We made it through another week! Well, almost.
We still have Friday to get through, but the heavy lifting's certainly done.
I, for one, am ready to get away from the little glowing screens (as much as I love them) and enjoy some fresh air and sunshine. I recommend you do the same, but not until you've caught up on some of the tech news of the week.
That's why we’re here, to help bring you some of the interesting news of the online and digital world so you can be just a little bit more knowledgable heading into your weekend.
This week, three stories caught my eye. And because it’s always good to get the bad news out of the way first, I'm going to start with a story that made me cringe *just a tad* before I move onto a couple of tidbits that I'm a little more excited about.
Here we go!
Get Ready for Software Update Reminders for Your Car
You know those obnoxious but also incredibly important "time to update your software" reminders you get on your computer and your smartphone? If you're the type who tends to put them off, or who just gets extra-irritated about the interruptions, you're not going to like this: According to CNN, they're coming to your car, too.
After all, today's cars are really very complex computers, with microprocessors that control everything from steering to entertainment and brakes. And the next-generation of vehicles, according to the CNN article, are all going to be wirelessly connected, which means they can be updated and improved over time.
"What happens if an auto maker figures out how to better calibrate internal parts to increase horsepower and fuel efficiency? It’ll just push out a software update," said CNN's Jose Pagliery .
Other changes we might start seeing updates for? Fixes that might otherwise cause recalls. Security updates (you did know cars can be hacked, right?), auto apps, and safety updates. And while the updates themselves sound nice, I'm just not thrilled about the idea of another device bugging me to update it all the time …
Hologram Projectors Heading to Smartphones
Even though the late Tupac's appearance at Coachella was kind of a stunt, it was also geekily fun. Holograms are just kind of cool.
And according to Mashable, if you'd like your own Tupac hologram, you might be able to have one soon. At least one startup is working on bringing hologram technology to your smartphone—no bulky headgear required. The startup, Ostendo, is working on developing a smartphone-sized 3D hologram projector, and it has already $90 million from venture capitalists who see promise in the idea.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Ostendo has been working on these tiny projector chips for nearly a decade, and the technology's actually far more advanced than what was used at Coachella.
"Ostendo’s projectors … are roughly the size of Tic Tacs, powered by a computer chip that can control the color, brightness and angle of each beam of light across one million pixels," the Journal article said.
The Party Game for Horrible People – Now for Tech Nerds
If you've never played Cards Against Humanity, well, I don't want to say I recommend it. Because if you're offended, I don't want you to blame me. But I will tell you that the game is one of the most hilariously offensive games I've ever played.
Basically, one player picks a black card that begins a sentence, and the other players lay down white cards that might complete the sentence. Game play is not incredibly complicated, but the hilariously distasteful cards usually make for plenty of laughs.
Expansion packs have been available for those who have played enough that they're not shocked by the cards anymore, and the makers of the game also make all the cards available so that you can print your own at home (for free!).
Which, sadly, is the only way the new tech-focused expansion pack is available, according to the TechCrunch article titled "Shut Up and Take My Money For The Cards Against Humanity: Tech Edition."
The sentences in the tech edition include black cards that include statements like "It's hard being ______ in tech," or "My company was just acquired by _______." If you've ever seen the kinds of things written on the white cards, you know how funny these sentences could be. I'd like to add my name to the list of people who'd like a set.
So that's it for this week, comment below and tell me what other news stories of the week caught your eye!
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