Temp-Mail.org temporary disposable email address lets you keep your email anonymous

We’ve all been there. Signed up for a Wi-Fi in a coffee shop, a shopping service, or something else, only to be then bombarded with dozens if not hundreds of emails from a range of different services that quickly fills your inbox with spam and junk.

Temp-Mail is a disposable email service that allows you to receive email at a temporary address that self-destructs after a certain time elapses meaning it works long enough to get that verify email, but not long to actually hang around for any real length of time.

Users can use the service by either going to the temp-mail.org website, downloading the iOS or Android app, or by installing a dedicated extension for Chrome, Firefox, or Opera .

Here are four reasons to get a temp-mail address

Email is deleted automatically

The temp-mail service automatically deletes the email you’ve been sent after 1 hour so you never have to worry about emptying your inbox.

Temp-mail.org

Temporary email isn’t stored on your computer

Because the email you’ve been assigned isn’t stored on your computer it doesn’t pose as a virus threat. Furthermore, because the email address is deleted within an hour you won’t get the chance to get phishing emails telling you to check your bank account details or that you’ve had a windfall from a wealthy Nigerian relative you never realised you had.

You don’t have to give your details

Temp-mail grants you a temporary email address with no need for you to go through a long sign-up process, leave personal details, or confirm registration via your principal email or a phone number. 

You can use temporary mail details for loads of things

The list is endless, but some popular uses for temporary mail include when visiting coupon and discount websites to get the codes without getting bombarded with “offers” later on, one-time shopping purchases for stores you aren’t 100 per cent confident about, and pesky Wi-Fi forms that insist on getting an email address so you can log on to the network.

Temp-mail.org

Then there is protection against spam that contains viruses or phishing attempts. Having a disposable email address allows you to avoid such issues and ensure the protection of your device.

And if you’re a developer, a disposable email addresses allows you to quickly perform testing of any online processes. You won’t have to delete these unnecessary emails later as they will get deleted automatically after an hour.

You can get a temp-mail email address at temp-mail.org

Apple AirPlay 2: What is it, how does it work and what devices are supported?

Apple announced iOS 11, the latest iteration of its mobile operating software, at WWDC 2017. Included in iOS 11 is an updated version of AirPlay, Apple’s audio and video streaming platform. Conveniently called AirPlay 2, the new version will open up a whole world of multi-room audio streaming capabilities that were previously not available on the iPhone or iPad.

• Apple WWDC 2017: All the announcements that matter

So what exactly is AirPlay 2, what will it be able to do and what products will you be able to use it with? Allow us to explain all.

What is Apple AirPlay 2?

• Update to Apple’s long-running AirPlay protocol
• Will be introduced with iOS 11

Apple AirPlay 2 is the latest version of the AirPlay protocol. AirPlay was first introduced in September 2010, having previously been called AirTunes and available only for audio streaming. AirPlay found its way onto iOS devices in November 2010, and it could eventually be used for screen mirroring from June 2011.

• Apple iOS 11: 11 new features coming to your iPhone and iPad

The basic premise of AirPlay and AirPlay 2 is a system comprising a sender and a receiver. The sender is something like your MacBook or iPhone, and the receiver is an Apple TV or third-party speaker. All devices need to be connected to the same Wi-Fi network.

AirPlay 2 will introduce some features to the iPhone and iPad, such as controlling multiple speakers, that up until now you were only able to do on the MacBook.

Apple

Which Apple devices will support AirPlay 2?

AirPlay 2 support rolls in with Apple’s iOS 11 and TvOS operating system. That means all recent iPhone and iPad devices will work. The full list is as follows:

iPhone

• iPhone 7 Plus
• iPhone 7
• iPhone 6S
• iPhone 6S Plus
• iPhone 6
• iPhone 6 Plus
• iPhone SE
• iPhone 5S

iPad

• 12.9in iPad Pro (first generation)
• 12.9in iPad Pro (second generation)
• 9.7in iPad Pro
• 10.5in iPad Pro
• iPad (fifth generation)
• iPad Air 2
• iPad Air
• iPad mini 4
• iPad mini 3
• iPad mini 2

iPod touch

• iPod touch (6th generation)

Apple TV

• Apple TV 4th Gen

MacBook and MacBook Pro

• MacBook: Late 2009 or later
• iMac/iMac Pro:Late 2009 or later
• MacBook Air: 2010 or later
• MacBook Pro: 2010 or later
• Mac mini: 2010 or later
• Mac Pro: 2010 or later

In other words, anything made more than 7 years ago is obsolete and will no longer be supported.

What can Apple AirPlay 2 do?

• Control multiple speakers from the iPhone or iPad
• Multiple users can add songs to one playlist

Apple AirPlay 2 will add speaker control to the Home app, meaning you will be able to individually control all of your AirPlay speakers from your iPhone for the first time. This is something that can already be done using a MacBook with iTunes, but iOS devices have lacked the ability.

Apple didn’t confirm during its keynote address which streaming services will support AirPlay 2, and of course only gave demos using Apple Music, but we believe Spotify has already said that it will be working with the new technology. Considering it’s more down to the phone sending the audio signals to the speakers, we’d expect any streaming service you have installed on your iPhone to be able to work with AirPlay 2 speakers.

When you play music from your iOS device, you will be able to select which speakers around your home you want it to be sent to and control individual volumes of those speakers. Something Apple didn’t demonstrate was whether you would have the ability to send different songs to different rooms. We would be surprised if you could, though, as the speakers rely on the iPhone to get their music, as opposed to Sonos speakers for example, which are individually connected to the internet, so can obtain different songs from cloud servers.

Another new feature with AirPlay 2, is the ability for multiple users to add songs to one playlist. Say you’re at a party, and one person has their iPhone as the music source, playing Apple Music. Other Apple Music users will be able to send songs they want played to the source iPhone, to save having to connect and reconnect several phones.

Apple

What speakers are AirPlay 2 compatible?

• Wide range of AirPlay 2 speakers expected in the near-future
• Some current AirPlay speakers can be upgraded with a software update

AirPlay 2 will work in harmony with Apple’s very own HomePod smart home speaker. While it can be used as a sort of Amazon Echo, to answer questions and control smart home products, it has audio at its core. While the HomePod will use Apple AirPlay 2 to stream from the phone, the majority of its music playback will come from its own direct connection with your WiFi. 

• Apple HomePod: Price, release date, specs and everything you need to know

But it’s not just Apple’s speaker that will be compatible, as a rather illustrious list of hi-fi companies that have pledged their support to AirPlay 2. The companies signed up include:

• Bang & Olufsen
• Beats
• Bluesound
• Bose
• Bowers & Wilkins
• Definitive Technologies 
• Denon
• Devialet
• Dynaudio
• Libratone
• Marantz
• McIntosh
• Naim
• Polk

Can current AirPlay products be upgraded to support AirPlay 2?

Yes and no. Some manufacturers, like Naim and Libratone, have confirmed that you’ll be able to simply run a software update on the speaker to benefit from the new features, but others will need you to buy a completely new speaker. 

Libratone has confirmed that its current range of Zipp and Zipp Mini speakers can be upgraded to meet AirPlay 2 requirements, but a similar thing can’t be said for Bowers & Wilkins AirPlay speakers.

The A5, A7 and Zeppelin Air will still be able to work as AirPlay speakers, but they won’t be able to reap the full benefits of the new technology.

Apple AirPlay 2 with Apple TV

Yes, once you upgrade to tvOS 11, which is expected around September, your Apple TV can send audio to speakers around your home as well, rather than just coming from your iPhone or iPad. Furthermore, Apple has suggested that whatever speaker is connected to the Apple TV, be it a soundbar or speaker system, that would automatically become a de facto AirPlay 2 speaker.

Apple AirPlay 2 in HomeKit

AirPlay 2 will also be able to be used with other HomeKit devices to create scenes. Imagine coming home and not only your lights coming on to welcome you but a fanfare of trumpets played through AirPlay 2 supporting speakers. On a more serious note though, you could use it to alert you of certain things that are happening – like an alarm – or merely that part of your evening routine is to have music played at a certain time automatically without you having to worry about turning it on. 

Will the original AirPlay still work?

Yes.

When is AirPlay 2 out?

Apple says that there are plenty more details to confirm with AirPlay 2 and we should expect to hear a lot more in the coming months especially around the launch of iOS 11, TvOS 11, and MacOS High Sierra (10.13) and then even more when the HomePod launches in the US and UK in December 2017.

The Morning After: Friday, June 16th 2017

It might only be Friday morning, but yesterday marked the end of the world’s biggest gaming show, E3. Today, we’re bringing you even more impressions from the biggest titles you’ll be playing in the next 12 months or so, as well as Amazon’s new Dash wand and the eventual launch of Microsoft’s Surface laptop.

Cartoon Network and Capybara are challenging how cartoons and tie-in games are made.‘OK K.O.’ is a brilliant cartoon with a game to match

OK K.O.! Let’s Be Heroes, an animated series from Cartoon Network, will premiere this August with, if all goes to plan, a tie-in game alongside it. The release is unusual for two reasons: One, this type of game is usually developed after a show has been launched and drawn a large, lucrative audience. Two, they’re typically low-quality or made by studios with a lacklustre pedigree. Capy Games, meanwhile, is an independent studio with bags of talent. Both the game and show look intriguing, but how does such a collaboration even begin?

Ubisoft’s E3 demo avoided the controversial setting and sticks to slick set pieces.In ‘Far Cry 5,’ your teammates might be the real stars

Far Cry 5 is one of the most anticipated games at E3 2017, even if it won’t be out until 2018. That distant launch date might be why Mat Smith felt surprised that the early demo on show at Ubisoft’s booth was already so polished. In typical Far Cry style, the environments are lush and detailed (and delightfully colorful too). Cultist fighters also swarm on your location and chase you through the forest, just as you’d expect. The most notable change, then, isn’t the series’ relocation to Montana, but the company you keep as you battle the cult. Yep, while you are still pretty much a one-man army, at least one person (or canine) has your back this time around, which not only makes things slightly easier but also affects how you play through the game.

It’s a completely new experience in 4K/60 FPS.
‘Destiny 2’ on PC is nothing like the first game

After spending some quality time with the PC version of Destiny 2 at E3, Devindra Hardawar can attest it’s a much speedier, more intense experience. That’s partially due to some gameplay improvements — switching between weapons and reloading feels a lot quicker than before — as well as the fact that he was playing the game in 4K at a silky-smooth 60 frames per second. That frame-rate bump alone makes the entire experience feel more immediate, as there’s less of a lag between what you’re inputting and how the game responds. It simply plays better.

The company is also releasing its pricey Surface Studio in more locations.
Microsoft’s Surface Laptop and Pro are now available worldwide

If you’re looking to buy the Surface Laptop or the Surface Pro, there’s a chance that you’ll be able to get it right now, even if you’re not in the US. Both PCs are now available in over a dozen markets across the globe. The Surface Laptop is now out in the US, Australia, New Zealand, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. It’s the flagship device for Windows 10 S, Microsoft’s ChromeOS-like platform for the education market meant to run web apps and software from its official store. A Surface Laptop will set you back at least $999 in the US and £979 (up to £2,149) in the UK.

It solves all of the problems with cord-free mice for gamers.
Logitech’s wireless-mouse charging tech feels like a miracle

Logitech’s main mission at E3 this year: proving to gamers that wireless mice are just as capable, and sometimes more so, than their corded counterparts. The company revealed two innovations at the show: Lightspeed, its low-latency wireless-transmission technology, and PowerPlay, a way to charge mice while using them on a custom mat. Both solve the main complaints some gamers have around wireless mice: that they’re laggy and could lose charge at any moment.

But wait, there’s more…

• Amazon’s Dash Wand lets you order groceries with your voice
• ‘Forza Motorsport 7’ has more than just 4K to offer Xbox racers
• Telegram founder says US government tried to bribe developers
• At last, you can get Microsoft Office from the Windows Store
• Subway hopes touchscreens will bust up its sales slump
• I used E3 to take a very public crash course in ‘Arms’

Microsoft’s Modern Keyboard hides a fingerprint sensor

Microsoft has quietly unveiled the Modern Mouse and Modern Keyboard, its next generation of Windows 10 input devices that match the latest Surface models in design and finish. Much like Apple’s keyboard, the new model has “Chiclet”-style keys and aluminum frame that’s heavy and “virtually indestructible,” Microsoft says. The most interesting feature is a hidden fingerprint sensor located between the Alt and Ctrl keys so it won’t interfere with the typing experience.

The keyboard, in a silver and gray finish, works either wired or via Bluetooth 4.0, with automatic pairing out of the box when you first connect the cable. It uses a rechargeable battery and is compatible with Windows 8-10, Windows 10 Phone, Android and macOS, as long as the device supports Bluetooth 4.0 or higher. Naturally, Microsoft promises it will work particularly well with its new Windows 10 Surface Studio, Pro and Laptop devices.

As for the Modern Mouse, it really looks a lot better than past models, with a smooth, rounded aesthetic, nearly invisible buttons and a metal scroll wheel. It also uses Bluetooth 4.0, and Microsoft promises “exceptional precision,” though it didn’t reveal an exact PPI rating. It requires a pair of (included) AAA alkaline batteries, and is compatible with most operating systems and devices that support Bluetooth 4.0.

The Modern Mouse costs $50 and and the Modern Keyboard is $130, and both devices are “coming soon.” There are no press releases or other information on the devices, apart from the product pages and YouTube videos, so we’ve reached out for more information. Naturally, we’re also curious to try them out and will endeavor to do that as soon as possible.

Source: Microsoft (1), (2)

Amazon’s new policy kills ad network that monetizes Echo Skills

When VoiceLabs debuted its interactive ads for the Amazon Echo, it had backing from big names like ESPN and Wendy’s. For a while, it gave developers using the service called “Sponsored Messages” a way to make money from their Alexa Skills. Unfortunately, even its powerful pals can’t do anything for it now that Amazon has updated its advertising policy to ban ads using a voice that’s similar to Alexa and those that imitate Alexa interactions. Since those are exactly what the company’s interactive ads do, it has no choice but to stop offering Sponsored Messages altogether.

If you’ve never heard a Sponsored Message before, here’s how VoiceLabs describes its product:

“For example, a consumer would be asked if they were going to watch the NBA finals game airing that day. If the user said yes, it would let them know to tune in for the 6pm start time. If not, the Sponsored Message would let them which channel to tune into at 10pm for all the highlights.”

The company says it has no choice but to stop offering Sponsored Messages, since it intends to operate within Amazon policy. That means Skills developers looking to make money with the product’s help — one told TechCrunch that he could’ve quit his day job if the service wasn’t suspended — would have to wait until there’s a legit and viable way to earn from their creations.

It’s worth noting that Amazon showed signs of cracking down on interactive ads before VoiceLabs even debuted. An earlier policy change banned ads that use Alexa’s voice and ads for third-party products, except in streaming music and streaming radio. The more recent policy change merely made those rules more clear.

While Sponsored Messages’ demise might be a tough pill to swallow for developers, this might be a victory for smart speaker owners who don’t seem to like ads at all. Amazon is very well aware that’s the case, based on the statement it sent to TechCrunch, thought it promises to find ways for devs to earn money in the future:

“Our advertising policy is designed to maintain the delightful experience customers expect on Alexa and our top priority is to maintain that experience. It’s early days for voice and we will continue to explore ways for developers to monetize in the future while maintaining the best possible experience for our customers.”

Via: TechCrunch

Source: VoiceLabs

Three fined £1.9 million for weak 999 call handling system

As Britain’s telecoms regulator, Ofcom’s responsibilities include fining providers for serious service blunders. Three is the latest company to be hit with one of Ofcom’s invoices, having been fined £1,890,000 today for failing to appropriately protect customer access to emergency services.

Last October, Three notified Ofcom of a temporary outage affecting Kent, Hampshire and parts of London, which turned out to be due to two separate fibre cable breaks. But when the regulator took a closer look at Three’s network configuration, it noticed all emergency call handling was routed through a single data centre, with no redundancy system in place should that go down.

To be clear, at no point were Three subscribers unable to contact emergency services. However, “Three’s emergency call service was vulnerable to a single point of failure,” and thus the way the network was configured was not fit for purpose as far as Ofcom is concerned — no matter how widespread or serious an outage may be, mobile operators are required to “ensure everyone can contact the emergency services at all times.”

Three has since redesigned the network, creating back-up routes that can carry emergency calls in the event of any system meltdowns. Nevertheless, Three must still cough up £1.9 million “given the potential impact on public health and safety” the single point of failure represented — and that includes a 30 percent discount for cooperating with Ofcom during the investigation.

Source: Ofcom

Apple Devices Escape Mention in WikiLeaks’ Latest ‘Vault 7’ CIA Hacking Documents

Wikileaks yesterday published its latest round of allegedly leaked CIA documents, detailing aspects of the U.S. agency’s “Cherry Blossom” firmware modification program, which uses modified versions of router firmware to turn networking devices into surveillance tools.

The document is the latest in WikiLeaks’ “Vault 7” series of publications on CIA hacking methods. Previous leaks have detailed the agency’s targeting of iOS devices and Macs, while this manual relates specifically to network routers: Once installed, the Cherry Blossom program can be used to monitor internet traffic, crawl for passwords, and redirect the target user to a particular website.

The manual also describes how CIA agents might install the modified firmware. “In typical operation, a wireless device of interest is implanted with Cherry Blossom firmware, either using the Claymore tool or via a supply chain operation.” While documents have not been made public that detail the “Claymore” tool, the latter tactic refers to the practice of intercepting the target device somewhere between the factory and the end user.

The document lists several network products as susceptible to its hacking protocol, including devices from Asus, Belkin, Buffalo, Dell, DLink, Linksys, Motorola, Netgear, Senao, and US Robotics. Apple’s AirPort networking equipment does not appear on the list, however.

The CIA has struggled to penetrate Apple’s network router hardware in the past due to a combination of the company’s robust encryption and its use of proprietary hardware. Previous Harpy Eagle documents published by Wikileaks show apparently unsuccessful efforts to “gain root access on an Apple Airport Extreme and Time Capsule via local and/or remote means to install a persistent rootkit into the flash storage of the devices”.

The Cherry Blossom document dates to 2012, so it’s likely CIA methods have moved on in an effort to keep up to date with changing networking hardware. In a response the same day that the iOS device hacking efforts came out, Apple said that many of the vulnerabilities in that leak were already patched. Apple reportedly ceased development of its AirPort networking devices last year.

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Tags: Apple security, CIA, WikiLeaks
Discuss this article in our forums

HomeKit Support for Nest Smart Products Unlikely Anytime Soon

Rumors that smart thermostat maker Nest is considering adding Apple HomeKit support to its product range appear to be premature, according to a report on Thursday. AppleInsider spoke to a Nest employee who apparently confirmed there are “no immediate plans” to support Apple’s smart home platform and “no roadmap” for such a migration.

The rumors were apparently stoked by Apple’s announcement at the Worldwide Developers Conference that it has taken steps to make it easier for third parties to integrate the smart home platform into their devices, followed by a comment recently attributed to Nest that it would “consider HomeKit”.

At the present time, HomeKit-enabled smart products require a hardware authentication chip to make them compatible with Apple’s Made-For-iPhone program. At WWDC, however, Apple said it was updating its specification so that smart products won’t have to include a hardware chip and will be able to authenticate through software instead. The news sparked suggestions that some older products could theoretically be upgraded to support HomeKit using a firmware upgrade.

HomeKit has enjoyed fairly wide support among smart gadget manufacturers, but the Google-owned Nest brand has never been on that list. Apple removed Nest products from its stores in 2015 shortly after the first HomeKit-compatible products became available for purchase.

Nest owners needn’t completely give up hope for HomeKit support, as manufacturers have occasionally added the standard to products via upgrades well after they have come to market. Add to that Apple’s looser licensing and authentication restrictions for HomeKit and it’s not impossible that Nest will come around to the platform one day.

Tags: Nest, HomeKit
Discuss this article in our forums

Apple HomeKit may soon support Nest smart home products

You may eventually be able to control your Nest thermostat, smoke detector or security camera through Apple HomeKit following the company’s recent comments to 9to5Mac.

• Apple HomeKit and Home app: What are they and how do they work?
• Apple HomeKit spec change likely to see river of new products flood the market

The Apple specialist news site asked Nest if it would look into updating its current products to support the new features that will be introduced with iOS 11. Nest’s reply was that it would “consider HomeKit”.

Apple quietly introduced a new feature with the announcement of iOS 11 that will make it much easier for smart-home product manufacturers to add their devices to Apple’s HomeKit platform.

Currently, HomeKit-enabled devices require a hardware chip so the products can work with the company’s Made-for-iPhone program. However, with the update, products can be added to HomeKit via software authorisation through iCloud.

HomeKit already supports smart home devices such as thermostats, lighting and smoke detectors, but Nest hasn’t been on the list. Whilst the associated costs of meeting HomeKit criteria are largely to blame, Nest is a natural rival for Apple due to its affiliation with Google. It’s encouraging to see Nest is at least considering adopting Apple’s, and if it did, it would not only give people more of a reason to adopt HomeKit, but it could expand Nest’s appeal as well.

Canada rules that all new cellphones must be unlocked

Canadians pay some of the highest wireless rates of any G7 nation, and to add insult to injury, they often have to shell out $50 or more to unlock cellphones when switching operators. However, the nation’s wireless regulator, the CRTC, has now ordered carriers to unlock devices for free and decreed that all new smartphones must be sold unlocked. The move was prompted by excoriating public criticism on unlocking fees after the CRTC requested comment on new wireless rules.

“That’s called a ‘Ransom Fee’ or ‘Hostage Fee’ in any other business,” one person wrote, as noted by the CBC. “It is unbelievable how the government allows these companies to extort money like this!” Telecoms notably made $37.7 million CAD ($28.5 million) in unlocking fees, a jump of 75 percent since 2014.

Carriers disagreed with the CRTC, saying “we think it’s a lot more appropriate that people who actually have their device unlocked bear the cost of the unlocking,” said Rogers VP Howard Slawner. He failed to mention, however, that carriers are the ones that lock devices in the first place, and anyway, the CRTC is banning that, too.

With a new federal government in place, Canada’s CRTC seems to be favoring more consumer-friendly internet laws. It recently ruled against a free music “zero-rating” scheme from carrier Videotron, which many critics believe violates the principal of net neutrality. Rather than creating hard rules, however, the regulator is laying out a “framework” and then ruling on potential violations on a case-by-case basis. By contrast, the US FCC under Ajit Pai wants to roll back consumer-friendly net neutrality rules put in place by Tom Wheeler under the Obama administration.

To give you an idea how much Canadians overpay on wireless, it’s actually cheaper for me, an ex-pat Canadian who lives in Paris, to bring my French SIM card over when I visit. France-based carrier Free Mobile charges just €20 per month (about $30 CAD) with no contract, and includes a massive 25GB of data roaming per month in Canada and the US, with free calls and texts within those countries or to (and from) France. If I was to purchase and use a local SIM card in my unlocked phone, it would cost much more and give me much less.

Via: CBC

Source: CRTC