Apple vs FBI iPhone encryption – new perspectives

The Apple vs FBI iPhone encryption case has many facets, both technical & ethical, but, just in case you thought you finally had your head around all of the issues, here are a couple of other things to consider:

At least some Apple engineers would rather quit than develop an iPhone backdoor for the FBI
https://bgr.com/2016/03/18/iphone-hacking-apple-engineers-fbi/

Florida sheriff on Tim Cook – “I’d lock the rascal up.”
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2016/03/florida-sheriff-pledges-to-arrest-ceo-tim-cook-if-apple-resisted-cooperation/ / Florida sheriff pledges arrest CEO Tim Cook Apple resists crypto cooperation Apple wouldn't comply court order sheriff vows lock the rascal up Florida sheriff threatened arrest Apple CEO Tim Cook situation similar Apple's resistance government pressure ongoing San Bernardino terrorism investigation jurisdiction government obtained unprecedented court order All Writs Act obscure 18th-century statute compel Apple help order legal challenges Apple forced create customized iOS firmware remove passcode lockout seized iPhone 5C Apple court filings fight order drawn support cryptographers tech companies husband survivor of the attack press conference Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd detectives passcodes unlock phones Apple’s refusal create custom-firmware FBI brute-force seized iPhone 5C San Bernardino sheriff federal judge state judge above the law CEO of Apple not above the law United States locked iPhones Cook being put behind bars contempt of court order this county state attorney's office prosecute judge lock the rascal up Judd Apple comment Apple legal wrangling FBI mobile encryption Department of Justice DoJ compel Apple hand over iOS source code electronic signature run modified version of iOS iPhone Tim Cook FBI Apple Tim Cook encryption FBI’s FBI Apple’s Apple engineers FBI creating an entirely new version of iOS backdoor engineers rather quit Apple create code moral compass Apple employees law enforcement authorities balk at the work quit undermine security software current former Apple employees engineers tasked with the job FBI prevail in court Apple’s top software engineers engineer who developed software for the iPhone iPad Apple TV engineer senior quality-assurance engineer expert bug catcher testing Apple products iPod employee security architecture operating systems iPhone Mac Apple TV Apple FBI court /

Hautlence Labyrinth watch

Hautlence Labyrinth watch
Credit: PortalGram

Smartwatches take a conventional timepiece & add features.

Luxury Swiss watchmaker, Hautlence, had a different idea: ditch the timekeeping function & add – a labyrinth.

And only $US12,000!

Not convinced?

18k gold ball!

Still not convinced?

Hautlence explains it this way:



http://toyland.gizmodo.com/12-000-labyrinth-maze-watch-doesnt-even-tell-the-time-1764729636 / play games wrist feature smartwatches smartwatch smart-watch smart watch Swiss watchmaker Hautlence peculiar piece Playground Labyrinth tiny 18k gold ball navigated around complicated maze moving your wrist ball destination falls through tiny hole into watch’s inner workings turning Playground Labyrinth crown wheel dial side activates hidden mechanism brings ball up through another hole start of the maze watch’s dial retrieve that tiny ball how do you wind it Playground Labyrinth doesn’t actually tell time keeping mechanism roughly $12,000 Hautlence simple ball maze flashy upgrades what time it is smartphone /

HitchHiker's Guide 2 Tech turns 5!

Credit: bluewallpaperbackground.weebly.com/

Yes, HitchHiker's Guide 2 Tech has turned 5!

First post was on 16 March 2011, an article titled: “Cold Fusion – Didn't we do this already?” My article took a cautious approach to renewed claims on this topic, & despite many changes in energy production, management & use, in the intervening five years, cold fusion has yet to be demonstrated.

Check it out at http://hhg2tech.blogspot.com.au/2011/03/cold-fusion-didnt-we-already-do-this.html

In those 5 years, there has been at least one post every day – over 7,800 in total, & just short of 150,000 page views.

Check back tomorrow – new material every day! / blog 5th fifth 5 five birthday years /

Protect your packages with Package Guard – video

Credit: Package Guard

Package Guard is pretty much just what its name says. Its purpose is to prevent theft of parcels left at your front door. As implied in the image above, it depends on the delivery driver placing the parcel on the Package Guard. Anyone else seeing a problem?

When a parcel is placed on the device, it notifies you, &/or others you choose, via email or SMS. If the parcel is removed without disarming the Package Guard, it sounds an alarm & sends another notification.

Although the video below indicates that the Package Guard can protect more than one package if they are stacked on top of each other, some further potential problems suggest themselves:

● once the first package is placed on the Package Guard, the instruction about package placement will be wholly or partly covered

● if large package(s) is/are placed on top of smaller ones, the stack may become unstable & fall, triggering the alarm

● a helpful delivery driver may try to stabilise an unstable stack by re-arranging the packages & trigger the alarm

As of this writing, you can still reserve a Package Guard on Kickstarter with a $50 pledge.

Kickstarter project at:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/packageguard/the-package-guard/rewards / Package Guard protects your delivered delivery driver unattended packages thieves Package Guard Frisbee-sized alarm device sits at your front door clear delivery location UPS FedEx DHL United States Post Office other courier services PLACE PACKAGE HERE delivery safely delivered Package Guard alarm armed remove package disarm disable reply replying text email with OFF remove removes your items armed Package Guard sets off alarm similar car fire alarm device attached semi-permanent hard surfaces use a screw steal thief theft package device device pressure attach surface integrate major surveillance camera brands picture of the thief share with police Facebook warn neighbors growing problem package packages parcels delivered package theft crime criminal crimes commit inexpensive solution Package Guard solution demo demonstration video funds device IOS app backers Kickstarter app Package Guard using existing technologies /

Australia’s Environment Minister claims “peak emissions” – "No" say climate experts

Australia’s Environment Minister, Greg Hunt, claimed on ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) radio this morning that Australia, “... reached peak emissions in 2005-06 ... & the course of history to come for Australia is that we will continue to be below that figure.”

Brought responses including:

● “... there is no peak in sight … Australia’s emissions growth rate is projected to be among the highest of all developed countries.” – Hugh Grossman, Executive Director of RepuTex

● “Australia’s emissions have been rising for the past two years, land clearing is escalating in Queensland & New South Wales, there are big question marks over the future of the emissions reduction fund & we have a wet lettuce safeguards policy & no limits on coal-fired electricity generation.” – John Connor, Chief Executive of the Climate Institute

● “And Australia's fossil fuel emissions continue to rise, jumping 3% in the 2014-15 year – unlike the European Union & the US, whose emissions have genuinely peaked.” – Climate Council

● “There is no time to waste. Every year that we don’t significantly reduce fossil fuel emissions matters. We cannot solve climate change through questionable carbon accounting that hides increases in fossil fuel emissions." – Prof. Will Steffen, Australian National University

More:

Australian emissions rising towards historical highs and will not peak before 2030, analysis finds –
http://www.smh.com.au/environment/australian-emissions-rising-towards-historical-highs-and-will-not-peak-before-2030-analysis-finds-20160131-gmhw7y.html

Greg Hunt's claim of 'peak emissions' attacked by climate experts –
http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/mar/15/greg-hunts-claim-carbon-emissions-have-peaked-attacked-by-climate-experts

Peak emissions?! Tell him he's dreamin' – http://www.climatecouncil.org.au/peak-emissions-greg-hunt / climate change carbon dioxide CO2 global warming Greg Hunt claim peak emissions attacked climate experts Australia’s emissions almost certainly rise policies that don’t put limits increases from industry experts expressed deep scepticism prediction environment minister Greg Hunt Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions peaked 10 years ago peak emissions Hunt told ABC’s AM program best estimate surpass 2005 levels best judgment advice information department peak emissions 2005-06 history Australia below that figure government’s most recent forecast projected emissions 2020 emissions slightly below 2005 levels emissions rising 560m tonnes 2014–15 593m tonnes 2019–20 level slightly below 2005 highs government projections following decade until 2030 showed emissions rising latest data longer-term predictions government’s Direct Action policies independent experts predict Australia’s emissions rise under current policies limits on emission increases industry electricity generation land-clearing deeply sceptical Hunt’s peak emissions in 2005 claim Hugh Grossman executive director RepuTex analysis government’s own data Australia’s emissions would continue to grow no peak in sight latest government figures showed emissions growing again Australia’s emissions growth rate among the highest of all developed countries almost all developed economies have begun to cut their emissions China United States Australia’s national emissions remain on a growth pathway exceed historic high no peak emissions RepuTex analysis government’s figures national emissions growth continue to rise climate policies emissions reduction fund Australia’s projected emissions growth projected net increase in emissions 2020 Australia’s calculated abatement task actual national emissions government policy government’s updated estimates strong upward trajectory chief executive of the Climate Institute John Connor extraordinary comments Greg Hunt enormous credibility gap government’s current policies Australia’s emissions rising for the past two years land clearing escalating Queensland New South Wales future of the emissions reduction fund safeguards policy no limits on coal-fired electricity generation safeguards policy stop increases industrial emissions imposes very few limitations emissions peaked decline government’s current policies government spending $2.5bn buy emissions reductions Direct Action policy review policy next year /

Tesla Model S racing series

Credit: Tesla/autogazette.de

We’ve all seen the endless parade of Tesla Model S cars at the drag strip on YouTube. Now get ready for Tesla Model S circuit racing – the Electric GT World Series.

For now, it will be a one-model series – Tesla Model S P85+. All teams are required to enter two cars. This may be following the Formula One model – two cars, two drivers from each team, but is more likely to be following the Formula E model – two cars for each driver, with a car swap around half way, to avoid charging or battery swapping. It’s worth noting, though, that the Tesla Model S was designed to permit battery swapping.

Modifications will be permitted to aerodynamics, suspension, brakes & weight. Motor, control software & battery will be stock, apart from battery cooling.

Battery cooling? While the battery cooling system of the Model S is adequate for any legitimate road use, or even drag racing, sustained high power demands lead to the battery overheating, & reduced power mode. This has been demonstrated at the Nurburgring race circuit. Text & video at:

https://jalopnik.com/heres-what-a-tesla-model-s-can-do-around-the-nurburgrin-1600644908

Another possibility is that battery temperature may become another parameter to be balanced against speed, as happens in other forms of motor racing with brake wear, tyre wear, fuel consumption & engine durability.

Long term, the plan is to open up the series to other makes, but for now, there's nothing that can keep up with a Tesla Model S.

http://arstechnica.com/cars/2016/03/tesla-model-s-electric-gt-racing-series/

http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2016/03/the-electric-gt-world-series-will-use-teslas-model-s/

http://www.slashgear.com/tesla-model-s-sedans-to-finally-race-each-other-in-new-ev-series-12431258/ / Tesla Model S racing series Electric GT World Series grid modified Model S zero-emissions GT road car based racing championships begin 2017 car grid Tesla Model S P85+ new championship Electric GT World Series seven-race season 2017 races Europe America Asia organisers tracks used Barcelona Spain Donington UK Mugello Italy Estoril Portugal 10 teams team two modified Tesla Model S P85+ road cars power unit control software unchanged standard road car 416hp horsepower 601Nm torque changes aerodynamics suspension brakes more suitable for racing car's weight reduced tearing out unneeded upholstery battery's cooling system improved drivers foot on the throttle longer Agustin Paya professional racing driver promoter Electric GT World Series P85+ rear-wheel-drive newer P90D all-wheel-drive chosen more suitable for racing easier to fix in a pinch drivers prefer RWD track future Formula E plan Electric GT World Series allow range different cars grid Tesla Model S one of the best cars ever made best 100 percent electric cars luxurious super tourer made for racing weight distribution low centre of gravity considerable mass more than two tons allows unbelievable cornering speed unending torque add up great racing car testing Barcelona Catalunya F1 Circuit Madrid Jarama circuit Model S GT champion Electric GT pull in the punters Formula E engine noise Model S much larger battery Formula E cars car-switching battery back swapping races last more than 100 or 150 miles Tesla racing exciting techies Teslaphiles tune in favourite car electric race car racing car lithium ion LiIon battery charge recharge range /

2012 Chevrolet Volt – 300,000 miles – no battery degradation

Erick Belmer, his daughter & the 300,000 mile Chevrolet Volt
Credit: Erick Belmer/InsideEVs

Longevity of electric vehicle batteries has been queried, not only by the naysayers. Well here is a data point for all interested parties:

On 06 March, Erick Belmer posted on a Volt owners' group on Facebook that his 2012 Chevrolet Volt had passed 300,000 miles (483,000 km), 103,000 miles (166,000 km) on battery. Just as importantly – no detectable loss of battery capacity or range!


Credit: Erick Belmer/Green Car Reports

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1102736_durable-2012-chevrolet-volt-300000-miles-no-battery-loss

https://www.facebook.com/groups/chevyvoltowners/permalink/1142935922385698/ / electric cars hybrid expensive high-voltage battery packs last the life of the car electric vehicle ev thousands of dollars cost evidence hybrids largely positive less evidence for electric cars Erick Belmer's 2012 Chevrolet Volt range extended electric car 300,000 miles last week posted to a Volt Owner's Group Facebook shows no apparent degradation battery capacity electric range 35 miles that model year 140 comments 800 Likes consensus among owners Volt hugely durable battery electric mode recharge their Volts Ol' Sparkie more than one-third of the total miles grid power 103,000 300,000 miles petrol gas gasoline Volt combined 37-mpg EPA rating cutting fuel costs substantially commute from Bellville Ohio GM's assembly plant Lordstown Ohio local GM factory minimize total commute costs high miles 2012 Volt GM employee discount 300,000 miles four-year-old Volt battery cell LiIon lithium ion charge recharge range /