Microsoft & Oracle Partner on Cloud Service; Amazon Shows New Warehouse Robots; GM & Michelin- Airless Tires by 2024; Peloton Stock Going Public

Microsoft is partnering with Oracle in and effort to make their two cloud computing services work together with high-speed links between their data centers. According to reuters.com, the pairing up will start in the US, then move to other countries. Oracle and Microsoft are courting large businesses and governments, and are particularly taking aim at the biggest cloud provider, AWS…Amazon Web Services. Microsoft already has deals with German software maker SAP SE and Adobe. Oracle is all about protecting its dominance in the database market, which Amazon has been moving in on.

Amazon has showed off new warehouse robots. Techcrunch.com reports that the new gen robots, which will update robots the warehouses have used since 2012, were revealed at their re:MARS conference. They also brought Robert Downey, Jr to the stage! The new system is more modular, and can be configured for moving stock around the warehouse, as well as sorting. All use the same base, but they will be demonstrating two later this week….the Xanthus Sort Bot and Xanthus Tote Mover. Amazon says they now have 200,000 robotic drive devices world wide. They feel the new machines will help reduce sort errors, minimize damage, and speed delivery times.

It’s been in the works for a while, but now GM and Michelin have revealed a prototype of Uptis (Unique Puncture-Proof Tire System). Engadget.com says the Michelin made airless tire may be out for passenger cars by 2024. Unlike prior attempts at airless tires, The Uptis mix of composite rubber and resin embedded fiberglass lets it operate at highway speeds — earlier options tend to work only when you’re slowly putting around. Although the look takes a bit of getting used to, Michelin claims the ride is just as good as an air-inflated tire. Although it can still be damaged, at least blowouts, flat tires, and irregular wear should become history with this tire.

Peloton, the maker of connected, on-demand fitness equipment…notably their indoor cycles, has filed to go public. According to theverge.com, they have made a confidential filing, as was done previously by Lyft, Uber, and Slack. The number of shares and price range weren’t revealed, but in their last round of funding (August 2018), the company was valued at $4.15 billion. CEO John Foley said last year that they had a ‘beautiful business model,’ and that it was ‘weirdly profitable.’ Since Peloton came on the scene (in a very visible way, with their mall kiosks), Flywheel, SoulCycle, and NordicTrack now offering their own versions of either a connected bike or on-demand class content.