November 15, 2024

Year: 2019

Looking for help with Swift? Try going to ‘Hacking with Swift’

No matter how much you know, you can always learn more.  Especially when it comes to learning the Swift Programming Language.  That's why I am recommending a web site called "Hacking with Swift".

The web site was created by Paul Hudson, and offers various resources and even courses to help you learn and get the most out of Swift.

For more information, click here.

 

How to use Safari’s Built-in Web Site Password Manager

As we login to more and more web sites, we have to keep track of more and more passwords.

Yes, there are companies that offer apps to help keep track of your different passwords on different sites, but most people are not aware that Safari has this feature already built-in.  When this option is enabled, it'll ask a user if he/she wants to save a username and password for later login. It will also prompt them when the user changes a password on an already saved web site.

Enable the option in the Preferences area in Safari.

  1. Safari will prompt a user if they wish to save the username and password.
  2. The user has to enable the option by going into SafariPreferencesPasswords 
  3. Enable the option.
  4. That's it.

 

 

Microsoft suggesting migrating to other cell platforms as Windows 10 Mobile support en

Microsoft is recommending users of Windows 10 Mobile devices migrate to other platforms, including iOS, after the software giant confirmed the end of support for the mobile operating system by the end of 2019.

Microsoft Lumia 950

Microsoft Lumia 950

A new support page advises the end of support for Windows 10 Mobile will occur on December 10, 2019, a date when security patches and other updates will cease being distributed by the company. While third-party services may provide support for affected devices, Microsoft itself will not publicly provide any more updates.

The end of support also only applies to smartphones running Windows 10 Mobile version 1709, reports Thurott. For users of the Lumia 640 and 640XL smartphones, the last supported version was 1703, which will reach the end of support at the earlier date of June 11.

After the end of support, the automatic and manual creation of new device backups for settings and some applications will continue for three months until March 11, 2020, Microsoft advises. Some services, such as restoring a device from a backup or photo uploads, could continue for a further 12 months after each end of support date.

Under a section asking "What should Windows 10 Mobile customers do now?," Microsoft offers the frank suggestion to switch platforms, advising "we recommend that customers move to a supported Android or iOS device."

"Microsoft's mission statement to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more, compels us to support our mobile apps on those platforms and devices," the firm adds.

The end of the Windows Mobile and Windows 10 Mobile platforms has slowly rolled long for quite some time, with the platform losing market share to cheaper alternatives. Organizations that have relied on Windows Phone have shifted away to other mobile platforms, such as the NYPD which rolled out 36,000 iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus handsets in May 2018 following its use of Windows Phone hardware.

In October, Windows experience head Joe Belfiore confirmed time was effectively up for Windows 10 Mobile, noting it was hard to incentivize app developers due to the low volume of users. Belfiore also admitted Microsoft wasn't focused on building new features or hardware for the platform, another sign that it was to be abandoned.

In July 2017, Microsoft performed a similar announcement for the end of support for Windows Phone Version 8.1, the previous version of its mobile platform before Windows 10 Mobile.

Via: AppleInsider.com

Verizon’s Spam and Robocalling Features to be offered FREE to all customers

A message from Joe Russo, senior vice president of network operations for Verizon:

Whether you’re one of our wireline or wireless customers, Verizon has been on your side taking a stand against robo and spam callers. Now we’re about to take it one step further by offering our third party rated number one spam and robocalling protection features to our customers for free.

Here’s what we’ve done so far for our customers:

• More than a year ago, Verizon added call and spam screening at no additional charge to wireless customers subscribing to our Call Filter service (formerly Caller Name ID). This service identifies spam callers and unknown numbers by name and shows an innovative risk meter that displays the level of spam risk associated with a call. If a call meets Verizon’s spam criteria, the incoming call screen will display a spam label.

• Verizon also offers free alerts about potential spam calls to customers on a number of Android phones. And in March, we will begin rolling out our free spam alerting and call blocking tools to all of our customers whose smartphones support these features.

• On the wireline side, all Verizon customers with Caller ID service, whether they are served over fiber or copper, receive Verizon’s Spam Alerts service for free. The caller ID displays show “SPAM?” before a caller’s name if the incoming number matches Verizon’s spam criteria. Since its launch last year, this feature has alerted Verizon customers to nearly 1 billion potentially malicious robocalls.

What’s new?

• We are continuously updating our algorithm and to date have identified nearly 300 million numbers associated with spam and robocalling.

• In March, we will be rolling out our free spam alerting and call blocking tools to all of our wireless customers whose smartphones support these features, including iPhone and Android devices. There will be more information on how to sign up for the free service as we get closer to launch.

While call blocking features are one answer to this problem, they aren’t the sole solution. That’s why Verizon is an industry leader on multiple initiatives to address the spoofing problem and to root out illegal robocallers at the source.

Typically robocallers hide their identities by using fake or “spoofed” numbers. Verizon cannot always identify the illegal robocaller because the spoofed robocalls typically start with Internet-based providers (often based outside the United States), and then pass through several other companies’ networks before reaching us. We have no way to tell who made the calls unless each of those “upstream” carriers agrees to provide information about where the calls are coming from – and often those attempts to trace back suspicious traffic dead-ends when one of those upstream companies in the call path refuses to cooperate.

We’ve taken numerous steps to take on these problems:

• We’ve implemented programs to prevent our services from being used by illegal robocallers. And we’re encouraging other voice service providers to implement similar “know your customer” programs.

• We have committed to and support the new “STIR/SHAKEN” call authentication technology which will visually alert consumers to spoofed calls and we support legislation requiring service providers to deploy the STIR/SHAKEN call authentication technology.

• Verizon is also a founding member of the US Telecom Industry Traceback Group, an industry-led organization that traces back suspicious robocall traffic, stops many illegal robocalls and helps enforcement agencies catch the bad guys. Since being a founding member two years ago, more than 20 other organizations have joined the initiative. Without these activities, the flood of illegal robocalls would be even greater.

• Lastly, we support stronger federal laws to outlaw spoofing and to shut down illegal robocallers. Few robocallers get charged with illegal spoofing because the Truth in Caller ID Act defines “spoofing” narrowly. The government currently must prove the caller intended to defraud, cause harm, or illegally obtain something of value. Verizon supports a simple rule that would make it illegal for any caller to use any phone number that it is not authorized to use. Verizon also supports legislation, including the TRACED Act, to strengthen enforcement against illegal robocallers and to require other service providers to join us in implementing the STIR/SHAKEN call authentication technology.

More info via Verizon here.

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