Android

Android Candy: Facebook Everything?!?!

When Facebook decided its messenger app would be an entirely separate program from its regular app, I was ticked off. I didn't want to have a second application in order to send private messages. It seemed like a needless extra step. And, I stuck by that opinion until I realized I could integrate regular SMS and MMS messages into Facebook Messenger.

Android Candy: That App Is for the Birds!

Usually bird-related apps involve pigs and anger, but if you're a bird watcher like myself, there's another bird app you must download. Cornell Labs has released a free app called Merlin Bird ID that helps identify birds you see in the wild.

ADUPS Android Malware Infects Barnes & Noble

ADUPS is an Android "firmware provisioning" company based out of Shanghai, China. The software specializes both in Big Data collection of Android usage, and hostile app installation and/or firmware control. Google has blacklisted the ADUPS agent in its Android Compatibility Test Suite (CTS).

Android Candy: Teach an Android to Take Notes

A few months ago I tried out the recently open-sourced Simplenote application from the folks at Automattic. One of the other fairly new additions to their cross-platform note-syncing platform is that an Android app is available for free in the Google Play Store.

Android Candy: Waze Redux

Back in 2014, I highlighted Waze, which is a turn-by-turn GPS navigation program created by a startup in Israel. That company was bought by Google, but it still remains independent, at least for now. (It does share some data behind the scenes, but it functions differently when it comes to routing.)

Android Candy: More Life Gamification

You might remember a couple months ago my mention of Habitica, which is a gamification of your daily to-do list. One of my friends on Twitter mentioned an app he uses on Android called Wokamon, which ties in with your FitBit (or any of several other "step-counter" devices).

LinkedIn's {py}gradle

To facilitate better building of Android apps, the technical team at LinkedIn has developed {py}gradle, a new powerful, flexible and reusable Python packaging system. Now available to the Open Source community, {py}gradle wraps Python code into the Gradle build automation tool so that developers can build Android apps more easily.

Android Browser Security--What You Haven't Been Told

This article focuses on flaws in Android's stock web libraries, while acknowledging related exploits. Some modern Android browsers have critically weak encryption and other dangerous flaws that cannot be patched or otherwise corrected. This weakness extends to multiple browsers and applications and is determined by the linkage to the system webcore on older OS versions.

Synopsys' Coverity

The new version 8.5 of Synopsys' Coverity extends the security umbrella of the static analysis tool to mitigate a wider range of security vulnerabilities.

NordVPN for Android

The prospect of privacy protection and occulting your smartphone's IP address with a VPN are sufficient selling points, but the ability to watch your Spanish-dubbed Turkish telenovellas while on the beach in Tahiti should seal the deal for real.

Juniper Systems' Geode

Juniper Systems' new Geode rugged sub-meter GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver collects real-time professional-grade data but is intuitive enough for novices. Designed foremost for versatility, the Geode features one-button simplicity and can be paired with any of Juniper Systems' rugged handhelds as well as a wide range of Android devices.

Snapchat, for Hoarders

I like Snapchat, but if I'm being totally honest, it's not something I use every day. I like it because my kids send me goofy pictures and videos, and it makes me happy that they think to include me in their Snapchatty world.

Seeing Red and Getting Sleep

I'm always leery when I hear, Recent studies show.... But the idea that looking at electronic device screens before bed can cause sleep issues seems to be fairly accepted. The fascinating part for me is that it isn't really the screen itself, but the blue part of the color spectrum that contributes to the sleeplessness.

BitTorrent Inc.'s Sync

The Sync application from BitTorrent Inc. is simple yet powerful, offering the ability to move large amounts of data directly between devices.

Zappix Visual IVR

Zappix's development of its Visual IVR customer service platform is informed by research showing that 77% of consumers report that valuing their time is the most important element of good service.

Symbolic Math on Android

For this article, I'm returning to portable science software on Android. In a previous article, I looked at a program called xcas/giac. This program is an open-source engine that is used to handle symbolic manipulation of mathematical equations. Because it is open source, it has been ported to several different platforms.