The MacValley blog
Welcome to the MacValley blog, your first stop for all the latest MacValley news and views.
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The MacValley blog Editor: Tom Briant
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Saturday, October 28, 2017
Senior Correspondent Arnold Woodworth's Weekly Web Wrap-up for Wednesday, 10-25-2017
Check this web page for a daily list of free iOS apps.
A Bloomberg report made claims that Apple had reduced its requirements from suppliers on the accuracy level of Face ID. Apple has issued a statement stating that the report is “completely false” and that it expects Face ID to be the new gold standard of facial authentication.
Face ID uses a 3D camera array built out of a variety of technologies Apple has acquired since 2013 or so and miniaturized for use in the iPhone X.
Apple is calling into contention an earlier report from Bloomberg that claimed the company had lowered the accuracy of the face recognition in order to increase iPhone X production yields, calling the report “completely false” in a statement to The Verge.
The full statement from Apple elaborates that 1,000,000:1 accuracy it had originally announced is still valid. Depending on how you want to read the statement, it is possible that Bloomberg’s original report — which said that Apple had lowered quality specifications to allow components to be produced faster — is also correct, and that Apple is using careful wording here when referring to the “accuracy” of the sensor, which could remain the same, even if overall part quality control was reduced.
https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2017/10/25/16545764/apple-face-id-quality-change-report-bloomberg-false-accuracy
The full statement from Apple elaborates that 1,000,000:1 accuracy it had originally announced is still valid. Depending on how you want to read the statement, it is possible that Bloomberg’s original report — which said that Apple had lowered quality specifications to allow components to be produced faster — is also correct, and that Apple is using careful wording here when referring to the “accuracy” of the sensor, which could remain the same, even if overall part quality control was reduced.
https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2017/10/25/16545764/apple-face-id-quality-change-report-bloomberg-false-accuracy
Apple calls report of reduced iPhone X Face ID specs “completely false”
The Bloomberg report does not specify how Apple may have reduced the specifications for Face ID or whether the alleged reduction would have any tangible effect for consumers. Apple said that Face ID’s accuracy was 1,000,000:1 when it unveiled the iPhone X in September, well above the one-in-50,000 chance that a user could unlock someone else’s iPhone using the company’s Touch ID fingerprint sensor.
Best Buy has dropped the price of aluminum versions of the Apple Watch Series 2 down by another $40, resulting in 38mm models priced at just $230 and 42mm models at $260.
AW comment:
Clearance sale now that Series 3 is in stores.
The best deals on Apple products and accessories
Meet The Woman Who Wants To Change The Way You Buy Your iPhone: Apple’s retail chief Angela Ahrendts
She is now Apple’s highest-ranking woman, in charge of about 50% of the company’s workforce.
Like other high-ranking Apple executives, Ahrendts often shows up at retail stores unannounced.
Three years ago, Apple spent more than $73 million, mostly in stock, to convince Ahrendts to leave London, where she was CEO of the luxury fashion company Burberry, and move to Silicon Valley to head Apple’s online and physical retail presence.
Retail is central to Apple’s strategy: Apple Stores have greater sales per square foot than any other retailer in the world, including jewelry stores and car dealerships. In 2017, each square foot of Apple Store real estate translated to $5,546 in annual sales.
Retail is central to Apple’s strategy: Apple Stores have greater sales per square foot than any other retailer in the world, including jewelry stores and car dealerships. In 2017, each square foot of Apple Store real estate translated to $5,546 in annual sales.
Cook’s Half-Baked Defense of the Mac Mini: This Kit Is Not a Leftover
It has been three years since Apple released a major update to the Mac Mini family. However, Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO, says that it does not mean that the minimalist systems are dead.
The Mac Mini, along with the Mac Pro, have not had any major overhaul in years, leading to speculations that Apple had likely given up on those lines in favor of its more profitable and better-selling MacBook laptop and iMac desktops lineup.
16 Years Today, Apple Unveiled the Original iPod
An interesting bit of history.
Three years after it launched, Apple Pay is finally starting to gain traction with retailers
There are signs that Apple Pay, which allows users to store their credit cards in their iPhones and to buy things in stores by tapping their devices on compatible payment card readers, is finally starting to catch on. When people do make mobile payments, they're almost always using Apple Pay, according to Apple. Meanwhile one of the big problems that's slowed adoption — the large number of retailers that don't accept mobile payments — is starting to be solved.
Video:
This 'crazy, irrational decision' Apple made 20 years ago turned out to be the key to its outrageous success over Samsung
Starting a chain of Apple Stores. That decision created more value for Apple (and their stockholders) than any other.
The Apple Store experience is vastly superior to the retail experience for other smart-phones found at various phone retailers (ATT, Verizon, Sprint, etc.)
What’s In Your Bag, Dieter Bohn?
My travel bag holds:
MacBook
iPad Pro
iPhone 6S
Google Pixel
Extra battery — Anker Powercore 13000
Digital Camera — Sony RX100 IV
Portable Game Console — Nintendo Switch
AW Comment:
That’s a lot more electronic stuff than I ever carry around.
How to get better Apple Watch battery life
Here are 21 tips for making your Apple Watch last longer between charges.
Users continue to experience sluggishness, battery life problems in iOS 11 after multiple updates
Users across nearly all generations of iPhones, including the iPhone 7 family from 2016 are reporting issues stemming from the update. The iPhone 8 is seemingly not impacted by issues in iOS 11.
iOS 11 appears to be to blame, and will likely be rectified in future updates to iOS.
Apple iOS 11.1 Release on 2017-10-25, It's A Big One
Apple has launched a new iOS 11.1 update which tackles by far the biggest problem facing iOS 11 upgraders today: battery life.
However, this update is currently available only to “Beta Testers”, and not yet to most iPhone and iPad users.
So when can we expect an iOS 11.1 official release?
All signs point to late October/early November to align with the release of the controversial iPhone X.
All signs point to late October/early November to align with the release of the controversial iPhone X.
Popular YouTuber iDeviceHelp was first to spot dramatic battery improvements in iOS 11.1. His video shows an iPhone 6S Plus, iPhone 7 Plus and iPhone 8 Plus each gain up to three hours of additional screen-on time compared to when they were running iOS 11.0.3. This goes a long way to correcting the circa 60% drop many iPhones suffered after upgrading to iOS 11.
The One App Runners With An Apple Watch Should Download: iSmoothRun
It’s still not as complete an experience as you’ll get with a dedicated running watch, but iSmoothRun is as close as you’ll get while also having all the smartwatch features offered by the Apple Watch.
iOS 11: New iPhone Calculator App Adds Animations That Make Simple Addition Go Wrong
General Electric (GE) goes with Apple
Macs, iOS cheaper in long run – that means trouble for MS-Windows
GE quietly let slip that it is standardising on iPhones and iPadsand will let any GE employee who wants a Mac have one, instead of a Windows PC.
GE follows the lead of IBM, which has supplied 100,000 staff with Macs, and has been touting the lower cost of Macs in the enterprise as a result. IBM claimed last year that 40 per cent of Windows users called the IT help desk, compared to 5 per cent of Mac users - a shocking figure. A deployment of 90,000 required only five admins.
Apple’s iOS 11 operating system doesn’t do a great deal for the iPhone, but it transforms the iPad into a viable computer.
Here’s a discussion about the above article:
Walmart plans to deploy 100,000 Macs to save on employee PC costs
IBM noted that PC users drive twice the number of support calls compared to Mac users, and that PC support tickets require desk side support by IT personnel five times as often. The company's own analysis showed that each Mac deployed saves the company $270 in support costs compared to a Windows PC.
Delta Airlines allegedly switching flight crew hardware from Microsoft Surface to Apple iPad in early 2018
Airline Delta is allegedly in the process of switching its staff from Windows-based devices to iOS, with flight attendants set to replace Nokia handsets with the iPhone 7 Plus in early 2018, while pilots will apparently see their Microsoft Surface tablets exchanged for the 10.5-inch iPad Pro.
Delta Air Lines Says Goodbye to Microsoft Surface, Hello to Apple iPhone and iPad
Delta Air Lines will provide nearly 30,000 flight crew members with Apple iPads and iPhones, reversing course from a high-profile deal announced four years ago that armed flight crews with Microsoft hardware.
For the pilots, an iPad Pro will replace Surface tablets that were used as an “electronic flight bag,” which replaced paper maps, charts, and other documents that pilots typically carry.
Best ad blocker for iPhone and iPad
iOS 11 enhances the ad blocking experience even further, providing the ability to block trackers that watch what we do online and target ads at us based on that information.
The catch? It’s not enabled by default. You’ll need to download one of the hundreds of ad blockers now available on the App Store.
The catch? It’s not enabled by default. You’ll need to download one of the hundreds of ad blockers now available on the App Store.
This article discusses the author’s five favorite ad blocker apps.
iPad Pro and Pencil Review — Hands Down the Best Tablet Computer Around
The iPad Pro will shine is in the creative artist space. Not only do the upgrades provide a much smoother experience for designers, there’s a lot there for creatives of other mediums such as musicians.
Pencil is a brilliant device, and definitely worth the investment alongside the iPad Pro units.
Here’s what a professional photographer did after he went shopping for a “professional” level Mac and was disappointed by Apple offerings:
He custom built his own Windows computer.
He decided to leave Apple and for the first time in his life and built a PC. Not just any PC, “his” PC.
Apple iMac (2017) review
The 2017 iMac is a fine update to Apple’s desktop computing platform, but suffers from a few nagging design quirks, as well as its own place amid rapidly-evolving desktop design trends. Still, for Mac fans in need of an upgrade, the 21.5-inch model presents surprisingly impressive value.
Despite a few bugbears and an arguably dated design, the average Mac fan (or would-be fan) will find plenty to love about yet another iconic Apple computer.
The best cell-phone carrier deals for saving money on the iPhone X
We've rounded together the top carrier offers for the iPhone X below and what you need to know about each deal.
Everything you need to know about buying the iPhone X through Apple's iPhone upgrade program
Apple's iPhone upgrade program is a 24-month installment loan with 0% interest. It includes AppleCare and breaks down the cost of both the phone and the insurance plan into 24 equal payments. Sales tax is due up front, no matter how you buy it.
After at least six months and 12 payments, you can trade in your phone and upgrade to a newer model. But you don't have to. Once you make all 24 payments, the phone is yours to keep.
After at least six months and 12 payments, you can trade in your phone and upgrade to a newer model. But you don't have to. Once you make all 24 payments, the phone is yours to keep.
This article explains, in detail, how Apple's iPhone upgrade program works.
How to fix problems with iOS 11 on your iPhone or iPad
For some, iOS 11 has proven to be problematic —but not for everyone, and not on every device. Here are a few things to try to (hopefully) clean up some issues before Apple issues a fix in software.
A new Reddit client has launched today for iPhone and iPad that has been built specifically with iOS in mind. Apollo is a full featured Reddit client with 3D Touch support, customizable gestures, a fast Jump Bar, and much more.
Apollo is a free universal iOS app for iPhone and iPad with no ads. There is also a Pro version for $2.99 which unlocks submitting posts, automatic dark mode, customizing gestures, customizing the app icon, and more.
Faceoff: Siri vs. Cortana vs. Google Assistant vs. Alexa
Bottom line:
None of the AI assistants are perfect; this is young technology, and it has a long way to go. There were some questions that none of the virtual assistants on my list could answer.
None of the AI assistants are perfect; this is young technology, and it has a long way to go. There were some questions that none of the virtual assistants on my list could answer.
Judging purely on out-of-the-box functionality, I would choose either Siri or Google Assistant, and I would make the final choice based on hardware preferences. None of the assistants are good enough to go out of your way to adopt. Choose between Siri and Google Assistant based on convenience and what hardware you already have.
Google Pixelbook first impressions: Sleek, powerful, but that OS…
The hardware sure left me impressed. But the OS gives the impression that there’s quite a bit of work that could go into it for a better experience. In its current form, I’m definitely not trading in my Windows laptop or Macbook Air for a Pixelbook.
Chrome OS still doesn’t come across as a complete product.
While the Pixelbook supports gestures on the trackpad, the response is nowhere close to what a Macbook offers.
How to use and train Apple's Siri for Messages, Calendar, and iTunes Music on your iPhone
There are a lot of people trying out Apple's voice recognition technology every day —and getting upset that it's not exactly like a Star Trek computer. Siri does need training to be as good as it can, and to assist in that endeavor, there are a series of phrases and query construction tips to get started with.
If you're planning on using Siri a lot, speak to it normally, in your regular cadence. Your patience will be rewarded by more accurate interpretation the more you use it.
Lots more on how to get Siri working in this article.
Video:
How to Get Siri to Pronounce Your Friends' Names Right
Siri really sucks at pronouncing uncommon names. Thankfully, there’s a solution if you’re tired of hearing Siri mispronounce the same names over and over.
Play the video to learn how to fix it.
Steve Wozniak Says He Won't Buy the iPhone X on Day One: 'I'd Rather Wait and Watch That One’
The iPhone X is going to be the first iPhone I didn’t—on day one—upgrade to,” he said. “But my wife will, so I’ll be close enough to see it.”
iOS apps can turn on your camera any time without warning
A top iOS security researcher has uncovered yet another privacy loophole in Apple's mobile firmware.
Felix Krause, founder of Fastlane.Tools, said the way Apple's software handles camera access and recording is leaving many fans vulnerable to being spied on by apps on their gadgets without any notification or warning.
Krause explained today that because Apple only requires the user to enable camera access one time and then gives free rein without requiring a camera light or notification, a malicious application could go far beyond its intended level of access.
Felix Krause, founder of Fastlane.Tools, said the way Apple's software handles camera access and recording is leaving many fans vulnerable to being spied on by apps on their gadgets without any notification or warning.
Krause explained today that because Apple only requires the user to enable camera access one time and then gives free rein without requiring a camera light or notification, a malicious application could go far beyond its intended level of access.
With Camera Permission, iPhone Apps Can Take Pictures And Videos Without You Noticing
This is not a bug, but keep it in mind when a random app asks you for permission to access your camera.
This is not a bug, but keep it in mind when a random app asks you for permission to access your camera.
The author of this article says Apple stock is still a great investment.
He wrote:
Apple is no longer a device-driven company. Instead, it’s the ecosphere that’ll fuel another trillion dollars in growth as it pivots into a new business model most investors don’t yet understand, let alone recognize.
https://totalwealthresearch.com/2017/10/the-beginning-of-a-correction-or-another-buying-opportunity/
Creep signs plea deal for celebrity nudes hack
A third creep has pleaded guilty to phishing passwords for people’s Apple iCloud and Gmail accounts and then ransacking them for nude photos in the 2014 Celebgate photo thefts.
OOPS!!!! 1 + 2 + 3 does NOT necessarily equal 6, according the this app.
To make sure that the iPhone's numbers are right, the best thing is to wait until the animation has faded and press the button again, while at the same time making sure the number has appeared in the read-out at the top. (There are also other calculator apps, like PCalc, available in the App Store.)
Third person linked to 2014 iCloud hack that exposed explicit images of dozens of celebrities
Emilio Herrera signed a plea agreement and will plead guilty to a felony violation of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. Herrera will face 5 years in federal prison at most.
It’s believed that he participated in a phishing scam to obtain iCloud and Gmail usernames and passwords for the celebrities. Over the course of April 27, 2013 through August 2014, Herrera sent emails to celebrities and other women posing as their Internet service provider. The emails would ask for username and passwords for accounts, which Herrera than used to access the photos in question.
When hundreds of nude photos of celebrities were leaked online in 2014, there was initial speculation that iCloud had been hacked, but following an investigation, Apple determined the celebrity accounts had been compromised by weak passwords. A Find My iPhone vulnerability that allowed multiple password entry attempts may have also been at fault.
Herrera sent email messages resembling legitimate correspondence from internet service providers in a bid to dupe victims into furnishing account usernames and passwords. During the operation, conducted from April 2013 through August 2014, more than 550 people fell for the gambit, allowing the hacker access to their iCloud and Gmail accounts.
In 2014, a cache of nude photos and video belonging to prominent entertainment industry figures circulated through the dark web before wide circulation via file sharing protocols like BitTorrent.
Though Herrera engaged in the phishing scheme, investigators have found no evidence that he shared or uploaded the compromising data, nor has he been linked to the 2014 leak.
All wifi networks' are vulnerable to hacking, security expert discovers
The security protocol used to protect the vast majority of wifi connections has been broken, potentially exposing wireless internet traffic to malicious eavesdroppers and attacks, according to the researcher who discovered the weakness.
Mathy Vanhoef, a security expert at Belgian university KU Leuven, discovered the weakness in the wireless security protocol WPA2, and published details of the flaw.
Mathy Vanhoef, a security expert at Belgian university KU Leuven, discovered the weakness in the wireless security protocol WPA2, and published details of the flaw.
Mac OSX Trojan malware spread via compromised software downloads
Downloads of a popular Mac OSX media player and an accompanying download manager were infected with trojan malware after the developer's servers were hacked.
Elmedia Player by software developer Eltima boasts over one million users, some of whom have may have also unwittingly installed Proton, a Remote Access Trojan which specifically targets Macs for the purposes of spying and theft. Attackers also managed to compromise a second Eltima product - Folx - with the same malware.
Elmedia Player by software developer Eltima boasts over one million users, some of whom have may have also unwittingly installed Proton, a Remote Access Trojan which specifically targets Macs for the purposes of spying and theft. Attackers also managed to compromise a second Eltima product - Folx - with the same malware.
Microchipping Humans: First They Traded Freedom For Security, Now It’s Privacy For Convenience
One technological wolf-in-sheep’s-clothing slipped unobtrusively into Europe as an apparent answer to accessibility in the workplace: RFID chips — grain-of-rice-sized, injectable, memory-packed, protean implants — designed to identify the bearer for use of equipment, purchases, logins, and other operations generally requiring more than the wave of one’s implant.
RFIDs cannot track a human being like a GPS-enabled device — functioning more like an office key card than homing device, microchip implants will only retain the data necessary for its specific duties — but that hasn’t quelled a murmur suspicious that advancements mean tracking is coming soon.
Several politicians across the U.S. have introduced legislation to ban forever mandatory RFID chip implantation.
How Social Media Endangers Knowledge
The idea behind Wikipedia—like all encyclopedias before it—has been to collect the entirety of human knowledge.
That trend toward rationality and enlightenment was endangered long before the advent of the Internet. As Neil Postman noted in his 1985 book Amusing Ourselves to Death, the rise of television introduced not just a new medium but a new discourse: a gradual shift from a typographic culture to a photographic one, which in turn meant a shift from rationality to emotions, exposition to entertainment.
Television reduced many aspects of modern life to entertainment, sensationalism, and commerce.
At first, the Internet seemed to push against this trend.
Social networks, though, have since colonized the web for television’s values. Social networks, though, have since colonized the web for television’s values. From Facebook to Instagram, the medium refocuses our attention on videos and images, rewarding emotional appeals—‘like’ buttons—over rational ones.
Now the challenge is to save Wikipedia and its promise of a free and open collection of all human knowledge amid the conquest of new and old television—how to collect and preserve knowledge when nobody cares to know. Television has even infected Wikipedia itself—today many of the most popular entries tend to revolve around television series or their cast.
Bill Gates and Steve Jobs raised their kids tech-free — and it should've been a red flag
"What is it these wealthy tech executives know about their own products that their consumers don't?" the authors wrote. The answer, according to a growing body of evidence, is the addictive power of digital technology.
Jobs, who was the CEO of Apple until his death in 2012, revealed in a 2011 New York Times interview that he prohibited his kids from using the newly-released iPad. "We limit how much technology our kids use at home," Jobs told reporter Nick Bilton.
In the years since Gates implemented his household policy, the billionaire philanthropist has taken a keen interest in personalized education, an approach that uses electronic devices to help tailor lesson plans for each student.
Technology in these cases is being used as specifically as possible — and in ways Gates recognizes as useful for a student's development, not as entertainment.
http://www.businessinsider.com/screen-time-limits-bill-gates-steve-jobs-red-flag-2017-10
Technology in these cases is being used as specifically as possible — and in ways Gates recognizes as useful for a student's development, not as entertainment.
http://www.businessinsider.com/screen-time-limits-bill-gates-steve-jobs-red-flag-2017-10
Editing Your History on Amazon
The shopping site keeps a record of the products you browse in the hope you’ll return to close the deal, but you can turn off the tracking.
Log into your Amazon account.
Click the “Browsing History” link.
Next, click “Manage History” link.
Find “Turn Browsing History on / off” and click the button.
Friday, October 27, 2017
Holiday Computer Tips for the Befuddled
Hi MacValley Blog readers:
With the arrival of Halloween and a return to normal standard time (whatever that is), I should start passing out tips for the holidays.
Write down your Wi-Fi password and put it into your cell phone’s notes application right now. That way, you won’t get caught in your pajamas, or whatever you wear to bed, on some holiday morning frantically looking for the Wi-Fi router password!
Set up a separate table for the holiday food and drink. Do Not put a laptop on the same table as a mimosa, eggnog, or any other liquid. I recently tripped over a cord, spilled a drink and shorted out the display in a laptop. So, learn from my mistake!
Get a supply of those moist towelettes to wipe up spills. Get a can of compressed air to blow off the dust.
If you have the time, spend some time cleaning up your computer desk. I can tell you it’s probably gross looking.
Don’t use Windex or any other glass cleaning product to clean an LCD screen. This applies to your big screen TV or a laptop or tablet. No, no, no! Get an LCD cleaning kit. They’re in the checkout lane at Frys, Best Buy and at Costco in the jumbo pack.
What can you get for someone who’s obsessed with any sort of computers?
A good set of headphones, because you probably don’t want to hear the noise from a video game or YouTube video on any given holiday morning. I recently ordered a set of Sony MDR-7506 headphones from Amazon and I love them.
An extra monitor in case the laptop’s display goes out. You want one or more of the following connections: (1) VGA, which is compatible with computers going back to the early 1990s; (2) HDMI, which means you can plug a video game console into it; (3) Displayport, which works with many current computers; (4) DVI, which a lot of monitors include. See if you can find out what video ports are on the computer of whom you intend to give the monitor to. You may need adaptor cables!
No, you don’t need to buy the 34” curved 4K gaming monitor. I’m assuming the display goes blank when they start writing their term papers at 3:00 AM the morning before they are due. A 23” 1920 x1080 display for $120 is fine.
An extra wired Windows keyboard and mouse. At some point, your computer nerd will need an extra keyboard and mouse at an inconvenient time. They’ll remember you fondly if you gave them a box with a spare set of them. Don’t go super-fancy, Amazon Basic is fine for these emergencies.
If your video gamer tells you they’d really like a $800-dollar video card, tell them that Starbucks is always hiring. Nothing like some impetus to get them out of the house!
A Brother P-Touch labeler. Lots of stuff that looks the same and needs labelling. A God-send! (And don’t forget extra batteries!)
A pack of Post-it/Sticky notes. Get these at Costco or Staples or Office Depot for each member of the family.
A blister pack of Sharpie pens. You need these to label CDs and DVDs that they create in their computers. If they don’t know what CDs and DVDs are, you can use these with the Sticky notes.
Cans of compressed air. Always handy for cleaning stuff out of those hard to reach corners.
If it’s Christmas morning and you can’t think of anything, just go get an Amazon gift card for them at the nearest store. They can buy digital music, computer mice, and a Star-Wars themed coffee pot.
Stuff not to buy for the holidays:
No Tape cassettes. If they own a cassette tape recorder, as I do, they already have the cassettes.
No Floppy disks in any size. They are too destructible. Buy a 5-pack of USB flash drives instead.
No Holiday music in any form. Let them get this on their own! It’ll go on sale after the holidays. Unless you’ve got the original manuscript of White Christmas autographed by Irving Berlin, holiday music has come out of every musical orifice imaginable.
What are my holiday plans?
I plan to read David Sedaris’s Holidays on Ice while drinking Margaritas and listening to Chopin. As far as I know, Chopin never wrote any holiday music or drank any margaritas
As for margaritas at 8:00 am, well, it’s got to be raining somewhere!
Tom Briant
Editor, MacValley Blog
Sunday, October 22, 2017
Senior Correspondent Arnold Woodworth's Weekly Web Wrap-up for October 16, 2017
All 2018 iPhones to adopt Face ID as Apple abandons Touch ID
KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is out tonight with a new investor note. Kuo explains that, despite initially believing Apple might readopt fingerprint technology, it’s now likely that all 2018 iPhone models will move to Face ID and leave Touch ID in the past.
Apple to kill off TouchID (fingerprint) sensors and add FaceID to ALL iPhones next year
The TrueDepth camera that enables Face ID will do more than securely unlock your iPhone X.
That depth-sensing camera will know if it’s you or someone else looking at your handset phone. If it’s not you, Face ID will be smart enough to detect someone’s else face and minimize any notification details.
Is Apple Pushing Photographers to Use Windows?
For years, I've been the biggest supporter of everyone using a Mac, except gamers. Especially if you are a photographer or graphic designer, it just makes sense and it always has. But as current events unfold it's becoming harder and harder to stick with the platform, no matter how great it actually is.
Apple's Mac Pro releases are few and far in between and the last release was the 2013 MacPro, and it was absolutely cutting edge with the 2nd Gen PCI-e SSD, good GPU, fast RAM, Thunderbolt, etc., but it's now four years old already and in computer terms that is an eternity.
Yes, MacOS is ideal for what I do, but at some point a non-Apple computer that is 20x faster has to make a difference.
Apple is leaving a certain market of professionals behind with the path they are headed down, a really expensive high-end iMac which I don't want anyway, or pay a lot of money for really old technology and there's no in-between. That's a rough place to be in because I truly love MacOS and what it gives me for my workflow. Windows will definitely be cumbersome but the speed of the computer is so much farther advanced, that it is appearing to now be the lesser of two evils.
Beware of sketchy iOS popups that want your Apple ID
Benign iOS prompts are indistinguishable from those generated by malicious apps.
Benign iOS prompts are indistinguishable from those generated by malicious apps.
One of iOS' rougher edges are the popups it produces on a regular but seemingly random basis. These popups require users to enter their Apple ID before they can install or update an app or complete some other mundane task. The prompts have grown so common most people don't think twice about them.
Mobile app developer Felix Krause makes a compelling case that these popups represent a potential security hole through which attackers can steal user credentials.
Mobile app developer Felix Krause makes a compelling case that these popups represent a potential security hole through which attackers can steal user credentials.
iOS Privacy: steal.password - Easily get the user's Apple ID password, just by asking
Hackers know how to display a pop-up password request that looks exactly like Apple’s official pop-up.
Even users who know a lot about technology have a hard time detecting that those alerts are “phishing” attacks.
Read the instructions in this article on how to protect yourself.
8 tips to get the most out of the new iOS 11 App Store
The Apple Watch is now in its third iteration, and while it may appear that not much has changed on the surface, there have been some developments under the hood.
The big draw for the Series 3 is the option of LTE connectivity. This means greater independence from your paired iPhone, and always-on connectivity wherever you get network coverage. The best news of all is that your Apple Watch 3 will share the same phone number as your iPhone, doing away with one of the biggest grievances of previous LTE-enabled smartwatches: juggling multiple numbers.
http://www.trustedreviews.com/reviews/apple-watch-3
The big draw for the Series 3 is the option of LTE connectivity. This means greater independence from your paired iPhone, and always-on connectivity wherever you get network coverage. The best news of all is that your Apple Watch 3 will share the same phone number as your iPhone, doing away with one of the biggest grievances of previous LTE-enabled smartwatches: juggling multiple numbers.
http://www.trustedreviews.com/reviews/apple-watch-3
How iPhone X Will Kick Start Facial Recognition Acceptance
Although, the iPhone X isn’t the first phone to incorporate facial recognition technology. The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 also features facial recognition, but it’s less sophisticated and easier to fool.
The 25 best Apple Watch apps (that we’re actually using)
How to empty your Safari Reading List
3 ways your iPhone's Mail app just got better
How To Turn On Emergency SOS In iOS 11, Because The New Feature Might Keep You Safe
There is one part of iOS 11 that everyone seems to agree is a good thing: the Emergency SOS feature
But how to turn it on varies, depending on what kind of phone you have.
How to bypass a forgotten passcode on iPhone or iPad
A useful trick if you've forgotten your iPad or iPhone's passcode: how to bypass the code and 'hack' your way in
A useful trick if you've forgotten your iPad or iPhone's passcode: how to bypass the code and 'hack' your way in
Forgetting the passcode to your iPhone or iPad is a serious situation, but not necessarily a disastrous one. In this tutorial, we explain how to bypass the passcode. You'll have to restore your device (wiping its contents), but at least you'll be able to use it again.
If you have a bit more confidence - and a legitimate reason to want to access an iPhone or iPad for which you haven't got the code - then there is software that can help. We discuss your options here too.
If you have a bit more confidence - and a legitimate reason to want to access an iPhone or iPad for which you haven't got the code - then there is software that can help. We discuss your options here too.
If you're reading this page because you just pinched an iPhone and then discovered it was locked, however, the police have already been notified and are on their way as we speak. Okay, they're not really, but you will find nothing to help you in this article.
iOS 11 lets you turn off iPhone or iPad without the power button
Among the lesser known features included in Apple's latest iOS 11 is a new software function that lets users turn off their device without touching a physical button, handy in the case of random hardware failures and other glitches.
Apple Watch notification helps save man's life: 'It would have been fatal’
The 28-year-old says he owes his life to the HeartWatch app, which monitors a person’s heart rate constantly throughout the day and notifies them when it goes above or below a certain threshold.
He told The Telegraph his doctor was glad he called, telling him that if he had waited any longer “it would have been fatal”.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2017/10/15/apple-watch-notification-helps-save-mans-life-would-have-fatal/
He told The Telegraph his doctor was glad he called, telling him that if he had waited any longer “it would have been fatal”.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2017/10/15/apple-watch-notification-helps-save-mans-life-would-have-fatal/
A Brooklyn man says a notification sent to him by his Apple Watch may have saved his life.
James Green shared his incredible story on Twitter earlier this week, saying the heart watch app on his device sent him a notification that his heart rate had jumped.
James Green shared his incredible story on Twitter earlier this week, saying the heart watch app on his device sent him a notification that his heart rate had jumped.
11 reasons you should buy an iPhone 6S instead of the iPhone 8 or iPhone X
It’s cheaper.
It looks nearly identical to the new iPhone 8.
It charges just as fast as the iPhone 8 and the iPhone X
It still runs smoothly.
Just to name a few.
Forget the iPhone 8 and iPhone X — here are 7 reasons you should buy the iPhone 7 instead
1. The iPhone 7 is more affordable
5. iPhones 7, 8 and X have similar cameras
7. Same great experience of using iOS.
8. Lower cost.
to name a few.
Apple Working on Fix for Users Who Can't Open GarageBand on iOS 11
If the GarageBand app won't open after updating your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to iOS 11, Apple says to turn off iCloud for GarageBand on the device in Settings > Apple ID, iCloud, iTunes & App Store > iCloud.
After toggling off the feature, you won't be able to access any GarageBand songs stored in iCloud Drive until this issue is fixed, but they won't be removed from iCloud. New songs will be saved to your device locally.
After toggling off the feature, you won't be able to access any GarageBand songs stored in iCloud Drive until this issue is fixed, but they won't be removed from iCloud. New songs will be saved to your device locally.
Movies Anywhere brings your movies from Amazon, Google Play, and iTunes together into one app
Being able to buy a digital copy of a movie in a second through something like Google Play or iTunes or Amazon is great.
Keeping track of where you bought each movie, though, is pretty busted. When you’re buying based on where it’s cheapest or which device you’re currently watching on, it’s easy to end up with a bunch of movies sitting behind a bunch of different store’s gates. It shouldn’t work like this… and it seems like the big names are finally coming to agree.
Keeping track of where you bought each movie, though, is pretty busted. When you’re buying based on where it’s cheapest or which device you’re currently watching on, it’s easy to end up with a bunch of movies sitting behind a bunch of different store’s gates. It shouldn’t work like this… and it seems like the big names are finally coming to agree.
Movies Anywhere: Watch all your Amazon, Google, and iTunes titles in one place
The new app launches with the backing of a slew of Hollywood studios.
The new free app Movies Anywhere acts like a digital locker for the movies you've paid for through various online retailers, including Amazon Video, Google Play, iTunes, and Vudu. Signing up for a Movies Anywhere account gives you access to the digital locker, which you can then populate with purchased or redeemed movies by logging in to the accounts you have with those online retailers.
The new app launches with the backing of a slew of Hollywood studios.
The new free app Movies Anywhere acts like a digital locker for the movies you've paid for through various online retailers, including Amazon Video, Google Play, iTunes, and Vudu. Signing up for a Movies Anywhere account gives you access to the digital locker, which you can then populate with purchased or redeemed movies by logging in to the accounts you have with those online retailers.
Entrepreneur in London loses entire business in one ‘laptop-shattering’ second
His $1600 MacBook Pro was completely chewed up by a subway station escalator.
Philip Bellessort heard a crunching noise and realised the bag containing had been sucked into the escalator steps as they rose.
Why Apple won't move the Mac to ARM
AW Comment:
ARM is the microprocessor used in the latest models of iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.
Intel makes the X-86 microprocessors used in the latest MacBooks and iMacs.
The author of this article wrote:
There is simply no technology or marketing reason for Apple to migrate macOS from x86 to ARM. I'm certain they could do it, but without a good reason, why would they?
Why you want a macOS home server, and how to get one going
AW Comment:
This is an article for those who are technically inclined.
Very interesting.
The author tells the story of how he converted an old Mac into a server and how he continued to use a server for many years. This is something that not many people do.
Five signs your laptop is in trouble
When something goes seriously wrong with your laptop, you usually receive an advance warning. A virus might alter your security settings, for example, or a failing hard drive might start making funny noises. If you catch these signals early, you can quickly diagnose and fix your computer.
Many of our recommended solutions involve a thorough malware scan. If you haven't already installed antivirus and antimalware programs on your system, do that now.
1. Sluggish and unresponsive performance
2. Persistent error messages
3. Unrequested changes to settings
4. Random web pop-ups
5. Strange noises
Apple isn’t an innovator – it’s more than that
Apple isn’t an innovator when it comes to inventing new technologies.
What makes Apple special is the user experience it delivers.
What makes Apple special is the user experience it delivers.
Video:
The secret to Steve Jobs' and Elon Musk's success, according to a former Apple and Tesla executive
They both had a vision of the future that other people didn’t see.
Apple had a vision of the future of “How can you make communications simple and easy?”.
Apple’s iPhone was disruptive when it was first introduced. But their “app store” was much more disruptive.
For years, Apple never advertised it’s iPhones explicitly. Instead, their ads said “there’s an app for that”, which you could install on your iPhone by buying from their app store.
Elon Musk’s vision was to move the world away from fossil fuels and into renewable resources. Tesla builds electric cars, which need lots of batteries. What else could those batteries be used for? Storing solar energy in the batteries and then running your house off of them? Look at the bigger picture here: Solar + batteries + electric cars + electric homes. Tesla becomes a “get you off the grid” company. Big disruption coming?
Why didn’t older and more established phone companies do what Apple did?
Why didn’t older and more established car companies do what Tesla did?
Because they don’t see things the way a Steve Jobs and an Elon Musk do.
Three Disruptive Technologies That Will Transform The World Into Technocracy Within 10 Years
The first disruptive technology is 5G, or Fifth Generation, cell phone communication protocol. 5G is widely expected to power the Internet of Everything (IoE)
Artificial Intelligence (AI), which is the second major disruptive technology.
The third disruptive technology is a new super-material called graphene. Did I mention wearable graphene sensors? Think, Internet of Everything!
It’s all about connectivity and control. It’s Scientific Dictatorship. In one word, it’s Technocracy.
Graphene is a two-dimensional (e.g., one atom thick) atomic-scale hexagonal lattice made of Carbon atoms. It is 200 times stronger than steel and yet is flexible like skin. It conducts heat and is as conductive as silicon used in semiconductors.
You go talk to kindergarteners or first grade kids,
you find a class full of science enthusiasts.
And they ask deep questions!!!
The ask “What is a dream?”, “Why do we have toes?”,
“Why is the moon round?”, “Why is grass green?”,
“What is the birthday of the world?”.
This are profound, important questions!!
They just bubble right out of them.
You go talk to 12th traders and there’s none of that.
They’ve become incurious.
Something terrible has happened between kindergarten and the 12th grade.
— Carl Sagan
Making the Lives of Cybercriminals and Spies Harder Online
Q. As a cybersecurity reporter, what do you do to secure your technology setup?
A. I’ve covered a few too many breaches of password managers and of security companies, and sophisticated nation-state attacks, to believe that there is such thing as “secure” tech.
So now my goal is to try to make the lives of cybercriminals and spies harder online, and take my most sensitive communications completely offline — which in practice means meeting my most coveted sources at a set date, time and place once a quarter.
Online, I do make sure to use two-factor authentication whenever it is available.
Q. What do you avoid to prevent sensitive information from being exposed?
A. Alexa, Google Home, Dropcam and anything that has real-time access to my home scare me to death. Likewise, I steer clear of any free music, games or entertainment services for fear of catching a virus. And I never, ever click on links in emails.
Also, I stay far from any app that has not been vetted by Google Play or Apple.
Also, I stay far from any app that has not been vetted by Google Play or Apple.
AW comment: Lots more good computer security info in this article.
IRS awards fraud-prevention contract to Equifax
The contract comes as lawmakers lash out at the company over the major security breach that exposed personal information of millions of Americans.
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/irs-awards-fraud-prevention-contract-to-equifax-report-2017-10-03
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/irs-awards-fraud-prevention-contract-to-equifax-report-2017-10-03
After the Equifax breach, this is how many people have checked their credit
About 25% of consumers have set up spending alerts on their credit or debit cards in the wake of the breach, the company found in a survey of 1,000 people from Sept. 22 to Sept. 25. And 78% of consumers still haven’t put a credit freeze on their accounts.
Border Patrol Launches Program to Scan the Face of Every Person Leaving U.S.
The Traveler Verification Service is currently being tested at six airports.
The ACLU warns the program will endanger civil liberties in several ways. The organization says the program will normalize facial recognition as a checkpoint technology. The danger, the ACLU says, is that once the government begins to collect biometrics from every person crossing the border, they will likely expand the practice to new places and for new purposes. Border Patrol told the ACLU they will delete live photos after 14 days, but that could change.
The most disturbing detail of this program is the fact that Congress has never authorized the use of facial recognition technology on Americans.
The most disturbing detail of this program is the fact that Congress has never authorized the use of facial recognition technology on Americans.
This is likely the beginning of an incremental strategy to remove as much freedom as possible for travelers.
What are Americans going to do in order to combat the growth of the police state? Surveillance and militarization is the order of the day in America 2017. We need to demand airlines reject these biometric policies and stand together against further invasion of our privacy.
Spies like us: How computers bonded the U.S. and Russia
A very interesting article how how the Russians have been hacking into American computers for decades.
Thursday, October 5, 2017
Senior Correspodent Arnold Woodworth's Weekly Web Wrap-up for Tuesday, October 3, 2017
Official Apple Announcement:
macOS High Sierra now available as a free update
Apple today announced macOS High Sierra, the latest release of the world’s most advanced desktop operating system, is now available as a free update.
macOS High Sierra, First Take: Solid foundations, but light on eye candy
Apple told us that APFS is primarily designed for use on the Mac's boot drive, and will retain compatibility with external drives using HFS+, so there should be no problems continuing to use older external drives that contain all your Time Machine backups. However, third-party disk utilities will need to be updated to support APFS.
Will your Mac run macOS High Sierra?
Here is the official list of supported hardware:
• MacBook - Late 2009 or later
• iMac / iMac Pro - Late 2009 or later
• MacBook Air - 2010 or later
• MacBook Pro - 2010 or later
• Mac mini - 2010 or later
• Mac Pro - 2010 or later
Patrick Wardle, ex-NSA analyst and now head of research at security firm Synack, found the problem Monday, warning that it could allow anyone able to run malicious code on a Mac to pilfer passwords from the keychain. Apple uses the keychain to store user passwords and should only be accessible to the owner of the Mac. All those logins are typically unlocked with a master password. But Wardle, as shown in the video below, was able to carry out an attack that sent all the contents of the keychain to an attacker without the need for that password.
He claimed it wasn't hard to get malicious code running on a Mac today. Indeed, he's repeatedly shown how to execute attacks on Apple's operating system in recent years.
Wardle tested the exploit on High Sierra, but said that older versions of macOS and OS X are also vulnerable.
Video of KeyChain Stealer app in action.
Note that when this web page opens, only the video is visible.
This is unlike youtube.com, which has other things visible in addition to the video being played.
MacOS Keychain issue shows that even if you install the latest OS update, security is never a guarantee so take appropriate measures, researcher says.
A security researcher posted a video showing that malicious applications running on the new OS can silently steal usernames and passwords stored in users' keychains.
Another requirement for his attack to succeed is for the keychain to be unlocked, which is the default state of the keychain after the user logs on. Even in this state, applications still need user confirmation to access it so Wardle's attack violates the keychain's expected behavior.
Users can manually lock their keychains using the Keychain Access tool provided by macOS.
Users can manually lock their keychains using the Keychain Access tool provided by macOS.
9 reasons you should buy an iPhone 8 instead of an iPhone X
The best iPhone for every type of person and budget
This article has good advice on whether you should buy a new iPhone or not and,
if you should, which iPhone is best for you.
Video:
Here's why your iPhone has a tiny hole next to the camera
Video:
I won't trade in my iPhone 6s for an iPhone 8 or iPhone X — here's why
I bought the iPhone 6s Plus when it was first released and I skipped over the iPhone 7 generation. And now I think I'm going to skip over the iPhone 8. So Apple is still selling the iPhone 6s even though it's a two-generation old phone now. That’s testament of how good the iPhone 6s is.
APPLE HAS released the kernel of its iOS and macOS operating systems into the open source.
Both are now available on GitHub, representing the first time that Apple has released such integral code into the public domain.
Both are now available on GitHub, representing the first time that Apple has released such integral code into the public domain.
Apple is known to contribute to the open source community already, with Swift being a prime example, but this is a big gift.
https://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/3018430/apple-releases-ios-and-mac-os-source-code-to-github-ahead-of-iphone-x-launch
https://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/3018430/apple-releases-ios-and-mac-os-source-code-to-github-ahead-of-iphone-x-launch
Is it Worth Buying AppleCare+ for iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus?
Since it only takes one accident to pay for itself, if not save you money, many users feel AppleCare+ is ultimately worth it.
AppleCare+ will save you at least $120 if the rear glass on your iPhone shatters even once.
AppleCare+: Everything you need to know about Apple’s extended warranty program
Lots of interesting information about AppleCare in this article.
iPhone 8 Plus Displays Are Popping-Out, Literally
What could be giving sleepless nights to Apple’s engineering team are three reports of battery swelling in the iPhone 8 Plus, and that the deformed batteries caused displays to pop-off.
iPhone 8 owners need not panic yet, as three faulty devices out of the millions of iPhone 8 sold so far, is not really a cause for concern. However, if you own an iPhone 8 and see any signs of swelling, stop using it, and contact Apple Care right away.
Tim Cook Jumps to No. 3 in Vanity Fair’s ‘New Establishment List’
Apple iOS 11.0.1 Starts Causing Problems
Both Reddit and Apple’s official @applesupport Twitter account are currently being swamped with complaints about Apple’s latest iOS update.
Warning: Latest iOS 11 Update Making Life Hell For Some
Apple will likely release a fix to the problems.
Apple Watch Series 3 review: better late than never
Apple has finally brought cellular service to the Apple Watch, and with this latest iteration it looks like the wearable is at last delivering on some our earliest hopes for the series
Apple has finally brought cellular service to the Apple Watch, and with this latest iteration it looks like the wearable is at last delivering on some our earliest hopes for the series
We've seen smartwatches with cellular connectivity before, of course, but most have fallen far short of making it work well. This is where Apple usually swoops in, late to the party, but with a solution that is reliable and simple to use.
This killer app of the new Watch is the cellular service, so don't scrimp on that £70 and go for that version.
How to use Apple’s terrific document scanner in iOS 11
You don’t need a separate app anymore
You don’t need a separate app anymore
To try out Apple’s built-in scanner for yourself, open Notes. Inside of any note, hit the + symbol above the keyboard. The menu that comes up will offer a few options — this is also the tool you’d use to add a photo or sketch to your note — but the “Scan Document” option is the one you want.
Don’t worry if you end up snapping the picture of your document from an angle, as Notes will automatically correct for this and straighten everything out. That’s one of the most impressive aspects of Apple’s tool. So if you’re in a situation where you don’t have time to square things up, it’ll still work great.
iOS 11's Most Obnoxious Features
The Good and Bad in Apple iOS 11 for iPhone and iPad
Apple’s iOS 11 isn’t perfect but, overall, it’s an outstanding operating system.
How to Use Instant Notes on iPad in iOS 11
If you have an iPad Pro, there's a new feature in iOS 11 that's designed to let you open up a new document in Notes just by tapping the Apple Pencil on the iPad's display.
The feature, Instant Notes, works even when the iPad is locked, so you can pick up the iPad and get right to writing without having to go through the hassle of unlocking the device, opening the Notes app, and creating a document.
The feature, Instant Notes, works even when the iPad is locked, so you can pick up the iPad and get right to writing without having to go through the hassle of unlocking the device, opening the Notes app, and creating a document.
If you don't want to allow the Apple Pencil to open the Notes app, you can turn off Instant Notes in the Settings app.
How to Use Instant Markup to Quickly Edit Screenshots in iOS 11
Instant Markup is a feature that's present on the iPhone and the iPad in iOS 11. There is no way to turn it off at the current time, so if you dislike those little screenshot popups, the only option is to wait the few seconds for them to disappear or swipe them away to the left of the display.
Turning Off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth in iOS 11's Control Center Doesn’t Actually Turn Off Wi-Fi or Bluetooth
And it’s a feature, not a bug.
And it’s a feature, not a bug.
Apple’s documentation says:
“When you toggle the Wi-Fi or Bluetooth buttons in Control Center, your device will immediately disconnect from Wi-Fi and Bluetooth accessories. Both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth will continue to be available.” That is because Apple wants the iPhone to be able to continue using AirDrop, AirPlay, Apple Pencil, Apple Watch, Location Services, and other features, according to the documentation.
Apple iPad (2017) review
It might look like more of the same – from 2013, no less – but this iPad gets the power-to-price ratio just right
https://www.stuff.tv/in/apple/ipad-2017/review
It might look like more of the same – from 2013, no less – but this iPad gets the power-to-price ratio just right
https://www.stuff.tv/in/apple/ipad-2017/review
Instant Expert: Secrets & Features of iOS 11
While this fall’s release of iOS 11 doesn’t provide some of the flashy new improvements that past iOS versions have, it does add some nice quality of life improvements for iPhone users, and — probably most fittingly for the tenth anniversary of the operating system — matures the iPad into a whole new realm.
This article has a list of devices that are supported by iOS 11.
iOS 11 and Apple Watch Series 3, the good, the bad, and the insecure
Security problems fixed by the latest version of iOS 11.
iOS 11 Update Patches Multiple Potentially Dangerous Exploits
The details in this article are technical.
How to use iCloud Drive's new sharing features
With MacOS High Sierra and iOS 11, iCloud Drive is finally catching up with Dropbox and Google Drive in terms of sharing ability. You will need to convince your collaborators to start using iCloud Drive, however, if you want to share files on Apple's cloud service, a dubious proposition given the head start that both Dropbox and Google Drive enjoy.
Still, if you've got friends and family all using Macs and iPhones, there's lots to like about the new and improved iCloud Drive. Plus, you can now share an iCloud account with your family for more than just app and iTunes purchases.
https://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-to-use-icloud-drives-new-sharing-features/
With MacOS High Sierra and iOS 11, iCloud Drive is finally catching up with Dropbox and Google Drive in terms of sharing ability. You will need to convince your collaborators to start using iCloud Drive, however, if you want to share files on Apple's cloud service, a dubious proposition given the head start that both Dropbox and Google Drive enjoy.
Still, if you've got friends and family all using Macs and iPhones, there's lots to like about the new and improved iCloud Drive. Plus, you can now share an iCloud account with your family for more than just app and iTunes purchases.
https://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-to-use-icloud-drives-new-sharing-features/
Scams bites Apple customers
Several ways the hackers conned people into giving up their personal private information.
iOS 11 solves one of the biggest issues with having multiple Apple devices in your family
The new version of iOS, the operating system that underlies the iPhone and iPad, solved an annoying problem in my family.
As the family IT administrator, one of my jobs is to make sure each of the devices we own is backed up. That task just got a lot easier with iOS 11.
As the family IT administrator, one of my jobs is to make sure each of the devices we own is backed up. That task just got a lot easier with iOS 11.
With a Stolen iCloud Password, Your Mac Can Be Held Hostage
Apple designed macOS’s Find My Mac feature to help those who have lost a Mac or had one stolen recover their machines while simultaneously rendering the computers inaccessible. Unfortunately, Find My Mac has recently been subverted by extortionists relying on usernames and weak passwords leaked from account breaches at major sites like Yahoo and LinkedIn — not iCloud itself.
If you use the same password for iCloud and other sites or if you haven’t changed your iCloud password in years, change it immediately.
To be crystal clear, iCloud has not suffered a major breach. Rather, this attack was made possible thanks to breaches at other sites that revealed usernames and passwords.
Hackers Are Using iCloud's "Find My iPhone" Feature To Lock Apple Devices Remotely For A Ransom
All the hackers need to make use of the “Find My Device” is your iCloud username and password. It doesn’t matter that you may have two-factor authentication, seeing as that precaution would be useless when the code is sent to the device you’re trying to locate.
Hackers are locking people out of their MacBooks – here’s how to stay safe
Hackers using stolen iCloud credentials have been able to use Apple’ Find My Device features to remotely lock down computers and demand Bitcoin ransoms from affected users. However, that doesn’t mean Apple’s iCloud was hacked. Instead, hackers are likely trying their luck with some of the many available username and password combinations that resulted from recently publicized hacks.
Hackers are using iCloud to remotely lock MacBooks
This has happened to countless Apple customers in recent weeks, the author if this article included.
Hackers are using Apple’s “Find My” service to remotely hold devices for ransom, reports MacRumors. Multiple people have tweeted about stolen accounts in the past week. Two-factor authentication does not prevent the hack.
But how did hackers get these people’s passwords? As MacRumors reports, it’s likely that the hacked users had been using the same password for their Mac and for other sites. So when some third-party site was breached and passwords were exposed, hackers pored through the list, trying the same login info on iCloud accounts. And they found the poor suckers who re-use passwords.
So how do you prevent this happening to you? As MacRumors suggests, if you’ve ever re-used your iCloud password for some other service, change your password immediately.
Apple’s two-step verification goes away with iOS 11 and macOS High Sierra
To be replaced by two-factor authentication.
To be replaced by two-factor authentication.
Two-factor authentication (2FA) is a method of protecting an online account. The two factors—things that identify you—in 2FA: Something you yourself know, like a password; and something you have that can receive a token to confirm who you are, such as a smartphone.
Apple’s original two-step system relied on its Apple ID site for set up and management, and could only send codes to iOS devices and via SMS. Its update in September 2015 left two-step in place for those who continued to want to use it, but the 2FA revision was far better.
Apple’s original two-step system relied on its Apple ID site for set up and management, and could only send codes to iOS devices and via SMS. Its update in September 2015 left two-step in place for those who continued to want to use it, but the 2FA revision was far better.
If you’re still using two-step verification, Apple converts your account to 2FA with iOS 11 or High Sierra.
Why You Should Set Up IOS 11’S Emergency SOS Now
So how do you get this life-saving tool on your own iPhone?
First, make sure you’ve installed the latest update so that you’re working with iOS 11. Next, go to Settings and click on “Emergency SOS.” From there, you can turn on the “Auto Call” option. Once it’s on, you will be able to receive help by clicking the “Power” button five times.
First, make sure you’ve installed the latest update so that you’re working with iOS 11. Next, go to Settings and click on “Emergency SOS.” From there, you can turn on the “Auto Call” option. Once it’s on, you will be able to receive help by clicking the “Power” button five times.
The iOS 11 32-bit Apocalypse Actually Isn’t That Bad
While iOS 11 leaves 32-bit apps behind, the move hasn’t taken developers by surprise.
That developers have had nearly three years to get in line, and that doing so wasn’t particularly taxing, matters more than you might think in gauging why Apple’s banishing 32-bit boffins in the first place.
The mandatory overhaul acts as a mechanism to purge abandoned apps from the App Store en masse. If developers can’t be bothered to go 64-bit, they likely haven’t put much TLC into their software in general.
"Apple wants to get rid of dead apps," says Eliran Sapir
Are You Ready for a Browser Cleanup?
Here’s How to Clear Cookies on an iPad
AW comment:
This should also work on iPhone and iPod.
Cookies are small files that websites store on your device.
Before you choose to delete all your cookies remember that many websites need cookies.
This article has instructions for deleting the cookies of four different web browsers.
Hands On: OmniGraffle gains drag and drop for iOS 11 on iPad and iPhone
Inside Hong Kong's Wanchai computer market, where unofficial iPhone repairs are a cottage industry
China’s Shenzhen market is famous for the unofficial iPhone repairs and upgrades available from the many stalls there. Hong Kong’s Wanchai electronics market may be smaller, but in the five floors of tightly-packed stalls, you can’t turn around without bumping into an iPhone repair service.
The market sells everything from phone cases through cheap-and-nasty Windows laptops to expensive drones and high-end cameras. But there’s one thing that really stands out, and that’s the ubiquitous and entirely unofficial presence of everything Apple …
The stalls are basic, but the services are comprehensive.
The market sells everything from phone cases through cheap-and-nasty Windows laptops to expensive drones and high-end cameras. But there’s one thing that really stands out, and that’s the ubiquitous and entirely unofficial presence of everything Apple …
The stalls are basic, but the services are comprehensive.
Would I risk using their services? Definitely not – but I have the luxury of being able to pay Apple’s prices if I need to. Not everyone can, and I’m sure that there are a great many devices repaired here which would otherwise be landfill.
Apple has finally realized that some people may need more than 24 hours to watch a movie. Or that they may want to watch a movie more than once after renting it. So, with that in mind, you can now watch any movies you have rented through iTunes for a full 48 hours after you first click “Play”.
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/longer-watch-itunes-movie-rentals/
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/longer-watch-itunes-movie-rentals/
How to add a fast new SSD to your old Mac or MacBook for only $150
Replacing your old 500GB hard drive with a same-sized SSD from a reputable manufacturer costs only $150, while 1TB drives are under $330.
With this week’s release of macOS High Sierra, Apple has officially made SSDs its preferred Mac storage solution, introducing the new APFS standard to further optimize SSD performance over Fusion and traditional hard drives. So this is a perfect time to revisit the topic of SSD upgrades; if you held out before, now’s the time to jump in!
This articles has instructions for do-it-yourselfers on how to install a new SSD drive into various MacBooks and desktop Macs.
If your Mac is too old for installing an SSD drive, you can buy an external SSD that plugs into your FireWire or, better yet, your ThunderBolt port.
Some MacOS Users Aren't Getting the Firmware Security Patches They Think They Have
Apple's security updates for macOS sometime include patches for serious vulnerabilities in the firmware that runs beneath the operating system. So you might think you're safe if you keep your OS version up to date, but that's not always the case. Depending on your Mac model, you might get the firmware patches or you might not, a team of researchers found.
Apple's security updates for macOS sometime include patches for serious vulnerabilities in the firmware that runs beneath the operating system. So you might think you're safe if you keep your OS version up to date, but that's not always the case. Depending on your Mac model, you might get the firmware patches or you might not, a team of researchers found.
Duo Security researchers Rich Smith and Pepijn Bruienne found 16 Mac models that appear to have never received any EFI update in the past three years, over the lifetime of OS X Yosemite (10.10), OS X El Capitan (10.11) and macOS Sierra (10.12). During that time, other models received patches for serious vulnerabilities.
Duo Security researchers Rich Smith and Pepijn Bruienne found 16 Mac models that appear to have never received any EFI update in the past three years, over the lifetime of OS X Yosemite (10.10), OS X El Capitan (10.11) and macOS Sierra (10.12). During that time, other models received patches for serious vulnerabilities.
The Duo researchers told me that despite the identified problems, Apple actually does a much better job of patching EFI security issues than other computer makers.
It's not entirely clear why EFI updates fail on some systems, but the more concerning finding is that there's no indication to users or Apple when this happens.
Most New iMacs Can't Benefit From macOS High Sierra's Best Update
The new Apple File System (APFS) is made to improve performance with Solid State Drives (SSD). Unfortunately, many Macs don’t have an SSD. Instead, they have an older Hard Disk Drive (HDD). And APFS doesn’t do much for HDD.
APFS is built for SSD storage, ditching the 19-year-old HFS+ file system that was built for old spinning-disk tech like that found in HDD and floppy drives. It encrypts your data and uses less memory and resources when retrieving and saving files.
The Real Problem with Voice Assistants Like Siri Is Your Brain
The human brain does not multitask well.
Even when it seems like we’re able to do two tasks at once, we’re likely only shifting the focus of our attention rapidly back and forth between the two tasks, and that comes with a cost to speed and accuracy.
Fumbling around the real world while blundering through the digital one is not the hands-free, intuitive, more intentional future of our dreams. It's attentional slavery by another name.
How to Discreetly Disable Touch ID and Face ID on an iPhone in iOS 11
There's an Emergency SOS feature built into iOS 11 that has hidden functionality -- it automatically disables Touch ID and makes it so your passcode has to be entered to unlock your iPhone.
Because it essentially shuts down the biometrics on your device, you can't be compelled by a police officer or malicious person to unlock your iPhone with a fingerprint, nor can your fingerprint be used to get into your device should you be unconscious after an emergency. On iPhone X, this also applies to Face ID.
Because it essentially shuts down the biometrics on your device, you can't be compelled by a police officer or malicious person to unlock your iPhone with a fingerprint, nor can your fingerprint be used to get into your device should you be unconscious after an emergency. On iPhone X, this also applies to Face ID.
Detailed instructions are provided in this article.
iPhone X: Sorry Apple, but I just can't face using Face ID
Apple promises that using facial recognition will be more secure than using a fingerprint.
But there are still a few things that make me reluctant to use it.
First, for a smartphone I'd argue that a fingerprint is actually the easiest replacement for the password.
If we start using facial recognition in a controlled scenario like unlocking our phones, do we then encourage its use elsewhere -- in scenarios where we have less control?
The newest iCloud threat is preventing some people from using their Apple devices. Here are five steps to shore up iCloud security and protect Apple devices from being exposed to ransom attacks.
How to Back Up Your iPhone
If your phone is loaded with pictures, songs, apps, and years worth of text messages, a basic iCloud backup isn’t going to cut it. If you have a computer with some gigs to spare, all you need to do is plug in your iPhone, install iTunes on your Mac or PC, and click a few buttons to make sure all your phones data is tucked away, safe and sound.
Google Is About To Start Tracking Your Offline Behavior, Too
It’s no secret that Google already monitors its users’ online shopping activity, but now it will follow them out of their homes and keep a close eye on every interaction they make. The tech giant announced a new system to track users’ in-store credit card purchases Tuesday in a statement published on the company’s official blog.
Google rolled out the new tool at Google Marketing Next, an annual event geared toward advertisers where the company unveils its newest innovations in marketing. “Store sales management” works by pulling data from Google’s third-party partnerships, which capture approximately 70% of credit card transactions in the United States. The system then streamlines user information in order to generate reports automatically sent to merchants who opt in. The reports will measure the effectiveness of online advertisements by matching in-store transactions back to Google ads.
We introduced store visits measurement back in 2014 to help marketers gain more insight about consumer journeys that start online and end in a store. In under three years, advertisers globally have measured over 5 billion store visits using AdWords.
Integrations with AdWords, Google Analytics and DoubleClick Search make it easy to bring together data from all your marketing channels. The end result is a complete view of your performance.
It’s far too common that people encounter annoying, intrusive ads on the web—like the kind that blare music unexpectedly, or force you to wait 10 seconds before you can see the content on the page. These frustrating experiences can lead some people to block all ads—taking a big toll on the content creators, journalists, web developers and videographers who depend on ads to fund their content creation.
We believe online ads should be better.
“Looking at the past few years, we’ve come to realize that to the rise of ad blockers has negatively impacted potential revenue across all of our properties, particularly in Europe.
Why so many spam phone calls come from your area code
When you see an incoming phone call from a number you don't know, but has the same area code as you, it's understandable why you would drop your guard and pick up the phone.
Spam callers can make it seem like they're calling from your hometown's area code with a tactic called caller ID "spoofing." Indeed, the word "spoof" means both to imitate something, as well as to trick someone.
Spam callers can make it seem like they're calling from your hometown's area code with a tactic called caller ID "spoofing." Indeed, the word "spoof" means both to imitate something, as well as to trick someone.
The most popular way that miscreants spoof their caller ID is with voice-over-IP (VoIP) services. Some of these VoIP services let spam callers choose what number they want their victims to see on their phone's caller ID.
Google: Yes, we blew it. But we cannot clean up digital advertising alone
From ads ending up next to hate videos on YouTube to having to refund advertisers after showing their ads to bots instead of humans, Google has been in the thick of an advertising maelstrom this year.
Britain has passed the 'most extreme surveillance law ever passed in a democracy'
The law forces UK internet providers to store browsing histories -- including domains visited -- for one year, in case of police investigations.
The law forces UK internet providers to store browsing histories -- including domains visited -- for one year, in case of police investigations.
It's the "most extreme surveillance law ever passed in a democracy," according to Jim Killock, director of the Open Rights Group.
Scroll down to the end of the article to see a video.
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