Starlink has already shipped 100,000 satellite internet terminals before it has even achieved global coverage. SpaceX chief Elon Musk has revealed the figure on Twitter, where he also listed the 14 regions where the service is currently available. "Our license applications are pending in many more countries. Hoping to serve Earth soon!" he said in a follow-up tweet. 

SpaceX launched Starlink as a beta service in late 2020, offering potential testers at the time the chance to be the first ones to it for $99 a month. The terminal itself isn't included in the monthly fee: Starlink sells its starter kit with the user terminal or antenna dish, its stand and power supply, as well as a WiFi router for an additional $499, which customers will have to pay up front. You can see what the terminal looks like in the image above, showing a dish installed on the roof of a school in Chile. 

Starlink was designed to serve customers in remote locations where internet options are typically limited or even non-existent. Perhaps that's why customers are willing to pay the rather steep upfront cost. According to CNBC, the company reported having 90,000 users in July, indicating that it signed up 10,000 more customers within just a few weeks.

The service uses thousands of small satellites in orbit to provide internet connection to its customers. SpaceX already deployed almost 1,800 satellites for the Starlink constellation, but it has plans to launch up to 42,000 small internet satellites in the future. Company president Gwynne Shotwell previously said that Starlink will be able to offer continuous global coverage once all the deployed satellites reach their operational orbit, which could happen as soon as September.

You can't escape viral TikTok songs. They're everywhere, and you're bound to hear them over and over again if you spend time on any social media platform. If you actually like listening to TikTok earworms, you can now also listen to them on SiriusXM. The satellite radio service has launched TikTok Radio, a full-fledged music channel dedicated to viral hits from the platform that's now available in vehicles, on desktop, connected devices and on the SXM app.

According to the companies, the channel will sound like a radio version of the platform's "For You" feed. In fact, some of TikTok's most popular creators will be presenting music and sharing stories about the viral hits you can listen to. They named Billy (@8illy), Cat Haley (@itscathaley), HINDZ (@hindzsight), Lamar Dawson (@dirrtykingofpop) and Taylor Cassidy (@taylorcassidyj), in particular, though the channel will feature more creators in the future. 

One of the shows you can look forward to is The TikTok Radio Trending Ten, which will have the creators presenting the current most popular songs on the platform. It will stream every Friday at 3PM ET with replays throughout the weekend. You can also listen to it anytime through the SXM app. DJ Habibeats (@djhabibeats) and DJ CONST (@erinconstantineofficial) will also serve as the channel's resident DJs and will mix trending hits live simultaneously on TikTok and Tiktok Radio every Fridays and Saturdays starting at 7 PM ET.

Scott Greenstein, President and Chief Content Officer of SiriusXM, said in a statement:

"Our groundbreaking new channel with TikTok is a first-of-its-kind, capturing the pulse of the global music culture, vibrancy and vitality found on the entertaining social platform and recreated as a full-time music channel on live national radio and our streaming platforms. The creators, who are also presenting the music on TikTok Radio, are deeply involved in the channel and will reflect the unique sound and personality of TikTok that is so enmeshed with today's music culture and community. TikTok creators will be delivering new audio experiences for our listeners as they tap into the latest music trends on TikTok."

Back in November 2020, GM recalled over 68,000 Chevrolet Bolt EVs after five of the vehicles caught fire between 2017 and 2019. Now, the automaker has expanded the recall to cover all Bolt EVs and Bolt EUVs sold worldwide, starting from the first model up until the latest ones. This recall covers 73,000 additional vehicles, 60,000 of which are in the US, on top of the first batch of recalled Bolts. 

Upon investigating the initial incidents, GM found a manufacturing defect in the Bolt's batteries manufactured at an LG Chemical Solution plant in South Korea. That became the basis for the models the automaker included in the first recall. AP reports that GM started investigating the newer Bolts after a 2019 model that wasn't included in the recall last year caught fire in Chandler, Arizona a few weeks ago, bringing the total number of battery-related fire incidents to 10. The company found that batteries made in LG's other sites could also suffer from defects, hence the recall expansion.

GM will replace all five battery modules for models 2017 to 2019, while only defective modules will be replaced in newer vehicles. All fresh modules installed will come with a new eight year, 100,000 mile warranty. Until owners can get their cars in for module replacement, GM is advising them to limit charging to 90 percent of the battery capacity and to park outdoors. (The company previously determined that the vehicles that went up in flames were almost fully charged.) An email sent to owners contained a link to instructions on how to do just that by using the Target Charge Level mode. The automaker is also advising owners to charge their vehicle more frequently to avoid depleting their battery until there's less than 70 miles of remaining range.

This second batch of recalls will cost the company $1 billion in addition to the $800 million it's had to spend for the first one. Further, it remains to be seen how it would affect GM's EV push. In June, the automaker increased its combined EV and self-driving investment from 2020 through 2025 to $35 billion, in hopes that it can have 30 electric vehicles on the market by the end of 2025 and that it can exclusively sell EVs by 2035. For now, the company said it will stop producing and selling Bolts until it determines that there are no longer problems with LG's batteries.

A California judge has ruled that Proposition 22, the measure that allows companies like Uber and Lyft to keep classifying app-based drivers in the state as independent contractors, is unenforceable and unconstitutional. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Alameda County Superior Court judge Frank Roesch found that Prop 22 illegally "limits the power of a future legislature to define app-based drivers as workers subject to workers' compensation law."

Proposition 22 passed by a wide margin in the state when most people voted in favor of it in last year's November elections. Companies were legally obligated to classify gig workers as full-time employees under Assembly Bill 5 A (AB5), which was passed in 2019, but some (like the aforementioned ride-sharing firms) continued to treat them as contractors. Uber, Lyft, Instacart and DoorDash poured over $220 million into campaigning for Prop 22 in order to overturn AB5, and the move clearly worked. 

The measure requires gig companies to provide their contractors with healthcare subsidies and a wage floor, but it also exempts them from having to classify their workers as employees with appropriate benefits and protections. While those in favor of the proposition argue that it would allow workers to keep their independence while enjoying benefits they didn't have before, not everyone's happy with the development. A group that includes the Service Employees International Union and the SEIU California State Council sued California earlier this year to overturn the proposition. 

In his ruling, Roesch specifically singled out Section 7451 of the measure, which states that any future law related to collective bargaining for app drivers must comply with the rest of the proposition. "It appears only to protect the economic interest of the network companies in having a divided, ununionized workforce, which is not a stated goal of the legislation," he wrote in his decision. He also found it unconstitutional that any amendment to the measure requires a seven-eighths vote of approval to pass in the state Legislature.

If the ruling stands, gig companies like Uber and Lyft may have to spend hundreds of millions paying for healthcare and other additional benefits for their drivers. At the moment, though, Prop 22 is still in effect, and gig companies are already planning to appeal. An Uber spokesperson told The Chronicle:

"This ruling ignores the will of the overwhelming majority of California voters and defies both logic and the law. We will appeal and we expect to win. Meanwhile, Prop. 22 remains in effect, including all of the protections and benefits it provides independent workers across the state."

SpaceX won't be working on its $2.9 billion lunar lander contract for a while after NASA agreed to put the project on hold. The space agency told Reuters that it temporarily ceased all work on the project after Jeff Bezos' company Blue Origin filed a complaint against it with the US Court of Federal Claims. "In exchange for this temporary stay of work, all parties agreed to an expedited litigation schedule that concludes on November 1st," the space agency said in a statement. 

Blue Origin sued NASA over its decision to award a lunar lander contract to SpaceX alone when it originally planned to award two contracts. The agency historically works with more than one contractor for each mission to ensure that it can launch in time. However, it only received a fraction of the budget it requested for the Artemis lunar lander, which will be designed to carry human astronauts to the surface of the moon from the Orion spacecraft, and chose to forgo awarding a second contract. 

Bezos' company first challenged the decision back in April and filed a protest with the Government Accountability Office. As The Verge notes, that complaint put the SpaceX contract on hold for 95 days, so this is the second time NASA and Elon Musk's company have to temporarily halt the project. Blue Origin argued that the selection process was unfair, because it wasn't given the opportunity to revise its bid like SpaceX was able to. 

GAO ultimately dismissed the case, concluding that NASA's evaluation of all the proposals for the mission "was reasonable and consistent with applicable procurement law, regulation, and the announcement's terms." Before GAO revealed its decision, though, Jeff Bezos wrote an open letter to NASA, telling the agency that Blue Origin is willing to waive up to $2 billion in payments in return for a fixed-price lander contract. 

In both of the lawsuits it filed, Blue Origin said it's making "an attempt to remedy the flaws in the acquisition process found in NASA's Human Landing System." For its more recent complaint, the company explained that it "stand[s] firm in [its] belief that there were fundamental issues with NASA's decision, but the GAO wasn't able to address them due to their limited jurisdiction." We'll know soon enough which side the court will pick: A judge has set a hearing for the case on October 14th.

Bethesda is releasing yet another version of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, this time to celebrate the popular title's 10th anniversary. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition will be available for the PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series S and X, as well as the PlayStation 4 on November 11th, 2021, exactly 10 years after the game was first released in 2011. It will also have backwards compatibility with the PlayStation 5 — Bethesda isn't keeping PS players out even after it was acquired by Xbox, though Switch owners will have to get their copy on another console or PC.

The Anniversary edition contains the full game, along with all three of its expansions, namely Dawnguard, Hearthfire and Dragonborn. It has all the enhancements that came out with the Special Edition, the remaster Bethesda released back in 2016, though it's unclear if this newer version has higher frame rates and better graphics to make them look better on current-gen consoles. 

The game also comes with new features, including a fishing mechanic, as well as 500 pieces of Creation Club content, quests, dungeon, bosses, weapons and spells unique to the version. However, Bethesda has yet to release details about those new features, so players may have to wait for more information to figure out if the game is worth another purchase. 

According to IGN, old fans can upgrade their game to the Anniversary Edition if they already have the Special Edition. The upgrade won't be free, but the studio hasn't revealed at this point how much it would cost. 

Tesla is building a humanoid robot simply called the Tesla Bot, Elon Musk has revealed at the automaker's (and, perhaps, soon-to-be-robotmaker's) AI Day event. It's intended to be friendly, he said, and be slow and weak enough that you can outrun and overpower it — you know, just in case the robot uprising does happen in the future. 

The Tesla Bot will run on an artificial intelligence system, not unlike the company's Autopilot technology for its vehicles. It will be designed to do various dangerous and repetitive tasks for humans and navigate our world without having to be fed step-by-step instructions. Musk said it should be able to follow simple commands, like "Please pick up that bolt and attach it to the car with that wrench." It should also be able to get groceries for owners and perform other menial tasks.

While Musk only presented an image of the robot during the event, the company already has a solid vision of what the machine will look like. It will stand at 5'8" tall and weigh 125 pounds, thanks to the use of lightweight materials for its body, with a screen for a face that it can use to display useful information. The machine will be able to move with a top speed of 5mph, which is just a bit faster than the average human walking speed, and will have the capacity to carry loads of up to 45 pounds. 

Musk said the company plans to have a prototype of the Tesla Bot ready by next year, though delays wouldn't come as a surprise for ambitious projects like this.

While Bird is mostly known for its rental scooters, it expanded its electric transportation offerings back in June when it introduced a bike-sharing service. Now, the company is giving those who want electric bikes of their own a new option to choose from: It has launched a new product called Bird Bike, which people can purchase right now for US$2,299. The electric bike has a Bafang rear hub motor with 50 miles of range and a 36-volt removable battery made of LG cells for easy charging.

In the UK and the European Union, owners will have access to 250 watts of continuous rated power in line with local regulations. Meanwhile, users in the US will have access to 500 watts of electric support. The bike has a pedal assist speed of 20 mph and has a thumb throttle, which can give riders an extra burst of acceleration to help them take on difficult inclines. 

Bird

It's also equipped with an LCD display showing the rider's speed, battery charge, assist information and other details. Other features include a commercial-grade aluminum alloy frame, puncture-resistant tires and Bluetooth connectivity with the Bird app, allowing riders to easily switch their vehicle lights on and off and to view their battery range and miles ridden.

The Bird Bike comes in two types: One has a step-through frame, while the other has a step over frame. It also comes in two colors, namely Stealth Black and Gravity Gray. Bird is selling limited quantities of the e-bike right now on its website, but it will be available more broadly from retailers in the US and Europe this fall. 

Bird

Soon, you'll no longer get hit with additional charges if you miss a PayPal installment for a previous purchase. The online payment giant has announced that it will stop charging late fees for global purchases made using Pay in 4 in the US, Pay in 3 in the UK and Pay in 4X in France starting on October 1st. 

Those buy now, pay later products launched in October 2020 give you the option to buy goods from participating online stores without having to pay upfront or all at once and without incurring interest. When you choose the option at checkout in the US, PayPal will split your payments into three or four and will charge you every two weeks. Before the company scrapped late fees, it charged a minimum amount of $8 for missed payments for those three locations.

In its announcement, the company said this step builds "on the success of [its] Pay in 4 launch in Australia without late fees." Aside from Australia, PayPal also doesn't penalize users in Germany who fail to pay on time. Greg Lisiewski, Vice President of Global Pay Later Products at PayPal, added: "[W]e know that eliminating late fees delivers an even better buy now, pay later experience that provides incredible value to our consumers and merchant partners."

This move could also help PayPal retain customers in the face of competition. Square recently announced its plans to acquire the buy now, pay later platform Afterpay for $29 billion. Apple is also reportedly working on a pay later feature for Apple Pay.

Pinterest has launched a new search feature that could make it easier for Black, Brown, Indigenous, Latinx and other POC users to find hair inspiration that would suit their hair types. The visual discovery website has introduced hair pattern search, it said, with BIPOC users in mind. This new feature uses computer vision-powered object detection to enable users to refine their searches by six different hair patterns: protective, coily, curly, wavy, straight and shaved/bald.

Now, after users search for broader terms like "summer hairstyles," "glam hair" or "short hair," they'll find new hair pattern buttons that will narrow down the results. The feature is now live in the US, UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia and New Zealand on desktop, as well as on iOS and Android. It will roll out to more locations over the coming months.

Yes, there are different types of curls, not to mention different hair textures and porosities, and Pinterest said its technology detected hair patterns in over 500 million images on its platform. Being able to refine results could help POC users find styling inspiration more easily instead of having to wade through pages and pages of hair images that wouldn't work for their hair types. That said, it remains to be seen how accurate the feature is and if it's truly effective in sifting through images on the website.

According to the company, this feature builds on its first inclusive product that allows users to search for images based on the subjects' skin tones. It worked with BIPOC creators and popular Pinners like Naeemah LaFond to design the product.

Pinterest's Head of Inclusive Product Annie Ta said in a statement: 

"Our mission on the Inclusive Product team is to help everyone feel like Pinterest is a place for them. As a visual discovery platform, we have an opportunity and responsibility to do a better job of increasing representation in the products we build. That's why we built hair pattern search using computer vision technology to help identify hair patterns in images. By doing this, we hope we're able to use technology for good and make it easier for people, no matter who they are, to find hair inspiration for them on Pinterest."

Pinterest