Wine Making It Possible to Run Windows Apps on Android Platform

The man behind Wine, the not-an-emulator which runs Windows applications on Linux, has been showing off an early version for those desperate to run MS Office on their Android device.

It was, according to Phoronix - who witnessed the demo - "horrendously slow", and running on a Mac which was itself running an Android emulator. Nevertheless, he added, the demonstration at the FOSDEM open source meeting in Brussels did show Windows applications running on an Android platform, which is technically impressive even if difficult to justify.

This is a step forward for Wine (originally an acronym for "Wine Is Not an Emulator") as it would extend its capability of running Windows applications on other operating systems. At the moment, it can load them on Linux, Mac OSX, & BSD. It achieves this by real-time translation of Windows API calls into POSIX calls.

Wine is funded largely by CodeWeavers, which makes money selling a supported version branded CrossOver, though Google has been known to send money Wine's way and other companies have been involved when getting their Windows applications ported to Linux.

The idea of Wine isn't to provide a Windows desktop, but to support the single killer application which is keeping someone from switching... of course, the problem is that everyone has a different reason not to switch. If Android proves popular on tablets then Windows apps could be similarly sticky, and CodeWeavers could make money selling CrossOver for Android.

But that's for the future. What we have now is a very flaky demo which proves it can be done. While CodeWeavers sponsors some staff, the majority of Wine is the usual open-source mix of hobbyists and fanatics (sign up here), so future development will depend on that community, as well as the commercial potential of running Windows apps on Android devices.

Android Botnet Infects Over 1 Million Phones in China

A piece of mobile malware believed to be hidden in around 7,000 Android applications has infected the devices of over 1 million users from China. Experts say that this may be the largest Android botnet the country has ever seen.

According to Chinese publication Xinhua, the Trojan that powers the botnet is Android.Troj.mdk, a threat first discovered back in 2011.

Once it’s installed on a device, the Trojan allows its master to take complete control of it. The malicious element can be used to harvest messages, phone numbers, contact details, geo-location data and even media files.

Bitdefender experts note that the Trojan also downloads additional applications that slow down the phone’s performance, generate aggressive adware, and drain the device’s battery.

With over 420 million mobile users, China has become an important target for malware developers.

Android Trojan Capable of Launching DDOS Attacks from your Smartphone

Security researchers from Russian firm Doctor Web have come across a new Android Trojan they call Android.DDoS.1.origin. The piece of malware can be used for various malicious tasks, including to launch distributed denial-of-service (DDOS) attacks and to send SMS messages.

For the time being, it’s uncertain how the Trojan is distributed, but experts believe the cybercriminals might be disguising it as a legitimate Android application.

Once it’s installed on a smartphone, the malware creates a fake Google Play icon on the desktop. When executed, this shortcut opens the real Google Play in order to avoid raising any suspicion.

After being executed, the Trojan connects to a remote server, sends it the victim’s phone number, and waits for further SMS commands.

The masterminds of Android.DDoS.1.origin can send various SMS commands. One of them orders the infected device to start sending out packets to a certain server, basically launching a DDOS attack against it.

While this only affects the phone’s performance, there are other activities that can be done by this threat. For instance, the cybercriminals can order the device to start sending out SMS messages to certain numbers.

These SMSs can be used to sign up the victim for premium mobile services or they can be utilized to send out spam.

Messages can also be sent to premium rate numbers, inflating the victim’s phone bill and implicitly filling the fraudsters’ pockets.

“Activities of the Trojan can lower performance of the infected handset and affect the well-being of its owner, as access to the Internet and SMS are chargeable services. Should the device send messages to premium numbers, malicious activities will cost the user even more,” experts noted.

Doctor Web has updated its products to ensure that its customers are protected against this threat.

dSploit v1.0.31b - An Android network penetration suite

Dsploit A Penetration Testing ToolKit For Android

dSploit is an Android network analysis and penetration suite which aims to offer to IT security experts/geeks the most complete and advanced professional toolkit to perform network security assessments on a mobile device. Once dSploit is started, you will be able to easily map your network, fingerprint alive hosts operating systems and running services, search for known vulnerabilities, crack logon procedures of many tcp protocols, perform man in the middle attacks such as password sniffing ( with common protocols dissection ), real time traffic manipulation, etc, etc . This application is still in beta stage, a stable release will be available as soon as possible, but expect some crash or strange behavior.

Features

• RouterPWN  - Launch the http://routerpwn.com/ service to pwn your router.
• Trace - Perform a traceroute on target.
• Port Scanner - A syn port scanner to find quickly open ports on a single target.
• Inspector - Performs target operating system and services deep detection, slower than syn port scanner but more accurate.
• Vulnerability -  FinderSearch for known vulnerabilities for target running services upon National Vulnerability Database.
• Login CrackerA -  very fast network logon cracker which supports many different services.
• Packet ForgerCraft -  and send a custom TCP or UDP packet to the target.
• MITM - A set of man-in-the-midtle tools to command&conquer the whole network.
• Simple Sniff - Only redirects target's traffic through the device ( useful when using a network sniffer like 'Sharp' for Android ) and shows network stats.
• Password Sniffer - Sniff passwords of many protocols such as http, ftp, imap, imaps, irc, msn, etc from the target.
• Session Hijacker - Listen for cookies on the network and hijack sessions.
• Kill Connections - Kill connections preventing the target to reach any website or server.
• Redirect - Redirect all the http traffic to another adtress.
• Replace Images - Replace all images on webpages with the specified one.
• Replace Videos - Replace all youtube videos on webpages with the specified one.
• Script Injection - Inject a javascript in every visited webpage.
• Custom Filter - Replace custom text on webpages with the specified one.

Requirements

• An Android device with at least the 2.3 ( Gingerbread ) version of the OS.
• The device must be rooted
• The device must have a BusyBox full install, this means with every utility installed ( not the partial installation).

Version 1.0.31b :

 Implemented debug code profiler to have a clearer logcat when MITM modules slow down the network ( just for user reporting ).
 Optimized binary stream search algorithm ( from ~80ms/call to ~13ms/call ).
 Fixed #166 : couldn't arp for host x.x.x.x ( or at least the issue is handled ).
 Minor code optimizations.
 Fixed a bug which could cause javascript corruption during a MITM filtering.
 Fixed #164 : "Replace youtube videos with custom ones" issue. 
 Big optimization of the transparent proxy data streaming performances.
 Fixed #163 : Engaged ports when MITM modules are loaded. Fixed an issue occurring when the hijacker was stopped then restarting, causing new sessions not being shown.
 Fixed #161 : Faulty nmap, no results returned in trace/portscan/inspector ( thanks to Gerben Meijer )
 Switched from ACRA to BugSense bug reporting system ( tnx for BugSense guys for the free plus account!!! )
 Fixed #159 : RejectedExecutionException when doing anything.
 Fixed #155 : Add a Wake on Lan packets sending function ( to the packet forger module ).
 Fixed #156 : Colored services in Login cracker.
 Fixed a couple of null pointer exceptions caused by very particular circumstances.
 Fixed a race condition when iterating dSploit targets.
 Fixed a bug causing the application to crash when the login cracker has too many attempts to try.

Download dSploit

Source -
http://www.dsploit.net

Sophos Offers Free AntiVirus Solution for Android Users

Sophos has crafted a freebie antivirus app dubbed Sophos Mobile Security for Android-powered devices.
The software tries to protect smartphones against malware, warns fandroids of privacy-invading programs and can lock down a gadget if it's lost or stolen, ideally without taxing either performance or battery life. The software, released on Monday, can be downloaded from Google Play.

Several free-of-charge security scanners already exist for the Android platform, but the performance of some in recent tests has been mediocre. Paid-for products from the likes of Kaspersky and F-Secure tend to perform better. Sophos is positioning its product against the more capable freebie Android scanners from the likes of Lookout and AVG (Droid Security), but with the additional benefit of offering hardware loss and privacy dashboard features more associated with paid-for products.

Sophos Mobile Security is designed to automatically scan apps as users install them, thus blocking undesirable software. The technology also locates lost or stolen Android devices as well as shielding personal information from thieves.

Sophos has entered the mobile security zone a few years late, but rather than corner the freebie Android scanner market, its new software will be used to market a managed Enterprise version, due to be released this year.

The strategy makes sense because it dovetails neatly with the bring-your-own-device craze that's allowing consumers' technology choices shape corporate IT, including the mobile security products that are used.

Android malware last year increased 155 percent from 2010, according to Juniper Networks.

"We're seeing no slowdown in the number of malicious apps, as more smartphone owners use their devices to not only store personal data, but also access social networks and the internet," said Matthias Pankert, vice president of product management, Sophos. "This usage, coupled with the increase in Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) activity, is making Android devices a compelling target for cybercriminals and malware."

Sophos released a freebie security scanner for Macs two years ago. The plan in that case was more about improving home punters' cyber-hygiene than pushing licences, but mobile security is much more integral to the corporate plans of the UK-based security software firm, so Sophos Mobile Security is not a philanthropic gesture.

How To Transform your Kindle Fire into an Android 4.0

With a vibrant 7-inch IPS display and a 1GHz dual-core processor, the $199 Kindle Fire can make for one lovely tablet. With a bit of work--but no hardware modifications--you can set up Android 4.0 on your Kindle Fire and thenceforth use the device as a powerful general-purpose tablet despite its incredibly low price. Email, games, Web browsing (with Chrome for Android or any other browser)--the Kindle Fire can do it all.

This guide is directly based on the excellent guide written by XDA Developers user Kinfauns. Kinfauns's guide and his Kindle Fire for Beginners guide are highly recommended reading, but they're fairly lengthy. I've simplified the process and then tested it myself, so I can walk you through all of steps; but please use caution when tinkering with your gadget, and understand that ProHackingTricks accepts no responsibility for the consequences. That said, read on for a quick step-by-step procedure that you can follow to transform your Kindle Fire into an Android 4.0 tablet!

Requirements

• A Kindle Fire with a full battery (if it's not full, take time to recharge it fully).
• A USB cable for connecting the Kindle Fire to your computer.
• A Windows computer that you have Administrator rights for.
• fbmode by XDA Developers user Pokey9000.
• The FIREFIREFIRE bootloader for Kindle Fire.
• The TeamWin Recovery image, also known as TWRP.
• The Kindle Fire Utility, a third-party toolkit that simplifies many tasks and includes vital drivers.
• An ICS (Android 4.0) ROM for the Kindle Fire. You can pick one from this list of ROMs. For this wow-to, we'll be using AOKP, a well-regarded third-party ROM. The latest AOKP version at the time of this writing is build 38, but it's a good idea to check for the most recent version.
• [Optional] The Google Apps bundle, including Gmail, Google Play, and other essential Android apps. This is packaged separately from the ROM for legal reasons. If you download AOKP, you can find Google Apps for AOKP release 38, under GApps (the last link on the page).
• A willingness to void your warranty and to use the Windows command line. This how-to does not use graphical tools.

Install the Kindle Fire Drivers

For this procedure to work, your computer must correctly recognize the Kindle Fire as an Android device. Here's how to make that happen:

1. If your Kindle Fire is connected to your computer, unplug it.

2. The KFU zip contains a folder called Kindle Fire Utility. Unzip the contents of this folder into a new folder, c:\kfu.

3. Run the install_drivers.bat file that's in the c:\kfu folder. Windows will pop up a UAC prompt, and then start the Kindle Fire Driver Installer.

4. As you step through the installer, you'll receive a Windows Security alert warning you that the drivers are not signed. Install the drivers anyway.

5. The installer should complete successfully and show a confirmation dialog with the driver name:

Kindle Fire driver installation confirmation.

Verify That the Drivers Were Successfully Installed

Before doing anything risky with your Kindle Fire, make sure that your PC fully recognizes it as an Android device:

1. Connect the Kindle Fire to your computer and wait for a few moments while Windows recognizes it (even if you've plugged it in before).

2. Run Device Manager (Click Start, right-click My Computer, and then select Manage > Device Manager).

3. You should see the Kindle Fire registered as an Android Composite ADB Interface, under Android Phone in the Device Manager tree.

If you see this listing, you're good to go. If this isn't exactly what you see, you'll need to do some troubleshooting; for that, refer to the original guide which has an extended troubleshooting section under the heading "What can I do if the drivers won't load?"

Switch to Fastboot Mode

It's still not too late to turn back. Up until this point, you haven't done anything to the Kindle itself. But now you're about to take the first step that involves making changes to the tablet. So, without further ado:

1. Make sure that the Kindle Fire is still connected to your computer.

2. Create a new subfolder, c:\kfu\software.

3. Unzip fbmode.zip into c:\kfu\software. It contains a single file, called fbmode (with no suffix).

4. Open a command prompt window, and copy fbmode into a user-writable location on the Kindle Fire using ADB:

adb push C:\kfu\software\fbmode /data/local/tmp/

5. Edit fbmode's permissions so that it can run:

adb shell chmod 755 /data/local/tmp/fbmode

6. Run fbmode to switch to fastboot mode:

adb shell /data/local/tmp/fbmode

7. Using ADB, reboot the Kindle Fire:

adb reboot

At the end of this process, your command prompt window should look like this:

Command prompt window after switch to fastboot mode.

Your Device Manager should look like this:

The meaning of this notation is that the name of the device changes from Android Composite ADB Interface to Android ADB Interface.

Finally, the Kindle Fire itself should look like this:

Kindle Fire screen after switch to fastboot mode.

The Fire will simply display a logo and stay put. It's not "stuck"; rather, it's in fastboot mode, awaiting further instructions.

Install a Recovery Image

Next, you'll install a recovery image--a miniature operating system that you'll use later to flash the complete ROM. The recovery image will also come in handy for creating full backups of the device, among other things.

1. Copy the TWRP .img file into c:\kfu\software. At this writing, the latest TWRP image is named openrecovery-twrp-blaze-2.1.1.img.

2. Open a command prompt window at c:\kfu\tools and install the image:

fastboot -i 0x1949 flash recovery C:\kfu\software\openrecovery-twrp-blaze-2.1.1.img

3. Change the boot mode to Recovery:

fastboot -i 0x1949 oem idme bootmode 5001

4. Reboot into TWRP:

fastboot -i 0x1949 reboot

At this point, your command prompt should look like this:

And your Kindle Fire should look like this:

Install a Custom Bootloader

You are well into the process now. Next, install the FIREFIREFIRE custom bootloader:

1. Take the FIREFIREFIRE Zip file and place it (still zipped) into c:\kfu\software. At this writing, the latest filename is called fff-u-boot_v1.4a.zip.

2. Copy FIREFIREFIRE into the Kindle Fire's /sdcard directory:

adb push C:\kfu\software\fff-u-boot_v1.4a.zip /sdcard/

3. On the Kindle Fire, press the Install button. Navigate to /sdcard if needed (you should already be there by default), and select fff-u-boot_v1.4a.zip.

4. Swipe to confirm. You should get a success message:

5. Back up the stock OS so you can roll back to it at any time. In the root TWRP menu, select Backup, modify the options if you like (the defaults are fine), and swipe to confirm. Backing up will take a while, which is one of the reasons why starting the process with a full battery is so important.

Flash the Ice Cream Sandwich ROM

You're almost there! Now you just need to copy the ROM and flash it. As noted at the outset, we used AOKP in our test runs, but different ROMs may have different flashing procedures. Read the documentation for the ROM of your choice.

1. Place the .zip files containing the ROM image and Google Apps into c:\kfu\software.

2. Push the ROM and Google Apps onto the device:

adb push C:\kfu\software\aokp_otter_build-38.zip /sdcard/ adb push C:\kfu\software\gapps-ics-20120429-signed.zip /sdcard/

3. In TWRP, select Wipe > Factory Reset. This will remove all existing files from the data and cache partitions, but it won't affect the /sdcard directory, which contains media files.

4. In TWRP, select Install. Navigate to the ROM .zip file that you placed on the device, tap it, and swipe to confirm. This will take a few moments:

5. Once that is done, tap the Back button in the upper right corner, and repeat the process with the Google Apps .zip file.

6. Tap Reboot System in the lower right corner, and boot into your brand-new Android 4.0 experience! If you wish, you can now remove the ROM and Google Apps .zip files from your device.

You should have a fully functioning Android tablet in your hands, so play around with it and let us know what you think. If you run into any problems during installation, share them in the comments below so that the community can pitch in and help you solve them. Good luck!

Tricks n Tips on How To Upgrade Your Android Phone

The biggest problem with the Android platform has been how slowly many phone makers release the latest version of the OS for their older models. It's also not unusual for them to never do so. (A company may not want to spend resources on phones they no longer sell; or, they and the carrier for a particular model may not agree on when to provide an update.)

If you own such a neglected phone, and don't want to buy a new one, then your best shot is installing unofficial Android firmware on it.

The following is a primer on what you should know about the process of installing unauthorized Android firmware. Each phone can have its own unique steps for doing this, so you should follow instructions for your specific model.

1. INSTALL AT YOUR OWN RISK

Installing unofficial OS firmware on your phone will likely render whatever warranty from its maker you have on it null and void.

Thoroughly read the installation instructions for your specific phone model and then follow them carefully, taking time and patience. Though the odds of bricking your phone -- rendering it inoperable because of something going wrong during the install process -- is fairly low, it can happen and especially so if you rush through things.

Be aware that some features on your phone running its current version of Android may no longer be available after you successfully install a custom Android firmware. Other features could be buggy or have quirks.

2. TWO CHOICES: CYANOGENMOD OR MIUI

In the unofficial Android firmware development community, there are two major choices: CyanogenMod and MIUI. Both are built on the Android source code officially released by Google, and their latest versions are based on Android 2.3 (codenamed Gingerbread). As of this writing, the volunteer development teams of both projects are working to get new versions built on Android 4.0 ("Ice Cream Sandwich").

What's the difference between the two? CyanogenMod sticks with the basic, default components of Android that come with its source code release; its UI is "clean," devoid of unnecessary extras. MIUI completely overhauls the stock Android UI with one that resembles that of Apple's iOS.

If your Android phone is (or was) a popular model, it is probably supported by either the CyanogenMod or MIUI community.

If not, there is still a chance that somebody may be working on a port for your specific phone; search its model name in the official community forums for CyanogenMod or MIUI to see if there is such an on-going effort. (An excellent source to check is Android Forums.) But know that some or several features of your phone may not work if you install such an experimental, work-in-progress build of CyanogenMod or MIUI that is not officially sanctioned by that OS's community.

3. ROOT YOUR PHONE

Before you can start to do anything to your phone, you'll need to root it, which means basically to unlock the security settings put in place in the OS to prevent it from being altered. Check out GingerBreak to help you conveniently root your phone.

Unfortunately, this app tool might not work on more recent Android phones. This guide provides a list of instructions for rooting several specific phone models.

4. BACK UP YOUR CURRENT FIRMWARE AND PHONE DATA

You really want to do this if you need to re-install your phone's original firmware and data later (e.g., something goes wrong when you install the unofficial Android firmware; you decide you don't like CyanogenMod or MIUI; or, you need to reactivate your phone with its carrier, something which you cannot do when running either of these unofficial OSs on it).

The easiest way to do a back-up is to install ClockworkMod ROM Manager on your phone. Run this app, and select "Reboot into Recovery" from its menu. This downloads and installs a recovery image profile for your phone, restarts it, and loads a plain-looking text menu, where you can select the back-up process.

After the copy of your phone's firmware and data is made, you can move it to a computer for safekeeping. Connect your phone by USB cable to your computer, then simply drag-and-drop the backup's folder (it's on your phone's SD card under the folder "clockworkmod") from your phone's SD card to the latter device.

5. PREPARE GOOGLE'S DEFAULT ANDROID APPS FOR INSTALLATION

If you're installing CyanogenMod: Unless you want to keep your to-be-upgraded phone clean of Google apps, you'll need to install them separately. CyanogenMod does not include the standard Google apps that typically come pre-installed on an Android phone. So you'll have to download a ZIP file that contains the installation packages for apps such as Google Search and, most importantly, the Android Market. Put this ZIP in the main root directory of your phone's SD card.


6. INSTALL THE CUSTOM ANDROID FIRMWARE

This is the big deal. Download the CyanogenMod or MIUI firmware designed specifically for your phone model, which comes in the form of a ZIP package, and save it in the root directory of your phone's SD card.

Once again, run the ClockworkMod ROM Manager app, and select "Reboot into Recovery." After your phone restarts into the ClockworkMod Recovery tool, you may need to wipe out its data and cache, and format its "/system" directory -- this depends on whether you are installing CyanogenMod or MIUI, so you should refer to the instructions that specifically are for your phone.

Next, you select the ZIP file of the custom Android firmware you placed in the root directory of your phone's SD card, and start the upgrade process. It normally takes less than two minutes. If you're upgrading to CyanogenMod: Don't reboot your phone just yet... repeat the above step for the ZIP file containing the Google Android apps.

You return to the main menu of the ClockworkMod Recovery tool and select to reboot your phone. After about 2 minutes, it should boot and then run on the custom Android firmware.

7. ENJOY YOUR NEW ANDROID PHONE!

Besides updating your phone to a more recent version of Android, CyanogenMod and MIUI can also give it new features and tools, which include better power management, Wi-Fi tethering, stronger security settings, and broader personal customization of the UI. Many users report their phones run faster with one of these unofficial OSs than with the version of Android that came originally installed on it.

Android Malware Now Exploits Steganography

Summary: Malware makers are turning to quite sophisticated tricks to disguise the true purpose of rogue applications.

Security firm F-Secure have released details on how Android malware makes use of steganography to hide the control parameters for rogue code.

First, what is steganography? It’s the technique of hiding messages within something else, in this case, an icon file.

F-Secure first suspected that Android malware was making use of steganography when researchers came across this line of code:

Further digging revealed more code, and it soon became clear that the image file being referenced here was the icon file bundled with the rogue application:

So what’s this hidden information used for? It’s used to control how and when premium rate SMS messages are sent from the victim’s handset, which, as far as the bad guys are concerned, is the primary purpose of the rogue application.

You’ve got to admit, that’s a pretty clever use of steganography.

Android games

 As google android linux is getting popular, more and more people are looking for best Android games. Nowadays Android smartphones are available in pocket friendly prices. So here are the some of the top android games 2010. The newer and faster version of Android is releasing shortly. If you are looking for the games for your Android smartphone below are the games which i personnally enjoy playing.

1. Basketball shot[By Droid Hen]: This game is based on real life street basket ball arcade machine. In the starting of the game there will be 4 ballsgiven to you. You need to target the basket. There will be points. You need to get points to advance the levels. Game becomes tougher as you move on to next level.

2.Alchemy Classic[by NIA soft]: This is a android games which is inspired by DOS game Alchemy. This is the most popular and downloade puzzle game. It is a free android game and doesnot require much brain. Your aim is create all 188 elements by mixing the given elements.

3.Iron dots online: It is a adaptation of classic dots, boxes paper and pencil game.

4.Asphalt  5 hd: This is a racing game and requires high end Android phones. Its classic look and tracks makes this game addictive.

5.Squibble: This is arcada game which consist of strategy and action game play.

Android gingerbread features

The most popular and fastest growing user based open source mobile phone operating system from google released its much waited new version 2.3. Below are the some of the features incoperated in 2.3.

Features of Android 2.3:

• Use interface refinement for simplicity and Speed: There has been lot of improvements over userinterface which enables user to easir to use, easier to learn. Also power efficiency is increased. Lot of changes in menu and settings to navigate easily and explore the features.
• Fast and more intitutive text input: In this 2.3 version android soft keyboard is redesigned and optomised for faster and more accurate text input.
• One touch word selection and copy or paste:
• Power management is improved:
• Easier control over Application
• Enhanced for gaming
• New forums for communication
• Rich multimedia
• Gyroscope and other sensors
• Improved 3d motion processing
• Open API for native audio

Android different versions and evolution

Android is a mobile operating system and it is originally started by Android inc. Later in 2005 Android is bought by google. This Android mobile OS is a modified version of Linux kernal. In the second and third quarter of the 2010, Android OS got higher market share. Below are the some of the version of Android OS.

1.Android 1.0: released on 23rd September 2008.
2, Android 1.5:  It is also known as Cupcake. This Android version is based on Linux kernal 2.6.27 and released on 30th April 2009.
3.Android 1.6: This update is names as Donut and this was based on Linuux kernal 2.6.29. This Android OS update released on 15th September 2009.
4.Android 2.0: This version is called as Eclair and based on 2.6.29 linux kernal. This Android update released on 26th October 2009.
5.Android 2,2: This is names as Froyo and this Android is released on 20th May 2010. This version based on 2.6.32.
6. Android 2.3: This version of the Android is the latest one and currently on market. This version of Android is names as Gingerbread. This is released on 6th Dec 2010 and based on linux kernal 2.6.35.
7. Android 3.0: This is the coming version of Android and released on 26th Jan 2011(Preview). This version of Android names as Honeycomb.
8. Ice cream sandwich:  This version of Android expected to release in mid of 2011.

Connecting Android Smart phone as a modem

 Here is a simple procedure to connect your Android based smart phones to PC. This will be useful for Connecting Samsung galaxy series phones to PC or laptop.  Below are the steps to follow for connecting your samsung android phones to laptop or desktop. I think it will give answer to your questions like how to connect Samsung galaxy to pc? or how to connect Samsung pop to pc? etc

1. Install the TetherBot application on your phone -

2. Install the Android SDK on your PC. Also install the device driver bundled with the SDK.

3. Now go to Menu > Settings > Applications > Development and enable USB Debugging on your phone.

4. Connect the phone to your PC; start the TetherBot application and press the Start Socks button.

5. On your PC, go to Command Prompt (Run > CMD) and navigate to the androidsdktools directory.

6. Type this command and execute it
adb forward tcp:1080 tcp:1080

This starts a SOCKS proxy on Port 1080 using which you can connect to the internet.

You can now use this proxy to access the internet using any browser which allows you to set up a SOCKS proxy like Opera or Firefox.

For example, in Firefox, go to Tools > Options > Advanced > Network > Connection > Settings > Manual Proxy Configuration >

Applications For Android Smartphones

Android OS from google is becoming the most poplar smartphone OS. The most of the best smartphones of Samsung, LG and many other are Android OS based smartphones. There lacks of applications are available for download from Android market and from open source. Below are the some good and useful android applications which used for Android smartphones.

Useful Applications for Android Smartphones :

• Open WiFi Scanner:  This applications helps in finding free WiFi hotspots.  With a press of Scan, the application will automatically activates WiFi and searches for free WiFi hotspots and immediately connect and start surfing free internet on your Android smartphone.   This will be useful in filtering paid WiFi service and Free WiFi service. Below are the advantages of the applications.                    

•    Scan for open WiFi network with a possibility of filtering paid and Free WiFi service.
•   Option to get notification if only free WiFi is available.
• Application find scans best free signal near to you and connects immediately without manual connect.                                        
•  Titanium Backup: It is very good back tool for Android phones.  This applications capable of doing following tasks.    1. Back up and restore all application of android OS which include protected ones with thier data and market links.2. Save phone settings including WiFi Access Point. 3. Zero Click batch operation for back and restore(Only with paid version). 4. Uninstall any application even if it is a system applications. 4. Create multiple back up of each application. 
• NeuralNet:  This is a good Android game which needs strategy, speed and sharpness.

Importing Contacts to Android phone

When you are upgrading the phone you might be thinking on how to import contacts to your new Android phone. There are several ways to do this. However easiest way is to sync with gmail and importing to your mobile. So below is the steps to import contacts into Android phones such as Samsung Galaxy S2, Samsung Galaxy pop, Samsung Galaxy fit, Samsung galaxy ace, Dell XCD35, LG optimus.

Steps to import contacts into Android phone:

• Export your contacts from your old phone in csv format. This can be easily done  in PC suite of your phone.
• Import your contacts in csv format to gmail contacts.
• Connect your phone to internet and go to gmail and sign in to your account from your android device.
• In gmail contacts, go to settings-> Display options->Select only contacts with phones then in google --> Manually select all groups and then synchronize.
• Use your email apps to setup your office or school emails. Use exchange settings or imap to ensure read status of your mails are sync with your phone.
• Install Gtask apps to synchronize your task with google tasks.

Importing contacts from Facebook or twitter:

• Install the facebook and twitter apps to your phone.
• In apps select to import the contacts. This will import pictures and other address data automatically into your phone.
• Select the interval for synchronizing to 4 hours to avoid draining your Android device battery.
• Facebook sync settings are available in Contacts-->Settings--> Accounts.

This will be useful if you are having duplicates in your contacts and if your looking to remove duplicates. Sync and backup will help when you lose contacts in any way. So always backup your contacts.

Installing Apps on SD card without Rooting the phone

This post will demonstrate on how to install application on SD card of Android smartphone without rooting the phone.  This method is one of the safest way to do as this method does not contains any rooting. This method of installing Apps on SD card without rooting works for most of the Android smartphones such as Samsung Galaxy Ace,Samsung Galaxy Fit,Samsung Galaxy pop, Samsung Galaxy S2, LG optimus 2X, Dell XCD 35 and most of the android devices which uses Android Froyo or above.
For installing apps on SD card of android device we need to have latest Android SDK on a computer which  we use to install apps on smartphone. So let us start with installing Android SDK.

Downloading and Installing  latest Android SDK on PC:

• First download the latest Android SDK from http://developer.android.com/sdk/index.html .
• Extract the package in your desired folder of PC.
• Run SDK manager.exe.
• New windows command prompt pops us. But nothing to do with that. Hence close that command prompt.
• In SDK and AVD manager explorer screen under available packages, select only USB driver for windows option and xxx.revision 5 .
• Click on  install selected packages.

Steps to install Apps on SD card:

• Enable USB debugging on Android phone. Go to Settings--> Applications-->Development--> USB debugging.
• Now connect your phone to PC through USB cable. Do not open PC suite of your phone such as Samsung kies.Do not mount the device. Just connect your phone to PC.
• Windows OS will prompt for new driver install.Choose to install them from the android-sdk-windows/extras/google/usb_driver folder.
• Run the command prompt as administrator.
• Type the code given below one by one and end each line add ">"(Without qoutes) 

           "cd C:\android-sdk-windows\platform-tools"  (" Here i have given C: drive path which consist android         sdk. If you have installed on other path make the changes on path)

           "adb devices"
            "adb shell"

            "pm setInstallLocation 2"  

          Use the these codes without quotes and end each line by >

• Close all the open windows and disconnect the phone from PC.
• Restart the phone.
• Now your phone is ready to install apps on SD card.

Note: 

• Even though apps are getting installed on SD card, each app store some .odex on phone memory to speed up phone booting. So more the apps you install, the phone memory becomes lesser.
• This method only enables SD card installation of Apps and does not move any apps.

Android smartphones with QWERTY Keypad

Android is becoming popular day by day. Many mobile manufacturers started using Android operating systems in their smartphones. Most of the Android smartphones comes with virtual keypad. There are some smartphones comes with physical keypad also. Below is the list of best qwerty keypad Android phones of India.

Model: Samsung Galaxy Pro

Samsung Galaxy Pro

Specifications of Galaxy Pro:

• Android 2.2 Froyo OS
• 2.8 inch touch screen.
• Touchwiz3.0 User interface.
• 800Mhz Processor
• 3mega pixel rear camera
• WiFi, 3G connectivity.
• Samsung PC suite compatible.

Samsung Galaxy Pro Price: Price of Samsung Galaxy Pro is Rs.10000/-.

Model: HTC ChhaCa:

HTC ChhaCa

Specifications of HTC ChaCha:

• Dedicated Facebook button for quick access to facebook.
• 2.6 inch display.
• 5 Mega Pixel rear camera with Auto focus and LED flash.
• VGA front camera.
• New Android 2.3 Gingerbread OS
• 800Mhz Processor
• HTC PC suite compatible.

HTC ChaCha Price: Price of HTC ChaCha in India is Rs.15000/-.

Model: Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini Pro SK17i 

Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini Pro SK17i

Specifications of Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini Pro SK17i :

• Android 2.3 Gingerbread OS
• Slide out QWERTY Keypad
• 1Ghz Snapdragon Processor
• 3 Inch display
• 5 mega pixel camera.
• Sony Ericsson PC suite compatible.

Sony Ericsson Xperia Mini Pro SK17i  Price: Rs.15,500/-.

Model: HTC Dezire Z

HTC Dezire X

Specifications of HTC Dezire Z:

• Slide out QWERTY Keypad
• Android 2.2 Froyo OS.
• 800 Mhz Snapdragon Processor with Adreno 205 GPU
• 5 Mega Pixel rear camera with auto focus and LED flash
• 720P HD video recording.
• OS Android 2.2 to 2.3 up gradable.
• HTC PC suite compatible.

Price of HTC Dezire Z: HTC Dezire Z Price in India is Rs.19500/-.

Model: Motorola Charm

Motorola Charm

Specifications of Motorola Charm:

• 2.8 Display
• Physical QWERTY Keypad
• Android 2.1 OS
• 3 mega pixel camera.
• 600 Mhz Process.
• Motorola PC suite compatible.

Price of Motorola Charm: Motorola Charm price in India is Rs.6999/-.

Gingerbread Firmware Upgrade for Samsung Galaxy Ace

Samsung  officially released Gingrebread OS upgrade for Samsung Galaxy Ace users. The up gradation of firmware increases phones performances such as battery life and overall performance of the mobile improves.

Steps to be followed to upgrade Samsung Galaxy Ace firmware to Gingerbread:

• Download the latest version of  Samsung Kies(Ver. 2.1.0.11095_121_6) from Samsung Downloads
• Install the Kies to your PC
• Back up all your data such as contacts, messages and media files to be in safer side.
• Ensure that battery is fully charged
• Connect the mobile to PC through USB(Even though wireless sync in supported in Latest version of  Kies, connecting through USB is recommended for Firmware upgrade)
• Samsung Kies automatically pops up which says there is a Firmware upgrade.
• Click on Update to download and install the updates
• Ensure while downloading and installation is in process, do not use the phone or disconnect the phone from PC.
• Depending on the Internet speed the download time will vary. However it take approximately 20-30 mins with average speed.
• Once installation is completed,device will restart. Disconnect the cable and reconnect. The phone firmware is automatically upgraded to Gingerbread OS.
• Enjoy the new Android Gingerbread in your Samsung Galaxy Ace phone.

Note: 

• Upgrading firmware will not void warranty as it is a official upgrade from Samsung.
• Memory used after up gradation is almost equal to earlier. Only slight increase in memory usage.
• While connecting the phone, if Kies do not show pop up on Firmware upgrade, then open Kies and click on your model. On the right side, you will get a option to download the update.

Adobe Touch apps family for Android landed in market

Finally Adobe touch apps arrived in market. In October, Adobe unveiled their touch apps family which are a collection of 6 tools and now they are available for tablets running on Android 3.1 or higher. These 6 tools include Adobe Photoshop Touch(for image editing), Adobe Debut(for creative work), Adobe Ideas(for sketching purpose), Adobe Kuler(for creating & exploring color themes), Adobe collage(combine images & text into moobboards) and Adobe Proto(for prototyping of website & mobile apps). Out of these 6 tools,only Adobe Ideas is currently available for iOS and the rest will be available for iOS by next year.

Android Bug Allows Hackers to Install Malicious Code Without Warning

It's been more than a month since researchers reported two serious security vulnerabilities in Android, but so far there's no indication when they will be purged from the Google-spawned operating system that's the world's most popular smartphone platform.

The first flaw allows apps to be installed without prompting users for permission. The permission-escalation vulnerability permits attackers to surreptitiously install malware in much the way a proof-of-concept exploit researcher Jon Oberheide published last year did. In that case, an app he planted in the Android Market and disguised as an expansion pack for the Angry Birds game secretly installed three additional apps that without warning monitored a phone's contacts, location information and text messages so data could transmitted to a remote server.

“The Android Market ecosystem continues to be a ripe area for bugs,” Oberheide wrote in an email. “There are some complex interactions between the device and Google's Market servers which has only been made more complex and dangerous by the Android Web Market.”

The second bug resides in the Linux kernel where Android originates and makes it possible for installed apps with limited privileges to gain full control over the device. The vulnerability is contained in code device manufacturer have put into some of Android's most popular handsets, including the Nexus S. The bug undermines the security model Google developers created to contain the damage any one application can do to the overall phone.

Oberheide and fellow researcher Zach Lanier plan to speak more about the vulnerabilities at a two-day training course at the SOURCE conference in Barcelona in November. In the meantime, they put together a brief video showing their exploits in action.



One of the hopes for Android a few years back was that it would be a viable alternative to Apple's iOS, both in terms of features and security. With the passage of time, the error of that view is becoming harder to ignore. And if i'm not wrong, Google developers have updated Android just 16 times since the OS debuted in September 2008. The number of iOS updates over the same period is 29.

It's a far cry from the approach Google takes with its Chrome browser, which is updated frequently, and has been known to release fixes for the Flash Player before they're even released by Adobe.

Even more telling, when a new version of iOS is released, it's available almost immediately to any iPhone user with the hardware to support the upgrade. Android users, by contrast, often wait years for their phone carriers to supply updates that fix code execution vulnerabilities and other serious flaws.

Owners of the Motorola Droid, for instance, are stuck running Android 2.2.2 even though that version was released in May 2010 and contains a variety of known bugs that allow attackers to steal confidential data and remotely execute code on handsets the run the outdated version.

Oberheide has more here.

15 must have Android apps for IT pros

The best Android apps are getting harder to find in the increasingly crowded Android Market. So I've tried to test and rank a few top applications available for Android phones especially for IT professionals. These apps can help connect to servers, monitor computers, access databases, analyze the airwaves, scan networks, and serve as a reference. Here are 15 of these apps, most of them free.

1. ConnectBot (Free)

f you work with Unix-based servers or other network components that support SSH/Telnet connections, you can use this open source client to remotely connect. No need to get on the desktop or boot up your laptop. You can perform admin, maintenance, or troubleshooting tasks via command-line. Additionally, it supports local connections, so you can access the command-line of your Android.

ConnectBot supports generating and importing SSH keys. You can pan between multiple simultaneous connections and copy/paste between them or other applications. It keeps a history of previous sessions so you don't have to keep inputting the host address. Even better, you can create shortcuts to frequent hosts on your Android desktop.

2. AndFTP (Free or $5.59)

You can use this FTP/SFTP/FTPS client to download/upload files or perform administrative tasks from your Android. It features resume support and enables the basic admin tasks: renaming, deleting, updating permissions, and running custom commands. You can also send files via email, messaging, Bluetooth, and via other apps. The Pro version adds support for secure copy protocol (SCP) connections and enables remote/local folder synchronization.

3. Linux Monitor ($2.61)

If you work with Linux servers you can use this simple monitoring app to remotely keep an eye on the vitals: CPU load, RAM and disk usage, and network/port activity. View stats represented in numbers or via progress bars. Though you can monitor multiple Linux machines, you can't monitor or view them simultaneously. You must manually change the monitoring address to switch between them.

The remote Linux machine(s) must be running the Apache web server with PHP, and you must upload a simple PHP script. You can download a sample version to get a feel for the app.


4. Server Monitor (Free)

This simple monitoring app can alert you if a server or a certain component/port of it goes down. This is great if you don't already have a monitoring/alert system put into place or you'd like redundancy. It supports TCP connections as well as SSH tunnels. You add a server hostname or IP address and then you can optionally add specific components or ports to monitor, including SSH over SSH. You can define the polling frequency and toggle sound and/or vibrate alerts. You can set the service to start up automatically during boot or enable manual control.


5. httpmon (Free)

This is another monitoring app, but designed specifically for HTTP servers. You can customize a request URL and check with simple pings or with customizable conditions: the response code or time and header or content contains using substrings, wildcards, or regular expressions. You can also set the desired User Agent used for all the requests, the connection timeout, and the read timeout. On failures, it can notify, flash, alert, and vibrate your phone and/or send SMS messages to others.

6. Cellica Database for Android ($39.99 after 10-day trial)

If you work with databases on a Windows server or PC, you can use this app to access and manage them from your Android. Once you install the required software on the server or PC, you'll have encrypted access to edit fields, apply select queries, filters, sorting, or even create databases. Supported databases include: Microsoft Access, Access 2007, Microsoft Excel, Excel 2007, Oracle, SQL Server, DB2, MySQL, PostgreSQL, FoxPro, dBase, R:BASE and any ODBC Compliant Database.

7. Phoenix MySql Client (Free)

If you only desire a simple connection to MySQL databases, you can use this free app to directly connect. You can then view tables, views, and stored procedures. You can perform SQL queries and execute statements: select, create, insert, etc.

8. Wyse PocketCloud (Free or $14.99)

This remote desktop client supports Microsoft RDP, platform-independent VNC (virtual network computing), and virtual VMware View connections to Windows, Mac or Linux machines via Wi-Fi and cellular connections. It supports both Android smartphones and tablets. You might use it to provide remote tech support or access a PC for its programs or files.

If you download and install their companion software to the Windows or Mac computer, it can auto configure the connection via your Google account so you don't have to mess with router settings or IP addresses. But you can always manually configure the connection as well.

The Pro version removes the advertisements and adds more features: multiple connections, encryption to secure the connections, sound support for RDP, and VMware View support to access virtual machines.

9. Android-VNC-Viewer (Free)

If you prefer VNC for remote desktop connections and don't mind configuring the router and have static IPs or a dynamic DNS host name, you might consider using this simple open source VNC client. It supports VNC connections to most VNC servers on Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X via Wi-Fi and Cellular connections.

Unlike the Wyse PocketCloud client, this app doesn't display advertisements and gives you pinch zooming for free. On the other hand, it can't automatically secure your connections. You'd have to use a separate app, such as ConnectBot, to encrypt your connection to the computer/server you're trying to remotely access.

10. Spiceworks Mobile (Free)

If your organization uses the Spiceworks IT management solution, you can use this client app to view your network and PC inventory, manage trouble tickets, and access and manage users with support of Active Directory. You can also communicate with other IT pros in the Spiceworks community to get feedback, help, or research.

11. ActiveDir Manager (Free or $1.99)

This is a must-have app if you work with the Active Directory in your organization. It lets you view and manage users, groups, and computers right from your Android. You can reset user passwords, disable or edit user accounts, adjust group memberships, and perform other basic admin tasks. It supports Windows Server 2000 and later with StartTLS, SSL, or no encryption. It can directly connect to the Active Directory server via Wi-Fi or VPN.

The only difference between the free and paid version is that the paid version enables saving of the LDAP connection settings and options.

12. Wi-Fi Analyzer (Free)

If you work with the Wi-Fi network at your organization you may want to use this Wi-Fi stumbler and analyzer app when setting up access points, checking channel usage, troubleshooting Wi-Fi issues, or doing Wi-Fi security auditing.

You can view and export the details of access points: SSID, MAC address, encryption, channel, and signal in negative dBm levels via a graphical bar and text readout. You can view channel graphs showing each access point's channel and signal in real-time or a recent history. Then a channel rating page gives you recommendations on which channels to use. You can use the signal meter view to find the access points.

13. SharesFinder (Free)

This scans for Windows (SMB), FTP and HTTP shares/servers on the network you're connected to via Wi-Fi. It's useful if you're trying to access files on the network or when doing security auditing. For each share/server you'll see the IP and media access control address, SMB name, and vendor name.

This app also supports basic file transfers and management of the remote SMB files, such as creating and deleting files and folders. You can login as anonymous or input a username and password. For HTTP resources, it launches the web browser. For FTP resources, you can connect via a third-party FTP client, such as AndFTP.

14. Overlook Fing (Free)

If you do any networking work, this is a must-have app. It can do TCP port scanning, pinging, traceroute, and DNS lookups on a network via Wi-Fi. It also shows the network details (SSID, IP details, and speed) of your current Wi-Fi connection.

You can see and export the details (MAC address, IP and vendor) for each computer or device detected on the network, which are customizable with a name, icon or notes. You can also perform a port scan or ping a particular computer or device. It can also launch third-party client apps for SSH, Telnet, FTP, FTPS, SFTP, SCP, HTTP, secure-HTTP and SMB.

16. Linux Commands (Free)

If you use Linux but aren't an expert at the command-line, this is a great app to have for reference. It lists more than 500 Linux commands that you can browse through. Select a command and you'll see the syntax, description, and any command options. You can even star your favorite commands and have them shown at startup and/or manually access your list of favorites. Though you can find the same info online, this gives you quick off-line access.