Monthly Archives: March 2012
Spanish speakers hit by fake Android banking apps
Rating: Just exactly is this malware escaping into the wild?
It seems a number of players in the mobile security sector are getting hot under the collar thanks to the discovery of ‘fake’ mobile banking Android apps. At present, it seems to GoMobile News that these attacks are targeting Spanish speakers – particularly as the banks in question are Banesto, BBVA and Santander. What’s really worrying the security experts is that they are not quite sure how these Android malware apps are escaping into the wild. However, at least one security software provider, ESET, is confident that its Android security app will pick up these nasty example of malware ‘heuristically’ as a variant of the Android Trojan – SMS Stealer C. The issue has been highlighted by The Hacker News here which in turn spotted mention of the outbreak on McAfee blog post here. Continue reading
UK mortgage comparison site targets Apple F1 petrol heads
Rating: Hurry to win £100 worth of iTunes vouchers
In what we suspect is a desperate bid to promote the fact its MortgagesUK iPhone app is nearly ready, Mortgage Brain has launched its Fantasy F1 competition. Competitors are offered the chance to win iTunes vouchers worth up to £100. It’s actually quite feasible to play this game on your mobile phone as we discovered with our Nokia Lumia 800 W7 Mango phone. GoMobile News would recommend that initially you register using a desktop computer or tablet, though. With the Nokia we also found it handy to register with a Hotmail email address. You’d better get cracking, though, because the deadline to create your own Formula One Fantasy team seems to be today [March 16th 2012] at 5pm GMT. Continue reading
MVNOs will increasingly focus on offering data services
Rating: Market will grow to 214 million subscribers by 2016
Outside of the North American and Western European markets, MVNOs have so far had a limited appeal, says Pyramid Research in a new report. However, mobile operators are focusing on migrating their customers to contracts from prepaid. The are also trying to offset declining voice revenues with more attractive data-based offerings. But, they simply cannot address all the possible niches which is where the MVNOs are beginning to thrive. Pyramid predicts the global MVNO subscriber base will grow to 214 million subscribers by 2016 and the area where they will concentrate on most is data. Continue reading
Londoners to make calls from Tube for 1st time in 19 yrs
Rating: GoMobile News remembers using a Rabbit (CT2) @ Russell Sq
Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, announced yesterday [March 14th 2012] that Londoners would have access to Wi-fi on the Tube thanks to a new contract awarded to Virgin Media by Tfl [Transport for London]. Boris is quoted as saying that, “Millions of passengers will now be able to connect to their work, friends or access the latest news and travel information whilst on the move.” That’s not technically correct. Luckily, he didn’t use the phrase “for the first time.” Because that would have been completely untrue. GoMobile News recalls making a phone call from Russell Square (one of the deepest Underground stations in Central London) some 19 years ago. That involved using a handset supplied by Hutchison Rabbit using a standard known as CT2. It illustrates just how far behind the rest of the world London is lagging in terms of mobile telephony. Continue reading
London Mayor announces digital first as Virgin Media selected to offer Wi-Fi on Tube stations
Free Wi-Fi service for millions of commuters and visitors during summer 2012
Press release
March 14th 2012. The Mayor of London has confirmed that Londoners will be able to use Wi-Fi to access mobile internet services at Tube stations for the first time from this summer. A contract has been awarded to Virgin Media to provide public access Wi-Fi at up to 120 Tube station platforms at zero cost to the fare or taxpayer. The new Wi-Fi service will launch as a free, unlimited service for all Tube passengers from summer 2012 and will continue to offer free live TfL travel information via a new online portal after this period. Virgin Media, in partnership with London Underground, will introduce Wi-Fi at over 80 stations ahead of the summer. By the end of 2012, up to 120 Tube stations, many of them deep-level, will be connected. Continue reading
Google’s GetMo initiative garners industry-wide support
Rating: Wapple & Boost amongst those to step forward
Once again it seems that brands and agencies in the UK have not kept pace with consumers’ embrace of mobile web. Hence a whole bunch of mobile industry players have decided to join in with Google’s recently launched initiative – GetMo.There’s a whole list of which companies have stepped in and our offering their services to British businesses here. Amongst those who have contacted GoMobile News about their contribution are Wapple and Boost/Madmaker. This initiative has thrown up some interesting stats showing just how much opportunity there is in this area. Continue reading
Madmaker is a confirmed vendor for Google’s GetMo UK launch
Press release
March 14th 2012, Madmaker, the do-it-yourself mobile ad maker, is a confirmed vendor for Google’s newly launched GetMo initiative in the UK. GetMo is a Google-led initiative dedicated to helping UK businesses ‘Get Mobile’ by providing them with the tools and resources they need to make their digital presence more mobile friendly. Madmaker allows businesses and brands to mobile enable their marketing campaigns in ‘less than 5 minutes’. The tool allows marketers and brand owners to create an interactive mobile campaign site with no previous technical or design skills required. The tool is powered by Boost Advertising, part of the Boost Communications group, with mobile web and marketing experience since 2000. Continue reading
inMobi indicates that European mobile advertising is healthy
Rating: Yet think fore you buy
As a useful indicator of which way the mobile advertising market is going, InMobi publishes its own ‘Mobile Insights Report: European Edition’ for February [2012]. The one stat which GoMobile News finds most impressive is the fact that the InMobi network grew by 63 per cent in 90 days to 15.2 billion monthly impressions. The report reveals that (for InMobi ) Android is still theleading mobile OS for ads. However, its lead over Apple’s iOS decreased marginally (to 34 per cent) whilst iOS grew by five share points to 28 per cent. Showing that the BlackBerry is still going strong, RIM remained steady in third place with 17 per cent Continue reading
So, Android Market rebrands to Google Play
Rating: Move may backfire as sounds more like games store
It’s right up there with Microsoft getting Windows users to click on the Start button when they need to switch the computer off. Renaming the Android Market to Google Play doesn’t seem to have been thought through properly. When GoMo News‘ loan Motorola Razr volunteered to download the new client ‘Play Shop’ yesterday [March 12th 2012], we were quite astonished. Market is such an obvious place to look for suitable apps. Why would anyone searching for mobile security software think to look in the Play Shop? It just sounds as if Google wants to flog more games software. Continue reading
iPhone fishing app is spoilsport
Rating: You’ve got to have a feel for the fish
With half a million iPhone apps out there, you’ve got to do something to attract attention. Well, iAngler has come up with a spiffing ruse – why not antagonise the purists? Yes, this iPhone app for anglers – FishForecast, managed to attract the attention of the Angling Trust. Who’ve implied that the app isn’t very sporting. Not exactly cricket, don’t you know? Which is an excellent ploy because it gives the impression that the app is so good at helping you catch fish that even amateurs can catch fish. Genius. Anyway, the app itself is quite boring but GoMo News cannot but have admiration for the marketing. Continue reading
Scanbuy hooks up with Taco Bell & Viafo @ SXSW 12
Rating: Creates ScanSocial game tied into your Twitter account
It seems that Scanbuy is using the SXSW show in Austin to pump up QR codes by running a competition in conjunction with Taco Bell and Viafo. The competition is called ScanSocial and the aim is to be people scanning codes as much as possible at the show. All you have to do is scan the initial QR code (printed here) and then enter your Twitter login. Viafo’s software ensure this links to your existing Twitter profile (thanks to APIs). The system will then generate your own unique code which you need to get other participants at SXSW to scan to earn points. Continue reading
How to update the Nokia N73′s OS
Rating: We’re not sure we know all the answers, though
Here at GoMo Towers, we have been inundated with queries about a story we once ran on the availability of an update to the operating software for the Nokia N73 here. It’s a puzzle to us because – on the face of things – performing the update is as easy as pie. However, from the URLs of many of those inquiring, it would seem that they are coming from Asia Pacific rather than Europe. This could be the cause of the confusion. Nokia does offer this get-out clause, “Please note that the latest software version may not be available for your device, and the benefits listed may not be available to you, or be available in selected countries.” Which might well be the answer. Anyway, we’re still going to provide some tips which just might help some readers out. Continue reading
avast! free mobile security gets top AV-test ranking for Android malware
Press release
March 9th 2012. avast! Free Mobile Security got a top malware detection ranking in the new study from AV-Test, the independent testing organisation. “avast! Free Mobile Security is available for free, easy to use and has many features to protect your device. With its very good detection rate it is one of the best security products for your Android device,” stated Andreas Marx, CEO of AV-Test, in the report. Continue reading
Young Brit apper turns hacker
Rating: Spud Run author gets expelled from Devon school
A young British lad, Aaron Bond, who already has four iOS applications under his belt has just managed to get himself chucked out of school for hacking. Bond is the programming genius behind an iOS game – Spud Run which costs a mere 59 pence on the iTunes App Store here. If you check (like we did), there are four not six apps and they are attributed to Gail McNeil who is the mother of Sebastian McNeil – the other founder of SeRiiOn which produces the apps. Anyway, Bond – who is still only 14 years old – has been expelled from King Edward VI College in Totnes, Devon. Continue reading
