any must have "keep my anroid safe" apps ?

[tiny_bits]

hey

I've done some reading and know I should not to login to sensitive stuff on public wi fi's , not to install apps with over giving permissions or crappy reviews or from crappy sites... but other than that:
should I be installing any app that can keep my phone protected from spyware, malware, viruses etc. ?

I really want to be on the safe side as long as they don't eat up my battery too fast

 

[Crashdamage]

Install Common Sense. Use it. Relax and enjoy your phone.

IOW no.

 

[epicking]

LOL, or just install a free anti-virus.
there are a bunch out there, but watch out for battery eating apps

 

[gtbarry]

Only download from the Play Store or the Amazon App Store.

Also, use the same common sense you use on computers regarding strange emails, links, etc.

 

[RazzMaTazz]

I've been using the free version of Lookout antivirus for a couple of years. One nice thing about is that if your phone gets lost or stolen, as long as it's turned on, you can log onto Lookout's website and track it on a map. You can also remotely make it to sound a siren. And with the paid version you can do stuff like remotely locking it, backing-it-up and wiping all of your data from it.

 

[El Barto]

Only download from the Play Store or the Amazon App Store.

Also, use the same common sense you use on computers regarding strange emails, links, etc.

I pretty much do what he said and also use Carbonite which keeps a backup of photos and it allows you to remotely ring & locate your phone, use the camera to take photos remotely if it's been stolen & wipe all the data off if necessary.

 

[Davdi]

Carbonite is good, you don't need anti virus, as there aren't any on Android. but there are Trojans and spyware. Read the permissions carefully before installing anything, and if you're not happy that the permissions are needed (e.g. make phone calls for a music player app), email the developer to ask why that permission is needed. and DON'T install it until you're happy.

 

[tiny_bits]

Carbonite is good, you don't need anti virus, as there aren't any on Android. but there are Trojans and spyware. Read the permissions carefully before installing anything, and if you're not happy that the permissions are needed (e.g. make phone calls for a music player app), email the developer to ask why that permission is needed. and DON'T install it until you're happy.

Carbonite protects against spyware/malware ?

 

[Kate_Xx]

hey

I've done some reading and know I should not to login to sensitive stuff on public wi fi's , not to install apps with over giving permissions or crappy reviews or from crappy sites... but other than that:
should I be installing any app that can keep my phone protected from spyware, malware, viruses etc. ?

I really want to be on the safe side as long as they don't eat up my battery too fast

I advise you to install Green Head. I have a Samsung Galaxy S Duos and set this app. It

 

[Mayhem]

You do need an antivirus as long as it's capable of blocking malicious apps. According to this, there have been more than 1,000,000 bad Android apps that do various nefarious things.

 

[tiny_bits]

my biggest fear is for someone to spy on my calls and sms or turn my phone into a zombie and send sms from it.
is that spyware ? malware ? what is that ?

 

[tiny_bits]

bump

 

[gtbarry]

my biggest fear is for someone to spy on my calls and sms or turn my phone into a zombie and send sms from it.
is that spyware ? malware ? what is that ?

It's paranoia (a.k.a. the stuff urban legends are made of).

 

[tiny_bits]

Only download from the Play Store or the Amazon App Store.

Also, use the same common sense you use on computers regarding strange emails, links, etc.

that's always good advise

 

[gtbarry]

Do keep an eye on the Amazon app store though. Free App of the Day is skewered in the customer reviews for having overly aggressive app permissions. Probably about 10-25% of them. Just read the app reviews first - I guess that goes for both stores.

 

[tiny_bits]

Do keep an eye on the Amazon app store though. Free App of the Day is skewered in the customer reviews for having overly aggressive app permissions. Probably about 10-25% of them. Just read the app reviews first - I guess that goes for both stores.

not gonna be touching either amazon or ebay stores soon.
I'm not mixing mobile with money.
always taking into account that my mobile can get stolen one day.

 

[Gekko]

Lookout works. it found and alerted me to "Secret SMS Replicator" on my phone when i purposely installed it as a test. if someone were to surreptitiously install a spy app like this on my phone - i would most probably never know about it without a scanner app like Lookout. that's enough for me - i'm sold. and Lookout's other features are gravy.

https://www.lookout.com