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Governments Are Terrible at Securing Data

Andrew Orr ·

It absolutely infuriates me when agencies like the FBI, and governments like Australia, the U.S., Germany, and more want us to break encryption or circumvent it with a back door. As Mathew Gault writes, they are completely inept at securing data. Even the NSA, which likes to think it’s the “world leader in cryptology” got hacked.

Regular phone and internet users remain vulnerable, forced to take individual protective measures, like a poor wage-worker without health insurance who’s told to secure her nest egg by cutting out morning lattes.

TMO Deals

Portable 10,000mAh Power Bank: $15

Bryan Chaffin ·

We have a dal on a very inexpensive 10,000mAh portable power bank. This orange and white device has two USB ports for charging two devices at the same time—and both ports push 2.4 amps. This device is just $15 through our deal.

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Google Pixel 4 Gives us a Hint of iPhone XI

Andrew Orr ·

Google just shared a photo of its upcoming Pixel 4 phone, and I think it gives us a hint of what the iPhone XI will look like. Android manufacturers are notorious for copying the appearance of iPhones, like the notch. The Pixel 4 shows a square camera module on the back, so I think it’s likely the rumors and mockups of a square iPhone XI camera module with three cameras are probably correct.

Well, since there seems to be some interest, here you go! Wait ’til you see what it can do. #Pixel4

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Behind the Scenes of Harry Potter: Wizards Unite

Andrew Orr ·

Harry Potter: Wizards Unite is an upcoming AR game from Niantic and WB Games San Francisco. The Dev Diaries are a new series that will feature a behind the scenes look at the people who created the game and stories that inspired it.

“It’s what everyone imagines when you read the Harry Potter books,” said Marigold. “You imagine the characters and world coming to life around you. Harry Potter: Wizards Unite takes this a step further and brings it to life in your world so that you can actually see all the magical characters and fantastic creatures all around you. It’s almost like you can reach out and touch them.”

Really neat to hear from the team, and I can’t wait for the game.

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The 2019 Mac Pro Features Custom SSD Connectors

Andrew Orr ·

Apple promised the 2019 Mac Pro would be modular, making it easy to upgrade with new components. But AppleInsider found that it will have custom SSD connectors you’ll have to buy from Apple.

The information Apple provides isn’t enough detail to confirm what kind of SSDs are being used by the Mac Pro, but what the image reveals is that it isn’t any standard SSD that is in use with other devices…Sources inside Apple not authorized to speak on behalf of the company say the drives do not use a standard M.2 pinout, but declined to speak about the slot’s pin compatibility with older Apple SSD modules. This does leave open the possibility Apple is using a connector it previously created or has since modified.

Oh people are going to love this.