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.

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.

The Morning After: Jack Dorsey misses the old internet

“The days of Usenet, IRC, the web… even email (with PGP)… were amazing,” Jack Dorsey said in a tweet over the weekend. “Centralizing discovery and identity into corporations really damaged the internet. I realize I’m partially to blame, and regret it.”

Dorsey’s tweet is a notable admission by a tech executive who has made billions creating a platform that centralized the way we consume news — and is still involved in other core facets of the digital economy. The Twitter founder isn’t afraid of being outspoken. In December 2021, he ranted about how Web3 had already been co-opted by investors. “You don’t own ‘Web3,’” he said at the time. “The VCs and their LPs do. It will never escape their incentives.” He also said world peace could be achieved with bitcoin.

Sometimes, he’s off the mark.

— Mat Smith

      

The biggest stories you might have missed

The JackRabbit is both scooter and e-bike

We test drive one of the weirdest e-bikes yet.

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Engadget

This, above, is what the JackRabbit looks like. As a pedal-free e-bike, it’s for those who want a scooter rather than an electrified road bike. But, unlike a scooter, the JackRabbit can handle more than just a paved sidewalk while remaining about as portable. James Trew tests out this unusual ride.

Continue reading.

Twitch halts paid stream boosts after viewers abuse them to push porn

Streams could be promoted to the homepage through buying subscriptions and other items.

A number of Twitch users noticed streams of porn videos were on the homepage, all captioned “Promoted by the streamer’s community.” It appeared a number of unidentified users were taking advantage of the platform’s Boost Train program, which promotes streamers if enough fans create a “hype train” by purchasing subscriptions and bits.

Since Twitch only rolled out the Boost Train feature to partners and affiliates, only a limited number of streamers have it enabled. It’s still unclear how the bad actors were able to access enabled accounts. In an email to Engadget, a Twitch spokesperson said Boost Train was paused “due to safety reasons.”

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Apple adds workouts for new parents to Fitness+

The company added a series titled “Get back to fitness after having a baby.”

Apple is adding seven 10-minute workout and cooldown videos aimed at new parents. The activities are a mix of core, strength and Apple’s Mindful Cooldown workouts and have modification guidance if you want a greater challenge or prefer to take it slower. The mindful cooldowns offer stretches that target common post-pregnancy tight spots, while the core sessions include pelvic floor exercises. There are next to no equipment requirements, but you need an Apple Watch and a Fitness+ subscription.

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Watch the last ‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ trailer

The series debuts next month on Paramount+.

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Paramount

Strange New Worlds looks like a return to the relentless optimism and romanticism put forward by creator Gene Roddenberry. “I love this job,” Pike whispers to Rebecca Romijn’s Number One, followed by a brief montage of some of the adventures ahead for the crew of the Enterprise in season one of the series. Set about a decade before The Original Series, Strange New Worlds features a handful of future Star Trek greats before their career-defining stint on the Enterprise, with Anson Mount, Rebecca Romijn and Ethan Peck reprising their respective roles as Pike, Spock and Number One from Star Trek: Discovery season two.

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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.

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