#charger logistics california

[wolfliving]

The road to rent-a-scooter hell

...Bird became the largest micromobility company in North America this fall after purchasing competitor Spin. It was once valued at more than $2 billion and seemed to epitomize a shiny future of clean urban transport. But ridership slumped during the pandemic—and so did Bird’s shares after its 2021 stock market debut. In late 2022, after a series of business setbacks, the company warned investors that it could go bankrupt. It was booted from the New York Stock Exchange in September of this year for failing to consistently maintain a market cap of $15 million. As the company scrambled to survive, it has squeezed its fleet managers harder. On December 20, their situation became more uncertain when Bird announced it was filing for bankruptcy.

The years leading up to that moment have been tough for many Bird fleet managers. More than a dozen current or former fleet managers in the US, who like John asked for anonymity, fearing retaliation from Bird, described their unstable and sometimes punishing relationships with the company. They made personal and monetary sacrifices for Bird while, as contractors, having little power over their working conditions. And as Bird’s business struggled, fleet managers were presented with updated contracts that John and others say have cut their income by about half. The situation for some fleet managers has become desperate. One in the Pacific Northwest said he had only slept eight hours on a recent weekend and that he and his two employees have all been in separate car accidents on the job. Three other fleet managers say they have sometimes carried guns when on the street with Bird scooters, because brandishing a weapon can feel useful when facing off scooter thieves or vandals. Several former West Coast fleet managers carried Tasers while on the job.

WIRED sent a list of questions to Bird based on interviews with fleet managers, but company spokesperson Adam Davis declined to address most of them. He said that Bird was ending the fleet manager program in some cities—apparently cutting the contractors loose and replacing them with staff or new contractors who handle more scooters and are paid less. In a statement sent to WIRED before the bankruptcy announcement, Michael Washinushi, Bird’s interim CEO, said the company got new management and ownership this year that was trying to “reset” how the company does business. “Through the course of the year, management has improved operations while being laser focused on providing a safe and enjoyable experience for our riders and an improved relationship with our partners, including our fleet managers,” Washinushi said.

“Stupid Money”

Bird grew fast. The company was founded in September 2017 with just 10 scooters in Santa Monica, California. Nine months later it had raised more than $300 million in funding at a valuation of about $2 billion. As city dwellers flirted with the fun and novelty of being able to hop on an electric ride, investors embraced the idea that scooters could upend urban transport by replacing cars.

Part of Bird’s model was to outsource the challenging logistics of leaving scooters propped up in public places for anyone to rent, steal, or abuse. In the company’s early days, it invited people to become freelance “chargers” who got paid for finding and recharging scooters low on battery, and it used freelance mechanics for repairs, paying out on a per-scooter basis. The company started hiring salaried mechanics in some cities to repair scooters in early 2019...

[thedaveandkimmershow]

“STARTING OFF WITH A RECIPE FOR COZY”

7AM

Turns out the recipe for cozy is one sleeping bag underneath, a wool blanket directly on top, a second sleeping bag on top of that, and a duvet cover over this whole yummy sandwich of warm. Like very comfortably warm without further heat from the Rialta as the overnight temps settled into the high 30s.

Out of bed in the morning, yeah. I definitely felt the world outside our cozy bubble. So we fired up the Rialta, kicked on the heat, and continued our journey south with a stop at one of the Starbuck’s along Main Street in Vancouver, Washington for a drip coffee, an Earl Grey tea, and a sausage breakfast sandwich to share between the two of us.

By the time we left Vancouver and landed in Hayden Meadows Square just on the other side of the Columbia River, we were coming up on 

9AM

Okay, first of all, our stops at Starbuck’s while we’re on road trips also double for opportunities to recharge our electronics. Only at this point in our collective history, Starbuck’s in Vancouver isn’t doing the dining-in thing. Which also happens to mean no charging for our phones and laptops.

Whoops.

We also discover, much to our chagrin, that none of the electrical outlets in the Rialta actually, you know, work.

Double whoops.

And then we find out, there in the Hayden Meadows parking lot in front of Lowes, that Xfinity hot spots aren’t what I think they are. By which I mean to say we were surrounded by such hot spots yet couldn’t find them on our phones or laptops.

Triple whoops.

Fortunately for Kimmer’s first Zoom meeting of the day, Lowes turned up with a complementary bit of Wifi service.

Definitely a fortunate turn of events.

Now while Kimmer was occupied, I set about researching some potential solutions for our charging problems. A solar usb charger was top of that list. Failing that, another usb battery pack and one or more power banks with A/C outlets. I hit Lowe’s, Dick’s Sporting Goods, a Marine & Outdoor store, and, of course, Walmart’s.

After that, I wanted to know why we came up short on the Xfinity hot spots so I walked around, guided by the Xfinity Hot Spot app, to check out each one of those hot spots that were identified. What I discovered was that some of the Wifi coverage was pretty much confined inside stores while other times it leaked comfortably out into parking lots. Even then, though, that coverage definitely had a hard boundary. Which is how I discovered that we’d parked maybe 50 feet shy of solid Wifi service without ever knowing it. Broadcast from the local DMV, no less.

12:45PM

Back on I-5 traveling south from Hayden Meadows, it’s striking how much of this corridor—starting almost from the Columbia River all the way to where you can begin to see downtown Portland across the Willamette River—is defined by graffiti, considerable amounts of trash, and homeless encampment after homeless encampment. 

It’s a helluvan introduction.

1:15PM

Okay so the big challenge today is finding local RV repair service. The dead electrical outlets, of course, are front and center in our minds. But also this: what was the engine “hiccup” about? Is that an actual problem? And if not, will it be an actual, you know, stranding us problem?

Back up at Hayden Meadows, Kimmer’d spoken with our first choice for RV service, a mobile repair company, and quickly discovered they were booked two solid weeks into the future.

Down by the Fred Meyer’s in Tualatin, using the Xfinity hot spot we could acquire in the parking lot, we reached out to other companies both in Tualatin as well as ahead of us in Salem.

But it was same story one after the other.

Booked.

Solid.

Yikes.

But here’s the thing: we’ve got time. 

We’ve got.

Time.

Some space to breathe and to think. So first of all, to address a coupla different and immediate needs, we booked ourselves into the Tualatin Oregon Comfort Inn & Suites. It’s actually right out back of the Fred Meyer and is, in fact, a comfortable, peaceful, and perfect spot for regrouping. 

As well as recharging.

2:30PM

We actually checked in early, put in our order for tomorrow’s breakfast, and settled right in. 

Our primary concern’s that the further we travel from home, the more screwed we are if anything’s actually and hugely wrong with the Rialta’s transmission.

Right now, the plan’s to be in Crystal Cove, California on Tuesday. So there are a number of options open to us... and Kimmer runs us through ‘em.

1. Find someplace local where we can drop our Rialta for repair and also rent a new RV with which to continue our travels.

2. Rent a car, continue our travels, and then rent an RV in LA.

3. Catch a train down to L.A. and then do the RV rental thing.

Good ideas, all. But it doesn’t take long to spot that the Rialta being left in Tualatin creates a logistical problem in a coupla ways. First, we’re traveling with a lot of stuff we don’t actually want to leave here. And second, eventually we have to deal with the Rialta in Tualatin.

So then Kimmer comes up with new alternatives.

1. Turn around, go home, rent an RV, and then hustle down I-5.

2. Turn around, go home, rent a car, then hustle faster down I-5.

3. Turn around, go home, catch a flight from Sea-Tac to Long Beach, then rent an RV there.

Kimmer even identified a Sunday morning flight for decent rates. So that would be us getting up early tomorrow and returning the Rialta to its home driveway. Sleep sleep sleep. Then, the following morning, drive down to the Doug Fox parking lot at Sea-Tac, and then catch our flight.

This was a very doable plan which didn’t leave the Rialta stranded in Tualatin.

It’s a working plan, though. We’ve still got time to think this through. And while we do that, we’re gonna head a little further south to visit the GoodWill Superstore in Wilsonville.

For now, though, our plan is to return home.

[wingsofanillyrian]

Guys and Cars: Chapter 2 (Nessian AU)

Summary: Adrenaline, fast cars, and freedom.

Nesta Archeron doesn’t take anyone’s shit. She loves few things in life besides her candy apple red 1969 Charger, racing, and the ocean. When a stranger in a sparkly new Audi rolls into the picture, she discovers just how quickly that can change.

A/N: Shoutout to my little brother (who was very distressed to discover he’d helped with a fanfic, lol) for helping me out with the logistics of some of the technical pieces of this chapter, and also @spegetty for helping me with the storyline and making sure it was actually readable!

Chapter masterlist

Saturday nights were Nesta’s favorite.

Saturday nights were for adrenaline and the smell of burning rubber.

Saturday nights were for racing.

Nesta pulled into the repurposed warehouse parking lot on the forgotten industrial district of Velaris. All around her, engines roared and the dizzying scent of gasoline filling her lungs with each inhale. People cheered as cars raced down the strip. Money reluctantly changed hands as back-alley bets were won or lost.

Bertha’s engine purred as she backed into a parking spot towards the end of the lot, away from the self-absorbed, overzealous teenage crowd. They never appreciated the classic vehicles, instead opting for Subarus, Mazdas, or Honda Civics. But no display of shiny turbos, custom parts or beefed up statistics could ever draw her away from her first love: American muscle.

Not that she minded. Nesta fit in better with the older crowd anyway. She wasn't here to sit around and boast (like certain people she'd encountered). No, Nesta was here to win.

Turning off the car, she surveyed the night's competition. There was a better turnout than in weeks prior; the end of the summer heat always had that effect. She spotted a few new vehicles she hadn’t seen before, but nothing particularly interesting. There were the usual’s too, of course: the 1973 Chevy Camaro that she had nicknamed the “Orange Peel” due to the shockingly bright paint, the 60’s Ford Mustang driven by a middle-aged coward of a man, the late 70’s Pontiac who never failed to provide a challenge...

Nesta grinned. Tonight would be a good night.

Any driver worth their salt knew who drove the 1969 cherry red Charger. She was practically a legend among Velaris’ street scene, having beaten every car that dared square off against her.

So she wasn’t surprised at the level of attention she received as she nimbly climbed from the car. Not that she could blame the men and women for staring, she knew she looked damn good. Nesta dressed modestly on most days, usually opting for comfortable shorts and tees to deal with the dry California summers. But she became a completely different entity on race days.

Black denim clung to her long, lithe legs as her boots thudded on the pavement, striding around to the front of the car and popping the hood to display the inner workings. Her low-cut tank top did little to hide her generous chest, which was both a blessing and a curse. Immediately the people gathered, oohing and ahhing at the gleaming engine compartment. One man fought his way to the front, grinning from ear to ear.

"Nesta! We missed you last week. Where you been, girl?"

Normally, calling Nesta Archeron a girl, or anything other than her name, earned one a look sharp enough to draw blood.

“You’re the only one that would dare say that, Harry,” she grinned back, clasping his hand. “What’s the news?”

“Rumor has it there’s some new kid rolling around, claiming to be the best of the best.” A chuckle rippled through the crowd. Unperplexed, Nesta examined her manicured nails.

“Another Mazdaspeed driver that thinks he can beat me? I wouldn’t exactly call that news.”

“He doesn’t drive no Mazda, honey.” Harry’s gaze wandered over her shoulder, and it took every ounce of willpower not to turn around. Nesta's curtain of her honey-brown hair obscured the black sports car from view as it backed in next to her classic. Murmurs carried through the crowd at the newcomer’s arrival, making their judgments.

Her head whipped up to glare at the driver, mouth already open to demand he grow a pair and earn his bragging rights instead of spreading rumors, but the words stuck in her throat. 

Oh, gods.

What was he doing here?

The bastard hadn’t even called her. Go figure, the one time she goes out on a limb, she ends up getting screwed. Her cheeks burned and she ducked her head under the hood, vainly hoping he wouldn’t notice her.

Nesta’s heart hammered in her chest. The sweat beginning to bead on her brow was due to more than just the stifling heat. The Audi’s door thudded shut, a throaty chuckle floating to her ears. She could almost see the cocky grin on his stubbled, tan face as he spotted her.

“Well hello there.”

Nesta closed her eyes, composing herself enough to craft sly smile on her ruby lips.

“Hello yourself,” she purred, throwing her hair over her shoulder and batting her lashes up at the man from the highway. Cassian; that was his name. “I thought I told you that you were taking me on a date?”

Hazel eyes sparkled with amusement, the angled face cast in shadow by the dim light of the streetlamps. “I was getting around to it.”

“Oh, were you?” She quirked a brow, taking a step around him and eyeing the gathering crowd. These kinds of people were drawn to the first hint of drama like moth to a flame, and Nesta intended to take advantage of that. Her boots clicked on the pavement as she circled, his eyes tracking her every step.

“Brought that shitty Audi, I see,” she teased, nodding towards his spotless vehicle.

“Still driving that rotten apple, I see,” he countered, crossing his arms over his chest. The crowd laughed at the jab, and Nesta smirked.

“My rotten apple-“ she thumped Bertha’s grille- “Could beat that stock, blend-into-the-pavement Audi any day.”

The crowd roared at the challenge, adrenaline surging through her veins as she looked into his fiery eyes. He took two steps closer to her, leaving only a few inches of space between their bodies.

“You really wanna test that theory?”

If there was one thing Nesta Archeron knew for sure, it was that she never backed down from a challenge.

“Hell yes.”

“When and where, sweetheart?” Her eyes flashed and she cocked her head to the side, a predator assessing prey. Noting her reaction, Cassian’s eyes lit up with amusement.

“Right here, right now.”

“Let’s race.”

***************

“Alright Bertha. We’ve done this a million times, beaten cars with ten times as many horses as his.”

Nesta’s hands gripped the steering wheel as she pulled up to the spray painted starting line. One half mile up the cracked, worn out warehouse road, there was a second line drawn between two other cars. Their drivers served as judges to settle any disputes as to who crossed it first.

It would take twenty seconds, tops, to cover that half mile.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the Audi inch forward, sleek as a bullet. Through his open window, she could hear the loud screeching guitar of heavy metal pouring from the speakers. The corners of her mouth twitched upward. It would seem this man was full of surprises.

Cassian revved his engine to catch her attention.

She looked over and revved hers.

He winked, mouthing ‘good luck’ and her stomach flipped at his easy confidence.

Bertha had never lost a race.

Would this be the first?

Her head snapped back to the woman standing between the opposing cars, waiting to signal the start. Nesta Archeron didn’t back down, and she didn’t lose. Not in this car.

The 426 horsepower Hemi engine in her Charger packed a powerful punch and a boatload of torque, giving her the clear advantage off the line versus his import. He stood a chance of catching her after the first few seconds though, if he was experienced in street racing.

She was willing to bet that he wasn’t, judging by their previous encounter.

“Ready?” The woman pointed to each of them in turn, and she and Cassian again revved their engines in response.

“Set-“

The key to winning a drag race was timing. You had to hold the clutch in while simultaneously revving the engine, building up it’s RPMs. You had to know your car, too; keep the RPM’s too high and you’d end up spinning tires when you slam the gas.

But Nesta didn’t just know Bertha. In times like this, she became the Charger. The vibrations of the chassis shot straight through her feet and rattled her bones. The pitch of the engine told her if she needed to give it more gas or less. She just felt it.

“GO!”

Both cars shot off the line, the roar of the massive engines piercing over the fevered roar of the spectators. Rubber squealed against pavement, the force of the sudden acceleration gluing her head to the seat. Nesta had timed it perfectly; she’d gotten a pretty solid jump on him.

She shifted into second gear.

Cassian’s Audi pulled half a car length ahead. Shit- she hadn’t accounted for his newer transmission- it could withstand higher RPMs before he was forced to shift. Her heart leapt, fearing for a moment that he would win.

But then he shifted and fumbled to recover from it.

Rookie mistake.

He slipped a full car length behind, and Nesta’s grin turned positively feral. She shifted again, closing in on the finish line. The Charger’s tires ate up the distance as Cassian nosed his way forward.

They were neck and neck.

Two seconds to the finish line.

Nesta pressed the gas pedal the final quarter inch to the floor.

The Charger and Audi shot past the two marker cars. She eased off the gas and released a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. It had been too close for her to call; they would have to rely on the sharp eyes of the other racers.

Nesta peeled off, allowing herself one premature smile of victory before turning around to discover her fate. She parked just outside the ring of spectators, fighting her way through the throng only to find Cassian and his Audi smack dab in the middle of it.

People were shaking his hand and smacking him on the back, probably congratulating him on his supposed win. Her angry voice cut above the excited noise.

“Cassian!”

His attention immediately snapped to her, a lazy grin spreading across his face.

“Nice race,” he said, ignoring his newfound groupies and closing the distance between them in three long strides. He shoved his hands in his pockets, suddenly bashful.

Staring him down, she demanded, “Who won?”

“You did, of course.”

She grinned triumphantly, the thrill of another win taking over as she playfully punched his arm. “I knew it! Classic muscle always beats sparkling new.” Cassian tipped his head back and laughed, the sound light and joyful. Nesta found that she rather enjoyed his laugh, and wouldn’t mind hearing it more often.

She was about to say as much when a foreign hand roughly smacked her bottom. The unwelcome action instantly brought back a wave of memories that she’d rather not remember. She stood slack-jawed, frozen like a deer in the headlights.

The owner of the offending hand stepped into her line of view, the rat-faced creep raking his gaze over Nesta’s body. He whistled, low and crude.

“Hey baby, you fuck as good as you race?”

She was nearly trembling with rage, and though she would never admit it, a little bit of fear, too. She should tell him to stick it where the sun don’t shine. She should knock him on his ass for daring to lay a hand on her.

But she just... couldn’t.

“Why don’t you fuck off?”

Cassian. Oh, thank god.

“I don’t think I will.” Creepy guy took a step towards Nesta. She still couldn’t move, even as his hand latched onto her arm. Her heart threatened to beat out of her chest, and her wild blue eyes met Cassian’s fuming hazel.

That one look conveyed all he needed to see. His brow furrowed, biceps rippling as he swung. Nesta ducked instinctively, but his closed fist connected to the other man’s face with a sickening crack. He dropped instantly, moaning and cradling his most likely broken jaw.

Nesta stared down at the man, shell shocked. He turned his head, spitting crimson blood onto the gravelly pavement. If Cassian hadn’t been there, she didn’t think anyone else would have stopped him from taking what he wanted.

“Let’s get you out of here.” Cassian’s bruised, bloodied hand found the small of her back, trying to steer her away from the scene. Bodies pressed in on all sides as people leered at the man writhing in pain. Nesta’s head spun as she gulped down air.

It had to have hurt. That bone-cracking punch couldn’t have left him completely unscathed.

“Bertha,” she croaked, desperately needing to be away from the massive crowd. This place was normally like her second home, somewhere she could be herself and let go. But now… Everything was just too much.

“Bertha?” He struggled to discern what she was saying. “Oh- your car.” He shouldered his way through, not stopping until she could see the unmistakable beacon of red paint. He opened the driver’s side door and helped her slip inside before softly shutting it behind her. He peered in through the open window, concern etching sharp lines in his face.

“Are you gonna be alright?”

“I’ll be fine,” she affirmed, feeling a bit more like herself again now that she was reunited with her car. She ran her fingers over the supple leather of the steering wheel, centering her thoughts.

“I don’t know how to thank you for what you did.”

“It was nothing.“ His smile didn’t meet his eyes.

“Let’s go for a drive.”

He tipped his head to better gauge her expression. His eyes flicked over her figure, took in her white-knuckle grip on the steering wheel and the strained set of her shoulders. Very few people were allowed near the Charger, and he had already shown her last week that he couldn’t exactly handle the heat.

But tonight… He’d earned a second chance.

He looked over his shoulder at his own vehicle with a frown. The people had dispersed, leaving it stranded and alone.

“Okay.” Nesta turned the key, the car rumbling to life as he climbed into the passenger seat. “Where to?”

“You’ll see.”

Tagging: @spegetty @krm00623 @goldbooksblack

Let me know if you would like to be tagged in future chapters!

[biofunmy]

Now you see them, now you don’t

CLOSE

Isabelle Tham was putting her jacket on before a red-eye flight from California to New York on Delta Air Lines in March when one of her AirPods flew out of her ear.

The 23-year-old legal writer from San Jose frantically searched the area around her window seat for the wireless headphone before the plane took off. She figured the tiny white device slid to the back of the plane, so she went to sleep with plans to look again upon landing.

Tham woke up to great news: the errant AirPod had caught on a seat and was retrieved by the passenger behind her.

Her luck ran out on the return flight. In a rush to catch a connecting flight, Tham left her AirPod case, which doubles as the charger, in the seatback pocket. (The AirPods were in her ears.) 

She reached out to Delta on Twitter as soon as she got to her Airbnb and realized it was gone: “Delta please help a millennial out and reunite her with her AirPods case.”

Similar cries and pleas go out daily to airlines on social media and via customer service centers as owners of the pricey periscope-shaped devices desperately seek their return. A new pair of AirPods, which includes a case, starts at $159. A new wireless charging case, $79.

CLOSE

Apple event: What about 5G, AirPods and Macs?

Passengers post details on where they were sitting, complete with photos of holes and seat cracks they fell into. One traveler posted a screenshot from the “Find my iPhone app” showing his AirPods on a plane that was heading down the runway at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport while he was at the airport.

Losing AirPods is a #firstworldproblem, for sure, as snarky commenters often remark on Twitter, but the lost gadgets are a costly headache for travelers and can be a logistical challenge for airlines.

AirPods were introduced three years ago and, after a relatively slow start, have become ubiquitous, the devices wedged into ears around the world, an odd-looking status symbol. Critics say they look like Q tips; electric toothbrush heads; and, when in the case, dental floss. The second generation AirPods were introduced in March, and went on sale in August.

Apple’s second generation AirPods (Photo: Apple)

Ray Wong, senior reviews editor for technology magazine Input, was an early adopter. He got a pair of AirPods from his sister for Christmas the year they came out and lost one of them a few months later on a Delta flight from New York to Austin, Texas, for the technology summit South by Southwest.

He was in the middle seat when a colleague nudged him to look at an email. He was holding his AirPods, and one of them disappeared into the seat. He mentioned it to a flight attendant and, upon landing, the next thing he knew they were ripping open seats in search of the tiny ear buds. The cleaning crew even got involved. 

“They’re like, “OK, lets see if we can find your little AirPods,” he said, noting that this was before users could locate them using Find my iPhone.

The AirPod didn’t turn up, so he had to buy a single replacement for about $70 from Apple in New York.

What are the chances you’ll get lost AirPods back from an airline? 

For travelers today who lose their Airpods,  the Find my iPhone app helps, especially if you realize the AirPods are lost when you’re still on the plane or at the airport.

But staying on the plane to search or returning to the plane isn’t always an option given airplanes’ brief time on the ground between flights.

Sometimes, an item is stuck and not retrievable, or the airline is unwilling or unable to tear seats apart.

Another risk: Other passengers could spot the in-demand items and decide finders keepers, since the AirPods can easily connect to other devices.

Airlines are reluctant to release figures on the volume of items turned in by type, and how many are returned to their owners. Delta did disclose that it receives about 40 pairs of AirPods per month. Spokesman Morgan Durrant said that doesn’t rank in the top five of turned-in items. Phones, tablets, laptops, other varieties of headphones and eye/sunglasses can each reach into the hundreds per month, he said.

One sign of the volume of lost AirPods not reunited with passengers: Sales of AirPods at Unclaimed Baggage Center in Scottsboro, Alabama, which buys unclaimed items from airlines and resells them to the public, spiked in the past two years. Sales this year are up 126% from a year ago, according to spokeswoman Jamie Scalici.

The store does not release the number of AirPods sold or how it compares with other electronics. The store sells first generation AirPods for $100 and second generation for $159, according to a representative reached by phone, and “they go quickly.”

Airlines say they do everything they can to reunite travelers with their lost items and note that the process has gotten easier with automation and central lost-and-found warehouses.

Southwest Airlines, the nation’s largest domestic carrier, has a 60% overall return rate for items reported lost, according to Laura Adams, director of baggage services, which includes lost-and-found.

“We’re really proud of that because, I can tell you, back in the day it was more like 16% before everything was automated,” she told USA TODAY.

But the AirPods bring their own challenges, she said, including their size (they can easily fall into the nooks and crannies throughout the plane) and the fact that they all look alike, especially when they’re out of the case. 

“That is the frustrating part for us,” Adams said.  “We can’t just return anybody’s AirPods. We have to return that rightful owner’s AirPods.”

AirPods lost on a plane: Travelers’ tales

Tham was certain she’d see her AirPods case again after detailing her flight information on Delta’s lost-and-found form the day of her flight.

“I put in the exact seat that I was in,’ ” she said. “But time goes by and they go, ‘Hey, we’re still looking for your case. I’m sorry.”’

She waited a couple weeks but finally coughed up $59 for a replacement case.

Harish Malik was hopeful, too, after sending American Airlines seat information and photos from his wife’s flight from Oklahoma to San Francisco this summer.

The software engineer said the AirPods were a three-month anniversary gift for his wife. She dropped one of them and didn’t want to disturb the elderly passenger next to her. She said she told the flight crew she could see it in a hole between the two seats but was told they couldn’t do anything about it because the seat would have to be taken apart by a technician.

They reported the incident at customer service in San Francisco and filed a lost-item report online but they haven’t turned up, he said. 

“It means, like, nobody went there and checked and nobody cared about it,” he said.

American spokesman Ross Feinstein said the airline “works with its customer to reunite them with any lost items left behind. If any items are discovered during the cleaning process, those items are logged in our system.”

Malik’s wife has an upcoming flight and refuses to take the other AirPod out.

“She’s scared to use them now,” Malik said. “She’ll only use the wired ones if she needs them.”

Even when airlines bring in a technican, they are not always able to help. An Arizona woman posted the saga of a lost AirPod on United on Twitter, with a picture of a maintenance worker who tried to retrieve it after it bounced on the floor and into a hole. A chirping sound triggered by the Find my iPhone feature told her it was close.

But not close enough. She never got her AirPod back.

Whelp. I’m so embarrassed at the level of service I’m getting right now. And the fact that I’m holding up the plane. But yo, never say @United didn’t try to give you good service.

pic.twitter.com/RkmeamMWpp

— Jane Pizzolato (@jane_pizzolato) May 4, 2018

Kim Thomas thought she was one of the lucky ones. The 45-year-old hospital IT executive reported her lost AirPods to the Southwest baggage claim office at Los Angeles International Airport and was thrilled when she called down from the gate to see they found them.

One problem: The case wasn’t hers And it was empty.

“I never got them back, ” Thomas said.

She bought a new pair within 24 hours.

“I love that they charge quickly. I love that they’ve got a long battery life. I love that I can use one, and I don’t have to use both so I can semi-multitask if I’m on a conference call.”

How NOT to lose your AirPods on a plane: Lessons from those who did 

1. Don’t bring them, or at least switch to wired headphones when sleeping. Wong initially vowed not to travel with them after two incidents but now is just careful. He doesn’t put them in while sleeping on flights, for example. “You never know when there’s some turbulence and boom, your AirPods are gone.”

2. Buy accessories, including ear hooks or a strap, that tether them to you on a flight. They are cheap on sites including Amazon and eBay.

3. Establish a routine before you get on and off the plane. Put them in the same place every time. Thomas, who travels weekly, puts them in her left pocket and is now religious about checking it before she deplanes.

4. Put some identifying characteristics on the AirPods to help you identify yours if the airline finds them. Southwest’s Adams says her family uses a Sharpie to mark their electronics. Others stick on a label with contact information. Some Reddit users recommend naming the AirPods with your email or phone number in it. 

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Sahred From Source link Technology

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[creacherkeeper]

skimmons + long distance relationship 👀👀👀👀👀👀 (also you can add in skimmorse or fitzskimmons if it works/helps!!! love you)

on AO3 

“Do you want to watch Street Fighter with me?” Trip asks,sprawled on the couch.

Daisy sets her keys down on the shelf by the door, thendrops her backpack to the floor. The movie is already playing on their small TVscreen, in their small apartment’s small living room. Daisy lets her eyeslinger on the screen for a moment, caught by the impression that one of theactresses looks achingly familiar, though she can’t place from where.

“Um, I gotta—” Daisy hooks a thumb over her shoulder,pointing at the wall that separates the living room from her room.

Trip looks disappointed. “We can heckle it,” he attempts.

Daisy smiles. “While that sounds very appealing—”

“You’re gonna go call your girlfriend, aren’t you?”

Daisy nods. “Gonna go call my girlfriend.”

Trip gives a lengthy sigh, then waves her away. “Alright, yalovebird. Go make kissy faces at your phone.”

She flips him a middle finger, but there’s no real malicebehind it. He only laughs, and goes back to his movie.

Daisy makes her way into her room, quickly changes into herpajamas, and flops onto the bed. She plugs her phone into the wall charger, andthen pulls up her contacts. Jemma’s name tops the list, a star next to it.Daisy clicks the name, then clicks the video call. The phone rings for only afew moments before Jemma picks up.

“You’re late,” Jemma says teasingly.

“Sorry, your majesty,” Daisy drawls. “My sad student ass hadto drag herself to the library after class.”

“You’re already taking night classes,” Jemma says, browsdrawn, “you shouldn’t have to study afterwards as well.”

“Work never sleeps.”

“I recognize that you’re quoting me back at me, but it’s notgoing to work in your favor right now.”

Daisy smiles, wiggling around to get more comfortable on thebed. “Well, I tried.”

There’s still natural light coming through the curtains inJemma’s room, though it’s dark outside for Daisy. That’s what they get forliving on opposite coasts—Jemma all the way in California getting a thirdgraduate degree at Stanford, Daisy still in her sophomore year at Georgetown.

Daisy yawns, eyes closing briefly.

“You look tired,” Jemma says.

Daisy hums and opens her eyes. “I am.”

“You should go to sleep.”

“No,” Daisy whines. “I want to talk to you.”

“Isn’t it almost 11?”

“Yeah.”

“That’s late. And you’ve got work tomorrow.”

“I know, I know.” Daisysighs, rubbing her face. “I just … I miss you.”

Jemma gives her a soft smile, playing with the curls of hairthat have fallen over her shoulder. “I’m here. Whenever you need me.”

“But you’re not here.”

Jemma’s smile turns sad. “I know. But I’ll always be there for you. You know that, right? And we’llalways have this. That’ll have to be enough, for now. Until we can be closer.”

“I know,” Daisy says, her mouth quirking into something that’snot quite a smile, not quite a grimace. “And you’re sure Fitz hasn’t inventedteleportation yet? You’re not holding out on me?”

Jemma laughs. “No, I’m not holding out on you.”

“Damn.”

“Although I’m not sure I’d want either of us going through ateleport, anyway. Depends on the logistics of it. A wormhole, maybe. But ateleport? I suppose it depends on what sort of physical or mental continuityyou believe in, whether you’d actually survive it.”

Daisy closes her eyes. “Good. Talk science to me.” There’ssilence on the other end, and eventually Daisy blinks her eyes back open.

Jemma is staring at her with a soft expression. “Go tosleep, Daisy,” she says. “You’re exhausted.”

“Don’t wanna,” Daisy says plaintively.

Jemma narrows her eyes, then shoots a look around her room,thinking. “Alright—compromise. I need to edit my research proposal, so how aboutI stay on the line and go over it out loud, and you listen until you fallasleep?”

Daisy purses her lips. “That sounds agreeable.”

Jemma beams. “Excellent.”

Jemma gets up to fetch some papers, then comes back andpulls her hair into a ponytail at the back of her head. She starts reading asDaisy buries herself in her comforter, propping the phone against a pillow tokeep it upright. She listens to Jemma read, her eyes growing heavy, her mindfoggy, not really understanding the words (not that she would had she been moreawake). She fights to keep her eyes open, but it’s seeming like a losingbattle.

Eventually, Jemma glances at her phone. “Daisy,” she gripesfondly, “you have to actually close your eyes for this to work.”

“Wanna look at you,” Daisy mumbles groggily.

Jemma tries to keep the grin off her face, but she’s notvery good at it. “You’re so sappy tonight.”

“’M always sappy.”

“True. I’m not going to keep reading, though, unless youclose your eyes.”

Daisy gives her best attempt at a glare, but gives in. Jemma’svoice flows over her, and it’s not long before Daisy is asleep.

[roadiesinc]

[junker-town]

Which NFL team will be the next to relocate?

In the next 10 years, there are four teams that could hear relocation talks heat up.

Let’s establish one thing right away: No NFL team is loading up the moving trucks any time soon.

The dust has settled on a flurry of relocation chatter in the last five years or so, and now the Rams, Chargers, and Raiders all have (or will soon have) new homes. With those situations resolved, there are now no immediate stadium crises to fix.

The cities of San Diego, Oakland, and St. Louis probably won’t get replacement teams — not in the near future, at least — and there isn’t any huge prospective city lying in wait like Los Angeles was for two decades.

Eventually that’ll change. Stadiums will get old and leases will inch closer to expiration. The NFL is already prepping for that with “stadium credits” — essentially allotted money for constructions and renovations — reportedly a key issue in early collective bargaining agreement negotiations.

And at some point, when stadiums are in need of a replacement, a new city will emerge as a prime candidate to woo an NFL team. Hell, even Hartford, Conn. stepped up as a possibility back when the Los Angeles Rams decided to leave Southern California in the 1990s.

So which NFL team is the likeliest to pack up and leave next? I have a few guesses.

Buffalo Bills

Franchise relocations always happen because of stadium issues, and the Bills are at the top of the list of teams in need of a new place to play. New Era Field, previously known as Rich Stadium and Ralph Wilson Stadium, opened in 1973.

Only five teams — the Rams, Bears, Packers, Raiders, and Chiefs — are currently playing in older venues. The Rams and Raiders are scheduled to leave those stadiums behind after the 2019 season, while the other three have had significant renovation investments.

New Era Field had a $130 million renovation in 2012, but that pales in comparison to the funds that went into the stadiums in Chicago ($632 million in 2001-03), Kansas City ($375 million in 2007–10), and Green Bay ($295 million in 2001-03 and $312 million in 2011-15 ).

For the Bills to stay at their current home, they’d need that kind of cash infusion. The likelier solution is a new stadium altogether.

“I think the answer is probably a scaled-down version of some of these palaces that are being built around the country,” Bills owner Terry Pegula told reporters during the NFL owners’ meeting in March, via The Buffalo News. “The thing [Rams owner] Stan [Kroenke] is building in LA is amazing, Jerry Jones’ facility in Dallas. So we need to do something that’s Buffalo style.”

That’s about as perfect of an answer as Bills fans could possibly hope to hear. Pegula sounds like an owner committed to staying in Buffalo, and he seems realistic about making it happen without lavish demands. It’s part of the reason he was awarded the franchise in the first place after the death of former Bills owner Ralph Wilson.

“Ralph would have been pleased with the sale of the team to the Terry Pegula family, who has been so committed to Buffalo and the Western New York region,” then-controlling owner Mary Wilson said in 2014.

It’s all a genuinely good sign for Buffalo, but the little red siren came later in Pegula’s chat with reporters in March.

Asked if he would be willing to foot the bill for a new stadium, Terry Pegula said, “I don’t know.”

There’s the rub. Despite Erie County already setting aside $500,000 to begin saving for the cost of a new stadium, that’ll be a drop in the well.

The still-under-construction stadium in Los Angeles is approaching a $5 billion price tag. Even though the Bills won’t need nearly that much, the last NFL stadium to cost less than $1 billion to build was the Colts’ Lucas Oil Stadium, and that opened back in 2008.

So if the city of Buffalo balks at the idea of pledging a large amount of taxpayer money for a new stadium, it’s very plausible that another city would step in with an offer of its own. Most recently, Las Vegas offered a record $750 million in taxpayer money to the Raiders when the city of Oakland was hesitant to foot the bill for a new stadium. Toronto, give its ties and proximity to Buffalo, could be one possibility.

Until the Bills figure out where they will play and who will pay for it, a long-term future in Buffalo isn’t a sure thing.

Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars were once the poster child for poor fan support. In 2009, seven of eight home games were blacked out on local TV because they couldn’t sell enough tickets. Things have changed since, however. Tarps that covered upper deck seats have since been removed, and the Jaguars are now in the middle of the pack in attendance numbers.

The drum beat to relocate the team has quieted in the last decade, too.

Best of all for Jacksonville is that Shad Khan has invested in North Florida since becoming the team owner in 2011. He’s put state-of-the-art scoreboards, swimming pools, and an amphitheater, among other renovations, at TIAA Bank Field.

The bad news is that the stadium could use more upgrades. New Era Field in Buffalo is the only other NFL stadium currently in use that hasn’t been built or undergone at least $300 million in major renovations since 1995. It’s not quite a pressing need for the Jaguars, but it’ll continue to bubble up as they get closer to the 2029 expiration date on their lease with the city of Jacksonville.

You also can’t bring up the possibility of a Jaguars relocation without mentioning London. They currently play one game per year in the United Kingdom, which has boosted attendance in Jacksonville and marketed the Jaguars’ brand internationally.

That makes the the Jaguars an obvious favorite when the NFL talks up London as a candidate for an NFL team full-time. Still, a London franchise looks like a logistical nightmare, and the Jaguars insist it’s not their end goal.

“I know it frustrates Shad,” team president Mark Lamping said in 2018, via ESPN. “You don’t do the type of stuff of that’s he’s doing, you don’t invest the type of money that he’s investing, if you’re planning to leave.”

Like Pegula’s comments about Buffalo, Khan’s giving Jaguars fans positive vibes. There’s a similar issue brewing, though.

The Jaguars are nearing the point when they’ll ask for a lot of money from the city of Jacksonville and the expiring lease will give the team leverage. If the NFL and London are serious about a European franchise — or if a U.S. city comes with shiny new stadium plan — the pressure will be on Jacksonville to fight (and pay huge money) to keep the Jaguars.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Just about every reason the Jaguars could eventually relocate also applies to the Buccaneers.

The Jaguars’ TIAA Bank Field opened in 1995 and the Buccaneers’ Raymond James Stadium opened just a few years later in 1998. Tampa Bay recently poured about $160 million into renovations while Jacksonville paid around $180 million. The Buccaneers’ lease in Tampa Bay expires in 2028; the Jaguars’ lease expires in 2030.

Most of those factors would seem to paint the Buccaneers as the more likely of the two teams to move — especially considering Tampa Bay has been in the bottom five in NFL attendance in each of the last three years.

The Jaguars’ annual game in London and their push to market outside of Jacksonville may edge them a little higher on the list. But the Buccaneers have ties to England too.

The Glazer family owns both the Buccaneers and Manchester United of the English Premier League. Although they don’t have a yearly game overseas, more games outside of Tampa Bay are exactly what the Bucs attempted to secure while negotiating renovations of Raymond James Stadium. Via USA Today:

The Tampa Sports Authority (TSA), the county-funded agency in charge of the stadium, ultimately rejected the team’s demand for a second regular-season game abroad, conceding a number of preseason games instead.

Currently, the Bucs can play one regular season home game each year away from Raymond James Stadium, but starting in 2018, they will be able to play one regular season home game as well as one preseason home game away from Tampa. They can also play both preseason home games in 2016 and 2017 elsewhere if they choose.

It doesn’t necessarily mean the Buccaneers are angling to get out of Central Florida. They’ll just be asking for money from taxpayers as the end of their lease approaches like the other teams on this list. That can always go south.

Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals just celebrated their 50th birthday and they’ve been in Cincinnati since day one. They spent about three decades in Riverfront Stadium and moved into Paul Brown Stadium when it was built in 2000. It’s still the only NFL stadium to ever win an AIA Honor Award recognizing exemplary architecture and has managed to be a top facility despite minimal renovations.

The problem is the Bengals don’t do well in attendance. They’ve ranked near the bottom of the league in attendance for five straight seasons and only outdrew the Chargers in ticket sales in 2018. But the franchise’s recent good faith negotiation with the city of Cincinnati bodes well for its long-term outlook in the area.

Cincinnati wanted to rework its lease with the Bengals to build a concert venue on one of the stadium parking lots. After initial pushback, the team conceded. In the revised lease, the Bengals agreed to set a $42.3 million cap on contributions from the city for repairs and enhancements to Paul Brown Stadium through 2026. It eased up the costs of one of the most team-friendly leases in the NFL.

Now the city is trying to prep the stadium for the possibility of hosting FIFA World Cup games in 2026.

While the lease for the Bengals is expiring relatively soon, all indications are that they have a strong relationship with the city of Cincinnati. More renovations for Paul Brown Stadium could be on their agenda soon, but the Bengals walking out after the expiration of their lease looks, for now, like a long shot.

[decisionforesight]

Global electric vehicles Market Trends by Key Players, End User, Demand, Analysis Growth and Forecast 2030

Market Overview

Global electric vehicles market accounted 169.8 million USD in 2020 and is predicted to reach 1060.2 million USD by 2030 with a CAGR of 20.10% during the forecast period. This information is published by ““Decision foresight”“, in its report, titled, “Global Electric Vehicle Market, 2020-2030.” According to International Energy Agency In 2020, there were more than 10 million electric cars on the road throughout the world, with battery electric models driving the growth. Despite the Covid epidemic, electric car registrations grew in key countries in 2020. On a total cost of ownership basis, electric automobiles are progressively becoming more competitive in several nations. Several governments gave or extended economic incentives to help electric car buyers weather the market slump.

COVID-19 Impact: Huge impact over Commercial Business Sales Observed amid Pandemics

The economic consequences of the Covid-19 epidemic had a huge impact on the global market for all sorts of automobiles. OEMs had to wait for the lockdowns to be removed before they could begin production, which had a negative impact on their companies. As a result, automakers had to alter their manufacturing volumes. Component production was also halted, and tiny Tier II and Tier III manufacturers suffered cash flow problems. The production halt during the early months of the epidemic, along with decreased demand, had an extraordinary impact on EV manufacturers in the early months of the pandemic. New automobile registrations fell by almost a third in the first half of 2020 compared to the previous year.

But EVs were in high demand during the Covid-19 period. As a result, there is an increasing need for electric vehicle manufacture all over the world. However, due to lockdowns and logistics issues, most firms' output was hampered in the first several months. Following the lockdowns, however, demand for electric vehicles soared as governments throughout the world pushed people to switch to low-emission automobiles. Many countries have also expanded the number of electric vehicles charging stations and hydrogen fuelling stations around their country.

 Segmentation

The electric vehicle industry is split into three categories based on technology: hybrid electric cars, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and battery electric vehicles. Despite having the smallest market share, plug-in hybrid electric cars are expected to expand at the quickest rate. The vehicle type segmentation includes passenger automobiles, commercial vehicles, two-wheelers, and other vehicles. Due to the extraordinary increase in sales in China, two-wheelers are expected to dominate the industry in terms of volume. The passenger automobile category is expected to grow.

The system design of parallel hybrid, series hybrid, and mixed hybrid powertrains does not apply to battery-powered electric cars. As a result, this category excludes battery electric vehicle market volume statistics, resulting in a market value that is considerably lower than the entire market value. Parallel hybrid powertrains presently dominate the market and are expected to expand at a higher rate than series and mixed hybrids in the future.

Drivers and Restraints

Governments all around the globe encouraging the industry for development electric models Driving Market Growth

 Consumers are becoming more interested in electric vehicles that are equipped with linked entertainment systems, sensors, and automation. Many consumers are delaying their purchases in the global car sector since the horizon clearly points to the adoption of electric vehicles by 2025. The Zero Emission Vehicle requirement stipulates that by 2025, the vehicle shall account for 10% of total sales worldwide. With companies like Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai, Toyota, GE, and BMW planning new models, electric car usage will certainly increase even without government support.

As worries about long-term growth develop across the world, the global electric vehicle industry promises considerable growth. Governments all around the globe have encouraged their industry to develop sophisticated electric models and produce them. Consumer and government demand is increasing, which is a significant plus for the government. At first, public transit will see the most rapid adoption of electric cars, with cities such as Glasgow, New York, London, Shanghai, and New Delhi making significant purchases to broaden the scope of electric vehicles. In the foreseeable future, the growing size of economies for electric car producers will promote expansion of electric automobiles.

 Regional Insights

In 2018, electric vehicle sales in the United States increased by 80%, thanks to the introduction of the Tesla Model 3 standard version on the market. The rate of growth dropped in 2019 due to a number of factors. Tesla's US sales fell in 2019 due to an increase in foreign deliveries and the progressive phase out of the federal tax credit in January and July. The federal government's recent attempts to relax restrictions may cause the EV industry in the United States to slow even more. For example, the EPA altered fuel-economy regulations in March 2020, lowering the objective to 40 miles per gallon (mpg) by 2026 from 54 mpg. Low oil prices now are also contributing to the EV slowdown, since they decrease the overall cost for vehicles with internal combustion engines (as compared with EVs). These developments are causing a lot of uncertainty, and the growth of the US electric vehicle industry might be heavily influenced by the number of states that embrace California's Zero-Emission Vehicle Program and the vagaries of oil prices.

Asia Pacific is projected to display prompt growth in the upcoming years. Incentives for the electric car industry in China have been reduced as a result of significant legislative initiatives. Purchase subsidies were set to expire at the end of 2020, but after signs that they would be phased out more gradually before to the epidemic, they were instead slashed by 10% and extended to 2022 by April 2020, in the middle of the pandemic. Several cities eased automobile licence rules in response to the pandemic's economic concerns, letting more internal combustion engine vehicles to be registered in order to assist local car manufacturers.

Competitive Landscape

Innovative and AdvancedTactics Adopted by Key Players to Sustain their Position

Almost all of the world's major automakers have produced and distributed electric automobiles. Honda Motor Co., Ltd., Toyota Motor Corporation, Tesla Motors, Inc., Ford Motor Company, Nissan Motor Corporation Ltd., and Bayerische Motoren Werke AG are some of the leading manufacturers of electric cars, with hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and pure battery electric vehicle versions on the market. Tesla will build a number of charging stations in the United States and Canada, including solar-powered charging stations, to boost EV infrastructure in the region. Company from India for its clients, Ola has also chosen to build the world's largest EV charging network. Ola Hyper charger Network will feature over 1 lakh charging sites spread across 400 locations to provide Ola electric scooter users with convenient charging options.

Industry Development

July 2021:Ola, a Bengaluru-based mobility platform, announced on July 17 that it has received 1,00,000 pre-launch bookings for its electric scooter in only 24 hours after enabling pre-launch bookings for the two-wheeler.

List of Key Players Covered in this Market Report

·         Tesla, Inc. (United States)

·         Toyota Motor Corporation (Japan)

·         Volkswagen AG (Germany)

·         Groupe Renault (France)

·         Hyundai (South Korea)

·         Jiangling Motors Corporation Limited (China)

·         Tata Motors (India)

·         BMW (Germany)

·         BYD Company Limited (China)

·         Daimler AG (Germany)

·         MG Motors (China)

·         Jaguar Landrover (India)

·         Ford Motors (USA)

·         General Motors Company (United States)

·         Nissan Motors Co. Ltd. (Japan)

About Us:

Decision Foresight is a market research organization known for its reliable and genuine content, market estimation and the best analysis which is designed to deliver state-of-the-art quality syndicate reports to our customers. Apart from syndicate reports, you will find the best market insights, strategies that will help in taking better business decisions on subjects that may require you to develop and grow your business-like health, science, technology and many more. At Decision Foresight, we truly believe in disseminating the right piece of knowledge to a large section of the audience and cover the in-depth insights of market leaders across various verticals and horizontals.

 Contact Us: 125, Beadon Street, Kolkata -700006

Phone: +919875577842

Email: sales@decisionforesight.com

[constructionfirm]

8-inch Rugged Tablet & 3D Camera for Construction

DT Research, the leading designer and manufacturer of purpose-built computing solutions for vertical markets, today announced the DT380CR and DT380Q rugged tablets, which weigh under two pounds and are light enough to carry all day, yet with a large enough screen to get a variety of indoor-outdoor work done. These new tablets have IP65 and MIL-STD-810G ratings for military-grade durability, seamless information capture-transmission capabilities and hot-swappable batteries that enable zero work interruptions– boosting productivity, while simultaneously providing organizations with an affordable rugged solution.

The DT380CR and DT380Q rugged tablets will be on display in the DT Research booth #N6417 at the ProMat 2019 show in Chicago’s McCormick Place from April 8-11, 2019.

The tablets’ 8-inch display hits the readability sweet spot for workers in a variety of environments through a high brightness, outdoor viewable screen with capacitive touch. Information capture and transfer is made simple, with a built-in 2D barcode scanner and 5 megapixel back camera or 3D built-in Intel® RealSense

Depth camera. Robust wireless communications capabilities transfer information seamlessly through 4G LTE mobile broadband, WiFi and built-in long range (1,000 foot) Bluetooth.

Users avoid work interruptions with the tablets’ unique hot-swappable battery design, along with a variety of battery chargers that ensure workers always have fully-charged batteries available. Organizations enjoy the benefits of a high performance, yet low power consumption device, as the tablets run on energy efficient Intel® Atom

Quad Core and Qualcomm processors.

“We listened to customer input from an array of industries, organizations and users to carefully design a tablet that hits the mark in terms of size, weight, durability and functionality – at an affordable price point,” said Daw Tsai, president of DT Research. “With our purpose-built approach, organizations can also opt to order the tablets with built-in features for precision measuring and 3D image capture – providing a seamless workflow from a single tablet and simplifying device management for the organization.”

Unique Options

The DT380Q tablets include the latest 3D real-time imaging technology through an optional built-in Intel® RealSense

Depth camera that can scan and capture highly accurate weight, volume and dimension measurements for a variety of construction, logistics and warehousing projects.

The DT380CR tablets offer concurrent reception of GPS and GLONASS with the optional high quality U-blox M8 GNSS module for accurate positioning, which is used to enhance the precision of position data derived from satellite-based positioning systems.

Standard Features The DT380CR and DT380Q tablets come standard with a robust set of features that include:

Indoor-Outdoor Display – Brilliant 8-inch high-bright (800 nits) sunlight readable and anti-reflective display with capacitive touch.

Military-grade Durability and Reliability – IP65-rated for water and dust resistance, MIL-STD- 810G certified for shock and vibration protection.

High Performance, Energy Efficient – Intel quad-core (DT380CR) and Qualcomm (DT380Q) processors, operating with energy-efficient power consumption.

Continuous Operation – Hot-swappable batteries, battery pack, battery gang charger, and desktop charging cradle.

Choice of Operating Systems – Microsoft® Windows® 10 IoT Enterprise or Android 9 .0.

Availability DT380CR and DT380Q tablets are available immediately from DT Research’s authorized resellers and partners.

About DT Research DT Research

, an early Mobile Tablet pioneer and leading designer and manufacturer of purpose-built computing systems for vertical markets, delivers the world’s most comprehensive line of Rugged and Industrial-grade Tablets, Mobile POS Tablets, Digital Signage Systems and Medical Computing Solutions. DT Research products are uniquely designed with customizable built-in options assembled in California, providing customers with rapid time-to-market solutions. The DT Research family of products is based on embedded computing platforms that power secure, reliable and cost-effective computing. DT Research systems offer computing mobility within industrial and harsh environments through durable solutions with wireless connectivity, high-quality touch displays, and Windows® operating systems. More than 200 organizations across the globe rely on DT Research solutions in industries such as government, healthcare, hospitality, logistics, military, retail and warehousing. DT Research is headquartered in Silicon Valley, California with offices in China and Taiwan. For more information, visit www.dtresearch.com and follow @dtresearch, #MilitaryTablets and #RuggedTablets.

DT Research and WebDT are trademarks of DT Research, Inc. All other brands and product names may be trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

[lazilysillyprince]

VW's Mobile Chargers Could Help EVs Conquer the World

New Post has been published on http://naturalanxietyremediestips.com/vws-mobile-chargers-could-help-evs-conquer-the-world/

VW's Mobile Chargers Could Help EVs Conquer the World

Like so many things that are wonderful in theory—new gym membership or weeklong cruises—the question of whether an electric car works for you comes down to logistics. Namely, how far can you drive on one charge? And once you’ve depleted your car’s battery, can you be sure you’ll find somewhere nearby to go from E to F?

Volkswagen thinks it has part of the solution. Last week, the German automaker unveiled its mobile charging station concept, which could appear in its hometown of Wolfsburg as early as the first half of this year, and elsewhere starting in 2020. “Mobile” might be stretching it here—this quick-charging battery station is big. It can hold up to 360 kWh, nearly five times the capacity of a base-level Tesla Model S. VW promises that the futuristic stations will also be fast, charging vehicles (like, say, new models in the company’s ID line) in just 17 minutes on average.

The idea here isn’t to constantly move the things hither and thon, but to plop them in places that don’t yet have robust charging infrastructure, as a sort of stopgap. This should be exciting news for anyone who doesn’t have consistent access to an outlet, like many apartment dwellers or those who park on the street. The stations can either be connected to the grid, without major upfront infrastructure costs, or carted away and recharged remotely once they’re depleted.

These behemoths hold enough juice for 15 electric cars and are meant to supplement areas with subpar charging networks.

Volkswagen

“This is probably more expensive than just having a charging station, but this concept of ‘mobile charging’ might induce some folks to become EV buyers who are worried about a place to plug in,” says Costa Samaras, a civil and environmental engineering professor at Carnegie Mellon University who studies electric vehicles and systems. But Samaras notes that kind of charging and range anxiety can’t be patched by mobility alone. “Ultimately, the problem will have to be solved with both widespread public charging and battery improvements that increase the range between charges,” he says.

To that end, Volkswagen has made other ambitious electric proclamations over the past three years. It has said it will introduce 30 new electric models by 2025. And CEO Herbert Diess told a German car publication in November that the automaker has committed $56 billion to batteries alone. “We have sourced the batteries for 50 million vehicles,” he said.

Mobile electric vehicle chargers are nothing new. The Swiss company Nation-E debuted a buzzy Hummer-mounted charging station in 2010; AAA has run a limited emergency charging service for nearly a decade. A company called FreeWire Technologies just raised $15 million on its mobile charging products. (Its wheel-able Mobi charger looks like a ice cream cart, but zappier.)

But the might of the world’s largest automaker could bring change to the charging landscape. Not that it has much of a choice in the matter. After getting caught cheating emissions tests on millions of diesel cars, VW struck a deal with the US Environmental Protection Agency, agreeing to spend $2 billion over a decade to create a charging network for electric vehicles. It completed its first California installation of a (nonmobile) 350-kWh electric charging station last month. And with VW’s penance just beginning, don’t be surprised if you see these battery behemoths bring a zap to your hometown in the next couple of years.

More Great WIRED Stories

[biofunmy]

Now you see them, now you don’t

CLOSE

Isabelle Tham was putting her jacket on before a red-eye flight from California to New York on Delta Air Lines in March when one of her AirPods flew out of her ear.

The 23-year-old legal writer from San Jose frantically searched the area around her window seat for the wireless headphone before the plane took off. She figured the tiny white device slid to the back of the plane, so she went to sleep with plans to look again upon landing.

Tham woke up to great news: the errant AirPod had caught on a seat and was retrieved by the passenger behind her.

Her luck ran out on the return flight. In a rush to catch a connecting flight, Tham left her AirPod case, which doubles as the charger, in the seatback pocket. (The AirPods were in her ears.) 

She reached out to Delta on Twitter as soon as she got to her Airbnb and realized it was gone: “Delta please help a millennial out and reunite her with her AirPods case.”

Similar cries and pleas go out daily to airlines on social media and via customer service centers as owners of the pricey periscope-shaped devices desperately seek their return. A new pair of AirPods, which includes a case, starts at $159. A new wireless charging case, $79.

CLOSE

Apple event: What about 5G, AirPods and Macs?

Passengers post details on where they were sitting, complete with photos of holes and seat cracks they fell into. One traveler posted a screenshot from the “Find my iPhone app” showing his AirPods on a plane that was heading down the runway at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport while he was at the airport.

Losing AirPods is a #firstworldproblem, for sure, as snarky commenters often remark on Twitter, but the lost gadgets are a costly headache for travelers and can be a logistical challenge for airlines.

AirPods were introduced three years ago and, after a relatively slow start, have become ubiquitous, the devices wedged into ears around the world, an odd-looking status symbol. Critics say they look like Q tips; electric toothbrush heads; and, when in the case, dental floss. The second generation AirPods were introduced in March, and went on sale in August.

Apple’s second generation AirPods (Photo: Apple)

Ray Wong, senior reviews editor for technology magazine Input, was an early adopter. He got a pair of AirPods from his sister for Christmas the year they came out and lost one of them a few months later on a Delta flight from New York to Austin, Texas, for the technology summit South by Southwest.

He was in the middle seat when a colleague nudged him to look at an email. He was holding his AirPods, and one of them disappeared into the seat. He mentioned it to a flight attendant and, upon landing, the next thing he knew they were ripping open seats in search of the tiny ear buds. The cleaning crew even got involved. 

“They’re like, “OK, lets see if we can find your little AirPods,” he said, noting that this was before users could locate them using Find my iPhone.

The AirPod didn’t turn up, so he had to buy a single replacement for about $70 from Apple in New York.

What are the chances you’ll get lost AirPods back from an airline? 

For travelers today who lose their Airpods,  the Find my iPhone app helps, especially if you realize the AirPods are lost when you’re still on the plane or at the airport.

But staying on the plane to search or returning to the plane isn’t always an option given airplanes’ brief time on the ground between flights.

Sometimes, an item is stuck and not retrievable, or the airline is unwilling or unable to tear seats apart.

Another risk: Other passengers could spot the in-demand items and decide finders keepers, since the AirPods can easily connect to other devices.

Airlines are reluctant to release figures on the volume of items turned in by type, and how many are returned to their owners. Delta did disclose that it receives about 40 pairs of AirPods per month. Spokesman Morgan Durrant said that doesn’t rank in the top five of turned-in items. Phones, tablets, laptops, other varieties of headphones and eye/sunglasses can each reach into the hundreds per month, he said.

One sign of the volume of lost AirPods not reunited with passengers: Sales of AirPods at Unclaimed Baggage Center in Scottsboro, Alabama, which buys unclaimed items from airlines and resells them to the public, spiked in the past two years. Sales this year are up 126% from a year ago, according to spokeswoman Jamie Scalici.

The store does not release the number of AirPods sold or how it compares with other electronics. The store sells first generation AirPods for $100 and second generation for $159, according to a representative reached by phone, and “they go quickly.”

Airlines say they do everything they can to reunite travelers with their lost items and note that the process has gotten easier with automation and central lost-and-found warehouses.

Southwest Airlines, the nation’s largest domestic carrier, has a 60% overall return rate for items reported lost, according to Laura Adams, director of baggage services, which includes lost-and-found.

“We’re really proud of that because, I can tell you, back in the day it was more like 16% before everything was automated,” she told USA TODAY.

But the AirPods bring their own challenges, she said, including their size (they can easily fall into the nooks and crannies throughout the plane) and the fact that they all look alike, especially when they’re out of the case. 

“That is the frustrating part for us,” Adams said.  “We can’t just return anybody’s AirPods. We have to return that rightful owner’s AirPods.”

AirPods lost on a plane: Travelers’ tales

Tham was certain she’d see her AirPods case again after detailing her flight information on Delta’s lost-and-found form the day of her flight.

“I put in the exact seat that I was in,’ ” she said. “But time goes by and they go, ‘Hey, we’re still looking for your case. I’m sorry.”’

She waited a couple weeks but finally coughed up $59 for a replacement case.

Harish Malik was hopeful, too, after sending American Airlines seat information and photos from his wife’s flight from Oklahoma to San Francisco this summer.

The software engineer said the AirPods were a three-month anniversary gift for his wife. She dropped one of them and didn’t want to disturb the elderly passenger next to her. She said she told the flight crew she could see it in a hole between the two seats but was told they couldn’t do anything about it because the seat would have to be taken apart by a technician.

They reported the incident at customer service in San Francisco and filed a lost-item report online but they haven’t turned up, he said. 

“It means, like, nobody went there and checked and nobody cared about it,” he said.

American spokesman Ross Feinstein said the airline “works with its customer to reunite them with any lost items left behind. If any items are discovered during the cleaning process, those items are logged in our system.”

Malik’s wife has an upcoming flight and refuses to take the other AirPod out.

“She’s scared to use them now,” Malik said. “She’ll only use the wired ones if she needs them.”

Even when airlines bring in a technican, they are not always able to help. An Arizona woman posted the saga of a lost AirPod on United on Twitter, with a picture of a maintenance worker who tried to retrieve it after it bounced on the floor and into a hole. A chirping sound triggered by the Find my iPhone feature told her it was close.

But not close enough. She never got her AirPod back.

Whelp. I’m so embarrassed at the level of service I’m getting right now. And the fact that I’m holding up the plane. But yo, never say @United didn’t try to give you good service.

pic.twitter.com/RkmeamMWpp

— Jane Pizzolato (@jane_pizzolato) May 4, 2018

Kim Thomas thought she was one of the lucky ones. The 45-year-old hospital IT executive reported her lost AirPods to the Southwest baggage claim office at Los Angeles International Airport and was thrilled when she called down from the gate to see they found them.

One problem: The case wasn’t hers And it was empty.

“I never got them back, ” Thomas said.

She bought a new pair within 24 hours.

“I love that they charge quickly. I love that they’ve got a long battery life. I love that I can use one, and I don’t have to use both so I can semi-multitask if I’m on a conference call.”

How NOT to lose your AirPods on a plane: Lessons from those who did 

1. Don’t bring them, or at least switch to wired headphones when sleeping. Wong initially vowed not to travel with them after two incidents but now is just careful. He doesn’t put them in while sleeping on flights, for example. “You never know when there’s some turbulence and boom, your AirPods are gone.”

2. Buy accessories, including ear hooks or a strap, that tether them to you on a flight. They are cheap on sites including Amazon and eBay.

3. Establish a routine before you get on and off the plane. Put them in the same place every time. Thomas, who travels weekly, puts them in her left pocket and is now religious about checking it before she deplanes.

4. Put some identifying characteristics on the AirPods to help you identify yours if the airline finds them. Southwest’s Adams says her family uses a Sharpie to mark their electronics. Others stick on a label with contact information. Some Reddit users recommend naming the AirPods with your email or phone number in it. 

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VW's Mobile Chargers Could Help EVs Conquer the World

New Post has been published on http://naturalanxietyremediestips.com/vws-mobile-chargers-could-help-evs-conquer-the-world/

VW's Mobile Chargers Could Help EVs Conquer the World

Like so many things that are wonderful in theory—new gym membership or weeklong cruises—the question of whether an electric car works for you comes down to logistics. Namely, how far can you drive on one charge? And once you’ve depleted your car’s battery, can you be sure you’ll find somewhere nearby to go from E to F?

Volkswagen thinks it has part of the solution. Last week, the German automaker unveiled its mobile charging station concept, which could appear in its hometown of Wolfsburg as early as the first half of this year, and elsewhere starting in 2020. “Mobile” might be stretching it here—this quick-charging battery station is big. It can hold up to 360 kWh, nearly five times the capacity of a base-level Tesla Model S. VW promises that the futuristic stations will also be fast, charging vehicles (like, say, new models in the company’s ID line) in just 17 minutes on average.

The idea here isn’t to constantly move the things hither and thon, but to plop them in places that don’t yet have robust charging infrastructure, as a sort of stopgap. This should be exciting news for anyone who doesn’t have consistent access to an outlet, like many apartment dwellers or those who park on the street. The stations can either be connected to the grid, without major upfront infrastructure costs, or carted away and recharged remotely once they’re depleted.

These behemoths hold enough juice for 15 electric cars and are meant to supplement areas with subpar charging networks.

Volkswagen

“This is probably more expensive than just having a charging station, but this concept of ‘mobile charging’ might induce some folks to become EV buyers who are worried about a place to plug in,” says Costa Samaras, a civil and environmental engineering professor at Carnegie Mellon University who studies electric vehicles and systems. But Samaras notes that kind of charging and range anxiety can’t be patched by mobility alone. “Ultimately, the problem will have to be solved with both widespread public charging and battery improvements that increase the range between charges,” he says.

To that end, Volkswagen has made other ambitious electric proclamations over the past three years. It has said it will introduce 30 new electric models by 2025. And CEO Herbert Diess told a German car publication in November that the automaker has committed $56 billion to batteries alone. “We have sourced the batteries for 50 million vehicles,” he said.

Mobile electric vehicle chargers are nothing new. The Swiss company Nation-E debuted a buzzy Hummer-mounted charging station in 2010; AAA has run a limited emergency charging service for nearly a decade. A company called FreeWire Technologies just raised $15 million on its mobile charging products. (Its wheel-able Mobi charger looks like a ice cream cart, but zappier.)

But the might of the world’s largest automaker could bring change to the charging landscape. Not that it has much of a choice in the matter. After getting caught cheating emissions tests on millions of diesel cars, VW struck a deal with the US Environmental Protection Agency, agreeing to spend $2 billion over a decade to create a charging network for electric vehicles. It completed its first California installation of a (nonmobile) 350-kWh electric charging station last month. And with VW’s penance just beginning, don’t be surprised if you see these battery behemoths bring a zap to your hometown in the next couple of years.

More Great WIRED Stories

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VW's Mobile Chargers Could Help EVs Conquer the World

New Post has been published on http://naturalanxietyremediestips.com/vws-mobile-chargers-could-help-evs-conquer-the-world/

VW's Mobile Chargers Could Help EVs Conquer the World

Like so many things that are wonderful in theory—new gym membership or weeklong cruises—the question of whether an electric car works for you comes down to logistics. Namely, how far can you drive on one charge? And once you’ve depleted your car’s battery, can you be sure you’ll find somewhere nearby to go from E to F?

Volkswagen thinks it has part of the solution. Last week, the German automaker unveiled its mobile charging station concept, which could appear in its hometown of Wolfsburg as early as the first half of this year, and elsewhere starting in 2020. “Mobile” might be stretching it here—this quick-charging battery station is big. It can hold up to 360 kWh, nearly five times the capacity of a base-level Tesla Model S. VW promises that the futuristic stations will also be fast, charging vehicles (like, say, new models in the company’s ID line) in just 17 minutes on average.

The idea here isn’t to constantly move the things hither and thon, but to plop them in places that don’t yet have robust charging infrastructure, as a sort of stopgap. This should be exciting news for anyone who doesn’t have consistent access to an outlet, like many apartment dwellers or those who park on the street. The stations can either be connected to the grid, without major upfront infrastructure costs, or carted away and recharged remotely once they’re depleted.

These behemoths hold enough juice for 15 electric cars and are meant to supplement areas with subpar charging networks.

Volkswagen

“This is probably more expensive than just having a charging station, but this concept of ‘mobile charging’ might induce some folks to become EV buyers who are worried about a place to plug in,” says Costa Samaras, a civil and environmental engineering professor at Carnegie Mellon University who studies electric vehicles and systems. But Samaras notes that kind of charging and range anxiety can’t be patched by mobility alone. “Ultimately, the problem will have to be solved with both widespread public charging and battery improvements that increase the range between charges,” he says.

To that end, Volkswagen has made other ambitious electric proclamations over the past three years. It has said it will introduce 30 new electric models by 2025. And CEO Herbert Diess told a German car publication in November that the automaker has committed $56 billion to batteries alone. “We have sourced the batteries for 50 million vehicles,” he said.

Mobile electric vehicle chargers are nothing new. The Swiss company Nation-E debuted a buzzy Hummer-mounted charging station in 2010; AAA has run a limited emergency charging service for nearly a decade. A company called FreeWire Technologies just raised $15 million on its mobile charging products. (Its wheel-able Mobi charger looks like a ice cream cart, but zappier.)

But the might of the world’s largest automaker could bring change to the charging landscape. Not that it has much of a choice in the matter. After getting caught cheating emissions tests on millions of diesel cars, VW struck a deal with the US Environmental Protection Agency, agreeing to spend $2 billion over a decade to create a charging network for electric vehicles. It completed its first California installation of a (nonmobile) 350-kWh electric charging station last month. And with VW’s penance just beginning, don’t be surprised if you see these battery behemoths bring a zap to your hometown in the next couple of years.

More Great WIRED Stories

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Tour Blog # 7- Phoenix, AZ; El Paso, TX; Austin, TX; San Antonio, TX; & Final thoughts on the road

I’d have to say our stop in Phoenix was the one I was most excited about. While I didn’t have much time to show the guys the places I normally hang out, I was at least able to relive the breathtaking views of AZ.

After a long day of driving, we killed a bit of time at a Starbucks and loaded in. The show went well, but wasn’t exactly well attended. Unfortunately, the show at Rebel Lounge was 21+, so none of my friends were able to come out.

The Rebel Lounge, however, is generally pretty cool with press, even if they’re underage. I simply told the manager I was underage, and he X’ed my hands and told me the rules. At other venues, I’d 100% be kicked out, but I’ve covered shows at The Rebel Lounge before and I knew that they tend to be more relaxed.

Luckily for me, we were staying with one of my friends from school, and he invited several of my other friends over for a small after party. It was so awesome to see everyone and catch up, albeit a little strange to have two worlds collide. I was already excited for school to start back up, but now I can’t fricken wait.

 After staying up way too late chatting, we hit the hay and woke up early the next morning. Our host, Frankie, whipped us up an amazing breakfast, and we packed up and headed out to El Paso.

El Paso hosts this amazing little stop called The Outpost. Specifically created for musicians on tour, it’s a convenience store, studio, lounge space, and I believe a future hair salon—all for free for those who stop by. We were scheduled with two other artists, and it was great to get to know them and look around the space. I also did some of my favorite portraits to date there.

With new goodies and a spring in our step, we grabbed dinner at a bar, and one of the girls who runs The Outpost met us there. It was fascinating to hear about the concept and logistics behind the place—it’s under the same management as the Patch houses, which are like The Outpost, but artists can stay there as well.

We didn’t have the highest of expectations of El Paso, but it turned out to be a really cool little spot. Eating dinner at a rooftop bar, grabbing ice cream, and crashing at the hotel made for a pretty good night in an unexpectedly fun city.

After getting a painfully early start, we traversed a nine-hour drive to Austin and crashed at Cory’s brother’s apartment. Along the way, we learned that a band we all like, Vesperteen, was playing a show in Austin that night. The guys and I both have industry contacts who are involved with Vesperteen and have all been meaning to see them live for quite a while, so we hit up our contact and went to the show after dinner. Vesperteen put on a fantastic show, and I got to shoot with their photographer, who I hugely admire.

We decided to call it a night, with the blissful notion of not having to set an alarm the next morning.

Because the drive to San Antonio was only an hour and a half, we had a little time to run around Austin. After grabbing breakfast tacos, I had every intention of getting in some pool time with the guys, but ended up taking an hour-long nap instead. No ragrets.

We arrived at Cory’s future in-law’s and set up in the backyard for a wonderful little house show. The boys were dying in the heat, but it was a great temperature for me (although I was laying across chairs and they were assembling heavy equipment, so that may have had something to do with it). Kristin’s dad and stepmother were wonderful hosts, and I leaped at the chance to have my own room.

The show went very well, and our merch sales were through the roof. We also made about the same amount in donations as we would if we’d been paid for a club show, which is certainly a rare phenomenon for TNS. We walked away feeling very good about the last show, which kind of packaged a weird mix of highs and lows up with a nice little bow.

This tour blog is a little late because I wanted to include some reflections and final thoughts on the tour. I’m back home in Indiana and I’ve had a few days to chill out and catch up on the things I’ve neglected over the past three weeks. 

The last time I left the boys at the end of a tour, I had a prepared response to the question from family and friends: “How was tour?”. This time, I’m a little more lost. I’ve had the time of my life, but there were things that dragged me and the crew as a whole down. I loved running around the country and spending three weeks with some of my favorite people, but by the end of the run, we were exhausted, lacking five laptops, and out of money.

This run was a lot. It was entirely different in nature from my first tour, which was ten shows in ten days. We had days off, we didn’t freeze to death, and we were able to actually explore the cities we played. But we also had frequent 8 hour drives, almost twice as many dates, and a ton of ground to cover.

My casualties currently stand at a phone charger, two pairs of socks, any chance of my hair looking okay for the next two weeks, at least 10 pens, quite a bit of money, and my sleep schedule—may they rest in peace or find happy new homes.

[Kansas City, MO]

I couldn’t talk about this tour without singing the praises of Jessica Lamb. She was a fantastic addition to our crew, and I was so glad I had the opportunity to get to know her better. We all miss her dearly, and I hope our paths cross sooner rather than later.

[Costa Mesa, CA]

Tour really is a roller coaster. There are highs and there are lows, but even the lows seem pretty damn high. Even when you get robbed, you get to see the beautiful lights of San Francisco on the way home. Even when you pop a tire, you create giggly memories in a Jack in the Box drive thru. And even when you’re too tired to function, you get to crash with some of your favorite people.

[Seattle, WA]

I’ve been from New York to California with these boys, and from Portland, Maine to Portland, Oregon. I’ve cried in front of them at least 20 times, and they haven’t ditched me yet, so that’s some real comradery. They’re some of the kindest, most dedicated, most thoughtful, and funniest people I’ve ever met. I’m not sure I could pick a better group to split a van with.

It’ll be a hot minute before you hear from the tour blog section of my website. I’ll be going back to school at Arizona State in just a few days, and winter tours are very, very hard to come by. If you’re on the East coast, TNS are heading out there in September, so make sure you check those shows out, even though I won’t be with them. But no matter where I am, just know that my heart is on the road. It may be awhile, but stay tuned for what’s to come.