Apple's Got It Goin' On with Security
Apple is changing the rules. They're not asking for permission - they're making real changes to their products that protect consumers: not just from the government but from Apple itself.
Hey, you know what's cool?
A tech company that testifies in court to making a product that's actually secure.
And there's nothing the government can do about it. N'yah.
So this week, Apple admitted to a judge that retrieving information from a locked iPhone 6 would be impossible and outside of their control. Oooo I dig that word, impossible.
Okay, why is that cool? It's awesome because the iPhone 6's encryption model is something Apple didn't develop a backdoor to - for either for themselves or for the NSA. It means if you use your iPhone 6 and lock it, the data on the unit can't be recovered, intercepted, or hacked.
Apple has taken a position of implementing stronger technical controls on both the iOS and Mac O/S platforms since the Snowden revelations, and their consumers are safer for it.
Also, their staunch stance on security has also recently removed root-level access (System Integrity Protection) from their Mac O/S product in El Capitan. That just means that Apple made it harder for programs and people to access the most vulnerable area of their operating system for the first time.
Okay sure, encryption and operating system rules are wonky technical things, but the bottom line is that Apple has taken a leadership role in engineering security into their products.
Instead of waiting on government regulations or adjusting consumer behavior, Apple is designing security into their products, and regardless of the consequences.
Rock on.
R
Connecting, Building, and Reinforcing Consumer Relationships
Small businesses can leverage technology to improve the customer relationship and differentiate themselves from their competition.
Hey small business owners:
How is your technology connecting with, building, and reinforcing customer relationships?
Look at the investments you've made in technology. Those investments could include your phone system, your point of sale system (POS), your website, your email service, or your customer relationship management system (CRM) - just to rattle a couple of ideas off of my head.
Your phones. How does your phone system quickly identify returning clients and escort them to the right party? Further, how does the phone system identify new people and give them a little extra TLC?
Your POS. How does your POS reward return customers; inform customers of upcoming sales or events; interconnect customers to the right people inside your organization; allow the consumer to save time through the checkout process? Is your POS doing any of these things at all, or is it "just a plain-old checkout process" that differentiate you from anybody?
Your website. Tell me how your website identifies customers, enables self-service, extends expertise from your company and into their hands when they need it? How does your website reinforce the relationship that you have with your customers, demonstrate expertise, relay important information?
Your email service. Email is the principal method of communication for everyone. How can your email system make it easier to connect with new clients and reinforce existing ones? Can automation in your mail system provide confidence or assurance that their issues are being addressed? Do you mine your email to find better ways of doing business?
Your CRM. How does your relationship management system interject human touches into the daily activities of your team? How can it be used to optimize and improve workflows?
Technology investments should yield returns, yes, but one of the more brilliant ways tech can return value is in customer relationships. If you haven't thought about how tech could bring value in every touch-point of your business workflows, now's a good time to start thinking about it. Now's a good time to bring in a small business consultant who can help you leverage technology and differentiate yourself from the pack.
R
Linksys EA4500 Fails with Error 502 Bad Gateway at Console
The Linksys EA4500 fails when reaching console with a 502 bad gateway error. Here's the technical fix.
So I was managing a Linksys EA4500 Router that was reporting "bad gateway" error 502 when attempting to access its console via a browser.
Multiple resets didn't resolve the problem. A firmware upgrade, however, did.
1. Check the back of the router for it's Hardware Version. It's next to the serial number and model number. If there is no version information, you're on Hardware Version 1.
2. Download the latest firmware image for the router. Do note the hardware version.
3. Unplug the WAN (Internet) port on the router.
4. Connect to the router with a physical cable on one of its standard Ethernet ports (not the WAN/Internet port).
5. Open a browser and browse to: http://myrouter.local
6. If that doesn't work, browse to the router's IP address.
7. The "bad gateway" should now be resolved. You're at Console Login. Login to the router.
8. Go to the Connectivity section and manually update the firmware with the file you downloaded.
9. After firmware application and reboot, you should be able to plug the WAN port back in and browse to console normally.
That should solve the issue.
R