Big media companies sue FBI for keeping San Bernardino iPhone exploit details a secret

Looks like the FBI vs. Apple saga isn’t over. This time, though, the FBI will be going against big media companies like The Associated Press, Gannett (the parent company of USA Today), and Vice Media. These companies filed a freedom of information lawsuit against the bureau to compel them to share information on how it was able to hack the iPhone 5c, which was used in the San Bernardino case, and who hacked it. According to the filing, this poses a “serious undisclosed security vulnerability” in one of the most popular consumer products in the world. The news organizations say Apple should be informed on how the hack was accomplished to help fix the flaw and prevent the many iPhone users from being hacked.

The group also claims this incident brings up questions regarding allocation of public funds, governmental oversight issues, and whether FBI has any legal basis for keeping the information (the organizations claim they don’t).  

Source: Digital Trends

Ford and Harman look to transform in-car audio with B&O Play

According to a recent Ipsos 2016 Automotive Audio Branding study, one-third of new car buyers take into consideration the audio brand included into their next vehicle purchase. Whether you believe that or not, we don’t discount the necessity of a good audio system in a car. And that’s what both Ford and Harman are championing with their new partnership. The two companies have joined forces to unveil B&O Play, a new audio system that will debut exclusively on Ford’s global lineup starting next year.

“Customers tell us they value consistent, high-quality audio experiences, and our collaboration with HARMAN is helping provide that,” said Raj Nair, Ford‘s executive vice president, product development and chief technical officer. “This is just one of the ways we are creating richer, more engaging in-vehicle experiences for customers.”

First impressions of the iPhone 7 Plus

Text and photo by Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

September 16 is finally here, which means some people who preordered the new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus should be receiving their shiny new devices today. I had the opportunity to live with the iPhones 7, both the 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch models for roughly a day and here are my initial impressions.

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Third-party desktop apps start to appear on Windows Store

Microsoft is finally putting to use Desktop Bridge and is letting third-party developers bring current desktop apps into the Windows Store. Desktop Bridge gives developers the ability to create Universal Windows Platform apps and use all the APIs, which include the Action Center and Cortana. This makes it easier for developers to port their apps to Windows ecosystem—encompassing everything from PCs, phones, HoloLens, to Xbox One. Microsoft has added support for three popular installer technologies: InstallShield, WiX, and Advanced Installer. In this first rollout, the apps you’d see include Evernote, doubleTwist, Arduino IDE, MAGIX Movie Edit Pro, Virtual Robotics Kit, and PhotoScape.

Source: Engadget