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Domino’s Pizza Inc and Nuro Inc, a Silicon Valley startup, said on Monday they will launch robotic pizza delivery in Houston this week, seeking to capitalize on rising online orders caused by the pandemic. Nuro, founded by two former Google engineers in 2016, raised $940 million from the SoftBank Vision Fund and recently secured an undisclosed amount of equity investment from Woven Capital, the mobility investment arm of a #Toyota Motor Corp subsidiary. With a small, low-spee...d vehicle to carry packages instead of people, the robot company has been pulling ahead of other #autonomous #startups in gaining regulatory approvals for on-road vehicle deployment. The delivery service will begin at a Domino’s outlet in Houston, expanding to many customers in many locations as part of a long-term partnership, said Cosimo Leipold, Nuro’s head of partner relations. It’s generally difficult for large companies to hire enough drivers to fill their delivery demand, he said in an emailed statement to #Reuters. Leipold said Nuro, which has partnered with retailers #Kroger Co, #Walmart Inc and #CVS Health Corp to deliver groceries and prescriptions, said its weekly deliveries nearly tripled in the first three months of the pandemic. Houston, the fourth-largest U.S. city, has one of the country’s highest road fatality rates. Houston’s roadways create challenging scenarios for our technology to work with. In 2019, Nuro and Domino’s said they expected to launch #robot pizza delivery late that year. #Nuro and #Domino’s have taken a measured approach to prioritize a smooth and safe deployment, Leipold said. Nuro got U.S. regulatory approval last year to start the unmanned delivery service. See more

Remember that high-tech smart mask unveiled as a project in January by game hardware company Razer? It's going to be a reality. Razer unveiled what was then called Project Hazel during the virtual #CES show, describing the prototype as the world’s smartest and most socially friendly face mask. As shown then, the mask promised N95 medical-grade respirator protection and had a built-in microphone and amplifier so your voice could be heard better. The waterproof mask had a clear... transparent face area with internal lights to illuminate your face in dark conditions. Exterior lights added flair. "Razer is working on mass producing a smart face mask inspired by Project Hazel, the concept design that was presented at CES 2021. The final product will be made available in Q3 2021 as part of Razer's portfolio of surgical, cloth, and smart masks," said Addie Tan, Razer's associate director of business development, in a statement. "It may include features borrowed from the original concept design, but with a focus on affordability and practicality for everyday wear." So, you will have to wait to get the mask, but #Razer does have some other wearables available now. A new Kanagawa Wave Apparel collection becomes available Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on razer. com. The clothing, inspired by the famous Great Wave off #Kanagawa woodcarving, is made of materials created from recovered marine plastics. Proceeds from the limited-edition lineup there's a hoodie ($149.99), shorts ($79.99), T-shirt ($89.99), tank top ($69.99) and cap ($49.99) will fund efforts to reduce plastics in the oceans. See more

Target to spend $2 billion with Black-owned businesses, pledges to add products from 500 companies by 2025. The retailer announced Wednesday that it will spend more than $2 billion with Black-owned businesses by 2025, which includes marketing agencies, construction companies, facilities maintenance providers and others. We have a rich history of working with diverse businesses, but there’s more we can do to spark change across the retail industry, support the Black communit...y and ensure Black guests feel welcomed and represented when they shop at Target, Christina Hennington, executive vice president and chief growth officer, said in a statement Wednesday. Black-owned businesses and brands have seen more support in a push for social and economic justice in the wake of protests against police brutality and renewed attention to the nation's decades-long racial wealth gap. Hennington said Target's "bold actions" are part of the company's commitment to advance racial equity for the Black community. "They also represent significant economic opportunity for hundreds of new Black-owned companies, who we look forward to doing business with for years to come," she said. The resonance of the products and representation in general, such as brown-skinned mermaids on children's sheets, with Black shoppers can be seen as members of Target-focused Facebook groups such as Black Women Who Love TARGET share these finds and talk about snapping up the products. After #GeorgeFloyd, a Black man, died under the knee of a white police officer in Minneapolis where Target is headquartered the company announced it was donating $10 million to "support nonprofit partners focused on addressing the systemic and structural barriers facing Black communities." The company created the #REACH (Racial Equity Action and Change) committee and in September, it announced plans to increase the diversity of its workforce, pledging to grow its percentage of Black employees by 20% over the next three years. Target said it is establishing resources to support Black-owned businesses and help them grow. One of the programs, #ForwardFounders, will "engage Black #entrepreneurs earlier in their #startup journey to help them navigate the critical stages of ideation, product development and scaling for mass retail." Target said it has brought in diverse businesses through programs such as #Target Accelerators and events such as the Black-Owned Business Vendor Fair. According to Target's website, the company increased "business with diverse suppliers by 64.4%" from 2016 to 2018. A list of the brands and the products are posted on Target .com on its Black Beyond Measure page under "Buy Black." In beauty, Target said, it has a "strong representation of 50 Black-owned and Black-founded brands, with plans to continue to grow the assortment." See more

LG is leaving the smartphone business it helped pioneer, ending the electronics giant’s ambitions to turn around its struggling mobile division as consumers flock to high-end devices or more affordable models. Squeezed out by Apple and Samsung at the high end and such manufacturers as #Huawei that offer mid-tier options, LG said it will focus instead on areas including robotics, electric vehicle parts, and smart homes. Moving forward, LG will continue to leverage its mobile ...expertise and develop mobility-related technologies such as 6G to help further strengthen competitiveness in other business areas, the South Korean company said Monday in a statement. As the company winds down its smartphone business, LG said it will continue to provide service support and software updates for customers who already own existing handsets for a period of time, but did not specify exact dates. The company also did not elaborate on potential layoffs as a result of the shutdown, stating only that, Details related to employment will be determined at the local level. LG said it expects to exit the mobile phone businesses by the end of July, but customers may be able to find existing models for sale after that. LG had planned to pull its smartphone business into profitability this year. In January at CES, the tech industry’s biggest showcase, the company showed off the concept for a new model with a rollable screen, in which the display expands into a small tablet. The flashy innovation was seen as a response to Samsung’s foldable phones. But #LG’s mobile wind down puts an end to the rollable lineup. The announcement comes as loyal customers of another legacy smartphone brand are awaiting a revival of sorts. Texas start-up #OnwardMobility will license the BlackBerry brand for a new device expected this year that will run on Android and tout the trademark physical keyboard. BlackBerry drew widespread attention earlier this year as investors scrambled to buy a collection of stocks, including #GameStop and #AMC, that were championed on trading forums and recorded enormous run-ups in price. While #BlackBerry shares have plummeted from their $25 high in January, the company is still trading at more than twice its value compared with last year, at about $8. In recent years, smartphone manufacturers have confronted shifting habits from their customers, as people hold onto their costly devices for longer rather than indulge on the latest upgrade. Adding to the competition for #smartphone purchases, Chinese manufactures including #Xiaomi and #Oppo have continued to gain traction with consumers, claiming roughly 11 percent and 8 percent of the global market in 2020, respectively, according to Gartner. See more

Apple Arcade has gotten a big wave of new games today Over 30 new titles including ones from major game developers to popular indie devs have hit the service that pushes the available titles to over 180. New games include NBA 2K21, an all-new version of The Oregon Trail from Gameloft, Fantasian from the creator of Final Fantasy, and lots of hit classics like Really Bad Chess, Monument Valley, Reigns, Simon’s Cat, Threes!, Cut the Rope, Fruit Ninja, chess, checkers, and... many more. Apple detailed the news in a press release today: Apple today announced it is introducing two entirely new game categories and adding more than 30 incredible titles to Apple Arcade, its popular gaming subscription service for players of all ages. Apple Arcade offers breakthrough, unique benefits players love: no ads, no in-app purchases, support for Apple’s high user privacy standards, and one all-inclusive subscription offer with access for up to six family members. In addition to new exclusive Arcade Originals, including #NBA2K21 Arcade Edition, #StarTrek: Legends, and The Oregon Trail, the service is introducing two new game categories, Timeless Classics and App Store Greats. Arcade Originals are playable across iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV. Timeless Classics and App Store Greats are available on iPhone and iPad. Along with the big launch, two new Apple Arcade categories have arrived with Timeless Classics and App Store Greats with Apple highlighting everything available to play on the service is ad-free with no in-app purchases. This marks a big move for Apple’s gaming service with a two-pronged approach. First, the big list of remastered #iOS classics are sure to be a hit with both users old enough to have played the originals as well as new ones checking them out for the first time. But Apple’s gone beyond just the iOS classics to bring an all-new version of The Oregon Trail by Gameloft and even commissioned timeless classics like chess, checkers, backgammon, solitaire, sudoku, and mahjong. Then the service is also gaining modern console hits like #NBA 2K21 that will have even further mass appeal. All the new games are available now on Apple Arcade in the App Store (looks for the Arcade tab at the bottom > swipe to the very bottom and tap See All Games). Apple does note that Arcade Originals are playable across #iPhone, #iPad, #Mac, and Apple TV. Timeless Classics and App Store Greats are available on iPhone and iPad. Also, #Apple doesn’t specify which countries all the new games are available in but says that Some content may not be available in all areas. #AppleArcade is available as a free one-month trial for those eligible and if you’ve purchased a new Apple device recently you should see a free three-month trial. Then Apple Arcade runs $4.99/month and also comes with the Apple One bundles.

Disney+ and ESPN+ Finally Begin Rolling Out to Xfinity Customers Comcast announced it will start rolling out the Disney+ and ESPN+ apps to Xfinity customers beginning today, offering support well over a year after the launch of Disney’s marquee streaming service. Better late than never, right? The support for both apps will mean that tens of millions of X1 and Flex customers will now be able to stream Disney+ and ESPN+ content directly through their Xfinity interface, t...he company said Monday. ESPN+ will be immediately available to Flex customers through the ESPN app, while Comcast said it has plans to introduce the app to X1 users in the weeks ahead. Once the apps reach X1 and Flex customers, the company said they will begin to see content from both #EPSN+ and Disney+ peppered throughout their user experience, including in the sports, movies, and TV sections of their interface. Additionally, users will be able to use the Xfinity Voice Remote to navigate either to the platforms themselves or to specific titles. When asked about support for billing integration with Disneymeaning a customer signs up for a service through Xfinity and is billed through Xfinitya spokesperson told #Gizmodo that Xfinity does not yet support billing this way but is planning to offer it later this year. In the meantime, users can sign up for the apps or the Disney bundle through Disney+ and then sign into the apps on #Xfinity. Disney+’s arrival on Xfinity may be exceptionally late considering it’s one of the largest streaming services in the world. But hey, at least it arrived before some of #Disney’s biggest releases this year, #BlackWidow and live-action #Cruella, hit the streaming service later this summer. See more

J.C. Penney has delayed the closings of 15 stores that were scheduled to shutter in March and added three locations to its closure list. The department store chain was one of the largest retailers to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection during the COVID-19 pandemic and officials said in May 2020 that they planned to close about 29% of its 846 stores or 242 locations. Since then 156 stores have permanently closed and in December emerged from bankruptcy after being acq...uired by mall owners Simon Property Group and Brookfield Asset Management Inc. Now, a total of 18 stores are scheduled to close in mid-May bringing the closures to 174. Our go-forward store count is 672. We have 18 stores that are scheduled to close to the public on May 16, J.C. "There are no additional store closures planned at this time." Since filing for bankruptcy, #JCPenney has added two new home goods store brands into its mix and said in January it would stop carrying MyPillow products after CEO Mike Lindell pushed claims of voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election. Other retailers also are closing stores this year,including #Macy's, #BedBathBeyond, #Godiva and Christopher & Banks. As consumers continue to shop online, #BestBuy CEO Corie Barry said the company is expected to close more stores in 2021 than it usually does. At many retailers, liquidation sales have been handled differently during the pandemic with fewer shoppers allowed into stores based on state and local regulations. See more

Spotify's premium, paying subscribers can download tracks onto laptops via its desktop app to have songs available later to hear even without connectivity. Spotify refreshed the look and feel of the desktop app and web player for its streaming music service, the company said Thursday, which included the ability to download tracks to a computer with its desktop app for people who are paying premium members. It also made the design of its web and desktop apps more similar to i...ts #mobileapp, so that using Spotify across platforms is more cohesive, the company said in a #blog post. And it simplified playlist creation and added more controls when web or desktop users are making a playlist, like the ability to write descriptions, upload images, drag and drop tracks into existing playlists. The news came about a month after #Spotify held an event to reveal a list of announcements, including plans to launch a new subscription tier called #HiFi for high-quality audio later this year and an expansion to more than 80 new countries. At the time, the streaming-music giant also unveiled podcast exclusives and a suite of new tools for artists and podcasters. Spotify is the biggest #streaming music service by both listeners and subscribers in the world. See more

Microsoft is planning to start reopening its Redmond and Seattle, Washington-based headquarters later this month. The software giant originally started encouraging employees to work from home more than a year ago, just as the coronavirus pandemic began, and the company’s main US offices have remained closed for months as a result. This will start to change on March 29th, with a limited reopening of Microsoft’s headquarters in Redmond and Seattle. Currently, Microsoft work si...Continue reading

Wells Fargo apologized for outages affecting the bank's customers on the same day stimulus checks were expected to land in users' accounts. The company cited "high volumes" of users attempting to check their accounts online as a reason for the issues. #WellsFargo also said the issues do not affect stimulus checks with a Mar. 17 effective date credited to accounts Wednesday. "We apologize for any inconvenience today and want you to know all access to your accounts through ...online and mobile banking are restored," the banking giant said Wednesday on #Twitter. On Twitter, some users expressed frustration attempting to log in to their Wells Fargo accounts only to find they weren't loading. "LMAO everyone checking their accounts for stimulus crashed the Wells Fargo site," said Twitter user who goes by @SweetCainMusic. "Billion dollar corporation, by the way." "Lol @WellsFargo just not letting us sign in to see if the stimulus money was deposited on their designated day i guess," wrote Twitter user @rachellemr. The Internal Revenue Service said the settlement date for direct deposits of millions of economic impact payments was Wednesday, although some people reported receiving their stimulus payments earlier. The delay led some customers of Wells Fargo and other banks like JPMorgan Chase to complain why their stimulus money wasn't immediately available. See more

This Macy's beauty sale has products from Clinique, Tarte and more for 40 to 50% off We may be in mid-March, but it seems like #Christmas has come yet again for beauty lovers. Why, you might ask? Macy’s is having a one-day blowout flash sale on all things makeup and skincare related, with savings of 40 to 50% on top brands, such as Lancôme, #Clinique, Tarte and more. To get the best deals, you'll want to shop fast, because this flash sale will be going dark at the end of to...day, March 16. As for what’s up for grabs, makeup enthusiasts alike are in for a true treat: You can score a full skincare routine wrapped up in one gift set thanks to the Sunday Riley three-piece Bright Young Thing set, a collection of goodies worth $118 that’s normally priced at $90 and on sale here for a cool $54. Inside, you'll find a .5-ounce Tidal Brightening Enzyme Water Cream, which has two forms of hyaluronic acid for hydration, a .5-ounce C.E.O. Rapid Flash brightening serum with vitamin C for discoloration, and a .5-ounce Good Genes all-in-one lactic acid treatmenta cult-favorite serum that our beauty editor, Jessica Kasparian, has called a "must-have beauty product." Why? It's meant to smooth and brighten the skin while simultaneously soothing redness with with its lemongrass extract. After you’ve cleaned and prepped your skin to take on the day, you’ll want to have #Tarte's Amazonian Clay full-coverage foundation with SPF 15 on handespecially since this oil-free, long-lasting vegan makeup is currently 40% off. Normally $39, it's up for grabs for just $23.40 today only. Available in a whopping 40 buttery soft hues, this foundation, which is made by the same brand behind our favorite Shape Tape concealer ($27), provides buildable coverage, so you can do a full face or just cover up select areas. It's got a lightweight-yet-matte finish that never feels cakey, goopy or heavy. Better yet, its SPF 15 coverage will be a natural addition to your normal sun safety routine, and more than 200 #Macy's buyers think it's stellar. Grab the best beauty buys before the sale ends on tonight, March 16, and enjoy free shipping on orders of $25 or more. See more

Apple to discontinue original HomePod and says it will focus efforts on HomePod mini Apple will discontinue its original HomePod four years after first releasing the smart speaker. The Cupertino, California-based tech giant says it will instead focus on its new and smaller HomePod mini, which went on sale in November for $99. "We are discontinuing the original HomePod, it will continue to be available while supplies last through the Apple Online Store, Apple Retail Stores... and Apple Authorized Resellers," Apple said in a statement, reported by TechCrunch. "We are focusing our efforts on HomePod mini." As of Saturday, the HomePod was selling for $299 on Apple's website with the mini available for $99. Apple first entered the smart speaker market in 2018 with the original HomePod, first priced at $349, but dogged by complaints that the speaker did little more than just play music. It was dwarfed by sales of #Amazon's Echo, the No. 1 best-selling smart speaker, and what was originally called the #Google Home. The new HomePod mini can access apps on the iPhone using Siri, such as calendar, messages, or Music. The speaker also features an intercom and the ability to send messages from HomePod Mini to any Apple device, even #AirPods. The smart speaker incorporates computational audio, which applies tuning models to bolster its sound. When announcing the new speaker in November, Apple said it would add a feature recognizing when your iPhone is near so music can easily transfer from playing on iPhone to #HomePod mini and trigger visual and haptic responses on the phone. In January, Apple posted record revenue of $111.4 billion during its 2021 fiscal first quarter, a 21% increase from the same period a year ago. The company reported selling more #iPhones and iPads, and hit a new revenue high from its services, such as #Apple TV+, from October through December 2020, as consumers got new devices and used them more during the coronavirus pandemic. See more

Netflix is testing a new feature to crack down on shared passwords The days of using someone else's Netflix password may be numbered. The streaming giant is testing a new feature with select customers to crack down on password sharing. The trial testing intends to verify users' accounts to stop the spread of a password among people, including strangers, and prevent fraud. "This test is designed to help ensure that people using Netflix accounts are authorized to do so," a ...Netflix spokesperson said in a statement Thursday. The company's terms of use also say accounts that "may not be shared with individuals beyond your household." Netflix's testing comes as the company faces competition from #Disney+, #HBOMax and #Hulu as #streaming and binge-watching have exploded during the pandemic. Netflix has arguably benefited the most as the streamer, which added about 37 million new customers last year surpassing 200 million subscribers. The test has been rolled out to a select number of customers using Netflix's TV app. For example, when a Netflix user chooses their profile on a shared account, a question pops up asking them to verify their account by confirming via either a text or email sent to them. If a user can't confirm they are the authorized user of the account, they will get a prompt to set up a new account which comes with a 30-day free trial. About a third of Netflix #users have shared their passwords with others, according to research firm Magid. #Netflix's basic plan in the U.S. is about $8.99 as in October, the streamer's basic plan, which allows viewers to watch on two separate devices simultaneously, increased by $1 to $13.99, while its premium plan, which viewers can watch on four devices rose to $17.99 from $15.99. See more

T-Mobile quietly raises Home Internet monthly price to $60 for new customers. T-Mobile's Home Internet has been billed as a cable alternative that offers fast internet speeds, over its 4G and 5G networks, for a flat monthly rate. After charging $50 per month for the initial run of its pilot or test program, the carrier appears to be taking a page out of cable's playbook and has quietly raised the price this week to $60 per month. Equipment, taxes and fees remain included ...in the pricing, though you need to make sure you set up automatic payments. A T-Mobile spokesperson told CNET that those already in the pilot would not see their $50 rate increase. "Since the start of the pilot, we've made significant improvements to our Home Internet service, including network performance, equipment and customer service," a spokesperson told CNET, adding that the company believes that this new price "reflects the value." In his early testing, #CNET's Rick Broida was impressed with the service, seeing download speeds as high as 145 megabits per second, with uploads as fast as 80Mbps. As one could expect in a pilot program, the speeds did vary and dropped to as low as 15Mbps for downloads and 8Mbps for uploads. On its website, T-Mobile says that the "vast majority of our customers experience speeds of 25Mbps or more," but cautions that speeds "will vary as this service is relatively new." Unlike some cable providers, T-Mobile says it has no data caps for its Home Internet offering. The change in pricing comes as T-Mobile seems to be nearing a wider launch of the service. Last week the carrier announced a version of #TMobile Home Internet for business customers, which it calls T-Mobile Home Office #Internet. The offering is similar to the consumer pilot but restricts access to gaming services and video streaming sites like #Netflix, as it is meant to be a dedicated connection for an employee and not internet shared with the whole family. T-Mobile is hosting a virtual analyst event on Thursday where it may share additional details about its consumer home internet ambitions. See more