postal service

Outbox delivers your snail mail to your iPhone or iPad

Mail service as we know it just doesn't work anymore. Too much junk. Too much hassle sorting, scanning, and/or filing the stuff we need to keep. And, let's be honest, so much of what arrives in our mailboxes could -- some would say should -- arrive electronically.

Austin-based startup Outbox wants to make that happen by digitizing all of your physical mail and delivering it to you electronically on your iPhone or iPad, or your PC.

Interesting proposition, wouldn't you say? Think about it: no more daily trek to the mailbox followed by the daily armload … Read more

The 404 1,203: Where we do not pass Go (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Hasbro let the Internet choose the new Monopoly token and this is what they picked.

- Pebble watch gets growing pains.

- USPS to stop Saturday mail delivery.

- "Walkie Talkies" are shoes you can use as phones.

- Beyonce's publicist desperately wants these removed from the Internet.… Read more

Free books for your Kindle

Links from Thursday's episode of Loaded:

Amazon.com launches a library lending program for its Kindle e-reader

Toshiba's tablet will come out in June in Japan and shortly thereafter abroad

eBay purchases geolocation service Where

Google launches Earth Builder for cloud storage of geographic and geospacial data

Gamefly wins its case against the U.S. Postal Service

A day at Zap: The future of electric fleet cars has arrived

Zap's founder and director of research and development, Gary Starr says the future is here, all we have to do is plug in.

"The Zap approach is to make electric cars more cost effective and more comfortable," Starr said during a tour of the downtown Santa Rosa, Calif. showroom and factory on Monday.

If you're unfamiliar with with Zap's vehicles, don't feel bad. The car maker is right smack in the middle of Sonoma County, a Northern California region more known for its wine than its electric cars.

Truth is, Zap has been the … Read more

Netflix has quick fix for possible mail troubles

The postman, an often overlooked low-tech part of Netflix's Web movie-rental business, may walk off the job--at least on Saturdays.

The U.S. Postal Service, founded in 1775, wants to drop Saturday mail delivery as part of a plan to cut costs, according to reports in The Washington Post and elsewhere. Some observers fear that Netflix customers could revolt if the weekend becomes a dead zone for disc delivery.

The proposal is a long way from being a sure thing. Several lawmakers and the union representing mail carriers will oppose a Saturday shutdown. And the people wringing their hands … Read more

CNET News Daily Podcast: Watching E.T. in real time

CNET News' Daniel Terdiman has the latest on what's going on at the Allen Telescope Array, the world's first large-scale telescope meant for the full-time use of the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence (SETI) project.

Listen now: Download today's podcast

Today's stories:

Andy Grove urges Intel to build car batteries

SETI's large-scale telescope scans the skies

RadioShack sells $99 Netbook with 2-year AT&T contract

Postal Service's 'Click-N-Ship' glitch resolved

Updated at 9:50 a.m. PDT with new information.

While the federal government scrambles to find ways to stimulate economic activity, one of the U.S. Postal Service's most popular online services was malfunctioning and temporarily out of service during the Post Office's second-busiest week of business for the year.

The U.S. Postal Service Web site experienced a system-wide failure Monday morning, bringing to a halt one programs such as one Web tool that powers 20 online services including the site's free package pick up service, its zip code locator, and its rate estimator. Those … Read more