Essential weekend reading
Ten nuggets of knowledge to take away for the weekend, including: Ireland to slash capital gains tax for entrepreneurs; Brenda Romero on the realities of the gaming industry; and Facebook drone takes flight.
1. Ireland to slash capital gains tax for start-ups to 10pc with €10m cap
The Irish Government is planning to cut the rate of capital gains tax for new start-ups to 10pc, with a €10m cap on gains from next year, bringing Ireland in line with the tax environment for start-ups in the UK.
2. Brenda Romero: ‘Jiggle physics’ and realities of the gaming industry
During her keynote at Inspirefest 2016, Brenda Romero, co-founder of Romero Games, effectively ‘dropped the mic’ on a gaming industry obsessed with ‘jiggle physics’ and selling to the wrong audience.
3. VR in the ER: RCSI reveals world’s first VR medical training simulator
The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland has developed what it claims is the world’s first fully interactive virtual reality training simulator.
4. Virgin Media CEO calls for future-proofed telecoms strategy for Ireland
The CEO of Virgin Media in Ireland Tony Hanway has called for a future-proofed communications strategy for Ireland.
5. 13 incredible dream jobs you’ll think we made up
Have what it takes to be a chief wombat cuddler, director of cat meme creation or chief birthday officer? No, we didn’t make those up.
6. Facebook drone plane Aquila makes first successful flight
Facebook’s first internet drone Aquila – a craft made entirely of carbon fibre, with the wingspan of a 737 and skids made of styrofoam – has completed its first test flight. And the skies, and broadband, will never be the same again.
7. Snowden working on iPhone case that knows when you’re being spied on
While attention returns to NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden following the launch of the latest trailer for his semi-biopic film, the real Snowden has been working on an anti-NSA iPhone case.
8. On this day in ’62: a typo, a doomed spacecraft and a costly explosion
On this day in 1962, NASA hit one of its most embarrassing lows. Mariner 1, the space agency’s first planetary mission, exploded in under five minutes, and a typo was to blame.
9. US Pokémon Go player claims to have actually caught ’em all
It has only taken two weeks, but we have what appears to be the first Pokémon Go player in North America to have actually caught ’em all – or, at least, all that are available at the moment.
10. End of an era as Japan to stop making VCR machines after 40 years
After more than 40 years, the last video cassette recorder (VCR) will be produced in Japan, ending an era that shaped our modern age.
Weekend reading image via Shutterstock
