Safety Features for Your Cell Phone

Mobile phones are getting so complex these days they can almost make you breakfast and tie your shoes. Using you phone to navigate across town, take a picture, figure out your accounts, send several kinds of messages, play music, watch movies, set an alarm and record a voice message are all common functions. However, here are a few things about your phone that you may not know.

• Dial an emergency call using 112. This is the international emergency number and can be used everywhere on GSM (Global System for Mobile) phones as long as there is reception for your phone. In some places it will work even if your battery is dead. However, it should not be something you try out.

The message also includes the ill-conceived suggestion that recipients should actually try out the 112 number. As at least one commentator has pointed out, testing 112 - or any other emergency number - just to see if it works is simply irresponsible. Tying up emergency call workers with such useless calls could result in delays in response times for real emergencies. In emergency situations even seconds can make a difference. Emergency call services already have to contend with enough time-wasting prank calls as it is without having to field calls from recipients of this message who have heeded its advice to try the 112 number for themselves.
To read the original click here.

• Record your IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) in case your phone is lost or stolen. If you call this number into your service provider, the phone can be disabled, thus making it useless to the thieves or finder. There is also an international data base called the “blacklist” that will keep the phone from being reregistered, even if the battery is changed.

The black list is a list of IMEIs that are associated with GSM or 3G devices that should be denied service on mobile networks because they have been reported as lost, stolen, faulty or otherwise unsuitable for use. Previously know as the Central Equipment Identify Register (CEIR), the IMEI DB acts as a central system for network operators to share their individual black lists so that devices denied service (blacklisted) by one network will not work on other networks even if the SIM card in the device is changed. Read the original here.

To find your IMEI, either take out your battery and you will find it written underneath or dial #06# on your phone. The IMEI will be displayed on the screen. Write it down and store it in a safe place where you will remember it.
One of the most important reasons to carry your cell phone is in case of emergencies. Having the phone lost or stolen is another emergency, so keep it close in a car holder, your desk or in your pocket. For more information about phone holders, check out the article on the website, Universal  Mobile Phone Holder for Sale.

Exploring Amazon’s Whispersync and Whispernet for Cell Phones and More

Prompt using Whispersync

As technological improvements are appearing at an increasing pace, it’s not surprising that Amazon has come up with two new ways to link the various machines that they sell connected to the internet. There are three types of Whispersync: for Kindle books, for personal documents and for Amazon Instant Video. With Kindle books on Kindle Fire, Whispersync synchronizes all bookmarks, annotations and furthest pages read across all devices registered to the same Amazon.com account. This means that you can “pick up where you left off” across all devices, no matter which one you pick up. It also can download new purchases from one device to the others.

With Whispersync for personal documents Amazon has introduced the Kindle Personal Documents service which converts your personal documents into Kindle format and stores them in a Kindle library. You can download them easily or again start again where you left off on any of your devices. Of course you can change your documents. “These features are currently supported on Kindle Fire, Kindle Keyboard, Kindle, Kindle Touch, and Kindle for iPad, iPhone, iPod touch with Kindle app version 2.9 or greater.”

Whispersync for Amazon Instant Video keeps track of your last location of a video with Kindle Fire, PC, Mac or over 300 compatible TVs and Blu-ray players. This is the only type of Whispersync that cannot be turned off.

Whispernet is wireless coverage for Kindle without using WiFi. Therefore it is not necessary to find WiFi hotspots. This means there are no monthly wireless bills, no setup fee or data plans. The content is downloaded in seconds via “high speed data networks”. It can be used as soon as you purchase your Kindle (Free 3G). Whispernet can be combined with Whispersync. Sorry – this won’t work for your phone calls too. The international coverage has yet to be developed fully.

While it is convenient to have your various gadgets synchronized (assuming your are wealthy enough to have more than one), I personally am more interested in having more audio functions that convert to written form so that I’ll be free of typing on small keyboards. It has started with the Kindle audio version that can be downloaded through Whispersync for Voice.  It lets you switch from the audio version of a book to the regular Kindle version. With a Kindle Fire it is also possible to read and listen at the same time. There is another version available through a downloadable app at audio.com. The other issue with synchronizing involves security. What else will these devices connect to and who can access them besides you?

For more coverage of these plans, please go to: http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=200375890

http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/?nodeId=200775230

Amazon to Launch its Own Cell Phone

Amazon President, Jeff Bezos

This summer consumers will be able to buy a smartphone and an android-style cell phone. While the particulars are not yet known, there are rumors that the phone will be: 1) cheaper than the now pricey monthly charges, 2) access to TV and movie streaming through the Amazon program, Prime Instant Video 3) access to the Amazon Cloud Music Player and 4) access to the AT &T's program, Sponsored Data. Here is what Julian D'Onfro recently wrote in Business Insider.

Sponsored Data, announced in January, allows companies to pay for users' data traffic for certain apps and services, meaning that data used up on a designated app wouldn't count toward the user's monthly data cap. In whatever way Prime Data manifests itself, sources told BGR that it will be a key selling point for the Amazon smartphone.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-smartphone-prime-data-2014-4#ixzz31Ae2agxC

Despite all the bells and whistles, I suspect Amazon will have to come up with a very flashy design, good audio capacity and a thin size to fit into all those pockets, briefcases and purses. Lastly, can they make one with better e-mail voice activation for those of us who are tired of typing on small screens? They might have the capability with their Whispersync software.

Security Breach Effects Cell Phone Users

Recently a new cell phone security problem has appeared called Heartbleed. It has especially effected all websites that are using the SSL configuration (https:). It was disclosed on April 7,2014 and it is estimated that at least 17% or half a million of supposed secure websites are vulnerable unless they takes measures to "patch" the access.  Forbes cybersecurity columnist Joseph Steinberg wrote, "Some might argue that [Heartbleed] is the worst vulnerability found (at least in terms of its potential impact) since commercial traffic began to flow on the Internet." (quote source here) It is ironic that these are supposedly the most secure sites that use https:

What does this mean exactly to the average user and what can be done? It is a serious problem because your private information including credit card numbers and passwords is at risk of hackers. It is basically a high-level programming error, which now has a "patch protection" or a new SSL configuration that many companies have now installed. However, not all have protected themselves as yet. There is a test you can apply to see which ones are protected. Simply go to this site and type in the URL of the company you want to test. If the site is corrected, it's a good idea to change your password. However, if the site has not been patched, it's best just not to use it until the situation changes. Here's the testing site: https://filippo.io/Heartbleed/ 

There is another aspect to this problem and this is perhaps why it is considered to be such a threat. The hackers also have access to the SSL codes, a long string of numbers and letters that verify the site as certified to encrypt information on these sites. Apparently this has been a problem for several years already. The outcome is that hackers have access to pretend they are the established sites. Again many of the effected companies using open SSL have established new codes, but not all of them. It seems they should be required to make this change soon. What his means for users such as you and I is that we need to be extra-careful of phishing, both ones that are accessed through bookmarks as well as hackers contacting us through e-mail messages.

By the way, the security company, Codenomicon gave this security bug its name and contributed the logo.  The name stems from the fact that there is "missing bounds check in the handling of the Transport Layer Security (TLS) heartbeat extension", according to Wikipedia. It's just part of tech-speak but an interesting name, don't you agree?

Most people have seen QR codes (Quick Response Codes), although they have only been common in North America since 2006. They were invented in Japan in 1998 in order to make the inventory of automobiles easier during manufacture. They quickly became popular in other industries due to the easy of readability and the capacity for storing large amounts of data. It's interesting to note that Denso Wave, a subsidiary of Toyota, holds the patent rights to the QR code but has chosen not to exercise them. There are other patent rights on both the code and the name, QR code, so it is important for all companies using them to make sure that they are using both a standard type and one that is licensed.

The Scoop on QR Codes

As for the data that QR codes contain, please look at this very good diagram from Wikipedia. There are also different versions of QR codes. For example, Version 4, the most common today holds up to 55 characters, but soon there will be much higher versions. Already there is a Version 10 containing 174 characters and additional tracking boxes (not just the 3 that appear on the version above). Here is the new Version 40 that can contain 142 characters. How to read and use QR codes is very simple. First, download an app program for QR codes to your mobile phone equipped with a camera. There are lots of them, but RedLaser is a good one for both Apple or Android types. Blackberry users can choose QR Scanner Pro. After you follow the directions, you simply take a picture of the QR code you wish to scan, making sure you are as close as possible and without glare. Once the app has recognized the code, it will take you to the designated website on your mobile device. Here are some cautions. I'm going to quote directly from the Wikipedia article. There are now safeguards being developed to protect against these atagging (attack tagging) problems, but it's a good idea to check before you download an app.The sources for this information has all be carefully checked by Wikipedia contributors. Please refer to the original article.

Malicious QR Codes combined with a permissive reader can put a computer's contents and user's privacy at risk. This practice is known as "atagging", a portmanteau of "attack tagging." They are easily created and may be affixed over legitimate QR Codes. On a smartphone, the reader's many permissions may allow use of the camera, full internet access, read/write contact data, GPS, read browser history, read/write local storage, and global system changes. Risks include linking to dangerous websites with browser exploits, enabling the microphone/camera/GPS and then streaming those feeds to a remote server, analysis of sensitive data (passwords, files, contacts, transactions), and sending email/SMS/IM messages or DDOS packets as part of a botnet, corrupting privacy settings, stealing identity, and even containing malicious logic themselves such as JavaScript or a virus. These actions may occur in the background while the user only sees the reader opening a seemingly harmless webpage. In Russia, a malicious QR Code caused phones that scanned it to send premium texts at a fee of USD$6 each.

Unfortunately the use of QR codes has become a huge security risk for mobile phones, according to e-Cycle.

Mobile phones and tablets contain an overwhelming amount of confidential data. Sensitive emails, business contacts and passwords are all available on cell phones and pads. Making this information susceptible to hackers can be disastrous and while most people have learned to think twice before clicking on a suspicious link that was emailed to them, they do not exercise the same level of caution when it comes to QR codes. This lack of protection makes QR codes a growing risk in mobile security. Users should be aware of the mobile security risk that QR codes pose and view the website they are directed to before scanning. Various QR code applications allow the option to preview the link prior to scanning the barcode. This precaution prevents the user from scanning a code when the URL appears suspicious. Often times when a QR code is fraudulent, it will lead the user directly to a login screen. Cybercriminals use this form as a trap to retrieve personal information. In most instances, personal information should not be required when scanning a QR code. Legitimate codes will automatically complete a request or will only require contact information for subscriptions.   To view the rest of this article, click here.

Another way is to use a QR Code app that checks the codes before they are opened such as Norton Snap. If there is a "bad" code the reader program or app will notify you and advise not to open it. Businesses should also clearly state what you will see after opening a QR code. Just as with e-mail and phone calls no one should give out private information after opening up a code. Now there are programs that can change what you see when you open up a code. It is not always just the home page of a website. It can be a video, a sales page - any number of things and the site can be changed as often as every minute by the program or plugin. Google Chrome has a setting that allows you to create a QR code just by right clicking on a website. 

So that's the scoop on QR codes. It seems that QR codes as well as Bar codes are here to stay and both are very useful. Restaurants and real estate offices especially have adopted them wholeheartedly. They are easy to make and easily converted to data or directed to websites. After having lived in Japan for 15 years myself I hand it to the Japanese to have invented something so useful and small, like one of their small computers or semiconductors. By the way, QR Codes can also be used with Kanji, the lettering used by the Chinese and Japanese, so they have been completely adopted in China, even being used on subway passes and soon on passports. What's your experience with QR codes? Please leave a comment below.

The New Gold Rush Fueled by Cell Phones and TVs

Did you know that the color pictures for cell phones and TVs are produced by rare earth elements  such as praseodymium, cerium and lanthanum? They also make magnets lighter, balance the colors of fluorescent lights and add to wind turbines and the regenerative brakes of hybrid cars. Here’s the reason they have not been mined in the US, where they are prevalent, especially at former gold and silver mine sites.

"The reason they haven't been explored for in the U.S. was because as long as China was prepared to export enough rare earths to fill the demand, everything was fine — like with the oil cartels. When China began to use them as a political tool, people began to see the vulnerability to the U.S. economy to having one source of rare earth elements," said Ian Ridley, director of the USGS Central Mineral and Environmental Resources Science Center in Colorado.     Two years ago, China raised prices — in the case of Neodymium, used to make Prius electric motors stronger and lighter, from $15 a kilogram in 2009 to $500 in 2011, while Dysprosium oxide used in lasers and halide lamps went from $114 a kilogram in 2010 to $2,830 in 2011. It's also about the time China cut off supplies to Japan, maker of the Prius, in a dispute over international fishing territory.     To read the original of this article click here.

With these elements so valuable and necessary, the good news is that they are available in the US and perhaps other places as well. This will provide new jobs and stop the monopoly China has enjoyed. It seems ironic that the new miners will be going through the tailings of old mines for rocks the original miners discarded. As the saying goes, one person's waste is another person’s treasure. I would also like to see some of these electronic machines recycled as well in a safe, environmentally way. Perhaps some of these rare elements could also be recycled. This is a picture of rare earth oxides.

How Does Cloud Computing Effect Mobile Phones?

What is cloud computing? It's a way to organize and utilize all your technical devices. According to Wikipedia, "End users access cloud-based applications through a web browser or a light-weight desktop or mobile app while the business software and user's data are stored on servers at a remote location." Click here for the original quote
 Here is a short video that further explains it.

 How does this relate to mobile phones? They are part of the link, especially when it comes to giving remote directions to other devices. It's sort of like having your own world wide web for you and your associates. Storing data from a cell phone or iPad by using cloud storage has several advantages. First it saves space by not taking up valuable data space on the phone. If the phone is lost or stolen the data has been saved. It's a more secure storage rather than sending data by e-mail or text through the airwaves where it could be intercepted. Lastly as with the other devices in your platform infrastructure (see diagram above), the data will be easy to access from any other source. According to a recent article by Lindsey LaManna published in Business Innovation from SAP  "Thousands of businesses are making the switch from on-premise to the cloud. According to recent research, almost 60% of companies are already in the cloud and an additional 20% are planning to do so within the next 12 months."  One last comment - how secure are the cloud storage locations? So far I've not seen anything written about preventing cloud hacking. Where exactly are these clouds? It seems to me that if multiple companies are storing data in one place it could be disaster as well as a good thing.