June 2019 – Page 53

How to Verify Authenticity of Linux Software with Digital Signatures

When you download software from the Internet, you have to trust the developer(s) that their program isn’t malicious. However, you also have to worry about hackers. There is a lot an attacker can gain from hacking a website and replacing software with a backdoored version. Think about a site that hosts a Bitcoin wallet utility. If an attacker manages to replace the legitimate version with a malicious one, he can potentially steal money from tens of thousands of users. Another valuable target to backdoor is an operating system. This happened to Linux Mint in the past. So, what can you do about it? Hashes and… Read more

Living DNA Kit review

REVIEW – My aunt is big into family ancestry and has been researching our lineage for many years. When the Living DNA kit became available, I wanted to take the opportunity to further substantiate or refute her findings.

What is it?

The Living DNA Kit is a service that analyzes a person’s DNA results. A cheek-swab is sent through the mail and the results are available via the subject’s online account.

What’s in the box?

Cheek swab tube
Prepaid mailing envelope
Instructions

Design and features:

The materials arrived in a small, unassuming box. Inside was a sheet with instructions for opening an account. After receiving the confirmation e-mail, accessing the site directed me through the simple process of gathering my genetic material. It’s important not to eat or drink anything one hour prior to collecting the sample. Heaven knows I wouldn’t want my DNA to be determined to de descended from the PB&J I had for lunch.

The sample was as simple as it gets – open the container, swab the inside of the cheek for 60 seconds, put the swab back in its holding tube, drop it into the prepaid envelope, seal, and throw it in the mail.

A few days later I received a confirmation e-mail that my sample had been received and I would be informed if another sample would be needed (it wasn’t). Fast forward a few more days and another message graced my inbox stating all was in order and I should expect results in six to eight weeks. About a month later, another email followed declaring my results were complete.

Accessing my account again, I was able to access my family ancestry through both paternal and maternal lines.

It was fascinating to see my aunt’s “motherline” ancestry studies fall spot-on with the findings of Living DNA’s results, but with a few surprises. My DNA indicated small portions of family history that have yet to be discovered.

Interestingly, some of my father’s DNA lineage was unexpected. Much of the data makes sense, but based on known family history, we expected somewhat different results. To me, it’s not a big deal, but it was enjoyable to see nonetheless.

The data and maps are intriguing and informative. I was particularly interested in the migration maps showing the progression of my family from as far back as 180,000 years.

There are numerous articles that made entertaining reading and fascinating history.

Now definitely I can see the sources of my family’s ginger hair!

What I like:

Great communications
Easy to use on-line instructions and results
Reasonably priced

What needs to be improved:

It’s my understanding that the more people use these services, the more accurate testing becomes as the pool of information grows larger.

I think many of us wonder who we are and where we came from. Taking Living DNA’s test helped me reconnect with my ancestors and learn about sources of the blood that courses through my veins. I loved the feeling of connection with our common ancestors from Africa millennia ago and the knowledge that we are all made of the same stuff.

Price: $99.00 ($79.00 special)
Where to buy: Living DNA
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Living DNA.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: geneology

Living DNA Kit review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 3, 2019 at 10:00 am.

Note: If you are subscribed to this feed through FeedBurner, please switch to our native feed URL http://the-gadgeteer.com/feed/ in order to ensure continuous delivery.

Trackimo 3G Guardian GPS Tracker review

REVIEW – As GPS technology advances, the devices utilizing this technology continue to shrink in size and as that happens their functionality and usefulness increases. These newer devices are incredibly versatile and adept at keeping track of our loved ones and loved objects. Small GPS units can show you the real-time location of your pets, elderly family members, kids, vehicles, luggage, drones, and pretty much any item big enough to carry the weight of the device. The Trackimo 3G Guardian GPS Tracker is one of the smallest GPS trackers on the market that also utilizes 3G cellular technology. At $198.90, the Trackimo is competitively priced and includes a free year of its cellular tracking service.

What is it?

The Trackimo 3G Guardian GPS Tracker is a personal GPS unit that provides precise location tracking via the Trackimo app or website. The Trackimo is particularly useful because it utilizes WiFi, GPS, and 3G GSM Cellular technology to acquire very accurate and consistent positioning data. The downside to this increased functionality is that after the one year complimentary cellular location service subscription expires, Trackimo charges for access. But, at only $60 for a full year ($5 per month), the service is quite a bargain for everything the Trackimo provides.

The Trackimo arrives in a plain branded white box with everything you’ll need to get up and running, except, oddly enough, a USB power block.

What’s in the box?

1 Trackimo 3G Guardian GPS Tracker
1 Lanyard
1 Carrying pouch
1 Micro USB to USB A charging cable
1 Trackimo Quick Start Guide

Hardware specs

GSM Platform: MTK6276
GPS Platform: MTK3337
Bands: GSM GSM 850/ GSM900/ DCS1800/ PCS1900 WCDMA850/900/1900/2100
Sim Card: Included in unit
App Interface: iOS and Android
Dimensions: 47 mm (1.85 in) x 41 mm (1.61 in) x 17 mm (.67 in)
Weight: 30 grams (1.06 ounces)
Active battery life: 48-72 hours
Stand-by time: > 144 hours
Battery Type: Rechargeable Li-ion 520mAh
Functioning temperatures: -20°C (-4°F) / 60°C (140°F)
Attachment Options: Included lanyard and soft case
Power Consumption: Acquisition 24 mv / Track 17mv
GPS Antenna: Ids-passive antenna
Channels: 22 tracking / 66 acquisition
Accuracy: < 5 meters open sky
Acquisition mode: Hot start < 2 seconds / Cold start < 24 seconds
Hosted Storage: On board capacity for 1000 tracking points

Design and features

The Trackimo 3G Guardian is very well-designed, featuring a black plastic housing with a diamond shaped pattern. The unit’s three diamond buttons sit unobtrusively on the face just below three green, red, and blue status indicator LEDs.

One side of the Trackimo features two small slots for the speaker, the other side has a hard reset port, a Micro USB charging port, and the main power button.

The left and right buttons on the face of the Trackimo are assignable to send custom alerts to contacts you’ve chosen beforehand.

The SOS button is used to send an alert and your precise location to other contacts you predetermine in the case of an emergency.

The Trackimo needs to be charged before its first use and this is done via an included Micro USB to USB A cable. I was a bit disappointed to find that the Trackimo doesn’t ship with a USB power block. For a price close to $200, a power block should definitely be included.

Once connected to a power source, the device needs to be charged for 12 hours before using. When charging, the red light blinks and when full, the red light will remain on while it is connected to power. One great bonus of the Trackimo is that it works while being charged, so it’s easy to set it up in a configuration, like in a vehicle, where it has constant power.

Two small holes located at the top of the Trackimo unit are for attaching an included lanyard.

The thin end of the lanyard loops around itself and secures to the unit.

With the lanyard, the Trackimo can be worn around the neck by someone you need to keep track of like a child or elderly person.

For another carrying option, the Trackimo also ships with a small soft case.

The Trackimo fits snugly into the small case and it secures with a velcro flap.

There’s both a small metal loop and an elastic belt loop on the back of the soft case for attaching the Trackimo to a person, item, or pet.

Setup

After unpacking and charging the Trackimo, you’re required to set up a Trackimo account and link it to your device. Registration of the unit is done via the Trackimo website or the Trackimo app, which is available for both IoS and Android devices.

Once you set up a Trackimo account, you can link it to your device using the device’s unique ID number, found on the back on the unit.

Performance

After your Trackimo account is activated and linked to your device, the fun begins. The Trackimo app gives you a ton of options, from naming your device (mine is named “Tracky”) to setting up a Geofence which alerts you whenever your device moves out of an area you designate.

The app is very well thought out, the features are clearly labelled and easily accessible. Along with setting up options and alerts, you can also see the location of your device at any time via Google Maps right in the app.

The functionality of the app is mirrored on the Trackimo website. All of the options of the app are available via the website and there are some expanded options as well.

I’ve been using the Trackimo for a few weeks now to keep tabs on my beloved FJ Cruiser as sort of a low cost Lo-Jack system. Every time I’ve signed into the Trackimo app or website I’ve been given an accurate location of my truck. I keep my Trackimo charged constantly while I’m driving and the battery life has been impressive, but I did have to experiment a bit with the update intervals. The shorter the update interval, the shorter the battery life. The Trackimo saves battery alerts along with location data and other alert histories.

The Trackimo has worked consistently and without fail since I’ve registered the unit. I like this device so much, I plan on paying for the location service after my complimentary year is up.

What I like

Very easy setup
Consistently acquires accurate location
Full-featured well-designed companion app and website

What needs to be improved

Requires paid subscription after one year complimentary access
Battery life dependent on update interval
Doesn’t include a USB power block

Final thoughts

The Trackimo 3G Guardian GPS Tracker is an effective, well-built, and reasonably priced GPS tracker with a ton of different uses. The only real drawback of the unit is that the cellular location service is only free for one year. But, without that service, which is quite affordable, the unit loses its main advantages over other GPS trackers in its class. In my opinion, the Trackimo is a great option to use for keeping track of anything and everything you’re concerned about losing.

Price: $198.90
Where to buy: Trackimo or Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Trackimo.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: tracker

Trackimo 3G Guardian GPS Tracker review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 3, 2019 at 9:00 am.

Note: If you are subscribed to this feed through FeedBurner, please switch to our native feed URL http://the-gadgeteer.com/feed/ in order to ensure continuous delivery.

Rock Jaw Audio T5 Ultra Connect Bluetooth wireless earbuds review

REVIEW – With apologies to William Shakespeare…

To ear, or not to ear, that is the question:
Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The pains and aches of outrageous ear tips,
Or to take arms with compliant materials
And by opposing listen to them all day.

Rock Jaw Audio introduced an updated version of their T5 Ultra Connect wireless earbuds. Let’s see if they’re worth a listen.

What is it?

The T5 Ultra Connect wireless earbuds (T5) are the latest iteration of Rock Jaw Audio’s wireless earbud line. They have been updated with Bluetooth 5 and IPX5 water resistance.

What’s in the box?

T5 Ultra Connect earbuds
Large, medium, and small silicone ear tips
Large, medium (attached), and small Comply isolation ear tips
Neutral (attached), extra base, and extra treble tuning filters
USB-A to USC-C charging cable
Mesh carrying bag
Instructions

Hardware specs

Drivers: Titanium-coated diaphragm, CCAW voice coil
Frequency response: 15 – 25,000Hz
Impedance: 24 ohms (+/-15%) @1KHz
Bluetooth range (unobstructed): 12M
Chipset: aptX & AAC
Microphone: MEMS professional
Water resistance: (IPX) Water Resistance: IPX5 – Sweatproof & water resistant, in the gym or outside
Battery life: 11 hours

Design and features

The T5s are pretty typical for wireless earbuds. They have a thin wire connecting the two buds. Along the wire are a battery and a control pad. The buds themselves are nicely finished in aircraft-grade aluminum. The buds have a small “L: and “R” on them to identify the left and right bud. They also have a magnet in them so they snap together when not in use. This is handy if you need to take them out for a few minutes as it prevents the earbuds from falling off your neck.

Setup

Setup is pretty simple. First, use the included USB cable and your power supply to charge the earbuds.

There is a small LED indicator that lights red during charging. It turns blue when charged.

The LED doubles as the Bluetooth pairing indicator, flashing blue/red during pairing. Press the power button for 5-6 seconds and the T5 enters pairing mode. Run a scan from your audio device and choose T5 Connect to pair.

After pairing, you need to decide two things: what type and size of ear tip to use, and what tuning filter to use for your music.

There are three included pair of silicone ear tips in small, medium and large sizes. Since these are standard items, I didn’t test these tips. I was more interested in the Comply isolation ear tips. These also came in three sizes. The tips are made of a soft, pliable, memory foam material. For my mismatched ears, I chose the medium tip for my left ear and large for my right.

After attaching to your chosen tuning filter (more on that later), pinch/roll the material between your fingers to form the tip into a pointed shape.

Place the bud into your ear, holding it as the Comply material molds to the shape of your ear canal. Once in place, the material does a very good job providing isolation from outside sounds and holds in place very firmly, while still being comfortable.

Performance

After pairing I took a listen and found the music sounded pretty darn good. I wandered around my metal-stud built home and found the Bluetooth connectivity to be impressive. It was only after I was perhaps 50 feet away and behind walls that the sound faltered.

The next step was to try the tuning filters. To me, it sounded like marketing fluff. Could these little screw-in filters really make a difference in the sound?

Here’s what the tips are supposed to do:

Silver: This is mainly for genres such as rock, Hip-pop, R&B, and electronic music.
Gold: The natural tuning filters are engineered to offer a well-balanced, natural sound signature, suitable for all music genres.
Black: Emphasise the higher audible frequencies for enhanced audio in genres including classical, acoustic and jazz.

The gold tips come installed, and they sounded good. I put the silver tips in place, snapped the ear tips on and took a listen. Much to my surprise, there was a noticeable increase in bass response. Wow! I then replaced them with the black tips and sure enough, the bass was reduced and the treble range was noticeably sharper. I was suitably impressed.

The T5’s controls are simple. Press the center “0” button to turn on/off. You get a British-accented “Power on”/”Power off” audible prompt in the buds. and a “Paired” prompt when connected to your audio source. The “0” button also doubles and the call answer and call hang-up button.

Pressing the “+” and “-” buttons raise and lower the volume. Holding them briefly skips forward or back one track. Per the instructions, holding the “0” power button for one second should summon Siri or Android Assistant. This never worked with connected to my Samsung Galaxy S9+ with Android Assistant installed.

What I like

Comply tips are extremely comfortable, isolate you from outside sounds, and hold firm
Variety of ear tips to provide a comfortable fit
The listening experience can be tuned to fit your liking and music style
Great sound
Great battery life

What needs to be improved

The claimed Android Assistant functionality should work, but didn’t

Final thoughts

To come back full circle to the beginning of this review, there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so. According to my thinking, these T5 earbuds are indeed good and are worth a look.

Price: $95.28 direct; $89.95 on Amazon
Where to buy: Rock Jaw Audio and Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Rock Jaw Audio.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: Bluetooth earbuds

Rock Jaw Audio T5 Ultra Connect Bluetooth wireless earbuds review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 3, 2019 at 8:00 am.

Note: If you are subscribed to this feed through FeedBurner, please switch to our native feed URL http://the-gadgeteer.com/feed/ in order to ensure continuous delivery.

DHS: Foreign Governments May Be Spying on Your Through Your VPN

Through our rush to remain secure on our devices and machines, many opt for a VPN. The goal is in the name itself – virtual private network. And that name has a lot of pull. This is what we want; we want privacy. But what happens when that privacy gives way to … a loss of privacy? As scary as it may sound, that’s exactly what may be happening. The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a warning that their < href=”https://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2019/05/31/foreign-spies-may-be-hiding-in-your-vpn-warns-dhs/”>foreign adversaries had an interest in exploiting VPN services. This means the governments in other countries are interested in spying on you… Read more