Technology

Nissan’s “Chill-Out” model is the main attraction, as known from earlier released teaser photographs, which it promised will be its new electric SUV that will be constructed in Sunderland in the foreseeable future. Although not verified, the ‘Chill-Out’ is likely to closely resemble the style of this future production version, which has previously been stated to prioritize “making the transition to electric motoring even more approachable.” The concept, like the final production car, might be a successor to the Nissan Leaf, is built on the same CMF-EV construction model just like the upcoming Ariya SUV, and employs the same e-4ORCE, twin-motor four-wheel-drive system. It is regarded as “a fresh way of thinking about mobility.”

Technical specifics are scarce, but its sleek, minimalistic cockpit, which notably lacks a typical steering wheel or pedals, suggests its autonomous capability. Nissan committed to accelerating the roll-out of self-driving technologies at its ‘Nissan Ambition 2030 address, where it plans to deploy ProPilot assist systems on 2.5 million cars by 2026 as well as LIDAR sensors on almost all vehicles by 2030. However, the other 3 designs are a bit more futuristic, previewing how “breakthroughs in energy storage, electronics, and packaging might provide clients a broad array of mobility solutions to meet their demands and lifestyles.” Notably, it is envisioned to have a solid-state battery as part of a versatile skateboard chassis. Nissan has not yet identified or confirmed the structure’s manufacturing potential, although it does have 2 motors, an “extremely low” center of gravity, optimum mass distribution, and an e-4ORCE four-wheel drive.

Nissan has exhibited a trio of cars at varying locations and sizes to demonstrate their adaptability. The ‘Max-Out’ is a beautiful drop-top sports vehicle that seeks to “provide a fresh driving experience with its superior stability and comfort.” Nissan promises precise handling and minimal body movement, as well as the ability to fold the passenger compartment flat into the flooring when not in use to optimize internal space. Though it is still a forward-thinking architectural concept, this idea is the first indication that Nissan is thinking about the future of conventional supercars as it transitions to being a manufacturer of solely EVs. The pure-combustion Z has only recently been introduced in the United States, however, the GT-R flagship has been on the market for several years, and Nissan has yet to formally reveal any replacement.

SpaceX has apologized to Starlink customers for delaying certain preorders, citing silicon shortages as a reason for the delay in the manufacture of its internet kit. Customers who placed a USD 100 deposit in the first part of this year were promised by Starlink, a division of SpaceX, that the test version of the satellite internet service will be available in their location in mid-to-late 2021. This week, presale customers took to social media to protest since they will not receive Starlink connections until next year, despite having waited months for the service. “Silicon constraints over the previous 6 months have reduced our planned manufacturing pace and hampered our ability to deliver numerous Starlink orders this year,” Starlink wrote in an email shared on Twitter and emailed to Insider by a client who booked the service prior to May.

SpaceX acknowledged the delay and stated that their technology, supply chains, as well as production teams, are working hard to enhance and simplify their product and facility in order to raise their production rates. According to a communication from Starlink, presale buyers may verify their projected arrival timeframes on their Starlink account. Starlink previously stated that a global chip scarcity was causing a delay in the construction of user terminals, which are the dishes that link to the 1,639 satellites in orbit. Jesse Nowlin, a client who bought Starlink in February for his San Diego property, told Insider that the business promised him service in mid-to-late 2021.

However, Starlink has pushed its timetable back to January 2022, he added. Nowlin made a second purchase for Starlink on a different site in May, although he informed Insider that it had been delayed until mid-to-late 2022. Both of these places are in remote areas, and internet connectivity is a necessity. Several customers are furious because this service was sold on a “first-come, first-serve basis. ” One Reddit user stated on Wednesday that the firm had misled them. Another Redditor stated that they were considering having their payments reimbursed. SpaceX did not respond quickly to the seeking comment from Insider. They even reported in October that certain preorder customers who had waited up to 9 months for Starlink had canceled their USD 100 deposits, as well as another Insider report in September stated that buyers were becoming more displeased since they couldn’t figure a way to contact or email the firm’s customer support helpline for updates.

The Pegasus malware from NSO can infiltrate both iPhones as well as Android devices, enabling operators to retrieve texts, photographs, emails, monitor telephone conversations, and discreetly activate cameras and microphones as well. According to the NSO Group, its technologies are designed to combat jihadists and thieves. However, it is also said to have been used on protesters, politicians, and journalists. According to the NSO Group, Pegasus is exclusively supplied to the military, law enforcement, and intelligence services in nations with excellent human-rights records. Nevertheless, earlier last month, US officials blacklisted the firm on a trade blacklist, claiming that the software allowed other governments to engage in translational oppression.

Apple’s stance followed criticism from other technology companies such as Microsoft, Meta Platforms (previously Facebook), Google-owner Alphabet, as well as Cisco Systems. Apple stated in a blog post detailing the California lawsuit that it wished to make the NSO Group as well as its parent firm OSY Technologies “responsible for the monitoring and manipulation of Apple consumers.” “To avoid additional misuse and injury to its consumers, Apple is also demanding a permanent injunction prohibiting the NSO Group from utilizing any Apple software, applications, or products,” the company stated. Apple takes pride in its privacy policies. It’s a big selling factor for its products.

So, it’s not strange that a corporation that reportedly attempted to circumvent Apple’s security safeguards would be at odds with the tech behemoth. But it isn’t the primary reason Apple is making a statement. Not all attackers are created equal. The NSO Group has government customers, or is “state-sponsored,” as Apple describes it. According to NSO, it exclusively collaborates with organizations that have a positive human rights record. In this approach, the firm has attempted to differentiate itself from unknown hackers engaged in malicious operations. Apple is ignoring that distinction by charging the NSO Group. Apple is emphasizing that it doesn’t matter who they are; if they’re a gang attempting to breach into an Apple device, they’ll take action – regardless of their motivations.

But there’s a little more to this than that. Apple will believe it is simpler and more politically acceptable to prosecute a private corporation than the countries accused of utilizing this technology. Apple claimed in its allegation, filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, that NSO’s tools were used in “coordinated efforts in 2021 to attack and target Apple customers” and also that “US individuals have been constantly monitored by NSO’s spyware on portable devices that can and do pass international boundaries.” Apple said that the NSO gang established over 100 bogus Apple ID user credentials to carry out its assaults.

The tech behemoth stated that its systems were not compromised, but that NSO abused and exploited the infrastructure to deliver the assaults on Apple consumers. Apple also claimed that the NSO Group was actively involved in the spyware’s consultancy services, while NSO claims that it only sells its products to customers. Apple said it was obliged to engage in a never-ending arms race with NSO because the Israeli company was “constantly upgrading its viruses and vulnerabilities to defeat Apple’s security improvements.”

The iPhone manufacturer stated that it will contribute USD 10 million, as well as any damages won in the case, to cyber-surveillance research organizations such as Citizen Lab, a University of Toronto group that identified NSO’s assaults. In response, the NSO Group stated, “Thousands of people have been saved throughout the world as a result of NSO Group’s technology employed by its clients.” Sexual predators as well as jihadists operate freely in electronic safe-havens, and we give governments the legal means to combat them.

GoDaddy has revealed that it experienced a security breach. In disclosures to the Securities and Exchange Commission, the web hosting company said that the breach happened on September 6, 2021. During the breach, ‘unauthorized third party had gained access to information of WordPress users. The company said that data of around 1.2 million Managed WordPress customers may have been accessed. WordPress is a web-based content management system that is used by millions of bloggers and websites owners across the world. GoDaddy customers are allowed to host their own WordPress installs on their servers. In a filing with the SEC, GoDaddy’s chief information security officer Demetrius Comes said that a third party used a compromised password to get access to GoDaddy’s systems. However, GoDaddy was unaware of the breach for almost a month. It got to know about the hack only last week on November 17. The breach was found when the company noticed that someone was accessing its Managed WordPress hosting environment. WordPress is an open-source content management system that lets users develop a website very easily. The company has not shared any details about whether the compromised password was protected with two-factor authentication or not. The data breach has affected 1.2 million customers, both active and inactive users. Email addresses and mobile numbers could have been exposed in the data breach.

The customers whose emails were exposed could be at risk of phishing attacks. Under this, hackers trick users to click on links sent via email that can deploy malicious software in their systems. Hackers also trick users into sharing their sensitive information. The company also said that the original WordPress admin password was also compromised in the breach. The original password is created when WordPress is first installed. Access to this password can be used to access the servers of WordPress customers. According to GoDaddy, FTP credentials along with login details of the WordPress databases of the active customers were also exposed in the breach. WordPress database stores all the content of users. What is more worrying is that the SSL (HTTPS) private keys of some customers were also exposed. Attackers can abuse this to impersonate websites or services of customers. After noticing the breach, the company has reset WordPress passwords a private keys of customers. GoDaddy is also in the process of issuing new SSL certificates. The company started an investigation immediately after the breach came to its notice. It has contacted law enforcement agencies. The company is also reaching out to customers to address their concerns. The company has also asked customers to directly get in touch with them through an online help center in case of any difficulty or queries related to the breach.

“We are continuing with our investigation and as part of it, the company is contacting customers. We will definitely learn from this data breach. We are already working on strengthening our provisioning system and adding an additional layer of securities,” Comes said. Comes has also apologized for the problem that customers could face because of this data breach. “We are sincerely sorry. This is an unfortunate incident. It may cause concerns in the minds of our customers. Leadership and employees of GoDaddy take full responsibility to protect our customers. We never wanted to let them down.” There has been a surge in the number of incidents related to data breaches in the recent past. Several companies have reported security breaches of late. Recently, Robinhood faced the same issue when hackers managed to access the personal information of around 7 million customers. Hackers even demanded a ransom payment. Earlier in August, around 100 million wireless customers of T-Mobile were affected by the data breach. These incidents have seen a surge after the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. Law enforcement agencies have warned big companies to be extra cautious. They also asked them to report immediately if they find anything suspicious.

On November 13, SpaceX effectively launched an additional 53 Starlink satellites in its first scheduled flight for the internet network in 2 months. A Falcon 9 rocket delivering the next set of Starlink satellites blasted off from Cape Canaveral in Florida at 7:19 a.m. Eastern time, a day after the launch had been postponed due to inclement weather. As per SpaceX, every one of the satellites was safely launched to Low Earth Orbit (LEO), in which they will join the remainder of the Starlink network. After performing its 9th mission, the Falcon 9’s recoverable first stage also landed on SpaceX’s drone ship. The rocket also launched four more Starlink flights, as well as SpaceX’s Crew Demo-2, ANASIS-11, and CRS-21.

SpaceX’s most recent mission was the 25th Falcon 9 rocket launch in 2021. Numerous flights like these have launched Starlink internet satellites for the constellation’s rapid expansion. So far, SpaceX has deployed over 1,800 Starlink satellites to expand worldwide coverage. On September 13, the final specialized Starlink launch flight lifted out from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, delivering 51 satellites to the polar orbit. As per a presentation SpaceX submitted to the Federal Communications Commission on Nov. 10, Starlink is servicing around 140,000 consumers across 20 nations, an increase of approximately 40,000 from what it stated in August.

According to the company, it has received over 750,000 “orders/deposits internationally” for the service. Nevertheless, pandemic-related silicon shortages have slowed manufacturing and hampered its ability to meet orders. Antennas have been a key source of contention for the firm, which extensively subsidizes them to stimulate adoption. On November 10, the FCC authorized a new Starlink antenna that SpaceX claims would be less expensive to manufacture, however, the company continues to charge users USD 499 for the gear required to join Starlink’s services. The new rectangular dish is also slimmer and lightweight than its predecessor, which was round.

For more than a year, Starlink beta testers have been utilizing a 23-inch-wide, 16-pound-round user interface where internet services are accessible. They can now purchase a dish that is 12” broad, 19” long and weighs 16 pounds. The 12-inch wide diameter also corresponds to the diameter of the antennae being developed by Amazon for its projected Project Kuiper constellation. Project Kuiper, on the other hand, is still a long way behind Starlink’s commercial installation. Amazon said on November 1 that it intends to launch 2 Project Kuiper prototype satellites for testing purposes by the Q4 of 2022.

Within weeks, new EU cybercrime laws are expected to begin a phase of intergovernmental talks. They are likely to undermine essential characteristics of the worldwide web if implemented in the form recommended by the EU Council. The updated Directive on the Security of Network and Information Systems, known colloquially as NIS 2, would replace the EU’s current cybersecurity regulations, with the stated goal of adapting to quickly evolving cyber risks. This Directive aims, among several other things, to boost cybersecurity among emerging sectors, notably internet infrastructures as well as digital carriers, and to increase cooperation between member states’ cybersecurity systems. However, a variety of digital carriers that comprise the foundation of the internet’s infrastructure are included in the planned new laws. These are regulated by a set of collaborative norms that seek to guarantee that services and infrastructure are optimized for user advantage.

Numerous European and global technology industry leaders have expressed concern about how the suggested Directive will impact their corresponding sectors of interest. The line between European as well as worldwide internet infrastructure companies is frequently blurred. Consider how rapidly the web would fracture if each area established its laws to govern worldwide services. The risk of harm is real: global network infrastructure companies, such as domain name system services as well as certificate authorities, may choose to exit the European market to escape the complexities that NIS2 standards would entail, lowering the number of providers. Those who opt to stay but then become non-compliant could find themselves blocked from the marketplace, and their clients may discover that a service on which they rely is no longer accessible.

This might also result in market concentration while stifling the expansion and availability of broadband infrastructures, most of which are now offered for free by non-profit organizations. Companies in Europe might find it harder to cope with than their international counterparts that continue to have a greater range of alternative suppliers in their distribution chains. Pressing digital European enterprises at a time when economic expansion is most necessary, is counterintuitive to digital development aims. NIS 2 will also have ramifications for the EU’s worldwide internet regulation credibility. Because of the global character of the internet infrastructure, it is impossible to govern it in one country without causing extraterritoriality difficulties in other places.

This may result in unforeseen confrontations between distinct laws, resulting in unpredictability and ambiguity. The EU’s measures will inspire other nations or regions to enforce their top-down ideals on institutional arrangements, as they did in the past. When this happens, the EU will lose its legitimacy and will be unable to fight these measures. NIS 2 would enable other nations free rein to mold the web as they see fit, including for the purposes of local censorship, monitoring, or control purposes. The EU’s commitment to a single internet agenda will make room for a variety of local internal networks that are mostly unconnected from one another.

Months after launching the Twitter Blue subscription feature in Canada and Australia, Twitter has now launched the services for users in the United States and New Zealand. The features are being tested by the social media platform with Canadian and Australian users since June. Twitter charges USD 2.99 per month for users for the Blue feature. The feature is available for iOS, Android as well as web users. The subscription will provide users with a host of features like they can customize the Twitter app icon and undo a tweet. There is one additional feature of Twitter Blue – it will give you access to ad-free articles.

Users will be able to read articles from over 300 news websites that are based in the United States. The sites will include the likes of the Washington Post, Insider, and Rolling Stone. However, a spokesperson of the company said that Twitter Blue subscribers may not have access to paywalled articles on those news platforms. With the launch of Blue services, the microblogging site is looking to diversify its revenue streams. So far, 89 percent of the total revenue of Twitter has been coming from advertising. The social media company has already set a target of reaching 315 million monetizable daily active users. Twitter has set 2023 as the deadline to achieve this.

Explaining how Blue subscribers will have access to news content, Twitter said that it would be a portion of subscriptions to participating news sites. The important thing is that users will be able to watch how much money was paid to the news sites they visited. Tony Haile, senior director of product, said that their main goal is to make these websites earn 50 percent more than what they would get by showing ads to that person. “Twitter Blue services will not only enable a better internet for subscribers but also a better internet for journalism,” Haile said.

This has been a difficult year for electronics manufacturers. Anything from the PlayStation 5 to graphics processors has been impacted by worldwide chip shortages. For a time, it appeared as though Apple had escaped the worst of the distribution network difficulties, still, it appears that good fortune has now worn off. As per Bloomberg, the majority of Apple’s new goods would not be available until mid-November or perhaps even December. This covers the iPhone 13 edition, the iPad Mini, the 9th-generation iPad, the Apple Watch Series 7, as well as the MacBook Pro. Worryingly, the disruptions are also impacting earlier models such as the MacBook Air as well as the most recent iMac.

When it concerns Apple products, shortages aren’t particularly unusual, however, scale is now the issue. The iPhone 13 Pro, for example, has only been available for around a month, and virtually every variant of the smartphone is hard to come by. According to Apple’s website, the newest delivery window is Nov. 19-29, and no version of the smartphone is sold at any of the 12 Apple Locations in the five boroughs, at least in New York City. This month, the firm reduced its 2021 iPhone 13 manufacturing estimates by around 10 million devices. The iPad Mini has the same shipping window, and just a few models were available for pickup at one or 2 Apple Stores in New York City.

Neither of the Apple Stores in New York appears to have the apple watch series 7 in stock. The MacBook Pro’s that were revealed earlier this week have also been pushed forward to November 12-19. The 24′ M1 iMac has also been pushed to November 12-19. There were just one or two combinations available for pickup. The availability of Apple’s latest USD 19 polishing cloth has also been postponed by 10-12 weeks; this is the reality in which we now live. The worldwide chip shortage is expected to hurt Apple’s revenues during its most productive season, but it’s difficult to feel sorry for one of the world’s wealthiest businesses.

US operator Verizon has entered into a partnership with Kuiper, an ambitious satellite venture of Amazon, to expand its 5G coverage in remote areas of the globe. Kuiper is a low earth orbit satellite of Amazon which has been designed to Starlink of Elon Musk and UK-based OneWeb. They will be competing in the next-generation satellite connectivity market. These satellites have better connectivity when compared to the geostationary equivalent as they are closer to the earth. The other advantage of the LEO satellite is that it has lower latency. As part of this partnership, Kuiper would provide connectivity to future Verizon cell towers.

It needs to be stressed that these LEP satellites cannot be connected directly to devices, just like Lynk. Kuiper would launch a constellation of over 3,000 satellites. These satellites would be in low Earth orbit and provide broadband internet coverage. The plan is to provide internet facilities in remote and rural areas. Amazon has plans to invest more than USD 10 billion in this initiative. But it is important to mention that Amazon has yet not launched its first Kuiper satellites. However, the company has got authorization from the Federal Communications Commission last year. Amazon will be required to deploy half of its satellite in the next six years. Kuiper claimed during prototype testing that it can produce uninterrupted speeds of up to 400Mbps.

This is a great deal for Verizon as they would not require too costly infrastructure for this. It is because of this reason that Verizon cannot provide connectivity in rural and hard-to-reach areas in an easier way. This would be possible because Verizon would not be required to lay fiber cables. The process is not only difficult but also expensive. With the help of Kuiper, Verizon would be able to expand 4G and 5G networks without much effort. Both the company has refused to comment on the financial details of this partnership. Teams of both Verizon and Amazon have started to define technical requirements.

The test flight of Starliner has been delayed again. NASA has said that the spacecraft will not lift off till mid-next year. It is a cargo spacecraft. American aerospace giant Boeing is the architect of the spacecraft. It is developing the spacecraft for NASA. The Starliner capsule will embark on an orbital flight test probably in the middle of 2022. The delay is because of faulty valves. Engineers are probing the valves to fix the faults. NASA and Boeing aimed to launch Starliner’s Orbital Test Flight 2 in July this year. But it was pushed to August. The uncrewed mission was touted to be a crucial mission for both NASA and Boeing to the International Space Station.

NASA said that engineers during preflight checks spotted 13 stuck valves in the service module of Starliner. This forced the company to defer the test plan. The test flight is a part of Boeing’s contract with NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Boeing will fly operational missions to ISS for NASA. Notably, the contract has suffered a series of setbacks since its signing in 2014. This prevented Starliner’s test flight to ISS. According to NASA, a test flight is necessary before putting astronauts on board. The test flights help in finding out possible difficulties that astronauts may face during missions.

Boeing had in 2019 launched the first uncrewed orbital flight. However, the mission did not go as planned. Boeing then made a fresh attempt. But the second test flight could not be launched because of software checks and other issues. The company said that engineers had no indication about any problem in the valves of the spacecraft. Boeing said that engineers are yet to determine the exact reason behind the valves that made it stuck. The company said that Starliner’s components worked perfectly during previous tests in 2019. Engineers are now mulling to bring a new service module. However, the company recently said that it will retain the existing service module and assured that issues will be fixed.

Google officials introduced an experimental artificial intelligence trained on text and images in May, claiming that it will make web searches more natural. Google provided a look at how technology will transform the way individuals browse the web on Wednesday. Beginning next year, Google consumers will be able to mix text and picture searches using Lens, a mobile phone app that is also integrated into Google and other services. So, for example, one might take a photo of a garment using Lens and then search for “sweaters with this design.” When you search “how to repair” on a picture of a motorbike component, it will bring you video tutorials or blog entries.

Multitask Unified Model (MUM) will be integrated into Google search results to offer other paths for consumers to take. MUM may include step-by-step directions, style lessons, or how to employ handmade materials if you Google search ‘how to draw,’ for example. Google also aims to add MUM to YouTube clips search in the upcoming days, when this AI will surface search recommendations underneath videos based on video transcripts. MUM has been trained to draw conclusions based on text and visuals. Integrating MUM into its search engine results also signals a step forward in the usage of linguistic models that rely on massive quantities of text collected from the web and a type of neural network architecture known as Transformer.

One of the first such attempts occurred in 2019 when Google inserted a linguistic model known as BERT into search results in order to modify web ranks and summarize the content underneath results. New Google technology will power online searches that start with a photo or screenshot and end with a written inquiry. Google’s Vice President Pandu Nayak stated that BERT was the most significant improvement to search results in over a decade, while MUM takes the language comprehension AI used in search engine results to the next level. MUM, for example, utilizes information from 75 languages and not just English, it is trained using images as well as text rather than just text.

When evaluated in terms of the number of variables or interconnections between artificial neurons in a deep learning program, it is 1,000 times bigger than BERT. While Nayak considers MUM to be a significant step forward in linguistic knowledge, he also admits that big language models have recognized problems and hazards. Bias in training data has been proven to be absorbed by BERT and other Transformer-based algorithms. Researchers have discovered that the bigger the linguistic model, the greater the amplification of prejudice and poisonous content. Users trying to discover and modify racist, sexist, and other inappropriate outputs of big language models believe that examining the text used to train these models is essential to decreasing abuse and that the way information is sorted can have an adverse effect. The Allen Institute for AI reported in April that blocklists used in a common data set utilized by Google to prepare its T5 language model can result in the marginalization of entire communities, such as individuals who identify as queer, making it more difficult for linguistic models to understand text written by or regarding those groups.

Based on the material of the transcripts, YouTube videos in search engine results will eventually offer other search ideas. Several Google AI researchers, particularly former Ethical AI team co-leads Timnit Gebru and Margaret Mitchell, have stated in the last year that they experienced executive pushbacks to their work demonstrating that big language models may damage individuals. The firing of Gebru following a disagreement over a study critical of the social and environmental implications of big language models sparked accusations of racism, calls for unionization, and the need for greater whistleblower protections for AI ethics experts among Google workers. 5 US senators questioned whether Google services including search or Google’s workplace are suitable for Black individuals in June, citing several cases of algorithmic racism at Alphabet and the ouster of Gebru.

According to a Google spokesman, MUM is trained using high-quality data based on Google’s search quality requirements. Websites may earn low-quality ratings as a result of false or overstated material, or even distracting advertisements. Websites that encourage hatred or violence are also given low ranks. Google, on the other hand, provided no further information regarding the data used to train MUM, nor assurance that the language model did not magnify prejudice or exclude specific populations. Google claims that before making modifications to its search function generally available, it evaluates them on queries involving protected classes of users and does A/B testing with internal search quality reviewers. A software engineer was part of a larger group of academics that developed a series of tests to assess models for rationality, logic, and prejudice earlier this year. However, a Google spokesman declined to comment on whether MUM was subjected to this testing.

The beta testing of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service will be completed in October 2021, although it is not yet clear how it will vary from the present offering. Elon Musk, the CEO and founder of SpaceX, made this forecast early on Friday morning, responding “Next month” to an inquiry from a Canadian gamer who had tweeted the day before that his Starlink terminal is yet to arrive. Musk’s two-word tweet left it unclear how the new Starlink will vary from the beta version, in terms of performance and cost. For those who pay USD 99 a month, a Starlink FAQ says that broadband rates would range from 50 Mbps to 150 Mbps, and the latency rate will be between 20 milliseconds and 40 milliseconds. Their site also states that Starlink’s beta product does not have a data limit, testers have noticed that its application also does not indicate total data usage, the organization, and Elon Musk have not responded to queries concerning post-beta use rules. Elon tweeted a beta-exit timeline in mid-April, only a few weeks before Friday’s prediction: “Probably out of beta this summer.” In general, he has managed to undersell Starlink’s promise for overcoming technological barriers, which contrasts sharply with his habit of extolling forthcoming advancements in self-driving capabilities of Tesla’s electric vehicles, only to have them arrive late and disappoint.

Elon Musk stated that Starlink is “really designed for sparsely inhabited regions”, that is, areas that are outside the scope of conventional cellular service. “We should have a worldwide connection for everything, except the poles beginning this August,” he added. Musk told his audience to anticipate “pretty substantial collaborations” with telecom providers in other nations that would utilize Starlink to reach users outside their cellular networks, but no such arrangements have been revealed. Musk told guests at the Satellite 2020 event in Washington, D.C. in March, “It’s not like Starlink is some enormous danger to telecom companies.” MoffettNathanson, a market research firm, acknowledged in an April note, stating that although Starlink might be a “significant factor to helping to overcome the digital gap in the United States,” capacity restrictions would prohibit it from becoming a “meaningful rival to terrestrial alternative solutions.” In a review published in May, Starlink had swiftly built out its network of tiny satellites since a February 2018 test launch of two demonstration Starlink satellites, sending 60 at a time to orbits around 340 miles up using SpaceX’s partially-reusable Falcon 9 rockets.

According to astronomer Jonathan McDowell, there are already 1,658 Starlink satellites in operation; the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has allowed a maximum of 4,408 for its first stage, with tens of thousands more queued-up for conceivable future launches. Starlink will face intense competition from two additional Low-Earth-orbit constellations, one of which is nearing completion and the other of which is yet to be launched. After rebounding from a Chapter 11 bankruptcy case with a significant investment from the United Kingdom government, the London-based business “OneWeb” recently completed its 10th launch using disposable Russian Soyuz rockets to place 322 satellites in orbit. Back in the United States, Amazon’s Project Kuiper received FCC clearance in July 2020 for a 3,236-satellite network. According to the terms of the agreement, Kuiper must have 50% of them operational by July 30, 2026. Even though Amazon founder Jeff Bezos runs a rocket business, Blue Origin, its in-development and semi-reusable New Glenn rocket will not get Kuiper off the ground. Instead, in April, the firm established a partnership with United Launch Alliance under which its first 9 launches will be carried out on disposable Atlas V rockets.  Kuiper has submitted FCC objections to Starlink’s proposals, arguing that the agency has allowed it undue freedoms.

The clubhouse has announced to launch of a new feature for audio recording. The popular audio chat platform said that the new feature fulfills the long pending demand of creators. They were asking for easier ways to record and share conversations. The feature will be called ‘replays’. It is an in-app feature. The company said that it can record a room with the help of features. They can save it to their profile and club. Users can even download the recorded content. According to Clubhouse, creators and moderators will have the right to the audio recording. They will also have the right to on and off the feature. The rooms will be recorded only when they are public.

Clubhouse said that users can do full recordings. Besides, they can also create 30 seconds long clips. The clips will be shareable in rooms. Speakers joining the rooms will get a notification the recording feature has been enabled. Clubhouse said that the feature will let users share memorable moments from the rooms. It will also help the company in growing audiences. The company said that it has plans to launch a more extensive feature for recording rooms. Clubhouse previously didn’t offer an in-app feature for record conversations. Users had to rely on a third-party app for recording.

The clubhouse has also announced a search feature. Users can search for rooms, clubs, users, and bios by just typing a name or keyword. Besides, the company has started rolling out spatial audio to Android. It was initially made available to iOS devices. The audio chat app had last month introduced a new way to invite users to chats. The feature is called Wave. Users just need to tap a waving hand emoji to invite friends to a live audio room. Clubhouse said that the new features will enhance the user experience by making conversations more meaningful, engaging, and fun. The clubhouse is an invite-only platform that lets people talk in real-time across the world. It was launched in April last year.

Netflix is working on war footing to cement its position in the gaming industry. The streaming service provider has launched five titles under its new ‘Game’ tab. Now the company has acquired its first gaming studio. It has acquired Night School Studio which is known for titles like ‘Oxenfree.’ Mike Verdu, vice president of game development at Netflix, said that the proven track record of Night School Studio makes them the best choice for the company. “The artistic excellence of the studio in the field of gaming industry makes it an invaluable partner. We are working to build the library of games for Netflix together,” Verdu said.

Verdu also said that the company is planning to add exclusive games that will be included with its membership. These games would be designed for every kind of gamer with different levels to suit their need. These games will have not ads or in-app purchases. The first mobile games are currently available for Netflix subscribers exclusively in Europe. Also, the game can be only played on Android smartphones and devices. It is important to mention that subscribers cannot play games within the Netflix app. Users will have to download the Netflix-exclusive games after they are directed on the Google Play Store. Users can download the apps available in their reason as they normally do with other gaming apps.

Sean Krankel and Adam Hines had founded the Night School Studio in the year 2014. While Krankel was a former designer at Disney Interactive, Hines was a lead writer at Telltale Games, which was a partner of Netflix and they worked together on interactive shows before being shut down. In a statement posted on the site of Night School, Krankel said that Netflix is giving game makers a canvas where they can create games to entertain millions of people. Krankel also assured fans of Oxenfree and other titles of the studio that they will continue to work on Oxenfree II and other games.

NASA is going forward with plans to include competitiveness in the construction of Artemis Moon landers. The space program stated this week that it has chosen 5 US businesses to do extra work towards developing lunar lander ideas that would send individuals to the surface of the moon later on this decade. The total value of the awards was USD 146 million, with work scheduled to be finished over the course of the next 15 months. Blue Origin Federation (USD 25.6 million), Dynetics (USD 40.8 million), Lockheed Martin (USD 35.2 million), Northrop Grumman (USD 34.8 million), and SpaceX (USD 9.4 million) are among the selected contenders.

As per NASA, each one of these firms will continue to explore lander design concepts as well as analyze the landers’ efficiency, architecture, mission assurance requirements, and other factors. The businesses will also reduce the risks associated with the lunar landers by completing essential component testing and increasing the development of critical technologies. “A key Artemis objective is to build a long-term human settlement on the Moon through recurrent services utilizing lunar landers,” said Kathy Lueders, NASA’s chief of human spaceflight. “This crucial step provides the groundwork for US leadership in knowing more about the Moon, as well as understanding how to reside and operate in deep space for future missions deeper into the Solar System.”

The grants came approximately 5 months after NASA chose SpaceX to improve its Starship vehicle for a test Moon landing and eventual crew landing. NASA intended to pay two suppliers in April, however, Congress only authorized one-quarter of the funds requested. So, over the course of 5 years, SpaceX received a total amount of USD 2.89 billion. NASA announced plans to buy “repeat landing services” from American corporations to maintain a competitive atmosphere. After SpaceX’s test missions, this contract will fund operational outposts to the lunar surface.

The awards issued this week will “ultimately assist, define strategy and criteria for a future NASA’s Request for Proposal (RFP) to offer regular human transportation from the lunar orbit to the moon’s surface,” according to NASA. Congressional funding will decide the amount of future “recurring services” grants. Following SpaceX’s selection in April, the other two contenders for a lunar lander contract, the Blue Origin-led National Team, and Dynetics, filed a complaint with the US Government’s Accountability Office. That objection was refused, and Blue Origin had subsequently sued NASA in the United States Court of Federal Claims to have the contracts overturned. This debate is still ongoing. The group of national teams will likely remain intact as long as there is a possibility to secure the original contract, which was granted only to SpaceX. If that effort fails, the national team’s members are ready to go their own ways. The 15-month timeframe will allow them to consider alternative options.

Twitter is apparently the first major social media platform that is encouraging the use of cryptocurrency. This is because the microblogging site has now allowed users to tip their favorite creator using Bitcoin. The company introduced the Tips feature earlier this year. The feature so far has allowed users to pay tips to their favorite creators via third-party payment services and platforms. The feature was initially made available to a small group of iOS users in the United States. But it has now been expanded globally. Moreover, the company is also adding more payment services.

Tips, which was initially called Tip Jar, will be soon rolled out for all users. Twitter has not fixed any date but has confirmed that the feature will be first made available to users on the iOS platform and later on for Android users. While initially users were allowed to tip with fiat currency with the help of more traditional payment services such as Venmo and Cash app. The company is now integrating Strike Bitcoin lighting wallet which will allow creators to receive tips in Bitcoin. Twitter said that it would allow users to add their Bitcoin address to the profile and then receive or send these cryptocurrency tips.

It is pertinent to mention that the microblogging site does not take a cut on the amount sent through this feature. The step to integrate Bitcoin is not at all surprising considering the fact Twitter chief executive officer Jack Dorsey has been one of the most vocal supporters of cryptocurrency. Dorsey even tweeted that he is trying his hand at Bitcoin mining. Dorsey said that he doesn’t find anything more important than working on Bitcoin. Additionally, Twitter has been working on recognizing Non-Fungible Tokens or NFTs. This will allow users to authenticate their collections of NFT on the social media platform. Besides, Twitter has also announced that it would soon launch creator funds for those who host Spaces audio rooms.

Emojis let to express your feelings and emotions without typing a single word. Emojis also make messaging more fun. This is going to be more fun as several new emojis will be soon added to smartphones. The two prominent emojis among them would be a pregnant man and a pregnant gender-neutral person. Reports suggest that around 37 new emojis would be added to play with. The new emoji icons will be soon added as part of the Emoji 14.0 update. There would be a range of other inclusive illustrations covering all genders and skin tones.

The proposal to add new pregnancy emojis was first announced earlier this year. Both the emojis are similar to the emoji of a pregnant woman already available for users. Both the man and a gender-neutral person can be seen having their hands clasped over their baby bumps. While the man can be seen with a little mustache, the gender-neutral person has mid-length hair. Apart from this, the updates also include characters representing a royal person, melting face emoji, multiracial handshake, and others. The changes will give users more options to express their feelings with the help of emojis.

The addition of new emojis is an effort to make it look more neutral. This is apparently the Unicode Consortium had added a woman with a beard. It must be noted that these emojis are yet to get final approval and some of them are likely to change before that. Earlier in 2020, the consortium had said that version 14.0 would be delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic. Emojis have always been an integral part of messaging platforms and every company works on its own to make them better. Recently, Microsoft had announced that it would redesign its around 1800 emojis. The tech giant had also said that its paper clip emoji would be swapped with its assistant Clippy. Meanwhile, it is pertinent to mention that a study published by Adobe revealed that ‘laugh out loud’ it the most popular emoji in the world.

Harley-Davidson has announced that its retro-inspired electric bikes would go on sale later this year. The announcement comes almost a year after the iconic two-wheeler manufacturer said that it is planning to spin out its own e-bike company. Harley-Davidson had said that it would name the company Serial 1. The electric bikes would be available for sale in limited numbers only. The company had initially said that these vintage-inspired models were just a ‘styling exercise.’ The e-bike S1 Mosh/Tribute is basically the company’s way to pay homage to ‘Serial Number One’. It was the oldest know motorcycle built by the American motorcycle manufacturer in 1903.

The design of the e-bike is almost similar to its first prototype. I will have a sleek black frame with gold littering, leather saddle, and handgrips along with its white tires. The bike, however, has a lot of similarities with Mosh/Cty model. Mosh/Cty is the entry-level model of Serial 1. Talking about the similarity, they both have Gates Carbon Drive belt, TRP hydraulic disc brakes along with integrated lighting and internally routed cables. While the white-toned Schwalbe Super Moto-X tires are only available for Serial 1 exclusively. The other highlights of the Mosh/Tribute model are that it has a leather saddle and matching grips that are handmade from Brooks England.

The update will surely bring smiles to the faces of potential customers who were disappointed when the company had in October 2020 refused to make it clear that whether the prototype would go into production. This is also an indication Harley-Davidson is leaning into its motorcycle roots. The company is now relying more on such limited editions and exclusive one-offs. This is happening as the electric bike market is getting crowded with every passing day. There is a lot of competition in this market and Harley-Davidson doesn’t want to stay behind. The company has recently said that it would soon launch e-bikes under its 1-Off series brand name.

Fitbit has announced to launch a new feature to detect snoring and background sounds. The company is rolling out the Noise and Snore detection feature for its smartwatches. It will give users insights into snoring and other sounds. Users will require enabling the feature. For this, they will have to go to the Sleep page on Fitbit’s app. The feature will use the microphone of the device. The company has added a ‘Check for snoring‘ card on the Sleep page. Enabling it will activate the feature. Users can learn more about the app by visiting the ‘Learn more’. According to Fitbit, the app will record two metrics. These are Sound intensity and Snoring events. Fitbit was acquired by search engine giant Google in January this year.

Fitbit said that the microphone of the device will record noise-related information in the environment. It will collect data when Fitbit detects that the user is asleep. Fitbit will make a recording by analyzing the noise level. The feature will also record information of other people in the room. The device won’t distinguish among people who are snoring in a room. It means that Fitbit will start recording sounds if it was not from the person wearing the device in a common room. Fitbit will, however, make efforts to differentiate between snoring and other sounds once it detects a louder noise above the baseline level. Users can disable the Noise and Snore detection feature by going to Settings.

The new feature will let users hear the ambient noise. Fitbit has also rolled out an update for its app on the Play Store. The company said that the new feature will affect the device’s battery capacity as it will use the microphone. The company has recommended that users should keep their device’s battery charge at 40 percent before using the feature. Users can delete the snoring and other sounds at any time. Fitbit said that the new feature will help in diagnosing the medical conditions of individuals and proper treatment. Google after acquiring Fitbit had said that it will work towards making health and wellness accessible to people.

Transferring WhatsApp chat from iOS to Android is now a reality. The company has announced to roll out new support for the same. It allows users to migrate chats. The company said that users can transfer their chat history when they switch from iOS to Android devices. This is, however, restricted to Samsung Android devices. Notably, Samsung at its Unpacked event had announced the feature. For now, WhatsApp didn’t allow users to transfer chats when they switch from one OS to another. This resulted in losing the chat data. According to WhatsApp, users can transfer only during the initial setup. It said that the new device should be factory new.

WhatsApp earlier allowed users to store their chat. Users can transfer chat through its cloud backup feature. But iOS and Android chat histories were stored differently. The feature stored iOS chat histories in iCloud. Android’s histories were stored in Google Drive. This didn’t allow transferring chat on devices running on different OS. When users switched from iOS to Android or vice-versa, they could not transfer their chat. They were able to transfer chats only between phones that are running the same OS. The company said that besides moving chat and chat histories of both individuals and groups, users can also transfer account information, profile photo, and media.

WhatsApp said that old iPhone owners should need to run the instant messaging app’s version 2.21.160.17 or above to enjoy the transfer chats feature. The new Samsung devices should run the app’s 2.21.16.20 Android version or above. Also, Samsung’s new device should have the SmartSwitch app installed. The app’s version 3.7.22.1 or above is required for migrating chats. Users will also need USB-C and Lightning cables. The chart transfer will take place via these two. Users will need to complete the activation of the new device once the transfer is finished. Users will then be able to see the chats. Notably, the ability to transfer chat was a long pending demand by the users.