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 the return of the Nokia 3310 to how we can prevent AI from stealing our jobs — it’s all here.
Robots and AI are coming for our jobs. Can augmentation save us from automation?
Augmentation was the running theme of this year’s Bodyhacking Conference in Austin, Texas. Attendees lined up for RFID implants, speakers demonstrated bionic body parts, grinders exhibited artificial senses, and an entire fashion show put “smart” apparel on display. Incidentally, most of the augmentations were idiosyncratic and wouldn’t make a potential employee more competitive in the future job market. With this in mind, we explored the ways in which augmentation may safeguard us from automation.
Nokia announces the return of the legendary 3310
Toyota hits a green milestone with its 10 millionth hybrid sale
Sales of Toyota’s hybrid cars show no sign of hitting the brakes as the Japanese car giant announced this week that it’s now sold more than 10 million of its environmentally friendly motors worldwide. The company reached the milestone at the end of January, nearly 20 years after it first deployed the technology in the Coaster Hybrid EV minibus in August, 1997.
Pioneer unveils the first Lightning earphones that let you charge and listen
When Apple released the iPhone 7 without a headphone jack, it was the end of an era. Like it or not, it’s doubtful the company will re-introduce the headphone jack in the future. Headphones with Lightning connectors are gaining in number, but many introduce another problem in that you cannot charge and listen at the same time. With its new Rayz Plus earphones, Pioneer lets you do both.
The workplace of the future tracks your every move, whether you like it or not
Access control is nothing new in the office world, where keys slowly migrated over to smart key cards. However, several new startups now aim to give employers a more vivid picture of their office environment by tracking everything their employees do — save for visiting the restroom — via smart sensors and new technologies. One of the most sophisticated companies in this brave new world is Enlighted, an IoT company whose goal is no less than “redefining smart buildings.”