This Day in Tech History: July 9

Gil Amelio Ousted from Apple

Today in tech history on July 9, 1997,  Apple Computer announced the resignation of Gil Amelio as CEO.
Amelio was ousted by the board of directors and his departure paved the way for Steve Jobs to re-take command of Apple.

It was the ousting of  Amelio who brought Mr.Jobs back into Apple by purchasing Jobs’ company NeXT .
NeXT was used as a basis for the Mac operating system.

Donkey Kong and Mario’s Birthday

On July 9, 1981, the two most famous character video games were released for sale.

Donkey Kong, created by Nintendo, a Japanese playing card and toy company turned into an enthusiastic video game developer.

The game took off in the North American market.

The video game had challenges with acquiring a license to create a video game based on the Popeye character.

Nintendo decided to create a game depicting the characteristics and constant battle between Popeye and Bluto.

Donkey Kong is named after the game’s villain, which is a  pet gorilla that has gone rogue.

The game’s original hero was called Jumpman, but then renamed Mario, once the game became popular and Nintendo decided to use the character in future games.

The similarity between Donkey Kong and King Kong landed Nintendo with a lawsuit.

Because Kong, is a common Japanese slang for gorilla, the lawsuit was ruled in favor of Nintendo.

Donkey Kong successfully helped Nintendo become one of the dominant companies in the video game market.

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References:
Brown, Marcel
This Day in Tech History
http://thisdayintechhistory.com/07/09/gil-amelio-ousted-from-apple/

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A Day in Tech History: April 24, 1984

On this day, April 24, 1984, thirty years ago Apple introduced the Apple IIc.

The portable computer, weighing at 7 1/2 lbs and featured a 1.023MHz CPU with 128 KB RAM.

It had the same capacity as the standard Apple IIe model.  A 63-key keyboard and 51/4 inch floppy drive.

It was the fourth machine in the Apple  line computers.

The machine cost users $1,295.  That’s a commodity only the fortunate could afford back then.

The Apple IIc had a built-in floppy and peripheral expansion ports.  A closed system with no expansion slots to plug in cards.

They called the Apple IIc, “an appliance computer”, which meant was ready to go when you pulled it out of the box.

Other Evens on this Day in Technology History:

• IBM introduces first PC (but wouldn’t be released until Aug 12th)
• Amiga 3000 was announced
• Cnet/Yahoo deal solidified
• Google Drive was released

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---

References:
Day in Tech History
http://www.dayintechhistory.com/

Play-i teaches children to program robots

http://www.hyphenet.com/blog/play-teaches-children-program-robots/

A start-up  entrepreneur, Vikas Gupta has come up with a little robot that will teach your kids how to code.  Gupta, an engineer who works in Silicon Valley, worries his 2-year old daughter won’t have a suitable education in a wold run by technology.

Gupta grew up in India, and has seen the lack of development in programmers in our U.S. education system.

http://www.hyphenet.com/blog/play-teaches-children-program-robots/

Gupta and other engineers with Google, Apple, and Frog Design, have formed Play-i, a programmable robot aimed at young children, to make learning how to program robots easy and fun.

The crafty engineers have launched a crowd-funding campaign aimed at raising $250,000.  If they meet their goal, the Play-i robots will be mass-produced for kids ages five and up.

The Vision

The idea behind Play-i is to teach kids how to string code together to create applications.  An iPad is needed to visually display the kid-friendly programming language.  By stringing together code commands through the iPad, kids can control movements and activities of the robot.


http://www.hyphenet.com/blog/play-teaches-children-program-robots/

There are two character robots for the Play-i – Yana and Bo.  Yana, is a single robot “storyteller” that will cost $49.  Bo, “the teacher”, sits atop three other balls with wheels that will cost $149.
Yana and Bo will allow kids to manipulate lights, movement and sounds of the two robots.

Google Ventures put in $1 million to Gupta’s team of seven engineers early this year.  If you would like to help fund the project,  you can go to Play-i.com.  You can also reserve one of the Play-i robots to be a part of the test market.

It’s a tangible way for kids to get programming at a much younger age.” says Google Ventures partner Andy Wheeler. “Hopefully, within a few years they are expanding into retail and expanding the software and hardware components … to allow the toy to grow with the child.”

Hopefully the company will reach its goal of $250,000 in the next 30 days.  Do you think this is a good way for our children to keep up with technology today?  Watch the inspirational video below!




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Valley engineers want kids to program robots – USA Today
http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2013/10/28/valley-engineers-want-kids-to-program-robots/3197381/
October 28, 2013

Play-i looks to crowdfunding to teach kids to code – C|Net
http://news.cnet.com/8301-10797_3-57609596-235/play-i-looks-to-crowdfunding-to-teach-kids-to-code/
October 28, 2013

https://www.play-i.com/

Is this the end of the Mac enterprise?

Mac sales haven’t just dropped in the past couple years, they have fallen dramatically faster than the PC market as a whole.

Macs are not the most popular computers in the enterprise office either.  Yes people love their MacBook Airs and MacBook Pros, but with the price tag so high, CIOs pass on purchasing them for the office. 
High-tech offices love Macs, thanks to the Adobe Creative Suite/Creative Cloud, but Apple lacks security updates for older versions of the Mac OS X.

Apple just announced that Mac OS X 10.9, Mavericks has fixed many security bugs for the older versions.

http://www.hyphenet.com/blog/end-mac-enterprise/

Apple stopped releasing their security flaws for older operating systems because with a rise in zero day attacks were prevailing itself.

The tall tale of the Mac having no security issues is exposed: ever hear of the Flashback Trojan, Icefog, or Backdoor:OSX/KitM.A?  These are all successful Mac malware programs.  If you are using a Mac, you should download Mavericks today!

Mavericks is a free software, it may take a couple hours to download the multi-Gigabyte to update and install but its worth it!

For those still using OS X Mountain Lion, you know there’s no more security updates, right?

Advanced Technologies

OS X Mavericks boosts performance and found a way to increase battery life efficiency.


http://www.hyphenet.com/blog/end-mac-enterprise/

Timer Coalescing – groups low-level operations together, allowing idle time for your CPU to enter a low-power state.  The CPU uses less energy reducing the activity up to 72%.

App Nap – the OS X can tell what apps you are actually working on putting a rest period on all apps that are behind other windows or hidden.

Safari Power Saver – turns animations off from advertisements or motion graphics strolling onto your screen.  This feature recognizes the difference between what you came to see and the stuff you didn’t.

iTunes HD Playback Efficiency – OS X Mavericks improves the energy efficiency of iTunes video playback.  The video playback takes advantage of your graphics hardware saving your CPU 35% of energy.

Compressed Memory - OS X Mavericks compresses data from inactive apps, making memory more available.  Compressing and decompressing happens instantaneously, Mavericks helps with responsive timing.



http://www.hyphenet.com/blog/end-mac-enterprise/


Be sure to follow us on Twitter at @hyphenet or “Like” us on Facebook to stay up-to-date on the latest Facebook scams.

References:

Mavericks: The end of Macs in the enterprise? – ZDNet
http://www.zdnet.com/mavericks-the-end-of-macs-in-the-enterprise-7000022410/
October 24, 2013

The end of the Mac? – MacDailyNews
http://macdailynews.com/2013/10/15/the-end-of-the-mac/
October 15, 2013

OS X Mavericks – Apple
http://www.apple.com/osx/

Watch out for the ‘Blue Screen of Death’ on your iPhone 5S!

http://www.hyphenet.com/blog/watch-blue-screen-death-iphone-5s/

Along with the Apple’s iPhone’s 5S new features including; fingerprint identity sensor, iSight camera, and LTE wireless, some are experiencing the ‘blue screen of death’.

The infamous ‘blue screen of death’ has expanded from Windows PCs to the new iPhone 5S.

There have been several reports of owners trying to open new windows or apps then the screen will go completely blue and restart itself.

Many rumors coming from the Apple Support Communities are coming across this problem when they are using Apple’s iWork suite apps, which comes free with the new iPhones.  Users have also expressed their frustration on Twitter and other social media sites.

Others are reporting it this issue when using the ESPN ScoreCenter app.

The ‘blue screen’ bug has apparently been present since the phone launched.  First message reporting this on the forum dated back to September 21, the day after the iPhone 5S went on sale.

Some users find disabling iCloud syncing for the iWork suite to be a solution.  Also, disabling Apple’s Pages, Keynote, and other Apps will help regulate the problem.

Apple has released iOS 7.0.2 to fix some issues including fixing the lock-screen security bugs.  User’s were able to bypass the lock screen just by pulling up on the “Control Center” and opening the alarm clock to set it in sleep mode.  Although, the latest version does not address the reboot issues.

A study showed that apps running on the iPhone 5S are crashing twice as frequently as on the iPhone 5C and iPhone 5.  The 64-bit A7 chip and M7 motion coprocessor are believed to be the culprit in the system error.

Here is a video showing how the blue screen takes over the device and resets itself.


   

Hopefully Apple will come out with another iOS 7 update resolving this issue. Have you had a ‘blue screen of death’ on your new iPhone? Please leave your comments below, we would love to hear from you!

Don’t miss out on the latest tech news and computer security alerts! Follow us on Twitter at @hyphenet, “Like” us on Facebook or add us to your circle on Google+.

Resources:
iPhone 5S users report ‘Blue Screen Of Death’ reboots – The Verge
http://www.theverge.com/2013/10/11/4826934/iphone-5s-blue-screen-reboots
October 11, 2013

‘Blue screen of death’ attacks some iPhone 5S owners – C|Net
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57607060-37/blue-screen-of-death-attacks-some-iphone-5s-owners/
October 11, 2013

What you should know before you upgrade to iOS 7

Major changed in the interface. Geared towards children…

Apple’s iOS 7 is out and the temptation to snag the software update immediately is hard to resist.  But you may want to do some research before you make the switch, because there’s no going back.
The complete redesign of the interface at first looks cool and high-tech.  The interface icons appear to float over the background, giving the control center a 3-D effect.  Zooming animations fly in and out when navigation through quick-access tools.  Browser windows open in Safari are now vertically scrolling rectangular cards and not limited to just 8.
But are these really better features for iPhones and iPads?  Does this make the iOS 7 more efficient for users or does it just make it more interesting?
I know for those who suffer with Vertigo, don’t do it!  Do not make the switch!

Unfavorable

Functionality
The icons that fly into the screen when unlocked,  makes the interface seem more like a video game…kind of pointless. This can cause delays and glitches within the system. Not to mention become distracting and uses more battery life. Why would we want navigating through the interface to use up more battery life than we already do with our obsessive usage of devices anyway?
To navigate through the interface a few extra clicks on the home button are necessary to exit out of quick-access tools. Extra clicks, means extra time, and extra thinking.

Gradients have been removed and icons are enlarged and changed in the iOS 7.

The Wallpapaer
The background image is now enlarged, being cut off of the screen. There is no way to rescale the image to fit into the interface and experimenting with different backgrounds may take a lot of time. The font is also thinner and  white, so this makes it harder to read on certain backgrounds.

http://www.hyphenet.com/blog/know-upgrade-ios-7/

Keyboard
There are no keyboard improvements. Autocorrect works the same as it did before, requiring you to “x” out the suggested text or else it will automatically replace your word. You still need to toggle through the keyboards to insert numbers, even though there is more real-estate on the iPhone 5, 5c, and 5S.

Apps
If your device is jailbroken, apps like Activator, Browser Chooser, Winterboard and others are not optimized for the iOS 7 yet.
The iOS 7 is definitely a change from the past six years for Apple, but are these real improvements or is it more appealing to the eye? The colors are incredibly vibrant and saturated, this reminds me of Candy Crush. Did Apple really think the rainbow colored interface would appeal to everyone?
These are some characteristics of the new iOS 7 which can be a little annoying, but is it enough to make a user not want to switch over to the new Operating System?  Lets review the more favorable features of the iOS 7.

Favorable

The Design
The iOS 7 design has put the spotlight search on all screens instead of only the home screen.  Folders hold multiple screens of items not limited to 9 or 12 anymore.  There is an emphasis on thin lines and transparency for a more sleek design.  Font sizes can now be changed to a larger font for all screens through the Settings .

Notifications
The Notification pull-down menu, shows you all alerts at once and gives you tabs showing all notifications. This includes calls and messages you have missed. Although, once the notification is up, it takes up the whole screen instead of a pop-up. You can now access the notification center from the lock screen.

http://www.hyphenet.com/blog/know-upgrade-ios-7/

Screenshot Credit: iMore

Browser
The window browser is more flexible, instead of swiping left and right to view open windows, they now preview vertically. Scroll bars disappear until you need them, and bookmark tabs are now at the top of your screen.
The Reading List allows you to scroll from one story to the next by scrolling to the bottom of a story.

Control Center
You no longer have to go into the Settings app to access the control center. Swipe up to access the control center overlay. You can now access the free flashlight, camera, calculator, and alarm all in the new control center tab.

Camera
The camera app shows you how certain filters would look before you take a picture. It also lists all your shooting modes so you can switch from panoramic to continuous shots in an instant.
iOS 7 treats photos as a timeline unlike iOS 6 that organized your photos into albums. The timeline photos show up as a mosaic, so you can zoom into the photos to navigate more easier.

http://www.hyphenet.com/blog/know-upgrade-ios-7/

AirDrop
Apple iOS 7 has a completely new design and has added features like AirDrop and iTunes Radio. AirDrop is a file sharing functionality that works by creating local ad hoc networks among nearby users. It offers a seamless way to transfer photos, videos, and other data via email using its Bluetooth connection to find other devices.

iTunes Radio
Much like Pandora, Apple’s new iTunes Radio include features with radio stations you can build around your favorite artists.

Activation Lock
Activation Lock in iOS 7 will not allow your device to be opened if stolen. A custom message can be made alerting anyone who may find this device how to contact you. You can enable this feature from iCloud.com and enter your device into “Lost Mode”.

 http://www.hyphenet.com/blog/know-upgrade-ios-7/

The new interface will require an adjustment, but Apple does it’s research, and overall I think the iOS 7 is a good makeover.  If you’re not ready to commit, that’s fine.  Make sure before you upgrade you have some time to familiarize yourself with the new system.
What are your thoughts on the iOS 7?  Have you found any tricks or glitches in the system so far?  Feel free to let us know!
Don’t miss out on the latest tech news and computer security alerts! Follow us on Twitter at @hyphenet,  “Like” us on Facebook or add us to your circle on Google+

References:
Massive makeover makes iOS feel new again – C|Net
http://reviews.cnet.com/operating-systems/apple-ios-7/4505-3671_7-35781767-2.html
September 19, 2013
7 Misses In iOS 7 – Forbes
http://www.forbes.com/sites/markrogowsky/2013/09/18/7-misses-in-ios-7/2/
September 18, 2013
Why You Might Want To Wait Before Upgrading To iOS 7 – ReadWrite
http://readwrite.com/2013/09/18/ios-7-upgrade-why-wait#awesm=~ohU0XCEa7RV4iy
September 18, 2013

Why Steve Jobs was fired from Apple.

Steven Paul Jobs, born February 24, 1955, one of the most influential people of our time.   He made the Time’s 20 Most Influential Americans List, along with Orville Wright and Abraham Lincoln.

Jobs was into Zen Buddhism as a young adult, became an affectionate father when he had children, and had a reputation of being hot-tempered at work.  But on stage he was majestic, and demonstrated charisma and charm.

He was a tech visionary, sometimes making decisions without any rationale, usually defending his reasoning to all his colleges.

Steve Jobs’ career had it’s ups and downs, after dropping out of college he stumbled into success.  Then he had a massive set back falling out with Apple, fortunately not long after, Jobs rose back up with possibly the greatest comeback success in history.

“He co-founds Apple Computer when he is 21, and by the time he is 23 he’s a millionaire. He becomes legendary. And then, at 30, he has this humiliating defeat,” said Alan Deutschman, author of “Change or Die, The Second Coming of Steve Jobs.”

Steve Jobs ‘Devastated’

At a Forbes conference in Bali last week, John Scully, Former CEO of Apple was asked about the firing of Steve Jobs in 1985.

Sculley then spent the next eight minutes reminiscing about the time when Steve Jobs had failed.

Sculley told the crowd, the reasoning was because of the Apple board’s fault for creating an environment, in which there was no give.   Steve Jobs and Apple were like toothpaste and oj.

The clash stemmed  from the introduction of Macintosh Office in 1985.  The second-gen Macintosh launch was planned, and critics were calling the new computer a “toy” and wasn’t taking it seriously.  Mainly because of it’s small computing power.

Screenshot Credit: CNet

This was not the only failure Jobs had seen at the time.  He was overseeing a slew of product failures.  Including the Lisa and Apple 3.  Revenues from the Apple 2 were also considerably low.  Steve Jobs said, “you gotta be

Screenshot Credit: CNET

willing to crash and burn if you ever want to get anywhere”.

During Jobs’ absence from Apple, Macintosh sales struggled as competitor Microsoft’s products began filling shelves at stores.

Sculley said he didn’t have the expertise to see what kind of a visionary Jobs was.  He still wonders what would have happened if that incident didn’t take place…

Jobs’ New Leaf

Steve Jobs founded a new company, NeXT.  NeXT introduced the first NeXT Computer in 1988, and the smaller NeXTstation in 1990.  The company ultimately flopped, Apple then purchased the company’s software division in 1997.  This move became the building block for Apple’s future Mac software, and the road for Steve Jobs back to Apple.

According to Jobs’, “Microsoft simply ripped off what other people did”. Jobs’ also said, “Apple deserved it, After I left, it didn’t invent anything new.  The Mac hardly improved.  It was a sitting duck for Microsoft.”
Over the years, Sculley, like so many others, remembered Jobs’ as a true genius as a leader…”The greatest CEO ever.”


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 References:
John Sculley spills the beans on firing Steve Jobs – C|Net
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57602004-37/john-sculley-spills-the-beans-on-firing-steve-jobs/
September 9, 2013
All About Steve Jobs
http://allaboutstevejobs.com/bio/timeline.php
Why is Steve Jobs on Time’s 20 Most Influential Americans List? – Forbes
http://www.forbes.com/sites/benzingainsights/2012/07/27/why-is-steve-jobs-on-times-20-most-influential-americans-list/

Buy of the Week: Apple MacBook Air for only $947!

The Apple MacBook Air, where performance meets endurance.  A battery life up to 9 hours, Wi-Fi support, and a faster all-flash storage unit.
This Apple MacBook Air has a Core i5 1.7 GHz -OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion – 4GB RAM – 128 GB flash storage – 11.6″ wide 1366 x 768 / HD – Intel HD Graphics 4000.  This is a great deal and the offer won’t last.  Expires September 6, 2013.

Call (619) 325-0990 to order Apple MacBook Air today!

Buy of the Week offer valid through September 6, 2013.
Note: Shipping and taxes apply.
Looking for something else? Check out our monthly deals or contact us to get a quote on the product you’re searching for.

Smartphone Buyer’s Guide 2013

Smartphones are getting smarter with their bigger displays, stronger battery life, sharper camera’s and cool new gadgets. We are a society that wants bigger and better so here is the rundown of all the hottest phones this year.

Windows – Nokia Lumia 1020

The Lumia’s camera has a 41-megapixel sensor with image stabilization.  This state-of-the-art camera features xenon flash, high-end Zeiss optics, manual shutter, and many other photographic controls.  The Lumia captures two images automatically as you shoot.  The first is full-resolution and the other is either 34 or 38 megapixels.
The camera allows you to take pictures in direct sunlight.  It has a dual-core Qualcomm processor and 4.5-inch display.
Exclusively at AT&T for $299.99

Samsung Galaxy S4

Samsung’s flagship phone has all the bells and whistles.  The dual camera feature allows you to take pictures with the front and rear cameras simultaneously.
Answering calls takes just a wave of the hand.  If you hover your finger over the screen you can magnify text and images.
The battery in the Galaxy is removable.
This phone has 5-inch high resolution, quad-core Qualcomm processor, long battery life, and water-resistant on some models.
Available in all major U.S. wireless carriers for $199.99 with a two-year contract.

HTC ONE

The HTC is one of the thinnest and stylish phones out on the market.
It offers an excellent screen display, great photo features, and a BlinkFeed interface that pushes your screen content to the front and center instead of using icons.
HTC One has an UltraPixel Camera, 1080p HD video capture and playback.
For the 32GB version you can get this phone for $199.99.  $299.00 for the 64GB at AT&T and Sprint with a two-year contract.  T-Mobile has the HTC One available for $99.99 with a $20 a month payment for 24 months.

LG G2

The LG G2 offers a unique design with power controls in the back.  You can answer a phone call just by picking it up instead of pressing a button.  If you want to turn the phone off or on, just knock on the screen twice.
The power and volume controls are on the back of the phone sense its believed to be a more natural location.
The LG G2 comes with a handset with high-quality audio.  5.2-inch full-high definition IPS display.  Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor.  32GB of internal storage and an all-day battery.
The G2 is available in all major U.S. carriers. Date of release TBA.

Motorola – Moto X

This Motorola has Touchless Control features that let you speak on command to make calls or texts.  The Active Display wakes up the phone when its sleeping.
You can personalize the phone back cover and highlight colors with the Moto X.  The cameria is 10 megapixels which is average for a camera phone.
It has 2GB of RAM, X8 Mobile Computing System, with a series of chips that includes a Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro.  Android(Jelly Bean) 4.7-inch AMOLD high-definition display with 720 x 1080 resolution.

Sony-Xperia Z

This phone has a 5-inch display, 13-megapixel camera and a battery with stamina.  The Xperia Z shuts down the wireless radios and other activities when you’re not using them to save life.
This is a smaller version of the Android tablet, can withstand a little water.  It is water-resistant down to 1 meter of water for up to a half-hour, as long as the ports are sealed.
The 5-inch high resolution (1920 x 1080) screen, quad-core Qualcomm processor, water resistant, long-life battery.
Exclusively from T-Mobile for $579.99.  Or $25 a month for 24 months.

Apple – iPhone 5S

The new iPhone will be the thinnest, lightest, and fastest iPhone ever.
12 megapixel iSignt camera, a larger display, faster chip, and the latest wireless technology.  iPhone 5 will have a fingerprint reader and Sapphire glass Home button.
4-inch Retina display, and ultrafast wireless.  18%thinner, 20% lighter, and 12% less volume.
The iOS is the worlds most advanced mobile operating system, with over 900,000 built-in apps.
Price TBD at the Apple iPhone Store coming out this September/October.






References:
iPhone 5S release date, news and rumours – TechRadar.Phones
http://www.techradar.com/us/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/iphone-5s-release-date-news-and-rumours-1111911
July 22, 2013
Fall’s hottest smartphones: A buyer’s guide – USA Today
http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/personal/2013/08/10/top-smartphones-android-apple-windows-phone/2635511/
Don’t miss out on the latest tech news and computer security alerts! Follow us on Twitter at @hyphenet,  “Like” us on Facebook or add us to your circle on Google+

Rumor's Claim that iOS 7 is to be Completely Overhauled

The worldwide developers’ conference to be held in June is being hotly anticipated for the announcement or launch of the latest version of mobile operating system form Apple, the iOS 7.  According to well-placed sources, Apple is currently in the process of virtually overhauling the existing framework and UI for the iOS, and will come up with a completely new version. If the rumors are true, there is another bit of news that might disappoint fans and experts.  Apple is on the path to make the interface simpler, shedding the lifelike graphics interface that was immensely popular with the users.

Black, White and Flat

The terms that are being used to describe the new version of iOS, the iOS 7, are black, white and flat. Unnamed sources quoted that Jony Ive, the VP of Industrial Design at Apple, is in favor of a very simple interface for the iOS 7, and that is one of the reasons why we will see a toned-down UI.  The source added that there have been talks of replacing the popular color schemes of the iOS like linen and leather, with dour shades of black and white.

A Genius on the part of Apple?

Apple has been known to pull the rabbit out of the proverbial hat time and again, and it seems like the rabbit has to come out this time, if this rumor is true. People appreciate the iOS interface for its lifelike appearance and a black and white scheme could cause a major hit to Apple’s popularity. However, all we can do at this point is wait for June.

 

 

Reference Links:

Apple Rumored to Go Black, White and Flat for iOS 7 - Mashable
mashable.com/2013/05/24/apple-ios-7-flat-report/‎

by Christina Warren - in 924,125 Google+ circles
May 24, 2013 – While we previously heard rumors that Ive was planning a broad UI overhaul with iOS 7, we didn't have many specific details. Now, 9to5 Mac is ...

 

Apple iOS 7 Rumors: Jony Ive Will Cramp Microsoft's Style With ...
www.huffingtonpost.com/.../apple-ios7-rumors-jony-ive_n_3331637.ht...‎

7 days ago – Apple's iOS 7 is coming, and the iPhone is getting a complete design overhaul, or so the rumors go. The main words used to describe the ...

 

Latest rumors suggest iOS 7 to be "black, white and flat all over ...
www.imore.com/latest-rumors-suggest-ios-7-be-black-white-and-flat-all-...

May 24, 2013 – The latest rumors surfacing about iOS 7 suggest that it will be "black, white ... Those are two completely different fields of design. ... IMHO, Jony Ive will be focused more on improving 'usability' rather than overhauling all UI elements. .... fans, the same ones who claim to love iOS stale icons right now but will ...

 

Jony Ive's iOS 7 remake: black, white, flat all over
www.idownloadblog.com/2013/05/24/jony-ive-ios-7-black-white-flat/‎

May 24, 2013 – Now comes a claim the design change of the upcoming iOS 7 will ... Bloomberg: Apple's design guru Jony Ive 'methodically reviewing' iOS 7 overhaul .... It makes little sense when there are more rumors than ever saying .... Sounds completely like a WinterBoard theme is all iOS 7 brings to the table…lame.

 


This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic License.

Buy of the Week: 27" Apple Thunderbolt Display for $953

With built-in Thunderbolt technology - the fastest, most flexible I/O ever - the Apple Thunderbolt Display can do things other displays simply can't.

Of course, it delivers a brilliant viewing experience. But connect it to any Thunderbolt-enabled Mac and it becomes a Plug-and-Play hub for everything you do.

Features include a high-resolution 2560-by-1440 LED-backlit display, a FaceTime HD camera, high-quality audio, three USB 2.0 ports, a FireWire 800 port, a Gigabit Ethernet port, and a Thunderbolt port for daisy-chaining additional high-performance devices.

Until April 26th, 2013, you can order a 27" Apple Thunderbolt Display from Hyphenet for only $953 + shipping!

Specifications for 27" Apple Thunderbolt Display

MFR#	MC914LL/B
Product Type	27" LED-backlit LCD monitor
Panel Type	IPS
Built-in Devices	Microphone, USB hub, camera
Aspect Ratio	Widescreen (16:9)
Native Resolution	2560 x 1440
Brightness	375 cd/m2
Contrast Ratio	1000:1
Response Time	12 ms
Color Support	16.7 million colors
Input Connectors	Thunderbolt
Speakers	Integrated
Color Support	16.7 million colors
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Warranty	1-year Apple Warranty

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Security Bug in iOS 6.1 Allows Lockscreen Bypass

If you’re protective over the information stored in your iPhone, you may want to keep a closer eye on it, especially if you’re running iOS 6.1 and expect the lockscreen to keep prying eyes out.

Somehow, someway a YouTube user named videodesbarraquito found a way to bypass the lockscreen on an iPhone 5 running iOS 6.0.1, 6.0.2, or 6.1 and gain access to contacts, call history, photos (by trying to add a photo to a contact), and the phone app to make calls.

All it takes to slip past the lockscreen is a systematic sequence of emergency phone call making (and quickly cancelling), power button pushing and voilà! You’re in.

How someone would possibly figure that out is beyond me, although I guess it's not all that farfetched since iOS 4.1 suffered from a similar bug a few years back.

The folks over at The Verge couldn’t resist temptation, tested the routine on a pair of UK iPhone 5s running iOS 6.1 and found that it actually worked. The Verge reached out to Apple for a comment, but no word back yet.

Update: A spokesperson for Apple told AllThingsD, "Apple takes user security very seriously. We are aware of this issue, and will deliver a fix in a future software update."

Better keep a closer eye on your iPhone until then.

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Buy of the Week: 13.3” Apple Macbook Pro for $1,170!

MacBook Pro features Intel's new third-generation Core architecture for a boost in processor and memory speeds. New next-generation graphics deliver performance levels that are up to 60 percent faster than before. And high-speed Thunderbolt I/O lets you transfer data at rates up to 10 GBps. The MacBook Pro is a great computer that just got even greater.

Until December 28th, 2012, you can order a 13.3” Apple Macbook Pro from Hyphenet for only $1,170, plus shipping!

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MFR#	MD101LL/A
Display	13.3 inch LED-backlit display 1280-by-800 resolution
Processor	Intel Core i5 2.5 GHz
Storage	500 GB HDD (5400 RPM)
RAM	4 GB DDR3
Optical Drive	DVD-Writer DL
Graphics	Intel HD Graphics 4000
Networking	802.11n, Bluetooth 4.0, Gigabit Ethernet
Battery Run Time	Up to 7 hours
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Weight	4.5 lbs
Operating System	OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion
Warranty	1-Year Apple Warranty

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More Information on OSX/Crisis Trojan Released: What Can It DO?

More details about the newly-discovered Crisis Trojan targeting Apple users have emerged, and let me just say: OSX/Crisis (aka OSX/Morcut) is jam-packed with some extra creepy functionality.

Functionality

After OSX/Crisis has been successfully installed on a machine, it will inject itself into a number of programs to spy on the infected user’s activity.  These applications include popular ones like:

• Skype


• MSN Messenger


• Adium


• Firefox

In addition to tracking all activity within the programs listed above, OSX/Crisis allows an attacker to monitor and/or control the following operations:

• Mouse position


• Location


• Internal Webcam & Microphone


• Clipboard Contents


• Key strokes


• Running applications


• Web addresses


• Screenshots


• Calendar Data & Alerts


• Device Information


• Address Book Contact Information

As you can tell, with OSX/Crisis on your system, you will have no sense of privacy. Everything you do is subject to being recorded – including any audio conversations held via Skype – and all of the data collected by OSX/Crisis will be sent to a remote server controlled by the attackers.

On a side note, Intego Security researchers found that there are sections of the Crisis Trojan’s code that suggests that it was a part of a commercial malware tool called “Remote Control System” (or RCS) that’s geared towards government surveillance and mainly sold in the US and Europe.

RCS, which was created by a company called HackingTeam, usually carries a hefty price tag of €200,000 ($245,664), leading Intego to believe that it’s likely only being used in targeted attacks.

Dr. Web’s write-up of OSX/Crisis, which they identify as BackDoor.DaVinci.1, appears to draw up the same conclusion.

Known Aliases

Although this new Trojan is often referred to as the “Crisis” Trojan, it does have other names:

• OSX/Morcut (Sophos)


• BackDoor.DaVinci.1 (Dr. Web)


• Backdoor:MacOS_X/Flosax.A (Microsoft)

Graham Cluley of Sophos stated that the “Crisis” name is a result of the name appearing within the malware’s code. Instead of adopting the suggested name, Sophos opted to name the Trojan OSX/Morcut.

Dr. Web’s name seems to be derived from the name of the man who started HackingTeam, David Vincenzetti.

Microsoft stated on Facebook that they detect this threat as MacOS_X/Flosax.A.

Detecting & Removing OSX/Crisis

It’s important to note that OSX/Crisis has still NOT been spotted in-the-wild, so the risk of being infected is relatively low. However, Intego, Sophos and Dr. Web all offer antivirus solutions that are capable of detecting and removing the OSX/Crisis in the event that the day where it is actively being spread comes.

For more information on OSX/Crisis, including what versions of OS X it runs on, check out my previous post.

[via Intego][via Sophos][via Dr. Web]

Note: This article was updated on 7/30/12 to add Microsoft's alias for OSX/Crisis.

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New “Crisis” (or Morcut) Trojan Found Targeting OS X 10.6 & 10.7

Mac users, be on your guard.

Security researchers at both Intego and Sophos are warning users about a new backdoor Trojan named OSX/Crisis (aka OSX/Morcut-A to Sophos users).

The Targets

OSX/Crisis is said to install silently, without the need of a password, and only works on computers running OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) and 10.7 (Lion).

It doesn't run on the newly-released 10.8 (Mountain Lion), and has the tendency to crash on 10.5 (Leopard).

Infection Method

Good news is that the Crisis Trojan has not been spotted “in-the-wild.”

Intego stated that they came across samples of the malware on VirusTotal (a site that is used to scan suspicious files and URLs, and share malware samples between security companies), and there was no mention of origin on the sample that Sophos got ahold of.

Sophos' malware sample came packaged in file deceptively named “AdobeFlashPlayer.jar” that contained a .class file named WebEnhancer along with "two unassuming-looking files named win and mac."

Given the archive name, one wouldn’t really think anything of these files; however, the “mac” file is actually the installer for OSX/Crisis Trojan while “win” serves as an installer for Windows malware identified as Mal/Swizzor-D. No need to leave Windows out of the fun, right?

Had this file been used in an actual attack, the user would get SOME kind of notification since the WebEnhancer applet triggers a digital signature alert warning stating that the applet is from an untrusted publisher.

Screenshot Credit: Sophos

Should that screen be ignored and the applet allowed to run, the malware will be installed without any further warnings to the user.

This is only one example of how OSX/Crisis can be delivered, though. Other methods may not cause alerts that throw red flags to the user.

Installation Process

While it’s true that OSX/Crisis doesn’t require a password to install, the user account permissions play a slight role in the Trojan’s installation process.

If OSX/Crisis runs on a user account with Admin permissions, it will drop a rootkit to hide itself and create 17 files. A user account without Admin privileges will result in 14 files being created.

Although majority of the files created are randomly named, they tend to fall under the following folders, which are also created by OSX/Crisis:

• /Library/ScriptingAdditions/appleHID/


• /System/Library/Frameworks/Foundation.framework/XPCServices/

Note: The “XPCSerivces” folder is only created if the user account has Admin permissions; the “appleHID” folder is created with or without Admin permissions.

After OSX/Crisis has been successfully installed, it will remain active – even if the system is restarted – and check-in with a remote server (IP address 176.58.100.37) every 5 minutes.

OSX/Crisis is said to be created in a way that makes reverse-engineering more difficult and uses low-level system calls to hide its activities. These techniques are common in Windows malware, but not OS X malware.

Protecting Your Mac

Now that you’re aware of the threat, what can you do to protect your Mac?

• Keep your OS up-to-date to make sure there aren’t any vulnerabilities that an attacker may exploit to plant OSX/Crisis on your system.


• Consider disabling Java plug-ins on your browser or removing Java altogether. Cybercriminals love exploiting Java vulnerabilities to spread malware, and researchers warn that Java-based attacks are on the rise.


• Always run antivirus software on your Mac. Most antivirus vendors offer security products for both Windows and Mac. Sophos even offers a free Mac antivirus solution, so you really have no excuse. ;) Both Sophos and Intego's antivirus apps detect and remove OSX/Crisis.


• Be careful what files you download. That means no downloading files attached to emails from unknown or untrusted sources.

Don’t miss out on the latest tech news and computer security alerts! Follow us on Twitter at @hyphenet, “Like” us on Facebook or add us to your circle on Google+.

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Graphics	AMD Radeon HD 6750M / Intel HD Graphics 3000 - 512 MB GDDR5
Networking	802.11n, Bluetooth 2.1 EDR, Gigabit Ethernet
Camera	Integrated webcam (1280 x 720 Res)
Sound	Stereo speakers, subwoofer, microphone
Connection / Expansion	LAN FireWire 800 2 x USB 2.0 Thunderbolt Microphone input Headphone/SPDIF combo jack
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Update iTunes to Patch Security Hole That Could Allow Remote Code Execution

If you use iTunes, you may want to stop and check to make sure you have the most recent version (10.6.3) installed on your machine.

Last week, Apple released version 10.6.3, which addressed a security flaw that would allow remote code execution if you made the mistake of opening a malicious playlist (.m3u).

Per Apple’s release notes:

Description: A heap buffer overflow existed in the handling of .m3u playlists.

Impact: Importing a maliciously crafted .m3u playlist may lead to an unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution.

Don’t leave your system at risk, update iTunes now.

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Flashback RoundUp: Conflicting Infection Reports, More Zombie Macs, & New Variant Spotted

Phew!

A lot has been going on with the whole Flashback (or “Flashfake”) malware fiasco, so I’ll do my best to sum everything up…

Conflicting Reports on # of Macs Infected with Flashback Malware

For a short period of time, it appeared that things were improving as Symantec had reported that the number of Macs infected with Flashback malware had dropped from 600,000+ to 140,000.

Kaspersky Lab also reported a decrease in the number of infections, stating that only 30,000 Macs were still under the influence of Flashback (aka Flashfake) malware.

However, these numbers didn’t match up with the latest report from Dr. Web, which still reflected an army of zombie Macs that was still over 500,000 machines strong.

Confused? Good, so was the rest of the world, which lead some to question on whether or not  security firms were attempting to scare users into purchasing antivirus software.

So, what’s with the discrepancy?

Apparently, sinkholes setup by Symantec (and other companies) were receiving limited infection counts for Flashback.

Dr. Web reported that a server registered at IP address 74.207.249.7 (and controlled by an unidentified third-party) would communicate with the infected Macs, but never close the TCP connection. This was causing bots to switch to ‘standby’ mode as they wanted for a reply from the server, preventing them from communicating with other command and control servers (or sinkholes setup by various security companies tracking the malware).

That changed the number of infected machines observed by researchers, which ultimately lead to contradicting reports.

Researchers at Intego agreed with Dr. Web’s claims and went on to say that there are likely infected Macs that are not being accounted for and that there was a possibility that more Macs are being infected on a daily basis.

Fueling the fire of uncertainty, Intego also reported that some of the specific domains that Flashback malware attempts to contact resolve to 127.0.0.1 (or localhost), keeping the Mac from reaching the command & control servers and knocking the stats even further off-track.

There’s a New Flashback Variant Out There…

As if that weren’t aggravating enough, Intego also reported yesterday that they’d spotted a new variant of Flashback (Flashback.S) that continues to exploit Java vulnerability CVE-2012-0507, which was patched by Apple around two weeks ago.

Intego warns this latest Flashback variant is actively being distributed in the wild (likely via drive-by-downloads) and does not require a password to be installed.

During installation, Flashback.S will place its files in the user’s home folder, at the following locations:

• ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.java.update.plist


• ~/.jupdate

Once the installation is complete, Flashback deletes all of the files and folders in  ~/Library/Caches/Java/cache to remove the applet from the infected Mac and avoid detection or sample recovery.

Protect Yourself from Flashback Malware

If you haven’t done so already, I strongly recommend that you:

• Apply all of the security updates issued by Apple to remove common variants of Flashback, patch the Java vulnerabilities exploited by the Flashback malware, and disable Java browser plug-ins if they go unused for an extended period of time (Lion only).


• Consider disabling Java on your machine or toggle Java browser plug-ins as needed.


• Install antivirus software on your Mac. Sophos offers a free Mac antivirus solution, so you really don’t have an excuse for not doing it.


• Keep all software up-to-date and be careful of what files you download or websites you visit. Remember, you don’t have to visit a “shady” site to be infected by malware. Cybercriminals often use compromised sites to deliver malware via drive-by-downloads, including Flashback.

What measures are you taking to protect your Mac?

Researchers say 140,000 Macs still infected with Flashback malware

Despite all of the media coverage, free "detect & destroy" tools offered by multiple antivirus vendors and Apple releasing system updates to both remove the malware and patch the Java vulnerability that helped it infect over half-a-million Macs, Symantec says that there are still over 140,000 OS X machines infected by Flashback.

“The statistics from our sinkhole are showing declining numbers on a daily basis,” Symantec researchers wrote in a Thursday blog post, “However, we had originally believed that we would have seen a greater decline in infections at this point in time, but this has proven not to be the case.”



Symantec researchers stated that the domain name for the botnet’s command & control server changes on a daily basis, and that it’s not limited to using “.com” as the top-level domain: .in, .info, .kz and .net top-level domains are used as well.

Flashback has not gone without upgrades either. Symantec researchers pointed out that Flashback is capable of using Twitter to retrieve updated C&C locations by searching for specific hashtags generated by Flashback.K’s hashtag algorithm. How’s that for being resourceful?

Mac users that have not bothered updating their system with the latest Java updates from Apple should do so immediately.

As we’ve previously mentioned, Flashback isn’t the only piece of malware looking to exploit Java vulnerabilities in order to infect Macs. The Sabpab Trojan also exploits the SE Remote Java Runtime Environment Denial of Service Vulnerability (CVE-2012-0507) in order to infect OS X machines.

Update 4/23 -  There have been conflicting reports of how many Macs remain infected by the Flashback Trojan. Researchers over at Intego have discovered that DNS redirection may be playing a role in the conflicting reports. Check out what they have to say.

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New Mac Trojan Exploiting Same [Patched] Java Vulnerability as Flashback

This is a perfect example as to why it’s important that you keep your system patched and up-to-date regardless of what operating system you use.

Symantec has warned that a new Trojan horse, OSX.Sabpab is hoping to follow the digital footsteps of the Flashback malware by exploiting one of the (patched) Java vulnerabilities (CVE-2012-0507) Flashback used to infect over 600,000 Mac computers.

According to Symantec’s security bulletin, once Sabpab Trojan makes its way onto your system, it will create system files to ensure it loads on system start-up and open a backdoor to grant an attacker remote control over the machine to create new processes, download arbitrary files, take desktop screenshots and upload files to a remote server.

To avoid being hit by this latest threat, Mac users should make sure they’ve installed all of the necessary Apple updates to close the targeted Java security hole.

Considering Java vulnerabilities are often exploited to plant malware on vulnerable machines, users should consider toggling Java browser plug-ins as necessary to protect against drive-by-download attacks or disabling/uninstalling Java completely if it’s not needed to eliminate the threat altogether.

Additionally, it may be beneficial for Mac users to install antivirus software to add an extra layer of protection against malware threats. Sophos offers Mac antivirus for free, so why not give it a shot? Other companies like Intego, ESET and Kaspersky also offer Mac antivirus software, so if you prefer a specific vendor, I recommend checking them out.

Stay safe, Mac users!

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