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San Bernardino victims divided on iPhone issue as FBI claims not trying to set a precedent
Victims and families of victims in the San Bernardino shootings have expressed divided views on the Apple vs FBI battle over access to an iPhone used by one of the terrorists.
We noted earlier that the mother of one of those killed in the attack has expressed support for Apple’s position, stating that the constitutional right to privacy “is what makes America great.”
This is what separates us from communism, isn’t it? The fact we have the right to privacy. I think Apple is definitely within their rights to protect the privacy of all Americans.
However, Reuters reports that some victims of the attack plan to file a legal brief in support of the FBI …
Stephen Larson, a former federal judge who is now in private practice, told Reuters that the victims he represents have an interest in the information which goes beyond the Justice Department’s criminal investigation.
“They were targeted by terrorists, and they need to know why, how this could happen,” Larson said.
Larson was reportedly approached by the Justice Department and local prosecutors, rather than by the families directly. He has said that he will be doing the work pro-bono.
FBI Director James Comey has claimed that the bureau is not attempting to use the case to set a precedent. In an emotive post on law blog Lawfare, Comey said that they wouldn’t be able to look survivors in the eye if they didn’t follow the lead.
The San Bernardino litigation isn’t about trying to set a precedent or send any kind of message. It is about the victims and justice. Fourteen people were slaughtered and many more had their lives and bodies ruined. We owe them a thorough and professional investigation under law. That’s what this is. The American people should expect nothing less from the FBI.
The claim seems hard to reconcile with Comey’s longstanding opposition to Apple’s use of encryption in iPhones. He said over a year ago that Apple is putting people beyond the law.
The notion that we would market devices that would allow someone to place themselves beyond the law, troubles me a lot. As a country, I don’t know why we would want to put people beyond the law.
It is also hard to see how a court ruling could be made without setting a legal precedent, given that that’s how the law works. Tim Cook last week expressed skepticism about the idea of this being a one-off, and has today called on the government to withdraw its demands.
The government suggests this tool could only be used once, on one phone. But that’s simply not true. Once created, the technique could be used over and over again, on any number of devices.
Filed under: AAPL Company, iOS Devices Tagged: Apple Inc, Encryption, FBI, Federal Bureau of Investigation, San Bernardino, United States Department of Justice
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The Essential Guide to Branding Your Company [Free Kit]
A brand gives a business its unique identity — from the way content looks and feels to how it sounds and resonates. Think about some of the most iconic brands out there, and then picture their branding. I bet you can come up with it right away.
GoPro? Excitement. Prada? Sophistication. Band-Aid? Sincerity.
When establishing your own company’s brand, you have to dig deep into its roots and determine what your product really means to your customers. From here, you will be able to shape your brand’s values, personality, story, and style.
It’s not magic … it’s insight. And that’s why we teamed up with online print and design company MOO to bring you The Essential Guide to Branding Your Company. In this kit, we’ll explain the key elements you’ll need to create a sharp, authentic brand that will stand out from your competitors and resonate with your customers.
What’s inside?
- Helpful advice on how to brand your business
- Customer persona templates to get to know your customers
- A brand checklist designed to keep you and your brand on track
- Exclusive business card designs to compliment your brand
- Much more about how to get your brand up and running with a competitive edge
Download the free guide here to learn the key elements you need to create a strong brand.
17 Tips for Successful Facebook Contests
Are you planning a Facebook contest? Want to make sure it’s a success? An easy-to-follow checklist of tips and best practices will help you launch Facebook contests your audience will love. In this article I’ll share 17 tips to make your Facebook contest a success. #1: Review Facebook’s Terms of Service Facebook periodically changes its rules and regulations about contests […]
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Why Some Things Go Viral — And Others Don’t [Video]
Today, internet users have more control over what they look at online than ever before. To earn their attention, marketers like us have to create content that’s worthy of our audience’s time and emotional investment.But what’s the best way to cut through the clutter to make sure our content gets seen?
Well, it helps to create content that’s poised to go viral, of course. For a piece of content to go viral, each viewer has to generate at least one more viewer, on average. The “super-sharers,” though, are actually responsible for over 80% of shares that make content go viral — so the trick is to find and reach those people.
But for those super-sharers to even think about sharing your stuff, it has to have “viral potential.” After all, there are reasons why some content takes off and other content doesn’t.
To learn more about the two powerful drivers of viral success and the emotions that make us want to share, check out the video below from Harvard Business Review.
How to Prospect Using Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook
Are you looking for more business? Wondering how social media can shorten the sales process? Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook make it easy to develop relationships with potential customers before you ask for a meeting. In this article you’ll discover how to connect with prospects on social media. #1: Research Your Prospects Researching prospects is critical […]
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A first look at app preview videos on Apple TV [Video]
Last Wednesday, Apple made it possible for developers to create and add app preview videos to their Apple TV apps. Apple is making a concerted effort to improve the App Store experience for its customers and developers, and this is just the latest step in that direction.
App preview videos have been available on iOS devices since iOS 8, but tvOS titles have been restricted to static preview images up until now. App preview videos allow customers to see an app in action, making it easier to discern how a particular app or game works prior to making a purchase or download.
Unlike iOS, app preview videos on the Apple TV feature a dedicated “Preview” button for initiating video playback. The Preview button, when available, is located to the left of the purchase/download button. As you might expect, users can play, pause, fast-forward and rewind preview videos. Users can also initiate 10-second skips by clicking on the left or right side of the Siri Remote’s Touch surface.
Since Apple just rolled out app preview videos for tvOS last week, there aren’t many apps that currently take advantage of the new feature. One of the first few titles to include a preview video is the critically acclaimed Alto’s Adventure. Watch our video walkthrough of the app preview video experience below:
Developers can create previews of their Apple TV apps using QuickTime’s built in capture functionality. This allows developers to create crisp-looking 1080p videos of their apps in action. Like iOS, app preview videos on tvOS should be between 15-30 seconds in length.
As pointed out in our initial briefing, Apple continues to make strides towards improving the App Store experience on tvOS. App preview videos go a long way towards making that experience feel more complete.
Filed under: Apple TV Tagged: Apple TV 4, Apple TV games, videos
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FBI explains why it changed Apple ID password in iPhone unlock case, retrieved iCloud backups up to October 19 but wants more
The FBI has released a press statement explaining its motivation for resetting the iCloud password in the San Bernardino iPhone backdoor/unlock case. It seems like a screw-up, which prevented Apple from extracting data from the phone via iCloud. However, the FBI says that the county did it, in collaboration with FBI, in order to gain access to the suspect’s iCloud account. It says it was able to successfully retrieve iCloud backups up to October 19th. However, the reason it wants Apple to create a backdoor into the locked iPhone is because it believes there is more data on the phone relevant to the case yet to be uncovered.
For unknown reasons, the iPhone did not backup anything to iCloud after 19th October. It is possible Syed Farook disabled the feature or the iPhone simply did not return to a known WiFi network whilst being plugged in. It is not known if a later iCloud backup would have yielded more information …
Here’s a direct quote from the FBI statement, via Re/code, explaining that the government wants Apple to create a backdoor so that it can perform data extraction on the iPhone itself, which it knows from previous investigations will often contain more information than what an iCloud backup includes.
Through previous testing, we know that direct data extraction from an iOS device often provides more data than an iCloud backup contains. Even if the password had not been changed and Apple could have turned on the auto-backup and loaded it to the cloud, there might be information on the phone that would not be accessible without Apple’s assistance as required by the All Writs Act order, since the iCloud backup does not contain everything on an iPhone. As the government’s pleadings state, the government’s objective was, and still is, to extract as much evidence as possible from the phone.
Apple has been given additional time to respond to the FBI order, with the deadline set for next Friday in a week’s time. Apple is expected to formally reject the motion in court, given its hard stance expressed in an open letter by Tim Cook last week.
In the case, the FBI has asked Apple to create a special version of the iPhone operating system which removes certain passcode-related features to enable brute-force attack on the PIN code. The FBI wants Apple to create custom firmware that will allow an unlimited number of PIN attempts without the usual hour-long delays between incorrect passcode entries. The iPhone used by the attacker is an iPhone 5c. so it lacks a fingerprint sensor and other security features enabled by the Secure Enclave of later iPhone models. However, Apple has said the same techniques the FBI wants it to deploy could apply to newer iPhones too.
Apple continues to receive support by other companies and individuals regarding its fierce privacy-focused stance. Billionaire Mark Cuban said Apple deserves a standing ovation for fighting the FBI’s encryption backdoor efforts. Smartphone manufacturer Huawei also piped up, saying privacy is very important but shied away from openly indicating it would stand up to government in a similar situation.
“Tim Cook spoke up for that (privacy) … for us it is really very important,” Yu said. “I think it’s good letting the government understand why we cannot do some things. There are some things we can do, but there are some things we cannot do.” Asked directly if Huawei would take the same approach in similar circumstances, Yu said Huawei would “insist on the important things for consumers”.
It’s also worth considering the voice of the victims of the San Bernardino shootings, where 12 people were killed. Carole Adams, who lost her son in the attack, has openly stated that she stands with Apple’s point of view on constitutional grounds:
“This is what makes America great to begin with, that we abide by a constitution that gives us the right of privacy, the right to bear arms, and the right to vote.”
Filed under: AAPL Company, iOS, iOS Devices, Tech Industry Tagged: Apple, FBI, iOS, iPhone unlock
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The Logic Pros: 3 helpful tricks to keep your MIDI/audio edits quick and easy
In this week’s episode of The Logic Pros, we will be continuing our look at some of Logic Pro X’s underused features and key commands with some helpful editing tricks. We are also going start our master Solo Jedi training with some interesting uses for the various Solo modes, locks and more.
The Solo mode found on just about every track inside of LPX is one of the most basic features found in any DAW. While its functionality is fairly obvious, in terms of allowing us to monitor a selected track(s) on its/their own while the rest of our tracks are essentially automatically muted. But there are a few tricks that can be used without complicating things that are likely to speed up edits and make micro-level monitoring a little easier on you. I use these key commands and features every day in Logic, and I’m not sure I could go without them:
Solo within a Solo and back again: This key command will allow us to quickly toggle Solo Mode on/off. You can also quickly highlight a group of regions on your Main Window/Tracks page and then hit Control S to solo them. This can be very helpful when you are trying to solo a group of tracks/regions that don’t reside next to each other on your Tracks page, among other things.
But it can also be used as an almost secondary Soloing option. Often times I will have a group of tracks on the Mixer in Solo by simply selecting the tracks and then engaging the Solo button (or pushing the S key). Then you can select any one of the tracks that are currently in Solo, and quickly monitor it on its own by pressing Control S. Hit Control S again, and your right back to your original group of tracks in Solo. Solo within a Solo, in one click, pretty sweet.
Note: Option S, will enter Solo Lock Mode. This will essentially allow you to Solo a group of regions in your project while allowing you to edit content outside of those tracks without losing your Solo group.
Force Legato, it’s for your own good: There are a countless number of scenarios where we find ourselves manually trimming the tops and tails of MIDI notes, regions and more with the mouse. But there are a few features within Logic that allow us to make these kinds of edits a little quicker whether we are programming synth and strings parts for song arrangements, or editing sound effects/audio clips for film/TV/app work. One of my all-time personal favorite Logic commands is Shift and the \ key. This powerful little command does a few different things depending on which window you are currently using in LPX. Here are two of my favorites:
In the Piano Roll editor I often times find myself tidying up MIDI performances or just creating them from scratch. By selecting a note or group of notes and hitting Shift \, you will Force Legato, or force them to stretch out until they bump into the next group of notes or the end of the region itself. This works great on chord progressions or even just to get the notes all in a uniform position to edit further.
Secondly, on the Main/Tracks Window, the same key command will stretch the selected region(s) until it/they bump(s) right up against the next one on the timeline on the respective track. You can find this option from the Edit menu > Trim > Region End to Next Region, but a quick push of of Shift \, will do the trick just the same.
Keep in mind, for MIDI regions this will essentially create a larger region but will leave the existing MIDI data as is. Whereas, with audio regions, it will actually pull out the right most edge of the region revealing more of the file (which may or may not be desired depending on the edit at hand).
Join together and be friends. I’ll keep this one quick, but it’s another feature I use everyday in LPX and couldn’t go without. J for Join. Selecting any group of MIDI regions and pressing the J key will actually combine the data together into a single region. Doing this with regions on different tracks will bring all the performances onto a single track, which I would suggest only for more advanced users. But for example, doing it on MIDI regions right next to each other on the same track can be a very handy way of keeping things organized or creating visual cues for various elements of your piece. The Scissor tool will allow you to seperate them again at anytime should you choose.
With audio tracks we will actually be creating an entirely new file with the Join function. While there are times this can come in handy like for sticking a couple loops together for FX processing, I generally prefer a traditional mix-down when it comes to multiple audio tracks.
If you have any helpful/quirky editing tricks you use in Logic be sure to let us know in the comments below:
The Logic Pros is a regular series exploring all of the most interesting gadgets and software for making music on your Mac/iOS devices. If there is any gear you would like us to take a closer hands-on look at, let us know in the comments section below or shoot us an email.
More The Logic Pros:
- 3 overlooked tricks to keep your Logic sessions tidy and efficient
- Making MIDI FX in Logic’s complex Environment simple
- Working with Logic’s built-in Space Designer convolution reverb
- Creating precise multi-tap delay/echo patterns with Delay Designer
- Getting the most out of Logic’s built-in MIDI Arpeggiator
- Creating custom-made, tempo flexible Apple Loops
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How-To, Tips and Tricks Tagged: Control S, how to, Join, Logic Pro X, Mac music production, MIDI region, Solo, Solo Lock, Solo Mode, the logic pros, tricks
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The Art of Emoji Marketing: 7 Clever Examples From Top Brands
This post originally appeared on HubSpot’s Agency Post. To read more content like this, subscribe to Agency Post.
Here’s something disturbing: According to data gathered by marketing agency Deep Focus, four out of every 10 millennials would rather engage with pictures than read. Yes, you read that right. Nearly half of history’s most educated generation would prefer to revert back to some sort of cave painting-esque proto-language than bother to parse through a couple of sentences.
Of course, most prominent among this shift to pictorial communication is the emoji. We detailed its rise to prominence last year, but in short, the emoji as we know it started in 2011 and reached near-ubiquity in the past year or so. Now, in 2016, seemingly every millennial peppers their texts or tweets or Facebook messages or Instagram posts or college essays with yellow faces of varying temperaments.
And because millennials are such an important demographic to reach, brands have been trying to capitalize on the emoji craze. It has gotten so pervasive that an entire industry has cropped up dedicated to measuring the ROI of these type of visual images on campaigns.
However, we’re taking a decidedly less scientific approach to judging brands’ emoji usage. Below we’ve recounted our picks based on such subjective criteria like cleverness or memorability.
But before we begin our countdown, we must include a quick disclosure. These below examples are of brands using the standard emojis found on most smartphones, not instances of companies such as Coca-Cola or Disney creating and using their own custom emojis. That’s too easy.
The 7 Best Examples of Emoji Marketing
7) Baskin-Robbins
One of the biggest problems arising from a brand’s use of emojis is the tendency to get overcomplicated. Try to do too much and risk creating a string of would-be clever emojis that take longer to decipher than to read a Tweet or a tagline. (We’re looking at you Chevy.) That’s what makes this Baskin-Robbins tweet so perfect. It’s an ice cream cone. Nothing fancy, but it helps break up a wall of text.
6) Bud Light
On the Fourth of the July, Bud Light tweeted an emoji American flag composed of fireworks in place of Old Glory’s stars and American flags and beers for the red and white stripes, respectively. It was clever, original, and took advantage of the existing emoji language.
5) NASCAR
On World Emoji Day (yes, it’s a thing), NASCAR Tweeted a photographic (emoji-graphic?) mosaic of some of the sport’s most famous drivers. Art? Maybe. Cool to look at? Certainly.
4) General Electric
Hosted on the website emojiscience.com and modeled after the periodic table of elements, General Electric’s “Emoji Table of Experiments” invites users to click on individual emojis to explore “DIY science, videos with special guests, and everything else emoji science.” For example, clicking on a smiley face will bring visitors to a video of Bill Nye the Science Guy explaining evolution through the use of emojis, while clicking on a rocket ship pulls up information about NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft. Emojis as a teaching tool? Who knew!
3) DeadPool
Sure, this example may be a little crass, but so too is the character the movie is promoting, and that type of on-brand messaging works. Besides, when you have famous comedians tweeting about how brilliant your emoji usage is, you must be doing something right.
2) Smithsonian Institution
Here’s another example of emojis as education: On World Emoji Day, the Smithsonian tweeted an emoji that corresponded to a particular piece in their museum along with a link to more information. An emoji trumpet, for instance, brought visitors to facts about Louis Armstrong’s trumpet. No word on if any of the millennials actually read the content.
1) Domino’s Pizza
The goal of any business should be to reduce friction during the purchasing process. By co-opting the pizza emoji into a food ordering mechanism, Domino’s Pizza reduced the time it takes to order to five seconds. And that’s perfect because the only thing millennials like more than emojis is instant gratification.
What are your favorites examples of emoji marketing? Let us know in the comments below!
Top 5 Strategy Tips To Project Management Success
It’s common for project managers to face different types of challenges while managing and overseeing a team. This may be because of not meeting deadlines or conflicting information which leads to utter chaos. So what are the most viable and productive steps to be taken by an organization or managers to ensure that the project is completed on time and within the stated budget?
A number of skills are required to guarantee the success of a project while overcoming obstacles and disruptions on the way. If you want to build a powerful project management strategy that leads to favorable outcomes, you need to adopt some secrets or tips followed by leaders in the industry. Follow these five effective and succinct tips to get your project moving smoothly.
1. Have all details of the project forthright
A project plan can only be created once you get elaborate details or information on the project which furnishes the requirements of the client, customer and company. An honest fact is that it becomes cumbersome to make alterations while the project is running, which is mainly due to lack of information. This includes details of the project like important deliverables, anticipated milestones, dates of delivery and scheme of the budget. Even though clients may appeal for changes to be made while the project is running, it’s always a wise idea to have open-ended, one-to-one deliberations. This way you’ll have a fair idea of their exact requirements, eventually helping you to identify and execute the requests much ahead so that things do not fall apart and go beyond your control.
2. Have talented and right-sized project management team in place
The successful completion of a project largely depends on its team. This is why you need to get the right people with the right skills involved in the mission. You have to be wise enough to rope in individuals who can be of tremendous benefit to the project with their acumen and expertise. You should also keep a tab on the number of members in your team concurrently. In order to improve productivity levels, cut down the size of the team and do not use too much of resources than what is actually required. It’s easy to manage a small-sized team, and the work can be allotted in a proper way.
3. Set short-term expectations and milestones
Very often, managers tend to lose clarity and control of the project if they set longstanding objectives and milestones. This is because they are unable to recognize the transitional setbacks as they move forward with the project. Ensure that the project is within your control in order to discard the ambiguity that may derail it. It’s important to be clairvoyant but it’s equally important to make certain that you know what’s going on. Create an exemplar for multiple projects for brief periods and pass through different tasks that are occurring. This will ensure that the money being invested is being used efficiently and that the goals of the project are being addressed.
4. Be clear on the responsibility of your team members
When many people are working on the same task, with details being restricted to the deadlines, the project gets disoriented and goes off-track. To avoid confusion, keep a note on the responsibility of each and every member in the team. By following this technique, you’ll be accountable for whatever is happening with the project. Take help of an online task management program to accomplish this.
It’s also important to hold discussions with each member of your team frequently and ensure that they exactly know what is expected from them.
5. Motivate your team with perks on reaching milestones
It’s crucial to identify team members whenever they reach a milestone and reward them accordingly. This will motivate them to work harder and reach new milestones. Celebrating the achievements of a project is an excellent way to track progress levels while keeping your team members inspired.
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9 Willpower Workouts to Maximize Your Productivity
This post originally appeared on HubSpot’s Sales Blog. To read more content like this, subscribe to Sales.
According to author Robert Pozen, regular exercise increases productivity. Although you might put an emphasis on going to the gym for that reason, are you putting enough energy into arguably the most important muscle affecting your productivity — your willpower?
Studies show that our willpower is similar to other muscles. If little time is spent working on your self-control, you won’t see any improvements. However, unlike your other muscles, you only have a limited surplus of self-control: As our day progresses, our willpower depletes.
If you’re struggling with diminishing willpower, below are nine ways to improve your self-control and max out your productivity.
9 Willpower Workouts to Maximize Your Productivity
1) Eat a hearty meal.
Low glucose levels are directly correlated with to weaker willpower. In fact, a study revealed that participants who were not fed prior to starting a project gave up completing it much quicker than their fully-fed counterparts.
“To keep [your willpower] high, eat regular meals that are full of protein and good carbohydrates, like a sandwich of lean meat and cheese packed between two slices of whole-wheat bread,” Stephanie Booth writes in Real Simple. “And never start a challenging task on an empty stomach.”
Starting each morning with a hearty meal kickstarts your willpower. During the day, snack on almonds, cashews, and yogurt to maintain high energy levels. If you’re unsure of what to eat, HubSpot’s Lindsay Kolowich put together an infographic detailing the ideal diet for maximum productivity.
2) Find the right balance.
Your willpower is a limited resource, meaning you run out of it during the day. Therefore, it’s important to not use all of your willpower too early.
“Because on any given day we have a finite amount of willpower, it’s important that we don’t deplete the well too soon,” Laura Entis writes in Entrepreneur. “Instead of simply writing down obligations on your calendar, rank them in terms of the energy or self-control they will require.”
If you’re struggling to determine which of your tasks requires the most attention, prioritize your to-do list with an impact versus effort analysis.
Here’s how it works: Write down your tasks and rank each one based on how much impact it will have on your productivity and how much effort it will require. Once you finish ranking your tasks, begin working on your low effort, high impact goals to build up steam, then transition to your high effort, high impact goals.
3) Commit to an outcome before starting.
Instead of allowing yourself to duck out of your commitment, make a “down payment” to ensure you’re going to follow through. In other words, give yourself a reason to complete a task before starting it.
“Make it inconvenient to give into your temptation,” Emily Co writes in PopSugar. “It won’t stop you, but it will make it harder to go against your goals. For example, schedule a session with a personal trainer, or bring a set amount of cash with you when you’re on a budget, and leave your credit cards at home.”
For example, a colleague of mine felt she was commuting to work with Uber too frequently. To counteract that, she purchased a monthly subway pass. By spending the $75 dollars for the pass, she’s committing to riding the MBTA. Otherwise, it’s just a waste of money.
4) Meditate every morning.
Although it looks simple, sitting still with perfect posture and balancing your thoughts is difficult.
But the benefits of meditating go beyond 15 minutes of quiet every morning. In fact, quite a few successful executives, including HubSpot’s Chief Technology Officer Dharmesh Shah. say meditating keeps them calm.
According to Headspace, an eight-week 2012 U.S. study found that employees who meditated experienced improved willpower and focus. After conducting three studies, the researchers discovered that “those trained in meditation stayed on tasks longer and made fewer task switches, as well as reporting less negative feedback after task performance.”
Instead of reaching for your cell phone first thing in the morning and checking email, try spending 10 minutes meditating and reap the willpower benefits.
5) Exercise regularly.
According to author and willpower expert Kelly McGonigal, regular exercise — whether it’s light yoga or an intense physical workout — is linked to improved willpower.
In fact, a Netherlands study revealed that a quick workout correlated with better self control, among other significant benefits.
“The researchers suspect that exercise may improve self-control by increasing the flow of blood and oxygen to the part of the brain—the prefrontal cortex—that controls higher brain functions,” Shawn Radcliffe explains.
Going to the gym not only strengthens your willpower, but also improves your overall health. If you’re struggling to find time for the gym, try out these 10 tips for exercising without leaving your desk.
6) Get a good night’s rest.
A good night’s rest supplies you with both the mental and physical energy to make it through the following day. If you miss out on sleep, you’ll feel tired and your willpower is likely to drop to an all-time low. In fact, a lack of sleep can result in lower reaction speed and an inability to think clearly. One study found that this fatigue-impaired state is equivalent to being drunk.
“Adequate rest improves our self-control and provides an optimal environment for the brain to function,” Ryan Clements writes. “Rest reduces the body’s need for glucose, and it allows the body to make better use of what we have.”
A good night’s rest normally means getting seven to eight hours of shut-eye for an adult. If you’re struggling to fall asleep, studies suggest getting away from screens and reading a paperback book. The light from device screens messes with our circadian rhythm, making our bodies believe it’s daytime when it’s really time for bed.
7) Practice what you’re trying to do.
Yep, we talkin’ about practice. If you want to run a marathon, you can’t just jog a few times to get in shape — you have to train your body for distance running. Your willpower works the same way.
“Just like lifting a barbell strengthens your arms, pushing through a problem will bolster your willpower,” Nathaniel Eliason of Zapier writes. “The cool thing is that this doesn’t have to be huge, arduous tasks: Any amount of stress on your willpower will strengthen it.”
If you’re struggling with a certain technique or skill, make sure you set aside time to practice it. Try Jerry Seinfeld’s “don’t break the chain” technique: Mark a red X on your calendar every day you practice a task, then focus on not breaking the chain of red X’s. This mentality ensures you’ll practice every day.
8) Smile often.
Studies show smiling — even faking one — improves your mood.
And this is important for willpower: The happier you are, the more likely you can resist temptation and complete your goals. Researchers had volunteers resist temptation to deplete their willpower.
Afterwards, “participants who watched a comedy video or received a surprise gift self-regulated on various tasks as well as non-depleted participants and significantly better than participants who experienced a sad mood induction, a neutral mood stimulus, or a brief rest period,” the researchers write.
In the event you become overwhelmed with stress or feel a little blue, remember to smile. It’ll boost your mood, your willpower, and likely put you on a path towards productivity.
9) Hold yourself accountable.
If you’re struggling to build up your willpower, being hard on yourself when things go wrong can be effective. For example, if author Chrisoula Andreou doesn’t exercise five times a week, she can’t eat out on Friday night.
For some people, punishing themselves for lack of willpower isn’t the best way to build up strength, but for others it can be incredibly effective. If you’re struggling to find self-control, establish a set of rules and hold yourself accountable when you break them. For example, if you commit to spending three hours prospecting each day, but only follow through on one hour, don’t let yourself indulge in your favorite leisure activity that night. Instead, spend the time searching for potential fits.
Getting through the day can be draining. For some, a lack of willpower and an overwhelming to-do list can join forces to kill productivity. While willpower is a unique “muscle,” you still can work it out and build up strength. Use these nine tips to build your willpower when you’re productivity is plateauing.
Facebook to Open Instant Articles to All Bloggers: This Week in Social Media
Welcome to our weekly edition of what’s hot in social media news. To help you stay up to date with social media, here are some of the news items that caught our attention. What’s New This Week Facebook Opens Instant Articles Program to All Publishers: Facebook “will be opening up the Instant Articles program to […]
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Apple implies FBI screwup: iPhone Apple ID password changed in govt possession, backdoor unnecessary
Apple has now responded to a Department of Justice filing that we reported earlier today was attempting to force the company to comply with an FBI request for access to a locked iPhone belonging to a suspect in the San Bernardino attacks. In one statement to Reuters, an Apple spokesperson said the DOJ is “disregarding civil liberties in iPhone unlocking case,” while in another it attempts to explain more of the back story regarding past events with the iPhone in question.
CNBC reports an Apple exec called the motion “a way to argue the case twice before Apple can respond,” a response to the fact that the DOJ’s motion filed today comes ahead of Apple’s deadline to respond to a judge regarding its original refusal to unlock the device in the case. CNBC adds that in response to claims in the DOJ filing, Apple said it “has not said that unlocking an iPhone is technically possible.”
Now that the DOJ has exposed a lot of the background story in the case in its earlier filing, Apple is offering its side of the story.
Here’s a longer version of Apple’s statement relayed by unnamed executives to various medial outlets, this time via BuzzFeed:
The Apple ID passcode linked to the iPhone belonging to one of the San Bernardino terrorists was changed less than 24 hours after the government took possession of the device, senior Apple executives said Friday. If that hadn’t happened, Apple said, a backup of the information the government was seeking may have been accessible…
The executives said the company had been in regular discussions with the government since early January, and that it proposed four different ways to recover the information the government is interested in without building a back door. One of those methods would have involved connecting the phone to a known wifi network.
So Apple is arguing that the Apple ID of the iPhone was changed after the government took possession, meaning the FBI could have had access to the data it’s seeking. Apple adds that otherwise it previously proposed solutions that wouldn’t include building a the “backdoor” the FBI is after.
Apple also reportedly responded to the DOJ’s claims that Apple’s refusal on the requests were a marketing ploy, according to BuzzFeed, “saying they were instead based on their love for the country and desire not to see civil liberties tossed aside.”
And while Apple is calling up media outlets to give its response to the filing, TheHill reports Tim Cook and the head of the FBI were today invited to testify before a House committee.
JUST IN: In response to DOJ filing earlier, sr. Apple exec. says company has not said that unlocking an iPhone is technically possible – DJ
—
CNBC Now (@CNBCnow) February 19, 2016
BREAKING: Department of Justice disregarding civil liberties in iPhone unlocking case: Apple
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Reuters U.S. News (@ReutersUS) February 19, 2016
Apple: Within 24 hours of govt taking possession of SB shooter's phone, Apple ID pass was changed—backup may have been accessible prior
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John Paczkowski (@JohnPaczkowski) February 19, 2016
Filed under: iOS Devices
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Apple looks to boost iPhone sales with reward program for retail staff
In an effort to keep up iPhone numbers ahead of a quarter in which Apple expects sales to drop year-over-year for the first time, Apple will encourage Apple Store employees to sell more iPhones through a new rewards program. Apple informed retail staff of the new program today, and it will take place between February 21st and March 26th, according to sources.
The program’s goal is to push Apple retail employees to sell more iPhones by promising rewards and all-expense paid vacations to Cupertino, California to employees who sell the most iPhones in their region, according to sources. While this program is ultimately about selling more iPhones, Apple oddly positions it as a way to “celebrate” the success of the iPhone.
Additionally, while Apple explicitly tells employees that this program is about more than selling more iPhone units, sources say that the metrics for giving out rewards and vacations are: how many iPhones are sold per week, customer satisfaction, how many iPhone accessories are sold, and how often the iPhone Reuse and Recycle upgrade program is utilized in the store.
The best performing stores in their particular market during the February and March period based on the aforementioned metrics will win gear from Apple’s corporate gift shop in Cupertino in addition to a store-wide party, while the best performing individuals from each market will win the Cupertino trips. This move is yet another from Apple to boost iPhone sales, following this month’s announcements of a bigger iPhone trade-in push.
(Image via Getty Images)
Filed under: iOS Devices Tagged: Apple Store, iPhone
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Donald Trump calls for boycott on Apple … while tweeting from iPhone
Okay, this may be my favorite “via Twitter for iPhone” gaff yet. It’s Friday afternoon so presidential candidate Donald Trump has called for a boycott on all Apple products. His announcement follows this week’s FBI request that Apple help it unlock the San Bernardino gunman’s iPhone, which Tim Cook says would set a dangerous precedent.
Here’s the kicker: As news broke that Trump was calling for a boycott on Apple until it cooperates with the FBI, Donald Trump (or whoever manages his Twitter account) was tweeting a series of unrelated messages … from Twitter for iPhone.
We’ll keep an eye on Apple’s stock and see how this boycott request goes. In the meantime, best comment goes to chrisl84 with “Make encryption average again”.
Filed under: General, iOS Devices Tagged: boycott, Donald Trump, iPhone
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Heavy security presence and lot of noise around Apple’s rumored car testing facility in Sunnyvale
It’s kind of an “open-secret” in the auto and tech industries that Apple is developing an electric vehicle codenamed “Project Titan”, yet for the most part, the Cupertino-based company has been able to keep details under wraps.
In helping keep any development secret, Apple is believed to be using a shell company called Sixty Eight Research based in Sunnyvale, California. Neighbors have recently been reporting heavy security presence and a lot of noise around the location.
A local news crew reported on the disturbance earlier this week, and since then the security has reportedly relaxed around the facility.
But neighbors told KPIX 5 that the level of security was becoming disturbing:
“At three in the morning, they have deliveries. It’s very dark, very secretive. We don’t know what’s going on, but almost every night there is noise that wakes the dogs up,” Joann Porter said.
Neighbors on Bartlett Avenue near the facility said security guards tail them when they walk their dogs. “You have security guards following you in their cars,” Porter said.
Porter added that she was hearing the sound of metal sheets slamming and clanking all day, but also a sound described as a ‘high-pitched hum”, which sometimes could be heard all day.
The news crew didn’t catch the sound while filming but Jim Porter imitated it on camera, see the video below, and it could fit the description of the sound an electric motor makes when being pushed to its limits.
In 2014, the Sunnyvale City Manager said that Apple was granted a building permit for “an auto testing facility.”
Here’s the news report from KPIX 5:
Earlier this year, it was revealed that Apple has registered three car-related domain names that hint at its electric car project, while last month, the Apple veteran employee who has been overseeing the program reportedly left the company.
Filed under: Apple Car Tagged: Apple, Apple Car, Sixty Eight Research, Sunnyvale
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This week’s top stories: Apple vs FBI, Apple Pay in China, Kanye West ditches Apple Music, more
In case you missed Apple’s fight with the FBI this week, the launch of Apple in China, or any of the other big Apple stories we’ve covered, below we’ve rounded up this week’s top stories and recommended reading to get you up to date over the weekend. Enjoy.
Apple vs the FBI
It’s been brewing behind the scenes for a while, but this week Apple’s fight against not providing government with access to locked iPhones is center stage. Things really kicked off when Apple CEO Tim Cook decided to pen an open letter earlier this week in response to a request from the FBI and the courts to unlock an iPhone belonging to a suspect in a high-profile criminal case. Apple is refusing to unlock the device, and Cook said doing so would be “‘an unprecedented step which threatens the security of our customers.” Now, it looks like the issue will go all the way to the Supreme Court as we learned more today regarding some background on the events that lead up to this week’s very public controversy.
Apple Pay launches in China
Apple Pay is coming to a new market this week and it’s a big one for Apple: China. Earlier this week the company officially announced that developers could begin accepting Apple Pay for payments within apps, and today Apple began a gradual rollout in the country as a huge number of users rushed to register their credit and debit cards.
Apple updates iOS 9.2.1 to restore iPhones affected by ‘error 53’, apologizes to customers
This week Apple released a new version of iOS 9.2.1 that will remedy bricked iPhones affected by ‘error 53‘, a controversial bug that caused iPhone 6 units with home buttons repaired by a third-party to potentially be bricked with software updates. The bug was even the source of a potential class-action lawsuit. And that strange iPhone bug that crashes an iOS device with the date set to Jan 1, 1970 has also finally been acknowledged by Apple, and the company says a software fix is incoming.
Apple launches iPhone ‘Trade Up With Installments’ plan from $15/mo, yet another way to buy a new iPhone in the US
Apple this week announced a new way to purchase an iPhone through an Apple Store. Its new ‘Trade Up With Installments’ plan allows customers to take advantage of a combination of its existing iPhone Upgrade Program and trade-in offers. The result is a cheaper monthly installment fee on a new iPhone.
Kanye West says album won’t be released on Apple Music
Kanye West’s new album ‘The Life of Pablo’ was supposed to drop on all the usual music services last week after an exclusive event at Madison Square Garden. A few bizarre Twitter rants later, West has decided to keep his album off Apple Music and other service for good as he pushes a stream only option through the Jay-Z owned Tidal music service that West happens to have a stake in.
Honeywell’s Lyric Round HomeKit thermostat now available & we review the Ecobee Wi-Fi thermostat with HomeKit support
HomeKit products are now real things, and that means more and more quality home automation products with support for Siri voice commands are hitting the market each month. Two worth checking out this week: Honeywell’s Lyric Round HomeKit thermostat is now in-stock and shipping from the company after an unveiling back in January at CES. Compare that to one of the most popular Homekit thermostats available that we happened to review earlier this week, the Ecobee Wi-Fi thermostat.
Filed under: iOS Devices Tagged: Apple, Apple pay, china, Encryption, FBI, February, homekit, kanye west, Security, top stories, unlock
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Department of Justice files motion to force Apple to comply with FBI iPhone backdoor request
The Apple vs FBI encryption clash continues to ramp up, with the Department of Justice filing a motion today to force Apple to comply with the FBI’s request and make custom iPhone firmware that would let the FBI brute-force into an iPhone related to the San Bernardino attacks, via CNBC.
Although tech giants are generally taking Apple’s side on the matter, with the iPhone backdoor seen as a ‘dangerous precedent’, this is the first time the DoJ has entered the conversation and it is clearly not on Apple’s side.
The court has given Apple an additional three days to reply to the order, so the world anxiously awaits Apple’s next move in the case due on February 26th. The DoJ’s position means Apple will have more groups to battle, if it decides to uphold its stance of resisting the backdoor request.
Read Tim Cook’s original open letter about this issue from earlier in the week. It has since come to light that it was the FBI who forced the issue into the public eye; Apple had filed court orders to keep the issue private.
The implications of the government’s demands are chilling. If the government can use the All Writs Act to make it easier to unlock your iPhone, it would have the power to reach into anyone’s device to capture their data. The government could extend this breach of privacy and demand that Apple build surveillance software to intercept your messages, access your health records or financial data, track your location, or even access your phone’s microphone or camera without your knowledge.
To recap, the FBI wants Apple to make special firmware for the suspect’s iPhone that will remove the normal 1 hour delay between multiple PIN attempts. This will then allow the FBI to try every possible 4-digit PIN combination in order to brute-force entry into the device and retrieve the encrypted data. Apple says this is just the beginning and the precedent set here would let the government encroach further into user privacy over time.
Filed under: AAPL Company, iOS, iOS Devices, Tech Industry Tagged: Apple, FYI, iPhone security
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