Android

As Android smartphones and tablets grow in popularity, it's no surprise that the number of malware outbreaks is growing. Mobile antimalware apps can give your phone or tablet an extra layer of protection--but which ones do the job? Independent security testing lab AV-Test evaluated 41 virus scanners for Android, including those by mainstream security companies like Norton and Trend Micro. AV-Test used the Android emulator built into the Android SDK and ran each of the apps through a series of malware detection tests.

Archos has announced the forthcoming release of a new Android tablet computer for children.
 
The 'Child Pad' is a seven-inch screen-toting tablet that runs the latest version of Android, Ice Cream Sandwich, has a 1GHz processor and 1GB of RAM.

Earlier this week, it was uncovered that iOS apps had a glitch that gave app developers access to users’ photos once they allow an app to access their location information. Now a new investigation launched by the NY Times has discovered that a similar snooping can happen on Android, where third-party developers also have access to users’ photos without explicitly asking for permission.

Thousands of Android Apps Available on PlayBook, Says RIMRIM PlayBookResearch In Motion said that "thousands" of Android apps are already in the Android player launched one week ago as part of the PlayBook OS 2.0 update.

Android is force that will not be stopped. Google’s Andy Rubin announced yesterday that there are 850,000 daily Android activations, excluding devices like the Kindle Fire that don’t use Google services. Now, even though only one handset is currently sold with Ice Cream Sandwich, Jelly Bean might launch later this year.

Fixmo, a company that started out developing tools for the U.S. National Security Agency, is offering a new product that will automatically shut down corporate applications on compromised iOS and Android devices.

Fixmo MRM, which stands for mobile risk management, integrates two products. One is Fixmo Sentinel, which has its roots in the NSA technology and regularly scans a phone to ensure that it is adhering to policies set by the organization. Consisting of both back-end and on-device software, it alerts an administrator to any unauthorized changes to the phones.

Cybersecurity experts have uncovered a flaw in a component of the operating system of Google Inc's widely used Android smartphone that they say hackers can exploit to gain control of the devices.

Researchers at startup cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike said they have figured out how to use that bug to launch attacks and take control of some Android devices.

There's been much controversy over mobile OS security, especially where Android is concerned. With 47% of the smartphone market in Q4 of 2011, according to ABI Research, it's no wonder that Android is getting attention.

Its openness fuels adoption by smartphone manufacturers and wireless carriers, aids in mobile innovation, and helps bring more free apps. But some, like those who develop security apps, think its openness also makes it an easier target for malware writers and cybercriminals.

This morning, Google announced some added features to its Google Docs app for Android that will surely make frequent users of the online office suite happy: most notably, the updated version will now allow collaboration on documents from Android phones or tablets. Previously, Google Docs opened in the app were restricted to a single user, but mobile users can now see real-time updates to shared text.

Malware that specifically targeted mobile operating systems increased in 2011 as smartphones became more popular with enterprise users, as well as consumers. These cyber-criminals also developed affection for the Google Android OS, which saw the biggest jump in malware during the past 12 months, according to a new report from Juniper Networks.