Saturday, July 6, 2013

Android and Me

Android and Me

Samsung Galaxy S4 causes ninjas to dance in new Icelandic ad

Posted: 05 Jul 2013 12:41 PM PDT

Who knew fruits didn’t make for good cell phones? We sure didn’t (I’ve been using a peach for years). But apparently, Samsung’s newest ad showcases just how displeasing an apple is when held to the side of your head. This ad, posted to YouTube by Samsung Iceland, is incredibly weird but quite enjoyable.

This is what happens when you combine the displeasure of fruit, incredibly obvious symbolism, a Galaxy S4, dancing ninjas and a goat. We don’t know whether to call this commercial brilliant or horrible. What we do know is that it gives no reason to buy a Galaxy S4, so in a way, it’s not a good commercial. I have praised Samsung before for their commercials, because they show you the features in an interesting way and tell you why you’d want the device. This? Not so much.

The massive jab at Apple would probably be enjoyable to some Android fans. But we want to know what you think. Does this incredibly weird style appeal to you? Or is it stupid and useless? Do you like goats? Leave a comment!

HTC One Android 4.2 update now available across northern Europe

Posted: 05 Jul 2013 12:25 PM PDT

The Android 4.2.2 update for the unlocked HTC One is now available in nearly a dozen countries across northern Europe. HTC One owners in Russia, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Hungary, Romania, Serbia, UK and Finland claim to have downloaded and installed the 417 MB software update, which delivers all the new features of the latest Android build along with quite a few improvements to HTC Sense 5. In a few instances, users have also reported that the software update was preceded by a 1.48 MB bug fix that is needed in order to install the full update. You can ping the software update manually by going to Settings > About > Software updates > Check now. 

With only three days separating the European and Asian roll out of the HTC One’s Android 4.2.2 update, we wouldn’t be surprised if HTC started flipping the switch in larger markets like Germany, France and the UK. The update for carrier-branded devices in Europe and North America is probably still weeks out, but we’re hoping those who purchased the HTC One Developer Edition won’t have to wait that long.

New Android vulnerability found, extremely easy to avoid malware taking advantage of it

Posted: 05 Jul 2013 11:45 AM PDT

Android malware definitely exists, but for the most part it’s not going to spread. As an operating system, Android is very safe. Unless you’re a fan of visiting shady sites. On the rare occasion that users encounter Android malware, it’s usually an issue of user error.

But now, a new security hole was discovered in all Android versions ranging from 1.6 to 4.2. This security hole is interesting, because it doesn’t directly infect your device. It does, however, allow apps to be modified without changing their cryptographic signature. This means that a legitimate app install could be updated with malware.

Sounds dangerous, right? Well, I can guarantee your safety if you follow a few simple rules. First of all, the malware cannot be spread through the Google Play Store, so you have nothing to worry about there. Google had recently updated Google Play security to avoid malicious updates taking advantage of this security hole. They have also made it against policy for Play Store apps to update outside of the Play Store. The vulnerability can still be exploited by apps outside of the Play Store though, so be extremely careful with third-party app stores and sideloading apps in general.

Generally, sideloading apps from untrusted sources is a really bad idea. You don’t know what code someone put into a pirated version of an app, so why install it? Stick with the Play Store and other highly trusted sources, and you’ll be just fine.

Most of these security threats aren’t automatic; they require user approval. This means a user has to install an app for the malware to infect the device. As long as people are careful about where they install apps from, they’ll be safe. If you get a surprise install prompt, never press yes! It’s not that hard to stay safe.

Interestingly, it seems that Google isn’t doing much about the situation in terms of Android code. They don’t seem to be fixing this security hole but are instead leaving it to manufacturers to fix. This means that the Nexus 4 is vulnerable. However, Samsung has patched the security hole in their Galaxy S4, according to some. Either way, be careful and don’t install fishy (or phishy) apps! It won’t end well.

Does Moto X ad suggest July 11 product announcement?

Posted: 05 Jul 2013 09:41 AM PDT

While we’ve all seen the Moto X ad that ran this week in the New York Times, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal and Washington Post, an observant reader with a keen eye for detail has noted that the couple jumping into the water may hold the key to when the Motorola Moto X will be announced. The theory is that the X and I shapes of the man and woman jumping off the doc represent Roman numerals.

XI + August launch = July 11 announcement?

This theory is reinforced by the fact that Leo Laporte was invited to a small press event at Motorola by Guy Kawasaki on July 10 and 11. Since most rumors point to the Moto X launching sometime in August, a July 11 product announcement isn’t inconceivable. The evidence appears to be in place, but it could be that people are simply imposing their ideas on something that’s not really there.

What’s your take on the July 11 Moto X product announcement theory? Do you think the Motorola ad really hid the date in plain sight?

Samsung posts estimated Q2 earnings, slightly less than analysts’ predictions

Posted: 05 Jul 2013 07:49 AM PDT

Ready for another round of earnings reports? Samsung has just published their estimated Q2 earnings for all to view. Starting with the operating profit, Samsung estimates that it jumped 47 percent to 9.5 trillion Korean won ($8.3 billion US dollars). The second quarter sales were also quite good at an estimated KRW57tn ($49.9bn USD). This upsurge probably had to do with the launch of the Galaxy S4 that, contrary to some predictions, actually seems to be doing very well if JK Shin is to be believed.

But analysts might be a bit disappointed. They estimated slightly higher results (KRW10.16tn, $8.9bn USD) in operating profits. As for sales, analysts had predicted KRW58.7tn ($51.8bn USD). Samsung is still making a killing in comparison to all other manufacturers. And keep in mind that these are just the official estimates from Samsung; the actual profits won’t be released until July 26.

In your eyes, how do you think Samsung is doing?

HTC’s Q2 revenue comes in on target, YoY profits take a dive

Posted: 05 Jul 2013 07:44 AM PDT

The latest numbers from HTC show that $2.4 billion in revenue from Q2 2013 came in right on target. Profits grew from $2.8 million in Q1 to $41.63 million. While the quarter-to-quarter profit increase is a step in the right direction, investors will still be taking note of the 83 percent drop in profits from Q2 of 2012.

With a full quarter of HTC One sales on the books, HTC has proven that the company is still able to make a profit. Unfortunately, it’s unclear how much longer HTC will be able to rely on the HTC One to stay in the black. Revenue for the month of June dropped 24 percent to NT$22bn after a spike to NT$29bn in May. The launch of the HTC One on Verizon later this summer may be able to keep demand for the HTC One steady for the next few months, but it looks like the company may need to rely on the launch of the HTC One Max and HTC One mini if HTC intends to increase revenue and profits into the third quarter.

Do you think there’s enough pent up demand for the Verizon HTC One to keep HTC’s earnings moving in the right direction?
Posted by at 7:52 AM

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