Science Fiction NOW: "StarLink" and Other New Technologies

A couple of days ago, I got an email to let me know that a Beta version of the "Starlink" satellite Internet service is now available in our area.

Mt. Shasta and lavender fields

I guess we were chosen for this since I must have subscribed to some kind of Space-X newsletter or email service, at some times, and we live in one of those semi-remote areas where Internet service is a bit dodgy at times.

Whereas the idea of global Internet is appealing — at least on paper — I'm not sure we'll be signing up for this service anytime soon.

At $499 for the initial equipment and then $99 a month for service that's actually slower than we currently get via our cable Internet service it's not exactly a stellar deal. And that fact that it's very cool and slightly surreal to watch the "train" of satellites in the night sky when they are being deployed... feeling like I am on the cutting edge where science fiction is about to become science fact isn't really a currency I care much about...

Mountain forest, northern California

So, probably going to give this one a pass for the time being... but I'll keep watching. Maybe if it becomes truly competitive I'll reconsider.

Something else I also am not likely to get into is a new smartphone with "augmented reality."

I have enough trouble with this reality as is, so I think I'll pass. Sure, a phone with depth sensors sounds mildly interesting if have a job like home design, or you move around a lot and want to see what your furniture will look like in a new space you're thinking about moving to.

Again, this is one of those new technologies I can look at and agree that it's definitely cool, but then I can't really find enough functional applications to warrant caring very much.

Flathead Lake, Montana

Meanwhile, I hope nobody's panicking too much about the crypto markets! When you feel inlcined to freak out because Bitcoin is down, keep in mind that as recently as the 2nd week of January, BTC reached a high of $42,000 and within 48 hours was down to near $30,000... and yet, just a few days ago we were at $58,000.

These market do NOT rise at a stable pace... but remember that when you hold most assets for long enough, the result tends to be one of gain. And yes, I realize it's very easy to get caught up in the emotions of these major rises and falls.

Since I am not actually a seller anytime soon, I'm just going to hold on, for the long run!

Thanks for reading, and have a great remainder of your week!

How about YOU? Are you familiar with the StarLink Internet service? It's part of Elon Musk's Space-X initiatives? Wat sort of Internet service do you use now? Give me a shout back... Because — after all — SOCIAL content is about interacting, right? Leave a comment — share your experiences — be part of the conversation!

(All text and images by the author, unless otherwise credited. This is ORIGINAL CONTENT, created expressly for this platform — NOT A CROSSPOST!!!)
Created at 20210223 22:48 PST
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