How to use your android phone to control computers remotely

Are you tired of providing on-site tech support for your friends and family? Providing support remotely is an easy way to help them while maintaining your sanity. If you don't have a computer nearby, but have your Android phone, you can still help. Here's how:

Computer setup

Step 1:
On the computer you want to remote control, download "TeamViewer QuickSupport" from TeamViewer. The downloaded file is named TeamViewerQS_en.exe. The program is self-contained so it does not need to be installed.

Step 2:
Double-click on the TeamViewerQS_en.exe file to launch TeamViewer on the computer you want to control.

Step 3:
At the main screen, the numeric ID of that system is listed and a numeric password for that session. Make a note of the ID and password as you'll need that information later.

Step 4:
If you're setting this up on someone else's computer, you may want to create a shortcut for them or place the file on their desktop so they can find it more easily when they need your help. Once you've connected to the computer, a small window with a session list will pop up in the lower right-hand corner.
TeamViewer session list

Android setup

Step 1:
On your Android phone, install TeamViewer from the Android Market and launch it. In the first box, enter the ID of the "partner" computer. In the second box, enter the password and tap the "Connect to partner" button.

Step 2:
Once connected, you'll see gesture control instructions.

Step 3:
Close the instruction screen to see the desktop of the remote computer.
TeamViewer connected

You've got control! Now you can help your in-law's figure out how to use Netflix streaming or add an RSS feed to Google Reader. You can help someone with just about anything he or she might need help with, without having to physically be there. You can use the mouse, type, print, and even reboot the remote computer.

The Android version of TeamViewer does have a few limitations, compared with the computer version. The Android version does not support local audio, text chat , video chat, or file transfers.

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How to Keep Malware Off Your Android Phone

Although some of these apps might look suspicious, others bearing names such as "Quick Notes" or "Chess" seem innocent enough, and you might not think twice about downloading them.

Tips for a Malware-Free Smartphone

Following are five quick tips to help you keep your Android handset free of malware.

1. Always research the publisher of the app. What other apps does it offer? Do any of them look a bit shady? If so, you should probably stay away.
2. Read online reviews. Android Market reviews may not always be truthful. Check around to see what reputable Websites are saying about the app before you hit the download button.
3. Always check app permissions. Whenever you download or update an app, you get a list of permissions for it. An alarm clock app, for instance, probably shouldn't need to look through your contacts. The general rule of thumb: If an app is asking for more than what it needs to do its job, you should skip it. 
4. Avoid directly installing Android Package files (APKs). When Angry Birds first came to Android, you could get it only through a third party. This is called "sideloading," or installing apps using an .APK file. Although Angry Birds wasn't malware, in general it is highly advisable not to download and install .APK files that you randomly come across. Most of the time you won't know what the file contains until you install it--and by then it's too late.
5. Put a malware and antivirus scanner on your phone. Although many people still think that antivirus scanners on phones are useless, maybe outbreaks such as this one will change minds. Several different big-name security companies already offer mobile-security options, many of them free. I myself had downloaded "Spider Man," which is on a bad-apps list. My Lookout software identified it as a Trojan horse.

Infected-Apps List Published by Android User 'Myournet'

• Advanced Currency Converter
• App Uninstaller
• Chess
• Dice Roller
• Falling Ball Dodge
• Falling Down
• Funny Paint
• Hilton Sex Sound
• Hot Sexy Videos
• Photo Editor
• Scientific Calculator
• Screaming Sexy Japanese Girls
• Spider Man
• Super Guitar Solo
• Super History Eraser
• Super Ringtone Maker
• Super Sex Positions

Infected-Apps List Published by Android User 'Kingmall2010'

Advanced App to SD
Advanced Barcode Scanner
Advanced Compass Leveler
Advanced File Manager
Best password safe
Bowling Time
Magic Strobe Light
Music Box
Sexy Girls: Japanese
Sexy Legs
Super Stopwatch & Timer
Supre Bluetooth Transfer
Task Killer Pro

Infected-Apps List Compiled Under the Developer Name 'we20090202'

• Advanced Sound Manager
• Basketball Shot Now
• Bubble Shoot
• Color Blindness Test
• Finger Race
• Funny Face
• Magic Hypnotic Spiral
• Omok Five in a Row
• Piano
• Quick Delete Contacts
• Quick Notes
• Super Sexy Ringtones
• Tie a Tie

Also on the lists are the foreign-language apps shown at left.

Lookout Mobile Security, which provides security software for mobile phones, posted on its blog a list of 56 Android applications that have been infected with DroidDream, a new type of Android malware that roots your phone and gains access to as much personal information as it can. The apps also can open a backdoor, allowing more executable code to download to your phone without your being aware of it.

A few of these apps have already been downloaded by at least 50,000 users, making this one of the most widespread cases of Android malware to date. Although the apps in question have been pulled from the Android Market, Google is investigating them and has not yet moved to wipe them remotely from users' phones.

Lookout has issued an update to its mobile security software. If you have downloaded any of these apps, the company advises that you run its malware scanner and e-mail the Lookout support center. Mashable (also posted a list of infected apps complied by Myournet) suggests returning your phone to your carrier, as your data and security may be compromised.

With more and more malware emerging for the Android platform every day, users would do well to be careful and pay strict attention to what happens on their phones. You have to remember that smartphones are essentially computers--and all computers are vulnerable to attack by malicious software.

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