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Watch an entire New York City music festival live in VR
NextVR and Live Nation are getting pretty good at covering concerts in VR compared to others, and now they're amping up their ambitions. In partnership with Citi, they'll broadcast the Global Citizen Festival live in VR from New York's Central Park on September 23rd, with performances by The Chainsmokers, The Lumineers, Big Sean, Alessia Cara and others. They're also presenting "Backstage with Citi," with access to artists, bands and producers not available to concert-goers.
How Bodega typifies Silicon Valley’s cultural ignorance
On Wednesday a story about two ex-Google employees receiving an obscene amount of money for a bad idea hit social media and was met with a level of outrage you could feel through the screen. If you're online in any way whatsoever, you likely know I'm talking about Bodega. The excellent article, Two Ex-Googlers Want To Make Bodegas And Mom-And-Pop Corner Stores Obsolete, hit several raw nerves with a wide range of people. This fury is so crystallized because "Bodega" -- an overfunded, probably doomed, glorified vending machine startup positioned as a bodega killer -- stands for everything Silicon Valley represents to us. Whereas in reality, the very concept of a bodega stands for the absolute opposite of Silicon Valley.
Nike can make a pair of custom shoes in under an hour
If you've been itching for a custom pair of kicks, then you'll want to take note of Nike's latest announcement. This month, the athletic company will open Nike Makers' Experience at the Nike By You Studio in New York. Part of that experience is the ability to create Nike shoes with a custom look. And you don't even have to wait for them: From start to finish, the process takes less than 90 minutes -- significantly faster than something like Nike's Bespoke iD process that takes 6 - 8 weeks for delivery.
NYPD is already replacing its Windows phones with iPhones
The NYPD is learning a hard lesson about the dangers of buying a declining smartphone platform in bulk. The New York Post understands that the police force is replacing all 36,000 of its officers' Windows phones with iPhones just two years after the rollout began. It's not exactly clear as to why, but Microsoft recently ended support for Windows Phone 8.1 -- the standard-issue Lumia 830 and 640 XL devices won't get any help if something goes wrong. The switch to iPhones also suggests that the NYPD doesn't see a long-term value in upgrading to Windows 10 Mobile.
Fox broadcasts Formula E's historic NYC races starting July 15th
Formula E is about to make history by bringing racing back to New York City, and you'll have plenty of chances to tune in... though it's not always live. Fox Sports (the league's official broadcaster) has detailed a coverage schedule for the two Brooklyn races on the weekend, including the pre-race build-up. Everything starts on July 15th at 6:30PM, when FS2 and SDD will rebroadcast the round 9 race's qualifying results. You'll see the race itself an hour later, at 7:30PM. Round 10 qualifying will air 11AM on July 16th. The real fireworks start at 12:30PM on the 16th -- that's when the pre-race (and half an hour later, the race itself) broadcasts live on TV. Both races will livestream online through Fox Sports Go, though you'll need a TV subscription to take advantage of internet viewing.
Charmin's ‘Van-Go’ is the on-demand toilet NYC deserves
Everybody's favorite cartoon shit bear (slow your roll there, Mike Isaac), is coming to New York City! On June 21st and 22nd, the Charmin toilet paper company is running a promotional event wherein folks will be able to order an on-demand, mobile port-a-potty in select neighborhoods throughout the city, right from their smartphones.
Inside Grado Labs: A legacy of hand-built headphones
Grado Labs is a special place. That sounds hyperbolic, but allow me to explain. Behind a graffiti-covered Brooklyn facade, there's a small factory where the family's namesake headphones and turntable cartridges are assembled. When you step inside the door off of Seventh Avenue into what used to be the family's fruit market and home, a history lesson awaits. And it's not just about this particular company, but of the audio industry as a whole. It just happens to be told through the lens of one New York City family.
New York City's free WiFi kiosks speed up access to social services
When New York City launched its LinkNYC gigabit free WiFi program last year, it was a win for internet accessibility. With over 800 devices currently spread across New York City, the kiosks provide municipal broadband for anyone in WiFi range, as well as charging outlets, free phone calls, maps and directions, 911 access and a built-in tablet anyone can use. While the city unfortunately had to disable the web browsers due to some users' awkward browsing habits, LinkNYC kiosks are getting a new feature that will help users without internet access quickly find social programs and safety net services.
Major League Soccer gets its first eSports player
A number of European soccer teams have their own eSports players, but what about American clubs? Don't worry, they're catching up. New York City FC has signed Major League Sports' first eSports player, Christopher Holly, to represent the outfit in FIFA tournaments. He's definitely not a newcomer to the game -- Holly has been playing some form of FIFA on PlayStation systems for the past 12 years, and plays well enough that he was the top-rated FIFA Ultimate Team player on the planet in December.
NYPD filmed hundreds of BLM and Occupy protests without approval
Police are frequently fond of monitoring protesters, and that includes cops in New York -- NYPD cameras have been a mainstay at large protests over the past several years. However, it's now clear that the NYPD has been skirting internal rules in the process. The Verge has obtained documents showing that the force's video team not only captured over 400 Black Lives Matter and Occupy Wall Street protests between 2011 and 2016, but doesn't appear to have received authorizations or legal reviews.
New York City sues Verizon over its fiber rollout
When New York City said it was upset with Verizon for allegedly backtracking on a promise to bring FiOS service to every household in the city, it wasn't joking around. The city has sued Verizon, accusing the telecom of failing to live up to a cable franchise agreement that required fiber to pass by all residences in the city by mid-2014. The company also didn't complete some requested installations, according to officials.
Once-banned Vigilante app now warns of nearby emergencies
Late last year, Sp0n released a Vigilante mobile app that was supposed to warn you of nearby crimes and emergencies. Or rather, it tried to release the app -- Apple quickly pulled the title after worrying that the name and focus encouraged users to thrust themselves into dangerous situations. After a few months of retooling, however, it's back. The newly rebadged Citizen for Android and iOS will still warn you when someone nearby has reported an emergency to 911, but the emphasis this time is on safety. If there's a robbery in progress down the street, you're encouraged to avoid it. If you are caught up in an incident, however, you'll have tools at your disposal.
Recommended Reading: AI and the future of music
We Are the Robots: Is the Future of Music Artificial? Jack Needham, FACT Artificial intelligence is invading more of our lives by the day and it's going to work making music as well. FACT takes a look at the use of robots for creative exploits and if we as a collective audience are ready for AI to compose our tunes.
New York City expands program linking students to tech jobs
If you ask New York City, the Tech Talent Pipeline is a shining star in its technology education efforts. The program helps students find internships and training that get them cushier tech jobs when they graduate, and it appears to be paying off -- the average starting salary among participants has gone up 34 percent, and 96 percent of first-wave graduates landed jobs. Accordingly, the city is expanding the partnerships for the Pipeline to give more students a chance. The wider participation includes new schools, companies and charitable donations.
Drivers push NYC to require tipping option in ride-sharing apps
In New York City, some ride-sharing services offer an in-app option for riders to tip the driver. Uber doesn't, so the Independent Drivers Guild is pushing the NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) to make a decision on the matter. The group has over 8,000 signatures on a petition that asks the taxi regulators in the city to require app-based transportation services to offer a tipping option. A change in policy would force Uber to add the ability to tip to its app.
New York City starts cracking down on illegal Airbnb listings
New York's ban on short-term rentals has officially started cracking down. As the New York Post reports, a notorious Manhattan landlord and a Brooklyn real estate broker were hit with 17 total violations of the new law. Each violation carries a $1,000 fine.
NYPD will equip all officers with body cameras by late 2019
New York City started trying police body cameras years ago, but it hasn't had a formal agreement to roll them out across the entire force. It's not for lack of trying, though -- the city and the officers' union have been locked in contract negotiations for ages. An agreement is finally in place, however. As part of a new contract, the NYPD will equip every officer with a body camera by the end of 2019. When there are over 34,000 officers patrolling the streets, this could easily be one of the most ambitious body camera projects to date.
New York City tech leaders object to Trump immigration ban
If it wasn't already clear that the tech industry is opposed to President Trump's immigration restrictions, it is now. Hundreds of New York City tech luminaries have signed a letter that urges Trump to change his mind on the policies, many of whom are from companies you'll recognize -- Airbnb, Blue Apron, Comcast Ventures, Foursquare, Indiegogo and Kickstarter are just a few examples. Many of them are CEOs or founders of influential firms, including Uber chief Travis Kalanick.
New York's Citi Bikes are getting laser safety lights
Cyclists have to be wary of everything in big cities, even robotic cars. To help its sharing-service users, Citi Bike in New York is outfitting 250 bicycles with "Laserlight" safety lights from UK company Blaze. They project a bright green bicycle outline 20 feet ahead, effectively giving you a personal bike lane symbol. That helps alert motorists, pedestrians and other cyclists of your presence 30 percent more often than without them, Blaze says.
You can try to pre-order the Nintendo Switch in NYC on Friday
Nintendo will open up pre-orders for its next console, the Switch, at its New York City store on Friday, January 13th, starting at 9AM ET. However, things aren't that cut-and-dry. Nintendo notes that there will be a "limited quantity" of pre-orders available "while supplies last" at the store.
