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 what you can expect from the Windows 10 update to the identity of Jon Snow’s parents, it’s all here.
Here’s a complete list of what you’ll see in Windows 10’s big update this August
During Microsoft’s BUILD 2016 conference, the company announced that Windows 10 will receive a new, free update this summer called Anniversary Update. This “upgrade” will be rolled out to PCs, tablets, smartphones, the Xbox One console, Microsoft HoloLens, and Internet of Things (IoT) devices. It will make its debut on August 2, just days after Windows 10 celebrates its first birthday and after Microsoft pulls the plug on its free Windows 10 upgrade program.
Watch NASA test the monstrous rocket booster that’ll take us to Mars
NASA got one step closer to its mission of launching the Space Launch System (SLS) to Mars by this week putting the world’s most powerful rocket booster through its paces in a ground test at Orbital ATK’s test facilities in Promontory, Utah. Tuesday’s launch — as seen in the video and photo gallery accompanying this article — was the second time the rocket boosters have been tested in this way — and the last prior to lift-off in 2018 for a test flight with NASA’s Orion spacecraft, representing a key milestone on the much-anticipated Journey to Mars.
Who are Jon Snow’s parents? ‘Game of Thrones’ infographic provides definitive answer
Game of Thrones fans have long been told that Jon Snow is Ned Stark’s bastard, but speculation has run rampant that the fan favorite may actually have been born to a different member of the House Stark. While the HBO series has never offered any definitive proof either way, the network has now put an end to the speculation with a new infographic. And if you aren’t ready to know the truth, stop reading — there are spoilers ahead.
Neuroscientists just found that texting alters your brainwaves, but they can’t explain why
Does using a smartphone fundamentally alter the way that your brain works? While the jury is still out on the long-term effects of heavy cellphone use, a group of researchers at the Mayo Clinic recently discovered that text messaging elicits a change in the regular rhythm of brain waves, completely different than the waveforms created by any other activity. “The big deal with discovering this ‘texting rhythm’ is that the number of new brain waves that are identified on EEG (electroencephalogram) are extremely rare at this point in time,” said Dr. William Tatum.
Is BMW teaming up with Intel, Mobileye to develop autonomous vehicles?
Earlier in June, BMW announced a switch in the focus of it’s “i” sub-brand from efficiency to autonomous driving. Earlier this week BMW, chipmaker Intel, and machine-vision technology company Mobileye separately said the three companies will hold a joint news conference on Friday, according to Reuters. Without doubt, the purpose of the meeting will be to announce a partnership to develop self-driving vehicles. BMW has already said it will introduce an autonomous flagship model in 2021.
BrewArt lets homebrewers concoct their favorite beers from their smartphones
A team of craft beer aficionados from Australia’s Coopers Brewery has decided to elbow into this crowded industry with a device it’s dubbing the BrewArt (not to be confused with the ArtBrew). Armed with an idea culled from quality coffee brewers like Keurig and Nespresso, BrewArt hopes to revolutionize the on-demand beer market by allowing owners to replicate their favorite beers from the comfort of their own home.
Kanye West gets retail stores and sportswear line via expanded Adidas partnership
Kanye West once rapped, “I could be by myself and enjoy the company,” so the idea of a store full of his clothes could well be a dream he’s had for years. Today, Adidas announced that dream is a reality with a new partnership — Adidas + Kanye West — including an expansion of his apparel line as well as retail stores for Yeezy clothing only. Adidas deems the move “the most significant partnership ever created between a non-athlete and an athletic brand,” according to the press release.
The next Android flavor from Google is Nougat
It’s not Nutella, and it’s not the Indian dessert neyyappam — Android N has officially been dubbed as Nougat. If you didn’t know, Google has been naming its Android versions in alphabetical order after desserts — it all began with Android 1.5 Cupcake, and the most recent flavor was Android 6.0 Marshmallow. The new version, likely Android 7.0, has long-been teased to be Android Nutella, seeing as it was a popular choice.
The FDA approved this ‘stomach pump’ implant, and doctors aren’t happy about it
The FDA approved a controversial weight-loss device this month that allows obese patients to literally pump food from their stomach, through a tube, out their belly, and into the toilet. The AspireAssist consists of a surgically implanted tube that runs from the stomach to a small nozzle outside of the skin, and a system to pump and refill the lost contents. After a meal, patients fill a small reservoir with water, plug the system into the nozzle, and turn a lever to pump up to 30 percent of the stomach’s content into the toilet in about 10 minutes.
Robocup hopes robots can beat professional soccer players by 2050
The Messis, Ronaldos, and Neymars of the world may have competition from robots in a few years — at least that’s the goal of Robocup, an annual robot soccer competition that kicks off today in Leipzig, Germany. “The ultimate goal of Robocup is to develop humanoid soccer-playing robots that can beat the FIFA world champion team,” General Chair of Robocup 2016, Gerhard Kraetzschmar, tells Digital Trends. “We hope to reach that goal by 2050.”
