In the next couple of months, you’ll be hearing more and more about a new technology that Telstra is switching on around the nation at the start of 2015. 4GX is just a fancy name for the telco’s new 700MHz mobile network frequency, but that’s not the only thing you need to know about it.
Telstra is set to switch on its 700MHz frequency allocation on January 1, 2015 — that’s the date that it is officially allowed to use the spectrum, as part of the agreement it made with the Federal Government when it purchased it at the Digital Dividend auctions. There are a few sites around the country, especially around inner-city Sydney, where pre-release trial sites are set up and already functioning, but for the most part the go-live date is January 1.
Telstra’s 700MHz allocation, which it purchased at auction (along with a significant chunk of 2500MHz) in May last year for $1.3 billion, is for two 20MHz segments of the frequency band — the majority of that frequency, and double the space of Optus’s two 10MHz segments. It’s in the APT700 band segment, which is becoming increasingly popular around the world — an important consideration for any telco considering adding new devices.
Being twice the bandwidth of Telstra’s existing 1800MHz and 900MHz allocations, you can reasonably expect theoretical and practical download speeds to double, or even more, when you’re using a 700MHz device. Telstra quotes 2Mbps to 75Mbps speeds for 4GX Category 4 devices — that’s the LG G3s, Samsung Galaxy S5s, Sony Xperia Z3s and iPhone 6s that are already out in Australia. The 700MHz portion of the spectrum was previously used for analog TV signals, so it’s good to see it going to very good use.
It Won’t Work On All Phones
Not too many phones, tablets and 4G hotspots that have been launched in Australia support Telstra’s 700MHz network, the frequency that is going to be called 4GX by the telco itself. That compatibility, for the most part, is restricted to more recent and more high-end handsets, and a few premium hotspots that Telstra sells exclusively. As time goes on, more devices are and will be released that support the new standard, but especially while it’s new there won’t be that many people using it.
That’s a great thing for early adopters, who will enjoy massively improved speed — not only because of the 700MHz network’s technical advantage over 900MHz and 1800MHz, but because there’ll be fewer people contending for the same amount of bandwidth on any one mobile phone tower. As time goes on, speeds will level out to more reasonable and realistic rates, but when more handsets move to 700MHz it’ll free up the other bands as well — everybody wins.
This is nowhere near a conclusive list, and it’ll expand on a weekly basis as more devices are released, but here are most of the 700MHz, Telstra 4GX-capable devices you can buy in Australia as of today:
Samsung Galaxy S5
HTC One (M8)
LG G3
HTC Desire 610
Samsung Galaxy Note 4
Apple iPhone 6
Apple iPhone 6 Plus
Telstra Wi-Fi 4G Advanced Pro X (Netgear Aircard 782S)
Telstra 4G My Pocket Ultimate Wi-Fi (Netgear Aircard 785S)
The APT700 band — that’s 4GX — forms one half of Telstra’s fledgling LTE-Advanced Category 6 mobile data network, which will fuse together data channels from 700MHz and 1800MHz frequencies to further accelerate download speeds. In trials, Telstra has hit 450Mbps download rates on LTE-A, which is three times the theoretical limit of a single 4G band.
Telstra has also come out to say that wherever it deploys 700MHz, LTE-Advanced will be available. (That LTE-Advanced will also need an 1800MHz frequency band available and connected, too, for what it’s worth.) So, if you’re using one of two devices — the new Galaxy Note 4, or the Telstra Wi-Fi 4G Advanced Pro X (above) — you’ll be able to hook up to LTE-Advanced and 700MHz alike as soon as it switches on.
You Might Already Be Using It
Telstra has 700MHz networks up and running, on a trial basis, and thanks to a bit of wheeling and dealing with ACMA and the government, in these locations already:
Surry Hills, Haymarket, Chippendale, Redfern, Waterloo, Zetland, Kensington, Alexandria, Erskineville, Eveleigh, Moore Park, Beaconsfield, Rushcutters Bay, Elizabeth Bay, Balmain East, Balmain, Birchgrove, Woolwich, McMahon’s Point, Lavender Bay, Milsons Point, Kurraba Point, and Neutral Bay.
as well as:
parts of Sydney, Adelaide, Darwin, Sarina, Yamba and Bundaberg
with “20 more locations” being added before the end of the year. If you have one of the phones listed above, and you’re in one of the areas listed here, then chances are you’re using 700MHz already and not even realising. When it launches more widely — to 50 regional locations, and to cover a 3km radius around all of Australia’s capital cities’ CBD areas — it’ll cover more customers again.
You don’t necessarily need to use Telstra’s 4GX to get yourself onto a next-gen 4G network; we’ll leave you to decide which is best for your needs, which is the most technologically advanced, and which is the best value.
With this update your iPhone, iPad and iPod touch become more intelligent and proactive with powerful search and improved Siri features. New multitasking features for iPad allow you to work with two apps simultaneously, side-by-side or with the new Picture-in-Picture feature. And, built-in apps become more powerful with detailed transit information in Maps, a redesigned Notes app, and an all-new News app. And improvements at the foundation of the operating system enhance performance, improve security and give you up to an hour of extra battery life.
Intelligence
Proactive assistance
Presents relevant information even before you start typing
Notifies you when you need to leave for appointments using traffic conditions
Learns what you listen to in a certain location or at a particular time of day and can automatically display playback controls for your preferred music and audio apps
Suggested events and contact details are added to apps based on information found in Mail
Siri improvements
Search your personal photos and videos based on dates, locations and album names
Ask Siri to remind you about things you’re looking at in your apps, including Safari, Mail, Notes and Messages
Request directions via public transit
Spotlight search improvements
Get sports scores, weather conditions and stock prices
Simple math calculations and conversions
Initiate messages, phone calls and FaceTime calls from contact search results
New iPad Features
Slide Over
Quickly use a second app without leaving the one you’re in
Easily switch between Slide Over apps
Support for Apple apps and enabled third party apps
Split View
View and interact with two apps at once
Ability to resize your view to give equal attention to both apps or prioritize one app over another
Support for Apple apps and enabled third party apps
Picture in picture
Continue watching a video while using your favorite apps
Support for Safari video, FaceTime, Videos and Podcasts and enabled third party apps
QuickType improvements
Multi-Touch gestures for easier text selection on iPad
Quick access to text editing tools with Shortcut Bar on iPad
Support for hardware keyboard shortcuts
Support for all Unicode emoji flags
Built-in Apps
Map improvements
Support for public transit lines, station details with exits and entrances, schedules and directions in select major cities
Browse for places around you by category, including Food, Drinks, Shopping, Fun and more
Apple Pay support is indicated on place cards at participating retail locations
Place cards include Wikipedia information for landmarks and cities
Redesigned Notes app
Add photos to your notes with the built-in camera or from your Photo Library
Create useful checklists and check off completed items with a tap
Sketch a quick thought using just your finger
Save interesting items directly from other apps using the Share menu
All-new News app
Read your favorite newspapers, magazines, and blogs, or choose from over a million topics
Beautiful typography and layouts, photo galleries, videos, animations, and more
Browse articles that are chosen based on your interests in For You. Find channel and topic recommendations in Explore. News gets more personalized the more you read
Easily share articles with friends or save them to read later — even when you’re offline
Mail improvements
Search improvements help you quickly find what you're looking for by filtering results based on sender, recipient, subject or a combination of options
Support for Markup lets you annotate an image or PDF attachment with text, shapes and even your signature, then send it back — without leaving Mail
Easily save the attachments you receive or add files from iCloud Drive or other document providers while composing a new message
Apple Pay and Wallet improvements
Support for Discover cards
Support for rewards cards and store credit and debit cards
To check out even faster, you can prepare an upcoming payment by double-clicking the Home button from the Lock Screen and keeping your finger on Touch ID
New iCloud Drive app
Easily search for a file or browse in the new iCloud Drive app by date, name, or tags you added on your Mac
Open files in any compatible app or share with those you choose
Organize folders and files
Get the iCloud Drive app in Settings > iCloud > iCloud Drive and select Show on Home Screen
CarPlay improvements
Plays back audio messages, letting you hear from people in their own voices
Full support for car knob controls, so you can tilt and spin to scroll through lists or pan around in Maps
Support for CarPlay apps from auto manufacturers
Foundation
Longer battery life
Up to one hour of additional time before you need to charge your battery
Facedown detection for turning display off when not in use
Low power mode optimizes device performance to extend battery by up to an additional three hours
Software updates require less space to download and offer an option to install later
iOS apps and user interface now use Metal to deliver faster scrolling, smoother animation, and better overall performance
Improved security with two-factor authentication support and a default 6 digit passcode support for Touch ID devices
Other improvements
New San Francisco system font
Leave a message option if recipient isn't available for a FaceTime call
Share voicemails from the Phone app using the share sheet
Flight and package tracking for data detectors
Health app adds support for reproductive health, UV exposure, water intake and sedentary state data types
HomeKit adds support for motorized windows and shades, motion sensors and home security system accessories
Podcasts has an all-new design, makes it easy to find the latest episodes of your favorite shows and notifies you when new episodes become available for you
Support for Wi-Fi calling on iPad, iPod touch and Mac, without iPhone in proximity on participating carriers
Wi-Fi Assist to automatically use cellular data when Wi-Fi connectivity is poor
RECENT YEARS, a whole lot of high-end Android phones have been built around Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 800 series SoCs (system on a chip). There’s a reason why it’s called a system on a chip: It’s a tiny piece of silicon with a multi-core processor, a graphics-processing engine for everything from games to 4K video to photos, components that help you squeeze more out of your battery, GPS and wireless radio, display drivers for high-res screens, and all the brains and guts of what a modern phone can do.
Now, Qualcomm is trying to become the default central nervous system for the next generation of drones, too. The Qualcomm Snapdragon Flight puts a Snapdragon 801 SoC with a quad-core 2.26GHz processor, dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, support for real-time flight control systems, a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver, 4K video processing, and support for speedy recharging onto a little board that’s the size of a business card.
According to Qualcomm, the first drone to use the Snapdragon Flight reference platform will be a UAV made by Yuneec slated to launch in 2016. But if the board and the drone market both meet expectations, a steady stream of UAVs built around the Flight platform will be right around the corner.
“We first concepted Snapdragon Flight more than a year ago. It grew out of conversations and requests we were having with customers, as well as a need we were seeing in the market,” Raj Talluri, Qualcomm’s SVP of product management, told WIRED via email. Though he would not say which companies besides Yuneec Qualcomm is working with, he added that the company is “in talks with a number of OEMs looking at this space.”
The idea behind the Snapdragon Flight reference platform is that drone manufacturers can use it to build cheaper, lighter, smaller, and more energy-efficient UAVs with advanced capabilities. Along with the video and navigation tools on board, Qualcomm says the board’s processing mettle is strong enough to support automated obstacle-avoidance features.
“The board, including the Snapdragon 801, is combined with advanced drone software and development tools, making Snapdragon Flight more like a reference design than anything else,” Talluri writes. “Drone or robotic developers and OEMs using Snapdragon Flight can create more innovative designs with advanced features in faster time-to-market and with reduced development costs. This is achieved because Snapdragon Flight integrates virtually all the key elements developers need, and they’re already optimized to work together.”
In theory, these UAVs would fill a big gap in the market right now. In today’s world, anyone thinking about buying a drone is generally faced with a decision between an expensive, powerful UAV, and a cheap toy. They can buy a heavy, serious drone, with high-end imaging and stabilization, a lot of flight options, and a price tag of $700 or more. Those are the DJI Phantoms, 3DRobotics Solos, and Yuneec Typhoons of the world.
In the other corner, there are smaller, cheaper, and more toy-like UAVs with lower-end cameras, no gimbal-based stabilization mounts, and less-impressive features. But those are generally safer, lighter, and easier to manage: Things like Parrot’s AR.Drone and MiniDrones. No matter the price or size, today’s drones usually get around 20 minutes of flight time per charge—and they normally have recharging times of at least an hour.
With those limitations in mind, Qualcomm hopes its little board can be used to create the holy grail of drones en masse: Something with the big-time processing power and imaging capabilities of a pricey drone, the smaller and ultimately safer size of a toy-like drone, and better charging speeds and battery life than either of them.
The timing could be perfect for Qualcomm to enter the market, as drone sales are gaining serious momentum. The Consumer Electronics Association estimates that the worldwide drone market will reach $1 billion in three years, about a tenfold increase from the $105 million in projected revenue this year. But of course, there are growing pains: People are doing dangerous things with drones, and the FAA is still wrestling with regulation questions.
“Action cameras are moving into the mainstream, and drones are a natural extension of that with the market poised for major growth this year and beyond. We believe Snapdragon Flight will help drive it to the next level,” Talluri says.
TSUNAMIS, cyclones, raging fires and epidemics. We keep hearing about all the ways the world could implode at any second.
But most of us haven’t even thought about preparing for the worst.
With natural disasters an inevitability, environmental experts say being ready isn’t just for the paranoid.
Melbourne authors Jane Rawson and James Whitmore have co-written The Handbook, a practical guide for surviving the apocalypse, or something close. They say we need to think seriously about these matters, because there may be no one there to save us if they happen.
WHERE YOU LIVE
It may sound obvious, but Rawson and Whitmore say people need to consider whether their home is susceptible to flooding, rising sea levels or bushfire.
“A lot of Australians have developed this philosophical attitude that the government will sort it out. ‘They’ll tell me if a bushfire is coming, and they’ll be there to put it out’,” Rawson told news.com.au.
“That doesn’t always happen. You should know the risks and be prepared to help yourself out.”
Even if you’re not in a disaster-prone area, you could be at risk from weather-related catastrophes.
“The system could be overwhelmed,” Rawson said.
“There are serious vulnerabilities in the Australian supply chain. So much is transported by road, it’s so centralised, we’re vulnerable … If there’s a cyclone, if sea levels rise, it could break down easily if a couple of things happen at once.”
The ultimate method to reduce risk is to switch to minimal living. Once you don’t have many possessions or an expensive home, you have less to lose. Impending disaster becomes less frightening, and you can concentrate on enjoying life instead of paying off a mortgage.
Many Australians are now choosing to live in caravans or ‘tiny houses’ — handmade homes on wheels, and hundreds are already doing it in the US. Others are building temporary bunkers or special, off-grid homes.
Marty Freney is creating an “Earthship” in the Adelaide Hills, a sustainable, energy-efficient design from the US, which is made of recycled materials, cheap to run and bushfire resistant.
Experts say we all need to be ready for the effects of a tsunami (pictured), bushfire, flooding, cyclone or other natural disaster.Source: Supplied
FUTURE-PROOF YOUR HOUSE
Let’s say you’ve decided not to leave your existing home. You can still make it safer. The first step is to make sure you’re protected from the initial disaster.
The risk of heatwave is increasing for everyone, so think about what you can do beyond switching on the airconditioning. If there’s no power, do you have a battery-operated fan available? Are your bedrooms on the south side of the house, where it’s cooler? Create a cool refuge in or underneath your home. Think about insulation, air flow and shade from eaves, vegetation or blinds.
As for that power cut, do you have battery chargers for your phone so you can communicate? Should you install solar power? Do you have a torch, solar-powered lantern and something you can use to cook?
If your home is at particular risk of fire, prune back long grass and scrub; use paths, pools and lawns as fire breaks and remove anything flammable from around the house. If it’s flood that’s the biggest threat, think about moving things to higher spots, have polished concrete flooring, waterproof paint, sealant and removable rugs. Will you have access to a clean water supply or a way to clean your water? You need a first line of defence against the storm.
The guide to coping with your own personal hell.Source:Supplied
Jane Rawson says we need to plan for our worst nightmares.Source: Supplied
EMERGENCY SURVIVAL KIT
You’ve created a buffer, but any prepper worth their salt has an emergency survival kit.
Rawson and Whitmore suggest yours should include blankets, medicine, scissors and a knife, supplies for pets and small children, spare batteries, walkie-talkies, water purifiers, ponchos, plastic sheeting, a waterproof bag, candles and matches.
“Have important documents like house insurance and title,” Rawson said. “Scan them and have them online.”
She also created a list of food with the help of a nutritionist, which includes oats, canola oil, lentils, milk powder, nuts and dried fruit. “It’s not going to be interesting or enjoyable but it will keep you healthy.”
She advises you keep sufficient rations for 10 weeks available, and enough water for two weeks (three or four litres per person per day).
Rawson believes that being prepared is empowering, and that if we think about the risks, we’ll be less traumatised if something does happen. “This is your chance to get organised to take control of your life,” she said. “Then you don’t have to worry so much.”
FORM A TEAM
After the initial disaster, the next stage is to band together with others for support, real-life survivors say. “The most important thing is to have contacts in the community, people who understand what your terrible experience has been like,” Rawson said.
“You need strong networks and people who can help physically. Helping one another can also help you through your mental anguish, and give you a sense of your future.”
She says despair and an “esoteric sense of loss” can be one of the worst impacts of disaster. In Western cultures, we have an idea that things are always getting better and the future is brighter, with a gradual decrease in poverty, disease and hardship.
A disaster can change all that. “The idea your kids might suffer more can be very painful,” Rawson said. “But in World War II Britain, everyone came together and for some people, it was the best time of their life. The community became much stronger.”
The authors do end on a note of hope. They say that having these conversations gives us a chance to cope with climate change. If we build a supportive structure, starting with the most vulnerable in society, we can become a smarter, tougher species that’s ready for anything the world can throw at us.
