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Week in Web

Weird Wide Web: Creepy stalking software, a dose of virtual reality and a futuristic hospital

All of your essential tech and social media news for the week in one byte-sized portion.

WELCOME TO THE Weird Wide Web – where we take a look at the week’s best offerings in tech and social media news.

Futuristic hospital of the week

This children’s hospital in San Francisco has roaming robots that deliver meals and medication to patients. It also has scan suites that look like VIP hotel rooms, according to Business Insider.

Business Insider Business Insider

Dose of reality of the week

The Taoiseach and Tánaiste got to try out the Oculus Rift this week and they certainly seemed to enjoy it…

Niall Carson / PA Niall Carson / PA / PA

Stalking software of the week

This week Gizmodo took a look at some so-called “spyware” that allows users to keep track of the phone activities of another person. This extends to their calls, texts, Whatsapp messages, Facebook posts and stored photos. Though companies who offer this software often claim it is mostly used by parents to protect their children, there is nothing to stop people using it to breach a partner’s privacy to check if they’re cheating or generally track their activities. Worse, it could also be the perfect tool for dangerous stalkers or perverts, according to Gizmodo, with seemingly no limits or regulation.

Shutterstock Shutterstock

Data saving option of the week

If you have limited storage on your phone and are now faced with deleting some much-loved apps, then Facebook Lite might be for you. Cnet reports this is a “slimmed-down” version of the app and if you want it, you’ll have to manually install it on your device.

Peeing app of the week

We’ve spoken before about the Airpnp app, that shows you toilets in your location in case you have a sudden bladder need and aren’t sure where to go. A Buzzfeed reporting spent the day essentially peeing his way around New York City using the app, with some amusing results. We checked and the concept still doesn’t appear to have taken off in Ireland, with just one toilet listed here…

Airpnp Airpnp

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