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Amazon apparently testing bike couriers for some Manhattan deliveries
While Amazon deals with regulatory hurdles for its drone-based rapid delivery service, it's apparently testing an option that's a bit more, well, human in the meantime. The shopping juggernaut is holding time-trials for bike messengers in New York, according to The Wall Street Journal, with the idea being to get certain purchases to Manhattan-based folks within a few hours of ordering. Cool if you need an HDMI cable in a pinch, but we seriously doubt that the 4K UHDTV you ordered along with it will arrive by bike too. WSJ's sources claim that a "at least" a trio of courier services are auditioning for the job, and Bezos and Co. will choose the fastest and safest for the forthcoming Amazon Prime Now delivery option.
New York City green-lights the use of Chromebooks in public schools
It's no secret that Chromebooks have been on the rise, especially in classrooms, and now Google has scored another big win: New York City officials just formally approved the use of Chromebooks in public schools. In a statement, Hal Friedlander, Chief Information Office at the New York City Department of Education, said that he gave Chromebooks the OK in part because some schools were already using Google Drive and other Apps for Education. In addition, Friedlander cited all the reasons Google has been pushing Chromebooks to schools in the first place: They're easy to integrate into existing systems, they don't require any additional training for staff and they're easy for IT departments to manage. So no surprises there. Additionally, Friedlander said the Department of Education worked with various Chromebook manufacturers to make sure they met the city's technical requirements. No word on which models made the cut, exactly, but we think you all know by now who the major players are.
Recommended Reading: NYC's new subway hub is an architectural marvel
Recommended Reading highlights the best long-form writing on technology and more in print and on the web. Some weeks, you'll also find short reviews of books that we think are worth your time. We hope you enjoy the read. How James Carpenter Gave NYC Subway Riders a Portal to the Sky by Shaunacy Ferro, Fast Company New York City's latest subway station is a really big deal. Fulton Center recalls an age when public transit stations packed in architectural prowess, and this hub does just that. The main element is the so-called Sky Reflector Net that not only bathes the atrium in natural light, but also reflects that light two stories underground thanks to a cable structure suspended way up above.
NYC's domain on record pace with over 56,000 accounts so far
The history of New York City's top-level domain is still quite young, having only launched in full last month. But, since then, .nyc has already managed to serve up more than 56,000 registrations, making it one of the fastest growing city domains ever -- above Berlin, London, Melbourne, Paris and Tokyo, to mention a few. A representative of .nyc told us there are over 5,000 accounts being registered every week; that's even higher than what the the likes of .london gets, which isn't limited to residents only, unlike The Big Apple's domain.
WoW's Iron Horde declares war on Times Square
Finally! Here's the Blizzard we know and love. Why promote a World of Warcraft expansion with a pat press release and gory trailer when you can beat up an actual taxi in Times Square with a 15-foot replica of the epic Gorehowl axe? And that's exactly what Blizz did this morning to bemuse passing New Yorkers. Surveil the carnage in the gallery below. WoW's Warlords of Draenor expansion launches this Thursday. Holla if you know of an Etsy shop where we can buy some #WARLORDS crime scene tape; that has to be a thing someone makes, right?
NYPD is getting equipped with over 40,000 mobile devices
Thanks to a massive $160 million investment, the New York City Police Department is on its way to receive a combination of up to 41,000 smartphones and tablets. Known as the NYPD Mobility Initiative, which will be mostly financed by criminal asset funds provided by the Manhattan DA's Office, the goal is to provide the the city's law enforcement with tools that can improve and streamline their overall workflow. NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio said there are a few key elements to this plan, such as offering better case support for detectives, providing features including real-time 911 data, enhanced database access for patrol staff, quick entry points to info like Amber Alerts and email accounts for every officer.
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.
NYC brings carrier and WiFi coverage to more subway stations
For the most part, New York City's underground transportation system is solid and reliable. It gets locals from point A to point B with ease, and that's the only thing which should matter -- never mind the strange things that occasionally transpire while commuting. Having said this, a large number of subway stations still lack any sort of network coverage, making it nearly impossible for people to do basic tasks on their mobile devices, like getting on a phone call or browsing the web. Thankfully, it's about to get better for residents of The Big Apple, plus the more than 50 million people who visit the city every year. Earlier today, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said wireless connectivity is now available at 40 additional underground platforms, including 11 in Manhattan and 29 in Queens.
New York City residents can now get their own .nyc domain
NYC announced last year that its residents, including businesses and government entities, would be able to get a custom domain to match the place they call home -- something London has done as well. With the first two phases of the rollout now complete, which gave first dibs to city officials and trademark owners, it's finally time for the general availability of top-level domains for New York City. In order to qualify, you'll need to show proof that you live within one of the five boroughs (Brooklyn, Manhattan, Staten Island, The Bronx and Queens). To make things easier, NYC teamed up with over 50 registrars, among which are GoDaddy, Network Solutions, Domain.com and Name.com, with prices per domain ranging anywhere from $25 to $50. They're on a first come, first served basis, however, so hurry if you're interested.
NYC now has hundreds of ad beacons in phone booths (update: mayor orders them removed)
Buzzfeed has learned that New York City allowed hundreds of bluetooth beacons to be installed without public consultation, a decision that has roused the ire of privacy groups. Outdoor ad outfit Titan installed around 500 Gimbal beacons in phone booths around Manhattan, skirting normal red tape by saying they were deployed for maintenance purposes only. However, it admitted it's also using them to decide when to rotate ad panels and recently pushed smartphone ads to Tribeca Film Festival participants. The devices can also pick up location and time data, though Titan told the NY Daily News that it is "absolutely, categorically not" doing so unless users opt in and install a third-party app.
A new project turns NYC subway ads into art... with an app
If you're a resident of The Big Apple, or have ever visited, then you know that subway platforms are filled with advertisements -- even some of the cars are completely wrapped in them. This is where a new app called No Ad comes in. Built by Re+Public, a team which focuses on using technology to "alter the current expectations of urban media," No Ad is an augmented reality application that replaces ads on the New York City subway system with art. It's simple, really. All you have to do is download the app, available for iOS and Android, fire it up, point your device at an advertisement and, just like that, you'll see a piece of art show up where you would otherwise see corporate propaganda. As it stands, Re+Public has turned 100 ads across the NYC subway compatible with the No Ad app, with 50 artists contributing their work to the project. We have a hunch Don Draper wouldn't like this idea too much -- but let's face it, he's probably too drunk to care.
Heat Seek temperature monitors want to keep NYC tenants warm, bring scummy landlords to justice
Ugh. Landlords from hell. They leave doors damaged and plumbing to rot, don't care that killer molds are growing behind the walls, and in NYC, they couldn't care less if you freeze in the winter. Since it's darn hard getting an inspector to come and verify a heat violation, a new KickStarter project called Heat Seek NYC wants to give people the power to gather their own evidence using simple internet-connected temperature sensors. These Heat Seek sensors constantly monitor indoor temperature and upload the results online like Nest does, so they can be accessed through an app monitored, say, by a lawyer building a tenant's case.
Lyft gets the green light to operate in New York City
Nearly two weeks after New York's Attorney General, Eric T. Schneiderman, made a push to bar Lyft from offering its ridesharing service in New York City, both parties have finally come to an agreement. As a result, Lyft is now free to operate in all five boroughs of The Big Apple, after the company "agreed to operate in New York State in full compliance with existing laws and regulations." In addition, Lyft has also assured state officials it will operate with commercial drivers only. But it wasn't a complete win for the pink mustache company, as this agreement stipulates that Lyft must cease services in Buffalo and Rochester by next week, on August 1st.
Nike has a vending machine that lets you trade Fuel for gear
When we heard that Nike had put up a secret vending machine in New York City, we definitely wanted to go find it and see what all the fuss was about. But, unfortunately, we were a little bit late to the party -- the machine is now long gone, perhaps on its way to a new place (maybe Japan?). Nike's FuelBox, as the company has adequately dubbed it, is a vending machine which dispenses goods in exchange for your daily, not total, FuelBand points. As TechCrunch pointed out, Nike packed the FuelBox with a number of different stuff, including hats, shirts and socks (sorry, no kicks). It's certainly a fun incentive to drive people to rack up Fuel on their bands, and it shows that, despite the rumors of the FuelBand going away, Nike is still very heavily invested in doing things for that community. Stay on the lookout, because Nike says you never know where it could show up next.
Samsung will give you a new camera for your aging DSLR, for one day only
If you like free stuff, you're gonna want to make your way to Times Square on Wednesday, June 4th. Samsung's hosting a "Ditch Day" event from noon to 6PM, letting you trade in a digital SLR (any DSLR) for a brand-new NX30 mirrorless camera, "while supplies last." Samsung reps were unable to confirm the number of cams on hand, so if you want the best chance of getting $1,000 worth of free loot, you might want to queue up early. Alternatively, if you can't get your hands on a DSLR worth "ditching," you'll still be able to walk away with a coupon for 50 bucks off a Samsung cam, such as the NX Mini or Galaxy Camera 2, both of which will be on hand for you to try out at the event in NYC. Update: The event will take place at 42-43 Broadway Plaza in Times Square beginning at noon. According to Samsung's official terms and conditions, only 250 cameras will be on hand. Additionally, Samsung's provided more information regarding which DSLRs qualify for the trade-in, which you'll find below.
New York City using Yelp reviews to track outbreaks of food poisoning
Remember when Yelp added hygiene inspection ratings to its restaurant reviews? Now, New York City is using the review service to work out which outlets are responsible for outbreaks of food poisoning. According to a study from the Center of Disease Control, researchers searched for words like "sick," "diarrhea" and "vomit" in reviews to look for any repeat offenders. Given that people don't normally report the odd case of "bad shrimp," these reviews are an easy way for authorities to stage interventions. This time out, for instance, the city was able to shut down three places that exhibited poor hygiene practices like poor sanitization, bare-hand contact with food and, best of all, live mice. Unfortunately, neither Yelp nor the City is revealing which businesses were found guilty, so we'd all best get scouring those reviews.
Another Apple Store for NYC and more news for May 19, 2014
The sun rises on yet another Monday and like a phoenix from the ashes, a new week is born. Here's a bit of news to get you going. NYC gets yet another Apple Store (Apple Store Cape Cod. Make it happen, Apple) and Apple gets sued. Stop me if any of this sounds familiar. NYC will get yet another Apple Store, according to city building permits issued last week. The permits, dated last week, bear the names of Apple's typical architect and structural engineer. IFO Apple Store confirmed the Upper East Side construction project on May 6. Android user sues Apple over "iMessage Purgatory." Some former iPhone owners who switch to Android are finding that their text messages aren't making the transition. Instead, the missives are trapped in an iMessage purgatory and unattainable. Adrienne Moore claims that Apple has "interfered" with cell contracts by hindering her text messages.
Uber introduces Uber Family in NYC, guarantees a child seat with your ride
As they so often are, the rumors were true: the smartphone-based taxi request app, Uber, is adding a new service today in New York City called "Uber Family." The company's calling it "uberFAMILY," but we're calling it Uber Family. Anyway, as the name implies, the new service takes what Uber already does and adds a guaranteed child seat. It also adds $10 to your ride: a small price to pay for the guarantee of a child seat, but it's also a $10 charge to guarantee the safety of child riders. There's no update to the existing app required; once you enter "FAMILY" in the promo code page, your next ride optionally becomes an Uber Family ride. Just like that!
Engadget Daily: NYC's smartest neighborhood, pulsing pill for pooping and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
NYC inks deal to put train tickets on smartphones
Part of New York City's train system is set to get a 21st-century kick in the pants. Digital tickets that live on commuters' smartphones will soon be introduced thanks to a deal inked between the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) Board and Masabi, one of eleven companies that offered to build such a system for the city. The pact follows a -- presumably successful -- trial conducted between Masabi and the MTA in 2012. Not every locomotive route will see paperless ticketing at first; only the Metro-North Railroad and the Long Island Railroad are scheduled to be equipped with the new tech.
