Latest news with #Amazon-owned
San Francisco Chronicle
3 days ago
- Business
- San Francisco Chronicle
Here is how San Leandro residents can get a free Ring camera
The San Leandro Police Department on Tuesday began giving away 1,000 Ring cameras to help strengthen security in neighborhoods and aid in criminal investigations. Fifty residents have already claimed their free cameras, which are dispensed on a first-come basis, San Leandro Police Department spokesperson Abe Tang said. Applicants must be San Leandro residents and agree to register their cameras in a department database that lists the addresses with the city-issued security systems. After crimes are reported, the police department may ask for users' permission to view video footage. Officers already ask community members for surveillance tapes, evidence that creates 'infinitely greater' odds of getting a lead or solving a crime, Tang said. 'Video surveillance gives us the chance to at least capture descriptions, distinctive clothing, sometimes license plates, or at least a car description of a suspect vehicle,' Tang said. 'All those things can be very critical when we're building cases.' The city-funded program also aims to help lower-income residents access what can be costly security technology. One Ring camera can range from $49.99 to $179.99. 'Not everyone has equal access,' Tang said. 'People who want to maybe have some equipment or technology to help improve public safety in their homes or in their own neighborhoods, but they can't afford it.' Similar Bay Area police collaborations with the Amazon-owned home security company in recent years have alarmed local privacy advocates, who have said the cameras may intrude on the privacy of bystanders or exacerbate racial profiling. The security system company's partnerships with law enforcement have also weathered national scrutiny. In 2024, Ring announced it would shut down the feature that allowed police departments to request video footage. The policy change came two years after Ring said it handed over 11 videos to the police without notifying users during emergency circumstances, and one year after the company paid $5.8 million to settle with the Federal Trade Commission for allegedly failing to enact 'basic privacy and security protections.' Officers can obtain search warrants to access video footage without the owner's consent.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Federal regulators give Zoox an exemption for its custom-built robotaxis
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has given Zoox an exemption to demonstrate its custom-built robotaxis on public roads and closed a related investigation into whether the Amazon-owned company had sidestepped federal regulations. The decision, which was announced Wednesday, clears up a long-standing debate over whether Zoox's custom-built autonomous vehicles complied with federal motor vehicle safety standards, which place requirements on vehicles such as having a steering wheel and pedals. Zoox had argued that it did and announced in July 2022 that it had self-certified; NHTSA balked. The agency opened an investigation in March 2023 to look into the matter, and specifically the process and data that Zoox had used to self-certify. Switch Auto Insurance and Save Today! Great Rates and Award-Winning Service The Insurance Savings You Expect Affordable Auto Insurance, Customized for You The investigation didn't slow Zoox's development and testing of its autonomous vehicle technology. In early 2023, Zoox began testing its custom-built robotaxis, which don't have a steering wheel or other traditional controls, on public roads near its Foster City, California headquarters. The company has since expanded its testing footprint to Las Vegas and San Francisco. Zoox does not operate a commercial service yet. However, in San Francisco it has opened its robotaxis up to employees and hosted family and friends. Earlier this year, the company launched an Zoox Explorer program, aimed at early public riders, in Las Vegas. For now, the exemption allows Zoox to demonstrate the robotaxis, not operate them commercially. NHTSA's announcement is connected to its new national framework, which the agency argues will make it easier for companies to deploy autonomous vehicles without traditional manual driving controls — like steering wheels, pedals, and sideview mirrors — at scale. The framework, known as AV STEP (or ADS-Equipped Vehicle Safety, Transparency and Evaluation Program), allows NHTSA to green-light the sale and commercialization of autonomous vehicles that are not compliant with federal safety standards due to a lack of manual controls. The revised process involves an expedited application that allows companies like Zoox to receive exemptions for testing and demonstrations, and eventually, commercial operations. Zoox spokesperson Whitney Jencks said in an email that Zoox is working in close cooperation with NHTSA on this process, beginning with the demonstration exemption and followed by the commercial exemption. As part of the agreement, NHTSA has closed its investigation into Zoox's self-certification of its AVs. Zoox has agreed to remove or cover all statements that its purpose-built vehicles comply with applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
Tom's Guide
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
Prime Video's new action-comedy with Eddie Murphy and Pete Davidson is an ‘Ocean's Eleven' clone — but there's a big problem
I've been disappointed with Prime Video's original movie output so far this year. But over the summer months, the situation has become pretty desperate. In fact, the Amazon-owned streaming service currently boasts a new sci-fi thriller movie with a rare 0% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Hoping to change the platform's fortunes is 'The Pickup,' a new action-comedy that pairs together former SNL cast members Eddie Murphy and Pete Davidson. Unfortunately, it's another misfire for Prime Video playing out like a cheap imitation of better heist movies, lacking the razzmatazz of flicks like 'Ocean's Eleven' (which the movie shamelessly copies). I'm not going to pretend I had sky-high expectations for this one. The trailer pitches a glossy, and very broad, comedy with largely pedestrian action. But I'd hoped it could be a pleasant surprise, at least somewhat watchable in the vein of recent Prime Video original 'Heads of State' — an unspectacular action-comedy that is at least passably entertaining. The Pickup' typifies the worst of straight-to-streaming dreck. The type of movie that you used to pick up for $1 in the DVD bargain bin at Walmart. Unfortunately, 'The Pickup' doesn't even meet that low bar, and instead typifies the worst of straight-to-streaming dreck. The type of movie that you used to pick up for $1 in the DVD bargain bin at Walmart. I wouldn't bet against it rising to No. 1 in the Prime Video top 10 most-watched list as the platform is already pushing the movie hard, which usually results in the top spot, but it's unworthy of so much attention. Still want to know more? Let's get into exactly what doesn't work about 'The Pickup' (spoilers: basically everything) and why it's another Prime Video dud for a streaming service that's had a particularly poor 2025. Russell (Eddie Murphy) and Travis (Pete Davidson) are two mismatched armored truck drivers. Russell is crotchety and set to retire soon, while Travis is the blundering and talkative newbie always getting on his more experienced co-worker's very last nerve. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. But the duo are about to endure a very bad shift as they are ambushed by a criminal gang, led by mastermind Zoe (Keke Palmer), and forced to partake in an audacious heist to rob a casino vault. But the stakes go beyond a sizeable cash score because for Zoe, this thief is personal, and she's determined to force Russell and Travis to see things through. 'The Pickup' plays out in such a familiar way, sticking to genre tropes so rigidly, that at times, I wondered if I'd somehow seen it before. Of course, it's a new Prime Video original, so while it's technically fresh, trust me, when I say you've seen everything it has to offer before, and done better. The framework of two mismatched colleagues working together on a dangerous mission, squabbling all the way to the bank (quite literally in this case), is mundane and predictable. And the wrinkle of them being forced into a criminal act is similarly worn-out and dull. You also won't be shocked to learn that the motivation behind Zoe's desire to rob a casino is rooted in a childhood trauma, and in her eyes, she's not a villain, because she's stealing from the elite who rob the little guys in society every single day. Of course, a romantic subplot is thrown into the mix because 'The Pickup' is eager to check every cliche box. But maybe you can look past the generic story, I'm a sucker for a good heist movie after all, I love watching a complex plan laid out, and then the team having to pivot as unexpected elements throw spanners in the works. The problem here is that this isn't a good heist movie. Far from it. The few action sequences lack excitement; the stifled tension during the third-act heist sequence never amounts to anything; and the comedy is barely worth a chuckle. I think the movie got a single genuine laugh out of me, and that's just not acceptable for a supposed comedy movie. Compounding matters is that the entire cast seems just as disinterested as most audience members will be. Eddie Murphy and Pete Davidson are funny guys, Keke Palmer is a real talent, and Eva Longoria shows up for a supporting role. These actors are deserving of much better material than what they're presented with in 'The Pickup,' and I think they all know it. There really is very little for me to praise about 'The Pickup.' Perhaps its biggest saving grace is that it's only 95 minutes long, so it doesn't take up a huge amount of your time, and at least as a streaming movie, it doesn't require you to cough up for a pricey movie theatre ticket to watch. But frankly, your time is more valuable than being wasted on such filler. In case the above hadn't made my stance clear, 'The Pickup' is most certainly not worth your precious movie-watching time. It's not even a mindless distraction worth watching when you need a quick fix of light entertainment. It's unbearably bland. It feels like a movie created on a factory line by slotting together tropes to create flavorless sludge. The few action sequences lack excitement; the stifled tension during the third-act heist sequence never amounts to anything; and the comedy is barely worth a chuckle. And I don't seem to be alone in my dislike of 'The Pickup.' The movie debuts on Prime Video today (August 6), but it's already on course to be a critical flop. It currently holds a poor 36% score on Rotten Tomatoes, the Guardian even labelled it 'worse than 'Norbit',' a Murphy movie so bad it's often cited as the reason he lost his best chance at an Oscar. I'm aware that what is deemed an acceptable standard in the streaming world is often lower than for full theatrical releases, but Prime Video is better than this. Certainly, its subscriber base deserves better viewing options than this. 'The Pickup' is a car-crash action-comedy, lacking any originality or charm, and existing merely to pad out Prime's library. If you're looking for something new to watch on Prime Video, and I've managed to convince you to skip 'The Pickup' (smart choice), here's a guide to everything new on the streaming service in August, which thankfully does include new additions that look of a higher quality.
NZ Herald
4 days ago
- Business
- NZ Herald
Amazon's Starlink rival, Project Kuiper, names Australian launch date, gears up in NZ; AWS partners with NZ Rugby
Elon Musk's Starlink satellite network has proved wildly popular in rural New Zealand (where it had racked up 37,000 customers by mid last year) and anywhere around the world where gaps in internet coverage need to be filled. But it faces budding competition from the Amazon-owned Project Kuiper, which has
CTV News
29-07-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Amazon seeks to end lawsuit claiming rice contaminated by heavy metals
The Amazon logo is seen on the exterior wall of the Amazon OXR1 fulfillment center in Oxnard, Calif., on Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024. (Damian Dovarganes/AP Photo) Amazon urged a federal judge to dismiss a proposed class action over its alleged sale of rice tainted by arsenic and other 'heavy metals,' denying the accusation it fraudulently concealed contamination. In a filing late on Friday in Seattle federal court, Amazon said the presence of heavy metals in rice was a 'decades-old, well-known issue' that was easy to discover, and the plaintiffs did not claim there were more metals than regulators allowed. Amazon also said Section 230 of the federal Communications Decency Act shields online platforms from liability over content from third parties, such as rice sellers. Lawyers for the plaintiffs did not immediately respond on Tuesday to requests for comment. The lawsuit on May 23 covered 18 types of rice sold through Amazon, including from brands such as Ben's Original and Amazon-owned Whole Foods' 365. Plaintiffs Ashley Wright and Merriman Blum said they would not have bought or would have paid less for their Iberia basmati rice, one of the products, had they known it was contaminated or Amazon never tested it for heavy metals. Exposure to heavy metals has been associated with nervous system problems, immune system suppression and kidney damage. It has also been associated with autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in young children. The lawsuit followed a study by the nonprofit Healthy Babies, Bright Futures, which found arsenic in all 145 rice samples purchased nationwide, cadmium in all but one sample, and lead and mercury in more than one-third of tested samples. The case is Wright et al v Inc, U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington, No. 25-00977. --- Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New YorkEditing by Bill Berkrot
