Tag: Google

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Google Hangouts for iOS, Lego Ninja and Bakeneko

Ir’s Saturday and everyone are too lazy to write a word or two about Tech. Despite the fact that Google updated Hangouts for iOS with Google Voice support is a worthy news.

What’s New in Version 1.3.0

  • See which of your friends is using Hangouts, and who can be reached right now
  • Call phone numbers from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch (free to the US and Canada)
  • Make and receive calls using your Google Voice number
  • Send and receive animated GIFs that play inline
  • Hangouts will temporarily turn down your music (instead of stopping it) when you receive an incoming message

At this time, I am still unable to receive calls on my Google Voice number using Hangouts.

Here’s a Lego Ninja and his Bakeneko.

Lego Ninja and Bakeneko

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Changes to Google Privacy Policy

Google will be taking its new Terms of Service into effect on November 11, 2013.

We are updating the Google Terms of Service. The new Terms will go live on November 11, 2013 and you can read them here.

Because many of you are allergic to legalese, here’s a plain English summary for your convenience.

We’ve made three changes:

  • First, clarifying how your Profile name and photo might appear in Google products (including in reviews, advertising and other commercial contexts).
  • Second, a reminder to use your mobile devices safely.
  • Third, details on the importance of keeping your password confidential.

To opt-out of the “Shared Endorsement“, Google+ users need to lbe logged in and uncheck the box for “Based upon my activity, Google may show my name and profile photo in shared endorsements that appear in ads.”

Google-Privacy-Opt-out-20131011

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Google Nexus 4 is now $100 Cheaper

File this on “I paid $100 more” file.

Google Nexus 4 is now $199 and $249 for the 8 GB and 16 GB model, respectively.

Google Nexus 4 is Now 100 Dollars Cheaper

I paid $349 for the 16 GB model when it was first released. It was “cheap” back then, now it is even cheaper. No contract.

For some reason I wished I paid $100 less back then. Ah well.

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Security versus Convenience

Elliott Kember wrote the headline: “Chrome’s insane password security strategy”

Kember points out the way Google Chrome manages saved passwords.

There’s no master password, no security, not even a prompt that “these passwords are visible”. Visit chrome://settings/passwords in Chrome if you don’t believe me.

Yes indeed. Unlike Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome does not offer users to set Master Password. Apple added Passwords Manager in Safari 6; the passwords are actually stored in users’ Keychain.

Justin Schuh, who works on Google Chrome Security according to his Hacker News profile, says that it was a design decision to not include Master Password in Google Chrome.

For most users, there’s a certain level of inconvenience they are willing to tolerate when dealing with security. Unsurprisingly a lot of users are still using obvious passwords or none at all for their computer login. That’s because they prioritize convenience over security.

Security and convenience have an inverse relationship. It would look something like this:

Security-vs-Convenience-Linear

that is true if it is a linear relationship. In reality it looks more something like the following:

Security-vs-Convenience-Curved

It is more like a curve line. More convenience means less security.

The concern about the way Google Chrome manages passwords is valid. At the same time there is a bigger issue with security. Having a Master Password option would be useless if it is the same obvious password people are using for their computer login. Most users using Mozilla Firefox never set the Master Password at all.

Users need to understand why they need to secure their computers. Ultimately the users are the one to set the security level based on their convenience level.

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Amber Alert on Android and iPhone

This would be the first time I received Amber Alert on my Nexus 4 and iPhone. Users can turn this kind of alert on their phones.

AMBER Alert
Boulevard, CA AMBER Alert UPDATE:
LIC/6WCU986 (CA) Blue Nissan Versa 4 door

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Child abduction (AMBER Alert)
Boulevard, CA AMBER Alert UPDATE:
LIC/6WCU986 (CA) Blue Nissan Versa 4 door

Android Amber Alert

 

Ambert Alert setting in iOS 6 and iOS 7 can be found in Settings > Notification Center
At the bottom there are “GOVERNMENT ALERT” settings.

IMG_0514

IMG_0027

Amber Alert settings in Android (4.3) can be found in Settings > Wireless & networks > More… > Cell broadcasts

Android Cell Broadcast settings

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Amazon.com Honors Chromecast-Netflix Promotion

Amazon Customer Service scores another point. One satisfied customer reports that Amazon.com sent him the Chromecast-Netflix Promotional code even after his order was canceled.

The customer was originally told by that his Chromecast order was not eligible for the Netflix promotional code because it was placed after 5:31 p.m. PST on July 24, 2013. Subsequently the order was canceled after contacting Amazon.com Customer Service and getting no resolutions. The customer citing that at the time the order was placed, Amazon.com and Google promised that the order was eligible for the promotional offer. In addition to that, Google Play stated that orders of Chromecast placed before 1PM PT on 7/25 will receive their promotion code once their order ships; 18 hours and 29 minutes later than Amazon.com cut-off time.

A few days later the customer received an email from Amazon.com:

Dear Amazon.com Customer,

Thank you for your recent Chromecast purchase. Your purchase has qualified you to receive a 3-month Netflix gift code. Your code will be emailed to you 5 days after your Chromecast ships.

Apparently Amazon.com had changed the cut-off time to 5:31 p.m. PST on July 25, 2013; 24 hours later than its original cut-off time.

The customer contacted Amazon.com Customer Service asking if his order could be re-instated; Amazon.com replied:

Unfortunately, we don’t have any more stock of ‘Google Chromecast HDMI Streaming Media Player’ right now, and we’re not sure when we’ll be able to get more.

Despite all of that, the customer also received an email from Amazon.com that said:

Hello,

As your order is eligible for this promotion, here is Netflix promotional code: XXXXXXXXXXXX

Follow the instructions below to redeem your code:
1) Go to netflix.com/chromecast.
2) Enter the Netflix code from your email and click ‘Continue’.
3) If you are a new member, you will be asked to create a Netflix account. No billing information is required.
4) If you are an existing Netflix member, login into your Netflix account and your subscription will be credited for 3 month’s worth of streaming services.

Yes, Amazon.com gave the customer the Netflix promotional code even though they could not fulfill the order. Anecdotal story like this really shows how much Amazon.com cares about their customers.

If only I had ordered a Chromecast from Amazon.com.

By the way, Google is to blame for botching the Chromecast launch.

Amazon Honors Chromecast Netflix Promotion