Insights For Success

Strategy, Innovation, Leadership and Security

Update

What is brew and why you need is on your macOS device

GeneralEdward Kiledjian

Brew is a package manager for macOS. It simplifies the installation and updating of macOS applications.

Brew allows you to install your favourite apps with a few clicks. In addition, Brew makes it easy to manage your app dependencies. Brew automatically resolves and installs any dependencies that an application may have when it is installed.

It is thus easy to keep your applications up-to-date and to ensure that you have all necessary dependencies installed. Brew is also an excellent means of discovering new macOS applications. Browse through a list of popular apps and install them with just a few clicks using Brew. This makes it easy to discover new applications that you might not have known about otherwise.

How to install & use the Brew package manager

A website called brew.sh hosts the brew package manager. You can install brew by running the following commands in your terminal:

/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

2) Once brew has been installed, you can use it to install your preferred macOS applications. To install an app with brew, simply type:

brew install

3) Brew will automatically resolve and install any dependencies the application may have. Therefore, it is easier to keep your applications up to date and ensure that all of the necessary dependencies are installed.

4) You can also update your macOS applications using brew. To update an application, type:

brew upgrade

Install IOS Update 10.3.3

GeneralEdward Kiledjian

As mentioned in my various articles, keeping your operating system and applications updates is a critical component to good overall security. 


Apple released IOS 10.3.3 yesterday, and amongst all of the bugs it fixes, there is one nasty security vulnerability that justifies installing it now. Right now. Do it. I'll wait. Come on, we don't have all day. 

Put Apple's banal sounding description aside for a second ("A memory corruption issue was addressed with improved memory handling".) This vulnerability comes from the Broadcom BCM43xx wifi chipset (CVE-2017-9417) and allows an attacker to execute code on the targeted device with kernel privileges.

To be clear, millions of Android smartphones (e.g. HTC, LG, Nexus and most Samsung devices) are also vulnerable to the BroadPwn vulnerability. 

Google also issued the BroadPwn fix in its July patch bundle (you are receiving the security updates for your phone right?)

IOS 10.2 brings WI-FI Calling for Telus Customers

GeneralEdward Kiledjian

Without much fanfare or pre-announcement, the IOS 10.2 update released earlier today finally enabled WI-FI calling for Telus customers. 

After installing the update, the device rebooted. I then enabled WI-FI calling by:

Settings > Phone > WiFi Calling > Toggle ON

WI-FI calling means cellular calls could be routed via a WIFI network in areas with poor cellular coverage. When the phone detect low cellular connectivity (aka reception dots in the upper left hand corner), it will route inbound and outbound calls with WIFI. 

As soon as I enabled WI-FI calling, I received an email from Telus with this new "free" option automatically added to my line.

Telus support said VoLTE (Voice over LTE) is coming but couldn't give me a date.

OnePlus One gets updated - Fixes touchscreen and black bar issue

technologyEdward Kiledjian

There is a software update being pushed to OnePlus One owners (by CyanogenMod) that addresses dome security flaws, a touchscreen problem and the occasional black bar issue that sometimes randomly appeared.

It's a small 87.4MB Over the Air (OTA) update that is being slowly rolled out. If you haven't already received it, it will be available shortly. 

Here’s a comprehensive list of changes you’ll find in this update:

  • Fixed issues with memory causing screen artifacts
  • Fixed issues with random reboots and instability
  • Fixed issues with WiFi and modem crashes
  • Fixed issues with Filesystem
  • Fixed issues with “black bar”
  • Fixed issues with persist partition corruption
  • Fixed issues with AT&T VoLTE

Source: OnePlus Forum (link)

Microsoft fixes Surface Pro 2 battery & sleep issues

technologyEdward Kiledjian
SurFace_Image_1.jpg

In December, Microsoft released a horribly tested problem causing patch that was quickly withdrawn. Now they have released an updated patch which Microsoft assures fixes the biggest Surface Pro complaints such as battery life and a randomly waking up device.

It doesn't fix all the issues but it is a step in the right direction.

Just head over to your software update applet and enjoy some free device improvement now.