Sir Apfelot newsreel week 22, 2023

Before we lose ourselves completely in new operating systems and innovative devices from Apple next week, there is a Sir Apfelot newsreel at the end of this "normal" week. This time I'll show you which Apple and tech news I noticed in calendar week 22 of 2023. Among other things, the following reports are included: Top-level domain “.zip” opens the door to new scams, neuro-implants could become a human rights issue, Apple is discontinuing the “My Photo Stream” service, the mixed-reality headset is said to be Apple’s so far most complicated hardware, The Verge uncovers the history of buried Lisa computers, and more!

The Sir Apfelot newsreel as a podcast

If you like podcasts, you can also listen to the current newsreel. Lynne and Jens present you the latest blog posts as well as the individual news from the newsreel - they add their own experiences and opinions to the mix. You can access the podcast with these links:

• Sir Apfelot Podcast on Let's Cast
• Sir Apfelot Podcast at Apple Podcasts
• Sir Apfelot Podcast on Spotify
• Sir Apfelot Podcast on Amazon Music

Top-level domain .zip - Confusion about archive format encourages fraud

Google has released the top-level domain .zip for web addresses, along with .mov, .dad and .phd. Anyone who now feels reminded of file archives packed in .zip format is quite right. Because next to .rar, .zip is one of the most used archive formats. This brings a whole new scam onto the scene: scammers can send links with a .zip extension or embed them on websites and state that it is an archive (e.g. for files or an app). If you now click on the link, you will be directed to a website that looks like an unpacking program (e.g. WinRAR). If you open the files displayed in this way, you download malware. details in this blog post by mr.d0x.

Final report on the “Online Advertising Sector Investigation” by the Federal Cartel Office

The Federal Cartel Office carried out a so-called sector inquiry without too much evaluation and only with a focus on search-independent online advertising. Among other things, iFun points this out in a Entry there. Reference is made to the 65 pages PDF publication taken on the subject, classified in advertising by and by tech giants like Amazon, Apple, Alphabet and the like. iFun sets e.g. B. the focus on a concluding remark that shows the ambivalence of online advertising, but also on the investigation of the Federal Cartel Office against Apple, since the tracking restrictions on mobile devices prevent providers from collecting data, but Apple collects data itself, which advantage over other providers. 

Cyberpunk meets reality: Brain implant removal fuels human rights debate

Brain implants designed to help with neuronal disorders are basically nothing new. How to Articles from heise online, they have been used successfully for over 10 years. But what happens if the private company responsible for it goes bankrupt? That's exactly what's at stake in the case of Australian Rita Leggett, who had to have a life-changing implant removed. Thanks to the measurement of brain waves, it showed her the risk of epileptic seizures, which gave her more planning security in everyday life. Also presented is the case of Ian Burkhart, who received a neuro-implant to aid in recovery after spinal cord injury. 

Both serve as a framework for the report on the paper How I became myself after merging with a computer: Does human-machine symbiosis raise human rights issues? at this point can watch. Among other things, the question of whether the removal of helpful implants is a violation of human rights is examined. In the case of Rita Leggett, for example, one can see that a high degree of quality of life was taken away from her and she (loosely translated) experienced a “persistent discontinuity in her ability to act”. From an ethical and legal point of view, it must therefore be clarified whether functioning and helpful neuro-implants may be removed at all.

Maker projects with IKEA products

So this week I actually have a few IKEA messages for Lynne and Jens in the Sir Apfelot Newsreel Podcast :D Both are unfortunately behind a payment barrier in the “Make:” area in the heise magazine. But you can already see from the respective preview what will be produced in the end:

• A balcony raised bed made from an old IKEA loft bed: Check it out here
• A digital lava lamp alternative in an IKEA picture frame: Check it out here

Contact Key Verification – Apple appears to be implementing new iMessage security technology

In the code of Beta version iOS 16.6 should contain references to the so-called "Contact Key Verification", such as the iPhone ticker this week notes. Apple had already presented this new security technology in December 2022: Three new technologies presented: More security for Apple users. The goal of this security key is to verify the iMessage contact and thus ensure that you are not communicating with unrelated third parties who have hacked into the contact's Apple ID. With the iPhone ticker, this is compared with the security number in the Signal app.

My Photo Stream is over - Apple is ending 12-year-old iCloud service

"My Photo Stream is shutting down on July 26, 2023," the Apple support document states HT205743. The service, called “My Photo Stream” in German, was introduced by Apple in 2011 in connection with the iCloud. It stores up to 1.000 photos from the last 30 days, making them available to other devices using the same Apple ID. The photos are not counted towards the iCloud storage. However, the whole thing will be discontinued on July 26, 2023, so you should switch the automatic storage of photos on the iPhone, iPad or iPod touch to the “iCloud Photos” service. This counts against the iCloud storage, but applies all images and changes across devices. More to compare the services here .

Final rumors ahead of Monday's WWDC23 keynote

Before on Monday the World Wide Developers Conference 2023 starts, there are still a few last rumors and guesses. These are now fueled by official Apple releases as well. in one Tweet Apple means "A new era begins." (A new era begins.), and in the developer blog it's called "Code new worlds". BeatSaber co-founder Jaroslav Beck also tweeted a bit cryptic on June 5, suggesting his VR game will be part of the launch of Apple's mixed reality headset. There is actually no question that it will be presented on Monday. 

At the same time, Mark Gurman thinks so here that it could be Apple's longest keynote at well over two hours (this speaks against the information on the on-site schedule of the invited developers). MacRumors means also with reference to a payment barrierArticles from The Information that the headset is Apple's most complicated hardware design to date. Curved glass, an aluminum bezel, a curved motherboard and lens inserts with magnetic mounts are said to have made the mixed reality headset a challenge for production companies. Due to the design, it should not be able to be used in combination with glasses.

Apple Lisa: The Verge unearths an interesting part of the company's history

The "Apple Lisa" was a computer sold from the early to mid-1980s, partly in direct competition with the first Macintosh. In addition to the internal power struggle, the subsequent dismissal of Steve Jobs and other well-known and often retold developments, there is an additional part of the story. This includes the sale of old Lisa stocks to Bob Cook and later the scrapping of Apple's computers in a landfill. Apple probably wanted to literally bury part of the company's history and eliminate the competition created by Cook. The whole story is there here at The Verge and in Video:

Johannes Domke

After graduating from high school, Johannes completed an apprenticeship as a business assistant specializing in foreign languages. But then he decided to research and write, which resulted in his independence. For several years he has been working for Sir Apfelot, among others. His articles include product introductions, news, manuals, video games, consoles, and more. He follows Apple keynotes live via stream.