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Thursday 11 November 2010

Android Bug: Beware Spoof Apps [ 11-11-2010 16:29 ]

Author: Ivanov Konstantin Source: Forbes Translation by: Paul Smith

Two security researchers at Intel have uncovered a rather worrying bug in Android that could allow a malicious sort to pilfer your contacts or other personal data.

Normally when you download an app for Android is presents you with a list of things that the app will have access to if you choose to install it. You can peruse through the list and if you think the app has access to too much information on your handset you can decide not to install it after all. Well the two researchers, Jon Oberheide and Zach Lanier, created an app, an Angry Birds level pack, that looks harmless when it shows you that list of things it needs access to.

However, it's a spoof app. It actually goes on to install other apps on your handset that are not very friendly, apps that track your location, for example, or apps that give the controller the ability to send paid for texts.

The idea that users can download a seemingly harmless app that is in reality a front for far more malicious software will not be something that Google will want hanging over them so hopefully they get a fix for this out of the door pronto. Certainly it doesn't do Android's image any good as it experiences ever faster growth rates.

For the moment just make sure that that app you are downloading is from a reputable publisher and that it really does what it says on the tin.

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No Fragmented Updates For Win Phone 7, Microsoft Taking Charge [ 11-11-2010 16:23 ]

Author: Irina Turina Source: ZDNet Translation by: Paul Smith

Microsoft are taking a firm hand when it comes to Windows Phone 7 updates, saying that they, and they alone, will be responsible for updating customers' handsets. It's a far cry from Android whre individual manufacturers and networks push out updates when they are ready to do so, often meaning two different people with the same device are running two different versions of Android.

In an interview with ZDNet Microsoft commented:

Microsoft will push Windows Phone 7 software updates to end users and all Windows Phone 7 devices will be eligible for updates.

Of course this sort of universal control is made possible by the minimum specifications Microsoft set for devices as well as their insistence that manufacturers and networks do not tamper with the UI, etc. It will certainly be a great boost to the new platform and immediately removes one of the biggest weaknesses found in Android.

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Android 2nd Most Popular OS, Surpassing Symbian In 2011? [ 11-11-2010 16:20 ]

Author: Ivanov Konstantin Source: Gartner Translation by: Paul Smith

Gartner have released their figures for Q3 2010 and it's basically good news if you're in the mobile phone business. 417 million mobile phones were sold during Q3, a 35% increase year on year, and smartphones saw a very healthy 96% increase in sales.

The picture at the top of the market is essentially unchanged, Nokia is still the market leader with Samsang and LG in 2nd and 3rd place respectively. However, whilst all three companies managed to maintain their overall rankings their marketshare fell, Nokia, for example, dropping to 28% whereas a year ago they commanded 36% of the market.

One of the big success stories is Apple, which saw it's star rise to become the fourth largest manufacturer by marketshare. It's an astonishing feat considering Apple has one, or at most two, phones on sale, and they are both high priced smartphones. Apple's 4th place means that RIM slipped to 5th and Sony Ericsson brought up the rear in 6th.

When we look specifically at smartphones we see the familiar patern of incredible Android growth, with a year on year figure of 1,439%. That dizzying number means that Android is now the second most popular smartphone OS in the world. Symbian is still in the number one spot, but even with a, frankly surprising, growth rate of 61% it doesn't look like it will hold onto its crown for much longer.

There is now just 11% separating Symbian fom Android and with Android continuing to grow 2011 might very well be the year that Symbian is unseated.

Apple again scored a notable achievement in taking the number three spot in terms of smartphone OS. It's iOS paltform leap frogged past RIM and considering that the figures here represent just Apple's phone products and not things likethe iPad that is quite a notable notch on their bed post.

As with other recent analysis Windows Phone 7 doesn't feature prominently here owing to its recent launch.

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Awesome Sauce: Angry Birds Cake [ 11-11-2010 15:53 ]

Author: Irina Turina Source: via IntoMobile Translation by: Paul Smith

Ok so this isn't news per se, but it is pretty cool and who doesn't like Angry Birds? More to the point, who doesn't like cake? It was created by fonatic71, a chap over on Flickr and I have to say he's done a smashing job.