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Epic Games Requiring Two-Factor Authentication to Claim Freebies

Charlotte Henry ·

Epic Games is requiring that users have two-factor authentication activated in order to claim free downloads, until May 21. The Fortnite developer said in a blog post that this was to help protect account security and is presumably because more people are downloading more free games at the moment.

If you do not have two-factor authentication enabled on your account, you will see the following message when attempting to claim a free game: “Two Factor Authentication Required Claiming this free game requires you to have Two-Factor Authentication setup on your account. Two-Factor Authentication provides an additional level of security to your Epic Games account and will help prevent unauthorized access.” In order to enable two-factor authentication, please head over to your Epic Games Account settings. Two-factor authentication can be used to help protect your account from unauthorized access by requiring you to enter a security code when you sign in.

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Cellebrite Pitches its iPhone Hacking Tools as COVID-19 Surveillance Solution

Andrew Orr ·

Cellebrite, a company known for its iPhone hacking tools, is pitching its products to governments as a surveillance alternative to contact tracing.

When someone tests positive, authorities can siphon up the patient’s location data and contacts, making it easy to “quarantine the right people,” according to a Cellebrite email pitch to the Delhi police force this month.

This would usually be done with consent, the email said. But in legally justified cases, such as when a patient violates a law against public gatherings, police could use the tools to break into a confiscated device, Cellebrite advised.

I get the feeling that there are many who are unhappy that Apple and Google’s solution is private and opt-in. Companies like Cellebrite and Palantir can’t pass up such an opportunity.

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Siri Gets German Voice Improvement That Was Promised Years Ago

Charlotte Henry ·

Siri has had a voice upgrade in Germany. AppleInsider reported that this is particularly noticeably to HomePod users in the country and is courtesy of an update that was meant to arrive in… 2017.

Now German-language users are reporting that the Siri voice they hear every day has been noticeably improved to sound more human and natural than before. According to German site iphone-ticker.de, Siri has finally received an update that was actually promised back in 2017…. Readers of iphone-ticker.de say that the new Siri voice is more melodic, as well as natural, and that this is particularly noticeable on HomePods. However, there have been certain problems. Some readers are saying that since the update, “Siri always sounds like helium.” Apple has yet to comment.