Thursday, August 31, 2017

SpaceX sets its own Hyperloop speed record. It's The Daily Crunch.

THE DAILY CRUNCH
THURSDAY, AUGUST 31 2017 By Darrell Etherington

Uber's new day, LG's premium smartphone actually looks good and Magna gets out ahead of the self-driving revolution. All that and more in The Daily Crunch for August 31, 2017.

1. Here's how Uber's Newber CEO's first day went yesterday

I came up with the 'Newber' joke it's mine, TM Darrell 2017 so cite me if you use it. Dara Khosrowshahi's first day as CEO at Uber was indeed a whirlwind though, with drama and an enthusiastic welcome.

This is a big chance for the company to put some distance between itself and its past image, so it seems there was a lot of optimism in the air at Uber HQ, and among investors and company observers.

2. LG's V30 looks like a great smartphone

LG hasn't had much luck making inroads on Samsung and Apple, the smartphone world kings. But its new V30 looks like a great device with a lot going for it, including a focus on the camera and a great display with slim bezels.

3. Magna's MAX4 self-driving platform is ready for cars

Leading auto supplier Magna is bringing a new self-driving platform to market – one that can scale up to full Level 4 autonomy without requiring automakers to put a huge upside down chicken bucket LiDAR on the roof. In fact, they won't have to compromise their designs at all, according to Magna.

4. Postmates gets rid of all city managers

Postmates is contracting a bit by centralizing operations in SF and getting rid of city managers. This might be a move designed to ready Postmates for an acquisition, or a sign of trouble with the bottom line.

5. Sphero adds new Star Wars droids to its toy line

Sphero's putting out new droids in time for the latest Star Wars movie instalment, including a dark BB-9E droid that we don't know much about yet. There's also a new R2-D2 remote toy, which is great.

6. The new Nest thermostat is cheaper and blends in more

The new Thermostat E from Nest is $169, while the original will continue to retail for $250. The difference is lower compatibility with households, and fewer display features, but it's probably a great option for most people.

7. SpaceX can't let the students savor their win

SpaceX just ran its own pusher vehicle, powered by a Tesla motor, down its own Hyperloop track and recorded a record top speed of 220 mph. That's about 20 mph faster than the fastest student pod has done. Take that, KIDS!

Get more stories at techcrunch.com 

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Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Uber officially has a CEO again. It's The Daily Crunch.

THE DAILY CRUNCH
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 30 2017 By Darrell Etherington

Uber finally has a CEO again, Apple's Home button might not be long for this world, and Alexa and Cortana are now a squad. All that and more in The Daily Crunch for August 30, 2017.

1. Uber's new CEO is finally officially official

Uber has finally made official the hiring of Dara Khosrowshahi as its new CEO, after a drawn out process that involved both sides confirming he'd received and would accept the offer. The former Expedia CEO is now definitely at Uber.

Khosrowshahi appears to be a choice welcomed by all involved, including Travis Kalanick and even Benchmark, which is currently suing Kalanick. Perhaps he can bring some peace to the troubled company.

2. How Apple will do without the Home button for iPhone 8

The upcoming premium iPhone won't have a home button, according to a new report – not even a software one. Instead, it'll rely on gestures for navigation. Sounds like it could take some getting used to, but shouldn't ultimately be that big of a difference.

3. Amazon and Microsoft unite their voices

Amazon Echo and Microsoft Cortana will work together in the future, with each able to summon the other and ask them to fulfill tasks. Sounds overly complicated tbh. I'd rather have one assistant that can reliably do everything I need.

4. Speak out today on net neutrality or forever hold your peace

Well not really, but today is the last day to get your comments in on FCC's proposed plan to kill net neutrality, which is bad. Go tell them it's bad – Devin outlines how.

5. Grab grabs some Toyota funding

Uber's Asia rival Grab has secured investment from Toyota. It's a good strategic partner to have on board, and there's also a data partnership with the motor company proper coming alongside the funding deal from its venture arm.

6. How tech is helping out with Harvey relief

Tech companies have launched a number of initiatives to attempt to assist with Hurricane Harvey relief and recovery efforts, and you can check them all out in one place here, as assembled by Taylor.

7. What it was like to attend SpaceX's Hyperloop Pod competition

SpaceX held its second student Hyperloop Pod competition last weekend, and we were there to experience the whole thing. Get a condensed look at what that was like with this video look at the speed-focused test.

Get more stories at techcrunch.com 

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