An Android update designed to fix a security hole in the operating system is itself flawed, it has emerged.
In July, a vulnerability that affected up to a billion Android phones was made public by software researchers.
Google made a patch available, but security company Exodus Intelligence said it had been able to bypass the fix.
Exodus Intelligence said the update could give people a "false sense of security".
Google told the BBC that most Android users were protected by a security feature called address space layout randomisation (ASLR).
"Currently over 90% of Android devices have ASLR enabled, which protects users from this issue," it said.
ASLR makes it difficult for an attacker to plot an attack, and introduces more guesswork to the process, which is more likely to crash a smartphone than compromise it.
'Vulnerability remains'
In April, another security company, Zimperium, found a bug in Android that could let hackers access data and apps on a victim's phone, just by sending a video message.
The company disclosed the issue to Google and provided its own patch for the software, which Google made available to phone manufacturers.
Details of the flaw were made public in July, after Google had integrated the patch into the latest version of Android.
At the time, Google pointed out that there had been no reported cases of anybody exploiting the bug.
On Thursday, Exodus Intelligence said its researcher Jordan Gruskovnjak hadeasily bypassed the patch and the vulnerability remained.
"The public at large believes the current patch protects them when it in fact does not," the company said on its blog.
'Bigger challenge'
Millions of devices still run old versions of Android
"Stagefright is the early warning alert to a much bigger challenge," said David Baker, security officer for computing firm Okta.
"There isn't a comprehensive update solution for Android, since there are so many device makers modifying the software."
Android is an open source operating system and phone-makers can modify it to use on their handsets.
Phone manufacturers are responsible for updating their own devices with the latest software. But many do not, while some companies use customised versions of Android which take time to rebuild when security changes are made.
For these reasons, only 2.6% of Android phones are running the latest version of the operating system.
"Other manufacturers like Apple and BlackBerry control both the hardware and software. That means they can patch flaws much more quickly," said Mr Baker.
Exodus Intelligence said Google had known about the flaw for more than 120 days and still not fixed it.
"The patch is 4 lines of code and was (presumably) reviewed by Google engineers prior to shipping," said Exodus Intelligence on its blog.
"If Google cannot demonstrate the ability to successfully remedy a disclosed vulnerability affecting their own customers then what hope do the rest of us have?"
Intel is giving Android users a free way to control their PCs from a smartphone or tablet.
The free Remote Keyboard app popped up in the Google Play Store late last week. While the app is designed for Intel’s Compute Stick and NUC miniature PCs, we’ve confirmed that it works with other Intel-based machines running Windows 7 or higher.
The app is easy enough to set up. Just download it from the Google Play Store, then install the free host software on your PC. The mobile app automatically detects the host computer, and you can complete the pairing process by scanning a QR code on the computer screen with your phone’s camera. Similar to other smartphone remotes, Intel’s app uses Wi-Fi to communicate between the phone and the PC. Why this matters: While Intel is hardly the first company to offer remote mouse software for smartphones and tablets, other apps such as Unified Remote and Mobile Mouse either cost money or are ad-supported. Intel’s solution isn’t as full-featured, but it could be all you need for remotely controlling a PC in your living room or during a presentation.
A bare-bones app that just works
Once paired, the app provides a full keyboard (including arrow keys and a Windows button), along with a trackpad that supports multi-touch gestures such as two-finger scrolling. There’s also a scroll bar on the side of the screen if you’d rather scroll with just a thumb. In a thoughtful touch, the keyboard slides out of the way while using the trackpad in landscape mode, then pops in again when you take your fingers off the screen. Setting up the connection is easy: Just point your phone’s camera at the computer screen. Overall, it works pretty well, though the cursor seems too sensitive by default. While you can dial down cursor speed through the general mouse settings in Windows, this also affects any physical mouses you’re using, so it’s not ideal. Another nitpick: The app takes a few moments to reconnect any time you leave the app or turn off the screen.
If you’ve tried other remote mouse apps, you might miss some of their luxuries while using Intel’s version. There are no shortcut buttons for opening programs or managing windows, and no media control buttons either. And because the keyboard is built into the app, you can’t use your phone’s voice dictation capabilities. Intel’s app does just a couple things, but does them well and doesn’t cost a dime.
For Apple users, Intel’s documentation says an iOS version is coming soon.
t's
been a little over two months since Android 5.0.2 Lollipop soak test
began on first generation Moto E (aka Condor) and yet there is no
official word from Motorola as to when the mass roll-out of new Google
mobile OS would begin.
A
man walks by a video display at the Motorola booth on the second day of
the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. (Credit: Reuters)Reuters
However, there is some good news for tech savvy Moto E (aka Condor)
owners from the world's most popular mobile software makers, Cyanogen.
They have released the nightly version of the latest CM12.1 custom ROM
ot Moto E, which comes with all the goodies of the new Android v5.1 OS
and also a lot more customisation and performance-enhancing tweaks that
usually don't come with the Google certified OS.
The latest nightly version is based on AOSP (Android Open Source
Project) 5.1 Lollipop. It comes with lot of bug fixes and new
applications including refurbished email app powered by Boxer, which
brings multiple account support, exchange support and canned responses
for quick replies. Other customisations include sound alerts (bells or
whistles), option to select different LED colour display for email
notifications and many more.
Though this 'Nightlies' version is an official CyanogenMod ROM, it is
a bit unstable and there are some untested bugs (nothing major of sort)
which are yet to be fixed. Cyanogen is working on a more stable M
(Milestone) series, until then users can explore the features of new
ROM. Prerequisites (things to remember before installing Custom ROM)
This CyanogenMod [official] Android 5.1 Lollipop custom ROM can be installed only on Moto E (1St Gen)
aka Condor; if tried on other devices, it might get bricked [To check
your device model: Go to Settings >> About phone >> model
number]
Though installing custom ROM improves the device's performance and
UI experiences, it makes the company warranty void and they will no
longer be liable to provide updates in future [users can restore
warranty by flashing the device with stock-ROM].
Make sure the device is rooted (Bootloader unlocked) before going
forward for custom ROM installation. [More information on Moto E
Rooting/Bootloader unlocking, HERE]
Installation of custom ROM requires clearing of memory in the
smartphone, so make sure to back all the data by installing Clockwork
Mod (CWM) Recovery/ TWRP in the smartphone.
Users make sure they have installed USB drivers on the PC, or else your device (Moto E) will not be recognized by the computer.
Make sure your device has more than 80% battery, or else there is
chance of smartphone getting temporarily bricked if the installation
process is interrupted midway.
[Disclaimer:This procedure is very technical and
should be performed by a person with sound knowledge of rooting (or
manual software installation) Android devices. If the step-by-step
installation process is not followed properly, there are chances of the
smartphone getting bricked or being permanently irreparable. IBTimes
India cannot be held responsible for any damage or claims from readers
if the procedure does not yield the required results or if the
smartphone is bricked. Hence, users are advised to proceed with
caution.] Tutorial: Step-by-step installation procedure of CyanogenMod
[Official] Android 5.1 Lollipop CM12.1 custom ROM Condor on Motorola
Moto E (Gen 1)- Step 1: Download CyanogenMod [Official] Android 5.1 Lollipop CM12.1 custom ROM (HERE) and Google Apps (HERE/HERE) in to your PC.
[Note: Build date: 19/04/2015] Step 2: Connect Motorola Moto E (Gen 1) to PC via USB cord.
[Note: Before plugging the phone to the computer, be sure that you have installed USB driver software, if not, clickHERE to download the firmware] Step 3: Then, place CyanogenMod [official] Android
5.1 Lollipop Custom ROM zip file and Google Apps .zip file into the
phone's SD card's root folder memory.
[Note: Before users' begin installing the custom software, be sure
that the device must have rooted and has installed ClockworkMod
Recovery/TWRP tool.] Step 4: Now, turn off the device and disconnect from the PC. Step 5: Then perform the regular Recovery Mode sortie by press holding 'Volume (Down)' and 'Power' buttons. Step 6: After entering the RECOVERY mode, clear the phone memory, by choosing 'wipe data/factory reset'
[Note: use 'Volume' keys to navigate and 'Power' button to select options, while operating under Recovery Mode] Step 7: Now, clear the cache memory by selecting 'wipe cache partition' Step 8: Then to go back to Recovery mode, and select
'advanced' and tap 'wipe dalvik cache' [Note: This step is optional,
but many recommend this procedure so that user will not face boot loops
or any other errors in the middle of custom ROM installation] Step 9: Again come back to main recovery screen and then tap 'install zip from SD card' Step 10: Then tap 'choose zip from sdcard' and go to
Android ROM .zip file in SD card and enter the installation process.
Repeat the same procedure again to install the Google Apps. [Note: use
'Volume' keys to navigate and 'Power' button to select options] Step 11: Once done with the installation process,
navigate to '+++++Go Back+++++' and re-start the device by opting
'reboot system now' seen in the recovery menu.
Now, your device (Moto E 1st Gen) will take a few minutes to complete the booting process.
Users then head to Settings >> select About phone to confirm
the installation of CyanogenMod Android 5.1 Lollipop CM12.1 custom ROM.
[Credits: Cyanogen.org]
4 ways your Android device is tracking you (and how to stop it)
So there I was, poking around some of the more arcane settings on myMoto G, when I stumbled across something that took me aback: an archive of every voice command I'd ever spoken to my phone.
Turns out that each time you say something to the Google Now search box, Android saves a copy of what you said in your "Voice & Audio" history. Your voice history can go back months or even years, and it includes a transcript of what you said plus a playback button, so you can relive the moment.
That's not all. Your Android device—and, indeed, all your Google accounts, mobile or otherwise—can also save a "history" of your web searches and clicks, as well as what you've searched for and watched on YouTube. Android can also save a map of where you and your phone or tablet have been, even when you weren't actively using your handset.
Creepy? Well, that depends on how paranoid you are. According to Google, saving your Android activity is the best way of generating search results that seem to be reading your mind, boosting the quality of its voice recognition, suggesting nearby restaurants where you may want to eat, and so on. Google swears up and down that you, and only you, have access to your Android history.
You also have the option of turning your history off—or, at the very least, you can take a peek at what's being saved. Read on for four ways your Android device is watching you, starting with...
Your web history
IMAGE: BEN PATTERSON
You can easily turn your web history off to prevent your Android device from tracking of all your Google searches.
Every time you search the web using Chrome on your Android device—or using Google in a desktop browser, for that matter—Google takes note of what you searched for and which results you clicked.
In addition to making your search results more relevant, your Google "web history" can make for a handy, fascinating, and/or creepy way of tracking what you've been searching on over the past days, weeks, months, and even years.
Open the Applications drawer (typically, by tapping a button in the dock at the bottom of your Android home screen), tap the Google Settings icon (it looks like a gear), tapAccount History, tapWeb & App Activity, and finally tap theManage Historybutton. Voilà: your Google web history, in all its exhaustive glory.
You can search your web history using the Search box at the top of the page, or you can delete individual items by checking the appropriate boxes and clicking theRemove Itemsbutton.
To delete a big chunk of your web history—or all of it—tap the Settings button (the one shaped like a gear) just below the Search box, tap Remove Items, then choose how much to delete: the past hour's worth, a day, a week, a month, or absolutely everything.
You can also put your entire Google web history on pause by unchecking the big On setting at the top of the main Web & App Activity screen. Doing so stops Google from saving your web searches and browsing until your turn the feature on again. Keep in mind, though, that your previously saved web activity will stay put until you manually delete it.
Another option is to pause your web history on a particular device, like your Android phone. To do so, tap theData from this devicesetting on the main Web & App Activity screen, then uncheck theOn for this devicesetting.
Note:Another easy, albeit temporary way to keep Android from saving your searches is by turning on Chrome's private browsing feature.
Your voice commands
IMAGE: BEN PATTERSON
Your Android device tracks of all your voice commands. You can even hear what you said by tapping the little Play button.
Your Android device keeps track of every voice command—anything from "What's the weather today?" to "Remind me to buy milk at the store."
To see—and hear—a history of your voice commands, go back to the Account History screen in the Google Settings app. TapVoice & Audio Activity, then tapManage History.
Scroll down to see a giant list of all the Android voice commands you've ever uttered. Just tap one of the little Play buttons to hear yourself saying each one. Interesting—and kind of weird.
As with your web history, you're free to put your voice history on pause (permanently or otherwise), and you can also delete some or all of your saved voice activity.
Tap the Settings button (shaped like a gear), then tapRemove Items. The choices are the same as they were for your web history: You can delete the past hour of your saved voice commands, the past day, a week, a month, or all of them.
To pause your voice history, go back to the main Voice & Audio Activity screen, then uncheck the On setting at the top.
Remember, though, that Android may become less adept at deciphering your commands with your voice history switched off.
Your YouTube browsing
IMAGE: BEN PATTERSON
You can access your YouTube history, your web history, your voice activity, and more from the "Account History" screen in the Google Settings app.
Your YouTube searches and plays are diligently saved in your YouTube history, all in the name of helping YouTube serve up better search results and recommended video clips.
Go back to the Account Activity screen, tapYouTube Search History, thenManage Historyto see all your YouTube searches. (The list comprises searches from any device that's signed into your Google account.)
To remove an individual search from the list, tap its three-dot menu button, then tapRemove from Search history. You can also tap theClear all search historybutton to delete the entire list. (Sorry, you can't just zap part of your history, as you can with your Google web and voice history.)
To keep YouTube from saving your searches from this moment on, tap the "Pause search history" button—and yes, you can always turn it back on later.
To see the history of YouTube videos you've actually played: From your YouTube search history, tap theWatch Historybutton near the top of the screen to switch to a list of your played YouTube videos. From here, you can view, delete, or pause your history of watched YouTube videos, just as you did with your YouTube search history.
Your location
IMAGE: BEN PATTERSON
You can turn off "Location History" for some or all of your Android devices, so Android can't keep track of where you've been.
Here's perhaps the creepiest way in which Android keeps track of what you're doing—or, in this case, where you've been.
If you give Google the go-ahead, Android can keep tabs on the location of your various devices, periodically pinging Google's servers with the position of your Android phones and tablets—even when you're not actively using your devices.
You can even pull up a map showing where (for example) your Android phone's been on any given day.
So, what's the point of all this? According to Google, your "location history" helps apps like Google Now to be more prescient when it comes to, say, letting you know how long your commute is going to be, or which restaurants are on the way home, or what's playing at a nearby movie theater.
To remove any of this history, go to the Account Activity screen in the Google Settings app. TapGoogle Location History, then uncheck any or all of the devices whose location you don't want to be shared. You can also tap Delete Location Historybutton to wipe your past location history clean.
To see the map of where your various Android devices have been, tap the three-dot menu at the top of the Location History screen, then tapView/Manage.
Note: Just because you've paused your Google web history or deleted your location history doesn't mean no one's monitoring your Android activity. All your web site visits are duly recorded by your ISP, for example, while you wireless carrier can track "pings" from your Android phone on nearby cell towers.
Did you just pick up a new Android device? Maybe you’re looking for a new, cheap way to kill time? You’re in luck - we’ve got some games here that look and play great on the big and small screen alike, and they’re all available for the low, low price of free.
It’s worth keeping in mind that just about all of these employ in-app purchases of some kind or another. We know there are plenty of you that would willingly pay up front for a quality game, but there are plenty of good free games out there too. We’re trying to avoid “lite” games, since you won’t get a lot of replay value by only having the first couple of levels and being pestered to upgrade (pay) for the rest. That said, if the freemium model is a dealbreaker, this probably isn’t the round-up for you. Developers gotta eat.
Without further ado, here’s our list of the best free Android games. Don’t be shy to sing out in the comments with your favorite free games for Android.
Dungeon Hunter 4 is a fast-paced action-RPG that plays like butter. Players hack and slash their way through an extensive single-player campaign, gather loot and gear, level up their abilities, and eventually take the fight into online multiplayer, both co-operatively and competitively. The graphics, particularly during boss battles, are sure to suck you into the world. For those that get particularly enamored, there’s a premium currency available if you want to pick up the swankiest gear.
Dungeon Hunter 4 brings some of the best action-RPG gameplay you’ll find out there.
Asphalt 8: Airborne is our favorite racing game on mobile right now. It skips all pretensions of realism and provides an over-the-top, high-octane game with all the fixings. Players can work their way through the career mode, unlock new rides, upgrade the ones they have, or take the competition online in staggered or live multiplayer. The usual race modes are there, plus a new Infected one where players have to tag other racers before succumbing to an explosive virus.
The incredibly polished graphics and outstanding soundtrack make Asphalt 8 an adrenaline trip you won’t soon forget.
Dots is a light, casual, and addictive puzzle game where players need to line up same-colored dots as quickly as possible. You’ve got a limited number of time or moves to gather up these dots by matching them, get bonuses for tracing closed loops, and once you run out, the dots you’ve gathered can be spent on consumable power-ups. There’s also a local multiplayer mode if you want to see how your friends stack up.
Dots is fun, sharply designed and highly accessible - give it a shot!
Plague Inc. is a rather dark global virus simulation game. Players gently guide a disease from a modest cough to a deadly worldwide pandemic by evolving it with new symptoms, means of transmission, and resistances. Over time, players unlock new disease types with their own unique traits. World events also randomly pop up every game, forcing you to change your evolution path. With an in-app purchase, you can get rid of ads and add a fast-forward option, or shortcut to new virus types.
As morbid as it may be, the Plague Inc.’s gameplay is truly infectious.
Galaxy on Fire 2 is a sci-fi RPG that has players blasting through a beautifully-rendered universe. Quests range from hunting down space pirates to mining asteroids and everything in between. There’s plenty of trading to do, and you can always upgrade your ship and buy new rides with the riches you amass. There’s a rich storyline to enjoy, and expansions available through in-app purchases.
Galaxy on Fire 2 is a rich, exciting, wide-open RPG perfect for sci-fi fans.
In Dumb Ways to Die, players have to successfully get through a gauntlet of simple mini-games for as long as possible, though they progressively grow more difficult. These can range from shooing piranhas away from your crotch, swatting bugs, and holding onto balloons so you don't dive onto the tracks. You get three failures before it’s game over. The art style fantastically morbid - cute little characters are constantly getting maimed in new and exciting ways. As you play, you unlock more of the victims/idiots for your collection. The best part about this game is that it's actually a kind of public service warning by the Melbourne transit association to make sure people don't do stupid things near the tracks. There's even a music video. Well-played, Australia. Well-played.
For a dark-but-cute test of reflexes, Dumb Ways to Die is fantastic.
Dead Trigger 2 brings rootin’-tootin’ first-person-shootin’ back to the zombie apocalypse. Despite the altogether realistic visuals, Dead Trigger 2 remains chock-full of tongue-in-cheek humor. Controls use a fast and natural auto-fire mechanism which keeps the focus on moving and aiming. More notably, there’s a robust hideout and crafting system where you get various assistants to build stuff for you, though it takes time. There is a premium currency in place, but it’s used almost exclusively to speed up building times; all weapons can be created and upgraded using the currency you earn throughout gameplay. Regular events bring players to new parts of the world, with collective rewards if goals are met.
If you’re looking for a high-quality shooter, you’ll have a hard time finding something better than Dead Trigger 2.
Plants vs. Zombies is a venerable mobile franchise for a good reason. The bizarre premise of protecting your back lawn from hordes of undead with sunflowers and peas is certainly part of that, but there’s a lot of tactical thinking in terms of plant choices before the attack begins, and placement. In Plants vs. Zombies 2, you’re taken back in time to defend against zombies dressed in era garb, and try out all sorts of new mechanics. The zombies are getting smarter, and challenge your reaction speed in a number of ways, though you also have a whole new complement of plants to use. Stages also have new terrain features to keep every round fresh. Plant food can be collected to super-charge any plant and gesture-based special abilities can make short work of a wave when things get especially hairy.
All in all, Plants vs. Zombies 2 presents deep strategic gameplay in a fun, colorful package.
Spaceteam is a decidedly unique local multiplayer game. Players gather together with their various devices and connect over either Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. They’re then presented with ridiculously-labeled spaceship consoles, with all manner of sliders, knobs, switches, and buttons. Each player then has a message flashing telling them which control needs to be tweaked in order to save their ship from exploding. The thing is, that control could be on anybody’s device, so what ends up happening is everybody starts barking ludicrous orders at one another with straight-faced urgency. Random events can have players in a panic trying to wipe goop off their controls while going through these episodes. In-app purchases unlock new skins, panels, and crew member graphics.
Spaceteam will be one of the most fun party games you play, and thanks to cross-platform compatibility, everybody gets to give it a go.
You Don’t Know Jack is an amazingly-written trivia game with a long-standing tradition of bizarre wordplay and general smart-assery. Players compete against Facebook friends for the high scores in themed episodes. Many of the questions adopt a standard multiple-choice format, but there are also Dis or Dat questions where you have to categorize terms, and the harrowing Jack Attack in the final round. The tokens earned through gameplay can unlock new hilarious parody commercials in between rounds or be spent on consumable performance enhancers. In-app purchases can get rid of ads and give you all the tokens you could want.
You Don’t Know Jack is an absolutely hilarious game, even for those of us that are way too dumb to do well with trivia titles.
If you're a parent or a grandparent, you know kids pick up the latest technology lightning fast. Of course, that means the children in your life can also be using apps and visiting sites that are totally inappropriate for their ages. Worse yet, you might not even realize it.
Let’s look at five dangerous apps the children you deeply care about may be using … and why they're dangerous.
1. Snapchat
Snapchatis a picture-messaging app whose claim to fame is that the messages last only for a few seconds once they're opened, then supposedly evaporate into thin air. In theory, you can send embarrassing or risque pictures without being afraid someone will steal or distribute them.
Unfortunately, the claim that Snapchat makes it safe to send risque pictures is just plain wrong. It's way too simple for anyone to grab a screenshot of the image before it's deleted. In fact, several teenage boys have gotten in serious legal trouble over the last few years for capturing and distributing illegal photos sent to them by underage girls.
Also, last October, hackers got their hands on thousands of "deleted" Snapchat images that had been stored on third-party servers. While it wasn't exactly a breach of Snapchat, it's further proof that pictures don't always disappear.
In fairness, many teens use Snapchat for innocent picture-conversations with each other. And as Snapchat grows in popularity, the company is moving further away from its sexting association. But it's still a big concern.
If your teens are using Snapchat, ask them to show you how they're using it. Make sure they are communicating only with people they know and that they realize the pictures they send don't just vanish forever. Remind them, "Once on the Internet, always on the Internet!"
2. Tinder
While Snapchat has uses besides sharing inappropriate images,Tinderis all about meeting new romantic partners, which probably isn't something you want your teen doing with strangers.
Tinder allows a person to create a profile and see images of potential romantic matches in the immediate area. If two people like each other, they can have a conversation through the app and potentially "hook up." Again, broadcasting images to strangers and potentially meeting them on a whim is not something teens should be doing, in my parental opinion.
Actually, underage teens aren't even supposed to be using Tinder. The only way to get on the app is to have a Facebook account with a birth date that indicates the user is 18 years old or over. Of course, children can set any birthdate they wish with a simple keyboard entry. There is no age verification.
Any child who uses the app will be meeting people who are over legal age. They might come across predators, scammers and any variety of creeps that no one should have to deal with.
In short, Tinder is dangerous for kids. Keep them away from it.
3. Vine
Vine, which lets you record and share six-second videos, seems like a totally safe app at first. It gets dangerous when you consider how strong peer pressure is on social media.
Teens, as I'm sure you remember, will do almost anything for acceptance and attention. And the best way to get attention on social media is to do something edgy or crazy. Last year, in the most dramatic example yet, teens across the world took to setting themselves on fire.
In response to this, Vine just released theVine Kidsapp, which features hand-selected videos that are supposed to be appropriate for younger audiences. Unlike the real Vine app, Vine Kids can't record videos. This might be good for younger kids, but I can guarantee older kids and teenagers will want to use the real Vine app.
If your kids use Vine, or any social media site, be sure to friend, follow or join them on it to monitor what they're doing and saying. You might also occasionally look at their phones to confirm which apps they have installed, or even review their activity on the site. You'll want to know if they're running with a dangerous crowd or doing something stupid or worse.
4. Whisper
Whisper, an app built specifically for spreading rumors and secrets, lets users post pictures and text anonymously. Apps like Whisper could potentially be a good outlet for teens, as anonymous confessions can help people unburden themselves. But Whisper shares the secrets based on geographic location, so the users nearest to your child are the ones more likely to see the secret. If your child reveals too much, it can put him or in a dangerous situation with friends or adversaries.
The most dangerous apps for teens use GPS tracking to bring people physically together. Cyberbullying is much more hurtful when the person bullying your child moves from online to in-person abuse. In this case, Whisper seems like it could cause teens more harm than good.
5. 9Gag
9Gagis one of the most popular apps for distributing memes and pictures online. The risky part for teens is that all kinds of pictures are shared on 9Gag. These pictures aren't moderated and could come from any uploader and feature terrible images you don't want kids seeing.
If your children have to get their humor fix from somewhere, always try to make sure they're getting it from a place with rules and regulations that commit to keeping underage users protected.
Need to stay connected? Don't panic. There are several ways you can find free WiFi wherever you are.
If you want a quick and easy way to scan your area to find the closest hotspots, check out a free app calledWeFi. WeFi lists over 200 million WiFi hotspots around the world so you'll never have to go too far to find a connection.
Another thing to consider is your cable company. Depending on your provider, you may already have free WiFi access. Cablevision, Time Warner, Comcast, Cox Communications and Bright House Networks all provide more than 250,000 free hotspots in metropolitan areas for qualified customers. For more info, visit your provider's WiFi homepage, or just download its free WiFi finder app.
Another way to connect is by tethering. Tethering is a feature that turns your smartphone into a portable WiFi hotspot. Most smartphones have this capability already built in. To activate it, go into your WiFi settings and enable your "personal hotspot" option. Once it's set, your phone will appear as an available WiFi network, so you can share -- or "tether" -- your phone's connection to your laptop or tablet.
There's one thing to watch out for, though. Tethering does tend to use up your phone's data plan pretty quickly, so check your network's terms and conditions first so you don't get hit with any unwanted charges.
No internet? No problem! Give these options a try and you'll be able to find a free connection, anytime, anywhere.
Google’sNexus Android 5.1 releasecontinues to make progress for select smartphones and tablets. This week, we’ve seen a number of new details emerge for owners of Nexus smartphones and tablets and we want to take a look at what we think you need to know now about Google’s Nexus Android 5.1 update for devices like the Nexus 5, Nexus 7 and more.
In early March, Google unveiled its brand new Android 5.1 Lollipop update for Nexus smartphones and tablets. The Android 5.1 Lollipop is larger than your standard Android bug fix update. While it brings a number of big time fixes for Android 5.0 Lollipop problems, it also brings some nice tweaks to existing features. It’s an update that many Nexus users have had their eye on for the past month.
Unfortunately, Google’s Android 5.1 release has been unpredictable and sporadic and it’s been a very difficult release to follow, even for those that are in tune with Google’s Nexus Android release protocol.
With that in mind, we want to take a look at the most important things to know this week about Google’s Android 5.1 Lollipop release. This roundup covers all of the latest details and it takes a look at what might be coming next for devices like the Nexus 5, Nexus 7, Nexus 6, and others.
Nexus 5 Android 5.1 Update Finally Moving
The Nexus 5 Android 5.1 Lollipop update was one of the first to start rolling out. Unfortunately, the update initially was moving at a snails pace with many Nexus 5 users complaining about missing updates.
Google’s Android 5.1 LMY47I build is not the firmware that started rolling out to some Nexus 5 users in early March. Instead, it’s an updated build that features small fixes including one for SIM cards.
This week, two of our Nexus 5 models received Google’s new Nexus 5 Android 5.1 Lollipop build, a sign that the update is finally starting to make the progress that Nexus 5 users have been hoping for. We’ve heard from several other Nexus 5 users who have also received their upgrade and it’s clear that this roll out should reach all Nexus 5 users soon.
New Nexus 7 Android 5.1 Update Now Available
Earlier this week, Google’sposted the factory imagesfor the Nexus 7 (3G) Android 5.1 Lollipop update on the Android Open Source Project. The appearance in AOSP meant that an OTA roll out was imminent. Google usually doesn’t announce the start of individual OTA roll outs so it shouldn’t be surprising to learn that the OTA file is available sans announcement. Here’s the file:
The arrival of this file means that the OTA roll out is here. Those that aren’t familiar with the sideload process should not download that file. Instead, we advise you to wait for the OTA roll out to arrive.
PSA for All Nexus 7 3G Users
Here are a few things that we think Nexus 7 3G users need to keep in mind as the Android 5.1 Lollipop update starts to roll out:
You need to prepare your device. We have some tipshereandhere.
The roll out will move slowly. Google’s updates typically take a week or more to complete.
Check manually through settings but no more than that. Most of you will discover the update via a prompt in notifications.
You don’t need to install the update the second it arrives. In fact, you might not want to. There are loads of Android 5.1 problems that we’ll detail in a second.
Nexus 9, Nexus 7 2013 Android 5.1 Update
The fact that the Nexus 7 2012 and Nexus 7 3G Android 5.1 updates is surprising given that the Nexus 7 2013 and Nexus 9 have yet to be updated with Android 5.1 Lollipop. As a reminder, all of these Android 5.1 updates will come at some point. Maybe in Android 5.1.1 form.
The Nexus 9, is still on Android 5.0.2 but that will change at some point. The Nexus 9 Android 5.1 Lollipop update islurking on Google’s websiteand while that doesn’t confirm an imminent release, it does hint at a release in the future. It’s not clear how long it might take Google so Nexus 9 users need to remain patient as it works behind the scenes.
Google still hasn’t announced a Nexus 7 Android 5.1 release for the 2013 model but it does look like the device is in its plans. Eagle-eyed Redditors recently spotted the Android 5.1 Lollipop updatefor “flo” which is the codename for the Nexus 7 2013 Wi-Fi. Redditorshave also spottedthe Nexus 7 LTE Android 5.1 Lollipop update so it looks like Google will release a new update for that device as well. It’s just a matter of when at this point.
We still believe that a Nexus 4 Android 5.1 update or something similar is coming. Last month, Mycespotted an Android 5.1 Lollipop buildrunning on the Nexus 4. What this means is that Google has the Nexus 4 Android 5.1 Lollipop update in testing.
If you’re still on the fence about whether to install Android 5.1 or not, you should take a look at our recent reviews for theNexus 5,Nexus 6, andNexus 7. These will help get you started though we certainly encourage you to branch out to get some more feedback before making a final decision one way or the other.
Android 5.1 Problems Continue
Android 5.1 problems continue to plague Nexus users in the weeks after the Android 5.1 Lollipop release. Google’s Nexus Help Forums arelittered with complaints aboutreboots, battery life, connectivity issues, and more. These problems are found across all of Google’s Nexus smartphones and tablets. They aren’t limited to just one device.
It looks like some Nexus 7 and Nexus 5 users havediscovered a major issuewith Android 5.0.2 and in some cases, Android 5.1 Lollipop. Some Nexus 7 and Nexus 5 users arereportingthat the Android 5.1 update bricked their device. It’s still not clear what’s going on here but it’s an issue that seems to have affected more than just a few Nexus 5 and Nexus 7 users.
What makes things worse is that it seems the issue has taken several weeks to pop up. Some users are reporting that the problem emerged a few weeks after updating. None of our Nexus devices have bricked, at least not yet.
Nexus Android 5.1.1 Update MIA
On April 1st, anAndroid 5.1.1 update was spottedin an update for the Android SDK. The listing all but confirmed an arrival for Nexus devices down the road. Android 5.1.1 is still missing in action more than a week later and we haven’t seen any new developments emerge for Nexus users.
It’s still not clear what this update might bring to Nexus users though many people assume that it will fix the Android 5.1 memory leak issue that’s plaguing a number of Nexus users. We’verun into the problem on the Nexus 5so we’re hoping that Google’s new update does offer a fix.
Android 5.1.1: What to Expect
Finally, here’s a quick look at what we expect from the Android 5.1.1 Lollipop update:
We expect there to be an Android 5.1.1 update. We doubt that the listing was an April Fool’s Joke.
We expect the update to be small and contain a few bug fixes unless Google decides to postpone the release to add more fixes.
We would expect it to roll out sometime in the next few weeks. The fact that it showed up in the Android SDK means that the update is getting close to a public release.
We’d expect several, if not all Nexus devices to get updated to Android 5.1.1, especially if it has a fix for the memory leak problem.
We expect there to be Android 5.1.1 problems. New ones and lingering Android 5.0 issues.
We expect Google to stay silent about Android 5.1.1 and its release. It appears to be a small bug fixer and Google typically doesn’t make a big deal out of those.
