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Weekly Rewind: ‘Inception’ is real, new iPhone 7 rumors, and life beyond Earth

Saturn and Life on Titan
NASA
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 the top 10 tech stories from this week. Everything from all the latest news and rumors about the impending iPhone 7 to the repercussions of a driverless future, it’s all here.

iPhone 7 rumors and news leaks

Enjoying the feel of that sparkly new rose-gold iPhone 6S in your hand, and the joy of 3D Touch? We don’t want to spoil that love affair, but Apple’s already working on the iPhone 7 — and rumors about it are beginning to heat up. Here’s what we think we know about Apple’s next major smartphone release so far.

Read the full story here.

Cornell University research finds life could exist on Saturn’s moon Titan

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Image used with permission by copyright holder

Despite its seemingly inhospitable climate, life could exist on Saturn’s moon Titan, according to research by scientists at Cornell University. With an average temperature of -290 F, Titan has plenty of water ice but hardly any water vapor, due to water’s very low vapor pressure. That means any life that might exist would have to be non-water based — that is, unlike any life on Earth.

Read the full story here.

What happens to drivers? The ripple effects of autonomous cars go beyond safety

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Image used with permission by copyright holder

If you’re thinking about autonomous or self-driving cars these days, you’re probably thinking about safety. Recent events have raised serious doubts over whether self-driving cars are really ready for widespread public use. But that’s not what this story is about. This story is about the social and economic consequences of the coming wave of semi-autonomous and completely self-driving vehicles.

Read the full story here.

This Kevlar iPhone cable is supposed to survive anything … so we blew it up

For the past few weeks, a company by the name of Zus has been generating a lot of buzz with its innovative new product: the Zus Kevlar cable. Unlike most charging cables, which tend to fray or break after a few months of rough use, the Zus Kevlar is designed to withstand a ridiculous amount of abuse. How much abuse can this cable really take? Check out the video to find out.

Read the full story here.

A coin-sized device could have big effect on treating cancer with electric fields

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Image used with permission by copyright holder

There might be a new cancer treatment on the horizon, and it’s the size of a coin. A new device developed by a team of researchers at MIT’s Singapore research center seeks to test the effect of electric fields on the spread of malignant cancer cells. But more compelling still, this tiny device may be able to personalize cancer treatment on a patient-by-patient basis.

Read the full story here.

Yes, it’s possible to plant ‘Inception’-style experiences into people’s brains

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Image used with permission by copyright holder

Think Chris Nolan’s 2010 blockbuster Inception was total science fiction? Think again. At least, that’s one conclusion we can draw from newly published research which demonstrated that it is possible to plant simple subliminal messages in people’s minds without their knowledge. In the experiment, subjects lying in an fMRI machine were subconsciously trained to see the color red when they were shown pictures of black and white stripes over a period of several days.

Read the full story here.

These could be the 9 best drone images you see all year

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Image used with permission by copyright holder

Imagine an Instagram that’s just for drone photos. Got it? Good, because that’s what Dronestagram is all about. Now, imagine that all the best photos from Dronestagram get put into one place, and you have the International Drone Photography contest. Hosted by Dronestagram, the international contest welcomed entries in three categories, through the month of June: travel, adventure and sports, and nature and wildlife.

Read the full story here.

Where did all these after-show talk shows come from? And why do we love them?

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Image used with permission by copyright holder

Water-cooler talk about the hottest shows on TV isn’t a new concept. But in a day and age when social media is replacing the water cooler and the talk consists of hashtags, an interesting trend is emerging. The concept of the network after-show talk show is blowing up, whereby episodes of top shows are dissected in an open, and thoroughly entertaining, forum. And on television.

Read the full story here.

Listen: Britney Spears, J-Lo, and dozens of pop stars release single to help Orlando victims

“Hands” - A Song for Orlando

A massive number of pop musicians from all genres have teamed up with Interscope records and GLAAD (formerly known as the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) to release Hands, a new single dedicated to victims of the recent Orlando shooting. The song features Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez, Mary J. Blige, Gwen Stefani, Selena Gomez, Jason Derulo, Kacey Musgraves, Pink, Imagine Dragons, Juanes, Prince Royce, Adam Lambert, Halsey,  Troye Sivan, Megan Trainor, MNEK, Nate Ruess, Ty Herndon, Tyler Glenn, Alex Newell, Jussie Smollett, RuPaul, and the Trans Chorus of Los Angeles.

Read the full story here.

The best (and smartest) window air conditioners on the market

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Image used with permission by copyright holder

It doesn’t matter if it’s an apartment, bedroom, office, garage or classroom – sometimes you have a space that you really, really need to cool down, and that old desk fan just isn’t cutting it anymore. It’s time to upgrade to a window air conditioner…but what kind? Luckily, today’s window-based AC units are smarter and more efficient than ever, and we’ve collected the best of the best for you to choose between.

Read the full story here.

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Lulu Chang
Former Digital Trends Contributor
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One of the headliner features of the iOS 16.5 update is the addition of new Pride Celebration wallpapers. This wallpaper can be used for the lock and home screens, and it is meant to honor the LGBTQ+ community and culture. This wallpaper is being released ahead of the Apple Watch Pride Edition Sport Band, which will be available starting on May 24.

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I had a ton of hope when I splurged the equivalent of $1,700 on the iPhone 14 Pro last year, buying into the camera hype of the new 48-megapixel sensor, the snazzy Dynamic Island, and a faster chip. I was sorely disappointed, especially when I looked at the competition and noticed I was missing out on meaningful perks like a folded lens telephoto camera for a higher lossless zoom range. I was not alone in sharing the disappointment.

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The more we hear about it, the more that the base iPhone 15 is sounding like another version of the iPhone 14 Pro. A new leak posted to Chinese social media site Weibo claims that the iPhone 15 and the iPhone 15 Plus will both feature frosted glass on their backs — giving them a look similar to the most recent iPhone Pro models.

For the last few generations of iPhones, frosted glass backs have been exclusive to the Pro models, as it gives them a distinct visual style and allows them to lean a little deeper into their striking colors. If the information in the leak is correct, then there might not be much to easily distinguish the differences between the base iPhone 15 and its Pro counterpart when they launch later this year.

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