The advantages of rooting an Android device - as well as some of the drawbacks - have been well documented in many a post here at Redmond Pie. But if you have decided to enter the Dark Side, as it were, you'll be more than aware that both management and all-in-one tools can be invaluable in terms of getting the most from your hacking and modding endeavors.
It’s no hidden fact that with the amount of personal data that our smartphones today hold, privacy and identity protection is a huge concern. There have been ways around to “lock” your device for a very long time - long before iPhone and Android ever existed - but those phones didn’t really contain as much sensitive personal information as the former, not to mention that smartphones truly became popular and mainstream after these two contenders claimed the market. Hence, privacy concerns are much large scale now.
If there's one thing we love about Android, it's that ability to customize just about everything that those using the platform are always telling is the reason it is so popular. There's something to be said for Apple's walled garden and the amount of control it likes to have over everything, but sometimes it's just nice to be able to fiddle around with your smartphone, isn't it?
Back in August, we featured Google's then-new Android Device Manager, allowing users to remote-wipe and locate their device in a similar vein to Apple's Find My iPhone service. It was apparent at the time that a dedicated Android app was imminent, and now, it has finally arrived over at the Google Play Store. More details as well as the direct download link can be found right after the break.
Although Android is, due to its open source nature, seen as a target by many hackers and individuals that wish to steal information for illicit purposes, the Google Play Store is, at least in theory, as safe as most other app portals. After all, it is moderated by Google to ensure that apps comply with the rules and terms of service, and anything suspect is usually disposed of in a swift and timely manner. But one app by the name of Brightest Flashlight, which requires no further description, appears to be keeping users in the dark about how it collects user location data before sending it to third party ad firms.
Although there are plenty of action-adventure titles available for gamers to enjoy, Assassin's Creed is arguably the most popular franchise, and having made a name for itself on console and PC, Ubisoft has just pushed Assassin’s Creed: Pirates for iOS over at the App Store, and Android on Play Store. The publisher made it known a few months back that the mobile version was on its way, and now, the simultaneous release for both of the two major ecosystems is upon us.
There's nothing more personal than a private conversation between family members, loved ones or close friends. If you suspect that that privacy is being abused by a friend, college roommate or a work colleague then it's time to either keep a closer eye on where you leave your smartphone, or pick up the PeeperPeeper app from the Play Store and catch them red-handed. The latter seems a lot more fun.
Companies like Apple, Samsung, HTC and Motorola are consistently pushing the boundaries of what we believe is possible with technology, often resulting in more powerful hardware with extended functionality. There's undoubtedly a trade-off that comes hand-in-hand with that level of engineering commitment; an increased specification and feature set invariably means more power drain and a reduced battery life. OnePowerGuard Pro for Android may not be the holy grail of solutions to that issue, but it certainly appears to be one of the most comprehensive offers we have seen yet for rooted Android hardware.
Black Friday is the time of year that a lot of people wait for, and for good measure. It’s probably the best time to buy any product that you’ve been craving for, especially gadgets and related assortments. Traditionally, hardware isn’t the only component that sees price slashes; a lot of apps, games, widgets and whatnot goes through price cuts as well, and gives buyers a wonderful opportunity to enhance their arsenal with coveted titles.
It's fair to say that when Apple first showed iOS 7 to the world that it polarized opinion. Now, a couple of months following its official release alongside the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c, iOS 7 is still a software release that has people arguing about its worth. It seems that some of the people that really like the new iOS 7 aesthetic also happen to be the owners of not an iPhone, but an Android phone. If you are in this camp then you have a problem in that you're obviously not going to be installing iOS 7 any time soon.
