Hyper launched a new USB-C adapter for HDMI and it supports 8K 60Hz or 4K 144Hz HDR. You can buy it now for US$49.99.
Andrew Orr
Since 2015 Andrew has been writing about Apple, privacy, security, and at one point even Android. You can find him most places online under the username @andrewornot.
Articles by Andrew Orr
New Malware Infects Software Pirates and Blocks The Pirate Bay
Andrew Brandt reports on a new malware campaign that isn’t like your typical malware. This one blocks people from accessing many popular pirating websites.
We weren’t able to discern a provenance for this malware, but its motivation seemed pretty clear: It prevents people from visiting software piracy websites (if only temporarily), and sends the name of the pirated software the user was hoping to use to a website, which also delivers a secondary payload.
Looks like this is aimed more towards Windows users. The malware takes the form of .EXE executables, and may display a message saying the victim is missing an important .DLL file.
Satechi Releases Slim X2 Bluetooth Backlit Keyboard
On Thursday Satechi launched its newest product to the keyboard product line called Slim X2 Bluetooth Backlit Keyboard.
GitHub Desktop 2.9 Update Adds M1 Mac Support
GitHub Desktop was recently updated to version 2.9, and the team shared some of the new features included, such as squash and reorder commits. Users can now download a native build for their M1 Mac.
If a group of commits represents a single unit of work, or if a project requires that each pull request only has one commit, simply drag them on top of one another to squash them together and add a new commit message that captures the whole picture.
The Story of BonziBuddy and its Company’s Demise
In the third episode of Kernel Panic, Mashable tells the story of one of the first virtual assistants known as BonziBuddy.
Behind the facade of that friendly gorilla, Bonzi Software, the company responsible for BonziBuddy, was collecting private information and contacts from the unsuspecting internet users who downloaded it — and bombarding them with ads and pop-ups that Bonzi would profit from.
Harry Potter and the Curse of Bonzi. If you ever downloaded this purple ape and noticed strange things start to happen, let us know in the comments. Maybe your browser was full of ads, or maybe he whispered into your ear at night, encouraging you to commit securities fraud.
Data Leak Exposes Customer Records With CVS Health
CVS Health recently leaked approximately one billion user records that include email addresses, user IDs, and metadata. The information was discovered in a non-password protected database.
CVS Health acted fast and professionally to secure the data and a member of their Information Security Team contacted me the following day and confirmed my findings and that the data was indeed theirs. I was informed that this was a contractor or vendor who managed this dataset on behalf of CVS Health, but it was confidential as to who the vendor was.
MOFT O Combines an iPhone Grip With a Stand
MOFT’s latest product is really clever. It’s called the MOFT O and it’s an iPhone grip that can also function as a stand. It’s MagSafe compatible or seamlessly snaps on any phone via the reusable MOFT Snap Sticker – a patented silicone pad with magnetic-like functionality. The slim multi-disc design object folds into a sturdy three-dimensional phone stand that rotates 360° for 3 viewing angles and snaps off to act as a 90° kickstand for live streaming. It’s available to purchase for US$19.99.
Apple’s Kevin Lynch Talks About Health in iOS 15, watchOS 8
Kevin Lynch, Vice President of Technology at Apple, talked about health in iOS 15 and watchOS 8 that will arrive later this year.
OtterBox Releases Swappable Xbox Controller Batteries
On Wednesday, OtterBox has officially released its newest product called Power Swap Controller Batteries.
Facebook and Michigan State University Work on Deepfake Detection
Facebook and Michigan State University are working on a deepfake detection system that can reverse-engineer the fakes.
Twelve South Introduces iPhone 12 Leather MagSafe Wallet
Twelve South is launching an iPhone 12 leather MagSafe wallet called SurfacePad. It’s available to purchase for US$49.99.
Should You Digitize Your ID With iOS 15?
One of the updates to Apple Wallet in iOS 15 is letting people scan their driver’s license. But is that a good thing?
One major question is how Apple users and law enforcement like TSA agents will actually interact with these digital IDs. If your driver’s license is on your phone, you could potentially have to present your fully unlocked device to a law enforcement agent in a transaction like a traffic stop or at airport security. That could, in turn, expose you to incidental search of your data, social media accounts, or anything else the agent flicks to.
Pixelmator Pro Will Support macOS Monterey Shortcuts
On Monday the team behind Pixelmator Pro announced that its Mac app will integrate with the upcoming Shortcuts app on macOS Monterey.
Why You Should Drill a Hole Into Your iPhone or iPad
Over the weekend, Nikita Mazurov for The Intercept reminds us that a good way to wipe our iDevices is to drill a hole through it.
If you can’t access your device, the most careful approach to wiping it is to destroy the flash memory chip that houses your data. This way you don’t have to lose sleep if you didn’t use a strong passcode, or worry about a forensics vendor being able to recover any of your personal information.
How to Set Up a Ledger Nano X Wallet for Cryptocurrency
Over the weekend Andrew received his Ledger Nano X hardware wallet for cryptocurrency, and he set it up on Saturday.
Beware of Malicious PDFs When Using Web Search
The team behind the SolarMarker malware have been loading it into PDFs and using web search to trick people into downloading them.
Download the M1 iPad Pro Wallpapers Here
The folks at OSXDaily found all eight M1 iPad Pro wallpapers. Four of them are light mode and four of them are dark mode. “This time around, Apple has made sure the new wallpapers show off the new Liquid Retina XDR display in all its glory. But, if you already have an older iPad Pro, you can replicate the look with these new wallpapers, as we’ve sourced them for you in full resolution.“
‘Legends of Kingdom Rush’ Now on Apple Arcade
Apple announced on Friday that Legends of Kingdom Rush is now on Apple Arcade. It’s a turn-based combat game.
Gaming Company ‘EA’ Suffers Data Breach of Game Code
Electronic Arts is the latest company to have information stolen in a data breach. It includes the source code for FIFA 21, the Frostbite engine, and proprietary frameworks and SDKs.
We are investigating a recent incident of intrusion into our network where a limited amount of game source code and related tools were stolen. No player data was accessed, and we have no reason to believe there is any risk to player privacy.
Following the incident, we’ve already made security improvements and do not expect an impact on our games or our business. We are actively working with law enforcement officials and other experts as part of this ongoing criminal investigation.
Two Adobe Apps Will Disappear From the App Store on June 21
Adobe revealed in a support forum that it will remove Photoshop Mix and Photoshop Fix from the App Store on June 21.
Only 35% of App Store Apps Use iOS 14 Privacy Labels
A new report examines the adoption rate of iOS 14.5 App Tracking Transparency and App Store privacy labels.
Hackers Stole McDonald’s Customer Information in Data Breach
On Friday, McDonald’s revealed it was the victim of a recent data breach, in which some customer information was stolen.
Bitcoin is Now Legal Tender in El Salvador
El Salvador recently become the first country to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender, other other counties in Latin America may follow suit.
By contrast, cryptocurrencies like bitcoin allow anyone with a mobile phone to send or receive funds, regardless of location. A software app known as a “wallet” manages the cryptocurrency as needed. Such wallets are safeguarded on phones and protected by passwords or biometric mechanisms like fingerprints.
This is what people mean when they talk about cryptocurrency’s decentralization. We don’t notice much in developed countries because we have no shortage of banks to choose from. But banks may be scarce in developing countries, with 70% of people in El Salvador being unbanked. With crypto, you no longer need a bank.
Facebook Messenger on iOS Gets New Chat Themes, QR Code Payments
Facebook announced new features coming to its Messenger app. Chat themes, a quick reply bar, as well as QR codes and payments links.
We’re all about increasing efficiency, so we’ve added a new quick reply bar to the Messenger media viewer. This makes it easier to have conversations sparked by a cool photo or video without needing to go back to your main chat thread. Just tap on the photo or video and send a response through the quick reply bar at the bottom of the screen. Swipe up to exit the full-screen media viewer and head back to your main chat thread