Closing an old backdoor on your Mac

Over the years, the biggest thing Apple computer devotees have had to trumpet in the Mac vs. PC debate is the Mac’s relative safety from viruses. Face it, the vast majority of malware out there is aimed at the largest segment of the computer-using audience: Windows users.

But the growing popularity of Apple’s  iPhone and iPad has been seen by hackers as the ultimate challenge, and their attentions have been turned on Apple. Unfortunately, this extra attention has revealed a major flaw in the Mac that can let hackers use a “backdoor” into the machine’s operating system to plant all kinds of malware or anything else their evil little hearts might desire.

There is help!

But there is good news, and of course just a little bad news. The good news is, Apple has come up with a security patch to pug the hole in its latest OS X update. Unfortunately, the bad news is it only works on certain versions of the Mac OS.
 
So, what are the rest of us Mac users to do?? Well there is an update available that will keep your system safe if you are using the Yosemite version of the Mac OS software. Apple's latest update, Yosemite 10.10.3, slams the door could allow a hacker to tap into the Mac's system preferences and add accounts, turn off virus protection, or any number of other mischievous acts.

Unfortunately, all of the prior versions of Mac's OS still have the flaw. No patches are planned for computers running OS X 10.9.x and older, including the Lion, Mountain Lion and Mavericks operating systems for the Mac.

Updating is simple

Updating is a simple process. Start by making sure you backup your Mac before installation. To do this you can use Apple's built-in Time Machine. Then use the “updates” pane of the Mac App Store to locate the Yosemite 10.10.3 update. Some other software updates available for your computer might appear, and you should install those as well, as some of them might need to be in place before others can be installed.

Once you have started downloading the update, make sure not to interrupt the installation process. This will result in having to start over again to ensure a proper installation. Finally, keep in mind you may experience some unanticipated outcomes of this update if you have third-party system software modifications installed on your machine, or if you've modified the operating system through other means.

Otherwise, installing this update will go a long way toward making computing on your Mac the safe and carefree experience it has always been.

Laptop Repair: Getting the Picture Fixed

Prime computer performance, especially from the GPUs (graphics processing unit), is very important for the industry of picture processing, such as photo or video editing. People use software like Photoshop or Final Cut Pro to render graphic designs and piece together entire documentaries. Individuals are cropping or resizing photos for sharing, compiling collages of images, all done on their personal laptops.

Processing Pictures on the Laptop

Programs like Photoshop or Final Cut or any other image processor require a lot of power from the GPU. Advances in chip size design and heat dissipation help devices such as laptops and even smartphones garner enough power to accomplish almost anything. Even so, in devices such as laptops and compact systems with unibody style motherboards and other parts, one problem still persists. Because of heat cycles and heavy loads, GPUs and graphics cards effectively "burn out", leading to the need for some laptop repair. 

What Is Graphic Card “Burn Out”?

What this means is the solder balls and points that hold the actual processing unit to the circuit board break free or become brittle and lose conductivity. A computer suddenly will go from working fine to not producing any image. In a desktop computer or workstation, a burned out graphics card can be replaced relatively easily. In a laptop, where the chip is built in to the motherboard, the cost of replacing the whole motherboard turn a simple GPU failure into a “totaled” computer. There is a solution though, and this technique is called the GPU Reflow.

GPU Reflow

Reflowing a GPU is a process of actually repairing the native chip and processor circuitry, instead of simply replacing the whole system. Reflows can be done on any type of GPU, but the cost of the labor of a technician compared to the relatively low prices of a new desktop PCI card often leads computer owners to replace a broken machine instead of repairing it. So this fix usually stays in the laptop department.

To perform this repair, a technician isolates the GPU on the circuit board, after removing the entire infrastructure from the laptop chassis. The chip is cleaned and any material that is not a part of the circuitry is removed. The technician will then use tin foil to create a heat shield around all components other than the actual GPU top surface.

The repair is done by using a heat gun to force the solder inside and under the chip to "reflow." After a measurement is taken to determine how long and at what distance the heat gun should be used in order to properly melt a sample of solder, the technician will position the heat gun over the chip for the proper amount of time, based on the previous sample. When solder melts it likes to flow in channels set up to meld with the metal compound. Like water droplets flowing and connecting with others to create little channels, molten solder moves to connect with more solder or other contact points that chemically bond with the metal.

In essence, this reflowing simply refurbishes the contacts of the solder points to the chip. Once the chip cools, thermal paste is applied and the component is reinstalled and tested. There are caveats to this repair, namely that it cannot be guaranteed for any specific amount of time and that successful results vary. One should seek this repair after an assessment from an experienced technician, and only once the computer is deemed a potential candidate.

GPU reflows are not a permanent fix, as often the same heat issues will simply undo the repair. But it beats the cost of a new motherboard or logic board. And when time is crucial it can prove to be the best solution. No parts are needed, and this repair can often be completed same day, and the computer owner can get back to work.

If you are having a problem with the image function of your laptop and want your pictures to show perfectly on the monitor, consult an expert and find out if this solution will work for you.

iPhone Backplate Repair

What happens when you have need of an iPhone backplate repair? Or any smartphone repair? There are so many people walking around with broken iPhone 4 LCD’s or backplates. Their phone takes a spill, some bigger than others, and inevitably the “gorilla” glass on the cracks or shatters. A lot of people will simply put up with it because they think it’s too expensive to fix.

Repairs Are Possible!

Not only is that not necessarily true that repairs are impossible, but it’s also not the safest idea to put off repairs either. Sometimes the broken LCD or backplate will break apart and tiny little shards of glass can wreak havoc in your pocket, bag, or even double as a painful splinter. It’s really not worth messing with at all.

Fortunately, replacement backplates are readily available for purchase. There are certain tech shops that will sell and install it for you, and at a rate that’s likely far less than you anticipated.

You Can Customize!

This is also a great opportunity to customize your phone, as all the colors of the rainbow are available for replacement backplates. If you’d like to get super unique, you can get an LED modified backplate that wires into the phone’s battery and replaces the Apple logo with an opaque LED filter which will light up when the phone powers on and off.

Beware of Broken Screens

As for broken front LCD’s on the iPhone 4 and 4S (and even iPhone 5 for that matter), those you really want to be careful with since since you don’t want to mess with broken shards of glass next to your face. Replacement kits are available for purchase online, but it’s not an installation meant for a beginner. Handy people could likely pick up on the process, but you’ll want to set aside at least a few hours. On the other hand, some quality tech shops will sell you the part and do it for you, and often have lots of customized colors to choose from. The price is dependent on the specific model of the phone, but the repair isn’t cost prohibitive.