Alphabet’s Wing will begin drone deliveries in Dallas-Fort Worth on April 7th

Alphabet’s Wing division has announced that it’s launching a drone delivery service in the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) metroplex on April 7th. “With this service, the DFW area will be the largest metro in the world, and the first in the United States, with access to on-demand drone delivery,” a company spokesperson said in an emailed statement. 

Wing’s primary launch customer is Walgreens, which will deliver health and wellness products directly to customer’s homes. For that, it will use a new operational model where drones are staged at one of its own store parking lots, rather than a Wing facility. It will also be delivering ice cream from Blue Bell Creameries, Easyvet prescription pet medications (yep) and first aid kits from Texas Health.

“This will be America’s most scalable drone delivery operation to date, as Walgreens team members will process their own orders and load packages onto drones themselves – while Wing oversees the delivery from a remote location,” the company said.

In a press release and video (above) from last year, Wing explained exactly how that would work. “The aircraft will arrive in small containers that serve as tiny hangars, allowing each store to quickly and easily deploy a small, dedicated fleet from its parking lot, on its roof, or in small spaces adjacent to the building.” 

Wing uses a hybrid multi-rotor/fixed-wing drone of its own design. It can carry packages no heavier than 1.5kg (3.3 pounds) on round trips up to around 10km (6 miles) away. The drones are autonomous, but are monitored by pilots who can take control if something goes awry. There are redundant motors, batteries and navigation systems to help prevent accidents. 

Wing has been doing drone deliveries in Australia (its launch market) since early 2019, and started making drones deliveries in the US later that year. The company noted that it has made 200,000 real deliveries to date, but those were largely done in smaller communities — so the city launch is a big deal. “This is an important milestone for Wing and drone delivery in the US,” the company said in a press release. 

Deliveries will start on April 7th for “tens of thousands” of homes in Frisco and Little Elm, both north of Dallas. “I do want to set clear expectations: not everyone who lives within range of our drones will be able to order on Day 1. We’re going to invite customers in groups to make sure everyone has a good first experience with drone delivery,” said Wing CTO Adam Woodworth.

Elon Musk now owns a 9.2 percent stake in Twitter

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk now owns 9.2 percent of Twitter after purchasing $2.89 billion in stock, according to a US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing spotted by CNBC. The purchase follows recent criticism by Musk over the social media site’s free speech policies. “Given that Twitter serves as the de facto public town square, failing to adhere to free speech principles fundamentally undermines democracy,” he tweeted last week.

Musk is a prolific Twitter user and has over 80 million followers, but the platform has also brought him trouble. Most famously, in 2018 he tweeted that he had “funding secured” to take Tesla private at $420 a share, setting off an SEC lawsuit that cost him $20 million and his spot as chairman of the board. Musk recently challenged the settlement, saying that the SEC overstepped its authority. He’s asking a federal judge to terminate his agreement requiring some tweets to be vetted by a lawyer.

Along with the comment, Musk launched a Twitter poll last week with the question “Do you believe Twitter rigorously adheres to this [freedom of speech] principle?” He also mused about the idea of starting his own social media platform, saying he was giving it “serious thought.” 

In a follow-up tweet, Musk said that “the consequences of this poll will be important,” and that prediction has now apparently come true. His stake in Twitter is still a passive one, but he could up the stakes somewhat. “This eventually could lead to a buyout,” analyst Dan Ives told CNBC. Musk is now the platform’s largest shareholder, and Twitter shares have reportedly surged more than 25 percent in premarket trading, according to CNBC. 

Update 4/4/2022 11:52 AM: The post has been updated with information that Musk is now Twitter’s biggest shareholder.

Apple Watch Series 7 models fall to new all-time lows in one-day Amazon sale

If you’ve been eyeing the latest Apple Watch Series 7 but are waiting for a deal, it may be time to act. No less than four models, including the 41mm and 45mm models with and without cellular, are on sale at Amazon at all-time low prices. Each model (in multiple color choices) is discounted by $69, letting you grab one for as little as $330 for today only.

Buy Watch Series 7 41mm GPS at Amazon – $330Buy Watch Series 7 45mm GPS at Amazon – $360

The Apple Watch 7 is a moderate evolution over the Series 6, but the larger screen makes it easier to see the time and other info at a quick glance during workouts or if you’re on a bad date. It also has faster charging, making it more convenient if you like to use your Watch continuously, even while you sleep. It’s also the first Apple Watch to be certified as IP6X for dust resistance, making it more useful for mountain runs, for example. You also great a rich app ecosystem and tight integration with Apple apps like Fitness+, Music and so on.

Buy Watch Series 7 41mm Cellular at Amazon – $430Buy Watch Series 7 45mm Cellular at Amazon – $460

It does have a few drawbacks, including lackluster sleep tracking, and might not be the best choice for dedicated athletes. It’s also designed specifically for iPhones, so Android users need not apply. Finally, battery life is good for a day at best, and not weeks like rival models from Withings and others. That said, the Apple Watch is far and away the best-selling smartwatch for a good reason, because it does everything well and looks great doing it. It’s best to act fast, however, as Amazon’s deal is available for today only.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

Dell’s new rechargeable stylus has Tile tracking built-in

If you’ve hesitated in getting a PC stylus because it’s one more thing to lose, Dell has a possible solution. The company’s latest Premiere Rechargeable Active Pen has Tile tracking built in, so you can use the Tile app to make it emit sound and LED light. If it’s not close enough to hear or see, the app will show the pen’s last known location and track it down via the Tile network.

The $110 Premiere Rechargeable Active Pen works with compatible Dell 2-in-1 laptops and offers a 40-day battery life with 80 percent charging in just 20 minutes. The programmable top and side buttons give easy access to commands and it attaches to laptops via a magnet tether. 

Tile also announced that it has added its tracking tech to several new Intel-powered laptops. The latest to include it are Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 5 and latest ThinkPad T Series, making for a total of seven Lenovo laptops with the tech. MSI’s new Intel 12th-gen Summit and Prestige series laptops are also equipped with Tile tracking, along with Fujitsu’s FMV Loox PCs in Japan. To activate tracking, you just need to install the Tile Windows App and activate your PC as a Tile. The Android or iOS app will then “ring” your laptop to help you find it nearby.

Tile announced in 2020 that it was teaming with Intel to help users find lost notebooks. It also struck a deal with Bluetooth chip companies to allow its tech to be placed in nearly any kind of device. Its tech can currently be found in HP Dragonfly laptops, Fitbit wearables, Skullcandy products, Sennheiser headphones and other devices, around 55 in total according to Tile. 

UK police charge two teens in connection with Lapsus$ hacking group case

After arresting seven alleged members of the hacking group Lapsus$ last week, London police have charged two of them with multiple computer crimes. The teenagers, aged 16 and 17, remain in police custody in connection with the investigation. &quot…

‘Mappy-Land,’ ‘Dig Dug II’ and ‘Earthworm Jim 2’ come to Nintendo Switch Online

The latest Super NES and NES games for Nintendo Switch are now available, and they may bring up nostalgic feels. Players can now access the 1995 SNES run and gun platformer Earthworm Jim 2, along with NES titles Dig-Dug II (an action puzzle arcade game released in 1985) and Mappy-Land (a video console sequel from 1986).

As Nintendo details in its YouTube description, Earthworm Jim 2 picks up where the original game left off, “after Jim’s successful rescue of Princess What’s-Her-Name.” This time, the aim this time is to stop her marriage with the evil Psy-Crow, with aid from Jim’s pal Snott. 

In Dig-Dug II, meanwhile, you have to clear an island of vacation-crashing intruders by inflating them untl they burst or digging traps they’ll fall into. Mappy-Land, finally, lets you play as a mouse attempting to defeat Nyamco and his cats who have hidden presents around Mappyland. 

Along with SNES an Super NES titles, the September Switch Online Expansion Pack added Sega Mega Drive/Genesis and Nintendo 64 games as part of the plan. That bore fruit in March with the addition of Alien Soldier, Light Crusader and Super Fantasy Zone to the Mega Drive library, with Banjo-Kazooie coming to N64 in January.

Amazon spent $4.3 million on anti-union consultants in 2021 alone

Amazon spent around $4.3 on consultants last year in an effort to prevent unionization of its warehouses, according to company filings with the US Department of Labor. Workers were required to attend meetings led by the consultants who discussed anti-union talking points ahead of key union votes in Bessemer, Alabama and Staten Island, New York, HuffPost has reported.

Companies are required to disclose financial details when consultants speak directly to workers about unionization. Very few have spent even $1 million on union avoidance over several years, according to a recent report, while Amazon spent multiple times that in just 2021 alone. Some consultants were paid up to $3,200 per day.

The meetings are legal and usually held when employers discover efforts to organize unions. They’re called “captive audience meetings” by labor organizers because attendance is normally non-optional. Typically, the consultants will focus on union dues and potential loss of wages due to work stoppages. They also help company’s come up with strategies to defeat unions.

Amazon workers recently voted in two union drives in Bessemer and Staten Island. At Bessemer, workers voted 993-875 against unionizing, but 416 votes have been challenged, so the final result is far from established. However, as it stands now, the Staten Island union is currently ahead 1,518 to 1,154 (a margin of 364) votes, with counting set to resume today.

Google is testing its new Privacy Sandbox settings in Chrome

Google is starting “origin trials” for the Chrome Privacy Sandbox, its new system for serving targeted ads without using cookies, the company announced. The initial aim is to test ad relevance via its new Topics API, along with FLEDGE and Attribution Reporting that allows remarketing and ad click measurement without tracking behavior across sites. 

Origin trials will let Google test experimental Chrome technology with a limited number of people to make sure it’s ready for general use. Starting today, developers can begin testing code for Topics, FLEDGE and Attribution Reporting in the Canary Chrome beta “and we’ll progress to origin trials with a limited number of Chrome Beta users as soon as possible,” it wrote. Eventually, the company will expand trials to a stable version of Chrome to access a larger user subset. All the trials will be available globally, with updates available here. 

Google begins trials of new Privacy Sandbox settings in Chrome
Google

Google will be testing updated settings that allow you to control your participation in the origin trials. For example, under the “Browser-based ad personalization” section, you’ll be able to remove various interests estimated by Chrome, or remove specific sites that “define your interests.” You’ll also be able to control how ads are measured and choose how to participate in spam and fraud reduction that helps advertisers detect bots.

Privacy Sandbox has met with significant criticism, particularly from EU and UK advertisers that claim removing cookies will hurt their ad businesses. Government also has concern that the new system will only serve to strengthen Google’s stranglehold on the online ad marketplace, while putting consumer privacy at risk. Last month, however, Google agreed to a legally binding set of commitments with UK regulators to address those issues.

Watch Blue Origin’s New Shepard space tourist launch at 9:30 am ET

Blue Origin’s first crewed space tourism mission of 2022 is go for launch today with a crew of six, the company has announced. The NS-20 mission is set to take place at the company’s launch facility in Van Horn, Texas at 9:30 AM ET after a two-day delay due to high winds.

Passengers will ride aboard the New Shepard reusable launch system which marks its 20th flight to date (hence the NS-20 mission designation). The crew includes angel investor Marty Allen, nonprofit founder Sharon Hagle, Hagle’s husband and Tricor CEO Marc Hagle, entrepreneur Jim Kitchen and Commercial Space Technologies founder Dr. George Nield. 

SNL’s Pete Davidson was supposed to be aboard but had to drop due to a scheduling conflict, so he’ll be replaced by New Shepard’s chief architect, Gary Lai. In previous flights, Blue Shepard has carried Laura Shepard, the daughter of pioneering astronaut (and New Shepard’s namesake) Alan Shepard, Michael Strahan, William Shatner and of course Blue Origin owner Jeff Bezos. 

The company is competing in the space tourist arena with Virgin Galactic, which recently completed its first fully crewed spaceflight with four onboard including owner Richard Branson. Another rival is SpaceX, which did its first tourist spaceflight (Inspiration 4) last year with four civilian passengers.

The livestream for the launch is set to start at 8:20 AM ET, with the launch scheduled for 9:30 AM ET. 

TweetDeck may become a paid Twitter Blue option

TweetDeck — a version of Twitter beloved by journalists, social media pros and other power users — might soon become a paid app, The Verge has reported. A new version of the app redirects to the Twitter Blue subscription signup page, according to code discovered by security researcher Jane Manchun Wong. It promises “a powerful, real-time tool for people who live on Twitter” and would be an “ad-free experience,” according to screenshots. 

TweetDeck is already an essentially ad-free experience, so the inclusion of that language strongly implies that it would become a paid service. The new version would be a “complete rebuild with the parts from the new Twitter app,” Manchun noted in a reply. However, she also spotted a link for a “legacy version” which could still be free. 

Twitter launched its Twitter Blue subscription service last November for $2.99 per month. Some features like top articles were seen as positives, but users also criticized Twitter for hiding key features like an “undo” button behind a paywall. 

Twitter has been testing a new version of TweetDeck since last year, with significant changes like “a full Tweet composer, new advanced search features, new column types, and a new way to group columns into clean workspaces,” the company wrote. Some power users haven’t exactly embraced it, however, due to user interface and other issues. 

The company has also pondered a TweetDeck subscription service, asking users in 2017 if they’d be willing to pay up to $20 per month for a “more advanced TweetDeck experience.” And last year, Bloomberg reported that Twitter was considering a subscription fee for the app. 

The move would make sense for Twitter internally, as TweetDeck has always been a black sheep product that lets users bypass ads. Adding it to Twitter Blue would finally allow the company to monetize it and offer a true ad-free experience — since Twitter Blue itself still includes ads.