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Hundreds of Amazon drivers in New York City have joined the Teamsters union in the hope of obtaining better pay and working conditions. The union says a majority of drivers at each of three delivery service partners (DSPs) working out of a Queens warehouse have signed authorization cards. According to a Teamsters press release, the drivers have been organizing for a year to secure fair pay, consistent schedules, reasonable workloads and proper pay maintained trucks. They walked off the job last December as part of a nationwide protest against Amazons alleged unfair labor practices and union-busting efforts. At least on paper, joining the union should give the drivers more leverage as they push Amazon for better working conditions. But that doesnt necessarily mean the company will play ball. The Amazon Labor Union, one of the first major successful organization efforts within the company in the US, has yet to secure a union contract, two years after forming. The group became a Teamsters affiliate this summer. However, the union has found some success on behalf of Amazon workers. Last month, a regional National Labor Relations Board director determined that Amazon is a joint employer of some third-party drivers in Palmdale, California. The Teamsters hope that finding will set a precedent for the rest for DSP drivers elsewhere. The Queens drivers are the first Amazon workers to organize with the Teamsters following that decision.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/hundreds-of-amazon-drivers-in-nyc-join-the-teamsters-union-202758685.html?src=rss
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Marketing and Advertising
Mitch Lowe, one of two MoviePass leaders indicted by the Justice Department in 2022, has pleaded guilty to securities fraud charges. The former CEO admitted to conspiring to deceive the public and investors about the services sustainability. Variety reports that the details of Lowes plea agreement havent been made public. Prosecutors claim Lowe knew from the start that the companys $9.95 unlimited plan was a short-term gimmick to attract subscribers and inflate stock. Hes also accused of making false statements in press releases, interviews and SEC filings about MoviePass long-term viability. Those statements included allegedly lying about the companys ability to become profitable on subscription fees alone and having tech that could generate revenue from customer data. He also claimed MoviePass was profiting from multiple revenue streams despite not having any income beyond subscriptions. Prosecutors also accused Lowe and Ted Farnsworth, former CEO of MoviePass parent company Helios and Matheson, of preventing subscribers from getting what was promised from the unlimited subscription. The company settled with the FTC in 2021 over allegations that it intentionally invalidated subscriber passwords to freeze their accounts, blocking their ability to get the movie tickets the service promised. MoviePass and its parent company declared bankruptcy in 2020. Although no sentencing date has been set, Lowe is free on bond and has a status conference court date scheduled in Miami for March 2025. The 72-year-old former executive faces a maximum of five years in federal prison. Mitch is a good man who is looking to move forward with his life, Lowes attorneys, Margot Moss and David Oscar Markus, said in a statement to Variety. He has accepted responsibility for his actions in this case and will continue to try to make things right. Meanwhile, Farnsworth is still in custody. He was initially freed on a $1 million bond that was revoked in August 2023 after the feds accused him of misusing nearly $300,000 in company funds. Farnsworth's former boyfriend, who he met on an escort site, was paid $147,000, and received a Cadillac worth $144,000; after the pair split up, the feds say he falsely accused his ex of stealing the vehicle.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/former-moviepass-ceo-reportedly-pleads-guilty-to-securities-fraud-201131284.html?src=rss
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Marketing and Advertising
Apples Music Haptics feature is now live, as part of the official release of iOS 18. This is an accessibility tool that integrates with Apple Music on iPhones. Simply put, it uses the phones speaker-based haptics system, which the company refers to as the Taptic Engine, to create taps, textures and refined vibrations to the audio of the song. This is quite obviously aimed toward those affected by hearing loss, allowing them to feel the music. It works with Apple Music, but also with Apple Music Classical and Shazam. The company says itll also integrate with some third-party apps, so long as the iPhone is connected to Wi-Fi or cellular. To get started, just head into the Accessibility settings menu and turn on Music Haptics. An easily identifiable logo will appear on the Now Playing screen in the Apple Music app when activated. Tapping this logo will pause the feature and tapping it again will turn it back on. Music Haptics is supported globally on iPhone 12 and later, as long as the device is updated to iOS 18. To commemorate the launch, Apple Music has released a series of playlists that take advantage of the haptic technology. These channels have names like Haptics Beats and Haptics Bass, so they are filled with songs with plenty of opportunity for taps and vibrations. People have already been experimenting with the feature. Some users have suggested that it sounds like an Atari game when a phone is placed on a box with Music Haptics turned on. I dont agree but, well, listen for yourself.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/apple-music-brings-its-audio-haptics-feature-to-all-users-as-part-of-ios-18-184753345.html?src=rss
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Marketing and Advertising
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