Hasta La Gadget!

Back in 2016 we had Robin up onstage demonstrating the possibility of a robotic mower as a service rather than just something you buy. They’re still going strong, and just introduced and patented what seems in retrospect a pretty obvious idea: an automatic door for the mower to go through fences between front and back yards.

It’s pretty common, after all, to have a back yard isolated from the front lawn by a wood or chain link fence so dogs and kids can roam freely with only light supervision. And if you’re lucky enough to have a robot mower, it can be a pain to carry it from one side to the other. Isn’t the whole point of the thing that you don’t have to pick it up or interact with it in any way?

The solution Justin Crandall and his team at Robin came up with is simple and straightforward: an automatic mower-size door that opens only to let it through.

“In Texas over 90 percent of homes have a fenced in backyard, and even in places like Charlotte and Cleveland it’s roughly 25-30 percent, so technology like this is critical to adoption,” Crandall told me. “We generally dock the robots in the backyard for security. When it’s time to mow the front yard, the robots drive to the door we place in the fence. As it approaches the door, the robot drives over a sensor we place in the ground. That sensor unlocks the door to allow the mower access.”

Simple, right? It uses a magnetometer rather than wireless or IR sensor, since those introduced possibilities of false positives. And it costs around $100-$150, easily less than a second robot or base, and probably pays for itself in goodwill around the third or fourth time you realize you didn’t have to carry your robot around.

It’s patented, but rivals (like iRobot, which recently introduced its own mower) could certainly build one if it was sufficiently different.

Robin has expanded to several states and a handful of franchises (its plan from the start) and maintains that its all-inclusive robot-as-a-service method is better than going out and buying one for yourself. Got a big yard and no teenage kids who can mow it for you? See if Robin’s available in your area.

Nothing is quite as unnerving as learning that the things we do on our phones aren’t private—even if we are regularly reminded that nothing is really sacred. On Wednesday, a TechCrunch investigation revealed that apps using analytics companies called Glassbox are not only recording the minutiae of how you use those …

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One of the features of Waze is that it crowdsources its information, such as accidents, traffic jams, and police checkpoints. These are useful features for users, although it seems that the NYPD isn’t particularly a fan of one of them, and yes, you guessed right, they aren’t loving the user-reported DWI checkpoints feature.

Basically with users being able to report police checkpoints, it comes in handy for those who drive home after having one too many and want to avoid being stopped by the cops. However the police aren’t a fan of this feature and in a statement made to CBS Local, the NYPD is calling on Waze to take this feature down.

“Individuals who post the locations of DWI checkpoints may be engaging in criminal conduct since such actions could be intentional attempts to prevent and/or impair the administration of the DWI laws and other relevant criminal and traffic laws. The posting of such information for public consumption is irresponsible since it only serves to aid impaired and intoxicated drivers to evade checkpoints and encourage reckless driving. Revealing the location of checkpoints puts those drivers, their passengers, and the general public at risk.”

Interestingly enough, Waze isn’t alone in this as Google has recently started testing out a new feature for Google Maps where they will alert drivers to speed traps. That being said, we’re not sure if Google plans on removing this particular feature of Waze as the company has yet to officially comment on it.

NYPD Isn’t A Fan Of Waze’s User-Reported DWI Checkpoints

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I loved Skyrim. It was a fun game and I had a great time exploring the world. But after a while, all you had to do to beat the game was use fire in one hand and ice in the other. So while it was entertaining, it could have been more challenging. Regardless, I would love to sample some of the cooking from the game. Sadly, we aren’t there yet with our replicator technology. Fortunately, this cookbook should help.

If you’re a big fan of the Elder Scrolls series like I am, you can now cook up some fancy dinners and treats from Skyrim, Morrowind, and Tamriel with the new official Elder Scrolls cookbook. You immersed yourself in the game, now immerse yourself in the cuisine.

Sample the diverse cuisines of the Nords, Bosmer, Khajit, and more. This book has over sixty delicious recipes, including Sunlight Souffle, Water of Life, Leek and Cheese Crostata, Imperial Mushroom Sauce, Saltrice Porridge and many many more.

Make a meal fit for a Dragonborn. If your mouth is already watering at the prospect, order yourself a copy right now. It’s just $22 over on Amazon, and will start shipping on 3/26/19.

Cadillac is giving its XT5 SUV a limited-edition styling update, with the 2019 XT5 Sport Package showing how the luxury crossover can be more aggressive. Making its debut at the Chicago Auto Show 2019, the special version follows on from the XT4 and XT6 Sport packages. It’ll be offered as an option on the XT5 Luxury and XT5 Premium Luxury … Continue reading