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Weekly Rewind: Jason Bourne, virgin DNA, drone collisions, and more

top tech stories 04 24 2016 0001
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 untimely passing of rockstar Prince to a new cancer treatment, it’s all here.

Stories: 1-5

The end of the purple reign: Prince dead at 57

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Police in the Minneapolis area are currently investigating a death at Prince’s famed Paisley Park compound, according to recent reports on local news. Since reports of a death at the compound were first confirmed on Thursday morning, multiple sources emerged confirming that the iconic singer is the one who was found dead, and his publicist has confirmed to the Associated Press that the singer has passed away.

Read the full story here.

HBO unveils 9 more captivating photos from Game of Thrones season 6

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So close, yet so far away — that’s how we feel about the Game of Thrones season 6 premiere. With only days to go until the first new episode, The Red Woman, airs, HBO has released nine photos to whet our already-voracious appetites. Anyone who hasn’t seen season 5 yet should avert their eyes, because there are spoilers ahead.

Read the full story here.

College students have a new career starter app with LinkedIn Student

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LinkedIn Student launched yesterday, and focuses on American college students who are just starting to build their resumes and starting their career searches. Information provided to students will be based on major, graduation date, and the students’ own activity and choices on the site, according to a report on VentureBeat.

Read the full story here.

You can now play podcasts from within Google search results on Android

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Want a simple way to keep up on the latest This American Life, Hardcore History, or Fresh Air, but can’t be bothered to download a podcast app? Not to worry — starting today, Google’s got you covered. The search company’s introducing a new feature for the Google app on Android that lets you find and listen to podcast episodes from directly within search results.

Read the full story here.

Want to hone your app-building skills? Check out Apple’s revamped developer site

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Interested in building on your app development skills? Apple has revamped the App Store developer site, offering tools, articles, and videos on how to better engage users and grow a business through apps. The App Store developer website is great tool for developers and perhaps one of the reasons that the App Store has become such a huge success — not only can developers build apps for iOS users, but they can also learn how to promote those apps and engage the customers using the apps.

Read the full story here.

Stories: 6-10

Matt Damon leaps, punches and rides back into action in first Jason Bourne trailer

Universal Pictures has released the first trailer for Jason Bourne, the upcoming sequel that brings Matt Damon back to the role he originated in 2002’s franchise-starting film The Bourne Identity. Although it’s been more than a decade since Jason Bourne’s last adventure and the events of the new film, the trailer makes it clear that the former CIA black ops agent won’t have any trouble leaping back into action.

Read the full story here.

A drone may have collided with a major airliner for the first time

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Though drones are restricted from flying anywhere near airports, it is in human nature to disobey the rules, even when the ramifications could be deadly. On Sunday, a British Airways Airbus A320 reportedly collided with a drone as it made its landing, according to CNN. The plane was making its final approach at London’s Heathrow airport, coming from Geneva, Switzerland. Michael Johnson of British Airways said that the aircraft was carrying 132 passengers and five crew members.

Read the full story here.

Your DNA may hold clues to when you’ll lose your virginity, researchers say

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DNA research has tons of great uses, from telling us who our ancestors were to unlocking new ways of detecting serious diseases far more quickly than traditional methods. But did you know it might also hold the key to when you’ll first have sex? As weird as it sounds, Researchers at the University of Cambridge in England found that certain genetic traits predispose you to have sex earlier or later in life.

Read the full story here.

Wild new cancer treatment attacks tumors with drug-filled, magnetically-guided bubbles

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A new method of delivering anticancer drugs may help bypass some of the damaging effects of chemotherapy. Using magnetic micro-bubbles and ultrasonic vibrations, scientists have been able to transport and deploy drugs deep into tumor cells. The scientists developed magnetic micro-bubbles, which were covered with magnetic nanoparticles, which were embedded with anti-cancer drugs.

Read the full story here.

UberEats Instant Delivery nixed in NYC only a month after standalone app launch

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Well, it had a good run. Oh wait — no it didn’t. Only one month after launching the standalone UberEats app in New York City, Uber has decided to shut the “instant” option down so that it can “narrow its focus.”

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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