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Weekly Rewind: Tinder gets political, edible spoons, and more

Political Tinder
In the tech world, a lot happens in a week. So much news goes on, in fact, 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 best of Microsoft Build 2016 to the best April Fools jokes, it’s all here.

Stories: 1-5

Laugh it up! The 30 best April Fools’ Day tech jokes of 2016

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This year’s techy April Fools Day jokes were particularly good. April Fools is a day of jocular japes, full of laugh-out-loud moments, gut-busting guffaws, cheeky chuckles, and hernia-causing hilarity. The trauma we feel when it’s all over makes us wish life was this amusing every single day, and not just once a year. Sit down, make sure your surgical corset is tightly secured in case of any unexpected side-splittage, put that coffee aside (because you don’t want to spit it all over your keyboard, right?) and enjoy our pick of 2016’s April Fools’ day pranks, jokes, and wicked wheezes.

Read the full story here.

From Windows to AI, here’s everything Microsoft Announced at Build 2016

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From Windows 10 updates to plans for artificial intelligence, Microsoft’s Build 2016 Keynote had a little bit of everything. There were demonstrations of new features coming to Windows 10 and Xbox One; details of new tools coming for developers; and more than a few grand declaration of our AI-enhanced future. If you happened to miss the live stream of the conference, we have you covered. Read about everything that happened by clicking the link below.


Read the full story here.

Who’s your presidential sweetheart? Tinder gets political with ‘Swipe the Vote’

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If you’re still undecided on which candidate you want to run the United States, the popular dating app Tinder is offering a new feature that lets you swipe left or right on certain issues, such as if you want to “keep same-sex marriage legal” or “abolish the death penalty.” Each one of these cards offers more contextual information when you click on them.

Read the full story here.

The $35,000, 215-mile Model 3 is the final step in Tesla’s ‘Secret Master Plan’

Tesla unveiled the Model 3 — the EV for the everyman on March 31. The most accessible vehicle in Tesla’s catalog, the $35,000 sedan aims to bring affordable electric commuting to the masses with a base range of 215 miles and a targeted safety rating of five stars in every category. Let’s run down the basics, most of which we already knew. The Model 3 looks like a squished Model S with a flat front fascia and a snub trunk. It’s projected to go on sale at the end of 2017 for a pre-incentive base price of $35,000. After a federal tax credit of $7,500 is applied, the price drops to $27,500. Other local incentives could lower the price further.

Read the full story here.

Watch out, Netflix: Fullscreen’s $5/month video service is coming in April

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Subscription video on demand services are becoming a dime a dozen, but Fullscreen is looking to stand out among the many when it launches next month. The media company announced today that its new video streaming service will launch on April 26. Fullscreen’s ad-free VOD service will start at a lower price point than competitors such as Netflix, YouTube Red, Hulu, and HBO Now — the monthly fee will be $5 per month, reports Variety.

Read the full story here.

Stories: 6-10

Want to live forever? Ray Kurzweil thinks that may be possible very soon

Inventor Ray Kurzweil sees immortality in our future

When rock band Queen asked us “Who wants to live forever?” back in 1986, we interpreted it as standard lyrical rhetoric. But now, three decades and what feels like light years in technological, medical, and scientific advances later, the answer to that age-old question may have changed. And according to Ray Kurzweil, the famous American inventor who has been described as the “rightful heir to Thomas Edison,” we’re nearing immortality.

Read the full story here.

Is this a joke? Smell Dating service lets you find your soulmate by sniffing sweaty t-shirts

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If you thought Tinder was a sign of a dating apocalypse in the digital age, just wait until you hear about Smell Dating. The company claims that it will send you a t-shirt that you wear for three days straight before returning it, and in exchange you’ll receive assorted swatches of t-shirts worn by other Smell Daters just like you. If your nose and someone else’s nose agree that you’re a match, Smell Dating will facilitate an introduction.

Read the full story here.

To help us understand CTE, Harvard developed TeamStudy for ex-NFL players

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The sports world is known for its acronyms, but CTE is one abbreviation that sports players, coaches, and fans alike dread hearing. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a degenerative brain disease, has become nearly synonymous with the NFL these last several months. And now scientists from Harvard have developed an app to show ex-NFL players just how much of an effect their careers have had on their health. It’s called TeamStudy, and medical researchers hope that the platform may help us better understand what makes these athletes tick.

Read the full story here.

Sleep with the fishes (and sharks) in Airbnb’s underwater aquarium bedroom

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If Airbnb has its way, “sleeping with the fishes” might soon become more than just a euphemism. Earlier this week, the company kicked off a contest that will put three winners to bed in a glass enclosure underneath the Paris Aquarium. As if that wasn’t awesome enough, the sharky sleepover will also be hosted by Fred Buyle, a record-breaking freediver and dedicated shark lover.

Read the full story here.

To reduce plastic waste, this Indian startup thinks we should start using edible spoons

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What happened to your eating utensils after your last meal? Chances are you probably left it behind, or threw it away in a nearby trash can if it was made of plastic — but now, thanks to a new product from India-based startup Bakeys, you could soon be eating your spoons just as easily as you ate your lunch. Edible Cutlery, as its called, is an upcoming line of plant-based eating utensils that are totally safe to eat.

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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