361

I didn’t think about that. I have no plans to get those glasses (I don’t own a smartphone) plus I already wear glasses. I know that here in Maine, it is illegal to text while driving, so I wonder if eventually it will be illegal to use smartphone glasses while driving.

362

2 in 3 Android anti-malware scanners not up to the job - Threat test: Droid malware grows 450% in 4 months
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/03/07/android_anti_malware_tests/

Packages that detected more than 90 per cent of the Android malware thrown at them included Droid security software from Avast, Dr Web, F-Secure, Ikarus, Kaspersky, Zoner and Lookout.

Test
http://www.av-test.org/en/tests/android

363

It’s nice to see that the avast! Free Mobil Security App. is in the top list. :slight_smile:

364

Dell Discontinues U.S. Smartphones, Plans On New Mobile Devices This Year

Dell has discontinued its Venue and Venue Pro smartphone lines in the U.S., eliminating the last of its U.S. mobile device offerings. The phones, which launched starting in late 2010, had been available running either Google’s Android or Microsoft’s Windows Phone OS.

Despite the elimination of its last-standing U.S. tablet and smartphone lines, Murphy said Dell does not plan on exiting the mobile market entirely. Sometime later this year, she said, the company will launch new tablet and smartphone lines in the U.S.

http://www.crn.com/news/client-devices/232700530/dell-discontinues-u-s-smartphones-plans-on-new-mobile-devices-this-year.htm;jsessionid=V74RB0om6WtRDCn3nyA-pA**.ecappj03?cid=nl_crn

365

Android Security Is a Major Threat: 10 Reasons Why

Unfortunately for today’s Android users, they’re facing more threats because there are more of them using the operating system. As in the PC space, mobile hackers want to target the operating system that’s most likely to deliver a major financial return. For now, that’s Android.

http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Mobile-and-Wireless/Android-Security-Is-a-Major-Threat-10-Reasons-Why-148798/?kc=EWKNLEDP04052012A

366

BlackBerry Porsche Design P’9981 Review

With a price tag of $2,000, the exclusive Porsche Design P’9981 Smartphone from BlackBerry is a Bold 9900 in an expensive new skin. It’s a collaboration between Porsche Design and BlackBerry that you’ll either love the look or hate it. The unibody stainless steel frame gives the P’9981 some heft and a sturdy feel.

http://crackberry.com/blackberry-porsche-design-p9981-review

367

10 Fun And Useful Mobile Apps From The Daily App

For those in the tech industry, it’s easy to forget that mobile devices are not strictly for business. There are countless mobile apps available to help you organize your social life, ease the pain of travel, improve your exercise routine or enhance your television time. Here’s a look at 10 mobile apps that are either entertaining, useful, or both.

http://www.crn.com/slide-shows/client-devices/232900378/the-10-most-fun-and-useful-mobile-apps-from-the-daily-app.htm

368

Malware Masquerading as Angry Birds Game

Malware authors are using the popularity of the Angry Birds series of games as a way to infect the smartphones of users who download the exploit from unofficial Android app stores, according to a security software firm.

This is why you should always use official home sites for apps and other software for both smartphones and all other computers.

http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Security/Malware-Masquerading-as-Angry-Birds-Game-574517/?kc=EWKNLEDP04172012E

369

Intel-Powered Smartphone Coming This Week: Otellini

The first smartphone running on an Intel processor will hit the market later this week, reportedly in India.

Speaking to reporters and analysts in a conference call to announce the giant chip maker’s first-quarter financial results, Intel CEO Paul Otellini outlined the key points the company expects to hit as 2012 wears on—particularly in the mobile space—from more than 100 new Ultrabook designs to more devices powered by next-generation “Ivy Bridge” processors.

“We expect to see another important milestone for our business later this week: the launch of the world’s first Intel architecture-based smartphone,” Otellini said.

http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Mobile-and-Wireless/IntelPowered-Smartphone-Coming-This-Week-Otellini-418307/?kc=EWKNLEDP04192012B

370

The Daily App: Avast! Mobile Security

With Android threats popping up faster than weeds in the springtime, it’s probably a good idea to recommend a strong security tool to mobile-device buyers. One particularly tough customer is Avast! Mobile Security, a free virus and security app by Avast Software.

The Avast installation process requires the host device to go against Android’s default setting and permit downloads from non-Android Market sources. Ironic perhaps for a security tool, but necessary so it can receive updates to threat and virus definitions. After downloading the latest updates, the app scans for viruses and if none are found, presents a settings screen where further scans can be performed.

http://www.crn.com/blogs-op-ed/the-daily-app/232900480/the-daily-app-avast-mobile-security.htm;jsessionid=XPPM3EZjSQlCnB9FJEsmng**.ecappj01?cid=nl_sec

371

warning: Fake Biophilla app on android is malware

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/security/warning-fake-biophilla-app-on-android-is-malware/11715?tag=mantle_skin;content

372

BlackBerry 10 Smartphones

ORLANDO, Fla.—Imagine if you will a BlackBerry with no physical keyboard, but with an improved keyboard none the less. Or imagine a BlackBerry that has a suspicious resemblance to Windows Phone 7 software, but doesn’t run Windows. Then consider a BlackBerry that multitasks and, while it’s at it, remembers your typing style and word usage. Sounds a little frightening, doesn’t it?

But that active tiled interface, the ability to have multiple apps open at the same time and a keyboard that knows what you might type next are all part of the new BlackBerry 10 OS demonstrated by Thorsten Heins, CEO of Research In Motion, at the BlackBerry World conference here.

http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Mobile-and-Wireless/BlackBerry-10-Smartphones-Must-Hit-Home-Run-for-RIM-Team-824756/?kc=EWKNLEDP05032012B

373

Apple, Samsung Dominate the Smartphone Market: 10 Reasons Why

When evaluating the smartphone market today, it’s hard to get excited about products from any other company than Apple or Samsung. It seems that countless vendors are trying their hardest to make a mark in the mobile space, but devices like the iPhone 4S and Galaxy S II continue to hold center stage. What’s worse, the chances of that changing anytime soon seem slim.

In a recent study, Canaccord Genuity technology analyst Mike Walkley reported that Samsung and Apple have “captured a remarkable 99 percent of first-quarter 2012 handset industry profits.” If that’s not impressive enough, consider that between them, Apple and Samsung own the majority of the smartphone space, leaving only scraps for the others. Simply put, Apple and Samsung have cornered the smartphone market.

http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Mobile-and-Wireless/Apple-Samsung-Dominate-the-Smartphone-Market-10-Reasons-Why-719280/?kc=EWKNLEDP05042012B

374

Now Samsung are about to unleash the Galaxy SIII 1.4Ghz quad core processor with a 4.8" OLED screen, some reviews report this a better screen than the iPhone 4s retina display.

My Samsung Galaxy Nexus with 1.2Ghz dual core processor and 4.6" OLED screen with the same 1280 x 720 resolution, is a brilliant (excuse the pun) screen as the Galaxy SIII.

Yes Samsung and iPhone may be a hard act to follow, but HTC are in the same ball park snapping at their heels with their latest HTC One X, 1.5 GHz, quad-core, 4.7-inch (1280 x 720 resolution) screen.

375

I can’t help but notice that they keep making computers smaller and,
Smart phones bigger. Eventually we’ll find a happy medium which will be both
your Computer and your Smartphone. :slight_smile:

376

Well the Galaxy Note at 7" screen is possibly the max for something that can reasonably be used as a phone, but possibly not your computer. So I don’t see smartphones doing that anytime soon.

Whilst for some years I have kept away from ‘smart’ phones as the protection wasn’t really there. That has obviously changed somewhat with the introduction of the Avast! Mobile Security suite.

Whilst some tablets may have phone access built in and a 10" (ish) screen making them somewhat ungainly to be used as a phone whilst out and about. Without having something like a bluetooth headset, so you don’t look like a dork talking to a tablet.

377

The bluetooth makes people think you’ve really gone off the deep end or, you’ve gotten senile and are
now talking to yourself. ;D

378

Verizon-Cable Deal Poses Big Threat to Internet Access, Competition

Verizon and the group of cable companies from which it is planning to buy a chunk of AWS spectrum don’t want you to know about a new Joint Operating Entity (JOE) that would control all aspects of how you get access to the Internet, what you can do online and how much it’s going to cost.

Cloaked in a layer of secrecy behind a wall of redacted documents, filings to the Federal Communications Commission that can’t be read and responses that are deliberately concealed, Verizon and its cable partners have agreed to stop competing directly with each other, to stop offering services that the others offer and to jointly develop technology that would control what you can do on their networks.

Sources familiar with Verizon’s FCC filings said that the plan laid out by Verizon and its partners is “deeply troubling.” Others familiar with the Verizon-Cable plan indicated that if it actually happens, it would effectively cancel the provisions of the Communications Act of 1996 that requires competition among carriers.

http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Mobile-and-Wireless/VerizonCable-Deal-Poses-Big-Threat-to-Internet-Access-Competition-680412/?kc=EWKNLEDP05212012B

379

We’ve acquired Motorola Mobility

The phones in our pockets have become supercomputers that are changing the way we live. It’s now possible to do things we used to think were magic, or only possible on Star Trek–like get directions right from where we are standing; watch a video on YouTube; or take a picture and share the moment instantly with friends.

It’s why I’m excited to announce today that our Motorola Mobility deal has closed. Motorola is a great American tech company that has driven the mobile revolution, with a track record of over 80 years of innovation, including the creation of the first cell phone. We all remember Motorola’s StarTAC, which at the time seemed tiny and showed the real potential of these devices. And as a company who made a big, early bet on Android, Motorola has become an incredibly valuable partner to Google.

http://googleblog.blogspot.ca/2012/05/weve-acquired-motorola-mobility.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+blogspot/MKuf+(Official+Google+Blog)#!/2012/05/weve-acquired-motorola-mobility.html

380

Android Malware Growing Exponentially

In its “Mobile Threat Report, Q1 2012,” the company credits the popularity of the Android platform as a key magnet for malware authors. In first-quarter 2011, the report discovered 10 new families and variants of malware. A year later, this number jumps to 37 new families and variants discovered in the first quarter of this year, quadrupling last year’s figures. Meanwhile, the report claims the number of malicious Android application package files (APKs) has spiked from 139 to 3,063 counts, year-over-year. According to the authors, this sharp escalation is largely caused by malware authors “Trojanizing” applications in an effort to circumvent antivirus signature detection, and sometimes Trojanizing bootleg copies of popular applications.

http://www.crn.com/news/security/240000735/report-android-malware-growing-exponentially.htm?cid=nl_sec