When we introduced Clueful for Android, we thought mobile users should know what the applications on their devices were doing. One year and a couple hundred thousand analyzed applications later, Clueful intelligence has picked up an interesting trend: applications are equally invasive and curious on iOS as on Android, even though one may argue that one of the operating systems is safer.
So we have known for some time now that Facebook is a huge lover of people’s data, they have often been slated in the past for taking data belonging to people and sharing it with people who shouldn’t have access to it however today on a Google Hangout with Geek.com’s very own Russell Holly, CyanogenMod legend’s Steve Kondik and Koushik Dutta it was revealed that Facebook are doing more than they should be permitted to (in theory).
So what are they doing then? Well it seems that just by downloading the app Facebook are uploading your phone number to their servers REGARDLESS of whether or not you have logged in to the app.
Google is in the process of developing an Android-based gaming console, reports the Wall Street Journal. Presumably tied to the Google Play Games announced at Google I/O, the console is said to be one of multiple pieces of hardware slated for Google’s roadmap. The others? An Android-based smartwatch and a successor to 2012′s Nexus Q.
We talk a lot of smack about Apple around here, and this time I’m going to try and be a little kinder. Let me begin by saying congrats to Apple as they recently celebrated their 50-billionth app download. Ok, the ability to be nice stops there as it has been announced that Android users are currently downloading 500-million more apps per month than Apple, and at that rate Andy will speed on by and be the most popular on the market by this fall.
Finally Google Play allows developers to write responses to comments in the store, previously this function had been reserved only for Top Developers. Lately more and more devs reported that they can reply to comments, but this was only a staggered rollout until now. They officially announced the feature on Android Developers Blog. Now you can forget the well known solution when devs asking users in the app description to send an e-mail if they have any problems, questions or suggestions. Now the communication can be much easier between the companies and the customers.
Don’t look for any big new hardware or major releases in Android at Google I/O this week, it’s likely not going to happen. Google’s Sundar Pinchai, speaking with Wired, tells us that Google I/O is “going to be different” this year.
Android phones have dominated the market share and with good reason too. The Android marketplace is brimming with apps and the interface is smooth and easy to use. The overall performance of the platform is the best there is to offer and just about everyone wants to get their hands on it, one way or the other. This also includes and hackers and malware professionals. These specific beings are the bane of anyone’s technological existence. From Android spyware to keyloggers and other nuisances, these professionals make it their business to get into you Android phones.
Of course, there are a number of security measures that one can take to reduce the risk and make sure that one’s Android stays safe from harm. This includes taking the following advice.
If you constantly find yourself in a situation where your cell phone dies and there is no charger or electrical socket in site, then this article is for you. Here are 4 ways to charge your smartphone in some pretty unusual ways when you are completely out of options.
Whether you are an avid or casual gamer, one console you may have heard about is the Android Ouya. With a tentative release date of June of this year, the Ouya is a fully functional console which will be powered solely on the Android platform. Founded by Julie Uhrman, this system will represent the first major shift for the mobile tech giant into the market which has long been dominated by systems such as Xbox, PlayStation and the Wii. Sporting an impressive lineup of Android games and applications, and with a price tag of just $100, the Ouya has indeed been a major topic in the gaming industry as of late. There are a few key characteristics of this console which could potentially make it a revolutionary product in the market. One in particular is its user-friendly hardware design which allows users to easily perform customizations.