been failing frequently in recent months, with 13 failures since June. The technology controls switches and routing on its own, and failures force the MTA to rush out human operators that can offer manual control like they do on most lettered lines.
Lyft adds NYC subway directions to its app
Lyft's support for public transportation will soon include one of the biggest mass transit systems on the planet. The ridesharing firm is rolling out access to real-time New York City subway directions through its app over the months ahead, giving locals a one-stop directory for some of the most common transportation options in town. You'll still have to pay with your MetroCard (or a tap of your phone), but you could use just one app to take a Lyft car to an urgent meeting, the subway for your return and a Citi Bike for the last leg of the journey.
Samsung's Galaxy Note 10 launch reportedly planned for August 7th
While we're waiting for news on the foldable Galaxy phone, Samsung is still planning its usual big event to launch the next Galaxy Note. According to CNET, we should expect the company's annual Unpacked event to take place on August 7th at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Along with 5G devices and the Galaxy Fold, the device we're expecting to see arrive as the Galaxy Note 10 is supposed to help Samsung strengthen its leadership in premium phones. This is the device that led the way for super-sized smartphones, and it will be interesting to see how it evolves as so many competitors get bigger, and foldable devices eventually take over the size crown. We liked the Galaxy Note 9 when it launched last year, but we weren't thrilled about the version of Android it shipped with. Hopefully any software issues are resolved this time around, and it includes improved support for AI assistants other than Bixby.
Finally, I can use my iPhone to ride the NYC subway
This morning, as I've done regularly since moving to New York City years ago, I left my Brooklyn apartment to head to Engadget headquarters in Manhattan. In an ideal world, I would've been able to use my iPhone to get through the turnstile at my nearby subway station. But, even though the MTA is now supporting contactless payments services such as Apple Pay, only a handful of stations and buses have so far been upgraded to the new One Metro New York (OMNY) system. The one close to my apartment isn't one of them. Still, I wanted to get the full experience beyond a quick demo from Apple. Thankfully, there's a subway station near our office that has the tap-to-pay turnstiles.
Apple Pay will work on NYC subways and buses starting May 31st
Ever since I moved to New York City nearly ten years ago, I've had to buy physical MetroCards to ride the subway almost every day. But last week, for the first time ever, I didn't have to swipe my card to get trough the turnstile and catch my train. Instead, the entire process was done on an iPhone, thanks to a demo I tried of the Apple Pay Express Transit feature -- one that will start rolling out to MTA subway and bus stations on Friday, May 31st. This contactless system, which also works with Apple Watch, is as seamless as you might expect: You just hold your device next to the screen on an upgraded tap-to-pay turnstile and, within a second, you'll see a message on the reader that says "GO" and you're on your way.
