Saturday, February 19, 2011 - Bosque Birdwatchers RV Park, San Antonio NM

Thank You Thank You, iPhone, iPod touch, iPad Lockscreen, February 19, 2011

Address book security

Last week I took a ride up to Albuquerque to pick up a Verizon iPhone (a whole 'nother story) and while playing with it and searching the net for tips and tricks I came across mention of a rather serious security issue losing an unlocked smart phone presents. One's entire address book is usually synced to these devices making the whole shebang available to whoever steals or finds the phone. We've all been trained by now to be alert to Pfishing scams but I'd wager if you get an email from me you'll open it without giving it a second thought & bingo! A nice fat address book is worth stealing.

It was suggested that a phone access passcode be set to at least slow the scammers down and give one time to do a remote wipe via MobileMe (in the case of the iPhone). But that leaves the good samaritan who finds the phone no way to get in to identify the owner and return it. It was suggested that a lockscreen photo with simple contact info would offer a way around this problem.

It dawned on me that my address book is on my iPod touch and iPad as well and I've never passcode locked them. They are locked now. Plus I use 1Password apps to securely store my passwords.

I wonder how many devices out there have MY contact info on them....

Night camp

Site 10 - Bosque Bird Watcher's RV Park, San Antonio NM

This is a basic, small Mom & Pop RV Park with full hookups.
Verizon cell phone and Broadband service are available here with a strong signal.
Locate Bosque Bird Watcher's RV Park on my Night Camps map
Click for Google street view
Check the weather in San Antonio NM

Crayfish Chimney

Late one afternoon I sat upon my camera case beside the path where it wound through the darkest part of the woods, down near the pond, and watched a crayfish building his "chimney," the land entrance to his underwater tunnel. He had just started to work above the ground when I first arrived. He came up through the moist black earth, carrying a ball of it between his two enormous fighting claws. Using the claws as hands, he spread the soil around the hole to form the base of the chimney. He then backed down the hole and after several minutes came up with another armful.

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