🛰 Satellite service

Satellite-based communication is the next big thing for smartphones

February 24, 2023

IN THIS ISSUE 🤖 AI-generated voice easily bypasses bank security 📱 New device adds satellite messaging to most phones 🕶 Apple's budget-friendly MR headset should drop in 2025 🚀 NASA and SpaceX ready for first crewed launch since October

UP FIRST AI-generated voice beats bank security And the feat seemed to be unnervingly easy to pull off A tech reporter claims to have used an AI-generated voice to break into a bank account.   The replica voice was that of the reporter, Joseph Cox, and the account was his own, but the feat raises serious questions about potential vulnerabilities in voice-activated security systems, especially with the rise of artificial intelligence.   Cox's report for Motherboard details how he used readily available AI technology to create a synthetic clone of his voice before phoning the bank and using it to access his account.   In a video showing what happened, the bank's automated system, as part of its security check, asked Cox to say, "My voice is my password."   Once in, he was able to view account information, including balances, recent transactions, and transfers.   The report notes how banks across the U.S. and Europe use this sort of voice verification to let customers log into their account over the phone, adding: "Potentially anyone with even a few minutes of their voice publicly available – YouTubers, social media influencers, politicians, journalists – could be susceptible to this sort of voice cloning. Read more

SATELLITE SERVICE New device adds emergency satellite messaging to practically any phone It could be a lifesaver if you're stuck without cellular service With Apple already offering it with the iPhone 14, Qualcomm announcing its own service, and Samsung this week unveiling similar technology, smartphone-satellite technology has clearly become a big focus for tech firms.   The feature is primarily for off-grid emergencies in remote spots where you need to contact rescuers but don't have any cellular coverage.   While the functionality is coming only gradually to smartphones, a new device called the Motorola Defy Satellite Link gives almost any iPhone or Android handset an instant upgrade.   Built by British phone maker Bullitt, the device connects to a smartphone via Bluetooth and includes an app enabling SOS messages, two-way texting, and location-sharing.   The lightweight device will start shipping in April, costing $99. The app costs $5 a month and includes access to an SOS emergency service. A bundle that includes the device and a year's subscription to the basic messaging and emergency plan costs $149. Read more

MIXED REALITY Apple's budget-friendly mixed reality headset won't drop until 2025 The high-end 'Reality Pro' is expected to be unveiled in June, but those hoping for a budget-friendly version may have a long wait Apple is expected to unveil its first mixed-reality (MR) headset at its Worldwide Developers Conference in June. Rumored to be called Reality Pro, the device could cost as much as $3,000, double that of Meta's Quest Pro headset.   That's a lot of dough whatever way you look at it, but high-profile Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed on Friday that the tech giant will launch a second generation of the device in 2025 comprising two versions: the high-end model and a more budget-friendly, low-end design.   By offering the headset in a similar way to how it offers premium and non-premium versions of the iPhone, Apple will hope to reach more customers and bring more people into its ecosystem.   Apple's Reality Pro headset is expected to come with 4K displays, hands-free operation, and an iOS-like interface, among other features.   Technical challenges with Apple's MR headset have reportedly caused delays in its release, but the latest reports suggest it will be unveiled in four months' time and go on sale later in the year. Read more

ON THE HORIZON NASA and SpaceX ready for first crewed launch since October A Falcon 9 rocket will blast four astronauts toward the space station early on Monday NASA and SpaceX are about to perform their first crewed launch since October 2022.   Traveling aboard the Crew Dragon Endeavour spacecraft early on Monday will be Crew-6, comprising NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen and Warren Hoburg, United Arab Emirates astronaut Sultan Alneyadi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev.   It's the first time in orbit for everyone except Bowen, who is embarking on his fourth spaceflight.   The four crewmembers will spend about six months living and working aboard the station about 250 miles above Earth, working on science experiments in microgravity conditions, conducting spacewalks to maintain and upgrade the orbital facility, and of course enjoying the spectacular views of our planet.   The launch will be live streamed on NASA TV. Read more

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