Amazon contracts 2,000 private delivery firms through its DSP (delivery service partner program, which accounts for 115,000 drivers in the US who help with the company's daily fulfillment operations. The ten current and former drivers described instances where there was active concern for their own safety while driving an Amazon van, but were unable to report it.
IDC estimates that Apple shipped 12.9 million iPads in the second quarter, while Samsung hit 8 million shipments. The iPad has experienced its most successful June quarter in nearly a decade, while Chromebook shipments have grown 68.6 percent year over year and reached 12.3 million units.
Tesla has confirmed that its commercial EV project, Semi, will be delayed until 2022 due to the ongoing global processor shortage and its own currently-limited battery production capability for the new 4680 style cells. On the plus side, Tesla executives also confirmed that development of the highly-anticipated Cyber Truck continues apace.
Google has released a feature that allows users to view COVID-19 case numbers as a layer in Google maps, which can help users see the high-transmission areas where the Centers for Disease Control has recommended wearing masks. The layer color codes areas by the 7-day average for the number of new cases per 100,000 people, and shows if cases are trending up or down.
Scarlett Johansson has filed a breach of contract suit against Disney for breaching her contract. The suit claims that the studio breached its agreement with the star when it released the film on Disney+ alongside its theatrical debut. Disney responded to the suit, saying that the release of Black Widow has enhanced her ability to earn additional compensation.
Facebook has sold 4 million units of its Quest 2 headset in the U.S. to date. The company is making silicon coverings available to existing Quest 2 owners and also including new units sold going forward. Facebook began a voluntary recall of the Quest 2 earlier this week due to a risk of skin irritation from the headset's foam face shield.
Microsoft has released the first beta of Windows 11, available to those enrolled in its Windows Insider Program, which is for “highly technical users” as it has “rough edges” According to Microsoft, the beta release is less volatile, with builds being validated by Microsoft.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced on Wednesday that the company will be building a set of connected social apps and some hardware to support them, aiming to build a maximalist, interconnected set of experiences straight out of sci-fi. The company's divisions focused on products for communities, creators, commerce, and virtual reality would increasingly work to realize this vision.
A robot in Oregon ran a 5K in 53 minutes, the first bipedal robot to use machine learning to control a running gait on outdoor terrain. The robot fell twice, once because of an overheated computer, and the second time because it was asked to turn at too high a speed.