When it was discovered that Apple had a kill switch all hell exploded in the media. The media and all of the Android fan boys made a big deal of the situation, and took the opportunity to shout from the roof top about the superiority of their open source, idea and patent stealing platform really was over that of Apple's so called propriety and close system.
When it was discovered, however, that Google's Android also had a kill switch it was reported, but it hardly caused what I would call a media flurry. I also knew that Android fans and the media wouldn't make too much of a deal that some 20% of all Android apps were able to access your private data either, or that it's also plagued by bloat and crap ware.
Well, as bad as all that might seem, it has now been learned that anywhere from one million to over four million Android users may have had their security compromised recently by a Chinese website (www.imnet.us). While people thought that they were simply downloading some nice wallpapers, their private details, including texts, voicemail passwords and SIM card info, were being systematically sent to far away China for who knows what fiendish purposes!
Well, you can say all you will about Apple's so called draconian App Store policies, but they do at least help it to better protect its users from all of the above scourges. When it comes to Apple, for some people the fly-in-the-eye is that Apple not only deletes spyware, trojans and other such malicious apps, but also their right to morally decide for themselves what is right or wrong. Apparently, they don't seem to care about protecting the the 70% of iPod Touch users who are mere children 17 years old and under! Apparently, these people believe that six, seven or eight year old boys and girls are morally able to judge what is right or what is wrong!
Even though I think that there is definitely a lot to like about open source platforms like Android, there is one big fly-in-the-ointment..... anybody, and I mean anybody is free to add anything that they want behind your back. That, unfortunately, includes all of the bad guys and girls out there who have free and open access to the inner workings of Android and other open source projects, enabling them in the process to more easily infect said platforms. In fact, most of the security risks that Apple faces comes not from its software but from the open source aspects that it incorporates into its own!
Yes, in conclusion, I think that Android is still a great platform, so don't get me wrong. However, just like other Linux and open source initiatives it's a little too open for me, all of which is backed upped by the recent Chinese incident and the other problems listed above.
And that's my 2 cents 4 this Thursday, July 29, 2010
2 comments:
Do you work for apple. Every person receives a list of everything the apk can access. It's your choice to download that file. True bloat wear is everywhere. Most of it comes from the network company. It's branding.
Now, there are several applications that serve as firewalls monitoring internet traffic. Conscionable people would be best suited to download one of those ads.
Lastly, rooted phones also have access to apk's that will block the ad in the apps downloaded free from that market.
Thanks for your comment Anonymous, and NO I don't work for Apple.
As far as Android goes, it has its strengths, but from what I have read its so-called 'open' nature leaves it too 'open' to spy-ware, trojan's and other nasties since anyone can write an app for it, unlike iOS that curated to the max by Apple, and thus is a lot more open and free from such nasties as bloat ware, trojans, etc.
Android may be great for those who like to think that open is better (nothing in life is really that open or free when you really think about it), and curated platforms for those of us who simply want something that works and that you don't have to worry constantly over.
As far as my post goes, like all of the rest of them, they are ONLY 'my2cents' and nothing more. I'm NOT preaching the gospel here, just my own humble opinion based on what I've happen to read from other 'professionals' on various subjects, including, of course, Android.
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