@pee@mastodon.online
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pee

@pee@mastodon.online

We expose consumer infringements, dark patterns, roadhogs and other nasty stuff in Africa. We are independent, not affiliated and seek positive change. Promotion of Digital Self-Defence

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CliffShiko, to random
@CliffShiko@mastodon.social avatar

JUST IN: The price of petrol (both) will decrease by R1.24 cents per litre, while diesel will decrease by R1.08 to R1.18 cents per litre. Paraffin will decrease by R1.07 cents at the retail level, and LP gas will decrease by R1.35 cents per kg. Effective from Wednesday.

pee,
@pee@mastodon.online avatar

@danie10 while on the subject of forgetfulness, just found an old scribble on my table. Electricity (depends on your Municipality offcourse): 2019 - R2.16 p/kWh; 2020 - R2.35 p/kWh; 2021 - R2.73 p/kWh; now R3.32- p/kWh @CliffShiko

danie10, to apple
@danie10@mastodon.social avatar

Apple needs to explain that bug that resurfaced deleted photos: Can we trust Apple’s PR?

It’s understandable that people freaked out last week when photos deleted years ago had suddenly reappeared in their iPhone photo library.

While we wait to hear the reason, it does seem to appear that deleted photos are still not deleted after 30 ...continues

See https://gadgeteer.co.za/apple-needs-to-explain-that-bug-that-resurfaced-deleted-photos-can-we-trust-apples-pr/

pee,
@pee@mastodon.online avatar

@danie10 "what happens on your iPhone, stays on your iPhone" 😜, so all the little three-letter friends have something worthwhile to hack.

pee,
@pee@mastodon.online avatar

@danie10 perhaps they can't - National Security Letter. Just like with the push-notification debacle. It's good practice to install a device from scratch from time-to-time and if you have software like iMazing, it's quiet an eye opener.

pee, to solar
@pee@mastodon.online avatar

Life's bliss with #Solar and #HomeAssistant . Got my Smart Plugs & Switches today. #Eskom 0.00 #SouthAfrica

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pee,
@pee@mastodon.online avatar

@danie10 those plugs are running off Solar. The only thing still on Eskom is the Geyser, Stove (which I don't use) and the Ceiling Lights. So Eskom can po*s off now 😅

pee,
@pee@mastodon.online avatar

@danie10 still struggling with setting up Notifications in HA.

pee, to HomeAutomation
@pee@mastodon.online avatar

Beware of Products in . If you have a choice, don't buy them! The App refuses to populate the WiFi Network to pair new devices if you do not deactivate 'Private WiFi Address' (MAC randomisation), 'Limit IP Address Tracking' & activate 'Location Services' and give access to 'Precise Location' on iPhone. . They even published a blog article about it, recommending to deactivate these vital protections, instead of fixing the App. 🤦

pee,
@pee@mastodon.online avatar

one good thing though - the RF-to-WiFi Bridge (R2 433) does work with other 3rd party Sensors and I now managed to integrate my Alarm System into , without having to buy a new one.

pee,
@pee@mastodon.online avatar

@danie10 I went through the websites & docs and it appears a monumental mission - either there are remarks of 'no longer supported' or you need to solder wires or this or that. Gees, if it is no longer supported, remove it from the list . And why such a mission to flash a Camera, while it could be easily done via SD Card. Or I am to new to all of this, to grasp it all at once.

danie10, to random
@danie10@mastodon.social avatar

Wow calls to are now way more than to China, at about R659/min (US$35/min). Seems it will be cheaper to just SMS back and forth than to speak.

From https://www.afrihost.com/airmobile/rates

pee,
@pee@mastodon.online avatar

@danie10 typo? Still extortion though, even at R1.99.

danie10, to HomeAutomation
@danie10@mastodon.social avatar

You can automate much of your home and devices with a Raspberry Pi and open-source Home Assistant

This article is a worthy reminder that are already many things in your home which you can automate from garage door openers, to your home router, to a solar system, to lights, to speakers, and so much more.

Home Assistant has hundreds of ready to ...continues

See https://gadgeteer.co.za/you-can-automate-much-of-your-home-and-devices-with-a-raspberry-pi-and-open-source-home-assistant/

pee,
@pee@mastodon.online avatar

@danie10 if you hook up IoT devices like a Camera for example, how do you avoid it from 'phoning' home, which most models are made to do and possibly sending the feed to the manufacturer too?

pee,
@pee@mastodon.online avatar

@danie10 I was arm-twisted and persuaded that we need a Nanny Cam and at the moment we have a EUFY Indoor Cam. The only reason I bought it is because it's the only Cam I found that features E2EE for feed, local storage and if activated cloud storage too. But I see that has standard support for Cams like Xiaomi, which ordinarily I would not dream of buying - just wondering if Cams like that can be 'safely' integrated/operated with Home Assistant.

pee,
@pee@mastodon.online avatar

@danie10 but if you use the HA App to get a feed whilst out, then it online right?

danie10, to southafrica
@danie10@mastodon.social avatar

Why after nearly 20 years I moved away from Vodacom – Loyalty often does not Pay

I’ve been with Vodacom since just after number porting went live in South Africa, and I’ve been on a contract with them for most of that time until after I retired from work, and no longer had a work cellphone allowance. It was just cheaper to move ...continues

See https://gadgeteer.co.za/why-after-nearly-20-years-i-moved-away-from-vodacom-loyalty-often-does-not-pay/

pee,
@pee@mastodon.online avatar

@danie10 interesting! Just some thoughts though - how exactly do Mobile Virtual Networks operate? Do they piggyback on the main Networks? How - through Cloud Telephony? Are the calls recorded and stored in the Cloud? Does it not bother you that your ISP now suddenly has your ID Number and Proof of Address, through the RICA process?

pee,
@pee@mastodon.online avatar

@danie10 and safer for now with a Private Operator (depending on the Privacy Policy) than with a Full Operator too I guess, the way they profile and sell your Data. But who knows how long until greed hooks the Private Operators and you get 'We are changing our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy' in favor of Zuckerberg and other Data Brokers - free W/App and Facebook, so Zuck gets his daily fix of your location.

uastronomer, to random

Exciting times on the homestead last night!

It was windy and rainy last night, some thunder, blessed relief from the heat. I woke at around 2 to the feel of a cool breeze on my face. I lay there for a while trying to work out the air flow that would put wind on my face, given where my head lies. Came to the conclusion that I must have forgotten to close the bedroom window.

So I rolled over to get up and close it. I come face to face with a man standing outside, his arm through the window holding the curtains back, presumably trying to peer into the darkness to look for stuff to steal from my bedside table.

So of course I roared at him, leaped up, shouted more, and so he turned and ran. Yelled some more asking him in the crude vernacular to please vacate the premises, watched his ankles vanish around the corner.

Poor wife wakes up in a panic, we let the dogs out, I send a short description to the neighbourhood emergency whatsapp group, and three different security companies respond (even though I'm not a customer) and dispatch patrols to search the area.

So problem solved. Bad guy sent packing, dogs making massive noise around the house, armed response teams circling the neighbourhood, safe once more.

Not that that helped us get back to sleep though... so wife and I sat up watching old episodes of Monk on her laptop till 4am.

So if I'm a little slow at work today, not responding as quickly as I should or coming up with stupid ideas in response to simple problems, sorry, blame the wall jumper.

pee,
@pee@mastodon.online avatar

@uastronomer lekker skrik! I am sure the hair on your arms stood up. 🤬

pee,
@pee@mastodon.online avatar

@uastronomer had a similar one once, wondering why the window was open in the Kids Room.

flipsideza, to random
@flipsideza@fosstodon.org avatar

I find I send messages to my colleagues and no one replies. Its like shouting into a void. I must admit this is my one hate about working from home.

pee,
@pee@mastodon.online avatar

@flipsideza it's bloody rude! Ethics have taken a nose-dive into a swimming pool filled with cement.

pee,
@pee@mastodon.online avatar

@flipsideza @pee a group-chat of 7 people is like 'family' - so I'd consider it rude. If you are in a Group of 50+, I guess one can get away with keeping quiet. 🧐

singe, to random
@singe@chaos.social avatar

https://mybroadband.co.za/news/security/528405-ransomware-group-dumps-massive-collection-of-government-employee-data-online.html via @sigstart

pee,
@pee@mastodon.online avatar

@danie10 @singe ...and with it all our information. From the CIPC breach I believe the system still has vulnerabilities and now they are asking for even more information to 'verify' it's you, to reactivate your Profile - Spouses ID, Date of Marriage, ID Issue Date etc. It's plain careless and reckless. I went to get a new Driving Licence and they took a Biometric Photo and Fingerprints - is the ID & Driving Licence Database safe?

pee,
@pee@mastodon.online avatar

@danie10 @singe I actually do not feel safe to share data with Government anymore.

pee,
@pee@mastodon.online avatar

@mensrea @pee @danie10 @singe 🤦🤮

pee, to cisco
@pee@mastodon.online avatar

🤦 If you ever had any doubts about #Cisco #Webex you were right! I think there are a couple of service-providers in #SouthAfrica offering this - if you value your business or PII, don't use Webex and beware of other VoIP Services that do not use E2EE https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-68457087

pee, to southafrica
@pee@mastodon.online avatar

"...for every four litres provided to Gauteng by Rand Water, one litre is wasted through leakage (the city’s fault) and one litre is either given away for free (public good), stolen (the public’s fault), or not accounted for (much harder to allocate blame). This means only half of what is provided can be charged for." https://businesstech.co.za/news/lifestyle/756675/why-taps-are-running-dry-in-south-africas-richest-city/

pee,
@pee@mastodon.online avatar

@danie10 @pee if it were not for , and within the ruling elite of , it would be the land of milk and honey, with poverty and all other nuisances a thing of the past.

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