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 debut of the OnePlus 3T to smart robot butlers, it’s all here.
The OnePlus 3T packs impressive hardware at a ‘flagship killer’ price point
The OnePlus 3 is not only an excellent smartphone, it’s also a very attractively priced one, and one we heartily recommend. While its successor, the OnePlus 3T, is less a revolutionary leap than an evolutionary move forward, it features a number of compelling improvements that instantly place it firmly in the pantheon of affordable smartphones.
Jaguar will build a classic XKSS for nine very lucky, very rich collectors
Jaguar Classic has revealed its own work of art within the stunning Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. Instead of looking forward, as Jaguar has with its all-electric I-Pace, the U.K. automaker has drawn upon its rich racing history to produce something truly remarkable. Nine XKSS sports cars will be produced for a select group of collectors and customers. Each vehicle will use a period-correct chassis and sell for more than $1,241,900.
Nike to open New York City store loaded with tech
Nike has come a long way from its humble beginnings, when founder Phil Knight sold early shoe models from his station wagon, to its present status as the most powerful sports brand in the world. The footwear conglomerate is flexing its creative and technological muscles with its new five-story, 55,000-square-foot store in the SoHo section of New York City.
Apple has begun its massive purge of apps from the App Store
Apple’s great purge of App Store apps has well and truly begun. The company announced in September that it would be removing apps that no longer worked as intended or didn’t follow guidelines from the App Store, and that process began in October. So how many apps did the company remove? A massive 47,300. App removals jumped up a hefty 238 percent last month.
Drones are now delivering pizza to paying customers in New Zealand
It’s happening. It’s really happening. Drones are starting to deliver goods in real-life commercial settings. In New Zealand, that is. In a move that will have Amazon’s Prime Air team looking on with envy, and possibly salivating as well, a branch of Domino’s Pizza about 10 miles north of central Auckland has sent out its first drone carrying piping hot pizza to an actual paying customer.
Users can now donate to their favorite nonprofits through Apple Pay
Apple Pay has supported consumerism for the last couple years, but now it’s supporting a different kind of spending — that of the charitable nature. With the holiday season, #GivingTuesday, and goodwill all right around the corner, Apple has announced that its mobile payments platform now supports instant donations to nonprofits. So now, in addition to buying yourself that new winter coat, you can help keep someone else warm this holiday season, too.
40 tech companies send letter detailing their policy priorities to President-elect Trump
A coalition of 40 companies, called the Internet Association, have sent President-elect Donald Trump a 12-page letter detailing a road map and policies for his administration to consider. The policies highlight key areas the association, which includes companies like Facebook and Google, believe Trump should focus on in regard to the internet sector.
It only took 30 seconds for white hat hackers to crack a Google Pixel
Looking for a way to swagger down the street like John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever, while silently informing your fellow citizens that you’re a tech-savvy early adopter? If this oddly specific fantasy happens to be one you share, you may want to check out a new Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign that offers what its creators claim are the “world’s first customizable mid-top E-sneakers.”
Luxury apartments in Los Angeles come with smart robot butlers
Does the idea of a snake robot that enters your body via your nose or urethra — i.e., the duct in the end of the penis through which fluids are conveyed — sound like the stuff of nightmares? Well, forget any temporary thoughts of discomfort because such a robot may just save your life one day. A bioengineering professor at Vanderbilt University, Nabil Simaan, has been busy developing snake-like robots for more than a decade.
Sex or cybersecurity? Nearly four in 10 say they’d rather be secure
Ever wondered what kind of amenities you could expect if you rented a luxury apartment for $25,000 per month? California-based robotics company Savioke has your answer — and it’s a smart robot butler called Charley. Charley is a “Relay” model room service robot, capable of delivering everything from mail to takeout meals directly to your door. From next year it will be servicing the wealthy patrons of Los Angeles’ new upmarket Crescent Heights Ten Thousand building.
