01.27.14
The Desperate Attempts to Discredit Android
Summary: An overview of some very recent FUD against Android — something that has become extremely common because Android is the world’s leading platform
WE HAVE NEVER been short on Android FUD. We have covered Android FUD for as long as the platform existed, including Ballmer’s disgusting words that spread to the press as soon as Android was first announced (he called it just some words on paper, or something to that effect). Windows insecurity firm Symantec has played a role in some later FUD and it wasn’t alone. Even this weekend we found it claiming [1] — quite arrogantly — that Android is at risk. And why? Because Windows is a security joke, with or without the NSA back doors it is gladly providing. Muktware used an appropriate headline: “New malware uses Windows to infect Android devices” (hence, don’t use Windows, but Android is not to blame here). As the press continues to note in recent days, Android may increasingly replace Windows even on the desktop [2], so Windows insecurity firms must be worried.
What other FUD have we got? Well, a Bill Gates-funded publication continues to slam Google and Android [3], mysteriously never accusing Windows and Microsoft of much worse things (like tax evasion, security issues, high costs, lock-in, etc.) and it’s probably no coincidence. We are not going to feed the FUD; instead we’ll just say that this same publication often quotes and cites a Microsoft lobbyist, not noting his affiliation, in order to boost Android FUD. We gave numerous examples before and also directly challenged the authors. There is a similar flavour of FUD in another Android-hostile publication [4] and numerous other reports that make Android look bad for simply doing the right thing [5,6]. Similar FUD portrays Android as bloated [7] and not secure [8], so we find ourselves having to rely on excellent news sites like Muktware for real coverage [9] of Andorid, not bait and trolling (for hits).
Android is becoming the world’s only dominant platform, replacing Windows in the process. It makes Android an attractive target for FUD, so watch out and be sceptical of Android-hostile coverage. Gather the pertinent facts and decide whether it’s just sensationalism, hypocrisy (like blaming Android for what every other operating system is guilty of) or lobbying for antitrust/competition purposes (labelling Android distribution illegal, anti-competitive, expensive, incompetent and so on). A lot of very large companies really want Android to fail. █
Related/contextual items from the news:
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New malware uses Windows to infect Android devices
As it continues to gain popularity among consumers and developers alike, malware authors now seem to have shifted their target to Android in a not-so-common manner. According to security firm Symantec, a trojan, dubbed Trojan.Droidpak, tries to install mobile banking malware on Android devices via a Windows machine.
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Android’s next target could be the desktop
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Why Google Android software is not as free or open-source as you may think
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Report: Google charges Android OEMs for Play Store licenses
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U.S. DOJ Files Charges Against Alleged Android App Counterfeiters
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A Future Version Of Android Could Potentially Break A Large Number Of Root Apps, Chainfire Explains
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How to Slim Down a Bloated Android Device
Determine where best to free up space. Take a look at the Pictures and Videos space used in particular. Look for the numerical value next to the descriptive label. Video and images, unlike music, often don’t need to be stored on the device and can be moved. HD video is a major memory hog. Photographs and music are other forms of media that take up a lot of space.
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China builds own phone OS, aims to be more secure than Android or iPhone
US surveillance and the end of support for Windows XP played into its creation.
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Xperia Z Ultra now available as a Wi-Fi-only ‘tablet’
It features the same 6.5mm-thick waterproof casing, 8-megapixel camera, Android 4.2 Jelly Bean OS, Snapdragon 800 processor clocked at 2.3GHz, 2GB of RAM and a 3000mAh battery as found on the regular Xperia Z Ultra.
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luvr said,
January 29, 2014 at 1:51 pm
About “bait and trolling (for hits)”: Perhaps it’s getting time to start considering a boycott of companies that advertise on such FUD sites?
Dr. Roy Schestowitz Reply:
January 29th, 2014 at 3:16 pm
I don’t think that would be effective enough.