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Tired of typing a password to unlock your laptop the old fashioned way? It looks like Google is planning to provide an “Easy Unlock” function for Chromebooks.
Here’s how it works: with Easy Unlock enabled, the Chromebook will search to see if your phone is nearby. If it is, the phone basically acts like your password and your device unlocks without requiring you to type a thing. If it’s not, then you’d best get to typing.
A non-working version of the feature showed up as an optional flag in the latest Chrome OS dev channel update.
 
Here’s a roundup of tech news from around the web.
- Easy Unlock for Chrome OS will unlock your Chromebook when your phone is nearby
Just make sure that if someone steals your Chromebook, they don’t also steal your phone… or vice versa. [Android Police] - Amazon Fire TV adds voice search support for Hulu Plus and more
At launch, the Fire TV let you search for Amazon Instant Video and VEVO content using your voice. Now you can also search Hulu Plus, Crackle, and Showtime Anywhere content. Amazon says it’s also working on integrating Amazon MP3, more ames, and a Prime browse feature to make it easier to find videos that are free with an Amazon Prime subscription. [Amazon] - YouTube app for Android can now stream live videos to Chromecast
Google recently added support for streaming live videos from YouTube to Chromecast using a desktop web browser. Now you can do it with the YouTube mobile app. [Google Play] - Nokia stops selling the Lumia 2520 tablet in some countries, advises owners to stop using due to charger shock risk
In a rather shocking announcement, Nokia says about 30,000 chargers for its Lumia 2520 tablets in Europe may cause a shock. The company is halting sales and advising customers to stop using the chargers for now. [Nokia] - Xiaomi tablet photos leaked
The Chinese phone maker is working on its first tablet, and while it has yet to be released, photos and specs have a habit of leaking. [GizChina] - OnePlus One smartphone will initially be available via an invitation-only system
Rather than taking pre-orders, the startup plans to offer a limited quantity of phones to folks who score an invite. [OnePlus] - Amazon’s Kindle for Samsung app offers 12 free eBooks per year
The Kindle for Samsung app is a lot like Kindle for other devices… but every month users will get to choose 1 of 4 free books to add to their library. [mobiputing] - A little more evidence that Android 4.4.3 is on the way… this time straight from Google
The official Google Edu Device Setup app has been updated and the “What’s New” section mentions support for Android 4.4.3. [/r/Android] - Neil Young’s Pono Music Kickstarter campaign closes at $6.2 million raised… more than 7x the goal
Apparently some people *are* willing to pay more money for a portable media player that offers better-than-MP3 audio. [Kickstarter]
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I’d be willing to fund Pono Music for the FLACs tbh, the music player is a bit questionable but I don’t know of another place that offers lossless music, certainly none of the big players do (apple, amazon, google… probably more)
You better hope no one steals you chromebook and your phone. I can’t imagine many businesses will accept that level of security.