Halfbrick Studios games are temporarily free
Halfbrick is a popular IOS game development house whose most popular creation is Fruit Ninja. Halfbrick has made this game completely free [for now] for the first time ever : saving you $1 on iphone and $3 on the ipad. Not stopping there, other Halfbrick games have also been priced at FREE temporarily.
Get them while the getting is good.
25% coupon code for all Nomad products
There is a saying in photography
“The Best Camera Is The One That’s With You”
A $5,000 super sophisticated camera doesn't help you capture that special moment if it isn't with you. This is why smartphone photography has really taken the world by storm (since our smartphones are always with us).
I have the same issue with charging cables. Over the years I have bought hundreds of cables ranging from cheap chinese knockoffs to expensive high quality manufacturer sold ones. Regardless of the cable, they never seemed to be with me when I really needed them or were a hassle when travelling.
NOMAD HAS BOTH LIGHTNING AND MICRO-USB TIPS
That is until I met the ChargeKey (pictures above). This thing is always with me ready to charge my iPhone. You should read my review of the ChargeKey (link).
Nomad also has a ChargeCard which offers the same convenience in an easily walletable card format.
<img src="https://ekiledjian2.micro.blog/uploads/2025/06d86dee54.jpg" alt="">
“The Nomad ChargeKey has been on my keychain getting beaten up in my pocket for 4 months now and it works perfectly and looks like new.”
SAVE 25% off Any Hello NOMAD product this week
Order any product from helloNomad.com and use code "LIVESIMPLE" (without quotation marks) to save 25% off your order. It's a great time to stock up.
All Nomad Lightning cables are Apple MFI certified so they are guaranteed to perform.
Shipping is free for the US, Canada, United Kingdom and Australia. It's $5 anywhere else.
Apple European USB chargers may be dangerous
Apple has announced a USB Adapter replacement program for Europe. This recall affects both in box and sold-separately USB adapters. Apple says they may "overheat" and "pose a safety risk".
These adapters were sold or delivered with iPhones from 2009 until 2012.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="350"]<img src="https://ekiledjian2.micro.blog/uploads/2025/5af4e16b81.jpg" alt=" Model A1300 - affected model "> Model A1300 - affected model [/caption]
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="350"]<img src="https://ekiledjian2.micro.blog/uploads/2025/7740bbe382.jpg" alt=" Model A1400 - New unaffected model "> Model A1400 - New unaffected model [/caption]
You can access Apple's information page here (link)
Every project manager should be performing a pre-mortem
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Image by StockMonkeys.com [/caption]
As a business leader, I have participated in and managed hundreds of post-mortem reviews for projects and deals. It is a sound strategy to identify the elements that failed or that could be optimized/
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
But what if you could gain all of the benefits of this activity before the initiative fails thus potentially saving it? A pre-mortem (or premortem) basically is a role playing game where participants assume the project has already failed and then determine why it failed and how failure could have been prevented.
Why this works
Issues rarely "just happen". Typically there are warning signals that show up prior to any failure. Typically these are:
- You know you are not undertaking the required maintenance which will likely lead to failure (project monitoring, follow-ups, etc)
- You can "feel" the project deviating from its core purpose
- You start noticing "out of the ordinary" or unexpected results
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure
Instead of retrospectively looking at why the project failed, why not take the time to foresee what could go wrong and fix it?
The best way is to invite a core group of knowledgeable experts and ask them to imagine the project failing then lead the group to identify possible preventative measures. It sounds easy because it is.
The Pre-Mortem Process
Step 1 - Doom and Gloom
Lock up your key people in a room and ask them to imagine every possible way the project could fail. Big or small it should be written down individually on a sheet of paper. Remind the team that no failure is too big or too small. Every issue should be started with "what if"
- What if the supplier doesn't deliver the part
- What if the supplier goes out of business
- What if the price of the part shoots up significantly
- What if...
- what if...
- what if...
As a moderator, your role is to ensure everyone spends this time thinking about problems and not solutions. No judgement and no logical thought. We don't want participants making risk judgements to eliminate possible failures.
Step 2 - Prioritization
Share all of the failure possibilities with the participants and narrow down the list to the top 10, top 20 or whatever other number you are comfortable with. For most projects, I typically like top 10 lists. For more critical or larger projects, I may go to a top 25 list.
When reviewing the list (collectively), remind the participants that there are really 3 things to consider in this step
- Choose failures whose realization will have a severe and catastrophic impact on the project.
- Choose failures who are likely to happen. There could be some debate but the threat of a comet hitting your datacenter could probably be crossed off the list.
- Choose failures that are in your span of control. Some failures are outside of your control and cannot be mitigated by you. Chuck those out.
Step 3 - Solutioning
“Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.
”
If the first 2 steps where done properly and diligently then this last step should be fairly easy and straightforward. Assigned the final problems to owners and each owner must:
- Come up with a plan to prevent the failure from occurring
- Come up with a backup plan in case prevention doesn't work
The final step is to ensure every action item is given an owner and a due date. These should be tracked as part of the master project plan and reported on weekly.
Starbucks and Duracell to offer wireless charging
Starbucks and Duracell are partnering up for a nationwide rollout of wireless charging tables at select Starbucks locations (US only). Startbucks is providing the table and power while Duracell is providing their Powermat technology.
The dynamic duo is expected to install over 100,000 Duracell Powermats when everything is said and done.
You will be able to buy Powermat accessories at the participating Starbucks.
You can find participating locations on the Starbucks webpage (link).
Google in talks to buy Songza
Apple bough Beats and now NT Post (link) is reporting that Google may be in talks to buy popular streaming service Songza. Apple paid approximately $500M for Beats' streaming service which is believed to have less than 250,000 subscribers. Google is reportedly offering 15M$ for Songza which has 5.5M active users.
Songza has a unique approach to music recommendations. You choose what you are doing and they recommend a custom tailors human curated playlist for that activity. This approach works really well and this is one of my main music go to services.
We don't have any indication of how much revenue it generates but it has started to offer branded playlists with the name of a company in the playlist. It has also started to insert advertising into its apps and website.
I like Songza and would be sad to see it disappear.
Windows 8 is dead so don't waste your money
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Image by IsaacMao under Creative Commons License [/caption]
There is no denying Windows Vista was a total flop. So much so that Microsoft did everything to quickly move away and erase it from our memory.
One of the best connected Microsoft watchers, Paul Thurrot says
"Can we call Windows 8 the new Vista? Not so fast, analyst says." Call it what you want. That's what they call it inside of Microsoft.
— Paul Thurrott (@thurrott) January 17, 2014
Paul then follows up with
@sopanx @WinObs Right, me too. But that's unrelated to it being the new Vista. This is about sales and market acceptance.
— Paul Thurrott (@thurrott) January 17, 2014
Paul's comment simply aludes to the fact that Windows 8 has had horrible adoption rate (sales) and customers just hate it. Believe it or not, Vista had sold more copies in this phase of its life cycle (compared to Win8).
So what's next?
Most analysts believe the next version of windows codenamed threshold will be released spring 2015 (probably bundled with a new version of Office Touch). Microsoft will do everything to make sure consumers forget about Windows 8 so why waste your money on it?
Get 8 Free country songs from itunes (USA only)
People magazine has an interesting (USA only) offer of 8 free popular country songs from iTunes. These are popular on the chart songs (not old has been ones).
Head over to their special promo page (link) and enter the unique promo code they generate for you in the Redeem box of your itunes client (mobile or desktop).
IOS from the eyes of a security person
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Image by Donald Lee Pardue under Creative Commons License [/caption]
When I read Apple's 33 page IOS Security Paper I was blown away (link). Not because its perfect security but it is as close to perfect as it can get in a generally usable commercial product. This unprecedented look inside the Apple security hive mind answered many of my questions and reaffirmed my belief that Apple makes the most secure general use electronics around.
At WWDC, I had high hopes and Apple exceeded even my wildest expectations. First they clearly know their competition and are actively listening to their customer complains. The biggest, and most surprising revelation, was the new more open stance they are adopting with IOS 8 (translating to 4,000 new application programming interface calls (API)).
Developers will be able to write extensions to Notification center, build third-party keyboards (like Skwype or Swiftkey) and add inter-application data sharing. None of these are industry leading firsts but they are unexpected gifts Apple is bestowing on its adoring public.
But I'm not a regular user
Over the years, I have stayed with Apple smartphones (over Android and Windows Phone) not because I'm a fanboy but because it has always taken security more seriously. It has always allowed for more granular control of my device security settings which is a must with me.
This more open Apple, these new features are wonderful for users but as a security professional, I worry about the new attack vectors they will open up. Apple did say that they purposely waited to add these features (even though customers had been demanding them for some time) because they wanted to find secure ways of implementing them. They chose to start with extreme restrictions then slowly open the spigot as they found safe ways to get the job done.
One problem is the gold rush I expect to see shortly. This is where new and existing developers start writing apps and widgets for these newly opened services without paying attention to proper security controls. Many will want to be first hoping for a huge payday and couldn't care about ensuring their apps are secured. Did Apple implement enough controls to ensure this doesn't lead to new vulnerabilities?
The second problem is that Apple is launching cool new platforms for home automation control (Homekit) and healthcare (healthkit). These new additions will significantly increase the value of the information stored on your device thus motivating "more bad actors" to work harder at breaking into and stealing your information. Apple will become a bigger target and will have to react faster to security vulnerabilities and exploits.
Additional protection in IOS 8
Apple has created a new programing language called Swift (link). Apple toutes that Swift:
“Swift eliminates entire classes of unsafe code. Variables are always initialized before use, arrays and integers are checked for overflow, and memory is managed automatically. Syntax is tuned to make it easy to define your intent — for example, simple three-character keywords define a variable (var) or constant (let).”
If Swift works as advertised, then it will definitely make future IOS applications more secure by automatically handling many of the situations that lead to vulnerabilities. Unfortunately developers will still be able to use the older Objective-C which doesn't provide these better automatic control which could lead to vulnerabilities.
The major SSL Vulnerability IOS devices experienced due to a programming bug (the Go to fail bug.) This issue is fresh in many researchers minds and here's hoping Apple does what it has to do to keep protecting its users.
Verdict
Ultimately I believe Apple's IOS platform is still the most secure mobile operating system available today and I hope Apple continues investing to keep it that way. These new features are clearly a response by Apple to Android's growing popularity and they have to be careful not to fall into the quick response hastily planned vulnerable new feature trap.
I am eagerly waiting for an updated security whitepaper
Google wants easy end-to-end email encryption in Chrome
Sending an email is akin to mailing a postcard. Everything written in it can easily be read, copied or analyzed by any one of the email transfer points. It is this simple fact that motivates security advocates to push for email encryption. The main obstacle to mass adoption of email encryption is the complexity. It requires installation and configuration of special software. It requires the purchase or generation of you private/public keys.
Google wants to change all of that and has released an alpha Chrome plug-in called End-to-End (link). End-to-End will provide an additional layer of security over and above what your existing email prover already makes available. The plug-in means all of the complexities of encryption are hidden from the user which should help at-risk but less technically savvy users happy (journalists, human rights workers, whistleblowers, etc).
Google is clear that this is currently an alpha release for technically proficient users only and is not meant for general use yet. They want the community to review the open source plug-in and provide security recommendations to strengthen and improve the tool.
I haven't reviewed the tool just yet but am really happy google is taking the first step in making email more secure and accessible. Once this plug-in is ready for general consumption, I'll let you know.
Chinese media demand sanctions against US tech companies
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Photo by Rene Mensen under Creative Commons License [/caption]
3 things we know governments will always do are:
- Tax
- Spend
- Spy
The last point, fueled by the Ed Snowden leaks, seems to be keeping the media busy. Now the China-run state-owned media is calling on the Chinese government to sanction the major US technology companies who are "pawns of the US Government".
China Daily and People's Daily have called upon their leaders to "severely punish" the companies mentioned in the Edward Snowden leaks.
“U.S. companies including Apple, Microsoft, Google, Facebook, etc. are all coordinating with the PRISM program to monitor China,”
Most companies have openly and vehemently denied working with the NSA. One such spokesperson is Google Chief Legal Officer David Drummond
“We cannot say this more clearly - the (U.S.) government does not have access to Google servers - not directly, or via a back door, or a so-called drop box”
I believe the next few month will be interesting. Let's see how (and if) China takes an official position. It is important to remember that Chinese telcom equipment manufacturers were disqualified from bidding on US government contracts because of concerns about spying. Now that the Snowden leaks show the US may be intercepting Cisco equipment to implant its own hidden tools, could other countries start boycotting US telecom equipment manufacturers?
Source : Reuters
$100 off Motorola MotoX for 48 hours (unlocked)
48-HOUR FLASH SUMMER #SALE. 32GB #MotoX or #devedition for $100 off (US Only): http://t.co/Fb9YbRoXsx pic.twitter.com/Tl1ijwu8Ra
— Motorola Mobility (@Motorola) June 4, 2014
You can pickup my favourite Android phone (US only deal) for $100 off for 48 hours. This deal allows you to pickup a Kitkat powered android phone (unlocked) for about $300-400.
The 5 o'clock clock
We all know that the most important time of the day is when you punch out to go home so the only time you really care about it 5PM. Now a company has turned your punch put obsession into a clock that has just one time marking on it.
This wondrous clock can be had for only $100 on Amazon (link).
Unfortunately it seems this clock sold out quickly and is no longer available on Amazon. I decided to post this anyway to show the wonderful world of modern design.
Strange napkin table invention
Since we've cured all sickness and disease, the human race can now turn its attention to the incredible important issue of dining while at a picnic. All right... We haven't cured everything yet which is why I am so dumbfounded when I see people waste energy on absolutely useless inventions like this.
I can't wait to see the ads for it on TV.
- Are you tire of eating on the floor at picnics?
- Want to keep ants away from your food?
- Are you lazy and want the food closer to your mouth?
- Do you want to be that weirdo that everyone points to at your next picnic?
Michael Jan, an industrial designer in Taiwan, has heard your cries for a better picnic dining experience and has created the napkin table (link). Each person wear's one end of this horrific contraption which even has slots for your cup and bowl.
I guess some weardos will want one but they have to wait. At this point this is only a design but you know someone will commercialize this.
Watch Apple's WWDC live today (link enlcosed)
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Image by Flazingo Photos under Creative Commons License [/caption]
Today at 10am PT, Apple will finally unveil its new wares to the world at its World Wide Developer Conference (WWDC). This years keynote will be 2 hours long and rumors are swirling that we we'll see new hardware, the new Mac OS 10.10 beta, and maybe entry into a new line of business (home automation, etc).
Apple will livestream the entire keynote on its special events website you can access here (link)
We don't know the restrictions they will impose but in past years, the livestream has only worked on Safari, Mac OS, iPhone or iPad devices.
Now every room can smell like Mac and Cheese
Everyone loves Mac and Cheese. It is that wonderful comfort food that reminds me of my childhood. Just the smell evokes so many positive memories. That smell takes you back to wonderfully serene mental state.
If you want to easily go into that automatic Mac and cheese trance, you can with the Mac and cheese air freshener for only $5 on Amazon (link).
iPhone users can now use OK Siri to verbally control their phones
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Image by Bernard Goldbach under Creative Commons License [/caption]
Most iPhone users watched in awe when Motorola's Moto X gained always on voice Control. You could say OK Google and then simply issue your command. Without ever touching your device. Then Google created a new launcher that allowed you to voice control, your device anytime you where in the launcher.
It seems iPhone users were left out in the cold until now.
Before you get too excited, it is important to remember that OK Siri is a hack for jailbroken iPhone's only. If you have any security concerns, you should not jailbreak your device.
Installation
Once you install the hack, you have to turn on the always listening mode in the Activator settings (look for OKSiri). A little microphone icon then shows up in the status bar and the device is listening for your commands. You start any command by saying OK Siri.
PRactically you'll have to wait a fraction of a second between saying OK SIri and issuing your command (to give the system time to react). Also once you have performed the desired action and press the home button to come back into IOS land, the OK Siri agent will need a couple of seconds to re-initialize in the background.
Motorola's MotoX was great because the phone is always listening, even when the screen is locked. OK Siri does the same which means you can issue commands even to a locked phone (which is a nice touch).
Annoyances
So it is an interesting addition but not without its problems. For an unexplained reason, the agent seems to freezes sometimes which disables the always listening functionality. If you wait a couple of minutes, it comes back all by itself.
The speech recognition of the agent is no where near that of Google or Apple. This means you may need to repeat your command a couple of times.
Conclusion
You can download this hack from the Big Boss Cydia repository right now for free. Ultimately I am a security nut and will NOT jailbreak my main phone because it opens up too many security vulnerabilities but if your device is already jailbroken, you can take this add-on for a spin. If you don't like it, you can just remove it.
eCool environmentally friendly outdoor beer cooler
Nothing is worse than a lukewarm beer on a hot summers day. You could install an outdoor fridge but this requires electricity which will cost you money and anger some environmentalists. Some creative designers have solved your beer cooling dilemma with the eCool. The eCool uses the constant cooler temperature of the earth to keep your beer desirably cool.
You basically dig a hole, drop in the eCool and have 24 cans of drinkable beer. the creators also claim that those living in cooler countries (aka Canada), can enjoy this year round because the eCool will prevent the beers from freezing.
You can order one now from the creators for a mere $US349 (link)
Amazon to release a new music streaming service
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Image by Nomadic Lass under Creative Commons License [/caption]
It seems everyone is either starting or buying into a streaming music service. Not one to be left out, Buzzfeed (link) is reporting that Amazon may release its own music service with a twist.
It is believed Amazon has already signed agreements with Sony and Warner but is still in talks with Universal Music.
The rumours say that the service will be offered for free to US Amazon Prime members. For those that don't know, Prime is a service that costs $99 a year and provides:
- free 2 day shipping
- free movie streaming
- free Kindle book lending
But how will Amazon differentiate itself from the crowd? By offering music older than 6 months.. What? Wait! Hun....
It is believed that to reduce licensing costs, Amazon will only stream music older than 6 months.
This new Amazon Prime add-on is expected to launch in June or July so you won't have to wait much longer.
