Seven Must-Read Stories (Week Ending February 21, 2015)

Another chance to catch the most interesting, and important, articles from the previous week on MIT Technology Review.

February 20, 2015

10 Breakthrough Technologies 2015
Not all breakthroughs are created equal. Some arrive more or less as usable things; others mainly set the stage for innovations that emerge later, and we have to estimate when that will be. But we’d bet that every one of the milestones on this list will be worth following in the coming years.
Nano-Manufacturing Makes Steel 10 Times Stronger
A new way to produce metals could have wide-ranging effects.
Is Bitcoin Stalling?
Despite a big increase in the number of merchants accepting Bitcoin, the cryptocurrency doesn’t have much momentum in retail transactions.
The Button That Does Whatever You Want It to Do
A simple but powerful app offers a “Do” button that can bend Internet services and gadgets to your will.
Not Only the NSA Knows How to Make Unerasable Malware
Hacking tools that burrow inside hard disk drives could also be made by nongovernment hackers.
How People Will Use the Apple Watch
Developers and designers debate whether the Apple Watch will find its purpose.
FAA’s Caution Not the Only Obstacle for Drone Delivery
Commercial drones faced serious technological obstacles even before federal regulators proposed tight restrictions this week.