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Google Maps can predict how crowded your train or bus will be

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Starting today, the feature will be available in 18 towns and cities in the UK: Birmingham, Brighton, Bristol, Cambridge, Cardiff, Coventry, Crawley, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Newcastle, Nottingham, Oxford, Reading, Sheffield and Southampton. Google plans to roll out the predictions to almost 200 cities worldwide on Android and iOS.

Google Maps public transit crowdedness predictions

Meanwhile, Google Maps will also start showing live delay information for buses in places where local transit agencies don’t already provide that data to Google. In a blog post, Google said the app will offer details on whether your bus will be late, how long you should expect to wait and more accurate predictions on travel times based on traffic conditions. Google Maps will also show you where the delays are, so you know what’s ahead. That way, you might be able to give people a better sense when you’re likely to arrive, or figure out another route that avoids gridlock.

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Axon won’t use facial recognition tech in its police body cameras

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Axon has not yet deployed facial recognition technology in any of its body cameras, but it has been using the AI to help blur faces in videos before they are released to the public. In a press release, the company said it will continue developing the technology in an ethical manner and will work to de-bias its algorithms.

Earlier this year, another report by the MIT Media Lab found that Amazon’s facial analysis tools also have racial and gender biases. And last month, legislation in California proposed banning the use of facial recognition in police-worn cameras. That followed on the heels of San Francisco banning city government (including police) from using facial recognition. While Axon could set a precedent in the law enforcement community, the use of facial recognition by police seems to be moving forward unimpeded in places like Beijing.

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‘Apex Legends’ leak promises ‘Kings Canyon will never be the same’

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Less than a week before the launch of Apex Legends second season, two leaked trailers detail significant changes to the map. We knew the new season would included Wattson, an engineer character who thrives on defensive play, and the trailers provide a glimpse of Wattson in action. There’s also hints of a new hacker-themed character, Crypto. Perhaps most importantly, the clip makes one thing clear, “Kings Canyon will never be the same.” Certain areas have stabilized enough to support new growth forests, and there are new structures. Plus, the leak confirms that the Leviathans have indeed invaded the map.

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New ‘Overwatch’ Lego sets feature Wrecking Ball, Junkrat and Roadhog

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There will be two sets available: a smaller Wrecking Ball, the rotund robot piloted by Hammond the hamster, and a larger Junkrat & Roadhog set with a bike and signage inspired by the Junkertown map.

The sets will be shown off at the Blizzard booth at SDCC next month, and they’ll be available to buy in October this year for $19.99 for the Wrecking Ball set and $49.99 for the Junkrat & Roadhog set.

These are the latest addition to the collection of Overwatch Lego sets that were unveiled at the start of the year. Previous sets included tiny Lego figures of Tracer and Widowmaker, Hanzo and Genji, and Soldier: 76, Reaper and McCree. There was also a mech set with D.Va and Reinhardt and a huge Watchpoint: Gibraltar set with Mercy, Reaper, Winston and Pharah.

But when are we getting a Lego Mei figure? That’s the real question.

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Oppo’s under-screen camera kills phone notches

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There’s room for improvement, though.Oppo’s under-screen camera is real and taking photos in Shanghai

Probably the best way to remove the notch or pinhole from our smartphones is to make the camera invisible. And that’s what under-screen cameras promise. Several Chinese phone makers are hustling to make this a reality, and Oppo was the first to put one in front of journalists, at MWC Shanghai.

For now, the solution needs a slightly transparent display and a camera that’s customized to make the most of less light. It’s not the finished product, but it’s proof that these under-screen cameras can work — they just need to work better.

A certification test flight isn’t expected to take place until July 8th at the earliest.FAA discovers another potential risk with the Boeing 737 Max

CNN reports government pilots found an issue with a microprocessor that may lead to the plane pointing downwards if the chip fails. The agency simply stated “The FAA recently found a potential risk that Boeing must mitigate.”

It will be worth the wait.‘Hollow Knight: Silksong’ is a faster, more elegant sequel

While we still don’t know a launch date, the sequel to the gorgeous Hollow Knight looks almost ready. Mat Smith got to test out two demos of the action-platformer, and he can’t wait to play more.

The employees say they’re ‘no longer content to wait’ for change.Google employees petition to ban the company from SF Pride

Some Google employees want the San Francisco Pride board of directors to revoke Google’s sponsorship of Pride 2019 and to exclude Google from the Pride Parade on June 30th. Employees say they have spent countless hours advocating for Google to improve its policies regarding the treatment of LGBTQ+ people. Google CEO Sundar Pichai told Gayglers (a group for Google’s LGBT employees) that the company will conduct more internal discussions aimed at addressing its harassment policies. But those who signed the petition say they are “no longer content to wait.”

With the Pride Parade a few days away, a sudden revocation was unlikely, and SF Pride said in a statement that Google would remain a partner in the 2019 parade, adding that Google “has been a considerate partner of SF Pride for a number of years.”

It’s more than just a nostalgia play.‘Super Mario Maker 2’ is another love letter to Nintendo’s 2D platformers

SMM2 on Nintendo’s Switch is more of what made the first Mario level-making title so attractive to stage builders and gamers looking for high-level challenges. There’s now a single-player mode, and even the ability to craft challenges from Super Mario 3D World, but it’s a little different to the usual 2D-level building.

The company simulated a parachute failure for Starliner’s final qualification test.Boeing is closer to ISS spaceflights after Starliner’s final parachute test

Boeing’s Starliner capsule has successfully touched down even after disabling two of its parachutes. It was part of the final and most difficult qualification test it needed to pass to fly astronauts to the ISS. This success could mean Starliner’s first flight could well happen sometime this summer. And, if all goes well, astronauts might go to space in the Starliner by the end of the year.

But wait, there’s more…

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Harvard’s RoboBee X-Wing can fly under its own power

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This version is only one-quarter the weight of a paper clip, but it still needs the extra lift provided by its two extra wings to carry its on-board electronics and six tiny solar cells. Since the robot is untethered unlike other similar robotic insects, it gets its power from the sun — or from powerful lamps, which the researchers used during their tests.

The solar cells generate 5 volts of electricity, and a small onboard transformer turns it into the 200 volts of electricity the RoboBee needs to lift off. That voltage causes the bee’s piezoelectric actuators to bend and contract like the real insect’s muscles would, leading to the flapping motion of the robot’s wings.

Even though the X-Wing doesn’t need a tether, it still can’t be deployed in real missions. For one, it requires light three times the intensity of our sun to be able to generate the power it needs. In addition, it doesn’t work when it’s not directly under the light and could only fly for a second or two during testing until it veers out of view. The researchers need to equip it with a power storage solution so it can fly in the dark. Problem is, that would make it heavier.

According to IEEE Spectrum, the team is now working on a version that’s 25 percent larger and can harness power from a light source that’s “only” 1.5 more intense than our sun. Hopefully, they can figure out how to give RoboBee the capability to harness power from our sun as it is and to store energy for later use.

Winged robots are more agile and maneuverable than those that use propellers. They’re also quieter and won’t injure or damage the people and objects they come in contact with. If the Harvard researchers can find a way to make RoboBee work on our planet and in the dark, it could be the perfect robot for search and rescue operations and environmental exploration.

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Amazon’s Counter package pickup comes to the US via Rite Aid

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The Counter service was originally available in the UK and Europe, where customers could collect parcels from post offices and newsagents. Now it’s coming to the US as well, arriving first at 100 Rite Aid stores and expanding to all 1,500 stores by the end of the year.

Rite Aid stores already host Amazon lockers, allowing customers to collect their parcels. So expanding the service to include counter pickups seems like a natural extension of the partnership.

For customers who can’t wait at home for deliveries and are worried about package theft, this service will make Amazon orders more appealing. And for all that it will boost Amazon’s footprint, it might also give back to companies that Amazon competes with: If you’re going into a store to collect a package, you may well end up buying something extra while you’re there.

This comes after Amazon had a public break up with FedEx, after it failed to renew its contract with the retailer earlier this month. But Amazon has plenty of other shipping options available, having arrangements with UPS and the United Postal Service as well as its own delivery service, Amazon Key, which drops parcels in garages through the use of a smart lock.

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The FIDO Alliance wants to bring password-less security to IoT devices

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The first group FIDO formed, called Identity Verification and Binding Working Group, will define criteria for remote ID verification and develop a certification program for manufacturers. FIDO previously determined that asking for biometric details and government-issued IDs when onboarding new accounts or recovering old ones “greatly improve the quality of identity assurance.” It’s possible that the ID verification criteria the group comes up with will require one or both of those.

The second group is called IoT Technical Working Group, and it’s tasked with developing a comprehensive (and password-less, of course) authentication standard for IoT devices. It includes experts from Intel, Arm, Microsoft, Google and Amazon, and it’s still recruiting more members from the industry. Seeing as 1 trillion devices are expected to be deployed by 2035, the standards will help ensure people’s safety and privacy in the future.

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Amazon Prime Day adds a July 10th concert headlined by Taylor Swift

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Everyone from Walmart to Target to eBay is coming for Amazon’s online shopping crown, and now its Christmas-in-July event is adding yet another wrinkle: a concert. Leading up to to the two-day Prime Day 2019 on July 15th and 16th, Amazon Music will put on a show — streamed live via Prime Video of course — with performances from SZA, Dua Lipa and Becky G, not to mention a little-known headliner, Taylor Swift.

Subscribers in 200 countries can tune in for the show July 10th at 9 PM ET. After it airs live, it will be available for replay for a “limited time,” and it will also tie-in with promos for other Amazon stuff. Previews planned for the stream include teasers for Jack Ryan, Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Carnival Row, The Boys and Undone.

Also, Prime members are being encouraged to try the Amazon Music Unlimited subscription service with an offer that keeps the price at .99 cents per month for the first four months. Asking Alexa to play the Prime Day Concert playlist now will turn up selections from the featured artists, and once the show is on, the assistant can tune straight to the video for you.

Developing..

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Livongo’s smartwatch tie-in is made for managing chronic conditions

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“Our smartwatch integration allows us to capture information from our Members, add it to our AI+AI engine, and return actionable, personalized, and timely information back to them,” said Livongo president Dr. Jennifer Schneider in a statement. The Mountain View-based health startup, founded in 2014, currently serves over 164,000 active users. The technology is aimed at users with diabetes, high blood pressure and other chronic conditions. Most of its clients are large employers, as well as insurance plans and care providers. In addition to the app, Livongo also makes connected glucose meters and lancets.

The digital health company is working on expanding its reach across multiple platforms. Back in April, Livongo debuted an Alexa skill that allowed users to get blood glucose readings and other health tips from their device. The company is also using Amazon Lex and Amazon Polly to power its voice-enabled blood pressure monitoring system.

The idea that wearables, smartphones and other devices can double as medical tools is gaining momentum among the medical community — as well as the users themselves. Wearables are no longer mere step counters; they can now read blood pressure, calculate VO2 max, heart rate, sleep, stress levels and more. And their functions are only growing as technology becomes more advanced. Cardiogram, an advanced heart-rate tracking app that works with Apple Watch, Fitbit and Watch OS, was found to detect diabetes with an 85 percent accuracy rate. As wearables market continues to expand, it’s a guarantee we’ll see more advanced uses of healthcare technology down the line.

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