Android apps for mobile phone

[daveh]

I have just bought a new phone that will enable me to access Android apps.

 

I previously had a Samsung phone and the Samsung apps didn't interest me much whereas the ones available via Android look quite good with so many of them avilabale.

 

On looking at the apps pages onlne (via our pc), I noticed that there is a "permissions" tab to click on that describes some of the downsides to acquiring each app. Here are the ones from a typical app:

 

Permissions

 

This application has access to the following:

 

Network communication

create Bluetooth connections

 

Allows the app to view the configuration of the local Bluetooth tablet, and to make and accept connections with paired devices. Allows the app to view the configuration of the local Bluetooth phone, and to make and accept connections with paired devices.

 

full Internet access

 

Allows the app to create network sockets.

 

Your personal information

add or modify calendar events and send email to guests without owners' knowledge

 

Allows the app to send event invitations as the calendar owner and add, remove, change events that you can modify on your device, including those of friends or co-workers. Malicious apps may send spam emails that appear to come from calendar owners, modify events without the owners' knowledge, or add fake events.

 

Phone calls

read phone state and identity

 

Allows the app to access the phone features of the device. An app with this permission can determine the phone number and serial number of this phone, whether a call is active, the number that call is connected to and the like.

 

Storage

modify/delete USB storage contents modify/delete SD card contents

 

Allows the app to write to the USB storage. Allows the app to write to the SD card.

 

System tools

prevent tablet from sleeping prevent phone from sleeping

 

Allows the app to prevent the tablet from going to sleep. Allows the app to prevent the phone from going to sleep.

 

I was somewhat put off loading any of the apps having read this. Am I worrying unnecessarily or do some of these apps actually cause problems for the user via these "permissions"?

 

Thanks,

Concerned of Cunningsburgh

[HN38]

Every app has different permissions if you see an app you like from the android market assuming its same set out as my one called play store click on download and it will give you that apps permissions then you can decide whether to actually download it or not

[Spinner72]

Its always worth a browse through the permissions before installing anything simply to make sure they all make sense.

 

For example a guitar tuner app may just need to prevent the phone from going into standby, whilst the Ebay app will obviously require network access.

 

Also read the reviews and ratings, if something has 5 stars, has been downloaded thousands of times and has no negaive reviews, chances are you have nothing to worry about, and vice versa..

[daveh]

^^

 

Thanks.

I always read the reviews first. I am in my 60s so, being an old git, am not one to use my phone for playing games. I guess that I am just being over-cautious but the reference to the apps sending out emails certainly caused me concern. However, I have seen this one on quite a few apps so would guess that it is ok.

[MJ]

can I recomend Lookout (free virus & location service), Tunein (free online radio, podcasts & iplayer that runs in the background) & TVcatchup (free app that runs the TV streams used on their website), Auroa Buddy (free - going to get you seeing the northern lights sometime), a QR/barcode reader (I haven't yet found one I like enough to recomend) and a file explorer (ditto), also you may need to download adobe reader & flashplayer.