All-Purpose Guru

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All-Purpose Guru
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  • HomeKit Insider: How to fix HomeKit camera's biggest flaw and gain some privacy

    All-Purpose GuruAll-Purpose Guru
    So, just to clarify, "someone" and the "first person" actually means "someone that the HomeKit system recognizes?

    It would be kind of bad to have someone break in to your home and have all the cameras turn off.


    forgot username

  • Apple's 8 years of iPad: a revolution in iOS computing

    All-Purpose GuruAll-Purpose Guru
    tallest skil said:
    Eight years ago today…
    ...regardless of Apple’s apparent refusal to push the iPad in educational settings...
    Apple actually *did* push the iPad *very* hard in educational settings-- many schools adopted it over the other new "student computer", the Chromebook.  

    There were serious issues with doing so, including a requirement for 5 years of software updates for the products in question.  That product was the iPad 2, which ended up running (at the end) iOS 9, which it is absolutely not capable of doing.  As a result, most of the devices are now stuck running an operating system that effectively renders web browsing impossible, slows the device to the point that background processing brings it to its knees, and forced Apple to support the 30 pin connector for 3 additional years after the entire product line (with the exception of the iPad 2) had transitioned to Lightning.

    Schools don't update their products like the typical Apple customer does, and the infrastructure to support the hardware became instantly out-of-date once the iPad 3 (with its higher-resolution screen and Lightning connector) was released.  Apple on the other hand ended up selling the iPad 2 for much longer than it should have because of the contracts with the educational institutions.
    williamlondonGeorgeBMacspheric

  • Major vulnerability in Apple's macOS provides System Administrator access with few instruc...

    All-Purpose GuruAll-Purpose Guru
    The BUG is that a disabled root account can be enabled without a password from the UI of the Mac.

    The ONLY way to prevent this enabling of the root account is to ALREADY enable it, and give it a password.

    The average user WON'T need the root account in any case, so put the password in your password safe and LEAVE IT ENABLED.

    Yes, it's dangerous to have the root account enabled-- Mike's link above details the issues-- but because of this bug having it DISABLED is a very bad idea.

    Disabling Guest access only closes one path to the bug, it doesn't actually FIX the bug-- Enabling root access with a password actually FIXES the problem.

    Oh, one more point, my ancient Mavericks laptop doesn't show this bug.

    Why you can trust my opinion: Unix developer and administrator since 1980's, professional Mac developer/user since the 1990's

    GG1cornchipapres587magman1979

  • Apple designing iPhones, iPads without Qualcomm modems after key testing software withheld...

    All-Purpose GuruAll-Purpose Guru
    As someone who has actually worked with Qualcomm in the past, I can tell you that Qualcomm is a thoroughly evil company to work with.  You even HINT that you're looking at alternatives and they threaten to sue you into oblivion.  

    The idea that they are pulling test resources is not even unexpected-- they play MUCH harder ball than this usually, such as cutting off access to support engineers and documentation.  This has been their method of operation since the mid-90s.

    At the time, they were the only game in town for CDMA-- luckily there ARE alternatives now and if Apple DOES seek to get rid of Qualcomm there will be lawsuits.  That's just how Qualcomm operates.

    Another part of the problem is that the licensing agreement that Qualcomm requires is VERY predatory-- they don't just want a fee to use their chips, their fee is based on the cost of the ENTIRE PRODUCT.  That's one of the reasons why you haven't seen a cellular modem in the Macbooks-- Qualcomm would get a large fee based on the cost of a $2000-$3000 product, which makes even putting the chips in the device cost prohibitive.  This is totally unreasonable and unprecedented in the industry.

    This isn't just about money-- Qualcomm is a very difficult company to work with in all areas.
    apple jockeyadonissmuGG1Rayz20161STnTENDERBITSracerhomieqwerty52gregg thurmanradarthekatdtidmore

  • How to: turn off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on iPhone and iPad in iOS 11

    All-Purpose GuruAll-Purpose Guru
    Soli said:
    onlyhope said:
    Note: Airplane Mode disables all radio communications hardware, including cellular modems.

    The last time I checked GPS was a “radio” and it is NOT disabled when you turn on Airplane Mode.
    Aren't GPS microwaves?
    GPS is a radio receiver.  The signals from the satellites are *bathing* the aircraft in Electromagnetic Radiation (as are the random TV stations you're flying over.)

    The plane's avionics are designed for that.  Where there is doubt is when a transmitter is brought aboard the aircraft, which is why Airplane mode disables the transmitters.  Receivers generally don't output anything.

    dysamoria