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FEMA postpones mobile ‘Presidential Alert’ test to October 3rd
FEMA announced recently that it would be conducting a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA). Both were initially scheduled to take place on September 20th, but FEMA said today that the WEA test has been postponed until October 3rd. The delay is due to severe weather stemming from Hurricane Florence and ongoing response efforts.
FEMA will test mobile 'Presidential Alert' on September 20th
Don't be surprised if your phone (and everybody else's) goes into a panic in the near future -- that's on purpose. FEMA and the FCC are conducting a national test of both the Emergency Alert System and Wireless Emergency Alerts on September 20th starting at 2:18PM Eastern. If you're included in the test, your device will receive a tone and a "Presidential Alert" warning that makes clear this is just a dry run. You can't opt out, and if circumstances make it inappropriate to send an alert, the test will be postponed to October 3rd.
Watch NASA test Orion's parachutes by dropping it from a plane
NASA has been putting the Orion capsule's parachute system through rigorous testing for years -- it has to work perfectly if it's meant to ensure a safe landing for the spacefarers onboard, after all. Now, the agency is getting ready for its final test in a series of eight and will broadcast the event live on NASA TV, the agency's website and Orion's Facebook page, starting at 10:15AM Eastern on September 12th.
Twitter design test brings Explore and Bookmarks to the web
Twitter is testing a redesign that brings some features from its mobile app and browser to the desktop. The trial run, which the company says a small number of people are already seeing, adds the Explore tab and Bookmarks to the desktop site, along with some other features.
Mira's AI-powered fertility monitor is now available for purchase (update)
A company called Mira showed off its fertility monitor at CES earlier this year with the promise that it's much more accurate than the other digital trackers out there. Now, the technology is finally available for purchase worldwide. Mira's Fertility Starter kit comes with an AI-powered egg-shaped analyzer and 10 disposable test wands. Unlike the trackers that only tell you if you're ovulating or not, Mira tells you the quantity of Luteinizing hormone (LH) in your urine, which means you can use it to determine your peak fertility days. You only have to pee on a wand and stick it into the monitor to get your results.
Twitter is testing threaded replies and status indicators
Twitter wants to be more conversational -- and apparently more like a message board and a chat app. In a post retweeted by Twitter chief Jack Dorsey, the company's head of product Sara Haider showed screenshots of two features the platform is testing. One of them is reply threading, which shows responses as nested, color-coded tweets. They seem more similar to Reddit's threads and Facebook's, since even a response to a response is indented.
DNC cyberattack scare was just a phishing test
Yesterday, reports surfaced that the Democratic National Committee had been the target of a phishing scheme aimed at collecting officials' login information for a voter database. But it turns out the incident was just a security test. "We, along with the partners who reported the [fake] site, now believe it was built by a third party as part of a simulated phishing test on VoteBuilder," DNC Chief Security Officer Bob Lord said in a statement to the Washington Post. "The test, which mimicked several attributes of actual attacks on the Democratic party's voter file, was not authorized by the DNC, Votebuilder nor any of our vendors," he said.
Netflix test interrupts your binge session with video promos
Netflix is trying out a new way to suggest content to viewers: Show them promos between episodes. The streaming company confirmed the tests to TechCrunch, but it doesn't appear to be a feature rolling out to everyone -- only a "small percentage" of subscribers will see the experimental psuedo-ads. And yet, the few viewers who have are irate, claiming the full-video interruptions are just as bad as commercials.
YouTube tests Explore tab for even more video recommendations
YouTube experiments with new features all the time, including GIF-like video previews and auto-generated thumbnails. Now, the video-sharing company is testing a new Explore tab that it will roll out to one percent of iOS YouTube app users over the next few weeks.
Instagram test lets public accounts remove followers
You've long had the option to remove Instagram followers if you keep your account private, but that's something of a compromise. Why do you have to shut yourself off from the outside world just to keep out a few undesirables? You might not have to make that choice going forward. Instagram has confirmed that it's testing an option to remove followers while maintaining a public account. While it hasn't share more details than that, the app informs testers that it won't notify soon-to-be-former followers that you're leaving them behind. Much as with other social networks, that's likely to minimize outrage from people who can't handle the rejection.
Spotify tests stripped-down lite version of its app
Spotify is eager to add to its 170 million monthly users, and it's testing a new way to get there. Android users in Brazil (or perhaps elsewhere if you know where to look) can try Spotify Lite, which pares down the main app to something less storage and data hungry. Spotify says it works on all Android phones and in all network conditions.
Uber trials cheaper rides for people who are willing to wait
There are times when you need to get an Uber right away, even if it's at a peak hour and prices are through the roof. But there are times when you have the luxury of waiting for your Uber to arrive -- those are the instances Uber had in mind when it cooked up an experimental feature that allows you to wait for a cheaper ride. Quartz has spotted a tweet by an Uber employee showing a screen that tells users what time fare are lowered and by how much. That tweet has since been deleted, but a spokesperson has confirmed to the publication that the feature is real -- it's just that you can't use it to save a few bucks just yet.
Watch a Tesla Model X zoom inside a Boring Company tunnel
Someday, The Boring Company's tunnels could become a busy network of passenger-carrying shuttles, private vehicles and bicycles trying to dodge traffic. But right now, its existing tunnel under LA is pretty ahem boring -- save for a short moment last week when the company tested its vehicle transportation platform using a Tesla, that is. Sure, the event wasn't nearly as exciting as the time SpaceX sent Elon Musk's cherry-colored Roadster to space, but it still shows how a platform running on the tunnel's tracks would ferry private vehicles from one point to another.
Ford's 'self-driving' Postmates test actually has a driver at the wheel
The next time you order food from Postmates in Miami or Miami Beach, don't be too surprised if you have to grab your Cuban sandwiches from what looks like a self-driving van. Ford's latest autonomous delivery test is underway, as the automaker has partnered with Postmates to bring you goods from more than 70 local businesses. But there's actually a driver behind the tinted windows -- Ford says the Transit Connects give the appearance that they're autonomous vehicles.
Consumer Reports will give Tesla’s Model 3 another shot after brake fix
After Consumer Reports once again slammed a Tesla vehicle -- this time, the automaker's eagerly-anticipated Model 3 -- the publication said it will retest the car following a software update. The car company's CEO Elon Musk promised a firmware revision will come in the next few days to address one of Consumer Reports' biggest sticking points: The car braked far more slowly than competitors, taking even longer to come to a complete stop than a Ford pickup truck.
CRISPR pioneer wants to make an at-home test that detects disease
Biotech company Mammoth Biosciences is working on a simple, portable test that would give everyone, from healthcare professionals to just people at home, the ability to detect various diseases, infections and cancers quickly and easily. The test would use CRISPR to determine which bacteria, viruses or genetic mutations were present in a person's blood, saliva or urine and a companion app would inform users about what was detected. "Imagine a world where you could test for the flu right from your living room and determine the exact strain you've been infected with, or rapidly screen for the early warning signs of cancer," Mammoth CEO Trevor Martin said in a statement. "That's what we're aiming to do at Mammoth -- bring affordable testing to everyone."
YouTube's 'miniplayer-bar' keeps videos at the top as you scroll
It looks like YouTube is testing more than one multitasking feature on the web. Aside from giving select users access to its experimental picture-in-picture floating video panel on desktop, it's also testing a video bar that follows you as you scroll down the page. According to the Engadget editor who was able to trigger the behavior on his account, YouTube's code calls it the "miniplayer-bar." It allows you to continue watching a video, albeit in a smaller panel, while you scroll down, say, to check out the video list on the "Up Next" sidebar or to read YouTube's infamous comment section.
Lyft will test its autonomous cars in a former military base
In July 2017, Lyft announced that it's joining the autonomous vehicle race and even opened a dedicated research facility in Palo Alto. Now, it's already preparing to put its technology to the test: the ride-hailing firm plans to test its self-driving cars at Gomentum Station in California. It's a 5,000-acre autonomous vehicle proving grounds, which used to be the Concord Naval Weapons Station military base. Testing vehicles at the proving grounds will bring Lyft closer to unleashing its vehicles on public roads -- something it has to do before it can officially release a self-driving fleet.
FDA greenlights 23andMe's direct-to-consumer cancer risk test
Cancer screening isn't all that accessible -- you typically need an obvious genetic background that suggests you're at risk, which doesn't help if you slip between those cracks. You shouldn't have to run that gauntlet for much longer. The US Food and Drug Administration has approved a 23andMe direct-to-consumer test that details the risks of breast, ovarian and prostate cancer based on BRCA1 and BRCA2 genetic mutations. Once the report is available, you wouldn't have to worry about qualifying for a screening -- you could send in a saliva sample and find out on your own terms.
Watch the world's largest plane hit 46MPH in latest taxi tests
While Stratolaunch didn't meet its original 2016 launch goal, the company has been putting its massive plane through one test after another over the past year. During its most recent tests, the 500,000-pound aircraft with a 385-foot wingspan has successfully reached a top taxi speed of 46MPH. It still hasn't taken to skies, but that's a huge improvement over the 28MPH it hit during the first taxi tests the space transportation company conducted in December.
