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Apple Unveils The iPhone 5S

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371–380 of 715 posts

Re: Apple Unveils The iPhone 5S

#371
post #258
post #171

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Probably when the NSA stops illegally spying on the citizens it is supposed to serve.

> Probably when the NSA stops illegally spying... Who said what they're doing is illegal? The whole problem is that the entire surveillance regime is completely secret and completely legal.

Since Bush and Obama have gone to extraordinary to block all lawsuits we do not know if the courts would determine that the programs are illegal.

Re: Apple Unveils The iPhone 5S

#372
post #7

Instead of using the iPhone 5 as the free option, they are discontinuing it and using the 4S as the free one.

I would surmise that is likely due to the iPhone 5C and iPhone 5 having very similar specs. A free iPhone 5 would cannibalize the 5C sales. Why pay 100 dollars for a color case? Then again, a number of people paid the "black tax" for their macbook a number of years back.

Could it also be a supply-chain move? Using the 4S means different screen and other internals. Easier to source without risking shortages of 5C/5S components.

Just a thought.

Re: Apple Unveils The iPhone 5S

#373
post #103

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hmm - I'm not familiar with Beacon, but will take a look. In my mind, NFC has always sort of felt like a clunky way of imposing a physical constraint on what should be a purely electronic transaction.

NFC didn’t really break through in the market. Not yet, not ever, I don’t know. But I’m pretty sure that Apple is betting on Bluetooth LE, something their devices already have. I could see that work out.

Don't you wonder that the reason it didn't break the market was because iPhones never shipped with it. Same as QR codes, no default app to use them = poor adoption of the technology.

Re: Apple Unveils The iPhone 5S

#374
post #73

Now that we have to consider the iPhones to be backdoored by the NSA, I wonder whether I really want to give them my fingerprint together with the rest of my data. I'm also not so sure whether a fingerprint can't still be easily faked (like it was possible on that Mythbusters episode for example). Personally, I think I'd rather stay with my passcode. Did you btw know that you can turn off "simple passcode" and then u…

So use a passcode - the fingerprint feature is optional. That said, I doubt they are doing anything nefarious with it - if it eventually leaked that fingerprints were being sent to the NSA, the cost to Apple would be incalculable. I would bet, or at least hope, that Apple has designed the hardware involved to be subpoena proof - meaning that the design would make it impossible to remotely collect fingerprints even if…

"subpoena proof"... hmm

Do you believe disabling the reader in a software-setting is enough to be sure it's not working? I don't. With all these NSA concerns going about, having a hardware fingerprint-reader on your smartphone that you can't avoid touching is something to think about.

Re: Apple Unveils The iPhone 5S

#375

Earlier quoted context omitted.

More snark. This isn't helpful. For those who want to believe it, I doubt there is any amount of information that could ever be released to convince them that the NSA isn't spying on people anymore.

Please stop using snark. Use snide, sarcastic, or cynical instead. Snark is a word that's better off being forgotten in some dictionary of colloquial terms.

Why? Snark seems like a perfectly cromulent word.

Re: Apple Unveils The iPhone 5S

#376
post #73

Now that we have to consider the iPhones to be backdoored by the NSA, I wonder whether I really want to give them my fingerprint together with the rest of my data. I'm also not so sure whether a fingerprint can't still be easily faked (like it was possible on that Mythbusters episode for example). Personally, I think I'd rather stay with my passcode. Did you btw know that you can turn off "simple passcode" and then u…

and when you press the unlock button (containing the fingerprint reader that you think is inactive, but is actually still reading your prints) .... presto blammo hello mr nsa

Re: Apple Unveils The iPhone 5S

#378
post #102
post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apple specifically stated that your fingerprint is stored and encrypted only on the A7 chip, and not iCloud or anywhere else. It's mentioned in the video as well: http://www.apple.com/iphone-5s/videos/#video-touch

Yes. And how exactly do we check this? Why is it that we can still trust Apple? For all we know, the data gets sent directly to the NSA or, if it doesn't, there might be some secret backdoor that will make the device send the data at a later point. The last round of leaks was specifically talking about backdoors with all bigger US companies in order to circumvent encryption. That's what I means by "we have to conside…

So toss a packet-sniffer between your phone and the backup servers. See if the iCloud backup has sufficiently more data inside than before.

Re: Apple Unveils The iPhone 5S

#379
post #73

Now that we have to consider the iPhones to be backdoored by the NSA, I wonder whether I really want to give them my fingerprint together with the rest of my data. I'm also not so sure whether a fingerprint can't still be easily faked (like it was possible on that Mythbusters episode for example). Personally, I think I'd rather stay with my passcode. Did you btw know that you can turn off "simple passcode" and then u…

Urgh. When do we get to the point where I can read HN without a snarky NSA comment being voted to the top?

i'm so sry bb, nobody meant to hurt you

Re: Apple Unveils The iPhone 5S

#380
post #95
post #73

Now that we have to consider the iPhones to be backdoored by the NSA, I wonder whether I really want to give them my fingerprint together with the rest of my data. I'm also not so sure whether a fingerprint can't still be easily faked (like it was possible on that Mythbusters episode for example). Personally, I think I'd rather stay with my passcode. Did you btw know that you can turn off "simple passcode" and then u…

Serious question -- what is the big deal if someone gets your fingerprints? I can't think of the last time my fingerprint was used as some infallible method of identification, if ever. If the spooks want it, they already have it. I'd rather someone get their hands on my fingerprint than my passport, driver's license, and credit cards, and it seems much more difficult to steal than those things. I think the fingerprin…

Exactly. I've already had to give my fingerprint numerous times at the airport just to enter the United States. I figure the US government must already have it in numerous databases, so it's not a concern if they've backdoored Apple's devices to copy them again.
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