Pre-order the Samsung Galaxy S6, S6 Edge or HTC One M9 Starting March 27th [Update]

Three new flagship Android devices, the the Samsung Galaxy S6, S6 Edge and HTC One M9, will be hitting store shelves this April. For those smartphone geeks out there that want to be the first on the block to get their hands on the new devices when they officially go on-sale, the date for pre-orders has been confirmed as tomorrow March 27th for all most all major carriers.

For those wanting Samsung's latest flagship devices the company made it official that the Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 edge will go live in the US on March 27. Sales will begin nationwide on April 10 with all three device storage variants; 32 GB, 64 GB and 128 GB being available. The devices will be available in three colors at launch: Black Sapphire, Gold Platinum and White Pearl. The Blue Topaz and Green Emerald colors exclusive to the S6 and S6 edge are expected to be available later on, presumably for different carriers. Keep in mind these are just general dates, and  actual carrier pre-order/shipping dates (and even colors and capacities available) may vary a little.

AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular and Verizon Wireless will offer both the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 edge, while Boost Mobile, Cricket Wireless and MetroPCS will carry the Galaxy S6. Samsung Experience Shops at Best Buy BBY, Amazon, Costco, Sam’s Club, Target, and Walmart will also carry the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge and should have demo units available for anyone wanting to review the new devices.

Update: Verizon has confirmed that it will not begin offering pre-orders to its customers until April 1st and they will be offering both devices Black Sapphire and White Pearl – in 32 GB, 64 GB, and 128 GB models. Pricing for the Galaxy S6 is $599, $699 and $799. Pricing for the S6 edge is $699, $799 and $899.

Again at this time it is still unclear which variants each carrier will be offering though AT&T's pre-order information page does confirm they'll be offering all three colors and memory capacities.

For those geeks out there that are clamoring to get their hands on the newest offering from HTC, we now know the company will be putting the new HTC One M9 up for pre-order and sale on the same dates March 27th  and April 10th. This goes for the HTC online store as well as most major carriers. From April 10, the One M9 will be available from all four major US carriers, as well as retailers Amazon, Best Buy, Best Buy Mobile specialty stores, Costco Wholesale and Target.

Update: Verizon has confirmed HTC One M9 pre-orders will begin April 1st.

Both devices will carry similar price tags with the unlocked 32gb HTC One M9 costing you $649, and the 32gb Galaxy S6 fetching somewhere around $679. The Galaxy S6 edge will be price significantly higher at $750+. (Exact pricing details for each variant are expected tomorrow)

Now that we have the dates set in stone, one question remains. Which one of these three new devices will you be buying? Or will you go a different route entirely? Let us know with a comment below.

Facebook's New Messenger Platform May Be The Last Straw For Me!

It is no secret that Facebook is looking to become all things mobile and in doing so they are looking to expand every aspect of not just their main site but their social add-ons like the standalone messenger application. Today at the company's F8 developer conference they announced a couple new projects involving the messenger platform which integrate even more services into the fold creating an even larger mobile foot-print for the company's platform.

First is the new Messenger Platform, which allows developers to integrate separate stand alone applications into the Facebook Messenger service. The new platform is meant to allow users to download third party add-ons for Facebook Messenger keeping you glued to Facebook while you share even more content from other sites. For instance, if you’d like to send a GIF with Giphy, attach an image with Imgur or send personalized stickers with JibJab, you no longer have to go to each website to complete these actions. Just download each app to work alongside the Facebook Messenger app, send it over to your friends or colleagues and you’re all set.

In addition to the Messenger Platform, Facebook also announced Businesses on Messenger. A more business oriented service, I take that as a potential advertising platform, that enables users to connect with businesses via messenger to do things like: receive receipts, track/cancel orders, and even have a conversation with the business regarding a recent order. The goal would seemingly be to replace a direct phone call, email or other online connection.

The new Businesses on Messenger platform will launch in the coming weeks with a limited number of partners. Of course, Facebook says you don’t have to receive your updates through Messenger or communicate with a a business, but the option will be there if both the business and user would like it.

Facebook's Growing Encroachment on Privacy

At the heart of it these subtle changes to the Facebook Messenger application seem to be fairly innocuous. Unfortunately from a privacy stand point that may not be so. The addition of third party apps, and inclusion of connections to businesses could poise several security issues and could open the door to several new privacy concerns.

As the social media giant continues to grow both it's mobile and advertising platforms we start to see lines being blurred.The company's 'all encompassing' approach could allow for further incursions into a users shopping habits, usage on outside sites and other areas they may not currently have.This access could lead to more acutely pinpointed advertising. It could also lead to more privacy concerns with potential for leaks or cross-platform hijacks.

My thoughts:
I for one have never been sold on the idea of allowing a single company to have total control and access to all of my online life. I tend to lend towards keeping my multiple platforms separate, not using Facebook or Gmail account log-ins as frequently as possible, not relying solely on a single use platform for email, messaging services ect. I've never been one to 'place all my eggs in one basket'. Call it the old school geek in me, but from a security stand point that has always been a traditional stance.

I wouldn't mind having better access and better communication with businesses I use. However, the thought of having to give up any further privacy to Facebook (or any other site) isn't one I'm open to. Neither is the idea of download multiple different add-ons to communicate with friends through messenger. I wasn't impressed with the changes Facebook made to the messenger app when they forced it on users as a standalone service. Nor am I convinced that Facebook Messenger privacy isn't a concern. These new changes will undoubtedly pave the way for more monetization efforts, which will also open the door to more ads and intrusions.

Therefore these new changes, as well as further growing concerns over my overall privacy within Facebook, may just be the last straw for this geek. I may have to let the Facebook ship sail and leave messenger in the past - probably where it belongs!

Microsoft Windows 10 Upgrades Coming For Free | No Your Pirated Version Won't Suddenly Be Legit

Microsoft made big headlines yesterday when they dropped the news that Windows 10 upgrades will be available for free to anyone even Windows pirates. However, it now appears as though some of those previous reports were not totally accurate.

According to the original reports Microsoft said they'd be "upgrading all qualified PCs, genuine and non-genuine, to Windows 10." At the time the program was only confirmed to be rolling out in China as a chance for Microsoft to "re-engage" with the hundreds of millions of Windows users in China. Windows piracy is a major concern in China, and to deal with the problem, Microsoft wanted to offer customers a chance to get on-board with legitimate software. It will dole out Windows 10 through security outfit Qihoo 360 Technology and Tencent Holdings, China's most popular social networking company with more than 800 million users.

This however led to more speculation that Microsoft would be rolling out the same program world wide. It now turns out that is the case, though there are a few caveats that were not initially covered by the previous reports. First is the statement from Microsoft confirming the Windows 10 free upgrade program:

"We are excited to launch Windows 10 this summer. Anyone with a qualified device can upgrade to Window 10, including those with pirated copies of Windows. We believe customers over time will realize the value of properly licensing Windows and we will make it easy for them to move to legitimate copies."

This is the same blanket statement that several sites have confirmed receiving yesterday. Today however we have more clarification on the program and what will and won't be covered. Microsoft revealed the Windows 10 upgrade details to Polygon. This short and to the point statement makes it all clear, the free Windows 10 upgrade will simply be a software update and in no way offers a legitimate license or changes the status of the non-genuine license. Here's the full statement:

"The consumer free upgrade offer for Windows 10 applies to qualified new and existing devices running Windows 7, Windows 8.1 and Windows Phone 8.1. Some editions are excluded from the consumer free upgrade — including Windows 7 Enterprise, Windows 8/8.1 Enterprise, and Windows RT/RT 8.1. Active Software Assurance customers in volume licensing have the benefit to upgrade to other Windows 10 enterprise offerings.

"We have always been committed to ensuring that customers have the best Windows experience possible. With Windows 10, although non-Genuine PCs may be able to upgrade to Windows 10, the upgrade will not change the genuine state of the license. Non-Genuine Windows is not published by Microsoft. It is not properly licensed, or supported by Microsoft or a trusted partner. If a device was considered non-genuine or mislicensed prior to the upgrade, that device will continue to be considered non-genuine or mislicensed after the upgrade. According to industry experts, use of pirated software, including Non-Genuine Windows, results in a higher risk of malware, fraud (identity theft, credit card theft, etc), public exposure of your personal information, and a higher risk for poor performance or feature malfunctions."

So it now seems as though not much is actually changing. Microsoft is simply stating that they will offer the Windows 10 upgrade software to just about anyone for free. You'll still need to purchase a license to actually be on the legal side, though it likely means you can purchase the cheaper upgrade pack instead of a full retail license. We still don't have full details on what else this might mean or how the 'unlicensed' software will perform or if we'll see things such as nag screens, intermittent reboots, etc.

For those that are going to be interested in Windows 10 here are the upgrade paths according to Microsoft's PowerPoint presentations. As of right now there will be no direct upgrade from Windows XP or Windows Vista. All Windows 7 and Windows 8.x versions (Windows 7 RTM, Windows 8, Windows 8.1 RTM) will require an ISO image, which you can have on a DVD or USB drive.

• Windows 7 RTM: Media (ISO)
• Windows 7 SP1: Media (ISO) or Windows Update
• Windows 8: Media (ISO)
• Windows 8.1 RTM: Media (ISO)
• Windows 8.1 S14: Media (ISO) or Windows Update
• Windows RT: N/A
• Windows Phone 8.0: N/A
• Windows Phone 8.1: Windows Update

That's a pretty wide range Microsoft is covering, so long as the minimum hardware requirements are met. They include:

• Processor: 1GHz or faster
• RAM: 1GB (32-bit) or 2GB (64-bit)
• Free HDD: 16GB
• Graphics card: DirectX 9 with WDDM driver
• Microsoft account and Internet access

If you are adventurous and want to checkout what Windows 10 will offer, there is still time to download and install the beta version. Checkout this post for more details.

Apple's iOS Public Beta Program Now Live, Sign Up Here [Update]

[Update] According to reports via iMore.com it now appears as though the new beta program may not be a true public beta test, instead it may be invite only. Editors at iMore refer to an email they received that has also been confirmed to be sent out to a handful of people who were already signed up to the early-access beta program. The email was a direct invitation to them to participate in the iOS 8.3 beta. As mentioned below there were some issues with some users accessing the beta. So this could explain it as not everyone that has attempted to register has received this invitation - and of course, if the beta was available to everyone, it would make very little sense to send such an email out to only a handful of people.

For those looking to checkout the latest improvements and changes to iOS, Apple has launched a new public beta testing program that will allow anyone that is willing to test out the latest versions of the company's mobile software.

What is the Apple Beta Software Program?
The Apple Beta Software Program lets users to try out pre-release versions of software, applications, and services. The feedback you provide on quality and usability helps us fix issues and make Apple software even better. Please note that since the public beta software has not yet been commercially released by Apple, it may contain errors or inaccuracies and may not function as well as commercially released software. Be sure to back up your Mac using Time Machine and your iOS device with iTunes before installing beta software. Install only on non-production devices that are not business critical. We strongly recommend installing on a secondary system or device, or on a secondary partition on your Mac.

You can get started in the program by signing up on the Apple Beta Software Program site. Before downloading any of the new software Apple asks that users backup their device to iTunes and then download a configuration file which will let the beta show up on the Software Update screen.

Just note that the only way to downgrade to the current shipping version of iOS (8.2, at this writing) is to completely wipe your device and restore that backup. Otherwise your phone or tablet will continue to install beta builds and, eventually, the final release of iOS 8.3.

According to 9to5Mac the program is still in the roll out phases and not everyone has been able to access all parts of the site. However, they have put together a great overview of the sign-up and installation process. Once you've signed up with your Apple ID, you have to install a profile from appleseed.apple.com/profile, which points your iPhone or iPad at the beta software update channel instead of the standard channel. You then download and install the newest iOS 8.3 beta as you would any over-the-air update.

For more details on the program head over to the FAQ. It should be noted that beta software, even that from Apple, can often times be very buggy and is generally not completely stable. There is also going to be limited support if there are any issues.

Apple has traditionally limited beta software access to its registered developers - anyone can sign up for an account whether they’re actually intending to develop apps or not, but the OS X and iOS programs each cost $99 a year.

Apple Spring Forward Event Confirms One Thing, Owning An Apple Is Still Really Expensive!

Apple is the headline of the day today and rightfully so! Their Spring Forward event featured several exciting announcements, well exciting for Apple fans anyways. After the dust has cleared and the excitement has worn off a bit we are left with one major key point: Being an Apple fan is damn expensive!

From an entry level $349 Apple Watch, to a newly updated and redesigned $1300 MacBook, to the over the top $17,000 Edition featuring 18kt gold, all of Apple's products announced today featured fairly hefty price tags. Even the accessories carried what most of us geeks would likely consider high prices. Items like the brand new $80 USB-C adapter that you'll need to work with legacy devices, or the Apple Watch bands that will cost anywhere from $149-449.

With these prices it looks like being an Apple Geek will certainly put a dent in your wallet, or Apple Pay account as it were.

Recapping Apple’s Watch and MacBook Event

Today's event had mixed focus, covering everything from the inclusion of HBO Now on Apple TV, to the aforementioned Apple Watch and MacBook details (along with MacBook Pro and other updates), to additional details about Apple Pay, iOS 8.2 and Apple's new ResearchKit. Below are some of the main highlights.

The show stealer: A new ultra-thin 12" MacBook: Featuring a super slim 13.1 millimeter, 2lb chassis and a long awaited retina display the new 12-inch MacBook was easily one of the most talked about of today's announcements. To achieve their new 'thinner lighter' design Apple utilizes one of Intel’s new energy-efficient Core M “Broadwell” processors, sitting in a logic board that is 67 percent smaller than Apple’s previous record. The processor uses a mere 5 watts of power, running at 1.1GHz that can Turbo Boost to 2.9GHz, which also allows for exceptional cooling finally giving Apple the option to go fan-less.

To keep size and weight down Apple has also added a new layered, terraced battery design that lets the company use all the available space inside the unibody chassis. Theses terraced, contoured battery cells are said to give the 12-inch MacBook 9 hours battery life while web surfing, or 10 hours while watching video. In addition to new battery designs Apple cut down on thickness by removing all but one port on the MacBook instead option for a single USB 3.1 Type-C connection.

This backward-compatible cable does it all: It’s capable of delivering 100 watts of power, 10Gbps data transfer speeds (twice that of USB 3.0) and audio or video via the DisplayPort protocol. (Goodbye, power cords, HDMI, VGA, DisplayPort, and Thunderbolt. And the Type-C connector is reversible, too, just like Apple’s MagSafe connector, so you’ll never have to fumble with shoving your USB cable in the right way again.)

An Apple Watch for for all but the budget minded: Most of today's Apple Watch news centered on finally confirming release dates and pricing information, as we already knew many of the rest of the details. We now know the Apple Watch is going on sale April 24 in nine countries with prices ranging from $350 to a high end of $17,000. Other details confirmed are battery life, which is said to be 18hrs of 'normal use', though many predict the average geek will see significantly less.

Updated MacBook Pro and MacBook Air: Not to be overlooked in today's announcement are updates to the 13 inch MacBook Pro and updates to the 11 and 13inch MacBook Air. Both line-ups will now feature the latest Intel processors, more powerful graphics and other various hardware updates. Much like the new 12-inch MacBook the 13-inch MacBook Pro will also see an upgrade to a retinal display.

New medical and health research tools with ResearchKit: Last but certainly not least on Apple agenda today was an introduction to ResearchKit, an open source software framework designed for medical and health research. ResearchKit turns a users iPhone into a powerful tool for medical research. When granted permission by the user, apps can access data from the Health app such as weight, blood pressure, glucose levels and asthma inhaler use, which are measured by third-party devices and apps.This data can then be sent to doctors and researchers to help better diagnose and prevent disease or track the effectiveness of your current treatments or condition.

Google Wants To Sell You Auto Insurance With New Comparison Tool

Looking for the best prices in auto insurance? Sure you can visit one of the many comparison sites out there, but Google wants to make it even easier than that. Starting today Google is launching a new feature called “Google Compare for Auto Insurance,” a comparison-shopping site that lets you compare auto insurance rates from several different insurance providers.

Initially, the service is being made available to California residents, and should start popping up in Google Search results as soon as you search 'car insurance' (it didn't work yet for us). As of launch time the site only features a handful of insurance providers and unfortunately is currently limited to California but Google says other states will soon follow later this year.

For those willing to test out the program you can start here by entering your zip code.  This will bring up a questionnaire that requires personal details such as name, DOB, address ect and other information about your vehicle. If they choose to fill that out, Google will return a comparison unit listing insurance premiums, provided by its insurance advertiser partners.Policies can then be purchased online or over the phone through the provided contact information.

As Google Compare for car insurance rolls out to more states, they also plan to introduce ratings and reviews, as well as local agent support for providers with agent networks. Currently there are providers listed including: Mercury Insurance, MetLife, 21st Century, General Insurance and about 10 more, though ti looks like most of the major insurance providers (Allstate, State Farm ect) have not yet opted to join. Companies involved aren't required to pay for listings and Google says that payment isn’t a factor in ranking or eligibility, so there should be no bias to 'best pricing'.

Samsung, Oculus Expect 'Consumer Level' Gear VR By Year's End

The pairing of virtual reality company Oculus and telecommunications giant Samsung made big headlines last year when the two announced a joint venture dubbed the Gear VR “Innovator Edition”. The collaboration between the two companies involved using some of Oculus' own technology featured in their Oculus Rift headset coupled with Samsung's Galaxy series smartphones to provide users a virtual reality experience without wires or the need for a PC.

The launch of the device sparked much interest even though the devices carried the “Innovator Edition” label, which is similar to a beta tag. This was a concession made between Samsung and Oculus after the phone company wanted to “productize” the hardware while Oculus said it wasn’t ready.These 'beta' products are current available to the general public, but don't carry the full fledged 'consumer' tag, meaning they don't carry all the bells and whistles Oculus and Samsung intend to add the the finished product.

Good news though, during a speech at this year's Game Developers Conference Oculus VR CTO John Carmack took the stage to discuss the Gear VR headset, and he revealed that Oculus and Samsung will release a consumer version of the mobile virtual-reality device before the end of this year.

The new Gear VR 'Consumer Edition' will launch alongside the next line of Galaxy products from Samsung most likely in the Fall. Which could place it alongside the next Samsung Galaxy Note launch. This should give developers some time to prepare software for the launch. Carmack aslo revealed that this consumer product will come with a major media campaign from Samsung that will include commercials and other kinds of promotions.

"We have a plan, we have a date," Carmack said. "Oculus is going to go as hard as we can, to sell as many units as possible, to unleash the full marketing power of Samsung with the next edition of Gear VR."

Virtually reality has been a hop topic over the past several months with many major players joining Samsung and Oculus to announce their own offerings into the market. In just the last year, companies ranging from Sony and Microsoft to tiny startups have announced their plans to build virtual reality devices. Even smartphone makers like HTC and game makers such as Valve have unveiled prototypes.

More from John Carmack at GDC via Ars Technica

Apple Sends Out Invites to Spring Forward Event March 9th

In its traditional flair Apple has sent out press invites for a March 9th event, and while the invite doesn't give many clues to what the full agenda may be, the reference to Daylight Saving Time and 'Spring Forward' gives us the slightest hint of a connection to the upcoming release of the Apple Watch.

Apple does show a penchant for sticking closely to the devices teased in their invites. Yet one does wonder if the new Apple Watch is the main focus of the event, after all Apple has already given us an in-depth look at the Apple Watch creating several pages to showcase the new wearable. Last month, Apple CEO Tim Cook used the company's earnings call to announce that the Apple Watch would go on sale in April, but revealed no other details beyond we already had access to.

If in fact Apple does highlight the Watch it would be inline with previous releases of other devices when the company has introduced a product building more hype, but then delayed the sales date by several weeks to accept per-orders, gauging interest and allowing them more time to market and assemble more units to be shipped to warehouses and stores.

On the other hand if the watch isn't the focus of the event then what could we expect, or what else might they have up their sleeve to introduce alongside the watch? At most of its events, it usually launches more than one new product or at the very least offers details on more than a few things. So we fully expect them to do the same this time. Here's a look at some of the possibilities:

A New Larger 12.9-inch 'iPad Plus' or 'iPad Pro' - Rumors have been circulating around the web that Apple is working on a new larger platform iPad. The new iPad is said to be geared towards challenging the new market segment currently occupied by the Microsoft Surface and convertible laptops. Rumor holds it as also being highly focused on enterprise level consumers falling directly in line with the latest Apple partnership with IBM.

A New MacBook Air with Retina Display -  It has been some time since Apple has updated the MacBook Air lineup. With more companies fighting for position in similar market space if we don't see a larger iPad we may in fact see an updated MacBook Air. Rumors suggest a larger screen, Retina Display and the traditional bump in hardware specifications to keep inline with updated CPUs and performance.

Updated Apple TV Box - Apple has been rumored to be in talks with content providers to develop its own content service similar to that of Sling TV. With the latest FCC regulations we could see a major increase in the streaming markets giving Apple plenty of incentive to want to further position themselves in the market with a next-generation Apple TV. The set-top box could feature updated hardware and software and will likely integrate content, gaming and HomeKit support.

Where Can I Watch The Apple Spring Forward Event?

As with many of their events Apple will provide their own live stream of the entire announcement. The event that starts at 10 AM PT and will be streamed via Apple’s dedicated live events site. As usual, Apple is limiting official access to its own hardware and software so in order to access the page you'll need a recent version of Safari running on OS X, or on iOS via an iPhone or iPad. You can also stream directly to your Apple TV, so long as it’s a second- or third-generation device with Apple TV OS version 6.2 or higher.

Google Wants You to Thank The FCC For Net Neutrality

Earlier today the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to fairly unprecedented steps that may make history by placing broadband under Title II regulation of the of the Communications Act. The move is seen by some as a way for the federal government to permanently safeguard net neutrality by to reclassifying internet service providers (like Comcast and AT&T) as "telecommunication services" which allows the FCC to create legally-binding rules for ISPs.

Today's 3-2 vote was the culmination of months of back-and-forth between net neutrality advocates — determined to keep the internet free and open — and ISPs, who have accused the federal government of unjustly overstepping its bounds.

One major proponent of today's ruling has been Google, oddly as that could seem to be. The search giant calls today's move a first step towards driving innovation in bigger, faster broadband by making it easier for users to be able to control their own Internet connections and for communities to make their own choices to suit their local needs for broadband.

It's been nearly five years since Google first entered the ISP market by offering to build a fiber-optic network in one U.S. city as an experiment — and as they've expanded Google Fiber they have often butted heads with existing ISPs. Who without regulation have been able to block competition from utilizing existing infrastructure to create their network.

For example, in Austin, Texas, AT&T owns about 20% of the utility poles. Google has requested to use them, but AT&T wanted to charge more money than it would to other ISPs. If Google were classified as a telecom provider, AT&T would be legally obligated to provide access at a fair market (read: lower) rate. But until that happens, AT&T is unwilling to share.

Under this new ruling, Google believes we'll see more fairness and openness in the market and they are calling on everyone to 'take action' by thanking Chairman Wheeler and the FCC for supporting local choice and competition in broadband networks:

https://takeaction.withgoogle.com/thank-the-fcc

Google wants everyone to take to Twitter, Facebook and of course Google+ and post the following message: Thanks to @FCC and @TomWheelerFCC for supporting local choice and broadband competition http://goo.gl/kDwIRp https://twitter.com/derekslater/status/571012723498070016/photo/1

Google Makes Changes to Pwnium Competition Offers Bigger Rewards Year Around

It is almost time for the CanSecWest security conference, which has played host to Google's Pwnium competition for the last few years. For those that don't know, Pwnium is the hacking competition that gives security researchers a chance to show off some of their latest exploits for the chance to win a share of a huge pile of cash that Google puts up for rewards each year (last year it was e million). This year Google has announced it will be making a few changes to the competition taking it to all new levels of extreme!

Starting today, Pwnium will change its scope significantly, from a single-day competition held once a year at CanSecWest to a year round, worldwide opportunity for security researchers to showcase their findings of the latest bugs and vulnerabilities.

Google says they are making these changes for several reasons. The biggest of course being delays in reporting of new finds. As it stands there is little incentive for researchers to come forward with vulnerabilities, because it literally doesn’t pay to do so. With the new, more lucrative rewards program Google hopes to eliminate those delays. Some other reasons for the changes given are:

• Removing barriers to entry: At Pwnium competitions, a security researcher would need to have a bug chain in March, pre-register, have a physical presence at the competition location and hopefully get a good timeslot. Under the new scheme, security researchers can submit their bugs year-round through the Chrome Vulnerability Reward Program (VRP) whenever they find them.
• Removing the incentive for bug hoarding: If a security researcher was to discover a Pwnium-quality bug chain today, it’s highly likely that they would wait until the contest to report it to get a cash reward. This is a bad scenario for all parties. It’s bad for us because the bug doesn’t get fixed immediately and our users are left at risk. It’s bad for them as they run the real risk of a bug collision. By allowing security researchers to submit bugs all year-round, collisions are significantly less likely and security researchers aren’t duplicating their efforts on the same bugs.
• Our researchers want this: On top of all of these reasons, we asked our handful of participants if they wanted an option to report all year. They did, so we’re delivering.

Starting today, instead of going the traditional route and applying for Pwnium, researchers can now submit bug chains to the Chrome Vulnerability Reward Program for confirmation and possible payout. Here are a list of rules for submission:

• Only the first report of a given issue that we were previously unaware of is eligible. In the event of a duplicate submission, the earliest filed bug report in the bug tracker is considered the first report.
  
• Bugs disclosed publicly or to a third-party for purposes other than fixing the bug will typically not qualify for a reward. We encourage responsible disclosure, and believe responsible disclosure is a two-way street; it’s our duty to fix serious bugs within a reasonable time frame.
  
• If you have a fuzzer running on ClusterFuzz as part of our Trusted Researcher program, you will not receive a reward if one of our fuzzers finds the same bug within 48 hours.
  

Google will be adding Pwnium-style bug chains on Chrome OS to the Chrome VRP. This will increase the top reward to $50,000, which will be on offer all year-round. There’s no limit on the number of bugs you can submit. Last year, the Pwnium gave out awards ranging from $110,000 to $150,000 for various pre-determined exploits. Google says the reason Pwnium rewards were so much larger is because of the constraints on the types of bugs that could be submitted.

For security teams and researchers interested Google invites you to checkout their FAQ for more information. Good luck and happy bug hunting!

Google Makes Kid Friendly YouTube App Official

Google has launched their very first Google product built from the ground up with little ones in mind, the YouTube Kids app!

The YouTube Kids app, available for free download on Android and iOS, is built with a fun friendly interface and contains family-friendly videos from children's favorites such as DreamWorks TV, Jim Henson TV, Mother Goose Club and Talking Tom and Friends. The app will also feature several additions that Google hopes will make it safer and easier for children to find videos on topics they want to explore.

New app specific features will include a much more kid friendly user interface with larger images, bold icons and more, which should make it fast and simple for little thumbs to navigate. There will also be a voice search so that even if your little one can’t spell or type the name of their favorite videos, they can still speak the names or ask for videos related to things they’re curious about.

The YouTube Kids app will feature more family-focused content which Google has narrowed down and labeled as appropriate for kids. You can browse channels and playlists in four categories: Shows, Music, Learning and Explore. Or search for videos of particular interest to your family, like how to build a model volcano, math tutorials, the amazing (and endless) world of trains—and everything in between.

For those even further concerned with the content available the app will feature several Parental controls with built in options into that help you control the experience for your kids:

• Timer: Let the app be the bad guy with a built-in timer that lets you limit kids’ screen time. The app alerts your child when the session is over, so you don’t have to. (You’re welcome. ;) )
• Sound settings: Sometimes you need a little peace and quiet! You have an option to turn off background music and sound effects, so your kids can keep watching while you catch a breather.
• Search settings: If you’d rather limit your children to just the pre-selected videos available on the home screen, you can turn off search.
• Product feedback: Our goal is to improve YouTube Kids all the time, so we’ve included a space for you to give us your feedback.

YouTube Kids is available for free starting today in the U.S. on Google Play and the App Store, and will soon be available on Kurio and nabi kids’ tablets.

What Is The Deal With Lenovo and Superfish and How Do I Remove It?

By now the chances are you've seen or heard the news that PC manufacture Lenovo has been  pre-installing software dubbed Superfish on its laptops. While the company has issued a statement proclaiming that the 'malware' is not as dubious has many have made it out to be. The level of access the software has and the behavior it exhibits should still be an area of concern for customers. Below we are offering a quick explanation of exactly what the software is and does as well as full details on removal...hopefully it helps anyone impacted!

What is Lenovo Superfish?

What Superfish is and isn't is a bit deceptive. The software itself is a legitimate tool created and developed by a legitimate tech company, also named Superfish. It is a Visual Search tool that is used as adware to allow companies such as Lenovo to insert their own custom advertising whenever a user of that PC does a Google search or visits other websites, which generates additional ad revenue for companies using the software.

Unlike most malware, and some adware, it isn't specifically intended to be malicious in nature. Though some would argue that hijacking your searches is a pretty malicious act. So why is it a big deal? Well that would be in how the software acts. Superfish also compromises all SSL connections on the impacted PC. In essence, Superfish uses a “man in the middle” approach, where Superfish is able to monitor and alter data going to and from websites without the knowledge of either the user using the system or the sites being visited. Something that I'm sure no one wants!

I own a Lenovo laptop am I infected by Superfish?

Here is a full list of the Lenovo consumer laptops that the company has confirmed it had pre-installed Superfish on, keep in mind they claim to have stopped installations as of January.

• G Series: G410, G510, G710, G40-70, G50-70, G40-30, G50-30, G40-45, G50-45
• U Series: U330P, U430P, U330Touch, U430Touch, U530Touch 
• Y Series: Y430P, Y40-70, Y50-70
• Z Series: Z40-75, Z50-75, Z40-70, Z50-70
• S Series: S310, S410, S40-70, S415, S415Touch, S20-30, S20-30Touch
• Flex Series: Flex2 14D, Flex2 15D, Flex2 14, Flex2 15, Flex2 14(BTM), Flex2 15(BTM), Flex 10
• MIIX Series: MIIX2-8, MIIX2-10, MIIX2-11
• YOGA Series: YOGA2Pro-13, YOGA2-13, YOGA2-11BTM, YOGA2-11HSW E Series: E10-30

For those that own one of the models listed above, or those that want to double check their Lenovo products there are several options for detection and removal. One of the easiest tools is the LastPass Superfish Detector and online tool that quickly scans your laptop. Another is to use Microsoft’s free Windows Defender product, which has just been updated (version 1.193.444.0) to detect and remove SuperFish.

How do I remove Superfish?

Lenovo has announced plans to release an automated tool that will remove the Superfish adware from affected PCs, however that tool has yet to be released. In the mean time the company has offered its own removal instructions,though many have stated that these don't cover everything. Ars Technica has posted a very thorough Superfish Removal Guide that should cover all the bases. Below are some of the basics!

If you’re affected by Superfish, you must first uninstall the program:

1. Click the Windows Start button
2. Search uninstall program
3. Launch uninstall program
4. Right-click on Superfish Inc VisualDiscovery and select Uninstall
5. If prompted for administrator password, enter or provide confirmation

Then you must uninstall the certificates as well:

1. Click the Windows Start button
2. Type certmgr.msc into the Search box
3. Click the certmgr.msc Program to launch it
4. If prompted for administrator password, enter the password or provide confirmation
5. Click on Trusted Root Certification Authorities
6. Open Certificates
7. Look for certificates mentioning Superfish Inc.
8. Right-click on any Superfish Inc certificates and delete
9. Restart your browser and return to this page to see you are safe

Following the removal steps above should get you up and running on a clean PC but that likely doesn't mean all of your questions have been answered. Lenovo and Adi Pinhas, the chief executive of Superfish, have been adamant in regards to any security risks that Superfish may or may not have posed. In a statement released earlier today Pinhas wrote, "Superfish is completely transparent in what our software does and at no time were consumers vulnerable—we stand by this today. Lenovo will be releasing a statement later today with all of the specifics that clarify that there has been no wrong doing on our end.”

So at the end of the day it all comes down to whether or not we trust Lenovo and Superfish's intentions. They have admitted the mistake and we could give them the benefit of the doubt but that doesn't mean we've seen the end of these types of situations. Companies are always looking to gain an edge in the market and monetize your user experience as much as possible!

Apple Offering Free Repair of 2011-13 MacBook Pros With Faulty GPUs

Beginning in 2011 owners of the Apple MacBook Pro have reported issues with their laptops experiencing a wide range of graphical errors. These issues reportedly stemmed from a possibly defective AMD GPU and ranged from distorted or scrambled video on the computer screen, no video on the screen (or external display) even though the computer is on and even unexpected restarts.

These complaints eventually lead to the filling of a class-action lawsuit, alleging Apple’s 2011 MacBook Pro might be suffering from GPU issues Apple failed to acknowledge. While the lawsuit still appears to be pending Apple has decided to take preemptive action and has just launched a MacBook Pro Repair Extension Program to provide out-of-warranty repairs for MacBook Pros and Retina MacBook Pros sold between February of 2011 and December of 2013.

An Apple spokesperson says "we've found that a small percentage of MacBook Pro models sold between February 2011 and December 2013 may exhibit video issues and we will repair those systems free of charge. We are contacting customers who paid for a repair through Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider to arrange a reimbursement."

Owners of MacBooks sold within the time frame can use the "Check your Coverage" tool on the Apple Support site to determine if your MacBook Pro model matches the list of affected products. If repair is need them you can either take you device to an Apple store or Apple Authorized Service Provider, or it can be mailed back to Apple for free repair.

For those that have already paid to have their MacBook repaired Apple says it is those contacting customers to arrange reimbursement.  If you have not been contacted, but paid for a repair that you think was due to this issue, Apple suggests you contact them directly.

The repair programs gets underway starting February 27th and will only cover affected MacBook Pro models until February 27, 2016 or three years from its original date of sale, whichever provides longer coverage for you.


Source: Apple, Apple Coverage Checker

Comcast Adds More Networks to Double TV Everywhere Streaming Lineup

Service providers are looking to stay ahead of the curve as more and more users are looking for more options to stream their favorite TV shows, movies and other content to their mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets and look to cut the Cable TV cords entirely and stream content to their home computers and set-top boxes.

This move has been great news to cord cutters and streamers alike as it has lead to a proliferation of streaming options for non-cable subscribers including standalone services from many major network providers and many cable channels like AMC, ESPN and even HBO and Showtime.

Hoping to keep up with the trends Comcast has been working hard to keep their own streaming catalog growing quickly.

In a recent press release, the cable company says it has doubled its number of live, streaming channels to more than 70 in just over a year, including recent additions like AMC, BBC America, and Showtime. Additionally the company says customers now have access to approximately 21,000 on demand choices to stream on mobile devices, as well as nearly 466,000 available online.

The company reports the usage of it's Xfinity TV Go app is seeing “tremendous growth” with more than 30 percent of its subscribers taking advantage of the streaming video options—a 20 percent gain year-over-year. Moreover, the average viewer consumed more than 7 hours per month on Xfinity TV Go, up nearly 40 percent from the same time last year. Available for Android and Apple devices, the Xfinity TV Go app has been downloaded more than 11 million times.

New World Video Game Hall of Fame Opening, Gamers Nominate Your Favorites Now

The Strong—home of the International Center for the History of Electronic Games (ICHEG)— today has announced the opening of the new World Video Game Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame, which will be a new addition to The Strong museum in Rochester, New York, will recognize individual electronic games—arcade, console, computer, handheld, mobile—that have maintained long-term popularity and influenced the industry or pop culture.

Inductees to first class of the World Video Game Hall of Fame will be announced at The Strong museum in Rochester, New York, June 2015 and will be on permanent view in the museum’s eGameRevolution exhibit.

Nomination are now open and anyone may nominate a game to the World Video Game Hall of Fame. Strong has set aside a select set of criteria each game should match, listed below. Nominations for the inaugural class will be accepted through March 31, 2015.

• Icon-status: the game is widely recognized and remembered.
• Longevity: the game is more than a passing fad and has enjoyed popularity over time.
• Geographical reach: the game meets the above criteria across international boundaries.
• Influence: The game has exerted significant influence on the design and development of other games, on other forms of entertainment, or on popular culture and society in general. A game may be inducted on the basis of this criterion without necessarily having met all of the first three.

So geeks, gamers and anyone else interested, if your favorite game matches the criteria listed then visit the hall of fame nomination page to list your favorite games. Finalists will be determined by an internal advisory committee; a separate selection committee of journalists, scholars, and those familiar with video games will choose the eventual winners.

Which games do you think should make the cut? I know I for one could probably compile a long list! Post your favorites in a comment below.

FAA Proposal Seeks to Impose Regulations On Commercial Use of Drones

The Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today proposed a framework of new regulations for the use of drones in commercial situations. These long-awaited rules for unmanned aircraft have been highly speculated with many fearing they might bring strict requirements such as the need for a pilot's license for all users including recreational enthusiasts.

Today's regulations proposal provides a balance of what the FAA considers "routine use of certain small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) in today’s aviation system" with what they are calling the flexibility to accommodate future technological innovations.

“We have tried to be flexible in writing these rules,” said FAA Administrator Michael Huerta. “We want to maintain today’s outstanding level of aviation safety without placing an undue regulatory burden on an emerging industry.”

Among the proposed rules are that drones used for commercial purposes must weigh less than 55 pounds (25 kg), only be flown under 500 feet during daylight hours, at all times be flown within sight of the pilot/operator, and not have a maximum airspeed over 100 mph (87 knots). Drone pilots are required to be 17 years or older, and must be tested every two years on airspace rules in order to receive an operator certificate, a process that is said to cost less than $300.

The new rules won't govern the use of recreational drones or model airplanes. Use of those devices doesn't require FAA approval, but the agency last year provided a framework for using those devices, including only flying them within an operator's line-of-sight.

Unfortunately for companies like Amazon, that are looking to create large networks of delivery drones, the line of sight stipulation could eliminate any possibilities of their network getting off the ground. The proposed rules would require an operator to maintain visual line of sight of a small UAS. The rule would allow, but not require, an operator to work with a visual observer who would maintain constant visual contact with the aircraft. The operator would still need to be able to see the UAS with unaided vision (except for glasses).

Therefore Amazon and other companies would have to deploy large numbers of spotters in order to keep a visual check on any drones in flight.  According to the proposal the FAA is asking for public comments on whether these rules should permit operations beyond line of sight, and if so, what the appropriate limits should be.

Today's rules are simply a reference to options the FAA is exploring and are not yet set as full regulations. At this time the FAA is encouraging the public to speak up and comment on the proposed regulation. Anyone can do so for the next 60 days from the date of publication in the Federal Register, which can be found at www.regulations.gov.

For more details on all of the proposed regulations be sure to checkout the FAA's full press release along with their additional links which provide more details on current regulation standings.  

Microsoft Offering 100GB of Free OneDrive Storage For 2yrs For Using Bing Rewards

With the cloud storage race heating up over the past few years companies are looking for more ways to entice new users. Microsoft's latest attempt comes in the form of a very enticing offer for Bing Rewards users.

The company is offering all new (and perhaps current) users 100 GBs of free storage for up to 2yrs with almost no strings attached! This double headed promotion undoubtedly is targeting not only new OneDrive users but search users as well considering it not only showcases OneDrive but also ties in the Bing Rewards program. The plus side, if you call it that, is that you don’t have to conduct a single Bing search to claim the offer nor will you ever need to use Bing again.

Through February 28, anyone with a Microsoft account or that is willing to sign-up for one can claim their free 100GB of OneDrive cloud storage without conducting a single search or redeeming any of their rewards points (if they are current users).

Users looking to cash in on the offer simply need an active Microsoft account which only takes a few steps to sign-up for. They'll then need to join Bing Rewards, sign up for a few promotion emails and they are all set. Microsoft will automatically credit the new accounts with their free storage.  Accepting the offer does give OneDrive the right to send you promotional emails, though you may cancel them at any time so you'll likely want to do that immediately!

The offer does state the promotion is for a 'New Bing Membership'. However, current Bing Rewards members can visit their Bing Rewards dashboard and look for the “Free storage” header next to a OneDrive logo to try to get in on the action. We have tried it for our account but the storage has yet to show!

For those wanting to check it out, click here to see the full details of the promotion.

Starting This Week All Carriers Must Unlock Your iPhone or Android Device

Cellphone unlocking has gone through many trials and tribulations over the past few years. Originally, carriers used the option of SIM locks to keep tight reigns on customers by locking their phones to only work on their networks. This left customers with few options and resulted in many turning to cellphone unlocking sites and the use of various hacks.

Fortunately times have changed! Last summer, President Obama signed the Unlocking Consumer Choice and Wireless Competition Act into law. The law repealed previous rulings that had originally made it illegal for consumers to unlock their cell phones on their own. With the passage of the new law customers were given the choice, but until now, carriers haven’t been required to sell unlocked phones or honor unlock requests (although most did anyway).

According to reports from Android Police, as of February 11th, that will all be changing. CTIA-The Wireless Association which represents the international wireless telecommunications industry is laying out a set of phone unlocking (covering both SIM and network unlocking) principles that AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint, and US Cellular have agreed to abide by. You can view more details on CTIA's changes right here.

There are a few stipulations to having your device unlocked and each carrier has a slightly different processes and policies. First and foremost in order to have a carrier unlock your phone, you’ll need to be either paid off in full or have completed your contract term. So no you can't just go out and buy a new phone on the cheap with a two year contract and expect to be able to swindle the phone company.

Second, you may be required to pay a nominal fee. This would usually only apply if you are not a current customer. However, the report from Android Police states carriers may charge a "reasonable" fee. Third, the phone must meet all eligibility requirements which also includes not be 'blacklisted' as being stolen or having a bad IMEI. 

If you want to see the full unlocking policy for each carrier, you can check the links below:

• AT&T
• Verizon
• Sprint
• T-Mobile
• U.S. Cellular

For more information about how to unlock your device as well as a few more details we haven't covered, be sure to check out Android Police’s very thorough post on the subject. If you have any questions please feel free to comment below and we'll help you out as much as possible!

Google Set to Offer More 3rd Party App Integration In Google Now

Google Now is widely considered one of the most popular features of the Google platform. The mobile assistant for Android devices (and Chrome) offers users quick views of relevant information they need the most.

Starting today Google is rolling out an update that will make Google Now an even more important part of your day by allowing third-party apps to integrate directly with the service. With this new update, apps like Airbnb, eBay, Lyft, and as many as 40 others will directly deliver information to you via your Google Now cards without you having to actually open up the app.

The entire list of the 40 different apps that Google Now currently supports can be found here, but some of the most noteworthy inclusions are Kayak, Pandora, TripAdvisor, Zillow and Ford. In addition to app integration you'll also see more Now cards from emails directed to you from your favorite sites that are utilizing Gmail and Google Now mark-up. This means you'll never miss those emails from sites like CheapTickets, Booking.com or UrbanSpoon.

In order to see these new Google Now cards you'll still need to have the app installed, and for now this third-party app integration will only work on Android. However, Google has said they are working to expand integration with more 3rd party apps and they are likely looking to expand availability beyond Android.

For those interested in more details here is the full list of available apps and you can view a bunch of examples at Google Now's home page.

Apple Watch Coming In April, What We Know About The New Wearable

Details of Apple's "most personal device ever" are still awaiting final cuts, but thanks to Apple CEO Tim Cook we do finally have one major piece of the puzzle. Speaking during this week's major 1Q earnings report, Cook confirmed that the new Apple Watch, first introduced back in September, will begin shipping as early as April.

"We’re making great progress in the development of it," Cook said. He also revealed that Apple is encouraged by the response from developers and app makers so far, saying "We’re seeing some incredible innovation."

This week is the first time Apple has publicly commented on the product's release date beyond a vague window of "early 2015."

What we know about the Apple Watch so far!

Other than the tentative release date Cook did not reveal much of anything related to the device itself beyond reiterating a starting price point of $349 which we heard in September. So far what we know from the previous reports is that the Apple Watch will be made available in three styles: the regular model, an Apple Watch Sport version aimed at active consumers, and an ultra-premium Apple Watch Edition.

Much like many of the early entries into the wearable market Apple's first generation watch will be designed to be a companion device to the iPhone, and as such, it requires an iPhone to function. Sorry Android fans you likely won't see support EVER! According to Apple, they have designed the Watch specifically as a companion device because they initially want Apple Watch apps to be entirely powered by the iPhone to preserve battery life, something that has been speculated as an issue with the new device.

As for Apple Watch design details customers will have the option of either an ion-strengthened or flexible sapphire display (depending on model), which includes an HD Retina screen with sapphire-covered sensors built into the zirconia backing. There will be two face options featuring a rounded rectangular body in two separate sizes (38 and 42mm) that is able to snap easily into an array of interchangeable bands. In total, there are six different body options: Stainless Steel, Space Black Stainless Steel, Silver Aluminum, Space Gray Aluminum, 18-karat gold, and 18-karat rose gold.

On the technical side we know the smaller 38mm Apple Watch has a resolution of 272 x 340, while the larger 42mm Apple Watch has a resolution of 312 x 390. Powering the wearable will be a custom designed S1 processor chip built specifically for the Apple Watch, which integrates several different subsystems into a single module. The S1 chip is said to be similar in power to the A5 processor in the iPad 2 and the iPhone 4s. It houses a gyroscope and an accelerometer to measure activity, and a sensor that detects heart rate. Topping it all will be a new NFC chip to allow the devices to work with Apple's new Apple Pay mobile payment service.

For their new Watch OS, Apple has built an entirely new operating system, which combines a bit of the old and new featuring cues from iOS 7 and iOS 8. The new Watch OS performs several different functions, including displaying the watch face, the home screen, full on apps, and notifications or quick information, which Apple calls "Glances."

Watch OS will run any number of applications from the basics of sending/receiving messages and calls to playing music, reviewing mail or calendar entries to viewing maps and weather. More advanced features include using the Watch as a remote for an Apple TV or a remote for your iPhone's camera. Watch OS and =the Apple Watch will support third-party apps, however we have not seen many details as to which companies may or may not be offering those as of yet.

One thing is for certain, whether or not you like the wearable market, given their market share and consumerist view of Apple's products. Their impending entry to the market is certain to make big waves!

For more info view the Apple Watch landing page