Google hires the creator of 4chan

It didn’t take long for 4chan creator Chris Poole (better known as Moot) to find a new home after selling his brainchild. Google has hired Poole to take advantage of his 12 years of experience “building online communities.” It’s not clear exactly what he’ll do. However, it wouldn’t be surprising if he gives Google+ a boost, improving its recent focus on community and giving you more reasons to visit.

Either way, it’s definitely a big change of pace. Poole established 4chan as the message board where almost anything goes, and indirectly helped launch Anonymous, legendary pranks and countless internet memes — he’s jumping from the internet’s counterculture to the mainstream in less than a year. While it’s not surprising given the incentives (Poole didn’t make a lot of money from 4chan before the sale), the Google hire is bound to catch some of his admirers off-guard.

Via: Variety

Source: Chris Poole, Bradley Horowitz (Twitter)

How to sign up for Google’s Project Fi – CNET

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Josh Miller/CNET

Prior to Monday, if you wanted to use Google’s Project Fi wireless service you had to request, and wait for, an invite.

Starting today, Google has lifted the invite system. Now, anyone in the US with a Gmail address can sign up for the service.

Before you get too excited, you’ll need to know a couple of housekeeping items. You must live in a supported service area (Google will help you check during the sign up process), have a Gmail account, own or plan on purchasing a recent Nexus device (Nexus 6, Nexus 6P, Nexus 5X), and you must be at least 18 years old.

With that out of the way, you can visit Project Fi’s sign up page fi.google.com/signup.

Sign in with your Gmail account and follow the prompts. The steps include entering a ZIP code, service address, picking a new phone number (or entering credentials to port an existing number), selecting a wireless plan, and ordering a Project Fi SIM card if you already have a Nexus device. If not, you can order a Nexus 5X for the limited time price of $199 or a Nexus 6P for $499.

Credit checks are only required if you finance your device purchase, and Project Fi is free of any contract commitments.

When your device or SIM arrives a few days later, the welcome kit will include instructions on activating your service.

Project Fi ditches invites in the U.S., offers Nexus 5X for $199 with signup

Google is now expanding the reach of its Project Fi pre-paid carrier service. Previously, the service was only available to access by those who received an invite, but that is no longer required.

In addition to ditching the invite signups, Google is also running a special for the Nexus 5X. People can buy the phone for as low as $199 for the next month if it is bought and activated with Project Fi. That’s for the 16GB model in black and white colors; the 32GB version can be bought via Project Fi for $249 in black, white and ice colors. 24-month financing is still available for $8.29 a month for the 16GB version and $10.38 a month for the 32GB version.

Google has also offered some information on how Project Fi customers have used the service since its launch less than a year ago:

Since launch, more than 15% of our customers have used Project Fi abroad. From Mexico to Montenegro, customers have visited 110 of our 120+ supported countries all while paying the same rate for data that they would in the U.S.

We believe that using Wi-Fi should be seamless which is why we created Wi-Fi Assistant – a tool that automatically connects to high-quality hotspots and helps secure your connection. Over 50% of Project Fi customers are connecting to public hotspots using Wi-Fi Assistant on a weekly basis.

Sign up for Project Fi

Google Project Fi

• What is Project Fi?
• Get the latest Project Fi news
• How Project Fi pricing compares to carriers
• How to move back to Google Voice
• Here’s what comes in the Project Fi box
• Discuss Project Fi in our forums
• Compatible phones: Nexus 6P | Nexus 5X | Nexus 6
• Sign up for Project Fi

Yahoo Mail gains new theme colors, subfolders, stars and more

Yahoo Mail for Android has received an update that brings a number of new features along with it, including 11 new theme choices. The app now features a simpler, more personalized experience, allowing you to even select different themes for each account you have added. From red to purple, orange and more, there is likely a theme here for just about every style preference.

The other changes, according to Yahoo, include:

• Rename Accounts: Long-press any of your accounts in the account switcher to give them new names like “Personal” or “Work.”
• Photo Options: Preview or save any photo or image you’ve received in a message by tapping on it. In compose, move any image between the message body and the attachment tray by pressing on the “…” on the image.
• Subfolders and More: Long-press on any folder to rename it, delete it or create a subfolder.
• Stars: In settings, enable tappable stars to see them in your inbox and other message lists. Also, don’t forget that you can set custom swipes, so you can star any message you like with just a swipe

You can download the latest update from Google Play.

Google’s March Security Update is now live — here’s what you need to know!

Keyring vulnerability fixes top this month’s list of fixes to the Android operating system.

Google’s monthly update system continues to offer important fixes to vulnerabilities many folks aren’t aware ever existed in Android, and the March list includes 19 issues all over the OS. These updates are rated either Moderate, High, or Critical in their Severity, and along with the update released to address these issues is a detailed explanation of what is being fixed. As is often the case with these monthly updates, contributions come from all over the world as well as Google’s internal security teams to ensure Android is always getting better.

Here’s what you need to know about the fixes being made available in Security Level March 01, 2016, as well as when your phone or tablet will get the update.

The March update for Android addresses six Critical issues, eight High issues, and two Moderate issues. These include elevation of privilege vulnerabilities, remote code execution vulnerabilities, remote denial of service vulnerabilties, and mitigation bypass vulnerabilities all over the OS. The most significant of these issues, according to Google, was a remote code execution vulnerabilities found in Mediaserver and libvpx. These issues could have allowed a third party to use MMS media or browser playback media to execute code on your phone or tablet by means of a specially crafted file that behaved maliciously instead of just playing media. Google has released fixes all the way back to Android 4.4.4 to address these issues.

As is often the case with these updates, Google claims no evidence of active attacks using these vulnerabilities exists.

Elevation of privilege vulnerabilities in MediaTek drivers and Qualcomm’s performance components were also addressed in this update, as well as in Mediaserver and Keyring. If exploited, these vulnerabilities could have made it possible to access more than the app had been given permission to access. The same goes for information disclosure vulnerabilities in telephony, libstagefright, WideVine, and the Android Kernel, only instead of access to more of the system functions a malicious app could have had access to more of your information than you’d given permission to access.

As is often the case with these updates, Google claims no evidence of active attacks using these vulnerabilities exists. Images for Nexus phones and tablets containing this March update are now available on the Google Developers site, with Over-The-Air updates expected within the week. Google provided these updates to all of their Android partners at least 30 days ago, and the companies that have committed to providing security updates as quickly as possible — like BlackBerry which is already shipping the March update on the Priv — will be detailing their update plans as soon as they can.

Google hires 4chan founder Chris Poole

Christopher Poole, who founded the popular Internet community board 4chan, is now a Google employee. Poole, who goes by “moot” online, revealed his new job on his personal blog.

Poole didn’t reveal any specifics about his new job at Google but seemed to offer some hints in his announcement:

When meeting with current and former Googlers, I continually find myself drawn to their intelligence, passion, and enthusiasm — as well as a universal desire to share it with others. I’m also impressed by Google’s commitment to enabling these same talented people to tackle some of the world’s most interesting and important problems.

I can’t wait to contribute my own experience from a dozen years of building online communities, and to begin the next chapter of my career at such an incredible company.

4chan was founded by Poole in 2003 and has since become one of the world’s most popular community message and image boards. Poole announced his departure from 4chan in early 2015, followed by the site’s sale to 2channel founder Hiroyuki Nishimura.

Pebble Time snags jumbo emoji, expands in-app language support

Pebble is pushing out a new set of updates to both the Pebble Time firmware as well as the Pebble Time Android app, bringing along some notable tweaks such as expanded in-app language support and jumbo emoji. On the firmware side of things, the most notable change is the addition of jumbo emoji. Now, when you’re sent a single emoji, you’ll see a bigger version than normal. The firmware update also refines some of the watch’s Health activity notifications.

The Pebble Time app for Android, on the other hand, has expanded its language support to include six languages. The app update also includes improvements for the Send Text app, along with some general bug fixes.

Here’s the full breakdown of what’s new in these updates, from Pebble:

Pebble Time Firmware 3.10 Release Notes

• Jumbo emoji. Jumboji? See the big change when you receive a single emoji.
• Refined Pebble Health activity notifications.
• Support for iOS notification filtering and other features introduced in version 3.10 of the Pebble Time app for iPhone.
• Bug fixes and performance improvements.

Pebble Time App for Android 3.10 Release Notes

• Improved the Send Text app based on user feedback.
• In-app language support now includes English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish.
• Bug fixes and performance improvements.

To grab the latest firmware, you can check inside of the Pebble Time app by heading to Menu > Support > Update Your Pebble.

You have only 3 days to order this ‘Kiss Me! I’m Android!’ t-shirt

It’s March, the month that’s filled with madness, spring and St. Patrick’s Day. In the spirit of St. Patty’s Day and the spirit of Android, we’re offering a limited edition t-shirt featuring Android Central’s mascot Lloyd. For just 3 days, you can order the “Kiss Me, I’m Android!” t-shirt.

The front features Lloyd with a jaunty hat, a pipe and a smattering of clovers. We’re still not sure of Lloyd’s heritage, other than to say he’s 100% Android!

Show your support for Android Central by picking up a t-shirt or hoodie today. We also have women’s t-shirts!

Orders may not arrive prior to March 17th, but we’ll do our best (and we’re keeping an eye out for four-leaf clovers). We also can’t be responsible if random people come up and offer to kiss you!

See at Teespring

Portal to take center stage in Valve VR demos at GDC 2016

Valve will be showing off new virtual reality demos next week in San Francisco during the 2016 Game Developers Conference. The demos will almost certainly be using the HTC Vive headset which the smartphone company has developed in partnership with Valve and its SteamVR platforms.

Valve’s brief email announcement on the demos is as follows:

Valve has announced plans to debut “The Lab,” a compilation of new VR experiments, at next week’s Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, CA. Set in a pocket universe of Aperture Science, “The Lab” offers multiple ways to enjoy room-scale VR. It will be offered free of charge via Steam this spring. More information will be made available next week at GDC.”

Aperture Science is, of course, the main setting for Valve’s popular Portal series of puzzle games, which has already been used in at least one SteamVR demo.

Valve’s Robot Repair Center for HTC Vive puts you inside Portal’s Aperture Labs

While you patiently await the arrival of your HTC Vive virtual reality headset, you can get a new look at what the gaming experience will be like. Polygon has posted a walkthrough of Aperture Labs Robot Repair Center, a VR game set in Valve’s Portal universe that puts you inside Aperture Labs so you can perform, you guessed it, repairs on robots.

Unsurprisingly, it seems Valve has a hidden joke or two in the game. Keep an eye on the phone early in the walkthrough.

Robot Repair Center isn’t the only game set in Aperture Science bound for the HTC Vive. Valve will also be showing off demos set at Aperture Labs at GDC 2016.

If you haven’t already, you can pre-order the Vive directly from HTC for $799.

See at HTCVive.com