Category: Tutorials

On Monday mornings, I send out a story via email: ultra-brief tales of 1,000 words or more, usually in genres including science fiction, horror, and the supernatural. Those stories collectively are called Once Upon A Time. I’ve also published four ebooks and one paperback anthology of those stories so far.

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Continue reading “Weekly Short Story: Retrogenesis”

The US Defense Department's ambitions beyond Earth just grew a little clearer. SpaceNews has learned the department recently put out a call for privately-made nuclear propulsion systems that could power small- and mid-sized spacecraft. The DoD wants to launch missions venturing beyond Earth orbit, and existing electric and solar spacecraft are neither suitable for that job nor suitable to smaller vehicles, the department's Defense Innovation Unit said.

The nuclear propulsion system will ideally offer "high delta-V" (above 33ft/s) while scaling down to less than 2,000kg in dry mass (4,409lbs on Earth). On top of providing electricity for the payload, the technology will hopefully keep the spacecraft warm when in shadow and minimize radiation both on the ground and to other components. Responses are expected by September 23rd, with contracts handed out as quickly as 60 to 90 days afterward.

Officials acknowledged they were making the request as a matter of expediency. NASA and other agencies are already developing or backing nuclear spacecraft, but those won't be ready for a long while. The DoD is hoping for a prototype within three to five years — this technology would serve as a stopgap that puts nuclear propulsion into service relatively quickly for near-term projects.

While the request didn't provide clues as to what spacecraft were in the works, the focus on smaller spacecraft suggests it could involve probes, satellites or other vehicles with modest goals. You won't see this power human trips to Mars. All the same, it's clear the DoD is frustrated by the limitations of existing spacecraft engines and wants a fast track to more powerful designs.

Epic may have scored a notable victory in its lawsuit against Apple, but it's dissatisfied enough to keep the legal battle going. The Vergereports Epic has filed an appeal against the ruling. The initial notice didn't explain how the Fortnite developer was challenging the decision, but there were a number of areas that left the company unhappy.

Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers' ruling determined Epic had to pay $3.65 million in damages for violating Apple's rules barring third-party in-app payment systems, plus 30 percent of whatever Epic earned through its in-house payment system from November 2020 onward.

More importantly, Rogers found Epic's monopoly allegations didn't hold up under scrutiny. While Epic did succeed in forcing Apple to allow links to third-party purchasing systems, it didn't receive concessions on allowing third-party app stores or obtaining "fair competition" for in-app purchasing. Apple largely gets to preserve its existing business model, preventing access to the Epic Games Store or similar App Store alternatives.

Apple isn't completely satisfied, either, and is expected to appeal Epic's one win in the case. This fight isn't likely to end any time soon, regardless of how courts rule in the near future.

Android 12 has taken longer to bake than many of its predecessors, but the end might finally be in sight. XDA editor-in-chief Mishaal Rahman claims Google plans to release the AOSP (Android Open Source Project) version of Android 12 on October 4th. As the company often releases polished public releases at the same time as AOSP, that hints Pixel owners may get their upgrade starting that day.

If the timing holds up, this also sets expectations for the Pixel 6 launch. Google can't really ship its new range-topping phones without Android 12, so it's unlikely to formally debut the Pixel 6 before that date. We wouldn't be surprised if the hardware only surfaced sometime later in October.

Be prepared to wait if you aren't using a Pixel. While some phone makers tend to be quick and release major Android updates within weeks, many others take months. Samsung didn't start deploying Android 11 until December 2020, three months after Google officially released the OS. As much as Google has done to shorten update delays with efforts like Project Treble, it still takes time for companies to both adapt Android to heavily-customized interfaces and test the software with customers and carriers.

Fusion energy just had its second breakthrough in as many months. Motherboardnotes an MIT- and Commonwealth Fusion Systems-led research team has successfully demonstrated a high-temperature superconducting electromagnet producing a field strength of 20 tesla — the most powerful field of its kind on Earth. The technology could be the key to SPARC, a fusion device due in 2025 that could foster a plasma field producing more energy than it consumes.

Systems based on superconducting electromagnets aren't new. The under-construction ITER device in France will use low-temperature superconductors. However, the MIT-CFS hardware's high-temperature technology (built using a ribbon-like tape material) allows for much stronger magnetic fields. It can match the field of a low-temperature magnet system 40 times its size, according to MIT.

SPARC and its net positive energy output would be just the start. MIT and CFS still plan to develop a fusion power plant, ARC, that might go online as soon as 2033. Should that happen, fusion energy would finally become a practical reality — just in time to help a world transitioning to electric vehicles that demand more from power grids.

The imminent iPhone 13 series promises more than a few upgrades, but one of them may answer a common problem: the never-ending desire for more storage. As 9to5Macreports, well-known analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max will be available with up to 1TB of storage alongside 128GB, 256GB and 512GB options carried over from the iPhone 12 Pro family. While that's bound to be expensive, it could be appealing if you capture a lot of video or want that much more futureproofing.

Kuo also believed the base iPhone 13 and 13 mini would start at 128GB versus the (frankly inadequate) 64GB of their outgoing counterparts. You'd also see a new 512GB tier — you'd no longer have to splurge on a Pro model just to get more than 256GB.

There might be other ways to save money. The analyst also said he expected the current AirPods to stick around and sell alongside the third-generation models poised to debut at Apple's September 14th event. He wasn't certain how this would affect pricing, but the most likely scenario is a price drop that lets the third-gen AirPods occupy the existing space. Apple might sell the new wireless earbuds at a higher price, but there wouldn't be much of a gap between them and the (normally $250) AirPods Pro.

If leaks are accurate, the new AirPods will more closely resemble their Pro counterparts and support spatial audio, but won't include the higher-end buds' eartips or active noise cancellation. That could make the current, no-frills AirPods the 'budget' choice for those who want alternatives to the Pixel Buds A, Nothing Ear 1 and other value-focused rivals.

Stablecoins are ostensibly safer than regular cryptocurrency thanks to their ties to less volatile assets, but US regulators apparently aren't convinced. Bloombergsources hear the Treasury Department and other federal agencies are close to a possible crackdown on stablecoins through a review from the Financial Stability Oversight Council. Officials are reportedly concerned the digital money is largely unregulated and could ultimately destabilize the financial system, not protect it.

A presidential Working Group on Financial Markets is believed to be most concerned about Tether. The cryptocurrency's operators said they stabilize their funds by holding large amounts of corporate debt. That could be vulnerable to "chaotic investor runs" if cryptocurrency values tank, according to Bloomberg.

While a firm decision isn't expected until December, when the Working Group is believed to be issuing recommendations, there's reportedly a "consensus" in favor of an Oversight Council review. If that happens, the council could label stablecoins as threats that warrant strict regulation. Numerous cryptocurrencies could be forced to change their business models or even shut down.

As it stands, stablecoins are at risk from government competition. The Federal Reserve is exploring the possibility of launching a central bank cryptocurrency. Such a move could render private options moot in the US — there wouldn't be much point to them if there was an official, potentially more reliable equivalent. Whatever happens, it's safe to say the existing stablecoin market might not last long as-is if a review goes forward.

Virgin Galactic is dealing with yet more setbacks for its paid spaceflights. Reutersreports Virgin has delayed its first commercial research flight, Unity 23, to no sooner than mid-October. The mission was originally scheduled for late September or early October, but a supplier warned of a possible "manufacturing defect" in the flight control actuation system, Virgin said.

It's not certain if the defect is present in Virgin's vehicles or if any repairs are necessary. Virgin said it was only postponing the launch out of an "abundance of caution." The mission will see three Italian Air Force members study the effects of transitioning from regular Earth gravity to microgravity on both humans and the environment.

This wasn't connected to the FAA's investigation of a deviation from the cleared flight path, Virgin added. When the flight goes forward also depends on the FAA lifting a temporary ban on Virgin flights after it concludes the investigation.

It's not surprising Virgin would take an extra-careful approach. The company is still dealing with the repercussions of its 2014 crash, and it's under more pressure than ever now there are paying customers for research and, eventually, regular passengers. Delays like this may frustrate Virgin as it races to become a profitable business, but they may be worthwhile if they establish trust and lead to more customers.

Google One hasn't had great storage choices if you're a heavy-duty user — you've either had to 'settle' for 2TB at $10 per month or jump to 10TB at an eye-watering $50 per month. Thankfully, there's now an in-between option. 9to5Googlenoticed Google has quietly added a 5TB plan for $25 per month, or $250 per year. That's half what you'd pay for the 10TB tier, and certainly a better bargain if you didn't need that much more than the 2TB plan could offer.

You still get 2TB-level perks, including the Android VPN, 10 percent back in store credit for Google Store purchases and Google expert access. Not surprisingly, you're encouraged to add your family.

The timing is apt. Google ended Photos' free unlimited storage at the beginning of June, creating headaches for anyone who relies heavily on the service (or Drive as a whole). This could save you from having to sacrifice at least some backups if you know you're going to be tight on space. There's also a degree of futureproofing here. Even if 2TB is fine for your needs now, you can give yourself some headroom without paying five times more.

Google vowed that it would no longer directly respond to Hong Kong authorities' data requests after the Chinese government imposed a security law in June 2020, but it appears the company made a handful of exceptions. The Hong Kong Free Press reports Google provided "some data" for three out of 43 requests from Hong Kong authorities in the second half of 2020. One was for an emergency where life was at risk, while another two concerned human trafficking.

The internet firm stressed that neither of the trafficking requests were linked to national security, and were backed by signed search warrants as well as Google's worldwide policy on requests. None of the three handovers involved content. However, they also weren't made under a treaty with the US Justice Department that Google said would be necessary for requests going forward.

The responses aren't completely unexpected. Attempts to pursue cases through the treaty could take months. It just wouldn't be realistic to feed urgent, non-security requests through that system.

Nonetheless, this illustrates the problems Google and other tech giants (including Facebook and Twitter) have while trying to disengage with China over the security law and, more recently, privacy law changes. While the companies can stall requests, an absolute refusal to comply may be difficult without leaving Hong Kong entirely.

The Perseverance rover's first rock samples from Mars are already providing insights. NASA researchers' early analysis of the samples indicates water was present in Jezero Crater for a "long time" — think tens of thousands or millions of years. That, in turn, suggests Mars' water was stable enough to make it relatively welcoming to microscopic life.

The mission team also detected crucial salts that might have formed when water flowed through the sampled rock. The salt might have not only trapped pockets of Mars' old water, but could have preserved signs of life.

The two samples so far come from just one rock. It will take much longer to develop a better sense of Mars' secrets. Perseverance won't even collect samples from its next location, South Séitah, until after a weeks-long break where all missions on the planet will go into a "protective" state until the end of a Mars solar conjuction. The pause should take effect for everyone by early October. The samples won't return to Earth until future missions collect the samples Perseverance left behind.

Even so, the early data bodes well for the Perseverance mission — the team has already discovered useful information about Mars' history. These and other findings could not only reshape humanity's understanding of the planet, but set the direction for future Mars exploration missions.

Don't expect to stream Disney's next movies at home the moment they're available. The Vergereports Disney has revealed that all its remaining 2021 movies will debut in theaters first, including the animated robot comedy Ron's Gone Wrong (October 22nd), the Marvel blockbuster Eternals (November 5th) and a new adaptation of West Side Story (December 10th).

Outside of the animated musical Encanto (November 24th), which has a 30-day window, all of the movies will have a "minimum" 45-day theatrical run before they're available elsewhere. Disney didn't say when you might expect on-demand versions of these titles, whether on Disney+ or rival services.

This is partly a reaction to the relatively strong theater-only releases of summer extravaganzas like Free Guy and Shang-Chi. While COVID-19 still hurt box office numbers (Shang-Chi's $75.5 million US opening paled in comparison to multiple Disney 2019 releases), the revenue may have been enough to justify returning to pre-pandemic distribution.

There's also the matter of placating key factions. Disney said it has a way to pay talent fairly for hybrid theater-and-digital relases, but it wouldn't be surprising if Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow lawsuit plays a role in considering Disney+ launches. The company might not want to risk further trouble with actors and others whose income depends on theatrical performance. And then there's the theaters themselves. When chains like AMC vowed to pull Universal movies even when many locations were closed, Disney might not be willing to provoke a similar confrontation as theaters resume business.

This and Warner Bros.' 2022 return to theaters supports the expectations of many cynics — that studios only saw day-one streaming access as a temporary necessity that would disappear the moment it was reasonably safe to watch on big screens. That's not completely shocking when the movie industry's business model still revolves around theaters, but any fundamental shifts in strategy might not happen for a long, long time.