Tuesday, July 31, 2012

A Little Simple Security Makes an Android Go Further

Android is a strange beast.  

It's produced by Google, an advertising company, so you know that has it's own pluses and minuses. 

It's widely used, and widely rejected since many people get their first experience with Android, are confused and send it back for something like their kid is using. 

It is more configurable than anything Apple produces out of the box for the most part.  My phone announces that "You've Got Post!" by Joanna Lumley whenever my Yahoo email account gets something.  Can't do that without jumping through hoops and installing special software to do that on an iPhone.

It has about the same amount of free software as you would find on an iPad or iPhone.  Plus or Minus.  Roughly.

This is just my personal experience.  I have both Android and iOS here.  I'm currently listening to a Funk and RnB channel on an Android tablet using TuneIn, and that is available on your iPhone or iPad too.  Highly recommended.  In fact I was setting up a Linux Server and wishing TuneIn was there.

It's that new software thing that can be a wrinkle.  With anything with that half eaten Apple logo on the back running iOS, you have one place to get your software, iTunes.  Your software has been analyzed and is therefore expected to be safe from snoops and trojans and viruses.   Although it isn't warranted to be so, it is a pleasant little walled garden that has few of those weeds.

On the other hand, Android is more like a Nature Preserve.  You can install software pretty much from anywhere you like with a few clicks, you can unlock the device, "root" the device to gain full and complete control like a Mad Scientist (Boo!) and generally run wild.  Think "Jailbreaking" on iOS.

I will say that when I had Jailbroke my iPhone, shortly thereafter I installed an app that grabbed hold of the phone and began to do wonderful things for me like serve out spam.  It's unlocked but no longer jailbroke.

Every one of my Android devices are rooted.  It gives me complete control and allows me to use a program called Titanium Backup to completely back every last bit of that device up to a chip.  In fact I spent last night upgrading my tablet in order to have the latest software because it was nagging me to do so.

Am I on that proverbial Tightrope without a Net?  Why hasn't my tablet become a server for Russian Marital Aids?

I am not completely sure but I do practice some very basic security measures.  Those Security Measures are basic and form my safety net.

  • I have a scanner on the thing called "Lookout Security".  It will even tell me where the machine is if lost and completely lock it down if stolen.  There are others, such as Sophos Mobile Security.  Check them both out and see which one is for you.

  • I only install software from the Google Play store.  Think iTunes, but it is all web based.  There's a little shopping bag icon with a couple of abstract triangles that you tap.  Once launched, there goes a half hour as I'm looking for new "toys" and shiny objects to play with.  Amazon also has its own software library.  I'm avoiding that one since there are problems with changing devices using Amazon.

  • I always, let me repeat this, ALWAYS check the reviews on the app.  If there are few reviews or the reviews are all positive I skip the app.  Here is a place it is best to step back and let "the other guy" take the bullet for you by testing the software out first. 

Like I said, Basic.  You can use a tablet just like your laptop, many do.  It just takes a little forethought to make sure that you're doing so safely.  When you're through you can relax, go play, and have a bit of fun with these things and not fret.  After all, making your life easier so you can have fun is what they're all about.


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