Baristas are going obsolete as espresso machines move into fancy restaurants and crush humans in a taste test | ||
| | ||
At the same time, I've wondered if machines could make espresso drinks better. It turns out they can. Julian Baggini wrote two years ago in Aeon magazine about how (then) more than 15 Michelin-starred restaurants in London used Nestle's Nespresso machines, as did more than 100 Michelin-starred restaurants in France and more than 20 Michelin-starred restaurants in Italy, with many others using espresso machines from Illy, Kimbo, Lavazza, and Segafredo. Those are some of the fanciest restaurants in the world choosing to use a capsule espresso machine rather than leave coffee to baristas. Baggini held a blind taste test between a Nespresso and the espresso served by a barista in a two Michelin-starred restaurant. The Nespresso won hands down: The traditional house espresso scored 18 points, and was the favourite of one taster. But the clear winner with 22 points was the Nespresso, which both scored most consistently and was the favourite of two of the four tasters. Of course, these were just four people’s opinions. But their consensus fits the judgment of top chefs and Nespresso’s own extensive testing, which must have been conclusive enough for them to have the confidence to agree to my challenge in the first place. It's not surprising when you think about it that a vacuum-sealed dose of perfectly ground beans run through a finely tuned machine would beat a drink that was subject to endless human error. Technically, it’s relatively easy to get hold of the best coffee beans, roast them at the right temperature for the right time, grind them to the right fineness, and then vacuum-seal the right quantity for one shot. From that point on, the coffee will not degrade, effectively being as fresh once the machine pierces the capsule as it was when it went in. Then it’s a matter of hiring leading coffee experts, throwing millions of pounds of R&D at a crack team of engineers, and building a machine that will force the right amount of water through the coffee at the right temperature and pressure. In theory, that is bound to result in a better brew than the traditional process, which, for all its romance, is full of opportunities for degradation and mishap. A bag of beans, once opened, will start to lose its flavour very rapidly once it is ground. Calibrating temperature and pressure is also difficult and subject to human error. While the capsule always contains exactly the same amount of coffee, the amount the traditional barista places in the portafiltro, and the degree to which is it compacted with the tamper, will always differ slightly. Most cafés do not get every step right, and they only get away with it because most people drown their espressos in steamed milk. It's just another thing that machines can do better than humans. All told we're better off to have this technology, created by human ingenuity, though some companies, such as Starbucks, risk falling on the wrong side of the disruption. SEE ALSO: We've reached the point where technology destroys more jobs than it creates Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: It's official: Michael Kors isn't cool anymore  | ||
| |
I've written about how These Google products would fit right into Google's plan to build the city of the future (GOOG) | ||
| | ||
Google unveiled its latest moonshot idea on Wednesday with a new “urban innovation” company called Sidewalk Labs, which has as a mission the lofty goal of re-inventing cities for the modern age. “We want to supercharge existing efforts in areas such as housing, energy, transportation and government to solve real problems that city-dwellers face every day,” Google CEO Larry Page declared in the press release announcing Sidewalk Labs, which will operate as a separate company and be led by Dan Doctoroff, the former deputy mayor of New York City for economic development. Among the problems of city life that Page believes could be fixed: better public transport, less pollution, more parks and green spaces, safer biking paths and a shorter commute. The solution to these problems will be new technology, which will be developed and incubated within Sidewalk Labs. The company will be funded and supported by Google, though it will a standalone, separate company based in New York City. If it succeeds in transforming cities into urban utopias, a variety of existing Google projects could also stand to benefit. Here are some of the key efforts at Google that could become building blocks for tomorrow's city: Self-driving cars
It’s unclear whether Google plans to build the cars itself or license the technology to existing carmakers. There have also been reports that Google is working on a ride-hailing service, a la Uber. A fleet of low-emissions, self driving cars that city residents don’t actually own themselves could reduce pollution, free up more space previously used for parking, and perhaps reduce traffic accidents. Drone delivery: Making a trip to a brick-and-mortar store is an inconvenience that city dwellers of the future may not have to deal with. Instead daily staples and supplies could be delivered, Dumbo-like, from the sky. Google is currently testing delivery drones that can navigate themselves to your house and drop a package on your doorstep. Right now there are regulations that prohibit drones from doing these kinds of jobs, but in the metropolis of the future, anything is possible. Clean, airborne energy Solar energy is nice, but the city of the future needs to take it the next level. Luckily Google has just the thing: the Makani wind turbines, or “energy kites,” under development at the company’s x Labs float in the air to take advantage of the stronger and steadier winds available at higher altitudes. A similar idea was on display in the fictional “San Fransokyo” city depicted in the 2014 movie Big Hero 6. Internet of Things Future cities will presumably be “smart” cities, where inanimate objects are interconnected — everything from streetlights to security cameras will be interconnected. To make that happen requires a common technology, such as the Brillo platform that Google recently unveiled at its developer conference. Maps Governments and businesses that want to be part of the next version of urban planning need good maps. Cartography is something that Google takes very seriously. In addition to the map on your smartphone that gives you directions and the StreetView photos of every street, Google is working on high-resolution 3D maps that it creates with laser scanners mounted on cars. SEE ALSO: Google is starting a new company to improve cities Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: Here's how Floyd Mayweather spends his millions  | ||
| |
Autonomous cars are a must for any city of the future worth living in. Google is currently testing pod-like cars that let drivers take their hands off the steering wheel and focus on other things, such as using Google’s search engine or its other online services. These are all of Google's weird science projects we know about | ||
| | ||
Google hires a lot of really smart people. Those smart people do a lot of really crazy things. Just today, Google founder Larry Page announced the founding of Sidewalk Labs, a spin-off from the search giant with a mandate to make cities a better place to live. It's not Google's first big idea with a long-term vision. Not by a longshot...or a moonshot.
Google X is the better-known of the company's two semi-secret labs, focused on making "moonshots" that set technology ahead ten years (get it?). Google X is run by Astro Teller, pictured here. Google ATAP, run by ex-DARPA chief Dr. Regina Dugan, is operated like a black ops unit: ATAP's crack researchers have two years to get in, work on their crazy ideas, and get out. So what are they working on? Here's what we know... See the rest of the story at Business Insider  | ||
| |
Subscriptions are enjoying a new prominence as a revenue engine for digital content and apps | ||
| | ||
Many digital media companies have embraced monthly and annual subscriptions. The business model allows digital media companies to provide a premium experience that offers more than the basic, often ad-supported service level. Subscriptions are enjoying a new prominence as a revenue model for digital content and apps. Internet companies are exploiting the opportunity to boost ARPU (average revenue per user), thanks to recurring payments from a subscriber base. In this new and exclusive report from BI Intelligence we look at how prominent players in five separate categories have tried to build a subscription-based revenue stream alongside ad-based businesses: the categories are video, music, news publishing, social networks/messaging, and dating apps. Here are some of the key takeaways:
The report is full of charts, data, and case studies that can easily be downloaded and put to use. In full, the report:
 THE SUBSCRIPTION REVENUE REPORT $395.00 Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
| |
Google is starting a new company to improve cities (GOOG) | ||
| | ||
Google is starting a new, independent urban innovation company called Sidewalk Labs that aims to improve cities, according to a post on Google+ by CEO Larry Page. Dan Doctoroff, former CEO of Bloomberg and deputy mayor of economic development and rebuilding for New York City, will run the company, which Page describes as a "modest investment" for Google that could hopefully "improve the lives of billions of people around the world." Sidewalk Labs will focus on building new products, platforms and partnerships to address major issues like cost of living, efficient transportation, and energy usage. It also plans to make strategic acquisitions and invest in partnerships, Doctoroff told The New York Times, similar to how Calico, the lab Google launched last year to tackle aging and illness, recently partnered with the drug company AbbVie. "At a time when the concerns about urban equity, costs, health and the environment are intensifying, unprecedented technological change is going to enable cities to be more efficient, responsive, flexible and resilient," Doctoroff said in a press release on the company's new website. Doctoroff told The Times that Sidewalk plans to work in "the huge space between civic hackers and traditional big technology companies." For example, IBM uses its research and technology to help Stockholm monitor and manage its traffic flow. Google, on the other hand, doesn't see itself embedding into a city's infrastructure, but, instead, creating "platforms that people can plug into." Doctoroff said that New York's bike-sharing program was an early example of the kind of technology-assisted innovation he envisions working on. Page describes Sidewalk's mission as supercharging existing efforts around solving problems that city dwellers face every day. "Making long-term, 10X bets like this is hard for most companies to do, but Sergey and I have always believed that it’s important," Page writes. "And as more and more people around the world live, work and settle in cities, the opportunities for improving our urban environments are endless." Here's Page's full post:
SEE ALSO: The difference between iOS and Android adoption is still staggering Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: Kids settle the debate and tell us which is better: an Apple or Samsung phone  | ||
| |
Apple has a terrible explanation for why the iPhone comes with a tiny amount of storage (AAPL) | ||
| | ||
Your iPhone is running out of space, isn't it? First and foremost, you don't need 4,000 slightly different photos of your dog Scruffles on your person at all times. Yes, even though he's super cute. Yes, even though he was doing that thing that day. Self control, people! Anyway, my iPhone is always full. It has been since the day after I got my first iPhone – the iPhone 3G – back in 2010. Five years ago! That's back when Apple used to make an 8GB version of the iPhone, and that's the one I got. After putting a handful of music onto it, taking some pictures, and downloading some apps, I was at my limit. I'd go to download music or to take a photo or update my iPhone and would get hit with one of the following messages:
Apple, apparently, doesn't think this is a big issue. Here's the incredibly frustrating answer that Apple senior vice president of worldwide marketing Phil Schiller gave Apple writer John Gruber during a podcast on Tuesday night, live from Apple's annual developer conference in San Francisco, when asked about the paltry storage on the most common iPhone: The belief is more and more as we use iCloud services for documents and our photos and videos and music, that perhaps the most price-conscious customers are able to live in an environment where they don't need gobs of local storage because these services are lightening the load. Let's unpack that statement. Anyone who owns an iPhone has access to 5GB of free cloud storage – "iCloud" – where various files you'd normally store locally can be uploaded to "the cloud" (a remote computer that stores your information and allows you to access it via the internet). Beyond just settings, iCloud promises to back up your iPhone's photos, contacts, mail, and many other types of data.
But let's say you only have an iPhone and no other Apple devices. Your 16GB iPhone better have less than 5GB of data you want to back up, otherwise you've gotta pony up for more iCloud storage. That's on top of the minimum of $200 you spent for an iPhone in the first place, not to mention the astronomic monthly payment to your service provider (mine's nearly $100/month for Verizon).
Schiller's argument is basically this: as more people use iCloud, it'll help offload the burden of locally stored content. Or, more bluntly: if you want to fix the problem, you can pay us more money. He digs in on that argument later in his statement, when he references, "the most price-conscious customers." He means people who only spent $200 on an iPhone, instead of $300 or more on iPhones with more local storage. (The extra $100 gets you an iPhone with 64GB of storage, which is more than enough for most people.) Apple's solution to your iPhone constantly running into storage issues? "Pay us more." And it's working! As Business Insider's Henry Blodget wrote in September 2014, just after the iPhone 6 was announced: The decision-making logic for most iPhone buyers will probably go like this: * I can get my new iPhone for $199 or $299 (depending on screen size), enjoy the bigger screen for five minutes, and then spend the next two years tearing my hair out about the tiny storage, OR * I can shell out an extra $100 to buy four times as much storage. The decision is easy: shell out the extra $100 for dramatically higher storage. That's $300 for an iPhone 6 or $400 for an iPhone 6 Plus, so you can avoid the hassle of running out of storage space. That's not about serving customers, that's about serving Apple's bottom line. SEE ALSO: Your iPhone is getting a feature that saves battery life, but you'll have to make some compromises AND: It looks like Apple's next big iPhone update will come with more apps you can't delete Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: 5 cool tricks your iPhone can do with the latest iOS update  | ||
| |
One of the companies building a Hyperloop test track just revealed what the real thing could look like | ||
| | ||
Now, one of those companies called Hyperloop Transportation Technologies has given a sneak peak into how it sees the technology coming to life. The images were published by Suprastudio, which is a studio at UCLA’s architecture school. The group worked with Dirk Ahlborn, the CEO of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, to help get a sense of how this technology would be built and what it look like. It’s worth noting that the California-based Hyperloop Transportation Technologies has no affiliation with Musk’s SpaceX. After Musk revealed his Hyperloop plans in 2013, several entrepreneurs became interested in getting the project off the ground. Ahlborn’s company has been in the press lately because it recently secured a plot of land in Quay Valley, California to build a five-mile test track. The company plans to break ground for the track as soon as next year. Another Hyperloop startup called Hyperloop Technology, which is based in L.A., is also working to create a test track. And Musk is building his own test track in Texas. The ultimate goal is to build a test track to prove that sending people in pods traveling in tubes faster than the speed of sound is a feasible concept. Take a look at some of the Suprastudio renderings below.
Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: The Best Features Of Elon Musk's Hyperloop  | ||
| |
Elon Musk’s Hyperloop has been getting a lot of attention these days, especially since more companies have been jumping on board to try and turn the futuristic tube travel into a reality.
The truth about streaming music is that all of the services are pretty much the same (AAPL) | ||
| | ||
Tidal, the music service backed by Jay Z and other celebrity musicians, streams music in high-fidelity, not compressing the songs like other music services, and offers “access to exclusive music, videos, tickets, merchandise and experiences that you can’t find anywhere else.” Google Play Music, the search giant’s streaming music service, proclaims it has “millions of music videos” and provides "the perfect music for the moment." Rdio offers “personalized recommendations" and a “personal radio station.” And Apple Music, the new streaming service that the iPhone maker unveiled to much fanfare at the company’s annual developer conference this week, has a 24-hour global radio station curated by celebrity DJs. These services may sound like they're different, but at the core, they’re pretty much all the same — with a few exceptions. They allow you to stream nearly any song, on any device, and at any time. They also allow you to save songs to your devices so you can listen when you don’t have an internet connection, like if you’re on the subway or on an airplane. They all have “curated” playlists and each try to get you the exact song you don’t even know you want at that moment. And each service charges $9.99 per month for its core service. (Tidal’s high fidelity plan is $19.99 per month, Rdio offers a limited $3.99 per month, Apple will have a family plan for $14.99, and each service structures free trials, if they have them, differently.) And that’s why they need gimmicks, like “exclusive experiences,” “editorial teams” and platforms that promise content like “candid shots from backstage” and “in-progress lyrics,” because you can pretty much get the same music from any of these services, and they’re all the same price. Streaming video services like Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon Prime Instant Video, and HBO Now, have exclusive movies and TV shows. You need to subscribe to Netflix to stream “Orange is the New Black” and Marvel’s “Daredevil,” or HBO Now to watch this season of “Game of Thrones” and “True Detective,” or Amazon to watch “Transparent.” But with a few exceptions, on-demand streaming music services don’t really offer anything compelling that you can’t get from a competing service. Yes, there’s an artist here and an artist there, but are you really going to choose Tidal over Spotify just because Taylor Swift’s songs are available on Tidal? So Spotify, Apple Music, and the other streaming services are trying to win you over by differentiating themselves in terms of experience, not in terms of the actual music. And it could actually work. In a sense, that’s how Apple beats every other handset maker with the iPhone. After all, all premium smartphones essentially do the same things — they make calls, run the same apps, let us send text message and browse the web, and have impressive, high definition screens. But Apple wins, time and time again, on experience — the company offers a phone that to many people is just a better experience than everything else that is out there. The question now, though, is whether or not Apple will be able to do the same with music. SEE ALSO: How Apple's new music service stacks up to the competition Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: 5 clever iPhone tricks only power users know about  | ||
| |
15-year-old makes the epic discovery of a new planet that's 1,000 light years from Earth | ||
| | ||
At just 15 years old, Tom Wagg discovered what astronomers only began to find 20 years ago — a planet far from Earth, outside of our solar system. Wagg is one of the youngest to ever detect a planet, according to a press release from Keele University in England where he was working when he made his epic discovery. In fact, Wagg's new planet closely resembles some of the very first exoplanets ever identified in the mid '90s that looked completely different from anything astronomers had ever seen and actually spawned a complete revision of how we think planetary systems form today. The newly-discovered planet falls into a class of exoplanets called hot Jupiter's. These planets are large like Jupiter but, unlike Jupiter, they orbit extremely close to their host star — closer than Earth's distance from the sun. At such cozy distances, these exoplanets can reach blazing temperatures over 1,000 degrees that are what put the "hot" in hot Jupiter. Wagg's exoplanet is located in a distant solar system within our home galaxy, the Milky Way, 1000 light years from Earth. It's about the same size as Jupiter, but only takes two days to orbit its star. Jupiter, by comparison, takes 12 Earth years, or 4,272 days to orbit the sun. If you look at the constellation Hydra in the night sky, you'll be looking in the general direction of the planet's home. Here's a visionary sketch of what Wagg's planet, which has yet to be assigned a name, might look like:
By graphing the amount of light Earth receives from the distant star, planet hunters will observe a dip — like in the example below — every time the star crosses over, or transits, the face of the star.
Case in point, Wagg discovered the exoplanet through the Wide Angle Search for Planets (WASP) project, which combines the light collecting capabilities of small telescopes at universities across the UK. With these telescopes, the scientists who work with WASP generate thousands of light charts from stars across the galaxy. "The WASP software was impressive, enabling me to search through hundreds of different stars, looking for ones that have a planet," Wagg said in the Keene University press release. Although this technique is a popular one for planet hunters, it's not the most reliable because there are a number of other reasons for a dip in light intensity, such as a gas cloud, a white dwarf, or a glitch in the technology. That's why it took two years of follow-up studies to confirm that Wagg's planet was, in fact, a real planet. Wagg is now 17 years old and has plans to soon attend college and study physics. Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: Neil deGrasse Tyson: Here's How Long You Could Survive On Every Planet In Our Solar System  | ||
| |
It's the hot Jupiters' combination of size and proximity that makes these types of exoplanets relatively easy to spot with today's powerful telescopes through a common detection technique. This technique, which Wagg used, works by examining the amount of light the exoplanet blocks when it passes between Earth and the host star.
Since 2009, NASA's famous Why the founder of this buzzworthy startup tore everything down and started over | ||
| | ||
Once upon a time, SalesLoft was a hot new startup. SalesLoft was founded in Atlanta circa 2011, funded with a $1 million seed round, co-founded and advised by David Cummings — best known for selling his bootstrapped marketing tech startup Pardot to industry giant ExactTarget for $95.5 million. SalesLoft was building a ton of buzz on its stated mission of building tools to make life easier for salespeople in any industry by automating the process of sifting through sales leads. The company was able to ride that buzz to a spot in the acclaimed TechStars accelerator program. Salesloft even placed on the Top 10 Innovative Technology companies in Georgia in March 2012. There was just one problem: One year after launch, SalesLoft's product was not good. At all. "I was failing miserably at building a product," says SalesLoft co-founder Kyle Porter. "We weren't able to deliver anything." With four employees, the company was pulling in $50,000 in annual recurring revenue (ARR) after a year on the market. Growth was painfully slow, and even going after venture capital money, already a more difficult process in Atlanta than it is here in Silicon Valley, wouldn't fix that. The issue was that Porter, a first-time entrepreneur but an experienced businessperson, was way better at attending conferences, networking, writing blogs with advice for fellow entrepreneurs, speaking at events, and generally being a people person than at actually working with the developers who build the product. "We were just really good at telling our story," Porter says. The TechStars program was great at teaching SalesLoft how to meet with venture capitalists or speak in public, but not so great at teaching Porter how to be a non-technical startup founder who could manage a technical team. Meanwhile, David Cummings, the successful entrepreneur who founded the company with Porter, was involved in SalesLoft more as an advisor than in any kind of operational role. Porter remembers landing a $40,000 deal during this period and handing the list of customer requirements off to his two-person development team. He went back to his office, and another employee asked what they should do now. "Let's double down on what we're good at," Porter recalls saying. "Let's go talk about ourselves." Eventually, it became clear that this just wasn't a good strategy. Good salesmanship and marketing could only carry SalesLoft so far. If SalesLoft was going to get any bigger, it would have to seriously reconsider its gameplan. In early 2013, Porter decided to burn the whole thing down and start over. He laid off the company's three employees, but kept the name and the mission as he looked to rebuild. "I made some big mistakes, I swallowed my own sword," Porter says.
The new SalesLoft would do three things differently, Porter says.
The approach has worked. These days, Porter says the company has 50 employees (up from 11 this time last year), mostly evenly distributed across sales, marketing, product, and operations, and $4.5 million in ARR, with 800-plus customers, pushing it into profitability. Last year, SalesLoft went back to winning awards, too: It was named one of the best places to work in Atlanta by the Atlanta Business Chronicle. Porter himself won an "Early-Stage Entrepreneur of the Year" award the same year. It was enough to raise a $10 million Series A from Silicon Valley's Emergence Capital in March, which Porter says is enough to help the company grow and weather any changes in the market.
In fact, he says he's been struggling with ways to spend the money, which is why SalesLoft will have a $500,000 booth at Salesforce's Dreamforce conference. But given that Atlanta is outside the power chambers of Silicon Valley's elite investors, Porter knows that SalesLoft has to work hard to keep growing, because money just isn't as available there. "You gotta scrap more. You gotta raise capital from your customers," Porter says.
SEE ALSO: These guys quit Airbnb and Twitter to help other companies grow much faster Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
| |
During this transition period, Porter paid for the company's expenses mostly out of pocket — he rented out one of his two condos and sold his boat to make ends meet. It wasn't exactly hard living, but Porter was committed to reviving the company. 
It's not quite like the monster triple-digit-million rounds of funding raised by tech darlings like Slack, but as Porter works on building a stable business with solid growth, it's an entirely reasonable and sane amount. 'King of Instagram' Dan Bilzerian is running for president | ||
| | ||
Dan Bilzerian is a millionaire, a self-proclaimed "sexual philanthropist," and a social media superstar with millions of Instagram followers. Now, he's also a 2016 Presidential contender. Well, maybe. On June 24th, he'll begin his "bid for the White House" by throwing a "Dan Bilzerian 2016" party at the Marquee, an exclusive nightclub in New York City. Despite his devoted following of college-aged males, Blizerian's electoral prospects are pretty dismal. He loves a social media scandal (earlier this year he was kicked off Snapchat after posting a very NSFW video), and he loves bragging about his wealth; showing off stacks of money and luxe cars on his Instagram account. He also has been scolded for publicizing his irresponsible behavior with firearms (he was forced to make a PSA in retribution.) Last year, he was sued after throwing a naked porn actress off of a roof. Bilzerian's kick-off party will likely blow the socks off of every other candidate's debut event (although, to be fair, Jeb Bush has yet to show us what he's got.) The starting price for admission to the soiree is $40. Yes, it seems even Bilzerian has fallen victim to the scourge of money in politics. Bilzerian campaign logo wear is available here. Differing slightly from Hillary Clinton's pantsuit tees, the Bilzerian '16 team is offering tank tops and tee-shirts.
This past Christmas, Bilzerian uploaded a photo with Congressman Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA). It's unclear if Rohrabacher will endorse Bilzerian's campaign. It's also unclear if the Congressman endorses the party boy lifestyle for which Bilzerian is famous. At a time when Voldemort is polling ahead of many Republican candidates, nothing is truly impossible. Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: How To Make An American Flag Out Of Bacon  | ||
| |
This is what it looks like when a Google lawyer tries to evict a beloved tenant | ||
| | ||
"Hey Jack, Arkansas wants you," shouted Evan Wolkenstein from the steps of 812 Guerrero St. The crowd of protesters standing in the rain in front of him offered alternatives: Oklahoma, or more realistically, Palo Alto or Mountain View. Then the chants started up again. "Hey Google, You can't hide. We can see your greedy side." Google lawyer Jack Halprin purchased 812 Guerrero Street, a seven-unit apartment building in the Mission District, for $1.4 million in 2012. In 2014, he served tenants an eviction notice under the Ellis Act, which allows landowners to push existing tenants out so the buildings can "go out of business" and be converted into condos. Wolkenstein, a high school teacher who has lived in the building, is one of those tenants facing eviction, but today wasn't his day to be evicted. "Hell no, we won't go. Hell no, we won't go." This week, tenant Rebecca Bauknight received a one-page Notice to Vacate that said she could be evicted from her apartment any time after 6 a.m. Wednesday morning. Bauknight has lived in the building for more than 25 years, a neighbor said.
"It feels great to have time," Wolkenstein said. "The main thing that's so horrible about this is the dis-empowerment." "Becky, el barrio está contigo. Becky, el barrio está contigo." Outside of the house on Guerrero St., about 50 protestors stood in the rain. Neighbors scurried down their steps into an Uber across the street while one yelled down from the window at the group, which chanted for hours in unison on the rainy morning.
"Scott Weiner you can't hide. We are on the tenants' side." A police car sat on the corner and watched, but didn't enter to remove Bauknight, who was said to have stayed inside with her dog. Meanwhile, the protesters who showed up at Halprin's building Wednesday carried signs with slogans like "Evict Google," "We love Becky," and "This is a community, not a Monopoly board." Some were anarchists from Oakland who had traveled across San Francisco Bay. Many were local residents. Conversations revealed that many were in working class jobs, and had stood outside since 6:30 a.m. before they went to work to chant in the crowd.
Claudia Tirado, another schoolteacher and tenant in the building, led most of the chants, before two singers took over for a creative rendition of Hit the Road Jack. Tirado introduced her son who was sad about Bauknight's dog leaving the building. Tirado warned that "Green leads to greed" as she passed around the mic. "Hit the road Jack, and don't you come back no more, no more, no more, no more." Then, someone on the steps spotted it: "Here comes the Google bus!" The protestors turned and raised their fists as it rambled past, its occupants safe from the rain. "Boo!" the crowd hissed.
SEE ALSO: San Francisco is in a housing crisis, but we have no idea where to go from here Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: We Did The Math: Should You Buy Or Rent In These Major Cities?  | ||
| |
O
"He's not getting the message at all," Wolkenstein said. "From the day he walked in the door, he was closed and cruel."
How I became the (self-proclaimed) world champion of selfies | ||
| | ||
On Sunday, I pulled off what I believe was the finest selfie performance in history. Sorry Ellen. Allow me to explain. Within the span of three hours I managed to achieve not one, but two epic selfies. My selfie hot streak took place at Yankee Stadium. I was there to attend the Yankees' game against the Angels and the team's annual "Photo Day" celebration. This event involves fans being permitted to attend batting practice. At the practice, some players come up and take photos with the fans. I had one picture I wanted — a selfie with designated hitter Alex Rodriguez. When I saw him walking by, I asked Rodriguez if he would take a selfie with me and he obliged. Normally, a shot with a huge, controversial celebrity would be the pinnacle of anyone's selfie day. However, about two hours later, I managed an even more impressive feat of selfie strength. In the fifth inning, I saw the cameraman who takes video for the Yankee Stadium Jumbotron approaching the area where I was sitting. He had his eye on two gentlemen who were sitting behind me, but I had never made it on the Jumbotron. I knew I had to get on the screen and that it would not be complete without a selfie. Of course, having my phone in the picture would completely ruin my Jumbotron experience and the resulting selfie. I would have to hold my phone away from myself. With lightning fast reflexes, I opened my phone's camera, held it outward in my hand, and aimed it at the Jumbotron. When the cameraman came up and began filming the men behind me, I leaned back, made a "number one" gesture with my free hand, and attempted to repeatedly take pictures on my phone with the other. Since I wasn't looking at my phone, I could not tell whether I got the shot.
After the cameraman left, I saw that I managed to capture several pictures of my brief Jumbotron cameo. It was a "Reverse Jumbotron Selfie," or what professionals refer to as an "RJS." Soon after I appeared on the Jumbotron, my beloved Yankees went on a tear and rallied to recover from a 2-1 deficit. Coincidence? I think not. I believe obtaining a selfie with A-Rod followed by a Reverse Jumbotron Selfie may be an unparalleled performance in the history of the selfie art form. Do you agree or do you think you've done better? Let me know in the comments below. Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: The 12 best new features coming to the iPhone  | ||
| |
My selfie hand was strong. Your iPhone is getting a feature that saves battery life, but you'll have to make some compromises (AAPL) | ||
| | ||
Apple announced a new low power mode Monday for devices running its upcoming update to iOS 9, the operating system for iPhones and iPads. Apple's SVP of Software Engineering Craig Federighi said during the announcement that the setting "pulls levers you didn't know you had" to give you up to three hours of added battery life with typical use. That's great for iPhone users whose iPhones barely make it a day on a single charge. Even without the low power mode, iOS 9 has been optimized to run more efficiently and squeeze an extra hour of battery life out of the iPhone. However, the description below the on/off switch for Low Power mode in iOS 9 says "Low Power mode reduces performance and networking activity to extend battery life." That means the mode will shut down certain functions of your phone in order to save the battery. If you've ever used an Android phone, you might have some idea how Low Power mode in iOS 9 might work. If you haven't, you could expect the following. On many Android phones, power-saving features will turn off certain antennas like GPS or WiFi, and some will turn off automatic syncing for things like email, which means you'd only get new emails when you open your email app. You can pull these network-related "levers" yourself in iOS's settings, but it's nice to have them all pulled with a single flick of a switch rather than digging through Settings.
However, the "levers" Federighi might have referred to that we didn't know we had could be the internal hardware in your iPhone. On some Android phones like the Galaxy S6, for example, the power-saving feature will actually slow down the internal hardware, which slows down the overall performance of the phone. You can still go about your typical usage, but it's not as quick or smooth. While we don't exactly know yet how much of an impact on performance the low power mode in iOS 9 will have, it's likely your iPhone would slow down a little when you turn on the low power mode, which might be better suited for limited usage rather than typical usage. SEE ALSO: How Apple's new music service stacks up to the competition Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: Here's the best look yet at the next big game starring Batman  | ||
| |
Cisco enlists some help with its ingenious plan to dominate cloud computing (CSCO) | ||
| | ||
Just over a year ago, Cisco unveiled its ambitious plan to spend $1 billion creating a cloud computing platform that could compete with the $6 billion juggernaut that is Amazon Web Services — a plan it calls Intercloud. That plan took a big step forward today with some announcements out of Cisco Live, the company's big annual conference. The crux of the Intercloud gambit is that instead of offering this cloud itself, from its own data centers, Intercloud will unify smaller cloud service providers into one big happy family of products that are all compatible with each other. Instead of taking Amazon on directly, Cisco is trying to unify all of the smaller guys into a competitive system. The idea is that those smaller players don't lose their customers to Amazon, and Cisco can keep selling them networking hardware as they grow. But any system is only as good as the things you can do with it. Which is why Cisco is opening an app store, called the Intercloud Marketplace, for its customers to get started with the tools, technologies, and software they need to quickly make use of their cloud. For this marketplace, Cisco is partnering up with hot tech companies like big data software solution developer Hortonworks, red-hot software container startup Docker, and popular developer automation tool Chef, with 35 total apps available on the Marketplace. The other big part of today's announcement is around what the industry calls "hybrid cloud." If your company has a data center, but you also want to take advantage of the scalable, flexible public cloud, a hybrid cloud model can connect the two. Today, Cisco announced Intercloud Fabric, a new technology for controlling and managing your data centers and your Intercloud all at once. Big cloud service providers like Datalink, Peak 10, and Sungard Availability Services have already signed on to support Intercloud Fabric, meaning that their customers have a theoretically easier way to get started with what can otherwise be a very tough technology to wrangle. Cisco has always insisted that despite Amazon Web Services' early lead, cloud computing is a market that still has a long way left to grow — an idea borne out by the fact that a recent Goldman Sachs report predicts that cloud computing will account for 5% of around $400 billion of total IT spend this year, but 11% by 2018. Cisco may be late, but it's still anybody's game. SEE ALSO: Retiring Cisco CEO delivers dire prediction: 40% of companies will be dead in 10 years Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: What it's like to face off in a sailing race in San Francisco Bay  | ||
| |
Facebook is giving out free beacons to compete against Yelp and Foursqure | ||
| | ||
This story originally appeared in this morning's E-COMMERCE INSIDER. Facebook announced that retailers can now request beacons for their stores at no cost, according to Re/Code. (Beacons are small devices that transmit messages to someone’s smartphone if they are in range of the device.) The offer works as part of Facebook’s Place Tips feature that was rolled out in New York City in January. Place Tips on Facebook shares users’ posts and photos about a retailer while they’re in the store. Facebook is now taking the service nationwide and has posted an application for businesses to request a beacon. Geotagging is an important capability on Facebook; it allows users to check-in wherever they are and share their location, and it enables Facebook to build more robust customer profiles and sell targeted advertising. In this case, businesses cannot yet use beacons to push ads or discounts to the user’s phone, but they can use the functionality to transmit real customer feedback to customers and influence shopping behavior. Place Tips competes directly with Yelp and FourSquare, both of which provide space for customer feedback and reviews. Facebook’s beacons make it easier for consumers to access reviews without having to search for a specific retail location. In addition, the reviews consumers do see come from their Facebook friends, giving the comments more credibility. For retailers, enabling beacons through Facebook solves a major challenge around this new piece of tech. Beacons typically must be enabled through an app, and the user must have push notifications turned on to see a message. But only a small percentage of consumers actually download a retailer’s own app, and fewer still enable push notifications from these apps. Facebook, on the other hand, has a massive user base, so there's lots of built-in potential for beacons. Beacons are about to be much more common in stores. BI Intelligence estimates the number of beacons installed in US stores will rise by 287% on average annually through 2018.
Also in today's E-COMMERCE INSIDER:
Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
| |
The makers of a hoverboard have a new plan to make your house hover in an earthquake | ||
| | ||
Imagine if an earthquake hit, but before its tremors started shaking the buildings, the structures suddenly begin hovering, no longer touching the ground. For Greg Henderson, that's the vision of the future. His startup, Arx Pax, wants to use the same magnetic field architecture incorporated into its Hendo Hoverboard, but apply it on a much larger scale. Arx Pax uses magnets to create a field when energized similar to how MagLev trains float on a cushion of air, eliminating the friction involved in plain old steel wheel-and-track trains and allowing them to travel at super-fast speeds. "The hard part is figuring out how to hover something," Henderson said in an interview with Business Insider. "If you don’t have to touch the ground, what's possible?" To make sure the buildings hover in time for an earthquake's arrival, the California company announced last week that it's teaming up with an early-warning software system being developed by the US Geological Survey, called ShakeAlert. The ShakeAlert system is what gave BART, San Francisco's transit network, a 10-second warning that an earthquake was approaching as a magnitude 6.0 quake hit Napa in August 2014. It's not limited to the West Coast, either. With the rise of fracking, the country has already seen 430 magnitude 3 and above earthquakes in the central US this year, according to the USGS. By partnering with an early warning system, Henderson aims to pinpoint the exact time a building's "landing gear" should retract and the hovering engines should engage. The vision for Arx Pax's system, though, remains very much in alpha. The startup has a patent for a three-tier foundation system that involves floating a platform over a liquid. That way, they could easily see it react to small movements, from floods to rising sea levels and earthquakes.
Henderson claims that the new version of his technology — the one that incorporates ShakeAlert — is the high-tech model of its patented system, although the hovering only protects against earthquakes. In this model, the magnetic field would essentially replace the liquid. Instead of building large water-filled bases and foundations, Arx Pax's new vision would require installation of the hover engines and an earthquake-proof base. "When we receive warning of an earthquake, the computer turns on the hover engines," Henderson explained. "All of that happens at the speed of light."
To hover a three-story house for the average earthquake length of 90 seconds, it would use the energy of five car batteries, or cost around $13 using PG&E's rates, Henderson calculated. That doesn't mean installing a house hover-er will come cheap. There is no definitive cost for the project yet since it's in development, but the price tag just for the hoverboard on Kickstarter was $10,000. None of the house hovering mechanisms have been installed yet, and it's likely the team will start smaller with objects like art or sensitive lab equipment that needs to remain steady in the case of trembles.& "If you want to separate something from the Earth," Henderson said, "this is the most efficient away." Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: A California Startup Has Finally Made The World's First Working Hoverboard  | ||
| |
Of course, there's no way we're all going to be building houses over water any time soon.
Here's what Steve Jobs thought of services like Apple Music | ||
| | ||
Not much. "You don't want to rent your music." This was October 2003, at the launch of iTunes for Windows. His main point: You listen to your favorite song hundreds or thousands of times. So at $10 a month for 10 years, you would have paid more than $1,200 for that song. But that's exactly what Apple did this week with Apple Music. Today's Apple could argue that his logic here is a flawed — for $10 a month you'll also have the rights to listen to millions of other songs, including other favorites that you'll play hundreds or thousands of times, plus new music you wouldn't have discovered otherwise. It goes to show the ghost of Steve Jobs does not haunt Apple. The company makes its own decisions.
SEE ALSO: Jimmy Iovine just revealed the real agenda for Apple Music Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: Watch Siri fail live on-stage at Apple’s huge WWDC event  | ||
| |
These are the top industries that will benefit from the 'Internet of Things' | ||
| | ||
The Internet of Things (IoT) will lead to a wholesale transformation of how large globe-spanning companies do business, but adoption will start in certain industries In a report from BI Intelligence, we examine the industries currently driving growth in the enterprise Internet of Things and how various sectors of the economy will embrace IoT innovations. Almost every industry can benefit from investing in the IoT, which means adding data-collecting sensors to objects such as factory machinery, office buildings, and warehouse shelves. Based on trends in industry-specific capital expenditures, global size, current use of IoT devices, and through an analysis of where IoT vendors are focused on selling, we estimate enterprise IoT spending by industry. Access The Full Report And Data By Signing Up For A Trial Membership >> Here are a few of the key findings from the BI Intelligence report:
In full, the report:
To access the full report from BI Intelligence, sign up for a 14-day trial here. Members also gain access to new in-depth reports, hundreds of charts and datasets, as well as daily newsletters on the digital industry. Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: This is what happens to your brain and body when you check your phone before bed  | ||
| |
Box stock skyrockets after second-ever earnings report (BOX) | ||
| | ||
Box's stock is up nearly 9% after reporting strong earnings for the second quarter of 2015. These are the most important numbers, versus Wall St. expectations:
Box's revenue grew 45% from the same quarter of last year, while adding 2,000 new customers. Billings also saw a healthy growth of 58% year over year, reaching $69.8 million for the quarter. But Box still remains hugely unprofitable. It had a net loss of $47.3 million, and a negative operating cash flow of $7.2 million (excludes $25 million used for new headquarters). Box provided third quarter guidance in the range of $69 to $70 million. It also gave better outlook for its full year guidance in the range of $286 to $290 million. In the first quarter, Box's stock price took a huge hit after hours following what looked to be a miss on its earnings. But it turned out analysts had used the wrong number of shares in their estimates, and Box had actually beat by $0.30 a share. Still, investors weren't impressed, sending its shares down by as much as 17% at one point. Box is an interesting company to keep an eye on. It's one of the fastest growing enterprise software companies, but also has one of the highest burn rates, especially in sales and marketing costs. For this quarter, Box spent roughly 86% of its revenue on sales and marketing, down from 104% of the same quarter last year. In 2013, it spent 168% of its revenue on sales and marketing, but it dropped those numbers to around 99% of total revenue in late 2014. In the previous quarter, it brought it down to a more modest 80% of total revenue. The big question mark is whether this spending will translate to any meaningful, large enterprise contracts. Over the past three months, Box announced a deal with the Department of Justice, a positive sign that the government is trusting Box as a file sharing repository, and also a school-wide deployment at Japan's Waseda University, reflecting its international growth. SEE ALSO: Almost half of Salesforce shareholders voted against CEO Marc Benioff's $39 million pay package Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: 70 people were injured while filming this movie with 100 untamed lions  | ||
| |
10 things in tech you need to know today (AAPL, MSFT, GOOG) | ||
| | ||
Good morning! Here's the tech news you need to know today. 1. Kaspersky labs admits it was hacked. Attackers used malware related to the Stuxnet attack that targeted states like Iran, India, France, and the Ukraine in 2011 to try and learn more about the firm's services. Kaspersky says nothing was compromised. 2. Apple's latest software update dropped a big hint about the iPhone 7's camera. It looks like the next iPhone's front-facing camera will capture 1080p video, shoot in 240-frames-per-second slow motion, capture panoramic images, and use a new flash. 3. Payroll giant ADP has slapped HR software startup Zenefits with a lawsuit. The two companies have gone to war. Zenefits responded to ADP suddenly blocking access to its payroll system by offering to pay customers to ditch ADP. 4. Spotify announced a $526 million funding round just days after the launch of Apple Music. The company now says it has 75 million users, 20 million of which are paying subscribers. 5. Elon Musk's SpaceX has asked the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to begin to test beaming high-speed internet from space using satellites. Tests for the project would start next year, but it wouldn't be up and running for another five years. 6. Microsoft acquired, then immediately shut down, an enterprise startup called BlueStripe that had raised $14 million. It will take BlueStripe's technology and add it into some of Microsoft's major enterprise products like System Center. 7. Google is launching an independent innovation lab to help improve cities. Sidewalk Labs will create new products, platforms and partnerships to tackle the costs of living, efficient transportation, and energy usage. 8. Language-learning startup Duolingo raised $45 million in a round led by Google Capital. It's the most-downloaded education app on both Google Play and iTunes. 9. Online grocer Ocado is creating an army of robots to pick up your shopping for you. The league of robots will be developed under the "SecondHands Project" to help human Ocado employees. 10. Japanese messaging app operator Line just launched its own music streaming service. It will offer access to a library of 1.5 million songs for 1,000 yen ($8.13) a month, but hopes to expand that library to 5 million. Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: 5 clever iPhone tricks only power users know about  | ||
| |
Never mind the G7 or Davos, it's Bilderberg time | ||
| | ||
Vienna (AFP) - It's in the Alps and it involves powerful people hobnobbing. But this is not the G7 or Davos, it's the highly exclusive Bilderberg meeting, an altogether more discreet affair starting Thursday. Held in an Austrian luxury hotel cordoned off by armed police and with military choppers overhead, this four-day pow-wow brings together around 140 movers and shakers from politics, high finance, business and academia. They include several prime ministers, a host of bankers, technology gurus, former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger, the head of NATO and top executives like Eric Schmidt of Google and Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary. Critics deplore the fact that unlike last weekend's Group of Seven meeting in nearby Bavaria, no press are allowed, giving rise to accusations of secrecy and suspicions of dishonest goings-on. But organisers say that since the gathering in Telfs-Buchen -- last year it was in Denmark -- is away from prying eyes it allows those attending to talk freely about the hot-button issues of the day. The event, founded in 1954 and aimed at "fostering dialogue between Europe and North America", is held according to the so-called Chatham House Rule, according to the Bilderberg website. This means that "participants are free to use the information received, but neither the identity nor the affiliation of the speaker(s) nor of any other participant may be revealed". "Thanks to the private nature of the conference, the participants are not bound by the conventions of their office or by pre-agreed positions. As such, they can take time to listen, reflect and gather insights," it says. And anybody expecting a closing press conference or statement will be disappointed: "There is no detailed agenda, no resolutions are proposed, no votes are taken, and no policy statements are issued," the website says. - Royal blessing - Those present include British finance minister George Osborne, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, senior figures from the media and even royalty in the form of Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands. Other attendees include former CIA head David Petraeus, fellow top soldier John Allen, now US presidential envoy to the coalition against Islamic State militants, economist Martin Feldstein and eurogroup head Jeroen Dijsselbloem. According to the official agenda, the topics include artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, chemical weapons, Greece, Iran, the Middle East, NATO, Russia, the United Kingdom and something called "threats". Absent though, unlike at the G7 ahead of December's crunch UN talks in Paris aimed at securing a global agreement on global warming, is the burning issue of climate change. Nor is there any specific mention of world hunger or inequality. The large majority of attendees are male. Security around the venue in western Austria is ultra-tight, with police stopping anyone not invited getting anywhere near the venue -- on pain of a 500-euro ($565) fine. Some 2,100 extra police will be on duty over the coming days, with protesters planning to stage a demonstration on Saturday, and the only road leading to the hotel is blocked. And for good measure, the Kronen-Zeitung tabloid cited the military as saying a "special low-altitude radar is in position and Kiowa helicopters armed with machine guns are carrying out patrols". Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
| |
10 things you need to know before European markets open | ||
| | ||
Good morning! Here are the major stories you need to hear in markets today. S&P just slashed Greece's credit rating even deeper into junk territory. "We have lowered our long-term sovereign credit rating on Greece to 'CCC' from 'CCC+' to reflect our opinion that in the absence of an agreement between Greece and its official creditors, the Greek government will likely default on its commercial debt within the next 12 months," the credit-rating agency warned. Chinese retail sales came in as forecast in May, while industrial production narrowly beat expectations. Industrial production rose 6.1% year on year, just 0.1% higher than analysts expected. Retail sales came in up 10.1%, exactly as expected. The World Bank joined the IMF in pushing for a later US rate hike. According to Bloomberg, the bank's chief economist, Kaushik Basu, said on Wednesday that the economy is sending mixed signals. The World Bank also cut its forecast for US growth this year to 2.7% from 3.2% in its semiannual update on its forecasts for the global economy. US hedge fund Elliott made a new legal challenge against a Samsung merger. Elliott said it had filed its second injunction with a South Korean court, this time to stop Samsung C&T Corp from selling treasury shares to KCC Corp in a bid to gain KCC's support for the proposed all-share takeover offer from Cheil Industries Inc. Emirates says it would harm other European airlines if it brought in more European flights. CEO Tim Clark said: "If I was to put the (Airbus super-jumbo) A380 through multiple points in Europe, we would clean out the business like a Dyson hoover," referring to a vacuum cleaner. "I don't want to do that." Greece's PM Alexis Tsipras finished a meeting with France's Francois Hollande and Germany's Angela Merkel last night. Afterwards Tsipras said that Greece and EU heavyweights Germany and France had agreed that last-ditch bailout talks must reach a "viable solution" as negotiations broke-up without a deal. UK Chancellor George Osborne is going to sell the government's RBS share at a loss. During his Mansion House speech, Osborne said that the sale of RBS shares at a loss would be more than offset by profit on other bank shares sold by the government, according to the Financial Times. New Zealand slashed interest rates. The Reserve Bank of New Zealand cut its overnight interest rate to 3.25% from 3.5%, and the New Zealand dollar immediately slipped by about 2% against the US dollar. Then South Korea slashed interest rates. The Bank of Korea has followed suit, slashing its key policy rate by 0.25% to 1.5%, an all time low. The decision is the fourth rate cut delivered by the BoK in the past 12 months. Asian markets are mixed. The Nikkei is up 1.48%, followed by Hong Kong's Hang Seng, which is up 0.95%. China's Shanghai Composite Index is down a little, 0.13% lower. Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: Here's how Cristiano Ronaldo spends his money  | ||
| |
China May industrial output up 6.1% on-year: govt | ||
| | ||
Beijing (AFP) - China's industrial production, which measures output at factories, workshops and mines in the world's second-largest economy, rose 6.1 percent year-on-year in May, the government said on Thursday. Retail sales, a key indicator of consumer spending, increased 10.1 percent in the same month, the National Bureau of Statistics said. And fixed asset investment, a measure of government spending on infrastructure, expanded 11.4 percent on-year in the January-May period, the NBS said. The industrial output figure came in at a three-month high and was marginally above the 6.0 percent median forecast in a poll by Bloomberg News. The retail sales result matched the median forecast of 10.1 percent. The data came as China's economy has continued to slow in 2015 after growing at its weakest pace -- 7.4 percent -- in nearly a quarter century last year. In the first three months of this year gross domestic product (GDP) expanded 7.0 percent in January-March, the worst quarterly result in six years. China's authorities are trying to engineer a controlled slowdown as they seek to transform the country's growth model to one whereby consumer spending becomes the key driver as opposed to heavy infrastructure investment. But they fear too fast a deceleration and have carried out stimulatory measures including interest rate cuts to help ensure the slowdown doesn't get out of hand. Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
| |
The 10 most important things in the world right now | ||
| | ||
1. S&P downgraded Greece's credit rating on Wednesday to reflect the agency's view that in the absence of a deal between Greece and its creditors, the country will likely default within 12 months. 2. South Korea cut its key interest rate to a historic low of 1.5% as the MERS outbreak threatens to slow the economy. 3. Police shut down a stretch of road in upstate New York to investigate a lead involving the escape of two convicted murderers from a maximum-security prison over the weekend. 4. FIFA on Wednesday suspended bidding for the 2026 World Cup and handed over computer data to Swiss police investigating the 2018 and 2022 World Cup vote amid a corruption scandal. 5. US President Barack Obama authorised sending hundreds of more troops to Iraq to help government forces retake territory seized by Islamic State. 6. A Texas police officer who pointed a gun at unarmed black teenagers at a pool party claims he was stressed from responding to suicide calls before the incident. 7. Three Polish ministers and the country's parliamentary speaker have resigned after secret recordings involving discussions of private deals and promotions were leaked. 8. Chinese hackers who attacked the databases of the US Office of Personnel Management may have obtained the names of Chinese with ties to the US government that Beijing could use for blackmail. 9. Attendees of the 10-day UN Climate talks in Bonn, which finish on Thursday, have worked on a draft centred on the goal of limiting global warming to 2 degrees C (3.6 degrees F) above pre-Industrial Revolution levels. 10. Pope Francis approved the creation of a Vatican tribunal to punish bishops suspected of covering up child abuse in the most stringent step yet to hold clergy accountable in paedophilia cases. And finally ... Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: This Animated Map Shows How European Languages Evolved  | ||
| |
Hello! Here's what you need to know for Thursday. Baristas are going obsolete as espresso machines move into fancy restaurants and crush humans in a taste test | ||
| | ||
At the same time, I've wondered if machines could make espresso drinks better than humans. It turns out they can. Julian Baggini wrote two years ago in Aeon magazine about how (then) more than 15 Michelin-starred restaurants in London used Nestle's Nespresso machines, as did more than 100 Michelin-starred restaurants in France and more than 20 Michelin-starred restaurants in Italy, with many others using espresso machines from Illy, Kimbo, Lavazza, and Segafredo. Those are some of the fanciest restaurants in the world choosing to use a capsule espresso machine rather than leave coffee to baristas. Baggini held a blind taste test between a Nespresso and the espresso served by a barista in a two Michelin-starred restaurant. The Nespresso won hands down: The traditional house espresso scored 18 points, and was the favourite of one taster. But the clear winner with 22 points was the Nespresso, which both scored most consistently and was the favourite of two of the four tasters. Of course, these were just four people’s opinions. But their consensus fits the judgment of top chefs and Nespresso’s own extensive testing, which must have been conclusive enough for them to have the confidence to agree to my challenge in the first place. It's not surprising when you think about it that a vacuum-sealed dose of perfectly ground beans run through a finely tuned machine would beat a drink that was subject to endless human error. Technically, it’s relatively easy to get hold of the best coffee beans, roast them at the right temperature for the right time, grind them to the right fineness, and then vacuum-seal the right quantity for one shot. From that point on, the coffee will not degrade, effectively being as fresh once the machine pierces the capsule as it was when it went in. Then it’s a matter of hiring leading coffee experts, throwing millions of pounds of R&D at a crack team of engineers, and building a machine that will force the right amount of water through the coffee at the right temperature and pressure. In theory, that is bound to result in a better brew than the traditional process, which, for all its romance, is full of opportunities for degradation and mishap. A bag of beans, once opened, will start to lose its flavour very rapidly once it is ground. Calibrating temperature and pressure is also difficult and subject to human error. While the capsule always contains exactly the same amount of coffee, the amount the traditional barista places in the portafiltro, and the degree to which is it compacted with the tamper, will always differ slightly. Most cafés do not get every step right, and they only get away with it because most people drown their espressos in steamed milk. It's just another thing that machines can do better than humans. All told we're better off to have this technology, created by human ingenuity, though some companies, such as Starbucks, risk falling on the wrong side of the disruption. SEE ALSO: We've reached the point where technology destroys more jobs than it creates Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: It's official: Michael Kors isn't cool anymore  | ||
| |
Police just shut down a stretch of road in upstate New York in search of two escaped murderers | ||
| | ||
New York State Police have released an update on their search for two convicted murderers who escaped from the Clinton Correctional Facility over the weekend. Route 374 east of the village of Dannemora was shut down Wednesday night and was expected to remain closed overnight, while law enforcement officials investigate "a lead involving the escapees," the update said. Richard Matt, 48, and David Sweat, 34, were both serving time on murder convictions when they pulled off an unprecedented escape that has sent police scrambling to reel them back in. The perimeter along Route 374 stretches from General Leroy Manor Road to Rand Hill Road in West Plattsburgh. Earlier Wednesday, the search was expanded to Vermont. Here's the full statement from New York State Police:
SEE ALSO: Everything we know about the elaborate maximum-security prison break in New York Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
| |
Google launches company to tackle city life woes | ||
| | ||
San Francisco (AFP) - Google unveiled a company devoted to making a thriving business out of solving big-city problems such as overpriced housing and traffic-snarled streets. Sidewalk Labs based in New York City was described as an "urban innovation" firm with a mission to develop technology that makes living and running big cities better. "Sidewalk will focus on improving city life for everyone by developing and incubating urban technologies to address issues like cost of living, efficient transportation and energy usage," chief executive Larry Page said in a post at the Internet titan's Google+ social network. Sidewalk will be headed by Dan Doctoroff, a former chief executive of Bloomberg LP and New York city deputy mayor of economic development under then Mayor Michael Bloomberg. "We are at the beginning of a historic transformation in cities," Doctoroff said in a release. "We hope that Sidewalk will play a major role in developing technology products, platforms and advanced infrastructure that can be implemented at scale in cities around the world." While financial details were not disclosed, Page described Sidewalk as a "relatively modest investment" in building a business that is not only different from Google's core Internet operations but which could improve people's lives. He put Sidewalk on par with Google (x) lab headed by Google co-founder Sergey Brin, and known for 'moonshots' like self-driving cars. "Making long-term, 10X bets like this is hard for most companies to do, but Sergey and I have always believed that it's important," Page said in his Google+ post. "And as more and more people around the world live, work and settle in cities, the opportunities for improving urban environments are endless." Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
| |
On final day, climate talks seek exit from text mire | ||
| | ||
Bonn (AFP) - A long round of UN climate talks closes in Bonn Thursday with negotiators grappling for a way out of a textual bog. Exactly six months are left before 195 countries are meant to forge a post-2020 accord in Paris to lift the shadow of climate change threatening future generations. But after 10 days, negotiations in Bonn barely advanced in clearing a draft text of a thicket of problems. The text is now just "five to 10 percent shorter" than at the start of the round when it numbered nearly 90 pages, said observer Romain Benicchio of campaign group Oxfam. None of the many issues bedevilling the complex process have been agreed, he said. The draft coalesces around the goal of limiting global warming to two degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) over pre-Industrial Revolution levels. That is a figure scientists say offers a good chance of avoiding catastrophic damage to Earth's climate system involving a future darkened by drought, flood, storms and rising seas. The accord will be enacted by voluntary national pledges to curb greenhouse gases -- the emissions, mainly from fossil fuels, that are driving the warming phenomenon. Beyond that, though, wide and politically explosive differences remain. They include clauses on how to ratchet up pledges, through regular reviews, to ensure Earth is on track for 2 C. Also undetermined is how rich countries will muster $100 billion (88 billion euros) in climate aid for poor countries by 2020. - Thorny issues - Even the agreement's legal status remains undecided. Thorny issues such as these will be left to ministers -- or heads of state or government if the November 30-December 11 Paris conference is transformed into a summit. But veterans of the 23-year climate process say this high-stakes poker is only feasible if politicians are handed a manageable text. Benicchio said it was likely that, on the final day, the talks would seek a faster way to streamline the text. "They may mandate the (negotiations') co-chairmen to come up with a draft text that will really work on issues of substance," he said. Alternatively, "they may mandate them simply to put together different options, so that political choices are outlined". Important political nuances lie behind the alternative approaches. Negotiations in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) remain scarred by a near-bustup at the 2009 summit in Copenhagen -- the last time the world community strove to forge a climate treaty. Since then, the mood has been for consensus rather than confrontation, although scientists and many observers fear the outcome may be too timid. A string of meetings has recently been added to the already crowded climate agenda in the run-up to Paris. The programme includes ministerial talks in Paris on July 21-22 and September 7; more negotiations in Bonn from August 31 to September 4 and October 19-23; and the General Assembly in September, when leaders will gather. Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
| |
D'oh! Homer and Marge to split on 'The Simpsons'? | ||
| | ||
Los Angeles (AFP) - D'oh! Will Homer and Marge split after more than 25 years together on "The Simpsons"? Or are their creators just teasing us? The hit cartoon comedy's writers appeared Wednesday to damp down divorce speculation, despite the executive producer announcing the couple's separation in an interview. In a link on the show's Twitter feed, Al Jean said it will emerge at the start of the show's 27th season in September that their relationship has been strained for some time. "In the premiere, it's discovered after all the years Homer has narcolepsy (a sleep disorder) and it's an incredible strain on the marriage," he told industry journal Variety. "Homer and Marge legally separate, and Homer falls in love with his pharmacist, who's voiced by ("Girls" creator and star) Lena Dunham," he added in the comments, published earlier this week but not widely picked up on. But the tweet did urge readers to "read more about what @AlJean is teasing for #TheSimpsons." And maybe "teasing" was the operative word because five hours later they tweeted a picture of Bart Simpson in a school classroom, writing, "Homer and Marge are not breaking up" repeatedly on a blackboard. "RT and stop the rumors!" read the new tweet. The Homer-and-Marge-split tease was not the only dramatic "Simpsons" news announcement of recent days. At the weekend Entertainment Weekly reported that Homer and Marge's adventure-prone son Bart will be killed during the next season, which premieres on September 27. Sideshow Bob -- Krusty the Clown's evil former sidekick -- will finally fullfil his long-held dream of dispatching Bart, it said. "I (hate) frustration comedy so we'll scratch that itch," Jean told EW. But fear not: the execution will take place in the annual Halloween episode -- which by Simpsons tradition doesn't fit into the usual format of the show, meaning Bart can subsequently be revived. "The Simpsons" -- which first aired in December 1989 -- averages 7.7 million viewers on television and online in the United States. Millions more enjoy the show in foreign markets, according to US parent network Fox. Last month, Fox announced that it had renewed the series for two more seasons, reinforcing the cartoon sitcom's status as the longest-running scripted series in American primetime television history. In his Variety interview, the executive producer said one advantage of the show being renewed is that its main star can vote in next year's US presidential elections. "We're definitely going to have Homer vote in 2016. One aspect of the pickup (by Fox) that made me happy is that Homer can vote again," he said.
Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
| |
The murderers who escaped from a maximum-security prison in New York might have referenced 'Family Guy' in a note they left mocking law enforcement | ||
| | ||
Law enforcement officials are still attempting to hunt down two murderers who escaped from a New York maximum-security prison over the weekend. Much has been said about Richard Matt and David Sweat's daring and apparently elaborate breakout. Investigators say the plan required extensive preparation and access to equipment that inmates would not have access to — such as hacksaws, extension cords, and hot-wired electrical junction boxes, reportedly used to power the tools. A note left on pipes on the inmates' alleged escape route appears to be a reference to an episode of the animated television series "Family Guy." In the scene, Peter Griffin the sketch artist draws a picture of an Asian American assaulter as described by a victim who is unable to give any information besides the perpetrator's ethnicity. The sketch appears to be identical to the one Matt and Sweat allegedly left on their way out of prison.
SEE ALSO: Texas cop in pool party video says he was stressed from responding to suicide calls Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: 70 people were injured while filming this movie with 100 untamed lions  | ||
| |
Neymar, Messi eye duel as Copa America kicks off | ||
| | ||
Santiago (AFP) - A mouthwatering duel between Barcelona superstars Lionel Messi and Neymar is looming over the Copa America as the three-week football extravaganza starts in Chile on Thursday. One of the most eagerly anticipated tournaments in years starts in Santiago, with the hosts facing Ecuador in Group A at 8.30pm (2330 GMT) to launch their quest for a first ever Copa crown. A galaxy of Europe-based stars will be on show in Chile, including Argentina captain Messi and Brazil counterpart Neymar, Colombia's James Rodriguez, Chile's Alexis Sanchez and Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani. Messi and Neymar arrive at the tournament less than a week after inspiring Spanish giants Barcelona to the Champions League triumph, the final act of a glittering treble-winning season. Both number 10s are carrying a heavy weight of expectation on their shoulders, with Messi determined to finally taste glory at a major international tournament and Neymar aiming to erase the memory of Brazil's World Cup debacle. "I feel I'm in better shape arriving at this tournament than I was at the World Cup last year," Messi told reporters at Argentina's training camp. Messi and Argentina fell agonizingly short at the World Cup, suffering a 1-0 extra-time defeat to Germany in the final to extend a title drought which stretches back to the 1993 Copa America.
- Messi determined -
Messi admitted that Argentina's richly talented squad -- which includes the likes of Carlos Tevez, Sergio Aguero and Angel di Maria -- were determined to end the Albiceleste's long wait for a trophy. "This generation is desperate to win a title with the national team," Messi said. Manchester City star Aguero was even more candid. "If this generation of players don't win anything we're going to regret it for the rest of our lives," the striker said. Argentina open their campaign against Paraguay on Saturday, and should progress from a Group B which also includes Uruguay and Jamaica, one of two teams from the CONCACAF region invited to bolster the tournament. Argentina's title drought pales into comparison with the fate of long-suffering Chile, still waiting for their first Copa America title after 99 years. Coach Jorge Sampaoli can call on a spine of world class players -- Barcelona goalkeeper Claudio Bravo, Italy-based midfielders Arturo Vidal and Gary Medel, and Arsenal star Sanchez -- as the hosts try to break their duck. "This is the time to accomplish great things," Sanchez said.
- Brazil resurgent -
Brazil and Neymar meanwhile begin their campaign against Peru in Group C on Sunday. Brazil's biggest challenge of the first round comes three days later when they face Colombia on June 17, a rematch of the two sides' bruising World Cup quarter-final last year. That stormy encounter was notable for a series of rugged Brazilian challenges on Colombia star James Rodriguez, although Brazil's 2-1 win came at a price, with Neymar suffering a broken vertebra that ended his World Cup. Brazil's World Cup dream was ultimately demolished by Germany in the next round, when the hosts were humiliated 7-1 in the semi-finals, before losing 3-0 to the Netherlands in an abject third place play-off display. Fast forward a year however and Brazil under the guidance of 1994 World Cup-winning captain Dunga are back on track, reeling off nine straight wins since the finals. One of Dunga's first acts last year was to hand the captain's armband to the Barcelona forward, and the 23-year-old has thrived on the added responsibility. "It is not a surprise, but the statistics are there to show that when Neymar puts on the captain's armband, he takes a step forward," Dunga said. Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
| |
Australian employment soars in May | ||
| | ||
Australia’s employment report for May has just been released, and it smashed expectations. According to the ABS the economy generated a whopping 42,038 jobs during the month, well above expectations for an increase of 15,000. 14,700 of those were full time while 27,338 part time. As a result of the labour force increasing by a smaller 20,100, the number of unemployed persons fell by 21,972. Not only did the number of unemployed fall substantially, total employment jumped to 11,759,600, an all-time record high. Here’s a chart showing the monthly change in employment, unemployment and the size of the labour market.
As a result of labour market participation decreasing by 0.1% to 64.7%, the only real weak spot to come from the ABS report, the unemployment rate plummeted 0.2% to 6.0%. Interestingly, had the it been 0.01% lower, the unemployment rate would have had the number 5 in front of it. This chart shows the national unemployment rate, along with the monthly employment change.
Keeping with the positive theme of the report the number of hours worked increased by 2.2 million hours, or 0.1%, while labour market underutilisation, a gauge of underemployed workers (steady at 10.8%) and total unemployed slid 0.4% to 14.5%. While still unacceptably high unemployment among those aged 15 to 24 years fell 0.1% to 13.4%. Having hit a multi-year high of 14.1% in January, youth unemployment has fallen for four months in a row. Across the nation unemployment fell in most regions. New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland, the most populous states, saw unemployment drop to 5.7% (-0.2%), 6.0% (-0.1%) and 6.3% (-0.3%) respectively. In what will do nothing to enhance the credibility of the state figures unemployment in Western Australia plummeted by 0.5% to 5.1% (who said the mining boom was over) while that in Tasmania dropped 0.3% to 7.0% Unfortunately, while the rest of the states saw unemployment fall, that in South Australia jumped 0.4% to 7.6%. SEE ALSO: Why this 2,073-foot Chinese building could be an omen of economic doom Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: 70 people were injured while filming this movie with 100 untamed lions  | ||
| |
It looks like there's going to be another awesome Quicksilver scene in the next 'X-Men' movie | ||
| | ||
The best scene in last year's "X-Men: Days of Future Past" revolved around a lightning fast mutant, Quicksilver, played by Evan Peters. In the film, Quicksilver helps break Magneto (Michael Fassbender) out of a prison cell 100 floors beneath the Pentagon.
The scene became a fan-favorite for a hilarious slow-motion run where Quicksilver saved Magneto along with Wolverine and Charles Xavier.
Unfortunately, that was one of Peters' only scenes in "Days of Future Past." For fans wanting to see more of Quicksilver, there's good news! Peters will reprise his role in next year's followup, "X-Men: Apocalypse." While we're not sure what his role will entail yet, we know he'll potentially have another cool, big action sequence. Director Bryan Singer has been sharing images from on set of the new film, and his latest tease is the best yet. They're in the midst of filming a Quicksilver scene, and it looks like a lot of fun.
SEE ALSO: Bryan Singer teases a big group from the comics may appear in "X-Men: Apocalypse" Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: This Was Marvel Legend Stan Lee's One Big Mistake  | ||
| |
World Cup can put 'feelgood factor' back in sport | ||
| | ||
London (AFP) - RFU chief executive Ian Ritchie predicts the Rugby World Cup can help put the "feelgood factor" back in global sport following the corruption scandal that has rocked the world of football. Prince Harry and England's World Cup drop goal hero Jonny Wilkinson helped launch the Webb Ellis Cup tour at Twickenham on Wednesday to mark the 100 day milestone until the big kick off on September 18. The trophy will be taken to different venues and events around the UK and Ireland but Ritchie was focused more on the potential uplift and boost the tournament can give on the international stage in the wake of the damaging controversy engulfing Sepp Blatter and others at FIFA. The RFU boast that England 2015 will be the biggest and best World Cup so far with over two million tickets already sold, and Ritchie insisted: "This event has the capability, and certainly the delivery, to be a fantastic feel good tournament. It has all the haulmarks on and off the pitch of something which will be very special. "I don't want to go into detail about what is happening with FIFA and the footballing world but I can assure you that world rugby is in a very good place and England 2015 is well on track to be a very memorable experience and spectacle. "The way this country engages with sport, whether it's the Olympics or whether it's back to other major events plus the interest we have seen up to now, is going to be significant. "There are always challenges in events of this size and scale but this can be a great showcase for rugby. The economics of this event are certainly in a very good place and we will do our bit to invest in the growth of the world game once the tournament is over." Ritchie was just as swift to deny the England squad with the likes of hooker Dylan Hartley and centre Manu Tuilagi having to be dumped from Stuart Lancaster's World Cup plans for on and off the field disciplinary problems could be in danger of a repeat meltdown of the one that ripped them apart in New Zealand four years ago. Giving Lancaster his full support of his strict handling of the two matters, Ritchie claimed: "Those events were sad but it isn't endemic in any shape or form. It is not a situation where we have any issues with the culture. And you look at what has happened under Stuart over the last three years. "The engagement with the country, especially here at Twickenham has been outstanding during that time and the fans come here knowing the players are doing everything they can to succeed. So I don't think we have an image problem at all. "I have no doubts about the culture, the discipline and the way the squad will deal with all the pressures which will be significant over the next few months. "I don't think you can afford to be prissy about it. There have to be values and standards of behaviour. It's team sport after all." He added: "There is a cohesion about this squad and once they get into camp they will fully understand that clear mission and focus which is to make sure we deliver on the pitch during the World Cup. Will we win it? It's going to be a very hard job but we will give it everything we can." Speaking to launch the trophy tour, Prince Harry echoed those views when he said: “Rugby is a great, wonderful game built on values, respect, discipline." He added: "I'm sure the whole of England and Wales will get behind this incredible sporting event and make it one of the best ever. "I am sure they will give every visitor from all the different nations from around the world a truly warm and friendly welcome. It promises to be an occasion those who witness it will never forget."
Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
| |
Clouds hover as inaugural European Games set to begin | ||
| | ||
BAKU (AFP) - Organisers will hope exploits by the likes of Olympic heroines Katie Taylor and Jade Jones will replace headlines over concerns for Azerbaijan's human rights record when the inaugural European Games get underway in Baku on Friday. The days leading up to the opening ceremony have done little to placate the critics of the host nation's record with Amnesty International being barred from entering the country and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) ordered to close its Baku office. The organisers, which include an experienced group from a variety of countries including top former English sports administrator and now the Games Chief Operating Officer Simon Clegg, have been at pains to say they have raised the issue with the Azeri authorities. "We do what we can behind the scenes," Pat Hickey, president of the European Olympic Committees (EOC) and the driving force behind bringing the Games to reality, told AFP last month. "But at the end of the day we are a sporting body and we haven't the right to interfere with a sovereign state's affairs. "We have met with a Human Rights Watch (HRW) delegation that visited us in Dublin and we went in front of the European Parliament in Brussels (last month). "We listen very carefully," added Hickey, who was the unlikely target of a New York Times editorial criticising him over the choice of Baku. On the other hand Hickey, who is the most powerful Irish sports administrator since Michael Killanin was president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), says the presence of the Armenians -- bitter historical enemies of the Azeris -- highlights the positive aspect of sports. The two Caucasus countries have been locked in conflict since a bloody war in the early 1990s following the breakup of the Soviet Union. "Lots of people like to focus on the negatives, but for me there is a huge positive," Hickey told AFP. "We have done a remarkable thing in getting Armenia to agree to compete and Azerbaijan to welcoming them to the Games. "I flew to Yerevan last year and was very ably assisted by (IOC president) Thomas Bach in persuading them to come. "It is living proof that sport is ahead of the politicians in areas such as that. "For Armenia to be at the Games is a great win-win for sport." The Armenian team of just over 20 is a highly competitive one with strong medal hopes in wrestling, sambo -- a mix of judo, jujitsu and wrestling -- and boxing and their reception from the home crowd could well be one of the more interesting aspects of the Games. The sporting competition although bereft of the top track and field athletes and swimmers from the continent -- they hope to have them on board for 2019 although those Games don't have a host as yet with the Dutch deciding not to pursue their interest -- there will still be plenty of top level competition. Over 6,000 athletes will compete in 20 sports with 12 of them offering either direct qualification into the Olympics or take the winners of their events a step closer to a ticket for Rio next year. Both Taylor and Jones have already stood on the top step of the podium at an Olympics in London in 2012 -- in boxing and taekwondo respectively -- but Baku can give them an ideal competitive warm-up for Rio. Taylor, who is also world and European lightweight champion, for one can't wait for the competition to get underway. "They (Azerbaijan) have such a strong boxing nation, and it's always great boxing in venues where they're so knowledgeable about the sport as well," the 28-year-old told Irish national broadcaster RTE earlier this year. "The atmosphere is going to be electric in the stadium. I think the stadium is the Crystal Hall where the Eurovision was; I hope we do better than the song (Jedward's Waterline scored 46 points and finished 19th at the 2012 Eurovision)." Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
| |
Twitter looks at on-phone apps to target new pitches | ||
| | ||
San Francisco (AFP) - Twitter launched a tool that takes into account what apps are on a smartphone or tablet when targeting pitches for other mini-programs people might want. "Installed app category targeting" lets advertisers aim marketing messages at people based on what applications they already have, according to the popular one-to-many messaging service based in San Francisco. "One of the biggest priorities for mobile app marketers is to reach the people who are most likely to use and love their apps," Twitter product manager Deepak Rao said in a blog post. "With installed app category targeting, you can identify new audiences of high-quality users to target within your existing app category and in related app categories." The new tool can be combined with other ad-targeting approaches such as using keywords, languages or locations. Twitter also said it will make available analysis and reporting regarding installed app category targeting to help marketers better orchestrate ad campaigns. The social network late last year introduce the capability to note what apps are installed on smartphones or tablets, saying the information would help personalize Twitter feeds, promoted content, and recommendations regarding accounts to follow. Twitter did not rule out using the information for advertising and said that it gathered no data from inside applications. Twitter has been working to ramp up revenue and win more users amid investors worries about its profitability and ability to grow. Join the conversation about this story »  | ||
| |
These Google products would fit right into Google's plan to build the city of the future (GOOG) | ||
| | ||
Google unveiled its latest moonshot idea on Wednesday with a new “urban innovation” company called Sidewalk Labs, which has as a mission the lofty goal of re-inventing cities for the modern age. “We want to supercharge existing efforts in areas such as housing, energy, transportation and government to solve real problems that city-dwellers face every day,” Google CEO Larry Page declared in the press release announcing Sidewalk Labs, which will operate as a separate company and be led by Dan Doctoroff, the former deputy mayor of New York City for economic development. Among the problems of city life that Page believes could be fixed: better public transport, less pollution, more parks and green spaces, safer biking paths and a shorter commute. The solution to these problems will be new technology, which will be developed and incubated within Sidewalk Labs. The company will be funded and supported by Google, though it will a standalone, separate company based in New York City. If it succeeds in transforming cities into urban utopias, a variety of existing Google projects could also stand to benefit. Here are some of the key efforts at Google that could become building blocks for tomorrow's city: Self-driving cars
It’s unclear whether Google plans to build the cars itself or license the technology to existing carmakers. There have also been reports that Google is working on a ride-hailing service, a la Uber. A fleet of low-emissions, self driving cars that city residents don’t actually own themselves could reduce pollution, free up more space previously used for parking, and perhaps reduce traffic accidents. Drone delivery: Making a trip to a brick-and-mortar store is an inconvenience that city dwellers of the future may not have to deal with. Instead daily staples and supplies could be delivered, Dumbo-like, from the sky. Google is currently testing delivery drones that can navigate themselves to your house and drop a package on your doorstep. Right now there are regulations that prohibit drones from doing these kinds of jobs, but in the metropolis of the future, anything is possible. Clean, airborne energy Solar energy is nice, but the city of the future needs to take it the next level. Luckily Google has just the thing: the Makani wind turbines, or “energy kites,” under development at the company’s x Labs float in the air to take advantage of the stronger and steadier winds available at higher altitudes. A similar idea was on display in the fictional “San Fransokyo” city depicted in the 2014 movie Big Hero 6. Internet of Things Future cities will presumably be “smart” cities, where inanimate objects are interconnected — everything from streetlights to security cameras will be interconnected. To make that happen requires a common technology, such as the Brillo platform that Google recently unveiled at its developer conference. Maps Governments and businesses that want to be part of the next version of urban planning need good maps. Cartography is something that Google takes very seriously. In addition to the map on your smartphone that gives you directions and the StreetView photos of every street, Google is working on high-resolution 3D maps that it creates with laser scanners mounted on cars. SEE ALSO: Google is starting a new company to improve cities Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: Here's how Floyd Mayweather spends his millions  | ||
| |
Jeb Bush campaign says criticism of his old writings about 'shame' are just 'cheap shots' | ||
| | ||
A series of controversial passages about "shame" that appeared in "Profiles in Character," a book former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) co-wrote in 1995 have resurfaced ahead of his expected presidential campaign announcement last week. In a statement to Business Insider, Bush spokesperson Allie Brandenburger described criticism of the writings as "cheap shots." Many of the controversial passages appeared in a section of the book titled "The Restoration of Shame." In it, Bush argued "our inner city streets" and other areas of society "are in dire need of some sense of shame." Bush suggested shame could deter people from "irresponsible behavior" including crime and having children out of wedlock. He also described how he thought public shaming could be used on young criminals. "In the context of present-day society we may need to make kids feel shame before their friends rather than their family," Bush wrote. "The Miami Herald columnist Robert Steinback has a good idea. He suggests dressing these juvenile offenders in frilly pink jumpsuits and making them sweep the streets of their own neighborhoods! Would these kids be so cavalier then? It's not just our inner city streets that are in dire need of some sense of shame." Brandenburger responded by saying Bush has proven his desire to help people who are struggling. "Anyone can take cheap shots, but Governor Bush has dedicated himself to helping low-income kids in broken homes, single moms, and victims of domestic abuse so that they can achieve their dreams. That's what he is all about," she explained. Brandenburger also pointed to Bush's record in Florida including efforts to fight domestic violence, child support enforcement, and education programs for low income children. "Here is Governor Bush's record: He took action against irresponsible fathers by increasing child support enforcement by 90%. He fought for school choice programs so single mothers could provide better education options to their children, driving strong gains in African American and Hispanic student achievement. He made fighting domestic violence a top priority of his Administration, reducing the rate of these crimes by 27%," Brandenburger said. Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: 11 little-known facts about Hillary Clinton  | ||
| |
These are all of Google's weird science projects we know about | ||
| | ||
Google hires a lot of really smart people. Those smart people do a lot of really crazy things. Just today, Google founder Larry Page announced the founding of Sidewalk Labs, a spin-off from the search giant with a mandate to make cities a better place to live. It's not Google's first big idea with a long-term vision. Not by a longshot...or a moonshot.
Google X is the better-known of the company's two semi-secret labs, focused on making "moonshots" that set technology ahead ten years (get it?). Google X is run by Astro Teller, pictured here. Google ATAP, run by ex-DARPA chief Dr. Regina Dugan, is operated like a black ops unit: ATAP's crack researchers have two years to get in, work on their crazy ideas, and get out. So what are they working on? Here's what we know... See the rest of the story at Business Insider  | ||
| |
