SMS to PC and back again: Here’s how to send a text message from a computer

Although you may not realize it, sending texts from your computer is extremely useful in dozens of situations. Perhaps you lost your phone and need to send a message to someone, maybe you’re over your monthly text limit and still need to get in touch with your friends, or what if you just hate typing on a tiny keyboard and lack cell coverage? Whatever the case may be, we’ve put together this simple guide on how to send a text message from a computer.

There are hundreds of online services out there that’ll get the job done, but none of them are as quite as simple and reliable as the methods outlined below. Read on for further details.

How to send texts via your email client

If you want to send an SMS to a mobile phone, there’s no need to opt for a third-party service — you can do so directly within your email client. Instead of using a service you don’t know or trust, you can deliver a short email in the form of a text message by using an email to SMS gateway. So long as you know the person’s phone number and the name of their service provider, you can easily find the appropriate gateway address that will forward your message. Don’t know what mobile carrier your friend uses? Find out here.

For quick reference, we’ve put together a list of some of the most common U.S. service providers and their corresponding gateway addresses below. However, keep in mind there are different addresses for regular messages (SMS) and those that include photos and other media (MMS).

In either case, sending a message is easy. Just compose an email like you would normally, but rather than entering the person’s email address in the recipient box, simply insert their 10-digit phone number with the appropriate @gateway address behind it. Afterward, hit send.

U.S. Carrier
SMS Gateway
MMS Gateway
Altel
@sms.alltelwireless.com
@mms.alltelwireless.com
AT&T
@txt.att.net
@mms.att.net
Boost Mobile
@sms.myboostmobile.com
@myboostmobile.com
Sprint
@messaging.sprintpcs.com
@pm.sprint.com
T-Mobile
@tmomail.net
@tmomail.net
U.S. Cellular
@email.uscc.net
@mms.uscc.net
Verizon
@vtext.com
@vzwpix.com
Virgin Mobile
@vmobl.com
@vmpix.com

*For T-Mobile, include “1,” which is the U.S. country code, before the phone number. To find SMS gateways for carriers not listed here, and carriers in other countries, consult this list on Github.

To ensure that this process works, you should limit your messages to 160 characters or less. If you go over this 160-character limit, the message will be sent as an MMS rather than a SMS, which sometimes requires a different gateway address. Furthermore, although this method is entirely free the sender, standard messaging rates may still apply to the person receiving these messages. No third-party service will have access to your telephone number, or the person you’re messaging, and replies will go directly to your email inbox. This process also makes it easy to send the same text to multiple people, since you can add as many addresses as you like to the recipient’s box.

Integrated mobile options

For those who don’t regularly use their computers to send and receive text messages, the aforementioned email option isn’t exactly convenient. The good news is that both Android and iOS offer ways to sync your text messages between your smartphone and your computer, however, you’ll need a computer running MacOS to take advantage of the iOS implementation.

How to send texts via Apple’s iMessage (iOS and MacOS)

The ability to share your location and embed audio clips aren’t the only features Apple decided to bake into iOS 8. Though the innate messaging app in MacOS formerly only handled iMessages, later iterations of Apple’s operating system include an option specifically designed for forwarding SMS messages directly to your Mac or another iOS device. Once properly set up, you’ll be able to quickly send messages from your computer to any known number using the Messages app on your machine — and receive them in a similar fashion without ever glancing at your phone.

To set up iMessage and SMS forwarding on your iOS device, navigate to the main Settings menu and tap Messages. Afterward, toggle on iMessage and ensure you’re logged into the same iCloud account as all other devices using Messages. Also, make sure all of your devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.

Afterward, tap Text Message Forwarding, toggle the switch directly right of the Apple device to which you want to send SMS messages, and then enter the six-digit confirmation code displayed on the device. Doing so will confirm that you want to send and receive messages from your iPhone on your Mac, and confirm you own the machine.

Once everything is set up, you can send text messages by clicking the pencil icon located above the contact list, entering your desired recipients, and composing the message as you would normally. However, keep in mind that the standard text message limit of 160 characters still applies even when using Messages. A text longer than 160 characters will likely count as two for billing purposes, or more depending on how long it is.

However, you can send messages to other iOS and MacOS users for free, as long as they use Messages. Keep in mind that you can always tell the difference between a text message and an iMessage message at a glance, as the former will appear in green and the latter in blue.

How to send texts via MightyText (Android)

The developers behind MightyText found a way to integrate Android text messaging with desktop machines well before Apple introduced the long-sought feature with iOS 8. Once you’ve installed the freemium app on your Android device and paired your phone number with your Google account, MightyText will allow you to send and receive SMS texts from directly within your browser. The software even supports group texting and MMS, and comes with options for setting up call notifications and battery alerts at the ready.

To use MightyText, first download the app from Google Play and allow your phone to sync with your Google account. Then, download and install the accompanying extension for your browser of choice, if offered. Otherwise, head to the MightyText website to get started.

The sleek web interface will showcase a navigation pane on the left-hand side and your current conversation on the right. Remember, standard texting rates still apply.

How to send texts via PushBullet (Android)

Pushbullet does many things, but one of its best features is its ability to send texts from your computer using your Android phone. Simply install the Pushbullet app on your phone, then install the accompanying Windows app or the browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, or Opera.

When a text comes in, you’ll receive a notification, which you can click to begin a conversation using the sleek window shown above. You can also browse your most recent conversations from within the PushBullet interface.

How to send texts via Cortana (Windows)

If you use a Windows Phone and Windows 10 on your computer, you can easily send a text using Cortana. Just start typing the word “text” in Windows 10 search bar, followed by the person you’d like to contact. Assuming your computer and your phone are both signed into the same Microsoft account, Cortana will figure out who you want to text and ask you what you’d like to say.

Cortana can also show you notifications when you receive a new message on your Windows phone, and perform a variety of other useful actions, which are further outlined in our comprehensive guide to Microsoft’s virtual assistant. This isn’t a complete solution, however, given that there’s currently no interface for browsing old texts or a separate window for ongoing conversations. It is, however, a quick way to send a text without picking up your phone.

Windows 10 devotees using Cortana on their Android device can also send and receive texts in a similar manner. To send a text using Cortana on the desktop, however, users need to make sure the recipient is listed within the People app. If your chosen recipient is not listed, launch the app and click the addition sign to add said recipient to the Microsoft Account database.

Once done, make sure the linked Cortana app on your Android device is set to push and receive text messages to and from your PC. Start by heading into Settings > Sync notifications and make sure Apps notifications sync is switched on. Then, tap Choose which apps to sync and select your device’s messaging app. Note: You can actually enable any messaging app to send and receive messages, including Facebook Messenger, allowing you to quickly respond to a message from any PC running Windows 10.

Once both platforms are configured, users can send a text message to a Microsoft Account contact by simply saying or typing the word “Message” in Cortana’s text field in the Windows 10 taskbar. Cortana will then expand and provide fields for choosing your desired recipient, typing your message, and choosing the SMS option. Users can actually expand on that command with “Message Blah Blah” or “Text Blah Blah,” which will allow you to automatically select a recipient. You can even take things further, too, if you want to include additional context. For instance, you can say “Message Blah Blah Did you already leave for work?”

As for receiving texts, the Android iteration of Cortana will forward texts to a Windows 10 PC, which will then appear as pop-up notifications in the right-hand corner of your screen. Users can reply to the message from directly within the notification, assuming only one message was received. If multiple texts arrive at the same time from the same sender, then the notification will not provide a text field for your response.

Like the Windows Phone version of Cortana, there’s no way to browse older texts in Windows 10. It’s a great way to reply to a single incoming text, however, and to send a single outgoing text without having to pick up your Android device. Unfortunately, the feature is not meant for full conversations — at least, not yet. Also, keep in mind that this service requires you to install the Windows 10 Anniversary Update.

Workarounds

If none of the aforementioned options fit the bill, then there are a few ways to sidestep the issue. After all, there are a few free and premium services that allow users to send a quick text in an emergency, or when their phone isn’t nearby.

How to send texts via a free SMS website

If you weren’t already aware, there’s a bevy of free websites designed for sending text messages from your computer to a phone number of your own choosing. Sadly, many of these sites require you to register for an account in order to use their features, or, at the very least, provide a valid email in order to receive responses. They’re also lined with spam, and may potentially sell your information if you consent to their terms of service, which you likely have to in order to use them. Sites such as Text ‘Em, Send SMS Now, Txt2day, A Free SMS all essentially do the same thing, but should really only be used as a last resort. Proceed at your own risk.

If you do go this route, you’ll typically need to select the appropriate country from a drop-down menu or map before entering the phone number you’d like to reach. Standard messaging rates still apply, but most sites designed for texting will showcase a basic character counter so you’ll know when you top the 160-character cap. Afterward, simply click the Send SMS button or a similar button thereof to send your message.

Send texts via Google (United States only)

Google Voice isn’t a service everyone is familiar with, and, sadly, it can be convoluted. Many of the features were integrated with Hangouts a couple of years ago, and we wouldn’t be surprised if Google soon killed off the service entirely. Nonetheless, if you want to send texts from a computer, it’s currently one of the better solutions available.

Assuming you have a Google account, head to the Google Voice homepage and walk through the provided steps to set up your Google Voice account. Once everything is in place, you can send SMS messages from directly within the Google Voice interface.

Keep in mind, however, that messages will come from your Google Voice number, not your cell phone. This means you’ll have to teach your contacts to use your new number if you want to use the service on a regular basis. You can also set up Google Voice to forward received texts to your cell phone, if desired. Texts to the United States and Canada are free, too, and people can respond to your texts the way they normally would.

Update: Verified processes outlined above and updated copy and screenshots for relevancy.

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Here’s how to convert an MP4 to an MP3 file with online and offline tools

While MP4s are absolutely fantastic when taking family road trips through the vast expanses of nothingness that litter the sprawling void that is the Midwest — believe me, we know — they’re not the most conducive to portability and storage, especially if you merely want to listen to the audio from a particular file. One of the best ways around that is to turn them into the much more storage-friendly MP3 format. But for that, you need to know how to convert an MP4 to an MP3

Luckily, there is a host of free file converters you can download for your desktop, or use directly within your browser, to strip the sound from your favorite videos. Below are two of our favorites, along with instructions for using each to convert your MP4.

If you’re looking to convert FLAC files into MP3s, we have a guide for that too.

Using Any Video Converter (free) — Windows and MacOS

Any Video Converter is one of our favorite video converters that allows you to extract MP4 audio and convert it directly into MP3, AAC, WMA, OGG or Wave format for use on a variety of mobile devices. The audio and video quality is exceptional for a free program, has a lightning-quick conversion speed, and the resulting audio is supported on everything from Apple to Android devices. Plus, the third-party utility houses basic options for trimming, cropping, and layering various audio effects within an easy-to-use interface.

Step 1: Navigate to the AVC website or the Mac App Store to grab the latest freemium or lite version of the software. If using Windows, click the “Free Download” button near the middle of the download page and follow the installation instructions as directed.

Note: There is some bloatware included with the install, so be careful to choose to “Customize” your install and untick any unnecessary boxes.

Step 2: Click the Start button and select AVC from the alphabetical list on the left to launch the program, or click the application in the taskbar if you pinned it there. Similarly, on Mac, you can launch the program by searching for it in Spotlight or accessing it through the applications menu, conveniently located within Finder.

Step 3: Select the MP4(s) you want to convert by clicking the “Add Video(s)” button with the addition sign in the upper-left corner of the program. A pop-up window will appear where you can navigate or search for the desired files on your computer.

On a Mac, click the “Add Video” button in the bottom left-hand corner and select the files you wish to convert. Continue adding videos in the same manner until you’re satisfied with your selection. AVC allows you to convert multiple files at a time, so there is no need to individually convert each video.

Step 4: In Windows, click the drop-down menu in the upper right-hand corner and select the “Common Audio Format” option — represented by the black music note — from the resulting list of options. Afterward, select “MP3 Audio” from the drop-down menu, select your save location for the resulting file(s), and adjust the audio bitrate and sample bitrate under “Audio Options” in the bottom-right corner. Also, make sure the audio channel is set to “2,” unless you want to go old-school mono.

Sadly, the freemium Mac version of AVC doesn’t offer the same kind of audio output customization as its Windows counterpart, but you can still convert MP4 files to MP3. Simply head to the “Profile” options on the right side of the program window, choose the headphones icon, and select “MP3 Audio” from the list.

Step 5: Click the “Convert Now!” button at the top of the window, next to the presets option. On a Mac, click the “Convert Now” button in the bottom right-hand corner to carry out the same action. Although there are options for converting only specified files on your list, the whole batch will be converted by default unless you choose otherwise. The newly-converted files will automatically launch once converted!

Using CloudConvert (free) — web-based

CloudConvert is an intuitive, cloud-based service that provides a standalone option that requires little more than an internet connection and your file. It’s entirely free, requires no additional software to run, and supports quick conversion between more than 100 formats — most notably MP4 to MP3, in our case.

While the resulting audio quality is great, as is the conversion speed, a free account can only handle files less than 1GB in size. Other limits to the free version are a maximum of 25 conversion minutes per day, five concurrent conversions, and free accounts have low priority compared to paid accounts. However, CloudConvert should suit your needs if your only need to convert a few smaller files per day.

Step 1: Navigate to the Cloud Convert website in your browser.

Step 2: Click the “Select files” button in the middle of the page and select the video files you wish to convert to MP3. A pop-up window will appear where you can locate or search for the desired files on your computer. You can also choose a file from a URL, or from your Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, or your Box account. Note that you need to sign up for a free CloudConvert account before linking to your cloud storage service.

Once your files are selected, click the “Open” button in the lower-right corner to add the file to the conversion queue.

Step 3: Click the “Select format” button that appears after adding your MP4 to the list, then select “audio” and “MP3” from the drop-down list. Click the wrench icon located directly beside the file if you wish to fine-tune the audio bit rate (up to 320 kbps), channels, frequency, normalization, or trim the new file to a specified length. The latter is an incredibly handy tool if your video has an introduction or ending with undesired audio. When finished, click the blue “OK” button.

Step 4: CloudConvert offers two additional options besides your typical download. Check the top box if you want Cloud Convert to send the resulting MP3s directly to your Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, or Box account after the conversion is complete. You can also be notified when the conversion is completed if desired.

Step 5: Click the red “Start Conversion” button on the right side of the page when you finished setting your desired output and save preferences. A gray and yellow bar will appear at the top indicating the conversion’s current status, along with a cancellation button should you change your mind for whatever reason. Afterward, wait for the conversion to complete.

Step 6: It may take some time, but CloudConvert will notify you when your conversion is complete. Now just click the green “Download” button and select a save destination for the file. If you chose either of the two save options in Step 4, the resulting MP3 should already be in your Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, or Box account.

Now that you ripped your audio, if you need a decent MP3 player to play it on. These are our favorites.

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4 Tips to Automate Your Halloween Scare Tactics

Use your Connected Home tech for evil.

Most of the time your Connected Home tech is busy lighting your home, pinging your phone when there’s a water leak, and letting you know who is at the front door.

While any Halloween supply store will gladly sell you something that will flicker a strobe light from a remote control while you’re hiding in the bushes dressed as a murderous clown, some of your Connected Home tech could help you have a lot more fun. Here’s a quick list of ways you can freak out Trick or Treaters with your smart home!

Activating the smoke machine when people walk up the driveway

This can be a lot of fun. Set a programmable button under a floor mat in the driveway. When people step on the mat, it activates a smoke machine on your front porch. This way you don’t have to have the smoke machine on the whole night, and when that fresh puff of fog shows fills the porch it sets the stage really well!

For this you’ll need:

• A good smoke machine
• Logitech Pop smart button
• Samsung SmartThings Outlet

This is fairly easy to set up, especially if you’ve already got this hardware in your house. Through IFTTT, you can set Logi Pop to trigger an on command to the SmartThings Outlet. Connect your smoke machine to the SmartThings Outlet, and when the Pop button is triggered the smoke machine will start!

Setting your front porch lights red when someone walks up to the door

Is there anything creepier than things changing when it’s not clear no one is around? When people walk up to your front door, make the porch lights turn a bright red to greet them!

For this you’ll need:

• Philips Hue Bulbs
• Hue Motion Sensor

This one is real easy, since the Hue motion sensor is wireless and can be set up anywhere. Place your motion sensor somewhere sneaky and set it to activate the lights on your front porch when motion is detected, and set the Hue lights to red as the command trigger. When someone trips the motion sensor the lights will turn red automatically and everyone will wonder what they have gotten themselves into!

Triggering a scream when someone presses the door bell

Some people can’t be scared by smoke and lights. That’s what loud noises are for! This setup lets out a loud scream once someone presses your doorbell, guaranteed to make people jump for their treats.

For this you’ll need:

• Sonos speakers
• Ring Doorbell
• Samsung SmartThings Hub

This is a little tricky to get right, but so worth it. Set up your Sonos speakers on your front porch, but hide them so they don’t stand out. Bonus points if you hide a Play 1 speaker inside a carved pumpkin, but not totally necessary for this. Set up your SmartThings Hub to fire up a scary sounds playlist on your Sonos speakers, and configure an IFTTT trigger to make SmartThings start the playlist when someone presses your Ring Doorbell. It’s one hell of a surprise, even for people who think they aren’t scared of anything.

Turn all the lights off when you open your door

Loud noises and flashing lights not enough? Show off your acting chops by demonstrating how haunted your house is. When you walk through the front door to get people their candy, make sure all the lights go out and scream as the door slams shut!

For this you’ll need:

• A convincing scream — Not available for purchase 🙁
• Samsung SmartThings Multipurpose Sensor
• Philips Hue bulbs

Sit outside your house and tell everyone you’re afraid there’s something happening in there, but you’ll reach in real quick and grab your visitors some candy. Place the SmartThings Multipurpose Sensor on your front door so when it opens, IFTTT can tell your Hue bulbs to all turn off. All the lights will go out when the door opens, leaving you ready to scream and slam the door to save everyone waiting for candy!

Got any other connected home tricks you’re excited to pull on visitors this Halloween? Share them with us in the comments!

Updated October 2017: This post has been updated with new scares and new tech so you can have tons of smart home fun this Halloween. Or, you know, any day of the week. No judgement here.

Google releases Android 8.1 Developer Preview, Beta program updates arriving soon

Back in the swing of releases.

Just in time for some of us to get settled in with Android 8.0, Google has announced that the Android 8.1 Developer Preview is now available. The latest software is available for testing on modern Nexuses and Pixels — that means the Pixel 2 XL, Pixel 2, Pixel XL, Pixel, Pixel C, Nexus 6P and Nexus 5X are all listed here.

You can download the factory image for your device from Google’s developer page if you want to have that software right away. If you need a refresher on the steps, follow our helpful guide on manually updating your Pixel or Nexus!

Update: It looks as though many people are having issues with the manual update process on the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL, likely due to a bad file upload. We’re having the same issues here — it may be a good idea to wait this one out for a bit rather than trying to force it.

If you don’t want to go through the process of getting things updated manually (we wouldn’t blame you), you can enroll in the Android Beta Program and wait for the update to be pushed out. The Beta Program is also great because future updates will be sent to you automatically, and you’ll even be placed onto the final version of Android 8.1 when it’s released. At the time of writing, the Beta Program is live for older Pixels and Nexuses, as well as the newer Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL.

Per the Android 8.1 Developer Preview website, Google says we’ll be looking at once more DP release in mid-November, followed by a final release of Android 8.1 by the end of the year. Google says this first Developer Preview release is of “beta” quality, and says the associated APIs are already final.

Android 8.1 isn’t going to mark any huge changes in interface, but it should clean up issues and bugs with the initial Oreo release. It’s also set to enable the use of the Pixel Visual Core on the new Pixel 2 and 2 XL, which is a dedicated multi-core processor just for image processing — we’ll see how that plays out once we get the software loaded up.

Android Oreo

• Android Oreo review!
• Everything new in Android Oreo
• How to get Android Oreo on your Pixel or Nexus
• Oreo will make you love notifications again
• Will my phone get Android Oreo?
• Join the Discussion

How to enable Now Playing on your Pixel 2

You’ll be able to name that song title with Now Playing enabled on your Pixel 2.

Google’s Pixel 2 has arrived, bringing with it some awesome new features to take advantage of. One of the new additions is Now Playing: a function that will detect what song is playing on nearby speakers and show the artist and song title on your screen. We’ve got the details on how to enable it here!

Enable Now Playing

While some features like to hide deep inside settings, enabling Now Playing is a pretty easy task. You can find it under the “Setting up your Pixel” section of Settings. Now Playing works offline and doesn’t send this information to Google but it is worth noting that there’s currently only a catalog of about 10,000 songs it can recognize and detect for you.

Open Settings.
Tap Sound.

Tap the arrow next to Advanced Settings.

Tap Now Playing.

Tap the toggle to enable Now Playing.

Are you listening?

Now Playing is an awesome feature for anyone who enjoys easily discerning what you are listening to. Easy to enable, and with a pretty sizeable catalog it can recognize, it’s an awesome feature and one many of us didn’t even know we needed. Will you be using Now Playing? Is this a feature you’re excited about? Let us know about it in the comments below!

Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL

• Pixel 2 FAQ: Everything you need to know!
• Google Pixel 2 and 2 XL review: The new standard
• Google Pixel 2 specs
• Google Pixel 2 vs. Pixel 2 XL: What’s the difference?
• Join our Pixel 2 forums

Google Store
Project Fi
Verizon
Best Buy

Android Studio 3.0 is ready for developers, bringing Kotlin support

It isn’t something we’ll all use, but we can all appreciate it regardless.

Google’s Android development platform, Android Studio, has hit version 3.0 and is now ready for prime time following an initial announcement back at Google I/O 2017. The headline feature of Android Studio 3.0 is support for a new programming language, Kotlin, to live alongside the existing Java that more people are familiar with. With this new version, developers can automatically convert their code to Kotlin to get started with an app in the new language.

But there’s more to Android Studio 3.0 than the new language. It also includes new tools for creating adaptive icons, better managing fonts, writing for Android Things, creating Instant Apps, and more. Android Studio 3.0 also updated its device emulators to include the Google Play Store, a new bug reporter, and a canary version of a quick boot up sequence for the emulators.

There’s so much more to unpack in this big update to Android Studio 3.0, and developers can take a look at it all by downloading it from Google’s Developer site. The vast majority of us who are out here using Android and not writing apps for it can know that the folks making all of this stuff now have new and improved tools to get the job done.

Android Oreo

• Android Oreo review!
• Everything new in Android Oreo
• How to get Android Oreo on your Pixel or Nexus
• Oreo will make you love notifications again
• Will my phone get Android Oreo?
• Join the Discussion

This GE Sol smart light doubles as an Alexa device and it’s 50% off

Smart savings.

Is this deal for me?

Right now the GE Sol Wi-Fi Connected Smart Light Fixture is 50% off at Amazon. You’ll pay $99.99, which is the best price ever for this item. The coolest part is that this light has Amazon Alexa built right in.

Use your voice and this light can play music from an Alexa-enabled library, tell you the time, tell you the weather, and of course, control your light. You can even schedule your lights. Turn them off every night at bedtime, or schedule them to slowly get brighter each morning to help you wake up peacefully. Or, put the light in your kitchen and use it to set timers. Stick it on your patio to have soft lighting when you’re hanging out late at night. The options are endless.

This smart light received 3.4 out of 5 stars based on 36 customer reviews. It is compatible with GE C smart lights, as well as select smart devices, thermostats, and speakers.

TL;DR

• What makes this deal worth considering? – This is the best price ever for the GE Sol, and the built-in Alexa Assistant makes the deal even sweeter.
• Things to know before you buy! – If you’re interested in Smart Bulbs, you may want to opt for Philips Hue bulbs, which are slightly less expensive and have much better ratings once you have the Hue Bridge.

See at Amazon

Amazon Prime members won’t have to pay for ‘premium’ Alexa skills

Amazon’s latest perk for Prime subscribers? “Free” access to premium Alexa skills. It’s starting small, with Prime members getting access to an additional six Double Jeopardy! clues within the Jeopardy! skill. If you aren’t ponying up for Prime, but are smitten with the game, those half-dozen hints will run you $1.99 a month, and you can subscribe to them directly within the skill itself.

Developers beyond Sony Pictures Television won’t have access to the skill-subscription tools just yet, but Amazon says it’ll let you know when that’s ready. Like TechCrunch notes, this is interesting for a few reasons; app subscriptions themselves, and how they’ll potentially shape the future of the Alexa business model chief among them. Tying the subscription to a Prime membership is a bit odd too when you consider that an Echo device is kind of pointless without a Prime subscription as it is.

Amazon is still working on a revenue split for developers, too, and told Engadget that it hasn’t finalized its revenue sharing model for that. Typically companies take a 30 percent cut for app sales. If Amazon wants to keep these types of premium skills rolling though, it’ll have to make it worth the extra work for developers.

Honda’s Sports EV Concept puts an AI assistant in the passenger seat

If you thought Honda’s Urban EV Concept was a clever mix of modern electric car technology with boxy retro style, you’d better brace yourself. The automaker has unveiled the Sports EV Concept, which adapts that new-and-old formula to a low-slung, nimble coupe — we can see traces of the 1300 Coupe mixed in with other intriguing design cues (check out the B-pillar wrapping around the otherwise all-glass roof). Frankly, it’s one of the better-looking EV concepts we’ve seen. Honda hasn’t talked performance figures, but the real focus appears to be on the AI under the hood.

Like the NeuV concept from earlier in the year, the Sports EV includes the Honda Automated Network Assistant. Aside from handling basic tasks like navigation, it uses an “emotion engine” that’s supposed to gauge the feelings that influence your driving decisions. Honda wants to foster communication that “unites the driver and car,” which could be rather important when you’re blasting down a twisty backroad.

There’s only one problem at this point: unlike with the Urban EV Concept, Honda hasn’t said if or when the Sports EV might go into production. And that’s a shame. While a finished version probably wouldn’t look as slick (the fascia displays and giant wheels would no doubt be the first things to go), it’s at once very stylish and a welcome nod to Honda’s ’70s-era aesthetics. Having said that, the Urban and Sports concepts remind us of Volkswagen’s I.D.: it hints at a broader shift in Honda’s design direction as it embraces electric cars. Even if the Sports EV never makes it to production, you could see its influence sitting on your driveway in the years ahead.

Source: Honda (1), (2)

Trump announces program to test drones beyond FAA regulations

President Trump and Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao announced the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration Pilot Program today — an initiative aimed at exploring expanded use of drones. While the Obama administration began allowing some drone activity to take place in US airspace, a fair amount of restrictions were still applicable. This new program, however, will allow companies and local governments to use drones in ways that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) currently doesn’t allow. That includes “beyond-visual-line-of-sight flights, nighttime operations, and flights over people,” as White House advisor Michael Kratsios said today.

“This program supports the President’s commitment to foster technological innovation that will be a catalyst for ideas that have the potential to change our day-to-day lives. Drones are proving to be especially valuable in emergency situations, including assessing damage from natural disasters such as the recent hurricanes and the wildfires in California,” Secretary Chao said in a statement. Kratsios also said that it could “open the skies for delivery of life-saving medicines and commercial packages, inspections of critical infrastructure, support for emergency management operations.”

The US is still figuring out how best to manage drone technology. Recently, regulations of local governments were pitted against those of the FAA, with the FAA coming out on top, and the FAA is currently trying to change the system that approves drone flights in restricted airspace. This test program could help national and local regulators figure out the best way to manage drones going forward. It could also help commercial companies itching to start delivering packages by drone. Amazon, 7-Eleven, Google and UPS have all expressed interest in using drones for delivery purposes and some of them have already started to do so. Amazon made its first delivery last year in the UK while 7-Eleven has made dozens of deliveries in Nevada using Flirtley’s services. France, Canada, Switzerland and Iceland are all working on incorporating permanent drone delivery systems.

The Department of Transportation (DOT) said in a statement, “The pilot program will evaluate a variety of operational concepts, including night operations, flights over people, flights beyond the pilot’s line of sight, package delivery, detect-and-avoid technologies, counter-UAS security operations, and the reliability and security of data links between pilot and aircraft.” In order to participate in the program, local governments should partner with private sector groups and develop proposals. The DOT will then select at least five proposals for participation. More information on how to apply and how the program will function will be released in the next few days.

Via: Reuters

Source: Department of Transportation