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Weekly Rewind: Smartphones' effect on conversation, how to hide your wires, where to watch cartoons

top tech stories 03 10 2017 fidgetcube 9
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A lot can happen in a week when it comes to tech. The constant onslaught of news makes it nigh 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 what those revelations about the CIA’s hacking capabilities mean for you to a flying car — it’s all here.

Airbus took the wraps off its futuristic flying car, and it’s pretty insane

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If you rolled your eyes when you read about Airbus’s plan for a futuristic flying car last year, then you’ll be surprised at what showed up at the Geneva Motor Show this week. The aerospace giant unveiled a wickedly cool design for its ambitious “Pop.Up” transportation system, an autonomous concept comprising three separate modules.

Read the full story here.

Google says Android exploits mentioned in the CIA leak have been patched

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If you have an Android phone and this week’s revelations about the CIA’s hacking capabilities have you worried, we have some good news. On Thursday, Google told members of the press that many of the exploits and vulnerabilities mentioned in the report have been patched in subsequent versions of Android.

“As we’ve reviewed the documents, we’re confident that security updates and protections in both Chrome and Android already shield users from many of these alleged vulnerabilities,” said Heather Adkins, Google’s director of information security and privacy

Read the full story here.

Your favorite cartoon classics are about to get their own streaming service

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If you’re fan of classic cartoons, or your kids have yet to discover the hilarious delights of the shows that had you chuckling when you were a tot, then you might want to hear about a new online streaming service. Launching in the coming weeks, Time Warner’s new stand-alone video-on-demand service will offer much of the fabulous cartoon work created by Hanna-Barbera, Looney Tunes, and MGM that stretches back decades.

Read the full story here.

World’s first single-atom magnet is capable of storing a single bit of data

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IBM said on Wednesday that it has created the world’s smallest magnet by using a single atom. While you may ask what would be the point, consider that hard drives rely on magnetism to store data on their spinning discs. These drives are capable of using around 100,000 atoms to store a single bit of data. But with IBM’s new magnetic atom, one bit of data can be stored per atom, opening the door to new storage possibilities.

Read the full story here.

‘The Airbnb Story’: How an air mattress laid the foundation for an empire

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The most valuable commodity in Silicon Valley is a new idea. Now a new book by Fortune reporter Leigh Gallagher aims to tell the inside story of one of the Valley’s most remarkable success stories: Airbnb. Digital Trends recently caught up with Gallagher in New York to talk about how she landed the inside scoop in her latest book, The Airbnb Story.

Read the full story here.

Are smartphones killing the art of face-to-face conversation? We ask the experts

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Smartphones are everywhere now, and for many of us they serve as a constant companion. They keep us continually connected, filling gaps in our day, entertaining us, and demanding our attention with a string of notifications. Because they offer a convenient alternative to face-to-face conversations, and at times they butt into our chats directly, there’s a growing realization that they may be killing the art of conversation.

Read the full story here.

Scientists say study indicates that green light may help relieve pain

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Green has long been the color of nature and envy, even if it’s also associated with money and traffic lights int he modern world. Now however, some researchers think there may be another use for it as a potential pain reliever. University of Arizona professor Mohab Ibrahim was first inspired to undertake the study by his brother’s seemingly unusual treatment for his headaches.

Read the full story here.

Jimmy Kimmel reveals habit of Emma Watson that used to ruin Harry Potter takes

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Emma Watson has come a long way since her Harry Potter days. If your memory of Watson as the 9-year-old just beginning her acting career in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is hazy, Jimmy Kimmel was kind enough to offer a reminder. When the actress recently appeared on his show, he screened an outtake from the film that shows an old, bad habit of hers.

Read the full story here.

Are fidget toys legitimately good for your brain, or pseudoscientific snake oil?

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Fidget Cube has inevitably been followed by a number of other crowdfunding campaigns designed to appeal to the twitchy fingers of those who supported it. One was a fidget pen called Think Ink, which combines a titanium pen exterior with a number of tactile elements for distracted fingers to play with. It hit more than quadruple its funding target. But is this really a thing — or is the idea that a distracting toy can actually help us just a pseudoscientific marketing ploy?

Read the full story here.

Wire you doing this to me? How I hid unsightly tech in my smart apartment

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I want my apartment to be smart, but I don’t want it to look stupid. That is, I don’t mind having a digital frame on display, but I don’t want the cord hanging down the wall, calling attention to the fact that it’s a digital frame. To get a few ideas on how to hide some of the tech in my apartment, I asked Mya McDuffie from online interior design site Havenly for help.

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 biggest Oura Ring competitors just did something huge
The Ultrahuman Ring Air and the Oura Ring, resting on a table.

Ultrahuman, the maker of the Ultrahuman Ring Air, is making its way to U.S. production grounds. The company is setting up a production facility in Indiana, which will mark the first time a smart ring from Ultrahuman will be assembled from scratch on U.S. soil.

“The UltraFactory will offer an end-to-end production capability and is based on the company’s first operational model of such a facility in India,” the company says.

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Best Verizon new customer deals: Galaxy S24, iPhone and more
Verizon logo on a smartphone screen in a dark room and a finger touching it.

If you’re in the market for one of the best phones, or any new phone for that matter, you’re going to need a good carrier. Verizon has long been one of the most popular options, as it boasts one of the most reliable networks in the United States. It offers some of the best cell phone plans out there, and for new customers Verizon also offers some pretty impressive discounts on new phones. In many cases this means you can brand new, recently released phones entirely for free when signing up with Verizon. And that’s the case right now, as we’re currently seeing some of the best Verizon new customer deals we’ve seen. You can pretty easily land a new iPhone, Samsung Galaxy phone, and Google Pixel for free, and we’ve got all of the details on how to do so. If that sounds enticing, read onward and start shopping the best Verizon new customer deals available right now.
Free iPhone SE (3rd Gen)

The 2022 release of the Apple iPhone SE is yours for free when you sign up for a new 5G data plan on Verizon -- no trade-ins required. It's the best small smartphone in our list of the best smartphones with a 4.7-inch Liquid Retina display, but it doesn't sacrifice performance as it's powered by Apple's A15 Bionic chip that's also found in the iPhone 13 line and pre-installed with iOS 15. The latest iPhone SE is equipped with a single 12MP rear sensor and 7MP selfie camera, which are boosted by Apple's software to enable better photographs.

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AirTags range: here’s how far the tracker can reach
An AirTag attached on a keyring

Apple AirTags are a helpful tool for tracking valuable possessions like wallets, keys, luggage, and backpacks. These tags employ various technologies that allow you to track your items from short and long distances using your compatible Apple device, such as an iPhone 15 Plus. You might wonder how far you can track your items with AirTags. It's time to find out.
AirTags range, explained

The range of AirTags varies depending on the method you use to locate them. A Bluetooth connection will work when your AirTags are close to your supported Apple device. Otherwise, Apple's Find My network is utilized. Luckily, you don't have to choose the method because it's selected behind the scenes automatically.

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