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Weekly Rewind: Rolling Stones return, another Note 7 explodes, and more

weekly rewind top tech stories 10 08 2016 wr 06 head
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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 how a new Samsung Galaxy Note 7 forced a flight to evacuate to everything we know about “Blade Runner 2049”, it’s all here.

Smoking replacement Samsung Galaxy Note 7 forces evacuation of flight

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The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 situation is getting more and more serious. Between children getting burned and fires getting started, Samsung has caused some serious havoc. The latest chapter in the saga? A smoking Galaxy Note 7 forced a Southwest flight to evacuate. The real kicker to this story is that the Galaxy Note 7 in question wasn’t an old model — it was one of the replacement models. What that means is that even replacement Galaxy Note 7 phones could be at risk of exploding. Obviously, that’s not good for Samsung.

Read the full story here.

Pixel phones, Daydream, Home — Oh my! Everything Google revealed at its Oct. 4 event

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Google announced a bunch of new hardware at its October 4 event, including two Pixel phones, a Daydream View VR headset, Google Home, Chromecast Ultra, Google Wifi and more. We gathered all the product news into one handy article. Here’s everything you need to know about the new products and when you can get them.

Read the full story here.

Everything we know so far about ‘Blade Runner 2049’

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In an era where studios relentlessly plunder the tombs of movies past, looking for the next successful remake or reboot, few revivals have caused as much trepidation and/or excitement as the upcoming Blade Runner sequel. Though some might consider it sacrilege to make a sequel to such a singular film, some big names behind the project — including Harrison Ford and Ridley Scott himself as producer and story developer — have made this one of the most anticipated sequels in the genre.

Read the full story here.

Jeep wants the Grand Wagoneer to be America’s Range Rover

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Jeep is moving forward with the development of a luxurious, range-topping SUV aimed squarely at Land Rover’s Range Rover. Recently approved for production, the long-rumored model will revive the storied Grand Wagoneer nameplate that has laid dormant for a quarter of a century. Some sources believe the Grand Wagoneer will share its basic platform and many mechanical components with the new Maserati Levante.

Read the full story here.

Amazon’s Alexa can be your extra hands in the kitchen with ChefSteps’ Joule

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Alexa gets to hang out with all the cool kids. Ford recently announced Amazon Alexa voice control system connectivity with three of its electric models. Now we learn that Alexa can take charge of ChefSteps‘ sous vide low-temperature water cooking appliance, Jouleaccording to Geek Wire. Cooking sous vide is a technique in which food in a vacuum bag is cooked in “precisely controlled, low-temperature water,” according to the ChefSteps website.

Read the full story here.

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The Rolling Stones to release first album in more than 10 years in December

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Ever since it was reported that the Rolling Stones were headed back to the studio last December, fans have been eagerly anticipating new songs from the long-enduring rock legends. But given the length of time fans have already waited — the Stones’ last studio album came out in 2005 — most expected this latest release might be in gestation for a good while.

Read the full story here.

Why is it so hard to cancel a subscription to Jessica Alba’s Honest Company?

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The wheels of consumer rights often turn slowly. For consumers who have filed complaints with the United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) about actress Jessica Alba’s Honest Company, trying to cancel unwanted and unsuspected subscriptions to the companies product shipments is virtually impossible, according to Gizmodo.

Read the full story here.

Samsung is buying the new AI assistant from the masterminds behind Siri

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Samsung is not going to be left out of the artificial intelligence revolution, but realizes it can’t do everything itself, and that only by purchasing innovative companies can it ensure it’s at the front of the pack. That’s why it has acquired Viv Labs, an expert in artificial intelligence, with the plan of bringing its talents to Galaxy phones and other appliances in the future.

Read the full story here.

Free trip to Mars, anyone? T-Mobile’s CEO is offering a ride to the red planet

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T-Mobile boss John Legere tweeted on Wednesday that when he joined the company, “people thought I was from Mars.” While some may actually still believe this to be the case, most people are just happy to have the charismatic CEO here on Earth entertaining the masses with his unique approach to brand promotion. Taking his marketing antics to a whole new level, Legere’s tweet also included an announcement of a grand contest with a stellar prize: a free trip to his homeland Mars.

Read the full story here.

Playing brain games won’t improve or protect your memory, study finds

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There is no proven crossover or transference from playing brain-training games to real-world benefits. You will not gain improved memory or sharper intellectual abilities according to a meta-analysis, or study of studies, cited by Extreme Tech. There is also no evidence that brain games will stave off Alzheimer’s, dementia, or other age-related conditions associated with cognitive loss.

Read the full story here.

Lulu Chang
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Fascinated by the effects of technology on human interaction, Lulu believes that if her parents can use your new app…
The Pixel Watch is about to get a long-awaited software update
The Google Pixel Watch 3 lying on top of a plant.

For the most part, Google has issued an update to the Pixel Watch roughly once a month. Most were simple security updates, while others included new features and OS upgrades. Fans expected an update in October, but Google delayed it until this month. This update will resume the rollout of Wear OS 5 to Pixel Watch 1 and Pixel Watch 2 users after a series of crashes caused Google to pause it back in September. After several months of work, the company has addressed the cause of the crashes and is confident that yesterday's update will be stable.

In addition to Wear OS 5, the update will also include better camera controls and changes to the Pixel Recorder app, which will be available through the Play Store. Your individual watch will notify you when the update is available for download, so you don't have to constantly check for it. The first update for the Pixel Watch 3 since its launch is also coming with bug fixes and security updates. All Pixel Watch models will eventually update to version AW2A.241105.012, although when the update happens will depend on both the carrier and the device.

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I wore two of 2024’s best smart rings. This is the one you should buy
A person holding the Oura Ring 4 and the RingConn Gen 2.

Now that the Oura Ring 4 is here, how does it stack up against the RingConn Gen 2? I’ve had both smart rings on for several weeks to help understand where each ring's strengths lie and which is the best to buy.

It's easy to think it all comes down to the price and whether you want to pay a subscription or not, but by wearing these smart rings, understanding the design differences, and testing out the very different apps each day, I can give you a much deeper insight into the best one to wear over the long term.
Is the Oura Ring 4 or the RingConn Gen 2 more comfortable?
The RingConn Gen 2 Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

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These ESR Gear mobile accessory deals are Apple-tastic — Save over 50% off
ESR Gear mobile accessory deals -- MagSafe 3-in-1 charger with devices

Shiny new phone? Preparing to get one soon? Congratulations, that's always a great feeling, isn't it? The dopamine hit of the mobile upgrade. But now it's time to start thinking about some smarter more efficient ways to use that device, even if it's not new. That's where mobile accessories come into the equation. From stands to car mounts and portable power packs, they extend the functionality and usability of your favorite and beloved smartphone. Chief among the phone gear options is ESR Gear with its excellent selection of MagSafe accessories. Need an example? Look no further than the ESR 3-in-1 MagSafe Charger with Qi2 wireless charging and CryoBoost cooling technology. It can charge the iPhone 16 and Apple Watch, fast.

But here's the thing: You came here under the guise that there were some great deals to be had, and I don't blame you, so let's get right into those. You can expect to save upwards of 30% off some of ESR Gear's best MagSafe options. They're already discounted, plus there are exclusive coupon codes to get an extra 10% off. All coupon codes are valid until December 25th.

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