This is a good-to-know post about smartphone safety. I have been posting stuff about protecting your smartphone from online criminals, malicious apps, and intrusive Internet companies (ie. Google) that leave you vulnerable to identity theft.
But you also need to be careful not to get victimized by criminals who are disgusting enough to physically snatch your phone from you in broad daylight. Protect your property and know where all the threats are coming from. If you know better you do better.
Yesterday I published a post on the Consumer Reports survey which found that majority of Internet users are concerned about apps gaining access to their personal information on their smartphones. This is actually a very serious problem and several companies have been caught collecting sensitive data off smartphones without the knowledge of the owners.
You need to take your online safety seriously, especially on those little devices most of us are carrying around everywhere nowadays. Many people say their life is in their smartphones – every little detail about themselves and it’s all so vulnerable.
There are important things you can do to protect yourself though. I always say that knowledge is power and if you know better you do better. USA Today republished an excellent article by Tecca – it warns you about some of the major threats to your smartphone and provides some useful tips to keep you safe.
If you’re an owner of a smartphone, it’s definitely something you should read – click here
Image via CrunchBase
There are new revelations about the health of Google’s mobile business and it looks like Google is in really bad shape. Thanks to documents submitted in the legal battle between Google and Oracle over patents, the public gets a new look at exactly how well Google’s Android is performing.
Google is secretive about letting the public know about how much revenue Android brings in – but now we know that Android actually doesn’t make much money for Google at all. Google’s overall 2011 revenues totaled about $40 billion and much of that is from ads from search results on desktop computers. Very little of Google’s overall revenues is from mobile.
According to The Guardian, Android generated less than $550 million between 2008 and 2011 – pitiful. Google produces the Android software which it then gives away for free to handset makers to sell. Google makes its money from ad revenue on the mobile devices and from applications on Google Play (formerly known as Android Market), which is doing extremely poorly compared to Apple’s App store.
Here is where it gets particularly interesting – Google actually makes more money from Apple’s mobile devices than it does from its own Android powered smartphones! Now isn’t that hilarious, ha-ha, especially considering the recent bad blood between Google and Apple.
Apple is responsible for generating more than four times as much revenue for Google! This is because at least half of all smartphone owners use an Apple device and Google is the default search engine. Apple also extensively used Google Maps – but as recently told Google to get lost and is now using a mixture of its own acquired mapping technology and free crowdsourced mapping.
Who knew that Apple had such a big role in Google’s mobile business?
Majority of Google’s mobile traffic can be credited to Apple. Google should be grateful to Apple for being so helpful, but Google treats Apple like crap. Google expressed its gratitude to Apple by trying to impose itself into Apple’s territory, which infuriated Apple.
What did Apple do as payback?
Apple no longer extensively uses Google Maps, Apple added other search engines as alternative options to Google’s, and Apple appears to be ditching Google altogether in China (a huge and attractive market). And we all know about how Apple set its Safari Web browser default to automatically block third-party tracking cookies – however, it was exposed last month that Google illegally circumvented this security feature, but is now facing countless lawsuits from Apple users.
Psst…hey Google…don’t bite that hand that feeds you.
For more information:
The Guardian, “Google’s Android has generated just $550m since 2008, figures suggest” – click here
AppleInsider, “Google earns 80% of its mobile revenue from iOS, just 20% from Android” – click here
Google is about to get a lot creepier.
Remember when major companies like Microsoft and consumer advocacy groups warned people that Google reads your emails to serve you ads? Well – now Google has plans to listen to your phone calls too on Google powered smartphones to serve you ads in real-time.
Google has new technology that will allow it to hear the background noise during your phone calls. If you’re making a call while it’s raining outside, Google will pick this up and will serve you ads for umbrellas. Creepy to the max!
Google will do anything to line its pockets with more advertising dollars and consumers will have more of their privacy diminished. Google makes over 90% of its revenues from advertising. You are not Google’s customer, you’re Google’s product. They sell your personal information to advertisers so that they can rake in about $40 billion every year.
Read more – click here
Hi guys:
Unfortunately, I’m feeling unwell today – I have a really bad cold! I’m so disappointed because I want to add more material to this blog but my body isn’t working with me right now. There is so much stuff happening now surrounding Google and I really want to give you my take on everything.
Another Google employee has dropped a bombshell! Wait until I give you more details on this. You can expect it will be juicy and scandalous.
In the meantime, I have to take it easy and get as much rest today as I can. I might add stuff later today or tomorrow depending on if this nasty cold goes away. However, I still want to give my blog followers their daily dose of news.
I found a great news clip from NBC’s Today Show about smartphone safety. If your phone is lost or stolen, do you have a password to protect your personal information? NBC’s Tom Costello gives you the report on an important investigation you should watch – the link is below:
See you back here shortly. Have a safe and happy Wednesday!
googleexposed 