OnePlus 3T caught cheating on benchmarks

No, the days of smartphone makers cheating on benchmarks aren’t over yet. XDA has discovered that the OnePlus 3T artificially boosts processor clock speeds when running certain benchmark apps, keeping its CPU cores running at higher rates even when there was virtually no processor workload. This has apparently been a staple of HydrogenOS (OnePlus’ interface for the Chinese market) for awhile, but only showed up in OxygenOS (the software for other parts of the world) in community builds ahead of the Android 7.0 Nougat upgrade.

The good news: the 3T won’t be playing fast and loose with numbers for much longer. In a statement, OnePlus says that it will stop ramping up the processor for benchmarks in “upcoming” OxygenOS releases for both the 3 and 3T. The company claims that this was part of a broader effort to provide a “better user experience” in demanding apps (particularly games), although that doesn’t really pass muster — there was no reason to be hiking speeds in benchmarks. You can read the full statement below.

OnePlus certainly isn’t alone in this behavior, as XDA caught the Meizu Pro 6 Plus cheating at the same time. That doesn’t justify rigging tests, however, and it suggests that benchmark makers and testers alike will have to remain extra-vigilant if they want to keep companies honest. It’s also a reminder to test phones in real-world circumstances whenever possible — even when benchmarks are accurate, they can only tell you so much about your day-to-day experience.

“In order to give users a better user experience in resource intensive apps and games, especially graphically intensive ones, we implemented certain mechanisms in the community and Nougat builds to trigger the processor to run more aggressively. The trigger process for benchmarking apps will not be present in upcoming OxygenOS builds on the OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 3T.’”

Via: BetaNews

Source: XDA

The best baby monitor is a simple night-vision camera

As a tech reporter, I’ve been pitched a whole host of smart baby monitors recently. That’s partly because I work here, and also because I have easy access to an infant with whom I can test out such gadgets. Nanit, Cloudtot, Neebo, Owlet and Knit (to name a few) all claim that they can soothe the brows of novice parents like myself. But the more time I’ve spent with Project Nursery’s 5-inch HD Video Baby Monitor, the less I want the extra bells and whistles. They’re nice, for sure, but they aren’t essential to the fairly simple practice of parenting.

I hadn’t bothered to buy a baby monitor when my girl was born because my wife and I knew we wouldn’t need one for months. In those early days, you can’t let your kid out of your sight for a moment; indeed, we still sleep with her in a cot at the foot of the bed. When it came time to finally get a monitor, I opted for a smart-ish one because, you know, I have a reputation to maintain.

Project Nursery’s set comes with a micro-USB-powered night-vision camera that generates its own 2.4GHz wireless signal. Then there’s the so-called Parent Unit, a boxy 5-inch display that looks more like a fancy home cinema remote than a baby gadget. In addition, the package comes with a “Mini Monitor,” a 1.5-inch cube that can be worn on the wrist for more mobile monitoring.

The Parent Unit lets you control the camera, letting you reposition its angle like you’re a security guard in a surveillance state. In addition, you can speak through the device’s built-in microphone / speaker combination — again, like you’re an all-seeing guard. Unlike in a totalitarian regime, however, you can also play pre-recorded lullabies from the device to send your kid to sleep.

The experience of using it is actually pretty lovely. Setup took just five minutes and most of that was pulling the plastic packaging off. Being able to watch your child while you do the dishes, sterilize bottles or — gasp — stare at the TV is extremely useful. Still, I’ve found that the ability to watch her is pretty much all I need or want from my baby monitor; I know when she begins stirring and can quickly race upstairs to soothe her.

The device is not without its faults. For starters, the laughable notion that a cube standing an inch from your wrist is “wearable.” I mean, you can, but you’d certainly only do it when nobody else is watching — and I’m not admitting to that in front of all you. Then there’s the fact that the Parent Unit is rated for 16 hours of battery life, but I find myself reaching for the charger after a combined eight or nine hours over two or three days.

Much like Owlet, the camera’s base here has an obnoxious glowing light that can be distracting when you’re trying to sleep. And the speaker, when it’s replaying human voice, is sufficiently distorted and crackly that you’d probably wind up giving your kid more nightmares. Not to mention, as well, that the retail price for this device is $300, which is probably a little bit too much when you could roll your own solution for much less. Or buy the 4.3-inch version for $200, which will be a little easier on your wallet.

But, and I guess this is the point, the device does precisely what you want a baby monitor to do without too much friction. You plug it in, it sets itself up and boom, you can watch your kid so you don’t have to sit in the same room. I don’t need artificial intelligence to tell me how much sleep she’s getting or the ability to view her on my smartphone. A night-vision camera and a portable display are all you really need because being able to see when she starts rousing means you can offer comfort. And that is worth its weight in gold.

Apple Quietly Updates AirPods Firmware to Version 3.5.1

Apple today quietly put out a firmware update for the AirPods, bumping the Bluetooth headphones from version 3.3.1 to 3.5.1, as spotted by a user on Reddit. The update to AirPods is automatic for any AirPods in their Charging Case and connected to a nearby iOS device. After making sure the AirPods are connected, users can check their current firmware version by going to the Settings app on iPhone > General > About > AirPods.

It’s not clear what the 3.5.1 update covers due to its silent release and a lack of specific patch notes, but the AirPods have faced a number of complaints over the past few weeks that the new firmware version could potentially be addressing. Mainly, there have been a number of user complaints regarding battery drain issues with the AirPods and the Charging Case, as well as dropped Bluetooth connections when on phone calls on iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus devices.

AirPods launched in December to largely positive reviews from users praising their ease of connectivity with iOS devices, thanks to the W1 chip, as well as their sound quality. Since the launch, the AirPods have been hard to come by both online and in Apple retail stores, with current shipping estimates on Apple.com sitting at the six week mark, arriving mid-March if users order today.

Tag: AirPods
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Fantastical 2 for OS Gains Stickers, Rich Notifications, and Haptic Feedback

Popular calendar apps Fantastical 2 for the iPhone and Fantastical 2 for the iPad are both being updated to version 2.8, adding support for many new features introduced in iOS 10.

Fantastical 2 now includes a set of stickers that can be used within the Messages app. The stickers feature an animated, smily calendar icon with useful sayings like “I’m on my way!” or “I’m running late!” so users can send quick messages to friends. There are also a set of emoji-based stickers for general usage.

Rich notifications are now included, so users can see additional details about upcoming events and reminders directly from the lock screen, and on the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus, haptic feedback is supported.

“We’re really happy about iMessage stickers,” said Michael Simmons, Co-Founder of Flexibits. “They are a fun and friendly way to let someone know you’re running late or even propose a dinner date.”

With all of the iOS 10 features, both versions of Fantastical 2 now require users to be running the iOS 10 operating system. Other new features include improved support for Dynamic Type, improved reliability of the Apple Watch app, and other small fixes and performance improvements.

Fantastical 2 for the iPhone is available from the App Store for $4.99. [Direct Link]

Fantastical 2 for the iPad is available from the App Store for $9.99. [Direct Link]

Tag: Fantastical
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Coin Announces Official Shutdown of All Product Services Coming February 28

Smart payments company Coin this week announced the shutdown of its various product services, officially closing product support, social media channels, and the connected Coin app on iOS and Android devices on February 28, 2017. The news follows the discontinuation of all Coin products last May, when Coin was acquired by Fitbit and the company subsequently ceased selling its line of smart payment cards.

With no new Coins available to purchase and its services shutting down, users will no longer be able to add new cards to the device without the mobile app being supported. Coins themselves will continue to work until their batteries die (two years from initial activation), so the company is encouraging users to add any cards they want before February 28.

With the acquisition of Coin by Fitbit, all business operations ceased on June 13, 2016. The company is no longer manufacturing, promoting, or selling any new devices or products.

Effective from February 28, 2017, the Coin product services will officially be shut down. As a result, support through the Coin website or through social media channels will no longer be available.

The original Coin, as well as Coin 2.0, was a single credit card-sized device that stored a collection of credit and debit cards that users could toggle through with a small button on the front of the Coin. Once the desired card was selected, users swiped Coin like any normal payment card, and the charge went through to whatever card was chosen.

Coin was first announced and began receiving orders in 2013, one year before Apple would launch Apple Pay in 2014, but Coins didn’t begin arriving to customers until 2015. Although Coin’s shutdown has been clear since the Fitbit acquisition last year, the growing popularity of smartphone mobile wallets like Apple Pay and Samsung Pay undoubtedly became large competitors to Coin’s business in 2015 and 2016.

In Fitbit’s own press release last year, the company described a deal that focused on the specific acquisition of “Coin’s wearables payment platform,” although at the time there were “no plans to integrate Coin’s wearable payments technology” into its 2016 roadmap. That still leaves future Fitbit devices in 2017 and beyond wide open for an “active NFC payment solution.”

Amid acquisitions of Pebble and luxury watch maker Vector Watch, Fitbit has faced lower-than-expected revenue results for the fourth quarter of 2016, leading to cuts of between 5 to 10 percent to its workforce. With Apple Watch gaining ground in the smartwatch space, Fitbit appears to be gearing up to launch a more feature-rich wearable with its own app store, mobile wallet, and more, instead of the activity-focused wearables it currently sells.

Tags: Fitbit, Coin
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Kia Rio (2017) review: All about connectivity

The new Kia Rio features support for both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with a range of safety features from autonomous emergency breaking to lane departure warning systems, making it the most technologically advanced Rio yet.

The Korean company has not only given the new Rio a redesign, but it’s given it some extra brain power too. The question is, how does it perform and can this new little Rio win over the B-segment?

Kia Rio (2017) review: Design

The Kia Rio is now in its fourth generation and it has seen some significant changes over its lifetime. The new model has a wider and more serious stance than its predecessor, offering sharper angles, straighter lines and, overall, a sportier appeal.

At 4065mm, the Kia Rio (2017) is 15mm longer than the model it replaces and 66mm longer than the new Nissan Micra. The extra length allows for a sleeker bonnet than the Rio’s predecessor, housing Kia’s signature tiger nose front grille, which is a design feature rather than an air intake.

Pocket-lint

The grille is surrounded in either silver paint or chrome depending on the grade and it blends seamlessly into the U-shaped LED lights with defined lines that stretch into the shoulders and doors, through to the rear of the car. Beneath the grille is a dynamically-surfaced bumper that incorporates the air intake, while newly-shaped front fog lights have been positioned higher and closer to the edge of either side for a sturdier, wider finish.

The shorter, more upright rear features narrower C-pillars than the previous model, and the straight lines follow through to the more sculpted lights and almost vertical tailgate glass. A subtle rear spoiler is also present on the new Rio, emphasising its sportier look, while the 5mm drop in height and 10mm increase in wheelbase help deliver a more mature and sophisticated finish.

The new Kia Rio is only available with five doors, with the rear doors featuring the same handles as the front, unlike the 2017 Nissan Micra which has its rear handles integrated. This again adds to the maturity of the new Rio.

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The 2017 Rio comes in four trims in the UK, which fall under 1, 2, 3 and the limited-run First Edition model. Rio 1 models have 15-inch steel wheels, Rio 2 models have 15-inch alloys, Rio 3 have 16-inch alloys and the Rio First Edition has 17-inch alloys.

Kia doesn’t offer personalisation options for the new Rio so unlike the new Nissan Micra and the Fiat 500, there are seven exterior colours in the UK and no means to make any of them more exciting with coloured accents or patterned roofs. Sienna Brown is the exterior colour offered as standard, with Clear White available as a no-cost option. The other colours comprise Satin Silver, Graphite (pictured), Midnight Black, Smokey Blue and Blaze Red, all of which are pay-for options.

Kia Rio (2017) review: Interior and infotainment

Inside the new Kia Rio things are kept simple and sophisticated, even if a little plasticky. The straight lines from the exterior follow through into the spacious, quiet cabin. There is a more ergonomic layout than the previous Rio with a sculptured dashboard and horizontal vents for an overall wider appearance.

The Rio 3 models and First Edition model feature a 7-inch “floating” touchscreen with TomTom navigation, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, while Rio 1 models have a 3.8-inch display with Bluetooth and Rio 2 models have a 5-inch colour display with DAB radio.

Pocket-lint

Kia doesn’t offer “options” so you can’t add the 7-inch touchscreen to the Rio 1 for example, meaning the Rio 3 models (starting at £16,295) or the First Edition (priced at £17,445) are the ones to choose for the best connectivity experience.

The 7-inch display is fantastically responsive and easy to use, much more so than some competitors, making it one of the Rio’s best attributes. It is very simple and intuitive to navigate in terms of both touchscreen options and the minimal function buttons, and CarPlay and Android Auto are both a breeze to setup and use.

The Custom button, which is marked with a star on the right of the display, is excellent as CarPlay and Android Auto can then be accessed from the driver’s side of the touchscreen rather than the just Media button on the left, but it can be set to other options too. The navigation system is also great, with good lane information including indicating to the driver when a lane is for left or right-hand turning only.

Beneath the touchscreen are the temperature and air conditioning controls, while a dedicated smartphone shelf is positioned above the Aux-In and USB ports, the latter of which is needed for setting up CarPlay and Android Auto. There is also a large storage tray above the gear box on Rio 2 models and above, cup holders between the passenger and driver seats at the front and USB ports are present in the rear too, which is great.

Pocket-lint

More controls are found on the steering wheel, including the voice activation button for CarPlay and Android Auto in Rio 3 models, cruise control for Rio 2 models and above trims and audio controls for Rio 1 models. A secondary screen is also positioned on the driver’s display between the dials. This screen is a settings menu rather than a useful second display, however, so don’t expect navigation instructions or mirrored information from the central touchscreen.

In terms of audio, the new Rio comes with a four-speaker system on the Rio 1 models, but this increases to six speakers with Rio 2 models and above trims. It’s not likely to blow you away as Kia hasn’t opted to place as much focus on audio as other brands have, and you can forget speakers in the driver’s headrest, but the six-speaker system was adequate with Siri and Google Assistant both clear.

Kia has allowed for a 325-litre boot capacity in the new Rio but despite this, there is enough room for four adults to sit more than comfortably with 1120mm of leg room in the front and 770mm in the back. There is also 1021mm of headroom in the front and 966mm in the back, along with 1375mm shoulder room in the front and 1355mm in the rear, which we found to be more than enough for us on our five-hour drive.

Pocket-lint

Seat materials are grade dependant but all except the First Edition model are one-tone black. Both Rio 1 and 2 models opt for Tricot cloth, while Rio 3 models have black faux leather upholstery and the First Edition has black and red faux leather. As with the exterior, there are no interior personalisation options meaning the new Rio achieves a more mature finish inside – but in the same breath it fails to deliver the same excitement as some of its B-segment competitors, like the 2017 Micra.

We don’t necessarily want orange leather on the dash and door arm rests, or patterned seats, but we like to have the option in case we are feeling daring.

Kia Rio (2017) review: Experience

The new Kia Rio is available in a seven-strong powertrain portfolio in the UK with options including petrol and diesel engines, as well as five-speed manual models, six-speed manual models and a four-speed automatic model.

Long story short, there is confusing range of engine and gearbox options coming to the UK – but the 1.0-litre turbo petrol available with 99bhp on the Rio 2 and Rio 3 trims and 118bhp on the Rio First Edition model feel like the ones to go for.

The former accelerates from 0-60mph in 10.3 seconds and offers emissions of 102 CO2/km, while the latter hits 60mph in 9.8 seconds and delivers emissions of 107 CO2/km.

Pocket-lint

We test drove an Australian-specced 1.4-litre petrol, four-speed automatic Rio, which had the equivalent of a UK Rio 3 trim (though the automatic model will only be available on a Rio 2 trim in the UK). This 1.4-litre petrol engine is also available as a six-speed manual (again only on a Rio 2 trim) but none of the manual options were available for us to test.

Both offer 98bhp and emissions of 114 CO2/km and 140 CO2/km, respectively. The automatic model accelerated from 0 to 60mph in 13.4 seconds, while the manual is a little faster at 11.8 seconds, but both are very far from a hot hatch. 

While the auto Rio was perfectly capable and pleasurable during city driving, it lacked power considerably when it came to steep hills and getting up to faster speeds quickly. The four-speed autobox was slow to change and unresponsive, often resulting in our foot to the floor and a loud whining noise filling the otherwise quiet cabin before we finally got up a hill or built up enough speed for overtaking.

The Kia Rio handled and cornered well, though, inspiring confidence on windy roads, delivering a driving experience that felt sturdy and stable. Steering was well-weighted and responsive, while the suspension was firm, helping us feel reassuringly connected with the road, even if we’d rather not have felt some of the larger bumps as much.

Pocket-lint

There’s plenty of extra safety technology on board too, including Electronic Stability Control, Vehicle Stability Management and Hill-Start Assist Control on Rio 1 models, which start at £11,995. The Rio 2 and above trims add a reversing camera, rear parking sensors, Autonomous Emergency Braking and Lane Departure Warning systems.

The Autonomous Emergency Braking feature will activate the Rio’s brakes and bring it to a complete stop if it detects sudden or dangerous braking from the vehicle in front or a pedestrian in the road, when travelling at speeds between 5mph and 50mph. The Lane Departure Warning system warns the driver to act if it senses the car is beginning to veer outside of a lane.

All Rio models also include a Straight Line Stability feature and Cornering Brake Control. The former keeps the car straight if there is a difference in applied brake pressure between the left and right of the car, while the latter delivers asymmetrical brake pressure to counter any loss of traction when cornering.

Verdict

The new Kia Rio delivers a mature and elegant design that is a significant improvement on the previous model. Yes, some exterior and interior customisation options would have been nice and the automatic model could definitely see some performance improvements, but overall, the 2017 Rio is a nice little car for an affordable price.

The infotainment system and connectivity functionality on the Rio 3 trim models and above are excellent, as is the integration of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, both of which work brilliantly. And it’s these tech features that help elevate the cars of 2017 above and beyond the basics of yesteryear.

Kia has employed some great safety features into the new Rio too, even at the lower trim grades which is good to see, especially in the case of the autonomous breaking, which is available on the Rio 2 and above trims. The Kia Rio 3 or First Edition models are the ones to go for if your budget allows because it’s the entertainment system on these models that makes the Rio stand out from the crowd.

The Morning After: Wednesday February 1st, 2017

Welcome to February, we’re glad you made it…

…even if Beme and Asheron’s Call didn’t. In yesterday’s news, we have Apple’s latest earnings report (expect to hear from Facebook this afternoon) and that sketchy app Adoptly is as fake as it was outrageous.

Be careful where you use itThat Apple/LG 5K monitor has a weird problem with routers

The USB-C connected 27-inch LG Ultrafine 5K display is supposed to be a perfect match for Apple’s new MacBook Pros, but it has an unusual weakness. LG confirmed reports that it shouldn’t be placed within two meters or so of a wireless router, as that can make the display unstable or even unusable. There’s no word yet on a possible fix, so keep that in mind before shelling out $974 for one.

Is that a home button or a USB-C port?Samsung’s Galaxy S8 isn’t ready yet, but it has something to show at MWC 2017

All we really know so far is that thanks to the Galaxy Note 7 meltdown, we won’t see a new Galaxy S phone at Mobile World Congress next month. Samsung is still inviting us to a press conference, with an image that appears to hint at a new Galaxy Tab. Whatever it is, we’ll be there to check it out on February 26th.

Bring a bot to the tableLibratus AI successfully out gambled world-class Texas Hold’em players

Carnegie Mellon’s “Libratus” AI took on Jason Les, Dong Kyu Kim, Daniel McAulay and Jimmy Chou in poker for 20 days and some 120,000 hands, and ultimately came out collectively ahead $1,766,250 in chips. Its creator, professor Tuomas Sandholm, said “This is the first time that AI has been able to beat the best humans at Heads-Up No-Limit Texas Hold’em. More generally, this shows that the best AI’s ability to do strategic reasoning under imperfect information has surpassed that of the best humans.”

Alternative feedsFacebook tweaks the feed to bury fake news and clickbait

After last year’s fake news freakout, Facebook is getting serious about the issue. It’s finally implementing changes that should lower the visibility of clickbait content and pages that beg for engagement. It’s also tweaking the algorithm to respond faster in real-time, so a post about your favorite team’s game-winning goal is more likely to appear right away.

Apple, Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Facebook and Ford were already on the listMore tech CEOs speak out against Trump’s immigration order

Amazon. Evernote. Reddit. Y Combinator. The list of tech companies coming out vocally against Donald Trump’s executive order temporarily cutting off US immigration and travel from seven majority-Muslim countries, and from refugees worldwide, keeps growing every time we look.

They like itApple’s iPhone sales increased for the first time in a year

As the iPhone goes, so goes Apple’s overall financial health. The good news, then, is that sales of its iPhone 7 family grew five percent compared to last year. Mac sales were also slightly up from last year with the introduction of new models. On the other hand, iPad sales continued a three-year slide, while revenue in its “other products” category that contains the Watch, TV, headphones and other items dropped from last year.

If you can’t beat ’em… change strategies? Walmart kills its Amazon Prime-style shipping service

Now that former Jet.com CEO Marc Lore is running Walmart’s e-commerce, it’s cutting off the Amazon Prime-like ShippingPass beta. Instead, Walmart will promise free two-day shipping on all orders over $35, down from the previous threshold of $50. According to Lore, “In this day and age, two-day shipping is really just table stakes — people shouldn’t have to pay for it and certainly not a membership.”

Those battery cells aren’t just for carsTesla Powerpacks are lighting up California’s electrical grid

Southern California Edison (SCE) teamed up with Tesla to bring one of the world’s largest electron-storing solutions to life in less than six months. The 20-megawatt Mira Loma energy storage station in Ontario, California, is capable of powering up to 15,000 homes for four hours during peak times, or roughly 2,500 homes for an entire day.

But wait, there’s more…

• ACLU signs on with Y Combinator after $24 million donation
• Raybaby is a baby monitor that tracks your child’s breathing
• The duo behind Pooper came back for more ‘satire’ with Adoptly
• We heard you like ‘Elder Scrolls,’ so we put some ‘Elder Scrolls’ (Morrowind) in your ‘Elder Scrolls’ (Online)

The Morning After is a new daily newsletter from Engadget designed to help you fight off FOMO. Who knows what you’ll miss if you don’t subscribe.

Discovery’s channels stay on Sky thanks to last-minute deal

Discovery’s 12 channels are staying put on Sky, with the pair having agreed a new multi-year carriage deal at the eleventh hour. Negotiations had all but imploded last week, and Discovery threatened to pull its factual and sports programming from both Sky and its Now TV service. The channels would’ve gone dark today, but thanks to a last-minute handshake the stand-off has ended rather anticlimactically, given how candidly both companies spoke out about their strained relationship.

Discovery accused Sky of abusing its position as the UK’s largest pay-TV provider to strong-arm an unfair deal. On the other side of the fence, Sky argued that Discovery’s nigh £1 billion price tag was “completely unrealistic,” adding that the company’s channel portfolio doesn’t perform nearly as well as claimed. But the catty dialogue is over, with Sky and Discovery both remembering professionalism in their announcements of the new deal.

Neither party has described the financial details of the agreement, but Discovery’s Susanna Dinnage implies that the public had something to do with the reconciliation: “We have reached a new agreement that guarantees Sky’s customers access to Discovery’s wide range of channels and programmes for years to come. Our fans’ voices were heard loud and clear. They want choice and great TV and I cannot stress how much we love them for their support.”

Source: Discovery, Sky

‘Star Wars: Battlefront 2’ will have a proper story mode

When last year’s Star Wars Battlefront launched, it was hard not to be disappointed. The promise of a shiny next-gen Star Wars game made by Battlefront developer DICE was a tantalizing proposition, but unfortunately the reality was a multiplayer-only game that felt frustratingly half-baked. It seems as though EA has learned its lesson, announcing during a recent earnings report that Battlefront 2 will launch this holiday with a full single-player campaign.

Interestingly, DICE is no longer solely in charge of the series, with Battlefront 2’s grander scale seeing Burnout creator Criterion and EA’s recently founded Motive Studios assisting on the game’s development. While Criterion assisted with some of the vehicles and December’s Battlefront PSVR mission, EA’s early announcement of three-way development suggests even greater involvement from the studio.

As opposed to the original-trilogy focused original, Battlefront 2 will take place across multiple eras of Star Wars, with EA promising a wealth of new playable heroes and characters. The report also acknowledges that simplicity was one of the biggest complaints about the original. EA states that, for the sequel, players can expect far more depth and progression when it comes to the game’s multiplayer modes.

With the original Battlefront lacking a campaign and launching with a sparse collection of maps, EA is certainly hitting all the right notes with its PR. While the 2015 game undoubtedly looked and sounded like Star Wars, its lack of content rang disappointingly hollow. Let’s hope that EA finally delivers the fun — and fully featured — Star Wars title that fans have been clamoring for.

Source: EA

Amazon plans to build a $1.5 billion air cargo hub in Kentucky

We may be decades away from the flying warehouses Amazon wants to build, but the e-commerce giant is growing its shipping and distribution network in different ways. The company has just announced that it plans to build its first air cargo hub at Northern Kentucky Airport to house its current and future fleet of planes. It’s expected to cost Amazon over $1.5 billion in investment and might eventually have buildings and material-handling equipment. According to The Wall Street Journal, this move signifies that Amazon is “ramping up its expansion into transporting, sorting and delivering its own packages.”

When the 2-million-square-foot hub opens, it will certainly reduce the e-retailer’s dependence on UPS and FedEx in the area. It will initially employ 2,000 people, but it could end up having more personnel. WSJ says Amazon’s end goal is to deliver packages for itself and other retailers — to ultimately become a legit courier and direct competitor to bigger companies like UPS. It helps that the cargo hub’s location is apparently within a couple of days’ drive from a densely populated area.

While Amazon doesn’t have a timeline for the air cargo hub yet, it has already begun working on its shipping freight endeavor. A WSJ report from a few days ago revealed that the company has been coordinating shipments of containers from China since October as a freight forwarder.

Source: The Wall Street Journal