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You can now take Lyft and UberX cars to San Francisco's main airport
It was only a matter of time before San Francisco International Airport allowed direct visits from app-based ridesharing services besides Sidecar, and those floodgates have officially opened. Both Lyft and Uber (specifically, UberX and UberXL) now have the all-clear to stop at SFO's terminals. If you need a ride to your hotel, you no longer have to pay for an expensive taxi or else brave the mass transit system. It's difficult to know how this increased competition will work in practice, but a successful rollout could get other airports following suit. [Image credit: Angelo DeSantis, Flickr]
San Francisco airport beacons help the blind get around using their phones
San Francisco International is about to make life decidedly easier for blind and visually impaired travelers. The airport has teamed up with Indoo.rs to unveil a Bluetooth beacon system that will help these passengers find their way through Terminal 2 using only their phone. When users walk past one of the 500 transmitters, their devices will announce nearby points of interest; they can find flight gates, ATMs, information desks and power outlets without asking for help. An early version of the necessary app also has a directory for sighted visitors.
The TSA won't let you board some flights unless your devices turn on
You know how airport security will occasionally ask you to turn on a phone or laptop to prove that it isn't hiding explosives? Well, that's no longer just a rare inconvenience -- if you take certain flights, it's mandatory. The TSA now requires that you power on your gadgets when flying to the US from "certain overseas airports." If you have a dead battery, you're out of luck. You'll likely have to leave that hardware behind, and you might go through "additional screening" at the same time.
Super-sensitive chip can sniff out bombs from 16 feet away
Let's face it: the theatrical security procedures at airports aren't going away any time soon. However, they might just get more tolerable if a team of Israeli researchers bring a new, extremely sensitive bomb detection chip to an inspection line near you. The prototype sniffs for explosives by using groups of nano-scale transistors that react to tiny electrical changes when certain chemicals pass by. And we do mean tiny -- the chip can raise alarms if there are just a few molecules found out of 1,000 trillion. For those not keeping score, previous techniques will 'only' raise a red flag in the molecules per billion range.
Stuck at an airport? Create a music video with your iPhone like this guy!
Being stuck at an airport is never fun, especially if it's an overnight stay and most of the restaurants and shops you might otherwise peruse through are closed for the night. But that didn't stop an industrious fellow named Richard Dunn -- who was stranded at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas -- from making the most out of his unfortunate predicament in the form of a music video he created with his iPhone and set to Celine Dion's cover of Eric Carmen's 1975 power ballad "All By Myself." All by myself from Richard Dunn on Vimeo. Since being posted online, the video has gone somewhat viral, garnering thousands of votes on Reddit over the past few days. In interviews, Dunn explained that the entire video took about three hours to shoot, with his wife shooting all the footage on an iPhone while he lip-synced to "All By Myself" on what we can only imagine was a treacherous loop. CBC News was able to catch up with Dunn who provided a few more details surrounding how he actually shot some of the footage: He asked an airport mechanic for tape which he used to secure his iPhone to a ruler. He'd sandwich the pole between luggage bags to secure it as a sort of tripod. ... For his big finale, Dunn strapped the camera to a bag and set it on an escalator so the camera zooms out on him as he crescendos. He said he had to do the take and then sprint to the top of the escalator to catch his bag before it was pinned in the escalator. Incidentally, he chose the song after Googling songs about loneliness. Personally, I think Akon's "Lonely" would have been a better choice, but nonetheless, here's to perseverance!
Apple patches Heartbleed for base stations and more news for April 23, 2014
A stunning new iPhone 5s campaign and safer AirPort base stations are in the news today. Apple has created a fantastic new iPhone film and accompanying micro-site. Entitled "Powerful," it features six impressive apps being used on the iPhone 5s: Star Walk, Instant Heart Rate, Word Lens, AmpliTube, Luminair and Pacific Rim. The short film is very well done and emphasizes what I've believed for years: the iPhone is the best computer I've ever owned. Apple has offered a firmware update for the 2013 model AirPort Extreme Base Station. The update patches the OpenSSL Heartbleed bug. To grab it, just launch AirPort Utility on your Mac.
Singapore 21: a farewell trip on the world's longest flight
As of tomorrow, the longest flight in the world will shuttle passengers on a 747-400 from Sydney, Australia to Dallas, Texas. That 15-hour, 25-minute hop on board Qantas 7 may not be the lengthiest in duration, but at 8,578 miles gate to gate, it'll lead the industry in miles flown. For a few more hours, however, Singapore Airlines' decade-long run from Newark, N.J., to Singapore remains the record holder for both time (more than 18 hours) and distance (9,534 miles). It's a journey that's been on the bucket lists of the world's most ambitious aviation enthusiasts since the city-state's namesake airline first launched the service in 2004, and following tonight's final jaunt, this record-setting A340-500 will touch down at Changi Airport for the very last time. Despite this cheerless loss, it's a spectacular time in the world of aviation. Sure, we don't have our supersonic Concorde replacement just yet, and the Dreamliner rollout was not without significant heartbreak, but the past few years have represented a tremendous period, with banner launches from both Airbus and Boeing that will change the way we fly forever. But as with any category, aircraft manufacturing and design advances also serve to highlight the shortcomings of previous-generation products. The Airbus A350 and Boeing 787 make massive efficiency boosts a reality, leading gas-guzzling greats like the aging A340-500 to a premature retirement. In this case, the A345's departure from Singapore's fleet represents not only better things to come, but also the loss of a landmark route -- it's an unavoidable compromise, and with the end in sight, I drained my frequent flier account in order to score a ticket, and set out to discover the significance of Singapore Flight 21's retirement.
Airport, Time Capsule hard drive issues get fixed in latest firmware update
Apple has released a firmware update for its Airport Express and Time Capsule products that fixes a nasty USB hard drive issue that had widely been reported in Apple's support communities. AirPort Extreme and AirPort Time Capsule base stations Firmware 7.7.2 fixes an issue that prevented a USB hard drive connected to an AirPort Extreme from appearing as an available disk in Time Machine. The issue, of course, meant that many people's data were not being backed up via Time Machine. Firmware update 7.7.2 is for AirPort Extreme and AirPort Time Capsule base stations with 802.11ac. This update: Addresses an issue that prevents a USB hard drive connected to an AirPort Extreme from appearing as an available disk in Time Machine Resolves an issue that may intermittently cause a loss in WAN connectivity Resolves an issue that may result in a network loop Users can download the latest update via Software Update on their Macs or directly from Apple's downloads page here.
Google's Street View tour of Gatwick Airport is its biggest European indoor map yet
If you're one of those people who wants to know exactly what to do and where to go when you get to an airport, Google's latest Street View update might come in handy. As part of its biggest European indoor mapping project so far, the search giant took its trolley units to Gatwick, the UK's second busiest airport. The resulting 2,000 images were stitched together to create a virtual representation of its North and South terminals, allowing you, and an estimated 34 million yearly passengers, to familiarize yourself with its maze of connected corridors and multitude of shops and restaurants. Hit up Google Street View to begin your not-so-personal guided tour, but bear in mind you won't make it onto the tarmac and any duty free deals that you spot in stores may no longer apply, because the footage was collected in June.
Apple releases AirPort Base Station and Time Capsule firmware update
Apple has released an update for all 802.11n Airport Base Stations including the AirPort Express, AirPort Extreme and AirPort Time Capsule. The AirPort Base Station Firmware Update 7.6.4 includes the following fixes: Resolve an issue that may cause AirPort Time Capsule to report that the backup disk is in use. Resolve an issue that may cause an IPv6 Tunnel error. Resolve an issue that may intermittently cause a loss in Wi-Fi connectivity with iOS devices. The AirPort Base Station Firmware Update can be downloaded by running Software Update on your Mac.
Retailer shows off new store concept via eight iPads, never gets them back
Let this be a lesson to all of you business-minded iPad owners out there: showing off your plans to clients using your pricey slate may leave you entirely tablet-less. Guampdn reports such was the case for DFS Galleria, a duty-free luxury retailer bidding for a spot in the Guam International Airport. The company -- along with several others bidding for a spot in the concourse -- showcased its plans for a new shop space to airport representatives, but what set DFS apart was that it decided to use eight iPads to display its proposal rather than use simple paper binders. Rather than returning the tablets to DFS after a decision was made -- for which DFS's proposal didn't make the cut -- the airport is hanging on to them, as per its policy. The airport's guidelines for such proposals state that all documentation from bidders will be kept by the agency's procurement office. So the iPads remain in the care of the airport, locked away in a file cabinet with the rest of the failed proposals. Oh, who are they kidding? They probably spend all day playing Flight Control now.
AirPort Utility for Mac and iOS updated
Apple has released small updates for the AirPort Utility for Mac and iOS. Both updates resolve an issue where AirPort base stations may not appear in AirPort Utility. These updates follow last month's release of new AirPort Extreme Base Stations and Time Capsules that support the 802.11ac wireless protocol. AirPort Utility for iOS is a free download. The update for AirPort Utility for Mac can be found by running Software Update on your Mac.
Apple's newest AirPort Extreme base station gets dissected
The skyscraper? The hauteur router? The dapper WAP? All reasonable nicknames were considered, but in the end, Apple's sticking with "AirPort Extreme." The newest base station -- the one introduced alongside the company's Haswell-infused MacBook Air at WWDC -- takes on a new look and gains 802.11ac support, but that's not what you're here for. You're here for two reasons: first, you want to see this thing reverse engineered, and second, you want to get an idea of just how repairable it is. The gurus over at iFixit have done their usual teardown, offering up a plethora of lovely JPGs and settling on a respectable 8 out of 10 on the Repairability Index. Eager to learn more? Give that source link below a soft tap... with the key word being soft.
Apple releases AirPort Utility 6.3 for Mac
Apple has released an update to its AirPort Utility app for the Mac, bringing it up to version 6.3. It adds the ability to extend a guest WiFi network across multiple AirPort base stations, support for WPS-capable printers and improved international support. It's a free download, as always. The 6.3 update requires an Intel-based Mac running 10.7.5 or later. You can grab it right now through Software Update, or head on over to Apple's update site.
Apple announces new AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule
Phil Schiller has just announced that Apple is releasing new AirPort Base Stations with all-new designs. Design-wise, both the new Time Capsule and AirPort Extreme are rectangular now with dimensions that measure approximately four inches wide by 6.5 inches tall. The biggest addition to the Base Station hardware is support for 802.11ac, which offers connection speeds up to 1.3Gbps. The Base Stations also offer improved WiFi coverage and stability through Beamforming technology and a six-antenna array (three for the 2.4GHz band and three for the 5GHz band). Similar to earlier models, both the Time Capsule and the AirPort Extreme have three Gigabit ethernet LAN ports, one Gigabit ethernet WAN port and one USB 2.0 port for an external printer or hard drive. The AirPort Extreme is available now for US$199 on Apple's website. The new Time Capsule ships with either a 2 TB or 3 TB hard drive and is available for $299 or $399, respectively.
Private airport terminal for Google's jets approved by city of San Jose
After a minor curfew scuffle, it looks like Google might soon take its airplanes from their current nest at Mountain View's Moffett field and park them up the road at Mineta San Jose International Airport. Signature Flight Support has been approved by the city's council to build an $82 million facility on the west side of that field, where its biggest client would be Google's flight operator, Blue City Holdings. Councilmen approved the facility by a 10-1 vote after Signature accepted a deal for immunity from some of the stricter measures of a night flying curfew, like eviction. Google's offer to do a $45 million renovation of Hanger One at its current Moffett Field home in Mountain View was rejected by the feds, meaning the search giant's likely to take its ball, bat and fleet of jets to San Jose sometime in 2015. [Image credit: Mineta San Jose International Airport]
AT&T and Boingo unite on free-but-not-really airport WiFi
AT&T has been forging partnerships that give its roaming customers free WiFi while abroad, and it just struck one of the more logical networking deals that we've seen to date, if also the most lopsided. A pact with Boingo will let AT&T subscribers have 1GB of free data each month on Boingo's airport hotspots -- but, as with previous arrangements, only if they're subscribed to AT&T's $60 or $120 international data plans. Boingo subscribers, meanwhile, get a much better deal. They can use AT&T hotspots anywhere in the US as part of their existing rate, which could see them paying as little as $10 per month. Either arrangement will keep us online during a layover, and for that we're thankful -- but there's only one that's likely to have us pulling out our credit cards.
JetBlue dreams of an airport with Google Glass, forgets to include lost luggage
Google has been asking prospective Glass owners how they would use the eyewear if they had the chance. The team at JetBlue did more than write a hashtagged post and call it a day: the airline posted mockups of its vision for how Google Glass would work at the airport. Its concept would mostly save passengers from the labyrinthine mess they know today by popping up useful alerts and directions in the right locations, such as flight times at the gate or (our favorite) the locations of those seemingly invisible power outlets. Of course, JetBlue's images don't necessarily reflect the final product, if there even is one. It's not the likely gap between theory and practice that we're worried about, mind you -- we just have trouble believing in an airport where our flights are on time.
Apple issues new AirPort and Time Capsule firmware, Airport Utility
It's a banner day for updates to all things AirPort. Apple has released version 7.6.3 of its AirPort Base Station and Time Capsule firmware, along with version 6.2 of the AirPort Utility for OS X 10.7.5 and later. The updated AirPort Base Station and Time Capsule firmware brings with it the ability to extend Guest WiFi on networks featuring multiple Base Station units. It also lets you add WPS-capable WiFi printers and adds support for additional countries. It's compatible with all 802.11n AirPort Extreme, AirPort Express and Time Capsule devices. Apple recommends having AirPort Utility 5.6 or later installed on your computer before performing the firmware update. Speaking of AirPort Utility, it's been bumped up to version 6.2 to add the necessary settings for configuring the aforementioned Guest WiFi and WPS printer capabilities. Hit Software Update to download both it and the new firmware. Hat tip to Wheat Williams!
Use Automator to get the Airport Utility 5.6.1 working on OS X 10.8
When I acquired a second printer dedicated to making prints and photos, I decided to dig the older Airport Express I have out of a drawer and set it up to be a wireless print server for that printer. However, I ran into a bit of a snafu: the older Airport Expresses require AirPort Utility 5.6.1 to run. It's still available on Apple's website, but even though it's easy to obtain, you can't run it in Mountain Lion. The actual AirPort Utility 5.6.1 software runs just fine on Mountain Lion. Its installer, however, isn't compatible. The solution I initially discovered, thanks to Douglas Urner in the Apple support communities, was to use Terminal to extract the AirPortUtility.pkg from the installer and dig the app out of it. It worked great, and it nets you a working copy of AirPort Utility 5.6.1. But UI designer Frank Tisellano makes this even easier. He developed an Automator workflow does all the coding work for you. This is the solution for those who aren't comfortable with diving into the inner workings of your Mac. Here's what to do: Download the AirPort Utility 5.6.1 installer from Apple. Download Tisellano's workflow from his website. Drag the AirPort Utility installer file onto the extracted workflow item. Don't just run the workflow, otherwise it won't work properly. Authorize any permissions needed and let the workflow do its magic. Once it's finished, you'll see an AirPortTemp and the older AirPort Utility sitting on your desktop. Move the AirPort Utility to your Utilities folder, trash the other folders, and you're good to go!
