FCC Urged to Do Something About SIM Swapping

Lawmakers are urging the FCC to do something about SIM swapping attacks, which have been responsible for the theft of tens of millions.

SIM swapping is an insidious form of mobile phone fraud that is often used to steal large amounts of cryptocurrencies and other items of value from victims. All too frequently, the scam involves bribing or tricking employees at mobile phone stores into seizing control of the target’s phone number and diverting all texts and phone calls to the attacker’s mobile device.

This Smart Trainer Improves Your Posture in Just 2 Weeks: $89

We have a deal on Upright GO 2, a device and companion app designed to help you improve your posture. Essentially, you place the device directly on the skin of your upper back using the hypoallergenic adhesive strips that come in the box. It then buzzes when you’re slouching. Check out the promo video to see more about how it works. The Upright GO 2 is $89 through our deal.

Android Devices to Get Ultra Wideband Tech Like iPhone 11

Apple introduced Ultra Wideband technology with the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro. Barclays Analysts believe Android smartphones are going to in their footsteps, according to a note seen by MacRumors.

In a research note obtained by MacRumors, the analysts said Android smartphones will be equipped with an all-in-one Ultra Wideband, NFC, and Secure Element chip introduced by Dutch chipmaker NXP Semiconductors last year. It is unclear which Android smartphones will adopt Ultra Wideband first, but Samsung did join a consortium with NXP last year to help develop the technology. In a press release last year, NXP said Ultra Wideband will give mobile devices several new and interesting capabilities, such as being able to unlock a car’s doors when the device comes in close proximity of the vehicle, potentially foreshadowing a feature that could come to the iPhone down the road.

Pokémon Go Just Had Its Best Year Ever

The initial hype may have died down, but people are still playing Pokémon Go. Lots of people. Cult of Mac outlined why the game has just enjoyed its best year yet.

According to new data from mobile app analytics firm Sensor Tower, Niantic’s Pokémon Go pulled in a massive $894 million in player spending during 2019. (Based on both iOS and Android numbers.) That puts it ahead of 2016, 2017 and 2018 in terms of revenue. It also means that the game has earned a whopping $3.1 billion in player spending during its time on the market. Last year alone, the game received 55 million installs worldwide. 10 million of these took place in the United States, representing 19% of the total.

Microsoft Skype and Cortana Transcription Program Run With "No Security Measures"

A system transcribing and vetting audio from Skype and Cortana was run for years with “no security measures,” according to a former Microsoft contractor. The Guardian revealed that workers could access recordings through a simple Chrome web app.

The recordings, both deliberate and accidentally invoked activations of the voice assistant, as well as some Skype phone calls, were simply accessed by Microsoft workers through a web app running in Google’s Chrome browser, on their personal laptops, over the Chinese internet, according to the contractor. Workers had no cybersecurity help to protect the data from criminal or state interference, and were even instructed to do the work using new Microsoft accounts all with the same password, for ease of management, the former contractor said. Employee vetting was practically nonexistent, he added.

Luxitude Tablet and Phone Holder Stand: $33.99

We have a deal on Luxitude, a tablet and smartphone holder and stand, combined. It features adjustable arms that fit most tablets and phones from 4″ to 11″. It rotates 360° for the best viewing, and has suction cups that make it easy to pop off and fold up to move from surface to surface. A padded holder protects the device from scratching, falling, or slipping. It’s $33.99 through our deal.

Microsoft’s Project Artemis Tool Will Help Find Online Predators

Microsoft has created an automated tool codenamed Project Artemis that can help detect patterns of communication used by predators to target kids.

Building off the Microsoft patent, the technique is applied to historical text-based chat conversations. It evaluates and “rates” conversation characteristics and assigns an overall probability rating. This rating can then be used as a determiner, set by individual companies implementing the technique, as to when a flagged conversation should be sent to human moderators for review. Human moderators would then be capable of identifying imminent threats for referral to law enforcement…

Microsoft was the company that also helped developed PhotoDNA, an automated tool to detect child abuse images. Now it’s moving to text.

CES 2020: Turn Your iPad Into a Drawing Board With Sketchboard Pro

With the arrival of the Apple Pencil, more and more artists and designers are using their iPad to draw. Braintreehouse, a studio of artists who have worked on shows such as Adventure Time and The Simpsons, created Sketchboard Pro. The stand fits your iPad perfectly and has a slot for the Pencil. It essentially turns your iPad into a classic drawing board. The product launched on Kickstarter and hit its target. The makers brought it to CES this last week. Sketchboard Pro is expected to ship in March 2020. You can pre-order one now at Indigogo for $50.

'Mythic Quest' And The Future of Apple TV+

Mythic Quest will launch on Apple TV+ on February 7. Variety spoke to Rob McElhenney, who he acts in and wrote the show, about what viewers can expect.

The show will be Apple’s first straightforward comedy since launching its streaming platform in November — and a successful launch would be welcome. The platform’s flagship series, “The Morning Show,” recently received three Golden Globe nominations but was widely panned by critics. Other Apple shows, like “Dickinson,” “For All Mankind” and “Servant,” have found modest critical success, but it remains unclear if any of them have truly broken through the crowded pop culture landscape. Apple no doubt hopes that gamers, who collectively spent a record $43.4 billion in the sector in 2018 in the U.S. alone, will flock to the series given its subject matter and the pedigree of its creators.

Fan in Dubai Has One of The World's Best Collections of Apple Devices

Jimmy Grewal is not just an ordinary Apple fan. Based in Dubai, he has one of the world’s most impressive collections of the company’s products. Cult of Mac had a chat with him.

Is this heaven? The world’s greatest Apple Store? Nope, it’s Dubai, actually. Home to Jimmy Grewal, a collector of vintage Apple computers and one of the most impressive collections you’re likely to find anywhere. “Dubai is not exactly the hotbed of vintage Apple collecting,” Grewal told Cult of Mac. “Although Apple computers were sold and used here from the early 80s, a lot of those old computers are not [around any more.] The dealers who used to sell them have gotten rid of their inventory and their spare parts. What I don’t already have, I have to import.” Fortunately, Dubai’s geographical location makes this reasonably easy. Grewal has sourced computers from everywhere from the U.S. to Australia and Europe. He scours eBay and Facebook Marketplace, and relies on word-of-mouth to clue him on possible deals.