Verizon and AT&T have each announced milestones in making cellphone-to-satellite video calls in partnership with satellite company AST SpaceMobile.

Verizon has completed its first cellphone-to-satellite video call, while AT&T has completed its first using satellites that will be used as part of a commercial network. There’s lining up competition to T-Mobile’s arrangement with SpaceX and Starlink on satellite-to-cell service which launched a public beta for messaging via satellite earlier this month. AT&T and Verizon have said that T-Mobile and SpaceX’s offerings would harm their networks.

Verizon pulled off “a live video call between two mobile devices with one connected via satellite and the other connected via Verizon’s terrestrial network connection,” according to a company press release. In AT&T’s case, “AT&T and AST SpaceMobile have successfully completed another video call by satellite to an everyday smartphone over AT&T spectrum,” per AT&T’s press release.

Both phone companies relied on AST’s constellation of five BlueBird satellites that were launched last September for the tests. AT&T’s initial video call test happened in June 2023.

• I made frozen fries using my oven, air fryer, grill, and stove to find the best cooking method.
• The air-fryer fries were the easiest to make, but the oven fries were the crispiest.
• Surprisingly, the winners were the panfried fries, which were the juiciest of the bunch.

French fries are hands down one of my top comfort foods. I can never resist picking up a small fry from a fast-food chain or heating some up after a night out. 

I usually make fries in the microwave when I'm feeling lazy, but I wanted to try leveling up.

I prepared a bag of frozen Ore-Ida shoestring fries in my oven, air fryer, pan, and grill to see which method would yield the best results. 

All I needed to panfry the frozen fries was a pan and some cooking oil.

I figured I'd start with the easiest household appliance to find — a simple pan. The Ore-Ida instructions said to heat ¼ cup of cooking oil in a large skillet over medium to high heat. 

I had vegetable oil handy, so I poured it into a pan and waited a few minutes for it to sizzle. 

After spreading out the fries in a thin layer, I waited for them to turn a nice golden brown.

I burned my first batch of panfried potatoes.

I'll admit, I wasn't paying close enough attention, and before I knew it, my pan was filled with dark brown, burned french fries. 

I forgot the most essential part of panfrying fries — turning them over frequently to avoid mishaps like this. I was too busy preheating my oven for the baked fries. 

Luckily, both my brother and father love crunchy fries, so they devoured this failed first batch.

This was a good opportunity to reuse the oil for my second batch.

Lacking confidence after my first attempt, I decided to stick with the amount of leftover oil in my pan and give the stove another chance. 

This time, I watched the pan and flipped my fries as often as I could. After about 10 minutes, I was satisfied with the golden, crispy fries and laid them out on a paper towel to soak up the extra oil. 

These fries were all-round perfection.

The stovetop fries were warm and juicy thanks to the vegetable oil, but they had a slightly toasty outer layer.

I couldn't imagine anything that could top this.

Next, I laid a layer of fries on a baking sheet to put in the oven.

My oven was already cranked up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, so all I had to do was arrange the fries in a single layer on a baking sheet. 

I wasn't quite sure how long to leave these fries in the oven.

Following the instructions, I heated up half of the fries in the bag for 13 to 21 minutes until they were a light golden color. 

This seemed like such a wide range, so I punched in 15 minutes and hoped for the best.

The oven-baked fries were the most aesthetically pleasing.

I was pleasantly surprised by the end result of the baked fries — especially since I was hesitant about the cooking time. They looked practically perfect, similar to my favorite McDonald's version.

I completely forgot to flip them while they were cooking, but apparently, this wasn't a super necessary step for good results. 

They were warm and tasty but a little drier than the juicy panfried fries.

I turned to my air fryer for the next taste test.

Although I had high hopes for the air fryer at the start of this test, right off the bat, I knew this option was the least practical cooking appliance.

I could only fit a handful of fries in my small basket.

The air fryer was super easy to use.

I sprayed the basket with olive oil and cranked it to 400 F for 10 minutes.

This was actually one of the easiest appliances to use since I didn't have to monitor the fries as closely as the pan or oven.

The air-fried fries were almost perfect.

I was amazed at how easy it was to make fries in the air fryer. It required almost zero effort, and they came out nearly perfect with minimal cleanup.

These fries had a nice, crunchy outer layer and a soft middle. However, they weren't as juicy as the panfried fries.

Lastly, I used my grill to cook some fries.

Making frozen fries on the grill doesn't seem much different than searing potato wedges.

I also thought it might be a nice option if I'm already grilling hot dogs, burgers, or chicken for dinner. 

The grill was easy to use, and it cooked the fries quickly.

I covered the grates with aluminum foil and threw a fistful of fries on top for 15 minutes.

They cooked pretty quickly and even had some nice char marks on them. 

I could imagine these fries served Greek-style, with lots of lemon juice and oregano.

These fries were also crispy with some nice smoky flavor, but they were still too dry and tough for my taste.

Although the small char marks were nice, the fries didn't turn golden brown and stayed somewhat pale despite being cooked thoroughly.

The stove was an easy winner, but the air fryer was a close second.

Although I struggled the most with the pan, it yielded the juiciest, crispiest fries. They got a bit soggy after a few minutes, but I honestly like them like that, too.

The air fryer was a close second, even though I could only cook a small pile of fries at a time. I could see future uses for my oven and grill as well.

Regardless of the method, next time, I'll definitely spice up the frozen fries by tossing them with salt and pepper or even oregano.

This story was originally published in August 2023 and most recently updated on February 24, 2025.

Click to check out the other appliances we've put head-to-head so far.

• I have enjoyed visiting Italy, and one of my favorite spots for avoiding tons of crowds is Bologna.
• The walkable city welcomes fewer crowds than its popular neighbors, such as Florence and Rome.
• Bologna also has world-renowned cuisine, rich history, and beautiful architecture.

While in Italy, I wanted to experience the country's finest food, art, and architecture while doing my best to avoid crowds. I was very successful at doing this in Bologna.

First of all, I appreciate that the city is far less visited than some of Italy's most popular destinations. Last year, Bologna welcomed millions fewer visitors than Florence and over 20 million fewer than Rome.

The walkable Northern Italian city also won me over with its beautiful rose- and rust-colored buildings that blend in with the hues of a sunset.

Although Bologna's relatively fewer tourists make it an appealing travel destination, that's just one of many reasons to plan a trip here.

It's a culinary haven

Bologna is affectionately nicknamed "La Grassa," which translates to "the fat" and reflects what the city is best known for: its amazing cuisine.

In fact, Bologna and the surrounding Emilia-Romagna region are the original home to many famous Italian foods such as Parmigiano Reggiano, tagliatelle al ragù, balsamic vinegar, tortellini, and mortadella.

One way to explore the famous local cuisine is by taking a food tour. However, it's not necessary. I took a spontaneous approach, dining at various restaurants ranging from big spots with the best reviews to smaller, lesser-known ones that I stumbled upon during my trip.

No matter where I ate in Bologna, I had a cozy, authentically-Italian-feeling experience. I didn't feel like I encountered dining tourist traps, which wasn't the case in Florence.

A culinary highlight of the trip was the fresh handmade pasta I ate at Sfoglia Rina, a cozy trattoria with a long tradition of producing and serving handmade pasta since its inception in 1963.

Lastly, I highly suggest taking a stroll in the medieval streets of Quadrilatero, Bologna's ancient market. It's the perfect place for a culinary adventure with its fresh produce and street food.

Bologna is also a must-visit destination for art and architecture lovers

If you appreciate beautiful architecture and are an aesthete, Bologna should be a must-visit city. It's also pedestrian-friendly, so pack your comfiest walking shoes and get ready to explore.

Start at the Piazza Maggiore, the city's central square, and check out one of its most important buildings, the Basilica di San Petronio. Then, stop by and marvel at the famous Neptune Fountain in Piazza del Nettuno, just a short distance away.

Enjoy walking below Bologna's famous porticoes, which have been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. They're said to be a symbol of Bologna's hospitality and sociability, offering visitors shelter in all seasons.

The Archiginnasio, which dates back to the 16th century, is another must-visit place in Bologna. It houses a centuries-old municipal library and a theater hall that was once used for anatomical displays and lectures.

Many will also appreciate its proximity to other popular spots in Italy

You could easily spend a few days here, leisurely taking in its old-world charms. While in the area, you can check out other nearby towns in the Emilia-Romagna region, like Modena or Parma.

This year, Bologna may be an especially attractive city to include in your Italian itinerary if you want to dodge the millions of pilgrims expected to congregate in Rome for the Jubilee.

Once you feel you are ready to brave more hordes of tourists, though, take advantage of the city's location and the fact that it is one of the main railway hubs in Italy.

By train, Bologna is less than an hour from Florence, about two hours from Rome, and an hour and a half from Venice.