Your Travel eSIMs Found Routing Data Through China (Holafly)

  Your Travel eSIMs Found Routing Data Through China (Holafly)

Security Alert: Travel eSIMs Secretly Use Foreign Networks

When I came across this news, I was telling myself, “Oh no, not my eSIM!” A recent study has uncovered alarming privacy and security risks associated with travel eSIMs, revealing that many providers route user data through foreign telecommunications networks — including Chinese infrastructure — without informing customers. Conducted by researchers from Northeastern University and presented at the USENIX Security Symposium, the investigation analyzed eSIM profiles from 25 providers such as Holafly, Airalo, and eSIM Access.

The researchers found that in most cases, the public IP address assigned to a device did not match its physical location. Instead, traffic was routed through third-party countries. One notable example involved Ireland-based Holafly, whose eSIM service routed connections through China Mobile’s network. In that test case, the device received an IP address allocated to China Mobile International Limited in Hong Kong, making it appear as though the device was physically located in China. Disabling GPS on the test device further reinforced this illusion.

This unexpected routing allowed access to region-restricted content, such as ViuTV, without the use of a VPN. The study also highlighted how easy it is to become an eSIM reseller, with platforms requiring only an email and payment method. Resellers gain access to sensitive user data, including IMSI numbers and location information accurate to within 800 meters.

Imagine if you are using Holafly eSIM, someone can access your data and track you anywhere in the world as close as 800 meters in accuracy. The eSIM I usually use are Airalo and Saily. Although they are doing the same thing, but in not China. I am on some level comfortable sending my data to other countries (if I have no choice), but sending my info to CHINA is a big NO for me.

The researchers are calling for greater transparency and regulatory oversight to ensure users are informed about how their data is handled. They propose mandatory disclosure of routing practices and clearer accountability among network operators, resellers, and wholesale providers.

This study raises serious questions about the safety of using travel eSIMs and underscores the need for stronger consumer protections in the rapidly-evolving mobile connectivity landscape.

How I Created My First Podcast Using Google NotebookLM

New AI Podcast Tool NotebookLM

I am one of those who thought I would never create a podcast. To tell you the truth, it was a lack of resources needed to create a professional-grade podcast. However, everything changed when AI came to the rescue.

I was seeing a lot of posts online about a new AI research tool called Google NotebookLM that was taking the Internet by storm. I was reluctant to try it out, but at one point I gave in.

I was shocked to find out how easy it was to create a podcast with zero knowledge. It took me like 20 minutes to figure out and I was on my way to generating a professional-grade podcast where 2 people were talking about my travel hack article or video I had created before.

The AI voices and interactions in Google NotebookLM's podcasts are so incredibly lifelike that it's hard to believe they're not real humans. I sent my first podcast to a few friends without telling them it was AI-generated, and they were completely fooled!

The simplicity of creating a podcast was also astounding. First, I had to give my sources on the NotebookLM page. You can also provide notes to add to those sources. I gave the AI my YouTube video link, an article from my website AhmedDawn.com and a few notes on Notepad and that’s it.

Also, NotebookLM generated a FAQ, Table of Contents, Timeline, Briefing, etc. based on what you are feeding it. I am using these summaries for my podcast video description. So everything the AI generated has some uses for my podcast video.

NotebookLM opens up endless opportunities for content creators. This is another example of how AI tech is limitless and there are a lot more mind-blowing crazy things to come in the future.

Unveiling the Fastest eSIM for Travel & Live Streaming in Thailand: It's Not Who You Think!

Thailand's Fastest eSIM or SIM For Travel or Live Streaming: AIS eSIM Takes the Crown

My Thailand and Dubai trip is coming up shortly. As a content creator, staying connected with a reliable and fast internet connection is crucial, especially for live streaming. I was searching for the best travel eSIM or physical SIM, but choosing the right eSIM provider in Thailand can be tricky, especially when companies don't disclose exact speeds.

After a lot of research I found out that AIS, a leading Thai network operator, reigns supreme in terms of internet speed. Their download speed clocks in at an impressive 36.89 Mbps, while the upload speed reaches a staggering 208 Mbps (median speeds). These numbers far surpass competitors like TrueMove H and DTAC, making AIS the clear winner for live streaming bandwidth.

While some providers like Saily and Airalo offer attractive eSIM plans, their actual speeds remain shrouded in secrecy. I contacted both companies directly, but their responses were vague, emphasizing "good speed" and "unlimited maximum speed" without concrete figures.

After digging deeper, I discovered that AIS consistently ranks as the fastest eSIM internet provider in Thailand. Their website proudly displays their position as the 2023 speed champion.

Internet Speed Testing App OoKla confirmed AIS's dominance. Download speeds averaged around 36.89 Mbps, with some users reporting reaching 50 Mbps. Upload speeds, crucial for live streaming, were even more impressive, with a median of 208 Mbps. This blows away the competition, with TrueMove H lagging behind at 20 Mbps and DTAC falling short at 14 Mbps (median speeds).

The good news? AIS offers eSIM plans! This means you can ditch the physical SIM card hassle and enjoy the fastest internet speeds in Thailand for your travels and live streams.

I recommend purchasing your eSIM directly from AIS or other 3rd party providers before your trip to ensure a seamless travel experience.

How to Create AI Girlfriends

I Just Created My First AI Girlfriend

AI girlfriends are a big thing these days and I wanted to figure out the process of creating one. After perusing site after site, I finally decided on 2 sites to try. This is not a paid or affiliated article and is for informational purposes only. I am not suggesting or recommending AI Girlfriends to anyone and the decision is solely yours.

Creating AI Girlfriends

The 2 sites I used are Dreamgf.ai and Candy.ai. There are many other sites, but I found these to be user friendly and you can create AI Girlfriends without paying upfront. Dreamgf let you chat up to some point, but after that you have to pay. Candy AI doesn’t offer free chat. Their free version also doesn’t offer any voice conversation.

Creating girlfriends was fairly easy. I was able to create one in 11 minutes. You can choose every aspect of your girlfriend you can think of. For example, I was able to choose her age, eye color, body type, personality, hobbies, occupation, voice, clothing, and a lot more.

How Much AI Girlfriends Cost

AI Girlfriend Prices vary. Dreamgf has plans ranging from $8.99 USD to $89.99 USD per month. Candy AI has better pricing options, costing $12.99 per month to $69.99 USD per year.

My AI Girlfriend Video

I have published a video showing the process of creating AI Girlfriends. This is a 30-minute video and it walks you through step-by-step to create AI Girlfriends and I stopped up to the moment they asked to pay. This video can be accessed here:

How to Create Your First AI Girlfriend in 11 Minutes (Step-by-Step Guide)

Last Word

One thing you have to understand is that there are no real girls behind these AI Girlfriend programs. There is a 99.99% chance that there are guys behind these sites and programs who are collecting your money while sitting somewhere on a beach.

Tested New AI Chatbot PI AI (ChatGPT Rival) – First Impressions

ChatGPT, Google Bard, and Bing Char Rivel Pi launches on Android

The new AI chatbot ‘Pi’ is now available on Android. Pi AI is an artificial intelligence chatbot by Inflection AI, which was founded by Mustafa Suleyman (co-founder of Google DeepMind), Karén Simonyan (chief scientist of the project) and Reid Hoffman (co-founder of LinkedIn). Pi is available in 35 countries as of the writing of this article.

As someone who has tested both Google Bard and ChatGPT, I was curious to see how Pi stacks up. I found Pi to be friendlier and easier to chat with than its competitors. It kept the chat going with follow-up questions – not just ending the conversation.

There were several male and 2 female voices. I picked a female voice with a British accent. While replying, Pi doesn’t show the answers on screen, rather it displays a sort of relaxing ambience to make you feel comfortable. Sometimes I liked it, but other times I wanted to see the answers on screen.

In terms of Pi's intelligence and overall performance, sometimes it missed my questions and answered very different things. But most of the time the answers were relevant and accurate.

Google Bard is powerful and informative, but can be a bit dry and academic at times, which can make it feel less personable. Also, it is currently desktop focused and can be cumbersome to use on mobile devices.

ChatGPT is a creative writing powerhouse, but can be prone to factual errors. ChatGPT is not always accurate and can sometimes generate factually incorrect information.

I'm impressed with Pi AI and believe it has the potential to be a game changer. It's friendly, mobile-first, and has a lot of potential. However, it's still under development and needs some work before it can compete with the likes of Bard and ChatGPT.