Insights For Success

Strategy, Innovation, Leadership and Security

AI.Type Android Keyboard leaks data from 31M users

GeneralEdward Kiledjian


ZDNet got the scoop on this significant leak. AI.type, a third-party keyboard replacement for Android has leaked data for its 31 million users online. 

How did this happen? A database administrator didn't secure the database.  Anyone with basic skills could access and query the unprotected database and "have fun" with the 577 GB of data it contained.

What type of data leaked? The leak includes fun elements like name, email address, precise user geolocation data, city and country. Researchers have also found [that some records contain] phone numbers, IP addresses dates of birth, gender, etc.

Why stop there? Researchers also found that some user contacts were in the database. One table contained ~375M telephone numbers.

This is a perfect example why Apple forces users to enter passwords and sensitive information using their native keyboard (even if the user has chosen to install a third party one.)

On Android, I use the Google keyboard for this exact reason. Another alternative is Swiftkey, which now belongs to Microsoft (another company I would trust).

3 writing tips when using Google Apps

GeneralEdward Kiledjian

Google apps have hundreds of features (some from Google, some from third parties) most users don't know about. In this short article, I want to share four tips that will make your life writing in Google apps easier (useful for students and professionals alike). 

Voice Typing

Over the years, I have spent hundreds of dollars on voice typing apps for Mac and Windows (most going to the Dragon Naturally speaking product line from Nuance software). 
For 85% of users, these expensive & complicated products are overkill, and Google makes it's excellent voice recognition engine available for free to all Google Docs users. 
Just click on tools and select Voice Typing.

  • You can check out the Google Support doc explaining this feature here but it is so simple, you should be able to turn it on and start using it immediately. Remember that you can also dictate punctuation:
  • Period
  • Comma
  • Exclamation point
  • Question mark
  • New line
  • New paragraph

Write well with Grammarly

Grammarly is a free (has a paid upgrade) service that helps improve the quality of your writing by :

  • Checking your grammar
  • checking contextually aware spelling
  • recommending vocabulary enhancements

In its simplest (free) form, Grammarly is a Chrome plug-in that works seamlessly with most web services (including Google Docs), and their correction engine is much more robust than simple word misspelling detection. 
You can upgrade to their premium service which costs ($11.66 a month when paid annually). In addition to all the features included in the free version, the premium service adds:

  • advanced check for punctuation, grammar, context and sentence structure
  • vocabulary enhanced suggestions
  • genre-specific writing style checks
  • Plagiarism detector that references more than 8B webpages

Most users will be perfectly fine with the free version so check it out.

Grade readability

The free Hemingway App allows you to paste content into its online editor and assigns a readability score. It uses colour highlighting to identify hard to read sentences. It provides tips on how to simplify the text, use of passive voice, etc. 

There is a $19.99 premium version that operates as a standalone app (Windows and Mac only) but the web version works fine and is accessible anywhere you have a web browser.

Use a Chromebook

Those that have been following me for a while know I love Chromebooks. Chromebooks aren't perfect and won't meet everyone's requirements. Chromebooks do provide a stable, safe and reliable platform when using web-based services. 


Everything mentioned in this article is based on the web or is a chrome extension. These tips will work flawlessly on Chromebooks (whether a $200 Lenovo or a $999 Pixelbook). 

Skyroam Solis Review: a traveller's best friend?

GeneralEdward Kiledjian

I've been using a Skyroam hotspot for many years now and my 2 most popular blog posts (for the old device and service) are here: 

They recently upgraded their back-end service and global WIFI hotspot, and I wanted to test and review it for you. 

Solis is the latest version of the Global WIFI hotspot sold by Skyroam. For those new to this company, they offer a small portable global WIFI hotspot that works in 100+ countries, costs $10US a day for unlimited data and is activated on demand.
 
Although I had many complaints about the pass purchase process with the original product, their hotspot has been part of my every day (EDC) carry kit for three years now.

The Solis improves on its older brother in 2 days:

  • it now supports LTE speeds on countries were it is available (otherwise it drops down to 3G) 
  • it can now operate as a backup battery (in a pinch) to charge your mobile phone

Nice little intro video

I have had the Solis for several months and have already taken it on a US road trip. It is a well-built successor to the original Skyroad hotspot, but the world has changed.

When I started using the original Skyroam in 2014, my carrier didn't offer a global travel package, and it was a pay per megabyte type affair. It got very expensive very fast. Today my carrier offers a US travel package for $7 a day or a global package (in 80+ countries for $10 a day).

If all you need is access on one device, then your carrier package may be more advantageous since it is immediate and does not require any changes. But.... The Skyroam Solis offers coverage in more countries and can provide wonderful internet goodness to up to 5 devices simultaneously. 

In my case, I still rely on Solis or KnowRoaming when I travel since I know that they will offer service everyone for one set price and it is one less worry when I travel. 

The device

If you look at the above picture, the Solis is a beautifully visible shade of orange. It is made of plastic that should withstand the rigours of travel very well. If the battery does weaken, you can order a replacement from Skyroam.

I find the Skyroam Solis much easier to carry than its competitors (including the Geefi).

Using the device

You probably noticed that the device (unlike its older brother) doesn't have a screen. To manage the device, you turn it on and connect to it from your smartphone. You will then be presented with an information page showing signal, passes left, battery level, etc. To use the device "in the field", you turn it on then press the WIFI button on the top. This automatically applies one of your day passes and you get 24 hours of internet. It knows where you are and downloads a virtual SIM for the Skyroam partner in that country. 

You can travel to as many countries as you want during that 24-hour window. All you have to do when you switch countries is turn the unit off and back on. When it starts up, it will identify the local country and download the appropriate country SIM.

You could open the a.skyroam.com captive portal from any device with a browser but it is formatted for smartphones (will look odd on a laptop). Why isn't it responsive?

The Solis is charged with any USBC adaptor which is fantastic if you have a USB C smartphone and laptop. You can charge everything with one adapter.  They provide a mini USB-C to USB-A adapter so you can charge other devices from the Solis but I wouldn't recommend it. WIFI needs every little bit of juice in that battery. 

In my testing (in zones with good LTE coverage and with 1 device connected), I was able to eek out 10-14 hours of usage on a single charge. This number will drop if the wireless signal is weak and/or if you connect multiple WIFI devices to the hotspot. When I tested it with a Chromebook and a Note 8 smartphone, I still got 10 hours of solid use (usage was primarily web pages without heavy streaming).

The software is periodically updated which is a nice touch. I recommend you start the device and let it connect to your local home network (without using a pass) before travelling. If the device needs an update, better to do it now then at a foreign airport waiting for the 15 minute upgrade process to complete. 

How fast is the connection?

I will not post speed test results because that depends on the local carrier, congestion, etc. I will say that in my testing, the Solis achieved LTE speeds comparable to an iPhone 6s Plus. The Note 8 outperformed it with is carrier aggregation technology. 

There is an LTE cap of around 500MB in a 24 hour period. After this, they throttle the connection down to 2G. They claim that this isn't automatic and done to protect the experience for all customers, but I hit this limit consistently (for testing) and saw my speed drop to dial-up performance. At the lower throttled speed, even simple apps like Google Maps took forever to load, and GPS navigation became impossible. 

I understand the need to control their costs but wish there were a way to buy more LTE access if I needed it. 

What about security?

September 2016, I reached out to Skyroam and complained about major security gaps on their online pass purchasing website. After multiple attempts to responsibly disclose the issues (with no follow-up from Skyroam), I wrote an article about it. I am happy to report that the new version of their online portal has fixes all of the issues I previously reported.

What about the general security? It is as secure as your home internet connection. My standing recommendation is to use a VPN where/when possible. You can get a VPNUnlimited lifetime VPN subscription for 5-devices for $18 (promo link), so you have no excuses.

So should I buy a Skyroam Solis?

So the question you are asking yourself is "Should I buy the Solis?". There is no simple answer. If you used the old version, then the Solis is a wonderful upgrade. Every time I tried it, it worked flawlessly without a hitch. The cost is predictable, and I have a bunch of passes purchased ready to use when needed. 

If you are a European with an EU SIM travelling within the EU, you get free roaming anyway. If you are an American with one of those great TMobile plans with free global roaming, you probably don't need this device either. 

A Skyroam PR rep had said months ago that additional functionality would be unlocked on the device (like Bluetooth and GPS), but since they are not available today, I can't factor them in as a benefit. 

For everyone that travels more than twice a year (and doesn't have free roaming), you really should consider it. The best recommendation I can make is that I own one and carry it with me every day (even when in my home country). I will be travelling considerably over the next four months (within the USA and globally) and will be using this thing a lot. 

If you travel once a year and don't want to buy a Skyroam Solis, you can rent one directly from the company. They will mail it to you or you can pick it up (US pickup is available in San Francisco, Atlanta and Austin.)

Trick to get a VPN Unlimited lifetime account for $18

GeneralEdward Kiledjian

I've written about the VPN Unlimited service before, you should go read the review. 

If you check out the VPN Unlimited purchase page, you will see that they are running a promo and selling it for $149.99. Normally StackSocial sells this same plan for $49.99 but wait ...

They are currently running a promo and have marked it down to $29.99, but wait ...

If you add it to your cart and use the code CYBER40 at checkout, the price drops to $18.

I don't know how long the CYBER40 promo code will work so if you are interested, buy it soon.

Special discount page: link

Canada Promo : Buy a Google Pixelbook and a free Google Home

GeneralEdward Kiledjian

If you buy Google new premium Chromebook, the Pixelbook, you now receive a free Google Home. This promo is live now and runs until December 31, 2017, and is open to Canadian customers. 

To receive your free Google Home, all you have to do is add it to your shopping cart with the Pixelbook, and the price will be $0. 

Offer is available while supplies last (shouldn't be a problem) and remember that the Pixelbook is not available in Quebec (probably since they don't offer french keyboard, box and manuals. 

Google Store