blah64

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  • Apple's Touch ID is probably never coming back to iPhone

    blah64blah64
    tundraboy said:
    With face masks going out of style, the impetus to revive Touch ID has diminished.

    Mask use will come and go as waves of dangerous infectious disease will never go away.  I already see changes in usage in my city at the grocery stores and getting to-go food as the levels of infection go up and down.  If (when) the next variant of our current mess brings notably worse outcomes again then we'll see a big bump back up in usage. 

    FaceID can never work as well with masks as it does without masks.  Having zero practical options for some people to open their phones without entering a password is a huge step backward.  I'm a huge fan of being able to subtly unlock my device under a table momentarily, and have zero interest in ever using FaceID.  I understand that's not the same opinion as some other people, but removing TouchID from *every* new device would be a highly contentious change for many people.
    FileMakerFellerscstrrfblurpbleepbloopcurtis hannah

  • Apple debuts ninth-generation iPad with A13 processor for $329

    blah64blah64
    Seriously? "The old-fashioned Touch ID"?

     Why use such loaded language? It's not old-fashioned, it's just different. Works better with masks, allows use under a table without being a distraction to others, and various other advantages. Sure, faceID also has advantages, but those 2 words are just oddly biased and completely unnecessary.

    Read the sentence with other options, like "traditional", i.e.
        The traditional Touch ID sensor is still in use below the display.

     Or better yet, and more professional, no biased words at all, i.e.
    The Touch ID sensor is still in use below the display.


    muthuk_vanalingammacplusplustoddzrxrob53spock1234Dogpersonwilliamlondon

  • ISPs cite First Amendment as reason why they can sell customer data

    blah64blah64
    gatorguy said:
    I'm curious if we permit this by the ISP's when we contract for service? Is it buried somewhere in the TOS? FWIW I don't recall ever seeing one but can't swear I didn't receive it and toss it aside. Any have a copy from their internet service provider? IIRC we had the same issue with our cell service providers who were doing the same thing.

    In fact I do.  Comcast’s surveillance policy privacy policy is 14 pages long, so I’ll just cull a few items of interest.

    Information We Collect:

    - various mundane stuff like billing/payment info
    - device IDs and network addresses of equipment
      [presumably IPs and MAC addresses, which can be associated with other WiFi networks you connect with]
    - voice commands
    - video and audio recordings
    * network traffic data
    - …video activity data, as well as internet or online information such as web addresses and other activity data…

    The video activity data includes, for example, which channels, programs, and advertisements are viewed and for how long…  
    [ so they are paying attention if you change channels when advertisements are playing, and which ones ]
    …and use of devices like remote controls and tablets…


    Location Information
    (they collect by various means)


    Information Provided by Third Parties
    - basic stuff like info from credit reporting agencies
    - landlord information
    - demographic information (gender, age, census records, etc.)
    * location data
    * interest data (sports, travel and other recreational activities, shopping preferences…)
    * purchase data (public records, loyalty programs, etc.)

    We may combine the data we collect from third parties with information in our business records, including information about your use of The Services.  [and more about combining data]


    Use of Information
    - provide and improve services [etc]
    - deliver relevant advertising
    - to create measurement and analytics reports
    - Sometimes we use information that personally identifies you [and sometimes not]
    - lots of mundane uses…
    - marketing and advertising

    [ bunches of stuff about how they analyze what you watch to completion, how they determine which movies to recommend to individual customers, etc

    To Create Analytics and Measurement Reports
    We and service providers who work on our behalf [etc, get this data]
    [use to determine advertisers’ effectiveness]
    We also use these reports to work with academic or research groups, and for other uses that help us develop and fund improvements in services and infrastructure [in other words, anything they want]

    Sharing & Disclosures [this is a huge section, just culling a bit]
    Service Providers
    Comcast Family of Businesses
      they share everything here, of course, and this includes NBCUniversal-branded companies.
    …we may disclose your name and address to non-governmental entities, such as charities or businesses, so long as such disclosure does not reveal, directly or indirectly, the extent of your use of the Services or the nature of any transaction you make over our cable system.  [this leaves a ton of wiggle room ; this is one of the few things that a customer can opt out of ]

    Other Third Parties
    - callerID
    - E911
    * We may publish and distribute, or cause to be published and distributed, telephone directories in print, on the internet and on disks.  …include subscriber names, addresses, and telephone numbers, without restriction to their use. <—
    - …also to directory assistance services
    * Once our subscribers names, addresses, and telephone numbers appear in telephone directories or directory assistance, they may be sorted, packaged, repackaged, and made available again in different formats by anyone.  [!!]

    I’m tired of typing, but I’m sure you have the feel already.  If you use Comcast, they’re using your viewing data and a whole lot more.

    gatorguy

  • Apple's coronavirus revenue miss seen as short-term hurdle

    blah64blah64
    blah64 said:
    hodar said:
    As of 2016, small to medium sized businesses made up about 90% of China’s economy.  90%!!!
    Of those small businesses, less than 50% have funds “on hand” sufficient to pay 30 days. 

    Do not begin to imagine how precarious China’s economy is to a pandemic like the Coronavirus.   I see a devastating economic collapse all but inevitable.  

    The central government has already announced plans to provide aid & support those small & medium sized business that are being impacted by this.  That;s what good governments do.
    Never mind they imprison and kill Uyghurs, amirite? The Chinese government is just a great little organization.

    There's is no evidence of that -- except in right wing propaganda outlets.  

    Given your affinity for China, I'd think you'd know it best not to get into this argument.

    If you think that "re-education camps" don't amount to prisons, then I'm not sure what to say.  If you think that being incarcerated for your religion and language are okay, I'm also not sure what to say.  Those camps are well documented. 

    I know a lot of Chinese, and I suspect you do too.  Don't try to pretend this isn't happening.

    But I know of another government that rips kids away from their mothers, puts them in cages and then they never see their parents again.  I'm sure you are outraged at that.  That same government looks the other way as kids are gunned down in their schools.   I'm sure you are outraged about that too.

    Whataboutism 101.  Stop changing the subject.

    Y'know what?  It's easy to be outraged by both.  I am.

    Right wing spin doesn't count as reality.
    Right wing spin?  For crissake, it's Trump that's been trying to ignore the problem.  How the hell are you on Trump's side?  Liberal and humanitarian journalists all over the world have been documenting this.  

    Washington Post (Trump's sworn enemy):

    New York Times:

    The BBC:

    The Guardian (some of the best Journalism on the planet):

    This is veering somewhat off topic, and while it's tempting to just block you here on AI, it's troubling that you keep spouting nonsense on certain topics, and it's dangerous to let stuff like this go unanswered these days.

    My biggest question (truly) how is it that you are so aligned with Trump and his gang on this one particular issue?  The existing Chinese government is so authoritative and dictatorial that it would make Trump's administration blush.  And you keep standing up for them and making excuses for them.  They are the polar opposite of liberal or progressive thinking.



    gatorguy

  • Apple's AirPods versus AirPods Pro - which is the best for your money?

    blah64blah64
    not_anton said:
    Absolutely godsent to all the cyclists, now we can enjoy music riding along the highway or downtown.
    And yet, please don't!

    All earbuds are dangerous when driving or cycling.  There is all kinds of research on this, it's undeniable.  The new Pro AirPods are even more troubling in this particular context, as they will isolate the user even more from sounds around them.

    This isn't just me talking, 17 US states and 2 Canadian provinces already have laws on the books banning or limiting the use of headphones or earbuds while driving, and 3 states and 2 provinces have similarly explicit laws about use while bicycling.

    If you're on a cycling path or other relatively safe environs, have at it - AirPods are awesome.  But if you're "on the highway or downtown" please just don't do this.  

    In my city it seems like almost every week I read about another bicyclist that's dead and gone because they were riding in traffic.  I guarantee you that every one of these riders thought they were being safe and careful.  Some of them might have actually been doing a good job at being careful, but they're still dead.  Bicycles and cars are a poor mix, and when they tangle it's always the bicyclist that's going to pay.  Even if you're willing to take those risks, other people pay the price.  Family, friends, the other driver.  A friend of mine was driving (safely, as born out in court) when he was hit by a cyclist, who died.  He suffered serious trauma (nightmares and 'daymares') for years from the accident even though he was virtually unscathed, physically.

    If you're going to ride on the streets in traffic, please do everything possible to be safe, and that means leaving the convenience of tunes in your pocket until you're off the road.  It seems like such an easy ask, and yet I can hear all the indignant pushback from cyclists who think they know better. :-(

    dewmeStrangeDays