Heartbleed

Heartbleed (CVE-2014-0160) is nothing short of an Internet disaster. Here's why:

1. In a noble effort to clean up OpenSSL, the OpenBSD team is reportedly making hundreds of changes per week. Unfortunately, that means new bugs are being introduced no matter how careful the review. You cannot test in quality — it has to be designed in from the beginning. What we should be doing is starting over from scratch with a robust programming language — C and its progeny aren't suitable for mission-critical programming. (Ada would be a good alternative.)

2. History teaches that a substantial percentage of compromised machines won't ever get patched and will continue to be exploited. Until we all start taking security seriously and come up with a way to rapidly push out a mandatory fix to all affected machines (which ain't gonna happen anytime soon), we're going to have to live with fundamental lack of security. The lesson here is that transmitting sensitive information over the Internet is folly without careful offline strong encryption.

3. Heartbleed is at least partly a consequence of the cruel hoax of free software, where talented individuals are tricked into working without monetary compensation to the great benefit of commercial enterprises. There needs to be some way to fund essential projects for the public good, especially because we can't afford to continue to rely and depend on wishful thinking.

Google Sneakware

Updated 24 July 2014 to reflect the latest Google sneakware.

Watch out for Google "sneakware" on Microsoft Windows!

If you use Picasa, Google is installing Google+ Auto Backup even if you don't use or want Google+.

And Google is enabling Chrome to always run in the background for Notifications and Hangouts with just brief popup notices.

All are privacy and security issues and a drain on system resources.

1. To get rid of Google+ Auto Backup, uninstall it in Control Panel.
2. To stop Chrome running in the background, open Chrome > Settings, Search settings for "background", and uncheck "Continue running background apps when Google Chrome is closed".
3. To stop Hangouts, open Chrome > Tools > Extensions, go to Hangouts, and uncheck Enabled (or click Delete).

Related: How to Stop Google+ from Taking Over All of Your Google Apps

3D Solid Modeling Recommendations

Corsair 550D

Software

• Best: Solid Edge
  Many designers prefer Solid Edge over SolidWorks.
• Market Leader: SolidWorks
  Largest user community and third party support.
• Also Good: Inventor (Autodesk)
  Cloud integration.
  
• Value: SpaceClaim
  Easy and fast, fresh architecture.
• Honorable Mention: Geomagic Design
  Formerly Alibre Design, low cost options.

Hardware

Objectives: Performance, Stability, and Affordability

• Maximized clock speed for single-thread performance
• Maximized cores/threads for multi-thread performance 

The key to this hardware recommendation is the Intel Core i7-4930K, essentially a bargain 6-core version of the very expensive top-of-the-line 8-core Xeon that retains the advantages of the Xeon architecture like 4-channel memory, with ample air and water cooling to allow stable overclocking.

• Corsair Obsidian Series 550D ATX Mid Tower Case
• Corsair HX650 650 Watt Modular Power Supply
• Asus P9X79 LE LGA2011 ATX Motherboard
• Intel Core i7-4930K 3.4GHz Ivy Bridge-E Six-Core Processor
• Corsair Hydro Series H80i High Performance Liquid CPU Cooler
• Corsair 16GB (4x4GB) DDR3 1600 1.5V Vengeance Heatspreader RAM
• PNY nVidia Quadro K2000-PB 2GB PCI-E
• Samsung 250GB 2.5" 840 EVO Series SATA3 SSD
• Microsoft Windows 7 Pro 64-bit

Total cost of just over $2,000. Good source for assembled custom systems: Central Computers

The conservative "Fast" setting in ASUS Auto Tune yields a clock speed of 4.25 GHz, 25% faster than standard clock speed. (Higher clock speed is possible with more aggressive settings.) The performance of this system must be experienced to be appreciated.

eBay Save Search

One of the more frustrating and annoying aspects of the horrid eBay change from Saved Searches to Searches You Follow (see eBay goats and sheep) is that searches can no longer be (re)named, so non-trivial searches get long, painful names.

Here's a work-around that temporarily turns off Javascript, thereby exposing the old Save (and name) Search functionality: When you have a search on eBay that you want to save, click on the URL at the top of your browser, append "&_jsoff=1" (without the quotes) to the end of the URL, and press [Enter]. That should reload your search with the old Save (and name) Search functionality.

Update: Another way to still name Searches has been to use the official eBay app for Android, but the ability to name searches was removed in version 2.7.0.142, so to retain this capability, don't upgrade beyond version 2.6.1.2 (which still works fine as of this writing).

Free VPN

Secure Wi-Fi with VPN is updated with a very good free VPN service:

• VPNBook
  Free PPTP and OpenVPN. No registration required. No bandwidth limits. Privacy protection. Easy to set up. Free Web Proxy. Commercial service available at $8 per month. Headquarters in Switzerland. Servers in USA, UK, and Romania.

Anti-Malware for Windows

Malware (adware, spyware, trojan, virus, worm) protection is now so essential for computers running Microsoft Windows that free trials of commercial anti-malware software (anti-virus, Internet security, etc) are commonly included in new computers. The catch, of course, is that they aren't free forever, and that they won't provide proper protection without regular ongoing updates. But not to worry, because excellent free protection is readily available, so uninstall those commercial products and use these free tools instead:

Microsoft Security

Microsoft now provides both good firewall (Windows Firewall) and good anti-malware (free Security Essentials for Windows Vista and 7, Windows Defender included in Windows 8). Notes:

• How to activate Windows Defender in Windows 8
• How to Add “Scan with Windows Defender” to the Context Menu in Windows 8
• Windows XP (and earlier) is not secure, should not be used. 

Supplemental

Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit (EMET) is free Microsoft software that significantly enhances Windows security. Recommended for advanced users.

Since no anti-malware tool is 100% reliable, it's a good idea to supplement Microsoft security by periodically downloading and running a scan with one or preferably more (as no one tool is perfect) of the following:

1. HitmanPro
2. AdwCleaner
3. Spybot
4. Malwarebytes
5. Microsoft Safety Scanner

Earphones with Mic for Android

Klipsch Image S4A (original)

Update: There's a new king!

Your Android smartphone (or tablet) may have come with earphones/headphones, but the sound quality is probably mediocre at best. You could spend literally hundreds of dollars for the best possible sound, but roughly $100 is the point of diminishing returns, in part because "a chain is only as strong as the weakest link", and the cheap audio components in most smartphones will limit the sound quality if you spend more than that. So this list focuses on products under $100 (street price) with these characteristics:

• Designed for Android, with single button remote
• Mic for phone calls with good sound quality
• Cords designed to minimize rubbing and bumping noises
• Comfortable fit
• Good construction
• Good value, sounding better than the price

GOOD: Sony MDR-EX110AP ($21-25)

Cords could be better (thicker and more rubbery), but they aren't terrible, and the design is otherwise good, with sound quality comparable to products at double the retail price point, comfortable fit, light weight, and small size that keeps them inside the ear, minimizing wind noise outdoors. Available in a variety of colors. A bargain.

GREAT: Klipsch Image S4A ($45)

Excellent sound, good build quality, but the app is problematic, and fit with the oval tips can be a problem. The newer S4A (II) version features tangle resistant flat cables and other minor tweaks, but many prefer the original version, which can still be found and is usually less expensive. Tips:

• Replace the oval ear tips with Shure memory foam "olives" (EABKF1), which install perfectly, fit comfortably, seal out noise, and improve sound by enhancing bass and taming treble just a bit. The latest version has an ear wax screen.
• Forget the app.
• Discontinued, replaced by replaced by Klipsch R6m.

GENERAL TIPS:

• Don't limit sound quality with low bit-rate audio:
• Many streaming apps (Google Music included) default to a lower bit-rate that limits quality, and there may be a Setting for higher quality (at the expense of more mobile data).
• The bit-rate of your own audio audio files (MP3, AAC, etc) should be 175-245 Kbps. (With good encoding, higher than that won't sound better.) LAME V3 profile is a good way to get the best possible sound with the lowest possible bit-rate. 
• Take high end audio claims with a grain of salt. Many do not stand up to serious scrutiny.

Mini Wireless Multifunction Routers

Apple pioneered this category of capable mini devices with the AirPort Express, and now there are less expensive alternatives. Multifunction capability is what makes them special, the ability to be configured as:

• Router (base station)
• Access Point (supplement existing router)
• Client Bridge (wireless connection of wired devices)
• Repeater (extend wireless coverage)

Apple AirPort Express (latest version)

• Pro: Easy setup with AirPort Utility, simultaneous dual band wireless, printer server, AirPlay client for wireless audio
• Con: Expensive, N150 speed, separate power adapter

Satechi Wireless Multifunction Mini Router

• Pro: N300 speed, QoS
• Con: Single band wireless

TP-LINK Mini Pocket Router TL-WR700N

• Pro: Inexpensive, small (like original AirPort Express)
• Con: N150 speed, single band wireless

Best USB Car Charger

PowerGen Car Charger

You purchased a "fast" car charger for your mobile device (smartphone, tablet, etc), but you find that the actual charging rate is slow, possibly not even able to keep up if you use the mobile device at the same time. What's up with that? Is the charger defective? Not really a "fast" charger?

It's the fault of the USB standard, not necessarily the charger. USB was conceived as a connection standard, not a charger standard, and to keep costs down the original standard provides only a modest amount of power, a maximum of 500 mA. But as USB gained traction as a connection standard, it also gained traction in chargers.

500 mA (½ A) is fine for a low power device like a mouse, but insufficient for fast charging of a current smartphone (~1000 mA), much less a tablet (~2000 mA). The USB standard is evolving to deliver greater amounts of power, but adoption takes time, and current USB products could be damaged by high power drain, so device manufacturers have resorted to non-standard tricks for fast charging with USB connectors:

1. Shorted data connection: This is frequently used by Android devices (e.g., Nexus 5), which won't try to fast charge if the data connection isn't shorted, displaying (USB) rather than (AC) on the Battery screen.
2. Non-standard data voltage: This method is used by Apple devices, with different voltages signaling different maximum charging rates. They similarly won't try to fast charge when those voltages aren't present.

Since no standard USB port should do these things, a device can assume it's on a charger rather than a USB host. But since there is no single method, and since both methods can't be used at the same time, a charger that's fast for Apple devices may not be fast for Android devices, and vice versa. So either make sure to choose the right type of charger (which can be tricky), or choose a charger that has both methods, like the excellent PowerGen 4.2A/20W Dual USB Car Charger:

• High power for fast charging even tablets
• Dual ports for charging 2 devices at once, one Android port and one Apple port*
• Good physical design for secure fit and durability
• Compact size
• Great value: $10 at Amazon.com

PowerGen Wall Charger

Best USB Wall Charger

All of the same considerations apply, and PowerGen comes to the rescue here as well, with the PowerGen 2.4-Amp (12 Watt) Dual USB Wall Charger. Another great value: $13 at Amazon.com

UPDATE: There is now a more powerful version: PowerGen 3.4-Amp (17 Watt) Dual USB Wall Charger. Even better value: $10 at Amazon.com

* If a device is connected to the other type of port, it will still charge, but the rate may be slow.

T-Mobile VPN Fix

Virtual Private Networking (VPN) is a secure (encrypted) way of connecting to private resources (business LAN, home computer) over the public Internet. To make a VPN connection, VPN client software typically connects to VPN server software. VPN types include Point To Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP, deprecated but still useful) and OpenVPN (recommended, secure). But you may have a problem making VPN connections over T-Mobile USA wireless data.

The Symptoms: You are able to do things on your mobile device over T-Mobile data (browse the Internet, send and receive email, etc), and you are able to make VPN connections over Wi-Fi wireless, but you are not able to make VPN connections over T-Mobile wireless data. 

The Cause: T-Mobile apparently pushed out a data configuration in late 2013 that set APN Protocol to IPv6. That works properly for most things on mobile devices, but it prevents PPTP (built into Android) and OpenVPN (OpenVPN Connect) clients from making VPN connections.

The Cure: Open Settings > Wireless & Networks > More... > Mobile networks > Access Point Names > T-Mobile GPRS (fast.t-mobile.com) > APN protocol, and change the selection from IPv6 to IPv4/IPv6 IPv4 (see update below).

The Caveat: This cure was tested successfully with a Nexus 5 running Android 4.4.2 KitKat on a Prepaid plan, and it might not work properly on other devices or plans. Use at your own risk.

See Also: Secure Wi-Fi with VPN

Update: IPv4/IPv6 currently causes issues with some websites (example), so try IPv4.