Google patents creepy smart toys that interact with kids

Nexus Ruxpin? Google’s mad science X division is, er, toying with the idea of smart teddy bears in one of its strangest patents yet. In response to junior’s voice or movements, “the anthropomorphic device may aim its gaze at the source of the social cue,” then “interpret the command (via its servers) and map it to a media control device,” according to the document. From there, it could “express curiosity, (it) may tilt its head, furrow its brow, and/or scratch its head with an arm.” It added that the device should be “cute” so that “young children may find (it) attractive.”

On top of interacting with kids, the toys could be used to control media devices like TVs, DVD players and even smart home devices like thermostats. All that may have seemed like a good idea when the patent was filed in 2012 (it was granted last Thursday), but a lot has changed since then, privacy-wise. Big Brother Watch told the BBC that “the privacy concerns are clear when devices have the capacity to record conversations and log activity… (especially) when those devices are aimed at children.” The lawyer who spotted the patent put it more succinctly, saying the “creepy” idea belonged “in a horror film.”

On the other hand, Google could de-creep such a device by limiting its servers’ access to voice commands, which it records through “OK Google” anyway. Toys like “Hello Barbie” that interact with kids are nothing new, and similar voice-activated devices, like Amazon’s Echo speaker, already exist as well. Of course, all that might be moot, since Google told the BBC, “some of those ideas later mature into real products or services, some don’t. Prospective product announcements should not necessarily be inferred from our patent applications.”

Filed under: Robots, Google

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Via: Hot Hardware

Source: USPTO

According to Google’s research, Security Questions aren’t all that secure

So, you are trying to use an account online, and because you’ve forgotten your password, you are asked to answer a security question in order to recover your account. This time, you are being asked to enter the name of your first pets name. Is it Fluffy, Muffy or Tuffy? And is it your very first pet or the first pet you remember growing up with as a child? It can all be very confusing, and worse still, apparently not very secure at all. These random questions often have all too familiar answers, and according to Google’s research, are  straightforward enough to be correctly guessed in less than 10 attempts.

Google has released a great little infographic (below), detailing the different ways that we make it easy for online criminals to breach our online security. You might think that one of the more obvious ways to make our online accounts more resistant to attacks would be to simply ask more security questions, making it more difficult to guess correctly. While more security questions does make it more difficult for the attacker, bringing their success rate down to 1%, it also means that the account holder (you), will be less able to actually remember what the answers are, dropping from above 74% down to 59%.

Google came about this information by analysing the hundreds of millions of secret questions and answers that had been used for millions of account recovery claims

If adding more and more security questions isn’t the answer, what is? Google believes that websites should rather us SMS-based reset codes and alternate recovery email addresses, something that Google and other big websites already offer in one form or another. If you aren’t sure if your account is safe, why not visit Google’s Security Checkup to make sure. In the meantime, you can have a look at the various security questions that are asked, and the criminal’s success rate at guessing the correct answers.

Source: Google

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Google finds that security questions aren’t really secure

If you’ve ever thought that “what was your first pet’s name?” is a lousy way to keep intruders from resetting your password, you now have some evidence to back up your suspicions. Google has published research showing that security questions aren’t that secure at all. In many cases, your answers are straightforward enough that attackers stand a decent chance of getting them right in 10 guesses or less. And you probably don’t want to use bogus answers to throw people off the scent, either. Many of those who try this strategy use common words and make it easier for someone to get in.

So what’s the alternative, then? Google doesn’t think that multiple security questions would help, since that increases the chances that you’ll forget at least one answer and lock yourself out. Instead, websites are better off using SMS-based reset codes, alternate email addresses and other methods that someone can’t crack with a good guess. Thankfully, big sites like Google already do this — the big challenge is getting your favorite store or social network to follow suit.

[Image credit: AP Photo/Virginia Mayo]

Filed under: Internet, Google

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Source: Google Online Security Blog

Signatures and improved delete options on the way to Inbox by Gmail

The Inbox by Gmail app was an attempt by Google to start re-thinking the traditional mail client and how users maintain control over their incoming email. Despite a lot of positive buzz at launch, users quickly discovered several limitations and sizable numbers went back to the Gmail client. New information shows the development team is working on at least a couple of the more critical issues that troubled users.

In a thread on Google+ regarding reasons for users not making the jump to Inbox by Gmail, the development jumped in with their official account to comment,

“We’re working on both Signatures and Delete. Pin and Snooze are both designed to replace mark as unread.”

The lack of signatures to be used when composing email messages is a big problem for users, especially for anyone using Gmail for a business or organization. Adding a signature feature will be welcome relief for all the users looking for that.

Another big gripe has been the difficulty in deleting email, especially bulk deletes. Making this function easier will probably help entice lots of users to give Inbox by Gmail another look.

Sources have noted that based on the response from the development team, a traditional “mark as unread” feature will not be available. Instead, users will be expected to use either Pin or Snooze if they are going to want to revisit an email later.

Would you consider trying Inbox by Gmail or taking another look at it with these changes?

source: MobileSyrup

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