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 Google I/O’s dates to a head transplant, it’s all here.
Stories: 1-5
Set the date! Google I/O runs from May 18-20 in Mountain View, California
The official Google I/O app has been updated to reflect the upcoming developer conference at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California from May 18 to May 20. The annual event is a place for Google to unleash all of its software and service announcements, but it also allows developers to get in touch with the creator of the biggest search engine and mobile operating system. Google CEO Sundar Pichai announced the dates on Twitter in January, and the Web page went live in March.
Track your favorite Game of Thrones character on this interactive map of Westeros
Game of Thrones features a lot of characters (dozens of them are dead, but even more remain living) and those characters travel to a lot of different places across a vast and expansive world. Keeping track of all that can be quite difficult, so an interactive map showing you what everyone is doing and where they are at various points in the story would be very useful.
New app promises to solve the problem of texting while driving
“Don’t text and drive” has become so common a message in our smartphone-obsessed era that too often, it seems to go ignored. But now, there may be a new way to stop drivers from pursuing their distractions — at least, the palm-sized ones. A new app from Romex employs a smartphone’s GPS system to detect the speed at which it’s moving, and if that speed is faster than four miles per hour, it locks the device.
Hong Kong’s Eco Smart Home packs luxury living into a mere 400 square feet
As anyone who’s ever rented a studio apartment can attest, a 400-square-foot living space leaves much to be desired. For one such studio apartment located in the Hong Kong business district of Central, utilizing a well-known local interior design firm was all that was required to turn 400 square feet of living space into a spacious, luxury smart home.Facebook pays 10-year-old $10,000 for finding Instagram security flaw
This is what it looks like if you strap a GoPro to a rocket
If you think the GoPro footage you shot on your last skiing trip rocked, you ain’t seen nothing yet. Don’t believe us? Then check out this stunning video of an UP Aerospace rocket launch shot with a bunch of on-board Hero4 cameras. The mission was to deploy the 11-pound Maraia capsule into space, at the same time testing the capsule’s aerodynamics and stability on its high-speed return to Earth.
Stories: 6-10
Don’t lose your head: Doctor ready to perform first human head transplant
Lost your mind? You can get a new one. Literally. Actually, you can get more than a new mind — a doctor is now preparing to prepare the very first ever whole head transplant. No, DT hasn’t turned into a science fiction publication — this is the latest in scientific advancement. t’s a plan that Italian neurosurgeon Sergio Canavero has been concocting for years, first introducing the notion to the public in 2013.
Facebook pays 10-year-old $10,000 for finding Instagram security flaw
Plenty of tech companies are offering very generous rewards to those who manage to find security loopholes in their networks — just ask 10-year-old Jani, who isn’t even old enough to have an Instagram account but still managed to hack the social media network. His reward for doing so? A cool $10,000. The Finnish boy uncovered a flaw in the network that essentially allowed him to delete any comment on Instagram.
FDA adds sweeping new e-cigarette regulations, bans sales to minors
The United States Food and Drug Administration announced on Thursday that it would begin regulating all tobacco-related products, including cigars, pipe tobacco, hookah tobacco, and even e-cigarettes. This new rule will have a profound effect on the e-cigarette industry and the culture of vaping, which has exploded in popularity in recent years.
You can’t always get what you want, the Rolling Stones tell The Donald
The Donald won’t be getting any satisfaction from the Rolling Stones’ recent comments. The British rockers have told the Republican’s presumptive presidential nominee to stop using their music at his campaign rallies across the U.S. “The Rolling Stones have never given permission to the Trump campaign to use their songs and have requested that they cease all use immediately,” a spokesperson for the Stones told the BBC this week.
Dodge food and sweat with this gorgeous workwear that’s impossible to stain
There’s nothing worse than getting a giant stain on your dress when you’re at work. Luckily, fashion companies are getting into tech that’ll keep your clothes pristine through even the busiest workdays. Elizabeth and Clarke launched a Kickastarter campaign this week for a collection of women’s workwear that’s stain, spill, and sweat resistant.
