Cell phone service via satellite
Many companies are seeking to do this, including the announced SpaceX/T-Mobile partnership: Satellite companies are rushing to connect our phones and eliminate dead zones. Source: The space race for our…
This is a very big deal: SpaceX and T-Mobile team up to use Starlink satellites
Existing T-Mobile phones should have access to text messaging capabilities in remote areas, routed via Starlink satellites. The satellites to support this capability will launch in 2023. SpaceX CEO Elon…
Self-inflicted problem: Semiconductor industry can’t find enough electronics engineers
Pay and job security has not been the greatest for some in the EE field. While the global chip shortage shows some signs of subsiding, semiconductor companies are facing another…
Drone delivery services will be used to conduct close-in surveillance
The intrigue: Walmart and DroneUp will offset the cost of delivery with revenue from other drone-related services, such as insurance inspections, emergency response and construction oversight. For example, a local…
The end of passwords?
Interesting ideas: Instead of a password, devices could look for your phone over Bluetooth. Source: Apple, Google, and Microsoft want to kill the password with “Passkey” standard | Ars Technica
VR becomes pricey: “Prescription lens inserts for VR headsets”
As I previously noted, VR headsets are difficult to use for those who need eyesight corrective lenses, especially those who require eyeglasses. The industry’s solution for now is “prescription VR…
Energy: Use abandoned oil wells for geothermal?
It may be possible to use existing but no longer used oil and gas wells to tap underground geothermal heat as energy sources. Source: The US may have an unexpected…
I see big problems (pun intended): Apple to create “contact lens” VR
See below for why I do not buy this: According to MacRumors, Apple is in the process of designing high-tech ‘contact lenses’ which will let you live in augmented reality…
NFT trading market suspends sales due to fraud
The platform which sold an NFT of Jack Dorsey’s first tweet for $2.9 million has halted most transactions because people were selling tokens of content that did not belong to…
Why converting to ZeroCarbon in a short time frame is not possible
I am skeptical of politicians and climate change enthusiasts who propose we completely eliminate all fossil fuels in – select your time frame – 10, 20 or 30 years. Reality…
Others question the fundamentals of “the metaverse”
Mark Zuckerberg thinks we all want to live in a virtual world of interactive experiences, wearing VR helmets or futuristic VR fashion eye ware. Not everyone is buying this vision…
Up to half the population may require a VR prescription to use VR
Each user would then need their own VR headset and sharing headsets might be difficult? Virtual-reality headsets tend to leave some space in front of the wearer’s eyes that could…
Study finds automated license plate readers are ineffective
“Analyzing sixteen years of stolen vehicle numbers from Piedmont, California—a “super user” of ALPRs—this report finds no statistical evidence that ALPRs have deterred motor theft. Moreover: There is an absence…
Gravity-based utility scale electric “battery” systems
Image by ELG21 from Pixabay
Apple to restrict major iPhone 13 repairs to Apple services only
Stripping iPhone 13 models down, what iFixit discovered is that Apple has added a small chip (“about the size of a Tic-Tac”) into the bottom of their 13 screens. The…