Each week carries more important tech news than I have the time to report on. That’s what the Leaf and Core weekly rewind is for. I’ll show you the most important stories I covered this week, as well as the stories I didn’t get to from around the web.
So, sit back, open a few tabs of news stories, and get caught up on the tech news you may have missed this week!
In This Article:
Leaf and Core Rewind
The Allure of the AirPods
The AirPods are not the only truly wireless earbuds on the market. They’re not even the best sounding or best looking products in this category. Still, users flock to them, they love them, and people aspire to buy them. Why do the AirPods maintain this allure?
Massdrop ALT Review
The Massdrop ALT is a mechanical keyboard made for people who love to customize their mechanical keyboards. It would make a fantastic first board or just a project board. Check out my full and incredibly extensive review of the Massdrop ALT here.
Samsung Releases Galaxy Fold and Galaxy S10 Phones
I don’t often cover Samsung in a positive light. Frankly, this is because they’re often misbehaving. But the Galaxy Fold and Galaxy S10 lineup are—undeniably—awesome.
YouTube Fights Back Against Anti-Vaxxers
YouTube, a week apart. On the left, ads and no fact checking. On the right, YouTube as it is now.
Anti-vaxxers are a danger to humanity. They’re reducing our herd immunity to the point that formerly defeated diseases like measles and polio are making comebacks. YouTube is taking a stand against this content. Here’s how.
U.S. 4G LTE is Slow, Expensive
The portion of OpenSignal’s graph that shows the United States. Full chart below.
United States citizens pay more for their internet service than all but 4 countries. They’re also slower than 46 other countries. How can we improve our internet speeds to stay competitive in the global market?
Around the Web
Apple Falls From First to 17th Place on Fast Company’s ‘Most Innovative’ List: AppleInsider Staff, AppleInsider
Fast Company keeps an annual list of the most innovative companies. However, Apple has fallen from the #1 spot to #17. Even so, they were only able to retain this spot not due to any consumer product, but what’s inside them, the A12 Bionic chip. How can Apple make it back to the top?
Emoji Are Showing up in Court Cases Exponentially, and Courts Aren’t Prepared: Dami Lee, The Verge
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What’s the meaning behind an emoji? Someone might see the leaf emoji as a symbol of fall. Another person may see it as a request for weed. How can we prove one interpretation of pictograms over another? When is a peach emoji just a peach?
It’s getting harder to tell, and courts are struggling to prove interpretation of emoji.
‘iPad mini 5’ CAD File Suggest Spec Bump, no Major New Features: Malcolm Owen, AppleInsider
The new iPad mini may look exactly like the outgoing mini, according to leaked CAD files. A spec bump would be welcome for Apple’s ignored mini tablet, but keeping the same design won’t make it wildly popular.