Maxx AXD21 MSD7 Smarty With Android 4.4 KitKat Launched at Rs. 4,020

Maxx Mobile has launched its first Android 4.4 KitKat-based smartphone, AXD21 MSD7 Smarty, at Rs. 4,020 for the Indian market. The latest budget smartphone from Maxx will be exclusively available on Snapdeal starting Wednesday.

The Indian market has suddenly been crowded with Android 4.4 KitKat smartphones and the newly launched Maxx AXD21 MSD7 Smarty will be up against one of the cheapest KitKat-based smartphones, the Celkon Campus A35K, priced at Rs. 2,999.

The Maxx AXD21 MSD7 Smarty is a dual-SIM (GSM+GSM) device and unlike its predecessors, runs on Android 4.4.2 KitKat out-of-the-box. It sports a 4-inch WVGA (480x800 pixels) capacitive touchscreen, and is powered by a 1GHz dual-core MediaTek (MT6572M) processor clubbed alongside 512MB of RAM.

It sports a 3.2-megapixel rear camera with LED flash, while it also houses a 0.3-megapixel front-facing camera. The smartphone includes 4GB of ROM and also comes with 16GB storage (microSD), available out-of-the-box. The storage can be further expanded to 32GB via microSD card.

The smartphone is available in Black and White colour variants only. The smartphone measures 125.3x63.8x10.1mm and weighs 109.3 grams. The Maxx AXD21 MSD7 Smarty packs a 1450mAh battery which is rated to deliver up to 4 hours of talk time and up to 150 hours of standby time. The smartphone comes with GPRS/ EDGE, 3G, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth, GPS and Micro-USB connectivity options.

Commenting on the new launch, Ajjay Agarwal, Chairman and Managing Director of Maxx Mobile said, "We are delighted to announce AXD21, which is a combination of great features, best quality and attractive pricing. The phone is aimed at fulfilling the 'value for money' mindset of the Indian consumer and is all set to become one of the most affordable KitKat handsets. It comes with all features of the latest Kit Kat Android operating system, providing a rich consumer experience. We are glad to partner with Snapdeal and make our new offering easily available to our customers."

Android Fake ID bug exposes smartphones and tablets

BlueBox Labs says that Android was not doing full enough checks on the IDs used to 
grant apps special privileges

An Android flaw has been uncovered that lets malware insert malicious code into other apps, gain access to the user's credit card data and take control of the device's settings.

BlueBox Labs said it was particularly concerning as phone and tablet owners did not need to grant the malware special permissions for it to act.

The company added it had alerted Google to the problem in advance to allow it to mend its operating system.

Google confirmed it had created a fix.

"We appreciate BlueBox responsibly reporting this vulnerability to us. Third-party research is one of the ways Android is made stronger for users," said a spokeswoman.

"After receiving word of this vulnerability, we quickly issued a patch that was distributed to Android partners, as well as to the Android Open Source Project."

However, the many thousands of devices still running versions of the operating system ranging from Android 2.1 to Android 4.3 have not been sent the fix by relevant network operators and manufacturers remain vulnerable if they download apps from outside the Google Play store.

Forged signatures

BlueBox has dubbed the vulnerability Fake ID, because it exploits a problem with the way Android handles the digital IDs - known as certification signatures - used to verify that certain apps are what they appear to be.

BlueBox warns that old unpatched versions of Android remain vulnerable

The issue is that while Android checks an app has the right ID before granting it special privileges, it fails to double-check that the certification signature involved was properly issued and not forged.

Jeff Forristal, chief technology officer of BlueBox, likened the issue to a tradesman arriving at a building, presenting his ID to a security guard and being given special access to its infrastructure without a phone call being made to the tradesman's employer to check he is really on its books.

"That missing link of confirmation is really where this problem stems," he told the BBC.

"The fundamental problem is simply that Android doesn't verify any claims regarding if one identity is related to another identity."

Apps that make use of Adobe's Flash plug-in 

can have malware added to their code

To make matters worse, he added, a single app can carry several fake identities at once, allowing it to carry out multiple attacks.

Mr Forristal gave three examples of how a faked certification signature might be used to cause harm:

• The app pretends to be created by Adobe Systems - Adobe is granted the privilege of being able to add code to other apps in order to support their use of its Flash media-player plug-in. The malware can take advantage of this to install Trojan horse malware into otherwise authentic programs
• The app uses the same ID used by Google Wallet - the search firm's mobile payment software is usually the only app allowed to communicate with the secure hardware used to make credit card transactions via a phone's tap-to-pay NFC (near field communication) chip. By exploiting this, the malware can obtain financial and payment data that would otherwise be protected
• The app impersonates 3LM software - many manufacturers add their own skins to Android to customise their devices' user interfaces and functions. In the past, HTC, Sony, Sharp, Motorola and others did this by using extensions created by a now defunct business called 3LM. By masquerading as 3LM's software, malware could take full control of the relevant devices and both uninstall their existing software as well as adding spyware, viruses and other damaging content of its own

BlueBox made headlines last July when it revealed the Master Key bug - a coding loophole that could allow hackers to take control of Android devices. Cybercriminals were later spotted using the technique to target users in China.

Mr Forristal said he believed that the Fake ID flaw had the potential to be a bigger problem.

"Master Key did allow a whole device to be taken over... but the user had to be duped into a couple of decisions before the malware would be able to achieve its goal," he explained.

"Fake ID unfortunately occurs in a manner that is hidden to the user - there's no prompts, no notifications, no need for special permissions.

"The user can actually be told the app doesn't want any special permissions at all, which most people would think makes it relatively safe. But once Fake ID is installed it's 'game over' instantly."

Google Play scan

Google says it has scanned all the apps in its Google Play store for the flaw

Dr Steven Murdoch, a security expert at the University of Cambridge's computer laboratory agreed this was a serious flaw. But he added that most device owners should still be able to avoid being affected.

"Google will be looking for people who are exploiting this vulnerability in applications being distributed through its own Google Play store," he said.

"So, if that's the only place that you get apps from, you are in a relatively good position.

"But if you download applications from other sources you will be putting yourself at risk."

A spokeswoman from Google confirmed that the company had scanned all the applications in its own store as well as some of those elsewhere.

"We have seen no evidence of attempted exploitation of this vulnerability," she added.

BlueBox is releasing an Android app of its own that will check whether the host device has been patched.

Android 4.4.2 KitKat Update Now Rolling out to Lava Iris 504Q+

Lava mobiles on Monday announced the Android 4.4.2 KitKat OTA update for its Iris 504Q+ smartphone. The company had launched the smartphone with Android 4.2 Jelly Bean out-of-the-box, priced at Rs. 13,990. Notably the company has also reduced the price to Rs. 11,900.

Starting Monday, Lava Iris 504Q+ smartphone users will get a notification to upgrade the OS to Android 4.4.2 KitKat. Users can also manually check for the update from Settings > About Phone > System Updates. Lava has noted that the it is essential to have a microSD card inserted and mounted on the device, as the update will be "downloaded on the memory card only."

According to the company, the update brings a new dialer app that lets users automatically prioritise contacts according to the most frequently dialled numbers in the phone book. Additionally, whenever a user gets a call from an unknown number, the phone will look for matches from businesses with a local listing on Google Maps.

The Lava Iris 504Q+ is the successor to company's popular Iris 504Q smartphone launched last year. Just like the Iris 504Q, the 504Q+ comes with dual-SIM (GSM+GSM) standby support. It features a 5-inch (720x1280 pixels) HD IPS OGS (One Glass Solution) display and offers a pixel density of 294ppi.

It is powered by a quad-core processor (unspecified chipset) though it clocks at a higher speed of 1.3GHz alongside Mali 400 MP2 and 1GB of RAM. The Iris 504Q+ comes with 8GB of inbuilt storage, which is further expandable up to 32GB via microSD. The smartphone comes with a 10-megapixel autofocus rear camera, which features an Exmor R sensor and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera. On the connectivity front, the Iris 504Q+ includes 3G, Wi-Fi, Micro-USB, and Bluetooth options. It packs a 2000mAh battery, which is rated to deliver up to 732 hours of standby time.

​GMD Immersive Adds Distraction-Free Full-Screen Mode To Android Apps

Android: KitKat introduced full-screen, Immersive mode apps—but only a few apps support the feature. GMD Full Screen Immersive Mode is a free tool hides the status bar and navigation bar in apps so you can better focus on what you're doing.

The app gives you a choice of hiding both the status bar and navigation bar at the same time, or you can also leave one or other of the bars visible if you like. If you opt to hide the status bar you can avoid the constant stream of notifications you probably receive.

You can configure settings on a per-app basis, and while a notification appears to let you know that immersive mode is about to be activated, this can be removed with an in-app purchase.

The advantage of GMD Immersive Full Screen Mode is that it works with just about any Android handset running KitKat or Android L, no need for root. If you are rooted and use Xposed, click the link below for details of the Immerse Me Xposed module which includes similar full-screen options.

Android L udpate: Developer preview improves user interface

 The new Android L developer preview improved its user interface

According to Android Headlines, the Android team of Google presented its new design language at the company's I/O Developers' Conference last month. The said design language is called Material Design, which boasts a flat interface.

The Chrome team has moved to Material design, at least with the Chrome Beta version on Android, which is now available and can be downloaded from the Play Store.

Aside from the Material Design update, the changelog includes simplified sign-in as well as lots of bug fixes and performance improvements.

Meanwhile, although the Android L Developer Preview was meant for developers to make and improve their apps to ensure that it will run smoothly in the new OS, some people have already downloaded the OS and installed it on their devices. These users found the mobile software stable as there are some bugs in the current build.

The Android L preview build can also be installed in a couple of different devices. The firmware is meant for developers as it is still plagued with bugs that may break your device. Just like with the Apple's iOS, developers were given a preview to work on their apps to ensure that it will work perfectly on the new OS. The developers' preview gave the users a glimpse of what Android L looks like.

According to reports, Android L is the biggest Android version in history packed with over 5,000 new APIs. However, this is not finalized yet and more could be revealed in the final build. Earlier predictions stated that Android L will be released with Nexus 6 and/or Nexus 8.

Android-based smartphones users cannot wait for the imminent release of the OS this fall. It is rumored that the operating system will be coupled with different devices. Last year, Google released the Android 4.4 KitKat on November 22. This year, the new OS is expected to roll out Over-The-Air in the October to November timeframe.

LG Announces 11.6-inches Android Tab Book Hybrid With Intel Core i5 CPU

LG on Monday introduced an Android hybrid device called LG Tab Book. The tablet-cum-notebook was unveiled in LG's home country, though the company did not unveil the pricing, availability and global roll-out details of the device.

On the design front, LG Tab Book with Android OS looks similar to the Tab Book 2 that was launched at CES earlier this year, which runs Windows.

Just like the Tab Book 2, the new Android hybrid (model number 11TA740-GA50K) sports 11.6-inch full-HD IPS display touchscreen with support for 10-point touch control and slide-out QWERTY keyboard. LG has just replaced the Windows home button with the Android home button in Tab Book.

The LG Tab Book runs Android 4.2.2 out-of-the-box. It packs a fourth generation Core i5 4200U (Turbo 2.6GHz, Cache 3MB) with Intel HD Graphics 4400. The device comes with one RAM slot packing 4GB memory with it, while there is no word on the maximum support size.

LG Tab Book (11TA740-GA50K) comes with a 128GB SSD hard drive storage with support for microSD card (unknown). Other ports on the device include two USB 3.0 ports and a standard HDMI port for connectivity. Dimensions of the Tab Book are almost similar to the Windows variant at 286x192x16.7mm. The tablet hybrid weighs 1.05 kg.

Android L 4.5 / 5 ‘Lollipop’ Release Date, News, Rumors: Nexus, HTC Will Support Android L; Samsung, Sony, Motorola, LG Support Not Confirmed

Attendees visit the Android booth during the Google I/O developers 
conference at the Moscone Center on May 15, 2013 in San Francisco, 
California. Thousands are expected to attend the 2013 Google I/O 
developers conference that runs through May 17. At the close of 
the markets today Google shares were at all-time record high 
at $916 a share, up 3.3 percent. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

With the Android L set to roll out in a couple of months times, only two companies are definitely supporting the latest Google OS update.

Google confirmed during I/O 2014 that the the will release the next Android update later this year, and that is is currently code named “Android L.”

The Mountain View-based company has already released a beta of sorts, the Android L Developer Preview SDK, for developers on the Nexus 5 and Nexus 7. This is the first time Google is allowing developers to get some hands on experience with their upcoming software before its launch.

Android users can expect to find in the Android L a new-look Material Design theme and an improved Notification system, as well as the usual performance, run time, graphics, and battery life improvements that Google usually claims that its latest mobile OS will provide.

The Android L has been rumored to come out some time from October to December.

So far, only Nexus and HTC are definitely supporting Android L.

Google normally debuts its latest Android build on the latest Nexus device in the third quarter of the year, so Android L will almost certainly be the OS on whatever model is slated for release during that period.

Currently, the Nexus 8 / 9 / “Volantis” is said to be the tablet that will be released in October, so it could be likely that it will come with Android L installed.

The next phone manufacturer that is definitely supporting Android L is HTC.

The Taiwanese manufacturer has confirmed in a statement that it will bring the Android L to its HTC One (M8) and HTC One (M7) phones:

“Our approach will be the same with the Android L release from Google. This release promises to bring new features and tools to Android and we are excited to bring it to you and your HTC. As part of our HTC Advantage commitment globally, we pledge to update all of our HTC One (M8) and HTC One (M7) smartphones within 90 days of receiving final software from Google.“

Meanwhile, Sony, Samsung, Motorola, and LG have yet to officially announce that they will support the Android L.

Half of most popular Android apps inherit security vulnerabilities from reused code

RESEARCHERS that discovered the Heartbleed security vulnerability have warned that over half of the 50 most popular Android mobile apps have inherited security vulnerabilities through the irresponsible recycling of software libraries.

Codenomicon, which coined the term "Heartbleed" upon discovering the OpenSSL flaw, will name and shame app developers later this month when it publishes its findings on those that neglected robust security practices.

Preliminary results from a study by Codenomicon revealed that over half of the 50 most popular Android apps submit the user's Android ID to third party advertising networks without permission.

The study found that one in 10 apps send either a device's IMEI code or location data to a third party, one in 10 apps connected to more than two ad networks, and surprisingly, one even sends the user's mobile phone number.

It also found that over 30 percent of the apps transmit private data in plain text and plenty more are not encrypting the transfer of this data.

Codenomicon chief security specialist Olli Jarva, told ITnews that 80 to 90 percent of mobile app software is made up of reused libraries, most of which are available under open source, and that was because developers "did not want to invest in reinventing the wheel" with every app that they release.

"We're seeing the end products inherit vulnerabilities - sometimes it's just poor software design or logic errors in implementations, and sometimes those bugs are identified and patched. Sometimes, like in the case of Heartbleed, they are not identified for two years."

Jarva suggested that some developers "act intentionally", which is even more worrying.

"Some people might have been providing a vulnerability on purpose in order to do something nasty once the code has been distributed," he added. "Who are they working with? Do they have side-line jobs somewhere else? The developers might be getting their dollars from ad networks."

Heartbleed is considered the worst thing to happen to the internet since selfies, and web servers are still suffering from the fallout of the Heartbleed vulnerability.

Shaking the industry like a bear might a salmon, Heartbleed caused most companies to come forward and issue alerts and patches. Some laggard servers remain though, and according to security researchers over 300,000 are still vulnerable to exploits.

In the wake of the Heartbleed bug, the Linux Foundation founded the Core Infrastructure Initative, financially supported by the industry, with a remit to ensure that SSL connections remain safe from another similar vulnerability. µ

[New App] Swipify Gives Your Android Wear Device A Gesture-Based Recent Apps Menu And A Few Other Tricks

Think of smartwatches now like smartphones were around 2008 - despite the fact that the idea has been around for a long time, everyone is still trying to figure out the best way to go about it. In Android Wear, Google is trying to make a super-simple interface based on short swipes, taps, and voice commands... which leaves a lot of users craving more conventional tools. So we've got a launcher, a web browser, a file explorer (ugh) and now a substitute for the Recent Apps menu in Android OS.

Swipify allows you to swipe in from the right side of the screen to see a radial list of your recently-used apps, along with a readout of your available RAM. (That's the RAM on your watch, not your phone.) Users change apps simply by swiping over to the icon and lifting a finger, not unlike my personal favorite Android tool, SwipePad. The display shows the last six Wear apps used, which should be plenty for the typical user.

There is one major usability issue. Wear's standard interface relies on right-swipes to get to the more detailed sections of apps. Activating Swipify instead of, say, moving to the "forward" screen in the music controller can get tricky. Swipify also includes a launcher similar to Wear Mini Launcher, accessible via a swipe from the left edge. This is handy... except that I've only got a handful of apps that I use frequently, and they're always in the standard Recents view. The only truly useful thing you can do here is manually adjust screen brightness.

After a quick tryout of Swipify, I think I'll be sticking with Mini Launcher. The RAM readout is nice, and the main menu itself looks good, but with as few apps as I use the standard launcher is just simpler. It also seems to activate much more easily.

Google offers free training in Android Development

GOOGLE HAS ANNOUNCED a free training course for Android developers.

The course, "Developing Android Apps: Android Fundamentals" was launched on the Android Developers Blog by Reto Meier, head of scalable developer advocacy.

Meier said, "Mobile devices are the platform that will bring the next five billion people online. With Android expanding rapidly into emerging markets, and growing beyond phones and tablets into wearables, auto, and TV, learning the fundamentals behind Android development represents an opportunity to affect and improve the lives of billions of people."

The Android Funadementals course consists of videos from Google Developer advocates, including Meier, along with quizzes and forums that take students through the process of building an app.

Additionally, the course looks at best practices of the Android mobile operating system and of mobile development in general. One-to-one coaching is available for an enrolled version of the course offered by Udacity, with personalised and guided feedback, but of course that's where you'll have to open your wallet. For a self-guided course however, there is no charge whatsoever.

Google has always been keen to keep parity across all its apps, especially given the repeated critisicm it has received for version fragmentation.

The "Holo" design introduced in Android 3.0 Honeycomb is the principal design guideline for developers. With Android "L" coming later this year, greatly overhauling the stock user experience, Google's offer of free training represents an opportunity for the company to get developers writing apps the way it wants them written from the ground up. µ

Microsoft's relationship with Android just got less complicated

Summary: Today's restructuring at Microsoft included pink slips for 18,000 people and one platform. Microsoft's brief detour into its own line of Android-powered devices is over. That makes the role of Android in the new Microsoft much clearer.

Today’s restructuring at Microsoft included layoffs of 18,000 people and one platform.

In separate memos, CEO Satya Nadella and Executive Vice President Stephen Elop made it abundantly clear it was also giving a pink slip to the forked version of Android it inherited with Nokia’s devices division.

That’s a surprise move to some observers, who had bet on the proposition that Microsoft was going to give up on Windows Phone and go all in with Android. They can now tear up those losing tickets.

Microsoft’s mid-2014 Android strategy could best be described as “complicated”:

• Nokia X series devices, including the X2 device announced less than a month ago, are powered by Nokia X Software Platform 2.0, which is based on the Android Open Source Project.
• The Nokia Store serves as a proprietary Android app store exclusive for Nokia X devices.
• Microsoft-developed Android apps like OneDrive, OneNote, and Outlook.com are available via the Google Play Store, with strong rumors that a touch-first version of Office for Android will appear this year.

Effective immediately, any work on future members of the Nokia X family stops, with those resources going to “lower-cost Lumia devices” powered by Windows Phone. Microsoft says it will “[continue] to sell and support existing Nokia X products,” but it’s hard to imagine that effort being anything but half-hearted and transitional.

This move had to be a surprise even for some Microsoft insiders. Just yesterday, Microsoft Devices “reiterated its commitment to the Saudi market” with the Middle East launch of the X2. And hours after today’s restructuring announcement, the Nokia.com Global website still features the X2 on its home page, above flagship Windows Phone products.

That tagline is inadvertently prescient: Say hello to Android apps, but say goodbye to Android devices under any of Microsoft's brands.

After today’s announcement, the only active Android effort left at Microsoft is its portfolio of business and consumer apps and their complementary services. You can expect development on them to continue full throttle—Android is one of the key “other ecosystems” for which Nadella has previously pledged to build Microsoft productivity tools and services.

Elop’s memo says Microsoft’s mobile phone business will target two markets, with engineering teams literally miles apart. One team, in Salo, Finland, will tackle "future, high-end Lumia products," while a separate group in Tampere, Finland, will design "more affordable devices."

At the low end, those affordable smartphones will be designed with a focus on “driving Lumia volume in the areas where we are already successful today in order to make the market for Windows Phone.” Those regions include the company’s new manufacturing hubs in Vietnam and Brazil. Brazil in particular has been a sucess story for Microsoft, and it's the gateway to a large emerging market in the rest of South America.

Conveniently, choosing those markets dodges a confrontation with Google’s Android One effort, under which Google reportedly will subsidize handsets and spend $1 billion on advertising for those devices in India.

Meanwhile, premium devices will be delivered “in alignment with major milestones ahead from both the Windows team and the Applications and Services Group.” It doesn’t take a secret decoder ring to figure out that means a new wave of high-end Lumia devices running Universal Windows Apps and new versions of Windows and Office in early 2015.

Android Wear Face-Off: LG G Watch vs. Samsung Gear Live

How to pick a smartwatch if you're one of Android Wear's earliest adopters.

Let’s say you plan to ignore the advice of most reviews and buy an Android Wear smartwatch right now. Even though more stylish designs are on the way, you’ve got money to spend and want to see what the fuss is about.

How do you choose between Samsung’s Gear Live and LG’s G Watch? After using each one over the last couple of weeks, I think it’s pretty easy to decide. But first, let’s go through the pros and cons of each watch:

Style

You won’t win a lot of style points for either watch, as they are both thick, square slabs that take up a lot of space across the wrist. In fact, if you hold them next to each other, the watch bodies, bezels and screens are almost exactly the same size.

Where Samsung’s Gear Live stands out, though, is the use of metal around the body and on the clasp under your wrist. The watch band also appears thinner due to its tapered edges, and the snap-in mechanism is less bulky than the G Watch’s more traditional buckle. The Gear Live is a bit gaudier, but it also makes a statement. That’s more my style, given that neither watch is understated to begin with.

Advantage: Samsung Gear Live

Features

The Gear Live and G Watch have almost exactly the same features, as they are required to run the same Android Wear software. Samsung does include a heart rate monitor, but I had trouble getting consistent readings and question whether this is a useful feature anyway. (If you can check your own pulse, you can just as easily measure it with the basic stopwatch function on either watch.)

The G Watch’s best feature, oddly enough, is its selection of watch faces. It has a lot of sharp-looking ones that Samsung doesn’t, and while this will become less of an issue as more third-party watch faces hit the Google Play Store, it’s nice to have some quality faces out of the box.

Advantage: LG G Watch, slightly




Comfort

As I mentioned above, the Samsung Gear Live’s watch band has a couple of pins on the end, which you snap into any two holes further up the band. The G Watch has a standard buckle that keeps the watch securely fastened, along with a loop of plastic for holding down the excess strap material.

I found the Gear Live’s band to be more comfortable overall, with ridges on the inside that let your wrist breathe a bit, and it’s nice not to have any excess material to deal with. By comparison, the G Watch’s flat, rubberized band seemed to make my wrist feel sticky and sweaty before long. Both watches do have removable straps, at least.

Advantage: Samsung Gear Live

Battery and Charging

This one isn’t even close. Not only does LG’s G Watch have a larger battery, it also has a better charging cradle that you can just drop the watch onto at night. It’s much more convenient than the Samsung Gear Live’s charging pod, which needs to be snapped onto the underside of the watch in a particular way.

You’ll likely want to charge either watch every night, which actually isn’t a big deal once you get in the habit. (In a way, it’s better than having to charge every few days, because the nightly charge becomes routine.) But the need for a nightly top-up makes a convenient charging mechanism all the more important.

Advantage: LG G Watch



Display Quality

In theory, the 320-by-320 resolution AMOLED panel on Samsung’s Gear Live should be the winner over LG’s 280-by-280 LCD screen, as it provides sharper images and better viewing angles.

But the G Watch does have one advantage in its outdoor readability. While neither watch performs well in direct sunlight, LG’s watch does a slightly better job of fending off the sun’s glare at full brightness. It’s not a big enough difference to beat the Gear Live’s display overall, but it does make the displays closer in quality than they look on paper.

Advantage: Samsung Gear Live, slightly

Verdict

Style and comfort are extremely important to me considering this is something I have to wear every day, and the Gear Live’s advantages in those areas outweigh its pesky charger and inferior watch faces. (If I was buying one myself, the Gear Live’s $199 price tag compared to $229 for the LG G Watch wouldn’t hurt.)

LG’s G Watch is still worth considering for some users, especially those who plan to swap in their own straps. But I’m not going that route, so the Samsung Gear Live will be my go-to smartwatch as I continue to get a feel for Android Wear.

Android apps on Windows Phone: It's too complicated

No matter how you slice it, Windows Phone Store is a ghost town. Too many popular titles just aren't there right now. As developers take their sweet time to release the desired offerings or overlook the platform altogether, could Android apps be the answer to Windows Phone's long-lasting shortcoming?

It wouldn't be unusual for Microsoft to get in bed with Android, as the software giant already sells Android-based devices, which make up its Nokia X series (admittedly, Nokia launched it). If it works there, it could work just as well for Windows Phone. It's not like the platform has anything to lose, considering the measly market share it claims since inception. Right? Well, it's not that simple.

What's the Catch?

First of all, let us talk logistics. For users to install Android apps they need to either grab the files from Windows Phone Store (ideally) or get them from other locations, such as a third-party app store or website (worst-case scenario).

Considering Microsoft's approach to Windows Phone, only the former scenario makes sense. Sideloading would introduce uncontrollable security risks (remember Windows malware?), and that is something (sane) users will not want to expose themselves to (or Microsoft, for that matter).

Let's suppose Windows Phone Store allows developers to publish Android apps. Who's to say that Windows Phone's app-gap will disappear, as a result? There is no guarantee that, for instance, Dropbox will bring its app to the tiled operating system. Of course, same goes for other top developers, like Google. Will we see Chrome on Windows Phone? It's great if it happens, but what if it doesn't?

Windows Phone developers would be disappointed -- to put it kindly -- by such a decision. Microsoft will be perceived as turning its back on them. Either way, its core supporters will be alienated and only in the best-case scenario (Android apps populate Windows Phone Store en masse) the trade-offs are worth it.

But, Maybe...

There is also the matter of compatibility. Not all Android apps can run outside of a Google-friendly Android environment, as many popular ones rely on Google services to work. For Microsoft to create the proper environment it will have to get in bed with Google, which is something I personally do not see happening.

To avoid such a partnership, Microsoft will have to make do without Google services-using apps. That minimizes the impact Android apps can have on the platform; titles that can bring perceivable value -- like trending games -- are not designed to work in sub-optimal conditions. And no one wants crash-prone apps, or offerings that do not work as advertised, right?

Developers are not going to change their minds overnight and allocate precious resources to release dedicated Windows Phone apps. Giving users the option to use Android apps would go a long way towards getting more consumers and businesses to purchase smartphones running the tiled OS. But, then again, why shouldn't they buy Android handsets instead? They can run Android apps better than Windows Phone will ever be able to.

There Is No Substitute

A platform today needs dedicated apps to strive. Take a look at Android and iOS, and then take a look at BlackBerry 10 OS. The beleaguered OS can run Android apps -- BlackBerry has gone to great lengths to make this happen -- but its market share is even lower than Windows Phone's. Where is the benefit in that? It can be argued that BlackBerry's loss is also happening because of other factors, like a weak device portfolio, but Android support sure isn't helping it. (Perhaps Amazon's Appstore will.) Who's to say that having Android support will be any different for Windows Phone? Microsoft could just as well dump its tiled OS in favor of Android, while it's at it.

Too Many Android Wear Apps Are Missing the Point

Watered-down smartphone apps are spreading like weeds on Google's new wearable platform.

If you want an example of everything wrong with smartwatch apps right now, just look at all the Android Wear calculators.

I currently count four calculator apps for Google’s wearable platform, and they’re all useless. You need pinpoint touch precision to enter each number, and none of the apps include a backspace key for when you inevitably mistype something. Using a calculator app on your phone would be faster and less frustrating.

These unnecessary calculator apps underscore the biggest challenge for Android Wear–and for that matter, all smartwatches–right now: Most people are happy to just take out their smartphones, so there’s little need for a watch that tries to do all the same things on a smaller screen.

For smartwatches to make sense, they need to go beyond what a phone can do on its own. That idea seems lost on developers who are creating weak imitations of existing smartwatch apps, including games, drawing apps, flashlights and calendars.

Google has tried to discourage these kinds of apps, both in its documentation (“inputs requiring fine-grained motor skills are avoided”) and through Wear’s interface, which deliberately makes smartphone-like apps difficult to launch. But developers are undeterred. In fact, someone has even come out with a third-party app launcher for Wear that seems likely to encourage more bad behavior.

Even some of the highlighted Android Wear apps in the Google Play Store miss the point: Why would anyone want to browse Tinder on a smartwatch, when the smartphone version offers a better experience? How often are you really going to ask the Eat24 app for delivery when you can only get exactly what you’ve ordered in the past?

To make the case for smartwatches, developers need to think more critically about the apps they’re building. To that end, I think it might help to consider a few basic questions:

Does the app provide a useful service in specific situations where taking out a phone is impractical?
Does the watch show users something important that they’d miss if they didn’t take out their phones in time?
Does the watch app save significant time without sacrificing significant functionality?
Android Wear does have a handful of apps that answer “yes” to one or more of these questions, and app makers should take inspiration from these good examples.

Last weekend, for instance, I played a round of golf with help from the Golfshot app. After using the smartphone app to select the course I was playing on, the watch provided a constant read-out of my distance from the hole. If I was any good at golf, this would have been tremendously helpful for deciding which club to use, as my phone was safely stowed away in my golf bag for the rest of the outing. (See question number one.) It’d be even better if the app let you enter a score at the end of each hole, but this is a fine start.

Delta’s Android app is another example of a wearable app done right. If you check into a flight on your phone, the watch automatically provides up to date gate information right on your wrist (question two) and presents your boarding pass to use at the gate (question three).

Similarly, Allthecooks’ Android Wear functions can save time by showing recipe instructions on your wrist. Having those instructions follow you around the kitchen makes a lot more sense than having to constantly look back to your phone or tablet for reference.

One of the big criticisms of smartwatches so far is that they only make life more complicated. They represent another device to carry, another screen to keep charged every night, another set of apps to deal with.

The thing that interests me about Android Wear is its potential to simplify, presenting information in a way that helps us think about our phones less often. That’s not going to happen if developers keep taking the easy path, turning Android Wear into another screen full of apps

Paranoid Android 4.5 Alpha 1 Builds Bring Android L-Style Recent Apps UI for Nexus Devices

Paranoid Android 4.5 Alpha 1 Builds Bring Android L-Style Recent Apps UI for Nexus Devices

Industrious Android custom ROM developers have just rolled out the latest build of ParanoidAndroid ROM, PA 4.5 Alpha 1 build, which brings support for Android L-style UI for Google Nexus devices.

Discerning Android custom ROM users can now try out the first preview build of Android L-style Recent Apps via ParanoidAndroid 4.5 Alpha 1 build released by Paranoid Android team.

Users are advised to treat the Alpha build of PA ROM as a preview build for evaluation purposes only, as it may harbour untested bugs or broken features and hence it will be unsuitable for daily usage.

Some of the salient features ported into PA 4.5 Alpha 1 ROM are listed below:

ParanoidOTA Fixes and cleanup
Fix for Daydream duplicates
Theme Engine upstream patches
Quick Settings Bug-Fixes
Automatic PIE activation for apps in immersive mode
Recents CardStackView Redesign preview
The Android L-style UI for Recent Apps is the only exclusive feature available with the PA 4.5 Alpha 1 build, while all the other features can be found in Stable PA 4.4.3 builds too, reports Android Geeks.

Interested users of Nexus devices including Nexus 4 (mako), Nexus 5 (hammerhead), Nexus 7 2012 Wi-Fi (grouper), Nexus 7 2013 LTE (deb) and Nexus 7 2013 Wi-Fi (flo), Nexus 10, and Galaxy Nexus (maguro) can download the PA 4.5 Alpha 1 build for their phone or tablet from here.

Users of other Android devices may download the PA 4.5 ROM from here.

Also, download the latest PA Gapps from here.


Those who wish to install the PA 4.5 Alpha 1 ROM on their Nexus device can follow our step-by-step guide posted here (just download the PA 4.5 ROM and follow the pre-requisites and installation steps using CWM or TWRP recovery).

BlackBerry Passport Scales Android Apps Perfectly

We’re seeing quite a lot trickle out regarding the BlackBerry Passport. Thus far we’ve seen it compared to the Bold 9900 and a Canadian Passport.

Now that the Passport’s sizing is relatively understood, how about app scaling on that massive screen? As you can see from the photos below, Android apps appear to scale perfectly.

Hopefully we will soon see a hands-on video to showcase the performance of the Android apps. Are you excited yet?

Android and Chromebooks: A one-two punch for business

The Android platform has hit a major stride in taking over the majority of the global mobile market. That marketshare crosses both consumer and business landscapes. Chrome OS (and Chromebooks), however, has been primarily relegated to consumers. With their incredibly cheap price tags and secure/reliable platform, Chromebooks are a perfect solution for a vast majority of the average computer users.

But with upcoming updates to the Chrome OS platform, the Android/Chrome OS combo is starting to make even more sense for business. And why not? Android is one of the most flexible mobile platforms on the planet, and Chrome OS has become the single best means of interacting with the business-friendly Google Apps. But with certain updates in the pipeline, it's becoming almost impossible to refute the Android/Chrome OS combo for a large amount of everyday business needs.

Hold on a minute. There's one argument I get, more than any other, against Chrome OS as a viable solution to business.

Software.

Yes, to many that is the Achilles Heel of Chrome OS. You cannot install your standard software packages. But who uses standard software packages now? If you're keeping up to date, you know everything is on the fast track to be moved to the cloud. Even two of the major players, Microsoft Office and QuickBooks, have shown that they are intent on getting their users off the desktop and into the cloud. Because of this, the need for software (outside of a browser) is growing less of an issue. That's where the Chromebook shines. It's a cost-effective solution that your end users would have to actually try to break.

How does this all relate to Android? It's all in the updates. Coming to a Chromebook near you are a few improvements that might draw your attention. Let's take a look.

Auto sign in

Password sign-in is crucial for business. You don't want a data breach on your hands, but having to enter your password every time you go to use your Chromebook can be a real drag on your efficiency. With an upcoming upgrade to both platforms, you'll be able to auto-login to your Chromebook simply by having your Android smartphone nearby. Once you've connected the two devices (via software), your Chromebook will detect the phone and remain logged in. If a user attempts to use your Chromebook, and the associated smartphone is not near, a lock screen will be presented.

This feature will also allow you to set up auto-login of your favorite applications. This is both efficient and secure.

Calls and messages

With the upcoming upgrade to Chrome OS, you'll never miss a call or an alert, because whatever appears on your smartphone will appear on your Chromebook. If a text message comes through to your smartphone, a pop-up will appear on your Chromebook. This system will allow you to view and reply to the message. Those texts will sync between phone and laptop, so you can pick up the conversation where you left off when you're not at your Chromebook.

As to phonecalls, it's unknown if you'll be able to answer the calls on the Chromebook, but my best guess is no. You will, however, be able to see the incoming caller -- so, if it's important, you'll know to grab your smartphone immediately.

Battery notification

Speaking of notifications, you often depend upon your smartphone to do business -- and you can't do business with a dead battery. Soon, your Chromebook will be able to alert you if your Android battery is low. It's easy to forget to plug that smartphone in at times, so now your Chromebook has your back. This feature doesn't require your smartphone to be next to your Chromebook either... and you'll be able to customize the alert so that you're only informed of battery status when you want to be (this probably means you'll be able to customize the threshold that will trigger the alert).

Apps

Finally, and this is the big one -- Chromebooks will be able to run Android apps as if they were native. This update, alone, will give a huge boost to the Chromebook's ability to navigate the waters of daily business usage. These apps will run in both online and offline mode, but not every Android app will be available for the Chromebook. In fact, Google has yet to say which apps will; but my best guess is that this feature will focus heavily on apps that are business-centric. Google already demonstrated Evernote running on Chrome OS (at Google I/O).

The nature of business has changed. Much of what we do is done within a web browser, so it makes perfect sense that business users work on a platform that doesn't require a lot of time and money cleaning, re-installing software, and supporting. The landscape of mobile business technology has some major changes on the horizon. Companies like Microsoft and Apple should be concerned now that Google's platforms have found a level of maturity that's acceptable to today's businesses.

A one-two punch of Android and Chrome OS will soon be ready to have your businesses back. Are you ready to give it a go? If not, what keeps you from deploying Chromebooks within your business? Share your thoughts in the discussion thread below.