Tag Archives: Apple iPhone 6

iPhone Steel Wool Fire Hoax Explained + Debunked!

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The iPhone steel wool fire hoax has gone viral, and people have already pointed out that it’s fake. But most do not explain WHY it’s fake.

In this article and our video, we will explain why the viral video of the iPhone setting steel wool on fire is fake and cannot possibly happen.

 

iPhone Steel Wool Fire Hoax : What Is It?

The iPhone steel wool fire hoax is a viral video that was posted by ViralVideoLab, a YouTube channel that seems to do nothing but create fake videos that they hope will go viral and make them money through YouTube ads.

To make it go viral, they gave it a startling title – Mobile Phone vs Steel Wool | How Your iPhone Will Damage Your Brain. They even PLEAD with everyone to share their video, “before it gets deleted”.

ViralVideoLab also wrote a fictional story about not knowing why an incoming call would cause the steel wool to ignite, and invited people to share their opinions in the comments.

Well, we will show you why we know their video is fake, and why it is not possible for the iPhone or any smartphone to set steel wool on fire.

 

iPhone Steel Wool Fire Hoax Explained + Debunked!

In this video, we will show you the fake video that ViralVideoLab created, and explain what he did and debunk it.

Such Steady Hands!

When he started recording his video, he used a tripod but for no reason at all, the video started swaying just before the incoming call came in.

It may appear that he started holding the camera with his hands, instead of a tripod. But if you look carefully, the swaying was too steady, and moved in a particular pattern.

Such Strong Steel Wool!

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And this is important – despite burning for 11 seconds, the steel wool does not disintegrate.

As The King of Random demonstrated in his clip on steel wool, once it catches fire, steel wool burns up very quickly and disintegrates.

Yet, in the fake video, his steel wool remains intact even after burning for 11 seconds.

No Current Flow?

Also, it’s not possible for EM radiation to create electrical current flow in steel wool. The 9V battery only ignited the steel wool because it formed a short circuit between its positive and negative terminals!

Outer Side Catches Fire First?

Even if it was possible for EM radiation to generate current in the steel wool, the inner side would catch fire first. Yet in this video, it’s the opposite – the outer side catches fire first.

Smartphones Radiate ALL THE TIME

Smartphones like the iPhone 6 are constantly in contact with nearby cell towers, and therefore “radiate” at all times.

If that EM radiation can set steel wool on fire, it would have done so even without an incoming call.

 

iPhone Steel Wool Fire Hoax : How It Was Done

Some people have said that the hoaxer could have hidden batteries under the steel wool.

But based on the steady swaying motion of his camera, and the fact his steel wool was literally fireproof, we have to chalk it up to simple video editing.

Here is a great explanation by Recursosgraficos, which we edited for clarity :

It is a special effect created with a video editor.

You record the first video with the camera attached to a tripod and add a movement effect.

Then remove the phone and set fire to different parts of the steel wool and record the second video.

You can now morph the second video of the steel wool on fire with the first video.

It’s a shame that ViralVideoLab is using his video editing skills to create fake videos that exploit people’s fear for money.

Now that you know he’s just a hoaxer, stop sharing his videos. And definitely DO NOT SUBSCRIBE to his YouTube channel.

 

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The 12/12 Machines Sale – What Deals Can You Expect?

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KUALA LUMPUR, 11 DECEMBER 2017 – Machines Sdn Bhd (Machines) today announced that it will be holding the first 12/12 Machines sale – its first ever sale held completely on its online store. We share with you the Apple devices and products that will be offered at great discounts starting tomorrow!

 

The 12/12 Machines Sale

For 12 days, from 12 December 2017 until 24 December 2017, Machines will be offering great savings on the Apple Watch (priced from RM999), iPad Pro (priced from RM1,599), MacBook Air (priced from RM2,999), MacBook (priced from RM3,999), Macbook Pro (priced from RM6,999), and other items with discounts of up to 80% off retail prices.

“As the countdown to Christmas nears, we want to give our customers an opportunity to find the perfect gift for their loved ones – or for themselves,” said Andrew Cheng, Director of Machines. “We chose to hold the sale online to give our customers the best deals without having to brave the holiday crowds”.

All purchases from the Machines online store come with free delivery to customers in Peninsular and East Malaysia. Customers have the option of home delivery or can opt to collect their purchases from selected Machines stores. Payment can be made via online transfer or locally issued credit cards (terms and conditions apply)

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All products are in their original packaging and come with a one (1) year manufacturer warranty from the date of purchase. In addition, smartwatches purchased during the sale are also eligible for the Machines Protection Plan – a two-year extended warranty that protects products against accidental damage.

While the sale prices will only be applicable starting from 12 December 2017, customers are currently able to browse the available products on the Machines online store.

When you are ready to purchase, visit https://machines.com.my/collections/1212.

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The Machines Protection Plan Explained!

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Machines Sdn Bhd (Machines) just launched a device protection plan for customers in Malaysia. Known as the Machines Protection Plan (MPP), this plan provides protection from accidental damage such as cracked screens and water damage for as low as 42 sen per day.

 

The Machines Protection Plan

The Machines Protection Plan (MPP) allows customers to enjoy one (1) screen replacement or one (1) full device replacement during the two (2) year coverage period. The MPP price ranges from RM 299 – RM 899 (~US$ 73-219), depending on the model of the protected device, and can be obtained at local Machines stores upon purchase of a new device.

The Machines Protection Plan (MPP) provides coverage for parts and labour cost. For a full device replacement claim, a service fee will be charged on top of the price for the MPP. For example, for an iPhone SE full device replacement, customers will need to pay a service fee of RM299 on top of the iPhone SE MPP cost of RM299.

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A survey by Otterbox Inc. in 2015 stated that 29% of Malaysians accidentally damage their smartphones within the first three months of purchase. The same study also revealed that 75% of Malaysian smartphone users have damaged their devices almost 3 times in the past 5 years.

Machines has selected Aon Insurance Brokers (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd (Aon Malaysia) as its insurance broker to offer this device protection plan, underwritten by AIG Malaysia Insurance Berhad.

Machines is also working to extend the Machines Protection Plan to include new devices purchased from third parties, including telcos.

 

The Machines Protection Plan Price List

Device MPP Price (inc. of GST)
Apple Watch RM 299 / ~US$ 73
iPhone SE / 6 RM 299 / ~US$ 73
iPhone 6s / 6s Plus RM 599 / ~US$ 146
iPhone 7 / 7 Plus RM 599 / ~US$ 146
iPhone 8 / 8 Plus RM 599 / ~US$ 146
iPhone X RM 899 / ~US$ 219

 

Service Fee Table For Full Device Replacement

This “service fee” is an additional fee that must be paid for a full device replacement, as opposed to a repair or part replacement.

Device Full Device Replacement Service Fee
(inc. GST)
Apple Watch RM 249 / ~US$ 61
iPhone SE / 6 RM 299 / ~US$ 73
iPhone 6s / 6s Plus RM 299 / ~US$ 73
iPhone 7 / 7 Plus RM 299 / ~US$ 73
iPhone 8 / 8 Plus RM 299 / ~US$ 73
iPhone X RM 499 / ~US$ 122
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How Much Will You Save?

If you have butter fingers and keep dropping your expensive iPhone, you will stand to save a lot of money.

Device Regular Price for Screen Replacement
(inc. of GST)		 Price for Screen Replacement under MPP
(inc. of GST)
iPhone SE / 6 RM 699 / ~US$ 170 No Charge
iPhone 6s / 7 / 8 RM 799 / ~US$ 195 No Charge
iPhone 6s Plus / 7 Plus / 8 Plus RM 899 / ~US$ 219 No Charge
iPhone X RM 1799 / ~US$ 439 No Charge

If you plan to hang onto your iPhone for many, many years, you will also save on the battery replacement cost.

Device Regular Price for Battery Replacement
(inc. of GST)		 Price for Battery Replacement under MPP
(inc. of GST)
iPhone SE RM 399 / ~US$ 97 RM 49 / ~US$ 12
iPhone 6 RM 499 / ~US$ 122 RM 49 / ~US$ 12
iPhone 6s / 6s Plus RM 399 / ~US$ 97 RM 49 / ~US$ 12
iPhone 7 / 7 Plus RM 399 / ~US$ 97 RM 49 / ~US$ 12
iPhone 8 / 8 Plus RM 399 / ~US$ 97 RM 49 / ~US$ 12
iPhone X TBC RM 49 / ~US$ 12

Please note that they will only replace your battery when it cannot be charged beyond 50% of its original capacity. In addition, you’re only allowed one battery repair or replacement, and that’s subject to the service fee above.

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SoFlo iPhone Unlocking Hoax Debunked

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A video published by SoFlo (Antonio Lievano), a notorious Facebook content thief, has gone viral after it mocked the FBI for not knowing how to gain entry into a locked iPhone. In the video, SoFloAntonio demonstrated how anyone can gain entry into a locked Apple iPhone without knowing the password. We will debunk the SoFlo iPhone unlocking video, and show you how he scammed you.

Updated @ 2016-03-07 : Added a proof video demonstrating that the hack is a hoax on two different Apple iPhones, and added a page detailing the Siri bug that the hoax is based on, as well as its relevance to the FBI.

Updated @ 2016-03-10 : SoFlo Antonio removed his video suddenly at around 12:50 AM (GMT+8), wiping out millions of views and over a million shares. We also added a new “Touch ID & Assistive Touch” section in Page 2.

Updated @ 2016-03-11 : It appears that the video is now up again, but shifted to the official SoFlo account, instead of SoFlo Antonio’s account. It’s amazing how much power Facebook gives SoFlo.

 

Debunking The SoFlo iPhone Unlocking Hoax

SoFlo / Antonio Lievano used a common magician’s trick to fool you into thinking he actually unlocked an Apple iPhone without knowing the passcode – misdirection.

To figure out how he did it, you must first understand that you do NOT actually need to key in the passcode to get into an Apple iPhone, particularly if it is your own iPhone. All you really need is an Apple iPhone with the Touch ID fingerprint recognition feature (first introduced in the Apple iPhone 5s). 😀

Watch this video that we specially prepared to show you how and where he misdirected you into thinking he found an easy way to get past the iPhone’s passcode security :

So now you know how he tricked you. He didn’t do anything but activate the iPhone’s Touch ID right at the start. This allowed him to access the Photos app and get out into the Home screen.

If you disable Touch ID, or just press on the Home button with the end of a pen, you will NEVER get into the Photos app, or out into the Home screen. In fact, you will not even be able to share the “soflo” clock you created (0:37 in the video).

His mocking of the FBI, however, was a marketing masterstroke. It got all of you to share and make his fake video viral. Who doesn’t want to show the world how stupid the FBI really is? So you share it out without thinking twice. Now who looks like the idiot here? 😀

Instead of sharing his FAKE video, why not share our video instead? We guarantee you will look SMARTER than your friends who shared SoFlo’s video! 😀

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Our Debunking Proof Video New!

Ever since we posted the debunking video, we received claims by a number of people who claimed to have successfully performed the hack. Some even questioned whether we tested it out before claiming SoFlo was trolling us with another hoax. Let us address that once and for all.

First of all, we fully tested and investigated his methodology before we even spent time creating the video. That’s why it took us a while to create our video after the SoFlo video was flagged to us for investigation. Even then, we continued to try on the two Apple iPhones we have here, to no avail. We even enlisted our friends to test their iPhones.

But as they say – talk is cheap. In this video, we will show you what we have been doing using the Apple iPhone 6 and Apple iPhone 5C (internally the same as the Apple iPhone 5). We will also show you how it is only possible to replicate SoFlo’s “hack” using Touch ID. Check it out…

Please note that we are not saying that those who successfully followed SoFlo’s “hack” are liars. In fact, we will now explain to you how some people are successfully doing it, and why SoFlo’s method is still wrong.

This explanation is a bit long, so we have to shift it to the second page. Head on over if you are interested to learn more about why the SoFlo iPhone unlocking hack is a hoax.

Next Page > iOS 9 Siri Bug, Relevance To The FBI

 

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iOS 9 Siri Bug

The source of SoFlo’s iPhone unlocking hack is really the iOS 9 Siri bug that was revealed right after iOS 9 was released on September 16, 2015. Here are the steps to exploit that bug :

  • [adrotate banner=”4″]In the Lock screen, key in an incorrect passcode a few times.
  • On the last attempt, invoke Siri immediately.
  • Ask Siri for the time, and click to add a new Clock.
  • Type in a random word in the Choose a City search field.
  • Select the random word and Share it as a Message.
  • Once in the Message app, you can access the entire Photo Library.
  • You can also select Create New Contact to access the Contact List.

Note the initial step of keying in an incorrect passcode a few times. It is this initial step that is (likely) allowing some users to successfully replicate the exploit. SoFlo did not mention that in his video. So even if we assume he was using an iOS 9 device, how did he even exploit the bug?

More importantly, the iOS 9 Siri bug only allows you to access the device’s Photo Library and Contact List. It does NOT allow you to go to the Home screen, and basically access the device in its entirety. Yet SoFlo demonstrated that his hack allows him to access the Home screen. How is that possible?

The simplest explanation is that SoFlo didn’t actually hack the iPhone. As we demonstrated in our proof video, triggering Touch ID is the only guaranteed way to properly replicate everything he did.

 

Touch ID & Assistive Touch New!

If you watch our proof video carefully, you will note that we not only used the pen to trigger Siri, we also used it to get out to the Home screen. This is because Touch ID is active AT ALL TIMES. In one instance, we chose to use the Assistive Touch shortcut, instead of the physical Home button. We did this to avoid activating Touch ID.

In other words, those of you who may have taken the precaution of calling Siri using a pen, or with your finger covered with cloth, may have activated Touch ID anyway when you pressed on the Home button later in the “hack”. To be sure you are not activating Touch ID, either disable it completely, or use a pen to press on the Home button at all times, or use Assistive Touch.

 

Relevance To The FBI

SoFlo’s mocking of the FBI is deliberately designed to trick you into making his hoax video go viral. Who would pass up a chance to thumb their noses at the FBI? 😀

But let’s consider the likelihood that the iOS 9 Siri bug would be of any use to the FBI, in their efforts to gain access into the Apple iPhone 5C (the same model we used in our proof video) used by one of the two shooters in the 2015 San Bernardino attack.

This bug was fixed in iOS 9.0.1, released just one week later on September 23, 2015. The San Bernardino attack happened on December 2, 2015. It is more than likely that the Apple iPhone 5C used had already been patched. By December 2, Apple had already released 2 minor updates and one major update :

  • iOS 9.0.1 – September 23, 2015
  • iOS 9.0.2 – September 30, 2015
  • iOS 9.1 – October 21, 2015

We do not have any information on the exact iOS version the San Bernardino iPhone 5C is using. But considering the efforts the FBI have gone into forcing Apple into installing an exploit to gain access to that device, it has likely been patched against the iOS 9 Siri bug. Needless to say, the exploit will not work if Siri was disabled.

Incidentally, if SoFlo actually discovered an exploit that actually unlocked an iPhone without the passcode or Touch ID, he would have taken it to the FBI. The publicity he would have earned from that act would be worth far, FAR more than spreading a viral video.

Think about it.

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