Compal Electronics Suffers DoppelPaymer Ransomware Attack

Computer manufacturer Compal Electronics has been hit by a DoppelPaymer ransomware attack, and the ransom is US$16.7 million.

DoppelPaymer is a ransomware operation known for attacking enterprise targets by gaining access to admin credentials and using them to spread throughout a Windows network. Once they gain access to a Windows domain controller, they deploy the ransomware payloads to all devices on the network.

According to the DoppelPaymer Tor payment site linked to in the ransom note, the ransomware gang is demanding 1,100 Bitcoins, or $16,725,500.00 at today’s prices, to receive a decryptor.

TMO Contributor Kelly Guimont (#14) - BGM Interview

Kelly Guimont is a long-time podcaster, Contributor for The Mac Observer, the host of the Mac Observer’s Daily Observations podcast, and a tech support guru. In her 14th appearance, Kelly and I chat about our favorite streaming TV shows and movies of late.

As is our custom, we alternate. I open with a very positive review of the 2020 series The Right Stuff (Disney+). Kelly was up next with Penny Dreadful (Showtime). John then raves about the movie and then series Mystery Road. (Amazon). Kelly chimes in next with extreme praise for The Mandalorian S2/E1 (Disney+) and, later, an update on Lovecraft Country (HBO Max). John delves into the fabulous The Hundred-Foot Journey (Amazon) and scifi/romance Tuck Everlasting (Disney+). And there’s more! Join us as we explore together what’s great about these shows.

Apple Silicon Could Lead to Lower-Cost Macs, Predicts Top Analyst

Apple will host its ‘One More Thing’ event on Tuesday, at which the first Apple silicon macs are expected to be unveiled. In a new note to investors, JP Morgan analyst Samik Chatterjee became the latest to predict that the shift may result in lower-cost Macs.

“With the move to in-house capabilities, Apple is looking to regain control over the pace of the technology roadmap on the processor chips, and create a common architecture across all Apple products, making it easier for developers to write and optimize applications for the product ecosystem,” the analyst writes. For consumers, Chatterjee believes that a lower bill of materials cost with a new Apple Silicon chip could lead to Mac devices with a lower price point targeting a wider market. More specifically, the analyst contends that Apple could release an SKU with a price point between that of the MacBook Pro and the MacBook Air. The analyst estimates a standalone market opportunity of 10 to 15 million unit volume for the new Mac device, with a starting average selling price (ASP) of $1,000. That implies about a $15 billion opportunity for Apple, “which will assure multi-year growth in a lackluster PC market.”

Create Stunning Photos with this App's 100+ Effects, Fine Tuning Controls, Smooth Interface: $19.99

We have a deal on Photo Effect Studio Pro, photo editing software for the Mac and Windows. It features more than 100 effects presets developed by professional photographers and graphic designers, 30 frames to give your photo an extra degree of sophistication, and fine-tuning controls for Exposure, Brightness, Saturation, Rotate, Curve Adjustment, Color Balance, and more. This app is $19.99 through our deal. I’m linking to the Mac version of the deal, but the deal listing has an option for the Windows version, too.

OmniFocus Widgets for iOS 14 Arrive With Version 3.11

Announced on Monday, OmniFocus widgets arrive with the 3.11 update. These let you access your most used perspectives and most timely action items. This includes: A Forecast widget with a calendar view for today and the days ahead; A Perspective Items widget with a list of upcoming items in a perspective of your choice.

Both of these are available in small, medium, and large widget sizes, and can have their font size customized to suit your needs. The update also includes a New Inbox Item widget—a large, friendly button for immediately opening OmniFocus to add a new item to your Inbox.

YouTube Updates iOS App to Support HDR Video on iPhone 12 Range

The YouTube iOS app now supports HDR video on the iPhone 12 range. As iMore noted, the video-sharing platform has supported such video for a while but needs to update the app every time a new device is released.

While YouTube has offered HDR support for iPhones since the arrival of iPhone X, the app does require an update every time a new device is released. That’s less than ideal but, thankfully, YouTube seems to be pretty on the ball and gets the updates out relatively quickly. It did take a few weeks last year, though. The newly updated YouTube is available as a free download from the App Store right now. Not that you’d know what to expect from the release notes! ‘Fixed bugs, improved performance, explored the edges of the known universe.’