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Weekly Rewind: Emoji freeze iPhones, Tesla taps solar power, Samsung scandals soar

top tech stories 01 20 2017 samsung corp head
Flickr/Samsung
In the tech world, a lot happens in a week. So much news goes on that it’s almost impossible for mere mortals with real lives to keep track of everything. That’s why we’ve compiled a quick and dirty list of this week’s top 10 tech stories, from Tesla’s giant Gigafactory to how we really feel about autonomous cars — it’s all here.

This nasty string of emojis can potentially render your iPhone useless

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Be careful next time you send your best pal a string of emoji: You could end up rendering his iPhone useless. A killer three-character combination of emoticons, discovered first by YouTube channel EverythingApplePro, can crash and freeze certain models of iPhones and iPads.

Read the full story here.

DJ stream: Tidal’s Track Edit feature lets you manipulate any song you want

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If you ever wanted listen to Prince’s Purple Rain at a slower tempo or Adele’s Hello at a higher pitch, you are in luck. Tidal recently updated its mobile app with a new feature, Track Edit, allowing users to alter any song in the streaming service’s massive catalog.

Read the full story here.

Arrest warrant sought for Samsung VP, as bribery scandal deepens

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Samsung Group is embroiled in a political scandal that has dominated headlines in South Korea recently. It’s one of several major conglomerates accused of making donations to non-profit foundations in exchange for political favors, which in Samsung’s case may have smoothed the path for a controversial merger, which was approved in July 2015.

Read the full story here.

The Nevada sun will power Tesla’s gigantic ‘Gigafactory’

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Since kicking off the project in 2014, Tesla has claimed its massive “Gigafactory” near Reno, Nevada, will be the largest lithium-ion battery cell manufacturing facility in the world, and that it will achieve that feat using renewable energy. Now we have some idea of the scale of Tesla’s commitment to that.

Read the full story here.

Microsoft’s mighty morphing mobile device would be a great Surface phone

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One of the more interesting Microsoft announcements of late 2016 came at its WinHEC event, where the company announced that full Windows 10 support is coming to ARM processors along with Windows desktop app support. That means that Windows 10 will benefit from processors that perform well but put minimal strain on batteries.

Read the full story here.

Fortress Clothing promises to keep you dry and warm in wet and cold weather

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One of the best ways to stay warm during cold weather is to keep dry. Whether it’s rain, snow, or sweat, there is always something to fend off. Garments have claimed to be both waterproof and breathable before, but most such fabrics typically become overwhelmed by water. This leads to a build-up of moisture that causes you to get cold.

Read the full story here.

Camera drone captures kitesurfer’s scary encounter with a great white shark

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Kitesurfing in Australia recently, Isabelle Fabre had an unexpected encounter with a great white shark. It’ll likely be a story she dines out on for many years, and thanks to her friend back on the beach capturing the entire incident with a camera drone, she’ll have some dramatic footage to show, too.

Read the full story here.

Most Americans doubt the safety of autonomous cars, study says

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As 2017 gets underway, it almost seems like self-driving cars are a foregone conclusion. Several automakers and tech companies are testing prototypes, and a handful of car companies have promised to put autonomous cars into production in the next few years. But is the American public ready for them?

Read the full story here.

Flexible football helmet absorbs hits like a car bumper, could put an end to concussions

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Despite the fact football continues to enjoy immense worldwide popularity (estimates put fan numbers at or above 400 million), the sport remains under constant scrutiny for its approach —or lack thereof— to concussions. The NFL finally acknowledged the negative impact concussions have on its billion dollar business and opted to start awarding research grants geared towards finding a solution. One such company that took the NFL’s greenbacks and ran is Vicis, a Seattle-based firm who just debuted an innovative new helmet.

Read the full story here.

How much RAM does your PC need? Probably less than you think

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Random Access Memory, usually shortened to “RAM” or simply “memory,” is one of the most important parts of any computer. But how much do you need? Current new PCs and similar devices range from around the 2GB mark, to 16GB or more. How much memory you require will depend on two factors, including what you want to do, and how much you’re willing to spend. This article will focus on computers running a desktop operating system, such as Windows, MacOS, and Chrome OS.

Read the full story here.

Lulu Chang
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Fascinated by the effects of technology on human interaction, Lulu believes that if her parents can use your new app…
One of the best budget phones just got even better
Google Pixel 7a in Snow showing home screen.

Phone deals feel extra sweet when they involve a discount on an already great value phone. That’s the case with the Google Pixel 7a which is currently on sale at Amazon for just $349. Usually priced at $499, it’s even better value while it’s $150 off. It’s unlikely to stay this price for too long and it’s already proving popular, so if you want to get in on the action, do so now. If you’re not certain, take a look at what we have to say about it below.

Why you should buy the Google Pixel 7a
The Google Pixel 7a is a big upgrade from its predecessor and while our review pointed out that its increased price was an issue, that’s no longer something to worry about while it’s on sale. One of the best cheap phones, it offers a lot of great features. One immediate thing to notice is its 6.1-inch OLED display. It’s a full HD screen with a 1080 x 2400 resolution, 20:9 aspect ratio, and Corning Gorilla Glass 3 for durability. It also has a 90Hz adaptive refresh rate so you get smoother scrolling and a generally better experience when watching videos or playing a game.

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Samsung Galaxy Ring: news, rumored price, release date, and more
Three sizes of the Samsung Galaxy Ring, sitting on top of a white display case.

The smart ring market has been dominated by the Oura Ring so far, but that is about to change with the upcoming launch of the Samsung Galaxy Ring. The ring was teased at Samsung's Unpacked event in January and then again at Mobile World Congress (MWC) in February.

The Galaxy Ring is expected to come with various health sensors to help you track your physical fitness and daily activities — all with the backing of Samsung Health. It's one of the most highly anticipated releases of the year, and this is everything we know about it (so far).
Samsung Galaxy Ring: release date

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Motorola just announced three new phones, and I need them right now
Renders of the Motorola Edge 50 Pro and Edge 50 Ultra smartphones.

We're barely four months into the year, and Motorola has already had a busy 2024. After launching multiple new Moto G phones this year, the company has now announced its new Motorola Edge 50 series.

There are three phones in total, and they look like formidable alternatives to some of the best Android phones available today — including the Pixel 8 and Galaxy S24 series. Here's what you need to know.
Motorola Edge 50 Ultra

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