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DNA Company ‘GEDmatch’ Hacked in Data Breach
First, over a million DNA profiles from GEDmatch were leaked. Then, email addresses from the breach were used in a phishing attack against users of genealogy website MyHeritage.
As a result of this breach, all user permissions were reset, making all profiles visible to all users. This was the case for approximately 3 hours. During this time, users who did not opt in for law enforcement matching were available for law enforcement matching and, conversely, all law enforcement profiles were made visible to GEDmatch users.
If GEDmatch sounds familiar, it was the DNA database used to identify the Golden State Killer.
NBC Peacock Review
John has mixed feelings about this new TV streaming service in his NBC Peacock review.
Apple Security Research Device Program Launches Today
The Apple Security Research Device program launched today, and it aims to provide special iPhones to researchers with shell access.
Apple Hires Economists to Prove App Store is not Anticompetitive
Apple hired economists from the firm Analysis Group who said in a study that the company’s fees are similar to competitors.
Apple's Carbon Neutral Plans, OmniPlan 4 – TMO Daily Observations 2020-07-22
Andrew Orr joins host Kelly Guimont to discuss Apple’s Carbon Neutrality schedule, and the latest releases from the Omni Group.
UK Government Heading Towards New Standoff With Apple Over COVID-19 Contact Tracing App
The UK Government wants QR code check-ins in its COVID-19 contact tracing app, something Apple has rejected in another country.
iPhone 'Periscope' Lens Supply Chain on Target for 2022 Launch
Apple’s so-called “periscope” lens for iPhone is on track for 2022, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. It is expected to bring onboard new suppliers to fulfill orders for both lens and voice coil motor parts, reported AppleInsider.
Two new suppliers are anticipated to enter Apple’s supply chain as the tech giant works to build out iPhone’s camera capabilities, Kuo said in a note to investors on Wednesday. Korean lens supplier Semco and Chinese lens supplier Sunny Optical are predicted to furnish parts in the second half of 2020 and in 2021, respectively. Apple is contracting with the new companies to further diversify lens component supply for iPhone, iPad and Mac, the note reads. Lower lens costs and new technology development are also cited as benefits. Semco, for example, is forecast to ship a periscope telephoto lens for iPhone in 2022, with the firm winning an estimated half of all orders. Largan+Alps/Minebea are also expected to provide parts for the new mechanism.
Apple Looks Back on 30 Years of Americans With Disabilities Act
Apple shared a post today in which it reflects on the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Companies Like Doordash Share Your Purchases With Facebook
Thomas Smith dug into his Facebook settings and downloaded a copy of his data. In a section introduced this year called Off Facebook Activity, he found that companies like Doordash send data about your purchases to Facebook.
If you’ve bought an item on myriad e-commerce websites, made a donation to a political campaign, used any of several hundred participating apps, or, in my case, bought a wildly expensive bubble tea, there’s a good chance Facebook knows about it. What are they doing with this knowledge? Again, it’s pretty clear. It’s there so it can “show you more relevant ads,” “help you discover new businesses and brands,” and the like.
He also sounds incredibly guilty for buying bubble tea through Doordash.
Winners of 2020 iPhone Photography Awards Announced
The winners of the 2020 iPhone Photography Awards (IPPA) have been announced, with the grand prize going to Dimpy Bhalotia from the UK.
TestFlight Beta for NextDNS iOS 14 is Here
NextDNS for iOS 14 is now available as a TestFlight beta. It uses the encrypted DNS feature introduced with iOS 14.
The first beta of NextDNS for iOS 14 is now available at:https://testflight.apple.com/join/AFDFPLP3
This version uses the new Encrypted DNS feature of iOS 14, removing the need for the fake-VPN trick used in iOS 13 and below.
The new iOS 14 feature means three things. First, DNS apps will no longer need to set up a fake VPN profile for you to use the service. Second, these DNS settings will work over cellular, whereas in the past it would only work over Wi-Fi unless you used said fake VPN profile. Third, this means that if you have a real VPN app, you can set it to use the OpenVPN protocol. Because of the fake VPN profile created by DNS apps, you had to use the IKEv2 VPN protocol if you wanted to use the VPN and DNS apps at the same time.
Apple Employee 'Close Your Rings' Fitness Challenge is Back
Apple’s ‘Close Your Rings’ employee fitness challenge returned this week. It sets staff the challenge of closing all three of their Apple Watch Activity rings every day of the month. Usually, it takes place in February, which is designated as Heart Month. However, it was postponed this year due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to an Apple employee that spoke to MacRumors, Apple is reinstating the challenge this week, with the event expected to end on August 16. Employees who finish the challenge will be rewarded with a t-shirt that says “2020” in a logo with Apple Watch Activity-style rings. Employees who complete the challenge each day will earn a “gold” ranking and will receive a gold pin along with their t-shirt, and there are also silver and bronze rewards accompanied by silver and bronze pins.
Instagram Introduces New Way to Fundraise for Personal Causes
Instagram is rolling out a new way to fundraise. Parent company Facebook made the announcement in a blog posted, published on Tuesday. The tool will be made available to users in the U.S., UK, and Ireland over the coming months.
We’re making it easier to create fundraisers directly on Instagram that benefit such personal causes. To create a Personal Fundraiser tap Edit Profile, Add Fundraiser and then Raise Money. Choose a photo, select a fundraiser category and add details to help tell your story and encourage others to donate. Then you’ll enter your information for Stripe, our payment processor for donations. And when you’re finished, you’ll tap Send to submit your fundraiser for review. All fundraisers go through a review process to make sure they are for eligible causes. Once approved, you can start raising money. Each fundraiser lasts 30 days, but can be extended as many times as you want. You must be at least 18 years old to create a fundraiser.
Australian Government Blaming Apple for COVID-19 Contact Tracing App Flaws
A senior Australian lawmaker has once again blamed Apple and Google for flaws with the country’s COVID-19 contact tracing app.
Grace Kaufman to Star in Apple TV+ Feature 'The Sky is Everywhere'
Grace Kaufman will take the lead in the upcoming Apple TV+ film The Sky is Everywhere, having seen off a number of rivals.
Microsoft President Raises Apple Antitrust Concerns to Lawmakers
Microsoft President Brad Smith has reportedly raised concerns about Apple to U.S. lawmakers looking into antitrust matters.
iPhone SE Winning Android Users And Unlikely to Cannibalize 5G iPhone Sales
The iPhone SE is helping Apple win over an unprecedented amount of Android users while also encouraging those with older devices to upgrade.
‘TempMail’ Gives You Disposable Email Addresses
Temp Mail is the service I use when I need disposable email addresses. No registration is required. You can instantly generate a new address, copy it to the clipboard or use a QR code, receive attachments like regular email, download EML sources (including attachments) and more. There’s also an optional premium subscription that gives you features like custom email names, premium domains, multiple mailboxes, no ads, and extended email storage. App Store: Free (Offers In-App Purchases) You can also use the web tool.
Peacock vs VPNs, First Look at Service – TMO Daily Observations 2020-07-21
Charlotte Henry and John Martellaro join host Kelly Guimont to discuss the new Peacock streaming service, and how the app does or doesn’t work.
Apple Only Fortune 50 Firm to Foresee COVID-19 Pandemic Risk And Insure Itself Properly
Apple was the only Fortune 50 firm to foresee the risk of a pandemic and insure against it ahead of the COVID-19 outbreak.
Spotify Unveils Support for Video Podcasts
Spotify announced today that its platform will now support video podcasts in addition to audio in all current markets.
Apple's Climate Change Promise to The Next Generation
Apple has released a new video to accompany its climate change announcement. It emphasizes that the company is making its decisions with future generations in mind.
‘SW-DL’ Shortcut Brings YouTube-DL to iOS
YouTube-dl is a command line tool that lets you download videos from websites, although it’s commonly used for YouTube as the name suggests. With a-shell, a terminal emulator I covered, it’s possible to install the downloader on your iPad and iPhone. Someone also created a shortcut for youtube-dl (Reddit post here, shortcut link below). Note that it currently crashes on the iOS/iPadOS 14 betas. It’s possible to install youtube-dl in a-shell with the command “pip install youtube-dl.” Since I’m running the betas, I’m going to tinker with using a-shell.
Apple Pledges to be 100% Carbon Neutral by 2030
Apple released a plan today for its supply chain and products to achieve 100% carbon neutrality by 2030, 20 years ahead of IPCC targets.