Geekly Update - 09 December 2020

The AskBobRankin Geekly Update

Hackers Hacked, Film at 11. Security firm FireEye reported that it was hacked by a "highly sophisticated threat actor" and advanced penetration (hacking) tools were stolen. Because FireEye uses those tools test the networks of its customers, they are sharing data that will help other companies detect if any of the stolen hacking tools are used against them.

Google Drive and Google Photos are convenient for stashing files and photos in the cloud, but it may not be your best option for long-term backups. Google has begun warning users that any Gmail, Google Photos and Google Drive accounts that have not been used for two years will be deleted. The same applies for accounts that have exceeded their storage limit for two years.

Cloudflare is working with Apple to create a new DNS standard aimed at boosting internet privacy. Oblivious DNS over HTTPS (ODoH) offers to encrypt the information that’s sent when you make a request to access a website, thereby hiding your web history from your Internet Service Provider. But Cloudflare says that ODoH alone "probably won’t be enough" to completely hide your tracks from "creepy" ISPs.

This headline from The Verge made me laugh: "How to Buy Apple’s New AirPods Max Headphones Arriving on December 15th for $549." I didn't read the article, but I'm guessing Step One is "get really drunk and whip out your credit card."

Still trying to wrap my head around this one. YouTube Gaming has reported that users spent 100 billion hours in 2020 watching other people play video games. Minecraft-watching-users were the biggest time wasters by far, followed by other users wasting time watching other users play Roblox, Grand Theft Auto V and Fortnite.

Along those lines, if you're missing Sean Connery, or just in desperate need of a Bond Binge, you're in luck. YouTube, Peacock and PlutoTV are now streaming over 20 James Bond films for free.

Comcast is extending free access to public Wi-Fi hotspots and discounts on internet service plans, as part of the company's COVID-19 support program. Free access to Comcast's Xfinity WiFi hotspots will be extended through June 2021, and you don't have to be an Xfinity subscriber to tap in.

Huawei has developed a facial recognition system that can identify Uighurs, an oppressed minority group in China. A report claims the system can relay "Uighur alerts" to Chinese officials, intensifying the government crackdown on the mostly Muslim ethnic group. Over a million Uighurs have been detained so far in forced labor and re-education camps the government calls "vocational skills education centers."

Eye-gaze communication technology in Google's "Look to Speak" app lets people with motor and speech impairments use their eyes to select and speak phrases. The app is available for users of Android 9.0 and higher. Star Trek's Captain Pike would have been a good beta tester for this.

Researchers from Parks Associates reported that almost half of US households with high-speed Internet subscribe to Amazon Prime Video. I find this both interesting and disturbing, because it underscores the enormous power that Amazon wields in the marketplace. A year ago, it was reported that nearly 50% of all online purchases were via Amazon.com, and sales are up by 40% this year, with revenues approaching half a trillion dollars.

The Federal Communications Commission announced awards from the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund totaling over US$9 billion to subsidize broadband internet in rural areas across the US. SpaceX's Starlink satellite broadband project was the biggest winner, scoring an $886 million grant over the next 10 years. SpaceX already has launched 900 low-earth orbit satellites for the Starlink system.

A study by the Associated Press says only 18 U.S. states make contact tracing apps available to their citizens, and only 1 in 14 people in those states have enabled them. "Don't trace me bro."

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