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Tesla's latest Semi electric truck customer is DHL
Tesla has scored an order of ten Semi electric trucks from DHL, which plans to use it for short runs and same-day deliveries in US cities, according to the Wall Street Journal. The transport service also plans to trial it for longer trips and evaluate safety, comfort and other concerns. DHL won't be buying the Semi sight-unseen, as it has reportedly test-driven the rig and worked with Tesla over the past few months.
Amazon's home security Cloud Cam supports Alexa
Along with its "Key" indoor delivery service for Prime members, Amazon has unveiled a new AWS cloud-powered surveillance camera. The infrared-capable Cloud Cam lets you confirm deliveries via the Key service and get custom notifications depending on the activities or people it spots. You can also control up to ten Cloud Cams and see specific views with your Echo device by saying "Alexa, show me the [camera name]."
M&S is tentatively trialling one-hour food deliveries
Marks and Spencer (M&S) is finally coming round to the idea of letting customers order food online for speedy home delivery. The upmarket retailer has confirmed it's taking some very tentative first steps with a home delivery service in the Camden area of London, and a collection option in Woodley, near Reading. This is only being offered to "selected Sparks members" for now, though, making it a particularly limited and exclusive trial.
Tesco's same-day grocery delivery option is going UK-wide
Tesco is today claiming a win over supermarket rivals and the logistical magicians at Amazon after kicking off the expansion of same-day grocery deliveries to cover the whole of the UK -- or 99 percent of households, at least. More than 300 stores are preparing to ship your weekly shop that very evening, provided you order before 1PM that is. There's no item limit, though the delivery fee can range from £3 to £8 unless you're a Delivery Saver member, who can enjoy the service free for a limited time.
Tesco has a one-hour delivery service in London now, too
Tesco has today launched a new one-hour delivery option in London, after having been caught secretly testing the speedy service last month. Via the Tesco Now apps for iOS and Android, customers can order up to 20 products out of a 1000-strong selection from 8AM to 11PM (or from 9AM on weekends). For serious BBQ emergencies, you can ensure delivery within an hour for an £8 fee, or choose the two-hour option for £6 if you've still got a pack of sausages in the fridge. Within the app, you can also track the progress of the moped-riding Quiqup courier entrusted with your supplies.
Honda's next-gen Clarity hydrogen cars land in California
Honda has delivered the first hydrogen-powered Clarity fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) to dealers in Torrance, California, home of the automaker's US campus. Approved buyers can take one home on a lease for $2,868 down and $369 a month for three years, a price that includes 20,000 miles per year and up to $15,0000 of hydrogen fuel.
Drones are delivering blood to hospitals in Rwanda
In Rwanda, transporting critical medicine and blood can be difficult if the patient is in a remote location. Heavy downpours can wash out the roads, and local hospitals are often too small to stock everything their doctors might need. Now, the Rwandan government is side-stepping the problem with a drone delivery program. In the western half of the country, 21 transfusion clinics can request batches of blood via text. The order will be picked up by Zipline, a California-based robotics firm, at its "nest" base in Muhanga. A small drone will then be deployed and, upon arrival, swoop down low to drop the package off at a designated "mailbox" area.
Sainsbury's expands one-hour deliveries in London
Sainsbury's will begin quietly bowing out of the digital entertainment game next month, shutting down its video streaming service and music, e-book and magazine stores. But while the supermarket is admitting defeat in one area, it's doubling efforts in another. Having trialed one-hour grocery deliveries in Wandsworth over the past few months, as of tomorrow Sainsbury's is expanding the service to cover a much larger area of London, spanning Wimbledon to the West End.
Sainsbury's to triple the number of in-house Argos pickup stores
Sainsbury's certainly isn't dilly-dallying after completing its acquisition of Home Retail Group, owner of Argos and Habitat, last week. The supermarket already has plans for its new purchase, namely tripling the number of Argos "digital stores" housed within Sainsbury's locations. These miniature stores are primarily click-and-collect points, though they also stock thousands of items (but not the full catalogue) for instant purchase, later pickup or home delivery.
Sainsbury's trials one-hour grocery deliveries in London
Since Amazon arrived in the UK and started shipping packages (and groceries) either same-day or next-day, brick and mortar retailers have been forced to step up their game. Sainsbury's, one of the big four supermarkets, has already taken one big step to boost its presence by acquiring Argos, but it's now decided to take a page from Amazon's playbook and begin trialling its own one-hour delivery service. It's called "Chop Chop" and it costs £4.99 per order.
Uber's delivery service just went mainstream
You probably know Uber as a company that takes you places. Soon, you may know it as the company that brings you pizza. And groceries. And laundry. And... well, everything. Today, Uber took its on-demand delivery service out of beta, opening the UberRush courier program to any company that wants it. The downside? The delivery program's service area is still limited to just three cities: San Francisco, Chicago and New York.
Festo's flying sphere makes the creepiest drone deliveries
Festo is known for drones modeled on animals, like the Seagull-inspired SmartBird and 3D-printed BionicANTs. We're not sure what animal the "FreeMotionHandling" sphere is supposed to be -- some kind of flying jellyfish, maybe? Regardless, it's one of company's most useful drones so far. Filled with helium, it can soar autonomously in any direction thanks to eight on-board propellers. Guided by indoor GPS and a pair of cameras, it can then grab an object using using the company's tongue-like FlexShapeGripper and absorb it into the body of the balloon.
Amazon expands one-hour Prime Now deliveries in London
When Amazon first brought Prime Now deliveries to the UK, only a select number of London postcodes were covered by the service. In three months, the company has expanded to Birmingham, foreshadowing the launch of Amazon Fresh, but now it's giving its launch city some extra love after opening a new delivery depot in Wimbledon. From today, Prime customers in Merton, Wandsworth and Sutton can take use the Prime Now app to book a one-hour delivery. Users in Kingston, Sunbury and Croydon can now also enjoy free two-hour deliveries for the first time.
Amazon Prime same-day delivery is now free in 14 cities
Amazon can get you a package in an hour, but if you "only" need it the same day, delivery is now free in 14 metropolitan areas. To get the service, you'll need to place an order of $35 or more and be an Amazon Prime subscriber at $99 per year. You'll also need to be in specific urban centers, including San Francisco, New York City, Los Angeles, Boston and Seattle/Tacoma (check your zip code here). The move is yet another carrot for Prime subscribers and probably a blow to brick-and-mortar stores, who now rely a lot on impatient shoppers.
Amazon's one-hour delivery service now features local stores
When it's not busy sending its delivery personnel on the New York subway, Amazon has quietly been working to expand its one-hour delivery service. From today, customers in Manhattan, the company's first Prime Now location, can shop at a number of local businesses and have fresh food delivered within 60 minutes. D'Agostino, Gourmet Garage and Billy's Bakery are the first companies on board, offering groceries, cooked meals and freshly baked cupcakes respectively alongside Amazon's own range of goods. The online retailer is starting small but plans to add more stores across Manhattan over time, with Italian food market Eataly and Westside Market already waiting in the wings. As before, Prime Now's one-hour deliveries cost $7.99, so be sure to factor that in before impulse buying those delicious treats.
Amazon's riding the New York subway to speed up deliveries
Despite its incredible reach, Amazon has always had to play catch-up with brick and mortar retailers when it comes to getting products in customers' hands. If you're in a pinch, you can normally visit a local store and walk out with exactly what you need. Amazon has taken steps to cut waiting times with same-day deliveries in some cities and then one-hour shipments via Prime Now. The only problem with promising such a short delivery period in some of the world's busiest cities is that traffic can be a nightmare. So to get orders to customers in Manhattan, the Financial Times reports that the company has begun loading small pushcarts with packages and taking them on a more efficient means of transport: the New York subway.
Uber's about to get into the delivery business
Uber's already got a taxi and a courier business, so it makes perfect sense that it'd want to muscle in on UPS' turf. TechCrunch has uncovered documents revealing that the outfit is currently testing a system where high-end retailers can use Uber vehicles to make same-day deliveries to impatient customers. According to the site's sources, Neiman Marcus, Louis Vuitton and Tiffany's are all in discussions to sign up when the program launches. It looks as if the eventual goal is that all Uber drivers will be able to take both human passengers and commercial cargo, with all of the information routed through the same mobile app.
Amazon expands one-hour deliveries to Baltimore and Miami
It's easy to just run to the store if you need toilet paper or oranges now. But what if you're looking for uranium ore or a Badonkadonk land tank? Impatient Miami and Baltimore residents will now be able to get such products in one or two hours (or less), thanks to the arrival of Amazon's Prime Now delivery service. This marks the first expansion of Prime Now, which has only been available in Manhattan and Brooklyn so far. Amazon promised to eventually bring it "to a city near you," but to do so, it needs to have fulfillment warehouses near urban centers.
Amazon will now deliver to your local Post Office
As Amazon prepares for another bumper Christmas, the internet giant has been doing all it can to ensure its logistics are in order. Just over a week ago, it debuted free same-day delivery for Prime members, striking a blow against high street retailers, but today it's revealed its biggest delivery coup yet. Amazon customers can now choose to have their orders shipped to their local Post Office, after it teamed up with Royal Mail to add 10,500 Post Office locations to its Pickup Location Programme. That means Amazon now has an impressive 16,000 pickup points in the UK.
Uber for deliveries? Courier service to begin in New York City tomorrow
It's not just a taxi service anymore -- starting tomorrow, Uber might be getting into the delivery business. According to a NYC Craigslist ad, the company is hiring foot and bike couriers to fill on-demand item pickup and delivery requests in Manhattan, issued and received via the company's smartphone app, naturally. The full details of the service haven't been officially released, but Uber's NYC Twitter account teased a Tuesday reveal. Update: It's already official. Uber NYC's Josh Mohrer told CNBC that the service is called UberRUSH, and local same-day delivery will cost users between $15 and $30, depending on how far it has to travel. The service's app will allow users to track their parcel's progress too, and deliveries will be available 24-hours a day. Looking for work, or just need a new phone? Check out the want-ad for yourself: employment apparently comes with a free iPhone 4S. [Image credit: Getty Images/Vetta]
