Link

Clubhouse API Open to Scraping Public User Data

Andrew Orr ·

On Saturday, a SQL database containing data of 1.3 million Clubhouse users was posted on a hacker forum. The data included names, user IDs, social media profile names, and other details.

While the data associated with the Clubhouse user base was not acquired as a result of a breach, allowing ‘anyone with an API’ to download public Clubhouse profile information on a mass scale can backfire. For example, data scraping is often used by spammers and phishers to find new victims: they aggregate public contact details and use them for spam lists, robocalls, or social engineering attacks.

It’s not sensitive data but it can be combined with other data hoards that may have sensitive data. Every little scrap of data, while innocent on their own, can be potentially used against you, whether from advertisers or hackers.

Link

Microsoft Purchasing Siri Partner Nuance

Charlotte Henry ·

Microsoft announced Monday that it is purchasing AI firm Nuance. In a blog post, the company highlighted how this increases its progress in the cloud healthcare space. It’s also notable as Nuance’s technology was the foundation for Siri.

Microsoft’s acquisition of Nuance builds upon the successful existing partnership between the companies that was announced in 2019. By augmenting the Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare with Nuance’s solutions, as well as the benefit of Nuance’s expertise and relationships with EHR systems providers, Microsoft will be better able to empower healthcare providers through the power of ambient clinical intelligence and other Microsoft cloud services. The acquisition will double Microsoft’s total addressable market (TAM) in the healthcare provider space, bringing the company’s TAM in healthcare to nearly $500 billion. Nuance and Microsoft will deepen their existing commitments to the extended partner ecosystem, as well as the highest standards of data privacy, security and compliance. “Nuance provides the AI layer at the healthcare point of delivery and is a pioneer in the real-world application of enterprise AI,” said Satya Nadella, CEO, Microsoft. “AI is technology’s most important priority, and healthcare is its most urgent application. Together, with our partner ecosystem, we will put advanced AI solutions into the hands of professionals everywhere to drive better decision-making and create more meaningful connections, as we accelerate growth of Microsoft Cloud in Healthcare and Nuance.”

Measure Your Broadband With New ‘FCC Speed Test App’
Cool Stuff Found

Measure Your Broadband With New ‘FCC Speed Test App’

Andrew Orr ·

As part of its Measuring Broadband America Program, the FCC announced the release of a speed test app. The information collected through the app will help to inform the FCC’s efforts to provide improved coverage information to the public. “We expect that some of the information collected through the app will be incorporated into the Commission’s broadband data collection systems, including challenges to provider-submitted maps and our collection of additional crowdsourced data.”

TMO Deals

Private Internet Access VPN 2-Year Subscription: $69.95

Bryan Chaffin ·

We have a deal on a 2-year subscription for Private Internet Access VPN, a VPN that employs a strict no-logs policy. The company offers 24/7 live customer support and has more than 35,000 servers around the world. And, one subscription covers 10 devices simultaneously with unlimited bandwidth. This subscription is $69.95 through our deal.

Podcast

Geek Challenges and Cool Stuff Found — Mac Geek Gab 865

John F. Braun & Dave Hamilton · · Add Comment

Sometimes there are those problems that just don’t have easy solutions…and that’s when things get fun! Geek Challenges mean you get to join in the fun of helping find the answers. Listen as John and Dave share some of their more troubling troublehooting experiences plus, of course, some Cool Stuff Found to round it all out. Press play and learn five new things!

TMO Deals

Pictar Smart Grip Makes iPhone Feel Like Camera: $73.99

Bryan Chaffin ·

I love Pictar’s product line, and I’m thrilled we have a deal for you on the Pictar Smart Grip. It’s an attachment for your iPhone that makes it feel much more like a DLSR, including giving you a shutter button that works much more comfortably. It also gives you physical knobs for controlling some of your camera’s features. The Pictar Smart Grip is compatible with iPhone 11/11 Pro/11 Pro Max, 12/12 Mini, 6/6 Plus/6S, 7/7 Plus, 8/8 Plus, Pro 12/Pro Max, SE 2020, and X/XR/XS/XS Max. It also works with various Android models if that’s your jam. This device is $73.99 through our deal.

 

 

Link

The Day the 100 Millionth iPod Was Sold

Charlotte Henry ·

Given the success of the iPhone, it is perhaps all too easy to forget quite how groundbreaking the iPod was. In its latest ‘Today in Apple History’ piece, Cult of Mac looks back to the day in 2007 when the 100 millionth iPod was sold, making it the most popular Apple product in history at the time.

By April 2007, Apple had released more than 10 iPod models: five original iPods, two iPod minis, two iPod nano, and two iPod shuffles. The devices spawned an enormous ecosystem of more than 4,000 accessories, from cases to standalone speakers. Plus, upward of 70 percent of cars produced in the United States in 2007 offered iPod connectivity. Along with the success of the iTunes Music Store — the third-biggest music store in the United States at the time — the iPod represented Apple’s ascendancy to the pinnacle of the tech world… “At this historic milestone, we want to thank music lovers everywhere for making iPod such an incredible success,” said Steve Jobs in a statement issued by Apple. “iPod has helped millions of people around the world rekindle their passion for music, and we’re thrilled to be a part of that.”

Link

Ad Industry Waiting to See What App Tracking Transparency Fallout is

Charlotte Henry ·

The advertising industry is waiting with bated breath for the arrival of Apple’s App Tracking Transparency. The feature will arrive in iOS 14.5 and make sure users are asked they want to be tracked across other apps and websites. AdWeek’s Andrew Blustein looked at what the fallout might be (Apple News link).

The median opt-in rate so far is 32%, according to an analysis of 300 apps across 2,000 devices from AppsFlyer, a mobile marketing and attribution company. The analysis found that apps with higher consumer affinity saw higher opt-in rates, hovering around 40%. It remains to be seen whether those opt-in rates will stay consistent when ATT roles out widely. Dating app Bumble said in its S-1 filing that it expects opt-in rates to be between 0-20%. Demonstrating the breadth of the identifier, Trade Desk said that 10% of the 12 million ad opportunities per second on its platform are tied to an IDFA. If opt-out rates are high and IDFAs do become scarce, app developers and publishers should expect to see a 50% decline of in-app CPMs, said Joe Root, co-founder of Permutive, a publisher-focused data management platform. This mirrors the impact media owners saw when Apple introduced ITP, he said.