2020 is shaping up to be an exciting release for iPhone 12. We are expecting four phones to be released this fall with the addition of a new "Lite" or "Mini" category, bringing the offerings up to two standard options and two pro options. For the first time all models are expected to feature OLED displays which currently only the Pro models have. OLED displays offers richer colors, better blacks and battery saving capability compared to the LCD panels traditionally used by the lower-end iPhones. The Pro models will also bring the iPhone into the era of 5G, with the possibility of the lower-end models also getting this feature. The models expected are the following: (Names not final) iPhone 12 Lite (5.4") iPhone 12 (6.1") iPhone 12 Pro (6.1") iPhone 12 Pro Max (6.7") This shakes up the current sizes offered as the Lite would be smaller than the current iPhone 11 models, the 12 Pro will be the same size as the iPhone 11 and XR, while the 12 Pro Max will be larger than the current 11 Pro Max. Another interesting change we will see in at least the Pro models is a brand new design with flat edges following the design of the current iPad Pro, which harkens back to the days of the iPhone 4 and 5. This redesign will also include a smaller notch at the top of the screen by moving the ear speaker above the screen. Finally the Pro models are expected to contain the same LiDAR sensor as the new iPad Pro, which enables easier and more accurate tracking AR tracking (augmented reality). This continues Apples focus on the AR space with the goal of developing AR glasses, which being expected in the next few years.
The iPhone 12 and 12 Lite are expected for a normal release date of late September, while the 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max are estimated to be delayed by four to six weeks due to the ongoing world events.
0 Comments
Keeping your devices secure can seem like an overwhelming task with major security problems makes the news every other week. But the truth is the many threats can be mitigated with a few simple steps. This guide will attempt to walk you through these steps. This will not be a in-depth guide to every mitigation measure you can take, but rather it is the essentials of what any user can, and should implement. Protecting WindowsWindows 10 has several under the hood changes that make it the most secure version of Windows. It is recommended to use Windows 10 if possible, but even so the two following items may apply to Windows 7 and 8.1 (some steps will vary on older versions of Windows). Windows Defender: Making Third Party Anti-Virus Programs Obsolete Lets start with the basics. Everyone knows that you should use an anti-virus program to secure your computer. But did you know that that Windows 10 has one built-in? Windows Defender is Microsoft's own anti-virus program, and many see it as the best option available. Third party anti-virus programs have the problem of needing to hook into parts of the operating system in ways that were not intended by Microsoft in order to offer protection. Microsoft avoided this issue by baking Windows Defender directly into Windows 10 itself. Windows Update: Keeping Current We all find them annoying, and we all try to put them off as long as possible, but Windows Updates are an important part in securing your computer. With Windows 10 you don't have to worry about this as much anymore since they are automatic, so the main thing to keep in mind here is to allow updates to install if they require a reboot. You can manually check for updates by going to Settings > Update & Security > Check for updates. Protecting Your Web BrowserYour web browser is the great gateway to the internet, which makes it a prime target. Thankfully you can increase your security with a single browser extension. When it comes to browser choice, I recommend Google Chrome. But Firefox and Microsoft Edge are both good alternatives. uBlock Origin: Block Those Ads One of the growing areas where malware is being spread is through malicious advertisements embedded in websites. These malware-delivering ads are what is known as Malvertising. to protect against this, as well as other types of misuse such browser redirects and crypto mining scripts, I would advise the use of an adblocker such as uBlock Origin. It is available as an extension for Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox or Microsoft Edge. Flash and Java: Bad Company To make this short and sweet, 99% of the time you do not need Adobe Flash or Java. They are full of security vulnerabilities and should be avoided unless required. Protecting on Public Wi-FiYou may have heard before that using public WiFi in a coffee shop or hotel isn’t safe, but do you know why? When you are connected to a network, it is possible for anyone else sharing the network to try and eavesdrop on your connection. Thankfully there is a solution. VPN: Virtual Private Network when using public WiFi you should employ the use of a VPN (Virtual Private Network). A VPN creates an encrypted tunnel through which you can safely use the Internet without others being able to view your traffic on the network. Even if an attacker where to intercept your data, it would be rendered useless due to the encryption. There are many VPN solutions to choose from, but not all of them are as secure as others. I am currently using NordVPN, but there are other good ones out there. While there are free VPNs, I would recommend avoiding these and paying the $40 or so a year that most solutions cost. ConclusionWhile there are many threats online today, I hope this guide helped de-mystify some of the elements regarding this subject for you, and that you will be safer because of them. If you have any questions feel free to ask below in the comment section.
Using strong passwords is hard. Crafting a complex password is a task our human minds tend to struggle with. And when we do find a password that we find well suited to protect a part of our digital lives, we tend to use that same password for multiple accounts across the internet. This of course greatly deteriorates the security of the password because if that password is ever discovered by those with ill intent, it can be used to access the multiple accounts protected by that password, rather than just a single account. Then there are those who practice the use of unique passwords across their accounts but either keep the passwords simple so they can be remembered, or they write them down in a non-secured location. Thankfully, as with many problems in our interaction with technology, resolving this issue can be assisted with software. The software category that addresses this problem is password managers. The password manager that I will be writing about today is LastPass, as it is the one that I make use of. LastPass allows you to generate new passwords that are both complex and unique, as well as save your current passwords, all in a securely encrypted database. It can auto-fill your login credentials in any of the top web browsers, as well as the apps on your smartphone (though this feature currently works more reliably on Android than it does on iOS). The “generate secure password” feature in LastPass is customizable to your own preference. It allows you to mandate the amount of characters used, the type of characters and whether the password is pronounceable, appose to a garbled series of special characters (e.g. @#!%&) and numbers. Your passwords can be synced across all of your devices securely, meaning you will never have to worry about using the “right device” to have your passwords available to you. You can find LastPass available for every major platform. This includes all of the top web browsers and operating systems as well as iOS, Android, and even Apple Watch. For mobile devices that feature a fingerprint reader, LastPass can take advantage of this to give you a faster method to access your passwords, while still keeping everything secure via your fingerprint. This feature is also supported on PCs equipped with a fingerprint reader, though this is restricted to the Premium tier of LastPass. And if you are worried about the insecure passwords you currently may have, the Security Challenge feature in LastPass deserves your attention. It will analyze all of the passwords in your LastPass database, and list out for you all passwords that are weak, old, reused, or potentially comprised. After this is done you, LastPass can even auto-change the passwords for many supported websites. LastPass has both a free and premium tier. If you opt for the free variant you will have access nearly all of the core features in LastPass. There are a few features exclusive to the Premium tier, as well has priority customer support and an ad free experience. The below picture details the benefits given to Premium members. LastPass is yet another tool that I find valuable for improving the usage of my online account. It provides security and simplicity to my digital life, and I hope that you also will find this to be your experience.
You can find more information, as well as the download links for all of the available platforms at LastPass.com From day one, concern has been raised for many Windows users regarding the data collection that is tangled across various elements of Microsoft's latest Operating System. With the default settings Windows 10 welcomes itself to all the data it can collect, which it sends to Microsoft who (among other things) sells it to advertisers. Even if you disable every option in the "Privacy" section of the settings panel Windows 10 will still collect some types of data. Worse still, the options available in the "Home" edition of the Operating System are more limited than what is offered in the "Professional" edition. Thankfully Windows is still flexible enough that 3rd party developers have been able to step in and attempt to fix this issue, offering several tools to help you regain control of your computer. Unfortunately not all of these tools are safe to use as some make changes that cannot be reversed, break core functionality, or even include malware. Anti-Beacon, developed by the reputable Spybot Team at Safer-Networking shines above the rest. It is comprehensive, safe, and easy to use. Spybot Anti-Beacon allows you to block the majority of tracking with one click of the "Immunize" button, and offers additional settings under the "Optional" tab. These settings may break certain functionality such as the use of OneDrive Cloud services, or performing online searches with Bing, but they are easily reversible should you feel the need to do so.
This program also provides the option upon installation to re-apply its changes every time your PC turns on, ensuring that you are always protected even if future Windows updates reset privacy options back to their data collecting ways. The downloaded for Anti-Beacon can be found here. I hope that you will find this tool as useful as I have, and that you can now feel more confident in the use of your computer. |
Statement of blog's purposeThis Blog is for thoughts longer than 280 characters. Archives |