Hey IT Nerd! Why Did You Get An iPhone 5?

I have to admit that a smart phone change was coming as I have had a BlackBerry of some sort for almost 8 years now. Most recently I’ve had a BlackBerry Torch and that was my introduction to a touchscreen phone. Now one of the advantages of being able to review all the phones I have over the last few years, I was able to figure out what I like and what I didn’t like. I couldn’t completely get my head around using a Windows 8 phone. Android phones were pretty good and they were a strong contender. I tried a BlackBerry Z10 and I was very impressed. But in the end, since I use Apple computers for home and for work, and my wife being an owner of an iPhone 5, I felt that it was my best choice. It basically fit in with the ecosystem that I already have.

Does that mean that the iPhone 5 would be right for you? Maybe. Maybe not. It depends on your needs. But for myself, it was the right choice.

Apple, Samsung Phones To Get DOD Approval

The BlackBerry Q10 launched today in Canada, but all is not good for BlackBerry. Both Apple and Samsung are poised to get US Department Of Defence approval which allows Defence employees to switch from outdated BlackBerry devices to iPads, iPhones, and Galaxy S4 devices. Still, this is not an instant slap to Blackberry:

Both companies have been pushing hard to win over U.S. defense agencies, some of the government’s most security-conscious customers. That market is small and still largely dominated by Research In Motion Ltd.’s BlackBerrys, so the new security approvals won’t likely translate into any immediate, big sales or new customers. 

Still, the approvals are among a handful considered to be the gold standard in communications security. Passing muster at the Pentagon can go a long way in making other security-minded customers—such as bankers and lawyers—feel more comfortable using the devices.

However, the writing has to be on the wall for BlackBerry. I hope for their sake they have a plan to compete against this new threat.

Hey IT Nerd! How Do I Keep My New MacBook Pro Looking Like New?

That’s a very good question as there is a rather healthy market for used Apple products. Thus keeping your MacBook Pro looking good is important to ensure you maximize the value of your investment. Here’s what I do:

1. I clean my MacBook Pro with a micro-fibre cloth and a product called iKlear Apple Polish. It’s available at the Apple Store and you can get it with the micro-fibre cloths included. It works quite well. It’s a safe and effective way of keeping your Mac clean. In terms of frequency, I clean my MacBook Pro once a month.
2. I have a matte screen protector on my MacBook Pro. It’s partially because there was no matte screen option when I bought my MacBook, but it also takes the hits so my screen doesn’t have to. I don’t have a specific recommendation in terms of screen protector. So I’ll point you towards GearZap.com so you can see what your options are.
3. I use a case, two actually, to protect it from bumps and bruises. One is an sleeve which goes into a well padded case. In terms of a sleeve, I recently reviewed the ZeroShock IV Advanced Laptop Case which provides a fair amount of protection. That would be a good choice. From there you need a case, I’ll point you towards GearZap.com as they have a large selection of cases which allow you to choose what works for you. But if you want to know what I use, I’ve relied on the Tucano Figura Medium Case for years. It provides a good amount of protection as well as easily accessible pockets for things like airline tickets and other documents. Not to mention the ability to hold my MacBook related items. Plus I can slide the case through the handle of my carry on bag so that I have nothing on my shoulder. It’s also easy to pull out the notebook at TSA checkpoints. Given how much I travel, that’s important to me.

All three of these things help to keep my MacBook pro looking like new. They should help you to do the same as well.

Apple Password Reset Exploit Briefly In The Wild And Fixed

If you haven’t moved to the new two factor authentication system for your iCloud and AppleID accounts, now would be a very good time to move to it…. If you can…. I’ll come back to that in a moment. The reason why I say that you should make the move is that there is an exploit that exists using Apple’s iForgot password reset system. Here’s the details from The Verge:

We’ve been made aware of a step-by-step tutorial (which remains available as of this writing) that explains in detail how to take advantage of the vulnerability. The exploit involves pasting in a modified URL while answering the DOB security question on Apple’s iForgot page. It’s a process just about anyone could manage, and The Verge has confirmed the glaring security hole firsthand. Out of security concerns, we will not be linking to the website in question.

But it gets worse, even if you wanted to enable two factor authentication, there’s a problem:

Yesterday a number of users were told they’d need to wait three days before enabling two-step verification. As a result, these accounts are fully vulnerable to the exploit. As of right now, the only surefire way these individuals can avoid the security threat is by changing their birthdate through Apple’s account settings page. This option is located at the bottom of “Password and Security.”

The good news is that the iForgot system was taken offline and the exploit has been addressed. But I would still move to the two factor authentication system as you’re going to be much safer in the long run.

Beware! New Mac Trojan Makes The Rounds

If you’re a Mac user you need to pay attention to this news. A new trojan called Trojan.Yontoo.1 which installs as a plugin in Safari, Chrome and Firefox is in the wild and is out to do this:

The toxic plugin brings additional ads to the user, part of a money-making scheme if you click on them — but more importantly gives outsiders access to track your Web surfing.

Russian security firm Dr. Web raised the alarm and described how you get infected:

Dr. Web says there are “several ways” for the Trojan to get onto a computer. Among them are movie trailer pages that ask users to install a browser plugin. In fact, “the prompt only imitates a common dialogue displayed when a plugin needs to be installed or additional configuration is necessary. After clicking on ‘Install the plug-in,’ the user is redirected to another site from which Trojan.Yontoo.1 is downloaded.”

The best advice is the usual one that I always give for situations like these. Keep your anti virus software up to date and don’t install untrusted software. Those simple actions will keep you safe.

Apple Hires Adobe Exec Who Hates iPhones And Is Pro Flash…. What’s Up With That?

This is very bizarre.

Apple has hired ex-Adobe CTO Kevin Lynch to become their vice president of technology, It’s a decision that makes no sense. Here’s why:

• Lynch has been a Flash fanboi. You might recall that Apple are not Flash fanbois saying that it should be replaced with HTML5. Lynch at the time shot back by accusing Apple of being the “Big Brother” that they said they wouldn’t be in their 1984 commercial.
• Lynch has a YouTube video where he and an associate destroy iPhones in a variety of ways. Here’s the video:

So why would Apple hire someone who is pro-Flash and someone who hates iPhones enough to destroy them on video? Why would Lynch work for someone he has spent years hating? I don’t get it.

I have the feeling that this hire might end badly as this is a really questionable hire. Anyone remember the Mark Papermaster fiasco?

New Lock Screen Exploit Found In iOS 6.1.3

iOS 6.1.3 has been out for less than two days and there’s a new lock screen exploit to report. Here’s video proof:

Now the exploit only gives an someone access to both contacts and photos and the exploit has been confirmed by iPhoneInCanada.ca on an iPhone 4, 4S, and 5. But the good news is that you can make your iPhone safe(er). Simply disable Voice Dial from the Passcode Lock menu. If you have Siri enabled, you’re fine as Siri has to be disabled to enable Voice Dial.

Now the last time such an issue was discovered, it took Apple over a month to fix it. Apple needs to fix this one a whole lot faster and maybe give it a few extra cycles in the hands of their QA team before they release it.

iOS Update Stops Well Documented Locked Phone Exploit

If you have an iPhone or an iPad, you need to download iOS 6.1.3 right now. Not only does it solve the locked phone exploits that I’ve documented here in the past, but it also improves Maps in Japan. You can bet the latter was a throw in as the former was a real problem for Apple. There’s also a bunch of other security fixes as outlined in this document. But take it from me, you simply want to download this update as soon as you can. I’ll be doing that for my wife tonight when she gets home.

Apple Maps Updates…. May Actually Be Half Decent Now

The Loop is reporting that Apple is updating content for it’s much maligned Maps application by updating Flyover support or expanded Flyover coverage in a number of cities around the world, and updating 3D buildings and turn-by-turn navigation for other cities. Here’s what you need to know:

The updates have been quite significant for the areas involved. For instance, the update in Japan brought toll road notifications and improved pronunciation of roads during turn-by-turn navigation; updated icons and labels for freeways, transit stations, subway lines and other categories like fire stations, hospitals and post offices; and added 3D buildings including Tokyo Station, Japan Imperial Palace, and Tokyo Tower.

The article goes on to list the cities that have received changes. One can expect that more changes are on the way. Seeing as Apple has fired people after it’s been ripped and gotten people lost, and then embarrassed by Google Maps which was much better than Apple Maps, you knew they had to make changes. It’s good to see that they’re starting to deliver.

So iPhone users, what do you think of the changes to Apple Maps?

Apple Exec Takes Shot At Android Via Twitter….. Not A Good Idea

Phil Schiller who is the top marketing exec at Apple seems to have taken on Steve Jobs hate of the Android platform. He posted a Tweet yesterday linking to F-Secure Labs’ latest quarterly Mobile Threat report [Warning: PDF] which speaks to marware on the Android platform getting worse and not better. Clearly he’s got a point to prove. But I would not be so smug if I were him as he should look at the security of iOS. If you recall iPhones have a bug where their lock screens bypassed and there’s no fix as of yet. I’d like to think that fixing that bug is a higher priority than dishing dirt. But I guess that’s not how things work at 1 Infinite Loop.

Also, if I were him, I’d remember that saying about throwing stones in glass houses. Because this may come back to bite him.