Google began rolling out end-to-end encryption at the end of last year for select Google Messages beta users who have enabled Chat, Google’s implementation of RCS. End-to-end encryption ensures that conversations stay encrypted from when they leave your smartphone, to when they arrive at the other end. There is no server-side decryption, meaning that data can’t be collected in the middle from the servers that pass your messages along. This is a selling point of many texting applications like Signal as it’s a major step towards ensuring the privacy of a user, and now it’s finally rolling out to more users who use Google Messages.

Of course, until either RCS (Rich Communications Services) or iMessage is available across both Android and iOS, neither will be a solution to universal messaging or replacing SMS. Ironically, as I understand it, both depend on Tim Apple! RCS needs to be a standard independent of just Google alone as we've seen how many times Google changes its mind over messaging apps, and having iMessage controlled by a single company is also not a universal solution.

See Encrypted messaging is now available for more users in Google Messages

#technology #RCS #E2EE #instantmessaging

End-to-end encrypted messaging is now rolling out to more users in Google Messages, giving RCS another advantage over SMS.

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https://gadgeteer.co.za/end-end-encrypted-rcs-chat-messaging-now-available-more-users-google-messages

Do people want an app specifically for discovering events and messaging as a group? That’s the bet behind IRL, a young social network that has been quietly growing over the past year and just attracted an eye-popping amount of money to take on Facebook.

The two-year-old startup is betting that a post-pandemic world will fuel its mission to help people “do more together,” usually by meeting up in real life — you know, IRL. The idea has attracted the deep pockets of the Japanese tech conglomerate SoftBank, which is the biggest investor in a new $170 million round of funding that values IRL at roughly $1 billion.

It is a much simpler interface without all the clutter that Facebook has. It seems to revolve around posting to Events and Groups (not Profile walls), with Groups just have a simplistic chronological chat stream with text, photos, polls and emojis (a bit like a modern IRC). But I get that most people will want to focus on the actual chat with their friends, so really a hundred 3rd party add-ons is not what most people are after.

So a lot will depend on what their monetisation vs privacy there finally is. We actually don't lack options for alternatives to Facebook but it's more about what ends up going really viral with traction as all the existing alternatives are actually going well in their own rights already.

See IRL is a new social network taking on Facebook groups

#technology #socialnetwork #alternativeto #IRL #deletefacebook

"We’re building Facebook groups and events for the generation that doesn’t use Facebook."

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https://gadgeteer.co.za/irl-real-life-new-social-network-taking-facebook-groups-softbank-backed-social-network-already-has

Gaming peripheral company Turtle Beach announced at E3 2021 that it’s getting into a new product category: flight sim hardware. The company is launching the VelocityOne Flight system for $350, and it’s compatible with PC and Xbox consoles via USB. And, for a first effort in this competitive space, it seems like a very comprehensive offering and a decent value if you’re into playing Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020.

The VelocityOne Flight was made in collaboration with aeronautical engineers and pilots to provide a realistic flight experience. It has a 180-degree yoke handle with rear rudder controls for easy access. To its right, there’s a modular throttle quadrant with an integrated trim wheel, as well as both vernier-style and lever controls (with swappable tops for prop and jet planes). All in all, Turtle Beach says the VelocityOne Flight features 12 analogue axes, two POV switches, two four-way HAT switches, and 18 extra buttons that can be mapped to your liking.

See Turtle Beach is making dedicated flight sim hardware for PC and Xbox consoles

#technology #gaming #flightsim #hardware

It’s also releasing a new audio-focused controller for Xbox.

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https://gadgeteer.co.za/turtle-beach-making-dedicated-flight-sim-hardware-pc-and-xbox-consoles-350

A breakdown of what the article covers:
* An AI controlled videoing assistant for when you don't have a dedicated camera person
* A laptop shell with a functional full HD touch display, keyboard, and touchpad that is powered by plugging in an Android phone
* A natural wood horn speaker that amplifies your smartphone’s sound
* An adaptor to let wired headphones connect to the USB/Lightning port on Android and iPhones
* A handy smart sports ring that comes with a joystick which allows you to control various functions on your smartphone or other connected Bluetooth devices from your finger
* Clip-on lens for camera
* Clip-on microscope
* A powerful but compact soft LED light with a clamp for easily attaching to your smartphone, tablet, or laptop
* A gamepad for Android and iOS snaps onto the back and sides of your smartphone
* Haptic sneakers are designed to provide a “full body sound experience” with 360-degree vibrations around the foot (really?)

See 10 useful smartphone gadgets — from microscopes to haptic sneakers

#technology #gadgets #smartphones

From attachable camera lenses to gamepad controllers, there is a myriad of strange and useful gadgets available for your smartphone.

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https://gadgeteer.co.za/10-useful-smartphone-gadgets-microscopes-haptic-sneakers

"I offered to self-fund a Raspberry Pi and Python programming course in our local public library system. The Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Library system accepted my proposal, and the co-central library in Olean, N.Y., offered to fund my program. The library purchased five Raspberry Pi 400 units, Micro-HDMI-to-VGA adapters, and inline power adapters, and the library system's IT department loaned us five VGA monitors."

Which goes to show that innovation and learning can be done without expensive technologies.

See How I teach Python on the Raspberry Pi 400 at the public library

#technology #programming #python #learning #raspberrypi #opensource

After a long and tough year, I've been looking forward to once again sharing my love of Python and open source software with other people, especially middle and high school students. Before the pandemic, I co-wrote a grant to teach Python programming to middle school students using Raspberry Pi computers. Like many other plans, COVID-19 put mine on hold for over a year. Fortunately, vaccines and the improved health in my state, New York, have changed the dynamic.

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https://gadgeteer.co.za/learning-how-program-python-can-be-done-just-raspberry-pi-computers

Beyond tensions of privacy and security, we are witnessing today a real confrontation between control and freedom, not only of the individual, but of entire populations and regions, enhanced by technologies and massive collection and analysis of data—from predicting and influencing behaviours, to the automation of public services and the ability to fully control and disrupt those services, even remotely. From gaining access to a global communications platform to losing the ability to protect the rights of those who are interconnected through those platforms. Are we witnessing a new form of digital colonialism?

Several governments rely on communications infrastructure that are completely located in the cloud (i.e., in foreign data centres under foreign-applicable laws). Furthermore, those services are provided under constantly changing terms of use and arbitrary suspension of services. The problem is not only about dependency on a foreign provider or applicable laws to digital data; the problem is also about the absence of public policies to address the issue at all levels. The situation of digital domination, close to colonialism, still fails to fill the top priorities of the global political agenda. Almost forty years after the invention of the Internet, the ability of politicians and social leaders to understand the dimensions of the problem still falls short.

Never before has a small sector had so much power over the entire World, to monitor the present and predict future behaviours of not just individuals, but entire populations. The problem is more alarming when we consider how the public and private sectors are merging in joint ventures in a quest for global domination, penetrating every government, every citizen movement, mediating every action in every connected person’s life through digital devices and data collection.

This article is quite an eye opener on the power of technology to literally sway politics and to create dependencies like we've never seen before. It also lays bare some of the dependencies around the adoption of cloud computing by governments.

See Digital sovereignty or digital colonialism? - Sur - International Journal on Human Rights

#technology #digitalcolonialism #digitalsovereignty #cloudservices #digitaldivide

New tensions of privacy, security and national policies

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https://gadgeteer.co.za/digital-sovereignty-or-digital-colonialism-beware-adoption-new-tech-massive-scale-does-not-create

The man pages, short for reference manual pages, are your keys to Linux. Everything you want to know is there – take it all in an run with it.
The collection of documents will never win a Pulitzer prize, but the set is quite accurate and complete. The man pages are the primary source and that authority is well-known.

At first glance, the pages may look incomplete but, believe it or not, the man pages aren’t designed to hide information from you – it’s just that there is so much information that the pages have to be structured and information is given in the most brief form possible. The explanations are rather spartan and they will take some getting used to, but once you get the hang of using them, you’ll see how useful they actually are.

See Understanding man Pages in Linux [Beginner's Guide]

#technology #linux #reference #help #opensource

The man pages, short for reference manual pages, are your keys to Linux. Understanding the man pages could be challenging. This guide will help you.

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https://gadgeteer.co.za/rtfm-how-read-and-understand-fantastic-man-pages-linux

South Africans who cannot afford a fully-fledged backup power system have a range of cheaper options available that can keep certain key appliances powered during load-shedding.

Eskom has warned that load-shedding will likely be necessary throughout winter (and we all know for the next few years actually) and recently implemented stage 4 load-shedding yesterday evening.

If you simply want to keep your Internet working while connecting via battery-powered devices such as a laptop or smartphone, then your best option is a small uninterruptible power supply (UPS) or power bank with a DC port. The power consumption of your Wi-Fi router will be the important factor to consider, and in the case of fibre connections, the optical network terminal (ONT) as well.

Some good cheaper options listed at Cheapest backup power options for load-shedding

#technology #southafrica #loadshedding #UPS #batterybackup

South Africans who cannot afford a fully-fledged backup power system have a range of cheaper options available that can keep certain key appliances powered during load-shedding.

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https://gadgeteer.co.za/relevant-again-south-africans-if-youve-still-not-made-plan-cheapest-backup-power-options-load

On Wednesday, El Salvador’s president signed into law a proposal to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender, making the Central American nation the first in the world to officially use the cryptocurrency.

The new law says that companies must accept Bitcoin as a form of payment, and the government will allow people to pay taxes with it as well. The exchange rate with the dollar will be set by the market, and exchanges from dollars to Bitcoin won’t be subject to capital gains tax. The law was passed by a super majority vote of the legislature, with 62 of 84 deputies assenting.
President Nayib Bukele said the new law would make it easier for Salvadorans living abroad to send remittances back to friends and family in the country.

Well it is very forward-thinking, and adopting a cryptocurrency in theory is fine (other banks are also looking at it), but Bitcoin itself is quite volatile, and generally a country wants predictability around its currency. An advantage for remittances I suppose it not having to make use of expensive international banking transfer systems.

See Bitcoin now legal tender in El Salvador, first nation to adopt cryptocurrency

#technology #bitcoin #cryptocurrency #elsalvador

Central American nation hopes to lower remittance costs and boost investment.

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https://gadgeteer.co.za/bitcoin-now-legal-tender-el-salvador-first-nation-adopt-cryptocurrency-what-could-possibly-go-wrong

If you’ve been following the world of mobile phone technology of late, you may be aware that Apple’s latest IPhones and AirTag locator tags bring something new to that platform. Ultra wideband radios are the new hotness when it comes to cellphones, so just what are they, and what’s in it for those of us who experiment with these things?

The real trick up the sleeve for UWB comes not in its data transfer capabilities but in location services, because it allows the synthesis of extremely short RF pulses on the order of a fraction of a nanosecond by combining frequencies across that wide bandwidth. These pulses can be used for extremely accurate time-of-flight measurements between transmitter and receiver, allowing for the distance between them to be determined to an accuracy of a few centimeters. In a system such as Apple AirTags where a tag is likely to have visibility to more than one UWB-equipped Apple product, it can then be used for triangulation with several sources, and thus for accurate 2D and 3D positioning.

See What Is Ultra Wideband?

#technology #hardware #RF #ultrawideband #UWB

If you’ve been following the world of mobile phone technology of late, you may be aware that Apple’s latest IPhones and AirTag locator tags bring something new to that platform. Ultra w…

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https://gadgeteer.co.za/what-ultra-wideband-and-why-it-good-location-services

It requires the use of your smartphone, however, which is not only inconvenient, but can be a problem if your phone is lost or breached. Hardware security keys can offer an additional layer of security to password-protected online accounts and, in turn, your identity. They’re also not hard to install. Here’s how to set them up for your Google account, Facebook, and Twitter.

When you insert a security key into your computer or connect one wirelessly, your browser issues a challenge to the key, which includes the domain name of the specific site you are trying to access. The key then cryptographically signs and allows the challenge, logging you in to the service.

Many sites support U2F security keys, including Twitter, Facebook, Google, Instagram, GitHub, Dropbox, Electronic Arts, Epic Games, Microsoft account services, Nintendo, Okta, Reddit, and many more.

See how to set up and use them at How to use a two-factor security key

#technology #security #hardware #2FA

Security keys add an extra layer of safety to your accounts.

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https://gadgeteer.co.za/how-use-hardware-two-factor-security-key-two-factor-authentication-good-way-add-extra-layer

Why should you buy a Mechanical Keyboard? Cheaper keyboards usually incorporate a rubber-dome or a membrane switch system wherein a keypress pushes onto a silicone dome, connecting the circuit to register what the user is typing. These often require a large amount of force for actuation and give off mushy feedback due to the silicon underneath. These are relatively silent and don’t offer audible feedback, while the overall lifespan of the keys is also comparatively shorter.

When you press a key on a mechanical keyboard, an actual physical switch, including a spring-based pushback mechanism, comes into play. Depending on the type of key switch, you get a certain tactile or linear feedback as you type along. While that in itself makes a huge difference, these switches also last really long, with certain manufacturers claiming up to 50-80 million keystrokes.

In short, mechanical keyboards offer a longer shelf life, and you can expect a much better typing experience thanks to the wide variety of switch options.

Glad to see Redragon getting a mention as I've been using mine for a few years without any issues.

See Best Mechanical Keyboards in 2021: Corsair, Logitech, Razer, and more

#technology #hardware #keyboards

Check out some of the best mechanical keybaords that you should be buying this year, ranging from full-size to compact 60%.

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https://gadgeteer.co.za/these-are-best-mechanical-keyboards-buy-corsair-logitech-razer-and-more

This is something I've been looking for on iOS for a while now. It fits the scenario where you are sitting in a restaurant using your mobile hotspot and then leave it behind. Android's Tasker app would do this for any Bluetooth or WiFi connected device.

In that way AirTag separation alerts would be better as they can be attached to anything, not just working with WiFi or Bluetooth lost connections. I'm still surprised that Apple Shortcuts did not provide this simple functionality. But AirTag separation alerts can now potentially work for your keys, bag, your kids, etc that are AirTagged.

A simple but really quite essential functionality for early warning.

See New Separation Alerts in iOS 15 Let You Know If You Leave an AirTag or Apple Device Behind

#technology #airtag #findmy #iOS #lost

Apple in iOS 15 is adding new Separation Alerts to the Find My app, which will let you know if you leave an Apple device, a device attached to an AirTag, or a Find My-enabled third-party device behind.

For any item in the Find My app, whether it's an AirTag or an Apple device, you can tap into...

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https://gadgeteer.co.za/new-separation-alerts-ios-15-let-you-know-if-you-leave-airtag-or-apple-device-behind-bit-how

Sometimes the answer isn't 'Going Big'. Rather than build new centralized platforms that will inevitably fail in proportion to their user base. Choose 'protocols' that can naturally scale and deliver the best for every person. Smaller tight knit communities 'on your own terms' that are user-first is the future of social media. Facebook's goal is not to 'connect the world' their true goals lie in their business model 'to sell your data to advertisers'.

The Fediverse tries to put social networking back into your hands, just like email and websites - it's based on the #ActivityPub protocol that's internationally accepted and works according to your needs and not to some advertiser's! Pick any server or host your own. You can set the rules.

The irony of it is that this drive by governments to want to try control privately owned centralised social networks, will very likely increase the move to smaller more decentralised and federated social networks, in much the same way the laws of economics drive markets around the world based on supply and demand. The options are already all there and being used by many around the world. IRC for example is over 30 years old and still going strong. It's the reason that Mastodon came out of nowhere and is so busy today too.

Watch at Twitter is NOT public resource | Join the Fediverse - Federated, Decentralized Social Media



#technology #socialmedia #censorship #fediverse #decentralisation

Sometimes the answer isn't 'Going Big'. Rather than build new centralized platforms that will inevitably fail in proportion to their user base. Choose 'protocols' that can naturally scale and deliver ...

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https://gadgeteer.co.za/what-indian-and-nigerian-governments-should-have-told-their-citizens-rather-trying-control-twitter

SCOTUS limits core anti-hacking law in Van Buren decision

Source: https://www.protocol.com/supreme-court-van-buren

In a narrow interpretation of the law, the #court essentially interpreted the #CFAA as a prohibition on breaking into a #computer system, whether that's as an outside #hacker or as an authorized user breaking into some gated part of that system.

"This provision covers those who obtain information from particular areas in the computer—such as files, folders, or databases—to which their computer access does not extend," the majority opinion reads. "It does not cover those who, like #VanBuren, have improper motives for obtaining information that is otherwise available to them."

Now remember the case of #AaronSchwartz. He downloaded the files with his normal access rights and did not commit any #crime according to the decision above. Nevertheless, he was investigated, which led to his suicide. Unfortunately, this will probably have no #consequences for the #prosecution.

#justice #usa #law #technology #information #news #security #access #police

Which is why healthy competition is absolutely essential in the market otherwise we'd be where we were a year or five ago...
It’s going to get harder for Android apps to track users who’ve opted out of receiving personalized ads, the Financial Times reports, after Google announced changes to how it’ll handle the unique device identifiers that allow marketers to track them between apps. Starting later this year, Google is cutting off access to these “Advertising IDs” after a user opts out, and will show developers a “string of zeros” in its place.

The news was announced in an email to Play Store developers, and Google has also updated its support page for Advertising IDs with the announcement. Google told developers the changes will “provide users with more control over their data, and help bolster security and privacy,” the Financial Times reports.

Google’s support page still refers to the decision to stop ad tracking as an “opt-out” process, while Apple’s changes effectively make tracking an opt-in decision, because we all know most users leave settings at their default ">

See Google is making it harder for Android apps to track you once you’ve opted out

#technology #tracking #advertising #privacy #google

The changes will start rolling out later this year.

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https://gadgeteer.co.za/google-making-it-harder-android-apps-track-you-once-youve-opted-out-advertising-ids-will-be

President Cyril Ramaphosa signed the Cybercrimes Act into law on Tuesday, introducing new laws that criminalise the sending of certain types of harmful messages on social media in South Africa.

Penalties for sending such messages include imprisonment for up to three years and/or a fine.

The Cybercrimes Act defines three types of harmful messages that have been criminalised in South Africa. They are messages which:
* Incite damage to property or violence.
* Threaten people with damage to property or violence.
* Unlawfully contain an intimate image.

The news headline is incorrect as it does not only apply to WhatsApp but to any social media. Actually it is not restricted to only social networks, but refers to any electronic communication network. The actual transgressions are not really new as the first two types are anyway transgressing the Constitution, and the third one is just more specifically classifying this Constitutional violation for easier prosecution.

See Three types of WhatsApp messages can now land you in jail in South Africa

#technology #southafrica #socialmedia

President Cyril Ramaphosa signed the Cybercrimes Act into law on Tuesday, which has made it a criminal offence to circulate certain types of harmful messages on social media.

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https://gadgeteer.co.za/south-africas-cybercrimes-act-now-law-prohibiting-publishing-three-types-messages-any-social-media

Interoperability is the technical term for what we’ve lost as tech has matured. Software can be interoperable, either through common, open file formats, or through different programs speaking directly to one another, and so too can hardware: open standards are what allow you to use any headphones with any music player, for instance, or buy a TV without worrying if it will work with your streaming set-up, or send an e-mail to another person on a different mail system.

It was a hard-fought victory. Think, for instance, of the hassle of receiving a text document a few years back. Not only would you be lucky to be able to open it using a different program from the one that made it – you would frequently need to have exactly the same version of the program, or face issues (like with Microsoft documents).

“There’s a ton of issues here,” says Ari Lightman, professor of digital media and marketing at Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz College in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, “but I think one of the major ones is economics. As data becomes more of an asset, it becomes difficult to exchange that data across multiple different parties in an ecosystem, because they’re monetising that asset. And there’s also a lot of stipulations associated with what happens should there be a violation.”

There is no easy solution apart from saying there are often global open standards that can be used but if a vendor does not want to use those standards, and consumers are actively using their proprietary standards, then that vendor has complete control of the consumers experience and not much is going to change.

The Internet itself would not exist without open standards, neither would any usable e-mail, nor cellphones, nor USB devices, etc, but it's very much a competition right now with how much restriction a vendor can place on their users without the users deserting them... did I hear anyone say WhatsApp terms and conditions?

See Gadgets have stopped working together, and it’s becoming an issue

#technology #interoperability #openstandards

Our reliance on technology means ever more devices and apps and ever less interoperability – and the ubiquity of Apple hasn’t helped

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https://gadgeteer.co.za/sobering-read-gadgets-have-stopped-working-together-and-its-becoming-issue

When we install a Linux distribution, we see that a number of directories are created. These created directories may be the same or partially different on various Linux distributions. You might know about the directory structures and what purpose they serve, instead of blindly searching around for something.

A lot of configuration files also sit in the user's home directory under .config or .local. I also recall hearing a while back that the /usr directory which is commonly thought to be named for 'user' in fact does not stand for that at all, as it was used as a general purpose directory originally.

Another famous saying I remember from my Linux course days was "everything is a file" in Linux so a directory is also just a type of file, and that makes it easier to understand why and how the permissions work.

See Linux Directory structure explained : A reference guide - LinuxTechLab

#technology #linux #reference

Consider Linux Directory structure explained with this article. We will start out this article with the Linux directories/partitions that are

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https://gadgeteer.co.za/linux-directory-structure-explained-reference-guide

Developers of the open source organization Freenode are quitting en masse after Andrew Lee, a tech entrepreneur and the Crown Prince of Korea, has taken control of the network in what developers are describing as a "hostile takeover."

Freenode was founded in 1994 and has since become the largest free and open source project that runs Internet Relay Chat (or IRC) networks, which were once hugely popular and are still an important internet chat protocol. It has traditionally been run by volunteers and has amassed "90,000 users and just shy of 50,000 registered channels," according to the organization's official website. While it is not as popular as it used to be, it is still a key site for free software project coordination.

The new Libera Chat is described as a next-generation IRC network for FOSS and peer directed projects, formed as a nonprofit organisation where all its staff has equal representation at the table to safeguard its future.

See Developers Flee Open Source Project After ‘Takeover’ By Korean Crown Prince

#technology #IRC #liberachat #freenode #opensource

Developers of the popular open source network Freenode are quitting en masse and accusing Andrew Lee, the Crown Prince of Korea, of a “hostile takeover” of the organization.

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https://gadgeteer.co.za/devs-open-source-freenode-irc-internet-relay-chat-have-quit-and-launched-libera-chat-thousands

The nitty gritty is that using the Facebook app itself to post photos to Facebook does the removal of the location data (because only shares from Apple Photos itself strips out the location data) but replaces it with Facebook block codes which it still uses to pinpoint your location for advertising.

Facebook generates almost all its revenue from digital advertising—targeting ads by harvesting as much data from you and about you as it can. “Facebook marketing is generally dominated by iOS,” one ad industry article laments, “it’s pretty safe to assume Facebook has lost at least half their data, arguably the most valuable half.” All of which means that Facebook will be doing ever more with the data that remains.

The linked article gives a few suggestions to try as well as an app that can help create duplicate photos for uploading without location data. These photos can be used for uploading to any other social media site.

See Facebook Tracks Your iPhone Location—This Is How To Stop It

#technology #privacy #facebook #ios

If you think Facebook can no longer track your iPhone, then you're wrong...

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https://gadgeteer.co.za/facebook-tracks-your-iphone-location-photo-uploads-even-when-exif-info-stripped-facebook-how-stop

CutefishOS is based on Manjaro Linux fueled by its in-house desktop environment called Cutefish Desktop Environment (CDE). It looks similar to JingOS made for tablets and computers with touch input and JingPad A1.

Design-wise, the OS resembles macOS and iPadOS a lot. Heck! Even the PulseAudio sound control app has the Apple Music logo on it, with the only difference being a gear embedded in the logo. Well, it’s in the beta unstable state, and I think it’s too early to comment on anything at this point as everything is very unpolished.

Being Linux you could go and replicate the similar theming to an existing distro, but this is really intended for those who like the macOS type appearance, who like rolling distros, and who want to try Manjaro as well.

See Meet CutefishOS: A New Manjaro Community Spin That Looks Like macOS

#technology #opensource #linux #manjaro #CutefishOS #macos

There are two main Manjaro versions - Official and Community. Today marks the release of another Manjaro community edition release CutefishOS.

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https://gadgeteer.co.za/meet-cutefishos-new-manjaro-community-spin-looks-macos-you-could-adapt-your-existing-linux-distro