Android Mobile Device

Remember a few weeks ago when we got the Android OS Update for a Security Fix but no details were provided? Well… I think now we know what that was all about. At the Black Hat Security Conference in Las Vegas, Charlie Miller and Collin Mulliner spoke about vulnerabilities in mobile platforms like Android, iPhone, and Windows Mobile.

The two researchers created a layer, called the injector, just above the bottom of the telephony stack that performs a man-in-the-middle attack by intercepting communication between a mobile device’s modem and multiplexer.

The pair state that they found multiple SMS vulnerabilities on Android and iPhone systems and are still working on Windows Mobile systems.

Uhohs! The problem is pretty severe, too. Check out how it effects the iPhone:

“This bug can be utilized for a serious denial-of-service attack since the victim can be effectively barred from making and receiving phone calls,” the researchers claim.

And the problem in Android is more permanent:

“The bug is similar to the second iPhone bug in the way that it kills the telephony process (com.android.phone) and thus kicks the Android device from the mobile phone network,” the pair state in their paper. “On Android the bug is a little more interesting since it will permanently kick the target device off the network if the SIM card residing in the phone has a PIN set.”

Apparently the iPhone problem still exists, leading some journalists to suggest you turn off your iPhone if you get weird text messages. Google on the other hand has already patched the problem for Android. And it couldn’t have been patched if they didn’t push the update to mobile phones, so we’re guessing that is EXACTLY what happened when making the update seen below:

Props to Google and the Android team for staying on top of things. And if you’ve got an iPhone… *golf clap*

Lately we’ve voiced our irritation that the Samsung Galaxy isn’t available much of anywhere. Not only that, but we haven’t heard a peep from Samsung about their plans on bringing it to other lands. Finally we’ve got some good news – the Samsung Galaxy just passed the FCC!

There is good news and bad news… which do you want first? Okay:

Good news: it has 3G
Bad news: The “L” at the end of model number “A3LGTI7500L” likely stands for Latin America
Worse News: The American version passed through the FCC in May

Sorry… I forgot about the worse news until… I remembered it. So Latin American folks should rejoice while Americans should try to find some solace in the fact that this thing might one day in the not too distant future arrive on T-Mobile USA. It already passed through the FCC months ago… I mean… Please?

[Via EngadgetMobile]

The wait is over. Now that some T-Mobile customers are reporting they have received their MyTouch 3G, Google has made the new apps packaged with the phone available on the Android Market. This includes the highly regarded “Sherpa” application and T-Mobile Visual Voicemail – 2 applications that are bound to find room on plenty of home screens.

So head on over to Android Market, MyTouch 3G or not, and download the goods. Make sure you swing back by and let us now how you like them!

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]

The government’s purpose is to serve the people and that they have done very, very well – the FCC has just passed the Motorola Morrison with flying colors, giving us some additional details about the upcoming and unannounced handset. Lets piece together the clues.

First we have the “Attestation Statements” which give us a bunch of brilliant specs while also outing the model number as CLIQ MB200 – will this come to market as the Motorola CLIQ?

That’s a nice collection of specs!

The FCC sent a document back to Motorola asking them to clarify several points. One of their answers in the document – named Supplemental Response to IHD90566 – confirms that both a black and a white version of the phone will be available:

Then we slide on over to Exhibit 6A2 which is the Bluetooth Addendum Report filed way back in mid May which tells us straight up the battery used on the device:

I’m not sure where they got it, but Cell Phone Signal was able to grab an internal document showing the battery model’s used on each phone:

That number matches up – SNN5843A – letting us know that (assuming CPS is right) this IS indeed the Motorola Morrison. Possibly soon to be called Motorola CLIQ. Speaking of which, if HTC ends up launching their HTC Click we could have a little naming war! In case you’re wondering what the heck this Morrison/CLIQ we speak of looks like, let us remind you:

Although a trip through the FCC usually means a launch date is around the corner, documents show Motorola filed for 180 days of confidentiality so a release in 2009 isn’t even guaranteed. We’ll let you know as soon as any more information pops out of the woodwork.

[FCC via CPS]

A series of how-to videos just released showing just how to do all the basic need to know functions of the myTouch 3G. The series of videos come in 12 parts so that you do not have to go through and watch most of the video just to find a specific potion.

Most of the video cover tasks that are usually pretty self explanatory such as installing the battery and SIM card. There are a few though that can really come in handy such as now to complete a master reset of the device. Here is a complete list of what is covered in the instructional videos:

• How to Install the Battery, SIM card & Memory card on the myTouch 3G
• How to Set up a Gmail Account on the myTouch 3G
• How to Text Message on the myTouch 3G
• How to Copy SIM Card Contacts on the myTouch 3G
• How to copy Contacts from Outlook to Gmail
• How to access the Internet on the myTouch 3G
• How to Customize the Home Screen on the myTouch 3G
• How to use the Camera on the myTouch 3G
• How to Search the Android Market on the myTouch 3G
• How to Take a Video on the myTouch 3G
• How to Make a Call on the myTouch 3G
• How to Complete a Master Reset on the myTouch 3G

These may all seem pretty useless to many tech heads but there are many of us who are lost with today’s technology. Companies should really invest the time in having more video support for their devices. Who out there is excited to get their hands on the myTouch 3G?