Google Assistant will soon alert you if it thinks your flight will be delayed

With the help of machine learning and historical flight status data, Google Assistant might soon alert you if your flight is going to be delayed. It’ll be able to do so with an 85 percent confidence rate. Right now Google Flights can do this for you, but soon you’ll be able to ask Google Assistant to check if your flight is going to arrive on time or what the status of your flight is. It will be able to tell you things like the reason for the delay. What Google has over its competition is it could predict a delay. Sites like FlightAware can actually do this for you but this would at least simplify the process.

Source: The Verge

Fitbit OS 3.0 update for Ionic and Versa smartwatches expands on-device options for health tracking

Fitbit announced its latest Fitbit OS 3.0 update for its Ionic and Versa smartwatches. A huge update for existing users, Fitbit OS 3.0 adds more features including an extended on-device dashboard, on-device quick logging for weight and water intake, and the addition of goal-based exercise modes, which debuted on Charge 3 this past October.

 Fitbit is also introducing 10 new partner apps coming soon to the Fitbit App Gallery including popular brands like Couch to 5K, Gold’s Gym, MINDBODY and TRX. Additionally, we are bringing more to our global developer community with a new exercise API and other developer tools. The update should be rolling out to the devices Soon. 

Apple beats Netflix to the punch and secures 'Peanuts' content for streaming service

Apple has pulled a coup and beaten Netflix in acquiring the rights to Charles M. Schultz 'Peanuts' content for its upcoming streaming service.

Working closely with its subsidiary Peanuts Worldwide, [Apple and DHX Media] will develop and produce original programs, including new series, specials and shorts based on the beloved characters created by Charles M. Schultz.

The heavily coveted property. which includes Charlie Brown and Snoopy, was being tracked by Netflix which needs recognizeable content and shows now that Disney and Marvel are pulling their popular movies and shows from the streaming service. For Apple, getting Peanuts is huge. Highly recognizeable characters, family-friendly topics and iconic films like 'A Charlie Brown Christmas," and "Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown," are outstanding and evergreen shows. You also can't easily find Peanuts shows on streaming services or even on Blu-Ray or DVD. 

This sets the stage for Apple's new service which is set to be announced in 2019.

Source: 9to5Mac

Study finds that female-led roles dominate box office

Looks like the myth that female-led movies aren’t going to do well is being debunked by this new study from the Creative Artists Agency and technology company Shift7. They found that films that had female leads earned more than those with male leads. They looked at 350 top box office films from 2014 to 2017 (105 led by women and 245 led by men). The study defines a “female” lead as the woman being listed first in the film’s official press materials. The movies were then divided by five budget levels: under $10 million; $10 million - $30 million; $30 million - $50 million; $50 million - $100 million; and over $100 million. Wonder Woman qualified as one of the top female-led movies during the survey timeframe, earning $821 million worldwide. These movies have also passed the Bechdel test, which stipulates that two female characters have a conversation about something other than a man.

"The truth is that seeing women and girls on screen is not only good for everyone—especially our children—it's also good entertainment and good business," actor Geena Davis, who founded and chairs the research organization the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, said in a statement.

Source: CNET