Big names in tech jump behind Microsoft’s fight with the US Goverment over data search in Ireland, some of your favorite apps see some nice and maybe not so nice updates…

And we review the NoPhone!

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Microsoft Gets Industry Support Against US Search Of Data In Ireland

Tech giants such as Apple and eBay have given their support in Microsoft’s legal battle against the U.S. government regarding the handing over of data stored in an Irish datacenter. In connection with a 2014 drugs investigation, U.S. prosecutors issued a warrant for emails stored by Microsoft in Ireland. The firm refused to hand over the information, but in July was ordered by a judge to comply with the investigation. Microsoft has today filed a collection of letters from industry supporters, such as Apple, eBay, Cisco, Amazon, HP, and Verizon. Trade associations including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Digital Rights Ireland have also expressed their support.

Canonical’s Stripped-Down “Snappy” Ubuntu Comes To Google’s Compute Engine | TechCrunch

A week ago, Canonical released the first alpha version of its new minimalist “Snappy” edition of Ubuntu Core for container farms. To the surprise of many, the launch partner for Snappy was Microsoft’s Azure cloud computing platform. Starting today, however, you will also be able to use this version of Ubuntu on Google’s Compute Engine.

Facebook Starts Auto-Enhancing Photos Because Algorithms Are Better At Filters Than You

Facebook will now auto-enhance newly uploaded photos starting today on iOS and soon on Android. You’ll be able to adjust a slider to control just how enhanced you want the light, shadow, and clarity, or revert back to your original shot.

Instagram Updated with New Filters and Design

Just when you thought you had enough filters, Instagram goes and adds more along with an updated design and a whole slew of other new and improved features.

Today the make-your-photos-look-better-than-they-are app for iOS and Android was updated with five new filters (Aden, Slumber, Crema, Ludwig and Perpetua), a new look for the filters area of the app, the ability to customize your filters tray, real-time commenting and support for uploading slow-motion video.

Instagram says the new filters take advantage of the higher quality images created by today’s smartphones while the original filters were there to help enhance the relatively low-quality images produced by those phones back when Instagram launched. These new filters soften and add a subtle color shift to photographs.

Two other new features round out today’s update: The ability to upload slow-motion videos is now supported. Plus, photo comments now update in real time. No need to refresh to see new updates.

The NoPhone Review

Introducing the NoPhone, a technology-free alternative to constant hand-to-phone contact.

Features

• Battery free
• No upgrades necessary
• Shatterproof
• Waterproof

Frequently Asked Questions

Does it have a camera?
No.

Is it Bluetooth compatible?
No.

Does it make calls?
No.

Is it toilet bowl resistant?
Yes.

The post The Rally Around Microsoft | Tech Talk Today 107 first appeared on Jupiter Broadcasting.

We start with the leaked celebrity photos, cloud storage’s critical flaw, Anand Shimpi leaving AnandTech for Apple, China giving MS 20 days & much more!

Plus the big test of Microsoft’s commitment to user privacy.

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MP3 Audio | OGG Audio | Video | HD Video | Torrent | YouTube

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Show Notes:

Naked celebrity hack: security experts focus on iCloud backup theory | The Guardian

Over the weekend, hundreds of nude photos of celebrities were leaked on 4chan before spreading to multiple Internet sites, with one of the involved hackers pointing towards iCloud as the source of the material.

One theory gaining ground is that many of the pictures had been accumulated by one hacker over a period of time – and were then “popped” by another hacker who somehow broke into a machine belonging to the first. Lending weight to that was that one of the earliest photos found in a cache released online dated to December 2011, while the most recent was from 14 August.

Some have also pointed to the presence of a Dropbox tutorial file in one hacked account as suggesting that the third-party cloud storage service was a source of some pictures.

• Mac Rumors: Apple Mac iOS Rumors and News You Care About

• Apple Says It Is “Actively Investigating” Celeb Photo Hack | Re/code

Apple said Monday it was “actively investigating” the violation of several of its iCloud accounts, in which revealing photos and videos of prominent Hollywood actresses were taken and posted all over the Web.

FBI investigating alleged iCloud celebrity hack as Reddit ‘suspect’ declares innocence

[The FBI is] aware of the allegations concerning computer intrusions and the unlawful release of material involving high profile individuals, and is addressing the matter. Any further comment would be inappropriate at this time.

Reddit sleuths, meantime, accused Southern Digital Media sysadmin Brian F Hamade of being the man who leaked the photos. This was based on the same drive names appearing on a screenshot posted by the leaker and ones on an old Reddit post by Hamade.

Hamade has this morning denied the claims in an interview with Buzzfeed, claiming that he did post the screenshot but that it was Photoshopped.

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AnandTech Publisher Anand Shimpi Headed to Apple | Re/code

Anand Lal Shimpi, the editor and publisher of the well-regarded AnandTech site, is going to work at Apple.

An Apple rep confirmed that the company was hiring Shimpi, but wouldn’t provide any other details.

Last night, via a post on the site he founded in 1997, Shimpi said he was “officially retiring from the tech publishing world,” but didn’t say what he was doing next. “I won’t stay idle forever. There are a bunch of challenges out there :)”, he wrote.

AnandTech will continue publishing, and would be run by new editor in chief Ryan Smith.

China gives Microsoft 20 days to provide explanation in anti-trust probe | Reuters

A Chinese anti-trust regulator said on Monday it has given Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) 20 days to reply to queries on the compatibility of its Windows operating system and Office software suite amid a probe into the world’s largest software company.

The State Administration for Industry and Commerce (SAIC) questioned Microsoft Vice President David Chen and gave the company a deadline to make an explanation, the agency said in a short statement on its website.

According to a state media report on Monday, Microsoft’s use of verification codes also spurred complaints from Chinese companies. Their use “may have violated China’s anti-monopoly law”, the official Xinhua news agency said on Monday.

Microsoft refuses to comply after judge revives overseas data search warrant | ZDNet

A US judge has lifted a stay on a ruling, forcing Microsoft to hand over data it stores overseas. But the software giant said it will not comply, pending an appeal.

The government says that the order is not appealable at this stage, and Preska agrees. The Friday order says that the contempt order would be subject to appellate review. This disagreement over the path to appeal is, says the order, “the subject of hot dispute.”

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The post The Cloud Exposed | Tech Talk Today 51 first appeared on Jupiter Broadcasting.