Not so long ago, the FBI got a huge one-up on Apple over the iPhone unlocking case. It was revealed they no longer need Apple’s backing, permission, knowledge, or approval to crack codes: they can do so on their own.
The FBI says they will teach local law enforcement agencies all over the country this mysterious trick of unlocking phones. The fact that local police are asking how the Feds did it is should say enough. In a statement, the FBI said they ??…will of course consider any tool that might be helpful to our partners.? We can read between the lines. Of course they’re not going to reveal the third party who helped them unlock that phone. An anonymous law enforcement official told tech news website BuzzFeed sent an advisory to offer any tech support. The statement says there could be some limitations to revealing such secrets. The letter sounds like they’re concerned with the whole ‘classified’ part of this organization (Let’s get real. We all know ‘classified’ really means secrecy). What if these methods, or the contents, need to be exposed during trials?
I’m no legal expert. Maybe the title FBI Spills the Secrets was a little misleading. Because I know one thing: the FBI will never expose how they cracked the code to people like you and me. They won’t even tell us who this 3rd party is. That’s why this whole things stinks to high heaven. If they can break into a phone and be this secretive about it, what’s there to stop them from breaking into your or my device? They don’t even need a search warrant; you just need to be suspected of something. Could this lead to a big brother system? And who is this third party? Many inquiring minds want to know. Could this change everything? Was Edward Snowden trying to teach us a thing or two?
Do you want to go to Mexico anytime soon? Let ride sharing app Uber take you. Of course, you have to get to San Diego, CA on your own.
Uber is launching Passport. With a push of Uber’s button, they will take you from San Diego, through the San Ysidro border, and to any destination in Mexico’s Baja California. This includes Tijuana, Mexicali, and Ensenada. ?This service will compete with people driving, busing, taking taxis, or even walking across the border. This trip is only one-way and available through Uber’s black option. The Passport service will require a $20 convenience fee. Fares will vary depending on places and mileage lengths. ?A one-way fare from downtown?San Diego to Tijuana’s airport will cost an Uber rider $100. A trip from Pacific Beach to Rosarito will cost $160. You must have your passport to cross the border, Uber or no Uber. Both sides believe Uber Passport will boost tourism for greater San Diego and Baja California, Mexico. Over 70,000 people cross the San Ysidro border daily. Around 50,000 have taken Uber services between San Diego and Mexico, but the trip was far more complicated. The passenger would end one trip at San Ysidro, walk across the border, get their passport stamp, and then hail another Uber after they make it to the Mexican side.
Uber Passport should make it easier than that to cross the border. But it won’t make traffic at the border easier. We can only hope it would make it more comfortable. If this is luxury service, then it better be. I’ve never crossed this border before, but I can see how San Diego citizens cross the border for a weekend out, a day off, or even for work/business purposes. But will this attract people for the price? Should they come up with an Uber Passport service elsewhere, like say, from greater Seattle to greater Vancouver? Will people even prefer Uber,?over a taxi service or their own car across the border?
In the last six weeks or so, Apple has been in a legal war with the FBI. It started with the FBI’s request for Apple to unlock an iPhone. It’s not just any iPhone, but the iPhone of a San Bernadino shooter. Apple declined. Now here the words from Apple CEO Tim Cook himself.
Tim Cook recalls when the shooting first happened. Cook understands the other phones were used by the shooters were destroyed, except this one. Apple filled the warrant for that phone’s info. A month later, the FBI asked for more information. Apple advised them to recharge it let it back up. It didn’t work. Apple sent engineers to help law enforcement reset the iCloud password. That didn’t work. That’s when Apple was asked to open the phone, and they refused. Cook talked about civil liberties, the First Amendment and the right to privacy. He mentioned the hat the government is using to insist Apple open the phone. Cook fears it could force millions into actions that would make them venerable. Cook believes the FBI picked this case because they are confident they can win it. Cook said nobody should have a key to turn a billion locks. I can’t report on everything said in this interview. You can read it for yourself in this upcoming week’s issue of Time Magazine.
It’s good to finally here from the CEO about this matter that has the nation’s ear. From Cook’s point of view, Apple did help the FBI. Many in the media want you to believe Apple isn’t cooperating at all. But that’s not the case. Not many probably have heard of the All Wrists Act before this case. This is why knowledge is power. What knowledge you have can’t be taken away. But Cook is right. If they can do this to Apple, one of the biggest, most respected businesses in the world today, then what privacy hopes do we have? Wouldn’t you love to hear the FBI’s side on this debate?
Good day, my groovy cats! How would you like to go back to the days of tie dye shirts, miniskirts, monster afros and dashikis? Instead of watching The Walking Dead and Empire, we can watch American Bandstand and Laugh-In. Apple is going back to 1970.
Let me explain. There is a nasty virus going around iPhones lately. If you have any mobile Apple device, do NOT set the date to 1/1/1970. If you do, it will stop working and it takes a trip to the Apple Store to revive it. But in most cases, even the Apple technicians are dumbfounded by this one. When a phone is unresponsive, it’s referred to as a brick phone because like a brick, all it can do is just lay there. Cyber trolls worsen the situation by deliberately releasing fake images just to trip people up. To this day, we don’t know what causes this virus (or Apple isn’t talking about it). But we have Apple’s word they are trying to solve it. There’s a statement on Apple support’s website claiming, “An upcoming software will prevent this issue from affecting iOS devices.” They urged anyone affected by this should call Apple Support. Nonetheless, there is no word when the upcoming software will be available.
For some people, it’s already too late. For some, the best thing they can do is get a new device. At best, under Apple Care, it’s just an aggravation. At worst, people will have to pay hundreds of dollars to get another device. I can hear the conspiracy theories now. Some may argue Apple deliberately put this virus out just so people will have to pay for another phone. I highly doubt it. Apple employees are suffering from this just almost as much as consumers are. Think of the backlog, overcrowded stores, and not so cool temperaments going on in Apple stores all over America. How soon do you think it will before Apple can fix this mess?
My smartphone alerts me when there’s a tornado warning or severe thunderstorm warning. It alerts me when there’s breaking news concerning the world and my city. Yes, it even alerts me when there’s breaking news concerning my favorite sports teams. But can smartphones detect earthquakes?
This is where Android’s new app My Shake comes in. It’s available free of charge at the Google Play store. It was invented by a team of seismologists led by Quigkai Kong and a team of computer scientists led by Richard Allen. My Shake was founded at the University of California-Berkeley. It uses your smartphone’s accelerometer as your own earthquake watch center. There are more obscure earthquake watch apps out there. But My Shake uses GPS to detect the slightest of earthquake rumblings and tremors. When My Shake detects an earthquake, it sends the origin, time, and strength (Richter scale). It also warns people in the neighborhood of how long they have to take cover before it hits. After the alert, as long as your phone is connected with WiFi, you’re given a second alert. It’s somewhat of a five minute timer, giving you one minute before the earthquake hits and four minutes after it hits. The My Shake app also detects were historic earthquakes took place over the decades. Try it in California.
An app like My Shake is way overdue. Stats show that 2015 was one of the busiest years for earthquakes ever, including one in Nepal that killed over 5,000 people. The biggest earthquakes of my childhood was the 1989 San Francisco earthquake that hit during the World Series. But so far in the 21st century, we’ve seen quakes that have topped 9.0 on the Richter scale. We’ve seen quakes and tsunamis that have killed tens of thousands at a time. Today, there was an earthquake that hit Christchurch, New Zealand that caused a cliff to collapse. Thankfully, no deaths or injuries were reported. So I give these teams props for releasing this free app. How many lives will My Shake app save?
Ah, the Christmas rush. It’s at the stores. It’s at every party. It’s definitely at the post office. It’s on the roads. Apple pledges to help.
Apple offers free shipping. For all those last minute shoppers (and I know there are many of you), Apple offers free next day delivery for online shoppers. What’s the catch? The online orders have to be made on December 23. And it has to be ordered by 2pm on December 23rd. Plan on visiting your nearest Apple store in the coming days? If you ordered something from any Apple store, in-store pick up orders will be available until two hours before closing on Christmas Eve. Oh, there’s another catch. Free next-day shipping only applies to iPhone models. Everything else, including the iPad, iPod Touch, Mac, iPad, iWatch, and accessories are subject to the two-day shipping standard. This kind of deal you can only get in the USA. But the United Kingdom does have a similar plan. During this busy shopping time, Apple will extend it’s 14-day refund or exchange policy. This goes for any item, whether you bought it online or in an Apple Store, as long as it’s bought between November 1 and December 25, will be available for refunds/exchanges so long as it’s returned by January 8.
I admire Apple’s heart to help out the shopper and enable the Apple addict. But let’s not encourage last minute shoppers anymore than they already are. This deal will cause many people to wait until December 23 to get that Apple gift just so they can take advantage of free shipping. Don’t go there. If you need to buy that Apple gift, go ahead and do it today. Keep in mind they’re only doing this for their smartphones. Also keep in mind anything can go wrong during the shipping process. And whose to say that iPhone is even going to be there by December 23?
