Researchers just encoded data into a beam of high-speed light
The data arrived intact, despite significant heat and wind
It could transform the internet, communications and more
Transmitting data through the air often comes with a key problem: under a barrage of turbulent atmospheric conditions like wind and heat, the data can become distorted and corrupted, requiring great effort to piece it back together. It’s a big obstacle for long-distance internet and communications providers, yet a team of researchers think they’ve just solved this puzzle — and it could have massive implications for how you send data to and from your devices.
Researchers from Wits University in South Africa and the University of Bordeaux in France conducted an experiment that involved shooting a beam of light through the air. The light was encoded with optical data, and when they recovered it at the destination site, they found it had arrived with over 98% fidelity, only dropping to 86% fidelity in “the most severe conditions tested.”
How did they do it? According to a paper the team published in the journal Science Advances, the data was encoded into magnetic structures within light called skyrmions. These acted as a form of protective shielding that enabled the data to travel with the light, all without being altered by the surrounding environment.
It worked because the data was encoded into the light’s topological profile. Professor Andrew Forbes, Head of the Structured Light Lab in the Wits School of Physics, likened it to the comparison between a donut and a coffee mug: they both contain a round hole, and this factor remains constant if you reshape one into the other. In the same way, the light could be warped by heat and noise without garbling the data it was carrying.
Massive potential
The technology could be used to help improve satellite communications. (Image credit: Shutterstock)
This test wasn’t limited to short distances — the beam of light involved was transmitted over hundreds of meters, with plenty of heat, noise and wind present at the time. That means it therefore has a degree of applicability to real-world conditions.
Open air data transmissions have previously had to include constant real-time monitoring and correction of distortion, but if this latest research becomes usable on a wider basis, that might not be necessary for much longer. This technique could drastically reduce both the difficulty and cost involved in this kind of communication and has particular utility for space missions, where infrastructure like fiber-optic cabling is clearly not feasible.
High-speed satellite communications and quantum computing could also benefit from this technical advancement. And on a more prosaic level, it could improve communications without needing to build out costly fiber-optic networks. Think high-speed internet being beamed from the sky Starlink-style to rural communities that have long been underserved by traditional carrier systems.
“We envision that our results will pave the way towards seeing and transporting information through distortion by harnessing light’s innate, invariant properties for fast, reliable, and efficient communication,” the researchers concluded.
United’s new Airbus A321XLR begins service soon, and it’s packed with tech
It’ll mostly serve international, transatlantic routes with free Starlink-powered Wi-Fi
The big surprise? Two Economy Plus rows with no middle seats
Just a few months back, I got to go inside United’s next-generation Boeing 787 Dreamliner, complete with a high-tech new interior, spacious seats, and some notable upgrades for Economy.
The 787 is a wide-body aircraft built for United’s biggest and longest routes, and now, the airline is bringing that same design philosophy to a much smaller plane and experimenting with something I’ve never seen on a United aircraft before: an Economy Plus row with no middle seat.
I’ve been inside United’s brand-new Airbus A321XLR, a single-aisle aircraft that’s designed to bridge the gap between narrowbody efficiency and widebody distance capabilities, and it’s a pretty fascinating look at where the airline’s cabins are headed.
There’s a new Polaris business-class seat with closing doors, a spacious Premium Plus cabin, 4K OLED screens at every seat, Starlink Wi-Fi from day one, and, yes, those two-seat Economy Plus rows, designed to give you a little more space without the dreaded middle seat.
And after spending time in all four cabins, I think United might be onto something.
Let’s start with the new Polaris business-class product. The A321XLR is a single-body aircraft with 20 Polaris seats, complete with closing doors on either the left or right side of the aircraft. They are pretty spacious, though a bit smaller than the Polaris seats on the 787 Dreamliner. Still, you get an ample seat with an electronic touchscreen control to let it lay flat, kick out the leg rest, or adjust many facets of the experience.
(Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)
There are plenty of power ports, including two USB-C ports that top out at 60 watts, a standard wall plug, and a wireless charger. At the center of the experience is a 19-inch 4K OLED screen that’s touch-enabled and, with a button press, slightly pushes out from its base and lets you pull it forward for the perfect view. You’ll also find plenty of storage and a sizable tray table that I wish was a bit larger — still, it should fit a 14-inch laptop very comfortably.
(Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)
That’s the most premium experience on board the A321XLR. The middle option of United’s three class offerings is Premium Plus, which features a very spacious recliner that rivals those in domestic first class on smaller single-body aircraft.
(Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)
It boasts a 16-inch 4K OLED screen that can tilt and matches the size of the screen on the original Polaris product still in use on some aircraft. You’ll even find a wireless charger tucked under the armrest — a unique spot, but helpful. There’s also a standard wall plug for each seat — remember, Premium Plus is a 2x2 configuration — and a USB-C port tucked at the bottom of the OLED screen.
The tray table is pretty close to the size of what’s in Polaris and can be a good mini-desk for working in the sky, or, let’s be honest, enjoying whatever meal United is serving.
Finally, we move into Economy, which has a total of 118 seats split into 84 standard Economy and 34 Economy Plus extra-legroom options, including two with the middle seat removed.
(Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)
With any of these seats, you get a punchy, vibrant 13-inch 4K OLED that’s touch-enabled; across the board, United is knocking it out of the park with the displays here. An intuitive interface offers plenty to watch, including Apple TV in the sky, plus access to music and podcasts from Spotify. A crisp, vibrant screen in each seatback will certainly elevate the experience everywhere.
United began the process of reintroducing screens on aircraft without them, and making them a key part of the ‘United Next’ cabin, back in 2021, and now the airline has close to 800 aircraft with screens in every seat, and should have a quarter of a million seat-back screens across its fleet by the end of next year.
Peter Wolkowski, United’s Head of Product Marketing, told me, “In our post-flight survey data, we just see kind of huge increases in satisfaction across the board when customers fly on an aircraft with screens versus one without.”
There’s a standard headphone jack and USB-C port built into every Economy and Economy Plus seat, meaning that every seat, even in Economy, gets at least one power source — that’s excellent. You also get two standard wall plugs per row, but those are shared.
Economy Plus with open middle seats is where the experimentation comes into play — it was my first time seeing these, and especially for a transatlantic flight, which are the routes the A321XLR will primarily be flying, if the price is right, it could really be worth the upgrade.
The main appeal is no one next to you in the middle, and for couples flying, this is pretty nice. You get plenty of elbow room, and the middle seat essentially has a metal table bolted across it, with two indents for cupholders and a padded rear.
I’m very curious to see pricing for these, and how much of a premium they command over standard Economy Plus.
United is starting with only two of these rows on the aircraft, but if they prove popular, I wouldn’t be surprised if the airline expands this offering. Peter Wolkowski, United’s Head of Product Marketing, told me, “There’s a lot to love about this aircraft, but just having the ability to kind of test new concepts is really exciting.”
“We’re really eager to see how customers respond to [the open middle seat option], and if it is something that kind of performs well and customers love it, we’re going to look at more ways of doing that type of thing on other aircraft.”
I hope we continue to see this kind of experimentation with new seat types, and at affordable price points, rather than airlines just prioritizing the top end.
Rounding out the United A321XLR offering is 'Starlink from the start', meaning the plane is equipped with the right antennas and routers, as well as the proper certification, to offer Starlink Wi-Fi from its very first flights.
This means that any MileagePlus members can get free, fast Wi-Fi for as many devices as they bring, and in my testing, both on media flights and regular ones, it really improves the overall flying experience. No longer is there a concern about not being able to connect, whether that’s when you’re sending a text to a loved one or friend, or something else that requires a connection.
The A321XLR also features mood lighting, which United can split up by cabin — i.e., Polaris, Premium Plus, or Economy — to help set the mood for different parts of the flight, but also to potentially help combat jet lag.
So when does the A321XLR begin flying, and where is it headed?
Alongside the launch event at a hangar at Newark Liberty International Airport, United also announced new routes, and the A321XLR is a key part of them.
Starting September 1, 2026, the A321XLR begins with domestic flights, but later this year, the aircraft formally kicks off its international routes. In total, United announced 10 entirely new international destinations and 13 new routes for 2027.
The new routes are San Francisco to Okinawa, Japan; Washington Dulles to Toulouse, France; and several for Newark. The latter includes Newark to Luxembourg City; Marseille, France; Ibiza, Spain; Valencia, Spain; Terceira, Portugal; Ljubljana, Slovenia; Olbia (Sardinia), Italy; and Catania (Sicily), Italy.
If you like the idea of a flight on the Airbus A321XLR, it’ll be headed to Luxembourg from Newark, Washington, DC; to Toulouse from Newark; to Ibiza from Newark; to Valencia from Newark; and to Marseille from Newark.
We're used to this kind of thing in Windows 11, mind, and I'll come back to Bing later, as this is an apparent plan that hasn't kicked into action yet. However, the latest Edge scheme is active, and as Windows Latest reports, it's offering financial incentives to get people to use Microsoft's web browser.
This is happening on the mobile version of Edge where users are being offered a referral scheme. If you can get a friend to switch to Edge via a referral link, you'll receive 500 Microsoft Rewards points (with the ability to accumulate up to 7,500 points per month if you're feeling ambitious).
The person you invite can't be an existing Edge user (they must never have installed the mobile browser), and they will also earn 500 points for signing up. However, your invited friend must sign into Edge and use the browser for at least two days (web searching on Bing, too) within the first two weeks of being referred.
Windows Latest observes that there's no way to access this referral scheme should you be interested — you'll just have to keep using Edge mobile and wait until it's presented to you.
As well as the promotion of Bing in that offer (in terms of the requirement to use the search engine for a couple of days), there's a more brazen initiative to push Bing usage that Windows Latest also spotted.
This was highlighted in a post on X by leaker Xeno who discovered a small app called 'Microsoft Recommended Search' which has one sole and simple purpose: to change your default search engine to Bing.
When run, it offers up a simple slider to set Bing as the default engine, and if you allow this, the app switches to Microsoft's search engine across some of your installed browsers. That means Chrome and Firefox, and also apparently Brave and possibly others, via extensions which are added to these browsers. Apparently the experience is rounded off by sending the user to the Microsoft Rewards page.
Where is this app exactly? Thankfully it isn't something that's being deployed to Windows 11, and Windows Latest notes that it's just a standalone application hosted on Microsoft's official download servers (download.microsoft.com) — for the time being, anyway.
Analysis: an ominous sign?
(Image credit: Tada Images / Shutterstock)
Does this mean that the Bing switching application is something Microsoft intends to pipe out to Windows 11 at some point? That's the obvious worry, because you've got to wonder why Microsoft built this mini app in the first place. I'm guessing that this is something for use in testing, though, and not active deployment — although it could come to Windows 11 in theory (or something similar could).
I really hope not, and given that Microsoft is doing its level best to get everyone to appreciate its desktop OS this year, it's obvious that anything along these lines would be highly counterproductive to that goal.
However, there's plenty of suspicion on Reddit about Microsoft's intentions here, and chatter from those who've already switched to Linux, pointing out that this kind of thing is exactly why they migrated. As one Redditor put it: "Every day is a Microslop news day, I'm so glad I quit Windows a while ago." There are quite a few others in that thread who see this as another reason to defect to Linux, despite the fact that nothing has happened with this Bing app yet.
As for the referral scheme to promote Edge, this isn't the first time Microsoft has effectively offered lowkey bribes to get people to switch to the browser. Indeed, the likes of million-dollar prizes have been thrown around recently (and the same has been true of Bing in the past). Not that there's anything wrong with this idea in principle, except it does show that Microsoft's getting rather desperate in its efforts to recruit folks to use Edge and Bing.
The most baffling part of all with Edge is that it's a good web browser which stands on its own merits, and I think it would benefit from not being promoted so much (as that activity only makes people suspicious, or determined not to use Edge as a reaction to being constantly cajoled about it).
Firefox’s iOS app comes with a new built-in ad blocker
It stops all kinds of ads, but there are some exceptions
The move could convince me to finally switch from Safari
I’ve been a loyal Firefox user for 20 years now, but that’s only been true for the desktop app. Despite Firefox being one of the best web browsers around, I’ve resolutely stuck with Safari on my iPhone — but a new Firefox feature could finally convince me to make the switch on mobile.
In a support document, Firefox developer Mozilla explains that its browser now comes with an “experimental” ad blocker that is based on the EasyList filter, allowing Firefox to “block many ads before they load.”
The ad blocker puts a stop to a variety of advertising types. That includes third-party advertising networks, ad-related trackers, third-party ads served on websites, and more intrusive formats such as pop-ups and overlays.
The feature is being rolled out gradually and is disabled by default, but you can enable it by opening Firefox, tapping the '…' button, then selecting Settings. From there, go to Browsing and enable the toggle next to Ad Blocker. Alternatively, you can enable it by opening the app menu when browsing a web page.
It’s worth noting that there are a couple of exceptions to what the feature blocks. For one thing, it won’t stop sponsored content on the Firefox Home or New Tab pages, nor will it block search engine ads, as these are both sources of income for Mozilla.
As well as that, Mozilla warns that some ads might slip through the net because “some websites serve ads in ways that are not covered by the current filter list".
Finally making the switch
(Image credit: Mozilla)
Although Safai on iOS can block website pop-ups, it doesn’t have a built-in ad blocker and requires you to use a third-party extension if you want to shut down annoying ads. With Firefox gaining this functionality natively, Mozilla has given its browser a leg up over the competition — and has given me a strong reason to switch.
And since I’m a strong believer in user privacy — its robust privacy stance is one reason why I’ve stuck with Firefox for so long — this is exactly the type of feature that appeals to me. Given how invasive ads and trackers are, blocking them is a priority for me.
I’ve long stuck with Safari due to inertia. I have a lot of tabs open on Apple’s browser and don’t want to lose most of them. But with my beloved Firefox adding a built-in ad blocker on iOS, tab hoarding feels like a bad reason to stick with Safari.
Now could be the time to finally kick that inertia and make the switch. If you hate website ads and want to look out for your privacy, Firefox just gave you a great reason to give it a try.
Apple Fitness+ could be getting Peloton-style live workouts
The fitness platform has been 'under review' since earlier this year
Spotify recently expanded into fitness, so Apple might one-up its rival with live workouts
Something is going on at Apple Fitness+, the tech giant’s flagship fitness service, and it could be hinting at a new Peloton-style live workout hub.
A job listing posted by Apple advertises a Studio Producer role for Fitness+, implying there’s about to be a new upgrade coming to the health service, which is asking for a candidate with a "strong foundation in live or live-to-tape multi-camera production and a genuine curiosity about where live content is headed next."
Apple Fitness+ was introduced back in 2020, offering subscribers a one-stop shop of on-demand workout videos run by in-house fitness experts, integrating real-time workout metrics from your Apple Watch. Apple Fitness+ doesn’t host live workouts with live leaderboards in the way that Peloton does, so an upgrade could give the service the new lease of life it needs.
Despite its rich library of pre-recorded workout videos and guided meditations, Apple Fitness+ has been declining over the years. Earlier this year, we reported that Apple Fitness+ was ‘under review’, with the possibility of the firm merging with the existing Apple Health app to offer a combined subscription, but as it stands, the future of Apple Fitness+ is still undecided.
Bloomberg’s ($/£) Mark Gurman said that "there’s no telling what will end up happening," so not even seasoned leakers are able to predict where it’s going. A direct partnership with a fitness giant like Peloton hasn’t been hinted at, but since Spotify recently ventured into the fitness world, Apple Fitness+ might have some fresh competition.
Spotify's Fitness hub packs on-demand workout videos from Peloton, but it has yet to jump on the live workout streaming opportunity (Image credit: Future)
A few weeks ago, Spotify expanded its services into fitness and I sat down with its developer, Austin Lamon, who described it as a “natural extension of how people already use Spotify today”. The new Fitness hub packs curated Running Mode playlists, as well as a section packed with pre-recorded workout guides from Peloton’s flagship personal trainers — and it’s all included in the Premium plan on top of access to music, audiobooks, and podcasts.
Though Apple Fitness+ got there first with its own roster of on-demand workout videos, Spotify has combined its Fitness hub with services that subscribers are already paying for, whereas Apple’s music and fitness platforms are separate entities. And yes, Spotify is prone to a price hike every now and then, but its new fitness content doesn’t come with any add-on costs.
The only thing that Spotify Fitness hasn’t jumped on yet is the idea of hosting its own live workouts, which opens a door for Apple Fitness+ to snatch an opportunity. If Apple started pumping out its own Peloton-style live workouts, it could give the service an edge over rivals and give iOS fans a new reason to stay put. Perhaps we'll find out more during Apple's upcoming product launch in September?
An Incogni survey has found people are becoming more frustrated with the internet
Users cite AI slop and data leaks as the main reasons for stress and anxiety when using the internet
Many users want to spend less time online, and are deleting social media profiles and messaging
For years, personal data collection for advertising, tracking, and service improvement was thought to be the fair price to pay to access the world wide web. But now, many people believe that using the internet will lead to their data being leaked or exposed.
A new Incogni survey found more than half of internet users believe their personal data will inevitably be exposed, with 63% stating that this fear causes anxiety when using the internet.
But beyond this, internet users now fear they can no longer tell what is real content uploaded by a human and what is AI generated, not only eroding trust in the internet, but also making people not want to use the internet at all. Almost half of internet users are less sure of what is real on the internet.
Inevitable data exposure
You’ve likely been prompted thousands of times to accept or reject cookies, or review a privacy policy before using a website. Every cookie you accept will collect data on your browsing habits and behavior on sites in order to display personalized adverts that you are more likely to click. Cookies also help keep you logged in and store your information on websites.
While this helps make many websites across the web free to use for those accessing them, sometimes your data is sold to advertisers or third-parties where it is stored insecurely, and can be stolen or leaked.
Among the 1,000 internet users surveyed, the fear of data exposure was strongest among the Millennials and Gen X generations. 56% of Gen X and 55% of Millennials believed that their data would at some point be breached or exposed, showing just how normal data breaches and exposure have become online.
Just 11% of those surveyed believed there was little likelihood of their data being breached.
(Image credit: Incogni)
AI is making the internet less real
AI content creation has exploded in recent years. Social media sites are full of AI ‘creators’ whose pages either share AI generated content or scrape the internet for content that users are likely to interact with, and share it through their own pages. These profiles require little human input, but can share content at an industrial scale and reap huge rewards from advertisers.
If you’ve been on Instagram lately, you may have seen videos from AI creators all sharing the same captions. “Tonight, V stepped into the crowd..” or “Japan is transforming footsteps into electricity.” These captions use keywords to abuse Instagram’s algorithm on popular topics to drive engagement, regardless of whether the content actually has anything to do with the caption.
But they’re also making it harder to know what is real on the internet.
(Image credit: Incogni)
48% of those surveyed said that they are less sure of what’s real, with 40% also stating that the lack of accountability for deepfake creators was a bother.
Additionally, 27% said that AI generated content made them want to spend less time online, with 16% also saying that navigating an internet full of low quality AI content made them feel more tired or fatigued. Just 8% of respondents said that AI generated content improved their online experience.
There are some positive attitudes to AI content online. 12% said that AI-generated content made information more accessible, with slightly less (11%) saying that they were excited about the creative possibilities AI offers.
Time to go offline?
Attitudes to how long people spend online are also changing. Over half (51%) of Gen Z internet users believe they spend too much time on consuming content on the internet, with 43% of Millennials and 42% of Gen X respondents having a likeminded view.
Whether it’s responding to emails, navigating networking platforms, finding new furniture, or looking for where to go to eat - the internet is now a life requirement for most people. And every time you access another website in work or your personal life, there is more data that could be leaked.
(Image credit: Incogni)
The ultimate effect of this is that people are being driven away from using the internet. 58% of respondents said that they had deleted a social media account or messaging app because of stress, anxiety, or privacy concerns.
“It seems that the costs of engaging with these platforms are starting to outweigh any perceived or actual benefits,” the Incogni survey said.
Or time to pay for privacy?
Incogni also asked if users would be willing to pay for an internet where tracking and algorithms did not exist. 30% of respondents said they would, but this largely relied on income. Those with a higher income were more likely to pay for this ‘private’ internet, while those with a lower income were less likely.
For many internet users, privacy shouldn’t be a luxury, but a guarantee. There is a level of trust involved when sharing personal data with advertisers, and the expectation is that the data won’t be leaked or stolen. Unfortunately, the opinions show that this is far from what's expected.
A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Friday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Friday, August 14 (game #894).
Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.
Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.
SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.
NYT Strands today (game #895) - hint #1 - today's theme
What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?
• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Sacred space
NYT Strands today (game #895) - hint #2 - clue words
Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.
BASE
PULP
CLAN
SELL
CHIP
NYT Strands today (game #895) - hint #3 - spangram letters
How many letters are in today's spangram?
• Spangram has 8 letters
NYT Strands today (game #895) - hint #4 - spangram position
What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?
• First side: left, 5th row
• Last side: right, 5th row
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Strands today (game #895) - the answers
(Image credit: New York Times)
The answers to today's Strands, game #895, are…
PULPIT
BIBLE
ALTAR
HYMNAL
CANDLES
LECTERN
SPANGRAM: INCHURCH
My rating: Easy
My score: Perfect
Some days the theme puzzles me, but today was one of those where you get it immediately and spot the spangram first.
After this it was just a case of finding the various churchy things — of which there are legions.
My favorite thing you see INCHURCH was not included: stained glass windows. I love them and think they should be everywhere — schools, supermarkets, police stations, stadiums — not just picturing the life and times of saints but also the incredible wonders of the secular world.
Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Friday, August 14, game #894)
SLINKY
VELCRO
PLASTIC
MICROWAVE
PENICILLIN
SPANGRAM: INVENTIONS
What is NYT Strands?
Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.
I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.
