Google and Microsoft will include a kill switch in the their smartphone.
Schneiderman, who made the announcement. Newer versions of Apple’s iOS currently include a kill switch called Activation Lock and tracking software that requires a password before the iPhone or iPad is reset. In May, Samsung launched a similar system it calls Reactivation Lock. Schneiderman issued a report citing data that showed the number of smartphone thefts were on the rise, but that thefts of devices with kill switches were decreasing. Although the technology is spreading, some older phones can’t or likely won’t be updated. “With the majority of phones still without a kill switch, smartphone-related thefts and violence remain a tragic reality,” Schneiderman’s office said. “Criminals now target devices not likely to be equipped with a kill switch, increasing the importance of immediately implementing the life-saving technology across all manufacturers.”
Cybersecurity: How safe are you?
P.F. Chang’s acknowledged that a “security compromise” of customers’ credit and debit card data occurred at some of its restaurants. “We have concluded that data has been compromised,” said CEO Rick Federico, in a prepared statement. The admission comes just days after cybersecurity journalist Brian Krebs claimed that thousands of credit card and debit card numbers that appeared to have been stolen from P.F. Chang’s restaurants earlier this year had gone up for sale. Federico said that P.F. Chang’s learned of the “security compromise” on June 10. Related: Simple tips to avoid getting hacked
What You Need to Know About Amazon's New Fire Phone
It’s official: Amazon.com (AMZN) is in the phone business. Chief Executive Jeff Bezos showed off a black glass rectangle with a rubber frame called the Fire Phone. The device will be sold, starting July 25, through AT&T (T) for $199 with a two-year contract, the same price as other high-end smartphones. The screen on Amazon’s phone is larger than Apple’s (AAPL) iPhones but smaller than phones made by Samsung Electronics (005930:KS). The processors and chips are on a par with more powerful Android phones. Sure enough, the Fire Phone includes what Bezos calls “dynamic perspective,” a feature that uses four cameras to create 3D imaging that doesn’t require glasses. But what makes the Fire Phone truly Amazonian is the Firefly Button. By pressing it, users can use the phone’s camera to recognize (and purchase) physical products or its microphone to listen to (and purchase) songs. Bezos says that the program recognizes more than 100 million items. A Tumblr (YHOO) of accidental Firefly purchases seems.