Tag Archives: tablet

Dissecting MKero, the premium SMS service subscriber trojan found on Google Play

Since Android already became the most used operating system among devices worldwide, it indirectly caught the attention of malware creators as well – around 97% of malicious mobile software is now targeting Android.

The post Dissecting MKero, the premium SMS service subscriber trojan found on Google Play appeared first on Avira Blog.

Curb Your ‘App’-etite: These Top 10 Apps Stifle Your Phone’s Performance

We all know that excited feeling when you take your new Android phone out of the box for the first time. The possibilities seem infinite – the battery will last forever, your phone will operate at lightning speed and you’ve never had more space for all your photos and music. But, how long until that hopeful feeling fades? Well, just wait until you’ve installed all your favorite apps. You may see your smartphone or tablet slow down to a virtual crawl in no time at all.

Keen to prevent this? In our global AVG Android App Report (Q2 2015), we’ve again, identified the top 10 apps that drain your battery, clog your storage and use up most of your mobile data. 
AVG App Reprort Infographic Q2 2015

What are the top app sinners? 

  • Snapchat! Oh Snap! Forget Facebook, Spotify, or any of the preinstalled apps: In Q2 2015, Snapchat dethroned them all as the app which had the highest, overall performance drain. Did you know that while it runs, it makes use of the camera, Wi-Fi/mobile data and GPS functionality, simultaneously? This explains the high battery life and traffic consumption.
  • Samsung Updates! The top, hidden battery-drainer this quarter was a service innocuously named “com.sec.android.fwupgrade,” which is responsible for delivering periodic Samsung updates to your device via Wi-Fi. As with the similarly update-heavy Samsung Security Policy Update (KNOX) and Google Play apps, the service has a massive impact on the battery life of your device.
  • Your Browser’s a True Hoarder! Joining more obvious entrants on the top ten list this quarter, such as Spotify and Amazon Kindle, Google Chrome emerged as the second highest, storage-consuming app, thanks to its collection of your browsing data over time. Our advice here: Clean up your browser from the settings menu or use a thorough cleaner product.
  • Facebook ’mis’-manages: A consistent ‘top’ performer in our charts, Facebook entered a new contender this quarter, with its monitoring app, Facebook Pages Manager. The app stores a lot of local content as it tracks page statistics, followers and comments while on the move
  • A bad forecast: Both The Weather Channel and Words with Friends were surprise entrants in our start-up chart – with the apps seemingly having no clear need to run invisibly in the background
  • A drain on your wallet and smartphone: With two of its shopping apps in our top ten ‘run by user’ list, if you want to save data and battery life on the go, you might want to steer clear of Amazon.

These were just some of the highlights that stood out to us. Our top 10 resource-draining apps should give you even more insight into what apps make your phone or tablet slow to a crawl. We’ve divided our top list into apps that you run by yourself, and those that run quietly in the background, which you may not even know about:

App report q2

 

Read the entire App Report here.

So what can you do about it?

Now that you know about the top apps, what’s left for you to do? Stay tuned for our next blog on the top tips to optimize your smartphone and tablet.

Tablet AntiVirus Security FREE scoops award

We are happy to announce that AVG’s Tablet AntiVirus Security FREE has been voted as the best tablet security app in a Czech and Slovak app award.

The awards, organized by Czech company Tuesday Business Network, are designed to celebrate the very best of Czech and Slovak app development industry.

A shortlist of products was drawn up by public nominations and an expert panel selected the winners.

AVG Tablet AntiVirus Security FREE has many powerful protection and anti-theft features that can help you keep your device safe as well as protecting the data stored on it.

These include:

  • App scanning
  • Remote locating/locking/wiping if it gets lost or stolen.
  • Task killer to help you improve the speed of your device
  • Secure web browser to protect you from malicious links and phishing attacks
  • Battery, storage and data package usage monitors
  • And many more

 

Download AVG Tablet AntiVirus Security FREE from Google Play today.

New ASUS ZenPad to come with Avast Mobile Security

ASUS partners with Avast

ASUS partners with Avast

ASUS, the third largest consumer notebook vendor in the world, has selected Avast Mobile Security to be pre-loaded on its new line of Android powered tablets.

These tablets, called ZenPad, will be debuted at the upcoming Computex in Taiwan this June. The much anticipated 7-inch ZenPad 7 will give customers 12 months of Avast Mobile Security and allow free access to premium versions of Avast Backup and Avast Anti-theft.

“Avast is honored to collaborate with ASUS to provide consumers with the security to remain worry free in today’s always-on and always-connected world,” said Vince Steckler, CEO at Avast. “Consumers are relying on tablets for personal computing more than ever before, and storing massive data and information on these devices. With Avast Mobile Security preloaded on ASUS devices, today’s mobile consumer can have peace of mind browsing the Internet, knowing their devices and personal data are protected across a wide range of threats from malware to Wi-Fi hacks.”

Details of the ASUS ZenPad 7 have been leaked and are reported to have the following specs:

  • 7-inch IPS display screen
  • 1024 x 600 pixel resolution
  • Intel Atom x3
  • 1 GB RAM
  • 8 GB/16 GB built-in storage
  • MicroSD card slot
  • Front/back cameras
  • Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

Other models with Avast Mobile Security pre-installed include Z300C, Z380/CX, Z370C and Z370CG.

Avast Mobile Security is top-rated by users on Google Play Store and by independent testing organizations including AV-Test and AV-Comparatives. In addition to being available preloaded on ASUS tablets, Avast solutions are available on Google Play and in the Apple Store.

10 Spring Cleaning Tips to Combat Grime

After a long winter, it’s time to throw open the windows and let the fresh air in. But first, you need to do a good Spring Cleaning to wash away the grime that has accumulated. Here’s our favorite tips that go beyond the ordinary vacuum and dust routine. Choose the ones you want to do, and don’t forget that your mobile devices can use a good cleaning too (see tip #10)!

house cleaning service

Spring cleaning is not only for your house. You can clean grime from your mobile devices too!

 

Starting from the top down:

  1. 1. Dim light fixtures and dull lamps.  See the gleam again from your light fixtures. Get a soft microfiber cloth or duster and wipe away dust from ceiling lights, fans, and table lamps. I even use a vacuum attachment on lamp shades.
  2. 2. Greasy window treatments. Dirt, dust, grease, and bacteria collect on draperies, blinds, verticals, and shades. It is recommended to have your fabric window treatments dry-cleaned every 5-7 years. For metal or plastic blinds, you can take them down and wash them with dishwashing soap in a bucket of water or a solution of half water, half vinegar. Clean wooden blinds with a soft dry cloth wear a pair of cotton gloves or old socks and wipe the slats down.
  3. 3. Dusty bookshelves. A dusty old library sounds like a romantic notion, but it’s not good in your own home.Working from the top down, remove books and decorative objects from one shelf at a time, dust and return. Maybe you’ll find some old books that are ready to donate while you’re at it.

You walk by it every day:

  1. 4. Grimy doors, knobs, and handles. Grubby hands and jumping dogs can make your doors pretty awful looking, but because you are walking in and out, you don’t even see the grime. Give knobs and handles a quick wipe down with your favorite cleaner and some paper towels. Make your front door welcoming again by cleaning it inside and out with warm, soapy water. Dry it with a soft cloth.

How does that get there?!

  1. 5. Crumby kitchen drawers. I can’t ever figure out how the crumbs get in there; but spring cleaning is a good time to remove everything, wipe out the drawers and return only the items you still use.
  2. 6. Upholstered furniture. After a season of snuggling on the sofa with the dog and a good movie, stick your hand between the cushion and you’ll find old popcorn and plenty of dirt, sticks and leaves. I even found a dead lizard! Get out the vacuum attachments and vacuum upholstered furniture, including under and between cushions. Fluff and rotate cushions and pillows.
  3. 7. Underneath the rugs. You’ll be surprised what’s under there, so move the furniture off the rug and vacuum underneath. You may want to take your rug outside and give it a good old-fashioned beating too.
  4. 8. Underneath beds and behind furniture. Dust bunnies as big as the cat are hidden away, so make an extra effort to get the vacuum way up under there. Allergy sufferers have enough to deal with when the pollen comes, so help them out by minimizing dust.

You will feel cleaner, too. Trust me.

  1. 9. Scummy shower and tub walls.  Soap scum builds up after a season of long, hot showers. Choose your favorite cleaning product and leave it on for at least 10 minutes before scrubbing down the tiles.

This is the easiest one!

  1. 10. Spring Clean your Mobile Devices. We may not be great at washing windows and cleaning floors, but we know how to Spring Clean you Android device! Over time, unnecessary data, system caches, gallery thumbnails, installation files, and residual files can accumulate on your smartphone and tablet. You can regain performance and speed when you clean away all the grime with our free app, Avast GrimeFighter Safe Clean for Android.  Install Avast GrimeFighter free from Google Play.
Avast GrimeFighter for Android is a free app.

Install for Free!