In this photo illustration, a Motorola logo seen displayed on a smartphone and in the background. (Photo Illustration by Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
The race to connect smartphone users with satellites just got a little more crowded. British mobile company Bullitt is releasing a satellite-enabled smartphone with 5G connectivity and a 6.6 inch-display. It will come in two versions: the Caterpillar-branded Cat S75 and the "rugged" Motorola Defy 2, which may be more familiar to North American outdoor enthusiasts.
"Adding assured connectivity with two-way satellite messaging broadens the appeal of the Motorola Defy 2 to anyone who finds themselves outside of traditional messaging coverage," said Dave Carroll, the vice president of strategic brand partnerships at Motorola. "We look forward to bringing the Motorola Defy 2 to a new segment of mobile phone users in the coming months."
The phone will be able to beam messages a distance of 22,000 miles to satellites orbiting above the equator, which will then be sent back down as standard SMS messages.
The upside for consumers is that their phones will now have connectivity in the large sections of the planet that still have limited or no connectivity.
This kind of satellite connectivity is becoming more common in the mobile market. Apple's iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro models, for instance, allow Emergency SOS via satellite. Apple is also spending $450 million to expand its satellite networking infrastructure.
In addition, chipmaker Qualcomm is working with communications giant Iridium to bring satellite connectivity to Android phones using new Snapdragon chips.
"This is the definition of democratizing satellite communications and ensures customers are able to be in constant communication whenever they need it," said Dave Floyd, co-founder of Bullitt
Nvidia on Wednesday became the first public company to reach a market capitalization of $5 trillion. The ravenous appetite for the Silicon Valley company’s chips is the main reason that the company’s stock price has increased so rapidly since early 2023.
Chris Williamson, Chief Business Economist at S&P Global, breaks down September’s CPI print and inflation trends, explaining what it means for markets.
A big-screen adaptation of the anime “Chainsaw Man” has topped the North American box office, beating a Springsteen biopic and “Black Phone 2.” The movie earned $17.25 million in the U.S. and Canada this weekend. “Black Phone 2” fell to second place with $13 million. Two new releases, the rom-com “Regretting You” and “Springsteen — Deliver Me From Nowhere,” earned $12.85 million and $9.1 million, respectively. “Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc” is based on the manga series about a demon hunter. It's another win for Sony-owned Crunchyroll, which also released a “Demon Slayer” film last month that debuted to a record $70 million.
The Federal Aviation Administration says flights departing for Los Angeles International Airport were halted briefly due to a staffing shortage at a Southern California air traffic facility. The FAA issued a temporary ground stop at one of the world’s busiest airports on Sunday morning soon after U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy predicted that travelers would see more flights delayed as the nation’s air traffic controllers work without pay during the federal government shutdown. The hold on planes taking off for LAX lasted an hour and 45 minutes and didn't appear to cause continued problems. The FAA said staffing shortages also delayed planes headed to Washington, Chicago and Newark, New Jersey on Sunday.
Boeing workers at three Midwest plants where military aircraft and weapons are developed have voted to reject the company’s latest contract offer and to continue a strike that started almost three months ago. The strike by about 3,200 machinists at the plants in the Missouri cities of St. Louis and St. Charles, and in Mascoutah, Illinois, is smaller in scale than a walkout last year by 33,000 Boeing workers who assemble commercial jetliners. The president of the International Association of Machinists says Sunday's outcome shows Boeing hasn't adequately addressed wages and retirement benefits. Boeing says Sunday's vote was close with 51% of union members opposing the revised offer.
The stunning indictment that led to the arrest of more than 30 people — including Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and other NBA figures — has drawn new scrutiny of the booming business of sports betting in the U.S. The multibillion-dollar industry has made it easy for sports fans — and even some players — to wager on everything from the outcome of games to that of a single play with just a few taps of a cellphone. But regulating the rapidly-growing industry has proven to be a challenge. Professional sports leagues’ own role in promoting gambling has also raised eyebrows.
