On December 27, a Waymo robotaxi and a Serve Robotics sidewalk delivery robot collided at a Los Angeles intersection, according to a video that’s circulating on social media. The footage shows a Serve bot crossing a street in West Hollywood at night and trying to get onto the sidewalk. It reached the curb, backed up a little to correct itself and started moving towards the ramp. That’s when a Waymo making a right turn hit the little bot. The person who posted the video said the Serve bot had run a red light before the collision, though that’s not clear…
Author: Olsi
One last mega-deal closed out an eventful 2024. On Tuesday, World Wide Technology (WWT), a tech services company based in St. Louis, announced it has agreed to acquire Canadian IT provider Softchoice in a deal that values the latter at $1.8 billion CAD (~$1.25 billion). The deal, which is all-cash, was unanimously approved by Softchoice’s board, but has yet to be voted on by the company’s shareholders. It’s also subject to court approval and customary closing conditions; the firms expect it to be finalized in late Q1 or early Q2 2025. If it isn’t, Softchoice could be on the hook…
Nearly a quarter century after its founding, Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin is gearing up to launch an orbital rocket for the first time — and finally enter the competitive launch industry that is currently dominated by SpaceX. Company executives have maintained that they are planning to launch the towering rocket, called New Glenn, before the year is out. However, an air traffic advisory posted last week suggests that Blue Origin may conduct the launch no earlier than January 6. Regardless, there is little left for the company to do in terms of pre-launch tests or paperwork: Blue Origin received its…
For a number of years now, Moft has offered some of the most innovative gadget accessories. They’re always interesting, if not necessarily useful. This new combination Find My wallet and stand manages to tick both boxes. The accessory was announced a couple of weeks out from CES, where it will be shown off for the first time. The product is an update to the Snap-On Phone Stand & Wallet announced several years ago. It utilizes the origami design that has been foundational to most of Moft’s offerings and attaches via MagSafe. The headline new feature is, naturally, the addition of…
Samsung Electronics said on Tuesday that it has become the largest shareholder of South Korea-based robotics maker Rainbow Robotics, increasing its stake from 14.7% to 35% for KRW 267 billion (about $181 billion). The electronics giant, which paid KRW 86.8 billion for the 14.7% stake in 2023, said it is acquiring the stake to bolster its robotics department and speed up development of humanoid robots. Rainbow Robotics will be integrated as a Samsung subsidiary, and the deal is expected to be completed in February 2025. The company also said it would establish a Future Robotics Office directly reporting to the…
Are you still on the hunt for headphone deals as the holiday season draws to a close? You may want to check out this offer from Amazon for the Beats Solo 4, which are on sale with a 35% discount. From their original price of $200, they’re down to a more affordable $130. You’ll need to be quick in completing your purchase for these wireless headphones though — with Beats among the most popular brands in the space, it’s possible that the stocks up for sale run out extremely soon. Hurry if you want to pocket the $70 in savings!…
While trade wars, tariffs, and wavering subsidies are very much in the cards for the auto industry in 2025, global sales of electric vehicles (EVs) are still expected to rise substantially next year, according to S&P Global Mobility. “2025 is shaping up to be ultra-challenging for the auto industry, as key regional demand factors limit demand potential and the new U.S. administration adds fresh uncertainty from day one,” says Colin Couchman, executive director of global light vehicle forecasting for S&P Global Mobility. In the U.S., the incoming Trump administration is reportedly planning to end the $7,500 tax incentive on the purchase…
A data leak led to around 800,000 Volkswagen (VW) electric vehicles (EVs) having their location exposed online for several months, according to a report by German news magazine Der Spiegel. The global incident impacted owners of EVs from VW, Audi, Seat, and Skoda, with real-time location showing for the affected vehicles, whether they were at home, driving along the street, or, in the words of Der Spiegel, parked “in front of the brothel.” VW collects data — including GPS coordinates — after a car owner sets up the VW app, which allows them to do things like preheat the car,…
Just ahead of CES, LG has announced a refresh to its Gram Pro lineup, as well as launched a budget-friendly Gram Book. The tweaked Gram Pro laptops are the most exciting, though, with the the LG Gram Pro 17 catching my eye. First off, it’s been thinned out a bit, dropping down to 0.62 inches thick, which is almost the same thickness as the 16-inch MacBook Pro. The LG Gram Pro 17 is also a full pound and a half lighter than the MacBook Pro, both of which are striving to be one of the best laptops you can buy.…
How do you plan to spend New Year’s Eve this year? For some, crowded parties are the way to go with the traditional Auld Lang Syne song capping a night of sweaty revelry. For others, they head to the multiplex, which this year holds the cinematic pleasures of Nosferatu, Babygirl, and A Complete Unknown. For myself, I plan on staying home and watching a good mystery or two. The British are great at spinning tales of crime, deceit, and murder, and there’s no shortage of them on streamers like Netflix, Peacock, and BritBox. The following three crime shows can be…
