cropr

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cropr
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  • Logitech K380 keyboard for Mac review: Fun colors, great feel, and inexpensive

    croprcropr
    I bought a K380 18 months ago and I really like it.  I have 3 office spaces and I take the keyboard with me in my backpack . One the features that are not mentioned in the article but that is important for me it the mechanical on/off switch, so it does not occasionally switches on, emitting spurious key strokes while it is in my backpack.  The multi device is also important.  I am frequently working with 2 machines simultaneously and I can use the keyboard for both at the same time (just needing to press one the selector switches).
    watto_cobra

  • Google keeps trying to hammer on Apple for not adopting RCS

    croprcropr


    Finally, Google calls RCS an industry standard. Which it isn't, not even close. Google hasn't even adopted RCS across all of its disparate messaging platforms.

    To set a few things straight:  SMS is a telecommunication standard, defined in 1986 as part of the GSM standards, and since 1999 managed by 3GPP, which is a standardization body  that manages all the mobile telecommunication standards from 2G up to 5G.  Because SMS is a telecommunication standard (and not a data communication standard), it has some telecom characteristics: it is device agnostic (it is sufficient to swap the sim card to a new device), it can be legally intercepted (like all telecom services) and the telecom operator can charge for SMS messages.   It took a while before SMS messages could be sent between phones of different telecom operators in different countries, but eventually the SMS standard was universal 

    Every vendor of a mobile phone (smart or dumb) must implement the SMS standard, as SMS is a compulsory part of the 3GPP defined standards.  If SMS were not implemented, the telecom regulator in a country might refuse a mobile phone to become active.  (No mobile vendor ever tried it, but this option exists)

    All current messaging applications like iMessage and Whatsapp, use their own data communication protocol on the data channel in a mobile phone. For me this a sad thing as as Whatsapp message cannot be sent to a iMessage receiver or vice versa.

    As part of 5G standards, the 3GPP has defined a successor of SMS and this new standard is called RCS.  RCS is again a telecom standard, which means that again it is device agnostic (it could be implemented on dumb phones) , legal intercept must be possible and the telecom operator can charge for the use of RCS.   So Apple Insider is wrong when it claims that RCS is not an industry standard, but that is about all there is to say.  RCS is not so popular as the telecom operators and Google want it to be, and only popular standards make sense. 

    Currently RCS is not a compulsory protocol of 5G networks.  If it were the case, no iPhone would be allowed on the any 5G network.

    SMS is no longer the most used message standard for person to person communication, but it still very useful for system to person communication like for the 2nd factor of 2 factor authentication.  The fact that a telecom protocol is used as the 2nd factor (and not a data communication protocol) enhances considerably the security, even when we realize that SMS is not that secure at all.    Migrating this kind of application to RCS makes a lot of sense.  This is perhaps the main reason Apple should support RCS in the future.
    williamlondonIllus1veFileMakerFellermuthuk_vanalingamgatorguyjbdragon

  • Apple triumphant in Epic Games 'Fortnite' antitrust appeal

    croprcropr
    ericthehalfbee said:

    What I expect to happen in the EU is numerous criminals and shady developers are going to infest iPhones with malware and privacy invading features. Users will be screaming at Apple (who else will they blame) and Apple will sue the EU for instituting a law that directly caused harm to iPhone users. Unlike the imaginary harm the EU is trying to prevent by forcing 3rd party stores. 

    I don't expect that at all.  There will be a few app stores that are run by larger companies (e.g. HW  + SW vendors, banks, telecom operators...) that can established some trust.  It might look strange for Americans, but on average Europeans trust their bank more than Apple.  I can call/visit my bank manager but I cannot call/visit my Apple manager, which is a crucial element in building a trustful relation.

    There will be a few dodgy app stores that try to lure the customer, but that no normal person will ever use.  

    To make the comparison: no normal person does side load apps from the Google Play store.  And those who do, don't scream at Google.  And as a consequence Google does not sue the EU.

    But there is major risk.  If people are unaware that they install an app from a phishing app store, this could create real damage.  Of course the implementation details (can Apple impose rules?) will be relevant.
    williamlondonAlex1Nmuthuk_vanalingamelijahgroundaboutnow

  • Apple struggles to break free from Samsung display reliance

    croprcropr
    badmonk said:
    Samsung is notorious for stealing IT from smaller companies and so to portray Samsung as a victim in its relationship with Apple seems to be a stretch.

    The pot calls the kettle black


    muthuk_vanalingam

  • New EU rules would force Apple to open up iMessage

    croprcropr
    lewk said:
    What's pretty screwy about this is that they evidently haven't bothered to talk to their security people.  A lot of government agencies in the US and I suspect in Europe as well, use iMessage because it is encrypted end to end, and considerably more secure than SMS.  I know that I read that the US Armed Forces were using iPhones and iPads as well as Macs more and more due to the better security.
    In Europe the de facto standard is becoming Whatsapp even on iOS.  Whatsapp is end to end encrypted. And thanks to the GDPR and the special requirement that EU has imposed to Facebook when it acquired Whatsapp, Meta cannot share the account information with its other products.    So Whatsapp is secure in Europe (it is less in the other parts of the world).   So it is only logical  that the EU also imposes Whatsapp to have interoperability with other messaging apps.


    spheric