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Google's Nest doorbell knows when your packages arrive
It can be nerve-wracking if you're waiting for a package to reach home -- just because you received a "delivered" alert doesn't mean it'll be where you wanted it, or that it'll still be there when you get to your door. Google may ease your worries after today. It's rolling out package detection to all Nest Hello doorbell owners in the US with Nest Aware subscriptions. You'll get an alert when a box reaches your doorstep, and another when someone (hopefully a person in your household) picks it up. You can specify activity zones if you know there's a preferred drop-off spot, such as one side of your front porch.
NASA engineer creates glitter bomb package to thwart parcel thieves
Because we live in a world where we can't have nice things, package theft is a real problem, and in recent times unscrupulous individuals stealing parcels from porches have prompted police sting operations, as well as longer-term tech innovation, such as Amazon's smart locks. But neither of these things do a whole lot for theft victims longing for sweet, sweet revenge. Now, former NASA engineer Mark Rober has devised a frankly glorious solution that guarantees instant vengeance.
Shopify’s Arrive app tracks your online orders on a live map
Now that Amazon's smart-home-synced delivery service is unlocking doors for parcel drop-offs, we never have to worry about missing packages again. For anyone freaked out by the idea of a stranger entering their pad, there's Shopify Arrive for iOS: A free app that taps in to your email e-receipts to provide online-order tracking from over 400 carriers. All the big guns are present, including UPS, USPS, FedEX, DHL, Canada Post, and Amazon -- which should come in handy for those awaiting multiple items (it is the frantic holiday season, after all).
UPS wants UAVs to cover its 'last mile' deliveries
Drone-based deliveries are quickly moving out of the realm of science fiction. Amazon, 7-11 and a host of startups are already toying with the idea. Now, UPS, one of the biggest parcel delivery services on the planet, is testing a system that will drop packages at your door while the driver moves on to the next house.
USPS made an ornament that displays package tracking updates (updated)
Shipping presents to loved ones during the busy holiday months can be a stressful endeavor, but the US Postal Service is testing something new this year that puts a seasonal spin on the task. Officially called "The Most Wonderful Ornament," the Christmas decoration changes color as the the status of your package is updated. When your package is out for delivery, the ornament lights up blue. Red means the box has been dropped off and green will glow when the recipient has opened it.
Weather could keep delivery drones on the ground
A key threat to delivery drones isn't regulation, it's weather. DHL cancelled a demonstration of its package-toting UAV this week due to snow and a drop in temperatures. The shipping company was originally scheduled to show off a drone that can drop off 2-kilogram packages (around 4.5 pounds) at lockers. This proposed solution is different from the delivery aspirations of Amazon and others that plan to leave orders at your door.
Google Glass update serves up World Cup scores and faster photo sharing
Google Glass is about to get a handful of updates that should be especially helpful this summer. To start, it should be easier to share Glass photos from your vacation; a new MyGlass app for Android (iOS is due later) will surface your most recent snapshots. An upgrade to Glass itself, meanwhile, lets you keep tabs on World Cup matches and group standings. It should be simpler to find your parking spot and track packages, too. Google hasn't said when all the updates will roll out to its smart eyewear, but it expects the MyGlass update to hit later this week -- hopefully, in time for the World Cup's June 12th kickoff. [Top image credit: Miguel Tovar/STF via Getty Images]
Tesla offering cold weather package for Model S, gouges you for XM satellite radio
Wherever your loyalties lay during Tesla vs. The New York Times, it was clear that the Model S isn't a great fan of cold weather. That's why the company is addressing the vehicle's snow allergy with a new Subzero Weather package, adding wiper blade defrosters, washer nozzle-and-rear seat heaters for an additional $750. While that's good for people who regularly see subzero temperatures, those who need a daily blast of Howard Stern have less to celebrate about. Tesla will now only add XM Satellite radio to your whip if you buy the new Ultra High Fidelity Sound package, which'll set you back the eye-watering figure of $2,500. Yep.
DPD to let UK shoppers track home deliveries in real time (video)
If you're like us, you want a better sense of where your packages are than "on truck for delivery." So does the UK's DPD, apparently, as it's rolling out a Follow My Parcel service that will let online shoppers track their goods in real time. The feature gives customers a web link that lets them see both the delivery vehicle's live position and a package's place in the queue. The new system is accurate enough to narrow the delivery window to 15 minutes -- in theory, recipients won't be caught off-guard again. There's also options for giving the shipment to a neighbor or rescheduling the shipment altogether. Follow My Parcel should be available through Interlink Express on August 5th, and British retailer ASOS already plans to offer the service to its customers.
DropTag tells phones when packages are bruised before they're opened (video)
Many of us have had the misfortune of receiving a package that has been roughhoused in transit, and we might not have even realized it until we burrowed through the cardboard and tape. Cambridge Consultants' upcoming DropTag might just serve as the insurance we need. The badge can detect a drop or other violent motion, like earlier sensors, but carries Bluetooth 4.0 to transmit data and alerts in real-time to a mobile app, whether it's on the courier's smartphone or a tablet at home. As one watch-grade battery could power the sensor for weeks, we could know whether the box took a tumble at the warehouse or at the door -- a help not just for customers wanting their items intact, but for companies that can avoid delivering already-broken goods. At less than $2 in raw costs, DropTags would be cheap enough to slap on many packages. We just need Cambridge to line up clients to make this a reality and, just possibly, prevent a few overly hasty couriers from long-bombing our orders.
Pentax offers 'special edition' K-5 DSLR kit: silver body, 40mm slimline lens, $1,600
It's good to see a special edition that may actually deserve its name, for once. When the silver version of the popular K-5 came out last year, it was priced at $1,700 body-only. This new kit, which will be limited to 1,500 units worldwide and available from April, will cost just $1,600 including the bundled lens. And it's decent glass: an ultra-thin, Marc Newson designed beauty with a 40mm fixed focal length and f/2.8 aperture -- just like on the mirrorless K-01. The only thing missing? There's no sign of a "Limited Edition" stamp anywhere on it, but luckily we're too modest to notice.
Augmented reality makes Thundercats packaging way cooler than the toys themselves
What happens when the toy packaging becomes more exciting than the toy itself? It's an interesting experiment that's now seeing the light of day courtesy of Bandai's new Thundercats and Ben 10 toys, which come to life through a smartphone screen via Aurasma's augmented reality. The company promises that the packages help kids "examine every part of the toy before purchase." That's important. And hey, so's setting them up for a lifetime of disappointment. Video after the break.
Verzo repackages Kinzo Android smartphone, offers lower prices in response to user feedback (video)
We've gotta hand it to Verzo. It's not every day that a manufacturer lowers the price of its flagship smartphone in explicit response to consumer feedback, yet that's exactly what the Americano Czech company has done today, with a new pricing and packaging scheme for its Kinzo Android handset. Previously marketed as a single, accessory-laden package for $459, the 4.3-inch device is now available in two bundles: the Verzo Kinzo Plus GPS, and the standard Verzo Kinzo pack. The former, priced at $384, includes offline navigation capabilities and a carholder, while the latter ($349) does not. According to the company, the prices are in effect as of now, and "will stay that way." Best of all, anyone who bought the Kinzo at its original price will now be able to recoup the difference, courtesy of Verzo. But don't take our word for it -- check out the above video to hear it straight from the source.
Sony may be preparing an internet-based cable TV alternative
We've officially entered the silly season of pre-CES rumors, so take this with a grain of salt, but the Wall Street Journal reports Sony has approached "several big media companies" about distributing their channels over the internet. This comes on the heels of its report on comments by CEO Howard Stringer about significant R&D efforts going into a "different kind of TV", and the four screen strategy Sony would like to implement. According to the report, Sony's idea is to offer small bundles of channels over the internet to its TVs, Blu-ray players, and the PS3. Still, cutting deals with companies like CBS, that doesn't want to jeopardize its cable and satellite TV-based revenue, could be difficult. As for the competition, similar rumors about Microsoft turned into an effort that mostly works with partners like Comcast, U-verse, and FiOS, while Google is also pursuing a route of adding to, but not necessarily replacing, cable TV. Sony has positioned itself well, adding IPTV services including sports to the PS3 and live TV tuning capability, and its tested the waters of going over the top before, but so far whether it will actually pursue this new plan is unknown.
Daily iPad App: Delivery Status touch, A package tracker
Delivery Status touch is a package tracking app that's compatible with more than 30 delivery services worldwide including UPS, FedEX, and DHL. The app tracks multiple packages from multiple sources and looks great on the large screen of the iPad. To use the app, you must have packages with tracking information. Entering tracking information is done manually, though the App does support vendors like Amazon and Apple. With these stores, you have to give login credentials and an order number before the app can pull down the tracking numbers. If you prefer to keep your login information private, you can select the delivery company and add the tracking number directly. Delivery Status touch also syncs to Junecloud's website which lets you manage your packages via a web interface. The main screen of the iPad application lets you view the status of all your packages in one handy location. It even counts down the days until the package will land on your door step. The app packs a lot of information about each package. You can view the package's location on a map, find contact information about the carrier and even pull down order information if your package was purchased from an online merchant and you have linked back to that account. You can also use Delivery Status touch to send a tracking update to yourself or someone else via email. This email sharing is done manually and is not triggered by a change in tracking. Delivery Status touch has almost everything you need to track your packages as they make their way from warehouse to your door step. The only missing feature is native notifications that alert you when there's a change tracking information. You have to launch the app to see if a package has been delivered or delayed. The iPad app does not seem to support iOS notifications and there's no way to setup automatic email or text message notifications from within the app. The solution for notifications provided by Junecloud requires you to have the Mac version of the app running and Junecloud sync account to send notifications to your iOS device. Delivery Status touch is available as a universal app for the iPhone and the iPad for US$4.99.
MLB introduces mobile-phone-only subscription
Major League Baseball has switched up the pricing on its streaming MLB.tv service, and while most of the changes lately have been sending prices upwards (the iOS apps went up in price again this year), these changes are somewhat of a discount. The premium and regular packages have dropped in price by $10 each (which isn't really that big a deal, especially since we're a month into the season already). But more importantly, MLB is now offering a "smartphone-only" streaming service, allowing you to watch live baseball games on your iDevice or other approved smartphones for only $49.99 a year. That's not a bad deal, especially if you took advantage of that free trial they had going last month. And if your team heats up (though it doesn't look like my Cubs will), you can upgrade to the other packages for the rest of their prices. Unfortunately, the iPad isn't listed on the mobile phone device plan, so I'd assume that still requires a full subscription (likely since it can be connected to a TV). As before, there may be blackout issues with the app -- if the game is available in your market already, MLB may keep you from watching due to licensing issues. But if you're on the road a lot and looking for a cheaper way to watch these games on your phone without subscribing to the whole package, the new plan is interesting. And it shows just how much mobile phones mean to the league and its viewers so far.
T-Mobile offering unlimited tethering 'this holiday season' as $15 add-on
This one comes as no surprise, but T-Mobile has announced today that the availability of tethering and WiFi hotspot capabilities for "select smartphones" in its lineup in time for the holidays -- and as is often the case with Big Magenta, they're offering the service at a much more aggressive price point than its larger competitors: $14.99 a month on top of your $30 unlimited data plan buys you unlimited tethering on T-Mobile's glorious HSPA+ network (and in its non-HSPA+ areas as well, of course). We still don't know whether this'll start to roll out on November 3rd as was rumored, but that'd be a nice way to get into the holiday spirit, wouldn't it? Don't get us wrong -- we'd prefer if they offered it for free as part of your $30 package, but in our post-apocalyptic world of streaming video and incessant browsing on the go, that just wasn't gonna happen. Separately, T-Mobile is also announcing an alternative to that $30 smartphone data: a new 200MB plan clocking in at $10 on a new two-year deal or $15 a month without a contract extension. As you might imagine, tethering isn't available with this one -- we suspect it's just an answer to the new fad adopted by AT&T and Verizon of offering a tiny-bucket data plan alongside your regular gluttonous-bucket package.
Droid X owners being showered with gifts?
You might recall that Verizon handed out "Droid Does" t-shirts to some early buyers of the original Motorola Droid -- but if you thought the Android-themed gratitude from Big Red ended there, you'd apparently be quite wrong. Droid Life is reporting that some Droid X owners are now receiving packages with seemingly badass new eye exam-themed shirts and coupons good for 25 percent off accessories, perfect for that silicone case you know you've had your eye on. Whether Droid 2 owners will receive the same royal treatment remains to be seen, but honestly, isn't an R2-D2-themed version enough of a thank you?
Big cable companies considering packages with, wait for it, less channels
At one end, we've had the race to add more channels, more VOD and higher speed internet, but according to report by Reuters the next step for cable companies -- in the face of growing over the top competition -- could be smaller basic cable packages. It's not that we don't all want to spend $100 a month to subsidize Jon & Kate's divorce... wait, that's exactly it. Of course, even if this trend does take off, we're sure it will be hard to get exactly the right channels for exactly the right price. Until then, let us know what channels are in the dream basic cable lineup, or do you prefer your Cable Television World of Hell package of six hundred and sixty six channels?
What the HTC EVO 4G packaging does -- but hopefully won't -- look like
There are actually days when we envy those who are paid to hawk telephones. Today, for instance, we hear that certain Sprint employees have recently obtained an HTC EVO 4G. However, our jealousy is tempered by the fact that we've already spent considerable quality time with the superphone, and, quite frankly, by the ridiculous packaging you see immediately above. Pardon our French, but it looks like a microwavable food tub. See a pair of close-ups after the break. [Thanks, Anonymous]
