Month: January 2020

January 21, 2020

Domain Related

Reading Time: 5 minutes

It’s likely accurate to say that most people put a lot more priority on security measures for their desktops or notebooks than they do for their phones. While it is true that most mobile operating systems will have anti-virus features to some extent, it’s becoming increasingly clear that nowadays that’s not going to be sufficient much of the time. Incidences of phones become infected with malware are increasingly common, and there’s going to be very few people who aren’t familiar with that term. However, one newer variety of ‘ware’ that isn’t going to be as universally well known as malware is going to the subject our post here today. Here at 4GoodHosting, we may a quality Canadian web hosting provider but our higher level of web-savviness doesn’t make us any less at risk of these bugs messing with our mobile devices than the rest of the average citizenry is. The difference is we’re in a position to always be made aware of new threats that come along, whereas most of your likely aren’t. That’s why we always make a point to share these types of information. Who wouldn’t be especially displeased to find out their phone has been compromised, so here it is – a discussion about the newest type of malware to arrive onto the scene – what exactly is ‘fleeceware’, and what can we do about it? Perils of Free Trial Periods Before we discuss this new type of malware, iPhone users can breathe easier and then see themselves out. Fleeceware is making victims out of Android users exclusively, at least for now, and it’s de facto delivery method is actually through the Google Play Store. Obviously this is one of the most visited digital storefronts in the world, if a recent research survey is to be believed then these Fleeceware apps have been unwittingly downloaded and installed by over 600 million Android users after making purchases through Google Play. Now for those of you who don’t have the most expansive vocabulary, fleece – when used as a verb – is ‘to strip of money or property by fraud or extortion’ (credit to the good folks behind Merriam-Webster’...

January 14, 2020

Domain Related

Reading Time: 5 minutes

Most people will need to look no further than their video doorbells, wireless thermostats, and the like to know to just what extent the IoT (Internet of Things) is increasingly integral to the conveniences of modern life. It was inevitable that consumer goods and appliance manufacturers would utilize the power of the Internet to make these products more personalized AND powerful. The majority of us are quite enthused with the development, although there are some concerns about privacy. All in all though, the ongoing development of the IoT is a big benefit for consumers for whom their everyday lives take up nearly all of available attention, and anything that can make the task that come along with it easier is going to be especially welcome. Here at 4GoodHosting, we’re like any good Canadian web hosting in that these types of trends and technological developments are especially interesting to us given the digital nature of what we do here. While it would be a challenge to find anyone who’s not at least somewhat familiar with IoT, it’s going to be understandable if you haven’t hear of UWB (Ultra Wideband) connectivity. That’s what we’re going to discuss with our entry here today, and the first thing to know about it is that it’s going to be an integral part of the IoT being expanded to have even greater functional capacities. Getting to Know UWB The new line of iPhones need no introduction, but one interesting point about them is they contain a chip called a U1 chip that provides Ultra Wideband connectivity. These chips are said to provide ‘spatial awareness’ – the ability for your phone to recognize its surroundings and the objects in it. In more example-based terms, it’s what allows one iPhone 11 user to point their phone at another iPhone 11 and transfer a file or photo. UWB is a short-range, wireless communication protocol that is similar to Bluetooth or Wi-Fi in that it uses radio waves, but it’s different in that it operates at a very high frequency. It also uses a wide spectrum of several GHz. 15+ years ago, UWB was used for military radars and covert...

January 7, 2020

Domain Related

Reading Time: 6 minutes

The new year – and a new decade – are upon us now and for many of us our New Year’s resolution will be to further our careers. Sure, there’s going to be many other resolutions too but no matter what industry you work in there’s always something to be said for expanding the horizons of what you’re able to do. For those who work in IT, it’s probably fair to say that there’s even more pressure to continually be mastering more given the extremely competitive nature of the industry and the willingness of companies to jettison employees in favors of more capable ones if an when they present themselves. That certainly is the nature of that industry, but every one of us that enjoys digital connectivity and everything that comes along with it needs to be thankful for what web and app developers do for us. Here at 4GoodHosting, being a leading Canadian web hosting provider doesn’t qualify us for such appreciation, but we do sit in position that lets us have a more insider’s view into what goes on in the IT industry and how there’s never a day when these developers can rest on the laurels. It’s entirely true that if you’re not moving forward and learning and exploring all the time, you’re likely not long for the profession. As long as user behavior and user needs are changing, then web and application development will always be changing similarly. Fail to keep up with that and it’s going to be impossible to keep your products and projects relevant. The answer of course is to expand your skill set so that you’re able to catch the balls no matter which direction they fly at you from. With that understood, here are 6 key skill areas where web and app developers would be wise to put their focuses in 2020. Artificial intelligence AI’s importance in application development can’t be stressed strongly enough at the moment. Most people who are in this business will know the extent to which it’s become so ubiquitous. Many users won’t even realise their interacting with AI or machine learning systems, but the fact that...