Hertz will order up to 65,000 Polestar EVs for its rental fleet

Hertz isn’t just leaning on Tesla to electrify its fleet. The rental car agency has struck a deal that will see it buy “up to” 65,000 Polestar EVs over the next five years. The initial mix will focus on the Polestar 2 sedan, but should expand to other models over time. Vehicles will be available to rent in Europe starting this spring, and should reach both North America and Australia late this year.

The team-up is a continuation of Hertz’s plan to offer the biggest selection of EV rentals in North America, and “one of the largest” worldwide. The strategy includes offering EVs to rideshare drivers working for companies like Uber.

The purchase is a gradual one, and Hertz has clearly given itself wiggle room in case it wants fewer models. This is still a large order, though, and could significantly increase the chances that your next rental might be an EV. It’s also a bigger deal for Polestar than it was for Tesla. Polestar sold just 29,000 cars in 2021, and ‘only’ expects to more than double that number in 2022 — Hertz could play a large role in the manufacturer’s near-term success.

The follow-up to ‘Hyper Light Drifter’ is a full 3D co-op slasher

Hyper Light Drifter‘s retro style and relentless action have prompted a spiritual successor and even an animated series, but what about a follow-up? Don’t worry, it’s coming. Eurogamernotes Heart Machine has unveiledHyper Light Breaker, a game set in the Hyper Light universe but with very different mechanics. Gone is the Zelda-like 2D view and solo-only gameplay — instead, you’re slashing through your way through waves of enemies in a full 3D environment with optional co-op play.

The title isn’t a sequel, either. Instead, you’re fighting through a new land (the “Overgrowth”) as you aim to topple the Abyss King and grapple with mysterious Crowns. You’ll have access to tools that make use of the extra dimension, including a glider, hoverboard and wall dashes. While the fast pace and some “threads” from Drifter will carry over, Breaker is its own game.

Hyper Light Breaker is expected to launch on Steam in spring 2023. This might be disappointing if you were hoping for a straightforward continuation of the Drifter experience. At the same time, it’s not often you see game developers leap from nostalgic 2D to a significantly different 3D experience — it might be refreshing if you wanted more than just a retread.

The first episode of ‘Halo’ is free to watch on YouTube for one week

You don’t have to start a Paramount+ trial just to figure out whether or not the Halo TV series is worth your time. The streaming service has made the first episode of the game-inspired show free to watch on YouTube for a week starting March 31st (sorry!). The freebie is only viewable in the US, but it’s worth a look if you want to see Hollywood’s take on Master Chief and the Covenant.

There’s no mystery behind the strategy. Paramount+ is clearly hoping to build Halo‘s viewer base (and thus the subscriber base) as quickly as possible, and a free sample might help when trailers aren’t enough. The provider has used this approach before with releases like Star Trek: Picard.

It might also be a question of seizing on early success. Paramount+ was confident enough in Halo to renew it before the premiere, and that support was apparently well-founded. Deadlinereported that the series broke the service’s one-day premiere viewership record, ousting the Yellowstone prequel 1883. While Paramount+ is still small compared to heavyweights like Amazon and Netflix, sustained interest in Halo could help the streamer grow and reduce its dependence on Star Trek.

Magnetic slime ‘robot’ could help recover swallowed objects

Soft robots may soon be more flexible than ever… and a tad creepy. As The Guardianreports, researchers have developed a magnetic slime “robot” that can shift into different shapes to grab objects. It can encircle a group of pellets, for instance, and even stretch out in multiple directions to grab items on opposite sides. It’s self-healing, too. The result might induce some nightmares for the squeamish and is more than a little reminiscent of Spider-Man‘s symbiotic Venom, but it’s surprisingly effective.

The slime is made from the blend of polyvinyl alcohol (a polymer), borax and neodymium magnet particles. The result is a non-Newtonian fluid that behaves like a liquid or solid depending on force, and can be controlled using external magnets. There are no robotics inside the slime at present, but you can steer it like a robot— and the “ultimate goal” is to use it like one, according to researcher and co-creator Li Zhang.

There are numerous problems left to solve. On top of fitting robotics into such a soft design, the scientists also want to prevent the toxic neodymium particles from seeping out. A layer of silica in this current slime helps, but safety inside a living being might depend on limiting contact. If the technology becomes sufficiently safe and effective, though, it could help doctors recover swallowed objects and otherwise squeeze robots into places where they were previously impractical.

Amazon warehouse workers vote to unionize in Staten Island (updated)

There should be at least one unionized Amazon warehouse in the US. CNBCreports Workers at the company’s JFK8 facility in Staten Island have voted 2,350-1,912 in favor of joining a union in a late March election. While the official count isn’t yet available, the remaining uncounted and challenged ballots aren’t expected to sway the outcome.

The decision came after numerous challenges. Workers had to file a second petition with the National Labor Relations Board after they didn’t get enough signatures last fall. The NLRB has also accused Amazon of interfering with unionization efforts at JFK8, including firing pro-union workers and intimidating them through surveillance and questioning.

The Amazon Labor Union at the heart of the vote has made multiple demands. Its requests include higher pay, “more reasonable” productivity targets and additional time off. Amazon has faced multiple claims it relies on unrealistic quotas and discourages time away from work stations.

We’ve asked Amazon for comment. It’s likely to be unhappy with the results, though. Amazon spent $4.3 million on anti-union consultants just in 2021, and the internet shopping giant was accused of interference elsewhere. The Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union even claimed Amazon interfered with a second unionization vote in Bessemer, Alabama that the NLRB deemed necessary due to obstruction during the first election.

Provided the election results hold, the vote would make JFK8 the first Amazon warehouse with a union. There’s no guarantee this will lead to other warehouses following suit. The second Bessemer vote was close enough that it will likely be decided by challenged ballots, to start. A second Staten Island location is due to vote April 25th, though, and this initial win for the pro-union camp might just influence other votes.

Update 4/1 1:50PM ET: In a statement, Amazon said it was “disappointed” with the Staten Island vote and was considering options that included filing objections to the alleged “inappropriate and undue influence” from the NLRB. It cited support from private business groups including the Chamber of Commerce and the National Retail Federation.

House committee launches investigation into Amazon labor practices

Amazon’s labor practices are facing political scrutiny following a tornado that collapsed a warehouse and killed six people in Edwardsville, Illinois last December. The New York Timesnotes the House Committee on Oversight and Reform has launched an investigation into Amazon’s practices in severe weather conditions. Committee chair Rep. Carolyn Maloney as well as member Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Cori Bush are worried about reports Amazon forced staff to work at and around the Illinois facility despite the tornado threat, jeopardizing the safety of employees and contractors.

After the collapse, reports emerged that Amazon supervisors threatened to fire or otherwise punish workers if they left to take shelter. One contracted driver, for instance, was told to keep delivering packages or risk losing her job. The representatives also pointed out previous concerns, such as workers being made to stay through two days of air quality warnings during California’s November 2018 wildfires.

Maloney, Ocasio-Cortez and Bush sent a letter to Amazon chief Andy Jassy requesting communications and documents surrounding the Illinois collapse. They also asked for documents covering firings or other discipline around the time of seven labor incidents, including at Bessemer, Alabama and Staten Island, New York warehouses where workers have tried to join unions. Amazon has until April 14th to respond.

Amazon didn’t directly address the letter in a statement to The Times. Spokeswoman Kelly Nantel told the newspaper the company would answer the letter “in due course” but that its focus was on supporting “all those affected by the tornadoes.”

The House investigation won’t necessarily result in legislation or other actions requiring Amazon and other companies to better protect workers in extreme weather. It may draw more attention to Amazon’s labor policies, though, and comes soon after senators began an investigation into possibly illegal terminations for employees who took time off. Amazon is under close watch, and it’s unlikely to get a break any time soon.

Washington is first state to guarantee pay and benefits for Uber and Lyft drivers

Washington State legislation guaranteeing pay and benefits for ride-hail workers has become a practical reality. Reutersreports Governor Jay Inslee has signed into law a measure setting minimum pay guarantees of $1.17 per mile and 34 cents per minute, with trips costing at least $3 each. Drivers at Uber, Lyft and other companies will also have benefits like paid sick leave, access to workers’ compensation and family medical leave. They can also appeal if they believe they’ve been unfairly terminated.

The law has garnered support from both labor organizers and companies. The Washington Drivers Union billed it as an “unprecedented victory” that would reverse years of shrinking pay and improve the overall quality of life. Uber said in a statement that the law “decisively” gave drivers the mix of independence and safeguards they were asking for, while Lyft said this was a “win” that emerged when unions, politicians and companies “worked together.”

There are concerns the law strips power away, however. It declares that drivers for ride-hailing apps aren’t employees, potentially limiting access to further benefits and more consistent hours. The law also bars cities and counties from applying additional regulations beyond those in effect. Seattle will still offer higher pay ($1.38 per mile, 59 cents per minute and at least $5.17 per trip), but companies like Uber and Lyft have effectively limited the scope of regulations they might face.

This is still the first state-level law to set pay standards for gig-based rides, though. Until now, only New York City and Seattle had established minimums in the country. This could make ride-hail work viable for considerably more people, and might prompt other states to enact their own guarantees.

Alexa can alert you to upcoming deals on Amazon

You won’t have to camp in front of a screen the next time you want to take advantage of an imminent Amazon sale. The company has updated Alexa with a Prime-only feature that alerts you to the availability of an Amazon deal up to 24 hours in advance as long as the relevant item is in your cart, saved for later or on your wish list. You can also remind Alexa to notify you when the deal is live, or even have the assistant buy the item when the deal takes effect.

You can enable the feature by leaving products in the relevant lists. If there’s a deal, you’ll see Alexa’s familiar yellow light or pop-up notification.

Access to the deal alerts is relatively limited. Prime customers need to live in the US and use a “newer generation” Echo speaker. Still, this could be helpful if there’s something you really want but refuse to buy at full price — you now just have to wait for Alexa’s heads-up.

Amazon union rerun election in Alabama will be determined by challenged ballots

The initial results of a second union election at Amazon’s BHM1 warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama have finally come through. Workers have voted against unionization in a closely contested 993-875 vote (with 59 voided votes) out of 6,153 workers eligible to cast a ballot. Turnout appears to have been considerably lower this time around, as more than 3,000 employees cast ballots in the early 2021 vote. However, 416 votes have been challenged — more than enough to change the outcome — so the definitive result might not be available for some time.

While it’s not currently known how many of the challenges came from either party, in a post-tally press conference, Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union president Stewart Applebaum said “each side challenged over 100 ballots.” Currently the NLRB has not yet scheduled the hearing to determine which of these ballots should be opened and counted, but expects that to take place in the coming weeks. Any additional unfair labor practices RWDSU wishes to lodge in regards to this re-run election will need to be filed within the next five business day.

The tally brings BHM1 to the possible end of a long and messy saga. Bessemer workers voted against unionization in early 2021, but the National Labor Relations Board ruled that Amazon violated labor laws by allegedly interfering with the vote. RWDSU accused Amazon of repeatedly trying to intimidate workers through measures like an unauthorized ballot box and anti-union campaign material. While Amazon disputed the claims, the NLRB ultimately ordered a second vote.

The rerun election didn’t go smoothly, either. The RWDSU has maintained that Amazon interfered with the second vote by removing pro-union posters, forcing attendance of anti-union meetings and limiting time spent on company grounds to discourage organization. Before the vote, the RWDSU also accused Amazon of illegal retaliation against worker Isaiah Thomas’ pro-union efforts. The company has again argued that its actions are legal.

BHM1 was the first major Amazon facility in the US to hold a union vote, but it’s no longer the only one. One Staten Island warehouse, JFK8, is already voting on possible unionization, and early vote totals show the grassroots Amazon Labor Union ahead by several hundred votes. Another facility in Staten Island is scheduled to hold its own unionization vote starting in late April. Simply put, there’s a growing desire for workers to have a say in their conditions at at Amazon’s — whether those efforts succeed, however, remains to be seen.

Additional reporting by Bryan Menegus. Updated with information from RWDSU and NLRB

You can now share YouTube videos directly to Snapchat

You no longer have to copy-paste or otherwise contort yourself to share a YouTube clip through Snapchat. As of today, Android and iOS users can share YouTube videos directly through the Snapchat Camera, whether it’s to Stories or individual Snaps. You can apply creative layers like text, and automated stickers will take Snapchat viewers directly to a video in either the YouTube app or a web browser.

You just need to tap “share” in the YouTube app and choose Snapchat when it’s an option. This is the first time you can visually share YouTube links, Snap said.

This won’t be as alluring as sharing vertical videos from common alternatives like TikTok and Instagram. It should save you some hassle if you find a must-see YouTube video, though, and it should be particularly helpful for sharing Shorts that are well-suited to Snapchat’s app.