If it’s one thing you can bet on, there’s always newer, better and faster tech begging you to open your wallet. With that said, you probably haven’t heard about BlueBird yet from AST SmartMobile out of Texas. They’re working with AT&T to launch the world’s first space-based cellular broadband network.
Each of these communications satellites is about half the size of a basketball court (about 700 feet wide!). So far, five are orbiting Earth, with plans for another 85 satellites to blanket the planet.
When that happens, no matter where you’re standing, you won’t have to deal with crappy cellphone service or zero bars. I love that. Don’t you? Keep reading — I’ve got a payload of a space update with need-to-know details you’ll want to tell your family and friends.
With BlueBird satellite access, your trusty smartphone transforms into a satellite phone — no extra gadgets needed. Forget about searching for those elusive cell towers! This is a total game-changer, especially for those in rural areas with bad (or nonexistent) internet or cell service.
AT&T Chief Operating Officer Jeff McElfresh summed it up like this: “It’s a future where our customers will only be hard to reach if they choose to be.” In other words, no more excuses, like, “Honey, I couldn’t call to tell you I was going to be late because I had no bars.”
Currently, it’s the top dog in commercial communications, hovering in low-Earth orbit. As exciting as these advancements are, scientists are already sounding the alarms about overcrowded skies. A study in Nature found BlueBird’s predecessor was as bright as over 22% of the brightest stars in the sky.
BlueBird’s satellites are about to get much bigger — about 2,425 square feet in diameter each. To put that into perspective, the average single-family home in the U.S. is around 2,400 square feet. Imagine 90 homes orbiting Earth.
And that extra light? It’s making it harder for scientists to peek into the cosmic mysteries. After all, if a meteor’s zooming our way, it’d be great to get a heads-up, don’t you think?
Speaking of space clutter, Elon Musk’s SpaceX just hit 6,370 Starlink satellites in orbit. Not bad, given it started in 2019. Musk has plans to launch 42,000 satellites — possibly more. At this rate, we’ll soon have more Starlink satellites in the sky than visible stars (about 9,000).
A standard Starlink satellite is way smaller than a BlueBird satellite, measuring 9.2 feet long and 4.7 feet wide when its solar panels are tucked in. Once deployed, those panels stretch the satellite to 36 feet across.
How much do you know about LinkedIn? Sure, you probably understand it’s a social network for professionals, but it’s so much more.
Unlike most social networks that are used to share the latest vacation pictures, LinkedIn was designed for more important reasons. It can help you make connections, share work experience and find or post jobs.
Save money on Wi-Fi while on the seven seas: Going on a cruise? Keep your data safe with a portable router (30% off, nice). Once you’re aboard and purchase the ship’s Wi-Fi package, connect the router to their network. Bam, your own private network. Connect all your devices without paying extra for Wi-Fi plans.
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25,000-mile project: Meta is building a $10 billion underwater fiber-optic cable to circle the globe. Why? To avoid geopolitical hotspots where subsea cables have been sabotaged in the past, like the Baltic Sea and Red Sea. Owning a global network cable gives Meta full control to prioritize traffic to its own products and services.
In 2008, the U.S. Department of Defense experienced the worst breach of military computers, ever. Was the source a … A.) Phishing email, B.) USB flash drive, C.) Confused employee or D.) Stolen laptop?
Where do you look for your next career move? There are several job boards, but which is right for you?
Let’s look at a few places job seekers go online and find the right one for your needs.
New to LinkedIn? Newly-graduated students may have used the platform before, but the game changes as the stakes increase after college.
Presenting a professional and friendly persona through your profile is vital to potential employers. Experience, interests and a great bio can all get you far.
The VPN game has been seriously upgraded! My sponsor, ExpressVPN, recently rolled out a slew of feature-packed updates. ExpressVPN pushes the envelope to keep your digital life locked down, from ad-blockers to a beefed-up server network.
My husband, Barry, loses track of everything. Well, he did until I AirTagged his life. That’s where Bluetooth trackers come in handy. These tiny devices attach to what you don’t want to lose, and they sync directly to your phone. The tracker shares its location when you can’t find it.
Small business owners must build trust, set trends and share their customers’ values. Connecting with customers is one of the most important ways to make money.
Success starts close to home. Before connecting with customers, you must build strong bonds with your teammates. Tap or click here for five leadership secrets every small business owner should know.
True or false: If your phone’s got all four reception bars lit up and it’s displaying the 5G symbol, you’ve got A+ service.
The answer? False. When you see “5G,” all it means is there are 5G connections nearby. Whether you’re on that network is another story. I know, eye roll. Cell service bars don’t mean much, either.
You can’t see me: An SSID is your network’s unique identifier. Hide it so randos don’t see your Wi-Fi network when they’re scanning for nearby options. To do this, go into your router’s settings, look for Wireless Settings, and tap Disable SSID broadcast. “Kim, how the heck do I access the settings?” Go to No. 1 here.
Have you paid with your palm at Whole Foods yet? Did the TSA scan your face the last time you were at the airport? Using biometric info like your fingerprint and face can save a little time, but a whole lot of security risks come along for the ride.
Social media is a place where we can loosen up a little. You can post jokes, silly pictures, or whatever on Instagram, X, Facebook and more. Unlike most social media sites, our sponsor, LinkedIn, is pretty buttoned-up.
If you browse the internet regularly, you can’t get around the fact that you need antivirus software. Viruses can pop up in unexpected places, and you want your device to be able to fight one off if it appears.
Dangerous malware making the rounds is what makes having antivirus software protecting you so critical. But what’s the best antivirus software for a Mac or Windows computer? Keep reading to see the best options.
When surfing the web, you might encounter a few confusing acronyms. Take VPN, for example. You might shrug and scroll past it if you don’t know what it means. Just like that, you could miss out on the best internet privacy tool.
Save data: Chat apps like WhatsApp are excellent for keeping in touch but can eat up a ton of data. If you use one, open its settings and customize how media is downloaded. If you pick Wi-Fi, you won’t download videos and pics until you’re on a recognized network. Nice.
Ditch Hulu’s algorithm and browse by channel: Click Browse > Networks, then filter from A-Z. What’ll it be? Renovations on HGTV? Recipes on Food Network? Rom-coms on Lifetime? Feels like old-school channel surfing!
Using the internet is a complicated affair. It may not feel like that to you as a user. You click on your browser and get on with your day — it’s as easy as pie.
Behind the scenes, though, is a whole different story. It’s full of numbers like your Internet Protocol (IP) address, basically your digital home address. This numeric label distinguishes your phone or computer from other devices worldwide.
⚓ They need a big dock: A U.S. Navy crew got so tired of bad Wi-Fi on the 418-foot USS Manchester that they illegally installed Starlink and put the ship in danger. Senior crew members named the network “STINKY” and used it to check sports scores, stream movies and talk to family. The one who orchestrated it lied to her commanding officer about the installation and then got caught red-handed when a maintenance crew came aboard.
