Despite dire predictions that brick-and-mortar stores are doomed to suffer the same fate as dinosaurs, this simply has not come to be nor will it. Take a look at retailers such as Ulta, Dollar General, Target, Aldi and others who continue their push to open new stores. And we certainly can’t ignore e-commerce giant Amazon’s…
Smartphone Theft Is (Still) Costing Us Billions. Here’s How to Stop It
A global crime wave of stolen, fraudulently obtained, sold-but-not-activated and activated-but-not-used smartphones is costing mobile carriers billions of dollars in lost revenue annually. Millions of devices are stolen throughout all stages of the device lifecycle — from shipments (5 to 25 percent) to in-store theft and robberies (increasing at a rapid rate of 200 percent…
Huawei Defends Security Record as Annual Sales Top $100B
SHENZHEN, China (AP) — Chinese tech giant Huawei’s deputy chairman defended its commitment to security Friday after a stinging British government report added to Western pressure on the company by accusing it of failing to repair dangerous flaws in its telecom technology. Guo Ping’s comments came as Huawei Technologies Ltd., the biggest global maker of…
FTC Cracks Down on 4 Robocall Operations
The Federal Trade Commission this week scored court settlements to shut down four separate robocall operations that the agency says were the source of billions of unwanted and illegal robocalls across the country. Defendants were responsible for robocalls ranging from pitches for auto warranties and debt-relief services to fake charities and Google search results. One…
The Good, Bad and the Unknown of Apple’s New Services
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — It took a while, but finally — and with the carefully curated help of Oprah, Big Bird and Goldman Sachs — Apple has at last unveiled a new streaming TV service, its own branded credit card and a news subscription product. The moves have been largely expected and so far don’t…
‘5GE’ Speed Experience in Line with 4G: Opensignal
Consumers with phones capable of showing AT&T’s 5GE connectivity icon are experiencing faster speeds, but not more so than users on other carriers’ networks that leverage LTE Advanced Pro technologies, according to Opensignal. This is not a huge surprise, as AT&T’s 5GE branding is for parts of its network using those LTE-A Pro technologies including…
FBI Tracked Michael Cohen’s Phones with Controversial Device
NEW YORK (AP) — Michael Cohen, meet the Triggerfish. Search warrant documents made public Tuesday show the FBI used highly secretive and controversial cellphone sweeping technology to zero-in on President Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer when agents raided his New York City home, hotel room and office last year. Agents using a Triggerfish cell-site simulator…
Apple Refreshes iPad Lineup, with Larger Entry-level Model
NEW YORK (AP) — Apple has unveiled a new iPad that’s thinner and slightly larger than its current entry-level tablet. The new iPad Air will cost $499 and sport a screen that measures 10.5 inches diagonally. That compares with the standard, 9.7-inch iPad, which Apple will still sell for $329. Apple has higher-end Pro models…
FCC Advances Effort for More Precise Location Data of 911 Calls Inside Buildings
The FCC on Friday voted to advance rules that would require wireless carriers to provide more precise vertical-location data from 911 calls made on cellphones inside multi-story buildings, in an effort to help emergency call centers better identify which floor the caller is on. “Although we may be accustomed to Uber or Waze using our…
Nevada Considers Technology to Scan Cellphones After Crashes
CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) — Most states ban texting behind the wheel, but a legislative proposal could make Nevada one of the first states to allow police to use a contentious technology to find out if a person was using a cellphone during a car crash. The measure is igniting privacy concerns and has led…