Los Angeles, Ca
Is NameDrop really a privacy threat? The truth revealed
Over the weekend, law enforcement agencies around the country started posting security warnings about a new iPhone feature called NameDrop, and how it could potentially share your contact information just by bringing two iPhones close together.
The posts encouraged users to turn the feautre off to protect their privacy, insinuating that a stranger could collect your data just by getting near your phone.
Turns out, it’s just not true.
In my extensive testing of the feature, I figured out exactly how it works. Read on to understand it and determine if you want to turn it off.
Follow Tech Reporter Rich DeMuro on Instagram for more tech news, tips and reviews.
I was there as Apple announced the feature to much fanfare at it’s annual Worldwide Developer’s Conferce in June 2023.
“This year we’re expanding how you can use AirDrop to share in all new ways starting with how you swap your number with someone new,” started Apple executive and engineer Craig Federighi.
“With NameDrop, you can just bring your phones close together. You’ll see the same contact poster we talked about for phone calls, and you can easily choose the phone numbers and email addresses you want to share along with it,” he continued.
NameDrop is new in iOS 17 and it’s an extension of Apple’s longtime AirDrop feature. It is turned on by default.
But, will it really automatically swap your contact info with strangers?
“The reeality is, the risk just isn’t there that’s been highlighted in a lot of these articles,” said Steve Tcherchian, a security expert with XYPRO Technology.
For starters, both iPhones need their screens to be active. They don’t necessarily need to be unlocked for the feature to trigger, but you can’t proceed with sharing info unless you unlock them.
In my testing, placing two iPhones side by side won’t activate the feature. Two iPhones placed face to face, back to back and top to top will.
You’ll see an animation and feel a vibration when the feature is triggered.
The most important part of the process is that information is never shared automatically. Not only is there a confirmation screen, but you can choose the phone number or email you want to share with the other user. Finally, you must press “Recieve Only” or “Share” to send or recieve contact info.
“You can’t just drive by a phone or walk by a phone, tap your phone on somebody’s pocket and steal under information. It just doesn’t work that way,” said Tcherchian.
Now that you know how it works, if you want to toggle the feature off, you can find the toggle in Settings > General > AirDrop under “bringing devices together.”
“Having this on is perfectly fine. Apple always takes care of security as a primary concern, and they make things easy as well as secure at the same time, concluded Tcherchian.
Apple states on their privacy page that “NameDrop was designed to share contact information with only intended recipients and users can choose the specific contact information they want to share — and just as important, which information they do not want to share.”
One thing to keep in mind if you do turn off NameDrop: you’ll also disable a related AirDrop feature that lets you tap two iPhones together to easiy share photos and videos. However, you will still be able to use AirDrop the way many of us are used to, which is from the Share menu.
One more thing to know: if you want to cancel NameDrop at any time, you can just swipe from the bottom of your display, lock your device or just move it away from the other phone if the connection hasn’t been established.
The future of voice to text is here.
I’ve been testing a variety of tools that make taking notes, transcribing audio, and even voice typing faster and easier than ever.
If you have a smartphone, you’re already halfway there!
Google’s Pixel Recorder app is free and built into their smartphone. It’s excellent for transcribing meetings, lectures, and conversations – all in real time.
Apple’s Voice Memos App recently added transcriptions if you’re upgraded to iOS 18.
Samsung’s Voice recorder app now offers transcripts too – as long as you’re on their latest One UI 7 software. (Check Settings > About Phone > Software Information)
Got an older phone? Try Otter.AI. It works great for transcriptions across devices and you get 300 minutes a month free.
Don’t want to tie up your phone?
I’ve been testing AI-powered digital audio recorders from a startup named Plaud.
The Plaud Note is thin, records for hours, and can even clip to the back of your phone to record calls. Just make sure you know your local laws before using that feature.
The Plaud Pin can be clipped to your shirt or worn on your wrist for hands-free recording.
Both devices sync audio to a companion app that auto transcribes and summarizes.
You get five hours of transcription a month included, with options to pay for more.
Pricing for each gadget starts around $160 dollars.
Want to transcribe audio files on your computer?
My favorite Mac app is MacWhisper. You can even get it completely free – although paid versions are avaialble with more features and options.
On Windows, check out Vibe Transcribe, also free.
And for a web-based option, Whisper Web gets the job done.
Finally, if you want to type less and talk more… there’s an excellent AI voice-to-text app called Wispr Flow. It was previously Mac only but just became avaialble for Windows, too.
One you install it, you pick a hotkey. Then, instead of typing just press and hold down that key and dictate what you want to write.
Since it uses the power of AI, you can even stumble or ramble and it will clean up your words and get the punctionation right.
It’s a gamechanger for responding to emails fast! You get 2,000 words free each week with options to pay for more.
Enjoy your newfound time!
An alleged attack on a state prison officer by a 43-year-old inmate transferred from Los Angeles County is being investigated as attempted homicide, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation officials announced Tuesday.
The March 18 incident at Salinas Valley State Prison in Soledad reportedly unfolded just before 9 a.m. on what authorities describe as a “dayroom floor.”
The inmate, Anthony G. Ramirez, is believed to have pulled an improvised weapon from his waistband before attempting to attack custody staff member, according to a CDCR news release.
“Staff immediately responded, disarming Ramirez and placing him in handcuffs without incident,” the release detailed.
The 43-year-old, who was transferred to SVSP in 2008 after being sentenced to life with the possibility of parole for second-degree murder, with enhancements for the use of a firearm and causing great bodily injury or death, was placed in restrictive housing pending the investigation and possible felony prosecution by the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office.
Both Ramirez and the custody staff member were examined by medical personnel who noted no serious injuries.
Officials said that the California Correctional Peace Officers Association was notified of the incident and prison staff were offered peer support services and employee assistance programs.
Salinas Valley State Prison, opened in 1996, houses more than 2,400 minimum, medium, maximum and high-security inmates. The facility also offers vocational programs and academic classes and employs some 1,800 people.
A toxic algal bloom leaving an increasing number of marine mammals stranded along Southern California beaches shows no signs of subsiding and “will only get worse,” officials said Monday.
“This week, we saw more stranded dolphins (both alive and deceased) than we saw during the major domoic acid (DA) bloom in 2023,” Marine Mammal Care Center (MMCC) Los Angeles posted on Facebook.
Recent tests showed DA-producing algae levels have increased, and officials believe that trend will continue in the coming weeks. “We anticipate that it will only get worse,” the post read.
MMCC asked the public not to approach sick dolphins or sea lions on the beach because they can become aggressive upon awakening from a seizure.
“This is a safety issue for people and their pets as much as it is for the marine mammals,” officials said.
Beachgoers were also urged not to push stranded dolphins back into the water, saying it can reduce their chances of survival.
More information about domoic-acid poisoning can be found at https://marinemammalcare.org/domoic-acid/.
The volume of sick marine mammals has also had a financial impact on the MMCC.
“Our team is working heroically to respond to every call and to rescue every animal they can. Please share this post and give now at marinemammalcare.org/donate to give these marine mammals a second chance at life!” the MMCC stated.
Anyone who encounters a sick or stranded marine mammal can alert the nearest lifeguard and call 1-800-39-WHALE to make a report.
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