Thursday 26 March 2020

Weightlifting with a robotic exosuit

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It's Thursday, March 26, 2020.

Hey, good morning! You look fabulous.

When the International Olympic Committee decided to make the right call and postpone the Tokyo Olympics, I was disappointed. I was writing a story about Panasonic’s robotic exosuits that were going to be assisting Tokyo visitors and Paralympic athletes this summer. I had hoped to report on all the major tech showcases that Japan had planned, too. (Like a broken record, yes, I used to live there and, sure, wanted to visit again.)

Whether it was self-driving transport, robotics or 8K broadcast, it was going to be a quintessentially tech Olympics. It still will be, I’m sure, just in 2021.

-- Mat

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It’s not just Netflix and YouTube.

Xbox and PlayStation networks adjusted due to surging demand

In a statement sent to Engadget, Xbox product services corporate vice president Dave McCarthy said the company is "actively monitoring usage and making temporary adjustments as needed to ensure the smoothest possible experience for our gamers."

Meanwhile, in a blog post, Sony CEO Jim Ryan said that PlayStation was doing its bit to "address internet stability concerns," noting that players in Europe "may experience somewhat slower or delayed game downloads but will still enjoy robust gameplay."

And it’s available to more users on Android.

Google Assistant's redesigned Snapshot feed is rolling out on iOS

You can check out the new experience by launching Assistant and tapping on the inbox icon (marked Update on Android) near the bottom left of the interface. You'll see the redesigned feed, which organizes information using chronological cards.

Take a peek inside.

iFixit's MacBook Air teardown confirms 0.5mm thicker keyboard

Now that a new MacBook Air is here, it was just a matter of time before the repair-minded folks at iFixit took one apart. They focused on the upgraded keyboard -- to quote our Editor in Chief Dana Wollman: “I love this keyboard” -- and found that Apple was able to replace the butterfly mechanism of its recent laptops for a more satisfying scissor switch while only adding an extra half millimeter in thickness.

How to start making DIY gadgets at home

Now there are answers to questions like “Did anyone try to build more androids like Data?”

'Picard' finally shows us how 'Star Trek’s' technology evolves

There’s one new episode left in the first season of Star Trek: Picard, and Kris Naudus is looking back at one big way this series stands apart from other shows. "It's because we finally get to see what happens next in the Star Trek universe."

It will help consumers find open businesses on Search and Maps.

Google lets businesses mark locations as temporarily closed

When Sundar Pichai revealed Google's initial responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, he promised to give business owners a quick way to mark themselves as temporarily closed. Google My Business users can now do exactly that. Head to "Close this business on Google" in the menu to find the new feature, with three options: "Mark as temporarily closed," "Mark as permanently closed" and "Remove Listing." Prior to launching the capability, Google only relied on information from governments and other authoritative sources.

Of course, this all still depends on whether businesses take the time to update their status. Google previously said, however, that it's using AI tech to seek out businesses to confirm and update their operating hours.

But wait, there's more...

1. An enterprise SSD flaw will brick drives after exactly 40,000 hours if they aren't updated

2. Plex makes live TV free for three months

3. The terrible, fantastic life of AbleGamers COO Steven Spohn

4. A hacker stole and leaked the Xbox Series X graphics source code

5. NASCAR's virtual race was the most-watched esports TV show to date

6. The Big Picture: Hubble captures the immense 'tsunami' power of quasars

7. Comcast, Verizon make some on-demand viewing free, including Showtime and Epix

8. Marshall's latest Alexa smart speaker is a compact cube

9. SpaceX parachute test failure could further delay crewed flight

10. Square Enix's 'War of the Visions' is a mobile spin on 'Final Fantasy Tactics'

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.

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Wednesday 25 March 2020

E-Commerce Minute

View Online

E-Commerce Minute

March 25, 2020

Concerns Grow That COVID-19 Could Take Down the Internet

The Internet is fast becoming a potential victim of the coronavirus assault. With an estimated billion people staying home, remote working, or just watching shows online all day, concerns are mounting that the Internet will break under the strain. Jack Germain has an in-depth report.

Marketing on Amazon 101

Did you know that when a shopper has a specific product in mind, 74% will start their search on Amazon? With this high market saturation, it's imperative for a brand to differentiate its products from competitors to capture consumers already on the platform.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

Facebook Pledges Funds for SMBs in Face of Shutdowns

Facebook has announced a $100M commitment of cash grants and ad credits to help as many as 30,000 eligible small businesses in 30 countries where the company operates.

How AI Can Improve Customer Retention

Many companies are intrigued by the idea of turning to artificial intelligence for help in the sales process. However, most do not know where or how to get started. The best way to tap into the power of AI and machine learning is by building an intelligent experience.

4 Ways Intelligent CRM Can Help You Reach Tech-Savvy Millennials

Here are four key ways investing in an intelligent CRM solution will help you earn the loyalty of this fast-growing, influential segment of customers, maximize your day-to-day productivity, and ultimately increase your profitability.

TRENDING ON

E-COMMERCE TIMES

4 Ways to Optimize Your Brand's Amazon Advertising

Amazon has replaced Google as the No. 1 search engine for products. Here are four Amazon advertising strategies you can start using today to improve your effectiveness and sell more products.

Read more
www.ecommercetimes.com

The Architectural Imperative for AI-Powered E-Commerce

We've been promised, repeatedly, that AI would revolutionize e-commerce. Has it lived up to expectations for you? If not, the problem may lie not in the technology you've deployed on your site, but in the architecture.

Read more
www.ecommercetimes.com

FEATURED RESOURCES

Report: 2020 online shopping habits and retailer strategies

Episerver has surveyed over 4,000 global online shoppers about their online consumer behavior and expectations. Download the report to understand consumers’ buying behaviors and learn how retailers are delivering customer-centric digital experiences.

Read more
www.episerver.com

2019 Future of HR Report

Paycor asked 500+ CEOS, CFOs and HR executives about their human resources challenges, the impact of artificial intelligence and big data, and their priorities over the next few years. Download this free guide to learn what they said.

Read more
ecommercetimes.tradepub.com

How Great Digital Experiences Unlock Productivity

The term "digital transformation" gets thrown around ad nauseam these days. Rarely is it defined with much clarity. Read this article to learn how Chris Bedi, CIO of ServiceNow outlines the two necessary categories of digital transformation.

Read more
ecommercetimes.tradepub.com

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