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nrc
03-09-17, 02:23 PM
Should have done the same questions with "Amazon" to verify that it could parse the "are you connected to" question.

SteveH
03-18-17, 09:15 AM
Amazon is invading Apple and Google's home turf in the war over the future of computing (http://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-invades-smartphones-war-google-apple-voice-controlled-computing-2017-3?IR=T&utm_source=Triggermail&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=BII%20Weekender%20BII%20Daily%203.18. 2017&utm_term=BI%20Intelligence%20Daily%20-%20Engaged%2C%20Active%2C%20Passive%2C%20Disengage d)

SteveH
03-22-17, 04:19 PM
Hackers claim to have breached hundreds of millions of Apple accounts (http://bgr.com/2017/03/22/apple-iphone-and-icloud-accounts-hacked/)

Ransomware of a higher order...


Apple’s iPhones and Apple IDs are a tough nut to crack for hackers, but it’s not impossible. At least that’s what a group of hackers seem to suggest, as they’re currently attempting to blackmail Apple for up to $100,000 before they start remotely wiping millions of iPhones. Can they actually do it? Should you be worried? It’s unclear at this point.

If there are potentially millions of phones involved, $100k seems a little low.

dando
03-22-17, 05:29 PM
Hackers claim to have breached hundreds of millions of Apple accounts (http://bgr.com/2017/03/22/apple-iphone-and-icloud-accounts-hacked/)

Ransomware of a higher order...



If there are potentially millions of phones involved, $100k seems a little low.

But, but, but I thought iOS and OS X were so secure? :gomer: :saywhat: :shakehead: A few weeks ago one of the local communities here was hacked with ransomware, which took down the entire city for days.

Insomniac
03-23-17, 10:41 AM
Hackers claim to have breached hundreds of millions of Apple accounts (http://bgr.com/2017/03/22/apple-iphone-and-icloud-accounts-hacked/)

Ransomware of a higher order...



If there are potentially millions of phones involved, $100k seems a little low.

Interesting, but I'm calling BS. They maybe phished a few accounts. It doesn't sound like they found a backdoor that would allow specifically remote wiping only of any iPhone if you knew the user's e-mail address. A bug bounty program would probably net them $100k otherwise. It also assumes that Apple has the credentials stored in an unsecure manner which would be beyond irresponsible for a company of that size at this time. The value of 1. that data is well more than $100k and 2. the value of the data they could take from people's accounts is likely worth even moire than that.

nrc
04-26-17, 11:07 PM
Hi, I'm a tech nerd and I've invented this awesome new camera that you put in your dressing room.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0186JAEWK

Gnam
04-27-17, 01:57 AM
Hi, I'm a tech nerd and I've invented this awesome new camera that you put in your dressing room.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0186JAEWK
Wait, let me ask Alexa if this is a good idea. Ok, she said it was cool.

:gomer:

indyfan31
04-27-17, 09:56 AM
Hi, I'm a tech nerd and I've invented this awesome new camera that you put in your dressing room.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0186JAEWK

That's fantastic. I was afraid narcissists were running out of ways of expressing themselves to the rest of us. :irked:

SteveH
05-01-17, 09:32 AM
Apple has a record $250 billion in the bank (https://arstechnica.com/apple/2017/05/apple-has-a-record-250-billion-in-the-bank/)


That's a greater hoard than any other company in recent US history, according to the Wall Street Journal, which reported the numbers on Sunday. For comparison, Apple's cash pile exceeds the market value of Walmart and Procter & Gamble. The sum is more than the foreign cash reserves of the UK and Canada combined.

SteveH
05-10-17, 05:44 PM
To mitigate major Edge printing bug, use a Xerox copier, baffled user advises (https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2017/05/microsoft-advises-use-of-xerox-copiers-to-mitigate-major-edge-bug/)



A printer-display bug in the Edge browser is so baffling and potentially damaging that frustrated users are considering an unthinkable workaround: using a Xerox copier instead of using the browser's print function.

bizarre

SteveH
05-30-17, 11:55 AM
North Korean company launches own 'iPad,' ignoring Apple trademarks (http://appleinsider.com/articles/17/05/30/north-korean-company-launches-own-ipad-ignoring-apple-trademarks)


A North Korean firm, Ryonghung, has reportedly launched a tablet called the "iPad," seemingly exploiting international trademarks in the knowledge that Apple is unlikely to come knocking.

:laugh:

Napoleon
05-30-17, 02:28 PM
North Korean company launches own 'iPad,' ignoring Apple trademarks (http://appleinsider.com/articles/17/05/30/north-korean-company-launches-own-ipad-ignoring-apple-trademarks)



:laugh:

Maybe this means they have a missile that can reach Cupertino.

nrc
05-30-17, 03:19 PM
North Korean company launches own 'iPad,' ignoring Apple trademarks (http://appleinsider.com/articles/17/05/30/north-korean-company-launches-own-ipad-ignoring-apple-trademarks)



:laugh:

I'm outraged and I think Apple should send large teams of their best lawyers to personally lodge a protest in Pyongyang. :gomer:

SteveH
06-13-17, 04:28 PM
Microsoft, Adobe Ship Critical Fixes (https://krebsonsecurity.com/2017/06/microsoft-adobe-ship-critical-fixes/)


Microsoft today released security updates to fix almost a hundred security flaws in its various Windows operating systems and related software. One bug is so serious that Microsoft is issuing patches for it on Windows XP and other operating systems the company no longer officially supports. Separately, Adobe has pushed critical updates for its Flash and Shockwave players, two programs most users would probably be better off without.

This is a biggie if patches are issued for an OS that is no longer supported. :eek:

TravelGal
06-14-17, 01:50 PM
[Separately, Adobe has pushed critical updates for its Flash and Shockwave players, two programs most users would probably be better off without. ]

I still run one browser with Flash and Shockwave. I would love to do away with it, as everyone advises against it, but I have to be able to access so many travel websites that still use it. Any suggestions? Other than to skip those sites, that is.

pfc_m_drake
06-14-17, 09:20 PM
[Separately, Adobe has pushed critical updates for its Flash and Shockwave players, two programs most users would probably be better off without. ]

I still run one browser with Flash and Shockwave. I would love to do away with it, as everyone advises against it, but I have to be able to access so many travel websites that still use it. Any suggestions? Other than to skip those sites, that is.If you use Chrome (and I'm not an advocate, but that's a separate discussion) then you can leave Flash disabled and only activate it on a site-by-site specific basis.

https://www.theverge.com/2016/12/9/13903878/google-chrome-block-flash-html5

Firefox has an add-on that you can use to disable/enable flash at will, so you could leave Flash off and only turn it on when you visit your travel websites.

WickerBill
06-15-17, 07:01 AM
If you use Chrome (and I'm not an advocate,


This thread has GOOG in the title. Let's hear it! :)

Insomniac
06-15-17, 07:18 AM
If you use Chrome (and I'm not an advocate, but that's a separate discussion) then you can leave Flash disabled and only activate it on a site-by-site specific basis.

https://www.theverge.com/2016/12/9/13903878/google-chrome-block-flash-html5

Firefox has an add-on that you can use to disable/enable flash at will, so you could leave Flash off and only turn it on when you visit your travel websites.

I feel like Google actually made that feature worse recently. Before when you set it up to "Ask", it disabled the plug-in in the page and you could selectively enable the specific usages temporarily with a click. Now you have to allow the whole domain or not.

I've also noticed that when you spawn a a couple tabs from another (like opening multiple articles from Google news) they take up a lot of memory versus copying the link and opening a new tab manually. It even looks weird in the tab task manager where the tabs are "linked" and it only shows the usage for them combined.

Finally, they stink at taking product improvement ideas/listening to users and being responsive. Why don't any of these companies hire a team of evangelists?

pfc_m_drake
06-15-17, 05:42 PM
This thread has GOOG in the title. Let's hear it! :)It's mostly Fanboy issues. I used to be a big fan of Opera. Huge fan. Mainly because their organization always advocated a strict adherence to the HTML spec in the browser's engine. Then when they gave up their own work and switched to the Chromium back a few years ago, it just felt like a total sellout to me. They'd come so far for so many years...then one day just up and quit.

I'm stuck with Chrome at work, but don't even have it installed on my litany of home PCs.


I feel like Google actually made that feature worse recently. Before when you set it up to "Ask", it disabled the plug-in in the page and you could selectively enable the specific usages temporarily with a click. Now you have to allow the whole domain or not.

I've also noticed that when you spawn a a couple tabs from another (like opening multiple articles from Google news) they take up a lot of memory versus copying the link and opening a new tab manually. It even looks weird in the tab task manager where the tabs are "linked" and it only shows the usage for them combined.

Finally, they stink at taking product improvement ideas/listening to users and being responsive. Why don't any of these companies hire a team of evangelists?Ubiquity brings stagnation. And sometimes regression - in this case.

FWIW, I installed Firefox 54 on Tuesday, which has better multi-process support and more responsive when dealing with content-intensive pages (read: Facebook newsfeeds). So far I like what I see. Memory leaks and poor 64-bit support were killing them for a long time, but it seems to be much better now.

TravelGal
06-16-17, 06:28 PM
I've had both Chrome and Firefox for years. It swings back and forth as to which works better. Right now, Firefox is the clear winner for me but I have Flash on Chrome so I open it from time to time. It takes ages to load in comparison to Firefox. Then there are the few websites that only work on IE so I have that installed also. :irked:

WickerBill
06-16-17, 08:42 PM
A bit off topic.... but Amazon buys Whole Foods. One step closer to this....

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DCd-y6ZXkAI_495.jpg

pfc_m_drake
06-17-17, 03:44 PM
I've had both Chrome and Firefox for years. It swings back and forth as to which works better. Right now, Firefox is the clear winner for me but I have Flash on Chrome so I open it from time to time. It takes ages to load in comparison to Firefox. Then there are the few websites that only work on IE so I have that installed also. :irked:What you can do is install Flash for Firefox, then simply leave it disabled most of the time - only turn it on when you need it (e.g. when you hit up your travel websites): http://www.ubergizmo.com/how-to/disable-adobe-flash/
Follow the instructions for Firefox, obviously.

A bit off topic.... but Amazon buys Whole Foods. One step closer to this....
So true...

nrc
07-25-17, 01:04 PM
Adobe announces that Flash will finally die die die in 2020.

https://blogs.adobe.com/conversations/2017/07/adobe-flash-update.html

pfc_m_drake
07-27-17, 08:59 PM
Adobe announces that Flash will finally die die die in 2020.

https://blogs.adobe.com/conversations/2017/07/adobe-flash-update.html
We can only hope, but we'll see if they end up walking that back.
2020 is a long way away...

WickerBill
07-28-17, 06:48 AM
Now would be a great time to help me turn the screws on NBC Sports Network for requiring Flash to stream F1... :) Call write tweet demonstrate

nrc
07-28-17, 09:46 AM
Now would be a great time to help me turn the screws on NBC Sports Network for requiring Flash to stream F1... :) Call write tweet demonstrate

It's the pinnacle of motorsport streaming technology.

nrc
07-28-17, 10:03 AM
iPod Nano and Shuffle are dead. The door is wide open for a Zune comeback.

http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-kills-off-ipod-nano-ipod-shuffle-2017-7

SteveH
07-28-17, 12:33 PM
Now would be a great time to help me turn the screws on NBC Sports Network for requiring Flash to stream F1... :) Call write tweet demonstrate

There may be more than one way to watch. Assuming you are an Xfinity cable customer. I seem to recall you have had a past relationship with Xfinity. :gomer:

https://www.xfinity.com/support/streamtv/

I've used this to watch both live and recorded F1 qualifications as well as other programs. Since I'm using my iPad for this, at least that app doesn't use Flash however I don't know about all other versions.

:edit: just checked requirements for other platforms and indeed Flash is required.

SteveH
09-18-17, 05:45 PM
Satya Nadella rewrites Microsoft's code (http://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/satya-nadella-rewrites-microsofts-code/ar-AAs7hfH?li=BBnb7Kz%C2%A0%C2%A0%C2%A0)


Since then, Nadella has not only restored Microsoft to relevance; he’s generated more than $250 billion in market value in just three and a half years—more value growth over that time than Uber and Airbnb, Netflix and Spotify, Snapchat and WeWork. Indeed, more than all of them combined. Only a handful of CEOs—names like Bezos, Cook, Zuckerberg—can boast similarly impressive results. Microsoft’s shares have not only returned to their dotcom-bubble highs but surpassed them. “[Nadella] has exceeded all my expectations,” says Morfit, now a member of Microsoft’s board. “I wish I could say we saw it all happening. That wouldn’t be honest.”

nrc
09-19-17, 05:02 PM
Amazon has issued an RFP for proposals for a second headquarters location. This new location is expected to hire 50,000 employees with an average income over $100,000 in the next ten to fifteen years. It's hard to imagine the impact that something like that will have on job and housing markets in most areas.

https://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=17044620011

nrc
12-11-17, 08:51 PM
Amazon keeps spamming me with 99 cent introductory offers to their Amazon Music Unlimited service. What are they now, Columbia House?

SteveH
01-03-18, 08:26 PM
Microsoft issues emergency Windows update for processor security bugs
(https://www.theverge.com/2018/1/3/16846784/microsoft-processor-bug-windows-10-fix)


Could result in slower performance

G.
01-04-18, 02:44 AM
Microsoft issues emergency Windows update for processor security bugs
(https://www.theverge.com/2018/1/3/16846784/microsoft-processor-bug-windows-10-fix)


Could result in slower performance

I think that there's a hardware solution to one of the vulnerabilities. A software solution is much easier to deploy, of course. :gomer:
(I'll have to verify if it's the same one.)


Does this tie into the anti-virus exploit?
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/01/technology/kaspersky-lab-antivirus.html

Insomniac
01-04-18, 09:58 AM
Does this tie into the anti-virus exploit?
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/01/technology/kaspersky-lab-antivirus.html

These are very different issues. The AV issue is a rather trivial exploit of the way AV software works. It's essentially using the AV scanning/monitoring capabilities to find documents that match on a user's machine. The success of such an exploit is probably vendor specific.

Putting it simply, most AV software have "rules" for how to detect malicious files. They added a rule to find files that contain specific text that is commonly used to indicate something is top secret. You could have a rule that matches any keyword/pattern. The flaw is that someone can add a rule to the software outside of official updates from the vendor. (I'm not defending Kaspersky, but this is very different from a backdoor built into the application IMO.)

So first you need to be running AV software that can have the rules modified. Typically when a malicious file is found, the user is alerted and there is also sometimes an option to send it to the vendor to review. For this to really be successful, it would need to also send files to the vendor without any indication to the user. So you would not want to see the file that was found in a list of quarantined files otherwise you would realize it was flagged and possibly sent off. In addition, the attacker would either need access to the vendor's systems where these items are sent or would need to have made another change to redirect these files to a different system.

SteveH
01-04-18, 11:57 AM
Years ago I had my AV software disabled by a virus. Don't recall the details nor the software in use other than it was a lot of fun.

SteveH
01-05-18, 07:01 PM
Meltdown and Spectre: Here’s what Intel, Apple, Microsoft, others are doing about it (https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2018/01/meltdown-and-spectre-heres-what-intel-apple-microsoft-others-are-doing-about-it/)

Insomniac
03-05-18, 02:52 PM
Apple Park, the massive donut-shaped Apple headquarters that Apple finished building last year, is an architectural marvel. The building makes extensive use of massive, floor-to-ceiling glass panels, giving the illusion that the building blends seamlessly into the surrounding forest.

But when Apple started letting employees use it in January, they discovered a big problem: they kept running into glass windows and doors. In the first few days, three people suffered injuries serious enough to require calls to 911.
https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2018/03/i-walked-into-a-glass-door-911-recordings-from-apples-new-campus/

The top comments is:


Duh, Apple employees don't know how to use Windows.

:rofl:

datachicane
03-05-18, 06:33 PM
https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2018/03/i-walked-into-a-glass-door-911-recordings-from-apples-new-campus/

The top comments is:



:rofl:

:rofl:
That new Apple headquarters is literally- get this- a walled garden:

http://cdn.macrage.com/sites/macrage.com/files/styles/large/public/2014/04/30/new-apple-hq.png

nrc
03-08-18, 02:00 PM
People put listening devices in their homes and then they wonder why it laughs at them randomly.

http://www.sacbee.com/news/nation-world/national/article204089319.html

nrc
03-13-18, 01:35 AM
Why you should use DuckDuckGo instead of Google.

http://www.quora.com/Why-should-I-use-DuckDuckGo-instead-of-Google

https://qph.fs.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-dea43b46e2f5168b46b87acad0416c12-c

Insomniac
03-14-18, 05:28 PM
Why you should use DuckDuckGo instead of Google.

http://www.quora.com/Why-should-I-use-DuckDuckGo-instead-of-Google

https://qph.fs.quoracdn.net/main-qimg-dea43b46e2f5168b46b87acad0416c12-c

I think all the points are valid, but I like that they never mentioned search results quality. For many, that is the most important part of a search engine. :)

datachicane
03-14-18, 07:38 PM
I think all the points are valid, but I like that they never mentioned search results quality. For many, that is the most important part of a search engine. :)

AltaVista FTW! #WelcomeTo1991

SteveH
03-14-18, 09:31 PM
Just for kicks I had to see if Northern Light was still around. It is.
(https://millie.northernlight.com/dashboardfolder.php)

nrc
03-15-18, 01:24 PM
I think all the points are valid, but I like that they never mentioned search results quality. For many, that is the most important part of a search engine. :)

My experience is that the vast majority of the time it's "good enough". That is, the information that I'm looking for is within the first few links. It's actually better when it's beneficial that the results don't skew so much toward your past history and shopping sites.

There are still some times when I have to resort to other search engines. Usually that's image searches or searches that have words that are hard to to disambiguate

datachicane
03-15-18, 09:03 PM
Just for kicks I had to see if Northern Light was still around. It is.
(https://millie.northernlight.com/dashboardfolder.php)

Man, that takes me back.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/8e7Di715k2Y0_0BtwNN7WK4qyqho63bqAZpkJOAfEUMWbehwUW qrQYtC2DfVTa4gJKWuibRMyj5RLrhxw6rr2mZbp0UE6c0NUz4W JQ8p_CaSjAwtNOMcl9wIs6SFM1f_pJNIrR-5tobqFQyc_Vjm1g78eVhQ9NArK10MOmLoIC8TKTo-fxGS2NwBl8qp7eya3HjRshFx9YUoSOOtwy3roQz3Hcx38LylKC vr1Cq9azhbznAQqengBmouqh-hh88YVl_K9O6RPu7we3trudkcL9GyDrBXI89JM0wLK9n9kSBda _vjqeuVy-sb0U2wd7CeRO6myaXDEUGruvarRevywYSHojMfSNHgnbydDGEY Bcl2jnO6OmMDO-Eh00NQtILeJuWeBuX5ZTntdR1hOEs8iqPJVWpXp94Rv5OYVoWb YOm0fRphDoQgppB5JAEKLrIK2p7VoYMLP5SGCcPoUuvQHyXctX NBKAdNk5SXvsmN5vM36mPTCcZFUDMNadAbAVTs-TaOYW17H2RdSR_ldDLp17BOFW5RcWMAvFFRM8vPcziuXe4E_rV qllFXGrz2gzGAb6VsG8ftiN7_gbb6sV3l9q7quIC6xYvV7MKwy og=w83-h105-no

SteveH
03-15-18, 09:22 PM
:laugh: :thumbup:

Insomniac
03-19-18, 11:52 AM
My experience is that the vast majority of the time it's "good enough". That is, the information that I'm looking for is within the first few links. It's actually better when it's beneficial that the results don't skew so much toward your past history and shopping sites.

There are still some times when I have to resort to other search engines. Usually that's image searches or searches that have words that are hard to to disambiguate

That's good to hear. I wouldn't mind more alternatives.

TravelGal
03-19-18, 03:20 PM
I use DuckDuckGo almost exclusively and have been for a couple of years. Very rarely do I have to resort to the dreaded Google. I agree that not seeing results skewed to what I looked at before is immensely helpful.

G.
03-21-18, 01:28 PM
Every so often I go "shopping" for women's yoga pants, and assorted clubwear.

It keeps my ads fresh and pleasant for a while.

:D

nrc
03-23-18, 12:35 AM
Every so often I go "shopping" for women's yoga pants, and assorted clubwear.

It keeps my ads fresh and pleasant for a while.

:D

Brilliant! It may be worth going over to Google search just to give it a try and see whether any of it gets back through my ad filters. :D

nrc
03-26-18, 01:25 PM
Fun fact: Most of the media outlets being outraged about Facebook data mining are participating in the process through ad networks or social media widgets. If not for Facebook then for Google which is just as bad or worse.

SteveH
05-28-18, 09:33 AM
http://2oqz471sa19h3vbwa53m33yj.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/the-jeff-bezos-empire-infographic.png

SteveH
07-16-18, 06:22 PM
Amazon Web Services is having a bad day. Prime Day has brought their site to its knees.

nrc
07-17-18, 11:24 AM
Amazon Web Services is having a bad day. Prime Day has brought their site to its knees.

Given their supposed mastery of being able to scale as needed that was a bit surprising. I'm surprised that a summer sale could generate that much traffic. I saw a few decent deals but nothing that would drive me to buy something now that I wasn't buying anyway.

TravelGal
07-17-18, 11:46 AM
Amazon Web Services is having a bad day. Prime Day has brought their site to its knees.

I read that the workers were striking about poor work conditions. Specifically on Prime Day for the greatest impact.

SteveH
07-17-18, 11:49 AM
I bought a book, Radium Girls (https://www.npr.org/2017/04/27/525765323/the-radium-girls-is-haunted-by-glowing-ghosts). I probably wouldn't have but it was a little cheaper. It will go on the stack to be read later.

G.
07-17-18, 02:00 PM
I bought a book, Radium Girls (https://www.npr.org/2017/04/27/525765323/the-radium-girls-is-haunted-by-glowing-ghosts). I probably wouldn't have but it was a little cheaper. It will go on the stack to be read later.

Off-topic:
Also watch "Radium City", if you can find it.

My peeps.

SteveH
07-17-18, 02:16 PM
Off-topic:
Also watch "Radium City", if you can find it.

My peeps.

http://streamhdmovie.us/play.php?movie=tt0284691

SteveH
07-21-18, 08:05 PM
back on topic...

Microsoft crosses $100 billion annual revenue mark for the first time (https://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-crosses-100-billion-annual-revenue-mark-for-the-first-time/)

Nadella has totally transformed that company.

nrc
07-22-18, 02:33 PM
I've grudgingly accepted Office365 in our work environment. Even though I don't run Windows their web based apps work tolerably well and provide a good means of interchange of documents. They just need to resist the temptation to force people into their desktop apps which only seem to be getting worse.

Insomniac
07-23-18, 12:12 AM
back on topic...

Microsoft crosses $100 billion annual revenue mark for the first time (https://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-crosses-100-billion-annual-revenue-mark-for-the-first-time/)

Nadella has totally transformed that company.

Not just breaking $100B, but over $110B.

Insomniac
07-23-18, 12:36 AM
I've grudgingly accepted Office365 in our work environment. Even though I don't run Windows their web based apps work tolerably well and provide a good means of interchange of documents. They just need to resist the temptation to force people into their desktop apps which only seem to be getting worse.

I don't enjoy constantly having to refresh the browser window personally. It's easier to collaborate with Google still. However, Microsoft is killing it with accessibility. I was at a tech summit where they were showcasing where they are and no one is close. It's going to have an impact on education IMO.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nt3hz2vVf8c


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXWAhDEJ_WA

TravelGal
07-25-18, 05:11 PM
Insomniac, et al. How does this work into the picture? From Monday's ARTA E-News.

Project 'Fuchsia': Google Is Quietly Working On A Successor To Android
For more than two years, a small and stealthy group of engineers within Google has been working on software that they hope will eventually replace Android, the world's dominant mobile operating system. As the team grows, it will have to overcome some fierce internal debate about how the software will work. For more than two years, a small and stealthy group of engineers within Google has been working on software that they hope will eventually replace Android, the world's dominant mobile operating system. As the team grows, it will have to overcome some fierce internal debate about how the software will work. Alphabet Inc.'s Google started quietly posting code online in 2016, and the company has let outside app developers tinker with bits of the open-source code. Google has also begun to experiment with applications for the system, such as interactive screen displays and voice commands for YouTube. But members of the Fuchsia team have discussed a grander plan that is being reported here for the first time: Creating a single operating system capable of running all the company's in-house gadgets, like Pixel phones and smart speakers, as well as third-party devices that now rely on Android and another system called Chrome OS, according to people familiar with the conversations. Engineers have said they want to embed Fuchsia on connected home devices, such as voice-controlled speakers, within three years, then move on to larger machines such as laptops. Ultimately the team aspires to swap in their system for Android, the software that powers more than three quarters of the world's smartphones, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing internal matters. The aim is for this to happen in the next half decade, one person said.

Insomniac
07-30-18, 12:35 AM
Insomniac, et al. How does this work into the picture? From Monday's ARTA E-News.

Project 'Fuchsia': Google Is Quietly Working On A Successor To Android
For more than two years, a small and stealthy group of engineers within Google has been working on software that they hope will eventually replace Android, the world's dominant mobile operating system. As the team grows, it will have to overcome some fierce internal debate about how the software will work. For more than two years, a small and stealthy group of engineers within Google has been working on software that they hope will eventually replace Android, the world's dominant mobile operating system. As the team grows, it will have to overcome some fierce internal debate about how the software will work. Alphabet Inc.'s Google started quietly posting code online in 2016, and the company has let outside app developers tinker with bits of the open-source code. Google has also begun to experiment with applications for the system, such as interactive screen displays and voice commands for YouTube. But members of the Fuchsia team have discussed a grander plan that is being reported here for the first time: Creating a single operating system capable of running all the company's in-house gadgets, like Pixel phones and smart speakers, as well as third-party devices that now rely on Android and another system called Chrome OS, according to people familiar with the conversations. Engineers have said they want to embed Fuchsia on connected home devices, such as voice-controlled speakers, within three years, then move on to larger machines such as laptops. Ultimately the team aspires to swap in their system for Android, the software that powers more than three quarters of the world's smartphones, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing internal matters. The aim is for this to happen in the next half decade, one person said.

It probably will work in seamlessly. The Android ecosystem is simply too big for Google to abandon. Fuchsia is open source, so if Google moves their resources there, I would expect everyone to follow suit because it's unlikely anyone is going to invest in keeping Android competitive with Fuchsia and iOS.

SteveH
08-15-18, 07:33 AM
How an invite-only meeting at Apple's luxury loft in New York set the stage for one of the biggest subscription businesses in the world (https://www.thisisinsider.com/apple-secret-meeting-developers-new-york-subscriptions-app-store-2018-7)

G.
08-16-18, 02:32 PM
How an invite-only meeting at Apple's luxury loft in New York set the stage for one of the biggest subscription businesses in the world (https://www.thisisinsider.com/apple-secret-meeting-developers-new-york-subscriptions-app-store-2018-7)

Paywall.

Gimme a buck for the 1 month trial, please.

;)

SteveH
08-16-18, 02:35 PM
Paywall.

Gimme a buck for the 1 month trial, please.

;)

That's odd. I don't have a subscription but I can read it.

Did you try and unplug your modem? :tony:

TravelGal
08-17-18, 01:47 AM
That's odd. I don't have a subscription but I can read it.

Did you try and unplug your modem? :tony:

:laugh::laugh: I got the same thing. If you speed read you can get through part of it.

datachicane
08-18-18, 03:27 AM
:laugh::laugh: I got the same thing. If you speed read you can get through part of it.

Press and hold down the escape key as it just starts to load, and you're in.

SteveH
09-24-18, 09:58 AM
Microsoft is building LinkedIn into Outlook and other Office apps (https://www.theverge.com/2018/9/24/17893208/microsoft-linkedin-outlook-integration-office-365-features)


Microsoft is planning to more deeply integrate LinkedIn into the company’s Office apps. While we saw some LinkedIn integration in Word last year, Outlook will be updated to include information about contacts for calendar appointments and document sharing. Outlook users will soon be able to coauthor documents with LinkedIn contacts in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, making it a little easier to share documents to friends or coworkers on LinkedIn.


hmm.....

nrc
10-11-18, 01:32 AM
Microsoft makes its 60,000 patents open source to help Linux.

World domination. Check.


I’m pleased to announce that Microsoft is joining the Open Invention Network (“OIN”), a community dedicated to protecting Linux and other open source software programs from patent risk.

We know Microsoft’s decision to join OIN may be viewed as surprising to some; it is no secret that there has been friction in the past between Microsoft and the open source community over the issue of patents. For others who have followed our evolution, we hope this announcement will be viewed as the next logical step for a company that is listening to customers and developers and is firmly committed to Linux and other open source programs.

https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/microsoft-joins-open-invention-network-to-help-protect-linux-and-open-source/

nrc
10-11-18, 02:09 AM
Which brings me to my next point relevant to this thread. I think this may mean that Google is now officially more evil than Microsoft. Not that there aren't legitimate concerns about either of their open source efforts becoming trojan horses. Microsoft invented "embrace, extend, and extinguish" after all.

But in general it feels like Microsoft has been on a trend toward less evil and Google is on a rocket ship toward pure evil. When you look at how Google is harvesting your personal information from everything you do with your Android device it kind of makes building Internet Explorer into your OS look like child's play.

Add to that Google's unprecedented effort to get access to the levers of governmental power and we have a serious problem on our hands. https://www.googletransparencyproject.org/articles/how-facebook-and-google’s-campaign-embeds-benefit-their-bottom-lines

So I'm considering how I can stop carrying around a Google tracking device. Unfortunately we're now living in a phone duopoly between Apple and Google. I'm thinking I'll watch the market for a little while and if nothing else presents itself I may have to bite the bullet and move to Apple.

I really never thought I'd consider that.

SteveH
10-11-18, 09:23 AM
Google is shutting down Google+ for consumers following security lapse (https://www.theverge.com/2018/10/8/17951890/google-plus-shut-down-security-api-change-gmail-android)

Was in the news a few days ago.


In addition to sunsetting Google+, the company announced new privacy adjustments for other Google service. API changes will limit developers’ access to data on Android devices and Gmail. Developers will no longer receive call log and SMS permissions on Android devices and contact interaction data won’t be available through the Android Contacts API. That same also API provided basic interaction data, like who you last messaged, and that permission is also being revoked.

Richard, it isn't just Google that you should be concerned with but every company that has had access to their massive database(s).

It appears that data was used without regards to the consumer's desires.


Any developer who has this access will have to undergo security assessments and agree to new rules about data handling, like not transferring or selling user data for targeting ads, market research, email campaign tracking, or other unrelated purposes.

nrc
10-12-18, 01:55 PM
Absolutely. Their reaction to that is all very cynical and every app is just vying for their piece of the personal data pie.

I think I need one of these.
https://www.amazon.com/Archie-McPhee-Tin-Foil-Humans/dp/B07CXZBRW5

But the fact that I'm paranoid doesn't mean that they're not out to get me.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqlDtjnwyPA

Of course I don't really think they're out to get me. They don't care about me. They only care about the micro fraction of a cent that hey can make using my personal data to monetize me. They care about me as a profile that they can aggregate and then handle according to their judgement as to what is most profitable and in their best interests.

And "in their best interests" is not necessarily benign. For example, I probably turn up somewhere in an algorithm as someone who opposes their efforts to strip artists of their copyrights or make them unenforceable. Maybe in the next election they just leave that group out of their "remind to vote" algorithm.

SteveH
10-12-18, 03:21 PM
Of course I don't really think they're out to get me. They don't care about me. They only care about the micro fraction of a cent that hey can make using my personal data to monetize me. They care about me as a profile that they can aggregate and then handle according to their judgement as to what is most profitable and in their best interests.

Exactly.

There is no free lunch. When it comes to online services, if it is free, YOU are the commodity.

Insomniac
10-25-18, 02:36 AM
Which brings me to my next point relevant to this thread. I think this may mean that Google is now officially more evil than Microsoft. Not that there aren't legitimate concerns about either of their open source efforts becoming trojan horses. Microsoft invented "embrace, extend, and extinguish" after all.

But in general it feels like Microsoft has been on a trend toward less evil and Google is on a rocket ship toward pure evil. When you look at how Google is harvesting your personal information from everything you do with your Android device it kind of makes building Internet Explorer into your OS look like child's play.

Add to that Google's unprecedented effort to get access to the levers of governmental power and we have a serious problem on our hands. https://www.googletransparencyproject.org/articles/how-facebook-and-google’s-campaign-embeds-benefit-their-bottom-lines

So I'm considering how I can stop carrying around a Google tracking device. Unfortunately we're now living in a phone duopoly between Apple and Google. I'm thinking I'll watch the market for a little while and if nothing else presents itself I may have to bite the bullet and move to Apple.

I really never thought I'd consider that.

I recently learned that Google has access to credit card transaction data: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-08-30/google-and-mastercard-cut-a-secret-ad-deal-to-track-retail-sales

Maybe Brave (https://brave.com/) and BAT (https://basicattentiontoken.org/) are the future, or a similar concept where you own your data and are compensated for sharing it.

Also, Apple seems to have noticed consumers' desire for privacy by launching a new privacy page and Tim Cook has been talking about it a lot this week. Part of me thinks it's more Apple throwing in the towel knowing they'll have a harder time getting the massive data Google, Facebook, and Amazon have, but regardless of the reason, they're shouting about it now.

SteveH
10-25-18, 09:47 AM
Smart City - A Red Alert to Humanity - A Right to Freedom (https://www.techiebouncer.com/2018/10/smart-city-red-alert-to-humanity-right.html)


Out of 959,000 applications broke down from the Google Play store, 88 per cent sent information to Google, as per Business Insider.

A little more than 42 per cent of applications additionally sent information to Facebook, while a little more than 33 per cent sent information to Twitter.

nrc
11-03-18, 09:26 PM
Media reports are saying that the Amazon HQ2 deal is all but sealed for "Northern Virginia". By which they mean Crystal City, Virginia. Which is effectively Washington, DC.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised. I think I bought into the notion that Amazon was going to transform the process of creating a new headquarters in the same what they have transformed so many other things. I'm normally a cynic but it never occurred to me that this was a done deal from the beginning. Now I think this guy called it right from the start.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_GmklYEG1c

None of Amazon's phony criteria are worth a nickel compared to where Jeff Bezos wants to be and the power and influence there is to be gained in Washington D.C. Google invaded DC with lawyers and lobbyists and now Bezos is one-upping them by moving half the damn company there. It makes me wonder if this going to set off an arms race by the tech oligarchs seeking favor in Washington DC.

I wonder how many favors Amazon got across the country from cities and States trying to court an HQ2 they had no hope of ever getting. Power and influence in DC trumps all of Amazon's phony criteria.

Insomniac
11-04-18, 12:44 PM
Tech is just catching up to everyone else. Public policy is for sale, why shouldn't tech companies participate? Also, there's significant, critical Internet infrastructure there, evidenced by all the data centers.

SteveH
11-04-18, 03:00 PM
Jeff Bezos revealed as buyer of DC’s biggest house (https://nypost.com/2017/01/12/tech-billionaire-outed-as-buyer-of-washingtons-biggest-house/)

Was purchased nearly two years ago.

nrc
11-04-18, 08:47 PM
One story is now saying that Dallas and NYC are in similar late stage talks. We'll see if anything comes of it.

SteveH
11-05-18, 04:10 PM
Amazon Plans to Split HQ2 Evenly Between Two Cities (https://www.wsj.com/articles/amazon-plans-to-split-hq2-evenly-between-two-cities-1541446552)

don't have a subscription but the headline pretty much tells all that you need to know

SteveH
11-30-18, 12:44 AM
Microsoft wins $480 million military contract to bring HoloLens to the battlefield (https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2018/11/microsoft-wins-480-million-military-contract-to-bring-hololens-to-the-battlefield/)


Called Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS), formerly Heads Up Display (HUD) 3.0, the goal of the project is to develop a headset that gives soldiers—both in training and in combat—an increase in "Lethality, Mobility, and Situational Awareness." The ambitions for the project are high. Authorities want to develop a system with a goggle or visor form factor—nothing mounted on a helmet—with an integrated 3D display, digital cameras, ballistic laser, and hearing protection.

SteveH
12-04-18, 11:39 AM
Microsoft is building a Chromium-powered web browser that will replace Edge on Windows 10 (https://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft-building-chromium-powered-web-browser-windows-10)

nrc
12-06-18, 10:43 AM
I just hope that if everyone ends up using chromium that they scrub through it carefully to clean out whatever spyware Google puts in there. I'm using Vivaldi which is a nice chromium based browser. They seem privacy conscious enough that I trust them.

Hopefully Mozilla will soldier on even though that project has plenty of problems of its own.

TravelGal
12-13-18, 05:28 PM
I tried Vivaldi but I got tired of updates every 3 1/2 hours, or so it seemed. Definitely a layman's reaction to a superior product.

In the category of a question only a TRAVELgal would ask, I read an article about the reburbed Apple computers on Amazon going for about $150. I've never done Apple but feel I should have at least an idea of it. For a buck fifty, why not try out something? I also read the independents will be blocked as of January 1 and only licensed Apple retailers will be allowed. Sure to raise the prices. Today I looked. I see iPads and a MacBook. Surely all old. The question is, is the operating system still similar enough to make it worth my while dorking around with it or should I just forget it and stay Android-centric? If worth it, which would you buy? :gomer:

Insomniac
12-21-18, 01:04 PM
I see iPads and a MacBook. Surely all old. The question is, is the operating system still similar enough to make it worth my while dorking around with it or should I just forget it and stay Android-centric? If worth it, which would you buy? :gomer:

I don't think they're similar enough for occasional use personally. You'll likely find yourself googling "how do I do X on Y". You figure it out, then forget it a month later when you want to do it again. I'd suggest going to an Apple store or Best Buy and playing with one. Then imagine every time you use it, it's kind of like that (the familiarity), but gets better the more you use it.

Insomniac
01-21-19, 12:17 PM
(Almost) every product Apple ever made. (https://www.idownloadblog.com/2019/01/11/infographic-all-apple-products/)

SteveH
02-11-19, 04:28 PM
Microsoft Issues Internet Explorer Upgrade Warning (https://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2019/02/09/microsoft-internet-explorer-upgrade-warning-edge-google-chrome-firefox/#40bc543c3907)


In a subtle-as-a-brick blog post called ‘The perils of using Internet Explorer as your default browser’, Microsoft has warned that using Internet Explorer is downright dangerous and the company goes so far as to no longer even describe it as a web browser.

TravelGal
02-11-19, 10:15 PM
Microsoft Issues Internet Explorer Upgrade Warning (https://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2019/02/09/microsoft-internet-explorer-upgrade-warning-edge-google-chrome-firefox/#40bc543c3907)

:eek::eek::eek:

nrc
02-14-19, 03:59 PM
Amazon has now decided that New York is not sufficiently welcoming to locate half of HQ2 in the NYC area even with their huge tax concessions. Seems that some of the folks in NY got upset about giving handouts to the world's richest man.

Sounds like Nashville is at the head of the line to collect the scraps.

TravelGal
02-17-19, 06:09 PM
Amazon has now decided that New York is not sufficiently welcoming to locate half of HQ2 in the NYC area even with their huge tax concessions. Seems that some of the folks in NY got upset about giving handouts to the world's richest man.

Sounds like Nashville is at the head of the line to collect the scraps.

I read an article that "we're a union city and we'll remain a union city" was at the core of the protests. Except the builders who saw a decade of prosperity for their members. I wondered who was next up. Nashville. Nice. Half a billion isn't such small table scraps.

SteveH
03-25-19, 02:42 PM
Hi Marge :D

TravelGal
03-27-19, 08:57 PM
Hi Marge :D

I finally looked. :laugh::laugh::laugh:

SteveH
04-22-19, 04:35 PM
https://i.imgur.com/ZH24kFm.jpg

SteveH
04-22-19, 04:40 PM
Apple spends more than $30 million on Amazon's cloud every month, making it one of the biggest AWS customers (https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/22/apple-spends-more-than-30-million-on-amazon-web-services-a-month.html)


Apple has a major multiyear agreement with Amazon Web Services.
Apple spends more on Amazon's cloud than up-and-comers like Lyft and Pinterest.
However, Apple is also investing heavily in building its own cloud infrastructure.

nrc
06-11-19, 12:02 AM
I'm so fed up with Google's relentless decent into evil that I think I'm going to have to make a switch. It seems like Apple is the only viable alternative for privacy considerations. I've had my battles with Apple interfaces but watching demos it seems like outside a few of their usual oddities they've cribbed enough WebOS stuff to make things viable.

I'm thinking I'll get a refurb unlocked iPhone 6S for $150 and give it a try. Any other ideas on how to attempt this transition with minimal risk?

WickerBill
06-11-19, 08:09 AM
If you buy something nicer from the Apple Store, you have zero risk for 14 days (return policy) and you won't be judging an ecosystem on a thousand year old device...

chop456
06-11-19, 11:07 PM
What you need is a nice Windows phone. :D

nrc
06-13-19, 10:44 AM
If you buy something nicer from the Apple Store, you have zero risk for 14 days (return policy) and you won't be judging an ecosystem on a thousand year old device...

Excellent point. But you have to consider how cheap I am. :D

I'm currently using an Moto G4 Play which I got unlocked for $175. So even an iPhone 6s would be an upgrade in some areas.

But I think you're right that it might be a better investment to buy something with a hassle free return option. Rather than put money (albeit not a lot) into a model that will have a shorter useful life just to try it out, it might be worthwhile to spend a bit more and just return it if I'm not sold.

I also see that the iPhone 8 has wireless charging which I love. So I'll probably wait a while to see if any deals come up and then give it a try.

I've been such an Android partisan for so long that Missy was shocked when I told her that I'm considering the iPhone. What about the open source? She's got me there. But sadly the Android open source project isn't much use for freeing Android of Google's surveillance network unless you're someone like Amazon with the resources to build your own surveillance network.