Latest news with #Maui
Buzz Feed
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
These "Moana" Facts Will Transform How You See It
In 2016, the world fell in love with Moana. From identity to steering away from the comfort of tradition, the film resonated with fans and was arguably one of the best Disney films of the 2010s, pulling in $643M worldwide, which would lead to a $1B box-office sequel in 2024. Here are 19 fun facts about Moana that will make you rewatch it again: Maui was originally supposed to be bald. In the original concept artwork, he was depicted as bald with face tattoos. Polynesian cultural advisers working with Disney pointed out that Maui's rich hair is crucial for his "mana" (spiritual energy). That's right, when Maui hits us with "The People's Eyebrow," it literally would've just looked like an animated Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. Who is Moana? 14-year-old Native Hawaiian Auli'i Cravalho earned the role in an audition, where casting director Rachel Sutton confirmed Cravalho was the very last girl she saw on her last day of casting. We almost got "Millennial Moana" in a scrapped concept. Director John Musker said the story would've been about a modern boy dropped in an old world. Musker said he "had an iPhone, all this modern stuff, and then discovered this ancient culture. We did not do that story." Moana was originally going to sing "You're Welcome" when she met Maui. Musker said, "When she first met him, she idolized him, and when she came upon this down-and-out guy, this mope, she had to get him going and so she sang a song to him, reminding him, 'Don't you know you did all these great things?'" Ultimately, it worked better for the script to give Maui an introduction song in the same vein as the Genie from Aladdin. In Maori culture, "hei hei" simply means "chicken." Frigatebirds, seen throughout the film, are REAL. They can be found in the Polynesian islands and across all tropical and subtropical oceans. And, just as in the movie scene, they are indeed thieves. Protect your shells! Award-winning actor and composer Lin-Manuel Miranda contributed lyrics to "How Far I'll Go" and "You're Welcome," as well as collaborated with Opetaia Foa'i and Mark Mancina to create the film's musical score. Directors Musker and Ron Clements used The Lion King as inspiration for Moana's music. The directing duo hired veteran composer Mark Mancina, superstar Miranda, and South Pacific songwriter Opetaia Foa'i. For The Lion King, composer Hans Zimmer, pop star Elton John, and South African producer Lebo M all contributed to create the legendary soundtrack. See the similarities? In early versions of the story, filmmakers made Maui the main character. Ultimately, story-building is a long process, and they veered a different way for a more relatable character over a demigod as a lead. To think we almost got "Mighty Maui" as a film. The wave special effects in the film are breathtaking, and they were a huge part of the film's appeal from the start. About 80% of the shots have special effects, but they weren't going for photo-realism. Director Clements said, "We knew the ocean was going to be a huge part of the movie because it's such an important part of the culture and deal in believability, not necessarily reality." We were robbed of more Pua in the movie. Originally, he was supposed to go out on the adventure with Moana. Musker said, "The pig was supposed to go with her, but we sort of a little bit got talked out of it. They liked Moana being more isolated, stuck with this idiot rooster, and not having the comfort of having the pig with her. There were cute scenes that we don't have." Johnson admitted his character Maui was partly inspired by his late grandfather, High Chief Peter Maivia of Samoa. There are a sea-full of Disney easter eggs in the film. Obvious ones like when Maui transforms into Sven from Frozen. Less obvious: Flounder from The Little Mermaid appeared during "You're Welcome" in a brief swim-by. Like Merida from Brave, Moana's character is an original Disney princess, not plucked from a fairy tale, making her the second of her kind. This one was shocking to me: Miranda's involvement in the film dates back to 2014. Hamilton came out in 2015. This means the movie biz (and of course Broadway) already knew how special he was before he gained nationwide fame. Cravalho performed as Ariel in ABC's "The Little Mermaid Live!," a live-action concert rendition of The Little Mermaid in 2019. This makes her one of the few people to portray multiple Disney this was all as a teenager. Moana's necklace symbolizes her connection to land and sea. Still don't believe Moana was born to be a voyager of the sea? "Moana" means "ocean" in many Polynesian languages, including Maori and Hawaiian (origins of the name). And lastly, there is extreme significance to when Moana discovers her people used to be voyagers. There is a reference to "The Long Pause," which happened in real life. It's lovely that Disney made a crucial part of this story as a period where navigators ceased exploring and settled down in their islands. What is your favorite Moana moment? Sound off in the comments below! Watch Moana on Disney+.
ABC News
5 days ago
- Politics
- ABC News
Hawaii increases price of paradise to pay for climate protection
No Pacific island has felt the effects of climate change more keenly than Hawaii in recent years after a series of wildfires broke out in early August 2023. The wind-driven fires killed more than 100 people and caused widespread devastation, predominantly on the island of Maui. Despite the damage, securing funding to protect against these events has become even harder under US president Donald Trump, whose skepticism for climate change is well known. But a new tourist tax, set to be imposed in 2026, will help circumvent that, with Hawaii's governor Josh Green saying the levy paid by visitors will allow his state to defend against natural disasters without federal support. FEATURED: Hawaii governor, Josh Green
Android Authority
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Android Authority
Team AA: Here are our favorite phone wallpapers
Hadlee Simons / Android Authority Whether it's our weekly Wallpaper Wednesday series or backgrounds from specific devices, we're all about sharing wallpapers with you folks. But what are our favorite wallpapers that we use on our own Android phones? Well, I asked the Android Authority team for their favorite backgrounds. Some team members used wallpapers showing their loved ones and were thus unable to share their backgrounds. Fortunately, we still had more than a few cool submissions from other members, as you can see below! Found a wallpaper you like? Then you can visit our Google Drive folder to grab full-resolution images. Hadlee Simons There are quite a few photos I like using as wallpapers on my Android phone, but here are three picks. The first photo was taken in Barcelona, looking down a road and into the city. Meanwhile, the second snap was taken in Maui, Hawaii, at sunset during the Snapdragon Summit 2023. You can never go wrong with sunsets. Finally, the third photo was taken with the Pixel 4's astrophotography mode in Sutherland, South Africa, back in 2019. This is generally considered the darkest place in the country, and I had to stand still for a few minutes while a friend took the photo. It's not the sharpest or most detailed snap, but how cool is that? The starry sky also gets a parallax effect if you enable the cinematic wallpaper option on Pixel phones, although it's quite wonky on my Pixel 7 Pro. Jonathan Feist Say what you will about AI-generated imagery, but image generators are a quick and easy way to create a wallpaper of your choosing. That's what Jonathan Feist did with these two wallpapers showing a blue dragon. These aren't the exact wallpapers he's currently using, but ones generated with a similar prompt via Gemini. Jonathan also kindly included the prompt if you like the look of these images: Please generate a realistic looking 8K image of a dragon at night. It should be a blue dragon standing on a small island that is surrounded by other small islands scattered around a really foggy lake. The lake is surrounded by Japanese bonsai type trees. There is a mountain range in the background and a full moon in the sky. The dragon should be breathing blue fire in a menacing stance. Give the dragon very realistic looking scales and skin from a lizard. Matt Horne 'These wallpapers are shots I've taken and a sample of things I like about living in Mexico,' said Deals Editor Matt Horne. 'I tend to keep each one and similar types as my wallpaper for a couple of months at a time or so.' The first photo is from a remote beach spot 'not too far from La Paz,' as Matt enjoys visiting the coast. 'Not unrelated to my beach obsession is a love of traveling to new places, and the shot of colorful houses at night was from a trip to Puebla earlier in the year,' he says of the second shot. 'I visited with my parents, and it's a nice memory.' Meanwhile, the beautiful third shot was taken from the rooftop of his apartment building in Guadalajara. Matt says the city can look 'spectacular' at sunset and that his camera roll is full of shots like this. Mishaal Rahman Is it any surprise that Mishaal shared three bugdroid-themed wallpapers as his favorite backgrounds? Either way, these are some lovely backgrounds if you want to show off your love for the Android platform. 'Two of the wallpapers (the photos of the Bot statues on pedestals) were photos that I took, edited using Xiaomi's AI photo editing features,' he explains. The third image was actually taken by Google at their MWC 2025 booth and shared with Mishaal. Very cosy! Rita El-Khoury Features Editor Rita says her three picks come from the Backdrops app, which she's been using for over a decade. In fact, she's also a paid member. 'I love the creator's sense of style, humor (as seen in the Weather Frog wallpaper), and all their unique designs. Most Backdrops wallpapers are simple but beautiful, which works really well for my default homescreen setup,' she says, adding that she usually avoids wallpapers with a busy design near the top or bottom. 'On average, I find a nice new wallpaper in Backdrops that works for me every week, and that's why I keep coming back to it. It helps that there's a lot of color (and dark if you like that), which works super well for phone photography, which I need to do a lot of.' Zac Kew-Denniss Android Authority contributor Zac Kew-Denniss comes in clutch with some real-world photos he's using as wallpapers. He says the tree photo is a favorite snap. It was taken in 2023 with a Sony Alpha 6300 camera and edited with a LUT in Pixelmator. 'The metalwork tower was taken on my S20 Ultra at the top of Blackpool Tower,' he says of the second image, while also proclaiming his love for geometric patterns in wallpapers. 'It was taken the first time I'd seen my fiance in months due to COVID restrictions.' The third image shows a leaf in the sun with a faint spiderweb, and Zac explained his decision: Took it on an iPhone 16 Pro last year on my first trip out with it, and I love the pop of colour and the way the sunlight filters through.
Daily Mail
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Joe Rogan in awe by son of music icon's encounters with orb-shaped UFOs: 'That's crazy'
The son of legendary music star Willie Nelson left Joe Rogan in awe by revealing that he's had multiple encounters with UFOs. Country music singer and songwriter Lukas Nelson revealed on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast that he and several other people have watched as orb-shaped UFOs streaked over Hawaii. 'I've seen some stuff. When I was in Maui, twice I've seen something that I couldn't explain,' Nelson said during the July 10 interview. According to Nelson, the first encounter took place nearly 20 years ago in 2006, when he witnessed an orange orb floating less than 200 yards over Maui which seemed to be observing the onlookers below. 'Then I swear it seemed like as soon as enough people saw it, it went whoosh. And then it went whoosh. And it moved like nothing else I thought possible at the time. It went out of the atmosphere. And it was crazy. Faster than any drone,' the performer said. In a second incident, the country singer added that he and a group of friends were on the Hawaiian island of Lanai when a pulsing and multi-colored craft moved across the entire horizon. Nelson didn't have any proof with him that could confirm what he saw, but the stories were very similar to recent orb incidents, including several involving glowing orange orbs flying over the US. In fact, orb sightings like Nelson's have become incredibly common, with dozens of cases being reported in just the last fives years alone. Nelson added that he's been following the news about government officials disclosing what they know about UFOs and extraterrestrials, telling Rogan that he's not just a believer, he's praying for their arrival on Earth. Hee also cited the famous 1967 incident where a UFO allegedly disarmed 10 nuclear warheads at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana as proof that aliens are trying to save humanity from global destruction. 'My great hope is that there is someone just trying to, you know, not step in but oversee it to the point where we hopefully we can survive to a point of having an interstellar civilization,' Nelson explained. The music star said he's even asked ChatGPT for help trying to filter out which UFO reports are real and which can be easily debunked. 'When I looked at all of the credible UFO reports, the only ones that really had no explanation... And the one that was not, the one that's still sort of outstanding is the USS Nimitz experience,' he revealed. Nelson was talking about the 2004 incident involving a craft that has infamously become known as the 'Tic-Tac' UFO. On November 14, 2004, Commander David Fravor, a Top Gun fighter pilot, was flying a training exercise off the coast of San Diego when he was re-routed to investigate a strange object spotted on radar by warships protecting his aircraft carrier, the USS Nimitz. Fravor spotted a roughly 40-foot white object with no windows or wings, shaped like a Tic-Tac, that mirrored the pilot's movements before flying off at thousands of miles per hour, and then somehow stopping in midair seconds later. 'That seems to be the most compelling,' Nelson declared during the podcast interview. As for his own experience with unexplained phenomena, Nelson's story of the glowing orange orb over Hawaii has been repeated by multiple witnesses in the US, UK, Australia, Brazil, and Mexico. The National UFO Reporting Center (NUFORC), a non-profit organization that documents and investigates UFO reports, recently added 50 new orb sightings to their archives, with 46 taking place since 2020. NUFORC revealed that these sightings come from civilians, professional pilots, and even military personnel. Many of those witnesses reported the same type of strange encounter Nelson described, where the orbs tended to hover, seemingly observing the people and places around them before escaping at great speed. 'A bright light shined in my window. Once I [had] seen it, it zipped away,' one witness told NUFORC about a February 19, 2024 orb sighting in Antelope, California. In late December 2024, another swarm of bright orange UFO orbs were allegedly caught flying over New York City, raising concerns over the holiday week. A local recorded video of the sighting above Brookville Blvd in Queens, New York, right next to John F Kennedy International Airport. 'Lived here 14 years with planes flying by all day everyday. They fly so low it feels like you can almost touch them. I know what they look like when they come in to land and take off. I have never ever seen anything like this. Ever,' another New York resident who also witnessed the incident posted on Reddit. That same week, a father and son in Georgia chased an orange UFO orb after they spotted the mysterious light floating through the sky while taking out the trash. On December 26, 2024, a beaming orange glow in the distant night sky stopped the dad in his tracks outside his home in Central Georgia around 6:30 pm ET. Confused, he pointed out the peculiar glow around the orb to his son. The pair stared at it for several minutes and decided to film what they were seeing. 'I've seen similar sightings by myself before but this was the first time I was able to film something I witnessed while being in company of another person,' the father posted on Reddit. Rogan and Nelson discussed the possibility that these sightings may not be alien spacecraft at all. Instead, they suggested that all of them could be secret US military craft. Nelson noted that in the last 25 years there have been few military projects which have been declassified by the government. 'I'm curious as to like what in 25 years based on the technology that we've been able to see that makes it to modern society, how much is held back and what we don't see,' the singer explained. While Nelson didn't believe the US government was capable of covering up the existence for UFO-inspired aircraft, Rogan claimed it was very possible that such an operation exists. 'I think there's a high likelihood that a lot of this stuff is ours,' Rogan said.
CNET
15-07-2025
- CNET
Here's Everything You Need to Know About Satellite Connectivity in Phones
The words "satellite phone" probably conjure up an image of a clunky mobile monstrosity straight out of a spy thriller. These bulky and utilitarian traditional satellite phones are typically required in remote locations where cellular networks are unavailable. Nowadays, however, satellite connectivity can be found in regular smartphones too, thanks to new hardware innovations and unique partnerships with satellite network providers. They can't fully replace traditional satellite phones, but in an emergency situation, this feature can be a real lifesaver. This kind of connectivity has already proven useful in rescuing people from Hurricanes Milton and Helene, the recent wildfires in Los Angeles and the deadly fires in Maui. There are also several reported cases of the Emergency SOS texting feature rescuing lost hikers. While satellite connectivity isn't in every phone right now, it's clear that there's a real need for it, and don't be surprised to see even more of this feature in years to come. What is satellite connectivity in phones? Kevin Heinz/CNET If a phone has satellite connectivity, it can connect to a satellite when you don't have a cellular signal. This feature debuted in Apple's iPhone 14 in 2022 and has since been incorporated in subsequent iPhones as well as certain Android phones like Google's Pixel 9 and Samsung's Galaxy S25. Some phones have satellite connectivity regardless of carrier for a period of time (like recent iPhones and the Pixel 9), while others require a specific carrier due to partnerships and hardware compatibility (like Galaxy S25 phones on Verizon). Apple provides satellite connectivity in partnership with Globalstar, its affiliates and third-party network providers. However, Apple doesn't provide satellite connectivity in models purchased in Armenia, Belarus, China, Hong Kong, Macao, Kazakhstan or Russia. Google partnered with Skylo for its satellite service, which currently works only in the continental US and on Pixel 9 devices. Several US carriers have also recently started to provide satellite connectivity. Verizon, for example, has partnered with Skylo to provide its satellite messaging service to specific satellite-enabled phones like the Galaxy S25 and the Pixel 9 series. T-Mobile, on the other hand, has partnered with SpaceX's Starlink, which uses a "direct-to-cell" technology that doesn't require the phone to have a specialized satellite modem. Regardless of the kind of satellite connectivity your phone has, it still needs one important thing to work properly: connection with a satellite. Not only are these satellites hundreds of miles away in space, but they also orbit the Earth at a quick pace. You definitely need to be outside for the best satellite connection possible. You also want a direct view of the sky and to be away from tall trees or heavy foliage. Even then, a message might take 30 seconds or more to send depending on the rest of your surroundings, the length of the message and the status of the satellite network. How can I use satellite connectivity? Satellite connectivity on Android. James Martin/CNET The most obvious benefit of satellite connectivity in phones is SOS messaging. Apple calls its service Emergency SOS, while Google calls its service Satellite SOS. Like the names suggest, these services let you contact an emergency dispatcher when you have no phone signal. Apple also added other related satellite connectivity features to its iPhones, such as Roadside Assistance via satellite and Send Location via satellite (via the Find My feature). In 2024, Apple added a Messages via satellite feature to iOS 18 that allows iMessages or SMS messages to be sent and received by satellite to anyone, not just emergency services. It supports emoji, tapbacks, and iMessage bubbles and screen effects, but you can't send or receive photos or videos, and it doesn't support group chats. The recipient must also have iOS 18 or newer to receive iMessages (replying to an SMS message via satellite requires iOS 17.6 or later or a non-Apple phone). This works no matter which carrier you use for your phone. Verizon customers who have either a Galaxy S25 or a Pixel 9 handset can send and receive text messages via satellite to any device, along with SOS emergency services. Those who use T-Mobile's Starlink service, called T-Satellite, can send and receive messages to anyone as well. Right now, picture messaging, voice calls and data aren't supported, but T-Mobile plans to add them soon. One especially interesting aspect of T-Satellite, is that it's open not just to T-Mobile customers but those from other carriers as well. The service is free for now during its beta trial period, which ends on July 22. Once the full service launches in July, it will remain free for T-Mobile customers on Go5G Next or Experience More plans. Otherwise, T-Satellite is $10 a month for T-Mobile customers on other plans, as well as for Verizon and AT&T customers. As of this writing, Verizon is offering its satellite messaging service for free. Apple and Google have both said they'll provide their respective satellite services for free for the first two years. It's unclear what happens after that, but Apple has previously extended satellite service for iPhone 14 owners. How do I know if my phone has satellite connectivity? Emergency SOS might be one of the most important features to come out on any phone this year. Kevin Heinz/CNET As of this writing, only certain phones come with built-in satellite connectivity. In the US this includes the iPhone 14 and newer, the Pixel 9 series as well as the Galaxy S25. The recent iPhones and the Pixel 9 series can connect to satellites when you lose your connection to a cellular network, while the Galaxy S25 requires a carrier like Verizon. The Pixel 9 can also use Verizon's satellite service. These phones come with specialized hardware and satellite modems that enable satellite connectivity right off the bat. Thanks to T-Mobile's partnership with Starlink, however, more phones could have satellite connectivity even on existing hardware. T-Mobile's Starlink satellite service (also known as T-Satellite) is currently compatible with "satellite optimized" phones such as the iPhone 14 and newer, the Pixel 9 series, the Motorola Razr Plus 2024, the Galaxy S24 and newer, the Galaxy A36 series, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 and the Galaxy Z Fold 6. In this instance, "satellite optimization" simply means being able to seamlessly connect with a satellite in the absence of a cellular network. You'll know your phone has satellite connectivity if you can find the "Satellite" option in Settings or Control Center, usually when you're out of Wi-Fi or cellular network coverage. There'll often be a satellite icon or "SAT" symbol where the cellular symbol would be. Now Playing: In-Depth Hands-On: I Tried Google's Pixel 9 Satellite SOS 06:25 Can I use satellite connectivity while having a cellular signal? No, you generally can't have satellite and cellular connectivity at the same time. Satellite connectivity is designed to be used as a fallback when Wi-Fi or cellular networks are not available. What are the limitations of satellite connectivity? At the moment, satellite connectivity is limited to text messaging, with no support for multimedia, voice calls or data. As mentioned earlier, there are also potential physical restrictions to contend with. If you're indoors or under heavy foliage or you don't have a clear line of sight of the sky, satellite connectivity could be an issue. There is also a lack of coverage in the water off the coasts. Update, May 7: T-Satellite is free for T-Mobile customers on Go5G Next or Experience More plans and is $10 per month for other users on other T-Mobile plans and for Verizon and AT&T subscribers. Update, July 11: The free period for the T-Satellite program is nearly over. The beta program will end on July 22nd.
