MacBook Pro 13in w/Touch Bar 3.1GHz i5 DC 8GB/256GB – Space Gray – Dented Box
Apps to Pay Friends
There are a lot of different apps out there to pay friends. Some are neat and trendy, like SnapCash, that allows you to pay a friend through Snapchat by just sending a few keystrokes and the money is taken out securely through a Square account. Facebook has another method, and there’s Venmo that you can link directly to a checking account. I’ve experimented with PayPal to send money to a friend, it took it from a credit card, charged a percentage fee, but was pretty slick in how fast it worked. All these methods are going to go down a notch in a little while though; Apple is coming out with their own method for friends to electronically move money between each other.
ApplePay has been around since the iPhone 6, announced in late 2014. ApplePay is a contact-free payment method where you have a card linked to your iPhone and at participating retailers, you pull out your properly configured iPhone, double-click your touchID with a registered fingerprint and the payment terminal beeps and it’s just like swiping your card. ApplePay has all sorts of security built in to make it more protected than a normal credit or debit card. That same level of protection will be applied to the new feature of ApplePay that will allow friends to transfer money between each other.
The Crypto Craze Part One: Overview
Between work, band practice, recording, and going on those gorgeous autumn hikes, I’ve been spending a solid chunk of time familiarizing myself and delving into the science and application behind the digital currency craze known as Cryptocurrency. Unless you haven’t been on the internet in the last 5 years, you’ve no doubt heard of Bitcoin, the first and still most important cryptocurrency out there. But while a lot of us have heard of it, some may find themselves asking…
What is Cryptocurrency?
You’ll get a different answer from each person you ask, and some may give a lengthy response that still leaves you scratching your head. But the simplest definition of cryptocurrency is that it’s a form of digital money that is designed to be secure and anonymous.
Full disclosure: the theories, protocols, applications, and sciences behind cryptocurrencies vary between the various types of cryptocurrency (Last documented number of cryptocurrencies was clocked at over 900 and still growing!). For the sake of these guides, I’ll be referring specifically to Bitcoin. And another warning: this stuff is dense, but throughout this series, I’ll do my best to make it palatable.
While the boom of cryptocurrency (henceforth called simply ‘crypto’ in these guides) is not new, it only truly took off within the last ten years. Throughout the early 2000’s, there were a number of attempts to create a digital currency system (see: Digicash) that ultimately failed. It wasn’t until late 2008 that the concept of crypto became more than just a failed pipe-dream.
In October 2008, an individual, (or individuals, the identity is still debated) using the name Satoshi Nakamoto published a paper on a cryptography mailing list titled “Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System”. This has come to be known as the Bitcoin “White Paper”. Within the white paper, Nakamoto describes and details the methods of using a peer-to-peer network to generate what was described as “a system for electronic transactions without relying on trust”. By the following January, Nakamoto implemented the Bitcoin software as open source code and released it to the public. The Bitcoin network was born after Nakamoto ‘mined’ the first ever ‘block’ on the ‘chain’, known as the “genesis block”, for a reward of 50 Bitcoin***. Embedded in this first block was the following text:
“The Times 03/Jan/2009 Chancellor on brink of the second bailout for banks.”
But wait, block? Mine? Chain? What do these mean, you may be asking yourself? And we will certainly go down that rabbit hole! But I think it’s better left for The Crypto Craze Part Two: Party On The Blockchain.
Fun fact: 50 Bitcoin would be worth $275,497.50 at the time of this writing.
Hello and welcome to another fall edition of Tech Tails!
Temperatures are starting to drop around here and the crazy October weather continues! On Sunday night, we had an epic wind storm here in Vermont and ended up with dozens of customers seeking backup battery packs for their Apple devices. I’m sure a lot of you have considered what to do in a power outage, but for some younger homeowners, forming a backup plan is a great idea. We lost power about ten times in the night, only in short bursts. Nevertheless, I was thankful for the APC battery backup unit that my iMac is connected to. Without it, I’m not sure how the surges may have affected my computer, scanner, and audio interface. At Small Dog, we carry portable battery chargers by Outdoor Tech, which have a little flashlight attached. I usually recommend these for your toolbox, as they serve two purposes and you’ll never know when you’ll need reserve power.
Moving on to what has been on my mind this week: Sony dropped the new A7RIII and the DSLR community is going crazy. As a Canon shooter, I have to say, Sony is like the Sirens calling from the rocky coast. I have always looked at the A7 line with envy, but fear that switching will result in a few lost features I’m not sure I could part with. On one hand, Sony has more autofocus points, megapixels, and frames per second than the latest 5D by Canon. But numbers like this can be a false flag, depending on your actual needs. I would encourage anyone in the market for a DSLR to speak to a photographer and figure out what they use their system for. As far as I can tell, Canon still has Sony beat for battery life, and weather resistance. If you’re photographing icebergs, those things might come in handy! Especially since cold climates deplete lithium batteries much faster! Sony does have some alluring video features that should not be overlooked. At this point, I would say independent filmmakers should be legitimately considering a Sony rig, but leave extra budget for spare batteries. They’ve introduced image stabilization into their sensors, whereas Canon makes you buy that in every lens. Things like that, or adding higher frame rates to their video format options are what make Canon look a bit old school. That said, Canon is known for reliability, and I’ll take that over flashy new features any day.
Despite my allegiance to Canon, I am in fact in the market for a new DSLR. As I primarily shoot film, I find the digital market overwhelming, but there are lots of in-depth reviews out there to help navigate the options. For now, I am reading deeply into the 5D Mark IV, A7SII, and A7RIII. All fantastic cameras and I hope if any Small Dog customers out there are looking for DSLR support, we have a couple folks at the store that can help. Just about everything I know about digital camera operation, I learned from our consultant, Nate Poirier. Make sure to stop in some time and talk cameras with us!
That is all for now, we’ve got computers to diagnose and Apple Watches to sell, so I’ll get back to work, please enjoy this edition of Tech Tails!
Patrick McCormack
patrickm@smalldog.com
MacBook Pro 13in w/Touch Bar 2.9GHz i5 Dual Core 8GB/256GB – Space Gray – Used
MacBook Pro 13in w/Touch Bar 3.1GHz i5 DC 8GB/256GB – Space Gray – Dented Box
Free 1TB USB C Drive w/MacBook Pro 15in w/Touch Bar 2.8GHz 16GB/256GB/2GB-Space Gray-Dented Box
Malware Is On The Rise
According to the McAfee Threat Report, macOS malware grew by 744% in 2016, with an estimated 460,000 instances detected. However, that number it is not as bad as it sounds. Most cases where “malware” was detected turned out to be adware bundled into utility apps, i.e. fake system integrity scans, like CleanMyMac and Mackeeper. These system scans have turned out to be phishing scams by bloated apps that do nothing but bog down your system processes and expose you to unwanted ads.
While rare, real deal malware does exist on macOS, as seen in an attack earlier this year that hijacked Safari and Apple mail causing the machine to crash. The best way to protect your Mac from true malware is to only ever install software from the App Store and trusted developers. This means paying for legitimate software.
While most of the surge in Mac malware was adware, we’ve had some just nasty Mac-based attacks over the last year, including ransomware and password hijackers. Ransomware is a form of cryptovirology attack, where the attacker takes your data and encrypts it, and holds it hostage till the victim pays a ransom. Password Hijackers do just that; they hijack your passwords to keep you from accessing your computer, phone and internet accounts. This can be easily avoided as well by only downloading apps from the App store or trusted developers. Additionally, make sure you’re using secure passwords and avoiding using unprotected wifi networks. This is also another reason to keep up on time machine back-ups so your data is yours.
Hello Everyone!
The warm, breezy air last night tricked me into leaving my bedroom and living room windows open, and I woke up to a freezing cold reminder that October is unpredictable. This weekend is what I would consider peak photographic fall atmosphere. Although most of the leaves have fallen, I love the tumbling leaves on the sidewalk and the dramatic skies that October brings. Before I get started, I have to thank one of our Tech Tails readers, Dennis. He replied to a recent edition where I had mentioned instant film, and informed me of Polaroid’s return to the market. Somehow this news had not appeared in my world yet, and I must admit I initially doubted the accuracy of this claim. Since the discontinuation of Polaroid, I have patiently waited for this announcement. After receiving my first box of the new Polaroid 600 type film, I dusted off my “Cool Cam” and made some great memories. The nostalgia of adding 600 type prints to my collection for the first time since High School was surreal and exciting. Now that Polaroid is back in the game, I think I’ll be watching some more advanced Polaroid camera models on eBay!
In Apple news, I’m happy to report that the Apple Watch craze has only grown at our South Burlington store. As I’ve reported in the past, we all seemed to be carried away by the “world’s most popular watch” and continue to find new benefits of wearing one. Personally, my average mile running speed has improved about 1 whole minute, something I never imagined to be possible. In fact, I never really knew what my average mile speed would be, but the Apple Watch monitors every inch, every step, and every heartbeat. I’ve enjoyed tracking my progress, but more importantly, I’ve improved my running frequency simply because the watch reminds me every day that I should be moving more. It may sound funny, but have a fitness coach strapped to your wrist goes a long way!
I hope you enjoy this edition of Tech Tails and be sure to write us with your feedback. Have a great week!
Patrick McCormack
patrickm@smalldog.com
