ArduinoMania

President Joe Biden will today announce the details of how $42 billion in funding to bolster broadband internet access will be allocated. The investment, which was funded by the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, aims to give all Americans access to high-speed internet by 2030.

Last year, the White House announced an initiative that would allocate at least $100 million to participating states through the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program. The remainder of the funding was on hold until the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) drew up a more detailed coverage map showing which homes and businesses lacked high-speed internet access. The funding will be allocated based on the map.

The FCC released its first draft of the overhauled map, which incorporates more granular data, in November. Still, politicians on both sides of the aisle were concerned it left out millions of businesses and homes and urged the White House to delay the broadband funding efforts until issues were resolved.

After taking feedback from the public and states, the FCC unveiled an updated version in May. According to The Washington Post, the updated map addressed around 4 million mistakes, resulting in approximately half a million more homes, businesses and other locations without any internet access being identified. In all, the FCC determined that more than 8.3 million homes and businesses lack access to high-speed internet.

States will first focus on bringing broadband to locations that have no access at all. If they have any funding left over, they can use it to improve internet access for those with slow speeds.

It could take up to two years for the government to dole out all the funding. States will submit their initial plans later this year and that will open up a fifth of the funding, according to Reuters. The rest of the $42 billion will be unlocked after states finalize plans for investing the funds.

Many of the locations that lack broadband access are in rural areas. By and large, major providers have shied away from rolling out broadband in these locales due to their smaller populations and the high cost of installing infrastructure.

A local shop might deliver your next Amazon order. The company tellsAxios it's launching an Amazon Hub Delivery system that uses small businesses in 23 states (including California, New York and Washington) to complete shipments to customers. Those businesses need secure storage areas and must deliver an average of 30 packages every day outside of major holidays. However, Amazon isn't fussy about business types for this program — bodegas, coffee shops, florists and other locations can all qualify.

Hub Delivery is ultimately an expansion of previous initiatives. Amazon debuted an "I Have Space" system in India in 2015, and expanded it to both Japan and Spain. An American pilot program began in late 2020, although it focused on improving delivery for rural customers. The new approach covers over 20 major cities, including Boston, New York City and Los Angeles.

The incentives are clear. Amazon gets more reliable deliveries by offloading "last mile" shipments to small businesses rather than relying solely on dedicated couriers. Partners in turn can grow their businesses and supplement their income, Amazon VP Beryl Tomay says. Axios estimates that, at $27,000 in earnings per year, Amazon is paying about $2.50 per package. The online retailer hopes to team with 2,500 small business drivers by the end of 2023.

The strategy comes months after Amazon announced mass layoffs as the pandemic recovery and a rocky economy ate into profits. It also comes amid labor complaints that include past allegations of misusing Flex drivers' tips. Hub Delivery theoretically helps Amazon not only trim costs, but minimize the labor disputes that might come with using its own workers for shipping. Not that the tech giant is completely averse to using its own staff. It's still committed to buying about 100,000 Rivian delivery vans that will bring packages to customers.

Starting July 1st, any planes without retrofitted sensitive radar altimeters across the US can't land in low visibility, a stipulation that could cause delays for travelers, The Wall Street Journal reports. To be clear, this is not addressing an ongoing safety issue — the deadline aligns with US wireless companies increasing the power of their 5G networks, potentially creating greater interference for any aircraft without the necessary equipment.

The 5G boost comes after years of delays and debates between the Febderal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) due to concerns about the signals' impact on radio waves that judge how far a plane is from the ground. Carriers first planned to increase the power of their networks in January 2022, delayed it until July 2022 and finally found a compromise with the FAA to proceed on July 1st, 2023.

About 80 percent of domestic aircraft have undergone the upgrade, with some top carriers still needing to finish their fleet. Delta, for instance, will have 190 planes left to bring up to par, while JetBlue will have 17 — something the Airlines for America trade association blames on supply chain problems. United, Southwest and American Airlines have all reported they will have no outstanding planes by the deadline. Another 65 percent of aircraft flying from international destinations into the US have up-to-date altimeters, with airlines poised to use those options whenever possible.

"There's a real risk of delays or cancellations," Buttigieg said. "This represents one of the biggest—probably the biggest—foreseeable problem affecting performance this summer." The level of impact will depend mainly on the weather, but fortunately, there won't be snowstorms anytime soon. All planes in the US will need an updated altimeter by February 2024, regardless of visibility conditions.

Qualcomm just revealed its new budget-friendly mobile chipset, Snapdragon 4 Gen 2. This refresh brings plenty of improvements that will kick lower-tier smartphones up a notch. The platform is designed for excellent battery life, with the company promising “all-day use.” Qualcomm also promises fast CPU speeds, 5G connectivity and the potential for upgraded visuals via integrated cameras.

The chips feature the proprietary Qualcomm Kryo CPU, with peak speeds up to 2.2 GHz, which is a slight increase over the previous generation. Qualcomm’s latest and greatest also boasts quick-charging technology, with the company stating that you get a 50 percent charge in just 15 minutes at the plug.

The platform offers support for modern FHD+ displays with frame rates up to 120fps. Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 also allows for some serious camera upgrades, like electronic image stabilization, faster autofocus, enhanced blur reduction and more. The chipset even provides multi camera temporal filtering (MCTF) for drastic reduction in noise when making videos.

Of course, this is a modern product announced in the year 2023, so there’s gonna be a focus on AI. This comes in the form of more camera upgrades, with AI-based lighting adjustments for snapping photos in dim environments and an AI-enhanced background noise removal tool.

As for connectivity, there’s the proprietary X61 5GB Modern-RF system that promises “blazing-fast speeds” with increased network and frequency support. These chips aren’t in budget-friendly smartphones yet, but they’ll start showing up later in the year. OEM brands like Redmi and vivo have already pledged to begin adding the chipset to their lineups.

Qualcomm just revealed its new budget-friendly mobile chipset, Snapdragon 4 Gen 2. This refresh brings plenty of improvements that will kick lower-tier smartphones up a notch. The platform is designed for excellent battery life, with the company promising “all-day use.” Qualcomm also promises fast CPU speeds, 5G connectivity and the potential for upgraded visuals via integrated cameras.

The chips feature the proprietary Qualcomm Kryo CPU, with peak speeds up to 2.2 GHz, which is a slight increase over the previous generation. Qualcomm’s latest and greatest also boasts quick-charging technology, with the company stating that you get a 50 percent charge in just 15 minutes at the plug.

The platform offers support for modern FHD+ displays with frame rates up to 120fps. Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 also allows for some serious camera upgrades, like electronic image stabilization, faster autofocus, enhanced blur reduction and more. The chipset even provides multi camera temporal filtering (MCTF) for drastic reduction in noise when making videos.

Of course, this is a modern product announced in the year 2023, so there’s gonna be a focus on AI. This comes in the form of more camera upgrades, with AI-based lighting adjustments for snapping photos in dim environments and an AI-enhanced background noise removal tool.

As for connectivity, there’s the proprietary X61 5GB Modern-RF system that promises “blazing-fast speeds” with increased network and frequency support. These chips aren’t in budget-friendly smartphones yet, but they’ll start showing up later in the year. OEM brands like Redmi and vivo have already pledged to begin adding the chipset to their lineups.

NASA has achieved a technological milestone, announcing the International Space Station’s Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) is now recycling 98 percent of all water astronauts bring onboard. Advanced dehumidifiers capture moisture from the station’s crew breaths and sweats, while urine processor assembly recovers water from astronauts’ urine through vacuum distillation.

According to NASA, the distillation process produces water and a urine brine that still contains reclaimable H20. Now, a new device can extract the remaining water in the brine, increasing the water recovery rate from 93 to 98 percent. If the idea is making you gag, it shouldn’t, says Jill Williamson, NASA’s ECLSS water subsystems manager. “The crew is not drinking urine; they are drinking water that has been reclaimed, filtered and cleaned such that it is cleaner than what we drink here on Earth.” I'll pass.

– Mat Smith

The Morning After isn’t just a newsletter – it’s also a daily podcast. Get our daily audio briefings, Monday through Friday, by subscribing right here.

The biggest stories you might have missed

Engadget Podcast: Reviewing the Moto Razr+ and Pixel Tablet

'Simpler Times' is the coziest game I've played in a long time

The best Amazon Prime Day early access deals for 2023

'The Elder Scrolls VI' is 'likely five-plus years away,' says Xbox chief

YouTube is reportedly testing online games for mobile and desktop

The gaming product could be called Playables.

Google is looking at online games as a new source of income for YouTube, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal. The video hosting platform has reportedly invited employees to test a new product called Playables, which gives users access to online games right on YouTube. Users can play them on the YouTube website on a browser or through the app, on an Android or an iOS phone. While the report insinuates there are currently several games available for testing, it only mentioned Stack Bounce, an ad-supported arcade game that gets players to smash layers of bricks with a bouncing ball. (It’s not exactly Elden Ring.) Playables could be more akin to Netflix's gaming product, which gives paying users access to casual games on mobile.

Continue reading.

Apple’s Vision Pro headset may not come with a top strap in the box

Will it cost as much as those Mac Pro wheels?

Engadget

When we previewed the Vision Pro in early June, the prototype unit featured an extra Velcro strap not seen in any of Apple’s promotional material. At the time, a company spokesperson said the handset would support additional straps if necessary.

According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple created the strap, which goes over the wearer’s head, after some employees complained the Vision Pro felt “too heavy” after a couple of hours of use. In a move Apple has made a fewtimes in the past with other products, the company is now reportedly considering selling the strap as an optional accessory rather than including it in the box.

The Vision Pro could arrive as late as May 2024, and Gurman says the company has already reassigned some employees to work on a more affordable headset and a second-generation Vision Pro.

Continue reading.

Moto Razr+ phone review

Finally, some real competition for Samsung’s Flip foldable.

Engadget

The Moto Razr+, a foldable phone like a standard 6.9-inch handset when open, has a large 3.6-inch screen closed. That addresses one of the most common complaints about the Galaxy Z Flip 4 — the size of its cover display. The Razr+, meanwhile, pretty much runs full Android with some tweaks.

However, anyone thinking of getting the Razr+ should probably wait. Samsung has announced its next Galaxy Unpacked will be in Korea in late July, when it’s widely expected to launch new foldables. If you can hold off, it’s worth seeing what the next Z Flip will offer before picking your next-gen flip phone.

Continue reading.

Pokémon might be a Japanese franchise, but, like people around the world, South Korean conglomerate Samsung continues to show a kinship to the series with its latest Pokémon-themed products. The electronics company has announced the release of its new Pokémon Packs, with three new Galaxy Buds 2 cases designed to look like Jigglypuff, Ditto and Snorlax. Along with the adorable case, the packs feature corresponding stickers and a choice of the Galaxy Buds 2 for KRW 129,000 ($99) or the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro for KRW 199,000 ($152). 

Samsung had started off this series of sorts with a classic option, launching Poké Ball cases for its Galaxy Buds 2 Pro and standard edition headphones in May 2022. The limited edition item sold out within an hour, so it's no surprise the company wanted to release a few more Pokémon-themed options. The Pokémon edition of Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 3 foldable smartphone had a similar response, with the KRW 1,280,000 ($979) device selling out within minutes. 

The Galaxy Watch 5 and the Galaxy Z Flip 4 smartphone have also previously gotten the Pokémon treatment courtesy of a Poké Ball-covered watch strap and phone case. As for Jigglypuff, Ditto and Snorlax, these adorable cases are only available in Samsung's native South Korea and, like the Poké Ball edition, probably on eBay soon.  

Aston Martin plans to build "ultra-luxury high-performance" EVs using Lucid's electric motors, batteries and other technology, Lucid announced in a press release. It's the first deal for Lucid to supply parts to other automakers — much like Rimac, which itself developed batteries and other components for Aston Martin, along with Koenigsegg and others. Lucid recently released its own debut electric car, the Air, in multiple versions starting at around $87,400. 

"The supply agreement with Lucid is a game changer for the future EV-led growth of Aston Martin," said Aston Martin executive chairman Lawrence Stroll. "Based on our strategy and requirements, we selected Lucid, gaining access to the industry's highest performance and most innovative technologies for our future BEV products."

Aston Martin said it selected Lucid through a "competitive process" and will use Lucid's proprietary electric powertrain technology, including its ultra-high performance twin motor drive unit, battery technology, and onboard "Wunderbox" charging unit. The technology will allow for features like torque vectoring, heat exchanger tech and a battery system upgraded for higher power. 

In 2020, Aston Martin scrapped plans to manufacture an all-electric Rapide E, saying it wouldn't release any EVs until it's "financially stable." Stroll, a Canadian billionaire who also owns the Aston Martin F1 team, took a 25 percent ownership in Aston Martin back in 2020. Mercedes-Benz, meanwhile, currently owns 9.4 percent of Aston Martin, and previously said it plans to increase that to 20 percent by 2023. 

As part of that deal, Mercedes-Benz granted Aston Martin access to its hybrid and electric powertrains, but it's not clear how Lucid and Mercedes will interact. Aston Martin's F1 team currently uses a Mercedes-Benz power unit, though it plans to switch to Honda in 2026. "Along with Mercedes-Benz, we now have two world-class suppliers [with Lucid] to support the internal development and investments we are making to deliver our electrification strategy," Stroll said. 

Rimac has supplied technology, including a lightweight battery system, to Aston Martin's 1,160 HP Valkyrie hypercar. Back in 2015, Aston Martin joined forces with LeEco to build an electric version of the Rapide, but LeEco bowed out with its own financial issues. To complete the circle, LeEco originally had a stake in Lucid, but founder Jia Yueting was forced to sell it due to a liquidity crisis. 

Users in Canada are once again serving as involuntary first adopters of Netflix's new policies. Following its February decision to charge more for account sharing between houses in the country, the streamer has now announced its basic plan will no longer be an option for Canada's subscribers, The Winnipeg Free Press reports.

Anyone already on a basic plan doesn't have to worry about being kicked off it, but if they choose to move to another option or close their account, they can't get back on that tier. New users can no longer choose the basic option, while current subscribers on other plans will lose the opportunity to switch over "in the near future." In Canada, the basic tier is $9.99 (CAD) per month, while the basic with ads tier is $5.99, the standard is $16.49 and the premium is $20.99.

After claiming it would never offer an ad-supported option, Netflix did just that in November 2022, launching the new tier in Canada, the US and ten other countries. Now with the decision to remove its basic option, the streamer is pushing more of its customers towards an ad-filled viewing experience. The rationale is simple: Ad-supported plans can be highly beneficial to Netflix's bottom line. In the first quarter of 2023, across the US, Netflix saw its basic with ads tier bring in more money per user than its standard plan. This dichotomy held even though its ad tier is $6.99, compared to its standard plan costing $15.49.

There's no indication that Netflix will remove the basic tier in the US anytime soon, but if you want to avoid paying more or watching ads, now might be the time to pick it. In the US, the basic plan is $9.99, and the premium is $19.99.

• Read more about Micron To Pack Semiconductors in India And Will Not Manufacture Them. Find Out Why
• Log in or register to post comments