Google Prompt two-step authentication makes its way to Android Wear

 

Earlier in the year, Google introduced its two-step verification Prompt feature to help make verifying your account identity a little easier. Today, user reports reveal that Google Prompt is starting to roll out to a selection of Android Wear devices as well.

For the feature to work, smartwatch owners much have their wearable connected up to a smartphone that has already been approved via the two-step authentication process. Once setup, users can allow or deny login attempts from their smartwatch, rather than having to reach for their phone. This update doesn't replace the existing Google Authenticator feature on Android Wear devices, but simply makes managing requests a little easier.

In case you missed the original news, Google Prompt enables devices owners to respond to account authentication requests through a little prompt window, rather than having to enter a code sent via SMS. Users can simply tap yes or no to allow or block the login attempt.

See also:

How to set up two-factor authentication on your Google account

April 30, 2015

It isn't clear how far or wide the Google Prompt roll out for Android Wear will be at this point, and it's likely only available on Android devices for now. So we will be keeping an eye out for an official word from Google. Have you spotted the feature on your smartwatch?

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Samsung brand escaped the Note 7 recall untainted, poll finds

Samsung's smartphone market share has taken a notable hit this year following the Galaxy Note 7 recall, but the company's broader brand image seems to have escaped the event mostly intact, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll. According to the data, which was collected between October 26th and November 9th, the recall has not dampened consumer appetite for Samsung smartphones and other products.

The poll pitched a variety of questions to potential smartphone customers who both had and hadn't heard about the Galaxy Note 7 recall. 25 percent of those asked who didn't know about the recall were considering purchasing a Samsung phone, and this result actually increases slightly to 27 percent in the group who were aware of the recall. In other words, there's very little difference in appetite for Samsung phones between those who are and aren't aware of the recall situation.

Furthermore, brand loyalty appears to remain high in the Samsung fan camp. Around 91 percent of current Samsung smartphone owners are likely to purchase another phone from the brand at some point, and 92 percent also say that they will likely buy another Samsung product of some sort. This compares very favourably to the Apple faithful, where 92 percent responded that there were likely to buy another iPhone, and 89 says they would buy another Apple product.

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Samsung has experienced the worst year-on-year market share and sales drop in its history

3 days ago

A theory put forward by Jan Dawson of Jackdaw Research suggests that broader consumers may not view the recall too negatively because the event was mostly limited to early hardware adopters. So even though the recall may have permeated popular culture, those that weren't directly involved in the hassle of returning handsets are still likely basing their opinions on Samsung using other factors too.  Of course, we don't know how much the recall is weighing on how consumers are going to approach future Samsung sales, and even those intending to buy one of next year's flagships may be more hesitant to become an early adopter next time around.

While polling is far from an exact science, the results suggest that Samsung has an opportunity to bounce back from the Note 7 recall. Providing that next year's Galaxy S8 and Note 8 can match the Note 7's critical acclaim.

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HTC denies rumors it’s looking to sell its smartphone business

It's no secret that HTC has been struggling in the past few years. Its flagship device HTC 10  and other smartphones the company has to offer haven't been selling very well. Low sales numbers have pushed HTC into financial trouble, as the company posted a $63 million operating loss in the third quarter, the latest in a long series of losses.

According to sources cited by Chinese tech website MyDrivers, HTC is now seriously considering getting out of the smartphone business. The competition has proven to be too much for the Taiwan-based company, which is now looking for a new owner for its smartphone biz. Rumor has it that four companies have already lined up to buy HTC's smartphone operations, including a Taiwanese one. An announcement could be made early next year. Cher Wang, HTC's Chairwoman, CEO, and major stock holder has reportedly agreed to the plan.

See also:

HTC set to reveal the HTC 10 evo on November 22

3 days ago

Rumors of a possible HTC takeover have surfaced quite a few times in the last few years. The company has always denied them, saying it has no intention of leaving the smartphone market. And it's no different this time around, as HTC has already described the rumors as false in a post on Weibo. Even so, it is still possible that the sale might happen. Companies normally don't like to admit these types of things until they actually happen.

HTC has a history of pivoting to new sectors – the company was born in the 90's as a PC ODM manufacturer, before becoming a smartphone pioneer in the 2000's. HTC has repeatedly signaled that it sees its future as a VR headset manufacturer and invested hundreds of millions of dollars to establish a lead in this field.

What do you think about the rumors? Will HTC sell its smartphone business or not? As always, let us know in the comment section below.

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Eisenhorn: Xenos, a third-person action title set in the Warhammer 40K universe, hits Google Play

Eisenhorn: Xenos, a third-person action title set in the Warhammer 40,000 universe, has launched in the Google Play Store. The title was developed by British studio Pixel Hero Games and comes to Android following a release on Steam earlier in the year.

Eisenhorn: Xenos sees you take control of Gregor Eisenhorn, an inquisitor and protector of the Imperium of man, standing in front of anything that threatens it. It's based on the book 'Xenos', the first in Games Workshop's 'Eisenhorn' trilogy, and features the voice of Mark Strong (Kick-Ass, Green Lantern, Zero Dark Thirty) as the title character.

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3 weeks ago

As you explore the Warhammer 40k universe, dishing out justice to heretics, you will make use of a variety of gadgets and weapons across the nine-or-so-hour campaign. Check out how it looks in the video below.

Eisenhorn: Xenos costs $5.99 and requires a high-end device to run it. Larger handsets or tablets will likely provide a better experience, as it makes use of a number of on-screen buttons, and also note that it's currently on release version 1.0, so bugs and performance issues may be apparent.

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Signal’s encryption verification process is now simpler and more secure

Open Whisper Systems, developer of the encrypted messaging app Signal, has made it easier for users to verify the privacy of their conversations.

Signal allows users to scan a QR code or compare a set of numbers to verify that their conversations are secure, so long as both users must have the app and are connected to the internet.

In its latest update, the steps required to verify that connection has been reduced. Signal users only need to scan a single QR code for the conversation, instead of two, and the code no longer includes either party's phone number, further increasing the level of privacy.

Of the previous process, Signal's developer Open Whisper Systems said, "Even once the mechanics had been explained, it wasn't typically clear how to proceed. User studies revealed that these comparisons often resulted in false positives, false negatives, and low success rates." Open Whisper Systems hopes the new methodology will "reduce that confusion".

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1 day ago

Another simplification concerns app reinstalls. Users no longer need to verify a contact again to continue conversations. Signal now has an "advisory mode" – switched off by default – that tells them that the conversation is no longer verified, but doesn't restrict users from taking part in the conversation. Open Whisper Systems said it may enable this feature as standard if it proves popular.

Signal's popularity surged following the US election, with the app seeing a 400% increase in installations the week after Trump's win. Edward Snowden publicly recommended the app in September of this year and warned of Google's new messaging app Allo.

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Sony Xperia Ear launching in the USA this December 13th for $199.99

It has been a while since the Sony Xperia Ear was announced at MWC 2016. The small earbud looks to be an interesting solution for those in need of a digital assistant device to take everywhere, but months have passed and we have seen no launch in the USA. This is why you will be glad to hear the wait is about to end!

The Sony Xperia Ear will finally launch in the USA this December 13th, on Amazon. Other retailers will be following suit soon afterwards (these include Fry's, Abt and B&H). But of course, this won't exactly be a cheap product, as it promises quality help for your daily needs. Retail price is set at $199.99.

What you get may be worth every penny, though. The Sony Xperia Ear is considered a personal assistant that is always awaiting your commands. You can obviously do basic things like make calls, send messages and schedule appointments, but its capabilities go far beyond these simple commands.

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Best Bluetooth headsets for when you're on the go

5 days ago

It's also possible to ask the Ear about your schedule, the weather, local businesses and directions to places. Oh, and get this – it supports head gesture commands, so you don't always have to look crazy talking to yourself.

We have seen similar products, like the Motorola Moto Hint+, but that one only supports advanced features with Motorola phones. And even then, the Sony Xperia Ear seems like a much more polished product. It should be a good solution for those who keep busy and need a little help getting things together on-the-go.

Are any of you signing up?

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Crowdfunding project of the week: the Sevenhugs Smart Remote can control everything

Websites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo are home to great innovations, but they also host plenty of crazy projects we can live without. This is why we created the 'Crowdfunding project of the week' series, where we highlight the hottest gadgets from this category. Shall we check out today's featured product?

Other featured crowdfunding projects:

• GearEye keeps track of all your equipment
• SPUD is a portable 24-inch monitor
• Remix IO is an Android 4K set-top box, PC and gaming console

The remote craze continues to be one of the biggest annoyances in many homes. I, for one, can't manage to keep track of all my remotes. I have one for my sound system, another for my TV, another for my BluRay player and so on. A stranger would probably never know what to do with all these wireless machines.

This is why we believe the Sevenhugs Smart Remote is an interesting product to showcase in this article series. This remote control promises to work with everything… and we mean everything! It is not just a simple remote that can control your home entertainment system; this little guy can manage your smart home products and even perform its own unique functions.

Let's expand a little more on this. The Sevenhugs Smart Remote comes with a nifty screen that customizes its switches when you point at any operable appliance. Point at your TV and you will get your power, volume and channel controls (among other things). Point at the lights and you will be able to either dim or turn on/off. But then you can also get more interesting – how about pointing at your driveway to order an Uber ride? Totally possible.

This is because the Sevenhugs Smart Remote works with all major communications standards: IR, Bluetooth and WiFi. And it supports a plethora of smart services, including Sonos, Nest, Hue, WeMo, Roku, Apple TV, The Weather Channel and many other services.

But… how does it even know what you are pointing at? That is a very important factor. Sevenhugs has put together its own location-aware technology, which consists of sensors you place around your living area. These can locate your remote's location and direction, giving the system precise information to know what you want to control.

Pretty awesome, right? And you guessed it: it won't really be cheap. Retail price is estimated to be $299 once the remote launches. If you want to back this Kickstarter campaign, that price can be taken down to as low as $149 (as of the time of this article's publishing).

Who is signing up?!

Check out the Sevenhugs Smart Remote on Kickstarter

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