Not everyone needs a Windows tablet or laptop. For some would be best served with a Google Chromebook. The ASUS Chromebook Flip C302CA is an example of such a Chromebook, and it has a fair amount going for it.
Now for a very long time, Chromebooks were largely used in education. Pardon the pun, but the Asus Chromebook Flip is going to flip the script on that. First of all, it’s quick by Chromebook standards. Nothing I did could bring it to its knees and you can thank an Intel processor and 4GB of RAM for that. In terms of storage, you get 64GB of storage which doesn’t sound like a lot. But it is by Chromebook standards.
Second, it’s all bundled up in a very classy and good looking package. For starters, all of this Chromebook goodness is in a thin aluminum body that feels solid and of high quality. In fact, it almost feels like something from 1 Infinite Loop. There’s a 12.5 inch screen with a max resolution of 2400 x 1350. My mid 40’s eyes found that to be too high a resolution, but you may not find it so bad. Regardless, the screen is sharp. Though I will note that it does get washed out when you’re outside in bright sunlight and sometimes in bright indoor lighting situations. You also get a full sized keyboard which is excellent to type on because it has long key travel. It’s also backlit and has a decent sized trackpad. Connectivity comes in the form of a pair of USB-C ports (which of course do double duty for charging purposes) and there’s a MicroSD card in the mix as well. A headphone jack is also included and you’ll need them as the speakers aren’t exactly the loudest. Battery life is good. Ten hours is what I managed to get out of this Chromebook which is what I look for in any portable device of this type.
The one thing that the Asus Chromebook Flip has going for it is that you can “flip” it and turn it into a tablet. To get to that mode, you just rotate the screen on its hinges. There’s also a magnet to make sure that it stays in tablet mode. It’s a cool and well designed feature that sets it apart from its competition.
Now in terms of pricing, the unit that I had goes for about $700 dollars Canadian. But Asus has models that start at under $600. If you’re in the market for a Chromebook, take a good look at the Asus Chromebook Flip.
Apple To Force Users To Two Factor Authentication & Away From Two Step Verification
Posted in Commentary with tags Apple on June 8, 2017 by itnerdLater this year when iOS 11 and macOS High Sierra hits the streets, you may notice one significant change the second you install those operating systems. You will likely be moved away from Two Step Verification and be forced to use the more secure Two Factor Authentication. This surfaced in the World Wide Developer conference this past week and is documented here.
Now you’re likely wondering what the difference is. I’ll quote the article that I linked to for the key differences:
There are a couple of differences between Apple’s two-step verification and its 2FA system. The main difference is that with the older service, users are given a recovery key that they need to keep in case they have to reset their password. That’s not required for 2FA.
“Because your password alone is no longer enough to access your account, two-factor authentication dramatically improves the security of your Apple ID and all the personal information you store with Apple,” the company’s explanation says.
“Once signed in, you won’t be asked for a verification code on that device again unless you sign out completely, erase the device, or need to change your password for security reasons. When you sign in on the web, you can choose to trust your browser, so you won’t be asked for a verification code the next time you sign in from that computer.”
So, how do you know which one you have? If you log into an Apple service, say iCloud for example, and you get a notification or text message with a code for you to enter, you have Two Step Verification. If however you get a pop up informing you that someone from a specific location is trying to access an Apple service with your Apple ID, then you have Two Factor Authentication. You want to be on the latter. But if you’re on the former, here’s how you can switch over now. First you need to turn off Two Step Verification:
Now turning on Two Factor Authentication is a bit more involved. Apple has a very good guide that will walk you through the process. Even though you’ll be automatically upgraded to Two Factor Authentication when you install iOS 11 and macOS High Sierra, I’d upgrade now to ensure that you are as secure as possible with your existing operating systems on your whatever Apple devices that you have.
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