With the advancement of technology, comes the ability to better our communities, supply our city decision makers with accurate data, as well as new information, responsibility, and interaction.

In this week’s installment of Passport’s Picks of the Week, we’ve pulled a variety of trending articles from the recent iOS 10 updates, luxury trains, drones that will be inspecting NYC’s steam system, and how technology will impact our world.

iOS 10: Are the updates really that great?

Every year, eager Apple fans await the newest iOS updates, new features, and new devices. If you’ve added the announcement date into your iCal (see what I did there), then I’m sure you’re extremely excited about iOS 10, which will launch this fall. As a mobile payment technology company, we got the opportunity to ask some of our teammates about what they thought about the newest operating system; their likes, dislikes, and how exactly this will all impact the transportation industry. As we all [insert word-of-choice] await these updates, get a glimpse into some of our thoughts on the newest additions to Apple products and if they’re really all that cracked up to be.

Drones are now inspecting NYC’s famed steam system

Heating New York City isn’t a joke and the tubes and pipes that run the show aren’t necessarily the simplest to inspect. Eight times a year, Con Edison engineers wear protective gear to check on the boiler system that houses the largest steam system in the world. If you’re claustrophobic or afraid of heights (ten stories high is extremely high!), this job is definitely not your cup of tea. Drones, well, they could definitely change the game for these workers and actually decrease the amount of time spent inspecting from one week to 1-2 days. Con Edison is testing a “UAV with an LED light and HD camera”, which sends live video as it flies through the boiler system. For Con Ed engineers, they will not only save time, but money as well. According to the engineers, they will save $100,000 every time the drones inspect the system. Whoa!

3 New Things Technology Brings To the Table

When new technology is brought to the table, it’s also greatly impacting these three things: information, responsibility, and interaction. Let us break it down. When the technology brings data to the table, there’s a large amount of numbers that many municipalities don’t know how to interpret. It also brings a newfound responsibility for cities and agencies to utilize these numbers to the best of their ability. Being able to supply accurate “open data” to cities is significant to providing value to the city. As for interaction, when new data is available many cities are offering the public opportunities to make their voice heard as far as helping make decisions for the city. Technology isn’t going anywhere, at least for now. Gain insight into how the advancement of technology and how exactly it impacts cities.

3 ways IoT is already making cities smarter

With the progression of technology, cities are turning to the advancements for ways to rethink the way we manage our resources. According to the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), “the nation and its cities should use technology not only to upgrade and transform aging infrastructure, but to fundamentally reshape the way cities operate.” Rethinking ways to restructure cities can ultimately lead to a decrease in traffic congestion and pollution, save energy, and can foster economic growth. New technology is rapidly enhancing and having the ability to utilize the information to better our communities is extremely significant to the future of our world.

Step into the huge factory forging America’s fancy new trains

The Siemens Factory is building some incredible, high tech and high speed trains. Just to build one coach for the train, it takes 6,000 work hours! These luxurious trains will eventually hit U.S. rails and are sure to be a major hit, especially for their high-end comfort and luxury style. Within the next year, the trains will connect Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, and Orlando. The route is over 235 miles long and the train can travel at 125 mph. Michael Reininger, Brightline’s president, said “The idea of being able to connect downtown Miami to Fort Lauderdale in 30 minutes really changes the way that we think people are going to move.” Get all the details above!