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Artist: I'll trade a (replica) kidney for that $17k Apple Watch
Apple's forthcoming luxury smartwatch has already become a topic of division and debate months ahead of its release. While Apple is counting on five to six million orders once it does go on sale, critics of the device have slammed it as the latest status symbol for wealthy douchebags. Now, San Francisco-based artist Qinmin Liu is ratcheting the hyperbole even further by offering to trade one of her kidneys for the $17,000 flagship model. Well, not literally one of her kidneys (this isn't 2011 China, people) but rather a sculpture of one that she's made. What a deal!
Smartphone 'kill switches' are reducing thefts in big cities
See that shiny flagship phone dangling from the stranger's back pocket? You should think twice about trying to grab it, not only because it's a terrible thing to do, but also because it probably won't do you any good. By the time you've hot-footed it to the pawn shop to hawk your ill-gotten wares, it's increasingly likely that the phone will have been deactivated by a smartphone kill switch. The campaign, launched by San Francisco's George Gascón and Eric Schneiderman way back in 2013 appears to have been a success, helping to remove the perils of tweeting on dark city streets.
San Francisco's Bay Bridge keeps its computer-controlled lights
The 25,000 computer-driven LED lights on San Francisco's Bay Bridge were only meant to be part of a two-year art project, but it looks like they'll eventually become a permanent (and frankly, rather pretty) part of the landscape. The non-profit behind the lights, Illuminate the Arts, has raised the $4 million necessary to both cover the costs of new gear and reinstall the lights after they're taken down during cable maintenance. From then on, transportation authority Caltrans will pay the $250,000 a year it takes to keep the illumination running. There will be a period where the bridge will go dark, but it should resume shining in January 2016 -- conveniently, just ahead of the influx of tourists attending Super Bowl 50. Not all San Franciscans are fans of the installation (they argue that it's out of sync with the region), but these LEDs are here to stay. [Image credit: Chris Marra, Flickr]
LA and San Francisco sue Uber, but settle with Lyft for $500k
Wonder how Uber's week could get worse? Today the district attorneys for Los Angeles and San Francisco announced they're following through on their threat to sue the company, and that they have reached a settlement with its competitor Lyft. According to the DAs (PDF), the lawsuit against Uber is because of "false and misleading statements to consumers." Specifically they take issue with the quality of the background checks Uber claims it uses on drivers and its $1 "Safe Rides" fee, a failure to have authorization to work at airports, and a practice of collecting but not passing on a $4 "airport fee toll" at SFO. SF DA George Gascón and LA DA Jackie Lacey are looking for an injunction to shut Uber's service, penalties and restitution. For its part, Lyft agreed to stop making misleading statements about its background checks, seek authorization from any airports where it offers service and pay $500k in civil penalties. But hey, at least Uber has a Spotify tie-in. Update: Uber spokesperson Eva Behrend said "We will continue to engage in discussions with the District Attorneys" and that Uber is a safe part of the transportation ecosystem. Check after the break for the full statement. [Image credit: ZUMA Press, Inc. / Alamy]
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]
Amazon opening second retail store in San Francisco
Seething with jealousy because you live in California and that Amazon retail store in Manhattan is too far out of reach? Well, maybe the news that the online-shopping giant is setting up shop in San Francisco will help allay any envy. Amazon's City By the Bay pop-up shop is set to open in the Westfield San Francisco Centre October 22nd, according to GeekWire. What's on offer? Mostly Fire devices from the sound of it. It's too early to tell if this store will carry the same benefits as the Gotham retail location (pick-up, drop off or a return spot, namely), but, if anything, it shows that Bezos isn't afraid of trying out traditional sales models in more than one spot, either. If you'd rather not traverse into the city, there's apparently a Sacramento pop-up opening, too.
San Francisco creates a legal framework for Airbnb-style rentals
If you're wondering how many cities will eventually grapple with the legal issues surrounding Airbnb and other internet-based home rentals, you may not have to look much further than San Francisco. Its Board of Supervisors has passed a law that lets these services run, but regulates them to both prevent abuse and give the municipality its due. Hosts not only have to limit whole-home rentals to 90 days per year, but register with the city's Planning Department (which costs $50), pay hotel tax and keep records that prove they're respecting the time restriction. There should also be companion legislation in the future that prevents landlords from evicting tenants to turn their buildings into makeshift hotels. If implemented, it'll let housing non-profits sue to stop these turnovers rather than wait for officials to respond.
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 Big Picture: Not-quite San Francisco's 'Davis Street'
Take a second look at the above image -- it isn't actually a photo. Nope, the entire scene (dubbed Davis Street) was painstakingly created with the graphics rendering suite 3DS Max. To achieve the impressive end result, artist Gilvan Isbiro says that he had to separate the street into two rendering "plans" considering how big the street's surface is. As he tells it, the splitting didn't stop there. Isbiro notes that due to the sheer amount of textures and materials present in the scene, not to mention lighting and post-processing effects like depth of field, that he had to divide the rendering tasks in two: foreground and background. It is, however, a bit embellished compared to the actual intersection of Davis and California in San Francisco. For starters, The City By the Bay does not have trains like the one up above and there's no such Sweet Street. Spot any other liberties that Isbiro took? Let us know in the comments.
Google letting curious explorers take Glass for a free spin
Glass has run the opinion gamut from "great" to "hate" to "surprisingly useful," but Google thinks you should forget all that. We just received an invitation (after the break) to several Google Glass "Basecamp" offices with the following teaser: "There's a lot of talk about Glass, but have you tried it for yourself yet?" If you're near San Francisco, LA or New York, you'll need to schedule an invitation for a fitting, service or a demo. For those worried about the original, not-so-stylish cyborg look, Google has hooked up with couture magnate Diane Von Furstenberg to create more normal eyewear designs. And of course, anybody can get them now -- as long as you're willing to burn $1,500.
San Francisco bans apps that let you buy and sell public parking spots
Anyone who's ever driven in San Francisco knows that parking in the city can be a nightmare -- garages are often expensive and street spaces are almost impossible to find, especially during peak hours. Several parking apps have cropped up to resolve that issue, a few by allowing folks to auction or sell their spots to others. Sounds like a neat way to make money, right? Well, there's a very important snag: buying and selling public parking spaces like that is illegal. San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera has just issued a cease-and-desist demand today to Monkey Parking, an iOS app that lets users bid for other people's parking spaces. The letter cites San Francisco Police Code section 63(c) that states: "It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to enter into a lease, rental agreement or contract of any kind, written or oral, with or without compensation, for the use of any street or sidewalk."
San Francisco takes the pain out of joining secure public WiFi
Security on public WiFi tends to be either non-existent or a bit of a hassle; it's not fun to track down passwords just so that you can get online from the street corner. If you frequently visit downtown San Francisco, though, it's now a relative breeze. The city has launched a new version of its public WiFi that uses the Hotspot 2.0 standard to give you an encrypted connection with a minimum of fuss. So long as you're using a recent platform (newer Android devices as well as iOS 7, OS X Mavericks and Windows 8), you only have to install a simple profile to get going instead of putting in some credentials.
Amazon's same-day delivery service adds two cities, but loses one
Amazon's same-day delivery option has been a boon to impatient shoppers in those few areas where it's available, and it's significantly expanding its reach today -- with one notable exception. The speedy shipping is now available in Dallas and San Francisco, letting locals get some of their orders on a given day by 9PM that night. If you're not an early riser, you'll also be happy to know that cutoff times for same-day ordering are getting later. Those in Dallas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Francisco and Seattle can purchase as late as 12:15PM and still expect a package by the evening. Indianapolis residents, meanwhile, can check out by 11:30AM instead of the previous (and not very realistic) 7AM.
Made it: Mark Zuckerberg joins Madame Tussauds
A net worth of $27 billion. Doesn't wear socks. [Image: Mashable/Kurt Wagner]
Anti-violent game politician Leland Yee arrested in connection to gun trafficking
In a turn of events that sound an awful lot like something out of Grand Theft Auto, a prominent politician has been arrested on corruption, gun-running and money laundering charges. The irony here is that it's California Democratic Senator Leland Yee, who was a vocal supporter of gun regulation and also authored AB-1179, the (defeated) bill that would have outlawed the sale of violent video games to the Golden State's minors. As the San Francisco Chronicle reports, the arrest was part of a lengthy sting that brought in some 26 other perps and even involved Yee taking campaign donations from an FBI agent posing as a mafioso. Yee's out on a $500,000 bond according to SF Weekly, but he's due back in court next week and is facing 16 years in prison.
Google Barge bids farewell to San Francisco, to make Stockton its new California home
Still think of the Google Barge as a wacky idea from a company that makes more money than it knows what to do with? Well, Mountain View will soon prove that a floating building has its merits: for one, when the company gets in trouble with authorities, it can get the hell out of dodge... literally. According to CNET, the vessel is slated to set sail to Stockton, California, after it was discovered in early February that it didn't have a construction permit in San Francisco. The barge is still a work in progress (hence the need for the proper paperwork), but once it's done, it will showcase the company's more avant-garde creations like Glass, autonomous cars and other projects from Google X's lab. Google's moving because the 35-day window it got from the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission to secure a permit is almost up. Without the permit, Google's liable to be fined up to $30,000. Clearly, even though 30 grand is pocket change for the tech giant, it chose to pack its bags and finish construction in friendlier waters (read: outside BCDC's jurisdiction). A rep from the Treasure Island neighborhood (where the barge is currently moored) said the vessel could leave as soon as next week, and since Stockton's just on the other side of the bay from SF, it'll be there in no time. Fingers crossed that Google can now focus on finishing construction, because we can't wait to confirm if the barge's party deck exists.
Square's Pickup app streamlines ordering take-out in San Francisco
If you thought ordering a new shirt from Uniqlo and grabbing it from the store 20 minutes later was rad, Square has something similar cooked up for your favorite restaurants. The outfit is demoing a new Android and iOS application called Pickup at a handful of San Francisco eateries, according to Priceonomics. With the app, Square is streamlining the food ordering process to a few taps on your smartphone: you choose an item from the menu, pay for it and then, well, pick it up. Given Square's popularity with small businesses (especially with competition from GoPago, GrubHub and OrderAhead), hopefully it isn't long before the outfit releases Pickup outside of NorCal.
Valve's 'Free to Play' is a documentary about pro-gaming's first million-dollar tourney (video)
For many, words like "MOBA" and "Dota 2" might sound more like random collections of letters than a massively popular gaming genre and game, respectively. Valve, Dota 2's developer, wants to educate the masses by putting the game and a trio of its international players under the microscope in Free to Play. One might find Valve's efforts feel a tad self-serving when compared to, say, Indie Game: The Movie, but, based on the trailer, the documentary seems more like a look at the human side of professional gaming than it does an advertising puff piece. If checking the film out and sitting in on a Q-and-A session with its creators sounds like a good time, tickets to next month's San Francisco premiere are $25 through Eventbrite. Can't make it NorCal? The doc will be available for free on Steam, as well -- just like the game that inspired it.
San Francisco starts offering free WiFi, but only on Market Street
San Francisco promised city-scale free WiFi nearly seven years ago, and today it's finally acting on that promise -- if not quite with the same ambition it had in 2007. The city is now offering up to 50Mbps of gratis wireless internet, but only along a 3-mile stretch of Market Street between the Embarcadero and Castro Street. This is effectively a test run for the future park WiFi project, CIO Marc Touitou tells AllThingsD; any wider coverage will depend on how well this initial experiment works out. Despite the limited coverage, this could still be a boon to poorer residents and tourists who would otherwise stay offline.
Here's what Google's mystery barge is going to look like
What's 50-feet tall, 250-feet long and outfitted with decorative "fish fin" sails? Google's so-called mystery barge, apparently. Mum's still the word in Mountain View, but at the Port of San Francisco, details about the floating technology scow are starting to emerge. Documents obtained by the San Francisco Chronicle through the Freedom of Information Act describe an "unprecedented artistic structure" built from recycled shipping containers with collapsable sails "reminiscent of fish fins, which will remind visitors that they are on a seaworthy vessel." It's also expected to carry 1,000 visitors a day, docking at ports in San Francisco, Fort mason, Redwood City and at the Riveter Historical National Park in Richmond. On board, an exhibition area will be used for "local organizations to engage with guests and gain visibility in a unique way." Although the above statements come from paperwork filed by a firm called By and Large LLC, they closely match the simple description Google issued earlier this week, which said it was "exploring using the barge as an interactive space where people can learn about new technology." That plan still seems to be in the early stages though, as the Port of San Francisco says the documents are just part of a preliminary proposal. It seems like Google still has some permits to hurdle before it can finish the sea-bound showroom, but the documents promises it'll be a sight to see in the end. "The artistic structure combines innovative architecture with a bit of nautical whimsy," it says. "The structure will stand out." Sounds like it.
