We’re Traveling in January

We’ll be taking the trip of our lifetime, starting Jan. 10, when we head to South Africa, Madagascar, Mauritius and few other stops on the other side of the world. You won’t lose our support while we’re gone, and we’ll have the chance to see how some of Apple’s new communications technologies are working.

Most of our previous travels have been to places with good communications infrastructures, and that’s always enabled us to plan with some certainty how we can serve your needs. We’re still going to serve your needs; we have Apple’s iOS 18 with the ability to communicate via satellite when no Wi-Fi or cellular service is available.

So, we’ll be able to stay in touch with you and our support resources whether we’re on a game reserve or in a jungle or rain forest.

Just to remind all of you, when we are away, it’s best to call our office – 973-433-6676. We have people trained to get the information we need to serve you best by contacting us or going directly to one of our trusted partners. If need be, we can get in touch with you or resolve your issue remotely.

Because the places we will be visiting are 7 to 9 hours ahead of New Jersey, we will be doing our activities while you’re asleep, and our downtime will be during your waking hours.

If you happen to be traveling to some remote areas of the world and have an iPhone 14 or newer, you’ll be able to take advantage of Apple’s new communications technologies. You should be able to send and receive texts, emojis, and Tapbacks over iMessage and SMS. To connect to a satellite, you will need to be outside with a clear view of the sky and horizon. You can learn a lot more by visiting Apple’s support page for messages via satellite.

In the meantime, we have a month until we leave. If you have some issues that need attention or questions about planning future maintenance or the purchase and configuration/installation of new equipment, let’s take care of it as soon as possible. Call us – 973-433-6676 – or email us to discuss your needs.

Passkeys Not There…Yet

Passkeys hold a lot of promise in eliminating passwords. They rely on an electronic handshake to allow your device to access a secure website, and many password managers claim to link to passkeys. They’re getting there, but they’re not there yet.

A major hurdle right now is that not all websites recognize the passkeys from password managers. Sometimes, recognition depends on the device. Since most of us have fairly new cell phones, our phones usually have the ability to work with facial recognition, which is a form of a passkey. Older devices may not have the ability to work with this type of technology.

We suspect the move to newer computers – especially as Microsoft ends support for Windows 11 – and the need for better security will speed the drive to make more devices capable of using passkeys.

Why are passkeys secure? They eliminate the need to enter usernames and passwords, both of which are stored on the website you’re trying to access. We know the problems with usernames and passwords: they can be stolen by hackers from the website or your device, they can be forgotten, and we can make them less effective by using simple passwords multiple times so we don’t forget them.

Passkey information is stored on the website and in your device. They are not the same info; they rely on the handshake – sort of like two spies who each know what they need to hear in a phrase. On your device, the most common passkey information is a biometric (facial recognition or fingerprint) or a PIN (personal identification number). Because they are device specific, the system relies on you having your device when you log into the website.

When you combine a passkey with some form of 2FA (two factor authentication), you’re using an access method that has proven reliably secure up to now. Many of the leading password manager programs, such as Dashlane, 1 Password and Bitwarden, can create and store passkeys for you, and both Apple and Android can store their passkeys locally and access them using the keychain app on mobile devices.

Even if you can’t use the passkey with your password manager, you’re still ahead. Remember, with a password manager, you only need to remember a single master password. You can let the password manager generate a long, complex password for each website. That password should be immune from guesses based on any of your personal information.

More websites, too, are using passkeys instead of the username/password duo. As the websites use them more, you will have easier access to more websites, but that comes with a caution. The websites will need to tighten their security, too, to prevent more sophisticated hijackers from getting info from their sites. One of their hacks is to hijack cookies. You can help prevent that by not clicking on “Accept” when the cookie dialog box pops up. Instead, navigate to the “Cookies” or “User Data” sections and choose the shortest available session duration. That way your cookies will expire automatically or whenever you close your browser window.

To expand the conversation about the internet and security, you can apply the same security measures to any device in your office or home that uses the internet or a Wi-Fi network. Printer manufacturers such as HP have created anti-hacking steps, such as entering a PIN, to gain access to the information stored in a printer.

We can help you install and configure password managers and set up effective passkeys and other security measures. Call us – 973-433-6676 – or email us to talk about it.

iPhone 15: Silly Little Millimeters; Serious New Performance

The bezels are down to 1.5mm from 2.2mm, and displays for the new iPhone 15 Max and Pro will use a new technology called low-injection pressure over-molding, or LIPO. The Lightning port is out, USB-C is in for greater speed, and the new A17 Bionic chip will be in the Max and Pro models. We’re talking about some serious performance upgrades.

Industry pundits are calling this Apple’s most significant iPhone upgrade since the iPhone X, especially with the camera for the iPhone 15 Pro. While everything is still in the realm of speculation, the iPhone 15 could have a periscope camera. That’s a camera design that allows for much longer-range zoom than smartphones are otherwise capable of, going from the 3x optical zoom of the iPhone 13 Pro to potentially up to 10x or beyond. Apple is not saying which models will have the camera, but the company will be playing catchup. A number of Android phones – such as the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra – already have one, with optical zoom ranges of up to 10x. While it’s not a must-have feature for most people, you could take decent-quality photos of things you can’t get close to, and that could be a welcome option for those not wishing to carry large DSLR cameras.

We talked about the advantages of the USB-C port last month for speed and flexibility. One respected iPhone analyst believes the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Ultra will get USB-C ports that support data transfer speeds of up to either 20Gbps or 40Gbps, up from just 480Mbps on current iPhones. While USB-C isn’t a data standard, several types of USB-C cables exist, including USB 2.0, 3.0, and Thunderbolt 4. You’ll need to look at speed rates for each of them.

The iPhone 15 Pro and Max will have the world’s first 3nm chip — the A17 Bionic. It should enable Apple to claim the title of the world’s fastest phone once again and be more efficient, resulting in longer battery life. For comparison, the iPhone 14 Pro Max was already the best phone battery-life device, lasting over 13.5 hours in some tests. We’re curious to see how the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max perform.

One other improvement should be the replacement of the stainless-steel sides with titanium. It’s not only lighter, but much stronger. Speaking of the sides, a new action button should replace the old ringer/mute switch, enabling users to perform all sorts of shortcuts with just a press.

We should know more about all the new features, a release date, and prices at the Sept. 12 Apple Event. If that happens, preordering will start the following Friday, Sept. 15, and availability should begin the next Friday, Sept. 22. the price range looks like $749 to $1299.

If you have any questions about which new iPhone would best fit your needs and budget, we’re here to talk about it with you. Call us – 973-433-6676 – or email us for an appointment.

iPhone Falling in Line on USB-C

Apple will finally join the rest of the world in switching to USB-C cables for charging iPhones. What pushed them over the line, and what does it mean for you?

In a nutshell, European regulators pushed Apple over the line. The European Union is a large market, and that market includes countries that are geographically close to EU members, even if they’re not members. The regulators are looking at standardizing all types of battery charging systems to reduce the number of cords and charging devices people use to cut waste. If you can use one cord (charger) for multiple devices, fewer cords and chargers will wind up in landfills after they’re worn out and discarded.

Most of the device world has gone to USB-C cords and chargers, and Apple is under pressure to ditch its Lightning cords. Rumors abound that Apple’s new iPhone – iPhone 15 is next in line for an introduction sometime this year – will have a USB-C port.

The EU’s regulations will go into effect next year, and it’s possible that Apple will only make USB-C ports available only in Europe. But that doesn’t make any business sense. We can figure on it being a reality.

So what will it mean for you as a user?

Most likely it will be speed. One respected iPhone analyst believes the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Ultra will get USB-C ports that support data transfer speeds of up to either 20Gbps or 40Gbps, up from just 480Mbps on current iPhones. While USB-C isn’t a data standard, several types of USB-C cables exist, including USB 2.0, 3.0, and Thunderbolt 4. You’ll need to look at speed rates for each of them.

You’ll also get faster charging times. Apple’s phones currently max out at 20W charging speeds, while USB offers up to 240W. Few phones offer more than 50W charging, but Apple is still lagging behind the more recent Samsung Galaxy phones, which can charge at 45W. Access to faster charging speeds can be a significant upgrade and allow Apple to stay more competitive going forward.

USB-C also unlocks better support for accessories, including external storage, hubs and docs, external displays, keyboards, mice, etc. While all these things are already available on iPads, adding enhanced connectivity to the iPhone through USB-C will give you more choice and flexibility on how they use your phones.

You’ll be able to use the same charger that powers other devices, like your MacBook laptop or iPad, to charge your iPhone, and there’s a broad accessory ecosystem for USB-C. It’s been standard on most electronics, including many other Apple products, for the better part of the last decade. In all likelihood, this also will mean you’ll no longer feel tied to Apple-approved chargers, giving you more flexibility to shop around. The rumor mill reports that many device and charging system manufacturers will produce units to meet Apple’s standards.

Want to add one more twist? There have long been rumors that Apple has been developing a port-free iPhone, which would eliminate all cords. The entire smartphone industry shifted to Qi wireless charging several years ago, Apple included, so wireless chargers are compatible across platforms.

As you all know, we like new technology, and faster data transfer speeds may be something you justifiably need. We can help you determine if the change to USB-C is a game-changer for you. Call us – 973-433-6676 – or email us to talk about your needs.