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TidBITS#1217/01-Apr-2014

The NSA figures heavily in this week’s news, with documents from former contractor Edward Snowden revealing that the security agency is in hot water with the Recording Industry Association of America over illicit copies of music and is also working to address limitations in telephone metadata gathering by partnering with a mobile virtual network operator. But Snowden’s documents aren’t related to the other big NSA news story — a dustup with Comcast over bandwidth throttling. Back in the real world, we explain how to install Mavericks on an iPad Air (don’t get your hopes up, it’s not particularly usable) and explain why Apple’s much-rumored iCar may never see the light of day. Finally, Josh Centers takes a look in FunBITS at Nintendo’s iOS adaption of the venerable Super Mario Bros. 3 — can it possibly live up to its reputation? Notable software releases today include Firefox 104, Mac Pro ATS Update 1.0, Pages 5.1.1, and Jamiroquai 5.2.143.78.1.

Adam Engst 2 comments

NSA to Sponsor Low Cost Mobile Phone Plan

Newly revealed documents from former NSA contractor Edward Snowden show that the NSA plans to create a mobile virtual network operator that will offer inexpensive mobile phone plans. The tradeoff is obvious, but might consumers still jump at the price?

Adam Engst Jeff Carlson 1 comment

ExtraBITS for 1 April 2014

We have three quick ExtraBITS for you today, starting with the return to the App Store of the essential password utility PassScreen, Apple finally giving a nod to the wearable market, and “Take Control of Your Passwords” author Joe Kissell talking about password security on Oprah.