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24
Dec

Soon cops will search your phone just like your car


Imagine a routine traffic stop where the officer has the legal right to search not just your car, but your phone too.

That’s where we’re likely headed after a Florida court recently denied Fifth Amendment protections for iPhone passcodes, saying that suspects must now reveal them to police. The decision came after a previous court had ruled that a suspect couldn’t be compelled to give up the key to unlock his phone based on laws against self-incrimination.

A trial judge had denied the state’s motion to compel the suspect to give up his passcode, finding that it would be tantamount to forcing him to testify against himself in violation of the Fifth Amendment.

But the Florida Court of Appeal’s Second District just reversed that decision. Judge Anthony Black said, “Unquestionably, the State established, with reasonable particularity, its knowledge of the existence of the passcode, Stahl’s control or possession of the passcode, and the self-authenticating nature of the passcode. This is a case of surrender and not testimony.”

“More importantly,” he added, indicating future cases about passcodes and Fifth Amendment protections, “we question the continuing viability of any distinction as technology advances.”

The case tipping the scales in favor of the police comes by way of a total creep getting caught shoving his phone under a woman’s skirt and taking photos. It’s pretty hard to feel bad for the guy. Many people know that so-called “upskirts” are illegal, and most know it’s also a really shitty thing to do to someone. But Aaron Stahl didn’t care. He followed a woman around a store, and when he thought she wasn’t looking, he crouched down, shoved his phone under her skirt to take photos, and got caught doing it.

When she asked him what the hell he was doing, he claimed he’d dropped his phone. She yelled for help and tried to stop him from leaving. He ran. But the store had him doing everything on surveillance cameras, and got a clear shot of his car’s license plates. When police caught up to Stahl and arrested him for third-degree voyeurism, he’d conveniently had left his phone at home.

In a police interview, Stahl consented to a search of his phone, an Apple iPhone 5. But when police actually went to his house with a warrant and got the phone, he withdrew his consent before giving them his passcode. Basically, Stahl attempted to show he’s innocent by not being accountable for his phone.

And as we all know, without the passcode even Apple can’t pop open someone’s iPhone and hand the contents over to police.

That’s meant authorities have had to get a little creative about looking through people’s phones.

After much wrangling and embarrassment earlier this year, the FBI forked over $1.3 million to have the San Bernardino shooter’s iPhone hacked into. Just a few weeks ago, Scotland Yard actually “mugged” a suspect. In that instance, British cops waited until their target was on a call before physically snatching the phone and continually swiping it to keep the screen unlocked while they apprehended their guy.

The Florida case shows a flip in the opposite direction from 2015’s ruling by a Pennsylvania federal trial court, which decided the authorities can’t force someone to surrender their phone’s passcode. Just as he opposed the Pennsylvania court decision, I’m sure law professor and SCOTUS blogger Orin Kerr would agree with Florida’s judges that a code isn’t in itself incriminating.

“For example, imagine the government orders you to turn over any and all crystal meth in your possession,” Kerr opined about Pennsylvania’s passcode ruling. “In response to the order, you hand over a plastic bag filled with some substance. Your response effectively testified that you think the item in the bag is crystal meth and that it is in your possession. That’s admitting to a crime — possession of crystal meth — so you have a Fifth Amendment right not to have to produce the item in response to the order.”

Here, the judge hasn’t asked Florida’s creeper of the year Aaron Stahl to turn over any and all upskirt photos. Just the passcode.

The decision will likely lead to further challenges, but different courts around the United States are currently tackling the iPhone-evidence conundrum. Judge Black’s opinion will no doubt influence how others rule.

“Providing the passcode does not ‘betray any knowledge [Stahl] may have about the circumstances of the offenses’ for which he is charged,” Black said, writing for the Florida court’s three-judge panel. “Thus,” he said, “compelling a suspect to make a nonfactual statement that facilitates the production of evidence for which the state has otherwise obtained a warrant … does not offend the privilege.”

This is a compelling argument for handing over Stahl’s passcode. But then again, it’s also compelling because he’s such a blatant scumbag about all of this. Maybe it’s a false equivalency, though I’m inclined to believe it’s the rest of us who’ll pay for this guy’s troll-like behavior. He brazenly violated a woman’s privacy and expects his privacy protections to be upheld, so he can get away with it. He’s not all that different from the guy on Twitter claiming death and rape threats are protected free speech.

This ruling is supposed to be about the greater good, but there’s nothing that feels great or good about it.

We’ll probably wade through a hodge-podge of law enforcement rules across the nation until this gets ironed out, while precedents get set that aren’t thought through. In the meantime, we can be sure bad cops will collect passcodes and see what else they can get into with them. Because, thanks to security fatigue, people reuse the same passwords and pins wherever possible.

It doesn’t take the mind of a hacker to figure that someone’s four-digit cellphone pin is probably the same as their ATM and voicemail pincode.

So look: It’s not that cops and border guards and probably stormtroopers can’t demand access to people’s phones and computers nearly everywhere else in the world, because they can. It’s just that here, we’ve been living in an arrogant fantasy that we were somehow immune to that type of control. Rest assured that countries on every other continent circling our shaky blue orb don’t live in this fantasy.

We might be inclined to think that the world has gotten more fascist. No. It’s just we’re losing our virginity, and effectual consent is bad for authoritarianism. Welcome to the rest of the world. It’s time to quit whining about Android vs. Apple security, or how broken the password model is, and realize your cutesy privacy island never existed in the first place.

Laws like these might be what we deserve, after years of remaining relatively ignorant to the realities of how tech tools like cellphones and Facebook are used by authoritarian leaders and surveillance-happy police. We’re about to enter a future where our president embraces letting government off the leash when it comes to surveilling citizens.

I remember when Google’s Eric Schmidt said, “If you have something you don’t want anyone to know, then maybe you shouldn’t be doing it in the first place.” And when Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg said that if you’re not doing anything “wrong” then you don’t have anything to worry about when it comes to losing your privacy. It’s starting to look like these weren’t just harmless words from eccentric tech billionaires.

All I’m saying is that this is all connected, and the road that led to cops being able to search your entire life during a traffic stop is one paved with greed, perverse ideals, and nightmarish lapses of empathy. Of course, some of us tried to raise the alarm back then, but we were written off as bad people with something to hide because we wanted boundaries.

But this story, the one about the Fifth Amendment and passcodes, is supposed to be about fairness and justice. Except with bad guys like Aaron Stahl, it’s a fairness that feels so cynical we barely understand how we got here.

Images: Getty Images/iStockphoto

24
Dec

Best Cases For Pixel C


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Looking for an awesome case or sleeve for your Pixel C? We can help.

Google’s Pixel C is a versatile and powerful tablet with a large, amazing display. And as such, you’ll want to protect your investment by slipping it into some kind of case or sleeve. Here are the ones we like.

  • IVSO Ultra-Slim Pixel C Case
  • Pixel C Folio Keyboard
  • Vostrostone KuGi Pixel C Case
  • Waterfield Designs Pixel C SleeveCase
  • ProCase Google Pixel C Sleeve Case

IVSO Ultra-Slim Pixel C Case

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If you’re looking for a case for your Pixel C backed by a lifetime warranty, the IVSO Ultra-Slim case may be for you.

Made with a synthetic leather exterior and a soft microfiber interior, this case is perfect for protecting your Pixel C from scratches, dust, and light drops.

It’s also slim and lightweight — it won’t bulk up your device — and it comes in five colors: black, blue, green, red, and white. You’re sure to find one that you like.

Its magnetic closure is easy to open and close and keeps your tablet securely in place. It also has a stand so that you can prop it up to watch videos or, if you purchased the keyboard, type in comfort.

See at Amazon

Pixel C Folio Keyboard

Pixel-C-Folio-Keyboard.jpg?itok=WCYabN31

OK, this technically isn’t a case. It’s a keyboard. OK, it’s a keyboard case. It’s a keyboard case that can protect your Pixel C while not in use. The case itself is made of full-grain leather. And while it’s closed, the keyboard will charge itself, so you don’t have to worry about it ever dying on you.

If you’re also interested in getting a keyboard for your tablet, the Pixel C Folio Keyboard provides a good value.

See at the Google Store

Vostrostone KuGi Pixel C Case

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Vostrostone’s KuGi Pixel C Case is as protective as it is nice to look at.

It’s made with a synthetic leather exterior and a microfiber interior, so that your Pixel C is protected from scratches inside and out. Additionally, it comes in five colors — black, blue, green, red, and white — pick the one that you like best.

The front cover folds in an Origami style so that it can double as a stand. Be aware, however, that the Pixel C keyboard will not fit in this case together with the Pixel C itself.

If you don’t use the Pixel C keyboard and you want an attractive, yet protective case, the KuGi Pixel C case may be for you.

See at Amazon

Waterfield Designs Pixel C Sleeve Case

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There are no cases for tech quite as beautiful and well-made as those by Waterfield Designs. Its iteration for the Pixel C is no exception.

Protecting your Pixel C from drops, dust, and scratches, this case is composed of neoprene padding sheathed in either ballistic nylon with perforated nylon trim or tan waxed canvas with grizzly leather trim. It can be used alone as a sleeve or placed inside another bag.

It comes with either a simple or a suspension strap and can be worn vertically or horizontally — the choice is yours.

In addition, it features an angled back pocket where you can store papers, pens, or even your phone.

If you’re looking for an attractive, well-made case for your Pixel C, you can’t go wrong with this one.

See at Waterfield Designs

ProCase Google Pixel C Sleeve Case

ProCase-Pixel-C-Sleeve.jpg?itok=K6feRZNg

Available in black, brown, and red, the ProCase Pixel C Sleeve is made of a synthetic leather outer and a microfiber interior. It’s slim and lightweight, yet offers good protection from scratches and dust.

Fitted with a magnetic closure, you won’t have to fumble around trying to open or close it, yet your tablet will remain safely inside once it’s locked in. There’s also an opening for the charging port, so you don’t have to take your Pixel C out to charge it.

It has a back pocket, too, for storing other things, such as paper, business cards, or other tech. More importantly, it has enough space inside to fit the Pixel C Keyboard.

If you’re looking for a cheaper, elegant option for protecting your Pixel C and accessories, look no further than ProCase.

See at Amazon

Google Pixel C

  • Read our complete review
  • Check out the latest Pixel C news
  • First things to know about the Pixel C
  • These are the Pixel C keyboards
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  • Join our Pixel C forum

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24
Dec

The best lenses for iPhone photography


By Erin Lodi

This post was done in partnership with The Wirecutter, a buyer’s guide to the best technology. When readers choose to buy The Wirecutter’s independently chosen editorial picks, it may earn affiliate commissions that support its work. Read the full article here.

After more than 16 hours of research during which we considered 70 lens attachments and tested 15 models (with hands-on shooting that included a hiking trip through the Cascade Mountains and sightseeing on a Grand Canyon road trip), we found that Moment’s Tele and Wide mobile-photography lenses are the best for avid smartphone photographers. They offer image quality as good as that of anything we tested, along with a straightforward attachment system that doesn’t lock you into using a case you don’t like (unlike most of the competition).

Who should get this

By adding extra optics directly on top of your phone’s existing camera, lens attachments allow you to appear either closer to your subject or farther away from it without reducing resolution. This mimics the effect you’d get from switching lenses on a DSLR or mirrorless camera. But because you’re putting additional lenses in front of an existing lens, many lens attachments produce photos with noticeable blurriness and color distortion around the edges of the frame. So you still have plenty of good reasons to go with an actual DSLR or mirrorless camera, especially if you plan on printing your photos. But smartphone lens kits are fun to play around with for photographers of all skill levels, and the best among them can produce surprisingly sharp images.

How we picked and tested

We considered a wide swath of iPhone lens accessories. In a clockwise spiral from top left: CamKix, iPro, Manfrotto, Moment, Ztylus, ExoLens, AGPtek, Olloclip, and Photojojo lenses. Photo: Erin Lodi

We looked for a mobile-photography lens that would fit the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 7, and iPhone 7 Plus—though not every lens will work with the latter, and we’re keeping our eyes open as more become available that will.

Above all, we wanted a portable, affordable, easy-to-use lens attachment to help produce amazing photos. We focused on finding a good wide-angle option and a good telephoto option, as those are the most commonly available choices and often the most practical applications of iPhone lenses. For more details on how we picked and tested, and a note on lenses for the iPhone 7, see our full guide.

We took each lens out for some real-world testing around Seattle. Photo: Erin Lodi

For this guide, we read up on every recommended smartphone lens attachment we could find on the Internet, including considering what highly respected review sites such as The Phoblographer, CNET, Fstoppers, Cult of Mac, and Macworld had to say. We also asked friends of various levels of smartphone-photography prowess what they would want out of such an attachment.

Since 2015, we’ve conducted hands-on testing with 15 iPhone lens models. We toted these lenses around Seattle, testing them in some everyday shooting situations. We filled our backpack with them and put them to work while hiking in the Cascade Mountains. And we brought them along on an epic summer road trip to see the Grand Canyon.

Our pick

Moment’s .63x-magnification wide lens (18mm equivalent) and a 2x telephoto lens (60mm equivalent). Photo: Erin Lodi

Moment’s Tele and Wide lenses stood above the competition thanks to their impressive image quality, their simple attachment method (which works with many third-party iPhone cases), and their ease of use and portability. We tested both the .63x-magnification wide-angle lens (about 1.5 times as wide as the standard iPhone lens, an 18mm equivalent) and the 2x telephoto lens (60mm equivalent). If you have an iPhone 7 Plus, you won’t need the tele option, because your phone already has a similar built-in lens, but the Wide is still a great option.

A bayonet-style mount on a metal plate that adheres to your phone allows you to attach your Moment lenses with just a quick turn. Photo: Erin Lodi

In our tests, images came out crisp and clear, with very little distortion and no vignetting. We noted only minimal chromatic aberration (a common problem with cheaply made lenses in which colors fringe and blur, especially at high-contrast edges).

The Moment 0.63x lens is about half again as wide as an iPhone’s standard lens. Photo: Erin Lodi

Moment lenses attach to your phone via a stainless steel mounting plate that sticks to the back of your iPhone using a strong but not permanent 3M adhesive. A bayonet mounting system on the plate lets you twist the lens on. The mounting ring is small enough that you can use it through the camera opening on many slim phone cases, including our pick for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, the Incipio NGP, which means your favorite method of iPhone protection should work with Moment lenses. If you’re careful, the lens attachment will remain mounted until you unscrew it. But we recommend removing the lens from the mount before stowing your handset in a bag or backpack to avoid having it dislodge, and to prevent any uncovered lens surfaces from attracting dust or smudges.

Budget pick

The Aukey lens-and-case set offers great quality for its current price of $15, but it doesn’t hold up next to our main pick. Photo: Erin Lodi

If you’re not willing to spend almost $100 on a smartphone accessory, or if you just don’t think you’d use a high-quality lens attachment often enough to justify such a cost, the Aukey PL-WD03 110° Wide Angle Lens & Case Set is a bargain entry-level lens-and-case combo for the iPhone 6/6s and iPhone 6/6s Plus. (The company has no plans for an iPhone 7 case, but this model does come with a clip mount that isn’t as secure but works on any phone.) The set’s slim black case snaps over your phone and allows you to screw on a lens attachment. The image quality was noticeably worse when we compared it closely with that of the Moment lenses, but compared with other low-cost lenses we tested, the Aukey delivered better-quality images with less distortion or vignetting.

This guide may have been updated by The Wirecutter. To see the current recommendation, please go here.

Note from The Wirecutter: When readers choose to buy our independently chosen editorial picks, we may earn affiliate commissions that support our work.

24
Dec

NASA’s Martian tech is helping hospitals eliminate bedsores


Bedsores, also known as pressure ulcers, kill more people annually than nearly any form of cancer, with 500,000 cases per year in the United Kingdom alone. One problem doctors and nurses face in the fight against bedsores is early detection — traditionally, hospital staff can only diagnose pressure ulcers once they reach the skin’s surface and have done irreparable damage. The SEM Scanner changes this. Using seismology technology adapted from NASA’s Mars lander, the wireless, handheld, non-invasive scanner is able to detect bedsores up to 10 days before they show up on the skin.

A handful of experts from UCLA partnered with Bruin Biometrics to produce the sub-epidermal moisture scanner. They recently tested it on more than 1,200 patients across 13 hospitals, and more than half of the facilities were able to completely eliminate new cases of bedsores.

One hospital that reduced bedsore occurrences to zero, St. Mary’s Hospital, estimated that using the SEM Scanner would save £600,000 and free up 1,420 hours of nurse productivity a year.

“We’ve borrowed NASA’s concept of ‘Seeing the Unseen’ to develop the first clinically-proven method for detecting unseen bedsores and alerting healthcare practitioners in real time when they begin to form under the skin,” BBI VP of Product Rachael Lester said. “With early detection, clinicians can initiate treatment before chronic damage develops. More and more clinicians are using the SEM Scanner and finding that they can overcome avoidable PUs, proving that zero is no longer Mission: Impossible.”

Source: PR Newswire

24
Dec

BitTorrent’s live TV network streams to iPhones


BitTorrent’s Live video streaming experiment is ready to go wherever you do. The peer-to-peer app is available right this instant on iOS, and, as you might expect it’s 100 percent free. As with the Apple TV app, there isn’t a lot to choose from as far as viewing material goes, however.

If you’re a fan of DJ music, there’s a channel for that (Clubbing TV), in addition to NASA TV, pro rugby, a handful of news stations and a few others. Our friends over at This Week in Tech have a channel as well. In my brief tests, video quality looked good and audio, something that streaming services can have a hard time with, was solid on Clubbing TV. There were a few hiccups here and there where sound dropped out for a fraction of a second, but the cuts were few and far enough between that I wasn’t tempted to change the station.

Since it’s free, you’re not out anything for giving it a go yourself. Aside from some battery life and data, of course. Who knows, maybe you’ll find something to like. Anything’s possible!

Via: The Verge

Source: iTunes

24
Dec

The Public Access Weekly: Ho ho ho



The holidays are officially upon us, so in between all the last-minute shopping, and gift wrapping, and caroling, and egg nogging, and traveling, let’s get down to some community news:

Over the holiday break, we will be doing our best to get to all the incoming Public Access articles that have been submitted but our turn around time will be unavoidably longer. Expect it to take at least two or three days to hear back on articles you’ve submitted for approval. Normal article editing schedule will resume on January 2nd.

A quick note to Public Access users who have accepted a topic suggestion: Please change the title of your article from the title of the suggestion! Articles cannot be published with the same title, so if more than one person submits an article with the title of the topic, it results in an error message.

Over in the comments section, a lot of people have asked me about the badges next to users names — you might have seen a star with the words ‘influencer’ or ‘leader’. This simply means that individual comments, shares or likes comments frequently. Essentially, it indicates involvement in the community so if you’d like to see one next to your name be sure to comment, share and like others comments.

That’s it for this week, have a great holiday everyone!

Looking for something to read? Check out:

Breslin Borland took us all to school on how to conserve more energy on our tech hardware with some handy tips and stats. While I am strict about unplugging my chargers when I’m done, I had no idea that game consoles used that much energy, so thanks Breslin!

Meanwhile, Anna Johansson looked to the future of 3D printing arguing that the technology hasn’t plateaued but is instead headed for increasingly levels of adoption, with newer materials and more focus on integrating the technology into printing repair parts.

Lastly, Amelia Wong gave us a compare-and-contrast piece on the differences between smartwatches, and feature watches, broken down into categories. And she included some original photos, which was a nice touch!

Looking for something to write about? Mull over:

Aaron Souppouris’ article on AR ‘stealing’ the year away from VR provoked a lot of thoughtful arguments and comments so we thought you would like to weigh in too: Was this the ‘year of VR’? Wny or why not? Did AR ‘steal’ it away? If so, how?

Jon Fingas discussed Apple’s Mac lineup and the ‘great desktops’ that the company still has on the way, prompting us to wonder: How long, ideally, would you want your hardware to last? Desktop PCs, laptops, smartphones — how long do you hold on to your tech and how long do you think your hardware should last?

We have had a really good time writing our end of the year articles, with the “Best of” pieces being a particular staff favorite. Now that we’re waving goodbye to the last days of 2016, pick your best of: Best games, best tech, best app, best wearable, etc.

24
Dec

Both Sony and Microsoft are holding big holiday sales right now


It’s just a few days until Christmas, and plenty of people will probably end up with an Xbox One or PS4 beneath the tree. Naturally, both Sony and Microsoft are offering a raft of game deals for people to load up their new consoles, and it’s worth taking a look whether you’re just getting a new console or have had one for years now.

On the Sony side, there aren’t many deals on brand-new to be had, but some of the best of the last couple years are on sale — including Shadow of Mordor (Game of the Year edition, $10.99), Star Wars Battlefront (Ultimate Edition for $27.99 or the standard edition for $9.99), Overwatch ($39.59) and the full Destiny collection ($39.59). You can also grab Bloodbourne for only $7.99, Grand Theft Auto V for $29.99 and the first season of Hitman $29.99. That’s just the tip of the iceberg; there are dozens more games on sale. Note that all of these prices only apply if you have a PS Plus subscription — though all these games are also on sale if you don’t have PS Plus, they’ll just cost a little more. Sony’s deals are on through 12/27 at 8AM, though there will be another sale right on the heels of that one.

Microsoft has a similarly expansive sale going on through the 28th. Among the many games on sale are Battlefield 1, BioShock: The Collection, Dishonored 2 and Destiny: The Collection all for $44.99 each. Forza Horizon 3 is on sale for $38.99 and Forza Motorsport 6 is $29.99. If you want to pick up some games on the cheap, Batman: Arkham Knight and Star Wars: Battlefront are only $11.99 each. And if you want to get your hands on the latest from one of Microsoft’s flagship franchises, Gears of War 4 is on sale for $32.99. Microsoft is also having daily deals today through the 31st, and another sale will kick off on the 29th after this current one ends.

If PC games are more your speed, Steam is also holding its big holiday sale right now — it’s a good week to blow some cash on games regardless of what platform you prefer.

Source: Microsoft, Sony

24
Dec

Australia fines Valve $2.2 million over its Steam refund policy


Australia’s federal court has fined Valve AUD$3 million (USD$2.2 million) after ruling that the company breached consumer law when it didn’t offer refunds between 2011 and 2014. This is the maximum fine requested by Australia’s competition regulator and it’s 12 times more than Valve itself suggested it should pay, according to The Sydney Morning Herald. Justice James Edelman said he imposed such a harsh penalty because Valve willfully disregarded Australian law.

When Valve established Steam in Australia, it did not seek out legal advice or ensure it followed local regulations until the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission was alerted in 2014, Valve’s general counsel Karl Quackenbush said. This lack of forethought did not sit well with Justice Edelman.

“[Valve] had a culture by which it formed a view without Australian legal advice that it was not subject to Australian law, and it was content to proceed to trade with Australian consumers without that advice and with the view that even if advice had been obtained that Valve was required to comply with Australian law the advice might have been ignored,” his judgement reads, according to the Morning Herald.

Valve is a United States company serving 2.2 million accounts in Australia, and between 2011 and 2014 it received 21,124 tickets with the word “refund” from Australian IP addresses, Justice Edelman said.

Australia’s federal court found in March that Valve’s lack of a refund policy on Steam violated consumer law. Valve implemented an international refund policy in mid-2015.

Valve initially suggested it should pay a AUD$250,000 penalty, but Justice Edelman said that figure was “not even a real cost of doing business. It would barely be noticed.”

Luckily, refunds are now definitely a thing on Steam — and the site’s winter sale is going on right now.

Source: The Sydney Morning Herald

24
Dec

Volkswagen is starting a ride-hailing service in Rwanda


Volkswagen is trying to put its PR woes behind it. And to do so, it’s looking to invest in Africa, the cradle of civilization, with a ride-hailing service and a production facility. The automaker will set up the former in Rwanda, with Reuters reporting the latter will be in Kenya.

Now, the ride-hailing news shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. Earlier this year, the company made a $300 investment into European company Gett. Reuters writes that Rwanda is a good place to operate because Uber hasn’t set up shop there like it has in Kenya.

Speaking of that country, VW’s plant there will produce the Polo Vivo electric compact — the first manufacturing it’s done in Kenya since the ’70s. And starting next year, the outfit will also make cars in Algeria.

None of this sounds like the luxury market or self-driving initiatives VW is pushing, of course, but the company has to start somewhere.

Source: Reuters

24
Dec

MacRumors Giveaway: Win a Three Year Subscription to 1Password for Families


MacRumors is holding a series of software giveaways in celebration of the holidays, and for today’s giveaway, we’ve partnered with AgileBits to give MacRumors readers a chance to win a three-year subscription to 1Password for Families.

For those unfamiliar with 1Password, it is password management software, which is essential in an era where critical website hacks occur on a near-daily basis. With 1Password, you can store all of your passwords, credit cards, and other sensitive information, all protected in a vault by a master password.

1Password generates complicated, secure single-use passwords for each website or service you use, so in the event that a hack does happen, there will be no compromised shared passwords. The software even alerts you when a password has potentially been compromised so you can change it right away.

With a 1Password for Families subscription, which is priced at $5 per month, a family of five can access the 1Password service for Mac, Windows, iOS, and Android devices, with 1GB of document storage and unlimited passwords, notes, credit cards, and more. Password information syncs between devices so your passwords are always right at hand regardless of whether you’re using a Mac or an iPhone.

1passwordforfamilies
1Password for Families also gives families a safe way to share the passwords and logins for bills and other shared services with both personal and shared vaults.

AgileBits is giving 25 MacRumors readers a three-year subscription to 1Password for Families. To enter to win, use the Rafflecopter widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winner and send the prize. You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, or visiting the MacRumors Facebook page.

Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years of age or older are eligible to enter. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected.

a Rafflecopter giveawayThe contest will run from today (December 23) at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time on December 30. The winners will be chosen randomly on December 30 and will be contacted by email. The winners will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before new winners are chosen.

Tags: giveaway, 1Password
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