Uber brings 'RideCheck' to Canada

Uber is bringing in its RideCheck feature to Canada. The safety feature first came to the U.S. last fall. RideCheck allows Uber to contact both the drivers and the passengers to make sure they're okay. Uber can do this with the use of its GPS tracking technology to see if something went wrong during a trip—whether there was an unexpected long stop or a potential crash.

The company will initiate RideCheck by sending a notification to both the rider's and the driver's phones. It'll ask you if you are alright. If it's a false alarm, you can reply "I'm fine, I stopped on purpose" to dismiss the message.

Click to read more ...

Gboard to let you combine two emojis on Android

Ever wanted to send someone a cactus monkey emoji? Well, Google's Gboard keyboard will let you do just that. With the new Gboard Emoji Kitchen, you can combine two emojis to create unique or super-specific emoji. These hybrids though won't be sent as a traditional emoji but as a sticker instead. And Google has selected which emojis you can pair since these had to be created manually. The feature should be rolling out widely to Android users over the next few days, but Google hasn't said if it'll be coming to iOS, too.

Source: Android Authority

Essential will be closing its doors this year

Essential, the company founded by Android co-founder Andy Rubin, will be shutting its doors just under three years since it started. The company launched the Essential Phone back in May 2017 to mixed reviews. It's helped pioneer the front-facing camera notch that we've seen in a lot of modern smartphones. But after a New York Times report released in October of 2018 reported about Andy Rubin being removed from Google following a $90 million payout over sexual misconduct allegations, the company was pushed into obscurity because Rubin's reputation was tied heavily with the company's.

Essential tried to tease a new kind of phone called Project Gem after that. But it seems it wasn't enough to help revive the company. Essential says they're shutting down because they can't find a way to deliver Gem to consumers. As for existing Essential Phone owners, the February security update will be the last update the phone will get. And those using their email client Newton mail will have access to it until April 30, 2020.

Source: Essential

Mobile World Congress in Barcelona is cancelled due to coronavirus outbreak

Mobile World Congress or MWC, which is the world's largest phone trade show, took the unprecedented step of cancelling the entire show set to happen between February 24 and 27 in Barcelona, Spain. The GSM Association (GSMA), which organizes MWC, has already released a statement about the show's cancellation due to concerns about the coronavirus outbreak. The trade show routinely attracts 100,000 visitors from across the world. Several companies, including LG, Amazon, Sony, and NVIDIA, have pulled out of the show ahead of GSMA's announcement citing concerns about the coronavirus. Coronavirus infections have affected over 42,000 people, with the total number of deaths at more than 1,000. 

GSMA CEO John Hoffman said in a statement, "With due regard to the safe and healthy environment in Barcelona and the host country today, the GSMA has cancelled MWC Barcelona 2020 because the global concern regarding the coronavirus outbreak, travel concern and other circumstances, make it impossible for the GSMA to hold the event. The Host City Parties respect and understand this decision. The GSMA and the Host City Parties will continue to be working in unison and supporting each other for MWC Barcelona 2021 and future editions. Our sympathies at this time are with those affected in China, and all around the world."

Source: CNET + The Verge