Technologies

Samsung Now Has Its Own Tech for Connecting Smartphones to Satellites

Samsung is joining Apple and others in exploring how satellite connectivity could benefit smartphone users.

Samsung’s Galaxy S23 lineup is missing satellite connectivity, but it looks like that won’t be the case for future smartphones. The tech giant announced Thursday that it has procured technology to enable direct communication between smartphones and satellites. It will be integrated into Samsung’s Exynos modems and will allow for conversations and emergency assistance, separating it from Apple’s current offering.

The debut comes after a slew of other tech giants and wireless carriers, including Apple, Qualcomm and T-Mobile, have announced plans to bring satellite connectivity to smartphones. Satellite connectivity is noticeably absent from the new Galaxy S23, even though the phones include the necessary hardware for Qualcomm’s upcoming Snapdragon Satellite service. But the announcement shows Samsung plans to offer its own approach to what has already become one of the biggest mobile industry trends in 2023.

Samsung’s system will use satellites and other non-terrestrial vehicles to bring smartphone connectivity to remote areas like deserts, mountains and oceans, according to the company’s press release. Samsung also says this technology could one day be used for disaster relief efforts and to help power autonomous aircrafts and flying cars.

Future phones with Exynos modems equipped with Samsung’s satellite technology will support two-way text messaging and the ability to share photos and videos. But Samsung hasn’t said when satellite connectivity will be arriving to its phones or which devices will support it.

Samsung’s approach would seemingly vary from the current version of Apple’s emergency satellite connectivity, which is available in the iPhone 14 lineup. Instead of initiating a two-way conversation, the user answers prompts on their iPhone to share critical details with emergency dispatchers. Qualcomm also announced the Snapdragon Satellite system at CES in January, which will use Iridium’s satellite fleet to enable emergency communications and eventually two-way texting.

Both Apple and Qualcomm plan to eventually monetize their satellite services in different ways. Apple will charge for the service after two years, while Qualcomm will offer a premium option for sending satellite-based texts for non-emergency scenarios. It’s unclear whether Samsung will charge for its satellite connectivity offering.

The announcement comes after TM Roh, president and head of Samsung’s mobile experience business, referred to current satellite options as being too limited when discussing the Galaxy S23’s lack of satellite support with CNET.

«When there is the right timing, infrastructure and the technology [is] ready, then of course for Samsung Galaxy, for our mobile division, we would also actively consider adopting this feature as well,» he said ahead of the company’s Unpacked event earlier this month.

Technologies

Tinder Users Must Start Logging In With Their Faces, Starting Nationwide

The social app now has new US requirements including face identification to help quell longstanding problems with catfishing and more.

US Tinder users will find a new feature when they open up the dating app starting Wednesday: A mandatory Face Check on their phones will be required before they can log into their profiles.

The Face Check step will begin with a new request to record a video of your face, a more casual version of setting up Apple’s Face ID login. Tinder will then run checks comparing your face data to your current profile pics and automatically create a small face badge for your profile. We already know how it works, because Tinder has already launched the feature in Canada and California before the full US rollout.

The technology, powered by FaceTec, will keep biometric data of the user’s face in encrypted form but discard the scanning video for privacy. Tinder will be able to use the face data to detect duplicate accounts, in an effort to cut down on fake profiles and identity theft.

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Tinder’s facial recognition rollout is also made to prevent catfishing, or people pretending to be someone else on Tinder to scam or blackmail them. But that also points to a deeper problem on the rise in dating apps — a growing number of bots, many controlled by AI, are designed to glean personal information or fool users into scammy subscriptions, among other problems.

Tinder’s working against these bots on several fronts, including this Face Check push as well as ID Check, which requires a government-issued ID and other types of photo verification.

The dating app also recently released a feature in June to enable double-dating with your friends, which Tinder reports is especially popular with Gen Z users. If you’re worried about the latest hazards on Tinder, we have guide to safety practices.

A representative for Tinder did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Thursday, Oct. 23

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Oct. 23.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? Read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Like some weather, memories and I.P.A.s
Answer: HAZY

5A clue: Statement that’s self-evidently true
Answer: AXIOM

7A clue: Civic automaker
Answer: HONDA

8A clue: What fear leads to, as Yoda told a young Anakin
Answer: ANGER

9A clue: Foxlike
Answer: SLY

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Verbal «lol»
Answer: HAHA

2D clue: Brain signal transmitter
Answer: AXON

3D clue: Hits with a witty comeback
Answer: ZINGS

4D clue: Sing at the top of a mountain, maybe
Answer: YODEL

6D clue: Name of the famous «Queen of Scots»
Answer: MARY

Technologies

Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for Oct. 23 #599

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle for Oct. 23, No. 599.

Looking for the most recent Strands answer? Click here for our daily Strands hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Today’s NYT Strands puzzle might be Halloween-themed, as the answers are all rather dangerous. Some of them are a bit tough to unscramble, so if you need hints and answers, read on.

I go into depth about the rules for Strands in this story.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections and Mini Crossword answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: NYT Connections Turns 1: These Are the 5 Toughest Puzzles So Far

Hint for today’s Strands puzzle

Today’s Strands theme is: Please don’t eat me!

If that doesn’t help you, here’s a clue: Remember Mr. Yuk?

Clue words to unlock in-game hints

Your goal is to find hidden words that fit the puzzle’s theme. If you’re stuck, find any words you can. Every time you find three words of four letters or more, Strands will reveal one of the theme words. These are the words I used to get those hints but any words of four or more letters that you find will work:

POND, NOON, NODE, BALE, SOCK, LOVE, LOCK, MOCK, LEER, REEL, GLOVE, DAIS, LEAN, LEAD, REEL

Answers for today’s Strands puzzle

These are the answers that tie into the theme. The goal of the puzzle is to find them all, including the spangram, a theme word that reaches from one side of the puzzle to the other. When you have all of them (I originally thought there were always eight but learned that the number can vary), every letter on the board will be used. Here are the nonspangram answers: