Obama Forbidden iPhone for Security Reasons.......Looks like Blackberry will keep at least one loyal customer!

President Barack Obama publicly explained why he is sticking with his bulky Blackberry—the super-secure device is the only one he is allowed to carry.

At a meeting to promote the health care law at the White House on Wednesday, Obama told a group of young people, “I’m not allowed for security reasons to have an iPhone.” He added that daughters Sasha and Malea spend a lot of time on their iPhones.

Agence France-Presse reports that even though Blackberry has hemorrhaged market share to Apple and other tech firms, it’s still popular among officials in Washington because of its strong encryption. Around the time of his inauguration in 2009, Obama fought to keep his Blackberry; he has said he doesn’t want to be kept in the “White House bubble” where the majority of the president’s communications are filtered by staff and the media.

Obama also reportedly has a personal email address that’s limited to a small group of senior officials and close friends.

#AFP

NSA 'tracking' hundreds of millions of mobile phones - BBC

The tracking system lets the NSA map phone use around the world



Almost five billion mobile phone location records are logged by the NSA every day, reports the Washington Post.

The data is said to help the NSA track individuals, and map who they know, to aid the agency's anti-terror work.

The "dragnet surveillance" was condemned by digital rights groups who called for the NSA's snooping efforts to be reined in.

The news comes as Microsoft plans to use more encryption to thwart NSA spying on it and its customers.Wrong target

The huge database built up by the NSA (National Security Agency) keeps an eye on "hundreds of millions" of mobile phones, said the Post, adding that it let the agency map movements and relationships in ways that were "previously unimaginable".

It added that the vast programme potentially surpassed any other NSA project in terms of its impact on privacy. Information about the programme was in papers released to the Post by whistleblower Edward Snowden.

The spying agency is said to have accumulated so much data, about 27 terabytes according to leaked papers seen by the Post, that it was "outpacing" the NSA's ability to analyse the information in a timely fashion.

The analysis, via a computer system called Co-Traveler, was necessary as only a tiny fraction of 1% of the data gathered was actually useful in its anti-terror work, said the paper. The analysis is so detailed that it can be used to thwart attempts to hide from scrutiny by people who use disposable phones or only use a handset briefly before switching it off.

The vast majority of the information gathered is said to come from taps installed on mobile phone networks and used the basic location-information that networks log as people move around. Analysing this data helps the NSA work out which devices are regularly in close proximity and, by implication, exposes a potential connection between the owners of those handsets.

The American Civil Liberties Union said it was "staggering" that the NSA could mount such a vast location-logging system without any public debate. The "dragnet surveillance" broke US obligations that require it to respect the privacy of foreigners and Americans.

"The government should be targeting its surveillance at those suspected of wrong-doing, not assembling massive associational databases that, by their very nature, record the movements of a huge number of innocent people," it added.

The steady flow of information about the NSA's surveillance work has led Microsoft to take steps to protect itself and its customers from unwarranted scrutiny, it said in a blogpost.

Brad Smith, Microsoft legal counsel, said government snooping was now as much of a security problem as computer viruses and other cyber-attacks.

In response, Mr Smith said, Microsoft was expanding its use of encryption; would fight legal orders that stop it telling customers when their data is being sought and would allow a closer look at the code it develops to show there were no backdoors built in.

#bbc.co.uk

Nollywood and Ghallywood star Jackie Appiah turns 30 today

Today marks the 30th birthday of Nollywood and Ghallywood star Jackie Appiah. ...

Happy Birthday Gurl!

PHOTOS: War of cleavages at the UK Lingerie Awards + Full List Of Winners

Celebs came  to pose on the red carpet at the UK Lingerie Awards held last night at the Freemasons' Hall in London and they didn't disappoint with what they chose to wear.

Winners of the UK Lingerie Awards 2013 in association with Fashion Forms
Fuller Bust Brand of the Year: Elomi
Swimwear Brand of the Year, sponsored by Mode City Paris Salon International De La Lingerie & Du Swimwear: Pistol Panties
Post Surgery Brand of the Year: Anita Care
Maternity Brand of the Year: Lorna Drew
Hosiery Brand of the Year: Jonathan Aston
New Designer of the Year: Madame Supertrash
Independent Directional Brand of the Year: Something Wicked
Lounge & Nightwear Brand of the Year: Olivia Von Halle
Shapewear Brand of the Year: Spanx
Sports Bra Brand of the Year: Panache Sport
Marketing Campaign of the Year: Freya Deco 365
Boudoir Lingerie Brand of the Year: Maison Close
Independent Retailer of the Year, sponsored by Triumph: Dolci Follie
Multiple Retailer of the Year, sponsored by Vercella Vita: Rigby & Peller
Digital Retailer of the Year: Figleaves
Department Store of the Year, sponsored by Panache: Selfridges
Regional Department Store of the Year, sponsored by Charnos XeLence: Jarrold
Lingerie Brand of the Year, sponsored by Salon International De La Lingerie: Gossard
The UK's Favourite British Designer of the Year: Janet Reger
The UK's Favourite Lingerie Retailer of the Year: Debenhams
The UK's Favourite Lingerie Brand of the Year: Gossard
Lifetime Achievement Award: Gillian Proctor

                    
               

Missing 29 Yr Old Ayobami Jaiyeola Kidnapped, N10m Ransom Demanded

The disappearance of 29 Yr Old Ayobami Jaiyeola which was initially reported as a case of missing person, has now become a case of kidnap after kidnappers made an anonymous call to the family demanding a ransom of 10 million naira.


Following her sudden disappearance from her elder sister’s house at Dideolu Estate in the Oniru area of the state on the 29th of November, friends of the victim began sending messages on smartphones and the social media, begging members of the public to help search and provide details regarding Ayobami’s whereabouts.


However, it was gathered that Wednesday afternoon (yesterday), a man, who refused to give his identity, called the victim’s elder sister over the phone, demanding N10m as ransom.

The relative said, “We did not speak with Ayobami, but someone called with a private number demanding N10m.

“When we tried to ask further questions about the state of our daughter, the man terminated the call abruptly.”

Jaiyeola who graduated from the University of Maryland in the United States, was said to have returned to Nigeria in January to serve her father land.

It was learnt that until her abduction, her place of NYSC primary assignment was the Lagos State Ministry of Works, Alausa, Ikeja.

Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, who confirmed the incident said the police had commenced investigation into the matter.