Sprint can fix broken screens on several high-end Samsung phones on the cheap

Samsung doesn't quite charge as much as Apple for replacing the screen on its latest high-end smartphones, but paying $279 at a manufacturer-authorized Galaxy repair facility to get the Note 10+ fixed or $249 as far as the "regular" S10 is concerned is not exactly affordable either.

While Sprint can't help owners of 2019-released Galaxy flagships in their quest for a cheaper (and reliable) screen replacement, the carrier will allow you to save quite a bit of money on repairs of slightly older Samsung devices. We're talking 2018's Galaxy S9 and S9+, 2017's Galaxy Note 8, S8, and S8+, as well as the ancient 2016-released Galaxy S7, all of which are currently eligible for an ultra-affordable $49 screen repair at the nation's fourth-largest wireless service provider.

In comparison, you'd have to pay as much as $229 and "only" $219 for a Galaxy S9+ and S8 screen replacement respectively at your local Samsung-authorized repair center, while a Note 8 crack would set you back an even higher $239.

Incredibly enough, Sprint's offer doesn't appear to come with any strings attached whatsoever, and no, you don't even have to be a "Now Network" customer to claim your heavily discounted repair by February 9. All you need to do is take your busted-up phone (from the above list) to a "participating" Sprint store and hope its technicians will not deem your cracked screen unrepairable.

Obviously, Sprint "reserves the right to reject any phone for repair", limiting the promotion to one repair per customer, and not guaranteeing same day service. Meanwhile, if you have a device in "good working condition" that's not eligible for a dirt-cheap repair, Sprint is ready to give you $150 towards a new phone. The key requirement is that you give the carrier a Galaxy S5 or "higher configuration" or an iPhone 6s and "higher configurations."

 https://www.cnet.com/news .. fix-it-for-49/

 https://www.sprint.com/en .. my-screen.html

I'm looking for a new phone. just thinking of the days when I walked into a cell phone store and had many options for good phones.

memories

 https://www.91mobiles.com .. mpression=true

Apple Inc (AAPL.O) dropped plans to let iPhone users fully encrypt backups of their devices in the companyÂ’s iCloud service after the FBI complained that the move would harm investigations, six sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

The tech giantÂ’s reversal, about two years ago, has not previously been reported. It shows how much Apple has been willing to help U.S. law enforcement and intelligence agencies, despite taking a harder line in high-profile legal disputes with the government and casting itself as a defender of its customersÂ’ information.

The long-running tug of war between investigatorsÂ’ concerns about security and tech companiesÂ’ desire for user privacy moved back into the public spotlight last week, as U.S. Attorney General William Barr took the rare step of publicly calling on Apple to unlock two iPhones used by a Saudi Air Force officer who shot dead three Americans at a Pensacola, Florida naval base last month.

U.S. President Donald Trump piled on, accusing Apple on Twitter of refusing to unlock phones used by “killers, drug dealers and other violent criminal elements.” Republican and Democratic senators sounded a similar theme in a December hearing, threatening legislation against end-to-end encryption, citing unrecoverable evidence of crimes against children.

Apple did in fact did turn over the shooter’s iCloud backups in the Pensacola case, and said it rejected the characterization that it “has not provided substantive a*sistance.”

Behind the scenes, Apple has provided the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation with more sweeping help, not related to any specific probe.

An Apple spokesman declined to comment on the companyÂ’s handling of the encryption issue or any discussions it has had with the FBI. The FBI did not respond to requests for comment on any discussions with Apple.

More than two years ago, Apple told the FBI that it planned to offer users end-to-end encryption when storing their phone data on iCloud, according to one current and three former FBI officials and one current and one former Apple employee.

Under that plan, primarily designed to thwart hackers, Apple would no longer have a key to unlock the encrypted data, meaning it would not be able to turn material over to authorities in a readable form even under court order.

In private talks with Apple soon after, representatives of the FBIÂ’s cyber crime agents and its operational technology division objected to the plan, arguing it would deny them the most effective means for gaining evidence against iPhone-using suspects, the government sources said.

When Apple spoke privately to the FBI about its work on phone security the following year, the end-to-end encryption plan had been dropped, according to the six sources. Reuters could not determine why exactly Apple dropped the plan.

“Legal k*lled it, for reasons you can imagine,” another former Apple employee said he was told, without any specific mention of why the plan was dropped or if the FBI was a factor in the decision.

That person told Reuters the company did not want to risk being attacked by public officials for protecting criminals, sued for moving previously accessible data out of reach of government agencies or used as an excuse for new legislation against encryption.

“They decided they weren’t going to poke the bear anymore,” the person said, referring to Apple’s court battle with the FBI in 2016 over access to an iPhone used by one of the suspects in a mass shooting in San Bernardino, California.

Apple appealed a court order to break into that phone for the FBI. The government dropped the proceedings when it found a contractor that could break into the phone, a common occurrence in FBI investigations.

Two of the former FBI officials, who were not present in talks with Apple, told Reuters it appeared that the FBIÂ’s arguments that the backups provided vital evidence in thousands of cases had prevailed.

AppleÂ’s decision not to proceed with end-to-end encryption of iCloud backups made the FBIÂ’s job easier.

The agency relies on hacking software that exploits security flaws to break into a phone. But that method requires direct access to the phone which would ordinarily tip off the user, who is often the subject of the investigation.

AppleÂ’s iCloud, on the other hand, can be searched in secret. In the first half of last year, the period covered by AppleÂ’s most recent semiannual transparency report on requests for data it receives from government agencies, U.S. authorities armed with regular court papers asked for and obtained full device backups or other iCloud content in 1,568 cases, covering about 6,000 accounts.

The company said it turned over at least some data for 90% of the requests it received. It turns over data more often in response to secret U.S. intelligence court directives, which sought content from more than 18,000 accounts in the first half of 2019, the most recently reported six-month period.

Had it proceeded with its plan, Apple would not have been able to turn over any readable data belonging to users who opted for end-to-end encryption.

Instead of protecting all of iCloud with end-to-end encryption, Apple has shifted to focus on protecting some of the most sensitive user information, such as saved passwords and health data.

But backed-up contact information and texts from iMessage, WhatsApp and other encrypted services remain available to Apple employees and authorities.

Apple is not the only tech company to have removed its own access to customersÂ’ information.

In October 2018, Alphabet IncÂ’s (GOOGL.O) Google announced a similar system to AppleÂ’s dropped plan for secure backups. The maker of Android software, which runs on about three-quarters of the worldÂ’s mobile devices, said users could back up their data to its own cloud without trusting the company with the key.

Two people familiar with the project said Google gave no advance notice to governments, and picked a time to announce it when encryption was not in the news.

The company continues to offer the service but declined to comment on how many users have taken up the option. The FBI did not respond to a request for comment on GoogleÂ’s service or the agencyÂ’s approach to it.

 https://www.reuters.com/a .. -idUSKBN1ZK1CT

“It’s because Apple was convinced,” said one. “Outside of that public spat over San Bernardino, Apple gets along with the federal government.”

However, a former Apple employee said it was possible the encryption project was dropped for other reasons, such as concern that more customers would find themselves locked out of their data more often.

Once the decision was made, the 10 or so experts on the Apple encryption project - variously code-named Plesio and KeyDrop - were told to stop working on the effort, three people familiar with the matter told Reuters.

 https://slickdeals.net/f/ .. ?src=frontpage

I know it's Hisesne but damn $350!! There is also a 65' TCL on Amazon with similar specs for $450

not a bad idea, if you already have multiple monitors and now want a bezel less view

NBCÂ’s streaming service Peacock will have free version and two subscription tiers starting at $4.99

NBCUniversal unveiled its Peacock streaming service to investors Thursday, highlighted by a free-for-all version that stands out in an increasingly crowded online video market. It launches in the U.S. on July 15.

Peacock Free will consist of 7,500 hours of programming, including next-day access to current seasons of first-year NBC shows, complete seasons of classic series, Universal movies and curated content such as “SNL Vault” and “Family Movie Night.”

Peacock Free should give NBCUniversal an immediate surge of advertising revenue as consumers supplement their diet of streaming video with a product that wonÂ’t cost extra per month. NBC Chairman Steve Burke said last year he expects Peacock can make about $5 per month for every Peacock subscriber in advertising revenue. Other streaming products, such as Netflix and Disney+, donÂ’t include advertising. AT&TÂ’s HBO Max also wonÂ’t include ads, although WarnerMedia CEO John Stankey has said a future version of the product will.

There will also be two paid tiers of Peacock called Peacock Premium.

As previously reported by CNBC, there will be a $4.99-per-month version of Peacock Premium with advertisements and a $9.99-per-month option with no ads. Both paid tiers will include live sports and early access to late night shows. Peacock Premium will include non-televised Premier League soccer games beginning in August and Ryder Cup matches in September. The inclusion of sports is another differentiator for Peacock from rivals such as Disney+, HBO Max and Netflix, which donÂ’t include live games.

Peacock Premium will give NBC fans an early look at its Late Night lineup, a first for any broadcast network. Late Night fans with earlier bedtimes will be able to watch “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” at 8 p.m. ET each day instead of its normal TV time of 11:35 p.m. ET and “Late Night with Seth Meyers” at 9 p.m. ET instead of waiting until 12:35 a.m. ET.

Peacock will also feature live breaking news coverage and access to “NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt.” Full episodes of news magazine show “Dateline” will also be available for Peacock subscribers.

Comcast-owned NBCUniversal has a goal of reaching 30 million to 35 million active Peacock accounts by 2024.

Free Peacock Premium for Comcast and Cox customers
Comcast and Cox cable subscribers will get free access to Peacock Premium with ads and can pay $5 per month for the ad-free version. ComcastÂ’s Xfinity X1 and internet-only Flex customers will get access to Peacock Premium on April 15, three months earlier than the national launch.

Peacock Premium will have more than 15,000 hours of content consisting of more than 600 movies and 400 TV series. The service will be the streaming home of “Law & Order” and “Chicago Fire,” along with previously announced series such as “30 Rock,” “Two and a Half Men,” “Cheers” and “Frasier.”

Peacock announced several new original series that will be included with a premium subscription that tap longtime NBC stars. Tina Fey will produce “Girls5Eva,” which features an all-girl musical act from the 1990s that reunites for another shot at stardom, and “Intelligence,” starring former “Friends” actor David Schwimmer.

NBCUniversal also disclosed it acquired a stake in Kevin HartÂ’s Laugh Out Loud network, which will make a Hart stand-up comedy special and other Hart-related content for Peacock.

 https://www.cnbc.com/2020 .. and-shows.html

 https://play.google.com/s .. gy.pr0nblocker







Beware this will not block the thottie section but rather block Boxden as an entire whole

Outside of that here we have one of the most powerful pron blocking apps on the web.

When most people think about hackers, they think about criminals. But the past decade has seen a rise in a new type of hacker -- the “ethical hacker.” These men and women use their skills for good by helping companies protect themselves.

The NSA has discovered a software flaw in Microsoft's Windows 10 operating system which could have exposed users to hacking or surveillance. CNET senior producer Dan Patterson joins CBSN to explain the significance and what's being done about it.

Today was the last day Microsoft will be offering any updates for it. For those who still need to update. Microsoft is still offering windows 10 for free, I hate windows 10.

With support for Windows 7 officially over as of today, Microsoft is encouraging users to upgrade to Windows 10 to keep devices running securely and smoothly. On Microsoft's website, the Windows 10 Home operating system costs $139 to download. However, you don't necessarily have to shell out the cash: A free upgrade offer from Microsoft that technically ended in 2016 still works.

When Windows 10 was first released in July 2015, Microsoft offered an unprecedented free upgrade offer for Windows 7, 8 and 8.1 users, good through July 2016. But in 2017, Ed Bott of CNET sister site ZDNet reported that the free upgrade tool was still functional. I tried it out in November 2019, and was able to upgrade a 2014 Dell OptiPlex 9020 desktop from Windows 7 Pro to Windows 10 Pro. As of January 2020, readers are still emailing me and commenting below, saying that it's worked for them as well.

Windows 7 users who don't upgrade to the new version will no longer be able to get Microsoft's security updates or fixes, or technical support for any issues, leaving your computer at greater risk from viruses and malware. While Windows 10 users have experienced a number of bugs over the years, upgrading remains the best option for keeping your computer safe, analysts say.

Here's how to get Windows 10 for free, if you're currently running a licensed and activated copy of Windows 7, Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 Home or Pro:

1. Go to the Download Windows 10 website.

2. Under Create Windows 10 installation media, click Download tool now and Run.

3. Choose Upgrade this PC now, a*suming this is the only PC you're upgrading. (If you're upgrading a different machine, choose Create installation media for another PC, and save the installation files.)

4. Follow the prompts.

5. When the upgrade is complete, go to Settings Update & Security > Activation, and you should see a digital license for Windows 10.

 https://www.cnet.com/how- .. UJ-to_AaF0-g7I