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iPhone Hacking Company GrayKey Reinvents the Keylogger

Andrew Orr ·

A report from NBCNews mentions a tool from GrayKey called Hide UI, and until now has been kept secret from the public.

But another tool, previously unknown to the public, doesn’t have to crack the code that people use to unlock their phones. It just has to log the code as the user types it in.

Software called Hide UI, created by Grayshift, a company that makes iPhone-cracking devices for law enforcement, can track a suspect’s passcode when it’s entered into a phone, according to two people in law enforcement, who asked not to be named out of fear of violating non-disclosure agreements.

This is called a keylogger, and it is neither new nor revolutionary. It would be cheaper for police to use pen and paper to write down a suspect’s passcode, although there is that pesky fifth amendment.

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What Will The Next Ten Years of Apple Design Look Like?

Andrew Orr ·

“The next decade of Apple design has nothing to do with its most popular product of all time (so far)” is a weird stance to take. Author Sophie Charara seems to only make two points in favor of her argument.

Lisa Jackson […] has said that Hankey and her colleagues “ask tough questions” on sustainability; critics are looking for substantive progress that will require Apple’s new design chiefs to adapt some core principles while maintaining their aesthetic standards.

One possible cultural challenger to the new Apple duo is Ivy Ross […] Ross is a proponent of softer colour palettes and warmer materials, as seen in Google’s Pixel and Home product lines, and believes that aesthetics are less about making devices look pretty than “enlivening your senses”.

Apple critics always looking for the next big thing are not and have never been a source of design inspiration. I wouldn’t look to Google for that either. The final sentence: “And we haven’t seen the end of Jony Ive’s contributions just yet: Tim Cook says that Apple will be one of LoveFrom’s primary clients.”

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iPhone SE Delivery Times Stabilizing

Charlotte Henry ·

iPhone SE delivery times in various countries seem to have caught up with demand. That’s according to data in a note from J.P. Morgan, seen by AppleInsider.

Delivery times in that country appear to have stabilized at an 8-day estimate after an order is placed. JP Morgan also says that customers in China are still able to pick up their iPhone SE orders in-store on the same day they’re ordered. All Apple Stores in China are currently open, though the company is taking steps to reopen more locations elsewhere. Estimates in Germany and the U.K. have risen to 10 days, up a single day from the 9-day estimate the week before. Like China, the Western European regions account for roughly 15% of total iPhone shipments. Overall, JP Morgan’s data suggests an aggregate shipment time of 11 days across all the regions it tracks. That has dropped sharply since early 17-day delivery estimates in the second week of iPhone SE availability.

Podcast

Holy Bidirectional Thunderbolt, Mac-Man! – Mac Geek Gab 815

John F. Braun · · Add Comment

Did your Mac stop showing all your spotlight results? Do you have an external rotational drive on your Mac? Do you want to Add the Dark Menubar to your Light-themed Mac?

These answers are addressed in the opening Quick Tips segment. Can you imagine what happens when John and Dave, your two favorite geeks, start answering your questions? Good news: you don’t have to imagine. Just press play and all will be revealed!

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Facebook Bought Giphy. What Does That Mean for Privacy?

Andrew Orr ·

Facebook announced today that it’s acquiring Giphy for an alleged sum of US$400 million.

Facebook characterized the acquisition—reportedly worth $400 million—as a way to help its millions of users “better express themselves.” […] Facebook says it will not collect information specific to individual people using Giphy’s API, but it will get valuable data about usage patterns across the web.

I definitely don’t believe them when they say that won’t collect individual data. That is Facebook’s raison d’être. This is exactly like its usage of the Onavo VPN spyware: Collect data on how people use GIFs everywhere, especially on competitor’s platforms. Mark Zuckerberg is furiously trying to beat Snapchat into submission. They rejected him once and he’s been out for blood ever since. GIFs may sound like a stretch when it comes to data collection, but keep in mind that web beacons exist.

Cool Stuff Found

Mythic Quest: Quarantine Coming to Apple TV+ on May 22

Dave Hamilton ·

Sound the horn! As noted on Instagram Friday, Mythic Quest: Quarantine will drop on Apple TV+ on May 22. The trailer tells you all you need to know. You’ve got time to binge the Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet series (again, obviously). See you on the other side!

TMO Deals

UPRIGHT GO 2 Posture Training Device: $89.99

Bryan Chaffin ·

We have a deal on Upright GO 2, a posture-training device with a companion app. You place the device directly on the skin of your upper back using hypoallergenic adhesive strips that come in the box. When you slouch, it buzzes, a reminder to stop slouching. Check out the promo video to see more about how it works. The Upright GO 2 is $89 through our deal.

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Google Chrome Taking Action Against Resource-Draining Ads

Charlotte Henry ·

Google Chrome will now take action to limit adverts draining battery and network resources. The changes were outlined on the Chromium blog on Friday.

We have recently discovered that a fraction of a percent of ads consume a disproportionate share of device resources, such as battery and network data, without the user knowing about it. These ads (such as those that mine cryptocurrency, are poorly programmed, or are unoptimized for network usage) can drain battery life, saturate already strained networks, and cost money.  In order to save our users’ batteries and data plans, and provide them with a good experience on the web, Chrome will limit the resources a display ad can use before the user interacts with the ad. When an ad reaches its limit, the ad’s frame will navigate to an error page, informing the user that the ad has used too many resources.

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When Apple Reinvented the Computer Store

Charlotte Henry ·

On May 15, 2001, Steve Jobs announced that 25 Apple Stores would open. Cult of Mac looked at how the company forever changed how we perceive computer stores.

When it came to retail, Jobs preferred high-end outlets that focused on “big ticket” items rather than bulk sales. This is exactly what the stand-alone Apple stores turned out to be when they debuted in 2001. With a newfound focus on sleek design — especially visible in the likes of the iMac G3 and iBook — Apple products looked especially exotic compared to the putty-colored plastic cases seen in typical computer stores… The Apple stores gave Cupertino an opportunity to apply its design-focused, “it just works” ethos to the retail experience…