Uber CEO quits Trump’s advisory council

Following the onslaught of criticism from Uber users and even its own employees, Uber CEO Travis Kalanick plans to step down from his seat in US President Donald Trump’s advisory council. The ride-sharing service has been under attack after being accused by people that it sought to make profit from giving rides to airport customers while a weekend protest was happening against President Trump’s immigration order. The criticism wasn’t limited to Uber users, even his employees were wondering how he could still advise the US President after that immigration ban was ordered.

During an all-hands meeting at Uber this week, at least two employees asked Kalanick what it would take to have him quit the economic council. By Thursday, Kalanick announced to his employees that he was going to step down because he didn’t want his involvement in the council to mean he was endorsing the President and his agenda. “There are many ways we will continue to advocate for just change on immigration, but staying on the council was going to get in the way of that,” Kalanick wrote in an email to his staff, which was obtained by The New York Times.

Apple reportedly plans to start producing iPhones in India by end of April

Apple’s talks with India seems to have headed into a good direction. There are reports that the nation will be producing iPhones in its country starting the end of April 2017. According to Priyank Kharge, information technology minister for the Indian state of Karanataka, the devices will be made in Bangalore and will be targeted at India’s domestic market. In an interview with Bloomberg, Kharge said they didn’t discuss any other incentives for Apple during his meeting back in January with Apple executives. It was reported that this meeting was meant to cement the timeline for production to start.

Apple’s move into India, which is considered the fastest-growing major smartphone market in the world, comes at a time when iPhone sales have been slowing down in key markets such as China. The tech giant has reportedly given a “wish list” to India for working in its country. These supposedly included permanent relaxation of laws requiring foreign retailers to source 30 percent of their materials locally as well as so tax incentives. Apple hasn’t confirmed this production plan yet. But we should probably here something soon enough.

Source: Fortune

‘Stranger Things’ to give us a first look at season 2 in Super Bowl ad

The second season of Stranger Things is expected to come out this year. And we’re getting our first look at the new season when a teaser airs this Sunday at the Super Bowl. To tide us over a bit, there’s a new teaser image from EW showing Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo), Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin), and Mike (Finn Wolfhard) in Ghostbusters costumes—what these are for, we can’t say. The second season of the Netflix original show will have nine episodes and it’ll take place a year after the events of the first season. Are you excited?

Microsoft takes classrooms on virtual field trips for Canada 150

In celebration of Canada's 150 anniversary of Confederation, Microsoft has launched a campaign that gives Canadian students the opportunity to explore their country without having to leave their classroom. Students across the country now have access to visit and learn about Canada's landscape and history from coast-to-coast. Explore. Teach. Build. is an education program that teachers can work into their curriculum and connect one-on-one with researchers, scientists, curators and others who will guide them in real-time at no cost through the power of Skpe. 

Click to read more ...