Self-Settling Lawsuit

Self-Settling Lawsuit
Number	3217
Broadcast Date	FEBRUARY 9, 2018
Episode Length	33:30
Hosts	Tom Merritt, Sarah Lane
Guests	Shannon Morse, Len Peralta

Uber and Waymo have finally settled. So what can this real live corporate drama teach start-ups and their partner companies about navigating around the dangers of intellectual property? Plus Facebook is testing a downvote option on comments and how the Praying Mantis may be key to giving robots low-cost stereoscopic vision.

Guest

• Shannon Morse
  • TekThing
    • Hak5
• Len Peralta
  • All DTNS drawings
  • This episode's drawing

Quick Hits

• Waymo and Uber end trial with sudden $244 million settlement

On day 5 of the Waymo Uber trial, the two companies settled their disagreement out of court. The trial has been dismissed. Uber agreed to pay Waymo 0.34% of its equity and not incorporate any Waymo confidential information into Uber hardware and software. We'll be discussing this more a little later in the show.

• VLC 3.0 arrives for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Android TV, Apple TV, and Chrome OS

VLC 3.0 has arrived for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Android TV, Apple TV, and Chrome OS. VLC 3.0 brings support for 4k and 8k decoding with less CPU consumption, 360-degree videos, direct HDR and Chromecast discovery. They've also introduced support for HiDPI on Windows 10 as well as BluRay disk menus, though decryption has to happen outside of VLC. 3.0 launches today and can be downloaded directly from the App Store, Play Store, and via videolan.org.

• China's Didi, SoftBank target Japan in taxi-hailing push

Didi Chuxing and Softbank are partnering on a ride-hailing company in Japan later this year. In Japan, ride-hailing services can only match riders with professional drivers. Didi and Softbank's service will use Didi's deep learning system and roll out in Osaka, Kyoto, Fukuoka and Tokyo.

• Nest co-founder Matt Rogers is leaving the company just after it rejoins Google

In the wake of Nest merging back into Google, Nest co-founder and chief product officer Matt Rogers announced he's leaving the company. Rogers said he wants to "dedicate more of my time to Incite.org, as well as to start thinking about the next adventure."

Top Stories

• Chrome will mark all HTTP sites as ‘not secure’ starting in July

Beginning in July, Google Chrome version 68 will no longer have a neutral marker for sites without https. Instead sites will be marked secure if they have https support and otherwise be marked not secure.

• Facebook confirms it's testing a downvote feature for public posts

Facebook is testing a "downvote" option on comments to public page posts in the US. Facebook says it's for feedback purposes only and it won't display downvote counts or use it to affect ranking. Downvote options include “Offensive”, “Misleading”, and “Off Topic.”

• Researchers discovered a new kind of stereo vision by putting tiny 3D glasses on mantises

Scientists at Newcastle University in the UK have discovered a different form of 3D vision that may be easier to implement in robotics. First they used beeswax to put tiny 3D glasses on praying mantises. They found that mantises track the change in relative position of a moving object to each eye in order to create stereo vision. Humans use differences in multiple details. Because it's a simpler system that can be handled by a mantis's less complex brain, it would require much less computation power for robots.

• Amazon’s answer to UPS is reportedly getting its first proper launch in LA

The Wall Street Journal reports its sources say Amazon is launching its shipping service for business in LA in the coming weeks. Shipping with Amazon will be available for companies selling goods on the Amazon Marketplace. Amazon has tested the program in places like London and the Wall Street Journal says Amazon hopes to expand it to multiple cities this year.

Discussion

• Waymo accepts $245 million and Uber's 'regret' to settle self-driving car dispute
• Waymo and Uber reach a surprise settlement
• The battle of the damning emails begins with Waymo v. Uber opening statements
• Uber is pressuring one of its top executives to comply with Alphabet’s lawsuit
• HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE UBER-WAYMO TRIAL, WHICH STARTS TODAY
• Uber and Waymo are finally going to trial. Why we should care
• Uber and Waymo Reach Settlement

Pick of the Day

• Lyft partners with Black Girls Code to help develop a more diverse tech industry

Lyft launched a program last year called round up and donate. The idea is you round up the cost of your Lyft ride to the nearest dollar. To participate, riders need to opt in in their settings on the Lyft app. Riders also get to chose which causes to support. Lyft just announced it has added Black Girls Code to the list. Other options include SickKids Foundation, St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, Health Alliance for Austin Musicians, Chicago Public Schools New Chance Fund, The ACLU, The World Wildlife Foundation, The Human Rights Campaign, the USO, Habitat for Humanity and Girls Who Code.

Links

• This episode on dailytechnewsshow.com
• Support DTNS on Patreon
• DTNS subreddit
• DTNS Facebook Group

Preceded by: "Paul Allen Shreds"

Self-Settling Lawsuit

Followed by: "Coming Soon"