New York City
Latest
More to expect at our free Engadget Expand event in NYC!
If you're keeping score, we've announced a bunch of great speakers heading to this year's Engadget Expand (such as RJD2 and the head of DARPA, Arati Prabhakar). Of course there's plenty more where that came from and we're excited to announce what else you'll see at the Javits Center on November 7-8 in New York City!
Enter our 'In The City' sweepstakes and we'll fly you to NYC for Expand!
So there's this free Engadget Expand shindig happening November 7-8 at the Javits Center in New York City that you've probably heard about. We've announced a bunch of exciting speakers, including RJD2 and Arati Prabhakar (who heads up DARPA), and plenty more will be added soon. You're super pumped and can't wait to experience the future of technology, but don't live anywhere near NYC. What's someone like yourself to do?
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.
Engadget Live Seattle is this Friday!
To all our wonderful friends in Seattle, let's make it clear: there's no better place to be this Friday (July 18th) at 7PM than the Showbox SODO for our second Engadget Live event of the year! Why is this a cant-miss event? Flip through the gallery below to find out.
NY attorney general sues to bar Lyft from the city (update: launch delayed)
Lyft's pink mustaches were all set to prowl New York City's outer boroughs this week, but it seems that the city itself is having none of it: New York's attorney general is pursuing a court order that will block the company from providing transportation services in Queens and Brooklyn. The lawsuit's complaint closely echoes the concerns of the NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission, which labeled Lyft as "unauthorized" earlier this week for failing to comply with its safety and licensing requirements. It seems to be a matter of distinction -- Lyft labels itself as a peer-to-peer transportation network, but the attorney general says its really a traditional taxi service, and as such, it needs to comply with local laws. Specifically, the AG alleges that Lyft "has simply waltzed into New York and set up shop while defying every law passed whose very purpose is to protect the People of the State of New York," stating that the company puts itself "above the law" by calling its fares "donations."
Lyft launching in New York with a focus on serving outer boroughs
Lyft, the Uber alternative with a penchant for pink mustaches, will launch service in New York City at the end of the week. Initially, the ride-on-demand app will focus on boroughs beyond Manhattan, explaining that "Brooklyn and Queens are vastly underserved by public transit options compared to the rest of New York City." This is good news for many city residents -- not to mention Android Wear users eager to summon a car with their smartwatch -- the downside is that Lyft will only pick up customers in Brooklyn or Queens, at least for the time being. In other words, if you're trying to get back home from Manhattan, the app won't help you out. That said, the service will come in handy for those looking to get around in Brooklyn or Queens, or travel from one borough to the other.
New York's next big neighborhood is its smartest
"It was always going to be tomorrow's city today. A new heart of New York City; Midtown expanding west." -- Thad Sheely, SVP operations for Related Companies Tourists come to stop and stare, and sometimes throw pennies. This isn't a long-standing tradition. There are no wishes to make here. It's just a construction site they're filling with change; "the largest development in New York City since Rockefeller Center." Its 28 acres span west from 10th Avenue to 12th Avenue and the Hudson River, and north from 30th Street to 34th Street. The site is home to the final piece of the High Line park; an extension of the number 7 subway line; five office towers and nearly 5,000 residences; 14 acres of public space; a public school; and an active rail yard, from which it gets its name. This is Hudson Yards: New York City's first truly smart neighborhood. Or, it will be when New York University's Center for Urban Science and Progress (CUSP), a partner for the development, finishes outfitting it with sensors.
NYC's first touchscreen subway maps are ready to guide you through the boroughs
It's been a long, long time since New York City revealed its plans to implement a smart maps solution across its subway system. But despite a few delays here and there, it looks as if the project, lead by design firm Control Group and the MTA, is finally beginning to bear fruit. As Gizmodo reports, the first batch of touchscreen subway maps are now ready to be used in some parts of The Big Apple. So far, MTA has installed 18 of these 47-inch panels within Grand Central Terminal, but the idea is to bring them to more underground platforms in the next few months. After spending time using one, Gizmodo describes the maps software as "sluggish" and "choppy," but that's not to say the kiosks don't do what they're expected to -- which is to be a helpful tool for commuters. For example, you can easily find how to get from point A to point B, as well as see when the next subway train is due to arrive at the station, among other things. And hey, even though this won't be for everyone, we have no doubt it'll come in handy for quite a few people.
Time Warner Cable to improve network in NYC and LA, promises faster internet, more reliability, better service
TWC Maxx: The extra "x" means it's better. At least, that's what Time Warner Cable would have us believe about its thusly named new initiative to improve the quality of its pay-TV and internet offerings in Los Angeles and New York. The plan is to deliver at least three times faster internet speeds for every customer except for those on the Everyday Low Price tier (which still should see a more modest speed boost). How so? Well, TWC's going to upgrade its network hubs in those cities. And it's going to retire its analog channels in LA in favor of digital offerings (as it did last year in NYC) in order to free up more bandwidth for SoCal customers. The telco will also continue expansion of its free, public WiFi networks (for business customers and folks on the Standard or better plans). Folks will also have the option to schedule same-day appointments when they're having problems. Last, but not least, TWC announced plans to continue its drive to deliver more On Demand content and to debut an improved set-top box with six tuners and increased storage capacity later in the year.
NYC mayor unveils plans for massive free public WiFi network in Harlem
New York's code-loving mayor had at least one more big tech announcement to make before handing over the keys to the city at the end of the year. Mayor Mike Bloomberg announced plans to launch a free WiFi network in Harlem, spanning 95 of the uptown neighborhood's blocks. The size makes it the "largest continuous free outdoor public wireless network in the nation," by New York City's count, bringing access to 80,000 residents -- a number that includes 13,000 people living in public housing. The rollout will occur in phases, culminating next May, with five years of initial coverage currently planned. More details on the rollout can be found in the source link below.
NYC Chief Digital Officer Rachel Haot on providing digital access to all
"The foundation of New York City's digital strategy is access," explains Rachel Haot, fresh off her Expand press day opening remarks. "We define that as access for all New Yorkers, regardless of income level, regardless of the resources you may have in your household. Libraries play a very vital role in this; schools do as well, [along with] recreation centers run by the city's parks department -- and we've even invested in senior centers, where we are connecting more seniors with the internet and providing training." Haot's served as New York's chief digital offers for three years or so, tasked with the seemingly overwhelming goal of making technology available to the citizens of the largest city in the country. The question of income gaps plays a key role in the city's continued push to bring high-tech jobs to New York as the cost of living threatens to push out potential startups. Haot counters that the city continues to offer affordable spaces in the five boroughs. She also offers up a list of perks the Big Apple provides over those areas we've come to know as tech hubs. "New York City is a completely unique destination that presents completely unique opportunities for any entrepreneur," she adds. "One of the reasons we hear people come here is, first and foremost, diversity. You look at a lot of other tech hubs and it's a one-horse town. It ends up being an echo chamber, or a bit of a bubble. In New York City, you're always kept humble, because there are so many industries, and they're always intersecting. I think that provides and enables enormous creativity and collaboration."
Verizon service coming to 36 NYC subway stations later this year
When it rains it pours -- and pouring rain only stops New York City's 100-year-old mass transit system some of the time. Following its fellow carriers underground, Verizon this morning let it be know that it has inked a deal with Transit Wireless (which has already announced similar partnerships with Sprint, AT&T and the like) that'll bring 3G and LTE voice and data to those 36 Manhattan stations that are already online, later this year. Phase two, meanwhile, will bring 40 additional stations throughout Manhattan and Queens. That part is expected to be completed early next year.
Sprint set to bring coverage to 277 NYC subway stations
When it rains, it pours. As anyone who takes Big Apple public transit can tell you, the days of the brief underground reprieve from wireless are mostly behind us -- in many parts of Manhattan, at least. But if you doubted that the rest of the 100-year-old transit system would be getting some love, let Sprint lay those concerns to rest. The carrier announced this morning plans to bring service to the whole map -- that's 277 underground stations in all, bringing coverage to Sprint, Boost and Virgin Mobile subscribers. Folks on those networks will be getting service in 36 Manhattan stations early next year, followed by 40 more in that borough and Queens.
Introducing .nyc: New York City to get its own top-level domain
New Yorkers are notoriously proud of their city, and what better way to show hometown love than with a .nyc address? According to Mayor Bloomberg's official Twitter account, that will soon be possible for Big Apple residents. The just-launched website for the "ultimate New York City address" (har, har) says the top-level domain will help local businesses' visibility in search results, in addition to eliminating all doubt as to where you reside. "Businesses, organizations and residents" will be eligible for the TLD, with registration beginning in late 2013. When it launches, .nyc will be the first city in the United States to receive a geography-based domain. Did you think New York would settle for anything less?
NY State attorney general asks smartphone manufacturers to help combat theft
Smartphone thefts are running rampant -- especially in New York City -- so much that the practice of grabbing the expensive phones is being referred to as "Apple picking." Bloomberg announced yesterday that New York State Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman has sent letters to executives at Apple, Google, Microsoft and Samsung asking for information and cooperation on measures to diminish theft. In his letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook, Schneiderman said, "I seek to understand why companies that can develop sophisticated handheld electronics, such as the products manufactured by Apple, cannot also create technology to render stolen devices inoperable and thereby eliminate the expanding black market on which they are sold." Schneiderman has concerns that the manufacturers have benefited from sales of replacement devices. In his letter to Google Chairman Eric Schmidt, he chided the search engine company by saying, "Foreign trafficking of stolen devices has proliferated, and an abundance of domestic black market resellers, including right here in New York, means as a practical matter that phones do not, contrary to your website's assertion, become unusable." It's not as if the industry is just sitting back and watching this go on, contrary to Schneiderman's assertions. Apple has been working closely with the New York Police Department to track down stolen devices, and the entire wireless industry is cooperating with the Federal Communications Commission to form a central database of stolen devices to prevent them from being reused. That database, which Engadget notes is up and running, should allow for individual devices to be rendered unusable by carriers after being reported as stolen.
Recent Apple thefts include high-speed NYC chase, Colorado storefront smash-and-grab
Apple devices keep their value, which makes them an attractive target for thieves. Two recent stories highlight how both individuals and Apple stores are vulnerable to theft. One report involves a movie-like high-speed chase, while the other one features a well-timed smash-and-grab heist. The New York Times has a fascinating story about a thief who stole an iPhone from an unsuspecting lady waiting on a corner. He snatched the iPhone from her hand and took off into the crowded streets of Flushing, Queens. She called police who tracked the culprit using Find My iPhone. They hunted him down by car and by foot, finally locating him on a subway car. The thief was identified when the police placed a call to the stolen device and it rang in his back pocket. In a completely different type of theft, employees at an Apple store in Colorado Springs, Colo., were surprised when they arrived for work on Sunday morning. Instead of a typical opening, the employees were greeted with shattered glass and a store that had been turned upside down by thieves. The photo below was supplied by TUAW reader Dan Mosqueda, who also tipped us about this latest smash-and-grab incident. It shows the front of the store boarded up with black-painted plywood. According to a report by KKTV-11, robbers drove their car into the glass front of the Apple store and made off with an undisclosed amount of electronics. An employee at a nearby store observed the aftermath of the theft and said, "It seems like this was very calculated because they obviously knew when to come here, when the security would not be around." The police are reviewing the surveillance video for information on the car and people involved in this crime.
NYC taxis may have to wait longer for app hails
Fans of taxi-finder apps like Uber, Hailo and FlyWheel may have to wait a bit longer before they can raise their iThumbs to flag down yellow cabs in the US' busiest urban area. Per the WSJ, a lawsuit by livery cab drivers may block a rule change that would allow app-based hailing in NYC. While iPhone apps to summon a taxi or "black car" ride are popular in other cities, New York's slightly Byzantine rules governing for-hire cars have made it challenging for these apps to make inroads in the Big Apple. The city's iconic yellow cabs can respond to street hails, but for many years have not been allowed to take phone reservations or centralized dispatch. The lawsuit contends that an e-hail is equivalent to dispatching, and that these apps will encroach upon the for-hire car market. The chairman of the city's Taxi and Limousine Commission, former city council member David Yassky, didn't mince words in his statement responding to the legal maneuverings. "This suit seeks to keep the taxi industry and New Yorkers in the dark ages... Next thing, they'll be suing restaurants to go back to wood-burning stoves. Our rules allow for e-hail now, and the only question is, do we embrace these new services and ensure that consumer protections are in place, or listen to obstructionists and watch e-hail apps proliferate without any regulatory input." Back in December, the TLC approved a year-long pilot test of app-based hailing for yellow taxis. The earliest possible start date for that test was February 15, but now it's possible it may take even longer for the service to kick off. An earlier test by Uber had to be canceled due to too few participating cabs and too much demand, not to mention that the TLC hadn't yet figured out how e-hailing was going to work in the city. Meanwhile, livery cabs, car services and corporate cars can indeed be dispatched by phone and by app -- Uber's app already covers most of NYC's business district -- but they aren't allowed to pick up arbitrary passengers on the street (although many flout the rules). On recent trips to Chicago and San Francisco, I was pleasantly surprised by how effective Uber's cab service was, with a ride showing up promptly in almost all cases (one attempt at rush hour in SF's downtown financial district didn't pan out). I would certainly take advantage of an e-hail tool in NYC, assuming the interested parties ever sort out their disputes. [via Transportation Nation and Crain's New York]
The Daily Roundup for 01.31.2013
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.
The Daily Roundup for 01.16.2013
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.
Bloomberg blames iOS device thefts for NYC crime rise
Crime in New York City is trending slightly upwards this year, and Mayor Michael Bloomberg has picked a strange culprit to blame the rise on: Apple's iOS devices. In his weekly radio show, the mayor pointed out that New York City was home to 108,432 "major crimes" this year, which was 3,484 more than 2011's total. And thefts of Apple products rose by 3,890 in that time, which Bloomberg says put the city over the top. "If you just took away the jump in Apple, we'd be down for the year," according to the mayor's press secretary. Hizzoner himself said that while there are lots of new smartphones and cellphones in New Yorkers' pockets, this is specifically an Apple phenomenon -- he didn't include thefts in this total of other devices, including the Samsung Galaxy. New York City thieves have discriminating tastes in the smartphones they steal, apparently. All kidding aside, Bloomberg also reported that homicides for the year were currently totaled at 414, which puts the city on pace to see the lowest total murders since it began tracking numbers back in 1963. So that's great news. Now if only New Yorkers could be sure to keep their Apple devices secure, we'd see some real drops in "major crimes" next year. [via GigaOm, photo by MSG on Flickr]
