Meet The French Drone Killers

Under French military supervision, four golden eagle chicks hatched in 2016 atop aerial drones — born into a world of terror and machines they would be bred to destroy.

The eagles — named d'Artagnan, Athos, Porthos and Aramis — grew up with their nemeses. They chased drones through green grass that summer, pecking futilely at composite shells as seen in Sky News footage. They were rewarded with meat, which they ate off the backs of the drones.

When the eagles were ready — this month — d'Artagnan launched screeching from a military control tower across a field, Agence France-Presse reported.

The bird covered 200 meters in 20 seconds, slamming into a drone, then diving with the wreckage into the tall grass.

"The eagles are making good progress," said the French air force's commander of a program that adapts the ancient art of falconry to the threats of unmanned flight.

Weeks earlier, on the other side of the world, Iraqi soldiers fired their guns wildly into the sky after a small drone dropped a bomb on them. Terrorists have been modifying devices that can be bought in toy stores into weapons and radio-controlled spies, the Associated Press reported.

The French have been concerned since early 2015, when drones flew over the presidential palace and a restricted military site, according to Agence France-Presse.

No one was harmed. But terrorist attacks later that year, including the November massacre in Paris, inspired military officials to creative prevention.

They wanted a way to take down drones without shooting at them — a potential disaster if one went rogue in a crowded area.

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A Flying Selfie Machine

For those who are fond of taking selfies all the time even if it already borders to being annoying, there is a new photo innovation that easily fits in the palm of a hand and slides into a custom phone case for storage and charging.

The AirSelfie is the latest advance in the never-ending technological pursuit of the perfect selfie. The minuscule quadcopter can only fly for three minutes, but that is enough time for its intended use of capturing a quick group selfie when arms and even selfie sticks can’t extend far enough to get everyone in the picture.

The drone can be controlled with one hand via the app (iOS and Android) and can fly up to 20 meters high. When users are ready to snap a photo or video, it will hover autonomously — whether indoor or out.

Three flight modes allow users to pilot the AirSelfie with varying degrees of control. The most basic is Selfie mode, where just on-screen buttons move the drone farther away or closer to the subject. Selfie Motion Control mode allows users to control the drone with a virtual joystick for more flight options.

By rotating the phone into landscape orientation to engage Flight mode, which turns the phone into a classic controller, gives users full freedom. Once they find the perfect spot, the AirSelfie will automatically hover.

When the users is done flying, they can simply pluck the AirSelfie out of the air, which can be done safely with their bare hand. Return it to its case and it will recharge in 30 minutes.

With an integrated camera that shoots five-megapixel stills or HD video, the AirSelfie certainly isn’t intended to compete with the likes of the DJI Mavic. It's part of a growing number of compact, consumer-oriented selfie drones that put convenience first. The AirSelfie may just be the most convenient yet, thanks to its pocketable design. If users don’t mind a little extra bulk on their phone, they can carry it with them at all times.

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Somewear Allows Texting Everywhere

A device that was launched in 2018 on Kickstarter was envisioned to make it much easier to stay in contact with friends and family no matter where they are on the planet.

The Somewear Global Hotspot offers a host of features and functionality that could make it a popular travel companion for backpackers, explorers, and adventure athletes who routinely find themselves in places where cell service is at a premium.

Designed by a company called Somewear Labs, the Global Hotspot weighs just three ounces and was built to connect with iOS and Android phones via Bluetooth. The gadget features not only onboard GPS tracking capabilities, but can also connect to the Iridium satellite network to facilitate communications. This gives users the ability to send and receive text messages and emails via a Somewear app, turning an iPhone or Android device into a satellite communicator with similar functionality as a Spot or inReach Explorer.

In addition to allowing others to track the Global Hotspot's location at all times, the device also has the ability to send an SOS message should the user run into trouble. The Hotspot's satellite connection gives it the ability to also receive local weather reports and emergency alerts while providing location sharing and downloadable maps too. This allows a smartphone to have a high degree of functionality even while traveling off the grid and without a cell phone network.

Somewear built the Global Hotspot to survive in the outdoors. The company says that it meets the MIL-STD-810 standard for shock protection and that it is IPX7 waterproof, meaning it can be immersed in 1 meter of water for up to 30 minutes and still continue to function. It can also withstand temperatures ranging from negative-4 to 140-degrees Fahrenheit, too.

Because it uses the Iridium satellite network, Somewear said that the device should have 100 percent coverage no matter where you go. That means you can continue to send messages not only at the North and South Pole, but pretty much anywhere else you can get a clear, unfettered view of the sky.

Data plans start at US$ 15 per month and go as high as US$ 50 depending on the amount of messages that can be sent. The company claims that the Global Hotspot provides enough battery life to send or receive up to 1,000 messages before needing a recharge.

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Russia Fined Google USD 20 Decillion

The Russian courts has imposed a heavy fine on Google and it is worth more than the world’s GDP. This penalty was adopted because Google blocked pro-Kremlin media outlets.

Judges in Moscow are seeking around US$ 20 decillion from the technology giant, many times the estimated US$ 100-trillion size of the global economy. If written out in full, the fine would be 20 followed by 33 zeros.

The penalty, which far exceeds Google’s own US$ 2-trillion market value, comes after the US technology business barred pro-Moscow propaganda channel Tsargrad TV, which is owned by oligarch Konstantin Malofeev, from YouTube four years ago.

Google was fined a daily penalty of 100,000 roubles and warned that amount would double every 24 hours if it went unpaid. The technology giant now owes more than 2 undecillion roubles, a 36-digit figure, lawyer Ivan Morozov told the state-owned TASS news agency.

The original fine has been compounded by further penalties after Google blocked a total of 17 Russian TV channels as a result of international sanctions. According to local news outlet RBC, the judge described the legal battle as "a case in which there are many, many zeros".

The technology giant shut down its local Russian division in 2022 following Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, with its subsidiary declaring bankruptcy. However, many of its services including its search engine and YouTube have remained accessible to Russians.

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Smelling Your Phone Messages

Before, everyone is crazy of customized ringtones. Now, the stakes are even higher when message notifications allows users to smell their messages. Yep, it's happening.

The latest craze in smartphone notification technology comes in the form of Japan-based Scentee, a bubble-like device that plugs into your phone's headphone jack and releases a puff of scent into the air whenever you get an email or someone comments on your Facebook page.

Yes, you read that right. It's like smell-o-vision for your phone.

You can choose from a dozen collectible scent cartridges, from coconut to jasmine to coffee, the Scentee site says. There's even curry, cinnamon roll and corn soup, if you prefer food scents.

"Check out our evolving scent catalogue for new olfactory options," the website suggests. "Have a few on hand to suit the mood, the message, the event, or simply your personal fragrance preference."

The Scentee accessory is paired with an app that the user configures to tell it when to release its scent. You can set it to send out a stimulating olfactory experience whenever someone likes something on your Facebook, or tell it to work with your phone's alarm clock to ease you into the morning with the delightful smell of cinnamon rolls or coffee.

Another app that works with the Scentee device is called Hana Yakiniku, or "Nose Barbeque." Paired with three scents -- beef ribs, salted tongue or buttered potato – the app "releases an overflowing scent and you'll be drooling all over." The Scentee creators suggest that you can even use it to make the most boring meal a mouthwatering experience.

The Scentee device costs about US$ 37.50. The special scent apps are free to download.

Whether the soap opera-like long video (in Japanese) or the shorter English-language video, both of which can be found on the Scentee website, are completely serious is up for debate. As with many wacky Japanese gadgets, it's safe to assume there's probably something lost in translation.

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