If you ever feel as though you’d like a CliffsNotes version of the latest tech news, I’m here to help. It was a busy week in technology. Here are the highlights.
XP Users to Get Pop-Up Reminder
Starting on March 8, Windows XP users will begin seeing a pop-up notice on their screen warning that support for the OS will end on April 8. Microsoft is pushing out the pop-up warnings, which include a link to the Windows XP “Support is ending soon” site, in the hope more users will migrate off the 12-year-old software.
Before you click the “don’t show this message again” option, note that once Microsoft ends support for XP, users who stay on the platform will be much more vulnerable to hackers, viruses and all manner of malware. If you aren’t sure what the end of XP support means to you, check out my article from January, “Stop Using Windows XP” (http://callnerds.com/nerds-call-stop-using-windows-xp/).
For anyone who isn’t sure whether their PC is running Windows XP, Microsoft has launched a site called “Am I Running XP” (http://amirunningxp.com/). Microsoft will also offer a free transfer tool to copy files, music, videos, emails, user profiles and settings from an old PC to a device running Windows 7, Windows 8 or Windows 8.1.
Netflix Users Beware of Phishing Scam
A new scam targeting Netflix users gives hackers remote access to your PC. Potential victims are directed to a fake Netflix login page, usually through a link in an email, pop-up or online ad. The webpage looks like Netflix’s login page (though savvy users will note that the address is not netflix.com, but something like netflix.afta3.com). When account information (real or fictitious) is entered, an official looking page appears that informs the user that the account has been suspended due to unauthorized use. The page gives an 800 number to call to “regain access to your account.”
Upon calling the number, a person claiming to be from Netflix tells the victim that the account has been hacked and that “Netflix support software” needs to be installed on their machine. The software is actually a remote login program, giving the scammers access to the victim’s machine to ferret out bank logins, financial and personal data. The perpetrators may also ask for credit card information or copies of photo IDs.
DISH Changes ABC Auto-Hop in Settlement Agreement
DISH satellite TV customers will soon notice that they can no longer “auto-hop” over commercials on ABC and Disney-affiliated channels until three days after the show’s original broadcast date. DISH has been in legal battles with most of the major networks over their much-touted “auto-hop” feature that allows viewers to automatically skip over commercials. The deal entered with ABC (and its parent company, The Walt Disney Co.) is the first settlement to be reached and may hint at the future of DISH’s commercial auto-skipping if other networks agree to similar terms.
In addition to getting ABC off its legal back (so to speak), the agreement includes a partnership that allows DISH to stream content from ABC broadcast stations (including Disney Channel and ESPN) as part of an “Over-the-Top, Personal Subscription Service.” What that will entail isn’t yet clear, but it could mean that DISH customers may soon have access to a true, Internet-based package of streamed content, particularly if other networks agree to a similar deal.
CarPlay: iPhone Integration with Your Car’s Dash
Apple announced a new vehicle dashboard integration product that will allow drivers to link their iPhone’s features seamlessly into their car’s “infotainment” system. Manufacturers that build in the new CarPlay will offer drivers the opportunity to navigate their phone’s features (such as making a call or sending a text using Siri voice command, accessing Apple’s Maps navigation feature, streaming Spotify, etc.) with a visual layout nearly identical to that which iOS users are familiar.
The first auto makers to support CarPlay are Volvo, Mercedez-Benz and Ferrari. A larger range of manufacturers are slated to follow, including Nissan, General Motors, BMW and Ford.
Bitcoin Blow: Mt.Gox files for Bankruptcy Protection
Bitcoins are a virtual currency. You purchase a Bitcoin at the going rate (which fluctuates due to no fiscal oversight or governing agency) with real money, and Bitcoins are stored in a virtual wallet. There’s no FDIC protection and if your account is hacked and Bitcoins stolen, you have no recourse.
That’s exactly what happened to the world’s third-largest Bitcoin exchange, Mt.Gox (based in Japan). The company says that a software bug was exploited by hackers, leading to the loss (i.e., theft) of roughly 850,000 Bitcoins, valued at about $500 million. Mt.Gox has since filed for bankruptcy protection and is under investigation by Japanese and U.S. authorities. While Bitcoin value plummeted about a third since Feb. 1, it has already rallied back. As of early March, a Bitcoin will set you back about $650, a figure that most economists agree is dangerously overvalued.
So who uses this virtual currency? It’s very popular among drug dealers and criminals (due to its untraceable nature), as well as developing economies and anyone looking to facilitate an anonymous transaction. There are staunch supporters in the tech/virtual world who claim that the rise in online and virtual payments will lead to more widespread Bitcoin acceptance. Only time will tell.
Nerd Chick Adventures is written by Andrea Eldridge and Heather Neal from Nerds on Call, an onsite computer and laptop repair company in Redding. They can be reached at nerdchick@callnerds.com.