Daily Authority: 🛴 Summertime scooting

🌞 Good day, and welcome to the Daily Authority. We had some gorgeous weather here this weekend, but now it’s back to the wind and rain of winter this coming week.

Should you embrace micro-mobility?

With the summer sun on his back, my colleague Adam Birney has purchased an electric scooter for quick city commutes. But is it really better than the bus? Well, Adam lent his thoughts to a must-read opinion piece weighing up the pros and cons of owning one. So, are electric scooters any good?

The positives

• Adam discovered just how easy learning to ride an electric scooter really is during summer trips to work.
• The model in question, the entry-level Gotrax GXL V2 Electric Scooter, was also “easy to assemble” and took just four hours to charge.
• “With one foot planted on the scooter and the other pushing off from the ground, a simple throttle turn was all it took to pick up speed and maintain balance.”
• Once you get the hang of that (and stopping, of course), commutes are remarkably enjoyable.
• “Feeling the breeze as I cross over the bridge to the downtown core, and the quiet satisfaction of passing cars stuck in traffic will never get old.”
• You’ll get more used to the scooter’s handling and operation, and this confidence eventually cultivates a “fun factor.”
• Ultimately, it’s a practical mode of transport for short, daily commutes.

The drawbacks

• But of course, there are limitations.
• Adam noted the Gotrax lacked a few creature comforts, from a comfortable ride to enough power to crest modest inclines.
• Its lack of a practical folding clip also made it tough to carry.
• Using electric scooters in winter or wet weather isn’t the most practical way to travel either.
• Baggage could be a problem, too.
• Then comes the issue of legality. Your city may embrace green transport to an extent, but stringent speed limits and area allowances may render an electric shooter useless over an electric bike.

Okay, I want one. What now?

• Be sure you know your local laws, your needs, and requirements, and most importantly, your budget.
• Pricier scooters will include important safety additions, like headlights and taillights, thicker tires for a smoother ride, more horsepower, or better battery life.
• All things considered, Adam recommends electric scooters for those sick of public transit.
• “I used to take the bus everywhere, but now I’m never going back unless I have to.”

Roundup

🎵 When it comes to smart speakers, Bluetooth audio remains the boss. But why? (Android Authority).

🐉 A Snapdragon-only Samsung Galaxy S23 series is a great move. Here are three reasons why (Android Authority).

🎮 Is Tesla’s onboard game archive not enough for you? Well, Steam integration could soon debut on the vehicles, according to Elon Musk (The Verge).

🔋 This slim, portable wireless power bank has been hailed by AA‘s Rita El Khoury as a “game changer” (Android Authority).

📱 In a curious move, Google’s replacing its automatic, reliable permission listing system in the Play Store with a new developer-written outline. Essentially, Google’s trusting developers not to lie about their app’s data gathering habits and requirements (ArsTechnica).

🌶️ London is forecast to be one of the hottest places on Earth on Monday, with a forecast of 40°C (104°F). A crippling heatwave is set to continue until Tuesday (BBC).

📺 HBO Max is quickly gaining on Netflix in the streaming wars, but what is its strategy? AA‘s Frederick Blichert has a “classic” theory (Android Authority).

💲 Ethereum could become much greener in the coming weeks. “When proof of stake comes into effect, miners will no longer have to solve cryptographic puzzles to verify new blocks,” dropping the power-intensive proof of work system it currently uses (CNET).

🐦 At the Open Championship this weekend, event organizers at St Andrew’s Golf Course, Scotland, employed four birds of prey to keep the skies clear of food-snatching “divebombing” seagulls (CNN).

🦀 “What’s an animal everyone thinks is harmless but in reality is very dangerous?” (r/askreddit)

Monday Meme

Speaking of dangerous animals, or at least animals that are a danger to themselves…

Here’s hoping that your week’s plans resemble the swallow’s nest and not the pigeon’s come Friday. We believe in you.

Cheers,

Andy Walker, Editor.