Frequent readers of our blog know about the Blackphone. The Blackphone calls itself the “world’s most secure Android smartphone” and started shipping in early July. Some privacy advocates heralded the Blackphone as the average Joe’s response to NSA backdoor spying and the lack of digital security. Other privacy advocates – like Blackberry – claimed that the Blackphone was “consumer-grade privacy that’s inadequate for businesses”. Well, the Blackphone is out and…
The iPhone 6 won’t be revealed until early September, but that didn’t stop a group of Los Angeles residents from getting seriously trolled this August. YouTube prankster Jonathan Morrison took to the streets of Hollywood to trick people into checking out a fake iPhone 6. That “iPhone 6” was actually a cheap knock-off based on early iPhone case designs. It wasn’t even running iOS – it was running a heavily-modified version of Android with iOS-style skins. The specs were…
One of the significant advantages of the internet protocol system has been the ease with which people can make long distance international calls. Applications like Skype, Viber and others have made this a breeze, especially for those using 3G enabled handsets and 3G internet pack services. But What About Those Using 2G And How Are They Supposed To Manage? Well, it cannot be denied there is still a huge populace using 2G services. Their handsets as well as the internet pack services they use…
You would have thought that Google Android is having a unchallenged run at the market, considering the popularity and zooming sales of Android devices. But, you would be surprised to know that is not necessarily the case. The Q2 report from ABI Research on sales, shipments about mobile devices throws up an interesting fact. It says that forked Android builds devices are rapidly gaining ground and their increasing sales is sure to pose a threat to Google Android devices. What Are Forked Android…
Not many are aware that the Android market share consists of two variants of this wonderful operating system. One is the original Google Android with its proprietary software suite and other features such as the Google Play support and other apps as well as security features. The other one is the AOSP one or the Android Open Source Project facility wherein manufacturers can tweak the platform to make handsets of their choice. While Google prefers that everybody should be using their version…
ADB, or the Android Debug Bridge, is an essential weapon in the Android rooter’s arsenal. ADB is the “bridge” between your computer and your Android device. It helps your two devices communicate. More importantly, it lets you, the average Android user, perform root-only actions without ever touching your phone. Want to use ADB to control your device? Here are the top 5 most important commands you should learn: 5) Reboot your device adb reboot Type that command into ADB and your…
The acquisition of Nokia’s mobile business by Microsoft earlier this year signaled two things. One was that Microsoft wanted a share of the lucrative and fast expanding smart phone market and number two was the decision of Nokia to focus more on its core telecommunications vertical. Nokia has been a strong provider of services in this vertical as well and believes it can grow it faster by dedicating resources to it. LinkedIn postings by Nokia – a surprise But, guess what. Those who…
The Android platform for smart phones has proved to be a money spinner for its handset manufacturers with sales going up exponentially. However, some or the other vulnerability keeps cropping up from time to time, dampening the success to an extent. The latest one is the futex liability that affects all Linux kernels used by Android. This was recently used to successfully root a device like Galaxy S5 for the very first time. Earlier threat still looms large However, what is even more…
There is no disputing the growth of the Android platform and its influence is all pervading. The sales of smart phones running on Android have zoomed exponentially in the last 2-3 years. People are using it to better their personal and business lives and to become more productive as well as efficient. The numerous apps on this platform have made it possible for users to organize stuff effectively. But this was not always the case when Google started off with its vision of providing this…
Android as the operating platform would appear to be all over the place if reports are to be believed. The most recent report from a reputed data compilation agency has pegged the use of Android to be much higher than the iOS. That in many ways is a significant victory for this platform. Net Applications, the one which came out with a report diligently measures traffic on the web spread across more than 150 million monthly visits. It reported that more than 44.5% of web traffic came from…
