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Here’s How To Get Rid Of That Nasty Superfish Vulnerability On Your New Lenovo Laptop

Computer manufacturer Lenovo rightly caught heat far and wide from every corner of the internet this week after security researchers discovered a massive security flaw that shipped pre-installed as advertising software. Lenovo should never have put the intrusive software on their computers in the first place, but there is some good news today, as the company is now sharing a list of what computers were affected, and how owners of their machines can remove this junk crap from their systems.

How can I find out if my computer has Superfish on it?

Lenovo has published a full list of the affected machines. It includes notebook computers in the E, Flex, G, M, Miix, S, U, Y, Yoga, and Z series shipped during the six-month span between September, 2014 and February, 2015:

G Series: G410, G510, G710, G40-70, G50-70, G40-30, G50-30, G40-45, G50-45

U Series: U330P, U430P, U330Touch, U430Touch, U530Touch

Y Series: Y430P, Y40-70, Y50-70

Z Series: Z40-75, Z50-75, Z40-70, Z50-70

S Series: S310, S410, S40-70, S415, S415Touch, S20-30, S20-30Touch

Flex Series: Flex2 14D, Flex2 15D, Flex2 14, Flex2 15, Flex2 14(BTM), Flex2 15(BTM), Flex 10

MIIX Series: MIIX2-8, MIIX2-10, MIIX2-11

YOGA Series: YOGA2Pro-13, YOGA2-13, YOGA2-11BTM, YOGA2-11HSW

E Series: E10-30

ThinkPads, desktop computers, and smartphones were not affected, a Lenovo statement says.

Anyone — not just Lenovo owners — can also go to this third-party site that tells you if your system has the Superfish certificate vulnerability.

Oh no! I do! How can I get rid of it?

There are two parts to getting rid of Superfish. The first is uninstalling the software; the second is removing the false security certificate it leaves behind from the virtual bowels of your machine. Step one is easier than step two.

Lenovo has now shared a step-by-step visual guide telling users of Windows 8 and 8.1 how to do both halves (also available as a PDF).

The guide has instructions as well as screenshots, to guide the less tech-savvy through the process. The EFF also has a visual guide, although it assumes a slightly higher level of familiarity/comfort with computers than Lenovo’s does.

Is Lenovo sorry? Lenovo should be so sorry.

Lenovo is certainly sorry the entire world noticed, at any rate.

In their first statement about the matter, Lenovo said, “We have thoroughly investigated this technology and do not find any evidence to substantiate security concerns,” despite the plenty of sites and experts pointing out said substantial security concerns. “But we know that users reacted to this issue with concern,” they deigned to add, “and so we have taken direct action to stop shipping any products with this software. We will continue to review what we do and how we do it in order to ensure we put our user needs, experience and priorities first,” and concluded, “Our goal was to enhance the experience for users.”

That didn’t go over as well as they might have hoped (the proverbial lead balloon springs to mind). Lenovo has since released an updated statement, saying, “Superfish is no longer being installed on any Lenovo device. In addition, we are going to spend the next few weeks digging in on this issue, learning what we can do better. We will talk with partners, industry experts and our users. We will get their feedback. By the end of this month, we will announce a plan to help lead Lenovo and our industry forward with deeper knowledge, more understanding and even greater focus on issues surrounding adware, pre-installs and security. We are eager to be held accountable for our products, your experience and the results of this new effort.”

In the meantime, Microsoft has also taken matters into their own hands: the most recent update to Windows Defender also nukes Superfish as a “known vulnerability.”

by Kate Cox via Consumerist

Dole Introduces The Wearable Banana, Giving Tokyo Marathon Runners Their Heart Rate And A Snack

Dole will lunch the Wearable Banana during the Tokyo Marathon this weekend.

There’s no denying that wearable technology is popular with consumers; from the Fitbit to the highly anticipated Apple Watch. But there’s a new wearable that not only provides users with information about their health, but also with a snack.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Dole – you know, the fruit producer – will debut the Wearable Banana at the Tokyo Marathon this weekend.

The high-tech fruit gives users all of the same information they’ve become accustomed to with typical wearables like their heart rate, lap time and a GPS tracker. That information, as well as messages of support from family and friends, will be displayed on the banana’s peel via LED lights.

A spokesperson for Dole, which is a sponsor of the marathon, tells the WSJ that the new device is worn around the wrist and comes connected with a cord to a separate device that the runner must carry.

“The banana will be peeled first to remove its content, and then resealed after a LED display and a smaller banana is put inside,” the spokeswoman says.

Following Sunday’s race, the two runners who will be sporting the promotional gadget can peel and then eat the banana.

While Dole says it is unlikely that the wearable will be mass-produced, it may look into creating other wearable technology that could hold a banana inside.

Wearable Banana Watch Coming to Tokyo Marathon [The Wall Street Journal]

by Ashlee Kieler via Consumerist

4 Things To Think About Before Paying Your Taxes With A Credit Card

(Beth Lennon)

Millions of Americans will owe the IRS anywhere from a few dollars to many thousands of dollars when they file their income tax returns, and not all of them have funds available to pay what they owe. The simple answer might be to just put that bill on your credit card, but you could end up paying a lot more than you expect.

Whether it’s a good idea to pay with plastic depends a lot on how much you owe, your available cash, and what sort of credit card you have. So here are some things to keep in mind.

1. You Might Get A Better Deal With The IRS

If you’re going to need time to pay down your tax debt, you should consider setting up a payment plan directly with the IRS before turning to credit cards. Yes, interest will accrue on the unpaid balance as you make payments but the interest is often significantly less than the average credit card APR.

2. Don’t Forget The Fees

Uncle Sam doesn’t take credit card payments directly, so you’ll have to use one of a handful of authorized payment companies, each of which charges a fee, upwards of 2.35% of your tax bill. So if you owe $2,000, you’re going to pay $47 up front in addition to the interest payments if you don’t pay your credit card off in time.

3. What’s In Your Wallet?

Maybe you can pay off your tax bill in cash but you have a credit card with a really good rewards program where the benefit you’ll reap from charging several thousand dollars to the account outweighs the fee. Just make sure you don’t let that balance linger or you may end up paying more for those rewards than they’re worth.

Also, if you put that tax bill on a credit card with a 0% APR promotional period and you make sure to pay off the balance in full before that period ends, you could end up paying even less than if you’d made a payment plan through the IRS.

If you have available funds and your goal is just to pay quickly and get the IRS off your back, consider using your checking account’s debit card, as the fees for such payments are only a few dollars.

4. Know Your Credit Card’s Statement Period

Unless you’re making a last-minute payment near the deadline, you have some flexibility about when you choose to pay the IRS with your credit card. Credit.com’s Jason Steele advises that you can get a few extra weeks of interest-free financing by waiting until right after your current statement cycle closes.

[via Credit.com]

by Chris Morran via Consumerist

Apple Announces Repair Program For 2011 MacBooks With Self-Destructing Graphics Cards

These pink and white stripes are not pretty.

Back in October, we shared some MacBook Pro owners’ complaints about their computers, which had what can broadly be described as “video problems” that often rendered the computers unusable. Apple has now announced a repair program in response to users’ complaints, and perhaps also in response to their class action lawsuit.

The repair program begins today, and extends repair coverage for affected MacBook Pro models for this specific issue only. The graphics issue involves a failure of machines’ discrete graphics card, which is only used when performing graphics-intensive tasks like watching or editing videos.

Here are the models that Apple will cover as part of the official repair program, which were sold from 2011 to 2013.

Affected Models

MacBook Pro (15-inch Early 2011)

MacBook Pro (15-inch, Late 2011)

MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2012)

MacBook Pro (17-inch Early 2011)

MacBook Pro (17-inch Late 2011)

Users are only to bring in their computer if it has a graphics failure: bringing it in before anything goes wrong, or for any issue that doesn’t involve the graphics, won’t be covered by this repair program.

MacBook Pro Repair Extension Program for Video Issues [Apple]

by Laura Northrup via Consumerist

YouTube Launching New Kid-Friendly App With Original Episodes Of Popular Children’s Shows

YouTube Kids is expected to launch on Monday.

YouTube, long geared toward people ages 13 and over, plans to cater to an even younger crowd with an upcoming kid’s app that will provide original episodes of popular children’s show like Sesame Street and Reading Rainbow.

The Wall Street Journal reports that the new online video service, which will run on smartphones and tablets, is expected to be released on Monday during the Kidscreen Summit.

The YouTube Kids app is free for download and will be separate from the current YouTube mobile app, people familiar with the product tell the WSJ.

YouTube Kids – only available on Android-based phones and tablets for the time-being – will feature a kid-friendly design, with only a few large, colorful icons and minimal scrolling.

Parents can monitor and limit the time their children spend on the app through built-in parental controls.

Those with knowledge of the app tell the WSJ that it will feature a number of new episodes of shows that have long been geared toward preschool-aged children such as Thomas the Tank Engine, Mother Goose Club, Talking Tom & Friends, Pocoyo and others, as well as, YouTube produced original content.

In order to offer the app for children, Google-owned YouTube must comply with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), which requires websites that cater to children to notify parents if they collect personal information.

The WSJ reports that it is unclear where or how the new app will generate revenue, but that it is possible the company opens the app to kid-focused ads.

A Google spokesperson declined to provide comment to the WSJ regarding the app.

YouTube to Release New App for Kids [The Wall Street Journal]

by Ashlee Kieler via Consumerist

Delta Testing 20-Minute Guarantee On Checked Bags For Frequent Fliers. What’s The Catch?

(Quinn Dombrowski)

If you’ve been stuck waiting for your bags at an airport luggage carousel in recent years, you’ve probably overheard someone grouse — or maybe done a bit of grousing yourself — that “I paid these guys extra to check my bags; the least they could do is not make me stand around like a fool for an hour.” In an effort to cut down on said grousing, Delta has quietly launched a limited-time test of a 20-minute guarantee for baggage delivery for its SkyMiles members, though there are so many conditions that it may be an empty promise.

The airline didn’t do a wide press release about the test and isn’t openly touting it on the Delta website, but there is this page on Delta.com that provides the necessary details on the guarantee, along with several of the catches that will prevent passengers from

The core of the guarantee is that SkyMiles members whose bags aren’t delivered to the airport carousel within 20 minutes can get 2,500 bonus miles if they file a claim online at the above-linked page within three days.

Here are the biggest issues we see with the offer:

• It’s currently only good for travel through March 31, which doesn’t seem to indicate that Delta believes it can maintain this guarantee in the long run, though reps for the airline say the program might eventually be more permanent, depending on the outcome of the test.

• Even if you’re sure you were standing at the carousel for 30 or 40 minutes, that might not matter as, according to the website, “Time to baggage claim will be as measured by Delta’s baggage tracking system.” That doesn’t specify when the clock starts ticking, and we’ve seen other companies (we’re looking at you Sears) whose employees have manipulated internal timing systems to prevent customers from claiming time-related guarantees.

• Even though Delta is using its own tracking system to determine when bags arrive at the carousel and the airline most certainly knows which passengers are SkyMiles members, it’s up to the traveler to make the claim. Delta could easily be proactive and reward affected fliers automatically, but it is compelling its customers to do the legwork. Additionally, the requirement to do so within three days puts a particular onus on travelers to take time away from their travels — whether it’s business or pleasure — to fill out a form online.

• The guarantee does not change based on how many bags you’ve checked. So someone who’s paid for a single checked bag will get the same SkyMiles reward as someone who paid to check multiple bags.

• If your bags vanish or are mangled, Delta won’t give you the miles, saying that “lost, mishandled, and damaged bags are excluded” from the guarantee, as are “Oversize and overweight baggage and special items.”

[via Bloomberg]

by Chris Morran via Consumerist

Burger King “Franchisee Of The Year” Cashes In Prize Corvette To Pay Bonuses To Workers

(Mike Mozart)

When the Arizona-based owners of two dozen Burger Kings was given the “Franchisee of the Year” award from the folks at BK HQ for his restaurants’ high marks on service and cleanliness, they could have just kept the new Corvette and Rolex watch they received for the honor. Instead, the owners turned those prizes into cash that they then paid out to more than 100 employees.

“The award needed to go to the people who got us here. It was the right thing to do,” one co-owner explains to Phoenix’s 3TV. “We’re all better when we have people who work for us long term.”

In addition to selling the ‘Vette and the Rolex, the owners say they chipped in some of their own money to the $120,000 bonus pool. Some longtime employees were rewarded with bonuses as high as $5,000.

“I just couldn’t believe it. I was in shock,” one 15-year BK vet tells 3TV. “It was almost an entire month’s worth of pay for me. They made us all feel appreciated.”

One employee who worked his way up from fry cook to supervisor within the franchise, sums up his work ethic as, “I don’t see my job as ‘Come in and make hamburgers.’ I see my job as coming to work with the people.”

by Chris Morran via Consumerist

Consumerist Friday Flickr Finds

Here are fifteen of the best photos that readers added to the Consumerist Flickr Pool in the last week, picked for usability in a Consumerist post or for just plain neatness.

(pjpink)

Want to see your pictures on our site? Our Flickr Pool is the place where Consumerist readers upload photos for possible use in future Consumerist posts. Just be a registered Flickr user, go here, and click “Join Group?” up on the top right. Choose your best photos, then click “send to group” on the individual images you want to add to the pool.

by Laura Northrup via Consumerist

Comcast Rep Lies, Tells Customer That Data Cap Is “Mandated By Law”

(Mr.TinDC)

For nearly three years, Comcast has been trying out data caps — sorry, “data thresholds” — in certain markets around the country where customers who reach a certain monthly usage amount are given the option of buying additional data at an outrageous price. Aside from pure greed on the behalf of Internet service providers, there is no need for most data caps, but one Comcast rep is telling customers that they are required by law.

A user going by the name of “gladimdonewithcomcast” learned that his market was included in Comcast’s data cap test and called to cancel his service. He then uploaded a recording of the call just so we can all see how bad Comcast is at customer service:

The customer tells the rep that he’s been getting charged for surpassing his cap and that he wants to move on to an ISP that doesn’t ding customers for using lots of data.

“I understand,” answers the Comcast rep, “But every Internet service provider has data cap. It is mandated by the law.”

The customer is more amused by the idiocy than outraged, laughing as he explains, “I’ve already talked to other Internet companies. They don’t have data caps where I live and that’s why I’m switching to them.”

In a statement to Ars Technica, a rep for Comcast confirmed what everyone except Comcast’s own employees already knew — that “There is no law requiring ISPs ‘to have data caps.’”

The media rep for Comcast then runs the usual nonsense that “Comcast discontinued having a cap in May 2012.”

That’s a half truth; maybe even just a quarter truth. What happened in 2012 is that Comcast removed the standard 250GB/month soft cap that had been in place for all customers and began these regional trials of “data thresholds.”

Back to the matter of the recorded call, Comcast states that “This representative’s statements are not consistent with the training and messaging we provide. We will work to retrain this representative and will reach out to the customer to clarify this information.”

by Chris Morran via Consumerist

The Foos: aprender a programar jugando

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