Weekly Rewind: August 25

10. Welsh songstress eclipses eclipse

With much of the news this week focusing on the total solar eclipse this week, passengers on the Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas received an extra surprise according to Time. Iconic 80s songstress Bonnie Tyler treated the holidaymakers to a rendition of her 1983 hit Total Eclipse of the Heart during the celestial event. Incidentally, since the eclipse, Tyler’s hit has skyrocketed in the charts and found itself at number one on iTunes in the US, with 503% increase in record sales.

9. New Android OS takes the biscuit

Android, the Google-owned mobile operating system, has revealed details about its next release. Continuing the sweet-treat theme, the next iteration of the software will be called Oreo, with previous releases including Jelly Bean, Nougat, Ice Cream Sandwich, and the only other version to be named after a brand, KitKat. According to Wired, the new version will be the firm's most feature-rich so far and brings a host of new capabilities for users. The software will be rolled out to Nexus and Pixel devices, with other manufacturers' devices supported at a later date.

8. KFC train employees with creepy VR

“Until you learn to make my chicken right, you will not be allowed to leave,” says the creepy evil-sounding voiceover in KFC’s newly-released VR training experience (VRScout). Although VR has been on the market for a while now, it’s yet to be effectively implemented into the workplace… until now. While this ‘demo’ takes prospective employees through training and teaches them to fry chicken the KFC way, it’s weird and likely to leave you questioning the fast food company’s work ethics and whether its employees are in fact there by choice.

7. Hackers cause Cat-astrophy

Following on from last week’s cyber-attacks on HBO, it seems no one is safe, even our furry feline friends. The Metro reveled that Mars-owned Royal Canin pet food has been unable to fulfill orders following a sustained attack on the company’s headquarters on June 27. Although the company is now back up to full capacity, shortages have been reported across London and much of the South of England. It’s also thought that tge brand’s sister company, James Wellbeloved, has also been affected.

6. YouTubers copyright spat resolved

In a landmark case that could affect all YouTubers, a judge has ruled that ‘reaction videos’ which include clips from another influencer’s content can count as fair use, reports Techcrunch. Fitness influencer Matt Hoss claimed YouTube stars H3H3 infringed his copyright by using clips of his content in a video criticising him for portraying women like porn stars, but H3H3 successfully defended the action using the 'criticism, parody and news reporting' exemption. See what all the fuss was about here.

5. Forget sunscreen, just grow a beard

We might have reached ‘peak beard’, but creative hipster types shouldn’t reach for the razor just yet, reports the Independent. Boffins at the University of Queensland have discovered beards protect their (wearers? owners?) from 90-95 per cent of harmful UV rays, with a UPF (ultraviolet protection factor) of up to 21. Not only does that reduce wrinkles and delay the ageing process, it also cuts the risk of skin cancer. But are youthful looks and better health too high a price for looking passé?

4. Christmas comes four months early this year...

... at UK greetings card chain, Card Factory, who unveiled their festive card displays at stores across the country this week. Shoppers have reacted with 'anger, bewilderment and joy', reports the BBC - the same mix of emotions the shots team experiences when that first Christmas campaign lands in our inbox.

3. May the force be with the Royals

If you're a royalist and a Star Wars fan, then you're in for a treat. This week, Screen Daily confirmed that Prince Harry and Prince William have secured cameos in the new Star Wars: The Last Jedi film (due out in December). Apparently they shot their segment in April last year... it's the bit where Benicio del Toro's character is attacked by rebels in a lift. Vague, so remember to keep your eyes peeled!

2. Trump bares all in Union Square

Ever imagined what Donald Trump looks like naked? No us neither. But activist collective INDECLINE have and even gone as far as sculpting a starkers statue of the Republican president. Currently positioned in Union Square, New York, pictures posted on NY Daily News reveal Trump's proud stance, varicose veins and paunch potbelly. As well as a whole lot more...

1. Sadiq drives London's digital transformation

City AM reports that London's mayor Sadiq Khan has decided to invest in the capital by appointing its first chief digital officer, Theo Blackwall. The new position should help to digitally transform London's public services to make it a more digital-savvy city. "I am determined to make London the world’s leading ‘smart city'," says Khan. Thank god for that!