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$99 Bluetooth accessory enables satellite messaging
$99 Bluetooth accessory enables satellite messaging
Plus: Next-gen 'metasurface' could come to your flat screens in 10 years.
Mar 03, 2023
Do you remember when Apple wasn’t at the forefront of mobile tech?
No, us neither. But here we are.
Expected to be launched in the Q2 of this year with satellite coverage across Europe and North America, the Motorola Defy Satellite link can turn any Android or Apple phone into an emergency messaging service using geostationary satellites orbiting 22,300 miles (~36,000 km) above the surface of the Earth.
It’s a credit-card-sized device that weighs no more than three ounces (70g). Designed to be used as a keychain fob, the device can be attached to a backpack, belt, or essential gear when you are outdoors. It just needs to connect to the phone via Bluetooth.
Before you put your name down for one of those, ask yourself whether you’d consider investing in one of these. This video shows F130 engines as Rolls-Royce begins testing new engines to revamp its old B-52 fleet.
Good morning. I’m Alice, an Editor at IE.
This is The Blueprint. Let’s dive in.
Last Sunday, Blueprint subscribers heard how a building management system could help build a sustainable future. Don't miss out — subscribe to IE+ today to receive exclusive interviews, features, and much more.
VIDEO OF THE DAY
Gentlemen, start your engines…
MUST READ
If you have been eyeing the latest Apple iPhone to get access to the satellite messaging feature, then Motorola has a simpler solution… and it does much more.
The Motorola Defy Satellite link can turn any Android or Apple phone into an emergency messaging service using geostationary satellites orbiting 22,300 miles (~36,000 km) above the surface of the Earth. The device just needs to connect to the phone via Bluetooth.
With the iPhone 14, Apple unveiled the ability to connect to satellites in case of emergencies even when the phone is out of cellular network or Wi-Fi coverage areas.
The Defy Satellite link is a credit-card-sized device that weighs no more than three ounces (70g). Designed to be used as a keychain fob, the device can be attached to a backpack, belt, or essential gear when you are outdoors.
→ When the smartphone battery dies, the Defy Satellite link has two buttons, a location check-in button to alert a dear one of your location or a physical SOS button to call for help. The SOS assistance is provided through FocusPoint International, which has 24/7 monitored response centers to handle emergency and assistance requests.
READ MORE
INNOVATION
For the longest time, liquid crystal displays (LCD) dominated the screen display market. The primary reason? Production costs, lifespan, and energy consumption have all worked well for LCDs, until now.
Researchers from Nottingham Trent University in the United Kingdom, The Australian National University (ANU), and UNSW Canberra have developed a new technology that could herald the “new generation” of thinner, higher-resolution, and more energy-efficient screens and electronic devices.
READ MORE
SCIENCE
As activists everywhere fight for the right to repair, mobile icon Nokia releases a handset that users can fix themselves.
Developed by Finnish manufacturer HMD Global, the Nokia G22 is a standard smartphone with a 6.5-inch screen and a 50-megapixel main camera that looks no different than any other phone.
READ MORE
HEALTH
Three-dimensional bioprinting uses bio-inks mixed with living cells to print natural tissue-like structures. Currently, this technology can be applied to various research fields, including tissue engineering and drug development.
Now, the University of New South Wales, Sydney (UNSW Sydney) engineers have created a tiny, adaptable soft robotic arm that can 3D print biomaterial directly onto internal organs.
READ MORE
MAIL & MUSINGS
Satellite messaging is now possible on Android and iPhone with a new $99 Bluetooth accessory.
Do you think satellite messaging is the next big thing in mobile phone tech?
YESTERDAY'S RESULTS
Yesterday, we asked you if you think we’re on the cusp of creating energy from a raft of new sources, and 41 percent of you said yes, any day now, while 39 percent said maybe, but it’s unlikely.
41%
Yes, it’s about to happen
39%
It’s possible but unlikely
11%
No, this is a one-off
8%
I am unsure either way
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“The space industry is developing and delivering benefits that tie into our immediate needs and priorities here on Earth-for example, medical and materials research, and satellite communications.”
Marc Garneau, Canadian politician, retired Royal Canadian Navy officer, and former astronaut.
THINGS WE LOVE
AND ANOTHER THING
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Hidden corridor in Egypt’s Great Pyramid mapped with cosmic rays. (New Scientist)
The world’s biggest aircraft is almost ready to Roc.
Carvings on Australia’s boab trees reveal a people’s lost history. (SN Explores)
Ukraine's water supplies are in dire shape from the war's damage.
Prepared by Alice Cooke
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