🛰️ Starlink for Navy, BGP Security Push, and Brazil Battle
Good morning. It’s Wednesday, September 04. Today we are covering:
The US Navy Is Going All In on Starlink
White House thinks it's time to fix the insecure glue of the internet: Yup, BGP
Starlink backtracks, complies with order blocking X in Brazil, says regulator
Android 15 is out - but it's not ready for your phone yet
Qualcomm's new 8-core Snapdragon chip is aimed at cheaper Arm Windows PCs
Let’s dive in
The US Navy Is Going All In on Starlink
By Jared Keller via WIRED
The US Navy is testing Starlink from Elon Musk’s SpaceX to provide faster and more reliable internet aboard warships, enhancing sailor connectivity and morale.
The SEA2 system, powered by low-orbit satellites like Starlink, delivers speeds of up to 1 gigabit per second, significantly improving upon outdated satellite systems.
While Starlink boosts communication for sailors, there are concerns about its potential military risks, including cyber vulnerabilities and Elon Musk's control over its use during conflicts.
𝕏: To be clear, we did NOT report that SpaceX deactivated Starlink, as Musk claims we did. Instead, @WIRED reported that the company denied Ukraine's request to have it turned on, which he says is the case. We've updated the story to include Musk's comments. - Andrew Couts (@AndrewCouts)
White House thinks it's time to fix the insecure glue of the internet: Yup, BGP
By Thomas Claburn via The Register
The White House is pushing to enhance internet routing security by addressing vulnerabilities in the Border Gateway Protocol (BGP), which has long been exploited for route hijacking and other threats.
A key solution involves accelerating the adoption of Resource Public Key Infrastructure (RPKI), but the US lags behind with only 39% of routes being ROV-valid, compared to 70% in Europe.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is complementing the White House’s efforts by proposing rules for internet service providers to manage BGP risks and publish quarterly reports.
𝕏: Today we took an important step towards securing the foundation of the internet. ONCD's Border Gateway Protocol Roadmap along with our public-private working group, is taking on a hard problem that has long-threatened the security of internet traffic. - Office of the National Cyber Director (@ONCD)
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Starlink backtracks, complies with order blocking X in Brazil, says regulator
Reuters
Starlink reversed its stance and is now complying with a Brazilian top court order to block access to social media platform X, after initially refusing to do so.
The company's accounts were frozen by court order, potentially to be used to pay fines owed by X, which is also owned by Elon Musk.
Starlink missed the deadline to submit a new appeal against the order, escalating tensions between Musk and Brazil.
𝕏: So let me get this straight: Elon Musk is declaring war on the Brazilian Supreme Court over its ban of Twitter/X, yet Starlink is actually blocking the site in compliance with the order? - Paris Marx (@parismarx)
Android 15 is out - but it's not ready for your phone yet
By Emma Roth via The Verge
Android 15 has been released for developers, with support for Pixel phones rolling out soon, and other brands like Samsung and OnePlus following in the coming months.
New features include single-tap passkeys, theft detection, improved multitasking for large screens, and integration of Google Gemini AI for image descriptions via TalkBack.
Additional updates include Circle to Search for song identification, expanded earthquake alerts across the US, and offline Google Maps support on Wear OS 5.
Qualcomm's new 8-core Snapdragon chip is aimed at cheaper Arm Windows PCs
By Andrew Cunningham via Ars Technica
Qualcomm has introduced a new 8-core Snapdragon X Plus chip aimed at making Arm-based Windows PCs more affordable, with a target price range around $700.
The chip features Oryon CPU architecture and supports Microsoft’s Copilot+ AI features, though it offers slightly reduced performance compared to the 10-core variants, particularly in GPU performance.
This release is part of Qualcomm's effort to expand its share in the Windows PC market, but it hasn’t yet produced a low-end chip specifically for budget laptops under $500.
Trending in AI
Microsoft’s Copilot AI features are coming to new Intel and AMD laptops in November
Neko Health, the body-scanning AI health startup from Spotify’s Daniel Ek, opens in London
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