Per usual, it was a BIGweek in technology. We saw the world’s most powerful rocket launch into orbit, Apple cashed in on the smart speaker trend, a Nintendo video game favorite lives on, and unsurprisingly, people are still trying to regulate and understand cryptocurrency. Settle in and get caught up on the latest and greatest in BIGtech news.

Facebook Bans Cryptocurrency Advertisements
Facebook is cracking down on deceptive marketing ploys by banning all advertisements for anything crypto related, including Bitcoin and ICOs. Zuckerberg must have learned a thing or two following the Russian Facebook ads debacle. This decision is only temporary while Facebook works on their approach to detect and remove fake and/or deceptive ads, but in the meantime its new policy is  “intentionally broad” to ensure that nothing dishonest goes unnoticed. This comes at a time when people all over the world are learning more about cryptocurrency and its potential. It’ll be interesting to see how the terms and conditions for this ban play out as we continue to learn more about and become increasingly familiar with the world of blockchain technology.
Mario Kart for iOS
That’s right, one of the greatest video games known to the millennial generation is back and this time you can leave your Nintendo-64 or GameCube in the attic. Nintendo officially announced last week that a mobile version of Mario Kart is under development and is set to be released by March 2019. While most details are still under wraps, Nintendo has confirmed that the app will be called “Mario Kart Tour.” To be determined if our eyes will be subjected to the blurred chaos that is Rainbow Road.
SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket Launch
Elon Musk and SpaceX made history on February 6th, 2018 with the Falcon Heavy launch at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Pre-launch, Musk said he’ll “be happy if it doesn’t blow the pad to smithereens,” resulting in a highly anticipated lead up to take off. The rocket successfully launched into orbit and the BIGteam had to pick our jaws up from the floor following it. In true Elon Musk fashion, the rocket held his cherry red Tesla, which could be one of the greatest automotive marketing ploys ever, along with a driving dummy named Starman. The Tesla also played David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” once it successfully landed in the atmosphere, which was more thrilling for some BIGteam members than the launch itself. So, the next time you break out your telescope to gaze at the stars, keep your eye out for a red Tesla roadster orbiting the sun.
The Apple HomePod
Apple is hopping aboard the smart speaker train with their new HomePod, officially available today. Despite many consumers waiting for reviews to publish before placing their order, the HomePod continued the Apple trend of selling out all of its pre-orders. Most reviews agreed on one thing: the Apple HomePod has unparalleled sound quality compared to all other smart speakers on the market (Amazon Echo, Google Home, etc.). Yet, they argue if that’s enough to set it apart as a leading smart speaker in an increasingly crowded market, especially considering you’ll be trapped in an Apple bubble with the new HomePod since it only syncs with other Apple products. At first take, Siri allegedly doesn’t possess the smart skills to be an in-home personal assistant, like Alexa or Google Assistant, (i.e. you can’t ask it for a recipe, to make a phone call, or change the TV channel), which could potentially pose a big problem for Apple whose customers are looking for an Alexa-esque speaker. We’re excited to see how consumers react to their new HomePods and if Apple decides to eventually revamp Siri to fit consumer needs.
Let us know what your favorite tech story from this week was by leaving us a comment below! Can’t wait for our next BIGnews roundup? Follow us on Twitter for regular updates in the tech world!