gnuloki

rob53 said:

I want to know where a message is coming from. If it’s blue I know it’s coming from an iPhone and is using a secure connection. That means a lot. Faking a secure connection by using a blue bubble I see as fraud. It’s not a minor issue it’s major. It’s like faking a VPN connection or handshake protocol. We need to be able to trust our communications protocols, otherwise nothing is secure. 

If you look at how they did it the connection is secure. They completely reverse engineered the iMessage protocol. When sending the app queries the iMessage servers for the recipients' public encryption keys. Encrypts the message and sends it. For receipt they do have a cloud server that will receive message arrival notifications from Apple and relay them via the Android's notification system. But it doesn't have the message encryption keys so it can only receive notifications of new content. The app on the Android phone then launches and contacts Apple's servers to retrieve and decrypt the incoming message. Currently Apple allows enrollment just with an SMS challenge for phone numbers. I wouldn't be surprised to see them start to add a requirement for a digital signature from an Apple device in order to complete enrollment.

Name and frequent flying number should be good as additional contact info. The airline will be able to track you but any rando who grabs your bags won't have much luck. I'm not sure how often they actually open the bags. I had one lost for 3 months that was returned unopened. Having something visually distinct on the outside of it is probably your best bet.

They should just offer to sign third parties kernels for a price. No access to any Apple services and give the same level of support they give to the Linux community. So anyone wants their own App Store, write an OS for it. 

mark fearing said:

Looking forward to contacting my current mortgage holder and asking them to 'rethink' what they charge me. And Also my credit card companies. I'll write them and ask them to 'rethink' what they are charing. Right? Because it all makes perfect sense...

I realize you are being facetious but this is a perfectly acceptable tactic. Usually successful too. If the current rates on mortgages are a currently lower they know they can just lower their rate or lose all the interest income from you refinancing with someone else. They can still keep a good portion of the business if they just reset the rate on your loan. Same with credit card companies. If you are making on-time payments at the 15-20% rate and the alternative is you moving that balance to someones 0% promo they are willing to take a rate cut. All of this assumes you have good credit and have been honoring your obligations though. 

Ideally add a PIN protected meta flag for photos. To avoid the friend/family member you are showing photos to swiping too many times over. lol.