Skip to main content

Weekly Rewind: Tinder gets political, edible spoons, and more

Political Tinder
Image used with permission by copyright holder
In the tech world, a lot happens in a week. So much news goes on, in fact, 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 the top 10 tech stories from this week. Everything from the best of Microsoft Build 2016 to the best April Fools jokes, it’s all here.

Stories: 1-5

Laugh it up! The 30 best April Fools’ Day tech jokes of 2016

zuckerberg-hm-collection-720x480-c
Image used with permission by copyright holder

This year’s techy April Fools Day jokes were particularly good. April Fools is a day of jocular japes, full of laugh-out-loud moments, gut-busting guffaws, cheeky chuckles, and hernia-causing hilarity. The trauma we feel when it’s all over makes us wish life was this amusing every single day, and not just once a year. Sit down, make sure your surgical corset is tightly secured in case of any unexpected side-splittage, put that coffee aside (because you don’t want to spit it all over your keyboard, right?) and enjoy our pick of 2016’s April Fools’ day pranks, jokes, and wicked wheezes.

Read the full story here.

From Windows to AI, here’s everything Microsoft Announced at Build 2016

build2015_satya-nadella_final_print-1200x0
Image used with permission by copyright holder

From Windows 10 updates to plans for artificial intelligence, Microsoft’s Build 2016 Keynote had a little bit of everything. There were demonstrations of new features coming to Windows 10 and Xbox One; details of new tools coming for developers; and more than a few grand declaration of our AI-enhanced future. If you happened to miss the live stream of the conference, we have you covered. Read about everything that happened by clicking the link below.


Read the full story here.

Who’s your presidential sweetheart? Tinder gets political with ‘Swipe the Vote’

Political-Tinder-0001
Image used with permission by copyright holder

If you’re still undecided on which candidate you want to run the United States, the popular dating app Tinder is offering a new feature that lets you swipe left or right on certain issues, such as if you want to “keep same-sex marriage legal” or “abolish the death penalty.” Each one of these cards offers more contextual information when you click on them.

Read the full story here.

The $35,000, 215-mile Model 3 is the final step in Tesla’s ‘Secret Master Plan’

Tesla unveiled the Model 3 — the EV for the everyman on March 31. The most accessible vehicle in Tesla’s catalog, the $35,000 sedan aims to bring affordable electric commuting to the masses with a base range of 215 miles and a targeted safety rating of five stars in every category. Let’s run down the basics, most of which we already knew. The Model 3 looks like a squished Model S with a flat front fascia and a snub trunk. It’s projected to go on sale at the end of 2017 for a pre-incentive base price of $35,000. After a federal tax credit of $7,500 is applied, the price drops to $27,500. Other local incentives could lower the price further.

Read the full story here.

Watch out, Netflix: Fullscreen’s $5/month video service is coming in April

you’re in fullscreen

Subscription video on demand services are becoming a dime a dozen, but Fullscreen is looking to stand out among the many when it launches next month. The media company announced today that its new video streaming service will launch on April 26. Fullscreen’s ad-free VOD service will start at a lower price point than competitors such as Netflix, YouTube Red, Hulu, and HBO Now — the monthly fee will be $5 per month, reports Variety.

Read the full story here.

Stories: 6-10

Want to live forever? Ray Kurzweil thinks that may be possible very soon

Inventor Ray Kurzweil sees immortality in our future

When rock band Queen asked us “Who wants to live forever?” back in 1986, we interpreted it as standard lyrical rhetoric. But now, three decades and what feels like light years in technological, medical, and scientific advances later, the answer to that age-old question may have changed. And according to Ray Kurzweil, the famous American inventor who has been described as the “rightful heir to Thomas Edison,” we’re nearing immortality.

Read the full story here.

Is this a joke? Smell Dating service lets you find your soulmate by sniffing sweaty t-shirts

Smell Dating

If you thought Tinder was a sign of a dating apocalypse in the digital age, just wait until you hear about Smell Dating. The company claims that it will send you a t-shirt that you wear for three days straight before returning it, and in exchange you’ll receive assorted swatches of t-shirts worn by other Smell Daters just like you. If your nose and someone else’s nose agree that you’re a match, Smell Dating will facilitate an introduction.

Read the full story here.

To help us understand CTE, Harvard developed TeamStudy for ex-NFL players

chargers-vs-cardinals-nfl-football
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The sports world is known for its acronyms, but CTE is one abbreviation that sports players, coaches, and fans alike dread hearing. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a degenerative brain disease, has become nearly synonymous with the NFL these last several months. And now scientists from Harvard have developed an app to show ex-NFL players just how much of an effect their careers have had on their health. It’s called TeamStudy, and medical researchers hope that the platform may help us better understand what makes these athletes tick.

Read the full story here.

Sleep with the fishes (and sharks) in Airbnb’s underwater aquarium bedroom

aquarium-de-paris-shark-airbnb-970x647-c
Image used with permission by copyright holder

If Airbnb has its way, “sleeping with the fishes” might soon become more than just a euphemism. Earlier this week, the company kicked off a contest that will put three winners to bed in a glass enclosure underneath the Paris Aquarium. As if that wasn’t awesome enough, the sharky sleepover will also be hosted by Fred Buyle, a record-breaking freediver and dedicated shark lover.

Read the full story here.

To reduce plastic waste, this Indian startup thinks we should start using edible spoons

India Innovates Episode 4 - Edible Cutlery

What happened to your eating utensils after your last meal? Chances are you probably left it behind, or threw it away in a nearby trash can if it was made of plastic — but now, thanks to a new product from India-based startup Bakeys, you could soon be eating your spoons just as easily as you ate your lunch. Edible Cutlery, as its called, is an upcoming line of plant-based eating utensils that are totally safe to eat.

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…
Why you need to be excited about the Google Pixel 8a
A person holding the Google Pixel 8, showing the screen.

This is going to be a busy year for Google Pixel devices. In less than a month, Google is expected to launch its first new Pixel of the year with the Google Pixel 8a. Following that, we're expecting a Google Pixel Fold 2, possibly another Pixel Tablet, the Pixel 9 series, and a Pixel Watch 3 later in the fall.

There's plenty to look forward to with all of those Pixels, but if you ask me, I think the Pixel 8a is the most promising of the bunch. In a year when Google has exciting upgrades planned for its flagship and foldable phones, Google's budget-focused omodel is what's really on my mind.
Google is at its best with cheaper phones
The Google ixel 3a XL (left) and Pixel 3 XL Julian Chokkattu / Digital Trends

Read more
Amazon Fire HD 10 and Fire Max 11 prices slashed… for now
Someone holding the Amazon Fire Max 11 tablet.

If you're looking for affordable tablet deals, it's highly recommended that you check out Amazon's Fire tablets. The latest releases of the brand's largest models are still relatively cheap, and limited-time discounts have further lowered their prices on Amazon right now. The 32GB version of the Amazon Fire HD 10 is down to $95 from $140 for savings of $45, and the 64GB version of the Amazon Fire Max 11 is down to $180 from $230 for savings of $50. You're going to have to be fast with your purchase once you've chosen which one to buy though, because these tablets may be back to their regular prices as soon as tomorrow.
Amazon Fire HD 10 (32GB, with lockscreen ads) -- $95, was $140

The 2023 release of the Amazon Fire HD 10 retains the tablet's budget-friendly price  despite several improvements compared to its predecessor, including 25% faster performance, slightly less weight by 30 grams, and an upgraded front-facing camera from 2MP to 5MP for clearer selfies and video calls. The Amazon Fire HD 10 features a 10.1-inch Full HD touchscreen that's durable enough to withstand daily wear and tear, compatibility with Amazon's Alexa for voice commands, and decent performance for your daily tasks with its octa-core processor and 3GB of RAM. The tablet comes with 32GB of internal storage, but if you need additional space for your apps and files, you can get up to 1TB more through its microSD card slot.

Read more
The camera on this Android phone is confusing, but I love it
The back of the Tecno Camon 30 Premier.

I’m all for a lot of detail, and love to hear about the new technology that’s inside a smartphone I’m about to test, but when I have to search for an explanation of what something means, it’s not a good start. The Tecno Camon 30 Premier suffers from this problem, as it has a lot of cool camera tech that is explained in a mystifying way.

So, I thought the best thing to do was to just ignore the tech speak and find out if it takes great photos the old-fashioned way.
What's the problem?

Read more