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Nokia maker releases a global SIM card, literally ‘connecting people’

No roaming charges in 120 countries

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HMD Global unveiled a slew of Nokia-branded phones via an online-only event. As it turns out, the company is ambitious about the mobile future and it’s not just limited to hardware. They’ve also announced an HMD Connect SIM card that provides up to 1GB of data with a validity of 14 days. Obviously, the user can opt to purchase more bandwidth. How’s this different from your local telecom operator?

It will work in 120 countries without a hitch and no extra charges on top, also generally known as “roaming” cost. You can purchase the Starter Kit from their website and it’ll cost €19.95 (US$ 22). But, if you order two Starter Kits, the second one will cost just €10 (US$ 10.8).

The Starter Kit includes 1GB of data by default and you can buy more for €9.95 (US$ 10.75) for 1GB, followed by €5 (US$ 5.4) for each additional gigabyte. The company will start sending out the kits from March 30.

HMD Connect app has been released on the Play Store where you can seamlessly manage your SIM card and top-up whenever necessary. It’ll also show you how much data is left in your account.

However, the amount of data you get depends on three zones. Zone 1 countries get 1GB of data, Zone 2 countries get 500MB, while Zone 3 countries get just 250MB. HMD Global hasn’t specified the network it’ll work on — 2G, 3G, or 4G? Guess that’ll depend on their regional partners.

The SIM card will be very handy for people who travel internationally very often. Although the same won’t be happening in the foreseeable future because of the Coronavirus pandemic. Air travel has been radically shut down by most countries, so the timing of the launch isn’t in HMD Global’s favor.

HMD Global has the license to produce Nokia-branded phones worldwide and it has relied massively on Nokia’s legacy to boost sales. While there’s no doubt that its offerings are top-notch and competitive, it continues to churn the nostalgia wheel by releasing classics like the recently announced Nokia 5310.

The SIM card is literally about “connecting people”. This used to be Nokia’s iconic tagline during the golden days.

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St. Peter reunited people with their deceased loved ones through tech

The new “If Heaven Could Write” campaign generates letters from the imagined perspectives of loved ones.

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Grieving can take many forms. Sometimes, it manifests through a desire to hear a loved one again. We look at their old clothing, a gust of wind, or a butterfly, and imagine them talking to us one more time. This year, St. Peter, through the power of technology, gave 11,000 people that chance through its new “If Heaven Could Write” campaign.

During St. Peter Deathcare Week, which ran from October 27 through November 2, the deathcare provider started the “If Heaven Could Write” campaign, an interactive digital experience that offered participants a chance to reunite with their deceased loved ones. It was available in 37 St. Peter Chapels and 76 cemeteries nationwide.

Upon scanning a QR code which took them to a portal, participants answered questions about their loved ones. Then, the portal generates a personal letter from the imagined perspective of the participant’s loved one, giving them one more chance to converse.

Of course, an imagined letter can’t replace someone who passed away. Still, the experience affords us a way to grieve and process the loss. No, the letter isn’t really from your loved one, but you can imagine what they would have said while reading through it. And sometimes, that’s all we need.

Though St. Peter Deathcare Week has already come and gone for the year, those interested can still participate in the campaign through its link.

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Next iPhone might get rid of the Action Button

Both functions will be in one button instead.

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In a world with a love-hate relationship with extra buttons on a phone, Apple has gone to the deeper end and included two buttons in the latest iPhones: the Action Button and the Camera Control. Next year, Apple might consolidate the two buttons into one, ridding itself of the Action Button.

According to a Weibo leak from Instant Digital, Apple will merge the two buttons starting with next year’s iPhones. Though technically a new button in itself, the merged version will, based on the leak, retain more Camera Control than the Action Button.

Of course, both functions can coexist in the same button. The Camera Control activates with a single press, while the Action Button needs a longer press. In the merged button, a single press can still open the camera and a longer press can activate whatever the user sets it to.

Both buttons have had a storied past. The Action Button came in 2023, replacing the Ring/Silent Switch. Meanwhile, the Camera Control debuted a year later, offering control over the camera with a capacitive button. The current iterations retain both buttons on the same phone.

Personally, as someone used to creating content, the Camera Control button is ultimately a boon to get those shots quickly while in the moment. Retaining that functionality is definitely worthwhile.

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NVIDIA CEO admits to having an affair with alleged Chinese spy

The company is currently investigating the allegations.

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In one of the craziest headlines this year, NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang has admitted to having an affair with an alleged Chinese spy.

Over the weekend, a heavy allegation claimed that the NVIDIA CEO had a relationship with a person actively involved in Chinese intelligence. Since Huang is involved in business globally, the accusation isn’t a light one. In fact, it’s serious enough that Huang admitted to the affair late this past Sunday.

In an internal letter reported by Associated Press, the CEO acknowledged the existence of the affair with a business executive. Of note, Huang did not confirm the executive’s ties to Chinese intelligence. NVIDIA, however, will conduct its own investigations regarding the allegations. Despite the allegations, Huang will remain as the company’s CEO. The company is also confident that the alleged spy did not compromise NVIDIA’s secrets.

According to The New York Times, the executive, Alice Huang, was reportedly feeding information back to Beijing, despite being an executive of the Singapore-based Megaspeed, which is already a serious customer of NVIDIA.

Now, NVIDIA is currently in a prime position when it comes to the industry today. Formerly a huge proponent of gaming peripherals, the company is now one of the biggest names in AI hardware, allotting a lot of its products for data centers. Huang’s allegations come at an interesting time.

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