News
- AT&T's CEO has said that Starlink's plans to launch a rival service aren't "viable"
- They argue that fiber is simply so much faster than satellite connectivity that it would be impossible for Starlink Mobile to compete
- However, AT&T has also announced plans with Verizon and T-Mobile to use satellites to get rid of dead zones
We’ve heard a lot lately about Starlink’s plans to launch a traditional mobile carrier aimed at rivaling the likes of AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon — and perhaps even making such a service available globally. But if AT&T’s CEO John Stankey is to be believed, it probably isn’t happening — or at least not anytime soon.
Speaking to Axios, Stankey claimed that Musk’s plan is "not a viable strategy," in part because it’s heavily reliant on Starlink satellites rather than fiber infrastructure. When it comes to fiber, Stankey said “nothing beats it,” because it’s three times faster than satellite connectivity, adding that "satellite, at its best — if everything happens right over the next 10 years" — is "still not going to beat fiber."
Of course, Musk probably recognizes this, as Starlink’s plans involve more traditional network infrastructure too, with the company having previously outlined its plans to install small cellular base stations alongside Starlink dishes on homes and businesses.
But Stankey has his doubts about that too, saying that the endeavor would be enormously expensive, and that "there's all kinds of other issues, like you can't radiate cellular signals from somebody's house without their permission, unless somebody changes the law on that. We can go down a whole bunch of reasons why that won't effectively work."
For now, AT&T seems to be betting mostly on fiber (Image credit: Shutterstock / Jonathan Weiss)It could be a long road for Starlink MobileSome analysts are also unconvinced by Musk’s plans, with Bernstein analyst Madison Rezaei saying, "Starlink Mobile may fill a meaningful gap in the market (i.e., remote, rural, maritime, disaster scenarios), but we believe it is a long way from replacing terrestrial carrier networks."
On the other hand, Alex Besen, CEO of the Besen Group, was a bit more positive about Starlink Mobile’s chances in a conversation with Fierce Network, saying of conventional carriers that “maybe not a majority of it, but definitely, they’re going to lose” some of the consumer market.
And even if Stankey claims not to be worried, it seems he’s not taking any chances, with AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon having recently launched a joint venture to get rid of coverage dead zones through satellite connectivity.
So whether Musk’s Starlink Mobile plans are viable or not, it does seem that increasingly carriers will use a mix of masts, fiber, and satellites to service their customers.
Fuse Games' Star Wars: Galactic Racer isn't what I anticipated. A fun Star Wars racing game that lets you take part in a series of high-octane relays across the galaxy? Sounds great; you had me at "Star Wars." But a heart-pounding roguelike sweat-fest that had me squeezing my DualSense wireless controller in a death grip and yelling at my monitor as Kestar Bool once again beat me in the final race by the skin of my teeth? Not what I was expecting!
Review infoPlatform reviewed: PS5
Available on: PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
Release date: October 6, 2026
Galactic Racer takes place after the fall of the Empire and during the New Republic Era, where the lawless and ex-pilots of the Outer Rim take part in the unsanctioned, high-stakes Galactic League. You play as Shade, a faceless human cargo pilot recruited to the league and who has a major grudge against the oppressive Bool family, particularly Kestar Bool, the guy who also happens to be the reigning champion of the Galactic League. Shade, for reasons you'll discover as you progress the campaign, has a long history with Kestar and is dead set on beating him, and you feel that rivalry grow after every attempt at completing the tour.
This particular Star Wars tale is contained without the bigger stakes we often see in the movies or TV shows, and while it's not a sweeping cinematic experience like Star Wars Zero Company or Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, with not much exploration in the way of character depth for Shade as the playable character, it's simple yet effective; Galactic Racer is first and foremost a racing game with an emphasis on replayability, buildcraft customization, and a tailored progression system.
A race across the stars(Image credit: Fuse Games)The freedom to choose how to proceed through the campaign is a core feature I greatly enjoyed, and players must first complete the qualifiers, then the main Galactic Tour. There's no randomized track selection; instead, a clever system of branching paths lets you choose a route and compete in races that fit your preferences, minimizing the risk of losing your League Tokens, which let you race in the first place.
There are standard races that present a variety of gripping courses, and you can come in first or 12th place; Field Tests, which I did find a bit repetitive and not as challenging after completing them numerous times; Mystery Encounters; and Eliminator races, an event where the driver in last place is disqualified until only the top three pilots remain, plus you'll lose a League Token, which makes it the riskiest race in the bunch.
Roguelikes can be hit or miss for me, but Galactic Racer's run-based structure offers an exhilarating and chaotic gameplay loop that excels at providing a highly engaging, heart-pounding experience despite the rinse-and-repeat system.
(Image credit: Fuse Games)Even after beating my fellow racers and making it all the way to the finals, only to fail miserably, the notion of having to replay the entire process after losing should've been off-putting. Instead, I found myself not only eager to improve, but excited to get back on the track with the knowledge and skills I'd gained from previous runs, a feeling that not many roguelikes can achieve.
The game has a learning and difficulty curve due to its roguelike framework, and it may not be for everyone, but it's purposefully designed to make you become the best racer in the galaxy, since you likely won't be a winner straight away.
Best Bit(Image credit: Fuse Games)Star Wars: Galactic Racer's roguelike structure is the game's best feature, offering an incredible amount of replayability across a host of brilliantly constructed courses across the galaxy.
More often than not, you'll smash headfirst into an obstacle or fly off a cliff because you didn't drift in time, so it's incredibly satisfying how the game makes you feel like you're gradually improving after every run.
At the beginning of each tour, you choose a loadout, including your vehicle, Favours that provide a competitive edge, and a Racer Style, an additional preset that dictates your speeder's behaviour and active perks and feels more personalized to your playstyle.
Galactic Racer offers three vehicle types — landspeeders, speeder bikes, and skim speeders, as well as podracers during select missions — but in the end, I personally favored the speeder bike; its compact agility, vectored thrust, and kinetic burst felt incredible as I sped across dunes and whizzed around tight corners on slippery glaciers.
If at first you don't succeed...(Image credit: Fuse Games)When I started, I absolutely sucked. I frequently collided headfirst into walls and mismanaged my abilities, but the roguelike structure works so well that my muscle memory began kicking in the more I played; by the end of the game, I was hardly crashing and knew the tracks like the back of my hand.
It's no smooth ride; every choice shapes your prospects, and the challenge of not only trying to win while overcoming planetary effects like lava or acid, and outplaying your fellow pilots, takes the stakes even higher — it's a testament to how well the roguelike framework works and how brilliantly designed the courses are.
(Image credit: Fuse Games)The game puts a huge emphasis on customization — the build possibilities are endless — and the system stands out against the competition as you gradually update your vehicles by applying upgrades, installing parts (and making sure they're not damaged), and unlocking new power-up abilities; there's an abundance of them, and they make a world of difference in close-call encounters and improve your odds of a podium position.
Not to beat the dead tauntaun, but seriously… this is podracing! Playing on the base PS5, Galactic Racer is a visual and audio feast, offering a gorgeously smooth experience at 60fps, while sweeping you up in the frenetic action.
The speeds you can reach are ridiculous when you have the right upgrades, and there's nothing more gratifying than going to the maximum with your Ramjet and executing perfect landings and sharp corners without crashing your speeder into a million pieces.
The best of the best(Image credit: Fuse Games)Racing is at the soul of the campaign, and it's a damn good time, but the game also allows you to interact with other pilots; they aren't just random racers, but fully written NPCs with unique personalities and playstyles, and I loved how Fuse represents these characters on and off the track.
You'll build rivalries, learn their backstories, and discover random encounters with multiple dialogue options, which also come with rewards and consequences, making the lawless world you're competing in all the more real.
With Kestar Bool, for instance, I chose to insult him after he tried to swindle me out of some credits, and since he basically runs the show, my speeder was sabotaged; it exploded at the start of the next race, and I lost two speeder upgrades in the process, putting me at a huge disadvantage for the rest of the tour. This is such a unique feature and a significant factor in the game's progression system that drives home the competitiveness among your opponents.
(Image credit: Fuse Games)Jakku and Crait are probably my favorite out of the six available planets, which are all stunningly authentic to the Star Wars universe and a joy to experience from a brand-new perspective as a fan; the scale of their set pieces, whether it be the underbelly of a Star Destroyer skeleton or kicking up red salt in crystalline caverns, creates a sense of awe alongside the game's competitive atmosphere as you maneuver through various routes.
Fuse has designed a riveting racing game with creatively constructed tracks that compel you to keep playing even after a major fumble. At first, it's all about mastering the track — which corner to take to put you ahead, when to speed up or slow down — and the game does a great job of making each one distinctly different. Soon enough, however, these races get pretty aggressive, to the point where they'll turn into outright battles as your opponents try to ram you off the course (screw you, Griff Halloran).
(Image credit: Fuse Games)Alongside the campaign, players can unlock Sebulba's storyline, a side activity where you play podraces from his past; it's a neat addition to the main story that offers up some amazing tracks while also providing additional backstory on the guy who had it out for little Anakin Skywalker. Surprisingly, Sebulba became a standout in the storyline, and I appreciate that Fuse didn't simply throw him in for the sake of nostalgia.
Playing on the base PS5, Galactic Racer is a visual and audio feast, offering a gorgeously smooth experience at 60fps, while sweeping you up in the frenetic action.
The game also offers other side activities like Scenarios that let you play as each racer, an Arcade feature, both worthwhile additions for after you complete the campaign, and a proper multiplayer mode. During the review period, I had access to several multiplayer sessions, a standard online PvP experience featuring quick race modes and Tours with 12 players and crossplay enabled.
From what I was able to play, I enjoyed the multiplayer as much as the campaign, and it has a lot of potential if Fuse plans on updating the game post-launch; it feels just as entertaining and competitive as the story, with extra unlockables and missions that incentivize you to keep playing after the campaign. While I didn't get to play too much due to time constraints, I already know I'll be sinking more hours into it, and I'm particularly excited about trying out the Podracing Tour mode at launch — it was locked during the review period — because I couldn't get enough of it in the campaign.
Should you play Star Wars: Galactic Racer?Play it if...You're a Star Wars fan
If you enjoy Star Wars beyond the movies and TV shows, Star Wars: Galactic Racer will take you on an exhilarating journey across the Outer Rim.
You like roguelikes
If you welcome the challenge of roguelikes and don't mind the rinse-and-repeat process, Star Wars: Galactic Racer is a must-play.
If you enjoy racing games and want fast-paced action
Star Wars: Galactic Racer is one of the best racing games I've played in a long time and offers a high-octane experience like no other.
You don't get on with roguelikes
If you're a racing game enthusiast, you'll enjoy this game, but the roguelike structure may put you off if you don't like the idea of repeating races until you beat the game.
You're a Star Wars fan just looking to experience the story
You may be put off by the game's roguelike system if you continuously lose, which in turn can get in the way of the main story if that's all you want to experience.
Star Wars: Galactic Racer offers a ton of accessibility features in the form of your typical settings across visuals, audio, and subtitles. There are also some great controller remapping options, which can be adjusted to your preferences (these make a huge difference on the track), toggleable controls, and more.
How I reviewed Star Wars: Galactic RacerI spent almost 30 hours playing Star Wars: Galactic Racer on the base PlayStation 5 with my Gigabyte M32U gaming monitor and my Sony WH-CH520 wireless headphones for audio.
First reviewed October 2026.
- Florida police have discovered unauthorized Flock cameras
- At the moment it's not clear who is operating the devices
- The owners have been given 30 days to come forward
It's going from bad to worse for Flock and its license plate reader cameras: following Florida's decision to take the cameras out of use on highways across the state, police have found 14 unauthorized devices along St. Lucie County roads, with 11 of those still of unknown origin.
As Ars Technica reports, 3 of the 14 were claimed by the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office. They were installed without the necessary permits, but at least the agency that had installed them could be traced.
When it comes to the other 11, it's really not clear who's operating them, or whether they're being actively used. County authorities are giving the owners 30 days to take them down, and may put plastic bags over them in the meantime.
There have been instances of Flock itself installing cameras without having done the necessary paperwork, including a 2024 incident that was covered in Forbes. According to a Flock spokesperson, the company has already reached out to St. Lucie County officials to try and get the mystery solved as quickly as possible.
Drastic actionFlorida county discovers mysterious Flock cameras with no obvious owner from r/nottheonionAs you might expect, residents are spooked by the Flock cameras of unknown origin. The devices were already being viewed with suspicion by many citizens in terms of how their data collection capabilities could be misused — and that was when they knew who it was accessing them.
Resident Ty Grant told the Washington Post that the 11 unaccounted for Flock cameras had left him feeling "very unsafe", while local shop owner Todd Richter said it was imperative that the camera operators are revealed.
Reaction across Reddit has run along similar sentiments, with posters declaring it's "time for the chainsaws" and speculating that foreign nations could be involved in putting up the cameras without the necessary permits.
There is actually one idea posted to Reddit that just might work: "Cut it down, see who comes complaining." However, for the next 30 days at least, St. Lucie County officials seem determined to offer the opportunity for the camera operators in question to come forward and reclaim their hardware (before it's taken down anyway).
- The Ambiano Vertical Air Fryer is returning to Aldi stores very soon
- It's a dead ringer for the Ninja Double Stack, and costs just £49.99
- Aldi's £34.99 coffee maker is back as well, and in stock now
Aldi's Ninja Double Stack air fryer dupe is finally coming back, and you can be first to know when it arrives in your local store. The Ambiano Vertical Air fryer was originally scheduled to arrive in stores on 1 October, but the launch has been delayed a little. Bookmark Aldi's in-store availability guide and you can be first to know when it's in your local store.
The Ambiano is strikingly similar to the award-winning Ninja Double Stack, and although it doesn't give you quite the same set of features, it's no slouch in the cooking department. The Ambiano offers two temperature-controlled baskets in the same two-tier format as the Double Stack, with nine cooking presets that you can select using a touch-sensitive control panel. However, you don't get the Double Stack's syncing function, which allows both drawers to finish cooking at the same time
The Ambiano doesn't have Ninja's handy racks either, which allow you to cook two different foods in each drawer, though Aldi does offer air fryer accessories for each, including various liners and trays.
(Image credit: Aldi)The Ambiano Vertical Air Fryer isn't the only appliance returning to Aldi's shelves — the Ambiano Capsule Coffee Machine is making a comeback as well. This compact coffee maker has a 650ml water tank, accepts Nespresso Original style pods, and costs just £34.99. It's available now, while stock lasts.
If you want a machine that will brew Nespresso Vertuo pods instead, your best choice is the Nespresso Vertuo Pop, which can often be found for around £49 during sales events like Amazon Prime Big Deal Days, which takes place next week. I'll be tracking all the best offers on coffee makers, and will keep you updated on the very best discounts.
You'll need to be an Amazon Prime member to grab the best deals, but you can sign up for a 30-day free trial that will cover the whole sale period, and give you extra benefits like free delivery and access to Prime Video.
Lanterns have almost reached the finish line. Only one episode remains of the HBO TV original's debut season, so it's nearly time to say goodbye to Aaron Pierre's John Stewart and Kyle Chandler's Hal Jordan.
Take on our Lanterns pre-season 1 finale quiz!Think you're the ultimate Lanterns fan? Prove it by showing us you're not afraid to take on the challenge of achieving 100% in our tricky, 36 question-strong Lanterns quiz!
Before we do, the Green Lantern TV show's season 1 finale has got a lot of storylines to wrap up, so how successful will it be in concluding them all? I don't know, but what I can tell you is when and where Lanterns episode 8 will premiere. So, depending on where you live, here's the release date and launch time you need to know about for the hit sci-fi crime drama's eighth chapter.
When does episode 8 of Lanterns come out?Titled 'Dirt and Stars', the comic book-inspired TV series' eighth installment will air in the US and Canada on Sunday, October 4 at 6pm PT / 9pm ET.
Just like the previous seven episodes, it'll make its bow a day later in other countries, so the vast majority of you will have to wait until Monday, October 5 for it. Here's a quick rundown of the dates and times for the DCU Chapter One show's season 1 finale:
- US — Sunday, October 4 at 6pm PT / 9pm ET
- Canada — Sunday, October 4 at 6pm PT / 9pm ET
- UK — Monday, October 5 at 2am BST
- India — Monday, October 5 at 6:30am IST
- Singapore — Monday, October 5 at 9am SGT
- Australia — Monday, October 5 at 11am AEST
- New Zealand — Monday, October 5 at 1pm NZST
So far, every episode of Lanterns has dropped on HBO Max, aka one of the world's best streaming services. Its eighth and final entry will do the same in nations that the platform has launched in.
Unfortunately, HBO Max isn't available worldwide, so some of you will have to find another TV network or streamer to watch the final episode of DC Studios' latest small-screen venture. Luckily for you, I've rounded up every place you can stream it, so read on for more details:
- US — HBO and HBO Max
- Canada — Crave
- UK — HBO Max, Sky Atlantic, and Now TV
- India — JioHotstar
- Singapore — HBO Max
- Australia — HBO Max
- New Zealand — HBO Max
Not yet. However, fan hopes are growing over Lanterns season 2 due to the show's impressive viewership and a report that four new individuals to come up with ideas for Lanterns season 2.
That said, there's no guarantee that Lanterns will get a second season. Indeed, earlier in September, HBO boss Casey Bloys made me fear the worst for Lanterns season 2 when he indicated that only one DCU TV show — Superman spin-off The People v Gorilla Grodd — was the only one in active development.
Read my Lanterns coverage- Lanterns episode 1 ending explained
- Sinestro in Lanterns explained
- Lanterns' Manhunters explained
- Lanterns' Guardians of the Universe explained
- Lanterns episode 4 ending explained
- Lanterns episode 5 ending explained
- Lanterns episode 6 introduces a major character from Hal Jordan's past
- Lanterns episode 8 trailer spawns major new fan theory about John Stewart
- 6 predictions for Lanterns' season 1 finale
Hope springs eternal in the form of comments made by showrunner Chris Mundy and DC Studios co-head James Gunn, though.
Indeed, speaking to Vanity Fair in February 2025, Mundy said he hoped that he hoped "more seasons" would be made. Meanwhile, Gunn recently confirmed (via Threads) that 'Dirt and Stars' is this season's finale, rather than the show's final-ever episode. With Lanterns also amassing an average 19 million viewers per episode during its season 1 run (per Variety), it's a case of when, not if, the DCU program is renewed for another outing.
For now, we know that John Stewart will make his next DCU appearance in Man of Tomorrow, aka Gunn's Superman sequel. While you're here, find out more on what we know so far about Man of Tomorrow and then get the full lowdown on The People v Gorilla Grodd.