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 the first week of January. Everything from the best of CES 2016 to a Netflix petition — it’s all here.
The Oculus Rift is $600: Here’s what you need before pre-ordering
After years of restless nights spent questioning when the Oculus Rift would arrive, we’re finally one step closer. Pre-orders for the wildly anticipated VR headset opened up on Wednesday, January 6 at 8 a.m. Pacific. We also caught word that every Oculus Rift unit will ship with a complimentary download of one of its flagship launch titles, dogfighting shooter Eve: Valkryie.
Russian hackers suspected in recent Ukrainian power outage
A Ukrainian power outage in late December is now suspected to be the result of a cyberattack, making the blackout the first ever caused by malware. Tens of thousands of people were left without power for several hours after the computers used to control the national grid were infected with the BlackEnergy Trojan malware, and many security experts have expressed concern over the implications of this recent attack.
This fully autonomous drone taxi is your traffic-jam dream come true
A Chinese UAV company named Ehang just unveiled the world’s first autonomous flying taxi. The plainly-named 184 drone is essentially a giant quadcopter designed to carry a single passenger — and it needs no pilot. Inside the cockpit, there are absolutely zero controls. No joystick, no steering wheel, no buttons, switches, or control panels — just a seat and a small tablet stand.
Pinterest hires its first head of diversity in an effort to broaden its workforce
Pinterest has hired its first ever diversity chief as it pursues its public goal of hiring more women and underrepresented minorities. The new top-level recruit, Candice Morgan, previously worked for almost a decade at Catalyst Inc., a non-profit dedicated to expanding opportunities for women in business. Morgan’s most recent role at the organization was as a senior director.
Immersit puts hydraulics on your couch, turning any movie into a Disney World ride
There’s plenty of reason to believe that virtual reality will finally make its mark on mainstream audiences in 2016 — but a functional headset is only the first step to a truly immersive experience. To ensure that users really feel like they’re a part of the game they’re playing or the movie they’re watching, a new device casts its attention towards your seat.
Next page: 5 more tech stories you might have missed this week