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To infinity and beyondToday’s going to be a historic day for NASA and America’s space program — maybe. If all goes to plan, SpaceX will be blasting off into space and, for the very first time, carrying passengers. This is the second launch attempt for SpaceX’s manned Falcon 9 rocket; the first was set for this past Wednesday but called off at the last minute due to bad weather. I don’t know about you, but I imagine rocketing into space is stressful enough. Doing so in a massive lightning rod has to be worse. The launch alone will be a milestone and the first time in nearly a decade that astronauts have lifted off from American soil. It’s a pretty exciting time, but, wouldn’t you know it, conspiracy theorists have to come along and try to ruin this, too. A few would-be “experts” took to Twitter saying Wednesday’s launch was canceled because the whole thing was fake. One person said it was a hoax meant to distract people from “something else.” Another said it was canceled because they had trouble with the green screen. It’s mind-boggling that people think this could be a fake, but then again, people thought the moon landings were a hoax, too. If it’s not postponed again, the launch is set for this afternoon at 3:22 p.m. EDT. Watch live coverage on Komando.com. Drone deliveries doublingCloser to earth, the skies are going to get a little more crowded as drone deliveries really start to take off. And it’s becoming big business for Wing, which is owned by Google parent company Alphabet. You might not see them in your neighborhood (U.S. Wing only makes deliveries in Virginia), but it also operates in Australia and Finland. Deliveries doubled from February to March and again from March to April, and Wing told Business Insider Australia there was a 350% increase in customer sign-ups globally. Coming to a city near youIf there ever was a time for service drones to really make their entrance, it’s now. The largest drone delivery service in the world is Zipline, and they just hit the scene in the U.S. with a deal to deliver medical supplies and protective equipment to healthcare workers in North Carolina. Before that, UPS Flight Forward began using Matterport’s M2 drones to deliver prescription medication from a CVS Pharmacy to a nearby retirement community in Florida. But where’s Amazon in all of this? Back in 2013, Jeff Bezos predicted Amazon would be delivering by drone within five years. Unless I slept through 2018, that didn’t happen. Last June, the company unveiled its new Prime Air delivery drone with the promise of service starting “within months.” A year later, Amazon still can’t seem to get off the ground. Intellectual property case continues to drone onThen there are the recreational drones, with the most popular in the world made by DJI in China. In 2018, Autel Robotics USA filed a lawsuit against DJI, claiming the Chinese company stole its designs for eight different drones. Last week, a judge ruled in Autel’s favor and recommended that sales of the drones in question, including the Mavic lineup, Spark, Inspire and Phantom, be halted in the U.S. It’s been appealed, and DJI’s attorneys have said a ban is unlikely to be enforced and that its sales in the U.S. won’t be affected. |
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Skip this, download thatIt was a big week for operating system software updates across the board. Here’s what you need to know about Microsoft and Apple’s latest offerings. Major update comes to Windows 10The biggest Windows 10 update of the year arrived this week, with a wide range of security updates and bug fixes. But if there’s one thing Microsoft is consistent at, it’s fixing one thing and breaking another. Among the highlights? A change to how indexing works. This background process is essentially how your computer organizes and displays your files and can sometimes slow your PC. The update lets you pause the process if you’re running low on memory. The annoying virtual assistant Cortana was also updated. You can now undock it from the taskbar and ask questions via typing instead of talking. There are other under-the-hood processes that have been adjusted in the May 2020 update, and you can find all the details at Komando.com. And now to the glitches ... No one knows bugs like MicrosoftThere are also bugs in the new Windows update (surprise!), and it seems that even six months of additional testing wasn’t enough to find them. Microsoft has already identified a whopping 10 different bugs and is looking at fixes for those. The majority center around accessories like Bluetooth mice, keyboards and desktop monitors. These issues won’t affect you if you’re on a laptop PC with no external accessories, but for most Windows users, Microsoft is actually advising against updating if you have an at-risk peripheral. Otherwise (and if it hasn’t updated already), open your Start menu, click Settings and open Update & Security. Click Check for Updates and follow the on-screen instructions to install. Don’t forget to back things up first. What about Apple?Not to be outdone, Apple sent out 11 separate security alerts this week that have been patched with software updates. Here’s the list of everything in need of a critical security patch:
We’ve got instructions to update your devices here. If you’re debating a pair of expensive AirPods, I have a better option: Raycon earbuds. They’re half the price and sound just as good. They’re comfortable, too, and have a built-in mic so you can take calls. Use the promo code “Kim” at checkout to save 15%!* |
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How much money do you have to waste?The economy is in the tank, but, wouldn’t you know it, companies are still cranking out expensive products that’ll make you think, “Who’s buying that?” Sick of hunching over your laptop?Smart-home company Crestron wants to turn your living room into a full-fledged office conference room. The collaboration with Zoom and Logitech is called Crestron HomeTime, and the idea is to eliminate having to hunch over or huddle around a computer or phone screen. Instead, sit back and relax on a Zoom call from the comfort of your couch. The system connects to a TV with an HDMI port to enable the use of Zoom Rooms software — no computer or phone necessary. A 4K Logitech MeetUp camera equipped with a wide-angle lens, speakers and a microphone array rounds out the rest. Sounds comfy, but the setup clocks in at $6,100. Add another room for just $3,000. Who doesn’t love a BOGO deal? Don’t lick your iPhoneSome of the world’s smartest minds are working on things like artificial intelligence and vaccines for COVID-19. Others have different priorities. Enter the Norimaki Synthesizer, a lickable screen that simulates flavors through small tubes of gels. You can’t make this stuff up. The gel is made of electrolytes, each tasting like five flavors that the tongue can distinguish (acidic, bitter, salt, savory, sweet and umami). They’re synthesized through electric charges; different levels of charge means a different taste. The fine minds behind the screen can make these electro-gels taste like anything, from gummy bears to sushi. Hopefully not both at the same time ... Scrub-a-dub-dubAt this point in the pandemic, we should all be well-versed in the skills of proper hand-washing ... or at least we think we are. A startup called PathSpot wants to point out all the contaminants still on your hands, and businesses are snatching up the company’s hygiene scanners. Wash your hands as you normally would, then put them in the scanner that’s mounted on the wall next to the sink. A green light means clean, and a red light ... Well, you get the idea. PathSpot has been sold to hundreds of companies that include restaurants and packing facilities, which pay a monthly fee for the devices and testing. What about some stuff you’ll actually want to buy? Here are 10 deals to add to your summer wishlist. |
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