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Winklevoss twins get approval to run their bitcoin exchange
After several months of waiting, the Winklevoss twins (they who claim to have invented Facebook) have the all-clear to run their Gemini bitcoin exchange. New York state's Department of Financial Services has granted a license to Gemini that lets it run as a chartered trust when it launches on October 8th. This doesn't make it a full-on bank, but it'll have the authority to accept deposits, make loans and serve as an agent for the government across 26 states and Washington, DC. All told, this takes bitcoin one step closer to legitimacy -- important when the virtual currency world still tends to be defined by scandals. [Image credit: Noam Galai/Getty Images for TechCrunch]
NYC plans to offer all public school students computer science classes
NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio wants all public schools in the city to offer computer science classes within the next ten years, according to The New York Times. Some of the best public institutions in the city already offer them, but the government wants to prepare more students for the ever-increasing number of tech jobs in NYC. The city's Office of Strategic Partnerships director Gabrielle Fialkoff said they also need to "address equity and diversity within the sector." Just like the rest of the country, most students who opt for computer courses are male and either Asian or white. The government's likely hoping to get more kids interested in tech and, hence, plant the seeds of a more diverse sector, by starting them early.
You can't fly drones near the Pope during his US visit
Thinking of using a camera drone to get some above-the-crowd footage of Pope Francis during his trip to the US near the end of September? The Federal Aviation Administration would really, really prefer that you didn't. It's instituting drone flying bans in key parts of New York City, Philadelphia and Washington, DC (where there are already strict limitations) throughout the Papal visit. Give in to temptation and you're breaking the law, even if you had no intentions of getting near the religious leader.
Net neutrality expert Tim Wu joins New York attorney general's office
After running for lieutenant governor and serving as a special adviser to the Federal Trade Commission, the man who coined the term "net neutrality" has a new gig. Tim Wu, a professor at Columbia Law School, will take a sabbatical to join the New York attorney general's office as senior lawyer and special adviser to Attorney General Eric Schneiderman. Wu will work on matters of consumer protection and fair competition when it comes to technology. More specifically, issues facing companies that do business over the internet. "If I have a life mission, it is to fight bullies," Wu said in an interview. During his tenure, Schneiderman has dealt with issues concerning internet-based companies like Airbnb and Lyft in addition to advocating for stronger anti-theft features on smartphones. [Image credit: AP Photo/Seth Wenig]
New York City wants to track your car to save you time and money
Insurance outfits have been eager to track cars in the name of lower costs and driver safety, but it looks like even major urban centers are getting in on the action. New York City is launching a Drive Smart test program that will have 400 drivers install an OBD-II tracking device in return for a range of perks. If you get in, you'll get tips on fuel efficiency, route planning and safety based on your driving habits. You'll also receive up to a 30 percent discount on Allstate insurance if you're sufficiently cautious. Ideally, this will save both you and NYC some money, not to mention a lot of frustration -- you won't add to the city's notorious traffic congestion.
The Big Picture: It's always sunny in Brooklyn
Google isn't the only company looking to map out urban skylines ahead of the solar revolution. The folks at MapDwell create surveys similar to Sunroof using technologies developed at MIT, and for more cities to boot. The company has already mapped out New York City, as you can see above, as well as Boulder, Colorado(for growing solar-powered hydroponic kush, obvs), all of the confusingly-named Washington County, Oregon and now San Francisco. "We range irradiation (energy that falls onto the surface) for each city," MapDwell wrote to Engadget. "From zero (dark brown) to maximum or ideal (bright yellow), we call this Solar Access Index or SAI." As such, the southern tip of Manhattan probably isn't the best place for a solar installation. And unfortunately, the service does not also extend to solar-powered food carts.
New York is the latest state to ban powdered alcohol
Powdered alcohol has faced an uphill battle for legitimacy in the US, with 20 states having banned it up until now... and a new, 21st ban could represent its biggest defeat to date. New York Governor Cuomo has signed legislation banning the sale of Palcohol and other forms of crystallized or powdered alcoholic beverages in the state. According to him, it's a "public health disaster waiting to happen" -- it's too easy to create a dangerous mix (or worse, ingest it directly), and underage drinkers can sneak it around largely unnoticed. While there's no national ban yet, it's hard to imagine the tide turning in Palcohol's favor. [Image credit: Gavin Schaefer, Flickr]
Microsoft's Fifth Avenue flagship store will open this fall
Microsoft is apparently readying its new flagship retail outlet to open this Fall on New York's Fifth Avenue. Microsoft Extended Experts Team member Gokan Ozcifci tweeted the image below, which appears to show the storefront at 677 5th Ave with signage reading "Microsoft Store Coming Fall 2015". Microsoft has been pushing its brick and mortar retail business for about five years now. The company has more than 100 outlets in the US, Puerto Rico and Canada and numerous Microsoft-branded store-within-a-store sections at Best Buy and Staples. This will be its first flagship location, just blocks from one of Apple's four Manhattan storefronts.
Winklevoss twins get closer to launching their bitcoin exchange
You may still think of the Winklevoss twins as those guys who claimed to have invented Facebook, but they've just taken a big step toward making their names in the digital currency business. The two have filed a New York trust application necessary for them to launch their Gemini bitcoin exchange. The move won't put Gemini on the same level as a bank if it's approved, but it will let the exchange accept deposits, issue loans and serve as an agent for government institutions.
Lyft pays $300k to get New York off its back
One downside of reinventing an industry is that you can sometimes forget that the red tape you're bravely circumventing was put in place for a reason. It's a lesson that Lyft has learned the hard way after being fined $300,000 by New York for operating a taxi service without the proper insurance. As far as Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is concerned, ride-sharing outfits are welcome in his state, but only if they're making sure they obey the rules and ensure that their customers are safe.
Two states are looking at Apple's deals with record labels
It's no secret that both Apple and music labels are less than fond of free music streaming from Spotify and other services, but are they conspiring together to hurt these services in favor of pay-only options like Apple Music? Not if you ask the attorneys general of Connecticut and New York state. Both of them have accepted a statement from Universal Music Group swearing that it isn't illegally blocking free tunes, indicating that antitrust regulators didn't find evidence of collusion between UMG, rival labels and Apple.
PlayStation's Vue TV streaming app hits iPad in limited release
We've known that PlayStation Vue would hit iPad sooner or later and now Sony's TV streaming service finally has. PlayStation Vue Mobile's available in Chicago, New York and Philadelphia (the same cities the service launched in earlier this year) at the moment, and it's basically the same as what's on your PS4 in terms of functionality. So, video on demand, live TV and access to your favorite shows and channels as long as you're in one of the three aforementioned cities. You still need a PS4 to sign up, of course, and blackout restrictions can occasionally block streaming, just like we've seen with Sling TV. Usually, that means sporting events blacked out for various reasons, but it's worth keeping an eye on.
New York sets rules for running Bitcoin exchange businesses
New York has finally issued an official set of rules for businesses that deal with Bitcoins. If you recall, New York Superintendent of Financial Services Benjamin M. Lawsky and his team have been writing and rewriting those regulations for the past two years, taking criticisms into account. Lawsky has announced the final list during a recent speech at the BITS Emerging Payments Forum in Washington, weeks before he steps down from his position. These rules require businesses to apply for a "BitLicense" from the Department of Financial Services if they want to operate in the Big Apple. The final version clarifies that only companies that offer financial services, such as money exchanges, are required to take out applications, though. Software developers, individuals and retailers can accept cryptocurrency payments without having to go through the process.
Judge rules Pandora has to increase royalty payouts to BMI
Pandora's propensity for litigation is pretty storied by this point, but it seems like the internet-radio outfit's luck has run out. A New York judge has ruled that Pandora must raise its payout rates to Taylor Swift's music publishing house BMI, from 1.75 percent of its revenue to 2.5 percent, according to The New York Times. The full ruling is still being kept under wraps at the moment, but naturally, Pandora says it's going to appeal the decision. Given that an appeals judge recently ruled in the outfit's favor to keep royalty payout rates from rising, it isn't clear what could happen in this instance. For artists' sakes, let's hope that history doesn't repeat itself here. [Image credit: Getty Images for TS]
Despite its looks, this 3D printed violin (probably) won't kill you
It might not be a Stradivarius, but the violin you see above is pretty impressive on its own merits. For starters, it's 3D printed and only has two strings. And that's to say nothing of its appearance; this thing looks like it'd be right at home on The Citadel in Mass Effect. The Piezoelectric Violin (as it's officially called), was concepted by a pair of architects who tell BBC that the impetus for its creation was realizing that the challenges of their day jobs aren't all that different from those faced by composers and musicians. It's still playable by "anyone" too, despite its wild looks. One of its designers tells BBC that the difference between how it and a traditional violin sounds is akin to that of a classical guitar versus an electric Gibson Les Paul. That is, similar, but still pretty different.
Uber cars now outnumber yellow cabs in New York City
You may see yellow taxis as virtually synonymous with New York City transportation, but you might have to reconsider that image before too long. New Taxi and Limousine Commission data shows that Uber cars now outnumber cabs on NYC streets, with 14,088 black and luxury vehicles versus 13,587 taxis. It's not hard to see why the ridesharing service has grown so quickly since its arrival in 2011, mind you. Uber drivers can earn much more in the right circumstances, and they don't have to worry about fixed schedules, complicated licensing or cheapskates who don't pay. This milestone probably won't thrill city officials, who are worried that Uber is both depriving them of tax revenue (since drivers don't need medallion licenses) and playing fast and loose with regulations. However, it's doubtful that there's any going back now -- Uber is huge enough in New York that commuters would notice if it went away. [Image credit: Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images]
Vote your favorite video game into a hall of fame
Video games don't seem to be going anywhere, but the same can't be said for institutions that've wanted to enshrine them. The latest effort comes by way of the folks at The Strong, also known as The National Museum of Play. The New York-based outfit will consider basically any type of game for its freshman class of World Video Game Hall of Fame honorees, be it arcade, console, computer, handheld or mobile. All you need to do is submit your pick on The Strong's website and make a case for why it's your choice. How does the advisory committee choose from there? Well, that's not exactly a scientific process.
New York City schools are getting free access to Office 365
Now's a pretty good time to be a New York City schoolkid. Microsoft has announced that all of the city's public school students (and their teachers) are getting free Office 365 ProPlus subscriptions -- if you qualify, you'll have five desktop and five mobile licenses as long as you're part of the local educational system. Ostensibly, the goal is to make sure that kids won't be "confined to the classroom" and can finish that big book report on any computer.
New York governor wants statewide 100Mbps internet by 2019
With a $1 billion plan, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo hopes to have every New Yorker hooked up to high-speed internet by 2019. The administration is billing it as the largest state investment in universal broadband in the country. Just how fast are we talking, here? In most cases, the program calls for providers to offer at least 100 Mbps, or as Chief Digital Officer Rachel Haot described it at a press conference, "more than 10 times the federal definition of 'broadband.'"
New York City's first commercial wind turbine proves its worth
Sunset Park in Brooklyn is home to New York City's first commercial-scale wind turbine, and it's already flexing its green muscle. In under a month, the 160-foot-tall power source produced enough juice to power two homes for more than 12 months. It's not being used to supplement regular energy use, though, as it feeds a recycling plant at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal -- a facility that already gets 16 percent of its power from solar panels. NYC seems like the last place a massive wind turbine would make a difference, but the height of this installation, coupled with the open landscape on the shore of Sunset Park, makes for an effective combo that's capable of generating up to 100 kilowatts. Attempts to harvest the wind in New York City are nothing new, but they're typically used to power much smaller buildings, so their size and output are a fraction of this one at Sims Metal Management. Construction costs tallied $750,000, and the project is expected to pay for itself in five years. [Photo credit: AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews]
