Technologies

Expect Smoother Drone Delivery With Wing’s Autoloader

The Alphabet effort publicly demonstrates a launch station it hopes will make it easier for retailers to whisk burritos and aspirin to your home.

Wing, the drone delivery subsidiary from Google parent company Alphabet, has shown publicly for the first time the «autoloader» station it expects will make it significantly easier for retailers to send products through the air to customers.

The autoloader, announced in March and set to be deployed later this year, is a Y-shaped stand that easily fits in a parking space. A company employee hangs a delivery box on a pair of hooks on the autoloader then returns to work. There’s no need to wait for the drone to arrive, because it can snag the package on its own by lowering a yellow hook to the autoloader station.

Adding the autoloader may seem like a minor change, but it paves the way for a potentially massive expansion of drone delivery. Instead of operating isolated base stations, Wing envisions a fleet of drones autonomously dispatched across a network of delivery and charging stations, hopping from one destination to another with a minimum of human intervention. Inexpensive autoloaders make it easier to bring new retailers into the network.

Drone delivery today remains limited by regulators who limit its expansion to a few pockets, but the regulations are maturing along with the technology. Expect millions of us to be within drone delivery range this year from Wing and rival drone delivery efforts from Zipline, Amazon, Drone Express, Matternet, DroneUp, Manna and others.

Wing demonstrated its autoloader technology in a company parking lot at offices in Palo Alto, California, flying packages to a nearby courtyard. It took no special measures to avoid people, trees and cars other than blocking off three parking spots with traffic cones, a sign that Chief Executive Adam Woodworth said shows how mature operations have become.

«We are at the point in this journey where I think that this is a thing that’s going to happen,» Woodworth said. Wing has made more than 340,000 drone deliveries so far with operations in Australia, Finland, Virginia and Texas.

The autoloader has no computer controls or moving parts, but it’s still pretty sophisticated. The two upward pointing poles help guide the drone’s hook, dangling from a string below the hovering drone, to a narrow slot that aligns the hook properly to latch onto the waterproof, recyclable package.

The slot, package and drone hook are all designed to work together. For example, the hook will grab the package only once it’s pushed through the hole on the package. Its round bottom won’t bump back in to regrab it after release.

Drones above

«It’ll save a lot of time for the user. Instead of going to the store and picking something up, you’re staying at home and waiting for the drone to deliver it to your doorstep,» said Wing marketing chief Jonathan Bass. «For a worker, they can essentially place the package on the auto letter, go back inside and continue working. We think it will save a lot of time.»

The drones, made chiefly of foam, weigh 11 pounds each and can carry a payload up to 3.3 pounds.

«We do expect to introduce aircraft that can deliver larger payloads and some smaller [aircraft] that might be longer range,» Bass said.

Today, Wing’s drones have a range of 6 miles, though bing part of a Wing delivery network, with a mesh of destinations, will extend that since Wing can offer wireless charging pads in more locations.

Will we someday see delivery drones blackening the skies? Not likely, Woodworth believes. Even with current operations launching 1,000 flights a day, which can mean one every 30 seconds or so, drones are unusual.

«The sky is really big,» Woodworth said. «Even at full scale, you’re not going to look up and see tons of airplanes.»

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Wednesday, April 8

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for April 8.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? Hint: It uses a lot of the letter Z for some reason. Read on for all the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: ___-Carlton (hotel chain)
Answer: RITZ

5A clue: Span of the alphabet
Answer: ATOZ

6A clue: Cable channel with an out-of-this-world name
Answer: STARZ

7A clue: Takes care of, as a squeaky wheel
Answer: OILS

8A clue: Toy on a string
Answer: YOYO

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: When a post receives far more negative comments than likes, in social media slang
Answer: RATIO

2D clue: World’s leading wine producer
Answer: ITALY

3D clue: Middle of the human body
Answer: TORSO

4D clue: Sleeping sound
Answer: ZZZ

6D clue: Tofu base
Answer: SOY

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for April 8, #562

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for April 8 No. 562.

Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.

Today’s Connections: Sports Edition is a tough one. If you’re struggling with today’s puzzle but still want to solve it, read on for hints and the answers.

Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by The Times. It doesn’t appear in the NYT Games app, but it does in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can play it for free online.

Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta

Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Working out.

Green group hint: Cover your face.

Blue group hint: NFL players.

Purple group hint: Leap.

Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Yellow group: Exercises in singular form.

Green group: Sporting jobs that require masks.

Blue group: Hall of Fame defensive ends.

Purple group: ____ jump.

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words

What are today’s Connections: Sports Edition answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is exercises in singular form. The four answers are crunch, plank, situp and squat.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is sporting jobs that require masks. The four answers are catcher, fencer, football player and goaltender.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is Hall of Fame defensive ends. The four answers are Dent, Peppers, Strahan and Youngblood.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is ____ jump. The four answers are broad, high, long and triple.

Technologies

The $135M Google Data Settlement Site Is Live — See If You’re Eligible

Use the settlement website to select your preferred payment method, and you may end up $100 richer.

You can now file a claim in the $135 million Google data settlement. The case centers on claims that Android devices transmitted user data without consent. Specifically, the class action lawsuit Taylor v. Google LLC contends that Google’s Android devices passively transferred cellular data to Google without user permission, even when the devices were idle. While not admitting fault, Google reached a preliminary settlement in January, agreeing to pay $135 million to about 100 million US Android phone users.

The official settlement website for the lawsuit is now live. The final approval hearing won’t occur until June 23, when the court will consider whether Google’s settlement is fair and listen to objections. After that, the court will decide whether to approve the $135 million settlement.

In the meantime, if you qualify and want to be paid as part of the settlement, you can select your preferred payment method on the official website. There, you can find information on speaking at the June 23 court hearing and on how to exclude yourself or write to the court to object by May 29.

As part of the settlement, Google will update its Google Play terms of service to clarify that certain data transfers do occur passively even when you’re not using your Android device, and that cellular data may be relied upon when not connected to Wi-Fi. This can’t always be disabled, but users will be asked to consent to it when setting up their device.

Google will also fully stop collecting data when its «allow background data usage» option is toggled off.

Who can be part of the settlement?

In order to join the Taylor v. Google LLC settlement, you must meet four qualifications:

Be a living, individual human being in the US.
Have used an Android mobile device with a cellular data plan.
Have used the aforementioned device at any time from Nov. 12, 2017, to the date when the settlement receives final approval.
You’re not a class member in the Csupo v. Google LLC lawsuit, which is similar but specifically for California residents.

The final approval hearing is on June 23, so you can add your payment method until then. The hearing’s date and time may change, and any updates will be posted on the settlement website.

If you choose to do nothing, you will still be issued a settlement payment, but you may not receive it if you don’t select a payment method.

How much will I get paid?

It’s not currently known exactly how much each settlement class member will receive, but the cap is $100. Payments will be distributed after final court approval and after any appeals are resolved.

After all administrative, tax and attorney costs are paid, the settlement administrator will attempt to pay each member an equal amount. If any funds remain after payments are sent, and it’s economically feasible, they will be redistributed to members who were previously and successfully paid. If it’s not economically feasible, the funds will go to an organization approved by the court.