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Samsung’s on-screen fingerprint tech said to be riddled with brightness issues

Alexandra Arici
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Not so long ago it was believed Samsung’s next-gen Galaxy Note 8 phablet will arrive with a fingerprint scanner embedded into the display. Sadly, this information was recently refuted by a Samsung official who explained that the technology is not yet ready for mass production.

Now an industry source reveals the reason or one of the reasons why Samsung decided against equipping the Galaxy Note 8 with the new tech. According to a post on China’s micro-blogging site, Weibo the current technology has a tendency causes brightness imbalance issues where the area containing the scanner appears to be a lot brighter than the rest of the display (as can be noticed in the render above).

The awkward fingerprint scanner placement is one of the few complaints voiced by Samsung Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ owners since the phones got release and probably the main reason why the company has been trying to integrate the new technology in its next flagship design. However, it seems the time constraint will prevent Samsung from solving the various technical challenges associated with it in time for the Galaxy Note 8 launch.

Speaking of which, Samsung is trying to beat Apple and its upcoming iPhone 8 to the market. It’s the reason why we heard rumors claiming the Galaxy Note 8 will be unveiled as soon as mid-August. However, some industry insiders believe the phone will launch during the IFA 2017 tradeshow in Berlin, while others suspect Samsung’s next-gen Note model will arrive later than usual, sometime in September.

While it’s only natural to be worried about the competition, Samsung’s main focus shouldn’t be launching the Galaxy Note 8 on the market before the iPhone 8, but to make absolutely sure – through elaborated safety tests and measures – that another Galaxy Note7 scenario doesn’t come to pass this year.

You can now get Google Now support on Nova Launcher

Dan Bartram
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Google Now is one of the standout features of Android and to have it at your fingertips is a powerful tool. Unfortunately that is only the case if you’re using the official Google Now or Google Pixel Launcher. For those using a third-party launcher unfortunately were unable to have the Google Now pane accessible to the left of the homescreen due to restrictions with the API.

However, in the latest beta update, Nova Launcher has added true Google Now integration with no nasty complicated hacks required. Simply swipe to the left on your homescreen and you’ll see your Google Now cards.

But how does this work?

Up until recently, adding Google Now support to a launcher in the in the case of the Google Now and/or Pixel Launcher required the launcher application to be loaded as a system application. Without root access, third-party launchers didn’t have the option to do this.

Things changed a little behind the scenes that allows this functionality to be opened up and enabled. This is due to the Google app checking if the client app is debuggable and not Google’s own app. Trouble is debuggable applications can’t be published on the Google Play Store so to make things work smoothly, you’ll need a companion app installed alongside Nova Launcher to make it all work.

To get Google Now on Nova Launcher, you’ll need to be on the latest beta version of the app, v5.3-beta1 which you can download from the Play Store (once enrolled in the beta). From there, you’ll need to download the “Nova Google Companion” add-on APK from APKMirror.

Nova will automatically detect the companion app and it will just work and provide the Google Now panel right on your homescreen.

Enjoy!

Tip: How to speed up your LG G5

Dan Bartram
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Whilst the LG G5 is no slouch when it comes to specs, the device is not as new as it once was and with apps getting more resourcing demand you could find the G5 to be slowing down. Luckily there is a hidden feature that you can change that will instantly speed up your device.

The tip will help speed up your LG G5, helping reduce the impact of the aging processor and resource hungry apps. The best bit is there’s nothing extra to install or tons of settings to change, just a simple case of changing a setting with developer options enabled.

The little hack revolves around the animations applied to transitioning between windows and turning the device on or off. By simply turning this off, it contributes to making the device seem extremely snappy and fast by reducing the delay applied to the animation.

First, you’ll need to enable the Developer Options hidden menu. To do this, go into Settings -> About Device and scroll down to “Build Number”. Now, tap on “Build Number” five times and you’ll see a notification saying that “Developer mode has been enabled”.

With that hidden menu now enabled, we can head on into it to begin fastening up our LG G5.

  1. Head on in to Developer Options in Settings.
  2. Scroll down to the Drawing section.
  3. Of interest here is the Window Animation Scale, Transition Animation Scale, and Animator Duration Scale.
  4. Click on them individually to change the scale.

You are able to turn the animations off completely, or set them to 0.5x (default is 1x) so the animations will be double speed for those who would like to retain them.

You’ll notice your LG G5 feels substantially quicker. Let us know your comments in the section below.

Gear Up: 808 Audio wants to power your summer playlists

AndroidGuys
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808 Audio is an audio brand known for releasing quality products at an affordable price. We’ve reviewed a number of products over the years and are always interested in checking out new models.

As the summer season gets in full swing, it’s the time of year we find ourselves outside, riding bikes, taking walks, and lounging by the pool. For a lot of us, we love to put on some background music.

Though 808 Audio has a range of products, today we are going to look at its EarCanz Sport wireless earbuds and waterproof Canz H20 floating Bluetooth speaker. We’ve spent time with both of them and are ready to recommend each for your consideration.

EARCANZ Sport Wireless Earbuds

The EarCanz Sport Wireless Earbuds (About $50) are easy to pair right out of the box, which is convenient, and they can also be connected to more than one device at a time, so you can sync them with both your phone and tablet, and switch between the two effortlessly. We can watch a video on our tablet, and the audio will be interrupted with a phone call from the phone. Because of this one reason, they are worth it to us.

These earbuds are also sweat and water resistant and boast up to 9 hours of playtime, which we found to be pretty accurate, depending on use.  The Sport Earbuds also have flexible ear hooks for a custom fit, and are quite comfortable to use daily.

There are a few things to note about all of 808’s products though, and that is their love of both bass and treble. It seems that extra bass appears when the track doesn’t really have any, but the sound is pure, and isn’t distorted at all. Maybe it’s not the best for podcasts or telephone calls, but it still works in both realms. If you’re a music lover, then these are great earbuds.

CANZ H2O Bluetooth Speaker

The Canz H2O (about $50) is wrapped in a waterproof silicon covering, so you easily take this speaker into the pool with you. It even floats, so you don’t have to use the lanyard that comes in the box.

A USB to micro-USB charging cable is included, but you’ll need to bring your own USB power source to charge them. 808 Audio promises eight hours of battery life from Canz H2O and we found this to be pretty accurate in our time with it.

As far as features go, the Canz H2O is pretty basic. It pairs easily, right out of the box, and the only control is the single power button that also doubles as a play/pause button. The sound is good, though there was a slight bit of distortion at higher volume levels. To us, this is to be expected in a $50 speaker.

In all, this is a good speaker to leave by the pool or take it in with you for an afternoon/evening party. It will last for about eight hours and is great for an extended playlist. There aren’t any forward or back buttons, so unless you bring your waterproof phone with you in the pool, you’ll not have control over playback.

Conclusion

Either of these products would be a good fit for those of you looking for an affordable listening experience. We like what 808 Audio puts out and feel like it recognizes its place in the space. Rather, it doesn’t try to be something it isn’t. The general approach seems to be putting out good, solid audio products with budget-minded buyers in mind. You can shop for 808 Audio at its website as well as retailers such as Amazon, Best Buy, Target, and Walmart.

How to SIM unlock the LG G4

Matt Adams
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Leather battery door cover. Removable battery. 1440P display.

The LG G4 was seriously awesome when it first came out. In fact, it’s still pretty awesome today. We see people buying them every day over on Swappa. If you’re looking for a cheap and reliable phone, you can’t do much better than a used LG G4 for around $100. If you’re picking up a G4 or you still have one that you bought from your carrier, you may be interested in getting it unlocked.

Having an unlocked device is very important if you’re looking to take a vacation overseas or switching carriers without buying a new phone. In both of these situations, you’ll be placing a new SIM card into your device and if the phone is locked to another carrier, it’s not going to work. But, we have a solution for you. SIM unlocking your device!

First off, you can go through your carrier. If you bought your phone from a carrier and your account is in good standing, your device is paid off, and you’ve had the device on your account for a set number of days (varies by carrier) then you can request an unlock code.

If you’re like most Americans and you bought your LG G4 on a payment plan or a two-year contract through your carrier, you probably will not qualify for that at this point since it’s unlikely your phone is paid off or the contract term is up. If you don’t meet the requirements or you’re trying to unlock a used or “new to you” phone, you’ll need to go through a third-party unlocking service like Android SIM Unlock.

So, how exactly do you get your phone unlocked? Here are the steps we’ll need to take for both methods.

Get your IMEI Number

Before you do anything else, you need your IMEI number. IMEI stands for International Mobile Equipment Identifier and it’s the unique code for every device to identify it to carriers for access on their networks. Here’s how you get your IMEI number:

  1. Open the phone application
  2. Dial *#06#
  3. Your phone’s IMEI will pop up on the display
  4. Write it down in a document on your computer or a piece of paper nearby

Unlocking

Free unlocking

Earlier in the article, we talked about the requirements to get your free SIM unlock. If you’re unsure if you qualify, give your carrier a call and ask. The worst they can tell you is no and all you’ve lost is time. If you do qualify, wonderful! Here are the steps to unlocking your device with an unlock code provided by your carrier:

  1. Call your carrier customer service (normally you just dial 611 and hit send!)
  2. Request an unlock code
  3. Provide the IMEI number you wrote down earlier
  4. Your unlock code will be sent to you and should arrive within 5 days
  5. Replace the SIM card in your phone with one from another carrier
  6. Enter the unlock code when the prompt comes up

When you get your unlock code, grab a piece of paper and write it down. While these steps are easy, you don’t want to be left trying to pull that information out of a document you have saved in the cloud when you have no service and no WiFi connections. Just do it the old fashion way.

Paid unlocking

If you don’t qualify for a free SIM unlock from your carrier, you still have options! You can buy a cheap unlock code from a third-party unlocker like Android SIM Unlock. This method will work for carriers besides T-Mobile and MetroPCS, so if you have service through them, we’ll have special instructions below for you.

  1. Visit Android SIM Unlock or a similar unlocking site and enter the IMEI you wrote down earlier
  2. Complete the checkout process
  3. Your unlock code will arrive in your email in about an hour, but most of the time sooner than that
  4. Put a SIM card from another carrier in your LG G4
  5. Enter the unlock code in the prompt that appears on screen

T-Mobile and MetroPCS Unlocking Process

T-Mobile and MetroPCS, as we mentioned above, has its own unlocking app. Even if you don’t qualify for a free unlock, you can still unlock your device using the T-Mobile or MetroPCS Device unlock apps. Here’s how you’ll go about it:

  1. Visit Android SIM Unlock or a similar service and select the T-Mobile Device Unlock or MetroPCS Device Unlock option
  2. Enter your IMEI number
  3. Complete the checkout process
  4. You’ll receive your unlock confirmation email in 1 – 3 days
  5. Open the T-Mobile Device Unlock or MetroPCS Device unlock app
  6. Press Continue, then Permanent Unlock
  7. The unlock process will run and reboot your phone when it’s done

The process for T-Mobile isn’t any more complicated than other carriers, it’s just a bit slower.

It’s as easy as that. Enjoy your new (or used) LG G4 on any network you please.

Withings Steel HR review

AndroidGuys
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As an upgrade to the Withings Activité Steel, the Steel HR is a timepiece that features an analog watch with smart, fitness tracking capabilities. It’s one part “regular” watch, mixed one part “smart, activity tracker”. This goes for its physical look as well as its functions.

The Withings Steel HR is offered in 36mm ($180)  and 40mm ($200) case options with both sold in black; the smaller one is also available in white, too. The watch feels smaller than it sounds, even at the larger size. This was welcome to us, particularly as it’s designed to be worn during physical activities. The last thing you want to wear when out running or doing rigorous activities is a big wonky face or thick strap.

The watch face itself looks entirely analog at first blush. A second look, however, reveals the pair of complications. At the top you’ll find a digital circle sub-dial with an analog one below. The former delivers notifications while the latter represents your progress toward goals. The entire face is a stainless steel case which looks more business than casual.

The Steel HR is a very light watch that is also quite comfortable to wear. Thanks to the silicone straps, it’s something you’ll not mind having on you during a run. It breathes nicely and cleans up easily, too. Should you want to switch up to something more professional looking, the watch allows for that quite easily.

Our first overall impression of the watch was that it looked a little more “basic” or outdated than it appeared in press renders. Moreover, the monochrome complication initially seemed unimpressive and generic. After wearing the Steel HR a couple of days, we had completely warmed to it and didn’t mind at all.

The complications are a nice size and serve their respective purposes quite well. The upper one only displays your information for a few moments, but the 8-bit-like graphics are easy to glance at. You don’t have to worry about a strange font; a quick and simple glance is all it takes to see notifications.

Pressing the button on the side of the face lets you scroll through the various information to track or view, including the date, alarm, battery level, calories burned, steps taken, distance, and heart rate. There’s also a digital version of the clock should you need to check it in the middle of the night.

This was actually a pain point for us as the analog watch is essentially invisible when it gets dark out. Use it in dim environments or at night and you’ll have a hell of a time seeing the time, something we rely on watches for… a lot. We would have loved glowing tips on the hour and minute hands. Nevertheless, we press the button quite often come evenings.

As for dealing with notifications, though, it’s a mixed bag. To see who is calling, or look at a calendar notification requires reading through a scrolling message. Additionally, it’s somewhat of a limited experience in that notifications don’t work for Facebook Messenger, WhastApp, and a number of other apps. We’d like to see that rolled out in a software update, and think it is within the realm of possibility.

The Withings app gives users control over notifications for calls, calendar, and messages. Moreover, you can set up the various types of vibrations to know exactly what sort of notification you are receiving. If you want to track your weight (and you should), you can do that. Set goal, log activities manually, or get tips — whatever you imagine a typical activity tracker to do, this one does it.

Perhaps one of the best features in the Steel HR, and one that should be standard in wearables that run about $180 and above, is a heart rate monitor. This function alone opens up the door to deeper tracking.

The watch is able to discern when you’re out running, sleeping, or doing nearly ten other activities automatically. Among them are swimming, running, basketball, and tennis, however, you can also manually input your own activities.

Speaking of swimming, the Withings Steel HR is water resistant to 50 meters. This is far more than you’ll get in most wearables which tend to tap out around 3 meters. Just know that by swimming you’ll not get the accurate heart rate or calorie burning.

The battery is downright fantastic on the Withings Steel HR. We’re talking weeks off of one single charge. Withings calls for 25 days of usage, which looks to be just about right. We’ve used this one off and on for the last two weeks and aren’t yet ready to charge it up.

If you’re the type of person who doesn’t mind sleeping with a watch on, this one works nicely. It’s thin and light enough to not make you feel constricted; the watch can also help you wake up with a silent vibrating alarm during your lightest sleep.

In terms of accuracy, we noticed that it didn’t match up step for step with any other wearable. Whether it was literal steps or calories, it varied slightly as compared to the Fitbit Charge 2, Wear24, and a couple others. Generally speaking, though, it was nothing that concerned us. To us, variance is expected across the different types and brands in that space. On its own, though, we found it accurate, if not, perhaps more importantly, consistent.

Distance is one area where we think it could do better. Because it does not have a built-in GPS sensor and does not tie into your phone’s GPS, it’s not quite as accurate as it could be. Somehow, the Steel HR infers distance based on a variety of sensors and input. This is not a running watch so much as it is an “every man” activity tracker.

As for charging the Steel HR, it’s fairly easy if not a touch wonky. There’s a charging pad that you place the watch against, which takes some orienteering and playing around. Even though we didn’t need to charge our review unit, we were able to figure out the mechanics in a few tries. It’s a tad cumbersome and clumsy at first, but it’s easy enough to learn.

Battle Islands: Commanders (Review)

AndroidGuys
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DISCLAIMER: We were provided with a code that provides us in-game currency. Boohoo, I know, but it has not influenced the review in any way.

Battle Islands: Commanders is a Clash Royale-style game (why does that concern me) made by 505 Games (I can feel my childhood coming back) that sets it’s premise to World War Two. You can see 505’s page on it here, where they provide links to download on Android, Apple, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Steam! Now that’s a collection!

Permissions and Storage

Me being me, I always like to disclose the permissions an app uses. In this case, I have zero issues with Battle Islands and what it wants. Just storage (since it’s a large app) and the basics for any game.

Very Clean, nothing unnecessary

Storage wise? As of writing, Commanders is using 291MB of storage. Those with newer phones shouldn’t need to worry, but you may need to if you have a smaller storage – say, 8GB. (Then again, Google Play Services is 473MB, so no worries!)

Now, For the main attraction…

(You are here to read a review of the game, after all.)

Gameplay!

The gameplay plays like Clash Royale, but with more things stuck onto it. If you aren’t aware, these deck-building/tower-defense hybrids have you build a custom deck of up to 8 units, which you then take into a real-time battle with another player. by charging points (Called ‘command points’ in this case) you can summon units into battle. The goal? Destroy all 3 of your opponents buildings in 3 minutes. In the last minute, the rate you get command points doubles. In a tie, you get an extra minute – if it’s still a tie after that minute, the game ends in a draw. Sounds simple, right?

Taken Milliseconds before disaster.. at least for them.

Of course, winning games (or earning stars in a game, although this can be slower) earns you chests. These little guys give you money (or ‘supplies’, in this case) as well as some unit cards. Said cards can be used in the deck editor to upgrade existing cards(if you have more than 1 of them) or be swapped out.

Gotta catch them a…. wrong developer.

Tutorials? Much like similar games, the tutorial is in-depth and covers everything it can. I won’t narrate it here, it is a long one, but be assured that you will know how to play after it.

There are also alliances, where you can team with players and give them cards. And then leaderboards, which allow you to watch some of the top fights.

As for looks and sound, 505 have done well. You can tell that a lot of detail has gone into every single unit. Oh, did I say each unit is individually voiced in a variety of languages and accents?

-Via Giphy

English and American Accents? Got ’em. You want German and French units, with accents thicker than butter? Sure! But you must keep the Australian flamethrower guy. That accent warrants special powers. You must adhere to these powers.

 

In App Purchases! 

What can I say? It’s what you would expect from this sort of game. The basic pack costs 99p (or cents) and the most expensive £/$99.99.

Pretty average.

Conclusion

Overall? Not too shabby, 505. Not too shabby. I was expecting a disappointing clone of Clash Royale, but it’s gone beyond the base to make a feasible product. Fairly good gameplay, sounds and graphics are pleasantly surprising, and I can’t really complain over the IAP’s. Only real issue is that the game’s play store page can is a little confusing in its layout, but that’s not too bad. They just used PC screenshots, that’s all.

What’s the difference: Honor 9 vs Honor 8

Alexandra Arici
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The Honor 9 made a debut not so long ago and even though the phone won’t be available in the US for a while, you can use this time to consider whether the Honor 9 is actually worth the upgrade or not?

We really loved the Honor 8, but what could the Honor 9 bring extra to your life? Most importantly, is it worth shelving your beloved Honor 8 or does the older model still have what it takes to be your companion throughout 2017?

Design and Display

Honor’s new affordable flagship features a glass and metal chassis with curved 3D glass on the rear. The curved back will at least, in theory, make the Honor 9 more comfortable to hold in hand. Not that its predecessor wasn’t comfortable to work with.

The Honor 8 features the same sleek glass/metal design, which is available in a more polished form in the Honor 9. But a downside of using such materials to build the phone is that the Honor 8 can easily slide off any surface with a slight inclination. Hopefully, the tighter joins between metal and glass on the new Honor 9 will help prevent that.

A stark design difference between the two is that while the Honor 8 housed the fingerprint scanner on the back, the Honor 9 has it embedded in the home button.

Moving on to specs, last year’s model takes advantage of a 5.2-inch panel with 1920 x 1080 resolution and Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection, while the newcomer relies on a 5.15-inch display also with fullHD resolution. But the Honor 9’s screen covers the DCI-P3 standard, so it should deliver better color reproduction.

Internals

The Honor 9 relies on the same chipset Huawei’s previous flagships, the Mate9 and P10 bundle under the hood. The home-grown Kirin 960 is an octa-core SoC clocked at a maximum of 2.4GHz.

The new Honor will be available in several configurations including 4GB/64GB, 6GB/64GB or 6GB/128GB. A microSD card slot is also available for expanding memory up to 256GB.

In contrast, the Honor 8 rocks last year’s Kirin 950, also an octa-core affair clocked at 2.3GHz. The phone features two configurations – one with 4GB/32GB and another with 4GB/64GB.

Cameras

Both Honor 8 and Honor 9 feature main dual camera system. The older model includes a dual 12-megapixel assembly with f/2.2 aperture, laser autofocus and dual-LED.

The newcomer pairs a 20-megapixel monochrome sensor with an RGB 12-megapixel one. The main camera setup features f/2.2 aperture, phase detection autofocus, two-tone LED flash and 4K support, but note there’s no optical image stabilization (OIS) module.

When it comes to selfies, the Honor 9 has an 8-megapixel secondary shooter with f/2.0, while the Honor 8 offers the services of an 8-megapixel one with f/2.4.

Battery

The Honor 9 relies on a 3,200 mAh battery, while the Honor 8 included a non-removable 3,000 mAh battery. In our review of last year’s model, we found battery life was a big standout with the Honor 8, so we have to assume the 3,200 mAh battery will offer even greater results.

Other differences

The Honor 9 comes with some other notable differences compared to its predecessor. For starters, it’s the first model to get Huawei Pay treatment – the Chinese company’s own mobile service solution that comes to compete head to head with similar services like Android Pay, Samsung Pay or Apple Pay.

Moreover, the phone embeds a Hi-Fi audio chip that can according to the company, will bring 90% improvements in sound purity and 60% increase in fidelity. The product will ship with a bunch of custom Monster earphones.

None of these options are available in the Honor 8.

Being a newer device the Honor 9 ships out with Android 7.0 Nougat with the newer Emotion UI 5.1 onboard, while the Honor 8 has Android 6.0 Marshmallow by default. Luckily, Huawei rolled out the Android 7.0 Nougat update for the phone a while ago.

Value

If you’re looking to buy the Honor 8 now, you can pick the 32GB version from Amazon for $349. Oddly, buying the 64GB proves to be the cheaper alternative (at least on Amazon) as the phone is listed with a $319 price tag.

At Oppo Mart, the device is even cheaper, as the 32GB version can be acquired for $269.

As for the Honor 9, the phone is yet to become available for purchase in the US. Yet, retailers like Amazon or Best Buy will surely make it available at some point.

In Asia, the Honor 9 with 4GB/64GB will be sold for approximately $338, while the 6GB/64GB model will be available for $400. The most advanced variant with 6GB/128GB will bear a more advanced $441 price-tag. The Honor 9 seems a worthy upgrade over the Honor 8, so we’re quite excited to be getting our hands on it. Hopefully it will happen soon.

Verizon debuts first LTE-only (flip) phone, the LG Exalt LTE

Alexandra Arici
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Verizon launched a new affordable phone in the US. But this time it’s not a smartphone, but a flip-phone.

While flippers like the new LG Exalt LTE are popular choices in countries like Japan, customers in the US aren’t completely immune to their charms either. Actually, there’s a lot of people who still prefer these “dumb” phones to their more intelligent alternatives.

Anyway, despite being an unimpressive device spec-wise, the LG Exalt LTE does come with a special characteristic. It’s Verizon’s first LTE-only phone. Which means the LG Exalt LTE can only connect to the carrier’s LTE network and not its 3G CDMA network.

This launch indicates Verizon is looking towards the future and the future is LTE, not 3G. With this in mind, the carrier will slowly but surely start to retire its CDMA-compatible phones and bring out new 4G-only devices. The LG Exalt LTE is only the beginning.

Verizon actually announced a while back it will start shutting down parts of its CDMA networks by the end of 2019, to make more room for LTE. But in order to do that, Big Red needs to start migrating people from 3G CDMA networks onto LTE ones. And a sure way to do that is to start offering 4G-only phones like the LG Exalt LTE.

Now let’s take a quick look at the specs. The new product comes equipped with a 3-inch display with 400 x 240 resolution and a Snapdragon chip clocked at 1.1GHz plus 8GB of internal storage (microSD card slot available for memory expansion up to 32GB).

The LG Exalt LTE also includes a 1,470 mAh battery. In addition to LTE, it supports Wi-Fi, HD voice, Bluetooth 4.1 and integrated text-to-speech function.

You can purchase the LG Exalt LTE flip phone for $7/month for 24 months or for $168 outright. Naturally, for this amount of money you’ll be able to purchase a low-end smartphone, but if you’re looking to change it up, the LG flipper is waiting for you.

Why is antivirus software so crucial?

AndroidGuys
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Yes, yes, we have all heard it a million times and anyone with half a brain is well aware of the need to protect your laptop by having a reliable antivirus installed. The truth is, as technology is getting smarter, and so are the bad guys who are trying to spread malicious viruses and hack personal data.

In the last 12 months alone it was stated that over 900 million users could be at risk – and that is just on Android devices! It goes without saying we store so much personal information on our devices, from bank details to copies of identity documents, ultimately antivirus is to stop our details getting in the hands of the wrong people. Make sure you know how to block your information remotely should your device or computer fall under the eyes of someone else- a reliable antivirus can protect against unauthorized access to your confidential data, as well as on memory cards.

But it is not as simple as just googling antivirus and downloading the first one that pops up as some sneaky hackers have created FAKE antivirus programs that contain malicious codes just waiting for you to install. More so than many other products, finding a reputable, thorough, and safe antivirus provider is paramount and the best way to do this is by reading reviews on top-quality sites such as bestonlinereviews.com.

Downloading

A strong antivirus can protect against harmful downloads, and that doesn’t just mean the latest movie that you want to see. Opening any file, or email attachment could potentially threaten your device. If that file is infected the antivirus will recognize it instantly and destroy the intruder.

Making the most of battery life

Did you know that a great antivirus can also help you manage and maximize your devices battery life? An antivirus will enable to you to take note of the consumption and space your apps are occupying on your device.  They can help you to take control and block apps that are not necessary to enable your device to work more efficiently.

Don’t just assume you only protect laptops and desktops

Unfortunately, the rise in malicious viruses has also spread to handheld devices. Hackers are increasingly interested at getting to your tablet and smartphone but thankfully there are many efficient apps on the market to protect your phone e.g. some apps enable you to block your phone remotely, and lock the device. Games are frequently a common means of acquiring a nasty virus. A solid antivirus will perform frequent checks on your devices, not just the imminent downloads.

Keeping the little ones’ safe

The weird and wonderful worldwide wide web is no place for children without anything to block them from harmful images. A purely innocent google search can throw up a whole manner of inappropriate material and an infected computer can receive explicit popups and adverts, not suitable for younger eyes. Innocent websites can also be disguised, and in fact bear x-rated material.  In the world we live in, be sure to pay attention to internet safety for children. An efficient antivirus software helps keep the younger members of your family safe online.

Illegal activity

Many hackers try and obtain the IP address of the victim, to perform illegal operations, not just stealing identities. The pro’s most certainly outweigh the cons when it comes to securing your devices. Prevention is always better than cure. Is a costly laptop repair, loss of personal data and the inconvenience while you don’t have it, really worth the risk.

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