Here’s how to delete your Uber account and cut ties with the controversy

After a streak of bad press, unethical business strategies, and their former CEO joining and then resigning from President Donald Trump’s advisory committee, Uber has had a hard time holding on to its customers and drivers. If you’re one of the millions of customers who took part in #DeleteUber but only deleted the app, then your account is still active and can be used to Uber’s benefit.

It’s relatively easy to figure out how to delete your Uber account, but there is a catch. You can only deactivate your account at first, but after 30 days of inactivity, your account will be permanently deleted by Uber’s tech team.

How to delete Uber via their app

Step 1: Launch the app, and make sure you’re signed in to your account.

Step 2: At the top left of the screen, tap on the menu icon.

Step 3: Once the menu pops up, tap “Help”.

Step 4: Then tap, “Account and Payment Options.”

Step 5: Then tap, “Changing my account settings”.

Step 6: Scroll all the way down to the bottom and select “Delete my Uber account”.

Step 7: You will then get sent to a page where Uber tells you your account will be deactivated and in 30 days, it will be deleted. To finish up the process, type “yes” under “Do you wish to delete your account”. Once you have done that, scroll to the bottom of the page and hit submit.

Step 8: You will also be asked to share details on why you chose to delete your Uber account. It’s no longer necessary to fill this form out, but if you want to share your grievances about the company, then feel free to let it all out. Once you are done, tap “Submit”.

Step 9: You will then get a message from your Uber app confirming you are in the process of deleting your account.

If you’ve already deleted the app and don’t feel like downloading it again, then you can visit Uber’s website to properly delete your account.

How to delete your Uber account online

Step 1: Go through Uber’s help page to delete your account, and scroll to the bottom of the page and click “Sign in to get help.” If you are already signed in, then skip down to Step 3.

Step 2: Enter your email and click “Next”. You will then be asked to put in your password and if you have never signed in to your Uber account on your web browser, then Uber might make you verify your account via text, and ask if you are a robot.

Step 3: Once you are logged in, you will see a page similar to the one that pops up on the app when you try and delete your account. Just like on the app, you have to manually type in “yes” where it asks you if you wish to delete your account.

Step 4: Once you typed “yes” and selected a reason why you are deleting your account (not a mandatory step) then click “Submit”.

Once you have deactivated your account via the app or online, you will get an email with a link that will finally let you delete your account for good. It can take Uber up to 30 days to send this email, but for us, it took less than 24 hours.

Once you click through to the link provided in the email, a page will pop-up stating, “We’re sorry to see you go.” Confirm you want to delete your account one last time by clicking “Delete Account,” and then you will be forwarded to a thank you page, which means you officially severed ties with the ridesharing app and you can move onto something else.

Soothe wants to bring your next massage right to your home

Why it matters to you

Who says you need to go to the spa for a massage? Just have the spa come to you.

If you’re really looking to treat yourself, that treatment ought to come to you, right? After all, what says luxury more than not having to move a muscle? If any company understands that mentality, it’s Soothe. The startup is not only focused on massages, but more importantly, on massages that come to you. So just sit back, relax, and answer your door when the time comes for your pampering.

The on-demand massage service comes, as all things do, in the form of an app (available for both Android and iOS). Simply grab your smartphone and get a five-star massage sent straight to you — whether it’s at home, a hotel, or even your office, all in as little as an hour. Soothe promises to match your request with a vetted and certified massage therapist, who will bring a massage table, fresh linens, lotions, oils, and yes, even the music to turn your home into a spa.

As it stands, you can select from a menu of four massage varietals — deep tissue, sports, prenatal, and Swedish. All styles of massage are also offered in couples format; you can either have two massage therapists come to you and your partner for a simultaneous experience, or have one therapist perform two massages back-to-back. As for selecting your masseuse, while you’ll have the ability to specify whether you’d prefer a male or female therapist, you won’t be able to pick an actual person.

But rest assured, Soothe takes great care to vet its network carefully. All therapists must pass an in-person interview, and secure a government-sponsored certification. Plus, your therapist will have completed at least 500 hours of practical training (though depending on what state you’re in, this number may be as high as 1,000).

If you’re particularly fond of a particular masseuse, Soothe does give you the option of rebooking with the same person. However, there’s no guarantee that he or she will be available at your specified time, so you’ll have to be strategic about your booking.

As it stands, Soothe is active across 53 cities in the U.S., U.K., and Canada, and the company notes that it’s always expanding. Prices start at $109 for an hour of pampering.

Self-organizing autonomous robots use novel method to form shapes

Why it matters to you

New swarming algorithms will allow robots to work both separately and together as part of a giant robot collective.

The idea of large numbers of robots working together is nothing new. Few people know that better than computer scientist Marco Dorigo at the Universite Libre de Bruxelles in Belgium. For decades, Dorigo has been working on swarm intelligence and robotics; developing smart new ways for getting multiple robots to work side by side. In a new piece of research, published in the journal Nature Communications, Dorigo and colleagues demonstrate a novel method for achieving this by getting their own unique robots to join together to throw shapes.

“The idea is to get multiple robots to cooperate to do tasks that a single robot could not do alone,” Dorigo told Digital Trends. “Usually multiple robots would be controlled through some kind of centralized control, such as a CPU which knows what all of the robots are doing and makes decisions about their actions. The problem with this approach is that, as the number of robots grows, it becomes more and more complex and therefore computationally difficult. Additionally, if the computer that is controlling the robots breaks down, the whole system fails. What we instead want to do is to focus on self-organization.”

The innovative concept at the heart of this work is to get the robots to work both autonomously and as part of a group. Dorigo likens it to two people operating separately, then coming together and holding hands — at which point one person’s brain is switched off, and control of their body is passed over to the other person. The result is a “mergeable nervous systems,” in which individual autonomous bots with independent brain units form a larger collective. “This is something you don’t find anywhere in nature, but with robots it is possible — and we think it could be a very useful infrastructure for building a robot nervous system,” he said.

At present, the work is still a proof-of-concept. In principle, however, it’s possible to imagine all kinds of potential applications. “In the future, we are going to have more and more scenarios in which robots have to work together,” Dorigo said. “For example, if you were to have robots working together to build a house or some other structure you want them to do so in a robust coordinated way. That’s what we’ve developed with the software that we have written.”

Check out the best iPhone 8 cases so far

Apple has unveiled a trio of new iPhones and the smallest of the bunch is the iPhone 8. With a glass back, metal frame, and a 4.7-inch screen, this diminutive smartphone is going to need some protection. You may also want to add your own special flourish of style. We’re here to help with a look at of some of the best iPhone 8 cases and covers available.

If you’re upgrading from the iPhone 7, then the good news is that your old case will fit the new iPhone 8. That also means you can check out our roundup of the best iPhone 7 cases for more ideas. You’ll also want to take a look at the best iPhone accessories. If you’re thinking of going big this year, check out our best iPhone X cases guide.

Incipio Esquire Slim Series Case ($25)

If you’re looking for a slim, stylish case to make your cold glass and metal iPhone 8 more comfortable to handle, and a lot easier to grip, then Incipio has you covered. This case boasts a tough polycarbonate core with a bit of flexibility, wrapped in a cotton chambray fabric that comes in black or gray. There are generous openings for easy access to buttons, ports, and the camera, and this svelte case won’t add much to your iPhone’s profile.

Buy it now from:

Incipio

Otterbox Symmetry Series Case ($45)

With some of the most protective cases around, you can rely on Otterbox for solid drop protection, but not all of its cases are chunky. The Symmetry Series offers dual-layer drop protection in a fairly slim package that comes in a wide range of fun finishes and colors, some of them new for the iPhone 8. There’s a slight lip to safeguard that screen, flexible button covers, and framed cut-outs that won’t interfere with your camera use or cable access.

Buy it now from:

Amazon

Silk Base Grip Case ($12)

For all the butter-fingers out there who struggle to keep a hold on the slippery iPhone, this case from Silk could be the answer. It’s quite a slim case, but the outside is textured to provide “Kung Fu grip”. It is very light, but air pockets in the corners help to guard against minor drops and bumps. There are tactile button covers for power and volume, and accurate openings for everything else. It comes in black, gray, blue, and purple.

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Silk

Tech21 Evo Check Evoke Edition Case ($50)

This clear case shows off your new iPhone 8 design, but adds a touch of style with a floral design, and a whole lot of protection with three layers capable of withstanding falls of up to 10 feet. There are chunky, well-designed button covers that are easy to find without looking and accurate cut-outs with plenty of room for third-party cables. With Tech21’s stringent testing, you can be rest assured your iPhone 8 is safe in this case.

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Tech21

Speck Presidio Grip Case ($40)

One of our favorite case lines, the Presidio Grip from Speck, offers style and substance. You get two layers of protection to safeguard against drops from up to 10 feet, a scratch-resistant finish, a raised bezel around the screen, and enhanced grip courtesy of the non-slip ridges. This case also looks great and comes in a wide range of contrasting and complementary color combinations. There’s even a Glitter version now, if you need some sparkle.

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Speck

Greenwich Chrono Folio Case ($109)

There simply aren’t enough purple cases in the world, so this attractive option from Greenwich Design caught our eye. It’s expensive, but the maker boasts that it’s finished in the world’s finest bull hide leather and, thanks to a hidden carbon fiber lining, can stop a shotgun blast. The cover can also be folded back and used with magnetic mounts. Cut-outs offer access to all buttons and ports, and there’s an opening for the camera, too. This case comes with a lifetime guarantee and if you don’t like the damson, there are many other colors to choose from.

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Greenwich

Spigen Ultra Hybrid Case ($12)

When you buy a new iPhone 8, there’s a good chance that you want to show it off. This case from Spigen allows you to do just that with a crystal clear or tinted polycarbonate back panel and a TPU frame that comes in clear or a variety of different colors. The button covers are good, the cut-outs are spot on, and the bumper provides military grade drop protection to ensure your iPhone 8 isn’t damaged in the event of a minor tumble.

Buy it now from:

Amazon

X-Doria Defense Shield Case ($30)

These tough cases from X-Doria combine an aluminum frame with a polycarbonate shell and a malleable rubber lining that absorbs impact shock. The result is a case with the ability to withstand drops onto concrete from up to 6.6 feet. The volume keys and power have tactile covers, the cut-outs are good, and there’s a protective lip for the screen. The back is transparent, but your choice of finishes for the frame and highlights includes red, black, rose gold, and iridescent (pictured).

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Amazon

UAG Pylo Series Case ($40)

With reinforced corners and an impact resistant core, this iPhone 8 case can shrug off falls and bumps. You get the same tough protection, oversized button covers, and skid pads as the rest of UAG’s range, but the Pylo cases have a plainer design. This case comes in clear, tinted gray, or tinted red (pictured). It’s quite chunky, but it provides solid protection and enhances grip considerably.

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UAG

Proporta Ted Baker Shannon Mirror Folio Case ($50)

This folio case comes in muted apricot or gray with a perfectly fitted, electroplated shell to hold your iPhone 8 snug and secure. The cover has a soft, leather-style finish and it opens to reveal a surprise. You might expect to find pockets for credit cards, but instead there’s a mirror. The shell is minimal with the full range of required cut-outs. This isn’t a rugged drop protection case, but it does cover all angles, so will serve well if you usually put your iPhone 8 in a bag. The Ted Baker branding appears inside and out.

Buy it now from:

Proporta

Here’s how to delete your Uber account and cut ties with the controversy

After a streak of bad press, unethical business strategies, and their former CEO joining and then resigning from President Donald Trump’s advisory committee, Uber has had a hard time holding on to its customers and drivers. If you’re one of the millions of customers who took part in #DeleteUber but only deleted the app, then your account is still active and can be used to Uber’s benefit.

It’s relatively easy to figure out how to delete your Uber account, but there is a catch. You can only deactivate your account at first, but after 30 days of inactivity, your account will be permanently deleted by Uber’s tech team.

How to delete Uber via their app

Step 1: Launch the app, and make sure you’re signed in to your account.

Step 2: At the top left of the screen, tap on the menu icon.

Step 3: Once the menu pops up, tap “Help”.

Step 4: Then tap, “Account and Payment Options.”

Step 5: Then tap, “Changing my account settings”.

Step 6: Scroll all the way down to the bottom and select “Delete my Uber account”.

Step 7: You will then get sent to a page where Uber tells you your account will be deactivated and in 30 days, it will be deleted. To finish up the process, type “yes” under “Do you wish to delete your account”. Once you have done that, scroll to the bottom of the page and hit submit.

Step 8: You will also be asked to share details on why you chose to delete your Uber account. It’s no longer necessary to fill this form out, but if you want to share your grievances about the company, then feel free to let it all out. Once you are done, tap “Submit”.

Step 9: You will then get a message from your Uber app confirming you are in the process of deleting your account.

If you’ve already deleted the app and don’t feel like downloading it again, then you can visit Uber’s website to properly delete your account.

How to delete your Uber account online

Step 1: Go through Uber’s help page to delete your account, and scroll to the bottom of the page and click “Sign in to get help.” If you are already signed in, then skip down to Step 3.

Step 2: Enter your email and click “Next”. You will then be asked to put in your password and if you have never signed in to your Uber account on your web browser, then Uber might make you verify your account via text, and ask if you are a robot.

Step 3: Once you are logged in, you will see a page similar to the one that pops up on the app when you try and delete your account. Just like on the app, you have to manually type in “yes” where it asks you if you wish to delete your account.

Step 4: Once you typed “yes” and selected a reason why you are deleting your account (not a mandatory step) then click “Submit”.

Once you have deactivated your account via the app or online, you will get an email with a link that will finally let you delete your account for good. It can take Uber up to 30 days to send this email, but for us, it took less than 24 hours.

Once you click through to the link provided in the email, a page will pop-up stating, “We’re sorry to see you go.” Confirm you want to delete your account one last time by clicking “Delete Account,” and then you will be forwarded to a thank you page, which means you officially severed ties with the ridesharing app and you can move onto something else.

Fall Creators Update for Windows 10 adds new and expanded privacy settings

Why it matters to you

Microsoft’s proactive approach to user privacy continues with a wider range of controls and settings set to be introduced via the Fall Creators Update.

The Fall Creators Update for Windows 10 is scheduled to drop next month, offering up a new Photos app, a newly refined design aesthetic, a face-lift for the Edge web browser, and lots more. Now, Microsoft has detailed some of the privacy enhancements set to be introduced to its flagship operating system.

The company is making some changes to the setup process to ensure that users are able to fine-tune their privacy settings right from the outset, according to a blog post published September 13. A privacy statement will be available during the procedure, and a page on the privacy settings screen entitled “Learn More” will feature easy access to the various topics covered in the statement.

The update will also add more granular control over what aspects of a device’s functionality individual apps can access. Windows 10 already asks for the user’s permission when software or services want to use location data, but now similar prompts have been put in place for the camera, microphone, contacts, and calendar, as well as some other items.

These new prompts will only apply to apps installed after the release of the Fall Creators Update, but permissions for existing apps can be found in the Privacy section of the Settings menu.

In response to a request from business customers, Microsoft is also introducing the option to significantly limit the amount of diagnostic data shared with the company. It will now be possible to reduce the information that’s beamed back to the company down to the minimum of what’s required for Windows Analytics, a service that provides insights into the cost of deploying and maintaining Windows 10.

The Creators Update for Windows 10 — which launched in April — also made privacy a big priority, offering up more information on what data was being collected, as well as options that allowed users to share less information about their system. It’s great to see Microsoft continue to expand these privacy options, and further pursue its transparency efforts.

The Fall Creators Update for Windows 10 is expected to start rolling out on October 17, and will be a free download for anyone currently running the Creators Update on their device.

Here are 6 old technologies Apple wants you to think are revolutionary

We know, we know. Apple takes its time to do new technologies “right,” not “first.” But if you watched Apple’s September 12 announcements for the iPhone 8, iPhone X, Apple TV 4K and Apple Watch Series 3, you might be wondering just how long it takes to perfect an animated 3D turd.

While Apple acolytes inside the newly minted Steve Jobs Theater breathlessly applauded new “features” paraded on stage by Apple VPs, the rest of us were feeling a wave of déjà vu. OLED screens, wireless charging, 4K … haven’t we seen this stuff before?

Yup. Even by its own standards, Apple dredged up some almost embarrassingly dated technologies for its latest round of refreshes. In case Tim Cook’s teary-eyed reality distortion field threw you for a loop, we thought we would provide some perspective on how long Apple’s new features have existed in competing devices. Put on some Black Eyed Peas, because we’re going back to a time people took will.i.am. seriously.

We’re still dying to get one of LG’s monster “wallpaper OLED TVs” for our living room, but in the meantime, OLED screens on phones are old news. Really, really old news. Amazingly enough, Nokia was first to market with one on the N85 in 2008, and Samsung’s Galaxy line has sported them since the very first model, in 2009.

Apple gets some freshness points on its edge-to-edge screen, but we’d be remiss if we didn’t point out that Xiomi’s Mi Mix did that first too back in 2016. We called it “the smartphone of the future” at the time, but “iPhone X prototype” would have worked, too. And it wasn’t the last Android phone to hop on the edge-to-edge bezel-less train.

OLED phone display
(Nokia N85, 2008)

Soaking up electricity through the air may still seem like magic, but it’s pretty simple technology, and the Palm Pre had the same ability out of the box way back in 2009. That device is now an obscure relic, but Samsung’s Galaxy phones have had it built in for generations, third-party manufacturers have been cranking out wireless charging accessories you can get for as cheap as $20, and Starbucks has even offered wireless charging since 2015.

Wireless charging
(Palm Pre, 2009)

The iPhone X does away with the classic Home button and Touch ID, so Apple introduced FaceID as a way to unlock your phone just by looking at it. Cute. But Android owners were unlocking their phones with Face Unlock on the Galaxy Nexus all the way back in 2011. Unfortunately, so were non-owners, since that version was easily fooled by a photograph. We’ll give Apple credit for staying away from that generation of technology, except Microsoft nailed it with Windows Hello back in 2015, when Apple was just getting around to patenting its own facial-recognition technology.

Face unlocking
(Samsung Galaxy Nexus, 2011)

Our entire office cringed when Eddy Cue took the stage to explain the benefits of a strange and mystical new technology called 4K, as if the entire audience had just awoken from cryogenic sleep they entered in 2010. In reality, the first consumer 4K TVs started coming out back in 2012, and today it’s harder to buy a new TV without 4K than one with it. No wonder fans have been clamoring for Apple TV to add it for years. If you own a 4K TV, chances are you already gave up and bought another box to watch 4K content by now, like Amazon’s Fire TV, which has been doing it since 2015 for just $100. Meanwhile, the late-arriving Apple TV goes for $179.

4K in a set-top box
(Amazon Fire TV 2015)

You can get a call on your watch while you’re surfing now! As proud as Apple was to unveil this next level of life-interruption technology, LG did it with the Urbane LTE Android Wear watch back in 2015. We liked it.

LTE in a watch
(LG Watch Urbane LTE, 2015)

Look, I’m a puppy! The iPhone 8 and X can now digitally apply augmented-reality masks to your face in real-time … but the phone in your pocket probably can, too. Snapchat has been doing it with Lenses since 2015.

Augmented-reality masks
(Snapchat, 2015)

Stay fully charged anywhere with Energizer PowerKeep solar products

Why it matters to you

Never worry about running out of power again thanks to these solar-powered power packs and backpacks.

Who needs an outlet to stay fully powered when we have the power of the sun? Certainly not customers savvy enough to invest in the new line of Energizer PowerKeep solar products, all of which make use of state-of-the-art solar charging technology to keep devices charged no matter where in the world their users may be. Developed as part of a partnership between PowerKeep and Energizer, these new solar products prove that you don’t always need a battery or a plug to keep things running.

“As the world moves further into a mobile landscape, we are constantly looking for ways to keep consumers connected to their favorite devices,” Kevin Magenis, CEO of Colorado-based PowerKeep, said in a statement. “These innovative products will allow users to stay charged and enjoy their favorite devices wherever they go.”

To start, there are a total of four Energizer-branded solar products in the PowerKeep portfolio. First up is the PowerKeep 36, described as a strong but remarkably portable four-panel solar power system that includes a power bank battery capable of storing enough energy to recharge a smartphone or tablet with the included USB cable. And depending on your device’s size, you may be able to get multiple charges out of a single power source.

Then, there is the PowerKeep 12, a full recharging kit that comes with a quad battery charger and four rechargeable Energizer AA batteries, as well as a USB cable and a four-panel foldable solar power system (which is to say, the PowerKeep 36). With this particular system, even your battery-operated devices can benefit from the power of the sun.

The PowerKeep Pro promises to be the “executive backpack for mobile professionals and other business people that need power on the go.” Thanks to the addition of lightweight and flexible solar panel technology on the exterior of this pack, along with a 10,000 mAh power bank, you can charge your laptop or phone while it’s inside your bag and while you are on the move.

Finally, PowerKeep has debuted its Wanderer, which features the same thin and durable solar panel technology and power bank as the PowerKeep PRO, but also comes with a full-featured hydration pack. Intended for the outdoorsman or woman who also needs to stay connected to reality, this pack can be useful for all those moments that you need to take a selfie on the top of a mountain.

Watch us play ‘Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite’ at 3 p.m. Pacific

Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite, set for release on September 19, is one of this year’s most anticipated fighting games. I mean, just look at the name. It has Marvel. And Capcom!

This is your chance to get a first look at the game, as we sort through Digital Trend’s best and worst fighting talent in a single-elimination tournament. The action starts at 3 p.m. Pacific.

Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite will be released on September 19 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Microsoft Windows.

Medical delivery drones set new distance record for transporting blood samples

Why it matters to you

New distance record underlines how close drones are to being an invaluable part of medical deliveries.

Researchers from Johns Hopkins have set a new delivery distance record for medical drones by successfully flying human blood samples 259 kilometers, or about 161 miles, across the Arizona desert. During the three-hour flight, the payload was kept properly temperature controlled, allowing it to still be viable for lab analysis when it landed.

“Earlier reports of drone-transported medical samples were the equivalent of 40 km in a fixed-wing vehicle, and 27 minutes — equivalent of 13-20 km — in a multirotor,” Timothy Amukele, assistant professor of pathology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, told Digital Trends. “While these times and distances were sufficient as proofs of concept, they are not long enough to address the needs of real-world drone networks.”

It’s for this reason that the new demonstration is so exciting. Not only does it smash previous attempts at carrying out the task, but it further demonstrates that drones have a very real role to play in tomorrow’s medical sample delivery systems. Getting diagnostic results more quickly under difficult conditions has the opportunity to both improve care and save lives.

The drone transportation system was matched up against blood samples transported in a car, using active cooling to maintain target temperature. The average temperature of the flown samples was 76.6 degrees Fahrenheit, compared with 81.1 degrees Fahrenheit for the ones delivered by road-based vehicle. Following the transportation part of the experiment, the samples were analyzed at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona. Both samples displayed similar results for red blood cell, white blood cell, and platelet counts and sodium levels — showcasing the safety of drone delivery.

“Drones have a very light footprint,” Amukele continued, describing their advantages as delivery systems. “They don’t require infrastructure to work. They can go where there is no road with minimal investment.”

At present, drones aren’t being used to do round-trip pickup and drop-off of real medical samples for real patients. However, this is something the Johns Hopkins team plans to change by early next year. “This study is part of the work to get there,” Amukele said. “Zipline is the only company that is doing significant work in this field, and they do one-way transport — [meaning] fly and drop-off only.”

A paper describing the Johns Hopkins was recently published in the American Journal of Clinical Pathology. Now, how about drone-based transplant organ delivery next?