Avast! Mobile Security BETA for Android

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DrStrangelove

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#94411 10-Dec-2011 02:03

Just noticed Avast has joined the Android crowd with Avast! Mobile Security BETA.

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.avast.android.mobilesecurity

Just gives those who use Avast security on there desktops the same warm fuzzy on an Android device.

nakedmolerat

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#556192 10-Dec-2011 02:56

another good app to kill the battery & performance

DrStrangelove

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#561103 24-Dec-2011 04:13

I found a really doggie looking game on the Android 1Mobile Market and as it was the game I was looking for I installed it, even though none of the description made sense and it just looked wrong.
I was using NetQin security at the time and 'bing' it noted the app I was downloading had a virus and gave me options to stop the install.

This is cool.

I've been using Lookout on my mobile for ages and downloading everything under the sun with no problems noted.
You then start to wonder if there was a virus would it even detect it.

So I uninstalled NetQin and installed Lookout on this Android box (box has no SIM in it) and started again.

Same thing happened downloaded the 'rouge' game and Lookout noted that there was a virus.

Cool bananas.

OK, so I'll try Avast ......oh dear. It didn't detect the virus on download and even when I did a complete scan of the box after the download it didn't detect the virus. It did detect Z4Root and thinks that's a virus.

So Avast on an Android system may not be as robust as other Anti-virus systems at this time, however to be fair, it's still probably early days for Avast.

Reinstalled NetQin and did a virus scan and it found the virus and deleted it.

I notified 1Mobile Market about the 'fake game' having the 'getsim' virus, so it'll be interesting to see how they respond and how long the virus app will be available on their site.

I read that Google did a bit of house keeping on the Android Market site a while back and cleaned off a few 'bad' apps.

Dratsab

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#561137 24-Dec-2011 09:58

I've been using Avast on my SGSII for over a month now. The anti-theft portion of the software came a from an ITAgents product I had been running prior to that called Theft Aware. ITAGents were recently brought by Avast.

I've found the software has very little memory overhead. The impact on battery life has been so negligable I haven't noticed it

It's out of Beta now.

Batman

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#561170 24-Dec-2011 12:30

nakedmolerat: another good app to kill the battery & performance

exactly my thoughts ... please someone tell me i don't need this if i use my phone for business rather than downloading rubbish?

johnr

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#561188 24-Dec-2011 13:14

joker97:
nakedmolerat: another good app to kill the battery & performance

exactly my thoughts ... please someone tell me i don't need this if i use my phone for business rather than downloading rubbish?

You got it,

DrStrangelove

368 posts

Ultimate Geek

#561239 24-Dec-2011 18:06

If one only downloads well known applications from the Google Android market with high levels of positive user feedback and NEVER goes off piste or downloads new applications with minimal feedback, one should be OK.

Although if I look at high level battery usage it's the display, WiFi and Cell Standby, that are using 80% of my battery.

One may need to do a more in depth study of the Avast memory usage, but if it stays true to form it should be minimal.

nakedmolerat

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#561240 24-Dec-2011 18:19

joker97:
nakedmolerat: another good app to kill the battery & performance

exactly my thoughts ... please someone tell me i don't need this if i use my phone for business rather than downloading rubbish?

i have avast in my phone for few days now (to those interested, this app is not BETA anymore)

surprisingly, it does not affect my battery life or performance. anti-theft module that comes with this app is excellent.

i personally dont think that we need antivirus on android. however, if you want antivirus to make you feel 'secure', i highly recommend it. i have uninstalled the antivirus part and leave the anti-theft module behind.

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johnr

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#561249 24-Dec-2011 18:53

Is the avast ICON smaller now?

DrStrangelove

368 posts

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#561326 25-Dec-2011 03:31

ha, ha, I'm not sure the status bar icon is smaller at the moment.
However, you can 'hide' it/not display it from within settings.

But the icon just reappears again later when Avast is activated at a later time. Not ideal, but I'm sure things can only get better.

freitasm

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#561358 25-Dec-2011 10:23

Even if you download apps from Android market only you may still get hit... We see reports every couple of days of Google pulling one app or another from the market.