Author Archives: Carol Edwards

E-scooter company Lime is cautioning riders and contract workers about malfunctioning batteries and other issues with some of its scooters.

Lime uses Segway Ninebot scooters in many of its cities, but after an August report about battery issues in “several” units, faulty scooters are being pulled from the fleet. What Lime calls a manufacturing defect sometimes led to smoldering batteries, which would then catch fire. Lime called these “isolated instances.”

Back in August, Lime worked with Segway Ninebot to digitally monitor batteries for faulty units, which would then prompt a scooter deactivation. Lime says this affected scooters in Los Angeles, San Diego, and Lake Tahoe.  Read more…

More about Scooters, Battery, Segway, Lime, and Tech

This post is part of Hard Refresh, a soothing weekly column where we try to cleanse your brain of whatever terrible thing you just witnessed on Twitter.

Prepare for your heart to explode.

Between the pictures of your friends having fun without you and the barrage of creepily specific ads, who even wants to scroll through Instagram anymore? But among the Boomerangs and #foodporn, here’s the wholesome escape from reality: Sarper Duman’s piano videos. 

The Istanbul-based musician and animal rescuer is the proud father of 19 (yes 19) cats. His videos of himself playing soothing piano compositions while his cats lounge on his keyboard will cure whatever stress you have.  Read more…

More about Instagram, Cats, Hard Refresh, Culture, and Web Culture

Shirtless Liam Hemsworth in a “PG-13” setting is only part of this sensational sales pitch. 

So, yeah. We know you’re in. 

Rebel Wilson’s new romantic comedy Isn’t It Romantic is set to take tired idyllic tropes and spin them into modern-day satiric gold. One part Pitch Perfect reunion, one part I Feel Pretty spin-off with just a sprinkling of Groundhog Day, this lovey-dovey sendup spotlights the cynical Natalie, played by Wilson, as she comes to terms with her newfound existence in… a romantic comedy. 

From a “gay sidekick” to a Vanessa Carlton soundtrack, Natalie’s new universe is basically an AI-written rom-com, the perfect foil to Wilson’s tongue-in-cheek comedy style. Adam DeVine, Priyanka Chopra, Betty Gilpin and, it bears repeating, a shirtless Liam Hemsworth round out the cast.  Read more…

More about Entertainment, Adam Devine, Trailer, Rebel Wilson, and Priyanka Chopra

The timeline just got a whole lot darker. 

Still recovering from getting roasted for the time the Texas GOP tried to go after Beto O’Rourke for being cool, Ted Cruz has made a last ditch effort to be relatable.

Cruz tweeted a picture of the Zodiac Killer’s cryptic cipher on Wednesday, adding a festive “Happy Halloween.” 

It’s not the first time Cruz has acknowledged the meme that claims he was the the Zodiac Killer. Last year, he replied to a tweet with the same cipher.  Read more…

More about Ted Cruz, Zodiac Killer, Culture, and Web Culture

Unplugging from our digital lives is super necessary at times, considering we’re always hooked on our computers, smartphones, and devices whenever we have free time. If you’re planning a small, mid-size, or large event with coworkers, friends, or family, why not take the old-school approach and play some board games? 

While board games like Clue and Trouble remain popular choices, they aren’t the only ones available for your entertainment needs. Over the years, board games have evolved from classic to more complex, as genres like mystery, sci-fi, and history continue to pop up in global culture.  Read more…

More about Gaming, Mashable Shopping, Gift Guides, Tech, and Gaming

Finding the perfect gift for the man in your life can be difficult. What if he doesn’t like it? What if he doesn’t need it? What if he already has it? These are just a few questions that might race through your head when trying to pick out the perfect gift.

While you may be tempted to get your guy something he needs, we’ll let you in on a little secret: Get him something he really wants instead and watch his eyes light up as he unwraps your gift. 

Whether you’re buying a gift for your husband, father, brother, cousin, or best friend, we rounded up the best products that will make him light up — no matter the occasion. Whether he enjoys the finer things in life like whiskey and watches, needs a good solution to a tech problem at home, or just wants more Funko Pop figures and Deadpool t-shirts, we’ve got you covered. Read more…

More about Gift Guide, Mashable Shopping, Gift Guide 2018, Lifestyle, and Sex Relationships

California has handed Waymo the first permit to test fully driverless cars in the state. 

While Waymo, part of Google’s parent company Alphabet, has been allowed to test autonomous vehicles with a driver since 2014, the new permit allows the company to test cars without drivers.

Waymo will be allowed to test its three dozen driverless cars on public roads, including freeways, highways and streets. 

Testing will take place near Waymo headquarters, with permission to drive in Palo Alto, Mountain View, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, and Sunnyvale, in Santa Clara County. Read more…

More about Tech, California, Autonomous Vehicles, Self Driving Cars, and Waymo

That Faraday Future 91 electric vehicle that seemed so promising just a few years ago will probably never get made for the masses — and definitely not by 2019.

The California-based would-be Tesla rival has suffered many setbacks, but none as severe as those announced this week.

In a statement sent Tuesday, Faraday Future confirmed that two execs, Pete Savagian and Nick Sampson, have left the company. “We wish them the best of luck in their future endeavors,” the statement read. 

But it gets worse from there. 

All employees who joined the electric car startup after May 1 must take a furlough (an unpaid leave of absence) for November and December. Those hired before can opt for the furlough or continue working regularly but at lower pay. Health benefits will continue. It’s also not guaranteed that the furlough will end by December. Read more…

More about Electric Vehicles, Faraday Future, Tech, and Transportation

The future of Facebook is Stories.

That was one of the biggest takeaways from Facebook’s third-quarter earnings call, where Mark Zuckerberg and other executives repeated again and again that Stories will soon be bigger than News Feed.

While not the first time Facebook execs have made such a claim, it quickly became clear just how important Stories will be for future growth on Facebook.

While the format has been incredibly successful on Instagram and WhatsApp, Zuckerberg noted that it’s gotten a slower start in Facebook’s main app, which the CEO attributed in part to early bugs in the experience. “Our effort to switch Facebook from News Feed first to Stories first hasn’t been as smooth as I hoped,” Zuckerberg said. Read more…

More about Tech, Facebook, Social Media Companies, Tech, and Social Media Companies

New iPads weren’t the only thing Apple revealed in Brooklyn. 

Apple released iOS 12.1 in addition to announcing the new home button-less iPad Pro, a Mac mini, and a refreshed MacBook Air. While this isn’t an entirely new iOS, it’s an important update that delivers promised features that the initial version of iOS 12 missed, as well as some much-needed performance improvements.

The big one, of course, is Group FaceTime. The ability to video call with up to 32 people on iOS and macOS devices is now available with this update. You’ll also get several new emoji, including the hotly anticipated bagel with cream cheese.  Read more…

More about Apple, Iphone, Ipad, Ios, and How To