NFC being on is not always a good thing...

Google has patched a bug that let a hacker, and this is key, that is physically close to your phone to send malware to your phone using NFC (Near Field Communication) functions.

Take a look at this report from Sophos's Naked Security Blog that spells out the vulnerability: Click Here

What to do?

• You can turn off permissions for the NFC app to install unknown applications, which will prevent the NFC app from trying to install an APK.
• You can also turn off Android Beam in the NFC and Payment area of your Android device’s settings, while still leaving NFC on for contactless payments.
• Finally, you can install the fix that Google released last month, patching the flaw.

Lenovo Smart Tab P10 review: Part Android tablet and part Alexa smart screen

Great overall article on this product. Interesting that it was done by someone that doesn’t like Android Tablets much.

I have been using the P10 for over 6 months now as my primary Tablet device and have been perfectly happy with it. Good sound, very light, and no problem running any app that I have in my arsenal. It functions much better than my previous Lenovo Tablet with applications but the design features of the Yoga Pro 10 with the battery on the side and the kickstand made it useable in many more situations.

Would I recommend it? Already have to my fellow workers and they are just as happy.

Article: https://techaeris.com/2019/06/21/lenovo-smart-tab-p10-review-part-android-tablet-and-part-alexa-smart-screen/

Note: the base which is a speaker and charging unit for the tablet connects to the tablet using Bluetooth. The positive thing with this is that you can be using the tablet for one function and still have it being able to stream music or a podcast to the base. This also allows you to pair other devices to it as well.

HabiTap - Auto Clicker with Autmatic Tapping

Yes, I have finally found a game that I have gotten emersed into and it has begun to become a problem with certain repetitive tasks. You know, who wants to set there and just tap a screen constantly to process some ongoing task? Right?

Well, I began searching and finally came up with a simple solution that works well for me. The free version gives you a single arrow that points to an area and produces a screen click every 1/5 second. Position the arrow where you want the screen tap and then press on the arrow to turn it from red to green. A single point of continous clicks. For an additional $1.99 you can upgrade the product to a dual pointer system. You can also record a series of movements and have them played back continuously as well so you can create a series of movements and also control turning on and off the pointers to automate a process. It may take a few times recording to get the process to your liking.

This has become a big timesaver for me and allows me to take my eyes of the screen and put back into the conversation with my wife. Its putting that smile back on her face.

Lenovo Deal that you should take advantage of…

I just picked up the 8 inch Lenovo Yoga Tab 3 8 . It is selling right now on Lenovo’s site they are selling for $139.39 and I can’t imagine them being around for long at this price. While is isn’t running the most current version of Android, it does have a lot of features that make it quite desirable. While I wish the screen was larger the 8 inch is bright and the unit feels good in your hand when you hold it especially when you have it in portrait mode.

It has a Qualcomm Snapdragon APQ8009 processor, comes with android 5.1 installed, the speaker is quite loud so there isn’t a problem hearing it. The battery life is quite impressive up to 20 hours of usage time. It has a SD Card slot that allows you to expand it up to 128GB’s. There is an 8MP integrated camera, only has  80d.11b/g/n WiFi and Bluetooth 4.0.

The unit is very comparable to Amazon Tablets in size and so far as I have seen is working well with of the apps that I have thrown at it. I basically purchased it to replace the TV that I have under the counter in the kitchen, I am thinking that it is going to fail sometime in the near feature and this will be a good replacement for that unit as well as being able to carry it around as desired.

So, I have it all set up with my wife’s favorite apps and I hope that she will enjoy it.

Naked Security: Thousands of Android-spying apps in the wild: what to do about SonicSpy

By Bill Brenner, nakedsecurity.sophos.com

Well we always knew that Android was a security nightmare but SophosLabs has found three cases of SonicSpy-infused apps in Google Play:

Researchers from SophosLabs and elsewhere have found three cases of SonicSpy-infused apps in Google Play: Soniac, Hulk Messenger, and Troy Chat – messaging apps that hide their spying functionality and await orders from command-and-control servers.

Google booted the apps from its store after they were discovered. Researcher Chen Yu said the Google Play versions had “tiny installation numbers and existed for a very short time”. Though three were found on Google Play, SophosLabs has counted 3,240 SonicSpy apps in the wild. Some reports place the number at 4,000.

According to multiple reports, a single bad actor – probably based in Iraq – has released these apps into the wild since February.

To read more of this article: click here

The Seven Deadly IT Sins: Mobile Negligence

That flashy little device in your pocket is a big security risk. Hackers are increasingly targeting mobile devices to steal data (emails, contacts, corporate data, financial information) and send premium rate SMS, using up your bandwidth in the process. Android devices are most vulnerable to threat - last year SophosLabs saw an 1800% increase in Android malware. But iOS is also at risk, especially jailbroken devices.

I just received my Android Wear upgrade and I love it!

The first thing that struck me is that the application interface much different. It is more Applesque in it's swirl feature for accessing the different application​s. You no longer swipe right to access the application interface but you need to press the watch button to wake the watch and then a second time to open the menu.

Taking your finger and twirling clockwise or  counter-clockwise allows you to scroll through the menu. Then tapping on the app icon will launch your​ chosen application. Running your finger across the watch face from left to right closes the application interface.

From the base screen, sliding your finger from top to bottom opens the settings menu which is quite a bit cleaner than the old version. The five main settings that you may wish to access are all on the same screen so it's very quick and easy to be able to go to act Lee where you want to.

Sliding your finger left to right or right to left on the screen brings up the change watch face menu. I'm not sure why this motion seems so prominent comma I never did spend much time changing my watch faces at all. Though I am sure there are many people that love to change them for whatever occasion that they are currently in.

All in all, my first impression is very positive to the changes in this version. I'm just sorry that I can't take advantage of all the new features of the new operating system since the watch does not have the hardware built-in to be capable of doing some of the things that comes along with the new operating system.

Google Play causing issues with battery life?

How Google Play tracks you even if your other apps don’t – Naked Security

Naked Security posted an article that Google Play’s update that is tracking your usage or their service by using GPS which if you didn’t know when turned on and in use can drain your battery very quickly. For more detail on this read the article by clicking on the link above.

Lenovo is going to deliver on the Microsoft Courier design

This Microsoft CONCEPT device really grabbed my attention a quite a few years ago and I was really disappointed when it didn’t come to fruition. The article from Arstechnica describes the new Yoga Book in great detail and it seems to have everything that the original device promised. We’ll see in October when it is finally released. Do I want one? I don’t know now since I have gotten my hands on the Microsoft Surfacebook. I am truly in love with that device but having two screens on the same device could possibly create some interesting capabilities.

Microsoft confirms, kills Courier in one fell swoop – Engadget Journal Entry by Bob Appleby on May 5, 2010 - It is only right to report the demise of the Courier as since earlier this year I talked about how exciting this product concept was for me and several of my coworkers. In fact we were so enthralled with it we featured its video on the front page of our website for awhile. Darn it Microsoft, this is ...

Microsoft’s Courier takes some of the wind out of the iPad’s delivery announcement Journal Entry by Bob Appleby on March 7, 2010 - Friday was a very interesting day because of Microsoft Courier Tablet leak that occurred simultaneously with Apple’s announcement of the iPad’s release date. There has been a lot of hype surrounding iPad and how it is going to be super hit for Apple like the iPhone and iPod products have ...

Gizmodo Presentation on new Microsoft Tablet Journal Entry by Bob Appleby on September 28, 2009 - Not “Real” product yet, here is another prototype product showing a new design type that is using a hinged dual screen system. I would be interested in looking at one to see how it works, but I am slightly skeptical about the usability, and ruggedness of such a product. Microsoft’s product has even ...

Automatic Pro now offers free 3G service

When I read the post describing this product it really began to intrigue me. First, let me say that I wish it were free 4G but any “G” is better than none. This device plugs into your car’s OBD-II port, unlocks the data in your car’s on-board computer and connects it to the internet. While that is a concern to me as far as security, I’m planning on looking into the repercussions of adding this to a vehicle.

This is the same concern I would have for any of the IoT devices that are constantly showing up around us. There are an interesting list of things that this device will bring to the table that might be of interest to you though.

The primary reason this device was created was allow you to connect into the on board computer system of your car to allow you to also access the diagnostic information about your vehicle. The Pro version takes it one step further to actually connect the device through an internet connection to applications to make use of that data. Many other things become available to take advantage of once this has been unlocked.

Have you ever forgotten where you have parked your car? Now this device provides the ability to find it again. Tracking driving statistics is also an interesting feature. I need to provide my driving information for sales/service trips to the IRS every year so this device along with one of several available Apps can automatically log the exact mileage for these trips without me having to write it down.

Interesting enough this also works with IFTTT and the Amazon Echo. I am also playing with a Pebble watch right now and there is a an App available to connect that as well.

I sure you guessed that I am excited about this device, so I placed an order for one for my Jeep. I’ll get back to you later after I have put it through its paces.

What is Miracast ?

Intel has been promoting their Wireless Display (WiDi) technology for quite a while now and we are starting to see some traction in the industry to include it in display devices and other types of components. 

So what is Miracast? Wikipedia describes it as such:

Miracast is a certification program of the Wi-Fi Alliance based on their Wifi-Display specification. It defines a protocol to connect an external monitor or TV to a device, and therefore can roughly be described as "HDMI over Wifi", replacing the cable from the computer to the display

So what do you do if your notebook has this capability but your wall mounted TV does not? Actiontec has a product called ScreenBeam Pro that turns any HDMI connection into a WiDi receiver. Priced under $100, you can easily connect a laptop or android device to that screen or projector with an HDMI connector and wirelessly transmit your video/audio signal to that device. 

Actiontec also has kits that will provide your with a USB transmitter that will connect your laptop that doesn't have the WiDi capability built in so that it will work with the receiver. This is a great solution for providing this capability.

Actiontec Brochure

Google I/O: Now on Tap

Another new feature coming up in the soon to be release Android "M" operating system is "Now on Tap".  This will be a feature adding more context aware responses from your mobile device. So in their demo of the product, the question "what is his name?" was asked while a song was playing on the device and "Now on Tap" was able to put it together that the question was in reference to the currently playing media. It then displayed the information about the artist and provided a list of links referencing the artist. This shows that the new updated feature was able to provide a quick answer to question that wasn't specific so it had to be more intuitive about what you were probably asking for.

A second demo showed them looking at an email discussing going to a movie with the movie title listed in the message. By tapping and holding down the Home Button, the system knew that it was being asked a question, searched the message and then found the movie title in the message and brought information about the movie. What went on behind the scenes and what they are really demonstrating is Google's progress in "Natural Language Processing". Google's search is getting better able to determine what it is looking at, or better, what you are looking at, and interpreting all of the things that you might be asking from the presented information. It makes these functions more interactive, and again, more intuitive.

In another example showing "Now on Tap" responding with an actiion, They showed a message from their spouse asking about going out to dinner and a second message stating that they did not get the dry-cleaning. Pressing and holding down the Home Button again, "Now on Tap" presented two cards as a response. The first showed the name of the restaurant and buttons for navigating, calling, Yelp and Open Table so that you could make reservations, see how good the restaurant is, call them for a reservation or get directions on how to get there. The second card provided the ability to add a reminder to "Get the dry-cleaning".

In the fourth example, the context of the screen information was a discussion about Hugh Laurie. By just highlighting his name, "Now on Tap" was able to, without any other interaction, quickly lookup his name and provide more information about Hugh Laurie.

So what what Google was presenting is how responsive the system will be in providing information on the fly from the context of what you are viewing. If this works the way they were showing it, at the speed and responsiveness that they showed, this will truly be a very impressive new feature of the Android operating system.

Lenovo has a smartwatch, too!

Lenovo showed off a new smartwatch with a private screen that Lenovo says will give you a 20x increased perspective on the image being viewed. Because you have to hold the watch up to your eye to see it, it is naturally something that will normally only be done by the wearer. Termed "Magic View" Lenovo states that it solves the inherent problem found in smartwatches with their tiny screens.

Android Central say that the demo device was running an Android-based OS that was different to both Wear and Google's main mobile operating system. The second display is using optical reflection to achieve its display size and can be used for viewing larger images such as maps.

While your first thought might be of how silly it will look holding your wrist to your eye to get this increased view size, my biggest concern as I have stated in earlier articles are the idiots that will try to do this while they are driving. This road that we are going down with our mobile devices and our lack of control of when we use them is scaring me to death. I don't know what the answer is, but we need to come up with something.

Google I/O: Some of the new features that coming in the Android "M" operating system

In the keynote address, one of the things that was discussed was the new Android "M" opertating system and the six key feature updates that Google thinks we should be focused on. Their main direction with this upgrade was to "polish" the interface. 

First: App Permissions - they have simplified the range of items that are being addressed (location, camera, microphone, contacts, phone, SMS, calendar and sensor). They are also changing when you have to decide whether to grant the App permission to use a feature. It will now be addressed at the time of first access and not during the intial installation. They are also going to give us the ability to go into settings and access the App and add or subtract permissions as you see fit. You also will be able to look at a feature and see what Apps have access to it and add or subtract for there as well. Google expects the new App persmissions will help get the App up and running faster.

Second: This is more of a programming feature but Google is giving access to a new feature called Chrome Custom Tabs so that programmers will be able to take advantage of the Chrome browser capabilities without having to build in their own web browser in their app. This will decrease programming time and increase the security that is inherent in the Chrome browser.

Third: They are giving the App developer/program to provide a more complete linking experience. You won't need to continue to pick which App you want to use everytime you click on a link. They claim that this will give the enduser a more seamless experience.

Fourth: Android Pay - So it sounds like they are going to replace Google Pay with something called Android Pay. Their claim it that it is focused on three things: Simplicity, Security and Choice. So what does this mean? The process is as follows: unlock your phone and place it near the NFC terminal. That is all. A virtual card is created so your real card is not used with the terminal. Google is working closely with banks and retailers to achieve a more comprehensive solution. 

Fifth: Fingerprint - They are planning on increasing the use of fingerprint recognition with Android Pay as well as other Apps.

Sixth: Power Mangement - with the new "M" they are building in a smarter standby function to minimize power useage with up to 2x the battery useage. They are also promoting the new USB 3.0 format that will to decrease charge times by a fact of 5x. The "M" operating system will also give you the abiltiy to choose what the charging cable is doing for you, like, Charge or File Transfers etc... Ok.

Also highlighted were some editing feature changes as well as smarter data sharing. The smarter data sharing is based on your device being able to learn what Apps you use to share most often and to make them avaialble when you request sharing. Not a significant change but a nice one.

Amazon Mobile LLC now available for your Android Phone

If you have been waiting on the edge of your seat for an APP to allow you access to the World of Amazon Shopping you no longer have to wait.

Amazon describes the APP as follows:

Shop the millions of digital and physical products in Amazon’s catalog and manage your orders from anywhere. The Amazon App for Android phone combines the fast and easy mobile shopping experience customers have come to know and love with access to unlimited streaming of tens of thousands of movies and TV episodes from Prime Instant Video. After installing this version of the Amazon App for Android, customers wishing to stream Prime Instant Video movies and TV episodes can install the Prime Instant Video player, which is delivered exclusively via the Amazon Appstore. To start streaming movies and TV episodes, just search for your favorite video and tap play; the Amazon app will guide you through the setup process.
• US customers can now use a single app to discover and shop for hundreds of millions of physical and digital items.
• Prime members in the US can stream unlimited Prime Instant Video from inside the Amazon app using the Prime Instant Video player, including HBO shows The Sopranos, Boardwalk Empire, Six Feet Under, and The Wire
• Customers can shop any of Amazon's sites around the world from a single app
• Quickly search, get product details, and read reviews on millions of products sold by Amazon and other merchants
• Take advantage of 1-Click ordering, order tracking, delivery information, customer support, Wish Lists, and Push Notifications
• Compare prices and check availability instantly by scanning a barcode, using Flow, or typing your search
• Buy with confidence, knowing that all transactions are securely processed

Android 4.4.3 update rolling out to Nexus, Motorola, and Play devices now

Google’s Android 4.4.3 is under way now (my Nexus 7 (2013) is downloading it as I am typing). This new update is supposed to bring security enhancements and bug fixes for the devices.

"This latest software update brings an improved dialer with a new interface and new colors to enhance consistency and usability, as well as several stability, framework, security fixes, and enhancements to the power profile capabilities," said Steve Horowitz, Motorola Mobile's SVP of software engineering.

Read more on this at: ZDNet

Android Phone are becoming a high target for Malware authors!

CNET’s Dennis O’Reilly recently reported that more and more Malware Authors are creating code for Android phones that are showing up even on Google Play for download.

If you are not installing a security application then your phone is exposed. If you or your office workers are connecting your phones to your company network you are not only risking your phone’s information but you could also be exposing your company’s network to attack.

We have many products to help keep your systems secure including your personal phones so please let us work with you to lock down your security before it is too late.

Remember, security starts with you. Be careful with what you download and the sites that you visit. Attacks can come in many shapes and sizes. Keeping the bad guys out requires a multilayer approach to security that includes using a security program, only using trustworthy sites for downloads, and be sure you keep watch of your credit cards and bank statements to ensure that they have not been compromised.

One of our favorite security companies is Sophos and they have a free security app that you can put on your phone to help keep it secure. But if you want more control over the company security and company provided phones we have some more advanced products that work very well to keep your data and personal information secure and safe from prying eyes.

Phillips developing uses for Google Glass in Health Care

I know we are all waiting for the day that there really is something useful that Google Glass can do for you. Well here is one being developed by Phillips Healthcare and Accenture to help surgeons interact with patient data to become more efficient and effective. If you are unaware of what Google Glass is then here is a brief explanation.

Google Glass is wearable technology that looks like eyeglasses, but without the lenses. Instead, a small prism on the right side displays information via a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connection to the MyGlass app on Android or iOS devices.

Google Glass was rolled out to early adopter this past year and Google is encouraging users to share their ideas and innovations to help develop the base of applications that this new user interface device can take advantage of. Researchers from the Philips Digital Accelerator Lab has collaborated with Accenture Technology Labs to come up with potential uses of Google Glass in Clinical settings.

Anthony (Tony) Jones, M.D., is the vice president and chief marketing officer for patient care and clinical informatics at Philips Healthcare. He explains, “The most exciting potential application of Google Glass in healthcare is the ability to allow providers to ‘virtually’ be in two places at once, which will have a significant impact on workflow and patient care.”

The idea is for the surgeon or other medical professional to be able to verbally request information on patient status or show images like X-Rays, MRI or other digital images to be able to quickly and simply access information as a reference while working on the patient. Patient vitals or other information would also be at their fingertips to be able to react quickly as necessary to best take care of the patient all while keeping their eyes on the patient.

“It sounds simple, but small workflow improvements like this can reduce errors and have a significant impact on patient care,” Jones says.

Surgery is not the only place where this technology can make an impact. Think about first responders, either medical, fire or police that could be looking forward at the scene and have information being presented that will make their response more informed, safer and of course help with providing a positive outcome.

Currently there are some real issues with this technology that will need to be overcome before it becomes widely accepted. Battery life is the first one that comes to mine. some method of extending the battery life needs to be adapted before this becomes a valuable tool. Also, the display is still a little small so the detail will need to get better so that more information can be displayed at a time. This is a good step and I am looking forward to seeing where this goes into the future.

Android vs. Window 8.1 (what’s best on a tablet)

I just posted and article about the ASUS Transformer Book Duet notebook/tablet that hopefully will be coming out in the near future. This unit provides both operating systems on the same system whether it is in tablet or notebook format so you don’t have to make a choice between one or the other. But if you have to make a choice now between the two, which should you choose?

James Kendrivk wrote for Mobile News/ZDNet an interesting article that describes the “4 advantages Windows 8.1 has over Android in mobile”. Take a look at his article, he makes some interesting points.

ASUS' Transformer Book Duet–Dual Identity

If you are not sure whether you want a tablet or notebook, whether you want to use it with Android or Microsoft Windows then maybe this will help you with that decision. The Asus Transformer Book Duet TD300 is a 13.3 inch PC with dual OS. It is a tablet that comes bundled with a keyboard dock that has its own hard drive and ports. The real interesting thing about this unit is that it will run both Android 4.2 and Windows 8.1 on the fly whether you are in tablet mode or laptop mode.

This is a pretty nice little machine running an Intel Core I7 processor, 4GB RAM, 13.3 inch screen that supports 1,920 x 1,080 resolution, 128GB SSD in the tablet and 1TB hard drive in the keyboard. The unit weighs in at 4.1 pounds which is a little heavy for an UltraBook, and is about half an inch thick. This is very comparable to a Surface Pro 2 in weight but a little thicker. There’s also the usual array of extras, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 + EDR, a headphone jack, 1 x USB 3.0, 2 x USB 2.0, 10/100Mbit/s LAN, an HDMI 1.4 output, and support for MicroSD cards.

The real kicker here is that ability for the unit to instantly switch between Android and Windows 8.1. That’s nice for those of us that need to be able to switch back and forth at a whim but it doesn’t sound like they will include some of the nice features of the Samsung Ativ Q which allows you to pin Android apps to the Windows Start Screen. Starting at $599 this looks like it might be very interesting indeed. There has not been a launch date as of yet but this looks like a nice alternative to having two different devices.