Technology •

Obama Orders Review of International Hacking in the Election

December 15, 2016 By Kevin Kopas Leave a Comment

President Obama has ordered the country’s intelligence agencies to review the evidence about the cyber-attacks associated with this year’s election, says Reuters. Specifically, they want to learn about the foreign interactions and he wants a full report delivered before he leaves office on January 20^th, 2017.

Obama feels that the activity was “malicious,” and he wants a full review of the hacking that could have contaminated the voting results. The review will go back to the 2008 campaign when China first hacked during the Obama and McCain election, says NPR. Therefore, they are not only focusing on this year’s election.

Obama feels that the country has entered a new threshold and must protect themselves from cyber-attacks in the future and international influences playing a role in the United States elections, says USA Today.

Three Presidential Elections to be Reviewed

There will be three total election periods examined by the committee formed from President Obama. They will span from 2008 to 2016, and most of the review will be classified. It will only be shared with state officials and Congress, but some will be released to the public when the committee feels it is necessary.

In October, the White House accused the Russians of intervening with the election, and on November 8^th, Obama had warned Russian President Putin about his interference and the consequences of those actions.

This is an issue that President Obama plans to hand over to President-elect Trump, but not until he first has a full report telling him what is going on.

Russians Likely behind the WikiLeaks Reports

After the Russian government was accused of hacking, the information about Hillary Clinton’s campaign and her emails were released on WikiLeaks. The slow drip of those emails were what made her campaign appear corrupt and possibly tainted the waters for her in the election for good.

Obama wants to capture lessons for what happened in this year’s election, but also to ensure that elections in the past have not been influenced by international hackers.

According to the White House, the investigation will be a “Deep Dive” into the pattern of behavior, so that the country can learn from their mistakes and potentially stop hacking attempts in the future.

Obama has been quoted as saying this is a major priority for him before leaving office.

Trump has commented on the report saying that he does not feel there was international interference in the election, and that he believes it is a laughing point; not a talking point.

The review will supposedly look at all foreign actors that may have played a role in the election and hacking, as well as any attempts to interfere, says NPR. This news comes after the Republicans are promising their own investigation into the Russians hacking the election. However, this will be in conflict of the views of the President-Elect Trump.

Russian Cyber Attacks And Propaganda Worrying For European Nations

December 14, 2016 By Kevin Kopas Leave a Comment

Worries about Russian meddling in the U.S. election in November are not isolated, as European nations are now displaying alarm that Russia is interfering in upcoming elections in Germany as well as attempting to subvert democracy in places like Britain, according to Reuters and The Telegraph. Warnings from both German and British intelligence agencies put Russia squarely at the helm of disinformation campaigns, fake news, and hacking that targets democratic processes like elections with the aim of swaying the outcome in a way that is favorable for Russia’s interests.

Reuters reports that intelligence officials in Germany, France, and Britain are alarmed at how the attacks have increased in recent weeks. Many are outright calling Russia’s tactics “psychological warfare,” including Estonia’s Foreign Minister and the head of Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service, MI6. The latter went so far as to say that the attacks pose a “fundamental threat to British sovereignty,” according to The Telegraph.

Germany’s BfV agency has reported “growing evidence” that Russia is attempting to influence the outcome of next year’s German federal election, according to Yahoo! News. The agency cites “cyberespionage” against political parties and lawmakers in the country. They say the aim of these cyber-attacks is to manipulate the media in Germany in order to stir up anger in citizens over issues such as the refugee and migrant crisis, create dissent within the European Union in order to loosen sanctions against Russia, and to undermine voter trust in the political system, according to Reuters.

Meanwhile, Russia has blatantly denied such accusations, says Yahoo! News. President Vladimir Putin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, said in November that Russia expects its own share of cyber-attacks during elections from Germany and “other European countries,” insinuating that the hacking tactics to influence voters is mutually used.

Russia has also downright denied any involvement in the hacking that took place during U.S. elections, including the hacking and release of Democratic National Committee emails. President Obama has even recently ordered a review of the cyber-attacks that took place during election season in the U.S., to be carried out by intelligence agencies.

Britain’s MI6 head, Alex Younger, said in a recent speech that world connectivity and globalization can be “exploited by states with hostile intent,” according to The Telegraph. He went on to say that the risks involved with this interference are high, and that they should absolutely concern anyone with democratic values. He additionally called the interference of Russia in Syria, as well as the Russian government’s choice to back Assad, a “human tragedy.”

Another worry for officials concerning Russian cyber-attacks is that social media’s increasing popularity only means that people will be more vulnerable to disinformation and propaganda. An example of Russia’s attempts to influence public opinion in Germany in a less insidious, yet equally alarming, way is the presence of Russian-controlled news and media outlets, as well as pro-Russia blogs, which regularly report on crimes committed by German migrants. They blame the incidents on the German Chancellor’s move to allow hundreds of thousands of them into the country.

New iPhone Battery Drain Aggravating Apple Owners

December 11, 2016 By Kevin Kopas Leave a Comment

No one likes to constantly have to charge their smartphone, especially when it is attached to them throughout the day. Unfortunately, iPhones have been reporting an issue of battery drain. While there’s a fix, it is not easy, and Apple has received harsh comments about their recent update that led to the dreaded drain.

Per Mashable, the latest iOS update 10.1.1 is the culprit behind the battery drain. While it was released to help fix stability issues and bug problems, users have been reporting that it came with the bug of draining their battery’s life quickly.

The update has been unexpectedly draining phones, according to ZDNet, and there is a discussion about iPhone 6 and iPhone 5S devices being unable to go the entire day without a charge in between. Some have said the phone dies even though it has a 30 to 50 percent charge left.

About the Update

Apple released the update for iOS at the end of October, and since then it has been receiving major complaints. The reports on their discussion boards started from the moment the update released, with people stating that there was odd behavior coming from their iPhone 5 models.

One user reported that their iPhone would not boot unless connected to a power source; then, it powered down any time it reached the 80 percent mark, says ZDNet.

This update dilemma comes a week after Apple released a statement promising to replace batteries on the iPhone 6S that was suffering from problems as well.

Those that run beta software on their iPhone can get the latest release that seems to fix the drain, but some do not have the option of running the beta. Also, rolling back to the original 10.1 does not appear to correct the issue, according to Mashable.

How Can It Be Fixed?

BGR released an article discussing how the phones can be corrected, but Apple is still investigating the unexpected shutdowns. A user can go to their Settings app and then in the About section they can look for the serial number to see if they are eligible for the battery fix that Apple has announced recently.

Unfortunately, there is no fix for the battery drain caused by the new iOS update. Therefore, phones that are not eligible for the new replacement batteries will have to wait until a new update comes out to fix the battery drain problems. Even then, the procedures to fix the phones may not be free of charge — similar to the battery replacements offered by Apple now.

Apple is known for releasing iOS updates in the past, but they are also known for correcting the issue relatively quickly. However, it has already been a month, and Apple is being overrun with complaints from users that are tired of their phones not working. There is a vast number of forum posts on extending battery life, says Mashable. Also, people are saying the entire issue is “nonsense” and needs to be corrected.

Microsoft Shareholders Fear Company Is Shifting Away From Mobile

December 8, 2016 By Kevin Kopas Leave a Comment

Microsoft has been a giant in the tech industry for decades, and the company has been at the forefront of many major innovations in recent years. From operating systems to software suites to mobile devices, the company has differentiated itself and found strength in multiple areas.

But it appears that present focus may be going to some areas more than others. And this type of uneven distribution has many people worried – namely those who invest their money into the company. Microsoft shareholders voiced their concern at a recent discussion with the company’s CEO, Satya Nadella, pertaining to the company’s seemingly slow move away from the mobile market.

In an age where mobile devices are becoming a more primary source of attention (and funding) this type of trend has some feeling very uncertain. While Microsoft continues to develop technology on both Apple and Android devices, it seems that their own mobile focus has diminished significantly.

While the company has noted that it is still focusing on the mobile market, Microsoft seems to be taking a new approach to what mobile means. Management has been noted in the past of referring to “mobility” as a concept which should pertain to multiple devices. Glimpses of this philosophy have been seen in technology designed to function on a variety of platforms without errors or compatibility issues.

The focus seems to be shifting to cross compatibility and the logical conclusions which can be drawn from it. Microsoft’s recent focus has been on things like security, and versatility in their software.

This follows the company’s philosophy of working to make their solutions not only available on mobile devices, but allowing them to be used seamlessly across various devices by the same user. Not only does this type of strategy present new and convenient options for casual users, but it has proven to be promising for small businesses as well.

This type of move was predicted by many well-before this conference took place. Windows Central noted that an email earlier in 2016 showed Windows openly discussing a transition away from a focus on mobile. While the company made their intentions clear, they were also clear in noting that those who had invested in Windows phones would not be at risk.

At the time, this type of statement could’ve been viewed as merely a way to reassure the market. But now it seems that Microsoft’s shifting focus away from mobile devices won’t make their own phones any less useful – in fact, promoting compatibility between mobile devices and other Windows products may lead to a better user experience in the future.

Though this type of move may prove beneficial in the long-term, many shareholders are still tense about the change. Mobile devices play a major role in the consumer electronics market and this has caused some to question the company’s direction.

As far as manageability goes, there have been multiple improvements in Windows’ mobile technology in recent years. And while the changes may not be as noteworthy anymore with the phones themselves, their ability to work smoothly with PCs and other devices may become more prominent in the future.

Is Facebook Dying?

December 4, 2016 By Kevin Kopas Leave a Comment

Facebook has not seen a worthwhile income for some time, and now their stock is down more than 8% according to Business Insider. The company has already told investors that they must brace for a revenue growth rate slowdown, but that investors could expect aggressive opportunities next year.

While the earnings report for Facebook blew away the numbers, investors were not excited. Shares are down and continue to go down. Despite the fact that Facebook has seen a revenue growth of 56% over the past year, their operating margins were reported at 45%.

The reason for the decline, per Fortune, is that Facebook has been warning investors that their costs will increase and that the company may not maintain their great revenue cycle much longer. The warnings have grown more severe in the fourth quarter as well.

Facebook Hits Limit on Advertisements

Right now, a big concern for Facebook is their limited space for advertisements that they can place on user newsfeeds. While this was announced by Facebook last quarter, it is something they continue to warn people about, especially investors. They stated that their advertisement limit would cut into Facebook’s revenue growth rate and the company feels that ads will play less of a role in their growth overall.

Facebook Spending to Increase

The biggest news from Facebook is that their spending will accelerate in the upcoming year. They stated that they would spend aggressively in 2017 while they revamp their hiring process. Also, technical recruiting jobs will require them to offer better and more attractive packages to attract the top talent.

They also have a few projects underway, says Business Insider. These projects, which include a data center, are going to require funding as of 2017. Therefore, the company plans to have significant expenses.

In 2015, Facebook had warned their shareholders about their increase in spending, and they did increase it for the year as promised.

Some feel that Facebook is establishing a tick-tock pattern, which the odd years marked for their spending increases, and the even years are for revenue growth and cooling off. If that pattern holds true, investors can expect a cooling off period in 2018, with expenses increases again for 2019.

What is Revenue?

Revenue is a company’s income. Revenue recognition occurs during a given period, including any discounted products or returned items. To calculate revenue, a company will multiply the price of goods or services based on the number sold.

Deferred revenue occurs when a company reports income that has not yet actually been earned. For example, the money was reported as a liability for the enterprise, and the amount unearned is deferred on the financial statements.

Marginal revenue, on the other hand, is based on the theory of microeconomics. It is the additional income that is earned by increasing sales of a single unit. It also is referred to as “unit revenue.”

Apple’s Touch Disease is Real

November 28, 2016 By Kevin Kopas Leave a Comment

For a few weeks now the idea of “touch disease” has been circulating the Internet. Apple has now confirmed that this “disease” does exist, reports UPI.

Apple made an announcement that they would repair the iPhone 6 Plus devices that have this common touchscreen problem, but they are not doing it for free. Instead, they want consumers to pay $149 to correct the problem on their phone.

The Initial Problem

There were several iPhone 6 users that have been complaining to the company for months about “touch disease” and how it was affecting their iPhone. Engadget reports that Apple has responded and stated that the symptoms reported were flickering gray bars across the screen and issues with responsiveness. These problems only worsen when the phone is continually used and eventually the phone does not respond at all.

Repair techs have seen the problem for some time now, and they have been dealing with multiple devices that have the same issue with no repair offered.

Apple made it clear that the problem was caused by the user, and it is caused by stress on the device itself, says Engadget. The repair program will be available for those phones that have been in operation up to five years past their original sale date. After that, Apple users will pay full price for the repair.

UPI reports that touch disease accounted for up to 22 percent of the Apple Store repairs seen in the country.

How the Fix Works

Apple is creating a repair program that will fix all iPhone 6 Plus devices that suffer from the touch screen disease, reports CNN. The disease surfaces after the phone has stress, such as being dropped on the floor a few times. Therefore, Apple will not offer the fix for free. Instead, it is a paid service, because the “touch disease” is caused by misuse.

The fix is only available for affected devices that do not have a cracked screen and a phone must be in working order. If a user had already repaired the device at another service, Apple will refund any excess paid for more than $149, says CNN.

The warranty fix price is $329; therefore, the discounted rate does help, says Engadget. However, the fix does not do anything for those who had to replace their phone because technicians were not sure how to fix it.

The fix is only available for the iPhone 6 Plus. Similar issues have been reported with other iPhone 6 models, but the Apple crew is only rolling out the fix for the Plus models at this time. The larger size of the Plus is what makes it susceptible to touch disease, despite all the work Apple has done to make their phones more resilient.

There have been class action lawsuits already filed in Utah, Canada, and California over touch disease. The consumers allege that Apple did not do anything about the problem and that they were aware that it existed for some time before releasing their fix solution, reports UPI.

North Korea Faces Sanctions from Financial Regulator on Attempting 5th Nuclear Test

November 16, 2016 By Kevin Kopas Leave a Comment

The financial regulator has requested that all countries stop business operations with North Korea, reports UPI.

The regulator from the Financial Action Task Force in France required all United Nations Security Council countries to cease in response to sanctions Resolution 2270. Part of the penalty requirements include immediate termination of North Korean branches in other countries and the suspension of all currency exchanges with any North Korean financial institutions, reports UPI.

The financial regulator goes on to instruct all member countries to take necessary steps to close banks within their jurisdiction immediately.

More sanctions are under review through October 2017, says UPI.

North Korea Lashing Out Against New Sanctions

North Korean officials are not happy about the new sanctions they have received, says USA Today. In response, they accused the United States of orchestrating the sanctions that targeted North Korea’s nuclear tests.

North Korea has been receiving sanctions since 2006 for their nuclear testing, says Fox News. The United Nations Security Council has requested that member countries double down on sanctions since North Korea is apparently not getting the message.

Pang Kwang Hyok, the vice director of North Korea’s department of international organizations, has stated that the sanction resolutions are illegal and criminal, reports Fox News.

North Korea’s biggest complaint is that the attack is directed at them only. They go on to state that nuclear tests and satellite launches are posed as a threat from them, but not from other countries conducting similar tests.

The sanctions and tensions are likely to continue after the fifth launch of a nuclear test in September. The United States and South Korea are closely monitoring the activity in North Korea, including the possibility of their launching a Musudan intermediate-range ballistic missile.

Members of the United Nations have deplored the missile tests from North Korea, says USA Today. The members have called for strengthened efforts to stop these tests.

Musudan missiles could range 2,180 miles, which puts certain United States military bases located in Guam just within striking distance of North Korea.

During his statement, Pang pointed out that the sanctions will not stop Pyongyang from developing their arsenal of nuclear weapons, nor will it cease their testing of those weapons, reports Fox News. He stated that sanctions put no pressure or effect on their country.

South Korea’s Financial Supervisory Commission’s in-house Financial Intelligence Unit states that an official agreement was made regarding North Korea in their meeting from October 15^th to the 21^st. They cited that the consistent nuclear weapon testing is reason alone to increase their sanctions on North Korea.

The FSC is cooperating with China’s bank and Japan’s finance ministry to prevent money laundering, which may fund the nuclear testing in North Korea, says UPI. The United States alongside China, Japan, Russia, and South Korea are part of the 37 other countries that have joined the FATF, which was created in 1989 to stop money laundering throughout the world that benefited terrorist organizations.

U.S. Navy Contracts BAE System $600 Million for Laser-Guided Rockets

November 15, 2016 By Kevin Kopas Leave a Comment

BAE Systems was awarded a contract from the United States Navy estimated at $600 million to create laser-guided rockets, reports BusinessWire.

The agreement specifically addresses the United States need for Advanced Precision Kill Weapon Systems, which are laser-guided missiles, says UPI.

The contract is for three years, with an indefinite quantity, with an initial award valued at $130 million. The United States initiated the deal to speed the delivery of rockets to meet the needs of the country’s allies in overseas missions, says UPI. These rockets are designed to assist all branches of the United States military, including the Marine Corps, Air Force, Navy, and Army, says BusinessWire.

In the contract, which was signed on October 7th, BAE listed five countries that were designated to receive these rockets after production, reports AIN Online. In response to the contract, BAE has created a new manufacturing location in New Hampshire, which will meet demands to the growing need for their rocket systems. In this facility alone, BAE Systems produces 20,000 units annually.

The new contract will service countries that include Australia, Netherlands, Lebanon, Iraq, and Jordan. Through the military sales program, lots 5 to 7 will also supply the Navy, Marine Corps, and United States Air Force. The initial contract award was valued at $130 million, reports AIN Online, and was designed to speed up delivery times for these precision-guided rockets.

The World Seeks Cost-Effective Systems

Significant budget constraints are affecting military services around the world. Therefore, more military branches are seeking cost-effective systems, reports BusinessWire. BAE Systems uses their proprietary Distributed Laser Seeking technology to allow transformation of existing rockets into precision, laser-guided systems. Existing rockets require no modifications, launcher systems or platforms, and militaries can cut costs by utilizing existing ammunitions and infrastructures in place.

The current BAE Systems design can convert a 2.75-inch munition into a laser-guided rocket with maximum precision, says AIN Online. Their system fits directly between the warhead and the motor, reports BusinessWire. It is a mid-body guidance system designed to limit collateral damage when deployed.

The BAE System has been employed since 2012, reports BusinessWire. The system has also been approved for 14 rotary and fixed wiring platforms.

Since 2012, BAE Systems has delivered more than 7,000 units to branches of the United States Military, says AIN Online.

Most BAE System rockets are deployed for use on helicopters, including the Navy’s MQ-8B Fire Scout unnamed helicopter, reports AIN Online. There are larger models in production that will be used soon, and they are specifically created for the United States Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt as well as the Navy’s Harrier jets.

The purchase of more systems from BAE is a signal to the rest of the world that their technology is sound and powerful. BAE is one of the few suppliers to meet the cost-effective needs of the world’s military, and their innovative designs are what earned them further contracts with the United States and other countries.

Apple Removed The iPhone 7’s Headphone Jack: Love Or Hate?

November 10, 2016 By Kevin Kopas Leave a Comment

Apple’s newest iPhone release, the iPhone 7, has a controversial design that is causing some people to resort to drastic measures. The problem? Apple completely removed the headphone jack. As a result, there have been users who have attempted to drill a hole into their smartphone in order to facilitate plugging in their standard, wired headphones, according to Fortune.

Unfortunately, the YouTube video that recently went viral that contains the instructions for drilling the hole is a joke. However, this fact went over the heads of those who decided that they needed their headphone jack, no matter what might happen – even if the solution defies logic and makes the iPhone totally inoperable.

According to The Huffington Post, the reason for the removal of the headphone jack is rather long and complicated, but it boils down to a few facts. First, the headphone jack took up valuable real estate within the interior of the iPhone. This is space that the company felt could be used more efficiently. As a result, the area within the smartphone that was once occupied by the jack is now largely taken over by something called a Taptic Engine. This was present in older models, but the difference is that now it is much larger and performs new, fancier functions. One of these is to make the “home” button, which once had mechanical operation, instead simply feel mechanical.

The larger reason behind all of these changes amounts to one thing: Apple wanted to make the newest iPhone waterproof (or water resistant). This required design changes such as removing components with areas that are difficult to seal (such as the “home” button or the headphone jack), according to The Huffington Post.

Those who hate this change resort to drilling holes into their phone. Those who love the change have an entirely different view of the matter. The Wall Street Journal notes particularly the technology upgrade from standard wired headphones to “smarter, tech-enabled digital headphones” that are “cool.” These connect to the phone via something called a Lightning port, a new feature. As it turns out, Lightning-connected headphones can do things that standard headphones could never do.

The Wall Street Journal mentions headphones with a built-in battery that will recharge your phone as you listen to your favorite music, headphones that will re-create a specific listening environment (like being at a concert hall), or even ones that can respond to noises in the environment, such as lowering the volume of your music in response to an alarm or a car horn.

The other options for iPhone 7 users who still want to listen to music, podcasts, and other media is to purchase Bluetooth headphones that work wirelessly, or to connect an adapter to their Lightning port, to which they can then attach their standard headphones.

In a nutshell, the standard headphone jack is old technology that Apple is choosing to start phasing out right now versus later. The Huffington Post says that this change will be painful no matter when it happens, so perhaps now is the right time.