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He went how far? Flyboard Air hoverboard pilot sets distance record

Hot on the heels of their video that burned up the internet last month, the inventors of the seemingly magical flying machine called the Flyboard Air have released a new video of daredevil pilot Franky Zapata setting a new world record for the longest flight aboard a hoverboard. The old record stood at a tick over 900 feet. So, how much did the Flyboard beat it by? Literally… a mile.

Zapata flew his jet-powered Flyboard Air over 7,300 feet – over a mile and quarter – and he made it look easy. Zapata gently touched down in front of hundred of onlookers – and Guinness World Record book officials – after cruising along at height of about 100 feet and 44 miles an hour. The Flyboard Air uses a combination of small jet turbines and electric ducted fans, all responding to a small handheld controller.

Lots of people called Zapata’s first video a hoax, but we have to say that this time, we don’t see how anyone can doubt how awesome – and potentially revolutionary – the Flyboard Air really is. Certainly, there will be many more distance and altitude records in the near future.

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The battle between personal data privacy and the long arm of the law rages on. This time, a judge in Los Angeles has served the girlfriend of an alleged Armenian gang member with a warrant demanding she unlock her phone – with her fingerprint. The LA. Times says the FBI wants Paytsar Bkhchadzhyan to unlock her phone so they can see all the stuff inside.

Some legal eagles claim that’s a violation of the Fifth Amendment, but two years ago, the Supreme Court ruled that simply unlocking a phone isn’t against The Fifth and police could compel suspects to put finger to phone without a warrant. So, yes, this whole phone-password encryption-evidence thing is a total mess. Get more details on the whole story below and at this point, you just might want to reconsider what kind of data you keep on your phone.

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The trailer for Infinite Warfare, the latest version of the best-selling game Call of Duty, has hit the interwebs, and it looks like it’s received quite the sci-fi upgrade. The new setting: Spaaaaace. And, of course, also on planets. Yes, there’s still lots of urban warfare to revel in, but there’s also vast armadas of space cruisers, trans-atmospheric fighter planes to pilot, and lots and lots of explosions.

The game is expected to reach orbit on November 4 and for $80 and will include an HD remaster of the Modern Warfare edition. Twenty dollars more gets you a season pass, and for $120 it also comes with a soundtrack album and other goodies.

Bill Roberson
Former Digital Trends Contributor
I focus on producing Digital Trends' 'DT Daily' video news program along with photographing items we get in for review. I…
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