Articles about Android

Ransomware has become big business these days, with high-profile cases affecting computer users. Up until now though, mobile users have remained relatively safe from that particular form of infestation and only had the "garden variety" version of malware to contend with. That landscape is changing rapidly, it seems.

Security researchers at AVG have uncovered what they dub "Porn Droid". The infected device is locked by the "FBI" and the user gets a message demanding money in exchange for restoring the phone or tablet. To make the message particularly scary, it claims the offense is for child pornography.

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While you certainly don’t need technology to get the blood pumping, there are a huge number of fitness apps out there that can help encourage and focus your exercise regime.

If you do need some help getting your running shoes on, then we’ve listed five of the best apps for motivation, technique and fitness monitoring currently available.

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Nine years ago, a NPR interviewer asked me about Google and other U.S. companies censoring search results in China. The question was one of morality -- to which I gave answer she didn't expect. That response, or my recollection of it, is appropriate for rather ridiculous and self-serving statements that Apple CEO Tim Cook reportedly made two days ago.

"We believe that people have a fundamental right to privacy", Cook said, Matthew Panzarino reports for TechCrunch. "The American people demand it, the constitution demands it, morality demands it". Oh? What is moral? The answer I gave NPR in 2006 applies: There is no moral high ground in business. The high ground is quagmire, because all public companies -- Apple surely among them -- share a single, moral objective: Make profits for stockholders. Plain, pure, and simple.

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LG's Android handsets are not the best choices for enthusiasts. Bootloaders are tightly locked, so loading a different kernel or installing another distribution is next to impossible. And there is no official tool that lifts the restrictions, even if that would mean having the warranty voided. Without getting a Nexus 4 or Nexus 5, you are out of luck. Heck, even iPhones are friendlier to the modders.

Fortunately, LG is well aware of the enthusiasts' interest in its devices, so it has finally taken the first step towards embracing the community's ways by allowing G4 users to unlock the bootloader. Here is how it can be done.

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Have you ever dreamed about getting rich from creating and selling apps? Me too. Unfortunately, I have literally zero coding skills. In other words, even if I had a brilliant idea for an app, I could not create it, and that is just sad.

Being illiterate with programming is something that I am both ashamed of and regret. Luckily, I am not dead yet, so this is still a skill I can achieve. Thanks to Google and Udacity, I may even be able to do it for free. Yes, free training courses are now available! Check it out.

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Hot on the heels of news that OS X topped the vulnerabilities charts in April comes Dr. Web's virus activity review for May which shows increasing quantities of adware and unwanted applications targeting the Apple operating system.

The company reports several programs aimed at OS X that either install adware, install other applications or inject JavaScript code into webpages.

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At its developer conference I/O 2015, Google today unveiled Android M, the latest iteration to its mobile operating system. The update brings with it a handful of interesting features and other improvements. The full-fledged version of Android M will roll-out sometime later this year, but for those who want a sneak peek a developer preview version of Android M for select Nexus devices is out now. Here’s how you can install it on your smartphone or tablet.

Android M comes with a number of interesting features including Chrome custom view, built-in fingerprint scanning feature, and permission manager. The company says that with the new update it is going back to the basics -- offering bug fixes and performance improvements to the users. For instance, Android M-powered devices will have twice as much battery life compared to Lollipop-powered devices, the company claims.

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Every tech company worth its salt is running to get involved in the Internet of Things; Ubuntu is in on it, and Microsoft has teamed up with more than one company to plant its IoT flag. Today Google unveiled its new IoT platform, Brillo.

Google is not entirely new to the Internet of Things -- it already has its cloud platform in place and has also acquired Nest. Destined for all manner of connected devices, Brillo is a stripped down and streamlined operating system based on Android. Google has not revealed how its size compares to Huawei's LiteOS, but has said that -- like Android M -- there is a focus on security, and the platform will run on Weave.

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It's getting hard to keep track of HBO these days. The cable channel has been around for years, existing only through cable and satellite providers. Then came HBO GO and then HBO NOW which was exclusive to Apple TV, though not for very long. More recently the channel itself came to Sling TV, meaning no subscription to a TV provider was required, though $15 per month was.

Now other customers will be getting the opportunity to get Game of Thrones and all of the other content. Sundar Pichai announced the big news today during the Google I/O event which has just kicked off.

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All eyes are on Google today, and there are certainly plenty of announcements to take on board. As well as exciting future releases such as Android M, there are also changes to old favorites. Google Play is one stalwart that's in line for an update, and this time around Google has decided to focus on making the store a family-friendly experience.

To allay the fears of concerned parents who are worried about what their kids might stumble across while looking for apps and games, Google is introducing a new Family category. There is a strong focus on making it easier to select content that's suitable for specific age groups and the categorization is available across apps, games, books, movies, and TV shows.

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Google revealed Google Photos today, at its Google I/O 2015 developer conference. It is a new standalone app for Android, iOS and the web which aims to make it easy for users to upload all of their photos and videos to the cloud, and manage everything afterwards. And it will be available starting today.

For mobile users, this means that the Google+ app is no longer needed to automate photo and video uploads. However, Google Photos is not just about uploading content to the cloud, but also organizing it. Google says that everything will be (privately) auto-grouped, so that users can easily find, for instance, dog photos.

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Ready to further facture the Android market, Google today gave us the first glimpse at what to expect in the follow up to Lollipop -- Android M. We're not yet any the wiser about what the M might stand for (Marshmallow? Marzipan? Mars?) but we do know that Google is placing a focus on security improvements, giving users greater control over app permissions, and prolonging battery life.

Battery performance improvements -- if Google is to be believed -- are seriously impressive. The company claims that its Nexus 9 tablet could benefit from twice the battery life currently enjoyed under Lollipop. What else is there to look forward to? The Developer Preview also boasts a new fingerprint reader API, indicating that biometrics are set to become increasingly important in future handsets.

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Apple Pay now has some serious competition, as Google today announced its own contactless payments solution, called Android Pay, at its Google I/O 2015 developer conference. Android Pay will "soon" be available, as an app, through Google Play.

Android Pay will be an open platform, so developers will be able to integrate it into their apps to allow users to easily pay for things. Bringing its contactless payments solution to market, Google says that it is "bringing together mobile carriers, payment networks, banks and retailers".

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Pebble has proven to be a darling of Kickstarter, launching its first smartwatch there and more recently launching its latest model in the same fashion. It's known as Pebble Time and if you got in on the Kickstarter then shipments have already begun. If you didn't, then you'll have to wait a bit, but not terribly long.

Beginning June 22nd, less than a month away, you'll be able to place your pre-order. Shipping dates were not announced, but the sooner you order the sooner you're likely to get it.

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Periscope from Twitter seems to get mixed reviews from users and the tech community. However, it isn't going away, at least as far as we know. The video sharing app received a lot of attention, which really is what Twitter wants from any improvement or new apps.

Periscope isn't new, but the app for Android is. It boasts the ability to replay your live broadcast to your followers, it can be private if you only want certain followers to see it, you can also share these broadcasts via Twitter, manage notifications and Hearts, which tracks how many viewers like your broadcast.

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