T-Mobile partners with SpaceX for satellite service, beta starting in 2023

SpaceX, better known for its spacecrafts and space missions, provides satellite internet service to remote and rural areas. The service is currently available in parts of the United States, Europe, Australia, and South America. Despite covering a large part of the United States, there are still plenty of major areas that don’t have service. Now, T-Mobile and SpaceX have announced a partnership that will shape the future of the internet.

T-Mobile CEO and President Mike Sievert delivered the news at SpaceX Starbase stating that the vision going forward was to “end mobile dead zones.” Currently, there are many areas that are not covered by cellular networks and never will be. In order to provide coverage to these areas, SpaceX will be launching satellites that will make it possible to connect. The satellites will launch next year and the technology will work with existing phones. The hopes are to have this service, Coverage Above and Beyond, available starting in late 2023. The initial rollout will support access to messaging, MMS, and select messaging apps. Eventually, the service will be expanded to include voice and internet.

Sievert declared that “nearly anywhere in the US where you can see the sky, you’re connected with your existing phone.” Of course, this is just the beginning and it won’t be happening overnight. He expressed interest in creating a global connection with other cellular providers in other countries so that anyone visiting the US could connect to the satellite service. In Un-carrier fashion, he also stated that this feature would be included in its popular wireless plans for free, with lower-tier plans having to pay a fee. The fee would be much less than the traditional satellite service currently available.

Elon Musk, who is SpaceX’s Chief Engineer, stated that this is a service that can potentially save lives, giving people access to service where there is no service. Musk stated that in order for this service to work, SpaceX is sending Starlink Gen2 satellites with special antennas into space, and it will also have large receivers in place in rural areas. While it is exciting, Musk was quick to fill in the details, stating that this is not a replacement for current mobile services and that it is more for emergencies. He expanded that each cell station on land would be able to up to thousands of calls and millions of messages. As mentioned before, this service will roll out in beta towards the end of 2023.

---

Source: SpaceX (YouTube)

The post T-Mobile partners with SpaceX for satellite service, beta starting in 2023 appeared first on XDA.

from XDA https://ift.tt/J53k8C4
via IFTTT

T-Mobile partners with SpaceX for satellite service, beta starting in 2023

SpaceX, better known for its spacecrafts and space missions, provides satellite internet service to remote and rural areas. The service is currently available in parts of the United States, Europe, Australia, and South America. Despite covering a large part of the United States, there are still plenty of major areas that don’t have service. Now, T-Mobile and SpaceX have announced a partnership that will shape the future of the internet.

T-Mobile CEO and President Mike Sievert delivered the news at SpaceX Starbase stating that the vision going forward was to “end mobile dead zones.” Currently, there are many areas that are not covered by cellular networks and never will be. In order to provide coverage to these areas, SpaceX will be launching satellites that will make it possible to connect. The satellites will launch next year and the technology will work with existing phones. The hopes are to have this service, Coverage Above and Beyond, available starting in late 2023. The initial rollout will support access to messaging, MMS, and select messaging apps. Eventually, the service will be expanded to include voice and internet.

Sievert declared that “nearly anywhere in the US where you can see the sky, you’re connected with your existing phone.” Of course, this is just the beginning and it won’t be happening overnight. He expressed interest in creating a global connection with other cellular providers in other countries so that anyone visiting the US could connect to the satellite service. In Un-carrier fashion, he also stated that this feature would be included in its popular wireless plans for free, with lower-tier plans having to pay a fee. The fee would be much less than the traditional satellite service currently available.

Elon Musk, who is SpaceX’s Chief Engineer, stated that this is a service that can potentially save lives, giving people access to service where there is no service. Musk stated that in order for this service to work, SpaceX is sending Starlink Gen2 satellites with special antennas into space, and it will also have large receivers in place in rural areas. While it is exciting, Musk was quick to fill in the details, stating that this is not a replacement for current mobile services and that it is more for emergencies. He expanded that each cell station on land would be able to up to thousands of calls and millions of messages. As mentioned before, this service will roll out in beta towards the end of 2023.

---

Source: SpaceX (YouTube)

The post T-Mobile partners with SpaceX for satellite service, beta starting in 2023 appeared first on XDA.

from XDA https://ift.tt/WYBlqdc
via IFTTT

Twitter rolls out podcasts with Spaces redesign

Twitter has been adding a lot of new features to its platform over the past few months like CoTweets and giving people the ability to follow users without creating an account. Starting today, Twitter will begin connecting people in a new way, allowing folks on the platform to enjoy podcasts from around the world.

While it had been rumored for quite some time and Twitter is now rolling out podcast integration into its app. While some suspected it would be a separate product, the podcasts are snuggly packed inside Twitter Spaces. Up until now, Twitter Spaces was an audio platform that allowed users to have live audio conversations. It had a host with the option for two co-hosts and an unlimited audience. Despite podcasts rolling out, this feature will still continue to exist.

In order to make podcast integration as smooth as possible, the company redesigned the Spaces tab by introducing hubs that can be personalized. Content is grouped by themes so listeners can find what they are looking for at a glance. There will be themes like news, music, sports, and more. Users will also have access to live and recorded content. The reason why the Spaces redesign is important is that it will continue to host Spaces, but will also incorporate podcasts.

The company will also try and curate content by utilizing existing user data, and giving podcast recommendations. Listeners will also be able to like and dislike content in order to improve their recommendations. This should be big for Twitter, as the company has stated that according to its research, 45% of the people on its platform in the U.S. listen to podcasts. Currently, the update is rolling out to select English-speaking Twitter users on iOS and Android. Now, if we can only get an edit button by the end of the year.

---

Source: Twitter

The post Twitter rolls out podcasts with Spaces redesign appeared first on XDA.

from XDA https://ift.tt/PRY3sD6
via IFTTT

Twitter rolls out podcasts with Spaces redesign

Twitter has been adding a lot of new features to its platform over the past few months like CoTweets and giving people the ability to follow users without creating an account. Starting today, Twitter will begin connecting people in a new way, allowing folks on the platform to enjoy podcasts from around the world.

While it had been rumored for quite some time and Twitter is now rolling out podcast integration into its app. While some suspected it would be a separate product, the podcasts are snuggly packed inside Twitter Spaces. Up until now, Twitter Spaces was an audio platform that allowed users to have live audio conversations. It had a host with the option for two co-hosts and an unlimited audience. Despite podcasts rolling out, this feature will still continue to exist.

In order to make podcast integration as smooth as possible, the company redesigned the Spaces tab by introducing hubs that can be personalized. Content is grouped by themes so listeners can find what they are looking for at a glance. There will be themes like news, music, sports, and more. Users will also have access to live and recorded content. The reason why the Spaces redesign is important is that it will continue to host Spaces, but will also incorporate podcasts.

The company will also try and curate content by utilizing existing user data, and giving podcast recommendations. Listeners will also be able to like and dislike content in order to improve their recommendations. This should be big for Twitter, as the company has stated that according to its research, 45% of the people on its platform in the U.S. listen to podcasts. Currently, the update is rolling out to select English-speaking Twitter users on iOS and Android. Now, if we can only get an edit button by the end of the year.

---

Source: Twitter

The post Twitter rolls out podcasts with Spaces redesign appeared first on XDA.

from XDA https://ift.tt/bN5Feqj
via IFTTT

Windows 11’s Settings app now has animated icons

Microsoft is beta testing an interesting change to the Settings experience in Windows 11. While it is not really a major one, experienced Windows Insiders who are enrolled in the Dev channel of the Windows 11 beta testing program have noticed that Microsoft recently rolled out animated icons in the settings app.

The animated icons aren’t available for everyone in the program just yet, and Microsoft just appears to be A/B testing it with select Windows Insiders first. However, for those who have it on the Dev channel, it adds yet another touch of life to the one-year-old operating system. This was initially noted by Rafael Rivera on Twitter, who noted that Microsoft actually has a name for these features, dubbed as “delightful unexpected moments of joy.”

Microsoft is experimenting with the idea of animating Settings navigation icons (vso/feature 34878152, Windows Insider Build 25188)

The Microsoft Design team calls these delightful unexpected moments of joy with purpose https://t.co/rUIi924aIT pic.twitter.com/2zYmbqg97N

— Rafael Rivera (@WithinRafael) August 25, 2022

The animated icons look pretty nifty, and are a nice change from the static icons in the regular version of Windows 11. For example, for the system icon in the sidebar, a hover will cause the PC screen in the icon to glare on and off. On Bluetooth and devices, the Bluetooth icon will squeeze itself. Then, for network and internet, the icon for the Wi-Fi bar will fills itself up. In other examples, on gaming, the controller icon jumps up and down, and then for Windows Update, the refresh icon will spin around.

This isn’t the first time Microsoft has tested such an experience with Windows Insiders, either. Previously, Microsoft was spotted rolling out a new taskbar animation on login. With that change, taskbar icons in Windows 11 would zoom-in, instead of flying up.

As with all features in the Dev Channel of the Windows Insider program, it is not clear if this will make it to a final version of Windows 11, or the incoming Windows 11, Version 22H2 update. If you really want to try out this experience today and you’re a Windows Insider in the Dev Channel, you can tweak a few things using ViveTool, but this is not suggested.

Source:  Rafael Rivera/ Twitter

The post Windows 11’s Settings app now has animated icons appeared first on XDA.

from XDA https://ift.tt/G0iVFlW
via IFTTT

Windows 11’s Settings app now has animated icons

Microsoft is beta testing an interesting change to the Settings experience in Windows 11. While it is not really a major one, experienced Windows Insiders who are enrolled in the Dev channel of the Windows 11 beta testing program have noticed that Microsoft recently rolled out animated icons in the settings app.

The animated icons aren’t available for everyone in the program just yet, and Microsoft just appears to be A/B testing it with select Windows Insiders first. However, for those who have it on the Dev channel, it adds yet another touch of life to the one-year-old operating system. This was initially noted by Rafael Rivera on Twitter, who noted that Microsoft actually has a name for these features, dubbed as “delightful unexpected moments of joy.”

Microsoft is experimenting with the idea of animating Settings navigation icons (vso/feature 34878152, Windows Insider Build 25188)

The Microsoft Design team calls these delightful unexpected moments of joy with purpose https://t.co/rUIi924aIT pic.twitter.com/2zYmbqg97N

— Rafael Rivera (@WithinRafael) August 25, 2022

The animated icons look pretty nifty, and are a nice change from the static icons in the regular version of Windows 11. For example, for the system icon in the sidebar, a hover will cause the PC screen in the icon to glare on and off. On Bluetooth and devices, the Bluetooth icon will squeeze itself. Then, for network and internet, the icon for the Wi-Fi bar will fills itself up. In other examples, on gaming, the controller icon jumps up and down, and then for Windows Update, the refresh icon will spin around.

This isn’t the first time Microsoft has tested such an experience with Windows Insiders, either. Previously, Microsoft was spotted rolling out a new taskbar animation on login. With that change, taskbar icons in Windows 11 would zoom-in, instead of flying up.

As with all features in the Dev Channel of the Windows Insider program, it is not clear if this will make it to a final version of Windows 11, or the incoming Windows 11, Version 22H2 update. If you really want to try out this experience today and you’re a Windows Insider in the Dev Channel, you can tweak a few things using ViveTool, but this is not suggested.

Source:  Rafael Rivera/ Twitter

The post Windows 11’s Settings app now has animated icons appeared first on XDA.

from XDA https://ift.tt/MBKNQ5s
via IFTTT

Android users could soon gain access to Tidal’s Early Access Program

Tidal isn’t the most popular music streaming service, but it offers things that are not available on other platforms. The most popular lure for most users is its high-quality audio. With its highest subscription tier, users can experience Master Quality Authenticated (MQA) music up to 9612kbps. It’s impressive, to say the least. If you’re a Tidal user on Android, the company is preparing to roll out its Early Access Program.

Andrew Romero of 9to5Google states that the service is inviting users through email, and those that are willing to opt in will get “a sneak peek at the latest features.” Those that go forward and register for the program will be able to provide feedback to the app’s developers. If this sounds like something you want to be a part of and you have not received an email, you can join. But, there is one catch, and that is you must be subscribed to Tidal’s “HiFi Plus” tier.

Tidal currently offers three tiers of service. The free tier gives users access to 90 million songs with audio quality up to 160kbps with limited interruptions and curated playlists. The next tier up is “HiFi,” costing $9.99 a month and features everything the free tier offers, plus access to songs ad-free with audio quality up to 1411kbps. The paid tier will also grant access to over 450,000 videos, offline listening, playlists, and more. The HiFi Plus tier costs $19.99 and includes everything that the HiFi tier offers, but it will deliver the best fidelity audio (MQA music up to 9612kbps) with support for Dolby Atmos and Sony 360 Reality Audio. Furthermore, part of your subscription fee will go directly to the artist.

Checking the Tidal website and the Early Access page, it states that the Early Access Program is currently only available to iOS users. But, looking through the FAQ, there is a sliver of hope that says, “Stay tuned for an opportunity to join the Early Access Program if you’re an Android user!” If interested, you can download the app and be sure to sign up for the HiFi Plus tier so you can gain access.

Are you a Tidal HiFi Plus tier member? Have you received an email for the Android Early Access Program? Let us know.

TIDAL Music (Free, Google Play) →

---

Source: 9to5Google

The post Android users could soon gain access to Tidal’s Early Access Program appeared first on XDA.

from XDA https://ift.tt/28CQfqo
via IFTTT