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Verizon’s Valentine’s Day Twitter Contest – Enter To Win A DROID RAZR

We already know that Android users are more promiscuous than all the other mobile OS user out there and what better way to help you seal the deal on Valentine’s Day than getting your special someone a brand spankin’ new Android device?

Forget those 5ft tall stuff animals at the fair (seriously, where do you keep those?), Verizon Wireless is giving away colored Motorola Droid Razr’s for those romantic Droids who can tweet the most “creative (hopefully not indecent) confessions” between February 13th and 14th using the hashtag #TweetHeart. If you win and decide to keep the purple Razr for yourself, shoot. I wouldn’t blame ya.

[Twitter]

New Android Malware Threat Arises – Could Potentially Bypass Google’s “Bouncer”

If you thought Google’s newly introduced malware detection tool, Bouncer, would be enough to allow you to go download crazy in the Android Market, you may want to have a seat.

According to Forbes, a North Carolina State University professor detailed on his blog how he and his team discovered a new malware threat that when installed, can evade virus scans and permission requests, making any wrongdoing virtually undetectable. Dubbed “Rootsmart, ” the app uses a process called “privilege escalation” that after having been installed for a few hours (days even), will begin downloading new code from a remote server hiding the data transfer in the phone’s normal communications.

The downloaded code is the ever popular “Gingerbreak” exploit that we’ve told you guys about in past which is able to gain complete access to a device’s SMS, phone calls, data — even recording sensitive phone conversations. Theoretically, Bouncer wouldn’t be able to detect malware in the app because the known malware (Gingerbreak in this case) wouldn’t initially be found in the app.

The cat-and-mouse game continues and like we’ve learned so many times in the past, where there are evildoers, nothing can ever be 100% full proof. Although the offending code has yet to be found anywhere in the Android Market (only 3rd party Chinese app site) one should always be cautious when installing apps from unknown sources — especially sketchy sites offering free pirated apps online.

[Forbes]

Samsung Galaxy Note Super Bowl Ad: Hot or Not?

A few weeks back, we told you guys about how Samsung was attempting to gain an “Apple like” following with their products and yesterday’s Super Bowl ad was the climax of that, giving us a magnificently showy conclusion to the “The Next Big Thing” ad campaign.

The video showcased Apple fanboys/girls who — after taking a look at Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Note — finally had enough of their prison that was the iPhone X line, waiting around for the next best thing when it was already here. These brand new Samsung converts skipped and danced their way out of Apple’s line/jail and into the bright wonderful streets of Samsung’s smartphone lineup with, none other than The Darkness, providing vocals for what even “the barrista” called an over the top ad spot.

While I don’t have any issue with the ad (it was the Super Bowl after all) and even though I did feel like it was bordering on the edge of “cheesy,” I can’t lie, I did crack a smile, especially when I saw Phandroid’s Kevin Krause look-alike being shot from a 2-story canon. But here’s my problem (if you can even call it that).

Aside from our Android readers who have most likely seen their entire ad campaign thanks to Phandroid’s razor sharp reporting, many people watching the ad had absolutely no context on which to base the commercial upon. For many of them, this was the very first Samsung ad they’ve seen in their living rooms. And while I’m sure most got the basic picture of “iPhone isn’t that great, Galaxy Note has a stylus,” things were still a little unclear for people. I was actually asked if it was a T-Mobile ad thanks to Darkness frontman Justin Hawkins wearing magenta stripped tights.

Now, I’m nothing more than a lonely blogger, but I think if Samsung wants to gain a strong “Apple-like” following, they’re going to need to do a few things first:

1. Start offering fewer, high-end devices: This could be a new Galaxy device that launches every year with top of the line specs and leave it at that. No, Galaxy S II, GSII Skyrocket, GSII Skyrocket HD. It muddies up the line and confuses consumers.
2. Support current devices: Now this is easier said than done when Samsung makes everything from low-end budget, to high-end devices. But it needs to become more of a priority. Make your current customers proud they own a Samsung smartphone and they’re sure to tell their friends. Updated software should never be used as a marketing gimmick to force users to upgrade, especially if current gen hardware could realistically support it.
3. Make the US a priority: The GSII launched in Korea first — I get that. But we, in the US, waited for almost a year before we were able to get the device through our carrier. Now, I’m not saying we should get a device first (from what I hear, there are other countries in world besides the US) but if possible, global releases should be as close to each other as possible, providing Samsung factories can support the demand.
4. Sell better: Make ads that show off features and functions people will use. Your phone is 5-inches and comes with a stylus. Show off hypothetical situation that could arise from having this functionality in a phone.

I understand that a lot of these suggestions rely largely on carrier cooperation and not I’m saying saying Samsung is at all to blame for this. Also, I don’t want this to be seen as a Samsung bashing post — I recently switched to the Galaxy S II on Sprint and without a doubt, it’s the best device I’ve ever own in smartphone life — I just wanted to create some dialog with our readers and give my humble point of view in the process.

Now it’s your turn. What did you think of the Samsung’s Galaxy S II ad during the Super Bowl? Hit or miss? More importantly, what do you think Samsung needs to do from here on out if they really want this coveted religious following?

Android Public Service Announcement: Apps That Require 5 Star Ratings To Play – Don’t

Chances are, if you’ve downloaded your share of applications from the Android Market you’ve run into at least one situation where the the app will ask (sometimes require) the user to give it a 5 star rating in the Market before continuing. By clicking “yes,” a user will then be taken to the application in the Market where they can rate it.

Whether or not the app is deserving of a 5-star rating is one thing, but did you know that you don’t even have to rate it the app at all to continue? It’s true. Simply click “yes” to rating the app in the Market and you can immediately click the back button to continue as usual. There is no way for an app to track and see if you’ve actually rated it.

Now, if you’re downloading apps that are requiring you to rate before playing, not only should you be concerned (many apps containing malware will require this to bait more users) but you might want to warn other would-be downloaders by making this known in the Market. Keep in mind, many perfectly safe and deserving apps will ask or remind you to rate the app in the Market and you should. Android developers live and die by their app ratings and if you want to help make Android a better place, by all means — RATE.

Thanks, Marc!

[Reddit]