FedEx is stopping development of its last-mile delivery robot, Roxo. The news was first reported by Robotics 24/7with FedEx confirming to the publication that the company would be shifting focus away from the bot to more “nearer-term opportunities.”

Roxo was announced in 2019 as a collaboration with DEKA, makers of the iBot wheelchair, which used multiple sets of wheels to “walk” up and down stairs, and raise its user from a sitting level to eye-height. Roxo also used multiple sets of wheels to climb steps and curbs. The robot had a top speed of 10mph, a cargo capacity of 100lbs (45kg), and was able to autonomously navigate around cars and pedestrians using cameras and LIDAR sensors. Human operators were used to oversee its movements and steer it manually if necessary.

Fedex’s chief transformation officer, Sriram Krishnasam, announced to staff this week that development of Roxo (part of an internal project named DRIVE) was shutting down.

“Although robotics and automation are key pillars of our innovation strategy, Roxo did not meet necessary near-term value requirements for DRIVE,” wrote Krishnasam, according to internal emails obtained by Robotics 24/7. “Although we are ending the research and development efforts, Roxo served a valuable purpose: to rapidly advance our understanding and use of robotic technology.”

Roxo had been trialled in various locations, including in the US, the United Arab Emirates, and Japan. FedEx said the robot was designed to travel in

It isn’t a dream: Netflix fantasy series The Sandman has been renewed for season 2. It looks like fans will get to see Tom Sturridge’s Dream take on Gwendoline Christie’s Lucifer after all, in a fight for Hell, the Dreaming and the world we know.

It took years for author Neil Gaiman’s critically acclaimed comic to come to the screen, and it took a surprising amount of time for Netflix to confirm a second season of the show despite it becoming a hit when it premiered in August. According to Netflix, season 1 was watched for nearly 70 million hours in its first week and doubled that in its second week. But Gaiman told fans on Twitter that the show’s high cost probably made renewal less of a foregone conclusion than you might expect.

Netflix’s decision to renew the show was initially revealed by a tweet from the DC Comics account that was quickly deleted. But Gaiman then confirmed that “The rumors are true… the thing we were all hoping would happen has indeed happened.” Technically he didn’t call it “season 2” but shared a short teaser video that ended with the words “The dream continues.”

Gaiman created The Sandman comics with artists Sam Kieth and Mike Dringenberg (and many others), running from 1989

Bluewalker 3 is officially in full peacock mode. The satellite has unfurled a first-of-its-kind 693-square-foot array in low Earth orbit, that’s designed to provide 5G broadband connectivity direct to mobile devices on the surface, essentially acting as humanity’s tallest cell tower.

The array is covered with solar cells on one side that collect energy to power the antennas on the opposite side.

The spacecraft is a test satellite operated by Texas-based AST SpaceMobile that was launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in September. If all goes according to plan, the company will launch a series of over 100 even larger satellites called Bluebirds.

“Every person should have the right to access cellular broadband, regardless of where they live or work. Our goal is to close the connectivity gaps that negatively impact billions of lives around the world,” CEO Abel Avellan said in a statement Monday.

The company says it has “agreements and understandings” with mobile carriers around the world, including Vodafone, Rakuten Mobile, AT&T, Bell Canada, Telefonica, Telstra and several others. The space-based service will offer extended cellular broadband coverage with the goal of eliminating dead zones.

“Particularly in territories where terrain makes it extremely challenging to reach with a traditional ground-based network,” said Luke Ibbetson, head of Group R&D for Vodafone and an AST SpaceMobile director.

The satellite is being watched not only by those interested in the nascent potential of space-based 5G, but also by astronomers.

The fully unfolded satellite is bright as some of the brighter

Google’s Pixel 7, which was unveiled Thursday, is the company’s next major phone designed to compete with Apple’s iPhone and Samsung’s Galaxy lineup. The Pixel 7 features Google’s new Tensor G2 processor, a camera with improved zoom, face unlock and a slightly updated design — for the same $599 (£599, AU$999) price as last year’s Pixel 6.

The Pixel 7 launches on Oct. 13, with preorders available now.

The Pixel 7 and 7 Pro represent Google’s latest effort to establish a foothold in the global smartphone market, which Samsung and Apple largely dominate. The Pixel 7 is a modest upgrade, unlike last year’s Pixel 6, which was the first phone to feature Google’s self-made Tensor processor and a revamped design.

The Pixel 7’s debut follows the September launch of Apple’s iPhone 14which like the Pixel 7 only features minor improvements over its predecessor.

Google’s latest flagship phones are now available to preorder. Pixel 7 starts at $599 and will be released on Oct. 13. Get up to $750 off with trade-in and $200 in Google Store credit.

Read our Pixel 7 first take.

Google Pixel 7’s new camera

The Pixel 7’s camera may look similar to the Pixel 6’s on paper, but there are some behind-the-scenes changes that Google said should make a difference. That’s especially true when it comes to zoom quality.

When zooming at 2x, the Pixel 7’s 50-megapixel main sensor crops into 12.5 megapixels