A matter of life and death
As we live more of our lives online, it’s more important than ever to make sure loved ones can access digital accounts when we’re gone, reports PC Magazine. (“Don’t be the guy who locked cryptocurrency exchange customers out of $250 million after his death because only he knew the password,” cautions the writers.) Here are some ways: 1) Create a password manager emergency kit, which houses the keys to your digital accounts, and which can be passed on to a loved one (vendors include 1Password, Keeper and Dashlane; 2) add a Facebook legacy account, which keeps a pared-down version of your profile active after your death; and 3) set up Google’s inactive account manager, which automatically turns over control of your account to a designated person after a set period of inactivity. And of course, don’t forget to BACK UP your data on an external hard drive.
Bars – all the time, everywhere
A startup called UbiquitiLink is testing technology that could connect virtually all of the world’s existing smartphones directly to a satellite, reports Light Reading. If it works and it’s widely deployed, such technology would essentially eliminate outdoor dead zones. CEO Charles Miller says that two years ago, the company’s engineers solved the two key problems prohibiting satellites from beaming signals directly to smartphones – the doppler shift, and the extended range that causes a time delay. So UbiquitiLink can blast a 16-pound satellite into space, and that satellite can transmit a standard cellular signal 250 miles down to the surface of the Earth. UbiquitiLink already successfully tested transmissions using 2G signals earlier this year, and this summer it will test a range of 4G signals.
Apple’s augmented reality
Apple may begin mass production of its head-worn augmented-reality (AR) device by summer of 2020, according to analysts speaking with CNBC. The headset will most likely sync up with an iPhone, which feeds it with the data it needs to provide you information. This is how other current headsets on the market work, such as the Vuzix Blade, which syncs with Android and iPhone devices. Apple has not acknowledged any such device, but Apple CEO Tim Cook has reportedly said he believes augmented reality is the future of computing, which is why the latest iPhones already support AR-enabled apps.
Foldable glass
Foldable phones, like Samsung’s Galaxy Fold and Huawei’s Mate X, are coming. The software remains untested or nonexistent, and the prices are either astronomical or unannounced. These potential issues can be fixed on the fly, but the real thing you should hold out for is glass, according to Wired magazine. Early folding phone manufacturers are leaning on plastic polymers, because they can bend repeatedly. But plastic is easily scratched, and it creases over time. Corning is working on ultrathin, bendable glass that’s 0.1 millimeters thick and can bend to a 5 millimeter radius, reports the magazine. The trick is to achieve that kind of pinch without losing the toughness that makes glass great to begin with.
Aftermarket batteries OK with iPhones
Apple has reportedly updated the rules of its repair program to be a bit more lenient toward iPhones with aftermarket batteries, according to Ars Technica. Internal company documents reportedly instruct its Genius Bars and Apple Authorized Service Providers to repair iPhones with third-party batteries. Previously, official service providers were told to deny service to any iPhones that used third-party batteries. It did not matter if the requested service involved the battery or another component of the handset. Under the new policy, if the service requested does not involve the phone’s battery, Genius Bars and Apple Authorized Service Providers can ignore the battery and service the device as necessary. If the requested service is related to the third-party battery, providers can replace it with an official Apple battery for a fee.
Black Mirror episodes, best to worst
PC Magazine writer Rob Marvin has taken it upon himself to rank every episode of Netflix series Black Mirror, best to worst. He bases his rankings on the ability of the episode to 1) introduce a fresh concept, 2) build an immersive world, 3) pull off a mind-bending reveal and 4) make you think beyond the immediate plot. No. 1? Fifteen Million Merits. “Imagine a world where humans (or at least the ones we meet inside this compound) are all cogs in a system, and workers ride bikes to generate power and receive virtual ‘merits,’” writes Marvin. “They can spend those merits on all manner of content or virtual possessions, or simply use them to skip the mandatory ads and commercials that pervade peoples’ every waking moment, even in their tiny, screen-filled bedrooms.” See PC Magazine for Nos. 2 through 20.