Prepare yourself for PC vs Mac, Google's self-driving car crashes into a bus, the Raspberry Pi 3 is now available, bar.foo lets Google engineers tell their stories, and what happens when you stick a GoPro in a lava lamp.

Microsoft Wages War on Apple

Microsoft has rolled out a brand new advertising campaign aimed at selling people on Windows 10. However, while extolling the virtues of its latest (and last) operating system, the Redmond-based company couldn't resist also throwing shade at Apple, with a couple of well-aimed digs in the direction of Cupertino.

As first noted by CNET, the series of ads all feature the Bug Chicks, whose small business aims to get children interested in insects. They talk up how using a Windows 10 PC helps them get stuff done, and make snide comments about how the Mac is lacking in some departments. Namely touchscreens, Cortana, and facial recognition.

For anyone of a certain age, these clips will bring to mind the Mac Vs PC ad campaign, which saw Apple successfully pitching its computers against those offered by its Windows-powered competitors. Except this time the tables have turned, with Microsoft now on the offensive. Which actually says a lot about the current state of the market.

Google Crashes Car Into Bus

One of Google's self-driving cars has crashed into a bus, and Google has openly admitted the autonomous vehicle was partly to blame. This isn't the first time one of Google's self-driving cars has been involved in an automobile accident, but it's the first time one has been culpable.

The incident happened last month close to the company's headquarters in Mountain View, California. The autonomous vehicle was travelling at 2mph, while the bus was travelling at 15mph. So, this was anything but a high-speed collision, and no one was hurt, seriously or otherwise.

Google issued a statement saying:

"We clearly bear some responsibility, because if our car hadn't moved, there wouldn't have been a collision. That said, our test driver believed the bus was going to slow or stop to allow us to merge into the traffic, and that there would be sufficient space to do that."

This is a setback for Google, which needs to demonstrate to policymakers and the public alike that its self-driving cars are clever enough to safely transport us all from A to B in the future. However, it's important to remember that Google has racked up over one million miles in these vehicles, and this is the most serious incident so far. Which is an astonishing achievement.

The Raspberry Pi 3 Goes On Sale

The Raspberry Pi 3 is now available to buy, being launched on Feb. 29,the fourth anniversary of the release of the original. The new model is priced the same as its predecessor, at $35, and is available from element14, RS Components, and a number of other re-sellers.

We have already offered an extensive rundown of the improvements made with the Raspberry Pi 3, which includes a 1.2Ghz 64-bit quad-core processor and Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity. So all that remains is for you to buy one and push it to its limits. Limits which are far beyond the limits of the original.

Google Engineers Explain What They Do

As with all the big tech companies, there are countless engineers working behind the scenes to develop, and then improve, the products and services that we use on a daily basis. And Google is no exception, with some of the best and brightest engineers working on YouTube, Gmail, and Hangouts.

Now, those engineers have a place to detail what goes on behind the scenes, with bar.foo existing solely for that purpose. The site currently delves into four topics, noting the inspiration behind various products, as well as the processes involved in taking them from the drawing board to the finished article.

Oh, and for those inspired by these stories of engineering excellence, there's a jobs board for those who think they have what it takes to get on at Google.

Watch a GoPro in a Lava Lamp

And finally, we get to see what a lava lamp looks like from the other side. Or, more specifically, inside. And it's all thanks to the guys at What's Inside?, who placed a fantastically durable GoPro Session camera in a boiling hot lava lamp just for fun.

If you thought lava lamps were cool to look at from the outside, this will make you want to dive right inside one to experience the psychedelic patterns formed by melting wax. Except you can't because you'll instantly melt too. Which is clearly what GoPros were invented for.

Your Views on Today's Tech News

Are you a PC or a Mac? Would you trust Google's self-driving car to get you to work safely? Will you be buying a Raspberry Pi 3? Are you interested in what goes on behind the scenes at Google? What's the best GoPro video you have ever seen?

Let us know your thoughts on the Tech News of the day by posting to the comments section below. Because a healthy discussion is always welcome.

Tech News Digest is a daily column paring the technology news of the day down into bite-sized chunks that are easy to read and perfect for sharing.

Image Credit: Christian Siedler via Flickr