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Archive for the ‘mobile phones’ category: Page 117

Mar 30, 2020

Energy-harvesting design aims to turn Wi-Fi signals into usable power

Posted by in categories: internet, mobile phones, physics

Any device that sends out a Wi-Fi signal also emits terahertz waves —electromagnetic waves with a frequency somewhere between microwaves and infrared light. These high-frequency radiation waves, known as “T-rays,” are also produced by almost anything that registers a temperature, including our own bodies and the inanimate objects around us.

Terahertz waves are pervasive in our daily lives, and if harnessed, their concentrated power could potentially serve as an alternate source. Imagine, for instance, a cellphone add-on that passively soaks up ambient T-rays and uses their energy to charge your phone. However, to date, waves are wasted energy, as there has been no practical way to capture and convert them into any usable form.

Now physicists at MIT have come up with a blueprint for a they believe would be able to convert ambient terahertz waves into a , a form of electricity that powers many household electronics.

Mar 29, 2020

Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G

Posted by in categories: internet, mobile phones

Android smartphone. Announced Feb 2020. Features 6.9″ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display, Exynos 990 chipset, 5000 mAh battery, 512 GB storage, 16 GB RAM, Corning Gorilla Glass 6.

Mar 28, 2020

Video shows phones at a Florida beach during spring break, and where they all traveled during the coronavirus outbreak

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, mobile phones

This is just one beach, in one small part of the country.

Colin Wolf

Mar 27, 2020

Samsung’s Galaxy Note 20 Suddenly Takes Shape

Posted by in category: mobile phones

The gap between Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Note 20 and the Galaxy S20 range is growing by the day. And now we have our best look yet at this stunning smartphone.

Mar 22, 2020

Millions of Americans are suddenly working from home. That’s a huge security risk

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, business, computing, government, internet, mobile phones, security

As they increasingly log on from home, Americans are having to meld their personal technology with professional tools at unprecedented scale. For employers, the concern isn’t just about capacity, but also about workers introducing new potential vulnerabilities into their routine — whether that’s weak passwords on personal computers, poorly secured home WiFi routers, or a family member’s device passing along a computer virus.


The dramatic expansion of teleworking by US schools, businesses and government agencies in response to the coronavirus is raising fresh questions about the capacity and security of the tools many Americans use to connect to vital workplace systems and data.

At one major US agency, some officials have resorted to holding meetings on iPhone group calls because the regular conference bridges haven’t always been working, according to one federal employee. But the workaround has its limits: The group calls support only five participants at a time, the employee noted.

Continue reading “Millions of Americans are suddenly working from home. That’s a huge security risk” »

Mar 20, 2020

Google introduces real-time extended voice translation

Posted by in categories: futurism, mobile phones

Google has announced a new real-time transcription feature for its free Translate app for Android phones. An IOS version is planned for the future, the company says.

The feature will allow users to obtain instantaneous text translations of ongoing speeches, lectures or monologues into any of eight languages, including English.

Continue reading “Google introduces real-time extended voice translation” »

Mar 19, 2020

Coronavirus Reality Check: Yes, U.S. And EU Will Track Our Smartphone Location Data—Get Used To It

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, mobile phones, surveillance

Here’s the surveillance reality in a time of real crisis—ultimately, you do whatever it takes.

Mar 18, 2020

Space startup Lynk uses satellite to send text message to unmodified Android phone

Posted by in categories: internet, mobile phones, satellites

An aerospace startup that plans to launch thousands of satellite “cell towers” into space says it has successfully sent a text message to a common Android smartphone using one of its satellites in orbit. The company claims it’s the first time a text message has ever been sent to an unmodified mobile phone from space, and it demonstrates the technology needed to provide global cellphone connectivity from orbit.

The company behind the breakthrough space text is called Lynk, which used to go by the name UbiquitiLink. Lynk is one of several space companies at the moment planning on building a constellation of thousands of satellites to provide some kind of connectivity to individuals on the ground. But rather than provide broadband internet coverage, Lynk is focused on providing cell service for the average mobile phone with its satellites, without the need for customers to provide any extra hardware.

Mar 15, 2020

Phones Could Track the Spread of Covid-19. Is It a Good Idea?

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, mobile phones

China and South Korea used smartphone apps to monitor people with the disease. But Americans have different views of privacy and data collection.

Mar 13, 2020

They’ve Contained the Coronavirus. Here’s How

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, mobile phones, robotics/AI

But lockdowns and forced quarantines on this scale or the nature of some methods — like the collection of mobile phone location data and facial recognition technology to track people’s movements — cannot readily be replicated in other countries, especially democratic ones with institutional protections for individual rights.

And so Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong might be more instructive examples. All three places were especially vulnerable to the spread of the infection because of close links with mainland China — especially in early January, as they were prime destinations for Chinese travelers during the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday. And yet, after all three experienced outbreaks of their own, the situation seems to have stabilized.

As of midday Friday, Singapore had 187 cases confirmed and no deaths (for a total population of about 5.7 million), Taiwan had 50 confirmed cases including 1 death (for a total population of about 23.6 million) and Hong Kong had 131 confirmed cases including 4 deaths (for a total population of about 7.5 million).