Everything Android

[Arcmanov]

@ Arc, I am deathly afraid of putting a case on this thing. Could imagine how massive it will be then.

It would be foolhardy not to....don't you think you might actually be more prone to mishandle/drop a phone that size?

I'll take a proper pic of mine when I get the chance.
You really shouldn't use it without some sort of protection.  It gets rather slippery even with the slightest amount of moisture on your fingers.




SwiftKeyFlowed from my Samsung Galaxy Note 2 with Tapatalk 2

[TriniXaeno]

It has slipped a few times but the thought of increasing the form factor *shudders*

[Arcmanov]

...and you're going to love dual-screen use. 



You might need a custom ROM to enable it though.
Not sure if the Note 2 has officially gotten JB 4.1.2 as yet.




SwiftKeyFlowed from my Samsung Galaxy Note 2 with Tapatalk 2

[woodyear99]

The Note 2 has officially gotten JB 4.1.2

[TriniXaeno]

Yeah, I'm on JB 4.1.2

Haven't played around with the dual screen yet though.

[TriniXaeno]

Quick update on the Note II shenanigans.

One of Android's major role in my life has been that of personal trainer. Using a nifty app called Endomondo that tracks various sporting activities, calories burned, maps the course that you ran, distance covered, High Intensity Interval Training timer....etc....

Took the Note II for a first run with Endomondo today. Carried it in my track pants pocket.

Felt like running with weights. lol

Resistance training immc.

One GATTer commented that I should try suspending it from my waist with a belt and doing some squats for added burn and gains.

All kicks aside. The Note II did the job. It isn't as light and unnoticeable as the Nexus was. You definitely will get the "is that a phablet in your pocket? or are you just happy to see me" lines from training partners.

Still.....it will continue to accompany me on future workouts.

Ashie smartly suggested switching pockets between days so that one leg doesn't become stronger than the other.

+1 for that.

Also, big side bar.....still no crashes! (Knock on silica)

[TriniXaeno]

Ladies and Gentlemen, start your engines:

http://www.carigamers.com/cms/forums/index.php/topic,28030.0.html

[Preston786]

Just thought I'd share getting this with moderate use web browsing tapatalk YouTube vids (thru the app) occasional phone calls and sms

Sent via my HTC Raider™4G

[woodyear99]

This app could come in handy for some people

https://www.pushbullet.com/

Same Android phone, even more useful
Your Android phone already makes it easy to keep connected with the rest of the world—PushBullet makes it more connected with you by enabling you to easily get what's on your mind, on your phone.

Unleash Android's rich notifictions
Jellybean (Android 4.1) supercharged Android's notification system. PushBullet takes full advantage of these new features to deliver unique and empowering functionality only possible on Android.

What should I be pushing?
Want a file on your phone? Push the file to your phone right from your computer.

Going grocery shopping? Push the list to your phone and check items off as you shop.

Driving somewhere new? Push the address to your phone and start navigation with one click.

Need to remember to do something later? Schedule and push a reminder to your phone.

And much more!

[woodyear99]

The Best Alarm Clock Apps on Android

http://www.androidcentral.com/best-alarm-clock-apps-android?utm_source=ac&utm_medium=twitter&style_mobile=0

The days of the standalone bedside alarm clock are numbered, with the simple inclusion of a “clock” app on every smartphone taking over. But there are so many options out there, why settle for the app pre-loaded on your phone? Your alarm doesn't just have to be a bland beeping sound that makes you want to throw your phone across the room. Read on after the break and see the best alarm clock apps available for your device.

Wave Alarm

Wave Alarm makes use of the front-facing camera on your phone or tablet to snooze or dismiss alarms by letting you wave over the device. You can set it to either snooze or completely disable your alarm when you swipe, or even turn off the feature if you happen to just like the clock face. Other than the waving gesture support, the alarm has a cool non-standard looking bedside clock with date, time and local weather. The app is free, with a $2.99 unlock key to remove ads and give you more color and alarm options.

Download: Wave Alarm (Free, $2.99 unlock key)

DoubleTwist Alarm Clock

DoubleTwist may be better known for its music apps, but the developers have also created a fantastic alarm clock as well. The app overall is quite beautiful, with a grey/black/blue color scheme that takes Android holo design and smooths things ou a bit. You can set alarms manually, based on sleep cycles, based on sunrise (yikes!), or just short naps. There's an analog and digital clock face available, and several tweaks for alarm fade-in, volume and snooze time. There's a trial version with limited capabilities and a full version for just $1.99.

Download: DoubleTwist Alarm Clock ($1.99); Trial (Free)

Alarm Clock Extreme

Alarm Clock Extreme may be a good choice for those of you that need a little help getting out of bed in the morning. Beyond complete customizability of sounds, volumes and app behaviors, this app gives you some challenging ways to snooze and dismiss alarms. If you choose, your phone will not stop ringing and vibrating until you either shake the device, solve math problems (of varying difficulty,) or fill out a "captcha" form. It's an interesting way to get your mind working and wake you up if you're a particularly heavy sleeper that wastes too much time in the morning hitting "snooze."

Download: Alarm Clock Extreme ($1.99); With ads (Free)

WakeVoice

WakeVoice doesn't do anything fancy to silence your alarm, but it does provide a lot of userful information right after you stop it. Once you snooze or stop an alarm, the app begins to read aloud your choice of weather, news, horoscope and upcoming calendar events for the day. You can choose to receive weather for a specific city, and news can come from a default list of sources or a specific RSS feed if you choose. The default voice is a little rough (reminds me of early Google Maps voices,) but there are other options available for download. WakeVoice is free as a trial, with a full version setting you back just $2.99.

Download: WakeVoice ($2.99); Lite version (Free)

Caynax Alarm Clock


Caynax Alarm Clock gets my pick for being extremely well designed with a crazy amount of tweaking potential. It follows holo design guidelines -- with a nice blue/grey theme -- and also has a proper tablet UI. As far as settings go, you get options to add several kinds of alarms -- quick, every day, work days, cyclic, timer, any -- to help you manage more than just waking up in the morning. The developer positions this app as having the function of both an alarm clock and a to-do list if you want it, and I could see that being the case with the granular controls available. The free version is full of features, but the paid version is only $0.99 and offers resizable widgets, removes ads and several other features.

[MessiaaH]

Security software firm flags rise in Android threats last year.

By Caroline Donnelly, 23 Jan 2013 at 13:00
 


Security vendor Trend Micro has shed some light on the scale of the malware problems blighting Android users, after discovering 350,000 threats to the mobile platform in 2012.

The company claims there was nearly five times more malware found on Android devices during 2012 than on Windows-based ones.


Criminals will be looking for ways to exploit other connected devices in the future.


“Malware growth reached [a ratio of] 14:3 for Android verses PC [in 2012], and it only took Android three years to reach the PC volume of malware threats achieved within 14 years,” said Trend Micro in a statement.

The company claims that only a fifth of Android device owners have a security app installed on their smartphone or tablet, which could spell trouble for users in future.

“By the end of 2012, there were 350,000 threats facing this relatively new mobile platform...[and] Trend Micro predicts that Android threats will increase to one million in 2013,” the company added.

The firm’s Android security findings formed part of a wider investigation by Trend Micro into the threats PC and mobile users faced in 2012.

Other issues flagged by the firm include the risk posed to enterprises by social media sites, data breaches and attacks on Oracle’s Java platform.

“Social media platforms continued to grow as areas of concern with attackers targeting them more, users putting themselves at risk by oversharing on them, and the legitimate services being co-opted to support cybercriminal activities,” said the company.

“Enterprises suffered from data breaches and targeted attacks at an alarming rate...and attackers adopted more professional software development practices,” it added.

Meanwhile, Rik Ferguson, vice president of security research at Trend Micro, said – along with the threats already mentioned – end users should also be on their guard against the threat posed by other connected devices.

“With the advent of IPv6 opening up the available address space and the rise of the smart device, we can expect to see many more [electronic appliances] being brought online,” said Ferguson.

“Each of these connected devices must run an operating system...[and] Android is already the criminals mobile OS of choice, [so] it is not too much of a stretch to think of criminals looking for ways to exploit other connected devices in the future.”

source

[TriniXaeno]

As expected.

It is scarier now when you consider how much personal data they can harvest off of your phone.

[Arcmanov]

...and the same due diligence that one would normally exercise when installing dubious apps on desktop OSes, should also apply here.

The good thing with Android is that it at least gives you a list of the permissions for each app you try to install BEFORE you install it, so its your choice if you still decide to go ahead from there.


Unfortunately, most users don't even READ the permission list before they install an app, just like most of us don't even bother to read an EULA.

Can't blame Android for that.  Users need to get a clue.




SwiftKeyFlowed from my Samsung Galaxy Note 2 with Tapatalk 2

[TriniXaeno]

Wrong again.

It needs to become more intrinsically safe.

That "elitist" mentality could back to bite them in the ass....HARD.

Just need a few high profile cases of data theft due to lax android security and watch the world ditch the platform in scorn.

Let alone evaporate any chances of corporate traction.

Err on the side of caution.

Microsoft did that with Windows (finally) and it has been a great boon to the platform.

Distrust everything until EXPLICITLY trusted. It was annoying but it saved a lot of users from themselves.

Last thing I need is some family member who isn't tech savvy installing some virus on their phone on MY wireless network and causing grief for everyone.

Not to mention, when their data gets compromised it could very well mean our data is as well. Since a lot of personal details will be shared by family members.

[Arcmanov]

I'm all for 'intrinsically safe', but they're called 'smartphones' for a reason.  You can't just go installing what you want without studying the implications...and that's what malware producers count on.

Too much 'security' could be a bad thing.

Too much 'security' makes it harder for people like me who like to tinker.

Too much 'security' makes you jump through an annoying set of hoops just to do something as simple as a custom ringtone.  Just ask all dem salty wp7 users.  :/


Leff it just so.

Users need to step they security game up.




SwiftKeyFlowed from my Samsung Galaxy Note 2 with Tapatalk 2

[TriniXaeno]

nah man, people like you who want to tinker should be the ones needing the extra steps to get under the hood and open up the device.

Android has already taken steps in that direction.

All of the phones I have used thus far disabled the installation of apps from unofficial sources by default. That is one step in the right direction.

Oh....you want to install apps from unsavory places? Go dig up in the settings and enable that.

This way the misses/kids won't be getting any malware from www.droid-warez.com without concerted effort on their part.

Amazon went a step further, with the Kindle. It is locked the hell down.

If you want to "tinker"....you'll need to go through all sorts of shenanigans.

And therein maybe the solution.....provide different SKUs. One for the tinkerer.....and one that's locked the hell down for grandma/wifey/son.

This maybe an opportunity for someone to step in and provide a "Safe" android phone. Just as Amazon stepped up with their tablet offering.

We'll see how it plays out.

[MessiaaH]

Agreed with wyat, d people who want to tinker, will find a way, and d people who don't safe. Just like windows 8 and all d start alternatives out their, I don't see the issue with ah little prudence to avoid a shitstorm of security risks.

all modern OSes, I.e. Windows 8 and Mac Os, iPhone and windows phone seem to be going in the safer more secure direction, android has done the opposite, I personally prefer the firewall approach. Lock it down, open what needed.

Don't even need two skews, most tinkerers flashing d device anyways.
And wyyat, the issue is not only shady app sources, the official android marketplace have nuff spyware as is.

[TriniXaeno]

lol, well I wouldn't say "nuff" re: the google store.

http://www.phonearena.com/news/Android-malware-perspective-only-0.5-comes-from-the-Play-Store_id36696

http://techcrunch.com/2012/11/05/android-malware-surges-despite-googles-efforts-to-bounce-dodgy-apps-off-its-platform-f-secure-ids-51447-unique-samples-in-q3/

If these article are to be believed, the lion share of malware comes from third party sources.

china and russia is android country and you know how they do

side load ftl

[woodyear99]

Check out this free multi console emulator

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.retroarch


http://www.androidpolice.com/2013/01/25/new-app-classic-open-source-multi-console-game-emulator-retroarch-makes-its-way-to-android/

If you're into classic games – everything from arcade throwbacks to more modern Playstation titles – then you may have a handful of game emulators installed on your various devices.

Now, thanks to an open source, multi-console emulator called RetroArch that just made its way to Android after six months in the making, you can do away with the collection of emulators and get all your old school gaming action in one place.

Some of you may actually already be familiar with RetroArch, as it's available on basically every platform in existence, including:
Linux
Windows
OSX
PS3
Xbox 1
Xbox 360
GameCube
Wii
Raspberry Pi
OpenPandora
Android.



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[woodyear99]

Gameloft Team Fortress 2 Clone


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A01E0SKNfKM&feature=youtube_gdata_player

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