Wikileaks, CIA, and iPhone Hacks - TMO Daily Observations 2017-03-08

With the Wikileaks report out saying the CIA developed hacking tools to get into our iPhones, John Martellaro joins Jeff Gamet to look at Apple’s security measures for our mobile devices. They also look at the negative message Apple is sending customers by not giving us solid information about the Mac, and Kelly Guimont drops by for a few minutes, too.

Ztylus Revolver Lens Camera Kit for iPhone 7: $84.95

We have a deal for you today on the Ztylus Revolver Lens Camera Kit for iPhone 7. This is a lens kit built into a revolving holder on the back of a case. It has four lenses, fisheye, wide angle, CPL, and macro. Just spin the holder to access the lens you need. It’s $84.95 through our deal.

Espionage 3 Encryption Software for Mac: $19.99

We have deal on Espionage 3, encryption software for your Mac. It allows you to create multiple master passwords, each protecting an isolated set of folders with a combination of AES-256 encryption and scrypt security. Our deal is for $19.99 on a lifetime license to Espionage 3, which includes all minor updates and major upgrades. Check out the deal listing for more details.

Sonos Puts the PLAYBASE Under Your Television

Today Sonos announced their new PLAYBASE, combining home theater sound and music playback in a low-profile base (just 2.28″ high!) that sits underneath your TV. The PLAYBASE is the result of nearly four years of iterative design work inside Sonos, and is made to complement the wall-mountable PLAYBAR in Sonos’ lineup. If your TV sits on a table, put a PLAYBASE under it; on the wall, put a PLAYBAR there. The PLAYBASE will hold TVs up to 77lbs, which should handle what most of you have.

While I haven’t yet tested the PLAYBASE in my home, I did get a chance to test it at Sonos’ offices last month, and the stereo spread and frequency response are impressive. They were able to fit a subwoofer in the thin design by use of a specially-engineered S-shaped port. It works, too, and really fills a room with sound for both music and video content. Of course, you’re able to use your iPhone or iPad to automatically tune the PLAYBASE to your room with Sonos’ Trueplay technology, ensuring the best possible sound for your environment. The PLAYBASE is priced at US$699 (same as the PLAYBAR), and will be released on April 4, 2017. Existing Sonos owners can pre-order starting today.

Save Space on Your Time Machine Drive

Don’t you hate when your Time Machine backups take forever? Even worse is when you begin getting notifications about your Time Machine drive running out of space. Jeff Butts is here to show you how you can slim down your backups, saving both time and precious hard drive space.