Uber Archives

AppWizard

July 27, 2025

I played a visual novel about the terror of having a ‘casual’ boss and a job that wants you to conform to society’s expectations—but not the ones involving economic stability

Truer than You is a visual novel that explores the gig economy, where players navigate tasks through a mobile app similar to Fiverr. Players engage in various gigs, such as helping an artist create a video or accompanying socially isolated individuals, with their performance rated on a scale of one to five. The game highlights the pressures of gig work, as players may feel dissatisfied with a four-out-of-five rating. It is available on platforms like Steam and itch.io, offering a demo for players to experience its narrative.

AppWizard

July 23, 2025

Samsung plans to make Now Bar more useful by nearly doubling app support

Samsung's Now Bar feature, initially introduced with the Galaxy S25 series, has expanded to the cover screen of the Galaxy Z Flip with the One UI 8 update. As of June 2025, it supports approximately 20 applications, including those from Samsung, Google, and third-party developers, with plans to increase this number to 35 by the end of 2025. The expansion is enabled by a new API in One UI 8 based on Android 16, allowing applications to create “Live Notifications.” Current compatible applications include various Samsung apps (e.g., Media Player, Notes, SmartThings TV Remote), Google apps (e.g., Google Maps), and third-party apps (e.g., Uber, Waymo). Samsung's documentation lists 19 specific applications but suggests a 20th app is forthcoming.

AppWizard

July 3, 2025

One UI 8 will let any app show a Live Notification in Samsung’s Now Bar

Samsung is enhancing its One UI 8 experience by integrating the Live Notifications feature with Android 16's "Live Updates" API, allowing broader third-party app support for live notifications. This upgrade will enable real-time updates from various compatible applications, moving beyond the previous limitation of primarily supporting Samsung's own apps. The feature was initially introduced with One UI 7 and is set to expand significantly in One UI 8. The One UI 8 beta has shown a developer option for "Live notifications for all apps," which allows Live Updates to appear in the status bar and Now Bar. Currently, no public apps support Live Updates, and testing requires Google's sample app. It is expected that users will not need to toggle a developer option for the feature in the final release of One UI 8.

Winsage

June 26, 2025

Microsoft says goodbye to the Windows blue screen of death

Microsoft has announced the retirement of the "blue screen of death" in favor of a new black screen for Windows 11 24H2 devices, set to debut this summer. This change aims to streamline the restart experience and reduce downtime during unexpected interruptions to two seconds for most users. The blue screen has been part of Windows since the early 1990s, and the transition is part of a broader initiative to minimize disruptions.

AppWizard

May 26, 2025

This new Android launcher is my new must-have app for foldable phones

Foldable smartphones often face software limitations, particularly with launchers, leading users to choose between restrictive first-party options and inadequate third-party alternatives. Octopi Launcher has emerged as a promising solution, recently launching in beta on the Play Store. It offers unique configurations tailored to both the smaller cover screen and the larger display of foldable devices, allowing users to customize layouts for different orientations and purposes. Users can create up to four distinct layouts, with options for portrait and landscape modes, and can easily set up new layouts with intuitive prompts. Octopi excels in widget management, allowing independent sizing of widgets and app icons without compromising icon size. It supports overlapping and stacked widgets, enhancing visual appeal. The app drawer offers customizable options, including traditional icon shapes or tiles that display app names. While Octopi is impressive, it is still in development, with limitations in its gesture library and basic search functionality. It is best suited for foldable phones, although it can still benefit traditional devices. Overall, Octopi Launcher is tailored for heavy customizers and shows promise for future updates.

BetaBeacon

May 13, 2025

Android 16: 4 game-changing features coming to your phone

- Android 16 has a new look called Material 3 Expressive, with customizable options for color, font, and visual components. - Live updates feature helps users stay on task by surfacing important updates from apps. - Gemini AI integration is expanded to be available everywhere on Android 16, with Gemini Live allowing users to share their screen and camera. - Find Hub is introduced as an app for tracking people, devices, tags, and more, with upcoming satellite connectivity for locating items in remote areas.

AppWizard

May 5, 2025

Google makes it easier to share digital credentials on your Android phone

Android now supports OpenID standards for digital credential presentation and issuance, allowing users to securely store and send cryptographically verifiable digital documents across apps. Google has expanded access to its Digital ID capabilities via the Wallet app for U.K. residents, promoting interoperability among applications managing digital identities. The Android platform now includes native support for OpenID4VP and OpenID4VCI through the Credential Manager's DigitalCredential API, enabling apps to incorporate various digital documents like educational certifications and insurance policies. Users can share credentials securely between devices using CTAP protocols and select appropriate credentials without specifying a digital wallet app. Digital credentials will be usable for account recovery on platforms like Amazon, accessing health services through CVS and MyChart, and verifying identities on services like Uber and Bumble. Samsung Wallet and 1Password will also support the storage of digital credentials, enhancing the ecosystem of digital wallets adhering to OpenID standards.

AppWizard

April 29, 2025

Google Wallet brings digital ID support to UK, more US states

Residents in the U.K. can now integrate their passports as a digital ID within Google Wallet, allowing for secure age and identity verification. This feature is part of a collaboration with the Rail Delivery Group, enabling train travelers to use digital IDs for select Railcards. Google is also discussing further applications with the U.K. government, such as for alcohol purchases. The digital ID feature allows users to create passes using their passports, which can be verified with a tap on their smartphones, although they do not replace physical IDs and cannot be used at airports. The process involves capturing images of the ID and a selfie video for verification. Google Wallet incorporates Zero Knowledge Proof technology to enhance user privacy, ensuring personal information remains secure during identity verification. Additionally, Google is expanding digital ID access in various U.S. states, allowing residents to add government-issued IDs to Google Wallet and facilitating domestic travel without a driver's license. Future capabilities will include account recovery and access to online health services. Google Wallet will also expand to 50 additional countries, allowing users to view and utilize digital passes.

Tech Optimizer

February 15, 2025

Database Hearts and Arrows

A debate has emerged between Postgres and MongoDB, highlighting the broader SQL versus NoSQL conversation. Peter Zaitsev noted Postgres's rising popularity and MongoDB's slight decline. Users commented on MongoDB's developer experience and potential technical debt, while others emphasized the distinct purposes of both databases. Lekhana Reddy provocatively claimed "SQL IS DEAD!!" due to Uber's natural language query tool, but later clarified that SQL is evolving. The tech community also celebrated a partnership between SAP and Databricks, with the launch of the SAP Business Data Cloud receiving positive feedback.

AppWizard

February 6, 2025

App drivers plan to ‘log off’ in pay and conditions campaign

The Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) has announced a strike involving drivers from Uber, Bolt, and Addison Lee on February 14, from 4 PM to 10 PM, across major cities including London, Birmingham, Manchester, Nottingham, and Brighton. The strike aims to address low pay and precarious working conditions, advocating for improved pay structures, job security, and safety measures like rider ID verification and complaint tracking systems. Drivers reportedly work between 70 and 80 hours a week to make ends meet. Nader Awaad, chairman of the IWGB, emphasized the need for fair compensation and criticized the industry's profits at the expense of drivers. Addison Lee expressed confidence that the strike would not disrupt services, while Uber defended its practices, stating that drivers earn at least the national living wage and receive holiday pay and pension benefits.