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Reboot Your iPhone Weekly as a Security Measure

Andrew Orr ·

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes has a tip for iPhone owners: Reboot it at least once a week as a security measure.

Not only does this clean the systems RAM and get it ready to do more work, it also helps protect against remote exploits by making it harder for hackers to keep control of your iPhone — hacks don’t survive reboots.

A good, practical, and easy tip for Apple users.

Cool Stuff Found

Apple Releases First Look of ‘Wolfwalkers’ on Apple TV+

Andrew Orr ·

Apple has shared a first look trailer for “Wolfwalkers” an animated film co-directed by Tomm Moore and Toss Stewart. “In a time of superstition and magic, a young apprentice hunter, Robyn Goodfellowe, journeys to Ireland with her father to wipe out the last wolf pack. While exploring the forbidden lands outside the city walls, Robyn befriends a free-spirited girl, Mebh, a member of a mysterious tribe rumored to have the ability to transform into wolves by night. As they search for Mebh’s missing mother, Robyn uncovers a secret that draws her further into the enchanted world of the Wolfwalkers and risks turning into the very thing her father is tasked to destroy.”

Podcast

Packing Your Geeky Go Bag — Mac Geek Gab 832

John F. Braun & Dave Hamilton · · Add Comment

What’s in your Geeky Go Bag? Whether you’re heading to work remotely, or take a plane trip, or head to the hospital, or just work outside at a coffee shop, what do you bring with you? John and Dave talk through their thought-processes here as they assemble their own Go Bags, helping you to make sure you have yours together. That’s not nearly the tip of the iceberg, though. This episode is chock full of your questions answered, tips shared, and Cool Stuff Found. Press play and learn at least five new things together with the rest of the Mac Geek Gab family!

From Everyone at TMO, Happy Labor Day!

Bryan Chaffin ·

It’s Labor Day in the U.S., and The Mac Observer will be taking the day off for some socially-distanced fun. And of course, we hope that you are, too. So mask up, stay distanced, and we’ll resume our regular publishing schedule on Tuesday, September 8th. Enjoy the holiday!

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Prison Phone Service ‘Telmate’ Leaks Data of Inmates

Andrew Orr ·

Telmate, owned by Global Tel Link, makes an app for prisoners to send messages and calls to friends and family. It exposed a database of private messages, call logs, and personal information numbers in the tens of millions. Why? The database wasn’t secured with a password.

Comparitech security researcher Bob Diachenko on August 13, 2020 discovered the unsecured database and immediately reported it to Global Tel Link, the company that owns and operates Telmate. The company, to its credit, responded within two hours and secured the database an hour later, but it’s possible that other unauthorized parties accessed it prior to Diachenko’s disclosure.

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Why a Second Screen For Your iPhone is Useful

Charlotte Henry ·

It’s long been possible to connect your iPhone to second screen But do you really want another display for your phone? Ed Hardy at Cult of Mac thinks doing so has lots of uses, particularly when it comes to streaming.

Once your handset and the larger display are connected, you can watch the video from many streaming services. I’ve tested it with Apple TV+, Disney+, Amazon Prime, CBS All Access and YouTube — it works perfectly. According to the internet, Netflix and Hulu work, too. But not Xfinity Stream. That said, there are limitations. Apple’s adapter has an HDMI 1.4 port — it can handle 1080p video but not 4K. However, not all streaming services offer 4K, so you might not be losing anything. Also, you’re not watching a movie while scrolling through Instagram. Your iPhone will be fully occupied. But still, if you’re looking for a way to watch movies or shows on a full-size TV, you don’t need to buy a Roku, Amazon Fire Stick, etc. All you need is your iPhone and Apple’s HDMI adapter.

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Uber Rent Car Hire Coming to UK to Help Social Distancing

Charlotte Henry ·

Uber is rolling out  Uber Rent, its car hire offering in the UK, The Verge reported. It will do so in collaboration with rental firm CarTrawler, in a bid to help maximize social distancing,

Users will be able to select the new “Uber Rent” option from within the app and then browse available cars for their chosen date and location. Rental cars can then be picked up from the “hundreds” of car hire company pickup locations. The UK launch follows trials in France and Australia. The process works a little differently from Uber’s bike or scooter rentals. Although Uber says you’re technically able to make your booking at the same time as you pick up the vehicle (as you would when renting one of its Jump bikes in the UK), it encourages you to make car reservations at least 24 hours in advance. Rentals can be cancelled up to 48 hours ahead of collection and Uber is promising discounts on rentals of up to 25 percent.