Author name: Paul Patrick

Bridging Wireless and 5G

Bridging / /

Wireless connectivity and 5G are transforming the way we live and work, but what does it take to integrate these technologies? I spoke to Bruno Tomas, CTO of the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA), to get his insights on convergence, collaboration, and the road ahead.

Q: Bruno, could you start by sharing a bit about your background and your role at the WBA?

Bruno: Absolutely. I’m an engineer by training, with degrees in electrical and computer engineering, as well as a master’s in telecom systems. I started my career with Portugal Telecom and later worked in Brazil, focusing on network standards. About 12 years ago, I joined the WBA, and my role has been centered on building the standards for seamless interoperability and convergence between Wi-Fi, 3G, LTE, and now 5G. At the WBA, we bring together vendors, operators, and integrators to create technical specifications and guidelines that drive innovation and usability in wireless networks.

Q: What are the key challenges in achieving seamless integration between wireless technologies and 5G?

Bruno: One of the biggest challenges is ensuring that our work translates into real-world use cases—particularly in enterprise and public environments. For example, in manufacturing or warehousing, where metal structures and interference can disrupt connectivity, we need robust solutions for starters. At the WBA, we’ve worked with partners from the vendor, chipset and device communities, as well as integrators, to address these challenges by building field-tested guidelines. On top of that comes innovation. For instance, our OpenRoaming concepts help enable seamless transitions between networks, including IoT, reducing the complexity for IT managers and CIOs.

Q: Could you explain how WBA’s “Tiger Teams” contribute to these solutions?

Bruno: Tiger Teams are specialized working groups within our alliance. They bring together technical experts from companies such as AT&T, Intel, Broadcom, and AirTies to solve specific challenges collaboratively. For instance, in our 5G & Wi-Fi convergence group, members define requirements and scenarios for industries like aerospace or healthcare. By doing this, we ensure that our recommendations are practical and field-ready. This collaborative approach helps drive innovation while addressing real-world challenges.

Q: You mentioned OpenRoaming earlier. How does that help businesses and consumers?

Bruno: OpenRoaming simplifies connectivity by allowing users to seamlessly move between Wi-Fi and cellular networks without needing manual logins or configurations. Imagine a hospital where doctors move between different buildings while using tablets for patient care, supported by an enhanced security layer. With OpenRoaming, they can stay connected without interruptions. Similarly, for enterprises, it minimizes the need for extensive IT support and reduces costs while ensuring high-quality service.

Q: What’s the current state of adoption for technologies like 5G and Wi-Fi 6?

Bruno: Adoption is growing rapidly, but it’s uneven across regions. Wi-Fi 6 has been a game-changer, offering better modulation and spectrum management, which makes it ideal for high-density environments like factories or stadiums. On the 5G side, private networks have been announced, especially in industries like manufacturing, but the integration with existing systems remains a hurdle. In Europe, regulatory and infrastructural challenges slow things down, while the U.S. and APAC regions are moving faster.

Q: What role do you see AI playing in wireless and 5G convergence?

Bruno: AI is critical for optimizing network performance and making real-time decisions. At the WBA, we’ve launched initiatives to incorporate AI into wireless networking, helping systems predict and adapt to user needs. For instance, AI can guide network steering—deciding whether a device should stay on Wi-Fi or switch to 5G based on signal quality and usage patterns. This kind of automation will be essential as networks become more complex.

Q: Looking ahead, what excites you most about the future of wireless and 5G?

Bruno: The potential for convergence to enable new use cases is incredibly exciting. Whether it’s smart cities, advanced manufacturing, or immersive experiences with AR and VR, the opportunities are limitless. Wi-Fi 7, will bring even greater capacity and coverage, making it possible to deliver gigabit speeds in dense environments like stadiums or urban centers. Conversely, we are starting to look into 6G. One trend is clear: Wi-Fi should be integrated within a 6G framework, enabling densification. At the WBA, we’re committed to ensuring these advancements are accessible, interoperable, and sustainable.

Thank you, Bruno! 

N.B. The WBA Industry Report 2025 has now been released and is available for download. Please click here for further information.

Bridging Wireless and 5G Read More »

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Green sea turtle gets relief from “bubble butt” syndrome thanks to 3D printing

3D printing, green sea turtle, Science, Tech, wildlife / /

Two main reasons those gas pockets appear in turtles are plastics and boat strikes.

When a turtle consumes something it can’t digest—like parts of fishing nets, plastic bottles, or even rubber gloves (yes, there was a sea turtle found with a rubber glove in its intestines)—it sometimes gets stuck somewhere along its gastrointestinal tract. This, in turn, causes gases to gather there, which throws the turtle’s buoyancy out of balance.

Those gases usually gather in the parts of the gastrointestinal tract located near the rear of the turtle, so the animal is left floating bum-up at an unnatural angle. Conditions like that are sometimes curable with dietary modifications, assisted feeding, fluid therapy, and other non-invasive means to the point where afflicted animals can be safely released back into the wild. Boat strikes, on the other hand, often lead to permanent damage.

Sea turtles’ shells are tough but not tough enough to withstand a boat impact, especially when the shell gets hit by a propeller blade. This often leaves a shell deformed, with air bubbles trapped underneath it. In more severe cases, the spinal cord under the shell also gets damaged, which leads to complete or partial paralysis.“

The most popular approach to rehabilitating these injuries relies on gluing Velcro patches to the shell at carefully chosen spots and attaching weights to those patches to counteract the buoyancy caused by the air bubbles. This is a pretty labor-intensive task that has to be done repeatedly every few months for the rest of the turtle’s life. And green sea turtles can live as long as 80 years.

Charlotte swimming with the harness on.

Credit: Laura Shubel

Charlotte swimming with the harness on. Credit: Laura Shubel

Harnessing advanced manufacturing

Charlotte, as a boat strike victim with air bubbles trapped under its deformed shell, was considered non-releasable and completely dependent on human care. Since full recovery was not an option, Mystic Aquarium wanted to make everyday functioning more bearable for both the turtle and its caretakers. It got in touch with Adia, which in turn got New Balance and Formlabs onboard. Their idea was to get rid of the Velcro and replace them with a harness fitted with slots for weights.

Green sea turtle gets relief from “bubble butt” syndrome thanks to 3D printing Read More »

the-next-two-fifa-women’s-world-cups-will-only-air-on-netflix

The next two FIFA Women’s World Cups will only air on Netflix

FIFA, netflix, soccer, sports, streaming, Tech / /

FIFA’s announcement suggested that it expects to reach a larger audience and increase US engagement by airing on Netflix. FIFA said that 1.2 billion people watched the 2019 Women’s World Cup, ESPN noted. Netflix has already demonstrated the ability to lure a massive amount of viewers to exclusive sports matches. In November, Netflix claimed the “most-streamed sporting event ever” when it streamed a boxing event centered on a Mike Tyson and Jake Paul fight and reportedly garnered 65 million live concurrent streams.

Per FIFA’s announcement, Netflix will stream the tournaments in English and Spanish via a “dual telecast.” Under the deal, Netflix will also release a documentary series about the biggest players ahead of both tournaments. Brazil will host the 2027 event, while the host country for the 2031 Women’s World Cup has yet to be announced.

The news comes as streaming platforms continue battling over sports. Currently, Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery, and Fox are in a legal battle over plans to launch a joint sports streaming app, Venu, which is being challenged by sports streamer Fubo over antitrust allegations. The case is set to go to trial in October.

Meanwhile, fans are adjusting to changes in how sports events are aired, learning to bounce between channels and streaming services to find their events and dealing with buffering and other technical problems. At times, some of the biggest fans, like NFL player Tariq Woolen, have resorted to illegal pirating to avoid complications and fees, underscoring pressure for streaming services to perfect and simplify the streaming of the live events that they’re eagerly snatching up.

The next two FIFA Women’s World Cups will only air on Netflix Read More »

google-will-apparently-offer-“ai-mode”-right-on-its-main-search-page

Google will apparently offer “AI Mode” right on its main search page

AI, ai mode, ai search, AI search engine, Google, google ai mode, Tech / /

Google will soon take more steps to make AI a part of search, exposing more users to its Gemini agent, according to recent reports and app teardowns.

“AI Mode,” shown at the top left of the web results page and inside the Google app, will provide an interface similar to a Gemini AI chat, according to The Information.

This tracks with a finding from Android Authority earlier this month, which noted a dedicated “AI mode” button inside an early beta of the Google app. This shortcut also appeared on Google’s Android search widget, and a conversation history button was added to the Google app. Going even deeper into the app, 9to5Google found references to “aim” (AI mode) and “ai_mode” which suggest a dedicated tab in the Google app, with buttons for speaking to an AI or sending it pictures.

Google already promotes Gemini with links below its search homepage. (“5 ways Gemini can help during the Holidays” is currently showing for me.) Search results on Google can also contain an “AI Overview,” which launched with some “use glue for pizza sauce” notoriety. People averse to AI answers can avoid them with URL parameters and proxy sites (or sticking to the “web” tab). Gemini has also been prominently added to other Google products, like Pixel phones, Gmail, and Drive/Workspace. And the search giant has also been testing the ability to attach files to a web search for analysis.

Google will apparently offer “AI Mode” right on its main search page Read More »

amazon’s-rto-delays-exemplify-why-workers-get-so-mad-about-mandates

Amazon’s RTO delays exemplify why workers get so mad about mandates

Amazon, Policy, return-to-office, Tech / /

Concern about RTO planning is underscored by Amazon reportedly lacking enough space for its current in-office policy. Bloomberg said that “in recent interviews, employees complained of working from shared desks, crowded corporate canteens, and a lack of conference rooms for confidential calls or team meetings.”

The publication also pointed to employee displeasure with having to work in an office full-time when other tech firms have more lax policies. This could result in Amazon losing some of its best talent. Per the study from the University of Pittsburgh, Baylor University, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, and Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business researchers, senior, skilled workers are more likely to depart a company over an RTO mandate because they have “more connections with other companies.”

Employees eyeing greener pastures could put Amazon at risk of losing some of its most experienced employees. That also reportedly happened to Apple, Microsoft, and SpaceX following their RTO mandates, per a May study from University of Chicago and University of Michigan researchers (PDF). Following Amazon’s RTO announcement, 73 percent of 2,285 workers that Blind surveyed said they were “considering looking for another job” due to the rule change.

Finally, banning remote work while giving workers a few months to figure out how to adjust resulted in a lot of negative discourse, including Garman reportedly telling workers that if they don’t work well in offices, “that’s okay; there are other companies around.” As the November RTO study put it:

“An RTO announcement can be a big and sudden event that is distasteful to most employees, especially when the decision has not been well communicated, potentially triggering an immediate response of employees searching for and switching to new jobs.”

If Amazon had communicated RTO dates with greater accuracy once office plans were finalized, it could have alleviated some of the drama that followed the announcement and the negative impact that had on employee morale.

For its part, Amazon has instituted a tool for reserving conference rooms, which requires workers to commit to using the space so it’s not wasted, Bloomberg reported.

But with companies now having had years to plot their RTO approaches, employees are expecting more accurate communication and smooth transitions that align with their respective department’s culture. Amazon’s approach missed those marks.

Amazon’s RTO delays exemplify why workers get so mad about mandates Read More »

“unprecedented”-decline-in-teen-drug-use-continues,-surprising-experts

“Unprecedented” decline in teen drug use continues, surprising experts

adolescent, alcohol, Drug use, health, illicit drugs, marijuana, nicotine, Science, Teens / /

A new era

“Kids who were in eighth grade at the start of the pandemic will be graduating from high school this year, and this unique cohort has ushered in the lowest rates of substance use we’ve seen in decades,” Miech noted.

For alcohol, use in the past 12 months among eighth graders was at 12.9 percent in 2024, similar to 2023 levels, which are all-time lows. For 10th graders, the rate dropped significantly from 30.6 percent in 2023 to 26.1 percent, and for 12th graders, from 45.7 percent to 41.7 percent—both record lows.

For nicotine vaping, rates fell for 10th graders (from 17.5 percent to 15.4 percent) and remained at low levels for eighth and 12th graders. For marijuana, use remained low for eighth and 10th graders and fell significantly for 12th graders (from 29 percent to 25.8 percent). All three grades are at lows not seen since 1990.

For abstainers from alcohol, marijuana, and nicotine in the prior 30 days, the rate among eighth graders hit 90 percent, up from 87 percent in 2017, when it was first measured. The rate was 80 percent among 10th graders, up from 69 percent in 2017, and 67 percent for 12th graders, up from 53 percent in 2017.

“This trend in the reduction of substance use among teenagers is unprecedented,” Nora Volkow, director of NIH’s National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), said. “We must continue to investigate factors that have contributed to this lowered risk of substance use to tailor interventions to support the continuation of this trend.”

“Unprecedented” decline in teen drug use continues, surprising experts Read More »

here’s-the-new-hybrid-honda-prelude,-on-sale-late-2025

Here’s the new hybrid Honda Prelude, on sale late 2025

Cars, Honda Prelude / /

The fact that Honda was working on a new Prelude coupe was not entirely secret—not after the automaker unveiled a show car at this year’s Long Beach Grand Prix. This morning, the Japanese automaker confirmed that the new Prelude will go on sale here in the US late in 2025.

“The return of the Honda Prelude as a hybrid-electric sports model demonstrates our continued commitment to offer a variety of exhilarating products to meet the needs of our customers,” said Jessika Laudermilk, assistant vice president of Honda Auto Sales. “The first three products in the Honda lineup in the 1970s were Civic, Accord, and Prelude, and soon all three will be back together again in our passenger car lineup as hybrids.”

Honda has often used the two-door Prelude coupe as a testbed for new technologies, including torque vectoring and four-wheel steering, and was praised by the late automotive writer LJK Setright, who owned several Preludes across the years.

An innovation in the next Prelude will be a new drive mode, called Honda S+ Shift, which it says “advances linear shift control to deliver maximum levels of driver engagement.” But as the Prelude will use a hybrid powertrain, there won’t be an option for a manual transmission in this generation.

Beyond that, Honda is keeping quiet on Prelude details until closer to the car’s arrival on sale next year.

Here’s the new hybrid Honda Prelude, on sale late 2025 Read More »

in-it?-need-cash?-cybersecurity-whistleblowers-are-earning-big-payouts.

In IT? Need cash? Cybersecurity whistleblowers are earning big payouts.

False Claims Act, fraud, Policy, whistleblowers / /

Matthew Decker is the former chief information officer for Penn State University’s Applied Research Laboratory. As of October, he’s also $250,000 richer.

In his Penn State position, Decker was well placed to see that the university was not implementing all of the cybersecurity controls that were required by its various contracts with NASA and the Department of Defense (DoD). It did not, for instance, use an external cloud services provider that met the DoD’s security guidelines, and it fudged some of the self-submitted “scores” it made to the government about Penn State’s IT security.

So Decker sued the school under the False Claims Act, which lets private individuals bring cases against organizations on behalf of the government if they come across evidence of wrongdoing related to government contracts. In many of these cases, the government later “intervenes” to assist with the case (as it did here), but whether it does so or not, whistleblowers stand to collect a percentage of any fines if they win.

In October, Penn State agreed to a $1.25 million settlement with the government; Decker got $250,000 of the money.

On the regular

This now happens in IT with some regularity. In November, Dell, Dell Federal Systems, and Iron Bow Technologies settled with the government for $4.3 million over claims that they “violated the False Claims Act by submitting and causing the submission of non-competitive bids to the Army and thereby overcharging the Army under the Army Desktop and Mobile Computing 3 (ADMC-3) contract.”

But once again, this wasn’t something the government uncovered on its own; a whistleblower named Brent Lillard, who was an executive at another company in the industry, brought the initial complaint. For his work, Lillard just made $345,000.

In early December, Gen Digital (formerly Symantec) paid a much larger fee—$55.1 million—after losing a trial in 2022. Gen Digital/Symantec was found liable for charging the government higher prices than it charged to companies.

Once again, the issue was brought to light by a whistleblower, Lori Morsell, who oversaw the contract for Gen Digital/Symantec. Morsell’s award has not yet been determined by the court, but given the amount of the payout, it should be substantial.

False Claims Act goes digital

Due to the complexity of investigating—or even finding out about—technical failures and False Claims Act cases from the outside of an organization, the government has increasingly relied on whistleblowers to kick-start these sorts of IT cases.

In IT? Need cash? Cybersecurity whistleblowers are earning big payouts. Read More »

hackers-seek-ransom-after-getting-ssns,-banking-info-from-state-gov’t-portal

Hackers seek ransom after getting SSNs, banking info from state gov’t portal

Policy, Rhode Island, ribridges, Security / /

Hackers trying to extort the Rhode Island government infiltrated the state’s public benefits system, causing state officials to shut down online services that let residents apply for Medicaid and other assistance programs.

“As part of this investigation today, we discovered that within the Rhode Island Bridges system, a cybercriminal had installed dangerous malware that constituted an urgent threat,” Governor Dan McKee said at a Friday night press conference, according to The Providence Journal. “That is why tonight we have shut down the system. That means customers will temporarily not be able to access any customer portal related to the services on Rhode Island Bridges.”

The vendor “Deloitte confirmed that there is a high probability that a cybercriminal has obtained files with personally identifiable information from RIBridges,” McKee’s office said in a press release. Rhode Island has “proactively taken the system offline so that the State and Deloitte can work to address the threat and restore the system as quickly as possible.”

The state decided to sign a new three-year contract with Deloitte in 2021 despite its earlier failure to build a stable system. RIBridges, originally called Unified Health Infrastructure Project (UHIP), launched in 2016 and “suffered from massive cost overruns before launch and catastrophic failures afterward,” WPRI wrote in 2021.

The hack disclosed on Friday has already inspired a class-action lawsuit against Deloitte. The lawsuit was filed in a federal court yesterday.

Many state programs impacted

Information obtained by hackers “may include names, addresses, dates of birth and Social Security numbers, as well as certain banking information,” the governor’s office said Friday, noting that analysis of the breach was not complete.

“To the best of our knowledge, any individual who has received or applied for health coverage and/or health and human services programs or benefits could be impacted by this leak,” the governor’s office said. This includes Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP), health coverage purchased through HealthSource RI, Rhode Island Works (RIW), Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS), and the General Public Assistance (GPA) Program.

An updates page said the state and Deloitte are still “focused on addressing the threat” and aren’t yet saying when the RIBridges system will be restored. “We understand this is an alarming situation for our customers. Current customers will not be able to log into their account through the portal or the mobile app while the system is offline… Rhode Islanders seeking to apply for benefits can still submit a paper application.”

Hackers seek ransom after getting SSNs, banking info from state gov’t portal Read More »

t-mobile-users-can-try-starlink-enabled-phone-service-for-free-during-beta

T-Mobile users can try Starlink-enabled phone service for free during beta

Biz & IT, Policy, t-mobile starlink / /

T-Mobile today said it opened registration for the “T-Mobile Starlink” beta service that will enable text messaging via satellites in dead zones not covered by cell towers.

T-Mobile’s announcement said the service using Starlink’s low-Earth orbit satellites will “provid[e] coverage for the 500,000 square miles of land in the United States not covered by earth-bound cell towers.” Starlink parent SpaceX has so far launched over 300 satellites with direct-to-cell capabilities, T-Mobile noted.

A registration page says, “We expect the beta to begin in early 2025, starting with texting and expanding to data and voice over time. The beta is open to all T-Mobile postpaid customers for free, but capacity is limited.”

T-Mobile said the beta “is expected to work with most modern mobile phones” but will work best with “select smartphones.” People with those “select” devices will apparently have a better chance of getting into the beta.

“T-Mobile postpaid customers with optimized devices will be admitted on a ‘first come, first served’ basis,” T-Mobile said. “We’ll expand the beta to more customers and more devices as more satellites launch.”

Businesses and first responders can also register. “Because of the critical role these first responder agencies and individuals play in safeguarding our communities, T-Mobile is prioritizing this audience for the beta program,” the carrier said.

Commercial service sometime in 2025

T-Mobile said the commercial service will launch “sometime in 2025” but did not say how much it will cost.

T-Mobile users can try Starlink-enabled phone service for free during beta Read More »

the-optical-disc-onslaught-continues,-with-lg-quitting-blu-ray-players

The optical disc onslaught continues, with LG quitting Blu-ray players

Blu-ray, dvd, lg, streaming, Tech / /

Speaking of things staying the same, Blu-rays and DVDs also won’t have their content altered after purchase, as we’ve seen happen to digital versions of media.

While certainly in decline, the US Blu-ray and DVD disc market made $1.34 billion in the year ending in March 2023, according to market research group Circana. Data from the first half of 2024 from entertainment trade association The Digital Entertainment Group (DEG) found that while overall Blu-ray and DVD sales declined 22.2 percent during that time period, there were some areas of growth, too:

Consumers continue to show strong demand for collectible disc formats with SteelBooks, [or Blu-rays sold in collectible steel cases], up 44 percent and 4K UHD Blu-ray catalog sales growing by 16 percent.

A Dune: Part Two SteelBook. Credit: Steelbook

Furthermore, sales of newly released Blu-rays decreased more slowly, at 14 percent, according to DEG. A look at the top-selling Blu-rays for the week ending on November 30 based on data from Circana shows recent films, like Beetlejuice Beetlejuice and Deadpool & Wolverine, topping the list.

And it was only about a year ago that 4K Blu-rays of the megahit Oppenheimer actually sold out.

There are still options

For those interested in a new Blu-ray player, though, the options are more limited with LG exiting the market, but that doesn’t mean you’re out of luck. Even though brands like Panasonic and Sony haven’t made new Blu-ray players in years, they continue to sell them. And the market still sees the occasional new release, such as the Magnetar UPD900 that came out last year.

With the benefits of physical media still present, the demise of LG Blu-ray players is notable, but not defining, for physical media aficionados.

For those who don’t want to use their Blu-ray player anymore, there’s always the option to turn it into a laser-scanning microscope.

The optical disc onslaught continues, with LG quitting Blu-ray players Read More »

photobucket-opted-inactive-users-into-privacy-nightmare,-lawsuit-says

Photobucket opted inactive users into privacy nightmare, lawsuit says

biometric data, biometric information privacy act, generative ai, Illinois, myspace, photobucket, Policy / /

Photobucket was sued Wednesday after a recent privacy policy update revealed plans to sell users’ photos—including biometric identifiers like face and iris scans—to companies training generative AI models.

The proposed class action seeks to stop Photobucket from selling users’ data without first obtaining written consent, alleging that Photobucket either intentionally or negligently failed to comply with strict privacy laws in states like Illinois, New York, and California by claiming it can’t reliably determine users’ geolocation.

Two separate classes could be protected by the litigation. The first includes anyone who ever uploaded a photo between 2003—when Photobucket was founded—and May 1, 2024. Another potentially even larger class includes any non-users depicted in photographs uploaded to Photobucket, whose biometric data has also allegedly been sold without consent.

Photobucket risks huge fines if a jury agrees with Photobucket users that the photo-storing site unjustly enriched itself by breaching its user contracts and illegally seizing biometric data without consent. As many as 100 million users could be awarded untold punitive damages, as well as up to $5,000 per “willful or reckless violation” of various statutes.

If a substantial portion of Photobucket’s entire 13 billion-plus photo collection is found infringing, the fines could add up quickly. In October, Photobucket estimated that “about half of its 13 billion images are public and eligible for AI licensing,” Business Insider reported.

Users suing include a mother of a minor whose biometric data was collected and a professional photographer in Illinois who should have been protected by one of the country’s strongest biometric privacy laws.

So far, Photobucket has confirmed that at least one “alarmed” Illinois user’s data may have already been sold to train AI. The lawsuit alleged that most users eligible to join the class action likely similarly only learned of the “conduct long after the date that Photobucket began selling, licensing, and/or otherwise disclosing Class Members’ biometric data to third parties.”

Photobucket opted inactive users into privacy nightmare, lawsuit says Read More »