It is really worth taking a bit of time to configure backups and there are a few options:

1. If you have a second drive, then configure SyncThing, LuckyBackup or whatever to just do a scheduled copy daily to the second drive. Most often, problems are caused by failing or damaged hard drives.
2. If you have a free NAS setup at hope, sync to that.
3. Or try to find a free cloud backup service that offers enough space for your critical files. It should be encrypted though for personal info.
4. Sometimes you can use iCloud, GDrive or Dropbox, but make sure it is syncing automatically.

See https://www.worldbackupday.com

#technology #WorldBackupDay #backups #data

In fact, they also connect to many other devices such as SSD drives, memory sticks, headphones, Ethernet, and more. It can turn especially smaller tablets into quite productive devices. In most cases, the mobile app of a top end application, is cheaper than its desktop counterpart. If you have a smaller tablet with a stylus (Apple Pencil for iPads) being able to watch what you're doing on a larger monitor is really useful.

Most USB-C hubs have become a lot cheaper and work well on Android and iPad (those with USB-C, but you also get such hubs and adaptors for Lightning ports), but it is well worth reading user reviews just to check if any compatibility issues have been reported. Usually you can expect to have one or more USB sockets, and an HDMI port. It is well worth ensuring you have more than one USB port to allow simultaneous connections of a keyboard, mouse, and a storage device.

Keyboards, mice and a monitor probably won't require external power on the hub, but as you start to add SSD drives (and especially a USB powered hard drive) you may want to consider getting a hub with external power capabilities, or a hub that can handle charge through to charge the tablet at the same time.

See https://www.pcworld.com/article/402858/the-best-usb-c-hubs-for-your-laptop-tablet-or-2-in-1.html

#technology #tablets #productivity #gadgets

Back in the day, just about everything that used a battery had a hatch or a hutch that you could open to pull it out and replace it if need be. Whether it was a radio, a cordless phone, or a cellphone, it was a cinch to swap out a battery.

These days, many devices hide their batteries, deep beneath tamper-proof stickers and warnings that state there are “no user serviceable components inside.” The EU wants to change all that, though, and has voted to mandate that everything from cellphones to e-bikes must have easily replaceable batteries, with the legislation coming into effect as soon as 2024.

Many phone batteries are designed to be non-replacaeble from the factory. Thus, when they swell up or fail, they can damage the whole phone rather than merely popping off a removable panel.

I remember the early Samsung phones had a rubber gasket on the battery cover to also help keep water out. Point is most people's phones don't get taken swimming, but the first thing normally to fail on a very very expensive phone, is the battery. I anyway have always taken out all-risk insurance on every phone and tablet I've bought (which excludes failed batteries). Personally, I'd be happy to see replaceable batteries again, as I have still not forgotten my Nexus 6P battery failure which turned my phone into an expensive brick. And of course this is not just about phones, and also includes rechargeable toothbrushes and other devices, which is better for the environment.

See https://hackaday.com/2022/03/30/replaceable-batteries-are-coming-back-to-phones-if-the-eu-gets-its-way/

#technology #EU #batteries #environment

Bluetooth trackers have quickly become a hot tech commodity. While companies like Tile have offered Bluetooth-powered tags for years, it was Apple’s AirTags that helped these tiny devices achieve mainstream popularity. If you’re on Android, you usually have to download a separate app from the tag manufacturer to monitor, scan and control your device. But it appears that Google may soon let you scan for nearby trackers without downloading a third-party app.

A recent APK teardown from 9to5Google reveals that Google is working on integrating Bluetooth tracker detection capability right into Android. The feature will be part of the Google Play Services, so it should allow Google to bring it to the masses with minimum effort. Within the latest version of the Play Services, 9to5Google has found strings related to “Unfamiliar device alerts” and an “Unfamiliar Tag Detected Notification” for Bluetooth Low Energy tags.

In addition to detecting, it looks like Google will also allow Android users to ring an identified tag. This will be similar to how Apple lets you play a sound on unknown AirTags.

It's not confirmed yet, so even though it's appearing inside source code, it is not known when it may go live.

See https://www.xda-developers.com/google-bluetooth-tracker-detection-feature-android-in-development/

#technology #tracking #android #airtags

Dismissing what he called a “blunderbuss of objections” by the company, a federal judge in San Francisco ruled that the case can proceed as a class action on behalf of small business owners and individuals who bought ads on Facebook or Instagram since Aug. 15, 2014.

The decision is another setback for the social networking giant after court filings in 2021 revealed that its audience-measuring tool was known by high-ranking Facebook executives to be unreliable because it was skewed by fake and duplicate accounts.

LinkedIn is facing a suit accusing it of inflating video-viewing metrics to lure and overcharge advertisers. Snap Inc., the parent of the Snapchat social-media app, was sued in 2017 by a former employee who claimed the company was inflating growth metrics ahead of its initial public offering.

The moral of it seems to be that where the social network (business) is driven by profit, then those metrics are going to be maxed out. “For years, Facebook repeatedly confronted a choice between telling customers the truth or preserving its revenue: at every turn, Facebook chose its revenue,” lawyers for the ad buyers said in a court filing.

I logged into my mom's FB account this week to delete it this week (she has not used it in over two years), and a quick glance at the friends showed also no posts for months to a year plus, apart from one younger family member who seemed to still have posted a month ago.

MySpace at least died a lot quicker, but that death was driven by its users deserting it for a new, better platform. Our challenge in 2022 is we have too many alternatives, but better to choose a federated platform, than another walled garden like Facebook.

See https://mybroadband.co.za/news/internet/439268-facebook-sued-for-overstating-advertising-reach.html

#technology #socialnetworks #deletefacebook #classaction

If you’re looking to buy a Linux tablet, you have some options out there today. In this article, they compare the best options and guide you through the Linux tablet world.

In terms of advancements and options in the market, Linux tablets are far behind Linux phones. Linux phones in general are far behind iPhones and Androids. So right from the start, manage your expectations.

Interestingly, they also cover some options for taking existing non-Linux tablets that can be converted to running Linux.

See https://linuxstans.com/linux-tablet/

#technology #linux #tablets

Windows has always had a bloatware problem (even if Samsung has recently claimed the crown in that department). Bloatware is an umbrella term for apps, services, and programs you don’t need, and never asked for, and Windows comes preinstalled with a boatload of them.

Removing bloatware helps you in two ways: You’ll recover some storage space and speed up your computer. If you’re using a low-end machine or an older PC, or if you just like the idea of running a lighter OS, this guide can help you take care of the problem with one command.

See https://lifehacker.com/you-can-get-rid-of-windows-bloatware-with-one-command-1848707156

#technology #windows #bloatware #microsoft

Although Microsoft claims this was 'dealt' with a while ago, the question should be asked whether it was criminally investigated. Otherwise, this would be much like the UK Government whitewashing their own Christmas parties during lockdown.

I spent many years doing IT business within government, and although I was never approached with a potential bribe, I did witness a lot of unethical practices around Microsoft deals, and I watched Microsoft's grip get ever tighter and wider across Government (below is my own opinion based on my experiences and e-mails):

1. In South Africa, although Microsoft had offices in the country, they insisted in invoicing from their Ireland HO in US$. This meant they did not collect or pay any VAT within the country (unlike other suppliers). This had a twofold effect: Their prices appeared cheaper than competitors, but the client departments were not reminded that they were supposed to go declare and pay the VAT themselves. A third issue is that the bulk of the funds went out as Forex, with only the few percent markup being returned in Rands to pay the resellers. This was confirmed with the Revenue officials. You can blame the government departments, but as the seller, MS was not giving the whole picture.
2. The MS Enterprise Agreement signed with SA government was supposed to be an enabling agreement (similar to the agreements with Oracle, SUSE, and others), yet most departments were under the impression it was a "contract" and they could just buy any new product off it without testing the market. There were certainly good competing products on other contracts for project management, operating systems, databases, e-mail, and more, yet the requests would go through as "existing contract". It was Treasury's intention that the market always be tested before purchasing a "new" solution. If you have bought the OS and MS Office, a project management solution is a new solution. Yet if a department were to consider buying off some else's contract, MS would be quick to point out the market must be tested first. Yes a lot of this is "advice" behind the scenes, but I do have one e-mail thread where this was thrashed out in writing with Microsoft. Again, though, one could blame the departments themselves, except for in my e-mail the Microsoft Reseller was vigorously defending their view.
3. We all know South Africa had a MIOS interoperability standard approved. This was to ensure that any software implemented (whether FOSS, proprietary, cloud or otherwise) could exchange information using these international open standards. Yet we saw tenders going out with no requirements stated for interoperability (every tender is supposed to get a certification against standards). Again one could blame government officials as it is they who are supposed to apply this. But I have so often seen that departments are misguided by resellers who punt their product (often even stating it is the only available product - no it's not there are plenty of office suites, project management, e-mail solutions). Interestingly enough, we have an Eastern Cape District Municipality that runs fully on free and open source software - why only them, though?

"Advice" though, is a lot more subtle than actual bribery, and in many cases it is resellers who are at the forefront, not the OEM. Officials too are ignorant around firstly the detail of their own policies, but also in terms of market awareness (the latter also comes from speaking far and wide with other resellers). SA did create the State IT Agency to help fulfil some of this specialised knowledge gap, but even there the same effects were often present. There was even a point in time when some strong vendors stopped approaching IT officials, and instead targeted senior managers without technical experience. SA probably fell down a bit with not declaring strong open standards as well as potential default products to achieve them, with a special motivation required for anything else. The closer we move to cloud too, the more we will lose the specialised IT skills on the ground, as the concentration of expertise moves towards the cloud provider (including a looming and dreaded vendor lock-in if open standards are not seen to have priority over convenience). I see where it is going to end, and of course then the pendulum will have to swing the other way again...

See https://www.theverge.com/2022/3/25/22995144/microsoft-foreign-corrupt-practices-bribery-whistleblower-contracting

#technology #microsoft #bribery #southafrica #interoperability

All of our phones contain a number of sensors quietly doing their jobs every day. You might know your phone has GPS, biometric sensors, and magnetometers, but many smartphones also sport barometers to measure air pressure and a small number can even measure ambient air temperature. Now, a worldwide climate science project wants to use sensor data from Android phones linked to satellites to improve weather forecasting for everyone.

It's not that you can get money for your metadata (does Facebook pay you?), and yes it does have value for scientific projects such as this one, but it does show it holds value anyway even for valuable research. In this case at least, you must download and install the Camaliot app and then give permission (you do read the terms and privacy policy, don't you?). So no-one is taking any data without your knowledge. Once you begin using it, you'll be able to see a leaderboard recording information submitted by others as well.

Camaliot researchers want to use this data and combine it with machine learning to make improvements in weather forecasting models. Another goal is to track ionospheric changes to help monitor space weather as well. The project has even larger ambitions for the future if it takes off, possibly one day collecting sensor information from devices connected to the Internet of Things.

See https://www.androidpolice.com/climate-science-project-use-android-gps-to-weather-forecasts/

#technology #android #Camaliot #research #weather