Tuesday, May 16, 2017

Global Cyber Attack: Security blogger Halts Ransomware By Accident

Ransomware
CYBER ATTACK HALTED BY ACCIDENT

The world has become much advanced since the inception of the internet. The internet has revolutionised the world and has been able to bridge the gap between the world. This has made the world a much better place to live. We are quite fortunate that we are living in this era to experience the impossible ones.

Well, there are many cyber-attacks which break the net often. Some become the easy victim of all this. Often we hear that the accounts have been hacked and this leads to the chaos. Recently there was a news of a UK security where he has reported to the BBC that how accidently he had brought a stop of the malicious ransomware which has affected the numerous organisations.

THE REPORT 

The man is known as the Malware Tech which is his pseudo name. After hearing about the technological news about the latest malware attack, he wanted to investigate the matter. The cyber-attack spread all across the globe and it has created a huge impact in the world of technology.

The technological news kept the update on this cyber-attack. After the investigation, he found that the solution and brought malicious ransomware to a halt. It appeared to be a kill switch in the code of the software. He admitted that the discovery was purely accidental.

Even after the accidental discovery, it did not let to the proper repair of the ransomware. The event brought a halt in spreading it to the other computers. Well this was something very crucial that has to be needed.

THE DISCOVERY

After the discovery, the guy found that the malware was trying to contact a particular type of web address every time a new computer was affected. The web address was not that simple. It was a combination of letters and moreover it was not registered. The person decided to register the web address and eventually he ended up buying the address for $10.69 (£8). This gave him the access where the computers were accessed from. This gave him the idea how the ransomware was spreading.

THE DEFEAT

The registration has only stopped but that doesn’t mean it had stopped the malware spreading. There are still files which will be held for ransom. The recent technology news have stated that the ransomware has started ignoring the kill switch. You should keep an update on the recent technology news to know more details.

THE IMPACT

The impact has been huge in the UK affecting the health clinics and several computers. There were many spam emails that appeared to contain invalid invoices and job offers. The incident took the world by storm. There were also many security warnings and other valid files.

The encrypted ransomware demanded almost payment of $300 to $600 to restore access. Well, this was a huge issue and the people had to face the consequences for this. The digital transactions went for a toss. The antivirus giant Avast had observed infections of more than 57000 in 100 countries.

Friday, May 12, 2017

The Evolution of the Internet

Internet

Friendly Research Network – Criminal Activity

The internet has progressed over a period of time from humble starting in 1972 when Ray Tomlinson, Cambridge computer scientist had introduced emoji during the launch of the first iPhone in 2007 bringing the internet in the pocket.

 And so the internet has been transformed in a way where the user tends to stay linked whenever the need arises enabling them to connect with several of our home appliances like light thermostat controls and TV. The number of computers linked to the internet has increased tremendously and the number of users too has augmented from a handful of computer scientists to 1.5 billion consumers.

The extent of the network has crossed beyond the United States to each and every area of the world. However, its popularity also tends to have a disadvantage since it has progressed from a friendly research network to an area of criminal activity comprising of fraud and identity theft.

 The usage of internet has risen since 1995 wherein the researchers had initially begun tracking this figure and though the assessments tends to differ from 1 billion to 1.5 billion users, all may agree that the net seems to have room from expansion since the overall population of the world has reached 6 billion.

Domain Name System of Internet - Developed

This would mean that more than 4 billion people across the globe tend to be without internet access presently. The internet has improved from a U.S. controlled communication medium to the one which has increased rapidly in growth in Asia and Europe.

 The Domain Name System of the Internet had been developed in 1984 to counterpart complex IP addresses with names which were easy to recall ending in extensions like .com, .org, .edu, .gov, .mil together with country codes comprising of .de for Germany.

The U.S. Department of Commerce had privatized domain name registrations and operation in 1998, through the development of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers and thereafter, domain names sales have escalated almost 10 times though .com tends to be the most well-known domain.

The Berners-Lee, in 1990, had designed the World Wide Web as a means of publishing information in a hypertext form on the Internet. The Web started to make headway in 1993, after Marc Andreessen, a computer science student had developed the first well-known Web browser namely Mosaic. Thereafter the number of Web sites together with Web pages has been on the rise.

Measured – Terabytes/Petabytes, Heading Towards Exabytes

Experts have been objecting regarding how much traffic is on the internet and the speed of its growth. Could it be increasing at 50% to 60% a year or 100%? When the daily traffic has crossed 3 million packets, there is no question that the figure has increased since 1974.

Initially, measured in terms of terabytes and petabytes, the scientist have now come to the conclusion that the future would be heading towards monthly traffic volumes in the exabytes that is 10 to 18th power bytes. In the mid-1990s, e-commerce rushed on the scent and has been developing since then in terms of total sales as well as a percentage of all retail sales.

 It is difficult to know the worldwide e-commerce statistic though the U.S. Commerce Department have been following U.S. e-commerce sales from the fourth quarter of 1999. The Morris Worm was said to be the first major attack on the Internet way back in 1988 which disabled almost 10% of the Internets’ 60,000 host computers. Presently hundreds of more threatening attacks are being targeted at Internet users daily.

Spam Driven Phishing Scams

The U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team – US-CERT have stopped the counting of security occurrence reports it had received in 2004 since the Internet connected attacks had become an usual occurrence and it felt that it would be too difficult to track the same.

Way back in 2003, it had been observed that 15 billion spam messages were sent daily over the Internet which meant that 45% of all the e-mail messages had been uncalled-for, for things such as drugs and penny stock. These figures seemed to be quite old-fashioned currently in comparison to the 164 billion spam messages that were sent each day which represent 97% of the overall e-mail. Spam has changed during the last five years from being disturbing to being malicious with the progress of spam driven phishing scams.

Experts are of the opinion that the Internet would be continuing along its phenomenal growth path in spite of the prevailing global economic crisis. The difference is that the Internet would become mobile and social and now users have been getting access to the Internet through their cell phones than the PCs.

The favourite activities of the users nowadays are to download music, video together with ringtones instead of searching the Web or utilising it for sending e-mails. Users now tend to have the internet in their pocket and utilise it while on the go.

Thursday, May 11, 2017

Apple Leak Reveals iPhone 7S Bad News

Controversy Surrounding the Release of Apple iPhone 7S

The world is excited about the release of the latest version of iPhone, that will be in the market in this year, but the sources have confirmed that there is nothing true in the release date of iPhone 7S and because of this contagious leaks; the CEO of Apple, Tim Cook has snapped the leakers of this news blaming that it is because of the trouble that surrounded this fake news has led to so many issues that they would no longer will be able to launch iPhone 7S in this year.

He even confirmed that this vicious leakage has barred the manufacturing process of iPhone 7S, but the upcoming models like iPhone 8 is also facing serious problems and since the problems were unprecedented, hence the latest version is facing serious issues.

The reports suggest that iPhone 7S will not be launched before 2018, which is really disheartening for the ones who were eagerly waiting to get hold of this big catch probably the best in terms of smartphones.

A multinational Deutsche Bank based in Germany has prepared a research on this issue and there research suggest that no version of iPhone will be launched in market this year and the research substantiates the fact that the primary reason behind delaying of supply of iPhone is the shortage of components and technical know-how rather than the leaks that occurred surrounding release date of iPhones.

The manufacturers are trying to hide their inefficiency behind the wale of leakages. Delays are inevitable and the iPhone users have to be patient before they grab their favorite iPhone model induced by all sorts of technologically resilience.

Tim Cook has got an opportunity to blame the media reports of leaking the release date of iPhone 7S, but the truth behind the delay lies in their leaking system of manufacturing. So, the question still remains unanswered and release date of iPhone 7S is still a mystery.

The upcoming model of iPhone is said to be bestowed with new and smart technologies. News says that this new model would be attached with a touch bar which was not there in the previous models and this would equip the users with smart and less complicated shortcuts of iPhone 7S and this has increased the excitement of all the users who are eagerly waiting for this model to be launched.

Some critics have suggested that this is a publicity stunt and by delaying the release, Apple is creating the ground and accurate moment for launching their product and some also suggest that the reason behind this delay is that Apple still hasn’t upgraded its technology to add something new to their new release since 2014 and they know that the only way through which they can increase their sale by bringing in new technological upsurge and no improvement has been done in this regard till date. Further, the wait for iPhone 7S seems worth the wait as Apple has assured its users to grant them with unique kind of smartness in their upcoming release.

Wednesday, May 10, 2017

iCar Release Date Rumours

Apple’s Electric iCar

Since February 2015 reports have been circulating that Apple intends manufacturing electric iCar to compete with Tesla. This source of information had come up after Business Insider had received some facts from an Apple employee with some knowledge on the development on the subject. There were rumours that Apple will now be focusing on autonomous driving system.

 This had added up with the findings of cars that were registered with Apple arrayed with sensors/cameras which had been exposed later and had led to the visions of Apple iCar. The Wall Street Journal had earlier stated that there were several hundred, according to Apple employees working on the project and the iCar had been named `Titan’.

Though many are of the belief that Apple had intention of moving away from autonomous car project, a latest letter addressed to US transport regulators by Steve Kenner, the director of product integrity of Apple conveys something else. Apple had seemingly informed that it had been excited about the prospective of automated system in several capacities, inclusive of transportation as well as there were substantial collective benefits of automated vehicles to be realised.

The same had been confirmed by one of spokesman of Apple that the letter to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration – NHTSA, had been impelled by its `heavy investment in machine learning and autonomous system.

Privacy of Individual – Not to be Compromised

Moreover it also wanted to assist in outlining the best practises in the future industry. The letter had also stated not to introduce many rules with regards to the testing of self-driving cars, requesting that launching manufacturers as well as fresh entrants should be equally treated.

A suggestion had been made by Kenner that companies need to share data from crashes together with near-misses in order to develop a better comprehensive image instead of one company alone supporting in improving the system. And knowing Apple to be focused on user privacy, the same would be out of character of not making a mention of it in the letter.

Besides this Kenner also observed that the privacy of the individual should not be compromised by the sharing of data which regulates `address privacy challenges connected with the collection, used together with sharing of automated vehicle data’.

Enhance Customer Experience

Tim Cook, CEO of Apple had answered during the Q4 2016 financial results of Apple topics on Apple Pay, Siri together with the importance of Apple Car. Though he had not confirmed or denied the presence of the rumoured electric car of Apple he informed that Apple always visualized for methods wherein they could enhance the experience together with the experience of the customers on various sets of products.

He had further mentioned that they are always looking at new things and the car space has been an area which is evident with lot of technologies that will be available or would be capable of revolutionizing the car experience. He adds that it is so interesting from that point of view though nothing to certainly nothing to make an announcement.

The CEO of Apple as usual is being evasive on the topic and considering the same, it does indicate that Apple could have something to make an announcement in the near future.

Monday, May 8, 2017

Apple Patents Way to Charge iPhone Over Wi-Fi

Apple Goes Ahead and Patents the Way to Charge the iPhone over Wi-Fi


Apple had something extraordinary and it has become synonymous with this tech firm as well. For quite some time it was reported that Apple is experimenting with the different of chagrining its iPhone and iPad devices wirelessly. Quite recently it has filed a patent which helps these devices to charge at a good pace with contact through using the signals emitted from the Wi-Fi devices in the form of radio frequencies. This also brings our focus to the wireless charging on a more grand level as soon the Apple users will be able to bid adieu to the physical cable for good.

One of the interesting things to note about this patent is that Apple has found a way of re-powering its range of devices not just using the Wi-Fi but also the mobile and millimeter wave signals. Apple patent has clearly proposed the way of directing the electromagnetic frequencies tight towards the device like a beam of energy. 

A little history of wireless charging technology

It would come as a surprise that this technology was invented way back in 1891 by Nikola Tesla. It makes use of an electromagnetic field in order to transfer the energy between the two objects. The conventional wireless charging is supported on a variety of mobile phones by keeping the device on a charging pad or mat. Some of the popular flagship device to support this technology includes LG G4, Samsung Galaxy S7, Google Nexus 6, Microsoft Lumia 1520 and Blackberry Priv Z30. This technology has helped in doing away with cumbersome phone specific chargers to a very limited extent.

Insights from the patent filing

The patent filed by the Apple at the moment only covers the theory behind its method but doesn’t reveal the actual way of doing it. For quite some time rumors were rife that Apple will be introducing the wireless charging on its iPhone series which would mark first time in ten years that Apple has given respite to the users from the lightning cables.

It is quite unclear how exactly Apple will be bringing this technology on its range of devices. It is worth noting that Apple won’t be bringing the short range inductive charging system which is found on the Apple Watch as well as on Samsung Galaxy S8 devices.

This charging technology is quite old and a number of OEMs has been playing with it for few years but they had not found any long range system or capability. Apple has decided to stay away from this technology as it was waiting to come up with a long range system which offers a better option to the users. Just few months Apple has patented the inductive charging station in concept specifically designed for the iPhone.

Way back in 2010 Apple filed a patent to recharge the iMac wirelessly from the distance of 1 metre. But we still fail to see the resurgence of this technology on Apple device ecosystem and this new patent has helped in giving hope to the Apple fans once again.

Friday, May 5, 2017

iPhone 8 Photos Gets Leaked Suggesting a Redesigned Look

iPhone 8 Photo
iPhone 8 based rumors and reports doesn’t seem to die anytime soon. This being one of the most eagerly awaited gadgets to be unveiled this year has left everyone wishing for something extraordinary. It might come as surprise that the images leaked can turn out to be the very first images of the iPhone 8. Samsung has simply gone ahead with revamping the complete design for the S8 which shows a definite departure from its stable design present in almost every high Samsung gadgets. Apple is also working on the same lines as per the images where a prototype of the handset is shown having a redesigned look.

Reveals from the new images

The pictures made available in the online forums shows the primary hardware for the upcoming iPhone 8. Quite interesting it retains the structure of the iPhone 7 and other who came before it as it offers the similar volume button along with the rounded rectangular design and the power switch. Nothing has changed on this level but a lot of effort has gone towards the extending the length of the device at its sides.

The prominent design change which reflects from the picture is the presence of the long camera hole which now stretches right down the phone. With the launch of the iPhone 6S Apple first brought the large oval opening for the camera as it helped in keeping the dual lens camera setup in the efficient fashion. However in the pictures it can be easily seen that Apple has rotated them to a certain extent so they move down the phone.

Quite interestingly in the images it has been seen that there is no Apple logo present at the back of the phone. In the prototype usually the logo is not present which a norm is but this also helps in pointing fingers at the legitimacy of the images. Secondly Apple would never bow down from retaining the iconic branding on its premier flagship smartphone devices at all. When it comes to thinness, thickness and dimensions this new iPhone happens to be of same physical dimension as seen on the iPhone 7. It is also being speculated that Apple will be following the Samsung lead by bringing a similar edge-to-edge display on its iPhone.

Most of the times the images posted in the online forums and websites tend to end up as being fan made or artistic images. But rumors are strong that this particular set of images happens to be the true prototype though legitimacy is highly questionable.

All these pictures might be a hoax

For all those who are eagerly waiting for the upcoming iPhone 8 should understand that Apple has not yet revealed any information or pictures for this product and these images are likely to merge as hoax in next few months. Apple will be unveiling the new iPhone along with other gadgets in September if the development of the new gadgets doesn’t get delayed in between.

Wednesday, May 3, 2017

8 Ways the iPhone 8 Can Beat the Galaxy S8

 Galaxy S8
Samsung Galaxy S8 IPhone 8: the top smartphones in advance comparison

Galaxy against iPhone: this year, it's going to be an extra year. In 2017, it promises to be particularly exciting. Samsung has to deliver after the note 7; Apple will introduce its anniversary iPhone. We compare the Galaxy S8 and the iPhone 8 based on the current rumour. At the Mobile World Congress 2017, there were some exciting smartphones to see.

The LG G6, the Huawei P10, and the Nokia 6 - all these devices could convince. Nevertheless: The very big highlight was missing this year. This was because Samsung pushed the presentation of the Galaxy S8 was postponed. After the presentation of the Galaxy Tab S3 there was only a short teaser, held an event on 29 March 2017. After all, almost all the specs, pictures and videos from the device have come into the public several times.

According to the company, the Galaxy S8 is once in a normal and the larger plus version. With Apple this year even three iPhones are pending. To the iPhone 8, which is apparently to be called iPhone Edition, the upgrades of the model from the previous year: the iPhone 7s and the iPhone 7s Plus.

The Samsung will probably differ only with the screen and the battery size as well as in the price. In addition, we can assume that the new Galaxys also offer top processing. Since there was in the past few years apart from the premium class nothing to complain about. Likewise, it will be experience with Apple. Well, the protruding camera lens in the last devices was perhaps not everyone's thing.

Display: OLED and curved is the trend

The Edge screen, which Samsung introduced with the Galaxy Note Edge and then with the Galaxy S6 Edge on both display pages, has now become the trademark of the premium class. Leaks show: Even 2017 do not differ from Samsung. On the contrary, for the first time, both Galaxy-S devices will come with curved displays, which extend over the entire front side. Infinity-Display calls Samsung the same, the smaller output is 5.8, the larger 6.2 inches. As far as the technology is concerned, everything that is not AMOLED would be a surprise.

Apple is also on the iPhone 8 gadget for the first time set to OLED. Whether the company from Cupertino sets on edge screens remains to be seen, but is not excluded. Apple will probably change the display size. The current iPhone 7 Plus offers a diagonal of 5.5 inches, the iPhone 8 is to come to 5.8 inches. That was in the past at 2560 x 1440 pixels. Apple's largest iPhone brought it 2016 to Full-HD.

The keys move to the screen

Both manufacturers had a physical home button under the display. It seems to be in the upcoming version. In Samsung, the fingerprint sensor moves to the back, everything else is solved via on-screen buttons. That was already seen on numerous leaked pictures

Apple should go even a step further and the fingerprint sensor in the screen. In addition, the well-known dock in iOS could give way to a touchbar-like bar that offers fast access to apps. There will be further optical differences in the connections. Apple has already renounced the iPhone 7 on the headphone connection and will not deviate from it. At Samsung, which also show pictures, the socket is still on board.

In terms of performance, both smartphones are not likely to be used in everyday use. Samsung is using the new Snapdragon 835. Samsung has secured a lot of chips for the production by an exclusive deal with Qualcomm - and thus also overpowered all competitors. Apple, on the other hand, is an open secret, the A11 chip is used.

As you know from the company, you will not reveal details on the timing. Instead, a chart of marketing boss Phil Schiller will once again show how much faster the new iPhone is compared to its predecessors. The company is also traditionally silent on working memory. You can assume that the speed at the iPhone 8 will again be very high.

Double or simple camera

Both Apple and Samsung have been known for years for excellent smartphone cameras. In the iPhone 7 Plus, Apple has switched to a dual camera, with which to shoot chic portrait photos. On Samsung, however, it did not look like a converted to double clips on leased images. A tweet, however, gave cause for surprise. Perhaps the dual camera at Samsung is used up front. Portrait Selfies would be fine. Apple also has something special - the front camera, it is to support depth perception. In principle, the technology even includes 3D self-esteem and facial recognition.

The software: the old song

With the software, Apple traditionally has the nose ahead. iOS 11 is adjusted exactly to the hardware of the iPhone 8. In addition, operating system updates are guaranteed in the following years as well. At Samsung it looks a bit different. The Galaxy S8 certainly comes with Android Nougat on the market. Until the update on Android O follows, it should then experience but again a few months.

Two personal assistants:

Siri is an old well-known one that fulfils the usual requirements more or less reliably. Samsung sends Bixby a whole new artificial intelligence into the race, which comes from the Siri inventors. Scope? Not clear! In addition, you can connect the Galaxy S8 to the so-called Dex interface to a monitor and use as a PC. That sounds exciting. With such a thing, Apple cannot serve. Finally, the iPad Pros and the MacBook Pros are working.

Prices and availability

Up to the presentation of the S8 it takes only a few weeks. Very shortly it should come on the market. The prices are rumored at 799 euros for the small and 899 euros for the big Galaxy. Apple traditionally invites in September. Especially in the anniversary iPhone, there is no reason to swerve from it. The prices always remain constant. But this year should only apply to the iPhone-7s series. The iPhone 8 should be significantly more expensive.

Monday, May 1, 2017

How to protect your Apple iCloud account

iCloud account

Protecting iCloud Password/Data

`Turkish Crime Family’, a London-based group may not have access to the names and password of 250-million Apple iCloud account. However they have access to some unspecified number of accounts and that could be adequate reason to be cautious. The following are some insights in protecting your iCloud password and data and save yourself from losing it:

Backup susceptible data

The first thing essential is to back up the iCloud data and the easiest method of doing it for your iPhone; iPad or iPod is to back up your files of your device to your Mac or PC with iTunes backup. This can be done by –

  • Plugging your device to your Mac or PC with iTunes on 
  • Towards the left hand area in iTunes, under play the controls, you will find a tiny phone icon. You could click here where you will be taken to the menu of the device 
  • You could click on Summary towards the left-hand area 
  • Here you come across three boxes and you could opt for `Backups’ 
  • You could opt for automatically or manually back-up your device. If automatic is chosen, iTunes tend to start backing it up each time you are likely to plug your gadget in. 
  • The issue here is that iTunes does not tend to back up everything. For instance, it will not back up your information and settings for Apple pay, photos, already on iCloud or purchased iTunes together with App Stores content 
  • In order to be on the safe side, users need to change and secure their password

Utilise Passphrases Rather than Passwords

Apple could provide support in changing the passwords and not only by paying off the Turkish Crime Family. The other major sites such as Amazon, LinkedIn and Netflix tend to buy cracked password list and use one-way hashing counterparts in order to check for prevailing passwords and then reset susceptible passwords asking users to switch passwords.

 Apple has not does that so far though it considers doing the same depending on how huge the threat would appear to be. Since Apple is presently not doing the same, it is up to the user to do it. In order to change the Apple ID password, the user should sign in to their Apple ID account page in any browser and follow the reset your password instructions.

The new Apple ID password should comprise of at least eight characters, together with a number, an uppercase letter as well as a lowercase letter. Spaces, the same character three times in a row, your Apple ID or a password used the previous year are not permitted.

The user should be aware of not using dumb passwords like `abcdefgh, qwerty or password’ In order to create an easy and secured password, that would not tax your memory would be to utilise passphrases rather than passwords which would be easy to evoke.

Add layer of Protection – Two Factor Authentication

Once the password has been changed the user will have to change it on all the Apple devices. Thereafter it will be essential to add another layer of protection namely the Two-Factor Authentication – 2FA. When the 2FA is activated, the user can access his account from trusted devices only like your iPhone, iPad or Mac.

Whenever you intend signing in for the first time to a new device, the two pieces of information is required, which is your Apple ID password and the six-digit verification code that is automatically shown on the trusted devices. For the purpose of utilising Apple 2FA, it is essential for the user to have a trusted phone number so that he can receive verification codes. The following steps can be taken to add a trusted phone number:

  • Go to the Apple ID account page 
  • Sign in with your Apple ID 
  • Click Edit by going to the Security section 
  • Click Add a Trusted Phone Number and edit the phone number

Trusted Devices – iPhone/iPad/iPod

The user is now ready for 2FA. In order to have a trusted device one would need an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch with iOS 9 and thereafter would need a Mac running OS X El Capitan or later that the user has already signed in with 2FA. In order to turn on Apple 2FA the following steps needs to be taken:

On iPhone/iPad/iPod touch with iOS 9 or later

  • Go to Settings > iCloud > tap on Apple ID 
  • You could Tap Password & Security 
  • Tap Turn on 2FA
On Mac with OS X El Capitan or later

  • Go to the Apple menu > System preferences > iCloud > Account Details 
  • Then click Security 
  • Click Turn on 2FA 

This could be time consuming but considering how much work it would take for the user to replace the important music, photos, books or documents, should your Apple iCloud account be hacked, it would be worth the efforts taken for the same and the user would have saved important data from being lost.

Friday, April 28, 2017

iPhone Users Warned About Potentially Dangerous "Siri 108" Prank

Siri 108

Caution – Viral Social Media Campaign 


The police department all across the United States are annoyed over a viral social media campaign which has encouraged iPhone users in saying the number 108 to Siri as a prank, which has gone viral. The police have stated that the scam has been spreading all over Facebook as well as Twitter and when iPhone users tend to test the Siri command `just for fun’, they are in reality tying up phones lines at the emergency call centres.

 If you dial 108 you will hear `calling emergency services in five seconds and within a span of five seconds, you will be transferred to 911. Sergeant Adrian Page with the Lonoke Police Department in Arkansas in a Facebook post which had gone viral with over 1,100 shares, had informed users not to fall for it, since it seems to tie up emergency lines. It has been designed specially as a panic code. The number 108 is in fact the emergency services number in India.

 As reported by sources, Apple desired to make it simple for people to contact emergency services from any location in the world and so telling Siri any emergency number of a country would get the user connected to the service for any location. You could ask Siri to call 911 if one is visiting the U.K. and it would dial 999 for local help.

Phone System Preventing Emergency Calls


The Annapolis Police Department in Maryland had mentioned that this prank has been spreading among Annapolis teens and has the possibility to tie up dangerously the 911 phone system preventing emergency calls from being instantly answered.

They have cautioned users not to fall for this trick. According to the National Emergency Number Association , around 240 million calls are said to be made to 911 each year in the U.S. most of which are made from wireless devices and placing prank call to 911 is said to be an offence.

The Marshall Police Department in Wisconsin had warned recently that this prank is problematic since it tends to use resources which are important for others attempting to receive help in case of genuine emergency conditions.

 The police has informed that essentially, telling Siri to call 108 is not a jest and the same should not be done unless in genuine emergency cases. The police agencies all over the U.S. have been cautioning iPhone users of a probable dangerous viral social media prank.

Users Call Emergency Services From Any Location

Pranksters are attempting to trick users into saying `Hey Siri, 108, prompting the digital assistant to contact emergency services wherein the number in India is equivalent of 911. Siri tends to begin a five second countdown on hearing `108’ enabling the users with the opportunity to terminate the call before it goes through.

 But pranksters who seem to share the trick tell users to `close their eyes and wait for 5 seconds before looking at their phone. Though 108 is said to be the emergency service number in India, Apple has made it that way in order that users can call emergency services from any location they may tend to be in the world, according to CNET.

 Users sharing the trick on social media may consider it as harmless but a similar incident had resulted in the death of a six month old boy wherein the caregiver had called 911 thrice on T-Mobile phone and was kept on hold each time she had called and resulted in the death of the infant.

See All the Mac’s Open Windows at Once

mac nyc times

See All the Mac’s Open Windows on a Single Click

In the contemporary world, where some of the most excellent developments have taken place, those are having great importance in the life of an individual and also in the society. The computer technology is one of such inventions that have changed the basic approach of our life to a great extent, as there is a bit of the computer in almost every single product or service in present days.

It is known to all; there are lots of computer manufacturing companies throughout the world and Apple is undoubtedly one of the front runners in this particular segment. The Mac operating system of Apple is the most popular one and since its inception, millions of people have tried it and find it very user-friendly. The constant upgrading of the system is considered as the key reason behind the success of the Mac system. Now there are some unique features available in this system, which are quite helpful for their users to get the best result, with extreme ease and comfort.

Issues to be noted

It is often found that a new user of Mac operating system unknowingly hit some button, which may be shown some of the most interesting and surprising results that caught the user in a baffled condition. It means, by tapping some buttons on the keyboard, some sorts of commands got generated and the unknowing incidents occurred and these can be rectified by some specific actions, made on the keyboard.

If someone is working on his system and suddenly hit some buttons and find that all kinds of open programs shrank down and get back to the normal position by hitting another button. This entire episode made the person concerned baffled and clueless of how these things are happening!!

It is a very simple thing; while anybody found that all open windows are on the top on the desktop, it means, the person hit the Mission Control feature. If in any case, the Mission Control is summoned intentionally; it can of great help in locating any particular program on the cluttered desktop. The temporarily move aside the specific program in the split view or full-screen modes or may be seen any of the alternative desktops spaces that have been created for a different task on the Mac.

Conclusion

The most important part of the Mac operating system is; The Mission Control screen can be used in several ways, depending on the hardware of the system. Some of the laptops, having a shortcut on the F3 key on the system keyboard.

While on Mac's dock; the Mission Control can be seen, which features three numbers of color squares on the black background. This same icon can be seen in the famous Launchpad, which is basically a system tool, displays the important clickable icons of entire installed applications at the center of the screen.

It can be done by pressing the all important F4 button or clicking silver rocket icon on the Mac laptop, which helps the user to get the intended and prompt result.

Wednesday, April 26, 2017

SmartPhone Motion Sensors Can be Used to Crack Your PIN

SmartPhone
Image Credit:AP
So you thought that the PIN lock present in the modern Smartphones is best way to safeguard your device from others. Apple’s tussle with government authorities where they were unable to unlock the iPhone without the rights set of PIN has also helped in cementing this notion. However a recent study conducted by the cyber security experts at Newcastle University in UK presents a completely different view with facts and figures. Their study has successfully showcased that the hackers can make use of the sensors present in the Smartphones to crack the four digit PIN which will give access to wide amount information.


In their study the researchers found that when a mobile user visits a website then code present on the page can be utilized in accessing the phone’s motion as well as orientation. This allows the hackers to correctly guess the PIN present on the device lockscreen. During this study researchers were able to guess the PIN in the first attempt for 75 percent of the time and in the third attempt for 94 percent of the time. This might be shattering news for a number of die hard users of smartphones but it also helps in showcasing how vulnerable modern devices are.


People are tired of being asked for Passcode


The major reason behind the feasibility of hacking into the device through analyzing the motion and movements of users is very simple. Most of the people are tired of being asked for permission therefore they tend t accept anything present on the website or app while installing or accessing them. Websites usually collects a lot of information about the users in order to bring better users experience but this can be used by the hackers for their own benefit. They can direct the users to such websites which is specifically designed to collect the location data as well as the motion sensors data in order to unlock the device remotely.


Today more number of websites is concerned with collecting the location information by bringing location pop up on the site. Secondly sensors are going to be become more commonplace in near future once people start adopting the smart home and kitchen based electronic products. This study shed light on the way hackers can make use of the motion sensors present on the Smartphones but later on it can be brought to other devices as well to gain access to critical information.


Preventive measures to take


The best way to get over this problem is to make use of highly complex passcodes on the Smartphones. An earlier research has already showcased that the Smartphone users tend to make use of dead easy combination of 1111 and 1234 in 27 percent cases when they have to opportunity pick anything in the 4 digit set. The major reason behind it is that people find it easy to remember and it is highly convenient to unlock the device quickly. Secondly one should always keep the mobile operating system up to date by receiving and installing the latest security and system upgrade patches on regular basis. Thirdly one should always download apps on their device from the trusted sources like App Store, Google Play store and other credible third party stores. And don’t forget to kill the apps after using them.











How to Keep iPhone Autocorrect in Check

Autocorrect
If you write a lot with the virtual iPhone keyboard, you will likely get used to the auto-correction, but you can deactivate it if necessary. If the auto correct is deactivated, it is recommended to leave the normal correction activated at least. This still indicates errors but does not automatically repair them. The relevant options can be found in the General and Keyboard settings. Regardless of whether Auto Correct is activated or deactivated, errors sometimes occur when typing quickly. So far you have probably deleted the erroneous word to the point where the error happened and rewritten it from there on. It does not have to be! Here you can learn how to correct your words faster.

Actually, we would just like to tell a friend or a friend that we can still have a coffee after the meal. However, we are typing "sitll" instead of "still".

Instead of deleting the wrong word and re-writing it, just press the backspace key on the virtual keyboard of your iPhone. If the blue bar is at the end of the wrong word, a correction suggestion should appear which you select by tapping. Of course this does not work with every word. If necessary, press the Backspace key a couple of times until you reach the end of the wrong word.

If you have selected the correction, the incorrect word is replaced by the correct one. The correction function becomes annoying when you write with friends and use a dialect or dialect phrases. The iPhone does not recognize the various dialects and therefore makes relatively nonsensical suggestions for improvement or directly makes improvements in the case of auto-correct. We'll show you how to disable this feature easily. 

Disable iPhone Auto Correction

If you want to disable the auto correct on the iPhone, go to the settings and select the General item. Scrolls a little down and taps on keyboard. There you will find the menu point Auto Correct, which you can activate and deactivate with a fingertip.

If you have problems with automatically corrected dialect or abbreviations, you probably work with auto-correction. You should disable it in this case. Apple has put the Auto Correct function so deep into the system settings. After all, iOS devices are selling around the world and one can assume that people with the most diverse dialects write texts on their iPhones. However, there is still no way to switch the function on and off quickly.

What you should consider when writing the text with the iPhone

The relatively small keys on the screen keyboard and some pre-set automatisms can be terribly annoying when writing to the otherwise exceptionally user-friendly iPhone:

When typing, keep in mind the upper / lowercase key. At the beginning of the block and after a block end character, the capitalization is activated automatically, recognizable by the white arrow symbol. Unfortunately, this really meaningful automatism is in some cases inappropriate, for example if you have a shortcut like "etc." insert.

Even more annoying are unwanted suggestions, because if you do not tap the cross symbol on the top right, your text will quickly get mixed up.

Especially if you want to go fast, you can quickly get to wrong keys - if a wrong word suggestion is inadvertently inserted or the capitalization unintentionally activated, the chaos is perfect.

Monday, April 24, 2017

Apple's Self Driving Car Program Detailed in DMV Training Doc

iCar

Apple – Automated System – Self-Driving Vehicles

Apple had been granted permission recently by the California Department of Motor Vehicles to publicly test the autonomous driving technology on the Californian roads.

A new document of Apple has come up detailing the self-driving car training program for drivers. The new document offers more evidence that Apple is actively operating on autonomous driving technology internally. The official papers were obtained by Business Insider entitled `Development Platform Specific Training’, which tends to refer to the `Apple Automated System’, utilised in self-driving vehicles.

Apple had established an `Automated System’ for self-driving vehicles and intends putting select staffers through a training program in order to control the vehicles. As per the documents, the drivers of Apple need to pass seven various tests before their complete training. Every driver is given two practice runs together with three trials in order to pass each test which is said to be a private course.

The documents specify that the technology utilised by the drivers comprise of Logitech hardware as well as basic driving schemes such as tight U-turns with sudden braking or acceleration. Every test includes a goal together with steps to supersede the autonomous system while training with the scheme.

Focus on Self-Driving Software

Though Apple has the liberty to test anything internally and privately, it is the California permit that enables it to test three 2015 Lexus RX450h hybrid sport utility vehicles as per the DMV documentation that had been published recently, which is the same vehicle utilised in the self-driving tests of Google.

Though it had been presumed for some months that Apple had been constructing its own electric vehicle, the recent rumours have claimed that presently Apple has been focusing on self-driving car software instead which is shown by the latest public-facing development. A letter to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in December had shown that disclosed first hand work on self-driving technology of Apple. Self-driving car technology is said to be one of the most prominent arenas in Silicon Valley.

Earlier known as self-driving car unit of Google, Waymo is presently in a high-stakes combat with Uber over its autonomous car tech and analysts have estimated that the industry could be worth trillions of dollars. Apple had refrained from commenting on this issue.

Possibility of Self-Driving Car Platform

For the past three years the work of Apple had been something of an open clandestine and the company initially had intention of creating its own autonomous vehicles. However it turned to an autonomous driving software platform resulting in internal strife and leadership problems.

The company is now creating a driving system under the management of Bob Mansfield wherein the car team have been given till the end of this year in order to substantiate the possibility of self-driving car platform. Such a type of structure would probably permit Apple to partner with car manufacturers as a type of development of CarPlay.

 Apple being ready in testing the software on public roads shows that the development seems to be fairly far-off. If the company tends to take the vehicles out on the streets of California, its works would require to be publicly shared with the DMV established on the law of California.

Apple's AR Smart Glasses Could be in the Works

Apple

Apple’s AR Smart Glasses

Apple could be working on some undisclosed hardware comprising of a pair of AR smart glasses. It has been revealed after an incident report had been apparently leaked to Gizmodo signifying that the company had been playing with some kind of ocular prototype.

Gizmodo, the Apple document stated it acquired an incident wherein an employee had reported eye pain on using a new prototype. Gizmodo had reported that the employee was of the belief that the pain could be the outcome of using the device together with the testimony that the seal of the device had been broken, an indication that it had been tampered.

Though apparently the incident report tends to utilise language with the intention of concealing what type of prototype it is, Gizmodo wonders that it could be some kind of smart glasses. Another incident indicated that an employee had been sent to the optometrist after working with another prototype and thereafter experienced eye pain and saw `laser flashes’. Since the wording seems vague, it is not known if the two prototypes had any link or what they were meant to do.

Bringing AR to iPhone

Apple had already shown concern in augmented reality or AR. Tim Cook, CEO had mentioned that he envisages a big future for AR which would impact the world as much as the smartphone that Apple had supported to propagate with the iPhone.

 Cook had constantly responded to AR-related queries on quarterly earning calls stating that he is of the belief that the technology seems to have more potential than its virtual reality counterpart and had implied at plans of Apple of entering the space.

Nonetheless, as of September, Apple tends to continue hiring both AR as well as VR professionals which has left the possibility that it could develop products in both the classifications. Some rumours have already claimed that Apple could be working on means of bringing AR to the iPhone, while still others state that Apple is working on a pair of wearable glasses alike to Google Glass.

 But many are speculating whether the glasses by Apple could succeed where Google Glass fell short. The company has been exploring the smart glasses market according to reports and hence it is not clear when the completed product would materialize.

Earliest Time-Frame - 2018

The earliest time-frame is said to be 2018 for the product though Apple could delay the project much longer or alter its direction as in the case of its automotive goals. It is also a known fact for months that Apple had been gathering AR talent and putting heads together in working in secret on some kind of consumer product.

Apple has already been in talks with prospective suppliers, as per Bloomberg for components such as near-eye displays. Moreover it also tends to have the capability with companies such as PrimeSense, Metaio and Flyby which are the start-ups that had been dedicated to AR software, 3D mapping together with computer vision before Apple had attained them over the period of the last three years.

 The intention was to create a pair of glasses which could be linked wirelessly to iPhone as well as overlap information on the field of vision of the wearer. The AR does not come without its flaws. Google Glass had been a huge failure providing AR a bad public image thus displaying just how far the technology should go before it can be eventually utilised on the face.

Sunday, April 23, 2017

This Tiny iOS Change Will Make Your iPhone Even Zippier

iOS
After a long wait Apple has finally rolled the update for the iOS 10.3 which is expected which will started hitting the devices from Monday. Those who got the chance to get the latest update early on their devices are claiming that their device is surprisingly faster than earlier. iPhone is running with a new vigour and performance is simply way better than it was being produced before the update.

But this isn’t the surprisingly thing which we would love to share with the iPhone users. It is widely known that the new update tends to improvise on the performance of the OS which ultimately helps in getting better output from the existing hardware. But this update has shown a new insight into how the iPhone can be made run much better even after the update.

The key hidden feature

The latest update brings a relatively new kind of fancy file system which plays a judgement role in freeing up the storage space on the OS. But this isn’t the only major improvement made in the iOS by the developers at the Apple. One of the Apple engineer going by the name of Renaud Lienhart has revealed on the Twitter one of the undocumented tweak implement in the OPS. This particular tweak has helped in improving the performance of the iPhone to a whole new extent.

What this tweak is all about? 

The update iOS 10.3 brings a wide range of snappier animation for the OS which allows it to perform exceptionally well. All the animation present on iOS was tweaked as well as shortened to a great extent by the team of the Apple engineers.

The animation which has been the talking point in the whole case of performance boosting relates to almost every aspect of the operating system experience. This animation can be seen in the opening, closing or switching between different apps. It would be absurd to think that simply optimizing the animation will help in getting better performance out a device. Rather this has helped in improving the responsiveness of the OS to the user’s commands or gestures which ultimately gives a feeling of improved performance on the iPhone. This tiny change has made it easier to perform multitasking on the iPhone.

Why wait? Just Update to 10.3 & See the difference

If you are tired with the slow performance of your iPhone then waste no time and update your device to the latest 10.3 version. This will allow you to get the speed boost and it is very good thing to keep your device updated with the latest version of OS as it helps in safeguarding the devices from wide range of bugs and it brings a whole range of fixes. A major bug has been rooted from the iOS with this update which is called Safari ransom bug. In short 10.3 update not just speeds up your iPhone but it also helps in keeping device secure against the bugs.

Friday, April 21, 2017

Choose the Right Mobile Phone Provider to get the most out of your Apple

phone
Choosing a cell phone carrier is now tougher than ever, especially now that handsets have tremendously improved and data networks are faster. If you are yet to get a new mobile phone plan, you may be paying more than necessary. In fact, switching to a better provider may lead you to a big drop in your monthly bill in terms of faster data, customer service and reliable coverage. Eyeing a top-of-the-line Apple handset? Well, it is now possible to lease and pay it off in interest-free instalments to enjoy a lower monthly bill. Below are vital guidelines for finding the best phone provider for your lifestyle.

The Provider

If you are on a budget, smaller carriers are the best for modest data requirements, including email, Facebook and browsing. Heavy data users are mostly suited for larger carriers such as Verizon and T-Mobile. These large carriers have a unique advantage over their smaller competitors, especially since their coverage around the country is great with the high-speed 4G internet. You can use the zip code of your provider to find out about the coverage. Also, before signing up, ensure the provider is open to receiving your phone back should you experience coverage problems. Some carriers give clients up to 14 days to decide if they should continue using the phone or not. You may incur a restocking fee too, so get the details before making your purchase. For most phone users, the largest portion of their charges is mostly related to the amount of broadband received. Therefore, always have a rough figure of the amount of data you are likely to use per month.

Data Usage

The amount of data used monthly depends on the access to a WIFI hotspot and the the frequency of downloads and gaming. Light data users tend to spend most of their time checking emails and social media sites. Medium data users are a little dependent on the internet when giving a few touch-ups in their streaming and limited gaming. Heavy data users rely on the internet consistently to download movies, videos and games.

When should you replace your Phone? 

You can consider replacing a troublesome phone such as one with a cracked screen. When moving to another provider, you don’t necessarily need to replace your phone. In the past, providers would lock their phones to discourage users from going through the process of paying for other handsets. Some providers today such as Apple have unlocked phones, giving you the chance to switch from one operator to another. However, if you plan on replacing your old model with a new one, it would be a great idea to change your phone.

Weigh your Options

Mobile phones play a great role in running apps and browsing the internet, and also facilitating social networking. The difference comes in on how either operating system can handle the tasks. Also, the OS has a huge effect on the selection of apps. While most people tend to stick to one OS, it is worth knowing that switching can present additional features that are more appealing than what is at hand. Today, different phones come with features upgrades to help their users be more efficient and productive. Voice command is a good example, where users dial up numbers by calling out the digits or mentioning the contact name. Also, there are phones that allow users to schedule meetings, find local businesses and make notes.

How should you pay? 

Different providers have varying modes of payment. You can choose to pay for it over time or lease it. Paying over time is recommended when you have expensive taste. You can have the retail price divided into 24 monthly instalments or less. Before signing up, read the fine print to ensure the period is favourable for you. Leasing is ideal for people who love to switch providers every one or two years. It means that after a certain period, you can change your phone for a new model.

If you are considering a move to a different carrier, make sure you are getting the best deal and that your needs are fully covered. Figure out the best broadband for in terms of light, medium and heavy data services before switching.

Wednesday, April 12, 2017

Facebook Launches Its Complementary Newsfeed Page on iOS Devices

Rocket icon
The dedicated team behind Facebook is always in the process of creating a great user experience through innovation. For some Facebook users the addition of a new ‘rocket icon’ may have raised eyebrows as to what it could possibly be. Although Facebook page has featured news feed icon, the rocket icon is another addition to that concept. What the rocket icon does is provide users second news feed page that directly link to stories, blogs, feeds, photographs, and such from various other sources that you may have missed.

The ‘rocket icon’

The intention here by the developers, was to enhance the already present newsfeed feature by adding this second rocket icon. The second icon basically, links many other sources of text and images relating to an item or subject you were looking at.

The position where this icon appears is dependent on the operating software of the device. Devices are primarily operated by iOS or Android, which decides the icon’s appearance on the top or bottom. However, Facebook has not yet confirmed this to be a permanent feature of this popular social media platform. It is currently experimenting on presenting a substitute News Feed page.

This secondary page will consist of videos, photos, articles, and posts from a variety of sources, even those that are not followed by the user.

Available through an update 

This new ‘rocket icon’ is available on both Android and iOS apps, and this secondary news feed displays content chosen by Facebook for the user. A spokesperson of the company recently stated that it is going to be a complementary feed of trending photos, videos and articles, but will be customized for each person.

This means that no two users will have the same content displaying on the ‘rocket icon’ page. Now, that’s definitely something Facebook has never attempted before. It is recent in the tweaks and changes Facebook has made and this has got people thinking over what else the company has planned.

Experimenting with new feature 

The company has a history of experimenting with new and improved features and if these tests become successful, the features are finalized. The ‘rocket icon’ is a completely new Facebook feature, and only after testing the popularity, will it be finalized.

This new feature is similar to Instagram’s explore page, which displays content that the user has not expressly liked, but might be interested in. however, the company believes that this new venture will be successful as many Facebook users recently have been in the asking for something new and exciting.

All the contents displayed on the ‘rocket ship’ newsfeed will be similar to the pages that the users have already liked. It will also showcase contents that are trending in the social media world, and things that are popular amongst your friends.

However, this is not something completely new, as Facebook has already tested this format using a small square icon, that was only available for Android Beta users. The rocket icon is not a limited version and is available on all devices operating on iOS and Android.

Wednesday, April 5, 2017

New iPhone 8 Details Reveal Impressive Advanced Technology

iPhone 8
Credit: Oscar Luna Martinez
Apple’s famous rival has already launched its flagship devices for this year’s sales but Apple is quiet about the development made into the creation of next iPhone 8. Samsung has been smart in launching the Galaxy S8 with a revamped refreshing design and thereby gets the advantage of getting into the market first. However Apple is leaving no stone unturned to ensure that iPhone 8 remains the elite device for the consumers to purchase during the last quarter of this year.

Removal of iconic physical home button

Samsung has simply paved way for the Apple to ditch the physical button with the launch of the Galaxy S8. Apple is certainly expected the follow the lead with the removal of the physical home button in the iPhone 8 as per the rumors. And once Apple does it then it will become a trend for other mobile OEMs to follow in the upcoming days but Apple is known for giving a huge boost on its each move. Removing the button will not be a simple affair rather Apple is working towards bringing such a technology which brings more features and functionalities right to the screen to compensate for the removal.

Fingerprint sensor will move away from the front

With Galaxy S8 Samsung has removed the fingerprint sensor from top to the bottom of the device by placing it right beside the camera. Though this move is bit awkward and it will take considerable before one gets accustomed to it. Apple has worked all the year to bring a credible solution for this as per the rumors where fingerprint scanning functionality will be embedded right beneath the touch screen.

Curve design to debut on iPhone

It might appear that Apple is simply ripping off all the important design elements of the Samsung Galaxy S8 in its upcoming iPhone 8. But it is other way around. Reports have already in the media for past six detailing most of the advancement and dramatic design which is expected to be implemented on the upcoming device. Samsung is just reaping the benefit of coming in the market first which such a kind of device.

Apple has worked in close association with a number of suppliers to come with an advanced curved display which works in sync with its homegrown technologies. iPhone 8 will certainly embrace the curved display trend which was pioneered by the Samsung but it will be completely optimized for the iOS platform to lend a completely new persona.

iPhone set to feature a new Touch ID sensor

Apple will be bringing a different style of TouchID sensor for the iPhone 8. Earlier it has been widely reported that Apple is planning to do away with the iconic physical home button with the use of ‘discrete ultrasonic transducers’. This will allow Apple to add some interesting gestures support and lot of magical feature right into the screen which can become the talk of the planet for the rest of the year.

Free Calling VoIP Apps For Mac


There are a lot of VoIP services and software packages available that allow Mac users to make free or cheap VoIP calls. This is important to know because many Mac users are frustrated by the fact that VoIP providers have softphones which are only Windows compatible. If you want to make free or cheap calls from your Mac then you should consider some of these apps and services.

Skype
skype

Skype is possible the most popular of all VoIP services available and it offers a softphone client to more than half a billion of its users. When using Skype you can all other Skype users for free. You can also make video calls, voice calls and have a conference with this service. If you are going to call a mobile phone or landline you will pay low rates.

Skype has been improving the VoIP client for Mac, but there is something that makes it weaker than the Windows version. This is the fact that it is not free, only cheap. If you have a home business then you should look at Skype for Business as a VoIP option.

QuteCom
QuteCom

QuteCom used to be called Wengophone and is a strong, free VoIP client. This service offers what Skype does with SIP compatibility. You will be able to make video and voice calls to people who also use QuteCom as well as cheap calls to mobiles and landlines worldwide.

This service also allows you to send an SMS to mobile devices. You can configure your client to work with any SIP-compatible VoIP service which allows you to use the application as a phone.

iChat

iChat is a VoIP client that comes for free with your Mac operating system so it will already be on your machine. The application is slick and clean with a video-conference function that allows up to 4 people onto a call at once. The primary issue with this application is that you are not able to make calls to mobiles or landlines and can only speak to people who have a Mac.

FaceTime
FaceTime

If you are looking for a simple app for video calling then FaceTime is one of them. This is exclusively for Mac's and does what you want it to very well. However, this is not a free solution and sells on the Apple App Market for a dollar. It is a very high-quality app with crisp HD video and voice communication.

Google Hangouts
Google Hangouts

Many people assume that this Google product will not work on a Mac. However, you can integrate the tool into your Mac. This is a very useful tool if you have a Gmail account or use other services from Google.

LoudHush
Loudhush

If you are looking for an app that is only for Mac then LoudHush is one of them. This is a VoIP softphone that works with an Asterisk PBX which makes it a less than ideal choice for many people. However, if you do have an account with Asterisk PBX then it will come in handy and offers some very interesting features.

X-Lite
xlite

Bespoke VoIP apps for customers is something that Counter path excels at, but they also have many good pre made products. X-Lite is one of the products they have which contains their basic elements of the paid app which is rich in features. This product offers SIP calling and is ideal for anyone looking for something to use in a corporate context.

Viber
viber

Viber is primarily for smartphones as it is one of the many VoIP calling apps that you can get. However, there is also a full application for Mac and PC computers.

How to Use Find My AirPods Feature in iOS 10.3

 Find My AirPods

One of the pioneers of creating high tech gadgets, Apple has never failed to surprise its customers. Yet again, Apple has come up with something new that is bound to awe its loyal customers. The company has recently released iOS 10.3 officially, and as usual it is packed with a host of surprises. AirPods users would find themselves lucky, for the gadget’s updated version is all set to amuse the users. The Find My iPhone feature is now available on AirPods, and it would make the process of finding misplaced AirPods incredibly easy.

Easier to locate misplaced earbuds 

The feature called Find My Airpods is new and thus a few glitches are quite common. This AiPod feature is not quite sophisticated as the iPhone one, as one has to connect their iPhone to their AirPods for making this new feature functional. This also means that if the two devices are present not quite close to each other, the feature will not operate. However, Apple is known for its constant customer dedication and thus every AirPod user can be assured that the company will try its best to find the misplaced device. This new feature is accessible just like the other ‘Find’ services for Apple Watch, iPod, iPad, and Mac.

Find My AirPod 

For using this new and enhanced Apple feature, simply log into the Find iPhone application, and find ‘AirPods’ in the list of available devices. From there, you will find where all the Apple products including the Airpods are located. For locating the AirPod only, tap the option given and you’ll find an option which will allow you to play a song on the device. You’ll also find a similar option which will allow you to mute the right or left AirPod for stopping the music. The feature of stopping the music is provided to help you locate only one of them if you’ve not misplaced both. Although, the sound emitted isn’t that loud, but it is enough to find a misplaced earbud in a moderately quiet environment.

Keep it connected with the iPhone 

For those of you, who have started using iPhone or AirPods for not that long need to know that the feature will only work if the AirPods are connected to the iPhone. In case, your device isn’t connected to the AirPods or you’ve misplaced them in some other location you will only get to see its last location. Even if you press the ‘play sound’ button you’ll receive a screen pop up saying ‘sound pending’. However, while most of us are in the habit or losing or misplacing earbuds, this function will be a boon for all Apple users.

It’s quite useful for tracing nearby AirPods. Even though Apple has made it far easier to locate misplaced gadgets (that are expensive), losing them at a faraway location might make it difficult for you to locate. Inspite of this slight technical hurdle, the feature is advantageous and even more applaud able is the gadgets wireless design. So, if you’ve invested in AirPods no need to fret if you’ve managed to misplace it. Apple’s impeccable features will help you locate the device and save you from the hassle of buying new ones.

Tuesday, April 4, 2017

How to Fix Disappearing iPhone Passwords

iCloud
Dynamism in technologies seem to reverberate the entire world these days. With the advent of iPhones, iPod and several other gadgets the contemporary scenario is such, that none can imagine their life without these tech products. The gadget geeks are bent on locating new technologies that can bring the entire world on the tip of their fingers.

One of the customers had complained about the problem they faced which has been very commonly reported by several other users of these gadgets. This can be considered as an added privilege, besides all other perks that they enjoy.

The customer reported that on the previous week to protect himself from the crack that occurs on Apple’s iCloud; he changed his password that was associated with his Apple’s ID. It worked perfectly for a few days, but that was the beginning of a complete new set of abnormalities to come up. He said that he had an iPad Touch, affiliated to iOS 10.2.1 of 6th generation, that suddenly started to behave abnormally as it could no longer register the Apple and iCloud’s password.

Then he was seconded by some of his friends who were using iPhone 7 and iPhone 6s having reported the same problem. Some are still facing the same problem even after updating the software to new iOS 10.3. So you can well imagine that there are both pros and cons of these technologically advanced gadgets, but not to worry as these problems can be resolved with the help of these following measures.

  1.  The very first attempt is to try to set a new password. Sometimes this works as an immediate trouble shooter and you do not have to remember or note down your previous password while assigning a new one. 
  2.  Before discarding your iPhone, iPad, remember to check that your iCloud is upgraded and running under Server Status Page Of Apple, if you find that everything is rooted to cloud then be rest assured that the problem nowhere else but on your home page itself. This is applicable as iClouds have a tendency to go down from where the downfall occurs that to near to the home. 
  3.  Resetting iCloud is another a very hilarious measure to cure the upsurge. By this method you just have to uninstall your iCloud and then reinstall once again in this way you make Apple Pay disable and the photo streams photo also gets removed. Just follow the instructions after you have uninstalled make sure to delete it and then as follow up your troubles will be resolved. 
  4.  Restoring iCloud is another smart measure to unlock the password. You are just required to connect your device with your PC or Mac and restore it by using iTunes. This is the easiest way which is sure to give you desired results. This will not affect any other programming on your iPhones or iPad, but the net result could be achieved. 

With the aid of all these measures you are sure to recover your gadgets flexibility without much ado.

Monday, April 3, 2017

How to Enable Theater Mode on Apple Watch in watchOS 3.2

theater mode
With lots of innovative devices and wearable gadgets, Apple has now gathered attention from many tech enthusiasts. Apple watches have also become the preferred products to the consumers, though they are used by people for different purposes. Some users like to utilize it as simply a timepiece, while others want to consider it as a kind of workout tracking system. To most of the consumers, Apple Watch involves a very simple or uncomplicated design. However, it turns out to be flashy to some people, while the screen lights up now and then.

Want to stop flashing of Apple Watch? Use Theatre Mode-

Whether you’re watching something in a theatre or driving a vehicle, this flickering of Apple Watch is quite disturbing to you. That is why Apple has updated watchOS 3.2 with the addition of a special feature to prevent the issue. Theater Mode is the newest feature, which allows all users to get rid of the problem. While you have activated this mode, the timepiece becomes silent. However, you will be able to access the screen only by tapping or pressing Digital Crown. This type of feature may be compared to flight mode, which you often find in Smartphone. But, it does not interfere with the function of wireless system, though it retains the silence of other things.

To say more clearly, the screen of your Apple Watch screen will not get lighted up whenever you are moving around your own hands very frequently. Moreover, you may not hear any sound of notification. But, though notifications will not stop reaching your device, the display area can never flicker.

Know the way to turn on the new mode-

When you have not installed new firmware of Apple, you need to do it instantly. Choose the option- General, and then click on- Software Update. It may allow you to have the new update on your wearable device. Connect your gadget to a source of power and install it.

  • After installing this firmware, you may access Theater Mode option, offered by Apple. In order to have the interface, you need to swipe up the display part to the upward direction from base of the watch. You may instantly have a view of different things, such as, current percentage of battery and different icons (Don’t Disturb).
  • An icon of AirPlay may get shifted towards the bottom part to create a place for Theater Mode. Until a new different icon is seen, you need to keep on scrolling Control Center. 
  • Touch the icon for Theater Mode to get extra information. It lets you know that this mode activates Silent Mode, keeping your display dark. 
  • After pressing the button, you will automatically have the benefits from this new mode. No matter, whether you’re lifting up your wrist, its screen may stay dark without causing diversion. 

Thus, with this few steps, you can make use of Apple smartwatch in your own way. However, if needed, you may also deactivate the function.