Topic: Hardbit Bitcoin Wallet Review (Read 2641 times)
I liked the Harbit Bitcoin Wallet. It is fairly simple to use and is built well. So far it is a good option for offline storage.
It is all done using QR codes.
Just like taking coins from a paper wallet with a QR code on it. You can send or receive them via that.
The 2nd gen unit is ready and has addressed concerns brought up by the community.
I will have one soon to review and give my findings on. More detailed this time.
Just like taking coins from a paper wallet with a QR code on it. You can send or receive them via that.
The 2nd gen unit is ready and has addressed concerns brought up by the community.
I will have one soon to review and give my findings on. More detailed this time.
I don't see how you can send bitcoins without internet or something...
I don't see how you can send bitcoins without internet or something...
The Hardbit wallet is just an android smartphone. Unless they open the software, I'm not sure why one would purchase this device. You can already buy this exact thing on Allibabi for crazy low prices.
HI I have 40btc in hardbit wallet, I cannot sync or anything, whats going on, I have made numerous contact with no answers, IF I HAVE BEEN SCSMMED THEN JUST TELL ME
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Not interested without the software and hardware sources. Assuming scam
I would not trust any device that was not open source. How do we know this cannot be hacked? How do we know that this isn't sending our private keys to the firm?
Interesting concept and review. I may consider ordering one in the future. However.. shouldn't this belong in the Development & Technical Discussion where close to all discussion about wallets(even hardware ones) take place?
Very nice, actually my wallet takes a long time until I get, maybe I will replace it yours
Good to know that they're easy to deal with. A few months back, I was in china and I bought a couple of ultra cheap but not awful android phones (<$30, 4" touch screens), reset them to factory defaults and removed extraneous apps, switched off wlan and BT and side loaded mycelium. IMO it's not a bad option as cold storage and I can make duplicates easier than with the hardbit. If anyone has any comments about that setup, positive or negative, I'd be interested in hearing them.
Ok so I received two of my hardbits today. I would like to direct people to the users manual which is located here:
http://www.hardbit.cn/index.php/downloads
The problem I have is this:
1. No way to upload your own private key. You must use the private key that comes with your wallet. This means we need to rely on a third party hardbit.cn to assure us that the private key they generated was either destroyed or is kept somewhere securely.
2. No way to download the private key on the wallet without using their proprietary backup system.
3. No way to via a usb connection transmit data to / from the device.
http://www.hardbit.cn/index.php/downloads
The problem I have is this:
1. No way to upload your own private key. You must use the private key that comes with your wallet. This means we need to rely on a third party hardbit.cn to assure us that the private key they generated was either destroyed or is kept somewhere securely.
2. No way to download the private key on the wallet without using their proprietary backup system.
3. No way to via a usb connection transmit data to / from the device.
Seems like the the private keys are generated automatically by the wallet when setup. They still needs to open up the software and how it works for trust to be established.
I will say this that they were quick to process my refund. They refunded my shipping and handling. When I pointed out that I wasn't happy that their source code was not open source and there were trust issues they stated that maybe sometime in the future they would like to use open source source code.
This company is genuinely trying to offer value in the bitcoin space I just am not interested in this particular approach. But their honesty is a positive. They would do much better if they decided to create online videos showcasing their product and how to use it. If I could have seen one I would have saved them the trouble of the return process.
Joshua
That is cool. Hopefully it goes well.
I see they used one of the pics from my article. LOL
The HB01 has been working well for me still. No hiccups or issued.
I have been pleasantly surprised.
I see they used one of the pics from my article. LOL
The HB01 has been working well for me still. No hiccups or issued.
I have been pleasantly surprised.
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=291155150042
Found one on auction starting at a buck. Interesting to see how this goes.
Found one on auction starting at a buck. Interesting to see how this goes.
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=291155150042
Found one on auction starting at a buck. Interesting to see how this goes.
Found one on auction starting at a buck. Interesting to see how this goes.
I use a rasberry pi as a cold wallet but this seems intriguing. The rasberry pi is limited by the lack of a bar code scanner obviously but pretty secure.
Thanks alot for the review.
We had many conversation with customers and potential customers after the product release.
Then we suddenly found that we've put ourself into a pitfall:a good person have to prove by himself that he is a good guy.
As you know, to make a safe, easy of use, affordable hardware wallet is already a very hard job, self-proving is an additional work and maybe even harder.
But , to be responsible for our customers, and to develop our business, we WILL do this.
One proof we've already done and we feel very luck is that we chose QR code as the only communicating method:no automatic transfer,all the information exchanging is visible, information can be analysed by 3rd party software.
Answers for some questions:
1 importing a wallet file to Hardbit .
Importing existing wallets is unsafe from hardware wallet's point of view. Our idea is to provide an once-send-all dedicated online software, for those who's Hardbit is lost or broken.i.e, import the backup wallet file to the software, input an target address(recommends an address created by another Hardbit),input password, and the software sends all the Bitcoin in the backup file to the new address. This software will be available soon.
2 product size and product line
HB02 will be a thinner,lighter and cheaper product, but with less safety.
Our product positioning: HB01 for relatively high-amount customers;HB02 for realtively low-amount customers; and special solution for ultra-high-amount customers.
BTW, thanks to the Bitcoin price surge, we've lowered the product price to 0.269BTC.
Alan Xu
On behalf of Hardbit team
We had many conversation with customers and potential customers after the product release.
Then we suddenly found that we've put ourself into a pitfall:a good person have to prove by himself that he is a good guy.
As you know, to make a safe, easy of use, affordable hardware wallet is already a very hard job, self-proving is an additional work and maybe even harder.
But , to be responsible for our customers, and to develop our business, we WILL do this.
One proof we've already done and we feel very luck is that we chose QR code as the only communicating method:no automatic transfer,all the information exchanging is visible, information can be analysed by 3rd party software.
Answers for some questions:
1 importing a wallet file to Hardbit .
Importing existing wallets is unsafe from hardware wallet's point of view. Our idea is to provide an once-send-all dedicated online software, for those who's Hardbit is lost or broken.i.e, import the backup wallet file to the software, input an target address(recommends an address created by another Hardbit),input password, and the software sends all the Bitcoin in the backup file to the new address. This software will be available soon.
2 product size and product line
HB02 will be a thinner,lighter and cheaper product, but with less safety.
Our product positioning: HB01 for relatively high-amount customers;HB02 for realtively low-amount customers; and special solution for ultra-high-amount customers.
BTW, thanks to the Bitcoin price surge, we've lowered the product price to 0.269BTC.
Alan Xu
On behalf of Hardbit team
I have not found a way to import a key into the unit yet.
There should be a way to do it and I hope that Hardbit lets me know. I asked about that.
Part of their replacement policy states they can reimport your wallet dat file at the factory. I am thinking they will have it polished for end users to do as well. I wonder if it will be when they release the windows software.
There should be a way to do it and I hope that Hardbit lets me know. I asked about that.
Part of their replacement policy states they can reimport your wallet dat file at the factory. I am thinking they will have it polished for end users to do as well. I wonder if it will be when they release the windows software.
Thanks for posting OP. Couple of questions... you mentioned that it asks you to make a backup. Is that so that you can recreate the wallet if you lose or break it? Does this mean I could buy two or more and essentially make a duplicate so that I could ship one to my brother etc?
Although it is a recoded phone I still think it's a much needed product. I never felt comfortable having a bitcoin wallet on my cell because of security / privacy reasons. So I think it's great to finally see a separate bitcoin hardware wallet.
However I think the device should be smaller (less thick) and a desktop client is a must have. But this might be improved in future.
However I think the device should be smaller (less thick) and a desktop client is a must have. But this might be improved in future.
a recoded phone can be de-coded too, imagine whn group buys start, one guy gets the phones from the suppliers and then de-codes it back to enable the phone features.
i think that the HB01 is to be a template or prototype for a future true hardware wallet. and this is not the end of the line. much like the raspberry PI was based on a recoded phone at first prototype, but the end retail release product was completely different. so im waiting out for the HB-02... or 3 or 4 where its not based on a phone
Although it is a recoded phone I still think it's a much needed product. I never felt comfortable having a bitcoin wallet on my cell because of security / privacy reasons. So I think it's great to finally see a separate bitcoin hardware wallet.
However I think the device should be smaller (less thick) and a desktop client is a must have. But this might be improved in future.
However I think the device should be smaller (less thick) and a desktop client is a must have. But this might be improved in future.
Thanks for posting OP. Couple of questions... you mentioned that it asks you to make a backup. Is that so that you can recreate the wallet if you lose or break it? Does this mean I could buy two or more and essentially make a duplicate so that I could ship one to my brother etc?
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