First Click: Comic-Con, Star Trek, the Republican National Convention, and more in the week ahead

July 18th, 2016

We're only a day removed from the end of Star Wars Celebration — London's huge fan festival for the galaxy far far away — but the nerdery isn't ending there this week. San Diego's Comic Con kicks off on Thursday, and The Verge will be on the show floor, bringing you videos, pictures, and stories from the biggest event in the geek calendar. Expect information about Marvel's new movies and TV shows, as well as more about Game of Thrones, Pokémon Go, the new Aliens film, and — of course — more Star Wars.

We're finally starting to get the first details on Episode VIII, as well more concrete information about the upcoming spinoff Rogue One, but this week's not just for Star Wars fans: Star Trek Beyond hits movie theaters in the US on July 22nd. Initial reviews suggest the third film in the rebooted series is heavy on the action set pieces, and weirdly, features a cameo from Amazon boss Jeff Bezos.

This veritable feast of science fiction comes after some pretty impressive science facts, as SpaceX successfully landed its Falcon 9 rocket on dry land for the second time, delivering yet more supplies to the International Space Station along the way. That's a point: when are those astronauts going to stop relying on us Earth folk for handouts? Matt Damon worked out how to grow his own food on Mars fast enough, why can't the people on the ISS? At least SpaceX seems to be making a habit of sticking the landing with its reusable rockets now, advancing them to the point where they actually start reusing them — if the company can stop playing Pokémon Go, anyway.

If all that sounds a little too fantastical, the two biggest US political conventions of the year are happening over the next two weeks to bring you back to reality with a thud. The Republican National Convention goes first, starting today in Cleveland, before the Democratic Convention begins on July 25th in Philadelphia. This year brings new ways to watch both conventions, both streaming live on Twitch — complete with voting-themed emoji — and in 360-degree video courtesy of The Huffington Post.

But before we boldly go into the political future, let's cast our eyes back over the weekend, and recap some of its biggest stories.


  1. SoftBank is buying chip designer ARM for $31.4 billion in cash

    SoftBank has agreed to acquire British chip designer ARM Holdings for £23.4 billion ($31.4 billion), the biggest ever purchase of a European technology company. SoftBank is paying around £17 for...

  2. Kim Kardashian used Snapchat to prove Taylor Swift was lying about Kanye West's Famous

    Kim Kardashian West hopped onto Snapchat to defend her husband Kanye West's honor tonight, posting a series of videos that prove Taylor Swift gave West permission to rap about her on infamous The...

  3. SpaceX successfully lands Falcon 9 rocket on solid ground for the second time

    SpaceX has successfully landed another Falcon 9 rocket after launching the vehicle into space this evening from Cape Canaveral, Florida. Shortly after takeoff, the vehicle touched down at SpaceX’s...

  4. Lucasfilm is making a virtual reality movie about Darth Vader

    Industrial Light & Magic's immersive entertainment division is looking to some major Hollywood talent to create its next Star Wars virtual reality experience, and the lead character is as big as it...

  5. Facebook Live feed of CNN Turk broadcasts studio takeover by military

    The television studio of CNN Turk allegedly was taken over by armed members of the country’s military and its anchors forced off the air. However, the station was broadcasting its feed on Facebook...

  6. 500 miles of tall grass: a Pokémon Go road trip

    Living in New York, I’m aware that I reside in a bustling Pokémon Go mecca. Its abundance of plaques, murals, and pocket parks mean you’ll find pokéstops practically every block, and its pokémon...

  7. Google reportedly working on headset that mixes augmented and virtual reality

    Even though Google reportedly scrapped plans for an Oculus Rift competitor, Engadget reports that it's still working on a high-end standalone headset — one that mixes features of augmented reality...

  8. It's official: young Han Solo will be played by Alden Ehrenreich

    Last May reports surfaced that actor Alden Ehrenreich was in final negotiations to play the role of young Han Solo in a new standalone film, and today at Star Wars Celebration the casting was...

  9. You can buy a smart jump rope at the Apple Store

    This week, Apple Stores will begin selling the Tangram smart rope, a jump rope with embedded LEDs that creates the appearance of a digital display in mid-air that displays your jump count. The...

  10. Cardless cash withdrawal coming to a lot more ATMs, eventually

    Getting cash out of an ATM could be getting a bit easier. Finance technology company Fidelity Information Services and ATM provider Payment Alliance International have announced that they will be...

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