LibreOffice is Growing! Coming to Android & iOS!

Ever heard of LibreOffice?  If not, it is a free and open-source office suite that rivals the Microsoft Office Suite.  It has many comparable components and makes a great office solution for those who lack the pocket money to purchase MS Office, or those who just like using open-source software (I fall into both categories lol).  LibreOffice originated as a fork of the OpenOffice.org project and is simply outstanding.  Not to mention it is cross platform meaning you can use it on Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems (it comes default with Ubuntu 11.04 and up)!

Just the other day the development team working on LibreOffice announced that they are aiming for a mobile client for both Android and iOS tablet devices (with phone support rolling out later); as well as offering an online counterpart to their offline software (probably something similar to Google Docs).  This is great news for the LibreOffice project because with expansion we see that the project is building steam among it's users (with a growing community as well).  Look for it heading to your mobile device late 2012 (maybe even early 2013).

If you haven't checked into LibreOffice yet, I would highly recommend doing so.  If you do check it out you may want to watch my previous video about how to set the default file formats to Microsoft Office compatible formats after installing to ensure everyone can open your documents.

Download: http://www.libreoffice.org/
My LibreOffice Video Post:
http://www.techiesmarts.com/2011/09/help-ubuntu-making-libreoffice-play.html

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Android Security in a Nutshell

A hot topic within the mobile technology world for sometime now has been the topic of malware, virus protection, and security.  If you are an Android user, you've probably seen the anti-virus apps in the Android Market for AVG and Norton (and I think there are a few others as well).  These apps are good and well for some I'm sure.

Personally, I installed the AVG mobile app on Acer Iconia a500 and wasn't impressed with the app at all.  It runs in the background (even though I didn't notice a hit to the performance); I couldn't tell that it was actually doing a proactive job at protecting me anymore than if I were to use a good square head and some common sense.

So, in the spirit of making informed choices based on common sense, here is a short list of things you can do to help make your Android experience a little safer for you and others.

1- Only download from trusted sources.
There are a lot of apps in the Android Market.  And pretty much anyone can make an Android App and get it listed.  Google filters out some of the junk apps over time, but they definitely don't catch everything.  When browsing the Android Market I try to look for apps that are developed by individuals or companies who I am familiar with.  I would rather purchase a game from a company  like GamEvil or Gameloft as opposed to John Doe from Kentucky.  If it looks funny or questionable, it probably is.  If the app listing doesn't have pictures or video of the app in action, I pass it up.  No question. If they can't show it off, I shouldn't waste my time on it.  Simple as that.  Every app has a list of permissions it needs when being ran.  Keep an eye on these, they will help you sniff out whether or not a specific app should be trusted.

2- Leave 'Download from Untrusted Sources' disabled.
If you may be tempted to try an app you found on somebodies website where you download the individual .apk file; you probably need to leave the option to download/install from these sources alone.  By default it is disabled by most devices.  It is easy to get a hold of a bad .apk using this means of installation.

3- Use only trusted App Markets.
There are several Marketplaces out there, beside Google's Android Market.  Aside from the included Google Android Market, I also have Amazon's App Store installed.  For those who aren't familiar with Amazon's offering, their prices are competitive with Google's Android Market.  However, Amazon gives away a paid app for free everyday.  Sometimes the apps are rather simple or dull.  And sometimes they are top notch mobile games.

The only catch to Amazon's App Store, is any app you have installed using the Amazon App Store requires the Amazon App Store to be on the device to launch the app.  Otherwise, it's great.

4- Secure your device.
This can be done by setting a lock screen password or gesture on most Android devices.  After all, security threats don't just linger online.  It can come from you leaving your phone plugged up in the break room at work.  Or if your device gets lost or stolen, there are even apps that allow you to remotely wipe or locate your device.

5- Beware of who you share information with online.
It's true, we are as mobile as we ever were.  And we all still require the same amount of data retention on the go as we do sitting on our couches playing with smartphones.  But this same concept can be used in basic, everyday computing as well.  Always remember what services you use on your device, and make sure that they will never send an email asking for your account credentials  If you receive a request via email or live chat asking for any personal information, it's a good idea to contact the host of those services directly (by physically visiting their site, sending an email yourself to their support, or calling them) to verify the situation.  In most cases, you can even forward the email to the host and let them record the email as spam.

Using these 5 simple concepts will make not only your mobile experience a much safer one, but your everyday computer use will benefit too.  It is true that mobile malware is becoming more of a threat to your Android device, but keep in mind that this malware has to be run by you (the user).  So the front line defense for any device should be the user (you) keeping a clear head on what you are running.

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Tablet Price Drops In the Near Future? Very Possible.

DigiTimes reported that tablet makers are expected to go through another "Tablet Price War"  probably by the end of September.  This is obviously excluding the iPad.  Apple obviously has no plans on budging on it's pricing.  But other vendors may very well be fixing to make some price cuts in order to minimize damages due to unsold inventory.

Does this mean tablets are going extinct?  Nope, it just means that the current price point for the devices is still too high for the average consumer to digest.  I think Barnes & Noble proved the point when they released the Nook Color.  I know a handful of people who have that devices and purchased it primarily to root it and run a version of CyanogenMod on it and turn it into a full fledged tablet device; and it even came to the point where the Nook Color received an official update with it's own tablet offerings.

Motorola proved that an alternative to the iPad could work (even if sales were modest it sent a message to the 'Big-A', i.e.: Apple).  And other vendor's followed suit by releasing a device similar to Motorola's Xoom but cheaper.  That is the natural progression of the lifecycle of consumer electronics.  Sure it happened fast, but right now vendor's seem to be hard pressed to rollout a device with a decent hardware configuration and keeping the price point under $350 to $400.

Would this upcoming price war bring down the price points even further, it's very possible.  Analysts are expecting some tablets to drop to the $350 price level for the average device, and could experience drops even lower than that (some think possibly $300 could be a future going price for some devices).  And by lowering the price point for these devices, it is very possible that people will feel more comfortable investing in one.

Let's face it, tablets are basically a hybrid between our cell phones and laptops.  For $400 to $600 you can buy a heck of a laptop, and for how many people really pay full retail price for their cell phones?  Not many.  That's right, a lot of those fancy smart phones on the market come with price tags in the $300 to $500 range. However, you're cellphone carrier usually gives you steep discounts on the hardware in order to make that money back on the service charges through the course of your contract.

So why would you pay that kind of price for a similar device?  Makes sense to me, drive the cost down.  Sales may pick up, which means more companies may get into the tablet market and generate competition.  Let's face it, right now if you're looking at tablet you're looking at (aside for the iPad):
-Asus
-Acer
-Motorola
-Samsung or
-Toshiba

There are cheaper tablets, but they come at a cost.  With either an older outdated version of Android, or significantly lesser hardware and resistive touchscreens.  And they often times have a poorer user experience. So I encourage the vendor's to do what they need to help drive the price down.  This can only help their sales, the end user's experience, and a means of further extending the Android (or similar) Operating System. And I see a lot of value for these Android devices and only hope that the market for them doesn't crumble around itself to due to over priced and underused devices.

Read the main article at: http://bb875c41.tinylinks.co

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