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Shyp helps reverse a tech trend by hiring contractors as staff
Tech companies like Uber may be fighting tooth and nail to keep their workers as contractors and avoid dealing with costs like insurance and taxes, but Shyp isn't having any of that. The shipping service has announced that it's treating all of its couriers as full-fledged employees, with all the benefits and covered expenses that come along for the ride. As the company explains, this isn't about thumbing a nose at anyone. Instead, the focus is on "owning" the whole experience and improving what you get. It's only really possible to offer better supervision and training to dedicated staff, Shyp's CEO says. Also, he's betting that this will pay dividends down the road as you deal with more committed, experienced couriers.
Amazon: Hey public, can you deliver this package for us?
Amazon may be considering yet another way to get packages from its distribution centers to your front door. No, it doesn't involve more drones or warehouse bots. According to the Wall Street Journal, Amazon wants to hire members of the general public to act as impromptu delivery drivers -- kind of like what Sidecar does -- rather than paying UPS to deliver the goods. The service, which could be called "On My Way", would store packages at local brick-and-mortar retailers in urban areas where the company's new couriers could grab them.
Amazon won't charge for shipping on small, light items
In an effort to better compete with rival eBay, Amazon announced a new service today that offers free shipping on small, lightweight items for every customer -- not just Prime members. Dubbed "Fulfillment by Amazon Small and Light" the new shipping scheme will bring tiny items your door in four to eight business days without the need for a minimum order value. The items just need to weigh less than 8 ounces, measure under 9x6x2 inches and cost less than $10 to qualify. Amazon reportedly hopes to attract a wider customer base including cost-aware shoppers -- ie folks worried that shipping and handling will cost more than their ear bud inserts. Additionally, the new program will act as an alternative to the company's existing $99 a year, delivery-in-two-days Prime subscription.
eBay's testing Amazon Prime-like shipping service in Germany
Amazon Prime offers many benefits to its subscribers, starting with super-fast shipping on web purchases. Not surprisingly, retail competitor eBay must try to match this. Over in Germany, the company has started trialling a program slightly similar to Prime, reportedly called eBay +, which will be launching in the second half of this year. Buyers there are said to have to pay between €15 and €20 (roughly $17 and $22) per year, an amount that would be reasonable considering the service's main purpose: free, fast shipping and other undisclosed exclusive benefits.
Amazon trial delivers packages directly to Audi cars
Tired of having to stay home (or ship to the office) just to collect your online orders? If you live in Germany and drive the right car, you might not have to. In an expansion of what Volvo tried last year, Amazon is teaming up with Audi and DHL for a trial that delivers Amazon Prime purchases directly to connected Audi cars in the Munich area. All you have to do is provide the rough location of your car during the delivery window -- after that, the DHL courier gets temporary access to the trunk of your vehicle to drop off your packages. Suffice it to say that this could be more than a little handy if you're busy working or visiting family. The trial will only involve a handful of people when it kicks off in early May, but here's hoping that it expands quickly... the days of staring anxiously at your front door could eventually come to an end.
Amazon tests courier drones in Canada to avoid US hassles
When Amazon said it would take its delivery drone testing abroad, it wasn't kidding. The Guardian has learned that the internet shopping giant is testing its robotic Prime Air couriers in Canada (the province of British Columbia, to be exact) to get around what it sees as frustratingly slow US approval. As Amazon's Paul Misener explains, the company isn't willing to wait until American regulators find an "impetus" to legalize these drones. It rejects the Federal Aviation Administration's portrayal of US airspace as uniquely complex. Canada and European countries also have a lot of air traffic, but they've still approved lots of testing and commercial drone flights.
Amazon hosts a robot competition to automate its warehouses
Amazon leans heavily on warehouse robots to assist workers and fulfill your orders on time, but these machines still can't pack items quickly enough to replace humans. However, the internet giant is determined to make these mechanical helpers more useful. It's holding a competition at a conference this May to see who's best at producing an autonomous robot that grabs products off shelves and stuffs them into boxes. This may sound like a relatively straightforward challenge, but it isn't -- the bots have to grab a variety of objects while breaking as little as possible, including fragile things like food.
Packing peanuts are the key to fast-charging batteries
Hate buying some new gadget, only to wind up with a sea of packing peanuts that do little more than spill on to the floor? Don't be too quick to toss them out -- they may be the key to a new generation of lithium-ion batteries. Purdue University researchers have developed a heating process that converts these shipping leftovers into anodes (where lithium ions are stored during charging) made from carbon. On top of eliminating waste, this technique should lead to batteries that recharge much faster. The carbon anodes are only a tenth as thick as their commercially available counterparts, so they don't produce nearly as much electrical resistance.
Crowd-based shipping service lets you use Waffle House for pickups
If you're running a crowd-driven shipping startup that delivers packages through helpful travelers, where would you have people pick up their goods? A restaurant, apparently. Roadie has forged a deal that will have Waffle House locations serve as some of its pickup points -- yes, you can get pecan waffles at the same time as you're collecting your new food mixer. The theory goes that you're meeting at a safe, friendly place instead of taking chances with your rendezvous. It's a strange move, but it makes sense. Roadie doesn't have (or need) the store network of a big courier like FedEx or UPS, so it might as well choose a nationwide retail chain that you probably know well.
Shyp for Android is now shypping
Shyp, an app that helps making shipping goods easier, is now available for Android. The app has been on iOS for the past eight months or so (though it was in beta for awhile before that), and is currently live in San Francisco, New York and Miami, with plans to expand to Los Angeles. The way the app and service works is this: You snap a picture of the thing you want to send, enter in the relevant shipping and payment details and request a pickup. A guy from Shyp will pick it up -- you can even track his or her movements with the app -- package it and ship it for you. The cost is $5 plus the retail rate of the shipment, which is often on par with what UPS or FedEx would quote you.
Royal Mail wants you to 3D print gifts right before you ship them
Let's say you're in a real hurry to mail gifts this holiday -- so much so that you forgot to buy those gifts before you reached the post office. Are you stuck? Not if the UK's Royal Mail has something to say about it. The organization is teaming with iMakr on a trial program that lets you 3D print goods and promptly ship them afterward. You can bring in your own creations or, if you're in a real pinch, choose from ready-made designs ranging from the stamp magnet above (£5) to a wine cooler (£45).
Amazon shows off the robots handling your holiday orders
Amazon gets a lot of orders during the holidays -- enough that shipping companies sometimes buckle under the load. How's it supposed to cope this year? With robots, apparently. The online shopping giant has revealed that its newest wave of US fulfillment centers make heavy use of automatons to ship your order on time. Kiva robots (the little machines you see above) are around to shuttle smaller goods around the warehouse, while Robo-Stow arms move the larger volumes. There are also shiny new vision-based systems that help workers unload a trailer's worth of stock in 30 minutes, rather than hours. While humans will still play an important role (Amazon will need 80,000 of them this season), they'll hopefully have an easier time dealing with the crushing demand.
Amazon lends Prime perks to other online retailers
In an effort to get Prime in more places around the web, Amazon announced its first effort with an outside retailer today at the Money2020 Conference. AllSaints, a British clothing retailer, is the first to opt in to the online shopping giant's paid membership. Customers can sign-in and pay with an Amazon account all while the same free next shipping that comes from shopping at the mothership (with no minimum purchase). AllSaints products show up in search results on Amazon, but the transaction happens at its own site, and it handles the logistics. "Prime could be the VIP pass to the Internet," AllSaints' Rich Ascott told Recode.
Report: Sony to ship 200K PS4s to China by December
Sony plans on bringing 200,000 PS4 systems to China by December, Bloomberg reports. The number comes from a filing on the Chinese (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone website, which reportedly notes that Sony intends on shipping that many consoles to the region on an annual basis. Sony Computer Entertainment spokesman Masaki Tsukakoshi confirmed the report with Bloomberg and noted that the actual PS4 production amounts may vary. This follows news of Microsoft's relative success in China, as it reportedly sold 100,000 Xbox One consoles in its introductory week. Microsoft is the first to bring an official foreign console to China in 14 years since the government lifted its console ban in January. China issued a new set of rules for foreign video game and console sales in April, one of which requires that companies work with a China-based partner. Sony paired with the Shanghai Oriental Pearl Group in May to bring the PS4 to the country. [Image: Sony]
Where in the world is your iPhone 6?
If you checked your iPhone 6 (or 6 Plus)'s shipping status before making coffee, walking the dog or catching up on your favorite tech site this morning, you're definitely not alone. With a record number of pre-orders this year, there are thousands of soon-to-be iOS 8 users doing exactly the same thing. If you want to take your obsession to new heights, however, the aircraft tracking service FlightAware is eager to help. Once you receive a UPS tracking number for your precious cargo, you can head on over and track the exact location of your phone, be it in China, Anchorage (for a re-fueling stop), the Louisville (Kentucky) distribution center, or somewhere in between. Or you could just wait patiently for the doorbell to ring. [Photo credit: Getty Images]
Online stores now have to ship your orders on time, or else
Internet stores can sometimes be far too optimistic about the time it takes to ship your order -- just ask the scores of gift givers whose packages arrived late last year. They'll have to be much more pragmatic from now on, though. The FTC has issued new rules requiring that retailers ship within a "reasonable" selected timeframe, or within 30 days if they can't provide a date. If they don't meet their targets, they'll have to either get your permission for a delay or issue a prompt refund. You can still change your mind even if you agree to wait, and saying nothing will still get your money back. The new guidelines take effect on December 8th, so you can buy your holiday presents online with a little more confidence this time around. [Image credit: AP Photo/Paul Sakuma]
Those new iPhones are facing delays in China
With introduction of two iPhones last year, Apple looked to gain ground in overseas markets like China. Now, hours after the announcement of its next round of phones, the folks in Cupertino are facing issues getting the new wares to parts of Asia. In fact, it has already told three of mainland China's largest phone companies that it won't be able to stock shelves with the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus on the September 19th launch day. The New York Times reports that the devices have yet to receive regulatory approval needed for the release, but Apple didn't give a specific reason for the hold up. Back in July, state-run Chinese Central Television expressed concerns that iOS location-tracking logs could be used to nab classified info, and were a threat to its national security -- a claim which Tim Cook and Co. were quick to reject.
Amazon's same-day delivery expands in six cities
If you're the sort who just can't wait to get household goods but cringe at having to brave the lines at the local store, today might be your lucky day. Amazon has officially expanded its same-day delivery options in six cities that include Baltimore, Dallas, Indianapolis, New York City, Philadelphia and Washington, DC. You can now order from a catalog of a million common items (such as movies, games and supplies) and expect to get the shipment within hours. You can pull the trigger as late as 12:15PM in most places, and up to 1PM in Baltimore and Washington. Just be prepared to pay for those urgent arrivals. As before, same-day shipping costs $10 (plus 99 cents for every extra item) if you're an ordinary customer, and $6 for all items if you're a Prime subscriber.
Amazon Prime members get a $1 video credit for choosing slower shipping
One of the most attractive benefits of subscribing to Amazon Prime is the free two-day shipping or an overnight option available for a small fee, depending on the item and destination. But in many cases, you might not need your stuff until the following week, making the e-tailer's new "no-rush shipping" option appealing. If you opt for Amazon's slowest delivery speed, you'll also be rewarded with a $1 Amazon Instant Video credit. Credits do expire, and certain content is excluded, such as HBO titles. It's a "limited time offer," according to the site's terms and conditions, but considering the cost savings for Amazon, it wouldn't be unreasonable to expect the incentive to remain.
Nintendo posts $97M quarterly loss, despite Mario Kart 8 racing off shelves
Mario Kart 8 enjoyed a great attach rate with shipments of 2.82 million by the end of June, but the vast majority of its success can be attributed to existing Wii U owners and not new buyers. Nintendo shipped 510,000 units of its home console across April to June, a quarter in which the company endured a 9.924 billion yen net loss, which converts to $97.2 million. The systems's total shipments as of June 30 rose to 6.68 million; Nintendo still expects to hit its target of 3.6 million units across the fiscal year, which would take the console to 9.77 million by March 2015. The company admitted in May the Wii U "still faces a challenging sales situation," and it will look to build off the success of Mario Kart 8 with the launch of Super Smash Bros. and its set of Amiibo figurines this fall.
