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July 15, 2023

⚡ Welcome to The Weekly Authority, the Android Authority newsletter that breaks down the top Android and tech news from the week. The 253rd edition here with Pixel 8 price hike deets, leaked Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Z Fold pricing, the arrival of the Nothing Phone 2, and some insight into the race for commercial mind reading…

🤧 I’m back! Last week was a crazy combo of birthday celebrations and lurgy — luckily I celebrated early with a trip to Edinburgh dungeons and my favorite craft beer bar. This weekend is all about Oxenfree II: Lost Signals, which just landed on PS5 — I can’t wait to play!

Popular news this week

Prime Day:

Xiaomi:

Space:

Movies/TV

bird box barcelona 1
Netflix

Gaming:

ASUS ROG Ally Hollow Knight
Nick Fernandez / Android Authority

Reviews

Nothing Phone 2 in gray with glyph lighting enabled
Damien Wilde / Android Authority

Features

Google Pixel 7 Pro hazel focus on the camera bump
Rita El Khoury / Android Authority

Weekly Wonder

Imagine being able to control your computer with your thoughts. It might sound like something from a sci-fi movie, but mind-reading tech is already here (h/t The Hustle).

  • Brain computer interfaces (BCIs) connect your brain to external tech using a wearable device or a brain implant.
    Until recently, the tech was mostly used to solve issues such as helping people with paralysis communicate, but a new wave of start-ups is changing that.
  • The BCIs of the future will be able to read your mind and mold your behavior, all while you sit on your couch, and the market is expected to reach $5.34B by 2030.
  • We already saw Elon Musk’s Neuralink make headlines after securing FDA approval to begin human trials for its surgically placed brain implants.
  • Musk claims Neuralink could have therapeutic purposes, such as treating depression, but also hopes that one day it could be used to connect our minds with computers.
  • Meta is also working on a BCI to tackle paralysis, and Mark Zuckerberg hopes the tech will later allow the public to use their minds to control digital devices.
  • Other companies have been working on projects for years, such as Neurable, a company making BCI-run headphones that help boost focus, Mindmaze, which creates neurotherapeutics for a range of issues from strokes to Alzheimer’s, and Kernel, a company creating wearable tech for “neuroscience as a service.”
  • Then there are the researchers and scientists studying how BCIs could change our future.
  • At the Neuro-Machine Interaction Lab, research lab director Dr. Marvin Andujar is experimenting with brain drone racing, where you can race drones using just your mind. One day, this could enable those with disabilities to compete against able-bodied people.

BCIs in the future

  • Of course, there are ethical concerns to consider, but as BCIs become more mainstream, how will they change the way we live?
  • Neuromarketing could convince you to purchase products based on predicted brain activity.
  • Employers could use this tech to promote mindfulness at work.
  • Even Mercedes Benz is getting in on the trend, with its recent post about how this tech could one day improve your driving experience.

Food for thought, indeed.

Tech Calendar

  • July 26: Samsung Galaxy Unpacked @ 7 AM ET(Galaxy Z Fold 5, Z Flip 5)
  • August: Xiaomi Mix Fold 3 launch
  • October 24-26: Snapdragon Summit 2023 (Snapdragon 8 Gen 3?)

Tech Tweet of the Week

tweet of the week
Twitter / David Holtz

Something extra: This is an interesting read from The Hustle about the economics of weather modification.

Until next week, have a great one!

Paula Beaton, Copyeditor.

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