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 the what to look for in Apple’s new Mac lineup to what you need to know about Nintendo’s Switch gaming console, it’s all here.
The Nintendo ‘NX’ is Now the Nintendo ‘Switch’
After months of speculation, Nintendo released a trailer announcing that its next console will be called the Nintendo Switch, and will launch in March, 2017. The Nintendo Switch will be a hybrid console that be used at home on a TV, and also as a portable console similar to Nintendo’s Game Boy and DS lines. The portable version of the console looks very similar to the Wii U game pad controller — a rounded, rectangular panel with two analog sticks, four face buttons, four directional buttons, and two triggers on either side. There are also + and – shaped buttons, to mirror the + and – buttons on the Wii, a “home” button, and an unnamed square button. In case you’re wondering, the portable console also features a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Everything we know about Apple’s new Mac lineup, coming October 27
There has been no dearth of speculation about Apple’s MacBook. It has been quite some time since Apple last updated the line and with the release of MacOS Sierra in September, the rumor mills have been busy. Obviously, Apple will be coming out with new machines — the only questions are: What and when? Now, it appears that Apple will be hosting an event aimed at answering those questions on October 27. The event will be held in Cupertino, California, and will come a day after Microsoft holds its own event.
Eminem takes on Trump, his supporters with new ‘Campaign Speech’ song
Eminem is “Chuck Norris with a thesaurus” — just listen to his new song. The rapper revealed in a tweet today that he is working on a new album and also offered up a new track, Campaign Speech. Described by Eminem as “something meaningful,” the nearly eight-minute-long song touches on a number of political issues, from excessive force to the abortion. Not surprisingly, the 2016 presidential election is worked into the stanzas as well. Eminem specifically calls out the Trump campaign.
Every Tesla car, including the $35,000 Model 3, will now include Autopilot
One day in the near future, you will look out your car’s window and see something you’ve never seen before — a fully driverless vehicle on a public road. There may be a man reading a newspaper in the driver’s seat or perhaps a family lounging in the back, nobody at the wheel save for a computer. That future is coming … and vehicles with the technology to do it are already roaming the streets.
We snuck a peek inside Google’s first pop-up shop, and AI was everywhere
Back in September, Digital Trends exclusively reported that Google would open pop-up shops in New York City to showcase its latest and greatest hardware. Google will open the doors of its new 96 Spring Street pop-up shop on October 20 to the public. The space will be open throughout the holidays to tempt people into buying Google’s Pixel phones, Daydream View VR headset, Google Home, and Chromecast Ultra. (Caveat: You won’t be able to buy any products at the store.)
Every phone, TV, car, and streaming service LeEco announced at its first big U.S. event
LeEco, formerly known as Letv, is finally coming to the U.S. The company’s big event kicked off in San Francisco on October 19. The company announced two smartphones, some TVs, a streaming service, and outlined plans for its electric autonomous car and a smart bike. We have all the news for you here in this roundup, including the LePro 3, LeEco S3, its streaming servcie, four TVs, and the LeSee electric autonoumus car.
Coen brothers to write screenplay for ‘Dark Web’ film based on Silk Road
Wired’s two-part story unearthing the murky details behind Ross Ulbricht’s illegal online marketplace “The Silk Road” will hit the big screen, with two of Hollywood’s most highly praised filmmakers at the helm. Titled Dark Web, the Fox-made movie will enlist the help of the Coen brothers (Fargo, The Big Lebowski, No Country for Old Men, True Grit, and more) to write the film’s screenplay. Engadget reports that it’s not clear whether or not the brothers will also direct the movie.
The Galaxy Note 7 is a dangerous phone, but a hilarious Halloween costume
Stuck for ideas about a Halloween costume this year? Not musician Chris Kiley, he’s definitely all set for October 31 with his hilarious Samsung Galaxy Note 7 costume, and it’s one that makes him look smoking hot, in the truest sense of the phrase. Posted on his Facebook page, Kiley’s costume looks very simple at first, just six Galaxy Note 7 boxes stuck to a t-shirt. That is, until he blows into a tube. That’s when the smoke starts coming from the boxes. Kiley’s eyebrow raise and mischievous grin says it all.
So what would happen if a drone hit a plane? The U.K. is trying to find out
While it’s hard to know the precise ratio of dimwits to drones, there certainly seems to be enough of the former owning the latter to cause serious scares at major airports from time to time. Thankfully there have so far been no reported incidents of the remotely controlled flying machines coming into direct contact with a much bigger aircraft full of pilots and passengers. But what if it does happen? What kind of damage could a quadcopter do to an airplane?
I was blind but now I read: Wearable cameras can help legally blind read text
The same camera technology that automatically recognizes faces and text could help the legally blind read. A new study presented at the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s annual meeting showed that legally blind study participants more than tripled their accuracy in several daily activities involving reading, as well as a few non-reading activities, by using a wearable camera.
