Google's research division ran an experiment rerouting a small subset of Google Maps drivers across 10 U.S. cities, including San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle and Chicago, spreading vehicles across more routes instead of funneling them onto the fastest-looking path. The published results, which appeared in Nature Cities, showed average speeds rose about 2% and travel times shortened by 0.7%, with highway-focused rerouting in Los Angeles boosting speeds by as much as 4.6%.
A new Show HN project called HomeCat lets users design backyard offices by automatically generating code-compliant building plans, material and cut lists, and construction guides. The tool aims to simplify the planning phase of small structure projects for DIY builders and homeowners.
An Amazon-contracted cargo jet arriving from San Juan, Puerto Rico ran off the end of the runway at Miami International Airport around 2 p.m. Sunday and struck vehicles, leaving at least five people dead. Federal investigators are now examining the circumstances of the landing to determine what went wrong.
A new report from the Plastic Pollution Coalition finds plastics industry groups, including the Society of Plastics Engineers, have been supplying free or low-cost teaching materials to K-12 schools nationwide. These include lesson plans, worksheets, science activities and traveling programs like PlastiVan that emphasize plastics' benefits to society while minimizing their environmental and health harms. The coalition is urging schools to adopt stricter policies limiting industry-funded curricula.
Jeff Schneble, who leads digital 401(k) provider Human Interest, discussed why more small businesses should start offering retirement plans as the savings industry undergoes rapid change. He explained his decision to leave venture capital to run the fast-growing company amid rising demand for retirement products.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports Phil Schiller is leaving his role leading the App Store, becoming an Apple Fellow on unspecified projects. While Schiller cited wanting more time for family and philanthropy, Gurman says he also grew wary of plans by CEO John Ternus and services chief Eddy Cue to boost App Store margins and recurring revenue.
A Boeing 767-300 operated by 21 Air on behalf of Amazon Air overran the runway while landing at Miami International Airport around 2 p.m. Sunday, catching fire and striking vehicles on a road beyond the airport grounds. The flight had originated from Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in Puerto Rico, and the incident caused multiple injuries and forced a temporary halt to airport operations while more than 60 Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units responded.
A public records request revealed that Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava proposed a marketing partnership with Rockstar Games in June to brand parts of the county—including the airport, PortMiami, Metrorail stations, and Tropical Park—with Grand Theft Auto VI's Vice City imagery. Proposed features include a Vice City Motor Fest car show, a themed airport terminal and baggage claim, a dockyard installation modeled on the game's Port Gellhorn, and a community media space called Vice City Radio Lab. The county's sheriff has pushed back against the plan, given the game's violent, law-breaking gameplay.
Siskiyou County rescuers pulled three young men off Mount Shasta after they used Google's Gemini chatbot to plan their climb. The group started at 3am, missed the noon turnaround guideline, summited at 7pm, and had to be rescued after spending the night in Mud Creek Canyon.
Apple's free iCloud storage is capped at 5GB, which is often too little to hold a typical photo library, messages, and app data. Apple's iCloud+ paid tiers start at 50GB for $0.99/month, with a 200GB option at $2.99/month being the most popular choice for syncing large photo and video collections across devices.
A group of hikers relied on Google's AI tools to map out a route and had to be rescued after the plan led them into dangerous, unsuitable terrain. Rescuers intervened to bring the hikers to safety following the failed AI-guided excursion.
T-Mobile is quietly offering a Super Essentials Saver plan for $25 a month, which matches the features of its standard $50 Essentials plan, including unlimited 5G data, 50GB of premium high-speed data, and unlimited hotspot use. The offer is limited to new customers who sign up in person at Walmart, capped at two lines, excludes taxes and fees, and comes with no multi-line discount.
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