Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page.
Tech
Hold on! Apple's iPhone 13 – illegal for 40% of the world's population due to satellite connectivity?! – PhoneArena
As per the most recent report coming from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 satellite features will only be available in select markets. This is an insightful, yet vague reveal, so let’s try and elaborate on it. Would Apple’s satellite-connected iPhone 13 be available only in the US, or perhaps would it be optional according to the market? What if it’s illegal? Spoiler: Yes, it might be.
iPhone 13 satellite connection: Keeping you always connected in case of an emergency
- Of course, it’s going to be absolutely wonderful to have a satellite connection on your iPhone in case you decide to climb a mountain, sail in the open ocean, or simply find yourself in an emergency due to a natural disaster that limits cell service and Wi-Fi connectivity.
- Also, the iPhone 13’s satellite connection capabilities might be way more affordable than those of traditional satellite phones when it comes to plans and outgoing calls/texts. Of course, we are only speculating, but if satellite connectivity is about to reach smartphones (even if it’s for emergency calls/texts), it’s likely that Apple will bring the price of satellite communication down, which will be amazing for the end-user.
- The iPhone 13 would literally always connected. This has never happened before, so it’s a bigger deal than you might think. If you can’t rely on Wi-Fi, there’s 5G/4G; if you can’t rely on 5G, there are satellites. Again – remember, this feature is said to be for emergencies only – at least in the beginning. Furthermore, satellite connection isn’t nearly as fast as 5G or Wi-Fi, so you won’t be able to do much more than texting/calling.
iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 satellite connection: Potential challenges for Apple’s satphone plans
Back in 2018, Indian airport police seized four satellite phones from top German officials, who were on a trip. Use of satellite phones by foreigners is banned in India, especially after the Mumbai terrorist attacks in 2008.
Is owning a satellite iPhone legal?
You might be wondering: “Why is Apple limiting satellite connection to just emergency texts/calls?” Well, for starters, Cupertino is probably testing the ground, before deciding to commit… fully. However, another, much better reason is that it might be… illegal.
- Bangladesh
- Burma (Myanmar)
- Chad
- China
- Cuba
- Ethiopia
- India
- Nicaragua
- North Korea (What a shock!)
- Russia
- Sri Lanka
- Sudan
- Turkmenistan
- South Sudan
So, is there a solution? Probably. However, Tim Cook will be skating on thin ice…
Options…
Option 1: Perhaps Apple will have to make this feature optional. As of now, the only smartphone that can connect to satellites (Thuraya X5) lets you toggle the feature on/off just like 4G/5G or Wi-Fi. This still doesn’t make the iPhone a non-satellite phone though.
Option 3: As hinted above, another option is that like many new features, satellite calls/texts might be exclusive to the US at launch. This is going to be a pilot study for the domestic market, and while it’s unfortunate that people in other parts of the world might not get it, it would be understandable, if Apple has to go with it. A big hint that this might be exactly what will happen is that Apple’s satellite network partner for this venture is Globalstar.
What if satellite iPhones fall into the wrong hands?
Satellite phones have been banned in several countries around the world after terrorist attacks.
If Apple were to open the satellite network for a wider variety of use case scenarios, another challenge might be potential abuse of the features, if the iPhones fall into the wrong hands. Now, disclaimer: this is very much theoretical, but terrorist organizations might be able to take advantage of a widespread satellite network of iPhones. The iPhone is a phone pretty much anyone can get ahold of. Therefore, Cupertino’s decision to limit satellite texts/calls to emergencies seems to be the right one.
In the end…
No one expected this, but the iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 are going to be able to talk to satellites. Perhaps not until 2022 though…
The easiest way to find out if you are allowed to use a satellite phone or if your provider supports it as a feature (it often needs to be exclusively enabled on demand) is to contact your embassy in the foreign country where you plan to travel to, or just check government websites.
We are extremely curious to see how Apple plans to handle these technical, political, and socio-cultural aspects of launching a mainstream smartphone that’s capable of satellite connection.
iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Mini, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 13 Pro Max are set to become official on September 14. According to Bloomberg, although Qualcomm’s modified X60 modem will indeed be in the iPhone 13, Apple might hold on until next year to actually enable satellite connectivity, when the iPhone 14 will become a thing as well. It’s another “future-proofing” step from Apple, and we aren’t surprised at all.
Tech
Take-Two Interactive to Acquire 'Borderlands' Developer Gearbox From Embracer Group for $460 Million – Yahoo Canada Sports
Take-Two Interactive has acquired video game developer Gearbox, the maker of the “Borderlands” franchise, from Embracer Group for $460 million.
Per Take Two, the company “expects the transaction to deepen its successful relationship with Gearbox Entertainment and to provide increased financial benefits through a fully integrated operational structure.”
More from Variety
As part of the deal, Take-Two will acquire Gearbox IP, including “Borderlands” and “Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands” franchises, games published by Take-Two’s 2K Games, as well as “Homeworld,” “Risk of Rain,” “Brothers in Arms” and “Duke Nukem.”
Currently, Gearbox has six “key interactive entertainment projects in various stages of development,” per Take-Two, which includes five sequels, two from “Borderlands” and “Homeworld” universes, and at least one “exciting new intellectual property,” all of which have been acquired in the sale.
Take-Two’s purchase of Gearbox is expected to close in June, pending regulatory approval. Upon completion, Gearbox will operate as a studio within 2K, continuing to be led by Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford and his management team.
Former Gearbox owner Embracer, a Swedish gaming conglomerate who snapped up the rights to “Lord of the Rings” two years ago, has undergone a severe restructuring program over the past year, which has seen the company shut down or dispose of dozens of games studios and titles and lay off hundreds of staff, resulting in aftershocks that have reverberated throughout the games industry.
The sale of Gearbox marks the latest insistence of Embracer unloading assets, following the company divesting Saber Interactive.
“Our acquisition of Gearbox is an exciting moment for Take-Two and will strengthen our industry-leading creative talent and portfolio of owned intellectual property, including the iconic Borderlands franchise,” Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick said. “This combination enhances the financial profile of our existing projects with Gearbox and unlocks the opportunity for us to drive increased long-term growth by leveraging the full resources of Take-Two across all of Gearbox’s exciting initiatives.”
Best of Variety
Sign up for Variety’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Tech
An OLED iPad Pro and the first big-screen iPad Air will reportedly arrive in May – Engadget
Apple will finally launch new iPads in early May, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. Expected are a new iPad Pro with an OLED display and a faster iPad Air, including a 12.9-inch model for the first time in that lineup. The details of the upcoming iPad models have been consistent, circulating through the rumor mill since last year.
The new iPad Pro models will reportedly add OLED displays (offering deeper blacks and richer colors) and run on the new M3 chip, already found in several Macs. The new tablets are said to launch alongside a redesigned Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard. Other than a white color option, the latter has remained unchanged since its arrival four years ago.
Meanwhile, the iPad Air will supposedly run on a new processor. Bloomberg didn’t specify which, but — considering the current model uses the M1, and Apple likely wants to reserve the M3 for the more expensive Pro — the M2 sounds like a safe bet. The 12.9-inch screen option would mark the first time the iPad Air line has offered a display larger than 10.9 inches. Although Apple will charge more for that model than the smaller sibling expected alongside it, that would be the cheapest way yet to get a supersized iPad screen.
Gurman said early this month that the new tablets would launch alongside the M3 MacBook Air, but the laptop arrived without any iPads in tow. He now reports that Apple’s release schedule was pushed back to finish working on the devices’ software and ironing out the kinks from the “complex new manufacturing techniques” they require.
Tech
Ashleigh Oakridge offers boutique-style condos with concrete construction – Vancouver Sun
Peterson Group’s latest project will be chock-full of amenities and have timeless interiors
Article content
It may not sound exciting to say the big selling points for a new condominium project are that it’s concrete construction and four storeys. But start thinking in terms of getting all the benefits of concrete-tower construction in a sophisticated, boutique-style building of only 34 to 35 units, chock-full of amenities, situated on a quiet, tree-lined Vancouver street and the appeal is obvious—especially to those downsizing in the neighbourhood.
Advertisement 2
Article content
“That on its own really sets it apart because if you want to be in a boutique setting, you don’t love the idea of highrises, and you want a concrete home type, there aren’t many options. It’s highly unique,” explains Barrett Sprowson, vice-president of sales and project marketing at Peterson Group, the developer of the Ashleigh Oakridge project, which will be composed of three buildings when completed.
Article content
Two of the three buildings, the Berkley and the Alma, will be constructed first, with the Cambridge following later. Each one will have its own curb appeal, but all are designed to integrate into the neighbourhood, hence the plan to maintain the existing trees. The wellness amenities of sauna, steam room, cold and hot plunge pools and fully-equipped fitness room are centrally located in the Berkley for all the residents’ use. All three buildings have their own rooftop amenities that feature an indoor-outdoor flow from an expansive entertainment and co-workspace to patio lounging, dining, fire pits, communal gardens and children’s play area.
The interiors of the homes, which Sprowson says offer generous, well-laid-out floorplans, feature numerous elevated design details that complement a classic esthetic. His personal favourite is the pot filler over the gas cooktop in the kitchen. “There’s not too many times you run into that, and there’s a little feature that’s practical, helpful and useful but is also tricky and expensive to do,” he says.
Article content
Advertisement 3
Article content
The interior design team at Ste. Marie Studio framed their overall concept around the idea of classic styling accented with design-forward touches.
“We looked at it through the lens of a single-family home and wanting it to feel really timeless,” says Craig Stanghetta, founder and creative director of Ste. Marie Studio. “We don’t want it to feel that it doesn’t have a little bit of risk. There’s a little bit of risk in terms of some brushed metal accents.”
Their use of a bold marble for the kitchen backsplashes makes a dramatic visual statement, but though striking, the pattern is a classic marble, not one heavily veined, and one that would be at home in a Paris apartment or a New York brownstone, Stanghetta observes. In the larger homes, they’ve used it to wrap the islands. “They become a big feature, but in some of these other ones, we’re using the manufactured stone in those areas and letting the backsplash be the big design gesture,” Stanghetta says.
In the smaller units where the backsplashes are marble, but quartz is used on the counter and island surfaces, the team introduced a dining table-island combination that works for multiple uses—kitchen prep, home office or dining—and the generous bank of wall storage available in the L-shaped configuration allowed for this unique style of island.
Advertisement 4
Article content
“I think we just acknowledged that sometimes people are prioritizing different things, and if you’re in a one-bedroom living scenario, then we want the flexibility to choose your own adventure with that piece of furniture,” Stanghetta explains.
The appliance package is Miele and features built-in coffee makers, gas ranges, speed ovens, wall ovens and, in some units, wine fridges. There are also sleek can lights over the islands and open shelving for personalizing the space. Sprowson notes that the full-height pantries also boost the kitchens’ functionality and that, though expected when downsizing from a single-family home, they’re often not an option in condo living.
“It’s also a striking kitchen. You look at the marble backsplash and the marble countertop with the waterfall edge, and you’ve got all the functionality, but it’s also, dare I say, very pretty to look at,” he says.
The bathrooms reflect that same mix of functionality and sophisticated styling, with details like flattering sconce lighting and wall-mount toilets. Stanghetta says the floating shelf under the medicine cabinet creates a “nice balance of high-functional storage but then these clean lines that also give you a more fully designed and realized space.”
Advertisement 5
Article content
He notes that the double vanities in the larger bathrooms have an oversized countertop, a beautiful detail that works with the timeless design concept: attention to detail that will last. The combination of timelessness with contemporary accents creates interiors that reflect the project’s overall vision.
The development is ideally situated to allow residents to be central to everything while enjoying a quiet location.
“This is a viable option for anyone who wants concrete, a good amount of space, decent amenities, all the walkability and proximity to Oakridge and all the cool stuff that’s on the Cambie corridor,” Stanghetta observes.
Ashleigh Oakridge
Project Address: 5080 Ash Street, Vancouver
Project Scope: A development of three, four-storey, concrete, boutique buildings offering one, two and three-bedroom homes that range from 590 to 1,800 square feet. Each building features rooftop amenities and a shared wellness and fitness centre in the Berkley building.
Developers: Peterson Group
Architects: GBL Architects
Prices: Starting in the low $800,000s
Sales centre: Ashleigh PC 2094 W 43rd Ave, Vancouver
Sales centre hours: Open daily (Except Friday), noon to 5 p.m.
Sales phone: 604-476-429
Website: ashleighoakridge.com
Occupancy date: Estimated completion summer 2028
Recommended from Editorial
Article content
-
Art21 hours ago
Nick Cave on love, art and the loss of his sons: ‘It’s against nature to bury your children’ – The Guardian
-
Real eState22 hours ago
A settlement in a U.S. lawsuit could upend the cornerstone of real estate industry: commissions
-
Real eState20 hours ago
The Homeowners Who Beat the National Association of Realtors
-
Economy17 hours ago
Canadian economy starts the year on a rebound with 0.6 per cent growth in January
-
Sports18 hours ago
Senators score 5 in 1st, cruise past Sabres
-
Politics9 hours ago
Recall Gondek group planned to launch its own petition before political novice did – CBC.ca
-
Politics23 hours ago
Federal government promising a 'renters' bill of rights' in upcoming budget – CBC.ca
-
Tech16 hours ago
Take-Two Buys Gearbox And Its New ‘Borderlands’ Game From Embracer
Comments