SAMSUNG CLONE

MediaTek working on a 6-core CPU

Samsung isn’t the only company that thinks there’s a middle ground between quad-core and octa-core chips. Chip maker MediaTek is apparently working on its own hexa-core processor. 
 
According to a leaked product roadmap, the upcoming MT6591 is a 6-core processor with support for HSPA+ wireless networks and 1080p HD video playback. 
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The new hexa-core chip has a clock speed of 1.5 GHz and it’s apparently part of MediaTek’s “mainstream” product family rather than the company’s entry-level or premium product lines. 
 
What’s not clear is whether the new chip uses big.LITTLE technology like Samsung’s hexa-core Exynos 5260 (which pairs 2 ARM Cortex-A15 cores with 4 ARM Cortex-A7 processor cores). 
 
Other upcoming (and unannounced) chips in the roadmap include a 1.7 GHz octa-core, ARM Cortex-A53 64-bit processor called the MediaTek MT6572 which is due out toward the end of 2014, and the MT6571 1.3 GHz ARM Cortex-A7 dual-core chip for entry-level devices due out in the next few months.

MediaTek working on a 6-core CPU

Samsung isn’t the only company that thinks there’s a middle ground between quad-core and octa-core chips. Chip maker MediaTek is apparently ...

These are the Galaxy S5′s next-gen processors

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Both Samsung and Qualcomm unveiled new mobile processors that are believed to equip Galaxy S5 variants, including the new Exynos 5422 and the Snapdragon 801, respectively. When Samsung unveiled the Galaxy S5 on Monday, it only revealed that the device sports a 2.5GHz quad-core processor without specifying more details about it. However, when it published a specs infographic for the Galaxy S family, it noted that the Galaxy S5 will be available in two flavors when it comes to CPUs, including a 2.5GHz quad-core model and a 2.1GHz octa-core version. 
 
GigaOM says that the 2.5GHz quad-core processor is actually the new Snapdragon 801, as Samsung decided not to use a Snapdragon 800 version in its newest flagship handset – however some reports claimed that the phone will have a Snapdragon 800 CPU inside. 
 
The new Snapdragon 801 processor was announced on Sunday and has four Krait 400 cores with speeds up to 2.5GHz per core for “best-in-class” processing performance, Adreno 330 GPU graphics and “industry-leading battery performance.” Other features include support for up to 2560 x 2048 displays, on-chip LTE baseband, Quick Charge 2.0 technology, native support for 802.11ac Wi-Fi and digital imaging processing that should help with Samsung’s fast photo-taking claims for the Galaxy S5. However, this is not a 64-bit CPU. 
 
Similarly, the new Exynos 5422 part of Exynos 5 Octa family of Samsung mobile CPUs is not a 64-bit processor. The chip was announced on Wednesday, and while Samsung has not mentioned anywhere that the Exynos 5422 will be part of certain Galaxy S5 versions, the new chip certainly seems to match the company’s recent infographic. 
 
samsung-exynos-5-octa-5422 
 
The new Exynos 5422 will have eight cores including four Cortex-A15 cores that go up to 2.1GHz each, and four Cortex-A7 cores that go up to 1.5GHz each. Thanks to Heterogeneous Multi Processing (HMG) technology, phones that will make use of the processor will be able to use “any combination of up to eight cores” to provide a great performance, a feature not available on all of the previous Exynos 5 Octa chip versions. 
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The Exynos 5422 will offer support for high-resolution displays including WQHD (2560 x 1440) and WQXGA (2560 x 1600), 4K UHD video playback, and battery efficiency thanks to a “proprietary mobile image compression (MIC) and adaptive hibernation technology.” Built on 28nm fabrication process, the Exynos 5422 will be up to 10% more efficient and deliver up to 34% higher performance than previous Exynos 5 Octa processors. 
 
The Exynos 5422 is available now for sampling and is scheduled for mass production in the first quarter of 2014, another hint that the Galaxy S5 versions may have this particular chip on board. Samsung, however, is yet to confirm these processor choices for the Galaxy S5. Interestingly, both the Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 and the Samsung Exynos 5422 seem ready to support a “Prime” version of the Galaxy S5, a phone that was rumored to pack 2K resolution and 3GB of RAM prior to the event. 
 
In its press announcement, Samsung also mentioned the Exynos 5 Hexa (Exynos 5260) that’s found in a Galaxy Note 3 Neo version, two ISOCELL camera sensors, a new NFC chip and a new Wi-Fi solution for Internet of Things devices.

These are the Galaxy S5′s next-gen processors

Both Samsung and Qualcomm unveiled new mobile processors that are believed to equip Galaxy S5 variants, including the new Exynos 5422 and ...

Of Course There Already Is A Galaxy S5 Clone

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Even though the Galaxy S5 was only announced on Monday, a clone for the handset has already been unveiled, by Chinese device clone makers Goophone, which will be much less expensive than the real thing. The Goophone S5 will cost just $299.99, and for that price users will get a smartphone that looks almost exactly like the Galaxy S5, and offer almost similar specs. It’s not clear when the smartphone will ship to interested buyers, being currently marked as “out of stock” on the Goophone site. 
 
The Goophone will have a 5-inch Full HD display (1920 x 1080 resolution,) 2GHz MTK MT6592 octa-core processor, 2GB of RAM, 32GB of storage expandable via microSD card, 13-megapixel camera with LED flash, 5-megapixel front-facing camera, 2800mAh battery, dual SIM cards and Android 4.2 Jelly Bean on board. The phone’s display is slightly smaller than the Galaxy S5’s, and the phone only offers 3G support and 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi. 
 
The phone’s design appears to closely resemble the design of the Galaxy S5, complete with the new band aid-like plastic back, the colors (white, black, gold and blue,) and heart rate sensor underneath the rear camera, although the company doesn’t say anything about Goophone S5 actually supporting such a feature. A fingerprint scanner in the home button is also likely to be absent. 
 
Samsung surely can’t be happy about these clones popping up from China, but then again, the company knows a thing or two about being a close follower when it comes to launching products that look more or less like the competition’s.

Of Course There Already Is A Galaxy S5 Clone

Even though the Galaxy S5 was only announced on Monday, a clone for the handset has already been unveiled, by Chinese device clone makers ...

Millions of Android App Downloads Infected with Cryptocoin-Mining Code

Researchers have found apps in the Google Play store which are secretly hijacking mobiles to mine cryptocoins. 
 
More than a million Android smartphones are mining cryptocoins without the owners' knowledge, via apps downloaded from Google Play which stealthily incorporate 'hashing' software. 
 
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmzNx0I8cJ2nOUfc9wtYh9_OKntF2qqNJbXqZLuUrn5_ON85uspoBdP8xaa4K8w85T7ILy708IwcjI-HjPTt78u0oVdp2OtQUZiJkt1AFIkaun63YwX9sWJLVkGhe4xmEco1rVR32WnPg/s1600/9553bde9-5802-4f3e-bd63-121e44649e69-460x276.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmzNx0I8cJ2nOUfc9wtYh9_OKntF2qqNJbXqZLuUrn5_ON85uspoBdP8xaa4K8w85T7ILy708IwcjI-HjPTt78u0oVdp2OtQUZiJkt1AFIkaun63YwX9sWJLVkGhe4xmEco1rVR32WnPg/s1600/9553bde9-5802-4f3e-bd63-121e44649e69-460x276.jpeg" width="400" /></a>Researchers at security company Trend Micro say they have found at least two apps on the Google Play store, Songs and "Prized", which contain code to join any phone that has them to a cryptocoin-mining "pool". Each app has had between 1m and 5m downloads, meaning that up to 10m phones might be affected. Songs was still available at the time of publication. An email to the developer had not been answered by time of publication. 
 
The subverted apps seem to include a request to run the mining software within their terms and conditions - meaning that once the user clicks "OK" they have in effect given it permission to steal their processing time. Trend Micro criticised "the murky language and vague terminology" of the terms and conditions. 
 
The company also discovered bitcoin-mining code hidden in repackaged versions of Football Manager Handheld and TuneIn Radio outside Google Play. There is no suggestion that the ones on the official store are affected. 
 
Trend Micro was expanding on an initial report by security firm G Data International in February, detailing the malware ANDROIDOS_KAGECOIN.HBTB, which uses the modest processing power of individual mobiles to generate or mine bitcoin, dogecoin and litecoin without the knowledge of the owner of the devices it is running on. 
 
ANDROIDOS_KAGECOIN.HBTB works by injecting legitimate cryptocurrency mining code from an existing app into "repacked" versions of Android apps. 
 
"The miner is started as a background service once it detects that the affected device is connected to the Internet. By default, it launches the CPU miner to connect to a dynamic domain, which then redirects to an anonymous Dogecoin mining pool," explained Trend Micro in a blog post. 
 
The research company Canalys commented that "negative security PR continues to hurt Google Play's brand image." Security researchers have continued to discover malware variants targeting Android. But Trend Micro's discovery is one of the most serious, because it involves apps with huge download numbers that are available on Google Play. 
 
As the blog post points out, mining for cryptocoins in the background when a device is connected to the internet (i.e. throughout the day) saps its battery life, while charging it more often will wear it down in the long term. 
 
"Users with phones and tablets that are suddenly charging slowly, running hot, or quickly running out of batteries may want to consider if they have been exposed to this or similar threats," suggested the company. 
 
Both G Data and Trend Micro sell security software for Android, so have clear commercial reasons for highlighting malware on the platform in order to attract new customers. This also gives them a good reason to have a clear overview of emerging threats to Android devices.

Millions of Android App Downloads Infected with Cryptocoin-Mining Code

Researchers have found apps in the Google Play store which are secretly hijacking mobiles to mine cryptocoins. More than a million Android...

Samsung Having Production Issues With The Galaxy S5

There have been some rumors about production issues with Samsung's Galaxy S5. First, one of their factories caught fire, damaging some of their stock and production equipment. 
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Now, there are reports indicating that Samsung is having difficulty with properly centering the optics in the S5's 16MP ISOCELL camera sensor. 
 
On top of this, Samsung is facing stability issues with the coating process for the S5's lens module. Although they are making good progress in fixing these errors, the Korean tech-giant has definitely taken a hit as a result. 
 
Because of the setbacks, Samsung will only have 4-5 million S5 units available at launch, as opposed to the 5-7 million devices they originally anticipated. 
 
Anyone who is looking forward to the S5, are you a little anxious as to whether or not they'll be able to get the phone at launch? Or do you have doubts that the phone will hit its target date? Let us know in the comments!

Samsung Having Production Issues With The Galaxy S5

There have been some rumors about production issues with Samsung's Galaxy S5. First, one of their factories caught fire, damaging some o...

Samsung SM-G870 Galaxy S5 Active Surfaces

The trustworthy @evleaks tipster has delivered yet another interesting rumor. Apparently Samsung is working on a SM-G870 model, which should be released as Galaxy S5 Active. 
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The Galaxy S5 flagship was announced at the MWC in Barcelona last month. It features a top-notch hardware and is dust and water proof, so lots of people decided the Active version is probably retired. 
 
Well, if @evleaks is right, then we are getting an Active version of the flagship after all. We are not sure if 
 
Samsung will just upgrade the water resistance, but it may as well add some military certifications such as impact resistance or MIL-STD-810G certification - that's salt, dust, humidity, rain, vibration, solar radiation, transport and thermal shock resistance. 
 
Evleaks suggest the phone will launch on AT&T and Sprint among other carriers later this year.

Samsung SM-G870 Galaxy S5 Active Surfaces

The trustworthy @evleaks tipster has delivered yet another interesting rumor. Apparently Samsung is working on a SM-G870 model, which should...

Samsung Galaxy S5 Zoom Specs Surface, 20MP Camera in Tow

Now that the Galaxy S5 is already official and headed to the shelves, Samsung is finally able to shift its attention to its stablemates. It appears that the second smartphone to join the Galaxy S5 lineup will be the camera centric Samsung Galaxy S5 Zoom. 
 
A new leak has arrived, detailing the smartphone-slash-portable camera specs. The information comes from a presentation, where unfortunately photos weren't allowed so we'll have to make do with some hand-written notes. Normally we wouldn't pay much attention to such rumors, but we managed to confirm several bits of the info with sources we know are trustworthy so we are willing to give it all the benefit of doubt. 
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Anyway, the biggest change brought by the Samsung Galaxy S5 Zoom will be a slimmer body with no protruding lens. Samsung has obviously implemented some sort of internal zoom that we've seen on many compact digicams to keep the size in check this time. 
 
The smartphone will also feature a bigger 20 MP CMOS sensor with optical image stabilization and while it will lose the hump it will still come with 10x optical zoom. 
 
Another worthy improvement seems to be the bigger 4.8" display of 720p resolution. There will be Android 4.4 KitKat on board, 2 GB of RM, quad-core 1.6 GHz processor and a Xenon flash. Previously we heard an Exynos 5 Hexa with six cores will power the device. 
 
The design of the device isn't disclosed but we could bet on leather-mimicking plastic along the lines of the Galaxy S5 or the Note 3. 
 
As before aside from the shutter button Samsung is expected to include a zoom ring but this time it will be placed under your thumb rather than around the lens. 
 
There's no word on pricing or availability but our ninjas say we're going to see the device go live next week. 
 
The Galaxy S4 zoom sported almost identical specifications as the Galaxy S4 mini - a 4.3" Super AMOLED qHD display, similar design but came with a lower-grade dual-core Cortex-A9 processor so the Galaxy S5 Zoom seems like a very worthy upgrade.

Samsung Galaxy S5 Zoom Specs Surface, 20MP Camera in Tow

Now that the Galaxy S5 is already official and headed to the shelves, Samsung is finally able to shift its attention to its stablemates. It ...

Samsung Loses Patent Trial Against Apple in Japan

Tokyo District Court Judge Koji Hasegawa ruled that Apple's iPhone 4S, 4, and iPad 2 did not infringe on a data communications patent held by Samsung. The Korean company had claimed that the Apple devices were violating its intellectual property. 
 
This is the latest in a string of patent litigations that have gone through courts around the world, with the latest ruling out of the US awarding Apple some $930 million in damages. 
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A Samsung spokesman says the company is disappointed in the ruling out of Japan, but is yet to decide whether to appeal.

Samsung Loses Patent Trial Against Apple in Japan

Tokyo District Court Judge Koji Hasegawa ruled that Apple's iPhone 4S, 4, and iPad 2 did not infringe on a data communications patent he...

Samsung Galaxy S5 Hit Korea Today to Preempt Sales Ban

South Korean regulators caught the country's carriers violating laws that impose the maximum subsidy for a phone. The resulting 45 day ban of acquiring new customers that starts on April 5 would interfere with the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S5 on April 11. 
 
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7-gFnowam-sAOir3PKXPAY7nE20WIpDSGn0f84AQ2pRuumV1-Wf90zbgghTJtqZ4gFFdnP2hk5wpb1Ts7iVr-18_qJM-KVxVjCBJcDaZ46gxjLpdAjKP3GE-TNaHnjBP-d9lTtpfNHt4/s1600/big2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7-gFnowam-sAOir3PKXPAY7nE20WIpDSGn0f84AQ2pRuumV1-Wf90zbgghTJtqZ4gFFdnP2hk5wpb1Ts7iVr-18_qJM-KVxVjCBJcDaZ46gxjLpdAjKP3GE-TNaHnjBP-d9lTtpfNHt4/s1600/big2.jpg" /></a>The Galaxy S5 is going to be one of the hottest sellers for both Samsung and the carriers, so SK Telecom "strongly asked" Samsung to launch the flagship earlier. Starting today, SK Telecom stores and website will be offering the Galaxy S5 at KWR 866,800 ($810) off contract. 
 
The other two major carriers – KT and LG Uplus – will also be able to sell the Galaxy S5 under some restrictions. 
 
Samsung is "very puzzled" by SK's decision to move up the launch. The phone maker adds that the international launch of the device remains on April 11. Even if the company doesn’t entirely agree with the carrier's decision, investors are obviously quite happy as its stock went up 3.7%.

Samsung Galaxy S5 Hit Korea Today to Preempt Sales Ban

South Korean regulators caught the country's carriers violating laws that impose the maximum subsidy for a phone. The resulting 45 day b...

Samsung Galaxy S5 with Octa-Core Exynos Processor Launched in India

amsung Galaxy S5 has been announced in India, and the phone will be available starting April 11. Interested customers can go ahead and pre-order starting March 29th by paying Rs.1500 to get the phone on the day of the release. The exact pricing has not been revealed yet, but Samsung says that the price will be between Rs.51000 and Rs.53000. But reliable sources peg the price to be around Rs.51,500. 
 
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi19rybNJ31AsQbqKljWAyLtuOB2mheWzpbEgTKWLxdo_WtXXQHsvFoBdJFQuMkz0Kds50KaN9vS9OiADj4Mm_dpdkXG8ogCJ4Rj1Q4yMq953xyqLG2mClzahwobLCXe6IpQ_YVzR32t7Y/s1600/samsung-galaxy-s5-india.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi19rybNJ31AsQbqKljWAyLtuOB2mheWzpbEgTKWLxdo_WtXXQHsvFoBdJFQuMkz0Kds50KaN9vS9OiADj4Mm_dpdkXG8ogCJ4Rj1Q4yMq953xyqLG2mClzahwobLCXe6IpQ_YVzR32t7Y/s1600/samsung-galaxy-s5-india.jpg" width="400" /></a>As for the specifications, the Galaxy S5 sports a 5.1-inch Full HD AMOLED display and is powered by an Exynos octa-core processor (1.9GHz quad core + 1.3GHz quad core) and paired with 2GB of RAM. Internationally, it comes with 2.5GHz Snapdragon 801 processor (with LTE support). Other features include, a 16-megapixel rear-facing camera, a 2-megapixel front-facing camera and a 2800 mAh battery. Connectivity options include 3G support, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth. It runs on the latest Android 4.4 KitKat. Also, taking cues from Sony, Samsung has made the device water+dust resistant (IP 67 certified) and also includes a fingerprint scanner like the iPhone 5S, and a heart rate monitor as well. 
 
Though Samsung was able to sell the Galaxy S4 in millions, the overall sales were little dampening considering the previous record sales. Samsung will be hoping the Galaxy S5 can take on other Android flagships like the HTC One (M8) and Sony Xperia Z2 in a quest to capture the elite market-share at the start of the year. 
 
The company is bundling a bunch of apps worth $575 for free. The global sales will also start on April 11th. Samsung India mentioned that they plan to release the 4G LTE version (with Snapdragon 801) later in the year if they see a demand for the same. 
 
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
What we think of this What we think of this It’s sad that Samsung chooses their own Exynos processor for their flagship device launched in India. The Snapdrgon variant is definitely better and a proven processor. Also, it supports the Indian LTE (TD-LTE 40), unlike the Exynos. The pricing too is definitely on a higher side, but Samsung plans to provide attractive finance options and buyback schemes to keep customers interested.</blockquote>

Samsung Galaxy S5 with Octa-Core Exynos Processor Launched in India

amsung Galaxy S5 has been announced in India, and the phone will be available starting April 11. Interested customers can go ahead and pre-o...

Samsung 'Puzzled' by Early S5 Smartphone Launch

Mobile operators in South Korea have started selling Samsung's flagship Galaxy S5 phone three weeks early. 
 
Due to go on sale on 11 April in South Korea, the S5 is already available from three operators, including the country's biggest network. 
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm3r5jyZ2ngJZ8Bo6nqZxtdx-b72M_22fG3yIVZtB95Ka2-8tJaFVWO6QayoWwz24WaZCut4k4QS-9Qg1IZiyYZ6Ejg0aMG_UxrZT2_7T4yEAajBZ_w_abloz8WcPnA9y2MbhahlnM7Qo/s1600/_73849193_021682397-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm3r5jyZ2ngJZ8Bo6nqZxtdx-b72M_22fG3yIVZtB95Ka2-8tJaFVWO6QayoWwz24WaZCut4k4QS-9Qg1IZiyYZ6Ejg0aMG_UxrZT2_7T4yEAajBZ_w_abloz8WcPnA9y2MbhahlnM7Qo/s1600/_73849193_021682397-1.jpg" /></a> 
The three are selling the phone now to get round government restrictions on to whom they can sell new handsets. 
 
Samsung said it was "very puzzled" by the operators' actions and was deciding how to respond. 
 
SK Telecom, KT Corp and LG Uplus have all been able to start selling the S5 because Samsung has already shipped large numbers of the handset to them prior to the official launch. 
 
Many Korean mobile firms are facing a ban on signing up new customers, imposed by the country's telecommunications regulator. The operators are being punished for using illegal subsidies to attract new customers. 
 
The ban on SK Telecom, the country's biggest operator, comes into force on 5 April and lasts for 45 days. Selling the S5 now means it can make up some of the sales it would lose if it waited until the ban expires - well after the official S5 launch date. 
 
KT Corp and LG Uplus are already subject to restrictions that limit to whom they can sell phones. In reaction, the operators are selling the phone to those customers not covered by the restrictions. 
 
The Galaxy S5 was launched at the Mobile World Congress show held in Barcelona late last month. Samsung said the early sales of the S5 in Korea would not affect launch dates for the phone elsewhere in the world.

Samsung 'Puzzled' by Early S5 Smartphone Launch

Mobile operators in South Korea have started selling Samsung's flagship Galaxy S5 phone three weeks early. Due to go on sale on 11 Apr...

Android Apps Booby-Trapped to Mine Virtual Cash

Android apps that have been downloaded millions of times have been subverted to mine virtual coins for cyberthieves, say security firms. 
 
Two firms have found apps inside and outside the Google Play store seeded with the hidden mining code. 
 
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1TBjskzPBRTxoVKgMydfGlSv4b7QMf-swUYafpghPKmW8Y1ZzVa-fIqmVyVM1z4nr8lqFXAVicXgYv96i1Q8Uwa4Y7duN6YKfXhOknI1WliQgUy5Bjy1CdYXlyMN8mNfmnxbOtp8kXAA/s1600/_73842920_021508676-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1TBjskzPBRTxoVKgMydfGlSv4b7QMf-swUYafpghPKmW8Y1ZzVa-fIqmVyVM1z4nr8lqFXAVicXgYv96i1Q8Uwa4Y7duN6YKfXhOknI1WliQgUy5Bjy1CdYXlyMN8mNfmnxbOtp8kXAA/s1600/_73842920_021508676-1.jpg" width="320" /></a>The programs have been mining coins for the Dogecoin, Litecoin and Casinocoin virtual currencies. 
 
If installed, the booby-trapped apps will run down a phone's battery very quickly, said researchers. 
 
Hot phones 
Some of the apps harbouring the mining code were found on non-official Android stores but two of the programs, called Songs and Prized, are still available on the Google Play store. Songs has been downloaded at least one million times. 
 
Lookout said it had seen the apps in stores popular in Spain and France. 
 
Thieves are keen to steal computer power because virtual currencies such as Bitcoin, Dogecoin and others rely on large networks of connected machines. All those computers verify who is spending what and fresh coins are handed out for being involved - a process known as mining. 
 
The more computer power someone can amass, the more mining they can do and, potentially, the more coins they can acquire. 
 
However, using phones to do the mining was "odd", said Trend Micro researcher Veo Zhang in a blogpost detailing the apps seeded with the crypto coin code. 
 
"Phones do not have sufficient performance to serve as effective miners," he said. 
 
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Yes, they can gain money this way, but at a glacial pace. Veo Zhang, Trend Micro.</blockquote>
Lookout security researcher Marc Rogers said the simplistic nature of the code made it potentially dangerous as it made no attempt to manage how much processing power it used. Instead, he said, it just grabbed as much as it can. 
 
"It will drive the hardware to mine until it runs out of battery," he said. "Overheating associated with this kind of harsh use can also damage hardware." 
 
Those behind the coin code might have made efforts to hide the fact that phones were mining but users were still likely to notice, said Mr Zhang. 
 
"Slow charging and excessively hot phones will all be seen, making the miner's presence not particularly stealthy," he wrote. "Yes, they can gain money this way, but at a glacial pace." 
 
Despite this, he said, one of the groups producing the malicious apps had managed to amass thousands of Dogecoins which they then swapped for Bitcoins. One Bitcoin is currently worth £337. 
 
Mr Rogers from Lookout said users might notice as mining involves swapping lots of data back and forth - which could quickly eat up a monthly data allowance. 
 
Mr Zhang said Trend Micro had told Google's Android security team about its findings. Google has yet to comment on the discovery of the mining apps.

Android Apps Booby-Trapped to Mine Virtual Cash

Android apps that have been downloaded millions of times have been subverted to mine virtual coins for cyberthieves, say security firms. T...

Android Apps for Wearable Devices In Future

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Developers and designers are now building apps for Google’s smart watch platform.</h2>
The designers of the forthcoming Moto 360 hope they’ve passed a fashion test. In contrast to the often bulky and boxy smart watches released to date (see “Smart Watches Need a Makeover, and a Shrink Ray”), their device is sleek and perfectly round, evoking the style of a classic analog wristwatch. 
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMDf6sExh4uWgljNV8wOYfavzLVG32EPITZV7DBxTJk4as1JnSoyyRz_qRUqnrzGbNew0QxuItEhr7VpZUG4Qia53NeRtMm_tEORH3xfLeGHFH3251Gr8wrqRGy0i9xjXy-xoTwnLdiCY/s1600/android.wearx299.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMDf6sExh4uWgljNV8wOYfavzLVG32EPITZV7DBxTJk4as1JnSoyyRz_qRUqnrzGbNew0QxuItEhr7VpZUG4Qia53NeRtMm_tEORH3xfLeGHFH3251Gr8wrqRGy0i9xjXy-xoTwnLdiCY/s1600/android.wearx299.png" /></a> 
But beneath the slick design lies even slicker software. A new version of Android, called Android Wear (see “New SDK Shows Google Really Wants to Get on Your Body”), allows apps for the watch to be created using simple tweaks to existing Android apps. 
 
The nice design and promised ease of development have encouraged a handful of developers and designers to prototype the first wearable apps for Android Wear. For example, a developer at the startup Pocket has proposed an app that would let someone wearing the watch slip notifications and e-mail alerts into a special folder for later review on his smartphone. Designers, meanwhile, have mocked up wearable apps including trip planners and speed-reading e-mail clients using the interface guidelines included with Android Wear. 
 
While the market for wrist-worn computing is uncertain, Google hopes to gain an early edge by leveraging the many Android developers already out there. Other smart watches, including the Pebble and the latest Samsung Galaxy Gear, use their own operating systems, forcing prospective developers to learn to code for a new platform. 
 
Samsung put a new operating system, called Tizen, on the latest version of its Galaxy Gear smart watch (see “Samsung Weans Itself from Android, at Least for Smart Watches”) partly to undermine the dominance Google has achieved so far in mobile software. The release of Android Wear is also something of a preëmptive strike, since Apple is widely expected to release its own watch this year. 
 
Android’s dominant position in mobile software could give it an edge over Apple in smart watches. Cecilia Abadie, a developer at 33Labs, a mobile development company in Los Angeles, says she is building a personal fitness training app and personal assistant app for the Moto 360. “Android Wear has better chances of winning the next big battle of wearables against Apple, in the same way Android itself won the battle in number of [smartphone] units sold,” she says. 
 
Det Ansinn, president of BrickSimple, an Android app development firm in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, says he’s already experimenting with the new software development kit. “They’ve made it very easy for Android developers to support experiences on these watches,” he says. “You can generate a notification that generates meaningful controls using the exact same notification mechanisms that you are familiar with.” 
 
The Moto 360 was created by Motorola Mobility, which Google is in the process of selling to Lenovo. The smart watch won’t be out until summer, and no price has been diclosed. And while no third-party apps have yet been released for Android Wear, Google has shown some concepts, including weather and traffic updates, the ability to dictate short e-mails, and turn-by-turn directions. 
 
“Basically apps on the phone already have an on-ramp to the watch,” says Ansinn. “It makes the Android Wear devices truly an extension of the device in the pocket.” He points out that dismissing a notification on a watch also dismisses it on the phone. 
 
The software development kit lets developers integrate Google’s voice-driven personal assistant Google Now into their software for smart watches and other devices. In announcing the software development kit last week, Google said it’s working with companies including Asus, HTC, LG, Samsung, Intel, Qualcomm, and Fossil Group to build devices that can use Android Wear apps. 
 
The Moto 360 will have swipe controls, but Abadie of 33Labs believes good voice control will determine whether consumers actually find it convenient to use the device. “As people get used to talking to their devices, we’ll see that in the next few years, all software and hardware will need to add a new layer of voice, allowing people to talk to them and being able to talk back,” she says. “These devices will make voice mainstream again.” 
 
If smart watches are to gain mainstream acceptance, they’ll also need to be well-designed. In a talk last week, Jim Wicks, lead designer of Moto 360, says the first priority was making sure consumers would actually want to wear the smart watch. Not all early wearable gadgets have passed that bar: Google Glass has been hampered by reactions that it is bizarre, geeky, and downright creepy. Those reactions have, in turn, limited developers’ appetite for writing Glass apps. 
 
To help the Moto 360 “pass the fashion test,” Wicks says, his team chose a brushed stainless steel case, optional leather straps, and the familiar round shape that most people choose when buying a traditional watch. And they banished cameras: “We did not see it as essential,” he says. 
 
But Wicks acknowledges that other features will be equally crucial to the device’s popularity: for example, easy tie-in with Android apps, and the “ability to talk to your watch, and have it do things for you.”

Android Apps for Wearable Devices In Future

Developers and designers are now building apps for Google’s smart watch platform. The designers of the forthcoming Moto 360 hope they’ve...