Cell phone radiation levels safe for humans

Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research Programme study shows that radiation from cell (mobile) phones are safe and not harmful to the human health.

Our world is surrounded by sources which emit radiation. During the last decades, the number of radiation sources in our vicinity has exploded with the availability of wifi networks and cell phones. The question of whether or not radio waves used by these sources are harmful for humans has been up for debate for a very long time. The critics, for example, claim that cell phone radiation causes brain tumors and affect the general well being of humans in various negative ways. The critics have primarily based their conclusions on some studies performed on small animals (rats/mice) which indeed have shown adverse effects when the animals were exposed to large amounts of radiation from radio waves. However, physics clearly shows that the energy in radio waves carry insufficient energy to ionize atoms or to affect the biological functions. Thus, to most people in the scientific community, the radiation from cell phones and wifi networks is considered to be safe. Often it is also pointed out that the small animals were exposed to enormous amount of radiation, which are off-the-chart to induce any effect on the health. 

Apple patent turns Touch ID into a trackpad

The Touch ID fingerprint sensor technology launched with the iPhone 5S has been receiving plenty of attention. Not too surprising, patents have started to emerge now related to the Touch ID technology. One such patent intend to use the Touch ID fingerprint sensor to create a form of trackpad through tracking the movements of a finger.

Source: Apple PCT/US2013/04188
Touch ID patent WIPO [www.wipo.int]

The Touch ID fingerprint technology launched with the iPhone 5S promised to change the way biometric information was used on smartphones. So far, the technology seems to have divided the users into two camps: those that love the Touch ID technology and those that are sceptical, mostly due to security and privacy concerns with Touch ID. However, Apple appears to be convinced that Touch ID contains revolutionary technologies that are worth to protect. 

Recently, an international patent application (PCT) under the reference PCT/US2013/04188 by Apple has been made public as it enters its final states of review. This patent application deals with means to use the Touch ID fingerprint sensor to act as a joystick as clearly indicated in the first claim of the patent application stating:

"1. A method, comprising:
at an electronic device with a fingerprint sensor and a display:
displaying, on the display, a first user interface;
while displaying the first user interface on the display, detecting movement of a fingerprint on the fingerprint sensor; and
in response to detecting movement of the fingerprint on the fingerprint sensor:
in accordance with a determination that the movement of the fingerprint is in a first direction, navigating through the first user interface; and
in accordance with a determination that the movement of the fingerprint is in a second direction different from the first direction, displaying a second user interface different from the first user interface on the display."

Smartphone security exploits caused by manufacturers

With smartphones becoming more advanced, concerns of security risks and exploits also increases. A recent study by North Carolina State University shows that most security risks are actually caused by the smartphone manufacturers and not the core operating system.

Smartphones are becoming increasingly popular penetrating more and more in the cell phone market. Similarly, smartphones are also becoming very sophisticated with advanced operating systems underneath. Currently the Apple iOS and the Google Android operating system clearly dominates the market. Apple iOS can only be used on Apple iDevices and has so far managed to keep the security rather tight. However, Google Android is used by multiple smartphone manufacturers due to its open-source and license nature. This results in the, so called, Android fragmentation issue. With Google Android having a market share of approximately 80%, it is therefore also a highly attractive platform for hackers and malicious users to attack.

iOS 7.0.4 released: Summary changes in iOS 7.0.4

iOS 7.0.4 was released November 14, 2013 by Apple. This point release only carries minor changes and updates, summarized in this article.

Apple has been working very hard on improving the iOS system since its release and already within 2 months of the initial iOS 7.0.0 release the fourth point release has arrived. This time, however, the iOS 7.0.4 release brings very few changes and users who are affected by outstanding bugs may be disappointed. For example, the iOS 7 wifi problems are not fixed or mentioned in the release notes, something which Apple has deliberately kept quiet through censorship on their forums. Hopefully, outstanding bugs such as the above will be fixed in the next point release that should not be too far away.

The changes of this iOS 7.0.4 update for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch devices are summarized below, and anyone on iOS 7 should update their devices as soon as possible. Updating can be accomplished by either going to Settings -> General -> Software Update or through iTunes from a computer. As always, before updating the users should make sure that they have a full backup of their phone first!

iOS users prefer Apple Maps over Google Maps

Apple Maps replaced Google Maps iOS 6 and has had its great share of problems. Initially users flocked to Google Maps due to large inaccuracies with Apple Maps. However, now, it appears that most users are choosing Apple Maps over Google Maps.

When Apple Maps was released and replaced Google Maps as the default Maps app, users criticized it for being largely inaccurate and downright embarrassing in many contexts. As a result, users flocked to the competing Google Maps, even though initially the users had to use it through the Safari web browser. Now, however, it appears that Apple Maps has regained its lost users.

During the last year, the number of Google Maps users has decreased from 29 millions to 9 millions while Apple Maps has went from 10 millions to 35 millions, according to Comscore. These numbers show clearly that the users has given up Google Maps in favor of Apple Maps.

Apple censors iOS 7 wifi problem discussions in forum

iOS 7 brought many good changes but also some bugs. One such bug causes some users who upgrade to iOS 7 to completely lose wifi functionality on their phones. However, Apple apparently wants to pretend that there is no problem and even censors forum posts concerning the issue.

New major releases and changes of most software always introduces bugs. Usually, such introduced bugs and quirks are nothing to be ashamed of and the developers are quick to release fixes and communicate the issues with the users. Apparently, Apple is having some problems with this common practice that is seen as respect and courtesy to the users.

As reported previously, some users are having wifi problems after upgrading to iOS 7. iPhone 4S users seem to constitute the largest group of users experiencing problems, with some reporting wifi becoming completely useless, regardless of the strength of the wifi signal. However, when the users report on the wifi problems in the forums, Apple apparently deliberately censors (removes) posts with fixes and answers that suggest the users to claim a new phone through the warranty program. 

Google Apps blocks Internet Explorer 9

Google has announced that Internet Explorer 9 will be blocked from Google Apps within the next few weeks due to it considered to be a too old version.

Google has a policy to only support the newest version and two major versions back of the dominating web browsers, being Internet Explorer, Chrome, Safari and Firefox. Since Internet Explorer 12 has now been released, this means that support for Internet Explorer 9 will end in the coming weeks. 

While it makes sense for Google to focus on the newest web browser versions, the drop of Internet Explorer 9 is in particular troublesome for users using Google Apps. The reason being that Internet Explorer 9 is the newest Internet Explorer version for Windows XP and Windows Vista users. Essentially, by blocking Internet Explorer 9 from Google Apps, Google is simultaneously shutting the doors for Windows XP and Windows Vista users. 

Apple's Report on Government Information Requests shows that 33% result in data disclosure

It is known that governments request information from various companies around the world. Now Apple has published a report on how it has handled the information requests by the governments around the world in the period of January 1, 2013 to June 30, 2013.

More and more people store an increasing amount of personal information on their smartphones. When such smartphones are subsequently linked up to various cloud storage services, such as the Apple iCloud for Apple iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch devices, all of the sudden, private companies will have a wealth of personal information about their users. Governments around the world of course knows this and therefore requests information from the companies in, so called, appropriate cases. The companies, subsequently may disclose personal information on their users if legal support exists.

Sapphire glass on future iPhones and iPads?

The screen on a modern smartphone or tablet is the most fragile component and cracked or broken screens have been seen by most people. Now Apple appears to intend to remedy the fragility of screens by introducing the super hard sapphire crystal glass instead of using the currently used Gorilla Glass.

Apple and many other smartphone manufacturers have so far been relying on Gorilla Glass to make scratch resistant and sturdy monitors. However, Gorilla Glass itself is definitely not unbreakable and there are plenty of devices out there with cracked or partially broken monitors. Now, it looks like Apple is going to take the next step through a partnership with GT Advanced Technologies Inc. who specializes in creating sapphire glass surfaces. According to GT Advanced Technologies Inc., the interest and investment by Apple should be considered as advanced payment for the development and production of the Advanced Sapphire Furnace factory, which can produce high-quality sapphire crystals at low costs.

Touch ID security more elaborate than we thought?

The security of the Touch ID fingerprint sensor in iPhone 5S has been a controversial topic with plenty of discussions around it. New data, however, reveal that Apple may have paid more attention to secure the technology than what was initially thought by locking each Touch ID sensor with one single A7-CPU.

When the iPhone 5S was launched, one of its main features was the incorporated fingerprint reader technology known as Touch ID. Using Touch ID, the users could, for example, unlock the phone and approve app purchases in the App Store. However, the security of the Touch ID fingerprint sensor has been a very controversial topic. Apple claims that the fingerprint data is stored locally on the phone inside the A7 CPU securely with no possibilities to retrieve it remotely. However, for privacy concerned users who have to take Apple's word for it, this is not enough. In addition, the security itself offered by the Touch ID is questionable and the Touch ID itself is relatively easily bypassed through the use of fake fingerprints (provided that this is done within the Touch ID active period of course). 

Google Chrome panic button resets the settings

Since Google Chrome 30, a panic button now exists which users can use to reset the browser settings. Its primary use is to restore the functionality of the browser if addons, extensions or toolbars have hijacked the browser and modified the settings without user control.

Extensions, themes, toolsbars and addons are indispensable for many users who may have several active at the same time. Unfortunately, not all extensions are safe and while some may cause troubles as an indirect effect of being poorly written, others could actually purposely trick users into installing them to hijack the browser for their own gain, such as user-data collection or directing users to alternate websites and search engines. 

Google Glass user fined while driving

Using a cell phone or other distractive devices with a monitor while driving is forbidden in many parts of the world. Now, a Google Glass user has for the first time been fined by the police for driving with them.

Google Glass is in many ways an innovative product which should be released by the end of the year according to the new Google Glass version recently announced by Google. While the product itself opens up many new unexplored technical possibilities, these new things are not too uncommonly frowned upon by the ageing and slowly changing laws in the society. Recently, Cecilia Abadie from California managed to get stopped by a police and given a ticket for wearing her Google Glass while driving.

Facebook not cool any longer for teenagers

There is no doubt that Facebook is a very successful company. However, recent events may indicate troubles at the horizon as apparently Facebook has lost its coolness factor which has resulted in it being less popular among teenagers. This has already reflected itself on the Facebook shares which dropped by almost 20% following the last quarter report.

The last quarter report by Facebook revealed both positive and negative aspects of the company. On the positive side, the mobile ads appear to finally gain some traction and accounted for about half of the incomes. The turnover also increased by over 50% compared to the same quarter last year and the number of users had also increased by 25% reaching a total of 728 million active users. This resulted in the share prices jumping up by 15% and reaching a price of $57.98.Unfortunately, a few hours later, the increase was completely eradicated by a statement by the CFO, David Eberman who said:

"We did see a decrease in daily users specifically among younger teens."

Swallow a tablet and forget about your passwords

Usernames and passwords are something that we are all haunted by daily. Now researchers from Motrola has demonstrated a tablet that stores the user credentials on a chip and activates once it is swallowed by a user.

Motorola recently announced the Proteus Digital Health, a somewhat unconventional technology which is a tablet that the users are to swallow for the purpose of authentication. The tablet itself is equipped with a small chip that once swallowed begins to harvest power from the acid in the stomach of the user. 

Once powered, the chip will emit a 18-bit EKG-like signal that can be picked up by proper equipment. This signal obviously can then be made unique and therefore can authenticate the users against other units or accounts. 

Apple attacks Game Center cheaters

The top-scores of Game Center games have since the very beginning been plagued by impossible scores created by cheaters who in one way or the other manipulate the scores. Now, Apple has decided to do something about it and has given the developers the tools to ban cheaters from Game Center top-score-lists.

The Game Center in iOS has many functions such as allowing multi-player modes but also allows users to upload their top scores and achievements and be ranked among other Game Center players. However, so far, the top rankings of the Game Center for almost all games have very clearly been occupied by cheaters with impossible scores and no-one has been able to do anything about it. This has changed now, and Apple has now given registered developers the power and tools to block and ban users who cheat from the top score lists. 

New Google Glass version released soon

Google has been testing their cyber-glasses known as Glass for a while now and apparently things are going good. Google has announced now that a new version of Glass will be available soon and all current owners of Google Glass can invite new users to the fun!

Google has been quiet regarding their Glass testing process for a while now. Recently, Google announced that it will release a new version of Google Glass and in this process also expand the number of users by a factor of 3.

Google has decided to allow anyone who currently owns a pair of Google Glass to invite up to 3 new users to the new Google Glass versions who will be able to purchase the new version from Google directly. Nothing was mentioned regarding the price, but it is very likely that the price will land at $1500 just as the original Google Glass version.

Safari disables Flash by default: Apple attacks Flash again

Apple has never liked Adobe Flash. For example, no iOS devices support Flash and outdated Flash versions in Mac OS X are consistently disabled or blocked through Apple updates. Now, Apple attacks Flash again through the newest Safari update which disables Flash by default through the "Safari Power Saver" feature.

Apple has released a new version of Safari together with its newest OS X Mavericks operating system. While the new version of Safari itself is pleasant and definitely needed, the new Safari version also by default comes with the feature Safari Power Saver enabled. This feature, by default disables all Flash contents unless the users actively start the Flash contents. The feature certainly makes a lot of sense for the users as Flash is known to be one major source of CPU and battery killer. However, Adobe Flash and certainly advertisement networks are probably not as happy as power-aware users.

Microsoft retracts their own Windows Phone WebApps

Microsoft has retracted multiple Windows Phone WebApps developed by themselves due to them being illegal and copyright violating.

Windows Phone Store has a category known as WebApps. This category is filled with apps that more or less are only dummy apps of well known brands that redirects the users to a homepage of choice. The idea here is to expose brands to customers, while the value such WebApps offers is rather limited. 

Since the release of Windows Phone Store, Microsoft has created multiple WebApps for a large number of established and well known brands and companies. However, now, Microsoft has retracted many of their own WebApps due to copyright infringements caused by the use of logos and trade-marked names, including the Atari, Cars.com and Southwest Airlines WebApps. 

iPad 2 still the most popular iPad model

Apple is expected to very soon launch new iPad and iPad Mini models. However, recent analysis shows that even though at present iPad 4 is the newest model, the more than 2 years old iPad 2 model is still by far the most popular model used today.

The iPad has really opened up the tablet market and at present the iPad 4 is the newest model with the release of the iPad 5 just around the corner. Considering the multiple iPad models on the market today, Localytics has recently conducted a survey on the usage statistics of iPad models.

The data by Localytics showed that iPad 2 is by far the most popular iPad model active today and used by 38% of the users. The iPad 2 was released on March, 2011, and is today considered to be somewhat outdated, but apparently still remains very popular.

iPhone users most satisifed

A recent survey by J.D. Power and Associates once again shows that the iPhone users are the most satisfied compared to other smartphone brands.

Every year J.D Power and Associates conduct a survey to measure the satisfaction index of American consumers related to their cell phones. The results from this year once again places Apple on the top. For the fifth year in a row, Apple manages to score the top rankings in the satisfaction index with a score of 865 out of 1000 points. The closest runner up was Nokia which scored 16 points less than Apple followed by Samsung which scored 17 points less.