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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.

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Articles by Andrew Orr

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Behind the Scenes of VSCO With CEO Joel Flory

Andrew Orr ·

VSCO is my favorite photo editor and TechCrunch’s Kate Clark sat down with CEO Joel Flory to talk about his company.

Without selling ads or customer data, VSCO has developed a sustainable subscription-based business and written a new playbook for social media businesses in a world where Facebook’s advertising-based model is king. For those fed up with platforms that have facilitated bullying and failed to prioritize privacy, VSCO may be a protective corner of the internet.

I have a couple more VSCO articles planned for the future, like a review of the editing tools.

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A History of Apple’s Technology Transitions

Andrew Orr ·

Martin Pilkington wrote a long blog post detailing Apple’s technology transitions over the years. These are the big, fundamental changes, like going from Motorola 68k to PowerPC in 1994. In fact, the transitions are put into two categories: CPUs and APIs. It’s a great read about Apple’s history.

A lot of the controversy comes down to people not understanding the how or the why of these transitions, and why Apple ultimately drops the old technology. So I thought it would be useful to explore Apple’s history of transitions and try to explain some of the reasons for this latest one in a way everyone can understand.

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US Among Top 5 Worst Countries for Biometrics Privacy

Andrew Orr ·

The United States is one of the worst countries in the world when it comes to the privacy of citizens’ biometrics data.

While there is a handful of state laws that protect state residents’ biometrics (as can be seen in our state privacy study), this does leave many US citizens’ biometrics exposed as there is no federal law in place.

Cool Stuff Found

Calendars by Readdle Now Lets You Add Outlook Accounts

Andrew Orr ·

Another popular app got an update today. Calendars by Readdle (and also Calendars 5) now lets you add Microsoft Outlook accounts. Support for multiple accounts was also added. This means you can now have Google, iCloud, and Outlook (Exchange) accounts in the app simultaneously. This is in the Pro version of Calendars 5, which is on sale for 40% off (usually US$3.99). Other features include: Drag and drop events; Manage events both online and offline, Special keyboards; Search, and more. App Store: Free (Offers In-App Purchases)

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Traffic Cameras Could Soon Tell if you Text and Drive

Andrew Orr ·

Australia will soon install a camera system powered by machine learning that is designed to spot mobile phones in cars.

To let drivers adjust, warning letters will be sent to those spotted using phones by the cameras for the first three months. Australia uses a points system for drivers — unrestricted driver’s licenses have 13 points. After the first three months, drivers caught using their phones illegally will lose five points and be issued a $344 fine. During other periods, the penalty could increase to 10 points. If a driver loses all of their points, they could lose their license.

Distracted driving is absolutely a serious problem, but I don’t think more surveillance infrastructure is the answer.

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T-Mobile Switches on its 600MHz 5G Network

Andrew Orr ·

T-Mobile turned its 600MHz 5G network on, but no one can use it until 5G-capable smartphones are released, like two this Friday.

The “nationwide” 5G deployment relies on a slower form of 5G, using T-Mobile’s 600MHz spectrum. This “low-band” 5G essentially takes airwaves like the ones used for LTE and bundles them together with some new technology to deliver faster speeds.

T-Mobile doesn’t offer specifics on what kind of speeds you’ll see on the new network, and the actual improvements will vary a lot by location. “In some places, 600 MHz 5G will be a lot faster than LTE. In others, customers won’t see as much difference.”

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Facebook’s Algorithms Flagged a Power Mac G4 as Sexually Explicit

Andrew Orr ·

Not much to the story but I think it’s funny. Someone posted in the Macrumors forums saying that Facebook’s algorithms flagged their G4 workstation with the message, “This listing may go against our rules on overtly sexual content.”

I am trying to sell an old G4 tower on Facebook but their AI is loosing its cool on my G4 MDD’s sexy curves.

That sure wouldn’t happen with a modern, square piece if metal!

Makes me want to keep it…

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Archivists Want to Support LibGen With Resources

Andrew Orr ·

Library Genesis (LibGen) is a pirate website containing 33 terabytes of books, comics, scientific papers, and more. Countries and science publishers are constantly trying to take it down, along with its sister site SciHub. But a new project has been launched to help LibGen with seedboxes.

Two seedbox companies (services that provide high-bandwidth remote servers for uploading and downloading data), Seedbox.io and UltraSeedbox, stepped in to support the project. A week later, LibGen is seeding 10 terabytes and 900,000 scientific books thanks to help from Seedbox.io and UltraSeedbox.

LibGen also teamed up with another massive online archiving project, The-Eye, to facilitate the tracking, storage, and seeding of LibGen’s scientific archive.

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This VPN App Sent User Data to China

Andrew Orr ·

According to a report of VPN apps for 2019, downloads of these apps has increased 54%. But people need to be careful which VPN app they use. The most popular app called VPN – Super Unlimited sent user data to China. But it’s privacy policy made no secret of this.

We regularly collect and use information that could identify an individual, in particular about your purchase or use of our products, services, mobile and software applications and websites… We use various technologies to determine [your] location, including IP addresses, GPS, and other sensors.

The VPN apps I wrote about are all safe (or at least I personally believe them to be safe).

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Apple and Others Sign Letter to Support Paris Agreement

Andrew Orr ·

Apple, Google, Microsoft, Adobe, and more tech companies have signed a United For The Paris Agreement letter that calls on the U.S. to stay in the international climate change pact.

They argued that the international pact would “strengthen [US] competitiveness” by helping it lead the way in technologies that will usher in an eco-friendly future. It also sets “clear goals” that help with planning and spur innovation, the companies said.

The letter isn’t a binding commitment, and it’s unlikely to persuade a White House that has both ignored and tried to censor climate science. Nonetheless, it makes clear where numerous companies stand…

In the meantime we can educate people to accept scientific facts and not treat climate change as a hoax or political issue.