Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Combo

 

Grab it! 

Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Combo, EDJO 2.4G Full-Sized Ergonomic Computer Keyboard

this combo because of the multiple DPI mouse and the great price. It did not disappoint.

loading...

Can We Still Control the Tech We Create?

Can We Still Control the Tech We Create?

We live in an era where our cars, our money, and even our medical devices are more "intelligent" than ever. But there’s a catch: they are also getting harder to explain. When a system is managed in the cloud and run by an algorithm, who is really in charge?

The "Black Box" Problem

Today, the study of "explainable technology" is a major research field. We are realizing that when AI makes a biased decision or a system fails, we often can't point to the exact "why." This lack of transparency is no longer just a technical glitch; it’s a social risk.

Beyond Optimism and Pessimism

For decades, we’ve been split into two camps:

The Optimists: Tech will save us from climate change and famine.

The Pessimists: Tech is a runaway train that will eventually automate away our agency.

The truth is somewhere in the middle. Technology isn't just a "tool," but it isn't an unstoppable force either. It’s a reflection of our policies.

The Unintended Consequence

History shows us that we rarely use tech the way it was designed:

The Internet was for sharing data; it became the backbone of global commerce.

Social Media was for sharing photos; it became a catalyst for political upheaval.

Crypto was meant to be digital cash; it became a massive consumer of energy.

The goal for the next decade isn't to stop innovation, but to build better "guardrails." We need to design systems that are as accountable as they are advanced.

XZT 60P Hydraulic Pressure Test,Pressure gauges Set, mini Hydraulic Hose Set, Test Coupling Set,Repair Tools for USA Brand Excavator Construction Machinery

loading...

2 SEO Trends 2021 for Business

With the improvement of technology that can be found time after time, you cannot expect that the SEO practice will still be the same after years. You cannot ignore the SEO trends 2021 if you want to experience their great impact on your business presence in the Google search engine. Here are some of them.

Mobile SEO

If you are looking for the SEO trends 2021 that can be the most impactful, it can be the mobile SEO. It is not surprising at all because people are very familiar with their mobile devices. Many of them use their mobile devices for their searching. You cannot just do SEO for desktops and ignore SEO for mobile. It is important to focus on mobile SEO since the use of the mobile device for searching will get bigger in the future.

Zero-Click Search

Just because the internet can connect you to every corner of the world, it does not mean that you can ignore the local search listings. Zero-click search has a steady rise since the local answers will be presented at the top search results. That is why local search is one important part of SEO trends 2021. You need to build a backlink profile and an account for Google My Business

loading...

Air Fryer, Healthier Way to Fry Your Ingredients

Whenever you are looking for a healthy way to cook, someone may suggest an air fryer. With this tool, you don’t need oil to fry ingredients. How can it do that? Maybe, you have this question before you buy it. That is a good thing because you need to know the greatness of this tool before you get one. 

How Does an Air Fryer Work?

Frying is a cooking method that uses oil. Therefore, the air fryer does not fry your food. It uses the convection effect that changes your cooking ingredient to have brown, dry, and crispy results like when you fry it in oil.

Inside an air fryer, you can find a fan. This fan will blow the hot air into the ingredient that you put in the air fryer. And, it produces high pressure that lets the heat sip into the ingredients. However, to produce the frying result, the temperature inside the air fryer must be more than 320 F. 

That is the reason why air fryers can fry ingredients healthier. It doesn't use oil that can turn into trans-fat that is not good for your heart. Therefore, if you want to enjoy fried meals healthier, you can always get and use an air fryer.

loading...

3 Filter Technologies You Can Find in Air Filter

An air filter helps you to create healthy and clean air in your room or house. It is necessary, especially these days during the pandemic. So, why can the air filters clean your room air? The answer is it has unique air filtration technology. Here, you will find out about three of the standard technologies that this tool uses to purify the air.

Fibrous Media Filter
This method uses a fibrous media filter with high density. Thanks to its high density, it catches the particle-type air pollutant. Among all the filter technology you can find in air filters, this one is the safest. One of the most popular air filter technology that uses this type of filter is HEPA technology.

Adsorbent Media Filter
This one filters gas and odor. You can use this type of air filter in the kitchen where there is odor from cooking ingredients and kitchen waste.  

Ionizers
This media filter produces negative ions that catch the pollutant. The pollutant exposed by the negative ions will become heavier and fall to the plates in the air filter. So, whenever you want to buy an air filter, make sure you check whether it has one of those three. Those are the best filters you can get from the air filter.

loading...

Best Features You Can Get from A Smart Lock

Do you still use an analog key for your front door? You may need to change it to a smart lock. The analog or old key system is easy to break. On the other hand, a smart lock will give trouble for those who want to enter your house without your permission. Now, before you buy one, you should know some of the features that a smart lock has.

Fingerprint and facial recognition
This feature is the best security system you can get. No one can copy it, especially with the latest fingerprint and facial recognition technology. It can even detect if you use the printed fingerprint and photo image.

Biometric verification
You also can get a smart lock product with biometric verification that you can access through your mobile phone. It is another level of the recognition system. Mostly, this product has fingerprint and facial recognition, plus biometric verification to ensure complete protection.

Sensing technology
This feature tells you whether you have already locked your door or not. So, if you only close it, it will activate and notify you to lock it. Therefore, you don’t have to worry about forgetting to lock your door when you leave your house. Now, you are ready to get a smart lock.

loading...

4 Reasons Your House Should Has A Sink Garbage Disposal

Not many people use sink garbage disposal at their homes. Because of that, they often have blockage problems and even leaking because the pipe couldn’t hold the water pressure. So, here, we will show the benefits you will get from installing this home appliance. Let’s start!

It saves your time – you can dispose of the kitchen waste much faster. This tool will shred it into small pieces that can go through the sink pipe.
Less trash to throw – you don’t have to throw your kitchen waste too often. Plus, you can save more plastic bags for that.

Good for the environment – by using a sink garbage disposal, you can reduce the amount of trash that needs to be processed. So, it also saves the environment from less energy usage for that process.
Better pipe condition – your kitchen sink pipe and disposal system will last longer. You don’t have to change or maintain it too often.

In short, sink garbage disposal is not only good for the environment. This product also improves your productivity at home. Your kitchen also will be much cleaner and odorless than before. So, from our perspective, this tool is necessary for every home today.

loading...

The Best Technology for SEO That Will Benefit You

If you are looking for the best technology for SEO that will benefit you, then this is probably your lucky day. We are going to tell you everything that you need to know when it comes to SEO technologies that will blow your mind. Of course, you will also be able to feel the benefit of the SEO techniques that we are going to tell you. So, without further ado, here is what you need to know about the best SEO techniques.

Why You Need SEO Technology
Before we talk about the best SEO technology, let’s talk about what you might need it in the first place. So, you probably have a website, right? Well, then you probably also know that the success of a website is determined by how many visitors it has.

If you want your website to be successful, then you need to make sure that it gets a lot of organic visitors. And you can easily do this with the help of SEO. By optimizing the content that you put on your website, you will be able to get as many visitors as you can get.

SEO Technology
Now that you know why you might need SEO technology, let’s talk about the best technology for SEO that you can use. Go ahead and check these SEO technologies out.

HTTPS
The first technology that we are going to talk about is HTTPS. This is the kind of technology that will help you secure your website. With the help of HTTPS, hackers will not be able to hack the data on your website. The safer your website is, the better credibility your website gets. That is why it is an important SEO technology.

Google AMP and Facebook Instant Articles
The next technology that will improve your SEO is Google AMP and Facebook Instant Articles. With the help of these two things, your web page will be able to load instantly. And this is something that you would certainly want for your website.
Nobody wants to visit a slow-loading website. That would just be such a drag. That is why this technology is very important for your website. That way, you will get as many organic visitors as you can get.

Final Thoughts
SEO is one of the best methods for you to increase your website visitors. To help improve your SEO, you need to know the kind of technology that will help you. With the help of the best technology for SEO, you will be able to see more organic visitors on your website.

loading...

SEO Technology Techniques That You Have to Know

Are you looking for some SEO technology techniques that will make your life easier? Well, if you are, then you have come to the right place. If you are a website owner, then you probably know that Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is very important. With the help of a smart SEO strategy, you will be able to gain more visitors to your website, allowing your website to thrive.

However, you will not be able to get the best website traffic without the best techniques. And you will also need the help of technology to make everything easier. That is exactly why we are going to tell you some technology techniques for SEO that will make your life way easier.

Understand Your Audience
The first thing that you need to consider is your audience. Who is the target of your website? What kind of people are you trying to reach? Once you have determined the people that are your target, you will be able to determine everything else.

For example, once you have known that you are targeting a certain group of age to visit your website, you will be able to determine what kind of content you are putting on your website. And of course, you are going to have to know what your audience is searching for. That way, you will be able to tailor your content based on the kind of audience that you are targeting.

Publish Regularly
One of the best SEO technology techniques is to publish regularly. No one wants to open a blog that was lastly updated 4 years ago. Usually, people will want to see content regularly. That is exactly how you can build credibility for your website. And with the help of credibility, a lot of people will want to visit your website.

Improve the Load Time for Your Page
The last technology technique that we are going to give you about SEO is to improve the page load limit on your website. Nobody wants to visit a slow-loading website. That is why improving your page’s load time is going to be such a great investment in the future.

Conclusion
If you want to have a successful website, then you have to know about SEO. Once you have understood its concept, you need to have an SEO strategy. You will also be able to need a little bit of help from technology. These SEO technology techniques will certainly be very beneficial for you.

loading...

Differences In Technology for SEO Between Amazon and Google

Do you know that the technology for SEO is different between Amazon and Google? More people are using Amazon rather than Google to look for products, but the search engines of the two sites differ. If you’re an Amazon seller, you need to know what the differences are.

How Amazon and Google Search Differ
For the technology for SEO in both search engines, keywords still matter. In Page 1 of both results, you are also more likely to see links that are accessed more often. But Amazon and Google’s search engines different in their goal.

Google aims to answer your question, which it answers by giving you relevant websites. However, Amazon aims to make it easier for you to buy the products that you look for. So, Amazon’s task is easier.

Googling cooking pans will give you the difference between various kinds of cooking pans. But Amazon will try to help you decide which pan to buy, for example by showing reviews.
So how can you write good Amazon SEO content? Here is what you can do.

What You Need for a Good Amazon SEO
1. Relevant Keywords
This applies to both Google and Amazon. The keyword must be related to the product and appear in the listing title. Single-use keywords are all right. As long as you use them properly, you don’t need to put so many keywords in your product description.
2. Precise Title
Be careful when titling your product. It’s recommended that you make a title that mentions the product name, the material, quantity, brand, and color. For titles, Amazon allows for at maximum 129 characters untruncated while Google cuts anything longer than 60 characters.
3. Product Description
Bullets are crucial for the Amazon algorithm. They can help the search engine compare similar items and rank them in the search results. Make sure that you include relevant information such as characteristics or special features in the bullets.
4. Backend Keywords
Backend keywords refer to related terms, common misspellings of keywords, or even the keywords in other languages. Amazon allows sellers to include backend keywords. You may want to include them as well.
5. External Links
The newest Amazon algorithm gives more importance to traffic from external sites, especially referral traffic. Referral traffic rewards only the links that increase page views. If you have such links, they can boost your product visibility. External links are a useful technology for SEO for Amazon sellers.

loading...

The Newest Algorithm Technology for SEO on Amazon

The Newest Algorithm Technology for SEO on Amazon
Every Amazon seller needs the right technology for SEO to ensure that their products sell. Here is how the latest algorithm for Amazon search engine works, and how sellers can make use of it.

What differentiates A9 from Google Search or other top search engines is Amazon is a buying platform.
How the Amazon Algorithm Works.

More people are searching for products on Amazon rather than Google. But because people who look for products on Amazon are sure buyers, the site has made adjustments to its algorithm to ensure that people really buy from them.

Amazon’s algorithm is known as A9. A9 aims to make customers see, click, and buy your product. So, your product description must emphasize on visibility, relevance, and conversions. Here is how you can do it.

How to Utilize the Technology for SEO on Amazon
1.    Optimize Your Listing Title
Your product and listing titles affect how your product will appear in Amazon search results. In the title, include important information such as product name and line, brand, material, color, size, and quantity.
Amazon allows 129 characters before a title is truncated. In the right rail ads, titles have about 30 characters, while mobile titles have between 55-63 characters. So, you need to put the most relevant keywords first in your title.

2.    Make Use of Bullet Points
Bullet points don’t impact product visibility in the search results. However, they help increase conversion rate and product relevance. You should list the features of your products and their benefits in the bullets.
There are many tools that help you build your own list of important keywords, such as Helium 10 - Scribbles. Put the most important keywords in the title, and the rest goes to the bullets. You may also include important information such as product warranty in the last bullets.

3.    Tell a Story
A well-written product description that tells a story and persuades people to buy your product can also positively affect visibility and conversions. In the description, weave in important keywords into a convincing but to-the-point story about your brand. Helium 10 - Scribbles is a technology that comes in handy for this purpose.
Another useful tool is Word to Clean HTML to format your product description in an engaging way. Paste the formatted description and click convert, then paste the HTML in your product details. This tool is a useful technology for SEO that Amazon sellers should try.

loading...

Real Proof of Technology Development

Real Proof of Technology Development
Technology is something that is always around us. We use technology in almost every activity. Even today, turning on a lamp without having to touch it becomes a reality. Things that seemed impossible have become so easy to do with technology. Of course, we have felt the many benefits of technology, but are you aware of the real proof of it? Here is the real proof the technology developments that we use every day.

Educational Applications
Today's education is not as difficult as in the past when it comes to accessing it. Everything is available on the internet from videos, books, and questions. Many educational applications and websites are very helpful for students to understand the material that is not explained at school. Currently, formal education at universities can be reached online with online class programs. Of course, this is useful for people who want to continue their studies but don't have much time. All learning is also carried out easily and without obstacles so that the knowledge gained is the same as the knowledge in the classroom. You only need to pay the registration fee and meet several conditions, then the duration of education begins and you can adjust it with your busy schedule. The diploma you receive is also valid. Just like any other university and you can exchange students like any other student.

Transport Application
Transportation is also indispensable for survival and one of the technology developments. It may be easy for residents of a country where it is very easy to get a permit to buy a car or private vehicle. But what about citizens who are familiar with public transportation? It is Very difficult without the help of a transport application. With the application of the results of this technological development, we can easily see the bus or train schedule so that you won't miss it. Changes or delays will also be notified so that we can prepare ourselves. Another very useful application is an instant transportation application that can be ordered via a smartphone. We can choose what kind of car we want and which driver takes it.

Entertainment
Previously, entertainment only revolved around television, tapes, magazines, and radio, unlike nowadays, all of these things can be accessed in one connection. Entertainment is a must in our lives. What other things can we enjoy after a tiring day of activities? Of course, watching or playing games. Entertainment is one of the real proofs of technology development.

loading...

Positive Impact of Technology Development

Modernization has had a huge impact on humans. Technology fills human life in everyday activities. Because of technology, we can easily pay all bills via smartphones, buying and selling transactions that are only a “click”, and lots of entertainment on the internet. Technology may have negative impacts, but when used properly, the positive impacts of technology are numerous and growing. Technology is a new science that can be studied at universities or other institutions. With technology, there are lots of new things that can be found and this will help human life in the future. Here are the positive effects of technology that can help you a lot without you knowing it.

Intensity of Communication
Of course, the first impact of technological development is the intensity of communication. We must admit that communication has indeed become very smooth and seamless. The only thing that must be considered is your internet connection which must be fine when communicating. Lots of couples who go through long-distance relationships but still manage to maintain the relationship because of easy communication. Sending messages, voice messages, video calls, and telephones are a way out in this case. The development of mobile phones which initially only had two main features, namely telephones and messages, developed into dozens of excellent features. This can be felt because of the positive effects of technology which is very fast and rapidly developing.

Data
It is undeniable that the speed of data exchange is very beneficial for some parties. The thing to think about is don't give or fill in your data carelessly without a clear purpose. But in business terms, instant data exchange is an advantage. If in the past company A sent a bill to be paid by company B it took weeks, this time with just one “send” the bill can be sent immediately and only wait for the company's system to pay the bill. Very effective, right? Therefore, data is very important in business matters. If you work or are interested in this field, you must be careful not to be careless in it.

Obtaining Information
Next is obtaining very easy information. Of course, this makes it easier for all parties. Students who need information about their lessons, students who are taking final assignments and the others are examples of how easy it is to obtain information due to technological developments. Buy use it properly, we can feel all the positive effects of Technology Development.

loading...

The Ultimate Guide for Ecommerce SEO to Boost Traffic

SEO is one of the keys to boosting traffic to your website, especially if you are running an e-commerce site. Optimizing the SEO helps to cut the price that you need to pay for Product Listing Ads or PLAs.
But how can you increase traffic to your website with SEO technology?

#1 Organizing the website structure
Having an organized website is essential. This is even the key that boosts your customers to buy stuff from your website. Other than that, an organized site will rank better on the SERPs.

#2 Research the keywords
Once you have a technically structured website, you need to find the right keywords. There are plenty of keywords you can choose for your website.
However, it should be suitable for the type of website. Choosing the right e-commerce keyword will determine whether your site will make or break in the first place.
You can use a third-party app such as Google Keyword Planner. Here you can find the keywords along with the competition.
After that, don’t forget to Google the keyword you choose to check whether or not you can compete with other companies. Using longer-tail keywords will be a better thing to bet on.

#3 Optimizing the pages
You won’t be able to compete if you just copy and paste product descriptions from rivals. The product pages should be optimized at the most.
You can start by sticking to your branding. Using jargon should be minimized and make sure you keep the description readable.
Using bullet points is excellent to highlight specific features. Also, don’t forget to mention the buyer persona intrinsically.

#4 No duplicate items
It might be one of the hardest things when you are running an e-commerce site. Since there are hundreds of items on your database, it might be a bit tricky to distinguish one from another.
In this case, you can incorporate a canonical tag. The tag helps the system to differentiate one similar item to another.

#5 Mobile experience is vital
According to data, more than half of Black Friday sales were finalized on mobile devices. Thus, considering mobile experience as a vital instrument on e-commerce websites is right to the target.
In this case, the site must make a specific mobile design that provides simplicity and responsiveness. Generally, mobile devices require a simpler checkout and intuitive navigation.
By meeting these guides, your e-commerce site will raise to the top of search engines yet getting more new customers.

loading...

Why Building a Desktop PC is better than Buying a Laptop

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/mwBKEFH0X14/maxresdefault.jpg

If you ask which one I should pick between a PC desktop or laptop, of course, I will choose a PC Desktop instead. Why? Well, there are a lot of reasons for it, and one of them is because I love to play video games. So, because of that, in this article, we will talk about why building a desktop PC is better than buying a laptop.
The specifications are affordable
By building yourself a desktop PC, you can get a high specification of hardware at the most affordable price. Why did I say that? Because many of the internal computer hardware that is sold in the market by a lot of brands. Let just say some of the examples are like AMD, Intel, Nvidia, and many more. This made the price of internal computer hardware can be various, and that includes the cheaper ones with high performance.
Well, it does not limit to new hardware. You can also get a higher specification of hardware that is in the second hand but still in perfect condition. Of course, the price is lesser than buying yourself new hardware. For that, you can find second-hand hardware in some places, such as a buying and selling forum on Facebook or other social media.
Free to customize by yourself
The second reason why building a desktop PC is better is because you can customize your components by yourself. You can use various motherboards, processors, discrete graphics card, RAM, HDD, SDD, and many more. Not just that, even though they are not from the same brand, a desktop PC will still run smoothly. Well, free to pick whatever hardware you want based on your need. Let just say that you are aiming for a high-end gaming experience. What you will need is definitely a new motherboard, a newer generation of processors (such as Ryzen 9), a discrete graphics card, and Dual or Quad-Channeled RAMs.
This is different from a laptop because you can't customize the hardware in it, or you will lose the warranty for that laptop. Moreover, if your desktop PC's happen to be broken, you can fix it with the component's brand warranty.
As a summary, why building a desktop PC is better than buying a laptop? Well, the laptop's purpose is relatively for common use, but a desktop PC is for something that needs higher performance. Desktop PC's hardware is free to pick, and the price is relatively more affordable than a laptop.

loading...

AMD Ryzen 5 3400g

https://static.techspot.com/articles-info/1878/images/2019-07-19-image-2-j.webp

AMD has consistently given its consumer the best processors every year. Yeah, AMD Ryzen series outmatched Intel more than anything this lately. Even though AMD is known as one of the hottest processors before, now it is not relevant anymore. Well, Ryzen itself is the reason why AMD became one of the best processors in the world at the most affordable price. Well, I personally love the Ryzen series because I also used it. Well, I used AMD Ryzen 5 3400g without a discrete graphics card. I could play many AAA games even though it is on low or medium graphics settings.

Ryzen 5 3400g is an APU kind that is part of the Ryzen 3000 series family. What is APU? Well, APU means Accelerated Processing Unit. Is it different from the CPU? Yes, it is different because APU has its own integrated graphics card on the processor. This is the reason why Intel lost. One of them because of its Intel HD integrated graphics card on motherboards. 

So, even though 3400g has its own integrated graphics card, this processor will do more performance if you add a discrete graphics card, such as RX 570, RX 580, or RX 590. However, 3400g is the best choice if you prefer your budget to be saved and buy a discrete graphics card later in the future. Yeah, I also planned to buy a discrete graphics card as well, but I have to save for 3000 MHz Dual-Channel RAM first. 

This AMD Ryzen 5 3400g has 3.7 GHz of Base Clock, and you are able to overclock it to 4.2 GHz. It has 4 cores (Quad-Cores) and 8 Threads. For the graphics card, it has Radeon Vega 11 integrated on its processor with 1400 MHz and 11 graphics cores. Not just that, Ryzen 5 3400g also includes a stock cooler for its processor, AMD Wraith Spire. 

If you compare this APU with Intel Core i5-9400, Intel still loses the match even though Core i5-9400 has 6 cores and 6 threads, whatever it is in the base clock or overclock. 

For its performance in gaming, well, personally, it is the best APU you can afford cheaply if you really want to play AAA games so bad. However, it doesn't lift the went-right graphics setting game because Vega 11 capability is only 2 GB VRAM and took it from RAM. But, AMD Ryzen 5 3400g is the best if you only want to play AAA Esports games, such as Counter-Strike, or DOTA 2 in a higher graphics setting.

loading...

Best VR Platforms

Best VR Platforms

When it comes to VR, I bet the thing that passed on your mind is Sword Art Online. Well, yes. Sword Art Online is a sci-fi and fantasy light novel that talked about a VR game, with the same name. Later, the light novel got an anime adaptation, and which triggered the development of VR we know. However, nowadays, VRs are not still at the same level as the one in Sword Art Online. Well, I hope it can be realized in the future. So, because of that, in this article, we will talk about the best VR platforms you probably want to have.
Project Morpheus's PlayStation VR
Project Morpheus is the name of the VR platform that PlayStation developed that supports it with its PS4. In GDC 2015, it was demonstrated that PlayStation VR used a 5 inches LCD screen made of the original prototype. Not just that, added with OLED 5.7, PlayStation VR able to expand the user's perspective and minimize blur displays.
Sony also presented its capability of a 120 Hz refresh rate that made PlayStation VR gameplay look realistic in 120 FPS. Also, the platform gives you super-low latency, which is lower than 18ms that will not make your gameplay getting laggy. The technology that Sony developed was able to satisfy its user with a lot of satisfaction.
Oculus Rift S
When Henry Cavill got interviewed, the interviewer asked "PlayStation or Xbox," and what Henry Cavill said? He answers it with "PC." Yes, Henry Cavill is a PC Master Race.
For PC Master Race, be happy that Oculus Rift S is specialized VR for PC. It is one of the best VR platforms that are not just famous but has a lot of exclusive VR games. You can get them through the Oculus Store.
The lens has a 2560x1440 resolution quality with 80 Hz of refresh rate. Even though the refresh rate is not the same as PlayStation VR, but it is still the best platform, especially when you use your hardware, such as RTX 2080Ti. It will give you the best gameplay you never have before.
Razer OSVR
As one of the gaming hardware and equipment providers, Razer also developed its own VR platform. The quality of the Razer product can be underestimated, especially the quality of its VR. This is one of the best VR platforms if you love many kinds of gaming equipment that Razer made.

loading...

Trump Gave Microsoft 45 Days for TikTok Deal

Trump Gave Microsoft 45 Days for TikTok Deal

After the negotiation to take over TikTok fell through last Friday, July 31, Microsoft was given 45 days by US President Donald Trump to secure a deal. The ultimatum came after Trump threatened to ban the popular video app amid security concerns. It is the president’s latest move to put pressure on TikTok.
Continued Negotiations
Previously on Friday, Trump had announced that he was going to ban TikTok. However, a discussion between Trump and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, the negotiations continued. A deal is aimed to be reached by September 15.
The deadline was put by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) on Microsoft and ByteDance, the Beijing-based start-up that owns TikTok. The CFIUS monitors deals for possible national security risks.
TikTok is not the only app that has been subject to mounting scrutiny by the US, especially if the app involves US federal employees or military personnel. In March this year, Grindr was sold by Beijing-based Kunlun Tech Co Ltd to US-based San Vicente Acquisition Partners. The $620 million purchase was under the supervision of CFIUS, which had told Grindr to divest.
China Daily, the Chinese state newspaper, accused Washington of committing a “witch hunt” on TikTok without any proof of its threat to US national security.
Concerns Over Young Voters
Allegedly, Trump repelled his threat to ban TikTok after pressure from his advisors and members of the Republican party. Some Republican lawmakers had been urging him to push the deal between TikTok and Microsoft.
The video app’s user base mostly consists of teenagers and young people. Therefore, banning the app risks Trump’s losing young supporters in the upcoming presidential election in November. The ban would also incite legal challenges with TikTok’s operations.
Prospects for Microsoft
Microsoft proposed that it would control TikTok’s operations in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. It would make certain that American users' personal data is kept in the US.
The price at which Microsoft is planning to purchase TikTok is unclear. ByteDance expected more than $50 billion for the app, although it could go lower with the US pressure to divest it. ByteDance itself is valued at $140 billion.
Microsoft’s statement indicated that other American investors may enjoy a portion of TikTok’s shares. However, it makes clear that the company cannot guarantee a successful takeover. Microsoft also declines to give more information until the negotiation is finished.

loading...

Google and Apple Are Testing US Contact Tracing Apps

Google and Apple Are Testing US Contact Tracing Apps

According to Google, 20 US states and territories are testing contact tracing apps for the Coronavirus. The apps were developed using tools created by Alphabet Inc., Google’s parent company, with Apple Inc.
The US would be one of the 17 countries and regions that had launched apps using Google and Apple’s contact tracing toolkit. The countries include Canada, Northern Ireland, Germany, Italy, Japan, Uruguay, and many more.
How the Tracing App Works
The technology developed by Google and Apple uses Bluetooth signals to track the user’s encounters with other people. The application would notify contacts if the user has been infected with the Coronavirus.
Google had previously announced in May that Alabama, North Dakota, and South Carolina would be the first three states to launch the apps. However, lawmakers had halted the launch.
Last Friday, Google said the first apps would be released soon but did not name any state. It also announced that after the partnership with Apple the corporations have enabled apps that check users even when they go to other states or countries.
The announcement coincided with the launch of Northern Ireland’s app which can check users in Ireland, making it the first to enable tracing across borders. The UK has also announced its switch to an app based on the Apple-Google tool, leaving behind its National Health Service (NHS) contact-tracing app. The former is favored because it allows for more anonymity and privacy.
Is Tracing Effective?
Countries like Germany and Ireland, which have been using contact tracing apps, have praised its success. However, it is still unclear whether the app is effective in warning people that could be infected with the Coronavirus.
Privacy is another concern regarding the use of tracing apps. On the other hand, apps that are designed to protect the user’s privacy have a downside. It is impossible to gauge its effectiveness.
Furthermore, experts say that for a smartphone-based contact tracing app to work, at least 60% of the population has to use it. Ensuring that everyone adopts it is difficult.
In Singapore, one of the first countries that employed a phone-based contact tracing app, only about 20% of people use it since its launch in March. The country, which has a population of 5 million, still saw a spike in Covid-19 cases. It would be more challenging to apply a similar measure in the US which has more than 331 million people.
 

loading...

Three People Arrested for Twitter Hack Including Troubled Florida Teen

Twitter Hack

Three people have been arrested for the Twitter hack on July 15, 2020. The hackers took over various verified accounts. The accounts of former US President Barack Obama, Tesla owner Elon Musk, Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, and companies such as Apple and Coinbase were seen promoting a Bitcoin scam.
17-year-old Graham Clark from Tampa, Florida was arrested on July 31. Shortly after, 22-year-old Nima Fazeli from Orlando and 19-year-old Mason Sheppard from the UK were also taken into custody.
Largest Twitter Security Breach
The hackers’ actions were the largest security and privacy breach in Twitter so far. While three people have been arrested, authorities believe that Clark was the one who carried out the scam.
Clark used social engineering to pretend to work in the company’s IT department. He managed to trick a Twitter employee into giving him credentials to access Twitter’s Customer Service Portal.
After that, Clark accessed the Twitter accounts of public figures and used them to post the scam. The tweet instructed victims to send Bitcoins to an account so that they would receive double the amount.
For his scam, Clark received $117,000. Other than Bitcoin defraud, the attackers also accessed the private direct messages (DMs) of 36 Twitter users.
It is unclear how Clark managed to access Twitter’s systems. The company only said that it was a “phone spear phishing attack”.
Federal agents said that Sheppard was caught because he used his personal driver’s license to verify for Binance and Coinbase cryptocurrency exchanges. His accounts were also found to have sent and received some of the stolen bitcoins.
Fazeli also used a driver’s license for verification with Coinbase. He was arrested for aiding the fraud after the Coinbase accounts under his alias “Rolex” received payments for stolen Twitter usernames.
Troubled Teenager
The fraud is not the first online misbehavior of Clark, who is the main perpetrator. The 17-year-old seems to have stolen $856,000 worth of Bitcoins, even though he never faced charges for it. He has previously scammed people on Minecraft as well.
Currently in jail, Clark is facing more than 30 felony counts including hacking, identity theft, and organized fraud. On the other hand, Fazeli is facing a five-year sentence and a $250,000 fine for computer intrusion. Sheppard is charged with computer intrusion, wire fraud, and money laundering, for which he is facing 20 years of prison and a $250,000 fine.

loading...