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  • 🙄Why would China use a spy balloon when it has satellites? (Issue 001)

🙄Why would China use a spy balloon when it has satellites? (Issue 001)

Plus: Exploring the Use of Spy Balloons by China, Google CEO Sundar Pichai says its ChatGPT rival is coming soon as a ‘companion’ to search..

Author

Chai Sip
February 05, 2023

In today’s Issue 📥 :

  • Exploring the Use of Spy Balloons by China.

  • Google CEO Sundar Pichai says its ChatGPT rival is coming soon as a ‘companion’ to search.

  • Telegram’s latest upgrade includes real-time message translation.

SIP WORTHY

Exploring the Use of Spy Balloons by China.

What’s Sipping? ☕The discovery of a suspected Chinese spy balloon flying over the United States has many questioning why Beijing would wish to employ such a crude weapon for observation of the US mainland.

China has been known to utilize various advanced technologies in its military and intelligence operations, so the recent reports of China using spy balloons have sparked interest in the community. Many have been asking, why would China use spy balloons when it has satellites that can perform similar tasks.

The balloon, sighted over Montana, has been described by China as a “civilian airship” that diverted from its planned trajectory, but the US fears it is a “high-altitude surveillance” gadget.

Whatever the capabilities of this specific balloon, the United States has taken the threat seriously enough to postpone Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit to China on February 5 and 6.

The answer lies in the different capabilities of spy balloons and satellites. Satellites are ideal for monitoring wide areas from high altitudes, but they are limited in their ability to provide a close-up view of specific targets. On the other hand, spy balloons can be deployed at lower altitudes, providing a more detailed view of the target area.

Balloons are an ancient sort of surveillance equipment. During World War II, the Japanese military employed them to lob incendiary bombs into the United States. During the Cold War, they were also widely deployed by the United States and the Soviet Union.

Additionally, spy balloons are relatively low cost compared to satellites and can be quickly deployed in remote areas without being detected. The balloons can be equipped with various sensors and cameras, allowing them to gather valuable intelligence and transmit it back to ground stations.

China is known for using various technologies to maintain its military edge and gain strategic advantages. The use of spy balloons is just one of the many tools in its arsenal to gather intelligence and monitor its borders.

“Beijing is probably trying to signal to Washington: ‘While we want to improve ties, we are also ever ready for sustained competition, using any means necessary,’ without severely inflaming tensions,” independent air-power analyst He Yuan Ming told the BBC.

HOT SIP

🔍Sundar says ChatGPT rival is coming soon as a ‘companion’ to search. Users will soon be able to use language models “as a companion to search,” according to Pichai, who spoke on a conference call following Google’s fourth-quarter results release on Thursday.

Telegram’s latest upgrade includes real-time message 💬 translation.

Telegram Messenger’s latest app update includes key features such as Translating Entire Chats, Profile Picture Maker, Emoji Categories, and more. Premium users will be able to translate entire chats, groups, and channels in real-time by simply tapping the Translate bar at the top of the screen. Individual messages, on the other hand, can be translated by all users by choosing them and using the “Translate” button. Users can use the “Profile Photo Maker” to easily convert any sticker or animated emoji into a profile photo for their accounts, groups, or channels. According to the firm, anyone can utilize animated and bespoke emojis for these images, even if they do not have Telegram Premium.

The messaging platform also debuted the “Network Usage” feature, which allows users to monitor how much data Telegram has used with precise pie charts for Wi-Fi and mobile data – and alter their auto-download settings to fit their data plan. Users can use the “Auto-Save Incoming Media” function to regulate when media is automatically saved to their gallery based on its size, type, and which conversation it was received from. This functionality also enables exceptions, allowing users to store only what they wish.

SMALL SIPS

Productivity tip: Decide your top three priorities; you’re only going to be “very fit,” for instance, if fitness is one of them. (h/t Hank Green)

Life hack: If your apartment feels dim and cramped, try strategically placing some mirrors.

4 Powerful: Tips To Create A Successful Airbnb Business.

India: joins UAE, and France for trilateral on clean energy, counter-pandemic steps.

With CHAI ☕

Ceo: Former Spencer’s Retail CEO & MD Devendra Chawla joins GreenCell Mobility as CEO.

How to: dress up during the Valentine’s Week 2023.

Aww: That’s a cute Hamster in a tube.

It’s Interesting: The first-ever website, info.cern.ch, was created in 1991 by Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web.

TWEET