Light Start – Internet for Africa, LinkedIn, drones for robots, micro-Destiny, and badger submarines
Brett Venter
Africa is getting space-internet from Facebook and the Spacecom AMOS-6 satellite
Facebook is going to be beaming internet from space down to Sub-Saharan Africa, according to a recent announcement from Eutelsat, the company that will be helping the social network to do so. How? They’re going to be lofting the Spacecom AMOS-6 satellite, which is made by an Israeli company, into space (thanks to SpaceX, of all people) and they’re going to use the orbital hardware to “…deploy Internet services designed to relieve pent-up demand for connectivity from the many users in Africa beyond range of fixed and mobile terrestrial networks.” East, West and Southern Africa are on the list, though specific locations haven’t been announced. The project should be kicking off in the second half of 2016.
LinkedIn will have to pay for those constant inbox gifts they leave you
Did you get an email from LinkedIn recently? Not the same email that you routinely ignore, this one would have had a purpose. LinkedIn informed eligible users last week that they were going to be coming in to some money, part of a $13 million settlement in a class-action lawsuit stemming from LinkedIn sending out constant reminder to users. The initial ‘Connect on LinkedIn’ were fine, it was the updates that were the problem – they were considered spammy, or needy or something and they were definitely not authorised at the time . Anyhow, LinkedIn is going to have to pay for that now. Except that the class-action payout is likely confined to the States. We might have to sue them here…
Even robots are getting their own drones now – This is how the revolution starts
Okay, we’re giving robots far too much assistance now. It’s just their slow pace keeping us safe. Some geniuses from the Autonomous Systems Lab have decided that what a quadruped robot really needs in its life is its own recon drone, one capable of scanning the terrain and building a virtual map that the ground-bound critter can use to navigate more effectively. This is how they’re going to track us down and covert us all into batteries! Or, you know, move more effectively around disaster areas that are too hazardous for human workers to navigate.
Oh Activision, you so crazy – Destiny’s getting micro-transactions
Chances are that if you’ve played Destiny for any significant length of time, you have also wound up spending a fair chunk of cash on all of the extra content. Activision and Bungie are going to be asking you to spend a little more, in the form of micro-transactions, in the Eververse Trading Company which launches for the game next week. On sale? Emotes and dance moves, so it’s all cosmetic. And optional, which is a good thing since you’ll have to drop real money in order to shop at the Eververse Trading Company rather than currency earned in-game. Activision and Bungie are going to be giving each player a little Silver for free though, like any decent dealer would.
First there was the cat-drone, now there’s a badger-sub and a cow-chopper…
If you’re an animal lover or just not fond of nightmare fuel, then stay very far away from the link below. Some people take that as a challenge. Don’t, especially if you’re a cat person. The image above is the SharkJet (check the website) and it was made from an actual shark. The creation of one Bart Jansen, this was another step in the journey started when he turned his deceased cat into a drone back in 2012. (Yes, really. We’ve seen videos. It’s horrifying.) And that journey has taken a few more steps, with his latest animal-related project involving turning a dead badger into a submarine. And turning a cow, an actual cow, into a one-man chopper is next on his list. Don’t believe us (and don’t feel like sleeping tonight)? Hit the link below.
