Apple hearing aid feature now available in South Africa “South Africa’s hearing aid market might be in for a big shake-up: Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 hearing aid functionality is now available in South Africa. Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 were set apart from other Bluetooth earbuds in the market when US regulators last September approved their use as hearing aids, opening up a potentially lucrative new market for the California-based technology giant.” Yes, with hearing aids costing from R10k to R100k, even Apple AirPods will seem very cheap by comparison. The point of this functionality though is not just about amplifying sound (many ear buds can do that), but it is about assessing hearing loss and compensating properly for it. It is amazing this has taken so long to get to market if I think about own long we've had super cheap reading glasses available in discount pharmacy stores. For many, they just want “good enough” to use. See

TechCentral

Apple hearing aid feature now available in South Africa

South Africa’s hearing aid market might be in for a big shake-up.

#technology #southafrica #hearing #airpods

The New OnePlus Watch 3 Lasts 5 Days In Smart Mode “One of the standout features of the OnePlus Watch 3 is its long battery life, which lasts 16 days in power saver mode and 5 days in smart mode. A quick 10-minute charge gives owners a full day of use, so an hour's charge will likely reset the 16-day (or 5-day) countdown. The 120-hour battery life in smart mode lets you keep Bluetooth and Wi-Fi running, send messages and make calls, use the screen, and track exercises.” I don't generally judge a watch by its standby or power save modes, as it often only tells the time and does a few other basics. But 5 days of normal use, and a 10-minute charge giving a day of use, is pretty good (OK my Pebble Watch did last longer). It is good to see they upped the battery capacity a bit too. For me, battery life is more important than a phone or watch being 1 mm thinner. The battery chemistry has also changed, so clearly battery life was a prime consideration for this design. To top it all, this watch actually runs Wear OS. Why I say that, is that the Wear OS watches have mostly had dismal battery life compared to the tweaked OS's from Huawei and others. This watch will be on my short list to compare when I next need to replace my smartwatch. See

How-To Geek

The New OnePlus Watch 3 Lasts Weeks Without a Charge

While running in the lower-power mode, anyway.

#technology #smartwatch

5 networking tools to safeguard your home lab from the inside out “If you’re new to the hobby, securing your home lab is paramount to ensuring the integrity, confidentiality, and availability of your systems and data. It’s easy to inadvertently expose your entire system to online threats, especially when you’re new to running self-hosted systems. Implementing robust networking tools can safeguard your environment from potential threats, both internal and external. Here are five essential networking tools to fortify your home lab from the inside out.” Certainly some good suggestions here in the linked article. There are however also some excellent alternatives to consider too: * pfSense vs OPNsense * VLANs are excellent but note you'll need VLAN aware switches and wireless access points * OpenVPN vs WireGuard * Pi-hole vs AdGuard Home I'd also add a Watch Your LAN type app to this list. See

XDA

5 networking tools to safeguard your home lab from the inside out

Building a home lab? These five tools will set you in the right direction towards building a secure and strong home server.

#technology #homelab #networking

I Spend More Time Watching Games Than Playing Them (and I'm Not Alone) “A recent study suggests that gamers spend, on average, around 7.5 hours playing compared to 8.5 hours watching games. With so many great games around, why do these gamers spend more time watching than playing? As someone who finds himself watching games more than playing them, I can say there are several reasons.” This is certainly true for me. Although I do play some games, it takes a bit of time to organise the steering wheel etc, to update the game, and then to get back into where I was with it. It is quite fun to watch others playing, see what they do, and you can end the session at any time you want to (and even continue watching tomorrow). On a funnier note, I used to watch one or two specific players many years ago. I went to look them up, and they are still playing the exact same games, except they look quite a bit older now. ;-) It does show there is quite a market for this, and quite a few YouTubers make their living off playing games the whole day (was it not our parents back in the 1980s and 1990s who said you can't play games the whole day, and better get out and get a job). That didn't age well! See

How-To Geek

I Spend More Time Watching Games Than Playing Them (and I'm Not Alone)

Let them suffer through the boss fights—I’ll be here with popcorn.

#technology #gaming

Say goodbye to parking tickets in South Africa Once you've used a parking app at a shopping mall for parking, you'll never look back. No queues to pay, no carrying cash, it keeps record of what you paid where, it is quicker to enter and exit a mall, no struggling with a machine that does not accept your note or coin, no more losing your ticket and having to pay a penalty. Although the article covers the Admyt app, I'm also using the Parket app for a new mall in Cape Town that has cashless parking only. I think the Admyt app does charge a small charge for the usage, but at one mall where I get a free 90 minutes of parking from PnP, I still use the Admyt app to scan the QR code in store, and my parking is free. When I was visiting the same mall last weekend, I was amazed to still see so many people paying for their parking. There are signs all over the mall advertising the service, and any new user gets R20 free credit. When I went to park at Newlands Forest not too long ago, I saw the parking “guard” has a QR code to accept payments by SnapScan. He says he gets paid more by SnapScan users than he receives as cash, and there is less risk of him having cash stolen from him. The article at https://mybroadband.co.za/news/motoring/581651-say-goodbye-to-parking-tickets.html explains more about Admyt works. #technology #cashless #SouthAfrica

OpenBoard is a free and open source cross-platform interactive whiteboard for schools and universities OpenBoard is a free and open-source interactive whiteboard software compatible with any projector and pointing device. Currently, OpenBoard is maintained by the Education Department (DIP) of the canton of Geneva, in Switzerland. The University of Lausanne, who developped the original Uniboard software in 2003 has joined the effort by means of a logistical and financial contribution. It runs on Windows, macOS and Linux (including a Flatpak). See

OpenBoard, the best interactive whiteboard for schools and universities

OpenBoard is an open source cross-platform interactive whiteboard application. OpenBoard is intended for use primarily in schools and universities,...

#technology #education #opensource #whiteboard

5 quirky self-hosted services to manage your relationships, adventures, and more I’ve been a part of the self-hosting ecosystem for a long time, and let me tell you, it’s filled to the brim with all sorts of fun and interesting projects. On the practical side of things, you’ve got the e-book management platform Calibre Web, budgeting powerhouse Firefly III, PKM system TriliumNext Notes, and a host of other utilities. For security experts, there’s the network traffic probe ntopng and self-hosted firewall OPNsense. But here’s a list of the most quirky (but still fairly useful) services you can host on your workstation. There is something for trekkers, tourists, and travellers; a Customer Relationship Management tool; a private, self-hosted browser; a genealogy tree; a habit tracker and changer; and a few other ideas too. The great thing with self-hosting a service is that it remains private. I'm busy implementing OPNsense firewall myself right now at home. See

XDA

5 quirky self-hosted services to manage your relationships, adventures, and more

Looking for outlandish apps you can host on your home lab? We've got you covered!

#technology #selfhosting #privacy #opensource

10 of the best plug-ins for your OpenMediaVault NAS On its own, OpenMediaVault is a decent OS if you want to build a NAS out of a low-spec device. After all, it has the holy trifecta of a simple UI, lightweight nature, and compatibility with ARM systems. However, hidden under that beginner-friendly exterior is a highly customizable operating system that can be outfitted with powerful plug-ins to extend the functionality of your NAS. The linked article covers a few interesting plugins you can use to extend the functionality of your OMV NAS. I'm still using OMV myself after many years, as it does what it needs to do quite well. See

XDA

10 of the best plug-ins for your OpenMediaVault NAS

Turn your OMV NAS into a behemoth of a storage server with these incredible plug-ins

#technology #OMV #NAS

5 reasons why FreeOffice is a great Microsoft Office alternative I use FreeOffice myself, mostly because it starts up super quickly (ready in under 5 secs) and has an interface that resonates with me. Yes, LibreOffice is just as powerful and is much better known, but I find it takes nearly 30 secs to start up on my desktop PC. I also have challenges getting the themes to show the colours correctly. The great thing though with free office packages is, you can install two, four or more of them and give them a good try out. FreeOffice is not perfect, though, and one of the biggest drawbacks is the lack of an English grammar checker (there is a spell checker). See

XDA

5 reasons why FreeOffice is a great Microsoft Office alternative

Looking for a free Microsoft Office alternative? Here

#technology #officesuite #alternativeto

Opera Air is the most relaxing browser you've ever seen Given how much work gets done in our browsers, it's odd that companies haven't capitalised on making their software as calming as possible. This is a shame because, if a recent survey from Opera is to be believed, we're in dire need of a browser that can soothe us during the frantic days. Well, given how Opera makes browsers, it decided to solve this problem itself with Opera Air, a new version that emphasises calmness and relaxation while you browse. In response to the need of a browser that takes the user's mindfulness first and foremost, Opera Air focuses on what it calls “Boosts.” It's very true that many of us spend far more time in a browser, than actually using any native apps any more today (on our desktops anyway). Depending on whether you go to Facebook/X or Bluesky/Mastodon, your experiences online can vary greatly (this is especially true for sites that actively employ algorithms to incite rage, as nothing drives clicks better than rage). There is nothing unique about what they have added into this browser, but I suppose browser providers are struggling to differentiate themselves from the others. The link at the end of the XDA Dev article though is incorrect, so the correct one is https://www.opera.com/air. From

XDA

Opera Air is the most relaxing browser you've ever seen

Takes the edge off of bidding on items on eBay.

#technology #browsers

Someone built a DIY wall-mounted NAS with Lego and a Raspberry Pi In a post on the HomeServer subreddit, user koechzzzn showed off their newest build. It's nothing too complex; it's a Raspberry Pi and a hard drive connected to one another and mounted on the wall using a Lego case. People in the thread were pretty impressed, even if they weren't so keen about how the original poster screwed the Pi and the Lego in. Some spare Lego can go a long way. One of my first router "racks" was made out of Lego, too. See

XDA

Someone built a DIY wall-mounted NAS with Lego and a Raspberry Pi

A little bit of ingenuity (and some Lego) can go a long way.

#technology #Lego #NAS

Challenges with Asus Router and VLANs (Video) Key issues covered in my video are: * Problems with VLAN Trunked port and Inter-VLAN traffic rules * No aggregating of wired and wireless devices into the same VLAN * Correct settings for a TP-Link TL-SG108E switch for mixed VLAN traffic I show some of the issues I experienced with my new Asus ROG Rapture GT-AX6000 gaming router. It is one of only about five or six routers of Asus that support VLAN traffic. The problem is, Asus only provides basic support for 802.1Q VLANs, and for anything more you probably need to consider a MikroTik, pfSense, etc type routers if detailed VLAN support is required. This is an excellent gaming router, but VLAN support is not something it really excels at (and it does not claim to do so either). Watch #technology #asusrouter #networking #VLANs

The Pebble smartwatch is making a comeback: Shows Founders are more Innovative than Big Tech Even with Big Tech themselves, once their own founders have moved on, a lot of the mojo is lost. They tend to buy up their competition rather than innovate, and drive, from the ground up. It is just sad that many of these smaller start-ups get bought out, or smothered. Big Tech has got so big today, that they can also put any smaller company out of business by selling their own products at a loss, or they can leverage favourable deals with OEMs. In the case of Pebble OS though, I'm not sure that we will see any dramatic innovation (yet) as it seems to be a philosophy of minimalism and long battery life rather. But as the community can contribute, we are likely to see some interesting 3rd party apps for it, and especially for platforms that have open APIs. Apart from telling the time, and heartrate monitoring, the other big thing I use my smartwatch for is my weekly shopping list. The founder of Pebble had also founded Beeper, so it is clear he is pitched more at fulfilling real needs than selling lots of promises. I still have my own original Pebble watch from way back, and when I last checked it, it was still working. So, I'll be keeping an eye on this project going forward. See

The Verge

The Pebble smartwatch is making a comeback

The OG smartwatch is getting a second life.

#technology #smartwatch #Pebble

Be careful of misleading security claims by hosting companies: US FTC cracks down on GoDaddy The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will require web hosting giant GoDaddy to implement basic security protections, including HTTPS APIs and mandatory multifactor authentication, to settle charges that it failed to secure its hosting services against attacks since 2018. FTC says the Arizona-based company's claims of reasonable security practices also misled millions of web-hosting customers because GoDaddy was instead “blind to vulnerabilities and threats in its hosting environment” due to its failings to implement standard security tools and practices. The big problem is the company claimed to have robust security measures in place, but lots of basic security practices were found not to be in place, and they had multiple major security breaches over time. According to a proposed settlement order, the FTC will require GoDaddy to establish a robust information security program and prohibits the company from misleading customers about its security protections. The order also mandates that GoDaddy hire an independent third-party assessor to conduct biennial reviews of its information security program. It really appears that this was almost tantamount to fraud — where you promise something in writing to customers, but in fact, that is not what you are delivering behind the scenes. Hopefully it is a major wakeup call to other hosting providers. Promise what you are delivering on, and don't promise what you are not doing. It is really as simple as that. Independent security audits are certainly a desirable practice to have in place, along with how regularly it is performed. See

BleepingComputer

FTC orders GoDaddy to fix poor web hosting security practices

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will require web hosting giant GoDaddy to implement basic security protections, including HTTPS APIs and mandato...

#technology #security #vulnerabilities

Even if you don't know Linux well enough, you should know these common terms to blend in These really are the key components which comprise a Linux system. Unlike Windows, which is a single stack, and you don't have any options to swap anything out, Linux is a more modular system. In case that sounds too complicated, most distros that a user downloads, are complete to install and run. Some may just offer a choice of which desktop environment you'd like to install, or which type of file system, but if in doubt they will have defaults on offer. So this jargon guide is quite useful to quickly understanding what the different terminology is, especially if you need to log an issue or a request on a user forum or a software project. With so many new Linux users on Ubuntu, Linux Mint, Steam Decks, etc, it has got a lot more friendly and helpful to novice users. Getting to grips with some key jargon, though, does make one feel at home a lot more quickly. See

It's FOSS

21 Jargon Every Linux User Should Know

Even if you don't know Linux well enough, you should know these common terms to blend in ;)

#technology #Linux #opensource #jargon

Alfred is the best productivity app on macOS, and it's not even close If you're looking for a Spotlight replacement on your Mac that can aid in productivity, there's no better option than Alfred. Alfred is a complete third-party replacement for Spotlight search. It offers a far more extensible and powerful platform with plenty of configuration, while retaining the same speed, ease of access, and sleek design that Spotlight is known for. While Apple's default Spotlight search is a powerful tool for accessing apps, files, or searching the internet, it pales in comparison to Alfred. Yes, 3rd party innovation can often be better, especially when they listen to what their users really want. On Linux I use Krunner which is also quite integrated into the browser history, bookmarks, apps, etc, but it stops short of having controls for apps like Spotify. Linux also has Albert, but it is no relation to Alfred, apart from them doing similar things, and Albert does have a media player integration. Although, I'd venture to say that Krunner and Albert on Linux are probably on par with the free version of Albert on macOS. See

XDA

Alfred is the best productivity app on macOS, and it's not even close

If you want to improve your productivity and work more efficiently, Alfred is simply unmatched for Mac users.

#technology #macOs #launchers

Free Latest App Checks Your MacBook Apps for Updates Some of the best Mac apps serve a single purpose. Latest (the app's name) is another tiny app you should install that can check for and apply outstanding updates. This app will check for updates regardless of whether you have opened, or used, the app recently. It works with all App Store apps, plus those that use the Sparkle open-source update framework and Homebrew package manager. I also recall though using something similar a few years ago when I used a Macbook, which was also a 3rd party app. One forgets that non-Linux users don't have the luxury of a full app check daily as part of the OS. See

How-To Geek

This Free Mac App Checks Your Apps for Updates

Update everything in a few clicks.

#technology #macOS

8 Cool Tricks You Can Do With Your Browser's Element Inspector The Element Inspector in your browser seems like a tool only meant for developers, but you can do some cool things with it even if you don’t know any programming. I've used this often for saving images for my blog. But you'll probably also appreciate, after reading the linked post, why you can't just blindly trust screenshots someone sends you. As with all technology, it can be used for both good and bad purposes. See

How-To Geek

8 Cool Tricks You Can Do With Your Browser's Element Inspector

No coding lessons required.

#technology #browsers #tips

Finally, You Can Automatically Block Spam Calls on Your iPhone: Too Late For Me Though I did try again using an iPhone about 3 years ago, because it had really caught up to Android with 3rd party keyboards, some widgets, etc. And of course, the Apple Watch is second to none when it comes to health stats. But as I said in my blog a year ago, I was so frustrated with spam callers, and Truecaller not being allowed to do number lookups, that I finally ditched the Apple ecosystem for a second time (and final) time. I have just sold off my AirTags as well. Seriously, if this functionality was release a bit over a year ago, I may well have stayed in the Apple ecosystem. Well, I can't say for sure, as my philosophy around accessibility and open standards is a bit divergent from Apple's. But it does go to show that clearly this was a major frustration for many, and it just takes Apple very very very long before (ah, RCS messaging I'm now thinking of) before they make a change. This does though make me feel very happy for Apple users. That said, Android does also appear to be restricting some things now. The two ecosystems are getting more and more alike. See

Lifehacker

Finally, You Can Automatically Block Spam Calls on Your iPhone

iOS 18.2 introduces a new API for developers that finally brings live caller ID to iPhones. Truecaller is the first app to take advantage of this n...

#technology #iOS #spamcallers

Datacus extractus: Harry Potter publisher breached without resorting to magic There is a link in the article to how such vulnerabilities were discovered in the Planet Technology WGS-804HPT industrial Ethernet switches which were being used by the publisher. The key takeaways though for any self-hosters or home automation hobbyists though are: 1. Do not expose any web interfaces to the Internet that are not absolutely necessary. 2. Do not publish what equipment you are using and how fancy your network looks, as these are all clues to anyone as to how everything fits together. 3. Where possible, segment all your IoT devices, doorbells, etc onto a separate LAN even if it is a separated guest network. All my home automation web logins e.g. to Home Assistant, Sonoff switches (which have been reflashed), CCTV, Portainer, etc are behind a VPN login from outside. If I need to access any of them, I will have to log into the VPN first, and then access their dashboard screens. It is not even about the brand of switch that is being used, as Cisco themselves have suffered zero-day exploits too. These specific vulnerabilities with the Planet Technology switches should have been patched if users have installed the updates. See

Harry Potter publisher breached, millions of records lifted

PLUS: Allstate sued for allegedly tracking drivers; Dutch DDoS; More fake jobs from Pyongyang; and more

#technology #security #vulnerabilities