The Drum’s top ten tech disruptions of the week - HBO anticipates Game of Thrones live-streamers, Gillette partners with Stark Industries & Uber pilots breathylser scheme
It’s been a busy week in technology. Here The Drum has rounded up ten of the top tech innovations that have been touted this week as capable of disrupting the world as we know it.
1. HBO has made preparations to play whack-a-mole with illegal live-streams of Game of Thrones season five when it airs this weekend.
The rise of live-streaming apps such as Periscope and Meerkat threatens to immediately spoil new TV shows on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. The apps could herald in a new generation of spoiler-laden clips on our timelines.
2. Gillette launched a partnership with Stark Industries - the fictional company owned by Marvel superhero Iron Man - in a tech-championing development coinciding with the launch of the Avengers 2 movie.
In a live event featuring Marvel co-founder Stan Lee, the company unveiled four Avengers-inspired prototype razors.
3. UAV-producing firm DJI has released a drone capable of live-streaming high definition footage to sites such as YouTube.
Products such as the Phantom 3 could reshape the way live events, adverts and marketing stunts are both filmed and distributed.
4. Twitter is pushing itself as an app discovery platform. The social network is testing on iOS devices a tool enabling it to link brands and their respective apps on the home feed.
For example, if a user sees a post from Uber, a small widget below the tweet will be capable of redirecting them to the App Store to acquire the app.
5. Google is looking to step on Yelp and Craigslist’s toes with a new service which connects consumers with handymen and household professionals.
The search giant aims act as a middleman for those in need of in-the-home services.
6. Musician Lily Allen has apologetically criticised Tidal, Jay Z’s new music platform Tidal which promises to innovate the music industry by offering fairer pay to musicians.
The service claims to offer consumers a higher definition music experience - at double the price of a $9.99 Spotify Premium subscription. On this, she stated: “Unless TIDAL start sending everyone good quality headphones, the resolution thing is kinda redundant.”
7. Almost two thirds of Brits back digital general election voting on tablet and mobile, according to a YouGov survey.
Such measures will not be implemented for the 2015 general electio but have the potential to be in place to make it easier for citizens to have their say in 2020. Critics saw any digital switchover could bring into doubt any election result if there are any blunders or even digital meddling.
8. Amazon head Jeff Bezos’ space-faring side project Blue Origin will soon launch sub-orbital trials in the skies above Texas this year.
The announcement was made on the back of the firm completing its newly developed BE-3 hydrogen rocket.
9. Oxfam has tested near field communication (NFC) mobile technology to accept donations and share video content with potential volunteers and donors.
Those interested in working with, or providing funds to the charity need only tap Oxfam's NFC-enabled ads, collection tins or wristbands making it easier than ever to get involved.
10. And finally, Uber has released footage of a pilot scheme in which an outdoor breathylser ordered potential drunk drivers a ride home outside a Toronto night club district.
Those who had enjoyed a drink - or many - were urged to try out a specially installed breathlyser to see if they were fit to drive, and if not, the machine automatically summoned them a ride home.