Tech Tuesdays: In the News
Flight 370
If you haven't heard about it, then you need to read more news; a flight from Kuala Lampur to Beijing, with a lot of important people on it, went missing and is still nowhere to be found. We all want to know what happened to Flight 370. So what did happen to this mysterious Boeing 777? According to the news, there are several different theories as to what could have happened: terrorists, hijacking, meteors, a fire, you get the point. The latest theory is that of a possible electrical fire that could have been the reason for cutting off the communications equipment. If the plane had caught fire while in the air, the job of the pilot would be to navigate the plane towards the closest airport landing; this would explain the change in route. However, although this theory sounds like it could very well have happened, the signs on't add up.
After searching for the plane for almost a week and a half, with the help of ten different countries, none of the 239 passengers nor any part of the plane have been found. If the plan would have caught flames, it would have still kept flying and someone would have seen it/its remains would have been found. Clues about the Malaysia flight also suggest that the plane was flying for more than seven hours. The original route, to Beijing, would have only taken five. Clearly, the plan went off on a different route; but where? Malaysian Defense Minister Hishammuddin reminds us that, "The fact that there was no distress signal, no ransom notes, no parties claiming responsibility, there is always hope." In past plane crashes, floating wreckage was found within days; it has been more than a week and there is still no trace of what happened and nothing to be found.
Lyft
The popular app for those who hate cabs and their pricy fares, Lyft, is now offering happy hour! The app is targeted to those who don't have cars and enjoy a more personable experience as this service uses local people as drivers and their cars. As if things couldn't get better, this is an even more appealing reason to use Lyft. For all of us struggling out there who are short on cash, this is for us. Lyft introduced this new service feature Today and is expected to boost rides during slower hours of the day. With its main competitor, Uber, on the road at the same times as well, lower pricing definately gives them an advantage. So why not try it out? For lower the price of both Uber and a cab, your Lyft is experience is bound to be a good one.
iPhone 6
What everyone's been waiting for: iPhone 6. Word on the street is that the production is on its way! The Taiwanese manufacturer Pegatron, is getting itself ready for production and making room in its factory for Apple's new product. According to a Commercial Times report, production is to start in the second quarter of this year. Be excited and stay tuned for what we can be expecting from Apple with the release of its new phone.
Dropbox
The growing Dropbox software company announced today the opening of its sales and engineering office in New York City. What does this mean? Expect even more growth from the successful company, as it is leaning towards an IPO soon. Also, this could mean more employment opportunities for those of us out in the tech world. With its newest Dropbox For Business software, the company's sales people can expect a lot more pushing and selling to come as well.
The only concern the company does have at the moment is maintaining its culture. Like most startups that go big, staying the same doesn't always happen. With the expansion into more cities, especially those further away from its nesting grounds in San Francisco, change is to be expected. Dropbox still wishes to make an effort to maintain its culture and is ensuring "the first landing team is comprised of folks who embody those values deeply".
Massiel Scheibner
Author