July, 2020 | CompuScoop.com

Winners of the 2020 iPhone Photography Awards Announced

CompuScoop Staff July 22, 2020 0

Today, the iPhone Photography Awards (IPPAWARDS) announces the winners of the 2020 iPhone Photography Awards.

iPhone Photography Awards is the first and longest running iPhone photography competition. Founded in 2007, IPPAWARDS has been celebrating the creativity of iPhone photographers since the iPhone first began to inspire, excite and engage users worldwide. Every year since then, IPPAWARDS has selected the very best shots among thousands of images submitted by iPhone photographers from more than 140 countries around the world. Winners are selected by esteemed jury members in a multi-step process and The Photographers of the Year are then awarded.

This year marks the 13th Annual Awards with submissions from thousands of photographers from all over the globe. Dozens of winning photographs reflect powerful worldviews, from vast landscapes to a single tree, from city streets to remote desolation, from toil and hardship to a private moment in the sun.

The Grand Prize Winner and Photographer of the Year Award goes to street photographer Dimpy Bhalotia of the United Kingdom for her image Flying Boysshot on an iPhone X. In it, three boys take flight from a wall into the Ganges River, their expressive limbs filling the sky with both tension and exuberance.

To view all of the winners, click here.

COVID-19 Closes Tens of Thousands of Businesses – Forever

Dan Uff July 22, 2020 0

Even though most businesses have been re-opening after their state and country officials have given a green light to do so, many others have been shut down, forever.

As Nicole Lyn from Marketwatch reports, the COVID-19 Pandemic has claimed more business victims than everyone thought:

As of July 10, 132,580 businesses listed on the Yelp review site remain closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to its latest Economic Average report…

That’s a slight decrease from 140,000 closures last month, as phased re-openings in some places have allowed many businesses to operate again, even if in a limited capacity. But while temporary closures have dropped, the number of businesses that have permanently shuttered is rising. Of all the business closures since March 1, 55% (or 72,842 businesses) will never reopen again, which is up from the 41% that Yelp reported in its Local Economic Impact Report just last month.

In other words, another 15,742 businesses listed on Yelp permanently closed between June 15 and July 10.

Restaurants listed on Yelp have suffered 26,160 total closures as of July 10, and 60% (15,770) have permanently closed — which is up 23% from June 15. And it’s been last call for more than four in 10 bars and nightlife spots (44%) listed on Yelp, that will also never reopen.

Some 26,119 shopping and retail businesses are also still closed, of which roughly half (or 12,454) are permanent — which is up 29% from what Yelp reported last month.

U.S. FCC offers Information on free tools and resources for Call Blocking

U.S. Federal Communications Commission July 21, 2020 0

Find consumer tips for avoiding robocalls and information about FCC rules on robocalls and texts, call spoofing, political calls and texts, and the National Do Not Call Registry.

Call blocking is a tool used by phone companies to stop illegal and unwanted calls from reaching your phone. A recent FCC report found that by partnering with third-party analytics companies, providers are able to block billions of unwanted calls to American consumers each year.

Phone companies sometimes block calls connected to suspicious calling patterns proactively for their customers. Many phone companies also enable their customers to block additional unwanted calls by enrolling in a service or installing an app. Consumers can also adjust certain settings on their phone, sign up with a third-party service, or download a third-party app to block suspected unwanted calls.

Depending on your service provider, a blocked call may go straight to your voicemail, you may hear a single ring and get caller ID information from the blocked call, or you may get no notice at all.

Many phone companies are taking advantage of FCC rules that allow consumers to be enrolled automatically in call blocking services, but you can opt-out if you are concerned about missing wanted calls. A number of companies also offer call labeling to help consumers determine which calls they want to answer. Labeling services display categories for potentially unwanted or illegal calls such as "spam" or "scam likely" on the caller ID display.

Contact your phone company to learn more about the blocking and labeling solutions that may be available to protect you from unwanted and illegal calls. There may also be apps you can download for your mobile device – at little or no cost – to block or label potential spam calls. In addition to call-blocking and labeling services, you should also check with your wireless device manufacturer about built-in features you can use to block unwanted calls from specific numbers using your cell phone’s settings.

The resources listed below* provide information on many of the call blocking and labeling tools currently available to consumers.

Wireless/Mobile

AT&T: Mobile security and call protection services.
Google Project Fi: Call blocking options for Project Fi wireless service.
Sprint: Call blocking options using My Sprint.
T-Mobile: Call-protection options to identify or block potential scammers.
U.S. Cellular: Automatic network call identification, labeling, and blocking app options.
Verizon: Call Filter FAQS for screening and blocking unwanted calls.

Landline/Wireline/VoIP

AT&T: Information on Digital Phone Call Protect service, call blocking, and other features.
CenturyLink: Customer tips and tools to block unwanted calls.
Comcast: Call blocking options for XFINITY Voice subscribers.
Frontier Communications: Consumer options for call blocking tools and services.
Spectrum: Guide for using Nomorobo service to block robocallers.
Verizon: Customer options for stopping unwanted calls to residential lines.

Third-Party Analytics Resources

First Orion: Tools and services for mobile customers and businesses.
Hiya: Tools and services for mobile phones; Hiya Connect for businesses.
Nomorobo: Tools and services for VoIP landlines and mobile phones.
TNS Call Guardian: Call analytics solutions for businesses.
YouMail: Tools and services for individuals and businesses.

Wireless Device Solutions

Apple iPhones have an opt-in “Silence Unknown Callers” call-screening and blocking feature.
Google Pixel phones have a “Call Screen” call-screening and blocking feature; Google offers several free, opt-in, call-blocking tool apps for Android phones; and Google Voice users can use a call management tool to block unwanted calls.
Samsung partners with Hiya to offer a call-blocking solution called Smart Call to label potentially unwanted calls.

Trade Association Consumer Resources and Information

CTIA: Consumer resources for stopping robocalls.
US Telecom: Consumer information on illegal robocalls.

*The resources listed are provided for informational purposes. The FCC does not endorse any products or services listed, and is not responsible for the content, accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of non-FCC websites.

Printable Version

Call Blocking Tools and Resources (pdf)

Date Last Updated/Reviewed:

Bureau/Office:

Consumer and Governmental Affairs

Via: U.S. FCC

Apple Card starts reporting credit card file to Experian

CompuScoop Staff July 20, 2020 0

Ever since Apple Card became available, it has only reported to one credit agency, TransUnion.

An email from an AppleInsider reader who uses an Apple Card reveals they have spotted a change made to their Experian credit report, appearing when they checked their report on July 19. Searches on Reddit indicates it is affecting a number of users, with posts on the AppleCard subreddit indicating other users of the site as having seen the details in their report since July 18.