Elon Musk is annoying the hell out of people who work with self-driving cars

TwitterFacebook

Elon Musk really went for it this week at Tesla’s Autonomy Day, ripping into widely used self-driving technology like laser sensors and (over)promising to put 1 million self-driving Tesla taxis on the streets next year. These bold claims certainly stirred up some feelings among autonomous vehicle experts and industry leaders.

On Friday, Velodyne president Marta Hall released a long statement — with a lot of ALL CAPS — defending her company’s main product, LiDAR sensors for autonomous vehicles. While acknowledging Tesla’s good work with electrification and car design, she shredded Musk’s “claims” about deploying Teslas without a driver and without “lame” LiDAR sensors. Tesla only uses cameras, ultrasonic sensors, and a radar unit for its sensor suite. Read more…

More about Tesla, Autonomous Vehicles, Self Driving Cars, Lidar, and Tech

How to fix Gmail’s cluttered design with a simple Chrome extension

TwitterFacebook

If you’re annoyed by Gmail’s cluttered design, you’re not alone. Its lead designer from 2008 to 2012, Michael Leggett, recently spoke to Fast Company about how much it bugs him — and how he built a Chrome extension to fix the problem.

SEE ALSO: Google Pay can import airline miles, reward points, and more from Gmail now

Leggett created Simplify Gmail, a free Chrome extension that removes all icons from the left and right sides of the home screen. Every chat, folder, starred email, and add-on is gone. The Gmail logo at the top of the screen is also removed. In the end, you’re left with a nice, clear view of your primary inbox — and not much else. Read more…

More about Google, Gmail, Email, Chrome, and Chrome Extensions

Apple could buy Intel’s modem business, report says

TwitterFacebook

Apple has considered buying Intel’s smartphone modem business in what would be one of the iPhone maker’s biggest acquisitions ever.

That’s according to a new story in the the Wall Street Journal, which reports that the two companies have held talks since last year, though those conversations recently “stalled.” 

From the report:

A multibillion dollar acquisition would be one of Apple’s largest (the current record for the company is its $3 billion Beats acquisition) and would have significant ramifications for the iPhone. Apple has been working on its own chips for some time, but gaining Intel’s patents and engineers could help them accelerate those plans. It could also help insulate Apple in the event of another legal dispute or other supply issue.  Read more…

More about Tech, Apple, Iphone, Intel, and Qualcomm

Uber could be worth $90 billion. Most drivers won’t see much of it.

TwitterFacebook

Uber’s upcoming IPO: $90 billion.

Average Uber driver hourly pay: Less than $19 per hour.

Based on an updated SEC filing, the company is worth up to $90 billion. And drivers are realizing they won’t see much of it unless they’ve driven a lot for the ride-hailing company.

SEE ALSO: Uber beats Lyft with IPO payout to drivers

The official Uber IPO is expected by the second week of May and will trade on the New York Stock Exchange with the ticker symbol “UBER.” While Uber outlined a $300 million payout plan for 1.1 million Uber drivers, some of the contract workers that literally drive the company’s core service also want more transparency, better wages, and more benefits like health care and higher earning potential. Read more…

More about Uber, Ipo, Lyft, Ride Hailing Apps, and Drivers

13 hilarious times people totally misheard the lyrics to a song

TwitterFacebook

Arguably the best part about jamming out to some tunes is being able to scream the lyrics.

But some musicians really make you work for it. Chronic offenders of the Incomprehensible Lyrics Club include Patrick Stump, Elton John, and The 1975. 

We shouldn’t place all the blame on our favorite artists, though — sometimes it’s our own shitty ears that mishear a word or phrase. Even when we learn the right lyrics, it’s already wormed and lodged itself into our brains, and nothing can ever stop you from singing “All the lonely Starbucks lovers” to Taylor Swift’s “Blank Space” again. 

Some are Freudian slips. Some are just hilarious, distorted misunderstandings. Here are our favorites.  Read more…

More about Twitter, Music, List, Culture, and Culture

Slack’s IPO filing shows it fears a Facebook-style privacy disaster

TwitterFacebook

Slack knows a lot about you, and it realizes that could one day be a serious problem.  

The company behind the messaging service used by media organizations, tech behemoths, and Fortune 500 companies around the world published its plan to go public on April 26, and the document paints a detailed picture of the company’s hopes and fears. One fear, in particular, is of note: a Facebook-style privacy disaster. 

SEE ALSO: Slack made it harder to know if your boss is reading your DMs

Buried deep in the “risk factors” section of the prospectus — along concerns of hackers and market changes — lies the explicit worry that a severe privacy misstep by the company could result in grave harm to the business. No one, after all, wants to trust their personal data to a company that repeatedly betrays their trust.  Read more…

More about Facebook, Privacy, Slack, Tech, and Big Tech Companies

A cheat sheet for Marvel newbies about to see ‘Avengers: Endgame’

TwitterFacebook

Warning: Heavy spoilers from throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe are present in this post, excluding Avengers: Endgame Proceed with caution.

So, you’ve got a ticket to see Avengers: Endgame. But the thing is… you’ve never seen a Marvel movie, have no idea what an Infinity Stone is, and are pretty sure Thanos is a brand of dish detergent. 

Bad news: Endgame is out now, so you’ve only got a little time to get caught up before diving in to 2019’s most anticipated premiere. 

Good news: We’re here to help you cram before you hit the theater!

Prioritizing efficiency over thoroughness, here are all of the Marvel basics you need to know for the Endgame. Feel free to scroll, skim, and CTRL+F throughout this article for all your last-minute tidbit needs. (Tip #1: This movie is about superheroes.) Read more…

More about Marvel, Recap, The Avengers, Marvel Cinematic Universe, and Explainer

It turns out purposely messing with your targeted ads isn’t a good idea

TwitterFacebook

Facebook is convinced that I am a young mother with a love of kraken-themed decor. 

Unless you count my cat, who is 11-years-old and the animal equivalent of the grumpy old man from Up, I absolutely do not have a child. But for the last six months, my feed has been inundated with ads for baby products, from nasal suction devices to teething toys that look like plush versions of a bad acid trip. 

Over the summer, my cat underwent a veterinary procedure that, to spare the nasty details for the faint of heart, required me to dab antibiotic ointment on his butt twice a day. Because he had a knack for getting out of his cone of shame and getting ointment everywhere, I put him in diapers for the day after the surgery. But diapers made specifically for pets are absurdly expensive, so I bought a pack of (human) infant diapers online and went on my cat owner way. I started seeing ads for baby products that night.  Read more…

More about Facebook, Ads, Tracking, Culture, and Web Culture