connectivity
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Google says a fix is on the way for a Pixel 6 WiFi issue
The problem could be resolved when the March update arrives.
FCC approves $7 billion internet fund to connect schools and libraries
The FCC has announced two significant developments that will help more people get connected during the COVID-19 pandemic.
OnePlus co-founder's 'Nothing' brand will launch wireless earbuds this summer
After parting ways with OnePlus, Carl Pei has revealed that his new startup, Nothing, will unveil a pair of wireless earphones sometime this summer.
T-Mobile expands LTE broadband to rural areas 'abandoned' by AT&T
T-Mobile says it'll expand its program into 450 areas that only get DSL.
Orion WiFi will connect you to public WiFi when cell coverage is limited
Orion WiFi will seamlessly connect cellular customers to public WiFi when cell coverage is limited.
Samsung's UWB tech will let you use a Galaxy Note 20 Ultra as a digital key
As rumored, the flagship Galaxy Note 20 Ultra is Samsung’s first phone with newfangled ultra wideband (UWB) technology first seen on Apple’s iPhone 11. Samsung calls it Nearby Share, and it lets you point your Galaxy Note 20 Ultra at another Note 20 Ultra or future Samsung UWB device. It’ll then list all of those other devices or people at the top of a sharing panel.
Comcast’s public WiFi hotspots will remain free for the rest of 2020
Comcast's public WiFi hotspots will remain free to anyone for the remainder of 2020.
Facebook's Discover app is a new take on its Free Basics internet service
Facebook's Discover app provides users with a daily balance of free data from participating mobile operators.
Alphabet’s Loon and AT&T will tackle global crises with internet balloons
AT&T's global roaming partners have integrated with Alphabet's balloon-powered internet project.
Kenyan government finally approves Loon’s internet-delivery balloons
Alphabet's internet-delivery balloon service, Loon, has finally received approval from the Kenyan government. To help improve communication during the coronavirus pandemic, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta fast-tracked the regulatory approval Loon and its partner, Telkom Kenya, were waiting on. Loon expects to begin providing service to remote areas of Kenya in the "near future."
Apple, Amazon and Google unite to help create a universal smart home standard
Smart home devices are a godsend for the busy, the disorganized and the plain ol' lazy, but getting them up and running can still be a complicated pain in the backside. Some products work with others while others only work in specific ecosystems, so even deciding which devices to go for in the first place can be a hassle. But now, three of the biggest names in smart home tech are working together to simplify matters.
Verizon enlists Boingo to help it bring 5G indoors
Sure, real 5G is up to three times faster than LTE, but there are a few caveats. As we discovered in Chicago, 5G doesn't always hold up when you're trying to use it indoors. Even a pane of glass can cause your signal to flicker between 5G and 4G. Verizon (Engadget's parent company) and Boingo are hoping to change that. The companies are working together to bring 5G Ultra Wideband service to indoor public spaces, like airports, office buildings and stadiums.
Juul's app-connected e-cigarette keeps tabs on your vaping
E-cigarette manufacturer Juul has come under fire for contributing to teen smoking rates. Recently, the company has been scrambling to demonstrate its products are aimed at adults, not teens. Its latest defense is an app-connected e-cigarette which requires users to be over 18.
Signify's LiFi system promises up to 150 Mbps internet via LED lights
This week, Signify, formerly Philips Lighting, launched one of the first commercial LiFi, or Light Fidelity, systems. LiFi transmits broadband internet through lights, using LEDs to move data and bypass radio signals. We've seen some experimental applications of the tech, but this is the most realistic deployment yet.
FCC task force will help connect farms and ranches
Today, the FCC announced a task force meant to support the deployment of broadband across unserved farms and ranches. The Precision Ag Connectivity Task Force will work with the US Department of Agriculture and public and private sector stakeholders. It will be responsible for developing policy recommendations for rural, agriculture-focussed broadband. "As I've traveled the country, I've seen the amazing efficiencies, innovations, and improvements that high-speed Internet brings to today's farms and ranches," said FCC Chairman Ajit Pai. " ... This is the present and the future of American agriculture, and we must do whatever we can to support these producers and enhance precision agriculture."
Amazon stops selling Echo Wall Clock over connectivity issues
Back in September, Amazon held a massive Alexa event, and one of the many, many products it announced was a clock. The idea was that you'd use a connected Alexa device to control Echo Wall Clock with your voice, and set timers and reminders -- it doesn't have its own speaker or microphone. However, only a month after starting to ship the clock, Amazon has temporarily stopped selling the product because of connectivity problems.
Alphabet's Loon internet balloons broadcast their strongest signal yet
Mere months after shedding its "project" moniker, Google's internet-by-balloon moonshot, Loon has hit another milestone. Last month, the tech juggernaut pushed data packets across seven of its balloons at a distance of nearly 1,000 kilometers. Previously, the record was 100 kilometers across two balloons, according to a Medium post from Loon.
Facebook merges internet projects under 'Connectivity'
Facebook has introduced Connectivity, a new umbrella organization containing the company's various internet-for-all projects. Yes, it still includes Internet.org (rebranded as Free Basics), the social network's stripped-down web service launched five years ago that was soundly criticized by experts and blocked in several countries. But it also rounds up other efforts to improve internet infrastructure in less-connected parts of the world.
Facebook has big plans to bring internet to more people in rural areas
Over the past few years, Facebook has been rolling out several initiatives to bring free and cost-reducing internet to people in underdeveloped areas all around the world. That includes things like Terragraph, a millimeter-wave wireless technology that not only serves connectivity but does so in speedy form -- it runs on the same frequency as the one being tested by operators for proposed 5G cellular networks. Then there are others such as the Telecom Infra Project (TIP), a collaboration between tech industry firms to accelerate the development of internet infrastructure in rural areas. OpenCellular, meanwhile, is a low-power base station optimized for underserved regions across the globe. In order for all of these projects to be successful, though, Facebook can't do it alone.
GM thinks you'll buy stuff through your car's dashboard
As more cars roll off production lines with WiFi and LTE capabilities as standard, brands are falling over themselves to find ways to monetize this connectivity. Jaguar and Shell have partnered for in-car fuel payments, while BMW and Ford are bringing Alexa to your dashboard. Now, General Motors (GM) has unveiled a new on-board marketplace where drivers can buy coffee and gas, and make restaurant and hotel reservations, without getting out of their car.
