Google begins adding passkey support in Android and Chrome

Google has begun rolling out initial passkey support for Android and Chrome. In a blog post published Wednesday, the company said web admins can start integrating the technology into their websites through the WebAuthn API. Similarly, developers can download the latest Google Play Services beta to start testing the authentication standard within their apps.

Google expects to roll out stable support for passkeys later this year, with an API for native Android apps arriving in 2022 as well. The latter will allow you to choose between a passkey and a saved password when logging into a supported platform.

As more apps and websites add support for passkeys, Android and Chrome users will see their relationship with online credentials change. “Passkeys are a significantly safer replacement for passwords and other phishable authentication factors,” Google notes. “They cannot be reused, don’t leak in server breaches and protect users from phishing attacks.”

Creating a passkey on your Android phone will involve confirming you want to make one and then authenticating your identity with a fingerprint or face scan (you can also use a screen lock). Signing in is just as easy. You simply authenticate your identity and you’re good to go. You’ll manage your passkeys through Google Password Manager, where they’ll be automatically backed up to the cloud to prevent lockouts if you ever lose your device.

Since passkeys are part of an industry-wide initiative to do away with passwords, they work across different devices, platforms and browsers. For instance, as you can see in the screenshot above, you can use a passkey stored on an Android phone to log into a website you visit through Safari. With Apple and Microsoft making similar efforts, the web will hopefully become safer soon.

Microsoft’s Presenter+ is a sleek PowerPoint remote for the hybrid work era

Back in the early aughts, Microsoft released the Presenter 3000, a wireless remote for PowerPoint presentations. Now, two decades later, the company has announced the Presenter+. Like its predecessor, it’s remote you can use for PowerPoint presentations, but it also reflects how work has changed since the start of the pandemic.

Presenter+
Microsoft

You can see that in the design of Presenter+. In addition to the usual slide forward and back buttons, there’s a Microsoft Teams button that allows you to quickly join meetings and raise your hand. If Teams isn’t your jam, Microsoft notes you can use Presenter+ with the majority of other meeting apps, including Zoom. There’s also a big button for muting and unmuting your microphone, and the remote will vibrate when everyone can hear you. Rounding out the package is a nifty charging stand and Bluetooth connectivity. On Windows 10 and Windows 11, you can also customize the buttons to your needs. 

Admittedly, it would have been nice if Microsoft had announced the Presenter+ back in 2020 or 2021. That said, there are still plenty of predominantly remote workers who will find the remote useful whether they’re at home or in the office. The Presenter+ will retail for $80. Interestingly, Microsoft notes it’s the first presentation control to be certified for Teams, suggesting more on the way from other companies. 

NASA’s DART spacecraft successfully altered the orbit of an asteroid

The next time an asteroid threatens Earth, humanity might have a chance of saving the planet. On Tuesday, NASA announced that its experimental Double Asteroid Redirection Test successfully altered the orbit of Dimorphos. Following two weeks of data collection and analysis, the agency found that DART’s impact shortened the asteroid’s orbit around its parent, Didymos, by 32 minutes. Before the September 26th collision, NASA estimated DART needed to change the orbital period of Dimorphos by 73 seconds or more to call the test a success. The spacecraft beat that benchmark by more than 25 times.    

“If an Earth-threatening asteroid was discovered, and we could see it far enough away, this technique could be used to deflect it,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said during a press conference the space agency held on Tuesday. “NASA has proven we are serious as a defender of the planet. This is a watershed moment for planetary defense and all of humanity, demonstrating commitment from NASA’s exceptional team and partners from around the world.”

NASA launched the DART mission in November 2021. The vending machine-sized spacecraft was traveling at approximately 14,000 miles (22,530 kilometers) per hour when it crossed paths with Dimorphos nearly 68 million miles away from Earth.

DART’s success proves the strategy of using a spacecraft to alter the course of an asteroid could work to save the planet, provided such a space rock was detected early enough and wasn’t too big. Dimorphos is about the size of a football stadium, making it far smaller than the asteroid that wiped out 75 percent of multicellular life on Earth 66 million years ago. 

Prosecutors drop charges against ‘Serial’ podcast subject Adnan Syed

After 23 years in prison, Adnan Syed is a free man. Baltimore prosecutors on Tuesday announced they were dropping charges against the 41-year-old and subject of the hit podcast Serial, reports The New York Times. Prior to his release in September, Syed had been serving a life sentence for the 1999 murder of his former girlfriend Hae Min Lee.

The decision comes after a judge last month overturned Syed’s prison sentence on the recommendation of prosecutors, who said the state was no longer confident of the conviction. At that point, prosecutors had 30 days to decide whether to move forward with a new trial or drop charges. Where the case of Lee’s murder goes from here is hard to say. In September, following a nearly yearlong investigation, the state said it had found two possible “alternative suspects.” However, the public identity of those individuals is not known yet.

While Syed maintained his innocence throughout the two decades he was in prison, it’s fair to he probably wouldn’t be free today if not for Serial. His case attracted global attention in 2014 after it was chronicled by former Baltimore Sun reporter Sarah Koenig in the podcast’s breakout first season. Koenig spent more than a year investigating the specifics of Syed’s case, paying particular attention to the conduct of Cristina Gutierrez, his lawyer at the time. The issues she highlighted proved to be critical in the state’s reassessment of Syed’s case. 

In 2019, for instance, Maryland’s highest court found Gutierrez had failed to properly investigate an alibi witness ahead of Syed’s trial. More recently, the state investigation found “reliability issues” with some of the evidence that was used to convict Syed and that prosecutors may have failed to disclose evidence that would have aided his case.

Apple’s 256GB 12.9-inch iPad Pro is $300 off and cheaper than ever

This might be your best chance to save money on a 2021 iPad Pro. Ahead of its Prime Early Access Sale, Amazon has discounted the 256GB 12.9-inch model by 25 percent to $899. The more affordable 11-inch iPad Pro is also on sale. However, it appears Amazon only has stock of the 512GB variant. After a 23 percent discount, the 11-inch model is $849, down from $1,099. The promotion applies to both Silver and Space Gray colorways across both 11-inch and 12.9-inch models. 

Buy Apple iPad Pro at Amazon – $849 and up

The iPad Pro is one of the most powerful tablets you can buy at the moment. Engadget awarded the 2021 model a score of 87, praising the device for its speedy M1 processor and mini-LED screen that makes watching HDR content an absolute joy. At the time, it felt like iPadOS wasn’t a perfect match for the iPad Pro’s powerful hardware, but with iPadOS 16 on the way and new multitasking features like Stage Manager part of the release, the tablet is about to become more capable.

One thing to keep in mind is that Apple may refresh the iPad Pro later this month. Persistent rumors suggest the company plans to introduce a model that features an M2 processor, MagSafe charging and a handful of other upgrades. For that reason, you may want to wait if you want to buy the most powerful iPad possible. However, if you’re mainly interested in getting the most value for your money, then it’s hard to go wrong with the current M1 model.

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