Amazon Expands Palm Payment Tech; SpaceX- Starlink for Vehicles; Dropbox Picks up DocSend; Apple iPad & AirTag Event March 23rd?

Amazon is adding more stores to its Amazon One palm scanning payment tech. Theverge.com reports that the 4-star store in Lynnwood has gotten it, and Amazon Books in Bellevue will get it in the next few weeks, as will the 4-star and Pop Up locations in Lake Union. There should be 12 physical Amazon stores with the palm payment tech before the start of summer. It works by marking the surface area details and vein patterns. It’s expected that as the Amazon locations are added, the company will be rolled out to other retail outlets. It could also be used in office buildings that still use NFC ID tags. 

SpaceX has officially asked the FCC for approval to start deploying Starlink satellite broadband to passenger cars and other moving vehicles. According to arstechnica.com, it could not only be used for cars and trucks, but also ships and aircraft. In their statement to the FCC, SpaceX said “Granting this application would serve the public interest by authorizing a new class of ground-based components for SpaceX’s satellite system that will expand the range of broadband capabilities available to moving vehicles throughout the United States and to moving vessels and aircraft worldwide.” They note that internet users are not willing at this point to do without internet connections while moving.

Dropbox is snapping up document sharing startup DocSend for $165 million. Techcrunch.com says DocSend helps customers share and track documents by sending a secure link instead of an attachment. Combined with the electronic signature capability of HelloSign, which Dropbox acquired in 2019, the acquisition gives the company an end-to-end document sharing workflow it had been missing. DocSend’s some 50 employees will be joining Dropbox when the deal closes.

Several leakers have touted March 23rd as the date of the next Apple event. According to 9to5mac.com, the major suspects for new rollout are updated iPad Pro and AirPods, and the long delayed AirTags. There could also be a refresh of Apple TV. Although the iMac Pro was just discontinued, it seems unlikely to be replaced at this point. Apple will probably do that in the fall when it expands the range of computers using their new, in-house chip..the M1 family.