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The apparent problem: iOS apps do not support the two-factor authentication invoked by Google, and neither, apparently, do at least some apps on the Android-powered HTC One S (running Ice Cream Sandwich) and a Kindle Fire (running an Amazon-tweaked version of Android).
Google knows this is frustrating. It's even put up a video about it on YouTube.
Google's workaround is "application specific passwords" -- onetime codes that Google advises users not to bother memorizing or writing down -- even though for email on an iPad to sync up it needs that unique password entered (and remembered by the device). Frankly, it's maddening. So far I have set up six of these, and it's not getting easier.
Getting the code is a multi-step process and the first step is clicking on an app that used to work and now does not. Step two: Find the password that's associated with the app. Fairly straightforward with iOS, not always so on Android, where sometimes passwords appear to be hidden.
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Except it does not work that easily -- trust me. Hours into this I still don't have my calendar syncing on a Kindle Fire, for instance, and that may be just one of many apps that worked fine yesterday but this morning are mired in thick cyber frustration.
ReplyDeleteThe apparent problem: iOS apps do not support the two-factor authentication invoked by Google, and neither, apparently, do at least some apps on the Android-powered HTC One S (running Ice Cream Sandwich) and a Kindle Fire (running an Amazon-tweaked version of Android).
Google knows this is frustrating. It's even put up a video about it on YouTube.
Google's workaround is "application specific passwords" -- onetime codes that Google advises users not to bother memorizing or writing down -- even though for email on an iPad to sync up it needs that unique password entered (and remembered by the device). Frankly, it's maddening. So far I have set up six of these, and it's not getting easier.
Getting the code is a multi-step process and the first step is clicking on an app that used to work and now does not. Step two: Find the password that's associated with the app. Fairly straightforward with iOS, not always so on Android, where sometimes passwords appear to be hidden.