Mac Attack

The attack on Mac

 

Malware threats and viruses targeting Apple Mac computers are at an all-time high and are rising dramatically.

One of the biggest selling points for Macs have always been that they have ‘no viruses’, and while this is not exactly true, it is true that they have much, much less viruses than Windows computers. However, it looks as if this is changing; so far in 2015 there have been five times more malware threats targeting Mac computers than there were in the last five years combined.

The reason for this massive surge in malware is most likely that Mac computers are more popular than ever before, making them a more suitable target for attacks.

And while this is still a small amount of malware compared to the number is targeting Windows computers, it’s probably a good time to get some antivirus software running on your Mac.

Popular technology blog Tom’s Guide has recently published their list of the best antivirus software for Macs. They awarded the Best Overall Mac Antivirus award to German antivirus company Avira. Avira’s Free Antivirus for Mac has had over 400 million installs worldwide, and the software offers protection from viruses as well as stopping you from unknowingly helping to spread PC viruses.

Visit Avira’s website to set up free antivirus protection.

Read more about the malware attacks at Business Insider.

Have you ever had any malware problems with your Mac? Was the supposed immunity to viruses one of the reasons you chose a Mac?

 

App of the month

App of the month November

 

Bring out the DIY-er inside you, whether you’re a woodworker, chef, engineer or anything else. Also, find the cheapest flights possible with the app of the month.

Instructables

A popular website and app, Instructables is the king of DIY tutorials on the internet. With over 100,000 DIY step-by-step guides, it’s the best place to get started with some fun projects – and there are plenty that are suitable for entertaining grandkids. The vast selection of tutorials cover everything from a 3D printed underwater camera case, to a wall-hangingvertical vegetable garden. Do you love the feeling of making something with your own hands?

To begin browsing and building, get the app for free on iPhone, iPad and Android, or you canvisit the website.

Skyscanner

If you’re a heavy traveller, this website and recently updated app could save you a lot when it comes to purchasing plane tickets. Simply enter your local airport and your destination, and when you wish to travel. Skyscanner will then crunch the numbers and search for prices from hundreds of different airlines, showing you the cheapest ones for the dates you chose.

If you really want to stretch your budget, you can even check for the cheapest flights over a whole month, or let Skyscanner determine the cheapest month of the year for you. You can also set options to look for direct flights only, sort results by the amount of stopovers and more.

Available for free on iPhone, iPad and Android, or you can visit the website.  

 

Cyber Crime

Cybercrime affects one in four

 

The 2015 Cybercrime and Fraud Report released by credit information and analysis company Veda has revealed that one in four Australians now claim to be the victim of identity theft or fraud. Many more are likely to have been affected without being aware of a security breach.

The report illustrates how criminals are becoming more tech savvy, with 50 per cent of credit application fraud now occurring online – up 33 per cent from last year. Furthermore, credit applications involving identity takeovers in Australia increased by 59 per cent over the past two years.

While 70 per cent of Australians are worried about putting information online, Veda’s head of cybercrime Fiona Long points out that “fewer than one in two Australians (44 per cent) regularly change their online passwords and only 66 per cent use secure web pages (https) when transacting online.  Almost one third (32 per cent) of Australians publish their full birth date on social networking sites, which is a key piece of personal information used to verify someone’s identity.”

“Most people think that simple and accessible online measures are effective in preventing their personal data from being stolen, but few people actually do basic things to mitigate the risk of identity fraud.  As fraudsters get more sophisticated, consumers need to get smarter about how they protect their personal information such as passwords, personal details and financial information,” she added.

Ms Long also noted that stealing credit cards is no longer the number-one priority for most sophisticated criminals, with a full identity takeover now the main goal. Identity crimes cost the Australian economy $2 billion a year with an additional $350 million spent on preventing and responding to these crimes.

Read more from www.veda.com.au

Read more from www.theage.com.au

Opinion: Common sense will keep you safe

Technological advancements have dramatically changed the world in which we live over the past decade, with almost every essential service or product being managed, accessed or purchased online. And our reliance on technology will only increase in the coming years.

The pleasing statistic to emerge from Veda’s 2015 Cybercrime and Fraud Report is that 90 per cent of respondents had anti-virus software installed on their computer, a much higher percentage than in previous reports. For the average home user, an anti-virus program, even a free version, is the first and only line of defence in preventing malware from installing itself on their computer and stealing critical information. If you don’t have an anti-virus program installed, I recommend you read Ryan’s review on the top three anti-virus programs for PC or MAC and install one today.

I wasn’t surprised to read that just 44 per cent of Australians change their online passwords regularly. My recommendation is that you update your passwords at least once every year and always make sure the password used for your main email account is different from any other account you use online.

Criminals will continue to target Australians through new and improved spam emails claiming to be from government departments, banks or even your local post office. Never open an email from someone you don’t recognise and be especially careful in regards to the attachments you open and links you click.

Finally, and most importantly, my oft-repeated phrase when talking about cybercrime is this: if it sounds too good to be true, it is.

 

Apple Pay

Apple Pay is on the way

 

After launching in the United States over a year ago, Apple Pay is finally set to launch in Australia this year.

What is it?

Apple Pay is an app that allows you to use your iPhone to make credit or debit card payments in person, simply by tapping your phone to an EFTPOS machine and verifying your fingerprint on your iPhone.

This is possible due to Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, which has become a common feature of smartphones over the last few years.

A little late to the game, Apple has begun including NFC in its iPhones as of last year’s iPhone 6. With this, it launched Apple Pay in the United States and then later in the United Kingdom.

Why has it taken so long to come to Australia?

While Apple Pay sounds like a very convenient payment method, there is a catch: Apple wants a slice of the interchange fees that banks charge. These fees amount to $2 billion dollars annually in Australia and the banks want to keep it in their pockets.

You’re probably thinking that Apple charging a fee is reasonable, and it certainly is, but when the competition (Android devices) has been letting you use their NFC technology free of charge for years, why would you pay this newcomer to let you use theirs?

In spite of this, Apple seems to have found someone willing to pay them to use their new app in Australia: American Express. This opens up an opportunity for American Express to advertise with Apple, which will both show off the convenience of the new payment method to entice new customers and pressure competing banks into giving in to Apple’s fees.

What’s the bottom line?

NFC technology is a fantastic tool that, if implemented properly, could allow for your smartphone to replace most of the cards in your wallet and more; and it’s becoming more and more common worldwide. BMW has NFC-enabled car keys, and some places allow you to pay parking tickets and public transport with NFC technology. While NFC cameras allow you to wirelessly share photos with other devices and many hotel key cards use NFC technology.

Imagine if all of these functions could be performed by your smartphone.

A smartphone that can get you onto your flight, into your hotel room, pay for your rental car then unlock the car door and more, is a smartphone truly worthy of its name. But this will never happen until everyone can reasonably access NFC technology, and it’s for this reason that I personally hope that the banks hold out on accepting Apple’s fees to encourage them to let developers use NFC free of charge, just as Google does.

 

Tablet Gadget

Your tablet’s new travel partner

 

 

So it’s not an essential travel gadget but it’s still pretty damn clever and will make your life easier.

This one’s for anyone with an iPad. In a nutshell, the iBed is a beanbag for your iPad that lets you display your device and also provides you with a handy tray. Designed so you can use your iPad more easily in bed, on the couch, on a plane, bus or train – you get the picture.

Filled with microbeads to make sure it’s comfortable if you’re resting it on your lap, the tray features a slot where you place your tablet, you can then read or watch your device with your hands free for other more important tasks, such as eating and drinking. Speaking of which, the iBed also has a non-slip surface so you can place drinks and plates on it without worrying you’ll end up wearing their contents.

Equal parts functional and stylish, it’s the perfect partner for your tablet on your next trip, whether that involves leaving the house or not!

RRP: $21.47 plus shipping from IWOOT

 

 

Video

Hi Blog Readers,

Sorry!  I was frustrated in all my attempts to send the video, so I’ve copied the link to the whole page. Hope you’re able to open the link & play the video.  Good luck!

Cheers, Joyce

 

 

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iOS9

(Sending video separately)

 

Top features for iOS 9

 

This video from MobileTechReview will give you a comprehensive run down of the best new features in iOS 9 for iPhone and iPad. 

 

Better battery life

No matter what the device is, anything can use a better battery life. iOS 9 brings your device approximately one hour of extra use before you need to recharge it. While it’s not a huge extension, it’s still handy. Those looking for even more battery life will be also be able to activate a new Low Power mode, which adds up to three more hours to your battery life by disabling some features. To enable low power mode, go to Settings > Battery and tap the slider next to Low Power Mode to turn it on.

Multitasking for iPad

Real multitasking for the iPad is finally here, after years of fruitless rumours and anticipation. Users will be able to run two apps side by side at the same time. Multitasking will also will allow you to run ‘Picture in Picture’ videos so you can watch videos or use FaceTime whilst browsing the web or using other apps. Unfortunately not all apps will be compatible with multitasking initially, but more and more will be over time.

Visit Apple’s iOS 9 page for some tips on getting multitasking up and running.

Siri’s been back to school

Apple’s personal assistant Siri has gotten some great improvements that will increase the accuracy of her understanding by 40 per cent and reduce the time it takes for her to respond by 40 per cent as well. You can also now ask her to remind you to do something related to a location – for example, saying “Siri could you remind me to take the bins out when I get home” will give you a notification to do so when you are close to home.

Incoming calls

When available, locations for incoming calls (sourced from area codes) are now shown, which may come in handy to tell the difference between another telemarketer and a friend or family member abroad. Siri may also be able to scan your recent emails when you are called by an unrecognised phone number and identify whom it belongs to.

More improvements

·         Notes now enables you to insert checklists, bullet points and numbered lists, as well as draw and sketch with virtual pens

·         maps now has a public transport view, but don’t hold your breath for Australian support

·         upgrades to device security, including the ability to set six-digit passcodes

·         a utility for moving all data and files from an Android device to an iPhone or iPad.
 

 

File Sizes

Do you know your file sizes?

 

Megabytes, gigabytes, terabytes. We hear these words thrown about like confetti during conversations about our computer’s speed and hard drive space, and how quickly we can download data. But what do these units of measure actually mean? Today, we put an end to the mystery with this handy guide to understanding file sizes.

Let’s start with bits. All the data on your computer is represented by binary digits or bits.

1 binary digit = 1 bit

1 byte = 8 bits

A byte is a sequence of bits, with eight bits of memory making up enough to represent one alphanumeric character, such as a single number or the letter ‘A’. Two bytes (or 16 bits) would make two characters; three bytes (or 24 bits) would make three characters, and so on. For example, the word goat is made up of four bytes (or 32 bits).

Below is a list of common file sizes, ranked small to large. The larger the information, the more bytes (memory and data) it requires to be stored by your computer.

For instance:

A Word document is around50–100KB

One songis around 2–10MB

One movie is around 8–20GB

When you purchase a computer, device or USB stick, the size of its hard drive will be specified. For instance, your computer may have a hard drive capacity of 160GB. This means you can store data (files, programs, music, movies and etcetera) within a 160 gigabyte limit.

Common file sizes (small to large):

These file sizes are ones you’re mostly likely to use.

1 kilobyte (KB) = 1024 bytes

1 megabyte (MB) = 1024 kilobytes

1 gigabyte (GB) = 1024 megabytes

1 terabyte (TB) = 1024 gigabytes

Larger file sizes:

These file sizes are rarely used, except by large-scale technology companies.

1 petabyte (PB) = 1024 terabytes

1 exabyte (EB) = 1024 petabytes

1 zettabyte (ZB) = 1024 exabytes

1 yottabyte (YB) = 1024 zettabytes

1 brontobyte (BB) = 1024 yottabytes

Additional information: You may have heard of binary code – a series of ones and zeros that denote text or computer processor instructions. Binary code is your computer’s language. It translates information from bits into ones and zeros. What you end up seeing is the information represented in letters and numbers.

So, eight bits is represented as ‘01010010’ in binary code.

So, next time you need to find out about file sizes and memory, you can refer to this guide. Feel free to comment if you’d like to have further information.