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Smartphone, Zoom Privacy, HBO and Data Caps
By Bob DeLaurentis
Q. Which mobile phone is the best value? problem prevents you from getting your work done,
A. Although many options exist in the smartphone or if a product or vendor ignores security vul-
market, one choice stands above all the others: The nerabilities over a sustained period of time, that is a
2020 iPhone SE. signal that it might be time for greener pastures.
I am so impressed by the new iPhone SE that I· My advice is to pay attention news reports, but do
believe it should be the first phone anyone consid- not jump to another product lightly. Similar products
ers, even current smartphone owners who want to have security issues too. .
upgrade. It is simply that good. · Today we need to connect with one another now
Technology refinements over the last few years more than ever, and Zoom is one of the best ways
have created a revolutionary. landscape for con- to do that.
sumers. The iPhone SE capably matches top of the
line phones from a few years ago for less than half Q. I feel lost whenever I try some-thing new with a
the price. Even more astounding, the iPhone SE personal tech device. Are user manuals gone forev-
has a faster processor than any Android phone ever er?
made. A. I remember the days when com-puter software
The base model iPhone SE packs more than was sold in boxes stuffed thick with manuals. I also
enough power for any user, and there are only a remember bookstore tech shelves that contained
handful of add-ons worth considering. An external thousands of books explain-ing everything you could
case can be nice but is not necessary'. I strongly ever want.
recommend adding AppleCare for a month. If That era has passed, but we are not as bad off as
you expect to. take a massive number of photos it may appear. There is a lot of help if you know
and videos, an extra $50 will double the internal where to look for it.
storage, which is a worthwhile luxury. . Every smartphone, tablet, and lap-top has at least
The iPhone SE is the only Apple phone that still one manual available online. For most hardware,
uses a fingerprint to unlock the screen. Differences one of those little slips of paper in the box have a
in phys-iology make TouchID troublesome for a link to a PDF document that you can download.
small group of users, so if this is your first TouchID The next option is to look on the [internet. Try
device, use the exchange policy if the phone does searching for the name of the product, the operating
not meet your needs. system name, and the phrase "user guide" or
Premium smartphones continue to push the lead- "getting started." For example, "MacBook Pro Catali-
ing edge of technology forward, but the iPhone SE na user guide" or "Android 10 Pixel 3 manual."
has nar-rowed the performance gap signifi-cantly. Another place to find support is the help menu
An iPhone SE is a bargain-priced workhorse that built into most apps. These menus usually provide
you should con-sider for your next smartphone. another link to a PDF manual, along with links to the
manufacturer's web site, tutorials, and context spe-
Q. I have read horror stories about privacy with cific help.
Zoom conferences. Should I be concerned? The bottom line is that great docu-mentation still
A. In December 2019, Zoom had 10 million · daily exists, but it is usually hard to find.
users. In March, their daily users numbered over outside with a camera.
200 million. That twentyfold increase attracted a lot
of attention, including headlines about security is- Q. How do I disinfect a smartphone or tablet?
sues. A. Manufacturers usually publish guidelines for their
Security issues can be found in any tech product products, and you should follow them. The most
that includes software. other words, every tech common advice is to avoid using too much liquid by
product. However, from a practical perspective, applying it first to a clean, lint-free cloth. Use a disin-
most of these red flags are not especially wide- fectant solution that contains at least 70% alcohol.
spread. And in Zoom's case, its problems have Never use bleach or similar strong chemicals.
been addressed. Products intended for cleaning screens do not dis-
So how does a consumer identify the problems infect, even if they contain alcohol.
that he or she really needs to worry about? If the (Continued on page 17)
July/August 2020 16
