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Atari Online News, Etc. Volume 18 Issue 24
Volume 18, Issue 24 Atari Online News, Etc. June 17, 2016
Published and Copyright (c) 1999 - 2016
All Rights Reserved
Atari Online News, Etc.
A-ONE Online Magazine
Dana P. Jacobson, Publisher/Managing Editor
Joseph Mirando, Managing Editor
Rob Mahlert, Associate Editor
Atari Online News, Etc. Staff
Dana P. Jacobson -- Editor
Joe Mirando -- "People Are Talking"
Michael Burkley -- "Unabashed Atariophile"
Albert Dayes -- "CC: Classic Chips"
Rob Mahlert -- Web site
Thomas J. Andrews -- "Keeper of the Flame"
With Contributions by:
Fred Horvat
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=~=~=~=
A-ONE #1824 06/17/16
~ Bushnell Gives Keynote ~ People Are Talking! ~ Firebee News Update!
~ Hacker Trolls for ISIS ~ OS X Out, macOS Is In! ~ Big Telecoms Lose!
~ New Plume Wi-Fi Pods! ~ "Spam King" Sentenced! ~ AHCC, Version 5.4!
~ Be Moe Secure Online! ~ New macOS Named Sierra ~ War on "Crapware"!
-* "Project Scorpio" - Next Xbox *-
-* Xbox One S Is Better Than Original! *-
-* Net Neutrality Rules for Fair Access Wins! *-
=~=~=~=
->From the Editor's Keyboard "Saying it like it is!"
""""""""""""""""""""""""""
The recent shootings in Orlando is another example that shows
that we're not doing enough to combat terrorism. Yes, while it
appears that this was an attack by a "lone wolf" fanatic, he was
apparently fascinated with ISIS-related activities; and, he made
calls to the police heralding ISIS and the Boston Marathon bombers.
Even though he toned-down his comments, I believe John McCain is
correct in holding Obama partially responsible for the attacks
in Florida. Obama should have done more to dismantle ISIS in its
infancy; and should be doing more now. Instead. it's more of his
usual rhetoric about tougher gun control.
Yes, this shooter purchased an assult rifle legally. So much for
the FBI doing its job effectively. The shooter had a past history
that should have raised tons of red flags when the background
check was being performed, but there weren't any. But the
politicians will once again renew gun control issues rather than
focus on the real problem - terrorism.
Do I believe that assault-like weapons should be available to the
general public? Part of me says no, but another says yes. As a
gun owner with all of the required permits, I can legally purchase
such a weapon. The way in which there's no telling where another
terrorist attack might occur, I'm almost tempted to consider
making such a purchase for better protection for myself and family!
September 11th changed our world forever; America is no longer the
safe haven that we all thought it to be.
Until next time...
=~=~=~=
FireBee News Update
By Fred Horvat
Not much happened this week with the FireBee. I did start fresh
yet again with EasyMiNT 1.90 on the FireBee with DHCP selected.
Selecting DHCP instead of Manual Networking Configuration the
installation will finish without losing USB. If selecting Manual
Networking Settings I will lose USB during the installation. Very
strange indeed and I currently do not have the FireBee on the USB
KVM so that is not the culprit. Anyways that is all that I did
this week. Next step is to get the Networking Configuration
program that is automatically run during the first boot up of the
FireBee. I will run the tool and try selecting DHCP and see if
that fixes my networking issues. If not I will then select Manual
Settings and see if that happens to correct the networking issues.
Hopefully running this tool will correct the problem.
Until next time.
AHCC v5.4
By Henk Robbers
There is a new version available on my home page (see sig).
Changes:
June 6 2016
v5.4
Compiler:
Fixed a bug in register health analysis where in certain
rare circumstances too many operations were discarded.
Shell: (not AHCCST)
New menu item: Project-->PRJ from folder.
Produce a skeleton project file from file names in a
given folder. (only 1 deep).
Usefull for constructing new project files for AHCC.
Editor:
Tile windows when started with 2 previous opened files.
Fixed a bug where ^2 could loose sync when searching for
next unequal lines.
--
Groeten; Regards.
Henk Robbers. http://members.chello.nl/h.robbers
Interactive disassembler: Digger; http://digger.atari.org
A Home Cooked C compiler: AHCC; http://ahcc.atari.org
=~=~=~=
->In This Week's Gaming Section - Microsoft Just Unveiled The Next Xbox and Itís A Monster!
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" 9 Reasons Why The Xbox One S Is Better Than The Original!
Atari Founder Nolan Bushnell Gives Keynote!
=~=~=~=
->A-ONE's Game Console Industry News - The Latest Gaming News!
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
Microsoft Just Unveiled The Next Xbox and Itís A Monster
We werenít sure weíd see it at Microsoftís E3 presser, but the
companyís ìone more thingî turns out to be the long-rumored
Project Scorpio. Itís officially the next Xbox, and it sounds like
a beast. Call it Microsoftís mic drop to Sony, whose PlayStation
conference airs later tonight.
Xbox honcho Phil Spencer dropped the bomb as the show closed,
teasing a console with 8 CPU cores, 320 GB per second of memory
bandwidth and 6 teraflops of GPU power. By contrast, the
PlayStation 4 boasts 1.84 teraflops, while the Xbox One has just
1.31. Industry bigwigs quoted in the reel called it ìThe most
powerful graphics processor in a game console to date,î ìThe
highest quality [uncompressed] pixels anyoneís seenî and ìThe ëWe
heard you console.'î
Calling it a ìmonster,î Spencer says itís meant to facilitate
true 4K resolution gaming, high-fidelity virtual reality, and
reassured that all future games will play on all three Xbox
consoles. The company announced the Xbox One S, a slimline
version of the original Xbox One earlier in the show.
Looks for it next year, and Spencer said Microsoft announced it
today ìto give developers and partners time to take advantage of
the capability now.î
9 Reasons Why The Xbox One S Is Better Than The Original
Microsoft cut straight to the chase at its E3 press conference,
officially announcing the Xbox One S the moment the event began.
(It had leaked the previous weekend.) As both Sony and Microsoft
have done with previous game consoles, the One S isn't a "next-gen"
successor to the Xbox One. Instead, it's a smaller version that
corrects many of the mistakes of the big, brutish Xbox that first
debuted in November 2013 - and adds some notable new features, too.
In fact, while we haven't spent any real time with the Xbox One S
(it doesn't become available until August), the photos and the
spec sheet point to a product that's a hands-down improvement on
its predecessor.
Among the most notable:
Better pricing (eventually)
The Xbox One S will start at just $299 in the US, but that 500GB
model won't be coming till later this year. In the meantime you can
get the 2-terabyte launch edition model for $399, £350 or AU$549 in
late August. A third 1TB model will also be available for $349 in
the US. Note, however, that the price of the existing Xbox One
model has already been cut to as low as $279.
The new One S comes in at 40 percent smaller than the original One,
which is a full-on beast of a box. That should put it much closer
to the slim enclosure of the PlayStation 4 - and free up quite a
bit of space in your home entertainment center. It even includes a
vertical stand in the box, if you'd prefer to mount it vertically.
In addition to being physically gigantic, the original Xbox One
also had an internal power brick the size of a Buick. The One S,
however, is following the lead of the PS4 and going with an
internal power supply.
The top-of-the-line Xbox One S will have 2TB of storage. That's
double the capacity of the current top-end Xbox and PS4, and
plenty of storage for all of your games.
Expect improved video on the Xbox One S, with support for 4K
(3,820x2,160-pixel) resolution and high-dynamic range (HDR). (Just
note that 4K support is reserved for video, not games.) That means
- on compatible titles and with compatible TVs - you can expect
colors to be more vibrant and blacks to be darker.
That 4K and HDR support isn't just for Netflix and Amazon streams:
The Xbox One S will also play those new, top-of-the-line 4K
Blu-ray discs, too. So it should be able to do everything that
players such as the Samsung UBD-K8500 do for the same price or
less - in addition to playing great games.
Controls other devices via an IR blaster
Microsoft dumped the Kinect motion sensor from the Xbox One
package long ago, which lowered the price by $150. The Kinect
remains an optional add-on for the One S - its absence of a
dedicated port means you'll need a USB adapter - but the new
console includes a Kinect feature built-in: An IR blaster can
control your TV and cable box like a universal remote.
The One S overhaul doesn't stop with the console, as the
controller is getting a refresh, too. This variant of the
wireless controller has a new textured grip and better range.
Even better, it adds Bluetooth wireless, in addition to Xbox's
proprietary wireless control scheme, which will allow you to use
it with Bluetooth-ready PCs and tablets (and maybe phones?)
without needing Microsoft's annoying USB dongle. Read our full
hands-on: The new Xbox Wireless Controller offers more than just
custom colors.
With the exception of needing the adapter if you're adding a
Kinect sensor, the One S still does everything the current Xbox
One can, and plays all of the same games. It also includes all of
the positive software improvements Microsoft has made over the
past few years, including the redesigned interface, support for
the Cortana digital assistant, compatibility with the Windows
Store, backwards compatibility with a growing list of Xbox 360
games and more.
The Xbox One S is available for preorder at the Microsoft Store
in the US, UK and Australia, but keep a couple of caveats in mind
before you whip out your credit card. First off, Microsoft has
already confirmed that a supercharged version of the Xbox One,
dubbed Project Scorpio, will be hitting in late 2017 with support
for gaming at 4K resolutions and VR add-ons. And Sony is also
getting into the console upgrade game in the near future with its
PS4 Neo, which will also amp up its 4K video chops.
And, of course, there's always Nintendo, which will be releasing
its Nintendo NX console in March 2017.
So while the Xbox One S looks great, just know that a raft of
other new and improved game consoles will be hot on its heels.
=~=~=~=
->A-ONE Gaming Online - Online Users Growl & Purr!
"""""""""""""""""""
Atari Founder Nolan Bushnell Gives Keynote on the
Ups and Downs of Our Digital Present (and Future)
Entrepreneur Nolan Bushnell, the founder Atari Inc. and Chuck E.
Cheese's, delivered the keynote at the newly revamped NXNE Future
Land, Interactive Conference in Toronto this week.
"We have to choose between protection of the status quo and
embrace of the future," Bushnell told the theatre of gamers and
musicians at Ryerson University's Ted Rogers School of
Management. "The future has no constituency. You believe people
are going to sit by, and governments are going to sit by, and
see 40 percent of the work force displaced by technology?
"The countries that embrace the future will survive and do well,
and those that restrict [technology] will fail within 20 years.
And it's a problem because we have to create a clear vision of
what the future could be like."
Bushnell, whose company created the groundbreaking arcade video
game Pong, is currently writing his own immersive experience, Pong
The Musical (with Rodgers and Hammerstein taking care of the
music) slated to open next fall in Los Angeles.
His kids are also involved in various ventures, including Dip
("think of it as Airbnb for party places, like hotel pools") to
Polycade (a video game machine with 300 retro games) and Two Bi
Circus, focused on "big experiential games."
"In today's world you can find more and more about immersion,"
Bushnell said. "What is immersion? Well VR is immersion. But real
life in a future scheme construct is immersion as well."
At the end of his presentation, Billboard asked how the record
and live music industry could utilize some of these ideas and
technologies for the future?
"The performing arts - music, acting - is at an interesting cross
roads because there are fans and fan-base marketing and some of
those things. I think that VR is, right now, in the whiz-bang
phase, where it's so different that it hasn't settled down to
being a true communication medium for things like new bands or
new music or musical acts," Bushnell said. "In VR, I'm not sure
that the visceral excitement of standing in the mosh pit, passing
around people, is going to be nearly as much fun as when you do
it yourself.
"I think that the technology both enables and destroys. There are
so many more artists that are being heard today, but yet the
amount of money that can be monetized through CD sales and even
iTunes sales; you look at the music business and what was it,
20 percent of it was at its peak, and I see it as probably further
disintermediation. The big brands are giving way to the small
brands and I think that's going to continue."
=~=~=~=
A-ONE's Headline News
The Latest in Computer Technology News
Compiled by: Dana P. Jacobson
'Net Neutrality' Rules for Fair Internet Access Win in Court
A federal appeals court on Tuesday upheld the government's "net
neutrality" rules, preserving regulations that force internet
providers such as Comcast and AT&T to treat all online traffic ó
everything from Netflix and cat videos to games and downloads ó
equally.
The 2-1 ruling is a sweeping victory for the Obama administration
and the consumer groups and internet companies that have pushed
net neutrality for years. The Federal Communications Commission's
rules block internet service providers from favoring their own
services and disadvantaging others; blocking other sites and apps;
and creating "fast lanes" for video and other data services that
pay for the privilege.
On technical grounds, the ruling upholds the FCC's authority to
regulate broadband service as a utility, much like phone service,
and to forbid what it considers unreasonable practices. It applies
equally to wired broadband providers like cable companies and
mobile ones such as Verizon.
The net neutrality rules have been in effect since June, and the
court's decision isn't going to change how the internet works
tomorrow. But the FCC has already been taking some steps that
would change how broadband providers act. The ruling could pave
the way for tougher restrictions on cable and phone companies that
affect what services they offer, which consumer data they can use
and how, and what they can charge.
The providers who filed the lawsuit say they'll appeal.
"This decision is huge for the FCC's authority," said Marvin
Ammori, a longtime net-neutrality advocate. "We won big on
everything." That sets the stage for what Ammori and several
analysts see as the next big battle. That will likely involve "zero
rating" ó the practice of exempting preferred video services from
customer data caps.
Comcast, for example, lets you can watch video at home with its
Stream service with no danger of bumping against your data cap
(if you have one). T-Mobile's Binge On program lets you watch any
video you want from Netflix and many other providers without
counting it as data use. Net-neutrality advocates say these types
of practices are unfair and tilt the market toward certain
favored providers.
Other consequences are more difficult to gauge. Christopher Yoo,
a professor of law, engineering and communications at the
University of Pennsylvania, said the ruling could mean higher
prices for some services, while providers might drop others
altogether.
"I think everyone has to be shocked at the magnitude of the FCC
victory," said MoffettNathanson analyst Craig Moffett. But it was
a long time coming.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
had previously struck down similar rules from the FCC ó twice ó
although at the time the FCC based them on a different and more
tenuous claim of legal authority.
The FCC shifted tactics and moved to treat broadband as a utility
after President Barack Obama publicly urged the commission to
protect consumers by doing so. Providers like Comcast, Verizon
and AT&T said the resulting rules threaten innovation and
undermine investment in broadband infrastructure.
The telecom industry made its case mainly on technical grounds.
It argued that broadband is an "information service" and not a
utility, because providers offer both internet access and
services such as email. Under current law, information services
are also exempt from net-neutrality regulation.
But the same court ruled that the FCC was justified in
reclassifying broadband as a telecom utility because consumers
see broadband as a pipe for internet service and a way to get
online to use "third-party" services like Gmail and Netflix.
"Given the tremendous impact third-party internet content has had
on our society, it would be hard to deny its dominance in the
broadband experience," Judges David Tatel and Sri Srinivasan wrote
in a 115-page majority opinion that denied all challenges to the
rules.
"Over the past two decades, this content has transformed nearly
every aspect of our lives, from profound actions like choosing a
leader, building a career, and falling in love to more quotidian
ones like hailing a cab and watching a movie," the judges said.
"The same assuredly cannot be said for broadband providers' own
add-on applications."
In a lengthy dissent, Judge Stephen Williams wrote that the FCC
"fails to offer a reasoned basis" for its view that giving
preferential treatment to customers who pay for faster service is
a problem. By regulating broadband service like "natural
monopolies," Williams said the FCC provides "little economic
space for new firms seeking market entry or relatively small
firms seeking expansion through innovations."
Tatel and Srinivasan were appointed by Democratic presidents ó
Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, respectively. Williams was
appointed by Ronald Reagan.
Opponents of the ruling are already calling on Congress to
restrict its reach, but experts say it's unlikely such a law
would pass before the election.
"We have always expected this issue to be decided by the Supreme
Court, and we look forward to participating in that appeal,"
said David McAtee, AT&T senior executive vice president and
general counsel, in a statement posted on the company's website.
FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler praised the ruling as an affirmation of
the government's power to keep the internet open for all
consumers.
"After a decade of debate and legal battles, today's ruling
affirms the commission's ability to enforce the strongest possible
internet protections óboth on fixed and mobile networks ó that
will ensure the internet remains open, now and in the future,"
Wheeler said.
Big Telecom Lost in Court, But An Open Internet Won. So Did You.
A critical court ruling on Tuesday upheld long-contested rules
that stop your internet provider from blocking or slowing sites ó
înet neutrality,î in fewer words.
The ruling by the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit upholding
the Federal Communications Commissionís net-neutrality rules is a
weighty read, but for Big Telecom it boils down to eight words:
You get nothing! You lose! Good day, sir!
This means the FCCís regulations stopping your internet provider
and wireless carrier from blocking or slowing your access to a
legal site, service, or app ó or charging one for priority
delivery ó live on.
The argument over net neutrality does, too. But the odds of
winning it got a lot worse for opponents of the FCCís regulations
and the general idea of stopping your internet providers from
tampering with your connection to the online world.
Your ISP can still charge more for faster downloads, impose data
caps and maybe even exempt some services from those limits. But
first it must give you the internet, the whole internet and
nothing but the internet. And on the other end of the connection,
some new online startup doesnít have to worry about being asked
to pay extra to reach you.
The conclusion of the 115-page ruling by Judges David S. Tatel
and Sri Srinivasan in United States Telecom Association, et al.,
v. Federal Communications Commission shouldnít have surprised
anybody who read the same courtís January 2014 opinion that
rejected earlier, weaker net-neutrality rules.
In that case brought by Verizon (VZ), the court essentially said
that if the commission wanted to regulate internet providers as
ìcommon carriersî ó a legal status thatís long governed telephone
utilities but also railroads and taxis ó it had to label them
accordingly.
Which, in turn, would require the FCC to hit the Undo button on
decisions a decade earlier to classify broadband providers as
ìinformation services,î not the simpler definition of
ìtelecommunications servicesî that happens to match the usual
understanding of what ISPs do ó connect you to the internet.
After a prolonged public outcry over the possibility of the FCC
caving ó remember comedian John Oliver comparing FCC chair Tom
Wheeler to a dingo? ó the commission took the courtís hint. In
February of 2015, it put wired and wireless broadband providers
back in the utility-esque common-carrier bucket and then adopted
net-neutrality rules.
Various telecom companies and organizations promptly sued to
overturn those rules, and we now have the courtís word.
This 2-1 ruling (Tatel and Srinivasanís colleague Judge Stephen F.
Williams filed a dissent) focuses on the difference between
ìinformationî and ìtelecommunicationsî services as defined in the
Telecommunications Act of 1996.
The former most closely describes AOL and other pioneering online
services, which bundled not just a connection but software and
services.
The latter matches todayís internet access, where you pay for the
connection and then go to other sites ó like, perhaps, todayís
Aol, a division of Verizon that runs sites like Engadget and
TechCrunch (and tends to a dwindling audience of dial-up users).
Internet providers may not appreciate being defined as ìdumb
pipes,î but the definition fits. They havenít seriously tried to
offer something like an ìinformation serviceî since the 2001
demise of cable service Excite@Home.
How can the FCC make that call? Because, the judges wrote, the
Supreme Court said so in a 2005 case. That might not matter had
Congress since labeled ISPs as information services ó but it
hasnít. And a 1984 Supreme Court ruling lets regulatory agencies
like the FCC make their own reasoned calls in the absence of
Congressional direction.
One party to the just-decided lawsuit, AT&T (T), is already
vowing to appeal this case to the Supreme Court, while others
have not gone beyond moping about its unfairness.
Continuing this strategy of relentless litigation might not be
smart. The courtís ruling stands on those two Supreme Court
precedents ó and Williamsí dissent accepts that the FCC worked
within the outlines of the Telecommunications Act, while then
faulting its logic.
Besides, appealing to the highest court in the land would mean a
few more years of net-neutrality rules remaining intact.
While Congress could technically vote tomorrow to revise the
Telecommunications Act, t hasnít been able to do any such rewrite
in over 20 years.
To be sure, an anti-net-neutrality candidate ó namely, Donald
Trump ó could win the 2016 presidential election and then
appoint FCC commissioners who would axe the net-neutrality
rules.
But while Trump opposes it ó he called it a ìtop down power grabî
in a 2014 tweet ó heís also widely loathed outside his Republican
primary base.
Hillary Clinton, meanwhile, applauded the ruling in a tweet that
called it ìa big win for consumers, innovation, and freedom of
expression on the internet.î
But the larger problem here is that fighting net neutrality looks
like a political loser.
It requires believing promises of future online media services
that couldnít survive without paid prioritization over a
documented history of large internet providers demanding that
real online media services like Netflix pay for the data used by
their own customers.
(Internet providers may yet all wind up giving up on improving
their services because net neutrality eats into their profits,
but the evidence for that remains thin.)
Net neutrality often comes with a side order of shrill extremism
denouncing it as ìregulating the Internetî ó even though it
doesnít limit what you do on the Internet ó if not outright
Marxism.
And it not only requires taking the side of giant corporations,
it demands standing up for cable and phone companies in
particular, some of the less-liked firms in America. Are 2016ís
candidates ready to nail their colors to the mast for all that?
If so, I have two more words: good luck.
Hacker Floods ISIS-related Twitters with Pro-LGBT Messages, Porn
A hacker identifying with the group Anonymous has been trolling
ISIS-related Twitter accounts, flooding them with explicit gay
porn and rainbow flags, and sending fake "coming out" Tweets from
users who support the terrorist group.
Following suggestions that the mass shooting in Orlando was
inspired by ISIS, a self-identified Anonymous hacker who goes by
the name WauchulaGhost took control of what had been pro-ISIS
accounts.
"These attacks are getting too close to home," the hacker, who
didn't share any identifying information, told NBC News in an
email interview. "Social media isn't doing enough to keep this
virus off the internet. It was just a little something to let all
know there are people here willing to stand up and defend those
who can not."
For its part, Twitter has cracked down on suspected
terrorism-related profiles. Last year it suspended over 125,000
accounts, after widespread criticism over the platform's role as
an enabler in the dissemination of ISIS propaganda.
WauchulaGhost's recent hacks seem to have been inspired by a
segment on the Kyle Kulinski radio talk show "Secular Talk," in
which the eponymous host applauds Anonymous' hacks earlier this
week. In those attacks, the hacktivist group flooded ISIS-related
Twitter accounts with images of pornography and changed some
users' avatars into "I Heart Porn" graphics. Kulinski suggested on
his show that such messages might be more effective if they were
gay porn.
"Love it bro, you just gave me an idea and that's not usually
good, lulz," responded WauchulaGhost on his Twitter account.
Shortly afterwards, he replaced messages of support for the
Orlando shooter with gay pride tweets such as "I'm gay and I'm
proud," altered the ISIS flag into a NSFW goat-related graphic,
and peppered the profiles with graphic gay sex videos.
As for the ease with which he accomplished these hacks,
WauchulaGhost said, "Once I target an account, I can be in it
within 60 seconds." He told NBC News that even though ISIS groups
had "stepped up their #OpSec," they "know how to Google rather
well, but that's it."
Twitter said in a statement that it "condemn(s) the use of
Twitter to promote terrorism, and the Twitter Rules make it
clear that this type of behavior, or any violent threat, is not
permitted on our service."
ìSpam King,î Who Defied Nearly $1 Billion in
Default Judgments, Sentenced to 2.5 Years
A Las Vegas man known as the "Spam King" was sentenced Monday to
2.5 years in federal prison. He pleaded guilty last year to one
count of fraud.
The federal judge in San Jose, California also ordered Sanford
Wallace to pay over $310,000 in restitution.
Prosecutors wrote that by his own admission, Wallace executed "a
scheme from approximately November 2008 through March 2009 to send
spam messages to Facebook users that compromised approximately
500,000 legitimate Facebook accounts, and resulted in over 27
million spam messages being sent through Facebookís servers."
Wallace lost civil suits from MySpace and Facebook, among others,
and was hit with nearly a total of $1 billion in outstanding
default judgments, for which they have been unable to collect. In
2011, he was finally hit with criminal charges.
As prosecutors wrote in their pre-sentencing memorandum, asking
the judge to impose a three-year sentence:
The defendantís history demonstrates that he has yet to suffer
a consequence ñ other than a default judgment that cannot be
collected - for his spamming activities. A sentence of 36 monthsí
imprisonment will impress upon the defendant the seriousness of his
actions and deter him from engaging in similar conduct again.
Thereís A Quick and Easy Way To Be More Secure Online
You probably think your social media, email and online banking
accounts are pretty secure. After all, you use different complex
passwords for each and never log into them from public computers.
Yeah, your online accounts are locked down tighter than Fort Knox.
Except theyíre not.
With a little bit of social engineering, an experienced hacker
could get the passwords for your online accounts in no time. And
letís face it, if SplashDataís annual list of most popular
passwords is any indication, your ìcomplexî passwords are probably
nothing better than ì123456î and ìqwerty.î
But thereís a quick and easy way to significantly increase your
online security: two-factor authentication. Two-factor,
sometimes called two-step, authentication is basically the
deadbolt for your online accounts.
When enabled, two-factor authentication will automatically send
you an alert via a text message, email or third-party app whenever
a login attempt is made on one of your online accounts. That
message will include a random set of numbers that youíll have to
use to log into your app or online account.
For example, if you set up two-factor authentication for Twitter,
the next time you log into the app or website from your phone or
computer, youíll be directed to a page asking you to enter an
authentication number. Youíll then receive a text message with
the number. Enter it and youíll be signed into your account. It
adds an extra step to your log-in process, but itís the best way
to ensure youíre the only person who can log into your various
online accounts.
As an added benefit, it also lets you know when someone is trying
to get into your account without your knowledge by sending you
your two-factor credentials when a log-in attempt is made. If
youíre not the one trying to get into your account, you know
someone else definitely is.
If you donít want to give some hacker or other punk easier access
to your online accounts, set up two-factor authentication on your
email, social and payment services. The extra step of entering a
second password can be a bit annoying, but itís well worth the
hassle.
And if youíre not at least considering two-factor authentication
after reading this, you should probably just delete your online
accounts and start communicating via handwritten letter or morse
code.
Apple Just Renamed One of Its Oldest and Most Important Products
Apple just changed the name of its original operating system for
the first time since 1999 on Monday at its annual conference.
Say goodbye to OS X ó and meet macOS, the new name for Appleís
desktop operating system.
ìIîm talking about the name OS X itself ó itís been with us for
over 15 years, and itís served us so well,î Apple SVP Craig
Federighi said. But times change, and now ìthe name of the
worldís most advanced desktop operating system is now MacOS.î
macOS has been a key product for Apple since former CEO Steve
Jobs returned to the company in 1997, bringing technology from
NeXT. In 2001, the first desktop version based on NeXT was
released under the name OS X ó pronounced ìoh ess ten.î
Since then, Apple has released a new version of OS X every year,
previously named after big cats, like leopards and cheetahs, and
most recently named after scenic locations in California, like
Yosemite.
This yearís macOS is named ìSierra.î
But Apple has released and developed several new platforms that
have arguably surpassed macOS in importance, especially iOS, the
software that makes iPhones run. On Monday, Apple announced the
tenth version of iOS.
So to prevent confusion, Apple renamed its oldest operating system.
The new name change also brings Appleís desktop brand in line with
its other platforms.
The new name wonít cause a big change to the way users use their
Macs, but it may take a while for developers and users to get used
to saying ìOS X.î But itís still the same stable operating system
that Appleís been developing for the past 15 years.
The new MacOS will be a free update, and will become available
this fall.
The 5 Biggest Upgrades Coming to macOS Sierra
If your Mac starts talking back to you this fall, it doesn't mean
you should lay off the wine coolers ó though that probably wouldn't
hurt. It's actually just Apple's Siri voice assistant, which will
make its way to the company's Mac and MacBook computers later this
year along with a host of other updates to its OS X operating
system.
Well, actually, it's not OS X anymore. Apple has gone ahead and
changed the name of its desktop operating system to fit the naming
conventions it uses for its iOS and watchOS offerings. OS X is now
macOS. Of course, the company is still naming the operating system
after a location in California. So this time around the software
is called macOS Sierra.
But what's in a name anyway? You want to know what upgrading means
for you. So buckle up, because these are the five best new
features of macOS Sierra.
1. Siri on the desktop
Yes, Siri has broken free of its mobile confines and has finally
made the leap to the world of Mac. You'll be able to access the
voice assistant by clicking the Siri button in Dock at the bottom
of your Mac's screen. You can then ask the disembodied voice to
perform a litany of tasks including searching for files on your
computer and looking up nearby movie times.
In a stage demo, Apple's senior VP of software engineering (and
three-time most luxurious hair award winner) Craig Federighi
showed how you can call up folders or specific files using Siri.
Results are displayed in the top right corner of the screen
alongside the Spotlight search magnifying glass icon.
Federighi also demonstrated how you can ask Siri to perform a web
search for photos. The voice assistant then displayed the results
as it did the native files Federighi had searched for. He was
then able to pull them directly from the search results box and
place them on his desktop in a snap.
Naturally, Siri will perform all of the same tasks you already
don't use it for on your iPhone. So you'll be able to message
friends, look up sports scores, and make dinner reservations.
A desktop-based voice assistant isn't a first, though.
Microsoft's Cortana voice assistant has been available as part
of its Windows 10 operating system for a year. And while it's
useful, I still feel incredibly awkward sitting in my room asking
my computer to do something I can do on my own with a few
keystrokes.
I could, however, see myself using Siri to control my smart home
appliances, which it will be able to do when the Home app
launches for iOS later this year.
2. Continuity
Both Google and Microsoft already make it relatively easy to
access files and software across various devices without much
hassle, and now Apple is getting on the bandwagon too. MacOS
Sierra will offer a variety of continuity features that let you
move files and access features from your Mac on your iPhone and
vice versa.
The first change comes by way of iCloud Drive, which in addition
to already letting you save and access files in the cloud, will
let you see all of the files you have saved on your Mac's desktop
on your other Macs and iOS devices. That's especially convenient
considering most people have a tendency to simply save their
files to their desktop only to realize later they needed to save
them to their iCloud Drive to access them on the go.
Apple is also making it a bit easier to use Apple Pay on your
laptop or desktop by moving the authentication step to your iOS
device. For example, if you're on the checkout page of a website
and click the Apple Pay button, you'll automatically get a prompt
to use the Touch ID sensor on your iPhone to verify your purchase.
This sounds helpful in theory, but I also don't want to have to
jump between devices just to buy 52 boxes of Devil Dogs.
Even the most boring task of typing in your Mac's password is
getting a continuity upgrade. Now instead of tapping keys to
enter a password like some kind of Neanderthal, your Apple Watch
can automatically recognize that you're approaching your Mac and
unlock it without you ever having to touch a button.
3. Storage optimization
Running out of storage space on your Mac is genuinely annoying.
Not only do you have to delete scads of disparate files, you have
to make sure you're not accidentally getting rid of important
things like photos and documents. And when you're deleting tens
of gigabytes of files, that can be an especially time-consuming
task.
So Apple is giving macOS Sierra carte blanche to manage your
Mac's storage drive with Optimized Storage. Whenever your drive
becomes full, macOS will take certain steps to free up some
space. For instance, it will automatically delete anything
that's been in Trash for more than 30 days and move infrequently
used files off of your Mac and into the cloud. It will also
remind you to delete old temporary, duplicate and app installer
files.
For people who are awful at managing their computer's storage and
then fly into an indignant rage when they run out of space, this
should prove to be an indispensable feature. My one concern is
that when macOS uploads your files to the cloud, you have to
redownload them to get them on your desktop. And if you don't
have an internet connection that's a no go. But most people have
internet access readily available while using their Macs, so it
shouldn't be much of an issue.
4. App tabs
I usually write using Microsoft Word, and when I'm working on
multiple articles at the same time that means having a bunch of
different Word windows open at once. The same happens when I'm
editing multiple photos, which ends up becoming a real problem.
To address that, Apple is adding tabs to existing first- and
third-party apps.
So now when I've got three Word windows open, I'll see them in a
single Word window with three tabs; ditto my photo editing app.
That's going to be a huge help, especially for Mac owners who
spent 95% of their day shuffling between different windows trying
to find the spreadsheet they were just working on.
5. Picture-in-picture
Lastly, macOS Sierra is bringing picture-in-picture viewing to
your desktop. That means you'll be able to watch a video in a
moveable, resizable window while still working on your important
work project in the background. Just make sure your boss doesn't
catch you watching ìGame of Thronesî in the middle of a budget
meeting.
Microsoft Wages War on 'Crapware' With New Windows 10 Tool
Microsoft yesterday released a free tool for Windows 10 that
claims to scrub PCs of the "bloatware" - also called "crapware"
- that computer makers pack on new machines.
Refresh Windows, which must be downloaded from Microsoft's
website, currently works only on preview builds of 10, those
seeded to participants of the Insider program. Since Insider is
a precursor to the production code, the tool should be usable by
owners of systems upgraded to the Anniversary Update, version
1607, which is slated to ship next month.
At the moment, the tool can be downloaded via a link embedded in
a long message on Microsoft's support forum; the message appears
in Edge after clicking a new link in the Settings panel under the
"Update & Security" item's "Recovery" option.
According to the forum message - which was penned by a Microsoft
employee identified only as "Jason" - Refresh Windows downloads
and installs a recent, pristine build of Windows 10 on the PC,
overwriting the pre-installed version.
More importantly, all non-Microsoft applications that were
bundled or already installed on Windows 10 - the exception include
the Mail email client and the Edge browser - are eliminated during
the refresh. "It will also remove most pre-installed applications
such as OEM applications, support applications, and drivers,"
wrote Jason. The term "OEM" (original equipment manufacturers)
refers to computer makers such as Dell, Hewlett-Packard and
Lenovo.
For that reason, Refresh Windows would be best used immediately
after purchasing a new Windows 10 system, and before the buyer
installed any software on the machine.
Jason ticked off a slew of caveats for Refresh Windows, including
some during what he referred to as the "preview period" of
testing with Insider members. He implied that it would be added
to the production-grade edition of Windows 10.
Users of Refresh Windows may choose to retain their personal files
- those stashed in the core folders such as "Pictures" and
"Documents" - or wipe everything from the drive. In all cases,
they will have to reinstall applications, including Microsoft
Office and third-party programs, and probably download and install
new device drivers, either through Windows Update or from the
individual websites of the PC maker, graphics card manufacturer
and the like.
As of Friday, Refresh Windows worked only on Insider build 14342
or later. Microsoft issued build 14342 on May 26, but has followed
with several since then, most recently on Thursday with build
14677. Assuming Microsoft follows through, the tool will work with
the production code set ship in July.
Windows users have long been able to reach the same result by
downloading a clean disk image of Windows, then installing that on
a crapware-filled PC. But that approach has been largely used by
experienced hands: Refresh Windows still requires much manual work
in re-installing deleted apps, but it automates the process
somewhat by taking care of the image downloading.
For that reason, it may appeal to a wider audience of Windows 10
users.
Although Refresh Windows will be applauded by customers who have
complained about crapware, it's likely that Microsoft's hardware
partners, who pre-load that content on their devices in a bid for
additional revenue, won't see it as a friendly move. In that way,
it's reminiscent of the adversarial strategy Microsoft has taken
at times, such as when it introduced its own Surface line, or by
promoting its "Signature" portfolio of PCs, which are billed as
free of bloatware.
Plume Wi-Fi Pods Could Boost Your Home Network
So continues the slow march of Wi-Fi mesh networks into the home.
We already have the Eero$199.00 at Amazon, the Luma, and soon
Ubiquiti's Amplifi. Not to be outdone, the Plume is also up for
pre-order now, and it promises a router-less mesh network that,
in theory, should automate many of the annoying configuration
complexities that come from linking together multiple access
points in a single location.
The Plume ó which sounds like a large, fuzzy feather ó is
actually a series of small plug-in pucks, sized almost like
nightlights, that you deploy around your house to give you
wireless coverage wherever you want it. Unlike a traditional
Wi-Fi router/extender combination, the small pucks all work
together to ensure that they're connecting to one another in the
best possible way. That, presumably, means better speeds for
your connected devices.
Instead of using a traditional Wi-Fi router, you just use the
pucks. The one you plug into your DSL or cable modem (or fiber
gateway, if you're fancy) serves as the primary "hub" for all of
them.
"A single router can no longer meet the Wi-Fi demands of most
homes today. While the latest generation of multi-router systems
improve signal strength, they can choke the overall system
capacity and speeds. These unnecessarily expensive products are
based on decades-old technology that compounds the issue of a
central router and cannot handle the complex variables and loads
affecting a Wi-Fi network in a modern connected home," said Plume
CEO and co-founder Fahri Diner in a statement.
"We approached the problem from a unique angle. Rather than
introducing more routers, we decided to deconstruct the
traditional router by leveraging inexpensive and scalable compute
power from the cloud. The intent was to give people more Wi-Fi,
in more places, on more devices, more of the timeóall at a more
affordable price point."
Plume does seem to be trying to distance itself from the notion
of a "traditional" mesh network, in that the company says its
devices all use different Wi-Fi bands to connect to one another
to alleviate any performance issues that would come from the
devices using the same Wi-Fi band. The Plume devices also
allegedly "tune" your network to prioritize connections for
devices that need it most, and Plume even learns your normal
habits to ensure that you always have enough bandwidth to stream
your Sunday night Game of Thrones.
"By actively monitoring the home network, as well as the devices
connected to it, Plume detects interference and continuously
makes decisions to improve signal, speed, and resiliency. For
example, the system monitors the UHD TV box in the living room
and boosts Wi-Fi capacity there so the 4K stream never loses
resolution. Plume also directs mobile devices to seamlessly roam
as they move around the home," reads Plume's description.
Each Plume device comes with a gigabit Ethernet port, supports
AC1200 speeds, and costs $39 for a pre-order or $49 when the
devices launch this fall.
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