Cruise now offers paid robotaxi rides in Houston

Cruise has been testing its self-driving vehicles in Houston since May, and it started giving employees, along with select friends and family members, fully driverless rides in August. Now, it's offering the public the chance to catch a ride to their destinations on robotaxis with no drivers behind the wheel. The company is now onboarding Houston residents who signed up for its waitlist, and it's also encouraging those who've yet to do so to visit its website and send in a request for access. Those who do get in early will be able to hail a driverless ride through its app for a flat fare of $5 for a limited time. 

Initially, Cruise will have the authority to operate seven days a week from 9PM to 6AM only in Downtown, Midtown, East Downtown, Montrose, Hyde Park and River Oaks neighborhoods. The company typically begins by deploying a small fleet of vehicles to cover a limited number of locations in a city, but it eventually expands its vehicles' availability. 

It will probably take some time before the company can operate around the clock in Houston, though. In San Francisco, for instance, Cruise was only given permission to offer paid daytime rides in August, months after staff members started testing its 24/7 service. It's worth noting that while Cruise was able to secure permission for the expansion, the company still faces pushback from critics raising concerns about the safety of autonomous vehicle tech. One of the commissioners from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) even voted against allowing the company to operate during daytime hours, arguing that the agency didn't have enough information to accurately evaluate the impact of autonomous vehicles on first responders.

Shortly after the CPUC gave the company permission to offer paid daytime rides, the California DMV opened an investigation into a Cruise robotaxi's collision with a fire truck. The agency then asked Cruise to cut its fleet in half and to limit its driverless vehicles in operation to 50 during daytime and 150 at night while the investigation is ongoing. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cruise-now-offers-paid-robotaxi-rides-in-houston-105502822.html?src=rss

NYC’s ‘de facto ban’ on Airbnb is already removing listings

Those firing up Airbnb to look for a short-term rental in New York City right now may find the pickings a bit slim. Officials in the city have started enforcing new regulations mandating that hosts will have to file a registration application — and meet a set of requirements — to be able to rent homes to guests for less than 30 days. Hosts can only rent out homes for short-term stays if they're also staying there, and only two guests are allowed at a time. These requirements are part of old and existing rules on rentals, however, and only the Short-Term Rental Registration Law itself is new.

NYC's Office of Special Enforcement said on its website that on September 5, it started collaborating with booking platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo to ensure that they're honoring the city's verification system. These companies will now have to check whether hosts listing their homes for stays less than 30 days have been approved by authorities. According to The New York Times, only 257 application registrations have been approved so far out of the 3,250 that were lodged as of August 28. That would mean thousands of listings could be removed from Airbnb, seeing as the company estimates that almost 15,000 hosts had short-term rental listings across NYC as recent as last month. 

Airbnb called the law a "de facto ban" on short-term rentals and filed a lawsuit, which was dismissed last month, to try and block its enforcement. Theo Yedinsky, the company's global policy director, said the rules "are a blow to [NYC's] tourism economy" and that "[t]he city is sending a clear message to millions of potential visitors who will now have fewer accommodation options when they visit New York City: you are not welcome." 

The city's authorities argued that enforcing the new law would help prevent housing "being lost to the practice of illegal" short-term rentals. Hosts renting out homes for short periods contributes to the housing shortage, they said, and makes it more expensive to live in the city as a result. 

Airbnb told The Times and CNN that reservations with a check-in on or before December 1 will not be cancelled, but the company will refund the fees it received related to those stays to comply with the new rules. Meanwhile, all bookings starting on December 2 will be cancelled, and guests will be refunded. In addition, hosts will find their listings converted to long-term rentals only if they allow bookings of 30 days or more on the platform. All listings that only allow short-term bookings will be deactivated. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/nycs-de-facto-ban-on-airbnb-is-already-removing-listings-105213899.html?src=rss

United Airlines grounded flights for an hour after a bad software update

You might have faced an unexpected but perhaps brief delay if you were catching a United Airlines flight today. The company issued a nationwide ground stop because of a "computer issue," as ABC News first reported. "United Airlines asked the FAA to pause the airline’s departures nationwide," the Federal Aviation Administration told Engadget. At 1:45PM ET, however, United lifted the ground stop and it started to spin operations back up.

United told Engadget that a software update "caused a widespread slowdown" in its "technology systems." Airborne flights still carried on to their destinations during the brief stoppage. After the issue was resolved, the company resumed flights and began working with customers whose travel was disrupted by the grounding. 

United grounded its flights following a similar issue in the UK just last week. An air traffic control glitch led to the cancellation of a fifth of UK departures and 27 percent of flights that were due to arrive into the country last Monday, when the issue occurred

Update, September 5, 2023, 4:50PM ET: This story has been updated with a statement from United explaining the ground stop was due to a software update, and to note that the ground stop has been lifted.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/united-airlines-has-grounded-all-flights-due-to-a-computer-issue-174007552.html?src=rss

Virgin Galactic’s first private passenger spaceflight will launch as soon as August 10th

Now that Virgin Galactic has flown its first commercial spaceflight, it's ready to take civilians aboard. The company now expects to launch its first private passenger flight, Galactic 02, as soon as August 10th. You can watch a live stream on the company website.

Virgin is carrying three passengers, although only one is a paying customer. Jon Goodwin, an 80-year-old Olympian from the 1972 Munich games, is an early ticket buyer. The other two won seats in a fundraising draw for Space for Humanity — Keisha Schahaff and her daughter Anastasia Mayers are both the first Caribbeans to fly to space as well as the first mother-daughter duo. Virgin's chief instructor Beth Moses will join the trio.

The inaugural commercial flight, Galactic 01, flew in late June. However, all three passengers were Italian government workers (two from the Air Force and one research council member) conducting microgravity studies. While it's not clear what 02's civilian crew will do, they can be tourists this time around.

The firm has been ramping up its operations in recent months after numerous delays from previous years. While Galactic 02 is just Virgin's seventh spaceflight of any kind, it's the third in 2023. The company says it's establishing a "regular cadence" of flights, and you can expect them to become relatively routine if this voyage goes as planned.

The improved frequency is important for the company's finances. Virgin has operated at a loss for years, and lost over $500 million in 2022. The business won't recoup those losses any time soon even at $450,000 per ticket, but paying customers are key to softening the blow and making a case for space tourism.

Blue Origin and SpaceX have already flown civilians into space, and at altitudes higher than the 50-plus miles Virgin flies. However, they haven't established regular launch schedules for tourists. SpaceX's lunar trips won't happen until the company can finish testing Starship, and Blue Origin is waiting to resume flights following a rocket failure in 2022. In that regard, Virgin may be the closest to achieving its tourism goals — so long as maintains the pace it's setting this summer.

Update, July 17, 2023, 8:45 AM ET: Virgin has released the crew roster for the flight. We've updated the story accordingly.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/virgin-galactics-first-private-passenger-spaceflight-will-launch-as-soon-as-august-10th-151531488.html?src=rss

Virgin Galactic’s first private passenger spaceflight will launch as soon as August 10th

Now that Virgin Galactic has flown its first commercial spaceflight, it's ready to take civilians aboard. The company now expects to launch its first private passenger flight, Galactic 02, as soon as August 10th. You can watch a live stream on the company website.

Virgin is carrying three passengers, although only one is a paying customer. Jon Goodwin, an 80-year-old Olympian from the 1972 Munich games, is an early ticket buyer. The other two won seats in a fundraising draw for Space for Humanity — Keisha Schahaff and her daughter Anastasia Mayers are both the first Caribbeans to fly to space as well as the first mother-daughter duo. Virgin's chief instructor Beth Moses will join the trio.

The inaugural commercial flight, Galactic 01, flew in late June. However, all three passengers were Italian government workers (two from the Air Force and one research council member) conducting microgravity studies. While it's not clear what 02's civilian crew will do, they can be tourists this time around.

The firm has been ramping up its operations in recent months after numerous delays from previous years. While Galactic 02 is just Virgin's seventh spaceflight of any kind, it's the third in 2023. The company says it's establishing a "regular cadence" of flights, and you can expect them to become relatively routine if this voyage goes as planned.

The improved frequency is important for the company's finances. Virgin has operated at a loss for years, and lost over $500 million in 2022. The business won't recoup those losses any time soon even at $450,000 per ticket, but paying customers are key to softening the blow and making a case for space tourism.

Blue Origin and SpaceX have already flown civilians into space, and at altitudes higher than the 50-plus miles Virgin flies. However, they haven't established regular launch schedules for tourists. SpaceX's lunar trips won't happen until the company can finish testing Starship, and Blue Origin is waiting to resume flights following a rocket failure in 2022. In that regard, Virgin may be the closest to achieving its tourism goals — so long as maintains the pace it's setting this summer.

Update, July 17, 2023, 8:45 AM ET: Virgin has released the crew roster for the flight. We've updated the story accordingly.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/virgin-galactics-first-private-passenger-spaceflight-will-launch-as-soon-as-august-10th-151531488.html?src=rss

The best travel gear for graduates

Three years after the start of the pandemic, travel is once again a rite of passage for many new grads, and as a parent, you probably want to ensure your child has a great time exploring the world. Visiting a new place can be a little tricky, but a few gadgets can help make the experience easier and more enjoyable for your new grad. These are some of the best travel accessories that always earn a spot in our bag whenever we head out on a new adventure.

Twelve South PlugBug Duo

None of the gadgets we recommend in this list are of much use if your grad can’t charge them when they’re away from home. If they own a MacBook, you can save them money and headaches dealing with different electrical standards by getting them an all-in-one charger like PlugBug Duo from Twelve South. It works with all existing MacBook power adapters and comes with five different electrical plugs, providing coverage for Australia, Canada, China, continental Europe, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore and the US. It also features two built-in USB-A ports, making it possible to charge three devices at the same time. If your grad doesn’t need the extra USB-A connections, another option is the $29 World Travel Adapter Kit from Apple. Either way, you’re giving them the right travel accessory that will serve them on many trips to come.

Sony WH-1000XM5

Crying babies, turbulence and rowdy passengers — there are a lot of sounds that can make an already trying travel experience even more tiresome. Speaking from experience, comfortable and capable noise-canceling headphones can go a long way toward making a flight more peaceful. Thankfully, you don’t have to look far to find the best option in the field: Sony’s flagship WH-1000XM5.

Outside of masterful noise canceling that you can customize, the XM5 has one feature that makes it especially suited for traveling: You can get up to 30 hours of playtime on a single charge, and another three hours after just three minutes of charging. In other words, they’ll easily get your grad through a marathon of flights, layovers, and international travel excursions. If the $398 cans are outside of your budget, you can still find stock of their excellent predecessor, the WH-1000XM4, at some retailers.

Amazon Basic Packing Cubes

After finding out about packing cubes, I waited to buy my first set only to discover they’re as game-changing as everyone claims. With some practice and experimentation, these travel products allow you to make the most of the limited space you have in a suitcase or duffel bag. You don’t need to spend a lot to purchase a decent set: Amazon offers one for under $25. It’s a small gift, but one that your child will appreciate for its practicality.

DJI Osmo Mobile 6 Gimbal

If your grad has a relatively recent phone like the iPhone 14 or the Samsung Galaxy S23, they don’t need a dedicated camera to take great-looking video during their trip. But what can elevate their footage is a smartphone gimbal like the Osmo Mobile 6 from DJI. The company makes some of the best drones you can buy, so it knows a thing or two about camera stabilization. The Osmo Mobile 6 will help your grad film smooth and cinematic videos while they’re on their trip. The company’s latest gimbal features a built-in extension rod that makes it easier to snap the perfect selfie. Plus, it only weighs 309 grams, so it’s a lightweight addition to almost any travel kit.

Bellroy Lite Duffel

If there’s one piece of advice I have for novice travelers it’s to use a duffel bag instead of a roller suitcase for your carry-on bag. Over about a decade of flying, I’ve never had a gate agent ask me to check in one of my duffel bags, even when I was about to board a full flight. Bellroy makes a few great duffels, but I like the Lite model for its lightweight yet durable construction and army of pockets. Those features make it great for weekend or road trips since you can pack more than the Lite Duffel’s 30L capacity suggests. For longer trips, Bellroy also has its excellent Weekender model in 35L, 40L and 45L capacities.

Fjallraven Ulvo Hip Pack

Once your grad reaches their destination, they will want a way to carry essentials like their phone and bank and credit cards around. After many years of using a travel backpack for that purpose, I recently switched to a hip pack. I like the versatility, weight savings and added security they offer. If your giftee ever feels like their belongings are at risk, they can carry their hip pack at the front of their body. After trying a few different models, I eventually settled on the Ulvo Hip Pack from Fjallraven. I like the medium version for its waterproof construction, 2L capacity and backside security pocket. I’ve found the Ulvo to be big enough to carry my passport, wallet and mirrorless camera, making it perfect for day trips.

Fujifilm X-E4

The Fujifilm X-E4 is the successor to the X-E3, a camera I’ve packed on every trip I’ve taken since 2017. What I love about the X-E3 is its unimposing exterior and size. It strikes the perfect balance between portability and image quality. The $849 X-E4 makes an already ideal travel camera even better by adding a tilting 3-inch LCD touchscreen, USB-C connectivity and Fujifilm’s 26.1-megapixel X-Trans 4 CMOS sensor. And did I mention it’s the company’s smallest interchangeable lens camera and weighs less than a pound? Add to that Fujifilm’s film simulations and Bluetooth connectivity, and you have a camera that will allow your kid to take great photos and easily transfer them to their phone to share over social media.

What’s more, you can buy the X-E4 with a 27mm pancake lens. Don’t judge this lens by its small size, though: It’s sharp across its entire aperture range and has a field of view that will make composing shots easy. It’s worth noting Fujifilm has one of the best and most comprehensive lens ecosystems of any camera manufacturer. For almost every expensive piece of glass like the 56mm f/1.2, the company offers a more affordable f/2 alternative that is light, compact and weather-sealed. That makes the X-E4 the perfect starter camera.

Twelve South AirFly Duo

If your grad already owns a decent set of Bluetooth earbuds, you can instead gift them the AirFly Duo. It’s a device that will allow them to use their wireless headphones with a plane’s inflight entertainment system. All they need to do is pair the AirFly Duo with their Bluetooth headphones and plug it into their seat’s headphone jack. If they’re flying with a friend or partner, they can even use the AirFly Duo to stream movie audio to two pairs of headphones.

Amazon Kindle

Every trip involves some amount of downtime. Between long flights and train rides, as well as lengthy layovers, there are plenty of opportunities to catch up on some reading. For that reason, an e-reader like the Amazon Kindle makes for the perfect travel companion.

A previous version of this gift guide recommended the Paperwhite but with all the enhancements Amazon added to the 2022 Kindle, there’s little reason to stretch your budget for the more expensive model. Our favorite budget e-reader, the standard Kindle, features a 300ppi display, 16GB of storage and USB-C charging. Best of all, with a battery that can go up to six weeks on a single charge, there’s one less cable and charger for your grad to carry on their next trip.

Peak Design Tech Pouch

Peak Design is known for making some of the most practical camera bags and accessories you can buy. But over the last few years, it has also made a name for itself in the travel bag space. If you want to help your grad organize all their cables and gadgets before they leave for their next trip, look no further than the company’s Tech Pouch. Exterior handles make it easy to open and hold the pouch, even on a plane flying through turbulence. Inside, you’ll find loops and Peak’s signature origami dividers that make it easy to organize things like pens, SD cards and batteries. Another handy detail is a cable passthrough that allows you to keep a power bank in its interior and connect it to your phone in the front pocket. Plus, the nylon exterior is water-resistant, so your grad can relax knowing all their electronics are secure from most accidental water damage.

Otterbox Fast Charge

At some point during their trip, the battery on your grad’s phone is likely to run low or even die at a critical moment. It could happen when they’re trying to navigate a complex subway system, which will make an already stressful situation more dire (especially if they don’t speak the country’s language). Help them avoid situations like that with a power bank. There are a lot of capable portable chargers out there, but we like the ones from Otterbox. For an affordable option, consider the 10,000mAh model that’s on Engadget’s best power banks list. It offers 18W multi-device fast charging, enough capacity to fully charge a smartphone more than once and a set of both USB-A and USB-C ports. Best of all, it costs less than $50.

MiiR Insulated bottle

I never leave my house, let alone travel anywhere, without a water bottle. Seattle-based MiiR makes some of the most high-quality, reusable bottles in the business, with one of my favorites being the company’s 23-ounce, insulated, narrow-mouth style. It’s perfect for travel because it can keep liquids either hot or cold for long periods of time, and it won’t sweat or transfer any flavors to a drink thanks to the medical-grade stainless steel that coats the interior. It also looks great and comes in a variety of vibrant colors, so there should be one that will appeal to your grad.

Manta Sleep Mask

Between long-haul flights and the eventual jet lag that sets in after hopping countries and continents, getting a full night’s rest can be a challenge. That’s where a sleep mask can help and the best one I’ve found is made by a company called Manta, which also makes neck pillows, ear plugs, and other travel items. At this point, it makes a lot of different eye mask models, so take a look at their website to find the one that will best suit your kid. That said, the original Sleep model is a good all-purpose option for frequent travelers. What makes it stand out is that the memory foam eyecups aren’t sewn into the mask. Instead, they’re attached using velcro, allowing you to reposition them to make the mask as comfortable as possible. The company says they’re also 100 percent effective at blocking out any light, a claim I’ve found to be accurate.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-travel-tech-for-graduates-123028465.html?src=rss

Cruise launches an Android app for its self-driving taxis

Cruise has finally launched an Android app for ridehailing, giving potential customers in San Francisco the option to call one of its robotaxis even if they're not iPhone users. The self-driving car company told Engadget that 20 percent of its waitlisters are on Android, and an app for the platform is one of people's most-requested updates on social media. Cruise's new Android app will come with all the upgrades the iOS app has received since it launched, including the ability to drop a moveable pin on the map by long pressing on the screen. 

Photos of a car, a map showing a trip plan's pickup and drop off, and a rating page asking the use to rate a trip with a ride-hailing service.
Cruise

The company recently started operating in all areas of San Francisco 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Employees have been able to hail robotaxi rides from across the city at all hours for months, but Cruise opened daytime rides to public "power users" in specific portions of the city back in April. To note, when Cruise secured the first ever driverless deployment permit issued by the California Public Utilities Commission last year, it was only given permission to operate in select areas of San Francisco from 10PM to 6AM. 

Passengers with Android phones who become power users, or customers who sign up to test beta features and to send feedback to Cruise for free rides, will be able to hail daytime rides. A spokesperson also told us that Cruise is continuing to expand the availability of daytime rides in San Francisco, so even paying customers will eventually be able to use the service. When the company announced its 24/7 operations, Kyle Vogt, its CEO, said that we'll soon see Cruise "open up full operations in other cities." He said "operating robotaxis in SF has become a litmus test for business viability," and that if the technology can work there, "there's little doubt it can work just about everywhere."

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cruise-launches-an-android-app-for-its-self-driving-taxis-160045696.html?src=rss

Virgin Galactic completes its final VSS Unity flight test before space tourism debut

Virgin Galactic is finally on the cusp of launching its space tourism business. After a late start, the company has completed its last VSS Unity flight test before commercial service starts. The Unity 25 mission tested both technical functionality and the overall experience for astronauts, and reached space at roughly 12:26PM Eastern. The launch also made a little history: crew member Jamila Gilbert became the first female astronaut from New Mexico, according to Virgin. Gilbert and fellow crewmates Chris Huie, Luke Mays and Beth Moses are all Virgin employees.

The company has delayed this test multiple times. The final delay stemmed from difficulties upgrading the VMS Eve host aircraft, which ferries Unity to 50,000 feet. Virgin completed an unpowered test flight in late April, but its first crewed flight dates back to July 2021, when founder Richard Branson joined Moses, Sirisha Bandla and Colin Bennett for Unity 22. Unity 25 is Virgin's fifth spaceflight of any kind.

The successful test is important for Virgin. It has operated at a loss for years as it kept pushing back its space tourism plans, and lost over $500 million in 2022 alone. The company expects to fly paying customers in late June, and it needs those passengers' $450,000 tickets to help recoup its investment. Now, it's more a matter of firming up details than overcoming technological hurdles.

Virgin trails Blue Origin, which is already launching civilians into space. It's closer to passenger spaceflights than SpaceX, though. While Elon Musk's outfit announced its lunar tourism plans years ago, it has yet to send a Starship rocket into space with crew aboard. Not that SpaceX is necessarily concerned. Virgin is focused on less ambitious (if also less expensive) suborbital flights where Starship will be used for both tourists' lunar orbits and NASA's Moon landings.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/virgin-galactic-completes-its-final-vss-unity-flight-test-before-space-tourism-debut-163150722.html?src=rss

Disney’s pricey, immersive Star Wars hotel is shutting down

Less than 19 months after opening Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, Disney will close the hotel's doors. Star Wars fans who are willing to splurge now have until the end of September to try the two-night experience.

“Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser is one of our most creative projects ever and has been praised by our guests and recognized for setting a new bar for innovation and immersive entertainment,” Disney told CNBC in a statement. “This premium, boutique experience gave us the opportunity to try new things on a smaller scale of 100 rooms, and as we prepare for its final voyage, we will take what we’ve learned to create future experiences that can reach more of our guests and fans.”

The hotel opened at Walt Disney World in Florida in March 2022 and it promised fans a one-of-a-kind jaunt. Guests are immersed in a Star Wars story. As passengers on a starcruiser, they encounter a First Order officer and stormtroopers who board the ship to find Resistance spies. Guests can choose to join the light side or the dark side and they may encounter the likes of Chewbacca, Rey and Kylo Ren.

Along with the room, food and drink (except for alcohol), access to Disney World's Hollywood Studios park, a Magic Band and valet service are included in the stay. But for all that, guests are charged a pretty penny.

A two-night stay for two people at Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser starts at $4,800. For a group of three adults and one child, the rate is $6,000. That cost is on top of travel expenses and anything else that tourists might want to do in the area. As such, the hotel is out of the price range of many parents who want to take their kids to Disney World.

Disney didn't explain the reasons for closing down Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, but the writing has been on the wall for a while. Late last year, reports suggested that the hotel was struggling with falling demand and was seeing occupancy rates of as little as 25 percent. In March, it emerged that Disney was cutting back bookings. In the end, it seems Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser was an ambitious experiment for which not enough fans were willing to pay through the nose.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/disneys-pricey-immersive-star-wars-hotel-is-shutting-down-154345788.html?src=rss

Cruise’s robotaxis are heading to Houston and Dallas

Cruise's robotaxis are continuing their push across the Lone Star State. The self-driving car company has announced it plans to begin supervised testing in two more Texan cities, Houston and Dallas, joining its earlier move into Austin (yes, the home of still robotaxi-less Tesla). For now, the expansion is focused on familiarizing the car with the areas, rather than picking up passengers. Residents of the two cities can expect to start seeing Cruise's robotaxis cruising down the streets with a safety driver inside.

In a tweet sharing the news, Cruise said supervised testing in Houston should start in a matter of days while Dallas will be "shortly thereafter." Cruise's robotaxis are already available on a limited basis overnight in Austin and Phoenix and all day in certain areas of San Francisco. 

The speed General Motors-owned Cruise is advancing has brought some concerns. In January, San Francisco's Transportation Authority asked regulators to limit or temporarily pause Cruise and competitor Waymo's expansion, citing repeated cases of their cars inexplicably stopping in traffic and blocking emergency vehicles. As of yet, things have done anything but slow down. Since the request, Cruise celebrated one million fully driverless miles on top of making its robotaxis available at all times in San Francisco — though full access is only for employees.

Right now, there's no set date for when the public will have access to rides in Houston or Dallas. Going off the timeline of other Cruise expansions, it will likely take at least a few months until anyone can hail a self-driving car in either city. Even then, it will probably start with a small group of people and only at night. Anyone interested in taking one of Cruise's robotaxis has to sign up for a waiting list and be accepted to create an account. The company says its limited available cars will keep its services invite-only for the time being.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cruises-robotaxis-are-heading-to-houston-and-dallas-094531398.html?src=rss