Encryption backdoor + more

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Mossberg: An Encryption Backdoor Is a Bad Idea – Re/code – Walt Mossberg explains in non-technical terms why an encryption backdoor is a really bad idea. More security related content here.

The best buyer for Yahoo’s core internet business may be… Alibaba – not convinced that Alibaba would want to. There few synergies with its existing business and would need a major effort to reinvigorate the Yahoo! operations overseas. Then there would be the political issue of a Chinese company being obliged to support the Chinese government in their intelligence efforts holding hundreds of millions of email and instant messaging accounts….

Pando: Has Pando missed the heart of the Uber problem? A transportation industry expert writes… – a must read (paywall)

Daring Fireball: Bloomberg: ‘Apple Gets More Bang for Its R&D Buck’ – but where does this leave them in terms of patents?

Airbnb CEO Blames TBWA for S.F. Campaign That ‘Embarrassed’ the Company – really? At the least AirBnB paid for the campaign, signed off on the brief and signed off on the creative. The response kind of mirrors the passive aggressive tone of the original ads. This feels like provenance to me rather than allowing AirBnb to build space between themselves and the campaign.

No need for detergent—ultrasonic-infused water can clean by itself – jewellers and laboratories have been using ultrasonic baths for decades. It will remove the food, but it won’t necessarily clean germs.

How to Fix Everything | Motherboard – Apple quietly stopped accepting applications for “Authorized Service Provider” designations in 2010. There are the seizures of “counterfeit” parts being imported from China that may be legally legitimate. There are the lease programs carriers and Apple have started that ensure you won’t ever actually “own” a phone ever again

Troy Hunt – Inside the massive VTech hack – interesting diagnosis of the breach by Troy.

Could China have an ICAC? HKEJ Insight – it would be interesting if it did. I don’t think it would work with the rule of law as a tool of political power.