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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
Everett Collection/Shutterstock
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…
I record interviews for work. These are my favorite free recorder apps
The iPhone 14 Pro and Google Pixel 7 Pro's voice recording apps running together.

The Voice Recorder app on a phone (left) and the Voice Memos on another phone Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Before you head to the app store on your phone to buy a voice-recording app, take a moment to consider the apps that may already be installed on your phone. Why? In my experience, they're likely all you really need. I’ve recorded interviews and voice-overs for work for years, and I’ve found the two best examples come preinstalled on your phone already, so they’re entirely free to use.

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The best Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 cases: 10 best ones so far
Two Galaxy Z Fold 5 phones next to each other -- one is open and one is closed.

Samsung’s next-generation foldable is here with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5. This iteration has some notable improvements, including a new hinge design that eliminates the gap from previous generations when the device was folded. You also get a 6.2-inch HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display on the outside while having a 6.7-inch QXGA+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display on the inside, with both screens having a 120Hz refresh rate. In other words, they're about as nice as you could ask for.

The Galaxy Z Fold 5 is made with premium materials, and the triple-lens camera system packs in a 50MP main shooter, 10MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom, and a 12MP ultrawide lens. There’s a 10MP selfie camera on the front cover, and a 4MP camera on the inner display. You also get a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chip inside for the best performance and power efficiency.

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Google Pixel Tablet just got its first big discount and it’s worth a look
Google Pixel Tablet on its charging dock.

Tablets are a dime-a-dozen these days, with offerings from all the great brands including Apple, Samsung, Lenovo, and more. So, if you really want to stand out in a sea of similar tech, you need to do things a little differently. That's what Google's Pixel Tablet offers. How? It comes with a unique speaker dock that can be used to both charge the device and offer room-filling sound -- almost like a smart speaker add-on. Better yet, when your Pixel Tablet is docked it benefits from the Hub Mode, turning the device into a smart display, with digital photo frame support, smart home controls, and hands-free Google functionality. Of course, it could set you back at full price, normally $499 unless you find it included in a roundup of the best Google Pixel deals. Well, guess what? Thanks to a Best Buy Google Pixel Tablet deal, you can get it today for $439 and save $60. Hurry, though, it's part of Best Buy's recent 48-hour sale so it won't stick around for long.

Why you should buy the Google Pixel Tablet
Okay, okay, so in our Google Pixel Tablet review, Joe Maring did give it less than stellar remarks, but he called out its reliable fingerprint sensor, comfortability during use and excellent speaker dock. Honestly, how many tablets come with a matching speaker dock that transforms the entire experience? This tablet also marks a "lot of firsts" for Google, as it's the first tablet from the company in nearly five years, the first Android tablet in eight years, and can be converted into a smart home display with the speaker dock. All of which are notable milestones.

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