Last week I said that mobile security companies should focus less on trying to scare users about malware, and spend more time plugging holes that Google isn’t addressing. Mobile security firm Lookout was apparently way ahead of me because it has released Push Ad Detector, a utility that determines which apps are advertising in your notifications menu.

Yes, notification ads are one of the most annoying things about Android, and they are increasing in popularity as more companies and developers start embracing it. We’ve covered how users can opt-out of AirPush, but that’s no longer the only company employing this practice. That’s why Push Ad Detector can prove useful to users looking to sniff out which apps are sending the ads, as well as how to make them stop.

Push Ad runs a scan of apps currently installed on a phone, searching for signs of known ad networks that advertise outside of the app. It then returns a list of apps with that capability and links users to a path to opt-out of those ads appearing again. At the moment, six known networks are detectable: Airpush, Appenda, LeadBolt, Moolah, Startapp, and TapIt!

This is the kind of thing that companies should be looking for. While technically not against the rules of the Android Market terms of service, this form of advertising is annoying. Anyone who has seen these ads pop-up can download the free beta of Push Ad Detector and put a stop to the practice.

Do you do a lot of writing on your Android tablet? Have you been looking for the perfect app to help you focus on the most important part – the writing? Whether you’re a blogger, journalist, working on your next book, participating in the NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), or you just prefer to write a draft before sharing in social media or other web-based apps, Jotterpad HD could be the answer you’re looking for.

I’ve been a fan of minimalist interfaces when I sit down to write on any device, and while there’s a number of great desktop options, I hadn’t found the right fit for Android. Most either have too many functions and create distraction, cater to developers and try to mimic a very basic text editor, or have all the design elegance of a post-it note. While I’m a big fan of apps like Evernote for short messages and storing information, and there are lots of great apps or browser-based possibilities for connecting to your writing’s social media or online destination, I often find them all a bit laggy when I’m writing something longer like a novel chapter or feature article.

Well I’ve finally found my solution in Jotterpad HD from 2nd Class Citizen and I’m using it to write this post right now. Available for tablets running Honeycomb or Ice Cream Sandwich, it also supports all types of physical or bluetooth keyboards, in English and Chinese.

Open it up and you’re given a list of your past documents with icons to create a new document, edit a past one, share, or more options. If you click on a document from the list, it shows the creation date, last update date and time, number of time machine backups, and word count for the document. If you have a personal word target for your daily writing, or your editor has a requirement, you know just how important this little feature can be.

Create a new document and you’re faced with a clean white screen, space for a title, an attractive font and a very simple top ribbon with icons for save and back, and the paid version adds undo/redo/day-night mode. There’s room for a title centered on the first line. Want more options? There are a few in the more options icon, allowing you to Find within the document or display/hide a bottom ribbon with icons to increase or decrease the font size, change to one of the other 3 fonts (2 classic serif fonts and one arial-esque sans serif), or change the text alignment for the page. That’s it. And really, when you sit down to write, that’s all you need.

One thing that makes it so powerful is how it uses standard Android sharing, but with a twist. The title automatically becomes the title in another application (like WordPress or Evernote) , or the subject in an e-mail. That means you can use Jotterpad as your main writing pad for all sorts of writing, and with its clean interface and fast response time, you can be more efficient and focused. Since it is plain text, you don’t have to worry about correcting strange formatting when you use this as a first draft for your blog.

The Time Machine is a fantastic function and very smoothly implemented. Every time you open a document and save again, it creates a new Time Machine backup. Available under More Options, if you open the Time Machine it will show you side by side your current version and the previous version for you to check for differences. You can choose an even earlier version as well.

Also under More Options you can create a duplicate of a current document, export to TXT or PDF, or change the Settings. They’ve done a great job with the PDF export, where you can choose the font color and style, background color, alignment, file name (defaults to the title) and see a preview of how it looks before you complete the export. The Settings menu lets you customize your interface a bit by changing your ribbon style and day/night mode (paid version only), or you can backup your entire database.

No, this is not a full-featured replacement for your desktop Word Processor, nor is it trying to be. But when you need to write, this has the killer combination of only exactly what you need, and looks great doing it. Download it now from the Market to try it out and get writing! You’ll be paying for the full version soon!

Around these parts, we’re big fans of Koushik Data, a CyanogenMod team member and developer of great Android things like ROM Manager and Clockwork Mod. Unlike the previously mentioned features, the latest innovation from “Koush” doesn’t require root.

ClockworkMod Tether is an alpha application that enables wireless tethering on Android devices. The difference between this and most other solutions is that it:
1 – Doesn’t require the phone to be rooted
2 – Doesn’t require a monthly tethering plan from your carrier
3 – Will supposedly not be detectable by carriers thanks to a workaround to be implemented

In his Google+ post announcing the app, which is still in testing and seeking constructive feedback on issues that you may run into, Koush says ClockworkMod Tether “should work with any carrier and phone, and is not blockable or detectable by carriers.” To get started, user only need download and run a Mac, Linux, or Windows application. The desktop client is required to function, and will initiate set-up on both the computer and phone.

Download links are available at Koush’s Google+ post. I just tested on a Mac OSX laptop on a non-rooted Galaxy Nexus and it worked without a hitch. Start-up was a little slow, but I was soon browsing the web. The tethering app, which is not final, even provides a running clock to warn users how much data they are downloading and uploading while tethering. (Your normal data caps will still apply.)

[Google+] via Reddit

Valve has sold and distributed plenty of titles through its Steam store, allowing gamers to have a central place to grab online games, access them from any compatible computer, connect with others, and get deals in the process. Steam hasn’t made all those features available to mobile users, but there’s an unofficial app that at least lets users monitor some activity from their Android device.

Steam for Android by IBF Programs puts “The whole Steam Community…at your fingertips.” The app offers the sales and social aspects of Steam by linking to a public profile. Then it shows summaries of profiles and points out when friends are online or in-game (as well as when they were last online). Steam also shows the number of group members currently active; specials for online games, including links to the Steam Store to make purchases; and a Favorites tab.

This is not the first Android app to support Steam, but Steam for Android looks better than other apps. Steam’s UI design is based off Ice Cream Sandwich, but compatibility is promised for any Android phone running Android 1.6 or higher. Within specials, there are filtering options for price or score that can be accessed by tapping on the Specials tab. The app is available for free and supports the following languages:

• English
• French
• Italian
• Portugese
• Spanish
• Swedish

via Addictive Tips and Lifehacker

Happy New Year, everybody! This will be the last edition of Android Apps Alert published in the year 2011. It was a prolific year for the Android Market, which underwent more changes than we have time to recount, and we’re happy to see the constant stream of new Android apps available for our phones and tablets. However, the stream was a little soft this week as development has slowed during the post-Christmas, pre-CES lull. Here are a few new and noteworthy apps that you may want to grab anyway.

Old Republic Security Key

Android 2.1+ required

Star Wars: Old Republic debuted this week, and this is probably the first time that you’ve come up for air since you got your hands on the new MMORPG. Fans of Old Republic spend a great deal of time and money on quests in the game, and they want to ensure that their investment remains in tact and secure. With the Old Republic app, users can get a two-stage verification that prevents their accounts from being accessed without approval. The app creates a one-time keycode that acts as a secondary security layer to keep your game info protected.

Winter Wake Up

Android 2.1+ required

Ever woke up at your scheduled time only to discover that there’s a mountain of snow that needs to be moved before you can get your car on the road? Download Winter Wake Up and avoid the weather delays. Winter Wake Up (WWU from here on out) works by taking asking users what time they wake up and how much extra time they would need under heavy snow or frost. The app then intelligently monitors local weather conditions, as determined by GPS, and wakes users up earlier. So if it snows overnight and you need 20 minutes to shovel or de-frost the windshield, WWU rings the alarm at 6:20 instead of 6:40 AM. There’s even a feature that says, “Don’t bother to wake me” if conditions are really bad, but be careful about that one. Your job may still require some sort of notification that you aren’t coming in.

via TechCrunch

Free New Years Live Wallpaper

Android 2.2 required

I’m sure we’re all hoping that the Mayans were wrong, but either way, it’s time to party like it’s 1999 2012! The Free New Years Live Wallpaper offers glowing live wallpapers with multiple themes and effects to bring in the new year. Your wallpaper may be a purple-and-orange Statue of Liberty one minute, but it could just as easily be fireworks exploding over parties celebrating the new year. Download the free app and get ready for a new beginning (or end depending on what you believe).

Ancestry.com

Android 2.1+ required
Phone and tablet compatible

Ancestry.com is a popular resource for researching, creating, and maintaining a family tree. The official Android app that debuted recently makes it possible to do that from a phone. Ancestry.com can show your existing tree or start a new one, so users can add or delete people and events (Sometimes, you need to prune your family members apparently.) The app includes zooming in/out, search, profile info for family members, and viewing historical documents that may provide clues about your family history.

Light Flow LED

Android 2.2+ required
Free Lite, $1.99 premium

Light Flow tweaks how the LED notification light operates. So instead of seeing a standard flashing light for all notifications, it shows green when a text message comes in, white when a new email arrives, purple for a calendar reminder, or red for a missed call. Users can customize colors so they know what type of notification comes in. Purchase the premium $1.99 app and you’ll get more notification options for specific apps like Facebook, Foursquare, Kik, Skype, Tweetdeck, Twitter, WhatsApp, and more.

Able Remote

Android 1.6+ required, Google TV required

A couple of weeks ago, I reviewed a free Android app called Able Remote, an interesting remote for Google TV that controls the TV and accessories. (It even uses voice commands.) There’s also a page that bookmarks common apps for easy access. The latest version of Able Remote now allows users to customize that page. After purchasing a $0.99 in-app upgrade, users will be able to select which Google TV apps are bookmarked so they can get to them with a couple of taps rather than going through the entire menu. There’s also new graphics, editable buttons, and improved on-screen caller ID.

Android Apps Reviews & News of the Week

• Add Androinica.com to your Google Currents library!
• Are You Watching This?! sports app lets you swipe and play games on TV
• Papa John’s giving away Samsung Galaxy Nexus and discounts to Android app users
• Gameloft putting Android Market games on sale for $0.99
• Redux TV delivers curated, leanback viewing experience for Google TV [App Reviews]
• Sprint NBA Mobile 2011-2012 hands-on [Video]
• Amazon and Google Music sales yield big discounts

It was just a few days ago that Dropbox showed off the design changes that it would make for Ice Cream Sandwich devices. Today, the company has released an updated Dropbox for Android app that changes the appearance of the app on all phones (pre-ICS included) and adds some nice new features to go along with its pretty new face.

First, let’s talk about the facelift. Dropbox now has a three-tab interface for browsing your online Dropbox: the main view where all stored files are displayed; Uploads to see which files are queued to be uploaded from the phone to the cloud, as well as a log of files recently completed; and Favorites, which is the section where users go to access files that have been downloaded to the phone for offline use. Honeycomb and ICS phones will see the tabs represented in a flat action bar with just the icons, but Gingerbread and previous devices will see a gradient bar. All versions will be able to tap the down arrow on a file or folder and get options to Share, Favorite, Delete, Rename, or export.

As for the new features, we just revealed one of them. Dropbox makes it easier now to manage files from that dropdown menu. Users can send files from Dropbox directly to Google Docs or an email, and they can share it with any app with access to the Android share function. Adding a Favorite to a file then saves it to the device and makes it accessible offline in the Favorites tab.

Dropbox has also become a better manager of files. The app supports bulk file uploads, which will be great news for folks who like to immediately backup their photos to the cloud. Gallery view has also been improved to go along with other “bug fixes and stability improvements” to make for a better Dropbox. Download the app from the Android Market and see these welcome changes for yourself.

[Dropbox]

While DepositFiles, Megaupload, and Rapidshare have become the default resources for consumers looking to share large files, YouSendIt has been popular among businesses and some consumers as well. Anyone who has been passing those large files around can do that on Android now that the YouSendIt Mobile App has been released.

YouSendIt, available now for Android 2.2 and higher, is a management tool for sending and receiving large files. It’s commonly used for video producers sending raw files to clients, coworkers using shared documents, or between people looking to send files too large for email attachments. With the YouSendIt Mobile App, users can download those files directly to their phone or send them securely to someone else. (You can even digitally sign them.)

Because YouSendIt includes a cloud storage component, users can also manage their accounts with the mobile app. Folder creation or moving is available in the app, and so is the ability to adjust Read/Write permissions for select folders. That allows team members to grant each other access to critical files without having to compromise their accounts. Users can also upload or delete files, access stored documents or videos, and send a file stored in the account. YouSendIt can share via the standard method or create a link that can pass to the Android share function.

A YouSendIt account is free if you want only the most basic features: 2 GB of total storage, 50 MB max file size and 5 e-signatures. However, you can sign-up for a $9.99 per month Pro account that raises those limits to 5 GB of storage, 2 GB max file size , and 10 signatures. A $14.99 per month plan offers unlimited storage, 2 GB max file size, and unlimited signatures, as well as a range of tracking features and support. View the full-breakdown of options or sign-up for a free trial at the YouSendIt.com plan comparison page.

Android was among the first of the modern smartphone operating systems to truly embrace the cloud, allowing for on-device management and synching across devices. AirDroid is an application that adds a twist to that concept by providing a tool to manage important phone functions directly from a desktop computer.

AirDroid links a computer and mobile device that are on the same Wi-fi network. The user enters an IP address in the browser and then enters a key code that pairs the devices. From there, AirDroid can access call logs, check messages, and manage files stored on the computer. There’s also a good-looking contact management feature, but since users can already do with Google Contacts, it’s less impressive. However, being able to send and receive text messages on a computer is worth the price of admission ($0 – the app is free).

App and file management are also present. If you download an APK to beta test, you can load it directly from the portal without having to mount an SD card. And if you need to back-up apps, the Export feature will download the APK for a single title or a ZIP archive for a batch of them. AirDroid can also initiate batch uninstalls, but it still requires that the user manually tap “Ok” for each app on the phone. The portal actually does a better job of displaying the name, size, and date of each app installed, providing an excellent window for determining which titles get the boot.

It’s not all peaches and roses, however. I love that Airdroid can manage the SD card without having to actually mount it to a device, allowing users to wirelessly transfer songs to a phone or backup photos from the phone to the desktop. However, the speed of some functions isn’t as fast as it could be, and navigation from one window to another isn’t quick either. It’s also disappointing that there’s only an icon view when browsing the SD card contents, and the stats on file space don’t refresh even after pressing the refresh button. These are small gripes that are tolerable for now and will likely be addressed in future updates.

AirDroid is a handy application to manage data on the desktop, and it has a simple file manager when you want to handle certain functions directly on the phone. Even if you just want to be able to easily send texts or backup files, it’s a great tool to have in your arsenal.

KEY FACTS AND FEATURES

• Android 2.1 or higher required
• Copy text clipboard between Android and desktop
• Send and receive SMS messages from the desktop
• Over-the-air transfer of music, photos, and other documents
• Install, backup, or uninstall apps and games from the desktop

The first two lessons learned at any university are that the financial aid office is a nightmare, and the campus bookstore is never going to give you a deal when buying or selling back textbooks. Amazon is attempting to swoop-in and address the later issue with its new Amazon Student app for Android.

Previously available only for the iPhone, Amazon Student is a rebranded and focused version of the Price Check by Amazon app. It is aimed at college and university students looking for a better deal when purchasing text books. A student can go to the campus bookstore, scan the barcode or search for a title, and then see how much it would cost to order the book from Amazon instead. For instance, my alma mater sells an anthropological theory text for $95, while Amazon offers the same book for only $74 with free shipping. Considering that this course requires multiple texts – and that may happen in other courses each semester – you can save hundreds of dollars by shopping on Amazon instead.

Amazon Student provides an alternative for trading in a book rather than selling it. While the campus bookstore might give you $45 for that book you originally bought for $100, Amazon will give you $67 on an Amazon gift certificate. Cash is king in most cases, but if you’re going to spend the money on something Amazon sells anyway, it might be more advantageous to do it that way. (Sidenote: I used to post signs on campus and sell the book directly to students the next semester. You get more money that way.) The app will scan the barcode and tell a user how much money to expect for a trade-in, then create a printable shipping label.

It seems kind of overdone to make yet another app specifically for students, especially when you consider that Amazon already has multiple Android apps. One can’t help but wonder why Amazon didn’t just build this program into those existing apps. Whatever the reason, this is a good app to test out now that the fall semester is coming to a close. Download the app from the Android Market, sign-up for Amazon Student, and you’ll get the following benefits:

• Free 2-day shipping with no minimum order for 6 months
• Free release date delivery on games, books, movies, and more
• Student-targeted deals and promotions

Following the completion of your free 6 month membership in Amazon Student, the account will be upgraded to an Amazon Prime membership that costs only $39 a year instead of $79.

There are thousands upon thousands of apps in the Android Market. Despite much discussion about which app store has the most apps, people rarely stop to think that the average consumer will only use a fraction of those apps and games. How does someone decide which titles make it to their Android device?

Hooked wants to lend a helping hand. Or at least a thumb. Hooked is an Android 2.1+ app that recommends quality games. Mixing user responses, preferences, and frequent activity, the app figures out which games would be best for a specific person and not what’s topping the charts of the Android Market. So if you’re constantly playing 3D racing or fighting games, Hooked can detect you’ll probably get more enjoyment out of Shadowgun than you would from Doodle Jump.

Beyond saying, “Install this,” Hooked includes some good search and similarity features. To go back to the Shadowgun example, I can search for that app and find that people who play that app often play N.O.V.A 2 as well, which tells me that’s another shooting game that I might want to consider. Or, I could just search for a keyword and filter according to maturity, category, rating, or freshness. And as I browse throw the results, I can get install links or bookmark that app for consideration later.

Hooked also advertises that it has social features, but they seem half-baked. There’s a stream showing what people have played, but there’s no way to follow those people who might have similar tastes as me. However, you can connect to a Facebook account and see what your other friends using Hooked are playing.

Game recommendations are constantly evolving as users give a thumbs up or down to titles installed on their phones. Hooked isn’t perfect, of course, because it recommended a farming game in which I have zero interest, but it got smarter over time as I removed suggested items that didn’t fit me. Overall, I’d say that this is a good app to have if the Android Market choices prove too overwhelming and you just want a target set of games most likely to give some downtime fun.