THE BYTE

Welcome to the BYTE where we serve up the latest home and tech news from the last week for you to sink your teeth into.

This week we’re taking a BYTE out of why millennials regret buying a home, a new airport firetruck, taking a tour in space, 3D printed glasses, and Uber’s newest feature. Dig in!

Generally

Millennials Regret Buying a Home

Real estate website, Clever, oversaw a survey that compared millennial homeowners to homeowners that were baby boomers, and found that millennials are “stressed” about owning a home.

Why?

The number one expense of owning a home is the mortgage itself. Maybe that’s why the number one reason millennials regret buying a home – mortgage payments are ridiculously high. Let’s not forget about all the other expenses that come with buying a home – utilities, house repairs, and lawn maintenance. Their second biggest regret? How expensive home repairs and updates are. 33 percent of millennials surveyed said the house they bought required too much maintenance. Most millennials, 61 percent, have owned their home for less than five years, but are still struggling with the cost of owning a home. Take note builders, this could be an opportunity to build new homes without a hefty price tag.

The Standard Red Firetruck Gets a Makeover

Designed to combat emergencies such as an aircraft crash or a fire at the passenger terminal, these Rosenbauer Panther Aircraft Fire Fighting trucks are yellow, weigh 43 tons, hold 3,170 gallons of water and 422 gallons of foam. They’re meant for airports but can be used elsewhere if needed. You can find these monster trucks at Oakland International Airport where they are deployed when crises arise.

Take Notes

Tour Space in Style

Have you ever wanted to travel to space? Well, here’s your chance. Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic is preparing for its first space tour at the end of this year. The announcement came just as Blue Origin, a company founded by Jeff Bezos, broadcasted that they were sending people to space at the end of the year as well.

3D Printed Glasses

Parents rejoice! You can now buy glasses that actually fit your child’s face. After his son wore broken glasses for a few weeks, Gabriel Schlumberger, co-founded a company called Fitz Frames in order to combat the problem of kids’ eyewear. The solution? An app that allows kids to virtually try on glasses and measure their faces for the right dimensions. Then, the frames are 3D printed and delivered within a week. According to Sclumberger, “Many kids like knowing that their eyewear was made specifically for them.”

Uber’s New Quiet Mode Feature

Not everyone likes small talk. Sometimes, you just want to go a few minutes without someone trying to talk your ear off. Lucky for some, Uber just released a new feature – the Quiet Mode. Gone are the days of awkward conversations after a long day or night out. The catch? It’s only for Uber Black SUV rides. However, if you’re up for chatting, you can always select the “Happy to Chat” mode.

Totally Unrelated

Hershey Has a New Look

Hershey’s Chocolate is changing the way their chocolate bar looks. Out with the familiar logo and in with… emojis? According to the company, the emojis were chosen to “feature meanings that would help to spark a conversation.”