at&t
Gemalto Claims SIM Cards Are Safe Post-NSA Security Breach
Peace of mind is something that everyone is looking for, and I would suppose that those who are insanely rich would find it rather difficult to attain such a state of mind, taking into consideration just how much that they have to lose should their fortune get wiped out. Then again, those who are not too well off, too, have plenty to worry about, ranging from where to get the next meal to whether one can meet the rent at the end of the month. Not only that, we also have to worry about our privacy in this digital age, and it was not too long ago that a report which touted that documents leaked by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden did show off how the American NSA and the British GCHQ (Government Communications Headquarters) hacked into a major SIM card manufacturer’s systems in order to obtain encryption keys half a decade ago. Dutch SIM card manufacturer Gemalto wants to assuage fears among its customers that their SIM cards are secure despite the reported security breach.
It is nice to see Gemalto step forward and make such an announcement, since they happen to be one of the biggest SIM manufacturers in the world, with their efforts resulting in supplying more than two billion SIM cards annually, even catering for all four major US carriers not to mention hundreds of other mobile service providers. [Press Release]
Now here is a handset from the folks over at ZTE which intends to provide a sense of continuity, although this time around you will not be able to pick up the Zmax 2 from T-Mobile, as ZTE has decided on AT&T to be their US partner and mobile carrier for their latest phone. In fact, this device falls under the mid-range segment of things, where it will just cost $149.99 unlocked, now how about that for affordability?
That kind of pricing would see you end up with a 5.5” 720p touchscreen display, an 8MP camera with LED flash at the back, a 2MP front-facing shooter, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of expandable memory, a 1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, 4G LTE connectivity, Dolby Digital Plus Audio, and a 3,000 mAh removable battery, and Android 5.1 Lollipop as the mobile operating system of choice. [Press Release]
You can be forgiven for being confused about ASUS’ Zenfone 2 range to date, and here is yet another model that will add to the brouhaha. I am referring to the ASUS Zenfone 2E, where it has just been announced to be an AT&T exclusive, where you can pick one up for just $119.99 without any contract, and it is also offered by the carrier’s GoPhone prepaid brand.
At that price point, you would get a 5” 720p IPS touchscreen display in return, an 8MP camera with LED flash at the back, a 2MP front-facing shooter, a 2,500 mAh battery, a dual-core Intel processor, 1GB RAM, 8GB of internal memory, 4G LTE connectivity, and Android 5.0 Lollipop running underneath Asus’ own ZenUI. Opt from either black or white shades.
If you have been hankering after the LG Watch Urbane for the longest time, while being an AT&T subscriber, then here is good news for you. This particular timepiece can be picked up for $349 a pop from AT&T, where it will arrive in a shade of silver to boot. This timepiece will run on Android Wear and is compatible with any smartphone that has Android 4.3 or higher as the mobile operating system of choice.
It is best to use the LG Watch Urbane within the confines of a Wi-Fi network all the time, along with your smartphone, so that you can keep track of notifications, send messages and make use of your Android Wear compatible apps at all times. Sporting a 1.3” circle P-OLED display, the Watch Urbane comes with replaceable 22mm stitched leather straps for more flexible fashion choices, while the integrated PPG Sensor (average pace, speed, heart rate, and distance) ought to keep fitness buffs happy, with a 410 mAh (non-removable) battery that has an all-day battery life. [Press Release]