Today, Google started pushing out an update for its official Google+ application via the Play Store. In terms of added functionality, this upgrade brings users the ability to cast their timeline to any Chromecast connected TV, in addition to a handful of bug fixes, stability improvements and speed optimizations.
The Rickrolling meme will never die, and if Dan Petro has his way, you may soon be able to drive down your neighborhood and rickroll every TV on the block in seconds.
After finding a vulnerability in Google’s Chromecast Wifi implementation, Dan Petro built a device for less than $100 out of a Raspberry Pi, a touchscreen, wireless cards and 3D-printed pastic case. It’s name: The Rickmote Controller. It’s superpower: Takes over any Chomecast-equipped TV within Wifi range and plays Rick Astley’s legendary “Never Gonna Give You up.”
Check out this video of the Rickmote in action:
You can also use Rickmote to play any video on Netflix, YouTube or HBO. The gadget uses a simple Wifi security vulnerability on the Chromecast that boots it from the local network and then falls back in configuration mode, where it waits for a nearby computer to connect and sent it configurations.
Petro said he notified Google of the flaw, according to Wired’s report. Surprisingly, Google acknowledged the bug, but says it’s too fundamental to Chromecast’s easy user setup for the company to fix it.
In a strange coincidence, Ashtley’s original “Never Gonna Give You Up” Youtube video has just been taken down, but you can still view it on his Vemo channel.
We’ve reached out to Google on the whether they took down the video to stop the rickrolling onslaught, as well as whether they really aren’t ever going to fix this bad bug, but still haven’t received comment.
Source: BishopFox
Magic Radio, the music streaming from DoubleTwist that boasts more than 13 million tracks, finally supports AirPlay streaming thanks to a new update that’s available now in Google Play. The release also adds Qualcomm AllPlay integration, but strangely, support for the Google Chromecast is still missing.
Popcorn Time, the video streaming app that’s been described as Netflix for torrents, now supports Chromecast on Android. With the app’s latest beta release, you can cast thousands of movies and TV shows wirelessly to your television over your home Wi-Fi network.
Google updated Chromecast this week to finally enable Android Mirroring, a feature which lets you beam everything you see on your Android-powered smartphone or tablet to your TV. It’s great for showing off your photos, surfing the web on the big screen, and for enjoying content inside of apps that don’t yet offer direct Chromecast support.
