Moolah Mobile partners with Surge to offer free mobile service with ads

Moolah Mobile is teaming up with SurgePhone Wireless to offer people a new way to pay their cell phone bills — by putting ads on their homescreens.

Moolah CEO Vernell Woods (pictured above) said the startup has already been offering gift cards and other rewards to users who view its homescreen ads. So this is a similar model, except instead of leading to gift cards, the ads are subsidizing cell phone service from Surge.

The ads show up on users’ homescreen during all those interstitial moments between using apps, so the goal is to offer free service without consumers having to change their behavior. Woods said all that ad time adds up, with “the average person who’s using their phone on a consistent basis” viewing “easily between two to three hours” of home screen ads each day. And that’s enough to pay for the “equivalent” of Surge’s $10 monthly plan.

On the other hand, if for some reason a subscriber isn’t hitting the necessary total, Woods said they can also earn more points by accepting offers or taking surveys.

Moolah isn’t the only company using advertising to make previously paid products free. Just last week, I wrote about PreShow, a startup promising a free movie ticket for watching 15 to 20 minutes of ads. (Not everyone was crazy about the idea.)

Moolah Mobile screenshot

But Woods said he’s doing this because he wants to make wireless service more affordable to people in low-income communities. In the announcement, Moolah investor Tip “T.I.” Harris said it’s “one of the few tech companies I’ve seen who truly want to help everyday people have access to technology.”

But could this also be seen as a way to harvest personal data from a vulnerable population? Woods said he wants to protect against that with a blockchain initiative set to launch this fall, allowing users to see exactly what data is being shared with advertisers.

“No personal information should be going to advertisers without users knowing about it,” he said, adding that companies “definitely should not be making money off” personal data without giving users a cut of the profits.

The subsidized wireless service should be available on Surge Volt Android devices with Moolah install kits, as well as on SIM Starter Kits distributed by Surge. Moolah and Surge said they will roll this out Florida, Virginia, Georgia and Texas initially, with an aim of reaching 40,000 locations by the end of the year.

MoviePass co-founder’s new startup PreShow gives you free movie tickets for watching ads

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HUD hits Facebook with housing discrimination charges over ad targeting

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development this morning hit Facebook with charges of housing discrimination. The filing states that the the online giant has violated the Fair Housing Act through its ad targeting tools, which allow sellers to limit listings based on categories like race, sex and nation of origin.

The charges are the result of an investigation initiated in August of last year, investigating a formal complaint that homesellers and landlords can target ads across a broad range of different categories.

“Facebook is discriminating against people based upon who they are and where they live,” HUD Secretary Ben Carson said in a statement tied to the news. “Using a computer to limit a person’s housing choices can be just as discriminatory as slamming a door in someone’s face.”

Facebook said it was “surprised” by the decision, in a statement offered to TechCrunch. A spokesperson for the company went on to discuss “significant steps” taken to above the discrimination detailed in HUD’s filing.

“Last year we eliminated thousands of targeting options that could potentially be misused, and just last week we reached historic agreements with the National Fair Housing Alliance, ACLU, and others that change the way housing, credit, and employment ads can be run on Facebook,” the company says. “While we were eager to find a solution, HUD insisted on access to sensitive information – like user data – without adequate safeguards. We’re disappointed by today’s developments, but we’ll continue working with civil rights experts on these issues.”

Last week, the social network avoided legal woes by reaching an agreement with The ACLU, Outten & Golden LLC and the Communications Workers of America. The deal is designed to help adhere to section VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, with Facebook removing gender, age and race-based targeting from housing and employment ads and creating a new one-stop portal for listings.

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UK report blasts Huawei for network security incompetence

The latest report by a UK oversight body set up to evaluation Chinese networking giant Huawei’s approach to security has dialled up pressure on the company, giving a damning assessment of what it describes as “serious and systematic defects” in its software engineering and “cyber security competence”.

Although it falls short of calling for an outright ban on Huawei equipment in domestic networks — an option U.S. president Trump continues dangling across the pond.

The report, prepared for the National Security Advisor of the UK by the Huawei Cyber Security Evaluation Centre (HCSEC) Oversight Board, also identifies new “significant technical issues” which it says lead to new risks for UK telecommunications networks using Huawei kit.

The HCSEC was set up by Huawei in 2010, under what the oversight board couches as “a set of arrangements with the UK government”, to provide information to state agencies on its products and strategies in order that security risks could be evaluated.

And last year, under pressure from UK security agencies concerned about technical deficiencies in its products, Huawei pledged to spend $2BN to try to address long-running concerns.

But the report throws doubt on its ability to do so — with the board writing that it has “not yet seen anything to give it confidence in Huawei’s capacity to successfully complete the elements of its transformation programme that it has proposed as a means of addressing these underlying defects”.

So it sounds like $2BN isn’t going to be nearly enough to fix Huawei’s security problem in the UK.

The board also writes that it will require “sustained evidence” of better software engineering and cyber security “quality”, verified by HCSEC and the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), if there’s to be any possibility of it reaching a different assessment of the company’s ability to reboot its security credentials.

In another damning segment it says there has been “no material progress” on issues raised by last year’s report.

All the issues identified by the security evaluation process relate to “basic engineering competence and cyber security hygiene” which the board noting that gives rise to vulnerabilities capable of being exploited by “a range of actors”. It adds that the NCSC does not believe the defects found are a result of Chinese state interference.

This year’s report is the fifth the oversight board has produced since it was established in 2014, and it comes at a time of acute scrutiny for Huawei, as 5G network rollouts are ramping up globally — pushing governments to address head on any suspicions attached to the Chinese giant and consider whether to trust it with critical next-gen infrastructure.

“The Oversight Board advises that it will be difficult to appropriately risk-manage future products in the context of UK deployments, until the underlying defects in Huawei’s software engineering and cyber security processes are remediated,” the report warns in one of several key conclusions that make very uncomfortable reading for Huawei.

“Overall, the Oversight Board can only provide limited assurance that all risks to UK national security from Huawei’s involvement in the UK’s critical networks can be sufficiently mitigated long-term,” it adds in summary.

Reached for its response to the report, a Huawei UK spokesperson sent us a statement in which it describes the $2BN earmarked for security improvements related to UK products as an “initial budget”.

It writes:

The 2019 OB [oversight board] report details some concerns about Huawei’s software engineering capabilities. We understand these concerns and take them very seriously. The issues identified in the OB report provide vital input for the ongoing transformation of our software engineering capabilities. In November last year Huawei’s Board of Directors issued a resolution to carry out a companywide transformation programme aimed at enhancing our software engineering capabilities, with an initial budget of US$2BN.

A high-level plan for the programme has been developed and we will continue to work with UK operators and the NCSC during its implementation to meet the requirements created as cloud, digitization, and software-defined everything become more prevalent. To ensure the ongoing security of global telecom networks, the industry, regulators, and governments need to work together on higher common standards for cyber security assurance and evaluation.

Seeking to find something positive to salvage from the report’s savaging, Huawei suggests it demonstrates the continued effectiveness of the HCSEC as a structure to evaluate and mitigate security risk — flagging a description where the board writes that it’s “arguably the toughest and most rigorous in the world”, and which Huawei claims shows at least there hasn’t been any increase in vulnerability of UK networks since the last report.

Though the report does identify new issues that open up fresh problems — albeit the underlying issues were presumably there last year too, just undiscovered.

The board’s withering assessment certainly amps up the pressure on Huawei which has been aggressively battling U.S.-led suspicion of its kit — claiming in a telecoms conference speech last month that “the U.S. security accusation of our 5G has no evidence”, for instance. And appealing for the industry to work together to come up with collective processes for evaluating the security and trustworthiness of network kit.

Earlier this month it opened another cyber security transparency center — this time in Brussels, where the company has been lobbying European policymakers to establish security standards to foster collective trust. Though there’s little doubt that’s a long game.

Meanwhile, critics of Huawei can now point to impatience rising in the U.K., despite comments by the head of the NCSC, Ciaran Martin, last month — who said then that security agencies believe the risk of using Huawei kit can be managed, suggesting the government won’t push for an outright ban.

The report does not literally overturn that view but it does blast out a very loud and alarming warning about the difficulty for UK operators to “appropriately” risk-manage defective and vulnerable Huawei kit.

Including flagging the risk of future products which the board suggests will be increasingly complex to manage — all of which could well just push operators to seek out alternatives.

On the mitigation front, the board writes that — “in extremis” — the NCSC could order Huawei to carry out specific fixes for equipment currently installed in the UK. Though it also warns that such a step would be difficult, and could for example require hardware replacement which may not mesh with operators “natural” asset management and upgrades cycles, emphasizing that it does not offer a sustainable solution to the underlying technical issues.

“Given both the shortfalls in good software engineering and cyber security practice and the currently unknown trajectory of Huawei’s R&D processes through their announced transformation plan, it is highly likely that security risk management of products that are new to the UK or new major releases of software for products currently in the UK will be more difficult,” the board writes in a concluding section discussing the UK national security risk.

“On the basis of the work already carried out by HCSEC, the NCSC considers it highly likely that there would be new software engineering and cyber security issues in products HCSEC has not yet examined.”

It also describes the number and severity of vulnerabilities discovered, as well as architectural and build issues, by what the relatively small team in the HCSEC as “a particular concern”.

“If an attacker has knowledge of these vulnerabilities and sufficient access to exploit them, they may be able to affect the operation of the network, in some cases causing it to cease operating correctly,” it adds. “Other impacts could include being able to access user traffic or reconfiguration of the network elements.”

In another section on mitigating the risks of using Huawei kit, the report notes that architectural controls in place in most UK operators can limit the ability of attackers to exploit any vulnerable network elements not explicitly exposed to the public Internet — adding that such controls, combined with good opsec generally, will “remain critically important in the coming years to manage the residual risks caused by the engineering defects identified”.

In other highlights from the report the board does have some positive things to say, writing that an NCSC technical review of its capabilities showed improvements in 2018, while another independent audit of HCSEC’s ability to operate independently of Huawei HQ once again found “no high or medium priority findings”.

“The audit report identified one low-rated finding, relating to delivery of information and equipment within agreed Service Level Agreements. Ernst & Young concluded that there were no major concerns and the Oversight Board is satisfied that HCSEC is operating in line with the 2010 arrangements between HMG and the company,” it further notes.

Last month the European Commissioner said it was preparing to step in to ensure a “common approach” across the European Union where 5G network security is concerned.

And earlier this week it issued a set of recommendations for Member States that combine legislative and policy measures to assess 5G network security risks and help strengthen preventive measures.

Among the suggested operational measures it advises Member States to take is to complete a national risk assessment of 5G network infrastructures by the end of June 2019, and follow that by updating existing security requirements for network providers — including conditions for ensuring the security of public networks.

“These measures should include reinforced obligations on suppliers and operators to ensure the security of the networks,” it recommended. “The national risk assessments and measures should consider various risk factors, such as technical risks and risks linked to the behaviour of suppliers or operators, including those from third countries. National risk assessments will be a central element towards building a coordinated EU risk assessment.”  

At an EU level the Commission said Member States should share information on network security, saying this “coordinated work should support Member States’ actions at national level and provide guidance to the Commission for possible further steps at EU level” — leaving the door open for further action.

While the EU’s executive body has not pushed for a pan-EU ban on any 5G vendors it did restate Member States’ right to exclude companies from their markets for national security reasons if they fail to comply with their own standards and legal framework.

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Xiaomi teases another look at its foldable phone

Xiaomi is back with another teaser of the foldable concept device it first showed off in January.

This time around, in a video posted to its Weibo account, the Chinese company showed off the device working in tablet mode and, after folding, regular phone mode to illustrate how seamlessly it can be tucked up and put away… in this case atop of a cup of noodles.

Video: hat tip The Verge

Xiaomi has said it is developing a device — the previous video included a call-out for ideas and feedback — so the project isn’t likely as advanced as soon-to-launch products from Samsung, Huawei or lesser known Chinese brand Royole.

Unlike those three, Xiaomi’s offers two foldable edges instead of just one. That would appear to present a much tougher challenge in terms of design and logistics, but this new teaser (and there’s no doubt Xiaomi chose it carefully) seems to show impressive results. The phone folds nicely in terms of hardware and software, but you’d imagine those edges will make it thicker than others.

It’s all ifs and buts for now, though, since Xiaomi isn’t giving up details of what this product might become… or even whether it will become one at all. But Xiaomi being Xiaomi, you’d imagine that when it does drop, it won’t just be the two folds that set it apart from the rest. The Chinese firm is massively price-sensitive, so you can expect that it’ll price any foldable phone it releases much lower than the $2,000 or so that Samsung and Huawei are asking for their gen-one efforts.

We’re ready for foldable phones, but are they ready for us?

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The 7 Best Satellite Phones for World Travel

6 Free Online Podcast Players You Can Use in Any Browser

Podcasts are an essential medium on their own today. While most people listen to podcasts on their mobile devices, there are times when you’ll want to listen to them on your desktop. For example, when your phone is low on juice or when you’re on your PC at work.

We’ve compiled a list of good podcast players that can work from anywhere and are compatible with any modern browser. Many of these options also sync effortlessly with mobile apps or websites.

1. Player FM

Player FM is a popular podcast app for mobile, and its web equivalent is one of the most robust options on the cloud. You can use the same account on both the mobile app and the web platform. This allows you to sync your subscriptions, played episodes, and play later list instantly.

The website lets you manage your playlists and categories. You can export your full library to OPML and import podcast feeds from RSS or iTunes. When playing a podcast, you can control playback settings such as speed, volume booster, and scrub the podcast with the playhead.

Player FM also has a useful discovery system that sorts podcasts into multiple categories and subcategories. When you subscribe to a podcast, it is automatically sorted by its subject. Player FM then recommends you podcasts based on what you’ve been listening to.

For a fee, you can also subscribe to an upgraded account which allows you to sync the duration of your playtime across platforms. So if you are on the web player, you can instantly pick up where you left off on your phone. It also allows you to bookmark certain parts of an episode.

2. Cloud Caster

Unlike most of the other apps on this list, Cloud Caster is completely cloud-based. That means that whether you open it on your desktop, on your mobile device, or on your tablet, it runs entirely inside a browser thanks to HTML5.

This implementation has some key advantages. Cloud Caster is entirely free to use and has a feature set that can rival the better paid apps.

If you’re logged into your account, your playtime is always saved. So you can pick up where you left off in an episode of an audio or video podcast. This is one of the few free podcast players that supports this sync between platforms.

Cloud Caster lets you customize playback speed and has a built-in sleep timer. If you want to listen to your podcasts offline, you can save any episode as MP3 and play it from your preferred audio player. Cloud Caster also allows you to import and export OPML databases.

3. Spotify

Spotify has recently expanded their support for podcasts. If you prefer to keep your media in one place, their platform is a reasonable alternative to a traditional podcast app.

Spotify has a large library of podcasts, along with support for importing RSS feeds. You can sync playback, subscriptions, and played episodes across all of their applications. Their platforms include browsers, desktops, mobile devices, and television boxes.

The podcast options in their web app are similar to the ones in their mobile application. You can subscribe and unsubscribe to podcasts, customize playback speed, and save your favorite episodes.

Spotify recently acquired some podcasting companies, so you may start seeing shows exclusive to Spotify soon.

4. Stitcher

If you listen to a lot of podcasts, you’ve probably already heard of Stitcher in an ad or introduction. Its web app syncs seamlessly with its iOS, Android, and smart speaker counterparts. You can view your library, subscriptions, and saved episodes. It also supports resuming episodes from where you left off.

In addition to being a podcast player, Stitcher produces its own content. This includes popular shows such as Freakonomics Radio and Today, Explained.

Where it really excels is in curating and recommending content. They compile playlists of episodes from different shows that are centered around specific topics. They also have an autoplay mode that automatically lines up shows similar to the one you’re listening to. Here are some key tips for listening to podcasts using Stitcher.

Stitcher offers a premium version of its service for $4.99 per month that removes ads. You also get access to their library of exclusive podcasts and comedy albums.

5. Podchaser

Podchaser is an online podcast player that focuses on building communities and audiences. It has many user-driven features that most apps don’t have.

For example, users can create lists of shows and episodes based on any criteria. There are lists on the site for gaming podcasts, shows from Chicago, and recommendations for ongoing audio dramas. You can also sort podcasts in a variety of categories, from broad topics like storytelling to narrower topics like fishing.

Podchaser supports rating and reviewing both shows and individual episodes. You can view top-rated podcast episodes and shows.

It also has a robust search engine that allows you to search through creators, shows, and episodes. You can also filter by episode frequency, rating, and subject.

If you are a content creator, you can set up a profile on the site where you can add all the podcasts you host and have guested on. You can also add a description as well as links to your social media accounts. Users can browse through profiles and share them with friends.

6. Castbox

Castbox is a podcast player for Android, iOS, and the cloud. Whether you’re using the web app as a standalone player or integrating it with your mobile device, it’s a feature-packed option.

The first thing that stands out is Castbox’s clean, easy-to-use interface. At the top of the home page are daily suggestions, with other podcasts are sorted by category throughout the page. They provide recommendations that cater to your favorites and listening habits. You can also read and add comments to individual episodes as well as entire shows.

The app also recommends you with local podcasts based on your location.

In addition to subscribing to whole podcasts, you can also add specific episodes to a favorites list. Your subscriptions and favorites automatically sync to your mobile phone. You can also view a complete history of podcast episodes you’ve listened to on your profile.

If you’re a creator, you can also upload podcasts directly from their website.

Enjoy Your Podcasts From Anywhere

All the options we mentioned sync well with your other devices, with dedicated mobile apps or responsive websites. Before you pick an app to use, make sure that you enjoy the experience from every device.

If you’re looking for a fresh way to listen to podcasts, we made a list of unique podcast apps for when you want to enjoy them differently. If you want some podcast recommendations, check out our list of addictive podcasts telling stories you need to hear.

Read the full article: 6 Free Online Podcast Players You Can Use in Any Browser

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Is It Safe to Use Face ID on Your New iPhone?

You’ve got a new iPhone and you’re excited to get going. During set-up, it asks you whether you want to use Face ID. But you’ve heard good and bad things about the facial recognition feature. You’re especially nervous about its use as a security tool.

So how does Face ID work and is it safe to use? Are any safeguards in place? And does this mean Apple knows what you look like?

What Is Apple Face ID?

Apple likes to either make things easier. Or fix things that aren’t broken, depending on your viewpoint. That’s why the company has streamlined the process of unlocking your device. Because there’s no Home button, you can’t use Touch ID.

Instead, you unlock your phone with your face.

Me at my phone when the Face ID isn’t working pic.twitter.com/ccPz4fiR1f

— heartbreak hails ? (@kikilawsbae) March 13, 2019

You can use this on an iPhone X and iPad Pro or newer.

Face ID also means that no one else can check your messages. When you receive a notification, your lock screen displays the app and the contact’s name, but not the actual message. You can only view that when your iPhone detects your face.

Furthermore, you can use Face ID to authorize purchases through Apple Pay, iTunes, and the App Store. It can also autofill passwords.

How can you set up Face ID? It’s easy. When you first use your device, it’ll prompt you to use Face ID. However, if you previously skipped this step, you need to go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode. You’ll then need to enter your passcode.

Your face will appear in a circle, and you’ll need to follow the on-screen instruction to “Move your head slowly to complete the circle”.

How Does Face ID Work?

To fully understand whether something is safe to use, you need to know how it works.

Look at the black bar at the top of your iPhone. This is traditionally where your front-facing camera is, but for Face ID to work, there are numerous sensors alongside it. These make up the “TrueDepth Camera”.

The flood illuminator covers your face with infrared (IR) light, invisible to the naked eye, then a dot projector charts 30,000 IR points across your face.

The dots create a map of your face, based on area (i.e. size, shape, and distinguishing features) and depth, which is why you need to rotate your face when activating Face ID. The IR camera collects this data and stores it in a Secure Enclave as a 2D image.

Every time you use Face ID, your iPhone’s Neural Engine processor creates a 3D model of your face. It gives it a comparison score in relation to the original face map made when you activated Face ID. If this score passes a high threshold, your phone unlocks.

This is why a 2D image of your face won’t give anyone access to your device. A 3D printer has a higher chance of working, but we doubt many criminals will put in the time and effort to create such a strong likeness.

It sounds like a lot of work for your Neural Engine to do. Fortunately, the A12 Bionic processor that it’s part of is capable of 5 trillion operations per second, so there’s minimal lag.

If you’ve substantially changed your appearance, i.e. shaved or altered your hairstyle, a passcode will be required. Your phone then updates the map stored in the Enclave.

Is Face ID Safe for Your Eyes?

It might trouble you to learn that your face is bathed in invisible light. But you shouldn’t worry because your iPhone only has a low output. It’s used within moderation.

IR is used because it works no matter your surroundings. The proximity and ambient light sensors determine your surroundings, which affects the flood illuminator. It means Face ID should recognize you even in complete darkness.

You’re more likely to damage your eyes by staring at a bright screen in dark surroundings. Go to Settings > Display & Brightness and tick True Tone. Switching on Night Shift helps too, changing the colors of your screen in low lighting.

Does Apple Know What You Look Like?

If your device needs to recognize your face, it stands to reason that such data is sent to Apple, right?

This isn’t the case at all. It’s a valid privacy concern, but you don’t have to worry (unless you own a tin foil hat). Facial recognition data is stored locally on your smartphone. It’s kept on a chip within your handset called the Secure Enclave, as were previous biometric systems, like Touch ID.

Your passcode isn’t sent to Apple either.

The mathematical representation of your features is encrypted in the Enclave. This data composite is used to create decryption keys to unlock your interface and apps, so it doesn’t leave your device. Apps only know if authentication is successful or not. Your Face ID isn’t even uploaded to iCloud.

The only instance in which you give this representation to Apple is as diagnostic data as part of the AppleCare program. It’s not an automated process—it’s down to you to review and approve what information is transferred.

If you’re concerned about companies knowing what you look like, you’ve got more cause to worry about social media. For instance, Facebook knows a lot about you and can recognize your face in photos.

What Safeguards Does Face ID Have?

If you use Face ID, you’ll also need a passcode. It’s used in case Face ID doesn’t recognize you, or in case of emergencies when safeguards are activated.

Every time you turn your device on, Face ID is disabled. You need to enter your passcode. However, this also happens whenever you hold the Power button down at the same time as one of the volume controls. The screen gives you the option to “Slide to power off”, send an “Emergency SOS”, or “Cancel”. Face ID is disabled, no matter which you click.

Use this if you’re surrounded by people you can’t trust or are involved in a bad situation. In a robbery, for instance, doing this will mean thieves can’t access your phone without the correct passcode.

You need to activate Find My iPhone, which lets you track your device if it’s stolen. Activating Lost Mode further disables Face ID.

Your smartphone also asks for a passcode if:

• It hasn’t been unlocked in 48 hours.
• Face ID hasn’t been used in four hours and the passcode hasn’t unlocked the device in six and a half days.
• There have been five unsuccessful attempts to unlock using Face ID.

Can Face ID unlock your phone when you’re sleeping or unconscious? By default, the feature checks that your eyes are open. You should make certain, however, by going on Settings > Face ID & Passcode and checking Require Attention for Face ID is ticked.

Otherwise, your best option is to simply turn your phone off at night or use one of the safeguards.

Can the Police Access Your Phone Using Face ID?

You’ve surely heard about Apple’s battle with law-enforcers to keep phones secure. Police can access smartphones if they’re unlocked; if this is a concern for you, passcodes are a solid option.

But are they allowed to unlock your iPhone using Face ID?

Rules are sketchy right now and depends on your country and state. In the U.S., the Fifth Amendment states that a suspect cannot “be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself”. Some argue that this extends to unlocking devices. It remains a gray area.

We obviously advise compliance with the authorities.

If you’re in the company of others who want to access your phone, don’t forget you can simply hold down the Power and volume controls for a few seconds.

Can My Identical Twin Unlock My Phone?

If you have a twin, they can open your phone successfully using Face ID. pic.twitter.com/7TZHzYoM87

— Best Plant Mom 2019 ???? (@alyssamfredrick) March 15, 2019

Of course, it’s possible that someone who looks exactly like you—i.e. an identical twin or lookalike—can unlock your smartphone.

Apple assures users that the “probability that a random person in the population could look at your iPhone or iPad Pro and unlock it using Face ID is approximately 1 in 1,000,000 with a single enrolled appearance.”

It’s more likely that twins will be able to gain access to each other’s phones, however. If this is a concern, deactivate Face ID and rely on a passcode instead. To do this, go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode > Reset Face ID.

Is Face ID Secure?

Face ID is safe for the general public. It creates a mathematical representation of your face, stored in the Secure Enclave on your iPhone. It has numerous safeguards in place; the most useful of these is activated by pressing down the Power and volume controls at the same time.

We can understand if you’re nervous about using it, but we love Face ID, so give it a go!

Read the full article: Is It Safe to Use Face ID on Your New iPhone?

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How to Set Up a Safe and Free VPN on Android

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Launch Your Career in Cybersecurity with this $29 Cisco Training Bundle

As data continues to grow in value, the demand for cybersecurity experts is greater than ever. Experienced professionals can earn six figures, and you don’t need a college degree to get started. If you want to build a career in cybersecurity, the Foundational Cisco CCNA Security Bundle is a great place to start. The bundle offers 53 hours of training, working toward official Cisco CCNA certification. You can get it now for just $29 at MakeUseOf Deals.

Network Security

Pretty much every company with a permanent office has a network. It might be a simple Wi-Fi network or a complex routing system for video calling — but security is always important.

This Cisco CCNA training shows you how to configure and maintain secure networks in a professional setting. You don’t need a technical background to follow along, and the courses help you prepare for the official Cisco exams.

Through hands-on video tutorials, you learn how to install basic IPv4 and IPv6 networks, and work with LAN. You also learn about IP routing and switching, WAN protocols, and firewall services.

These skills are valuable in any IT career path, and Cisco certificates are respected around the world. This bundle should help you pass three top exams with flying colors.

53 Hours of Training for $29

This Cisco CCNA training is worth $897 in total, but you can get lifetime access now for $29 with the bundle.

Read the full article: Launch Your Career in Cybersecurity with this $29 Cisco Training Bundle

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Mozilla Launches a Free Password Manager for Android

Mozilla has brought Firefox Lockbox to Android for the first time. The free password manager has been available on iOS for a while, but Firefox Lockbox is now available on Android as well. Which means now might be a good time to consider switching to Firefox.

Why Password Managers Are Popular

When the internet first hit big, most people chose a password and used it across multiple sites. And that was fine for a while. However, now, with passwords leaking on a regular basis, everyone is advised to use unique passwords for every site they frequent.

You have several options enabling you to do this. You can try to remember them all in your head, you can write them down on a piece of paper, or you can use a password manager. And with more people opting for the latter, Firefox Lockbox has entered the fray.

How to Use Firefox Lockbox

Firefox Lockbox is a simple password manager that works exclusively with the Firefox web browser. It means that any logins (usernames and passwords) you store in Firefox will be available on your mobile across the various websites and apps you need to sign in to.

The initial setup is a breeze compared to other password managers. You install the app and sign into your Firefox account, and Lockbox will copy over all of your passwords. Your credentials are protected by 256-bit encryption, and even Mozilla cannot access them.

For an extra layer of protection, you can lock the app using a fingerprint scanner or facial recognition. As previously mentioned, Firefox Lockbox is also available on iOS, and on the Mozilla Blog, the company claims it has been downloaded more than 50,000 times.

Download: Firefox Lockbox on Android | iOS

Other Password Managers Are Available

Firefox Lockbox is a solid option for those already using Firefox. And it may even tempt you to switch from your current browser of choice. However, there are other password managers available, and these are the best password managers for every occasion.

Read the full article: Mozilla Launches a Free Password Manager for Android

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How to Make a Bootable USB/CD/DVD to Install Windows Using an ISO File

Did you ever format a hard drive, only to realize that the computer doesn’t have a DVD or CD drive? Maybe you thought the computer could be booted from a USB drive, but the version of the BIOS doesn’t allow for that?

Having a bootable version of Windows on a DVD and a USB drive can be a real lifesaver. Today you’ll learn how to create bootable versions of Windows ISOs on DVD and USB.

What’s an ISO?

Any file that ends in .iso is an exact copy of a disk. It’s a virtual copy of a CD or DVD, with the same file structure and the same data. ISO copies are referred to as “images” of the original. The acronym ISO comes from the name of the organization responsible for creating industry standards—International Organization for Standardization.

Yes, that should be IOS, but they figured ISO was better across all languages as ISO is derived from the Greek isos, meaning “equal”.

In this case, the ISO is a perfect copy of what would be on an original Windows CD or DVD.

What Does Bootable Mean?

Any media, whether it’s a hard drive, USB flash drive, CD, or DVD is bootable if you can use it to boot your computer. In this case, we are creating portable media which boots from the USB drive or disc, instead of the computer’s hard drive. When installing Windows, the media you use must be bootable.

How to Make a Windows 10 Bootable ISO

By far the easiest way to create Windows 10 bootable media is to use the Windows Media Creation tool. The software is available as a free download from Microsoft.

This tool can do three things:

1. Update the system to Windows 10.
2. Create a Windows 10 bootable USB stick.
3. Download a Windows 10 ISO file to your computer.

The first two options on the list require simply following instructions in the tool, and you won’t need to deal with an ISO file at all.

You are given the option of downloading a 64 bit version, a 32 bit version, or both. There is also an option to Use the recommended options for this PC. If you don’t know which one you need, use this setting !

For 32 bit Windows installations, 4GB is the minimum size USB stick that will work. For 64 bit, you’ll need 8GB minimum. It is advised to use something a little larger where possible. Note that this will wipe the contents of the USB drive so be sure to back up any data you want to keep first.

Download: Windows 10 Media Creation Tool (Windows)

Where to Download a Windows 7 ISO

You can get a Windows 7 ISO direct from Microsoft, but you will need your 25 character product key to start the download. You can find your Windows Product Key either with the original installation media or in an email from Microsoft from when you originally bought it.

Be aware, for this method to work, you can not use an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) key. It has to be from either a Windows installation disc or from a previously downloaded ISO purchased from Microsoft.

Download: Windows 7 ISO

What If I’ve Forgotten My Product Key?

When you purchased Windows you will have received either a 25 character product key or a digital license. You can install an operating system without either of these, but you won’t be able to activate it.

If you lost your product key, there are ways to find it again. The Magical Jelly Bean KeyFinder has a free version which will display your CD Key as shown above.

Alternatively, you can follow the advice provided by Microsoft on finding your product key.

Download: Jelly Bean KeyFinder (Windows)

Where to Download a Windows 8.1 ISO

Windows 8.1 is still available to download from Microsoft. Getting the ISO requires no product key, though you will need one when you try to install it for the first time.

Download: Windows 8.1 ISO

How to Make a Bootable USB Flash Drive

The simplest way to create a bootable USB drive is with Rufus. Download, and open it by right clicking on it and selecting Run As Administrator.

Using Rufus takes four simple steps:

1. Select your USB drive from the Device dropdown menu.
2. Click Select by the Boot selection drop down and locate your Windows ISO file.
3. Give your USB drive a descriptive title in the Volume Label text box.
4. Click Start.

Rufus gives you the option of using a GPT  file system for UEFI systems, and MBR for BIOS systems. Rufus can detect what system you have, and usually picks the right one for you. If you don’t know what kind of system you have, let Rufus choose for you!

There are alternative tools to make bootable USBs, and if Rufus doesn’t work for you, one of them will!

How to Make a Bootable DVD

There are several programs out there which will burn an ISO to a DVD and make it bootable. Burnaware is simple to use and has a free version for home use.

To create a bootable DVD, open Burnaware and click on Burn ISO. Click Browse and locate your Windows ISO file. Insert a DVD and click Burn.

Alternatively, you can use Window’s native ISO burner. Right click on your ISO file and select Burn disc image.

This will open the native burner. It couldn’t be simpler to use, just enter a DVD and press burn!

Note that whatever method you choose, DVDs only work for 32 bit Windows installations due to their small capacity. Using a USB installation instead is strongly recommended.

Download: Burnaware (Windows)

Now What?

Now you have a bootable version of Windows in your pocket or on DVD. To use it, you might want to brush up on how to change your computer’s boot order first!

USB booting is essential in modern computing, and you can even host multiple live operating systems on USB sticks!

Read the full article: How to Make a Bootable USB/CD/DVD to Install Windows Using an ISO File

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10 Easy-to-Use Photo Editing Programs for Newbie Photographers

Ever since Steve Jobs put a camera into the iPhone, everyone has become a photographer. However, just because you have a camera, it doesn’t necessarily follow that you are a great photographer. Anyone can point a lens and press a button.

While some photos are works of art, others need editing, and we’re not just talking about slapping an Instagram filter on it. This means you need some easy-to-use photo editing apps. Here are the best photo editing programs for beginners.

1. Photoscape

While many photo editing programs have interfaces that are similar to Photoshop, this app goes a completely different way. It aims to be easy for beginners, and once you get the hang of the interface, you’ll have a lot of power at your fingertips.

Photoscape is also one of the best ways to open a PSD file.

2. IrfanView

Irfanview is an oldie but also a firm favorite among my friends and colleagues. Many people who don’t need to do a lot of image editing can make do with Irfanview. Which, as a bonus, is completely free.

One of the best features of IrfanView is its handling of batch conversions. You can rename a huge number of files in seconds, as well as resize them. You can also scan directly from a flatbed scanner, make screenshots, set wallpaper, and install plugins to extend the features even more.

3. SnagIt

Thank you for releasing the "grab text" feature @Snagit! It's killer. It is saving me from much frustration, costly #OCR tools (that are less accurate!) and boosts my #productivity on web design projects. Seriously – it's life changing! #brandcrush #snagit2019

— NadineNBone (@NadineNBone) January 31, 2019

SnagIt is a simple photo editing software. Even though it’s surrounded by free rivals, the developer TechSmith seems to think that SnagIt is worth $50. But in its defense, the screenshots are 100 percent perfect.

The current version is tightly integrated with all other TechSmith products. You can also upload to Google Drive and Microsoft Office, record your screen, and edit your screencast by trimming out the parts you don’t need. Other features include the ability to blur sensitive details, highlight important parts, and annotate images.

4. FastStone

At first glance, you could be forgiven for thinking that this was Windows Explorer, as it does bear some similarity with its yellow folder tree-like structure. However, this image editing app boasts some impressive features, and once again, it’s completely free.

As well as covering all of the usual image formats, FastStone also supports RAW image formats from all of the major camera manufacturers. You can then crop and resize your images, as well as apply the usual filters like red-eye removal and color adjustments. There’s also flatbed scanner support, the ability to edit EXIF data, and batch processing to rename and resize quickly. A portable version of FastStone is available.

5. Paint.NET

The venerable Paint.NET seems to be the crowd-pleaser, being installed on pretty much everyone’s PC. Starting life as a Microsoft product, it is now being compared to Adobe Photoshop, Microsoft Photo Editor, and GIMP. It prides itself on being “immediately intuitive and quickly learnable,” making it the ideal photo editing software for beginners.

Images open in their own individual tabs and you have an unlimited history, so you can undo and redo image alterations as much as you want (disk space permitting). You also have Photoshop-like tools such as the Magic Wand feature, the Clone Stamp feature, and Layers.

And if you get stuck, you just need to consult the forum where someone should be glad to help out.

6. GIMP

GIMP is the best photo editing software for beginners who want to have Photoshop-like features but with a slightly easier learning curve. But unlike Photoshop, GIMP is free of charge and open source. It is also cross-platform and comes with a portable version that you can throw on your USB stick.

What is really great about GIMP, though, is the army of plugins and scripts which make it even more useful. From the GIMP extensions pack for Windows, to 3D screenshots, to turning photos into comic book images—there are a huge amount to choose from.

7. Photos for macOS

Photos is the photo viewing and editing app for macOS. Photos is backed up by iCloud Photo Library, meaning that your photo collections are available on all of your Mac and iOS devices.

You can connect your camera to have your photos imported, drag a photo directly into Photos with your mouse, and also take advantage of the editing and sharing options. And if you want an easy-to-use photo editor, look no further—Photos offers one-click enhancements of a photo’s colors.

8. XnView MP

XnView MP supports over 500 file formats, with all the usual suspects (JPG, PNG, GIF) as well as some lesser-known ones such as Amiga IFF, Amstrad CPC, and Kodak RAW. Cross-platform for Windows, macOS, and Linux, you can also do batch conversion tasks and use the program under various translated languages.

Ratings, color labels, and categories ensure that your photos remain completely organized.

9. Zoner Photo Studio

Zoner has a free edition and a paid edition. When you download it for the first time, you are immediately put on one month of Pro. After the 30 days are up, if you choose not to pay for Pro, then you are switched to the free version.

The Pro version costs $89. At that price point, you would be hard-pressed to find a reason to buy the app. As a comparison, the professional Adobe Lightroom is only $9.99/month.

Zoner has extras such as photo frames and templates, a script to view PS and EPS files, and several extras for RAW file formats. Other features include camera photo imports, batch renaming, batch re-organizing, a range of editing tools, and more.

10. Pixlr

Pixlr is a web app for editing photos. This is another easy-to-use photo editor that’s ideal for beginners. You can use the app to open an image from your desktop or from the web.

There’s support for masks and layers, plenty of adjustment, effect, and filter options, and a way to add text to your images. It should be noted that Pixlr is ad-supported.

Editing Photos on Your Smartphone

The photo editing apps for beginners in this article all work on your desktop. However, there are times when you might need to edit photos on your smartphone.

To learn about some of the options available, check out our articles listing the best photo editors for Android and the best photo editors for iOS.

Read the full article: 10 Easy-to-Use Photo Editing Programs for Newbie Photographers

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The 5 Best Social Alarm Apps to Help You Get Out of Bed

FTC smacks down robocallers, but the penalties don’t match their heinous crimes

The fight against robocallers is just getting started, and the wheel of justice turns slowly, but the FTC just took down a handful of major operations responsible for billions of unwanted calls, some of them adding additional fraud to the mix. The money coming out of the cases is surprisingly small, however — but there’s a reason for that.

In an announcement yesterday, the FTC said it had taken down four operations: NetDotSolutions, which did all kinds of marketing with a custom mass dialing platform; Higher Goals Marketing, which promised fake debt relief; Pointbreak Media, which threatened to delist companies from Google unless they paid; Veterans of America, AKA Saving Our Soldiers, AKA Act of Valor, whose creator Travis Deloy Peterson deserves a special place in hell for scamming people trying to donate vehicles to vets.

Together they accounted for some two billion calls, which in the context of the five billion made every month may seem to be a drop in the bucket, but at this point even a slight reduction is welcome.

FCC tells carriers they must adopt a system to detect scam robocalls by next year

What is less heartening is the scale of the penalties. Although the cases resulted in judgments totaling some 24 million dollars, the actual amount the scammers will end up paying will end up closer to $3-4 million. One scammer whose judgments totaled more than $5 million will be suspended when he pays just $18,332 — and whatever comes from the sale of his shiny new Mercedes.

I talked with an FTC spokesperson about why this is the case. They explained that the judgment amount is essentially a ceiling defined by how much consumer harm was done, but most times the defendants have nowhere near that much available as money or assets. You can only get as much as they have, and sometimes that’s not a lot.

Especially in Florida, they went on, where the Homestead rule means that houses can’t be seized in these proceedings — meaning a robocall scammer based in the state could make 10 million bucks, drop it all on a house, and then declare they have no assets when the FTC or whoever comes knocking. This seems likely to be the case with Mr “I only have 18 grand and a 2017 Mercedes CLS” above, who is indeed a Floridian.

The FTC goes to great lengths to investigate and enumerate a defendant’s assets, but they can’t seize what isn’t there. In the case of a large company like Dish, a massive judgment like last year’s $180 million one may end up being paid in full — but individuals and small, fly-by-night businesses are considerably harder to pin down.

Even so, the agency collects quite a bit of cash to return to affected consumers, which should happen with the money here as well. You won’t see a dime just for getting annoyed by calls, though — you’d need to show that it was one of these companies and that they defrauded you, or attempted to.

More importantly, the people and companies in question are immediately shut down and the people involved forbidden from doing anything like this again. Consumer relief is the FTC’s goal, and if they chose to litigate, the case could be drawn out for years, all while the company and call network continues to operate or develops layers of insulation against the law.

You can read the full release and order documents at the FTC’s site — but be warned it may make you angry to hear about these slimeballs living the high life.

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Nuro CEO Dave Ferguson at TC Sessions: Mobility on July 10 in San Jose

Autonomous delivery startup Nuro, fresh with nearly $1 billion in capital from SoftBank, is bursting with ideas — as some recent patent filings (and our recent deep dive into the company) suggest. And we can’t wait to learn more about what Nuro has planned.

It’s only fitting that Nuro co-founder and CEO Dave Ferguson is our first announced guest for TechCrunch’s inaugural TC Sessions: Mobility, a one-day event on July 10, 2019 in San Jose, Calif., that’s centered around the future of mobility and transportation.

Ferguson has been working on robotics and machine learning for nearly two decades and is an early pioneer of self-driving vehicle technology. He led the planning group for Carnegie Mellon University’s team that won the DARPA Urban Grand Challenge in 2007.

Ferguson holds an MS and PhD in robotics from Carnegie Mellon and a bachelor’s in computer science and mathematics from the University of Otago. He went on to become a senior research scientist at Intel and then developed machine learning trading strategies at Two Sigma, an investment firm.

Ferguson, who has been awarded more than 100 patents, eventually headed to Google’s self-driving program, now known as Waymo, serving as the machine learning and computer vision team lead.

TC Sessions: Mobility will present a day of programming with the best and brightest founders, investors and technologists who are determined to inventing a future Henry Ford might never have imagined. TC Sessions: Mobility aims to do more than highlight the next new thing. We’ll dig into the how and why, the cost and impact to cities, people and companies, as well as the numerous challenges that lie along the way, from technological and regulatory to capital and consumer pressures.

Nuro was founded in June 2016 by Ferguson and another former Google engineer, Jiajun Zhu. Nuro completed its first Series A funding round in China just three months later, in a previously unreported deal that gave NetEase founder Ding Lei (aka William Ding) a seat on Nuro’s board.

In February, Nuro hit the big leagues with a whopping $940 million in financing from the SoftBank Vision Fund, capital that will be used to expand its delivery service, add new partners, hire employees and scale up its fleet of self-driving bots. The startup has raised more than $1 billion from partners, including SoftBank, Greylock Partners  and Gaorong Capital.

Nuro’s focus has been developing a self-driving stack and combining it with a custom unmanned vehicle designed for last-mile delivery of local goods and services. The vehicle has two compartments that can fit up to six grocery bags each. Nuro’s aspirations don’t stop there.

A recent patent application details how its R1 self-driving vehicle could carry smaller robots to cross lawns or climb stairs to drop off packages. The company has even taken the step of trademarking the name “Fido” for delivery services.

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Ocean drone startup merger spawns SoFar, the DJI of the sea

What lies beneath the murky depths? SolarCity co-founder Peter Rive wants to help you and the scientific community find out. He’s just led a $7 million Series A for SoFar Ocean Technologies, a new startup formed from a merger he orchestrated between underwater drone maker OpenROV and sea sensor developer Spoondrift. Together, they’re teaming up their 1080p Trident drone and solar-powered Spotter sensor to let you collect data above and below the surface. They can help you shoot awesome video footage, track waves and weather, spot fishing and diving spots, inspect boats or infrastructure for damage, monitor acquaculture sites, or catch smugglers.

SoFar’s Trident drone (left) and Spotter sensor (right)

“Aerial drones give us a different perspective of something we know pretty well. Ocean drones give us a view at something we don’t really know at all” former Spoondrift and now SoFar CEO Tim Janssen tells me. “The Trident drone was created for field usage by scientists and is now usable by anyone. This is pushing the barrier towards the unknown.”

But while Rive has a soft-spot for the ecological potential of DIY ocean exploration, the sea is crowded with competing drones. There are more expensive professional research-focused devices like the Saildrone, DeepTrekker, and SeaOtter-2 as well as plenty of consumer-level devices like the $800 Robosea Biki, $1000 Fathom ONE, and $5000 iBubble. The $1700 SoFar Trident, which requires a cord to a surface buoy to power its 3 hours of dive time and 2 meters per second speed, sits in the middle of the pack, but SoFar co-founder David Lang things Trident can win with simplicity, robustness, and durability. The question is whether SoFar can become the DJI of the water, leading the space, or if it will become just another commoditized hardware maker drowning in knock-offs.

From left: Peter Rive (Chairman of Sofar), David Lang (Co-founder of OpenRov), and Tim Janssen (Co-founder & CEO of Sofar)

Spoondrift had launched in 2016 and raised $350,000 to build affordable ocean sensors that can produce climate tracking data. “These buoys (Spotters) are surprisingly easy to deploy, very light and easy to handle, and can be lowered in the water by hand using a line. As a result, you can deploy them in almost any kind of conditions” says Dr. Aitana Forcén-Vázquez of MetOcean Solutions.

OpenROV (it stands for Remotely Operated Vehicle) started seven years ago and had raised $1.3 million in funding from True Ventures and National Geographic, which was also one of its biggest Trident buyers. “Everyone who has a boat should have an underwater drone for hull inspection. Any dock should have its own weather station with wind and weather sensors” SoFar’s new chairman Rive declares.

Spotter could unlock data about the ocean at scale

SoFar will need scale to accomplish Rive’s mission to get enough sensors in the sea to give us more data on the progress of climate change and other ecological issues. “We know very little about our oceans since we have so little data because putting systems in the ocean is extremely expensive. It can cost millions for sensors and for boats” he tells me. We gave everyone GPS sensors and cameras and got better maps. The ability to put low-cost sensors on citizens’ rooftops unlocked tons of weather forecasting data. That’s more feasible with Spotter, which costs $4900 compared to $100,000 for some sea sensors.

SoFar hardware owners do not have to share data back to the startup, but Rive say many customers are eager to. They’ve requested better data portability so they can share with fellow researchers. The startup believes it can find ways to monetize that data in the future, which is partly what attracted the funding from Rive plus fellow investors True Ventures and David Sacks’ Craft Ventures. The funding will build up that data business and also help SoFar develop safeguards to make sure its Trident drones don’t go where they shouldn’t. That obviously important given London’s airport shutdown due to a trespassing drone.

Spotter can relay weather conditions and other climate data to your phone

“The ultimate mission of the company is to connect humanity to the ocean as we’re mostly conservationists at heart” Rive concludes. “As more commercialization and business opportunities arise, we’ll have to have conversations about whether those are directly benefiting the ocean. It will be important to have our moral compass facing in the right direction to protect the earth.”

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