Enter our new international giveaway for a chance to win the brand new iPhone 16 Pro.
Dealing With CAPTCHAs Costs Humanity 500 Years Per Day
Cloudflare wants to kill CAPTCHAs and replace them with security keys like YubiKey.
Based on our data, it takes a user on average 32 seconds to complete a CAPTCHA challenge. There are 4.6 billion global Internet users. We assume a typical Internet user sees approximately one CAPTCHA every 10 days.
This very simple back of the envelope math equates to somewhere in the order of 500 human years wasted every single day — just for us to prove our humanity.
Why Putting macOS on iPad is a Bad Idea
Since the introduction of the M1 chip to various iPad models, there has been lots of talk about replacing iPadOS with macOS. One person who is not a fan of this idea is Ed Hardy. He explained why at Cult of Mac.
No matter that Macs and iPads run on the same chip. macOS isn’t designed for a touchscreen. Apple would need to redesign the operating system to run on a tablet, and devs would need to alter third-party applications, too. And that would anger people using non-touchscreen laptops and desktops. Plus, people happy with the iPad now wouldn’t like the change either.
Major Browsers Vulnerable to Cross-Browser Tracking Exploit
Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Tor are vulnerable to a type of cross-browser tracking that can identify users.
Did the Government Take Down the DarkSide Ransomware Group?
DarkSide is the group behind the ransomware attack affecting Colonial Pipeline, and recently said it lost control of its web servers.
Security Friday: Protected Photo Tips – TMO Daily Observations 2021-05-14
Andrew Orr joins host Kelly Guimont to discuss Security Friday news and tips on how to store a photo (like a photo of a vaccination card).
FDA Continues to Monitor MagSafe Magnets With Medical Devices
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a statement saying the agency is continuing to monitor the effects of MagSafe on medical devices.
This Power Bank's 65W PD, Multiple Ports & 20,000mAh Battery Capacity Lets You Charge Three Devices Simultaneously: $149.99
We have a deal on the Ultimate Charger, a 20,00mAh portable power bank that lets you charge up to three devices simultaneously, and that includes a MacBook. You can also charge the Ultimate Charger itself via USB-C, in addition to Lightning or micro USB. It also features an aluminum housing. It’s $149.99 through our deal.
Tile Trackers Didn't Sell Well in Apple Stores
Tile trackers did not sell well in Apple Stores, according to Apple Chief Compliance Officer Kyle Andeer in a letter to lawmakers.
Texan Man Imprisoned For Apple Store Thefts in Multiple States
Jalek Ingram, a 20-year-old man from Texas, has been given two-year in prison for his links to thefts at Apple Stores in various states. These included shoplifting 25 iPhones, MacBooks, and iPads from the retail outlet in Little Rock, Arkansas, according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Sentencing papers filed Thursday show Jalek Ingram received a total of three years in prison after pleading guilty to theft and commercial burglary for the March 2018 Apple store theft for a two-year term, with an additional year in prison for a second-degree battery charge stemming from his role in beating a fellow jail inmate unconscious last November. Three other men are charged in the Apple thefts while three other jail inmates, including two murder suspects, are accused in the attack on Marcus Lorenzo Daniels of Crawfordsville about 1½ weeks before Thanksgiving.
Examining the Boot Process for M1 Macs
Howard Oakley recently dove into the boot process for M1 Macs and how it affects booting from an external hard drive.
Unless the user has already changed its default security settings to allow it to start up from an external disk, you’ll have no joy whatsoever. Although this is secure, it’s also more than inconvenient, as the times that you most need your Mac to start up from an external disk are when it’s in trouble with its internal disk, and that’s likely to prevent you from changing its security settings, leaving your Mac dead.
U.S. and China Activists Hit Out at Apple App Store During Epic Games Trial
As Apple’s court clash with Epic Games continues, campaigners in the U.S and China have reiterated their complaints against the App Store.
Thursdays with Bob: One Rant, One Rave – TMO Daily Observations 2021-05-13
Dr. Mac returns for a chat about a couple of discoveries in his Gift Guide adventures: One to look for, and one to look OUT for.
What’s Wrong With AirTags? Stalkers and Security
One report about AirTag on Thursday show that more security researchers are exploring the device, and another says it is a “gift to stalkers.”
Ninja Dragon Vortex 9 RC Quadcopter Drone with 4K HD Camera: $79.99
We have a deal on the Ninja Dragon Vortex 9 RC Quadcopter Drone with 4K HD Camera. This is a small quadcopter that has a 4K camera, a modular battery, and a one-click return mode. It’s $79.99 through our deal.
Experts Key to Epic vs Apple Battle
The Epic Games vs Apple case is well underway. A key part of the trial is expert witnesses, with David Evans, chairman of Global Economics Group set to be there for the Fortnite maker. Reuters has a breakdown of the significance of his, and other, appearances.
On the stand this week, Evans testified that Apple is what is known as a single-brand market, arguing that once consumers buy an iPhone, the costs of switching to an Android are so high that they rarely make the jump. Since about 2010, Evans testified, Apple’s App Store has effectively been its own market, and users rarely venture outside. After Apple kicked “Fortnite” off the App Store, Evans testified, only a small fraction of Apple users jumped to other devices like PCs or gaming consoles to play “Fortnite.”
People Can Now Store Medical Records in 1Password
On Thursday Agile Bits announced a new data type item that lets people store medical records in 1Password.
Pixelmator Pro Available With 50 Percent Discount
Pixelmator Pro is currently available with a 50 percent discount, and users also got a sneak peek at version 2.1 of the software.
YouTube TV Added Direct to App as Roku Row Escalates
Google and Roku are still rowing over how to get YouTube TV back on the streaming platform. It seems like Google has taken things into its own hands, as The Verge reported that YouTube TV is now in the main YouTube app.
YouTube users will start seeing a “Go to YouTube TV” option in the main YouTube app over the next few days. When they select that, they’ll then be switched over to the standard YouTube TV user experience. This option is coming to Roku devices first — where it’s currently most needed — but will also come to YouTube on other platforms as well. In essence, Google has basically stuffed the YouTube TV app into YouTube itself, a solution that seems unlikely to make Roku very happy. Google says it’s “still working to come to an agreement with Roku to ensure continued access to YouTube TV for our mutual customers,” and it notes the YouTube TV app remains usable for those who already have it installed
‘Brave’ Browser Adds Support for Crypto Domains
Brave is the latest browser to partner with Unstoppable Domains, letting users access decentralized crypto websites.
Through this integration, the Brave browser is supporting a decentralized network not part of the traditional Domain Name Service (DNS), which is increasingly susceptible to hijacking, denial-of-service attacks, and phishing attacks. Unstoppable Domains allows users to build and host decentralized websites for a variety of use cases, including creating NFT galleries, video, and file sharing.
App Tracking Transparency Most Popular New Feature With iPhone Users, as Brand Loyalty Soars
Apple brand loyalty is at 92.6 percent, with App Tracking Transparency the most popular new iOS 14.5 features with iPhone users.
IRS Can Seize Your Bitcoin if you Have Unpaid Taxes
Deputy associate chief counsel Robert Wearing of the IRS said that the agency would seize cryptocurrency assets to settle unpaid taxes.
The perceived authority to seize an asset like bitcoin from the IRS stems from a 2014 notice it issued claiming that “virtual currency is treated as property for Federal income tax purposes.”
But there is still some question as to how the IRS would accurately determine the BTC holdings of taxpayers, let alone compel them to relinquish their bitcoin.
Teradici Partners With MacStadium on High-Performance Remote Mac Access
PCoIP company Teradici is partnering with Mac cloud provider MacStadium to offer high-performance remote access to Macs in the cloud.
Canadian Court Approves Settlement Over Defective MacBook Pros
A Canadian court has approved a settlement in a class-action lawsuit dating back to 2014 over defective MacBook Pro models.
President Biden Signs Order to Improve U.S. Cybersecurity
After the attack on Colonial Pipeline, President Biden has signed an executive order to improve the nation’s cybersecurity.
The executive order requires IT service providers to share certain breach information with the government, modernizes and implements stronger cybersecurity standards in the federal government, establishes security standards for development of software sold to the government and will create an “energy star” label so that consumers can better determine whether software was developed securely.