Apple’s updated bug bounty program is now live, meaning researchers can earn $1.5 million if they discover key security issues.
267 Million Facebook IDs, Phone Numbers Exposed
A database that contained over 267 million Facebook user IDs, phone numbers, and IDs was discovered on the web. It wasn’t password-protected.
Comparitech partnered with security researcher Bob Diachenko to uncover the Elasticsearch cluster. Diachenko believes the trove of data is most likely the result of an illegal scraping operation or Facebook API abuse by criminals in Vietnam, according to the evidence.
Diachenko immediately notified the internet service provider managing the IP address of the server so that access could be removed. However, Diachenko says the data was also posted to a hacker forum as a download.
Secret Apple Team is Working on Developing Satellite Technology
There is a top-secret team at Apple developing satellite communications technology that may allow it to bypass wireless carriers.
What the Sky Will Look Like When We Collide With Andromeda Galaxy
Our Milky Way galaxy and the Andromeda galaxy are gravitationally bound and will collide in about 4 billion years. Because stars are so far apart in a galaxy, many light years, the term “collision” really means interleave and gravitationally interact. Still, it will light up our sky. NASA has done a simulation to show us what it will look like. That is, if anyone is around to watch!
Adobe Capture Adds Color Shapes and Pattern Builder
Adobe added two big features to the Adobe Capture app. Color Shapes lets you add colors vector shapes to a document in the app, then save to your Creative Cloud library. Pattern Builder lets you create patterns from those vector shapes in your library.
Capture in action. Use your mobile device to turn photos into color themes, patterns, type, materials, brushes, and shapes. Then find those assets in CC Libraries, located right in your favorite desktop and mobile apps — including Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Dimension, XD, and Photoshop Sketch — to use them in all your creative projects.
Logitech Offers 4K Magnetic Webcam for Pro Display XDR
Logitech created a 4K magnetic webcam specifically for Apple’s Pro Display XDR you can use with the 2019 Mac Pro. Apple didn’t include a webcam in the display, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It will be used in environments like music studios where people cover up the webcams anyway. But Logitech’s solution is elegant, with an anodized aluminum finish that won’t look out of place with on Apple device. The magnet is strong enough to stay on even if you put the XDR display in portrait mode, and the screen image will automatically rotate along with it. You can buy it for US$199.
Apple Made its HomeKit Accessory Development Kit Open Source
Apple recently released an open source version of its HomeKit Accessory Development Kit. That means anyone can make HomeKit accessories.
Get this Mandalorian T-Shirt Before Disney Shuts it Down
Have you caught a case of Star Wars fever yet? There’s a new movie out, and people who hopped on the Disney+ train early have been enjoying The Mandalorian. Interestingly, Disney hasn’t had a lot of merch around the show yet, leaving others to fill that gap. Like Etsy shop SmokeScreenPrinting, which has a new Beskar Friends! shirt, printed in silver ink. I cannot confirm if any actual Beskar was harmed in the production of these shirts, but I can confirm that the shop takes more forms of currency than Imperial Credits.
Location Data, Listener Mail – TMO Daily Observations 2019-12-19
Dave Hamilton and John Martellaro join host Kelly Guimont to discuss location data and who gets to use it, as well as some listener mail.
Apple Shares ‘Little America’ Trailer Coming to TV+
Premiering on January 17, 2020, Little America is an anthology series to share the true stories of immigrants. Apple shared a trailer for the series on its YouTube channel.
“Little America,” is written and executive produced by Lee Eisenberg (“The Office,” Good Boys), who serves as showrunner, and executive produced by Kumail Nanjiani (The Big Sick, “Silicon Valley”), Emily V. Gordon (The Big Sick), Alan Yang (“Master of None,” “Parks and Recreation”), Sian Heder (Tallulah, “Orange Is the New Black”), Joshuah Bearman (Argo), Joshua Davis (Spare Parts) and Arthur Spector (The Shack). Heder also serves as co-showrunner alongside Eisenberg.