Tag Archives: Technology

Technology redefines news for all

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By VICTOR GUZMAN BERGER

The technological advances of the last decade have strengthened the scope and enriched the resources for the visualization, oral and written presentation, diffusion and the impact of the news in the mass media.

In parallel, today anyone enjoys these resources and can instantly disseminate the news, share information and offer an opinion.

Anyone can be in the center of the news and capture that piece of news. The common person’s empowerment in the news media contributes to the traditional mass media, the journalist can use the images of the person who was there at the precise moment of the event for his report, something that he could not have been able to count on if he had not arrived at the time of the event.

Yesterday’s passive receiver of news can be now a distributor of news, active in some aspects of a reporter’s job due to a mobile phone or tablet at the moment of the incident.

A passerby can record instantly the event and place it on social networks with the use of just one mobile phone. However, journalism and, specifically, reporting is much more than that. Even though this passerby is the first to have the scoop and to spread the news, a journalist’s work goes far beyond exposing an image reflecting what happened.

A reporter has to inquire and question the largest number of reliable sources available on the subject. He or she must write the news in a coherent, explicit way and leave aside the emotion of the moment. He or she must be capable of addressing and reaching a wide audience. The impact of immediate recording of a crime is undeniable, but the reporter will go much further, questioning the victim, the aggressor, the authorities involved in the case, the witnesses, in order to be able to provide a coherent and trustworthy news media report.

New tools aid reporting of unique events

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By REGINA SÁNCHEZ JIMÉNEZ

The solar eclipse that covered the sky of United States last week had total coverage by the news media, not just Americans, but international journalists, too.

The total solar eclipse was the first to cross from the West Coast to the East Coast since 1918. But 1918’s eclipse couldn’t be covered by the news media in the same degree as the Aug. 21 eclipse.

It isn’t just the amount of time and information that news media have devoted to it. It is about the way news media have done it. New technologies have been used by the great news media conglomerates for offering a closer experience to readers. It is not enough to show them the eclipse with a camera. Now, news media offer 360 degree photos that can make the reader feel is in the place where the eclipse is happening without leaving the sofa.

After all, the purpose of journalism is informing and showing the news as well as possible to the audience. Therefore, it’s important that news media stay updated and don’t deny new technologies because they can enhance their work obtaining results never before imagined.

The clearest example is on the CNN web site. CNN has its own section of Virtual Reality and offers the following coverage of the eclipse:

http://www.cnn.com/2017/08/23/vr/eclipse-best-moments-vod-vr/index.html

That makes a difference between CNN and other websites and newspapers that don’t offer this service. The reader can find a different and improved experience there.

Next total eclipse will be in July 2019 and it can be viewed in Argentina and Chile. It is not until April 2024 when other total eclipse will cross United States from Texas to Maine. With  virtual reality still developing, who knows what kind of technologies could appear then and how readers could live next eclipse.

Ransomware attacks Apple products

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By NOELIA GRAHAM

New software designed to attack Mac operating systems is being spread around the “dark Web” leaving Apple products vulnerable.

According to BBC technology correspondent Mark Ward, there are two different types of software that are being given out for free to anyone who can access the program. “One is ransomware that encrypts data and demands payment before files are released. The other is spyware that watches what users do and scoops up valuable information,” he wrote.

This information was gathering by security firms Fortinet and AlienVault when they found a web portal hosted on a TOR network that advertised malware and spyware software for Mac products.

The authors of the malicious software are advertising their product as “sophisticated malware for Mac users” and calling it MacSpy.

In order to access the software you need to contact the developers and have it set up by them.

The concept is to split the profits 70/30 percent of the amount of bitcoin the person using the program wants to retrieve from the person’s computer they’ve attacked.

However the program only works if the person trying to attack your files has access to your Mac or if you open an unknown file from unknown developers.

Aamir Lakhani from Fortinet said, “Mac users should make sure their machines were kept up to date with the latest software patches and be wary of messages they receive via email.”

While Mac computers are not often heard about in cyber attacks that is because most personal computers run windows.

However according to stats from MacAfee there are 450,000 malicious programs aimed at Macs and 23 million targeting Windows users.

As the market continues to expand and include Mac systems the demand for malicious software targeting these operating systems will grow as well.

Hackers threaten car computers

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By NOELIA GRAHAM

With technology embedded into cars, it opens the door for hackers to join the ride as well.

Cyber security is becoming an increasing issue with the automatization and implementation of tech in everyday life. Essentially anything that communicates to the outside world has the possibility of being hacked.

With the fast-approaching reality of driverless cars, problems are mounting on how to prevent hackers from accessing the car’s computer area network (CAN).

Some automakers now install gateways as a buffer between the driver system and the cars CAN network.

According Techopedia, an online resource for technology, “Gateways serve as the entry and exit point of a network; all data routed inward or outward must first pass through and communicate with the gateway in order to use routing paths.”

But it can still be hacked. And it’s been done multiple times with Teslas and Jeeps.

Charlie Miller and Chris Valasek, two security researchers, were able to successfully hack a Jeep Cherokee remotely through a wireless internet connection. They were able to control the brakes, stop the transmission and ultimately paralyze the vehicle on the highway.

But a car’s CAN network is only the beginning. According to The New York Times, “The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has proposed that V2V equipment be installed in all cars in the future. But that channel, and all the equipment involved, open millions more access points for would-be attackers.”

The future of cyber security and cars is uncertain, but research continues to move forward. Uber and Didi are two companies investing in the technology of fully automated driverless cars. But with their investment comes a lot of concern on government regulations and how to prevent physical passengers from hacking vehicles.

It’s time to start considering solutions now, before the mass production of these vehicles enter society at large.

The future of AI in cargo ships

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By NOELIA GRAHAM

Technology is rapidly expanding and will again be making its way to the high seas.

Japan is set to launch self-navigating cargo ships by 2025.

Nicknamed “smart ships” this artificial intelligence (AI) will be used to navigate the shortest, fastest and most fuel efficient sea routes. It will also be programmed to calculate malfunctions and other problems that could arise at sea.

Mitsui OSK Lines and Nippon Yusen, two Japanese shipping firms, are working with Japan Marine Unitedplan “to split costs and share expertise. Developing the technology is expected to cost tens of billions of yen, or hundreds of millions of dollars, at a minimum,” according to the Nikkei Asian Review.

It is planned that the first few ships will have a small crew on-board to man the vessel in case of any incidents, but the goal is to create completely autonomous ships.

But Japan isn’t the only country investing into autonomous technology for ships. Rolls-Royce which also develops ship engines announced in 2016 that by 2020 there would be unmanned cargo ships.

While the use of this technology is impressive, it’s important to consider what will happen to the many jobs that will be lost due to the complete automation of cargo ships once this AI is shared and implemented to systems all around the world.

A future led by technological innovation is our current reality. So it’s time to start considering how humans will be able to compete with machines.

NASA plans to send probe to sun

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By NOELIA GRAHAM

NASA has plans to announce a mission to “touch the sun.”

The Solar Probe Plus is scheduled to launch in 2018, making it 50 years since the idea was first proposed as an initiative to study the sun more closely.

The probe will not initially be launched into the sun’s atmosphere. It is scheduled to fly past in December of 2024, after circling Venus and gathering data.

“Placed in orbit within four million miles of the sun’s surface and facing heat and radiation unlike any spacecraft in history, the spacecraft will explore the sun’s outer atmosphere and make critical observations that will answer decades-old questions about the physics of how stars work,” NASA said in a statement. “The resulting data will improve forecasts of major space weather events that impact life on Earth, as well as satellites and astronauts in space.”

The Solar Probe Plus is planned to operate for seven years, pursuing an orbit that will allow it to reach the sun’s atmosphere 24 times.

The series of elliptical orbits is designed to gradually decrease over time, which will leave the probe only four million miles from the surface of the sun.

In order to achieve this the spacecraft have to travel at a speed of 450,000 miles per hour.
The heat and radiation will be equally immense. To withstand these harsh conditions the probe was fishnets with a 4.5 inch carbon composite shield.

“At its closest point to the sun, the spacecraft will have to survive solar intensity almost 500 times what it would experience orbiting Earth,” said Hannah Osborne, tech and science writer for Newsweek.

The advancement of technology has progressed far enough that space travel like this is possible, but there are still people who do not believe that humans have ever gone into space.

However the more persistent argument is why bother going into space at all?

CNN published an article a few years back that mimics this idea called, “Mars can wait. Oceans can’t.”

The idea is that humans need to focus on their direct environment instead of going out and spending money exploring an unknown system.

I think the major flaw in this viewpoint is the disregard to all the advancements in technology that were produced thanks to space travel. A major one is the internet.

It is equally important to protect our environment as it is to explore new ones.

The Sun Probe Plus is necessary in gathering data because its research will help scientists understand space weather events caused by the sun, and how they impact life on Earth.

So the question is, should we focus on space or earth?

I think the answer is both.

Election trumps paralysis advancement

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By ELIZABETH GELBAUGH

The development of a wireless connection between the brain and spinal cord has enabled monkeys with paralysis in one leg to walk again without being hooked up to a computer, scientists reported Wednesday.

Though the information must still be processed in a computer, the new technology has made the device wearable.

This scientific achievement shows great promise for future treatments for paralysis in humans that could potentially extend beyond paralysis of merely one leg.

The discovery is by no means a miracle cure for paralysis but is a key development in the rehabilitation process due to its strengthening of the remaining connections between the injured limb and spinal cord.

David Borton, of Brown University, developed the wireless sensor with colleagues while doing doctoral work, according to James Gorman’s article in The New York Times.

This advancement is pivotal in the treatment of spinal cord injuries, so why isn’t it front-page news?

The simple answer: Donald Trump was elected president of the United States.

After scrolling through several pages of articles, this one barely caught my attention because of the small headline and haphazard placement. A discovery that could improve millions of lives in the future was trumped (pun intended) by the sensationalized concerns of today.

Many Americans are thrilled by Trump’s election, but others fear for the nation’s future. If Americans are so concerned about the future, why isn’t an article with potentially life-changing results given more attention.

Out of all the major news organization, excluding scientific journals, The New York Times and CBC News were the only organization to cover this story so far.

News media should spend more time covering medical discoveries and developments that are constantly progressing and advancing rather than dwelling on circumstances that cannot be changed.

Yes, a presidential election is an important historical event that should be covered in the news. However, it should not dominate news to the point where other important stories are ignored almost entirely.

Microsoft reinvents desktop PC

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By FRANCESCA CIUFFO

Once a year, Microsoft’s Panos Panay appears with new creations that he and his Surface team have produced in their labs.

Microsoft is expected to deliver their latest gadget: a Surface PC.

It is expected to convert a desk into a creative work studio. Today, most people are using tablets and laptops instead of desktop PCs, so it will be difficult for Microsoft to convince society that the Surface PC is better than a laptop or tablet.

One way that Microsoft can do this is by promoting the powerful GPU inside that works well with video games. Most Surface laptops are not powerful enough to play video games like Gears of War 4 properly, but this PC will be powerful enough.

Microsoft is trying to convince people that this Surface is going to be different because it is more innovative and creative. They are promoting the different ways to create content: using a keyboard, touchscreen or stylus. Additional leaks have been released like a new 3D paint app, along with 3D additions to Microsoft Office and Windows itself. This new painting app will let you 3D print your Minecraft creations

A desktop PC will have to blend the best aspects of both the Surface Table and the Surface Hub.

Microsoft’s focus on HoloLens and Windows Holographic should be a big focus for Windows itself and hardware like the Surface PC if Microsoft truly believes that mixed reality is the future.

If Microsoft wants to reinvent the PC for a 3D future and use creativity for its new hardware, then it will need to show society why regular Windows 10 users will be eager to test and use 3D objects, applications, and mixed reality devices on this new Surface PC.

Virtual reality and enhanced reality headsets are still in their early stages of development, but Microsoft is bringing its full virtual Windows Holographic experience to Windows 10. Microsoft is unsure about how society will react to their new advances in technology, but they are hoping that the product will skyrocket and become the next big thing, reinventing Microsoft as a big name market in the industry. (http://www.theverge.com/2016/10/26/13402546/microsoft-event-preview-surface-desktop-pc-laptop)

The media reports on stories like these because innovative technology is an important aspect of society today. Everyone is looking for the next big thing, and everyone wants to have the most recent technology, so they want to hear about new ideas in the news.

Samsung Galaxy Note 7 sales cease

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By: FRANCESCA CIUFFO

The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 has just been recalled and the company is asking all of its sellers to stop sales and exchanges.

There were reports of problems that the phone overheated and caught fire. The company first decreased the production volume, but seeing that this wasn’t good enough and that the safety of the consumers was their top priority, the company halted the production of the Note 7.

In September, Samsung recalled around 2.5 million phones after complaints of exploding batteries. They replaced all the batteries and told all consumers that the phone batteries were now safe and there was nothing to worry about.

Obviously, this was not true because there were reports that the phones with the replaced batteries were now catching fire too. A flight was recently evacuated after a new device started emitting smoke in the cabin. Also, a man was awaken when his bedroom filled with smoke from the new battery on the Note 7.

Authorities in the U.S. and South Korea, where the phones are made, are examining why this is happening to the replacement batteries because they were supposed to be equipped with a safe battery. At least five fires were reported from the replacement batteries.  Samsung sold about 45,000 Note 7’s through preorder in Europe. The company knew that it could not send these dangerous phones to Europe.

These problems can cause extreme damages to the brand because Samsung is supposed to have reliable phones, so the fact that the same problem happened twice after it was supposed to be fixed can hurt Samsung’s reputation. A large loss of faith can be triggered in Samsung consumers, which could hurt the brand and its reputation.

News media cover stories like this because Samsung is a very popular brand in the United States and is one of the most well-known phone companies. This means that a lot of Americans have these phones and this news will affect them all.

It is important to report this news because consumers of this phone need to know that they are not safe, so that they can return them, stay safe, and keep others around them safe.

Hackers reveal drug use information

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By FRANCESCA CIUFFO

Simone Biles was involved in a recent hacking scandal that released private medical information about Olympic athletes.

Russian computer hackers released the World Anti-Doping Agency’s Athlete Database, which reported that Biles, Serena Williams and Venus Williams, were given medical exemptions to use banned drugs, though there was no misuse of these drugs.

These documents demonstrate that Biles tested positive for a drug that was banned on the WADA’s list, but she did not misuse this drug.

The International Gymnastics Federation refused to comment on this so far, but Biles spoke out about these leaks on Twitter.

screen-shot-2016-09-14-at-10-59-45-am“I have ADHD and I have taken medicine for it since I was a kid,” she wrote. “Please know, I believe in clean sport, have always followed the rules, and will continue to do so as fair play is critical to sport and is very important to me.”

“The WADA deeply regrets this situation and is very conscious of the threat that it represents to athletes whose confidential information has been divulged through this criminal act,” the World Anti-Doping Agency’s director general said.

Fancy Bear, the hackers of the WADA’s Athlete Database, warned that they will release more medical information about other athletes to show that today’s sport is contaminated and the world is ignorant of this.

The media reports on a story like this because the 2016 Olympics has just finished, and doping athletes are a highly talked about subject when it comes to the Olympics.

This private medical information that was leaked is important to report on because sport is supposed to be equally fair for every athlete, but these leaks prove that sport is somewhat skewed or rigged.

The media reports on stories like this to prove that society is unaware of many of the underlying truths of the large numbers of athletes that use banned drugs.

iPhone 7 launch grabs attention

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By FRANCESCA CIUFFO

Apple has just announced some new updates, a new watch, and a new iPhone at its press event on Wednesday. People are raving about the newly awaited iPhone 7 and all of its new features.

One of the greatest benefits of the new iPhone is that it’s water and dust resistant. How many times have you accidentally spilled water on your phone and the screen stopped working? Complain no more because this new feature will save your bank account.

Both the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 plus have been restructured with an optical image stabilizer, a new lens and a 12 megapixel sensor. This camera will help us take some of the best pictures an iPhone can ever take.

Starting Sept. 16, the new iPhones, coming in 32 GB, 128 GB, and 256 GB, will be available and start at $649. They even have a new jet black and matte black color for the phones.

Another feature of the new iPhones is that there will be no headphone jack. Apple has created wireless headphones, AirPods. For every full charge on the headphones, you receive about five hours of listening time.

A good amount of people in the United States have at least a smartphone and most of those people own an iPhone. Apple consumers are loyal customers. Whenever a new product comes out, the faithful Apple customers are quick to buy it.

Every time information about a new iPhone is released, the news covers it, because loyal customers are itching to find out the latest updates of the new phone, the release date, and the price. There are back-orders that last months and lines out the doors of Apple stores the day the new phones are released.

News about the new iPhone is important to society because they want to be the first people to know about the new phone trends, and be some of the first people to have the new phone. Think about how important your phone is to you and how many times you checked it in the past five minutes. Phones are taking over society, and most people in the United States now rely on their smartphones for everything. This is why when a new iPhone comes out, everyone runs to their nearest store to pick it up because they know it has improvements and cool new features.

How cool would it be to be the first friend in your group to show off your new, shiny, never before seen, matte black iPhone?

A confusing look at Facebook Live

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By MARIA LUIZA LAGO

I thought it was difficult to understand the point of the article in New Yorker about Facebook Live. There were so many points the author was trying to make that I got lost in it and didn’t realize the true objective of that story.

At first, it is stated that Facebook is trying to be the Internet instead of being just one of the tools you can use on the Internet. With Facebook Live, you can post videos live like Snapchat so all the three main apps used all over the world; Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat are all wrapped in one app.

Secondly, the article goes to another direction which is trying to tell the reader that Facebook is controlling all the content we post and leading us inside the app to different directions and the last point I could identify was that the author was trying to suggest the future of Facebook and how their users would see the app in the future.

Besides all of these points, the way it was stated might have confused other readers too. I’m aware of what Facebook Live is; the problem is the way the author is trying to report his points in the story.

It is interesting how so many points can be made around this topic — the control of one app on so many people around the world, the information that it controls, the alienation of the population towards this information selected by the app. But, at the same time, it is a wonderful tool to inform people across the globe about what is going on.

This is just one of the points the article is trying to suggest and I think it’s too much for an online article that has to be simple and direct so everyone in every situation, whether is rushing home from work or concentrated in a quiet place such as a library or a café, could understand.

Apple continues feud with FBI

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By JEAN-PAUL AGUIRRE

On Monday, it was announced earlier this week that the U.S. government dropped its lawsuit against Apple over unlocking the iPhone of a San Bernardino terrorist.

Reports revealed that the FBI went overseas and had the cellphone hacked by a third-party, some are speculating that it was the Israeli firm, Cellebrite.

Now, there are rumblings that Apple is asking questions regarding how the information was retrieved by Cellebrite and are speaking with attorneys to see if it can take legal action to force the FBI to reveal how it unlocked the phone.

Once again, I’m beginning to sound like a broken record, the news media are paying close attention to the frenzy that the presidential election campaign.

So what has Donnie [Donald Trump] done now? Well, he got into a whose-wife-is-better-looking contest with Ted Cruz as they exchanged verbal insults to one another and debated the attractiveness of their wives.

I only remembered the Apple-vs.-FBI story because CNN spent a few minutes talking about it on their morning show.

Had I missed it, who knows when I would have found out about the news. Even as I mentioned it in my journalism-reporting class, Wednesday morning, most of my classmates had not heard about the news.

I am just saying I know Trump, Cruz and the rest of the presidential campaigns are ripe with news stories, but could we add more variety while we still can? I feel that this will continue until the election is over, and then we will have a new circus to focus on once this one leaves town.

Not much attention for iPhone release

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By SARAH BRANDT

A few days ago, on March 21, Apple announced at their famous press conferences the new iPhone Se.

Now you may be thinking, but didn’t they just release the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus? Well, yes, and that is exactly what everyone else is thinking, too.

When the iPhone 6 was released out into the world, people were running to the store and could not wait to get their hands on one. They were per-ordered months in advance and the media was talking about it nonstop. However when looking at the news media now, after the release of the iPhone Se, there has not really been that much attention geared towards it. The media is now more focused on dealing with bigger and more important issues, such as the presidential campaigns and the attacks in Belgium.

Looking at CNN, an article can be found about a study done with the iPhone and other Android phones and how the “Siri” responds to crisis modes, such as “Help me, I was just raped.” This study is very important, but again, not front page news.

I believe that the reason as to why the news media has not covered the release of the new iPhone Se that much, compared to the previous iPhone models may be due to multiple reasons. The iPhone Se, looks very similar to the iPhone 5, and therefore it not a new design, secondly there have already been so many iPhones, maybe people/media are finished and do not want another iPhone. Lastly right now in the world there are a lot of important events that are much more serious than an iPhone release.

Maybe once people are able to start buying the actual iPhone Se, then we may hear more about it in the media.

Custom bike goes against UCI standards

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By WYATT GELLER

Rules are rules when it comes to athletic competition and sometimes creativity does not help you win a race.

Bike maker Robert Egger had a vision to invent a new model, even though it would not be permitted in races such as the Tour de France because of Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) rules.

According to CNN, this bike is referred to as “Fuci,” which, if you sound it out, it does not ring a good bell.  The back wheel is larger than the front wheel, which is illegal for racing.

What also makes it a crazy creation is that Its headlights are inside the seat, so they beam out from the holes leading towards the back of the bike.

The bike also has a lithium battery that is also banned from competition, which reminded me that I can no longer store my hover board in my dorm.

I would love to buy one of these bikes, although I do not know the price of it.  Great work by Robert.

Tim Cook fights back in ABC interview

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By MELISSA CABRAL

Apple CEO Tim Cook said Wednesday he’s prepared to take the controversial FBI vs. Apple dispute to the U.S. Supreme Court.

In an exclusive interview with ABC News, Cook said that it would be “bad for America” if Apple were to accept the FBI’s request and court order of unlocking an encrypted iPhone previously owned by one of the San Bernardino shooters.

Officials have said that they only need Apple’s assistance in unlocking certain security features on the iPhone which would help release information regarding the murders. Cook fought back saying that if they complied with the request it would put Apple’s customers in danger of having their information exposed, as iPhones would become more susceptible to hacking.

“Some things are hard and some things are right, and some things are both. This is one of those things,” Cook said. “I think the safety of the public is incredibly important.”

Cook showed sympathy for the families of the victims of the shooting and said that Apple sent out some of their own engineers to provide technical support to further the case in any way they can without creating the “backdoor” software the FBI is requesting.

Cook added, “If we knew a way to do this that would not expose hundreds of millions of other people to issues, we would obviously do it. But this is not about one phone, this is about the future.”

Although a meeting is not confirmed, Cook said that if he had to, he would make his case directly to President Obama in order to avoid going through with the court’s request.

Hundreds of millions of iPhones would be at risk in the process of creating a software to unlock the San Bernardino shooter’s iPhone and Cook stated that he will go to great lengths to protect the privacy of the company’s customers.

FBI Director James Comey argued that Apple simply has to unlock only one phone but Cook disagreed.

“If a court can ask us to write this piece of software, think about what else they could ask us to write,” Cook said. “Maybe it’s an operating system for surveillance. Maybe it’s the ability for law enforcement to turn on the camera. I mean I don’t know where this stops.”

Apple has until Friday to respond to the judge’s order.

Your privacy or your security?

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By JEAN-PAUL AGUIRRE

If you have been keeping up with the news lately, you might have heard about the dispute between Apple and the federal government.

In short, the federal government is requesting Apple’s assistance in unlocking the iPhone of a San Bernardino attacker for information vital to its investigation. The reason the government requires Apple’s assistance is because the phone has a lock out function that will prohibit anyone from opening the phone after 10 failed attempts. In order to attain the information, the government is asking Apple to create a “master code” that will allow them to override the lock out function of any phone they choose.

Apple sees this as a massive privacy rights violation for their customers and has opted to deny the government’s request.

The media runs this story more and more as new information comes out, or when a public figure releases their statement about the situation and what they think either side should do.

Additionally, the recent vacancy in the U.S. Supreme Court, after Justice Scalia’s death, could be contributing to the story’s frequent airing.

There may be a good chance of this case reaching the U.S. Supreme Court if the two cannot reach a settlement. With the Court at a stalemate in regards to party affiliation, as well as the obstruction in the appointment of another justice, there is no telling which side would prevail if it reaches that point.

This situation has more significance than some people realize. This case could further protect the individual’s privacy, or it can provide the government with another tool for collecting intelligence and improving national security.

This story is not about a dispute between two prominent figures, but rather the implications of their dispute and the drastic repercussions that will follow. The media are trying to distinguish its gravity, as opposed to other stories. For that reason, the story is being covered appropriately.

Error 53: Bad news for iPhone users

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By MARIA LUIZA LAGO

The Guardian and other newspapers are talking about an error that can happen and has happened to about 1,000 iPhone 6 users: Error 53. This error can literally “kill your phone.” erasing photos, data or making the cell phone completely useless.

Error 53 happened to the users that repaired their Touch ID button with a non-official company or individual or had their phones damaged, but not fixed because they were still usable. And even worse, the error seemed to appear to the users that updated the latest version of software, iOS 9.

Thousands of Apple consumers lost their trust on the product, but the company pledged that the “error 53” is to protect customer’s security, since it disables any kind of substitution on an iPhone made from companies that are non-official.

“This security measure is necessary to protect your device and prevent a fraudulent Touch ID sensor from being used. If a customer encounters Error 53, we encourage them to contact Apple Support,” stated the company.

But what about the phones that were slightly damaged or the people that installed the latest version of the software?

The article “Apple under pressure as lawyers pledge action over ‘Error 53’ codes” published by The Guardian affirms that consumers grew angrier after going to the Apple Store and complaining about the error and being told nothing could be done but to buy another phone to solve the problem.

Lots of iPhone users take their phones to get fixed by other sources rather than Apple, for their repair can be really expensive — in the UK to repair the home button the cost is £236, or $340 –- but they end up with a higher cost: having a phone that doesn’t work even after repair. Apple measures should take more in consideration their costumers that are with useless phones and continue with their customer’s security, as long as they work and can be repaired at any Apple Store.

Apple taking damaged phones for trade

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By MELISSA CABRAL

Good news for iPhone users with damaged phones.

Apple has just announced their new update on their Reuse and Recycle iPhone trade-in program. Damaged phones are now being accepted at the retail stores in return for credit. Whether the display is cracked, the camera’s broken or the home button isn’t working, they confirmed that all devices are welcomed.

The company’s Reuse and Recycle Program previously offered store credit for older iPhone models but the catch was that the phones had to be in new to good condition with no cracks or defects. Leading users with an impaired phone to make the hard decision of spending a good amount of money on the repair of their phone or wondering if they should just lose the phone and purchase a new one since the repair can be as costly as the total value of the device.

Now, Apple customers with cracked or damaged phones have the opportunity to upgrade to a newer model at a lower cost instead of repairing their old device. The trade-in values were announced as $50 for an iPhone 5s, $150 for an iPhone 6 and $200 for an iPhone 6 Plus.

It was also announced that Apple will begin selling official screen protectors for iPhones in all of their retail stores and will install them in hopes of reducing the amount of iPhones with a cracked display screen.

The change was confirmed by Apple spokesman Nick Leahy. The program is applicable to iPhone 5s, iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus models that are brought to the retail stores. This offer is not applicable online.

Instagram star quits social media

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BY MEREDITH SLOAN

Australian model and Instagram star Essena O’Neill announced she was quitting social media this week via YouTube.

https://youtu.be/Xe1Qyks8QEM

According to ABC News, O’Neill, who had more than 700,00 followers on Instagram and 260,000 subscribers on YouTube, posted a shocking confession announcing that social media made her “miserable” and that online and mobile-sharing platforms can be unhealthy. She decided that she wanted to shut down all of her accounts.

 

According to CNN, O’Neill’s social media friends Nina and Randa Nelson published a YouTube video alleging she was doing this as a stunt to get more followers.

https://youtu.be/WB3HtCMfZic

All social media platforms have been exploding with both support and opposition for O’Neill’s stance. This debate has been a hot topic for news organizations alike.

 

I support O’Neill’s stance because her issue with social media is situational. She said that she didn’t like how the pressure to be perfect influenced her mental health. She also said that she wanted to set a good example for her younger sister and show her that she doesn’t have to be perfect and likeable online to be happy.

 

I do think that social media outlets are informative and necessary in this day and age for the spreading of information. Although, I don’t think that personal business accounts like O’Neill that promote unrealistic body images and clothing brands are necessary.