Elon Musk's Plan to Build a Space Internet

Elon Musk, SpaceX CEO wants to build a satellite network high above Earth that would speed up the Internet and bring access to underserved communities. And he'll use the profits to help colonize Mars.

Musk said Friday night that he will use a fleet of satellites to make the Internet speedier and to bring it to those without access, according to media reports of a private event in Seattle.

"We see it as a long-term revenue source for SpaceX to be able to fund a city on Mars," Musk told Bloomberg, an event. He didn't offer specifics on how he'll make money off the project, but he did mention the possibility of selling satellites after the network is completed. SpaceX did not return a request for comment.
To create the new network, SpaceX will build and launch roughly 4,000 satellites orbiting about 750 miles above earth, a source revealed.

Musk is known for his determination to colonize Earth's relatively nearby neighbor, with plans to put humans on Mars by the mid 2020s. A member of the so-called "PayPal Mafia" -- co-founders of the payment service who have found continued success after selling the company to eBay -- Musk founded SpaceX in 2002 to "to revolutionize space technology, with the ultimate goal of enabling people to live on other planets," according to the SpaceX website. It won a $2.6 billion contract from NASA last year, becoming one of the first private companies -- the other is Boeing -- set to ferry astronauts to the International Space Station, beginning as early as 2017.

SpaceX unveiled its first manned spacecraft, the Dragon V2, in May. The craft is intended for trips to and from the space station, and the company successfully sent a cargo capsule to the ISS this month, but the "reusable" rocket crashed into its floating landing pad in the Atlantic Ocean.

And now it looks like Musk sees his space Internet project as another way of getting him to Mars. The network would take at least five years to develop and cost around $10 billion, he told Bloomberg. Instead of sending data through a network that uses fiber optic cables, the proposed system would bounce signals from satellite to satellite. Musk said the setup would also connect underserved communities that don't have Net access. The project will be overseen at SpaceX's new Seattle headquarters.

Musk isn't the only space enthusiast who wants to make it to Mars. Living on the Red Planet has been a longtime science-fiction fantasy, and in recent years, a goal of many technologists. Mars One, for example, is trying to fund a human mission to Mars in 2025 by offering investors interplanetary product placement.

Pandora sued for copyright infringement

Pandora has been hit with a copyright infringement lawsuit by major record labels, according to The New York Times. The labels contend that the music streaming service must pay license fees for songs recorded before 1972.

The suit was filed in New York state court by Sony, Warner, and Universal, according to the Times. The labels argue that even though older songs, like James Brown's "I Got You" and the Beatles' "Hey Jude," aren't protected under federal copyright law -- they are covered by state laws.

The record labels claim they lose millions of dollars yearly from Pandora, other streaming music services, and satellite radio companies for playing older songs. Many of these songs are played on streaming stations like "Golden Oldies" and "50s Rock 'n' Roll," and the labels say they should get royalties for these pre-1972 songs.

"This case presents a classic attempt by Pandora to reap where it has not sown," the labels say in the suit, according to the Times. "Pandora appropriates plaintiffs' valuable and unique property, violates New York law, and engages in common law copyright infringement and misappropriation and unfair competition."

The streaming music service maintains it has not broken the law. When contacted by CNET, a spokesperson said, "Pandora is confident in its legal position and looks forward to a quick resolution of this matter."

Pandora's shares fell 1.1 percent, or 32 cents, to $27.02 on Thursday before the news.

Wi-Fi iPad Mini with Retina

You can now save money on the Wi-Fi iPad Mini with Retina if you don't mind going the refurbished route.

Up for sale on Apple's online store, a refurbished Wi-Fi-only Retina iPad Mini cuts the price by $60, $80, or $90 depending on the model you choose. For example, a refurbished 16GB Wi-Fi-only Retina iPad Mini costs $339, down from the $399 for a new unit, while a 64GB Wi-Fi edition will run you $509, down from $599 new.

So far only the Wi-Fi versions are listed, with the link for Wi-Fi + Cellular currently grayed out. Otherwise, all capacities and colors are available with the exception of the 128GB model.

Apple tests and certifies all refurbished products and gives them a one-year warranty as well as a new battery and outer shell.

Alibaba confirms plans to offer IPO in US

China e-commerce giant Alibaba Group confirmed early Sunday that it plans to become a public company in the US.

Alibaba, which controls nearly 80 percent of China's Internet shopping market, is expected to raise more than $15 billion, giving it a $130 billion valuation. That lofty target would challenge Facebook's record Internet IPO, which raised $16 billion in 2012.

Founded in 1999 by former English teacher Jack Ma, the company provides marketplace platforms that allow merchants to sell goods directly to consumers. Rather than selling goods to consumers as US e-commerce giant Amazon does, Alibaba provides listing and advertising services.

The statement appears to snub the Hong Kong stock exchange, which had been competing for the offering with US stock exchanges but objected to some of Alibaba's proposed listing terms. The company said it was keeping its options open for a possible dual listing in China.

The IPO is also expected to a boon for Yahoo, which still owns 24 percent of the China e-commerce giant.

Microsoft offering operating system for free

Microsoft is taking baby steps toward offering its operating system for free or on the cheap -- a necessary tactic in a world dominated by Google's Android and other up-and-coming free operating systems.

As reported by the Times of India this week, Microsoft had been in negotiations with Indian phone companies to "produce affordable Windows Phone devices" since last year.The agreement was "clinched" when Microsoft agreed to offer the Windows Phone OS sans the usual licensing fee, according to the Times.

"It's a calculated risk to see how it works," said Bob O'Donnell, principal analyst at Technalysis Research. The Windows Phone OS has less than a 10 percent share of India's smartphone market, which is dominated by Android, according to IDC.

Microsoft fell behind Android and Apple when it missed the move to mobile, not offering the Windows Phone OS until 2010, long after Google and Apple jumped in the market. Former CEO Steve Ballmer said as much earlier this month. "We would have a stronger position in the phone market today if I could redo the last 10 years," he said, speaking in the UK.

Facebook to buy WhatsApp for $19 billion

Facebook Inc will buy fast-growing mobile-messaging startup WhatsApp for $19 billion in cash and stock, as the world's largest social network looks for ways to boost its popularity, especially among a younger crowd.

The acquisition of the hot messaging service with more than 450 million users around the world stunned many Silicon Valley observers with its lofty price tag. It helps Facebook tap teens who will eschew the mainstream social networks and prefer WhatsApp and rivals such as Line and WeChat, which have exploded in size as mobile messaging takes off.

"WhatsApp will complement our existing chat and messaging services to provide new tools for our community," Zuckerberg wrote on his Facebook page. "Since WhatsApp and (Facebook) Messenger serve such different and important users, we will continue investing in both."

As part of the deal, WhatsApp co-founder and chief executive officer Jan Koum will join Facebook's board, and the social network will grant an additional $3 billion worth of restricted stock units to WhatsApp's founders, including Koum.That is on top of the $16 billion in cash and stock that Facebook will pay. 

Bitcoin Gang Inches Towards 100-Member Mark, Hits $13-Billion Value

Enhanced regulatory oversight in India and other countries seems to be having little impact on spread of bitcoins and other virtual currencies, whose number is fast moving towards a century with a total valuation of close to $13 billion.

A number of new entrants, such as bitgem, catcoin, unobtanium and sexcoin, have arrived on the scene even as regulators across the world grapple with risks posed by such currencies and transactions conducted through them.

At least 93 virtual currencies are at present being used by people across the world over the internet, as also for some offline transactions, and their total valuation has reached $13 billion (over 80,000 crore), out of which bitcoin alone accounts for over $9 billion, according to market estimates.At end of December last year, the number of virtual currencies stood at 67.