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CNET
an hour ago
- Business
- CNET
Starlink Texting Launches on Big Three Phone Carriers Today. Check if You'll Get for Free
T-Mobile's partnership with SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service is finally here, enabling customers to send texts from anywhere in the country, regardless of their proximity to a cellular tower. The direct-to-cell messaging service, called T-Satellite, is also be available to AT&T and Verizon cellphone customers. T-Mobile says its goal is to "eliminate mobile dead zones for good" by way of 657 Starlink satellites that'll be used exclusively for cellphone service. T-Satellite has been in beta testing since December 2024, with nearly 1.8 million users signing up so far. The direct-to-cell messaging service represents a major step forward in mobile technology: It works with most phones made during the last four years, according to T-Mobile, instead of requiring dedicated hardware. It'll be available to T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon customers for $10 a month -- or free for anyone on T-Mobile's Experience Beyond or Go5G Next plans. "At the end of the day, it's nice to be able to send a selfie when you're in a place where there is no coverage, but it's vital to be able to connect to emergency services," Mike Katz, T-Mobile president of marketing, strategy and products, told CNET's Jeff Carlson. "We just think that with a technology like this, no customer should ever be in a situation where they are unconnected in an emergency." Sadly, T-Mobile has already had a reason to test out this emergency service, when it enabled T-Satellite earlier this week in communities affected by massive flooding in Central Texas. T-Mobile customers in the area are able to use text-to-911 and basic text messaging, and they can receive emergency alerts on compatible devices. In the future, T-Satellite will be free for emergency uses across the country. The company said 911 texting will be available later this year to "any mobile customer with a compatible device, regardless of carrier or whether or not they are subscribed to the service." What is T-Satellite? T-Satellite is a partnership between T-Mobile and Starlink that will allow direct-to-cell SMS messaging accessibility in areas where there is no cellular coverage. Starlink has more than 7,000 low-Earth orbit satellites in the sky, and now, 657 of them will be devoted entirely to T-Satellite. The goal is to expand coverage into the 500,000 square miles of the US that traditional cell towers can't reach, says T-Mobile. 'When you leave the terrestrial network and you go to a place where there's no network, your phone will automatically search for and connect to the satellite network, which is quite different than any other of the satellite systems that are out there that force you to manually connect, and you have to point your phone up to the sky," says Katz. Satellite connectivity in cellphones isn't exactly new -- iPhones have had it since 2022 -- but it's typically been reserved for SOS messaging to connect you with an emergency dispatcher. On July 23, T-Satellite users will be able to send SMS texts on iPhone and Android. Android users will also get MMS immediately, with iPhone support 'to follow.' This means users will be able to send images and audio clips in addition to standard text messages. In October, the service will expand to include data support in third-party apps like AccuWeather, AllTrails, WhatsApp and X. The access takes advantage of hooks built into iOS and Android software, so developers can make their apps capable of sending data through the narrow amounts of bandwidth available via satellite. This is far beyond what the other phone carriers have launched so far in the satellite realm -- largely due to T-Mobile's partnership with Starlink. AT&T and Verizon have both partnered with AST SpaceMobile for satellite messaging, and Verizon told CNET's Eli Blumenthal last year that it's still planning on working with Amazon's Project Kuiper, which launched its first 27 satellites on April 28, 2025. 'Despite things that our competitors have said, they are way, way behind on this technology,' says Katz. How much does T-Satellite cost? T-Satellite is available to AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon customers for a standalone $10 per month. But there's one exception: Customers on T-Mobile's Experience Beyond plan ($100 per month for one line) or the Go5G Next plan will get the service for included in the cost of the plan going forward, and those on the Experience More plan ($85 per month) will get it through the end of the year. Even if you don't pay the $10 a month, T-Mobile says 911 texting will be available later this year 'to any mobile customer with a compatible device, regardless of carrier.' If you're a Verizon or AT&T customer, you'll have to activate T-Satellite as a second eSIM on your phone to take advantage of the service. You can find instructions on setting up the eSIM here. Which phones are supported? Most phones released in the past couple of years will work with T-Satellite. Here are the devices that are currently compatible: Apple iPhone 13, iPhone 14, iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 (all models) Google Google Pixel 9 Google Pixel 9A Google Pixel 9 Pro Google Pixel 9 Pro XL Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold Motorola Moto G Stylus 2025 Moto Razr 2024 Moto Razr Plus 2024 Moto Razr 2025 Moto Razr Plus 2025 Moto Razr Ultra 2025 Moto Razr Ultra Plus 2025 Samsung Samsung Galaxy A25 5G SE* Samsung Galaxy A35 5G Samsung Galaxy A36 Samsung Galaxy A36 SE Samsung Galaxy A53 5G Samsung Galaxy A54 5G* Samsung Galaxy S21 Samsung Galaxy S21 Plus Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra Samsung Galaxy S21 FE Samsung Galaxy S22 Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra Samsung Galaxy S22 FE Samsung Galaxy S23 Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra Samsung Galaxy S23 FE Samsung Galaxy S24 Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Samsung Galaxy S24 FE Samsung Galaxy S25 Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge Samsung Galaxy XCover 7 Pro Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 *Some non-T-Mobile device variants are not satellite-capable. Motorola Motorola Edge 2024 Moto G 2024 Moto G Stylus 2024 Moto G 5G 2024 Moto G Stylus 5G 2024 Samsung Samsung Galaxy A14 Samsung Galaxy A15* Samsung Galaxy A16 Samsung Galaxy A35 Samsung Galaxy A53* Samsung Galaxy XCover6 Pro *Some non-T-Mobile device variants are not satellite-capable. T-Mobile
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
What is 'banksying' & are LGBTQ+ daters more likely to be victims? Sex & dating experts weigh in
Dating in the modern age just seems to get more complicated every year. Between the ubiquity of hookup apps, and toxic relationship trends like ghosting, floodlighting, and love bombing, it's a wonder anyone manages to settle down at all. Then, add in the diverse types of relationship models out there, from polyamory and open relationships to soft-swapping and Living Apart Together, and things get even trickier to figure out. And now, a new toxic dating trend is sweeping the nation and leaving dating hopefuls in the lurch. It's called 'banksying,' a clever name for a cruel way to end a relationship by slowly destroying it from the inside out. But what is 'banksying,' how harmful is it, and are LGBTQ+ people more likely to be the victim or perpetrator of it? We talked to sex and relationship experts to give you the lowdown on this toxic new dating trend. What is 'banksying,' and where did the term originate? Bobica10/Shutterstock Bankysing is a new Gen Z dating term that gets its name from the infamous street artist Banksy, known for his mysterious art that pops up out of nowhere. But instead of a satirical piece of street art that self-destructs — like one of Banksy's paintings did — it's a selfish way to end a relationship to protect yourself by withdrawing emotionally and destroying the relationship from within, so that when the relationship ends, you're prepared and your partner is blindsided. 'The easiest way to describe banksying is as 'quiet quitting' for relationships,' Milla Impola, a sex, condom, and lube expert for ONE Condoms, tells PRIDE. 'One partner decides they're no longer inspired by the relationship and slowly begins to pull away emotionally. They conceal these feelings from their partner because they're not quite ready to jump ship, and they need time to emotionally prepare to part ways. When the time does come to end things, they feel less upset because they've already been preparing, but their partner is often left blindsided and hurt.' Basically, someone who is 'banksying' their partner has given themselves the opportunity to pre-grieve the end of the relationship, detach emotionally, and begin making plans for their future, while the unsuspecting partner ends up blindsided when the axe finally drops. How is 'banksying' different than ghosting? Ghosting is when someone ducks out of a relationship without saying a word. One day, they're just gone and cut off contact. With banksying, you stop reaching out as frequently, don't return phone calls or texts as often, make up excuses to cancel plans, and become more emotionally distant. 'Banksying involves enough interaction, albeit sparse and inconsistent, to sabotage the relationship from the inside,' explains Ally Iseman, a queer, kink-aware certified relationship coach and founder of Passport 2 Pleasure. 'Think of it like this: a ghost leaves nothing behind, like it was never there. Banksy leaves their work behind them, even if it destroys itself.' Is banksying more harmful than ghosting? Bankysing may be even more insidious because instead of leaving the relationship without telling you, someone attempting this move is emotionally manipulating their partner instead of admitting they want out. Ghosting may be cruel, but at least it's unambiguous. Banksying leaves your partner in limbo, not knowing why you're withdrawing and making them question the status of the relationship. According to Iseman, 'Having breadcrumbs of a relationship, even if they are rotting the relationship from the inside, can be hard to step away from' because, unlike with ghosting, 'Banksying leaves you something to hold onto, even if it's elusive and inconsistent.' Why would someone do this? Banksying can be tied to people's fear of confrontation, emotional codependency, or lack of communication skills. But according to Anthony Canapi, a marriage and family therapist, LGBTQ+ dating expert, and the founder & CEO of Best Man Matchmaking and Transcend Matchmaking, some people also engage in this behavior because they crave emotional intimacy but 'don't have the bandwidth to commit because it becomes overwhelming." They may also do it because they want the relationship but don't want to put in the work, or they're insecure. 'People who feel they don't deserve love or fear eventual rejection might pull a 'Banksy' before they get hurt and feel it's the easier out rather than being honest,' and they may be hoping the other person will 'get the hint' and end things themselves. Impola agrees, saying, 'Let's be real: ending relationships usually sucks. While breakups might be hard, showing your partner respect in that final moment is worth it.' Are LGBTQ+ people more likely to engage in or experience banksying? Banksying isn't unique to LGBTQ+ relationships, but queer people may be more likely to experience it. 'LGBTQ+ individuals may face unique challenges around communication, identity, or safety in relationships, especially in environments where they don't feel fully accepted,' Impola explains. 'These added complexities could contribute to different ways of navigating breakups, but the core behavior of banksying isn't limited to any one group.' Healing after being banksy'd Twinsterphoto/Shutterstock 'Breakups aren't fun, no matter how they go down. If you experience banksying, know that your emotions are valid,' Impola reminds. 'Frustration, sadness, regret… no matter what, it's normal to experience a flood of feelings when a relationship ends unexpectedly.' If you want to confront the person who treated you this way, make sure you go in knowing you might not get the closure you want, and ask yourself if you are ok with that. 'Sometimes the best thing we can do is radically accept what we can't change and move forward with the lessons we've learned,' she advises. Canapi also recommends not letting yourself fall into the trap of self-blame. It can be hard not to question your own worth when someone ends a relationship in such an emotionally manipulative way, but try to remember how amazing you are. 'They then start thinking they're the issue, when actually, if you've been Banksy'd, it's more about them than you. It's a red flag in disguise,' he says. What does this toxic dating trend say about modern dating and hookup culture? Canapi, who is the founder and CEO of two LGBTQ+ matchmaking services, says that while dating apps have made it easier to create 'intense emotional intimacy quickly' there is also a greater chance of harm, especially if you add in love bomdbing, trauma bonding, or banksying. 'Banksying is, at its core, a disappearing act to avoid emotional consequences, and in turn, you're causing so much more harm because it's promoting closure as optional; 'If I were to banksy them, they will get the hint that I'm not interested,' but fail to realize you're leaving someone at a cognitive rumination, where they replay everything trying to find clues or mistakes on what went wrong, when you're the one who has done wrong because you couldn't speak up,' he says. What should you do if you're considering banksying someone? If you're feeling the itch to get out of your relationship but think it would be easier to push your partner away and emotionally detach first, ask yourself why. Canapi recommends asking yourself these three questions: 'Am I feeling overwhelmed? Am I scared of intimacy, rejection, or hurting them? Do I genuinely not want this, or am I afraid of being vulnerable or honest?' And then you need to be prepared to end the relationship in an open and honest way so that you're not wasting their time or your own. 'If you made someone feel seen, safe, or excited, and then go bye bye, your absence echoes loudly. Although it's hard, and it's not fun to be truthful and honest, that's what you signed up for.' Have you decided to end your relationship and want to do it in a mature way, but have no idea how to start? Canapi has some prompts to get the conversation started. Try one of these: I've really enjoyed getting to know you, but I'm not in a place to continue this. I realized I'm not ready for something deeper. You deserve someone who is. Canapi says, 'You may be a person trying to navigate modern dating, maybe without the tools or emotional safety to do it well, but there's a way to do it ethically and that respects the other person. Next time, leave clarity, not confusion.' Sources Cited: Milla Impola, a sex, condom, and lube expert for ONE Condoms. Ally Iseman, a queer, kink-aware certified relationship coach and founder of Passport 2 Pleasure. Anthony Canapi, a marriage and family therapist, LGBTQ+ dating expert, and the founder & CEO of Best Man Matchmaking and Transcend Matchmaking. This article originally appeared on Pride: What is 'banksying' & are LGBTQ+ daters more likely to be victims? Sex & dating experts weigh in RELATED Not getting dating app matches? These 5 common mistakes may be to blame experts say 15 Dating Tips For Gay Introverts, How To Get The Guy Even When You're Shy 15 pieces of dating advice for gay/bi men that actually don't suck Solve the daily Crossword
Phone Arena
3 days ago
- Business
- Phone Arena
EchoStar reportedly considers a deal with a Verizon MVNO to keep Boost alive
Having Boost Mobile replace Sprint as the nation's fourth-largest carrier was done to prevent consumers from having to pay higher prices for wireless service. Without that fourth major firm offering service, the remaining three can hike their prices without having that fourth competitor come in with lower prices. This is why the FCC demanded that a replacement for Sprint be chosen before it agreed to allow T-Mobile to close on the $26 billion transaction. It was no secret that Dish Network co-founder and current EchoStar Chairman Charles Ergen had long wanted to own a carrier, and the FCC was giving him an opportunity to make his dream come true. So Dish bought Boost, but customers weren't exactly rushing through the front doors. Dish started with the 9.3 million customers it acquired from Boost Mobile. During the first quarter of 2022, for example, Dish reported a net loss of 363,000 customers, leaving it with 8.5 million subscribers. The carrier's firm rate rose to 5,11% from 4.44% year-over-year. Boost has been criticized for being a prepaid carrier pretending to be a postpaid carrier. | Image credit-Unknown On the last day of 2023, EchoStar acquired Dish Network, and things have continued to go south for Boost Mobile, still owned by Dish, which is now an EchoStar subsidiary. As for Q1 2025, Boost Mobile had 7.2 million customers remaining. That means it had lost 22.6% of its customers since opening its doors for business. This past Friday, a report said that Ergen might be looking to start a turnaround for Boost by combining it with MobileX. That's the business run by CEO Peter Adderton, who was one of the founders of Boost Mobile. The latter was successful and was subsequently sold to Nextel in 2003. At the time, Boost was adding 40,000 net new subscribers each month. Two years later, Sprint acquired Nextel which is how Sprint ended up with Boost Mobile before it sold to Dish Networks on July 1, 2020. FCC Commissioner Brandon Carr has been after EchoStar over two issues. One is whether the 5G build-out requirements that the FCC placed on Dish when it acquired Boost were being met by EchoStar, and the other issue is whether EchoStar is using the 2GHz airwaves that it has. It seems that SpaceX wants that spectrum for its satellite to cellphone service because it is superior to the airwaves that it is currently using. EchoStar avoided a bankruptcy filing by making a $500 million interest payment on Debt near the end of June. Could a combination of MobileX and EchoStar help the latter turn around? The former uses AI to determine how much data a subscriber might need and sells it on a pay-as-you-go basis in many Walmart stores. MobileX is an MVNO that uses Verizon's wireless network. Adderton, the MobileX CEO who helped found Boost has criticized the Boost Mobile purchase by Dish. Wave7 Research principal Jeff Moore told Fierce Wireless, "My largest criticism of Boost is the fact it's a prepaid carrier that is pretending to be a postpaid carrier." He believes that Boost needs to build a postpaid presence, seeing that most of its stores are in areas where they serve prepaid customers. Moore says that Boost needs to promote its postpaid service and build more postpaid stores. Their Boost Infinite Access for iPhone and Infinite Access for Galaxy plans cost $65 a month and give you a new iPhone or Galaxy each year. While $65 per month is the cost for the base iPhone and Galaxy phone each year, you can pay more to select one of the pricier models. The plan also comes with talk, text, and data (including 30GB of premium data), global talk and text, and more. And every year, you get a new iPhone or Galaxy handset. If I ran Boost (and you know where to reach me guys!), I would promote the hell out of the Infinite Access plans. Getting a new iPhone or Galaxy smartphone each year should be a powerful incentive for consumers to become Boost customers.
Bloomberg
3 days ago
- General
- Bloomberg
Summer Camps Are Returning to Their Elitist Roots
The post-school-year tradition was inaccessible for many families when it began nearly 150 years ago. Parents today can still relate. Save 'What are we going to do with the kids this summer?' Halfway through July, some iteration of that question continues to be raised in homes across the nation as harried parents scramble to keep their kids occupied in the post-school-year months. Vacation can only go so far. And while some parents may deliberately let their kids 'rot' — basically, sit around and get bored — most opt for some version of a time-honored tradition: summer camp.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
1 Unstoppable Vanguard Fund That Can Turn $50,000 Into $1 Million
Key Points The Vanguard Growth Index Fund ETF charges minimal fees to its investors. At the same time, it gives them access to over 160 of the nation's best growth stocks. The fund can be an excellent investment to simply buy and hold for the long run. 10 stocks we like better than Vanguard Index Funds - Vanguard Growth ETF › Picking stocks and staying on top of them can turn into a time-consuming project. But if you don't want to do that, the good news is that a simple buy-and-hold investing strategy can yield great returns all on its own. As long as you diversify your position and focus on top growth stocks, it can be a way to drastically simplify your investing process while still potentially setting you up for some massive gains in the process. What if you were to invest $50,000 into an exchange-traded fund (ETF) that holds growth stocks and just let it sit there for years? If you simply mirror the market's long-run average return of 10%, then you'll more than double your money after a little over seven years. And the longer you stay invested, the larger your gains may end up becoming. One ETF that can give you exposure to some of the best growth stocks in the world and possibly enable you to turn a $50,000 investment into over $1 million is the Vanguard Growth Index Fund ETF (NYSEMKT: VUG). Why the Vanguard Growth Index Fund ETF is an ideal option for the long run Vanguard funds are generally terrific options for long-term investors because they charge minimal fees and usually have excellent diversification. The Vanguard Growth Index Fund is no exception. Its expense ratio is a minimal 0.04%, which is much lower than its yield of around 0.4% -- and the dividend is just a nice bonus. The main reason for investing in the fund is for its growth potential. The ETF focuses on the largest growth stocks in the U.S., and it had 166 holdings as of the end of May. Since it prioritizes growth, it's inevitable that tech will have a big slice of the ETF's portfolio -- that sector accounts for close to 60% of its holdings. That means that there will likely be some variability from one year to the next, but generally, having a significant exposure to tech should help the fund rise in value over the long haul. Big names such as Apple, Nvidia, and Microsoft are among its largest positions, since they are also among the most valuable companies in the world. How the ETF can turn $50,000 into $1 million Here's what the value of a $50,000 investment in the Vanguard fund could grow to over the long haul, if it ends up averaging the S&P 500's long-run average of 10%. Year 10% Growth 10 $129,687 15 $208,862 20 $336,375 25 $541,735 30 $872,470 35 $1,405,122 Data source: Calculations by author. It would take a little less than 32 years for the fund to grow to a value of more than $1 million under these assumptions. If, however, the actual annual return turns out to be more than 10%, then it would get there faster. But if the market slows down and the Vanguard fund grows at a rate of less than 10%, it will end up taking more than 32 years to get to the $1 million mark. Unfortunately, because it's impossible to be able to predict what kind of long-run growth rate the Vanguard fund will average, there's no way to definitely know whether a $50,000 investment in the ETF can ensure you end up with $1 million. But it certainly has the potential to do so. And with strong growth stocks in the fund and low fees, it can put you in a good position to outperform the market over the years. While you may not necessarily want to invest as much as $50,000 into a single ETF, this is the type of fund where a large investment of this size can make sense, given how diverse it is and the quality of stocks it holds. Should you invest $1,000 in Vanguard Index Funds - Vanguard Growth ETF right now? Before you buy stock in Vanguard Index Funds - Vanguard Growth ETF, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Vanguard Index Funds - Vanguard Growth ETF wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $652,133!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $1,056,790!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 1,048% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 180% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of July 15, 2025 David Jagielski has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Vanguard Index Funds-Vanguard Growth ETF. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. 1 Unstoppable Vanguard Fund That Can Turn $50,000 Into $1 Million was originally published by The Motley Fool Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
