Technologies
Uber brings audio recordings, more safety features to US
Drivers and riders can record audio of their rides in three US cities.

Uber on Thursday unveiled three new safety features it’s rolling out for the ride-hailing app. The company will now check in when rides take unexpected routes or have unexpected stops, remind riders to buckle up and allow drivers and riders to record the audio of their trips.
Uber has allowed audio recording in 14 countries in Latin America and is piloting the feature in three American cities: Louisville, Kentucky; Kansas City, Missouri; and Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina. After the pilot period and soliciting user feedback, the audio recording feature could roll out to more cities across the US, Uber said. Uber did not share a timeline for any possible expansion.
Audio recordings of rides can be submitted to Uber in support of safety reports, which both drivers and riders can submit. The feature is optional, and riders will be alerted when drivers might be recording them, the company said in a blog post. Any audio recording will be stored encrypted on the user’s device, and Uber won’t automatically receive any recordings.
«It is the user’s choice when to record audio and when to share it with Uber,» the company’s blog post said.
Uber says the feature has been «a popular way to promote safe, comfortable interactions while on a trip» where it has been introduced and notes that 70% of respondents in Rio de Janeiro reported feeling safer because of the feature.
The company also expanded its RideCheck service, which was introduced in 2019 to detect crashes or unexpected stops, to include unexpected deviations from a ride’s route. When RideCheck notices an unusual stop or route, it will send a push notification to rider and driver. Users will then be able to dismiss the notification, contact emergency services or modify their trip.
Riders will also receive audible seatbelt alerts from the driver’s phone at the start of a ride. Car crashes are the leading cause of death for Americans age 54 and younger.
Technologies
Fit a Massive 130-Inch Screen in Your Pocket With These $299 Xreal AR Glasses
The Air 2s feature USB-C connectivity and a built-in sound system, and you can grab them at a record-low price right now.

Enjoying your favorite movies, shows and games on the go just got a whole lot easier. These Xreal Air 2 AR glasses allow you to fit a massive 130-inch display in your pocket, and right now you can snag yourself a pair at an all-time low price. Amazon now has them on sale for $299, which is a $60 discount. There’s no telling how long this deal will last, so you may want to get your order in soon if you don’t want to miss out on these savings.
These augmented reality glasses have some pretty impressive specs and features considering they weigh in at just 72 grams. They’re come with 0.55-inch micro OLED panels, which allows you to enjoy your content on a massive 130-inch spatial display. They boast 1080p HD resolution, 500 nits of brightness and a 120Hz refresh rate for smooth performance, making them a solid option for gaming. Plus, they’re easy to connect to your phone, laptop or game console with a USB-C video input. You can also connect them to devices with an HDMI port, but you’ll need a separate adapter. They’re also equipped with built-in speakers so you can be fully immersed.
Why this deal matters
VR and AR devices are getting more affordable every day, but they still aren’t exactly cheap. Deals on cutting-edge tech like these Xreal Air 2 glasses don’t come around very often, so a chance to grab yourself a pair at a record-low price is a bargain you’ll want to jump on while you can.
Technologies
Here’s an Image of the Asteroid Everyone Was Worried About
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope captured a glimpse of the asteroid that had a chance of impacting Earth three months ago.

It’s not every day that an asteroid causes as much buzz as 2024 YR4. At one point, the asteroid had a 3.1% chance of hitting Earth, creating plenty of headlines about its potential impact. The threat is all but gone, but now we have pictures of the once-worrisome asteroid.
The imagery was captured by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope and posted by the European Space Agency on Wednesday. The JWST captured the asteroid with two of its cameras, including the Near-Infrared Camera and the Mid-Infrared Instrument. The former measures reflected light, while the latter shows thermal energy.
The pictures demonstrate a couple of fun facts about the asteroid. It is the smallest object ever targeted by JWST’s instruments to date, and it’s one of the smallest objects ever directly measured. Estimates initially put the asteroid at around 40 to 90 meters. The actual size turned out to be 60 meters or around 180 feet.
«These measurements indicate that this asteroid does not share properties observed in larger asteroids,» the ESA said in its blog post. «This is likely a combination of its fast spin and lack of fine-grained sand on its surface. Further research is needed, however, this is considered consistent with a surface dominated by rocks that are roughly fist-sized or larger.»
Per NASA, the asteroid will only be visible from Earth for a little longer. The asteroid’s orbit is currently taking it away from Earth, and the agency estimates that it’ll disappear from even the strongest instruments by late April or early May. It won’t be visible again until 2028 when its orbit brings it back toward Earth.
The moon, on the other hand…
The 2024 YR4 asteroid caused quite a stir when astronomers first reported it via the Minor Planet Center in December 2024. Based on the data collected on its trajectory at that point, the asteroid had a 1.3% chance of hitting Earth.
The percentage fluctuated over the next few months, reaching as high as 3.1%. After further research, the odds dropped dramatically to 0.28%. Per NASA’s Sentry tool — which monitors asteroids that may impact Earth — the threat now sits at 0.00078%.
The moon may not be so lucky. Per NASA, the odds of the asteroid impacting the moon are somewhere around 3.8%, which is even higher odds than the asteroid ever had of impacting Earth. Scientists are gathering data before the asteroid disappears, but it’s likely we won’t know more until the asteroid comes back into view in 2028.
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