The battle may be over, but the war over privacy is not. The FBI, with the help of an outside consultant, says they have unlocked an iPhone used by the San Bernardino terrorist (now dead, of course) and will begin the examination of its contents. So the case against Apple has been withdrawn. Of course, the data on the phone is encrypted with AES 256 encryption (nearly impossible to decrypt), but that is another story. So while the FBI may have unlocked the phone, they still don’t have the data they want.
Of course, even if they decrypt it there may be absolutely nothing of value to see. Remember the terrorists destroyed their personal phones. The one in question belongs to the San Bernardino County Health Department…an employer of one of the bad guys.
Who helped the FBI unlock the phone? Unknown at this time and the FBI is not talking. And is there a flaw in the phone’s IOS security that allowed the phone to be unlocked? That is unknown and it is doubtful the FBI will tell Apple.
But the battle between computer device manufacturers and the government over privacy will continue for some time. Now it is up to Congress to make a determination if manufacturers should put in a “back door” to assist law enforcement agencies in getting digital information about criminals. The problem is a back door can be hacked by other bad guys and the government could be opening the door for invasion of our privacy by both good and bad people. The government’s record for computer security is absolutely pathetic!
Our second story is a good one for those of you who use Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, or Lightroom on your PC or MAC. The Google NIK Collection of great plug-ins is now free…formerly $150. I have been using these plug-ins for several years and let me tell you, they are great! If you have any of the above-mentioned applications, be sure and download the NIK collection right away!
There are more good stories here as well as tips and tricks for your computers and mobile devices. So be sure and take a look. -JRC
Tech News and Opinions
FBI unlocks seized iPhone without Apple's help, ends legal case
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Google Nik Collection: Free download available right now
Google has made its premium Nik Collection photography software completely free to download and use. The software, which is normally priced at $149, was acquired by Google in 2012 and it features a wide array of photo editing tools that will make your pictures look like they were taken by a professional
Thanks, Twitter. You turned Microsoft's AI teen into a horny racist
Technically Incorrect: Microsoft's Tay seemed so innocent. Until she started talking to and learning from real-life humans.
Netflix: We're the ones throttling video speeds on AT&T and Verizon
The streaming service says that for five years it's been slowing down video to wireless users to save them from themselves.
Yahoo's board is under attack, the latest headache for Marissa Mayer
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Computer Tips and Tricks
How to Get Stubborn Items Crossed Off Your To-Do List
How long have you been avoiding one chore that you want to get done but never do? Here are some ways to trick yourself into getting it off your task list.
How to Keep Your Work and Personal Files Separate
If you occasionally do personal tasks at work and sometimes work from home, you might benefit from these strategies for keeping your digital information separate.
How to Fix Windows Update When it Gets Stuck
For the most part, Windows Update works silently in the background. It downloads updates automatically. Sometimes, though, an update installation fails and that can prevent other updates from being installed.
How to Master Microsoft Office Word
If you’ve been telling yourself that you’ll finally learn Word’s ins and outs, now’s the time to actually learn how to edit styles, add a table of contents, and more.
10 cool things Cortana can do in Windows 10
She can do everything from scheduling meetings and setting alarms to delivering a decent joke. You probably know several of Cortana's hidden talents, but there's always more to discover.
Microsoft’s Mail App To Bring Back A Highly Requested Feature
Users of the Mail app in Windows 10 know that there is one obvious feature that is missing: the ability to ‘pop-out- a message into its own window. Thankfully, this feature is coming soon.
Mobile Computing
Apple’s stock apps suck: Here’s what you should replace them with
When you get a new iPhone, it comes with more than a dozen apps pre-installed for all of your basic needs. But are these really the best apps you can use for those purposes? In a lot of cases, absolutely not.
34 iOS 9 tips you should know (pictures)
Apple's latest mobile software is chock full of new features, from the long-awaited public transit direction in Apple Maps to a refined Notes app. Here's what you need to know.
Polarsteps automates your travel blogging
Schedule the times you’re traveling and your app does the rest. It checks your location from time to time, and publishes its findings to a webpage so your friends and family can follow along with your globetrotting.
Uninstalling Facebook for iPhone is pretty great for battery life
Don't hate the Facebook network — hate the Facebook app's background bloat.
Google Photos for Android updated to save original photo while editing
The problem with photo editing occurs when you want the original back, but you just edited all over it to the point of no return. Thankfully, Google has made that issue easy to avoid.
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