Free services, who is really making the most of it?
Everyone loves a freebie, but when it comes to free services are we really the end users?
Or, are we just a product that can be easily bought and sold by bigger players?
Examples such as Photobucket and free wi-fi hotspots show just how little control we really have over our own information.
Photobucket’s Terms of Service
Image and video hosting service provider Photobucket came under the ire of its users in July.
Photobucket quietly changed its policy which prevented its users from accessing their content until they paid US$400 annual fee.
Users who stored their imagery for use on sites such as blogs and forums were left shocked to see their images replaced with the message to “update your account”.
With no apparent warning given, the company instead opted to announce an “update to our terms of service”.
The change was contained at the end of the article, indicating that images would be left with broken links,with the only solution being to sign up to one of Photobucket’s subscription plans.
As it came with no warning, many people were unable to back up their content onto another device.
So if you store content with a free service provider, consider this as a reminder to invest in your own back up storage.
To make it easier for you, have one of Mac Aid’s technicians prepare and back up your content for you on devices such as the LaCie 4TB Porsche Design Desktop Hard Drive or the LaCie 2TB Rugged Portable Hard Drive.
Wi-Fi Hot Spots
Whilst on the subject of free services, this one here is a great way to end the month on.
Over 22,000 people fail to read the terms and conditions when agreeing to connect to a wi-fi hot spots all around the world.
In one instance in the UK, it has left people unknowingly agreeing to scrub festival portaloos.
Manchester based company Purple, works alongside businesses to provide public wi-fi hot spots.
The company decided to create an experiment in which they added a “Community Service Clause” to their regular user agreement.
To begin using the free service, people must agree to the user agreements.
This particular clause meant accepting to carry out hours of community service during the period of the experiment.
Purple handed out small prizes to those who actually read through the terms and commented.
Luckily enough, it mentioned that it was not binding to those who had agreed and used the service regardless.
However as amusing this may sound, it is a timely reminder that although its great to use free wi-fi, take caution when using its services.
Although free wi-fi is great for browsing the internet, ensure that you keep from accessing sensitive sites.
In most cases, using free wi-fi hotspots relies on unsecured connections.
By using unsecured connections, savvy criminals can easily take a hold of valuable and sensitive information.
To keep you safe, follow the below screenshot to deactivate automatic wi-fi network connections through Settings.
Plan Your IT Goals
With this financial year drawing to a close, it may not be a bad idea to start to plan your IT goals for the next year.
We have a few projects lined up at this current point in time but are more than happy to discuss and help you achieve your IT dream.
If you have something in mind or are pondering what you can afford on a budget, why not get in touch and see what we can do for you?
Tax time!
If your business turns over less than 10 million dollars per year, and you are looking at purchasing some new assets up to $20K( per item) you can still use the Simplified depreciation method, which the Tax office introduced last year, to Immediately claim back the depreciation on the entire amount this financial year.
This tax rule is scheduled to end on the 30th June 2017.
We have thought of some ideas on how you could invest in IT.
Improving your business efficiency is always a great idea!
You could:
•Implement a studio management system to help with time billing (if that’s relevant for your business)
•Implement a customer relationship management system to help with the sales and customer service process
•Replace an ageing server, or add/upgrade one to improve performance/reduce risk
•Replace your ageing computers
•Upgrade software and/or operating systems
•Replace and/or implement a firewall to improve network performance, security and/or remote access
•Upgrade your network switches for better performance or reliability
•Upgrade or enhance your backup solution
If you have any other thoughts or ideas or want to discuss any of these further, don’t hesitate to call the office.
You can find more information on the Tax rule here.
Apple did not disappoint this year at WWDC. They announced some big changes that will be rolled out to devices later this year.
Apple have rolled out a new range of iPads (10.5-inch iPad Pro), announced the iMac Pro, is set to release the iPhone 8 at some point this year, and will even have a new operating system to accompany them.
Apple is calling iOS 11 the biggest software release ever for the iPad, and it appears to be packed with some pretty cool features.
Here’s a list of some of the new goodies we can expect to come our way from the WWDC:
10.5-inch iPad Pro
The 9.7-inch iPad Pro has been replaced by the 10.5-inch model. Apparently, those who like iPad Pros like a bigger screen. So Apple delivered.
Unlike the 12.9-inch big brother, the 10-inch model comes in all of the colours (Gold, Silver, Space Grey and Rose Gold), and also has a compatible smart keyboard and Apple Pencil available.
The iPad Pro comes with a lightning to USB cable and a USB power adapter so that you can plug and play wherever you are.
Both Wifi and Wifi & Cellular models are available and come in a range of sizes (64GB – 512GB).
Prices start at $979 and are available now. Please note: Lightning to USB-C not included with iPad. Will need to be purchased separately.
iMac Pro
Sporting a new generation of Xeon processor and ECC memory, the new iMac is every power user’s dream. Integrating hardware previously reserved for servers and Apple’s famous 5k Retina display this machine is designed for designers and developers alike.
Custom configuration options allow for some very impressive specifications including up to a massive 128GB of memory, an impressive 4TB of flash storage and a powerful new range of graphics cards.
In true Apple style the iMac Pro will ship in the ever popular Space Grey colour with matching accessories. Arriving in December of this year, early shipments are likely to sell out quickly.
HomePod
Apple has entered the Voice Controlled speaker market with the all new HomePod. Early reviews have claimed this is an impressive beast, comparing it favourably with Sonos and other reputable brands for quality of sound and usability.
It’s ability to configure itself to best suit it’s position in the room will ensure you get the best sound quality no matter where you place it. A welcome change from many other products on the market that require you to set this up manually.
Using Siri and integrating with Apples HomeKit, the HomePod will allow you to control many aspects of your home using only your voice including HomeKit compatible Lights, Heating and Cooling and many other devices.
Available in Space Grey and White. Available in December for those of us who live in the United States, the United Kingdom or Australia. Everyone else will have to wait until 2018 to get their hands on this excellent new accessory.
iOS 11
Apple’s iOS 11 brings with it some powerful multitasking features, new ways to manage files and deeper integration of the Apple Pencil for iPad Pro.
Here is just a handful of features you’ll see once you update your device: – A new App Store
The new App Store has been reimagined as a place where users can find stories and content about the latest apps and developer news.
The idea behind the change is to attract users on a more frequent basis and turn the store into a more engaging and content friendly environment.
A new Today tab will appear to highlight special apps and new arrivals on offer.
– Drag and Drop
Those using iOS 11 on iPads can now rejoice. iOS 11 brings support for multi-touch drag and drop between applications.
For instance, users can now highlight a few photos, pull up the applications bar located at the bottom of the screen, open messenger or email and then drag and drop the desired photos in order to send them to a friend.
You will also be able to drag and drop files between apps that are running simultaneously in split screen mode.
– Siri gets a new voice
Both male and female versions of Siri will be getting a new, more natural sounding voice. Another exciting Siri addition is a translation feature which will let you ask Siri to speak translations.
– New Control Centre
The quick access menu on your device will look rather different in iOS 11.
The handy shortcut menu is pulled up by swiping up from the bottom of the screen and features controls for things such as brightness and volume adjustment, as well as buttons for flashlight and calculator. The new look menu will now include the option to turn on/off mobile data from the Control Centre.
– Do Not Disturb While Driving
Apple is helping you help yourself when driving.
A new do not disturb while driving feature will automatically detect when you’re in the car and on the move, and will block notifications and texts, as well as stopping drivers from opening apps on their phone.
The system can send an automatic text response explaining that you’re driving, but will allow you to take hands free calls.
The new iPhone software will prompt people to turn on the do not disturb mode but the driver can ignore this and risk the distraction of their smartphone.
MacOS High Sierra
Whilst the name may not be all that exciting, High Sierra does come with some improvements.
Being more of a refinement upgrade rather than an all-new operating system, High Sierra added some new features to Photos, and a few other extras.
Here’s a quick list of what to expect:
– Apple reduced the amount space that Mail takes up. It now uses 35% less space on your HDD thanks to APFS (Apple’s new File System).
– The Photos app gets a new sidebar, filters and tools that bring it closer in line to an application like Adobe Photoshop. If you prefer to work in Photoshop or Lightroom instead, you can now right click on an image and choose which app to edit with. Once finished, hit save and all the changes made are saved directly to the Photos library.
– Siri gets a more natural sounding voice. You can also ask Siri to choose music for you.
– iCloud Drive now allows you to share files stored there with friends or colleagues who use the service.
– Notes gets a pin feature that allows your more important notes to be kept at the top of the list for easy access.
– Messages now get saved to the cloud to help reduce file storage on your Mac and keep all of your messages up to date across all of your Apple devices.
MacOS High Sierra is currently only available as a developer beta, which a public beta hopefully being available later this month. A general release of the software will be later this year.
If you missed out on watching the WWDC keynote, you can catch up on your Apple news here.
We at Mac Aid have found that an increasing number of people have enabled Two Factor Authentication on their devices. Whilst this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, some clients seem to have done it without realising, or really wanting it enabled.
Two factor authentication is an added layer of protection for your Apple ID designed to ensure you’re the only person who can access your account. Even if your password is known.
With two-factor authentication enabled, your account can only be accessed on devices you trust, like your iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
When you want to sign in to a new device for the first time, you’ll need to provide information—your password and the six-digit verification code that’s automatically displayed on trusted devices. By entering the code, you’re verifying that you trust the new device.
Trusted devices are an iPhone, iPad, iPod touch with iOS 9 and later, or Mac with OS X El Capitan and later that you’ve already signed in to using two-factor authentication. It’s a device known to be yours and that can be used to verify your identity by displaying a verification code from Apple when you sign in on a different device or browser.
A trusted phone number is needed. It is used to receive verification codes by text or phone call. You must verify at least one trusted phone number to enrol in two-factor authentication.
You should also consider verifying other phone numbers you can access, such as a home phone, or a number used by a family member or close friend. You can use these numbers if you temporarily can’t access your own devices.
If you want to enable Two factor Authentication, you can follow the steps here.
We at Mac Aid have found that Two Factor Authentication is good for those who have several devices handy that can be used as trusted devices, and are able to access one or more of them at the same time.
However, it can be a hassle and extremely annoying to get everything trusted in order to get anything to work.
There is also the possibility of not having a trusted device close by, or losing your recovery code.
Using Two Factor Authentication does make things more secure, and in this day and age secure is best. However, there can be annoyances and frustrations in order to be secure, as blogger Owen Williams found out.
Photobucket quietly changed its policy which prevented its users from accessing their content until they paid US$400 annual fee.
The company decided to create an experiment in which they added a “Community Service Clause” to their regular user agreement.
