The BBRY Café. [Formerly: I support BBRY and I buy shares!]
View Poll Results: Did you buy shares ?
- Voters
- 1129. You may not vote on this poll
-
- Just an FYI to the group. Most of us know that subscription payments for the EZPass program start in February 2015. BlackBerry just sent out emails today throwing a 10% early subscriber discount (technically for tech support) if you renew support by 12/19.
They are doing a lot if things to get people to subscribe. Gotta give them that.12-10-14 06:25 PMLike 18 - Reading material, lots of it!
Privacy Commissioner calls on Google, Apple to better protect user privacy (RTGAM)
SUSAN KRASHINSKY
Canada?s Privacy Commissioner has joined 22 of his counterparts within Canada and around the world to issue an open letter asking tech giants such as Google Inc. and Apple Inc. to better control user privacy in mobile applications.
The letter calls on seven of the largest operators of app marketplaces to require apps to beef up privacy measures: recipients were Apple, Google, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Microsoft Corp., Nokia Corp., BlackBerry Ltd. and Amazon.com Inc.
As app usage has grown, so has the concern around their privacy controls. Apps are now ubiquitous: as of December, 2013, 75 per cent of Canadian mobile subscribers had a smartphone, according to comScore. Overwhelmingly, those devices function through apps, those tiles we tap on to check e-mail, play games, find map directions, and check social media such as Facebook and Instagram.
These apps have generated their own economy, with $1.7-billion in revenue per year in Canada alone. That number is forecast to reach $5.2-billion within five years, according to the Information and Communications Technology Council.
The joint letter from the global privacy authorities is based on a study conducted this past spring, which tracked more than 1,200 of the world?s most popular apps. The Global Privacy Enforcement Network (GPEN) ?Privacy Sweep? looked at whether ? and how ? users were told about the apps? privacy policies.
The privacy authorities were especially concerned about the collection of users? personal information. Of the apps examined in the Privacy Sweep, just 15 per cent of those worldwide and 28 per cent in Canada included privacy information that clearly explained how the app collected and used personal information. More than half of apps worldwide and 26 per cent in Canada had either no privacy information other than requesting certain permissions, or gave ?inadequate? privacy information that did not explain how personal information would be collected, used and disclosed.
While the letter was sent to seven ?key players,? the behaviour that the letter urges is meant for all app developers. The operators of the marketplaces were urged to play a bigger role in privacy controls, however. The letter called on them to include privacy policy links within app listings in their marketplaces (which is sometimes done but is not universal) and to make clear privacy information a requirement before apps can be listed on those marketplaces.
?We?re asking marketplaces ? the Googles and the Apples of this world, which are sophisticated companies in terms of privacy laws ? to be good corporate citizens and to have conversations with app developers that are less sophisticated, to ensure there is at least some privacy information,? Daniel Therrien, the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, said in an interview. ?...We call on them to have these conversations ... and yes, to respond positively to our letter.?
The Globe contacted the seven companies listed on the open letter. All either declined to comment or did not respond to requests for a response.
The first ?Privacy Sweep? occurred in 2013, and looked at how privacy was handled by a number of websites. That study led the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada to contact a number of website operators to flag privacy concerns. More than half of those agreed to make changes to their privacy policies.
The second study, which triggered the letter sent this week, looked at apps to address the way we interact with mobile devices on a daily basis. Mobile devices can provide reams of personal information, including a person?s location, contact information, mobile purchases and more.
The letter focuses on the worst cases ? where privacy information is missing entirely. But there are many other issues, Mr. Therrien said.
?It is also a problem ? though not the subject of today?s letter ? that some privacy policies are very lengthy or are just not done in a way that can be read easily on a small screen,? he said.
The global authorities decided to issue the letter together because in a digital world, personal data travels internationally.
Signatories include privacy officials in Australia, Germany, Britain, Hong Kong and South Korea, as well as provincial offices in Canada, in addition to the federal Privacy Commissioner.
?It?s essential that privacy commissioners and data protection authorities on many issues act in unison, to send messages to organizations responsible for the collection of personal information,? Mr. Therrien said. ?? It sends a stronger message when we act collectively.?
The letter was spurred on by the findings of the Global Privacy Enforcement Network (GPEN) ?Privacy Sweep,? a study in May that examined privacy controls in 1,211 tablet and smartphone apps. In Canada, the sweep included 151 of the most popular apps.
Examiners downloaded and used apps to look for five indicators of privacy. Those included a privacy policy that was clearly communicated before downloading; policies tailored to read easily on small screens; permissions requested (such as the permission to access social media accounts or online browsing behaviour, track the user?s location, etc.); permissions that did not seem necessary for the app to function; and the examiner?s overall satisfaction with how clearly the app explained its use of personal information and privacy policies.
The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada stresses that the study is not a formal investigation, and represents only a ?moment in time? ? since apps often change and can be improved or updated. As of May, these were some of its findings:
Permissions that apps requested
Of 1,211 apps globally, 75 per cent requested one or more permissions from users. In Canada, 70 per cent did so.
Requests:
Location: 32 per cent globally/ 22 per cent in Canada
Device ID: 16 per cent globally/13 per cent in Canada
Access to other accounts: 15 per cent globally/23 per cent in Canada
Camera: 10 per cent globally/8 per cent in Canada
Contacts: 9 per cent globally/10 per cent in Canada
Call log: 7 per cent globally/11 per cent in Canada
Microphone: 5 per cent globally/7 per cent in Canada
SMS (text messaging): 4 per cent globally/6 per cent in Canada
Calendar: 2 per cent globally/same in Canada
Apps that scored high
The OPC cited three examples of apps that sweepers gave top marks. Overall, 28 per cent of apps studied were highly rated, compared to a global average of 15 per cent.
Shazam
Name that tune. This app can be used to detect music and provide the artist and song name.
Access requested:
-access to identity (accounts)
-location
-photos/media/files
-camera/microphone
-device ID/call information
Why it did well:
-Clearly explained each permission, so that users understood the request (e.g. for access to system tools, ?to prevent the phone sleeping while we play videos, and to sync your Shazam account preferences.)
-Explanations were often given as part of a request for permissions, or via a link in the request
Fertility Friend
A made-in-Canada ovulation calculator that helps users track their menstrual cycles. Users provide intimate health details for app use, including fertile days and instances of intercourse.
Why it did well:
-Acknowledged the information collected is ?extremely sensitive?
-Pledged it will not ?sell or transmit to others any personally identifiable data?
-Formatted the privacy policy to be easy to read on a small screen
-Committed not to accepting advertising, since it could target users based on health information
Trip Advisor: City Guides
Manage travel by looking up reviews of local establishments and creating itineraries.
Why it did well:
-Formatted the privacy policy to be easy to read on a small screen, including a table of contents that linked directly to that particular information
-Policy included a section dedicated to explaining what personal information the app gathers and why
Apps that scored low
Overall, 26 per cent of apps studied were rated very low (46 per cent fell somewhere in the middle of the ratings). Some examples:
Super-Bright LED Flashlight
A free app that turns a built in phone light into a flashlight.
Access requested:
-camera/microphone
-device ID
-call information
-photos/media/files ? including the ability to modify or delete contents of the device SD card
-Wi-Fi connection information
-other permissions such as the ability to modify system settings
Why it did poorly:
-Did not explain why the information was needed to operate a flashlight
-No link to a privacy policy on the Google Play store listing
-Developer?s website contained no content beyond a link for people interested in buying the website domain, and a privacy policy for the developer that included no information about the flashlight app?s use of information
Pixel Gun 3D
A cartoon shooting game.
Access requested included:
-device ID/call information
-device/app history
-photos/media/files
Why it did poorly:
-No privacy policy available in the App Store listing or within the app itself
-No privacy policy on the developer?s website
-A ?terms of use? policy was available within the app, and said the developer had full control over user content, unless and until the user deletes the content or uninstalls the app ? even then third parties and back-ups may still have the information
-The ?terms of use? was long and ?legalistic,? and not formatted for a small screen (for example the font was small, and shown on a ?colourful, moving, animated background?
Posted via CB1012-10-14 09:00 PMLike 8 - I really hope Chen can announce at next week's Classic launch that they will launch with some US carriers... we need Passport and Classic available in that market.... let's hope there is such an announcement...
Posted via CB1012-10-14 09:17 PMLike 7 - http://www.cso.com.au/article/562325...y-ios-devices/
Only legacy BlackBerry devices if any. With OTA java application updates only.
Posted using BlackBerry passport.12-10-14 09:52 PMLike 3 - OT: anyone else sick of tired old arguments about dead company walking? From the same old tired members? With the same old tired arguments?
Me Too...just sayin.
Lookin at you SM
Passport'n stuff all day long.12-10-14 11:13 PMLike 7 -
- Just an FYI to the group. Most of us know that subscription payments for the EZPass program start in February 2015. BlackBerry just sent out emails today throwing a 10% early subscriber discount (technically for tech support) if you renew support by 12/19.
They are doing a lot if things to get people to subscribe. Gotta give them that.
Posted via CB1012-10-14 11:46 PMLike 0 -
Would be nice that this site and app allows for shrinking & expanding such quotes with posts other readers come across.
BlackBerry - Accept no substitute. Period!12-10-14 11:49 PMLike 0 - Most of the drop occurred prior to the last settlement on Nov 15 as seen in the below link. So essentially the increase of 11MM shorts was likely to keep prices depressed as of 11/17/2014, which still shows that it's taken a lot of shorting power to keep the prices low, likely so they can keep the price depressed to prevent any resistance from being breached and thus have resistance at lower levels be tested on the earnings day or to plummet the stock if news is bad. Also it will prevent any rapid accumulation from bigger players or eyes being placed on the equity since price isn't moving anywhere.
All in all its manipulation, and nothing will unfortunately be done about it.
http://www.nasdaqtrader.com/trader.a...shortintpubsch
Posted via CB10
I noticed that a few others here feel strongly that heavy manipulation is at hand, but what is the main motive? Obviously for some to make money, but are there large hands involved that don't want BlackBerry to succeed because of security from spying or fear of the dominance of past days perhaps?
I have a few more days of vacation to ponder the conspiracies....bungaboy likes this.12-11-14 02:19 AMLike 1 - I for one would love to hear one of our resident experts here seriously analyze exactly who these large short interest groups are.
I noticed that a few others here feel strongly that heavy manipulation is at hand, but what is the main motive? Obviously for some to make money, but are there large hands involved that don't want BlackBerry to succeed because of security from spying or fear of the dominance of past days perhaps?
I have a few more days of vacation to ponder the conspiracies....
Posted via CB10bungaboy and Bacon Munchers like this.12-11-14 02:31 AMLike 2 - Good morning,
regarding the latest Apple/IBM headlines I just want to add my opinion but not in my words, because I found it better expressed by Hene (Source: BlackBerry Ltd Threatened By Apple ? IBM Partnership - Comment section)
This is not a threat. For a long time folks used to talk about how Microsoft Exchange Server was a threat to Blackberry Server, but yet still every company which had exchange server ended up buying blackberry server to sit on top. Today, we are to believe that a company called IBM which is not great at developing domain-specific app can get together with another company called Apple which has never developed an enterprise app before and somehow release a set of apps to challenge a company called blackberry which is not in the business of developing apps? IBM wants to develop an enterprise app for sales people but Salesforce is the domain expert and has already developed an app, and Blackberry has teamed up with Salesforce. One of the apps released by IBM today is an app for managing airline scheduling. Well, Sabre actually has an app already on iPads. So, how can IBM take on Sabre?
If the play is security, then Blackberry has a private network, IBM does not. That is obvious considering the fact that they went to Apple to try and make news splash. If companies want to buy iPads, they will buy because the vendors they already use release iPad versions. IBM is pulling on straws looking for wasteful services business but it is going to run into Accenture not Blackberry.12-11-14 02:42 AMLike 12 - Good morning,
regarding the latest Apple/IBM headlines I just want to add my opinion but not in my words, because I found it better expressed by Hene (Source: BlackBerry Ltd Threatened By Apple ? IBM Partnership - Comment section)
I don't need BlackBerry to take over the world, but definitely want them to carve out a big enough piece so I can participate in the $100 share price party!
Posted via CB10 (7250 -> 8703e -> 9530 -> 9550 -> 9650 -> 9930 -> PlayBook -> Z10 -> Z30)Last edited by b121; 12-11-14 at 05:54 PM.
12-11-14 08:09 AMLike 5 - I am wondering now, if Blackberry is terminating the program on the 19 of December? John Chen has said they might end the program sooner then Jan 31 2015. I guess we have to wait.12-11-14 08:18 AMLike 0
-
That leads me to believe we will see both USA majors on board with this one. There is even a Verizon version with no camera - that's classic to the extreme12-11-14 08:25 AMLike 5 - Reading material, lots of it!
Privacy Commissioner calls on Google, Apple to better protect user privacy (RTGAM)
SUSAN KRASHINSKY
Canada?s Privacy Commissioner has joined 22 of his counterparts within Canada and around the world to issue an open letter asking tech giants such as Google Inc. and Apple Inc. to better control user privacy in mobile applications.
The letter calls on seven of the largest operators of app marketplaces to require apps to beef up privacy measures: recipients were Apple, Google, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Microsoft Corp., Nokia Corp., BlackBerry Ltd. and Amazon.com Inc.
As app usage has grown, so has the concern around their privacy controls. Apps are now ubiquitous: as of December, 2013, 75 per cent of Canadian mobile subscribers had a smartphone, according to comScore. Overwhelmingly, those devices function through apps, those tiles we tap on to check e-mail, play games, find map directions, and check social media such as Facebook and Instagram.
These apps have generated their own economy, with $1.7-billion in revenue per year in Canada alone. That number is forecast to reach $5.2-billion within five years, according to the Information and Communications Technology Council.
The joint letter from the global privacy authorities is based on a study conducted this past spring, which tracked more than 1,200 of the world?s most popular apps. The Global Privacy Enforcement Network (GPEN) ?Privacy Sweep? looked at whether ? and how ? users were told about the apps? privacy policies.
The privacy authorities were especially concerned about the collection of users? personal information. Of the apps examined in the Privacy Sweep, just 15 per cent of those worldwide and 28 per cent in Canada included privacy information that clearly explained how the app collected and used personal information. More than half of apps worldwide and 26 per cent in Canada had either no privacy information other than requesting certain permissions, or gave ?inadequate? privacy information that did not explain how personal information would be collected, used and disclosed.
While the letter was sent to seven ?key players,? the behaviour that the letter urges is meant for all app developers. The operators of the marketplaces were urged to play a bigger role in privacy controls, however. The letter called on them to include privacy policy links within app listings in their marketplaces (which is sometimes done but is not universal) and to make clear privacy information a requirement before apps can be listed on those marketplaces.
?We?re asking marketplaces ? the Googles and the Apples of this world, which are sophisticated companies in terms of privacy laws ? to be good corporate citizens and to have conversations with app developers that are less sophisticated, to ensure there is at least some privacy information,? Daniel Therrien, the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, said in an interview. ?...We call on them to have these conversations ... and yes, to respond positively to our letter.?
The Globe contacted the seven companies listed on the open letter. All either declined to comment or did not respond to requests for a response.
The first ?Privacy Sweep? occurred in 2013, and looked at how privacy was handled by a number of websites. That study led the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada to contact a number of website operators to flag privacy concerns. More than half of those agreed to make changes to their privacy policies.
The second study, which triggered the letter sent this week, looked at apps to address the way we interact with mobile devices on a daily basis. Mobile devices can provide reams of personal information, including a person?s location, contact information, mobile purchases and more.
The letter focuses on the worst cases ? where privacy information is missing entirely. But there are many other issues, Mr. Therrien said.
?It is also a problem ? though not the subject of today?s letter ? that some privacy policies are very lengthy or are just not done in a way that can be read easily on a small screen,? he said.
The global authorities decided to issue the letter together because in a digital world, personal data travels internationally.
Signatories include privacy officials in Australia, Germany, Britain, Hong Kong and South Korea, as well as provincial offices in Canada, in addition to the federal Privacy Commissioner.
?It?s essential that privacy commissioners and data protection authorities on many issues act in unison, to send messages to organizations responsible for the collection of personal information,? Mr. Therrien said. ?? It sends a stronger message when we act collectively.?
The letter was spurred on by the findings of the Global Privacy Enforcement Network (GPEN) ?Privacy Sweep,? a study in May that examined privacy controls in 1,211 tablet and smartphone apps. In Canada, the sweep included 151 of the most popular apps.
Examiners downloaded and used apps to look for five indicators of privacy. Those included a privacy policy that was clearly communicated before downloading; policies tailored to read easily on small screens; permissions requested (such as the permission to access social media accounts or online browsing behaviour, track the user?s location, etc.); permissions that did not seem necessary for the app to function; and the examiner?s overall satisfaction with how clearly the app explained its use of personal information and privacy policies.
The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada stresses that the study is not a formal investigation, and represents only a ?moment in time? ? since apps often change and can be improved or updated. As of May, these were some of its findings:
Permissions that apps requested
Of 1,211 apps globally, 75 per cent requested one or more permissions from users. In Canada, 70 per cent did so.
Requests:
Location: 32 per cent globally/ 22 per cent in Canada
Device ID: 16 per cent globally/13 per cent in Canada
Access to other accounts: 15 per cent globally/23 per cent in Canada
Camera: 10 per cent globally/8 per cent in Canada
Contacts: 9 per cent globally/10 per cent in Canada
Call log: 7 per cent globally/11 per cent in Canada
Microphone: 5 per cent globally/7 per cent in Canada
SMS (text messaging): 4 per cent globally/6 per cent in Canada
Calendar: 2 per cent globally/same in Canada
Apps that scored high
The OPC cited three examples of apps that sweepers gave top marks. Overall, 28 per cent of apps studied were highly rated, compared to a global average of 15 per cent.
Shazam
Name that tune. This app can be used to detect music and provide the artist and song name.
Access requested:
-access to identity (accounts)
-location
-photos/media/files
-camera/microphone
-device ID/call information
Why it did well:
-Clearly explained each permission, so that users understood the request (e.g. for access to system tools, ?to prevent the phone sleeping while we play videos, and to sync your Shazam account preferences.)
-Explanations were often given as part of a request for permissions, or via a link in the request
Fertility Friend
A made-in-Canada ovulation calculator that helps users track their menstrual cycles. Users provide intimate health details for app use, including fertile days and instances of intercourse.
Why it did well:
-Acknowledged the information collected is ?extremely sensitive?
-Pledged it will not ?sell or transmit to others any personally identifiable data?
-Formatted the privacy policy to be easy to read on a small screen
-Committed not to accepting advertising, since it could target users based on health information
Trip Advisor: City Guides
Manage travel by looking up reviews of local establishments and creating itineraries.
Why it did well:
-Formatted the privacy policy to be easy to read on a small screen, including a table of contents that linked directly to that particular information
-Policy included a section dedicated to explaining what personal information the app gathers and why
Apps that scored low
Overall, 26 per cent of apps studied were rated very low (46 per cent fell somewhere in the middle of the ratings). Some examples:
Super-Bright LED Flashlight
A free app that turns a built in phone light into a flashlight.
Access requested:
-camera/microphone
-device ID
-call information
-photos/media/files ? including the ability to modify or delete contents of the device SD card
-Wi-Fi connection information
-other permissions such as the ability to modify system settings
Why it did poorly:
-Did not explain why the information was needed to operate a flashlight
-No link to a privacy policy on the Google Play store listing
-Developer?s website contained no content beyond a link for people interested in buying the website domain, and a privacy policy for the developer that included no information about the flashlight app?s use of information
Pixel Gun 3D
A cartoon shooting game.
Access requested included:
-device ID/call information
-device/app history
-photos/media/files
Why it did poorly:
-No privacy policy available in the App Store listing or within the app itself
-No privacy policy on the developer?s website
-A ?terms of use? policy was available within the app, and said the developer had full control over user content, unless and until the user deletes the content or uninstalls the app ? even then third parties and back-ups may still have the information
-The ?terms of use? was long and ?legalistic,? and not formatted for a small screen (for example the font was small, and shown on a ?colourful, moving, animated background?
Posted via CB10
Canadian watchdog joins calls to improve privacy in mobile apps - The Globe and Mail12-11-14 08:26 AMLike 2 - 12-11-14 08:30 AMLike 2
- OT: Security related.
Cellphone searches upon arrest allowed by Canada's top court
Searches must be directly related to arrest, police must keep detailed notes
By Laura Payton, CBC News Posted: Dec 11, 2014 9:57 AM ET| Last Updated: Dec 11, 2014 9:57 AM ET
Cellphone searches upon arrest allowed by Canada's top court - Politics - CBC News
Police searches of the cellphones that are in possession of suspects are constitutional as long as they relate directly to the arrests and police keep detailed notes, Canada's top court said today.
The Supreme Court of Canada split 4-3, with the minority arguing cellphones and personal computers are "an intensely personal and uniquely pervasive sphere" that needs clear protection.
The majority also found that passwords protecting phones don't carry much weight in assessing that person's expectation of privacy.
"An individual's decision not to password protect his or her cellphone does not indicate any sort of abandonment of the significant privacy interests one generally will have in the contents of the phone," Justice Thomas Cromwell wrote.
Canadian courts have been inconsistent so far in deciding whether police can search the cellphone of someone they're arresting, an issue that raises more privacy issues with the prevalence of smartphones that carry vast amounts of information.
More to come12-11-14 09:11 AMLike 3 - I for one, don't mind reading the article here. However, thanks to the guys who have subscriptions which I don't have the access to and they copy and paste the entire article.
Posted using BlackBerry passport.12-11-14 09:28 AMLike 6 -
Posted via CB10bungaboy likes this.12-11-14 09:47 AMLike 1 - OT: For a special kinda guy!
In Pictures
The making of Morgan: Inside the iconic auto maker's factory
PETER CHENEY
Malvern, England — The Globe and Mail
Published Thursday, Dec. 11 2014, 5:00 AM EST
Last updated Thursday, Dec. 11 2014, 5:06 AM EST
Peter Cheney explores the Morgan plant, where hand-craftsmanship is still championed
The making of Morgan: Inside the iconic auto maker's factory - The Globe and Mail
12-11-14 09:48 AMLike 10 -
- This one is pretty good and it is free. Shows up great on passport.
http://appworld.blackberry.com/webst...ntent/35677891
Posted using BlackBerry passport.
Attachment 320066Last edited by sidhuk; 12-11-14 at 10:13 AM.
12-11-14 09:59 AMLike 2
- Forum
- Popular at CrackBerry
- General BlackBerry News, Discussion & Rumors
- BBRY
The BBRY Café. [Formerly: I support BBRY and I buy shares!]
Similar Threads
-
The importance of a removable battery.
By krzyabn in forum BlackBerry KEY2Replies: 45Last Post: 04-15-19, 10:12 PM -
Motion support - Vibration no longer working and I need advice!
By bunnyraider in forum BlackBerry MotionReplies: 1Last Post: 04-12-19, 09:42 PM -
Will BlackBerry Launcher ever give us the option to swipe up?
By ikeike859 in forum BlackBerry Android OSReplies: 8Last Post: 04-12-19, 06:27 PM -
In MIXplorer, what is the "archive?"
By RLeeSimon in forum Android AppsReplies: 3Last Post: 04-12-19, 05:00 PM -
Skype Preview brings screen sharing to Android and iOS
By CrackBerry News in forum CrackBerry.com News Discussion & ContestsReplies: 0Last Post: 04-12-19, 01:51 PM
Tags for this Thread
LINK TO POST COPIED TO CLIPBOARD